Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

 

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

 

 

Bibliography: Hale, Shannon, Dean Hale, and Nathan Hale. 2008. Rapunzel's revenge. New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury.

ISBN: 9781599900704

Plot Summary: Rapunzel’s Revenge is a twist on the classic fairytale. Set in the Wild West and raised by Mother Gothel, Rapunzel lives a life of loneness in a castle that is manned by guards. One day, she escapes and comes face to face with her real mother. However, Mother Gothel is not happy and banishes her to live a life of solitude in an old magical tree. Here, her hair grows fast and long and she is able to break free after five years. After her escape, she meets Jack, who we later find out is from the classic fairy tale Jack and the Bean Stalk. The pair goes on an adventure to save her mother and to defeat the evil ways of Mother Gothel and in turn become close and fall in love because of their travels.

Critical Analysis: The book Rapunzel’s Revenge is organized in a graphic novel format that is bright and colorful. It is a twist on the classic tale, with surprising new characters and situations that integrate other fairytales including Jack and the Beanstalk. The characters in the story are not easily identifiable to real life, yet, they do possess characteristics that many people strive for. For example, Rapunzel is strong and determined, and is the ultimate heroine of the story. She is presented with qualities that are not usually seen in other fairy tales. She does not rely on the prince to save her, and is self-sufficient and searching for justice. While reading, the reader is automatically drawn into the protagonist and wants to see Rapunzel succeed and save her mother from the evil Mother Gothel. The plot is believable in the sense that it is reminiscent of the Wild West. However, it is not consistent as the characters travel throughout the different towns; yet, it is able to keep the reader’s attention and interest. After escaping the tree that she had been locked up in, the plot focuses on the journey that Jack and Rapunzel embark on to save her mother, and during this time they have to overcome many obstacles from the supporting characters and situations that are introduced to while trying to escape from the eyes and hands of Brute, Mother Gothel's henchman. For example, they must fight off the “beasts” while in the Baldlands. Then, once they finally reach their destination, they have to vanquish Mother Gothel. The setting is described and drawn with enough detail and in vibrant colors to help the reader visualize the events in the story. The theme of good overcoming evil transcends the book as well as the idea of a strong confident heroine. The style of the text is clear and consistent and the author’s voice creates a distinctive framework within the story.  In all, the text strays away from the traditional version of Rapunzel with a damsel in distress and promotes equality and a strong confident female lead.

Awards Received:

·         2009 ALA Notable Books for Children

·         2009 ALA Graphic Novels for Teens

·         2009 ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens

Review Excerpts:

·         From School Library Journal - Starred Review. Grade 5 Up–This is the tale as you've never seen it before. After using her hair to free herself from her prison tower, this Rapunzel ignores the pompous prince and teams up with Jack (of Beanstalk fame) in an attempt to free her birth mother and an entire kingdom from the evil witch who once moonlighted as her mother. Dogged by both the witch's henchman and Jack's outlaw past, the heroes travel across the map as they right wrongs, help the oppressed, and generally try to stay alive. Rapunzel is no damsel in distress–she wields her long braids as both rope and weapon–but she happily accepts Jack's teamwork and friendship. While the witch's castle is straight out of a fairy tale, the nearby mining camps and rugged surrounding countryside are a throwback to the Wild West and make sense in the world that the authors and illustrator have crafted. The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. Knowing that there are more graphic novels to come from this writing team brings readers their own happily-ever-after.–Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library

·         From Booklist - This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mother’s royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see what’s on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mother’s greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower. In her years of captivity, she learns a lot about self-reliance and care for her exceptionally long hair, and eventually she is able to escape, vowing to bring down her mother’s cruel empire. Hale’s art matches the story well, yielding expressive characters and lending a wonderful sense of place to the fantasy landscape. Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers. Grades 5-8. --Tina Coleman

Connections/Activities:

·         Students can compare the text to other versions of Rapunzel.

·         Students can create their own graphic novel.

·         Students can examine the plot, story elements, and character changes within the text.

·         Students can analyze the theme of the story.

Selected other texts from Shannon or Dean Hale:

·         Calamity Jack - 978-1599900766

·         Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters - 978-1619634855

·         Scapegoat: The Story of a Goat Named Oat and a Chewed-Up Coat - 1599904691

Related Texts:

·         Target Practice (Cleopatra in Space #1) by Mike Maihack - 978-0545528429

·         Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel - 978-0545210270

·         Snow White: The Graphic Novel by Martin Powell - 978-1434213945

·         Rapunzel: The Graphic Novel by Stephanie True Peters - 978-1434213921

Personal Connections: I thought that this graphic novel was interesting. My students enjoy reading graphic novels on a daily basis, so this was a great way to explore the format of a popular style of text in my classroom.



Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

 

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson



 

Bibliography: Anderson, Laurie Halse. 1999. Speak. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

ISBN: 0374371520

Plot Summary: Melinda is in her freshman year of high school and is seen as an outcast because she called the police at Kyle Rodger's end of the summer party. However, unknown to all of the partygoers something terrible happened to her that night. In the midst of all this, she has lost all of her friends and seeks refuge in a janitors closet during school hours to avoid the people that used to be her friends. However, when she sees one of her old friends become threatened, she tries to find her voice and is able to confront the happenings of the end of year party that changed her life forever.

Critical Analysis: The novel Speak draws readers in and paints a vivid description of life as a high school student who is not accepted among her peers. Melinda is relatable and as the story progresses we are exposed to her internal struggle to understand the happenings of the fateful 911 call that caused her to become an outcast. We see Melinda grow emotionally throughout the text while the situation and language used is believable and matches age of the characters being represented. The plot of the story follows Melinda throughout her freshman year in high school, and only reveals the night of the 911 call near the end of the text. The end of the text is hopeful and you are left with a sense that Melinda will be fine and has grown to accept the past and will be able to move on with the future. The setting is contemporary and reminiscent of the time period in which it was written and is recognizable today. The theme of the text is mature and is of serious nature. However, it encompasses the landmarks of transitioning to high school. This is a time when many people lose their friends and the reader is able to connect with Melinda on a more personal level. The book is written from Melinda's point of view and is written so that we are able to feel her actions within the story and understand her thoughts and feelings to truly get a sense of how the events surrounding the end of year party have affected her. Everything about this book is natural, believable, and relatable to many high school students facing various struggles and wanting to fit in and be accepted while still being themselves. Though, the serious nature of the book and traumatizing events may not be easily relatable. Every high school student has wanted to fit in and be accepted among their peers. The text does a great job at presenting real people with real problems and struggles.

Awards Received:

·         National Book Award Finalist

·         ALA Best Book for Young Adults

·         ALA Top-10 Best Book for Young Adults

·         ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults

·         Edgar Allan Poe Award finalist

·         IRA Young Adult Choice

·         Junior Library Guild Selection

·         Michael L. Printz Honor Book (American Library Association)

·         New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

·         New York Times Bestseller List

·         SCBWI Golden Kite Award

·         YALSA Popular Paperback for Young Adults

 

Review Excerpts:

·         Publishers Weekly Starred Review - In a stunning first novel, Anderson uses keen observations and vivid imagery to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager. . . . Yet Anderson infuses the narrative with a wit that sustains the heroine through her pain and holds readers' empathy. . . . But the book's overall gritty realism and Melinda's hard-won metamorphosis will leave readers touched and inspired.

·         The Horn Book Starred Review - An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last.

·         Kirkus Pointer Review - A frightening and sobering look at the cruelty and viciousness that pervade much of contemporary high school life, as real as today's headlines. . . . The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn . . . a novel that will be hard for readers to forget.

·         School Library Journal - Melinda's pain is palpable, and readers will totally empathize with her. This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story.

·         Booklist - Melinda's voice is distinct, unusual, and very real as she recounts her past and present experiences in bitterly ironic, occasionally even amusing vignettes. . . . Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.

Connections/Activities:

·         Students can do a reader’s response over the text.

·         Students can compare the text to the theatrical version and analyze the similarities and differences.

·         Students can write about personal experiences or connections that they may have.

Selected other texts from Laurie Halse Anderson:

·         Wintergirls - 978-0670011100

·         Fever 1793 - 978-0689848919

·         Chains (The Seeds of America Trilogy) - 978-1416905868

Related Texts:

·         Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher – 978-1595141880

·         Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell –  978-1250012579

·         It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini –  978-0786851973

·         The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - 978-0525478812

Personal Connections: I have always wanted to read this book. I think that it is a good book, and a great example of contemporary realistic fiction. It describes the struggle that many high school students face when trying to fit in, when in tragic circumstances.

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

 

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

 

Bibliography: DiCamillo, Kate, and K. G. Campbell. 2013. Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures.

ISBN: 9780763660406

Plot Summary: Ten year old Flora, a self- proclaimed cynic, is about to have her life changed forever with the help of her neighbor Tootie Tickham, her brand new Ulysses vacuum, and an innocent squirrel. In a series of events, the squirrel has a mishap with the vacuum, and becomes a superhero that is able to write poetry, understand humans, and essentially change Flora's life forever. This story is fast paced and enjoyable for all readers, exploring the family unit and relationships we all share. By the end of the story you will be fighting for Ulysses the squirrel and Flora's family and friends. Only then do you realize the true value and importance of friends and family.

Critical Analysis: The story Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo is an adventurous story focusing on a squirrel that inhabits superhero talents after being hit/nearly sucked up with a vacuum and explores the bond that families and friends share, while finding oneself and learning to forgive the past after being failed by the people that they love. This story blends realistic contemporary fiction with fantasy. The characters within the story are realistic and the situations surrounding the characters are relatable to all children and adults excluding the main character of Ulysses the superhero squirrel, which causes the book to become a low fantasy novel. The children in the story have been failed by their parents and find refuge in Ulysses the Superhero squirrel. Flora is a self-proclaimed cynic, but as the story progresses we are able to understand and realize that she is not a cynic, but a young girl who feels that her mother doesn’t love her, but loves a lamp that she calls Mary Ann. However, by the end of the story, she realizes that she is loved and is able to accept her new reality. This is a also a similar situation with William Spiver, the other child depicted in the story, who has been failed by his mother, is recently remarried, and feels that his mother no longer loves him when he gets dropped off at his great aunt's house and goes through a spat of temporary blindness. As the reader learns about these characters, they are immediately able to sympathize and care about the characters. The language within the text is very rich, and is believable for a ten year old child with a higher level vocabulary. The text also reflects the way children talk and interact at that age level, and the dialogue between the characters is important and conveys the many emotions that the characters feel. The entire plot seems plausible and true to life and is presented in a logical order. It is creative and keeps the reader's attention throughout the entire book. The story does contain a climax and the plot has many unexpected twists and turns. The setting is within a contemporary time period that seems familiar to readers, is believable, and includes vivid details. The descriptions are accurate and the overall story transcends the setting with the situations being universal. The theme marks Flora growing up and learning to forgive her mother so that she can move on with her life. Also, the theme of family ties and bonds and leaning to forgive runs strong throughout the text, which in the end leave us with hope for the young characters.  The style of the text is reflective of DiCamillo’s other stories with her use of rich vocabulary and her ability to create situations within her books that pull on heartstrings and give us hope for the future. The dialogue between characters is natural and believable with a consistent use of language that is reminiscent of the characters' ages. Within the text, there is also a healthy balance of gender roles and the text avoids stereotyping. The text presents real people with real problems that many families face in broken homes. In all, the text is written wonderfully in an easy to read format and is relatable to students. It is a great book for the classroom library.

Awards Received:

·         Winner of the 2014 Newberry Medal

·         Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee

·         National Book Award Longlist

Review Excerpts:

·         Booklist Starred Review - Newbery-winner DiCamillo is a master storyteller not just because she creates characters who dance off the pages and plots, whether epic or small, that never fails to engage and delight readers. Her biggest strength is exposing the truths that open and heal the human heart. She believes in possibilities and forgiveness and teaches her audience that the salt of life can be cut with the right measure of love.

·         Kirkus Starred Review - Original, touching and oh-so-funny tale starring an endearingly implausible superhero and a not-so-cynical girl.

·         School Library Journal Starred Review - Rife with marvelously rich vocabulary reminiscent of the early superhero era (e.g., "Holy unanticipated occurrences!") and amusing glimpses at the world from the point of view of Ulysses the supersquirrel, this book will appeal to a broad audience of sophisticated readers. There are plenty of action sequences, but the novel primarily dwells in the realm of sensitive, hopeful, and quietly philosophical literature.

·         Publishers Weekly Starred Review - Despite supremely quirky characters and dialogue worthy of an SAT prep class, there’s real emotion at the heart of this story involving two kids who have been failed by the most important people in their lives: their parents.

·         From School Library Journal - Gr 4-6–Flora, obsessed with superhero comics, immediately recognizes and gives her wholehearted support to a squirrel that, after a near-fatal brush with a vacuum cleaner, develops the ability to fly and type poetry. The 10-year-old hides her new friend from the certain disapproval of her self-absorbed, romance-writer mother, but it is on the woman's typewriter that Ulysses pours out his creations. Like DiCamillo's The Magician's Elephant (Candlewick, 2009), this touching piece of magical realism unfolds with increasing urgency over a mere few days and brings its somewhat caricatured, old-fashioned characters together into what becomes a supportive community for all. Campbell's rounded and gentle soft-penciled illustrations, at times in the form of panel art furthering the action, wonderfully match and add to the sweetness of this oddball story. Rife with marvelously rich vocabulary reminiscent of the early superhero era (e.g., “Holy unanticipated occurrences!”) and amusing glimpses at the world from the point of view of Ulysses the supersquirrel, this book will appeal to a broad audience of sophisticated readers. There are plenty of action sequences, but the novel primarily dwells in the realm of sensitive, hopeful, and quietly philosophical literature.–Rhona Campbell, Georgetown Day School,

 

Connections/Activities:

·         Students can examine the characters within the story and their relationships.

·         Students can write about friendship or create a story in which an animal becomes a superhero like Ulysses.

·         Students can examine the vocabulary of the text, and use context clues to determine meaning.

Selected other texts from Kate DiCamillo:

·         Because of Winn Dixie – 978-0763644321

·         The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane – 978-0763643676

·         The Magicians Elephant - 978-0763644109

Related Texts:

·         The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate – 978-0061992254

·         Escape from Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein – 978-0375870897

·         Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School by Kim Baker - 978-1596437654

Personal Connections: When I saw one of my students reading this book a few weeks ago, and asked how they liked it, and they said they loved it, I knew I had to read it for myself. It is a great book with a lot of relatable themes. The author writes it in an easy to read format that is appealing for all students. I highly recommend this book for grades 3 and up.

Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin

Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin

Bibliography: Yelchin, Eugene. 2011. Breaking Stalin's nose. New York: Henry Holt.

ISBN: 9780805092165

Plot Summary: Breaking Stalin’s Nose is presented from the point-of-view of Sasha Zaichik, a ten-year-old Russian boy living in Russia under the Communist rule of Joseph Stalin. Sasha dreams of joining the Young Soviet Pioneers, as he believed it was “the most important step in becoming a real Communist.” One night his father, a well-respected hero working for the State Security, is abruptly arrested for reasons that are unknown to Sasha and his world begins to fall apart. This is the heartbreaking story of a boy on a mission to become a man that is proud of his nation, but is left conflicted when his mistake causes misguided fear and accusations that later affect innocent, undeserving victims, creating dissonance within his once clear and strong beliefs.

Critical Analysis: The main character of Sasha Zaichik in Breaking Stalin’s Nose is easy for readers to identify with, as he faces the struggle of balancing his own self-preservation with maintaining his honesty and not sacrificing those who are innocent. The history of the dissolved friendship between Sasha and his friend, Vovka, who betrayed him, is relatable to many people who have made and lost friends, though the change in behavior from Vovka of being one of the best and brightest, to a slacker, is not thoroughly explained in the story. However, children and adults of all ages can relate to this type of behavior with friends. The clothing that the characters wear are depicted in the drawings that Yelchin includes which add to the overall understanding of the text, as well as give examples of what people would wear during the Cold War. The language within the text was adapted in a way that the reader is able to comprehend, while the plot flows as the series of events unfold under Sasha’s watchful eyes. The history within the context of the book is presented accurately with events occurring in real places that the reader can easily research if they wish to know more about the setting of the text. The terms within the text are somewhat hard to pronounce when it comes to the names of the characters, thus the reader may struggle when trying to decipher Russian names, while the plot is realistic to the time period. The setting of the story sets the stage for the events that happen within the story and are an integral part of the story. The time and place of the story are accurately portrayed and vividly described which allow the reader to create a mental image while reading, which contributes to the authenticity of the text. The theme that innocent people being falsely accused based on the beliefs of others runs rampant through the story and reflects both the morals and ideals of the time period in which the people of the Communist regime lived, as well as are relevant to this day and age, which show timeless parallels. The style of the text reflects the author’s style and all of the literary elements presented within the story are woven together in a seamless manner that captures the time period in which the text portrays. To add to the authenticity of the text, the author has included an author’s note which describes his life growing up in the Soviet Union, and states that “this book is my attempt to expose and confront fear” (154) and how as a child he wanted to be a Young Pioneer himself after seeing the injustices that people have faced over time. 

Awards Received:

·         2012 Newberry Honor Book

·         2011 Horn Book Best Book

Review Excerpts:

·         From Publishers Weekly - Picture book author/illustrator Yelchin makes an impressive middle-grade debut with this compact novel about a devoted young Communist in Stalin-era Russia, illustrated with dramatically lit spot art.

·         From Kirkus Reviews - Yelchin's graphite illustrations are an effective complement to his prose, which unfurls in Sasha's steady, first-person voice, and together they tell an important tale.

·         From School Library Journal - Yelchin skillfully combines narrative with dramatic black-and-white illustrations to tell the story of life in the Soviet Union under Stalin.

·         From The Horn Book – Starred Review - "This brief novel gets at the heart of a society that asks its citizens, even its children, to report on relatives and friends. Appropriately menacing illustrations by first-time novelist Yelchin add a sinister tone."

Connections/ Activities:

·         Students can do an author study on Eugene Yelchin.

·         Have students examine Stalin's rule and the role of communism.

·         Use the books website to help guide instruction.

·         Have students research Moscow and what it was like under Stalinist rule.

·         Have students examine the plot, setting, and point of view of the story.

Selected other texts by Eugene Yelchin:

·         Arcady’s Goal - 978-0805098440

·         Heart of a Snowman - 978-0061259265

·         Ghost Files: The Haunting Truth - 978-0061283956

Related Texts:

·         Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai - 9780061962790

·         A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park – 9780547577319

·         Heart of a Samurai  by Margi Preus -  978-1419702006

Personal Connections:

·         This is a great book for students in middle and high school! There are many lessons that can be taught using the text in a cross-curricular unit.

Hiroshima by Laurence Yep

 

Hiroshima by Laurence Yep

 

 

 

Bibliography: Yep, Lawrence. 1900. Hiroshima. Scholastic: 1995.

ISBN: 9780590208338

Plot Summary: Hiroshima is a short novella depicting the events surrounding the first atom bomb attempt in Hiroshima, Japan during World War II on August 6, 1945. It follows the character of twelve-year old Sachi in an attempt to show how the people of Hiroshima were blindsided by the Enola Gay. The novella follows the before, during, and aftermath of the bomb, focusing on Sachi's life in Japan, and then from the United States when being treated for burns left by the devastating bomb. While the book is fictional, it accurately depicts the events surrounding the bombing of Hiroshima.

Critical Analysis: The novella follows the twelve year old character of Sachi and the events and aftermath of the bombing that destroyed the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Sachi is a young girl living in a world at war. She is relatable to other children with her innocence and longing to feel safe and secure. At points, she is not nervous about the Americans flying overheard, but reluctantly wears an air-raid hood to ensure her safety from any blasts of fires that may occur. She is portrayed as a child living in a war-torn area that is fighting to survive, and is relatable. Her dress reflects the time period as does the imagery that is described through the setting of the text. The plot of the text is presented accurately and in logical order, following the events surrounding August 6, 1945, which is the day the atom bomb was dropped, and continues through the time in which the U.S. tries to strengthen ties by helping burn victims. It is completely realistic and stays true to the time period. The vivid and time-oriented setting is depicted in a way that allows the reader to visualize the events, helping to create an accurate feel to the text. The theme of war, peace, and prosperity run rampant through the text and are timeless parallels to today's society. The style of the text reflects the authors voice in a way that captures the time eloquently in a seamless story that examines an important time in our nation's history. The novella is authentic and the citations at the end of the text further validate the credibility of the text with a true blending of fact and fiction which draws the reader's interest.  

Awards Received:

·         None

Review Excerpts:

·         From Publishers Weekly - Yep's account of the bombing of Hiroshima and its devastating aftermath is at once chilling and searing, hushed and thundering. Within a factual framework, the author sets the fictional story of a girl named Sachi, allegedly a composite of several young residents of the bombed city. On the morning of August 6, 1945, 12-year-old Sachi and her classmates pull on their pitifully inadequate air-raid hoods when an alarm sounds, signifying the approach of an American bomber. They and others feel, ironically, a deep sense of relief when the aircraft passes by-the plane's mission, in fact, is to scout out the weather over Hiroshima; if there are clouds, the Enola Gay will be directed to drop its atom bomb on another city. But a single gap opens in the clouds directly over the target site, and "the sunlight pours through the hole on to the city." This is the last bit of brightness in Yep's story, which with haunting simplicity describes the actual bombing: "There is a blinding light like a sun. There is a boom like a giant drum. There is a terrible wind. Houses collapse like boxes. Windows break everywhere. Broken glass swirls like angry insects." Though Yep's spare, deliberate description of the bomb's consequences delivers a brutal emotional punch-and though it is on the whole extremely well suited to the target audience-his novella has some jarring stylistic elements. Broken into brief chapters ("The Bomb," "The City," "The Attack," "Destruction," "Peace?"), the narrative is choppy. The text, for example, makes a hasty chronological jump from the announcement that WWII is over to Sachi's experience as one of 25 "Hiroshima Maidens," who in 1955 traveled to the United States for plastic surgery to correct disfiguring burns. And although expressing an opinion is clearly the novelist's prerogative, it should be noted that the story Yep relays is hardly balanced; witness the two simple sentences about the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, which make no mention of the resulting human casualties: "Four years before, on December 7, 1941, Japanese planes attacked American ships in Hawaii without warning. Caught by surprise, many ships and planes were wrecked at the naval base, Pearl Harbor." Yet in what is one of his tale's most haunting moments, Yep interjects the resonant words of an American-the Enola Gay's copilot-who, surveying the destruction just after the bomb has hit Hiroshima, scribbles a note to himself: "What have we done?" This powerful chronicle ensures that what was done on that awful day will remain in readers' memories for a very long time. Ages 8-11.

·         From School Library Journal - Grade 4-6 Through a stacatto, present-tense narration that moves back and forth between the experiences of a 12-year-old girl and the men on the Enola Gay, Yep's novella tells the events of the day the first atomic bomb was dropped and its aftermath. Sachi survives but is badly burned; her sister dies and her soldier father is killed in action. For three years the girl spends most of her time indoors, as newcomers to the city fear the scarred survivors. Then she travels to America for plastic surgery, which enables her to take part in her society again. She returns to Japan, hoping to help other victims. Yep ends with two chapters on the destructive potential of nuclear warfare and on some of the efforts being made toward disarmament. His words are powerful and compelling, and the facts he presents make readers realize the horrors of that day and its impact beyond. As a fictional character, Sachi never becomes much more than a name, but even so, readers will be moved by her tale. Hiroshima has a more adult format than Junko Morimoto's more personal My Hiroshima (Viking, 1990) or Toshi Maruki's Hiroshima No Pika (Lothrop, 1982), both of which tell the story in pictures as well as in words.?Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ

·         From Booklist - Gr. 4^-7. In quiet, simple prose, Yep tells what happens when the atomic bomb is dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. He tells it in short chapters in the present tense, switching from crewmen on the Enola Gay to children in a Hiroshima classroom; then he describes the attack, the mushroom cloud, and the destruction of the city; finally, he talks about the aftermath, immediate and long term, including the arms race and the movement for peace. One chapter explains the physics of the explosion and of radiation. The facts are so dramatic and told with such controlled intensity that we barely need the spare fictionalization about a young Hiroshima child who is there when the bomb falls and who later comes to the U.S. for treatment (Yep says in an afterword that she's a composite of several children). The account is fair, non-hectoring, and totally devastating. Though accessible to middle-grade readers, this will also interest older readers, who will find nothing condescending in content or format. Fifty years later, the event is still the focus of furious controversy (even the numbers are in dispute), and this novella will start classroom discussion across the curriculum. There's a bibliography for further reading.

Connections/ Activities:

·         Students can research World War II.

·         Students can create their own novella.

·         Students can write and research about how the war affected the people of Japan and the devastating effects on Hiroshima.

·         Students can compare the novella to other texts about Hiroshima.  

·         Students can examine the text's accuracy.

Selected other texts by Lawrence Yep

·         Dragonwings – 978-0064400855

·         The Lost Garden –  978-0688137014

·         The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale – 978-0064435185

·         Dragon’s Gate - 978-0064404891

Related Texts:

·         Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr – 978-0142401132

·         Number the Stars by Lois Lowry – 978-0547577098

·         A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Harry Mazer – 978-0689841606

·         Hiroshima by John Hersey - 978-0679721031

Personal Connections:

·         If I were a high school U.S. History teacher, I would definitely have my students read this text when discussing World War II because, it is a great example of historical fiction in which students can put themselves in the position of the main character to see the devastating effects of the atom bomb.