Tag Archives: required reading

My Brother Sam is Dead by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier

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About two months ago, I read a novel called My Brother Sam is Dead in my English class. At first, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy this book because I was being forced to read it. Instead, I actually ended up enjoying it a lot. I loved how it showed the side effects that war can have on society. Rather than showing the perspective of a soldier at war, it shows the perspective of a boy named Tim Meeker who has to face many challenges as a result of the war.

My Brother Sam is Dead takes place during the American Revolutionary War. The novel follows the story of a boy, Tim Meeker. While his brother, Sam Meeker, is fighting as a Patriot, Tim is forced to mature and change as he stays home and fights against the problems the war is bringing. As the reader continues throughout the story, they are able to witness the tragedies that Tim has to face causing him to go through very noticeable character development as the story goes on. They are also able to see how war brings other things rather than freedom and glory.

My Brother Sam is Dead is a well-crafted novel that has meaningful themes and topics. My favorite part of the book is its hidden message, which shows how war brings problems to everyone, not just those who are fighting in it. The novel does a great job at this by making the character development of Tim Meeker very apparent. The authors do this by making Tim go through life-altering events as a result of war, Causing him to mature quickly and to go through personal growth. Additionally, My Brother Sam is Dead has an entertaining story that will keep the reader engrossed in it throughout the story. The authors added very detailed scenes and emotions that have the reader feeling like they’re part of the story.

In conclusion, My Brother Sam is Dead is a novel that may seem boring, but is definitely the opposite. I recommend this book to anyone since it is not too long and has a story that is both engaging and thrilling. While this book may sound boring because it does not follow the perspective of a soldier at war, but instead a normal civilian, the authors do a great job at making it a very entertaining piece of literature. Using a civilian as the protagonist, the authors are able to tell the reader the side effects war has on the world. The authors are also able to explore topics such as personal growth with the use of Tim Meeker, a young boy who isn’t participating in the war, as the main character.

-Matthew R.

My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded from Libby.

The House on Mango Street

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The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a classic book that I believe should be read by everyone, of any age. This novel is composed of short vignettes following the life of a young girl named Esperanza living in a small house in Chicago. The descriptive storytelling style is broken up into 44 short stories, each one no more than two pages in length, totaling a little over 100 pages. It is a fairly quick and easy read, and it can be referred back to at any point without having to reread the entire thing. I first heard of this book in middle school, when I had to read about five of the vignettes. Those have stuck with me, and have continued to be some of my favorites, along with the new favorites I discovered through reading the whole book.

I believe this book should be read by anyone of any age, mainly because of the variety of characters that are introduced. Readers get to learn about Esperanza’s neighbors, who are all quirky in their own ways. We learn about Esperanza’s siblings, her friends, the younger kids on the street, the people who move in and out, the teenagers, the adults, and the elderly. Her neighbors are a diverse cast of characters who each have their own struggles in life, but they form a community on Mango Street. One of my favorite things about the novel is how it is told from the eyes of a young girl. I find that I could relate to her at any age, from reading it when I was in middle school, about the age Esperanza is in the book, but also reading it as I get older when I can see her growth and relate to other characters.

Another one of my favorite things about it is the dedication. The novel is dedicated both in English and Spanish to “The Women” or “Las Mujeres.” The House on Mango Street focuses on the female experience, highlighting female characters that Esperanza interacts with but also observes from afar. The stories about Marin and Sally highlight the struggles of being a girl and the story titled “Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut and Papaya Juice on Tuesdays” depicts Esperanza’s fear of becoming, as she describes it, a woman who sits by the window waiting for her husband. Esperanza wants to be independent, she wants a house of her own one day, that she doesn’t have to share with her entire family. I also loved how there were stories about Esperanza’s parents and her family as a whole. Rather than seeing her observe others, readers get to see someone who she really understands.

Ultimately, I loved this book and I can see myself referring back to it as I get older. If this was a required reading for you, I highly recommend taking another look at it, because it truly is an essential book for young readers. My favorite vignettes include, “My Name,” “Marin,” “Hips,” and “Beautiful and Cruel.” If you don’t read the whole book, I recommend reading those at least.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Books For School vs. For Fun

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Having just finished my first book for my senior English class, it got me thinking about why people have such a hard time reading books they are required to for classes. As an avid reader, I always find it a struggle to get my school reading done, even though I like the act of reading. I think the real issue I have with it is that I feel that it takes my time away from my personal reading. It also creates for less room about what impact the book had. 

When I am reading for school, it is usually a book that I don’t get to pick and everyone else in my class is reading as well. It feels like there is less room for discussion because all the students feel like they are supposed to have the same opinions. When reading books for fun, there is more room for people to share their thoughts on the book. Not everyone reads or interprets the same way, however when reading school books, everyone feels like they have to be the same. 

With school books, I also feel like I have less time for my personal reading which causes me to feel less inspired to read. I do believe that reading both for school and for fun can be something that is beneficial. Though it might be hard to read when it is not something we can do for fun, there is still a lot that can be learned from the reading we do in school. It might not be the most enjoyable use of our time, but it is something that we can discuss and learn from.

-Danielle B.

Advantages vs. Disadvantages of Required Reading

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As students, we’ve all experienced novels in English class that are required for us to read. Sometimes these books turn out to be good and other times, not so much. Personally, I have disliked most of the books I’ve been required to read for a number of reasons. However, I can see the benefits to required reading as it is done through the school system.

There are certainly some advantages to required reading material in school. One could be that the book causes students to branch out of their comfort zone, as far as books go, and help them pursue a new genre that they, normally, would not have read by themselves. This advantage holds true to me, since I am someone who has no trouble re-reading Harry Potter for the zillionth time. I find it interesting if we read a book in class that I would not have otherwise wanted to read.

Required reading can help to grow vocabulary, reading, and writing proficiency. If a student was to go to a library and pick out any book, they would most likely pick one they like or are comfortable with reading. In school, students do not have the luxury of choosing which books to read, and therefore are subject to harder vocabulary and sentence types in higher level books written by authors with insanely confusing diction. This relates to my English class experiences with A Tale of Two Cities which challenged my reading and writing proficiency greatly. Although these examples may make required reading seem great, students may also find themselves despising any book they are forced to read and make it harder for the student to get involved in the class or homework.

A solution to this problem would be to give students a list of different books they can read, all out of their comfort zone of genre and reading proficiency level, and give them the choice of which book they would like to read. This gives students the idea that they themselves are choosing what they want to read which may result in fewer students being uninterested or unfocused while keeping a challenging level of reading and vocabulary along with it.

-Kyle H.

What are your thoughts on required reading? Let us know in the comments below!