Book : Crank by: Ellen Hopkins

Posted: December 11th, 2013

BOOK PRESENTATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR ANALYSIS

Select your book to present to the class.  Use some or all of the following questions as a guide for your analysis.  Be thorough in your analysis –  Consult your textbook for more ideas!

You should at least use a typed outline when you present; your analysis should be a minimum of two minutes long at least.  TIME YOURSELF.  TWO MINUTES IS NOT SHORT WHEN YOU ARE ACTUALLY ANALYZING. **Presenting the book’s contents is not enough nor is summarizing or saying things like “the words are simple and the pictures are colorful.”  AHEM.  If you find yourself going that route, re-readyour chapters on presumptions we make about children and their capacity to process.  You must analyze.  Also, it should be obvious that you are to read the information in Chaps. 1 – 4 and use that info as your guide.  For instance, you cannot know what the “implied reader” is until you read the breakdown in Chap. 2.  There are examples of classroom applications in Chapt.3, etc.

Who is the implied reader and what should she know?  Tastes?  Genre?

What do you think the author is trying to achieve with this book?  Teaching?  What lessons?  Informative?  About what?  Pleasure?  What type/s?

What kinds of pleasure are located within the book?  Where & how?  Offer several examples.

Is there a story / narrative?  What is the overall concept?

Was the book well written?   How does the author use language?  Be specific in your consideration of the diction, syntax, possible rhythm/cadence, etc.  Image-oriented?  Abstract? Concrete language?  Is metaphor used?  Assonance/consonance?

Describe the illustrations in detail overall:  what medium (painting, drawing, etc)?  What colors?  Soft, muted, sharp, bright?  How do the illustrations add to the story or overall concept?

How do the illustrations interpret / add to / detract from the text?  What content do they add to the subject of the story?  Don’t ignore how the images create or detract from the author’s textual intent.

Does the book attend to interesting subject matter?   Effectively?  **Explain how or why not.  [Do not simply say, “_________ was effective,” without explaining how and why]

What could have been improved?

How would this book be different if the characters were of another gender?  A different race / ethnic background?  Class?  Would the story / lesson / effect be the same?

What stood out most for you?  Why did this book attract you?

Analyze and recount what is good about the book as well as what is bad.

Would you recommend the book to others?   Why?  For what purpose?  Be specific!

Classroom applications?  Using your textbook’s suggestions, provide at least two.  You may present them at the end or integrate them into your reading of the book!  Be creative, if you can!  And most of all, be an ardent reader!