Please Ignore Vera Dietz

Bibliography
King, A.S. Please Ignore Vera Dietz. 2010. New York, NY: Alfred K. Knopf ISBN 978-0-375-86586-2


Critical Analysis
Vera Dietz's life got a whole lot more complicated after the death of her best friend- turned secret love interest- turned ex-best friend, Charlie Kahn. Living next door to each other their entire lives, Charlie and Vera had an easy friendship, but as the story unfolds we find that "easy" often time meant ignoring the problems. Problems like Mr. Kahn beating Mrs. Kahn mercilessly almost daily, or Charlie swapping his worn underwear for money with a town pervert. As Vera deals with Charlie's death she begins to think about just how much she has been ignoring the last eighteen years. 


Though the story is mostly told from Vera's first-person point of view, the reader also gets glimpses of other perspectives by the sporadic chapters told from the vantage point of other characters, and even objects. It is in these chapters we find out just how much Ken Dietz loves his daughter, Vera, and how hard he is trying to steer her in the right direction. It is also how the reader knows what Charlie's true feelings are for Vera, and often, the motive behind some of his bizarre actions. Perhaps the most unique chapters are those told from the perspective of the pagoda, a wise building that has seen it all over the past hundred years. 


Relationship problems run deep in this book. Vera and Charlie are so close and their love for each other just begins to show until the boozing, pot smoking "Dentionheads" enter his life. Soon Vera finds herself replaced by these losers, namely Jenny Flick, Charlie's new, maniacal girlfriend. If that wasn't bad enough, Charlie dies and a horrible crime is pinned one him, meanwhile Vera knows the truth, but doesn't know how to share it. Vera also has a strained relationship with her father who desperately tries to keep Vera from falling into what he calls her "destiny-" that is getting pregnant at seventeen like her mother and a raging alcoholic like her father once was- by pressuring her to work a full-time job while staying in school and avoiding boys at all cost. King goes beyond the typical high school relationship issues that play front-runner in most young adult books by incorporating more adult-themed relationship interactions, like Vera's reciprocated crush on a twenty-three year old co-worker, her work relationship with her boss, and the many interactions she has with the general public as she delivers pizzas for the Pizza Pagoda. 


Adult relationships are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to adult matters in Please Ignore Vera Dietz. King sugarcoats nothing in Vera's complicated life and struggle to come forward and speak the truth, and while the topics, sexual content and language are accurate to today's society, it does lend the book to being unsuitable for readers younger than tenth grade.     


After Reading Activity
Vera's favorite class is Vocabulary. She uses her learned vocabulary words in sentences throughout the book. Have readers list her vocabulary words as they read, look them up and use them in a sentence of their own.


Make a "Ken Dietz Flow Chart" to discuss different choices characters could have made throughout the book and how they would have changed the story. One example topic would be "What if Charlie had called the police on Jenny?" Two possible results would be "They would have gotten there in time to save the animals and catch Jenny" or "They would have gotten there in time, but Jenny would say that she was there trying to stop Charlie." Then discuss where each of those actions would lead.  


External Assessment
"The writing is phenomenal, the characters unforgettable." -VOYA (Voices for Youth Advocates)

"Vera's struggle to put Charlie behind her [is] at the crux of this witty novel, but nothing compares to the gorgeous unfurling of Vera's relationship with her father. [An] arresting tale." -Booklist

Michael L. Printz Honor 

The Tequila Worm

Bibliography
Canales, Viola. The Tequila Worm. 2005. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books ISBN 0-385-74674-1


Critical Analysis
The rich culture and deep sense of tradition and family in The Tequila Worm draw readers in from the first chapter. Mexican American Sofia, the main character, learns many lessons from her family, her barrio and her culture as she works toward her college goals. Known for her "gift of mule-kicking" her way through life, Sofia has always been a little different than girls her age, like her cousin Berta who dreams about her quinceanera and marrying her high school sweetheart. Sofia, on the other hand, is headstrong and would rather spend her time reading and studying than party planning and swooning. It is this dedication that leads her to make one of the most important decisions of her life and makes her a great role model for readers of all ages.

When Sofia is offered a scholarship at a fancy Episcopal school in Austin, she has mixed emotions- excitement about the possibilities it could lead to and fear of leaving her family, barrio and comadres. Sofia's immediate family- her mother, father and younger sister Lucy- are all involved in the decision. The reader gets to experience the strong cultural bonds as Sofia's parents insist that she involve others with "gifts" in the community to help her make the right decision. The methods they use to help her decide seem to Sofia, as well as the modern day young adult reader, as "martian," but it is the integration of old traditions into more modern times that reinforce Sofia's decision and expose the reader to a different lifestyle and people. 


Spanish words are incorporated throughout the book and are italicized and often translated within the sentence. Their presence exposes the reader to a new language without overwhelming them with too many new vocabulary words. The integration of Spanish throughout the book also enhances the cultural experience of the novel, helping keep it true-to-life. 


Sofia's well-rounded character make the short novel appealing to both boys and girls. She is not overly feminized, but rather likes soccer and studying over boys and lavish parties. She is also not so "tomboyish" that girls who do like those things would not be interested in her. Her comadre relationship with her cousin and sister is something that is something that many girls could easily relate to.The short chapters of The Tequila Worm make it a great read for grade 5 and up.


After Reading Activity
Following reading The Tequila Worm, challenge readers to learn more about their own heritage and culture. Have each reader choose one area of their heritage they would like to know more about. Have them research the culture to find a few of the traditions practiced, five words in the language of the chosen culture and three different typical meals. Then have them share what they have learned. Discuss the traditions that Sofia's family had in the book as well as some of the Spanish words and their meanings and the types of foods they ate. 


External Assessment
"Canales includes vivid descriptions of life in a Mexican-American community. Her prose is engaging and easy to read, making this novel a good choice for reluctant readers. The momentum slows a bit after Sofias arrival in Austin in contrast to the portion of the book set in McAllen. Still, the story is a good addition to most collections." –Melissa Christy Buron, Epps Island Elementary, Houston, TX, School Library Journal

Winner of the Pura Belpre Award

"The explanations of cultural traditions never feel too purposeful; they are always rooted in immediate, authentic family emotions, and in Canales' exuberant storytelling, which, like a good anecdote shared between friends, finds both humor and absurdity in sharply observed, painful situations--from weathering slurs and other blatant harassment to learning what it means to leave her community for a privileged, predominately white school. Readers of all backgrounds will easily connect with Sofia as she grows up, becomes a comadre, and helps rebuild the powerful, affectionate community that raised her."- Gillian Engberg, Booklist

Where the Red Fern Grows

Bibliography

Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows. 1961. New York, NY: Delacourt Press ISBN 0-385-32330-1

Critical Analysis

Wilson Rawl’s classic novel Where the Red Fern Grows still grips young readers, even fifty years after its first publication in 1961. When we first meet protagonist Billy Colman, he’s just a young boy yearning for two hound dogs to go coon hunting with. His dreams turn to reality when, through a lot of hard work and a little encouragement from his grandpa, Billy finally earns enough money to buy two hound dogs. The work ethic Billy exudes and the restraint he shows as he pinches his pennies for two long years to buy his dogs is a great example for young readers living in an era where many expect something for nothing

The coon hunting trips Billy takes hounds Old Dan and Little Anne on almost nightly are exciting and full of surprises, pulling in young male readers who are looking for a book that is not centered around young love or vampires, but rather other realistic and more relatable experiences. That is not to say that there are not strong relationships exemplified throughout the book. The bond between Billy and his dogs is one of trust and faith as they go on their nighttime adventures that often time leads them into trouble where they have to rely on the instincts of one another to get out of the sticky situations safely with a coon to show for the trouble. Billy also bears a heavy sense of familial obligation, always sharing with his sisters, spending time with his grandfather and even giving his hard-earned hunting competition money to his family to pay the household expenses. The intense emotions and funny stories about Old Dan and Little Anne throughout the book will attract readers that may not be drawn in by the hunting themes.

Young readers may find the hunting violence and emotional conclusion of Where the Red Fern Grows difficult to stomach, but the themes are appropriate for grades 5 and up.  

Discussion Questions

1. Billy worked for two years to earn enough money for his two hound dogs. What would you work that long and save your money for?

2. Why was it so important to Billy that cut down the big tree that Little Anne and Old Dan treed the coon in by himself?

3. After his experience Billy’s experience picking up his pups from the city, how do you think he will like it when his family moves into town?

4. Why was Billy’s grandpa so supportive of Billy’s dream to get hound dogs to hunt with?

5. Why did Billy let the ghost coon go?

6. Why did Billy leave flowers on Rubin’s grave? Why did he do it secretly?

7. Do you think Little Anne would have lived if Billy had gotten another dog for her to be around?

8. Why didn’t Billy keep the lost dog he found at the beginning of the book?

9. Why did Billy never buy another dog?

10. What does the red fern symbolize?

External Assessment

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

"A loving threesome, they ranged the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country. Old Dan had the brawn, Little Ann had the brains- and Billy had the will to train them to be the finest hunting team in the valley. Glory and victory were coming to them, but sadness waited too. And close by was the strange and wonderful power that's only found..." - The Inside Flap