For my young adult novel, I read Bone Gap by Laura Ruby. I chose to read Bone Gap because Dr. Jaxon recommended it after she had read it herself, and because I was dreading to read my first choice, The Book Thief, after hearing about just how difficult The Book Thief was to get through. What I expected from this book was that it would be very dream-like and metaphorical, as that was what Dr. Jaxon disclosed to me when I expressed interest in reading Bone Gap. And Dr. Jaxon was right—Bone Gap most definitely has a sense of whimsicality to it that is very refreshing, and it makes for an interesting and captivating read.

Admittedly, the first three chapters or so are less than page-turners. However, you will soon find yourself gripped by the story and invested in the characters; you only need to give the story time to unfold. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a cold like I did, because you won’t want to put the book down for longer than it takes to run to the fridge to get a snack after the somewhat slow beginning, and you will end up finishing it in a day if you have a good enough excuse (cough, cough).

The story of Bone Gap follows four main characters and a few other minor characters over a period of time in the town of Bone Gap, and it captures their reactions, interactions, and states of being throughout a series of events that all turn out to be connected in some way. I enjoyed getting to know the characters not only through their own chapters, but through other characters’ perceptions of them. Ruby does a fantastic job of unveiling her characters gradually and by leaving a great deal of interpretation up to the reader’s imagination.

The book blurs the line between fantasy and reality, and it takes its readers on an exploration of their own imaginations. For this reason, I believe that Bone Gap should be a must-read for high-school students and high school graduates alike. While the book may not be the most appropriate piece of literature to teach in an English class, I believe that it is a wonderful read-for-pleasure book because it possesses the capacity to engage its readers in such a personal way.

Part (A):

For my poetry book, I chose to read Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. The reason why I chose to read this book over my original choice was because I was itching to read more books by Woodson after finishing After Tupac and D. Foster. Initially, I assumed that the book would be laid out as a diary-like compilation of experiences from Woodson’s life that was sprinkled with poetry that she had written throughout her life. That was not at all what the book entailed!

The book consisted of a compilation of poems that describe Woodson’s journey through life; it is an autobiography told entirely through poems. Before I read through the book cover-to-cover, I decided that I wanted to peruse the book and read any poems which jumped out at me. I read through quite a few poems, and ended my first reading session entirely satisfied and wishing that I could write poetry as well as Woodson. However, I’ve found that after reading through the book in its entirety that it is very hard to remain focused, as I’d had to read several passages over again because I was afraid of missing any main points.

I thought that the book could have been improved if Woodson would have included some periodical non-poetry text so that the reader could have a mental break every once in a while from having to digest such rich and dense poetry. Don’t get me wrong, I love reading and analyzing poetry, but constantly having to put my mind in “poetry mode” gets cumbersome and dull after a long reading session.

Criticisms aside, I found the content of the book to be spectacular as it deepened my own understanding of what people of color go through as they grow up and experience life. I think that I would most definitely teach this book in my classroom if I were to teach eighth grade or higher. This is because I feel as though some of the content might be a little tough for elementary aged students to properly react to; in my opinion, older students would get more out of Woodson’s narrative. Additionally, I think that the length of the book would turn off younger audiences, while older students wouldn’t be as intimidated by the length.

To sum my ramblings up: Brown Girl Dreaming is a phenomenal autobiography written by a very inspirational woman. Woodson’s writing style is beautiful and raw, and the book will grant its readers a new perspective on what it’s like to take a walk in Jacqueline Woodson’s shoes.

Part (B):

A brief poem that I put together using lines from A Brown Girl Dreaming:

At the end of the day, the newspaper is printed.

At night, every living thing competes.

But I sing  anyway, whenever I can.

I thought that the first chapter of Miller’s Reading in the Wild was amazingly well-written, and there were points put forth with which I enthusiastically agree. At the beginning of the chapter, Miller states that the endless “to-do” list of professional, personal, and familial obligations can make it difficult to fit in the proper time to read; Miller acknowledged that “if [she] didn’t make reading a priority, it would be easy to skip it.” The truth to that statement hurts, because I do not make reading as large of a priority as I would have preferred. In the text, there is a passage in which a lady claims that when she does get some down time, she usually checks Facebook instead of reading a book, and I usually do the same. But here’s the thing: that lady has kids and a busy adult life as an excuse. What’s my excuse? It’s not like I go home after school and work and read. No, I lay on the floor and watch YouTube. I am a monster.

That is why I consider myself a “fake reader;” I pretend that I read a heck of a lot more than I actually do. However, this is not to say that I never read! I will definitely peruse assigned readings and whatnot, but that is only because I value my grades, not because I WANT to read that oh-so-interesting article on the reason why my generation is worthless is because we don’t read. I wish that I wasn’t a faker and actually read as often as I claim I do, because I used to absolutely adore reading as a child. I hope that the 10-minute reading sessions at the beginning of class will help me overcome my laziness and get back into the habit of reading for pleasure.