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!
Showing posts with label supernatural. Show all posts
Showing posts with label supernatural. Show all posts
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
New Moon (film) dir. Chris Weitz
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Chris Weitz
Running Time: 130 minutes
Imprint Entertainment, 2009
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Genre: Supernatural; Romance
Viewers Annotation
After vampire Edward deserts his true love Bella, she falls into a deep despair that only lifts as she deepens friendship with Native American Jacob... but he has secrets of his own.
Plot Summary
Bella and Edward are typical high school sweethearts, except that he's a vampire. On her 18th birthday, Bella has a nightmare that she ages into an old woman, while Edward stays forever 17. She tells him that she wants him to change her into a vampire, but he refuses, because he believes doing so will take away her soul. After her birthday party, when a paper cut sets off his brother's blood lust, Edward breaks things off with Bella, saying that there is no way their relationship can ever work. Before he leaves, he makes her promise that she will not do anything reckless and in return promises that she will never see him again. Bella spirals into a deep depression, having screaming nightmares at night and losing touch with all her friends.
While riding on a motorcycle, Bella is visited by a vision of Edward, who reminds her that she promised him not to do anything reckless. Because she is so desperate to see her love again, she decides to rebuild two broken motorcycles with her Native American friend Jacob, a 16-year-old who is handy with mechanics. Being with Jacob is the only thing that makes Bella happy, and when she's around him, she feels like her old self.
Life in Forks is never easy, though. Though Bella remains in love with Edward, Jacob is clearly falling for her. Bella's father is busy with reports of a mysterious large animal that has been spotted killing area hikers. And Jacob is worried about a pack of boys on the Rez, who all follow their leader around blindly, who seem to be coming for him next....
Critical Evaluation
There's only one thing I can say about this film: at one point, I laughed.... loudly. The entire theater turned to look at me. And the scene? It wasn't supposed to be funny.
I wanted to like this movie. I really, really did. But I couldn't because, well, it was terrible. Most of this movie rests on Kristen Stewart's shoulders; she's in practically every scene. But while I've enjoyed her in other films, including Speak and Twilight reviewed elsewhere in this blog, she just doesn't have the acting chops to carry this film and spends most of the film looking pained. As Edward, Robert Pattinson does better, but he has very few scenes in the movie. In his big dramatic scene at the movie's climax, his makeup is noticeably bad. The viewer wonders why Bella is struggling to choose between Edward and Jacob, when Edward looks like death warmed over. Taylor Lautner is a bright spot; his scenes with Stewart are the movie's best, and the only time where Stewart seems comfortable, and with his open smile and his six-pack abs, Bella's choice seems easy.
It's certainly not only the actors fault; the pacing of this movie is strange, and the editing should have been much, much tighter. We spend way too much time at the beginning of the movie on inconsequential details, so halfway through the movie, the viewer is willing the pace to pick up. The special effects are laughable; the first transformation of the Native Americans into werewolves was, in fact, what had me laughing out loud. The director relies on Matrix-like camera tricks to show the vampire's stealth and speed, but somehow it just comes out looking cheesy.
The screenwriter failed to make the necessary changes from the book to the screen. The reader learns about Bella's torture, her choice to live dangerously to prolong the visions of Edward through her risky behavior, through her narration. The viewer is not so lucky; people who have not read the book will be very confused as to what's going on in many scenes. While voice-overs can be a clunky technique, I think it would have helped this film tremendously. More experienced actors might have been able to convey these complex emotions wordlessly, but the teenage cast cannot.
That said, teenage fans of the book are flocking to this movie despite the bad reviews. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if many of them left as members of Team Jacob instead of Team Edward.
About the Director
Chris Weitz previously found huge success with young adults as co-director of American Pie, a raunchy sex comedy that also had a lot of heart. (His brother Paul was the other director.) Their next project was About A Boy starring Hugh Grant, based on the Nick Hornby novel. The movie was critically acclaimed, especially for its nuanced characterizations. Weitz' previous directing project was the film version of the modern young adult classic The Golden Compass.
Curriculum Ties
None, although its use in non-educational settings (such as a movie night at a library) would undoubtedly be popular.
Viewing Interest/Level
The film is appropriately rated PG-13 for scenes of action and violence. While teens and adults are the intended audience for the movie, younger teens in junior high will undoubtedly be curious about it, too, and the film would be appropriate for them as well.
Challenge Issues
Since parents tend to understand the MPAA rating system, I do not think it's likely that this film would be challenged in a library collection. It is appropriately rated PG-13 for scenes of violence and action.
Selection Criteria
Because of all the hype surrounding this movie, I decided to see it opening weekend. Indeed the theater was packed with young adults!
Chris Weitz
Running Time: 130 minutes
Imprint Entertainment, 2009
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Genre: Supernatural; Romance
Viewers Annotation
After vampire Edward deserts his true love Bella, she falls into a deep despair that only lifts as she deepens friendship with Native American Jacob... but he has secrets of his own.
Plot Summary
Bella and Edward are typical high school sweethearts, except that he's a vampire. On her 18th birthday, Bella has a nightmare that she ages into an old woman, while Edward stays forever 17. She tells him that she wants him to change her into a vampire, but he refuses, because he believes doing so will take away her soul. After her birthday party, when a paper cut sets off his brother's blood lust, Edward breaks things off with Bella, saying that there is no way their relationship can ever work. Before he leaves, he makes her promise that she will not do anything reckless and in return promises that she will never see him again. Bella spirals into a deep depression, having screaming nightmares at night and losing touch with all her friends.
While riding on a motorcycle, Bella is visited by a vision of Edward, who reminds her that she promised him not to do anything reckless. Because she is so desperate to see her love again, she decides to rebuild two broken motorcycles with her Native American friend Jacob, a 16-year-old who is handy with mechanics. Being with Jacob is the only thing that makes Bella happy, and when she's around him, she feels like her old self.
Life in Forks is never easy, though. Though Bella remains in love with Edward, Jacob is clearly falling for her. Bella's father is busy with reports of a mysterious large animal that has been spotted killing area hikers. And Jacob is worried about a pack of boys on the Rez, who all follow their leader around blindly, who seem to be coming for him next....
Critical Evaluation
There's only one thing I can say about this film: at one point, I laughed.... loudly. The entire theater turned to look at me. And the scene? It wasn't supposed to be funny.
I wanted to like this movie. I really, really did. But I couldn't because, well, it was terrible. Most of this movie rests on Kristen Stewart's shoulders; she's in practically every scene. But while I've enjoyed her in other films, including Speak and Twilight reviewed elsewhere in this blog, she just doesn't have the acting chops to carry this film and spends most of the film looking pained. As Edward, Robert Pattinson does better, but he has very few scenes in the movie. In his big dramatic scene at the movie's climax, his makeup is noticeably bad. The viewer wonders why Bella is struggling to choose between Edward and Jacob, when Edward looks like death warmed over. Taylor Lautner is a bright spot; his scenes with Stewart are the movie's best, and the only time where Stewart seems comfortable, and with his open smile and his six-pack abs, Bella's choice seems easy.
It's certainly not only the actors fault; the pacing of this movie is strange, and the editing should have been much, much tighter. We spend way too much time at the beginning of the movie on inconsequential details, so halfway through the movie, the viewer is willing the pace to pick up. The special effects are laughable; the first transformation of the Native Americans into werewolves was, in fact, what had me laughing out loud. The director relies on Matrix-like camera tricks to show the vampire's stealth and speed, but somehow it just comes out looking cheesy.
The screenwriter failed to make the necessary changes from the book to the screen. The reader learns about Bella's torture, her choice to live dangerously to prolong the visions of Edward through her risky behavior, through her narration. The viewer is not so lucky; people who have not read the book will be very confused as to what's going on in many scenes. While voice-overs can be a clunky technique, I think it would have helped this film tremendously. More experienced actors might have been able to convey these complex emotions wordlessly, but the teenage cast cannot.
That said, teenage fans of the book are flocking to this movie despite the bad reviews. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if many of them left as members of Team Jacob instead of Team Edward.
About the Director
Chris Weitz previously found huge success with young adults as co-director of American Pie, a raunchy sex comedy that also had a lot of heart. (His brother Paul was the other director.) Their next project was About A Boy starring Hugh Grant, based on the Nick Hornby novel. The movie was critically acclaimed, especially for its nuanced characterizations. Weitz' previous directing project was the film version of the modern young adult classic The Golden Compass.
Curriculum Ties
None, although its use in non-educational settings (such as a movie night at a library) would undoubtedly be popular.
Viewing Interest/Level
The film is appropriately rated PG-13 for scenes of action and violence. While teens and adults are the intended audience for the movie, younger teens in junior high will undoubtedly be curious about it, too, and the film would be appropriate for them as well.
Challenge Issues
Since parents tend to understand the MPAA rating system, I do not think it's likely that this film would be challenged in a library collection. It is appropriately rated PG-13 for scenes of violence and action.
Selection Criteria
Because of all the hype surrounding this movie, I decided to see it opening weekend. Indeed the theater was packed with young adults!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Twilight (film) dir. Catherine Hardwicke
Twilight
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke
ASIN B001P5HRMI
Running time: 122 minutes
Summit Entertainment, 2008
Rated PG-13
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson
Genre: Supernatural; Romance
Viewers Annotation
When a teen girl moves to a small town in Washington to live with her father, she becomes intrigued by a beautiful, mysterious boy whose family holds a dark secret.
Plot Summary
Bella moves to small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father after her mother gets remarried. Though she used to spend part of her summer in Forks, she hasn't been back in many years. In such a small town, her arrival is big news, and both students and people around town are dying to talk to her. Bella, who is quiet, shy, and a little bit awkward, is unnerved by all the attention. Only one boy isn't all over her feet: Edward Cullen, the beautiful and mysterious boy whom all the girls have crushes on... but who has never dated a girl from school. Edward is supposed to be Bella's lab partner, but he spends the whole first lab holding his nose and acting as if he can't bear to be around Bella. Then he disappears from school for a week.
When he returns, he apologizes for his rudeness. Bella becomes friends with some of the kids from school, and also reconnects with Jacob Black, a Native American who is the son of her father's best friend. While visiting the reservation with some friends from school, Jacob tells her that the Cullens are not allowed on the Rez; an ancient legend says that his tribe is descended from werewolves and that the Cullens are evil creatures they are sworn to defeat. Bella does not dismiss this as mere legend, and using other observations she's made, figures out that Edward and the rest of his family are vampires. She's already fallen in love with him, and he with her, so rather than run away upon learning the news, she and he grow even closer. But there are a series of mysterious deaths getting nearer to Forks. Are vampires the cause of those attacks? And can Bella ever be safe while she's around Edward?
Critical Evaluation
Twilight, both the books and the film, seem to be equal targets of worship and ridicule. While watching this movie with my husband the other night, he was scoffing at the ridiculousness of several plot points. I had to agree with him intellectually, yet I admitted that the 15-year-old girl inside of me was absolutely swooning at the over-the-top romance. The film does a good job at portraying their young love. Robert Pattinson as Edward is appropriately intense and gorgeous. Though many have criticized Kristen Stewart's performance as Bella, I thought she was well-cast. Beautiful, awkward, and intense, she stands out as quite different from the stereotypical teens who surround her at Forks High. One can see why Edward is so attracted to her. The film's best scenes are the ones between Bella and Edward, as they navigate the waters of their changing relationship. I also enjoyed the scenes between Bella and Jacob (the excellently cast Taylor Lautner).
The film adapation, however, does highlight the weakest portions of Meyer's book. The dramatic confrontation between the Cullens and another vampire clan, taking place over a rousing game of vampire baseball, is even more ridiculous in the film than it was on the page. The final climax, where one vampire kidnaps Bella in order to get Edward to chase him, feels way too rushed. The emotions in the movie's final scenes are told through dialogue rather than shown through acting and editing.
The movie is gorgeous; Forks is lush and green, and the famous scene where Bella and Edward lie down together in a meadow is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. The final scene, where Edward escorts Bella to her prom, is also quite lovely, as Bella and Edward dance in a gazebo covered in fairy lights. The movie's soundtrack is quite effective at using pop music to help convey a sense of place and emotions throughout the film.
About the Director
Before Twilight, Catherine Hardwicke was probably best known for Thirteen, a controversial 2003 film about two 13-year-old girls who drink, take drugs, steal, and engage in self-mutilation. The co-writer and star of that film was cast as Rosalie Cullen in Twilight. Another of Hardwicke's major releases, Lords of Dogtown, deals with young adults. It tells the story of the California teens who invented skateboarding.
Curriculum Ties
This film is not well-suited for use in any curriculum, though it would certainly be a popular choice for a movie night for a school or library event.
Viewing Interest/Level
The movie would probably be of interest to junior high students and up. The movie is rated PG-13 for some scenes of violence and one scene of sensuality (though there is no nudity).
Challenge Issues
I don't think that this movie would be likely to be challenged. Adults tend to understand the MPAA rating system well, and the movie is appropriately rated PG-13. While sometimes supernatural films or books are challenged by people who find them offensive to their religious beliefs, Twilight was written by a Mormon writer and is praised by many for its themes of abstinence.
Selection Criteria
The movie is an absolute phenomenon among young adults! A recent Twilight-themed party was the most successful young adult programming event my branch library had had in recent years.
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke
ASIN B001P5HRMI
Running time: 122 minutes
Summit Entertainment, 2008
Rated PG-13
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson
Genre: Supernatural; Romance
Viewers Annotation
When a teen girl moves to a small town in Washington to live with her father, she becomes intrigued by a beautiful, mysterious boy whose family holds a dark secret.
Plot Summary
Bella moves to small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father after her mother gets remarried. Though she used to spend part of her summer in Forks, she hasn't been back in many years. In such a small town, her arrival is big news, and both students and people around town are dying to talk to her. Bella, who is quiet, shy, and a little bit awkward, is unnerved by all the attention. Only one boy isn't all over her feet: Edward Cullen, the beautiful and mysterious boy whom all the girls have crushes on... but who has never dated a girl from school. Edward is supposed to be Bella's lab partner, but he spends the whole first lab holding his nose and acting as if he can't bear to be around Bella. Then he disappears from school for a week.
When he returns, he apologizes for his rudeness. Bella becomes friends with some of the kids from school, and also reconnects with Jacob Black, a Native American who is the son of her father's best friend. While visiting the reservation with some friends from school, Jacob tells her that the Cullens are not allowed on the Rez; an ancient legend says that his tribe is descended from werewolves and that the Cullens are evil creatures they are sworn to defeat. Bella does not dismiss this as mere legend, and using other observations she's made, figures out that Edward and the rest of his family are vampires. She's already fallen in love with him, and he with her, so rather than run away upon learning the news, she and he grow even closer. But there are a series of mysterious deaths getting nearer to Forks. Are vampires the cause of those attacks? And can Bella ever be safe while she's around Edward?
Critical Evaluation
Twilight, both the books and the film, seem to be equal targets of worship and ridicule. While watching this movie with my husband the other night, he was scoffing at the ridiculousness of several plot points. I had to agree with him intellectually, yet I admitted that the 15-year-old girl inside of me was absolutely swooning at the over-the-top romance. The film does a good job at portraying their young love. Robert Pattinson as Edward is appropriately intense and gorgeous. Though many have criticized Kristen Stewart's performance as Bella, I thought she was well-cast. Beautiful, awkward, and intense, she stands out as quite different from the stereotypical teens who surround her at Forks High. One can see why Edward is so attracted to her. The film's best scenes are the ones between Bella and Edward, as they navigate the waters of their changing relationship. I also enjoyed the scenes between Bella and Jacob (the excellently cast Taylor Lautner).
The film adapation, however, does highlight the weakest portions of Meyer's book. The dramatic confrontation between the Cullens and another vampire clan, taking place over a rousing game of vampire baseball, is even more ridiculous in the film than it was on the page. The final climax, where one vampire kidnaps Bella in order to get Edward to chase him, feels way too rushed. The emotions in the movie's final scenes are told through dialogue rather than shown through acting and editing.
The movie is gorgeous; Forks is lush and green, and the famous scene where Bella and Edward lie down together in a meadow is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. The final scene, where Edward escorts Bella to her prom, is also quite lovely, as Bella and Edward dance in a gazebo covered in fairy lights. The movie's soundtrack is quite effective at using pop music to help convey a sense of place and emotions throughout the film.
About the Director
Before Twilight, Catherine Hardwicke was probably best known for Thirteen, a controversial 2003 film about two 13-year-old girls who drink, take drugs, steal, and engage in self-mutilation. The co-writer and star of that film was cast as Rosalie Cullen in Twilight. Another of Hardwicke's major releases, Lords of Dogtown, deals with young adults. It tells the story of the California teens who invented skateboarding.
Curriculum Ties
This film is not well-suited for use in any curriculum, though it would certainly be a popular choice for a movie night for a school or library event.
Viewing Interest/Level
The movie would probably be of interest to junior high students and up. The movie is rated PG-13 for some scenes of violence and one scene of sensuality (though there is no nudity).
Challenge Issues
I don't think that this movie would be likely to be challenged. Adults tend to understand the MPAA rating system well, and the movie is appropriately rated PG-13. While sometimes supernatural films or books are challenged by people who find them offensive to their religious beliefs, Twilight was written by a Mormon writer and is praised by many for its themes of abstinence.
Selection Criteria
The movie is an absolute phenomenon among young adults! A recent Twilight-themed party was the most successful young adult programming event my branch library had had in recent years.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Gone by Michael Grant
Gone
Michael Grant
ISBN 0061448761
576 pages
Katherine Tegan Books, 2008
Genre: Supernatural
Readers Annotation
When everyone over the age of 15 disappears from their California coastal town, the teens who remain must figure out how to rebuild society. As some of the teens reveal that they have psionic powers, the teens divide into two factions who fight for control.
Plot Summary
In the middle of an ordinary school day in the coastal California town of Perdido Beach, everyone aged 15 and over suddenly disappears without a trace. In the chaos that follows, students turn to 14-year-old Sam, already a school hero for saving his fellow classmates after a school bus accident, as their leader. The teens try to create a new society and struggle with fulfilling all of the roles a successful society needs.
Sam, his best friend Quinn, and brilliant Ingrid--Sam's love interest--set off to search for her missing younger brother, who is autistic. In their search, they learn that the entire town is surrounded by an invisible force field: they're trapped. In their absence, teens from the local boarding school, led by a boy named Caine, show up to stake their claim on the new society. While at first the two groups try to work together, a chasm soon grows between them when the boarding school teens show themselves to be bullies. Some of the teens start developing psionic powers, such as telekinesis or the ability to shoot laser-like beams from one's hands. Sam confesses that he had these powers before the incident, and Ingrid realizes that her brother did, too. It becomes clear that the teens from the boarding school had also been working to perfect their powers prior to the incident.
The two groups, led by Sam and Caine (who are revealed to be twin brothers), eventually move towards a war against one another. But as they both near their 15th birthday, what will happen to them? Can the nascent society survive without them? And can their society, already decimated by some strange force, survive a war?
Critical Evaluation
Many reviews of Gone describe it as Lord of the Flies meets The Stand, which is a fairly apt description. The book's strength is its plot--breakneck and exciting, it will keep readers turning the pages. (The abrupt cliffhanger ending will only make them hungry for the sequel, published earlier this year.) The descriptions of how the teens figure out what has happened and how they decide to recreate society on their terms are compelling; one teen organizes a daycare for the babies and children left behind; another learns how to operate the town's McDonald's, so as to feed everyone.
However, the characterizations are fairly shallow. Most of the teens are stereotypes, stock characters that will be all too familiar. Readers who are looking for a plot-driven action book will be satisfied, while those looking for a more thoughtful exploration of what it means for a society to be destroyed and then rebuilt will be disappointed.
Other Books in the Series
Hunger, published in 2009, is the sequel to Gone. Eventually Grant plans to write a total of six books in the series.
About the Author
Michael Grant is the co-creator and co-author of the Animorphs and Everworld series of books, which were aimed at middle-school readers. (His wife, Katherine Applegate, received name credit for the books.) Gone is the first book published under his name.
Curriculum Ties
While this plot-driven book is an entertaining read, the shallow characterizations make it unsuitable for use in a curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about the disappearance of all adults and how the teens need to recreate a society.
2. Talk about the psionic powers and their role in the new society.
3. Talk about the character of Sam: his interest in Astrid, his brother Caine, and his struggle to be a positive leader in the new society.
Reading/Interest Level
The book would be of interest to those in junior high and up, but the intense violence might make it more appropriate to recommend to high school readers.
Challenge Issues
The book might draw criticism for its scenes of violence. There are some disturbing scenes at the beginning of the book where the teens find babies who died in their cribs after their parents disappeared. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should be aware of the library's selection policy and be able to explain and defend it to the challenger. The librarian should point to the many positive reviews Gone received, including starred reviews in VOYA and Booklist.
Selection Criteria
While searching for books on psionic powers, I read a very enthusiastic review of this book by a teen reader.
Michael Grant
ISBN 0061448761
576 pages
Katherine Tegan Books, 2008
Genre: Supernatural
Readers Annotation
When everyone over the age of 15 disappears from their California coastal town, the teens who remain must figure out how to rebuild society. As some of the teens reveal that they have psionic powers, the teens divide into two factions who fight for control.
Plot Summary
In the middle of an ordinary school day in the coastal California town of Perdido Beach, everyone aged 15 and over suddenly disappears without a trace. In the chaos that follows, students turn to 14-year-old Sam, already a school hero for saving his fellow classmates after a school bus accident, as their leader. The teens try to create a new society and struggle with fulfilling all of the roles a successful society needs.
Sam, his best friend Quinn, and brilliant Ingrid--Sam's love interest--set off to search for her missing younger brother, who is autistic. In their search, they learn that the entire town is surrounded by an invisible force field: they're trapped. In their absence, teens from the local boarding school, led by a boy named Caine, show up to stake their claim on the new society. While at first the two groups try to work together, a chasm soon grows between them when the boarding school teens show themselves to be bullies. Some of the teens start developing psionic powers, such as telekinesis or the ability to shoot laser-like beams from one's hands. Sam confesses that he had these powers before the incident, and Ingrid realizes that her brother did, too. It becomes clear that the teens from the boarding school had also been working to perfect their powers prior to the incident.
The two groups, led by Sam and Caine (who are revealed to be twin brothers), eventually move towards a war against one another. But as they both near their 15th birthday, what will happen to them? Can the nascent society survive without them? And can their society, already decimated by some strange force, survive a war?
Critical Evaluation
Many reviews of Gone describe it as Lord of the Flies meets The Stand, which is a fairly apt description. The book's strength is its plot--breakneck and exciting, it will keep readers turning the pages. (The abrupt cliffhanger ending will only make them hungry for the sequel, published earlier this year.) The descriptions of how the teens figure out what has happened and how they decide to recreate society on their terms are compelling; one teen organizes a daycare for the babies and children left behind; another learns how to operate the town's McDonald's, so as to feed everyone.
However, the characterizations are fairly shallow. Most of the teens are stereotypes, stock characters that will be all too familiar. Readers who are looking for a plot-driven action book will be satisfied, while those looking for a more thoughtful exploration of what it means for a society to be destroyed and then rebuilt will be disappointed.
Other Books in the Series
Hunger, published in 2009, is the sequel to Gone. Eventually Grant plans to write a total of six books in the series.
About the Author
Michael Grant is the co-creator and co-author of the Animorphs and Everworld series of books, which were aimed at middle-school readers. (His wife, Katherine Applegate, received name credit for the books.) Gone is the first book published under his name.
Curriculum Ties
While this plot-driven book is an entertaining read, the shallow characterizations make it unsuitable for use in a curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about the disappearance of all adults and how the teens need to recreate a society.
2. Talk about the psionic powers and their role in the new society.
3. Talk about the character of Sam: his interest in Astrid, his brother Caine, and his struggle to be a positive leader in the new society.
Reading/Interest Level
The book would be of interest to those in junior high and up, but the intense violence might make it more appropriate to recommend to high school readers.
Challenge Issues
The book might draw criticism for its scenes of violence. There are some disturbing scenes at the beginning of the book where the teens find babies who died in their cribs after their parents disappeared. Should the book be challenged, the librarian should be aware of the library's selection policy and be able to explain and defend it to the challenger. The librarian should point to the many positive reviews Gone received, including starred reviews in VOYA and Booklist.
Selection Criteria
While searching for books on psionic powers, I read a very enthusiastic review of this book by a teen reader.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Dark Secrets: No Time To Die by Elizabeth Chandler
Dark Secrets: No Time to Die
Elizabeth Chandler
ISBN 0-7434-0030-5
210 pages
Pocket Books, 2001
Genre: Supernatural/Paranormal; Mystery
Readers Annotation
Teenage Jenny Montgomery attends the summer theater camp where her older sister was murdered the previous year. There, she begins to have pyschic visions that give her clues as to her sister's killer.
Plot Summary
Jenny Montgomery comes from a theatrical family: her father is a famous Broadway actor, her mother was a famous child star, and her sister Liza was a promising young talent before she was murdered last summer. Therefore, it's a surprise to everyone when Jenny decides to attend the same summer theater camp where Liza was killed. Jenny can't quite explain it; she hopes that attending the camp will give her closure. She decides to attend the camp under an assumed name so no one will realize she's Liza's sister.
Though she suffers from horrible stage fright, Jenny is cast in the role of Puck in A Midsummer's Night Dream. While dealing with typical drama camp issues--the director who thinks he's a big shot, a male prima donna--she also begins to have strange visions of Liza. She realizes that she is having psychic visions of what happened to Liza the night she died. The police ruled it the work of a traveling serial killer, but Jenny begins to suspect it was someone at the camp who knew Liza personally. Jenny tries to solve the mystery and figure out what the killer's motive might have been.
Critical Evaluation
No Time to Die is a well-conceived, tightly plotted mystery. While the killer's identity and their motive will come as a surprise to most readers, there were enough clues given throughout the novel that the ending doesn't seem like a cheap trick. The supernatural elements are woven well into the story's otherwise realistic setting. Jenny's psychic visions do help give her clues as to where to look, but she still needs to play detective to solve the mystery.
The story's setting of a drama camp is a smart choice. Not only does it get the teenagers' parents out of the way, allowing them to sneak around in more mysterious ways that they might at home, but it also provides an interesting structure for the story. Jenny's stage fright propels her interactions with just about every character in the book and is a key clue in the final mystery.
While not the most sophisticated book, it would be a good choice for a reluctant readers.
About the Author
Elizabeth Chandler is the pen name of Mary Claire Helldorfer. Under her real name, she has written a number of picture books for young children. As Elizabeth Chandler, she has written a number of supernaturally themed mysteries and romances, including the bestselling Kissed by an Angel trilogy.
Other Books in the Series
Legacy of Lies
Don't Tell
The Dark Secrets series, originally published at the start of the decade, is now being rereleased by the publishers with more modern covers.
Curriculum Ties
This book is not appropriate for use in any curriculum; however, it would be a good choice to recommend to a reluctant reader.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Play up the mystery and Jenny's psychic visions.
2. Talk about the drama camp setting and some of the characters there.
3. Explore the romances in the book and talk about the multiple love interest possibilities for Jenny.
Reading Interest/Level
The book would probably be most appealing to junior high/early high school students.
Challenge Issues
While the story does deal with a murder and a serial killer, the actual book itself does not contain the sort of graphic content that might cause it to be challenged. There are also no issues with language, sex, or alcohol and drug use.
Selection Criteria
The book was recommended in Teen Genreflecting.
Elizabeth Chandler
ISBN 0-7434-0030-5
210 pages
Pocket Books, 2001
Genre: Supernatural/Paranormal; Mystery
Readers Annotation
Teenage Jenny Montgomery attends the summer theater camp where her older sister was murdered the previous year. There, she begins to have pyschic visions that give her clues as to her sister's killer.
Plot Summary
Jenny Montgomery comes from a theatrical family: her father is a famous Broadway actor, her mother was a famous child star, and her sister Liza was a promising young talent before she was murdered last summer. Therefore, it's a surprise to everyone when Jenny decides to attend the same summer theater camp where Liza was killed. Jenny can't quite explain it; she hopes that attending the camp will give her closure. She decides to attend the camp under an assumed name so no one will realize she's Liza's sister.
Though she suffers from horrible stage fright, Jenny is cast in the role of Puck in A Midsummer's Night Dream. While dealing with typical drama camp issues--the director who thinks he's a big shot, a male prima donna--she also begins to have strange visions of Liza. She realizes that she is having psychic visions of what happened to Liza the night she died. The police ruled it the work of a traveling serial killer, but Jenny begins to suspect it was someone at the camp who knew Liza personally. Jenny tries to solve the mystery and figure out what the killer's motive might have been.
Critical Evaluation
No Time to Die is a well-conceived, tightly plotted mystery. While the killer's identity and their motive will come as a surprise to most readers, there were enough clues given throughout the novel that the ending doesn't seem like a cheap trick. The supernatural elements are woven well into the story's otherwise realistic setting. Jenny's psychic visions do help give her clues as to where to look, but she still needs to play detective to solve the mystery.
The story's setting of a drama camp is a smart choice. Not only does it get the teenagers' parents out of the way, allowing them to sneak around in more mysterious ways that they might at home, but it also provides an interesting structure for the story. Jenny's stage fright propels her interactions with just about every character in the book and is a key clue in the final mystery.
While not the most sophisticated book, it would be a good choice for a reluctant readers.
About the Author
Elizabeth Chandler is the pen name of Mary Claire Helldorfer. Under her real name, she has written a number of picture books for young children. As Elizabeth Chandler, she has written a number of supernaturally themed mysteries and romances, including the bestselling Kissed by an Angel trilogy.
Other Books in the Series
Legacy of Lies
Don't Tell
The Dark Secrets series, originally published at the start of the decade, is now being rereleased by the publishers with more modern covers.
Curriculum Ties
This book is not appropriate for use in any curriculum; however, it would be a good choice to recommend to a reluctant reader.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Play up the mystery and Jenny's psychic visions.
2. Talk about the drama camp setting and some of the characters there.
3. Explore the romances in the book and talk about the multiple love interest possibilities for Jenny.
Reading Interest/Level
The book would probably be most appealing to junior high/early high school students.
Challenge Issues
While the story does deal with a murder and a serial killer, the actual book itself does not contain the sort of graphic content that might cause it to be challenged. There are also no issues with language, sex, or alcohol and drug use.
Selection Criteria
The book was recommended in Teen Genreflecting.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Lake of Secrets by Lael Littke
Lake of Secrets
Lael Littke
ISBN 0-8050-6730-2
202 pages
Henry Holt, 2002
Genre: Supernatural/Paranormal
Reader's Annotation
When Carlene and her mother return to the town where her brother went missing 18 years ago, she is haunted by memories related to the disappearance, even though she was not yet born when it happened.
Plot Summary
Fifteen-year-old Carlene's entire life has revolved around an event that happened three years before she was even born: the disappearance of her then-four-year-old brother Keith. Carlene's mother still maintains that he is alive somewhere, and frustrated with his wife's obsession, Carlene's father walked out on her and Carlene many years ago. When she hears a bit of news that might be related to Keith's disappearance, Carlene's mother and Carlene travel back to Lake Isadore, the place where he went missing. Though Carlene has never been there, she is soon haunted by memories of the place and events related to Keith's disappearance.
Through the help of some new friends she makes in the town, Carlene figures out that the soul of someone involved in Keith's disappearance was reincarnated into her body. She must use the memories to figure out the clues as to what really happened all those years ago.
Critical Evaluation
Lake of Secrets is a great premise for a book, and Littke is effective at creating a suitably spooky atmosphere. Carlene is understandably sympathetic to and completely frustrated by her mother's obsession with Keith. Carlene believes with merit that her mother has never really been able to focus on her daughter or see her as her own person -- even her 15th birthday present is a pair of binoculars to help Carlene search for clues about Keith. This frustration is mirrored in Carlene's realization that she inhabits someone else's soul. Is solving the mystery the sole reason for her existence? Does she even have her own identity?
While these psychological issues are intriguing, the mystery itself is not. A careful reader will figure out who is responsible for Keith's disappearance about halfway through the novel, though there are still some interesting details left to be discovered. The book is quick and breezy, with the first half dedicated to slowly building the atmosphere; the pace picks up more quickly in the second half. There's also a cast of charming, slightly eccentric small-town characters that add color.
About the Author
Lael Littke has written a number of horror and supernatural stories aimed at middle-readers and young adults. Many of her books touch on the same themes as Lake of Secrets. Haunted Sister involves a girl being haunted by her twin sister, who died 12 years earlier, while Searching for Selene also focuses on what happens many years after a young child is abducted.
Curriculum Ties
While the book could be used in a display of supernaturally-themed stories for teens, it is not particularly well-suited for any classroom use.
Boooktalking Ideas
1. Tie in Carlene's mixed feelings about being inhabited by someone else's soul with her own struggle for identity.
2. Focus on the spooky, supernatural elements of the story.
3. Talk about Carlene's friendships with love interest Luke and 7-year-old J.T.
Reading Interest/Level
Suitable for readers in junior high and above. Though a more sophisticated reader may be disappointed in how easily the mystery is solved, younger teen readers will enjoy the story.
Challenge Issues
Though the book does deal with supernatural elements, which some may find patently offensive, the book itself has no questionable content.
Selection Criteria
Lake of Secrets is included in Teen Genreflecting as a good choice for the supernatural genre.
Lael Littke
ISBN 0-8050-6730-2
202 pages
Henry Holt, 2002
Genre: Supernatural/Paranormal
Reader's Annotation
When Carlene and her mother return to the town where her brother went missing 18 years ago, she is haunted by memories related to the disappearance, even though she was not yet born when it happened.
Plot Summary
Fifteen-year-old Carlene's entire life has revolved around an event that happened three years before she was even born: the disappearance of her then-four-year-old brother Keith. Carlene's mother still maintains that he is alive somewhere, and frustrated with his wife's obsession, Carlene's father walked out on her and Carlene many years ago. When she hears a bit of news that might be related to Keith's disappearance, Carlene's mother and Carlene travel back to Lake Isadore, the place where he went missing. Though Carlene has never been there, she is soon haunted by memories of the place and events related to Keith's disappearance.
Through the help of some new friends she makes in the town, Carlene figures out that the soul of someone involved in Keith's disappearance was reincarnated into her body. She must use the memories to figure out the clues as to what really happened all those years ago.
Critical Evaluation
Lake of Secrets is a great premise for a book, and Littke is effective at creating a suitably spooky atmosphere. Carlene is understandably sympathetic to and completely frustrated by her mother's obsession with Keith. Carlene believes with merit that her mother has never really been able to focus on her daughter or see her as her own person -- even her 15th birthday present is a pair of binoculars to help Carlene search for clues about Keith. This frustration is mirrored in Carlene's realization that she inhabits someone else's soul. Is solving the mystery the sole reason for her existence? Does she even have her own identity?
While these psychological issues are intriguing, the mystery itself is not. A careful reader will figure out who is responsible for Keith's disappearance about halfway through the novel, though there are still some interesting details left to be discovered. The book is quick and breezy, with the first half dedicated to slowly building the atmosphere; the pace picks up more quickly in the second half. There's also a cast of charming, slightly eccentric small-town characters that add color.
About the Author
Lael Littke has written a number of horror and supernatural stories aimed at middle-readers and young adults. Many of her books touch on the same themes as Lake of Secrets. Haunted Sister involves a girl being haunted by her twin sister, who died 12 years earlier, while Searching for Selene also focuses on what happens many years after a young child is abducted.
Curriculum Ties
While the book could be used in a display of supernaturally-themed stories for teens, it is not particularly well-suited for any classroom use.
Boooktalking Ideas
1. Tie in Carlene's mixed feelings about being inhabited by someone else's soul with her own struggle for identity.
2. Focus on the spooky, supernatural elements of the story.
3. Talk about Carlene's friendships with love interest Luke and 7-year-old J.T.
Reading Interest/Level
Suitable for readers in junior high and above. Though a more sophisticated reader may be disappointed in how easily the mystery is solved, younger teen readers will enjoy the story.
Challenge Issues
Though the book does deal with supernatural elements, which some may find patently offensive, the book itself has no questionable content.
Selection Criteria
Lake of Secrets is included in Teen Genreflecting as a good choice for the supernatural genre.
When Lightning Strikes by Meg Cabot (as Jenny Carroll)
When Lightning Strikes
Meg Cabot (as Jenny Carroll)
ISBN 1-4169-0524-3
266 pages
Simon Pulse, 2001
Genre: Supernatural/Paranormal
Reader's Annotation
After she is struck by lightning, 16-year-old Jessica gains psychic powers that let her locate missing people.
Plot Summary
Jessica Mastriani, high school sophomore, is a regular in her guidance counselor's office and detention. Though she's got a great heart, her temper can sometimes get the best of her, especially when she sees someone being treated unfairly. One afternoon, she and her best friend Ruth are walking home from school when a huge thunderstorm strikes. The only place in the flat Indiana landscape to hide from the hail is under a set of metal bleachers, and Jessica is struck by lightning. At breakfast the next morning, she realizes she knows where the missing kids on the back of the milk carton are. She calls the tip line--1-800-Where-R-U--and tells them where they can find the kids.
After giving them several more anonymous tips--which all turn out to be right--the story attracts attention from both the national media and the FBI. Reporters camp out in Jess' front yard, and FBI agents want to take Jess to a secret facility to see if they can figure out what's caused her psychic powers. At first Jess resists, but after her schizophrenic brother freaks out from all the attention, she decides it would be best for her family to comply. While she's there, she learns that at least one of the kids she's found had very good reasons for wanting to stay missing, and she learns that the FBI really wants her help in finding some of America's most wanted. Can Jess' quick wits and pyschic powers help her set things right?
Critical Summary
When Lightning Strikes features Meg Cabot's signature smart, sarcastic, funny writing style. Jess is a flawed and lovable heroine. The book works as much as a standard teen drama/comedy as it does a supernatural genre piece: Jess is as concerned with gaining an attractive senior's attention and keeping her position at 4th chair flute in the school orchestra as she is with her newfound psychic powers.
Jess' family mostly seem like caricatures, and it's odd that Jess' mother, who is otherwise shown to be a caring and involved mother, becomes overly excited by the prospect of reward money. However, Jess' friend Ruth and her love interest Rob, are more carefully drawn characters, as is Mr. Goodhart, the kindly, beleaguered guidance counselor who's always called on to clean up Jess' messes.
While not a particularly affecting work, it's a short, entertaining read, sure to be popular with Cabot's many fans.
About the Author
Meg Cabot is primarily known for her chick-lit books, especially the Princess Diaries series. She wrote two supernaturally-themed series, The Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-U, under the pseudonym Jenny Carroll. Sales were disappointing, and both series were ended after four books. However, several years later, after Cabot had found great commercial success, her publisher decided to re-release the series under Cabot's real name. Sales were much better, and she published one final book in each series, wrapping up the loose ties.
Curriculum Ties
Though entertaining, this book is not weighty enough to be used as part of any curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Sell the book as a sort of supernatural Princess Diaries, stressing the book has Cabot's signature writing style.
2. Talk about Jess' everyday problems--her family, her permanent detention, her unrequited crush on Rob--and then add at the end, "And oh, yeah, she just found out that she's pyschic."
3. Talk about the ramifications of Jess' powers--just because she can find anyone, should she? And should she cooperate with the government to find wanted criminals? How does she know what their intentions are?
Reading Interest/Level
This book would be appropriate for readers junior high-aged and up.
Challenge Issues
While there's some discussion of typical teenage delinquency and references to sexuality, none of it is explicit and it is unlikely to be challenged.
Selection Criteria
While looking at lists teens had made on Amazon of their favorite supernatural books, I noticed that this one was mentioned over and over again.
Meg Cabot (as Jenny Carroll)
ISBN 1-4169-0524-3
266 pages
Simon Pulse, 2001
Genre: Supernatural/Paranormal
Reader's Annotation
After she is struck by lightning, 16-year-old Jessica gains psychic powers that let her locate missing people.
Plot Summary
Jessica Mastriani, high school sophomore, is a regular in her guidance counselor's office and detention. Though she's got a great heart, her temper can sometimes get the best of her, especially when she sees someone being treated unfairly. One afternoon, she and her best friend Ruth are walking home from school when a huge thunderstorm strikes. The only place in the flat Indiana landscape to hide from the hail is under a set of metal bleachers, and Jessica is struck by lightning. At breakfast the next morning, she realizes she knows where the missing kids on the back of the milk carton are. She calls the tip line--1-800-Where-R-U--and tells them where they can find the kids.
After giving them several more anonymous tips--which all turn out to be right--the story attracts attention from both the national media and the FBI. Reporters camp out in Jess' front yard, and FBI agents want to take Jess to a secret facility to see if they can figure out what's caused her psychic powers. At first Jess resists, but after her schizophrenic brother freaks out from all the attention, she decides it would be best for her family to comply. While she's there, she learns that at least one of the kids she's found had very good reasons for wanting to stay missing, and she learns that the FBI really wants her help in finding some of America's most wanted. Can Jess' quick wits and pyschic powers help her set things right?
Critical Summary
When Lightning Strikes features Meg Cabot's signature smart, sarcastic, funny writing style. Jess is a flawed and lovable heroine. The book works as much as a standard teen drama/comedy as it does a supernatural genre piece: Jess is as concerned with gaining an attractive senior's attention and keeping her position at 4th chair flute in the school orchestra as she is with her newfound psychic powers.
Jess' family mostly seem like caricatures, and it's odd that Jess' mother, who is otherwise shown to be a caring and involved mother, becomes overly excited by the prospect of reward money. However, Jess' friend Ruth and her love interest Rob, are more carefully drawn characters, as is Mr. Goodhart, the kindly, beleaguered guidance counselor who's always called on to clean up Jess' messes.
While not a particularly affecting work, it's a short, entertaining read, sure to be popular with Cabot's many fans.
About the Author
Meg Cabot is primarily known for her chick-lit books, especially the Princess Diaries series. She wrote two supernaturally-themed series, The Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-U, under the pseudonym Jenny Carroll. Sales were disappointing, and both series were ended after four books. However, several years later, after Cabot had found great commercial success, her publisher decided to re-release the series under Cabot's real name. Sales were much better, and she published one final book in each series, wrapping up the loose ties.
Curriculum Ties
Though entertaining, this book is not weighty enough to be used as part of any curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Sell the book as a sort of supernatural Princess Diaries, stressing the book has Cabot's signature writing style.
2. Talk about Jess' everyday problems--her family, her permanent detention, her unrequited crush on Rob--and then add at the end, "And oh, yeah, she just found out that she's pyschic."
3. Talk about the ramifications of Jess' powers--just because she can find anyone, should she? And should she cooperate with the government to find wanted criminals? How does she know what their intentions are?
Reading Interest/Level
This book would be appropriate for readers junior high-aged and up.
Challenge Issues
While there's some discussion of typical teenage delinquency and references to sexuality, none of it is explicit and it is unlikely to be challenged.
Selection Criteria
While looking at lists teens had made on Amazon of their favorite supernatural books, I noticed that this one was mentioned over and over again.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan
Stranger With My Face
Lois Duncan
ISBN 0440983568
256 pages
Laurel Leaf, 1982
Genre: Supernatural/Paranormal
Readers Annotation:
With the help of an identical twin sister she never knew about, 17-year-old Laurie Stratton learns she has the power to travel outside of her body.
Plot Summary:
17-year-old Laurie Stratton has spent her entire life living in an isolated house on an isolated New England island with her parents and two younger siblings. Laurie's younger siblings look just like their parents and share their artistic talents--Laurie's parents are a writer and an artist--but Laurie shares none of the family traits.
Her friends and family start seeing Laurie all over the island, in places she knows she hasn't been. Laurie, too, senses the presence of someone else and starts seeing the reflection of a "mirror-girl" who looks just like her, but isn't. Eventually, the presence grows stronger, and the mirror-girl reveals herself to be Lia, Laurie's identical twin sister. Laurie didn't know she was adopted and confronts her parents; they admit that her mother was Navajo and they adopted her as a baby. They were given the chance to adopt her sister, too, but her mother felt inexplicably scared of and repelled by the infant.
With the help of her new friend Heather, whose parents, conveniently, used to teach on a Navajo reservation, Laurie learns that Lia is using astral projection, which allows her to sever her soul from her body and travel wherever she wants. Laurie is interested in seeing if she shares her sister's talents, but Heather warns her against trying it and also warns her that Lia has "evil eyes."
A mysterious accident soon befalls Heather; Jeff, a friend who shares Laurie's interest in astral projection, also disappears. Though she is warned to stop searching for answers and be content with her life on the island, Laurie is determined to figure out the truth about her sister, her heritage, and her possible power.
Critical Summary
Duncan is skilled at inserting supernatural elements into a typical realistic YA setting, so the reader readily accepts Laurie's transformation from typical teen into a supernaturally gifted superwoman. There's a lot of plot to cover in a mere 256 pages, so it surprised me that there was actually a fair amount of character development and atmosphere building. The beginning of the book lingers over Laurie's everyday experiences--forgetting her locker combination, not knowing who to sit with at the lunch table--but about three-quarters of the way through, it picks up a breakneck pace. The climax of the novel seems a bit rushed and unsatisfying.
Though the main and supporting characters were well drawn and interesting--Laurie's family is charmingly eccentric, Laurie's love interest has an interesting back story of his own--the character of Lia is strangely undeveloped. Duncan never quite explains her motivations. The ending of the book is genuinely spooky, with the last two pages providing a reader with a satisfying, lingering chill.
Though this book was published over 30 years ago, I was surprised at how relevant it seemed. Though there were no mentions of computers or cell phones, there also were no references that seemed incredibly dated.
About the Author
Lois Duncan has written many novels for children and young adults. She is especially known for her young adult suspense novels, which often feature supernatural, paranormal powers; her teen heroines often have psionic powers, such as psychic ability or clairvoyance. Many of her novels have been turned into made-for-TV movies, as has Stranger With My Face. The suspense novels, many of which were written in the '70s and '80s, remain extremely popular with contemporary readers.
Curriculum Ties
While this book will be an enjoyable read for young adults, it does not have any elements that would make it an appropriate choice in a school curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk in the character of Laurie, spookily explaining how friends and family have been seeing her around town in places she hasn't been and how she has been seeing the mysterious mirror-girl.
2. Talk about Laurie's sense of disconnection from her family and the other kids at school.
3. Explain the concept of astral projection and its connection to Navajo culture.
Reading Interest/Level:
This book, which is not a difficult read, would have appeal to both junior high and high school students.
Challenge Issues:
There is nothing particularly controversial about this book in terms of language or content, though it's possible that someone's religious beliefs might make them find the very idea of a book about the supernatural/paranormal to be objectionable.
Selection Criteria
I remembered Lois Duncan's books being popular when I was a young reader, and I was surprised to see them with different, updated covers in my library's young adult section. Stranger With My Face, along with several other Duncan novels, are also explored in critical essays by Lizzie Skurnick in her recent book Shelf Discovery.
Lois Duncan
ISBN 0440983568
256 pages
Laurel Leaf, 1982
Genre: Supernatural/Paranormal
Readers Annotation:
With the help of an identical twin sister she never knew about, 17-year-old Laurie Stratton learns she has the power to travel outside of her body.
Plot Summary:
17-year-old Laurie Stratton has spent her entire life living in an isolated house on an isolated New England island with her parents and two younger siblings. Laurie's younger siblings look just like their parents and share their artistic talents--Laurie's parents are a writer and an artist--but Laurie shares none of the family traits.
Her friends and family start seeing Laurie all over the island, in places she knows she hasn't been. Laurie, too, senses the presence of someone else and starts seeing the reflection of a "mirror-girl" who looks just like her, but isn't. Eventually, the presence grows stronger, and the mirror-girl reveals herself to be Lia, Laurie's identical twin sister. Laurie didn't know she was adopted and confronts her parents; they admit that her mother was Navajo and they adopted her as a baby. They were given the chance to adopt her sister, too, but her mother felt inexplicably scared of and repelled by the infant.
With the help of her new friend Heather, whose parents, conveniently, used to teach on a Navajo reservation, Laurie learns that Lia is using astral projection, which allows her to sever her soul from her body and travel wherever she wants. Laurie is interested in seeing if she shares her sister's talents, but Heather warns her against trying it and also warns her that Lia has "evil eyes."
A mysterious accident soon befalls Heather; Jeff, a friend who shares Laurie's interest in astral projection, also disappears. Though she is warned to stop searching for answers and be content with her life on the island, Laurie is determined to figure out the truth about her sister, her heritage, and her possible power.
Critical Summary
Duncan is skilled at inserting supernatural elements into a typical realistic YA setting, so the reader readily accepts Laurie's transformation from typical teen into a supernaturally gifted superwoman. There's a lot of plot to cover in a mere 256 pages, so it surprised me that there was actually a fair amount of character development and atmosphere building. The beginning of the book lingers over Laurie's everyday experiences--forgetting her locker combination, not knowing who to sit with at the lunch table--but about three-quarters of the way through, it picks up a breakneck pace. The climax of the novel seems a bit rushed and unsatisfying.
Though the main and supporting characters were well drawn and interesting--Laurie's family is charmingly eccentric, Laurie's love interest has an interesting back story of his own--the character of Lia is strangely undeveloped. Duncan never quite explains her motivations. The ending of the book is genuinely spooky, with the last two pages providing a reader with a satisfying, lingering chill.
Though this book was published over 30 years ago, I was surprised at how relevant it seemed. Though there were no mentions of computers or cell phones, there also were no references that seemed incredibly dated.
About the Author
Lois Duncan has written many novels for children and young adults. She is especially known for her young adult suspense novels, which often feature supernatural, paranormal powers; her teen heroines often have psionic powers, such as psychic ability or clairvoyance. Many of her novels have been turned into made-for-TV movies, as has Stranger With My Face. The suspense novels, many of which were written in the '70s and '80s, remain extremely popular with contemporary readers.
Curriculum Ties
While this book will be an enjoyable read for young adults, it does not have any elements that would make it an appropriate choice in a school curriculum.
Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk in the character of Laurie, spookily explaining how friends and family have been seeing her around town in places she hasn't been and how she has been seeing the mysterious mirror-girl.
2. Talk about Laurie's sense of disconnection from her family and the other kids at school.
3. Explain the concept of astral projection and its connection to Navajo culture.
Reading Interest/Level:
This book, which is not a difficult read, would have appeal to both junior high and high school students.
Challenge Issues:
There is nothing particularly controversial about this book in terms of language or content, though it's possible that someone's religious beliefs might make them find the very idea of a book about the supernatural/paranormal to be objectionable.
Selection Criteria
I remembered Lois Duncan's books being popular when I was a young reader, and I was surprised to see them with different, updated covers in my library's young adult section. Stranger With My Face, along with several other Duncan novels, are also explored in critical essays by Lizzie Skurnick in her recent book Shelf Discovery.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libby Bray
A Great and Terrible Beauty
Libby Bray
ISBN 9780385732314
403 pages
Delacorte Press, 2003
Genre: Supernatural
Reader's Annotation:
Sent to live at a school for girls after her mother's mysterious death in 1895, Gemma becomes aware of her supernatural powers and uses them to bring her friends to a spirit realm.
Plot Summary:
It's 1895, and sixteen-year-old Gemma Doyle, who has spent most of her life in India, longs to return to England. After her mother dies in mysterious circumstances, Gemma's family sends her to Spence Academy, a finishing school for girls in London. Gemma finds the environment at Spence stifling; the teachers train the students to be nothing more than obedient wives and mothers, and she immediately makes enemies of powerful Felicity and beautiful Pippa, the two most popular girls at school. Since her mother's death, though, Gemma slowly becomes aware she has magical powers that allow her to glimpse the spirit world. She finds a diary written by two Spence students 20 years ago that details their experiences with similar magical powers.
Miss Moore, Spence's art teacher, urges her students to think for themselves and use their minds. In an art lesson, she teaches the girls about a mythical Order of women, who had the gift of prophecy and could visit the spirit world. Gemma, along with Felicity and Pippa (who have declared a truce), and Gemma's roommate Ann, an unhappy orphan who is at Spence on scholarship, decide to recreate the Order and use the diary to teach them how to do so. They are successful, and in visiting the spirit world, where they can make anything happen, they become unhappier with the restrictions placed on them in their real lives. They try to use the magical powers to change their own lives for the better. They realize, too late, that the diary had hidden secrets and that they may have set into motion actions beyond their control.
Critical Evaluation
Bray has created an interesting mix of genres in this book: while primarily a supernatural story, the historical story also has a strong feminist slant. The girls all struggle with their total lack of power and the limited options available to them. Beautiful Pippa knows she is little more than a marker for her father's gambling debts and will be married off to the first rich man who proposes. Charming Felicity has been all but abandoned by her parents; her father, a famous Admiral, spends all his time at sea, while her mother has run away to Paris and abandoned her family. Clever Ann, who is an outcast as school because of her plain face, dour personality, and scholarship status, knows she will spend her life as a governess for wealthy families, teaching children who will have opportunities in life she's never dared dream of. And Gemma, who has also been largely abandoned by her family, struggles to understand her new powers and is torn between the power and pleasure she gets from using them and the fear that she is playing at games she does not yet fully understand.
The teachers at Spence, too, show the limited options available for women of this era; Miss Moore has chosen not to marry and urges the girls to become vessels for their own opinions and dreams, rather than just reflecting those of their family. Their French teacher, Mlle Defarge, pines after a fiance who never calls, and Brigid, the housekeeper who has been at Spence for years and has observed everything, may hold the key to the truth behind the events in the diary.
The supernatural aspects of the novel underscore its feminist aspects; Miss Moore points out how women with powers have always been feared by the men in power, and a brotherhood of men tries to stop Gemma from further developing her powers. While they are in the spirit realm, the girls use their new powers to exert their influence on the world, creating a life that they themselves have defined, rather than blindly accepting society's narrow definition of what a proper young lady should be.
The friendships between the girls feel modern and fresh; readers will both relate to their struggles with parents and with school and be pleasantly spooked and thrilled by the supernatural elements of the Gothic novel.
Other Novels in the Series
Rebel Angels (2005)
The Sweet Far Thing (2007)
About the Author
In addition to the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, Libby Bray has written short stories in several young adult trilogies. Her newest novel, Going Bovine, was released September 2009 and is described as a comic fantasy novel in the vein of Douglas Adams. Bray, who is American, says she envisioned Gemma as a "heroine who kicks butt and takes names--all in a corset and crinoline."
Curriculum Ties
Women's role in historical society
Booktalking Ideas
1. Describe the social power dynamics at Spence and explain how Gemma and Felicity first are enemies, then become friends. But are they really friends, or just "frenemies"?
2. Describe the limits the four main girls feel have been placed on their lives, what they want to do versus what their families want for them.
3. Talk about Gemma's powers and the supernatural elements of the book.
Reading Interest/Level
9th grade and up
Challenge Issues
The girls sneak whiskey and get drunk. There is some sexual talk, though nothing more happens than a kiss. There is some violence, including the ritual sacrifice of both an animal and a child, as well as strong supernatural content. One character deals with her pain by cutting.
If the book were to be challenged, the librarian should be aware of the library's selection policy and be able to explain and defend it to the challenger. The librarian should ideally read the book and familiarize herself with the controversial content, or she is unable to do that, rely on sites like Common Sense Media (http://www.commonsensemedia.org/) that review media for parents and try to objectively detail the title's content.
The librarian could also point out to the book's positive reviews in professional journals, as well as its multiple awards, including being named a 2006 ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Selection Criteria
Though you can't judge a book by its cover, I have to admit I was drawn in by the book's title and cover image. While reading the back, I realized that it was a supernatural book (my group presentation genre). When I realized that the book was the first in a popular and well-reviewed trilogy, I decided it was a must-read for this class.
Libby Bray
ISBN 9780385732314
403 pages
Delacorte Press, 2003
Genre: Supernatural
Reader's Annotation:
Sent to live at a school for girls after her mother's mysterious death in 1895, Gemma becomes aware of her supernatural powers and uses them to bring her friends to a spirit realm.
Plot Summary:
It's 1895, and sixteen-year-old Gemma Doyle, who has spent most of her life in India, longs to return to England. After her mother dies in mysterious circumstances, Gemma's family sends her to Spence Academy, a finishing school for girls in London. Gemma finds the environment at Spence stifling; the teachers train the students to be nothing more than obedient wives and mothers, and she immediately makes enemies of powerful Felicity and beautiful Pippa, the two most popular girls at school. Since her mother's death, though, Gemma slowly becomes aware she has magical powers that allow her to glimpse the spirit world. She finds a diary written by two Spence students 20 years ago that details their experiences with similar magical powers.
Miss Moore, Spence's art teacher, urges her students to think for themselves and use their minds. In an art lesson, she teaches the girls about a mythical Order of women, who had the gift of prophecy and could visit the spirit world. Gemma, along with Felicity and Pippa (who have declared a truce), and Gemma's roommate Ann, an unhappy orphan who is at Spence on scholarship, decide to recreate the Order and use the diary to teach them how to do so. They are successful, and in visiting the spirit world, where they can make anything happen, they become unhappier with the restrictions placed on them in their real lives. They try to use the magical powers to change their own lives for the better. They realize, too late, that the diary had hidden secrets and that they may have set into motion actions beyond their control.
Critical Evaluation
Bray has created an interesting mix of genres in this book: while primarily a supernatural story, the historical story also has a strong feminist slant. The girls all struggle with their total lack of power and the limited options available to them. Beautiful Pippa knows she is little more than a marker for her father's gambling debts and will be married off to the first rich man who proposes. Charming Felicity has been all but abandoned by her parents; her father, a famous Admiral, spends all his time at sea, while her mother has run away to Paris and abandoned her family. Clever Ann, who is an outcast as school because of her plain face, dour personality, and scholarship status, knows she will spend her life as a governess for wealthy families, teaching children who will have opportunities in life she's never dared dream of. And Gemma, who has also been largely abandoned by her family, struggles to understand her new powers and is torn between the power and pleasure she gets from using them and the fear that she is playing at games she does not yet fully understand.
The teachers at Spence, too, show the limited options available for women of this era; Miss Moore has chosen not to marry and urges the girls to become vessels for their own opinions and dreams, rather than just reflecting those of their family. Their French teacher, Mlle Defarge, pines after a fiance who never calls, and Brigid, the housekeeper who has been at Spence for years and has observed everything, may hold the key to the truth behind the events in the diary.
The supernatural aspects of the novel underscore its feminist aspects; Miss Moore points out how women with powers have always been feared by the men in power, and a brotherhood of men tries to stop Gemma from further developing her powers. While they are in the spirit realm, the girls use their new powers to exert their influence on the world, creating a life that they themselves have defined, rather than blindly accepting society's narrow definition of what a proper young lady should be.
The friendships between the girls feel modern and fresh; readers will both relate to their struggles with parents and with school and be pleasantly spooked and thrilled by the supernatural elements of the Gothic novel.
Other Novels in the Series
Rebel Angels (2005)
The Sweet Far Thing (2007)
About the Author
In addition to the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, Libby Bray has written short stories in several young adult trilogies. Her newest novel, Going Bovine, was released September 2009 and is described as a comic fantasy novel in the vein of Douglas Adams. Bray, who is American, says she envisioned Gemma as a "heroine who kicks butt and takes names--all in a corset and crinoline."
Curriculum Ties
Women's role in historical society
Booktalking Ideas
1. Describe the social power dynamics at Spence and explain how Gemma and Felicity first are enemies, then become friends. But are they really friends, or just "frenemies"?
2. Describe the limits the four main girls feel have been placed on their lives, what they want to do versus what their families want for them.
3. Talk about Gemma's powers and the supernatural elements of the book.
Reading Interest/Level
9th grade and up
Challenge Issues
The girls sneak whiskey and get drunk. There is some sexual talk, though nothing more happens than a kiss. There is some violence, including the ritual sacrifice of both an animal and a child, as well as strong supernatural content. One character deals with her pain by cutting.
If the book were to be challenged, the librarian should be aware of the library's selection policy and be able to explain and defend it to the challenger. The librarian should ideally read the book and familiarize herself with the controversial content, or she is unable to do that, rely on sites like Common Sense Media (http://www.commonsensemedia.org/) that review media for parents and try to objectively detail the title's content.
The librarian could also point out to the book's positive reviews in professional journals, as well as its multiple awards, including being named a 2006 ALA Best Book for Young Adults.
Selection Criteria
Though you can't judge a book by its cover, I have to admit I was drawn in by the book's title and cover image. While reading the back, I realized that it was a supernatural book (my group presentation genre). When I realized that the book was the first in a popular and well-reviewed trilogy, I decided it was a must-read for this class.
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