As a high school English teacher, I strive to show my students that reading can open them up to a whole new world. It can expand and enrich life in a way that you can never outgrow. While easy to say from the classroom podium, demonstrating it can be a difficult task.
Readers of all ages need a place to start--something that excites them. As teachers, we have all reaped the benefits provided by those books. Where would any of us be today without that love of reading? It all started for us in the same way, that book that surprised and enraptured us.
The Laughing Moon Chronicles was written with this in mind. THE BARREN TWELVE is the first book in an epic series with characters that intrigue the reader and keep them wanting more.
Furthermore:
• It incorporates vocabulary from The 100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know, published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
• The plot is heavily influenced by the works of Joseph Campbell and is an excellent example of the "Hero's Journey."
• Themes such as man vs. fate, the symmetry of history, fear of persecution, cause and effect, and the hope of love permeate the book.
• It creates round and dynamic characters, specifically by delving into the motivations of villains, as well as protagonists, through direct and indirect characterization.
• The conflicts and character struggles are relevant to current events and personal issues.
It's more than a book. It's an adventure.
A Hero's Journey
Questions? Just email me at toddvanhooser@yahoo.com
Copyright © 2012 Todd VanHooser