August 30th 2009
Who would like this book? Readers, grade 6 through adult, curious for a remarkable adventure story set on a small island in an ocean somewhat like the Pacific written by a master of character, plot, style, and ideas will want to grab this book.
Why? The book opens with Mau, a boy in the midst of his Nation’s coming-of-age ritual. As he returns to his island home in a dugout canoe, anticipating the great feast and welcome that will include everyone on the island, a massive tsunami hits. Mau, alone in his boat, is the only survivor from his Nation. The tsunami has also driven a ship aground on the island, and the sole survivor is a young girl from what seems to be 19th century England. She quickly dispenses with her given name, Ermintrude, in favor of Daphne, which she likes much better. Though she tries to shoot Mau when she first sees him, they overcome their suspicions of each other, learn to communicate, and use their wits to help the odd assortment of refugees that arrive from nearby islands. Their efforts to understand each other and each other’s cultures lead each of them to greater knowledge about themselves and what is valuable in living. Daphne expects to be rescued by her father, a governor with an explorer’s heart and a distant claim to the throne, but as she settles into her new life as a nation builder, her hopes and dreams go through a change. Pratchett is a master story-teller, and with Nation, he is in top form. It is one of the ALA’s 2009 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults. I agree whole-heartedly that it belongs there!
The details: 367 p. 2008 Review by Samraian
August 30th 2009
Who would like this book? Anyone, grades 3 and up, who talks a lot or goes to school with other kids who talk a lot. (In other words, everyone.) If you wonder what might happen if everyone went silent for 48 hours, read this book! Do you like books that make you laugh out loud? Read this book. If you’ve read Frindle, you will grab No Talking without a second thought.
Why? They are known as “The Unshushables”: the one hundred+ fifth graders at Laketon Elementary. Their principal, Mrs. Hiatt, needs a red plastic bullhorn to make herself heard above their roaring during lunch. Dave Packer and Lynsey Burgess are two of the biggest talkers in this group of motor mouths; they are also sworn enemies, representing the deep rivalry between the girls and the boys at their school. So, when Dave and Lynsey are assigned a report on India, they divide the work and proceed individually. As he prepares his part of the report, Dave learns that Mahatma Gandhi practiced silence one day a week as a way to bring order to his mind. Impressed by this idea, Dave decides to give it a try. His initial experiment is a springboard for him and Lynsey to expand the idea into a 48-hour no-talking contest pitting the 5th grade girls against the 5th grade boys. Each word spoken is a point against the team, except that a three-word response to a teacher’s question is allowed. Clements gets every entertaining and thought-provoking nuance that one could expect from this engaging premise. He includes the viewpoints and responses of not only Dave and Lynsey, but lots of other students as well as their teachers, parents, and the determined Mrs. Hiatt. The black-and-white ink illustrations by Mark Elliott add lots to this fun page-turner. It’s a 2010 Young Reader’s Choice nominee in the Junior Division and would be a good choice for a Literature Circle.
The details: 146 p. 2007 Review by Samraian
August 27th 2009
Who would like this book? Girls, grades 7 and up, who like books that make them laugh out loud, think about their identity and spirituality, and follow the ups and downs of a year in high school (friends, romance, bullying, parent problems, teacher problems…). If anyone is interested in what it would be like to be a Muslim in a predominantly non-Muslim school, don’t miss this book.
Why? The smart, feisty, funny narrator of Does My Head Look Big In This? is 17-year-old Amal Abdel-Hakim. Amal is wondering about her head because she is totally preoccupied with her looks and style, and she decides at the beginning of the book (inspired by Jennifer Aniston on a rerun of Friends) to wear the Muslim headscarf, the hijab, full time. In the book’s opening pages, her observations about this process and other aspects of her life made me laugh out loud and read passages aloud to my family. As her story grows more complex, laughter continues to lighten the load as she takes on many serious issues. Amal is an Australian-Palestinian-Muslim attending an elite private high school in Melbourne, Australia, making this book a window into both Australian teen life and Muslim culture. She sometimes uses Australian slang, which I loved since I went to Australia recently. (Tip: a “jumper” is a jacket) Amal’s story is both hilarious and deeply moving; she is a captivating, believable character attempting to live fully in the contemporary world without compromising her faith. I highly recommend that you follow her journey. I loved this book! It’s a Young Reader’s Choice nominee in the Senior Division for 2010.
The details: 360 p. 2007 Review by Samrarian
August 27th 2009
Who would like this book? Anyone, grades 6 and up, who are interested in the history of Cuba, piercing free verse, or struggles for freedom will definitely want to read this short, powerful book.
Why? From 1850-1899, Cubans fought three wars with Spain in an attempt to gain their independence, only to be taken over by the United States in 1899. Engle chronicles these struggles using free verse in the voices of four narrators. Rosa, a traditional healer based on a real woman, tells the greater part of the story. She and her husband Jose, another narrator, provide shelter and care for runaway slaves and army deserters (Cuban and Spanish). One of these escapees is the young Silvia, another narrator who idolizes Rosa and learns the traditional ways from her. Rosa’s aid to the refugees makes her an enemy of the slaveholders and the Spanish. The fourth narrator, aptly named Lieutenant Death, acts for both these groups and desperately seeks to kill her. The alternating voices of these characters combine to tell a vivid, searing story of slavery and colonialism with powerful words. The book is worth reading both for its poetry and its history. Engle includes an Author’s Note, An Historical Note, a Chronology, and References. It’s not surprising that this book is a Newberry Honor Book (2009) and the winner of the Pura Belpre Award.
The details: 178 p. 2008 Review by Samrarian
August 19th 2009
Who would like this book? Older teens (8th grade and up), especially girls, who are interested in a beautifully written, totally riveting story about a sixteen-year-old girl struggling with beauty, family problems, and a relationship dilemma. If you’re interested in China, art, or geocaching, you will really like this book!
Why? Terra, sixteen and headed for early graduation, is on the run. She wants to get away from her family, her unsatisfying relationship with Erik, and her port-wine birthmark covering her left cheek. She feels responsible to protect her fragile mother from her overly-critical, emotionally abusive father, who has no interest in Terra’s art or her hopes to attend an art college. A minor car accident opens the way for Terra and her mother to meet Norah, a snappy middle-aged woman, and her son Jason, a Goth Chinese teen who cuts through all dishonesty. Subsequent events pave the way for the four of them to travel to China, a place that gives each of them (especially Terra and her mom) new perspectives on themselves. Terra’s experiences open her mind to insights and discoveries about herself, her goals, and what she values. Headley’s description of this process captivated me with striking prose, rich characterizations, and intriguing details that move the plot forward. For instance, both Terra’s collages (her main art medium) and Jacob’s geocaching are fascinating in their own right, but they are also integral to the plot. For a deep read about important issues, live in this book for awhile.
The details: 373 p. 2009 Submitted by Samala
August 13th 2009
Who would like this book? Anyone aged 12 and up who likes a fast-paced, humorous, moving action-adventure with a sci-fi feel and who thinks that being able to fly would be cool.
Why? Fourteen-year-old Max (Maximum Ride) is the leader of her adopted family: Fang and Iggy, both 13, Nudge, 11, Gazzy, 8, and Angel, 6. In most ways, the six are normal kids and teenagers, with Max trying hard to be a responsible parent figure. Max, the narrator of most of the story, tells us right off that they are not normal: they are products of an experiment that has mixed 2% bird into their DNA. Their early years were spent in cages in an inhumane institution called the School. Jeb, a seemingly sympathetic scientist, took them away to their remote Colorado “home” for a somewhat normal life but has disappeared. Max is in the process of getting the kids their breakfast when they are ambushed by Erasers, part-human, part-wolf predators, who kidnap Angel. The family must, of course, rescue Angel and somehow defeat the Erasers and the powerful scientists of the Institute. Though Max has the dominant voice, each member of the family tells part of the story and emerges as a distinct human-bird character. It’s hard not to love each one of them, especially as they uncover their longing for their real parents and their need for super amounts of food. They’re smart, strong, and talented, but it never feels like a sure bet that they can defeat the Erasers. They make sure that they have some good times along the way, developing some surprising alliances in the air. It has a cliffhanger ending, so be ready to jump right to the second book in the series, School’s Out Forever.
The details: 440 p. 2005 Review by Samrarian
A Battle of the Books selection for 2009-2010
August 13th 2009
Who would like this book? Anyone ages 12 and up who like romance, fantasy, and magic. If you like other books by Shannon Hale (Princess Academy, The Goose Girl) or the books of Gail Carson Levine, definitely read this book.
Why? In Book of a Thousand Days, Shannon Hale expands the bare bones of a little-known Grimm’s fairy tale, “Maid Maleen,” into a captivating story that’s impossible to put down. Fifteen-year-old orphan Dashti, a “mucker,” narrates the story in simple, beautiful language. Poor and with no place in the nomadic mucker tribes, Dashti must seek work in the city after her beloved mother dies. Fortunately, her mother has taught her the healing songs and she has the healing touch. This ability opens the way for her to be trained as a lady’s maid in the city of Titor’s Garden, a training that includes learning to read and write. Unfortunately, she is assigned to sixteen-year-old Lady Saren, who has just been sentenced to seven years in a sealed tower for her refusal to wed her father’s choice, the brutal Lord Khaser. Instead, she loves Khan Tegu, ruler of a less powerful land and therefore disdained by her father. Dashti, in unquestioned loyalty to Lady Saren, goes with her to the tower and chronicles their experiences in daily diary entries. Their struggle to live, the romance with Khan Tegu, the threat of Lord Khaser, their escape, and the climactic events at Khan Tegu’s palace weave together into a powerful medieval romance filled with the enchantment and magic of the Asian steppes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, though I did think that the change in Lady Saren’s character at the end of the book was not quite believable. Read it and see what you think. It’s a YRCA Nominee for 2010 in the Intermediate Division.
The details: 305 p. 2007 Review by Samrarian