Pairs and Parallels
I managed to read a couple of new books over the weekend that got me to thinking of others that I had read or reviewed in the past. The topics were similar but of course each story is unique.
Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of the Tree by Lauren Tarshis is the story of a seventh grade girl who is close to genius level, extremely neat, organized, and methodical. She observes her peers’ messy, noisy existence with tolerance but no desire to become a part of the turmoil. Then one day a classmate in distress appeals to Emma-Jean for help. No one has ever asked for her help before and she feels that she cannot decline. Can she become one of the group? Does she even want to? What becomes of her nice, neat life?
Paired with this, I remembered reading Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee. Millicent, also a certified genius, is a bit more concerned with trying to fit in with her peer group. Volleyball is the challenge she undertakes to see if she can make friends with her classmates. How much does Millicant’s cultural background influence her attempts to connect?
Another book I just finished is called Sender Unknown by Sallie Lowenstein. A strange little, futuristic story, I found it hard to decide if this is really a “middle-school” book or an adult read because the main character is twenty-five years old. Another genius-type, he was a happy putterer until a high school reunion pushes him into the “most-likely to succeed,” technology whiz-kid, corporate role. In this new mode, he purchases an old house with a peculiarity. Every day a stack of catalogs for various “dolls” based on the fairy tales and nursery rhymes that have become relics of the past is delivered to the house. When he orders, what he receives are not dolls at all but he doesn’t know exactly what they are. All the boxes are marked “No Returns.”
The book I chose to pair with this is one that I have not read. House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer does share a common element with the book above. How closely do they parallel? Maybe someone out there will comment.
Last, I want to pair a book with Louis Sachar’s book, the incomparable Holes. I loved this story with its incredible cast of characters, the historical flashback, and the curse. Students often ask for another book just like Holes. Now I suggest that they read Out of Patience by Brain Meehl. The town of Patience is somewhat like Camp Green Lake, dried up and desolate, it has been cursed. Jake’s dad, a plumber from a long line of plumbers, believes that salvation for Patience lies in his plan to start …The American Toilet Museum. Jake is waiting for the final blow, the return of the Plunger of Destiny. I don’t think that you can help but chuckle and wonder how a toilet plunger can be the bad guy.
Have you ever read a couple of books that pair well because of themes, characters, or plots? Tell me something about them.
I read two books that were both about solving mysteries about yourself and all the things that you’ve known. In “Endymion Spring” a boy finds himself in the middle of a hundred-year long battle between a printer’s assistant and a man who is said to have sold his soul. The boy must answer riddles, find clues, and learn things he never thought possible. In “Poison” a girl has her sister abducted and must travel to a new world, pass rigorous tests of thieving and wit, and also must find the real truth behind what everything means and why. These books will pull you in with mystery and suspense.