Kit's Wilderness
 by David Almond

Bibliography

Almond, D. (2001). Kit's wilderness. London, UK: Random House Children's Books. ISBN 0385729898

Summary

Christopher's (Kit's) family moves to be near his widowed grandfather.  In Stoneygate, an ancient mining community, he meets John and Allie - dark and light - and plays a game called Death.  Kit's Wilderness chronicles the development of Kit's friendships with Allie and John, as well as Kit's relationship with his aged grandfather -- and the spectral beings the descendants of the ancient families see.

Critical Analysis

While reading Kit's Wilderness I constantly felt emotionally unsettled.  The novel is charged with deep emotions throughout and I never knew whether I wanted to put the book down for a while and leave Stoneygate or keep reading!

The character development is incredibly deep on some levels but undeveloped on others.  For example, the relationships between Kit and John and Kit and his grandfather all hinge on the past of the community.  No other aspects are examined, but the reader feels like they are involved in that past completely. The same is true for Stoneygate.  The reader can almost picture the eerie wilderness with beings seen through squinted eyes, but the rest of the town is an unknown.

Almond's writing suits the subject of the novel perfectly and heightens the emotional pull.  At times poetic and others brusque and choppy, the words are always just right for what is happening.  Almond has succeeded in writing a story difficult to read and more difficult to put down.

Review Excerpts

*...establishes Almond as the most exciting new voice in children's books this decade. -- Literary Review

*...this superb piece of lyrically written literary fiction captivates children and their parents alike .-- The Guardian

* Almond offers another tantalizing blend of human drama, surrealism and allegory. -- Publishers Weekly

Connections

* Also available on audio here.

* Get to know David Almond and his work on his website.

* Designed for British classrooms, these resources are excellent for using Kit's Wilderness with students.

*From Kit's Wilderness 

Silky came that night, long after the doctor had gone, long after Grandpa had been put to bed, long after I'd come to bed myself, long after the moon shone in through my window.  Long after the moon had been blotted out and the snow began to fall, long after I'd tried to sleep and couldn't sleep and simply watched the snowflakes thicken on my windowsill.
     Just a glimpse, from the corner of my eye.  A shimmering like silk.  I caught my breath.  "Who's there?' I whispered.
     Nothing.  Then again, nothing but a flickering.  Nothing.  I closed my eyes, saw the boy running away from me, glistening  as he headed down the  tunnel.
     "There he is!" I called.  "After him! After him!"
      I ran. Endless tunnels, heading further and further into the earth.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie

Bibliography

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time indian. New York, NY: Little Brown and Company. ISBN 0316013684

Summary

Arnold, also known as Junior, decides to leave the "rez" to go to school.  He battles the anger of his people and the suspicions of his new peers to be an overcomer of obstacles once again in his short life.

Critical Analysis

As the title suggests, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian recounts a short span in the life of a teenage Spokane Indian who spends time away from the reservation.  Alexie's portrayal of Junior is brutally honest, witty, and touches on issues faced not only by Indians but many young teenage boys.  Junior must navigate alcoholism, abuse of friends, burgeoning sexuality, bullying, and making tough, life-altering decisions.  Occasionally in a novel the illustrations play a pivotal role.  This is the case here.  Ellen Forney's art, which represent Junior's cartoons, adds to the humor and to the development of Junior as a dynamic character.

 
Review Excerpts

* Breathtakingly honest, funny profane, sad...will stay with readers. --KLIATT (starred review)

* This is a gem of a book.... May be [Sherman Alexie's] best work yet. --The New York Times

* Fierce observations and sharp sense of humor... hilarious language. -- Newsday


Connections

*This book will resonate with teens, but some parents may object to the discussion of masturbation.

* Prefer to listen?  This book is available on audio here.

* Want to discuss this book with friends or your class?  You can find a dreading group guide on the right side of this page.

* Excerpt from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

I was fourteen and it was my first day of high school.  I was happy about that.  And I was most especially excited about my first geometry class.
     Yep, I have to admit that isosceles triangles make me feel hormonal.
     Most guys, no matter what age, get excited about curves and circles, but not me.  Don't get me wrong.  I like girls and their curves.  And I really like women and their curvier curves.

Where the Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows
 by Wilson Rawls

Bibliography

Rawls, W. (1996). Where the red fern grows. New York, NY: Delacourt Press. ISBN 0385323301

Summary

Billy Coleman is a hard worker:  He spends two years earning money to fulfill his heart's desire -- to own to red hunting hounds.  Where the Red Fern Grows is the story of Billy's dream, its fulfillment, and its conclusion.  Along the way, the reader watches as Billy grows into a man through both joy and pain and learns about the sad legend of the red fern.

Critical Analysis

The characters play the central role in Where the Red Fern Grows.  Billy Coleman starts the book as an eleven year old with a big dream he is willing to work for.  He is surrounded by supportive adults, a father who trusts him, a mom who worries over him, and a grandfather who helps him with his plans.  There are also other archetypal characters who play minor roles, such as the bully who gets his comeuppance.  Billy is easy to identify with even though most who read this story will never walk a literal mile in Billy's shoes.  He lets teens dream of days gone by and also shadows the independence that teens are growing into even though it looks different today than when Billy was a boy.

The setting is also vital to this story which richly protrays the theme of growing up.  It is hard to imagine these events taking place anywhere else than the Ozark Mountains.  The plot is fast paced and engaging, which is likely why this book holds a place in the hearts of teen readers still, even though some readers may balk at the hunting scenes.

Review Excerpts

*An exciting tale of love and adventure you'll never forget. --School Library Journal

*Arguably the greatest boy-and-dog story of all time, this is, for many kids, the book that introduces them to the power of literature. No one, adult or child, gets through this book without weeping, usually more than once, yet it never feels manipulative or trite -- it's a good, honest cry. --Common Sense Media


Connections

* Harrison Earl, age 13, says, "It's a real tear-jerker.  I had a tear jerked and I usually laugh at the sad or scary bits."

* Expert from Where the Red Fern Grows:
      I sat down and called my dogs to me.  With tears in my eyes, I told them that I just couldn't cut the big tree down.
     I was trying hard to make them understand when I heard someone coming.  It was Grandpa in his buggy.
     I'm sure not one in the world can understand a young boy like his grandfather can.  He drove up with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on is whiskery old face.
     "Hello!  How are you gettin' along?" he boomed.
     "Not so good, Grandpa," I said.  "I don't think I can cut it down.  It's just too big.  I guess I'll have to give up."
     "Give up!" Grandpa barked. "Now I dont' want to hear you say that.  No, sir, that's the last thing I want to hear. Don't ever start anything you can't finish."
     "I don't want to give up, Grandpa," I said, "but it's just to big and my strength's gone.  I'm give out."
     "Course you are," he said. "You've been going at it wrong.  To do work like that a fellow needs plenty of rest and food in his stomach."
     "How am I going to get that, Grandpa?" I asked. "I can't leave the tree.  If I do, the coon will get away."
      "No, he won't," Grandpa said. "That's what I cam down here for.  I'll show you how to keep that coon in the tree."

* Where the Red Fern Grows is also available on audio and as a movie.