Sisters First

Sisters First is a delightful collection of stories told by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush, the daughters our former president, George W. Bush. These twin girls are now adults and have families of their own, but they wanted to share with us what it meant to be the famous granddaughters and daughters of ex presidents. “They share some family secrets, some family bloopers, and some inside jokes” (Bush, 2017, p. xii). One might think that they had a fancy life and that they grew up feeling entitled. On the contrary, these young ladies grew up, as good Texans, with the desire to work hard. Jenna became a school teacher. She shares an anecdote in which one of her students finds a picture of her in a magazine. The media made it seem she was dancing inappropriately and drinking alcohol. It was false; she was drinking Diet Coke. This is an example that fame comes with a price and the risk of hearing stories that are completely untrue. Jenna admits to never Googling her name, for she feared what negative things she would find. Barbara shares a story of when her father was the governor of Texas. DPS agents would drive Mrs. Bush around. One day, the twins accompanied her to run errands. When they arrived, the girls’ mom asks them to go with her. Both girls refused and acted bratty. Mrs. Bush had to walk alone. The driver, a DPS agent, turned around, scolded them, told them to get out, and ordered them to apologize to their mom!

These little twin girls grew up and are now living their lives and fighting for their dreams. Jenna is a mother and Barbara is the head of Global Health Corps. And because their love and connection is strong, they live four blocks away from each other.

This book is truly enjoyable, and I am sure students would love it as well. If students are interested in learning more about the lives of Jenna and Barbara Bush, they can visit the library and research. A great activity would for students to role play and pretend they are interviewing the authors. Students can also create a timeline or a map of the places the sisters have visited. This would be a great social studies activity. After their research is complete, the can use that knowledge and create their own book trailer. The students can either act it out or use technology to create it. The librarian can post it on the school’s website or Facebook page.

Both sisters did a wonderful job in giving us an idea of what it is to be presidential children. This book is fun, easy to read, and enjoyable. Jenna is also the author of Our Great Big Backyard, Read All About It, and Anna’s Story. If you are interested in watching the trailer, click the link below:

Sisters First Trailer

If you have fallen in love with the Bush family and you wish to learn more about them, you may also read Spoken from the Heart by Laura Bush, A Portrait of My Father by former President George W. Bush, The Perfect Wife: The Life and Choices of Laura Bush by Ann Gerhart, Barbara Bush: A Memoir by Barbara Bush, and My Father, My President: A Personal Account of the Life of George H. W. Bush by Doro Bush Koch.  

Hager, J. B., & Bush, B. (2017). Sisters first: Stories from our wild and wonderful life. New York, NY: Grand Central Publishing.

Nine Books To Read If You Adore The Bush Family. (2017, October 30). Retrieved November 9, 2018, from http://futurefemaleleader.com/9-books-read-adore-bush-family/

New York Best Seller List

                                                

                                                

The Good, the bad, and the Barbie

Author Tanya Lee Stone did a magnificent job sharing with the reader Barbie’s history. She shares Ruth Handler’s life and how she began the company Mattel along with her husband, Matt, and a friend of theirs, Elliot.

Ruth was never interested in playing with dolls, for she considered herself a tomboy. Life partnered her up with a creative man who started designing and creating bookends, trays, mirrors, and other accessories in their garage. They eventually had to move to the workshop to a bigger location since their toys were growing in popularity and demand. Later, they began to design toys. They were the perfect team because Elliot designed and Ruth sold the items.  Elliot joins them and they become part of a growing company. Elliot later decides that the company requires too much of his time and attention and decides to leave the company. Ruth was having a blast and was enjoying working with her husband more than staying at home with the children. She felt that she was not meant to be a stay at home mom. Ruth had a brilliant idea of creating a doll that girls could do role playing and use their imagination, for Barbie could be from a model to an Air Force pilot. At the beginning of her project, Ruth faced much opposition, for the business men she worked with believed no one was going to want to buy a doll with breasts. Even her husband was doubtful. Ruth did not allow this to stop her, and she pressed on.

Barbie has been in almost every single household.  Even though some consider her to be damaging to young girl’s body image, children around the world have been able to play and enjoy Barbies of all races and professions. Some women remember feeling empowered as children when they played and dreamed of being famous or simply a grown up. And, it has not only been used for play but also as an inspiration for creating art.

There isn’t an official book trailer for the book, but you can watch a very entertaining trailer with a catchy song on the background.

 Book Trailer

Tanya Lee Stone did a wonderful job enlightening us with the history of Barbie. This talented writer has written other nonfiction books: Wild America, Making America, Blastoff, Made in the USA, and many others. She has also written the following picture books: Who Says Women Can't Be Computer Programmers, Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors, The House that Jane Built, and many others.

Another book that discusses an artifact that impacted the lives of women is Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way)
by Sue Macy. “Take a lively look at women's history from aboard a bicycle, which granted females the freedom of mobility and helped empower women's liberation” (Goodreads).

It would be wonderful for students to create an online survey to go along with the reading of the book. Students can brainstorm questions and figure out if the students and staff feel if Barbie has positively or negatively impacted their lives. If students wish to have fun with a little competition, they can form groups and design new outfits for Barbie and display them in the library. You never know. There might be a future famous designer in your classroom.

Books similar to The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie: A Doll's History and Her Impact on Us.        (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2018, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/similar/13414386-the-  good-the-bad-and-the-barbie-a- doll-s-history-and-her-impact-on-us

Stone, T. L. (2015). The good, the bad, and the Barbie: A dolls history and her impact on us. NY, NY: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA).    

Excellence in Non Fiction for Young Adults

Persepolis

Marjane Satrapi takes us back to 1980 and gives us insight to the life she was living in her beloved Iran. Marjane experienced so much change that was brought by the Islamic Revolution. As a child, Marjane, witnessed protests, bombings, inequality, and loss of loved ones. All this sparked in her the passion for fighting equality and freedom. Because of this warrior spirit, Marjane was kicked out of several schools and had to leave the country; for her parents feared for her life.      

It is important to be aware of the world around us. Sometimes we may be guilty of being too caught up with our lives that we forget that people around the world are suffering through wars and oppression. To continue learning about the life in the Middle East, you may read  Palestine by Joe Sacco. In this graphic novel, Sacco narrates his experiences in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip during the early 1990’s. Sacco does an excellent job depicting the lives and struggles of the Palestinian people. You may also enjoy reading Saints by Gene Luen Yan. It takes place in China, 1898. Saints is about a young girl whose conception was considered a mistake, for she was not planned or wanted. Because of her suffering, the main character finds hope in Christianity. In America, your religious freedom is protected, but China is a dangerous place for Christians. Read Saints to find out how this story unfolds.

Persepolis is a great novel that should be in every school library and classroom in our country. But, I do feel the teacher should preview certain vocabulary words and provide background knowledge that can help students fully understand Satrapi’s message. The teacher can provide and image to help students understand the meaning of the following words: imperialism, radicalize, fanaticism, fundamentalism, and terrorism. She can also assign students an investigation or research of Middle Eastern countries. Students can select a country and present to the class the country’s customs, culture, and religion.

Persepolis, such an impactful graphic novel filled with action, has been made into a movie. If you are interested in seeing the characters come alive, watch the trailer by clicking on the following link:

 Movie Trailer                

Satrapi, M. (2003). Persepolis The Story of a Childhood. New York, NY: Pantheon.

   Books similar to Persepolis: Persepolis The Story of a Childhood. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2018, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/similar/3303888-persepolis   

Annie on My Mind

Annie on My Mind is the story of two young teenagers, Annie and Liza, that meet at the  Metropolitan Museum in New York. They instantly become close friends; eventually, they fall in love.  Their backgrounds cannot be more different. Liza lives in a wealthy neighborhood, is the student council president at a private school, and dreams of going to M.I.T. On the other hand, Annie comes from an immigrant family who struggles in this foreign land. These two different worlds are unified by love and their socioeconomic situations become meaningless.  

Annie and Liza live through different experiences that lead them to accept and embrace their sexuality. In one instance, two of Liza’s teachers are needing help watching over their home and their cats. Liza volunteers to help them and invites Annie over. They spend time together and they find out that the teachers are lesbians by looking at their hidden book collection. They found titles such as Female Homosexuality, Sappho Was a Right-On Woman, Patience and Sarah, and The Well of Loneliness.  The girls feel motivated to express their love and decide that their relationship will not be hidden like the teacher’s books. Liza’s school finds out, they ask her to go before the board, and fire the teachers. Of course, her education is not connected to her sexual orientation. Therefore, she is allowed to remain a student and to be head of the student council. But, she feels terrible about her teachers losing their job. They reassure her that it is not her fault. And, that everything is fine as long as they remain together. Ms. Weidmer and Ms. Stevenson remind Liza that truth makes one free. After the girls move away from each other, they realize the teachers were right, and Annie and Liza rekindle their love.            

In an interview conducted by Kathleen T. Horning, Nancy Garden talks about the struggles she faced as a lesbian. Her own life and a book, The Well of Loneliness, inspired her to write Annie on My Mind. She also wrote Hear Us Out Lesbian and Gay Stories of Struggle, Progress, and Hope, Prisoner of Vampires, What Happened in Marston, The Loners, Vampires, Werewolves, Meeting Melanie, Endgame, and many others.  

Annie on My Mind is an excellent book to use in reading class. By doing a character analysis, students can see how Annie and Liz evolve and accept who they really are. Also, to practice their writing skills, students can choose a character of the book and write him a letter. For example, they can write a letter to teachers who got fired showing them their support. Or, they can write a letter to Ms. Baxter, and try to convince her to be more accepting of gays.

If you would like to know more about the struggles and challenges gays face, you may be interested in reading Am I Blue?: Coming Out from the Silence. It is a book written by numerous authors that discuss growing up gay or with gay parents. You might also enjoy grl2grl by Julie Anne Peters. Peters discusses the lives of young girls who are discovering their sexuality and lesbianism.

                                                                                                                 

 Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.   

Books similar to Annie on My Mind. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2018, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/similar/274128-annie-on-my-mind           

Charles and Emma The Darwin's Leap of Faith

The famous Charles Darwin had a life outside his investigations and scientific studies. Before marrying, he created a T-chart with the pros and cons of getting married. He found enough reasons to believe that marriage was good and decided to marry his cousin, Emma. They were both very different. Charles was a non believer and Emma had strong religious views. Like they say, “Opposites attract!” They had children together which brought them great joy. Darwin had to find a balance in his life; he learned to be a good scientist and an involved father at the same time. Like any other family, they experienced blessings, challenges, and changes in their life. They also experienced the pain that comes with losing a child. They lost several children and it is painful to see how Emma believed that she would see them in heaven, but Darwin wasn’t going to be there.

Darwin published his book, The Origin of Species, in 1859. Only 1,500 copies are printed and the sell out immediately. In his book, he explains how he believed creation occurred. Of course, he received a lot of criticism! Emma, who strongly believed in God, was still by his side supporting and loving him.

Darwin became extremely ill. During those times, illnesses were common and death visited their homes frequently. Darwin becomes extremely ill, but he still chooses not to pray like his wife, Emma, suggested.  As time goes by, he does admit that he didn't deny God’s existence but he was more of an agonistic.

Charles Darwin died on April 19, 1982. His wife, Emma, chose to remain in their home and not move away after his passing, so she could be close to him. She asked her family to give her time and space to mourn the death of her husband. Fourteen years later, Emma died.

Deborah has written over thirty books. She has written books for all ages. She has written to following picture books: Fun Dog, Sun Dog, The Boy Who Loved Math, and From Caterpillar to Butterfly. She has also written books for you adults: Vincent and Theo, Intentions, and High Hopes. But, she fell in love with the story of Charles Darwin and Emma because her husband is a scientist and she studied religious studies in college. She felt an emotional connection that inspired her to share their story with the world. Heiligman shares very little information in the book’s trailer. But, not many words are necessary to capture your interest. It makes you want to know what happens with these two lovebirds who have different opinions on faith and God.

 Book Trailer

Charles and Emma is an excellent book to use in any subject. In reading class, students can learn more about the life of Charles Darwin. In writing class, the teacher can display on the board the following writing prompt: Do you believe that people who have different religious views should marry? Why or why not? This can be a great way to introduce the students to the book.

Heiligman, D. (2009). Charles and Emma: The Darwin's leap of faith. New York, NY: Henry Hold and Company. LLC.

 Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults & Printz         

The Closest I've Come

Marcos Rivas is an observant young teenager. He looks around and understands he is in need of love, a couple more shirts, and change.  He recognizes he is single due to his lack of money. He lives with an abusive step father and in a rundown community in which trouble, drugs, and fatherless children is the norm. Marcos is experiencing an internal battle: his upbringing and surroundings that hinder him and his desire to succeed in life.

He becomes interested in Amy whom is quite different from him. She is a free spirited girl who has blue hair and a boyfriend. This new discovery sends Marcos into a spiral of sadness and hopelessness.

Suddenly, Marcos realizes that his current situation of poverty and abuse is not permanent. He is inspired by his Future Success teacher, Mr. Breckner. Marcos feels wave of support when Mr. Breckner shows him he cares about Marcos education and future. He walks away from the conversation feeling invisible and unstoppable. He stands up to his abusive step father but does receive a beating that sends him to the hospital. Right before his stepdad lays a hand on him, Marcos manages to call 911. He testifies against his stepfather and while in the hospital, Marcos learns that he is a career criminal who will not see the light of day any time soon.

This gives Marcos a new beginning. Marcos focuses on school and in getting good grades. He was once worried about being retained but hard work pays off, and he passes all his classes!          

The Closest I’ve Come is Fred Aceves first novel. He grew up in a community similar to the one described in the book. His life experiences and memories influenced this novel. If you enjoyed this novel’s depiction of the Hispanic culture and its struggles, you will also enjoy Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero. It is about  a young Hispanic teenager that has to learn to deal with difficult and controversial experiences such as her friend Cindy’s pregnancy,  her close friend’s struggle with homosexuality and acceptance, and her father’s meth addiction.   Also, Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street is a must read! Esperanza, the main character lives in a low socio economic community in Chicago. Just like Marcos, Esperanza understood that her community hindered her dreams and wished to leave.       

 Aceves, F. (2017). The closest I've come. New York, NY: Harper Teen.      

   Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults       

The Anne Frank Case

Simon Wiesenthal explains how much he suffered during the Holocaust, and how he was able to save his wife, Cyla.  His sole purpose was to expose the crimes of Nazis and defend the honor or Anne Frank, a teenager who kept a diary of her experiences during the Holocaust. Frank was killed and her father, the only survivor, published the diary.  

One of Simon’s friend is attending a performance of The Diary of Anne Frank. Unfortunately, a group of teenagers disrupt the performance and claim that Anne Frank never existed. Simon’s friend immediately calls Simon to notify him.

Days after the event, Simon speaks to a young man that believed the story of Anne Frank was a complete lie. Simon decides to prove to him, that it indeed occur by finding the police officer that made the arrest when Frank’s family was captured. He faced numerous challenges, but did not stop looking. He wanted to prove to those boys that their fathers had been lying to them all their lives.

Surprisingly, on November 11, 1963, a newspaper announced that the officer who had arrested Anne Frank was suspended from his police job because of his involvement in the Anne Frank case. When interrogated, Karl Silberhauer, admitted to being the one who arrested her and her family. Finally, Simon was able to prove to the world that Anne Frank existed and that her story was legitimate.  

This is an excellent book for students to learn about the Holocaust. With the help of the teacher and librarian, students can use the library’s databases and research he heroic lives of Anne Frank and Simon Wiesenthal. Students may also read Frank’s actual diary, and as an extension, students can investigate the journaling of other teen agers who have recorded the oppression of their people.  

If would like to do an in depth study of the life of Anne Frank, they have access to numerous books that provide details about her life: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, Anne Frank Beyond the Diary: A Photographic Remembrance by Ruud van der Rol, and Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation by Ari Folman.

Susan Goldman Rubin is a talented writer and lives in California. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a artist. She had the opportunity to illustrate three of her children’s books. She has also written Magritte's Imagination, Jacob Lawrence In The City, Whaam! The Art and Life of Roy Lichtenstein, Matisse Dance for Joy, Delicious: The Life and Art of Wayne Thiebaud, Searching for Anne Frank: Letters from Amsterdam to Iowa, and several others.

Biography Susan Goldman Rubin. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2018, from http://www.susangoldmanrubin.com/biography.html

Books by Anne Frank (Author of The Diary of a Young Girl). (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2018, from https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/3720.Anne_Frank

Rubin, S. G. (2011). The Anne Frank Case Simon Wiesenthals Search for the Truth. Paw Prints.

Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults

The Names They Gave Us

Lucy is the daughter of a school nurse and a preacher. She loves her family and has grown closer to them since her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her live is running smoothly: she is dating a handsome athlete and has been chosen captain of the swim team. Suddenly, her life changes and she learns her mother’s cancer has returned. Lucy’s relationship with God is affected, for she is disappointed in Him for not healing her mother completely. Lucy is also dumped by her prince charming who has decided to pause the relationship. After the breakup, Lucy decides to be a counselor at a youth camp for kids who have troubled pasts or have suffered loss. But, she feels she doesn’t fit in since it is not a Christian camp. After spending some time at the camp, she meets a pregnant girl, a transgender teen, and others struggling with issues Lucy has never really been exposed to. Something amazing happens at camp, for Lucy’s life is impacted by these unusual friendships. There, she meets Henry, a boy that helps her rethink what relationships should be like and causes her to reevaluate what she feels about Lukas. They meet, they go for a walk, talk, and decide to just be friends. Lucy feels she has evolved and feels Lukas is not the right guy for her.

Lucy’s life continues to change, for she finds out she has a half sister she never met. Her mother has been keeping this secret all her life, but she has decided to look for her daughter before she dies.

If you enjoy reading books about summer, teens, and secrets, you will also enjoy It Started With Goodbye by Christina June. It’s about a young teenage girl who was accused of committing a crime and now has to do community service. Life gives her an opportunity for a fresh start, and she takes it! You may have also enjoyed Lucy’s transformation and how she matures throughout the book. In a Perfect World, by Trish Doller, the main character is forced to move to a foreign land in which he envisions herself homesick and with zero friends. When she arrives, she is welcomed by a culture that changes her perspective.

Emery Lord did an excellent job bringing in the Christian faith to YA literature and showing readers how Christians are real people as well. They cry when they are sad and even question God when they do not understand or disagree with life’s curveballs. She was written Open Road Summer, The Start of Me and You, and When We Collided.  If you want to take a little peek into Lord’s personal life, check out the following video:

 Emery Lord's Life

Books similar to The Names They Gave Us. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2018, from      https://www.goodreads.com/book/similar/50443138-the-names-they-gave-us

About Emily Lord. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2018, from https://www.emerylord.com/about

Lord, E. (2017). Names they gave us. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Lily and Dunkin

The story begins with Timothy imagining being a female. His true identity is not accepted by his father and is also immensely criticized at school.  Timothy is constantly bullied and harassed for his desire to be a girl and feminine behavior.

At the beginning of the story, he is trying his mother’s dress and is wishing to be called Lily. Timothy walked out to help his dad bring in the groceries. When his dad sees what he is wearing (his mom’s dress), he almost has a heart attack and immediately orders him to go inside. He is worried that someone will see Timothy wearing a dress. Before he goes back in, Timothy sees Dunkin walking happily holding Dunkin donuts.

Well, his legal name is not Dunkin, but he wishes to be called that (just like Dunkin Donuts). His real name is Norbert; he detests it.

These boys’ struggles bring them together and become friends.  Together they undergo humiliation and rejection. Norbert is going through a difficult stage in his life. Norbert is battling a mental disorder. He refuses to take his medication and ends up in the hospital. There he learns that his father killed himself.

After several classmates witness one of his mental breakdowns, he is embarrassed about going to the school dance but goes anyway. Timothy also goes but shows up as Lily wearing a dress and make up.  They dance together and when the lights turn on, everyone is staring. Timothy does see a special someone offering his support, his dad! His dad promises to support and love Lily.

Lily and Dunkin is an excellent book to share with children and teach them that being different is okay. They can learn to sympathize and feel compassion for these boys by seeing how much they suffered. When students meet someone who is different, they can think back and remember how Timothy and Norbert felt. They will be more likely to accept those who have different views or believes.

As a reading teacher, I couldn’t help but focus on all the great words students can learn. Donna Gephart’s writing style and choice of words can help teachers teach unfamiliar words such as perpetually, lingers, oblivious, constricting, alliteration, vulnerable, and many others.

Students may be able to connect to the characters if they have been bullied before.  The teacher, with the help of the librarian and school counselor, can motivate the students to create an anti-bullying video. The best video can be uploaded to the school’s website.  

Donna Gephart is a creative writer and lover of libraries. She has fond memories as a child visiting these magical places. It is amazing that her books are now in the shelves of those libraries she enjoyed. She has written several books: Death by Toilet Paper, Olivia Bean Trivia Queen, How to Survive Middle School, and As if Being 12-¾ Isn’t Bad Enough, My Mother is Running for President.

Donna Gephart-Wild About Words. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2018, from        http://www.donnagephart.com/

Gephart, D. (2016). Lily and Dunkin. NY: Delacorte Press.