Genre 3- one of those hideous books where the mother dies

Sones, Sonya. One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies. New York: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2004.

ISBN 13: 978-0-689-85820-8

PLOT SUMMARY

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies is a book written in poetry. A young girl, Ruby, loses her mother and muddles her way through her feelings in her new home in L.A., California. While communicating with her friends from Boston through email she tries to find new friends at her new school in California. This book is intended for a young adult audience, not elementary. Through out this book the reader covers topics like sex, homosexuality, friendship, breakup’s and death.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

I teach 3^rd grade so when I read through this book at first I was really uncomfortable! After finishing the entire story, I ended being proved wrong. I let the “real life” material of this story catch me off guard but for a young adult audience this is an easy read for students to relate to. It is different that the story is written in poetry and stanza’s. A lot like the novel Out of the Dust, this story takes a few pages to be able to find the rhythm of the poetry. At times this novel can be very grief stricken but Ruby brings an odd humor and smarty aleck attitude that lightens the mood and keeps the reader captivated. Though there aren’t any illustrations, One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies gives specific descriptions that help the reader feel as though they were there with Ruby, hugging the tree during the earthquake or finding out the Ray had chosen another girl. Overall, this story is one that any student could relate to!

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

School Library Journal: This is not just another one of those gimmicky novels written in poetry. It's solid and well written, and Sones has a lot to say about the importance of carefully assessing people and situations and about opening the door to one's own happiness.

CONNECTIONS

· Read another story written in verse and compare the two. Also, students could compare how a story written in poetry is different or similar from a story not written in poetry.

· Use this novel to focus on writing styles. Not every story has be told in a particular way. Examples: Poetry, journalism, novels, picture books, etc.