The Importance of Relating

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Teens want book that they can relate to, but what is the importance of relating to a book? First, we need a definition of 'relate' before we can discuss the importance of it. The problem is, everyone definition of relating is different, therefore the importance is relating is going to be different for every person.

Matt De La Peña's "We Were Here" is a great book to model the importance of relating to a story. The main character, Miguel, in the book is a young boy in a group home because of a terrible act that he committed. Is this a story that teens can relate to? Honestly, the story does not necessarily require the read to be able to relate to it. When reading "We Were Here" the reading has the opportunity to see into a life that other wise the reader would never experience. Although most readers have never experienced anything like Miguel, this story can still speak to any reader.

Challenge your definition of relating by reading Matt De La Peña's "We Were Here."

Graceling or Curseling

If you had one superpower, or grace, what would it be? In "Graceling" By Kristin Cashore the main character Katsa has a grace but unfortunately for Katsa, she didn't get to choose her grace. If Katsa had the ability to choose her grace she probably would not have chosen a killing grace.

Katsa has the "grace" to kill anyone with little to no effort. Once Katsa fully realizes what exactly her grace is about, she does not like having the grace. She has the ability to easily kill anyone and yet when her Uncle recruits her for his purposes. she does not kill. Katsa's grace seems likes more of a curse then a grace. Through out the story Katsa struggles with her grace because it is quite a responsibility have the ability to kill with ease. While struggling with her grace, she meets a boy which adds in another part of her life to struggle with. A girl with a grace that most people would see as lucky does not see herself as quite as lucky.

To see how Katsa deals with her grace and her relationship read "Graceling" by Kristin Cashore.