WAW Reviews: Neighborhood Sharks and The Meaning of Maggie
Hey Friends!
Time for another round of WAW Wednesday. I apologize for missing last week, I pulled a typical summer move by a single, childless teacher and forgot what day of the week it is. I think it's safe to say that after last night's first back to school nightmare of the year there won't be any more of that nonsense. You might just see a surprise posting in the next couple weeks so we can get caught up. My goal is to be done with this series by the end of August.
Without further ado let me introduce you to two more books on this year's William Allen White List.
Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California's Farallon Islands and The Meaning of Maggie are very different reads that will make all kinds of readers happy. One is nonfiction, while the other is realistic fiction. Keep reading to find out more about these books through the summary of these books as well as my personal thoughts based on what students might say. I hope this information helps you know what to expect when your readers get ahold of these books if you don't have time to read all of them yourself.
Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California's Farallon Islands by Katherine Roy
Summary: This illustrated nonfiction book about Great White Sharks of the Farallon Islands is already an award winner. The thorough research of the author is evident, but it is presented in a way that will excite the readers that get their hands on this book. Illustrations throughout this book are beautiful, and help the reader to understand important facts about the Great White just like the one below that compares the shark's "perfect body" to an airplane.
Thoughts: Nonfiction books on state awards lists are usually hit or miss. I predict that this one will be a hit with my students over and over again. The subject matter itself is enough for any elementary student to pick up and check out. They just can't get enough of sharks! I think they will be drawn in by the pictures, but amazed by the way the unique information is shared just like I was. For example, comparing northern elephant seals to "nature's perfect energy bar" because of it's percentage of blubber. I also loved how it broke down the shark's five weapons of attack. From their torpedo shaped bodies to their jaw that projects forward because it can't chew, it was truly intriguing. I can't wait for my students to get ahold of this one.
I'll leave you with this powerful ending quote: "White sharks have circled the oceans for 11 million years - 10.8 million years longer than people have walked the earth. But their small numbers, expansive range, and slow reproductive cycle make the species intensely vulnerable to our impact on the the planet. Can they survive another 200,000 years of humans?"
The Meaning of Maggie
Summary: The realistic fiction novel is inspired by the author's experience living with a father who had multiple sclerosis. Maggie is an 11-year old that shares the story of her life in the past year in the form of a memoir. Her story will have the reader laughing at Maggie's quirky personality, but also feeling empathy for the young girl who doesn't quite understand her father's illness as they have tried to shelter her from the devastating reality of his diagnosis. (A portion of the proceeds of the sale of The Meaning of Maggie will be donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.)
Thoughts: I flew through this book in the matter of one afternoon and fell in love with Maggie. I think she is a very relatable character and any book that has a theme of empathy is a great addition to any collection for middle grade readers. The addition of footnotes for additional input from the narrator was brilliant.
Because I loved this book so much, it pains me to say that there are some red flags to watch out for with our younger readers. The not so big deal is that because it is set in the 1980's there are a plethora of cultural references that many students may not understand. I struggled myself with these references to be honest.
The bigger deal for me is some of the references to sex, drugs, and alcohol that wouldn't be received well in some of my student's homes. Here are some specific examples to watch out for:
- Maggie says her sister is boy crazy. When her and her boyfriend fell asleep on the couch together she thought that this may mean they might be having sex. But then realizes that they aren't.
- Maggie mentions making mixed drinks of Rum and Cokes for her dad and refers to the alcohol as "the bad stuff."
- Maggie's dad's photo album has a picture of a "funny looking plant," but does not directly reference what it is. Later her dad makes a joke about wanting medical marijuana to his doctor.
- Maggie's parents have friends over and they "smell funny" in the morning."
That being said, no, of course I will not be censoring this book. It was selected as an award winner for a reason. Plus, I had a fifth grade and fourth grade reader that both loved the book last school year and I don't want to deny other readers the chance to meet their favorite character this year. But because I'm in an elementary building that only goes up to fifth grade, I will be careful which students I recommend this to though. My more mature readers will enjoy Maggie and I can't wait for them to meet each other.
Man, oh man. What a great pair of books! I'm currently reading some others with more quirky and unique characters and can't wait to share them with you as well.
Back to the books,
Audra
