The Outsiders Book Review

Part One: 
Book Information: Hinton, S. E. (1967). The outsiders. New York: Viking Press.

Genre: Young Adult Literature

Grade Level: Grades 6-8

Part Two: 
Response to Book: My predictions and response to the book's themes
Before reading the book, I was not sure what to expect.  The title gives away a major clue about what the book is about. I seemed to think that the book was about teenage boys who seemed to be the outsiders in their city. The picture at the bottom of the book seems to show a run down city which I assumed is where the boys lived and the story takes place. 

I think this would be an excellent book to use in a middle school classroom. The book is told through the eyes of a 14-year old boy named Ponyboy.  Because the book is told by a teenager, it makes the book an easy read and would be a great way for teenagers to be able to relate to the story. The story takes place in Oklahoma during the 1960's. It is about Ponyboy and his two brothers who have lost their parents and are now part of gang who they consider to be their family. Their gang, the "Greasers," are from the East side of Oklahoma which is considered to be the poor side. Their rivals were the "Socials" who were from the other side of town and consisted of upper to middle class families. The story tells the struggles that the Greasers go through as Ponyboy is attacked one night as he is walking home. The tension rises between the two groups and Johnny, a member of the Greasers, kills a "Soc." The book shows the struggles that the gang goes through.

This book displays many important themes which make this book such an important read for teens. One theme that is introduced is an outsider's perspective. Many of the characters in the book feel like outsiders because they do not have a family and they believe that life isn't fair to them. The novel shows that the reality is a matter of perspective and it is up to the individual as to how they define themselves. Another theme in the book is realistic family love. Ponyboy's relationships with his two brothers symbolizes the traditional dual-parent relationship. Darry takes over the role as the father and is the rule maker between the brothers. Sodapop is more nurturing and takes over the mother role as he sticks up for Ponyboy. The brothers and the gang are a family of their own and although it is not a traditional family, they stick up for each other and defend each other when they are in trouble. The third theme of colors in a black and white world is very important in the novel. Teenagers usually only see the extremes in every issue, the black and the white and they fail to notice the gray areas. The author does a great job at expressing this theme throughout the novel and shows the thoughts that Ponyboy and the rest of the gang have as they go through their many struggles.

Part Three:
Critique
The Outsiders is told through a first person perspective of a 14 year old boy, making the story easy to relate to for teens at this age. The author does an excellent job of being able to connect to the reader through the important themes that are displayed throughout the book. Teens will be able to relate to some of the struggles that the boys go through as well. The book shows the division between the "Greasers" and the "Socs" and the struggle that Ponyboy faces after a member of his gang kills one of the "Socs." Ponyboy learns that every life is important, no matter who the person is.

Part Four:
Lesson Sketch
Grade: 7

Standards
          2.2  Write responses to literature:
          a. Develop interpretations exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight.
          b. Organize interpretations around several clear ideas, premises, or images from the literary work.
          c. Justify interpretations through sustained use of examples and textual evidence. 
2.5  Write summaries of reading materials:
a. Include the main ideas and most significant details.
b. Use the student’s own words, except for quotations.
c. Reflect underlying meaning, not just the superficial details. 
3.3  Analyze characterization as delineated through a character’s thoughts, words, speech patterns, and actions; the narrator’s description; and the thoughts, words, and actions of other characters. 

Lesson Outline
Students will write a journal as a character from the novel. They will have to write one journal entry every day for one week and the entries should be in first-person as if they are the character. Their journals should consist of what goes on throughout the day, their struggles, thoughts and opinions. They will turn in these journals the following week and will be able share what they wrote with the class. The teacher will be able to assess what students have learned through reading the book by their journal entries. Because students will be taking the role as a character in the book, their journals will show their thoughts and opinions of the book's themes as well and what they felt was the most important.

Discussion Questions
What are the major themes displayed in the book? 
How did Ponyboy feel after Darry killed one of the "Socs"?
How would you feel if you were one of the "Greasers"? Which character would you be?

Links to Outside Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outsiders_(novel) (background information)
http://novelnovice.com/classroom-tools/lesson-plans/the-outsiders-activities-and-educational-links/ (activities and educational links)
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-outsiders (background information)

A Game For Swallows

Part One: 

Book Information: Abirached, Z. (2012). A game for swallows: to die, to leave, to return. NY: Graphic Universe.

Genre: Batchelder Award, Graphic Novel

Grade Level: Grades 6-12

Part Two: 

Response to Book: My predictions and response to the book's themes

Before reading the book, I flipped throught the pages to look at some of the pictures. I noticed that it seemed to look like a comic book and that all of the pictures were in black and white. I knew that the book had something to do with war based on what we have discussed in class, but I did not know any of the specifics. This was my first graphic novel that I have read and I was very interested to see how the author would tell the story through mostly pictures and minimal words. I also thought that the story would be told by someone older such as a mother or father or maybe a grandparent.

The book is a memoir written by Zeina Abirached about her time during the Civil War in Lebanon during the late 70's and 80's. Since Zeina was born, all she knew was her life in the setting of a war. She lived in a place where she had to be cautious everywhere she went. The pictures do a wonderful job at explaining where the snipers were and describing how people lived their days trying to avoid the snipers. Zeina and her family lived in a tiny house where the only place that was safe for them was the foyer. One day after Zeina's parents did not return home from a trip to the other side of the city, Zeina and her younger brother were left alone with the bombings growing closer and closer. Their neighbors worked together to provide an enviornment that would be safe or Zeina and her brother. The book expains how they all worked together to avoid the dangers of the war around them and is told through Zeina's eyes.

Thoughts About Craft

The pictures in this book are different than anything that I have ever read before. I liked how the pictures were in black and white because it set the mood for what was happening in the book at the time. I also like how the pictures show important parts of the story and provide maps for the reader so that they are able to better understand what is happening. I liked how there were drawings of where the snipers were and showed step by step  instructions of what Zeina and her neighbors had to do to avoid the snipers. I think that there wasthe proper amount of text provided so that the reader could understand what was happening throught the pictures.

Part Three:

Critique

This was a really great book and definitely deserved the Batchelder Award.  Because the story is told through the eyes of someone who actually experienced the war, I believe that it really made the book so much more interesting and engaged the audience. The reader is able to get an idea of the living conditions that people had to go through at that time and the pictures did a great job of showing that. The setting of the book takes place in an apartment in Beirut and does a wonderful job at explaining the war through a child's eyes.

Part Four:

Lesson Sketch

Grade: 7

Standards

          2.2  Write responses to literature:
          a. Develop interpretations exhibiting careful reading, understanding, and insight. 
          b. Organize interpretations around several clear ideas, premises, or images from the literary work. 
          c. Justify interpretations through sustained use of examples and textual evidence. 

4. 2.5  Write summaries of reading materials:
   a. Include the main ideas and most significant details.
   b. Use the student’s own words, except for quotations.
   c. Reflect underlying meaning, not just the superficial details. 
   

Lesson Outline

Students will read the book with a partner. They will identify the theme and plot of the book, making note of the characters and the challeneges that they faced. The students will then draw a picture with their partners, creating a picture that reflects the theme, setting, and characters in the story. The picture should be in black and white and be similar to the ones in the book.  They will then write a 2-3 page paper based on what they have learned in the story, and give response to their opinion and thoughts of the book. They should state what they would have done if they were in Zeina's position and share a particular event that has greatly affected their lives. The teacher will be able to assess what students have learned and their thoughts about the book through their pictures and essay.

Discussion Questions

What would you do if you were in Zeina's position?

What were the living conditions like during the war?

How did you like the pictures throughout the book and did they help you understand the story better?

What particular events have greatly affected your life?

Links to Outisde Resources

http://www.war-memorial.net/Lebanese-Civil-War--3.187 (background info about the Lebanese Civil War)

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/game-swallows#cart/cleanup (background info on the book)

http://www.tcj.com/i-was-convinced-that-beirut-stopped-at-that-wall-an-interview-with-zeina-abirached/ (an interview with Zeina Abirached)