Fifth Class Session

Last night's class began with booktalks, which surprised me because I expected that we would begin by addressing and highlighting our guest speaker, Mr. Bart Bare, author of Girl: a Novel. Instead, he became an interested spectator in our class, and I suspect he took in his own observations of us as we discussed books, authors, book covers, and interpretations of the books we had read. The booktalks were very interesting and I took a few notes about the books I want to go out and read (sometime after I'm recovered from this course) as well as the techniques people used in their booktalk presentations that I felt were helpful in making their presentations appealing.
So here are some booktalk strategies I noted:

• address the audience
• choices, questions
• leave the ending open--why read? . . . if you want to find out ____?
  
• Meet _____, use characters' names
• involve the audience (have audience read, participate)
• bookmark--designate books in booktalk in diff. color or on different side of bookmark

We also discussed Playing with Matches, by Brian Katcher, which I've wanted to do since I finished that book. It feels so satisfying to discuss a book that you've enjoyed and appreciated. It feels so good to get other opinions, other points of view about the characters, their motivations, the author's strengths or shortcomings. Mostly, I enjoy talking about the things I've enjoyed about a book rather than criticisms. When a book moves me or when I notice something subtle or particularly symbolic in a book, I want to share the experience of a book with someone else who has read that same book and felt some of the same things. Book discussions, for me, are so gratifying. Really good books, the books that move me to tears or cause me to think, are meant to be shared, discussed, explored, and relished.

We did, finally, get to hear the Contemporary Realistic chapter presentation tonight. It was originally scheduled for last week and those group members had to haul all their books to class a second time, but their presentation was really good--packed with information, funny, and of course, it poked fun at Tammy's love for fantasy literature. They presented short bits about several interesting contemporary realistic novels, which made me want to go out and read some of them. I loved how Tammy, who was banned from promoting her beloved Fantasy literature in this class, was able to champion her love for all things Harry Potter while her group presented valuable information about Fantasy's polar opposite genre--Brilliant!

Perhaps the most interesting component of tonight's class was our interaction with author, Bart Bare. He answered questions that we had submitted regarding his writing habits, his inspiration, and he offered specific details about his book that we all read for this class. I enjoyed hearing his experiences, thoughts, and opinions about writing as well as the importance of cover artwork. He was warm and friendly and he helped us all to understand a little more of a writer's perspective. He said that all books start with a writer's inspiration: "what if . . . .?" He discussed how he had modeled Loren in Girl after a true young girl he had known who "coped with life by virtue of her character" and his wife had suggested, "There's a story there . . ." I was intrigued by the comments that he made about her virtue and then I understood his motivations for making Loren so admirable. He explained how his novel had impacted a reader when the reader said that she loved the book because Loren "wouldn't let them make her a victim." Despite my own criticisms of the book, I do appreciate that he chose to make young Loren a character with virtue, honor, and integrity who affects those around her in a positive way. In a world where these characteristics seem lost, it is refreshing to see them feature so prominently in a novel. As the class was ending, Mr. Bare offered a brief story and some advice for us. He said that he owed his intellectual life to a librarian, Ethyl Sheffield, who encouraged him to read and supported his interests. Then he offered a quote, telling us to write it down:
"I have kissed the hem of eternity; I have been a teacher." Thank you, Mr. Bare, for encouraging us, for reminding us why we want to be librarians, and just how much impact we can have.