Hardback or paperback? hardback
Synopsis Samantha, a popular girl, is killed in a car accident--and then relives the last day of her life 7 times.
Evaluation Beautiful writing and definitely thought-provoking.
Universal Themes death, friendship, love, responsibility
Edginess Factor Teen drinking, smoking, drug use, and sex, plus language.
Bonus Factors Should make teens think about how their actions affect others, and how thoughtless cruelty is still cruelty. Raises some class issues. While the anti-bullying message is pretty clear, it's drawn in shades of grey, allowing characters to be complex.
Anti-Bonus Factors All main characters are white. In fact, all minor characters are white, too.
Will They Like It? Girls will; I doubt guys would. It's a fast and fascinating read, and it's very interesting watching how Samantha's altered actions on each of the seven days change--or don't change--the people around her.
Recommendation Not suitable for age group. I think this would be a terrific choice for book clubs for older kids--maybe 10th grade.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
For the Win by Cory Doctorow
Hardback or Paperback Hardback
Synopsis You should probably go read this Wikipedia article on MMORPGs (just the intro and the section on economics will be enough). OK. With that background, Doctorow has posited a plausible sweatshop of the near future: third world teenagers "mining" MMORPG worlds for specialized items that first world players will pay for on the black market. The book's conflict centers around those workers' attempt to unionize.
Evaluation This is a book about ideas and social action as much as it is about story. Sure, it's about online gaming and suspense and running from the bad guys, but it's also about politics, unions, economics, and social justice. Doctorow has to do several information dumps (particularly about economics), and he tries to do it gracefully. I found it interesting...but I'm not fourteen. In spite of those sections, it's a fast-paced and suspenseful book, with danger that feels genuine and a message that resonates.
Universal Themes social justice, bravery, standing up to tyranny
Edginess Language (although no f-bombs that I recall) and LOTS of graphic violence. Lots of smoking.
Bonus Factors References to the history of unions, plus lots of information about economics and politics; although the author is white, the cast (and setting) is international; deals with issues of poverty, class, and social justice.
Anti-bonus factors None, really.
Will they like it? I'm honestly not sure. It's long, and there are those information dumps--and understanding the denouement really requires understanding at least most of what he says about investment & trading. But there are also a lot of compelling characters, plenty of action, and suspense galore. It also has that "teenagers against the world" vibe (which is probably what makes it YA vs. adult fiction). I certainly found it compelling
Recommendation I think it's a definite after it comes out in paperback. Maybe even now, because of the ties to the social studies curriculum. (How many books do you find that tie in to civics and economics??)
Synopsis You should probably go read this Wikipedia article on MMORPGs (just the intro and the section on economics will be enough). OK. With that background, Doctorow has posited a plausible sweatshop of the near future: third world teenagers "mining" MMORPG worlds for specialized items that first world players will pay for on the black market. The book's conflict centers around those workers' attempt to unionize.
Evaluation This is a book about ideas and social action as much as it is about story. Sure, it's about online gaming and suspense and running from the bad guys, but it's also about politics, unions, economics, and social justice. Doctorow has to do several information dumps (particularly about economics), and he tries to do it gracefully. I found it interesting...but I'm not fourteen. In spite of those sections, it's a fast-paced and suspenseful book, with danger that feels genuine and a message that resonates.
Universal Themes social justice, bravery, standing up to tyranny
Edginess Language (although no f-bombs that I recall) and LOTS of graphic violence. Lots of smoking.
Bonus Factors References to the history of unions, plus lots of information about economics and politics; although the author is white, the cast (and setting) is international; deals with issues of poverty, class, and social justice.
Anti-bonus factors None, really.
Will they like it? I'm honestly not sure. It's long, and there are those information dumps--and understanding the denouement really requires understanding at least most of what he says about investment & trading. But there are also a lot of compelling characters, plenty of action, and suspense galore. It also has that "teenagers against the world" vibe (which is probably what makes it YA vs. adult fiction). I certainly found it compelling
Recommendation I think it's a definite after it comes out in paperback. Maybe even now, because of the ties to the social studies curriculum. (How many books do you find that tie in to civics and economics??)
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Matched by Ally Condie
Hardback or Paperback Hardback
Synopsis Cassia is surprised and thrilled that the person Society has Matched her with--her future husband--is her handsome friend. But when she starts to read the digital information about him that she's been given, the face of another friend appears, apparently by mistake. This is the first sign for Cassia that there are problems beneath the surface of her seemingly perfect Society.
Evaluation Lyrical writing, gradual revelation of a society's hidden darkness, and subtle treatment of the tension between safety and freedom mean that this is an excellent book for students to read and discuss. There were parts that I found predictable and unsurprising--but less experienced readers might not. In any case, this flaw is not a deal breaker, because the book is not as much about the revelation of the flaws in Cassia's society as it is about her gradual realizations about herself.
Universal Themes coming of age, freedom vs. safety, the many faces of love
Edginess Nope.
Bonus Factors References to poetry, esp. Thomas's "Do Not Go Gentle." Close ties to The Hunger Games and The Giver.
Anti-bonus factors Everyone is white. For some readers, this will feel like a not-quite-as-good version of The Giver, now with kissing! This is clearly the first book in a series and the end is not exactly a cliff-hanger, but it's definitely not resolved, either.
Will they like it? Girls will, especially those who love HG. The love triangle will be a nice bonus. Some boys might, although I'd like to have some test readers. Until the end, most of the action is inside Cassia's head--but the last 50 pages or so are very suspenseful.
Recommendation Terrific for book clubs, possibly now (because this is a book with a lot of buzz), but definitely after it comes out in paperback.
Synopsis Cassia is surprised and thrilled that the person Society has Matched her with--her future husband--is her handsome friend. But when she starts to read the digital information about him that she's been given, the face of another friend appears, apparently by mistake. This is the first sign for Cassia that there are problems beneath the surface of her seemingly perfect Society.
Evaluation Lyrical writing, gradual revelation of a society's hidden darkness, and subtle treatment of the tension between safety and freedom mean that this is an excellent book for students to read and discuss. There were parts that I found predictable and unsurprising--but less experienced readers might not. In any case, this flaw is not a deal breaker, because the book is not as much about the revelation of the flaws in Cassia's society as it is about her gradual realizations about herself.
Universal Themes coming of age, freedom vs. safety, the many faces of love
Edginess Nope.
Bonus Factors References to poetry, esp. Thomas's "Do Not Go Gentle." Close ties to The Hunger Games and The Giver.
Anti-bonus factors Everyone is white. For some readers, this will feel like a not-quite-as-good version of The Giver, now with kissing! This is clearly the first book in a series and the end is not exactly a cliff-hanger, but it's definitely not resolved, either.
Will they like it? Girls will, especially those who love HG. The love triangle will be a nice bonus. Some boys might, although I'd like to have some test readers. Until the end, most of the action is inside Cassia's head--but the last 50 pages or so are very suspenseful.
Recommendation Terrific for book clubs, possibly now (because this is a book with a lot of buzz), but definitely after it comes out in paperback.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Hate List by Jennifer Brown
Hardback or Paperback Paperback
Synopsis Valerie is finding it hard to return to her high school for her senior year. At the end of her junior year, a school shooting traumatized the school. And Valerie's boyfriend was the perpetrator. And many of the victims were on Valerie's hate list.
Evaluation Valerie is a sympathetic first person narrator. The school shooting, which happened before the narrative begins, is told through a series of flashbacks and newspaper accounts, so the whole story--and Valerie's degree of culpability--is revealed only gradually. I found this book very hard to put down. I like that it treats the aftermath of a school shooting from the point of view of someone who is responsible to at least some degree.
Universal Themes responsibility, secrets, coming of age, guilt and innocence
Edginess flashbacks of the school shooting are graphic in parts; teen drinking; language (I think the dad drops the F-bomb); the dad is having an affair; and there may be more that I don't remember.
Bonus Factors Deals with class issues; while it deals with the why of a school shooting, it does not try to excuse the perpetrator; guilt and innocence are not black and white, and even the most horrible characters are presented as being complex human beings.
Anti-bonus factors As far as I can remember, everyone in the book is white.
Will they like it? Yes, I really think so. This is a long book but it's a fast read, and I think that even though it's a first person female narrator, that some boy readers might get into it, too. I think students will be drawn in by the gradual revelation of the story of the school shooting. There's certainly a lot to talk about during a meeting.
Recommendation Recommended with reservations, since I don't really remember how edgy it is. Definitely a good choice for a classroom library.
Synopsis Valerie is finding it hard to return to her high school for her senior year. At the end of her junior year, a school shooting traumatized the school. And Valerie's boyfriend was the perpetrator. And many of the victims were on Valerie's hate list.
Evaluation Valerie is a sympathetic first person narrator. The school shooting, which happened before the narrative begins, is told through a series of flashbacks and newspaper accounts, so the whole story--and Valerie's degree of culpability--is revealed only gradually. I found this book very hard to put down. I like that it treats the aftermath of a school shooting from the point of view of someone who is responsible to at least some degree.
Universal Themes responsibility, secrets, coming of age, guilt and innocence
Edginess flashbacks of the school shooting are graphic in parts; teen drinking; language (I think the dad drops the F-bomb); the dad is having an affair; and there may be more that I don't remember.
Bonus Factors Deals with class issues; while it deals with the why of a school shooting, it does not try to excuse the perpetrator; guilt and innocence are not black and white, and even the most horrible characters are presented as being complex human beings.
Anti-bonus factors As far as I can remember, everyone in the book is white.
Will they like it? Yes, I really think so. This is a long book but it's a fast read, and I think that even though it's a first person female narrator, that some boy readers might get into it, too. I think students will be drawn in by the gradual revelation of the story of the school shooting. There's certainly a lot to talk about during a meeting.
Recommendation Recommended with reservations, since I don't really remember how edgy it is. Definitely a good choice for a classroom library.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Eon by Allison Goodman
Hardback or paperback? Paperback
Evaluation Terrific fantasy adventure in an unusual world. It starts off fast and ends with a fast-paced climax and a bit of a cliffhanger. The middle section is a bit tedious; I felt that Eona was blind to the obvious solution to her problems. Student readers may not find the solution quite so obvious, although the emphasis on palace intrigue in that section may confuse or bore them.
Universal Themes coming of age, self discovery, responsibility
Edginess There's a transgender character, discussion of menstruation, lots of violence, references to rape, and eunuchs. Plus the transgender character is in love with a eunuch.
Bonus Factors There's a transgender character; Eona is crippled, and there's another disabled character; Asian-ish setting and references, although the author seems to be a white Australian. Strong message about female empowerment.
Anti-Bonus Factors Can't think of any.
Will they like it? Both boys and girls who like fantasy have liked it. A strong female protagonist with lots of action seems to be a winning combination. It's long, though.
Recommendation I'm not sure. Kids will like it, and I think warning about the edginess would be sufficient for 8th grade, anyway--but we have a lot of fantasy already.
Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl
Hardback or paperback? Hardback
Synopsis Liza, a rich girl fallen on hard times, takes a job as a maid for Princess Victoria. She finds herself in the midst of palace intrigue, as Victoria's mother and an adviser work to try to keep power out of the princess's hands.
Evaluation The setting is fascinating and well-drawn. Because Liza is a lady's maid, we get to see what Victorian life is for both a princess and servants. The voices of the characters feel authentic but are not unduly difficult to read, although at least one character speaks in dialect. It's a bit slow in spots, but has a very satisfying climax and resolution.
Edginess Factor Mild. There's an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, references to rape, and a suicide.
Bonus Factors Historical fiction from an unusual period; the palace intrigue is based on real events; realistically-drawn characters from a variety of classes/ economic levels
Universal Themes Coming of age, overcoming adversity
Anti-Bonus Factors Everyone is white. This book will hold little or no interest for boys.
Will they like it? Bright girls and girls interested in historical fiction will like it. There's a romantic subplot that will hold girls' interest. The slow parts in the middle (and the length) mean that less avid readers will probably not like it as much.
Recommendation This would be a great book club book for the right group. Probably not worth buying in hardback, though.
Synopsis Liza, a rich girl fallen on hard times, takes a job as a maid for Princess Victoria. She finds herself in the midst of palace intrigue, as Victoria's mother and an adviser work to try to keep power out of the princess's hands.
Evaluation The setting is fascinating and well-drawn. Because Liza is a lady's maid, we get to see what Victorian life is for both a princess and servants. The voices of the characters feel authentic but are not unduly difficult to read, although at least one character speaks in dialect. It's a bit slow in spots, but has a very satisfying climax and resolution.
Edginess Factor Mild. There's an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, references to rape, and a suicide.
Bonus Factors Historical fiction from an unusual period; the palace intrigue is based on real events; realistically-drawn characters from a variety of classes/ economic levels
Universal Themes Coming of age, overcoming adversity
Anti-Bonus Factors Everyone is white. This book will hold little or no interest for boys.
Will they like it? Bright girls and girls interested in historical fiction will like it. There's a romantic subplot that will hold girls' interest. The slow parts in the middle (and the length) mean that less avid readers will probably not like it as much.
Recommendation This would be a great book club book for the right group. Probably not worth buying in hardback, though.
The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney
Hardback or paperback? Hardback
Synopsis Alex is a skilled musician attending a boarding school for gifted students of all kinds—a school where the faculty turns a blind eye to student misconduct. In the aftermath of being date raped her junior year, Alex turns to the Mockingbirds, a semi-secret student society that metes out justice when the faculty won’t.
Evaluation This is a grab-you-right-away kind of book. It starts with Alex waking up naked in a boy’s bed, and she’s not 100% sure who he is and what happened. The author was date-raped as a freshman at Brown, and Alex’s reactions—fear, shame, avoiding the perpetrator, reluctance to seek help—reflect her own experience. The writing is transparent and the topic is important.
Edginess Factor Date rape—and it’s pretty graphic. F-bomb at least twice—although not used gratuitously. There is other swearing, although pretty rare. Alex is date-raped as a result of excessive drinking.
Bonus Factors Allusions all over the place to To Kill a Mockingbird. Very strong anti-bullying message, along with the message that teens need to stand up for each other as well as for themselves.
Universal Themes Coming of age, overcoming adversity
Anti-Bonus Factors Although there is a sort-of nod to diversity—one character is from Singapore and another seems to be Indian American—the cast is overwhelmingly white and privileged.
Will they like it? Girls especially will like The Mockingbirds. Alex learns to stand up for herself; there’s a romance included; there’s a student secret society; music is an important part of it. Most importantly, the book moves quickly.
Recommendation I think the date-rape flashbacks are too graphic for me to want to have this for book club at the middle school level. I think it’s a good and important book, though, and may recommend it to select students. I think it’s a must-read for girls (especially) at the high school level. Why? Raise your hand if you don’t know someone who was date raped in college. Yep. That’s what I thought.
Synopsis Alex is a skilled musician attending a boarding school for gifted students of all kinds—a school where the faculty turns a blind eye to student misconduct. In the aftermath of being date raped her junior year, Alex turns to the Mockingbirds, a semi-secret student society that metes out justice when the faculty won’t.
Evaluation This is a grab-you-right-away kind of book. It starts with Alex waking up naked in a boy’s bed, and she’s not 100% sure who he is and what happened. The author was date-raped as a freshman at Brown, and Alex’s reactions—fear, shame, avoiding the perpetrator, reluctance to seek help—reflect her own experience. The writing is transparent and the topic is important.
Edginess Factor Date rape—and it’s pretty graphic. F-bomb at least twice—although not used gratuitously. There is other swearing, although pretty rare. Alex is date-raped as a result of excessive drinking.
Bonus Factors Allusions all over the place to To Kill a Mockingbird. Very strong anti-bullying message, along with the message that teens need to stand up for each other as well as for themselves.
Universal Themes Coming of age, overcoming adversity
Anti-Bonus Factors Although there is a sort-of nod to diversity—one character is from Singapore and another seems to be Indian American—the cast is overwhelmingly white and privileged.
Will they like it? Girls especially will like The Mockingbirds. Alex learns to stand up for herself; there’s a romance included; there’s a student secret society; music is an important part of it. Most importantly, the book moves quickly.
Recommendation I think the date-rape flashbacks are too graphic for me to want to have this for book club at the middle school level. I think it’s a good and important book, though, and may recommend it to select students. I think it’s a must-read for girls (especially) at the high school level. Why? Raise your hand if you don’t know someone who was date raped in college. Yep. That’s what I thought.
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