Textbook Chart

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Eleanor &Park

 

Rowell, R. (2013). Eleanor & Park. NY: St Martin's Griffin.

Eleanor and Park became the most unlikely of friends while being partnered up on the bus.  They discover that they both have similar interests and bond over comic books and music.  Eleanor has beautiful red hair while Park is a biracial boy of Korean and white parentage.  Park has feelings of inadequacy as he is not athletic and feels his father disapproves of him. 

 

Eleanor is struggling at home to build a family with her mother and new stepfather.  Eleanor begins to receive notes on her school work and finds them to be unsettling.  Eleanor and Park are both experiencing some type of teasing or bullying and feel that they can only depend on each other.  Eleanor soon discovers that the notes are coming from her stepfather and asks Park to help her.  Park takes Eleanor to live with her aunt and uncle and waits for some kind of correspondence from her.  She finally responds in the form of a postcard.  Park gets some form of hope.

 

 This story deals with several adult themes and Havighurst’s Developmental Tasks sees changes in personal relationships as well as relationships with parents.  Suggested readings include The perks of being a wallflower and Looking for Alaska.

The strange case of Origami Yoda

Angleberger, R. ( 2010).  The strange case of Origami Yoda. New York:  Amulet Books.

Dwight is a sixth grader who offers advice to his peers through a puppet, Origami Yoda.  Dwight’s classmates, Tommy and Harvey, think it is very strange behavior and are constantly asking Origami Yoda questions.  Before he realizes, Dwight/Yoda is bombarded with kids asking questions about quizzes, girls, and dances.

Dwight destroys Origami Yoda because he is so fed up with so many questions and doubts.  His classmate, Harvey, decides to create an Origami Yoda and give some very bad advice.  Finally, Dwight remembers how to create another and things get interesting when they face off against each other’s Origami Yoda. 

The story is told by various narrators and deals with issues that include liking each other and your run of the mill problems facing middle school students.  Peer pressure is tackled and Havighurst’s Development Task to learn how to get along with others is evident.  Young adults struggle to find their place in the world and deal with friendships, bullies, and standing alone when necessary.