Rats Saw God
By Rob Thomas Simon Pulse (1996) ISBN: 9780689802072
Being stoned on a daily basis was not how Steve York envisioned his senior year. Living in San Diego with his mother, Steve learns that he is danger of not graduating despite his well-documented and acknowledged intellect. During his junior year Steve fell in love, fell out of love, and failed his English class as a result. His guidance counselor, Mr. DeMouy, believes in Steve’s academic talent and asks that he write a 100-page essay in order to retrieve those lost English credits. The story flashes between Steve’s time living in Houston, Texas with his father, a former astronaut, to his current living situation in San Diego. Through his writing, Steve realizes his own contribution to his damaged relationship with his father and how he is the only one that can turn it around.
Quantitative: Lexile Level--970; ATOS--7.4
Qualitative: Even though the ATOS recommends this book for junior high students, the content and interest level is geared towards high school students. The novel touches on issues like underage drinking, drug use, academic integrity, sexual content and the allusion to a student/teacher sexual relationship. Additionally, the novel makes cultural references not only significant to mid-1990s (like Kurt Cobain’s suicide), but also historical references such as the first moon landing and Richard Nixon’s influence over the Vietnam War. Students reading this book today may get lost or confused by these references, but it does offer opportunities for research. Furthermore, the structure of the novel adds to the text’s complexity. Flashbacks, no chapters, change in font, figurative language, and vocabulary all contribute to the depth of the novel.
Content Area: English; Health--Divorce; Health--Drugs; Health--Relationships; Social Science--U.S. History
Curriculum Suggestions: Although this wouldn’t be a book that I would recommend to read as a class, it would make a good addition to any outside reading list, specifically in Health. The book’s primary focus is on a young man coming to terms with his upbringing. It could be an excellent “case study” for a health class examining healthy approaches for students dealing with divorce, rejection, first love, and substance abuse. Additionally, it would be fun to have students curate their own reading list with similar themes to this book. Books like Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Spectacular Now, or Fat Kid Rules the World.
Common Core Standards: RST 11/12.1-5
Additional/Digital Content:
- Lesson Plans--http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/rats-saw-god/
- Rob Thomas official site--http://www.slaverats.com/
*Meets the “Reading for Pleasure HS/MS” requirement
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