Cynthia’s Comments (group member since May 22, 2014)

Cynthia’s comments from the Reading Rams Summer I, 2014 group.

Shanay wrote: "The book seemed a little predictable."

I was completely floored when Gus got so sick. He seemed so healthy, and Hazel had been so concerned with being the one that would hurt Gus. There are so many deep lessons that came out of this novel for me personally. Like I stated in my post, the message Augustus leaves Hazel about the having the ability to choose who hurts you was so profound. John Green is an exceptional writer and he has so many great little nuggets of wisdom and insight throughout this novel.

The movie is excellent! Can't wait for you to see it. I would like to go see it again, but I'm going to wait until it's on video. No more ugly crying in the movie theater!

Rochelle wrote: "She needs to know that people go on after their love ones die. Hazel isn't worried about what happens when you die but rather what happens to the ones you leave behind. "

Beautifully written observation. I agree that Hazel is a truly selfless character. She wants to minimize the damage and pain she inflicts upon the people around her. I had not considered that connection either, but I can definitely see how her obsession with discovering what happens to Anna's family and friends in An Imperial Affliction translates to her need to make sure the family and friends she leaves behind will be okay.

Jennifer wrote: "For Byron, he seems to understand that Kenny has to work through what happened. But Byron finally has to be a big brother and get Kenny back to being a part of the family. Byron seems to be different too after returning from Birmingham. "

I loved seeing the change in Byron. At the beginning of the story he was such a snot. He seemed to do things just to spite his parents. The way that he handled Kenny, allowing him time to work through his problems, and the support he gave him was great to witness. Byron became a deeper and more likeable character.

Sdg22 wrote: "Surprise....the book was a thriller! I was hook after the first chapter. I mentioned in a response to Shanay that I did not like the language. Honestly, I would not hand it to my 14 yo to read. ..."

I love how you connected this to Tuck Everlasting. I never even considered that connection until now. As far as the language goes, unfortunately most public school children have heard and said worse. When I look at books that were read in classrooms when I was young (Bridge to Terabithia for example), they contain curse words. I think these books can be used in a classroom, just don't focus on the language you find inappropriate.

Jennifer wrote: "What would it be like to live the same day over and over?"

This is a truly intriguing question. I loved the character that began studying everyone's movements throughout the day and journaling it. I believe his name was Willard. Could you imagine having the opportunity to observe hundreds of different people's intimate moves for a day?

Jenna wrote: "No matter how far removed they felt from it all, the events of that era could still reach out and touch them."

Jenna I loved the way you put this. Though the story lagged at times, I felt the author made it so much more powerful by surprising all of us with the church bombing. Being able to see everything through Kenny's eyes, who didn't understand what was happening, it drove home the point that no one was able to fully escape the devastation done to African-Americans during the Civil Rights Movement.

V. wrote: "I liked this story from the beginning because it has all the stereotypical things we think of about small town life in Texas. I enjoyed how new characters were introduced. I would ask myself, “No..."

V., I think the ladybugs can symbolize different things to different people. Jennifer says the ladybugs represent how life goes on, and I think it does for Wayne's family and maybe even Toby. But for Zachary I think it represented freedom. The description of the picture taken of Zachary after the ladybugs were released is so powerful. His head is thrown back and he just seems so free. I think he learned that his worth isn't tied to his looks, but to who he is as a person. For Zachary, perhaps that knowledge lifted a burden from him that he wasn't even aware was holding him down!

Jenna wrote: "I actually really enjoyed this book. It reminded me a lot of Al Capone Does My Shirts in that it is about an adolescent boy going through some life changes. Toby seems torn at times between his sma..."

I didn't think about Zachary making Toby appreciate his life, but I can definitely see that. I also agree that the theme of judgement was very powerful through Zachary's story. I just wish the author had been a little bit more focused in the telling of Zachary's story.

Tricia wrote: "What an awesome story! I'm hearing a lot of people saying the same thing about how unexpected and awesome it is!
It's a fresh story, unique and so sweet and touching.
Moose is an engaging chracter..."

Tricia, I wholeheartedly agree about the multitude of themes that are represented in this book. The treatment of Natalie can be connected to many other eras throughout history where individuals were treated unfairly based on one aspect of their personality or physicality. Such a great fountain of discussion topics.

Jenna wrote: "Oh my goodness, I loved this book! I can't even explain why... Maybe the characters. Natalie reminded me of a girl at our school; she's nine but extremely tall and quite developed for a girl her ag..."
At the end of the book, the author writes that children did actually live on Alcatraz, but doesn't go into much detail. Many of the guards did feel that Alcatraz was "safter" for their children than living in the city. I find it to be a fascinating point in history and would love to do more research on it.

The Fault in Our Stars was the first John Green novel I ever read, but it definitely was not the last. John Green has a way of hooking me into the story from the first line. He is utterly brilliant. What I discovered after reading this novel again, was that there is something so real about his characters. They have become real people to me, and it is not just Augustus and Hazel, but the entire universe! Just as Hazel is desperate to know what happens to the characters in An Imperial Affliction, I am desperate to know what happened to Hazel, Isaac, Augustus’s parents, etc. As an avid reader, I read books over and over again because I love them. It is very rare that they make me cry on the second or more read-through. I admit that I sobbed as much during the second reading as I did the first, maybe more.
This story is so poignant for many reasons. The characters of Hazel and Augustus are truly likeable. They are funny, sarcastic, depressed, angry, and everything a teenager should be. I love Hazel’s description of Patrick’s cancer story; how she felt the need to remind us of the fact that he lost his “nuts” with each retelling! Every single time she described his story, I laughed aloud. Hazel was such a great voice for this story. I loved the dichotomy between Hazel and Augustus. Hazel had spent most of her life trying to keep herself isolated. She considered herself to be a grenade and wanted to minimalize the damage she would do to those around her. Augustus was obsessed with leaving his mark on the world. He wanted his life to make a difference. At the end of the book when Augustus realizes that, “the marks humans leave are too often scars.” Wow! I think the most impactful aspect of this story is that Hazel is not the one who dies. As I was reading the story, I thought, “Well of course Hazel might die. She’s really sick.” However, when it is Augustus, it is so shocking and unexpected. He seems so healthy and strong that you would never expect that he would be the one struck down by cancer. There are so many quotes form this book that are exquisitely written, and they jump off the page at you: “I fell in love like you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once”, “I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity” and “You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you.” So powerful! The most amazing thing about this story is that it is NOT a story about cancer and death, but a story of first love and hope!
Side Note: I went to see the movie yesterday, and if you love the book, you’ll love the movie. Ansel Elgort makes a charming Augustus, and I loved his portrayal. Shailene Woodley is ridiculously good! She is so versatile as an actress. As Hazel, she was so heartbreakingly real. They exceeded my expectations in their telling of this beautifully tragic story!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is itself a peculiar book. I had never read it and did not know what to expect from it. This book made it difficult to predict what would happen next, which I enjoyed. What I enjoyed most about it was the story behind the pictures used in the novel. They were all real pictures that Ransom Riggs found, either himself or through other collectors. As I read the story, the most amazing aspect of it was that Riggs seemed to write his story based on the pictures he included. It was incredible to read his descriptions first and then see the photos. Riggs has such an amazing imagination. The photos he used to illustrate the wights were utterly disturbing. I am curious discover how he found these photos and the thought process behind his inventive story. Did he have the story in mind before he found the photographs, or did the story come together as he found these specific photos? I can imagine him finding these old pictures and then creating the story to accompany it. How incredible would it be if he already had a story in mind and found the pictures to go along with it? It was an innovative way to add artwork into a novel!
This story had so many twists and turns along the way, I never knew what to expect. I loved the inventive characters, especially Emma and Willard. The idea of the time loop and the prospect of time travel are fascinating to me. The universe that Riggs created is so multifaceted and rich that I lost myself easily in the story. I will admit that it was a little difficult to get into at the very beginning. It appears to be the story of a modern teenager with a crazy grandfather, which I found to be lackluster in its telling. However, once we truly discover his Grandfather’s world, it became an entirely new story that I was desperate to finish. When the book finally ended, I was hungry for more. Thankfully, Riggs has written a second book: Hollow City. I definitely will be checking this book out to see if the continuation of Jacob’s journey is as fulfilling as the first installment.

As I began reading The Watson’s Go to Birmingham-1963, I was expecting a history lesson. The front of the book held a memorial to four young girls, but no explanation other than “the toll for one day in one city.” I wondered what it meant. The names of these young girls were unfamiliar to me, and I did not understand the context. I presumed that an explanation would appear in the book. The more I read, the more I wondered when they would be going to Birmingham. I knew what they would encounter there and believed that the story would be about the Watson family and their journey through the Civil Rights movement. The more I read, the more confused I became. Finally, about two-thirds of the way into the book, the Watsons finally leave for Birmingham. There is a brief discussion in which the parents mention that there are only certain places they can stop on the way, but any confrontation is circumvented by the fact that the father drives all of the way through to Alabama. Finally, in Chapter 14, less than twenty-five pages from the end, the author strikes his blow. It was shocking and devastating to read. I read the epilogue as well, and finally discovered the truth about the memorial at the front of the novel. My initial reaction was that I wished the author had built more background of the climate before revealing the devastation. After several days of thinking about it, I concluded that perhaps the author intended it to be shocking. The Watson children lived in an area where they did not encounter much discrimination. They were more financially stable then some of their white neighbors. The troubles they faced were those of anyone in that area. By, Kenny, and Joey had no concept of the devastation and hatred that was being spewed at their race throughout the South. In writing this novel the way he did, he put me in Kenny’s shoes. It allowed me to experience it a way that I can truly understand how Kenny is irrevocably changed by it. As a society, we become numb to the violence we see every day. We know that people are being murdered on a consistent basis, but that does not keep us hiding out in our houses. We go about our daily business and ignore the mayhem around us. It takes a deplorable incident, like 9-11 to wake us from our stupor. The church bombing in the novel was just that for Kenny. It was an act so hideous and unfathomable that it rocked his world and changed him forever. For me as a reader, it brought home the message of racism and the climate of the civil rights movement in a way that could never have been gained through facts or descriptions. Excellent yet haunting read.

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town is not one of my favorites of the books that we have read so far. There is nothing wrong with the story except that it felt harried. At times, it was as if I was watching a movie through clouded lenses. I had a vague idea of what was happening, but I was missing details that would clarify the situation. There are so many things that were happening and that need explanation. Due to that, I could not fully get into the story or care about what was happening with these characters until the last few chapters. Some plot lines were unnecessary to the story and did more to detract from the basic message than to benefit it. I really liked the character of Kate. I thought she had such an accepting heart and that her ability to love people for who they are encouraged those around her to do the same. Her relationship with Zachary was inspiring, and it affected him in such a positive way. I believe that if Kate had not met Zachary, that Cal and Toby would not have become friends with him. I enjoyed the character of Zachary because he was so real. He used bravado, humor, and anger to mask the insecurity and fear that he truly felt. This wall made it difficult for people to get to know him, but he seemed to prefer it that way. One of the main reasons I did not love this book was because it depressed me. Zachary’s life was so sad, yet there was nothing I could do to change it. I hated the fact that the person that was supposed to be taking care of him was exploiting him. It was so obvious when he drove off and left Zachary by himself that he thought of him as an employee, not a child he needed to protect. It broke my heart! In addition, the subplot of Cal and his brother was very difficult to read. In high school, I became obsessed with the Vietnam War and researched every aspect of it. It is truly a tragic time in American History. The author layered that in very subtly, which I liked. Some students may be drawn to this novel simply because they can relate to the difficulties the characters are facing: divorce, death, and feeling like an outsider. Identification with characters is a huge motivation for reading. I love that the author ended the book with a note of hope: “I wonder if Zachary will tell this adventure to anyone…or talk about his time in Antler and the summer he met Cal and me.”

Lisa wrote: "Seems like most of you have either heard of, or read one of Patricia Polacco's books. She is one of my all time favorite authors. What a range of life experiences she has had. Did you know that m..."

Junkyard Wonders is one of my favorites. Like Thank You, Mr. Falker, I cry every time I read it. Hope you like it!!

Tricia wrote: "What an awesome book! Again, never read it before, but I know it's a 4th or 5th grade classic. How did I never read it? I remember in other literature classes, people have read and reviewed and eve..."

I love how you see Maniac as a liaison between the two parts of the town. His innocent acceptance of people makes him the perfect person to try to bring two very different types of people together where he can.

I am not sure what I expected when I began reading Al Capone Does My Shirts, but it was much different than I anticipated. Obviously, I have never read this story, nor had I a desire to. I have seen it in the school library and heard teachers talk about the book, but never in a way that provoked interest in it. However, I found this novel completely heartbreaking. I loved the relationship between Moose and Natalie; its heartbreakingly gentle nature was a pleasure to read. I felt pity for the family as they struggled to understand and deal with Natalie’s differences. Their mother was especially heart wrenching in her many, and at times far-fetched, attempts to “heal” Natalie. Not only did the family struggle to deal with Natalie themselves, they had to endure the thoughts and opinions of the families around them. It was upsetting to hear the “medical” advice given to these parents! Though outwardly the story seems to be about Alcatraz and Al Capone, the most important aspect to me were the lives of the characters. The ability to see Natalie’s changes through the eyes of her loving brother was striking. I loved the friendships that Moose and Natalie made on the island. These characters were warm and caring, perhaps not initially, but in the end, they truly loved Natalie for who she was. I wondered, as I read the novel, if the author had someone in her family who was autistic. At the end of the novel, she does explain that her sister, Gina Johnson, inspired the character of Natalie. I know that many students will probably find interest in the Al Capone elements of the story as he is a fascinating historical figure, but if that is the only facet they focus on, they miss the true beauty of this story.

Maniac Magee is a very special book. I read it for the first time a couple of years ago and fell in love with the character of Jeffrey Magee. His innocence in accepting people for who they are rather than the color of their skin is truly inspirational. When he questions why they call the East Enders black and goes into the descriptions of the many different colors he sees, it was so impactful. He truly accepts people for who they are, and rather than overlook their differences, he appreciates them and loves the person even more for them. Jeffrey “Maniac” Magee is a beautifully tragic hero in my opinion. I believe that boys will especially be keen on this book because of the legend behind “Maniac” Magee. His life seems so iconic. Yet, I love the dichotomy between how the other children see him, and his true inner desire. He is simply a lonely boy looking for a place to call home. I enjoyed traveling this journey with him. I rejoiced when he found a home with the Beale’s and despaired when he felt he had to leave. I celebrated when he again found a home with Grayson, learning from him and teaching him as well. Their relationship was beautiful to watch unfold and I was utterly heartbroken when he died. It killed me when Jeffrey began to pull back because he did not want to find himself orphaned again. His ability to make friends no matter where he goes and his eventual friendship with Mars Bar are awe inspiring. There are so many great lessons with in this novel. I appreciate that Spinelli did not make it into an overblown hero story by having “Maniac” Magee solve all of the problems between the East and West End. He leaves it open to interpretation. What do you think happened between the East and West Enders? Was Jeffrey able to have a positive impact? What might you do in this situation? This is another book that can fill a classroom with rich and powerful discussions on many topics: home, family, friendship, racism, hatred, and more.

Tricia wrote: "I had a general idea of this story, but no concrete details. I expected it to be quite different from what it was.
I would highly recommend it. It's a quick read, super interesting, hard to put do..."

I am dying to know more of Jesse's story! In the movie, it is Jesse that comes back to Treegap and discovers Winnie's death. It gave the story a little bit more closure because he seemed to be at peace with it. Having Mae and Tuck find the gravestone leaves so many unanswered questions. It is great for teaching purposes and I would love to read a students perspective on what happens to Jesse later.

Rochelle wrote: "I loved how this book was written. I love to read books with small chapters like this as a read aloud. I don't know why but it seems to flow better. It also allows me to do a quick read aloud with ..."

I think the small chapters and the format in which it is written will really appeal to struggling readers in upper elementary and middle school. I loved your idea of having the students do research about animal rights and producing products. You never know how a child will respond to a story like this, and the product they create could ultimately change things, not only for the students, but possibly for the larger community.