Another year of Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 28 is fast approaching. Pay attention to numerous perspectives and voices of those who endured and survived. Read through as many of these intimately crafted literary works from the following Padlet. Powerful Holocaust Literature There are numerous others I haven't even had the chance to read. A brief overview will also be included in the upcoming April 2017 Multimedia Newsletter.
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Saroo Brierley's autobiography adds more depth from the beautifully crafted Academy nominated film "Lion". Saroo's harrowing account of being a stranded 5 year old Indian boy at a Calcutta train station to an adopted Austrailian man reuniting with his original family will leave you spell bound. Those who viewed the movie will uncover Saroo's life immediately following his initial encounter with his mother and siblings.
Book Cover from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/18111281-a-long-way-home In this futuristic world, Scythes glean (aka for kill) people for population control. As a result, they are revered and feared in the community. People who aspire towards Scythdom shouldn't be selected while those who despise it should be considered. Faraday Scythe recognizes key Scythe qualities of empathy and strong moral conviction in two local teens Citra and Rowan. Citra and Rowan are coerced into becoming Faraday's apprentices after he gives their families the most precious gift-one year immunity from gleaning and life long security for the family of the winner of the annual Scythe apprenticeship. The tension becomes quickly apparent. Citra and Rowan must compete against each other for the important prize, and depend on each other to navigate through the challenges of this perilous challenge.
Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/28954189-scythe Tim Tebow recounts strengthening his Christian faith during his professional struggles and interactions with others through his foundation. He offers practical advice on handling life difficulties and challenges.
Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/30233910-shaken How difficult would it be to stand up to oppression, especially with deadly consequences? Would you be able to go against deeply ingrained beliefs? Patricia McCormick weaves a historical narrative a young minister Dietrich Bonhoeffer spoke out against the Nazi regime, but willingly participated in a plot to kill Hitler despite his Christian beliefs. Bonhoeffer lived a comfortable life as brother less brave, intelligent, or attractive than his other sibling in early 20th century Berlin. However, the horrors of WWI and the devastating impact of Treaty Versaille that led to the rise of Hitler dramatically changed this trajectory. Bonhoeffer grew to become an ordained minister who cared deeply about the suffering of others. As a result, Bonhoeffer ended up on the Gestapo hit list by refusing to follow Nazi edicts. When the overwhelming majority of clergymen across the globe refused to support him, Bonhoeffer went against the traditional tenets of the Lutheran faith in joining a group who planned on assassinating Hitler.
Bonhoeffer argued God would show forgiveness towards those who exercised necessary means to remove evil. Image located at https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/28594377-the-plot-to-kill-hitler How did Donald Trump pull off a huge upset in American politics? J.D Vance offers a sobering glimpse in his autobiographical account. "The Hillbillys" who resided from the Appalachia Mountains to the Rust Belt Midwest had ingrained values such a strong work ethic and fierce family loyalty. Christian values were espoused, but sporadically practiced. The children were expected to rise above blue collar work to a growing middle class. Unfortunately, globalization crippled these communities from manufacturing job losses, crippling schools, drug abuse, and family collapse. The residents who succeeded left and rarely returned. Those who remained felt despair and cynicism. As a result, they turned against social and government institutions they traditionally supported. Even though Vance rose above his circumstances, the emotional scars of his difficult upbringing remained.
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/27161156-hillbilly-elegy
When is it difficult to take sides? Tom, a man weary and scarred from war, meets and marries a sweet girl named Isabel. Isabel is willing to leave her city life to be with her husband in a far off coastal Australian region. Their wedded bliss turns into despair after 3 miscarriages. Their circumstances appear to change for the better when deceased father with a living baby is washed up on shore. Isabel views the baby as a gift from God and decides to raise Lucy as her own. However, Tom wrestles with this decision, knowing a grieving mother may well be in the mist. Yet, his love for Isabel is stronger.
In another part of the country, Hannah mourns the loss of her husband and child. Since their remains have never been found, she doesn't receive the closure she needs to move on with her life. In a twist of fate, Tom & Isabel's paths cross with Hannah. The bitter ramifications and family divisions of the couple's decision become painfully clear when the truth is eventually revealed. The trailer speaks for itself. High school seniors Jamaican Natasha and Korean American Daniel meet each other by chance at pivotal points in their lives. On this day, Natasha makes a last ditch effort to save her family from deportation. With a successful interview, Daniel will help his family prevail over the humiliation of his brother Charlie's failure at Harvard. Sparks immediately fly through their encounter. Through their brief interaction, Natasha and Daniel confront their family issues and cultural identities.
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/28763485-the-sun-is-also-a-star Reflect on this hypothetical. What would have happened if the Nazis won WWII? Yael survived as an Aryan blood pure experiment conducted by Dr. Geyer as a Jewish child in the concentration camp. Ten years later, as a young woman who can mask disguises as pure Aryan women, Yael assists the Resistance. She is asked to remove and disguise herself Adele Wolfe, the lone female victor of the Axis Races who danced with the Fuhrer at the Victory Dance. If Yael can successfully pull this feat by winning the race assassinating Hitler in such close proximity, she will set off a revolution to finally remove the Nazi regime. However, winning isn't as easy as it seems with Felix, Adele's overprotective brother, Luka, a Hitler Youth scorned by Victor Adele, and Katsuo, Japan's best rider &f former victor. Yael must rely on the spirit of the 5 wolves-people she lost in the camps & Resistance to overcome the treacheries of the race.
Image located at https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/24807186-wolf-by-wolf Between the World & Me-An essential read (especially in light in African American History Month)2/8/2017 Ta-Nehisi Coates' painfully recollects on his African American heritage through his writings to his son Samori following Michael Brown's death by police officer Darren Wilson in Fergusen MI 2014. Coates wants nothing more than his son to live a more carefree life, yet believes it's his imperative to prepare him for the realities of the American experience. The Coates family and many others have endured injustices unrecognizable to the dominant culture. Coates finds healing through writing and traveling abroad. However, he argues despite social progress through his son's lense, some things will stay the same---the remnants of slavery & segregation remain ingrained within society.
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/25489625-between-the-world-and-me Recent news events reveal many people who escape cults suffer psychological and physical damage. Stephanie Oakes deeply examines this through Minnow Bly's story. Teenaged Minnow Bly receives a 6 year sentence for assault. Since she is underaged, she is first placed at juvenile hall to begin her prison term. Minnow's extenuating circumstances of losing her hands to Kevinison cult leaders and surviving the fire from the compound prove determining factors for the lighter punishment. FBI agent Dr. Wilson negotiates with Minnow. If Minnow reveals who started the blaze, Wilson will advocate for her release. However, revealing the truth proves more difficult than it seems from the surface. At the confines of juvenile hall, Minnow slowly recollects past emotionally scarring events. She also learns to read and think for herself for the first time. In the end, Minnow must decide if it's better to protect loved ones or come forward for freedom.
Image from https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/17185496-the-sacred-lies-of-minnow-bly Audrey Rose Wadsworth doesn't want to remain confine to a strictly defined lady's role in late 19th century English society. To the disgust of her father, brother Nathaniel, and aunt, she works at her uncle Jonathan's forensic lab. Danger looms around her as Jack the Ripper murders young women nearby in horrific ways. Audrey is forced to work with an annoying lab partner Thomas to solve these crimes. As Audrey slowly uncovers the mystery with Thomas, she confronts conflicting feelings for him and realizes the murderer is closer to her than she could have possibly imagined
Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/28962906-stalking-jack-the-ripper Verdi depicts teen parenthood from a father's perspective in her tear jerking tale. Ryden, a boy who had everything going his way, becomes a single parent after his girlfriend Meg dies from cancer. He must grieve the loss of the girl he loved while juggling fatherhood, school, work, and the pursuit of a lifelong dream. A new co-worker Joni gives Ryden hope through this difficult period. In his emotional state, he hides his past and daughter Hope from Joni for the brief blissful moments. As Ryden reads and uncovers Meg's journals prior to her deaths, he uncovers unbearable truths. Ryden's life and relationships will unravel as circumstances become too difficult to bear. Will he overcome the new normal?
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/20933641-what-you-left-behind In this National Book Award winning historical fiction account, Whitehead tells a harrowing tale of a female slave's escape through the underground railroad. Eighteen year Cora survives the daily horrors of slavery at the Randall's Georgia Plantation with memories of her grandmother Ajarry, a woman of respect & resilience and mother Mabel, the only one who successfully ran away. Caesar, a newly captured freedman, inspires her towards her mother's path. Cora and Caesar will learn the road towards freedom run along two distinctly dangerous paths. First, aggressive slave catchers like Ridgeway, embittered over his sole failure of capturing Mabel, remain resolved in capturing runaways at all costs. On their journey, Cora and Caesar will discover the comforts of more civilized communities along the way prove just as perilous.
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/30555488-the-underground-railroad In her account, Jazz details her experiences as a girl inside a boy's body from infancy through her teen years. Even though the time each family member accepts Jazz's transformation differ, they continually support her endeavors. The Jennings family received quick acclaim as one of the first families to shed light on the lives of transgender children. Jazz, along with her parents and siblings, confronted all that came along with increased public exposure. Despite the fame, Jazz and her family remain steadfast in maintaining normal lives.
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/28587986-being-jazz In this exciting conclusion to Prisoner of blood & smoke, star crossed lovers Gretchen and Daniel face the ultimate test. After fleeing the Nazi regime and living a life of comfort in England Daniel returns home to pay his respects to his brother Aaron. Unfortunately, the Nazis learn of his whereabouts and accuse him of murder. Determined to clear his name, Daniel chooses to remain in Germany. Gretchen decides risking loosing her new found family, university admission, and freedom is worth helping Daniel.
Daniel and Gretchen must figure out who to trust since respectable figures are being arrested and killed by the new regime. Their fate depends on quickly obtaining the information to clear Daniel and expose the nefarious intentions without being revealed by their enemies, including those who knew them intimately. Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/22838220-conspiracy-of-blood-and-smoke
Serafina understands she's different, not only by her physical features, but her circumstances. She hides in the Vanderbilt's basement under father 's direction. As an electrician, he does odds and ends for the family. As Serafina moises down the woods one evening, she witnesses a man with a black cloak seizing a girl with a yellow dress. She barely escapes, but the townspeople as more children disappear. The most vulnerable child is Braendon Vanderbilt, the nephew of the town's most important patriarch. He and Serafina join forces to uncover the mystery and strike a friendship in the process. All is not what it seems in their search for answers. Danger lurks closer than they think and in an unexpected place. Will Serafina and Braendon save the other children or die trying?
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/23507745-serafina-and-the-black-cloak Interested in a poetry collection? Rupi Kapur examies father-daughter & male-female relationships in this erotic free verse poetry collection. This compilation is designed for more mature audiences.
Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/23513349-milk-and-honey In the dramatic conclusion of the Wrath and the dawn, Shahrzad seeks a dangerous path. Shazi, trapped in the desert by Reza and Tariq, men who seek vengeance against Khalid for the deaths of Shiva and the other murdered brides, seeks a way to escape to the man she loves. She must rely on her sister Irsa who has divided loyalties to her sister and the rebel cause. Shazi sadly realizes she can't rely on her father Jahandar not only because of his illness, but his quest for power and revenge supersedes the love for his daughters. Shazi enlists the help of Musa, Khalid's old mentor and another querulous magician Artan to break the tragic spell befallen on her love.
In the meantime, Khalid fights to preserve the remains of his kingdom, severely damaged in the previous rebel attack. He can no longer rely on his cousin and closest friend Jahal nor his bodyguard Vikram who lost his arm during the raid to assist him. Shazi and Khalid's journey towards peace and each other face tremendous obstacles against enemies who use the other as pawns for their own sadistic purposes. Image located at www.goodreads.com/book/photo/23308084-the-rose-the-dagger To others looking on the outside, Amanda Hardy, the new girl in town, comes across as the beautiful demure teenaged girl. It's practically love at first site when Grant first meets her. However, Amanda hides a painful secret. She was once Andrew Hardy, a boy who was ridiculed & bullied to the point of a suicide attempt.
Now as a girl, Amanda can truly be herself instead of the boy who longed to be a girl and behaved accordingly. While her parents struggle to accept her existence & grieve for their lost son, Amanda becomes one of the well liked girls in school. However, Amanda fears she will lose everything if her secret comes out-especially Grant, the boy she now loves. Russo beautifully weaves a coming of age story with the value of personal identity in Amanda's story. Maas creates a intense nail biting epic between romance of human Feyre and faerie Tamlin. Feyre, the youngest sister of a family who lost its wealth and way in the human province of Prythian, hunts for their survival. On one such occasion, Feyre manages to kill a rather across a menacing wolf. Unfortunately, for her, the wolf was actually Andras, an important faerie in disguise. As a result, Feyre is dragged from her home and permanently expected to live with the other faeries in a distant, yet opulent palace. Surprisingly, Tamlin, the highest fae promises Feyre comfort and security among the other faeries prefer her gone for her treacherous act. Eventually, Feyre longing for her family dissipates as she develops feelings for Tamlin. Despite the beauty and splendor, all is not what is seems. Dangers lurk in many forms from Bogges, Suriels, other misplaced faeries lurking by. Tamlin struggles to maintain control with these unannounced threats and protect the woman he now loves.
Once Feyre uncovers Tamlin's secret, she will risk everything to go up against his greatest adversary. Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/16096824-a-court-of-thorns-and-roses If you have no idea what to read, examine the illustration book depository called Little book of big ideas from the UK Elmgreen School Library . You find children & YA titles in wide range of genres such as biographies, classics, dystopia, fantasy, historical fiction, horror, humor, mysteries, romance, science fiction, and many more. Image from Weebly Creative Commons
Three close friends and outcasts in Forrestville, Tennessee forge new paths during their Senior year. Travis escapes his abusive home life and loss of brother through fantasy fiction. Lydia expands on being the outside-the-box fashion trend setter with hopes of leaving for greener pastures at NYU after graduation. The person who benefits and stands the most to lose from these changes is Dill, the son of the town preacher arrested for child pornography and grandson of the serpent king. These friendship offer him emotional support and chance for expanding his horizons beyond the confines of the small town & manipulative parents. However, Dill worries about what's to become of him when his friends' lives change around him.
A tragic event will evoke changes in ways unimaginable. Image from www.goodreads.com/book/photo/22752127-the-serpent-king |
AuthorI am Ms. April Geltch, CJUSD Librarian & advisor of the Yellowjacket Literate Book Club. YA Book Sites 50 Young Adult Book Blogs 100 Awesome Social Sites for Bookworms Ms. Geltch's 2009-12 Books of the Year: The Early Years Ms. Geltch's 2013 Books of the Year Ms. Geltch's 2014 Top Ten Books of the Year Ms. Geltch's 2015 Books of the Year Ms. Geltch's 2016 Books of the Year Ms. Geltch's Favorite Books 2017 Ms. Geltch's Reading Possibilities 2018 Ms. Geltch's YA Literature Recreational Reading Guide Nearby Libraries
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