I wanted to share with you the discussion our high school book group had last week. It was a great reminder that perspective makes such a difference.
Based on the reaction I was getting from a few girls I'd been able to touch base with during the month, I expected that we were going to have very similar feelings about the book, Carver, the other characters and the dilemma. Was I ever wrong! While there were some who loved it and felt great empathy, there were some who expressed the following... I never felt a connection to any of the characters. I didn't like the author's style. The teenage characters sounded too much like adults. I don't believe someone could be in trouble for texting someone in a car. The first reaction surprised me the most! One of the girls offered that maybe adults could relate because losing a child would be so horrible. But the most profound message to me went right back to the importance of giving voice to perspectives and giving reading choice to all age students. Those of you who work with elementary students probably provide for independent, free choice reading time and have abundant classroom libraries. While there are certainly exceptions, many middle and high schools, teacher-selected novels are assigned, analyzed and tested, and if students actually read the books, they are often do NO other reading of fiction on their own for self-satisfaction and pleasure. As a literacy specialist in a high school, I always advocate for independent reading to be planned in to class time, but this was another example of why it is so important. How many novels are chosen by adults because they are "classic" or part of a canon or in the curriculum and students have all the same reactions as the ones I quoted above; weeks spent with a book they just can't connect to? Are they even asked to voice their reactions? I recently attended a workshop with Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher, both huge proponents of choice and voice in secondary schools. As an interventionist, I must continue to figure out how I can incorporate this into the valuable time I have with these young adults for whom reading is a 4-letter word!! My new resolve led me to the recent Scholastic Warehouse sale and down the YA aisle!! The Goodbye Day with the Judge was interesting! I went from being furious with him for being such a bully to feeling very empathetic for him. Once again, Carver came through with truth that was needing to be heard. The conclusion I came to about Mars was that he took all his father "taught" him to create a life that HE chose to live. I was thrilled to hear the judge advise Carver, page 375, to tell his parents who he is. Then at the end of Chap. 44 he informs Dr. Mendez about his plans for a "hello day." What a relief! The chapter ending with the simple phrase, "I tell him I hope," drives home the point that up until then, he had none. How did people feel about... ... the way Zentner orchestrated the reunion of Jesmyn and Carver? ... the last meeting with Dr. Mendez? ...how he was able to start having memories without the sadness, guilt and pain? It was an honor sharing my thoughts with you and even more so to hear yours.. If you enjoyed blogging and being part of the community, please consider contacting Mike Williams about ideas for either fiction or professional books. Enjoy the holidays! Anne
9 Comments
Ann Carbon
12/17/2018 07:22:41 pm
I think the book ended in the best possible way. As angry as I was when I learned that Carver had texted knowing he’d get a response, I wasn’t comfortable with Jon being charged criminally. It seems Mars’s dad found the best way to punish him. (That was an excruciating goodbye day.) I was especially pleased that Carver eventually opened up to his parents. That was one thing that bothered me throughout the book, that he excluded his parents from all he was going through. And farming it as a “hello day” was really neat.
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Renee Tobias
12/18/2018 04:52:14 am
Wow Anne, I am surprised with the reaction of the high school students. Last summer I joined a Facebook group called Passionate Readers Book Club. Many of the members are middle and high school level. I was amazed when they posted photos of their classroom libraries because I don't see that here at my school. I have learned so much about middle grade books through this group and have connected with authors. This school year, I have been working on a project to get a class of fifth graders to increase their independent reading. It has been so wonderful connecting kids to new books. After reading Passionate Readers by Pernille Ripp and joining her group I have a new perspective on independent reading.
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Heather Chung
12/18/2018 09:51:18 am
So after finishing the book I can't help but think of an overall different theme for Carter besides grief and guilt. The word bullied comes to mind. I feel he was bullied at school, bullied by Eli's father, and bullied by Mar's father. I understand that everyone grieves differently but it is a shame that Carter became their target.
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anne k hartzfeld
12/20/2018 08:11:16 pm
I'll have to check out that Facebook Page, Renee. I wonder if high schools who have block scheduling are able to offer more class time to independent reading. Hope you find the ending satifying!
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Gretchen Vogle
12/23/2018 04:24:19 pm
I have mixed feelings about the end of the book. The Goodbye Day with the judge was tough to read. I understand he is grieving, but it seemed a bit much. I’m glad he came back and Carver was able to talk to him.
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Chris Danielewicz
12/23/2018 06:43:01 pm
I had also hoped we'd get to be a part of the "hello day." It;s nice to see some new beginnings in Carver's life.
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Chris Danielewicz
12/23/2018 07:29:59 pm
First, I want to say how much I appreciated this group. Reading the perspectives of all of you made the book so much more meaningful and brought out things I would have missed the first time through. It's been such a busy time with the 1st marking period deadlines and two holidays happening during our book study, so the commitment of the readers means a lot.
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Chris Danielewicz
12/28/2018 04:21:41 pm
I meant to say "he responded."
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Lisa
2/1/2019 04:48:05 am
I realized that I never posted any thoughts to this final post, so I wanted to be sure to add before it's too late... even though I know I am very late, sorry!
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