A Small White Scar

If boys can keep reading beyond the first few chapters which tell the back story of "A Small White Scar", they will find rattlesnake bites, a dangerous flash flood, and a rodeo that is so real you can hear the calves bawling in their pens. Boys who like action from the first paragraph will have to wait for the story to unfold. But, it’s worth it. Readers will identify with Will, the 15-year-old protagonist who itches to carve a life out for himself separate from Denny, his mentally retarded twin brother. Both characters are well developed; Will’s anger is consistent with his life experiences and Denny’s thoughtful yet child-like responses are consistent with a person who has Down Syndrome.

My favorite line is towards the end of the book when their father reveals that although Will sees himself as Denny’s surrogate parent, Denny is the one who has taught Will about self-sacrifice, responsibility, and love. K.A.Nuzum
uses beautiful figurative language to describe Colorado in the 1940’s; teachers could use this book as a mentor text and ask students to find the similes and metaphors, as well as to identify the various types of conflicts which confront Will and Denny. Recommended for boys and girls from 6th grade and upwards. (Harper Collins, 2006).Technorati Tags:
books for boys, young adult literature, colorado, historical fiction, mentor texts, record books
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Learning from Literature

As I'm writing my second IRA proposal on "Show Don't Tell: How Creating a Genre Setting Enhances Reading Instruction" I am once again thinking about how I have learned to be a writer because I am a life-long reader. Lots of time writers give the same advice as I do, "If you want to write, read." But what should an adult or young adult be looking for when she reads? How do novels or short stories become writing textbooks?

When I read (or listen to an audio book) I look for the following:

1. How has the author created realistic dialogue? How do the characters' voices stay consistent through the story?
   
2. For that matter, how does the character himself stay consistent through the story through his reactions, emotions, and thought patterns?
   
3. How does the author use similes or metaphors to help me picture the character or setting? Is the text heavy with figurative language or is there enough of this spice thrown into the mix to enhance the story?
   

For young adults, two examples of consistent characters and settings in imaginative, well-written fantasy books are Cornelia Funke's books Inkheart and Inkspell.

These principles can be applied to creative nonfiction as well as to fiction. My first "official" creative nonfiction book that I read was Susan Orlean's book, "The Bullfighter Checks her Makeup." (For homeschooling parents: You might want to read this first before recommending it to your children.) Orlean has a magnificent grasp of language and tells stories through her nonfiction essays.