Mockingjay... or should I say Mocking-joy?

I finished reading Mockingjay just a few hours after watching The Hunger Games at the theater. It wasn't that I was feeling inspired to pick up the book and begin reading the third in the Hunger Games series just because I'd seen the movie, because frankly, I'm not THAT fast of a reader. Instead, the movie just happened to coincide with the free time I had leftover from my Spring Break. Before giving the run-down of the third book, I can say that yes, the movie did do the first book justice. There were only two issues I really noticed with the movie: 1. Madge was cut out, so the mockingjay pin was located at the black market and 2. Peeta wasn't so severely wounded to the point where it'd be believable for him to need a prosthetic. With these thoughts out of the way, just how was the Mockingjay? Awesome.

I'd heard from some students and my colleagues that the third book was a different style from the Hunger Games and Catching Fire. I'd been told that it was slower and not at good as the other two. I can firmly say this is simply not true. Was the third book fast paced? Yes. Was there still the love triangle? Yes. Were the characters developed and interesting? Yes. Heck, I even feel like Katniss might have been battling some drug issues (strange, but true!). I love that Collins continues to show character flaws because it creates the depth necessary to connect and like the characters. They aren't perfect or fake feeling because they also have feelings and do irrational things just to prove they aren't robots. Unless the robots are programmed for irrationality..?

Nonetheless, this book does justice to the series. What's the basic gist? Katniss has decided to become the "Mockingjay," which is basically the rebellion's posterchild and media-face. She's dressed to impress and it thrown into seemingly inane situations to "get some good footage" in order to inspire the rebellion further, but she longs for more. Katniss creates drama and can't let others be. She's compelled to get involved and the people love her for it. She walks the fine line of media-sweetheart and uncontrollable brat. She refuses to be controlled by the rebellion's leaders, even though she knows she needs to work with them to get her revenge, so she works with them just enough.

Finnick, Gale, Peeta, and Prim all reappear in this novel and we're able to see their characters evolve as well. Finnick becomes a doting husband. Gale seems to be emerging as the rebellion's male leader from District 12. Peeta becomes a pseudo-spokesperson for the Capitol, in that his sound bites support the Capitol's agenda but they are also seemingly coerced-- which makes for an interesting dynamic in that many rebels aren't sure what to do with Peeta's media force. Lastly, Prim seems to come into womanhood by caring for the sick and she even mentions to Katniss that she's planning to train as a doctor.

Katniss, on the other hand, seems as confused as ever, and while she continues to narrate the story, plays up her diagnosis as mentally confused as needed. She's erratic and seems to enjoy hiding in storage closets, but she's still a very logical force for the most part. It's an interesting juxtaposition because the reader is forced into the role of "feeling crazy" for wanting justice. Katniss becomes a modern day Joan of Arc and it's hard not to miss the parallels. I was convinced her life may have even been threatened by being burnt as a witch, but Collins choose not to go this route. I was relieved for the sake of creativity.

Counting Down with Catching Fire

There's just a little more than a week until the first installment of the Hunger Games comes out as a movie. In the meantime, I'll be finishing off the series in preparation to view the beginning of the trilogy on the big screen. I read Hunger Games (by Suzanne Collins) during my winter break and was pleasantly surprised. With the second novel, I was captivated and even downright obsessed. This second novel is Catching Fire.

Catching Fire follows Katniss as she's been dealing with the life style of a Hunger Games' winner. The only problem is that everyone else must slowly starve and Katniss filters her goods to her friends and family, knowing that she'll be taken care of because of her fame. Katniss begins hearing and seeing flashes of rebellions going on within other districts and because this year is one of the "quarter quells" (an anniversary celebrated every 25 years), there will be a special celebration Hunger Games. While Katniss is concerned about who may be picked from her district to participate in the quarter quell, the Capitol shocks everyone and goes back on its promise of exempting Hunger Games winners from future games. Instead, it demands that one surviving male and female from each district's winners be picked to fight to the death in the quarter quell. Even more unbelievably, Katniss and Haymitch (Katniss's mentor) are chosen to participate on behalf of district 12, but Peeta volunteers to take Haymitch's place.

In the meantime, Katniss debates her options and become resolute on running away before the games so that she can be with her long time male friend, Gale. Gale reveals the weaknesses in her in that Katniss can't take everyone that she cares about, which makes Katniss realize she must take the government head-on to save those dearest to her. At first Katniss is depressed in this realization and then she channels it into motivation. She sees suffering and starvation surrounding her, but she knows she must do what she can to keep Peeta and Gale as safe is possible. In order to do this, Katniss prepares to sacrifice herself at the quarter quell. I loved how Collins built the tensions within the districts and she described how out of touch the citizens of the Capitol are. She describes scenes ripe for revolution with huge discrepancies between the ruling power and the workers in the oppressed districts. This book has substance. It's not just another teen fluff novel. It shows the sacrifices involve in standing up against injustice.

I don't have the heart to spoil the second book for you. However, I can tell you this much: the love triangle between Katniss and her two suitors grows more passionate and no, she doesn't choose one in this book. Also, yes, there is a building rebellion in this book and there are also some great new characters with real depth-- Finnick, Annie, Beetee, Joanna, etc.

*This post was originally written 1 week before the premier of Hunger Games, but because of time constraints, it was unable to be finished and posted until after the premier of the movie.*

All about Leadership: No Excuses

Sometimes I get a little too motivated for no particular reason. I'd even say I get down-right compelled at times. I've had several of these instances lately, particularly when it's come down to my reading. When I visited the library recently in order to pick up a GRE study guide, I ran across some educational leadership books, one of which was No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High Performing, High-Poverty Schools by Samuel Casey Carter.

The book told of some of the leadership techniques found at 21 well-performing, but low-income, school districts. It particularly focused on what the principals at these school districts did to foster learning and effective teachers. The schools were private, public, religious and secular.

The first chunk of the book was comprised of common tactics within these schools. It seemed one of the largest themes was getting rid of bad/resistant teachers and hand-picking teachers willing to work with the administrators, their co-workers and the parents & students. Another common theme was promoting the parent-student-teacher connection. This meant that communication and participation. Another theme was pushing reading and math above all because these to areas tend to influence all of the other areas. There were also special programs that seemed to help these school districts turn their test scores around. Some of these included direct instruction only methods.

The second and largest portion of this book was dedicated to the principals who were carrying out these plans. It basically read as a who's-who of school principals with a little about the schools mingled in.

While I was feeling strangely compelled to finish the book, the second section of the book was not nearly as beneficial as the first small chunk. If you choose to read it, skip all of the bios and instead spend your time on the latest Hunger Games book.