Written by John Green
Published by Dutton Books in 2012
Grades 8-12
ISBN: 978-0525478812
Awards: 2013 Odyssey Award, 2013 Children's Choice Book Award, and 2014 International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Honor List - as well as many other state and regional awards
Book review: After meeting Gus at a cancer support group, Hazel realizes she wants more from her life than just existing until she dies. Hazel, Gus, and their friend Isaac support one another through their health crisis' and learn at a young age what life is really about. Hazel and Gus form a strong relationship in their short time together and learn how to cope with their situations.
John Green portrays today's teenagers perfectly with their actions and sayings. Students will relate to the characters in the book and become emotionally invested in their lives. Teachers will be able to tie this book into many curriculum areas such as health, family life, English, and computer technology.
Professional Reviews
Teaching Ideas
Health: (9.2g) The student will explain the impact of health risks and identify strategies and resources to limit risk. g) Identify common types of cancer, risk factors, and prevention strategies.
1) Students will choose one of the types of cancer discussed in the book. They will research the topic and write a report explaining the type of cancer, risk factors, and prevention strategies. Students will report their findings in oral presentations to the class.
Health: (9.2i) The student will explain the impact of health risks and identify strategies and resources to limit risk. i) Evaluate the effects of alcohol and other drug use on human body systems, brain function, and behavior, and describe health benefits associated with abstaining from the use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.
2) In the story, Peter Van Houten, the author of An Imperial Affliction is an alcoholic and his behavior is unacceptable. Students will discuss the effects of alcohol on the brain and how behavior is affected by the use of alcohol. Students will research their topic and share out in small discussion groups.
Family Life: (10.16) The student will compile a list of community agencies and resources available to assist individuals and families.
Computer Technology 9-12.2: Identify and use available technologies to help complete specific tasks.
3) Students will create a brochure for individuals or families dealing with cancer. The brochure will include local agencies and resources in our area that cancer patients.
English: (11.4) The student will read, comprehend, and analyze relationships among American literature, history, and culture.
4) Students will read the book, The Fault in Our Stars, then watch the film version. Students will use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two versions of the story.
Computer Technology 9-12.3: B) Explore career opportunities in technology-related careers and consider the roles technology will play in future career choices. Explain how various careers incorporate technology. Investigate careers that focus on inventing or developing technology.
5) In the story, Isaac looses his eyesight due to his particular type of cancer. Isaac and Gus play a "video" game that is played through audio (there is no visual component). According to author John Green, this video game is not real but there are some video games out there for blind people (although John Green says they are not as cool as the one in the book). Students will research careers in gaming technology to determine what advances have been made in gaming for the blind. They will also determine what types of technology are incorporated into these types of games.
Paired Titles
Me and Earl and The Dying Girl: A Novel is about Greg who's mother makes him hang out with Rachel (the dying girl) when he would much rather be hanging out with his friend Earl. Greg is the narrator of this story and he tells of how his relationship with Rachel grows through their time together. This novel is on multiple Best Books lists including Booklist, Kirkus, and YALSA. It is current and is thematically relevant. It could be paired with the health, family life, and English curriculum.
The Probability of Miracles is about a girl who learns about herself and how to enjoy life through her newest cancer prognosis. This book was chosen for it's thematic relevance as well as its appeal to readers of the same age as The Fault in Our Stars. It has been included on Kirkus and School Library Journal Best Books lists. This book will be of high interest to students who have been or know someone who has been diagnosed with a serious illness.
Before I Die is the story of 16 year-old Tessa, who has leukemia. Tessa creates a bucket list of things she wants to do before she dies. This story relates to The Fault in Our Stars with similar themes. It has received many awards and has been listed on Best Books lists for Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and YALSA. It is current and of interest to the same audience. This book could be paired with The Fault in Our Stars lessons in the health and English curriculum.
Please Ignore Vera Dietz is the story of Vera Dietz, who is in love with her best friend but he doesn't know. When he dies unexpectedly, she tries to clear his name. This story was chosen because it also deals with teenage love and dying. It is current and of interest to the same age group. It was a 2011 Edgar Allan Poe Award nominee and a 2011 Printz Award Honor Book.
In this story, All the Bright Places, two teens come together after meeting while both contemplating suicide. After being paired up for a geography project, the two grow to be friends and eventually have a romantic relationship. This story was chosen because of the theme of teenage love and grief. It is current and of interest to the same age group. It is a 2015 nominee for the Kirkus Prize. This book could be used as a guidance, health, or family life resource to incorporate the increasing trend of teenage suicide and how teens can get help and alternate solutions.
Further Explorations
The Fault in Our Stars book trailer allows readers to learn a little about the story prior to reading the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PEepfswJWs
A fan created book talk about The Fault in Our Stars can be used to build anticipation about the book prior to reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nWI4FnP72Y
Would you like to know more about Author John Green? Check out this VOYA Magazine interview: http://www.voyamagazine.com/2012/10/19/wouldnt-you-like-to-know-john-green/
Do you have questions about The Fault in Our Stars? Check out this page on the author's website that has questions about the book: http://johngreenbooks.com/questions-about-the-fault-in-our-stars-spoilers/#isaac **Be advised some of the questions/answers contain SPOILERS**
Have questions about cancer? Find more information about cancer: http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer
In the book, Isaac, plays audio-only "video" games. Check out this website for games of this nature and be sure to go to the link on the side for past issues of a audio gaming magazine called Audyssey.
http://www.audiogames.net/
Isaac looses his eyesight due to cancer, readers who would like to learn more about blindness through the American Foundation for the Blind website: http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/for-job-seekers/for-employers/visual-impairment-and-your-current-workforce/learning-about-blindness/12345
References
Please Ignore Vera Dietz is the story of Vera Dietz, who is in love with her best friend but he doesn't know. When he dies unexpectedly, she tries to clear his name. This story was chosen because it also deals with teenage love and dying. It is current and of interest to the same age group. It was a 2011 Edgar Allan Poe Award nominee and a 2011 Printz Award Honor Book.
In this story, All the Bright Places, two teens come together after meeting while both contemplating suicide. After being paired up for a geography project, the two grow to be friends and eventually have a romantic relationship. This story was chosen because of the theme of teenage love and grief. It is current and of interest to the same age group. It is a 2015 nominee for the Kirkus Prize. This book could be used as a guidance, health, or family life resource to incorporate the increasing trend of teenage suicide and how teens can get help and alternate solutions.
Further Explorations
The Fault in Our Stars book trailer allows readers to learn a little about the story prior to reading the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PEepfswJWs
A fan created book talk about The Fault in Our Stars can be used to build anticipation about the book prior to reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nWI4FnP72Y
Would you like to know more about Author John Green? Check out this VOYA Magazine interview: http://www.voyamagazine.com/2012/10/19/wouldnt-you-like-to-know-john-green/
Do you have questions about The Fault in Our Stars? Check out this page on the author's website that has questions about the book: http://johngreenbooks.com/questions-about-the-fault-in-our-stars-spoilers/#isaac **Be advised some of the questions/answers contain SPOILERS**
Have questions about cancer? Find more information about cancer: http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer
In the book, Isaac, plays audio-only "video" games. Check out this website for games of this nature and be sure to go to the link on the side for past issues of a audio gaming magazine called Audyssey.
http://www.audiogames.net/
Isaac looses his eyesight due to cancer, readers who would like to learn more about blindness through the American Foundation for the Blind website: http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/for-job-seekers/for-employers/visual-impairment-and-your-current-workforce/learning-about-blindness/12345
References
American Foundation for the Blind. (2015). Learning about blindness. Retrieved from http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/for-job-seekers/for-employers/visual-impairment-and-your-current-workforce/learning-about-blindness/12345
AudioGames. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.audiogames.net/
AudioGames. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.audiogames.net/
Brittany
Nicole. (2014, March 25). Booktalk: The
fault in our stars [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nWI4FnP72Y
Children’s
Literature Comprehensive Database. (n.d.). All
the bright places. Retrieved from http://www.clcd.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/#/bookdetail/1/0/HjpojmOJkMGmImjL/bdrtop
Children’s
Literature Comprehensive Database. (n.d.). Before
I die. Retrieved from http://www.clcd.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/#/bookdetail/1/0/qgRlHhoPlqkNHnkJ/bdrtop
Children’s
Literature Comprehensive Database. (n.d.). The
fault in our stars. Retrieved from http://www.clcd.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/#/bookdetail/1/0/SFnmGkNmJokjjolj/bdrtop
Children’s
Literature Comprehensive Database. (n.d.). Me
and Earl and the dying girl: A novel. Retrieved
from http://www.clcd.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/#/bookdetail/1/0/nePmnLnqmoiMkNkl/bdrtop
Children’s
Literature Comprehensive Database. (n.d.). Please
ignore Vera Dietz. Retrieved from http://www.clcd.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/#/bookdetail/1/0/oknnlJoNMrLmmoLn/bdrtop
Children’s
Literature Comprehensive Database. (n.d.). The
probability of miracles. Retrieved from http://www.clcd.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/#/bookdetail/1/0/QiNQKLoOLqhlknLM/bdrtop
Green, J.
(n.d.). Questions about the fault in our
stars(spoilers!). Retrieved from http://johngreenbooks.com/questions-about-the-fault-in-our-stars-spoilers/#isaac
Hayman, S.
(2012, October 19). Wouldn’t you like to
know…John Green. Retrieved from http://www.voyamagazine.com/2012/10/19/wouldnt-you-like-to-know-john-green/
Kirkus.
(2012, January 10). The fault in our
stars. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/john-green/fault-in-our-stars/
National
Cancer Institute. (n.d.). About cancer.
Retrieved from http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer
Novelist. (2015). Read-alikes for the fault in our stars. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.proxy.lib.odu.edu/novelist/detail?sid=651bc612-20e1-4fe1-b882-53a03fc04262%40sessionmgr4002&UI=UI+10030050&hid=4204&vid=5
Publishers Weekly. (n.d.). The fault in our stars. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-525-47881-2
Publishers Weekly. (n.d.). The fault in our stars. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-525-47881-2
Thedaybeforeyou.
(2012, February 20). The fault in our
stars book trailer [video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PEepfswJWs
Virginia
Department of Education. (2008). Health
education standards of learning for Virginia public
schools: Grade nine. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/health/9-10/stds_health9.pdf
Virginia
Department of Education. (2010). English
standards of learning for Virginia public schools:
Grade eleven. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/english/2010/stds_english11.pdf
Virginia
Department of Education. (2013). Computer
technology standards of learning for Virginia’s
public schools grades 9-12. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/computer_technology/2012/stds_comptech_9-12.pdf
Virginia
Department of Education. (2014). Family
life education: Board of education guidelines and
standards of learning for Virginia public schools. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/family_life/familylife_guidelines_standards.pdf
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