Tuesday, July 19, 2011

#8 Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

ANNOTATION:
Anne writes about receiving her diary on her birthday, June 12th. She thinks it is the nicest present of all. She goes to school with her friend Lies, and during recess she treats everyone to sweet biscuits. The Diary is most important for its record of the daily lives of real individuals who lived in constant fear because of the Nazis and their irrational persecutions. It puts names and faces on the kind of human disaster that is all too often described in terms of mere numbers. The movie does well in bringing out this aspect of the diary, making the characters come to life in settings that are interesting, detailed, and believable. The photography also makes good use of the settings and the details.

RECOMMONDENTION:
The Diary of Anne Frank's story has become symbolic of the scale of Nazi atrocities during the war, a stark example of Jewish persecution under Adolf Hitler, and a dire warning of the consequences of persecution. However, there have been many claims that Anne Frank's diary was fabricated.  Holocaust deniers such as Robert Faurisson have claimed that the diary is a forgery, though critical and forensic studies of the text and the original manuscript have supported its authenticity Anne Frank's diary is among the most enduring documents of the 20th century. She documented her life in hiding from 12 June 1942 to 1 August 1944.

 Initially, she wrote it strictly for herself. Then, one day in 1944, Gerrit Bolkestein, a member of the Dutch government in exile, announced in a radio broadcast from London that after the war he hoped to collect eyewitness accounts of the suffering of the Dutch people under the German occupation, which could be made available to the public. As an example, he specifically mentioned letters and diaries. Anne Frank decided that when the war was over she would publish a book based on her diary. Because she did not survive the war, it fell instead to her father to see her diary published.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

#7 What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

What My Mother Doesn't Know
Sonya Sones Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (February 1, 2003)

ANNOTATION: This story is about Sophie. She sees herself as the too-tall "Mount Everest of teenage girls," who, along with her friends, often suffers from "lackonookie disease." She's dating smoky, sexy Dylan, covertly chatting online with "cyber soul"-mate Chaz, and secretly nursing a crush on sweet, geeky Murphy. Her two best friends are closer to her than sisters, and she "hates hating" her soap opera-addicted mom, wishing "she would show half as much interest in my life as she does in Luke and Laura's." In other words, Sophie is a typical teenage girl.

JUSTIFICATION FOR NOMINATION: This is a book that lot teenagers could relate to; the author Sonia Sones records all of Sophie's thoughts in a freewheeling verse that is such a naked expression of inner longing. Most readers will turn red in embarrassed recognition of their own remembered or current teenage desires. This will take you back to your teenager days and remind you of what you went through. Sones gently leads both the reader and Sophie towards an understanding of the difference between love and lust as Sophie slowly comes to realize that Dylan's outsides are no match for Murphy's insides. It is about learning lesson through experience and finding you own meanings in life.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

#6 Vampire Loves


 Vampire Loves by Joann Sfarm Ferdinand is a friendly and likeable character who prefers just a taste instead of killing his victims. The people he loves don't love him and vice versa. It's a crazy world. Annotation: It is a great book to read but some not consider an award material. The author has created a complex and interesting world of monsters and ghouls. But, unfortunately the plot is difficult to follow because the world is presented in small snap shot or serials that are supposed explain the story. The art work is generally good, but feels a little lazy sometimes. Ferdinand does do some search for self that should connect to adolescents, but I'm not sure if he actually grows or learns anything new in the story. The escape portion of this fantasy world will also appeal to some readers. The characters are actually pretty complex and that makes the book more interesting. This a great book for someone who is into hard graphic novel or vampire books, it is a fun book to read if one gives chance.