The Things They Carried

O’Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. 1990. 190p. ISBN 9780395515983. Available both at FIC OBR on the library shelves and as an eBook from Overdrive.

An infantry soldier in Vietnam, O’Brien fictionalizes several stories centered around the same platoon members which overlap and reference each other. Everyone there had a story to tell, and everyone carried special items not part of the standard equipment. From photos of girlfriends to Bibles, drugs, and extra ammunition, the men of 3rd platoon, Alpha company became brothers under fire. They lived (and sometimes died) in one of the most intense and senseless conflict, not sure why they even were here.

Exploring what it means to be a soldier and a man in Vietnam, O’Brien brings forth unforgivable and flawed characters who represent humanity at its best - and worst. Readers who enjoys the bonds of men together in the field, or those interested in war and in Vietnam will find themselves unable to put this book down.

Tips & Tricks for Evaluating Multimedia Content

Athans, Sandra K. and Robin W. Parente. Tips & Tricks for Evaluating Multimedia Content. 2015. 64p. ISBN 978-1-4777-7563-9. Available at 372.47 ATH on the library shelves.

The Common Core State Standards not only changed how reading and literacy is taught, but also added digital literacy skills students should possess as they ready themselves for career and college. With computers now ubiquitous, knowing and mastering the skills necessary to evaluate multimedia content is therefore essential.

This book reviews digital literacy skills and presents the same information twice. First, the written text is discussed by the expert reader. Then, a multimedia clip of the same text is explored and reviewed by the expert reader. The reader is thus provided with several opportunities to compare and contrast two pieces of reading in different format: written, and multimedia. Images, videos, and maps are explored. The material is well presented and the skills taught are easily implementable.

Other books in this series include:

• Tips & Tricks for Comparing and Contrasting Text
• Tips & Tricks for Analyzing Ideas, Events, and Individuals
• Tips & Tricks for Evaluating an Argument and its Claims
• Tips & Tricks for Analyzing Structure and Evaluating Ideas
• Tips & Tricks for Analyzing Text and Citing Evidence
• Tips & Tricks for Determining Point of View and Purpose
• Tips & Tricks for Evaluating Multimedia Content
• Tips & Tricks for Summarizing Text

Gypsies

Sirimarco, Elizabeth. Gypsies. 2000. 32p. ISBN 978-1-8870-6891-8. Available at 305.89 SIR on the library shelves.

One of the most persecuted ethnic group in the world, the Romani people have for centuries endured despite the best efforts of European nations to eliminate them. Originally from the northern part of India, Romanis moved from country to country, eventually traveling into Europe and migrating to North and South America.

Their distinctive culture and language has set them apart from the societies in which they live, causing fear and resentment. The Nazis escalated the harassment of Romanis by imprisoning them in concentration camps. They were the second largest group eliminated in the death camps. Known as Porraimos, their own Holocaust has not been recognized by others.

Despite low levels of education and literacy, Romanis have begun banding together to exercise their rights and protect their communities. Officially recognized by the United Nations as a distinct group, Romanis continue to thrive, even as they remain mysterious to outsiders.

My Brother is a Big, Fat Liar

Patterson, James and Lisa Papademetriou. My Brother is a Big, Fat Liar. Book 3 of the Middle School series. 2013. 304p. ISBN 0316207543. Available at FIC PAT on the library shelves.

It’s the beginning of 6th grade, and Georgia Khatchadorian expects to excel at her new school, Hills Village Middle School. Unfortunately for her, her brother Rafe once attended HVMS and left such a legacy of pranks and rule violations that the last name Khatchadorian has become toxic. On her first day of school she meets the school bullies in the form of Missy, the school princess, and her flunkies; she runs into the loudest person ever, Rhonda, who attaches herself to Georgia; she gets a detention for eating in the courtyard; and she meets Sam, a cute boy.

Now that she’s here, no one gives her any opportunity to prove that she’s not as bad as her brother. So she makes a bet with him. She will make friends and become one of the popular girls, proving that the Khatchadorian name is not as toxic as everyone thinks.

What follows is a hilarious look at Georgia’s first few months of school, from the big dance and battle of the bands her brother signed her up for to nasty interactions with the bullies. But through it all Georgia will learn and grow to become her own person. Beautifully illustrate with funny cartoons that add information to Georgia’s narrative, this book will appeal to everyone’s funny bone. Fans of Andrew Smith’s Grasshopper Jungle and Winger, or those who enjoyed Jesse Andrews’ Me, Earl and the Dying Girl will love Georgia’s tale.

Holocaust Resistance

Blohm, Craig E. Holocaust Resistance. Part of the Understanding the Holocaust series. 2016. 80p. ISBN 978-1-60152-846-9. Available at 940.53 BLO on the library shelves.

It has long been common belief that the Jews went to their execution like sheep, refusing to believe until the very end that their lives were in dangers. After all, who could possibly conceive that an entire group of people were slated for destruction? This book puts this belief to rest by presenting the lives of people who resisted the Nazis and fought back, either through passive means or by taking up arms.

Resistance took many forms, from spiritual resistance to Jewish partisans to those non-Jews who saw the madness and decided to fight on the side of truth and justice. Organized fighting in Jewish ghettos, guerrilla warfare from thick forests, and the Kindertransport from Germany to England immediately before the war are also explored.

This is a very informative book that is sure to offer a different view of the Second World War.

Black Butler, Vol 3

Toboso, Yana. Black Butler, Vol 3. 2010. 192p. ISBN 9780316084260. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

The battle between Sebastian and one of the Grim Reapers heats up as the two of them seek possession of Ciel Phantomhive. The Grim Reaper enjoys stealing memories from their victims as they die, and he recounts tales of Madame Red’s life before her death. And he looks forward to consuming Sebastian’s memories.

Ordered by Ciel Phantomhive to destroy the Grim Reaper, Sebastian jumps into action. The Grim Reaper lands the first blow, but Sebastian disables the Reaper’s chainsaw, nullifying his advantage. As he’s about to dispatch the Reaper, he is prevented by another Reaper who is here to collect the rogue Reaper.

The burial of Madame Red brings out family members of the Phantomhive clan, however, and Ciel must now entertain his demanding aunt, Francis...

The story continues in Black Butler, Vol. 4.

Cuckoo Song

Hardinge, Frances. Cuckoo Song. Amulet. 2015. 416p. ISBN 978-1419714801. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Twelve years old Triss wakes up not recalling the last few hours. Her parents tell her that she fell in the river but she is recovering well. Her younger sister Pen immediately turns hostile upon seeing her, however, and this level of hostility shocks Triss. Since the death of their older brother, Sebastian during the First World War, her architect father and her stay-at-home mother have been distant. And now, Triss feels different, as if she were someone else.

As she begins to discover clues about Pen’s anger towards her and her ravenous hunger, Triss becomes enmeshed in the revenge plans of a mysterious man known as the Architect, who wishes nothing but their destruction. Running on borrowed time with the help of Violet, Sebastian’s fiancee, and Pen, Triss must stop the Architect’s grand vision from coming true before it is too late.

Based in the early 1920s in England, this family has suffered a tragedy and is unable to cope with it. Every character is fleshed out and their motivations are clear, all except for Triss who, appropriately for the story, remains a work in progress as she discovers who, or what, she really is. Hardinge slowly and craftily builds a horrific yet spellbinding narrative that culminates in an unforgettable confrontation. There are only gradations between good and evil in this book, and each character perform acts they later regret. Triss and her family cannot escape the fact that their fate is intertwined. Fans of Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s Marina: A Gothic Tale and those who like their horror served with a side of hopeful frightfulness will thoroughly enjoy this book.