Murdoch's Musings

Review: My Brother's Shadow by Monika Schroder

2012-01-12T19:52:00.000-08:00

Title: My Brother's Shadow

Author: Monika Schroder
Year Published: 2011

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 217

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school's library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Berlin 1918: World War I is drawing to a close, and Germany is torn. No one knows this better than sixteen-year-old Moritz, whose family is as divided as the nation. His father died in the war and his brother still risks his life in the trenches. His mother, intent on sweeping away the monarchy, attends subversive socialist meetings.

Moritz doesn't know what he thinks about the war, but he knows that his family is barely surviving on its rations and meager salaries. After Moritz takes a job as a journalist for the Berliner Daily, he find himself covering the injustices his mother protests against. And when he meets and falls in love with a Jewish girl who is also a passionate socialist, he begins to understand the movement toward a new democracy.

Review: World War I is one of my favorite periods in history, I loved learning about it in school, teaching about it as a World History teacher, and I like reading about it now through fiction. This book began slowly for me and I almost gave up around page 30, but by page 50 I was in for the duration.

Mortiz' family is the perfect mix of Germany in 1918. His mother and younger sister feel the war should end, that Germany cannot win and that the workers are baring the brunt of the injustices. His brother, the soldier, is badly wounded and blames the Jews and communists for Germany losing the war. He is addicted to morphine and is having trouble adjusting to being home. Moritz himself isn't sure where he stands. He sees how difficult life is for those around him, but he wants to support his King and country.

This novel does a very good job at showing the various issues and attitudes during the end of WWI in Germany through national events as well as those witnessed by Moritz. I did feel that the characters could have been more developed so that I cared for them a bit more. However, if any student wants to get a good look at life during World War I, this is a good place to start.

Review: Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard

2012-01-09T13:32:00.000-08:00

Title: Paper Covers Rock

Author: Jenny Hubbard
Year Published: 2011

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 222

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school's library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Sixteen year old Alex has just begun his junior year at a boys' boarding school when he fails to save a friend from drowning in a river on campus. Fearing the consequences if they reveal the whole truth about what happened, Alex and his friend Glenn, who also witnessed the accident, decide to lie. Plagues by guilt, Alex takes refuge in the library, telling his tale in a journal he hides behind a copy of Moby Dick.

But the boys were not the only ones by the river that day. In the midst of their panic, Miss Dovecott, a young English teacher fresh out of Princeton, happened to arrive. Over the next few weeks, Miss Dovecott begins to recognize poetic talent in Alex; she helps him find his voice, and he is thrilled by his teacher's special attention. But when it becomes obvious that Miss Dovecott has noticed glimmers of guilt in Alex's writing, Glenn is convinced that she is out to get them. Now Alex must choose between his friend and his mentor. but every decision has its consequences.

Review: This book is definitely more than it seems to be once the reader gets to the end. I do wish some of that had come out a little earlier, but then the ending wouldn't be as powerful as it is.

I do think the connections to Moby Dick are confusing. I haven't read the book, but at least I know some basics (Ismael, Herman Melville, it's a whale, etc), but I wonder if high school students would be overwhelmed by this aspect of the novel.

Alex is a great character, he is caring, sensitive, and in many ways is a typical teen. He has friends, but is weary of them. He doesn't love boarding school, but wants to do well. He isn't a "school boy", but discovers he has a talent and passion for writing. I did like the storyline of the writing and how the other story, of Thomas' death, is paralleled and revealed through Alex's school assignments.

Thomas' death is tragic and one can easily see how it could happen. I remember cliff jumping when I was going to summer school in Vermont one summer. I didn't drink while we did it, but others did and I realize now how lucky we were that no one ever got hurt. But that is part of being young, death doesn't seem possible or real. And guilt. Alex is going to carry that with him his entire life; could he have done something to change what happened? This is a great question that is handled well in this book.

Review: Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

2012-01-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

Title: Anya's Ghost

Author: Vera Brosgol
Year Published: 2011

Genre: YA Fiction (graphic novel)

Pages: 222

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school's library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Of all the things Anya expected to find a the bottom of an old well, a new friend wasn't one of them. Especially not a new friend who's been dead for a century. Falling down a well is bad enough, but any'as normal life might actually be worse. She's embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she's pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend--even a dead one--is just what she needs. But Anya's new BFF isn't kidding about the "forever" part.

Review: I haven't read a graphic novel in a while so it felt good to read this one tonight in just one short sitting. I love the drawings with their solid, simple forms that convey so much and the story took me somewhere that I didn't see coming.

Anya is like so many teenagers, she is unsure of herself and of her place in high school. She wants to be liked, to date, to have more friends, and to feel happier about her body and she has worked hard to get rid of her accent (she was born in Russia). Then she falls in a well. For two days she is stuck below ground with a skeleton and its ghost. Once Anya is rescued she discovers that the ghost has come along for the ride. At first it's great, the ghost helps her on tests and gets her information, but then things turn....

I think this is a quirky graphic novel that is fun, interesting, and has a good message that definitely doesn't hit you over the head.

Review: When She Woke by Hillary Jordan

2012-01-07T16:55:00.001-08:00

Title: When She Woke

Author: Hillary Jordan
Year Published: 2011

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pages: 341

Rating: 5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I received this book as a gift for Christmas and will donate it to my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Hannah Payne's life has been devoted to church and family. but after she's convicted of murder, she awakens in a new body to a nightmarish new life. She finds herself lying on a table in a bare room, covered only by a paper gown, with cameras broadcasting her every move to millions at home, for whom observing new Chromes--criminals whose skin has been genetically altered to match the class of their crime--is a sinister form of entertainment. Hannah is a Red for the crime of murder. The victim, says the State of Texas, was her unborn child, and Hannah is determined to protect the identity of the father, a public figure with whom she shared a fierce and forbidden love.

Review: The last time I read Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlett Letter I was in high school and that was a really long time ago. However, the story came back to me vividly as I read this wonderful retelling. This version is set in the near future when conservative extremists have passed laws that overturned Roe v. Wade. While the novel is set in the future, we only know that because the characters have "ports" and "vid chats." Unlike other science-fiction stories, the future just is, it isn't ever-present (if that makes any sense).

Hannah Payne has grown up in a conservative Christian family and before the story begins has welcomed a new and exciting leader to their church, Aidan Dale, with whom Hannah has an affair. She becomes pregnant and has an illegal abortion to save Aidan from horrible backlash. In this near-future USA, the government implants something into criminals that turns their skin a certain color (yellow for lesser transgressions, red for the worst, and blue for child molesters). After a month or so in prison, criminals are then released, but remain colored (they are called Chromes) until their sentence is finished. Life as a chrome is far from easy since everyone knows your crime.

After about the first third of this book I forgot that I was reading a retelling of The Scarlett Letter and was completely absorbed in Hannah's story once she is released from prison. Hillary Jordan does a wonderful job of showing both sides of the issue of abortion as well as fundamentalist Christianity as Hannah struggles with the choices she has made in her life, how it affected her and her family, and the physical, mental and spiritual consequences of her actions.

While this book is vastly different from Jordan's previous novel, Mudbound, I loved it just as much.

Review: Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera

2012-01-03T06:08:00.001-08:00

Title: Guantanamo Boy

Author: Anna Perera
Year Published: 2009

Genre: YAfiction

Pages: 340 (plus chronology and Afterward)

Rating: 5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): He's fifteen. He hasn't done anything wrong.It was supposed to be just a trip to vista his mum's family in Pakistan.But for Khalid Ahmed, it was the beginning of a living nightmare. He's kidnapped--then taken to a place thousands of miles from his home in the UK. A place where torture and terror are the daily routine. A place he may never be allowed to leave. A place called Guantano Bay.

Review: Not exactly a happy book, but this is so well done! It takes place in the years just after 9/11. The war in Afghanistan has started, but the war in Iraq has not.

Khalid is a likable character, a typical fifteen-year-old who is into playing football (soccer), hanging out with his friends, he is irritated by his parents and younger sisters, and he is into online video games. And, he doesn't want to go to Pakistan to visit relatives. While there the family hears rumors of men disappearing, of demonstrations, of shady dealings. One night Khalid is kidnapped and taken away for no apparent reason.

He's only fifteen, they can't keep him, right? He is a British citizen, they can't keep him, right? He didn't do anything wrong, they can't keep him, right? Wrong.

Khalid's experience in an American "enemy combatant" prison in Afghanistan and then in the famous Guantanamo Bay prison is horrific. The torture scenes are not pleasant and his spiral into temporary insanity is so well done. Reading this book made me angry all over again at the thought of how the US (and others, I know) treated prisoners, without regard for the Geneva Convention and other international (and human) rules of civility. I also understand that we were at war, which changes things. However, some of those prisoners were children as young as twelve years old.

This is an important story of family, human nature, forgiveness, friendship, and the human spirit.

Thoughts on Mao's Last Dancer, the movie

2012-01-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

I don't normally do posts on movies, but we have the book for this one in our school library....

Instead, I am going to rave about the movie I saw last night: Mao's Last Dancer. We received the book Mao's Last Dancer at our school library the same week the DVD showed up at my house from Netflix. I felt like this was a sign: watch this movie! I thought it was going to be kinda' boring but we finally got around to watching it last night.

Wow! An Australian company made this film so it wasn't sensationalized (sorry Hollywood), but rather was an intimate look at how children in China were chosen at a young age to attend athletic/dance schools, their training, and how Li Cunxin had the opportunity to go to the US as a student one summer. I don't want to give away what happens once he comes to the US, but it's a great story full of heartache, hope, and beautiful dancing.

The story is true, which make it even more interesting. Here are two links if you are interested: This link about the movie tells you about the amazing cast and more while this link tells the biography of Lu Cunxin, the dancer.

Review: Dewey by Vicky Myron

2012-01-01T09:48:00.001-08:00

Title: Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

Author: Vicky Myron
Year Published: 2008

Genre: Adult non-fiction

Pages: 297

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I used a gift certificate to purchase this book and I am putting it in my school library's collection

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Dewey Readmore Books was only a few weeks only when he was stuffed into Spencer Public Library's book slot. He immediately won the heart of the town and especially the Library Director, Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. For the next nineteen years this Library cat never stopped charming the people of Iowa with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility (for a cat), and above all, sixth sense about who needed him most. As his fame grew, Dewey became the symbol of a proud farming community fighting the greatest crisis in its long history--and a source of inspiration for people all over the world.

Review: I really should have read this book sooner, but I am not necessarily a cat person and thought it wouldn't appeal to me. Now, before I get a bunch of hate mail from all the cat-lovers out there, I don't dislike cats (I adored my cat when I was a child), but I am super allergic so tend to avoid petting cats and spending long periods of time with them.

Whew, now that's taken care of, I can go on with my review. I was really touched by this book and can see how people all over have enjoyed Dewey's story as well as that of the town of Spencer, Iowa. I thought the book was just going to be the story of a cat, which I wasn't super excited about, but this book is so much more. I really enjoyed the background of the town, the author's family, and the times (1980s to 2005). All the non-Dewey stories really filled in the stetting and Dewey's impact on people in Spencer, in Iowa, and further afield.

I had no idea that I would be so emotional about this book either. I found it funny and so touching in parts. I am definitely someone who gets teary at the good parts of books, not the sad parts. I could easily picture Dewey comforting those who were sad, encouraging those who were timid, and supporting those who were having trouble, such as the severely disabled girl, Crystal.

I do think that the world needs happy news and that's one of the reasons that this book has done so well. We are inundated with horrible, sad, depressing news every day on television and the radio. To hear about a sweet cat who is bringing a town together and making people happy is such a great thing and he went viral, so to speak.

If you'd like an easy, fun read that will make you feel good about things (though it is certainly not all good and happy in this book, be warned) then I recommend Dewey!

Review: Alex Rider: Stormbreaker (Anthony Horowitz)

2011-12-30T20:54:00.000-08:00

Title: Alex Rider: Stormbreaker

Author: Anthony Horowitz

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 197

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: My daughter received this book as a gift

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): They said his uncle died in a car accident. But Alex Rider knows that's a lie, and the bullet holes in the windshield prove it. Yet he never suspected the truth: his uncle was really a spy for Britain's top secret intelligence agency. And now Alex has been recruited to find his uncle's killers....

Review: I really enjoyed this "boy" book! My daughter received it for Christmas and was a bit hesitant, but we both dove in and got sucked into it right away!

Alex is fourteen and gets "recruited" into MI6 (the British equivalent of the CIA) and with only two weeks of training is off to get the bad guys. And boy are they bad. There's killing, sabotage, computer issues, and crazy stunts. Through it all Alex is strong and figures things out, sometimes by accident and sometimes on purpose.

What I liked is that Alex isn't perfect. He gets tired, he gets hurt, and he screws up. The story was fun and definitely pulled us along quickly so that we could find out what happened. The bad guys (and girl) were great as well, with enough evil and tech savvy to make us hate them.

The ending was a little too James Bond-ish for me, but I'll definitely read another in the series at some point.

Review: iBoy (Kevin Brooks)

2011-12-29T14:33:00.000-08:00

Title: iBoy

Author: Kevin Brooks

Genre: YA science fiction

Pages: 288

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (and I almost made it a 5)

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Before the attack, Harvey was just an average teenager. But a head-on collision with high technology has turned him into an actualize App. Fragnmetns of a shattered iPhone are embedded in his brain. And they're having an extraordinary effect on his every thought. Because now Tom knows, see, and can do more than any normal boy ever could. But with his new powers comes a choice: to avenge Lucy, the girl he loves, will he hunt down the vicious gangsters who hurt her? Will he take the law into his own electric hands and exterminate them from the South London housing projects where, by fear and violence, they rule? Not even his mental search engine can predict the shocking outcome of iBoy's actions.

Review: Wow. What more can I say? I just finished this book in one day and it really has me thinking. This is the type of book that has so much going on that I can't really write my review in coherent paragraphs, but just want to get all the thoughts out quickly in bullets so that I don't forget anything.

Characters--Tom Harvey is a great main character. He is empathic, nice, and normal. However, he gains these extraordinary powers through the iPhone accident and, though he he can do crazy sh*t, he somehow remains "normal" in the eyes of the reader. I think he represents how we'd all feel given the situations he is experiencing. The nasty characters are just so awful I wanted them to be made up by Brooks and not really possible in real life. Unfortunately, the author also made them "normal" in that people like them do exist. People who have no empathy, do not see the bad in stealing, hurting others, etc.
Plot--While this is science fiction and, I assume, one cannot really become iBoy, I didn't feel as if I was reading something out of control fantastical. Most of the events that surround iBoy are frighteningly real and possible. I don't want to say what they are because it will ruin the story for you, but Brooks did an amazing job at describing the horrible events and how they affected those involved, even if on the periphery. Brooks managed to make every scene very real and raw, sometimes leaving much of the scene to the imagination, which is very powerful.
Emotions--This is where Brooks excelled. I felt so drawn in to the characters and their emotions from fear and anger to despair and hope. It was all so raw and real. I could completely understand how Tom Harvey felt when his friend is hurt and how much he wanted revenge on the suspects. I also felt Lucy's pain in an extremely real way.

Review: The Shattering (Karen Healey)

2011-12-28T06:18:00.000-08:00

Title: The Shattering

Author: Karen Healey

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 305

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): "If you want to find out who murdered your brother, follow me." Keri, Janna, and Sione have one thing in common: their brothers are dead. Each death was ruled a suicide, but there were no notes, no warnings, and no explanations. So they've worked out a theory: Their brothers were murdered--and weren't the only victims. As the search for the killer goes on, mysterious forces are unearthed and suspicion is cast on those the three trust most. When secrets shatter around them, can they save the next victim? Or will they become victims themselves?

Review: I am all about a good mystery so this one appealed to me immediately. The funny thing is I didn't read the entire blurb on the inside flap so there was a surprise element for me.

This book is set in New Zealand and that actually played a role in the book. The characters talk about which part of the country they live, where they would like to live, and how the fact that they are in a small town on the west coast is relevant. In addition, the characters represent the varied cultural groups in New Zealand. Keri is a strong female rugby player (a sports for which New Zealanders are famous) who is biracial: Maori and White. Sione is Samoan. Takeshi is Japanese and his host family is White, but his host sister's name is Maori. I really liked the mix since there are words from those cultures sprinkled throughout the book (and a glossary in the back).

The story is also a good one: the characters have all lost an older brother to suicide, but they are convinced that it was murder. In fact, there are about 10 young men, all older brothers, who have killed themselves, one per year. What is the connection? Why didn't any leave notes? Why doesn't it ever rain in their town between Christmas and New Year when it does in the neighboring towns? How is their town surviving so well economically when other towns seem to be suffering during the recession?

These questions all lead to the part of the book's description that I had overlooked: supernatural. I'll admit that I don't read supernatural books with magic in them, it just isn't my thing. So I am glad that I didn't know that was coming in this one because I may not have read it if I had known. However, I enjoyed this book even though I was started by the supernatural element. It was an interesting twist to the book and I know that will make this a popular one with SMHS students.

Review: Born to Run (Christopher McDougall)

2011-12-19T07:47:00.000-08:00

Title: Born to Run: A hidden tribe, super athletes, and the greatest race the world has never seen

Author: Christopher McDougall

Genre: Adult Non-fiction

Pages: 304

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I bought this with my own money

Summary (from Amazon): An epic adventure that began with one single question: why does my foot hurt? Isolated by Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons, the blissful Tarahumara Indians have honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury. In a riveting narrative, award-winning journalist and often-injured runner Christopher McDougall sets out to discover their secrets. In the process, he takes his reader from science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultra-runners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to a climactic race in the Copper Canyons that pits America's best ultra-runners against the tribe.

Review: I am not a runner. I used to be an athlete, but am not anymore. I say this as a way to explain how wide-reaching and appealing this book is to so many people. I found it fascinating, interesting, funny, and poignant.

I was afraid that there would be too much technical in this book, but I didn't find that at all. There is a great mix of running stories (which are fascinating), science (so interesting), personal stories (always a good thing), and culture (both Taramuhara Indian and ultra-runner). I feel like I learned so much and that's a good thing.

The basic premiss is that ultra-runners, the Tarahumara tribe in particular, don't get hurt the way "western" runners do and the author set out to find out why that is. To boil it down to its most simplistic form: the shoes runners wear are killing them and they need to let go and enjoy the running. It turns out the higher the price of the shoes, the worse they are for you. Apparently if there is too much cushion you pound harder to find the solid, thus injuring yourself. Huh. And the happiness factor. It seems so obvious, but a number of different coaches, runners, and the author all noticed the look of sheer joy as these successful ultra-runners have on their faces, even at mile 90 in 120 degree heat is unmistakable. How does one find that? The Tarahumara have it in their daily life, but the American ultra-runners have to find it as a new outlook on life.

I am jealous of the runners even though I know that I will never achieve a tenth of the stuff they do in that realm. But I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about both physical and mental accomplishment as well as plain old good storytelling.

Review: Everybody Sees the Ants (A.S. King)

2011-12-17T09:05:00.001-08:00

Title: Everybody Sees the Ants

Author: A.S.King

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 282

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Lucky Linderman doesn't want to wake up.... Lucky Linder didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father whenever got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their dysfunctional family is fine. And he didn't ask to be the target of Nader McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.

But Lucky has a secret--one that helps him wade through the daily mundane torture of his life. In his dreams, Lucky escapes to the war-ridden jungles of Laos--the prison his grandfather couldn't escape--where Lucky can be a real man, an adventurer, and a hero. It's dangerous and wild, and it's a place where his life just might be worth living. But how long can Lucky keep hiding in his dreams before reality forces its way inside?

Review: I have seen a ton of reviews of this book online and since they were all favorable I got this book for my school library and took it before it hit the shelves for the students to read. Bad librarian. Justification? Now I can recommend it to them better since I've read it. Do you like that?

I have never read a book by A.S. King (yes, I know, I must read Please Ignore Vera Dietz), but I am impressed. I cared about Lucky from page one and the other characters are believable and I understood them even when I didn't like them or their behavior. Bullying is such a sensitive topic and King handles it well, showing the impact on the bully, the victim, and the victim's family. Lucky's response is so good: he tells various people what is going on, but doesn't admit to the worst of the bullying because it is so humiliating. The adults in his life are too nervous to do anything significant and the bullying continues. Unfortunately, the school personnel are afraid of law suits, which seems to drive their actions (or inaction).

The issue of suicide is also ever present in this book, showing that Lucky is not the only one who is having a tough time. If they all just spoke out....

The ants. They appear as a humorous bunch who give Lucky advice, comment on the events in the book and are present in Lucky's mind. They did confuse me a bit I'll confess, but they didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. This is also true of the time Lucky spends trying to save his grandfather who is a POW/MIA. I don't want to say too much about this part of the story as it will give away the deeper issues that Lucky (and all of us) deal with.

Review: Lost Boy, Lost Girl (John Bul Dau)

2011-12-10T15:19:00.001-08:00

Title: Lost Boy, Lost Girl: Escaping Civil War in Sudan

Author: John Bul Dau and Martha Arual Akech

Genre: YA non-fiction

Pages: 158

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): One of thousands of children who feld strife in southern Sudan, John Bul Dau survived hunger, exhaustion, and violence. His wife, Martha, endured similar hardships. In this memorable book, the two convey the best of African values while relating searing accounts of famine and war. There's warmth as well, in their humorous tales of adapting to American life. For its importance as a primary source, for its inclusion of the rarely told female perspective of Sudan's lost children, for its celebration of human resilience, this is the perfect story to inform and inspire young readers.

Review: I have read a couple books about the Lost Boys of Sudan and have seen the documentary about John Bul Dao (the author of this book) and his friends as they left their Kenya refugee camp and came to America. All of them were interesting and I feel like I learned even more by reading this book.

First, I have never heard about the Lost Girls of Sudan! I realize now that girls are never mentioned in the other books and documentaries. I'd never seen photos of them either. It turns out that girls were given to adults and couples in the refugee camps so that they were taken care of while boys were left to fend for themselves.

In the first five pages I learned a couple interesting things: lions stalk their prey by peeing on the grasses on one side of the herd then going to the other side. When the victims smell the pee they run in the opposite direction, directly into the lions. Very clever. The other thing is that the Dinka, John's tribe, choose the fastest runners as children and train them to be "bringers". Bringers run directly at lions, stab them, and act as decoys as the rest of the village men attack the lion. What a job!

The story of the Lost Boys is a well known one by now: the Arab government in the north of Sudan sent soldiers to attack the mostly Christian villages in the south. Villages were burned to the ground, women and girls were kidnapped, raped and the men and boys were killed. Thousands of boys (and some men) managed to escape, walking for months through the Sudanese bush. Those that survived the walk ended up in refugee camps in Ethiopia until the Ethiopian government drove them back into Sudan. The final destination was Kukuma, a refugee camp in Kenya.

In the early 2000s the United States took in 3,000 Lost Boys, giving them housing, groceries and rent money for three months then they were on their own. Martha and John were part of this program. I like that the book includes background on the Dinka and their lives in Sudan before the war, their horrifying experiences during the war and their escape, time in the refugee camps, and what it was like to come to America and meet one another. We also get an update on what happened to their families.

Review: The Hand You're Dealt (Paul Volponi)

2011-12-09T06:06:00.001-08:00

Title: The Hand You're Dealt

Author: Paul Volponi

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 168

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): When Huck Porter's dad suddenly dies, it feels like nothing will ever make sense again. Huck's "best friend" thinks that Huck should just get over it, the girl he likes won't give him the time of day, and his mom now works all hours at a roadside diner to make ends meet. The only thing that still makes sense for Huck is the game his dad taught him, the game they spent hours paling together: Texas hold'em.

Worse than all of that, though, is Huck's math teacher, Mr Abbott--a hungry card shark with an ego to match his appetite. He now wears the local poker tournament's first prize, a silver watch that Huck's dad wore proudly for three years. So Huck hatches a plan to knock Abbott off his throne and win back the watch. Only, bluffing his way into the tournament will mean lying to everyone Huck knows. But as Huck gets deeper int the tournament and starts to lose himself in the cards, he begins to wonder who he'll be when the let hand is played.

Review: I am a real fan of Paul Volponi's books, they have good characters and strong stories that I think are especially good for teenage boys. He isn't preachy but usually has a good message and his books connect with our students. But, this book turned out to not be my favorite of his. I don't mean it isn't good, it just isn't my top choice (that goes to Black and White).

I liked the character of Huck, I feel like we got to know him, what's important to him, how he feels about his dad dying and how much he dislikes Abbott. I also thought the supporting characters added to the story even if we only knew them on a surface level, especially the other poker players.

Poker isn't really my thing and that's probably what stopped me from rating this book higher than a 4. I've played and enjoyed it, but I am not really "into" it so the descriptions of the tournament didn't capture me the way they might other readers. But, I was definitely routing for Huck, I got caught up in the story, and I felt all the right emotions reading this book.

Review: Blank Confession (Pete Hautman)

2011-12-07T05:42:00.001-08:00

Title: Blank Confession

Author: Pete Hautman

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 170

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Shayne Blank walks into the police station and confesses to having killed someone. How could the quiet, unassuming new kid in town be a murderer? It's hard to believe, but as Shayne tells his story, Detective Rawls is forced to face the reality that Shayne may be more--a lot more--than he seems. But who is he?

Review: This book is just what I needed after my last book took me a week to finish! This is a quick YA read that keeps the reader turning the pages to find out what Shayne is all about, who he killed, and how it all happened.

Shayne is new to town and immediately befriends Mikey, a small high school student who wears suits that he buys at thrift stores. The story is told through the eyes of both boys, Mikey as he relays events as he sees them and Shayne as he tells Detective Rawls how and why he killed someone. The question is: who did he kill and how did he do it? Why the person was killed isn't such a mystery as the story unfolds.

This is a book that deals with bullies and peer pressure, but like other good books in this genre, the story isn't preachy and high school students will feel pulled into the characters and plot without feeling like an adult is telling them what to do and how to behave. The issues of drugs, peer pressure, and what is the right thing to do are also present and effective.

Shayne is a great character because he is outside the main group at this high school. Since he is new he has a vantage point from which he can see what's really going on while those in the events are caught up in the history of one another. As the new kid, Shayne can befriend various factions and really "see" the issues clearly, allowing the reader insights to each character's actions and personality.

The description on the inside flap of this book suggests that Shayne cannot be a murderer and that's a great tone to set for the book. It makes the reader question what Shayne is saying to Detective Rawls until the very last few pages of the book.

Review: Legend (Marie Lu)

2011-12-04T20:03:00.001-08:00

Title: Legend

Author: Marie Lu

Genre: YA Dystopian fiction

Pages: 304

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school library

Summary (from Amazon): Once known as the western coast of the United States, the Republic is now a nation perpetually at war with hits neighbors, the Colonies. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a military prodigy. Obedient, passionate, and committed to her country, she is begin groomed for success in the Republic's highest circles.

Born into the slums of the Republic's Lake Sector, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths--until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered, and Day becomes the prime suspect. Now, caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June tries desperately to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths to which their country will go to keep its secrets.

Review: I have heard such great reviews of this book so I was really excited to read it. However, it's taken me a week to read it and I don't know if that's because I wasn't liking the book or because I was just having a hectic week. Then I read one non-glowing review and I felt a little better, like maybe it isn't just me. Overall I enjoyed the book by the end and maybe that's because I actually had a long chunk of time to read today. I hadn't had that all week.

Plot--I think I needed something to grip me earlier but I don't know what they would be. The idea is a really good one and what I like about dystopian fiction: the people versus the all-controlling government. Medical experimentation and illness, wealthy versus poor. That's all good and it came together well by the second half of the book.
Characters--June and Day are both likable characters even if the reader doesn't always agree with their actions. I find that is often true in dystopian fiction: wrong actions are acceptable since they are fighting for a higher truth/right. The evil characters are really evil in this book, killing at will and having no empathy or concern for the down-trodden.
Sequel--The author definitely left this one open to a sequel, which really isn't a surprise. Will I read it? Probably, but I won't rush out to read it right away. Well, maybe that's not true. It depends how much time has passed.

Review: Tangerine (Edward Bloor)

2011-11-28T06:55:00.001-08:00

Title: Tangerine

Author: Edward Bloor

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pages: 4296

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school library

Summary (from Amazon): Paul Fisher is legally blind. He wears glasses so thick he looks like a bug-eyed alien, and kids tell a story about how he blinded himself by staring at an eclipse of the sun. But Paul doesn't remember doing that. And he doesn't mind the glasses, because with them he can see. Can see the this parents' constant praise of his brother, Erik, the football start, is to cover up something that is terribly wrong. But no one listens to Paul. Until his family moves to Tangerine.

Tangerine is like another planet, where weird is normal. Lightening strikes at the same time every day. Underground fires burn for years. A sinkhole swallows a local school. And Paul the geek finds himself adopted into the toughest group around--the soccer team at his middle school. Suddenly the blind can see, geeks can be cool, and--maybe--a twelve-year-old kid can finally face up to his terrifying older brother. In Tangerine, it seems, anything is possible.

Review: I read this book because Ms. Wamsley read it a long time ago and really liked it. She is always trying to get our students to read it, but has a tough time convincing all of you. I figured if I read it we could both work to get them to read it and we might be a bit more successful.

For the first half of the book I wasn't so sure that I would do much convincing. However, by the end of the book I do think I can convince a certain group of our students to give this book a try.

As the story progressed I realized that it wasn't just a story about a boy playing soccer and living in a strange town in Florida where the weather was CRAZY and affected much of the action. This book really is about being truthful, loyal, open to new ideas, and standing up for what you know is right even when it isn't easy. And, those are great lessons for all of us at any age. I was really proud of Paul by the end of the book.

There is also good stuff about playing soccer, changing schools and being the new kid, dealing with a nasty older brother who is a total nightmare, and more.

Review: The Power of Six (Pittacus Lore)

2011-11-25T14:47:00.001-08:00

Title: The Power of Six

Author: Pittacus Lore

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pages: 406

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): I've sen him in the news. Followed the stories of what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. to the world, he's a mystery. but to me... he's one of us. Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us--if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blinding in, avoiding contact with one another... but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? THe girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England. And Number Three in Kenya. They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio--and failed. I am Number Seven. One of six still alive. And I am ready to fight.

Review: I think I liked this book even better than the first one, I am Number Four. I feel like I got to know the characters better and I liked that we met more of the Garde members. Through meeting numbers Six, Seven, and Nine we also get to know more about Lorien, the history of the war with the Mogadarians, and the Garde themselves.

I also really enjoyed reading the story from two perspectives, that of Number Four and of Number Seven who is in Spain. Number Seven's experiences are so different from those of Number Four that it really filled out the story. With the addition of Number Six we get some romance going, which is cute and doesn't distract from the main story. I also liked the new information we get about Sam, which I am not going to reveal here. You'll have to read the book yourself to find out about it.

As with the first book I didn't love the fight scenes, they just aren't my thing, but I understand that they are a necessary part of the story. I am excited to read the third installment, The Rise of Nine (unfortunately, it won't be released until August 2012)!

Review: Violence 101 (Denis Wright)

2011-11-09T06:02:00.000-08:00

Title: Violence 101

Author: Denis Wright

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 213

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Hamish Graham is highly intelligent, disciplines, resourceful and fearless. Be he is also a fourteen-year-old with a serious anger problem and a disturbing past. He scorns al signs of weakness, and on his first day at New Horizons, his third institution for young offenders, he establishes his place at the top of the pecking order with a vicious attack on the largest boy in the group. Told in alternating perspectives, the book give a first-hand account of Hamish's world through his journal entries chronicling his past, and through the voices of the instructors and counselors who desperately struggle with how they can help a boy who cannot see beyond his violent worldview.

Review: Disturbed. That's how I feel, but not because of the violence in the book. Rather, I am disturbed because of the way the main character uses impressive logic to justify his violence. He shows no remorse, but truly feels that there is a justifiable reason for his anger and violence and he is very convincing. The author has an interesting forward in which he tells a bit about New Zealand history as well as his thoughts about violence and anger, including that he doesn't want the reader to label Hamish as a sociopath or psychopath.

Hamish is such an interesting character; he is intelligent, observant, logical, angry, obsessed with military leaders (in particular Alexander the Great), and violent. We get to know Hamish through his journal entries that he writes to the staff at the Boys Home. He is brutally honest about the things he has done, both violent and not, and why he did them. He also includes his insights about the other boys and the staff, which is how we get to know the other characters, all of whom are believable. I vacillated between sympathizing with the staff (I cannot imagine working at such a school) and being irritated with them for letting Hamish run the place. Some of the characters in this book are Maori and there is a lot of Maori vocabulary for which I used the glossary at the end of the book.

While the bulk of the story takes place in the boys home where Hamish has been put (his third, by the way) though the journals we travel to various locations in Hamish's life as he talks about his past and about military history that impresses him. The reader will learn a tremendous amount about history in fact. But, don't skim these parts because Hamish moves quickly between recounting a military offensive and explaining his own actions and justifications. I got a little tired of the military history myself, but when I realized there were nuggets of Hamish in the middle I kept on reading them (though I wanted to skim).

The final quarter of the book takes a turn when Hamish escapes from the boys' home. However, I am not going to recount any of that here as it would absolutely ruin the climax of the book. Suffice it to say the ending is the type I like: not too simple or obvious and there is no easy answer to the problems.

Review: Playground (50 Cent)

2011-11-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

Title: Playground

Author: 50 Cent

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 314

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Butterball will never tell what caused him to hit that kid on the playground with a sock full of batteries. Thirteen-year-old Butterball doesn't have much going for him. He's teased about his weight. He hates the Long Island suburb his mom moved them to so she could go to nursing school and start her life over. He wishes he still lived with his dad in New York City--where there's always something happening, even if his dad doesn't have much time for him. Still, that's not why he beat up Maurice on the playground. Now his school is forcing him to talk to some out-of-touch lady therapist, as though she could ever fix him--as though she could ever figure out the truth. No, Butterball's lips are sealed about what happened that day. But some tales can't help being told. And this is one of them.

Review: I went book shopping today for the school library and saw this book displayed. I figured 50 Cent wrote it, that might get students to read it. When I got home, I was so intrigued I sat down and read it in one sitting, drawn in from the first page!

Below the description of this book it says that the book is "inspired by 50 Cent's own adolescence and is the hard-hitting and inspirational story of the redemption of a bully." Great description and very true. I like that a rapper and someone who is seen as so hard-core has written a book so full of feeling and insight. He managed to be realistic, honest, and to show the inner thoughts of the bully to allow the reader to see where the behavior and attitude can come from. However, he doesn't excuse Butterball's behavior or try to explain it away as acceptable either.

The story is totally believable, I cared about the main character and what he was going through, who he was interacting with, how he was being treated, and what others are doing that helps him and hurts him. It's so difficult for any of us, teens especially, to accept help, admit defeat or to any wrong-doing, but in the end Butterball manages to do some of this in a very realistic way.

I hope I am successful at recommending this book to SMHS students.

2011-11-01T20:00:00.001-07:00

Title: Borderline

Author: Allan Stratton

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 296

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Life's not easy for Sami Sabiri since his dad stuck him at a private school where he's the only Muslim kid. But it's about to get a lot worse. When Sami catches his father in a lie, he gets suspicious.... He's not the only one. In a whirlwind, the FBI descends on his home, and Sami's family becomes the center of an international terrorist investigation. Now Sami must fight to keep his world from unravelling.

Review: I read this book so quickly; I was drawn in from the very start! Sami is a character that many readers (teens especially) can identify with: he is smart; his parent are strict; he has high expectations for himself; he is bullied because he is different.

The bullying is something that is done ver well in this book, it begins with low-level bullying (nasty comments) and escalates to violence. I got angry as teachers and administrators didn't do anything to stop the bullying or to help Sami. In fact, Sami is the one who got in trouble for responding to the bullies. I also liked the friendships between Sami and his friends Andy and Marty. They have issues, fights, and don't always get along, but they are there for each other when it matters most.

The other main storyline, the terrorist investigation is also handled well. As the only muslim family in the town (the parents moved to the US from Iran), the Sabiris had to fight to buy their house in their neighborhood, they put up with racial slurs, and they feel that they need to defend themselves to others who question their loyalty to America. When Sami's dad is arrested by the FBI as a terrorist the story seems frighteningly real from his arrest to the media coverage to the outcome (which I won't reveal). We have heard so many similar stories over the past ten years that this book rings true and that's painful.

Review: Wife of the Gods (Kwei Quartey)

2011-10-31T05:54:00.001-07:00

Title: Wife of the Gods

Author: Kwei Quartey

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 312

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): In a shady grove outside the small town of Ketanu, a young woman--a promising med student--has been found dad under suspicious circumstances. Eager to close ht erase, the local police have arrested a poor, enamored teenage boy and charged him with murder. Needless to say, they are less than thrilled when an outside force arrives froth gib city to lead an inquiry into the baffling case.

Detective Inspector Darko Dawson, fluent in Ketanu's indigenous language, is the right man for the job, but he hates the idea of leaving his loving wife and young son, a plucky kid with a defective heart. Pressured by his cantankerous boss, Dawson agrees to travel to Ketanu, sort through the evidence, and tie up the loose ends as quickly and as efficiently as possible. But for Dawson, this sleepy corner of Ghana is rife with emotional land mines: an estranged relationship with the family he left behind twenty-five years earlier and the painful memory of his own mother's sudden, inexplicable disappearance.

Review: It took me a week to read this book, which is really unusual for me. I was afraid that it wasn't going to work for me, but then I stayed up way late last night to finish it, unable to go to bed until I discovered "who done it."

I do like a good mystery and this one definitely worked. I was surprised by the ending and the result of the detective's investigation, but it wasn't one of those endings that seemed unrealistic. What I especially liked was how much human nature played into who committed the crime: jealousy, traditional beliefs, and our need for love and companionship all played a role.

While the first half of the book was slow for me it wasn't because I didn't enjoy the book. What I found very interesting is how much I learned about traditional Ghanaian culture and beliefs, covering topics such as witchcraft, food, life in rural villages, language (there is a glossary at the back, which I didn't use), and customs. One of the big issues the book deals with is the Trokosi. The author even has a little explanation at the front of the book about them. They are the young girls or women who are "married" to a local fetish priest to ward off evil that has befallen a family. Any money they earn is given to the priest as well. Apparently this is quite controversial in the Volta region of Ghana where this book takes place and Quartey did a great job at showing both sides of the issue.

What's Hot in the SMHS library

2011-10-27T16:34:00.001-07:00

Here are the 25 books that have been checked out the most since school began in late August:

Always Running: La Vida loca: gang days in LA by Luis Rodriguez
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
A Child Called "It": one child's courage to survive by David Pelzer
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Lost Boy: a foster child's search for the love of a family by David Pelzer
Feed by MT Anderson
A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
The Help by Kathryn Stockkett
Impulse by Ellen Hopkins
A Million LIttle Pieces by James Frey
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
The Fredom Writers Diary by the Freedom Writers
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Holes by Louis Sacher
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Such an interesting mix of genres on this list! I am surprised that there aren't more paranormal and supernatural books.

Review: Nothing Pink (Mark Hardy)

2011-10-23T11:17:00.001-07:00

Title: Nothing in Pink

Author: Mark Hardy

Genre: YA Fiction, LGBTQ

Pages: 109

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): Vincent always knew, deep down inside, that he was gay. He was fine with that. The problem was that his faith told him he was a sinner and damned to hell. Every Sunday after Vincent's father preached his sermon and called on his flock to come to the altar and accept salvation, Vincent tried, but it never helped. And then, the first Sunday at his father's new church, Vincent meets Robert, and what was previously a spiritual crisis becomes physical. Vincent's parents can't do much about the time Vincent spends with Robert, whatever their suspicions and fears. But when Vincent's mother discovers a copy of a magazine in Vincent's room that makes the unacknowledged truth blatantly obvious, Vincent's nature and faith collide.

Review: This slim volume is a quick read, but packs a punch. Vincent is mostly comfortable with who he is, having come to terms with his homosexuality early on. Now he's a teenager in a family that lives strictly by the word of the Bible and he knows that his God has not "fixed" him yet. He thinks maybe he doesn't want or need to be fixed and when he meets Robert and has his first crush he is happy.

What I really liked about this book is that it shows the innocence of first crushes, meeting someone you really like for the first time, wanting to spend all your time with them, and hoping it isn't wrong. The scenes when Vincent's parents find out and confront him about the magazine are a bit painful with me worrying about what they would do to him. Their answer is prayer and, his mother to tell him that she loves him unconditionally even though her faith tells her he is going to hell.

By the end of the book the reader knows that Vincent is okay with himself and that's a wonderful message.

Review: Stuck in Neutral (Terry Trueman)

2011-10-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

Title: Stuck in Neutral

Author: Terry Trueman

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 114

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): Shawn McDaniel's life is not what it may seem to anyone looking at him. He is glued to his wheelchair, unable to voluntarily move a muscle--he can't even move his eyes. For all Shawn's father knows, his son may be suffering. Shawn may want a release. And as long as he is unable to communicate his true feelings to his father, Shawn's life is in danger. To the world, Shawn's senses seem dead. Within these pages, however, we meet a side of him that no one else has seen--a spirit that is rich beyond imagining, breathing life.

Review: This is one of those books that gets me thinking about what would I do, how would I handle this situation? And, the answer is I just don't know how I would do.

This story is based on the author's own experiences. From what he says in the Author's Note, his child is a quadrapalegic who cannot communicate. The author assumes there is something going on inside, but admits he doesn't know for sure. Wow!

I think he described the thoughts of the main character very well and really got into his head as well as those of his parents, making me think about what it would be like to be on each side of this situation. The book is a quick read, but really makes the reader think. The end is extremely intense as the reader waits to find out if Shawn's father does indeed kill hime to "end his suffering" (of course, I am not going to tell you how it ends).

Review: Audition (Stasia Ward Kehoe)

2011-10-21T16:22:00.000-07:00

Title: Audition

Author: Stasia Ward Kehoe

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 458

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): When Sara is offered a scholarship with the prestigious Jersey Ballet, there's no way she can turn down the opportunity of a lifetime. But to take it, she must leave her family and friends for a strange city. Suddenly, she's thrust into a life of endless ballet class and rehearsal, of juggling schoolwork with hours in the studio, of constantly being critiqued, corrected, and judged.

Overwhelmed and lonely, Sara connects with Remington, a brilliant up-and-coming choreographer. Though he's too old for her, sparking scandal at the studio, Sara is thrilled to become Rem's muse. But as the secrets pile up and Rem's innovative dances start to attract wider attention, Sara wonders whose dreams she's making come true.

Review: I have only read one other book that is written in verse and I did alright with it. This one was a little tougher for me and it made me realize that I really like dialogue and quotation marks when I am reading. Weird thing, I know, but true.

Sara is a likable character, but I wanted her to stand up for herself, to be more vocal, and to go after her goals rather than just floating through life, not letting people know how and what she is feeling. Hearing the whole book from inside her head made me feel like I really knew her and, at sixteen and away from home, it is difficult to figure out who you are and what you want when you are so unsure.

The story is pleasant, but not exciting, in fact it felt like ballet feels to me: smooth, beautifully done, but not exciting. Does that sound horrible? I guess I am just used to more action in the books I read and this one is more introspective and I realize that isn't a bad thing, it just isn't what I am used to. I do think the author did a great job at showing what life is like in a dance studio, the pressures on the girls for their bodies to fit a mold, for audition anxiety, who got what part in each show, etc.

Perfect Chemistry author event

2011-10-20T06:33:00.000-07:00

I went to Santa Barbara High School yesterday afternoon to see Simone Elkeles speak! She was quite brash, very funny, and super talkative. Simone talked about how she became a writer, doing research for her books (including shooting an M-16 in Israel and working with cops on gang patrol in south central Los Angeles), and how she came about working with these great young men on movie-style book trailers for her Perfect Chemistry books (Perfect Chemistry, Rules of Attraction, and Chain Reaction). All three trailers can be seen on her website).

Simone, "Alex", "Carlos", and "Luis"

The girls in the crowd were super excited since Simone brought along the three young men who play Alex (he is also the groom in Katy Perry's music video), Carlos, and Luis in the book trailers!

After the talk we made our way to one of the classrooms where they had the mobile cafe, a DJ, books for sale and the guy who plays Alex (Alex Rodriguez) even got up and danced for a while. It was all very fun, not like a regular book signing. There were even girls who had traveled 6 hours to meet them.

Teens' Top Ten Book Choices

2011-10-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Teen's Top Ten book choices are:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Matched by Ally Condie
Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

I have read Before I Fall, Mockingjay, I am Number Four, and Matched. and I liked all of them, so I think it's a pretty good list. However, the list definitely feels female-heavy so my guess is that many more girls than boys voted in this year's poll.

Review: Chain Reaction (Simone Elkeles)

2011-10-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

Title: Chain Reaction

Author: Simone Elkeles

Genre: YA Romance Fiction

Pages: 308

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers' lives. But that didn't stop him from taking risks--whether he's scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can't stop looking for the next thrill. Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules--boys lie to get their way, don't trust a boy who says "I love you," and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor's daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex's wedding, and suddenly, she's tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a south sider is Luis' biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis' family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he's ever believed to be true.

Review: I loved the first two books in this series and this third (and final?) installment did not disappoint! I was afraid it would be a rehash of old issues (Mexican boy, white girl, he's not as bad as he seems, etc) but Elkeles manages to make each book in this series connected to the previous books while bringing out new material.

The story is told alternately from two viewpoints: Luis Fuentes and Nikki Cruz. Luis is eighteen, smart (he wants to be an astronaut) and has great ambition, but he also loves an adrenaline rush. This need for adrenaline is what fuels him to make the choices he does and they are usually not the wisest choices. Nikki is also smart, but is attracted to "bad boys". What is it about females who need to be with the bad boy?!

I did like the flow of the story, it was tender, tense, and believable. Student readers will relate to detention, school work, teen dating, and some to gang life. It definitely wraps up neatly in the end, but an epilogue leaves open the possibility of more books following the future generations of Fuentes boys. I have enjoyed the entire trilogy including Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction.

Review: Martha Graham (Russell Freedman)

2011-10-15T20:36:00.001-07:00

Title: Martha Graham: A Dancer's Life

Author: Russell Freedman

Genre: Adult Non-fiction

Pages: 162

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Martha Graham, the American dancer, teacher, and choreographer, revolutionized the world of dance. An electrifying performer and a major artist of the twentieth century, she possessed a great gift for revealing emotion through the dance she created, expressing beliefs and telling stories in a way utterly new to the world of dance.

Review: What I thought I knew about Martha Graham before I read this book could be summed up in one sentence: She is the founder of Modern Dance and she attended the same high school as me, Santa Barbara High.

Well, obviously, there is so much more to her than that. Here are the things that I found most interesting:

She was fairly short and stocky, different from most dancers in the early part of the 1900s
She really did attend my high school, playing basketball, doing student council, and writing for the literary magazine (now the yearbook).
She used the lions at the zoo for some of her inspiration when she wanted to create a new type of dance. I was surprised to find that she set out specifically to create a new and different style of dancing in the 1930s
She is considered the creator of modern dance, a term she never liked
She added men to her company, which was unusual outside the ballet
She introduced the idea of the floor as a "direction" in dancing, using the floor for movement and expression of the human body and also of dancing barefoot
She refused to go to Nazi Germany to perform for Hitler
She was the first dancer to serve as US Cultural Ambassador
She performed until she was 75 years old!
She died at the age of 96 in 1991

Review: Ready Player One (Ernest Cline)

2011-10-14T05:49:00.000-07:00

Title: Ready Player One

Author: Ernest Cline

Genre: Adult Science Fiction

Pages: 372

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I bought this book with my own money and will donate it to my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending this waking hours jacked into the OASIS--a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS create James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle. Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win.

Review: I have only ever played one video game in my entire life and that was on a date when I was in graduate school. We played Centipede. Needless to say we didn't go out again. And I never played Dungeons and Dragons. However, I was in high school and college in the 1980s and I got all the references to popular culture in this book and that is what hooked me.

I wasn't sure if this book should go into the San Marcos Library collection or not, but when a couple students saw me reading it yesterday and I told them about it, they got all excited, starting talking about '80s cultural references and video games. So, the book is going in!

The first 70 or so pages were slow for me, the main character living in a virtual world, engaging in battles, etc just didn't grab me, but I persevered because I've read so many great reviews of this book and figured something was going to hook me. And it did! While for me there was a little too much video game in the story, I really got into the story line, the characters, the "game" that was being played and the outcome of the book. In fact, I'd say the last 100 pages were some of the best I've read in a long time, this is where the plot really comes to a head and I was riveted, not wanting to put the book down so that I could find out what happened.

I loved the references to the songs, musicians, fashions, movies, television shows, and other cultural references of the 1980s. I knew exactly what those things looked like and sounded like, which made this book even richer for me. It also brought back wonderful memories of going to concerts, watching TV, jamming out to music, etc and that was fun. I've found myself thinking a lot about my high school and college days this past week.

The characters. I really cared about them. They are "normal" people living in this virtual world that has been created, avoiding the real world. They have created characters for themselves that they can hide behind; this allows them to look better than they think they look in real life, be braver, and to be rewarded for their vast knowledge of trivia. I really liked the friendships that existed and I was rooting for them all the way through.

And the ending. I didn't see the twists and turns of the final chapters coming. I knew the ultimate outcome (sort of) since we're told about it up front, but I liked that I was surprised at how we got there.

Review: Thunder over Kandahar (Sharon E McKay)

2011-10-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

Title: Thunder over Kandahar

Author: Sharon E. McKay

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 257

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school's library

Summary (from the back of the book): Best friends Tamanna and Yasimne cannot believe their good fortune when a school is set up in their Afghan village; however, their dreams for the future are shattered when the Taliban burn down the school and threaten the teacher and students with death.

As Tamanna faces an arranged marriage to an older man, and the Taliban target Yasmine's Western-educated family, the girls realize they must flee. Traveling through dangerous mountain passes, the two unaccompanied teens find themselves in mortal danger as they confront land mines, a suicide bomber, and roving bands of Taliban. But when the two girls are separated, they are left without the one thing that has helped them survive--each other.

Review: The cover of this book makes it look like a "boy" book because of the helicopters, but my guess is that it will appeal more to girls. I thought this was a very well done book except that occasionally the dialog felt a bit stilted.

This book follows the friendship of Yasmine, an Afghani born in England who recently moved to Afghanistan with her parents to "give back to their country", and Tamanna, a poor Afghan girl who doesn't have much of a future. Their friendship makes sense as both girls are bright, eager to learn, and willing to take small risks to better their lives.

The interactions with the Taliban and the foreign soldiers also feel very real, revealing the culture, the history, and the current situation in Afghanistan. I think teens who read this book will come away with a good sense of what life is like for girls under Taliban rules (even when the Taliban aren't officially in charge), boys who try to avoid the Taliban "recruiters", and westerners who try to help but are quite flummoxed over what to do to make an impact.

And the story is compelling. Talk about a survival story that makes the reader want to read to the end to find out what happens! I was glued to the couch until I finished the book.

I knew this was a novel, but the post-script really makes it all feel extremely real, so much so that I checked the author's notes and the back of the book for confirmation that it is fiction!

Review: Now is the Time for Running (Michael Williams)

2011-10-08T16:08:00.000-07:00

Title: Now is the Time for Running

Author: Michael Williams

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 228

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school's library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Just downy he road from their families, Deo and his friends play soccer in the dusty fields of Zimbabwe, cheered on by Deo's older brother, Innocent. It is a day like any other... until the soldiers arrive and Deo and Innocent are forced to run for their lives, fleeing the wreckage of their village for a distant promise of safe haven. This is a story of survival that follows Deo and his brother on a transformative journey.

Review: I do like a book that has sports in it, especially when the sport is soccer. And, I love books set in countries far away and different from the United States. That means this book was meant for me; it's got a soccer playing boy living in Zimbabwe (southeastern Africa).

However, Now is the Time for Running is so much more than a sports book. Yes, Deo plays soccer, but soccer is a means to keep him going, to help him through the tough times, and to bring hope to his tragic life. So, this isn't a soccer book, it's a humanity book in which the character happens to play soccer sometimes.

Michael Williams has created a character that any reader can identify with. Fourteen year old Deo loves his grandfather and mother, goes to school where his mother is a teacher, and feels responsible for his brother, Innocent, who is older than Deo, but is mentally impaired. But Deo's life is shattered in the first chapter of the book when the President's soldiers enter the village and kill most of its inhabitants. Where should Deo and Innnocent go? How can they take care of themselves? Like the Lost Boys of Sudan they start walking, but at least they know some people in towns a few hours away who try to help them.

The political situation in Zimbabwe is such that Deo is told to make his way to South Africa, which he and Innocent do. Their time traveling and their experiences once they arrive in South Africa make for fascinating reading filled with tension. It is even more amazing when the reader realizes that thousands of young people have made this journey in real life.

Being a refugee and a foreigner in South Africa, like anywhere in the world, is no easy task. I don't want to give away any more of the plot, but much of it is based on real news accounts of events in the townships of South Africa in the mid-2000s. This is one of those stories where I find myself questioning humanity and our attitudes toward those who are different from ourselves.

What I like about that ending is that even though we are left with a lot of unknowns, there is hope for Deo.

Review: What You Wish For

2011-10-07T18:42:00.001-07:00

Title: What You Wish For: a book for Darfur

Author: "Your favorite authors"

Genre: YA Short Stories

Pages: 254

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I was given this book by an editor at the publishing company and I am going to put it into my school library's collection

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): What You Wish For has brought together a stunning and potent international roster of authors and includes not only stories and poems by some of the best talent writing for youth today, but also a graphic story. This affecting collection celebrates the simple wishes--home, family, safety and love, things we all wish for--of the Darfuri refugees with incredible grace, beauty and ofttimes humor. It's a special and inspiring collection poised to lave an indelible mark on its readers.

Review: This book just showed up in my mailbox one day and I thought it was a great idea to have a whole bunch of famous YA writers pen stories on a theme. None of the stories is about Darfur, but the proceeds from the book (all authors wrote for free) go to create libraries for the Darfur refugees living in eastern Chad.

Here are the authors included in the book:

Alexander McCall Smith--author of the No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Jeanne DuPrau--author of The City of Embers series
Jane Yolen--author of The Devil's Arithmetic
Meg Cabot--author of the Princess Diaries series
Sofia Quintero--education activist
Marilyn Nelson--poet
Karen Hesse--author of Letters from Rifka
Gary Soto--author of Buried Onions
John Green--author of Looking for Alaska
Ann M. Martin--author of the Babysitter's Club series
Naomi Shihab Nye--poet
Cynthia Voigt--author of Bad Girls
Cornelia Funke--author of the Inkheart series
Nikki Giovanni--poet
R.L. Stine--author of the Goosebumps series
Francisco X. Stork--author of Marcelo in the Real World
Nate Powell--graphic novelist and author of Swallow Me Whole
Joyce Carol Oates--author of Freaky Green Eyes

While each of these stories had something good in it, my favorite was Meg Cabot's The Protectionist. I have never read anything by Meg Cabot, but am now definitely going to read one of her novels.

I think that is one of the greatest things about this book, the reader gets to sample each of these authors and perhaps readers will be inspired to read novels by some of them.

On Steve Jobs (and Macs)

2011-10-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

It's strange when a famous person dies that I don't know, but I am saddened and affected at their passing. For me, it was that way when I heard yesterday that Steve Jobs had died. What is it about him that affected me more than others?

My first computer in 1986 was a Mac IIe. I finished college with it and used it to earn my Masters Degree
My updated Macs throughout the years that have seen me through earning my teaching credentials and National Board certification

The present of a small iPod in 2004 that I really didn't think I needed because, really, when would I use it
My current laptop, a MacBookPro, that I purchased in 2009. How ironic that my dad, a scientist and die-hard PC guy, just got a MacAir 2 days ago
My iPad that I got earlier this year. Boy do I use it for a lot of stuff (yes, reading books on trips. I sold my Kindle)

My most recent Apple acquisition? An iPhone this summer. I had no idea how much I could like a phone

How about you? Are you an Apple geek? What's your favorite Apple product?

Review: Start Something that Matters (Blake Mycoskie)

2011-10-03T05:38:00.000-07:00

Title: Start Something that Matters

Author: Blake Mycoskie

Genre: Non-fiction

Pages: 185

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I bought this book with my own money

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): What matters most to you? Should you focus on earning a living, pursuing your passions, or devoting yourself to the causes that inspire you? The surprising truth is that you don't have to choose--and that you'll find more success if you don't. That's the breakthrough message of TOMS' One for One movement. You don't have to be rich give back and you don't have to retire to spend every day doing what you love. You can find profit, passion, and meaning all at once right now.

In Start Something that Matters, Blake Mycoskie tells the story of TOMS, one font e fastest-growing shoe companies in the world, and combines it with lessons learned from such innovative organizations as method, charity: water, FEED Projects, and TerraCycle. Blake presents the six simple keys for creating or transforming your own life and business, from discovering your core story to being resourceful to incorporating going into every aspect of your life. No matter what kind of change you're considering, State Something that Matters gives you the stories, ideas, and practical tips that can help you get started.

Review: Of course, I didn't read the inside flap before recommending this book to one of my book groups, I was just excited at the idea of reading a book about a company and a man that are making a difference. Hey, today I even went and tried on a pair of classic TOMS shoes and a pair of high heeled wedges. The wedges were too high for me, but I am seriously considering the classics. Blake is right, the story makes a difference and it makes me want to buy a pair of his shoes.

The book covers the story of TOMS, their goals, how they work the company, and the impact they are making. However, it is also much more. In amongst the stories of his own company, Mycoskie discusses other entrepreneurs and businesses that have influenced him and the way he runs his company. Some of his biggest concepts are trust (within the company and with vendors and customers), facing fears when starting a company or venture, and keeping it simple.

While I am not starting up a company, I found this book really interesting. And the story of TOMS and all the work they are doing is very impressive. When you take Econ and have to read an econ-related book, give this one a shot, it's a quick easy read and it might just inspire you.

Review: Stotan (Chris Crutcher)

2011-09-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

Title: Stotan

Author: Chris Crutcher

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 183

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): In the final swimming season at Frost High School, Coach Max Il Song offers his small but talented team the gift of self-discipline in the form of Stotan Week--a grueling four-hour-a-day, nonstop test of physical and emotional stamina designed to bring them to the outer edge of their capabilities. The four young men accept the challenge--and something none of them could have predicted is set in motion.

Review: I was a swimmer in high school and my first year of college. I lived and breathed swimming. I get what it takes to do early morning workouts in the dark when everyone else is asleep. I know what it feels like to stink of chlorine, to have shiny hair, and large shoulders. And I know how close a team can get. I cannot imagine the closeness of a team of four as in this book, the bond would be unbreakable.

Stotan. Super intense physically and emotionally. The idea is that the athlete gets past the pain and enters the no pain zone where it all comes together and makes sense. I did one workout like this in high school: 1000 yards of butterfly no stopping. Talk about getting into the zone.

This book, like all the Chris Crutcher books I've read so far, is about so much more than sports (or whatever the title would suggest). As he always does he has male high school characters who have close friendships, good female friends, and they deal with serious stuff. There is abuse, bullying, racism, heartache, and pain. But there is also bonding, love, supporting each other, laughter, great adult role models, crying, and working through it all.

The book is a bit dated, having been written in 1986, but for me that was perfect. For students now you may miss some of the cultural references, but the book is SO WORTH IT!

Review: Leverage (Joshua C. Cohen)

2011-09-17T09:33:00.000-07:00

Title: Leverage

Author: Joshua C. Cohen

Genre: YA Sports Fiction

Pages: 425

Rating: 5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school's library

Summary (from the back of the book): There's an extraordinary price for victory at Oregrove High. It is paid on--and off--the football field. And it claims its victims without mercy--including the most innocent bystanders. When a violent, steroid-infused, ever-escalting prank war has devastating consequences, an unlikely friendship between a talented but emotionally damaged fullback and a promising gymnast mitt hold the key to a school's salvation. Told in alternating voices and with unapologetic truth, Leverage illuminates the fierce loyalty, flawed justice, and hard-won optimism of two young athletes.

Review: Intense. Thought-provoking, and That is the word that describes this book. Here are some of the issues that Cohen deals with in this well-written, tense, and realistic book

First impressions--as with most of us, the characters in this story base their opinions of one another based on how they look. Kurt is HUGE, has awful facial scars and stutters. Everyone assumes he is stupid and scary. Kurt is neither of these two things.
Steroids--the affects of steroids (anger, impotence and more) are deftly highlighted in this story without being preachy
Win at all costs--while this is not always present in sports, all too often words such as "kill", "demolish", and "annihilate" are often used when talking about an opponent. At times, it gets out of hand and athletes will do things they know are wrong in order to win, to gain college admission, or to get an athletic scholarship
Peer pressure--wow. This is a big one in life and in books, but Cohen plays it out so well in Leverage. We have all succumbed to peer pressure, either to do something we know is wrong or to keep quiet when we know we should speak out. As an adult I really work hard to make sure that I say something or come to someone's defense, but as a teen that is probably one of the most difficult tasks. To be a witness and not to speak up because of fear is an awful thing and lies at the heart of this novel.
Friendship--a true friend, someone who likes you for who you are, despite your failings, is rare. Danny and Kurt find such a friendship and I loved the way it built slowly but surely, each one learning to trust the other a little bit at a time.

On the author's website he states that he began writing Leverage after reading a news account of a horrific attack by a group of high school seniors on their fellow underclassmen teammates. When the victim reluctantly came forward they were ostracized by the surrounding community for sullying the reputation of the school and causing a cancellation of the football season. Leverage is brutal, honest, and leaves nothing behind.

Review: The Skin I'm In (Sharon G. Flake)

2011-09-13T06:45:00.000-07:00

Title: The Skin I'm In

Author: Sharon G. Flake

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 197

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school's library (but I read it before I added it to the collection!)

Summary (from the back of the book): Maleeka suffers every day from the taunts of the other kids in her class. If they're not getting at her about her homemade clothes or her good grades, it's about her dark skin. When a new teacher, whose face is blotched with a startling white patch, shows up at their school, Maleeka can see there is bound to be trouble for her, too. But the new teacher's attitude surprises Maleeka. Miss Saunders loves the skin she's in. Can Maleeka learn to do the same?

Review: I didn't really know much about this book before I read it today except that a student at school requested we get it for our library and that it won a Corretta Scott King Award. This is a quick read and one that both boys and girls can relate to, I'd say middle grades up through high school.

Maleeka is very dark skinned and gets teased about it by everyone. Add to that she is tall and gangly. Aren't the teen years just fantastic? Of course, people can't just feel awkward about themselves, they've got to put others down to make themselves feel better. How sad. And Maleeka is getting a fist full of it. She is smart, but her grades are failing. She hangs out with nasty girls who treat her horribly. Then comes Ms. Saunders who also has a physical "issue". With tough love and support it feels like she starts to get through to Maleeka.

Although this is a quick and fairly easy read it packs a powerful punch. It deals with racism (within a group, if that makes sense), a shared history of kids who grow up together, bullying, the role of both adults and teens in making the right choices, the impact one person can have on another, and more. It will really make you think, which is so fantastic in a book! What I like best is that everything isn't fixed by the end, but the reader can see that there is hope for Maleeka and her education, her self-worth, and more.

Review: Kick (Walter Dean Myers and Ross Workman)

2011-09-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

Title: Kick

Author:Walter Dean Myers and Ross Workman

Genre: YA Sports Fiction

Pages: 197

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school's library (but I read it before I added it to the collection!)

Summary (from the back of the book): Kevin Johnson is thirteen years old. And heading for juvie. He's a good kid, a great friend, and a star striker for his Highland, New Jersey, soccer team. They're competing for the State Cup, and Kevin wants to prove he has more than just star-player potential. Kevin's never been in any serious trouble... until the night he ends up in jail. Enter Sergeant Brown, a cop assigned to be Kevin's mentor. If Kevin and Brown can learn to trust each other, they might be able to turn things around before it's too late.

Review: I have liked every single book of Walter Dean Myers' that I have read. I didn't know much about this one except that I discovered how the book came about when I read the back. Ross W sent an email to Walter Dean Myers saying how Myers is his favorite author because he (Myers) writes as if the characters really are students. Myers' response was, let's write a book together! How cool is that?!

This isn't my favorite of Myers' books, but it has many elements that I enjoy. Soccer is Kevin's, the main character, sport, which I really like. There is just enough of the game for those of us who enjoy it and know it, but not so much that the non-enthusiast will get bored with it.

I had a difficult time believing that the main character was only 13, though I think it's the right age for him to be. I kept picturing him as 15, but that would have made him get in a lot more trouble than a 13 year old. I think the authors did a great job at showing how a teenager's anger stems from various sources and how that anger comes out in different forms. When Kevin finally begins to talk to Jerry Brown (the police officer) he feels better. I think that is so important for teens to realize that all adults aren't out to get them, that some of us are aware of how they feel and why they act the way they do. For teenagers to have an adult that they trust and can go to can make the world of difference.

The ending was a little bit too perfect, but I guess sometimes life does work out, I have to remember that!

Review: Unbroken (Laura Hillenbrand)

2011-09-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

Title: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Rdemption

Author: Laura Hillenbrand

Genre: Adult Non-fiction

Pages: 404 (plus notes and index)

Rating: 5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I bought this book

Summary (from the back of the book): On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane's bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant's name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he'd been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trail even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

Review: Fascinating, informative, shocking, funny, and revealing are all words that come to mind when I think about the book I have just finished. Laura Hillenbrand is a wonderful writer, able to weave a story together that reads like a novel even though it is non-fiction. And, she did it all with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome! I am not even sure how to put all my thoughts together about this book so I think I'll do just individual thoughts.

I loved the stories of Louie's childhood and his running. I had no idea he was such an amazing athlete, making it to the Olympics and shattering records left and right.
I have read a lot of books about WWII, but this book showed me stuff I didn't know such as life as an airman and what was happening in the fight for all the little islands in the Pacific.
Louie Zamperini and all the other men who were with him in the POW camps in Japan are heroes. How did they endure the beatings, the starvation, the humiliation and come out whole, I do not know.
The Japanese do not come out well in this book, but I must realize that it was the Japanese military machine during war time that is portrayed here and not the civilian population. Actually, I hadn't realized the course of reconciliation that took place between the US and Japan starting in the 1950s.
I also liked the honesty with which Hillenbrand approached the details of this story. Without giving too much away, we see the good, the bad, and the really bad of each person, making the reader feel that s/he is getting the whole truth and not just a fluff version.

Review: Ironman (Chris Crutcher)

2011-09-05T06:27:00.000-07:00

Title: Ironman

Author: Chris Crutcher

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 181

Rating: 5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): Bo Brewster has been at war with his father for as long as he can remember. Following angry outbursts at his football coach and English teacher that have cost him his spot on the football team and moved him dangerously close to expulsion from school, he turns to the only adult he believes will listen. Larry King.

In his letters to Larry, Bo describes his quest for excellence on his own terms. No more coaches for me, he tells the talk show icon, no more dads. I'm going to be a triathlete, an Ironman. Relegated to Mr. Nak's before-school Anger Management group (which he initially believes to be populated with future serial killers and freeway snipers), Bo meets a hard-edged, down-on-their-luck pack of survivors with stainless steel shields against the world that Bo comes to see are not so different from his own. It is her he meets and falls in love with Shelly, a future American Gladiator, whose passion for physical challenge more than matches his.

Review: Chris Crutcher has done it again. He combines a sense of humor with horror and makes me want to read more. Bo is an angry teen whose dad is a total jerk, all they do is butt heads while Bo's dad uses denial to raise his son. Bo's reaction is to call his football coach an asshole, which lands him in this Anger Management group. This is a common theme for Crutcher who was a teacher and child/family therapist. My guess is that he was excellent at both.

All the characters except one in this book are male, making it one of those rare books geared toward teenage boys. There is also the sports element as Bo trains to participate in an Ironman (very long triathlon where he will swim, bike and run). However, the sports doesn't rule the book and is more of a vehicle for the character to let off steam, have some control of his life, and for the reader to learn more about the characters.

The issues that Crutcher raises in the anger management group are, unfortunately, typical family issues tied in with homophobia, racism, ignorance, and fear. When parents let their kids down and the kids need to be the grown ups, ugliness can take hold. These are the students in Bo's group and while they are angry, afraid, and yes, a little bit scary, Mr. Nak manages to get them to open up, admit things they are hiding, and come together for a common goal. This sounds sappy, but it isn't, not at all. It feels real and raw and that is the power of a Chris Crutcher novel.

Review: The Implosion of Aggie Winchester (Lara Zielin)

2011-08-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

Title: The Implosion of Aggie Winchester

Author: Lara Zielin

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 278

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher for review

Summary (from the book's website): Sixteen year old Aggie Winchester is that rare mix of Goth girl and principal's kid--a rebel, or so she'd like to thing. It's the spring of her junior year and all anyone can talk about is the prom and, most important, who will be this year's prom king and queen. But Aggie couldn't care less about who's election prom queen--even it it's her pregnant Goth best friend, Sylvia Ness. Aggie's got bigger things to worry about, like whether or not her ex-boyfriend wants to get back together and whether her mom will survive cancer.

Review: I read Lara Zielin's first novel, Donut Days and quite liked it, but this one is better. The story is more mature and better formed and the writing has improved. So, yay!

The main character Aggie is like so many students in high school: she wants to fit in. But, that's not always easy, especially when your mom is the principal. So, armed with a new friend freshman year Aggie went goth. She figured if she was getting teased she might as well create a tough exterior to help her have a tough interior. While it worked for a while, or at least that's what she told herself, by junior year the toughness is wearing thin. I think this part of the story, Aggie's inner turmoil (implosion), was really well done. While others around her see the changes in her it takes a while for her to realize that her parents aren't all that bad, that her best friend isn't healthy for her, and that she can be who she wants to be and still be okay. What a huge lesson.

There is a bit of romance in this book, but it definitely takes a back seat to the prom spectacle going on at St. Davis High School. There's queen campaigning, ballot stuffing, teachers and administrators not handling the situation well, and the local newspaper spreading it all over town. As a reader I wanted to stop the spiraling disaster that was the prom debacle, but of course I couldn't and it had to ride itself out, dragging various characters down with it. But, with many social disasters in high school there is an upside in the end, which was good and real. True friendships came out of it as well as an understanding between Aggie and her parents, neither of which felt fake.

To top it off the issues of honesty, disabilities, trust, friendship, family, peer pressure, and more are all covered in this fun book.

Review: IraqiGirl

2011-08-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

Title: IraqiGirl: Diary of a Teenage Girl in Iraq

Author: Edited by Elizabeth Wrigley-Field

Genre: Non-fiction

Pages: 205

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): I"I feel that I have been sleeping all my life and I have woken up and opened my eyes to the world. A beautiful world! But impossible to love." These are the words of fifteen-year-old Hadiya, blogging from the city of Mosul, Iraq, to let the world know what life is really like as the military occupation of her country unfolds. I many ways, her life is familiar. She worries about exams and enjoys watching Friends during the rare hours the the electricity in her neighborhood is running.

But the horrors of war surround her everywhere--weeklong curfews, relatives killed, and friends whose families are forced to flee their homes. With black humor and unflinching honesty, Hadiya shares the painful stories of lives changed forever. "Let's go back," she writes, "to my un-normal life." With her intimate reflections on family, friendship, and community, IraqiGirl also allows us to witness the determination of one girl not only to survive, but to create, amidst the devastation of war, a future worth living for.

Review: Hadiya is no the author's real name. She has to use a fake name so that she and her family remain safe. Other Iraqi bloggers who commented on Saddam Hussein, the US soldiers, and the political situation were kidnapped and jailed.

Hadiya's blog posts are filled with angst about exams, talk of friends and family, and of the US occupation of Iraq. She does not hide her dislike for the Americans (making it clear that it is the government she dislikes, not the American people), for Saddam Hussein, or for the awful circumstances that she is in. After a couple years of US soldiers, she finds herself longing for life under Hussein (they had electricity all day).

I do wish there were some more comments by her readers in the book since we only see that a few times. She often responds to emails and comments she's had in her posts and I got a bit lost not knowing what she was referring to.

Hadiya gives us a rare look at life from the inside. As Americans (westerners) we mostly heard our news from the media and, I believe, didn't really hear all that was going on in Iraq over the past ten years. Through this book we read about the bombings, the killing by US soldiers, the lack of electricity and water, school closures, and other obstacles to a normal life. But we also read about family dynamics, blogging, TV, and friendships, all of which are just like ours. I think the most powerful aspect of this diary is that it shows how alike we all our. We have similar fears, desires, and thoughts even though we end up on the opposite side of war sometimes.

2011-08-09T14:40:00.000-07:00

Title: Funny in Farsi: A memoir of growing up Iranian in America

Author: Firoozeh Dumas

Genre: Non-fiction (memoir)

Pages: 198

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): In 1972, when she was seven, the author and her family moved from Iran to Southern California, arriving with no firsthand knowledge of this country beyond Firoozeh's father's glowing memories of his graduate school years in the the States. In a series of deftly drawn scenes, Funny in Farsi chronicles the American journey of Dumas' wonderfully engaging family: her engineer father, a sweetly quixotic dreamer who first sought riches in Bowling for Dollars and in Las Vegas; her elegant mother, who never fully mastered English (or cared to); her uncle, who combated the effects of American fast food with an array of miraculous American weight-loss gadgets; and Firoozeh herself, who as a girl changed her name to Julie and who encountered a second wave of culture shock when she met and married a Frenchman, becoming part of a one-couple melting pot.

Review: This book made me laugh out loud! That is a good thing and was unexpected. At times it reminded me of Bill Bryson in that the author found pleasure and a good story in the smallest of things, often seeing America in a way that native-born people do not.

What was fun for me is that I am the same age as the author so the events, music, and fads that she talks about are my memories as well. To hear her discuss the Iran Hostage crisis from her perspective was really interesting as I have very strong memories of that time (my freshman into sophomore year in high school).

Although my parents were the immigrants, not me, I also understand what it is like to not totally understand the rituals, customs, food, etc of American society. I liked the stories where Dumas' family just didn't quite get what was going on, especially in school.

Although many of the moments in this book are funny, there are also sad and poignant moments where the reader realizes what it is like for immigrants in America. The ignorance, rudeness, and questions must drive them (the immigrants) crazy. I recommend this book if you are looking for good stories that will put a smile on your face.

Review: Fire from the Rock (Sharon M. Draper)

2011-08-05T16:15:00.000-07:00

Title: Fire from the Rock

Author: Sharon M. Draper

Genre: YA historical fiction

Pages: 229

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Challenges: PoC

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Sylvia Patterson looks forward to high school for all the normal reasons--being treated more like an adult, learning more about the wold, joining clubs, ands enjoying football games and dances. But in the year, 1957, and her town, Little Rock, things are anything but normal. To comply with federal law, the school board has decided to integrate Central High School, whether the governor of Arkansas or the citizens of Little Rock like it or not.

Sylvia is shocked when her teacher, Miss Washington, asks her to consider being one of the first black students to attend Central. It is an honor reserved for very few, but is is also a heavy burden that Sylvia may not be able to carry. She would be separated from lifelong friends (including a new boyfriend), excluded from social activities at school, and worse, subjected to threats and, possibly, violence. Sylvia is torn between wanting to bring about change and wanting to remain safe and happy in the life she has always known. Before Sylvia makes her final decision, smoldering racial tension in the town ignites into flame. When the smoke clears, she sees clearly that nothing is going to stop the change from coming. It is up to her generation to make it happen, in as many different ways as there are colors in the world.

Review: This is a very good YA book that would make learning about this time in Arkansas (and US) history interesting to teens. The story flows, has characters that we like and care about, and makes the history come alive.

I cannot imagine what it was like to be African American in 1957, especially in a town like Little Rock where segregation was a way of life. I think it was wise of Draper to choose a student who was not part of the Little Rock Nine as her main character because then the reader doesn't feel as if the story has to follow history exactly. The parts involving the attempts at integration are spot on, but Sylvia's life can be fictional.

I liked Sylvia's character and her family. I also thought it was a nice twist to have her be friendly with a Jewish girl because she saw the hatred and bigotry aimed not only at blacks, but at Jews as well. Sylvia's family experiences hatred, racism, and violence, but manages to support one another and have a normal life at the same time. I think that's important to see.

I think students will be shocked to read about the fear and ignorance on the part of the Arkansas Governor others who opposed integration. To us it now seems so silly that students of all races wouldn't go to school together. I wonder if students can transfer the behavior of the past onto current-day issues of prejudice?

2011-08-04T15:12:00.000-07:00

Title: Illegal

Author: Bettina Restrepo

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 251

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): A promise that we would be together on my fifteenth birthday.... Instead Nora is on a desperate journey far away from home. When her father leaves their beloved Mexico in search of work, Nora stays behind. She fights to make sense of her loss while living in poverty--waiting for her father's return and a better day. When the letters and money stop coming, Nora decides that she and her mother must look for him in Texas. After a frightening experience crossing the border, the two are all alone in a strange place. Now, Nora must find the strength to survive while aching for small comforts: friends, a new school, and her precious quinceanera.

Review: This book does a good job of showing what it is like to be in a new country, have trouble with the language, school, and the culture is something many of our students had to deal with. The book started out a little slow for me, partly because the sentences are short so it felt a bit choppy.

However, once I had a chance to sit down and read this book for a couple hours in one sitting I got pulled into the story. Once Nora and her mother are in Houston and trying to make it all work the story picks up and is good.

One of the things I enjoyed about this book was the relationships that that author developed. Though we don't get a lot of detail, we see how reaching out to other, no matter how small the gesture, makes a huge difference in someone's day and life. Showing a homeless man he matters and is noticed, giving shoes to a child who has none, befriending someone who is new. All of these actions improved the lives of the characters in this book.

The author also did a good job of showing how Nora felt as someone who didn't speak much English, didn't know the American system, and had just arrived in this country. How does she get papers, how can she earn money, go to school, navigate the buses? All of these issues loom large for Nora and her mother and they don't always get it right either. Issues of the big city are also present: dealing with work, gangs, and racial tensions. After battling their way across the border illegally, Nora thought life would be easy, but it wasn't. Even though things aren't simple, good things to happen so that this isn't a depressing book.

Review: The Great Call of China (Cynthea Liu)

2011-08-03T13:20:00.001-07:00

Title: The Great Call of China

Author: Cynthea Liu

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 246

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Chinese-born Cece was adopted when she was two years old. Living in Texas, she's bored with her ho-hum high school and dull job. So when she learns about the S.A.S.S. program to Xi'an, China, she jumps at the chance. She will be able to learn firsthand about her passion--anthropology--and have the opportunity to explore her roots. But when she arrives, she gets quite a culture shock. And the closer she comes to finding out about her birth parents, the more apprehensive she gets. Enter Will, the cute guy she first meets on the plane. He and Cece really connect during the program. But can he help her get accustomed to a culture she should already know about by birthright, or will she leave China without the answers she's been looking for?

Review: I thought this was going to a be a bit of a fluff YA book. Girl goes to China, girl meets boy, they crush on each other, she learns to like Chinese food (she is, after all, Chinese by birth). However, I was sorely mistaken. Yes, there is a boy, but I feel like he took a back seat to the real story, which was nice. And Cece learns so much more than liking Chinese food.

First, Cece is an intelligent seventeen-year-old who knows what she is interested in: anthropology. How cool is that? She likes it so much she has found a study abroad program to attend for nine weeks during the summer. I did that just before my senior year in high school (German School at Middlebury College) and what a fantastic experience that is! Cece is particularly excited to see and study the terra cotta soldiers (pictured below). Have you seen them? Amazing! A small bit of them came to our art museum years ago. If you ever have the chance to see them, definitely go.

Cece's love of learning continues as she arrives in Xi'an with her explorations of the city, her descriptions of the people, the shops, and her adventures with her friends. She has a difficult time balancing school and a social life, but gets better as the book goes along, which is an accurate progression of a study abroad experience.

I liked that the author had Cece and her host student, Peter, get along so well without any romantic entanglements. He helps her with translating when necessary, she helps him with his English, and they become fast friends, experiencing fun cultural sites during her stay. Peter is also what makes the personal side of Cece's journey possible. They travel to Beijing to find the orphanage where she lived for two years before being adopted and taken to the United States.

I found this part of the book very powerful. There are discussions of adoption, orphanages, China's one-child policy, and more. I have a couple friends who have adopted girls from China and our discussions mirror those of Cece's. Cece's experience in looking for her birth parents is both heart-breaking and wonderful and, no, I am not going to tell you what happens.

I am so glad that I read this book and even more happy that it ended up being much more than I expected.

Review: The Lonely Hearts Club (Elizabeth Eulberg)

2011-07-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

Title: The Lonely Hearts Club

Author: Elizabeth Eulbert

Genre: YA Romance

Pages: 285

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Penny is sick of boys and sick of dating, so she vows: No More. She's had one too many bad dates, and has been hurt by one too many bad boys. It's a personal choice...and soon everybody wants to know about it. It seems that Penny's not the only girl who's tired of the way girls change themselves (most of the time for the worse) in order to get their guys...or the way their guys don't really care. Girls are soon thronging to The Lonely Hearts Club, and Penny finds herself near legendary for her non dating ways--which is too bad, since the leader of the The Lonely Hearts Club has found a certain boy she can't help but like....

Review: I have been meaning to read this book for quite some time and brought it home with me this summer. When I saw a review of it on Aths' Reading on a Rainy Day I decided I had waited long enough and I picked it right up; I am so glad that I did! It was the perfect book at the perfect time.

First, the chapter titles, the main character's name (and her sisters' names) and MANY references are made to the Beatles. I grew up on the Beatles even though they had broken up a couple years before I was born. As little kids the main character, Penny Lane, and her best friend pretended to be John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Well, welcome to my world. My best friend and I pretended to be the "Lady Birds" (that's ladybugs in America. Get it? Beatles. Ladybirds.) and we spent hours singing along to Beatles' songs. Their music still dominates my iPhone.

Anyway, aside from the Beatles connection I thought the author did a fantastic job of connecting to the teenage girl. Actually, to any woman. So many of us change ourselves when we start dating: how we dress; how we act; the clothes we wear; and how we treat our female friends. Why is it that we start to forget ourselves? The book doesn't try to answer this question, but it is really fun to read about teenage girls figuring out what's important to them, taking a stand, and doing something about it.

The Lonely Hearts Club gets a bit out of hand if you are an administrator or boy at the high school, but if you are one of the members, you've found yourself a great set of friends who support you in studying, having fun, being yourself, and trying new activities. I wish that for every teenager, boy or girl. How fantastic to have a group that accepts you for who you are without you having to change. Great concept.

I stayed up way too late to finish reading this book last night and am glad I did. It made me smile, laugh, and remember when I was in high school.

Review: The Berlin Boxing Club (Robert Sharenow)

2011-07-18T15:22:00.001-07:00

Title: The Berlin Boxing Club

Author: Robert Sharenow

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Pages: 400

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher and will donate it to my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): Fourteen-year-old Karl Stern has never thought of himself as a Jew. But to the bullies at his school in Nazi-era Berlin, it doesn't matter that Karl has never set foot in a synagogue or that his family doesn't practice religion. Demoralized by relentless attacks on a heritage he doesn't accept as his own, Karl longs to prove his worth to everyone around him. So when Max Schmeling, champion boxer and German national hero, makes a deal with Karl's father to give Karl boxing lessons, Karl sees it as the perfect chance to reinvent himself. A skilled cartoonist, Karl has never had an interest in boxing, but as Max becomes the mentor Karl never had, Karl soon finds both his boxing skills and his art flourishing.

But when Nazi violence against Jews escalates, Karl must take on a new role: protector of his family. Karl longs to ask his new mentor for help, but with Max's fame growing, he is forced to associate with Hitler and other Nazi elites, leaving Karl to wonder where his hero's sympathies truly lie. Can Karl balance his dream of boxing greatness with his obligation to keep his family out of harm's way?

Review: Another Nazi-era novel for me... yay! I do love World War II and Holocaust literature and Robert Sharenow has done a fabulous job with this one. I was a little hesitant because of the boxing angle since boxing is a sport that I really don't like, I can't even watch it (I don't like blood and am a true pacifist, which even extends to hitting of any sort). However, the boxing parts are really interesting with references to real bouts, real boxers, and details of the sport that I found very interesting (strategies, etc). So don't let the boxing parts turn you off and if you enjoy boxing, you'll like this even better!

This historical fiction, which I know can turn off some students. However, as in any good historical fiction, especially those written for young adults, we learn the history through the experiences of the characters and don't feel like we're learning, but rather absorbing Nazi-era Germany through Karl, his family, and friends. Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass, features huge in the last third of the book and is dealt with very well. Actually, the whole book manages to combine events with emotion in an extremely real well, helping the reader to connect easily with the characters and their experiences.

Another aspect of this story that I loved is that Karl's father is an art dealer who specializes in all the artists that I like best: Otto Dix; Picasso; Grosz; Matisse and others so it was fun to read the artistic references. This ties into Karl's cartooning, examples of which appear throughout the book.

For all the people that say "how could people not rebel against the Nazis?" this is a book that helps to answer that question. Things changed slowly, life was difficult, people didn't have money to move away, and why would you leave your homeland? This book combines history, emotion, friendship, sports, and growing up in a fantastic story that will keep you glued to the pages.

Review: Inside out (Maria V. Snyder)

2011-07-16T22:24:00.000-07:00

Title: Inside Out

Author: Maria V. Snyder

Genre: YA Dystopian fiction

Pages: 315

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school's library

Summary (from the back of the book): I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. so what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own... until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

Review: The summary description on the back of the book is too simplistic for this dystopian novel. It makes it sound like a generic dystopian novel, but this is more than that. I've only begun to read YA dystopian in the last year and there does tend to be a formula of the main character leading a charge against the government.

But this novel is different from that. Yes, Trella becomes the leader of the revolution by accident, but she has the help of a lot of characters along the way, including those that seem to be in the ruling class. I liked that twist and am not going to expand on it in case you haven't read the book yet.

I liked Trella, but I don't really feel like we get to know her and the other characters all that well. We see their actions, but that's all there is. Normally I wouldn't like that, but in the world of scrubs and Uppers, that seems appropriate somehow. Characters' actions are important and speak loudly. I was continually reminded that even the smallest action of rebellion or help makes a difference.

I was definitely reminded of World War II and the Holocaust when reading this book (and yes, Star Wars since that's connected to WWII) in that one group in society has been convinced of another group's lacking and lower status. The lowest group is herded into small spaces, separated out from the rest of society, works the lesser jobs, has access to bad food, long work hours, and harsh punishment.What an ending, it doesn't even pretend that it's not setting the reader up to read the sequel. Good thing we've got it in my school library!

If you want to try dystopian fiction or want to read one that is a bit different from the usual fare, then give this one a try!

Review: Jazz in Love (Neesha Meminger)

2011-07-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

Title: Jazz in Love

Author: Neesha Meminger

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 243

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school library and the library got it as a gift from Edi at Crazy Quilts!

Summary (from the back of the book): Jasbir, aka Jazz, has always been a stellar student and an obedient, albeit wise-cracking, daughter. Everything has gone along just fine--she has good friends in the "genius" program she's been in since kindergarten, her teachers and principal adore her, and her parents dote on her. But now, in her junior year of high school, her mother hears that Jazz was seen hugging a boy on the street, and goes ballistic. Mom immediately implements the Guided Dating Plan, which includes setting up blind dates with "suitable", pre-screened Indian candidates. The boy her mother sets her up with, however, is not at all what anyone expects; and the new boy at school, the very UNsuitable hottie, is the one who gets Jazz's blood boiling. When Jazz makes a few out-of-the-ordinary decisions, everything explodes, and she realizes she'll need a lot more than her genius education to get out of the huge mess she's in. Can Jazz find a way to follow her own heart, and still stay in the good graces of her parents?

Review: What a fun novel, I can't wait for students to read it this coming school year. Yes, it's a common story: girl meets boy, dates the wrong one, etc, but I love the "stuff" that makes this book more than just a romance or the traditional teen angst book! And I'll confess that I thought I saw the ending coming a long way off and I was wrong... I love that!

Jazz is a great character, she is smart, interesting, has a good family and great friends. However, her parents are very protective and strict when it comes to Jazz's dating and personal life. Their religion, Sikhism, plays an important role in her daily life (not cutting her hair, not dating, etc) and that is an interesting aspect to this book. I really liked that I learned about another culture while reading a fun novel. Like most teens, Jazz is trying to figure out how much she can get away with while still staying on mostly-good terms with her parents. Of course, she oversteps the bounds a few times and her parents are furious, but I like that all parties are reasonable about what's going on, they are all trying to figure out how to make it work.

The secondary characters are also fun and are a great mix of people. Her best friend Cindy is the friend we should all have: totally supportive; tells you when you're being a jerk (but likes you anyway); and goes along with crazy schemes. The boy that Jazz' parents choose for her life partner (and they are only 17 years old!) adds a wonderful twist to the story. I can't say anything more about that since it would ruin the book for you. And the Dr. Babaloo and Auntie Kinder story is a nice parallel to Jazz's. Their story enables the reader to learn more about Indian families meeting up with the modern world and shows how extended family is so important in Indian culture.

If you want a fun, lovely read, then this is a definite must.

Review: Miles from Ordinary (Carol Lynch Williams)

2011-06-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

Title: Miles from Ordinary

Author: Carol Lynch Williams

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 197

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school's library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Fourteen year old Lacey wakes to a beautiful summer morning excited to begin he new job at the library, just as her mother is set to start work at the local grocery store. Lacey hopes that her mother's ghosts have finally been laid to rest; after all, she seems so much better these days, and they really do need the money. But as the hours tick by and memories come flooding back, a day full of hope spins terrifyingly out of control....

Review: Carol Lynch Williams' other book, The Chosen One, was so good that I jumped at the chance to read this one when summer rolled around and I could check it out from my school's library and I am glad that I did. While I didn't love this one as much as The Chosen One, this is well worth the read.

Williams does an amazing job at showing a mother's mental illness through the eyes of her child. Lacey's thoughts and actions are so frenetic, so defensive, so... I don't even know the word for it.... Lacey is constantly trying to make it all okay, trying to cover for her mom, fix her mom, make the outside world see "normal". I know! Lacey is the enabler. And throughout the entire book I felt for Lacey, I wanted someone to help her, to make her life easier. A fourteen year old shouldn't have to be the parent.

Aaron is an interesting character as well. He is in the book only briefly, but plays such an important role in that he gives Lacey strength, support, friendship, and acceptance when that is what she needs the most. She actually allows herself to confide a bit in him and he doesn't run away.

I realize as I write this review that the entire book takes place over one day. My first reaction is How can so much happen in one day? But, it doesn't seem unrealistic, instead the days' events are the culmination of mental illness at its worst: when people get hurt and, finally, something has to be done. Williams handles a sensitive subject matter with ease, finesse, and sensitivity.

Review: Before I Go to Sleep (SJ Watson)

2011-06-29T05:48:00.000-07:00

Title: Before I Go to Sleep

Author: SJ Watson

Genre: Adult mystery

Pages: 358

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for free for a TLC Tour and I am going to donate it to my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): A terrible accident has robbed Christine of her memories. She cannot remember the past--or even yesterday. Determined to discover who she is, she has begun keeping a journal before she goes to sleep. Before she can forget again. But the truth may be more terrifying--and deadlier--than she bargained for....

Review: Amnesia has always held a certain interest for me, but I am not sure why. About ten years ago a man in my dance group got in a car accident and had total amnesia. It was such an awful experience but I was secretly fascinated. And, it's a mystery so it's all good! This book definitely didn't disappoint because it has all the elements I look for in this genre...

A main character that I care about because she is vulnerable. Christine has amnesia where she forgets everything every time she falls asleep (can you imagine?!). I wanted her to start remembering, I wanted someone to take care of her, and I wanted it to turn out okay for her in the end.
An element of intrigue or bad guy and boy does this book have it! I can't really talk about this part or it gives away the whole main part of the plot, but trust me, it's good and well done
A little bit of scary. Oh yeah, this definitely exists here. One night I even had a totally creepy dream after reading a bit too late. Not so bad that I woke myself up, but in the morning I knew it was book-induced.
Questions that you keep asking yourself that get slowly answered throughout the book. I did find myself analyzing and asking questions as I read and I loved it when little bits were revealed to me at a great pace.
Speaking of pace, this book was perfectly paced and the ending wasn't too sudden, the climax wasn't too obvious or contrived.

Review: Monsoon Summer (Mitali Perkins)

2011-06-26T14:42:00.000-07:00

Title: Monsoon Summer

Author: Mitali Perkins

Genre: YA

Pages: 272

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I bought this ebook for my iPad

Summary (I wrote this one): In Fifteen-year old Jazz Gardner leaves California for a life-changing summer in an Indian orphanage. She leaves behind her business and her best friend, Steve, whom she secretly likes. Will he find someone else while she is gone? Will Jazz find something else for herself while in India.

*Note: This book should come to the SMHS library in the fall of 2011.

Review: I love Mitali Perkins' books. Before this one I've read Bamboo People (one of my 2010 favorites) and The Secret Keeper so I was really looking forward to reading this one. While Bamboo People is still my favorite of hers, I did like this.

I have read mixed reviews of this book but to me, it hit the spot: relationships, travel, nice characters, and a good family. I really liked that Jasmine and her family got along, but not in a fake sugary way. They support one another, respect each other, and actually say what they are feeling and thinking. It's a nice break from all the YA books with non-existent or dysfunctional families. I also liked that Jasmine's family is so giving, to each other and to the wider world. They believe in volunteer work, giving of themselves, and helping those who have less than they do.

The relationship between Steve and Jasmine is also good and realistic. They have been best friends since they were little kids and have started a business together. They spend all their time together, but haven't gotten up the guts to take it any further even though Jasmine is definitely interested. It's refreshing to read a book with a male-female friendship that is so solid. I had that throughout school and really cherished my male friends (many of whom are still in my life 25 years later).

The third aspect that I enjoyed was Jasmine's coming into her own. It took a trip half way around the world for her to come into her own, but that's what travel can do for someone. You end up out of your comfort zone, meet new people, and try new things. We become less hesitant when we're away from home because we don't worry as much about what people will think of us.

I wish there had been a bit more sights and smells, more description of what Jasmine was seeing as she experienced India. But maybe that's because I am an adult. I don't know how teens feel about a lot description in books. I also think the book could have been a bit more deep and detail rich, but I definitely liked it and recommend it.

Review: Locomotion (Jacqueline Woodson)

2011-06-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

Title: Locomotion

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Genre: YA Fiction (in verse)

Pages: 99

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): When Lonnie Collins Motion was seven years old, his life changed forever. Now Lonnie is eleven and his life is about to change again. His teacher, Ms. Marcus, is showing him ways to put his jumbled feelings on paper. And suddenly, Lonnie has a while new way to tell the world about his life, his friends, his little sister, Lili, and even his foster mom, Miss Edna, who started out crabby but isn't so bad after all.

Mini-Review: I have never read a Jacqueline Woodson and realized it was about time! I am glad that I did. First off, we all need at least one teacher like Ms. Marcus--someone to inspire and encourage us to be ourselves and to be our best. Second, I love that the very short chapters (half a page to a page long each) are done in a variety of writing styles: prose; haiku; verse; etc. This is a quick read that allows the reader to really get to know Lonnie in a brief, but deep way. I think this book would be popular with students and adults alike.

Review: I am Number Four (Pittacus Lore)

2011-06-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

Title: I am Number Four

Author: Pittacus Lore

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pages: 440

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): In Nine of us came here, we look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books--but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing. But they know. They caught Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England. And Number Three in Kenya. They killed them all. I am Number Four. I am next.

Review: I have been waiting to read this book all year, but students kept checking it out. I figured this was a good sign so waited patiently until the end of the school year when I could "steal" it and take it home over the summer. I am so glad that I brought this book home!

I'll admit that the Prologue, the first four pages, was a turn off. Too science-fiction/alien/fantasy for me. But, I was not to be deterred and I was hooked within the first few pages of chapter 1. While the main characters are aliens, they may as well be human and the story really progresses as a good YA book does: crushes, family issues, school, bullies, etc. The only difference is that Number Four (known as John throughout the book) starts to develop powers. The powers come slowly and are interesting so that was fun as well.

I really liked the characters and their relationships. Henri really is a father figure for John and I like their honesty, respect and loyalty to one another. His conflict with Mark, the bully, is stereotypical, but it was good that John stood up for himself. Sam, the science geek, is a fun character because I wanted him to be right and gain confidence, which he eventually does. Sarah is the good girl, the good girl friend, no surprises there, but she ends up being stronger than I thought she would so that's good.

Once the fight begins, and you know all along it will, it got a little science-fictiony for me, but I wanted John to win so badly that I was okay with the beasts, the aliens, and all the peripheral fantasy/sci-fi fighting stuff. And, it really isn't a huge part of the book. The end of the book is intense to say the least. So as not to spoil it for those who still plan to read this book, let me just say I love the dog, the emotions, and the fact that things aren't really resolved when all is said and done.

Review: Trash (Andy Mulligan)

2011-06-10T17:03:00.001-07:00

Title: Trash

Author: Andy Mulligan

Genre: YA mystery

Pages: 232

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): In an unnamed Third World country, in the not-so-distant future, three "dumpsite boys" make a living picking through the mountains of garbage on the outskirts of a large city. One unlucky-lucky day, Raphael finds something very special and very mysterious. So mysterious that he decides to keep it, even when the city police offer a handsome reward for its return. That decision brings with it terrifying consequences, and soon the dumpsite boys must use all of their cunning and courage to stay ahead of their pursuers. It's up to Raphael, Gardo, and Rat--boys who have no education, no parents, no homes, and no money--to solve the mystery and right a terrible wrong.

Review: The summary of this book really made me want to read it and the students that have read it so far liked it, too. However, it didn't totally grab me and I wonder if that's because I expected too much. The first half of the book I liked, the second half of the book I liked a lot. So all in all, a good read.

The summary says it is set in an unnamed Third World country and I assumed South America because the documentaries that I've seen about children/families who live on trash heaps were from Brazil. I must admit part of my interest in this book was that it was set in South America since I hardly ever read books with that setting. However, the author spent time in Manila, Philippines where he visited the trash heap children. So, I am going to assume it's the Philippines.

The trash heaps are amazing: neighborhoods, Mission schools, "houses", etc. What a crazy life. It made me realize how resilient people are; whatever the situation, we create family and a community. The three teenagers in this book have done just that; they look out for one another, work and live together, and help each other out when the mystery begins.

I really liked the mystery portion of this book. It was intriguing, well though out, not impossible to imagine, included a little political commentary, and didn't wrap up too quickly. I could have thought that teenagers wouldn't have taken the risks these boys did, but in reality, they would have. They don't have a lot to lose and, officially, teens don't have the sense of consequences that adults have. While I would have been too scared to do, to them it was part adventure, part getting back at the rich bad guy.

Review: Nelson Mandela (graphic novel)

2011-06-06T17:14:00.000-07:00

Title: Nelson Mandela: the authorized comic book

Author: Nelson Mandela Foundation with Umlando Wezithombe

Genre: Graphic Novel, non-fiction

Pages: 193

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I bought this book with my own money and am donating it to my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): Freedom fighter, fugitive, President of his nation, hero of the world, Nelson Mandela was called a terrorist, forced into hiding, captured, threatened with death, and eventually thrown into jail. But nothing could stop him from fighting to liberate his country from Apartheid. All of this and much more is presented in vivid color by a team of South African artists.

Nelson Mandela's memoir, Long Walk to Freedom, electrified the world in 1994 with the story of a solitary man who, despite unbelievable hardships, brought down one of the most despised regimes in the world. Now comes this fully authorized graphic biography, which relays in pictures from the life story of the world's greatest moral and political hero--from his boyhood in a small South African village to his growing political activism with the ANC; his twenty-seven year incarceration, eighteen of them as prisoner 466/64 on Robben Island; his dramatic release; and his triumphant years as president of South Africa. With new interviews, firsthand accounts, and archival material that has only recently been uncovered, this visually dramatic biography promises to introduce Mandela's gripping story to a whole new generation of readers.

Review: What can I say about this book? Nelson Mandela is one of my heroes and this book does his story justice. It begins with his birth and continues until his retirement and work in his 80s. Personally, I enjoy the later parts of his story, particularly once he is president of South Africa. His work on reconciliation and human rights is unparalleled.

The graphics are wonderful; they are strong, bold, and very realistic. They really do add to the story, especially if the reader doesn't know the players. South African history and Apartheid were some of my favorite topics to cover when I was a history teacher since it ranges from frustration, hatred and sorrow to inspiration, results, and hope. This book does a really good job of conveying those feelings and the power of a grassroots movement to make a difference. (photo credit for photo of the author)

While the general gist of Mandela's story is not new, the details can easily fill in blank spots in even the most educated reader's knowledge. For anyone who is interested in learning history, reading the story of a great man, or just reading a good story, this is the book.

Review: Shutout (Brendan Halpin)

2011-06-03T12:51:00.001-07:00

Title: Shutout

Author: Brendan Halpin

Genre: YA fiction (sports)

Pages: 183

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the author's website): Amanda and Lena have been soccer stars and best friends for years, but now, as they enter high school, everything is about to change. When Amanda makes the junior varsity team and Lena makes varsity, Amanda finds herself increasingly shut out of her friend's life. Lena is more popular and on a better soccer team, which is unfair enough, but then Lena has the nerve to get mad at Amanda for something that's totally not her fault. Or, anyway, mostly not her fault.

Everything Amanda took for granted is changing. With all these changes, will her love of soccer and friendship with Lena survive the first year of high school? And, more important, does Amanda want them to?

Review: Another sports fiction book and this one felt like the right book to start off the summer. As I am reading Shantaram, which is about 1000 pages long, I figured a short YA book was the perfect alternate book and I was right!

Deep down I know that YA books serve a purpose beyond reading and entertainment. I figure that there is always something in them for the audience: how to deal with abuse; don't drink; relationships are difficult, etc. But the first two paragraphs of this book really hit home for me in a way that other YA books haven't. The main character, Amanda, is a wonderful soccer player who plays up front, but recently she has been moved to goal because she can't run anymore. Why? She has Sever's Syndrome. Random, except that my daughter has it too. When I read the first couple pages aloud to her she got so excited that someone else had heard of they syndrome, described it well (like a knife going into her heel) and that another girl had trouble playing soccer with it. I saw the recognition in my daughter's eyes and something clicked for me: YA is fun to read, but really serves an important purpose as well.

Ah, my first book of summer vacation is finished and I read it in only one day. Talk about bliss. This is a great YA book: fun, quick, entertaining, and it has good stuff to say. I kept forgetting that a man wrote it because he totally got the female voice and outlook on being a teenage girl. The main character Amanda is unsure of herself, but knows her abilities as a goalie are good. She is smart, but not the brainiest, she has good friends, but worries about the one she loses. She fights with her brothers and her parents embarrass her, but they have a good home life. She wants a boy to like her, but isn't sure she's ready.

Shutout is realistic and a joy to read.

Review: Anna and the French Kiss (Stephanie Perkins)

2011-05-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Title: Anna and the French Kiss

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Genre: YA Romance

Pages: 372

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Etienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Etienne has it all... including a serious girlfriend. But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Review: A number of our students have already read this book and enjoyed it, so I am going to do a bare-bones review to convince you to read it. I really liked this book and here's why:

It's got an American living abroad, which means the author can teach the reader something about Paris without it sounding like a history book or travelogue. I learned fun things about Paris that I didn't know and now, next time I visit, I'll be sure to check those things out (especially the Point Zero star at Notre Dame, which I probably walked right over last summer)
It's about moving away from home at just the right time: senior year. At 18 we feel so grown up, but not quite ready to totally be on our own. Boarding school in a foreign country solves that contradiction. I remember moving 3,000 miles away for college and going away for my junior year abroad in Germany and Austria. Perkins does a great job of describing dorm life, exploring a foreign city, and being away from family and friends
It's got romance, but not the gushy-ewy kind. I thought this was so well done! I think we've all had relationships or crushes where we are "just friends", but wish oh-so-badly that it was more. Stephanie Perkins covered all the ins and outs of friendship, betrayal, loyalty, misunderstandings, first "love", and more and she did it with class, accuracy, and true feeling.

Review: Between Shades of Gray (Ruta Sepetys)

2011-04-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

Title: Between Shades of Gray

Author: Ruta Sepetys

Genre: YA historical fiction

Pages: 344

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina is preparing for art school, first dates, and all that summer has to offer. But one night, the Soviet secret police barge violently into her home, deporting her along with her mother and younger brother. They are being sent to Siberia. Lina's father has been separated from the family and sentenced to death in a prison camp. All is lost.

Lina fights for her life, fearless, vowing that if she survives she will honor her family, and the thousands like hers, by documenting their experience in her art and writing. She risks everything to use her art as messages, hoping they will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It's a long and harrowing journey, and it is only their incredible strength, love, and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?

Review: I've seen quite a few reviews of this book, all of which were positive so I ordered it for our school library and "stole" it as soon as I had processed it. Yes, I read it before putting it out for our students. There, I admit it. And boy and I am glad I did!

I love books centered on World War II and thought this book was going to be a Holocaust book (I had been careful not to read details in the reviews so as not to spoil the book for me). Instead, this story covers a series of events that I knew nothing about it: the deportation of Baltic peoples (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) by the Soviets.

The harsh conditions, the atrocious behavior on the part of the Soviet soldiers and commanders, the hope and strength of the "prisoners" is all so well depicted in this novel. I feel like I really got to know the characters, could understand their pain and anguish, and could "see" where they were traveling. I loved that there are two maps at the front of the book: one shows the route the families traveled and the other shows the route with the days the book spans.

Lina is an artist and I liked how her art is interspersed throughout the book. The reader doesn't see the drawings themselves, but rather reads descriptions of the art work and what it means to her. I also liked the use of short flashbacks (represented in italics) that relate to what Lina is going through at the moment. It allows the reader to better understand her and what her life was like before deportation.

If you want an interesting, well-written, historical fiction book that will teach you about a subject you may not know, this is the book for you!

Guest Review: The Breadwinner (Deborah Ellis)

2011-04-24T09:30:00.001-07:00

This review is by Ms. Murdoch's daughter, Sophia

Title: The Breadwinner

Author: Deborah Ellis

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 164

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this from my school library

Summary (from Amazon): Parvana felt the shadow before she saw it, as the man moved between her and the sun. Turning her head, she saw the dark turban that was the uniform of the Taliban. A rifle was slung across his chest as casually as her father's shoulder bag had been slung across hers.... The Talib kept looking down at her. Then he put his hand inside his vest. keeping his eyes on Parvana, he drew something out of his vest pocket.

Parvana was about to squish her eyes shut and wait to be shot when she saw that the Talib had taken out a letter. He sat down beside her on the blanket. "Read this," he said.

Review: I really like the character Mrs. Weera because she was described so perfectly that I could picture her. She had good personality. Another character that I like is Parvana, not because she was the main character, but because she was a confident girl who would do what she had to so that her family would be healthy. Finally, I liked Parvana's father because he stayed calm in the most dificult situations and would keep everyone else calm. Also, he was very smart and had to have been brave because he needed to be with the Taliban, especially when the letters he was reading had bad news. He was risking getting hurt by a talib.

I would want to meet Mrs. Weera in real life. That is only because it is always fun to meet a strong woman who isn't afraid to fight back. I would especially want to meet her when something bad was happening to me or my family because she would make everything feel better.

I liked that the story was set in Afghanistan because a lot of kids don't usually read cultural books. Also, the author helps you see the story happening as it happens. When I finished the book and saw the map of Afghanistan and pictures of Kabul on my mom's iPad that really helped me to understand. Finally, I thought that the story line would have had to be way different if it were in Pakistan or China; the neighboring countries.

I liked the plot because it really showed how life was like in Afghanistan and how they had to fetch food and water when they were so little. Nothing in the book felt fake like some books do. I was always interested in the story line because there was always something new happening on each page. I couldn't guess what was going to happen next.

In general, my favorite parts of the book were when Mrs. Weera kicked people into shape and was a big part of the action. It was really smart to have a character like her in the book. The other parts of the book that I liked were the parts where they talked about what the Taliban did and how it affected people's lives. That was really interesting and I learned that people have special ways to get through hardships. Throughout the story I felt anxious and happy at the same time because I knew that something would turn out okay because the people are persistent and are joyful with what they do. However, once one thing turned okay, another thing went wrong! I never knew what to expect from the next page.

I think that the writing of this book was a bit too easy for me, however, there were some complex words and some Afghan words that were hard to understand at first. Even though the story had every event close to each other, it didn't feel choppy because they were described so well. In the back of the book there is a very good glossary that had Pashtu words with good definitions so that I could understand it. Finally, in the front of the book, there was a map that showed Afghanistan and all of it's neighboring countries. That made it easier to analyze all of the places the book talked about! Over all, i really liked this book!

Review: I am J (Cris Beam)

2011-04-18T13:20:00.001-07:00

Title: I am J

Author: Cris Beam

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 326

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): J had always felt different. He was certain that eventually everyone would understand who he really was: a boy mistakenly born as a girl. Yet as he grew up, his body began to betray him; eventually J stopped praying to wake up a "real boy" and started covering up his body, keeping himself invisible--from his family, from his friends... from the world. But after being deserted by the best friend he thought would always be by his side, J decides that he's done hiding--it's time to be who he really is. And this time he is determined not to give up, no matter the cost.

Review: This book is so good because it is accessible, honest, raw, and covers a topic that isn't in a lot of YA books: transgender teens. In a heart-felt letter to the reader at the end of the book we learn that the author taught English at a high school for LGBTQ youth for a few years and took in one of her students as a foster child. I point this out to show that Cris Beam has a good sense for what life is like for transgender teens and their families and that shows in this novel.

J was born a girl but has always felt like a boy. He doens't really have the words or the maturity to know how to deal with all of that. His family certainly isn't helping and the bullying he endures at school is unbearable. The teen years are so difficult for most of us, I cannot imagine being on the outside the way J is. He isn't sure how to act, whom he can tell, or really what to do about it all. He is defensive when people call him gay, doesn't know which bathroom to use in public, and wears lots of clothing to hide his curves.

Not until J runs away and connects with the greater transgender community does he really start to understand who he is, what he wants, and how to make it all happen. I think finding a supportive community is so important for all teens, but especially teens who are different from their mainstream peers. I also liked that J had his art (photography) with which he could express himself.

Beam does a good job of showing the emotions invovled in this subject matter from many perspectives: J's; his friends'; a girl he likes; his family; and others. This is important because the way we feel, the decisions we make, and how we behave do not take place in a vaccum, but they influence and impact those around us. This book does that well. I also liked that Beam didn't make J all likable. There were moments when I got mad at J, felt sorry for him, liked him, sympathized with him, and wanted to help him. That's reality and very real.

Review: Human .4 (Mike Lancaster)

2011-04-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

Title: Human .4

Author: Mike Lancaster

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pages: 231

Rating: 3 out of 5

Challenges:

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Kyle Straker volunteered to be hypnotized at the annual community talent show, expecting the same old lame amateur acts. But when he wakes up, his world will never be the same. Televisions and computers no longer work, but a strange language streams across their screens. Everyone's behaving oddly, It's as if Kyle doesn't exist. Is this nightmare a result of the hypnosis? Will Kyle wake up with a snap of fingers to roars of laughter? Or is this something much more sinister? The book is narrated on a set of found cassette tapes at an unspecified point in the future.

Review: I really liked the description of this book, I mean, can you imagine volunteering to be hypnotized and then discovering that something wild and crazy and scary happened while you were under? Totally frightening and a great premise. However, that great premise just wasn't well fleshed out in this book.

Characters--I just didn't feel like any of them were developed enough for me to care a great deal about them. I do like that the four people who were hypnotized area a variety of people: the older male postman; the older female housewife; a teenage male and a teenage female. But, that's about all we know about them. I did like the voice of the narrator, it was simple and straight forward
Plot--The plot has a good premise, but like the characters, it isn't developed. I felt a bit like I was reading a beginner's book. I kept wanting more. More details, more sophistication, just... more.

2011 Poetry Slam

2011-04-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Poetry Slam was a huge success! I always get so nervous in the days building up to the event. I worry that no students will sign up to compete and that no one will come to watch. Then the event begins and I am so excited at the caliber of competitors. Here's how this year's went down:

Day 1
12 students representing grades 9 though 12 competed by reading original poems: Javier R; Mariana C; Andrew G; Nikolas V; Isaac W; Jake E; Sierra R; Syndey R; Alana P; Reed L; Patrick K; and Jatzibe S.

Judges: Jack Hobbs (SMHS teacher); Perie Longo (poet and former SB Poet Laureate); and Kiona Gross (owner of the Curious Cup Bookstore)

Day 2
The judges chose their top 6 who competed in the semi-finals on day 2: Andrew G; Nikolas V; Isaac W; Sierra R; Alana P; and Reed L

For day 2 the students had to write an original poem using 5 of the 13 words that I gave them. That's a poem in 24 hours!

Judges: Val Hobbs (writer); Joan Cotich (SMHS teacher); and Kate Parker (SB School District School Board Member)

Day 3
The judges chose their top 4 to compete in the finals on day 3; Andrew G; Nikolas V; Sierra R; and Alana P. The poets had written a poem based on the theme: sacrifice.

Judges: Ann Talbott (musician); Chryss Yost (poet); and Ed Behrens (SMHS Asst. Principal)

And the results are...

Alana (2nd place), Andrew (Champion), and Sierra (3rd place)

Nikolas (4th place)

A huge thank you to all the students who entered the Slam, to the judges who made the tough decisions, and to the 200+ students who showed up to cheer on their friends and classmates!

Review: Finding Nouf (Zoe Ferraris)

2011-04-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

Title: Finding Nouf

Author: Zoe Ferraris

Genre: YA/Adult mystery

Pages:305

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): When sixteen-year-old Nouf goes missing, along with a truck and a camel, her prominent family calls on Nayir ash-Sharqi, a desert guide, to lead a search party. Ten days later, her body is discovered by anonymous desert travelers. But when the coroner's office determines that Nouf died not of dehydration but from drowning, and her family seems suspiciously uninterested in getting at the truth, Nayir takes it upon himself to find out what really happened to her.

This mission will push gentle, hulking, pious Nayir, a Palestinian orphan raised by his bachelor uncle, to delve into the secret life of a rich, protected teenage girl--in one of the most rigidly gender-segregated of Middle Eastern societies. Initially horrified at the idea of a woman bold enough to bare her face in public, Nayir soon realizes that if he wants to gain access to the hidden world of women, he will have to join forces with Katya Hijazi, a lab worker at the coroner's office. Their partnership challenges Nayir, bringing him face to face with his desire for female companionship and the limitations imposed by his beliefs. It also ultimately leads them both to surprising revelations.

Review: Last summer I bought a book called City of Veils by this same author and never really started it. Then I discovered that City of Veils is the second book in a series, with Finding Nouf coming first. So, on to Finding Nouf, which I really enjoyed.

I love a good mystery and this book definitely has that going for it. There is a murder, an unofficial investigator, a link to a coroner's office (always a plus in my mind), and intrigue. What more could a reader want? So the plot worked for me, it was believable, flowed at a good pace, and the ending didn't feel like it came out of nowhere.

I really liked the characters, especially Nayir and Katya. The supporting characters are interesting and definitely play an important role, especially showing what life is like for the wealthy in Saudi Arabia. The servants, the isolated living (especially for women), and the extravagance are shown, not told, which is great. I liked that Katya is an observant muslim woman, but that she is comfortable enough with herself and her beliefs that she can break the rules when necessary. She is also confident enough to state her mind, work outside the home, and to pursue her interests.

Nayir is a great and gentle narrator. While very pious he doesn't come off as fanatical. Through his eyes the reader learns a tremendous amount about life for both men and women in Saudi Arabia and since we see his version, we understand why they behave the way they do and why the rules are so strict. It doesn't mean we agree with their lifestyle, but we can understand it better when we're done with the book.

Review: Ex-mas (Kate Brian)

2011-04-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

Title: Ex-mas: a Love/Hate Story

Author: Kate Brian

Genre: YA Fiction, Romance

Pages: 216

Rating: 4 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the back of the book): Seventeen-year-old Lila Beckwith's parents just left for vacation, and Lila's alls et to throw the holiday party of the season. But when her Christmas-obsessed little brother, Cooper, discovers that global warming is melting the North Pole, he and his best friend, Tyler, take off on a runaway mission to save Santa.

Lila has to get Cooper safely home before her parents get back on Christmas Eve. But the only person who can help her is Tyler's older brother Beau--aka Lila's musician, anti-everything ex-boyfriend. It'll tak more than a Christmas miracle for Lila nd Beau to overcome their differences adn find their fugitive brothers. But could a journey destined for disaster help these polar opposites fall in love... all over again?

Review: This is the perfect weekend book: short, fun, easy, and entertaining. I am not really sure what else to say about it. It's a YA romance, fairly predictable, but it's got a fun drive up the west cost of the US thrown in, a little personal introspection, and a whole lot of fun. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it if you are looking for a feel-good book.

Review: Chasing Windmills (Catherine Ryan Hyde)

2011-04-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

Title: Chasing Windmills

Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Genre: YA fiction

Pages: 262

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Challenges: Reading from my Shelves

FTC Disclosure: I received this book as a gift

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Both Sebastian and Maria live in a world rule by fear. Sebastian, a lonely seventeen-year-old, is suffocating under his dominant father's control. In the ten years since his mother passed away, his father has kept him "safe" by barely allowing him out of their apartment. Sebastian's secret late-night subway rides are rare acts of rebellion. Another is a concealed friendship with his neighbor Delilah, who encourages him to question his father's version of reality. Son it becomes unclear whether even his own mother's death was a lie.

Maria, a young mother of two, is trying to keep peace at home despite her boyfriend's abuse. When she loses her job, she avoids telling him by riding the subways during her usual late-night shift. She knows her sister, Stella, is right: She needs to "live in the truth" and let the chips fall where they may. But she still hasn't been able to bring herself to do it. And soon he will expect her paycheck to arrive.

When Sebastian and Maria wind up on the same train, their eyes meet across the subway car, and these two strangers find a connection that neither can explain or ignore. Together they dream of a new future, agreeing to run away and find Sebastian's grandmother in the Mojave Desert. But Maria doesn't know Sebastian is only seventeen. (I am leaving out the rest as it gives too much away)

Review: I love the idea of making a difference in someone's life and this book has that and much more. Sebastian is so in need of someone, anyone, to take him away from his current life and bring him out into the world. His dad home schools him and makes him stay in their apartment except to go for a run. He doesn't watch movies, eat "unhealthy" food, and is controlled by intimidation. Then he meets Delilah, an older neighbor, who is wonderful. She is practical, exposes him to the world (pizza, pretzels, Singing in the Rain, and more). She is the mother he needs.

Maria also needs someone to rescue her from her abusive boyfriend. The author did a fabulous job at showing Maria's thought process when she is abused, how she can convince herself that it's her fault, if she had just.... The story also shows a good progression of Maria seeing a way out. But, how does she bring her kids along? How can she leave them behind? These are not easy questions and that is evident in Maria's chapters.

It would be so easy for this to be a sappy love story, especially with the references to Singing in the Rain, West Side Story, and Romeo and Juliet. However, Hyde manages to just skim the edges of overkill and leaves the reader feeling like it is all plausible, not overdone, and real. I thought I knew where the story was going, but in the end I didn't and I like that.

Review: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Rebecca Skloot)

2011-04-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

Title: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Author: Rebecca Skloot

Genre: Non-fiction

Pages: 384

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

FTC Disclosure: I bought this e-book (but we also have it in the SMHS library)

Summary (from the author's web site): Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells--taken without her knowledge in 1951--became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance.

Review: I have had this book on my Kindle for SO long, but waited to read it until the end of March because our local University of California campus is reading it for their community read and I wanted to read along with them. In addition, on April 11 the author, Rebecca Skloot, is giving a talk about the book at UCSB and I wanted the book to be fresh in my mind when I go hear her speak.

I'll admit that at the beginning I liked the book, but didn't love it. Maybe it's because there are so many "characters" to keep track of or maybe it's the complicated science, but it just didn't grab me instantly. However, I knew that I wasn't as overwhelmed as Henrietta's Lacks' family with the science; they are a family with only a little education (like 4th grade some of them), little money, and no real knowledge of the larger world of science. I cannot imagine what was going through their minds when they found out about their mother's cells!

Skloot did a wonderful job of showing the grief, anxiety, and distrust felt by the Lacks family over the decades since they found out about the HeLa cells. They didn't even know their mother's cells had been taken until 25 years after her death! When they did learn about it, they thought part of their mother was still alive and that people were experimenting on her, causing her pain. For decades they didn't understand what it meant that Henrietta's cells were being reproduced. It turns out journalists and doctors had contacted the Lacks children over the years to get the family's story, but the children (now adults) didn't trust any of them. Some of the children felt they had been cheated out of money that was being made of Henrietta's cells.

Approximately half way through the book I was hooked. The chapters alternate between the history of the Lacks family and work being done on the cells with the current-day story of Rebecca Skloot talking to Henrietta's now-adult children. Once Deborah, Henrietta's daughter, entered the story I was fully committed. Through Deborah we really get a feel for the family, their torment, their understanding of the cells and the research, and we get to know the personal side of the science. When Deborah sees her mother's cells for the first time I actually got teary! By joining the author on research trips, Deborah began to understand more and more about the science behind the cells, the reason so many people wanted access to the cells, and the impact the cells had on modern-day medicine.

I am astonished at the medical and scientific work that has come out of working with these HeLa cells! Henrietta's cells have flown in space, been blown up with nuclear weapons, been radiated and they have played a role in the creation of the vaccines for polio, Hepatitis B, cervical cancer (HPV), medications for AIDS, and much more. Who else can say that they have had such a large impact on saving people's lives?!

Review: Anne Frank (Sid Jacobson)

2011-03-14T18:14:00.000-07:00

Title: Anne Frank: the Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography

Author: Sid Jacobson with Ernie Colon (illustrator)

Genre: YA non-fiction, graphic novel

Pages: 170

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Challenges:

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my school library

Summary (from the inside flap of the book): Drawing on the unique historical sties, archives, expertise, and unquestioned authority of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam...the author and illustrator have created the first authorized graphic biography of Anne Frank. their account is complete, covering the lives of Anne's parents; Anne's first years in Frankfurt; the rise of Nazism; the Franks' immigration to Amsterdam; war and occupation; Anne's years in the Secret Annex; betrayal and arrest; her deportation and tragic death in Bergen-Belsen, the survival of Anne's father; and his recovery and publication of her astounding diary.

Review: What a great companion to the Diary of Anne Frank! I don't have a lot to say about this book except that it does a fantastic job at combining historical background with Anne's life and diary. The book begins with Anne's parents meeting for the first time and takes the reader all the way through to the death of Anne's father at age 91.

What I liked most is that the book is based on quotes from Anne's diary as well as from interviews with Miep Gies, Anne's father, and others who knew her. It is historically accurate with "snapshots" inserted into the story to help the reader understand what was happening in history while Anne was growing up.

I have visited the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, Holland (pictured below). If you ever have the chance, it is well set up, interesting, and informative. It's amazing to see where they all hid after having heard the story so many times.