Books to read!

Earth Abides

2008-06-15T22:55:00.000-07:00

A virus suddenly kills off most of the human population. Isherwood Williams is a young scientist who manages to survive, but now he must attempt to rebuild civilization with the few people who made it through the Great Disaster alive. This is a big, sweeping book spanning many years, basically Ish's lifetime. It addresses some of the fundamental aspects of humanity and human society. How would we rebuild our world if we could start from scratch? Ish is a very sympathetic character, the only human left with any real sense of intelligence and foresight. His struggles with nature and his fellow survivors are both dramatic and believable. The book was written in 1949, so sometimes the writing style is a little hokey and old-fashioned, but this is a landmark book. What's great is that I had never even heard of it until someone clued me in after reading my other post-apocalyptic entries on this blog!

Slam

2008-06-15T22:53:00.000-07:00

Sam is a fifteen year-old skateboarding slacker from England who finally sees his life falling into place. Unfortunately, one mistake with his new girlfriend Alicia and his life starts falling apart. Who can Sam turn to for help? Tony Hawk, apparently. On the one hand, this book is funny and insightful. On the other hand, it took me a long time to finish and I wasn't buying Sam's supernatural relationship with Tony Hawk. Hornby has had great success as an adult author (High Fidelity, About a Boy) and his strength is in nailing the voice of his protagonists. You really get to know Sam, and for a clueless fifteen year-old kid, Sam sure knows how to describe some complicated human emotions. He also nails the every-day stuff, kind of like Jerry Seinfeld used to do. It's a light-hearted book about a serious subject, and I think it will help some young men out there.

They Came From Below

2008-03-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Emily and her friend Reece are looking forward to finally meeting some cool guys this summer at Cape Cod. They do, but Steve and Dave aren't normal guys. They live on the bottom of the ocean and know how to communicate with every living thing on earth. This book is a nice mix of genres: teen comedy/romance, action/adventure, science fiction/fantasy, and all of it wrapped around a good environmental theme. In my opinion, the theme alone makes it worth reading: humans are messing up the oceans and something must be done about it. There's a great sequence where Emily gets to experience firsthand how connected all life on earth is. While Nelson makes some very deep and insightful observations about the state of the planet and the universe in general, I think he tries a little too hard to catch the authentic voice of teenage girls, overdoing it a bit. And though the fast-paced plot kept me turning the pages, I found the ending a little predictable and vague.

Criss Cross

2008-03-01T17:14:00.000-08:00

Debbie and her friends do some growing up in a small town during the summer. Boring! I think everything I needed to get from the book could have been compressed into a short story or one of Hector's songs. Hector is a friend of Debbie's just learning to play the guitar. He and Debbie and the other characters are realizing that they aren't little kids anymore, but the absence of any real plot made me more frustrated than interested. There are many scenes and passages which serve no discernible purpose. The only things saving the story from total failure are a few good observations about adolescence and some cool illustrations by the author, Lynne Rae Perkins. The sense of nostalgia and fleeting innocence reminds me of Dandelion Wine, by Ray Bradbury. Maybe this is that book for girls, and maybe that's why I didn't get it.

Mister B. Gone

2008-03-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR KIDS! There are some gruesome and violent scenes. Jakabok Botch is a demon trapped within the book you are reading. He wants you to burn the book, and he will try many methods to get you to do this. He will scare you with threats and seduce you with rewards. He is a sneaky little devil. Jakabok is an interesting character, both sympathetic and despicable. The way that he constantly addresses you, the reader, is completely original and very scary. He gets inside your head. Rarely have I so looked forward to the ending of a book, in this case to see if Clive Barker could pull off the promise of the premise. Does he succeed? Almost. For kids who want to read something by Clive Barker, I recommend Abarat.

Twilight

2008-02-05T22:55:00.000-08:00

Isabella Swam moves from sunny Phoenix, Arizona to rainy Forks, Washington, where she falls in love with a dashing vampire named Edward. Though warned by Edward that falling in love with a vampire is risky business, Isabella willingly enters a world more fantastic and dangerous than she ever could have imagined. Everyone seems to be talking about this book and series lately, though maybe that's because it's set in the Northwest and that's where I live. On that level, Stephanie Meyer has done a fine job capturing our gloomy winter weather, lush forests, and rugged beaches. Her vampires and the lifestyles they lead are realistic and original, not to mention likeable and enviable. I think the book could be shorter. In going for a big, moody, gothic novel, Meyer occasionally lost my attention and interest. Many of the characters and events from the first half of the book barely mean anything in the second half, and though the story's intensity did pick up nicely at the end, a little too much was left for the sequels, which I doubt I'll ever read.

The Kite Rider

2008-01-23T08:36:00.000-08:00

Haoyou and his family face hard times in 12th century China, and his gambling great-uncle Bo isn't helping matters. Through his love of kites, Haoyou and his cousin Mipeng end up joining a travelling circus where Haoyou becomes the star attraction, soaring through the sky on his homemade kite and performing for the great Kublai Khan. Everything works well in this book. It's a cool historical setting, both familiar and foreign to the modern reader. The characters, with the exception of two slightly overdone antagonists, are believable and likeable. The plot has more twists and turns than you might expect, and the concept of kite flight is pretty catchy - it makes me want to get up the guts to try hang-gliding! I also liked how McCaughrean interwove the ancient Chinese beliefs in ancestor spirits with Haoyou and Mipeng's more modern reasoning abilities.

Code Orange

2008-01-06T22:10:00.000-08:00

Mitty Blake is a slacker who would rather do anything than research smallpox for his science report. When he accidentally discovers smallpox scabs in an old medical book and subjects himself to one of the deadliest viruses in human history, Mitty suddenly has a lot more to worry about than getting a decent grade on his science report. As if smallpox infection isn't bad enough, terrorists would also love to get their hands on the virus - or the host that the virus has infected. Mitty is a very likeable character, I think because there's a little slacker in all of us. Teachers like myself will love the way Mitty researches medical information and writes his science report using his own informal language - a great lesson in how not to plagiarize! Unfortunately, it takes a while for the action to get going, and Mitty is the only character who seems real to me. His friends fit neatly into stereotypical roles and never really do anything, while his enemies are barely described and unrealistically bumbling.

Cell

2008-01-06T22:05:00.000-08:00

Note: This book is not intended for young readers! At 3:03 P.M. on October 1st, a mysterious pulse is broadcast over every cell phone in the world, and anyone hearing it immediately becomes violently insane. Those witnessing the ensuing chaos reach for their cell phones and also become insane. Luckily, Clay Riddell doesn't own a cell phone. He and a small band of sane survivors must struggle to stay alive and make sense of the strange behaviors of the "phone crazies" in a post-apocalyptic world. There are some pretty grisly descriptions of what happens to the human body when subjected to "phone crazies" or violent explosions. King is still a master storyteller, so you know you're going to be along for a fun ride, though sometimes he gets a little too cute with his jokes, obviously butting in his own opinions on things like music. The grisly descriptions often seem gratuitous, and I was a little disappointed that one of the central mysteries of the book is never revealed. All the same, I couldn't put it down.

I am Legend

2007-12-02T22:56:00.000-08:00

The last man on earth is not alone; he's surrounded by vampires. This 1954 novel is the basis of the new movie starring Will Smith. I love apocalyptic fiction, so end-of-the-world stories always get my attention. Though this isn't a YA novel, it's probably appropriate for most young readers. I'd say it's a PG-13 book, just like the movie. I read this in one weekend, partly because I wanted to finish before the movie comes out next weekend but mostly because I was really into it. The premise is awesome, and Matheson delivers. There are some really spooky scenes and plenty of good action. He lost me a bit with some of the scientific explanations for the vampires, and the ending was a little frustrating - I can almost guarantee that the Hollywood ending will be different.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

2007-11-25T22:49:00.000-08:00

He goes by Junior on the Spokane Indian Reservation where he lives but Arthur at the all-white high school that he attends. He walks in two different worlds, one of tragedy and one of opportunity. Now he must find balance in his life while staying true to both himself and those who care about him. I'm a big fan of Sherman Alexie, and it's great to see him venturing into the young adult field. Be warned that this book is intended for mature readers; it contains adult language and sexual references. Junior's story is both hilarious and heartbreaking, and because Alexie is pretty much telling his own story, Junior's voice is highly authentic, original, and insightful. The most important thing about Alexie's book is the attention it will bring to the sad and desperate conditions that exist today on too many of our nation's Indian Reservations.

Under the Blood Red Sun

2007-11-18T22:42:00.000-08:00

Tomi is a Japanese-American eighth grader growing up on Hawaii in 1941, when the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. As America enters World War II, Tomi's life changes dramatically. But don't let the cover fool you: this is not an action-packed war novel about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The actual incident is buried somewhere in the middle of the book. Salisbury's focus is more on Tomi's coming of age and his struggle to embrace his Japanese ancestry while proving his American loyalty. Unfortunately, I don't think Salisbury accomplishes this in dramatic fashion. While the setting is well-captured and the characters come to life through good use of island dialect, the story moved slowly for me, and I did not feel particularly satisfied upon finishing it.

Code Talker

2007-10-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

Sixteen-year-old Ned Begay leaves his home on the Navajo Indian Reservation to join the Marines during World War Two. Ned and his fellow Navajo Marines must use their sacred language to develop a secret code that they will carry into some of the heaviest fighting in the Pacific. This novel feels so real and true that it seems more like an autobiography. Bruchac does a great job capturing Ned's voice, and I love how the story is set up with Ned talking to his grandchildren. You feel like you're sitting around a fire as you're reading it. Ned's story is filled with heartbreak and heroism, and it follows the classic "hero's journey" of leaving home on a dangerous quest and returning home a changed person. My only criticism would be that Bruchac might have focused more specifically on one or two battles rather giving such a broad overview of the war in the Pacific.

Wolf Brother

2007-09-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

This is the first book in a series, Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, set six thousand years ago in a hunter and gatherer society. After Torak's father is killed by a demon bear, Torak must go on a quest to the Mountain of the Spirit World to defeat the new evil stalking the land. Along the way he gets help from a wolf cub that he can communicate with and a young female hunter from another clan. Michelle Paver did some excellent research in the writing of this book, and the parts I really enjoyed were those in which she portrayed in detail the ways that early humans survived by living off the land. It's fascinating to read how Torak uses every part of a buck that he successfully hunts to make food, clothing, and supplies. I also enjoyed reading how Torak communicates with Wolf. Unfortunately, the plot is fairly predictable, following the standard quest structure of retrieving three magical items and taking them to a mystical place for a final showdown. I thought the final showdown was a bit of a let-down.

I Am the Cheese

2007-08-29T23:37:00.000-07:00

Published in 1977, this is a classic work of young adult fiction. It's the suspenseful story of one boy's search for his own mysterious identity, told from three different points of view. This is one of those books where you get frustrated as you're reading because of the many layers of mystery and suspense, and you just hope the ending is worth it. I think it is. While much is wrapped up when you finally close the book, there is plenty to keep you thinking. (If this review seems vague, it's because I don't even want to come close to giving anything away!) Because of the challenging nature of the narrative structure, as well as some fairly heavy themes, I think eighth graders would get more out of this book than sixth graders.

The Scarecrow and his Servant

2007-08-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

A scarecrow comes to life in a lightning storm, and with the help of an orphaned boy named Jack, he embarks on a series of adventures which include battles, brigands, broken hearts, and even a shipwreck at sea. Philip Pullman is probably one of the best authors alive today. He is a natural storyteller, and this book had me hooked from the first page. Jack and the Scarecrow are two of the most lovable characters I've come across in some time. Their comradarie is hilarious and touching, and each helps the other do quite a bit of growing up. On the one hand, this is a simple, humorous story for young readers, but Pullman also offers commentary on the absurdity of war and the dangers of corporate greed. My only problem with the book is how the adventures of the Scarecrow and his servant sometimes seem rather random and disconnected.

The Day Joanie Frankenhauser Became a Boy

2007-08-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

Joanie hates being limited by female stereotypes, so when she moves to a new school that mistakenly enters her name as John instead of Joan, she goes along with it and pretends to be a boy. Joanie is in 5th grade, so the intended reader for this book is probably in elementary school rather than middle school. For all her efforts to address male and female stereotypes, the author has created an antagonist - your classic aggressive male bully - who couldn't be more stereotypical. The concept for the book is good, and I enjoyed Joanie's imaginative writings which serve as a story within the story, but the arc of the plot was a little too obvious and predictable, even forced a bit regarding the side-plot with Joanie's dog and her mother.

The Lightning Thief

2007-08-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

Young Percy Jackson discovers that his father is one of the Greek gods, who are still very much alive and active in the modern world (Mount Olympus has relocated to New York City). Percy must embark on a quest to the Underworld (in Los Angeles) accompanied by another half-blood and a satyr. Along the way, they face off with a host of mythological monsters and the Greek gods themselves. This is one of those books I wish I had written. Riordan came up with a brilliant idea and executed it very well. He mixes humor with educational info and all the while maintains a good action/adventure story. There are shades of "Harry Potter" here - a supernatural world hidden in the real one, a training school for youth with special powers, two males and a female doing battle with evil forces - but you can hardly blame Riordan for tapping into that, and I enjoyed his story much more than J.K. Rowling's. Like Rowling, Riordan will bring Percy and his mates back for further adventures, and I look forward to reading them.

Homeless Bird

2007-07-30T15:36:00.000-07:00

Married according to tradition in India, thirteen-year-old Koly finds herself trapped in a terrible new household where things go from bad to worse. As Koly tries to establish a better life for herself, she finds herself trapped by the traditions of her culture. Ironically, it is one of those traditions which offers her the most hope for a brighter future. This is a well-told story with a lot of heart. Koly is both likeable and believeable. Young American readers, particularly girls, will cringe at the traditional restrictions placed on girls in Indian society. It was interesting to read about a society that has both so much poverty and opportunity. The only flaw in the story is that the ending gets a little predictable the closer you get to it, but I still closed the book feeling satisfied.

Bad Boy

2007-07-30T15:34:00.000-07:00

The author Walter Dean Myers tells his own history of growing up in Harlem in the 1940s and 1950s and discovering his interest in reading and writing. A streetwise kid who often got into trouble, Myers had to keep his literary interests a secret because reading and writing were not considered acceptable pursuits among his Harlem peers. Being an author, I always enjoy reading about how other authors develop, what their influences were and how they came to be writers. Myers has an interesting story to tell because his development as a writer was so unlikely. He does a good job of capturing the time and place he grew up in. Unfortunately, many parts of the book seem a little long-winded while the ending feels rushed. Though the book contains the occasional funny line, I thought it was a little dry and bland overall, and I'm not sure young readers will be as interested as I was.

The Whale Rider

2007-07-09T22:21:00.000-07:00

This is the book that inspired the movie. Kahu is the great-granddaughter of a Maori chief in New Zealand. The chief, Koro, refuses to even consider Kahu as a future leader because she is a girl. This book wasn't quite what I expected. It doesn't fit the mold of a standard young adult novel. The narrator is Kahu's uncle, a man in his twenties or thirties, and Kahu is only eight years old. Parts of the book may be hard for younger readers to grasp; there is an aspect of magical realism to it. Some readers may also struggle with all the Maori vocabulary and easily confused names. I'm considering teaching this book to my classes next year and throughout most of the book I was hesitant. The ending is very satisfying, however, so I haven't quite decided yet...

Shadow Spinner

2007-06-17T22:43:00.000-07:00

Set in Ancient Persia, this story is based on the legend of Shahrazad, who had to tell a story to her husband, the sultan, every night to avoid being killed. When she runs out of stories, Shahrazad turns to Marjan, a simple city girl who must leave the safety of her home for the mysterious and dangerous world of the sultan's harem. As a writer, Shadow Spinner had special appeal to me., as storytelling is the central theme. I also had some extra interest because I've met Susan Fletcher and think she's a very nice and talented writer! I had a few issues with the ending - the climax doesn't seem quite dramatic enough and the loose ends seem a little too neatly tied up - but Fletcher is a smooth writer who does a great job establishing an exotic setting and bringing us into that world. I look forward to reading her newest release, Alphabet of Dreams, which is unrelated but also set in Ancient Persia.

Airborn

2007-04-25T22:49:00.000-07:00

I've never given much thought to the big airships, or zeppelins, from the old days - I believe blimps are their modern counterpart - but this book totally puts you up there among the clouds. Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the airship Aurora whose world is very much like ours, but it also includes mysterious flying creatures and ruthless sky pirates. Oppel does a nice job of placing believable and likeable characters, including Kate, the beautiful and headstrong young passenger that Matt falls for, in well-described exotic settings, with plenty of action throughout. Some of Matt's daring exploits are a little over the top, and the pirate stuff is a little predictable, but the book is good fun all the same.

Red Scarf Girl

2007-03-17T22:48:00.000-07:00

This is a heavy book. Not heavy like it has a lot of pages, but heavy like it's depressing. The protagonist, Ji-li, is a smart, hard-working girl who has everything going for her in Communist China during the 1960's, but everything is taken away from her because members of her family were once wealthy. In the school where I teach, we work very hard to prevent prejudice and discrimination toward students who have less money. For Ji-li, it was just the opposite. In a Communist society, personal wealth is evil, and it's distressing to see how Ji-li and those she loves are scorned and publicly humiliated because her family was once part of the upper class. Ji-li is ultimately confronted with an incredibly difficult choice, and that tension is what holds the book together. It's very realistic. Younger readers might struggle with the heavy themes and have a hard time keeping track of the characters' Chinese names.

Out of the Dust

2007-02-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

Kids needing to get through a book quickly will love this one, as the story is told entirely through Billie Joe's poetry. Since I'm not a particularly huge fan of poetry, the book didn't really appeal to me. I didn't connect with Billie Joe emotionally, and the ending was fairly predictable. Hesse does a good job of describing the bleak conditions and relentless dust storms of Oklahoma during the Great Depression, but I guess I wasn't in the mood for such a downer setting. I appreciate the concept and the execution of the free verse, but this Newberry Medal winner wasn't for me.

Specials

2007-02-25T12:49:00.000-08:00

Though there are plenty of new futuristic twists and turns, I was a little disappointed in the finale. Westerfeld takes a bit of a risk in turning his protagonist Tally into what has essentially been portrayed as the villain of the series. It isn't until the last quarter of the book that I found myself sympathizing with her again. Maybe I was reading too fast, but I was even lost in a couple of parts. This one read more like a superhero comic than the thoughtful science fiction of the first book. All the same, the message is good and the setting is cool. I'd recommend the trilogy.

Walk Two Moons

2007-02-19T22:34:00.000-08:00

Wow. This book caught me by surprise. A quarter of the way into it I was wondering how it won the Newberry Medal, but by the end I was deeply moved. Sharon Creech just sucks you into loving the characters, especially the narrator Sal and her grandparents, pretty much the coolest grandparents any kid could have. The book has two intersecting stories in it, which can be tricky to pull off, but it works fairly well here. A coincidence for me is that I've been planning a summer road trip to see many of the same places Sal and her grandparents visit, and I have stood in the same spot that Sal finds herself in the climactic scene. The book has a fragile innocence about it that warms your heart without being cheesy, and it's one of those rare novels that I'll probably read again some day.

Pretties

2007-02-11T17:16:00.000-08:00

The story moves ahead at a good pace, but I miss some of the surprises and plot twists of Uglies. I thought Pretties was a little predictable in places. Westerfeld continues to nail his futuristic setting, however, and he does some cool things with language and dialect. Tally is growing up in a believable way, meeting new people and facing new decisions, and the ending definitely left me excited to finish the trilogy.

Esperanza Rising

2007-01-29T20:25:00.000-08:00

This is a beautifully written book. Pam Munoz Ryan definitely has the gift of language, and she weaves in many Spanish words and phrases nicely. The novel is based on her own family history, which gives the story a sense of authenticity. Each chapter title is the name of a fruit or vegetable that ties in with the plot, which ties the whole book into the land, and the land is basically a main character here. The coming of age theme was a little formulaic, and the ending left me wanting a little more, but the powerful imagery stays with me. It's also a great book for gaining historical perspective on the plight of immigrant farm workers.

The Legacy of Luna

2007-01-22T20:22:00.000-08:00

Julia Butterfly Hill isn't really a writer, and if I were to rate her book merely on her writing ability, my opinion of it would probably drop a notch. But the importance of the book elevates it, and living in a tree for two years gives her all the credibility she needs. It's interesting to watch how an ordinary young woman searching for her path in the world suddenly ends up in the middle of a movement, how a simple act of civil disobedience grows into a global news story. Julia speaks from the heart, and she speaks for love. From all that I can gather from reading her book and searching the web, her courageous and nonviolent creative protest and continuing efforts in defense of the earth easily rank her as one of the true heroes of my generation. I wish I could have spent a day or two up in that tree with her.

Tangerine

2007-01-21T21:41:00.000-08:00

I thought this was a good book. For me, it was nice to learn about a part of Florida I wasn't familiar with - the citrus crops, and the whole "tangerine" theme works really well. Paul is a very likeable character. He's a good guy who's had to overcome a lot, and it's pretty sweet watching him become one of the "bad kids" without losing a bit of his niceness. There's a lot of good sports stuff in the book - Paul plays soccer and his brother plays football - so I appreciated that. I read it in only three days, which is way faster than I usually get through a book!

Uglies

2007-01-17T22:20:00.000-08:00

I thought "Uglies" was awesome! I'm a sucker for science fiction, especially future earth stuff. This is one of those books I wish I had written. In fact, I do have plans to write a future earth story, and while some of Westerfeld's elements will be included in my story (a fragmented society in which some live in the wilderness) I was happy to find plenty of differences between Westerfeld's world and the one I envision. But this is a great book, full of action and twists that keep you guessing. He makes a lot of nice commentary on our society (as all good science fiction should) especially our obsession with appearance, which obviously is very relevant to teenagers. I definitely look forward to reading the next two books in the trilogy, though I have some other reading to get to first...