Title: Twilight
Author: Stephanie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright Date: 2005
Genre: Fantasy; Vampire fiction; Love story
Plot: The story begins as Isabella Swan (“Bella”) prepares to leave her hometown of Phoenix,
Arizona, where she lives with her mother. Bella must move to her father’s home in Forks,
Washington and begin a new life at a new high school. On the first day of school, Bella enters
the cafeteria and notices a strange, extraordinarily handsome family of outcasts, whom she
quickly learns are the Cullens. From the moment Edward Cullen enters her life, Bella discovers
that she will never really be the same again. Stephenie Meyer creates a fast-paced novel of love,
heartbreak, and fantasy in this, the first book of her four-book series Twilight.
Key Issues: Love; Divorced parents; Overcoming obstacles
Warnings: There is some violence in this book, but most of it is only implied and the
consequences of it are felt later. The fantasy elements of the book may be objectionable to some.
Audience: I would recommend this book for students in grades 9 through 12. However,
students in grades 7 and 8 may be interested. With parental permission, I would recommend this
book to younger students as well as to other people beyond grade 12.
Teaching Ideas:
1. Because of the forbidden love element in the story, I would suggest using this
book/series in connection with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It could be interesting to
give each of the four books to four different reading groups and have each group read the
story while comparing it to the play. In doing so, students could talk a good deal about
language, word choice, and audience. A fun activity might be to have students write a
scene from Romeo and Juliet in the language of today or a scene from Twilight in
Shakespearean English and then act out one or both of these scenes.
2. Journal writing from the perspective of different characters in the story.
Tags: Fantasy; Vampires; Werewolves; High School; Washington State; Romance; Friendship
Title: New Moon
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright Date: 2006
Genre: Fantasy; Vampire fiction; Love story
Plot: Even though Bella does not want to be reminded of the fact that she is ageing while Edward will
remain seventeen for all of eternity, Alice and Edward decide to throw Bella a party to celebrate her
eighteenth birthday. While opening one of her presents from the Cullen family, Bella cuts her finger.
The smell of human blood overwhelms Jasper, and he attempts to attack Bella. In an effort to keep Bella
safe from the world of vampires, Edward decides to leave Forks with his family. After Edward’s
departure, Bella becomes severely depressed and turns to Jacob Black, the son of her father’s best friend,
for comfort. Bella soon discovers that placing herself in dangerous situations causes her to hear Edward’s
voice in her head. With Jacob’s help, Bella begins to seek out dangerous situations to instigate the
hallucinations. When Jacob suddenly begins to act aloof, Bella suspects that he has joined a gang;
however, she soon discovers that Jacob is actually a werewolf. Jacob and his fellow werewolves join
together to protect Bella from the evil vampire, Victoria, who wants to avenge the death of her mate,
James. After Bella attempts cliff diving, she gets caught in a dangerous riptide and is rescued by Jacob.
Alice has a vision of Bella jumping from the cliff, but she is unable to see that Bella’s life is saved by
Jacob. Rosalie tells Edward that Bella has died, so Edward decides to end his own life by provoking the
Volturi, the most powerful group of vampires in Italy. Alice travels to Forks to check on Bella’s father
and learns of Edward’s plan to commit suicide. Alice and Bella rush to Italy and succeed in saving
Edward’s life. The Volturi demand that Bella either be killed or turned into a vampire because she knows
about the existence of vampires. After returning to Forks, Edward tells Bella that he only left in order to
protect her. Bella forgives Edward, and much to Edward’s dismay the Cullen family decides that Bella
should be turned into a vampire after her graduation from high school.
Key Issues: Friendship; Romance; Coping with loss; Overcoming obstacles
Warnings: This book contains mild violence and mild sensuality. Also, teachers should be aware that
some parents may disapprove of stories involving vampires, werewolves, and supernatural events for
personal or religious reasons.
Audience: The language in this novel is suitable for students in middle and high school. However, some
of the themes (violence, sexuality, supernatural events, etc.) may be too mature for younger students. As
a teacher, I would probably recommend this book to high school students, particularly female students.
Teaching Ideas:
1. Have the students write six-word memoirs for Bella, Edward, and Jake.
2. Have the students write journal entries from Bella, Edward, or Jake’s point of view during key
moments in the novel.
3. Have the students make predictions at different turning points in the novel.
4. Have the students create the scrapbook that Bella begins after her birthday party.
5. Have the students create the CD that Edward gives Bella for her 18th birthday.
6. Have the students create a soundtrack for the novel.
Tags: Fantasy; Vampires; Werewolves; High School; Washington State; Romance; Friendship
Title: Eclipse
Author: Stephanie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright Date: 2007
Genre: Fantasy; Vampire fiction; Love story
Plot: In the third book of the Twilight series, Stephanie Meyer explores the discordant relationship
between Bella, Edward, and Jacob. Bella’s knack for finding danger wherever she goes fuels the tension
between her two supernatural suitors, who have both taken on the task of protecting her. But when Bella
finds herself in grave danger from a pack of newborn vampires, these two mortal enemies are faced with
the task of forming an alliance in order to save her, an alliance that threatens the fragile treaty that exists
between the werewolf and vampire families. Bella’s struggle to keep both Edward and Jacob close to her
is complicated by her confused feelings for the two of them.
Key Issues: The primary issue revolves around choices: How do we make choices? What are the
ramifications of choices? How do our personal choices affect those around us? In addition, this book
deals with relationships; it examines both the difficulties of maintaining relationships and the
compromises we must make in order to sustain them. Being loyal and having good communication skills
are highly endorsed.
Warnings: This book is relatively safe to teach to high school students. While there is plenty of sexual
tension, there is no actual sex. In fact, Edward’s insistence on refraining from sex until after marriage
could be viewed as a positive message for teenagers of both sexes.
Audience: While there is suspense and adventure in this story, it is overshadowed by the romantic
triangle that forms the gist of the plot. Consequently, this part of the series is targeted more for
adolescent girls than for boys.
Teaching Ideas: Because this is primarily a girl book, I would probably teach it to a small group rather
than to the entire class. It would lend itself well to a literature circle. There are several things you could
do with it.
1. You could work with the Wuthering Heights connection. Students could write a comparison
of the three relationships: Bella and Edward, Bella and Jacob, Heathcliff and Catherine.
They could watch Twilight and Wuthering Heights and compare the two productions.
2. Students could write a found poem on one of the major issues in the book.
3. Students could explore the ending when Jacob leaves to be alone: Is this the best choice for
Jacob? Is it the best arrangement for Bella? They could also write a prediction about what
happens to Jacob in the next book.
4. Meyer explains the Quileute culture and how the werewolves came into existence. You
could use this as the starting point in which to explore the cultural make-up of the reading
group. You could ask them to do either an individual or a group project that represents their
identity within a group that they connect with.
5. Bella equates herself with the neutral territory of Switzerland in the battle for her affection.
Students could explore times in their lives when they had to be the moderator in a conflict.
They might start this project with a graphic organizer that explores the concept of tolerance.
Tags: Vampires; Young adult literature; Romance; Fantasy; Werewolves; Action; Adventure; Friendship;
Native Americans; Suspense; Thriller
Title: Breaking Dawn
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher/Imprint: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright Date: 2008
Genre: Fantasy, Vampire fiction, Love story
Plot Summary: In the final book of the Twilight series, Bella and Edward finally wed, expecting to find
peace and happiness together. However, shortly after they marry, their lives are further complicated by
Bella’s unexpected pregnancy. Unaware of what the implications of a half-human, half-vampire child
will mean, Edward vigilantly attempts to dissuade Bella from carrying the child. Stubbornly, Bella
refuses to terminate her pregnancy, enlisting the help of Rosalie to see her pregnancy to term. The
repercussions of this “unnatural” child threaten to divide them all – from the Cullen coven, to the Quileute
pack and even the vampire world in general. As the menacing Volturi learn of this child, the plot
culminates, threatening to destroy the Cullen family and the Quileute pack forever. Will Bella be able to
survive this pregnancy, which depletes her strength and threatens her life more and more as it progresses?
Will Jacob be able to stop his wolf family from meting out justice to Bella and her child, which they
believe threatens the entire town of Forks as well as the Quileute tribe? And, will the Cullen family be
able to prevent the Volturi from seeking to destroy Bella and her baby? The cast of vampire and wolf
characters grows as the entire supernatural world descends on Forks, leading to a surprising showdown
where Bella, Edward, and Jacob must courageously endeavor to protect the innocent child.
Key Issues: Making difficult decisions; Overcoming obstacles; Making sacrifices for one’s family;
Teenage pregnancy
Warnings: Sexual innuendo; Sexual intercourse implied with mild violence; A gory depiction of
childbirth.
Audience: Girls will probably enjoy this more than boys because of the emphasis on the love story;
however, it is an action-packed fantasy story as well, so perhaps boys would still enjoy the novel. I
would recommend it to students who like fantasy, vampire fiction or love stories. The language is
suitable for students in grades seven through twelve; however, some themes of violence, sexuality, and
fantasy may not be appropriate for a younger audience without parental permission.
Teaching Ideas:
1. Have students create a fantastical character of their own. They could create a vampire with
special powers, a new wolf or other type of shape-shifting being, or something of their own
imagination. They could write a description or story about the creature, draw a picture, create a
poster, etc.
2. Rewrite the end of the novel.
3. Write an argumentative essay. Some choices could be: decide whether or not Edward is abusive
on the honeymoon; argue for which male lead Bella should choose and why; argue whether or not
the final showdown between all of the vampires and wolves is satisfying in their opinion, and
why did Meyer choose this option?
4. Have students research folkloric representations of shape-shifters, vampires, or werewolves and
write a brief journal entry or informal essay discussing how Meyer has modernized and changed
these legendary archetypes.
Tags: Vampires; Young adult literature; Romance; Fantasy; Werewolves; Action; Adventure; Friendship;
Native Americans; Suspense; Thriller
Title: Bras & Broomsticks
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Publisher/Imprint: Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books
Copyright: 2005
Plot: Rachel Weinstein is your average teenager dealing with family, school, and social
dilemmas. As if she doesn’t have enough to deal with, she has just found out that both her little
sister, Miri, and her mother are witches! Rachel is initially jealous that her younger sister is the
only child who inherited magical powers, but she quickly learns how to make the best of it.
Soon, with Miri’s help, Rachel has it all—popularity, a “possible” boyfriend, dancing moves,
and one of her old friends back. When everything begins to fall apart, though, she remembers
what her mom warned against: the consequences of magic! Mlynowski keeps the
“fabulousness” of magic going as her series of Rachel books continues with Frogs & French
Kisses, Spells & Sleeping Bags, and Parties & Potions.
Key Issues: Family and social situations, emotions/feelings, friendships, popularity dilemmas
Warnings: The book deals with puberty, divorce, and witchcraft. The language in this book is
acceptable for young adult audiences and, for the most part, the topics covered would be mild
enough for most young adult readers. A few questionable scenarios include: mild cigarette
smoking by main characters’ mother (negatively portrayed); mild drinking references at a party;
witchcraft.
Audience: Young Adult (middle school and high school girls)
Teaching Ideas: I would recommend this book for small group/reading circles.
Writing Ideas: 1) Rewrite a chapter/ portion of the book from a different character’s perspective
(Miri, Mellissa, Tammy, STB). 2) If you found out that you were a witch how do you think you
would react? What would be your first spell? Would you use your powers to help others and, if
so, how? 3) Make up 3 spells (include what they are for, ingredients, chants/poems, warnings,
and tips) then combine your 3 with your group to make a group spell book. Title the book and
be creative with illustrations. 4) Create a text/e-mail conversation between two or more
characters in the book. You have the option to role play with your group (each person write for
one character) or do your own where you write in the voices of several characters. Be
CREATIVE!
Title: Frogs & French Kisses
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Publisher/Imprint: Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books
Copyright: 2006
Plot: In the sequel to Bras and Broomsticks, Rachel and her sister Miri continue their
adventures in witchcraft. Their newly found freedom encourages disaster yet again, despite the
lessons learned from previous fiascoes. Through the excitement of complex love triangles,
destruction of school property, and desperate attempts to save the world, the girls learn the
importance of moderation, genuine hard work, and listening to your conscience.
Key Issues: Bonding with step-parents, adventures in dating, personal responsibility and
consequences of actions.
Warnings: Rachel’s mother smokes cigarettes, but it is acknowledged as a negative addiction.
Audience: Appropriate for middle and high school students (geared more toward girls than
boys)
Teaching Ideas: I would not recommend teaching this book to the whole class because it would
not likely appeal to boys. It would be appropriate for small group or individual assignments.
Some teaching ideas include:
1. Miri is desperate to save the world, using her witchcraft to do random good deeds (rescue
cows, feed and clothe the hungry, save the environment). Through these deeds, however, Miri
inadvertently causes damage. On page 264, Rachel explains why Miri must think through all
variables before using her witchcraft. “What you have to do to make a real, positive difference is
plan. Map out your potential actions so you can figure out what the consequences are ahead of
time.”
Pretend you are Miri with all of her powers, and write a one-page plan for a good deed that you
would do. Be sure to take Rachel’s advice and include the pros and cons, any potential
unintended consequences, and then decide if you should execute your plan.
2. If you could assign a magical power to someone you know (a friend, sibling, parent, etc.),
what power would you assign and to whom? Explain.
3. A local reporter covering the story of cows in the high school gym spots Rachel outside the
school and stops her for an interview. Two students play the roles of reporter and Rachel.
Title: Spells & Sleeping Bags
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Publisher/Imprint: Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: In this, the third installment of Mlynowski’s Magic in Manhattan series, Rachel Weinstein
and her sister Miri spend the summer at Camp Wood Lake. Now that Rachel has finally
developed her hereditary magical powers, she is eager to experiment with spells. Rachel
believes nothing can go wrong now that she is a witch, but the ideal summer she envisioned is
tainted when a rival camper threatens to steal Rachel’s boyfriend, sister, and even her identity.
Key Issues: summer camp, relationships, jealousy, revenge, family, divorced parents
Warnings: Mild profanity; French kissing; underage smoking; mentions of feminine hygiene
products
Audience: Young adult, particularly middle and high school girls
Teaching Ideas: While I would not formally teach this book in the classroom, I would certainly
recommend the series to a student looking for a fun read. There is certainly value in reading for
pleasure.
If a literature circle chooses to read this book, you may check for comprehension with the
following activities:
Correspondence: Choose a character at camp and compose a letter or e-mail that the character
might send to his/her parent or best friend. Describe events from that character’s point of view
staying true to the character’s voice.
Recipe for Disaster: Rachel composes several spells spur of the moment that yield unwanted
consequences. Compose three of your own spell poems, describe what you intend them to do,
and then describe what they actually might do if taken literally. Pay attention to the meanings of
words, phrases, and idioms.
Title: His Dark Materials, Book 1: The Golden Compass
Author: Philip Pullman
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Copyright Date: 1996
Plot: Lyra Belacqua is a precocious, curious, and passionate eleven-year-old girl who lives in Oxford,
England under the care of the elderly scholars at Jordan College. She lives in a world that is recognizable
to ours but that contains many elements of fantasy and magic.
The story opens with Lyra and her "daemon," Pantalaimon sneaking into a meeting at Jordan
College between scholars and her uncle, Lord Asriel. As is the case with all humans, Lyra's daemon is an
embodiment of her soul in animal form, and it acts as a conscience, never leaving her side. At the
meeting, Lyra overhears intriguing information about mysteries that exist in "the North" including a
substance called "Dust" which her uncle wishes to further explore.
Lyra's reality is suddenly shaken when children all over town, including her best friend Roger, are
taken by "gobblers." Lyra is sent away from Jordan College to live with Mrs. Coulter but soon runs away
after realizing Mrs. Coulter is connected to the gobblers that took the children to the North.
Lyra soon finds herself embarking on an adventure to the North to free Lord Asriel and the
missing children. She travels with the "gyptians" and finds out new truths about her past and her family.
Lyra is deceived by some, taken care of by others, and guided by a magical compass, called an
alethiometer, that she must keep in her possession. She and her gyptian companions get the help of
witches and an armored bear, and they find themselves facing new challenges and learning more about
their world and a world beyond their own with each step of their adventure.
Key Issues: relationships (friendships, parents, family, care-takers), loyalty, deception, sense of
belonging, sense of self, coming of age, conscience, exploration, adventure, hero/savior, politics, war,
alternate universe
Warnings: This is a magical adventure story that does not have foul language or sexual content. The plot
includes some violence and killing, but the acts are not presented in extremely descriptive or disturbing
detail.
Audience: This book seems geared toward middle school age but could be enjoyed by most audiences.
The main character is a female, but the action and adventure of the plot is of interest to both genders.
Those who enjoy suspenseful mystery and adventure books will enjoy this one.
Teaching Ideas:
-The author incorporates numerous actual foreign words and places throughout the book. This book could
be taught with a global studies class studying Scandinavia. It could also be taught with a religious
studies class, because it has themes that parallel those in Christianity.
-Students could make a map of Lyra’s travels while reading the book.
-A magical compass is central to this book, so students could create their own magical device and
describe its purpose.
-Writing exercises:
-If you had a daemon, what animal/ form would it be and why?
-Respond to the idea of the existence of alternate universes: Do you think
they could exist, and if so, would you want to travel there?
-Create a magical creature and either write about its powers/speciality and/or
create a model of the creature
Title: His Dark Materials, Book 2: The Subtle Knife
Author: Philip Pullman
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Copyright Date: 1997
Plot: The second book of the His Dark Materials trilogy begins with a new protagonist, Will Parry, as he
evades an unknown enemy and discovers a window into another world. This world has been taken over
by Specters, who feed on the essence of adults, leaving a world overrun with orphan children. Here, he
meets Lyra, the center of book one, who is on her own quest to find her father and discover the meaning
of Dust. Together, they must battle those that wish to stop them from aiding Lord Asriel as he prepares to
launch a war against God. Along the way, Will comes into possession of an object of untold power, one
that may be a key in the battle to come. Lyra, led by her alethiometer, joins Will in his own quest for his
long-lost father, who is somehow instrumental in the changes going on in the world.
At the same time, Lee Scoresby, the aeronaut, has set off on a quest to find Grumman, an explorer
that may know the answers to some of the deep questions underlying the shift of forces in the world. And
the witches, led by Serafina Pekkala, travel to this new world to seek out Lyra and protect her from the
malevolent forces hidden around every corner.
Key Issues: Coming-of-age, absent/evil parents, mental illness, free will vs. destiny, good vs. evil,
innocence vs. experience, original sin, loyalty and betrayal, and perseverance.
Warnings: There is some very graphic violence, bloodshed, and some torture. There are several mild
obscenities, particularly from the gun-for-hire Texan, Lee Scoresby. More unsettling for some will be the
thesis of the trilogy, which applauds original sin and the fall from innocence in Genesis. The center of the
plot is an attempt to overthrow God’s power, and the Church is criticized harshly throughout the series.
Many parents will likely object to these portrayals of their religion.
Audience: This book, like the series, can be enjoyed by just about everyone. This book adds Will Parry
as a powerful, male protagonist, which young male readers will appreciate. There is plenty of action to
keep the story moving, as well as heady ideas (philosophy, religion, science) to satisfy an older audience.
Teaching ideas: The book is part of a series, and would very difficult to teach to a whole class.
However, it is very well-written and shares several young adult themes that would appeal to students.
Likewise, the ideas presented would make for very provocative discussion. A few
ideas:
-Student-response journaling about any of the themes, such as loyalty, betrayal, overcoming obstacles, or
friendship could be beneficial and lead to deeper whole-class
discussions.
-Will’s mother suffers from a mental illness (or just the threat of Specters). Have the students conduct
research, write about, and discuss different mental illnesses, and how that might affect their loved
ones.
-Pullman is masterful with suspense. Students can look at his craft and techniques to see how he
accomplishes this. He uses foreshadowing to give the reader a taste of what’s to come, enticing them to
keep reading. But he also throws in complete twists and surprises to keep the reader guessing. Have
students focus on this in their own writing examples.
-Students could also present extra information to the class that would deepen their appreciation and
understanding of the book. Examples: balloon flight, elementary particles or neutrinos, ideas from the
Bible or John Milton’s Paradise Lost.
Title: His Dark Materials, Book 3: The Amber Spyglass
Author: Philip Pullman
Publisher/Imprint: Alfred A. Knopf
Copyright Date: 2000
Plot: Picking up where The Subtle Knife left off, Will - with the help of Iorek Byrnison and a pair of angels - tracks
down Lyra and rescues her from Mrs. Coulter. With the help of a pair of tiny dragonfly-riding spies, the two set off
on a quest to the land of the dead - to find Lyra's friend and Will's father. Meanwhile, Dr. Mary Malone finds her
way into a parallel universe and befriends a strange species of conscious beings - the trunked, wheel-riding mulefa.
She fashions an amber spyglass enabling her to see Dust, and discovers that the life-perpetuating substance is
rapidly draining from the universe. All the while, Lord Asriel readies his forces for the greatest and most important
battle in history - against the Authority and the oppressive rule of the Kingdom of Heaven. The scope is huge, but
the fate of all souls, in all the inumerable parallel universes, is reduced to and dependent on the actions of Will and
Lyra; the two are faced with a painful choice - to affirm free will and lay the foundation for a Republic of Heaven.
Key Issues: afterlife, the Christian church, coming-of-age, good/evil, innocence/experience, love, original sin, the
quest for knowledge, quantum theory, the soul
Warnings: There is a good deal of violence. It is mostly in a fantastical context - a "cliff-ghast" wrenches the head
off a babbling fox - but it is gore nonetheless. More at issue is the negative depiction of the Christian church - "The
Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all." It is not a soulless book by any means, but it
certainly will stomp on some toes. Also, it is requisite to read the first two books, just to get to this 518-page tome.
Undertaking the 1,000-plus-page His Dark Materials would likely mean making it a class centerpiece.
Audience: The trilogy has broad appeal - it is a blockbuster; enough action and crazy creatures on the surface for
middle schoolers, and so much underneath that it has sustained college-level courses. Both sexes are powerfully
represented, giving voice to boys and girls.
Teaching Ideas:
-Create your own daemon (your essence in animal form): name him/her, what kind of animal; why that name, why
that animal?
-Fabrication/real: Lyra takes great pride in her powers of fabrication; students can elaborate a story from their own
lives, share- other students can try to detect what elements are true/false - what makes the truth stand out, or a lie
believable?
-Imagine your own parallel universe: this could extend into an interdisciplinary exercise, with students backing up
their creations with environmental-scientific reasoning.
-Making amends: Lyra travels to the land of the dead to apologize to her dead friend, Roger; Will to speak to the
father he hardly knew: students, through writing, can make amends or vocalize a guilty feeling that may have felt
but not expressed - riff on a lost opportunity.
-Propaganda: part of the argument against the Church is based on the assumption that "original sin" is a function of a
propaganda campaign by the Authority: a rebel band of angels was put down a long time ago - the Authority, the
winners, wrote the story, and demonized the losers; students can investigate the power of propaganda, specific
instances in history.
-Tracing influence: In the Acknowledgments, Pullman cites Heinrich von Kleist's essay "On the Marionette
Theater," Paradise Lost, and the works of William Blake as his primary influences. His Dark Materials is a great
gateway text for those more challenging texts, but related texts (the Bible as well, obviously - Genesis and
Revelation, especially). Blake's "Songs of Innocence and Experience" are particularly accessible (some of his
graphic works may be used effectively as well). On a more specific scale, each chapter of The Amber Spyglass starts
with an epigraph: students could write responses on how the quotation figures into the chapter's action.
Title: Uglies
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Publisher/Imprint: Simon Pulse/Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: Fifteen year old Tally Youngblood is an ugly girl living in an ugly world…but not for long. In Tally’s
futuristic society, everyone undergoes an operation on their sixteenth birthday that makes them impossibly pretty.
The operation, based on characteristics that seem to be biologically programmed into every human being’s
subconscious, has been brought about in response to all the violence and discrimination that mankind has inflicted
on each other throughout the centuries. If everyone exists in beautiful sameness then there will be no more conflict.
While Tally, the youngest of her friends, is eagerly counting down the days until her surgery, she befriends Shay, an
ugly who is unsure about sacrificing her individuality to become a generic and empty headed pretty. Several days
before her birthday, Shay runs away to a mysterious settlement called the Smoke, which exists in the wilderness.
Hoping that Tally will follow, Shay leaves directions written in code. Tally has no intention of following Shay until,
on the day of her sixteenth birthday, she is whisked away to Special Circumstances, an underground task force
meant to protect the city from outside threats. Tally is given a choice. She can betray Shay and follow her to the
Smoke, setting off a tracking device for the Specials once she is there, or she can stay ugly forever. After several
days of indecision, Tally heads out into the wilderness after Shay. Once there, however, she begins to learn things
about herself and her city that make her rethink the operation. Eventually, Tally unintentionally sets off the
Specials’ tracker. They sweep in, destroy the Smoke, and realize that Tally attempted to betray them. Tally
escapes, however, and now it is up to her to try and redeem herself by saving her new friends, which is complicated
now that Shay has been made Pretty.
Key Issues: What is beauty based on nature or nurture?, independence vs. conformity, loosing a friend/changing
friendships, loyalty, questioning authority, injustice at the hands of adults, death of a parent
Warnings: None
Audience: Uglies has a female protagonist and deals principally with her trials. While this may make it more
accessible to female readers, male readers can relate to her suspicion of authority, problems with friendship, and
internal struggle with conformity. I would feel comfortable teaching this book in an eighth to tenth grade classroom.
Teaching Ideas:
Prereading: Allow the class to break into groups of four or five. Have each group generate a list of non-academic problems
faced by themselves and their peers everyday. Then have them discuss the possible roots of these problems and how they could
be solved. Make sure to stress that students are allowed to use their imaginations and that their solutions need not be strictly
realistic. Have the class regroup and have each group report their findings, allowing for any natural discussions to arise. Next,
have the class as a whole identify problems that exist world-wide. Discuss which proposed solutions already mentioned might
help remedy these problems and give students a chance to come up with additional solutions. Once this discussion is done,
introduce Uglies, providing a brief summary of the solution that Westerfeld has proposed without any mention of the lesions.
Have the class compare it to their solutions. Do they think it is a sound idea? What might go wrong with a practice like this? Is
it realistic to believe that once everyone is beautiful, all conflict will be eliminated? Why/why not?
Working with Allusions: While there is no mention of God or any higher being in Uglies, there seems to be several religious
allusions. After defining and giving examples of allusions, work with the entire class on Westerfeld’s use of the name David for
the wild-born boy that both Tally and Shay fall in love with. Have the class research the meaning of the name and where it is
used in the Bible. Then, discuss how the biblical stories relate to Uglies (David and Goliath, King David). Finally, have the class
work alone or in pairs to identify other possible religious allusions throughout Uglies.
Character Development: Have each student identify one character from Uglies with whom they sympathized and allow them
time to write a journal entry about why they chose that character. Break the students into groups of two; preferably each student
within a group will represent a different character. Now, have each student assume the role of an interviewer and generate a list
of questions that they wish to ask the character their partner is playing. Students will then proceed to interview their partner as if
it is on a live feed being broadcast to Tally’s city. The class’ interviews can be performed simultaneously while the teacher
walks around the room. After the interviews are completed, allow students time to write in their journal, discussing any change
in feeling they have experienced towards their partner’s character. Finally, allow any students to volunteer to take the stage
before their whole class as their character and hold an open press conference, fielding questions from all the students. Once this
is complete, discuss as a class whether any one performance changed anyone’s feelings toward a specific character.
Title: Pretties
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Publisher/Imprint: SIMON PULSE/Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: In the second novel in Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series, Tally Youngblood returns to the city to
become Pretty in order to find a cure—fully understanding what price she has to pay to do so. By
becoming pretty, Tally will undergo the “brain surge” that makes the Pretties live up to their nickname—
“bubbleheads.” She forgets about being an Ugly and what she learned in the Smoke, becoming totally
immersed in being beautiful, popular, and having fun at parties every night. Even as a victim of brain
surge, though, Tally has the nagging sense that there is something wrong—something very wrong. When
she becomes a member of the exclusive Crims and starts hanging out with their bubbly leader, Zane, she
soon rediscovers what being a Pretty is really all about and will fight to expose Dr. Cable and Special
Circumstances.
Key Issues:
Freedom—Students will contemplate the value of freedom and the sacrifices that must be made to
achieve it, including evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of absolute governmental control.
Environment—Students will explore the costs of harming the environment like the “Rusties” and the
measures future generations may be forced to take to protect the earth from human destruction.
Friendship—Tally’s and Shay’s friendship undergoes test after test as they continually find themselves at
odds.
Young love—After the surgery, Tally’s new mind forgets David and she falls in love with Zane, only to
rediscover her conflicting feelings for David after she overcomes the mind control.
Warnings: Bodily harm, including “cutting;” Tally and Zane spend nights together in his room.
Audience: Eighth graders to sophomores in high school. Out of the entire four book series, this book
might also appeal a bit more to girls, rather than boys.
Teaching Ideas:
A mock trial: Divide students into two groups based on whether they believe it would be better for people to remain
pretty and ignorant versus staying “ugly” but free. Both groups must support their argument with textual evidence
from the book.
Interdisciplinary Literature Circles: This assignment is meant to be used in groups of four whether the entire class is
reading the novel or if one group is focusing on it. The purpose of this reading circle is to engage students whose
strengths lie in academic fields other than language arts. The students will choose, based on their own
preference/strength, whether to be:
Pretty Town Cartographer (math): Draw a map of Tally’s city including all of the important places
mentioned in the text. The map must be to scale and arranged in the fashioned described in the novel.
Quote Coordinator (language arts): Identify the famous quotes from the beginning of each section within
the context of their original work (the student need not read that work, simply find a basic summary from a credible
on-line or paper source). Based on the ideas that quote is communicating formulate questions that form a
relationship with the subsequent section of Pretties that will motivate group discussion.
Tally Transformer (art): Artistically represent Tally’s physical appearance in three or four stages: Ugly,
New Pretty, Late Pretty, and Special. The student can choose their form of representation, including emotional
interpretations, but they must use textual support to explain their depictions.
Hottie Historian (history): Research the historic Pretties that the mansions, parks, and public buildings of
Tally’s city are named after. Compile mini biographies that include multiple forms of media (film clips, sound
bytes, photographs) and present them to your group.
Have the students research cosmetic surgery and present the benefits and dangers of undergoing such surgery.
Title: Specials
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Publisher/Imprint: Simon Pulse: An imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
Division
Copyright Date: 2006
Plot: This book, written by Scott Westerfeld, is the third in the Uglies series. In it, Tally
Youngblood has become a Special; a scary-looking Pretty who is a member of Special
Circumstances, an organization meant to keep the city “safe” from outside influences. Along
with her best friend Shay, Tally is designed to find the Smoke and destroy it. Tally struggles to
regain herself once again as she fights against the manipulative mind control that helps make her
so Special.
Key Issues: Coming-of-age, finding oneself, friendships, and cutting
Warnings: Mild Violence
Audience: While the main character is female, this book, along with the whole series, is
appropriate for boys as well. This book, and the series as a whole, is appropriate for students,
ages 12-16.
Teaching Ideas:
An important project for students to do with this book would be to create and publish a brochure about
cutting oneself. The brochures should include hotline numbers that other students could call if they
needed someone to talk to about the fact that they are cutting themselves, information about the practice
and why it is done, and tips on how to help a friend who is cutting him/herself, and tips on how to help a
friend who is cutting him/herself.
As with the other books in the series, the students could use textual evidence to have a mock trial
in which they argue both sides of cosmetic surgery and the mind control that has been used on the Pretties
and Specials.
Students can, of course, still do research on cosmetic surgery and the ethics of using humans as
weapons.
Students can research current warfare, specifically what the military is using now for weapons.
For something creative, students could then draw and create their own human weapon, making
connections to comic book heroes and villains.
Another creative idea would be to have students pick three key scenes out of the book that
represent different emotions, and pick songs that portray that emotion, creating a mini-soundtrack for the
book.
To introduce the students to language usage, the teacher could have the students do a project
using “Pretty-talk” and “Special-talk”, focusing on how they are different than English today, but also
how they differ from each other. Students could also focus on the language of subordination and see how
Shay keeps Tally below her.
Additionally, a fun and creative project would include having the students create a city of their
own, using rules in the text and then modify them if they want to create a more “perfect” city. Be sure to
ask the students to justify their decisions for changing the rules. The teacher could have the students
explain why both cities are bad, but also why they are both good.
If the teacher has older students, an exploration of free will would be interesting, having the
students do research on governmental involvement and environmental issues.
Title: Extras
Author: Westerfeld, Scott
Publisher/Imprint: Simon Pulse
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: In the fourth novel in Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series, the Pretty mind reign has come to an end, and everyone
is free to think for themselves and to look how they want to look. Tally Youngblood is a hero; the events leading to
the Diego War and the end of Prettytime are already being taught in history classes all over the world. But free will
means more expansion and the destruction of the environment, a threat that Tally warned she and David would get
in the way of. Aya Fuse, the main character in this novel, lives in a city where popularity and good deeds earn
merits and determine the type of lifestyle you can lead. Everything is recorded, and everyone has an individual
“feed”; the more people who watch your feed and mention your name, the higher your rank gets and the more merits
you receive. Aya’s rank is 451, 396, but she is determined to become popular like her brother, Hiro, who has broken
the top 1000. With her hovercam in tow, Aya sets out to kick a story that will send her rank soaring. She crashes a
party and discovers a group of girls who call themselves the Sly Girls. These girls are different from anyone else
that Aya has ever met. They do crazy things, like mag-lev surfing, but they don’t do it to get noticed or to gain
popularity. In fact, the Sly Girls want to remain anonymous; the lower the face rank, the better. Aya lies to the girls
to get into the group so she can get her story, but when the girls witness a group of alien-like people stowing
cylinders of metal in a secret passage-way inside a train tunnel one night, Aya realizes that the story is bigger than
she ever imagined it could be. Convinced that these alien beings are hiding “city killers,” Aya kicks the story and,
in the process, becomes famous. Then Tally Youngblood shows up, and Aya learns that not everything is the same
as what they teach you in history class, and not everything is what it appears to be. The “city killer” aliens turn out
to be environmentalists who want to save the world. In the end Aya is famous, but she has to lie and deceive the
people who call her a friend to get the rank that she wants.
Key Issues: Environment, Fame/Reputation, Ethics of Honesty, Betrayal, Free Will
Warnings: Very Mild Violence
Audience: Like the others books in this series, Extras is appropriate for a younger audience, ages 12-16, or 8th to
10th grade students. The reading level would not be challenging enough to teach to an older audience, although
older readers would probably find it entertaining. Because the plot is action-driven, it would be appealing to a male
and female audience. The main character is a female, but there are plenty of male characters in the story for male
readers to identify with.
Teaching Ideas:
Setting Activity: The setting of this book is not immediately revealed, but there are many textual clues telling us
where the story takes place. Have students determine the setting of the novel by looking for textual clues throughout
the beginning of the novel, and explain why they think it is set in a particular place.
Movie Project: Because this novel is action-driven and there are so many characters in the story, it would be a good
novel to use for a movie project. The students will choose the scenes from the novel that they would include in a
movie and create a story board outlining the script. They will also choose one of the scenes from the storyboard and
write a detailed scene, including stage directions, camera angles, lighting, etc. The students will create a soundtrack,
explaining each song that they choose and where it would fit into the movie, and they will also come up with a cast,
choosing different actors and actresses to play the characters in the novel, and explaining why each actor or actress
is good for the part. Once the students have completed their projects, they will present them to the class.
Face-Rank Activity: Using the face-rank system that is used in Aya’s city, the students will create their own list of
the top twenty most famous people in our culture. Students will be instructed not to include anyone in the school or
the community (that can be risky). They should choose from well-known politicians, musicians, actors/actresses,
religious figures, etc. The students must keep in mind that fame and merits are earned not only for that way you
look and dress, but for the good deeds you do for the city and its people. The students must explain why they chose
the people on their list, justifying the rank of each person and providing specific reasons for the choices the students
make.
Character/Event Haiku: Because this story is set in Japan, the character/event haiku activity would work really well
with this novel.
Title: The Warrior Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion, Disney Book Group
Copyright: 2006
Plot: Jack Swift, an average sixteen-year-old living in small-town Trinity, Ohio, knows nothing
of his warrior and wizard heritage until he skips a dose of his “heart-medication”—a suppressant
designed to keep his powers in check. After he misses his prescribed dose, Jack unintentionally
leaks magic and finds himself the target of a covert society of wizards, warriors, enchanters, and
soothsayers known as the Weir. Soon Jack’s aunt Linda, whom he discovers to be an enchanter,
invites him to come with her to find their great-grandmother’s lost sword, Shadowslayer. With
sword in hand, Jack begins his warrior training program. When the school year ends, Jack and
his mother travel to England, but he is captured by Dr. Longbranch, the Wizard from the house
of the White Rose who has been watching Jack all his life, hoping to fight him in The Game. The
Game is an ancient ritual involving a fight to the death between two magical warriors and is the
only thing keeping balance the peace between the wizards houses. But Jack and another young
warrior refuse to fight, and the lives of all the magical folk are thrown into turmoil.
Key Issues: Coming of age issues; peer pressure, parental relations, betrayal, high school
society, identity crisis.
Warnings: The novel contains little violence and no profanity, but some parents will object to
fantasy novels with magic as a focus.
Audience: Ideally 7th through 10th grade, but it could be suitable for independent reading for
students above or below this range (depending on their reading level and genre interests). It is
suitable for both boys and girls.
Teaching Ideas: As a prereading activity, students could write about their own talents and how
these “powers” help them stand out from a crowd and differentiate them from their peers.
Another good idea would be to approach the novel with regards to analyze Jack with regards to
the hero archetype, or to break down the entire plot according to Joseph Campbell’s “hero’s
journey” (or “monomyth”) and then compare how elements of this book compare to other
fantasy novels. One of Jack’s goals throughout the books is to achieve independence. A third
teaching idea would be to have a class discussion on just what it means to be “independent,” and
discuss the positive and negative aspects of achieving and maintaining this independence.
Finally, after finishing the novel, students could write an alternate ending in which one of two
warriors is forced to win the battle.
Title: The Wizard Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion, Disney Book Group
Copyright: 2007
Plot: When a tragic accident lands sixteen-year-old Seph McCauley in an isolated, private boys’
school in Maine, Seph realizes he has finally made contact with his own kind—members of the
magically gifted, or Weir. So, when Gregory Leicester—both a powerful wizard and headmaster
of the exclusive Havens School—offers to teach Seph to harness and control his powers, Seph
initially accepts his proposal. But when Leicester attempts to link Seph’s powers to his own,
Seph realizes that Leicester’s offer comes with a price—his soul—and Seph declines Leicester’s
offer. Furious over Seph’s change of heart, Leicester tortures Seph and kills anyone and
everyone who tries to befriend Seph. Fortunately, Linda Downey, an enchanter and the aunt of
Jack Swift, rescues Seph and takes him to Trinity, Ohio, a sanctuary for the Weir. But Seph’s life
is still in danger; members of both Red and White Rose plan to capture Seph as a means to draw
out the mysterious Dragon, a rebel who has been trying to end the magical traditions and the
ancient practice of the Game.
Key Issues: Coming of age issues; peer pressure, parental relations, high school society, identity
crisis.
Warnings: The novel contains little violence and no profanity, but some parents will object to
fantasy novels with magic as a focus. This novel is darker the the first in the series.
Audience: Ideally 7th through 10th grade, but it could be suitable for independent reading for
students above or below this range (depending on their reading level and genre interests). It is
suitable for both boys and girls.
Teaching Ideas: As a prereading activity, students could write about times they have felt
pressure by peers or even family members to participate in activities that made them feel
uncomfortable. Students could then volunteer to share their stories and start a discussion about
the importance about doing what is right in the face of outside pressure. A second idea would be
to compare or contrast the novel to another of the genre, such as Le Morte D'Arthur, Lord of the
Rings, or Harry Potter. Furthermore, this novel, like the first in the series, could easily be broken
down into the stages of Joseph Campbell’s “hero’s journey.” A third idea would be to have
students drawn on some of the other books they’ve read and do a cross-novel assignment, such
as writing what advice Harry Potter or Frodo Baggins would advise Seph to do, or what they
would tell him about their own experiences.
Title: The Dragon Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Hyperion, Disney Book Group
Copyright: 2008
Plot: Chima’s third installment in the Heir series focuses on Jason Haley—an orphan who breaks
into the castle stronghold of Raven’s Ghyll—and Madison Moss—an elicitor who is the only
person who can safely approach the talisman or use its powers. After Jason steals the
Dragonheart, a powerful opal talisman, he smuggles it and other magical relics back to Trinity,
Ohio, where he and his friends try to unlock their secrets. But before Jason and his friends Jack,
Ellen, Seph, and Madison can master the Dragonheart, both Trinity and the Dragonheart become
the focus of the warring wizard houses, and the small group of magically-gifted friends assumes
the burden of protecting their town and treasures.
Key Issues: Coming of age issues; peer pressure, parental relations, betrayal, high school
society, identity crisis.
Warnings: The novel contains a bit more violence but still no profanity. Some parents will
object to fantasy novels with magic as a focus. This is the darkest novel of the series and features
scenes of fighting and death.
Audience: Ideally 7th through 10th grade, but it could be suitable for independent reading for
students above this range (depending on their reading level and genre interests), but due to the
darker tone it is not as suitable as the other books for younger readers. It is suitable for both boys
and girls.
Teaching Ideas: As a prereading activity, students could write about instances when they felt
excluded from their peer group. Students could then volunteer to share their stories and start a
discussion about how the harmful effects of excluding others. Another idea would be to write
about the role of women in Chima’s series. Women play strong roles in the novels—Jack’s aunt
Linda, Dr. Longbranch (Head of White Rose), and Madison Moss. Discuss the students’ reaction
to the women in these roles and the view of women presented, or compare any of the women as
foil characters. Among all the magical clans, the wizards have the power to do what they want
and enslave the others. Therefore, a third idea would be to discuss the idea that “absolute power
corrupts absolutely;” it seems to hold true in this novel, with a few exceptions. Students could do
a PowerPoint slide show or film a documentary exploring current or past leaders or governments
who held total power and how they used it—for good or ill. Finally, students could discuss the
ending or write their own alternate endings either individually or in groups, and then discuss why
they chose to have the story end in their new way.
Title: Chosen
Author: Ted Dekker
Publisher/Imprint: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: Ted Dekker created a mythical world called Other Earth in which two primary groups of
people live: the Forest Dwellers and the Horde. The leader of the Forest Dwellers is a Thomas
Hunter, a human who came from earth, and the leader of the Horde is Teelah, a dark, evil
creature. The Forest Dwellers and the Horde are at war, and because of the resurgence of battle
among the two groups, Thomas holds a contest to find four new members of the army, and the
four who emerge end up facing a much greater challenge than they could have anticipated.
Redirected from a task given by Thomas, the four recruits were told to change course by what
was thought to be a mythical creature. This creature tells them to search for the seven lost books
of history and that this search may determine the outcome of their people. This new direction
causes strife among the group, yet the group is forced to learn to trust one another and learn to
work together in order to live and to achieve their goals.
Key Issues: The series as a whole deals with the issues of good vs. evil, and love vs. the will to
have power over another. The key issues that this book, in particular, deals with are of courage,
following one’s heart, and unwillingness to quit, and the way that these traits can help one meet
his or her goals.
Warnings: In this book there are scenes of savage violence in training and battle-field scenarios.
There are also scenes of torture and death. For the most part, the deaths that occur in these books
are of Horde, or enemy soldiers, not of Forest Guard but there are several instances where good
guys die.
Audience: This series would work well with middle and high school students. Due to the
increasing violence as the series unfolds it should probably be limited to grades 6-12.
Teaching Ideas:
1) Have students write six-word memoirs for each of the four warriors: Billos, Darsal, Johnis, and
Silvie. These memoires should try to sum up the essence of that character throughout the first
book.
2) At the beginning of the novel, Thomas Hunter is forced to lower the recruitment age of the forest
guard to 16 years. Pair this novel with All Quiet on the Western Front or The Diary of Ann
Frank, and ask students to examine the themes of youth and war.
3) Have students work in four separate groups, each of them taking on the persona of one of the four
main characters. The students should individually journal from the perspective of the character
they have been assigned; they should then discuss their journals with their group and discuss the
thoughts of their chosen characters, along with how their perceptions of these characters differ
within the group.
4) Briefly go over the simpler elements of writing a screenplay with the students, and have them
write one of the chapters in the form of a movie. Tell them to include which actors/actresses they
would cast for which characters, where the scene would be shot, and to be thorough with
including dialogue and actions.
Title: Infidel
Author: Ted Dekker
Publisher/Imprint: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: In the second book of the Lost Books, Johnis, Silvie, Darsal, and Billos discover that Johnis’s
mother Rosa (long thought to be dead) is a prisoner of the Horde in the Horde City. Upon this discovery,
Johnis rashly convinces part of the forest guard to attack the Scab, so he can rescue his mother. However,
his plan backfires, and over a hundred forest guards are killed.
After his foolish attempt to rescue his mother becomes public, Johnis is ordered to remain in the
forest. Johnis finds that he is unable to do so, and he travels to the Horde City to find his mother. Silvie
and another recruit by the name of Jackov accompany Johnis. Eventually, Johnis finds his mother, but he
is betrayed by Jackov who leads him and Silvie into a trap. Once Johnis is captured by the Horde, he is
given an ultimatum: if Johnis can deliver Thomas Hunter, supreme commander of the forest guard, to the
Horde, the Horde will release his mother and Silvie. In the end, Johnis decides to betray Thomas Hunter.
Johnis leads Thomas Hunter into the desert where the Scab are waiting to capture him. Then, Johnis
returns to the Horde City to rescue Rosa and Silvie. He is taken captive, but Rosa and Silvie manage to
escape. Silvie and Rosa then recruit Darsal and Billos to help them mount a rescue. The foursome
manages to rescue Johnis and a Horde girl named Karas. Thanks to a small miracle, they also recover
three of the Books of History, and all return to the forest safely where they find Thomas Hunter who
escaped the Scab.
Billos, however, is captivated by the power of the books, steals them away and uses them to open a
portal between the worlds. Johnis, Silvie, and Darsal realize his intentions too late. Infidel ends with the
three vowing to use to books to find Billos and to recover the other Books of History.
Key Issues: The series as a whole deals with the issues of good vs. evil, and love vs. the will to have
power over another. The key issues that this book, in particular, deals with are themes of empathy, finding
love, following your heart and never giving up.
Audience: This series would work well with middle and high school students. Due to the increasing
violence as the series unfolds it should probably be limited to grades 6-12.
Teaching Ideas:
1) Have students recreate the Horde city in 3-D with modeling clay or crafts. Have them reenact the
rescue of Rosa and Karas as if they were diagramming a battle from history.
2) The Books of History represent the power of words. Ask students to reflect on the power of
words in their journals. Then, have students share their thoughts. End the discussion by
discussing literary works that have greatly affected the world (for example, you may look at
Uncle Tom’s Cabin or The Jungle).
3) Prior to reading Infidel, have students discuss, in Socratic circles, making difficult choices.
Primarily, try to have them focus on having to choose between looking out for the betterment for
themselves, their friends, and/or their families. Continue these Socratic circles throughout the
length of reading the book, bringing Johnis’s difficult decisions into the discussions. Ask students
how they would have responded and how they would have responded to similar difficult
decisions. Once students have finished reading the books, have students write reflective papers
discussing whether or not their opinions on making difficult choices were affected by the actions
of the characters in the book; if they were, have students elaborate on the differences in opinion.
4) Have students create a soundtrack to accompany the book. Tell them to pick out 5-10 scenes out
of the book, choose a song that fits the mood of the passage, and have them write why they chose
that song. They could even copy the songs on a CD and play them in class to discuss their song
choices.
Title: Renegade
Author: Ted Dekker
Publisher/Imprint: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: After opening one of the Books of History, which he was warned never to do, Billos enters a
dangerous world completely unlike his own. He finds himself trapped in a white room with a strange,
mysterious contraption that he can only compare to a giant spider. Frightened and alone, Billos prays to
Elyon to let him out, when a tall man dressed in back appears before him. The man called Marsuvees
Black promises Billos to grant him with power he could have never imaged- superhuman power, or
“suhupow” for short. Black promises to give him this great power under one condition- that he use it to
find the seven Books of History and return them to him.
Meanwhile, Darsal breaks away from Johnis and Silvie to search for Billos, who is also the man
she loves. As she’s heading off into the desert, trying to devise a plan, she is joined by Karas, the Scab
girl whom Johnis saved. Karas claims that Darsal is her aunt, and despite Darsal’s protests, insists on
coming with her. They continue on to the Black Forest in search for Billos and the books. When Johnis
and Silvie realize that Darsal and Karas are missing, they go after them.
Billos is lead by Marsuvees Black into a land called Paradise, Colorado. Black gives Billos orders
to kill everyone he sees in a building called “Smither’s Barbeque.” He spots the books on the shelf behind
the bar, and uses his new suhupow and his new weapon called a gun to kill everyone in sight and retrieve
the books. By the time Darsal finds him, Billos is so consumed with the power Black has given him that
he doesn’t seem like the same person anymore. Near the end of the novel, Billos must make a decisionthe girl he loves or his new power?
Key Issues: The series as a whole deals with the issues of good vs. evil, and love vs. the will to have
power over another. The key issues that this book, in particular, deals with are of love and loyalty,
ambition, and the loss of a loved one.
Warnings: In this book there are instances of extreme violence in battle, lynch mobs, and a scene of a
town massacre. For the most part, the deaths that occur in these books are of Horde, or enemy soldiers,
not of Forest Guard but there are several instances where good guys die.
Audience: This series would work well with middle and high school students. Due to the increasing
violence as the series unfolds it should probably be limited to grades 6-12.
Teaching Ideas:
1) Have students create a diary for Billos based upon his obsession with the books of history or have them
write a piece of persuasive literature arguing for Billos’ stealing of and entering the books as necessary to
find them all.
2) As Renegade is set in the future, ask students to discuss what they think the future Earth will be like. Then,
discuss the basic make up of a short story, and ask students to write their own short story about a person
who visits the future.
3) Have students pick a specific location discussed in the book (whether the Black Forest, Other Earth as a
whole, or even Paradise, Colorado) and create models of the place. Then, have students write short essays
discussing the details in the setting and discussing the impact that setting had on the plot and development
of the characters/storyline.
4) Have the students write a paper or journal entry predicting what will happen in the 4 th book. Do they really
believe Billos died? What happened to Karas and Darsal? Why didn’t Alucard show up in the strange place
called Las Vegas?