The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things
Carolyn Mackler
ISBN 1844282937
304 pages
Walker Books, 2006
Genre: Humor; Chick Lit; Contemporary Life
Readers Annotation
Overweight teen Virginia has always tried extra hard to win the affections of her picture-perfect family, but when an incident shows that they're not so perfect after all, she decides to live life on her own terms.
Plot Summary
Virginia's best friend Shannon has moved across the country--from Manhattan to Walla Walla--and now that her older sister has joined the Peace Corps and her older brother has started at Columbia, her parents have more time to obsess over her. While she's played the role of the dutiful daughter, they've mostly ignored her in favor of her flashier--and thinner--older siblings. Now, though, her mother--a therapist famous for her advice on how to relate to teens and a former fat girl herself--is convinced that all of Virginia's problems would go away if she just dropped a few dress sizes. Her father, who is quite vocal about how attractive he finds thin women's bodies, goes along with the plan.
Virginia is glad to be finally getting some attention from her parents, so she goes along with their wishes. But when her brother is kicked out of Columbia, she's forced to reexamine her family dynamics. Thrust once again into the background, Virginia finds comfort in food. But she also realizes that her family has some serious communication problems and that she's through living life on anyone's terms but her own. She makes some changes that force her parents--and her classmates--to take a look at her and see the real Virginia for the first time.
Critical Evaluation
The Earth... was a genuinely funny, uplifting look at how a teenage girl learns to love and accept herself. I thought Mackler's portrayal of Virginia's family was wonderful. In the beginning, Virginia is so desperate to be included as an equal member in her family that's she's willing to overlook a lot of egregiously bad treatment on the part of her brother and her parents. But as she starts to examine their behavior, she realizes that she deserves a lot better. Certain things like her older sister's decision to join the Peace Corps make a lot of sense once Virginia's parents have shown their true colors; when Virginia's sister writes her a letter at the end of the book, it's nearly as cathartic for the reader as it is for Virginia. We know that she'll be OK.
The decision to have Virginia's best friend move away for the year was a smart choice, too. Virginia is forced into a position as outsider at her school, so she's forced to take a good look at the social dynamics at play. At first, we accept Virginia's conclusion that the popular kids will only talk to other popular kids, etc., but eventually we realize--as Virginia's beloved teacher Mrs. Crowley already has--that Virginia has chosen her isolation. A supporting cast of characters, including the eccentric Alyssa and the blond, bland cheerleader Brie, who has problems of her own, fill out the cast nicely.
Teenager girls will be rooting at Virginia's transformation; it puts an emotional context to the typical teenage rebellion. It may inspire them to shake things up a little themselves!
About the Author
Carolyn Mackler has written four young adult novels. The strong feminist undertone to The Earth.... may be explained by the fact that Mackler started out her career as an intern for Ms. magazine. She confesses that in high school she never quite fit in, which may have inspired the character of Virginia.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used to talk about families and self-acceptance.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Write the booktalk in the form of the lists that Virginia uses.
2. Talk about Virginia as compared to her family--why does she feel like such an outcast?
3. Talk about Virginia as compared to her classmates--why does she feel like such an outcast?
Reading Interest/Level
Because of a few more adult themes, this book is probably most appropriate for high schoolers. SLJ and Booklist both recommend it for grades 7-10, and while junior high students would probably enjoy and relate to it, librarians should be aware of some potentially controversial material.
Challenge Issues
This book has been one of the most challenged books in recent years. Virginia uses some strong language at times in the book. Her older brother is found guilty of date-raping a fellow students. Virginia self-injures herself when she's feeling particularly unhappy. Masturbation is mentioned several times in the book. Virginia gets drunk on New Year's Eve.
If the book were to be challenged, the librarian should familiarize herself with the library's selection policy and be able to explain and defend it to the challenger. She could point to the book's positive reviews, as well as its status as a Printz Honor Book, as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
The book was selected as a Printz Honor Book.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
ttyl by Lauren Myracle
ttyl
Lauren Myracle
ISBN 978-0-8109-8788-3
209 pages;
Amulet Books, 2004
Genre: Epistolary; Contemporary Life; Humor;
Readers Annotation
Three best friends rely on their friendship for support during their sophomore year, in this story told exclusively through their IM logs.
Plot Summary
Cute, boy-crazy Angela, tough, sarcastic Maddie, and responsible, thoughtful Zoe are a trio of best friends who call themselves the Winsome Threesome. As they enter their sophomore year, they vow to remain as close as ever. Maddie counts down the days until she can get her driver's license. She starts the year complaining to her friends about Jana, the school's queen bee mean girl, but ends up forming a friendship with her. Angela and Zoe, though, suspect Jana may be more interested in Maddie's license and car than Maddie herself. Zoe joins the Christian fellowship. Her growing friendship with Mr. H., its faculty sponsor (and her English teacher), worries her friends, though Zoe swears his interest in her is strictly professional. Angela crushes hard on a series of boys; she's convinced each one is "the one," though her friends have seen her repeat the pattern often enough not to take her too seriously.
Will the Winsome Threesome remain as close as ever, or will they grow apart as their lives start to take them in different directions?
Critical Evaluation
I was a bit skeptical about how the book's structure would work--the story is told exclusively through the logs of their IM sessions--but I actually really enjoyed how the story unfolded. In their IMs, the girls talk about incidents at school, the TV shows they're watching, funny things that happened at work, mean things their parents said, the online quizzes they're taking. These small details, which might not make it into a more traditionally structured novel, work to give the reader a more intimate view of what these girls' lives really look like.
While the girls do occasionallyy join a group chat session, mostly they talk one-on-one. This also helps us get a more well-rounded view of the girls and their friendship because they interact in slightly different ways with the other two. And, just as often happens in real life, at times the trio is threatened when one girl feels that the other two are ganging up on her. This format also brings up the issue of the unreliable narrator; sometimes one girl lies to another, and sometimes the other girls (and reader) see the truth of a situation before the girl involved does.
It's a quick, breezy, satisfying read--a great book to recommend to reluctant readers.
Other Books in the Series
ttfn (2007)
l8r, g8r (2008)
About the Author
Lauren Myracle is a best-selling, often-praised and honored author whose works have also been frequently challenged. Besides the "IM" series, she is best known for Kissing Kate, a romance involving two girls, and Rhymes with Bitches, about a group of high school mean girls. Both books have been frequently challenged for their content, though they were also included a collection of best books for teens.
Curriculum Ties
This novel could be used as an example of non-traditional storytelling, a modern take on the epistolary novel.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about the book's structure, explaining how it gives the reader an intimate peek in their lives.
2. Talk about Maddie's relationship with Jana. Why she does she jump at the chance to be her friend, even though she knows she's mean?
3. Talk about Zoe's budding friendship with Mr. H. Should a teacher be friends with a student?
Reading Interest/Level
Though the book's take on friendships, relationships, and navigating social territory would appeal to both junior high and high school students, some potentially controversial content makes it more appropriate for older teens.
Challenge Issues
The book does contain some strong language, though it's used sparingly and realistically. Mr. H is clearly trying to seduce Zoe, which has huge challenge potential. Also, Maddie attends a frat party, where she gets drunk and is egged on to take off her top and do a striptease for the guys at the party, who throw money at her.
If the book were challenged, the librarian should read the book and point out that none of these incidents are portrayed in a flattering light. The librarian should be explain to explain and defend the library's collection policy to the challenger, pointing to ttyl's many positive reviews, including a starred review in SLJ, and its huge popularity with teen readers as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
ttyl was named a Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. It was also included in Anita Silvey's book 500 Best Books for Teens.
Lauren Myracle
ISBN 978-0-8109-8788-3
209 pages;
Amulet Books, 2004
Genre: Epistolary; Contemporary Life; Humor;
Readers Annotation
Three best friends rely on their friendship for support during their sophomore year, in this story told exclusively through their IM logs.
Plot Summary
Cute, boy-crazy Angela, tough, sarcastic Maddie, and responsible, thoughtful Zoe are a trio of best friends who call themselves the Winsome Threesome. As they enter their sophomore year, they vow to remain as close as ever. Maddie counts down the days until she can get her driver's license. She starts the year complaining to her friends about Jana, the school's queen bee mean girl, but ends up forming a friendship with her. Angela and Zoe, though, suspect Jana may be more interested in Maddie's license and car than Maddie herself. Zoe joins the Christian fellowship. Her growing friendship with Mr. H., its faculty sponsor (and her English teacher), worries her friends, though Zoe swears his interest in her is strictly professional. Angela crushes hard on a series of boys; she's convinced each one is "the one," though her friends have seen her repeat the pattern often enough not to take her too seriously.
Will the Winsome Threesome remain as close as ever, or will they grow apart as their lives start to take them in different directions?
Critical Evaluation
I was a bit skeptical about how the book's structure would work--the story is told exclusively through the logs of their IM sessions--but I actually really enjoyed how the story unfolded. In their IMs, the girls talk about incidents at school, the TV shows they're watching, funny things that happened at work, mean things their parents said, the online quizzes they're taking. These small details, which might not make it into a more traditionally structured novel, work to give the reader a more intimate view of what these girls' lives really look like.
While the girls do occasionallyy join a group chat session, mostly they talk one-on-one. This also helps us get a more well-rounded view of the girls and their friendship because they interact in slightly different ways with the other two. And, just as often happens in real life, at times the trio is threatened when one girl feels that the other two are ganging up on her. This format also brings up the issue of the unreliable narrator; sometimes one girl lies to another, and sometimes the other girls (and reader) see the truth of a situation before the girl involved does.
It's a quick, breezy, satisfying read--a great book to recommend to reluctant readers.
Other Books in the Series
ttfn (2007)
l8r, g8r (2008)
About the Author
Lauren Myracle is a best-selling, often-praised and honored author whose works have also been frequently challenged. Besides the "IM" series, she is best known for Kissing Kate, a romance involving two girls, and Rhymes with Bitches, about a group of high school mean girls. Both books have been frequently challenged for their content, though they were also included a collection of best books for teens.
Curriculum Ties
This novel could be used as an example of non-traditional storytelling, a modern take on the epistolary novel.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about the book's structure, explaining how it gives the reader an intimate peek in their lives.
2. Talk about Maddie's relationship with Jana. Why she does she jump at the chance to be her friend, even though she knows she's mean?
3. Talk about Zoe's budding friendship with Mr. H. Should a teacher be friends with a student?
Reading Interest/Level
Though the book's take on friendships, relationships, and navigating social territory would appeal to both junior high and high school students, some potentially controversial content makes it more appropriate for older teens.
Challenge Issues
The book does contain some strong language, though it's used sparingly and realistically. Mr. H is clearly trying to seduce Zoe, which has huge challenge potential. Also, Maddie attends a frat party, where she gets drunk and is egged on to take off her top and do a striptease for the guys at the party, who throw money at her.
If the book were challenged, the librarian should read the book and point out that none of these incidents are portrayed in a flattering light. The librarian should be explain to explain and defend the library's collection policy to the challenger, pointing to ttyl's many positive reviews, including a starred review in SLJ, and its huge popularity with teen readers as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
ttyl was named a Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. It was also included in Anita Silvey's book 500 Best Books for Teens.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Silent to the Bone by E.L. Konigsburg
Silent to the Bone
E.L. Konigsburg
ISBN 0-689-86715-8
261 pages
Simon Pulse, 2000
Genre: Issue Novel
Readers Annotation
After his baby sister is injured in a mysterious accident, 13-year-old Branwell stops speaking and is sent to a juvenile behavioral center, suspected of the crime. His best friend Connor is determined to find a way to get Bran to start talking again and find out what really happened.
Plot Summary
Bran and Connor have been friends since they were born. Both are the children of academics in a small university town, both are somewhat outcasts at school because of their obvious intelligence, and both come from broken and blended families. Bran's mother died when she was a baby, though his father has recently remarried and had a baby with his new wife. Connor's father left his mother for one of his graduate students; his father's daughter from his first marriage, Margaret, is in her 20s and maintains a good relationship with Connor, though her relationship with Connor's mother and their father is strained.
One day, Bran's sister's British nanny makes a hysterical 911 call; she says the baby is unconscious and accuses Bran of dropping her; the baby falls into a coma. Bran stops speaking and is sent to a juvenile behavioral center, where he is suspected of injuring his sister. Connor cannot believe that his friend is guilty of such a heinous crime and sets out to figure out what really happened. Using a series of notecards that have names and places written on them, as well as a sort of shorthand the two have developed over years of a mutual love of wordplay, Connor becomes a detective, piecing together clues after speaking to various people from Bran's life. He finds an ally in Margaret, who supports him in his quest.
Critical Evaluation
Silent to the Bone is a multi-layered work. While the mystery has many satisfying twists and turns, the book also has a deep emotional resonance. Bran and Connor's deep friendship is at the book's core; though Connor has faith in his friend's innocence, he does get frustrated that Bran cannot simply speak up and explain what really happened. The issue of family and identity is also explored. As Connor comes to understand just how deeply Bran was wounded by the remarriage of his father, he begins to understand why his older half-sister Margaret has never forgiven their father for leaving her mother. Shame, too, is a central concept of the book; are there certain feelings, certain emotions so shameful that one would rather take the rap for something he didn't do than admit to them?
Silent to the Bone also explores the relationship young teens can have with the young adults in their life. Caught between the adult world and the child world, Bran and Connor struggle to navigate the relationships with the young adults in their lives. Connor loves how his sister Margaret treats him as an adult, but his social inexperience leads him to fail to pick up some important social clues. Bran is mystified by the beautiful British nanny who lives with his family; she is playing a game for which he does not understand the rules.
About the Author
Two-time Newbery Medal-winning author E.L. Konigsburg is perhaps best known for her children's classic From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Though she wrote children's work earlier in her career, her most recent novels have been for a young adult audience.
Other Books in the Series
While not a sequel per se, Konigsburg's next novel The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place, features the character of Margaret as a 12-year-old girl.
Curriculum Ties
This book would absolutely be suited to use in a curriculum to discuss the issues of shame, family, and friendship.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain the book's central mystery: did Bran injure his sister? If not, who did?
2. Talk about Bran and Connor's friendship. How far will Connor go to defend his friend?
3. Talk about the complicated relationships Brand and Connor have with their families.
Reading Interest/Level
Clearly a young adult book, the book would be appropriate for young teens in junior high. However, older readers who might be discouraged by the age of the protagonists should be encouraged to pick it up, too. There are a lot of mature themes here that will be interesting and relevant to older teens, and because Connor and Bran are so mature, Connor's point of view reads more like an adult than a teen.
Challenge Issues
Bran and Connor are teenage boys, and their budding sexuality is frankly (though not graphically) acknowledged in the novel. In a predatory scene, the older British nanny tries to seduce Bran. These scenes are absolutely crucial to the book's message and power, though some may find them offensive. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should be aware of the library's selection policy and be able to explain and defend it to the challenger. Silent to the Bones' laundry list of awards--an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a Booklist Editors' Choice, a SLJ Best Book--as well as its multiple starred reviews could be used as evidence to prove the book's worth.
Selection Criteria
While browsing the YA section of a used book store, I came across this title. I remembered reading Konigsburg's books for children and saw that this title was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
E.L. Konigsburg
ISBN 0-689-86715-8
261 pages
Simon Pulse, 2000
Genre: Issue Novel
Readers Annotation
After his baby sister is injured in a mysterious accident, 13-year-old Branwell stops speaking and is sent to a juvenile behavioral center, suspected of the crime. His best friend Connor is determined to find a way to get Bran to start talking again and find out what really happened.
Plot Summary
Bran and Connor have been friends since they were born. Both are the children of academics in a small university town, both are somewhat outcasts at school because of their obvious intelligence, and both come from broken and blended families. Bran's mother died when she was a baby, though his father has recently remarried and had a baby with his new wife. Connor's father left his mother for one of his graduate students; his father's daughter from his first marriage, Margaret, is in her 20s and maintains a good relationship with Connor, though her relationship with Connor's mother and their father is strained.
One day, Bran's sister's British nanny makes a hysterical 911 call; she says the baby is unconscious and accuses Bran of dropping her; the baby falls into a coma. Bran stops speaking and is sent to a juvenile behavioral center, where he is suspected of injuring his sister. Connor cannot believe that his friend is guilty of such a heinous crime and sets out to figure out what really happened. Using a series of notecards that have names and places written on them, as well as a sort of shorthand the two have developed over years of a mutual love of wordplay, Connor becomes a detective, piecing together clues after speaking to various people from Bran's life. He finds an ally in Margaret, who supports him in his quest.
Critical Evaluation
Silent to the Bone is a multi-layered work. While the mystery has many satisfying twists and turns, the book also has a deep emotional resonance. Bran and Connor's deep friendship is at the book's core; though Connor has faith in his friend's innocence, he does get frustrated that Bran cannot simply speak up and explain what really happened. The issue of family and identity is also explored. As Connor comes to understand just how deeply Bran was wounded by the remarriage of his father, he begins to understand why his older half-sister Margaret has never forgiven their father for leaving her mother. Shame, too, is a central concept of the book; are there certain feelings, certain emotions so shameful that one would rather take the rap for something he didn't do than admit to them?
Silent to the Bone also explores the relationship young teens can have with the young adults in their life. Caught between the adult world and the child world, Bran and Connor struggle to navigate the relationships with the young adults in their lives. Connor loves how his sister Margaret treats him as an adult, but his social inexperience leads him to fail to pick up some important social clues. Bran is mystified by the beautiful British nanny who lives with his family; she is playing a game for which he does not understand the rules.
About the Author
Two-time Newbery Medal-winning author E.L. Konigsburg is perhaps best known for her children's classic From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Though she wrote children's work earlier in her career, her most recent novels have been for a young adult audience.
Other Books in the Series
While not a sequel per se, Konigsburg's next novel The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place, features the character of Margaret as a 12-year-old girl.
Curriculum Ties
This book would absolutely be suited to use in a curriculum to discuss the issues of shame, family, and friendship.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain the book's central mystery: did Bran injure his sister? If not, who did?
2. Talk about Bran and Connor's friendship. How far will Connor go to defend his friend?
3. Talk about the complicated relationships Brand and Connor have with their families.
Reading Interest/Level
Clearly a young adult book, the book would be appropriate for young teens in junior high. However, older readers who might be discouraged by the age of the protagonists should be encouraged to pick it up, too. There are a lot of mature themes here that will be interesting and relevant to older teens, and because Connor and Bran are so mature, Connor's point of view reads more like an adult than a teen.
Challenge Issues
Bran and Connor are teenage boys, and their budding sexuality is frankly (though not graphically) acknowledged in the novel. In a predatory scene, the older British nanny tries to seduce Bran. These scenes are absolutely crucial to the book's message and power, though some may find them offensive. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should be aware of the library's selection policy and be able to explain and defend it to the challenger. Silent to the Bones' laundry list of awards--an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a Booklist Editors' Choice, a SLJ Best Book--as well as its multiple starred reviews could be used as evidence to prove the book's worth.
Selection Criteria
While browsing the YA section of a used book store, I came across this title. I remembered reading Konigsburg's books for children and saw that this title was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
The Road Home by Ellen Emerson White
The Road Home
Ellen Emerson White
ISBN 0-590-46738-7
469 pages
Scholastic, 1995
Genre: Historical Fiction
Readers Annotation
Rebecca Phillips, 21, serves as a nurse in the Vietnam War and is scarred by the suffering she sees there. When she returns home, she finds herself haunted by memories, unable to resume a normal life.
Plot Summary
Whip-smart Rebecca Phillips comes from a well-to-do family in Massachusetts. Though she's always longed to be a doctor, her physician father discouraged her from entering the profession, thinking it to be unsuitable for a woman. After her childhood best friend dies in the Vietnam War, and her brother goes to Canada to dodge the draft, she impulsively decides to join the Army as a nurse. While there, she turns out to be excellent at her job, having impeccable medical judgment. She also sees horrors she never dreamed of. A friendship with her boss, a feisty, sarcastic kindred spirit named Maggie Doyle, and a budding romance with Michael, whose platoon saved her after she was stranded in the jungle on a rescue mission, help keep her sane, along with a healthy amount of beer and bad attitudes. But when Michael is sent home after being wounded and losing his leg, she spirals into depression.
Coming home after her tour of duty, the enormity of what she went through suddenly hits her. She suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, unable to sleep or resume her normal life, and still continues to drink too much. Though her parents love her, they are unsure how to help her. Eventually Rebecca decides that the only way she will find peace is to reconnect with Maggie and Michael in the States.
Critical Evaluation
The Road Home is a haunting, affecting exploration of the Vietnam War. White has clearly researched what life was like for the doctors and nurses serving in Vietnam, and young readers who are relatively unfamiliar with the conflict will come away with a new understanding of what the war was and why it was so horrific.
Rebecca's emotional journey is moving and believable. The reader grows to love her funny, sarcastic sense of humor in the book's beginning, though it's clearly at least in part a defense mechanism to the daily atrocities she sees, and when that vibrant voice disappears as Rebecca grows more and more depressed, the reader worries as much about her as do her loved ones surround her.
The relationship between Rebecca and Michael, and Maggie and Rebecca's friendship, are beautifully characterized. The only way these characters can begin to find peace is to share their feelings with others who experienced the same hell.
Other Books in the Series
While the book The Road Home stands alone as an independent work, it can also be seen as a companion to the Echo Company series, which White penned under the name Zack Emerson. The series tells the story of Michael and his platoon, and also explains the story of how Rebecca came to be stranded in the jungle.
About the author
Ellen Emerson White, best known for her books about Meghan Powers, is known for her smart, sarcastic heroines. She also explores the issues of PTSD, as experienced by Rebecca, in two of the Meghan books (Long Live the Queen and Long May She Reign). White first began writing YA as a young adult herself; her first novel was published while she was still a student at Tufts University.
Curriculum Ties
The book would be a great tie-in to a unit on the Vietnam War, especially as it tells the story of the female nurses stationed in Vietnam, a side of the war not often explored in high school history books.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explore the romance between Rebecca and Michael.
2. Talk about Rebecca and her father, and how their expectations for her life differ.
3. Explore the deep friendships Rebecca develops "in the trenches."
Reading/Interest Level
Because of the scenes of graphic violence and some strong language, this book is probably appropriate for high school readers and above.
Challenge Issues
The book might be challenged due to its graphic scenes of violence. Also, Rebecca, though over 21, does abuse alcohol. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should be aware of the library's selection policy and be prepared to explain and defend it to the challenger. The librarian could argue that the book's scenes of violence are historically accurate and point to its value as a teaching tool about the horrors of war. The librarian could also point to the book's positive reviews, including a starred review in Publishers Weekly, and its status as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Selection Criteria
The Road Home was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Ellen Emerson White
ISBN 0-590-46738-7
469 pages
Scholastic, 1995
Genre: Historical Fiction
Readers Annotation
Rebecca Phillips, 21, serves as a nurse in the Vietnam War and is scarred by the suffering she sees there. When she returns home, she finds herself haunted by memories, unable to resume a normal life.
Plot Summary
Whip-smart Rebecca Phillips comes from a well-to-do family in Massachusetts. Though she's always longed to be a doctor, her physician father discouraged her from entering the profession, thinking it to be unsuitable for a woman. After her childhood best friend dies in the Vietnam War, and her brother goes to Canada to dodge the draft, she impulsively decides to join the Army as a nurse. While there, she turns out to be excellent at her job, having impeccable medical judgment. She also sees horrors she never dreamed of. A friendship with her boss, a feisty, sarcastic kindred spirit named Maggie Doyle, and a budding romance with Michael, whose platoon saved her after she was stranded in the jungle on a rescue mission, help keep her sane, along with a healthy amount of beer and bad attitudes. But when Michael is sent home after being wounded and losing his leg, she spirals into depression.
Coming home after her tour of duty, the enormity of what she went through suddenly hits her. She suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, unable to sleep or resume her normal life, and still continues to drink too much. Though her parents love her, they are unsure how to help her. Eventually Rebecca decides that the only way she will find peace is to reconnect with Maggie and Michael in the States.
Critical Evaluation
The Road Home is a haunting, affecting exploration of the Vietnam War. White has clearly researched what life was like for the doctors and nurses serving in Vietnam, and young readers who are relatively unfamiliar with the conflict will come away with a new understanding of what the war was and why it was so horrific.
Rebecca's emotional journey is moving and believable. The reader grows to love her funny, sarcastic sense of humor in the book's beginning, though it's clearly at least in part a defense mechanism to the daily atrocities she sees, and when that vibrant voice disappears as Rebecca grows more and more depressed, the reader worries as much about her as do her loved ones surround her.
The relationship between Rebecca and Michael, and Maggie and Rebecca's friendship, are beautifully characterized. The only way these characters can begin to find peace is to share their feelings with others who experienced the same hell.
Other Books in the Series
While the book The Road Home stands alone as an independent work, it can also be seen as a companion to the Echo Company series, which White penned under the name Zack Emerson. The series tells the story of Michael and his platoon, and also explains the story of how Rebecca came to be stranded in the jungle.
About the author
Ellen Emerson White, best known for her books about Meghan Powers, is known for her smart, sarcastic heroines. She also explores the issues of PTSD, as experienced by Rebecca, in two of the Meghan books (Long Live the Queen and Long May She Reign). White first began writing YA as a young adult herself; her first novel was published while she was still a student at Tufts University.
Curriculum Ties
The book would be a great tie-in to a unit on the Vietnam War, especially as it tells the story of the female nurses stationed in Vietnam, a side of the war not often explored in high school history books.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explore the romance between Rebecca and Michael.
2. Talk about Rebecca and her father, and how their expectations for her life differ.
3. Explore the deep friendships Rebecca develops "in the trenches."
Reading/Interest Level
Because of the scenes of graphic violence and some strong language, this book is probably appropriate for high school readers and above.
Challenge Issues
The book might be challenged due to its graphic scenes of violence. Also, Rebecca, though over 21, does abuse alcohol. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should be aware of the library's selection policy and be prepared to explain and defend it to the challenger. The librarian could argue that the book's scenes of violence are historically accurate and point to its value as a teaching tool about the horrors of war. The librarian could also point to the book's positive reviews, including a starred review in Publishers Weekly, and its status as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Selection Criteria
The Road Home was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Gone by Michael Grant
Gone
Michael Grant
ISBN 0061448761
576 pages
Katherine Tegan Books, 2008
Genre: Supernatural
Readers Annotation
When everyone over the age of 15 disappears from their California coastal town, the teens who remain must figure out how to rebuild society. As some of the teens reveal that they have psionic powers, the teens divide into two factions who fight for control.
Plot Summary
In the middle of an ordinary school day in the coastal California town of Perdido Beach, everyone aged 15 and over suddenly disappears without a trace. In the chaos that follows, students turn to 14-year-old Sam, already a school hero for saving his fellow classmates after a school bus accident, as their leader. The teens try to create a new society and struggle with fulfilling all of the roles a successful society needs.
Sam, his best friend Quinn, and brilliant Ingrid--Sam's love interest--set off to search for her missing younger brother, who is autistic. In their search, they learn that the entire town is surrounded by an invisible force field: they're trapped. In their absence, teens from the local boarding school, led by a boy named Caine, show up to stake their claim on the new society. While at first the two groups try to work together, a chasm soon grows between them when the boarding school teens show themselves to be bullies. Some of the teens start developing psionic powers, such as telekinesis or the ability to shoot laser-like beams from one's hands. Sam confesses that he had these powers before the incident, and Ingrid realizes that her brother did, too. It becomes clear that the teens from the boarding school had also been working to perfect their powers prior to the incident.
The two groups, led by Sam and Caine (who are revealed to be twin brothers), eventually move towards a war against one another. But as they both near their 15th birthday, what will happen to them? Can the nascent society survive without them? And can their society, already decimated by some strange force, survive a war?
Critical Evaluation
Many reviews of Gone describe it as Lord of the Flies meets The Stand, which is a fairly apt description. The book's strength is its plot--breakneck and exciting, it will keep readers turning the pages. (The abrupt cliffhanger ending will only make them hungry for the sequel, published earlier this year.) The descriptions of how the teens figure out what has happened and how they decide to recreate society on their terms are compelling; one teen organizes a daycare for the babies and children left behind; another learns how to operate the town's McDonald's, so as to feed everyone.
However, the characterizations are fairly shallow. Most of the teens are stereotypes, stock characters that will be all too familiar. Readers who are looking for a plot-driven action book will be satisfied, while those looking for a more thoughtful exploration of what it means for a society to be destroyed and then rebuilt will be disappointed.
Other Books in the Series
Hunger, published in 2009, is the sequel to Gone. Eventually Grant plans to write a total of six books in the series.
About the Author
Michael Grant is the co-creator and co-author of the Animorphs and Everworld series of books, which were aimed at middle-school readers. (His wife, Katherine Applegate, received name credit for the books.) Gone is the first book published under his name.
Curriculum Ties
While this plot-driven book is an entertaining read, the shallow characterizations make it unsuitable for use in a curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about the disappearance of all adults and how the teens need to recreate a society.
2. Talk about the psionic powers and their role in the new society.
3. Talk about the character of Sam: his interest in Astrid, his brother Caine, and his struggle to be a positive leader in the new society.
Reading/Interest Level
The book would be of interest to those in junior high and up, but the intense violence might make it more appropriate to recommend to high school readers.
Challenge Issues
The book might draw criticism for its scenes of violence. There are some disturbing scenes at the beginning of the book where the teens find babies who died in their cribs after their parents disappeared. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should be aware of the library's selection policy and be able to explain and defend it to the challenger. The librarian should point to the many positive reviews Gone received, including starred reviews in VOYA and Booklist.
Selection Criteria
While searching for books on psionic powers, I read a very enthusiastic review of this book by a teen reader.
Michael Grant
ISBN 0061448761
576 pages
Katherine Tegan Books, 2008
Genre: Supernatural
Readers Annotation
When everyone over the age of 15 disappears from their California coastal town, the teens who remain must figure out how to rebuild society. As some of the teens reveal that they have psionic powers, the teens divide into two factions who fight for control.
Plot Summary
In the middle of an ordinary school day in the coastal California town of Perdido Beach, everyone aged 15 and over suddenly disappears without a trace. In the chaos that follows, students turn to 14-year-old Sam, already a school hero for saving his fellow classmates after a school bus accident, as their leader. The teens try to create a new society and struggle with fulfilling all of the roles a successful society needs.
Sam, his best friend Quinn, and brilliant Ingrid--Sam's love interest--set off to search for her missing younger brother, who is autistic. In their search, they learn that the entire town is surrounded by an invisible force field: they're trapped. In their absence, teens from the local boarding school, led by a boy named Caine, show up to stake their claim on the new society. While at first the two groups try to work together, a chasm soon grows between them when the boarding school teens show themselves to be bullies. Some of the teens start developing psionic powers, such as telekinesis or the ability to shoot laser-like beams from one's hands. Sam confesses that he had these powers before the incident, and Ingrid realizes that her brother did, too. It becomes clear that the teens from the boarding school had also been working to perfect their powers prior to the incident.
The two groups, led by Sam and Caine (who are revealed to be twin brothers), eventually move towards a war against one another. But as they both near their 15th birthday, what will happen to them? Can the nascent society survive without them? And can their society, already decimated by some strange force, survive a war?
Critical Evaluation
Many reviews of Gone describe it as Lord of the Flies meets The Stand, which is a fairly apt description. The book's strength is its plot--breakneck and exciting, it will keep readers turning the pages. (The abrupt cliffhanger ending will only make them hungry for the sequel, published earlier this year.) The descriptions of how the teens figure out what has happened and how they decide to recreate society on their terms are compelling; one teen organizes a daycare for the babies and children left behind; another learns how to operate the town's McDonald's, so as to feed everyone.
However, the characterizations are fairly shallow. Most of the teens are stereotypes, stock characters that will be all too familiar. Readers who are looking for a plot-driven action book will be satisfied, while those looking for a more thoughtful exploration of what it means for a society to be destroyed and then rebuilt will be disappointed.
Other Books in the Series
Hunger, published in 2009, is the sequel to Gone. Eventually Grant plans to write a total of six books in the series.
About the Author
Michael Grant is the co-creator and co-author of the Animorphs and Everworld series of books, which were aimed at middle-school readers. (His wife, Katherine Applegate, received name credit for the books.) Gone is the first book published under his name.
Curriculum Ties
While this plot-driven book is an entertaining read, the shallow characterizations make it unsuitable for use in a curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about the disappearance of all adults and how the teens need to recreate a society.
2. Talk about the psionic powers and their role in the new society.
3. Talk about the character of Sam: his interest in Astrid, his brother Caine, and his struggle to be a positive leader in the new society.
Reading/Interest Level
The book would be of interest to those in junior high and up, but the intense violence might make it more appropriate to recommend to high school readers.
Challenge Issues
The book might draw criticism for its scenes of violence. There are some disturbing scenes at the beginning of the book where the teens find babies who died in their cribs after their parents disappeared. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should be aware of the library's selection policy and be able to explain and defend it to the challenger. The librarian should point to the many positive reviews Gone received, including starred reviews in VOYA and Booklist.
Selection Criteria
While searching for books on psionic powers, I read a very enthusiastic review of this book by a teen reader.
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Living Dead Girl
Elizabeth Scott
ISBN 978-1-4169-6059-1
170 pages
Simon Pulse, 2008
Genre: Issue Novel, Sexual Abuse
Readers Annotation
Abducted by a pedophile when she was ten, Alice fears he may kill her now that she has turned fifteen.
Plot Summary
When she was ten, Ray abducted her from a school field trip. He raped her, beat her, and renamed her Alice. She tried to escape and ask for help, but Ray told her that if she ever ran away, he'd kill her parents. That's what he did to the parents of the previous Alice, whom he also kidnapped as a small girl. When she reached age 15, he tired of her and killed her, too.
Now Alice is 15 herself. She's spent the past five years as Ray's sex slave, hiding in plain sight and anaesthetizing herself on trashy TV. He starves her to help her maintain a childlike figure, but she knows it's inevitable that she will soon grow too old for Ray, and then he will kill her, too. Alice longs for death; she's a living dead girl, a shell of a person. When Ray decides she'll help him find a replacement Alice, she learns whether or not there's any of the old girl, the one who lived with parents who loved her, left inside her.
Critical Annotation
Living Dead Girl is a short but incredibly haunting story. Scott tells it mostly from Alice's first-person point of view, but opens the story by describing Alice's life in a third-person view and in a second-person view. This helps the reader get inside Alice's head and figure out why exactly she never runs for help, even though she has multiple opportunities to do so. It also implicates the reader as part of a general society that has let Alice down. Though Ray has been the one who has raped and abused her for five years, people at large have continually let her down--from the gas station clerk who dismissed her when she tried to run for help to the neighbors who for years have ignored the clearly starved and neglected girl in front of their eyes.
Throughout flashbacks, Alice explains how she unwittingly became Ray's victim and what she has had to endure over the past five years. Though the reader feels great pain over Alice's situation, eventually the reader also comes to understand how immensely and irrevocably damaged Alice is. Desperate to survive after years of abuse, she is startled to realize that Ray has formed her in his own image. Ray is a fully realized villain; the reader learns why Ray is the way he is and, gradually, as Alice tells more of her story, understands just how evil he is and how he has rendered Alice completely powerless. The ending is shocking and affecting; it's a book that will stick with the reader long after the last page.
About the Author
Elizabeth Scott has written six young adult novels. Many of them are described as modern realistic romances, in the manner of Sarah Dessen; Living Dead Girl is quite a departure from her earlier work. Two of her other recent novels also take on more serious issues: Love You Hate You Miss You deals with a teen alcoholic whose best friend was killed in a car accident and Stealing Heaven deals with a teenage kleptomaniac.
Curriculum Ties
In my high school English class, we read The Collector by John Knowles, and I can see Living Dead Girl inspiring similar lively debates. Though Alice is clearly a victim, should she be held responsible for her decision to help Ray kidnap another young girl? Is Ray a victim himself, and does he deserve any sympathy? Who has let Alice down more: Ray or the people surrounding her? If Alice escaped, what would her life look like? Why do you think Alice didn't run away or ask for help? What would you have done?
Booktalking Ideas
Honestly, this one pretty much talks itself: just tell the premise of the story, and listeners will be hooked.
Reading Interest/Level
This book's intense subject matter and graphic depictions of violence make it appropriate only for older high school readers.
Challenge Issues
The book's intense subject matter and graphic depictions of violence, including sexual violence, make it highly likely to be challenged. Librarians should be aware of their library's selection policy and be prepared to explain and defend it to the challenger. The books numerous positive reviews, as well as its laundry list of awards, including being named one of YALSA's Best Books of 2009, could be used to defend its place as an important, albeit challenging, work for young adults.
Selection Criteria
When I saw this book on YALSA's list of the Best Books of 2009, I was drawn to the description of it.
Elizabeth Scott
ISBN 978-1-4169-6059-1
170 pages
Simon Pulse, 2008
Genre: Issue Novel, Sexual Abuse
Readers Annotation
Abducted by a pedophile when she was ten, Alice fears he may kill her now that she has turned fifteen.
Plot Summary
When she was ten, Ray abducted her from a school field trip. He raped her, beat her, and renamed her Alice. She tried to escape and ask for help, but Ray told her that if she ever ran away, he'd kill her parents. That's what he did to the parents of the previous Alice, whom he also kidnapped as a small girl. When she reached age 15, he tired of her and killed her, too.
Now Alice is 15 herself. She's spent the past five years as Ray's sex slave, hiding in plain sight and anaesthetizing herself on trashy TV. He starves her to help her maintain a childlike figure, but she knows it's inevitable that she will soon grow too old for Ray, and then he will kill her, too. Alice longs for death; she's a living dead girl, a shell of a person. When Ray decides she'll help him find a replacement Alice, she learns whether or not there's any of the old girl, the one who lived with parents who loved her, left inside her.
Critical Annotation
Living Dead Girl is a short but incredibly haunting story. Scott tells it mostly from Alice's first-person point of view, but opens the story by describing Alice's life in a third-person view and in a second-person view. This helps the reader get inside Alice's head and figure out why exactly she never runs for help, even though she has multiple opportunities to do so. It also implicates the reader as part of a general society that has let Alice down. Though Ray has been the one who has raped and abused her for five years, people at large have continually let her down--from the gas station clerk who dismissed her when she tried to run for help to the neighbors who for years have ignored the clearly starved and neglected girl in front of their eyes.
Throughout flashbacks, Alice explains how she unwittingly became Ray's victim and what she has had to endure over the past five years. Though the reader feels great pain over Alice's situation, eventually the reader also comes to understand how immensely and irrevocably damaged Alice is. Desperate to survive after years of abuse, she is startled to realize that Ray has formed her in his own image. Ray is a fully realized villain; the reader learns why Ray is the way he is and, gradually, as Alice tells more of her story, understands just how evil he is and how he has rendered Alice completely powerless. The ending is shocking and affecting; it's a book that will stick with the reader long after the last page.
About the Author
Elizabeth Scott has written six young adult novels. Many of them are described as modern realistic romances, in the manner of Sarah Dessen; Living Dead Girl is quite a departure from her earlier work. Two of her other recent novels also take on more serious issues: Love You Hate You Miss You deals with a teen alcoholic whose best friend was killed in a car accident and Stealing Heaven deals with a teenage kleptomaniac.
Curriculum Ties
In my high school English class, we read The Collector by John Knowles, and I can see Living Dead Girl inspiring similar lively debates. Though Alice is clearly a victim, should she be held responsible for her decision to help Ray kidnap another young girl? Is Ray a victim himself, and does he deserve any sympathy? Who has let Alice down more: Ray or the people surrounding her? If Alice escaped, what would her life look like? Why do you think Alice didn't run away or ask for help? What would you have done?
Booktalking Ideas
Honestly, this one pretty much talks itself: just tell the premise of the story, and listeners will be hooked.
Reading Interest/Level
This book's intense subject matter and graphic depictions of violence make it appropriate only for older high school readers.
Challenge Issues
The book's intense subject matter and graphic depictions of violence, including sexual violence, make it highly likely to be challenged. Librarians should be aware of their library's selection policy and be prepared to explain and defend it to the challenger. The books numerous positive reviews, as well as its laundry list of awards, including being named one of YALSA's Best Books of 2009, could be used to defend its place as an important, albeit challenging, work for young adults.
Selection Criteria
When I saw this book on YALSA's list of the Best Books of 2009, I was drawn to the description of it.
One of the Boys (CD) by Katy Perry
One of the Boys
Katy Perry
ASIN: B0017ZB8M6
12 tracks, running time 43:52
Capitol, 2008
Genre: Pop
Listeners Annotation
In her pop/rock album full of radio hits, Katy Perry explores love, relationships, and modern femininity.
Summary
In her debut album, Katy Perry explores love, relationships, and modern femininity. In her title track, Perry documents her transformation from pre-teen tomboy to a teenager becoming aware of the power of her own sexuality: "I wanna be a flower, not a dirty weed / And I wanna smell like roses, not a baseball team / 'Cause one day I swear you're gonna wanna make out with me." In "Ur So Gay," Perry laments her metrosexual boyfriend who'd rather admire himself and go on MySpace than pay attention to her. Perry dismisses him: "Ur so gay, but you don't even like boys." In "I Kissed a Girl," Perry experiments with bisexuality: "I kissed a girl just to try it / I hope my boyfriend don't mind it." "Waking Up in Vegas" discusses the highs and lows of a weekend in Las Vegas, while in "Hot N Cold" Perry complains about a boy who keeps on sending her mixed messages: "You PMS like a bitch / I should know / And you overthink / Also speak cryptically.
Critical Evaluation
Teens will probably relate to and love the pop culture references Perry throws out -- H&M, MySpace, Aveda beauty products, Seventeen magazine -- and relate to her struggles with self-identity and relationships. Perry has a strong voice, and many of her pop/rock songs have catchy hooks. There's almost a strong pop punk feel to some of them. Perry wrote or co-wrote all of the songs herself, and the album has a strong, definite identity.
This makes her slightly different and more appealing than other teen singers, who do not write their own music. Katy Perry also has a very fun retro fashion sensibility that teenage girls may enjoy. However, the songs, while fun and catchy, do seem a bit disposable; there's not a whole lot of weight there.
About the artist
23-year-old Katy Perry first released a record of Gospel music at the age of 15. Over the course of the next eight years, she distanced herself from her Evangelical Christian musical background and moved to pop music that explores decidedly secular issues, including sexuality. She is well-known for her retro fashion and her pin-up girl looks. She lists artists like Alanis Morissette and Cyndi Lauper as her influences, and one can very much hear how they shaped her brand of female-centric pop.
Curriculum Ties
n/a
Booktalking Ideas
n/a
Listening Level/Challenge Issues
Though younger teens may be familiar and enjoy Perry's songs on the radio, the album's themes of sexuality may make it a little more appropriate for high schoolers. While the album only has mild language and is not marked as having Explicit Language (one mention to "jerking off" is bleeped out on the album, though an explicit version of the single is available through iTunes), songs like "I Kissed A Girl" may cause some parents concern. Also, some parents may take offense at Perry's derogatory use of the worlds "gay" and "bitch" in "Ur So Gay" and "Hot N Cold."
Should the album be challenged, the library should be able to to explain its collection policy for music. The album received a positive review from Billboard and also reached as high as number 3 on their Rock chart.
Selection Criteria
I was only vaguely familiar with Perry, having heard a few of her songs on the "Top 20" radio station, so I decided to check out this album as an example of current pop music.
Katy Perry
ASIN: B0017ZB8M6
12 tracks, running time 43:52
Capitol, 2008
Genre: Pop
Listeners Annotation
In her pop/rock album full of radio hits, Katy Perry explores love, relationships, and modern femininity.
Summary
In her debut album, Katy Perry explores love, relationships, and modern femininity. In her title track, Perry documents her transformation from pre-teen tomboy to a teenager becoming aware of the power of her own sexuality: "I wanna be a flower, not a dirty weed / And I wanna smell like roses, not a baseball team / 'Cause one day I swear you're gonna wanna make out with me." In "Ur So Gay," Perry laments her metrosexual boyfriend who'd rather admire himself and go on MySpace than pay attention to her. Perry dismisses him: "Ur so gay, but you don't even like boys." In "I Kissed a Girl," Perry experiments with bisexuality: "I kissed a girl just to try it / I hope my boyfriend don't mind it." "Waking Up in Vegas" discusses the highs and lows of a weekend in Las Vegas, while in "Hot N Cold" Perry complains about a boy who keeps on sending her mixed messages: "You PMS like a bitch / I should know / And you overthink / Also speak cryptically.
Critical Evaluation
Teens will probably relate to and love the pop culture references Perry throws out -- H&M, MySpace, Aveda beauty products, Seventeen magazine -- and relate to her struggles with self-identity and relationships. Perry has a strong voice, and many of her pop/rock songs have catchy hooks. There's almost a strong pop punk feel to some of them. Perry wrote or co-wrote all of the songs herself, and the album has a strong, definite identity.
This makes her slightly different and more appealing than other teen singers, who do not write their own music. Katy Perry also has a very fun retro fashion sensibility that teenage girls may enjoy. However, the songs, while fun and catchy, do seem a bit disposable; there's not a whole lot of weight there.
About the artist
23-year-old Katy Perry first released a record of Gospel music at the age of 15. Over the course of the next eight years, she distanced herself from her Evangelical Christian musical background and moved to pop music that explores decidedly secular issues, including sexuality. She is well-known for her retro fashion and her pin-up girl looks. She lists artists like Alanis Morissette and Cyndi Lauper as her influences, and one can very much hear how they shaped her brand of female-centric pop.
Curriculum Ties
n/a
Booktalking Ideas
n/a
Listening Level/Challenge Issues
Though younger teens may be familiar and enjoy Perry's songs on the radio, the album's themes of sexuality may make it a little more appropriate for high schoolers. While the album only has mild language and is not marked as having Explicit Language (one mention to "jerking off" is bleeped out on the album, though an explicit version of the single is available through iTunes), songs like "I Kissed A Girl" may cause some parents concern. Also, some parents may take offense at Perry's derogatory use of the worlds "gay" and "bitch" in "Ur So Gay" and "Hot N Cold."
Should the album be challenged, the library should be able to to explain its collection policy for music. The album received a positive review from Billboard and also reached as high as number 3 on their Rock chart.
Selection Criteria
I was only vaguely familiar with Perry, having heard a few of her songs on the "Top 20" radio station, so I decided to check out this album as an example of current pop music.
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