Torg's Top MUST READ books: Middle Grade Fiction

Ok. I haven’t blogged in a while, and I have read some top ten book list blogs lately, and it has me inspired to do my own. So, each week, I will feature a different genre and highlight my favorite books in that genre.

So here we go! Today’s genre:

Torg’s Top Middle Grade fiction

As a teacher of middle school, this is where in the past, I have done the most of my reading to prepare for teaching my students. I have taught 6^th grade, 7^th grade, and now I am currently teaching 8^th grade. In that time, some of these books I have had to read because I teach them, and some I have come across in trying to find age appropriate books that will pull reluctant readers in and engage them. So, in no particular order, are the top middle grade books everyone should read.

1.       Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbruck

 

 “I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for a while, and that’s the truth, the whole truth. The unvanquished truth.”

In a world where bullying and people feel left out and disconnected from others, this book, even though it was published in 2001, still resonates in a way that in undeniable. This is a book that makes even the most reluctant “I don’t like reading and never will, it’s boring” reader turn the page for more. And if you already like reading, then you’ll fall more in love with books.

For anyone who thinks all middle grade books are full of snot picking and fart humor, this book will introduce you to a whole new world, one where middle grade fiction can be full of heart and humor, and weighty issues such as pre-judgment, overcoming obstacles, how the disabled and handicapped are treated, and death.

The narrator, Max Kane, is the classic school bully doomed to a life in special education classes. At over 6 feet at only 12, he’s managed to use his physical presence to get by. He’s been told his whole life how dumb he is and he believes it. So he uses brute force and his absentee father’s reputation as a convicted killer to shrink away from anyone who would ever come close to him.

The real heart of the book is when Max meets Kevin, aka Freak. At first, Max wants nothing to do with Freak, but soon Freak breaks through Max’s defense because he is the first one to see Max as something other than a bully, he sees Max as an equal. Together, with Max’s brawn and Freak’s brain, they become one whole unit as Freak the Mighty, slayer of dragons, rescuer of fair maidens, and believer in all things. Together they take on school bullies, a flawed education system, and eventually Killer Kane himself.

Even as I type this, I get misty thinking about this book. The story unfolds in a beautiful way, and we see how these two misfits who don’t seem to fit in anywhere, find each other. The way Philbrick crafts this book is a study in character creation. Yes, the plot moves the story, but seen through the eyes of Max and Freak together, we see how much they need each other and how each of them completes the other. They are perfect foils to use a literary term.

Suffice it to say, if you haven’t read this book, I do not care how old you are, get it NOW. And while you’re out, get some tissues. You’re gonna need them.

This one has a tissue index of: how many tissues are in a box?

2.       Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

 

"Maybe there's a little bit of Jesus inside of all of us. Maybe Jesus is just that something good or something sad or something...something that stays with us and makes us do stuff like help Trevor up, even though he's busy cursing us out. Or maybe...maybe Jesus is just that thing you had when the Jesus Boy first got here, Samantha. Maybe Jesus is the hope that you were feeling."

A sixth grade girl is changed forever when a new kid arrives one day. Frannie, the narrator, becomes a tad obsessed with the new kid, nicknamed “Jesus boy” because he is white and has long hair. In an all-black community in the 1970’s, it wasn’t everyday a new white kid joined the class. Jesus boy seems to be not only odd, but soon Frannie’s bestie (a preacher’s daughter) starts believing he actually IS Jesus. With his calm manner and his avoidance of conflict, Frannie begins to believe it too.

Woodson tackles issues like bullying, prejudice, and disability with beauty and elegance without ever getting preachy about it. And Frannie as a character, who has endured a lot of pain, poverty, and judgment about her older deaf brother, never loses hope that things will be better. Frannie is an inspirational character who is a great example that a strong heroine doesn’t have to be about muscles. Quiet strength and faith are just as much of a force to be reckoned with.

Frannie’s grandmother is always there to give her advice about the world and her place in it. Though it is simple, the story hits hard with lessons about doing the right thing, even when it isn’t easy.

This is a quick read and can be done in a night. This is a great one to read with your kids because it will inevitably bring up questions and discussions about faith, hope, and how to treat others.

Torg’s tissue index:  two

 

3.       Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

“It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

What is there really to say about this book? So much that it is hard to pare down. As a teacher of literature one thing I will go on record saying is that Harry Potter will, like it or not, will stand the test of time as a classic. Rowling pretty much wrote this generations’ Star Wars.

I am the first one to admit I am not a fan of fantasy. I really don’t read it because I don’t relate. Even when I was a kid and everyone around me fantasized about living in a castle and riding unicorns, I was wondering what it would be like to travel through time and live in space. Still, to this day, if I had a choice to read about the renaissance or modern day history, I will always choose the modern. It’s in my blood. Which is why Harry Potter is all the better of a book.

Because if you can make me, a self-professed non fantasy reader, read and enjoy fantasy, you are doing something right.

It is the classic tale of an everyman who ends up finding out he is the one meant to save everyone, at least Muggles anyway. The thing I love about Harry Potter is that even though there is attention paid to building the world of Hogwart’s, readers are not drowned in a sea of fantastical jargon and otherworldly creatures. Are they in there? Sure. But they aren’t what drives the story.

Classism, family, and friendships are what the story is about. Everything else is a side note. So, I am able to believe in this world and love these characters as if they were my friends because I know them inside and out. I know their interests, personalities, quirks, and their entire families. Rowling weaves a tale so strongly bound by family and relationships that rather than me thinking “here we go with trolls and dragons”, I think “Is someone going to get hurt? Will they go back for Harry?” These are the things that pull me through the pages.

Not to mention, I love how Rowling takes cues from Greek and Roman mythology rather than relying on just the typical “fantasy” type beings. Cerberus, a phoenix, and a bit of Pandora ’s Box all make appearances.

It is a book series that will stand the test of time as not only great world building, wonderful craft and structure, and damn entertaining storytelling.

This one has a tissue index of: one to ten depending on which book you are reading.

4.       The Giver by Lois Lowry

 

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.”

The Giver was my first dystopian novel I ever read aimed directly at teens. Before then my experience in science fiction dsytopic worlds were always for adults; the classics like Brave New World or 1984. Those books were my favorite in school. And still, when I think about them, I think about how amazing they still are. They continue to fuel my imagination as a writer.

But what Lois Lowry did was what I would call nothing short of amazing. She made dystopia reachable to teenagers. She asked the big questions all dsytopic writers ask: “What if?” And every year, as I teach this novel, I fall in love with it all over. It is simply put, one of the best books ever written, period. And it is the best book for teens specifically.

The plot is simple. Jonas lives in a utopian society where everything is wonderful. No poverty. No greed. No hunger. No war. Everyone is happy. Until Jonas receives his Assignment and meets his mentor and trainer, The Giver. Soon, the perfect world he lives in is uncovered bit by bit to be dark, twisted, and horrifying.

Lowry’s prose is gorgeous, her descriptions poignant, and the way she delivers one twist after another, it awes me. She pulls me into this futuristic world by making me think it is one thing, then as we figure out the rules for the world, she pulls the curtain back, revealing the darkness behind each rule.

The book is an easy read for most middle schoolers, but the content and ideas should be discussed. She uses symbols, allusions, character foils and it’s only as you get further into the book, you realized the things you thought you read, were never there.

Lowry is a master at her craft. And the ending? It is my favorite part. Though it is a bit polarizing, it leaves the reader without a clear resolution. The ending is interpretive and it is for each reader to understand for themselves. It was a bold move, and I think it worked.

If you have never read it, you must. Again, a short read, only 180 pages. You won’t regret it.

This one has a tissue index of: five tissues

 

5.       Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

 

“It seems to me that we can’t explain all the truly awful things in the world like war and murder and brain tumors, and we can’t fix these things, so we look at the frightening things that are closer to us and we magnify them until they burst open. Inside is something that we can manage, something that isn’t as awful as it had a first seemed. It is a relief to discover that although there might be axe murderers and kidnappers in the world, most people seem a lot like us: sometimes afraid and sometimes brave, sometimes cruel and sometimes kind.”

This is a perfect instance where you cannot judge a book by its cover. I wish the folks who did the cover would get off their butts and change it though, because this is a book I never wanted to pick up. It just looked “boring.” I have never been more wrong in my life.

This book is everything a book should be: meaningful, poetic, rich in character and in verse, story, humor, just everything.

This story is actually a story within a story within a story. It literally has three levels and completely different story strings in it. The first, on the surface, is about a girl, Salamanca Tree Hiddle, who goes on a cross country adventure with her grandparents using the same journey her mother disappeared on many years ago. As she is traveling and stopping at destinations like the Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone, she entertains her grandparents with a story about some of her friends, one Phoebe Winterbottom who shares the experience of a missing mom. As she tells the story of Phoebe’s mom, it begins to mirror her own search. At the same time, Sal’s grandparents tell Sal about how her grandparents met, then about her mom’s childhood and life.

Because the stories interweave, readers are always left wanting more of the story they were hearing, thus keeping them turning the page. At the end, you realized nothing is what you thought and every prediction you made was wrong.

Every character from Sal, to Phoebe, to the grandparents, to the lady with the red hair, comically named Ms. Cadaver, are so rich and developed. Creech writes with beauty and wit and wisdom, but crafts it from a tween’s point of view so effortlessly. Past and present is entwined in a mosaic of words and images that are flawless. It is books like these that make me want to be a better writer. If you have ever wanted to write multiple narratives into one book, you need to read this to see how it is done well.

This book is so much beyond a coming of age story. Again, it is about family bonds, friendships, and garnering the strength to move on even when all you want to do is bury your head in the sand. It is deep and moving. And it is one of the best middle grade books ever written.

Oh yeah…this one has a tissue index of: A WHOLE DAMN BOX.

6.       Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

 

“She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl. We did not know what to make of her. In our minds we tried to pin her to a cork board like a butterfly, but the pin merely went through and away she flew.”

This is one of the few middle grade stories that are told with a male protagonist, which is why this is a great book for both males and females. Though Leo is 16 and in high school, this book reads like a middle grade book because of its easy flow and nice pace. It takes the view of Leo, who is curious all people are, about the new girl in school. Susan, who goes by the name of Stargirl, is someone who marches to her own beat.

Stargirl knows everyone’s birthday, dances in the rain, sets her desk up with a tablecloth and flowers in a vase,  and cheers for the opposing basketball teams. At first, people shun her, but soon they begin to appreciate her new ways of approaching life.

However, as time goes by, what people used to love about Stargirl when she was new become the things they make fun of her for now.  Leo, however, continues to see something in her that he can’t let go. But when Leo and Stargirl get close, he asks her to become like everyone else. She obliges, but the light she once had begins to fade. Leo gets stuck between being happy or letting Stargirl go and learns a powerful lesson about acceptance and the cost of individuality.

With a lightness and touch of humor, as usual with Spinelli, we experience how hard it is to be in high school and we relearn the lessons we all know so well. Spinelli is a wizard at creating contemporary novels with characters who live on the fringe of society and his constant message is that we need to look at these people who seem so different from us, and learn from them, perhaps becoming our own version of strange.

After reading Stargirl, you’ll want your very own Stargirl singing songs on the ukulele and buying you your own version of a porcupine necktie. Oh, and you’ll find yourself talking to Mr. Saguaro too.

Tissue rating: 1-2 tissues

 

7.       Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby

 

This was a difficult decision for me, whether to put this on the list or not. I decided to put it on here because not of the great storytelling, although it is decent. I put it here for the characterization of a deaf girl who because of her mother’s own fears keep her isolated emotionally and socially from her peers by not letting her daughter learn how to read and understand sign language.

The other reason I put it on this list was for the amazing story of a friendship between animal and human. The story is loosely based in reality.

Joey is a 13 year old deaf girl struggling to fit into a hearing world. Joey was not born deaf, but came to it due to a tragedy that I won’t go into as I don’t want to spoil it. Let’s just say she struggles with her mom because her mother is so afraid of anything else happening to her and feels guilty. While it is hard to believe a parent would do such a thing, learning the reason why helps a bit.

But the strongest part of the story is when Joey meets a local scientist who is teaching a chimp how to sign. Through the friendship that forms between Joey and Sukari, Joey begins to learn how to communicate. About midway through the book, the story slides into a slightly different narrative. The story soon changes when Charlie, the scientist, suffers a heart attack and dies, thus leaving Sukari homeless. And without the means or the legal authority to take care of a “wild animal” Sukari has to be taken to a research facility.

There are some pretty horrific scenes not for the faint of heart. I literally cried out loud as I read this section. As an animal lover, it is hard to read. And the fallout is pretty traumatic. Though the bias and slant of this book is pretty evident, it doesn’t take away from the power of the book.

The continual piece threaded throughout the text is that Joey struggles to find her place in a world not made for her, and her trial mirrors Sukari’s search for a safe place of her own. In order to help Sukari, both Joey and her mother must face their fears.

It’s a powerful story of triumph, courage, strength, and forgiveness.

I give it a tissue rating of 5.

So that’s it for now. I may add to this later as I read more books. Middle grade fiction is a tricky thing. You want a book to be not too heavy but to stand the test of time, it needs to hit all the right notes. For me, every single one of these do that, yet all in different ways.

If you read one of these, let me know what you think.

If you have any other recommendations for middle grade must reads, please leave them in the comments below!

Next week: my picks for the top YA books. J

 

 

 

The Nine

It is my super duper pleasure to introduce you to one of the most fabulous people on twitter and the planet. Miss J Elizabeth Hill. She has written some incredible books, which you can now purchase for an amazing deal (see links below) and it's my honor show off her newest work, The Nine.

THE NINE

The Mirrors of Bershan, Book 3

Description

Civil unrest is being stirred by unseen hands in the Rianzire Empire. The Prince’s secret has been revealed; laws have been changed. Worse, a second Mirror of Bershan has gone missing. When the Emperor involves himself directly in this mystery, the results are disastrous.

After defeating the demon Aviatrez, Faylanna and Tavis return to Rianza, hoping their troubles are over. Faylanna is uneasy about the recently revealed truths of her childhood. Tavis is worried for his father, Crown Prince Keari. They find all is not well and nothing is as expected on their arrival.

Unable to ignore her problems performing magic any longer, Faylanna insists on leaving Rianza in search of a solution. Tavis’s inability to come with her is no deterrent, nor is the unborn child she carries. Faylanna leaves his side as Tavis is duty-bound to remain in the capital with his father. For the first time since meeting, they’re parted and neither expect the reaction of the magical bond they created between them.

Can Tavis fulfill his duties and survive unexpected challenges, even as he fights the constant demand from their bond to find her? Is there a solution for Faylanna to find and what will be the price if she finds one?

Available on:

Kindle             Smashwords              Kobo               Nook               Print

and if you haven't yet read her first of the series, here it is. I mean, come on...the cover is GORGEOUS! Plus, she's a stellar writer too. 

BOUND

The Mirrors of Bershan, Book 1

Description

"Doesn't she know you can't do real magic alone?"

Faylanna Derrion’s graduation from the Voleno Academy is marred by her father’s demand that she return to the family estate, Iondis. He refuses to accept her decision not to bind herself to another Magicia in an unbreakable partnership, insisting she must do so with his help. No one understands her need to prove she can succeed on her own.

Then her mentor and his partner are taken before her eyes by a terrible darkness, forcing her to flee, even as her father’s soldiers try to force her to go home. On her journey to find help, she meets Tavis, a farmer in search of his mother, who she can’t manage to refuse. The revelation that he’s a novice Magicia causes Faylanna to question everything she’s believed.

At the same time, a dream that’s haunted her since childhood begins to change and the unknown man in it calls to her. His words are sweet but she’s not quite willing to believe he’s anything more than a dream, until she can’t deny it.

As secrets are revealed and events unfold, will Faylanna hold to her solitary path or will she choose the one that now beckons her with new possibilities?

Available on:

Kindle             Smashwords              Kobo               Nook            Print

POSSESSION

The Mirrors of Bershan, Book 2

Description:

"I never meant any of this, least of all for you to pay the price of my pride."

After binding themselves to each other through their magic, Faylanna Derrion and Tavis journey back to her ancestral home, Iondis, intent on restoring the estate to its former beauty. From the moment they arrive, they find the secret horrors of the place aren't exhausted yet.

Faylanna finds an old journal of her father's, one that shakes her understanding of her own past. Worse, Faylanna and Tavis are both nearly killed when attacked by one of the men set to guard the Ninth Mirror of Bershan, still residing at Iondis. In the aftermath, he disappears with the newly-found journal. Sure there is more to this event than they know, Faylanna and Tavis return to the capital, Rianza, for help.

More secrets await them there, ones kept for years by people Tavis never suspected. When the truth is revealed, it alters his present and future completely, just when he thought he understood the path his life would take. Can he rise to the challenges this new fate presents him with or will the change be more than he can handle?

The truths each learn about themselves and those they thought they knew will test Faylanna and Tavis' love for each other. Will they be able to endure the pain and chaos they face, or will it tear them apart?

Available on:

Kindle                          Smashwords             Kobo               Nook               Print

 

About the AWESOME Author

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Julie Elizabeth Hill exported herself to Vancouver, British Columbia after many years of staring longingly at the map following every snowfall. For as long as she can remember, she's been making up stories, but it wasn't until high school that someone suggested writing them down. Since then, she's been hopelessly in love with story crafting, often forgetting about everything else in the process. She is the author of The Mirrors of Bershan trilogy (Bound, Possession and The Nine).

Twitter: @jlizhill

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/16OrgYo

Blog: http://jelizabethhill.wordpress.com

Murica: The Big Fat Ugly Truth

I have a confession. And it's totally secret. Which is why it makes absolutely no sense that I am about to share it with who knows how many people. But I think it needs to be let out. I think it's time for me to stop hiding it and come clean.

If you're looking for a post that will make you laugh or feel good, this isn’t the one. Normally, I try to be light and humorous. But regarding what I am about to lay on all of you, there is no way to make light of it.

You see, about five minutes before writing this, I was sitting on the floor in my walk-in closet, organizing my work out clothes (of all things…oh the irony), crying. Yep. As in bawling my eyes out which are now a lovely shade of puffy. 

And here is what I was crying about.

Me. My naturally curly and frizzy hair. The way my eyes are two different sizes. The moles and freckles that dot my face. My pudgy chin. My short but chubby neck. My thick eyebrows I need to make an appointment to wax. By boobs that are too big. The cellulite I have on my thighs. My skin being brown and not the peachy pale I wish I had. And the size 4 clothes I probably will never fit in again that are piled up on my ever hopeful shelf which serves as an everyday reminder of just how chubby I have become. And the thought that no man will ever, ever, see me on the street and think "My word, she is gorgeous."

Now I know what you are all thinking. "What is she talking about? Every woman feels this way. You should embrace all of those things." I know. I know. I've heard the drill. I know I should look in the mirror and see the beauty in myself. I know I need to shift my thinking. I know it could be worse. And I know that what is inside is more important and blah, blah, blah. And I know it sounds shallow. 

But I'm crying because even though I know all of that, even though I try to change the way I view myself…I can't. Why?

Because for my entire life, I have watched images of beauty on the TV. I've poured over the magazines like Cosmo, People, and 17. And before you ask, yes, I know they are airbrushed. You know what? Doesn't help knowing that. And here's why. 

I am a mutt. I'm part Mexican, Portuguese, and Welsh/Scottish/English with other parts of Europe thrown in for fun. Because of the Latina in me, the dark coloring and eyes, hair, etc is what is dominant in me. The perfect picture of diversity. And even as a little girl, growing up in beach cities in Southern California, this was a problem. Because everywhere I looked, no one looked like me. They were all carbon copies of Barbie, but with less bosom and a a better zip code.

Growing up, I dreamed of being beautiful like the people I saw around me. I made runways in my living room and practiced walking. At thirteen, I walked myself to the local modeling agency and asked to sign up. (They said no, obviously) I rehearsed interviews that I just knew someday I would be giving. And Oscar speeches, because like most models, my career would phase into acting. (Ha.)

I wanted so much just to look like one of them. The beautiful people. They were the ones who had dates. They were the ones who got asked to prom. They were the ones boys pined over and men wrote love songs and poems about.

So I had to learn how to make myself look like I belonged, like I wasn't a complete outsider. And in Southern Cali, that is no easy task. Because I did and still do not fit the typical image.

Me? I was always rounder. Thicker. Shorter. Half curly hair, half wavy, all frizzy. I'm petite in size but not in clothing. I have hips and boobs and a full face. Typical Hispanic features. I didn't have a squeaky cute voice or an amazing talent that would make me stand out. There was nothing remarkable about me. So, I did everything I could to make myself more like them.

I colored my hair. I tried to mold myself into a replica of every beautiful girl on TV and in pictures. I looked to the girls around me. The blondes with cute freckles, the girls with straight bodies and no curves, their hair glistened in the sun, their cheeks bronzed lightly from an unintentional tan, and they all could fit easily into a size 2. They looked just like the models, so this MUST be what beauty is. At least to me, it was.

They wore surfing clothes? So did I. They tanned? So did I. They bleached their hair blond? I tried. Came out orange. Nice. They were thin? I pretty much became anorexic. There was one point, at age 20, when I got onto the scale and saw 95 pounds, and the first thought I had, was "Awesome, now if I could lose another 5." Then I got off the scale, looked into the mirror and saw the fat still on my upper thighs and my pooch stomach. 

Those doubts and insecurities continued as each guy I dated would end up dumping me because he liked someone else better. She was always blond. Or redheaded. And thin. Awesome. 

That pretty much remained into my young adulthood. Then, finally, I met the man of my dreams and got married. Finally, my dream had come true. I'd found someone to love me and see me as beautiful. Except it wasn't like that. You see, he liked thin girls. Blond girls. Girls who looked like they were straight out of a magazine. For a decade, I was in a relationship where I was told I was too chubby, fat, starting to look overweight. I was told to go on diets and exercise and eat healthy. I was told "if you lose weight, we can have another kid." Or "You should get your boobs reduced, they're too big." "You should lighten your hair." I was never told anything remotely positive. So, not only did I not feel beautiful, I felt ugly. And it only reinforced everything I grew up thinking. By the way, throughout my marriage my weight was around 120. Sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less.

Yes, I know. He was a jerk. That is why we are now divorced. But I am still that girl, looking in the mirror, seeing how I compare to others. I see how men tweet about these gorgeously beautiful women, celebrities, and models. The pictures they use as "inspiration" for their writing. How is that so different from what my ex did? It really isn’t. It's still saying in no uncertain terms, that those women are the ideal. Because as much as I can look at one of those women and agree they are beautiful, I look back in a mirror and see how I look nothing like them. So what does that make me?

Because the reality is, and we women know it, what America sees as beautiful, becomes beautiful.

"But Carey, America is diverse now! We see tons of images of Latina and dark skinned women these days! There isn't one stock image of beauty! Rejoice! Your time has come!" you say.

Right. Because when we see guys drooling over models and celebrities, they're all ethnically diverse. HA. And realistic in size and proportion to what real women are. HAHA. One look at twitter says we haven't come very far in our unrealistic ideals. I see men and women alike, sharing pictures of these perfectly sculpted, gorgeous women and men, swooning and oo'ing and aww'ing because these people are somehow so much better than anyone else.

"But Carey! Look at Penelope Cruz! Salma Hayek! Jennifer Lopez! Selena Gomez! See? Dark is IN!" Please point me to the one who is over a size 6. Not to mention…these are not the women that show up when guys are tweeting pictures of what they find beautiful while swooning and OMGing.

"But, Carey, it’s all in fun. We are writers, readers, we want the fantasy!"

But isn't that the point? We can't want what is real and in front of us. We want to covet the things that are more beautiful than the reality. Because obviously, if a guy could get Jennifer Lawrence, don't you think he'd want that? Do you think in a heartbeat, if there were two women, equally as beautiful on the inside, and one was average height, weight, size (which by the way is 12 in women's sizes) and one was a replica of Jennifer Lawrence, and both of them wanted him equally, any man would pick the average one? They wouldn't. Then what does that make the rest of us? Second choice. 

And when we escape into a book, we want to picture our fantasy. This only exacerbates the whole problem. Because someday, a teenage girl is going to pick up that book, and the next one, and the next one, and the next…and after a while a clear image is going to emerge. That a heroic, amazing main character worthy of love and affection, is beautiful. And the Bella trope…you know the one…the girl who thinks she isn’t beautiful…but really is...that's so sweet that some authors attempt at making average characters average. Except that the "average" girl in these books is far from it. And we all know it.

And I'm just as guilty. When I write my characters, I don't picture me. I picture thin, bosom, blondes or thin, athletic redheads with cute freckles and blue eyes. Or pale beauties with ebony hair and waif-like features. So I'm just as bad as everyone else. I, of everyone, should be writing ethnic characters who aren't like everyone else. Ones who serve as an accurate portrayal of what girls and women actually look like. So why haven’t I?

Because when I think of beautiful, I think of what America tells me is.  Whether it is adorkable Zooey Deschanel, or quirky Jennifer Lawrence, or beautiful and funny Emma Stone, whether they have glasses or not, wear t-shirts and jeans, or wear Prada, none of them look remotely like me. 

So, I sit in my closet and cry. Because no matter what I do, I will never look like that. And I will always feel second. Because the truth is, some of you reading this, DO look like that. Two of my best friends DO look like that. So it's not that no one looks like that. It's me that doesn’t. And America, no matter how ugly or nasty it sounds, doesn’t like what's real. And we want the dream. We want the pretty. We starve ourselves, spend money we shouldn’t, we go to spas and hair salons, we fret over every flaw, because we want to be closer to beautiful. 

And for those women who can honestly say they don't? Those of you who, every day, look at themselves and think they're beautiful; bless you, because you aren’t the norm. And I'm not talking about telling yourself you're beautiful…I am talking about an honest to God, deep down, no doubt about it, knowledge that you are beautiful. I envy that.

For what it's worth, I never was asked to prom. Or a date until I was 20…ironically when I was anorexic…take that to mean what you want. 

So, I shared a lot. Probably over-shared. I tend to do that. But writing this blog helped. It didn't change how I see myself, and I certainly am not wanting or expecting a host of "You are beautiful" comments. That wasn't what this was about. This was about being honest with myself and how it feels being a square peg in a round-holed world. 

This was a reminder that, not intentionally, as writers, and as people, we often keep this ideal of beauty going in the words we write, the characters we create, and the images we circulate via social media and conversation. Every time we craft a deliciously perfect love interest or a stunningly gorgeous heroine, we are defining what readers young and old see as beautiful. And with that, continuing a judgement that those who don't fit that image, aren't. It's our job as writers to be aware of this. Then maybe, we can change this problem.

And I know I am not alone in feeling this way. And if you have ever felt the same, my closet door is always open. Bring Kleenex. And cookies.

The Elephant in the Classroom: thoughts on the Common Core and why they aren't all that bad.

So I am a little irritated and I’m going to go on a teaching rant. I usually save my blog for things writing related, but since this has to do with the Common Core and reading in general, I feel like this is a good place to post it.

This is going to be a bit of a mash up of things. Common misconceptions of what the common core is, as well as what I see is the purpose of the Common Core.

To begin with, let me state for the record that when I first began teaching, I completely disagreed with the idea of standardized testing and general standards. They, I argued, went against how people develop at different rates and styles.

And indeed that is still true, but that is not what the Common Core attempts to do. What it tries to do is give sort of milestones where students should developmentally be at certain times in their lives. For example, as babies grow and develop, they are expected to hit different developmental milestones. Crawling around age 5-6 months, surfing at age 8 months, walking by 12-16 months. If children, who all develop at various speeds, do not hit a milestone within a given time, it usually happens eventually. But, if they never begin walking after 2 years, as parents we need to know that something is off.

I say this because this happened to me. I wasn’t walking at 2 ½ years old and my mom was worried. Why? What was going on that I wasn’t even motivated to do so? Well, it had to do with the fact that I couldn’t see. I was almost legally blind. But this hadn’t been figured out yet. Once doctors identified the problem, it made sense. I was too scared and unfamiliar with my environment to master that milestone. Had there been no target, how long may it have been until someone realized what was wrong?

This is the purpose of the Common Core. To develop a common standard of where students should be as determined by the cognitive abilities they have at a certain time period. For instance, you can’t expect a child who has not mastered ability to recognize that words have symbolic meaning and that symbols stand for sounds to learn to read. A child who has not yet learned to use different ways of solving a problem will have a hard time understanding math. It’s simple, yet complicated. And often, when criticizing education, people forget these basic understandings. Therein lies the problem in education.

What parents and the public see as trying a “one size fit all” education, is really just trying to identify the appropriate stages at which students can best learn. And standards, and the controversial standard based grading (which I do) is meant to be used as a guide to telling parents “hey, your kid isn’t walking yet” (metaphorically speaking). But it’s misinterpreted.

Myth #1: Common Core deemphasizes reading

·         INSTEAD it makes reading of ALL texts of primary importance. What’s more, it states that reading needs to be done AT GRADE LEVEL OR ABOVE, instead of what happens now, which is most of the reading material is far below grade level. While I am not saying things like picture books and lower reading levels can’t be used in a classroom in middle school, I AM saying that it should be used in CONJUNCTION with higher level material so students are exposed to vocabulary and the more sophisticated sentence structures found in higher level text. Because it’s not JUST about content.

Myth #2: Common Core emphasizes non-fiction reading

·         INSTEAD: It emphasized MORE nonfiction reading in specific content areas.

o   I am going to be honest and blunt here. There is a SEVERE problem in this country’s schools. And it has to do with a lot of things. It’s not a one problem issue. And parents…listen up.

§  Problem 1: Elementary schools aren’t doing a good job of pushing students. It’s a hard job, being an elementary school teacher. You have to know a little about a lot. And you are responsible for teaching science, reading, writing, speaking and listening, math, health, and more ie. social skills and penmanship. It’s crazy how much they do. And most elementary school teachers have a generalized degree. In all areas. So no single content is very specific. So it is up to the teacher to decide what and how they're going to teach. And up to now and the introduction of the common core, teachers have taught “what they like and know”. Which results in a phenomena I call “the Dinosaur Unit”. It represents a teacher’s favorite topic. And it goes like this:

·         “We’re gonna read about dinosaurs (nonfiction), then read a picture book about dinosaurs (fiction), then do dinosaur math, science about dinosaurs, make an art project about dinosaurs, cook a dinosaur muffin, you get the idea. And hey, who doesn’t love a good dinosaur lesson? I do. But the inherent problem is …what the hell do dinosaurs have to do with anything? Not a lot. And while they are pretty cool…next year when the teacher wants to teach about ladybugs, there is no real connection. Common Core will get rid of that. Because instead, the focus will be on something like this:

·         Compare information from multiple sources on a topic and evaluate which source contains less bias

Which one do you think is more rigorous? And hell…use a damn dinosaur book to do that. Yay dinosaurs. But do you see how the focus shifted? THAT’S WHY THE COMMON CORE EXISTS. So no matter where your kid is, if they are in a certain grade, they're all cognitively doing the same thing. And guess what? The materials are still (for the most part) at the teacher’s discretion. So there still is room for individuality.

·         Problem 2: The truth is, statistically, by the time a child is behind in 3^rd grade, there is a 30% chance that the same child will be behind in middle school. If the child is still behind in middle school, chances increase that the child will drop out by tenth grade. The fact is, that by the time they hit middle school (which is where I teach) there is little TEACHERS can do to make the jumps they need to make to get to grade level. I simply a) do not have the specific background and b) do not have the time to teach students how to learn phonemic awareness consecutively while teaching kids how to comprehend a book like Night for theme and analysis. So the kid in my class, who reads at a 3^rd grade level (books like Beverly Cleary or Captain Underpants) is expected to also be reading Night by Elie Wiesel.

So how did that kid make it to 8^th grade without having the skills to be successful? Again, being blunt. Because we're so worried about their feelings and what they might feel like if we hold them back, that they get pushed forward. So, they weren’t successful in 3^rd grade, they feel dumb in 6^th because they still don’t have the skills to do what everyone else is doing, then they develop behavior and avoidance problems to cope. Then they are in 8^th grade and completely feel lost and dumb, and like they don’t like school. Because who likes something when they feel like they fail at it every day? By the time they hit high school, they've already decided school is not for them and they drop out. It’s sad. So have we really saved them from anything?

Part of that issue is that most schools can’t legally do any kind of special education and developmental testing until…second grade. That’s right. They won’t diagnose a kid with reading or writing problems until second grade. But guess when most reading problems occur? That’s right…kindergarten. So by the time they can be tested, they already are behind. That needs to change. And if a parent doesn’t advocate for testing AND a teacher doesn’t advocate for testing, guess what? That kid could go through ALL OF SCHOOL with NO ONE EVER KNOWING WHY THEY MAY HAVE STRUGGLED. It’s both sad and discouraging when I advocate for testing for a kid in 8^th grade and find out they had reading development issues that could have been helped in third grade had they been tested earlier. And sometimes, we teachers have to ARGUE against administrators, counselors, and specialists who don’t think they need testing. It’s ridiculous how hard it is to get a kid tested. Most struggling readers missed something in kindergarten and first grade…ie. they missed a critical understanding of chunking or phonemes, or fluency building, etc. If identified in first grade and if there were programs and extra help in first grade, it would be easily fixable. So, why aren't we doing that? Why do we wait until it becomes so difficult to fix? I don’t have an answer.

·         Problem 3: In middle school and high school, there is prevalence in the thinking that teaching reading is for ELA teachers (English Language Arts). To me, this is the problem that pisses me off the most.  I can’t tell you how many times students have come to me and said, “My PE teacher told me to write this paper and give it to you to grade? Or my science teacher said you would look and edit our science papers?” My reaction: Uh…hell no. I already grade my own assignments thank you. Your science teacher is completely capable of correcting your work. They even went to college.

And now, ELA teachers are buying into that line of thinking. They are being sold the message that it is now an ADDED responsibility to teach nonfiction texts to all we have to do anyway. Think of it this way, while before science teachers only were responsible for science content, ELA are and continue to be responsible for reading standards (non fiction and fiction), writing standards, and traditionally speaking and listening standards. So for every one standard science or math had, ELA had three. And now people think we need to add more to an already overtaxed load? No.

 Now that we have Common Core, there are many reactions from the ELA teachers (AND principals and districts, etc that are driving the reation) which is this:

“Oh no, there is an emphasis on nonfiction. We need our ELA teachers to teach more nonfiction and stop teaching and reading so much fiction. YIKES.”

Then there is this mass rush to read nonfiction texts in English class based on an incorrect assumption.

BULLSHIT. Math teachers are expected to teach math. Science teachers are expected to teach science. Guess what Literacy and literature teachers are supposed to teach….any guesses? That’s right. Literature. As in fiction. As in if I stop teaching metaphor and hyperbole and theme and symbolism and parallelism and idioms, who is going to teach it? Science? Nope. Math? Don’t think so. So, that’s my curriculum. And I should not be expected to nor does the Common Core expect me to stop teaching those. In fact, there is a HUGE strand of ELA standards specifically for literature that, for sure, won’t be taught anywhere else. So, if I don’t teach that, who will? So, to say, that the Common Core is making me, an English teacher stop teaching literature is bullshit, and anyone who tells a parent different is speaking out their ass. And should be directed to the ELA Literature standards. Period. Which FYI are here: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy

So, then how…do we get more nonfiction? Guess what….that means every single teacher in this country, regardless of what content they teach…are now responsible for teaching reading and writing. Novel concept. And people (teachers who aren't English teachers) will have a fit. But I don’t care. Because according to the COMMON CORE…it is now in their standards. So now, science has nonfiction reading standards IN SCIENCE. AND HISTORY has their own set. Which means, THEY need to pick up the slack in nonfiction reading skills, not dole more out to the ELA teachers who ALREADY carry the lion's share of standards. Because at the secondary level, they too…are teaching the infamous “dinosaur unit” just in a more developed way. Let me illustrate:

o   Science teacher Joe says: I can’t be responsible for teaching writing and grammar and reading. I have all my content to get through. I’m not a reading teacher. (if I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I would be Oprah.) YES. YOU. ARE.

o   Instead of say teaching cellular respiration, you are now giving students a text on cellular respiration, then asking (AND TEACHING THEM HOW) them to analyze charts, pictures, graphs (nonfiction reading) and perhaps teaching them how to read a cause and effect text structure to glean information. Or sequential text structure. Because WE READ NONFICTION DIFFERENTLY than FICTION. And THAT MUST BE TAUGHT. And where better to teach that, then in a class with NONFICTION CONTENT. The STANDARD/SKILL is what you teach, the CONTENT is what you use to teach that standard. And usually in science and history, the way most students are taught…are taught through…ding ding ding…nonfiction text. So, history teachers need to stop lecturing about all the things they know about (called the sage on the stage syndrome)…and instead have students read personal accounts, historical records, primary documents to learn about history. Read newspapers for current events. Read Popular Science articles to connect science to current issues. READING is how the content SHOULD BE delivered. Which will require a science teacher to teach READING STRATEGIES AND SKILLS to pull information, annotate texts, think critically about NONFICTION. And that is what the COMMON CORE IS ATTEMPTING TO DO. Because the best way people AND KIDS learn is by interacting with text, talking about text, making inferences, predictions, analyzing and evaluating text. Of all types. In all classes. Period.

In a nutshell, we need to, as teachers, increase the amount of time students spend on ALL TYPES OF TEXTS. Including fiction. And ELA teachers need to have time to teach their content. Because it is true, reading is the ONE skill that is a gateway to others. To get to be a better writer, what does everyone suggest? Read. To learn about history? Read. To learn how the solar system works and how tectonic plates shift? Read. Even math problems require certain vocabulary and teaching students how to READ to know what is being asked of them. Reading is hands down the most important skill we can teach our children. And to say it is only the English teacher's responsibility is not only asinine, but it's dangerous.

And as far as standards go, students SHOULD be held to high expectations in the classroom. Before standards, I could teach whatever I wanted. If I wanted to teach a poem unit, I would.  I never once thought about what I wanted the purpose to be. Now, it’s the first question I ask. And as a writer, it comes in pretty handy too. Fact is, I am a better teacher since I've switched from teaching “my content” and started teaching skills. And, I’ve been doing that long before Common Core told me to. It’s about time the rest of the country catch up.

Parents can help by becoming not only educated in the Common Core, but find the year of schooling your child is at, and familiarize yourself with the standards for that year. You have to read the voting pamphlets to vote (or you should), doesn't your child deserve the same attention paid to them as a political representative?

As a parent and a teacher, it is my responsibility to become aware, involved, and an advocate for my child, because who else is better suited to do so.

Finally, the fact is our kids have been graduating high school unable to keep up with the demands of college. And you only have to look at your schools approved novel list to see that. When you look at the texts being read and taught, most of them are at levels much lower than students should be able to read. We need to increase the amount and difficulty of text. And we need to prepare our kids with the skills to handle that text. So, the old way of teaching, needs to go the way of the dinosaurs. And the dinosaur unit. Because our kids deserve better.

End rant.