Brain Rot

Whales on Stilts

by M.T. Anderson

Summary

In this bizarre spoof on every comic book adventure and cheesy science fiction story imaginable, young Lily visits her dad’s workplace on career day and discovers that his boss is a half-whale, half-human, and is planning to take over the world with an army of whales on stilts. While her dad refuses to see the strange goings-on he is taking part in daily, Lily knows something bad will happen, and summons the help of her two best friends (one of whom frequently battles vampires, zombies, and other frightening creatures, and the other, a brilliant inventor) to help her stop the whale invasion.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

This is a hard review for me to write. I have two differing viewpoints on this book, and have decided to share them both:

1. If I put myself in the mindset of a middle school student, somewhere around 10 or 11 years of age, I would find this book strangely hilarious. Everything about it - from the insane plot to the “advertisements” that appear at random in the story - is bizarre. At every turn, Whales on Stilts pokes fun at comic book adventures and bad science fiction stories, and I think that any young reader who has a decent sense of humor will appreciate the spoof.

2. Now, going back to my personal preferences and filters ... I could almost feel my brain cells dying as I read this book. It was terrible. I understand that it was supposed to be a spoof, but it was so utterly, over-the-top cheesy, that I found it annoying and could not wait to be finished with it. What bothered me the most was the author’s inconsistent style. The sentences are choppy. The story begins in third-person narrative, but then about one-third of the way in, Anderson begins referring to himself and telling his own stories as asides. Again, I realize this was done for comic effect, but I found it endlessly irritating.

My final thought is this: if you love comic books and spoofs and are between the ages of 10 and 12-years-old, read this book. If you’re older than 13, save yourself the frustration and read a decent fantasy/science-fiction book such as The Graveyard Book or The Phantom Tollbooth.

Reviews

"Goosebumps fans and readers who "get" Lemony Snicket's brand of humor will be rolling in the aisles." - star from Booklist

"Armed with an array of adjectives, non-sequiturs, bizarre asides, irrelevant footnotes and running gags, Anderson sends up decades of children's book series, and creates a hysterical tale of his own. . . . Highly wacky." - starred review in Publishers Weekly, May 16, 2005

In the library

Ask students to come up with a weird plot to take over the world. Provide paper, pencils and crayons and encourage them to make the “cover” of the book that would detail their story.

SLIS 5420

Module 8

Week of Oct. 18-24

The Power of Words

The Phantom Tollbooth

by Norton Juster

Summary

A boy named Milo who isn’t really interested in anything, and “regarded the process of seeking knowledge as the greatest waste of time of all,” comes home from school one day to discover a box in his bedroom. “One genuine turnpike tollbooth,” states the enclosed letter. Having nothing better to do, Milo puts together the tollbooth, hops in the accompanying car, and suddenly finds himself in a new country, his room and home having vanished completely.

As he heads toward the city of Dictionopolis, Milo begins encountering many odd and unusual people and situations. He passes through Expectations, gets stuck in the Doldrums, and meets up with the watchdog Tock, who becomes his traveling companion. The entire story continues in this vein, and Milo discovers people and places representing a myriad of thoughts, ideas and expressions. As Milo travels along, meets new people and hears new things, he begins to learn, and to see the value in words and numbers, the danger of jumping to conclusions, and the frightening prospect of what ignorance can lead to.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

The Phantom Tollbooth was a great book for me to stay up past bedtime with, but I wonder how well children would understand and appreciate the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) messages it conveys. I think it is a book that would be fun to read as a kid, and then equally enjoyable to return to later, because many of the figures of speech and word plays would be more understandable at an older age.

Overall, I loved the message of the book, and the amount of creativity that Juster used to tell the story. In our modern world of technical gadgets, constant communication, and instant gratification, I think it is more important than ever to remind children of the importance of words, numbers, and consideration of how we use our time and knowledge.

Reviews

"A classic... Humorous, full of warmth and real invention." -The New Yorker

In the library

Create your own word market like the one Milo visits in Dictionopolis. Set up tables with baskets full of words and have children visit them and pick out words they like or want to learn. Write the word on one side of the paper and the definition on the back. Encourage them to use the word in conversation sometime during the day.

SLIS 5420

Module 8

Week of Oct. 18-24

Big and Round

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things

by Carolyn Mackler

Summary

Virginia Shreves is surrounded by seemingly “perfect” people: her thin, ambitious siblings; her successful, thin parents; and the model-skinny popular girls at school. To top it off, her best friend has temporarily moved out of state for the year. While Virginia ponders her plump physique and the questions that come with her feelings for a certain boy in her school, she soon begins to see that the perfect people around her have problems too. As she goes about her days and observes the people in her life, she begins to see beyond their glossy exteriors and figure some things out for herself.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

As a young woman it is hard not to identify with Virginia and the issues she struggles with, and that's what kept me reading this book past bedtime. Even though my own high school experience was much different from Virginia’s, her concerns - about her appearance, the popular kids, and boys - are ones that most any girl can identify with at some point in life. This wasn’t my favorite book to date, but I enjoyed that author Carolyn Mackler didn’t shy away from some tough issues, such as eating disorders, date rape, and self-absorbed parents.

What I liked best about this book is that Virginia is able to look at the people in her life objectively and figure out why they act as they do and what that means (or doesn’t mean) to her. By doing this, she is able to realize that her mother has never dealt with her own childhood insecurities; her brother is not the hero she always painted him as; and her classmates lives are not perfect just because they are thin. Recognizing these shortcomings in others, and then taking control of her own, leaves Virginia strong, happy and self-aware.

Reviews

“A ‘chubby’ New York City teen faces pressures from her family to get thin, and her brother is suspended from college on charges of date rape. The heroine's transformation into someone who finds her own style and speaks her own mind is believable-and worthy of applause.” - Publishers Weekly

“Mackler writes with such insight and humor (sometimes using strong language to make her point) that many readers will immediately identify with Virginia's longings as well as her fear and loathing. Her gradually evolving ability to stand up to her family is hard won and not always believable, but it provides a hopeful ending for those trying stand on their own two feet.” - Booklist

-Michael J. Printz Honor Book, 2004

In the library

Mackler’s award-winning book has faced challenges and bans in some libraries across the country. She says the strong language and elements of sexuality she uses in the text help readers identify with her main character. Ask students to discuss what their thoughts on the issue are - did they find these elements offensive or realistic? Should authors try to make their characters as true to life as possible, and if so, how “real” should they be?

SLIS 5420

Module 7

Week of Oct. 11-17

A Shining Star

Stargirl

by Jerry Spinelli

Summary

Mica Area High School has never seen anything like Stargirl. Everything about her, from the way she dresses to her unrelenting positivity, makes her a target for the curiosity and criticism of her peers. She says hello to strangers in the hallways, sings “Happy Birthday” to her peers, and leaves candy on the desks of her homeroom class on holidays. Among those watching her every move is Jerry Spinelli’s narrator, junior Leo Borlock. While he watches Stargirl’s unique behavior in disbelief, Leo begins to realize that she is a real individual, and unlike any other at Mica.

When Stargirl tells Leo about her feelings for him, he must not only decipher the pangs of first love, but confront his own insecurities about conformity and popularity. While Stargirl appears immune to the sneers and judgmental glares of her peers, Leo is not so confident, and his experience leaves readers with many questions to ponder about love, friendship, happiness and being true to oneself.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

I stayed up past bedtime more than once in an effort to delay putting down Stargirl. During the days I was reading it, and in the days that followed, I could not get this book out of my head. Stargirl is someone you want to know, or maybe even emulate. She is strangely admirable, and her genuine regard for others is endearing. Stargirl is about the emphasis our society puts on conformity, and what happens when someone chooses to walk their own path. Spinelli does a wonderful job of posing questions and observations about these issues, leaving the reader mulling over their own thoughts long after turning the last page.

Reviews

“Part fairy godmother, part outcast, part dream-come-true, the star of Spinelli's novel shares many of the mythical qualities as the protagonist of his Maniac Magee. Spinelli poses searching questions about loyalty to one's friends and oneself and leaves readers to form their own answers.” - Publishers Weekly

“A magical and heartbreaking tale.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred

An ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults

In the library

One of Stargirl’s traits is making homemade cards for people around the town of Mica. Following a classroom or library reading, direct students to a card-making station complete with construction paper, pens and decorations. Encourage them to make a card for someone for no particular reason - an “I’m thinking about you” card or a “thanks for being a great friend” card.

For a more serious activity, ask students about what it means to be unique and how they choose (or don’t choose) to express their own individuality. Talk about why Stargirl was ostracized for her behavior, and ask if students think it’s better to conform and be accepted or remain true to one’s own desires.

SLIS 5420

Module 7

Week of Oct. 12-17

Whistling (Winn) Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie

by Kate DiCamillo

Summary

Sometimes strength can come from the least expected places. For 10-year-old Opal, the stray dog she finds in the Winn-Dixie supermarket in Naomi, Florida, provides her the strength she needs to tackle questions about her mother and make friends in her new hometown. Named after the store she found him in, Winn-Dixie quickly becomes Opal’s confidant as she works up the courage to talk to her father about her mother, who disappeared when she was just a baby. Winn-Dixie also leads to new friendships with people in town, helping Opal understand and accept a variety of people into her life, making her feel at home in a new place.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

Oh yes. I knew little about this book before reading it, and was amazed at how quickly I became absorbed in the story. Opal is a timeless character, and her questions, concerns and fears could just as easily be applied to children 20 years in the past or future. As she and Winn-Dixie explore the town of Naomi, her heart and mind are open, allowing her to befriend people who might have been avoided by others, such as the old librarian who loves to tell stories; Otis, the young man who runs the pet store but was once in jail; and Gloria Dump, an old woman on the outskirts of town who some of the other children call a witch. Winn-Dixie isn’t afraid of these people, and his ease and friendly manner make it easy for Opal to see them clearly as well. He also provides her the confidence to ask her father about her mother, a woman whom she knows virtually nothing about. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal is able to look at people and situations in new ways, and understand how to be happy and appreciate all the blessings in her own life.

Reviews

Newbery Honor Book, 2001

A New York Times Bestseller

“Through the love she gains from her new pet, a girl gains the courage to ask her father about the mother who abandoned them. In this exquisitely crafted first novel [a Newbery Honor book], each chapter possesses an arc of its own and reads almost like a short story in its completeness.” - Publishers Weekly

At the library

For fourth or fifth graders, this book would be great to read aloud or individually. Talk about why some people, like Gloria Dump and Otis, get unfairly stereotyped by others, and what Opal did to see past those labels.

For a more personal experience, ask students to write a journal entry about the book. Many may be able to relate to living in a single-parent household and having questions about the absent parent.

SLIS 5420

Week of Oct. 4-11

Aggle flaggle klabble!

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale

by Mo Wiliems

Summary

In Mo Williems’ Knuffle Bunny, Trixie, who is still at the age “before she could even speak words,” goes to the laundromat with her daddy. The two walk through a Brooklyn neighborhood, then arrive at the laundromat, where Trixie’s antics distract her father, causing him to shove her beloved Knuffle Bunny into the wash with all the clothing. As the two walk home, Trixie realizes Knuffle Bunny is gone, and does her best to tell her daddy what’s wrong. But without words, her cries and sputters do nothing more than baffle her father.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

You definitely need to stay up to find out what happens in Knuffle Bunny. This book is a treat and I found myself laughing out loud at Williems’ depiction of young Trixie’s behavior. The sepia-toned photographs of a real neighborhood layered with color sketches are fun to explore, and Trixie’s attempts to tell her father that Knuffle Bunny is missing had me in stitches. Williems has done an excellent job of portraying the toddler temper tantrum: babbled words ("aggle flaggle klabble! wumby flappy!"), going “boneless” when her daddy tries to pick her up, and eventual wide-eyed shock and worry as the family tries to find her beloved toy. Any child who has ever lost or misplaced a favorite toy will relate to this story, and adults will recognize the children they have known, making this a great read for any age.

Reviews

"Personalities are artfully created so that both parents and children will recognize themselves within these pages. A seamless and supremely satisfying presentation of art and text." School Library Journal

“Willems chronicles this domestic drama with pitch-perfect text and illustrations that boldly depart from the spare formula of his previous books. Sepia-tone photographs of a Brooklyn neighborhood provide the backdrops for his hand-drawn artwork, intensifying the humor of the gleefully stylized characters--especially Trixie herself, who effectively registers all the universal signs of toddler distress, from the first quavery grimace to the uncooperative, "boneless" stage to the googly-eyed, gape-mouthed crisis point. Even children who can already talk a blue streak will come away satisfied that their own strong emotions have been mirrored and legitimized, and readers of all ages will recognize the agonizing frustration of a little girl who knows far more than she can articulate. Jennifer Mattson, Booklist

In the library

This book can be enjoyed by young children and adults alike. Read aloud and use exaggerated voices and faces to express the emotions of the characters. Go “boneless” like Trixie does for extra laughs.

Module 5

Week of Sept. 28 - Oct. 3