Module 2: Book Access

 

Arementrout, J.L., Clayton, D., Cotugno, K., Davies, J., Fitzpatrick, H., Lacour, N., Lord, E.. McGee, K., Morgan, K., Murphy, J., Russo, M., Shepard, S., Yoon, N., & Zoboi, I. (2018). Meet Cute: Some People are Destined to Meet. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN: 9781328759870 

Summary: Blind dates. Accidental meetups. At school or at the gym. Arranged dates or a casual hangout. There are many ways that people start out when they fall in love. This collection of short stories recalls a "meet-cute," which was the official first meeting in the eyes of different people. Various couples share stories about how they met and began their journey into something more. 

Analysis: The idea of various couples reflecting on their first meeting was fascinating. The collection of short stories ranges from different types of "meet-cutes" that show realistic and witty moments of how the couple first got together or met. The other plots capture the reader with the setting that the author puts them into while making the reader feel like they are a part of the story using the second point of view. The narrator's use "you" as if the reader is involved in the story; it builds connections for audiences to feel like they're going through the same experiences that characters go through.

One of the stories involves a house party where Wolf is hiding with the main character Hailey. The two of them hide in a bathroom from the police, trying to end a party they're at. Wolf and Hailey have a conversation; readers learn that Wolf is a farm boy who has been Hailey's classmate for many years. Meanwhile, during their chat, Hailey is revealed to be a queen bee of sorts. The dialogue in the scene shows how different the two are, which plays on with the trope of 'unpopular boy and famous girl fall in love. It doesn't show much interest from either party during their talk, but it shows that they almost develop an understanding of each other. Overall, a well-put-together story but kind of had an open ending where it doesn't explain if they're attracted to each other or not. 

In one of the stories titled, The Unlikely Hood of Falling in Love, the female character is portrayed as a somewhat logical, analytical character, then changes when she sees a cute boy while going to the subway. "A month ago, if you'd asked me if I believe in love, specifically the kind that happens at first sight, I would have laughed. I would have told you I believe in facts and numbers." which reflects her outlook on loving math and science rather than romance. 

Her statistics teacher assigned a final project where the students had to perform a study where they needed to apply real-world application, and she already knew what she wanted to do. The character (Sam) returns home to plan out her project and put together data on the likelihood of meeting the boy again. Here, the reader sees a stark contrast of Sam to the rest of her family. All family members are very creative and don't like math, whereas Sam loves math and is logical. This was an interesting take of being the family's black sheep since Sam is so different from her family.

She sees the boy (her sister named Demetris von Snugglemuffin a second time) and gets excited but isn't sure if she fell in love at first sight. I liked her conversation with her friend Camila during a studio art class where Sam said that seeing the boy involved in math while Camila disagreed that she didn't consider human error and that seeing the boy is fate. It showed such a contrast between Sam and Camila on why she does not see Demetris again. It goes against Sam's love for statistics and math, involving people and human error. She becomes disappointed that she never sees the boy again and turns in her project with heaviness in her heart. 

Finally, presentation day comes, and Sam sees the boy again. "He smiled. I smiled. And suddenly, I got it. I got what all the fuss was about. I got why people took unlikely chances and believed in fate and hoped for things against all odds." "But like I said before, you can't plan for everything." I think this was an overall cute story of a logical, analytical character figuring out why people made such a big deal over fate and destiny. Still, it appeared out of character for Sam to put so much faith in love at first sight, but I think this gave a pretty satisfying adventure for Sam's first love. The hopeful ending makes readers happy for her and the boy (named Dev and thankfully not Demetris von Snugglemuffin). 

The other stories included a lovely print shop meet cute involving two girls meeting thanks to disgruntled customer service. Another involved an interview regarding two characters' compatibility for a mission to Mars. Finally, there was a story regarding soulmates and even one regarding a mess of a dating show; yikes! All in all, I think this book was amiable and had lovely short stories of "how they met" stories with various plots and different couples. I liked that there was diversity with the couples, which makes it more applicable to more readers, and the variety of love stories was the tip of the iceberg, with many more out there in other romance novels. Still, it is a great read to get into romance and watch the love stories at their beginnings. I think it was terrific and recommend it for romance lovers to enjoy. 

Reviews and Awards:

Kirkus Reviews (2017): “The stories include great banter, the determination to find a boy from a crowded subway train, and the message that the rewards of love outweigh the potential pain of loss. A collection that adds much-needed diversity to the existing teen-romance genre.”

Publishers Weekly: "...An enjoyable and diverse collection that never feels repetitive, despite the stories’ shared thematic underpinnings... All 14 leave just enough magic and mystery to inspire readers to trust in a little bit of fate." 

#21 in Anthologies & Short Stories for Teens 

#472 in Short Stories in Teen & Young Adult Literature

#1,876 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Dating & Sex (Books)

#2,775 in Teen & Young Adult Friendship Fiction

Connections:

*You will need to teach about point of view since the book is written in 1st person and 2nd person

*Contains a transgender character and same-sex couples which is very diverse

*You can break up the stories into small units and have students write their own version of the stories in the collection

Related books:

Oh, E., Chapman, E., Ahdieh, R., Charaipotra, S., Chhiber, P., Choski, R., de Bodard, A., de la Cruz, M., Kagawa, J. Kanakia, R., Lee, L.M., Myers, E.C., Pon, C., Saeed, A., Thakrar, S., & Wong, A. (2018). A Thousand Beginnings and Endings. ISBN: 9780062671158

Shen, L.J. (2022). Punk Love. ISBN: 9798403322324

Joubert, I. (2017). The Girl from the Train. ISBN: 9781410495693

Shakur, T. (1999). The Rose that Grew From Concrete. Pocket Books/MTV Books. ISBN: 9780671028459

Summary: Legendary artist Tupak Shakur who met his unfortunate death at twenty-five, wrote poetry of his innermost thoughts and honest feelings since he was nineteen years old. The collection reveals the serious issues he faces in the shiny world of fame and music. Dive into Tupak's mirror of his world of music and life and learn about his innermost thoughts. These beautifully handwritten poetic pieces reflect his energy and spirit to send a message of hope. 

Analysis: The poem opens up with Tupak asking a question. "Did u hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete"? It makes readers question such a thing since it appears to be a somewhat unnatural phenomenon, which immediately hooks the reader when they read something that does not seem authentic or happens often? The poet asks the audience the rhetorical question if they have seen a rose growing on a concrete wall. Within the same stanza, the poet argues that it is against nature for such a thing to occur. The reader will begin to realize that the rose growing out of the concrete wall represent a rebellious nature, continuing to grow despite the struggles and circumstances, the rose will grow to achieve its dream. 

This brings a beautiful message to readers to keep being persistent and never give up on their ambitions no matter their struggles. It sends that overall message of hope right at the start to have readers enjoy the excellent message to continue to pursue their dreams. 

"Life through my bloodshot eyes would scare 2 death poverty, murder, violence and never a moment 2 rest" reflects his lifestyle from his youth, which brings the reader into the world that Tupak knew before he became famous. The poverty and the violence he was exposed to daily that he never got a moment to relax. 

I particularly liked the part that says, "I am not a perfectionist but still I seek perfection I am not a great romantic but yet I yearn 4 affection." 

The stanza shows some contradictory statements from the poet regarding not being a perfectionist yet still seeking perfection and still wanting affection despite not being a romantic. This particular line made me interested more in what the poet wanted to say, and since the lines were contrasting, it stood out to me. 

The overall central theme of the story shows how persistence and the will to work will give that person a breath of fresh air after the long struggles they face. That is why the poet alludes to the rose from the concrete wall. Despite the rose's struggles, the hard work to grow in such a place, why it appears so beautiful to the poet. In my opinion, I can see the lyrical rhythm from the poet showing off a unique mindset based on his personal experiences. The wording was simple yet powerful, relaying various emotions within each poem and connecting to the reader. The poems were easy to understand and show off a deep thinker with a brilliant soul and heart. The handwritten version of the poems was the most beautiful thing about the book, in my personal opinion. 

It felt like a personal journal from Tupak himself that invites the audience into his thoughts when he wrote the journals. My favorite stanza was the last one, titled So I Say Goodbye. "I'm going in2 this not knowing what I'll find but I've decided 2 follow my heart and abandon my mind and if there be pain I know that at least I gave my all and it is better 2 have loved and lost than 2 not love at all in the morning I may wake 2 smile or maybe 2 cry but first 2 those of my past I must say goodbye." I enjoyed the last poem due to the beautiful way the collection ended and the poet's sorrowful goodbye. Overall, it was delightful to read, and I recommend it for poet lovers.  

Reviews and Awards:

School Library Journal: “YA-A collection of poetry written by the rapper between 1989 and 1991, before he became famous. The poems are passionate, sometimes angry, and often compelling. Selections are reproduced from the originals in Shakur's handwriting, personalized by distinctive spelling and the use of ideographs (a drawing of an eye for I, etc.), and complete with scratch outs and corrections. With the exception of "In the Event of My Demise," all of the pieces are accompanied by typed text, which leaves his spelling intact. Some poems are also accompanied by his drawings. A few black-and-white photographs appear throughout. A preface by Shakur's mother, a foreword by Nikki Giovanni, and an introduction by his manager, Leila Steinburg, in whose writing group the poems were written, complete this unique volume.”

#24 in Black & African American Poetry (Books)

#27 in Rap Music (Books)

#28 in Rap & Hip-Hop Musician Biographies

Connections:

*You would need to teach the theme of hard work, persistence and struggles 

*You would need to explain the symbolism of a rose growing out of concrete (representing life/process of birth

*Students need background knowledge of Tupak and elements of poetry 

Related Books: 

Ardis, A. (2017). Inside a Thug’s Heart. ISBN: 9781496718679

Jay-Z. (2010). Decoded. ISBN: 9781400068920

Angelou, M. (2015). The Complete Poetry. ISBN: 9780812997873

CLAMP. (2014). xxxHolic Omnibus 1. ISBN: 9781612625911

Summary: Kimihiro Watanuki lives a somewhat cursed life. Watanuki is born with the ability to have visions of ghosts and spirits; his life is anything but ordinary. He comes across Yuko, a mysterious witch who can grant wishes. In exchange for becoming her helper, she agrees that she’ll grant his desire to get rid of his ability. Join Watanuki’s wild adventures as Yuko’s helper as he sees things and meets customers that are stranger than fiction. 

Analysis: The manga begins with a beautiful full-spread page in colors that are simply stunning to look at for the reader. The colors are well-balanced between dark and pastel tones, giving off a mysterious vibe. Unfortunately, the lines are pretty thin and do not have weight, making the art style seem almost fantastical. However, the art style matches well with the supernatural theme of the storyline thus far. An interesting thing to take note are the characters' eyes which appear hooded to connect with the mystic nature of the plot. 

Readers get introduced to Kimihiro Watanuki, who seems to have the ability to see mysterious spirits. An ability he appeared to be burdened and annoyed by. He notices that the spirit left when he comes across a strange house. Inside, he is greeted by two young girls who believe he is there for their master as a guest. They bring him to a room where readers are greeted by a 3/4 spread of the girls' master, a slender, gorgeous woman with long black hair smoking a cigarette. Readers will become quite interested in learning who this woman is as she gives off a sultry yet mysterious presence and feels like she is essential to the storyline. 

Watanuki explains to the woman that he came to her home by mistake, but she believes otherwise then asks for his name. Here is a pretty funny joke of how his name Watanuki translates to April 1st in Japanese, and it also happens to be his birthday. The woman then tells him, "If you give someone your name they can take your soul. If you give them your birthday they can control your life." which brings an eerie, almost unsettling feeling when he was told such a thing. She introduces herself as Hajiwara Yuko (a fake name) and tells him the girls are Maru and Moro. 

Wanting to leave, Yuko tells Watanuki that coming to her home is fate. Using a watch he gave her, she tells him precise details about his birth and that he could see spirits because of his blood. After that, she tells him that her house is a shop that grants wishes which catch his attention. Yuko tells him that he must pay something of equal value in exchange for her services. Eventually, she comes up with the idea that he must work in her shop, and when he has worked enough, Yuko will grant his wish to get rid of his ability to see spirits. As time goes on, he meets various customers who have some sort of addiction that Yuko uses her powers to help out in exchange for something of equal value. I thoroughly enjoy xxxHolic due to its mysterious nature, and the supernatural elements make it very intriguing and engaging. 

It makes me want to continue wondering about Watanuki's employment at Yuko's shop and if his wish will ever get granted. The panels are relatively large, so it is easy for scenes to be captured, and the artwork is stunning; the characters are lanky looking with sharp eyes, drawn in slender body shapes. The angular body lines are very interesting to look at since many manga art styles are drawn more round and with soft lines, while the angular shapes of the characters’ bodies match with the more elegant and mature theme of the manga. I also see that characters never seem to face forwards in panels, their faces are angled slightly to the side as if hiding something or keeping a secret which makes me more curious into the mindset of the characters. 

The magic used in the panels looks wispy and almost mystical, matching the mysterious Yuko. The dialogue boxes are large enough to be read quickly and do not overtake the whole art either; I believe it looks pretty balanced. The banter between Watanuki and Yuko is witty and funny; I think they have developed great chemistry already and talk like old friends. I find Watanuki's personality to be very animated and lively, captured well in the artwork, while Yuko's elegance is charismatic and seductive. I had watched the animated version xxxHolic, but never really finished it, so it was great to see it again. I liked this manga and recommend it to supernatural lovers.

Reviews and Awards: 

Publishers Weekly: Created by Clamp, the all-female artists' collective behind the hit Chobits , this work avoids the more obvious sexual aspects of Watanuki's situation, instead plunging readers into an Edgar Allen Poe-esque world of melting candles, castles beyond time and doomed protagonists. Although the story can be garbled, the art is exquisite, possessing a stunning Pre-Raphaelite sensibility. This book should greatly appeal to teens, especially those with a goth bent.

2009 #6 Best-Selling manga (New York Times)

#6 ranking on Nielsen Bookscan bestseller list 

2005 Best Mature winner for Mania Entertainment’s Best Manga Awards for 2005

Connections:

*You can do a compare and contrast activity between the manga and the anime adaptation 

*You can introduce supernatural/fantasy themes and addictions to regular habits 

*Students learn about moral dilemmas and different types of “-holics” that deal with different addictions

Related books: 

CLAMP. (2014). Tsubasa Omnibus 1. ISBN: 978-1612625959

CLAMP. (2020). Chobits 20th Anniversary Edition 1. ISBN: 9781632368164

        CLAMP. (2021). Cardcaptor Sakura Collector’s Edition 7. ISBN: 9781632368799