An Amazing Author!

Today I e-mailed Kathy Kacer thanking her for writing an amazing novel that we are all enjoying! Hopefully she has time to get back to us and provide some insight about her motivations for writing the novel and the process she underwent to write The Diary of Laura's Twin.

Chapters 10-12: Making Decisions and Asking Big Questions

These chapters deal with some pretty serious and common questions that teens have to face. In the context of the novel Laura asks herself " Was she about to betray Nix by telling this complete stranger what she knew of the vandalism? And was it betrayal if you were telling the truth?" These questions are specific to the plot but I can see students faced with the same kind of questions in their own situations. 

What are some ways that you would strengthen the connection between the problems in the novel and the problems your students face? 

I found that the author created a connection between Nix and the Germans in these chapters. Nix's silence about the vandalism paralleled the silence of the Germans and other countries who watched the monstrosities of the Holocaust without intervening. Did you pick up on this at all? Do you think that it is important to point this parallel out to students? Would it also be significant to discuss how the father mentions bringing one suitcase? Suitcases are a huge part of Holocaust memorial museums because most people who were transported to the death camps were told to bring one in order to uphold the illusion that they were not being transported to the gas chambers. How would you address this detail with your students?

The diary entries ended here and I think it is logical to end it here, but I am also so glad there are more chapters to bring closure to the reader. I'm excited to read the end and learn the fate of Sara Gittler. 

Chapter 7 - 9 Connections and Emotional Reactions

Chapter 7 -9

A recurring theme I have noticed from previous posts is that of connection between the reader and character. We all seem to agree that a strong connection can be made early on between the characters and the reader. Building further on this theme, the city that Laura lives in is never really named, or at least not so far. Do you think the author did this intentionally? Why or why not? Why is a relationship between the reader and characters so important?

I am finding that the more I read, the more difficult the story gets to digest. I found that after chapter 9 I had to take some time to just sit and digest. We have all learned about the Holocaust, but hearing personal stories, fictional or truth can be difficult to handle. What would you do after your class read a particularly difficult chapter?

Also in chapter 9 Sara states “freedom was not just about where you were. Freedom was about who you were and who you choose to be” (pg 124). I found this passage to be extremely meaningful. How does it make you feel, is it meaningful to you? Could you use this passage in teaching your students?

Chapters Four to Six: Historical Connections, and Character Constuction.

In chapters three to six Kacer begins incorporating photos in her writing. From what I have gathered in my research of the book and the photo credits at the end of the book, the photos are actual photos taken during the Holocaust. One of the main points of this text seems to be creating a link between modern day children and the people that lived during the holocaust. I think that the use of these actual pictures is a great way to create this actual link and bring the actual history into this story. If I was teaching this novel I would make sure to discuss this fact with my students and it would be a great starting point for branching off and doing more research around the events that took place in the ghetto. This was just one of the ways that I noticed an element of this text could be used to create connections to the actual history. What are some other elements of the text so far that could be used to create this real life to history connection among your students?

So far I feel like Kacer has created the character of Laura to be fairly relatable. When I’m reading her parts of the story I can remember a time in my life when I had a lot of the same type of thoughts and worries that she does, about friends, bullying, among other things. I feel that I would relate most to this text and the character of Laura at a middle school level. Do you feel like Laura is a relatable character and what age group do you think that she would be most relatable too?

Beginning the Novel--About the Author and Chpaters 1-3

I found it very interesting that Kathy Kacer's parents were both Holocaust survivors. Her mother survived by hiding while her father survived the concentration camps. In many ways the protagonist, Laura's assignment to research and connect with a child who was involved with the Holocaust parallels Kacer's dedication to write about her parents' past. This novel seems like a great example of the importance of authorship and how personal experiences influence good writing.

One aspect of the novel that I found particularly interesting is the alternation of narratives between  Laura in the present day and Sarah in the Warsaw concentration camp in the early 1940s. The dark grey sections help to distinguish the different narratives. I really liked this and I can see how it could be helpful for students to help identify the different perspectives. However, it also fragments the narrative and causes breaks that may be disruptive to some students and readers.

What are your thoughts on Kacer's writing thus far? Do you see evidence of her overarching theme of hope, courage and humanity despite overwhelming adversity in the first few chapters? If so, where? Also, do you think that the structure of the novel contributes to, or detracts from the different perspectives presented in the novel?

Hello Everyone!

Hopefully this blog will work as a place to track our discussions as we read Kathy Kacer's novel, The Diary of Laura's Twin. Let me know if you have any issues posting or commenting on the blog!

--Abbey