A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A thoughtful and provocative read. The human condition and how we are able to learn from others - learning from those whom we did not even know had a lesson to teach us.

It is the story of Grant, whose aunt has asked him to visit his cousin in jail who is waiting for the electric chair. During the court proceedings, her son, Jefferson, was referred to as a "hog" and she wants to ensure that he knows he is a man. To die like a man.

Grant states "I still don't even know if the sheriff will even let me visit him. And suppose he did: what then? What do I say to him? Do I know what a man is? Do I know how a man is supposed to die? I'm still trying to find out how a man should live. Am I supposed to tell someone how to die who has never lived?"

And then..."Suppose I was allowed to visit him, and suppose I reached him and made him realize that he was as much a man as any other many; then what? He's still going to die. The next day, the next week, the next month. So what will I have accomplished? What will I have done? Why not let the hog die without knowing anything?" (p. 31)

Throughout the story, Grant does learn to live and he comes to a deeper appreciation of himself just as Jefferson looses all.

A wonderful novel. Very deep and will require another reading, on another day.



View all my reviews

Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What an amazing story. It is true, that if we can see things from other's perspectives and rid ourselves of our own prejudices and preconceptions that a depth of understanding will be achieved that allows us all to grow as individuals who cannot live individually, but need the help, guidance and assistance of others.

We need to see people for who they ARE not who we want them to BE. (same concept that I just read about the other day in John Green's PAPER TOWNS).



View all my reviews

An Abundance of Katherines

I have been on a John Green roll lately, reading LOOKING FOR ALASKA and then PAPER TOWNS. But this one... I just could not get into it.

Paper Towns by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Whenever, as an adult, I read a YA book and it makes me re-think how I am living my life... that is a powerful book. There were so many fundamental human truths in PAPER TOWNS.

How many times do we not see someone for who they are, but for who we want them to be? hope them to be? need them to be? And... when we finally see the real person that was there along but we did not see through the "mirror" we had created, things change. Our relationship with that person changes - when, if we had been looking at them through a "window" instead, we would not have been disappointed, we would have been amazed.

The inclusion of so much of Walden's work was wonderful. To pull in great literature into a YA book - great concept.

Would love to use this book in my classroom.



View all my reviews

Hero by S.L. Rottman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Wonderful read. Look forward to sharing with students next semester.



View all my reviews

Looking for Alaska by John Green

My rating: 4 of 5 stars






View all my reviews

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

There are so many social and peer pressure issues found within the pages of this book. Should one change to be part of a group? How much of oneself are you willing to give up and defend? When do you simply cave?

These are questions that I asked myself after reading this book. The main character could have stopped the "chocolate war" when he was instructed to. He did not do this.

As a mother, I thought about how my children would react to this type of peer pressure. As an educator, I wonder about the conversations that would be produced based on the events found in the plot of this novel.



View all my reviews