September 19, 2016

On My Bookshelf: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene is a great young adult novel dealing with love and loss. With lessons about kindness towards others, this would be a great whole class novel or pick for literature circles in your classroom. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.
Basic plot from Amazon: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars brilliantly explores the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Why I liked it: I still have NOT seen the movie yet so don't anybody spoil it for me. I read the book at one of my students' recommendations. That in itself is awesome. A student who reads on their own and tells me, her English teacher, what to read. Love.

The Fault in Our Stars is definitely a book I would recommend to students, teachers, human beings in general. I like books that make me feel good about humanity and this was a winner in that category (I recently read Gone Girl. That was a loser in that category. Terrible, terrible people).

The Fault in Our Stars by John Greene is a great young adult novel dealing with love and loss. With lessons about kindness towards others, this would be a great whole class novel or pick for literature circles in your classroom. Read on for more of my review and ideas for classroom application.The relationships between the characters are the best parts of this book. Hazel and Augustus, Hazel and her parents, Augustus and his parents, Isaac and Monica, Isaac and Augustus. My students could learn a lot about how to treat people and how to not treat people. Many of my students have also experienced the loss of a loved one, whether through illness or violence in their community, so I think they would really connect to those issues in the novel.

Classroom application: I only wish I had found out about the book before the movie came out so I could read it with my students and then all see the movie together. Its just not the same if the movie is already out and some kids have seen it. It taints their perception of the book. I will have to see what my students are like this year and if I think it would be a hit. Maybe I could pair the novel with Romeo & Juliet at the end of the year since both plots have the star-crossed lover thing going on, though for very different reasons.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Fault in Our Stars for yourself, you can find it on Amazon here.

Note: 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.

4 yorum:

  1. I haven't seen the movie either. Hope it is as good as the book.

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  2. I will let you know when I do see it. I will blog a review!

    Brynn Allison

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  3. I read this on a plane returning from the TCRWP Writing Institute! I had tears running down my face. I'm sure the girls next to me thought I was off....
    Lisa

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  4. I cried too. Fortunately next to my husband, not strangers :) I can't wait to read more of his novels.
    Brynn Allison

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