Summary   Beige , by Cecil Castellucci, is a coming of age story about a girl named Katy who lives with her mother in Motreal , Canada . When Katy's mother goes to South America on an archeological dig, she sends Katy to stay with her father in Los Angeles for a few weeks. Katy's father is part of a punk rock band called “Suck” and goes by The Rat. From the first experience of meeting The Rat at the air port and going to his excessively dirty apartment, Katy is uncomfortable and only wants to go back to Montreal . As The Rat cons his friend's daughter, Lake , into hanging out with Katy; it comes out that not only is Katy preppy, but she doesn't like music. After Katy's mom informs her that her visit will have to be extended from a few weeks, to the whole summer, Katy starts to develop as a person and find herself. Although it's a rocky road and often questionable circumstances, she and Lake develop a strong relationship and become friends. As Katy becomes part of the Los Angeles punk scene, her fiends teach her about music and she learns to respect and then enjoy music. Katy's relationship with her father and his girlfriend are traced by her progress with her respect for music, especially punk music. The chapters are all titles from songs her friend gave her on a mix cd to introduce her to punk music. As Katy is finally to go back to Montreal she has found herself and managed to build meaningful relationships with those around her, who turn out to be not as different as she once thought they were. The reader cannot wait to see if Katy will choose to stay in LA or go back to Canada and then move to Spain with her mother and her mother's new boyfriend.     Analysis Beige is a very accessible coming of age story for teens. It models for students how teenagers can bridge gaps between social groups and build healthy relationships. It also deals with very relevant themes: parent child relationships, coming of age, self esteem, and what's “cool.” Using these themes teachers can have students explore a variety of things going on in their school and how this book applies. There could be lessons or projects on cliques, what's cool, music, family relationships, or what true friends really are. It could also be used to help teach reading skills, like prediction. The reader should beware that because the book is set in the middle of the Los Angeles punk scene there is some language. However, it is very little and used appropriately. If teaching Beige to a whole class, the teacher should also be ready to deal with the attitudes toward teaching a “girl” book. It would be good to talk about gender roles, or why women's literature is important. It would also be good to read it in conjunction with a novel from a boy's perspective. Invite students to compare the similarities and differences to break down stereotypes and the misconception that books about girls are only for girls and books about boys are for everyone. Any student could relate to Beige , regardless of gender.     READING ACTIVITIES (compiled by Kayce Rose) |During Reading|After Reading|   Before Connections Brooks , Gwendolyn . “We Real Cool” Poets.org . 24 Jan 2008. http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15433 In this reading , Gwendolyn Brooks explains “We Real Cool” and reveals themes that jive with the theme of what it really means to be cool or accepted. This could accompany a short writing assignment about what it really means to be cool or a predictive worksheet to track their feelings of what cool is as they read the book.   Cisneros, Sandra. “The House on Mango Street ” The House on Mango Street . Vintage Books, New York 1984. This section highlights the importance of place and how place shapes identity. I would read this section before starting Beige to highlight the importance of place to Katy. I may also give a short writing assignment with it to have each student write a description of their room or house and show through their writing how their house creates their family or personal identity. I think this also highlights common themes in diverse cultures.   Dunbar, Paul Laurence. “We Wear the Mask” The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar . Joanne M. Braxton, ed. Charlottesville : University Press of Virginia , 1993. Katy is always saying something different from what she is really thinking. This poem explores the them of putting up fronts, or masks. A good resource to introduce Katy.   Hillier, Mary Anne. Opinion Worksheet. 2008. Use a worksheet with predictive questions and opinions that highlight themes and tensions in the book. Have students refer back to the worksheet during and after reading to track how their opinions are changing if at all.   “Motorhead”. Truepunk.com . 2008. 24 Jan 2008. http://www.truepunk.com/video_view.asp?rid=4 A short video clip of a punk rock band, Motorhead, performing. This gives a good cultural context for the book. As far as I could tell the subject and language in the performance are clean. Sharing this when introducing the book will help students understand better the culture Katie enters when she goes to California to stay with her punk rocker dad. There are also some articles and other things on the website that could be useful. It all needs to be screened for language and content.   Rose, Kayce. Battle of the Bands. 2008. In Beige , Katie finds her identity through music. The purpose of this activity is to introduce them to the importance of music in the book and help the students find their own voice in music. This activity could be used to introduce the book and then continued through the reading of the book. Previous to the activity each student would be assigned to bring their favorite school appropriate song to class with a small paragraph introducing why this song is their favorite. Do they relate to the lyrics? Do they like the beat? What is it about that song that makes them like it. 2 songs would be picked at random and played at the beginning of class. The class votes for their favorite song. The next day the winner has a competing song. Start each day with the battle of the bands. Keep track of which song plays the longest and talk about it. What is it about that song that's so great? If class sizes are too large to have only two songs a day you may consider breaking into genre, or small groups who pick winners that go to a final battle. You may also consider specifying that the songs need to highlight a certain theme or social issue.   Rose, Kayce. What Are You Really Thinking? 2008. Katy is always saying the opposite of what she's really thinking. To highlight this theme in the book have students attempt for 24 hours to only say what they're really thinking. A class appropriate clip from the movie Liar, Liar could be a good resource. A journal entry or other writing assignment could also accompany this activity.   The Sandlot . Dir. Mickey Evans. Perf. Tom Guiry. 1993. DVD Twentieth Century Fox 1993. Chapter 7, “The Weenie” could be used to introduce the awkward situation of moving to a new place with no real knowledge of the culture.   Think. http://think.mtv.com A great website to help students see ways they can get involved and be informed about things going on around them. The punk culture is an activist culture, using the website can help introduce punk and help students relate to the culture of the book.   Updike, John. “A&P”. The Seagull Reader . Ed. Joseph Kelly. New York, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 2001 pg 301. A classic coming of age story involves many of the same themes in Beige . Using this story would help highlight the growth process Katy goes through, especially making decisions in uncomfortable circumstances and asserting herself.     During Connections   Barlow, Audrey. “Silent Discussion.” 2004 Create several poster boards with questions about the text, quotes, or a statement about an event. Post the posters on the walls around the room. Have students silently answer the question, or comment on the quote or statement. Make it a discussion by having them comment on other student's comments, like threads on an online discussion board. If it's too hectic to have students walk around the room, seat them in groups and pass the posters around. Afterward select some great comments for verbal discussion and kept the posters hanging. This can be a one time activity or something that is continually available through the reading.   Fillmore, Bradford. “From Another Perspective.” 2008 Have students choose a favorite scene and rewrite it from another person's perspective. Because this book is told only from Katy's perspective this activity will help students pay attention to other characters and become more sympathetic. It would also be useful with a lesson about narrators.   United States . Library of Congress Teachers. Found Poetry . 2008. 26 Feb. 2008 http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/ideas/ Because music and the importance of lyrics are huge themes in the book, have students create their own song lyrics (poem) with words they find in the text. This would be especially effective when reading the scene where Katy helps Lake fix her song lyrics in the jam room.   Hillier, Mary Anne. “Questions, Quotes and Notes.” 2008 To help students pay attention to reading and have meaningful discussion, have them each bring three questions and their favorite quote from the assigned reading to class. Divide the students into discussion groups for the unit. Each day have them discuss their questions and quotes, they also include notes about what their group discussed. Each student keeps their questions, quotes and notes in a binder to be turned in to the teacher. At the end it is also good to have each group choose their favorite quote and present it to the class. They can write it on a poster board and hang it in the room.   Hillier, Mary Anne. “Choose Your Own Vocabulary.” 2008 With each assigned reading, or once a week, students come to class prepared with one vocabulary word they were unfamiliar with in the reading. They are responsible to find the root of the word (is it Latin or Greek, etc.) and a good definition. As the students turn in their words choose the best and most commonly chosen words for a class wide vocabulary list that will be tested.   Loos, Nate. “Punk or Poser?” True Punk . 4 Feb 2008. http://www.truepunk.com/articles.asp. In the article section of this website there are a lot of short posts and articles on what it means to be punk, and the difference between a punk and a poser. The articles may need to be edited for language but are a great starting point for a discussion on identity and authenticity. They can also be a prompt for a writing assignment on what it means to be authentic verses a poser in any situation. This is a big theme in Beige !   National Public Radio. NPR Music . 2008. 28 Feb 2008. http://www.npr.org/music/ This website is full of useful information and resources. The teacher or students can find diverse types of music, interviews with musicians, music news, and articles about music. This could be used as a research aid for students to find a new type of music, or to listen to a school appropriate interview with a band or musician. This will help solidify the importance of music in Beige.   Rose, Kayce. “Merch.” 2008 A big part of the punk scene is the merchandise. Have students create their own sample merchandise for their favorite band or for a band that would represent themselves. You could also talk about advertising techniques or propaganda with this activity. This also helps students reflect about Lake and her relationship with Katie.   Siegfried, Brandie R. “Renaissance Notebooks.” 2008 One strategy of learning that reflects the Renaissance style of learning is making connections. Have each student carry a small notebook with them all of the time during the unit. As they are in other classes or are watching TV, have them write down any interesting connections they make to the reading. Perhaps in a history class they see a similar theme, or on the news they hear of a story or a piece of legislation that reflects what they are reading. As they make interesting connections they will better internalize and apply what they are reading. Have a notebook check at the end of the project.   Whitman, Walt. “ Reading by Billy Collins.I Hear America Singing.” Library of Congress . 26 Feb 2008. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/whitman/whitman-reading.html This poem relates music to people in their position in life. On the website there is discussion about the poem as well as a reading that would be good to share. This could lead a discussion about how music reflects social situations and culture. It could also prompt a writing assignment- what would I sing? This would work well when Katy discusses with her father her dislike for music.   After Connections   “A Living Document.” NPR's Annual Reading of the Declaration of Independence . 2002 National Public Radio. 7 February 2008. http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2002/jul/declaration/ . Personal declarations or manifestos are a strong presence in Beige . As students listen to, or read the Declaration of Independence, they can make connections to what they are reading. It can help the explore the possibilities of what people, who start with personal ideas and manifestos, can do as they come together and mobilize. A text version is available at: http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/declaration.html   Fillmore, Brad. “In Twenty Years.” 2008 As students reflect on the book and the development of the characters, have them choose one or two characters and do a write up of where they will be in twenty years. This could be done in television show style “where are they now?” type format.   Fillmore, Brad. “Eight Ideas.” 2008 Have students complete the following eight ideas: This book made me wish that…, realize that…, decide that…, wonder about…, see that…, believe that…, feel that…, and hope that…   Hillier, Mary Anne. “ABC Poem” 2008 As students reflect on characters or themes, have them write a poem that focuses on one specific character or theme. Each line of the poem should start with a specific letter of the alphabet, starting with ‘a' and ending with ‘z'.   Jackson, Lorrie. “Poetry From Photos.” 02/02/05. Education World. 02/08/2008. http://education-world.com/a_tech/techlp/techlp022.shtml Have students look through magazines or on the internet for images that represent a character or theme. Rather than having them create a simple collage, have them create a poem that uses the images as its premise. Each line or stanza may begin with or contain an image the student found.   Rose, Kayce. “Personal Manifestos.” 2008 At the end of the reading have each student think of their personal manifesto. In the book it was important for Katie and Lake to have their manifestos written somewhere visible, on a wall. Have large poster boards on the wall were students can write their manifestos and leave them posted. Or have them create them on individual papers and then post them around the room. Help them think about how they evaluate what things are important to them in their lives.   Rose, Kayce. “My Mix.” 2008 Katie comes of age as she learns to love music. Have students create their own mix CD of 10-12 songs that represent them. Have them include an annotated version of the playlist that explains the purpose of each song, what does it mean to them? Or how does it represent them?   Rose, Kayce. “Was it Good?” 2008 A large part of reading is determining if what we are reading is good or not. Have students write a review of the book based on their opinions of the quality of the book. Make sure to include a rating system. Would they recommend this to a friend? Why or why not?   Rose, Kayce. “Character Development Timeline.” 2008 Have students reflect on the book and create a timeline of the most important events that shaped one of the characters. These should be moments that changed them or defined them as a character. Have them create a creative timeline to post in the room or share with the class.   Rose, Kayce. “Make a Scene!” 2008 In groups students will choose one of their favorite scenes from the book. Because there is very little dialogue they will recreate the scene in script form. This can be an out of class project where they do it screenplay style and make a movie, or the scenes can be performed in class in a more theater like setting. This will help students pay attention to things like setting and character interaction. This may also be shortened into a one in class skit activity.