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misterbelcher's reviews
50 reviews
Shadow of a Bull by Maia Wojciechowska
4.0
Shadow of a Bull is a great read for younger audiences, especially children around the middle school age. As an adult, I liked the detail it gave around Spanish culture and the history of bull fighting. As someone who does not know much about this famous event, I appreciated what I was able to learn through this text. Considering that I have been living in Spain for the last month and will be here for a few more months, the text made it easy to connect to characters and settings. A lot of customs and traditions discussed in this fictional book almost made it feel nonfictional.
As a future English teacher I feel this book would be a great resource to use in a classroom. This text would work well in a World Literature setting, but ultimately it could be used in any English classroom. This text would be great when teaching students about diversity. The plot focuses on a boy who is struggling with who he wants to be, but he has very high expectations held against him to be someone else. What struggles did he face? How did he overcome these problems of being different? This is a text easy enough to introduce the idea of diversity, while also being able to teach quite a bit of Spanish culture.
One aspect of the book that students may struggle with would be the Spanish terms used in the book. Even I struggled to understand certain terms and what was happening. Most of the terms or sayings sound similar, making it an obstacle to grasp what is going on in certain events or chapters. However, most copies have a dictionary at the end of the book to explain what these terms mean. Overall, this is an achievable read for a middle/high school classroom and could benefit students greatly.
As a future English teacher I feel this book would be a great resource to use in a classroom. This text would work well in a World Literature setting, but ultimately it could be used in any English classroom. This text would be great when teaching students about diversity. The plot focuses on a boy who is struggling with who he wants to be, but he has very high expectations held against him to be someone else. What struggles did he face? How did he overcome these problems of being different? This is a text easy enough to introduce the idea of diversity, while also being able to teach quite a bit of Spanish culture.
One aspect of the book that students may struggle with would be the Spanish terms used in the book. Even I struggled to understand certain terms and what was happening. Most of the terms or sayings sound similar, making it an obstacle to grasp what is going on in certain events or chapters. However, most copies have a dictionary at the end of the book to explain what these terms mean. Overall, this is an achievable read for a middle/high school classroom and could benefit students greatly.
A Thunderous Whisper by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
4.0
A Thunderous Whisper had me on the edge of my seat for just about the entire read. Despite this being a young children's novel, it is packed with language and themes that a person of any age can relate to and enjoy. What I enjoyed the most about this book was the historical accuracy and detail it presented. From the bombing of Guernica, to boarding the ships to England, I loved the imagery and detail of this book. One thing I would say I disliked about the book was the ending. Yes, many books end with a cliff hanger, but I finished the book and thought to myself "What? That's it?"
I think this book would be a great read for a high school classroom. The one thing that is great about this book, as mentioned before, is the historical accuracy it presents. This particular book would work well in a World Literature course as you could not only discuss the historical elements, but also discuss different themes like perseverance, friendship, and loss. I say that this book would work better in a high school setting because the themes and main ideas can be a little bit tricky to pick up on. The one thing I disliked about this book, from a future teacher's point of view, was the accessibility to understanding the themes. With a lot of discussion in the classroom the themes of this book could be picked up, but I could definitely see how students would struggle trying to identify them while reading. Not to mention, the book offers some pretty sad elements to it, which can be difficult to teach in a classroom setting.
Overall, this is a great book not only for young adult readers, but anyone who is interested in historical fiction. As someone who did not know much about the Spanish Civil War, I was easily able to follow this book and was interested the entire time. Great read.
I think this book would be a great read for a high school classroom. The one thing that is great about this book, as mentioned before, is the historical accuracy it presents. This particular book would work well in a World Literature course as you could not only discuss the historical elements, but also discuss different themes like perseverance, friendship, and loss. I say that this book would work better in a high school setting because the themes and main ideas can be a little bit tricky to pick up on. The one thing I disliked about this book, from a future teacher's point of view, was the accessibility to understanding the themes. With a lot of discussion in the classroom the themes of this book could be picked up, but I could definitely see how students would struggle trying to identify them while reading. Not to mention, the book offers some pretty sad elements to it, which can be difficult to teach in a classroom setting.
Overall, this is a great book not only for young adult readers, but anyone who is interested in historical fiction. As someone who did not know much about the Spanish Civil War, I was easily able to follow this book and was interested the entire time. Great read.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
4.0
Absolutely a must read. I have to admit, I was quite unfamiliar with the crisis concerning Syrian refugees and the war, but now I feel much more educated on the topic. This book is fantastic as it offers different perspectives, from different time periods. I can honestly say that there wasn't one thing about this book I didn't enjoy. So full of detail, excitement, and heartbreak all in one! The historical fiction lens also allows readers to get a great sense of what was actually happening, but through a fictional character's story.
This book is also classified as a Young Adult novel and I absolutely think it should be required to use in a public school setting. Personally, I think it would fit best in a high school classroom. Why? I will admit, some of the content can be quite harsh and I think a bit much for middle school readers. Also, the book does lack dialogue, which is a usual characteristic for young adult literature. However, I think this would be perfect for high schoolers. It would allow students to consider different perspectives about topics they may either already know about, or know absolutely nothing about. It offers the great chance to compare and contrast different time periods and the settings that these different stories take place. And not to mention, its great for discussing all of the different connections that are to be made throughout this read. So many different elements of this book can be used in the classroom, and SHOULD be used in the classroom! All around fantastic read for all ages.
This book is also classified as a Young Adult novel and I absolutely think it should be required to use in a public school setting. Personally, I think it would fit best in a high school classroom. Why? I will admit, some of the content can be quite harsh and I think a bit much for middle school readers. Also, the book does lack dialogue, which is a usual characteristic for young adult literature. However, I think this would be perfect for high schoolers. It would allow students to consider different perspectives about topics they may either already know about, or know absolutely nothing about. It offers the great chance to compare and contrast different time periods and the settings that these different stories take place. And not to mention, its great for discussing all of the different connections that are to be made throughout this read. So many different elements of this book can be used in the classroom, and SHOULD be used in the classroom! All around fantastic read for all ages.
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
4.0
Hands down, one of the best novels I have ever read. What made this novel so enjoyable for me was that it made me think about issues I didn't really realize were still going on in our society. After I finished reading I really thought to myself "How have I been so blind to these issues of race?" I throughly enjoyed the way this book flowed and the plot development. What I really loved was the timing in which the journal entries were added. These always seemed to be placed in such a convenient part of the story. Everything was, in my opinion, close to perfect. However, one thing that I will say I did not care for, was the harsh language used throughout the novel. Yes, the language added to the intensity of the novel, but it was still a bit much for my taste.
Because this is a Young Adult novel, there is a great chance it could be used in both middle and high school classrooms. Quite frankly, this is another book I think should be a must to read. As a future English teacher, I would see this book being extremely useful in the classroom as it is relatable to every single person. You do not have to be a person of color to understand and be able to relate to what is going on in this book. That is why I like it so much both from a personal view and an educators view. I think this book would offer great discussion questions to be used in the classroom and also make students really think outside of the box. Maybe they hadn't considered the extreme to which racial inequality is still at in our society. However, I think the language could be a drawback. Simply because it does use a lot of harsh language, I would have to say this is definitely a book for high schools. Even then, I could definitely see the language getting in the way. I throws around a lot of racial slurs and extremely harsh cuss words that I could see both students AND parents getting upset over.
Dear Martin is a truly inspirational novel that everyone should read. It should be used in classrooms all over and help students think critically about issues occurring in our society today. I think anyone, no matter what age, could benefit from giving this novel a read.
Because this is a Young Adult novel, there is a great chance it could be used in both middle and high school classrooms. Quite frankly, this is another book I think should be a must to read. As a future English teacher, I would see this book being extremely useful in the classroom as it is relatable to every single person. You do not have to be a person of color to understand and be able to relate to what is going on in this book. That is why I like it so much both from a personal view and an educators view. I think this book would offer great discussion questions to be used in the classroom and also make students really think outside of the box. Maybe they hadn't considered the extreme to which racial inequality is still at in our society. However, I think the language could be a drawback. Simply because it does use a lot of harsh language, I would have to say this is definitely a book for high schools. Even then, I could definitely see the language getting in the way. I throws around a lot of racial slurs and extremely harsh cuss words that I could see both students AND parents getting upset over.
Dear Martin is a truly inspirational novel that everyone should read. It should be used in classrooms all over and help students think critically about issues occurring in our society today. I think anyone, no matter what age, could benefit from giving this novel a read.
Educated by Tara Westover
4.0
SUCH a challenging read, but SUCH a necessary read. Exposure to a different lifestyle and how one woman set out to expand her knowledge of the world. Would recommend to everyone.
What If It's Us by Adam Silvera, Becky Albertalli
5.0
An amazingly funny, sweet, sad, and uplifting novel that helps to normalize the idea of teenage homosexual relationships.
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
4.0
Had trouble at first navigating four different characters. However, this became an easy obstacle to overcome. Sepetys' writing style is fabulous. Wonderful novel that shines light on a historical event often not discussed.