Hey, guess what? Racism's wrong! And you shouldn't be ashamed or embarrassed about who you are!
Okay, so no huge surprises here and a fairly predictabl...moreHey, guess what? Racism's wrong! And you shouldn't be ashamed or embarrassed about who you are!
Okay, so no huge surprises here and a fairly predictable plot, and yet I think it's a point that would resonate with teen girls (even the white ones who aren't trying to hide a heritage). Be yourself and like who you are; anyone who doesn't like the real you isn't your friend anyway.
Booktalk: Jamie’s blond hair comes from a bottle; her blue eyes are colored contacts. No one at her Australian high school—even her so-called best friends—knows that she’s actually Jamilah, that she’s Lebanese-Muslim, that her dad is super-strict and she’s not allowed out at night. All the deception pays off when the most popular guy in school shows an interest in her. He’s kind of a tool and racist to boot—but how much does that matter when he’s her ticket to social acceptance? (less)
Girl15 is looking forward to her Naming: she's finally become the Huntress she's been training to be, fulfilling her lifelong ambition. The newly-chri...moreGirl15 is looking forward to her Naming: she's finally become the Huntress she's been training to be, fulfilling her lifelong ambition. The newly-christened Deuce gets paired with Fade, the loner-outsider who hates everyone in the enclave. Together they patrol the tunnels of their subterranean world, searching for food and avoiding the Freaks. The freaks are mindless, hungry, savage animals, vaguely human-shaped killing and eating machines. On a recon mission to a nearby enclave, Deuce and Fade are surrounded, and they have a troubling realization: the freaks are getting smarter. They're organizing, strategizing. This is bad, and will mean trouble for their Enclave. And the trouble will get worse if the officials won't listen to them.
And then things get worse, and Deuce's underground world becomes a memory as she's forced topside for the first time in her life. Blinding bright light and a different kind of violence--but also more of the same.
There are two different books here, really: there's the dystopian civilization that Deuce has grown up in, and all the issues there of classism, work culture (AFAICT there are only three career paths: Breeders, Builders, and Hunters, so idk what you do if you'd rather be the cook or something), intellectualism and the isolation of that ivory tower, the unquestionable government that is Always Right No Matter What the Evidence Says. And then Part 2 is the topside straight-up zombie-apocalypse story, which disappointed me because it could have been so much more.
Still, it's a great dystopia/zombie apocalypse for middle schoolers, not too horrifically graphic but still with fighting and action galore. (view spoiler)[A touch of romance (WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY does every freakin' apocalypse involve a love triangle WHY WHY WHY) that, thankfully, Deuce doesn't totally realize she's involved in until it's too late. (hide spoiler)]
Recommended readalikes: City of Ember for underground society and the need to explore the surface; Divergent for choosing career paths and an unapologetically ass-kicking heroine; Forest of Hands and Teeth and The Enemy for attempts to find a safe haven through zombie-infested areas.
And this is BOOK ONE of a new series, even though this ended in a perfectly good place to make this a good stand-alone book. Grumble grumble insert anti-sequel-rant here.(less)
My ghost-story-loving heart loved this book. My brain found bits of it just a little too convenient. But oh, goodness, it was fun, and that's really a...moreMy ghost-story-loving heart loved this book. My brain found bits of it just a little too convenient. But oh, goodness, it was fun, and that's really all that matters, right?(less)
This could be every book written about the Indian experience--the poverty, the problems, the culture. And it could be every book ever written about wa...moreThis could be every book written about the Indian experience--the poverty, the problems, the culture. And it could be every book ever written about wanting to fit in at a new school. But combined, there's no other book this could be.
Junior (actually Arnold Spirit, Jr.) is already something of a stand-out on the reservation, and unfortunately it's not in the good way. Born with hydrocephalus, he had brain surgery early on and a seizure disorder in childhood. He's a nerd who gets beaten up a lot, a smart kid who draws cartoons. But eventually someone sees something in him, a teacher who encourages him to follow his dreams, a teacher who convinces him that it's okay to have hope. That hope takes Junior away from the reservation to an all-white school, where the only other Indian is the mascot. Naturally the white kids don't like him because he's Indian, and his reservation community is angry with him for fraternizing in the white world.
The death of a loved one lacks the anticipated emotional punch, which only underscores Junior's point that this--deaths due to alcoholism--is common among those on the reservation. It's that detachment, the moment at which the reader understands that Junior's grief is so familiar to him, that becomes the most heartbreaking moment of the novel. It's funny and hopeful in spite of its tragedies. It's a familiar story of longing to belong, of feeling out of place, of trying to navigate high school and social groups and even family dynamics, but at the same time it's a brand-new story of tolerance and hope. The narrative veers dangerously close to a "we're all the same beneath our skins" message, but the point is that we're not--but that we shouldn't allow that to keep ourselves separated from other people.(less)
The Minx line is pretty consistent, in that every book I've read has a pretty good idea and reasonably believable characters. I liked this one a littl...moreThe Minx line is pretty consistent, in that every book I've read has a pretty good idea and reasonably believable characters. I liked this one a little better than some of the others, but the story was more complicated (therefore a little harder to follow, but that could be the 36-hour break I took in the middle of reading it; I lost the flow of the narrative). Probably my favorite of the Minx books so far, though to be fair it's not on par with many of the non-Minx graphic novels I've read. I'm waffling between 3 and 4 stars, so say 3.5.(less)
I liked the stories I read--and I ultimately read a little more than half--so I'm not wandering off from this because it's in any way flawed. But read...moreI liked the stories I read--and I ultimately read a little more than half--so I'm not wandering off from this because it's in any way flawed. But reading full stories attached to these almost ethereal images was destroying the magic of the original work for me--part of what makes Mysteries so great is that each illustration has only a tiny snippet of text, which sometimes makes it a story in itself. Having a fully fleshed-out story drains some of the power from these (at times) unsettling images, so I'm putting it down before reading some undoubtedly impressive tales. (less)
This started out very strong--Gee, a photojournalist, has recently died, and his granddaughter is having a particularly hard time moving past it. Thro...moreThis started out very strong--Gee, a photojournalist, has recently died, and his granddaughter is having a particularly hard time moving past it. Through the gifts Gee left for Maggie and her brother Jason, the reader explores Gee's travels around the globe and meets the strangers he met. Each chapter is written by a different author, but they all have a similar feel, so it's not even disjointed. Some stories are more realistic than others, but the ending kind of falls apart: it veers into a science-fiction future of Maggie's final trip, this time with her grand-niece, perpetuating the family tradition of sharing travels. Or something. By the end of the book it reads more like a gimmick that's gone on too long than a cohesive novel. (less)
Not as good as Speak but still very good. In some ways it's a very realistic portrayal of the stresses over-achievers pile on themselves, and the even...moreNot as good as Speak but still very good. In some ways it's a very realistic portrayal of the stresses over-achievers pile on themselves, and the eventual crash-and-burn when things fall apart. Kate's deferment and eventual rejection from MIT are basis enough for Kate's world to fall apart, but when her neighbors' house burns down and they move in with Kate's family, naturally things are going to get even rougher. Kate and Teri don't get along at the best of times, and then more and more bad stuff just keeps happening.
There's a certain point where it all just seems too much, and I don't just mean "the characters are starting to crack under the strain"--I mean that it's too many things heaped into one novel. Ultimately, it works, but it's so close to tipping that balance that I can't justify five stars for it.(less)
I'd managed to put this one off for this long, despite its appearance on nearly every list under the sun. I won't say it's the greatest book ever writ...moreI'd managed to put this one off for this long, despite its appearance on nearly every list under the sun. I won't say it's the greatest book ever written, but I'd give it 4 and a half stars, if I could. Melinda's voice is far more authentic than in most teen novels, and her pain comes through on every page--even when it's not explicitly stated. Not sure why I'd put this book off as long as I did.(less)
Tightly written, a strong and likable narrator, and an element of American history frequently overlooked in fiction (as it seems many war-era slavery...moreTightly written, a strong and likable narrator, and an element of American history frequently overlooked in fiction (as it seems many war-era slavery stories are on the Civil, not Revolutionary, war). This is an absorbing story, one I'll be recommending even when we're not looking at the dreaded Historical Fiction project.
As a note on the audio version: the reader for this is fantastic.(less)
Not much to say about this besides wow. This may be Anderson's strongest title since Speak and I think this may top it, even. Gut-wrenching, emotional...moreNot much to say about this besides wow. This may be Anderson's strongest title since Speak and I think this may top it, even. Gut-wrenching, emotional, horrifyingly sad and realistic and ... I don't even know what else. Honest, in a mentally-ill, slightly demented way?
I suspect this is another title I'll be buying multiple times for my library. Twisted walked off twice and I've lost count how many times I've had to re-order Speak. I don't expect this one to be any different.(less)
Many years ago, Greg and Rachel sort of dated. Greg was never really interested, but like everything else in his life, it just sort of happened to him...moreMany years ago, Greg and Rachel sort of dated. Greg was never really interested, but like everything else in his life, it just sort of happened to him. Now his mom is sending him to Rachel's house to hang out and keep her company, just because she's been diagnosed with leukemia. They don't fall in love. Greg doesn't learn Big Life Lessons. And this isn't Just Another Cancer Book.
I enjoyed this and I'll probably toss it into next year's booktalks, but it's not one that'll be tops on my list of YOU NEED TO READ THIS NOW.(less)
Wisdom comes from the strangest places, and one of them is the Origami Yoda finger puppet that dispenses sage advice to the sixth grade.
Love that thi...moreWisdom comes from the strangest places, and one of them is the Origami Yoda finger puppet that dispenses sage advice to the sixth grade.
Love that this didn't have any real resolution of the "this is where the advice came from" sort; it just sort of happened. And boys and girls are just boys and girls, no matter how foreign they seem to each other.(less)
I was really interested in this. I'm not saying it was a great, complex story, but it had some twists and turns and was told in a really interesting w...moreI was really interested in this. I'm not saying it was a great, complex story, but it had some twists and turns and was told in a really interesting way, fitting pieces together to tell the story. It has a kind of typical teen romance meets The Yellow Wallpaper vibe to it.
Anyway, a pretty good execution of a this-side-of-mediocre story. Not sure who I'd hand this to but I'm sure it has an audience.(less)
Molly's family lives on an isolated Canadian island, self-sufficiently farming their land. When a dropped phone call implies that her grandmother is d...moreMolly's family lives on an isolated Canadian island, self-sufficiently farming their land. When a dropped phone call implies that her grandmother is dead, Molly is elected to travel down to Oregon to bring her grandfather back. It's not an easy trip: train tracks are out, border crossings have been tightened, and the governmental control over what little fuel is left makes travel slow and expensive. With the help of some kind strangers, Molly eventually navigates to her grandfather's house, where she finds both grandparents alive and unwilling to leave their home, despite their financial challenges and the lack of food. Molly, using the skills she's developed on her farm, tends a neighbor's garden in exchange for some of its bounty, easing her grandparents' lives until she can convince them to join the rest of her family back home. One of the kind strangers from her trip down still pops up from time to time, and as helpful as he is in so many ways, there's something not-quite-right about his business, and it's not the sort of thing Molly ought to get caught up in. Each passing day makes it a little harder for Molly to get back home, and still she hasn't convinced her grandparents to leave.
Post-apocalyptic in the strictest sense: the US has collapsed mainly due to rationing and governmental control over petroleum, but also due to an outbreak of a deadline cattle virus that wiped out several thousand people, crippling the fast-food industry and with it the economy. (An interesting premise, to be sure; I wish more had been done with it.) With the economy in shambles and the government weakened, organized crime has stepped in to fill that void.
Molly's main joy in life is playing her fiddle; this would be a good title to pair with other music-themed books, none of which jump readily to mind. (Titles, please, if you have them?) Post-apocalypse stories are so frequently action-heavy adventures of survival, but this is a quieter, softer story of what it means to be a family, and a friend. You'd think that Governmental Collapse and Ruination would be a pretty strong plot point, but the post-apocalyptic landscape really takes a backseat to the characters.
A boy wakes up in Penn Station, remembering nothing. Near at hand is a copy of Walden, so for want of anything better he calls himself Henry David and...moreA boy wakes up in Penn Station, remembering nothing. Near at hand is a copy of Walden, so for want of anything better he calls himself Henry David and starts a convoluted adventure to Concord, MA, to--he hopes--find some clues at Walden Pond. Gradually his memories return and we find out what got him to the place he's in.
So, didn't love it. There's a line from the Mystery Science Theater gem Overdrawn at the Memory Bank when our hero is watching Casablanca, and someone remarks "Never show a part of a GOOD movie in your crappy movie!" or something to that effect, and that's often how I feel about books that try to make a whole story out of some other story. (See also: Michael Cunningham's Specimen Days.) This is another example. The Thoreau elements are reasonably well placed but I never got the impression that they shaped Hank's understanding of himself overmuch.
I know teens who will eat this up. But it's not for me.(less)
Clay has just gotten a box in the mail, with 7 cassette tapes in it. On those 7 tapes are 13 lectures to those who Did Hannah Wrong. Over the course o...moreClay has just gotten a box in the mail, with 7 cassette tapes in it. On those 7 tapes are 13 lectures to those who Did Hannah Wrong. Over the course of a night, Clay wanders all over town, listening to Hannah blame everyone for her problems. These people harassed her. These people believed a rumor. Naturally our narrator is only on the tape because he fits into a bigger story; he's portrayed as the One Who Got Away, because he didn't do anything wrong--just didn't know how to help.
The writing is mediocre and the plot thin. I admit that I only read about a quarter and then started skimming, so there may be details I missed, but from what I saw this book isn't just dull but irresponsible. There are few things Teen Lit needs less than a book suggesting teens blame everyone else for their fairly typical high-school problems, then kill themselves and drag everyone into the misery with them.(less)
I've been putting off reading Crispin for years. Someone booktalked it in one of my library classes, and it sounded good, but never quite good enough...moreI've been putting off reading Crispin for years. Someone booktalked it in one of my library classes, and it sounded good, but never quite good enough for me to pick it up. But now I'm compiling a booklist for Historical Fiction, so I checked out the audio version. And I have to say, it was better than I'd expected. Mysteries surrounding Crispin's parentage, scandal, the peasant revolt of 14th-century England... there was a lot packed into this title, and the action moved along pretty briskly.
Did I love it? No, but I didn't expect to. Even with engrossing historical detail (and sometimes just gross historical detail; what middle-school book is complete without descriptions of what the privies smell like), it's just not my bag. It was still a good book, and I'll probably rustle up the audio of the sequel at some point, but I'm not clamoring for it. 4 stars for its own merit, my opinions notwithstanding.(less)
Read for a book discussion that will probably have no attendees. Sigh.
I'd have liked more answers about how the town came into being, or gets promoted...moreRead for a book discussion that will probably have no attendees. Sigh.
I'd have liked more answers about how the town came into being, or gets promoted, so something, or at least some idea that the author knew what those answers would be. I'm on board with the ending, though.(less)
Pretty fantastic, briskly-paced action/adventure. I'm hesitant to call it full-on dystopian or even post-apocalyptic, but it's definitely an engrossin...morePretty fantastic, briskly-paced action/adventure. I'm hesitant to call it full-on dystopian or even post-apocalyptic, but it's definitely an engrossing future story. It only took me so long to read it because I had too many obligatory reads in between--but it was easy to pick up the story again, and fall right back into Nailer's world.(less)
Not quite as engrossing as the first--I didn't love the characters here as much as I did Nailer--but still an amazing, engrossing story of wartime and...moreNot quite as engrossing as the first--I didn't love the characters here as much as I did Nailer--but still an amazing, engrossing story of wartime and children, loyalty and friendship and guilt.
I have a terrible sense of geography, but even I eventually got that this is a future DC, under water and continuing to sink. Which brings its own set of fascinating questions that totally aren't what the book is about. (less)
Holy hell I'm DONE with this travesty. The acknowledgements mention that this 560-page beast was edited DOWN from the original thousand pages, and I t...moreHoly hell I'm DONE with this travesty. The acknowledgements mention that this 560-page beast was edited DOWN from the original thousand pages, and I think they could have trimmed more than just 44%. There's a lot of waste here, and it's just awful. Some of it is terrible in the hilarious b-movie way, but most of it is just plain terrible.(less)
Oh, man, the world needs more scary stories that aren't all slasher-grossness, and this one delivers. It's a little overlong and occasionally info-dum...moreOh, man, the world needs more scary stories that aren't all slasher-grossness, and this one delivers. It's a little overlong and occasionally info-dumpy, but the infodumps are well integrated into the story and the overlong parts build atmosphere, so I can live with both those things. It's creepy and scary and well-written, but the pacing may be a little slow for younger teens. I'd pitch this to high school and up.(less)
Helmuth is a schoolboy in Germany when the Nazis take power in Germany, and he quickly gets swept up in the crisp uniforms and patriotism of the Hitle...moreHelmuth is a schoolboy in Germany when the Nazis take power in Germany, and he quickly gets swept up in the crisp uniforms and patriotism of the Hitler Youth. But as the war progresses, he begins to see how much freedom is being taken from the German people. Helmuth must decide how loudly he can speak out against the war, when the quietest whisper will be treason.
Based on the true story of war protester Helmuth Hübener, this book succeeds in making the Holocaust even more personal. More and more recently we are seeing Holocaust stories told from outside the Jewish experience, which (I think) is excellent--it's important to know that the the Holocaust affected more than just the Jews and the Gypsies. It's also important to educate people that not all Germans blindly followed, that there were still objectors, and even among those who weren't actively protesting, not all Germans agreed with what was going on.
Helmuth's story here is based on the research Bartoletti did for her Newbery Honor book Hitler Youth, then fleshed out through interviews with Helmuth's friends and brother. The result is a fully-realized character and a narrative that reads smoothly, without the stilted, lumbering prose that can afflict biographies. The writing is a little stiff at times, but overall, this is high on my list of recommendations when the 8th-grade Holocaust book report rolls around.(less)
Heartwarming. That's about the only word I have, which is strange considering that this novel of local politics and an election rife with corruption s...moreHeartwarming. That's about the only word I have, which is strange considering that this novel of local politics and an election rife with corruption sucked me in and still left me saying "blah." I think Joan Bauer might just be too sunshiney for my bitter, blackened soul.(less)
Sugar Mae's mom, Reba, taught her to be gracious and kind no matter what the circumstances, and Sugar has tried very hard to live up to that. It's har...moreSugar Mae's mom, Reba, taught her to be gracious and kind no matter what the circumstances, and Sugar has tried very hard to live up to that. It's hard, though, when her gambling father disappears on them again, Reba can't pay the mortgage, and they lose the house. Reba and Sugar move to Chicago to make a fresh start, but can't catch a break there either. Reba's breakdown lands her in the hospital and Sugar in foster care. Grace and kindness are all Sugar has left, but it might be enough to create a sense of home.
Almost Home really tugs at the heartstrings while asking questions about what a family is, what home is, and how to maintain those things even when the physical structures break down. Sugar is a little too sunny to be believable--almost Pollyanna-ish--but the story never feels fake.(less)
J was born a girl, but knows he's actually a boy. The trouble is in making everyone else understand that--his parents, his best friend, and to a certa...moreJ was born a girl, but knows he's actually a boy. The trouble is in making everyone else understand that--his parents, his best friend, and to a certain extent even himself. As he takes steps to transition to the male body he knows he should have always had, he has to come to terms with his family and friends, as well as himself.
While I can't speak to the realism of the transsexual community, J's angst and fears ring true. This is an excellent portrayal of a sensitive topic.(less)
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