Ryan Kennedy

@En285Nolan I don't think it makes sense to expect memory to be 100% accurate. Especially given what Beah experienced, it is understandable that there are moments of trauma that he would have registered differently than an observer.

I read that there's been a lot of controversy over some of the accuracy of Beah's story. While this is interesting, I think it opens the door for valuable features of memoirs to consider. Can memory ever be 100% accurate since they are told subjectively? #285WLU10

It is clear that the issues presented in A Long Way Gone are arguably worse today.

This book makes me consider the children who are in the same circumstances today that Beah was, having their lives uprooted and plagued by violence. I think about the regular kidnappings in North Nigeria today, where many victims are forced into being child soldiers. #285WLU10

@emmadav78039083 @BlazeWelling That's a good way of looking at it. It indicates how quickly tweens move through adolescence, but also symbolizes how early Jackie would have been forced to grow up due to the environments that she is raised in.

@BlazeWelling I noticed while reading that the story moves so much faster then the other novels we’ve read due to the writing style. I think this fast movement is telling of the tween experience as life seems to move so fast as you grow up.

Woodson’s free verse poems are connected through the speaker yet still stand as powerful poems on their own. It’s interesting since we’ve been reading prose narratives so far, yet I feel like these say just as much about the tween experience in fewer words. #285WLU9

Although it is difficult for tweens to appreciate poetry, I feel that BGD would serve as a great introduction to the genre for tweens. Once they got used to reading in verse, I think they would able to appreciate its compelling story and find poetry more approachable. #285WLU9

@jennaajackson I think it also indicates that tweens often have a thirst for knowledge that is not always indicated or acknowledged. Many desire to learn despite being disenchanted with the education they are receiving or have access to.

Bod's interest in books reflects the curiousness of tweens. Bod reveals that there are so few books in the graveyard but despite this Thackeray still wants his book back. This shows that tweens cannot always receive everything they want & have all of their desires met #285WLU8

As a fan of gothic fiction, I think The Graveyard Book is a great introduction to the genre for young readers. It allows them to gain some insight into the essence of the genre with more of a fantastical adventure aspect involved. #285WLU8

@MeganCruzEN285 Completely agree, if restrictions aren't put in place it will only get worse with young children spending more and more time in front of screens.

Athe interview with Susan Lynn it really put into perspective how much marketing there is for young people. I mean just thinking of the different trends like Tik Tok made me buy this or Instagram made buy it is more proof. There is way more opportunity to market for kids #285WLU6

I found Linn's link between Webkinz and online shopping particularly interesting. However, it is alarming to consider the influence that violent and highly sexualized games could have on impressionable children at only a slightly older age (2/2)

Throughout Linn's interview I found myself comparing her observations with my own childhood. I can see the influence that certain programs had on my future consumption habits and social expectations (1/2) #285WLU6

@JacobLasby It definitely shows what tweens are capable of and that they should not lack courage to act on their own agency just because an adult may think differently.

It’s interesting that Lucinda isn’t great at her job. It presents the idea to tweens that even though an adult may have power they may not be capable of making the best decisions. Encouraging readers to question the authority of adults and make their own decisions #285WLU5

While reading EE, I wondered why Mandy was so hesitant to use magic for anything beyond the smallest tasks, thinking surely there was a middle ground. It may be good that she didn't, otherwise Ella may never have found her own agency. Perhaps she knew this all along. #285WLU5

I find it interesting that in EE and HTS, both protagonists are resistant to embody traits that children and tweens are expected to. I think both Harriet and Ella are strong examples of characters with a fierce desire to be themselves, encouraging readers to do the same #285WLU4

@SattaurSufyaan I think it's cool that he does it in a way that is fun and not condescending at all, so kids can enjoy learning new words and phrases.

The way Snicket provides a definition for complex words such as “incentive” on page 60, is a sneaky way young kids can learn big words in order to impress their friends! #285WLU3

One takeaway I had from this book was that children are capable of much more than they are often given credit for. Despite their awful circumstances, they were composed enough to problem solve and compromise better than many adults could. #285WLU3

@En285Gtobe That was a very telling scene. The other moment expressing this that resonated with me was her parents' surprised reaction to her writing, and their acknowledgement that they need to get to know their child better. Clearly Ole Golly was the only one who raised Harriet.

Reading that Harriet had no idea her mother liked math gives insight into just how big of a hole is left in her life without Golly. Golly was filling the role of mother, caretaker, and tutor all at once. Harriet knew more about an employee of her parents than of them #285WLU2

Though it is clear that nobody is spared from Harriet's notebook observations, I find it a little strange that she thinks Sport's worries for his father make him like a "little old woman," especially considering that she also lacks a true father figure. #285WLU2

@En285Nolan Great observation. On one hand, it can be chalked up to her being a child, though as a reader it makes it hard to decide whether you want to see her come out on top.

I like how hard it is for us to identify with Harriet and how the book consistently reminds us of her mean tendencies even after her notebook is discovered. I'm not used to the protagonist being this unpleasant in a book like this. #285WLU1

I can see why Harriet the Spy was controversial at the time of its publication. Given the rigidity of gender norms and the expected level of obedience from children, one can see that Harriet challenges these in her refusal to conform and her mischievous nature. #EN265WLU1