The Chocolate War

Jerry Renault is a freshman at Trinity Catholic School for Boys. He soon learns that the entire school is run by a secret society called The Vigils. They dole out assignments to students that are intended to inflict mental and psychological pain. Jerry’s assignment is to refuse selling chocolates for ten days during the school’s annual chocolate sale. This forces him to be an outcast. Fresh from losing his mother however, he refuses to begin selling chocolates and decides to make his own decisions. This is one thing that he has complete control over. Jerry underestimates the amount of corruption and greed in his school. The Vigils are not taking his lack obedience lightly, and make his life a living hell, culminating in a school-wide ‘boxing’ match between Jerry and the toughest kid at school, Emile. Students give Emile specific punches to hit Jerry with, but soon, Emile decides to let his full fury out on Jerry, leaving him with a broken jaw and internal injuries.

The corruption of the school and the defiance by Jerry, are realities for many readers. There is a darker underbelly to many schools. Readers will be able to easily root for Jerry to rise above everyone at Trinity.

Chapter 5: What Makes a Book “Good”?

Theme

Many books end on a positive lighter note, not The Chocolate War. It’s Robert Cormier’s bluntness that will take readers by surprise. The theme of one good soul in a sea of corruption and evil, and overcoming all odds is quite popular. Readers will expect Jerry to do just that, however, the real world doesn’t work that way. Rarely do the good guys get the girl, so to speak. Instead, Jerry is beaten and the bad guys prevail. It is almost a breath of fresh air amid all of the happy ending novels out there. 

Cormier, R. (1974). The chocolate war: A novel. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.

Reality Boy

Gerald Faust grew up in the limelight of a reality TV show called Network Nanny.  He is five years old, his older sister is a psychopath, his mother is in mentally abusive, and his father is nearly absent. Gerald grows up hiding within himself, angry, and regulated to the Special Education classrooms at school. Hannah, a girl at work, also with a load of emotional baggage, and Gerald find love. This love gives Gerald hope that he can get past his anger that he can let go of the past and move on.

Reality shows are extremely prevalent on television today. A.S. King does an amazing job showing the hideous and disturbing life behind the cameras, and forces us to ask ourselves if this entertainment is really worth it. The emotional and often lifelong damage done to child stars is brought to the surface and we as readers are forced to face it head on.

Chapter 9: Connecting the Books

Both, Reality Boy and Angry Management are two amazing parallel novels dealing with anger, mental and physical abuse and the constant choice to overcome and work at living a normal life. Mental and physical abuse is more often than not kept hidden away from everyone. These two novels can serve as a door for those suffering to walk through, to know that others have suffered, even if in a fictional world, and that they can walk through the fire and come out on the other side.

King, A. (2013). Reality Boy: A novel. New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

Annie on My Mind

Annie and Liza meet by chance at a museum, but there is an instant connection. The trade phone numbers and Annie is Liza’s connection to the real world, when she needs to escape the controlling private school that she attends.  Their friendship soon turns romantic, but both girls are afraid of their feelings and its impact on their families. They are two magnets, constantly drawn to each other. Liza takes a job to watch two of her teachers’ cats while they are away. Annie comes along, and soon they fall into a deep love whose only next natural step is physical. A classmate and teacher discover Annie and Liza together and are taken under intense scrutiny. Liza must attend school board hearings brought about by the ultra conservative teacher, but soon everyone realizes that Liza’s sexuality does not affect the school, however the two teachers whose cats they were watching, turn out to be lesbians and are subsequently fired. Annie and Liza, move on, still attracted, but unsure of their next step as they both attend separate colleges. Liza gathers her courage to continue her pursuit of Annie and their relationship.

Teenage love is a crazy rollercoaster, and once you let yourself begin that ride, it moves fast. Annie and Liza’s friendship quickly turns romantic. Any teenager in love can identify with the speed and intensity these two feel towards each other.

Chapter 6: Fiction Genres for Adolescents

Realistic Fiction

Despite the age of this novel, written in 1982, the LGBT theme between two entirely normal and ordinary girls, makes this novel completely relevant and realistic to teens in the throws of love, regardless of with whom they have feelings towards.

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, Giroux.

The Scorpio Races

The Scorpio Races are run not by traditional horses, but by capaill uisce, also known as a water horse. These creatures come from the sea often hungry for human flesh. Men will tame these water horses and race them at The Scorpio Races. Puck is a girl who has lost her parents, and the only way to keep her and her siblings from being evicted from their home, is to race. Sean is a boy who lost his father when he was young. He’s vowed to never be afraid, and works in the stables with the water horses. Puck’s intent to race is not a popular idea, and she comes under quite a lot of ridicule and opposition. Sean’s boss’ son Mutt is jealous of Sean and constantly seeks to make his life miserable, turning to mutilating Sean’s water horses. All three, Puck, Sean, and Mutt all race in The Scorpio Races, but Mutt attempts to kill and prevent both Sean and Puck from winning.

This is a fast paced and exciting novel that will keep all readers interested from beginning to end. Though The Knife of Never Letting Go is quite a different novel, it has the same level of heart racing as The Scorpio Races. The Scorpio Races is a great next read for lovers of The Knife of Never Letting Go.

Chapter 6: Fiction Genres for Adolescents

Fantasy and Science Fiction

Maggie Stiefvater creates a realistic fantasy world in which you root for the underdogs, sneer at the antagonist, and hope that the protagonists will overcome all of their odds. This is most certainly a fantasy/sci-fi novel that readers will easily transport themselves into.

Stiefvater, M. (2011). The Scorpio Races. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

The Surrender Tree

It is 1896, and Cuba is a country wrought with war.  People are forced into concentration camps and death and illness are rampant. Rosa is a natural healer, always has been, and with the help of her husband, they heal the sick and take care of people during this tumultuous time. The concentration camps are too risky to enter to help people, so Rosa and her husband set up a makeshift hospital in a cave, hoping that the sick will find her. She must stay hidden to keep from Lieutenant Death. He seeks to destroy Rosa, a freed slave, and all those she hopes to help. Rosa gives hope in a hopeless time, especially to Silvia, who has lost her entire family. Silvia learns from Rosa, how to hope and how to heal.

If you enjoyed reading Persepolis, you will love The Surrender Tree. This is historical fiction written in free verse, and will reach those reluctant historical fiction readers. Many of the characters that come and go were real and the setting is so bleak that Margarita Engle’s use of beautiful imagery truly gives you hope.

Chapter 6: Fiction Genres for Adolescents

Poetry

Poetry is a tricky genre for most adolescents. It can seem like pulling teeth to get teens to read and analyze poetry, however this novel is quite the exception. Not only does Margarita Engle weave a tale of desperation and hope during war in Cuba, but she writes in a way that it is easy to read, easy to follow, and makes it easy to love poetry.

Engle, M. (2008). The surrender tree: Poems of Cuba's struggle for freedom. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Co.