Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Levine, Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted.

HarperTrophy; 1997,

ISBN: 0064407055.

Reader’s Annotation

Ella has to obey—she’s been cursed with the "gift" of obedience—but will she find the way to break the curse, and make her life into what she wants it to be?

Plot Summary

Talk about a gift that you don’t want!  When Ella is born and is just an hour old, the fairy Lucinda bestows a gift on the baby—the gift of obedience.  Of course, this turns out to be an absolute nightmare, since Ella is doomed to a life in which she has to do whatever she is ordered to do whether she wants to or not.  When she is told to never reveal the curse to anyone, she is compelled to obey, and can tell no one--not even Prince Charmont.  When Ella’s mother dies, Ella goes to boarding school with her two horrible stepsisters Hattie and Olive.  Hattie soon figures out about Ella’s curse and takes terrible advantage of Ella.  Ella runs away, and sets out to find Lucinda and beg her to remove the curse.  After many adventures, Ella finds Lucinda, and to her dismay Lucinda refuses.  Ella’s friend Prince Charmont, is in love with Ella, but she knows that to marry him would endanger him, and she tells him no.  Then, not knowing about the curse, the prince commands Ella to marry him… 

Critical Evaluation

Levine’s twist on the classic Cinderella has a lot of fun putting a modern spin on that timeless tale.  The book actually takes a character from literature who seems rather weak and doormat-like, and transforms her into a heroine who takes charge of her life.  When she finds life with Lucinda’s curse unbearable, she set out to change things.  She’s determined to break the curse.  Even while under the curse, Ella’s spirit comes through as she finds little ways to get back at her tormentors.  This novel presents an excellent picture of the difference between forced obedience and willing acquiescence. Levine tops it off with a highly satisfying ending, suitable for a happily ever after.

Information about the Author

Gail Levine came from a highly creative family, and for years Levine wanted to be a painter and actor.  In 1967, she married David Levine. She majored in philosophy at New York’s City College, where she received her B.A. in 1969.  She spent the next 27 years working for the government of the state of New York, mainly as a welfare administrator, helping people find jobs.  After taking some classes in writing, Levine tried to have her manuscripts published for nine years.  Her first work to be published was Ella Enchanted was accepted by HarperCollins Trophy on April 17, 1996—Levine calls that one of the happiest days of her life.

Genre

Fantasy

Fairy Tale

Curriculum Tie-ins

None

Booktalk Ideas

1. How is Ella different from Cinderella?
2. Can you think of another fairy tale that you would want to remake?

Reading level/Interest age

Ages 10 +

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

None

Why I included this work

• Newbery Honor Book
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award (Vermont)
• Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
• California Young Reader Medal
• Iowa Teen Award
• Arizona Young Readers’ Award

Great Quote from the Book:

"Hattie: It's me he's going to have at his coronation.
Ella: Yeah, in the middle of the table with an apple in your mouth."

The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Return of the King : Being the Third Part of The Lord of the Rings.

Mariner Books; 1999 (originally published in 1955),

ISBN: 0618002243.

Reader’s Annotation

In the conclusion of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Frodo draws ever closer to the goal on his perilous quest to destroy the Ring of Power, and save Middle Earth from the clutches of the evil Lord Sauron.

Plot Summary

After the fellowship of the original nine companions has failed, Frodo and his friend Sam continue on their unlikely quest to Mordor, in order to destroy the Ring of Power, and thus save all of Middle Earth from the tyranny of the evil Lord Sauron.  They made the creature Gollum their unlikely guide, since he has actually been to Mordor.  Even though Frodo and Sam know that Gollum is treacherous, they have no choice but to trust him.  Meanwhile, Sauron's armies of Mordor are already moving and preparing to go to war with country of Gondor.  The original companions of the Fellowship are separated even further in this third book of the trilogy:  Frodo and Sam sneak into Mordor to try to get to Mount Doom; Pippin, after getting into some trouble, goes with Gandalf the wizard to Minas Tirith, capitol of Gondor; Merry remains with the king of Rohan, the country to the north of Gondor which will try to come to Gondor’s aid and fight against Mordor; Aragorn, Legolas the elf and Gimli the dwarf, take a haunted path through the mountains to call up the cursed “undead” army that once betrayed Gondor and has been cursed to never rest in peace until they come help Gondor in its hour of need.  As the armies all converge on Minas Tirith, Frodo and Sam creep ever closer to Mount Doom.  But so much remains uncertain—will Mordor or the armies of the West win the battle?  Will Frodo and Sam make it to Mount Doom against the will of the Ring, and once there, will Frodo have the strength to throw the Ring into the fire?        

Critical Evaluation

Epic in scope, The Lord of the Rings trilogy is difficult to sum up in a few sentences.  The books were never intended to be three separate books, so there is a sense that each is the beginning, the middle and the end.  That makes The Return of the King by far the most dramatic and exciting of the three books.  Tolkien borrowed extensively from his experiences in World War I, to convey the true horror of war.  The entire book is basically the climax of the whole trilogy.  All the story lines are brought to their conclusion and by the last page, the reader is thoroughly satisfied.  Although made more popular in recent years by the release of the movies by Peter Jackson, much of the color and textures from the book are lost in the movie.  One-third of The Return of the King is comprised of appendices that show the true depth of Tolkien’s genius.  It is here that background histories are chronicled, languages are explored, and glimpses of the future in Middle Earth.  Anyone who loved the movies must read the books!

About the Author

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in South Africa in 1892, but grew up in England.  He was orphaned at the age of twelve, and the parish priest cared for young Ronald and his younger brother, seeing that they were taken in by a relative, and then overseeing their spiritual and academic growth.  Tolkien went on to excel in linguistics, especially old- and middle-English, and he served as a professor at Oxford.  After the success of the Lord of the Rings, Tolkien and his wife Edith had to move from their house and change their telephone number, due to the number of overzealous fans.  For more information, go to:

http://www.tolkiensociety.org/tolkien/biography.html

Genre

Fantasy

Curriculum Tie-ins

None

Booktalk Ideas

Discuss Eowyn and her desire to go to war.

1. Why do you think that Aragorn is rather reluctant to claim his right to be king?
2. Do you think that the Ring is symbolic of anything in particular?  If so, what?

Reading level/Interest age

Ages 12+

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

None

Why I included this work

The Return of the King was a recent blockbuster movie, and  the Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of my absolute, all-time favorite works of literature.

Recommended at: New Brunswick Free Public Library

Great Quote from the Book:

"’Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!’ Then Merry heard the strangest of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed, and the clear voice was like the ring of steel. ‘But no living man am I!’”

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting.

Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1975,

ISBN: 0374378487.

Reader’s Annotation

When Winnie discovers the Tuck family, she learns their secret—100 year ago, they drank from a spring in the woods on her family’s property, and now they are immortal.

Plot Summary

Winnifred Foster, also known as “Winnie”, lives with her very wealthy, straitlaced family.  Winnie is kept very safe behind the four-foot wrought iron fence surrounding their home on the edge on town.  Winnie’s family also owns the surrounding woods, and one day, Winnie slips away from home into the woods.  There she finds a stranger—a young man named Jesse Tuck—drinking from a spring at the base of a tree.  Winnie learns that Jesse and his family drank from this very spring 100 years ago, and unwittingly became immortal.  Jesse’s family decides that the safest thing to do is to take Winnie home with them in order to explain everything to her, and help her to understand why the spring must remain a secret.  But neither Jesse nor Winnie realize that someone had been watching them—a man in a yellow suit.  Because of stories he heard from his grandmother, this man has been searching for this spring, this “fountain of youth” for years.  When the man sees them take Winnie away, he decides to call it a kidnapping and exploit it in order to buy the wood (and the spring) from the Foster family.  At the Tuck home, Winnie comes to love them all like a real family, because they are loving and loving and relaxed.  The man in the yellow suit tracks them down, and confronts the family.  When Mae Tuck hears his plan, she takes a shotgun, hits him over the head, and he later dies.  The sheriff sees what happens and arrests Mae.  When Mae is sentenced to be hanged, the family knows that their secret will be revealed since Mae cannot die.  Together with Winnie, they free Mae from the jail, and Winnie takes her place while the Tucks escape.  Winnie gets in trouble for helping the Tucks, but her real question, is when will they come back to find her?   

Critical Evaluation

Tuck Everlasting touches on a number of issues.  One is Winnie’s relationship with the Tuck family and how different they are from her own.  They are warm and affectionate, where her family is cold and stern.  They are relaxed and unrestricted, where hers is strict and straight laced.  The most important issue, of course, is mortality and how important it is to the balance of life.  The Tucks explain to Winnie that when you are immortal, you are taken out of the cycle of life and death, and become like virtual rocks.  Winnie, who is attracted to Jesse, is unsurprisingly drawn to him and to the Tuck family.  The dilemma that Winnie faces is very similar to the dilemma that Bella wrestles with in Twilight.

Information about the Author

Natalie Babbitt was born in 1932 in Dayton, OH.  After attending Deanna’s School for Girls, Babbit attended Francis College.  Babbitt’s first book published was a collaborative effort with her husband, Samuel Fisher Babbitt.  Later, their publisher encouraged Natalie to continue producing books, even after Samuel became too busy to work on the projects.  Natalie Babbitt is a board member of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, a national not-for-profit that actively advocates for literacy, literature, and libraries.

Genre

Fantasy

Romance

Curriculum Tie-ins

None

Booktalk Ideas

How do you think the character of Winnie compares to Bella in Twilight?

Would you drink from the spring if you could?

Reading level/Interest age

Ages 10 +

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

None

Why I included this work

This novel has a compelling premise and bears similar themes to Twilight.

• Goodreads’ Best Young Adult Books
• ALA Notable Book
• The Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List.
• Janusz Korczak Medal
• 1976 Christopher Award for Best Book for Young People.

 Great Quote from the Book

"It'd be better if I could be like you, out in the open and making up my own mind."

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

HarperCollins; 2000 (originally published in 1950),

ISBN: 0006716873.

Reader’s Annotation

Whet e four Pevensies stumble through a wardrobe and into the land of Narnia, they find that they are the catalyst of a rebellion to cast out a witch who has cruelly ruled Narnia for a hundred years.

Plot Summary

Bombs are falling in London during World War II, and when Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy get sent to the country for their safety, they find themselves staying in a huge old house belonging to a reclusive professor.  One day during a game of hide and seek, Lucy, the youngest, hides in a wardrobe, and discovers that she’s in a snowy wood, in another world.  She meets the most unlikely person—a faun walking through the snow.  When she agrees to have tea with Mr. Tumnus, he finally confesses that he has been ordered by the White Witch to kidnap any human child he finds, and bring them to her.  But instead, he helps Lucy get back home.  Later, Edmund follows Lucy in and all by himself encounters the Witch herself, and falls into her power.  When all the children come back together, Edmund betrays them to the Witch, forcing them to flee.  They’ve been told about Aslan, the great Lion of Narnia, and that he’s gathered an army, and they race to meet him.  Edmund is now a prisoner of the White Witch.  When they meet Aslan, he sends forces to rescue Edmund, and the country braces itself for war.  Before the war breaks out, the Witch approaches Aslan, claiming that according to the “Deep Magic”, any traitor belongs to her, for her to kill—she means Edmund.  After speaking privately to the Witch, Aslan announces that she has renounced her claim.  That night, Lucy and Susan awaken as Aslan quietly leaves the camp.  They follow him, and in the most heartrending sequence, witness him dying in Edmund’s place at the hands of the Witch.  When they are left alone, they grieve, until with a cracking sound like thunder, Aslan appears to them, alive!  Aslan eventually joins the dramatic battle to overthrow the witch and restore Narnia.

Critical Evaluation

Originally written for children, The Chronicles of Narnia, of which The Lion the Witch and Wardrobe is the first, was immediately enjoyed by young and old alike.  The allegorical nature of the story is unmistakable, and yet the story stands on its own merits enough to be enjoyed by readers of any faith.  Lewis combines elements of fairy tales (the Witch and dwarves) and mythology (fauns, centaurs, naiads and dryads), with a healthy dose of adventure.  Some of these aspects get lost in the movie adaptation, which makes reading the book even more beneficial.

Information about the Author

Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis, who was known as “Jack” to friends was a noted Irish-born British novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist. He is well known for his fictional work, especially The Screwtape Letters, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Space Trilogy. One interesting note is that he was good friends with J.R.R. Tolkien—they were both noted professors at Oxford together.  The two of them, along with some other friends, formed a small literary group called the “Inklings”.  Lewis had abandoned his faith, but owing to the influence of Tolkien and other friends, at the age of 32 Lewis returned to Christianity.  His conversion had a significant effect on his work, and his wartime radio broadcasts on the subject of Christianity brought him wide acclaim.  Lewis’ death passed nearly unreported since he died on November 22, 1963—the same day JFK was assassinated.

Genre

Fantasy

Adventure

Curriculum Tie-ins

Mythology

Booktalk Ideas

1. Why do you think that witch did not know about the "Deeper Magic"?
2. Why to you think Lewis included the scene with Father Christmas?

Reading level/Interest age

Ages 12+ (Barnes & Noble)

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

None

Why I included this work

This is a personal favorite, and also the recent movie adaptations makes it a logical addition.

Best Young Adult Books on GoodReads.com.

Great Quote from the Book:

"He's not a tame lion."

Ingo by Helen Dunmore

Dunmore, Helen. Ingo.

HarperCollins; 2006,

ISBN: 031609899X.

Reader’s Annotation

It is said that their father was lost at sea, but Sapphy and Conor don’t buy that, and when they spend by the sea and meet mysterious strangers there, they are more convinced than ever that their dad is still alive.

Plot Summary

In the church where they lived by the sea in Cornwall, was a carved figure of a mermaid.  The legend went that the vicar of that church long ago met and fell in love with a mermaid.  Their dad was a fisherman who “just happened” to have the same name as the vicar.  Their father used to talk dreamily of the sea, and the underwater world, so when he mysteriously disappears, Sapphire and Conor refuse to believe it.  As much as their mother tries to get them to move on with their lives, Sapphy and Conor spend more and more time in their cove by the sea.  Their mom seems very upset and warns them to stay away from the shoreline, but to no avail.  Then the two encounter Faro and Elvira, a mermaid and merman who introduce Conor and Sapphy to Ingo—the beautiful, dangerous world beneath the waves.  As Sapphy is draw repeatedly and irresistibly back to the sea, she realizes the truth—she has Mer blood running through her veins, and now she must choose to what world she belongs.

Critical Evaluation

Dunmore’s poetic tone, especially in her descriptions of Ingo, seems almost mystical.  The novel portrays not just the legends and folklore about mermaids, but a poignant story of a girl whose world is changing and who is trying to figure out where she belongs.  Sapphire’s relationship with her mother, and the conflicted feelings they have for one another is a theme teens in particular can relate to.  The mother begins to date, much to Sapphy and Conor’s dismay.  But when that man’s life is in danger of the people of Ingo, Sapphire’s true test is at hand.  The book is the first in a trilogy, but it works well as a stand-alone novel.

Information about the Author

Helen Dunmore was born in 1952, and is best known for her award winning adult novels, short stories, and her works of poetry.  The Tide Knot, the sequel to Ingo, earn Dunmore the UK NestlÉ Children’s Book Prize Silver Medal.  She lives in Bristol, England, with her husband and children.  For more information, go to: http://www.helendunmore.com/index.asp

Genre

Fantasy

Mystery

Adventure

Curriculum Tie-ins

None

Booktalk Ideas

1. What do you think was the dad’s real story?
2. What is it about the idea of Mer people that fascinate us so much?

Reading level/Interest age

Young Adult

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

None likely

Why I included this work

The prospect of reading about mermaids was too hard to resist!  Also, Ingo is rated 4½ stars on Amazon.com!

Great Quote from the Book:

"I wish I was away in Ingo
far across the briny sea
sailing over deepest waters
where neither care nor worry trouble me"

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games.

Scholastic; 2008,

ISBN: 0439023521.

Reader’s Annotation

Katniss voluntarily takes her sister’s place in the Hunger Games—a violent fight to the death imposed by the Capitol of Panem for the entertainment of the viewing public, on the children from the outlying districts, as a punishment for past rebellion and to discourage future uprisings.

Plot Summary

Katniss Everdeen is a survivor, and in her country of Panem (in what used to be the United States), she also works tirelessly to help her family (her mother and sister Prim) survive.  Katniss enjoys her illegal hunting time because she can get out into the wild and also spend time with Gale, her handsome, close friend.  Panem consists of twelve outlaying districts (and a rumored thirteenth), surrounding the all-controlling Capitol.  Because the Districts once rebelled against the Capitol, the government now forces the Districts to participate in gladiator-style Hunger Games—each district must select by lottery one boy and one girl.  When 12-year-old Prim’s name is chosen, Katniss doesn’t hesitate to take her place in the Hunger Games.  What follows is Katniss’ journey with fellow District 12 contestant Peeta, the baker’s son, to the Games which are nationally televised for the Capitol’s amusement, and the Districts’ punishment.  Throughout the Games, Katniss must make choices—who to trust for now, who to kill, and how to survive until the end.

Critical Evaluation

Once the names are drawn, the plot takes off, and you can’t put the book down.  Collins has created a dystopian society where the children are made to bear the punishment for previous generations.  The psychological agony of being forced to watch children fight for their lives, being presented as a form of entertainment is unimaginable. Katniss is at first bewildered as the events surrounding the Hunger Games, but with their advisor Haymitch, a drunken, cynical older man, Katniss and Peeta begin to talk strategy.  Katniss doesn’t want to work with Peeta—she doesn’t want to know him or care about him because she knows that ultimately she will have to kill him or be killed by him.  Her resolution falters though, when Peeta admits in a pre-game, televised interview that he loves Katniss.  As the games progress, Katniss and Peeta are drawn together, and eventually find a way to rebel.

About the Author

As a successful writer for several children’s television shows including Clarissa Explains It All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, Suzanne Collins has established a range of writing experience.  It was with her writing of the bestselling Underland Chronicles, however, that Collins really made her mark in children’s literature.  In the award-winning The Hunger Games trilogy, Collins explores the effects of war and violence on young people. Collins lives with her family in Connecticut. For more information, go to: http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/index.htm

Genre

Science fiction

Fantasy

Action

Horror

Curriculum Tie-ins

None

Booktalk Ideas

1. Peeta or Gale?
2. Describe Katniss’ relationship with Haymitch.
3. Are there any parallels to the Hunger Games in our society? Have there ever been?

Reading level/Interest age

Young Adult (grades 9-Adult)

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

Violence

• Present the library’s selection policy
• Be familiar with similar works in the collection

Why I included this work

Collins wons innumerable awards and honors for The Hunger Games including:

• An American Library Association Top Ten Best Books For Young Adults Selection
• 2008 CYBIL AWARD--Fantasy & Science Fiction

Great Quote from the Book:

Katniss Everdeen: “It’s not a fair comparison really. Gale and I were thrown together by a mutual need to survive. Peeta and I know the other’s survival means our own death.”

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

 

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Scholastic; 2005,

ISBN: 0439785960.

Reader’s Annotation

Voldemort and his Death Eaters are on the offensive, and Dumbledore begins preparing Harry for the struggle that lies before him, even while life as a sixth-year at Hogwarts goes on.

Plot Summary

Lord Voldemort’s back in full force, and even the muggles can feel it. A dark mist from the dementors enshrouds muggle communities. Harry is becoming increasingly anxious about the activities of the Death Eaters.  Concurring, Dumbledore spends more and more time preparing Harry for the inevitable showdown with Lord Voldemort.  Meanwhile, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, life goes on.  Many of the other sixth-years are learning to apparate, resulting in a few interesting accidents.  In potions class, Harry discovers an amazing study aid—an old potions textbook with notes written throughout.  The only clue to who wrote the notes is the name “The Half-Blood Prince”.  Among the more popular potions are the love potions, some of which are sold at the Weasley twin’s new store.  Harry and Ginny don’t seem to need a potion, as they are becoming more and more attracted to each other, as are Ron and Hermione. The romance is like a brief respite before the dramatic turn of events sets the stage for the seventh book.

Critical Evaluation

This installment of the series seems to balance two storylines—Harry’s and Dumbledore’s quest to uncover the truth about Voldemort, and the day-to-day goings on at Hogwarts.  One new character is introduced named Professor Slughorn—a jovial and conceited man who prides himself on name dropping, and who also was once a teacher of “You Know Who”.  The humor and romance nicely offset the somber tone of the investigation of Voldemort’s background.  That being said, this is one book where you do not what to hear any spoilers!  The reader should be well advised to take the book and block out time to read it in one or two sittings (also allow time to process it when the book is done).

Information about the Author

Born in July 1965 in England, J.K. (Joanne Kathleen) Rowling grew up in Chepstow, Gwent.  After graduating with a degree in French and Classics from Exeter University, Rowling worked as postgraduate for Amnesty International in Paris for one year.  She began writing Harry Potter on a delayed commuter train, and over the next five years, outlined all seven novels. Rowling lives in England with her husband and children, Jessica, David and MacKenzie.  For more information go to: J.K. Rowling

Genre

Fantasy

Curriculum Tie-ins

None

Booktalk Ideas

Reading level/Interest age

Ages 9-Adult

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

Witchcraft/Magic

Be ready with a copy of the library’s selection policy

Be familiar with similar works in the collection

Refer to YALSA

Why I included this work

Every Harry Potter book is a must-read, and this one’s no exception!
YALSA's Teens' Top Ten 

Great Quote from the Book:

Hermione Granger:  "Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Scholastic; 2007,

ISBN: 0545139708.

Reader’s Annotation

Harry, with the help of Hermoine and Ron, races to find the remaining horcruxes and destroy them before Lord Voldemort succeeds in conquering the wizarding world.

Plot Summary

After the death of Professor Dumbledore, the wizarding world looks to Harry as its greatest hope in fighting the evil Lord Voldemort.  Voldemort and his Death Eaters have become brazon in terrorizing the wizarding world and the world of muggles alike.  The foundational ideal for Voldemort and his followers is that pure-blooded wizards are superior to anyone else.  Muggles and “muggle-borns” are the lowest of the low, and must be put in their place.  As the Death Eaters focus on the campaign to “cleanse” the wizarding world of anything but pure-bloods, Voldemort grow suspicious that Harry has figured out about the horcruxes, and has even destroyed several.  The drama intensifies as the story progresses, until the final showdown in “the Battle for Hogwarts”.

Critical Evaluation

Rarely has the literary world seen books as wildly popular as the Harry Potter series, and the seventh book and final book could not have been more anticipated.  Rowling doesn’t disappoint with this one.  This story is the only Harry Potter novel that doesn’t take place mainly at Hogwarts.  Harry, Hermoine, and Ron spend most of the book on their urgent quest to find destroy the horcruxes, and the storyline naturally focuses on their relationships.  The campaign of the Death Eaters bears an uncomfortable resemblance to the Nazis in WWII Germany.  The first half of the novel is fascinating, but ultimately serves as a slow build-up to the amazing climax of the novel in the second half.  Rowling brings closure and ties up a lot of loose ends with this novel.  It satisfies, and yet breaks your heart too.

Information about the Author

Born in July 1965 in England, J.K. (Joanne Kathleen) Rowling grew up in Chepstow, Gwent.  After graduating with a degree in French and Classics from Exeter University, Rowling worked as postgraduate for Amnesty International in Paris for one year.  She began writing Harry Potter on a delayed commuter train, and over the next five years, outlined all seven novels. Rowling lives in England with her husband and children, Jessica, David and MacKenzie.  For more information go to:http://www.jkrowling.com/accessible/en/

Genre

Fantasy

Curriculum Tie-ins

None

Booktalk Ideas

1. Discuss the connection that Harry has to Voldemort.
2. Do you see parallels to the Death Eaters’ prejudice against non-pure bloods in our own society today or in our history?

Reading level/Interest age

Ages 9+

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

• Witchcraft/Magic
• Be ready with a copy of the library’s selection policy
• Be familiar with similar works in the collection
• Refer to YALSA’s site: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/odyssey/2008odyssey.cfm

Why I included this work

After six wonderful books, the seventh doesn’t disappoint!

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teenreading/teenstopten/ttt2008.cfm

Great Quote from the Book:

Albus Dumbledore: “It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.”