Who's Your Hero? Summer Reading Programs 2015

This year's theme from Collaborative Summer Library Program is inspiring.  Love the idea of using "hero's" as a way to entice children to read all summer long.   Children  love heroes of all shapes and sizes: super heroes,  military heroes, mystery solving-heroes, knight in shining armor heroes and  most of all everyday heroes.  It is really hard to pick just one type of hero. Just as the theme suggest every hero has a story and to pick just one, well that as difficult as picking which ice cream is better the chocolate or double chocolate flavor.  They are both wonderful.    In honor of the theme and to get started on suggestions for  books to read this summer, there is one title that has stood out as the "story" that should be on every middle schooler's reading list and to be honest, even on the adults list as well.  El Deafo is a quick, delightful and eye opening graphic novel that explores the world of a hearing impaired hero who imagines that her hearing aids gives her super powers.

This heartfelt yet humorous memoir  from Cece Bell will have readers cheering for a new super hero. One who does not have perfect hearing or perfect eyesight or even athletic abilities to leap tall buildings in a single bounce.   El Deafo is the perfect superhero who wants what every middle schoolers wants, to be excepted for who they are and to fit.  This type of book has been long over due for so many reasons.   Bell's illustration on what is is like to face challenges of hearing impairment are spot on and clear. Everything from watching TV, to embarrassing sleep overs  and bulky hearing aides, is dealt with a touch of humanity and warmth.   This book is for every child -- deaf or hearing --- it will without a doubt show the possibility that anyone can be a hero.  Some heroes need a little more help then others but given the opportunity they can and will "save" the day.  

It is not a surprise that this book has already won numerous awards.  Quite frankly,  it should be the "poster" book for CLSP.  Cece is a true hero and her story is worth becoming familiar with.  Will readers find out about the next adventures of El Deafo?   That would be wonderful!  Here's  to keeping the fingers crossed that there will be more stories about Cece and her true friend, Martha.

In the meantime,   there are so many heroes to meet this summer!   The list is  long and there is not time to waste! . Not to mention the  many hero crafts to do as well!  Summer is just staring and Librarian at Large is just getting warmed up !  Stay tuned there is so much more reading fun to come!

(Blogger Note: As a child of the 70's and hearing impaired as well,  many of the situations described in the memoir struck  a cord of familiarity.)

Summer Reading Review of Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature

I've gotten a jump on my reading list for this summer,  and my list is long.  However, I am determined that this is the summer, that I get to read everything I set out to do.  We shall see if I rise to the occasion.   I've decided that I wanted to check out some of the YA (Young Adult) titles that were nominated for literary awards.  Whenever a book or movie wins an award, I have to check it out for myself to see if I agree that the work merits an award or not.  

The first book that I have chosen to comment on is " Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature" by Robin Brande.  Ms. Brande first novel has just received the Michigan Library Association's "Thumbs Up!" Award.   The plot of the story is about Mena, a ninth grader,  who begins high school as the freshmen biggest class outcast. She has done something so hideous, that her friends in the  youth group hates her, her pastor hates her and even her parents hate her.  Everything changes when her biology teacher, Mrs. Shepard  pairs her up with lab partner Casey Connor and a lesson on evolution changes how Mena views her world.

      Ms. Brande's attempts to bring together science and religion is admirable, but does not make a convincing argument. Especially when she uses the Parable of the Five Talents to prove that Jesus believed in natural selection or survival of  the fittest.   The characters who are "Christian" , including  Mena's parents, who agree with the youth group's actions of bullying their daughter,  are made out to be single minded and hypocritical. However, on the flip side, anyone who does not agree with the Christian, are characters to be upheld and admired.  For example, Ms.Shephard rants on and on about her rights under the constitution to teach the curriculum because of separation of church and state,  she LOVES biology because it offer facts (as if religion does not) and Darwin's theory is flawless.  Near the end of the story, Brande sneaks in the fact that Ms. Shephard is indeed a woman who believes in God but will not say that to her students in class, because it would be crossing the precarious line drawn in the sand by the Supreme Court.  

Mena is a wonderful character, because the reader believe her feelings are authentic throughout the story. I almost forgot!  You are probably wondering what was the hideous act that Mena did to get everyone in her universe mad at her?  She wrote a note to a boy in her youth group telling him she was sorry that everyone was picking on him because he was "gay".  This note starts a chain reaction of lawsuits against the church, the parents of the children who ridiculed the boy, and Mena's parents because the boy almost succeeds at committing suicide. Although Ms Brande tries to keep the suspense up until halfway through the book, it is obvious to the reader that the letter was about a gay person.  Why else would the Christians be in an uproar?  Too bad the supporting cast is so flat!

At the end of the book the author does explain where she drew her inspiration from and it is obvious she found sources that agree with each other, thus producing a story that is very one sided.  Would I recommend this book?  Yes, but not enthusiastically.  Also, I would not take the story too seriously because of the lack of strong supporting characters around Mena.  

Till Next time .... happy reading!