Thursday, March 12, 2020

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

Title: A Very Large Expanse of Sea
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: October 16, 2018

Format: Hardcover
Price: $18.99
Page Count: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 9780062866561

Reading Level: Grades 9 and up (ages 14+)
Interest Level: Grades 9 and up (ages 14+)

Annotation: Muslim teenager Shirin keeps to herself after the events of 9/11, when no one looks at her with kind eyes, until she meets Ocean.

Plot and Content Summary: As a Muslim girl going to school in the United States after the events of 9/11, Shirin is tired of the rude stares and comments from people who pass her on the street. Her hijab causes people around her to play into the negative stereotypes they choose to believe, but they do not even know her. Shirin has learned to ignore everyone, putting all her energy into break-dancing after school. But when she meets Ocean in class, things start to change. He is not pretending to be kind to her—he actually cares for her as a human being.

Evaluation: Right from the start, it was easy to see things from Shirin's point of view. Mafi writes from her own experience, and it is sad to see how broken our world is. However, there are gems like Ocean. Ocean sees Shirin for who she really is, and wants to get to know her. When he visits her family, he admits there are things from her culture that he does not know—but he is willing to learn. Shirin is not perfect either, but she is willing to own up to her mistakes. Mafi does so well at creating cute moments without it being too cheesy or over the top. Shirin's story was told in such a simple but effective way. It was heartbreaking how she has learned to just expect people to be mean to her because of how she looks, but she also realizes that she was also treating people poorly too. She owns up to her mistakes, which is something we all need to work at.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Due to the events of 9/11, Shirin faces a lot of discrimination because she is Muslim. Like Shirin, many others do too. Would teens read this book and recognize that everyone is a human being, and no one deserves to be treated just for the things they wear or the culture they come from. For teens who feel just like Shirin, I hope you find someone like Ocean. Not necessarily a romantic relationship, but an ally who is supportive and seeks to know the best in you.

Issues Present: If A Very Large Expanse of Sea were to be challenged or banned, it would be for islamophobia (or racism and/or discrimination). Those who challenged The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini stated that it would "promote Islam" (Gomez, 2018), which I assume would be applied in this case as well. However, this is a book that does not talk about religion much—the focus is on a girl who happens to be Muslim. A Very Large Expanse of Sea encourages everyone to love people and treat them with kindness, no matter how they treat us back. If you take the time to read this book and look at the overall message, you would see this.

Book Talk Ideas: "I was so raw from repeated exposure to cruelty that now even the most minor abrasions left a mark ... I never knew—I had no way of knowing—Are you racist? Or are you just having a bad day?" (p. 110)

  • Describe Shirin's personality. How does this differ/look the same as how you view others?
  • How does Shirin's parents affect her struggle? (p. 13)
  • What are the dynamics between Shirin and her brother, Navid, and how do they look at the world differently? (p. 107)
  • How does Ocean change the way Shirin views others?
  • Discuss Shirin and the way her feelings about people change through the course of the novel. (p. 110, 123, 277, 309)

"If maybe, just maybe, I'd been so determined to not be stereotyped that I'd begun to stereotype everyone around me." (p. 110)

Genre/Subgenres: Realistic fiction; Contemporary romance

Readalikes: Love, Hate, & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed, Saints and Misfits by S. K. Ali, The Lines We Cross by Randa Abdel-Fattah

References
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Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Title: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Author: Becky Albertalli
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: April 7, 2015

Format: eBook
Price: $10.99
Page Count: 336 pages
ISBN-13: 9780062348692

Reading Level: Grades 9 and up (ages 14+)
Lexile: HL 640L
Interest Level: Grades 9 and up (ages 14+)

Annotation: Simon has been happily exchanging e-mails with an anonymous boy from school, but things change when classmates Martin finds out and blackmails him.

Plot and Content Summary: Because Simon forgets to log out of his e-mail account at the school library, Martin finds his letters to Blue, an anonymous classmate. Since Simon has not come out as gay yet, Martin decides to blackmail him. If Simon introduces him to the girl he likes, Simon's friend Abby, he will keep the e-mails a secret. Simon really does not want to do this, but he also does not want to ruin his relationship with Blue. As Simon works on setting Abby and Martin up, he becomes more intimate with Blue.

Evaluation: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda received a lot of coverage and advertisement when it first came out, and I am happy to say that it is as good as everyone says it is! It was very cute, with an excellent depiction of the high school experience. This book is told in Simon's perspective, so we get to see the world from his mind. He has quite the personality, often making jokes as a teenager would. Simon's family plays a big role in his life—much of what his parents do embarrass him, as expected—but they all have so much love for each other, and Simon's family supports him no matter what. Simon's situation does not get resolved right away, which shows a realistic look at how complicated life can be.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Sharing any type of private secret to the public is difficult, and Simon was not able to make that decision himself. For teens who are figuring out who they are, like their sexual identities, having the fear of coming out before being ready is valid. Teens who have friends who are feeling this way can support and encourage them, but know when to not push their boundaries.

Issues Present: If Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda were challenged or banned, it would probably be for LGBTQ+ content. As stated in my entry for You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan, this book can help people come to terms with who they are and be a source of hope.

Book Talk Ideas: 

  • Was Martin a bad person? Do you think Simon should have treated him any differently toward the ending?
  • Simon was outed before he was able to make his own decision to come out. Do you think he reacted in a justified way? Why or why not? (p. 196)
  • How is Simon supported by his family and friends?

Genre/Subgenres: Coming-of-age stories; LGBTQ+ fiction; Realistic fiction

Readalikes: Fan Art by Sarah Tregay, You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan, Anything Could Happen by Will Walton
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Tuesday, March 10, 2020

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Title: The Hate U Give
Author: Angie Thomas
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: February 28, 2017

Format: Hardcover
Price: $18.99
Page Count: 464 pages
ISBN-13: 9780062498533

Reading Level: Grades 9 and up (ages 14+)
Lexile: 
Interest Level: Grades 9 and up (ages 14+)

Annotation: Starr witnesses her best friend, Khalil, being murdered by a white police officer.

Plot and Content Summary: It feels like Starr lives two different lives—the first is with her peers at her predominantly-white private school; the second, with her friends and family in her mostly black, poor neighborhood. When she sees her best friend, Khalil, shot by a white police officer, Starr's two lives come together as she grapples with the truth of what happened. She is scared to speak out and attract attention, but she knows it would be wrong to stay silent.

Evaluation: An incredibly important book shedding light on the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Thomas writes in a very teen-friendly, conversational tone, making it easy to understand and enjoy. Although the topics presented in The Hate U Give are dark, it is balanced well with funny moments and sweet family conversations. While the story develops because of Khalil and the police officer, we also learn a lot about Starr and her family—the struggles they face, what family really means, and how they support each other.

Bibliotherapeutic Usefulness: Although scared, Starr uses any platform she has to bring truth to Khalil's case. It is not easy to stand up for something you believe in, especially as a young person, but Starr knows it is important. For teens who need strength to speak out on big issues, The Hate U Give can be an encouragement.

Issues Present: The Hate U Give was "banned and challenged because it was deemed "anti-cop," and for profanity, drug use, and sexual references" ("Top Ten Most Challenged Books Lists," n. d.).

There have been so many unarmed black men—some teenagers—in the United States who have been killed by police brutality: Trayvon Martin, Philando Castile, etc. Khalil died a fictional death, but these men did not. This is what is happening in our world, and The Hate U Give is meant to open our eyes.

Book Talk Ideas: "I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down. Now I am that person, and I'm too afraid to speak." (p. 34)

  • Why do you think Thomas chose "The Hate U Give" as the title for this story? (p. 17)
  • How does Starr's confidence change when she witnesses the death of Khalil? (p. 34)
  • "Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right." (p. 154) What do you think this quote means?
  • How does Starr's family influence the decisions she makes?
  • Discuss the following quote: "What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?" (p. 252)

Genre/Subgenres: African American fiction; First person narratives; Realistic fiction

Readalikes: Dear Martin by Nic Stone, Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles, Amelia Westlake Was Never Here by Erin Gough, The Truth of Right Now by Kara Lee Corthron

References
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