Why this novel?
- Great introduction for a book in the classroom : There have been various attempts to ban the novel from being taught at schools in the US. However, it's still on the school syllabus and managed to get numerous awards.
- Fun and easy to read (B1-B2): diary format, small chunks, first person narration, comic sketches, humorous and sincere.
- Themes and Motifs a real teen problems: Individual Ambition versus Communal Obligation; Poverty and Privilege; Racism. Sports and Competition; Alcoholism; Physical Violence, Domestic Abuse, and Bullying.
- Covers various subjects on the syllabus and I had as much fun as my students, getting into really intense class discussions and culminating in an impressive "class diary" project.
- Author said in interview: "I'm really hoping it reaches a lot of native kids certainly, but also poor kids of any variety who feel trapped by circumstance, by culture, by low expectations, I'm hoping it helps them get out." Well, it definitely reached "my kids".
- Fox bought the rights, but is still sitting on the novel... so no, no film as of yet.
Klett does the reader with annotations and teaching material, other resources: Sparks Notes, Study Smarter and o.c. Wikipedia and youtube.
Have fun!
