Jake Boula

YA LIT

Booktalk

March 4, 2007

BookTalk: An Abundance of Katherines ≠ by John Green

Title: An Abundance of Katherines

Author: John Green

Publisher: Dutton (Penguin Books)

Date Published: 2006

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Grade Level: High School

Booktalker: Jacob Boula

Background note about the author/selection:

Child prodigy Colin is in search of becoming a genius.  He wants to find his "Eureka" moment.  Yet he's stuck in his downplayed life of depression because he's a "dumpee."  Colin and his friend Hassan go on a road trip in hopes of finding their "missing piece" and whatever it is that they have been missing.  They find a girl named Lindsey and together the trio find that there is more to life than dumpees and dumpers, but a life filled with happiness and self worth.  They find out that everyone "matters" to someone else, even if it is yourself.

Booktalk:

- Display both ≥An Abundance of Katherines≤ and ≥Looking for Alaska.≤

- Begin Powerpoint presentation.

- 1^st slide ≠ title of book with authorπs name (John Green).

- 2^nd slide ≠ a list of questions to ask the students ≠ These are to get them to think about their own lives and the questions that they have regarding life ≠ The overall theme of the novel.

- 3^rd slide ≠ introduce character Colin Singleton ≠ What heπs all about, what makes him unique.

- 4^th slide ≠ introduces how Colin and his friend Hassan will go through their summer and transition through the novel ≠ their road trip to the South.

- 5^th slide ≠ continues the introduction of characters ≠ Lindsey ≠ and how the teenagers are together in solving the mystery of their lives.

- 6^th slide ≠ continues the theme and plot of the novel ≠ these past 3 slides are to entice the readers and get them motivated to read the novel ≠ all slides give minor details while giving readers just enough information.

- 7^th slide ≠ Anagramming ≠ This slide introduces Colinπs love of anagramming words. This is another attempt to engage the students in the different aspects of the book

- 8^th slide ≠ About the author ≠ Gives basic information about John Green including information about his website and email address. During this slide, I would tell students about his website and how he is very active on the internet including blogging and Youtube.

- 9^th slide ≠ book information ≠ basic publishing and copyright information

For more information/curriculum suggestions:

Authorπs website: http://sparksflyup.com and http://www.brotherhood2.com/

- Students could record themselves to talk with John Green. After reading the novel each student could tell John what they thought of the novel or other thoughts they had while reading the book

- Students could map out the trip that the two boys go on.

- Students may try to come up with a mathematical equation that represents their life. Each student can use their own variables and show people how it works (This of course does not actually have to be completely working theorem, but should give students an idea of how smart Colin truly is).

- Students can do a follow-up study on one of the many people that Colin (Green) discusses throughout the novel.