Title: Anything But Typical
Author: Nora Raleigh Baskin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781416963783
Starred review in: BL
In Anything but Typical, Jason Blake, like so many teens, finds his voice though creative writing and the support of an online writing community. The thing about Jason is that, outside of his online existence, it is exceedingly difficult for him to express himself as he is a teen with autism. Because he processes social interaction so differently from his peers, he faces rejection at school and a home life that, while loving, is fraught with misunderstanding. In his online haven, Storyboard, Jason feels better able to compose his thoughts and be himself. He eventually strikes up a friendship with a girl, Rebecca, who admires his writing. Both his enthusiasm over having a (girl)friend and his passion for creative writing are spoiled when he has the opportunity to attend a Storyboard convention in Rebecca’s hometown. Jason realizes he will have to interact with Rebecca face-to-face, which will bring his differences to the fore of their relationship. However, in the end, Jason manages to face his fears and grows more comfortable with himself and his place in the world.
To the majority of us, interpreting the facial expressions and intonations of others comes naturally. So naturally, in fact, that to break the process down, to even note that there is a process, is a foreign and difficult thing to do. Nevertheless, that is what Nora Raleigh Baskin needed to do in order to make this book function, and she does so through stellar character development. It was ambitious of Baskin to assume the voice of an autistic twelve year old, but she does it compassionately. Though Jason has difficulty communicating with others, within himself his is highly perceptive, and witty. Baskin makes sure these traits shine through in Jason’s internal thought processes and through excerpts from his stories. It is so easy to get caught up in looking at the world though Jason’s eyes, that before long, his differences become the new normal and one begins to wonder along with Jason, “Why are they acting that way?” Baskin masterfully illustrates how thin the line between “typical” and “atypical” really is. I do not recommend reading this offering in one sitting, as I did, because there is just too much to digest at once. Yet, I do highly recommend digesting it.
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Mock Printz 2010: The Devil's Paintbox by Victoria Mckernan
Title: The Devil's Paintbox
Author: Victoria McKernan
Publisher:Knopf
ISBN:978-0-375-83750-0
Starred Reviews: SLJ, PW
Aiden,15, and Maddy, 13, are the last survivors of a community in the plains of Kansas in the summer of 1866. They are literally scraping mud to keep the hunger at bay when Jefferson T. Jackson, a wagon train leader and recruiter for a logging camp, runs into the two kids. Impressed by their pluck and more compassionate than he looks, he agrees to take the kids with him and "sell" Aiden to the Oregon logging camp. It is a rough trip out to Oregon but the people in this wagon train are all people like the two kids who have little or nothing to lose. The journey gives good insight into the lives of these people who settled the west and as their lives intersected with the Native Americans already living there, we see the clash of cultures and resources that resulted. Aiden ends up befriending a boy his age, Tupic, who belongs to the Nez Perce tribe. After the Indians save Aiden's life, he is later forced to help Tupic to save his own tribe from the scourge of Smallpox. Not all the characters make it to Oregon and so the costs of the trip are made clear. I enjoyed this book very much. It really gives you the sense of what it was like going across the country right after the civil war. McKernan does not romanticize the story in any way although there is love and humanity in the book but it is hard to come by. I never knew that the smallpox vaccine was purposely kept from the Indians although the author makes it very clear that at no time were infected blankets purposely given to the Indians, something that was rumored.... This book is written quite well, researched well and holds up as an interesting read. It is one of the best historical fiction books written for teens in a long time. After it ended , I really missed the characters. The author just brings you into this world. I don't know that it will win the Printz but it is a book well worth reading and having in the YA collections.
Susan Rappaport, Rutherford Public Library
Author: Victoria McKernan
Publisher:Knopf
ISBN:978-0-375-83750-0
Starred Reviews: SLJ, PW
Aiden,15, and Maddy, 13, are the last survivors of a community in the plains of Kansas in the summer of 1866. They are literally scraping mud to keep the hunger at bay when Jefferson T. Jackson, a wagon train leader and recruiter for a logging camp, runs into the two kids. Impressed by their pluck and more compassionate than he looks, he agrees to take the kids with him and "sell" Aiden to the Oregon logging camp. It is a rough trip out to Oregon but the people in this wagon train are all people like the two kids who have little or nothing to lose. The journey gives good insight into the lives of these people who settled the west and as their lives intersected with the Native Americans already living there, we see the clash of cultures and resources that resulted. Aiden ends up befriending a boy his age, Tupic, who belongs to the Nez Perce tribe. After the Indians save Aiden's life, he is later forced to help Tupic to save his own tribe from the scourge of Smallpox. Not all the characters make it to Oregon and so the costs of the trip are made clear. I enjoyed this book very much. It really gives you the sense of what it was like going across the country right after the civil war. McKernan does not romanticize the story in any way although there is love and humanity in the book but it is hard to come by. I never knew that the smallpox vaccine was purposely kept from the Indians although the author makes it very clear that at no time were infected blankets purposely given to the Indians, something that was rumored.... This book is written quite well, researched well and holds up as an interesting read. It is one of the best historical fiction books written for teens in a long time. After it ended , I really missed the characters. The author just brings you into this world. I don't know that it will win the Printz but it is a book well worth reading and having in the YA collections.
Susan Rappaport, Rutherford Public Library
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Mock Printz 2010: Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Title: Marcelo in the Real World
Author: Francisco X. Stork
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
ISBN: 9780545054744
Starred review in: Kirkus, School Library Journal, PW
Summary: Marcelo Sandoval, 17, has plans to spend his summer working with the ponies at Paterson, the private school he’s attended since grammar school. He wants to return in the fall for his senior year. Marcelo’s father, Arturo, a successful corporate lawyer in Boston, has other plans for Marcelo, who has an autism spectrum disorder (the closest diagnosis, Asperger’s). Marcelo listens to his own internal music, sometimes slips into third person, his ‘special interest’ is religion in all forms and he likes to know what to expect and what is expected of him. Arturo wants Marcelo to attend a mainstream high school, Oak Ridge, instead of Paterson’s specialized environment. But Marcelo is comfortable at Paterson. Arturo offers a deal. If Marcelo can successfully navigate the “real world” by his father’s standards and work in the mailroom of his law firm for the summer instead of with the ponies, Marcelo will be allowed to return to Paterson and follow his own plans. Apprehensive but determined NOT to attend Oak Ridge, Marcelo reluctantly agrees. The summer internship exceeds expectations (both Marcelo’s and other's) offering new possibilities, plans and relationships. Marcelo, self-aware, highly-intelligent and kind hearted- experiences both the ugly and the beautiful sides of life in the “real world”. He gets caught up in nasty office politics, suffers the attentions of closed-minded, cruel and manipulative individuals and gets an accidental lesson in the shadier areas of litigation. But Marcelo makes a strong connection with co-worker Jasmine and helps another young woman when his father initially refused to. Loyalties, morals and ethics are tested but Marcelo manages to simultaneously stay true to himself and grow. While he adapts to the world around him, Marcelo also affects positive changes.
Review:
This is a great character driven novel where the protagonist’s journey isn’t limited to minor character development. It doesn’t suffer from the “complete 180” you sometimes come across. Marcelo’s experience in his father’s much touted “real world” is believable but more than anything, it’s how the “real world” and Marcelo influence one another. This comes across as real…and balanced. (And gratifyingly defies Arturo’s expectations.) Marcelo is more honest and self-aware than most. Despite other people’s preconceived notions of him, Marcelo is also extremely perceptive; whether he reads faces, tones or sees past people’s words and right to their intentions. Stork maintains a dynamic core in Marcelo but gives him the freedom to grow and expand outside his comfort zone and the box other’s put him in. Secondary characters are also susceptible to realistic change and usually surpass stock restrictions (the deplorable Holmes men and their icy assistant are believably slimey and arrogant, Marcelo’s understanding mother Aurora is wonderfully sympathetic and also encouraging). This is especially true of Jasmine, Marcelo’s musically inclined and equally perceptive colleague in the mailroom. She starts off with more professional, private boundaries but opens up to Marcelo and is a true friend. It took one or two chapters for me to become involved in the story, but once Marcelo was ‘parentally bargained’ into the law firm mailroom, I went from interested to invested and other readers will too.
Author: Francisco X. Stork
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
ISBN: 9780545054744
Starred review in: Kirkus, School Library Journal, PW
Summary: Marcelo Sandoval, 17, has plans to spend his summer working with the ponies at Paterson, the private school he’s attended since grammar school. He wants to return in the fall for his senior year. Marcelo’s father, Arturo, a successful corporate lawyer in Boston, has other plans for Marcelo, who has an autism spectrum disorder (the closest diagnosis, Asperger’s). Marcelo listens to his own internal music, sometimes slips into third person, his ‘special interest’ is religion in all forms and he likes to know what to expect and what is expected of him. Arturo wants Marcelo to attend a mainstream high school, Oak Ridge, instead of Paterson’s specialized environment. But Marcelo is comfortable at Paterson. Arturo offers a deal. If Marcelo can successfully navigate the “real world” by his father’s standards and work in the mailroom of his law firm for the summer instead of with the ponies, Marcelo will be allowed to return to Paterson and follow his own plans. Apprehensive but determined NOT to attend Oak Ridge, Marcelo reluctantly agrees. The summer internship exceeds expectations (both Marcelo’s and other's) offering new possibilities, plans and relationships. Marcelo, self-aware, highly-intelligent and kind hearted- experiences both the ugly and the beautiful sides of life in the “real world”. He gets caught up in nasty office politics, suffers the attentions of closed-minded, cruel and manipulative individuals and gets an accidental lesson in the shadier areas of litigation. But Marcelo makes a strong connection with co-worker Jasmine and helps another young woman when his father initially refused to. Loyalties, morals and ethics are tested but Marcelo manages to simultaneously stay true to himself and grow. While he adapts to the world around him, Marcelo also affects positive changes.
Review:
This is a great character driven novel where the protagonist’s journey isn’t limited to minor character development. It doesn’t suffer from the “complete 180” you sometimes come across. Marcelo’s experience in his father’s much touted “real world” is believable but more than anything, it’s how the “real world” and Marcelo influence one another. This comes across as real…and balanced. (And gratifyingly defies Arturo’s expectations.) Marcelo is more honest and self-aware than most. Despite other people’s preconceived notions of him, Marcelo is also extremely perceptive; whether he reads faces, tones or sees past people’s words and right to their intentions. Stork maintains a dynamic core in Marcelo but gives him the freedom to grow and expand outside his comfort zone and the box other’s put him in. Secondary characters are also susceptible to realistic change and usually surpass stock restrictions (the deplorable Holmes men and their icy assistant are believably slimey and arrogant, Marcelo’s understanding mother Aurora is wonderfully sympathetic and also encouraging). This is especially true of Jasmine, Marcelo’s musically inclined and equally perceptive colleague in the mailroom. She starts off with more professional, private boundaries but opens up to Marcelo and is a true friend. It took one or two chapters for me to become involved in the story, but once Marcelo was ‘parentally bargained’ into the law firm mailroom, I went from interested to invested and other readers will too.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Mock Printz 2010: The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg
Title: The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg
Author: Rodman Philbrick
Publisher: Blue Sky Press
ISBN: 978-0439668187
Starred review in: BL
Summary:
Homer P. Figg is a liar.
As he would tell you himself, “Telling the truth don’t come easy to me, but I will try”. This explains why his adventures are only “mostly” true. The story is set in the 1860’s. Homer and his brother Harold are orphans living in Pine Swamp, Maine under the dubious care of their uncle, Squinton (Squint) Leach. There is no love lost between the boys and their mean uncle Squint who works them hard and leaves them hungry. In fact, Homer is so hungry that he eats some food intended for the pigs, annoying Squint who tries to strike him. Harold defends Homer and an infuriated Squint sells Harold into the Union Army even though the teen is not yet eighteen.
By the time Homer manages to escape the farm Harold is long gone. He sets out to rescue his brother but doesn’t get very far before stumbling upon two bounty hunters searching for runaway slaves. Upon discovering Homer’s gift for stretching the truth they attempt to force Homer to aid them in their search and instead Homer finds himself an unwilling participant of sorts in the Underground Railroad.
From there Homer embarks on adventure upon adventure, each more outlandish than the one before. From a run in with some con artists, to a stint as the “Amazing Pig Boy” to a daring escape in a runaway hot air balloon, Homer experiences the fantastical. However, no matter the adventure the goal is always the same. Find big brother Harold and save him from the war.
Review:
This is a fast paced rollicking adventure that happens to be historical fiction. Even if it’s not a Printz contender it is a worthwhile read for those looking for a story with a likeable character you can’t help but root for just to see what trouble he can get into next. The character at twelve years old was also young and at times his personality seemed even younger. This may be a title more at home in juvenile collections than in young adult collections.
The humor comes in the form of Homer’s strong voice and his penchant for stretching the truth if he thinks it will suit him. Though it does have humor one never forgets that there are serious events happening in the story with the specter of the Civil War looming large in the background.
The author, Rodman Philbrick, doesn’t shy away from conveying the sights and sounds of war when Homer finds himself on the front lines amidst the wounded and the dying. Because Homer’s voice is strong we are able to experience, through him, his horror at what is happening around him and his fear that his brother may be among the fallen.
Homer is a refreshing character in that he is an unabashed storyteller and that is just who he is. There is no grand change where he decides to only tell the truth and despite what he experiences and sees he doesn’t necessarily have a stand on the war.
All he knows and all he cares about is that he wants to be reunited with his big brother and the reader will want this too.
Author: Rodman Philbrick
Publisher: Blue Sky Press
ISBN: 978-0439668187
Starred review in: BL
Summary:
Homer P. Figg is a liar.
As he would tell you himself, “Telling the truth don’t come easy to me, but I will try”. This explains why his adventures are only “mostly” true. The story is set in the 1860’s. Homer and his brother Harold are orphans living in Pine Swamp, Maine under the dubious care of their uncle, Squinton (Squint) Leach. There is no love lost between the boys and their mean uncle Squint who works them hard and leaves them hungry. In fact, Homer is so hungry that he eats some food intended for the pigs, annoying Squint who tries to strike him. Harold defends Homer and an infuriated Squint sells Harold into the Union Army even though the teen is not yet eighteen.
By the time Homer manages to escape the farm Harold is long gone. He sets out to rescue his brother but doesn’t get very far before stumbling upon two bounty hunters searching for runaway slaves. Upon discovering Homer’s gift for stretching the truth they attempt to force Homer to aid them in their search and instead Homer finds himself an unwilling participant of sorts in the Underground Railroad.
From there Homer embarks on adventure upon adventure, each more outlandish than the one before. From a run in with some con artists, to a stint as the “Amazing Pig Boy” to a daring escape in a runaway hot air balloon, Homer experiences the fantastical. However, no matter the adventure the goal is always the same. Find big brother Harold and save him from the war.
Review:
This is a fast paced rollicking adventure that happens to be historical fiction. Even if it’s not a Printz contender it is a worthwhile read for those looking for a story with a likeable character you can’t help but root for just to see what trouble he can get into next. The character at twelve years old was also young and at times his personality seemed even younger. This may be a title more at home in juvenile collections than in young adult collections.
The humor comes in the form of Homer’s strong voice and his penchant for stretching the truth if he thinks it will suit him. Though it does have humor one never forgets that there are serious events happening in the story with the specter of the Civil War looming large in the background.
The author, Rodman Philbrick, doesn’t shy away from conveying the sights and sounds of war when Homer finds himself on the front lines amidst the wounded and the dying. Because Homer’s voice is strong we are able to experience, through him, his horror at what is happening around him and his fear that his brother may be among the fallen.
Homer is a refreshing character in that he is an unabashed storyteller and that is just who he is. There is no grand change where he decides to only tell the truth and despite what he experiences and sees he doesn’t necessarily have a stand on the war.
All he knows and all he cares about is that he wants to be reunited with his big brother and the reader will want this too.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Mock Newbery 2010: The Problem with the Puddles by Kate Feiffer
Title: The Problem with the Puddles
Author: Kate Feiffer
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 978-1416949619
Starred review in: PW
Summary:
The Puddles are a family with not one, but many problems. However, the biggest problem they face is that Mr. and Mrs. Puddle simply cannot agree. They have “agreed to disagree” and they do so almost constantly. This, in turn, translates to further problems for their children Tom and Baby. For instance, Baby is called Baby by everyone except her father and mother who, when she was born, could not agree on what to call her. Her father calls her Ferdinanda and her mother calls her Emily. Legally, her name is Baby because that is how a frustrated hospital nurse filled out her birth certificate.
For the most part, the “agree to disagree” arrangement is merely another part of the Puddles’ family life. That is until they accidentally leave their two dogs (both named Sally) at their country home when they return to the city. Mr. Puddle hates city life and wishes to return for the dogs to prolong their time in the country. Mrs. Puddle dislikes the country, can’t wait to get back to the city, and insists that they should lose no time in continuing their journey home. She proposes that they call a neighbor who can look after the dogs. Tom and Baby, being the most rational of the family, simply love their dogs and wish to return for them to ensure their safety.
Meanwhile, the Sallys set out to find the Puddles, certain they can sniff out the city as they go. The two dogs have a real adventure and enjoy their journey, until tired paws and insensitivity on the part of each dog causes a rift in their friendship. A series of mishaps, madcap side characters, and some heavy coincidences later, and the situation with the left-behind dogs brings the family closer to seeing eye-to-eye. In the end, the seemingly random plot points, tangents, and character quirks come together to wrap up into a very neat little story.
Review:
Initially, I found this book slow going. For the first chapter or so, it seemed like the author was trying so hard to be absurd, it failed to be funny. However, with rave reviews from authors like Sara Pennypacker (Clementine) and Nick Bruel (Bad Kitty), I had to trust that they knew what they were talking about, and they did. While such a book may not have the substance or emotional pull of some of this year’s other starred review books, it is an enjoyable, humorous story about a family with a unique parenting situation. Its originality might be enough to hook those hard-to-please reluctant readers.
Over the course of the story, Feiffer uses her voice as narrator to involve the reader in nontraditional ways by, for example, encouraging the reader to imagine something vividly descriptive without actually naming the object being described. In another instance, she leaves a page text-free to illustrate something being as “shocking” as a page in the middle of a story with no text on it. In the end, while the plot is not exactly predictable, the strength of the novel lies in Feiffer’s creative word play and textual devices.
Author: Kate Feiffer
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 978-1416949619
Starred review in: PW
Summary:
The Puddles are a family with not one, but many problems. However, the biggest problem they face is that Mr. and Mrs. Puddle simply cannot agree. They have “agreed to disagree” and they do so almost constantly. This, in turn, translates to further problems for their children Tom and Baby. For instance, Baby is called Baby by everyone except her father and mother who, when she was born, could not agree on what to call her. Her father calls her Ferdinanda and her mother calls her Emily. Legally, her name is Baby because that is how a frustrated hospital nurse filled out her birth certificate.
For the most part, the “agree to disagree” arrangement is merely another part of the Puddles’ family life. That is until they accidentally leave their two dogs (both named Sally) at their country home when they return to the city. Mr. Puddle hates city life and wishes to return for the dogs to prolong their time in the country. Mrs. Puddle dislikes the country, can’t wait to get back to the city, and insists that they should lose no time in continuing their journey home. She proposes that they call a neighbor who can look after the dogs. Tom and Baby, being the most rational of the family, simply love their dogs and wish to return for them to ensure their safety.
Meanwhile, the Sallys set out to find the Puddles, certain they can sniff out the city as they go. The two dogs have a real adventure and enjoy their journey, until tired paws and insensitivity on the part of each dog causes a rift in their friendship. A series of mishaps, madcap side characters, and some heavy coincidences later, and the situation with the left-behind dogs brings the family closer to seeing eye-to-eye. In the end, the seemingly random plot points, tangents, and character quirks come together to wrap up into a very neat little story.
Review:
Initially, I found this book slow going. For the first chapter or so, it seemed like the author was trying so hard to be absurd, it failed to be funny. However, with rave reviews from authors like Sara Pennypacker (Clementine) and Nick Bruel (Bad Kitty), I had to trust that they knew what they were talking about, and they did. While such a book may not have the substance or emotional pull of some of this year’s other starred review books, it is an enjoyable, humorous story about a family with a unique parenting situation. Its originality might be enough to hook those hard-to-please reluctant readers.
Over the course of the story, Feiffer uses her voice as narrator to involve the reader in nontraditional ways by, for example, encouraging the reader to imagine something vividly descriptive without actually naming the object being described. In another instance, she leaves a page text-free to illustrate something being as “shocking” as a page in the middle of a story with no text on it. In the end, while the plot is not exactly predictable, the strength of the novel lies in Feiffer’s creative word play and textual devices.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Mock Newbery 2010: Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson
Title: Peace, Locomotion
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
ISBN: 978-0399246555
Starred review in: SLJ
Summary:
Having survived the fire that claimed his parents, twelve year old Lonnie finds himself settling into life with his new foster family. Separated from his little sister, Lili, he writes lovingly to her of his thoughts and experiences during their time apart. Though he is surrounded by a strong support network of teachers, friends, and foster family, Lonnie’s best outlet for his jumbled emotions is his writing. As an aspiring poet, Lonnie takes comfort in searching for the right words to express the emotional entanglements he faces. Aside from the twin aches caused by the loss of his parents and the separation from his sister, Lonnie struggles to accept the ease with which Lili adapts to her new family and how quickly she is willing to call her foster care giver “Mama.” Further, as his bond to his own foster family strengthens, Lonnie becomes a part of the uncertainty and anxiety a family faces when a son and brother is deployed overseas.
Prior to becoming Lonnie’s foster mother, Miss Edna raised two sons of her own. Her oldest son, Jenkins, is serving in Iraq throughout the first portion of the book. Eventually, Miss Edna receives word that Jenkins has gone missing. The tension and despair on the part of Miss Edna are palpable which translates to fear and confusion for Lonnie. When Jenkins is found and sent home badly wounded, Lonnie is frightened by Jenkins’ condition and unsure of how to approach a “brother” he has never met. The story concludes as Lonnie makes peace with his new concepts of family as he finds his place among people who love him.
Review:
As the title suggests, peace is a central theme in this novel. As Lonnie wishes for peace around the world, he also slowly works toward inner peace as he adjusts to the new realities of his life. Gratifying, if somewhat idealized, Lonnie has encountered more in his young life than many will ever have to experience, and yet manages to remain unboundedly optimistic.
Insightful and timely, this novel handles some of the harsher realities of the Iraq War’s casualties with sensitivity and grace. Lonnie is wise and perceptive, while his voice remains believable and compelling. Overall, this story is a tribute to the ever fluid definition of “family.” Additionally, it is important to note that while Peace, Locomotion is a companion volume to Woodson’s Locomotion, this book is capable of standing entirely on its own. In fact, it does so beautifully.
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
ISBN: 978-0399246555
Starred review in: SLJ
Summary:
Having survived the fire that claimed his parents, twelve year old Lonnie finds himself settling into life with his new foster family. Separated from his little sister, Lili, he writes lovingly to her of his thoughts and experiences during their time apart. Though he is surrounded by a strong support network of teachers, friends, and foster family, Lonnie’s best outlet for his jumbled emotions is his writing. As an aspiring poet, Lonnie takes comfort in searching for the right words to express the emotional entanglements he faces. Aside from the twin aches caused by the loss of his parents and the separation from his sister, Lonnie struggles to accept the ease with which Lili adapts to her new family and how quickly she is willing to call her foster care giver “Mama.” Further, as his bond to his own foster family strengthens, Lonnie becomes a part of the uncertainty and anxiety a family faces when a son and brother is deployed overseas.
Prior to becoming Lonnie’s foster mother, Miss Edna raised two sons of her own. Her oldest son, Jenkins, is serving in Iraq throughout the first portion of the book. Eventually, Miss Edna receives word that Jenkins has gone missing. The tension and despair on the part of Miss Edna are palpable which translates to fear and confusion for Lonnie. When Jenkins is found and sent home badly wounded, Lonnie is frightened by Jenkins’ condition and unsure of how to approach a “brother” he has never met. The story concludes as Lonnie makes peace with his new concepts of family as he finds his place among people who love him.
Review:
As the title suggests, peace is a central theme in this novel. As Lonnie wishes for peace around the world, he also slowly works toward inner peace as he adjusts to the new realities of his life. Gratifying, if somewhat idealized, Lonnie has encountered more in his young life than many will ever have to experience, and yet manages to remain unboundedly optimistic.
Insightful and timely, this novel handles some of the harsher realities of the Iraq War’s casualties with sensitivity and grace. Lonnie is wise and perceptive, while his voice remains believable and compelling. Overall, this story is a tribute to the ever fluid definition of “family.” Additionally, it is important to note that while Peace, Locomotion is a companion volume to Woodson’s Locomotion, this book is capable of standing entirely on its own. In fact, it does so beautifully.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Mock Printz 2010: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Title: Wintergirls
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Viking
ISBN: 9780670011100
Starred review in: PW, SLJ, Booklist
Summary:
Lia has severe depression, which she releases by cutting herself and making sure that she never eats. Her depression starts to spiral further out of control when her estranged best friend Cassie calls her 33 times before she dies, alone, in a motel room. Lia controls her guilt and depression by cutting herself even more and making sure she gets to her goal weight... but it's never enough and now Cassie is haunting Lia, reminding Lia that she is a "wintergirl" caught somewhere between life and death and that it would be "wicked cool" if she joined Cassie as a ghost. Should Lia keep on her self destructive path, or should she start to save herself?
Review:
"Wintergirls" was haunting.. and wonderfully written. Readers will flock to this book; first, because it's Anderson and second, because it is a real life struggle. The reader travels with Lia and understands how rage at her parents, competition with a friend, self loathing, and ultimately sadness mark Lia's development into the destructive character she is.
Anderson does what she does best, and perhaps that's why it seems so closely comparable to "Speak". Written as a diary of day to day thoughts, Anderson tells Lia's story lyrically and honestly. The most haunting moments are the ones where Lia speaks with pure honesty.. when she slips and lets us know that she does want food, that she does care for her family, or about the guilt of being the trigger to Cassie's death. The journey that one is taken on is hard; one deals with Lia's highs and her impossibly, desperate lows. One cringes when Lia surfs the sites dedicated to ProAna and starvation or celebration that she weighs 0085.00.
I began by saying that "Wintergirls" is haunting, but it's a lot of "ghosts" in this book that stay with you... Much like the "ghosts" that stay with Lia throughout her story.
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Viking
ISBN: 9780670011100
Starred review in: PW, SLJ, Booklist
Summary:
Lia has severe depression, which she releases by cutting herself and making sure that she never eats. Her depression starts to spiral further out of control when her estranged best friend Cassie calls her 33 times before she dies, alone, in a motel room. Lia controls her guilt and depression by cutting herself even more and making sure she gets to her goal weight... but it's never enough and now Cassie is haunting Lia, reminding Lia that she is a "wintergirl" caught somewhere between life and death and that it would be "wicked cool" if she joined Cassie as a ghost. Should Lia keep on her self destructive path, or should she start to save herself?
Review:
"Wintergirls" was haunting.. and wonderfully written. Readers will flock to this book; first, because it's Anderson and second, because it is a real life struggle. The reader travels with Lia and understands how rage at her parents, competition with a friend, self loathing, and ultimately sadness mark Lia's development into the destructive character she is.
Anderson does what she does best, and perhaps that's why it seems so closely comparable to "Speak". Written as a diary of day to day thoughts, Anderson tells Lia's story lyrically and honestly. The most haunting moments are the ones where Lia speaks with pure honesty.. when she slips and lets us know that she does want food, that she does care for her family, or about the guilt of being the trigger to Cassie's death. The journey that one is taken on is hard; one deals with Lia's highs and her impossibly, desperate lows. One cringes when Lia surfs the sites dedicated to ProAna and starvation or celebration that she weighs 0085.00.
I began by saying that "Wintergirls" is haunting, but it's a lot of "ghosts" in this book that stay with you... Much like the "ghosts" that stay with Lia throughout her story.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Mock Printz 2010: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Title: The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Author: Carrie Ryan
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 978-0-385-90631-9
Starred review in: (PW)
Summary:
Mary's mother tells her stories about the ocean. Something Mary wants to believe in but has never seen, having lived in a fenced in community in the middle of a forest all her life. The Forest of Hands and Teeth-- where the Unconsecrated, ravenous and relentless flesh eating zombies, push at the fencing looking for a way in. Their bite infects and dooms any who get too close. Under the secretive Sisterhood's guidance (boot heel) and the Guardians' "protection" the people live restricted but seemingly content to be grateful and alive, able to further humanity. Mary is curious and less content. When her mother (like her father before) is lost to the Unconsecrated and her brother Jed casts her out, Mary finds herself living amongst the sisters. She quickly learns she's not cut out to join their ranks but more importantly that the sisters have knowledge they haven't shared and what they're capable of when threatened. Sister Tabitha, head zealot, thinks to have Mary married off to a childhood friend, Harry, knowing full well Mary is in love with his brother Travis. (Less soapy than it sounds.) The fence is breached before the ceremony by a newly turned, mysterious and seemingly impossible visitor. The Unconsecrated level the village and Mary, with a small band of other survivors (including her brother, beloved and betrothed) flee into the fortified and supplied path formerly forbidden but now the only escape out of the village....but through the forest. Mary hopes it leads to the ocean, to a place free of Unconsecrated, to safety and not to their deaths.
Review:
This will be one of those Printz contenders that will be an easy sell to teens and some adults as well (yes, I know this isn't BBYA etc.) but there it is. It's The Village meets Resident Evil or something of that ilk....but....
It's also well written. The world overrun by perpetually hungry undead feels real enough for the reader to fear the forest and tuck their toes under the blanket. The danger is palpable. As is the restriction of the village for a young woman who thinks for herself. That fence keeps villagers in as much as it keeps Unconsecrated out. Ryan's description and pacing grips. But mostly, it's Mary and her journey. Everything she lives through and the emotions these situations evoke are believable and often as raw as those gaping wounds the Unconsecrated leave if they catch you. Loss, numbing fear, rage, rejection, restlessness, love, desire, hope... Everything Mary feels the reader feels with her. Ryan isn't afraid to give and take that hope or sacrifice more along the way. It's unsettling like the moans of Unconsecrated clawing at the fence.
There's horror! There's romance! I won't mention the saga-that-shan't-be-named but here's one paranormal book with a love triangle (square?) element, where if your beloved bites....it's not a good thing and it won't end sparkly.
Author: Carrie Ryan
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 978-0-385-90631-9
Starred review in: (PW)
Summary:
Mary's mother tells her stories about the ocean. Something Mary wants to believe in but has never seen, having lived in a fenced in community in the middle of a forest all her life. The Forest of Hands and Teeth-- where the Unconsecrated, ravenous and relentless flesh eating zombies, push at the fencing looking for a way in. Their bite infects and dooms any who get too close. Under the secretive Sisterhood's guidance (boot heel) and the Guardians' "protection" the people live restricted but seemingly content to be grateful and alive, able to further humanity. Mary is curious and less content. When her mother (like her father before) is lost to the Unconsecrated and her brother Jed casts her out, Mary finds herself living amongst the sisters. She quickly learns she's not cut out to join their ranks but more importantly that the sisters have knowledge they haven't shared and what they're capable of when threatened. Sister Tabitha, head zealot, thinks to have Mary married off to a childhood friend, Harry, knowing full well Mary is in love with his brother Travis. (Less soapy than it sounds.) The fence is breached before the ceremony by a newly turned, mysterious and seemingly impossible visitor. The Unconsecrated level the village and Mary, with a small band of other survivors (including her brother, beloved and betrothed) flee into the fortified and supplied path formerly forbidden but now the only escape out of the village....but through the forest. Mary hopes it leads to the ocean, to a place free of Unconsecrated, to safety and not to their deaths.
Review:
This will be one of those Printz contenders that will be an easy sell to teens and some adults as well (yes, I know this isn't BBYA etc.) but there it is. It's The Village meets Resident Evil or something of that ilk....but....
It's also well written. The world overrun by perpetually hungry undead feels real enough for the reader to fear the forest and tuck their toes under the blanket. The danger is palpable. As is the restriction of the village for a young woman who thinks for herself. That fence keeps villagers in as much as it keeps Unconsecrated out. Ryan's description and pacing grips. But mostly, it's Mary and her journey. Everything she lives through and the emotions these situations evoke are believable and often as raw as those gaping wounds the Unconsecrated leave if they catch you. Loss, numbing fear, rage, rejection, restlessness, love, desire, hope... Everything Mary feels the reader feels with her. Ryan isn't afraid to give and take that hope or sacrifice more along the way. It's unsettling like the moans of Unconsecrated clawing at the fence.
There's horror! There's romance! I won't mention the saga-that-shan't-be-named but here's one paranormal book with a love triangle (square?) element, where if your beloved bites....it's not a good thing and it won't end sparkly.
Monday, January 12, 2009
We have winners!
I can't speak for anyone else, but I had a wonderful time at this year's Mock Awards. There was spirited discussion and I thought the focus on the criteria for each award really helped everyone talk about the books in terms of eligibility for the awards, not just "I liked it" or "I didn't like it."
Results!
MOCK CALDECOTT:
Winner: The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes
Honors: Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus ; Don't Worry Bear by Greg Foley
MOCK NEWBERY
Winner: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Honors: Seer of Shadows by Avi ; Lincoln shot! : a president's life remembered by Barry Denenberg ; The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
MOCK PRINTZ
Winner: Nation by Terry Pratchett
Honors: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson ; Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link ; The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Thanks to all who attended, and to the New Milford Public Library for hosting the program. We'll all be waiting anxiously on January 25.
Results!
MOCK CALDECOTT:
Winner: The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes
Honors: Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus ; Don't Worry Bear by Greg Foley
MOCK NEWBERY
Winner: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Honors: Seer of Shadows by Avi ; Lincoln shot! : a president's life remembered by Barry Denenberg ; The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
MOCK PRINTZ
Winner: Nation by Terry Pratchett
Honors: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson ; Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link ; The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
Thanks to all who attended, and to the New Milford Public Library for hosting the program. We'll all be waiting anxiously on January 25.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Final lists for Mock Awards available
Reposted from my blog:
The BCCLS Youth Services Committee has been very hard at work this year, reading and making lists of the books they deem most worthy of appearing in the finals for our Mock Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz Awards. The lists are final and available to all in several places.
First, you can see our flyer for the event (all are welcome!), which lists all of our favorites.
Second, you can visit BCCLSVisor, where the lists appear individually.
The BCCLS Youth Services Committee has been very hard at work this year, reading and making lists of the books they deem most worthy of appearing in the finals for our Mock Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz Awards. The lists are final and available to all in several places.
First, you can see our flyer for the event (all are welcome!), which lists all of our favorites.
Second, you can visit BCCLSVisor, where the lists appear individually.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Caldecott contenders for 2009
I noticed that Richie Partington has posted his "Best of 2008" picks. His list includes several picture books, and because Richie is serving on the 2009 Caldecott, I would say that his picture book selections are ones to check out.
The BCCLS Mock Caldecott shortlist is here.
The BCCLS Mock Caldecott shortlist is here.
Archives of Mock Awards chats available
For those who were unable to attend our three online Mock Awards chats, don't worry! You can read the chat transcripts here: BCCLS 2009 Mock Awards Chats, November 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Mock Awards chats November 12, 13, 14
This week and next, we're hosting the BCCLS Mock Awards online chats. Everyone is invited to attend regardless of whether you work in a BCCLS library.
November 12 (Wednesday) is the Mock Caldecott chat at 11 a.m. To see the committee's current favorites for the Mock Caldecott, go to http://www.bccls.org/BCCLSVisor/Caldecott.shtml
November 13 (Thursday) is the Mock Newbery chat, also at 11 a.m. To see the committee's current favorites for the Mock Newbery, go to http://www.bccls.org/BCCLSVisor/Newbery.shtml
November 18 (Tuesday) is the Mock Printz chat at...yes, 11 a.m.! To see the committee's current favorites for the Mock Printz, go to http://www.bccls.org/BCCLSVisor/Printz.shtml
To enter the chat, just go to http://www.bccls.org/mockChat/ when the chat you want to attend is scheduled.
November 12 (Wednesday) is the Mock Caldecott chat at 11 a.m. To see the committee's current favorites for the Mock Caldecott, go to http://www.bccls.org/BCCLSVisor/Caldecott.shtml
November 13 (Thursday) is the Mock Newbery chat, also at 11 a.m. To see the committee's current favorites for the Mock Newbery, go to http://www.bccls.org/BCCLSVisor/Newbery.shtml
November 18 (Tuesday) is the Mock Printz chat at...yes, 11 a.m.! To see the committee's current favorites for the Mock Printz, go to http://www.bccls.org/BCCLSVisor/Printz.shtml
To enter the chat, just go to http://www.bccls.org/mockChat/ when the chat you want to attend is scheduled.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Mock Printz: Eon, Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
Title:Eon, Dragoneye Reborn
Author:Alison Goodman
Publisher:Viking
ISBN:9780670062270
Starred Review: PW,9/29/08
Eon was the weakest candidate to be chosen as a dragoneye, mostly because of her lameness. However, the gambling rings who set the odds at 1000:1 would have given her far worse odds especially had they known she was a girl, not a boy. But chosen she is, in a twist of fate, by the Mirror Dragon, absent from the competition for 500 years. This dramatic and unexpected outcome shifts the entire power structure of their world. So begins the intricate and clever fantasy dealing with gender identity, sexuality, in addition to palace intrigue, magical dragons and adventures galore. This is a long book that I wished would never end and I am impatiently waiting for the sequel. Sharyn November said that Penguin intends to publish it with a big splash. This book needs little help. It was one of my favorites and I think it will be a big hit.
Susan Rappaport, Rutherford Public Library
Author:Alison Goodman
Publisher:Viking
ISBN:9780670062270
Starred Review: PW,9/29/08
Eon was the weakest candidate to be chosen as a dragoneye, mostly because of her lameness. However, the gambling rings who set the odds at 1000:1 would have given her far worse odds especially had they known she was a girl, not a boy. But chosen she is, in a twist of fate, by the Mirror Dragon, absent from the competition for 500 years. This dramatic and unexpected outcome shifts the entire power structure of their world. So begins the intricate and clever fantasy dealing with gender identity, sexuality, in addition to palace intrigue, magical dragons and adventures galore. This is a long book that I wished would never end and I am impatiently waiting for the sequel. Sharyn November said that Penguin intends to publish it with a big splash. This book needs little help. It was one of my favorites and I think it will be a big hit.
Susan Rappaport, Rutherford Public Library
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Mock Printz: Paper Towns by John Green
Paper towns by John Green
ISBN: 9780525478188
Dutton
Plot: The book opens as nine year old Quentin and Margo Roth Spiegelman (one of those names you say all in one breath) find a dead body in the park. Then jumps to senior year of high school, where Quentin, now called Q, is still enthralled by Margo Roth Spiegelman, who has become one of the 'in' crowd. She dates the right guy, hangs out with the right people, and doesn't speak to Q, though he suspects that she's the one who keeps the bullies from leaning too hard on him and his band geek friends. Then one night about a month before graduation Margo show up outside Q's window and leads him on a night full of pranks before disappearing and leaving only a few mysterious clues, an upset best friend, and angry parents who seem just as happy she's gone.
Q with the help of his two best friends and Margo's best friend follow the clues a bit farther than Margo expected and skip graduation for a wild road trip from central FL to central NY state in just a little over a day.
Thoughts: I wasn't a huge fan of Green's before reading this. I admired what he did in Katherine's and in Looking for Alaska, but they were by no means favorites of mine. I've read reviews and comments where readers (both professional and teen) ask why Green keeps writing books about the 'ideal' girl who teaches the boy something and if all the books aren't just rifts on the same story. I don't get how they can say that after reading _Paper towns_ though. I would argue that Margo doesn't teach Q a thing. Oh, yeah she takes him out and gets him to loosen up on their night of pranks and he feel drawn to the clues she left, but he learns so much more once she's gone. He learns it from the journey, from looking into the clue, from the process of learning that the Margo he saw wasn't real. Ultimately, he learns about himself from himself and his friends NOT Margo. And Margo, as little as you see her, learns from Quentin. The reader doesn't find this out until the end of the novel, but Margo learns that the person she thought of as weak and cowardly, was probably the bravest and most daring person she never knew.
This novel is at turns serious and thoughtful and at others it's hilariously funny. In the end, these two teenagers learn that the people who were the corner stone of their lives and definitions of themselves are real people and had very little in common with who they thought they were.
Review by Latricia Markle
ISBN: 9780525478188
Dutton
Plot: The book opens as nine year old Quentin and Margo Roth Spiegelman (one of those names you say all in one breath) find a dead body in the park. Then jumps to senior year of high school, where Quentin, now called Q, is still enthralled by Margo Roth Spiegelman, who has become one of the 'in' crowd. She dates the right guy, hangs out with the right people, and doesn't speak to Q, though he suspects that she's the one who keeps the bullies from leaning too hard on him and his band geek friends. Then one night about a month before graduation Margo show up outside Q's window and leads him on a night full of pranks before disappearing and leaving only a few mysterious clues, an upset best friend, and angry parents who seem just as happy she's gone.
Q with the help of his two best friends and Margo's best friend follow the clues a bit farther than Margo expected and skip graduation for a wild road trip from central FL to central NY state in just a little over a day.
Thoughts: I wasn't a huge fan of Green's before reading this. I admired what he did in Katherine's and in Looking for Alaska, but they were by no means favorites of mine. I've read reviews and comments where readers (both professional and teen) ask why Green keeps writing books about the 'ideal' girl who teaches the boy something and if all the books aren't just rifts on the same story. I don't get how they can say that after reading _Paper towns_ though. I would argue that Margo doesn't teach Q a thing. Oh, yeah she takes him out and gets him to loosen up on their night of pranks and he feel drawn to the clues she left, but he learns so much more once she's gone. He learns it from the journey, from looking into the clue, from the process of learning that the Margo he saw wasn't real. Ultimately, he learns about himself from himself and his friends NOT Margo. And Margo, as little as you see her, learns from Quentin. The reader doesn't find this out until the end of the novel, but Margo learns that the person she thought of as weak and cowardly, was probably the bravest and most daring person she never knew.
This novel is at turns serious and thoughtful and at others it's hilariously funny. In the end, these two teenagers learn that the people who were the corner stone of their lives and definitions of themselves are real people and had very little in common with who they thought they were.
Review by Latricia Markle
Mock Printz: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3931-0
Candlewick Press
Plot:
Todd Hewitt is the last boy is Prentisstown. All the men in Prentisstown can hear the thoughts of other men and animals. These thoughts are called Noise. As Todd nears his 13th birthday, he learns that even when you can hear other men's thoughts that there can be secrets. His adopted fathers send him running for his life from power-hungry Prentiss and his men. Once he's on the run, Todd finds the first girl he's ever seen, Viola. Viola crashed in a nearby swamp and join Todd on the run from the men of Prentisstown. On their travels Todd learns that everything he knew was a lie and now he and Viola are racing to warn the new settlers of the dangers that lurk on New World.
Thoughts:
If your looking for a fantasy where the main character speaks with intelligent animals and good always wins, don't look here! Ness begins the book by slapping the reader in the face with the reality of hearing a dog talk and that's about the nicest reality check you get. That's not to say there are not good people or good moments in this book, but it is stark cold reality with no punches held back. The reality is not ours obviously, but it sucks the reader in and doesn't let go.
When Viola enters the story, she is the first silence that Todd has ever known. To extend that to the readers, she doesn't speak and so she remains as silent a blank to the read as she does to Todd. As Todd slowly gets used to reading her face and body language, she slowly begins to speak more opening herself as slowly to the reader as she does to Todd. Ness, also, strategically keeps ideas and images which Todd doesn't want to believe from the reader so that even in a first person narrative there are secrets as there were secrets even though everyone could read other's Noise. At times this drove me nuts, because I wanted him to give up the good and let the 'sad history' of Prentisstown out into the light, but overall that's a minor quibble with a very well written opening to what I'm guessing will be a trilogy and an excellent coming of age story.
Review by Latricia Markle
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3931-0
Candlewick Press
Plot:
Todd Hewitt is the last boy is Prentisstown. All the men in Prentisstown can hear the thoughts of other men and animals. These thoughts are called Noise. As Todd nears his 13th birthday, he learns that even when you can hear other men's thoughts that there can be secrets. His adopted fathers send him running for his life from power-hungry Prentiss and his men. Once he's on the run, Todd finds the first girl he's ever seen, Viola. Viola crashed in a nearby swamp and join Todd on the run from the men of Prentisstown. On their travels Todd learns that everything he knew was a lie and now he and Viola are racing to warn the new settlers of the dangers that lurk on New World.
Thoughts:
If your looking for a fantasy where the main character speaks with intelligent animals and good always wins, don't look here! Ness begins the book by slapping the reader in the face with the reality of hearing a dog talk and that's about the nicest reality check you get. That's not to say there are not good people or good moments in this book, but it is stark cold reality with no punches held back. The reality is not ours obviously, but it sucks the reader in and doesn't let go.
When Viola enters the story, she is the first silence that Todd has ever known. To extend that to the readers, she doesn't speak and so she remains as silent a blank to the read as she does to Todd. As Todd slowly gets used to reading her face and body language, she slowly begins to speak more opening herself as slowly to the reader as she does to Todd. Ness, also, strategically keeps ideas and images which Todd doesn't want to believe from the reader so that even in a first person narrative there are secrets as there were secrets even though everyone could read other's Noise. At times this drove me nuts, because I wanted him to give up the good and let the 'sad history' of Prentisstown out into the light, but overall that's a minor quibble with a very well written opening to what I'm guessing will be a trilogy and an excellent coming of age story.
Review by Latricia Markle
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Mock Printz: The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Title: The Boy Who Dared
Author: Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0-439-68013-4
Starred review in: PW, nominated to BBYA
From my blog:
Helmuth Guddat Huebneris eight years old when Hitler comes to power, but even at eight Helmuth can see that not everything Hitler does is really in the best interests of Germany. Hitler may talk about protecting Germans, but Helmuth knows he is losing freedoms and being told what to think about non-Germans. He fights with his mother's boyfriend, a Nazi who believes that Hitler is in the right. He also defies his teachers, who want him to write pro-Nazi school papers. Because of his views on humanity and equality, Helmuth is encouraged to stay silent. But as we know, quiet people don't have books written about their lives. Using information he hears from the BBC on a black-market radio, Helmuth begins distributing flyers that speak against the Nazi party and its propaganda. He is eventually caught by the Nazis and put on trial. Even with the knowledge that he is facing imprisonment, maybe execution, Helmuth refuses to stay silent or allow others to take his punishment.
The book is... a fast yet thought-provoking read, and I am always supportive of books that show young readers why defiance in an oppressive time (WWII or not) is never as easy as it looks. Bartoletti keeps the focus on Helmuth tight and shows the reader German history really well without going off into history data-dumping tangents. We see the struggle Helmuth must fight between speaking for what he believes is right and the knowledge that doing so could get him sent to prison, or worse. Bartoletti makes us understand why even those who did not believe in the Nazi ideals joined the party and fought in the war.
With all this, do I think it's a Printz book? As much as I liked it, I'm leaning toward no. I would definitely buy it for my library, booktalk it, and perhaps even use it in a book discussion group. It's nominated to BBYA and is quite deserving of a spot on that list. I just don't think that it terms of "literary" it's in the same field as some of my other favorites.
Author: Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0-439-68013-4
Starred review in: PW, nominated to BBYA
From my blog:
Helmuth Guddat Huebneris eight years old when Hitler comes to power, but even at eight Helmuth can see that not everything Hitler does is really in the best interests of Germany. Hitler may talk about protecting Germans, but Helmuth knows he is losing freedoms and being told what to think about non-Germans. He fights with his mother's boyfriend, a Nazi who believes that Hitler is in the right. He also defies his teachers, who want him to write pro-Nazi school papers. Because of his views on humanity and equality, Helmuth is encouraged to stay silent. But as we know, quiet people don't have books written about their lives. Using information he hears from the BBC on a black-market radio, Helmuth begins distributing flyers that speak against the Nazi party and its propaganda. He is eventually caught by the Nazis and put on trial. Even with the knowledge that he is facing imprisonment, maybe execution, Helmuth refuses to stay silent or allow others to take his punishment.
The book is... a fast yet thought-provoking read, and I am always supportive of books that show young readers why defiance in an oppressive time (WWII or not) is never as easy as it looks. Bartoletti keeps the focus on Helmuth tight and shows the reader German history really well without going off into history data-dumping tangents. We see the struggle Helmuth must fight between speaking for what he believes is right and the knowledge that doing so could get him sent to prison, or worse. Bartoletti makes us understand why even those who did not believe in the Nazi ideals joined the party and fought in the war.
With all this, do I think it's a Printz book? As much as I liked it, I'm leaning toward no. I would definitely buy it for my library, booktalk it, and perhaps even use it in a book discussion group. It's nominated to BBYA and is quite deserving of a spot on that list. I just don't think that it terms of "literary" it's in the same field as some of my other favorites.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Mock Printz: Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link
Title: Pretty Monsters
Author: Kelly Link
Publisher: Viking
ISBN: 9780670010905
Starred review in: Kirkus, Booklist, PW
I'm not big into speculative fiction but I do love short stories and this book and Kelly Link herself are getting tons of buzz, deservedly so. This is Link's first all-YA collection. Each of the stories focus on a teenager in an offbeat situation. The opening story, "The Wrong Grave," is about a boy who wants to dig up his girlfriend because he buried some of his poetry with her and he wants it back. Being in fandom, I also enjoyed "Magic for Beginners," where a group of teens form a bond around a TV show. These stories are definitely a step off reality, but that's what makes them stand out. The language in the stories is simple yet elegant. Many of the stories are in first-person but feel as though they're in third, a technique I find fascinating because it makes me question my belief that all first-person narrators are inherently unreliable.
I definitely feel that this book is high on the "literary quality" scale, and it's one I'd fight for at the Mock Printz.
Author: Kelly Link
Publisher: Viking
ISBN: 9780670010905
Starred review in: Kirkus, Booklist, PW
I'm not big into speculative fiction but I do love short stories and this book and Kelly Link herself are getting tons of buzz, deservedly so. This is Link's first all-YA collection. Each of the stories focus on a teenager in an offbeat situation. The opening story, "The Wrong Grave," is about a boy who wants to dig up his girlfriend because he buried some of his poetry with her and he wants it back. Being in fandom, I also enjoyed "Magic for Beginners," where a group of teens form a bond around a TV show. These stories are definitely a step off reality, but that's what makes them stand out. The language in the stories is simple yet elegant. Many of the stories are in first-person but feel as though they're in third, a technique I find fascinating because it makes me question my belief that all first-person narrators are inherently unreliable.
I definitely feel that this book is high on the "literary quality" scale, and it's one I'd fight for at the Mock Printz.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Mock Printz: How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt
Title: How to Build a House
Author: Dana Reinhardt
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books, 2008
ISBN: 9780375844539
Starred Review: SLJ, PW
Summary:
The family seventeen year-old Harper Evan’s been a part of since age 6, fractures when her father and stepmother, Jane, divorce. Formerly close (currently angry) ex-stepsister Tess hasn’t only left their shared bedroom- she’s left Harper's life. The limited interaction between them is on Tess’ terms. Half-brother Cole lives with Jane and visits the glum, emptier Harper house for weekends with Dad, Harper and the family dog. To hide from the pain and feelings of abandonment, Harper sleeps with childhood best friend, the geek-to-sheik and apathetic (unless someone else is interested), Gabriel. Their relationship deteriorates further. Harper knowingly tries to escape LA, these situations and her metaphorically broken home by volunteering to spend her summer in Tennessee, rebuilding the home of a family who’d lost theirs to a devastating tornado. With no prior building experience and under the leadership of Zen-like Linus, Harper learns the power of the circular saw. Living out of a motel with a group of other altruistic teens from all over the country means new friendships (some probably more lasting than others). Their shared experiences being part of the volunteer program and the fun they have flouting some of the rules proves good for Harper. Romance blossoms with southern sweetheart and Bailey local, Teddy. His love and affection also helps Harper heal her house while she’s hammering shingles and putting the finishing touches on his new one.
Thoughts:
The combination of physically repairing an actual brick and mortar home and healing the home people build in the lives of those they love worked as a nice plot device. Harper can be a bit preachy and a stickler for the rules (not necessarily bad mind you) but she's also witty and wounded and a real protagonist. Her voice is genuine and honest. Reinhardt successfully alternates between Harper's "Home" (the past in Los Angeles) and "Here" (present in Bailey, TN) and doesn't reveal too much too soon. The complicated relationship Harper finds herself in with the new hostile Tess, the bittersweet one she has with Teddy (is this just a summer fling?) and even the confusing, undefined (and aggravating) one she has with Gabriel are realistic as well. The premise of volunteering and rebuilding after a disaster is timely and relevant and the issues Harper thinks about (i.e. Global Warming) are never far from most of our minds these days. All and all, I thought this was a good book and reccommend people purchase a copy for their libraries. Do I think it could bump anything on our current "favorites" list--possibly. But there are others I'd root for more.
Author: Dana Reinhardt
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books, 2008
ISBN: 9780375844539
Starred Review: SLJ, PW
Summary:
The family seventeen year-old Harper Evan’s been a part of since age 6, fractures when her father and stepmother, Jane, divorce. Formerly close (currently angry) ex-stepsister Tess hasn’t only left their shared bedroom- she’s left Harper's life. The limited interaction between them is on Tess’ terms. Half-brother Cole lives with Jane and visits the glum, emptier Harper house for weekends with Dad, Harper and the family dog. To hide from the pain and feelings of abandonment, Harper sleeps with childhood best friend, the geek-to-sheik and apathetic (unless someone else is interested), Gabriel. Their relationship deteriorates further. Harper knowingly tries to escape LA, these situations and her metaphorically broken home by volunteering to spend her summer in Tennessee, rebuilding the home of a family who’d lost theirs to a devastating tornado. With no prior building experience and under the leadership of Zen-like Linus, Harper learns the power of the circular saw. Living out of a motel with a group of other altruistic teens from all over the country means new friendships (some probably more lasting than others). Their shared experiences being part of the volunteer program and the fun they have flouting some of the rules proves good for Harper. Romance blossoms with southern sweetheart and Bailey local, Teddy. His love and affection also helps Harper heal her house while she’s hammering shingles and putting the finishing touches on his new one.
Thoughts:
The combination of physically repairing an actual brick and mortar home and healing the home people build in the lives of those they love worked as a nice plot device. Harper can be a bit preachy and a stickler for the rules (not necessarily bad mind you) but she's also witty and wounded and a real protagonist. Her voice is genuine and honest. Reinhardt successfully alternates between Harper's "Home" (the past in Los Angeles) and "Here" (present in Bailey, TN) and doesn't reveal too much too soon. The complicated relationship Harper finds herself in with the new hostile Tess, the bittersweet one she has with Teddy (is this just a summer fling?) and even the confusing, undefined (and aggravating) one she has with Gabriel are realistic as well. The premise of volunteering and rebuilding after a disaster is timely and relevant and the issues Harper thinks about (i.e. Global Warming) are never far from most of our minds these days. All and all, I thought this was a good book and reccommend people purchase a copy for their libraries. Do I think it could bump anything on our current "favorites" list--possibly. But there are others I'd root for more.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Mock Printz: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0-439-02348-1
Publication date set for October, 2008
From my blog:
The plot: In the ruins of a place that used to be called North America, the country of Panem has emerged. Panem consists of a Capitol and twelve districts, each with a different economical focus. At one time, there was a thirteenth district, but it was destroyed by the Panem government when its people tried to rebel. Seventy-four years ago, the Capitol began the Hunger Games, in which one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen from each district, called tributes, are sent to the Capitol each year to compete in a fight to the death. The winner's district receives food, which is in scarce supply in many of the districts, and money and great honor.
The protagonist, sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, took over the role of family provider when her father died in a mine explosion. She and her mother and younger sister, the delicate and sensitive Prim, live on the Seam, a poor area of District 12. When the book opens, it is reaping day, the day the tributes from each district are chosen. In some districts, being chosen on reaping day is an honor, but not in District 12, which has only had two Hunger Games winners in 74 years. When Prim is chosen, Katniss volunteers to go in her place.
Katniss is sure her participation in the Hunger Games is a death sentence. After all, there are tributes from other, richer districts that have been trained all their lives for these games. She's one of the smallest competitors, the least educated, the poorest, the hungriest. But she's also got a few things the other competitors don't.
Why you'll love it: Not a single word is wasted in this book. Although Collins could easily have gone on at length about the state of Panem, the outdoor arena, and Katniss's home, she doesn't. She gives us just enough to work with. The readers know the setting is dystopian, even dire, without being drowned in details of the horror. Katniss has a bitter edge to her and is always sympathetic if not always likable. There's a well-paced romance storyline as well, and everyone I know who's read this book is excited to know where it's going in book 2. (The Hunger Games is the opening of a trilogy.) Even better? The ending leads us to believe that book 2 could go anywhere. It could pick up where book 1 left off, or take place 10 years in the future, or be told from a different character's perspective. Katniss's world is so wide, but Collins uses first-person narration very, very well so we only get to see what matters in Katniss's immediate moments. The possibilities are near endless. By using just the right descriptors, Collins puts you right into the Games, complete with evil politicking and near-death experiences for Katniss. It is frightening on so many levels, and just as brilliant.
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 978-0-439-02348-1
Publication date set for October, 2008
From my blog:
The plot: In the ruins of a place that used to be called North America, the country of Panem has emerged. Panem consists of a Capitol and twelve districts, each with a different economical focus. At one time, there was a thirteenth district, but it was destroyed by the Panem government when its people tried to rebel. Seventy-four years ago, the Capitol began the Hunger Games, in which one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen from each district, called tributes, are sent to the Capitol each year to compete in a fight to the death. The winner's district receives food, which is in scarce supply in many of the districts, and money and great honor.
The protagonist, sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, took over the role of family provider when her father died in a mine explosion. She and her mother and younger sister, the delicate and sensitive Prim, live on the Seam, a poor area of District 12. When the book opens, it is reaping day, the day the tributes from each district are chosen. In some districts, being chosen on reaping day is an honor, but not in District 12, which has only had two Hunger Games winners in 74 years. When Prim is chosen, Katniss volunteers to go in her place.
Katniss is sure her participation in the Hunger Games is a death sentence. After all, there are tributes from other, richer districts that have been trained all their lives for these games. She's one of the smallest competitors, the least educated, the poorest, the hungriest. But she's also got a few things the other competitors don't.
Why you'll love it: Not a single word is wasted in this book. Although Collins could easily have gone on at length about the state of Panem, the outdoor arena, and Katniss's home, she doesn't. She gives us just enough to work with. The readers know the setting is dystopian, even dire, without being drowned in details of the horror. Katniss has a bitter edge to her and is always sympathetic if not always likable. There's a well-paced romance storyline as well, and everyone I know who's read this book is excited to know where it's going in book 2. (The Hunger Games is the opening of a trilogy.) Even better? The ending leads us to believe that book 2 could go anywhere. It could pick up where book 1 left off, or take place 10 years in the future, or be told from a different character's perspective. Katniss's world is so wide, but Collins uses first-person narration very, very well so we only get to see what matters in Katniss's immediate moments. The possibilities are near endless. By using just the right descriptors, Collins puts you right into the Games, complete with evil politicking and near-death experiences for Katniss. It is frightening on so many levels, and just as brilliant.
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