Tuesday, October 23, 2007

BLACK AND WHITE By Paul Volponi



Volponi, Paul, (2005). Black and white, New York: Penguin Group
Summary: This present day novel includes Eddie and Marcus, star high school basketball players in New York, that want a little extra cash for their senior expenses. They make the decision to rob people at gunpoint and end up getting caught.
Rationale for Selection: I wanted to read books that the young men in my class would enjoy.
Reader Response: I loved this book. I started reading this book during sustained silent reading in my class. I had to end a few minutes early to give the class a book talk about this novel. The media specialist was overwhelmed with kids asking her to check out this book. I would definitely recommend it to both boys and girls to read.
Genre and Themes: This was a fiction book that touched upon race relations, money and the power people with money possess, and teenage relationships.
Teacher Thinking Notes: I would love to introduce this book during black history month. There are several other Walter Dean Myers books that could be used in conjunction with the novel. It could be easily used in a health class, a sociology class, or reading class. It would be great for teaching point-of-view. Each character tells his story every other chapter.
Reading Level: 9-12
Interest Level: High
Quality Level: High

No comments: