Module 10: The Devil's Arithmetic

The Devil's Arithmetic
by Jane Yolen

Book Summary:
Twelve year old Hannah is sick of spending Passover 'remembering' the past with her relatives. During the Passover Seder she complains to her mother about her Grandpa Will, “Why does he bother with it? It’s all in the past. There aren’t any concentration camps now. Why bring it up? It’s embarrassing” (p.10). When Hannah is asked to open the door to the prophet Elijah and invite him in, she is suddenly transported to 1942 Poland, where everyone thinks she is Chaya, a twelve year old girl who has just recovered from a serious illness, and coincidentally for whom Hannah is named. The family Hannah finds herself in is captured by the Nazis and taken to a death camp, where she meets Rivka, another young girl. While in the camp Hannah struggles to know which memories of hers are real (her life she came from or the life in the concentration camp). Rivka becomes very important to Hannah as she teaches her how to battle the dehumanization that the camp breeds and instead cling to her identity as a Jew before the Nazis. Rivka is chosen to die, and at the last minute Hannah boldly steps in to take her place, unselfishly sacrificing her own life so that Rivka may live. As the door to the gas chamber closes, Hannah is suddenly transported back to her grandparent’s apartment, outside the door waiting for Elijah. When she returns inside to the Seder feast, she shares her story with her Aunt Eva, who she finds out is Rivka. Rivka changed her name to Eva at the end of World War II and upon coming to the United States, but she never forgot the sacrifice young Chaya made so that she could live. 


Yolen, J. (1988). The devil's arithmetic. New York, N.Y., U.S.A: Viking Kestrel.

My impressions:
The Devil’s Arithmetic provides an excellent resource to introduce students to the Holocaust in a way that is age appropriate. Yolen has written a touching and lasting tale of survival, hope, and the importance of remembering our past. In many ways, once Hannah is transported back to the Holocaust time period, the book reminded me of a fictionalized version of The Diary of Anne Frank - and this would be an excellent companion piece in a book talk grouping. The reader will easily relate to the protagonist, Hannah, and her impatience with traditions and remembering the past. Seeing the experience through Hannah’s eyes also allows the reader to understand what the Holocaust might have been like for a young teenage girl. Yolen does an exceptional job of portraying the horrors of the moment without overloading the senses of the reader with information that might be too graphic for younger readers. 

Professional review:
Gr 4-8 – In this novel, Yolen attempts to answer those who question why the Holocaust should be remembered. Hannah, 12, is tired of remembering, and is embarrassed by her grandfather, who rants and raves at the mention of the Nazis. Her mother’s explanations of how her grandparents and great-aunt lost all family and friends during that time have little effect.  Then, during a Passover Seder, Hannah is chosen to open the door to welcome the prophet Elijah. As she does, she is transported to a village in Poland in the 1940s, where everyone thinks she is Chaya, who has just recovered from a serious illness. She is captured by the Nazis and taken to a death camp, where she is befriended by a young girl named Rivka, who teaches her how to fight the dehumanizing process of the camp and hold onto her identity. When at last their luck runs out and Rivka is chosen, Hannah/Chaya, in an almost impulsive act of self-sacrifice, goes in her stead. As the door to the gas chamber closes behind her, she is returned to the door of her grandparents’ apartment, waiting for Elijah. Through Hannah, with her memories of the present and the past, Yolen does a fine job of illustrating the importance of remembering. She adds much to children’s understanding of the effects of the Holocaust, which will reverberate throughout history, today and tomorrow.

Harding, S. (1988, Nov. 1). [Review of the book The devil’s arithmetic, by J. Yolen]. School
           Library Journal, 35(3), 114. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Library Uses:
The librarian could give a pre-reading presentation for the book by giving students background information about the Holocaust before they begin reading the novel as a class.  I recommend http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/btt/holocaust/ as an excellent resource to introduce the Holocaust: it includes short video clips, as well as discussion points, and is produced by a textbook company, so is age-appropriate.  The librarian should end the lesson by introducing the book and giving a short book talk.

Additionally, further into the reading of the novel, the students should conduct research on the Holocaust that is relevant to the novel using library resources. A suggestion to allow students to choose their research topic would be to assign groups of students a specific chapter during Hannah’s time in the Holocaust and allow them to choose a topic from that chapter that they would like more information about to research using the library’s resources. 

Module 9: Acceleration

Acceleration
by Graham McNamee

Book Summary:

Duncan is working a summer job in the lost and found department for the Toronto subway system. He is hoping it will at least help him forget about the girl who died at the beach; the girl he tried to save. What he thinks is going to be the most boring summer of his life, quickly becomes anything but dull when Duncan finds a beat up leather journal that holds the key to the mind of a killer. Inside he finds detailed accounts of an anonymous person’s sick activities like starting fires and torturing and killing animals. As Duncan continues to read he realizes that the person with the twisted mind has moved away from animals and is focusing in on human targets, specifically women he stalks on the subway, with plans to attack. Duncan tries taking the information to the police, but they don’t believe him. Eventually Duncan decides to use the clues in the journal to track down the dangerous person. Will Duncan find the serial killer before it’s too late? Will he become the next victim when he steps into the mind of a serial killer?

McNamee, G. (2003). Acceleration. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books.

My impressions:

This is a great suspenseful mystery that I will be recommending for middle and high school boys.  The story line of Duncan tracking down the potential serial killer is well written and filled with just the right amount of tension to keep the pages turning. However, the accompanying story line concerning Duncan's intense guilt over the accidental drowning of a girl he tried to save, seems to get lost in the bigger picture and the relation to the main story line is vague at best. I think that teens will enjoy this story and get caught up trying to solve the mystery of the next victim and catching the serial killer, and will enjoy that Duncan gets to be the hero without having to involve the police or other adults.

Professional review:

Gr 8 Up-- Seventeen-year-old Duncan is haunted by the fact that he was unable to save a drowning girl a few yards away one fateful afternoon the previous September. This summer he has a job working underground at the Toronto subway lost and found where he uncovers, amid the piles of forgotten junk, an opportunity to exorcise his own guilty demons. When business is slow, Duncan spends his time rummaging through dusty shelves and boxes of unclaimed items. During one of these sessions, he uncovers a strange, leather-bound book that turns out to be the diary of a would-be serial killer. Unable to tear himself from the gory descriptions of tortured animals and arson, he discovers that the writer has started to stalk women on the subway. When the police seem disinterested, the teen takes matters into his own hands, and with the aid of his two best friends, tries to track and trap the murderer before he can strike. This chilling page-turner is all thrills, and the author cleverly manipulates readers' sense of disbelief by eliminating the possibility of police help or parental understanding. What results is one teen's self-conscious yet fast-paced journey into the mind of a cold-blooded killer, and the resulting manhunt will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Martin, H. (2003, Nov. 1). [Review of the book Acceleration, by G. McNamee]. School
         Library Journal, 49(11), 142. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Gr. 9–12. “Acceleration: escalation of increasingly destructive aberrant behavior,” the stuff that serial killers are made of. That’s what teenage Duncan finds out after he begins investigating a shocking journal that turns up in the Toronto subway lost-and found where he works. When the police refuse to take it seriously, Duncan enlists the aid of two very different friends to help him find out the identity of the diary’s author, who has apparently graduated from eviscerating animals and setting fires to tracking human prey. McNamee smoothly integrates snapshots from Duncan’s escapades with a new buddy and his wild best friend, who lives teetering on the edge of the law, with information plucked from the diary. He never overexploits the sensational potential of the subject and builds suspense layer upon layer, while injecting some surprising comedy relief that springs from the boys’ friendship. Less convincing is Duncan’s guilt for a death not of his making, which is presented as the raison d’être for his need to find the sick killer. Characters are more than stereotypes here, though it’s the mystery and the boys’ repartee that give the novel its page-turning punch.

Zvirin, S. (2003, Sept. 15). [Review of the book Acceleration, by G. McNamee].
        Booklist, 100(2), 232. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com

Library Uses:

A library mystery scavenger hunt could tie in the clues from the novel to learning the different parts of the library. Students could be placed in groups and given a journal with questions about the book in it (preferable each group would have a different set of clues, so they couldn’t follow each other around). The students would have to answer questions from the book correctly to help them figure out where in the library the next clue was located. At each section in the library the team would perform a task, for example at the online catalog, the team might have to search for a specific book and record the call number. The first team to answer all the questions correctly and correctly complete all activities in each section of the library would win a prize.

Module 8: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

Book Summary:

Set in a future world, in what remains of North America, is a country called Panem, consisting of 12 districts and the Capitol. Locked in and completely controlled by the Capitol, the people survive with little money or food and are helpless to escape their dire futures. Each year the people of the different districts are reminded of a long ago uprising against the Capitol and the defeat of the districts and destroying of district 13 by being forced to compete in the Hunger Games. Each district must send two children to compete in the televised event. Only the winner survives. Being chosen to go to the Hunger Games is akin to a death sentence for the people of the districts. The winner will return a hero and be awarded a life of luxury for themselves and their family, but at the cost of causing the death of so many others. Katniss Everdeen, a young girl in the coal mining district 12, volunteers to compete in the Hunger Games after her younger sister’s name is drawn from the lottery. Katniss leaves her district and is thrown into a world of war cruelties, lost innocence, miscalculations, and suspicion. Throughout training for the games and developing friendships with Peeta, Katniss gains perspective of the importance of relationships and her role in personal sacrifice for a broader gain. Against all odds, Katniss and Peeta are able to beat the Capitol at their own game – but their victory does not come without a price. The Hunger Games is the first book in a three book series.

Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

My impressions:

My new favorite series! That’s right, I couldn’t stop at reading just The Hunger Games, I had to read them all! The Hunger Games is set in a culture so dramatically different from our own, yet it felt completely plausible. The nonstop action, suspense, touches of fantasy and science fiction, and hint at a love story allowed something for every reader to find enjoyment in. Older readers will find warnings of falling into a society that devalues human life and lacks compassion for the less fortunate, while the intended audience will be captivated by the fast pace and still find themselves contemplating the larger moral tragedy of the events. Readers will relate to the large spectrum of emotions present throughout the book including love, hate, and greed and find themselves emotionally invested in the story and thinking of the dynamic characters long after the book has been set down.  

Professional reviews:

Gr 7 Up- In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 14 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like "Survivor" and "American Gladiator." Book one of a planned trilogy.

Baird, J. (2008, Sep. 1). [Review of the book The hunger games, by S. Collins]. School
        Library Journal, 54(9), 176. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Katniss Everdeen is a survivor. She has to be; she's representing her District, number 12, in the 74th Hunger Games in the Capitol, the heart of Panem, a new land that rose from the ruins of a post-apocalyptic North America. To punish citizens for an early rebellion, the rulers require each district to provide one girl and one boy, 24 in all, to fight like gladiators in a futuristic arena. The event is broadcast like reality TV, and the winner returns with wealth for his or her district. With clear inspiration from Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and the Greek tale of Theseus, Collins has created a brilliantly imagined dystopia, where the Capitol is rich and the rest of the country is kept in abject poverty, where the poor battle to the death for the amusement of the rich. Impressive world-building, breathtaking action and clear philosophical concerns make this volume, the beginning of a planned trilogy, as good as The Giver and more exciting. 

[Review of the book The hunger games, by S. Collins]. (2008, September 1). Kirkus Reviews, 76(17), 941.
       Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com

Library Uses:

The librarian could hold a Hunger Games movie premiere party, in line with the upcoming release of the movie based on the book. There would be stations set up around the library displaying information about the different trades in each of the districts (a coal mining presentation, agriculture, etc.) and students would be assigned a district to be a citizen of. Based on the district each student is assigned to they would be given a certain amount of Capital money that they could use to bargain for different prizes (mockingjay pins, book marks, posters, etc.) and food. After an initial socialization and eating period and the student’s exploring information about that district’s trade, each district would choose 1 student to participate in The Hunger Games trivia challenge. Students missing questions “die” and must return to their groups. The last survivor wins the challenge and wins a set of The Hunger Games trilogy and movie tickets for 4 to the upcoming movie along with popcorn and candy.

Module 7: Little Blog on the Prairie

Little Blog on the Prairie
by Cathleen Davitt Bell

Book Summary:

Genevieve Welsh is a typical thirteen-year old girl who loves soccer and her iPod, wants a cell phone more than anything, and can hardly wait to start high school in the Fall. Unfortunately, Gen’s mom has decided to ruin her summer by taking the whole family to Camp Frontier to live like pioneers in the 1890’s. Gen will be missing her friends, soccer camp, technology, and modern conveniences like indoor plumbing, electricity, and screens on windows to keep the bugs out. Gen’s dad and brother seem just about as enthused about this adventure as she is, but her parents are putting on a united front and no one will be getting out of this “Little Hell on the Prairie” until the end of August.

Gen manages to sneak a cell phone into Camp Frontier and is sending covert text messages to her friends back home updating them on her adventures in 1890. Her friend, Kristen thinks the texts are hilarious and uses them to create a blog for her summer computer class. The blog, with it’s witty recalling of Gen’s daily events and the observations of the peculiarities of her fellow campers goes viral. But, this is only the start of Gen’s problems. Between learning how to milk a cow, wash laundry without a washing machine, and catch the eye of the cute camper, Caleb, Gen has to tiptoe around Nora, the camp owners’ daughter, and her mean girl ways.

Bell, C. D. (2010). Little blog on the prairie. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.

My impressions:

This was an excellent realistic fiction novel for young adults. Bell’s portrayal of Gen is spot-on for a 13 year old girl (I know because I teach 13 year olds!). I loved that Gen’s family was able to bond through the difficult experience and their former mode of communication with each other was challenged. Initially the entire family seemed to be their own separate island, not really working together, but instead resenting each other. I also liked that Gen’s family was continuously the low scorers in the progress assessments at Camp – this seemed to me to be a very realistic scenario and the Welsh family performed about as well as I would expect my own family to perform in similar circumstances. Gen has to deal with very realistic issues like girl rivalry and jealousy, a first crush, and family issues. I liked that in the end Gen came to appreciate her parents more and saw her little brother as her best friend. Bell uses Gen’s character to model appropriate conflict resolution throughout the book as well as showing that sometimes we must face the consequences of our actions.

Professional Review:

Gr 5–8—Imagine it is 1890. No iPods, no cell phones, no jeans or tank tops, no electricity, and no indoor plumbing. This is the life that Gen Welsh has to endure for the whole summer, since her mother has decided that the family's vacation will be at a frontier-living fantasy camp near Laramie, WY. When they arrive, all modern conveniences are taken away, but Gen is granted her one wish: Clearasil. Secretly she has hidden her new cell phone in the product's box, and uses it to text her friends back home. They use her messages to start a blog, which takes off and gets media attention. Meanwhile, back at camp, a first romance and a good, clean girl rivalry are bubbling among the milking of cows and clearing of forest. As the families make their way through a difficult season, the teens discover their strengths and weaknesses. This fast read is humorous and insightful, with realistic characters that are refreshingly well rounded. Bell has captured a 13-year-old's voice, making Gen's unlikely situation feel very real. A solid choice for collections serving tweens.

Reynolds, A. (2010, May 1). [Review of the book Little blog on the prairie, by C. Bell].
      School Library Journal, 56(5), 105. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/ 

To her great dismay, 13-year-old Gen is spending her entire summer with her family at a frontier camp, where they must re-enact life from 1890, living without technology, growing their own food, tending a cow and chickens, and wokring on a project to better the farm. It's a fun premise that leaves Bell (Slipping) ample room for physical comedy, while touching on themes of family and the (dis)advantages of modern life. Gen holds onto her sanity by sending secret text messages to her best friends ("I am standing in the middle of a cornfield. I am holding a hoe... [W]e are farmers now"), which they turn into a blog that attracts national attention. Cute Caleb, a fellow camper, a fellow camper, is a welcome distraction for Gen, though he seems interested in Nora, teh daughter of the couple that runs the camp, and the two girls butt heads. Gen growing appreciation for the simple life is predictable (though she never entirely drinks the Kool-Aid-- make that warm cow's mile) and the reconciliation between Gen and Nora feels contrived, but it's still a lively journey with empathatic characters. Ages 12 and up.

[Review of the book Little blog on the prairie, by C. Bell]. (2010, April). Publisher’s
       Weekly, 257(16), 54. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/

Library Uses:

This book would be a great tie in to blogging about Young Adult literature with students. As a supplementary activity while reading this novel, students could be brought in to the library and shown a class blog revolving around the novel. The librarian could post discussion questions for each chapter and students would be required to post comments to a certain number of discussion starters throughout the novel unit.