You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.

-C.S. Lewis

Tea, being the second most consumed drink after water, has been enjoyed and cherished by many around the world for centuries. The undeniable sense of comfort and warmth that comes from a steaming cup of tea is, in a way, universal. However, there aren’t many countries that have given their hearts to tea quite as much as Great Britain. Did you know that, on average, Brits drink 2-3 cups of tea a day? So, it’s no wonder that the beverage has a history of being linked to a sense of “Englishness”. Even in literature, tea is featured and mentioned quite regularly! In The Importance of Being Earnest, having tea (perhaps with some cucumber sandwiches) is portrayed as the gentleman’s way of socializing. And while tea can be viewed as that which is “socially acceptable and proper”; it can therefore also be used to contrast that which is not. In Alice in Wonderland, the tea party can be viewed as a mocking display of societal norms, a parallel to a society in which an act as simple as drinking tea could be linked to an absurd amount of social expectations and rules. So, whether you like your tea paired with an appropriate amount of English biscuits or a colorful Mad Hatter outfit, take today to celebrate one of the world’s most iconic beverages! Happy Tea Day!

Sarah

Raumschiffe, Lichtschwerter, Wesen von einem anderem Stern – das Star-Wars-Universum zählt zu den bekanntesten Franchises der Welt. Schon seit dem Jahre 1977 begeistert George Lucas’ „Krieg der Sterne“ Millionen von Fans und wurde zum bis dahin erfolgreichsten Film der Filmgeschichte. Im Mittelpunkt steht der junge Luke Skywalker, der von seinem Meister Obi-Wan Kenobi zu einem Jedi-Ritter ausgebildet wird, um gegen das totalitäre System des Imperiums und dessen Anführer, den Diktator Darth Vader zu kämpfen und so die Galaxis zu befreien.

Aus den Filmen wurden Bücher, die von mehreren Autor*innen verfasst wurden. Im Jahr 1999 kam Episode I –  Die dunkle Bedrohung von Terry Brooks auf den Markt und wurde seither stark rezipiert. Die Reihe ist dem Genre Science Fiction zuzuordnen. Science Fiction ist zusammen mit Fantasy und Horror ein Teil des Metagenres Fantastik. Dabei geht es um fiktive Zukunftsszenarien oder alternative Vergangenheiten, oft in dystopischem Kontext. In diesen Universen spielen wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse und futuristische Technologien eine große Rolle. Häufig genutzte Elemente sind Zeitreisen, außerirdische Lebensformen und neuartige Medikamente, Fortbewegungsmittel  oder Waffen. So ist auch in Star Wars das Reisen bei Lichtgeschwindigkeit in technisch hochkomplizierten Raumschiffen von Planet zu Planet ein wichtiges Element, die Laser-Blaster immer im Rucksack dabei. Andere berühmte Science-Fiction-Romane sind unter anderem Schöne neue Welt von Aldous Huxley, 1984 von George Orwell und Fahrenheit 451 von Ray Bradbury.

Die Faszination, die in dem Erschaffen einer Sci-Fi-Welt liegt, gründet zum einem darin, dass das Fortschreiten der technischen und wissenschaftlichen Entwicklung unserer Zeit Lesenden das Gefühl gibt, es sei zumindest im Bereich des Möglichen, dass sich unsere Welt einmal in diese Richtung entwickelt. Wenn sich künstliche Intelligenz und Roboter im selben rasanten Tempo weiterentwickeln wie bisher, was spricht dagegen, dass künftig jeder Haushalt einen Androiden besitzt, der im Alltag hilft, wie bei Star Wars? Aber die zukünftigen Welten wecken auch Angst: Was spräche dagegen, dass diese Androiden irgendwann zu einer Waffe werden, die in Kriegen eingesetzt wird? Häufig werden reale Ängste und Problematiken verarbeitet. So auch die Angst, dass uns unsere Technologien irgendwann überholen. Oftmals werden auch koloniale Vergangenheiten und Invasionen, totalitäre Systeme, Umweltkatastrophen und Ressourcenknappheit aufgegriffen und kritisiert. Auch in Star Wars werden solche Verbindungen hergestellt. So ist der Kampf zwischen den Rebellentruppen und der Schreckensherrschaft des Imperiums beispielsweise an die Vietnamkriege und das nationalsozialistische Regime angelehnt und bietet so einen Raum, um auf die politischen Geschehnisse der Vergangenheit und Gegenwart zu reagieren.

So lässt dieses Genre zwar genug Platz für Fantasie und Fiktion, spielt aber auch mit realen Ängsten und Konflikten in unserer heutigen Gesellschaft. Damit sind Bücher dieser Art insbesondere für Schulklassen geeignet, da hier auf spannende und faszinierende Art über aktuelle Themen gesprochen werden kann.

— Susanna Frank

Why did the Easter egg hide? Because he was a little chicken…

Happy Easter everyone! Spring is here and so is painting eggs and bunny-themed everything! And while it is wonderful to spend quality time with your loved ones on holidays, sometimes some alone time with a good book can be just as relaxing! So why not stay in the holiday spirit with some Easter-themed reads? Here are some of my favorites:

• Watership Down by Richard Adams: What better way to celebrate Easter than with some literature about rabbits? This anthropomorphic novel tells a tale of social unrest, community and hope, all kick-started by man-made environmental destruction. Fiver, a young rabbit with a sixth sense, is part of the Sandleford warren. He starts having disturbing visions of his home’s destruction and, along with his older brother Hazel, tries, to no avail, to convince the chief rabbit to evacuate. The siblings take off together with 9 other members, starting a journey of adventure and struggle.
• Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne: More stories featuring rabbits (well, one rabbit)! This nostalgic coming-of-age story is about everything from friendship, abilities and weaknesses to childhood and imagination. Winnie-the-Pooh is a honey-loving teddy bear who lives in the forest. There, he experiences all kinds of adventures together with his friends: A piglet, an owl, a rabbit, a donkey, a kangaroo and a boy named Christopher Robin.
• The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis: If you’re looking for something less “on the nose”, give this classic a try! In this fantasy novel set during 1940s wartime, four children are relocated to a large house in the English countryside. When the youngest, Lucy, is transported to Narnia through an old wardrobe, she discovers a new and captivating world. But no world is perfect, and the siblings are soon thrown into an adventure where they must save this beautiful place they have only just discovered. As for the connection to Easter, you will notice quite a bit of religious symbolism and parallels to the biblical concept of resurrection in this novel!

I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating Easter or simply enjoying some much-needed relaxation! Let us know if you have any specific Easter book recommendations we should take a look at!

Sarah

Although there is no known singular origin of April Fool’s Day, some of the best pranks have taken place on this holiday! In 1997, a group of comic-strip artists decided to poke fun at their readers by drawing each other’s comic-strips for the day! This Comic Strip Switcheroo led to a lot of confused readers and convoluted plotlines that are still being analyzed today! But, even without swapped characters and layers of intertextuality, comic-strips are a great way to add some humor to the reading experience! Here are some of my favorites:

• Not Sparking Joy: A Zits Treasury by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgmann: Making its debut in 1997, Zits comics narrate the everyday life of 15-year-old Jeremy; a teenager living in Ohio. But suburban life and high school come with their own set of problems. Whether it be about the embarrassment that parents are to teens or the other way around, there’s something for everyone in this giggle-inducing comic series!
• Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson: Calvin may seem like a normal 6-year-old living in suburban America with his family and stuffed tiger “Hobbes”. To Calvin though, Hobbes is very much alive and his best friend and companion. Named after two philosophers, the pair is regularly immersed in deep conversations, often humorously lacking in the childlike expressions you would expect. But, just like any child, Calvin has plenty to say about his caricature-like parents, friends and distaste for homework.

Happy April Fool’s Day!

Sarah

I’ve only recently started enjoying romance novels. And while I’ve quickly come to appreciate the lovable characters and feel-good endings, I’ve realized not everyone is a fan. Romance novels often get a lot of flak for being “shallow” or not being good for anything but escapism. However, I want to argue that romance novels can greatly benefit young students and are a worthy addition to the EFL classroom.

Of course, reading for fun in and of itself makes a book worth reading. If reading wasn’t fun, teenagers would probably be the first to ditch the activity (as many have done and will continue to do). So I think one shouldn’t underestimate the value enjoyable characters and fun plots can bring to the reading experience! But, of course romance novels bring much more to the table than “fun”. They can address a myriad of important topics surrounding sexuality and emotional well-being. Discussing books like Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Alberta or Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda could help facilitate classroom conversations about sexual identity. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green could be a gateway to talking about emotions that often accompany love, like grief and heartbreak. I think the insight these novels give into interpersonal relationships and in what way the characters navigate their emotions and difficult situations should not be ignored, but instead discussed openly with students.

Furthermore, romance novels are rarely one-dimensional or limited to one genre. They open up the reader’s world to a variety of different themes and settings. As such, I am convinced that there is a perfect romance novel out there for every student! While lovers of dystopias could enjoy Delirium by Lauren Oliver or The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, others might like to go the more classic route and jump into the vast sea of classics. These novels can give insight into different historical contexts and act as a base layer with which to explore the literary periods. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde or Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin may act as examples of Victorian literature, whereas Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin paints a modernist picture of 1950s Paris.

I hereby rest my case in defense of romance novels! Do you have any favorite romance novels you think students would enjoy? We’d love for you to share your suggestions with us!

Sarah

“Because when I look at you, I can feel it. And I look at you and I’m home.”

– Dory, Finding Nemo

In light of the world’s annual celebration of love, I hope these recommendations can ignite the romantic spark needed to get in the Valentine’s Day spirit!

• For everyone in need of a heartwarming coming-of-age tale: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáez tells a beautiful and realistic love story full of emotions, even if that sometimes includes doubt. When Ari and Dante meet at the local pool, they appear to have virtually nothing in common. Dante is a mystery to Ari with his love for poetry and eloquent expressions. But as the pair spends the summer together, they grow closer and closer. 
• For all the cinephiles: WALL-E follows the life of an adorable robot. He spends his days collecting garbage on a deserted Earth, made uninhabitable by human behavior. When he is visited by a probe, EVE, he falls madly in love with her and follows her across the galaxy back to her spaceship. If crossing galaxies for someone isn’t love, what is?
• For the musical fans: West Side Story by Steven Spielberg tells the story of territorial and personal conflict between two gangs in 1957 Manhattan’s West Side. Prior to a planned ‘rumble’ between the Jets and Puerto Rican Sharks, Tony and Maria meet at a local dance. They immediately fall in love, and thus starts a modern version of Romeo and Juliet accompanied by beautiful music.
• For the poetry lovers: Sonnet 18: Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day by William Shakespeare may be one of the most-read romantic poems of all time. The speaker of the poem states that while a summer’s day fades away, the beauty of the addressee will not, as it is preserved in the lines of the sonnet.

And for those not in search of romance but still wanting to stay on theme, take a look at Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay! This historical mystery novel follows a group of girls at an Australian girls’ boarding school. When the group suddenly disappears while out on a Valentine’s Day picnic, the local community grapples with trying to make sense of these mysterious happenings. Lindsay’s work is widely considered one of Australia’s greatest novels and is definitely worth a read!

May your Valentine’s Day be filled with laughter and joy, shared with those who make you feel at home no matter where you are.

Sarah

Christmas doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.

– Dr. Suess, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Sometimes getting into the Christmas spirit can be difficult. Christmas decorations galore, a dazzling tree, and perfect fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky certainly make it easier! But, for me, Christmas is a state of mind more so than something controlled by outside factors. So, in hopes of sparking some Christmas joy, here are my top literature picks for the holiday season!

• A classic for all ages: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a rhyming tale about the meaning of Christmas and commerce. The sheer thought of the nearing festivities so enrages the green monster everyone knows as simply the Grinch that he plans to steal the whole celebration in the middle of the night.
• A humourous twist on the Christmas song we all know: The Twelve Days of Christmas (Correspondence) tells the story of the 12 days of Christmas with a twist. Accompanied by humourous illustrations, this collection of letters narrates the arrival of extravagant gifts from the recipient’s point of view, Emily. She enjoys the lavish gifts of admiration at first, but as they become increasingly strange her gratitude lessens.
• A cautionary tale to remind you not to be a “Scrooge”: A Christmas Carol is a classic Victorian Christmas tale about Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly, bitter gentleman who despises the festive season and everything other people love about it. One Christmas Eve three ghosts visit him. With the intention to change his perspective, they show Mr. Scrooge the Christmas Eves of the past, the present, and the future – and thereby reveal the consequences of his behavior.
• And lastly, a Christmas carol book for the whole family: The Real Mother Goose Book of Christmas Carols is an illustrated book of Christmas carols with a wide variety of songs suitable for all age groups. Ranging from Jingle Bells to We Three Kings, there’s something for everyone!

I wish you all a very merry Christmas!

Sarah

Am 13. Dezember 1797 wurde Heinrich Heine geboren. Das 225. Jubiläum dieses Tages kann als Anlass dienen, sich mit dem facettenreichen Leben des Autors und dessen literarischen Werken zu beschäftigen und mögliche Herangehensweisen für den Literaturunterricht zu beleuchten. 

Heinrich Heine gilt weitläufig als letzter Dichter und gleichzeitig als Überwinder der Romantik; neben seinen Romanzen und Gedichten verfasste er jedoch auch Reiseberichte und betätigte sich als politischer Journalist. Nicht ohne Grund ist er also fest im Deutschunterricht verankert. Im sächsischen Lehrplan wird die Behandlung von Heinrich Heine und seinen Titeln Deutschland, ein Sommermärchen, Harzreise und Buch der Lieder im Wahlbereich 3 für die Deutsch-Leistungskurse vorgeschlagen. Eine Betrachtung der Werke könnten hinsichtlich politischer,  historischer, philosophischer und künstlerischer Anschauungen und Einflüsse erfolgen (vgl. Lehrplan, S. 61). Eine weitere Facette, unter der einige Werke des Autors betrachtet werden können, ist der Einfluss von Religion. Der Schwerpunkt des folgenden Beitrags soll daher auf Heines Beziehung zum Judentum liegen. Denn obwohl die Auseinandersetzung mit dem Antisemitismus eine wichtige Rolle im Unterricht spielt, wird das Werk Heines seltener vor dem Hintergrund seiner Zugehörigkeit zur diskriminierten jüdischen Gemeinschaft behandelt. 

Heine wuchs unter dem Vornamen Harry als Sohn einer jüdischen Familie in Düsseldorf auf. Die französische Besatzung seines Heimatortes unter Napoleon konnte für eine gewisse Emanzipation der Juden sorgen, bis Düsseldorf 1815 preußisch wurde und sich die Lebensbedingungen der jüdischen Bevölkerung wieder veränderten. 1819 ermöglichte sein Onkel ihm ein Jurastudium, welches Heine aus pragmatischen Gründen der finanziellen Sicherheit antrat. Er studierte in Bonn, Göttingen und Berlin, beschäftigte sich in diesen Jahren aber dennoch viel mit Literatur sowie Geschichte und schrieb erste eigene literarische Werke. 

Während seines Berlin-Aufenthalts bekam er nicht nur Kontakt zu literarischen Kreisen, sondern wurde darüber hinaus auch Mitglied im Verein für Wissenschaft und Cultur des Judentums, welcher sich mit der Geschichte des Judentums beschäftigte. Nachdem Heine 1825 sein Studium beendet und seinen Doktortitel erhalten hatte, ließ er sich auf den Namen Heinrich taufen – in der Hoffnung auf gesellschaftliche Anerkennung und weil er erwartete, als Protestant eine staatliche Stelle antreten zu können. Die angestrebte Assimilation blieb bei ihm jedoch wie auch bei anderen Konvertiten seiner Zeit aus. Heine zog 1831 nach Paris und arbeitete dort als Journalist für die Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung. 

1835 wurde die gesamte Produktion seines deutschen Verlegers unterbunden und Heine blieb in seinem Pariser Exil, das er lediglich 1843/44 für eine Reise nach Deutschland verließ. Ab 1845 ging es ihm gesundheitlich immer schlechter und seine letzte Schaffensphase in der so genannten „Matratzengruft“ begann. Hier entstand seine letzte Gedichtsammlung Romanzero. Der dritte Teil dieser Sammlung, die Hebräischen Melodien, beinhaltet spezifisch jüdische Thematiken; das längste der drei Gedichte, Jehuda ben Halevy, schildert etwa die Biografie eines spanisch-jüdischen Dichters des Mittelalters. 

Auch in anderen Werken setzte sich Heine literarisch mit dem Judentum und dessen gesellschaftlicher Stellung auseinander: In Die Bäder von Lucca, einem Teil der Reisebilder, treten drei jüdische Figuren auf, die konvertiert sind und deren Assimilation genau wie die des Autors Heine scheitert. Sein Romanfragment Der Rabbi von Bacherach, dessen erstes Kapitel bereits während Heines Mitgliedschaft im Verein für Wissenschaft und Cultur des Judentums in Arbeit war, erzählt in drei Kapiteln zunächst die Geschichte einer jüdischen Gemeinde, die durch Ritualmordvorwürfe bedroht wird, und anschließend von jüdischen Figuren, bei deren Beschreibung Heine sich in satirischer Weise auch antisemitischer Klischees bedient. 

Heine machte durch sein Schreiben auf gesellschaftliche Missstände aufmerksam und kritisierte politische Vorgänge. Darüber hinaus beschäftigte er sich in einigen seiner Werke mit der Diskriminierung des Judentums und der Problematik der scheiternden Assimilation und der ausbleibenden rechtlichen Emanzipation. Gerade die Aspekte der Diskriminierung und Assimilation sind auch heute noch aktuell und bieten die Möglichkeit, mit den Werken Heines an die Lebenswelt der Schüler*innen anzuknüpfen und mit ihnen Diskussionen über Ausgrenzung und Integration zu führen. 

— Charlotte Nagels

Wenn ich tot bin,
möchte ich immerhin
so eine Laterne sein,
und die müßte vor deiner Türe sein
und den fahlen
Abend überstrahlen.

(Wolfgang Borchert: „Laternentraum“, 1946)

Am 20. November 1947 starb Wolfgang Borchert im Alter von nur 26 Jahren. Anlässlich seines 75. Todestages am vergangenen Sonntag möchten wir an den Schriftsteller erinnern und einige seiner Texte für den Deutschunterricht empfehlen.

Wolfgang Borchert ist einer der wichtigsten Vertreter der Nachkriegsliteratur. Er wuchs in Hamburg auf und konnte sich schon früh für die Literatur begeistern. Bereits im Jugendalter schrieb Borchert eigene Gedichte und träumte davon, selbst einmal als Künstler auf der Bühne zu stehen. Dennoch fing er nach der abgebrochenen Schulausbildung zunächst eine Lehre als Buchhändler an. Zeitgleich nahm er heimlich Schauspielunterricht und konnte einige Monate als Schauspieler arbeiten, bevor er 1941 zum Kriegsdienst eingezogen wurde. Schon früh übte Borchert Kritik am Nationalsozialismus und sinnloser Kriegsgewalt. Regimekritische Briefe brachten ihn während seiner Zeit als Soldat wiederholt ins Gefängnis. Auch litt er unter Mangelernährung und diversen Krankheitszuständen.

Nach vier Jahren an der Ostfront kehrte der junge Borchert schließlich zurück nach Hamburg und begann, in seinen Texten die traumatischen Erfahrungen und das Lebensgefühl einer „verlorenen Generation“ zu verarbeiten. Wie viele junge Menschen seiner Zeit fühlte auch Borchert sich seiner Jugend beraubt. In einem Manifest proklamierte er: „Unsere Moral ist die Wahrheit. Und die Wahrheit ist neu und hart wie der Tod. Doch auch so milde, so überraschend und so gerecht. Beide sind nackt.“ („Das ist unser Manifest“, 1947). Doch Borcherts Gesundheitszustand verschlechterte sich und im September 1947 musste er schließlich mit schweren Leberschäden eingeliefert werden. Wenige Wochen später verstarb Borchert – nur einen Tag vor der Uraufführung seines Dramas Draußen vor der Tür, das kurz zuvor Erfolge als Hörspiel feierte. Die meisten seiner Werke, darunter vor allem Gedichte und Erzählsammlungen, wurden erst posthum zum Erfolg. Das ist auch seiner Mutter Hertha zu verdanken, die Borcherts Nachlass verwaltete und ein Archiv gründete.

Wolfgang Borchert hatte großen Einfluss auf die deutschsprachige Literaturlandschaft nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg. Er gilt als Neubegründer der deutschen Kurzgeschichte und wird oft als Symbolfigur der Friedensbewegung geführt. In seiner sehr kurzen Schaffenszeit brachte Borchert ein bedeutsames Gesamtwerk hervor. Auch im schulischen Literaturkanon ist Wolfgang Borchert fest etabliert; seine Texte tauchen konstant in Empfehlungslisten, Lehrbüchern und Unterrichtsmaterialien auf. Und das hat gute Gründe:  Borcherts Texte weisen eine gedankliche Dichte sowie eine Nähe zum Expressionismus auf, sind jedoch gleichzeitig exemplarisch für die Literatur einer zertrümmerten Welt und ermöglichen das Mitfühlen mit Schicksalen dieser Zeit.

In unserer Datenbank befinden sich derzeit zwei Titel des Autors, die sich für die Behandlung im Deutschunterricht anbieten:

• Draußen vor der Tür als ein zentrales Werk der Trümmerliteratur: Nach mehrjähriger Kriegsgefangenschaft kehrt der ehemalige Unteroffizier Beckmann zurück nach Deutschland. Er ist traumatisiert von den Erlebnissen als Soldat, aber kommt in eine Welt, die die Geschehnisse des Zweiten Weltkriegs verdrängen will. Einen Ort in der Zivilgesellschaft kann Beckmann nicht finden.
• An diesem Dienstag: Borcherts zweiter Erzählband besteht aus neunzehn Kurzgeschichten, die im November 1947 veröffentlicht wurden. Neben der titelgebenden Kurzgeschichte enthält der Band u.a. auch die Erzählungen „Die Küchenuhr“, „Nachts schlafen die Ratten doch“ und „Die drei dunklen Könige“.

– Nils Rosenkranz

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, numerous American institutions use this time of year to shine a light on the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. Literature and media too can raise awareness for the unique challenges that Native Americans have historically faced and are to this day still experiencing. If you haven’t yet, take a look at the following suggestions!

• Fry Bread: This story about the staple food of many Native American families can be enjoyed by all ages! ‘Fry Bread’ isn’t just food, it combines Native American culture and history. Additional information about Native American culture and historical context is provided on the last pages as well as a recipe for ‘Fry Bread’.

• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian: A humourous coming-of-age graphic novel about love, friendship, teenage troubles, and intercultural contact. Junior is a 14-year-old Native-American teenager who grows up in the Spokane Indian Reservation in the State of Washington. Being bullied because of his special needs, he decides to visit an all-white public high school off the reservation, where he first struggles, but finally makes new friends and even gains popularity among other students.

• The First Illegal Immigrants: The cartoon “The First Illegal Immigrants” by Andy Singer, published in 2013, critically investigates the occupation of America, the forced displacement of native Americans, and the exaggerated border controls of the US homeland security. It can serve as a starting point for a classroom discussion or a project week on Native American cultures, US border politics, and migration.

• Smoke Signals: Based on a short story, this award-winning comedy tells the story of an unusual friendship. This film allows insight into life on reservations and the unique challenges Native American teenagers face.

Do you have further literature or film suggestions that have helped you learn about and appreciate Native American culture? Let us know!

Sarah

We would like to write a few words dedicated to Shel Silverstein in honour of his birthday today! Winner of numerous awards, including two Grammy’s and a Golden Globe Award, he has captured our hearts with his words. Funnily enough, the authour also known as “Uncle Shelby” didn’t plan on writing children’s poetry – but he sure is quite good at it. His matter-of-a-fact, conversational way of writing combined with his humourous illustrations are witty and thought-provoking. His collection, A Light in the Attic, features many short and sweet poems such as What If, Smart and How Many, How Much.

My personal favourite:

“HAPPY ENDING?

There are no happy endings.

Endings are the saddest part,

So just give me a happy middle

And a very happy start.”

Shel Silverstein

Luckily with the amount of poems in his collections, there is no end in sight, so enjoy!

Sarah

Each year the International Day of Peace, which was established by the UN in 1981, reminds us to seek solidarity, non-violence and cooperations across borders.

The vision for peace and devastating reality of war are reflected in some of our recently published works: The historical novel Once, the poem “The Waste Land” and the film Schindler’s List provide us with perspectives of war, trauma and destruction but also offer hope – such as John Lennon’s song “Imagine” (1971) that invites us to reflect upon the vision for peace, freedom and equality:

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.” – John Lennon

We do hope that you found some inspiration in these examples. Also, if you have a text in mind that is suitable for teaching peace in the EFL classroom, make sure to suggest it.

Simon

We would like to wish a very happy birthday to Julia Donaldson today! The accomplished author has received more than 30 awards for her heartwarming children’s books and is best known for The Gruffalo (illustrated by Axel Scheffler), featuring a little mouse and its monstrous friend.

She’s taken our hearts by storm with her life-like characters, whose struggles and dreams aren’t so different from our own. Whether it’s the animals in the Ugly Five learning to embrace their imperfections or the small snail in the Snail and the Whale standing up for its friend, we all can learn something from Julia Donaldson’s stories, regardless of age.

Have fun exploring and getting lost in these magical stories.

“I opened a book and in I strode. Now nobody can find me.” – Julia Donaldson

Sarah

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” – George Orwell

Democratic participation, individual freedom and equality are the basis of many societies. Ironically, this can lead to the assumption to take democratic rights for granted. This is exactly where some of the greatest dystopian-fiction literature can help us to understand what we would be missing if we gave up on democracy: George Orwell’s Animal Farm, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Morton Rhue and Todd Strasser’s The Wave or Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale are stories which have a powerful message to tell about some of our current freedoms, rights and how easily they could be abandoned. If you are looking for a more recent title to explore democracy and the potential loss of it, have a look at Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother, Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games or the graphic novel Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Connie Colwell Miller. The later one discovers the history of the civil rights movement in the United States and proves that speaking up and demanding one’s rights can lead to political reforms.

We do hope that you find some inspiration in these suggestions. Also, if you have a text in mind that is suitable for democratic and political education in the EFL classroom, make sure to suggest it.

Thank you and have a beautiful week!

Rico and Simon

In honour of Roald Dahl’s birthday, we would like to highlight some of our favourites works of his.

For everyone interested in a spin on classic fairytales, Roald Dahl’s novels and poems are the way to go. His novel The Witches perfectly balances dark humour and a touch of wholesomeness. Most of the poems in Revolting Rhymes and Dirty Beasts are a bit more morbid. However, the dark but often humurous twists to these classic fables and fairytales make them captivating to any audience.

We hope you find his stories as bewitching as we do, and most of all, have fun!

“It’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you’re not feeling twinkly yourself.” – Roald Dahl

Sarah

“Literacy is the most basic currency of the knowledge economy”
– Barack Obama

Since probably 1999, when I actually developed the ability to think, question, and understand, I enjoyed books. Not reading them at that time, of course, but having them read to me, and my parents read a lot to me. The huge variety of writing styles and all the different stories definitely had a great part in making me the person I am today. The ability to read provided me with access to knowledge and helped me develop diverse thoughts and opinions, the ability to write helped me to learn how to express them. I cannot imagine the universes, the knowledge, and with it the power of mind that I would have missed out on if I had never learned to read. For me, reading was a matter of course, for most of us it probably was. However, roundabout 14% of the world’s population is illiterate and the pandemic only made it worse. So this year’s ILD is about “narrowing the digital divide”. When all of a sudden the world went online, the effects of insufficient access to the internet, electricity, and digital skills in less economically developed countries became more evident and problematic.

Of course, there are many ways to also support the countries in question, but we also need to raise awareness for illiteracy in the classroom and simultaneously emphasise the importance of reading itself. I noticed that remote schooling and learning lead to a decline of the desire and also of the overall ability to read. So it’s definitely necessary to find ways, maybe also new and more creative ones, to discover and motivate the reader in every student because I refuse to believe that reading is character-based.

Therefore, for teachers, parents, and all people in need of a little guidance for motivating listless children and teenagers I recommend The Bookwhisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller. Miller is a 6th-grade teacher and provides a practical yet unconventional guideline for leading children to actually enjoy reading. And if you specifically look for books on literacy, you will find loads of useful suggestions and inspirations to spark the interest in reading in your home or classroom again.

Sarah-Sophia

First introduced in 1971, Women’s Equality Day commemorates the adoption of the nineteenth amendment in 1920. This change in the US Constitution granted women the right to vote, marking an important stride in the movement towards gender equality. To this day, equality and women’s rights remain incredibly relevant and important themes that need to be discussed with students. These pieces of literature can help spark the discourse around gender equality and discrimination in the EFL classroom:

• Top Girls by Caryl Churchill: This empowering play about power, masculinity and femininity explores roles and opportunities for women in modern society. Set in London during the early 1980s, the play follows Marlene, an ambitious, career-driven businesswoman who made irreversible sacrifices for her success. The drama raises the question: Must one ‘pass as a man’ to be successful as a woman?

• The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood: A dystopian novel on gender, sex, fertility, rebellion, and love. In the near future, most women have become infertile and the USA have transformed into a theocracy where women are either the wives of party officials, in charge of the household, or have to take part in a bizarre ritual. Offred is one of them, a “handmaid”, a woman whose sole purpose is to bear children for the elites in the post-apocalyptic, theocratic society of Gilead. Soon she finds out the true hypocrisy of the religious leaders who control her life.

Do you have a favorite book or film that made you reflect on gender roles and equality? We would love to hear your suggestions!

Happy Women’s Equality Day, and take care!

Sarah

Scorching sun and blistering heat, every now and then a few rain droplets here and there which only make the air muggier – sounds like your summer? This year’s summer is exhaustingly hot again so the grassland looks more like a desert now. So, there often comes a time when you don’t enjoy the warmth as much as in the beginning. And maybe you too have holidays or just less to do than usual and I myself thought about what I could read that wouldn’t serve any specific academic purpose only giving me a good time and leaving me more satisfied than sitting in front of the computer all day and watching movies and series. Although, I must admit, of course, that there are some pretty cool summery things to watch as well. So, I thought I’d share my list with you.

• Skyward, Brandon Sanderson: Skyward is a dystopian science-fiction novel but I particularly like that the main focus lies on the social system. It follows 17-year-old underdog Spensa, a girl that lives on the planet Detritus in the shadow of her father’s alleged cowardice and treason when he turned against his people and died during an air battle. Yes, dystopian stories need an underdog who shows the faults in society and the political system, and yes, it might be a little exhausting from time to time to sympathize with someone who is always anti-everything and system breaking for the sake of it. However, I really liked the character development of the protagonists and I liked the twist when they suddenly notice that the concept of ‘enemy’ is very subjective and usually not well-reflected. In the end, I think the book is a valuable addition to school and/or university literature because it subtly breaks out of the black and white thinking also forcing the characters to acknowledge that there is more to reality than what they make of it. I would recommend it as school literature but I think it’s simply too long.
• Book Lovers, Emily Henry: Admittedly, this one is quite cheesy but sometimes cheesy is exactly what you need. I was writing my term paper about a pretty depressing subject and this book was like a vacation. It’s like a Hallmark movie written out and with only slightly more juicy scenes and romantic tension. A classic predictable love story about enemies meeting under different circumstances and simply falling for each other – perfect summer read, love it.
• Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro: This is one of my all-time favourites! It’s set sometime in the future and it’s normal for children to have an Artificial Friend. And I find it most intriguing that the novel is told from the view of one of those instead of a human narrator. Although it is quite absurd at times, it’s about coping with loss, about othering and exclusion, but also about hope, and about love and friendship without being such a feel-good read, and it leaves room for own thoughts and interpretations.
• The Summer I Turned Pretty, Jenny Han: It is the first novel of a trilogy by Jenny Han but I only know the series which is super cute and gives me a feeling of nostalgia, but I guess I’m also old already. It’s about, well, the rollercoaster of feelings a 15-year-old girl might have when everything is suddenly different and romance is not an abstract faraway construct anymore. I think it’s really cute and would recommend it to anyone, young and old, who feels alone with all the complicated stuff in the world (this series is proof that there are others in the same boat), or who wants to sit back and say “Ah yes, being 16 again”.

Other summer recommendations: Holes by Louis Sacher (on my list every year), The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón,

Have a great August!

Sarah-Sophia