Self-Discovery Book Talk
Rationale:
Children of any age often struggle to find themselves in the world. There is so much they have to deal with on a daily basis, from family to friends to school. The books I am sharing are from different areas of literature, one fiction, one fantasy, one mixed genre, and one science fiction. In each, the main character finds themselves through the course of the book, with help from friends or family. In each text this process takes time, which shows the realistic nature of figuring out who you are; it doesn’t happen in a day. Each also utilize resources to help them, Greg in Diary of a Wimpy Kid writes in a journal, Sal tells a story to her grandparents during their journey in Walk Two Moons, Milo travels to another land in The Phantom Tollbooth, and Eryn and Nick talk to each other in Under Their Skin. It is important for children to see examples of this in all types of literature. Each story takes the reader through a long period, sometimes a whole school year, for the main character(s) to make their own personal discoveries.
Critically Annotated Bibliography (Evaluative):
Creech, Sharon. Walk Two Moons. Harper Collins Publishing, 1994.
Walk Two Moons has been one of my all time favorite novels since I first read it. Sal is a strong main character, who is analytic and determined. Through her we see what it’s like to live through an unbelievably challenging experience, her mother leaving her, and how she deals with moving to a new town and making new friends. She is supported by friends, her dad, her grandparents, and meets some unusual characters along the way. This book was chosen because of how much respect you gain for Sal, she really does want to know who she is, and by the end has a pretty good idea. This book can be used in guided reading groups, whole class, or as a read-aloud with a parent. Each character brings their own unique traits and perspective that can be addressed. The author uses foreshadowing, humor, flashback, amazing descriptions, and visualization to move you through the story. This story could be for any child grades 4-8, with a lexile of 770. In the classroom the author’s craft could be analyzed, as well as character change.
Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth. Bullseye Books, 1961.
The Phantom Tollbooth is a very unusual novel, and much older than the other selections. However there is so much value in this story. It is written exquisitely, with a lexile level of 1000. It again can be used for grades 3-8 because the idea is simple, a boy is so tired and bored with his own life. He is done caring and trying. In this fantasy novel he ends up in a completely different world, meeting characters like the “Doctor of Dissonance” and the “Senses Taker” and traveling to lands like “Sea of Knowledge”, “Digitopoils” and the “Island of Conclusions” (that you obviously jump to). With this level of language multiple meaning words are an obvious teaching point, as well as analyzing each character, their purpose in the book (what they teach Milo), and how Milo changes during the novel.
Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Amulet Books, 2007.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid has become a phenomenon. Greg is hysterical, clever, and sometimes wimpy. This book has a lexile level of 950, and is recommended for grades 3-8. This book was chosen because children need someone like him, someone who doesn’t always get it right or learn from his mistakes the first time. I understand the adult concern for a child wanting to act like Greg when he is at his most silly and immature. But there is so much they can learn from him. Kids recognize when characters don’t do the right thing, and also when they do. We only have Greg’s perspective to go on, but children can analyze what he writes, his word choice, and the drawings he uses to elaborate on his point. In this book we get to see Greg as he goes through each year, figuring out more and more what kind of person he is, as well as the people around him. Not only does this teach the various types of writing, but it shows kids that it’s okay not to talk about everything that’s troubling them, that they have the power to learn from their experiences while writing about them.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Under Their Skin. Simon & Schuster, 2016.
Under Their Skin is a different novel than the other three. This novel is also for grades 3-8, with a lexile of 760. This book is told by twins, Eryn and Nick, who are average kids, get along well, and are happy with their life. In this story, unlike the others, the problems in their life start after they find out news, their mom is getting remarried, and they learn they have step-siblings, but for some strange reason they will never meet them. In this science fiction text the children search for the truth and secrets revolving their step-siblings, while using each other as a safety net, the only one they can trust. This can be used in a classroom to study foreshadowing, prediction, and character change as well. Students can study how the new information the children learn changes how they feel and act. In addition, students can compare how the events affect each of the two children, and why.
Intended Audience: This book talk is intended for upper elementary children and their parents.
Approach: Theme and Plot Based, Variety of Genre to choose from.
The talk:
Have you ever felt lost or confused or just don’t care? Does the world just seem like it’s too much sometimes, juggling friends, family, and school? It’s a lot! But books can help. Today I’m going to tell you about a few books who have main characters that feel the same as you do. These books include all different genre, for whatever mood you’re in.
And if you’re a parent, these books are here as a resource to help you reach your child, especially if they seem distant or unsure of themself. Read it with them and talk about it together!
The first book is a very funny, mixed genre chapter book. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. I know what you’re thinking- really? He’s just goofing off and writing cartoons. True, but there’s more. Greg writes down his feelings, emotions, and reflects on everyday events in this diary. He talks about his friends, family, and what he does and doesn’t like about school. Greg even reevaluates his choices, which means he thinks about whether he made the right one or the wrong on. It’s mixed genre, so he includes cartoons, ads, and even letter writing along with his diary. Throughout the year Greg learns more about the people in his life and more importantly, who he is.
Let’s say you’re more into fantasy, books that take place in other worlds, then for you I have The Phantom Tollbooth where the main character, Milo, is completely done with his everyday life. He is totally bored and has given up caring about school or the people in his life. Through an unexpected package Milo gets the opportunity to travel to a land and make new and very unusual friends. Through this he figures out a lot of things about himself, who he is and who he definitely is not. It is funny and witty and uses a ton of play on words that parents, you especially, will love.
One example of this is “Whether or not you find your own way, you're bound to find some way. If you happen to find my way, please return it, as it was lost years ago. I imagine by now it's quite rusty.” You get the point. Milo is so relatable because he doubts the people around him, just like we do. He doesn’t think they are any good to him, but in the end, learns that he does care about what happens to him and that there are people he can trust. His friends don’t change who he is, but they do help him remember who he used to be and who he wants to be now.
Not all of us like fantasy, so I also have for you a fiction novel called Walk Two Moons, and no she is not a space traveler. Sal, short for Salamanca, is a young girl feeling lost who is on a journey to figure out family secrets, which hopefully will tell her more about who she really is. It will also explain the way her father has been acting all this time, something she thinks is her fault. This story is great on many levels, because it doesn’t just tell Sal’s story of discovery.
It begins with her grandfather asking her, “How about a story? Spin us a yarn” when they start that journey. Sal thinks to herself, “I certainly do know heaps of stories, but I learned most of them from Gramps. Gram suggested I tell one about my mother. That I could not do. I had just reached the point where I could stop thinking about her every minute of every day”. So instead Sal tells the tells the “extensively strange story” about her friend Phoebe and the lunatic. Sal doesn’t figure it all out right away, but what she learns during this book changes her life in so many ways.
Did you pick a story yet? Maybe those weren’t the genre for you. How about science fiction? In that case I have Under Their Skin, which is a bit different from the other three. In this story we have twins, Eryn and Nick, who take turns telling their story of discovery. But here they actually start out as very normal preteens, going about their lives, until they find out their mom is getting remarried. That would have been enough, but there is a much bigger, deeper secret that even I didn’t see coming. It starts when mom says, “Michael does have kids. But don’t worry, I promise, you’ll never have to meet them”. This will test everything they thought about who they were, and force them to decide, at twelve years old, what kind of people they want to be.
So now you’ve heard my suggestions, but why bother? Why not just write a journal like Greg or go on a journey like Milo and Sal, or work it out with someone close like twins Eryn and Nick? Because a book can take you away from your own problems, and yeah, you have to go back to them eventually. But by reading how someone else deals with feeling lost or confused or unsure, you can decide what YOU want to do. How did the character in the book do it? Did they make any good points or look at life differently than you had? It’s your story, but other characters can help you determine how to write yours!
