Paper Towns

Paper Towns

Written by John Green

Published by Speak in 2009

320 Pages.

Genre: Pure Awesomeness, Romance, Adventure, Journey.

Summery: Quentin grew up next door to the perfectly awesome Margo Roth Speigelman. They have adventures as kids and then eventually grow farther and farther apart as they grow older. By the time they're in High School, Margo has a brilliantly cultivated bada$$ image, and Quentin is a certified band geek. But one night, Margo pulls Quentin back into her life- right before she disappears. Quentin has to understand Margo before he can find her.

Response: Totally loved it. Although the plot may sound a bit stale, it's gripping and unpredictable. The characters are very well done- not at all the typical HS romance. I got a side cramp from laughing while reading it, but it also has some deeper themes woven into it as well. This is one book I had to buy.

Word of Caution: Language, sexual references, crude humor.

How Joe Succeeded

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How Joe Succeeded
Written by Mary Morrison
Published by David C. Cook in 1905
64 pages.

Genre: Adventure, Journey.

Summery: Joe is a lazy 16 year old boy, so his uncle sends him to work at a lumbercamp. Joe learns to work, the value of money, the vice of gambling, and the meaning of success.

Response: A fun, quick look into the early 20th century. I enjoyed it. Not very deep characters or storyline, but a fun book.

Word of Caution: Joe gambles away his money.

Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad

Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad

Written by Ann Petry

Published by Amistad in 1995

256 pages.

Genre: History, Nonfiction.

Summery: This book tells the story of the remarkable woman named Harriet Tubman. It tells about her childhood as a slave, how she ran away as a young woman, her many years rescuing slaves, and her work as a spy in the Civil War.

Response: I enjoyed this book. I knew a little about Harriet Tubman, but this book helped me appreciate and admire her a lot more. Well-written as a story, not as dry as some history books.

Word of Caution: Tells about her sometimes violent life as a slave.

The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief

Written by Rick Riordan

Published by Hyperion Book in 2009

384 pages.

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure.

Summery: Everything seems to go wrong to Percy Jackson. He's never been to a school that he didn't get kicked out of. But this school will be better, right? Wrong. He gets kicked out, but this time he finds out why. He's a demigod, and Zeus thinks Percy stole his lightning bolt. Percy has to find it to prove his innocence- and soon.

Response: Loved it. Well-written, likeable characters, with a fast and mostly unpredictable plot.

Word of Caution: An abusive step-father.

The Boys' First Book of Radio and Electronics

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The Boys' First Book of Radio and Electronics
Written by Alfred P. Morgan
Published by C. Scribner in 1954
About 264 pages.

Genre: How-To, Nonfiction.

Summery: This book is a well-written explanation of basic radio science. The author still holds enough of his inner youth to make the book entertaining for boys. He tells stories and shows how the "new" radio technology can make the world a better place. It is very informative and encourages boys to be creative and try new things.

Response: I still don't really know anything about radio science, but I'm a girl and the book wasn't quite as interesting to me. My brother loved it. I'd say it's definately a boys' book. (Duh. Look at the title.)

Word of Caution: None. The book is out of print, so good luck finding it to buy. I got a copy from the library.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing

Written by M. T. Anderson

Published by Candlewick in 2008

384 pages.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Violence, Journey.

Summery: This is the story of a young male slave in pre-revolution America. He is raised in a scientific household, not knowing as a child that he is as much of an experiment as the strange chemicals. He is treated as brilliant at first, being taught latin and greek, science and mathematics. But then times change and he is, after all, a slave.

Response: Honestly, this book could make me hate historical fiction. The first part was freaky weird, but by the middle......it was still freaky weird. I skimmed a lot of it because it was gross and parts of the plot dragged. I don't think I would recommend it.

Word of Caution: Violence, slaves are treated as slaves, some language, graphic description of nasty things, and sexual references.

Wintergirls

Wintergirls

Written by Laurie Halse Anderson

Published by Speak in 2009

288 pages.

Genre: Social Issues

Summery: Lia's best friend dies and comes back to haunt her. Lia finds out that she died from bulimia, which adds to her own problems with anorexia. Lia struggles to lose weight, hoping that it will hold the answer to her problems. Finally Lia has to decide what world she really belongs in.

Response: Wow. This is a sad book. It's very, very well written. I felt like I was in Lia's head. I couldn't put it down, even though it's painful to go through everything with Lia. I learned a lot about eating disorders that I didn't realize before. A great book.

Word of Caution: Cutting, eating disorders, graphic scenes. A little language, but the biggest thing is really the seriousness of the topic and the graphic scenes.

Everlost

Everlost

Written by Neal Shusterman

Published by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing in 2009

336 pages.

Genre: Supernatural, Sci-Fi.

Summery: Two kids, Allie and Nick both die in the same car accident. They get lost on their way down "the tunnel" and land in Everlost. They are on a quest to find out how to get out. On their way, they meet monsters, The Queen of Snots, and other kids like them.

Response: I liked it even though I was a little hesitant to read it. The characters are great; I really enjoyed them. The plot was faintly predictable, but pretty well done. I wasn't satisfied with the ending until I realized it was part of a trilogy.

Word of Caution: Nothing comes to mind. It's about the afterworld, if you are concerned about preaching false doctrine.

We All Fall Down

We All Fall Down

Written by Robert Cormier

Published by Laural-Leaf Books in 1993

208 pages.

Genre: Suspense, Family.

Summery: Four teenage boys trash the Jerome's home one night. 14 yr old Karen comes home while they are there. She is assaulted and beaten in to a coma. The story is told from several characters, including Karen's sister Jane, one of the trashers, and a psychopath/schiztophrenic murderer who thinks he's 11.

Response: Wow, this book is freaky weird. It was a little hard to get into, but then I got sucked in and sort of enjoyed it, I guess. It's really intense.

Word of Caution: Graphic description of the trashing and beating, teenage drinking, language.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

Written by Suzanne Collins

Published by Scholastic Press in 2008

384 pages.

Genre: Violence, Dystopia, Suspense.

Summery: North America is now a nation of 12 districts ruled by The Capital. Once, the districts rebelled against the dictatorship of the Capital. Every year since, the Hunger Games have happened to remind the districts who is in control. The names of two children between the ages of 12 and 18 are drawn from each district, one boy and one girl. Both will enter the Games. Out of 24 kids, only one will survive.

Response: I thought I wouldn't like it, but I loved it. It may be a new favorite. I thought it would be morbid and gross, but it was very clean and the author presented it very well. There was practically no swearing or sexual references. The plot was gripping, and the characters were round and well developed.

Word of Caution: It's very intense, and there's a lot of killing.

Book Group Discussion

*I'm pausing my reviews for a moment to write down a thought I had.*

For my humanities class, I had to read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It was a fascinating book, especially as I had just read The Adoration of Jenna Fox. They both deal with essentially the same question: What defines a human? If I was a part of a book group, I would certainly suggest reading both books and discussing the similarities and differences. Both are very well written and examine the same topic but in very different ways.

Stuck In Neutral

Stuck in Neutral

Written by Terry Trueman

Published by HarperTeen in 2001

128 pages.

Genre: Suspense, Family

Summery: Shawn is 14 and he was born with cerebral palsy. He has zero muscle control. He can't even voluntarily blink, focus his eyes, or swallow. But there's nothing wrong with his mind. He knows how to read and he has a perfect memory. He enjoys the world around him. He loves his family. Which is why he's worried when he finds out that his father might kill him.

Response: This is hands down the best book I have read this semester. It is incredible. It will literally change your life. I really connected to this book because I have worked as a therapist for handicapped children. I know how they are so much more than most people take them for. Every single person has a personality. They are people. Read this book.

Word of Caution: This book will have significant effect on your opinion of retarded people.

Foreign Exchange

Foreign Exchange

Written by Mel Glenn

Published by HarperTeen in 1999

144 pages.

Genre: Multicultural, Mystery/Suspense, Social Issues

Summery: For one weekend, students from a big-city highschool are staying with host families in a small, rural town. While staying there, one of the local girls (the prettiest, most popular) is murdered. Through the brilliant poems, we find out who killed her and how the people from both sides deal with the event.

Response: Loved it. So brilliantly written. I think that the poetry works better than regular prose would. It examines prejudices, stereotypes, rivalry, ethics, and family.

Word of Caution: Murder, obviously. Sex. Some language.

The Big Game of Everything

The Big Game of Everything

Written by Chris Lynch

Published by HarperTeen in 2010

288 pages.

Genre: Family

Summery: Union Jack is a kid with a brother named Egon, a sister who's perfect, and parents named Leonard and Peach. And then there's Granpus, who hires his grankids to work for him on his golf course. This is the story of that summer.

Response: This is a great book. It has funny parts and quirky characters, but it also deals with more important themes like self-worth, family relations, and friendship.

Word of Caution: It's mostly clean, but there's a few sexual references and a couple swear words.

Split Image

Split Image

Written by Mel Glenn

Published by HarperTeen in 2002

160 pages.

Genre: Multicultural, Social Issues, Family

Summery: Laura Li's family moved to the US from China. Her father is always gone on business, and her mother never lets her have any fun. She has to stay home and take care of her handicapped older brother. She is the most beautiful girl at her highschool; all the boys love her. She is a model student, and an excellent student librarian. No one can see the pain that she's hiding. A fascinating and haunting story told in free verse.

Response: I loved this book. The poems are clear and descriptive. The story is gripping and unpredictable. I recommend it very highly.

Word of Caution: Suicide.

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging.

Written by Louise Rennison

Published by HarperTeen in 2001

272 pages.

Genre: Humor, Social Issues

Summery: The diary of 14 year old Georgia Nicolsen. It contains tales of her 3 year old sister who leaves wet diapers in Georgia's bedroom, her cat Angus who is part Scottish wildcat and eats dogs, eyebrow disasters, an oh-so-hot guy she calls The Sex God, and yes- snogging. It's a refreshingly British novel with a delightful narrator.

Response: Absolutely hilarious. It had a little too much Jr High drama for me (but I have an insanely low tolerence for drama). It was well done; the book worked well as a diary.

Word of Caution: Snogging. Sexual references. British swearing.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Written by Jeff Kinney

Published by Amulet in 2007

224 pages.

Genre: Social Issues, Humor, Graphic Novel

Summery: Greg is a wimpy kid. He's stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons. His older brother and younger brother are equally unapproachable. And on top of everything, his mother is making him keep a diary.

Response: Laughed out loud at every. single. page. Excellent cartoons to supplement the quirky, true to life writing.

Word of Caution: The laughter this book induces may give you a hernia. Hmm, I guess I could mention the bullying too. Except even the bullying is funny. (Oops. I shouldn't say that. Beating up wimpy kids is not supposed to be funny.)

Scat

Scat

Written by Carl Hiaasen

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers in 2010

384 pages.

Genre: Nature, Adventure

Summery: This book is full of fun craziness. A kid who eats pencils and burns billboards, a teacher who disappears, a crooked oil drilling company, a boy with one arm tied behind his back, a guy glued to a tree, and a substitute teacher who is as dotty as a dalmation.

Response: Carl Hiaasen is my favorite. Period. His writing is clean, fresh, and funny. His characters are rounded and distinct. I liked some of his other books better than this particular one, but I'm just being picky. This book is instant fun and sunshine, but the main character's father is a soldier in Iraq, so it carries an underlying real life message as well. Fantastic book. Read it.

Word of Caution: Really, it's pretty dang clean. Teenage vandalism, if I were to put anything here.

Trouble

Trouble

Written by Gary D. Schmidt

Published by Graphia in 2010

300 pages.

Genre: Multicultural, Family, Adventure

Summery: Henry Smith's father always said, "If you build your house far enough from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you." That was true for the first 14 years of Henry's life. Then when Henry's older brother Franklin is hit by a car, Henry has to learn to deal with Trouble. He feels called to climb Katahdin, like he and his brother had planned to do. The journey to the mountain is enlightening, to say the least. This is a story of racism, forgiveness, grief, family, history, war, and love.

Response: I loved this book. I think I might buy it. So wonderfully written and sincerely genuine. It pulls heartstrings and tickles funny bones. (That last sentence was incredibly cliche. Sorry.) It's tragic, but still uplifting. It starts out a little slow, but by a few chapters into it, I was hooked. Read this book.

Word of Caution: Describes some rather violent scenes. I don't remember any bad language, but there might be a little.

An Abundance of Katherines

An Abundance of Katherines

Written by John Green

Published by Speak in 2008

272 pages.

Genre: Romance, Humor

Summery: Colin Singleton is a child prodigy who just graduated from highschool. For a super smart kid, he's kind of dumb. He's just been dumped for the 19th time. All his girlfriends have been named Katherine. And every last one of them has dumped him. Colin is depressed and unmotivated, so his best friend drags him on a road trip- a sure cure. They drive all the way from Chicago to Gunshot, Tennessee. There, they stay for a while. They make new friends, work a weird job, hunt pigs, and Colin tries to come up with a math formula that can predict romantic relationships.

Response: Very well written. Absolutely hilarious. Dorky- in a nice way. Too much bad language for my taste. Probably wouldn't let my brother read it. Probably won't read it again. Enjoyed it anyway.

Word of Caution: Frequent cursing. (I say frequent, and I mean almost every sentence the kids speak. Yuck.) Sex.

American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese
Written by Gene Luen Yang
Published by Square Fish in 2008
240 pages.

Genre: Graphic Novel, Multicultural

Summery: Jin Wang is a typical kid. Except his parents are from Taiwan. He has the usual middle school experience: being picked on, sitting by himself, having a crush on a pretty girl etc. He also has the typical tough experience of being an American Born Chinese. The whole book is a comic strip, which is remarkably effective for the story.

Response: I enjoyed it, but I don't think I really got it. There's a few storylines going on, and maybe I was too distracted by the comics to catch it all. It's brilliantly done. The pictures are bright and expressive. A delightful book-if you like comics.

Word of Caution: Bullying.

13 Little Blue Envelopes

13 Little Blue Envelopes
Written by Maureen Johnson
Published by HarperTeen in 2006
352 pages.

Genre: Adventure, Romance

Summery: 17 year old Ginny gets a package with 13 little blue envelopes and 4 rules in it. It's from her dead aunt. Ginny travels to Europe, opening each of the numbered envelopes after she completes the task contained in the last. She meets all kinds of people and sees great sights.

Response: A fun travel book. It's entertaining, and the characters are well written. I like how Ginny is independent, but not in the typical rebellious teen way. There's not a lot of deeper stuff to think about, but I would recommend it. Don't be put off by the slightly skanky cover; Ginny is a very wholesome person.

Word of Caution: Some teen drinking, and a brief sex related scene wherein Ginny chooses the right and flees temptation. A reference to homosexuality.

Minerva Clark Gets a Clue

Minerva Clark Gets a Clue
Written by Karen Karbo
Published by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books in 2005
224 pages.

Genre: Humor, Family, Social Issues

Summery: Minerva Clark is tall. Really tall. She pretty much dwarfs everyone in her 7th grade class. And she has thick, crazy, curly hair. Like most 7th grade girls, she's painfully self-conscious. Add her height and hair to the normal quota of self-consciousness, and she's off the charts. But then her older brother does a science experiment on her, and BANG - personality transplant!! She's not shy or self-conscious. At all. Ever. That day turns out to be weird in other ways too, like when her favorite cousin gets arrested for a broken taillight. Minerva becomes a crime fighting detective with the help of her best friend and pet ferret.

Response: Loved it. It's funny and cute and real. It was a bit of a mystery, but refreshingly unpredictable. Or maybe I'm just naive. Which is possible. But really, it made me giggle and groan and occasionally smack my forehead. I like her relationship with her older brothers- they don't fight, and they have inside jokes. I recommend it.

Word of Caution: Um...... I think it might drop a couple of swear words. And there's one time that a kid smokes. The parents are gone all the time, so the kids eat on the couch (If you're a neat freak- get over it).

"The Taking of Room 114"

The Taking of Room 114
Written by Mel Glenn
Published by Dutton Juvenile in 1997
192 pages.

Genre: Poetry, Suspense

Summery: A crazy high school teacher takes his students hostage. It's remarkably gripping, considering that the entire book is a series of poems. There are five poems for each of the students telling of their lives as Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, and finally on the day of the event. The poems do an incredible job of getting inside the heads of teens. Very spot on. The poetry is fun and easy to read.
Response: Oh my. So good. Funny and real, with excellent characters. This book shows that we use too many words when we write. He can create detailed characters with 5 relatively short poems. His writing is fascinating. The storyline is faint but compelling. I read it in less than an hour. This was one of my favorite books I've read so far.

Word of Caution: Mild language. (We're in the teens' heads, remember?) Teen pregnancy. Poetry Haters beware -you might like this book.

"The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman"

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman
Written by Louise Plummer
Published by Laural Leaf in 1997
192 pages.

Genre: Humor, Romance

Summery: Kate is 17 and writing her own romance novel. She recounts the story of how she fell in love at Christmas. The story begins when her older brother comes home for Christmas with his wife, his best friend Richard, and Richard's gorgeous friend, Fleur. Kate tells how she fell in love with Richard, using helpful phrases from The Romance Writer's Phrase Book. The book also tells a lesser tale of how she realizes she hates her best friend and actually like who she should hate (Fleur). It shows a great little family at Christmas, with the typical arguments, laughs, and traditions. A quick, fun read.

Response:
Reasons why I liked this book:
1. It has my name in the title.
2. It's a cute love story that's relatively un-sappy.
3. It made me snicker and giggle while we were reading in class. Embarrassing for me, but it's hilarious.
4. The heroine is tall with glasses and a high GPA.
5. It's a YA novel with realistic, humorous parents involved.
6. She's friends with her brother.
7. There's kissing in moderation.
8. The hero is awesome, but not perfect.

Word of Caution: I think some of the characters drink alcohol. Maybe a little mild language. Kissing. (Should that be a warning? Just don't let 11 yr olds read the smooching parts, I guess.) If you read this in a quiet room, you will disrupt others with snorts of escaping laughter.

"Breath"

Breath

Written by Donna Jo Napoli

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers in 2003

260 pages.

Genre: Supernatural, History

Summery: This is a retelling of The Pied Piper. Salz is a 12 year old boy with cystic fibrosis. His town is infected with a strange disease that nobody can cure. Strangely, Salz, the sickest of all, escapes infection. But because of his illness, he can't follow when the Piper leads all the other children away.

Response: Interesting book. Full of weird black magic and the medieval ages. The characters are fairly well written. Salz and his grandmother are great characters. The others could have used some more details and personality. I didn't understand how Salz's father and brothers could be such jerks, while Salz is kind and innocent. It was a little too morbid for me personally. I'm not a huge fan of supernatural, which is a key part of the book. So if you like supernatural books, read it.

Word of Caution: Black magic, sex, maybe a little language, drug usage.

"The Only Alien On The Planet"

The Only Alien On The Planet

Written by Kristen Randle

Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky in 2009

240 pages

Genre: Social Issues, Friendship

Summery: Ginny and her family move right before her senior year of highschool. When she starts at her new school, she notices Smitty on the first day. Although this already sounds incredibly cliche, she tries to find out more about him. He's known as the Alien because he never speaks or has any kind of social interaction. Ginny and her new friend, Caulder, try to make friends with the Alien. Eventually, many secrets come out and Ginny and Caulder become key parts of Smitty's psychological healing.

Response: I don't know what to say. This is a very influential novel. I couldn't put it down. It has a lot of psycho stuff in it that makes me want to be a psychology major just so I understand it. I do absolutely recommend it, but it definately needs to be read more than once. Preferably with a psychologist handy to answer questions.

Word of Caution: Abuse. Language. May spin your head.

"Love Is a Missing Person"

Love Is a Missing Person
Written by M. E. Kerr
Published by Trophy PR in 1990
141 pages

Genre: Family, Social Issues, Multicultural

Summery: Suzy Slade is 15, and she's not the favorite child. Her parents are divorced, and her father chose her sister, Chicago. Of course he did. Who wouldn't pick beautiful, charming Chicago? But Suzy's life takes some twists and turns when Chicago shows up and wants to trade parents. And then it takes some more twists when her father remarries. And then it takes some more twists when there's a robbery in town. The ending......well, I'll let you read it.

Response: This was one of those books. The kind that makes you think on the last page. Except you're thinking, "Now what was that all about?" The book is very short, but there's a lot to it. I just don't know what it is yet. I'm going to read it a few more times.

Word of Caution: Some bad language.

"Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress"

"Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress"
Written by Maria Padian
Published by Knopf Books For Young Readers in 2009
288 pages

Genre: Friends/Social Issues, Sports

Summery: Brett McCarthy is the star of the soccer team, an honor student, and has a BFF. Then she plays a prank. Bam! Her world flips. Brett McCarthy is redefined as a twice-suspended-social-outcast-nerd. She even gets kicked off her beloved soccer team. And on top of all this, something is wrong with her grandmother. But Brett comes out on top in the end, thanks to her true friends and a giant potato bazooka.

Response: Oh my heavens. If Brett was real, we'd be BFF's. Seriously. I loved this story. It's real and funny and full of marvelous new words. I can't count the times this book made me laugh. It reminded me of my own Junior High friend problems, except Brett's are way worse than mine were. I liked the themes of friendship, change, responsibility, and family. The only thing I didn't like: it said that Maine potatoes are better than Idaho's. False!!

Word of Caution: May bring back memories of Jr High. Contains a few mild swear words.

"The Adoration of Jenna Fox"

"The Adoration of Jenna Fox"

Written by Mary E. Pearson

Published by Walker Books Ltd in 2010

272 pages

Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance, Ethics

Summery: Jenna Fox wakes up from a coma in a strange new home with a strangely unfamiliar body. She knows she was involved in an accident, but she can't remember anything about it. She can't remember much of anything period. Her father lives in another city and comes to visit. Her mother behaves oddly and is extremely protective of Jenna. Her grandmother hates her, in Jenna's opinion. Jenna goes through a fascinating journey of discovery of who she is and what the world thinks and does. The novel takes place in a futuristic world where cloning and genetic modification are commonly used.

Response: I liked it. The work examines the ethics of the medical world, the possibilities of science, the dangers of science, the political world, the education system, the value of life, weighing the odds, the value of friends, the power struggle between parents and teens, and the beauty and frailty of the human mind. Read this book if you liked "Fahrenheit 451". Read it if you didn't like "Fahrenheit 451".

Word of Caution: You might begin to look more closely at the health care system.

"Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac" - Gabrielle Zevin

"Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac"

Written by Gabrielle Zevin

Published in 2009 by Square Fish

304 pages

Genre: Friends/Social Issues, Romance

Summery:

Naomi is a junior in high school. She is on the yearbook staff with her best friend, Will. One day she loses a coin toss and ends up falling down the steps of the school. She suffers severe memory loss of everything since 6th grade. She doesn't understand her boyfriend, her best friend, her parents' divorce, or the new kid at school. She struggles trying to find out who she is. Which version of her is the true Naomi? The novel explores social pressures, teen romance, family, gay relationships, and identity.

Response: Not a bad book. Pretty well-written, although the whole amnesia thing had some gaps (no pun intended). It was interesting enough that I read it all in one sitting. The characters behave realistically and are well rounded. It's not a book I would buy to read again, but I think it was worth my time.

Word of Caution: Teenage drinking, sex, homosexuality

"Impossible" - Nancy Werlin

"Impossible"

Written by Nancy Werlin

Published in 2010 by Puffin Books

288 pages

Genre: Supernatural, Romance

Summery:

This novel is based on an old folk song called "Scarborough Fair". Lucy Scarborough is 17, and her mother is insane. Stark raving mad. Lucy lives with her foster parents and has a pretty normal life - until she goes to the prom. She is raped by her date, who then immediately runs out and kills himself. Lucy becomes pregnant. She also finds out that her family is cursed to be raped when 17, have a daughter when 18, and then go mad after the child is born. She can only break the curse by doing three impossible tasks. Along the way, she falls in love and gets married. It's full of weird magic, teenage love, and that persistent Simon and Garfunkle song you're humming already.

Response: Eh. Didn't like it. I have a problem with fantasy and magic. I have a bigger problem with teenage lovers. The writing was so-so. I finished it just because I'm obsessive like that. Only read it if you really like this kind of thing.

Word of Caution: Rape. Creepy elfin knight dude.

" The Wednesday Wars" - Gary D. Schmidt

"The Wednesday Wars"

Written by Gary D. Schmidt

Published in 2007 by Sandpiper

264 pages

Genre: History, Friends/Social Issues

Summery:

The main character is Holling Hoodhood, a 7th grade boy in the 60's. He is the only Protestant kid in his class; everyone else is Jewish or Catholic. So on Wednesday afternoons, he's left with his teacher while all the other kids leave for their religious classes. His teacher, Mrs. Baker, has him read Shakespeare. As the Vietnam War drags on, his sister runs away to join other flower children, his father loses a business deal, he has a crush on a girl, and the pet rats escape, Holling finds truth and strength in the words of Shakespeare and Mrs. Baker.

Response:

Loved this book. La la loved it. Holling is a delightful and well-written character. The story made me laugh out loud many, many times. It helps readers understand the world of 1967 and the Vietnam war in a new way. While it's very funny, there is a underlying current of the fear and grief that the war brought. It's an easy and engaging read; I sat down and read it cover to cover in a few hours. It's a delightful book. Read it.

Word of Caution: Several of your responsibilities may be neglected due to this book.

"The Moves Make The Man" - Bruce Brooks

Hello, and welcome to the first real post!

The Moves Make The Man was published in 1984. It tells the story of Jerome Foxworthy, a black kid. Set in the 60's, the work explores multiculturalism through the eyes of a Junior High student. Jerome's hometown is required to desegregate, so they expand the school district by one block. And guess who is the only black kid on that block? Yep. Jerome.

The work is full of sports: mostly basketball. Jerome lives and breathes basketball; he hates the summer when all the kids play baseball. But his opinion changes a little when he meets Bix. Bix is a shortstop, and the way he plays fascinates Jerome.


I could not take my eyes off that shortstop. He was the only kid I had ever seen who seemed to know with every part of himself just what to do on every single play. His feet were always placed just right to go along with his throwing motion or his gloving, his head was always turned the right way, his steps never left him on the wrong foot when he needed a jump or spin. (pg 21)

The boys eventually become best friends.

The book also examines family relationships. Jerome's father died when he was very young; he looks to his two older brothers as his examples. His mother plays a key role in the story as well. She is the wise, loving force of the family. The Foxworthys are a very close-knit happy family. Bix's family is a stark contrast to the Foxworthys. Bix is an only child. His mother is insane and lives in an asylum. Bix lives with his stepfather, who doesn't like him. All family scenes and conversations are full of tension and distrust. Both of the families learn and change throughout the book.

Themes of honesty, friendship, loyalty, and character are woven into this entertaining sports story.

Personally, I loved this book. It kept me hooked from the first chapter, and I stayed up until a ridiculous hour to finish it. It is remarkably well-written and funny. I absolutely recommend it.

Word of Caution: One instance of attempted suicide by a minor character.

Read it if you love sports, boys, humor, and real life stories.

Young Adult Literature?

Well, if you are going to read this blog, you might as well know why it came to exist. I registered for English 356. I have to read 30 young adult novels in one semester. I have to blog about them. The End.



That's the story of this blog; my story is a little different. I love to read. Love. To. Read. I was homeschooled my whole life. My mother used a method that was founded on literature. More specifically, classic literature. She read to me everyday, and taught me to love the power of words. I explored the world through the pages of books. I devour books like candy. But.....modern young adult novels are pretty foreign to me. But......I'm excited to jump into a new world and taste something a little different.

Welcome aboard. We're going to have quite the adventure.

Welcome

Hello? Anybody here? Hi. I'm Kate. I'm a girl in love. With books. Welcome.