Terry Trueman Week - Day 3

Hi Readers,

Sarah is back again guest blogging today! On Wednesday, we heard her thoughts on “Stuck in Neutral.” Today, she’s hear to share her thoughts on “Cruise Control.” (Teachers and teachers-to-be, take note of Sarah’s final thoughts!) 

So without further ado …

“Cruise Control” by Terry Trueman is a very touching story about a character that appears to have it all. Paul McDaniel is blessed with brains, popularity, and athletic skill, but in reality, he is suffering tremendously on the inside and tries to conceal his hurt from everyone. Paul is a star athlete on his school’s basketball team with big dreams of leaving home to attend college by earning an athletic scholarship. However, his brother, Shawn, is severely disabled and cannot communicate or control his body. When their dad abandoned the family, Paul felt obligated as “the man of the house” to care for not only his brother, but his mother and sister as well. Paul resents his father for putting him in this situation and feels trapped. Paul must control his anger and break free of his own feelings of guilt in order to control his own life. Trueman does an excellent job of creating a believable character that readers can relate to.

Having read “Cruise Control” prior to reading “Stuck in Neutral” my perspective of this story is somewhat different than most. If I had read “Stuck in Neutral” beforehand, I think my opinions about the characters and the overall story would be somewhat different. I believe Paul embodies many of the characteristics that many teens demonstrate. As a reader, I was able to get into his head and identify with him. In many ways he is the average teenager who feels as though no one understands him and believes that the world is against him. This story took me back to my own teenage years. It is easy to relate to the feelings and emotions that Paul demonstrates as he completes high school.

I believe this story will appeal to teens. I think Trueman has created a character that embodies many of the problems and situations that teens deal with daily. The character is very relatable. The book also contains quite a bit of humor which, makes it appealing.

In the classroom, this book can be used to discuss a multitude of sensitive topics that correspond to issues people deal with on a daily basis and that teens need to be aware of. Disability is a huge theme in this story. Teachers can discuss the stereotypes associated with disability, or raise awareness about the treatment of these people. It is also necessary to challenge the perceptions we all have about people with disabilities. Another topic to be discussed is separation and divorce. Many families are broken in today’s society and many children have difficulty dealing with the separation of their parents. Thirdly, bullying is addressed in this novel. It is critical that teachers discuss this in their classrooms, because it has become a major issue in schools today. I would absolutely use this book in my classroom.

Sarah, thanks so much for guest blogging not just once, but twice!

Terry Trueman Week - Day 2

Hi Readers!

Terry Trueman Week continues with another guest post … Sarah is a graduate student at St. John Fisher college and she is graduating this spring with a Master’s degree in Literacy Education. She hopes to teacher 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade. Her favorite YA books are the books in “The Hunger Games” series – a friend recommended them to her last summer and she loved them. (And is anxiously anticipating the release of the movie!) Sarah is most looking forward to meeting Terry Trueman at TBF.

Today, Sarah shares her thoughts on Terry’s first novel, “Stuck in Neutral.” (And to any of my readers who are teachers, or any of my teen readers who would like to become teachers, check out the last paragraph of Sarah’s review.)

“Stuck in Neutral” is a compelling story. The main character, Shawn McDaniel, is misunderstood by everyone. To the world, Shawn is physically disabled, unable to control his physical movements and unable to communicate. He also suffers from mass seizures several times a day. However, unbeknownst to world, Shawn is a genius. He has an incredible memory in which he can recall every word from conversations around him. He even remembers experiences as far back as his childhood. He is able to read and understand what people say about him. He is just like every other teenage boy in that he has favorite foods and music and even likes girls. As the story develops, readers begin to notice the relationship between Shawn and his father is very complex. Shawn’s father loves Shawn so much that he even considers putting Shawn out of his “misery.”

Reading this text challenged my own bias and assumptions. Just because an individual is unable to communicate or control his or her body, does not mean they are incapable of thoughts and ideas. I think this is an assumption that many members of society make. As a teacher, it is important to discourage these assumptions and biases. One day we may have a student like Shawn in our classroom.

I believe this book would appeal to teens. Shawn’s thoughts demonstrate that he is just a normal teenager on the inside. He is relatable to most teens. Trueman also uses humor in his writing, which adds another component to the story. Additionally, the author uses suspense, which keeps the reader engaged, and coming back for more.

This text could be incorporated into the classroom curriculum. It touches on many controversial issues. It promotes critical thinking. What would individual students do if they found themselves in Shawn situation? Students also have to challenge some of the assumptions and biases they may hold against disabled individuals. This book also connects text to real world issues that they may encounter. Euthanasia is another example of a controversial issue that could be debated in the classroom after reading this book. This novel promotes higher levels of thinking and encourages discussion.

Sarah, thanks for sharing your thoughts on “Stuck in Neutral” with us!

Readers, Friday will be the final week of Terry Week – don’t miss it!

Terry Trueman Week - Day 1

Hi Readers!

Welcome to Terry Trueman Week! This week on Carly Reads, I will be featuring posts about our TBF mascot. Our first post is from guest blogger Jessica. Jessica is a graduate student at St. John Fisher College. She is a certified teacher and is currently finishing her Master’s degree in Literacy Education. When she’s not in school herself, she’s a substitute teacher in Webster. Her favorite YA book is “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold (a cross-over book!). When she read it in high school, it helped her realize who much she loved reading. Jessica is most looking forward to meeting Laurie Halse Anderson at TBF 2012, as she really enjoyed “Speak” and “Wintergirls.”

Here are Jessica’s thoughts on Terry’s novels “Stuck in Neutral” and “Cruise Control”:

Though everyone has family tribulations, many families that have a lot more issues than what people see on the exterior. Terry Truman illustrates this in the two young adult books, “Stuck in Neutral” and “Cruise Control.” The Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature Honor book, “Stuck in Neutral,” was told from the point of view of a 14-year-old boy who suffers from cerebral palsy. The young boy, Shawn McDainel, is non-verbal and paraplegic, but the author illustrates Shawn to understand the world around him though he has never been able to communicate. Shawn’s family has been affected by his condition in different ways. His father left his wife and three kids because he never was able to handle the situation. His father, Sydney McDaniel, is a writer who has won a Pulitzer Prize for a poem about Shawn, seems to believe that Shawn is in pain and he is fixated on the idea of euthanasia. This disturbs the whole family and the father’s controversial thoughts leave him on the verge of killing Shawn, or not, and so transmits his inner debate to readers.

Though his father believes in “ending Shawn’s pain,” his brother tries to protect Shawn in any way he can. In the book “Cruise Control,” Paul, a high school senior who seems to live a complete opposite life of Shawn, is the narrator. Paul is a basketball star and seems to do well in high school; the problem he faces is the embarrassment of having a brother that he refers as a “Veg.” The thought of himself embarrassed by having a brother with this condition frustrates Paul because he feels ambivalence towards him. His father, Sydney, seems to bring out the worst in Paul, which creates a lot of hateful anger. The book shows Paul go through many different feelings and the hardship of having a family member who requirement so much attention, Paul seems to come in terms with what he really feels by the end of the book.

The Terry Truman books “Stuck in Neutral” and “Cruise Control” are great young adult books, particularly for students who have a difficult time expressing their feeling toward family members that have complex circumstances. The books are well-written and easy reads for middle and high school students. I took pleasure in reading both the books.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Jessica!

Readers, come back on Wednesday for another guest blogger’s perspective on Terry’s novels.

 

Miranda Reads, Too!: Alumni Edition with Simone Elkeles

Hi Readers,

Today, Miranda is back at Carly Reads with a review for Carly Reads: Alumni Edition of Simone Elkeles’ “Chain Reaction.” Read and enjoy!

Hey readers!

When I’m not reading a current TBF author, I’m usually reading a TBF Alumni. It gives me a chance to see what they’ve been writing these days. Simone Elkeles, our 2010 alum, released her latest novel, “Chain Reaction”, the third book in the Perfect Chemistry series. 

Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks — whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill. Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules — boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules. Getting Nikki to take a chance on a south-sider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?

Simone Elkeles is known for her incredible romance novels. Her first book was “How to Ruin a Summer Vacation.” The Perfect Chemistry series is one of her best works. In the first book, “Perfect Chemistry,” readers get to meet the oldest brother in the Fuentes family, Alexander. She continues the series by introducing the second brother, Carlos, and later on Luis, the youngest. These brothers are equally handsome, charming, have a bad boy demeanor and a soft heart. They are stuck in a rough Mexican gang but that doesn’t stop them from reaching for a brighter future.

When I first met Simone Elkeles, she was energetic and funny. Surprisingly, she said that she hated writing so much that she refused to write an essay to get into college. She admitted that those cheap and cheesy romance novels got her started to write. I admire her choice to choose to give writing a second chance. Her decision really paid off in the end. She is now a New York Times bestseller.

Lesson of the day: give things a second chance. It may be worth it in the end.

Miranda

Thanks for another great post, Miranda!

Good Morning Readers!

Laurie Halse Anderson and TBF go WAY back. All the way back, in fact, to the very beginning. Laurie was one of our first 11 authors featured at TBF, and she’s made several reappearances at the festival. She’s also attended a TBF Read-a-Thon and always spreads the TBF love. Laurie was kind enough to take time out of her VERY busy schedule to answer a few questions for me, and today, I’m going to share her answers with you!

Carly Reads: Your young adult realistic fiction deals with a number of tough issues, including eating disorders, suicide, rape, and teenage pregnancy. What role do you think books can play in helping teens deal with these issues and other struggles?

Laurie Halse Anderson: Teenagers are young enough that the harsher realities of the world can shock and hurt them, and old enough that they want to understand those realities. Even kids who haven't been through the struggles of the characters in my novels want to understand what the characters are experiencing. Readers who have dealt with tough realities want solace and hope. Books give us information, insight, and empathy. They also save lives. I've had countless letter and emails from readers who, after reading one of my books, found the courage to speak up and get help.

CR: You also write historical fiction for younger audiences, how does writing for this age group differ from writing for young adults? Do you prefer writing for one group over the other?

LHA: In the early stages of a writing project, I don't think about the audience at all. I focus on character's voice and listening to her story. It will take two or three drafts for me to get the structure and imagery of the story in place. Then I begin revising; that's when I consider my audience. For my YA novels, I make sure that the pace of the novel moves smoothly, that there is humor and the wide range of emotions that teens are swamped with every day. For my younger readers, I make sure that scenes are described well so that they can clearly picture where the characters are and what is going on around them. This is especially important in a historical novel because the world of 250 years ago was quite different than our world today. I really enjoy writing for both age groups!

CR: Have you always known that you wanted to be a writer? Was your journey to getting published like, and what advice do you have for aspiring writers?

LHA: I never thought about being an author when I was a kid. I was a reader, first and foremost. After several years of being a journalist, I decided to try my hand at writing books for children. It seemed to be a more positive way to make a contribution to the world than writing another story about city budgets or Santa visiting the mall. I was a fairly awful writer when I started and have hundreds of rejection letters to prove it. After a few depressing years, I embraced the concept of revision and my books started - gradually - to become less bad. My first published books were picture books. Then I wrote “Speak” and my life changed completely.

CR: What five books are on your list of “Books I Can’t Live Without”?

LHA: 1. The Oxford Unabridged Dictionary 2. The Watsons Go To Birmingham – 1963 3. Blueberries for Sal 4. The Collected Works of William Shakespeare 5. Weetzie Bat

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting/seeing at the Seventh Annual Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival?

LHA: One of the many wonderful things about the Teen Book Festival is that is has become another home on the road for our wandering bands of motley YA authors. It has become part of our community. So I am looking forward to seeing old friends, like Terry Trueman, and to hanging out with new friends, like Brandon Mull.

Laurie, thank you so much for answering these questions for me! I’m looking forward to seeing you again in May!