I Am the Messenger - Markus Zusak

*I Am the Messenger* is a great book written by Marcus Zusak. Ed, the protagonist, is a guy that is pretty ordinary.  He drives cab, has a not so nice apt., a smelly dog (which I could not stop thinking of Steve's disgust in dogs, particularly stinky ones throughout the entire book) and a few friends.  Ed starts receiving tasks/assignments on playing cards to help people he does not know. Some of the tasks/assignments include: "He must help two brothers realize their love for one another" and "He must buy an ice-cream for a woman who can't afford her own". It is through these helping deed assignments the Ed transforms from an ordinary guy to confident and caring guy.  This book really sends the message of hope to those that don't believe they can or be someone great and needed.  Everyone has an opportunity to contribute in a meaningful and helpful way in society, you just have to take the first step.  I think this book would resonate well with high school aged children who are trying to discover who they are and where they will fit in to society after high school/college.  This is an uplifting book that reminds us that we all have something great and wonderful to share, not only with the world but with ourselves.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Though this is a graphic novel with no words, I had to go through it several times.  As the saying goes, a picture is worth 1000 words.  Well, there are a lot of pictures to go through and examine and each time going through, I found something new.  As the title suggests, the story follows a man leaving his home, wife and daughter in search of a better place to eventually bring them to.  The book takes the reader through the man's experience step-by-step, frame-by-frame and reveals the difficulty and scariness in finding a home, a job and eventually finding comfort in his surroundings through the people he meets and interactions they share. 
The cover of the book is representative of a photo album of sorts.  The man on the cover shows his life in a suitcase as he stares inquisitively at an animal of sorts.  It is evident throughout the book that there are a lot of new and unknown things the man encounters, one is the animal-like character on the cover.  There are a lot of symbols that seem to look like they could be words, but really do not have meaning to the reader or the protagonist.  This book really depicts how confusing, scary and 'foreign', if you will, a new world is for an immigrant.  Oh, it is also very important to note that the inside front and back cover show "mug-shots" of what looks like immigrants entering a new land. Their faces are emotionless and almost blank.  The images of their faces are very powerful.  I can't help but imagine what they have endured and how much they have sacrificed to get to this point and then have that earthy, raw reality snapped in the form of a photo and documented in history!
Unfortunately, I believe people forget how difficult life can be and the sacrifices one makes to provide a better life for themselves and their family.  The incredible strength humans have and the courage that it takes to overcome adversity and uproot everything known to them, in hopes of something better, is quite magical and brave.  Shaun Tan knew that the best way to portray this kind of courage and strength could only be captured in a photo...or several of them.  

The Outsiders- S.E. Hinton

I was intrigued by Kelly's (professor) inquiry about why a book written in 1967 is still relevant to teens today.  First of all, S. E. Hinton was 16 years old when wrote the book, The Outsiders.  I believe her age has an incredible impact on the success of her book and its connection to tweens/teens.  There is something to be said about having the author's age be that of her characters.  Hinton's age and insight transferred to paper and produced into a book, taps into a very raw and real reflection of this age and experience that an author older in age would not be able to capture.

Hinton's book hones in on the reality of socio-economic status, that was alive in '67 and continues to be relevant today (and indefinitely).  The book focuses on the two gangs, the Socs and the Greasers.  These two gangs represent opposite ends of the socio-economic spectrum, with the Socs representing the wealthy west side kids and the Greasers representing extreme hardship.

It is evident, when examining the Greasers as  individuals, what is "cool"/accepted and what is not.  Ponyboy's interest in books and movies sets him apart from his brothers, Darry and Sodapop.  Because the brothers lost both their parents to a crash, they all are sort of forced to grow-up and do what they can to make ends meet and survive.  Darry, the oldest of the brothers at the age of 20, works two jobs to keep everyone together.  Sodapop is 16 years old and has dropped out of school and is working at a gas station.

As you can see, Ponyboy (who is 14 years old) is sort of an outsider (hmmm...) in comparison to his brothers.  This book not only shows the struggles of trying to fit in within one's family but also fitting in with society and the world around you.  Isn't this exploration of oneself and fitting in in the world what teen life consists of, to a large degree?