Books are my ADVIL

01 Yummy

 

The story of a young boy who gets caught up

in gang life in Chicago.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Yummy-Last-Days-Southside-Shorty/dp/1584302674

 

 

 

 

 

02  Bless Me Ultima

 

This story is an intriguing narration about the struggle of a Mexican family as their sons are away at war and what happens when they return. It also describes the religious culture as well as some magical naturalism that New Mexicans inherited from the Native Americans.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Bless-Me-Ultima-Rudolfo-Anaya/dp/0446600253

 

03  Their Eyes Were Watching God

 

 

Zora Neale Hurston creates an amazing journey through which we enter the world of Janie Crawford as she experiences life as the wife of three different men.  In an era of both gender and racial inequalities, this novel is as relevant today as it was during the Harlem Renessaince.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Their-Eyes-Were-Watching-God/dp/0060838671

 

 

 

 

04  Flight

Sherman Alexie skillfully takes the reader on journeys through time, as the orphaned, troubled teenager, Zits, seeks to find his identity by assuming the identities of others. Although he is ironically "saved" by the white people he so despises, it is still a story worth reading.  A word of caution - the language he uses is not particularly appropriate to my own 6th grade students.

 

 

 

05  Barefoot Gen

 

This graphic novel was a unique experience in learning about history.  Nakazawa's coverage of the Hiroshima tragedy through a very personal lens left the reader with a truer sense of what it was really like.  The emotional pull of these true events were heartbreaking especially toward the end, although other parts of the novel seemed somewhat slap-stick and involved repeated casual violence.  Recommended highly for high school students.

 

 

06   Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art

 

This graphic novel about creating graphic novels and comics

was very informative and well-written.  The style was easy to understand and humorous - I could definitely read it again.

 

 

 

07   Superman; Red Son

 

Another intriguing graphic novel I read this summer with a twist - rather than landing in America, Superman lands in Russia and begins to become the world's supreme ruler with a Communist ideology.  Interestingly, although he does rule with Communism as a tool, he is trying to help society and in the end, has the same values.  This was an enjoyable read of an old yet unique story.

 

 

08 It's a Book

 

 

This is a delicious picture book for students who use computers. It reminds them of the unique features of books in a very simple, yet humorous manner. It is suitable especially for children, although can work for kids of every age. I didn't really read it in 2015, but that's ok.

 

 

09  Princess Bride

 

I thought I'd get ahead and read this prior to my Spring courses - after which the syllabus was changed and it wasn't required.  Still, it was worth the read - courtly romance, danger, espionage, and a limping stalker give this book five thumbs up.

 

 

10   Bloodchild

 

This short story was really cool - great for gender criticism because it is a sci-fi story written by a woman! A story about creepy worm creatures that host in their humans and supposedly have a "symbiotic relatiionship".  Yeah sure.