Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Bibliography: 
Whaley, John Corey.  2011. When Things Come Back. New York, NY: Atheneum. 9781442413337 

Plot Summary:

Cullen Witter is a 17 year old with a big imagination and hates his life in the dull and boring town of Lily, Arkansas. Cullen desperately wants to leave the dead end town, but fears he will be stuck there for the rest of his life, like everyone else in Lily. Cullen’s oh-so-boring-life changes completely when his brother goes missing and his whole town is turned upside down thanks to a strange obsession with a rare bird which may or may not even exist.

Critical Analysis:
There is quite a lot going on in this book! The author weaves two stories into one odd plot and constantly leaves the reader wondering what one story has to do with the other; eventually, the story unravels in the end. When the book nears its ending, readers will be surprised at the odd twist of events that surround the two seemingly unrelated stories. The plot is a strange mix of teenage life in a small town, death, suicide, kidnapping, the appearance of a strange bird, and more.

Cullen Witter is the main character of the story and he is your typical angry-at-the-world teenage boy with a chip on his shoulder. Throughout the entire story Cullen’s imagination often runs away with him when he thinks up strange scenes in his mind. Often the scenes involve everyone around him turning into a zombie and he is either saving the day or ruining the day. One thing I like about Cullen’s character is that his strengths and weaknesses are so obvious to the reader and not so obvious to Cullen; it is almost as if the reader knows a secret. It is interesting to watch Cullen learn more about who he is through the course of the story. The other characters in the story offer a wide range of typical teenage personalities which work well with the main character’s personality, especially in a small town.

The setting (Lily, Arkansas) is expressed in a realistic way by the author. The exact time frame which this story took place is unknown, though it is easy to speculate it is set in the “now” thanks to the reference of laptops and cell phones in the story. Cullen’s disgust with Lily is obvious and he often makes humorous comments concerning the town such as:

     “Lily is the kind of place you’d like to move to some short time before you die. If at any other time in your life you think you need the peace and quiet of Lily, Arkansas, then you should either see a therapist or stay there for a week and try to find anything half-entertaining to do.” (p. 10)

The setting plays a large part in the story since the majority of the characters in the story have the clichéd “small town attitude” that books depicting small populations tend to have. Everyone in Lily knows one another and this feeds into the emotion Cullen feels concerning his missing brother. Since the town is so small and everyone knows each other, Cullen has to constantly deal with people telling him and his family how sorry they are for his brother’s disappearance which does a great job of keeping the pain of Gabriel’s disappearance in the forefront of his mind.

If I had to pinpoint the theme of this story I would say it is about getting second chances in life. The story doesn’t unrealistically state everyone who is given a second chance succeeds and readers will learn this with characters such as, John Barling, Cabot Searcy and Benton Sage. Alma Ember gets a second chance at life after she leaves her husband and ends up back in the safety of her hometown (Lily). Cullen’s first impressions of Mena Prescott are that she is his best friend’s annoying girlfriend, but later in the story he gives her a second chance and sees her for the good person she really is (you’ll have to read the story to find out why!). It is hard to reference good examples of the second chances experienced in this book without risking a spoiler alert, so I will stop here.

In terms of style, one thing I liked about this book is how natural the dialogue appeared. The dialogue was smooth and believable and you could almost imagine listening to similar conversations amongst real teens. In other words, the language and behavior were believable for teenagers:

“Guess what, my kind clerk of a friend?”
“What?” I asked.
“I have big news.”
“Well?” I hated when someone would tell me they had something to tell me instead of just telling me.
“I got you a date!”
“A date?”
“Yes, and I don’t mean the fruit.” Lucas chuckled.
“Funny. With who?”
“Are you ready for this?” he asked, both his hands pointing at me.
“Yes! Tell me!”
“You may want to sit for this one, Cullen.”
“I’m going to kill you and go on a murderous rampage if you don’t –“
“Alma Ember,” he interrupted with confidence, leaning against the counter and close to my face.” (p. 48)

As you can see from the dialogue above, it is easy to imagine two teenage boys engaging in such a conversation over a girl.

Cullen Witter is the storyteller for the majority of the story and his narration style is quite interesting. I do not know about you, but when I was a teenager I could think of any number of things all at once and still jump back to my original thought; Cullen does this too! I think Cullen’s scatterbrained thinking makes the story more realistic to young people today. While some of Cullen’s tone is serious, a great portion of it is silly and humorous.

Recommended for teens ages 14 and up.

Review Excerpt(s):

• Michael L. Printz Award Winner (2012)
• William C. Morris Award Winner (2012)
• Booklist (2011) – “An intriguing, memorable offering teens will want to discuss.”
• School Library Journal (2011) – “…the ending is worth the wait, making a promising statement about faith and taking one day at a time.”

Connections:

• Pair this title with other great favorites such as:
       Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
       Looking for Alaska by John Green
       I am the Messanger by Markus Zusak
• Encourage the teens to engage in "follow-up research" (Vardell 2008). Help them determine whether the town of Lily, Arkansas is real (p. 10 references the town's location) and if it is not real, help the teens figure out where it might have been based off of the book's details. You might also encourage them to research other facts/details from the story such as, the woodpecker, locating the song title to the lyrics mentioned in the book, and so on.
• Engage the teens in a questions and discussion session about certain aspects of the book, the characters, and events that took place in the story. Be sure to give the teens time to ponder each question you ask and allow them to answer the questions. Encourage the teens to "speculate, support their guesses, and make connections to other literature and other life experiences" (Vardell 2008).

Reference:
Vardell, Sylvia M. Children's Literature in Action: A Librarian's Guide. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2008. 
 

 

Calamity Jack by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale

Bibliography:
Hale, Shannon & Hale, Dean. 2010. Calamity Jack. Ill. Hale, Nathan. New York, NY: Bloomsbury. 9781599900766

Plot Summary:
After Jack is forced to leave Shyport, thanks to the golden goose he stole from Blunderboar, he returns home with his new friend Rapunzel in an effort to try and right his wrongs. When Jack arrives back in his home town nothing is as he left it and he is determined to find out why. After meeting Freddie, the trio (Jack, Rapunzel & Freddie) work to uncover Blunderboar's evil plan to take over the city; it is up to them to stop Blunderboar.

Critical Analysis:
The three main characters in this book (Jack, Rapunzel, and Freddie) are quite interesting. Jack is definitely my favorite character because of the way he matures throughout the graphic novel. In the beginning of the story, we often see Jack acting on a whim, as though with no thought or care at all. Later in the story Jack begins to have a more developed way of thinking and actually thinks before he acts. When Jack meets Rapunzel he realizes how good of a person she is and this thought leads him to realize that the choices he made in the past were not good ones. Freddie is quite an interesting character as well! The best way to describe Freddie is to say he is a polite, steampunk-like, mad scientist; Freddie is the comic relief among the trio.

The plot of the story is attractive and enticing, even though it is a little slow to start in the beginning. Once Jack meets Rapunzel and they head back to his home town, the story starts to unfold and draws readers in. Readers will find it difficult to stop moving forward in the story because they will be curious about what the odd trio will do next. From Jack's seriousness, to Rapunzel's kind, but strong heart, down to the humor surrounding Freddie's constantly failing inventions - readers won't be able to put the book down.

Have you noticed the odd twist on the classic fairy tales? Which ones are they? Jack and the Beanstalk and Rapunzel, of course! This re-creation of the classic tale of Jack and his well known beanstalk offers readers an interesting twist, especially with the addition of a steampunk element. Readers will find familiarity when Hale & Hale incorporate some tidbits from the classics such as: Rapunzel's long and magical hair, Jack, a beanstalk, and even a golden goose. The authors add their own details to the classic characters to make them different, for instance you will notice Rapunzel's hair is red rather than blonde (golden). Readers familiar with steampunk will be able to pick out certain key features generally associated with steampunk fiction such as: Freddie’s crazy inventions, Jack’s bowler hat, blimps, clocks, the trench coats, and more. While there is only a small element of steampunk included, those interested in steampunk will not be disappointed in this story.

The authors did a great job incorporating an intense story line into comic strip format. It can be difficult, at times, to portray realistic emotions in a comic strip while also maintaining a good storyline, but these authors managed to do so very well. Also, let me mention the artwork! I found the level of detail in the book to be quite impressive. The small details are what caught my eye such as, when the artist incorporates the rubble which is often associated with a dilapidated town. The artist drew buildings caving in on themselves, bricks strewn about, planks sprawled at random and layers of dirt everywhere. The artist's work does a great job of setting the scene for this story.

This graphic novel is recommended for children ages 12 and up. 

Review Excerpt(s):

• Kirkus Reviews (2009) “Readers will relish this gleeful mix of fairy tale, adventure and romance.”
• School Library Journal (2010) “It should satisfy readers who enjoy adventure, fairy tales, and anyone who loves a rogue.”

Connections:

•  Pair this title with other great graphic novel favorites such as:
       Lunch Lady and the Bake Sale Bandit by Jarrett Krosoczka
       Babymouse: Queen of the World by Jennifer Holm & Matthew Holm
       Squish: Super Amoeba by Jennifer L. Holm
• Some children are more comfortable reading graphic novels and that is okay! Encourage the child(ren) to share their favorite graphic novel. Generate basic questions to ask each child such as: Who is your favorite character? What do you like about this story? What do you like about the artwork?
• Incorporate reading and art by encouraging the child(ren) to select their favorite classic fairy tale and create their own exciting comic strip based on the fairy tale.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Bibliography:

Gaiman, Neil. 2010. The Graveyard Book. Ill. McKean, Dave. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. 9780060530938

Plot Summary:
Nobody “Bod” Owens lives in a graveyard, but he isn’t a ghost – he is a real human boy. After Bod’s entire family was murdered when he was a barely old enough to walk, he wandered into a graveyard where he was saved by and adopted by a ghostly couple named Mr. and Mrs. Owens. As long as Bod stays in the graveyard, he will be protected from the man who killed his family. What will happen if Bod leaves the safety of the graveyard? Join Bod on his journey of self discovery, humor, and revenge!

Critical Analysis:
The characters in this story all have interesting personalities which are unique to each character. Young readers may find Bod's character irresistibly likable and easy to identify with. Bod’s personality changes as he grows up, which is to be expected from any growing child. Bod’s behavior early on in the book makes him out to be a spoiled child who feels sorry for himself. His sulky behavior causes him to be taken by a group of ghouls. Once Bod was rescued by an unsuspecting person, Bod’s behavior begins to grow and change as he realizes the mistakes he has made.

The plot of this story is remarkably attractive and hard to resist. The story begins with a terrifying scene of an entire family, except for one little boy, being murdered. By some strange luck, Bod “accidentally” wanders into a graveyard where he is adopted and loved by the inhabitants of the graveyard. Each chapter displays a portion of Bod’s life and the trials he went through while growing up as the only living soul in the graveyard. In the end, the unraveled plot will shock you, surprise you, and might even make you cry.

The setting is obviously in a graveyard, but it is in located in Old Town which is supposed to be somewhere in England. Neil Gaiman does a fantastic job of describing the graveyard all throughout the book to the point that it almost possible to create a map of the graveyard and the graves of each inhabitant in your mind. One of my favorite little details is whenever Bod walks by or up to a headstone and the text on the stone is shared with the audience. It seems realistic for someone to read a headstone as they walk by and I think this is why Gaiman incorporated this little detail in the story. Here are two examples from the book:

"Digby Poole (1785-1860), As I Am So Shall You Be" (p. 164)

"Majella Godspeed, Spinster of this Parish, 1791-1870, Lost to All But Memory" (p. 221)

Throughout the entire book Bod’s guardian, Silas, is always telling him that he is only safe in the graveyard and it is the only place his friends can protect him. Gaiman’s graveyard is described in such a way that even the reader can feel the safety in the graveyard and the reader won’t be able to help but worry about Bod when he leaves the gate.

Any book written by Neil Gaiman will no doubt have its own style. Bod’s character does things no human would ever be able to do, such as: fade, dreamwalk, or even walk through walls while in the graveyard. As though to keep with the fantasy genre this book fits in Gaiman creates the creepy, made-up place known as Ghûlheim. Ghûlheim is the home of the ghouls:

     “Even from the path below Ghûlheim, even from miles away, Bod could see that all of the angels were  wrong – that the walls sloped crazily, that it was every nightmare he had ever endured made into a place, like a huge mouth of jutting teeth. It was a city that had been built just to be abandoned, in which all the fears and madnesses and revulsions of the creatures who built it were made into stone. The ghoul-folk found it and delighted in it and called it home.”
(p. 82)

Dave McKean's artwork is cleverly placed at the beginning of each chapter and randomly throughout the pages. McKean's drawings do well to depict a being without providing the visible characteristics and traits associated with human beings. The drawn images of the ghosts offer blurred lines and unintelligible facial features in order to keep up with the 'creepy' feeling portrayed throughout the book.
 

This book is recommended for children ages 8 and up.


Review Excerpt(s):

Newbery Medal (2009)

Kirkus Reviews – given a blue star for remarkable merit – (2008) “this needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.”

School Library Journal (2009) “This captivating production makes the story accessible to younger students as well as reluctant readers.”


Connections:

• Pair this title with other great favorites such as:
       Divergent by Veronica Roth
       The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
       Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
• Have the child(ren) select their favorite part(s) in the story and create pencil drawings to depict their favorite scenes. 
• Give the child(ren) a pencil and a large sheet of paper and ask the child(ren) to try and draw a map of Bod's graveyard. Encouraged the child(ren) to look for details within the book to help them in their efforts.

Maggie's Door by Patricia Reilly Giff

Bibliography:

Giff, Patricia Reilly. 2008. Maggie’s Door. New York, NY: Yearling. 9781439521694

Plot Summary:
In this heart wrenching novel of survival, desperation, and determination Nory and Sean share their long and treacherous journey to Maggie’s (Nory’s sister) door in New York. Nory and Sean must quickly leave Ireland, separately and alone, to avoid starvation from the Irish Potato Famine. This is the story of their miraculous and dangerous journey to America.

Critical Analysis:
Giff takes great care to introduce the reader to the reality of the Irish Potato Famine in the plot of the story by providing readers with a fictitious firsthand account of how one might survive such a large scale starvation. At the beginning of the book the author provides readers with a glossary of terms and at the end of the book the author has even provided an “Afterword” to further discuss the facts of the Irish Potato Famine.

 Throughout the entire book the narrator changes from Nory to Sean in order to magnify their trials and tribulations as they share their stories with the readers. Each story is about the narrator trying to make their way across the ocean in order to reach Maggie’s door in Brooklyn, NY. The narrators discuss the horrific living conditions they were all forced to endure while traveling on the boat heading for America. When Nory speaks of the filth on the ship she daydreams on how Brooklyn would be:

     “In Brooklyn everything would be clean, she thought. Clean straw smelling of sunny fields, clothes washed, hands washed, faces washed.” (p. 106)

The author further details the truth behind the ship’s living conditions on page 111:

     “People are going to die,” Eliza said.
     Nory glanced at Patch, his thumb in his mouth, his large eyes staring. “Don’t,” she said, angry that Eliza would frighten him.
     “Look around you,” Eliza said. “It’s not only the storm, although I think we’re in for it, but there will be fever. No air, no food, and people are coughing.” She lowered her voice, leaning forward, pointing. “They are coughing out bad spirits that swirl around us. I can feel them. They call it ship fever.”

Readers might experience emotional attachment to the main characters thanks to the fantastic way Giff presents the character’s emotions of fear, anxiety, determination; sadness and courage. Readers might find it difficult not to shed a tear during some parts of the book.

I enjoyed the way Giff described the truth behind the journey to America. Giff was honest and did not hold back on the facts in order to make the book easier to digest. As a personal note, I have done a lot of research on Irish immigrants since my great-great grandfather traveled from Ireland to New York in the late 1800's. This is the first novel I have read depicting the immigration process for the Irish and I have to say, the book really makes me appreciate the courage it takes to survive.

Recommended for ages 9 and up.

Review Excerpt(s):

• Booklist (2003) “Giff brings the immigration history to life through the heartbreaking experiences of parting, loss, and, sometimes, thrilling reunion.” 
• School Library Journal (2003) “A welcome addition to any historical-fiction collection.”

Connections:

• Pair this title with other great historical favorites such as:
         Our Only May Amilia by Jennifer Holm
         Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt
         Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
• Locate several nonfiction books which discuss the Irish Potato Famine in order for the child(ren) to gain a better understanding of this historical crisis. Before explaining to the child(ren) why the potato crops failed, generate a discussion by asking the child(ren) why they think the crops failed. Once each child has been given the opportunity to hypothesize go ahead explain why the crops failed then introduce the books to the class.
• Create or locate a map handout with Europe, the Atlantic Ocean and the United States on the map. Have the child(ren) locate Ireland, the Atlantic Ocean, and New York. Once these areas have been located have the children draw a line connecting the two and speculate the time it would take to cross the ocean. To include more historical content you could discuss the living conditions on the boat in further detail.