When the protagonist makes eye contact with the viewer, it evokes a different tone than when she stares off into space while playing music her father has assigned to her. The graphics enhance and move the plot along, but also raise more questions. The text structure is predominantly visual, with the main readable text newspaper articles that offer a detached view of plot elements. Using the Text Complexity: Qualitative Measures Rubric for Literature, Chopsticks rates as very complex. madness? What is going on in troubled Glory’s mind? This transmedia item explores Glory’s depression and what is perceived as real versus what takes place solely in her head. Especially cool were the pages where the images actually move like a movie. That being said, this was my first experience with this type of text and I was completely absorbed in the emotions and mystery of the story. One issue I had was that some music videos were blocked due to copyright issues.

Some pages allow the user to move pictures to reveal hidden images, play sound effects, or connect to YouTube videos of music from the CD mix tapes. Users swipe to turn the pages, can zoom into pictures, and can click on blinking musical notes for the interactive experience. The app features interactive content you can access as you ‘read’ the book through your electronic device, in my case an iPhone. Yet, if the possibility exists for the school library to purchase the app as an e-book format to check out to student (and I’ve been unable to find a definitive answer on this), this would be a worthwhile addition to a school library. Students likely would be hesitant to pay $7 for a book app. The main purpose of the site seems to be direct readers to purchase the app. There is a video of a performer playing Chopsticks and a book trailer. The website doesn’t have much in the way of extra content. Although the book can easily be a standalone with the stunning photography, newspaper clippings, letters and other visual media, the experience would be enhanced near a computer as there are several YouTube links throughout the book. This transmedia item is a paperback book, but readers can also delve deeper with transmedia items like a Tumblr page and an app ($6.99 on iTunes). The rest of the story shows her descent into madness as Francisco’s life also falls apart when he is expelled from private school. Glory fixates on the musical waltz Chopsticks, and finds she cannot stop playing it, even during important, world-renown concerts.

Her father, who is also her piano instructor and manager, pushes her to tour the world since she is considered a prodigy in the music world. Transmedia, App and TumblrĬhopsticks tells Glory’s story, a gifted pianist devastated by the death of her mother, who falls in love with Francisco, the boy who moves next door.

Chopsticks by jessica anthony