Andrew Smith on 100 Sideways Miles

100 sideways miles by Andrew Smith

Smith, A. (September 8, 2015). 100 Sideways Miles.  Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. New York  

                                                                                   

Finn is a junior in high school in San Francisco, California; he is 16 and suffered a head injury when he was seven. His mother and he were hit by a dead horse that falls from a truck that was driving over a bridge. His mother gets killed and he is left with suffering with epilepsy. He is also had several back surgeries which left with strange scars on his back. His father is a famous author who’s one of his books has to do with Finn’s own life although his father denies it. The story is about a boy who has distinct scars and wants to be as knows as the other kids but has to fight a planet of invading aliens.

Finn’s best friend is Cade Hernandez who is very funny and outgoing. The students like him because of his humor but the teachers are not charmed for his behavior. Finn gets along very well with his friend that when his parents have to leave for several days, he stays with Cade because he takes care of him if he ever needs help. Finn comes to like a new girl name Julia Bishop who came in late in the year. She moved to San Francisco because she was raped by her boyfriend and wanted to get far away from everything.  Finn is saddened because Julia returns back to her life and family in Chicago. In an unusual circumstance Finn and Cade come across an accident where they saved a man from drowning in a flood. They realize how they can change their destiny so they drive to Chicago to find Julian and promise to write to each other. This story is very strong in showing the value of friendship. Another thing we see is Finn matures as he gets to the end of the story and blossoms from a boy to a young man.  

Another book that has the same theme is Highly Illogical behavior. 

Everybody Sees the Ants Book Trailer

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

King A.S. (October, 2011).Everybody Sees the Ants. Little, Brown Book for Young Readers. New York , NY.

This is a story of a fifteen year old boy name Lucky who is being bullied by Nader. He not only torments him physically but mentally. But Lucky has two parents who are very combative and he does not want to tell them of his situation at school. He finds a way of escape from his troubles is in his dreams where he meets his grandfather living in Vietnam as a solider and tries to help him survive the war. But soon enough his life changes when his mother goes to live with her brother for three weeks. His uncle Dave at Arizona trains Lucky in how to pick up weights and fight bullies. Lucky also comes to meet a seventeen girl name Ginny who gives Lucky his first kiss. Ginny’s parents run a hair business and use her to model and advertise his hair merchandise. Soon Ginny is badly abuse by her parents when she shaves off her entire hair and runs to Lucky for help. Upon returning back to Pennsylvania his parents become a family again and his mother comes to confront Nader and almost gets him fired from his job. Lucky gets to challenge Nader in which he tells him if he touches him again he will called the police and press charges. Lucky has one last dream about his grandfather who gives him a wedding ring to give to and lastly he buries his grandfather, to give to his mother. Lucky is also determine to get Lara Jones as his girlfriend. The novel ends with Lucky about to disclose his dreams when he wakes up with the ring in his hand. This book is good for high school teens because it deals with issues such as bullies, adultery, child abuse and sex. 

It is a book about second chances. It is funny and deals with death and the meaning of life.







In Teachers pay Teachers you can find activities that can go with this book;

Vietnam War Station Activity

This great lesson for the Vietnam War has students rotation through stations to learn about various aspects of the war. 

The 7 stations cover:

1. The Cu Chi Tunnels
2. Vietcong Booby Traps
3. Agent Orange
4. Ho Chi Minh
5. Songs of the Vietnam War
6. The Draft and Protests
7. Military Deaths in the War

Each station engages different intelligences and learning styles. Students create a graph, listen to music, draw pictures, read, answer questions,and analyze pictures. My students are always engaged throughout this lesson as they move through the stations.

This works well for groups and individual students in either a World or American History class and can be differentiated for high or lower achieving students.

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Crutcher, C.(April, 2009).Deadline. Greenwillow Books. New York 

Ben is an eighteen year old in his senior year in high school with a serious illness called leukemia and the doctor told him he has but one year to live. He decides not to go under treatment but to live his senior year the best he can. He wants to go out with the most beautiful girl he thinks is in his high school Dallas Susuki. He wants to play football even though he weighs 127 pounds and is small in stature. He also wants to challenge his history teacher Mr. Lambeer, because he likes to teach his students biased material and Ben feels very strongly against.  Ben repetitively challenges Mr. Lambeer that it aggravates him and threatens him to fail him but Ben does not care because he knows he will not be attending college because of his illness. Well football season goes extremely well and Dallas and he became very close and the relationship with his brother grows stronger. Ben finally comes to grip with his illness and tells the people he loves because he feels horrible for him not to tell them. At the end they come and help and love on him on his final days. 
This book is good to teach on the basis of a teenager making hard dissension about life and love. This is good to read in the high school because of the tough subject of death and responsibility. 
Other books to read with similar plot that are highly recommended the following books because they deal with the subject of death and responsibility. 

persepolis

Sartrapi, M. (2004). Persepolis. NY: Pantheon

A historic nonfiction graphic novel about a girl in the 70’s and 80’s growing up when Iraq and Iran are in war. She is raised by a Marxism father and granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors. She tells of her story when she was at the age of 6 to 14 in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It is all told in a black and white illustration of the events that took place in her home town of Tehran. It is for high school audience (9-12 grades) because of its mature subject matter and language.  She is relevant to the young people of today because she deals with the same things young people deal today; youth rebellion, religion, self-worth, family, and growing up in place where is always changing. She is a head strong girl in a world where the women are made to wear a vail to cover their hair. All the suppress changes to women come hard on her and in return rebels to the point where her parents are scared she might get killed and send her away to another country to get educated. Another book that follows’ this book is by the same author called  Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return, its when she starts school in Vienna and she has trouble fitting in with the people, culture, and finds it hard because she does not have her parents to guide her in school and life. What lessons a teacher can get out of her story is for students to investigate the recent history, geography, culture, and political climate of Iran. Students can research the repercussions of the Iranian revolutions of the war that are still being felt throughout the world today. 

(http://www.getgraphic.org/GG_Kits/Persepolis/Persepolis%20Lesson%20Plans.pdf)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9onZpQix_w

From Teacher pay Teachers resources.