2-      What has been the hardest struggle so far in your life? 

3-      Take a moment and think about the different scenarios in this set and think about how you would handle the situation. 

4-      Are there any consequences to someone being bullied? In your eyes are there any consequences for bullies?

5-   Is there anyone in your life that you feel comfortable enough discussing important topics with? 

Age range: 14-18 

Grade range: 9^th -12^th grade


Qualitative

MEANING: Everyone can take something different away from this book because it is not just centered around one person. The characters in this book each have baggage and are trying to deal with it the best way they know how. 

LANGUAGE: The language in this book is simple and very conversational. This book comes with a broad use of language such as cuss words. The book also brings ups topics that may be sensitive to some readers like a parent abandoning them. The vocabulary is more traditional English then academic English. The language use of this book is more ironic then it is literal.

STRUCTURE:  The book is written in the first-person perspective. It does discuss a few characters plot and changes between them in the book. This book is set in chronological time between the characters. There are no graphics, however the author uses great use of imagery. The story is fictional but based off of cases that Chris Crucher had as a teacher and therapist. 

KNOWLEDGE DEMANDS: While reading this book, you would not have to have a background in the things the children are going through to understand their pain. Conversations about the topics may be hard but need to be held so the students can adequately apply empathy to the characters. There is no stated purpose for the book other to inform those reading, that children have emotional things happen in their lives and we as their peers or mentor need to help them unravel all they are going through.

MATCHING READERS TO TASK/CONTENT: I would typically read this book in a high school setting but as a small group. I would gear this book to those who have either had some emotional things happen to them or those who need to build some empathy for others. I would love for the small group to be more of a book talk group then for class grades. I would love to grade them based off of conversations they are having about the book and maybe how they present the book their peers once finished. This book addresses some emotional turmoil that may not be suitable for all your students. It would be best if a student with a good attention span read this book as it does require some effort to read. Students should do research on Chris Crutcher before they read the book so they know that they know these stories are true and not fiction.

 The vocabulary in this book is more traditional then academic but it does use cuss words. The plot and characters keep the book engaging. This text can be scaffolded to fit the needs of others with the use of red alouds/audio books, small book talks, and other things that help discuss important sections of the book. 

Age range: N/A

Grade range: 9^th – 12^th


Qualitative

MEANING: Through out this book The meaning of this book is very simple yet explicit. It is simple in the way the author writes but it is implicit because of the content of the book (it is dealing with death after all). If you think about the meaning of the book and whether someone can make sense of the book, it has multiple meanings. It deals with death in a way that most authors are not doing for teens. It also deals with rape, relationships, therapy, and many more difficult things. The meaning can be hard to decipher. The book never explicitly states what the reader is suppose to take away from it. The topic addresses in the book is death and how to deal with it. While I read it, I got the feeling that the meaning was you only get to live once, make sure you live it to the best of your ability.

LANGUAGE: The language is simple but there is a lot of implied language. The author wants you to read between the lines of the dialogue before he directly spells out what happens in the book. It is a very conversational read as the author is trying to stay true to his intended audience. The language in this book is very non-academic as it is set in the perspective of a high school senior. They use some academic when they discuss the characters diagnosis and other times throughout the story as the plot dives deeper. The tone of the book is serious, but it happens very conversational between the characters, the author, and the reader. The sentences are not complex and the story runs about 320 pages. The author gives no graphics expect on the cover, however, he uses imagery to help the reader create an image in their mind. 

STRUCTURE: The book is very straight forward. Deadline was written in a chronological order that the reader must pay attention to because it is how the ending is such a shock to the reader. It is complex story in the sense that the topics that are discussed in the story are very adult themed. The sentences are not complex, but simple. 

KNOWLEDGE DEMANDS: The student would have to understand what it means to die or at east be severely sick. The child would need to know what abuse means. This story takes place from one perspective but it but nice to have the students dive into how the outside characters felt throughout the story. This story does not follow behind or in front of any text so the student does not need to reference other books. When it comes to having background knowledge for this text, students do not need to have any cultural guidance. Students may want a brief lesson on the systematic pressures put on men to always be strong and take care of everyone around them.

MATCHING READERS TO TASK/CONTENT: I would use this book as a book talk read for when students need something to help them understand the concept of death. When choosing a reader for this book, I recommend someone who has empathy for those around them and can attend to a book. The plot and characters keeps the reader engaged, however their may be parts where the reader may have a harder time reading then others because of the hard conversations that happen between the characters in the story. If you wish a lower reader to have access to this book, I recommend book talks and audio books to help them fully comprehend the book. I believe that the book talks will help the student get through the topics that they may find hard or uncomfortable. The vocabulary in this book can be discussed while taking up little instructional time. 

Lexile: 1000

Age range: 14 and up

Grade range: 9^th


Qualitative

MEANING: This text is a very complex book because you have to be making sure you remember various parts of the story. This book is about how one person can change everything for their friends. Imagine being so connected to your brother who passes away that you wear his jersey everyday to school, and then some guy bullies you for it. This book deals with the topic of bullying, racism, and feeling like you are left out. Students may not know the true meaning of this book because it is not meant to have one meaning fits all. The point of this story is to get your mind thinking about how the characters are feeling and what they are going through. 

LANGUAGE: The language in this book is very simple with a little bit of figurative language thrown in the mix. The language can be a little tense since it is a book about high schoolers and their bullies. This book is very conversational as this is the writing style of the author. The vocabulary used in this book is simple, however the sentences are complex. The students may need help understanding some of the references when it comes to the sport of swimming, but the majority of book is written in non-academic language. The author tries to write in a way that teens can relate to. 

STRUCTURE:  The book has a little backstory to it but for the most part is written in chronological order. The sentences are more complex then the vocabulary in this book. The author tries to make the reader feel apart of the book so the tone is very conversational between the reader, characters, and the author. 

KNOWLEDGE DEMANDS: This book does go in chronological order but it refers back to the past for the main plot. Students must be aware of the biases of high school sports and the role they play in a community. Reading this book, there is no one theme because it has many themes and students will gravitate towards the one they find the most powerful. The students will see how small towns can work and how some people view high school as the most important years of their lives. This book is written in fiction but is based off true stories that the authors students or clients dealt with. Students need to know that this does happen more then they know.

MATCHING READERS TO TASK/CONTENT: I would have this book as a book study for a small group of outcast and jocks. I would want to make them all to know how their actions have consequences. Honestly those who need to read this book the most are those who pay sports or bully others in any form. Students who have been bullied should read this book as well because it will allow them to see that they are not alone in the world and can actually stand up for themselves. Through the power of small group book talks and audiobooks this book can be scaffolded for students. Prior knowledge of other texts may not be necessary, but the students should have a good sense of what bullying can do to people and what it looks like. Thanks to the plot and the way the author writes the book will keep the students interested throughout the whole reading process. 

Age range: 14 and up

Grade range: 9^th through 12^th

Qualitative

MEANING: This book has a lot of implied meaning behind it because you have to envision how the characters are feeling using the imagery provided by the author. There are multiple meanings made through out the book depending on how you view the characters. This book is about how a person is coping with the sudden passing of their best friend and dad. The meaning that the book gives off can be handled in many ways for students because it all depends on how they take it. Some may find that is about resilience and over coming something, while others find that is about how they felt during the grieving process. 

LANGUAGE: The language in the book is full of imagery but simple. The author does not use a lot of high level words because he likes to keep his books very conversational since he writes for adolescents. The theme and sentence structure of this book make it a little complex to read. The vocabulary is non-academic and does not require much teaching time. The characters are very conversational, done on purpose by the author so teens would find the book more relatable. The 

STRUCTURE:  The story happens in chronological order but it is a very fast paced story so some thinking tools may help those who lack the attention span to follow along. It is written in first person, but the narrator is a ghost watching his best friend continue living. The author uses a great deal of imagery in the story instead of graphics. This story is fiction but is based on the true stories he has been told by clients or students he worked with.

KNOWLEDGE DEMANDS: The students may need a background knowledge of different religious views and why someone may not like a preacher. The students may also need to touch base on what they believe the afterlife to be. There is no pre-reading needed for this book. Students may need to be taught some vocabulary words throughout the book in order to help comprehension. The student reading this book needs to have empathy for those who have a person pass away in their life. Students may need to have conversations before reading about the psychological effects of death on a person and how it may have effected those in the classroom.

MATCHING READERS TO TASK/CONTENT: I would make sure to use this book as a small group read aloud. I would read it aloud parts of the book and then have students discuss the various parts we have read. I may even have them listen to the book at home and discuss what would they do in Eddie`s shoes. The author does try to compel teens to read the book through the style of writing he uses and hopefully relevant topics. The plot of this book wil keep the students reading. Trying to break down this book for striving readers can help with graphic organizers, small book talk groups, or even audio books. Students may not have the prior knowledge to apply empathy to the characters, a conversation on this topic could be very beneficial. If the reader is trying to answer questions and not just read it right through like I did, some of the thinking tools like indexing, talking, or diagraming will help.