The Literary Maven

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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kJbhZI3wfjE/W0NlxJs1VSI/AAAAAAAAMdw/4x33lOh4yv0yEavnB-Q60bVD7NaTtfl_wCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee drew me in just as quickly as The Thousandth Floor, the first book in the series. I loved the continuation of the characters plus the addition of a few new ones, and just like The Thousandth Floor, the novel begins with the ending, a mysterious death, which makes you wonder the entire time that you are reading who the next victim of the high life will be. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kJbhZI3wfjE/W0NlxJs1VSI/AAAAAAAAMdw/4x33lOh4yv0yEavnB-Q60bVD7NaTtfl_wCLcBGAs/s400/Slide3.png" title="The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee drew me in just as quickly as The Thousandth Floor, the first book in the series. I loved the continuation of the characters plus the addition of a few new ones, and just like The Thousandth Floor, the novel begins with the ending, a mysterious death, which makes you wonder the entire time that you are reading who the next victim of the high life will be. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="400" /></a></div>
<b>The basic plot from Amazon: </b><i>New York, 2118. Manhattan is home to a thousand-story supertower, a breathtaking marvel that touches the sky. But amidst high-tech luxury and futuristic glamour, five teenagers are keeping dangerous secrets…</i><br />
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<b>LEDA</b> is haunted by memories of what happened on the worst night of her life. She’ll do anything to make sure the truth stays hidden—even if it means trusting her enemy.<br />
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<b>WATT</b> just wants to put everything behind him…until Leda forces him to start hacking again. Will he do what it takes to be free of her for good?<br />
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When <b>RYLIN</b> wins a scholarship to an upper-floor school, her life transforms overnight. But being there means seeing the boy whose heart she broke, and who broke hers in return.<br />
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<b>AVERY</b> is tormented by her love for the one person in the world she can never have. She’s desperate to be with him… no matter the cost.<br />
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And then there’s <b>CALLIOPE</b>, the mysterious, bohemian beauty who arrives in New York determined to cause a stir. And she knows exactly where to begin.<br />
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But unbeknownst to them all, someone is watching their every move, someone with revenge in mind. And in a world of such dazzling heights, just one wrong step can mean a devastating fall.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qTmLRqt3-Lw/W0-XtcHzevI/AAAAAAAAMkw/fXvZuu2t5cw5iLLkNkwXeMtZLOk8kPe4wCLcBGAs/s1600/Dazzling%2BHeights.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee drew me in just as quickly as The Thousandth Floor, the first book in the series. I loved the continuation of the characters plus the addition of a few new ones, and just like The Thousandth Floor, the novel begins with the ending, a mysterious death, which makes you wonder the entire time that you are reading who the next victim of the high life will be. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qTmLRqt3-Lw/W0-XtcHzevI/AAAAAAAAMkw/fXvZuu2t5cw5iLLkNkwXeMtZLOk8kPe4wCLcBGAs/s400/Dazzling%2BHeights.png" title="The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee drew me in just as quickly as The Thousandth Floor, the first book in the series. I loved the continuation of the characters plus the addition of a few new ones, and just like The Thousandth Floor, the novel begins with the ending, a mysterious death, which makes you wonder the entire time that you are reading who the next victim of the high life will be. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><b>Why I liked it: </b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2u2JuVS" target="_blank">The Dazzling Heights</a> </i>drew me in just as quickly as <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/06/review-thousandth-floor-katharine-mcgee.html" target="_blank">The Thousandth Floor</a></i>, the first book in the series. I loved the continuation of the characters plus the addition of a few new ones, and just like <i>The Thousandth Floor</i>, the novel begins with the ending, a mysterious death, which makes you wonder the entire time that you are reading who the next victim of the high life will be.</span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Watt continued to be a favorite character and I enjoyed watching the development of his (mutual) love/hate relationship with Leda. Rylin takes on a larger role as she wins the scholarship in memory of Eris and is less shadowed by her past relationship with Cord. Avery remained a fairly flat character for me, but I shared her distaste for Calliope and was pleased when she and Leda mended their friendship. The ending of the novel followed the pattern of the first in the series, so I don't know if I liked it better or if it was just less unexpected.</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Classroom application: </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This series is appropriate for high school students due to mature content (sex, drug and alcohol use). As with <i>The Thousandth Floor</i>, s</span>ince the novel is set in the not too distant future, the novel could also serve as a springboard for students to develop their own "utopian" worlds with consideration to economics, government, education, transportation etc.<br />
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Two of the new characters are a mother daughter con artist team. A fun after reading project would be to research famous real life con artists or teams. Allow students to present their findings and then vote on the "baddest" one of all.<br />
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If you are interested in purchasing a copy of <i>The Dazzling Heights</i> for yourself, you can find it on Amazon <a href="https://amzn.to/2u2JuVS" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<i>Note:</i> The Literary Maven is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0PtSRt91at4/W0Nl48Ng7HI/AAAAAAAAMd0/VMBtd_GaoCMNEKC_JJOQ-mjqoUMQiRhUgCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee drew me in just as quickly as The Thousandth Floor, the first book in the series. I loved the continuation of the characters plus the addition of a few new ones, and just like The Thousandth Floor, the novel begins with the ending, a mysterious death, which makes you wonder the entire time that you are reading who the next victim of the high life will be. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0PtSRt91at4/W0Nl48Ng7HI/AAAAAAAAMd0/VMBtd_GaoCMNEKC_JJOQ-mjqoUMQiRhUgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide3.png" title="The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee drew me in just as quickly as The Thousandth Floor, the first book in the series. I loved the continuation of the characters plus the addition of a few new ones, and just like The Thousandth Floor, the novel begins with the ending, a mysterious death, which makes you wonder the entire time that you are reading who the next victim of the high life will be. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="266" /></a></div>
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More From The Blog

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Brynn Allison, <a href="http://theliterarymaven.com/">The Literary Maven</a>, & Lisa Spangler, <a href="https://mrsspanglerinthemiddle.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Spangler in the Middle</a>, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.<br />
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We'd also love for you to join our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a>, even if you aren't on Twitter.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span>2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.</div>
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On <b>Tuesday, September 18,</b> our #2ndaryELA chat will be about student organization.<br />
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<b>The Directions:</b><br />
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.<br />
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”<br />
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.<br />
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.<br />
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.<br />
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.<br />
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.<br />
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You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like <a href="https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/">TweetDeck</a> or <a href="http://signup.hootsuite.com/pro-ent-na-english-r7t/?mkwid=sDAsRitua_dc&pcrid=44033846494&pkw=hootsuite&pmt=e&cntry=na-usa&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hootsuite_pro_google_search_usa_english_branded_alpha&gclid=CjwKEAjwlPOsBRCWq5_e973PzTgSJACMiEp20deRUBEuNIc3-ysreF3wIpeNKNT2xjnz9NpEMAnVhhoCvPDw_wcB">HootSuite</a> (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like <a href="http://tinyurl.com/">tinyurl</a>, <a href="http://www.bitly.com/">bitly</a>, <a href="http://goo.gl/">goo.gl</a> or <a href="http://ow.ly/url/shorten-url">ow.ly</a> Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.</div>
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<b>New to chats? Here are the rules:</b><br />
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!<br />
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.<br />
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.<br />
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.<br />
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.<br />
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)<br />
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You can also check out a quick video tutorial in <a href="http://www.2peasandadog.com/2016/01/how-to-use-twitter-chats.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a>.<br />
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Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a>!<br />
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<b>Get caught up on past chats here:</b><br />
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This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about teaching novels at the secondary level. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the novels they teach at different grade levels. Teachers also shared whether that reading is done in class or for homework, as a whole class or in literature circles.<br />
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Read through the chat below to find out what skills are most important to cover when teaching a novel. You'll get ideas about engaging activities. You'll also find valuable resources to use in your own classroom.<br />
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Hope you'll join us next week for another chat. We'd also love for you to join <span style="text-align: center;">our </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/" style="text-align: center;">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a> (<span style="text-align: center;">even if you aren't on Twitter).</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><span style="text-align: center;">2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.</span><br />
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<a class="twitter-moment" href="https://twitter.com/i/moments/1040388730366906369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">Teaching Novels in the Secondary ELA Classroom</a> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> 
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YuRsLqvYJGs/W0NljJaUclI/AAAAAAAAMds/UPAgAgewK5wB6QaMhgGkN3EWWv1-OSs9wCEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds begins with question #460, immediately revealing Genie's curiosity about the world around him. His earnestness is contrasted by his smooth, almost fourteen year old older brother Ernie who is constantly wearing sunglasses. The two brothers spend a month of their summer at their grandparents' home in rural Virginia, worlds away from their life in Brooklyn. The elements of country and their grandparents' eccentricities provide one surprise after another for the brothers. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YuRsLqvYJGs/W0NljJaUclI/AAAAAAAAMds/UPAgAgewK5wB6QaMhgGkN3EWWv1-OSs9wCEwYBhgL/s400/Slide2.png" title="As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds begins with question #460, immediately revealing Genie's curiosity about the world around him. His earnestness is contrasted by his smooth, almost fourteen year old older brother Ernie who is constantly wearing sunglasses. The two brothers spend a month of their summer at their grandparents' home in rural Virginia, worlds away from their life in Brooklyn. The elements of country and their grandparents' eccentricities provide one surprise after another for the brothers. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="400" /></a></div>
<b>The basic plot from Amazon: </b>Genie’s summer is full of surprises. The first is that he and his big brother, Ernie, are leaving Brooklyn for the very first time to spend the summer with their grandparents all the way in Virginia—in the COUNTRY! The second surprise comes when Genie figures out that their grandfather is blind. Thunderstruck, Genie peppers Grandpop with questions about how he hides it so well (besides wearing way cool Ray-Bans).<br />
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How does he match his clothes? Know where to walk? Cook with a gas stove? Pour a glass of sweet tea without spilling it? Genie thinks Grandpop must be the bravest guy he’s ever known, but he starts to notice that his grandfather never leaves the house—as in NEVER. And when he finds the secret room that Grandpop is always disappearing into—a room so full of songbirds and plants that it’s almost as if it’s been pulled inside-out—he begins to wonder if his grandfather is really so brave after all.<br />
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Then Ernie lets him down in the bravery department. It’s his fourteenth birthday, and, Grandpop says to become a man, you have to learn how to shoot a gun. Genie thinks that is AWESOME until he realizes Ernie has no interest in learning how to shoot. None. Nada. Dumbfounded by Ernie’s reluctance, Genie is left to wonder—is bravery and becoming a man only about proving something, or is it just as important to own up to what you won’t do?<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sxp8MQSjBtU/W0-Egl2Q46I/AAAAAAAAMjo/IsYaG3oA1DsKpQsMaFVQBS5GnG7FnuKwACLcBGAs/s1600/As%2BBrave%2BAs%2BYou.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds begins with question #460, immediately revealing Genie's curiosity about the world around him. His earnestness is contrasted by his smooth, almost fourteen year old older brother Ernie who is constantly wearing sunglasses. The two brothers spend a month of their summer at their grandparents' home in rural Virginia, worlds away from their life in Brooklyn. The elements of country and their grandparents' eccentricities provide one surprise after another for the brothers. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sxp8MQSjBtU/W0-Egl2Q46I/AAAAAAAAMjo/IsYaG3oA1DsKpQsMaFVQBS5GnG7FnuKwACLcBGAs/s400/As%2BBrave%2BAs%2BYou.png" title="As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds begins with question #460, immediately revealing Genie's curiosity about the world around him. His earnestness is contrasted by his smooth, almost fourteen year old older brother Ernie who is constantly wearing sunglasses. The two brothers spend a month of their summer at their grandparents' home in rural Virginia, worlds away from their life in Brooklyn. The elements of country and their grandparents' eccentricities provide one surprise after another for the brothers. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><b>Why I liked it: </b>After reading <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/01/review-ghost-jason-reynolds.html" target="_blank">Ghost</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/05/review-patina-jason-reynolds.html" target="_blank">Patina</a></i>, the first two installments in Jason Reynold's Track series, I was excited to read <a href="https://amzn.to/2N26TxU" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">As Brave As You</a>. The novel begins with question #460, immediately revealing Genie's curiosity about the world around him. His earnestness is contrasted by his smooth, almost fourteen year old older brother Ernie who is constantly wearing sunglasses. The two brothers spend a month of their summer at their grandparents' home in rural Virginia, worlds away from their life in Brooklyn. The elements of country and their grandparents' eccentricities provide one surprise after another for the brothers. Genie develops a special relationship with his blind grandfather, taking him on walks around the yard at night and caring for the barn swallows in his greenhouse-like room. Genie's kindness, thoughtfulness, and desire to do the right thing were refreshing to see in a male pre-teen character. </span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Classroom application: </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The novel is appropriate for upper elementary through middle school. Your not-so-macho male students will connect with Genie. The novel touches on what it means to be brave and be yourself, how to forgive others, and even includes an anti-gun message. This <a href="http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/As-Brave-As-You/Jason-Reynolds/9781481415910/reading_group_guide" target="_blank">reading group</a> guide would be a great starting point for using it as a whole class or small group novel.</span><br />
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If you are interested in purchasing a copy of <i>As Brave As You</i> for yourself, you can find it on Amazon <a href="https://amzn.to/2N26TxU" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<i>Note:</i> The Literary Maven is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFHcYEk5uO8/W0NmmCwaLZI/AAAAAAAAMeM/-FIFPzgIlOEoatlOWGuBrwi3Tvv02uXMgCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds begins with question #460, immediately revealing Genie's curiosity about the world around him. His earnestness is contrasted by his smooth, almost fourteen year old older brother Ernie who is constantly wearing sunglasses. The two brothers spend a month of their summer at their grandparents' home in rural Virginia, worlds away from their life in Brooklyn. The elements of country and their grandparents' eccentricities provide one surprise after another for the brothers. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFHcYEk5uO8/W0NmmCwaLZI/AAAAAAAAMeM/-FIFPzgIlOEoatlOWGuBrwi3Tvv02uXMgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide2.png" title="As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds begins with question #460, immediately revealing Genie's curiosity about the world around him. His earnestness is contrasted by his smooth, almost fourteen year old older brother Ernie who is constantly wearing sunglasses. The two brothers spend a month of their summer at their grandparents' home in rural Virginia, worlds away from their life in Brooklyn. The elements of country and their grandparents' eccentricities provide one surprise after another for the brothers. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jB9mFFzVchg/W1TKqhypLgI/AAAAAAAAMqI/C-zehwVsdrQQqnWx6pvqGHKNdSiMxlYsgCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide15.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about teaching novels." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jB9mFFzVchg/W1TKqhypLgI/AAAAAAAAMqI/C-zehwVsdrQQqnWx6pvqGHKNdSiMxlYsgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide15.png" title="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about teaching novels." width="400" /></a></div>
Brynn Allison, <a href="http://theliterarymaven.com/">The Literary Maven</a>, & Lisa Spangler, <a href="https://mrsspanglerinthemiddle.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Spangler in the Middle</a>, host #2ndaryELA on Twitter every Tuesday evening from 8 - 8:30 PM EST. #2ndaryELA is a weekly chat for secondary English Language Arts teachers focused on a topic. Every Sunday, we post the topic and questions on our blogs to allow you to prepare for the upcoming Tuesday evening's chat. Thank you to everyone who joined us last week and we hope that you will join us again.<br />
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We'd also love for you to join our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a>, even if you aren't on Twitter.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span>2ndaryELA is a group of middle and high school English Language Arts teachers looking to share ideas and best practices. This group is an extension of our Twitter chat and a place for collaboration, questions, and encouragement. Feel free to post teaching ideas, success stories, resource links, photos, etc. that will enhance our instruction.</div>
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On <b>Tuesday, September 11,</b> our #2ndaryELA chat will be about teaching novels.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q46XnpRRPg8/W1TKvdE1bRI/AAAAAAAAMqM/wlGDU2WTyXQXpSgAT9hV9mHR-BNjBN5zwCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about teaching novels." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q46XnpRRPg8/W1TKvdE1bRI/AAAAAAAAMqM/wlGDU2WTyXQXpSgAT9hV9mHR-BNjBN5zwCLcBGAs/s400/Slide16.png" title="Join secondary English Language Arts teachers Tuesday evenings at 8 pm EST on Twitter. This week's chat will be about teaching novels." width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>The Directions:</b><br />
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.<br />
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “Latest.”<br />
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.<br />
4. Starting at 8:05 (@literarymaven or @2peasandadog) will post questions every 5 minutes using the format Q1, Q2, Q3, etc. and the hashtag #2ndaryELA.<br />
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.<br />
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.<br />
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.<br />
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You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like <a href="https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/">TweetDeck</a> or <a href="http://signup.hootsuite.com/pro-ent-na-english-r7t/?mkwid=sDAsRitua_dc&pcrid=44033846494&pkw=hootsuite&pmt=e&cntry=na-usa&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hootsuite_pro_google_search_usa_english_branded_alpha&gclid=CjwKEAjwlPOsBRCWq5_e973PzTgSJACMiEp20deRUBEuNIc3-ysreF3wIpeNKNT2xjnz9NpEMAnVhhoCvPDw_wcB">HootSuite</a> (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like <a href="http://tinyurl.com/">tinyurl</a>, <a href="http://www.bitly.com/">bitly</a>, <a href="http://goo.gl/">goo.gl</a> or <a href="http://ow.ly/url/shorten-url">ow.ly</a> Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.</div>
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<b>New to chats? Here are the rules:</b><br />
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!<br />
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.<br />
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.<br />
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.<br />
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.<br />
6. Make sure your twitter feed is set to public. (Also keep in mind that Twitter is completely public – that means students, parents, and administrators can and will read what you tweet.)<br />
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You can also check out a quick video tutorial in <a href="http://www.2peasandadog.com/2016/01/how-to-use-twitter-chats.html" target="_blank">this blog post</a>.<br />
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Be sure to spread the word to any teacher friends who might be interested in joining us as well. We look forward to chatting with you Tuesday evening and in our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2ndaryELA/">2ndaryELA Facebook group</a>!<br />
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<b>Get caught up on past chats here:</b><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AGUoNLWFsGg/Wx1Qv96ToRI/AAAAAAAAMN4/bolgGcxzdoQT-vzTRiAFlsXEx2W3J-L3ACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide10.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="While many students are fans of the dark and mysterious when it comes to reading, others are looking for love in between the pages of their book and the promise of a happily ever after ending. Here's 9 romantic titles, some on the lighter side and others more serious, that I've recently read and would recommend for secondary students." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AGUoNLWFsGg/Wx1Qv96ToRI/AAAAAAAAMN4/bolgGcxzdoQT-vzTRiAFlsXEx2W3J-L3ACLcBGAs/s400/Slide10.png" title="While many students are fans of the dark and mysterious when it comes to reading, others are looking for love in between the pages of their book and the promise of a happily ever after ending. Here's 9 romantic titles, some on the lighter side and others more serious, that I've recently read and would recommend for secondary students." width="400" /></a></div>
While many students are fans of the dark and mysterious when it comes to reading, others are looking for love in between the pages of their book and the promise of a happily ever after ending. Here's 9 romantic titles, some on the lighter side and others more serious, that I've recently read and would recommend for secondary students. Click the title of each to read my full review and ideas for using it in the classroom.</div>
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1. <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/04/review-still-star-crossed-melinda-taub.html" target="_blank"><i>Still Star- Crossed</i> by Melinda Taub</a><br />
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The novel picks up where Romeo and Juliet, my favorite of Shakespeare's plays leaves off. With the two young lovers dead and buried, the play's minor characters become major ones. At the center is Rosaline, Romeo's love interest before Juliet, niece of Lord and Lady Capulet, and childhood playmate of Prince Escalus.  </div>
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2. <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/04/review-when-dimple-met-rishi.html" target="_blank"><i>When Dimple Met Rishi</i> by Sandhya Menon</a></div>
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Narration alternates between the two main characters Dimple and Rishi, two Indian teenagers struggling to define themselves as they exit high school and head off to college. This light romance story with a happy ending also tackles tough topics like gender and cultural norms, arranged marriage, and parental expectations. </div>
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3. <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/03/review-once-and-for-all-sarah-dessen.html" target="_blank"><i>Once And For All</i> by Sarah Dessen</a></div>
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Louna's summer job assisting her mother's wedding planning business gets complicated when her mother hires one of her client's brothers. While the protagonist, Louna, is relatable for most teen girls, it was really the other characters in the novel that drew me in. Dessen fans will not be disappointed.</div>
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4. <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2016/11/review-anna-and-french-kiss.html" target="_blank">Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins</a></i> </div>
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Anna is sent to a boarding school in Paris for her senior school of high school. At first, Anna struggles to adjust to life in another country (she doesn't even speak French!), but slowly builds friendships that ease her homesickness. Follow Anna's story up with the next two books in the series, <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/05/review-lola-boy-next-door-stephanie-perkins.html" target="_blank">Lola and the Boy Next Door</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/04/review-isla-happily-ever-after-stephanie-perkins.html" target="_blank">Isla and the Happily Ever After</a></i>.</div>
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5. <a href="http://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/01/review-eleanor-park-rainbow-rowell.html" target="_blank"><i>Eleanor and Park</i> by Rainbow Rowell</a></div>
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The two main characters form an unlikely friendship that transforms into an intense relationship. Eleanor helps Park  to accept who he is, while Park brings happiness to Eleanor's troubling home life. </div>
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6. <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2016/11/review-everything-everything.html" target="_blank"><i>Everything, Everything</i> by Nicola Yoon</a></div>
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Every day is the same as the one before for Madeline; she suffers from an illness that prevents her from any contact with the outside world. But then the boy who moves in next door catches her eye and everything changes. </div>
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7. <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2016/09/review-the-fault-in-our-stars-john-green.html" target="_blank"><i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> by John Green</a></div>
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This is a great young adult novel dealing with love and loss. Hazel and Augustus both have terminal cancer diagnoses, but that doesn't stop their blossoming friendship from becoming a serious relationship.</div>
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8. <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2016/11/book-review-if-i-stay-gayle-forman.html" target="_blank"><i>If I Stay</i> by Gayle Forman</a></div>
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Mia has the perfect life. She is a talented cello player headed to Julliard with a loving family and an awesome boy friend, Adam and best friend. Then a tragic car accident changes everything and Mia must decide if life is still worth living. Follow Mia and Adam's love story in the sequel, <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2016/12/review-where-she-went-gayle-forman.html" target="_blank">Where She Went</a></i>.</div>
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9. <a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/07/review-whole-thing-together-ann-brashares.html" target="_blank"><i>The Whole Thing Together</i> by Ann Brashares</a></div>
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Ray's mother and Sasha's father were once married, but after a bitter divorce all they have left in common is the beach house and their children. Narration alternates between Ray, Sasha, and their three sisters, offering different perspectives on the same events as they find love, forgiveness, and themselves. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SWMKqNr9_tg/W0NlbFvAZxI/AAAAAAAAMdo/QqSlT5TuLegZg7SlbJYY0xK84X2atGZpACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand grapples with the tremendous grief and guilt that Alexis feels after her brother's suicide. She has broken up with her boyfriend, she's avoiding her friends, and she is worried about her mother who seems to be in an even more fragile state than she is. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SWMKqNr9_tg/W0NlbFvAZxI/AAAAAAAAMdo/QqSlT5TuLegZg7SlbJYY0xK84X2atGZpACLcBGAs/s400/Slide1.png" title="The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand grapples with the tremendous grief and guilt that Alexis feels after her brother's suicide. She has broken up with her boyfriend, she's avoiding her friends, and she is worried about her mother who seems to be in an even more fragile state than she is. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="400" /></a></div>
<b>The basic plot from Amazon: </b>From <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Cynthia Hand comes a stunning, heart-wrenching novel of love and loss, which ALA <i>Booklist</i> called "both shatteringly painful and bright with life and hope" in a starred review.<br />
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Since her brother, Tyler, committed suicide, Lex has been trying to keep her grief locked away, and to forget about what happened that night. But as she starts putting her life, her family, and her friendships back together, Lex is haunted by a secret she hasn't told anyone—a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.<br />
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<b>Why I liked it: </b><i><a href="https://amzn.to/2N1yyyX" target="_blank">The Last Time We Say Goodbye</a> </i>grapples with the tremendous grief and guilt that Alexis feels after her brother's suicide. She has broken up with her boyfriend, she's avoiding her friends, and she is worried about her mother who seems to be in an even more fragile state than she is. She is a well-developed character who displays a range of emotions and can be incredibly funny despite the serious nature of the book. While I liked Alexis, my favorite character was Sadie, Alexis's former best friend who re-enters Alexis's life after her brother's death. Sadie provides Alexis space to begin to move on with her life. She doesn't treat Alexis any differently because of what happened. Sadie doesn't walk on eggshells around Alexis or scorn her based on her brother's actions.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5CKZNAuu7_0/W09_11Ax_KI/AAAAAAAAMjc/JOsiM_Y2olgeurlkBBcceEWZ8P_48wWWgCLcBGAs/s1600/Last%2BTime%2BWe%2BSay%2BGoodbye.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand grapples with the tremendous grief and guilt that Alexis feels after her brother's suicide. She has broken up with her boyfriend, she's avoiding her friends, and she is worried about her mother who seems to be in an even more fragile state than she is. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5CKZNAuu7_0/W09_11Ax_KI/AAAAAAAAMjc/JOsiM_Y2olgeurlkBBcceEWZ8P_48wWWgCLcBGAs/s400/Last%2BTime%2BWe%2BSay%2BGoodbye.png" title="The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand grapples with the tremendous grief and guilt that Alexis feels after her brother's suicide. She has broken up with her boyfriend, she's avoiding her friends, and she is worried about her mother who seems to be in an even more fragile state than she is. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>In contrast with the popular novel and now TV series, <i>13 Reasons Why</i>, by the end of the novel, Alexis understands that there isn't anything she could have done differently to "save" brother, an important message for teenagers who lose a friend or family member to suicide. Be sure to read the author's note at the end of the novel for insight into her inspiration for the novel.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Classroom application: </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I would recommend this one for upper middle school and high school. It has less mature content than most books on this topic. At the high school level, it could be paired with other novels about suicide such as <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2017/10/review-hold-still-nina-lacour.html" target="_blank">Hold Still</a></i> by Nina La Cour, <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/07/review-in-sight-of-stars-gae-polisner.html" target="_blank">In Sight of Stars</a></i> by Gae Polisner, and <i><a href="https://www.theliterarymaven.com/2018/07/review-i-was-here-gayle-forman.html" target="_blank">I Was Here</a></i> by Gayle Forman. Students could research the statistics surrounding suicide and present these along with warning signs and ways to help.</span><br />
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If you are interested in purchasing a copy of <i>The Last Time We Say Goodbye</i> for yourself, you can find it on Amazon <a href="https://amzn.to/2N1yyyX" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<i>Note:</i> The Literary Maven is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-San6F0POXGk/W0NmsyDbhWI/AAAAAAAAMeQ/v2iSQlgl2YUD_CvTl_9PIMrOyldhWhSRQCLcBGAs/s1600/Slide1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand grapples with the tremendous grief and guilt that Alexis feels after her brother's suicide. She has broken up with her boyfriend, she's avoiding her friends, and she is worried about her mother who seems to be in an even more fragile state than she is. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-San6F0POXGk/W0NmsyDbhWI/AAAAAAAAMeQ/v2iSQlgl2YUD_CvTl_9PIMrOyldhWhSRQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide1.png" title="The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand grapples with the tremendous grief and guilt that Alexis feels after her brother's suicide. She has broken up with her boyfriend, she's avoiding her friends, and she is worried about her mother who seems to be in an even more fragile state than she is. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application." width="266" /></a></div>
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On My Bookshelf: The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Tuesday 9/18 Topic: Student Organization

Teaching Novels in the Secondary ELA Classroom

On My Bookshelf: As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat on Tuesday 9/11 Topic: Teaching Novels

9 Young Adult Novels That Will Make Your Secondary Students' Hearts Swoon

On My Bookshelf: The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand

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