Choosing iPad Apps With a Purpose: Aligning Skills and Standards: EBSCOhost

Choosing iPad Apps With a Purpose: Aligning Skills and Standards: EBSCOhost

Divergent

Divergent

Great Graphic Novel 2012 - Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Brosgol, V. (2011). Anya's Ghost (p. 221). New York, New York: First & Second.

Themes: Family, Friendship, Ghost
Characters: Anya, Dima, Sasha, Anya’s Mom, Siobhan, Emily, Sean, Elizabeth

Summary:

Anya is an ordinary girl except her family is from Russia.  Her mom encourages her to befriend Dima, a fellow Russian student. Anya falls in a hole one day and finds a skeleton. A ghost rises from the skeleton and introduces itself as Emily. Anya escapes the hole and take a piece of Emily’s skeleton with her, unknowingly. At school, Emily reappears and helps Anya pass a biology test. She also helps Anya talks to her crush, Sean.

Sean, Elizabeth (Sean’s girlfriend), Anya, and Emily go to a party and find out that Sean is a creep. She notices Emily changing; her hair and clothes. Anya wants to solve Emily’s murder, so she goes to the library. There, Dima helps Anya find that Emily actually killed her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. Emily finds out she can move things and injured Anya’s mom. Sasha, Anya returns the bone to the hole and decides to help cover the hole with the help of her fellow classmates.

The major strengths of the book is that you should take your family or your heritage for granted.  Anya is the perfect example of doing this.  It isn't until her mom gets injured, she realizes her love for her mom.

 

Aristotle and Dante by Benjamin A. Saenz

Saenz, B. (2012). Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe (p. 368). New York: Simon & Schuster.

Themes: Ari (Aristotle), Dante, and their parents

Characters: Identity, Sexuality, Love

Summary:

Ari and Dante are friends that meet one summer at the pool. Dante offers to teach Ari how to swim. Ari is an angry, loner. He came from an estrange family – his brother is a jail, his dad has PTSD. Dante is playful and artistic, coming from a professional family. His dad is a professor of English Lit. The story is about their love for each other. It first starts off as a friendship and grows into lovers. Ari is in denial of his sexuality and his love for Dante. Ari receives a red Chevy truck and takes Dante to the desert and they just talk. Dante uses words Ari has never heard of, it like he’s a new universe. Ari learns how to let go of the anger and he confides to his parents of his love from Dante.

The story hits home on tradition Mexican gender roles. Males are supposed to be machismo (manly and strong) and females are caretakers and housewives.  Homosexuality is still taboo in the Mexican culture. As a Mexican-American, we are taught to have tradition roles in the household. The lesson from the story is that it is okay to be yourself and love who you choose. 

Love in the time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block

Block, F. (2013). Love in the time of global warming (p. 240Ne). New York: Henry Holt and.Co

Themes: Love, Adventure, Family, Loss

Characters: Penelope (Pen), Venice, Kronen, Hex, Noey, Ez, Ash, Merk

Summary:
Los Angles has been hit by a severe natural disaster. Pen has lost her family – her parent, Venice (brother) and dog (Argos). She stays in her home and survives on her family’s dooms day food reserve. One day, Merk and his crew brakes into Pen’s home. Merk provides a van and map to find Pen’s family. During Pen’s travels, she meets Hex, Ash and Ez. Their quest to Las Vegas mimics Homer’s The Odessey. They encounters giants, sirens, lotus flowers, and gods. Hex has the Odyessey and they use it as a guide to help them.  Pen has an attraction to Hex, who is a transgener boy. Whenever Pen and her crew were on the right path, monarch butterflies would appear.

I would recommend the second book, Island of Excess Lovers. It is a continuation of the first book, since the ending stops abruptly.

Great Graphic Novels: Will and Whit by Laura Gulledge

Gulledge, L. (2013). Will & Whit (p. 194). New York: Ambulet Paperbacks.

Themes: Grief, Fear, Healing, Friendship

Characters: Wilhelmia (Will), Autumn, Noel, Aunt

Summary:
Will lives with her aunt, who owns an antique shop. Her parents have died in a car crash.  Will is very crafty, she likes to make lamps made of trinkets. We find out she is afraid of the dark. A hurricane, Whitney, come through the town and knocks down the power.  The town does not have any light, and Will is scared, but has to face her fears. She confides to her friends about her fears and her parent’s death.

The lesson from the story is that not everyone is not perfect and some need healing. It also helps children face their fears and helps them deal with their emotions.

Printz Winner - Where thing come back by John Corey Whaley

 
Whaley, J. (2011). Where things come back: A novel (p. 240). New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Themes: Grief, Suicide, Friendship, Family

Characters: Cullen, Cabot, Gabriel, John Barling, Benton, Alma, Lucas

Summary:

The story is about the Witter family and their life in Lily, Arkansas. Cullen is a high school senior who is dealing with his cousin’s death. He and his friend, Lucas, go on a double date with Alma. Alma is recently divorced. Later that night, we find out Cullen’s younger brother, Gabriel, gets kidnap. The news of the kidnapping takes a step back because John Barling has discovered a Lazarus, an extinct bird. At the same time, we learn about Belton. He goes to Ethiopia on missionary. He return and attends the University of Atlanta. He meets Cabot, his new roommate and Alma’s boyfriend. He and Alma get married because of a pregnancy scare. During Christmas, Belton commits suicide. Cabot goes through Belton’s things and is convinced he need to do God’s work.  Alma files for divorce and moves back home, Lily, Arkansas.

Cabot follows her and finds out she is dating Culler. Cabot attempts to kidnap Culler but kidnaps Gabriel. As Cabot and Gabriel are waiting, a news caption read “No chances in Lily, Arkansas.” Cabot takes that as a sign and return Gabriel.

I would recommend the age group for this book to be 14 – 18. The book does contain violence and suicide.