On My Bookshelf: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

The basic plot from Amazon: Everyone has a reason to fear the boy with the gun.

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told from four perspectives over the span of 54 harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

Why I liked it: I couldn't put down This Is Where It Ends. Reading the book was like watching a train wreck and not being able to look away. As someone who was a student when Columbine occurred, the events in the novel were an eerie echo of real events. As a teacher, this book also forces me to consider how safe and prepared my school is, and the actions I might take if faced with a similar situation. I wanted desperately for all of the characters to make it out alive and for the "bad guy" to realize the error of his ways. Unfortunately that's not how things end.

As an adult reader, I found many of the characters to be stereotypical or one-dimensional and some of the plot points predictable, but neither prevented me from finishing the book and would likely go unnoticed by a teen reader.

Classroom application: Because of the obvious themes of violence, I would add this one to a high school classroom library, but likely not a middle school one. The novel would appeal to both male and female students. If students like this book, GoodReads has a list of other books on the topic of school shootings. There are also many nonfiction books on the topic. Here's a list focused just on Columbine.

The author of This Is Where It Ends is a founder of We Need Diverse Books. An interesting exercise would be to have students develop criteria for what makes something a "diverse book." Have students evaluate this book to see if it meets that criteria. Then have them evaluate your classroom library, the school library, or the local library by looking at a random sampling of books. What is overrepresented? What is underrepresented? Student could make a wish list of diverse books to fill some of the gaps they identified.

If you feel that your students are mature enough, discuss your school's plans for situations like this. Make sure they know the difference between a shelter in place and a lockdown. You can show them the Department of Homeland Security's Run, Hide, Fight video, set in an office building, and discuss what would be different in a school setting.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of This Is Where It Ends 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.

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Technology in the ELA Classroom

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog 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.

Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 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.

On Tuesday, January 31st, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about technology in the ELA classroom.

The Format:
8:00 Intros: What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: How has technology changed what and how you teach? #2ndaryELA
8:10 Q2: What’s your most creative use of technology in your classroom? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: What are your favorite assignments to give your students that incorporate technology? #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: What do you do when technology isn't working properly or the internet is down? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: Share your favorite free online resources. #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
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.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
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.)

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 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

Read Alouds for the Secondary Classroom: Titles & Teaching Strategies

This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about using read alouds in the ELA classroom. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the purposes and structures of read alouds in their classrooms. Teachers also shared favorite read aloud titles, ways to use read alouds with writing instruction, and where to find great read aloud recommendations.

Read through the chat below to see how read alouds are used to engage students and introduce reading strategies. You'll get ideas about what read alouds to share in your own classroom: novels. You'll also find ways to use movie clips, speeches, and nonfiction and argument pieces as read alouds.

Hope you'll join us on Tuesday January 31st to discuss using technology in the ELA classroom. We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group (even if you aren't on Twitter). 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.

On My Bookshelf: Fallout by Todd Strasser

The basic plot from Amazon: What if the bomb had actually been dropped? In the summer of 1962, the possibility of nuclear war is all anyone talks about, so Scott's dad builds a bomb shelter to hold his family and stocks it with just enough supplies to keep the four of them alive for two critical weeks. In the middle of the night in late October, when the unthinkable happens, the same neighbors who scoffed at building a shelter themselves force their way into the shelter before Scott's dad can shut the door. Internationally best-selling author Todd Strasser has written his most impressive and personal novel to date, exploring the terrifying what-ifs of one of the most explosive moments in human history.

Why I liked it: Fallout is a historical fiction novel, set during the Cuban Missile Crisis, in which author rewrites history.  I can't think of another historical fiction piece that takes this approach, but it was interesting to think about how things might have turned out differently. The topic of the novel was a very personal one to the author. His family also built a shelter during the Cold War, though they never had to use it.

The chapters, which alternate between past and present, are narrated by Scott, a sixth grader. As a teacher, I was pleased to see Scott's teacher, Mr. Klasman play an important role in the novel; he challenges the students with questions rather than telling them what to think.

Classroom application: Discussion questions are included with the novel which would be perfect for  use in a classroom discussion. I think particularly rich discussions would come from comparing the parenting styles of narrator's family to his friend Ronnie's family.

Besides the obvious connection to the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, segregation and racism are also topics addressed in the book. Students could research any of these topics and evaluate the novel's historical accuracy. 

The novel could also be used a mentor text, with students selecting their own historical event to rewrite.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Fallout 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.

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Using Read Alouds

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog 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.

Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 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.

On Tuesday, January 24th, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about using read alouds.

The Format:
8:00 Intros: What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: What do you think is the best way to implement read alouds for reading instruction? #2ndaryELA
8:10 Q2: What structure do you follow for read alouds? Kids at desks? Meeting area? Do kids get a copy of the RA? Why or why not? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: What is your favorite read aloud and how do you use it? Please let us know what grade level you feel it is best for. #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: Do you use read alouds for writing? Have you ever used the same read aloud for both instructions? If so, please share. #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: Where do you find your read alouds? Do you have a favorite website? Anthology? #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
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.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
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.)

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 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

On My Bookshelf: Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

The basic plot from Amazon: A captivating novel about mental illness that lingers long beyond the last page, Challenger Deep is a heartfelt tour de force by New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman.

Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.
Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.
Caden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence to document the journey with images.
Caden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.
Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.
Caden Bosch is torn.

Challenger Deep is a deeply powerful and personal novel from one of today's most admired writers for teens. Laurie Halse Anderson, award-winning author of Speak, calls Challenger Deep "a brilliant journey across the dark sea of the mind; frightening, sensitive, and powerful. Simply extraordinary."

Why I liked it: Challenger Deep is a novel that portrays the reality of mental illness, not the
romanticized version too often depicted in film and literature. The novel begins with a note from the author, in which he discusses his personal experiences and shares that the artwork in the book are his son's drawings. The novel very clearly illustrates the toll mental illness takes upon one's family and friends, but also the misunderstandings about mental health. One character Callie, who has had repeat trips to the mental hospital, laments that each time she returns home her family does not understand that she isn't "fixed."

I struggled with reading the book at first because the narrator bounces between reality and his alternate reality of life on a pirate, but the connection between the two becomes clearer as the novel progresses.

Classroom application: Challenger Deep could be paired with nonfiction texts about mental health issues. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks, a set of case studies focused on the most interesting of Dr. Sack's patients with neurological disorders, would be a great pairing.

Neal Shusterman's writing style also makes this novel a great source of mentor sentences. 

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Challenger Deep 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.

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Teaching Poetry

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog 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.

Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 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.

On Tuesday, January 17th, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about teaching poetry.

The Format:
8:00 Intros: What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: Do you teach a poetry unit? When? Or do you incorporate it all year long? #2ndaryELA
8:10 Q2: What skills are most important for you to cover when teaching poetry? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: What are your favorite poems to teach? What are students’ favorites to read? #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: Share your favorite poetry writing assignments. #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: How do you get creative when teaching poetry to appeal to those students who “hate” or don’t “get” poetry? #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
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.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
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.)

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 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

Supporting IEP & ESL Students: Meeting All Secondary Students' Needs

This #2ndaryELA Twitter chat was all about supporting IEP and ESL students in the ELA classroom. Middle school and high school English Language Arts teachers discussed the integration of IEP and ELL students as well as how their needs are communicated and assessed. Teachers also shared the challenges in teaching IEP and ESL students, support provided outside of their classrooms, and successful activities, projects, and method of differentiation.

Read through the chat below to see how your experiences and challenges compare to others'. Consider strategies and tools such as chunking, providing choice, using word games, scaffolding, and visual note taking.

Hope you'll join us on Tuesday January 17th to discuss poetry. We'd also love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group (even if you aren't on Twitter). 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.

On My Bookshelf: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

The basic plot from Amazon: A new YA novel from novelist Patrick Ness, author of the Carnegie Medal- and Kate Greenaway Medal-winning A Monster Calls and the critically acclaimed Chaos Walking trilogy, The Rest of Us Just Live Here is a bold and irreverent novel that powerfully reminds us that there are many different types of remarkable.

What if you aren't the Chosen One? The one who's supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you're like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week's end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshipped by mountain lions.

Why I liked it: The main plot line in The Rest of Us Just Live Here is fairly normal. Mike and Mel are brother and sister, just a year apart. He suffers from OCD and she is all recovering from anorexia.  Their mother is a state senator running for Congress, their father is an alcoholic, and both contribute to the stress triggering Mike and Mel's issues. Since Mike and Mel are about to graduate high school and head off to college, they are especially concerned as to how their younger sister, whom they consider to be the best of all of them, will fare without them.

The subplot lines in the novel incorporate elements of fantasy and the supernatural. For example, Jared is Mike's gay best friend whose father runs against their mother in every political race, but he is also part god with healing powers and the strange ability to attract cats. There's also Nathan, a new guy at school, whom Mike suspects Nathan has something to do with the mysterious deaths of the indie kids. And then there's some zombie-like creatures, explosions, and incidents in the past that adults won't speak of.

Classroom application: This would be a great add to your high school classroom library as it would appeal to male and female students, realistic fiction and fantasy fans alike.

There are some very tender, small moments in the novel that could be used in excerpt form as mentor texts. Mike and Mel's visit with their grandmother, when Mike helps Mel eat by feeding her, and when Jared calms Mike after some incessant hand washing are all moments from the novel that could stand alone and serve as a model of how to focus in on a moment in time.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Rest of Us Just Live Here 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.

#2ndaryELA Twitter Chat Topic: Supporting IEP & ESL Students

Brynn Allison, The Literary Maven & Kristy, 2 Peas and a Dog 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 in 2016 and we hope that you will join us again.

Looking for the recap? Click on the image below.

We'd love for you to join our 2ndaryELA Facebook group, even if you aren't on Twitter. 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.

On Tuesday, January 10th, our #2ndaryELA chat will be about supporting IEP and ESL students.

The Format:
8:00 Intros: What and where do you teach? Include a link to your blog if you have one. #2ndaryELA
8:05 Q1: How are ESL and IEP students integrated in your school? #2ndaryELA
8:10 Q2: How does your school communicate a student’s possible needs? Or do you do a needs assessment on your own? #2ndaryELA
8:15 Q3: What have been your biggest challenges with creating successful lessons for all students? #2ndaryELA
8:20 Q4: What extra support does your school provide for students beyond what you have in the classroom? #2ndaryELA
8:25 Q5: What's the best activity, project, or method of differentiation you've found works with your ESL or IEP students? #2ndaryELA

The Directions:
1. Log into Twitter on Tuesday from 8-8:30 PM EST.
2. Search for tweets with the hashtag #2ndaryELA in the search bar. Make sure to click “All tweets.”
3. Introductions are for the first 5 minutes.
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.
5. Respond to questions using the format A1, A2, A3, etc. with #2ndaryELA.
6. Follow any teachers responding and who are also using #2ndaryELA.
7. Like and respond to other teachers' tweets.

You can schedule your responses to the questions ahead of time using a scheduler like TweetDeck or HootSuite (but don't forget to use A1, A2, etc. and #2ndaryELA). Links are encouraged, so be sure to use a link shortener like tinyurl, bitly, goo.gl or ow.ly Just visit one of those links and paste your long link to shorten it for Twitter. Using images is also encouraged when relevant.

New to chats? Here are the rules:
1. Stay on topic & stay positive!
2. Please do not post or promote paid products unless specifically asked.
3. If you arrive late, try to look through other posts before beginning.
4. Feel free to just read, like, and/or retweet.
5. Always use our hashtag #2ndaryELA, including in your replies to others.
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.)

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 2ndaryELA Facebook group!

Get caught up on past chats here:

Word Art: A Creative Lesson on Characterization & Symbolism

The inspiration for this project came from seeing an image of the mockingjay pin from The Hunger Games created out of words. My students were reading The Hunger Games at the time and I wanted to have them create something similar. I looked at sites like Wordle and Tagxedo, which let you create word clouds, but neither had the flexibility in shapes that I was looking for, so this project ended up being no-tech.

Students first selected their favorite character from the novel and brainstormed words to describe and associated with that character. During this brainstorming, you may want to remind students of the different methods of characterization: direct characterization and indirect characterization through appearance, actions, thoughts and feelings, dialogue, and other characters’ comments. I encourage students to use as much language from the text as possible.

From this brainstorming, an object that would serve as an appropriate symbol may arise. For example, in The Hunger Games, Peeta was a baker so a loaf of bread would be an obvious symbol to use for him. I’ve also used this activity with Of Mice and Men, and a red dress would be an obvious symbol for Curly’s wife.

You may want to encourage students to think a little deeper and choose a symbol that is representative of the character’s traits. For example, in Of Mice and Men, Lennie is very curious, so a question mark might be used as a symbol for him or George is the more intelligent one in the pair, so a brain might be used as a symbol for him.

Once students have selected an appropriate symbol, they will use the words that they brainstormed to create the image. I encourage students to do a rough draft first so they can play with the layout of the words. I find it easiest for them to lightly sketch out the lines of their drawing and then place the words on top. Some words may need to be larger or smaller than others. If needed, I allow students to repeat words. 

When students complete their final draft, I encourage them to use different colors for their words to help create the image. If they are going to color anything else, have them do light shading so that the words can all still be read.

You'll be surprised with the creativity of your students and even "non-artistic" students will enjoy this activity. If you try it out with your students, I'd love to see what they come up with!

You can find all of my Of Mice and Men resources, including the activity described above, here.

On My Bookshelf: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

The basic plot from Amazon: Bono met his wife in high school, Park says.
So did Jerry Lee Lewis, Eleanor answers.
I'm not kidding, he says.
You should be, she says, we're 16.
What about Romeo and Juliet?
Shallow, confused, then dead.
I love you, Park says.
Wherefore art thou, Eleanor answers.
I'm not kidding, he says.
You should be.

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits-smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you'll remember your own first love-and just how hard it pulled you under.

Why I liked it: It's impossible not to fall in love with the main characters in Eleanor & Park. Both Eleanor and Park are the kind of teenagers to whom you want to give a big hug and whisper "don't worry; there's life after high school."

Eleanor has recently rejoined her family after spending a year with family friends because her stepfather kicked her out. Her mother is fearful and abused, and her younger siblings are also living in fear of her stepfather. Your heart just breaks for all of the children. They have to stay outside or hide in the bedroom that all five of them share to stay out of their stepfather's way. Things at school are not any better for Eleanor. Her tormentors settle on the nickname "Big Red" because of her size and hair color. Park is different too, but manages to mostly fly under the radar until Eleanor comes along. Thanks to her, he learns to embrace who he is and finally stand up for himself.

My favorite character in the novel is probably Park's mother, who has a wonderful relationship with his father and provides some comic relief.

Classroom application: Because of some of the language used, this is likely a book you'll want to preview before putting in your high school classroom library.

The novel is a perfect springboard for discussions about bullying and/or abusive relationships. Students could consider how they would act in the situations presented in the novel as well as research the legal options for someone like Eleanor or her mother. The novel could be paired with One for the Murphy's which deals with some similar issues.

Eleanor and Park are very different individuals, and perhaps that is part of what makes their relationship work. The novel could be used in literature circles focused on teenage relationships with other novels like Everything, Everything or If I Stay.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Eleanor & Park 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.