Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Bibliographic Information: Rowling, J. (2005). Harry Potter and the half-blood prince. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books.

Plot Summary: The battle between good and evil wages on as Harry enters his sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Voldemort has returned, and is gathering his army of Death Eaters to take over the wizarding world.  Severus Snape, former Death Eater but now a member of The Order of the Phoenix (those fighting against Voldemort), is asked to make an unbreakable vow to protect Harry’s rival, Draco Malfoy, and in order to protect his true allegiance to Professor Dumbledore, does so.  

Back at Hogwarts Snape is named the new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts, which takes Harry by surprise.  Harry receives a Potions book with the inscription “The Half-Blood Prince,” and finds that the added notes from the previous owner help him excel in his Potions class.

Later on, Dumbledore and Harry discover that Voldemort, in efforts to preserve his life, split his soul into seven parts and his each in a different object.  Two of these objects have already been destroyed, and now they will hunt down the rest.  

Draco, as always, is up to no good, and he confronts a Dumbledore in the tower.  Having just returned from destroying a Horcrux, Dumbledore is extremely weak, and tries to convince Draco that he is not a killer.  Intent on following through with his mission, Draco tries to summon up the courage to kill Dumbledore, but is interrupted when Snape bursts through the door.  It is now time for Snape to show where his true allegiance lies.  Is he an honorable member of the Order of the Phoenix, or is he still a dangerous Death Eater?

Critical Evaluation: Rowling continues to keep reader enthralled in Harry’s hunt for Voldemort.  Now that he has returned, the threat of evil looms closer to the magical, and muggle world.  The complexity of Rowling’s characters reels readers in as they try to decide if Snape is really good or evil, or is Ron and Hermione will ever confess their love for each other.  What Rowling has done an excellent job portraying is the friendship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione.  She does a great job keeping their friendship real.  Arguments, jealousy, love, and loyalty define their relationship, and their personalities balance each other out. Rowling does well revealing how Harry will be able to defeat Voldemort.  All of the details are well thought out and build to the series finale Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

It is good to see Harry more accepting of his role as the chosen one to defeat Voldemort.  In earlier books, Harry resented his scar and the prestige that came with it.  As Harry matures, he only becomes a bigger threat to Voldemort.

    

Reader’s Annotation: Voldemort is back. Snape is the Defense Against the Dark Art teacher.  Things aren’t boding well for Harry...

Information about the author: JK Rowling, born Joanne Rowling, assumed the pen name “JK” after encouragement from her publisher in hopes to appeal to young boys- their target audience.  Rowling’s writing career blossomed from humble beginnings.  After graduating from Exeter University with a degree in French and Classics, she moved to Portugal to teach English as a second language.  There she met Jorge Arantes, and they married in 1992.  Their daughter, Jessica, was born in 1993, and eventually their marriage ended in divorce, and Rowling moved to Edinburgh near her younger sister (Rowling, n.d.).  

Rowling supported Jessica and herself on welfare while she worked on Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.  The book was published in 1997, and the Harry Potter series dominated book sales for the next ten years.  

Rowling recently published her first non-Potter and adult novel, Casual Vacancy, which has been received with mixed reviews (Bio, n.d.).

Genre: Fantasy

Curriculum Ties: English (literature)

Booktalking ideas (one or two):

1. Harry searching for a Horcrux

2. Voldemort’s perspective.

Reading level/Interest age: 10+

Challenge Issues: This novel contains magic, which is considered offensive by some.

To defend challenged material I would:

1.    Read/watch/listen to the material to become familiar with the content.

2.    Familiarize myself with the Arizona Common Core curriculum standards http://www.azed.gov/azcommoncore/teacher/ to defend how the material can support the learning of these standards.

3.    Refer to the Library Bill of Rights: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill

4.    Refer to the collection policy of my library.

5. Collect reviews from staff/students/patrons who have used the material

Why I chose this book:  The success of the Harry Potter  series is unprecedented.  The tale of Harry and his friends is loved by millions of readers around the world, and is a staple in any library collections.  The timeless war between good and evil keeps readers reading because they want to know the fate of Harry and his arch-nemesis Voldemort.  

References:

Rowling, J. (n.d.) Biography. J.K. Rowling. Retrieved 1 May 2013 from

    http://www.jkrowling.com/en_US/#/about-jk-rowling

Bio. True Story (n.d.) J.K. Rowling biography. A+E Television Networks, LLC.

    Retrieved 1 May 2013 from

http://www.biography.com/people/jk-rowling-40998?page=2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Bibliographic Information: Rowling, J. (2007). Harry Potter and the deathly hallows. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books.
 

Plot Summary: Dumbledore is dead, Snape killed him, and Voldemort is continuing to gain power.  As his seventeenth birthday approaches, Harry’s prepares to leave the Dursley’s on Privet Drive for the last time.  Led by Alastor “Mad Eye” Moddy, the Order of the Phoenix arrive to lead Harry from the Dursley’s to safety at the Weasley home.  They experience difficulty in their travels, as Snape leaked the plan to move Harry to Voldemort.  Fortunately Harry arrives unharmed, and he, Ron, and Hermione prepare for their journey to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes.  Bestowed with the item left to them by Dumbledore, they begin their mission and encounter multiple obstacles: Death Eaters, sneaking into the Ministry of Magic, stealing from Gringotts, betrayal, kidnapping, and torture.  Snape is cornered by Voldemort and killed in order to become the true owner of the Elder wand.  Witnessing this act, Harry rushed to Snape’s side where Snape gives Harry a memory to watch in the pensieve before dying.  

Much to his astonishment, Harry learns from Snape’s memory that he is the seventh Horcrux, and he must let Voldemort kill him, if Voldemort is to be destroyed.

Critical Evaluation: In Rowling’s last installment of the Potter series, the theme of sacrifice is evident.  Several characters sacrifice their lives for Harry and his mission to defeat the evil Voldemort.  This was how the story began, with Lily Potter sacrificing her life to save Harry.  Now that Harry knows he is the final Horcrux, he is faced with the biggest decision of his life: Fight for his life and risk an ever-present Voldemort, or sacrifice his life for the elimination of the Dark Lord.  This decision has been years in the making.  When Harry first arrived at Hogwarts, he was unsure of himself, having been mistreated his entire life.  Learning that he was someone special was a lot for him to handle.  Over the years we saw Harry learn to accept his calling as the Chosen One, and fight the evil forces lurking about.  This last and great battle between he and Voldemort is the most important, and potentially last, one of his life.  Rowling did a stupendous job bringing to light Snape’s true allegiance, something readers were only able to hypothesize.  Another theme throughout the whole series is good vs. evil, a battle that continues throughout history.  The result of this battle lies in Harry’s hands, and he doesn’t take the issue lightly.   

Reader’s Annotation: Dumbledore is dead, and Snape killed him.  How did Harry let this happen?  How can he defeat Voldemort without Dumbledore’s strength and wisdom?

Information about the author: JK Rowling, born Joanne Rowling, assumed the pen name “JK” after encouragement from her publisher in hopes to appeal to young boys- their target audience.  Rowling’s writing career blossomed from humble beginnings.  After graduating from Exeter University with a degree in French and Classics, she moved to Portugal to teach English as a second language.  There she met Jorge Arantes, and they married in 1992.  Their daughter, Jessica, was born in 1993, and eventually their marriage ended in divorce, and Rowling moved to Edinburgh near her younger sister (Rowling, n.d.).  

Rowling supported Jessica and herself on welfare while she worked on Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone.  The book was published in 1997, and the Harry Potter series dominated book sales for the next ten years.  

Rowling recently published her first non-Potter and adult novel, Casual Vacancy, which has been received with mixed reviews (Bio, n.d.).

Genre: Fantasy

Curriculum Ties: English (literature)

Booktalking ideas (one or two):

1. Daily Prophet: Dumbledore is dead!

2. Harry’s perspective.

Reading level/Interest age: 10+

Challenge Issues:This novel contains magic, which is considered offensive by some.

To defend challenged material I would:

1.    Read/watch/listen to the material to become familiar with the content.

2.    Familiarize myself with the Arizona Common Core curriculum standards http://www.azed.gov/azcommoncore/teacher/ to defend how the material can support the learning of these standards.

3.    Refer to the Library Bill of Rights: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill

4.    Refer to the collection policy of my library.

5. Collect reviews from staff/students/patrons who have used the material

Why I chose this book: This book is the much anticipated resolution to the Harry Potter series, and provides the closure readers have been waiting for over nine years.  

References:

Rowling, J. (n.d.) Biography. J.K. Rowling. Retrieved 1 May 2013 from

    http://www.jkrowling.com/en_US/#/about-jk-rowling

Bio. True Story (n.d.) J.K. Rowling biography. A+E Television Networks, LLC.

    Retrieved 1 May 2013 from

http://www.biography.com/people/jk-rowling-40998?page=2

Marked: A House of Night Novel

Bibliographic Information: Cast, K. & Cast, P.C. (2008). Marked: A house of night novel. New York: Bolinda Audio.

Plot Summary: Sixteen-year old Zoe Redbird was no stranger to problems.  Her boyfriend was a drunken idiot, her best friend was annoying, and her family relationships were strained because of her overly religious step-father.  One day at school, she is met by a Tracker at her locker, and marked with a crescent moon on her forehead to become a fledgling vampyre.  Zoe must choose to move into the House of Night, the vampyre finishing school, or die.  Upon her arrival, after passing out on her way to her grandmother’s house, Zoe meets her mentor, Nepheret, who is also the headmaster.  It is then that Zoe learns the crescent moon on her forehead is filled in; something unusual for a fledgling.  Aphrodite, the leader of the school’s elite group, The Dark Daughters, shows Zoe to her room where she meets Stevie Rae.  As a ploy to make a fool of Zoe, Aphrodite invites her to join the Dark Daughters, and during her first ritual Zoe discovers her lust for human blood.  It doesn’t take long for Zoe to realize that Aphrodite is abusing her powers as high priestess-in-training, so she makes a plan to use her newly discovered affinity for the five elements to dethrone her. 

Critical Evaluation: As the first installment of The House of Night series, Marked introduces Zoe, a hesitant heroine, who appears to be instrumental in the future of The House of Night.  The conflicts Zoe experiences parallel other fictional heroes.  First, Zoe’s family life is in shambles.  Her mother married a overly religious man whom she refers to as the step-loser, and her siblings are never around.  Her unhappy family life makes her decision to join the vampyres at the House of Night less difficult, much like the unhappy family life Harry Potter ditched when he joined witches and wizards-to-be at Hogwarts.  It didn’t take long for Zoe to meet her antagonist, Aphrodite, who is the female version of Harry’s antagonist, Draco Malfoy.  The biggest similarity between Harry and Zoe are their unique marks on their foreheads, which mark them as different.  Zoe’s filled-in crescent moon on her forehead is unusual for a fledgling sparks curiosity among her peers.  At first Zoe was hesitant to believe her filled-in moon means anything, but after an undeniable experience during a ceremony in Nyx’s temple (the vampyre Goddess), she starts to understand the power she has.  Zoe’s journey will undoubtedly be long and difficult, but Marked gives us a glimpse into what that journey will look like.

Reader’s Annotation: Making the change from human to vampyre can be dangerous, especially when coupled with abnormal powers.  Zoe Redbird, a brand new vamp-in-training already lusts for blood and can summon the elements, but someone is unimpressed; someone who can make things really bad for Zoe.

Information about the author: P.C. and Kristin Cast are a mother/daughter team who write the House of Night series, which has experienced outstanding success in the wake of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series.  After high school, P.C. Cast joined the Air Force and after her tour she taught high school for fifteen years.  She retired from teaching to begin writing and has earned numerous awards and is a New York Times bestselling author (Cast, n.d.).

Kristin Cast, P.C,’s daughter, was fresh out of high school the year she began collaborating with her mother on the House of Night Series, which currently totals 10 novels (with two more to complete the series), three novellas, a prequel, and other companion books to complement the story.  While Kristin cast currently works on her first stand alone novel, she has also published several stories in anthologies (Wikipedia, n.d.).

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Curriculum Ties: English (literature; plot elements)

Booktalking ideas (one or two):

1.    From the perspective of Nyx.

2.    From the perspective of Aphrodite

Reading level/Interest age: 15+

Challenge Issues: This novel contains sexual references, crude language, and elements of withcraft.

To defend challenged material I would:

1. Read/watch/listen to the material to become familiar with the content.

2. Familiarize myself with the Arizona Common Core curriculum standards http://www.azed.gov/azcommoncore/teacher/ to defend how the material can support the learning of these standards.

3. Refer to the Library Bill of Rights: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill

4. Refer to the collection policy of my library.

5. Collect reviews from staff/students/patrons who have used the material

Why I included this audiobook: This audiobook gives Twilight fans an alternative story of the vampire world.  In 2009 the book won a Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Young Adult Novel Award (Amazon, n.d.).

References:

Amazon. (n.d.) Marked (house of night, book 1). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Marked-House-Night-Book-1/dp/product-description/0312360266/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
Cast, P. (n.d.). Biography. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from http://www.pccast.net/biography.html
Wikipedia (n.d.). Kristin Cast. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristin_Cast

            Cast, P. (n.d.). Biography. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from 

                        http://www.pccast.net/biography.html

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Bibliographic Information: Riggs, R. (2011). Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children. Philadelphia: Quirk Books.

Plot Summary: Jacob Portman’s grandfather died just after having a weird conversation with him over the telephone. He seemed paranoid, like someone was coming after him, but Jacob brushed it off as a delusion.  When he went to check on him, he found his grandfather outside lying facedown on the forest floor in his backyard, his stomach gashed open, and quickly fading.  He gave a Jacob a set of directions for him to travel to the island where he grew up, and “find the bird.”  A bit confused, Jacob tries to comprehend the directions his grandfather gave him, and as he looks up he sees a horrific-looking creature whom he believes killed his grandfather.  His parents are concerned when Jacob tells them what he saw, and he begins a series of therapy sessions.  Lonely, frustrated, and desperate to follow his grandfather’s instructions, Jacob convinces his parents to let him go to the Welsh island on which his grandfather grew up.  While he was exploring the old house he believed to be the orphanage his grandfather lived in, he sees a girl he’s seen before- in his grandfather’s pictures from childhood.  Were his grandfather’s stories about floating, invisible, and abnormally strong children real?  Eventually Jacob learns the girl’s name: Emma, and she takes him through a time loop back to 1940, where he meets the other children his grandfather grew up with.  They call themselves Peculiars, because they all possess a special talent.  The peculiars are in danger, and Jacob is the only one who can help them.

Critical Evaluation:  Jacob Portman, the main character in the story, is desperate for someone to understand him.  After his grandfather’s death, and his witness of a strange creature moments later, Jacob finds himself abandoned by his only friend, and deemed crazy by his family.  When he was younger, Jacob’s grandfather would tell him fantastical stories about the children he grew up with in Miss Peregrine’s orphanage.  He wanted to believe his grandfather’s stories, but as he grew up he grew out of them.  What Jacob really wants is peace of mind, and so he convinces his father to travel with him to the small island off Wales where Miss Peregrine’s orphanage resides.  Jacob doesn’t tell his father that he is following clues his grandfather gave him through his dying breaths most likely because his father already thinks he’s crazy and he doesn’t want to make the situation worse.  Jacob hopes that by traveling to the island he will confirm or prove his grandfather’s false.  Ransom Riggs does a beautiful job telling Jacob’s story through words and vintage photographs.  They definitely make you wonder if a place like Miss Peregrine’s orphanage for peculiar children really existed.

Reader’s Annotation: Jacob heard the fantastical stories of the peculiar children when he was younger, but as he grew he found them hard to believe.  He won’t think they are so hard to believe when he comes face-to-face with the very same children his grandfather grew up with.   

Information about the author:  When Ransom Riggs was a young boy, he knew he wanted to write stories and make videos.  He attended Kenyon College where he studied English, then he went to the University of Southern California to study film-making.  Now that he is an adult, Riggs can proudly say that he writes and makes movies.  

    Riggs’ other works include The Sherlock Holmes Handbook, Talking Pictures, and a photo travel essays titled Strange Geographies.

Genre: Fantasy

Curriculum Ties: English (literature)

Booktalking ideas (one or two):

1. Show a PowerPoint with photos from the book.

2. Emma’s perspective.

Reading level/Interest age: 14+

Challenge Issues: The novel contains some paranormal activities and some mature language.

To defend challenged material I would:

1. Read/watch/listen to the material to become familiar with the content.

2. Familiarize myself with the Arizona Common Core curriculum standards http://www.azed.gov/azcommoncore/teacher/ to defend how the material can support the learning of these standards.

3. Refer to the Library Bill of Rights: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill

4. Refer to the collection policy of my library.

5. Collect reviews from staff/students/patrons who have used the material

Why I included this book: I chose this book for my collection because it offers a thrilling story for paranormal junkies.  The book also contains many vintage photographs that add to the eerie nature of the book.  The book spent 63 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list (Wikipedia, 2013). 

References:

Rigg, R. (n.d.) About. Ransom Riggs. Retrieved 6 May 2013 from   
           http://www.ransomriggs.com/bio/
 Wikipedia. (2013, May 8). Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children. Retrieved from
           http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Peregrine%27s_Home_for_Peculiar_Children