Sarah Jamila Stevenson's Blog: Blog - Sarah Jamila Stevenson, page 79

Toon Thursday: Writer's Trading Cards #2

Before I present you with today's toon, I wanted to let you know about another kidlitosphere effort to help Japan in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami: author Greg Fishbone (whose current book is being published by the fabulous Tu Books) has set up a donation form for those who wish to donate a bookish item for auction.



Yes, that toon means what you probably think it means: more rejection letters in the aquafortis household. It's the writer's recurring tribulation. But hey, I try to channel my aggravation into something at least mildly productive. For more toons, be sure to check the Toon Thursday Archives (and there are plenty more on rejection, let me tell you).

Still, I try to remind myself why I'm doing this, and sometimes that's easier than I think--on Tuesday, during a visit to Balboa High School in San Francisco, a student told me, "Thank you for writing this book." She said it really spoke to her and felt real, and it's moments like that that make everything worth it. EVERYTHING.

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Cybils Fantasy/Sci-Fi Finalist Roundup, Part II

Welcome to Part II of my roundup of Cybils finalists for teen Fantasy and Sci-Fi. Some of these books were library copies; others were review copies provided by the publishers for judging purposes.

For the official blurb about the winning title, Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry, click here. To read the Round I panel's blurbs about the finalists, click here.

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

I am not a huge fan of zombie stories—let me just get that off my chest right now. I've read a few that I've enjoyed, sure, but as a premise, it's not my favorite. Now, I had heard good things about Rot & Ruin ahead of reading it, but still, it's a zombie book, and as such, I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. But I did like it. Sure, it was over the top in some ways—really twisted bad guys, a fairly obvious moral message, and a zombie-hunting older brother who's just a little too awesome to be true. But for the most part, the over-the-top-ness worked for the book and gave it a cinematic, "Kill Bill" sort of feel. It was violent and gory in a way that I thought was lurid and dramatic, but not so disgusting as to turn readers off. (Mostly. I can't speak for everyone.)

Although at times it seemed a little forced, I enjoyed watching Benny transition from a more simplistic, black-and-white view of the world to a dawning sense of the complexities of reality. The setting had a rollicking Wild West feel that I ended up enjoying quite a lot. The action and suspense was non-stop, and my heart was literally pounding during the climactic scene. And I loved the diversity aspects, too, namely the fact that Benny and his brother Tom have Japanese heritage. It's nicely done without hitting the reader over the head.

You can find Rot & Ruin at an independent bookstore near you!


Brain Jack by Brian Falkner

I enjoyed Falkner's first book, The Tomorrow Code, so I was excited to read this one and glad it was a finalist. Like his first book, it's very plot-driven, with lots of action and intrigue, though this one's more of a cyberthriller. It's going to be hard to talk about without giving too much away, but let's just say that conspiracies are fun, and the whodunit aspect kept things mysterious. It was a little slow to get started, in my opinion, but the action was very gripping from about the point Sam escapes from juvie onward. And who doesn't love a story about a brilliant teenage hacker getting the opportunity to save the world? (There's definitely a "WarGames" sort of feel to this one, if you've ever seen that movie.) I had a few minor issues with the way it was written—I wished it had been a little more character-driven rather than purely plot-driven, for one, and there was a little too much tech-speak for me (I kept getting distracted thinking more closely about it and wondering how accurate it was)—but it's definitely got a lot of appeal for fans of the spy novel/cyberpunk/action thriller genre. This is another author I'm eager to see more from.

You can find Brain Jack at an independent bookstore near you!


POD by Stephen Wallenfels

This one had some aspects I really loved, and that I think teen readers would love--the alien invasion premise is a lot of fun, and the action and tension are high throughout. We get two very distinct perspectives on the situation between Josh and Megs, learning a lot about both characters as well as the overall invasion while also showing the drastic contrast in their individual situations. They face very different sets of ethical dilemmas in trying to survive, and I'm a sucker for a good, exciting survival story. I also loved watching Megs problem-solve her way out of some VERY scary and dangerous situations, although the bad guys she faced were pretty cheesy, cookie-cutter baddies with a penchant for sounding like 1920s gangsters. One thing I really didn't enjoy (and this is probably just a matter of personal taste) was the use of animals—in both storylines—to manipulate reader emotions. However, like Brain Jack, I think that readers who prefer their books to be action- and plot-driven will enjoy this one. It's a quick read with a very classic sci-fi premise (War of the Worlds, anyone?).

You can find POD at an independent bookstore near you!


Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Dystopia fans will not want to miss this one. It's the story of Nailer, a young worker whose job consists of stripping wires out of old, rusting tanker ships beached along the Gulf Coast, and how his life changes forever when he makes an unexpected discovery one day. The setting is compelling, all burned-out husks of ships and drowned buildings. Yet it's conveyed without deluging the reader in too much detail, an aspect of the writing that really impressed me. In fact, the story started off with action, which grabbed me right away. And the tension remained high throughout, which kept me reading. There was a philosophical angle to the story, but it didn't talk down to readers or insult their intelligence by being too "teach-y." The characters were three-dimensional with realistically messy motivations and desires, even the villains, for the most part. It was easy to root for Nailer and get caught up in his saga, and the changes in his character over the course of the story were very satisfying. I also really liked the multicultural (and, indeed, multi-genetic) aspects of the world setting in this one. There were a few common, recognizable fantasy tropes at work, which might make the plot predictable for some, but I didn't find them bothersome—in fact, for me, they tied everything together very tightly and gave Nailer's story a sort of quest-like inevitability. I very much hope to read a sequel.

You can find Ship Breaker at an independent bookstore near you!

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Writers and Bloggers Are Stepping Up

...to help those affected by the recent earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan.

Via Galleycat, author Maureen Johnson has launched an online fundraiser with Shelterbox to help out earthquake victims in Japan, similar to the one that she organized for New Zealand. Check out the details here on Maureen's blog.

Zoe Toft of the Playing by the Book blog, and Bronwyn of the fabulously-named blog Day 1 Every Pen In The House Ran Out Of Ink have organized an effort to personally help families in Christchurch in need of books in the wake of the earthquake there. Click here to find out how you can help.

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Cybils Fantasy/Sci-Fi Finalist Roundup, Part I

Without getting too detailed, I wanted to give my rather belated impressions of the Cybils finalists for teen Fantasy and Sci-Fi this year, now that we Round II panelists have been released from our vow of silence. Some of these books were library copies; others were review copies provided by the publishers for judging purposes. Tune in Monday for Part II.

For the official blurb about the winning title, Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry, click here. To read the Round I panel's blurbs about the finalists, click here.

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

Of all the finalists, I think this was the one my teenage self would have enjoyed the most. It's a story that includes traditional mythological figures from the Maori of New Zealand and brings them literally alive in the modern world. And they're not just beautiful, these faery-like creatures—they're dangerous. As a teen reader, I loved books about mythological or legendary beings actually being alive in our world—I was a huge Charles De Lint fan, to name just one example. I also like learning about new traditions that I don't know much about.

The main character Ellie was very relatable and normal, but also someone who came into her own strengths over the course of the story. From time to time, her tallness/size felt a little overemphasized to me, as if the author was working hard to make sure Ellie wasn't superhuman by focusing on the things that make her insecure. On the other hand, her insecurity did strike me as realistic, and I really did like that the message was that you don't have to fit what society says is beautiful in order to be attractive. It's a message that could have come across as heavy-handed, but it didn't here. All in all, I really enjoyed this one.

You can find Guardian of the Dead at an independent bookstore near you!


The Wager by Donna Jo Napoli

This one is a retelling of a little-known but fascinating Sicilian folktale, and you all know I loves me some fairy tale and folktale retellings. Plus, it's a story about making a deal with the devil. How fun is that? However, despite the engaging premise, I found this one a little slow to get going. Once the plot picked up, though, the pace was more satisfying and I was more absorbed by the quest of Don Giovanni to get his old life back. There are plenty of gory details about living in destitution in the wilderness, and his treatment by those he formerly looked down upon was appropriately nasty and very much in the tradition of classic folktales. In the process of satisfying the terms of the devil's wager, he deepens as a person and as a character, and there's a rather delightful twist at the end in which he discovers that not everything is as it seems. Nevertheless, I found Don Giovanni to be more of an allegorical type rather than a fully-realized character, and that kept me at more of a distance than I usually like.

You can find The Wager at an independent bookstore near you!


Plain Kate by Erin Bow

I want to start off with this one by saying that I loved the writing in this book. It was absolutely beautiful in places--simple and profound. This story, too, has many of the characteristics of a retold fairy tale—the orphaned Kate must go forth into the world to discover her extraordinary destiny beyond simply being a talented wood carver. However, the fact that the book also defies some expectations, while still remaining firmly in the fantasy tradition in other ways, was something I enjoyed. For instance, Kate's story is more about survival and endurance than "adventure." It's not a straightforward quest, though she does ultimately end up with a very important task to fulfill. Fortunately, she's not alone—she has the companionship of Taggle, a talking cat who ends up being a very appealing and well-rounded character in his own right with an important role in the story.

I'm not afraid to say that the ending of the book is gut-wrenching and made me cry, although I wish it had resolved a few more threads than it did. I also wish Kate had been a bit less passive--a lot happens TO her, and she's constantly at the mercy of other, more powerful forces. However, it does fit with the grimness of the tale and of the setting. I look forward to reading more from this author.

You can find Plain Kate at an independent bookstore near you!

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Monday Madness: The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

I checked out a copy of this book from the library.

Reader Gut Reaction : Gripping, nonstop suspense and action—that would be my initial characterization of the book. At the same time, it's about what happens inside one's mind as well as out "in the world"--or, in this case, in two worlds. It's at once a story about post-traumatic stress and an action-packed fantasy/sci-fi adventure. I envy the author's ability to weave these two elements together without neglecting either one.

Concerning Character : It's more than easy to get drawn into the story of Jack, the narrator, since the story begins with his kidnapping. You'd think things couldn't really get worse, but somehow, they do, when he's given access to the world of Marbury thanks to a pair of strange glasses. When he looks through them, suddenly he's in a different place. A dubious gift, to say the least, since Marbury is not a nice place. Good things happen to Jack, too, like meeting Nickie, but the complexity and weirdness of his situation puts his existing friendships and his potential romance at risk. It's a very well-rounded story—the author doesn't miss a detail (that I could tell) when it comes to exploring Jack's increasingly bizarre world.

Recommended for Fans Of... : Books that plumb the dark depths of human nature and deal with the testing of physical and mental limits, like Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking trilogy. Books about alternate worlds that might or not be real, like Libba Bray's Going Bovine.

Themes & Things : As I just mentioned, this book does not shy away from difficult subjects. Kidnapping. Abuse. The various ways that the human body and mind can be tested to its desperate limits, whether through mental trauma or physical strain. The meaning of friendship, and how far you can stretch that bond until it breaks. What makes a man into a monster, both literally and symbolically. It's a very scary book, but not just because of the visceral horrific details—it's also frightening because of the way it makes the reader question whether we'd do just as Jack did if we were in the same situation.

Authorial Asides : A few miscellanea: I love the hardcover art—it's very steampunk, even if the book itself isn't. I am also a sucker for books that weave fantasy and reality and make you question what might be real—especially if, like in this book, there are hints to connect the two and make you try to guess just how the two worlds relate. Lastly, I believe that there is room for a sequel...which would make me very happy.

You can visit Andrew Smith online at his blog, Ghost Medicine, or follow him on Twitter.

You can find The Marbury Lens at an independent bookstore near you!

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Toon Thursday: The Return of Celebrity Death Match

Of course, it's the return of CHILDREN'S BOOK Celebrity Death Match. As such, I present to you the following extra-special PSEUDONYM EDITION:

 Mwahahaha. My money's on Mr. Snicket.

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A Review In Memoriam: Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan

I checked out a copy of this book from the library.

Reader Gut Reaction : I wish I'd read this one sooner, and I wish I'd had a chance to know the author* who created such an absorbing, quirky, funny, sad, very real story. The details about photography were a lot of fun (of course, I'm an art nerd, so of COURSE I liked that) and the quotations from photography books and manuals were a great way to set up each chapter, as they complemented the story in a sort of lateral way.

Concerning Character : It was the characterization that hooked me in this story. I was really impressed with the author's portrayal of Blake as a convincing, well-rounded, and sympathetic teen guy narrator. Blake is a good person, but he's realistically flawed, too. Even for a reasonably insightful guy like him, sometimes it's hard to figure out what to say, what to do. I also loved all the side characters—his girlfriend Shannon, who is perfect for him in so many ways but is herself only human; his friend Marissa, whose friendship starts to get awfully complicated; his sometimes-sympathetic, sometimes-aggravating older brother Garrett. I think I loved his family most of all. They're a happy family, a family who gets along well and loves one another without being too good to be true—in stark contrast to other families shown in the story, and frankly, in stark contrast to the glut of troubled families that saturate the YA literature market.

Recommended for Fans Of... : Stories about coping with family difficulty like Blythe Woolston's The Freak Observer, which, similarly to Flash Burnout's use of photography how-tos at the beginning of each chapter, includes physics principles and problems as an accompaniment to the story. Also recommended for fans of Barry Lyga's smart, reflective male narrators.

Themes & Things : Blake makes a good teenage Everyman. He's a nice guy, he tries to do the right thing, but like most of us, when things start to get complicated, it's hard to sort out your thoughts and zero in on the right thing to do. And sometimes you mess up. Good intentions vs. imperfect behavior, friendship vs. love, conflicting loyalty, the meaning and responsibility of family—these are all themes that drive the story.

Authorial Asides : Everything in this story is very tightly set up from the very beginning, from Blake's at-times-tense relationship with Shannon, to the stress in Marissa's family life, to Blake's mildly adversarial relationship with his brother. Each of these relationships changes and develops over the course of the story in ways that are natural without being too predictable. It was well crafted from both a plot and character standpoint. I liked it that his brother Garrett had a life (and a subplot) of his own that created a sort of complementary backdrop to what was happening in Blake's life without taking over the book.

*For more on the author or to contribute to the fund her family has set up for her son's college education, see our posts here and here.

You can find Flash Burnout at an independent bookstore near you!

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Weekend Miscellanea

Just a few random bits of news and links for a weekend morning...

...If you saw our earlier post or any of the other kidlitosphere blog posts about the passing of L.K. Madigan, you might like to know that a trust fund has been set up to help provide for her son Nathan's college education--go here for details on how to help, and a heartfelt post from her husband.

...Another Kidlitosphere regular has had one of her books challenged: author and blogger Cheryl Rainfield's book Scars was challenged by a library patron in Kentucky. Read more about the challenge here, here and here, and read Cheryl's response.

...Ending on a thoughtful note, aspiring YA author Nicola Richardson raises some interesting points about writing race in YA in a guest post over on the YA Highway blog. Nicola says that, for her, "writing about other races and culture is always about the two R's: Respect and Research."

Your personal beliefs and thoughts almost always bleed into your writing and if you have any misconceptions or stereotypes about any race, don't write about them, because it will seen. Instead, think about why you feel or think that way. Work through it. Take a hard look at yourself and ask some very tough questions. If you can't do this, leave diversity alone.

Of course, I think that it can be very difficult to know all of one's misconceptions and stereotypes and whether they've bled into one's writing, even when you're doing your best to be authentic. My opinion is not that one shouldn't necessarily write about another race or culture for fear of writing a stereotype--rather, I think there's a third R, and that's Readers. Have someone read your work, and give you their honest opinion about what isn't hitting the mark. You'll have the potential to learn more that way than if you never try at all, right?

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A Sad Day in the Kidlitosphere

In case you hadn't heard already, Oregon author L.K. Madigan has passed away, losing her battle with pancreatic cancer. I posted about it on the Cybils blog just now.

L.K. Madigan was the author of the YA novels Flash Burnout and The Mermaid's Mirror. What a sad loss for our community. Speaking for both Tanita and myself, our heartfelt condolences go out to Lisa's friends and family.

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Monday Review: Chasing AllieCat by Rebecca Fjelland Davis

I picked up a review copy of this book at ALA Midwinter. Chasing AllieCat is now available in paperback.

Reader Gut Reaction :What impressed me most about this book was how much complexity and honesty of emotion the author was able to pack into what is initially a deceptively simple setup for a story—Girl Spends Summer with Small-Town Relatives, Leading to Self-Discovery. It's not a premise that I'm necessarily drawn to, but other elements of the story helped draw me in, like the characters' love of mountain biking—and their discovery of a near-murder. Oh, and that great cover.

Concerning Character : Once I was solidly involved in the story (which didn't take long) I found myself really enjoying the voice of the narrator, Sadie Lester. It's very honest and real, and the quiet simmering energy of her personality fits her role as first an observer and, later, a girl determined to find out what's happened to her friend, Allie. Allie herself is a character who's compelling because of her mysteriousness—Allie doesn't know much about her, not even where she lives, and those details end up being of crucial importance after Allie disappears. Allie also makes a great complement to Sadie, encouraging her to improve her biking and not taking any BS. Of course, there's the love interest, Joe, who first comes across as a just-slightly-bad-boy but is really just a nice boy trying to battle intense grief. And, finally, there are Bad Guys, and boy, are they scary Deliverance types.

Recommended for Fans Of... : Stories of going away for the summer and finding yourself in the process, like Sarah Dessen's Keeping the Moon and Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos; stories about overcoming your own troubles enough to trust others, like Jennifer Hubbard's The Secret Year or The Miles Between by Mary Pearson; and stories about pushing your limits.

Themes & Things : The idea of self-discovery is strong here—specifically, discovering what you're really made of when you're put to the test. That theme comes out in so many ways, from Allie's mountain biking to Joe overcoming one of his most intense fears to Allie confronting her demons (I don't want to give too much away, so I won't be more specific than that). Another important part of this story is the meaning of friendship, and what it means to stand by someone through thick and thin and trust them enough to reveal your secrets.

Authorial Asides : As a fellow Flux author, I met Rebecca Fjelland Davis at the Kidlitcon last October and at ALA this past January, and I really enjoyed talking with her. (You know those people that you just immediately hit it off with? I love that, and I'm happy to have another "author pal" out there.) You can visit her on her website and blog, and read more about her own impressive exploits as a mountain biker.

You can find Chasing AllieCat at an independent bookstore near you!

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