Final Reflection for 5391
I used Book Creator for my final reflection. I have dabbled with it before, but it was so much fun to actually use it and create a little book with it!
Here is the link to it. I hope you all enjoy it!
https://app.bookcreator.com/books
https://download.api.bookcreator.com/pdf/kUSzdw8VZfh3HapcfXiOSdQscH02/books/KE6mzKgYQoioZBXJZv1TGA
I added multiple links in case one doesn't work! :)
Scythe
Bibliography
Shusterman, N. 2016. SCYTHE. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781442472426
Plot Summary
Citra and Rowan are teenagers that are recruited to become Scythes, people that end the lives of others now that humanity has found immortality. They learn the true meaning of life and what is means to be human.
Critical Analysis
Scythe is the first book in a three part series from prolific author, Neal Shusterman. Two teenagers join a group of people that are tasked with ending the lives of other, which is because humans have learned the secret to immortality and can now live hundreds of years. This must happen to control the population. The characters of Citra and Rowan may be young, but they are wise beyond their years and must do things that no young child should be asked to do. They show courage despite fear, kindness and empathy, and a need to change what people are afraid too. These two teens can be seen as good role models and ones that readers can look up to and relate to.
Shusterman makes his readers contemplate what it means to take a life and what it means to live one. While some may believe that these kinds of topic might be too dark and daunting for young people, Shusterman shows that these lessons can be taught and should be taught. His world building can be compared to the likes of The Hunger Games, where children are put in situations that they should never have to face but very likely could. The author takes us back and forth from the plot into the minds of some of the characters through their journal writing, where they contemplate what they have been tasked to do and what it means to them and humanity. These existential ponderings will make readers think and contemplate their beliefs and views.
Scythe is a book like no other and is one that old and young should read and really think about. The messages and themes in this book will stay in mind long after you close the book.
Review Excerpts
2017 ALA Michael L. Printz Award
Booklist Starred Reviews: "Shusterman is no stranger to pushing boundaries. Scythe owes an obvious debt to Unwind (2007) and its sequels, and this succeeds as a sort of shadow companion to Patrick Ness’ Chaos Walking trilogy: instead of exploring the ways in which men are monsters, this deals in what happens to men when there are no monsters. When our reach does not exceed our grasp, when comfort is more easily obtained than struggle, when our essential humanity doesn’t burn out but becomes slowly irrelevant, what becomes of us? Readers will find many things in these pages. Answers to such unsettling questions will not be among them"
Publishers Weekly Starred: "Calling to mind Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” Shusterman’s story forces readers to confront difficult ethical questions. Is the gleaning of a few acceptable if it maximizes the happiness of all? Is it possible to live a moral life within such a system? This powerful tale is guaranteed to make readers think deeply. Ages 12–up. Agent: Andrea Brown, Andrea Brown Literary."
Connections
Continue the series by Neal Shusterman: Thunderhead
The Toll
More by Neal Shusterman: Unwind series
Dry
Challenger Deep
Activity: Imagine that you live in this universe and are asked to become a Scythe. Would you accept? Why or why not?
The Lost Years
Bibliography
Barron, T.A. 2011. THE LOST YEARS. New York, NY: Penguin Group USA. ISBN 9780142418895
Plot Summary
Emrys wakes up on a beach with no memory of his name, where he came from, or how he got there. After being raised by a woman that might or might not be his mother, Emrys decides to venture out into the world and discover who he truly is. This is a tale of magic, adventure, and discovering your identity and what home is.
Critical Analysis
T.A. Barron's first book in this 5-book spanning series is the start of young Merlin's adventures in Fincayra, his place of birth, and how he must defeat an evil being that plans to bend the land to its will. This book is a dive into a world of fantasy and magic and a portrayal of the beginnings of one of the most prolific fantasy characters on Earth.
Barron makes young Merlin (Emrys in this book) such a likable character, giving him a heart of gold and a courage that is unmatched. The author also brings in disability representation, having Emrys lose his sight early in the book. Emrys discovers that there is more to him and his life than he at first believed and so he ventures out on his own to a land of magic, fairy tale creatures, and an evil king (every young child's dream). Readers will love to root for Emrys and his new friends, the sly and daring Rhia, the short but brave dwarf Shim, and the loyal and troublesome merlin bird, aptly named Trouble. This group of side characters are equally funny and interesting and do a great job of helping Emrys to become his true self and escape his self loathing.
Barron's world-building based on Arthurian legend breathes life into the book, with whimsical landscapes and sometimes dark and spooky scenery. This magical setting draws readers into a world that they will not get enough of and that will make them continue to read the series.
The Lost Years is a fantastic book that is a wonderful start to a magical series.
Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly: "Readers may find this attempt to create a biography for Merlin less of an organic novel than a showcase for the author's deft recycling of Welsh myth."
Kirkus Reviews: "transforms the early years of the mythical wizard's life into a vivid, action-filled fantasy, replete with deep forests, ruined castles, and evil spells: a promising first installment of a projected trilogy."
Connections
Continue the Merlin series by T.A. Barron: The Seven Songs- Book 2
The Raging Fires- Book 3
The Mirror of Fate- Book 4
The Wizard's Wings- Book 5
More by T.A. Barron: The Atlantis Saga series
Tree Girl
To Walk in Wilderness
Activity: Compare and contrast T.A. Barron's depiction of Merlin to what scholars have written about Merlin
The Black Kids
Bibliography
Reed, Christina Hammonds. 2020. THE BLACK KIDS. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781534462724
Plot Summary
Taking before, during, and after the LA riots that came after the Rodney King verdict. Ashley Bennet goes on a journey of self discovery amidst the chaos of these riots and finds that her identity is more than her white best friends and her proper and wealthy family.
Critical Analysis
The Black Kids is a novel about race and identity. Ashley Bennett is close to graduating high school, and her life is in shambles. She doesn't get into her dream school, her sister is being a disappointment to their uptight parents and the verdict for the killers of Rodney King finds the officers not guilty. This event is the catalyst for the events that come to affect Ashley's life, for better and for worse.
Ashley is a character we have all been at least once in our lives: questioning who we are and what we mean to the people and world around us. How do other people see us? And how should we see them? Especially at their lowest. Reed does a great job of showing how Ashley embraces her blackness in a time where being black was dangerous, when having this identity was seen by others as lower, as trouble. Readers see moments in Ash's life where she has experienced racism, even when she is surrounded by her white friends, who are side characters that help to emphasize what Ash is facing, while also being three dimensional and multifaceted as well.
This is a hard book for some people to face, those that are black and those that aren't. Readers will question what is right and wrong, what is good and bad. Some will look inside themselves and face their own prejudices. Reed helps readers to handle this with poignant moments between new found friends and family and deep history that some of us might not have known too much about.
Reed has taken a huge moment in black history and created a book that celebrates being black, even in the face of racism and strife. The Black Kids teaches kids to stay true to themselves and to never forget where they come from.
Review Excerpts
William C. Morris Award Finalist
Kirkus Review: "...the explorations of race and socio-economic privilege are valuable and will speak to readers who have not previously confronted or thought about these issues. A timely exploration of ?90s Los Angeles during racial upheaval and one girl's awakening.
School Library Journal Starred: " This realistic fiction debut is a snapshot of a moment when people wanted to fight back against oppression and police brutality, and took action as the lines between right and wrong became blurred. An excellent addition to all teen collections with a relatable main character who will lead readers through this heated moment in time."
Connections
If You Liked The Black Kids: It All Comes Down to This by Karen English
Troublemaker by John Cho
This is My America by Kim Johnson
More Black Female Authors for Read: Tiffany D. Jackson- Monday's Not Coming, Grown
Angie Thomas: The Hate U Give series, On the Come Up
Nic Stone: Dear Martin series, Clean Getaway
Activity: Do some research into the Rodney King protests and riots. How would say these compare to the more recent protests and riots that came after George Floyd and Breonna Taylor?
Salt to the Sea
Bibliography
Sepetys, Ruta. 2016. SALT TO THE SEA. New York, NY: Philomel Books. ISBN 9780399160301
Plot Summary
During the winter of 1945 during World War II, the lives of four young teenagers intertwine, with the culmination being on the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that was the setting of one of the greatest maritime tragedies. Each teen grapples with their own ghosts and looks for love and hope during this dark period in history.
Critical Analysis
Ruta Sepetrys's book, Salt to the Sea, is a wonderful and heartbreaking work of historical fiction, tackling a World War II event that very few people know about, one that was almost kept hidden.
The heart of this book is its main characters, Joana, Florian, Emilia, and Alfred, four teenagers whose outlooks on the war and their struggles differentiate in many ways. Each character has a unique personality, facets of themselves that Sepetrys lays bare. Their emotions pour from the pages with the help of the author's artful storytelling and grasp of language. The characters each face a different struggle, and these struggles begin to mesh together with one another, which all leads up to a very dramatic climax. Despite the constantly shifting perspectives, the readers don't lose sight of the character's goals or their hopes and dreams. The stories can be followed easily, which proves that Ruta Sepetrys is a master at her craft.
The history behind these true events is sorrowful and harrowing, but Sepetry takes it on and creates a poignant and unforgettable story that readers will continue to think about long after they put the book down.
Review Excerpts
2017 Carnegie Medal
School Library Journal Starred: "Artfully told and sensitively crafted, Sepetys's exploration of this little-known piece of history will leave readers weeping."
Publishers Weekly Starred: "Sepetys excels in shining light on lost chapters of history, and this visceral novel proves a memorable testament to strength and resilience in the face of war and cruelty."
Connections
More by Ruta Sepetrys: Between Shades of Gray
Out of the Easy
The Fountain of Silence
I Must Betray You
If You Liked Salt to the Sea: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Activity: Write a jounral entry from the point of view of one of the characters.
Burn Baby Burn
Bibliography
Medina, Meg. 2016. BURN BABY BURN. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763674670
Plot Summary
Nora Lopez is a young teenager on the cusp of graduating high school, during a time of strife in late 1970s New York. Arson, a blackout, and a serial killer become part of the background of her life as she deals with her uncontrollable brother, her close to being laid off mother, her teachers pushing her to apply to schools, and a job where her new cute coworker tries to break through her walls. Nora must learn how to face her fears in the face of adversity and come to realize how she isn't alone in what she faces.
Critical Analysis
Meg Medina's Burn Baby Burn takes place during a turbulent period in the history of the state of New York. Son of Sam is on a killing spree, people are setting buildings ablaze, and the critical hit eventually knocks out the power throughout multiple cities. In all of this mess, Medina focuses on the story of one girl who must deal with it all and then some.
The character of Nora is almost like every other girl in a young adult novel: figuring out her future after high school, crush on cute coworker, strains with family members. But Medina makes Nora Lopez unique in many ways. Nora has an infectious sense of humor and a strong will. She does her best to help her family, even when they push back. She has moments of bravery, like when she stands up to her brother and turns him in or when she confronts her father over his lack of care. Nora's sense of self and courage make her a standout in this novel, which also features some shining supporting characters, such as Pablo, Sal and Kathleen and her family. People that have heart and help Nora to see how she doesn't have to face her problems alone, which is a prominent theme in the novel.
Medina's use of this particular history in New York makes this book one that keeps you on the edge of your seat and eager to read more. Burn Baby Burn is a novel for those that love strong heroines and want more in life than simplicity.
Review Excerpts
Horn Book Guide Starred: "In this vividly evoked coming-of-age story set in 1977 NYC during the oppressive heat wave, seventeen-year-old Nora Lspez faces an insecure future after graduation. The very real fear of an at-large serial killer is magnified by violence at home, and Nora's mother barely scrapes by. Nora is an empathetic character; Medina depicts her troubled family and their diverse Queens neighborhood with realistic, everyday detail."
Voice of Youth Advocates: " A devastatingly intense story, this work is a must-have for all collections, especially where Ruta Sepetys's books are popular."
Publishers Weekly: "Fortunately, the other elements in this coming-of-age story are elegantly and eloquently explored: the difficulties of finding a place to make out with a serial killer around, the new opportunities opening up for women, and Nora’s growing ability to envision the life she wants."
Connections
More by Meg Medina: The Girl Who Could Silence the World
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass
Evelyn del Rey is Moving Away
If You Liked Burn Baby Burn: Blackout by John Rocco
The Big Black by Rodman Philbrick
When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds
Activity: Analyze Nora and how she utilizes hope in the novel.
While I have begun working as a librarian, I feel that I haven't gotten to use UDL as much since I am still getting used to the position and how to work as a librarian. Some of what I discuss may come from my experiences teaching as an English teacher for four years.
How am I currently using UDL?
I haven't had the chance to use UDL in a library setting, but looking back on my time in the classroom, I implemented UDL often. My students always had a variety of choice when working on certain assignments or projects. I had a few students that were good at writing, and some that were better artistically, while some were better working in groups and others were better working independently. There are also lots of Spanish speakers and I would always have options for them in how they wanted to read or learn the lesson. They could use visuals if they wanted to or listen to certain stories in their native language. I also liked making anchor charts, which would teach kids certain concepts in a different visual way and by using anagrams for certain concepts. I loved being able to have students choose their own medium when they wanted to present or express something that they have created.
I think we made the classroom a safe and secure environment as well. The students and I worked together to create classroom rules and routines that we would all follow. The students helped to make their classroom their own, and through that, helped to create an place they felt comfortable learning in.
Which UDL guidelines can I add right now to my teaching practice?
Now that I am a librarian, I can start to add UDL into what I am doing in the library with the students. One guideline I noticed that I could use in the library is Checkpoint 7.2: Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity. I can do this by creating different STEM centers or activities that students can go to and learn different skills or get into reading. I can then get their input on what centers work and which ones might need some changes. This is a great idea because it provides students with choice and with the freedom to learn what they want to in the library setting. They can become engaged in their own learning.
Checkpoint 9.2 is one that I am already working on, but it is one that I can better work with in this new position. I do have students that get frustrated easily and just need someone to talk to. I always like to lend an ear to students in need, but it would be great if I can help the student in the way they can best be helped, such as writing down their frustrations or listening to music or taking a walk.
Which UDL guidelines look cool, but I might need help implementing?
One checkpoint that I saw that I would love to implement is Checkpoint 8.3, which is about fostering collaboration and community. I would love to start having book clubs or reading clubs in the library, as well as different groups that would love to work in the library. I might need a little help with this, as I would have to start advertising these groups right away and could use help with teachers and administration to get the word out. It would also be great to have a teacher that could help to head up the group, one that could be great support if I am not able to work with the group myself.
Implementing UDL: Exploration
While looking for resources to help me more with implementing UDL, I found that the American Library Association website has some information on using UDL in libraries. They suggest using LibGuides to provide multiple means of representation, or being careful of using library jargon, as some students might not know the meanings of those words. The website also talks about the importance of captioning things, which will help all students to understand your videos or presentations. They have some questions librarians can ask themselves to see if they are successfully implementing UDL in their own libraries.
The website has some recommended reading as well at the bottom, which I decided to check out. One resource I noticed took me to a study called, "Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the Academic Library: A Methodology for Mapping Multiple Means of Representation in Library Tutorials". The study conducted concluded that "the design principles of UDL to differentiate means of representation of information will result in a positive educational experience for all students, not just those with learning disabilities. Students bring their own learning preferences and abilities to the library when seeking help. It is important to meet their information needs with tutorials that keep their attention and give them multiple ways to interact with the information presented." Reviewing this study helped me to see that I could create different learning activities for students or tutorials on how to use the library and its resources, and that it would be a good idea to make these learning experiences in a way that students and their learning needs would be represented so that they can learn the information in the way that will help them best.
References
DFREE. (2020, April 14). Keeping Up With... Universal Design for Learning. Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL). https://www.ala.org/acrl/publications/keeping_up_with/udl
UDL Guidelines Checklist Principle I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation Guideline 1: Provide options for perception. (n.d.). https://illinoiscriticalcomponents.com/images/Resources_Documents/_UDL_Guidelines_Checklist.pd
Webb, K. K., & Hoover, J. (2015). Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the Academic Library: A Methodology for Mapping Multiple Means of Representation in Library Tutorials. College & Research Libraries, 76(4), 537–553. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.76.4.537
There are a lot of sites to choose from, but I decided to choose from two more official websites with book recommendations and from one that all different types of people can use to recommend reads. I found that it might be a little difficult to look for incredibly specific types of young adult horror, such as haunted houses or types of monsters. Websites like Goodreads, one of the ones that I showed, would be good to use for that.
Websites like the other two might be more geared for educators and librarians that are looking for books to add to their collections, though young teens can use these websites as well.
