As usual,
we had great food and thoughtful discussion at our last meeting. We began with
the picture book, Waiting by Kevin Henkes, and many of us stated that we
were 'still waiting' for a story. We knew the book had garnered a lot of
positive buzz as well as several 2016 children's book award honors, but -- we
spent our time trying to figure out why!?! We liked the illustrations,
especially the full-page spreads that showed the changing of the seasons as the
little figurines sat on the windowsill -- WAITING. We felt it was sad that
the little porcelain elephant, who was a newcomer to the scene, fell down and
shattered...we also felt that the owl looked a bit guilty! What we found
missing, besides an actual story, was any indication of the presence of a child
anywhere in that room. We also wondered how young children might react to
hearing this story read to them...it didn't seem to us that they would be
particularly thrilled, or even interested. Perhaps we were wrong.... but so it
goes.
We had a
great discussion of the novel, Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. We
all agreed that it was an incredible -- though sometimes very difficult to
read -- story, and that the writing was definitely deserving of the 2016
National Book Award for Young Adult Fiction that Shusterman received. Some
people had problems with switching back and forth in alternate
chapters between the real events in the main character, Caden's, life and
the fantasy world created by his mental illness, which took place on a pirate
ship as he attempted to travel to the deepest trench in the ocean -- something
with which the real Caden was obsessed. We appreciated the symbolism and
metaphors that were evident throughout, and we thought that the look into the mind
of a teenager suffering schizoaffective disorder was beautifully and
sensitively portrayed. We also liked the portrayal of a supportive family, and
especially Caden's little sister, who never gave up on him. We thought the way
the author ultimately brought Caden's two worlds together, with the help
of therapy and an appropriate drug combination as he was
hospitalized and began to heal was stellar. We had a detailed discussion about
mental illness itself, and its effect on the friends and families of the
affected person and the fact that -- at best -- no one really knows what's
going on in the affected person's head. We liked the inclusion of the drawings,
which were done by the author's son, Brendan, whose own story of affliction and
healing was the basis of the book. We thought the book was a great vehicle to
introduce this issue to YA readers (and adults!) and we appreciated the
extensive list of resources for students, parents, and teachers at the end of
the book.
