Jeanie: Three different points of view in the story. Jeanie: Meaning that in this story, we have two narrators in their letters and then we have this… I think it would be a really good mentor text, also, for things like point-of-view and author’s voice, and even the idea of a narrator. This took it where you have some *unreliable* narration and some reliable narration. I was a big Victorian literature person in college, so I love any idea of a novel that’s letters and the reliable narrator. Sarah: I loved the - I think I’m going to pronounce this right - the epistolary novel. I thought of it as the perfect mentor text for students to write short fiction that is letters? And then what’s really happening. Jeanie: Hmm… There are so many layers to this story. I’d love to get a letter and then also what’s really happening. Jeanie: It starts on page 33, but you can choose any selection from that story. It’s not entirely in letters, right? Because there is a letter and then there’s what’s going for real, which is so intriguing because they are love letters and then there’s the stark contrast with reality. Angela has left the city to go to his mother or something. It begins as letters between two characters, Angela and John. I’m going to start with one of the stories I fell for was called “Open the Door and the Light Pours Through”. Jeanie: I feel like we can give *a little* away, though. It’s hard with short stories because you don’t want to give too much away. Jeanie: Let’s talk about some of the really unconventional characters in this book.
I think I read it if not in one sitting then very quickly. I love things that play with genre, and this is really like a lot of the stories you think you know where you’re going, and then it takes a sharp left turn. But as soon as I started reading, I was hooked because like you said it’s unconventional female characters. And I love the cover! I know you shouldn’t judge a book by it. I had actually never heard of Kelly Barnhill, who is pretty famous YA author. I was like, “ Dreadful Young Ladies , that sounds like Victorian.” I’m like, “What’s happening?” It’s going to be interesting, and about female characters. Sarah: Well, the thing that attracted me to the book was the title. This was a title you selected, and I’d like to know why.
#Crucial conversations audiobook full#
Jeanie: It’s a collection of short stories with one novella at the end, full of really unconventional female characters, even the title, Dreadful Young Ladies and Other Stories clues you into that. Sarah: I mean some of the stories are a little sci-fi here and there. Let’s talk about this book! I don’t know that I would call it fantasy, but it’s on the ghosty side. Very much having like a fantasy, sci-fi moment of my reading. Then yesterday, I started a new book which is part of the Rivers of London series, which is another wonderful, fantastical detective fiction by a guy called Ben Aaronovitch, who used to write for Doctor Who. Strongly recommend! A very powerful book. It’s a crazy book that combines historical fiction and sci-fi. It’s not coming out till the end of the month, which made me feel very special. Sarah: I thought about this on the way in, and it’s a slightly longer answer because yesterday I just finished a book called The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Jeanie: I love talking to readers, and this is my favorite question to ask. I’ve also worked at the Agency of Education as our State English Specialist, and I’m currently an instructional coach at Montpelier-Roxbury Public Schools, and a lifelong reader. I was an English teacher for about a decade. My name is Sarah Birgé, and I’m a Vermont native. Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do. I’m Jeanie Phillips, and this is #vted Reads. Come for the mysterious love affairs, stay for the power of short stories and how they can help students find entry points for talking complex concepts and issues!
We’ll share our favorite moments from Barnhill’s collection as well as other collections of stories we’ve used with students, and our love of low floors and high ceilings. We’re talking about Dreadful Young Ladies and Other Stories, by author Kelly Barnhill. On this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Sarah Birgé, a lifelong Vermonter and English lit teacher in the Montpelier-Roxbury district. Listeners: how do you talk to your students about the special love that exists between a woman and a Sasquatch? Or between an insect and a robot-powered building? And where and how do you determine which texts are appropriate to give to students? Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Email | RSS | More
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