Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gantos, Jack. 2002. HOLE IN MY LIFE. New York, NY. Farrar, Straus and Giroux Publishers. ISBN: 0374430896

2.  SUMMARY

Written by Gantos himself, this book tells of his teenage years just right before finishing high school. Gantos finds himself alone and without supervision which often places him in dangerous situations. The final act, that put him in prison, was smuggling hash from the Caribbean island of St. Croix up to the northern coast of the US to New York for ten thousand dollars in the summer of 1971. An aspiring writer at the time, Gantos shares with the reader one of the darkest times in his life.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This memoir written by notable young adult author jack Gantos, takes a look at a few years into his troublesome youth. The account takes place in the summer of 1971. While Gantos sets up the back story about his growing up and family relocations, he emphasizes his desire to always wanting to be a writer and attend college. In his struggle to gather the funds needed for college, he offers to captain a boat from the Caribbean to the US East Coast to deliver and eventually sell hash in New York City. What seemed like an easy way to earn ten thousand dollars turned out to be one that dimmed his future. After being watched for weeks by federal agents, Gantos was arrested and placed in prison for his part in the illegal selling and distribution of a controlled substance. Publisher’s weekly reviewer writes,

“Knowing that the narrator is destined to land in jail keeps suspense at a high pitch, but this book's remarkable achievement is the multiple points of view that emerge, as experiences force a fledgling writer to continually revise his perspective of himself and the world around him”

The book then goes on to provide an in-depth look of the sensitive and intelligent boy residing behind a tough exterior. Due to his young age, being a first time offender and some fortunate luck, Gantos served 15 month in prison. The majority of it away from the normal inmate population as Gantos was able to talk his way into a job in the hospital wing of the prison.

Gantos simple writing as he writes about his life and the experiences he had can easily be understood and the ramifications of his actions are definitely felt by the reader. Gantos writes about prison life,

“From my cell window I could see a line of houses in the distance. All week the people had been putting up Halloween decorations. We didn't celebrate Halloween in prison . . . or, I should say, every day in prison was scarier than any Halloween, so there was no reason to do anything special on October 31st.”

Without having to go into an adult interpretation of prison life,readers get just enough information to signify that prison is a place they do not want to be. And if the thought of other inmates wasn’t enough of a detour, Gantos uses his descriptive writing to remind the readers that there is more to be concerned about in prison than just other inmates,

“The food in prison was a greasy diet of salted chicken gizzards in larded gravy, chicken wings with oily cheese sauce and deep-fried chicken necks.”

Gantos descriptions convey to the reader that one mistake can change a person’s life forever. As young adults are often faced with choices that can have impacts on their future as adults, A Hole in My Life provides a true account of making the right choices when faced with tough choices. The details are well written and the plot holds the readers interest. The use of the author’s mug shot on the cover lends to the severity of the topic matter and gives readers an idea of what they will be encountering within the pages.

From reading the memoir, you become familiar with how smart and bright the author was at the time and is today. You feel his passion for wanting to be a writer in his youth and understand his lack of guidance to get him in a place where his creativity could be developed. In the book Gantos states that he wanted to take a Creative Writing class but the prerequisite was that you must have all A’s to get in. As a teacher, I know that all A’s doesn’t mean you’re the brightest just as failing grades doesn’t mean your aren’t one of the brightest. Fortunately, Gantos never gave up on his dream to write and didn’t let his past set him back further.

Hole in my life is definitely for older young adult readers. With topics of drugs, sex and prison life I would place this in the high school level.

4. AWARDS/REVIEWS

American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults

American Library Association Notable Children's Books

American Library Association Popular Paperbacks for Young Readers

Michael L. Printz Award – Honor

Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library

Parents' Choice Award Winner

Booklist Editors' Choice

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Award; Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year

Robert F. Sibert Award – Honor

Massachusetts Children's Book Award

KIRKUS STARRED review: "This true tale of the worst year in the author's life will be a big surprise for his many fans . . .This is a story of mistakes, dues, redemption, and finally success at what he always wanted to do: write books."

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: “After penning a number of novels for preteens, including the Joey Pigza books and the Jack series, Gantos makes a smooth transition as he addresses an older audience. He uses the same bold honesty found in his fiction to offer a riveting autobiographical account of his teen years and the events may well penetrate the comfort zone of even the most complacent young adults.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Author Web Site: www.jackgantos.com

Other Books by Jack Gantos:

The Jack Henry Books

Jack Adrift: Fourth Grade Without a Clue (2003)

Jack on the Tracks: Four Seasons of Fifth Grade (1999)

Jack's Black Book (1999)

Jack's New Power: Stories from a Caribbean Year (1995)

Heads or Tails: Stories from the Sixth Grade (1994)

The Joey Pigza Books

What Would Joey Do? (2002)

Joey Pigza Loses Control (2000)

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key (1998)

The Rotten Ralph Rotten Readers

Practice Makes Perfect for Rotten Ralph (2002)

Rotten Ralph Helps Out (2001)

Young Adult

Desire Lines (1997)

Other Authors' Memoirs Geared for a Young Adult Audience:

Chris Crutcher, King of the Mild Frontier: an Ill-Advised Autobiography (2003)

Walter Dean Myers, Bad Boy: A Memoir (2002)

Lois Lowry, Looking Back: A Book of Memories (2000)

Madeleine L’Engle, Madeleine L’Engle Herself: Reflections on a Writing Life (2001)

The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Schmidt, Gary D. 2007. THE WEDNESDAY WARS. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618724834

2.  SUMMARY

Holling Hoodhood, a junior high student during the torrential year of 1967. He is convinced one of his teachers hates him and his sister is sucked into the Flower Child movement going on in the nation. His parents are uninvolved in his life it seems and his classmates have him pegged all wrong.

Through the events in his 7th grade year of school, Holling develops a passion for Shakespeare, a friendship with the teacher that loathes him and develops his own identity in a pivotal decade in American history.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Gary Schmidt uses the events of the late 1960’s to aide his story of Hollis Hollingsworth. The Vietnam War is the leading story in newspapers and TV along with the controversial political views of the time. With the additions of two political leader’s assignations the reader becomes quite informed of the feeling of that era in history.

Holling Hoodhood is an average junior high student trying to fit in. He does his best to avoid the school bully, has a crush on a classmate, and attempts to deal with the stressful events occurring around him and at home. The school kids in the book are depicted authentically to the times of which they are portrayed, as well as an all female teaching staff adds to the realism of the times.

Factual events of the time become dulled in as the reader learns of Hollings sister’s dislike of the Vietnam War and the conflicting views of his mother and father adds tension to Hollings home life.

The story takes place physically in a community section of Long Island, New York.  Holling attends junior high, which he finds more traumatic then the world events he is living there. Being the only Presbyterian, Holling must stay after school on Wednesdays while his Catholic and Jewish classmates go off for their religious training. Stuck, he feels, with Mrs. Baker. He believes she is out to get him and make his life miserable. Holling is quoted in the first line of the book, "Of all the kids in the seventh grade at Camillo Junior High, there was one kid that Mrs. Baker hated with heat whiter than the sun. Me.” First she has him doing chores like pounding erasers and cleaning animal cages. When it appears he is enjoying his work. Mrs. Barker devises a new torture method, studying Shakespeare.

Mrs. Baker’s personal association with Vietnam War, her husband oversees fighting, brings the event in to the classroom for the students to witness first hand.

As Booklist points out in a review, “Mrs. Baker is too good to be true: she arranges a meeting between Holling and the New York Yankees, brokers a deal to save a student's father's architectural firm, and, after revealing her past as an Olympic runner, coaches Holling to the varsity cross-country team.”    Holling may feel as if he is fighting a war with her, when actuality, she has stepped in as the parental figure he needs desperately, yet in actuality his own parents are much too concerned with other matters (hippie sister, work) to the job of parenting.

The character, Mai Thi, lends another twist as a new student that has been rescued from Vietnam by the Catholic Relief Agency and brings part of the history of Vietnam into the classroom. The irony of a Vietnam student being taught by a teacher whose husband is fighting against the Vietnamese makes the story one that tugs at the heart and makes the reader develop an understanding for both sides of the issue.

Although the story centers on major historic events, they do not over play the story. Simply, the story is about living life and the events that go on around you as it happens. A quote from the book reminds the reader of current events, both past and present.

“And it really doesn't matter if we're under our desks with our hands over our heads or not, does it? No, said Mrs. Baker. It doesn't really matter. So, why are we practicing?
She thought for a minute. Because it gives comfort, she said. People like to think that if they're prepared then nothing bad can really happen. And perhaps we practice because we feel as if there's nothing else we can do because sometimes it feels as if life is governed by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.”

This novel is entertaining, funny, involving and causes the reader to reflect on their own lifetime world events and the trials of junior high.

4.  AWARDS/REVIEWS

Cybil Award, 2007 Finalist Young Adult Fiction United States

International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Honor List, 2010 Honor List Writer Canada

John Newbery Medal, 2008 Honor Book United States

Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature, 2008 Winner California United States

Mitten Award, 2007 Honor Book Michigan United States

National Parenting Publications Award, 2007 Gold Book Ages 12 & Up United States

Society of Midland Authors Book Award, 2008 Winner Children's Fiction United States

Thumbs Up! Award, 2008 Nominee Michigan

Amazon Editors' Picks: Top 10 Books, 2007 ; United States

Best Books for Young People, 2007 ; Washington Post; United States

Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2007 ; American Library Association; United States

Booklist Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth, 2008 ; Booklist; United States

Capitol Choices, 2008 ; The Capitol Choices Committee; United States

Children's Book Sense Picks , Summer 2007 ; American Booksellers Association; US

Kirkus Best Young Adult Books, 2007 ; Kirkus; United States

Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts, 2008 ; NCTE Children'sLiterature Assembly; United States

Notable Children's Books, 2008 ; ALSC American Library Association; United States

Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2007 ; Cahners; United States

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2008 ; American Library Association; United States

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY STARRED review exert:  Newbery Honor "Schmidt, whose "Lizie Bright" and "The Buckminster Boy" won both Printz and Newbery Honors, delivers another winner...deeply satisfying."

BOOKLIST STARRED review exert:  "Schmidt...makes the implausible believable and the everyday momentous...a gentle, hopeful, moving story."

HORN BOOK STARRED review exert: "Schmidt rises above the novel's conventions to create memorable and believable characters."

5.  CONNECTIONS

Here are some of Shakespeare's plays and quotes that were mention in the book.

"Pied Ninnies" -The Tempest
"Toads, beetles, bats, light on you!" -The Tempest
"A southwest blow on ye and blister you all o're!" -The Tempest
"Tis almost morning, I would have thee gone." -Romeo and Juliet
"Beware the ides of March." -Julius Ceaser

Author’s website:  http://www.hmhbooks.com/schmidt/

Scholastic curriculum to accompany the book: http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/teachers/connections/pdf/WednesdayWars.pdf

Learn more about the 1960’s by visiting the below website and visiting the links throughout. http://www.squidoo.com/sixtiesart . After viewing, Readers Theater in authentic 1960’s garb would make for some fun reading!

Six Days in October: The Stock Market Crash of 1929 by Karen Blumenthal

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Blumenthal, Karen. SIX DAYS IN OCTOBER: THE STOCK MARKET CRASH OF 1929. 2002. New York, NY. Atheneum Books for Young Adults. ISBN: 0689842767

2.  SUMMARY

When reminiscing about dark times in US history, October 1929 would need to be included.  From October 24 through the 29th the fortunes that many Americans had accumulated by investing in the lucrative stock market disappeared just as quickly as it was acquired. At first, the drop in the stocks was viewed as a fluke but as the decline became worse over the next few days it became evident that regaining lost fortunes was not going to happen soon. Over 25 billion dollars from stock market investors (from the car manufacturer to bellboys) vanished. Families lost everything and were forced to sell off personal property and live on the streets to pay off debts. This event affected the course of the nation’s finances for years to come, as investing in the market no longer seemed like a sure thing.  It was many decades later before Wall Street saw trading numbers as they were prior to the crash.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

For anyone who has ever struggled to understand the ins and outs of the stock market, Six Days in October will make things easy to understand while at the same time explain the stock market crash of 1929 in an educational way that holds the reader's attention. Along with 1920’s illustrations, including actual Wall Street documents and accounts add an authentic feel to the book as a well researched piece of American history.

Wall Street bureau Chief Karen Blumenthal unfolds the six day period of the great stock market crash of 1929. For young readers currently living through the “occupy wall street” issue, this story includes stock market fundamental explained in simple terms for anyone to understand. Side topics scattered throughout the book (What are bonds? What is a stock split?) make understanding the basics easier for the novice.

When telling the story of the actual Wall Street crash, Blumenthal succeeds in taking out the mystery of how Wall Street works along with telling the story of how fascinating the times and the people were during the decade of the 1920’s.To many, playing the market was like a game or making a sure thing bet. Even if you lost, you would always have the chance of recovering.  Before the crash, the stock market had proven itself as a way to get rich quick with little monetary loss. During this time, you were thought to be crazy not to be partaking in the market.  Everyone from tycoons to elevator boys were in on the buying, selling and speculating of the market. The frightening part, the reader finds, is that people were borrowing the funds to do it. Credit was a new thing at the time and seemed like a viable option to many. Borrow the money, make that back plus some, pay back the debt and keep on investing. Not only were individuals (investors) borrowing money but banks and large corporations were as well.

As the government and Federal Reserve tried to step in and minimize this borrowing behavior, those that were key players blocked this from happening. Speculation was good for the market. So it continued. Blumenthal writes, “Executives who had spent their lives building solid reputations cut secret deals in pursuit of their own stock-market riches.” This statement is very reminiscent of current events as well in the world of finance.

It continued of course until late October in 1929 when the market crashed and was unable to turn itself around. The struggle is played out in the 6 crucial days of the market falling and the attempts to turn it around are described in full detail.

Blumenthal’s attention to the fine details about the Wall Street movers and shakers of the time as well as the average person lives and activities makes this a strong and powerful read.  The personal stories make the story authentic and real to the reader. Reading about famed comedian Groucho Marx misfortune as well as ordinary people who gave up lucrative businesses to be speculators and then to lose it all. Publisher’s weekly states that the book is, “A compelling portrait of a defining moment in American history.” With the authors well thought out execution and documentation of the story, this book would make a great addition to any middle school library and studies about the 20th century.

4.  AWARDS/REVIEWS

2003 Robert F. Sibert Award Honor Book

CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book

KIRKUS review: "[A] solid exploration of an event whose importance is undisputed but which is rarely so lucidly explained for anyone, let alone young readers."

BOOKLIST review: "Blumenthal combines a fascinating overview of the infamous stock market crash in 1929 with a rare and useful primer of financial basics....Rapid, simply constructed sentences increase the drama and suspense while making difficult concepts easily understood....[A] riveting history..." Gillian Engberg

SLJ review: "In this thoroughly researched work, Blumenthal focuses on the days leading up to and including the crash....Overall, this is a solid account of an important chapter in American history..."

5.  CONNECTIONS

Further explore the stock market crash, the 1920’s and the Great Depression

http://www.history.com/topics/1929-stock-market-crash

Karen Blumenthal Official Page

http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Karen-Blumenthal/1921359

Curriculum for teaching about the Stock market and Wall Street

http://www.science.org.au/nova/047/047act.htm

Among The Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

1.   BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. 1998. AMONG THE HIDDEN. New York, NY. Aladdin Fiction. ISBN: 0689824750

2.   SUMMARY:

Luke Gardner is the third child in a totalitarian society where families are limited to two children. Luke is kept hidden inside the house to maintain his anonymity in this strict society. As new housing developments begin to build closer and closer to what was once Luke’s rural home, Luke is not allowed to venture outside or even peer out the windows in fear that the police in charge of population control will discover him. Luke doesn’t always adhere to his families rules and while gazing out a window in their absence he makes a discovery all his own. Another “hidden” child, like himself is living next door.

3.   CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

Haddix first book in her series known as the shadow children, Among the Hidden, develops for the reader a visualization of a society very similar to societies in reality. People of political influence and power have developed strict and sometimes harsh rules to protect them from themselves. To control population and the use of limited resources such as food and energy sources, population is controlled by only allowing the birth of two children to each couple. Along with other limitations, like not buying what they want, and living where they choose, their lives seem somewhat full and happy. Luke, the third child in his family, must remain hidden so that the Population Police do not spot him and take him away from his family. Luke eventually realizes that if he remains hidden he will never have a quality of life or be free. He also realizes that he may have to pay for that freedom by death.

Haddix has developed a quick action and fast paced novel with relatable, intelligent characters. Luke, even though he is locked up, is smart enough to be aware that this way of life is not morally right. Jen, the hidden girl next door, gives Luke books and articles that educate him on both sides of the population argument. He learns about one sided bias and how groups of people can band together to attempt to change policies established by the government. Through his unconventional education, Luke develops his own opinions about the social class known as Barons. The Barons often break rules and show off because their status makes them ‘untouchable”, and allows them to break the rules that others must follow.

As the novel concludes Jen rallies to confront the government of the social injustice and informs them of the “hidden” children’s existence. This act of bravery is paid for with her life. Luke sees what happens to Jen and decides on another course to change the rules. “Because he wasn’t a Baron and didn’t feel like the world owed him anything, he could be more patient, more captious, and more practical. Maybe he could succeed where Jen failed”. Luke thinks to himself and plans an alternative method to battle the injustice. Susan Roberts for School Library Journal writes, “the loss of free will is the fundamental theme of an exciting and compelling story of one young person defying authority and the odds to make a difference”.  Luke will continue on his struggle and the continuation is in the second book of the series, Among the Imposters.

Among the Hidden is an excellent book for developing the concepts of bias and the role government plays in our lives, and what ordinary citizens can do to challenge government, in classroom discussions. I think this book would also be a great read about the consequences of getting caught up in the moment and how a calm, cool head can get results, comparing and contrasting Jen and Luke’s actions. Media also plays a part and would be another learning tool when discussing bias and teaching students that what is written or viewed may not always be the truth.

4.   AWARDS/REVIEWS

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review:  This futuristic novel focuses on a totalitarian regime and the Internet. PW noted, "The plot development is sometimes implausible and the characterizations a bit brittle, but the unsettling, thought-provoking premise should suffice to keep readers hooked."

KIRKUS review: “Haddix offers much for discussion here, by presenting a world not too different from America right now.”

ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers,

ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults,

California Young Reader Medal

Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award (MN)

Nevada Young Readers' Award

5.   CONNECTIONS

Haddix official website: http://www.haddixbooks.com/home.html

Research about current population laws in China, How are the laws enforced? How successful have they been? Are these laws popular or unpopular among the people?

Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block

1.   BIBLIOGRAPHY

Block, Francesca Lia. 2004. WEETZIE BAT. New York, NY.  Harper Teen: Harper Collins. ISBN: 0060736259

2.   SUMMARY

This short novel follows the antics of Weetzie and her best friend Dirk, as well as their friends. After being granted three wishes by a genie, Weetzie discovers that there are unexpected ramifications.  A genie, three wishes, and Hollywood make for an interesting read!

3.   CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Weetzie Bat is a 23 year old Los Angeles resident, Hollywood to be more precise. A child of the Glam scene, Weetzie disliked high school but loves the memories of old Hollywood and famous people like Marilyn Monroe. Weetzie fits into the Hollywood culture described with her bleached blonde flat top and harlequin sunglasses. She adds to her mystique by adding glittery poetry on her 1950’s style dresses and adds fringe to her mini skirts to convey sympathy with the Indians and their plight. She shops and dines out regularly as one would envision Hollywood starlets. Weetzie explains that she adores living in Hollywood and can go to Graumann’s (in the Chinese district) anytime she wants “to buy the cheapest cheese and bean and hot dog and pastrami at Oki Dogs.”

The story opens with a confession from Dirk, Weetzie’s friend that he is gay. Both set out looking for love amongst the “Ducks” (slang for boys). While visiting Dirk's grandmother, Weetzie is given a magic lamp. She rubs it and out pops a genie. As with typical (Genie in the magic lamp) stories, Weetzie is given three wishes. Her first wish, World Peace. “It’s out of my league,” scoffs the genie. Her second wish:, " An infinite number of wishes!” to which the genie replies, “People in fairy tales wish for that all the time. I can’t grant that type of wish, it isn’t in the records”. Finally Weetzie wishes for a love for herself and one for Dirk and a place they can all live together, “wish granted”. Dirk’s grandmother passes away, leaving her cottage to Dirk. Weetzie and Dirk waste no time moving in.

Conflict ensues once Weetzie expresses wanting to have a child with Secret Agent Lover Man (her boyfriend). Weetzie decides to become pregnant and enlists Dirk and Duck (Dirks boyfriend) in the conception. When Weetzie announces the pregnancy, Secret Lover Man leaves for a period of time but then comes back to the communal living style. Soon Cherokee is born to one mother and three fathers.

Soon it is revealed that Secret Agent Lover Man fathered a child while he was away and Witch Baby is left on their doorstep. In the meantime Duck has run off and Dirk has gone to find him. He flees after finding out he is dying of AIDS. Dirk finds him in San Francisco and brings him back to the cottage.

Weetzie’s version of Los Angeles reality does not exist. Everyday tasks of bills, jobs and house chores never occur. I feel such mundane tasks are left out by the author to keep Weetzie from being grounded and just like everyone else. The author strives to give Weetzie a free spirit and never brings the character down through child care and a mortgage. Instead a dreamlike vernacular is created to keep the short story light and cheerful.  The issue of AIDS is brought up, giving the reader a bit of conflict and a feeling of concern. In closing, Weetzie states, “I don’t know about happily ever after, but I know about happily”.

Publishers Weekly commented that Weetzie Bat is, “A rare treat for those sophisticated enough to appreciate it”. This sums up to me, that the target audience for this book may be limited to a small band of Young Adults, those looking for the offbeat, glitter and glitz, dreamlike storyline and a  book easy to get lost in.

4.   AWARDS/REVIEWS

Parents' Choice Award, 2003

Best Books for Young Adults, 1990

Best of the Best Revisited (100 Best Books for Teens), 2001; American Library Association YALSA

Eureka! California in Children's Literature, 2003

Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 1997; American Library Association-YALSA

Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, 1990; American Library Association-YALSA

Senior High Core Collection, Seventeenth Edition, 2007; The H. W. Wilson Co.; United States.

Senior High School Library Catalog, Fifteenth Edition, 1997; H.W. Wilson; United States.

Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2002; H.W. Wilson; United States.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: An offbeat heroine shares a Hollywood cottage with three equally quirky companions; in PW’s words, "Block's first book is related in a breezy, knowing voice; her strange and sparkling tribute to growing up in L.A. is a rare treat for those sophisticated enough to appreciate it."

SLJ Review:  “A brief, off-beat tale that has great charm, poignancy, and touches of fantasy.”

5.   CONNECTIONS

Follow Weetzie and the rest of her adventures with the following books in the series: Witch Baby (1991), Cherokee Bat and the Goat Guys (1992), Missing Angel Juan (1993), Baby Be-Bop (1995), and Necklace of Kisses (2005).

Author’s website: http://www.francescaliablock.com/

Other books about untraditional families:

David Inside Out by Lee Bantle. Henry Holt, 2009 (978-0-8050-8122-0)

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger. HarperTempest, 2002 (0-06-0012218)

Holly’s Secret by Nancy Garden. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2000 (0374332738)

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

1.   BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pfeffer, Susan Beth. 2006. LIFE AS WE KNEW IT. Orlando, Florida. Hardcourt Books. ISBN:  0152058265

2.   SUMMARY

Miranda is a 15 year old just finishing her sophomore year in high school. Concerned more about boys, grades, her friends and her dad’s new wife and new family, she hardly notices others discussing the asteroid scheduled to collide with the moon.

The impact proves to be more of a big deal than predicted, knocking the moon out of its orbit. Things begin to change due to the shift. Tides, tsunamis, volcanoes and unpredictable weather patterns cause people to panic. When utilities and food become scarce, fast action on Miranda’s mother’s part keeps the family together, alive and fed for the time being. With limited resources, an early winter and an outbreak of the flu, family ties become strained during the catastrophic event.

3.   CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Pfeffer tells this sci-fi story through Miranda’s diary entries about a future that could plausibly exist. She shares her and her family’s struggle of dealing with an unfamiliar way of existing in a world that is ever changing. Her priorities have changed from trivial (school, step mother, friends) to serious as she must come to grips with tides out of control, changing weather patterns, loss of basic utilities and the loss of lives. The contrast between her entries from the beginning to the end of the novel is drastic and becomes more intense as the novel progresses into the darker and more serious elements. Kirkus Review said that "death is a constant threat, and Pfeffer instills despair right to the end”.

The narrative is intense and compelling right up to the end as Miranda struggles with her new role of being independent and often in charge as her family deals with a flu epidemic. Miranda is left to be in charge of nursing the family through the illness and seeks help. This behavior is a far cry from her previous life before the asteroid, of school friendships and figure skating. As her world becomes smaller and more focused with the passing of time the reader also feels the angst and struggles as she does.  Miranda’s family is slowly forced to cut back to starvation rations. They gradually cut back to only one meal a day, and finally down to only 5 meals a week.   In the final chapters Miranda is down to just her family camped in the house, 4 people coexisting around 4 walls. Throughout the book the author makes sure Miranda maintains her teenage identity, staying true to herself and together with her family shows the stamina and commitment to love each other throughout this earth shattering ordeal.

The first novel in the Moon Saga Trilogy is a very dark view of a rural family facing what seems to be the worst catastrophic event in history, and takes the reader through the basics of survival techniques while dealing with the physical and emotional strains that come with it. Miranda comments, “I might as well enjoy today because tomorrow is going to be worse”. Occasionally the author introduces some glimmer of normalcy, a birthday celebration and Christmas to remind the reader that one must look for similar joys when devastation has destroyed the abundance you once knew. Christmas is especially poignant. Christmas Eve night, the neighbors, who have never really known each other, all get together to go caroling through what is left of the neighborhood. That night, Miranda writes, “The Christmas after Mom and Dad split up, they both went crazy buying us presents. Matt, Jonny, and I were showered with gifts at home and at Dad’s apartment; I thought that was great. I was all in favor for my love being paid for with presents.  This year, all I got was a diary and a secondhand watch.  Okay, I know this is corny, but this really is what Christmas is all about”.

Ilene Cooper said, in her review for Booklist, "each page is filled with events both wearying and terrifying and infused with honest emotions”. The gut wrenching ordeals that Miranda and her family face and their fate do not leave the reader with a fairy tale ending, but they do leave the reader with hope that better times may be ahead.

4.   AWARDS/REVIEWS

YALSA Best Books for Young People 2007

Andre Norton Award- Shortlisted 2007

Booklist Editor's Choice Award for Books for Youth (Older Reader's Category) 2006

Nominee- Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award 2009 and the

Truman Readers Award 2008-2009.

Black Eye Susan book for the state of Maryland

SLJ review: Pfeffer tones down the terror, but otherwise crafts a frighteningly plausible account of the local effects of a near-future worldwide catastrophe. The prospect of an asteroid hitting the Moon is just a mildly interesting news item to Pennsylvania teenager Miranda, for whom a date for the prom and the personality changes in her born-again friend, Megan, are more immediate concerns. Her priorities undergo a radical change, however, when that collision shifts the Moon into a closer orbit, causing violent earthquakes, massive tsunamis, millions of deaths, and an upsurge in volcanism. Thanks to frantic preparations by her quick-thinking mother, Miranda's family is in better shape than many as utilities and public services break down in stages, wild storms bring extremes of temperature, and outbreaks of disease turn the hospital into a dead zone. In Miranda's day-by-day journal entries, however, Pfeffer keeps nearly all of the death and explicit violence offstage, focusing instead on the stresses of spending months huddled in increasingly confined quarters, watching supplies dwindle, and wondering whether there will be any future to make the effort worthwhile. The author provides a glimmer of hope at the end, but readers will still be left stunned and thoughtful.–John Peters, New York Public Library

HORN BOOK review: In this taut survival story, an asteroid hits the moon, knocking it closer toward Earth, which results in cataclysmic natural disasters. Sixteen-year-old Miranda's journal entries provide a riveting account of how lack of information and resources, and, subsequently, loss of hope for the future shrink her world. Against mounting dismal conditions, her family's drawing together to find meaning in their altered lives is all the more triumphant.

5.   CONNECTIONS

Ask readers to visit the National Geographic web site for information about natural disasters at: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/earth/natural-disasters/ and learn more about the events that occur in the novels.

As an individual project or small group collaboration, have readers create a survival guide to natural disasters that would help someone like Miranda survive under circumstances similar to those in the novels. A good source of information on emergency preparedness is located at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/preparedness/.

Study guides for all three book in the trilogy. http://www.hmhbooks.com/lifeasweknewit/classroomresources.html