The Rifle by Gary Paulsen

Paulsen, Gary. The Rifle. San Deigo: Harcourt Brace, 1995. 112 pages. $5.95 ISBN 9780152928803

Plot Summary: The story follows the life of a rifle created in 1768. After the death of the original owner the gun is passed on through more than two centuries until it falls into the hands of a mechanic. Richard is just an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Critical Evaluation: This book mesmerized me when I read it in 1995. I was amazed at the detail Paulsen went into about the creation of the gun and then the events leading up to the tragic shot. Reading it again years later I can definitely see where Paulsen pushes "guns don't kill people, people kill people" but still feel that it is a moving book. I'm not sure though that a two hundred year old gun would fire without exploding on the holder, or would fire at all.

Reader's Annotation: Since 1768 the rifle has changed hands, not one checking to see if the gun was loaded.

Author Bio: Gary Paulsen is the author of several young adult novels including Hatchet, Nightjohn and The Winter Rooms. He has won several awards including a Newbery Honor. He lives in La Luz, NM with his wife Ruth. He also runs 40 acres of land north of Willow, AK where he breeds and trains sled dogs for the Iditarod.

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Curriculum Ties: This could be tied into Revolutionary history, but also with any study of gun laws.

Booktalking Ideas: Talk about the history of prized objects and how one object can pass through so many lives without the people realizing all the history behind the object.

Reading Level/Interest Age: Ages 12 and up

Challenges: The fact that it is about a gun may cause issues, as well as the graphic scene at the end of the novel about Richard being shot.

Reason for including: For some reason this book has stuck with me over the years. I remember reading the scene at the end when the boy gets shot a few times, each time amazed that Paulsen went into all that detail and disgusted at the same time. I think it is a good book for tweens to read, if not for anything else then for them to realize guns are dangerous.

Mick Harte was Here by Barbara Park

Park, Barbara. Mick Harte was Here. New York: Apple Soup Books, 1995. 89 pages. $15.00 ISBN 9780679870883

Plot Summary: Phoebe tells the story of her brother, younger by ten months, who was killed in a bike accident. The story alternates between flashbacks and present day where Phoebe and her family are dealing with Mick's death.

Critical Evaluation: When I read this book in elementary school I remember crying quite a lot, and I always wore my helmet after that. Although the subject matter is very grim, I think it is an essential read if merely to reinforce the use of bike helmets. Barbara did an excellent job balancing the mourning of Mick's family and the humorous flashbacks.

Reader's Annotation: Phoebe wants you to learn one thing from her brother's death, always wear a helmet.

Author Bio: Barbara Park is the author of several children's books including Beanpole, Dear God, HELP!!! Love, Earl and the Junie B. Jones series. Barbara Park lives in Arizona with her husband and has two grown sons, David and Steven.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties: This is a must read for any upper elementary or middle school reading list.

Booktalking Ideas: Talk about the necessity of wearing a helmet.

Reading Level/Interest Age: Ages 8-12

Challenges: None.

Reason for including: While I wouldn't say this is one of my favorite books, it is definitely on the top of my list of books that have affected me at one point. I think this is a great book, very thought provoking.

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. New York: Yearling, 2005. 262 pages. $6.99 ISBN 9780440420477

Plot Summary: The Penderwick sisters, Rosalind, Skye, Jane and Batty spend their summer vacation with their father at Arundel Cottage. The cottage is a small guest house on the grounds of the grand Tifton estate. The girls manage to get into all sorts of trouble, and get Mrs. Tifton's son Jeffrey into trouble as well. The girls and Jeffrey learn the meaning of friendship and the value of a good relationship with parents.

Critical Evaluation: I thought this was a really cute book. Very simple and yet teaches the reader so much about the value of family and friendship. Each of the sisters are given distinct personalities, and each adds a special lively element to the story. It almost makes the reader want to be a part of the family, as chaotic as it was. Although it may not appeal to most boys, with most of the characters being girls, there is definitely a sense of adventure throughout as the sisters get Jeffrey into all sorts of trouble.

Reader's Annotation: The Penderwicks don't mean to wreak havoc on the Tipton Estate, but in the end it is inevitable.

Author Bio: Jeanne Birdsall grew up in a Philadelphia suburb and knew she wanted to write since she was ten years old. Over her academic career she admired many of her teachers, including her Latin teacher. Jeanne didn't write her first book until age 41, and held many random jobs up until then. She is also a photographer, and many of her pieces can be seen in art museums and galleries like the Smithsonian and the Philadelphia Art Museum. Currently she lives with her husband in Northampton, Massachusetts, full of animals and surrounded by gardens.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties: Not sure what curriculum ties there could be except for assigning the book for a summer read or for language arts.

Booktalking Ideas: Talk about summer vacations, where the kids like to go, and adventures they may have. Then talk about how the Penderwick girls go somewhere new for summer break and it changes their lives forever.

Reading Level/Interest Age: Ages 9 and up, Grades 3-7

Challenges: None

Reason for including: The cover caught my eye in the library one day and it sounded interesting, since I'm an only child and never went anywhere for the summers. I think tween girls would definitely enjoy the book.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007. 288 pages. $8.99 ISBN 9780316013697

Plot Summary: Junior loves to draw, in fact cartooning is his way of coping with life. He lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington and is the son of alcoholic parents. One day Junior gets so fed up with the poor education at their reservation school that he talks back to one of his teachers. However, it isn't Junior that comes apologizing, it's the teacher who encourages him to seek out better education. Junior decides it is time for a change and has his parents enroll him in the nearest non-reservation high school, which happens to be all white students. Although Junior knew it would be hard, he is faced with taunts, crushes, difficult friendships for the chance to learn. When he thought high school was as hard as it could get, he is faced with real tragedy and if forced to cope with comedy.

Critical Evaluation: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is one of the best books I've read this year. Alexie is so honest about the trials he went through, and other kids have gone through. I admit that some of the things he talked about were a bit shocking, but overall it is a book tweens need to read.

Reader's Annotation: High school is hard. Try being the only Spokane Indian in an all-white high school. That's harder. Junior may look like a weakling on the outside, but in actuality he is strong of heart and so funny he'll make you laugh your socks off.

Author Bio: Sherman J. Alexie, Jr. grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, Washington. Like his character Junior, he was born hydrocephalic, with water on the brain. After several operations he was thought not to live, and after he outlived their predictions he was thought to live with severe mental retardation. Despite his seizures, Alexie learned to read at a very early age. He also went to Reardan High school, an all white high school. In college he wanted to be a doctor, but after trying to take human anatomy and not getting through it he changed his course. He graduated from WSU with a BA in American Studies, received the Washington State Arts Commission Poetry Fellowship in 1991 and the National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship in 1992. He has published several books including poetry and fiction, and wrote a few screenplays.

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Humor, Drama

Curriculum Ties: This should be assigned to every middle school student, whether in social studies, language arts/English or for a summer reading list.

Booktalking Ideas: Reading the first chapter to the class, making sure to show any illustrations, would be a good way to get kids interested in the book.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 11 and up

Challenges: The language use and alcohol references may cause some concern especially with fifth and six graders (and parents).

Reason for including: Well, this book was assigned for the class. However, I wanted to read the book and was excited to be able to read it.