The Circuit: stories from the life of a migrant child

The Circuit:  stories from the life of a migrant child by Francisco Jimenez

 

The Circuit was a very quick read.  When I completed reading it, I felt like I may have missed some things since it seemed as though I went through it so quickly.  At the same time, I think it might just be a simple read.  Why does this matter?  Well, I am trying to process what reading level it may be best suited for in the classroom.   I know we are not supposed to read these selections like teachers – but I couldn’t help it with this book.  So much of the story deals with schools and education that I had a hard time going away from my teacher eyes. 

On one hand I was disappointed when I got towards the end of this book.  I wanted something monumental to happen.  I was waiting for this major climax – this profound resolution that would just blow me away.  When I began to realize I wasn’t going to get one, I was a bit bothered that I had just read this book and that was it – that was all I was going to get.  After I was away from the book for a bit, I realized that books always have climaxes but life doesn’t.  Not only that, but it is the little moments we remember and take with us that make us who we are, and what we are to become.  Francisco took his pennies, his notebook, his memories, and his many short term friendships all with him wherever he went.  The little daily encounters and moments with his family were monumental.  The secret he and his brother shared about not wanting to move anymore, the plan to stay in Santa Maria, the unconditional love of family, all those things combined made for a great memoir.  No where in the story was resentment for their lives – selfishness was only existent at Christmas when he so wanted a ball – but that quickly dissolved with the tears of his mother and the gift between her and his father.  This memoir appears to be an accurate description of just living life.

This brings me to the other side, the side I came to after walking away from the book for a bit – the stuff I really enjoyed.  I like that this book seems very honest.  Working in a school with a handful of children of Hispanic immigrant workers, having some families come and go is not out of the norm.  I often wondered why a parent would do that, couldn’t they see how difficult it would be for their son/daughter to receive a proper education.  I have always believed that all parents try their best but because of circumstances, everyone’s best is quite different.  Still, I never understood the moving and returning year after year.  Now – I guess I do.  I really liked that reading this made me open my eyes more on this topic.  This life they live is, for some, the only way to provide for their family; doesn’t mean any of them like, want, would choose this lifestyle – but poverty usually removes much choice.  This book does a good job of showing that.  It also does a good job of showing how loving and connected this family is.  From my culture that values education, things, money, homes, clothes, and more things – it is hard to imagine that a family like Francisco’s could really be happy.  I would argue, that despite their poverty, they are happy as a family unit who loves and cares deeply for each other.  Many families in our culture who appear to have it all may very well lack this essential ingredient of happiness. 

Makes one remember that to understand one culture through only the eyes of your own culture is quite difficult to do; people need to change perspective and look through other lenses as much as possible to truly gain insight into a situation.

 

Bad Boy - a memoir by Walter Dean Myers

Bad Boy – a memoir by Walter Dean Myers

 

Having read some of Myers’ work, I was excited to read his memoir.  The title mislead me (which I was pleased with) because, after picking up the book and reading the title I stereotyped that I was going to read a story about a terrible childhood and rebellious child who was saved by some teacher/author/book – and I just didn’t want to read that story – I wanted 

there to be more to Myers.  It turns out there was. 

Bad boy is more a story of misunderstanding, as Myers shows throughout the novel.  Because he didn’t do much homework, because he didn’t always go to school, because he appeared not to care, people around him assumed he was a bad boy who truly didn’t care.  The reality that Myers exposes is just how much he did care.  He cared a great deal but was confused by what it was to be a man, to be black, and to be poor.  His struggles with his identity and finding his place, as well as his unwillingness to talk to those around him about these things, leads him down a destructive path that 

could have ended terribly.  Actually he cared a great deal about his life and where it was going (which was no where) that he sunk into a pit of shame that he barely escaped from.  His story is articulated so well, which is really ironic since it was his inability to articulate his thoughts that got him the label of “bad boy” to begin with. 

Myers also talks about race in a unique way.  He never really thought about race until he was kind of forced to.  Once he was aware (the job where he lost his position to the new white worker and was moved to the back) he thought about it more and more and struggled even greater with identity.  He states:

 But it seemed to me that both of these concepts, career and maleness, were only subdivisions of the larger idea of race.  When I thought of the major careers, I thought of whites, not blacks.  When I thought of maleness, I thought of whites with political or economic power and blacks with muscle.  My definition of a black man was, except for the rare instance, a man without an outstanding career, and a man who had to define his maleness by how muscular he was.  These definitions were reinforced everywhere I looked.  (176-177)

For a young man wanting more out of life, wanting to go to college, to write, to be someone, he really didn’t have a lot of examples to look up to or emulate.  In fact, the first successful blacks he mentions include Billie Holiday (who was addicted to drugs) and Langston Hughes (whom he viewed as quite ordinary).  The author he mentions, Dylan Thomas, is a drunk whom circumstances Myers romanticizes.  Needless to say – for a lost “bad boy” he doesn’t have a great troupe to follow.  Not until he reads Sonny Blues by James Baldwin does he become exposed to a different role model.  A black man and author who seemed to have his act together a bit more than the other success stories mentioned above.  He also meets Hughes again and seems to have a different take on him at this stage in his life. 

Ultimately though, it is Myers himself who has to come to terms with his life and his identity to gain confidence and success as an author.  He does that, and Bad Boy takes us through that journey.  It was an insightful journey to experience.  

A Book Review - Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers

Myers, Walter Dean.  Fallen Angels.  New York:  Scholastic Inc., 1988. 

When there isn’t much to look forward to in your present situation, most people change things – but change isn’t always good.  This is the case for Richard Perry, a seventeen-year-old, recent graduate from New York who had big dreams of going to college, but realistically knows he could never afford it.  So instead of sticking around the projects he calls home, answering questions about why he hadn’t left and receiving looks of disappointment, Perry decides to join the Army to escape his current situation.  This answer to his perceived humiliation could turn out to be a fatal one as he is dropped in the crazy world of the Viet Nam war.  Here, Perry finds friendship with a crew of teens from very different places, as they all try to survive the harsh reality they are now faced with – boys in a man’s war. 

 

Many historical fiction novels have been written about wars – what makes this one great is the narrator’s perspective.  Perry is so real and a constant reminder to readers that kids were over in Viet Nam fighting.  Through their fighting, swearing, smoking, and talking, Myers’ characters give a clear glimpse of what life could have been like for any number of young men in Viet Nam who just wanted to survive, go back to their families, and just have the chance to grow into real men – not the men the war forced them to become over night. 

 

Myers does an impressive job of weaving the inhumanity of the war with the normality of daily life/thoughts.  Very natural conversation is placed beside unbelievable events.  At one point in the novel, Perry and his pal Peewee are on watch, playing cards to pass the time.  Some guys from another company bring a “VC” lady and her two children they found on the road, they try questioning her but with no luck.  They decide to let her go.  Peewee is obsessed with giving the kids something, anything, when:

I watched as Peewee stood, putting the last touches on the doll.  I thought it was cool when the woman stopped just before she reached the dikes and handed one of the kids to a guy from Charlie Company.  The GI’s arms and legs flung apart from the impact of the blast.  The damn kid had been mined, had exploded in his arms…I saw the woman running across the paddy.  I saw her fold backward as the automatic fire ripped her nearly apart…The woman’s other child stood for a long moment knee deep in water and mud, before, it too, was gunned down.  I turned and saw Peewee walking away.  The doll he made lay facedown in the endless mud.  It was raining again.  230

A scene like this shows how in a moment a soldier’s world can be turned upside down and immediately after they have to keep on focusing or their life could be jeopardized.  Be aware of everything, yet, remember nothing; this paradox exists throughout the book.  But how does a young man be constantly alert without thinking?  The young soldiers wrestle with this numerous times, “I tried to control my imagination, to keep the shadows from becoming things they weren’t…Don’t think.  Stop thinking.  Stop.  Look ahead of me.  Don’t think, don’t daydream.  Look”(194) but the young men have little success and in showing this complexity to the readers, Myers shows the struggles of the soldiers.

Myers also shows the emotional and physical toll the war took on the young soldiers.  Getting ready to embark on the plane ride home, Perry is having a conversation with another character thanking Perry for saving his life, for bringing him back to life, Perry responds, “We’re all dead over here  Monaco…We’re all dead and just hoping we come back to life when we get into the World again” (300).  It is clear to the readers that Perry is not the same youth he was at the beginning of the novel.  Perry seems to be not of his previous world.  In fact,  Myers repeatedly capitalizes World, signifying that it is a specific place, a place they have not been living in but will return to – as of now, Perry is not of the World, his naivitee, innocence, and world of old is gone.

Many more themes are dealt with in Myers’ novel.  There are issues dealing with race, religion, relationships, priorities, reality, brotherhood, and obviously survival.  The candid conversations, coping techniques – healthy and unhealthy – that the soldiers use to make it through their days, are all told so vividly and believably that readers can picture the scenes, the horrors and hopelessness the young boys in Perry’s world experience.  Fallen Angels should be read by all teenagers and by all people interested in humanity and war. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

It has been such a long time since I sat down and read a piece of non-fiction work for non-class purposes (and by non-class I of course mean curriculum prep for teaching).  I guess I was not expecting to enjoy this so much.  Usually when I read this type of literature I am more focused on my reading from a teacher’s perspective that I don’t just look at it as a reader (which is much more pleasurable I assure you).  Anyhow, I read my choice book first – Hitler Youth:  Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti.  The Holocaust period in history has fascinated me, as it does many people, since I first heard of its grisly truth.  I have always been drawn to the individual stories regarding the Holocaust.  The numbers “3 million Jews…” do not register for me – it is just too massive to wrap my mind around; I believe it is for this reason that I am intrigued by the individual stories.  Having taught Night for the past eight years, I am constantly looking for more material, new material, interesting material that will speak to my students.  Anne Frank and Elie Wiesel have incredible tales, but they are just two of millions.  Reading Hitler’s Youth I was not sure how I would feel about looking at things from this “side”.  I found myself completely engrossed.  This book is wonderful in that it moves chronologically (sort of) through what life would be like for a young German at the time of Hitler’s rise to power.  Reading things from this perspective, one cannot help but imagine they too would be drawn to the promises and power Hitler put forth.  Each chapter was thematic and chronological – fitting historically the thoughts/struggles of Hitler’s youth.  Some of Hitler’s youth held firmly to their belief in the mighty Hitler – others began to question and reject his messages and actions – and this book is about those who acted out because of their biases one way or the other. 

While reading the chapter, “The Brown Pest,” I felt their enthusiasm about what they were working for “A Greater Germany” who wouldn’t want that right?  If the words were not vivid enough to embrace the excitement and patriotism of these youth, the pictures filled any doubt.  Eventually the chapter “Long Live Freedom:  Hitler Youth and Resistance” grabbed me with tales of the Scholl siblings and their White Rose group which led to many young deaths for speaking against Hitler.  This chapter also focused on three young male friends who illegally listened to non-German broadcasts, discovered Hitler was not being truthful, and felt compelled to distribute leaflets to let others know the truth as well.  When caught – they knew they would be used as “examples” and so one fell for the group, knowingly costing himself his very life.  And for every story of a youth against Hitler’s ways, there is a different story of heroics for Hitler.  Reading the story of Emil Durr, a soldier who despite countless gun shot wounds kept fighting and eventually, in a last ditch effort to disarm a tank, ran up to it with a bomb and held the explosive to the tank until it went off, though fanatical, also impressively devoted, made me think – he should be proud of himself for never giving up.  Then I stop and recall which side he was on – does that make his devotion without merit?  Tough question.  Then I realized, because I forgot while reading, that these were teenagers.  All these tales were about individuals the same ages as my students.  Fascinating.

Overall I greatly enjoyed this book. It was not a difficult read and was interesting from beginning to end.  I know my students would enjoy it from cover to cover, although I imagine I would only use sections of it.  My son (I always bring my kids in, sorry…) read most of it – he too is very interested in Hitler and the Holocaust.  I would recommend anyone who teaches anything World War II to read this.  I suggest any student who is interested in war stories to read this as well.  It won’t take long and it is well worth the time.

A Northern Light - Historical Fiction

I do believe I have a new book to add to my “All Time Favorite Books” list!  Based on the back of the book I was not really too excited about reading this, but with each page I found myself loving it more and more and basically was not able to put it down. 

Historical fiction would be a difficult genre to write.  Not only does the author have the task of writing an intriguing story with believable characters, but also they must place them in a setting and situation that is historically accurate.  The amount of research going into the time, the customs, the food, the dress, the vernacular – everything – would be exhausting.  Jennifer Donnelly did her homework well in writing A Northern Light.  She not only created a believable setting historically speaking, she created marvelous main and supporting characters and placed them next to a mystery without losing them in it. 

The characters were simply amazing.  The main character Mattie was supported by an outstanding cast of secondary characters.  Whether Mattie was arguing with her father or Royal, studying with Weaver or her teacher – she was so complex and interesting and her supporting characters were as well.  Each brought something different to the story.   Each of them had their own story as well.  It was as if though the entire novel was and “against all odds” tale with Mattie in the lead.

Mattie dreamed of going to college – which because of the time, her gender, her economic situation, and her expectations at home as well as her promise to her dying mother – she never really believed that dream could become a reality.

Weaver also dreamed of going to college but because he was black during this time period, and short on money, his dreams were a stretch as well.

Mattie’s father missed his wife and his old life on the logs, but because of his land and children he felt stuck.

Mrs. Baxter wanted freedom to write and freedom from her husband – but time, her gender, and her lack of power (even though she had money she had no power) kept her from those things so her only chance for freedom was running away from her “expected life”

Royal too was trapped.  He wanted to help his mother as well as get back at the woman who was hurting her.  He wanted land on his own and in order to get those two things he developed a rational plan.  Problem with the logical plan he created is that his heart was more in the land he would never get than the wife he never really wanted.

And then there is Grace Davis, the woman for whom the entire story is centered around and the portion of the story that determines the setting.  Grace too is trapped.  Because she is a woman, and a pregnant unmarried woman at that, she relies solely on a man to save her – and that very man she believed would save her ultimately kills her. 

I could go on – but the point is that all the characters are so very rich – a stark contrast to the characters in folklore – that you want to keep reading to see what happens not just to Mattie but to all of the characters. 

The other aspect I appreciated in reading this book was the surprises.  The characters have some insight that Mattie does not initially have but discovers for herself along the way (like Royal’s real reason for his interest in her and the death of Grace Davis).  At the same time, there were times I just didn’t see some things coming – like who her teacher really was…or the ending.  I loved Mrs. Baxter and struggled with how she fit in the community she was in but then it all made sense when her true identity was revealed.  How amazing for Mattie as well to have her as a teacher – without her relationship with Mrs. Baxter, Mattie would  (most likely) not have ventured off to college in the end.  And the end…there were several times in the novel I was convinced the author was preparing the readers to be OK with Mattie’s decision to stay.  I found myself thinking like Mattie, thinking that life wouldn’t be THAT bad if she stayed.  I found myself making excuses for Mattie to stay there, convincing myself that if she did stay there she would be happy.  All the while I knew where she belonged but I never believed she would actually go.  The ending was the best part of the novel.  Everything I wanted to happen but didn’t think would happen (because real life sucks, it isn’t the happily ever after we read about in books – as Mattie reveals to readers) happened.  The ending was better than I could have ever imagined but Donnelly wrote it in such a beautiful and believable way that I was giddy at the end – and this coming from the reader who LOVES depressing books.  I was thrilled to read a realistic book with a realistic happy ending – beating the odds. 

I haven’t even mentioned the great use of language and the wonderful references to other texts.  It is clear Donnelly has a love for reading and language and she uses it to enhance the story she tells.

Overall - Great read!  This is historical fiction at its best.  I loved it and have already had two students read it and share that they loved it as well.

Skellig - Fantasy Novel

Skellig

 

Having very little background in science fiction or fantasy I was not sure what I was getting in to this week.  Fantasy to me usually seemed so far fetched.  Perhaps my greatest exposure to fantasy involves me helping my husband pack and unpack his numerous “forgotten realms” fantasy novels with muscled warriors, magically fierce wizards, or wise/sneaky looking elves and/or strong animals on the cover.  None of this ever appealed to me and I could never fathom why my intelligent, well-read husband would still find an interest in such childish books.  Hmmm…if I found no value in my husband reading this genre, how could I support/encourage YA who are interested in this genre?  This is one area that, as a teacher I must (even if unintentionally) show partiality.  Needless to say I am biased against fantasy without really having any exposure to actually reading fantasy – not good I know.

So, reading Skellig, I was not sure what I was going to get.  I went into it with as open a mind as possible.  There were some things I really enjoyed about Skellig, and some things I did not.  First, the positives:

The main characters - I greatly appreciated and felt like I truly “got-to-know” the main characters Mina and Michael.  The author created believable characters.  According to the Literature and the Child text, the characters of such a piece should be, “Multidimensional personalities who behave consistently, respond to events in a believable fashion, and grow and change across the course of a story” (209).  Both Mina and Michael behave consistently.  Michael is a little flatter than Mina, mainly because she contrasts his quiet introverted personality with vibrancy and eccentricity, but both remain consistent throughout the novel.  I am not certain I agree that they responded to all parts in a believable fashion; I find it hard to believe that the first time Michael encounters Skellig that he would remain so calm.  Mina’s response – because of her open-minded personality – is believable, but it seems as though Michael would have freaked out a bit more.  This is my only concern in this area though.  Michael grows in a different fashion than Mina.  Mina becomes more open and gains a friend – a person other than her mother that she has a relationship with.  She is a social recluse at the beginning and finds friendship with Michael – a person she otherwise would have judged and ignored as quickly as she did Michael’s football friends from school.  Michael seems to grow several ways – he gains confidence, faith, love, happiness, and he gains insight from Mina into knowledge and puts value on education. 

The plot idea was also good.  But…the idea was not necessarily executed as well as it could have been.  And here I go with the negatives:

There was so much foreshadowing that I found myself annoyed with all the hinting and implying and duality of meaning that I just wanted the author to get to the point.  Not only that but it all seemed pretty obvious to me while I was reading.  The first time Michael mentioned the “odd protrusions” from Skellig’s back I figured he must be an angel of sorts or something close to it who is going to have a hand in Michael’s sister’s life and then ¾ of the book later there was still hinting and no actual action, I was frustrated by that.  So my question – if this won an award it should be a rather impressive example of this genre (although perhaps, as we discussed in class, there are a lot of awards and what do they all really mean about the book any how?)  But if this is a well-received fantasy novel – are all fantasy novels this full of foreshadowing and implications?  I love figuring things out but this wasn’t hard to figure out so by the end it just seemed drawn out.  Looking at the requirements or definition of fantasy, Skellig fits perfectly in this genre – so if this had all the components and was well received – do I surmise I won’t like any fantasy or just that this story fell short for me?  As a teacher I should go with the latter, but as a reader, my gut is going with the former. 

Very nice story and story idea – just didn’t appreciate how it was told…