I recently read The Help by Kathryn Stockett and really enjoyed it. I liked the way that she wrote it from multiple perspectives. Skeeter Phelan is one of the main characters who is also a narrator, she is trying to begin her career as a writer and decides to write a book that discusses what it is like to be a black maid for white families at the cusp of the civil rights movement. Aibileen is one of the maids who is also a narrator, she is the first maid brave enough to help Skeeter with her book project and is an integral part of getting other maids to join her and Skeeter with their stories. Minny is the other narrator, she is a more vocal person than Aibileen and has had to move from job to job because of it. I think The Help is an important book because it explores issues that our society has made a great deal of progress in, but it is a reminder that we can not just assume that race relations and prejudices are non-issues now. I think the message is to keep it in our minds so that we don't repeat our past mistakes. Well written, very relevant, and a must-read in my opinion.
In The Help, Stockett references To Kill a Mockingbird several times and surprisingly enough, I had never been required to read the Harper Lee classic. So, I decide that I would read it simultaneously. After finishing the book I really couldn't believe that I had never read it before. The writing is impecable, truly deserving of the awards it received. Harper Lee spins a tale of the atrocities that humans are capable of doing to each other and brilliantly tells it from a child's perspective. I think this is the most important part of the book, that it is written from the point of view if a person who is not yet spoiled and jaded but sees people for who they are, based on their actions, not her prejudices. To Kill a Mockingbird instantly became one of my all time favorites and I'm glad that it was referenced in The Help because it encouraged me to finally take the time to read it.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The 2011 Austin Teen Book Festival was held at the Palmer Events Center this year. There were 28 Young Adult authors who spoke on panels and conducted book signings. Eastside had 13 students represent us at the festival and had a great Saturday field trip. If you missed this year’s festival, check out the ATBF website for information on next year’s 4th annual festivities!
www.austinteenbookfestival.com
Hey everyone, we now have an online daily newspaper to stay connected to YA book info, book trailer videos, and fun articles. Check it out! http://paper.li/EastsideMHSLib/1314736009
Hi everyone! Over the summer my reading list included (finally) the Harry Potter series. I am more than half way through the seven books and am enjoying them way more than I expected. When I first began hearing about these books I was just beginning my teaching career and going to school every night at Cal State, Long Beach. So, needless to say, I was not reading YA just for fun at the time and didn't get a chance to begin the series then. Over the years, I've often wondered what I was missing and curiosity got the better of me in June, so I began the Harry Potter experience. So far, I've finished, The Sorcerer's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, and am almost done with The Goblet of Fire. Again, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I like the books, I find the writing really interesting and I think Rowling is exceptional at foreshadowing without giving too much away. By the way, a happy note about not reading them when they first came out is that I get to watch the movie right after I finish the book and then I have no wait before I get to start the next book:)! In my opinion, not as important as enjoying the books, but, the movies are pretty good and they follow the story pretty closely, so that's a relief for me. I know I have three books to go, but I am also kind of savoring the experience and not rushing through them!
My second order of business for today's post is to give as much information about the 3rd annual Austin Teen Book Festival happening Saturday, October 1st at the Palmer Events Center, here in Austin. I will be taking a group of students as a field trip again this year, students will be hearing all about it at Library Orientation with your ELA teacher. The official website is www.austinteenbookfestival.com and there are almost twice as many authors as ever before! You can also follow the festival for updates on Twitter, @AustinTBF. I will be posting some book trailers of authors who will be at the festival, so keep looking here for those.
Last but not least, the movie trailer for The Hunger Games is out, see it here:
We have some new and exciting ways to communicate in the library this year, we have a new website and a Twitter account! Our website is http://sites.google.com/site/eastsidememorialhslibrary and you can find links to important information there or follow us on Twitter, @EastsideMHSLibrary! Stay tuned to new posts about what I read this summer along with reviews and information on the Austin Teen Book Festival happening October 1st.
