Just Read! : #3 All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

All the Bright Places

Written by Jennifer Niven

Published in 2015 by Alfred A. Knopf

Grades 9-12

ISBN: 978-0-385-75588-7

Book Review

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven is a poignant tale about two teenagers desperate to cope with their own personal struggles. Violet is dealing with the death of her sister and grappling with all the grief and emotions that brings. She then meets Finch on the ledge of the school bell tower one day. Finch is dealing with his own internal struggle. For years he has battled depression and contemplated suicide. Once they meet they seem to find new life in each other. They embark on a journey together for a school project that takes them to new places both physically and emotionally. Soon, though, the internal issues come bubbling up to the surface as both teens to continue to fight their own personal demons.
All the Bright Places is an intense story about grief, love, death, depression, and even hope.

Suicide and depression are explored in this fast paced novel. Teens will be able to identify with the characters as they find out more about each other and about themselves. Since mental illness touches every race, ethnicity, and gender All the Bright Places and the partner titles are appropriate for inclusion in any high school library collection.

Professional Reviews

Kirkus Review

School Library Journal Review

Awards

Best Fiction for Young Adults List nominee, 2016

Teaching Ideas

1. Grade 9

Super Fan: Students will create a piece of fanfiction. The story can be about any of the characters or situations in the novel. Students will share their fanfiction with others using a blog or Smore site.

English SOL 9.6 The student will develop narrative, expository, and persuasive writings for a variety of audiences and purposes. b) Plan and organize writing to address a specific audience and purpose. i) Use computer technology to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writing.

2. Grade 10

Words in Verse: In the novel Violet and Finch use poetry and other prose to communicate and express their emotions. Students will work in pairs to analyze the poems by Cesare Pavese and the poetic words of Virginia Woolf. Then students will create their own poems about All the Bright Places or another topic of interest inspired by the novel. Students will display their poems using the print or digital medium of their choice.

English SOL 10.4 The student will read, comprehend, and analyze literary texts of different cultures and eras.

3. Grade 12

Learning to Cope: Students will identify and discuss the stressful and crisis situations in All the Bright Places. Then students will work in collaborative groups to create a skit that showcases a stressful or crisis situation and its effects on a family. The skit will also include ways to cope with the situation. Students will reflect on the lessons learned in the skit through an online journal on the class blog.

Family Life SOL 12.9 The student will analyze stress and crisis situations which affect family life.

4. Grade 9

Students will read My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga. This book confronts similar themes (e.g., suicide, mental illness, bullying) found in All the Bright Places. Students will compare and contrast the plot, characters, and themes of the two books using Compare and Contrast Map or an online Venn Diagram.

English SOL 9.4 The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of literary texts including narratives, narrative nonfiction, poetry, and drama. j) Compare and contrast author’s use of literary elements within a variety of genres.

5. Grade 9

Talk it Up: Students will create a booktalk video that will be posted on the class YouTube page or class blog. Students must create a visual (either print or digital) to accompany the booktalk. The booktalk should include information about the plot of the book including details about the main idea, characters, and theme. Additionally, students should provide their interpretation of the book and their recommendation. Alternatively, since All the Bright Places is slated to become a major motion picture, students may create a movie trailer.

English SOL 9.1 The student will make planned oral presentations independently and in small groups. b) Use relevant details to support main ideas. e) Use verbal and nonverbal techniques for presentation.

Further Explorations

In the novel, Violet creates the Germ Magazine as a way to cope and start living a more normal life again. Niven continues the idea of the Germ in real life with this website that covers a variety of topics from literature and love to life and style.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or another mental illness or is contemplating suicide, please find help. Here is a great list of resources that can help you.

This article discusses the idea of bibliotherapy for teens in need. At the bottom of the article there are titles listed for several mental health conditions and disorders.

This is an educator’s guide for All the Bright Places. There are great classroom activities to accompany the novel.

Check out All the Bright Places on Instagram!

All the Bright Places is soon to be a major motion picture. Read here to find out more about the upcoming film.

Mind Your Mind website has a host of valuable resources regarding teens and mental health. Be sure to check out the links to interactives, wellness, and personal expression.

Learn more about mental health problems in teens.

View the book trailer for All the Bright Places.

Take a look at these Pinterest pages for Violet and Finch.

Partner Titles

The partner titles consist of books that have similar themes of depression, suicide, and grief. Each book offers a slightly different perspective thus making a well-rounded collection of books on these topics. Further, some of the books have female main characters while others have male main characters. This difference is intentional and meant to draw in both male and female readers.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is a gripping novel about one girl’s suicide. This book was chosen because it is written at a slightly lower reading level making it well suited for ninth grader readers or struggling readers. Students will be able to identify similar themes in both this book and All the Bright Places. This book is an excellent book to add to the library collection because it is powerful and well written. Further, Kirkus Reviews noted that the book is “brilliant and mesmerizing.” Available as an audiobook and Ebook.

The main characters in My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga are similar to Violet and Finch in that they develop a mutually beneficial relationship. This book was chosen for the similar plot structure that will be useful in comparison activities. Further, the book was on a book list about teen depression and suicide created by YALSA. The reading level would be appropriate for late middle school and early high school readers. Available as an audiobook and Ebook.

The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand was chosen because it deals with survivor’s guilt after a family member has committed suicide. The scope of this book is slightly different than All the Bright Places which focuses on the depression and mental illness of the characters and how that affects their lives. In this book, the focus is on the life of the survivor and how she navigates through the guilt and pain left behind after a suicide. This book has curricular connections to the Family Life curriculum. The Kirkus Review affirms that this book is “evocative and insightful.” Available as an audiobook and Ebook.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman has subtle differences than the other books on this list. The main character contemplates dying/suicide but not necessarily due to depression or mental illness. This difference alters the scope of the book a bit offering a different perspective on the value and meaning of life. This book was chosen primarily for its value to the overall collection. It garners high appeal among teens and offers a unique perspective that teens will be able to identify with. Available as an audiobook and Ebook.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is both a movie and a book. The movie would be a good partner title for All the Bright Places because it delves into similar themes but is more accessible to a wider range of students. Struggling or reluctant readers will be able to engage with this movie to explore teen depression. Further, the movie version of a book creates wide appeal among the teen audience.

References

All the bright places [Instagram page]. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://instagram.com/allthebrightplaces/

Asher,J. (2007). Thirteen reasons why. New York, NY: Razorbill/Penguin.

Chobsky, S. (Producer/Director). (2012). The Perks of Being a Wallflower [Motion picture]. United

States of America: Summit Entertainment.

Compare and Contrast Map. (n.d.). ReadWriteThink.org. Retrieved from

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/compare-contrast-30066.html

Forman, G. (2009). If I stay. New York, NY: Dutton.

Germ Magazine. (n.d.). Links [Webpage]. Retrieved from http://www.germmagazine.com/links/

Hand, C. (2015). The last time we say goodbye. New York, NY: Harper Teen.

Learn About Live With Care About Mental Health. (n.d.). Teen Mental Health.org. Retrieved from