https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio Made with mirth en-us 2019-03-31 14:29:17 UTC 2019-03-31 17:44:58 UTC hello@padlet.com cebrazeau https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio/wish/346894889 Title: Maus I: A survivor's tale
Author: Art Spiegelman
Summary: This graphic novel tells the story of the author's Polish-Jewish parents, Vladek and Anja, who were captured by the Nazis and taken to various concentration camps. Book 1 ends with the author finding out that his father, who has remarried after the death of Anja, has destroyed his mother's war-time journals. The characters in the graphic novel are represented as mice, but the novel records the real-life tensions in the father and son relationship, as Art learns the truth about his family's past.

Explanation: While this book explores mature issues of Nazi persecution, mental health struggles, and suicide, they are nonetheless important issues to discuss in safe classroom space. This book would be appropriate in the Intermediate classroom because it uses an engaging visual medium to discuss pertinent historical events.

]]> 2019-03-31 14:30:03 UTC https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio/wish/346894889 cebrazeau https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio/wish/346894904 Title: Blink and Caution
Author: Tim Wynne Jones
Summary: Blink is a teenage boy living on the street who gets caught up in a kidnapping scheme when he overhears a phone call about an abducted CEO. He soon finds himself on the run with Caution, the daughter of the kidnapped CEO, who is hiding from her drug-dealer ex-boyfriend. Both teens struggle to trust and live with the guilt of past mistakes hanging on their shoulders. As they struggle to outsmart criminals and stay alive, trust, partnership and romantic feelings develop between the two. This crime, thriller explores themes of guilt, self-esteem, and redemption.

Explanation:  Intermediate students should be exposed to works by Canadian authors, such as Tim Wynne Jones. Jones uses the first person narrative of Blink to reveal themes of shame, struggles with self-esteem, and the hope of new friendship which are very relevant issues in the social and emotional development of Intermediate readers.]]> 2019-03-31 14:30:12 UTC https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio/wish/346894904 cebrazeau https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio/wish/346894939 Title: Gangsta Rap
Author: Benjamin Zephaniah
Summary: Ray, Prem, and Tyrone are expelled from school, and it looks as though they have run out of chances. Then their school principal gives them one last chance, through a special program that teaches them how to rap and produce music. They rise to fame and get a record deal, but all this is in jeopardy when violence reenters their lives. The boys struggle to overcome their past and prove that they can be rappers without the violence and negative influence of being involved in gang life.

Explanation:  
This books deals with themes of diversity, challenge, and redemption. It is a good hook for students with a big interest in music and hip hop culture. This book provides a positive message that where you come from does not dictate where you go in life. It is about overcoming life's challenges with the help of positive adult role models.

]]> 2019-03-31 14:30:28 UTC https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio/wish/346894939 cebrazeau https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio/wish/346894966 Title: Twelfth Night
Author: William Shakespeare
Summary: A shipwreck leaves a young woman, Viola, stranded on a new land Illyria. Without a way to provide for herself, she is forced to disguise herself as a man, Cesario, in order to work in the house of Duke Orsino. Orsino quickly trusts Cesario and sends him to deliver love notes to Lady Olivia, a wealthy woman who is dismissive of romantic suiters due to mourning the death of her brother. Olivia takes interest in Cesario, while Viola dressed as Cesario develops feelings for Orsino. The love triangle is further complicated by the actions of a chorus of other characters, but eventually all is revealed when Viola's long-lost twin brother Sebastian (assumed to be drowned) reappears. The siblings recognize one another and Viola is able to reveal herself to Orsino, as Olivia then marries Sebastian.
Explanation: This book is a fun entry into the world of Shakespeare. It is a shorter read for Intermediate students and touches on many themes of sexual identity such as deception, performance, and gender norms.

]]> 2019-03-31 14:30:42 UTC https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio/wish/346894966 cebrazeau https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio/wish/346894984 Title: The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell
Author: Robert Dugoni
Summary: Sam Hill is born with red eyes, a condition known as ocular albinism. As a result of his unusual condition, Sam faces bullying from classmates and even some of his teachers at the Catholic school he attends. He has no friends until a new student Ernie Cantwell arrives, and Sam comes to believe that this is God's blessing in his life. Sam's mother tells him his eye colour is God's will, and a sign that he will have an extraordinary life. 40 years later Sam is an eye doctor in a small town, and he wrestles with the idea of faith and God's will in his life as he looks back on his life's choices, mistakes, and rediscovers his forgiveness and faith.
Explanation: I would choose this book for intermediate readers because it touches on relevant themes of school life: friendship, bullying, difference, diversity, and faith. This book is also available as an audio book read by the author.]]> 2019-03-31 14:30:48 UTC https://padlet.com/cebrazeau/h8rndohneeio/wish/346894984