Hopper Literature Log

Finished: 9/29/18

Category: Graphic Novel

Summary: Congressman John Lewis wasn’t always treated with respect due to his skin color. On the morning of President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009, John receives some visitors in his office in Washington, D.C. A mother and her two young sons meet with Lewis before the inauguration, and he tells them about his journey from a sharecropper’s farm in Pike County, Alabama to meeting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. himself to becoming a central leader for the Civil Rights movement that shaped the nation today.

Reaction: Seeing life through Lewis’s eyes was extremely informative and gave me a better picture about what was happening during the Civil Rights era from someone who lived through it. Since I’m from outside of Nashville, have family in lower Alabama, and currently reside in Greensboro, it was impactful to me that Lewis explained how each of these areas were touched by the Civil Rights movement specifically. While I’m always a fan of graphic novels in color, the black and white illustrations were fitting and conveyed emotions in a memorable way.

How I Would Use with Teens: I would use this with teens looking for a non-fiction graphic novel – especially for male readers. This is also an obvious choice for highlighting reads about the Civil Rights movement, as well as politicians today.

Finished: 10/1/18

Category: Manga

Summary: Tohru Honda has been struggling to make a way for herself after her mother passed away. After moving in with her grandfather, she’s asked to find another place to live so that renovations can be done to his home. When Tohru moves into a secluded field with only a tent for shelter instead of asking for help from a friend, she discovers the hidden secret of the zodiac and gains friendships she never expected.

Reaction: I thought this manga was really cute and it was the perfect introduction to the style of book. The storyline wasn’t super complicated or hard to understand, leaving more room to feel out the right to left reading that was required. Overall, I enjoyed Tohru’s story and learning more about the context of manga with the author’s notes. I’ll be reading the following installments soon.

How I Would Use with Teens: I would use this with teen girls who are looking for something new to read who have never tried manga before. This book is also a good read for those looking for a fantasy or mythology read but are tired of reading the same authors over and over again.

Finished: 10/8/18

Category: Book vs. Movie Title

Summary: Madeline Whittier has never been outside of her house. Diagnosed with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, or SCID, Madeline cannot risk exposure to the outside world without severe damage to her health – so she’s stayed in her climate and air controlled home for 18 years, never once stepping outdoors. After a new family moves next door, Madeline meets Olly, and her life changes forever.

Reaction: This book’s plot twist was wild! I didn’t see it coming at all, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when it was revealed. It felt like I was suddenly reading a thriller instead of a YA book about a girl with SCID and the boy she falls in love with on the other side of the glass. I found Madeline’s drawings within the book to be fun and a break from text that led to additional information that couldn’t be found elsewhere. I enjoyed this story, and all of the topics it addressed.

How I Would Use with Teens: I would use this with teens when talking about those with medical conditions – similar to The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Everything, Everything brings biracial relationships, mental and physical health issues, and abuse to the forefront, and I would recommend this to any teen for them to gain more insight into those issues.

Finished: 10/25/18

Category: Historical Fiction title

Summary: World War II is coming to an end, but the horrors have not stopped for those still trying to flee Germany and the battle between the Reich and the Russians. Told from four different viewpoints, Joana, Florin, Emilia, and Alfred all have their own horrors and secrets to hold onto as they board a refugee ship to safety. Sepetys tells the account of the bombing of the Wilhelm Gustloff refugee ship, and demonstrates how devastating the war was for those who called Prussia, Latvia, and Poland home.

Reaction: This book was an extremely fast read, with the four characters having accounts of no more than three or four pages. The storyline was action-packed and, in the end, devastating. The story really gives a new understanding to the racial and ethnic prejudices that fueled Hitler’s mission to cleanse the world of those he viewed as lesser, as well as the horrors those peoples faced trying to avoid their own deaths.

How I Would Use with Teens: I would use with teens to discuss racial prejudices that are still prevalent today. As a historical fiction title set in the World War II era, this book would be ideal for pairing with a history lesson. I would recommend this book to male readers who may be a reluctant reader due to the short chapters.

Finished: 10/26/18

Category: Pura Belpré Author Award

Summary: Jaime’s cousin Miguel has died at the hands of a violent gang in his hometown in Guatemala. Faced with the decision to either become a part of the gang or to flee the only place they’ve ever called home, Jamie, his cousin Ángela, and their family send the cousins on a journey to the United States on their own. Jamie and Ángela face many dangers along the way and learn just how strong family ties can be in the face of adversity.

Reaction: Jaime’s story is harrowing and demonstrates just how many obstacles immigrants from Central America face when attempting to cross the border into the United States. Diaz really shows the reader how uncomfortable the trek can be, especially for children whose parents cannot join them on their paths to a better life. The story was filled with hard decisions and choices to make that most young adults today don’t consider or even think about, making it a really valuable read.

How I Would Use with Teens: I would use with teens when discussing immigration issues or Hispanic culture. One peripheral character is revealed to be a female after dressing as a male for safety reasons, so there are avenues that could be approached with that storyline as well. The book is so important to gaining more empathy towards those considered to be illegal immigrants, and the glossary in the back is extremely valuable in helping readers to learn about Hispanic cultures and languages.

Finished: 10/26/18

Category: Printz Award Winner

Summary: Marin is spending the first winter break of college in her dorm alone. Struggling with anxiety after her grandfather’s death, Marin begins to prepare for her friend Mabel to visit over the break. As Marin welcomes Mabel into her dorm, the intricacies behind their relationship are uncovered like one blanket after another in a snow storm. Marin finally shares that her grandfather’s death revealed that she knew nothing about the man who raised her. As Christmas comes, Marin finally finds a family with Mabel’s family and learns that it’s okay to be angry with those who have passed away.

Reaction: Marin’s story really struck a chord with me, because I struggle with a high-functioning anxiety in my own life. Her thought processes were very relatable to me, and I found myself reading a story that seemed really familiar. The themes of grief, mental health, and love throughout this book made it a book I would recommend in a heartbeat.

How I Would Use with Teens: I would use this to discuss anxiety, grief, mental health, and LGBTQ+ relationships with teens. Marin experiences so much emotional turmoil that I would really recommend this to any teen at any point, because the character learns so much about her own emotions that could be really valuable for a reader struggling with their own emotions

Finished: 10/29/18

Category: Disabilities Title

Summary: Matthew “Moose” Flanagan’s sister, Natalie, has been ten years old for five years. Or at least, that’s what his mother is telling everyone. In reality, Natalie has what we now know as autism, and their family has moved to Alcatraz in 1939 so that she can have a chance to go to a school that will help her have a normal life. The only problem is that Natalie keeps getting rejected, until Moose decides to write a letter to an unlikely hero.

Reaction: This book is an important read for those of any age trying to understand autism. It’s so valuable and approaches the topic through a sibling who sees how hard the disability can be on the family unit. I really enjoyed this book and reading about the dynamic between Moose and Natalie. The author’s own experiences with her sister who has autism definitely makes the read more authentic.

How I Would Use with Teens: I would use this book to introduce disabilities and to get teens to understand the disabilities they hear about in the news a little better. I would use this book’s storyline for empathy building for sure. Creating prompts such as, “If you were in Moose’s shoes, what would you have done the same or differently and why?” can really get teens to step outside themselves to see how they would handle a situation that they may not have ever experienced.

Finished: 11/4/18

Category: Multicultural Title

Summary: Julia is left reeling after her sister, Olga, dies from being struck by a semi truck while walking across the street in Chicago. As she spirals deeper into depression overwrought with anxiety, Julia also struggles to find out just who her sister was after realizing she may have never known the real Olga to begin with. Julia comes face to face with some of her family’s darkest secrets, learns that her sister wasn’t the perfect daughter after all, and finds her own identity in the process.

Reaction: I found Julia’s character somewhat overwhelming and struggled to understand the height of her depression and anxiety. As a character, she lives in a pit of anxiety and depression that is hard to read without feeling as if her anxiety is contagious. I could relate to her in a lot of ways that I didn’t like, so this book forced me to look back at my own teenage years in a somewhat negative light.

How I Would Use with Teens: First and foremost, I would recommend this novel to teens struggling with depression or anxiety, with a caution of trigger warnings. I would also highlight this novel for Hispanic heritage, immigration issues, or LGBTQ characters if nothing else, even though the LGBTQ characters are not the main characters.

Finished: 11/5/18

Category: Verse Title

Summary: Kristina is set to visit her biological father for the first time in years, and she’s nervous about how the visit will go. After her father picks her up from the airport, Kristina is introduced to his neighbors and embraces a darker side of herself for the first time. When she arrives back home, she brings that darks side, who she calls Bree, with her for the rest of her family to meet. Kristina struggles to bring her addiction under control, and it takes a life-changing event to make that a reality.

Reaction: This book was really hard to read for me. I’m not sure my reaction is fully formed yet. I have an addict in my family, and this was really hard to swallow because seeing Kristina’s thought process was just difficult. I’m glad to have read it to have a little more understanding into the thought process.

How I Would Use with Teens: I would use this book to discuss addiction as well as verse titles. I would introduce this title to a non-reader who is intimidated by larger novels. While recommending this title, I would caution for trigger warnings about rape, violence, and addiction.

Finished: 11/14/18

Category: Biography/Autobiography/Memoir Title

Summary: Without Theo, there would be no Vincent. Without Vincent, there would be no Theo. Through analyzing correspondence between Vincent Van Gogh and his brother Theo, along with others who knew them, the author shows how a bond between two brothers survived financial hard times, grief, mental illness and more.

Reaction: This book was beautiful and heartbreaking. Heiligman’s writing is so strong – she doesn’t try to use any fancy tricks; she just clearly gives her interpretations of the letters between the brothers. I appreciated the information about her writing process and research at the back of the book, as well as the timeline, full reference list, index, etc.

How I Would Use with Teens: I would use this with teens to introduce a biography, historical nonfiction, or even to introduce epistolary formats (while not written like an epistolary novel, it would give teens an idea). I’d also use this book to discuss mental illness, art and art history, poverty, societal expectations, etc.