Dustin+C.

=Book Summaries:=

Name: Dustin Carlson

1.Book Title: The Boy Who Dared 2.Author: Susan Campbell Bartoletti 3.Date of Publication: 2008

4.What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words. Helmuth is a boy who grew up in Germany during the reign of Adolf Hitler. The story starts with him sitting in prison on day 264 and the story walks through the events of his life leading up to Tuesday, when the executioner works. He occasionally talks in the present as day 264 progresses. Helmuth from early years was mature beyond his actual age. He understood the world around him and saw the demise of Germany coming quickly as Hitler came to power. He was not willing to accept what the Nazi army told about the purpose for Hitler's reign, which was for peace. Through determination and 'playing the game', pieces fell together for Helmuth, like finding outside sources of information from a radio bought form the Black Market by his brother Gerhard. Helmuth took it upon himself and a few trusted followers to spread the word of lies by using pamphlets distributed around to fellow Germans. However, the pamphlets were distributed in secret because the consequences for any perceived treason was imprisonment or death. Eventually, Helmuth was turned in for his actions and sentenced to death. He stood true to his word to his followers that he would accept all blame. Through the torture to get information by the Gestapos, he did give up Karl's and Rudi's name. They both were given lesser sentences. Helmuth's life was cut short because of his strive and passion for the truth, but he went with dignity and courage through to the end.

5.How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title? A teacher could use this book to teach how some of the events during Hitler's reign were perceived by Germans, like the spreading of hatred for Jews, the isolation created by Hitler, and the oppression and mistrust of anyone not willing to fight for Nazi beliefs. A teacher could use this book to teach about flashbacks in writing as well as a portrayal of events through the use of a fictional character.

6.Write three higher level thinking questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. 1. Why was the book titled "The Boy Who Dared?" 2. Do you think Helmuth was the only German who took it upon himself to spread the word about the misrepresentation of the war? Why? 3. If you were in Helmuth's position while being tortured for information, would you have held true to your word, or would you have avoided torture by giving information to the Gestapo? Why?

Name: Dustin Carlson 1.Book Title: Right Behind You 2.Author: Gail Giles 3.Date of Publication: 2007

4.What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words. Kip, later known as Wade, committed a heinous crime (as deemed by newspapers) when he was only nine. He set Bobby on fire because he wanted him to just go home. Bobby died 3 days later. Kip was admitted to a psychiatric ward because of his acts and emotional shutdown afterwards. He did not talk for quiet awhile, until his said, Wile E. Coyote as he later related what the coyote did to the roadrunner and how he instantly knew that Bobby wasn't going to be okay when he was set ablaze, but it was too late. After making breakthroughs years later, Kip, now known as Wade to help protect his identity, was released from the ward and moved in with his dad and new stepmom. The family moved to Indiana to completely remove themselves from the past and get a fresh start as Wade started high school. Wade was quickly initiated in a very true high school fashion where he was teased for being different and struggled to fit in. Wade was taken under the wing of Dave, who helped him find himself. He joined the swim team after learning how to swim and became an amazing swimmer. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to let himself be happy and quickly destroyed his happiness by telling the people who he thought were his friends what happened in his past. Word traveled quickly and Wade and his family were driven out of Indiana. They moved to a beach house owned by Carrie's stepdad, who recently died. Wade decided to be home schooled and to keep to himself. However, he soon met Sam, who had secrets of her own. Over the period of about 4 months, Sam and Wade learned to trust each other. Sam told Wade her secrets of drinking and sex addictions. Wade decided that since Sam trusted him, he would also share his secrets fully trusting that no matter what Sam did after hearing the secrets, his dad and Carrie would stay safe. He wrote his story down, making sure his timeline was correct, and gave the books to Sam.

5.How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title? A teacher could use this book to discuss trust and what leads to trusting someone. Along those lines, a teacher could compare what happens to those we trust that trust us in return and those do not trust us in return. A teacher could use this book to compare and contract characters in the story and their reaction to Wade's news and what personal characteristics lead them to their reactions.

6.Write three higher level thinking questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. 1) Would you be able to live with yourself after killing a child? Why or why not? 2) Why do you think Wade shared his past with the boys from Indiana that he thought were his friends? 3) What ultimately led Wade to trust Sam?

Name: Dustin Carlson 1.Book Title: What Happened to Cass McBride? 2.Author: Gail Giles 3.Date of Publication: 2006

4.What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words. Cass McBride was in a box, buried alive! But does that really answer what happened to her? Kyle took it upon himself to seek revenge for his brother David, who hung himself after being rejected by Cass McBride. She wrote a horrid note, which David accidentally found. After reading the note, David wrote his own note, pinned it to his skin, and then hung himself from a tree in his front yard. Only days letter, Kyle drugged, kidnapped, and buried Cass alive. He wasn't done with her though. He wanted her to suffer, so he stuck an vacuum tube down into the box and an return vent as well. Cass managed to talk to Kyle through a walkie talkie tapped to her hand and with her personality of always getting what she wanted, she took charge of the situation and more or less talked her way out of the grave. She listened to how Kyle and David's mom treated them and their father and put the pieces together for Kyle to show that he didn't blame Cass for David's death, it was actually his mother that he blamed. Cass was just a representative of his mother because she acted a lot like her. Luckily for Cass, Kyle put the pieces together in his revenge-crazed mind and understood what Cass was talking about. He then stormed off to his home to make his mother suffer just like David did. He forced her from her bed with a knife and planned to hang her from the same tree that David hung from.

5.How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title? A teacher could use this in the classroom as a way to demonstrate how important everyone is and how feelings need to be shared. The book could also be used to show how important it is to examine how we treat others and how our actions affect those around us. The book also builds on a lot of suspense. As the story flips back and forth between narrators, you wonder are left hanging from the previous narrator wondering what is happening while reading on. This flipping back and forth between narrators could also lead to discussion about different points of view.

6.Write three higher level thinking questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. 1. How could have David's life been saved? 2. Would Kyle have buried Cass if he had discovered who he was really angry at sooner? Why? 3. What DID happen to Cass McBride (she wasn't simply burred alive)?

Name: Dustin Carlson 1.Book Title: The Hunger Games 2.Author: Suzanne Collins 3.Date of Publication: 2008

4.What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words. Katniss Everdeen is a young girl caught up in an aftermath of a nation gone awry. She lives in the 12th District of a once 13 district region controlled by the Capital. Each year, to remind the 12 Districts of their worthless efforts to overthrow the Capital over 70 years ago, a yearly "Hunger Game" is hosted by the Capital in which 2 competitors, one boy and one girl, are chosen from each district to fight to the death. The remaining competitor is the victor and will lead a wealthy and safe life, with a lot of respect from their own District. Katniss and an slightly-remembered bread boy from her past, Peeta, find themselves among the competitors. Throughout her time in the game, Katniss is faced with a lot of hard decisions to make, including those related with who to trust. As the games begin and as the first deaths occur, the anticipation of who will survive and how they will survive really builds.

5.How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title? A teacher could use this book to show the bond and sacrifice for love, both between family and people close by who are needed for survival. The book also demonstrates the struggles faced by struggling families as compared to well-off families. A teacher could also use this book to compare forms of government.

6.Write three higher level thinking questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. 1. If the announcer had not yelled "stop", would both Katniss and Peeta have swallowed the berries? Why? 2. If you had been Katniss, would you have been willing to trust any of the other competitors like she did? Why? 3. How do our civil rights compare to those of the Districts?

Name: Dustin Carlson 1.Book Title: Heaven is For Real 2.Author: Todd Burpo 3.Date of Publication: 2010

4.What is the book about? Give brief plot summary in your own words. Colton, a four-year old boy from western Nebraska retells the accounts of his experience during surgery with the help of his dad. The story was not written immediately after the surgery because the accounts of that day came out slowly over a course of a year or more. Colton's parents wanted to do what they could to avoid the power of suggestion and let Colton tell everything about his surgery the way he saw it happen, like the event of him leaving his body and watching his father pray in a different room and being able to explain in detail life events that he never witnessed. As Colton shared more details, he became more and more believable and his parents believed that they needed to share Colton's experiences.

5.How could a teacher use this book in the classroom? What instructional strategies might you choose to incorporate with this particular title? Since this book has a religious basis, administrators would not suggest the use of the book in public schools. However, the book could be placed on a list of books as optional reads for students to independently choose from. If it were allowed to be used in the classroom, a teacher could use it to discuss descriptive writing or comparisons of faith and beliefs.

6.Write three higher level thinking questions that you might use in a culminating discussion of this book. 1. How has //Heaven is for Real// changed or reinforced your own beliefs of Heaven? 2. If your four-year old child depicted the events that Colton did, would you believe him/her? Why? 3. Colton and his family have been traveling to share his experience and promote his book. Why do you or don't you believe that it is important for Colton's family to share his experiences with others?