Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Louis Lowry

Before taking this class I had never read a book by Louis Lowry. The past two weeks I have thoroughly enjoyed the reading. I find Lowry’s writing style engrossing. Lowry has intriguing plot lines that result in strong emotional bonds to the books.

Thus far I have only read Number the Stars and The Giver, both of which I could not put down.

In Number the Stars, I found the relationships between Annemarie and Ellen and Annemarie and her little sister so intriguing. It immediately took me back to my childhood. Though, the added element of German occupation made the novel even more heart wrenching. The girls’ interaction with each other was touching. I think this novel would be a wonderful tool for children, especially girls, going through adolescence. It shows the value of a true friendship and the effect it can have on a person.

In The Giver, the character of Jonas is a strong contrast to society, which makes a strong statement. The “community” in the novel functions as a utopian society. It appears to be perfect with no fears and no pain but as a result there is also no individuality or freedom. Jonas, a twelve-year-old boy, realizes the tragic fate of this world once he is able to see beyond and decides a change must be made. I thought the plot of this novel was fascinating because it has elements of science fiction yet it is a world that we know so well. Lowry is an effective writer because she writes in a way that people of all ages can relate.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

A Single Shard

I enjoyed reading Linda Sue Park’s A Single Shard because it was a different read than the other books we have studied this semester. Tree-ear is the first male protagonist we have had since we left High Fantasy. I found this book interesting because it was very Eastern to me. I think the Eastern cultures emphasize values and behavior in their developmental years more than we do in America. Even though this book was set in 12th century Korea the life lessons were still applicable.

This book was easier to read for me because there was more development of the characters. I felt like I got to really know Tree-ear and grow with him. Despite Tree-ears struggles he was always able to maintain a positive attitude and look forward. He did not let obstacles set him back. Additionally, the relationship between Tree-ear and Crane-man strengthened the emotional connection in the novel. They form a beautiful friendship and Tree-ear’s growth is partially defined by this relationship.

Throughout Tree-ear’s journey both externally and internally, Park leads the reader with him. I would recommend this novel for children because I think it teaches us about life in a very simplistic manner. Today kids are so bombarded with movies and tv and fantasy and everything is always getting “bigger and better”. I like the slow pace of this book for that reason. To remind children that life itself is a journey and it is what you make of it as an individual and that will never change.