Riding The Bus With My Sister

Simon, Rachel. Riding the Bus with my Sister. New York: Plume, 2002.

Riding the Bus with my Sister, written by Rachel Simon, is a compelling autobiography of Rachel and her sister Beth and the year they spent together riding buses around Philadelphia. While on these buses, Rachel learns about her sister and her daily struggles, such as encountering people who yell “Get a job!” and bus drivers who won’t stop for her. The bus system is also filled with wise bus drivers that impart their wisdom, generosity, and kindness upon the two sisters, who both benefit from this treatment in different ways. This book also details Rachel’s internal struggles with how to deal with Beth, dotting the book with memories from her childhood which explain her resentment and pent-up aggression towards her sister. This year long journey enables Rachel to cope with the traumatic events of her past and find a newfound love and respect for her sister as well as herself.

This book follows the journey of Rachel’s self-discovery, from ignorance and bitterness to a desire to learn and understand, to ultimately love and acceptance after forty years. Beth is a complex character and is depicted with compassion and realness, yet the language used in the book is troubling at times. The term mental retardation is used frequently, despite the author’s discovery halfway through the book of the proper terminology and people first language. Rachel questions people first language, as she believes that using that format defines the person by their illness, rather than the other way around. Despite this fact, the overwhelming attitudes of acceptance, love, and willingness to learn are prevalent throughout the book and promote the reader’s own journey to discover their own feelings.

As a piece of diverse literature, this autobiography, written by an insider, clearly portrays the struggles that families endure when living with someone with Down Syndrome. Compassionate and straightforward, the book combats serious issues that are common across these families without giving an ultimate answer. This is a journey of self-discovery for the author which results in a positive, loving relationship with her sister. It is a piece of quality diverse literature that could be used in many ways, least of all to demonstrate internal struggle and ultimately successful relationships.

The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-time

Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. New York: Vintage Books, 2003.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time tells the story of Christopher, a fifteen-year old boy with Asperger’s Syndrome who happens upon a mysteriously dead dog. In the process of solving the mystery he finds mysteries in his own life that, when explained, cause major changes in his life. Christopher solves the mystery by prying into the lives of his neighbors, much to his father’s dismay. His prodding induces one chatty neighbor to reveal a truth that prompts further investigation, leading ultimately to Christopher angering his father and running away from home. He braves the London Underground and the unknown to escape to safety, encounters all kinds of terrifying people and places, and ultimately ends up learning that forgiveness and trust are ultimately important in leading a successful life.

By using Christopher as the narrator, the novel gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a boy with Asperger’s, something that is not typically seen in literature about persons with disabilities. The book is able to explore the quirks and behaviors that are typically exhibited by people with Asperger’s, offering insight and explanations for those who are outsiders to the community through Christopher. Written very matter-of-factly, Christopher presents his life in a straightforward manner, allowing the reader to make their own judgments about this character.

As a piece of diverse, multicultural literature, this book offers a unique perspective of a child with Asperger's. It is difficult to judge the accuracy of the text, however, it is extremely interesting. Written with compassion, Christopher is a complex character that deals with the world at his own pace. This book deals with many of the issues that families with disabilities encounter, and it is a quality piece to include in a library.

Rules

Lord, Cynthia. Rules. New York: Scholastic Press. 2006

Rules is a novel written from the point of view of Catherine, a twelve-year old girl looking for some normalcy amidst the chaos that is her family. Her brother David has autism, and throughout the novel Catherine struggles with having a younger brother who demands so much of their parent’s attention, has trouble communicating, and consistently embarrasses her in public. Desperate to help both her brother and herself, Catherine makes rules for David that teach him proper behavior at home and around strangers. Throughout the story she learns the power of love, acceptance, and breaking all kinds of rules.

Written by an insider to living in a family with a child who has autism, Rules compassionately portrays the characters of Catherine’s family and their struggles in learning how to live with one another. This book does not focus on only one person with a disability, incorporating Jason, a wheelchair and communication board user who attends occupational therapy with David. These characters are very real, inherently deserving of respect, and convey an accurate description of social interactions. The book deals with the idea of social acceptance in a very positive manner, offering insight into comical, serious, dramatic, and even heart-wrenching interactions.

As a piece of diverse literature, Rules offers yet another perspective of a family member living with a child with autism. Catherine's twelve year old sibling perspective is a valuable one to include in any collection, especially one in elementary and middle school libraries. Her situation is not unique, the book is well written and sympathetic, and it is important for this book to be available as a resource and an enjoyable novel for students of all ages.

Book Review: And Tango Makes Three

The picture book, And Tango Makes Three, was a really refreshing story that completely took me by surprise. I absolutely did not realize that it was a true story, and my astonishment only increased as I read through the book. It is very engaging (seriously, who can resist penguins?) and the illustrations were beautiful. I think that this book definitely deals with a very important, very debated issue about GLBTQ literature and their lives. It has been debated that sexuality is genetically determined, something that is part of one's nature and not an actual choice that a person makes. Some are for this argument, others are against it. I believe that this book supports the idea that gayness is not a choice, it is a scientific reality through telling the story of these penguins. If animals are gay, then it must be nature, because animals do not have the capacity to reason. They act on their instincts, embedded in them since birth and created through millions of years of evolution. I believe that this book could be used as a tool for an argument in a much higher grade than it's reading level. Would I have it in my classroom in a younger grade? Probably not. I'm still not sure about my comfort level in explaining sexuality to young (K-2) children, but I am comfortable teaching them about how everyone is different and it is vitality important to accept those differences in order to live in peace with one another.

Boy Meets Classroom?

First things first, I LOVED Boy Meets Boy. I think it's a fantastic novel that portrays a loving relationship, complete with struggles, flirtation, and even meeting the parents for the first time. The characters are completely relatable, the language is beautiful, and the story just pulls at my heartstrings. But I am confused about how to use this book? Could it be used for a project or a discussion in my classroom? What age group would it be for? I feel like it would have to be for high school students, and it is definitely a romance novel in a lot of respects. Would boys at that age be receptive to it? I feel like this is something I could definitely have in my library, but I do not know how I would implement it in my curriculum. Any suggestions?

Getting Lost

I think the point of novels is getting lost in this class. People have become so focused on analyzing the book as a tool to portray a different culture that they forget that it is a novel. About PEOPLE. People are inherently complex, battling a variety of issues at any given time. So when Justine is worried about being fat and liking boys and her grandmother dying, she's still Jewish, still portraying a multicultural perspective, but it's from a TWELVE YEAR OLD GIRL. The impression from our discussions in class is that people expect these novels to be textbooks that cover everything about a culture from A to Z accurately. I believe that they cover the narrator's life from A to Z accurately, and it is important to remember that these books are written from a certain perspective. That person may not be completely orthodox Jewish, or know everything about ancient Native American rituals, or be entirely proud to be Palestinian. That said, it is still important to be aware of that narrator's perspective as well as the cultural representation. But take the words, practices, places and people with a grain of salt. For example, Levithan created an entirely idealistic high school representation in Boy Meets Boy, but he did it with PURPOSE. Authorial intent and artistic license are also something to consider when reading. Please, when reading, don't forget that novels themselves are complex, to say nothing of the subject matter and people within them.

Leftovers

So, I've been thinking a lot about the discussion that was had about the book, Confessions of a Closet Catholic. I realize I was a big part of that discussion, and I left feeling kind of unsettled, like I did not say everything I had intended. As far as the discrepancy between the kinds of Catholic practices presented in the book is concerned, I realize now that some of those practices were outdated. BUT, put in context of the book and the narrator, who consistently throughout the book demonstrated a classic view of Catholicism. This makes sense, because she was a self taught Catholic who had access to limited, outdated resources. Therefore, it makes sense that the church she visited offered Saturday confessions. This fits with the theme of classic Catholic practices that has been constantly referred back to in the novel. So that's my last word on that.