Chapter 11-15

Chapter 11 – Realistic Fiction

I believe that realistic fiction holds answers and information about taboo subjects/topics, which makes them perfect for young readers who want to find out more about the world around them.  Young people are curious and want to know why and/or how things work, and the only way for them to find out the why and how is by reading.  A young girl who is having to deal with her menstrual cycle for the first time might be embarrassed to ask a relative for help in how to be prepared for certain situations (such as being invited to a swimming pool party).  A young boy who is going through puberty may be embarrassed to ask his crush out on a date to the dance and so he attends solo.  Because some of these topics are considered to be hush-hush, young readers keep asking themselves the same question – am I normal?

In the realistic fiction books being published today, young readers will realize that they’re not the only ones experiencing these issues and that what they are going through is indeed normal.  Young readers may want to read books that they can relate to and so will look for characters that they feel they can connect with.  It is during this stage of a young reader’s life that other genres may take a backseat for a time, or at least until the reader feels a bit more comfortable in their own (new) skin.  Also, these contemporary realistic fiction (CRF) books will instill a sense of empathy in young readers, making them a reliable source to seek advice and comfort from.

By introducing young readers to realistic fiction at a young age, they will come to understand and appreciate that section in the library.  With this thought in mind, I can only hope to encourage young readers to read this genre.  Doing so may minimize a young reader’s lack of self-confidence, as well as reduce the amount of bullying and/or cyberbullying that takes place on a daily basis.  Young readers who grow up reading realistic fiction will grow up to be well rounded individuals who won’t be so self-absorbed in themselves.

Chapter 12 – Nonfiction

            I believe that nonfiction is a genre that gets overlooked quite a bit in young readers, simply because when a young reader hears the word ‘nonfiction’ they equate that word with boring and uninteresting.  To change the perspective of the student, young readers at the elementary level should be introduced to these books by both the librarian and their teacher.  However, in order to ensure that the information being read is accurate, the librarian and teacher will need to do their research.  Of course, as the student gets older, s/he will be the one in charge of researching researched information.

            The fact that students are not knowledgeable on various topics makes nonfiction reading a must.  When it comes to students writing out their state exam essays, the students need to have a bank full of knowledge and should be saying things like “I don’t know which resource to use” instead of “I don’t know what to write about.”  When I introduce the expository essay to my students, I am constantly hearing that – “Ma’am, I don’t know what to write about.”  It’s a struggle to get my students to expand on the information that they write down, especially since all they know is just that one event and/or historical figure.  For example, many of my students know who Rosa Parks is and the action she took that makes her memorable, but that’s it.  They don’t know that the event took place in Alabama or that it didn’t matter that the seat she was sitting in on the bus was in the ‘colored section’ or that Martin Luther King, Jr. led the Montgomery Bus Boycott that came about after Parks’s arrest.  Knowing these details is crucial when students are asked to take a stance in their writing, but, if they don’t have that information, then they will always struggle with having the right information in their writing.

And although librarians and teachers do need to check the purpose and scope of a book, they should not just select books based on what is taught in curriculum, but a wide variety of books.  Books that are broad in topic or narrow should be made available.  Some students may also wish to expound on what they’ve read, and so it is imperative that the librarian and departments discuss books and/or information outside of the curriculum.  The overall purpose of having a particular book in collection should also be discussed, with an understanding that an individual’s prejudice towards the content will take a back seat should it be determined that the content is meaningful and/or useful for students.

The questions that were also posted in this chapter will really get the students to reflect on the events/era/people they read about in nonfiction books.  These questions also allow the students absorb the information and then adapt it to fit their understanding and comprehension.

Chapter 13 – Fantasy/Science Fiction

            I will be honest, I was not a big fan of fantasy and science fiction until I became a high school English teacher.  Yes, I remember reading Lois Lowry’s The Giver; however, I could not get past the fact that they would kill off the weaker babies by injecting them with a needle through the brain.  I still cannot get past that, even when the movie version came out (which I was totally disappointed with).  I then later purchased Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars trilogy (I love Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland), and, even though I read each book, I still felt like there was something missing in the plot.  I then started to stay even further away from the genre.  The other few times that I had come into contact with this genre was in movies with dystopian societies (which I rarely saw) and the occasional movie/TV show on the SyFy Channel.  Now, after being a teacher for several years, I have found and been introduced to various types of stories that could be categorized as science fiction.  I fell in love.  I realized that not all books were the same, and, just like stories in other genres, I don’t have to like them all.

            The first short story I read as a teacher to my class was Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron.”  I loved taking that short story and breaking it down for the students, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ending.  I then branched out a bit more and read Veronica Roth’s Divergent series, James Dashner’s The Maze Runner series, Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series, Kresley Cole’s The Arcana Chronicles, and a few others.  However, other than the Lunar Chronicles and The Arcana Chronicles, I have been let down and disappointed in some of the endings of these novels.  It is with that thought in mind that I finally realized that in order for me to get hooked on the book, the character has to go through various trials and tribulations, face near death and heart-wrenching experiences, and end up becoming a stronger person who is going persevere through whatever challenges they may still face.  I honestly did not get that sense of feeling with Jonas or Tris or Thomas.

            With that being said, I think it is imperative for the librarian to know their collection and go above and beyond when it comes to their role in Reader’s Advisory.  Young readers may have a pretty good idea about what it is that they want to read, but they might not know how to follow that trail of bread crumbs.  Instead of just pinpointing or suggesting books, perhaps the librarian could engage his/her young readers by having them critique the book.  I would like to create an interactive book review website where students could post comments and reviews about the books they read because the one source that students will listen to is other students.

            Dr. Perry’s video has also made me realize this genre should not be overlooked.  As she mentions, the themes that are seen in other books are also found in science fiction and fantasy.  However, one thing that I would like to add to Dr. Perry’s comment is that I feel that some universal themes (relationships, self-worth, etc.) are presented and integrated more strongly in this genre because the characters need these elements to survive and overcome the conflicts.

Chapter 14 – Graphic Novels

            The most overlooked and ignored type of literature, and I cannot understand why.  There are many educators who I know who refuse to accept the idea that graphic novels are literature.  They see them as comic books that are meant to be read by readers in elementary, and not at the high school level.  I firmly believe that educators who think and/or believe in that idea are incorrect.  However, my firm support in allowing young readers at the high school level and beyond to read graphic novels might mostly stem from the fact that I am a huge lover of anime and stories (whether they be in book or digital format) from Japan.

Yes, it’s great to introduce the student to new vocabulary on a daily basis through reading, but sometimes this practice can turn readers (especially the young ones who are reluctant to pick up a book) away from reading.  Furthermore, though the vocabulary within a graphic novel cannot be compared to the vocabulary held within the pages of a Nathaniel Hawthorne novel, educators need to keep in mind what the end goal is.  Is the end goal to introduce them to new vocabulary (because if it is then there are plenty of other more engaging activities an educator can do to introduce new vocabulary) or is it to engage the young reader (who might be reluctant to even enter a library) in a book of their choice?  Reading, for the most part, should be a comfortable and calming activity instead of an activity that causes stress and insecurities.  There may be quite a few children within an educator’s classroom who cannot read at grade level, so even introducing them to William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in 9^th grade might feel like pulling teeth throughout the entire unit because a young reader cannot comprehend the meaning of words that have not been used for years.  The reader cannot find any connection with the story thanks to the vocabulary that was acceptable back in during the time of William Shakespeare.  Instead, the educator should think about incorporating a Romeo and Juliet graphic novel, where the language is much more understandable, clear, concise, and straight to the point so that students won’t lose interest in the story.

I also think it’s amazing that graphic novels are the perfect item to be incorporated into curriculum because they are the perfect resource to use so that the educator is meeting state standards.  Many students, like mine, struggle on a daily basis with comprehension and inferring because the text is too dense and, due to the amount of words within the story, they have a hard time applying close reading strategies.  To assist the teacher, I would recommend them starting a unit with an excerpt of a graphic novel.  If the educator is able to utilize a graphic novel efficiently, they would be able to model the strategies needed to assess tone and mood.  Also, because the words are so concise, students would be required to really analyze the author’s word choice (diction) and the illustrations to determine the motivation of the character(s) within the story.

There is much that be done with graphic novels, but the educator has to be willing to step out of their comfort zone and find creative ways to incorporate this format as a text.

Chapter 15 – Peck’s Questions

I am proud to say that I have used Richard Peck’s questions ever since I was introduced to them during my third year as an English teacher.  Piggy-backing off of a few of my earlier comments – many students struggle with comprehension and inferring.  They read a paragraph and quickly forget what it was that they just read.  By the time they get to the end of a story, the forget what happened in the beginning, or what led that character to be where they are in the end.  Other times, however, the student is focusing so much on reading the words (whether it be to themselves or aloud to the class) that that is all they are doing – reading the words.  They are not comprehending the meaning of the word or the sentence.  They might focus in on a few words or phrases, but they’re only placed there to distract the reader from grasping the main idea.  For example, my students were reading Julia Alvarez’s “Liberty,” and many of them thought that the two strange men had come back in the end of the story and were destroying the narrator’s home.  Most of them (if not all) had missed out on two very important phrases: “Sitting on the bench, I had an image again of those two men in mirror glasses.  After we are gone, they come onto the property” (Alvarez, Liberty).  Because they did not read carefully, they thought the strange men had come back.  In the end, when I asked them to explain author’s purpose, many thought that the story was about Liberty being taken by the strange men – which lead to more discussions and explanations and headaches. 

However, using Peck’s questions throughout a reading can help the young reader’s stay focused on what their reading and monitor their understanding.  It allows them to tackle the story/reading head on while having them focus on one skill at a time.  Furthermore, these questions require the student to connect to the reading and reflect on how what they read will affect them (and the world) as a whole.