ENG 375: Literature for AdolescentsGlee television show (2010-)Rebel without a Cause (1955)

Thanks for visiting this page for ENG 375: Literature for Adolescents taught by Dr. Jan Susina in the English Department at Illinois State University.  The website supports class discussions in the the course focusing on texts of all types (books, films, graphic novels, television, magazine, websites, music, etc.) for people ages 13 to 21.

 

ENG 375 Fall 2012. Sections 1 and 2

• Syllabi for Fall 2012 in .pdf format.  Section 1  and Section 2
• Check out teen films for your film assignment on IMDB (Internet Movie Database)
  

Resources for researching and writing academic papers and essays about children's literature and adolescent literature

Here is my web page -- Research Materials for Writing Academic Essays about Children's and Adolescent Literature -- wth numerous resources that I have put together for YOU to use in researching your paper for this class.  Please go through the links, look up the books in the library, do your research, and then write your paper.  YOU CAN DO IT!

Here are a few resources to get you started. (There are at least 100 more resources on this page of my website.)

• MLA Guide, in .pdf format.  Check it out for how to write and format your papers. Important to look at before you hand in the final version of your research paper.
• Check out the 60Second Recap video page on How to Write a Paper.  Informative, lively points about writing academic papers.  Can your paper pass all the tests?
• Link to .pdf of Mark I. West's "Key Reference Works Related to Children's Literature" from Everyone's Guide to Children's Literature.Ft. Atkinson, WI: Highsmith Co., 1997.

Thoreau quoations

Go to this Slideshare presentation of selected posters based on Thoreau's writing.

First week articles

• Howard P. Chudacoff. "Adolescence and Youth."  Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood In History and Society. Paula S. Fass, ed. (New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2004), 1:15-20. in .pdf format
• Link to Chudacoff's article on website
• "A Story for Everyone" by Shannon Hale, in .pdf format  
• Or, read Shannon Hale's essay on her blog here
• NPR "Your Favorites: 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels"

Inside the Teenage Brain

PBS Frontline show on "Inside the Teenage Brain"  Links to website to view entire documentary and many other links

• "How Well Do You Know the Teen Brain?" Quiz from U.S. News (11/26/08)
• ABC News report on the teenage brain. (7/31/08)

Pleasantville. 1998. 

Pleasantville

• "Breakfast" from Pleasantville 1:17 clip on YouTube
• "There are some places where the road keeps going." Discovering the book Huckleberry Finn
• Trailer for Pleasantville
•  On a date, cruising in car, watching the world turn color with Etta James singing "At Last" You Tube. 4:50 min 
• Art book from Pleasantville. 2:23 min YouTube

High School Musical. 2006

• "We're All in this Together" with words. YouTube, a little grainy
• "Stick to the Status Quo" on YouTube
• "Get'cha Head in the Game" on YouTube. 2:25 min.

Glee. television show. 2010-

• Official Fox website for Glee
• Glee mash-ups "Stereohearts vs. Empire State of Mind" YT 3:12. "Start Me Up/Livin' on a Prayer"
  
• Glee tunes. "Summernights" (a la Grease).  "Born This Way"
  
• Tom Nugent's "Knock it Off: Glee's Jane Lynch got started at Illinois State." from the ISU Alumni Magazine. May 2011
• Vanity Fair magazine's continuing coverage of Glee, with emphasis on gay culture angle.

Bare Naked Ladies singing "Grade 9"

• Animated version of Bare Naked Ladies singing "Grade 9" on GoAnimate!.  Live video of BNL singing "Grade 9" YouTube. 3 min. Lyrics for "Grade 9" in .pdf
  

  Grease, the 197

  Lyrics for "Grade 9" in .pdf format

Grease. 1978 film.

• "You're the One that I Want" end duet with Travolta and Newton John when her character is transformed. YouTube video 2:30 min
  "Greased Lightin'" from 1978 movie. YouTube video. 3 min.
  "Summer Nights' " with Travolta-Newton John music, but acted out through Legos. YouTube video 3:57 min

Freaks and Geeks. television show. 2001Freaks and Geeks. a 2001 TV show.

A TV series created by Paul Feig, with executive produced Judd Apatow. 2001.

• "He Died" clip from Freaks and Geeks.  YouTube. 2 min.
• tv.com section on Freaks and Geeks
• PopMatters' overview of Freaks and Geeks

Examples of resources for paper on films for adolescents. In pdf format.  Film resources are about Soul Surfer. 

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

• "Catching Salinger"segment from documentary filmed at Valley Forge Military 

Academy on which Pency Prep is based. YT. 3:2 min
  Blog on Catching Salinger,  notes on the 2005 documentary.
• J. D. SalingerNerd Fighter video explaining Catcher in the Ryefor high school summer readers. YT  4 min
• 60second recap explanation of Catcher in the Rye.  YT. 1:15 min.  see other videos, too
• Green Day video "Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?" Live performance on Fuse. YT. 1:33 min
  A rather comprehensive site about Catcher in the Rye.  Lots of links
  High school study guide for text
  NPR retrospective essay on Catcher in the Rye in 2008, with links
   Salinger.org site, also rather comprehensive
  Sites that explain Zen Buddhism  "What is Buddhism?"  Zen Guide.  A View of Buddhism 
  Kiss This Guy.com The Archives of Misheard Lyrics.
  Dead Poets Society "Carpe Diem" scene.  YT. 5:29 min
  "The Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs" (2010) South Park episode about Catcher in the Rye.

Carousels.  Joni Mitchell "Circle Game" on YT but just music.  Tori Amos singing it live at the piano. YT. 4:33.  Buffy Saint-Marie singing "Circle Game" in opening of  1970 film Strawberry Statement. YT 3:23.

Catching the brass ring on a carousel Girl catching brass ring in 1950s on Martha's Vineyard

A Rebel Without a Cause. 1955.

•  "You're Tearing Me Apart" scene. YouTube clip. short, under 2 minutes
• Chicken game.  YouTube. 3:42 min
• A Judy and Jim scene. YouTube.  4 min
• Trailer promoting film. YouTube. 2:33 min
• James Franco as James Dean from the 2001 biopic.  YT 2 min

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

Biographical videos on Fitzgerald

• Clips from PBS' American Masters documentary about Fitzgerald, here focusing on Gatsby. 10 min from PBS.  Part 2 on YouTube focuses on Ginerva, Princeton and meeting Zelda.    Part 4 Focuses on Jazz Age, going to Paris, thoughts on Gatsby, from YouTube. 9:56min
• "The Great American Dreamer" biography on Fitzgerald.  This section focuses on Gatsby publication and meeting Hemingway in Paris. 9:55 min YT
•  A&E Biography show on F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Part 1. 9 min. YT
• Short videos of Fitzgerald and his family on You Tube.  • In St. Paul 25 sec. • Writing 15 sec
  

  

Films of Gatsby

• Party scene segment from 1974 film with people sharing rumors about Gatsby. 8:54 min from YT. Beginning to 1974 Gatsby film, introducing Nick and Daisy. 10 min from YT. Roger Ebert's review of the 1974 Great Gatsby film, particularly succinct on why it doesn't quite work. Nick narrating about parties and at parties. Gatsby from 2000 with Paul Rudd and Mira Sorvino. YT 2:18 min  Trailer for "G" 2005 film of Gatsby updated with African-American actors and hip-hop sensibility. 2 min Production notes for Baz Luhrman's upcoming Gatsby to star Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan, in wikipedia with links to numerous articles

Teaching The Great Gatsby

• The Great Gatsby in 60 second recap. YT videos
• New York Times article on the trend of the new super rich in teen television shows (September 3, 2008)Robert Redford and Mia Farrow in The Great Gatsby
• Lesson plans for teaching Gatsby from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
• Home that inspired Great Gatsby, Lands'   End, is knocked down.  CBS report 4/17/11
• The Literary Tourist visits Long Island, site of Gatsby's mansion and where Fitzgerald partied.  Video is rather melancholy. YT 6:42 min

Inspired by Fitzgerald and Gatsby

• Calvin Klein ad using Fitzgerald text.  Directed by David Lynch. YT 30 sec
• Will Thwaites' "Daisy's Lullaby (The Great Gatsby Rap)" YT 5:26 min
• "It's the Great Gatsby, Charlie Brown." Daily Show on controversy of putting Peanuts sculptures in St. Paul near Fitzgerald sculpture (1/5/05)
• Great Gatsby game, originally for Nintendo Game Boy, now playable online.

Films, now on YouTube, from 1920s.  Immerse yourself in the Jazz Age

• Images from 1920s and Fitzgerald's life, some WWI.  Quick paced. YT 1:16 minoriginal cover for The Great Gatsby
• Films of people in 1920s Jazz Age. YT 2 min. 
• Driving around New York city in 1928. YT. 5:11 min. 
• Nick Lucas plays ukelele in 1929.  Singing "Lady Luck"
• Winnie Lightner sings a crazy song, Pingo Pongo from 1929. YT 1:6

 

Kate Hudson in Harper's Bazaar photo essay based on Gatsby

Walden Pond and "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"

Walden Pond today

"Walden" an essay by E. B. White, from his collection of esays One Man's Meat, in pdf format

Link to text of remarks by President Obama in a National Address to America's School Children. Sept. 9, 2009

Link to C-Span video of President Obama giving the address to school children Sept. 9, 2009

Walden quotation posters

Section One.  Click to open .pdf document of class posters.  May take awhile to download.

Section Two.  Click to open .pdf document of class posters.  May take awhile to download

Links to Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birmingham Jail letter

• Text of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail"
• The King Center page on the "Letter." Includes audio of King reading the letter and a .pdf version of letter
• Harper's magazine with excerpt and commentary of the "Letter" with notes on King as a speaker
• Segment from documentary about King's experience writing the "Letter"  YouTube 1:30 min

Links to sites related to Walden and Henry David Thoreau

• Walden Pond State Reservation Park in Massachusetts. official site.
• Comprehensive site for Walden resources
• Build a paper replica of Thoreau's cabin
• Walden Woods Conservation Project
• NPR site on Walden Pond with links and image

Henry David Thoreau"Thoreau's Cove" photo about 1900

A 1908 postcard showing the site of Thoreau's house

A replica of Thoreau's one-room house at Walden Pon

Walden Pond map from Thoreau's childhood.  click on image for bigger size

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Scenes from 1962 Academy Award winning film adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird

• Harper Lee in Monroeville, AAll Men are Created Equal.  Clip YT.  3:16
  
• Kids go by Boo Radley's House. YT. 2:06 min
• Finding the sculptures by Boo Radley in the tree. YT.  4min
• Atticus shoots the mad dog. YT. 2:55 min
• "How old were you when you got a gun?" short segment from film on YouTube
•  Jail scene when the mob comes and Atticus is sitting at the Jail.  Kids come and change tone. "I'll tell Walter you said hey." YouTube. 3:34 min
• After Jem is beat up and saved by Boo Radley, Scout explains to adults and identifies Boo. YT. 6:9 min
• End of play version by Center High School Theater. YT 16:30 min
• Court scene where Tom says "I felt right sorry for her" YouTube. 1:12 min 
• Courtroom scene toward end. YT. 4:19 min

• Gregory Peck in film version of To Kill a Mockingbird

Related videos

• My Trip: Monroeville. YT. 10:51 min.  Great!
• Bibliomania: Monroeville and Harper Lee.  YT 7:35 min
• Open by "Mrs Dubose" YT 2:23 min
• Scout by "Mrs Dubose" YT 2:22 min
• Quick video of Harper Lee accepting award. YT. 13 sec
• Jim Crow Laws and TKM. Video for an English class project explaining the laws, connecting with the book. YT 3:08 min

Information and news about Harper Lee, TKM, and teaching TKM

• Wayne Flint's article "Don't Shoot the Mockingbird" in the Birmingham News July 11, 2010 (.pdf format)Harper Lee on the set of To Kill a Mockingbird with Mary Badham who played Scout
• National Endowment for the Arts guide to TKM
• TKM teacher's guide, using the DVD   
• TKM: Student Survival Guide.  Overview of chapter and vocabulary defined.
• Smithsonian magazine interviews Harper Lee 50 years after publication of To Kill a Mockingbird.  
• The Telegraph contemplates the literary merits of TKM in 2010.
• Play performance of TKM cancelled in Ohio May 2011 because of racial slurs.
• The Vermont Reads 2011 book is TKM and Vermont Public Radio devotes a week to articles about TKM and race, diversity and inclusiveness and Vermont
• Learning etiquette lessons in Utah from studying TKM in school
• Website for 2011 documentary Hey, Boo: Harper Lee and 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and First Run Films' site on the documentary
• Growing Up Poor in the 1930s.  Site for high school students.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithian  

from Nick & Norah 2008 film

• Official site of the book from Random House with interviews from both authors.
• Includes Rachel Cohn's playlist for Nora and ideas for creating your own playlist.
• Authors talk about writing book in QuickTime audio/mp3Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
• Official site of the 2008 film, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, from Sony Pictures

• Link to Sound Opinions, radio show from American Public Radio, on rock and roll music. Heard locally on WGLT 89.1 on Saturday mornings at 11 a.m.  Features rock critics from the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times.  Also available as a podcast.
• Official Apple Corp Beatles site.  Official site of The Beatles Rock Band  
• "I Want to Hold Your Hand" video of The Beatles singing their hit, with a brief George Martin introduction.  YouTube video. 2:47 min.
• A few straight edge websites.  straight-edge.net: the commitment for life network. Straight edge lifestyle. BBC guide to straight edge philosophy
• A perspective of Jewish American Princess from The Michigan Daily.  And another perspective from jewschool.com

clips from the film

• from the film "This is My Song/Dance"  YT 1:12 min
• toward the end when old lovers encounter each other and there's a fight. YT 4:43 min.
• "Would you be my boyfriend for 5 minutes" First kiss scene.  YT 1:52 min
• "You Haven't Figured It Out Yet/ I want to hold your hand" YT 1:15 min
• "I'm Not Jealous" YT 1 min
• "Turkey Sandwich" YT 1:26 min

MixTape resources

• The Lost Art of the Mixtape.  Blog with numerous mixtapes.
• Hugh Willett's Art of the Mix website.
• Tips on creating a good mix tape: From the author of Love is a Mix Tape. From a blogger in the UK.  Indie-dating ideas for creating a good mixtape.  Wikihow: How to make a perfect mixtape or CD.
• Thurston Moore, of Sonic Youth, writes about creating good mix on NPR site
• 52 Mix Tapes blog

Queercore links.

• Pansy Division documentary poster."We are Queercore" a Jan. 4, 2007 review of retrospective exhibit on queercore in Montreal on Canadian gay site.
• DragKing's hodge podge of Queercore, Riot Grrrrl, B-Girl and Women's Web Linkz:  Comprehensive site with brief interviews, lots of links, band info, etc.
• Queercore heritage website

Music links.

• Seth McFarlane concert at the Proms on YT.  "Music is Better Than Words" (3:30 min) and "You're the Cream in My Coffee" (2:37 min)
• "Girl from Ipanema"  Astrud Girlberto singing, Stan Getz on sax, in 1964 film Get Yourself a College Girl. Youtube video. 2:58 min. from 1964 album Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz & João Gilberto. Classic!
• Prangstgrup - Reach! A Lecture Musical.  YouTube. 3:07.
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio
• Jimmy Page in 1957 playing in a skiffle band on English tv.  Great interview of the high schoolers by the host. YT. 6:27 min

Music with romantic or break-up lyrics, YouTube videos.

• Bright Eyes "First Day of My Life" YT
• Hedwig and The Angry Itch "The Origin of Love" YT
• Adele "Rolling in the Deep" YT
• Joni Mitchell "The Last Time I Saw Richard" YT  She starts singing 1 min in.  Nice fan video version created in Animoto.
• Joni Mitchell "A Case of You" YT  Another Animoto video. She sings it live in 1974 on a BBC tv show.
• "The Way You Look Tonight" Frank Sinatra singing. Michael Buble singing it live, in studio. Tony Bennett and Faith Hill singing it live, in studio. Tony Bennett singing with Bil Charlap. Professional wedding video using Rod Stewart singing the song as a background.   Sarah Jessica Parker sings it on Glee. Nat King Cole sings it live. Hutch Hutchinson sings it in 1936.

• Bob Dylan "Don't Think Twice" Performing song live with Eric Clapton on vidivodo.  4 min. Peter, Paul and Mary singing it live 1970 Australian tour. YT 3:30 min John Mayer doing it in concert 2010 YT 4:17  Mad Men, Season 1 ending closes with Dylan tune at about 2 min YTEisenstaedt's V-J Day Kiss. Click on photo for bigger image, story about photo
• Amy Rigby "20 Questions"  Lyrics only.
• "As Time Goes By" from Casablanca, 1942.   
• Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit". YT 4:39 min. 1991
• Leonard Cohen "So Long Marianne" from 2008 London concert. 
• Suzanne Vega "Tom's Diner."
• Michelle Shocked "Anchorage" YT 3:37 min.
• Bruce Springsteen "Candy's Room" video slightly fuzzy from 1978 in Passaic, NJ, but right mood.
• Anna McGarrigle "Heart Like a Wheel" video is from a Rufus Wainwright 2008 concert when he invited his mom and aunt (Kate & Anna McGarrigle) up to sing.  Song doesn't start until 1+ min in, but great song.
• Modern English "I Melt With You" live video not too romantic, but sounds great in film soundtracks. Bowling for Soup's version from Sky High 2005 Disney film
• Justin Timberlake "What Goes Around..Comes Around" YT. Extended video with Scarlett Johannson
• The It's All Pink website round-up of romantic and break-up tunes.

Roundup of The Beatles links

• "I Want to Hold Your Hand" video of The Beatles singing their hit, with brief George Martin introduction.  YouTube video. 2:47 min.
• "Something" Beatles 1969 video with the Beatles and their wives. YT 3 min
• Eric Clapton "Layla" from The Prince's Trust concert 1988  "Layla" was written for Patti Boyd, who's George Harrison's wife in the "Something" video. "Layla" in concert with Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page & Jeff Beck
• The Beatles do Shakespeare.  The Beatles perform the Pyramus and Thisby sketch from Midsummer's Night Dream on the occassion of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth in 1964. Act V Scene 1.  YouTube. 7.5 min
• Linking The Beatles to Lewis Carroll, "The Walrus and the carpenter."
 Also Carroll links in "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" references

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

"Dance at Bougival" by Pierre-August Renoir (1883).Photos below are from Flickr sites of people's photographs at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts examining "Dance at Bougival" by Pierre-August Renoir (1883).

Renoir painting on wall, Degas' "Little Dancer" sculpture in front.

 

 Sonya SonesBrief essay on "Le Bal a Bougival "by Princeton University art instructor

Suzanne Valadon wikipedia entry.  Another short bio on Valadon Renoir site.

• Official website from Sonya Sones
• Video of Sonya Sones talking about What My Mother... and What My Girlfriend... YT 4:54min  speaking for audiences in Sweden
• Video interview of Sonya Sones by readergirlz diva Justina Chen Headley.  Focuses on followup book to What My Mother Doesn't Know. YT. 4min
• What My Mother Doesn't Know on Books4Teens, good overall site from University of Texas at Austin with teaching ideas and links.
• Poetry 180.  A poem a day for American high schools, organized by the Library of Congress and coordinated by Billy Collins, former poet laureate of the U.S. Lots of great contemporary poems here.
• Writer's Almanac.  From Minnesota Public Radio and Garrison Keillor, a short daily radio segment highlighting a poem and notes about authors.
• Songs My Teacher Taught Me.  Lesson plans for teaching poetry in grades 9-12 from the Academy of American Poets
• More novels in poetry form, from American Library Association.
• YoungPoets.ca  A Canadian site encouraging teaching and writing of poetry by young people.

Music and videos related to book

• Video of kiss with Spiderman hanging upside down and MJ.  YT
• "The First Cut is the Deepest" video with old stills. by Cat Stevens. Sheryl Crow sings it live.
• "Passionate Kisses" performed by Mary Chapin Carpenter. Performed by songwriter Lucinda Williams. Dawson and Joey from Dawson's Creek with "Passionate Kisses" in the back.
• Betty Everett "Shoop Shoop Song: It's in His Kiss"   Cher singing it in Mermaids
  

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

Clips from performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream, and info about film versions

• "Love Potion No. 9" With lyrics on green screen.  The Searchers performing tune live in 1966.
• The Beatles do Shakespeare (in colour).  Link to another YT version of Shakespearean Beatles. The Beatles perform the Pyramus and Thisby sketch on the occassion of Beatles do Shakespearethe 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth in 1964. Act V Scene 1.  YouTube. 7.5 min
• Levis 501 jean ad based on Dream. YT 1 min
• Get Over It (2001 film) "Musical" version of Midsummer Night's Dream .  YouTube  4:23 min.
• Selections from the Shakespeare play as presented in the film Get Over It on YouTube
• Midsummer's version with Helen Mirren & Diana Rigg. Act 2. YT 6:36 min  And from same production Act 3. YT 10 min.  And Judi Dench playing Titania waking up to fall in love with Bottom. YT 8 min
• 1981 TV version with Helen Mirren as Titania.  Act 2, scene 1 the fairy queen and the fairies. YT 8:37 min.
• High school kids doing segment from Dream on players getting parts for play.  Well done. YouTube 6:43 min.
• Footsbarn Theater in Cornwall doing a Fairy song. YT 1:48min. Creepy cool.
• Animated Disney version with Mickey and Donald.  Part 1. 1999. YT 6:47 min.
• BBC Shakespeare Animated version. Part 1 from Dream. 10:21 min.
• Staging Magic, theater people discuss developing Dream. YT. Part 1 10:54 min.  Part 2.  Part 3 focusing on Thisbee.
• The great 1999 film version is difficult to find YT clips.  Here are scenes performed in that by Christian Bale. YT 9:02 min.
• 1935 film. Directed by William Dieterie , Max Reinhardt. Scene with Oberton & Titania fighting.YT 2:06. Scene with Oberon and Puck (played by Mickey Rooney). YT. 1:23 min
• IMDB link to A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999) starring Kevin Kline, Calista Flockhart & Rupert Evert
• IMDB link for A Midsummer Night's Dream (1968) starring Helen Mirren and Diana Rigg William Shakespeare

Information about Shakespeare and A Midsummer's Night Dream

• Folger Shakespeare Library.  Comprehensive  site devoted to Shakespeare. The Folger has extensive teaching ideas for each play and the sonnets.  Here's the link to those for the Dream play Link to images about the Dream play
• General information about A Midsummer Night's Dream, including text, character info, etc.The Globe Theater in England
• The BBC did several contemporary adaptations of Shakespeare's play.  Link to the 2005 updated Dream
• Teaching ideas for playing, comparing Midsummer to Romeo & Juliet
• IMDB link to Get Over It (2001) starring Kirsten Dunst
• In 1999 Charlie Rose interviewed Kevin Kline on his role in Midsummer film.  Scroll beyond Henry Kissinger interview to about 41 minutes into interview.  YouTubeKevin Kline, Calista Flockart and Rupert Evertt in 1999 film version

Diana Rigg in 1968 Midsummer film

Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block

• Official Francesca Lia Block website
• Francesca Lia on My Space   Block's blog
• Interview with Francesca Lia Block at Teen Read
• Francesca Lia BlocInterview with Francesca Lia Block by the LA Times, Nov. 2008
• Article about Block in New York Times Feb. 2005
• Notes on the real Witch House in Beverly Hills
• Link to Jan Susina's essay about Weetzie Bat in Marvels & Tales (needs entry to Project Muse to read entire piece)
• Suza Scalora, photogapher, website

Videos and music related to Weetzie Bat

• Forbidden Planet trailer on YouTube. 3:20 min
• "I Love LA" by Randy Newman. YT 3:52 min
• "LA Woman" by The Doors YT 7:52 min
• Madonna "Material World" 1985 video on YouTube.
• Montage from Lost Horizon (1937) "Welcome to Shangri-La" with music by Steve Tibbets. YT 1:19 min
• Script reading for Weetzie Bat and the Dangerous Angel in bookstore with Block.  Part 1  Part 2 Part 3  YT videos about 11 min each  And  video based on film outtakes.  5 min Production and Design photos for film  Block's notes on scriptwriting
• Fan video inspired by Francesca Lia Block. YT 2:14 mi

The Hollywood sign today

The longer HollywoodLand sign before it was shortened in 1945

Witch House in Beverly Hills in 2011 (Photo: J Susina)

Hobbit House photo from LA Times article

LA Times article on Hobbit Houses, from January 2005

Jayne Mansfield

Poster from Frank Capra's 1937 Lost Horizon

Twiggy, a 1960s British fashion model

 

Fast Forward and Kids + Money by Lauren Greenfield

• Lauren Greenfield's Fast Forward, photographs of teenagers in Los Angeles
• Lauren Greenfield's documentary Kids + Money  video of 14 min film on NY Times site
• article on Kids + Money

Looking for Alaska by John GreenJohn Green

John Green's website, with Looking for Alaska page.

John Green's tumblr site: Fishing Boat Proceeds.  His Twitter site: @realjohngreen His Facebook site.

John Green's own videos

• on his senior prank at Indian Spring High School. YT 9 min.  PG-13
•  re-visits his high school Indian Springs. YT 3:41
• First day of NaNoWriMo YT 3:18
• these are just a few.  He is a prolific YT blogger

John Green interviewed (these are just a few.  he's interviewed by a lot of people)

• by Mark Bazer part 1.  YT 9min.  part 2. 8 min
•  at Ohio State U. 9:47 min YT

Fanmade trailer. YouTube

Favorite quotes for book videos.  First video 1:44 Second video. 1:21

Nerdfighteria
http://effyeahnerdfighters.com/
http://effyeahnerdfighters.com/nftumblrs
http://reddit.com/r/nerdfighters
http://nerdfighteria.info/

Book Slut's review of Looking for Alaska

Lesson plans for teaching Looking for Alaska with numerous links to teaching guides and audio interviews.

Looking for Alaska is a Banned Book.  Publisher's Weekly.  School Library Journal. Green's video response "I Am Not a Pornographer."

A fan's playlist for the book

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Articles related to The Hunger Games

• "Fresh Hell: What's Behind the Boom in Dystopian Fiction for Young Readers" by Laura Miller (in .pdf format) 
• "Scary World" by John Green article on The Hunger Games and The Dead and the Gone in the The New York Times Magazine Nov. 2008.
• "Suzanne Collins's War Stories for Kids" by Suzanne Dominus from The New York Times April 8, 2011 (in .pdf format)
• "The Dark Side of Young Adult Fiction" critics debate The Hunger Games and related novels on the The New York Times website in Dec. 2010The Hunger Games book cover in German edition

Suzanne Collins's website

Scholastic's teacher's guide to The Hunger Games

Videos on YouTube connected to studying The Hunger Games

• Suzanne Collins answers questions about The Hunger Games trilogy
• Interview with Suzanne Collins.  Part 1 "Classical Inspiration" (1:30)  Part 2 "Contemporary Inspiration" (1:13)  Part 3 "Desensitization" (1:21)
• The Hunger Games trailers for 2012 film.  Nov. 2011 trailer. Sept. 2011 trailer. [Fan site with regular updates for Hunger Games film]
• Battle Royal.  Japanese film adaptation of the book: Trailer with English subtitles (1:39). Fanmade trailer hypothesizing Battle Royal for American audiences (1 min)
• The Truman Show. Trailer (2:30 min)   Edited into 10 min highlights.
• The Chocolate War. Trailer for film based on Robert Cormier's book
• Gladiator.  Trailer for the film. (1:26)
• "I'm Spartacus": famous scene from Spartacus (1960) with Kirk Douglas (2:16)

Map of Panem, a teacher's detailed analysis of the US map as re-imagined in the Hunger Games series

" 'The Hunger-Games':popular, violent, and rated PG-13" Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article (March 2011) questions violence in book and upcoming film

The Hunger Games wikia with 285 pages 

 A Hunger Games map (click to bigger map)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hunger Games map (click to bigger map)

Cathy's Book by Sean Stewart & Jordan Weisman

• "Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8-12 year olds" a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Use the link to go to the website and then download the report in .pdf format  Also,  Go to the 5 minute video on the report
• Sean Stewart's website: Beyond the Fourth Wall
• TEDX Edmonton.  Sean Stewart. Bard 5.0: Evolution of Storytelling. video
• Cathy's Book. website.  Sean Stewart information on book.
• Cathy's Book on YouTube
• Cathy's Book App, explained on YouTube.  Long Demo of the App on YouTube
• Cathy's Ring, video.
• Review of Cathy's Book by a developer interested in text & play
• Links to interactive book connections for kids and adolescents, on Reading 2.0 wiki
• Cathy's Book. Act I. ) Act II.  Act III. Interactive material (requires Flash
• Cathy's Book interactive map (requires Flash)
• Cathy's Book Primer, a .pdf guide to the book
• Museé Mecanique in San Francisco.  A YouTube video tour (8 min)
• Information about the Eight Immortals. More information about the Eight Immortals, with more images. From the Nations Online website: "In Chinese mythology the Eight Immortals (Chinese: 八仙; pinyin: Bāxiān; Wade-Giles: Pa-hsien) are a group of legendary "xian" (spiritually and/or physically immortal; transcendent; super-human; celestial beings.)"

Marc Chagall. Cemetery Gates. 1917.

"The Cool Hunt" by Malcolm Gladwell

 

 

• "The Cool Hunt" a .pdf version of Malcolm Gladwell's article printed in The New Yorker March 17, 1997
• Malcolm Gladwell's website
• PBS Frontline: The Merchants of Cool
• PBS Frontline: The Merchants of Cool video in avi. format on Google video
•  The Merchants of Cool -- Transcript of entire program
•  Places to buy cool shoes in 2011. Tilly's. PacSun. Hot Topic.  Zumiez. Journeys.

  

Articles to Read

• "The Gossip Mill," An article about Alloy Entertainment marketing literature to teens by Rebecca Mead in The New Yorker. Oct. 19, 2009. Article in .pdf format OR link to article on The New Yorker website
• Reading habits of teens and tweens article from Nov. 1, 2010 Washington Post

   

American Born Chinese by Gene Yang

• Gene Yang video (on YouTube) talking about American Born Chinese.  Created by America.gov.  Well done & informative. 2:35 min.
• The Graphic Classroom's thoughtful review of American Born Chinese with ideas for teaching it.
• Monkey King with Jackie Chan and Jet Li. YouTube video 8 min.

  

• Gene Yang's website HumbleComics
• Weblog of First Second, publisher of American Born Chinese, as well as others including Prince of Persia, Sardine in Outer Space, The Lost Colony, and Alan's War
• NPR interview with Gene Yang (1/23/08)
• American Born Chinese Book Trailer (YouTube 1:55)
• Life of an A.B.C.: "American Born Chinese" (YouTube 4:48)
• Hooden Utilitarian comics blog analyzing issues of race and racism in Yang's book.  Good to see comparison of Yang's drawings with a Journey to the West story in a Chinese comic with The Monkey King. Also explains partially Yang's frustration with syndicated political cartoonist Patrick Oliphant.
• Teaching ideas for American Born Chinese with lots of links to understanding Chinese experience in the United States as well as how to validate comics as literature. From Sirpa Gierson's Novelinks.com
• Lesson plans for teaching American Born Chinese in high school classroom from Stephen Cary's Going Graphic: Comcis at work in the Multicultural Classroom.  on FirstSecond's website.
• Back Dormitory Boys.  BDB's VBlog on YouTube.  BDB's Chinese website.  BDB's web blog
• William Hung's audition on American Idol.  From the TV show with introduction and then him singing "She Bang, She Bang." YouTube. 1:42 min.
• An overview of graphic novels by Peter Schjeldahl in The New Yorker. Oct. 17, 2005. 
  

Resources on adolescent culture

Books R4 Teens.  University of Texas site about books for adolescents with links and lesson plans.

Children Now!  California and the Kaiser Foundation report on issues relating to children and teens.  Many links, many reports.  Thought-provoking."Generations 2010" report from Pew Research Center's Pew Internet & American Life Project. Dec. 16, 2010

The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager by Thomas Hine. website for author.

"Time Frames: Youth." selected articles from Time magazine about teen culture from 1947-2006.

"The Transformation of American Youth: From Teenager to Teenagent" by Marian Salzman. Huffington Post. May 12, 2010.

ALA Banned Book Week. Sept. 28 - Oct. 2, 2009

 

Link to ALA 2009 Banned Books Week site

Jan Susina reading at 2009 Banned Books reading sponsored by ISU Milner Library.  YouTube video

Free downloads page of ALA.  Scroll down to bottom for .pdf document of 2009 Challenged Book List

"A Library's Approach to Books that Offend"  Article from The New York Times (Aug. 19, 2009) on how the Brooklyn Public Library handles requests for book censorship.  Includes link to .pdf document showing patron's requests and the library's response to specific books and other media.  Article focuses on Tin-Tin.

The following books currently are not being taught in ENG 375 but have been taught previously and continue to interest adolescent readers

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

"What Girls Want: A Series of Vampire Novels Illuminates the Complexities of Female Adolescent Desire" by Caitlin Flanagan.  The Atlantic. Dec. 2008.  Article in .pdf

• Stephenie Meyer's official website
• Twilight Guy website, one guy's perspective on Twilight phenomenon
• A Twilight trivia blog.  Can you answer the questions?
• A Mormon author's perspective on Twilight books and Meyer as a Mormon.  Thoughtful
• Elementary/ jr. high teachers discuss Twilight.  Leads into how certain successful books bring kids to become better readers (Nancy Drew, Brian Jacques & Rick Riordan noted as well)
• A 23-page .pdf document on teaching a unit using Twilight.  The lesson plan came from this blog, Twilight Novel Novice, which features many comments of teachers talking about using Twilight in the classroom.Stefenie Meyer
• Christian Science Monitor asks the question of why Twilight is so popular (from Nov. 11, 2008).
• "Touched by a vampire." Laura Miller discuss the Twilight phenomenon on Salon on July 30, 2008 when the fourth book was published.  Features 123 comments.
• A few popular Twilight blogs:  TwilighersAnonymous.com  Bella's Diary (a continuing saga written by a fan). Letters to Twilight (somewhat irreverent fans on Twilight gossip from all over). 
• Blogs and notes comparing Dracula vs. Twilight. Youthvoices blog.  ComicsAlliance.com's mashup of Dracula, Twilight & X-Men. Cracked.com's rather informative history on vampires. Twilight blog comparison of films

Edward Hicks's Peaceable KingdomClick on image for link to larger image and information on Hicks

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

• Tom's Diner." Suzanne Vega singing her hit.  YouTube
• "Mix Tape." Soundtrack from Avenue Q with images.  YouTube. 3:41.
• PostSecrets.  PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people
• mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard.
• PostCards Anonymous.  Similar to PostSecrets.  A blogsite based in Vermont which posts postcards with people's secret messages.
• Interview with Frank Warren about why he started PostSecrets in 2005.  from the Guardian UK
• Books R4 Teens review with links and lesson plans for Wallflower (from Univ of Texas-Austin)
• YA Reviews: Good overview and review site.  Includes links to films and books mentioned in Wallflower and many links relating to topics in the book and book banning. from yareviews.wikispaces.com
• 10 questions for Chbosky, here highlighted for writing the Rent
• An Interview with Chbosky on the Milwaukee case of trying to ban the book and banning in other school districts.  thoughtful
• Listen free to the entire first chapter from Audible.com, in recognition of Banned Books Week
• Mashup video with Smith's "Sing Me to Asleep" with text and related imagery from Wallflower. YouTube 4 min.
• Rocky Horror Pictureshow, good fan website
• Quizilla.com questionnaire: "Which character are you from Perks of Being a Wallflower"?
• Information on American Library Association's Banned Books Week 2008

screenplay

Wicked, the novel. Wicked, the Broadway Play. 2008 course

• The Wizard of OzHistorical photos of Oz and its creators.  Click on each image for larger images.  From the website "Oz Central," run by managers of the Baum family trust.

•  W.W. Denslow's images for original Wizard of Oz (on Embracing the Child website)
• Good site that answers lots of those burning questions about the film and book.  Explains and debunks some of the urban legends.  thewizardofoz.info
• Teacher resource page with links to all the Oz books available via Project Gutenberg.  From the Internet School Media Library Resource.
• G. Maguire's official website with info about Wicked and his other books
• Good overall site for links and study info about Wicked the Musical

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Absinthe at the Virtual Museum
• "Popular" with Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel.  Good version YouTube. 4.56 min.
• "For Good." Kristen Chenoweth singing by herself the song  from Wicked in a concert with the Boston Pops. YouTube. 4:08 min.
• "For Good." decent bootleg of last Broadway show of Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel.  You Tube. 6 min.
• Chenoweth and Menzel rehearsing "For Good" from PBS documentary about Broadway.
• "Wonderful" Megan Hilty's final Broadway performance.  YouTube.  10 min segment
• "Wonderful" shorter segment, amateur production but good and focused. YouTube. 2:54 min.
• YouTube. "Defying Gravity" Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth recreating their Broadway song from  "Wicked" on TV awards show.
• YouTube. Idina Menzel being 'greenified' and talking about her character. 7 min.
• YouTube. Documentary on Broadway.  This segment on the making of Wicked the Musical, narrated by Julie Andrews. about 6 min.
• YouTube. Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth interviewed on NBC's Today Show Nov. 2003.
• YouTube. Video about Wicked which combines background and short selections from Wicked, the novel, and segments from the musical adaptation. from educational video series on Oz. Reading of novel has good illustrations.
• Gregory Maguire and Susan Cooper talk at MIT.  Nov. 14, 2007.

Syllabus for Summer 2011 course, in .pdf format (updated 5/16)

Texts for the Summer 2011 course include:

Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block

Ghost World by Daniel Clowes

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithian

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

 "The Cool Hunt" by Malcolm Gladwell

 The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night Time by Mark Haddon

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

A Midsummer's Night Dream by William Shakespeare

What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones

Course Syllabi for Fall 2009

Section One        Section Two

Required Texts for 2009 fall semester:

J.D. Salinger.  The Catcher in the Rye (Little Brown)

Henry David Thoreau.  Walden and Civil Disobedience, ed.  Michael Meyer (Penguin)

Harper Lee.  To Kill a Mockingbird (Warner Books)

Mark Haddon.  The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time (Vintage)

Rachel Cohn & David Levithan.  Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (Knopf)

Sonya Sones.  What My Mother Doesn't Know (Simon Pulse)

William Shakespeare.  A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ed. Russ McDonald (Penguin)

F. Scott Fitzgerald.  The Great Gatsby, Notes & Preface by Matthew J. Bruccoli (Scribner)

Stephenie Meyer. Twilight (Little Brown)

Gene Luen Yang.  American Born Chinese (First Second)

Daniel Clowes.  Ghost World (Fantagraphics Books)

Francesca Lia Block.  Weetzie Bat (HarperTrophy)

Recommended Text:

Joseph Gibaldi.  MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition (MLA)

Materials for books used in previous semesters

Daniel ClowesDan Clowes

• Detailed Daniel Clowes site with many links.  Click around.
• Salon interview with Daniel Clowes from 2000.
• Clowes in an ad for Apple that was never aired.
• Panel Borders. Alex Fitch interviews Dan Clowes and Chris Ware. YT. 30 min Documentary segment on Dan Clowes. 9 min.  YouTube

Ghost World film

• "Smile and a Ribbon". song sung by Patience and Prudence with updated cutout doll visuals. YouTube
• Ghost World. Scene from 2001 film.  Near beginning, Enid sketching in diner & following old couple. 
• Video on creating Ghost World film. Part I, focuses on Brad Renfro, director

World of Henry Orient

• World of Henry Orient segment from 1964 movie.  When the teen-age girls decided to learn everything about the semi-famous pianist Henry Orient, who's the object of affection of one of the girls. Directed by George Roy Hill. YouTube.
• Turner Classic Movie info on World of Henry Orient
• DVD Classics on World of Henry Orient, with synopsis and reference info to Ghost World

The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night Time by Mark Haddon

• The Invention of Lying, 2009 film with Ricky Gervais. Trailer. YT. 2:18 min
• The Monty Hall Problem with Ron Clarke.  YT video. 5:49 minMark Haddon
• Arthur Conan Doyle, Spiritualism and Fairies by Don Simanek
• Haddon's website with direct link to the section about Curious Incident
• NPR interview with Haddon from 2005
• Interview with the author in 2003 on Powell's Books website
• Interview with Mark Haddon about his book Boom! as well as writing children's books. Includes a video. Posted 9/3/09 on www.viewfromheremagazine.com
• Mini website for Curious Incident on Random House UK
• Good article/interview of Haddon about Curious Incident on The Guardian website. From April 2004

Frances and the Fairies, July 1917, taken by Elsie. Midg Quarter camera at 4 feet, 1/50 sec., sunny day.

A few more Cottingley Fairy Links.  Album of family photos. IMDB link to 1997 film FairyTale: A True Story. Article on history of the Cottingley Fairies by Philip Coppens.  Cottlingley Network with lots of details.

Information about Aspberger's Syndrome

• US Autisum & Aspberger Association.
• General characteristics of children with Aspberger's Syndrome: a resource for educators
• Online Aspberger Syndrom Information and Support

Schedule Change for ENG 375 Sections 1 and 2.  Please read!

Tuesday, Sept. 4 No Class.  Reading assignment: The Great Gatsby. Chapters 1 -5

Thursday. Sept. 6.  No Class.  Reading Assignment: The Great Gatsby. Chapters 6-9.

Tuesday. Sept. 11.  Class will meet!  Read for class: Walden: the introduction and chapters 1, 2, 3, 8, 9

Work on your film paper!