The amazing “true” story of a teenage single mom by Katherine Arnoldi. New York: Hyperion, 1998.

ISBN: 978-0-78686-420-1

Annotation: Katherine, a seventeen-year-old mother with no help, follows her dream of moving west, and is finally able to overcome her traumatized past and achieve her ultimate goal: going to college.

Age range: 7-11 grades

Media used by illustrator: Ink, black and white line drawings

Personal Rating: 4Q/4P

Curricular connections: useful for late middle school and early high school students in a health or family life class.

 

Literary Device: Metaphor - Katherine frequently describes her emotions using drawings of a monster.

 

ateater/06-20-09

 

Arnoldi, K. (1998). The amazing “true” story of a teenage single mom, New York: Hyperion.

 

ISBN: 978-0786864201

The author tells her story of abuse and homelessness. The redemptive story highlights options that are available to single mothers and is designed to give hope to those in a similar situation.

Media: Pen and Ink

 

Rating: 4Q/4P

 

Ages: 8th grade and up

 

Subjects: Domestic Abuse, Pregnancy, Welfare, College, Redemption, Motherhood, Friendship, Survival

 

Curricular Connections: Social Studies--can examine ways in which Welfare programs currently function and how they can be improved.  This book can also facilitate health discussions about domestic violence).

 

KM 6/13/09

 

 

Arnoldi, K. 1998. The amazing “true” story of a teenage single mom. New York: Hyperion. ISBN: 0-7868-6420-6

 

 

 

Annotation -  The journey of a teenage single mom in graphic novel format relating her life from an abusive relationship to finishing college while taking care of her daughter, Stacie.

 

 

Media used for illustrations – scratch board and ink line drawings

 

 

 

Rating - quality of text and illustrations: 4QT and 3QI  - Popularity: 3P (based on a 1 (low) to 5 (high) scale

 

 

 

Comments  – Even though Arnoldi finally published this book 20 years after it actually happened, the voice is true because she started working on it right after the events depicted. Her main goal for the book was to help teenage single girls realize that they can succeed in a chosen path, especially if they finish high school and attend college. Education is the key to success according to Arnoldi. She wrote the book as a way to tell her story to current teenage single moms and give them hope for a better future.

 

 

 

            Amazing true story of a teenage single mom, The by Katherine Arnoldi. New York: Hyperion, 1998. ISBN         0-7868-6420-6.

 

Katherine Arnoldi struggles as a single teenage mother who yearns for more than to “lie in the bed she made.”  Education, activism, and courage drive her to reach her dreams.

 

Black and white ink illustrations, some looking almost like block-cut, others with pointillism. 

 

References for teen/single/abused mothers in the back.

 

 

    Curriculum Connections

    English/Language Arts

    Biographies/Autobiographies/Memoirs

 

 

(DM 4.28.08)

 

 

The Amazing “True” Story of a Teenage Single Mom by Katherine Arnoldi. New York: Hyperion, 1998. 0-786-86420-6

 

Annotation: Tells of a young, poor mom with a simple dream of going to college, but hindered by the baggage of abuse. Non-fiction graphic novel.

Media: Comicbook style black marker and pen 

Rating: 8th-12th 5Q/5P

 

 

 

lvanburen/6-09

 

The Amazing "True" Story Of A Teenage Single Mom by Katherine Arnoldi, ill. New York: Hyperion, 1998.

This is an intense and inspiring tale about a teenage single mom who faces and eventually overcomes life's challenges in her pursuit of a college education while raising her baby.

    -ISBN 0786864206

    - Media: Pen and ink

    -Rating: 4Q/4P

    -Curricular Connections: Grades 9-12, Biography, Women's History Month

    - Theme – Teen Pregnancy – The author’s story is truly amazing. She keeps her baby and is determined to attend college but encounters many obstacles in her path including abusive boyfriends, bad jobs, homelessness and more. She ultimately succeeds and this book is her message to future teenage mothers that they can obtain their dream goals too.

 

DPower 6/28/09