Brave New World

Huxley, A. (1969). Brave new world. New York: HarperPerennial.

 I listened to the audiobook, and I'm such a visual learner that I had to check out the print version to read some of the names in particular.  I can't believe I've never read this book before now, and I have mixed feelings about it. This book is creepy.  It's all about a future society where people are reproduced in a laboratory/test tube situation, without families.  Mother and father are actually shocking words because they're unknown.  People are essentially raised in laboratories, created into a caste system where their fate is as predetermined as their jobs.  People are encouraged to take a drug called Soma to numb their emotions, promiscuity is the norm, and monogamy is frowned upon.  Children are "conditioned" with sayings repeated over and over, until they become truth. 

A man named Bernard Marx and his friend Lenina go on a trip to a reservation in New Mexico, where they meet Linda and John.  Linda grew up in London, but shockingly became pregnant with John, which is why they are on the reservation.  They eventually accompany Bernard and Lenina back to London, where Linda dies, and John becomes a novelty in London society, known as "the Savage".  Through John's eyes, we realize how dystopian society has become.  John becomes as hounded as a modern day movie star dodging paparazzi, and becomes the unwilling star of a "feelie", or movie. 

I thought it was incredible, and disturbing, how many of Huxley's predictions came true.  This book was written in 1932, and yet features in vitro fertilization, paparazzi, etc.

Lafayette and the American Revolution

Freedman, R. (2010). Lafayette and the American Revolution. New York: Holiday House.

I really enjoyed this book, but I am a history buff.  Here we learn about the Marquis de Lafayette, who came to fight in the American Revolution from his homeland in France.  Many people don't realize the important role that Lafayette played in our nation's history; not only did he actually fight in battles, but he convinced the French government to send money, troops, and weapons.  This backing was vital to the American victory. 

There are lots of pictures, including many in color.  While there's a lot of material covered here, I think it's done in an exciting way that will hold readers' attention.

John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth

Partridge, E. (2005). John Lennon: All I want is the truth : a biography. New York, NY: Viking.

This is a fairly detailed biography of the famous Beatle, from birth to beyond his death.  While some biographies gloss over the subject's flaws, this author definitely does not do that.  Lennon's obsessive personality, drug use, promiscuity, and anger/abandonment issues with his family are all addressed honestly.  From his humble beginnings in lower class Liverpool to the soaring heights of Beatlemania, Lennon's genius is given the attention it deserves, but balanced with the struggles of fame, like loss of privacy and control by managers.  As a Beatles fan, I enjoyed learning more about Lennon, but this is suitable for older teens because of the subject matter.

Ideas that Changed the World

Ferris, J., & DK Publishing, Inc. (2010). Ideas that changed the world. London: DK.

This is a really cool book!  It is separated into six categories: genius, great gizmos, handy gadgets, on the move, explore, and culture.  Under each category are double-page spreads of an idea with beautiful pictures (It is DK, after all!) and interesting tidbits of information.  The year and person responsible are included for each idea.  For many of them, the idea is explored from the past, present, and into the future. 

I had this book on my desk at school for over a week, and I had several kids who would fight over it.  I had to have them pick a number between one and ten every day, or take turns with it.  They were really ready for me to turn it in so they could have it!  I love DK books, and this is no exception.

You Hear Me? Poems and Writing by Teenage Boys

Franco, B. (2000). You hear me?: Poems and writing by teenage boys. Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press.

This is a touching collection of poetry written by teenage boys.  Some of them are light, and some are definitely heavy, but they are all honest.  The quality varies, but of course that's a matter of opinion, and poetry is subjective.  I did enjoy reading it, and some of them really spoke to me.  Most of the boys just want to me heard, and loved, and appreciated, and many poems are addressed to the boys' fathers.  Some of the language and content is mature, so this would be most appropriate with older teens.

Flygirl

Smith, S. L. (2008). Flygirl. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.

This is a really great piece of historical fiction.  It's the story of Ida Mae Jones, a pale African-American girl in New Orleans at the beginning of World War II.  Ida Mae's father has died, but he was a pilot, and he taught her to fly.  When the war breaks out, her older brother Thomas joins as a medic.  Soon, Ida Mae hears about the WASP program for women pilots, and wants to join, but they do not accept black women.  Ida Mae decides to "pass" for white, and joins.  She meets two wonderful friends, goes through the rigorous training, and becomes a pilot.

Throughout the story, Ida Mae faces discrimination from people because of her skin color and her gender.  She lives in fear that she will be discovered and killed for passing as white.  There are several intriguing storylines, including her brother going missing in action, a death, and a budding romance.  I think this is a fantastic story for young girls to read.

Chains

Anderson, L. H. (2008). Chains. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

This book tells the story of Isabel, a slave in the beginning of the American Revolution.  As the story begins, her mother has died, and Isabel and her sister Ruth are sold to a New York couple instead of being freed.  "Madam" mistreats the sisters, renaming Isabel "Sal" and selling Ruth when she finds out Ruth has seizures.  Isabel meets Curzon, who is a Patriot, and he talks her in to spying.  When Isabel gets in trouble, Madam has her branded with an I for insolence, and Isabel gets sick.  Curzon is wounded and imprisoned, and Isabel sneaks food to him.  Finally, Isabel works up the courage to run away after she realizes that Madam is going to sell her.  She sneaks Curzon out of prison, and the novel ends with a cliffhanger. 

I enjoyed this book, especially seeing Isabel grow and gain courage as a young woman.  She grew to mistrust others, but to depend upon herself.

Amulet

Kibuishi, K. (2008). Amulet: Book 1. New York: Graphix.

Amulet is the story of Emily and Navin, brother and sister.  After their dad dies, their mom decides to move to an abandoned, run down shack of a house that belonged to their great-grandpa.  Emily finds a her great-grandpa's library, where she discovers an amulet that won't come out. After their mom hears a noise, from the basement, she is captured by a jelly-like tentacle-y monster, and to save her, they go out this door, which leads them to a parallel universe. The amulet helps them to a lake, where a trench coat-wearing guy leads them to an old house. The guy turns out to be a pink rabbit named Miskit. In the house, Silas (great grandpa) is dying. He tells Emily she has to take care of the stone. She accepts, and then she, Navin, Miskit, and friends go to rescue their mom. They do, but she is poisoned, and to find the cure, they must travel across the world.

I found this to be bizarre, and creepy.

Complete Persepolis

Satrapi, M., & Satrapi, M. (2007). The complete Persepolis. New York: Pantheon Books.

The Complete Persepolis is a graphic novel illustrated and written by Marjane Satrapi. It is about Marji herself, who grew up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. She and her mother were protesters against "the veil" they were forced to wear, until they got hurt. Marji's mom and dad got her out of Iran after Marji got kicked out of school because she refused to not wear jewelry and jeans, and she moved to Austria when she was 14. From there, because her mother's friend kicked her out of where she was supposed to stay she moved around Europe until she got really lonely and moved back to Tehran. There, she met Reza, who she married. Then she got an Art degree and had to move back out of Iran when she was 24.

I'm not the biggest fan of graphic novels, so I wasn't thrilled to be reading this.  It is a good story though, and it's a fast read.  It's a good example of religious, social, and cultural information in an artistic format.

Madapple

Meldrum, C. (2008). Madapple. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

This is a very bizarre book that sort of defies description.  Aslaug lives with her mother in rural Maine, and they are totally cut off from the outside world.   Her mother is some sort of botanical genius, so they forage for a living, and her education has been very nontraditional - she knows several ancient languages and tons of botany, but nothing of the modern world.  Her mother, Maren, seems insane, and then dies of cancer.  Aslaug is accused of her murder, but it is determined that she overdosed herself on jimsonweed but had terminal cancer, so Aslaug goes to find her aunt and cousins in a nearby town.  The aunt is an evangelical preacher, and her cousin Sanne appears to be as crazy as Maren was.  Her male cousin, Rune seems to have incestuous feelings for Aslaug.  One storyline involves her quest to find out who her father was.  Aunt Sara claimes her ex-husband Mikkel fathered her, but Sanne (and Maren) believe there was an immaculate conception.  Another storyline involves theological discussions on Christianity's co-opting of many pagan ideas.  Aslaug quickly ends up pregnant at age 15, like her mother before her, but has no memory of ever having sex, other than a dream of her cousin Rune.  Sanne convinces her it was immaculate conception again, though she has actually drugged the household so that Rune would impregnate her.  Bizarre!  She has the baby, and they raise her communally, along with another teen pregnant by Rune.  Rune and this girl eventually run off with the baby, causing Sanne and Sara to commit suicide and Aslaug to be charged for their murder.  Rune finally saves to day, and I guess they all live happily, incestuously ever after.  Definitely one of the weirdest books I've read in a while.  It was like a mix of DaVinci Code and V.C. Andrews.

London Eye Mystery

Dowd, S. (2008). The London Eye mystery. Oxford: David Fickling Books.

The London Eye Mystery was cute, but I did not fall in love with it.  It's a really quick read, with chapters that are just a few pages each.  It's told from Ted's point of view, and he's a Londoner who happens to be autistic.  His "brain is wired differently", as he says.  His autism is covered in a very positive, though realistic light.  His family is very supportive, but they do occasionally get a little frustrated with him.  He works on his social skills with a therapist, and there are reminders of his lessons throughout the book.  Ted's aunt Gloria, and cousin Salim come to stay with them on their way out of the country to move to New York.  They decide to ride the London Eye, and Salim disappears - he goes up in the Eye then never returns.  Ted and his sister Kat work as amateur detectives to figure out what happened to Salim.  The family gets very stressed out as the kids race to solve the mystery.

Uglies

Westerfeld, S. (2005). Uglies. New York: Simon Pulse.

I didn't love Uglies as much as I loved Hunger Games – it just didn't grab me in the same way. Tally isn't as appealing a character as Katniss, and the world isn't as believable, I didn't think. Uglies is good, I think, just not when it's compared to Hunger Games. In Uglies, people are convinced that they are ugly unless they have an operation to make them “pretty”. I guess it's kind of like growing up in Beverly Hills or Orange County, California. ;) Tally wants to become pretty, and sneaks out to see her old friend, who is already pretty. There, she meets Shay, and her life changes. When Shay runs away, Tally's forced to find her, and goes on her hoverboard to find the rebels at The Smoke. The novel kind of lost me here; I got bored. She meets David, and she has a moral dilemma. I didn't hate this book, I just did not love it, or Tally. The message of nonconformity and questioning authority instead of blindly accepting things is a decent one.

Hunger Games

Collins, S. (2008). The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press.
In the Hunger Games, we meet Katniss Everdeen, a teen girl who lives in District 12 of Panem, a future version of the United States.  The districts rose up against the Capitol long ago, but lost, so the Hunger Games are their punishment.  Every year, children ages 12-18 put their name into a drawing, and each district sends one boy and one girl to the Games.  Life in District 12 is hard, and Katniss has been providing for her mother and little sister since her father died several years ago.  She sneaks out of the city with her friend Gale and hunts with a bow.  Her sister Prim is chosen for the Games, but Katniss replaces her and is sent with Peeta, the baker's son.  Life in the Capitol is very different; people are vain and shallow, but Katniss grows fond of her style team, particularly Cinna, who dresses her in fire.  The Games are a brutal fight to the death, and over the days in the arena, the tributes die one by one.  Her relationship with Peeta grows, as they work together.  In the end, they both survive, but that has angered President Snow.

I can't say enough about this book.  It is wonderful, and  really makes you think about our society and whether we might be headed towards a future like this.  My daughter wanted me to read this for a while, and I'm so glad that I finally did!  I can't wait to see if the movie does it justice.

Beautiful Creatures

Garcia, K., & Stohl, M. (2009). Beautiful creatures. New York: Little, Brown.

Beautiful Creatures was okay, but not as good as I thought it would be. I kept thinking that it was a cross between the TV show Vampire Diaries (with the Civil War stuff) and Twilight. I guess I couldn't help thinking it should be more original. I gave it to my daughter after I read it though, and she liked it a lot. That's actually strange because she hated Twilight, and hasn't ever seen Vampire Diaries. There were lots of cliches here, and I didn't find Ethan to be very believable as a character. I couldn't really tell, however, that the book has two authors, so they wrote together well. My daughter will be reading the sequel, but I will pass.

Graceling

Cashore, K. (2008). Graceling. Orlando, FL: Harcourt.

I loved Graceling. This book was spectacular.  Katsa is a graceling, someone with a gift.  Her gift is combat, and specifically killing; she can not fail.  This is a mixed "blessing", and Katsa is forced into life as an assassin for the king.  She meets Prince Po in a secret organization, and they slowly become friends.  Po is looking for his grandfather, and he is graced in fighting.  The two are almost evenly matched, which is new for Katsa.  Though the two fall in love on their quest, Katsa refuses to marry, as she thinks women lose their independence.  They prevail against the mind-controlling evil king in the end.  I can't wait for the sequel!

Along for the Ride

Dessen, S. (2009). Along for the ride: A novel. New York: Viking.

I liked this book a lot, and think that older teens will like it.  It's definitely a girl book, and one that will especially appeal to academically inclined girls.  Auden, the main character, has two college professor parents who expect great things for her education.  She has had a socially stunted life, with her entire focus on school.  The summer after she graduates high school, she goes to stay with her father, stepmother, and newborn baby sister.  Heidi, her stepmother, is very girly, but smart and successful at her clothing store.  Auden goes to work there, and makes friends with other girls who work there.  The others teach her how to be a girl, and how to have fun.  A local boy named Eli, a fellow insomniac, hangs out with her every night, and they check off things Auden never had a chance to do as a kid, like learning to ride a bike.

November Blues

Draper, S. M. (2007). November blues. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

I did not love this book.  It's about November Nelson, a teenager in Ohio, whose boyfriend has just died.  Josh and November had been a teenage "power couple" in their school, and he died in a hazing incident.  Soon after, November realizes she is pregnant.  The discomforts of pregnancy are realistic, but I thought the slang was forced.  November has a disabled brother, which has made her interested in a career helping the disabled, but there's no other mention of him... where he lives or anything.  November's mother is devastated, but supportive.  School friends named Olivia and Jericho also lend their support.  The climax, a roadside labor and helicopter evacuation, with Josh's parents trying to buy the baby, seems forced. 

Tequila Worm

Canales, V. (2005). The tequila worm. New York: Wendy Lamb Books.

The Tequila Worm is a great book about Mexican-American culture.  The main character, Sofia, has grown up in the Texas valley town of McAllen.  She has a close, loving family, and she excels academically.  In high school, she is offered a scholarship to go to a private school in Austin, and she agonizes over whether to accept.  When she finally does, she has to earn $400 in order to go.  Her "comadres" help her, and she eventually earns the money and moves.  There, she experiences culture shock, but succeeds and moves on to Harvard.  The title is somewhat deceiving - the tequila worm represents her culture, but the focus is definitely not on alcohol.  The book seems somewhat autobiographical, as the author has a similar story.

Ender's Game

Looking at this picture, I'm glad that I read this on my Nook, or I would not have wanted to read it.  I guess I do judge books by their covers!  With that said, however, I am really glad that I did read this one - I loved it.  Loved.  It. 

I had always avoided Ender's Game, because “boy books” are not usually high on the never-ending list of books I want to read (Harry Potter being a glaring exception!) I always just heard it described as sci-fi, and probably would have read it sooner if I had known that gifted children played a prominent role in the story. I have very mixed feelings about gifted education, and have struggled with my own issues when deciding whether or not to let my kids participate in gifted classes. Granted, they're not “save the human race” gifted like Ender, but I do see some of the same isolation/social issues. I think that this is what makes this book a classic – the timeless themes of exceptionality and responsibility. As with many books, reading (or re-reading) them as a parent shines a whole new light on the book. If I had read this as a child, I would have been angry on Ender's behalf for what he missed. I still felt that as an adult, but it was also heartbreaking to feel Graff's agony at what he was doing.

The resolution seemed a little bit rushed to me,  but I get that it needed to be that way to be a successful revelation.  I wish we had a little more about Peter and Valentine's adulthood.  Those are really my only complaints about the book.  I even enjoyed reading the foreward.

Books Blogged for LS5360

Chapter Books:

1. Shiloh
2. Anne Frank: Her Life in Words and Pictures
3. Savvy
4. Twilight
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
6. King of the Wind
7. Hunger Games
8. Book Thief
9. Throne of Fire
10. Red Pyramid
11.  Hattie Big Sky
12. Firefly Letters
13. What’s Happening to my Body Book for Boys
14. The Giver
15. Are You There God
16. Bridge to Terabithia

Picture Books:

1. Henry’s Freedom Box
2. Bad News for Outlaws
3. Castle
4. The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring
5. Dear Primo
6. How I Learned Geography
7. Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow
8. Daddy’s Roommate
9. Yummy!  Eight Favorite Fairy Tales
10. Dark Emperor
11. Owl Moon
12. Merlin and the Dragons
13. The Toughest Cowboy

The Toughest Cowboy

Frank, J., & Pullen, Z. (2004). The toughest cowboy: Or how the wild west was tamed. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

 

This is a cute little story that would be good for studying tall tales.  There's a lot of gross humor to appeal to kids, and teachers will like the figurative language.  The poodle plotline was amusing, especially to a Chihuahua owner.  Our two Chihuahua mixes are much tougher than our very gentle Pit bull, so I appreciate the tough cowboy with a poodle.  The illustrations are well done, though I found the faces a little creepy for some reason.  I also have to point out that the illustrator shares a name, Zachary Pullen, with my cousin, though my family spells it Pullin.  I think that I need to buy this book for his little girl!

Merlin and the Dragons

Yolen, J., & Li, M. (1995). Merlin and the dragons. New York: Cobblehill Books, Dutton.

 

This is one of the most beautiful books I have seen in a long time.  The illustrations are amazing - detailed, fantastic, bold yet soft at the same time.  I was drawn to this book because I collect dragons, though I'm not sure how that started.  My students bring me dragons, and I have a whole big shelf full of them in my classroom.  I also remember my mother always telling me King Arthur and Merlin stories when I was a child, so I've always held an affinity for Arthurian stories.  While the story here is good - action packed for sure - the illustrations are the star of the show.  I will be purchasing this book for our permanent collection, because my son and I liked it so much.

Owl Moon

Yolen, J., Schoenherr, J., Stevenson, N., Egolf, R. L., Philomel Books., South China Printing Company., & Dr. Robert L. Egolf Collection. (1987). Owl moon. New York: Philomel Books.

 

This is a sweet little book that reminds me of my childhood.  My mother used to read to us from her old Childcraft books, and the poetry section was popular.  The illustrations in this book reminded me of "The Highwayman".  Owls are big in our family too; I got an owl necklace for Mother's Day.  I used to love to sneak out at night and ride my horse in the moonlight.  The author does a nice job capturing that moment of an owl looking at you, and a child's wonder at that.  I also like that you can't tell if the child telling the story is a boy or a girl.

Bridge to Terabithia

Paterson, K. (2008). Bridge to Terabithia. S.l: s.n.

 

I was reluctant to read this, because I saw bits and pieces of the movie and thought it looked kind of boring.  It was much more emotional than I thought it would be.  Jess reminds me of my son, who also loves to run, and who also has a friend who is a girl.  I think Jess and Leslie represent in so many ways what it's like to be at the end of childhood, the last times when it's okay to create imaginary worlds and be friends with the opposite gender.  I loved how at the end, even after Leslie died, he still took his sister to Terabithia.  I found it very touching that he gave her that gift, just as he planned to write the letter about Leslie liking Mrs. Meyers.  This is a heavy book, which I understand, but I think it's also a great coming of age story.  I could absolutely defend it in a challenge.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Blume, Judy. (2008). Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Paw Prints.

 

What an experience reading this first as a preteen girl 20 something years ago, and then reading it as a parent of a preteen girl now.  The things that I related to (fear of growing up, nervousness about boys, anxiety about changing bodies, religious questioning) seem to be the things that put this book on the frequently challenged lists.  I think that for 2011, it seems really tame.  Sure, I maybe wish the Playboy references weren't there, but I think kids today hear and see much worse on tv, internet, etc.  The religious questioning doesn't bother me as a parent; I think a person should question their religion so you find the right one for you.  I like the idea of making kids think about things for themselves.

The Giver

Lowry, L. (1993). The giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

 

I adore this book.  However, I have not suggested that my 6th grade daughter read it yet.  It definitely has some heavy themes and ideas, and it's not for young readers, or even every older reader; I think it takes a certain maturity.  My girl is very mature, but also very sensitive.  As a librarian, I would think you have to know your reader pretty well before recommending this one, as much as I love it.  As the book is meant to make the reader question governement and authority, I guess I see why some people might challenge it.  I think it is wonderful, and I love that this makes you think about whether you would choose to live in a society without pain in exchange for giving up joy.

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night

Sidman, J., & Allen, R. (2010). Dark emperor & other poems of the night. Boston [Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

 

This is a really beautiful book.  One the left side of the book are poems about various night-themed creatures.  One the right side of the book are beautiful, exquisitely detailed illustrations with lots of information written to the side.  While the book may seem simple, with lots of white space and large illustrations, children learn a lot of general science, botany, and animal husbandry.  The last double-page illustration reminds me of Disney's Tree of Life.  This is just a gorgeous book that sneaks in a lot of learning.  I'm a big fan.

Yummy! Eight Favorite Fairy Tales

Cousins, L. (2009). Yummy: Eight favorite fairy tales. Somerville, Mass: Candlewick Press.

 

This is a collection of eight fairy tales, with the traditional endings.  The illustrations are not  traditional though; they are very bright, simple line drawings with bold primary colors.  The big bad wolf eats the little pigs, but the last pig boiled and ate him in return.  I actually liked that the traditional "violent endings" were left in.  I have learned that a lot of my students have never heard some of these fairy tales, so I'm glad that they live on in books like this, which are simple and easy to read.

Daddy's Roommate

Willhoite, M. (1990). Daddy's roommate. Boston, Mass: Alyson Wonderland.

 

This is a short picture book about a boy whose parents divorce and Daddy has a "roommate" who is his partner.  It's really pretty benign, I thought - it shows the boy visiting Daddy's house, and they do all the things that other families do - eat, play, shave, read stories, and go to parks.  The only difference is that there are two men at one house, instead of a man and a woman.  The mom seems to be okay with the situation, and tells her son that "being gay is just one more kind of love, and love is the best kind of happiness."  Personally, I thought it was a sweet book, but I guess if the reader is against homosexuality, they would have a problem with it being portrayed in a positive light.  I didn't see the big deal.  I live in a really conservative community, but even here we have gay parents of students, and my son's soccer coaches last season were partners.  This just reflects the world we live in.

What's Happening to my Body?

Madaras, L., Madaras, A., & Sullivan, S. (2007). The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Boys. New York: Newmarket Press.

 

I originally thought that my son and I could read and discuss this book together, but it's aimed a bit older than 9 year olds.  He flipped through it for a minute and said it looked really boring, and giggled at some of the pictures, so I figure he needs a couple more years.  I do think this is a good resource though.  It's really straighforward and factual, and answers those questions that preteen and teen boys do NOT want to ask their mothers, or probably their fathers.  The author was a health teacher in public schools, and uses that experience to answer those questions boys will have about changes in their bodies, and what's happening to them as they grow up.  The book covers girls' information a bit too, but the focus is definitely on boys.  There are illustrations drawn in the book, and they are pretty basic anatomy.  I personally don't see any basis for challenging the book, but I believe in giving the facts.  This book does that.

The Firefly Letters

Engle, M. (2010). The firefly letters: A suffragette's journey to Cuba. New York: Henry Holt and Co.

 

The Firefly Letters is about 3 women in Cuba; Fredrika, a Swedish traveler/journalist, who, when she asked for a quiet home in the Cuban countryside from the Queen of Denmark, didn’t expect this huge mansion with so many slaves, Cecelia, a slave girl who was traded by her father for a stolen cow, and all she wants is freedom for her unborn child, and Elena the rich daughter of the mansion’s owner, who sometimes wishes to get out of her house. Together, Cecelia and Fredrika roam Cuba, learning about the people and freeing captured fireflies. Elena is trapped in her own house, lonely and spending time embroidering and sewing for her “hope chest”, so she can afford a wedding. Fredrika writes about slavery in Cuba, and Elena sneaks out and befriends Cecelia. Both Elena and Fredrika know that they have to help Cecelia, so Elena sells her “hope chest”, and frees Cecelia’s baby with the money.
 I thought that it was a good book, with strong female characters.  The hope chest reminded me of my grandmother, who used to randonly give us things for our hope chests.  I received a hope chest for high school graduation, and it lives in my son's room with my kids' baby clothes inside.  I thought the wording was really pretty and poetic.  I liked how Fredrika traveled around like only men did at the time, and didn’t care what people thought of it.

Hattie Big Sky

Larson, K. (2006). Hattie Big Sky. New York: Delacorte Press.

 

I loved this book.  It's the story of an orphan teen from the midwest who inherits an uncle's claim on some land in Montana, so she goes out and stakes her claim.  My daughter had been trying to get me to read this, and I finally had an excuse to do it.  I ended up passing it to my mother, who also enjoyed it.  My mother is from Montana, and her grandmother staked a claim as a single woman in Montana around the same time (World War I) as Hattie in the book.  I had always heard the stories of Lena Gundersen coming from Norway and working the railroad as a cook, then living on her own in a sod house with her pit bull, so my thoughts went to her as I read about Hattie's struggles to survive and earn her land.  My only complaint about the book is that the ending feels really abrupt - it just sort of  ends, and leaves several loose ends dangling.  I hope the author writes a sequel.  This is a great novel for girls - strong heroine, who not only faces Mother Nature and the Montana winter, but discrimination as well.

King of the Wind

Henry, M., & Dennis, W. (1948). King of the Wind. Chicago: Rand McNally.

 

This book tells the imagined life story of the Godolphin Arabian, one of the founding sires of the modern Thoroughbred breed of horses.  I grew up in a horse ranching family, and remember my grandmother telling me that you always have to cross-breed back with Arabians to improve a line.  I had read this book as a child, and liked it, but reading it as an adult I found it lacking.  I kept thinking, "Where is this information coming from?" and "Yeah, right.".  I remember reading a large hardback with beautiful illustrations as a child, but found a paperback with black and white drawings, which is nowhere near as impressive.  I think this book is a lot like Black Beauty in that it tells the tale of one horse through several owners and adventures, but because it's a horse who really existed, I think that the author could have done a bit more research and included more factual evidence.  I will give her some leeway because I loved her books growing up, and research was a bit harder to do in 1948.  There will always be girls who love to read as much as they love horses, and those girls will probably always love this book.

Hunger Games

Collins, S. (2008). The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press.

In the Hunger Games, we meet Katniss Everdeen, a teen girl who lives in District 12 of Panem, a future version of the United States.  The districts rose up against the Capitol long ago, but lost, so the Hunger Games are their punishment.  Every year, children ages 12-18 put their name into a drawing, and each district sends one boy and one girl to the Games.  Life in District 12 is hard, and Katniss has been providing for her mother and little sister since her father died several years ago.  She sneaks out of the city with her friend Gale and hunts with a bow.  Her sister Prim is chosen for the Games, but Katniss replaces her and is sent with Peeta, the baker's son.  Life in the Capitol is very different; people are vain and shallow, but Katniss grows fond of her style team, particularly Cinna, who dresses her in fire.  The Games are a brutal fight to the death, and over the days in the arena, the tributes die one by one.  Her relationship with Peeta grows, as they work together.  In the end, they both survive, but that has angered President Snow.

I can't say enough about this book.  It is wonderful, and  really makes you think about our society and whether we might be headed towards a future like this.  My daughter wanted me to read this for a while, and I'm so glad that I finally did!  I can't wait to see if the movie does it justice.

The Book Thief

Zusak, M. (2006). The book thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

This is a New York Times bestseller.

Exposition: The main character is Liesel, who is 9 when we meet her.  She is a German girl who lives with foster parents Hans and Rosa during World War II.  She steals books.  Death is telling her story.

Conflict: The characters are trying to survive World War II Germany, without supporting Hitler and while hiding Max, a Jew.

Rising Action: Hans comforts Liesel after her brother dies and teaches her to read.


Climax: Liesel figures out that her father was prosecuted for being a communist, and that her mother was probably killed by the Nazis for the same thing.

Falling Action: Hans is caught feeding a Jewish man bread, so Max is taken.

Resolution:  Liesel is in her basement writing, and an air raid hits their street and kills Hans, Rosa, and other friends.  Liesel and Max survive the war.

The most obvious literary quality is that of point of view, since death is telling the story.  I think that theme is the second, as this is a coming of age tale. 

The Throne of Fire

Riordan, R. (2011). The throne of fire. New York: Disney/Hyperion.

This is a New York Times Bestseller.

Exposition: Sadie and Carter Kane are brother and sister who have special powers.

Conflict: They have to stop Apophis, the Egyptian god of Chaos, or the world will end.  They need Ra, who is lost and very old.

Rising Action: They need the book of Ra, and Apophis is rising quickly, but they can't find Ra.

Climax: They finally find Ra, but he is unable to help, and Apophis has risen, but hasn't entered the mortal world.

Falling Action: Desjardins, the lord of Egyptian magic puts Apophis back in his prison, but it won't hold for long.

Resolution:  Carter and Sadie have to figure out how to rehabilitate Ra and find a permanent way to defeat Apophis.

One literary quality Rick Riordan uses is tension - the reader wonders throughout if Carter and Sadie will succeed.  The second is pacing, as this is fast paced.

The Red Pyramid

Riordan, R. (2010). The red pyramid. New York: Disney/Hyperion.

This is a New York Times Bestseller.

Exposition: Sadie Kane lives in England with grandparents and her brother Carter travels with their father, who is an Egyptologist.  Their mother is dead, and they don't know each other that well.

Conflict: The Egyptian god Set is released and their father is banished out of the world.

Rising Action: Carter and Sadie figure out that they have powers, the Egyptian gods are rising, and that Set has a grudge against their family.

Climax: They use their powers to defeat Set.

Falling Action: Carter and Sadie save their father, but there are still problems with Set.

Resolution: They realize they need more people to help them, so they find more kids with powers like theirs.

One literary quality is pacing - this is fast paced and holds the reader's interest.  Another is the point of view, which changes between Sadie and Carter.

Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow

Golio, G., & Steptoe, J. (2010). Jimi: Sounds like a rainbow : a story of the young Jimi Hendrix. Boston: Clarion Books.

 

This book is a Coretta Scott King book.

 

Exposition: Young Jimi Hendrix hears music in everything.

Conflict: Jimi lives with his father, and they don't have much money.  He is mocked for having different hair and clothes.  They move a lot, but he has two good friends.

Rising Action: Rock and roll grows in popularity as Jimi grows up, and he likes it.  Jimi wants to paint pictures with sound.

Climax: Jimi buys a guitar from his neighbor.

Falling Action: He teaches himself how to play.  Eventually his father saves up money and buys him an electric guitar.

Resolution: Jimi learns to play with feedback from the electric guitar, and "paints sound".  He becomes famous.

The illustrations are not realistic, but they go well with Hendrix's music.  They are very bright, and fit the story and reinforce the idea of "painting the world with sound".  The illustrator utilizes expressionism and mixed media well.

How I Learned Geography

Shulevitz, U. (2008). How I learned geography. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

 

This book is a Caldecott honor book. 

 

Exposition: Uri and his family are refugees after World War II.

Conflict: The family has to move to the desert (Kazakstan), and are very poor and starving. 

Rising Action: Father goes to the marketplace to buy bread for the family to eat, but he returns with a map instead.  Uri is hungry and furious with his father.

Climax: Uri stares at the map, and eventually imgines travelling to all of the places on the map.  He draws  the map.

Falling Action: Uri forgives his father.

Resolution: The family moves to Paris, then Israel, then finally the United States.  Uri knows the places from his map.

The illustrations do a good job establishing the mood.  In the pictures where the family is hungry, the illustrations are dark and dreary.  Later, when Uri travels the world, the pictures are bright and happy.  The reinforce the text when they describe the places he travels.

Dear Primo

Tonatiuh, D. (2010). Dear primo: A letter to my cousin. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Exposition: Charlie and Carlitos are cousins.  Charlie lives in America, in a large city.  Carlitos lives in Mexico, more in the country.  The two boys are exchanging letters.

Conflict: Charlie and Carlitos live very different lives.

Rising Action: The boys compare homes, schools, food, recess, and after-school activities.

Climax: The boys compare holidays and family traditions at holidays.

Falling Action: They have to stop writing and go to bed.

Resolution: They both realize that they should visit each other.

The illustrations are okay.  They are very simple, and naive as though a child drew them.  They do reinforce the text, and Spanish words are provided.

Twilight

Meyer, S. (2005). Twilight. New York: Little, Brown and Co.

Exposition: This is the story of Bella, a teenage girl from Arizona who goes to live with her father in Forks, Washington when her mother remarries. 

Conflict: Bella meets the mysterious Cullen family, and falls in love with Edward.

Rising Action: Bella finds out that the Cullens are vampires, and that Edward reads minds (though he can't read hers) and Alice can see the future.

Climax: Bella runs away to Arizona, is taken by James, and there is a showdown at her old dance studio where the Cullens kill him, and Bella is wounded.

Falling Action: Edward learns to control his bloodlust around Bella.  Bella returns to Forks and wants Edward to make her a vampire so they can be together equally.

Resolution: Edward doesn't want to damn Bella by turning her into a vampire.  Her friend Jacob warns her about Edward.  Bella thinks that Alice will eventually turn her into a vampire.

One strong literary quality is character.  The reader really empathizes with Bella.  The mood is also important; it is a combination of suspense and romance.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Rowling, J. K., & GrandPré, M. (1998). Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone. New York: A.A. Levine Books.

Exposition: Harry Potter is an English orphan boy who lives with his neglectful aunt and uncle, and is about to turn 11. 

Conflict: Harry finds out (from owls delivering letters and from a giant man named Hagrid) that he is a wizard, as were his parents.  They were killed by an evil wizard named Voldemort.  He goes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he is famous because he survived an attack by Voldemort (when his parents were killed) and got the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

Rising Action: Harry meets friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.  They learn about wizardry and become suspicious that Professor Snape is helping Voldemort return to power.  Harry also meets his nemesis, Draco Malfoy.  They learn about the Sorcerer's Stone, which produces immortality, and think Snape is going to steal it for Voldemore.

Climax: The three friends use the skills they've learned at Hogwarts to defeat Voldemort, who was actually using Professor Quirrell, not Professor Snape, to stay alive.  They lull the three-headed dog to sleep, use herbology, play Wizard's Chess, and use the Mirror of Erised.

Falling Action: Harry wakes up in the Hogwarts hospital wing and has to heal from his injuries he got during his adventure.  Professor Dumbledore tells Harry that he was protected from Lord Voldemort because his mother sacrificed herself on his behalf, and the power of a mother's love for a child is the most powerful magic.

Resolution:  Harry has to go back and live with the Dursleys for the summer, but hopes to return to Hogwarts in the fall.

Two strong literary qualities are tension - will Voldemort return?  Who is after them?  The reader feels the tension throughout the novel.  The second is the setting; the reader can visualize Hogwarts easily.

The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring

Sanderson, R. (2001). The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the magic ring. Boston: Little, Brown.

This book is a Bluebonnet nominee. 

Exposition: This is the story of a young Russian hunter named Alexi, who finds a golden mare in the woods one day.  He has her in his sights with his bow, but spares her life, so she is indebted to him.

Conflict: Alexi goes to work for the Tsar, who wants to buy the mare, but Alexi refuses.  The Tsar is very angry with Alexi.

Rising Action: The Tsar gives Alexi seemingly impossible tasks, such as finding a mythical firebird, and the mare helps him. The Tsar asks Alexi to find Yelena the Beatiful and bring her to be his bride.

Climax: Alexi and the mare find Yelena, but Alexi feels bad about her marrying the Tsar.  Yelena says she won't marry without her magic golden ring, so Alexi and the mare go to find it. 

Falling Action: Yelena and Alexi use the magic ring to trick the Tsar into getting into a pot of water, which turns him into a baby.

Resolution: Alexi and Yelena marry, adopt the baby, and Alexi becomes the new Tsar.  The golden mare acts as his advisor.

The illustrations in this book are absolutely amazing.  The colors are vibrant and appealing.  The artwork is very realistic, and even the fantasy elements are believable.  The level of detail for people, setting, and animals are astonishing.

Castle

Macaulay, D., Egolf, R. L., Houghton Mifflin Company., & Dr. Robert L. Egolf Collection. (1977). Castle. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

This book is a Caldecott honor book.

Exposition: This is the story of an imagined castle being built in Wales in the years from 1277-1305.  Lord Kevin is the owner.

Conflict: The Welsh people do not want King Edward I of England to rule them, and have been attacking, so the castle is defensive.

Rising Action: Lord Kevin hires many different kinds of workers to build the castle, and the reader sees the workers, their tools, and their methods. 

Climax: The castle is finally completed and the town grows around it.  King Edward comes to visit the town, and there is a great feast.

Falling Action: The Welsh continue to rebel, but the castle fortifications hold, and the people are safe.

Resolution:  The Welsh people continue to rebel against the English for years.  The castle eventually falls into disrepair.

The illustrations are well done.  They are dated by the fact that they are black and white line drawings.  I think that today's children will crave color.  The level of detail is amazing, and children can spend hours analyzing the drawings and learning about castles - the drawings really reinforce the text.

Bad News for Outlaws

Nelson, V. M., & Christie, R. G. (2009). Bad news for outlaws: The remarkable life of Bass Reeves, deputy U.S. marshal. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books.

This book is a Coretta Scott King award winner.

Exposition: Bass Reeves is a legendary lawman, the first black United States Marshal. 

Conflict: Reeves is born into slavery, but was a crack shot, so his owner took him to fight in the Civil War with him.  The two men fought, Reeves struck his owner, and ran away to Indian Territory.

Rising Action: Bass Reeves became a man of honor and perfected his marksmanship.  After the Civil War ended, he started a family.  His reputation spread, and he was asked to become a marshal.  He becomes one of the best and most honorable.

Climax: Bass Reeves is forced to arrest his own son when he kills his wife.

Falling Action: His son serves ten years.  Oklahoma became a state, and Reeves had to retire.

Resolution:  Reeves hired on with the local police force and later died of Bright's disease.

The illustrations were appropriate to the story and conveyed the setting well.  I wish there was more detail in the character's faces, but the costumes and background are more the focus.  The main character is portrayed as larger than life in the story, and the illustrations match that.  I feel that it is well illustrated.

Savvy

Law, I.  (2008). Savvy. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Savvy is a Newbery Honor Book, an ALA Notable Book, and a New York Times Bestseller.

Exposition: Mibs Beaumont is just about to turn 13, which is when she will get her savvy, or her power.  Everyone in her family gets some sort of power, talent, or ability on their 13th birthday.  Her father is the only family member who doesn't have a savvy.

Conflict: Mibs' father is injured in a car accident and ends up in a coma.  He is hospitalized in another  town, and only Mrs. Beaumont and the oldest brother, Rocket go to stand vigil.

Rising Action: Mibs runs away from her 13th birthday party with her brothers Fish and Samson, and friends Will and Bobbi.  The Beaumont children are trying to get to the hospital to visit their Poppa, where Mibs thinks that she can wake him up.  They hitch a ride with a Bible salesman named  Lester and pick up a waitress named Lill.  Mibs finds that her savvy is hearing the thoughts of people who have tattoos, or any ink on their bodies.

Climax: The motley bunch finally arrive at the hospital, and Mibs is able to wake her father up.

Falling Action: They return home, and Poppa slowly recovers, but he suffers some memory loss.  Mibs is able to communicate with him through her savvy. 

Resolution: Things have changed, as they are all growing up, but everyone learns to live with the changes.  Fish learned to control his savvy, and the oldest brother Rocket moves out.

One strong literary quality is pacing; the chapters are short and the pace is fast, so the reader is interested in the story.  Also, the mood is ethereal, which plays well with the concept of the savvy.

Shiloh

Naylor, P.R. (1991). Shiloh. New York: Atheneum.

This book is a Bluebonnet nominee.

Exposition: This is the story of a boy named Marty, who lives in West Virginia, and finds a Beagle he names Shiloh.

Conflict:  He realizes that his neighbor owns the dog, so Marty and his father return him to Judd Travers, but he is abusive to Shiloh.

Rising Action: When Shiloh escapes Mr. Travers again, Marty decides to keep him, and hides him from his family. Marty picks up cans to earn money to buy the dog from his neighbor, but another dog attacks Shiloh, so his secret is discovered.

Climax: Mr. Travers says that Marty has to return the dog, but Marty goes to confront him and catches Judd poaching deer out of season.

Falling Action:  Mr. Travers agrees to let Marty work for him to earn the dog, so Marty goes to his house every day and works really hard, but fears that Judd won't keep his end of the bargain.

Resolution: Eventually, he earns the right to own Shiloh!

One strong literary quality is tension, because the reader always feels the tension of a family struggling to survive financially as well as the tension of Mr. Travers.  Another quality is setting - children will enjoy learning about the rural West Virginia life.

Anne Frank: Her Life in Words and Pictures

Metselaar, M., van der Rol, R., Pomerans, A. & Anne Frank Stichting. (2009). Anne Frank: her life in words and pictures from the archives of the Anne Frank House. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

I was a little confused about whether to classify this book as a picture book or chapter book, but I decided to call it a chapter book because of its length, the subdivisions by year, and the lack of artist-created illustrations. This is an ALA Notable Book for Children.

Exposition: This book begins with a photograph of Anne's actual diary, which I had never seen before.  Anne received it for her 13th birthday, and we read a description of her birthday (June 12, 1942).

Conflict:  Anne and her family are Jewish, living in Amsterdam during the rise of Adolf Hitler's Nazi party.  They moved there from Germany because of laws against Jews.  The discrimination spreads to Holland.  The family is forced to hide in an annex of her father's company for several years.

Climax: The family is betrayed, and taken to concentration camps.

Falling Action: The family members are separated, and spend months in the camps.  They are transported to other camps as Allied forces close in.

Resolution: Everyone dies, except Anne's father, Otto Frank.  Anne and her sister died just weeks before Allied forces liberated their camp.  Her father receives her journal from one of his employees who helped them hide, and they eventually publish it.

 

One strong literary quality is tension, obviously.  While the reader probably already knows that Anne Frank died during the Holocaust, questions (when will they be captured, who betrayed them, who will die first?) remain.  Another quality is illustration quality.  The photographs definitely add to the familiar story.

Henry's Freedom Box

Levine, E., and Nelson, K. (2007). Henry's freedom box. New York: Scholastic Press.

This book is a Caldecott honor book from 2008.

Exposition: This is the story of a man named Henry Brown, who grows up a slave.

Conflict: Henry is unhappy as a slave and wants to be free.

Rising Action: He marries and starts a family, but his wife's owner needs money and has to sell her and their children.

Climax: Henry is devastated and knows he will never see his family again. Henry sees a crate and decides to mail himself to a place where slavery is illegal. A man named Dr. Smith helps Henry mail himself to Philadelphia, and Henry burns himself to have an excuse to miss work.

Falling Action: While in the box, Henry is thrown around and has to be still and silent.

Resolution: In the end, Henry arrived to freedom in Philadelphia.

This book is well illustrated. The pages are kind of dark, but they match the mood of the story. The expressions on the characters' faces are really excellent. The drawings are kept simple for the age group, but emotion is portrayed well.