Book: The Fault In Our Stars
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books
Publication date: 2012
Supports Diverse Protagonist
Written in the last 4 years
Engage middle school readers
Lexile Score: 850L
Target Audience: ages 13 & up
Brief Summary
Hazel Grace is a teen who is has been taking a medicine that reduces the tumor she has and keeps her healthy although she knows her time is limited. She attends a support group where she meets Augustus Waters, cancer-free. The two don't have the same ideas and seem the clash at the beginning until they realize they are more alike than they thought. They go on an adventure together to meet Hazel's favorite author only to find out he is not the person Hazel thought he was. When Hazel thought she was the one who had it bad, Gus finds out his cancer has returned. They spend as much time together as possible and then the unforgettable happens. Gus passes away leaving Hazel Grace heartbroken. She struggles with his passing but she will lay in her backyard at night and look up at the stars knowing Gus is seeing them too.
Evaluation: 22/24
Storyline - 4
Appropriateness -3
Problems/Resolutions - 4
Stereotyping - 3
Relatability - 4
Critical Thinking - 4
This book is an amazing way for teens to see to live their lives while they can because they may never know what is going on with their bodies. I know the storyline yet it always brings tears to my eyes with every read. Students would love this book because it shows so much spontaneity and happiness to a story that is so heartbreaking. I might not read it in a classroom just because their are parts of the book that might be not suitable for school but it is definitely a book I would recommend to any student who doesn't feel they have a purpose.
Literary Elements
1. Plot - The plot of this book is so unexpected that it is what makes it such an enjoyable read. The reader may think they know what is going to happen and then things start to turn and you are taken for a loop.
2. Tragedy - This book is definitely a tragedy because no one should ever have to lose their life at such a young age. It breaks the heart of not only Hazel Grace but also the reader as well.
3. Eulogy - In this book, Hazel Grace must give a speech at Gus' funeral. In some terms, it would be considered a eulogy. It commemorates the life of Gus and all of the wonderful traits he had. If I were to create a lesson on eulogies, I could use this book and many others to show how authors may use their characters to express a celebration of one's life or death. This could be a hard topic for students to go through but instead of writing a eulogy for someone or themselves, the students could write a biography or just something that they would want to be remembered for.
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