Genre 6- The White Darkness

(1) Bibliography
McCaughrean, Geraldine. 2005. THE WHITE DARKNESS. New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN 0-06-089036-3


(2) Plot Summary
Fourteen-year-old Symone Wates is a social outcast. Her two loves in life are Antarctica and Captain Titus Oates, her historical crush whose ghost she converses with. Her Uncle, Victor, takes her on a trip to Antarctica on the pretense of going to Paris. The vacation takes an ugly turn when the other passengers become ill and the rescues plane blows up. Uncle Victor reveals his true intention is to locate Symm’s Hole which he believes serves as gateway to an underground civilization. With Titus’s help will Symone escape both her deranged Uncle and the merciless Antarctic?

(3) Critical Analysis
Symone’s character will appeal to teenagers especially girls who have felt awkward about themselves. “Sym Wates is a sad loser,” according to the cruel writing on the school blackboard. She also has a hearing impairment and needs to wear hearing aids. At the end of her harrowing journey and subsequent struggle for survival, Sym realizes that she is stronger than she gave herself credit for. The plot is a bit unrealistic but not improbable. Set in Antarctica, McCaughrean has the arduous task of describing the landscape and conditions. Both the narrative and the dialogue are equally balanced. Filled with unexpected twists and turns, The White Darkness is a must read.

(4) Review Excerpt(s)
Voice of Youth Advocates: “Reading this book is like no other reading experience for this reviewer. The combination of the surreal setting of the Antarctic wilderness, the main character's imaginary friend Oates, and the completely deranged uncle who brings these two things together makes for a text that crosses back and forth between fantasy and reality in a nightmarish way.”

School Library Journal: “…McCaughrean weaves a tale of obsession and personal growth against the backdrop of nature's unrelenting power.”

(5) Connections
* Assign the class to read other books by the same author:
McCaughrean, Geraldine. Not The End Of The World. ISBN 0060760328
McCaughrean, Geraldine. Smile! ISBN 0192719610
McCaughrean, Geraldine. Stop The Train! ISBN 0606333306

* Have students conduct an on-line search on Lawrence “Titus” Oates and share what they discovered with the class.

* Assign the class to do a report on Antarctica (any aspect, any time-period).

Genre 6- Hoot

(1) Bibliography
Hiaasen, Carl. 2002. HOOT. New York: Random House Children’s Books. ISBN 0-375-82181-3


(2) Plot Summary
It isn’t easy being the new kid. Roy Eberhardt finds himself the target of a bully when his family moves from Montana to Coconut Cove, Florida. One morning while being victimized on the bus, Roy spies a strange boy running bare-footed through the neighborhood. He becomes preoccupied with finding out who this boy is and his story. Later Roy becomes entangled in the mysterious boy’s plight to save some burrowing owls from certain destruction. Will Roy be able to rid himself of the bully as well as help his new friend save the endangered owls before it is too late?

(3) Critical Analysis
The character of Roy Eberhardt will be identifiable to some readers. The character is a bit unusual because he is interested in blending in not fitting in; he does not want to be noticed. By the end of the story Roy is willing to be noticed and take a stand in order to protect the burrowing owls, making some unexpected friendships along the way. Roy’s transition is the theme. The engaging plot will have readers wondering about the mysterious boy as well. The description of the setting is light enough that Hoot could very well take place in any small community. The dialogue out weights the narration but it suits the style of the story which offers both a bit of humor and some serious moments. The unhealthy families of Dana the bully and Mullet Fingers and his step-sister, Beatrice are not hidden from the readers. It is rather unsettling that Mullet Fingers’ personal situation remains unsolved. Perhaps Hiaasen wants to address that not everyone gets a fairytale ending. Maybe there is a sequel in the works.

(4) Review Excerpt(s)
Publishers Weekly: "Several suspenseful scenes, along with dollops of humor, help make this quite a hoot indeed."

Booklist: “… the story is full of offbeat humor, buffoonish yet charming supporting characters, and genuinely touching scenes of children enjoying the wildness of nature.

(5) Connections
* Have students read another book by Carl Hiaasen:
Hiaasen, Carl. Flush. ISBN 0375841857

* Assign students to pick an environmental cause, write a report, and share with the class.

Genre 6- Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident

(1) Bibliography
Colfer, Eoin. 2002. ARTEMIS FOWL: THE ARCTIC INCIDENT. New York: Miramax Books. ISBN 0-7868-0855-1


(2) Plot Summary
With his father missing for the past two years and declared dead, our anti-hero Artemis Fowl has been busy rebuilding the family fortune through unscrupulous means. One day he receives an e-mail from some Russian terrorists claiming to hold his father hostage. Artemis and his trusted bodyguard, Butler, embark on a rescue mission. However, before the two are able leave they are accosted by Captain Holly Short of the Lower Elements Police (LEP) and taken to the underground fairy world. Will Artemis be able to set aside his differences and team up with LEP and vice versa? Will the thirteen-year-old arrogant, criminal genius find anyone worthy of his respect along the way?

(3) Critical Analysis
Artemis Fowl is a criminal with a zero ounce of respect for anyone and who should be behind bars yet Colfer does a superb job of making the reader care about Artemis and his mission to rescue his father. After all Artemis is only following his father’s footsteps. He is a victim who cannot help the circumstances of his birth. What starts out as a straight forward task becomes more and more complicated along the way keeping the reader engaged in the plot. Set mostly in the underground fairy world, Colfer relies mostly on dialogue to more the action along. In the end Artemis discovers there are people worthy of his respect.

(4) Review Excerpt(s)
Publishers Weekly: "Rapid-fire dialogue and wise-acre humor ensure that readers will burn the midnight oil,"

School Library Journal: “The action is brisk, with fiendish plots, ingenious escapes, and lively battle scenes.”

(5) Connections
* Have students read other novels in the series:
Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code. ISBN 0786856289
Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception. ISBN 0786852895
Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony. ISBN 0786849592

* Have students read the graphic novel:
Colfer, Eoin, Andrew Donkin and Giovanni Rigano. Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel. ISBN 0786848812

*Website of interest:
http://www.artemisfowl.com/