Artemis Fowl
Eoin Colfer
ISBN 078680801-2
Hyperion Books for Children, 2001
279 pages
Genre: Faerie
Readers Annotation
Artemis Fowl is the smartest person on earth and a criminal mastermind. He's kidnapped a fairy and is demanding a metric ton of gold as ransom. And, oh--he's just 12 years old.
Plot Summary
Artemis Fowl, age 12, is probably the smartest person on earth. He comes from a long line of criminals and is himself a criminal mastermind. He and his trusted friend and bodyguard Butler go to Vietnam to track down a medicine woman. Artemis has figured out that fairies really exist and strikes a deal with the woman, an alcoholic sprite, that lets him get a copy of a holy fairy book. He deciphers the book (written in a strange fairy language) and learns that fairies must recharge their magic by performing an elaborate ceremony by an oak tree near a river bend under a full moon. Artemis stakes out all possible locations where this ritual could take place, and eventually his patience is rewarded. He spies Holly, a captain with the fairy police force, kidnaps her and holds her for ransom. In return for her release, he demands that fairies bring him one metric ton of fairy gold, worth an absolute fortune. (Leprechauns, it turns out, did really have a pot of gold.)
The fairies are sure they can outsmart a mere human boy, but Artemis is the smartest person on the planet, after all. Can he stay one step ahead of them?
Critical Evaluation
Despite the fact that this is a book about an evil mastermind and a criminal genius, it's actually fairly lighthearted. The violence is comic, and it reminded me, more than anything, of a sort of magical version of Home Alone, with Artemis outsmarting the fairies time and time again with a neato trick or smart idea. One touch I loved was how the author kept on using some real-life examples to demonstrate how the fairies influence our world.
Fowl is an interesting character; though he's incredibly greedy and has held Holly hostage to restore his family's wealth and power, in the end he does perform an unselfish act. The fairy chief of police is written as a bumbling character, and teenagers with a bit of an authority problem will enjoy laughing at him. While the reader definitely sympathizes with Holly and hopes she will escape unscathed, half the fun of the book is rooting for Artemis, a bad guy. While the book's language and characterizations are not that sophisticated, it is an original, tightly plotted, fast-paced story. The reader is compelled to keep turning the pages to see how on earth Artemis will get out of this one. Many people, including the author, have called this a sort of fantasy action novel, and that's about right. The right audience--and I'm thinking boys in junior high and early high school in particular--will absolutely eat this book up.
Other Books in the Series
Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident (2002)
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code (2003)
Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception (2005)
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony (2006)
Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox (2008)
About the Author
Eoin Colfer, an Irish author, is best known for the Artemis Fowl books. However, he's written other books for children (like Benny and Omar) and adults (The Supernaturalist series, cyberpunk for adults). He's known for having a great sense of humor, which may be why he was chosen to write the fifth book in Douglas Adams' ever-popular Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series.
Curriculum Ties
None
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explore the character of Artemis Fowl: genius, criminal mastermind, 12 year old.
2. Talk about fairies in the novel's world. Who are they? What do they do?
3. Talk about the character of Holly and the people in the LEPrecon.
Reading Interest/Level
This book is aimed at early teens in junior high; however, older teens and adults would (and do!) enjoy the series.
Challenge Issues
While there is some degree of violence, it's all rather comical. I do not see this book being challenged.
Selection Criteria
I knew absolutely nothing about this book, other than some people called it the next Harry Potter and that it was extremely popular. When I saw a bunch of copies of it in the teen section of my local library, I decided to give it a try. It was named an ALA Popular Paperback.
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Hunger by Michael Grant
Hunger: A Gone Novel
Michael Grant
ISBN 9780061449062
Katherine Tegan Books, 2009
590 pages
Genre: Supernatural
Readers Annotation
It's been three months since all adults vanished, and the society the teens have created is starting to break down as the food supply dwindles. While the teens without special powers begin to turn against those that do, an evil force known as the Darkness gains power and threatens them all.
Plot Summary
Set a few months after the end of Gone, Hunger, the second in a planned six-book series, is set in a town where a mysterious incident caused everyone over the age of 15 to vanish. The society the older teens created is starting to crumble as the food supply dwindles. Crops rotted in the fields, since the teens didn't think to harvest them, and now a group of ravenous earthworms with razor-sharp teeth devours anyone who approaches what edible food is left. The hunger causes the teens without special powers to become suspicious and resentful of the teens that do; a mutant teen is lynched amidst the conflict.
In the meantime, though, a different hunger threatens all the teens. Calling itself the Gaiaphage (and Hungry in the Dark by its nemesis, a 4-year-old autistic boy), the Darkness is a mysterious evil being that has been feeding off the radiation left after a nuclear accident. Now that the radiation is running low, the Gaiaphage, helped by a group of talking coyotes, uses mind control to force teens in the town to do its bidding and set into motion events that will satisfy its hunger and threaten their society.
Critical Evaluation
Hunger features the same non-stop action, gruesome violence, and stock characters as its predecessor. Hunger is tightly plotted, and readers who liked the first book will be eager to find out what else in store for the teens. However, more sophisticated readers will be annoyed by the shallow characterizations and stock characters. This is the literary equivalent of a pure action movie, with the Good Guy, the Bad Guy, the Bad Guy's Evil Girlfriend, and the Girl with the Heart of Gold. Their motives are tranparent, with only the character growth necessary to move the plot along. (Readers who haven't read Gone shouldn't even bother; there's no way to catch up to the events of this book without reading the first one.)
The supernatural element is more prominent in this book than Gone, with the Gaiaphage, the mutant creatures, and the non-mutant teens uprising against the mutants.
Other Books in the Series
Gone (2008)
Four more books are planned but yet to be published.
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.) Hunger is the second book published under his name.
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.
Curriculum Ties
This book is not suitable for use in any school curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Briefly explain the premise of the first book, and explain how hunger is threatening the teens' society.
2. Talk about the mysterious dark force that's threatening their society.
3. Focus on the teens' supernatural powers, explaining why the teens without them have turned on those who do.
Challenge Issues
This book could easily be challenged because of its graphic depictions of gore and violence. In addition, one teen suffers from an eating disorder which almost kills her. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book to become familiar with it. If not able to read it, s/he should read all the professional reviews and look for reviews of the book on sites like Common Sense Media that detail any potential controversial elements. S/he should also be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy. To defend Hunger, s/he could point out the positive reviews the book received, especially a gushing review in VOYA.
Selection Criteria
I read Gone as part of my genre presentation project. Though not a huge fan of that book, I was curious enough to see where the story was headed!
Michael Grant
ISBN 9780061449062
Katherine Tegan Books, 2009
590 pages
Genre: Supernatural
Readers Annotation
It's been three months since all adults vanished, and the society the teens have created is starting to break down as the food supply dwindles. While the teens without special powers begin to turn against those that do, an evil force known as the Darkness gains power and threatens them all.
Plot Summary
Set a few months after the end of Gone, Hunger, the second in a planned six-book series, is set in a town where a mysterious incident caused everyone over the age of 15 to vanish. The society the older teens created is starting to crumble as the food supply dwindles. Crops rotted in the fields, since the teens didn't think to harvest them, and now a group of ravenous earthworms with razor-sharp teeth devours anyone who approaches what edible food is left. The hunger causes the teens without special powers to become suspicious and resentful of the teens that do; a mutant teen is lynched amidst the conflict.
In the meantime, though, a different hunger threatens all the teens. Calling itself the Gaiaphage (and Hungry in the Dark by its nemesis, a 4-year-old autistic boy), the Darkness is a mysterious evil being that has been feeding off the radiation left after a nuclear accident. Now that the radiation is running low, the Gaiaphage, helped by a group of talking coyotes, uses mind control to force teens in the town to do its bidding and set into motion events that will satisfy its hunger and threaten their society.
Critical Evaluation
Hunger features the same non-stop action, gruesome violence, and stock characters as its predecessor. Hunger is tightly plotted, and readers who liked the first book will be eager to find out what else in store for the teens. However, more sophisticated readers will be annoyed by the shallow characterizations and stock characters. This is the literary equivalent of a pure action movie, with the Good Guy, the Bad Guy, the Bad Guy's Evil Girlfriend, and the Girl with the Heart of Gold. Their motives are tranparent, with only the character growth necessary to move the plot along. (Readers who haven't read Gone shouldn't even bother; there's no way to catch up to the events of this book without reading the first one.)
The supernatural element is more prominent in this book than Gone, with the Gaiaphage, the mutant creatures, and the non-mutant teens uprising against the mutants.
Other Books in the Series
Gone (2008)
Four more books are planned but yet to be published.
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.) Hunger is the second book published under his name.
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.
Curriculum Ties
This book is not suitable for use in any school curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Briefly explain the premise of the first book, and explain how hunger is threatening the teens' society.
2. Talk about the mysterious dark force that's threatening their society.
3. Focus on the teens' supernatural powers, explaining why the teens without them have turned on those who do.
Challenge Issues
This book could easily be challenged because of its graphic depictions of gore and violence. In addition, one teen suffers from an eating disorder which almost kills her. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book to become familiar with it. If not able to read it, s/he should read all the professional reviews and look for reviews of the book on sites like Common Sense Media that detail any potential controversial elements. S/he should also be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy. To defend Hunger, s/he could point out the positive reviews the book received, especially a gushing review in VOYA.
Selection Criteria
I read Gone as part of my genre presentation project. Though not a huge fan of that book, I was curious enough to see where the story was headed!
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Uglies
Scott Westerfeld
ISBN 978-0-689-86538-1
Simon Pulse, 2005
425 pages
Genre: Dystopia
Readers Annotation
In a world where everyone gets plastic surgery at age 16 to make them into a Pretty, 15-year-old Tally learns about her society's ugly underbelly.
Plot Summary
In a future North America, people can't believe that 21st century Rusties used to cut down trees, burn oil, and use steel for buildings. Worse, it's unthinkable that people used to judge each other on genetic things they couldn't control, like their skin color or how attractive they were naturally. Since humans have evolved to favor perfect symmetrical beauty, those who approximated it naturally had unfair advantages. Now, society is peaceful and happy because at age 16, everyone undergoes dramatic plastic surgery to transform themselves. Everyone is equal and Pretty. 15-year-old Tally, an Ugly, can hardly wait for her upcoming surgery. Her best friend Peris transformed a few months earlier, and she misses him terribly. Once she's had the surgery, she'll be able to join him and her old friends in New Pretty Town, where life is one giant party.
Tally befriends Shay, a girl whose surgery is also rapidly approaching. Like Tally, Shay loves to play clever Ugly tricks, like sneaking out of their dorm late at night. Unlike Tally, though, Shay is apprehensive about the surgery; she's happy just the way she is. Before running away, she tells Tally she's headed to join a secret settlement called the Smoke, populated by kids who didn't want the surgery. On her 16th birthday, Tally's taken in by a covert government group called Special Circumstances. They tell Tally that they'll withhold her surgery until she helps lead them to the Smoke. Will Tally betray her friend just so she can become Pretty? And if Special Circumstances was a secret, what other nasty secrets does her society hold?
Critical Evaluation
I loved, loved, loved this book. Scott Westerfeld has created a vivid alternate universe with a lot of pointed commentary about our current society. Tally and her friends make a lot of pointed commentary about how wasteful and stupid the Rusties (obviously meant to be our current society) were, and Westerfeld's explanation of what caused the end of Rusty society is brilliantly thought-provoking. However, through showing how distorted, shallow, and ugly the Pretty society is, Tally learns to appreciate the beauty in the authenticity of the Rusty experience.
Tally is a likable and resourceful heroine and goes through a believable transformation in the book, though I think the book's strength is more its plot, originality and ideas rather than the writing and characterizations. That said, however, Westerfeld plays beautifully with language, giving the Pretty society a distinct slang. The book moves quickly, its short chapters maintaining a tense pace that will have the reader eagerly turning the pages. His depictions of the future are fun; among the great inventions we learn about are bungee jackets (that protect the wearer from a steep fall) and hoverboards (a sort of midair skateboard). Fans of the utopia/dystopia genre will love this series; it's a great one to recommend to teens who are eagerly awaiting the last book of The Hunger Games.
Other Books in the Series
Pretties (2005)
Specials (2006)
Extras (2007)
From Bogus to Bubbly: An Insider's Guide to the World of Uglies (2008)
About the Author
Scott Westerfeld is a popular and prolific young adult author, whose work is also critically well-regarded. He primarily writes in the science fiction/fantasy genre. In addition to the Uglies series, he's worked on the Midnighters Trilogy (about a group of young adults that have special powers), as well as two books (Peeps and The Last Days) about a parasite that turns people cannibalistic. His most recent book, Leviathan, is the start of a steampunk series.
Curriculum Ties
While not as deep of a work as Brave New World, Uglies could be used to discuss some of the same ideas about the consequences of a "perfect" society, perhaps in a junior high or freshman English class.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Give a basic introduction to the Pretty society and explain Tally's dilemma.
2. Talk about the cleverness of the Uglies vs. the vapidity of the Pretties and the value the society places on both.
3. Talk about the love triangle between Tally, David, and Shay.
Reading Interest/Level
While teens in high school will definitely love this book, its reading level and subject matter would also be appropriate for younger teens in junior high.
Challenge Issues
While there is a bit of PG or PG-13 level violence and some descriptions of teen drinking by New Pretties, I do not believe this book would be likely to inspire challenges. Though the Pretty society has some disturbing ideas, they are clearly portrayed as such.
Selection Criteria
I picked up this book because I've seen it in libraries and bookshelves since it came out and knew it must be popular, but didn't know anything at all about the book. (In fact, I first incorrectly assumed that it must be kind of like the Gossip Girl series!) Seeing it was named an ALA and SLJ Best Book convinced me it was worth the read.
Scott Westerfeld
ISBN 978-0-689-86538-1
Simon Pulse, 2005
425 pages
Genre: Dystopia
Readers Annotation
In a world where everyone gets plastic surgery at age 16 to make them into a Pretty, 15-year-old Tally learns about her society's ugly underbelly.
Plot Summary
In a future North America, people can't believe that 21st century Rusties used to cut down trees, burn oil, and use steel for buildings. Worse, it's unthinkable that people used to judge each other on genetic things they couldn't control, like their skin color or how attractive they were naturally. Since humans have evolved to favor perfect symmetrical beauty, those who approximated it naturally had unfair advantages. Now, society is peaceful and happy because at age 16, everyone undergoes dramatic plastic surgery to transform themselves. Everyone is equal and Pretty. 15-year-old Tally, an Ugly, can hardly wait for her upcoming surgery. Her best friend Peris transformed a few months earlier, and she misses him terribly. Once she's had the surgery, she'll be able to join him and her old friends in New Pretty Town, where life is one giant party.
Tally befriends Shay, a girl whose surgery is also rapidly approaching. Like Tally, Shay loves to play clever Ugly tricks, like sneaking out of their dorm late at night. Unlike Tally, though, Shay is apprehensive about the surgery; she's happy just the way she is. Before running away, she tells Tally she's headed to join a secret settlement called the Smoke, populated by kids who didn't want the surgery. On her 16th birthday, Tally's taken in by a covert government group called Special Circumstances. They tell Tally that they'll withhold her surgery until she helps lead them to the Smoke. Will Tally betray her friend just so she can become Pretty? And if Special Circumstances was a secret, what other nasty secrets does her society hold?
Critical Evaluation
I loved, loved, loved this book. Scott Westerfeld has created a vivid alternate universe with a lot of pointed commentary about our current society. Tally and her friends make a lot of pointed commentary about how wasteful and stupid the Rusties (obviously meant to be our current society) were, and Westerfeld's explanation of what caused the end of Rusty society is brilliantly thought-provoking. However, through showing how distorted, shallow, and ugly the Pretty society is, Tally learns to appreciate the beauty in the authenticity of the Rusty experience.
Tally is a likable and resourceful heroine and goes through a believable transformation in the book, though I think the book's strength is more its plot, originality and ideas rather than the writing and characterizations. That said, however, Westerfeld plays beautifully with language, giving the Pretty society a distinct slang. The book moves quickly, its short chapters maintaining a tense pace that will have the reader eagerly turning the pages. His depictions of the future are fun; among the great inventions we learn about are bungee jackets (that protect the wearer from a steep fall) and hoverboards (a sort of midair skateboard). Fans of the utopia/dystopia genre will love this series; it's a great one to recommend to teens who are eagerly awaiting the last book of The Hunger Games.
Other Books in the Series
Pretties (2005)
Specials (2006)
Extras (2007)
From Bogus to Bubbly: An Insider's Guide to the World of Uglies (2008)
About the Author
Scott Westerfeld is a popular and prolific young adult author, whose work is also critically well-regarded. He primarily writes in the science fiction/fantasy genre. In addition to the Uglies series, he's worked on the Midnighters Trilogy (about a group of young adults that have special powers), as well as two books (Peeps and The Last Days) about a parasite that turns people cannibalistic. His most recent book, Leviathan, is the start of a steampunk series.
Curriculum Ties
While not as deep of a work as Brave New World, Uglies could be used to discuss some of the same ideas about the consequences of a "perfect" society, perhaps in a junior high or freshman English class.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Give a basic introduction to the Pretty society and explain Tally's dilemma.
2. Talk about the cleverness of the Uglies vs. the vapidity of the Pretties and the value the society places on both.
3. Talk about the love triangle between Tally, David, and Shay.
Reading Interest/Level
While teens in high school will definitely love this book, its reading level and subject matter would also be appropriate for younger teens in junior high.
Challenge Issues
While there is a bit of PG or PG-13 level violence and some descriptions of teen drinking by New Pretties, I do not believe this book would be likely to inspire challenges. Though the Pretty society has some disturbing ideas, they are clearly portrayed as such.
Selection Criteria
I picked up this book because I've seen it in libraries and bookshelves since it came out and knew it must be popular, but didn't know anything at all about the book. (In fact, I first incorrectly assumed that it must be kind of like the Gossip Girl series!) Seeing it was named an ALA and SLJ Best Book convinced me it was worth the read.
Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie by Holly Black
Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie
Holly Black
ISBN 978-0-689-868238
Simon Pulse, 2005
313 pages
Genre: Faerie, Urban Fantasy
Readers Annotation
When a teenage girl runs away to New York City, her life becomes inextricably intertwined with the secret, dark world of faeries, a group of junkie street kids, a murder mystery... and a troll she might be falling in love with.
Plot Summary
After Valerie catches her boyfriend in bed with her mother, she flees to New York City. Intending to stay for just the night, she decides to stay after befriending Lolli, Luis, and Dave, a group of teenage street kids who live in the subway system. Luis is able to see faeries, who use illusion to hide themselves from most people, and he and Dave work delivering potions to them for a troll named Ravus. Though the potions are medicinal for the faeries, it's a heroin-like drug for humans, who get temporary magical powers from it. Lolli and Dave are junkies, shooting up the drug which they call "Nevermore." Val soon becomes addicted, too. Ravus catches Val and Lolli breaking into his home; he magically indentures Val to work for him for a month to work off her debt. Ravus, however, is not as bad as he seems; he starts teaching Val swordfighting; she's a natural, after years of lacrosse. Like Beauty and the Beast, Val realizes she is falling in love with Ravus and cleans up her act.
Ravus' customers, however, are turning up dead, and Ravus becomes the main suspect. When Val's best friend comes to New York to try and convince her to come back home, they get caught in the middle of the mystery and are kidnapped by an evil faerie. Can Val clear Ravus' name? Will she ever return home now that her life is so intertwined with the world of the faeries?
Critical Evaluation
Black has written an extremely dark story of faerie, a very gritty urban fantasy. At times, it almost feels too dark. Black covers a lot of ground here--homelessness, drug addiction, rape, violence, with a few alternative lifestyles thrown in for good measure--and at times to me it felt like she was being edgy for the sake of being edgy, rather than choosing controversial topics that would really advance her story and her characters. Why, for instance, did the impetus for Val's leaving need to be the needlessly shocking affair between her boyfriend and her mother? (I did think the whole concept of Nevermore was creative and well-done, though.)
However, she's created a strong character in Val, one teenage girls who love the faerie genre will very much relate to, though I didn't feel that the character of Ravus was fully developed. Black is a talented writer, her beautiful language conveying the beautiful and seedy world of this magical New York. To be honest, this book was not quite my cup of tea. However, in reading the reviews of teen readers on Amazon, I can see that many young adult readers really loved this book and Holly Black's brand of dark faerie fantasy. This would be a great title to recommend to readers who are already fans of the genre, but for someone like me, who is relatively unfamiliar with the genre, it's not a compelling introduction.
Other Books in the Series
This is a companion novel to Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale and Ironside: A Modern Faery's Tale. While these books inhabit the same world, they are companion books rather than pure sequels; the books stand alone, though characters from one may make an appearance in another.
About the Author
Holly Black is best known for being author of the children's fantasy series The Spiderwick Chronicles, though she has a big young adult following as well, thanks to her "Modern Faerie Tale" series. Her latest project is The Good Neighbors, a series of graphic novels, also aimed at young adults.
Curriculum Ties
This book is not well-suited for use in any school curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about how Val gets caught up in the world of the street kids, their connection to the faerie world, and their addiction to Never.
2. Talk about Val and Ravus' "Beauty and the Beast" relationship.
3. Talk about the book's murder mystery element.
Reading Interest/Level
This book is full of dark subjects, making it appropriate for teens in high school.
Challenge Issues
This book is chock full of 'em. Take your pick: drug addiction, homeless teens, rape, sex, violence, murder... and throw in a few gay characters to boot. If the book were to be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book; if not able to, s/he should read professional reviews of the book and reviews on sites like Common Sense Media that detail its potentially controversial material. S/he should also be able to explain and defend the library's collection policy and explain how the title fits that policy. In the case of Valiant, she could point out that ALA named it both a "Best Book for Young Adults" and a "Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers." The book also won the Andre Norton Award for young adult fiction.
Selection Criteria
I was not familiar with the author or the faerie genre, but when I saw a prominent display of this author's book at a local library in their teen section, I decided to check it out.
Holly Black
ISBN 978-0-689-868238
Simon Pulse, 2005
313 pages
Genre: Faerie, Urban Fantasy
Readers Annotation
When a teenage girl runs away to New York City, her life becomes inextricably intertwined with the secret, dark world of faeries, a group of junkie street kids, a murder mystery... and a troll she might be falling in love with.
Plot Summary
After Valerie catches her boyfriend in bed with her mother, she flees to New York City. Intending to stay for just the night, she decides to stay after befriending Lolli, Luis, and Dave, a group of teenage street kids who live in the subway system. Luis is able to see faeries, who use illusion to hide themselves from most people, and he and Dave work delivering potions to them for a troll named Ravus. Though the potions are medicinal for the faeries, it's a heroin-like drug for humans, who get temporary magical powers from it. Lolli and Dave are junkies, shooting up the drug which they call "Nevermore." Val soon becomes addicted, too. Ravus catches Val and Lolli breaking into his home; he magically indentures Val to work for him for a month to work off her debt. Ravus, however, is not as bad as he seems; he starts teaching Val swordfighting; she's a natural, after years of lacrosse. Like Beauty and the Beast, Val realizes she is falling in love with Ravus and cleans up her act.
Ravus' customers, however, are turning up dead, and Ravus becomes the main suspect. When Val's best friend comes to New York to try and convince her to come back home, they get caught in the middle of the mystery and are kidnapped by an evil faerie. Can Val clear Ravus' name? Will she ever return home now that her life is so intertwined with the world of the faeries?
Critical Evaluation
Black has written an extremely dark story of faerie, a very gritty urban fantasy. At times, it almost feels too dark. Black covers a lot of ground here--homelessness, drug addiction, rape, violence, with a few alternative lifestyles thrown in for good measure--and at times to me it felt like she was being edgy for the sake of being edgy, rather than choosing controversial topics that would really advance her story and her characters. Why, for instance, did the impetus for Val's leaving need to be the needlessly shocking affair between her boyfriend and her mother? (I did think the whole concept of Nevermore was creative and well-done, though.)
However, she's created a strong character in Val, one teenage girls who love the faerie genre will very much relate to, though I didn't feel that the character of Ravus was fully developed. Black is a talented writer, her beautiful language conveying the beautiful and seedy world of this magical New York. To be honest, this book was not quite my cup of tea. However, in reading the reviews of teen readers on Amazon, I can see that many young adult readers really loved this book and Holly Black's brand of dark faerie fantasy. This would be a great title to recommend to readers who are already fans of the genre, but for someone like me, who is relatively unfamiliar with the genre, it's not a compelling introduction.
Other Books in the Series
This is a companion novel to Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale and Ironside: A Modern Faery's Tale. While these books inhabit the same world, they are companion books rather than pure sequels; the books stand alone, though characters from one may make an appearance in another.
About the Author
Holly Black is best known for being author of the children's fantasy series The Spiderwick Chronicles, though she has a big young adult following as well, thanks to her "Modern Faerie Tale" series. Her latest project is The Good Neighbors, a series of graphic novels, also aimed at young adults.
Curriculum Ties
This book is not well-suited for use in any school curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about how Val gets caught up in the world of the street kids, their connection to the faerie world, and their addiction to Never.
2. Talk about Val and Ravus' "Beauty and the Beast" relationship.
3. Talk about the book's murder mystery element.
Reading Interest/Level
This book is full of dark subjects, making it appropriate for teens in high school.
Challenge Issues
This book is chock full of 'em. Take your pick: drug addiction, homeless teens, rape, sex, violence, murder... and throw in a few gay characters to boot. If the book were to be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book; if not able to, s/he should read professional reviews of the book and reviews on sites like Common Sense Media that detail its potentially controversial material. S/he should also be able to explain and defend the library's collection policy and explain how the title fits that policy. In the case of Valiant, she could point out that ALA named it both a "Best Book for Young Adults" and a "Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers." The book also won the Andre Norton Award for young adult fiction.
Selection Criteria
I was not familiar with the author or the faerie genre, but when I saw a prominent display of this author's book at a local library in their teen section, I decided to check it out.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Ash by Malinda Lo
Ash
Malinda Lo
ISBN 978-0-316-04009-9
264 pages
Little, Brown, & Co., 2009
Genre: Fairy Tale; LGBT
Readers Annotation
In a retelling of Cinderella, Ash strikes a bargain with a male fairy and falls in love with Kaisa, the King's Huntress.
Plot Summary
Set in an unnamed kingdom a long time ago, most people dismiss fairy tales and magic as cautionary tales meant to scare people and keep children safe. Only few women known as greenwitches remember the truth: that fairies are real--and dangerous. Ash's mother was one of them and passed along a few of these traditions to her daughter,despite her husband's disapproval. After Ash's mother dies suddenly, Ash's father quickly remarries a woman with two step-daughters, then dies suddenly himself. Lady Isobel, who believed she had married a wealthy man, is shocked to discover her late husband is deeply in debt and forces Ash to become a servant to her and her daughters to pay it off. Consumed with grief at the sudden loss of both her parents, Ash can do little but accept her fate. She wanders the woods by her house alone, half-remembering fairy tales that her mother told her, and wanting to disappear into their world. She encounters a fairy named Sidhean, who warns her of the dangers of the forest and gives her a cloak to protect her.
During her walks in the woods, she encounters Kaisa, the King's Huntress. They slowly and cautiously form a friendship, with Kaisa teaching Ash to ride whenever her stepmother and stepsisters are out of town. Ash asks Sidhean to grant wishes that will allow her to get closer to Kaisa, but Sidhean warns her that as payment, she will belong to him. It seems a preferable fate to a lifetime suffering the cruelties of her stepmother, so Ash agrees. However, as Ash realizes that she is falling in love with Kaisa, she begins to regret her promise.
Critical Evaluation
Ash is a beautifully written book; its prose has a poetic, haunting quality. While it is a retelling of Cinderella, it is mostly a story about grief. The first half of the book shows how a grief-stricken Ash walks around the world, numb, wishing desperately to return to the comfort of her mother. Through her wanderings in the woods, Ash has seen the human girls captured and enchanted by fairies, and how they are driven to a sort of madness. However, even before she strikes the bargain with Sidhean, she wishes to be one of them, because it would be preferable to the pain she experiences in the human world. Ash's romance with Kaisa is notable because Kaisa reawakens in Ash the desire to live. She begins to see the beauty in the human world and realizes that the fairies must resent the humans because fairies can never experience the same warmth and joy that humans can.
Though there is a plot involving the prince holding a ball to seek a bride from all eligible girls in the kingdom, and Ash does attend the ball and dance with the prince, there is a never a hint of romance between Ash and the prince. The romance in the book is solely between Ash and Kaisa. It's interesting to note that lesbian relationships are acknowledged and accepted in the kingdom; at the ball, Ash notices several women trying to catch Kaisa's eyes. The story of fairy's influence, too, is changed. Rather than a benevolent fairy godmother, Sidhean's presence is complicated. Though he protects Ash from fairies who wish to do her harm, he also extracts from her the promise that she will turn himself over completely to him. In a confession late in the book, we find out Sidhean's history and motivations. The book's conclusion is quite moving. The book reminded me of Beauty by Robin McKinley, in that our appreciation of the original fairy tale broadens after the author shows us what the heroine's complicated emotions might have been.
About the Author
Ash is the first novel by Malinda Lo, who previously worked as managing editor of the site AfterEllen.com, an entertainment news site for lesbian and bisexual women. She was awarded the Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence in LGBT journalism.
Curriculum Ties
Ash might be used in a high school English class to discuss the way that fairy tales can be altered and changed to remain relevant.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Sell the book as a lesbian Cinderella, focusing on the budding romance between Ash and Kaisa.
2. Talk about the book's focus on grief; Ash is so numb and hurt after her parents' death that she is willing to give up her life to escape the pain.
3. Focus on the complicated relationship between Ash and Sidhean. What does he want from her? What does she want from him?
Reading Interest/Level
The book's writing is fairly complex, making it most appropriate for high school readers.
Challenge Issues
While the book has no graphic or objectionable content, the mere fact that it is about two girls who fall in love may cause some people to challenge its presence. If it were challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book to best be able to respond to the challenge; if not possible, the librarian should read reviews of the book in professional journals and look at sites like Common Sense Media to familiarize herself with any potentially controversial topics. She should also be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy and explain how Ash fits into that policy. She could point to the numerous positive reviews that Ash received, including a starred review in Kirkus, to defend its worth.
Selection Criteria
Ash received a glowing review on a YA blog I read (A Chair, A Fireplace, & A Tea Cozy), which intrigued me. I realized that I knew the author (Malinda Lo) from college, so I was doubly intrigued!
Malinda Lo
ISBN 978-0-316-04009-9
264 pages
Little, Brown, & Co., 2009
Genre: Fairy Tale; LGBT
Readers Annotation
In a retelling of Cinderella, Ash strikes a bargain with a male fairy and falls in love with Kaisa, the King's Huntress.
Plot Summary
Set in an unnamed kingdom a long time ago, most people dismiss fairy tales and magic as cautionary tales meant to scare people and keep children safe. Only few women known as greenwitches remember the truth: that fairies are real--and dangerous. Ash's mother was one of them and passed along a few of these traditions to her daughter,despite her husband's disapproval. After Ash's mother dies suddenly, Ash's father quickly remarries a woman with two step-daughters, then dies suddenly himself. Lady Isobel, who believed she had married a wealthy man, is shocked to discover her late husband is deeply in debt and forces Ash to become a servant to her and her daughters to pay it off. Consumed with grief at the sudden loss of both her parents, Ash can do little but accept her fate. She wanders the woods by her house alone, half-remembering fairy tales that her mother told her, and wanting to disappear into their world. She encounters a fairy named Sidhean, who warns her of the dangers of the forest and gives her a cloak to protect her.
During her walks in the woods, she encounters Kaisa, the King's Huntress. They slowly and cautiously form a friendship, with Kaisa teaching Ash to ride whenever her stepmother and stepsisters are out of town. Ash asks Sidhean to grant wishes that will allow her to get closer to Kaisa, but Sidhean warns her that as payment, she will belong to him. It seems a preferable fate to a lifetime suffering the cruelties of her stepmother, so Ash agrees. However, as Ash realizes that she is falling in love with Kaisa, she begins to regret her promise.
Critical Evaluation
Ash is a beautifully written book; its prose has a poetic, haunting quality. While it is a retelling of Cinderella, it is mostly a story about grief. The first half of the book shows how a grief-stricken Ash walks around the world, numb, wishing desperately to return to the comfort of her mother. Through her wanderings in the woods, Ash has seen the human girls captured and enchanted by fairies, and how they are driven to a sort of madness. However, even before she strikes the bargain with Sidhean, she wishes to be one of them, because it would be preferable to the pain she experiences in the human world. Ash's romance with Kaisa is notable because Kaisa reawakens in Ash the desire to live. She begins to see the beauty in the human world and realizes that the fairies must resent the humans because fairies can never experience the same warmth and joy that humans can.
Though there is a plot involving the prince holding a ball to seek a bride from all eligible girls in the kingdom, and Ash does attend the ball and dance with the prince, there is a never a hint of romance between Ash and the prince. The romance in the book is solely between Ash and Kaisa. It's interesting to note that lesbian relationships are acknowledged and accepted in the kingdom; at the ball, Ash notices several women trying to catch Kaisa's eyes. The story of fairy's influence, too, is changed. Rather than a benevolent fairy godmother, Sidhean's presence is complicated. Though he protects Ash from fairies who wish to do her harm, he also extracts from her the promise that she will turn himself over completely to him. In a confession late in the book, we find out Sidhean's history and motivations. The book's conclusion is quite moving. The book reminded me of Beauty by Robin McKinley, in that our appreciation of the original fairy tale broadens after the author shows us what the heroine's complicated emotions might have been.
About the Author
Ash is the first novel by Malinda Lo, who previously worked as managing editor of the site AfterEllen.com, an entertainment news site for lesbian and bisexual women. She was awarded the Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence in LGBT journalism.
Curriculum Ties
Ash might be used in a high school English class to discuss the way that fairy tales can be altered and changed to remain relevant.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Sell the book as a lesbian Cinderella, focusing on the budding romance between Ash and Kaisa.
2. Talk about the book's focus on grief; Ash is so numb and hurt after her parents' death that she is willing to give up her life to escape the pain.
3. Focus on the complicated relationship between Ash and Sidhean. What does he want from her? What does she want from him?
Reading Interest/Level
The book's writing is fairly complex, making it most appropriate for high school readers.
Challenge Issues
While the book has no graphic or objectionable content, the mere fact that it is about two girls who fall in love may cause some people to challenge its presence. If it were challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book to best be able to respond to the challenge; if not possible, the librarian should read reviews of the book in professional journals and look at sites like Common Sense Media to familiarize herself with any potentially controversial topics. She should also be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy and explain how Ash fits into that policy. She could point to the numerous positive reviews that Ash received, including a starred review in Kirkus, to defend its worth.
Selection Criteria
Ash received a glowing review on a YA blog I read (A Chair, A Fireplace, & A Tea Cozy), which intrigued me. I realized that I knew the author (Malinda Lo) from college, so I was doubly intrigued!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Moon White by Melody Carlson
Moon White
Melody Carlson
ISBN 9-78157683-951-5
215 pages
TH1NK Books, 2007
Genre: Christian
Readers Annotation
After a new girl moves into town and supplants Heather as prima ballerina--not to mention steals her boyfriend--Heather feels like her life is spinning out of control. She takes up Wicca in an attempt to control her own destiny but finds her newfound spirituality may not be all she had bargained for.
Plot Summary
17-year-old Heather's mother died four years ago. Her father has recently remarried a younger woman, a free spirit named Augustine, who has remodeled their home and almost erased all memories of her mother. Heather accepts some of Augustine's new ideas, such as embracing veganism, but worries that she is losing control over her life. With her stepmother's blessing, Heather decides to learn about Wicca. Her Christian friend Lucy warns her against it, and then ends their friendship when Heather decides to continue on a Wiccan path. Meanwhile, a new girl, Liz, has come to town. Heather is an accomplished ballerina and has looked forward to dancing the part of the Sugar Plum Fairy in this year's recital of the Nutcracker. However, Liz is an even better dancer than Heather, and Heather assumes Liz will get the part.
Heather and Liz become friends. As Heather learns more about Wicca, she feels more in control of her own destiny. With the help of some love potions, she is able to catch the eye of Hunter, a boy she has always dreamed about. The meditation and focus she develops through her practice improves her dance. Everything seems to be going perfectly for once in Heather's life. But then Hunter and Liz start dating, Heather's dancing falls apart, and Liz takes Heather's place in her old group of friends. Heather starts to loathe Liz as an enemy. A fellow Wiccan tells her about a spell she can cast to put harm on Liz. Should Heather continue down what may be a dangerous spiritual path?
Critical Evaluation
Unlike another Christian novel reviewed in this blog, Hollywood Nobody, Moon White would have little appeal to a non-Christian reader. In fact, non-Christian readers would probably find it downright offensive. Heather's veganism is equated with her decision to follow Wicca; only once she has accepted Christ in her heart can she enjoy a juicy cheeseburger. The entire point of the book is to proselytize; there are no measured discussions about religion, and Christianity is painted as the only right path. While Heather does struggle with spirituality throughout the book, it's clear that Christianity is the only correct answer.
Apart from its role as a cautionary tale, there's little to recommend about this book. The characters are stock, and the writing is flat. Many interesting characteristics about Heather, such as her dance, are not explored in any detail. While Liz's decision to date Hunter is supposed to be a big dramatic moment in their friendship, we can't really blame Liz because, as she points out, Hunter and Heather had not really started dating yet. Similarly, it seems strange that instead of working harder on her dancing, Heather decides to seek revenge on Liz by casting several dark spells against her. For a general reader, there's no appeal here.
Other Books in the Series
There are 10 other books in Carlson's True Colors series, including titles like Bright Purple (in which a Christian girl struggles to accept her friend who has just come out of the closet) and Torch Red (in which a girl decides whether or not to remain a virgin).
About the Author
Melody Carlson has written over 200 Christian-themed books, including many for young adults. In addition to the popular True Colors series, she has written the Diary of a Teenage Girl series. These books, written in diary format, follow the spiritual struggles of a rotating group of teenage girls. She has also written the Carter House Girls series, about a group of unlikely girls who are being turned into debutantes. An Amazon review calls this series a Christian alternative to Gossip Girl.
Curriculum Ties
This book would not be appropriate for use in a public school curriculum because of its clear religious agenda. However, the publisher's website suggests that this book and others in the series be used at church youth group retreats or lock ins, which would probably be a very appropriate use for them.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about why Heather decides to turn to Wicca.
2. Talk about Heather's frenemy, Liz, and her strained relationship with her old friend, Lucy.
3. Talk about Heather's home life: the changes her stepmother has introduced, and her feeling like she is slipping away from her mother.
Reading Interest/Level
These books are appropriate for high schoolers. While junior high readers would definitely be able to read the books, some of the themes at the end of the book may be too mature for younger readers.
Challenge Issues
Because these books have a clear religious agenda, they could definitely be challenged, especially in a school library setting. While there is certainly an audience for this type of book, I personally found it a bit off-putting that the book doesn't make its genre clear. Moon White is part of the True Colors series of books; at least 11 have been published so far. There were two huge displays of these books at a local library's young adult section; I flipped through the back covers of all of them and haphazardly decided on this one. Nothing in the blurbs made it clear that they were Christian books. A teen reader of a different religious background who picked up one of these books would probably be quite offended.
A librarian defending the inclusion of this book in the collection should ideally read the book, or, if unavailable, read reviews of the book. Reviews of the book were not published in the main professional journals; however, reviews of the book can be found on blogs like Teen Reads. The librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy and explain how the book fits those criteria. For this book, the librarian might be able to point to its popularity, especially if it circulated well, and point to other contemporary titles that appeal to readers of different faiths.
Selection Criteria
I picked up this book because a local library had two large displays of this series. I had never heard of it, but I figured it must be popular. I had no idea that they were Christian books, but I decided to pick one up. I noticed the author's name in a blurb review of another Christian-themed book I reviewed for this blog, Hollywood Nobody, so I decided to read it as an example of a book in the Christian genre.
Melody Carlson
ISBN 9-78157683-951-5
215 pages
TH1NK Books, 2007
Genre: Christian
Readers Annotation
After a new girl moves into town and supplants Heather as prima ballerina--not to mention steals her boyfriend--Heather feels like her life is spinning out of control. She takes up Wicca in an attempt to control her own destiny but finds her newfound spirituality may not be all she had bargained for.
Plot Summary
17-year-old Heather's mother died four years ago. Her father has recently remarried a younger woman, a free spirit named Augustine, who has remodeled their home and almost erased all memories of her mother. Heather accepts some of Augustine's new ideas, such as embracing veganism, but worries that she is losing control over her life. With her stepmother's blessing, Heather decides to learn about Wicca. Her Christian friend Lucy warns her against it, and then ends their friendship when Heather decides to continue on a Wiccan path. Meanwhile, a new girl, Liz, has come to town. Heather is an accomplished ballerina and has looked forward to dancing the part of the Sugar Plum Fairy in this year's recital of the Nutcracker. However, Liz is an even better dancer than Heather, and Heather assumes Liz will get the part.
Heather and Liz become friends. As Heather learns more about Wicca, she feels more in control of her own destiny. With the help of some love potions, she is able to catch the eye of Hunter, a boy she has always dreamed about. The meditation and focus she develops through her practice improves her dance. Everything seems to be going perfectly for once in Heather's life. But then Hunter and Liz start dating, Heather's dancing falls apart, and Liz takes Heather's place in her old group of friends. Heather starts to loathe Liz as an enemy. A fellow Wiccan tells her about a spell she can cast to put harm on Liz. Should Heather continue down what may be a dangerous spiritual path?
Critical Evaluation
Unlike another Christian novel reviewed in this blog, Hollywood Nobody, Moon White would have little appeal to a non-Christian reader. In fact, non-Christian readers would probably find it downright offensive. Heather's veganism is equated with her decision to follow Wicca; only once she has accepted Christ in her heart can she enjoy a juicy cheeseburger. The entire point of the book is to proselytize; there are no measured discussions about religion, and Christianity is painted as the only right path. While Heather does struggle with spirituality throughout the book, it's clear that Christianity is the only correct answer.
Apart from its role as a cautionary tale, there's little to recommend about this book. The characters are stock, and the writing is flat. Many interesting characteristics about Heather, such as her dance, are not explored in any detail. While Liz's decision to date Hunter is supposed to be a big dramatic moment in their friendship, we can't really blame Liz because, as she points out, Hunter and Heather had not really started dating yet. Similarly, it seems strange that instead of working harder on her dancing, Heather decides to seek revenge on Liz by casting several dark spells against her. For a general reader, there's no appeal here.
Other Books in the Series
There are 10 other books in Carlson's True Colors series, including titles like Bright Purple (in which a Christian girl struggles to accept her friend who has just come out of the closet) and Torch Red (in which a girl decides whether or not to remain a virgin).
About the Author
Melody Carlson has written over 200 Christian-themed books, including many for young adults. In addition to the popular True Colors series, she has written the Diary of a Teenage Girl series. These books, written in diary format, follow the spiritual struggles of a rotating group of teenage girls. She has also written the Carter House Girls series, about a group of unlikely girls who are being turned into debutantes. An Amazon review calls this series a Christian alternative to Gossip Girl.
Curriculum Ties
This book would not be appropriate for use in a public school curriculum because of its clear religious agenda. However, the publisher's website suggests that this book and others in the series be used at church youth group retreats or lock ins, which would probably be a very appropriate use for them.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about why Heather decides to turn to Wicca.
2. Talk about Heather's frenemy, Liz, and her strained relationship with her old friend, Lucy.
3. Talk about Heather's home life: the changes her stepmother has introduced, and her feeling like she is slipping away from her mother.
Reading Interest/Level
These books are appropriate for high schoolers. While junior high readers would definitely be able to read the books, some of the themes at the end of the book may be too mature for younger readers.
Challenge Issues
Because these books have a clear religious agenda, they could definitely be challenged, especially in a school library setting. While there is certainly an audience for this type of book, I personally found it a bit off-putting that the book doesn't make its genre clear. Moon White is part of the True Colors series of books; at least 11 have been published so far. There were two huge displays of these books at a local library's young adult section; I flipped through the back covers of all of them and haphazardly decided on this one. Nothing in the blurbs made it clear that they were Christian books. A teen reader of a different religious background who picked up one of these books would probably be quite offended.
A librarian defending the inclusion of this book in the collection should ideally read the book, or, if unavailable, read reviews of the book. Reviews of the book were not published in the main professional journals; however, reviews of the book can be found on blogs like Teen Reads. The librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy and explain how the book fits those criteria. For this book, the librarian might be able to point to its popularity, especially if it circulated well, and point to other contemporary titles that appeal to readers of different faiths.
Selection Criteria
I picked up this book because a local library had two large displays of this series. I had never heard of it, but I figured it must be popular. I had no idea that they were Christian books, but I decided to pick one up. I noticed the author's name in a blurb review of another Christian-themed book I reviewed for this blog, Hollywood Nobody, so I decided to read it as an example of a book in the Christian genre.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson
Hollywood Nobody
Lisa Samson
ISBN 978-1-60006-091-5
209 pages
NavPress, 2007
Genre: Christian
Readers Annotation
15-year-old Scotty, whose mom works as a food designer for films, tries to figure out family, love, and God as she blogs about her experiences growing up on movie sets.
Plot Summary
15-year-old Scotty has never lived a normal life. Her mom works for the movies, as a food designer. They live on the road in an RV, moving from movie shoot to movie shoot. Scotty has an insider's view of the real Hollywood--she's met all the big stars and knows their weird secrets--but her closest friends are the senior citizens who also live the RV life. Scotty's mom, Charley, is an ex-hippie vegan who keeps a tight leash on Scotty. Scotty, whose two biggest passions in life are cheese and Hollywood gossip, relies on her RV and movie set friends to help her get her dairy fix. She secretly runs a blog, Hollywood Nobody, where she gives the inside scoop about Hollywood to her readers.
On a shoot on a remote island off North Carolina, Scotty begins to come of age. She befriends Seth Haas, an up-and-coming actor who is both talented and incredibly nice. She gets to know Joy, the niece of two of her RV friends, who was on the verge of becoming a famous designer in New York, but is now living incognito as a waitress on the island. She wonders about God, deciding to attend a tent revival and to start reading the Bible. And she worries about Charley, who takes mysterious phone calls in the middle of the night and is clearly worried about someone finding them.
Critical Evaluation
Lisa Samson creates a likable character in Scotty. She celebrates that Scotty is not a cookie cutter conformist, emphasizing her love of vintage fashion, her love of food, and her healthy size. Scotty is homeschooled, and she's incredibly self-motivated. Large parts of the books are devoted to Scotty's homework; she picks interesting things out of her life to research further, such as the history of the island where they are staying. She's friends with an interesting variety of people; the only one her own age is Seth. Older than her are: Jeremy, the famous director of the film that's shooting; Grammie and Grampie, two of her RV friends from the road; Joy, the designer; and Seth's parents, who comment at one point that life would be pretty boring if you only hung out with people your own age. It's true for the book, too. Some Hollywood gossip, naming both real and imaginary people, spices things up a little.
There's nothing on the book's cover or back blurb to suggest that it's Christian fiction, although it clearly is in that genre. In this book, Scotty is not a Christian nor a member of any religion, though she spends a good portion of the book pondering religion and Christianity, first from an intellectual standpoint and then from a more personal one. At the end of the book, Scotty decides that faith is a good thing, though she has not yet converted. Reading reader reviews of the other books on Amazon, it seems like religion becomes a bigger part as the series progresses. I believe that the book would appeal to non-Christian readers; the level of religion in this book seemed similar to the level of religion in Judy Blume's classic, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
While not a particularly ground-breaking or innovative work, it's a pleasant book to spend time with.
Other Books in the Series
Finding Hollywood Nobody (2008)
Romancing Hollywood Nobody (2008)
Goodbye Hollywood Nobody (2008)
About the Author
Lisa Samson has written a number of novels aimed at Christian women. The Hollywood Nobody series is her second foray into YA writing. Her first, Apples of Gold, was a fairy tale parable aimed at encouraging chastity in teenage girls.
Curriculum Ties
This book is not well-suited for use in any school curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Scotty's strange life on the road, both on the edge of Hollywood and on the edge of nowhere.
2. Explore the friendship between Seth and Scotty, as well as her jealousy of Karissa, the beautiful young starlet who also has an interest in Seth.
3. Talk about Scotty's search for answers about God and her own family background.
Reading Interest/Level
This book would be of interest to junior high students and above. More sophisticated high school readers might find it a little too simplistic, but it would probably appeal to freshman and sophomores.
Challenge Issues
Since the book is part of the Christian genre, it might inspire challenges. Should it be challenged, the librarian should read the book if possible. If not, s/he should familiarize herself with reviews of the book. I did not find it reviewed in any of the professional journals, but there were blog reviews of it on TeenReads and others. The librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's collection policy and be able to explain how Hollywood Nobody fits into the collection. Should it be challenged because it is a Christian novel, perhaps the librarian could point to novels centered around other faiths that are part of the library's collection and explain why having books from all faiths is an important part of a YA collection.
Selection Criteria
I thought it would be important to include some Christian YA books in my database, but I was unfamiliar with any contemporary titles. Through a Google search, I came across the Christy awards, which are given to the best Christian books every year. Hollywood Nobody was the 2008 winner in their young adult category.
Lisa Samson
ISBN 978-1-60006-091-5
209 pages
NavPress, 2007
Genre: Christian
Readers Annotation
15-year-old Scotty, whose mom works as a food designer for films, tries to figure out family, love, and God as she blogs about her experiences growing up on movie sets.
Plot Summary
15-year-old Scotty has never lived a normal life. Her mom works for the movies, as a food designer. They live on the road in an RV, moving from movie shoot to movie shoot. Scotty has an insider's view of the real Hollywood--she's met all the big stars and knows their weird secrets--but her closest friends are the senior citizens who also live the RV life. Scotty's mom, Charley, is an ex-hippie vegan who keeps a tight leash on Scotty. Scotty, whose two biggest passions in life are cheese and Hollywood gossip, relies on her RV and movie set friends to help her get her dairy fix. She secretly runs a blog, Hollywood Nobody, where she gives the inside scoop about Hollywood to her readers.
On a shoot on a remote island off North Carolina, Scotty begins to come of age. She befriends Seth Haas, an up-and-coming actor who is both talented and incredibly nice. She gets to know Joy, the niece of two of her RV friends, who was on the verge of becoming a famous designer in New York, but is now living incognito as a waitress on the island. She wonders about God, deciding to attend a tent revival and to start reading the Bible. And she worries about Charley, who takes mysterious phone calls in the middle of the night and is clearly worried about someone finding them.
Critical Evaluation
Lisa Samson creates a likable character in Scotty. She celebrates that Scotty is not a cookie cutter conformist, emphasizing her love of vintage fashion, her love of food, and her healthy size. Scotty is homeschooled, and she's incredibly self-motivated. Large parts of the books are devoted to Scotty's homework; she picks interesting things out of her life to research further, such as the history of the island where they are staying. She's friends with an interesting variety of people; the only one her own age is Seth. Older than her are: Jeremy, the famous director of the film that's shooting; Grammie and Grampie, two of her RV friends from the road; Joy, the designer; and Seth's parents, who comment at one point that life would be pretty boring if you only hung out with people your own age. It's true for the book, too. Some Hollywood gossip, naming both real and imaginary people, spices things up a little.
There's nothing on the book's cover or back blurb to suggest that it's Christian fiction, although it clearly is in that genre. In this book, Scotty is not a Christian nor a member of any religion, though she spends a good portion of the book pondering religion and Christianity, first from an intellectual standpoint and then from a more personal one. At the end of the book, Scotty decides that faith is a good thing, though she has not yet converted. Reading reader reviews of the other books on Amazon, it seems like religion becomes a bigger part as the series progresses. I believe that the book would appeal to non-Christian readers; the level of religion in this book seemed similar to the level of religion in Judy Blume's classic, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
While not a particularly ground-breaking or innovative work, it's a pleasant book to spend time with.
Other Books in the Series
Finding Hollywood Nobody (2008)
Romancing Hollywood Nobody (2008)
Goodbye Hollywood Nobody (2008)
About the Author
Lisa Samson has written a number of novels aimed at Christian women. The Hollywood Nobody series is her second foray into YA writing. Her first, Apples of Gold, was a fairy tale parable aimed at encouraging chastity in teenage girls.
Curriculum Ties
This book is not well-suited for use in any school curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Scotty's strange life on the road, both on the edge of Hollywood and on the edge of nowhere.
2. Explore the friendship between Seth and Scotty, as well as her jealousy of Karissa, the beautiful young starlet who also has an interest in Seth.
3. Talk about Scotty's search for answers about God and her own family background.
Reading Interest/Level
This book would be of interest to junior high students and above. More sophisticated high school readers might find it a little too simplistic, but it would probably appeal to freshman and sophomores.
Challenge Issues
Since the book is part of the Christian genre, it might inspire challenges. Should it be challenged, the librarian should read the book if possible. If not, s/he should familiarize herself with reviews of the book. I did not find it reviewed in any of the professional journals, but there were blog reviews of it on TeenReads and others. The librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's collection policy and be able to explain how Hollywood Nobody fits into the collection. Should it be challenged because it is a Christian novel, perhaps the librarian could point to novels centered around other faiths that are part of the library's collection and explain why having books from all faiths is an important part of a YA collection.
Selection Criteria
I thought it would be important to include some Christian YA books in my database, but I was unfamiliar with any contemporary titles. Through a Google search, I came across the Christy awards, which are given to the best Christian books every year. Hollywood Nobody was the 2008 winner in their young adult category.
Crank by Ellen Hopkins
Crank
Ellen Hopkins
ISBN 978-0-689-86519-0
537 pages
Simon Pulse, 2004
Genre: Issue Novel, Controversial, Verse Novel
Readers Annotation
While visiting her estranged father, gifted high school junior Kristina becomes hooked on crystal meth. Her life soon spirals out of control.
Plot Summary
Good girl Kristina hasn't seen her father in eight years; during her parents' divorce, her mother fought for sole custody, declaring his numerous addictions made him an unfit parent. A judge orders her to visit him, so Kristina flies from Reno to Albuquerque for a three-week visit. Annoyed by her mother's self-obsession and remarriage, Kristina looks forward to being reunited with her daddy, but from the moment she's reunited with him at the airport, it's clear that her dreams won't measure up to the reality. Hanging around at her father's squalid apartment, Kristina meets a boy named Adam. Impulsively, she introduces herself as Bree. Though Adam already has a girlfriend, they're immediately attracted to one another. Adam introduces Bree to crystal meth--also known as crank or the monster. Her father, also a crank user, snorts up with them. Bree loves the high. However, things end badly when Adam's girlfriend sees them kissing and jumps off a balcony, ending up in a coma.
When it's time for Bree to return home, Adam promises to love her forever. She flies home high. Her mother almost senses something is wrong, but her family is so caught up in their own lives that no one notices the huge changes in Kristina. Emboldened by her newfound confidence as Bree, she becomes bored with her old friends and starts hitting on new boys at school, including Chase, the school's bad boy, and Brendan, a beautiful lifeguard. Both Chase and Brendan are crank users, and as Bree looks around the world with new eyes, she notices crank use everywhere, including on the cheerleading squad. For awhile it seems she might quit, but after Adam dumps her and Brendan shows his true colors, she turns to crank for comfort. Then she can't stop chasing the monster. She's lost all her old friends, she's failing school, and her family starts to notice something is wrong, not to mention the fact that she's almost drained her entire savings. Can Bree ever return to Kristina, whose life was more boring but safe and secure? Will the monster ever release its hold on her life?
Critical Evaluation
Like all of Ellen Hopkins' novels, Crank is written in free verse. The story is told through a series of poems. Hopkins plays a lot with form in these poems; in one, words on the verso line up in neat columns, showing the order Kristina's life had before crank. Words on the recto are scattered all over the page, making it hard to read and showing the chaos of Bree's life on crank. In another, as Kristina longs for the comfort of home, the words take the shape of a house.
Hopkins wrote the novel about her own daughter's experiences with crystal meth addiction. Before the story starts, she tells the readers about the story's origins, which may make readers take the story to heart more than they would if they figured it was just another cautionary tale. Hopkins explores exactly why Kristina started to use drugs and why it was so appealing. While Kristina's life looks perfect on the surface, in reality, she has resented her mother for her remarriage and her focus on herself and a burgeoning writing career. She also blames her mother for her estrangement from her father. Though even she has to admit that her mother was probably right to excise him from their lives completely, enough tension exists in their relationship that she is unable to confide in her mother once things start to go bad in her life. Her stepfather is actually an excellent parent, the first one to suspect Kristina is in trouble, but Kristina resents his very presence in her life.
Hopkins is effective at showing why the drug is so appealing to Bree at first and how it sucks her into a completely different life experience. She meets new friends both good and bad--Brendan turns out to be truly evil, while Chase is a sensitive soul. The new experiences she has at first are exciting and dangerous, but by the time she realizes how much she has given up, it is too late to turn back. At that point, her addiction has completely taken hold, and she needs the drug just to function; it's completely deadened her emotions and she's unable to feel anything unless she's high.
It's an engrossing read; I stayed up late to finish it and can't wait to pick up the sequel. While the book ends on a slightly hopeful note, I have a feeling that Bree will soon be back in the grip of the monster.
Additional Books in the Series
Glass (2007) tells the continuing story of Bree/Kristina. A third book, Fallout, is due in 2010.
About the Author
Ellen Hopkins is known for her contoversial novels, which are all written in free-verse. Crank and its two sequels are based on the true experiences of her daughter, a crystal meth addict. Her other books include Burned, reviewed elsewhere in this blog, about a girl raised in an abusive Mormon household, and Impulse, about three teens whose paths cross while they're in a psychiatric hospital.
Curriculum Ties
This book is probably too controversial to be included in any school curriculum, but if it were able to be used, it could be used in a health class to engage kids in honest dialog about drug use.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain Kristina's transformation into Bree--her personality change and her drug use, and the influence each has on the other.
2. Talk about the three boys in Kristina's life: Adam, Chase and Brendan. Explain why she is attracted to each, and what their flaws are.
3. Talk about Kristina's family life. Why does she fall into drugs so easily? Why doesn't anyone notice how drastically she has changed?
Reading/Interest Level
This book's subject matter make it appropriate for high school students and adults.
Challenge Issues
The whole book is a challenge issue: from its primary subject matter (teen drug addiction), to the things it leads to (unsanitary tattoos, sex, rape, teen pregnancy, and general deliquency). There are also strong swear words, and Kristina/Bree's sister is a lesbian.
Should the book be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book to be able to properly defend it; if that is not possible, s/he should read as many professional reviews as possible about the book and read descriptions of the potentially controversial content on a site like Common Sense Media. The librarian should also be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy.
To defend the book, the librarian could point to the book's fairly positive reviews, its overwhelming popularity, and its awards (such as being named an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers and an ALA Popular Paperback). The librarian could also point to statistics about teen drug use, including teen meth use, as proof that the topic is quite relevant to students and explain that Hopkins meant the book as an honest portrayal of the drug that would help teens decide against using it.
Selection Criteria
I chose to read Burned because of its inclusion in section 10's presentation on controversial literature. I enjoyed that book, and while reading reviews of that novel, everyone mentioned the overwhelming popularity of Hopkins's first novel, Crank. This inspired me to read the book.
Ellen Hopkins
ISBN 978-0-689-86519-0
537 pages
Simon Pulse, 2004
Genre: Issue Novel, Controversial, Verse Novel
Readers Annotation
While visiting her estranged father, gifted high school junior Kristina becomes hooked on crystal meth. Her life soon spirals out of control.
Plot Summary
Good girl Kristina hasn't seen her father in eight years; during her parents' divorce, her mother fought for sole custody, declaring his numerous addictions made him an unfit parent. A judge orders her to visit him, so Kristina flies from Reno to Albuquerque for a three-week visit. Annoyed by her mother's self-obsession and remarriage, Kristina looks forward to being reunited with her daddy, but from the moment she's reunited with him at the airport, it's clear that her dreams won't measure up to the reality. Hanging around at her father's squalid apartment, Kristina meets a boy named Adam. Impulsively, she introduces herself as Bree. Though Adam already has a girlfriend, they're immediately attracted to one another. Adam introduces Bree to crystal meth--also known as crank or the monster. Her father, also a crank user, snorts up with them. Bree loves the high. However, things end badly when Adam's girlfriend sees them kissing and jumps off a balcony, ending up in a coma.
When it's time for Bree to return home, Adam promises to love her forever. She flies home high. Her mother almost senses something is wrong, but her family is so caught up in their own lives that no one notices the huge changes in Kristina. Emboldened by her newfound confidence as Bree, she becomes bored with her old friends and starts hitting on new boys at school, including Chase, the school's bad boy, and Brendan, a beautiful lifeguard. Both Chase and Brendan are crank users, and as Bree looks around the world with new eyes, she notices crank use everywhere, including on the cheerleading squad. For awhile it seems she might quit, but after Adam dumps her and Brendan shows his true colors, she turns to crank for comfort. Then she can't stop chasing the monster. She's lost all her old friends, she's failing school, and her family starts to notice something is wrong, not to mention the fact that she's almost drained her entire savings. Can Bree ever return to Kristina, whose life was more boring but safe and secure? Will the monster ever release its hold on her life?
Critical Evaluation
Like all of Ellen Hopkins' novels, Crank is written in free verse. The story is told through a series of poems. Hopkins plays a lot with form in these poems; in one, words on the verso line up in neat columns, showing the order Kristina's life had before crank. Words on the recto are scattered all over the page, making it hard to read and showing the chaos of Bree's life on crank. In another, as Kristina longs for the comfort of home, the words take the shape of a house.
Hopkins wrote the novel about her own daughter's experiences with crystal meth addiction. Before the story starts, she tells the readers about the story's origins, which may make readers take the story to heart more than they would if they figured it was just another cautionary tale. Hopkins explores exactly why Kristina started to use drugs and why it was so appealing. While Kristina's life looks perfect on the surface, in reality, she has resented her mother for her remarriage and her focus on herself and a burgeoning writing career. She also blames her mother for her estrangement from her father. Though even she has to admit that her mother was probably right to excise him from their lives completely, enough tension exists in their relationship that she is unable to confide in her mother once things start to go bad in her life. Her stepfather is actually an excellent parent, the first one to suspect Kristina is in trouble, but Kristina resents his very presence in her life.
Hopkins is effective at showing why the drug is so appealing to Bree at first and how it sucks her into a completely different life experience. She meets new friends both good and bad--Brendan turns out to be truly evil, while Chase is a sensitive soul. The new experiences she has at first are exciting and dangerous, but by the time she realizes how much she has given up, it is too late to turn back. At that point, her addiction has completely taken hold, and she needs the drug just to function; it's completely deadened her emotions and she's unable to feel anything unless she's high.
It's an engrossing read; I stayed up late to finish it and can't wait to pick up the sequel. While the book ends on a slightly hopeful note, I have a feeling that Bree will soon be back in the grip of the monster.
Additional Books in the Series
Glass (2007) tells the continuing story of Bree/Kristina. A third book, Fallout, is due in 2010.
About the Author
Ellen Hopkins is known for her contoversial novels, which are all written in free-verse. Crank and its two sequels are based on the true experiences of her daughter, a crystal meth addict. Her other books include Burned, reviewed elsewhere in this blog, about a girl raised in an abusive Mormon household, and Impulse, about three teens whose paths cross while they're in a psychiatric hospital.
Curriculum Ties
This book is probably too controversial to be included in any school curriculum, but if it were able to be used, it could be used in a health class to engage kids in honest dialog about drug use.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain Kristina's transformation into Bree--her personality change and her drug use, and the influence each has on the other.
2. Talk about the three boys in Kristina's life: Adam, Chase and Brendan. Explain why she is attracted to each, and what their flaws are.
3. Talk about Kristina's family life. Why does she fall into drugs so easily? Why doesn't anyone notice how drastically she has changed?
Reading/Interest Level
This book's subject matter make it appropriate for high school students and adults.
Challenge Issues
The whole book is a challenge issue: from its primary subject matter (teen drug addiction), to the things it leads to (unsanitary tattoos, sex, rape, teen pregnancy, and general deliquency). There are also strong swear words, and Kristina/Bree's sister is a lesbian.
Should the book be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book to be able to properly defend it; if that is not possible, s/he should read as many professional reviews as possible about the book and read descriptions of the potentially controversial content on a site like Common Sense Media. The librarian should also be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy.
To defend the book, the librarian could point to the book's fairly positive reviews, its overwhelming popularity, and its awards (such as being named an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers and an ALA Popular Paperback). The librarian could also point to statistics about teen drug use, including teen meth use, as proof that the topic is quite relevant to students and explain that Hopkins meant the book as an honest portrayal of the drug that would help teens decide against using it.
Selection Criteria
I chose to read Burned because of its inclusion in section 10's presentation on controversial literature. I enjoyed that book, and while reading reviews of that novel, everyone mentioned the overwhelming popularity of Hopkins's first novel, Crank. This inspired me to read the book.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Little Brother
Cory Doctorow
ISBN 978-0-7653-1985-2
382 pages
Tor, 2008
Genre: Issue Novel, Politics
Readers Annotation
After a terrorist attack on San Francisco, the Department of Homeland Security institutes new measures that threaten citizens' civil liberties. With a motto of "Never Trust Anyone Under 25," teenager Marcus and his hacker friends fight back.
Plot Summary
17-year-old Marcus and his friends are skipping school when terrorists bomb the San Francisco Bay Bridge. In the confusion after the attack, Marcus and his friends are taken in by the Department of Homeland Security, where they are secretly imprisoned and questioned for days. Upon their release, the DHS warns them never to tell what happened, and Marcus doesn't even tell his parents.
Marcus is concerned by what he sees as infringements by the DHS of basic civil liberties. The adults in his life, however, seem to accept that the loss of liberty is a small price to pay for additional security. Marcus decides to fight back. Known only by his handle "m1k3y," he creates Xnet, an underground computer network using hacked XBox consoles that he persuades his friends and acquaintances to use. The network grows, and the Xnetters find ways to foil DHS's security attempts.
Marcus is incredibly secretive about his new identity, not wanting to be picked up by DHS again. However, as Xnet's influence grows, the DHS takes note and tries to find the mysterious m1k3y.
Critical Evaluation
Little Brother was pulsating with excitement; it seemed as caffeine-fueled as Marcus and his friends (and that's a good thing). Doctorow is really clever at setting it in a sort of Anytime, with details that make it both seem futuristic and contemporary. The book makes a compelling case for the power of youth; with their slogan, "Don't Trust Anyone Over 25," teens and young adults are shown as the primary force fighting to preserve American freedoms. Older folks view the teens as naive and idealistic, whereas the teens wonder why everyone else is so complacent and accepts so blindly the new limits on their freedom.
These are clearly very pertinent issues, and the book seemed to be in part a direct reaction to some actions of the Bush administration. (The president described in the book seemed to have an awful lot of Bushy characteristics.) The book mentions that Congress has approved "the Patriot Act 2," and at the end of the book, Marcus is waterboarded.
The book is quite successful at making its political points and explaining the technology behind Xnet and their many hacks. The book makes all this sound very cool and exciting, and indeed there are several essays and a bibliography at the back of the book that encourage readers how to get involved--and explain just how to do so. It's tightly plotted, and I wanted to keep reading "just a few pages more" to see what would happen. Characterizations are not particularly deep; the romance between Marcus and his new girlfriend Ange is a big part of the second half of the novel, but I didn't feel particularly invested in their relationship. I also felt like Marcus was too hard on his parents; while they dismiss his concerns, I felt like he also dismissed theirs and didn't try to understand why his father in particular was so anxious to believe that DHS was acting in the country's best interest.
Overall, though, it's a hugely entertaining and thought-provoking work.
About the Author
Cory Doctorow is an editor for the hugely influential blog Boing Boing, which started out as an underground zine in the late '80s. He has also written extensively for Wired magazine. In addition to his non-fiction journalism, he has released several science fiction novels. He has been a huge proponent of digital media rights and indeed has released online versions of his novels for free under the Creative Commons license. In the acknowledgements of Little Brother, he credits young adult authors Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier for encouraging him to write for a young adult audience.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used to discuss issues of civil liberties, the proper role of the government, revolution, civil discourse, technology, security, and youth culture.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain how being secretly held by the DHS turns Marcus into something of a revolutionary.
2. Talk about how the XNetters get around some of the measures DHS has instituted.
3. Explore the ideas of youth culture in the book: "Don't Trust Anyone Over 25."
Reading Interest/Level
I think this book would be most appropriate for high schoolers and adults. Some of the themes may be a little too sophisticated for younger readers.
Challenge Issues
There are many descriptions of violence in the book: people are trampled to death in a mob, Marcus is waterboarded and mentally tortured by the DHS, and his friend Darryl is stabbed. There is also some sexual content in the book; Marcus loses his virginity to his girlfriend Ange. There are some swear words used in the book, along with depictions of teenage drinking.
If the book were to be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book; if not able to, s/he should familiarize herself with the book by reading reviews, as well as descriptions of the potentially controversial material on a site like Common Sense Media. The librarian should also be able to explain the library's selection policy and how the book fits those criteria. As proof of its worth, s/he could point to the book's numerous starred reviews in professional review journals, as well as its awards, such as being named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008.
Selection Criteria
I first became aware of this book because it was assigned as part of this course, but its multiple positive reviews make it a worthy selection indeed.
Cory Doctorow
ISBN 978-0-7653-1985-2
382 pages
Tor, 2008
Genre: Issue Novel, Politics
Readers Annotation
After a terrorist attack on San Francisco, the Department of Homeland Security institutes new measures that threaten citizens' civil liberties. With a motto of "Never Trust Anyone Under 25," teenager Marcus and his hacker friends fight back.
Plot Summary
17-year-old Marcus and his friends are skipping school when terrorists bomb the San Francisco Bay Bridge. In the confusion after the attack, Marcus and his friends are taken in by the Department of Homeland Security, where they are secretly imprisoned and questioned for days. Upon their release, the DHS warns them never to tell what happened, and Marcus doesn't even tell his parents.
Marcus is concerned by what he sees as infringements by the DHS of basic civil liberties. The adults in his life, however, seem to accept that the loss of liberty is a small price to pay for additional security. Marcus decides to fight back. Known only by his handle "m1k3y," he creates Xnet, an underground computer network using hacked XBox consoles that he persuades his friends and acquaintances to use. The network grows, and the Xnetters find ways to foil DHS's security attempts.
Marcus is incredibly secretive about his new identity, not wanting to be picked up by DHS again. However, as Xnet's influence grows, the DHS takes note and tries to find the mysterious m1k3y.
Critical Evaluation
Little Brother was pulsating with excitement; it seemed as caffeine-fueled as Marcus and his friends (and that's a good thing). Doctorow is really clever at setting it in a sort of Anytime, with details that make it both seem futuristic and contemporary. The book makes a compelling case for the power of youth; with their slogan, "Don't Trust Anyone Over 25," teens and young adults are shown as the primary force fighting to preserve American freedoms. Older folks view the teens as naive and idealistic, whereas the teens wonder why everyone else is so complacent and accepts so blindly the new limits on their freedom.
These are clearly very pertinent issues, and the book seemed to be in part a direct reaction to some actions of the Bush administration. (The president described in the book seemed to have an awful lot of Bushy characteristics.) The book mentions that Congress has approved "the Patriot Act 2," and at the end of the book, Marcus is waterboarded.
The book is quite successful at making its political points and explaining the technology behind Xnet and their many hacks. The book makes all this sound very cool and exciting, and indeed there are several essays and a bibliography at the back of the book that encourage readers how to get involved--and explain just how to do so. It's tightly plotted, and I wanted to keep reading "just a few pages more" to see what would happen. Characterizations are not particularly deep; the romance between Marcus and his new girlfriend Ange is a big part of the second half of the novel, but I didn't feel particularly invested in their relationship. I also felt like Marcus was too hard on his parents; while they dismiss his concerns, I felt like he also dismissed theirs and didn't try to understand why his father in particular was so anxious to believe that DHS was acting in the country's best interest.
Overall, though, it's a hugely entertaining and thought-provoking work.
About the Author
Cory Doctorow is an editor for the hugely influential blog Boing Boing, which started out as an underground zine in the late '80s. He has also written extensively for Wired magazine. In addition to his non-fiction journalism, he has released several science fiction novels. He has been a huge proponent of digital media rights and indeed has released online versions of his novels for free under the Creative Commons license. In the acknowledgements of Little Brother, he credits young adult authors Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier for encouraging him to write for a young adult audience.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used to discuss issues of civil liberties, the proper role of the government, revolution, civil discourse, technology, security, and youth culture.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain how being secretly held by the DHS turns Marcus into something of a revolutionary.
2. Talk about how the XNetters get around some of the measures DHS has instituted.
3. Explore the ideas of youth culture in the book: "Don't Trust Anyone Over 25."
Reading Interest/Level
I think this book would be most appropriate for high schoolers and adults. Some of the themes may be a little too sophisticated for younger readers.
Challenge Issues
There are many descriptions of violence in the book: people are trampled to death in a mob, Marcus is waterboarded and mentally tortured by the DHS, and his friend Darryl is stabbed. There is also some sexual content in the book; Marcus loses his virginity to his girlfriend Ange. There are some swear words used in the book, along with depictions of teenage drinking.
If the book were to be challenged, the librarian should ideally read the book; if not able to, s/he should familiarize herself with the book by reading reviews, as well as descriptions of the potentially controversial material on a site like Common Sense Media. The librarian should also be able to explain the library's selection policy and how the book fits those criteria. As proof of its worth, s/he could point to the book's numerous starred reviews in professional review journals, as well as its awards, such as being named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008.
Selection Criteria
I first became aware of this book because it was assigned as part of this course, but its multiple positive reviews make it a worthy selection indeed.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Burned by Ellen Hopkins
Burned
Ellen Hopkins
ISBN 1-4169-0354-2
531 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2006
Genre: Issue Novel, Controversial, Verse Novel
Readers Annotation
Raised in a strict, conservative Mormon household with an abusive father, Pattyn begins to question all her previously held beliefs about love and God.
Plot Summary
Pattyn is the oldest of seven daughters in a strict Mormon household. Her abusive father wants a boy and expects little other from his wife than to churn out babies, so most of the childrearing and household duties fall to Pattyn. A librarian at her high school takes a special interest in Pattyn and introduces her to the wider world through literature. After reading some racy classics, Pattyn has a sexual dream involving one of her classmates. She's been taught that all sexual activity before marriage is a sin, but decides she can't be held accountable for her dreams; she tries to discuss this matter with the church, but she's frustrated by the lack of answers, as well as its misogyny. Though the church leadership knows that her alcoholic father beats his wife regularly, they do not intervene. Frustrated, Pattyn starts dating a non-Mormon boy from school. When her father finds out, he forbids her to see him again. Pattyn punches the boy's new girlfriend in the nose and then accidentally throws her backpack through a window in the library. Her father banishes her to live with his estranged sister from the summer.
Pattyn's world changes dramatically at Aunt J's ranch. She learns some disturbing truths about her father from Aunt J, but she also develops a sense of worth and self-confidence she never had before. She also meets a boy, Ethan, with whom she falls deeply in love. But what will happen when she has to go back home at the summer? And what will happen if her father finds out she's dating another non-Mormon?
Critical Evaluation
Like all of Ellen Hopkins' novels, Burned is written in verse form. Each page is like its own little poem. Hopkins plays freely with the form of these poems; some sprawled across the page, some are written in couplets. Because of this, we get a very strong sense of Pattyn's interior life. The verse almost gives the reader a stream-of-consciousness effect, but with a heightened sense of emotions. The chapters where Pattyn's father eventually starts beating her are almost too painful to bear.
I found Pattyn's growth throughout the novel quite moving. Her relationship with Ethan is a tender first love, and Hopkins gives it the respect it deserves. For older readers, it will conjure of memories of their first intense summer love, but Pattyn insists theirs is a "forever love" and wise old Aunt J. tends to agree. The relationship between Pattyn and Aunt J. is also well-drawn. We get a sense of Aunt J., what a survivor she is and how much she has already been through... but she teaches Pattyn to soldier on and never stop believing in herself or in love.
The ending of the book, which is quite controversial, came up a little short to me. Though I believe Hopkins intended to show the rage Pattyn felt when everything she cares about is torn away from her--and the incidents that got her sent to live with Aunt J. show us that she is indeed capable of great rage--I also do not think that the Pattyn who loved and was loved by Aunt J. would resort to such violence.
About the Author
Ellen Hopkins is known for her free-verse novels. She touches upon many controversial topics in her work. The Crank series is about a teenage girl who becomes addicted to crystal meth, while Tricks is about teenage prostitution.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used to discuss issues of religion (especially religious corruption), abuse, and violence.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Pattyn and her family life: her lazy mother, her abusive father, and her gaggle of younger sisters. Why is going to Aunt J's so liberating for her?
2. Talk about how Pattyn starts questioning the religious beliefs she was raised with -- especially its culture of misogyny and its lack of intellectual curiosity.
3. Talk about Pattyn and Ethan's relationship. Is it true love?
Reading Interest/Level
The themes and format of this book make it appropriate for high school students and above.
Challenge Issues
This book has a number of challenge issues: teenage sexuality, teenage drinking, abuse, and school violence to name a few. To defend it against challenges, the librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy and explain how Burned fits those criteria. S/he should ideally read the book, but if unable to, should read reviews to familiarize with its content and critical worth. S/he could point out the books many positive reviews and its many awards as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
Burned was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. It was also a National Book Award nominee.
Ellen Hopkins
ISBN 1-4169-0354-2
531 pages
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2006
Genre: Issue Novel, Controversial, Verse Novel
Readers Annotation
Raised in a strict, conservative Mormon household with an abusive father, Pattyn begins to question all her previously held beliefs about love and God.
Plot Summary
Pattyn is the oldest of seven daughters in a strict Mormon household. Her abusive father wants a boy and expects little other from his wife than to churn out babies, so most of the childrearing and household duties fall to Pattyn. A librarian at her high school takes a special interest in Pattyn and introduces her to the wider world through literature. After reading some racy classics, Pattyn has a sexual dream involving one of her classmates. She's been taught that all sexual activity before marriage is a sin, but decides she can't be held accountable for her dreams; she tries to discuss this matter with the church, but she's frustrated by the lack of answers, as well as its misogyny. Though the church leadership knows that her alcoholic father beats his wife regularly, they do not intervene. Frustrated, Pattyn starts dating a non-Mormon boy from school. When her father finds out, he forbids her to see him again. Pattyn punches the boy's new girlfriend in the nose and then accidentally throws her backpack through a window in the library. Her father banishes her to live with his estranged sister from the summer.
Pattyn's world changes dramatically at Aunt J's ranch. She learns some disturbing truths about her father from Aunt J, but she also develops a sense of worth and self-confidence she never had before. She also meets a boy, Ethan, with whom she falls deeply in love. But what will happen when she has to go back home at the summer? And what will happen if her father finds out she's dating another non-Mormon?
Critical Evaluation
Like all of Ellen Hopkins' novels, Burned is written in verse form. Each page is like its own little poem. Hopkins plays freely with the form of these poems; some sprawled across the page, some are written in couplets. Because of this, we get a very strong sense of Pattyn's interior life. The verse almost gives the reader a stream-of-consciousness effect, but with a heightened sense of emotions. The chapters where Pattyn's father eventually starts beating her are almost too painful to bear.
I found Pattyn's growth throughout the novel quite moving. Her relationship with Ethan is a tender first love, and Hopkins gives it the respect it deserves. For older readers, it will conjure of memories of their first intense summer love, but Pattyn insists theirs is a "forever love" and wise old Aunt J. tends to agree. The relationship between Pattyn and Aunt J. is also well-drawn. We get a sense of Aunt J., what a survivor she is and how much she has already been through... but she teaches Pattyn to soldier on and never stop believing in herself or in love.
The ending of the book, which is quite controversial, came up a little short to me. Though I believe Hopkins intended to show the rage Pattyn felt when everything she cares about is torn away from her--and the incidents that got her sent to live with Aunt J. show us that she is indeed capable of great rage--I also do not think that the Pattyn who loved and was loved by Aunt J. would resort to such violence.
About the Author
Ellen Hopkins is known for her free-verse novels. She touches upon many controversial topics in her work. The Crank series is about a teenage girl who becomes addicted to crystal meth, while Tricks is about teenage prostitution.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used to discuss issues of religion (especially religious corruption), abuse, and violence.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Pattyn and her family life: her lazy mother, her abusive father, and her gaggle of younger sisters. Why is going to Aunt J's so liberating for her?
2. Talk about how Pattyn starts questioning the religious beliefs she was raised with -- especially its culture of misogyny and its lack of intellectual curiosity.
3. Talk about Pattyn and Ethan's relationship. Is it true love?
Reading Interest/Level
The themes and format of this book make it appropriate for high school students and above.
Challenge Issues
This book has a number of challenge issues: teenage sexuality, teenage drinking, abuse, and school violence to name a few. To defend it against challenges, the librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy and explain how Burned fits those criteria. S/he should ideally read the book, but if unable to, should read reviews to familiarize with its content and critical worth. S/he could point out the books many positive reviews and its many awards as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
Burned was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. It was also a National Book Award nominee.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block
Weetzie Bat
Francesca Lia Block
ISBN 0-06-440818-3
113 pages
Charlotte Zolotow, 1989
Genre: Mythic Reality; Urban Fantasy
Readers Annotation
Weetzie Bat, a bleach-blonde punk pixie, and her slinkster-cool best friend Dirk search for love in L.A.
Plot Summary
Weetzie Bat is a bleach-blonde punk pixie, a true original. The child of a screenwriter and a B-movie actress, Weetzie loves L.A.--Weetzie is L.A. In high school, she meets a slinkster-cool boy named Dirk. They become best friends and spend their days surfing at Venice Beach and their nights going clubbing on the Sunset Strip. They both are searching for love, but can't seem to find Mr. Right. One day Dirk's Grandma Fifi gives Weetzie what turns out to be a genie's lamp. The genie grants her three wishes: to find a boyfriend for Dirk, to find a boyfriend for herself, and to have a home where they can all live happily. Grandma Fifi dies, leaving them her Hollywood bungalow, and Dirk and Weetzie both meet their true loves. Weetzie becomes friends with a Jamaican/Chinese family of fashion designers. Together, this kooky cast of characters learns that all you need is love.
Critical Summary
How was I a teen in the 1990s without reading any Francesca Lia Block? I'm not sure. I've heard plenty of backlash against her, so I picked up this book expecting to hate it, but to my surprise, I really loved it. Francesca Lia Block has so much fun with wordplay in this book, creating expressions and slang that are just perfect. I think my favorite expression from the book is "Shangri-L.A.", which sums up her depiction of Los Angeles perfectly. As much of a character as any of the people in the story is the city: a mixture of old-school Hollywood glamor, retroswank coolness, and '80s punk. Weetzie's dad hates it because it's a city of illusion, but that's why Weetzie loves it. From the Jetson-diner with the roller-skating waitresses to the trendy sushi restaurants to the fairytale cottage they live in, L.A. is like no place else.
But despite all the focus on style, the story is really all about love and acceptance. When Dirk comes out to Weetzie, she embraces him and says that now they can hunt for boys together. The mixed race family exists as a beautiful unit, experiencing no prejudice or hatred. When Weetzie decides to have a baby, they form a new family with three dads. Though her mother raises an eyebrow, their unconventional family unit works. Some dark threats encroach upon the book--the final chapter deals with AIDS--but the book is mostly a sunny, funny, fantastical, fantastic, dreamlike allegory about love.
About the Author
Francesca Lia Block is known for her distinctive style and her realistic fantasy books. There is an entire series of books about Weetzie and her family. Block is best known for her unconventional heroines and her love affair with the city of L.A., where she has lived her whole life. In 2005, she won the ALA's Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award.
Curriculum Ties
The book is not particularly well-suited for use in a curriculum, though it could be used as an example of creative wordplay and structure or as an example of mythic reality.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Tell the story of Weetzie and Dirk's early days, while trying to use as much of Block's signature style as possible.
2. Talk about the unconventional circle of friends that surrounds Weetzie.
3. Describe the character of Weetzie.
Reading Interest/Level
This book would most appeal to and be appreciated by high schoolers and above.
Challenge Issues
Weetzie Bat is frequently challenged because it deals with topics like homosexuality, premarital sex, a child born out of wedlock, and AIDS. To defend it against challenges, the librarian should be able to explain the collection policy and how this title fits into that policy. The librarian could point to the many positive reviews the book received on its initial release, as well as point out that the book is considered a young adult classic and appears on many honor lists, including ALA's "Best of the Best Books for Young Adults."
Selection Criteria
Weetzie Bat was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults in 1990 and an ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults in 2005.
Francesca Lia Block
ISBN 0-06-440818-3
113 pages
Charlotte Zolotow, 1989
Genre: Mythic Reality; Urban Fantasy
Readers Annotation
Weetzie Bat, a bleach-blonde punk pixie, and her slinkster-cool best friend Dirk search for love in L.A.
Plot Summary
Weetzie Bat is a bleach-blonde punk pixie, a true original. The child of a screenwriter and a B-movie actress, Weetzie loves L.A.--Weetzie is L.A. In high school, she meets a slinkster-cool boy named Dirk. They become best friends and spend their days surfing at Venice Beach and their nights going clubbing on the Sunset Strip. They both are searching for love, but can't seem to find Mr. Right. One day Dirk's Grandma Fifi gives Weetzie what turns out to be a genie's lamp. The genie grants her three wishes: to find a boyfriend for Dirk, to find a boyfriend for herself, and to have a home where they can all live happily. Grandma Fifi dies, leaving them her Hollywood bungalow, and Dirk and Weetzie both meet their true loves. Weetzie becomes friends with a Jamaican/Chinese family of fashion designers. Together, this kooky cast of characters learns that all you need is love.
Critical Summary
How was I a teen in the 1990s without reading any Francesca Lia Block? I'm not sure. I've heard plenty of backlash against her, so I picked up this book expecting to hate it, but to my surprise, I really loved it. Francesca Lia Block has so much fun with wordplay in this book, creating expressions and slang that are just perfect. I think my favorite expression from the book is "Shangri-L.A.", which sums up her depiction of Los Angeles perfectly. As much of a character as any of the people in the story is the city: a mixture of old-school Hollywood glamor, retroswank coolness, and '80s punk. Weetzie's dad hates it because it's a city of illusion, but that's why Weetzie loves it. From the Jetson-diner with the roller-skating waitresses to the trendy sushi restaurants to the fairytale cottage they live in, L.A. is like no place else.
But despite all the focus on style, the story is really all about love and acceptance. When Dirk comes out to Weetzie, she embraces him and says that now they can hunt for boys together. The mixed race family exists as a beautiful unit, experiencing no prejudice or hatred. When Weetzie decides to have a baby, they form a new family with three dads. Though her mother raises an eyebrow, their unconventional family unit works. Some dark threats encroach upon the book--the final chapter deals with AIDS--but the book is mostly a sunny, funny, fantastical, fantastic, dreamlike allegory about love.
About the Author
Francesca Lia Block is known for her distinctive style and her realistic fantasy books. There is an entire series of books about Weetzie and her family. Block is best known for her unconventional heroines and her love affair with the city of L.A., where she has lived her whole life. In 2005, she won the ALA's Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award.
Curriculum Ties
The book is not particularly well-suited for use in a curriculum, though it could be used as an example of creative wordplay and structure or as an example of mythic reality.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Tell the story of Weetzie and Dirk's early days, while trying to use as much of Block's signature style as possible.
2. Talk about the unconventional circle of friends that surrounds Weetzie.
3. Describe the character of Weetzie.
Reading Interest/Level
This book would most appeal to and be appreciated by high schoolers and above.
Challenge Issues
Weetzie Bat is frequently challenged because it deals with topics like homosexuality, premarital sex, a child born out of wedlock, and AIDS. To defend it against challenges, the librarian should be able to explain the collection policy and how this title fits into that policy. The librarian could point to the many positive reviews the book received on its initial release, as well as point out that the book is considered a young adult classic and appears on many honor lists, including ALA's "Best of the Best Books for Young Adults."
Selection Criteria
Weetzie Bat was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults in 1990 and an ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults in 2005.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle
Kissing Kate
Lauren Myracle
ISBN 0-525-46917-6
198 pages
Dutton, 2003
Genre: LGBT, Contemporary Life
Readers Annotation
Lissa and Kate have been best friends forever, but after they share a romantic kiss at a party, their relationship is strained.
Plot Summary
Lissa and Kate have been best friends forever. Kate, a beautiful gymnast, has always had confidence enough for both of them. After they share a romantic kiss at a party, their relationship is strained. Though Kate initiated the kiss, she stops speaking to Lissa. Lissa finds herself starting her junior year without a group of friends, since her previous friends were really Kate's friends. Through her weekend job at a restaurant delivery service, Lissa gets to know Ariel, a girl from school she'd previously dismissed as too kooky. Ariel sets up a social outing with their boss, an overweight, middle-aged single woman, whom Lissa had previously dismissed as sort of pathetic, and introduces her to Finn, a cute, funny boy who has a birth defect. Lissa realizes that she has been prejudging people and pushing them away without really getting to know them.
At the same time, she struggles with the realization that she is in love with Kate. Kate wants them to return to their old friendship, without even acknowledging what happened between them. When pressed, Kate admits she has feelings, too, but is too concerned with what her family and classmates would think if she came out as a lesbian. Meanwhile, Lissa's younger sister's new friend makes pronouncements on everything--including how gross gay people are--and Lissa's uncle, who has been their guardian since their parents died in a car accident, has the courage to start a new romance and change and grow as a person. Lissa observes all of these people's different reactions to change and being different and wonders whether she should patch things up with Kate and pretend that nothing has happened or take ownership of her new identity.
Critical Evaluation
Though Kissing Kate is very much about Lissa's eventual realization that she can't and won't deny her romantic feelings for Kate, its themes are broader than LGBT. Lissa's acceptance of her sexual identity, whatever it is (Ariel warns her not to be to quick to put a label on herself: maybe she's lesbian, maybe she's bisexual, or maybe she loved Kate the person), is part of a larger self-acceptance that's common to the adolescent experience. Lissa is a realistically flawed person who has been hiding herself her entire life, yet judging people who put themselves out there. While she's presented with a number of previews of how difficult life as a gay person might be, she decides the greater crime is to live a lie, a half-formed life.
There is a running subplot throughout the book about Lissa's attempts to engage in lucid dreaming that I did not think was very successful. While Lissa's interest and success in this new-age topic, despite her previous identity as a skeptic, is meant to show her growth as a person and provides the context for Ariel and Lissa's friendship, I felt like it took up too prominent space in the plot long after it had served its useful purpose.
I very much enjoyed Lissa's relationship with her younger sister. Lissa is both a sister and a mother to her sister, who was only two when their parents died; she realizes that her sister is developing a toxic friendship, but she handles it very well, subtly showing her sister her new friend's true colors and letting her come to that realization on her own. One can see that Lissa wishes her own mother were still alive, helping her work out her own issues with Kate.
About the Author
Lauren Myracle is perhaps known for her "IM Girl" series that started with ttyl, reviewed in this blog. She is a young adult author whose work has been frequently challenged: ttyl for its adult themes and Kissing Kate for its lesbian content. Her latest offering for middle school readers, Luv Ya Bunches, recently made headlines when it was banned from Scholastic Book Fairs because one of its four main characters had same-sex parents.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used in a school setting to discuss identity and/or lesbian and gay themes.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain Kate and Lissa's history and current strained relationship.
2. Discuss Lissa's new friendship with Ariel and how it helps her reevaluate herself.
3. Explore Lissa's family and her relationship with her sister. Is it easier to see other people making mistakes than to see those mistakes in ourselves?
Reading Interest/Level
This book would be of interest to both junior high and high school students.
Challenge Issues
Though there is some alcohol involved--Kate is drunk when she first kisses Lissa, and Lissa later gets drunk after school with Finn and Ariel--this book's main challenge issue is the fact that it's centered around two teenage girls who are romantically involved. I personally do not think there is anything in this book that wouldn't be appropriate for junior high or high school students, but it is a frequently challenged book.
Should it be challenged, the librarian should be able to explain and defend her library's collection policy to the challenger and show how Kissing Kate meets those criteria. S/he could point to the book's numerous positive reviews as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
Kissing Kate was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Lauren Myracle
ISBN 0-525-46917-6
198 pages
Dutton, 2003
Genre: LGBT, Contemporary Life
Readers Annotation
Lissa and Kate have been best friends forever, but after they share a romantic kiss at a party, their relationship is strained.
Plot Summary
Lissa and Kate have been best friends forever. Kate, a beautiful gymnast, has always had confidence enough for both of them. After they share a romantic kiss at a party, their relationship is strained. Though Kate initiated the kiss, she stops speaking to Lissa. Lissa finds herself starting her junior year without a group of friends, since her previous friends were really Kate's friends. Through her weekend job at a restaurant delivery service, Lissa gets to know Ariel, a girl from school she'd previously dismissed as too kooky. Ariel sets up a social outing with their boss, an overweight, middle-aged single woman, whom Lissa had previously dismissed as sort of pathetic, and introduces her to Finn, a cute, funny boy who has a birth defect. Lissa realizes that she has been prejudging people and pushing them away without really getting to know them.
At the same time, she struggles with the realization that she is in love with Kate. Kate wants them to return to their old friendship, without even acknowledging what happened between them. When pressed, Kate admits she has feelings, too, but is too concerned with what her family and classmates would think if she came out as a lesbian. Meanwhile, Lissa's younger sister's new friend makes pronouncements on everything--including how gross gay people are--and Lissa's uncle, who has been their guardian since their parents died in a car accident, has the courage to start a new romance and change and grow as a person. Lissa observes all of these people's different reactions to change and being different and wonders whether she should patch things up with Kate and pretend that nothing has happened or take ownership of her new identity.
Critical Evaluation
Though Kissing Kate is very much about Lissa's eventual realization that she can't and won't deny her romantic feelings for Kate, its themes are broader than LGBT. Lissa's acceptance of her sexual identity, whatever it is (Ariel warns her not to be to quick to put a label on herself: maybe she's lesbian, maybe she's bisexual, or maybe she loved Kate the person), is part of a larger self-acceptance that's common to the adolescent experience. Lissa is a realistically flawed person who has been hiding herself her entire life, yet judging people who put themselves out there. While she's presented with a number of previews of how difficult life as a gay person might be, she decides the greater crime is to live a lie, a half-formed life.
There is a running subplot throughout the book about Lissa's attempts to engage in lucid dreaming that I did not think was very successful. While Lissa's interest and success in this new-age topic, despite her previous identity as a skeptic, is meant to show her growth as a person and provides the context for Ariel and Lissa's friendship, I felt like it took up too prominent space in the plot long after it had served its useful purpose.
I very much enjoyed Lissa's relationship with her younger sister. Lissa is both a sister and a mother to her sister, who was only two when their parents died; she realizes that her sister is developing a toxic friendship, but she handles it very well, subtly showing her sister her new friend's true colors and letting her come to that realization on her own. One can see that Lissa wishes her own mother were still alive, helping her work out her own issues with Kate.
About the Author
Lauren Myracle is perhaps known for her "IM Girl" series that started with ttyl, reviewed in this blog. She is a young adult author whose work has been frequently challenged: ttyl for its adult themes and Kissing Kate for its lesbian content. Her latest offering for middle school readers, Luv Ya Bunches, recently made headlines when it was banned from Scholastic Book Fairs because one of its four main characters had same-sex parents.
Curriculum Ties
The book could be used in a school setting to discuss identity and/or lesbian and gay themes.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain Kate and Lissa's history and current strained relationship.
2. Discuss Lissa's new friendship with Ariel and how it helps her reevaluate herself.
3. Explore Lissa's family and her relationship with her sister. Is it easier to see other people making mistakes than to see those mistakes in ourselves?
Reading Interest/Level
This book would be of interest to both junior high and high school students.
Challenge Issues
Though there is some alcohol involved--Kate is drunk when she first kisses Lissa, and Lissa later gets drunk after school with Finn and Ariel--this book's main challenge issue is the fact that it's centered around two teenage girls who are romantically involved. I personally do not think there is anything in this book that wouldn't be appropriate for junior high or high school students, but it is a frequently challenged book.
Should it be challenged, the librarian should be able to explain and defend her library's collection policy to the challenger and show how Kissing Kate meets those criteria. S/he could point to the book's numerous positive reviews as proof of its worth.
Selection Criteria
Kissing Kate was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
Stargirl
Jerry Spinelli
ISBN 0-679-88637-0
186 pages
Alfred A. Knopf, 2000
Genre: Contemporary Life
Readers Annotation
When Stargirl enrolls in an Arizona high school, at first the student body embraces her eccentric ways. Soon, though, they turn against her, and the narrator Leo urges Stargirl to conform.
Plot Summary
Leo is a student at a high school in Mica, Arizona, where conformity is praised above all else. A new student named Stargirl shakes things up. She serenades classmates at lunch with her ukelele, carries a pet rat around everywhere, and performs random acts of kindness. At a football game, she's a tireless cheerleader, cheering for absolutely everyone, including the opposing team. The student body is infatuated and charmed by Stargirl's eccentricities. However, when the basketball team starts winning games, the students no longer tolerate Stargirl's penchant for cheering the opposing side. The entire student body shuns her, pretending she doesn't exist.
Leo, the narrator, is fascinated by Stargirl, and he's caught her eye, too. Hanging out with her after school, he learns that Stargirl's desire to spread love and happiness extends past the walls of the high school. She scours the newspaper for human interest stories, looking for small ways she can make perfect strangers perfectly happy. Leo is bothered by the horrible way the students treat Stargirl--perhaps more bothered by the fact that he's becoming a social outcast himself--and convinces Stargirl to try and conform more to group expectations. She shows up to school in normal clothes and starts calling herself by her given name, Susan. But can Stargirl be happy being like everybody else? Will Leo still love her if she's just like everybody else? And will everybody else even accept her as a regular student, or has she already branded herself an outsider?
Critical Evaluation
Stargirl is a short but moving work about non-conformity. This is a topic that will really resonant with young adults, who often worry both about fitting in but also about maintaining their individuality. Leo narrates the story from his perspective as an adult, so he's able to clearly articulate some important thoughts about the way that social groups work in high school. As long as Mica High School remains relatively undistinguished in sports and academics, the students are happy to accept Stargirl's message of universal love. However, as soon as the basketball team starts winning, they immediately start identifying as winners--and expecting to win--and view Stargirl's philosophy as almost traitorous.
Though Leo ultimately fails Stargirl and asks her to compromise herself for his own comfort, Spinelli is not unkind to him. He's young and doesn't realize that asking Stargirl to pretend to be someone else will spoil what he liked about her in the first place. Stargirl's final act at school, however, is triumphant, and Leo learns his lesson. The ending shows Stargirl's lasting influence at Mica High, long after she has left, and Leo, older and wiser, wishes he had held onto their relationship. The final sentence, though, leaves some hope for their future.
Technically, Spinelli structures the book in an interesting way. The first half of the story is told by Leo using mostly first-person plural--we did this, we did that--showing his total identification as part of the group mob. In the second half of the story, after Stargirl helps Leo find his own voice, he switches to first-person singular and is able to speak about what he specifically thought and did.
Other Books in the Series
A sequel, Love, Stargirl, told from the perspective of Stargirl, was published in 2007.
About the author
Jerry Spinelli is a Newbery-Medal winning author of books for children and young adults. He considers himself a writer for everyone, not just children, so many of his book have wide appeal for teens and adult readers, even though their protagonists are slightly younger. He has explored the issues of popularity and of being an outcast in many of his novels. Stargirl is his best known and most popular novel, and it has inspired teens at various high schools to create their own Stargirl societies.
Curriculum Ties
This philosophical little book would be a great choice to explore the issues of social dynamics, conformity, and individuality.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Stargirl's arrival at Mica High. Ask how such a character would be received at their school.
2. Explore Leo and Stargirl's relationship. Should he ask her to change, or should he just accept being an outcast himself?
3. Talk about the students' relationship with Archie, the old retired paleontologist who serves as their unofficial mentor and guru.
Challenge Issues
None
Selection Criteria
Stargirl was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and also is a New York Times bestseller.
Jerry Spinelli
ISBN 0-679-88637-0
186 pages
Alfred A. Knopf, 2000
Genre: Contemporary Life
Readers Annotation
When Stargirl enrolls in an Arizona high school, at first the student body embraces her eccentric ways. Soon, though, they turn against her, and the narrator Leo urges Stargirl to conform.
Plot Summary
Leo is a student at a high school in Mica, Arizona, where conformity is praised above all else. A new student named Stargirl shakes things up. She serenades classmates at lunch with her ukelele, carries a pet rat around everywhere, and performs random acts of kindness. At a football game, she's a tireless cheerleader, cheering for absolutely everyone, including the opposing team. The student body is infatuated and charmed by Stargirl's eccentricities. However, when the basketball team starts winning games, the students no longer tolerate Stargirl's penchant for cheering the opposing side. The entire student body shuns her, pretending she doesn't exist.
Leo, the narrator, is fascinated by Stargirl, and he's caught her eye, too. Hanging out with her after school, he learns that Stargirl's desire to spread love and happiness extends past the walls of the high school. She scours the newspaper for human interest stories, looking for small ways she can make perfect strangers perfectly happy. Leo is bothered by the horrible way the students treat Stargirl--perhaps more bothered by the fact that he's becoming a social outcast himself--and convinces Stargirl to try and conform more to group expectations. She shows up to school in normal clothes and starts calling herself by her given name, Susan. But can Stargirl be happy being like everybody else? Will Leo still love her if she's just like everybody else? And will everybody else even accept her as a regular student, or has she already branded herself an outsider?
Critical Evaluation
Stargirl is a short but moving work about non-conformity. This is a topic that will really resonant with young adults, who often worry both about fitting in but also about maintaining their individuality. Leo narrates the story from his perspective as an adult, so he's able to clearly articulate some important thoughts about the way that social groups work in high school. As long as Mica High School remains relatively undistinguished in sports and academics, the students are happy to accept Stargirl's message of universal love. However, as soon as the basketball team starts winning, they immediately start identifying as winners--and expecting to win--and view Stargirl's philosophy as almost traitorous.
Though Leo ultimately fails Stargirl and asks her to compromise herself for his own comfort, Spinelli is not unkind to him. He's young and doesn't realize that asking Stargirl to pretend to be someone else will spoil what he liked about her in the first place. Stargirl's final act at school, however, is triumphant, and Leo learns his lesson. The ending shows Stargirl's lasting influence at Mica High, long after she has left, and Leo, older and wiser, wishes he had held onto their relationship. The final sentence, though, leaves some hope for their future.
Technically, Spinelli structures the book in an interesting way. The first half of the story is told by Leo using mostly first-person plural--we did this, we did that--showing his total identification as part of the group mob. In the second half of the story, after Stargirl helps Leo find his own voice, he switches to first-person singular and is able to speak about what he specifically thought and did.
Other Books in the Series
A sequel, Love, Stargirl, told from the perspective of Stargirl, was published in 2007.
About the author
Jerry Spinelli is a Newbery-Medal winning author of books for children and young adults. He considers himself a writer for everyone, not just children, so many of his book have wide appeal for teens and adult readers, even though their protagonists are slightly younger. He has explored the issues of popularity and of being an outcast in many of his novels. Stargirl is his best known and most popular novel, and it has inspired teens at various high schools to create their own Stargirl societies.
Curriculum Ties
This philosophical little book would be a great choice to explore the issues of social dynamics, conformity, and individuality.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about Stargirl's arrival at Mica High. Ask how such a character would be received at their school.
2. Explore Leo and Stargirl's relationship. Should he ask her to change, or should he just accept being an outcast himself?
3. Talk about the students' relationship with Archie, the old retired paleontologist who serves as their unofficial mentor and guru.
Challenge Issues
None
Selection Criteria
Stargirl was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and also is a New York Times bestseller.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Skinned by Robin Wasserman
Skinned
Robin Wasserman
ISBN 1416936343
368 pages
Simon Pulse, 2008
Genre: Science Fiction
Readers Annotation
In a future world, after Lia's body is mangled in a horrific car accident, her parents have her mind downloaded into a new mechanical body. Lia soon learns that she won't easily be welcomed back into society.
Plot Summary
Set in the future in a post-nuclear world, Lia is a queen bee at her high school: wealthy and popular with a great boyfriend. After she's in a terrible car accident, she awakes with strange memories. She remembers horrific pain and her limbs being torn off, but now she feels... nothing? Lia learns that her physical body was beyond repair. Her parents opted for a new and highly controversial procedure, in which her consciousness--all her thoughts and memories--is downloaded into a new mechanical body. Lia is now a "mech" (short for mechanical) or, more derogatorily, a "skinner." She looks human, and she feels human, but with her new body, she will never age, she will never grow sick, and she can never die, for if something happens to her mechanical body, she can simply be downloaded into a new one.
After physical therapy, where she learns to use her new body, she returns to home to protests. Religious activists protest Lia's very existence; they view the existence of skinners as a crime against God. Things at her old high school aren't much better. She's shunned by everyone. Her sister is dating Lia's boyfriend, and she's taken over Lia's place as the school's it girl. People, Lia learns, view her simply as the machine that is pretending to be Lia. Her parents even wish they hadn't gone through with the procedure.
The only people who show any interest at all in Lia are Auden, a fellow outcast at school, and a group of fellow mechs who, unable to feel anything but the most extreme of emotions, have turned into adrenaline junkies. Unlike Lia, though, they accept and revel in their status as outsiders. Where does Lia belong now? With the family and friends who now reject her? With the other mechs? And can she have a true friendship with Auden, or will her mech identity doom that relationship, too?
Critical Evaluation
This premise reminded me a lot of a book I read as a teen, Eva by Peter Dickinson, in which a teenage girl's brain is transplanted into the body of a chimpanzee. Like Lia, Eva struggles with finding her place. Though she has a human mind with the same consciousness she did prior to the procedure, humans cannot accept that she is truly human. Unlike Eva, Lia is welcomed into the community of skinners. Eva is clearly the more thoughtful, philosophical piece, while much of Skinned is devoted to high school politics, even after Lia is turned into a mech. The future world isn't a richly drawn one, and a major plot point revolves around a futuristic version of MySpace or Facebook; I wondered, would social networking really look so similar hundreds of years in the future, even after a nuclear attack? Many of the characters, especially Lia's teenage friends, are broadly drawn caricatures, though her relationship with her sister is more realistic and emotionally resonant.
However, that being said, the book does bring up a fair number of weighty issues. What makes us human? Does Lia's soul reside in her new mechanical body? Where do we draw the lie when it comes to medical advances? How far do we want to go with genetic engineering? And what role does religion play into all of this? While the book is mostly a fast-paced, plot-driven affair, these questions are very much explored.
It's a great choice to recommend to reluctant readers. Teenage girls who say they hate sci-fi may be drawn in by the extensive focus on Lia's social network, whereas teenage boys who like sci-fi may be intrigued by the premise of the story. If enjoyed by the reader, a more challenging book along the same subject matter, such as Eva or The Adoration of Jenna Fox, could be recommended.
Other Books in the Series
This book is the first in a planned trilogy. The second, Crashed, was published earlier this fall.
About the Author
Robin Wasserman is a young adult author who is perhaps best known for her Seven Deadly Sins series, about seven high school students who each display one of the sins. She also wrote the Chasing Yesterday trilogy, about a teenage girl who cannot remember who she is and exhibits some potentially dangerous powers.
Curriculum Ties
While not the weightiest book in the world on the topic, the book does explore some issues that could be used to inspire discussion and debate, such as what makes us human, how far should medical science go, and what is our place in the world?
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain what happened to Lia and what a mech is.
2. Explore the problematic relationships between Lia and her sister Zo, who takes over Lia's life.
3. Talk about the relationship between Lia and Auden.
Reading Interest/Level
This book seems appropriate for high-school readers.
Challenge Issues
Some strong language and an attempted rape scene are potential challenge issues. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy. The librarian could point to the numerous positive reviews the book has received as proof that it is an age-appropriate and worthwhile book.
Selection Criteria
Amazon suggested this book for me based on some other books that I was looking at. It had an intriguing premise, and the positive reviews from VOYA and SLJ helped me decide to read it.
Robin Wasserman
ISBN 1416936343
368 pages
Simon Pulse, 2008
Genre: Science Fiction
Readers Annotation
In a future world, after Lia's body is mangled in a horrific car accident, her parents have her mind downloaded into a new mechanical body. Lia soon learns that she won't easily be welcomed back into society.
Plot Summary
Set in the future in a post-nuclear world, Lia is a queen bee at her high school: wealthy and popular with a great boyfriend. After she's in a terrible car accident, she awakes with strange memories. She remembers horrific pain and her limbs being torn off, but now she feels... nothing? Lia learns that her physical body was beyond repair. Her parents opted for a new and highly controversial procedure, in which her consciousness--all her thoughts and memories--is downloaded into a new mechanical body. Lia is now a "mech" (short for mechanical) or, more derogatorily, a "skinner." She looks human, and she feels human, but with her new body, she will never age, she will never grow sick, and she can never die, for if something happens to her mechanical body, she can simply be downloaded into a new one.
After physical therapy, where she learns to use her new body, she returns to home to protests. Religious activists protest Lia's very existence; they view the existence of skinners as a crime against God. Things at her old high school aren't much better. She's shunned by everyone. Her sister is dating Lia's boyfriend, and she's taken over Lia's place as the school's it girl. People, Lia learns, view her simply as the machine that is pretending to be Lia. Her parents even wish they hadn't gone through with the procedure.
The only people who show any interest at all in Lia are Auden, a fellow outcast at school, and a group of fellow mechs who, unable to feel anything but the most extreme of emotions, have turned into adrenaline junkies. Unlike Lia, though, they accept and revel in their status as outsiders. Where does Lia belong now? With the family and friends who now reject her? With the other mechs? And can she have a true friendship with Auden, or will her mech identity doom that relationship, too?
Critical Evaluation
This premise reminded me a lot of a book I read as a teen, Eva by Peter Dickinson, in which a teenage girl's brain is transplanted into the body of a chimpanzee. Like Lia, Eva struggles with finding her place. Though she has a human mind with the same consciousness she did prior to the procedure, humans cannot accept that she is truly human. Unlike Eva, Lia is welcomed into the community of skinners. Eva is clearly the more thoughtful, philosophical piece, while much of Skinned is devoted to high school politics, even after Lia is turned into a mech. The future world isn't a richly drawn one, and a major plot point revolves around a futuristic version of MySpace or Facebook; I wondered, would social networking really look so similar hundreds of years in the future, even after a nuclear attack? Many of the characters, especially Lia's teenage friends, are broadly drawn caricatures, though her relationship with her sister is more realistic and emotionally resonant.
However, that being said, the book does bring up a fair number of weighty issues. What makes us human? Does Lia's soul reside in her new mechanical body? Where do we draw the lie when it comes to medical advances? How far do we want to go with genetic engineering? And what role does religion play into all of this? While the book is mostly a fast-paced, plot-driven affair, these questions are very much explored.
It's a great choice to recommend to reluctant readers. Teenage girls who say they hate sci-fi may be drawn in by the extensive focus on Lia's social network, whereas teenage boys who like sci-fi may be intrigued by the premise of the story. If enjoyed by the reader, a more challenging book along the same subject matter, such as Eva or The Adoration of Jenna Fox, could be recommended.
Other Books in the Series
This book is the first in a planned trilogy. The second, Crashed, was published earlier this fall.
About the Author
Robin Wasserman is a young adult author who is perhaps best known for her Seven Deadly Sins series, about seven high school students who each display one of the sins. She also wrote the Chasing Yesterday trilogy, about a teenage girl who cannot remember who she is and exhibits some potentially dangerous powers.
Curriculum Ties
While not the weightiest book in the world on the topic, the book does explore some issues that could be used to inspire discussion and debate, such as what makes us human, how far should medical science go, and what is our place in the world?
Booktalking Ideas
1. Explain what happened to Lia and what a mech is.
2. Explore the problematic relationships between Lia and her sister Zo, who takes over Lia's life.
3. Talk about the relationship between Lia and Auden.
Reading Interest/Level
This book seems appropriate for high-school readers.
Challenge Issues
Some strong language and an attempted rape scene are potential challenge issues. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should be able to explain and defend the library's selection policy. The librarian could point to the numerous positive reviews the book has received as proof that it is an age-appropriate and worthwhile book.
Selection Criteria
Amazon suggested this book for me based on some other books that I was looking at. It had an intriguing premise, and the positive reviews from VOYA and SLJ helped me decide to read it.
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
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.
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.
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.
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