Remington's Reading Space

  1. BIBLIOGRAPHY SEPETYS, R. (2022). I must betray you . PHILOMEL BOOKS. ISBN: 1984836048 2.  PLOT SUMMARY This historical fiction novel is set in Romania in the year 1989. Told from the point of view of Cristian, a young 17 year old during the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceasusescu, he is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informant to get medicine for his sick grandfather. In doing so, he faces a difficult choice, to betray his loved ones or fight for his freedom. As the story continues, we see some of the challenges Cristian faces and the choices to makes to help overturn Ceasusescu’s regime. 3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS This novel is fantastic! I may be dating myself here, but set in 1989, a few years after I was born, this novel is written about a time period that was fairly recent. Sepetys portrayal of Romania during this dark time in history in spot on. Through her words, readers were able to learn a little more about Romanians. Readers were previewed to th...

  1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Zusak, M. (2005). The book thief . Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN: 0375842209 2.  PLOT SUMMARY Narrated by death, this book tells the story or a young foster girl, Liesel Meminger is surrounded by death. As we learn throughout the story, everyone she loves and builds relationships with end up dying. This novel also shares Liesel’s character development as a 10-year-old who steals books but is unable to read at first. As time goes on, and with the help of her foster dad, she learns to read and comprehend her surroundings, which happen to be during World War II.  As the story continues, readers see how Liesel finds comfort in these books in the words she reads. 3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS This book was such an interesting read. There were so many themes present throughout the story that engaged readers and had them flipping through each page. I though Zusak was a total genius for having death narrating this novel. What I found the most interesting about this stor...

  1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Boyne, J. (2006). The boy in the striped pajamas . Ember, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random house LLC. ISBN: 0385751532 2.  PLOT SUMMARY Set in Berlin, in the year 1942, this story is about a boy named Bruno who together with his family must move away to a home near a concentration camp in Poland because his father got a promotion. Bored, restless, and curious, Bruno wanders off to explore and meets Shmuel a young Jewish boy. Separated by a barbed wire fence, the boys met each other at the same spot for weeks. As Bruno’s mother decided it was time to move back to Berlin, Bruno goes and tells Shmuel about the move, which leads the boys to create a plan for their last day, which leads to tragic consequences. 3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS I thought this book was extremely sad but very good read. Boyne did an excellent job of developing Bruno’s character, through his words, readers were able to see how Bruno’s character evolved throu...

  1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Acevedo, E. (2020). The poet x. Quill Tree Books. ISBN: 0062662813 2.   PLOT SUMMARY This story is about a young fifteen-year-old Dominican, Xiomara Batista, from Harlem who encounters several challenges.   Her Catholic mother is only concerned with her confirmation and with her staying pure. Xiomara though isn’t sure she wants to get confirmed, as she sees the church as being very politicized and doesn’t feel that faith should be forced on her.   At school, Xiomara decided to join a poetry club.   Her writing is deep and shares family secrets. Eventually Xiomara is paired with Aman as a lab partner and she slowly begins to develop a deep love for him. Aman slowly begins to push her boundaries, and they are eventually seen kissing by Xiomara’s mother who is infuriated. To make matters worse, Xiomara leaves her poetry notebook at home and when her mother reads it, she is furious by Xiomara’s writings. After Xiomara and her brother, Twin, ...

  1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Stone, N. (2018). Dear martin . Ember. ISBN: 1101939524 2.  PLOT SUMMARY This novel is about a young seventeen year old, Justyce McAllister, a good kid who tries to save his ex-girlfriend from driving drunk when a police officer misreads the situation, handcuffs him  using excessive force. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. In doing so, he starts writing letters to the deceased Dr. King.  Then, Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired, Manny is killed and Justyce is injured. 3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS This novel was another page turner! Stone touches on so many issues that society faces such as racism, police brutality, and racial profiling. This book inspires changes in society, as it shares the story of Justyce, a young man who didn’t think much about race until he encountered it first han...

  1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Nijkamp, M. (2019). This is where it ends. Sourcebooks Fire. ISBN: 1492671118 2.  PLOT SUMMARY This novel starts off just minutes after the principal of Opportunity High School in Alabama finishes her speech welcoming the student back in the school auditorium. It is then they discover that the auditorium doors will not open and someone starts shooting as four teens, each with a personal reason to fear the shooter, tell their stories from different perspectives.   3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS As I read through each page, it was very hard to put it down. The story is told from the perspective of four students, Tomas, Claire, Sylv, and Autumn as they each tell the story of a school shooting in Opportunity High School. Each Chapter follows the fifty-four-minute time line of the school shooting. Reading through each of their accounts made me feel incredibly sad and heartbroken that our students in today’s society face similar fears. This novel is very well written, an...