Hurt Go Happy

A life in silence is difficult enough without an oppressive mother who refuses to allow learning a new form of communication. This is the life of 12 year old Joey Willis in the book Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby. Joey, deaf since age six, meets a signing chimpanzee named Sukari and his owner, Charlie, who teach her about communication and love. Through the power of friendship, Joey’s mother learns the validity of sign language and overcomes her embarrassment and guilt about Joey’s disability. In the second half of the novel, Joey is away at the California School for the Deaf when she learns that since Charlie’s death, Sukari has been sent to a medical testing facility. Joey fights the red tape to rescue her chimpanzee friend and attempts to help her recover from her traumatic experience.

Winner of a Schneider Family Book Award, Rorby’s work is a call to action for Deaf and animal rights. She challenges the prejudice against American Sign Language and helps the reader understand what it is like to be deaf. Her detailed and emotion filled sequences in the medical testing facility urge retribution against those who abuse helpless creatures. Told in first person point of view, Joey relates well to the target audience of 10 to 15 year olds but readers of all ages get wrapped into the drama of Sukari’s journey to recovery. Sukari is described with such tenderness and care that the reader falls in love with the chimp. Joey, herself, is an unexpected hero. In spite of her disability, the abuse from her father, and the disagreements with her mother, she courageously journeys to the laboratory to rescue her friend and maintains that friendship to help Sukari heal from her post-traumatic stress.

At times, Hurt Go Happy comes across as a bleeding-heart animal novel written as propaganda against testing laboratories but Rorby’s afterward details the true cases of animal abuse and child abuse which led to this book. She also tells the story of Belinda, the signing chimp who inspired Sukari. One of Rorby’s hopes is that this book will be taught in elementary and middle school classes. In the back of the novel, she gives a reader’s guide which includes writing and research activities, discussion questions, and an email address so classes can contact her with questions or make an appointment to speak over the phone. An overall emotional and inspiring book, Hurt Go Happy is a story of triumph and overcoming obstacles.

Wallflowers Listen

It would have been great for me AND my graduating high school class to have been introduced to Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower, written just ten years ago, before we stepped foot into our new school of four years. Most of us had no clue what we would be up against. I , however, was a peer mediator, which put me right center in the business of all the gossip and problems that faced my classmates. Charlie, the main character, uses his spare time by writing letters to a person unknown about all the things he notices and encounters as he is the 'wallflower' on the wall. The setting is one where most of my peers could relate: home, school, friend's house, party, and popular hang out, while with others, it could have been a lesson learned before experiencing what could happen. The read for me was a huge eye-opener of the non-fiction tales which are kept hidden behind closed doors. Since the story is told i the first person point of view, with Charlie always speaking, a touch of sincerity is added to the the emotions expressed.

This novel is all fact, just with different character names, and the opinion of Charlie. I was in high school just a little over six years ago. The things discussed in The Perks of Being a Wallflower have not disappeared. I prove it is a fact by listening to the news ad hearing about tragedies that are affecting high school students due to the actions of a teenager who feel like a 'wallflower'. Often times these tragedies are closely connected to feelings that don't reflect what Charlie says, "If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don't want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it too." A world of confusion is hard to grasp and hold on to. Charlie writes in one of his letters, "So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be." It is the trying to figure out those feelings that lead many into destruction.

Scary.

The novel for me is a constant reminder for me to always try to help someone who just wants to be heard. I was never the 'wallflower' but the words Charlie spoke made me feel like I was there, and I so desperately wanted to help him. We never know if Charlie is writing to someone he knows, if he is just writing a daily diary, or even if he mails the letters off. Because many times these stories are never heard, teenagers act out on their emotion, making the worst decision possible, "I would die for you, but I wouldn't live for you." Chbosky put these words into text and now all that is left to be done is for them to be read.

Review: The Road by Cormack McCarthy

I hadn’t heard of Cormack McCarthy’s The Road until it was assigned to the senior class as an outside reading novel. Wanting to be the most knowledgeable student teacher I could be, I went out and bought all of the books that were assigned. I was surprised at what the book entailed. While this novel was not originally intended for youth, I think it holds many lessons in which they can use throughout their life, and also is an entertaining story. It’s a post-apocalypse world where necessities are limited and the road is long. Cannibals are a regular occurrence and there is no down time. There is no warmth of sun and it is always winter. Not exactly the ideal setting for a young child. This novel is solely about the laws of survival and what a father will do for his son. There are no laws, no rules, and no repercussions of wrong doings.

This is by no means a pleasant tale, but it’s impossible to put it down. All of my students that read it absolutely fell in love. The only problem they encountered while reading was getting used to McCarthy’s writing style. There are no quotation marks and the story blends together. What could be chapters are merely asterisks marking a new scene, but I suppose that’s what makes the story such a good read. There never is a good stopping point, so you never really want to put it down.

The bond between the father and the son would bring tears to any readers’ eyes. Their relationship brings a multitude of discussion possibilities to any classroom. The fathers plan is to keep his son safe and alive, no matter what. They are constantly on the road, in search for supplies and a place to sleep. I think this metaphor for life is one that students could really wrap their brain around and relate it to their own lives. What would they do for another? What would their family do for them? To what extent could they survive in an alien world?

Every time I look at The Road on my bookshelf, I want to read it again and again. I just can’t get over how it is wonderfully written. At the end, I literally cried, both with sadness and relief. I would definitely recommend this book to a high school student, or to anyone I come to encounter.

To Disturb or Not to Disturb...That is the Question

Reading and reviewing Robert Cormier’s The Chocolate War is like taking a slice right out of today’s current events. With cyber bullying and peer pressure at a seemingly all-time high, this young adult novel’s main theme of standing up for individuality is absolutely relevant in today’s youth culture.

I found the stark honesty rang true and I think many teens/students will recognize themselves or someone they know in Cormier’s well-developed characters. The story itself is engaging, with a fast-moving plot and catchy dialogue that quickly draws you in to the characters’ lives. The emotions run high in this book, however, and this raises the intensity level in several parts of the story. It is not for the weak-hearted. Or the weak-spirited.

Protagonist Jerry Renault, a self-determined freshman at a private New England high school, ponders the existential question that is posted inside his locker: “Do I dare disturb the universe?” When The Vigils, a secret, student-run society, begin to give out “assignments,” Jerry dares to challenge them. This shakes the system and the school begins to split at the seams. At first Jerry is seen as the hero, someone who dares to stand up for himself. But through intense manipulation on the part of Archie and the other Vigils, the one-time hero begins to look like the villain. Through it all, Jerry is just trying to stand up for what he believes in.

A teenager with all the normal adolescent boy “urges,” Jerry normally tries to avoid conflict. Still missing his deceased mother, and irked by the monotony of his dad’s work life, he dreams of doing “something” with his own life. When the Vigils keep him from participating in the chocolate sale as one of their assignments, it seems like the perfect opportunity to extend his boycott of chocolate and set himself apart from the rest of his peers. Cormier describes his defiance in these terms: “Cities fell. Earth opened. Planets tilted. Stars plummeted. And the awful silence.” The poster in Jerry’s locker of a man walking alone on a beach, with the quote from T.S. Eliot: “Do I dare disturb the universe?” is what propels him into this experiment that will not only change his life, but also the landscape of Trinity High School.

Jerry’s story is not unlike the story of many of today’s teens—those feeling the inner need to express their individualism while at the same time being pressed or pulled to conform to the crowd’s expectations. Cormier explores the deep questions; whether or not this book will become a classic remains to be seen but, for right now, it should be mandatory reading for all high school freshmen.

Number the Stars

Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars is the story of a Danish girl, Annemarie, who must grow and learn from the changes in her world in Nazi occupied Denmark. She is faced with the struggle to hide and help her Jewish friends escape, as well as cope with the loss of her older sister and her ever growing realization of the true dangers that she and her family face from the Nazi soldiers. The novel is a relatable heroine tale that portrays Annemarie as the struggling protagonist who finds her bravery and saves many people in the end. Lowry even describes at the end of the novel that there were some parts of it which were inspired by the real life stories of Danish people who gave everything to save their Jewish friends.
Number the Stars is an easy to read story from the Holocaust but is one that is not so gruesome and detailed that younger readers could not enjoy it. The protagonist is easy for a younger person to connect to because she grows in understanding throughout the book, just as young people really do. Through her growth, the story naturally inspires bravery and the belief that no matter how old one is, they can still make a difference. For example, Annemarie must go back to the docks when her mother realizes that the package they were to leave with the Jewish family they were hiding was left behind. Annemarie runs through the forest and tells herself children’s stories to maintain her focus, but when she is stopped by some Nazi soldiers she must think on her feet and she convinces them to let her go, thus allowing her to deliver the package in time. She doesn’t feel brave because she cried, but her uncle gives a sort of “moral of the story” by telling her that bravery isn’t being strong, but doing what you know is necessary in spite of any danger.
Overall, the story is very poignant and well told. The characters are realistic and their reactions are genuine. Lowry has created a rounded story that envelopes the reader as they continue. It is similar in message to other Holocaust stories, such as Diary of a Young Girl and Night, but it gives the story from a non-Jewish standpoint, providing a new perspective that isn’t always focused on. It shows the dangers that both sides of the “resistance,” as it is referred to in the novel, and shows the loss that often occurred for the people trying to rescue Jewish families through the eldest daughter’s , Lise, death. Number the Stars would be excellent to help in a course where the Holocaust is studied to allow a look into the lives of those affected without scaring young people with the details. It is memorable and very touching and difficult to stop reading. Annemarie is a character that could have been a next door neighbor or someone a reader grew up with, which makes the story that much more lasting in the mind after it is done.

Trackers Book Review

BOOK REVIEW: Trackers by Patrick Carman

Patrick Carman introduced the media-enhanced novel to the world with his well-known adolescent series Skeleton Creek, featuring video clips accessed by the internet sporadically through the novels. With this fresh and innovative approach, Carman attempts to embrace the direction in which society is headed: the world of technology. With “book nooks” and other media-enhanced literature, Carman connects with a generation more comfortable with technological lingo (text, internet, facebook, twitter, blog, etc.)

Carman’s latest masterpiece, Trackers, also includes video clips throughout the work, but in a much more intricate way. This novel revolves around the lives of four teenage kids (much older than the characters in the Skeleton Creek series). Adam (the main narrator), Emily (the level-head), Lewis (the nerd), and Finn (the mellow skate-boarder) all bring something unique and special to the team of Trackers. Adam’s dad owns a computer repair shop, so Adam has been introduced to the world of technology at a very early age. His father prepares a room for him to tinker with the unsalvageable computers known as “The Vault.” Adam has surpassed his father in technological knowledge. “The Vault” is where Adam invents several quirky devices: the Orville, the Belinski, the Deckard, and the Trinity. Each of these devices serves different purposes - whether it be GPS, navigation, surveillance, etc. The antagonists of the novel, Lazlos and Zara, hack into Adam’s system, steal his ideas, and blackmail him into helping them break codes. However, eventually the Trackers team up with Lazlos and Zara when they find out the antagonists are actually employees of the ISD (Internet Security Directive) and want them to join the forces to help stop criminals. Carman ends the novel in an open-ended way, hinting that Trackers will have a sequel.

The book is written in dialogue form- dialogue between Adam and a law enforcer of some sort, most likely an attorney. The law enforcer questions Adam and as the story progresses, piece by piece, the story comes together to reflect the reason for the questioning/interview in the first place. Trackers, unlike Skeleton Creek, adds even more complexity to the novel. For one, several Appendixes can be found in the back of the novel. These appendixes include a code for a secret language used in the novel as well as the transcripts for the video clips- in case internet access is unavailable.

Trackers falls short in comparison to the Skeleton Creek series. Several aspects of the novel seem forced. The chemistry between the characters is lacking, the technological language is a little over-used and too complex- making the novel tiresome, and the ending does not necessarily lead one to wait anxiously for the sequel. The codes are not utilized enough. It seems as though Carman was attempting to take on too many complexities and as a result did none wholeheartedly. I give it 3 stars.

Word Count: 473

Review: Numbers by Rachel Ward

Numbers by Rachel Ward

Buy It Now: on Amazon.com

Description: Since her mother’s death, fifteen-year-old Jem has kept a secret. When her eyes meet someone else’s, a number pops into her head - the date on which they will die. Knowing that nothing lasts forever, Jem avoids relationships, but when she meets a boy called Spider, and they plan a day out together, her life takes a new twist and turn. Waiting for the London Eye, she sees everyone in the queue has the same number - something terrible is going to happen. (from the author's website)

This review is based on a free review copy received from the publisher.

TDF Pamela's Review:

I know I tend to quibble over genre classifications, but I can't help it. As cluttered as I am, I do like to neatly categorize things. I tell myself it's OCD, heh. My nonfiction bookcase is divided up by subject, and that drives my mother crazy. Of course, she likes to organize her books by size, which makes my eyelid twitch so...

Numbers is one of those books that's difficult to classify. I've seen it advertised as science fiction, but it's definitely not that. Amazon has it listed as "Spine-Chilling Horror," which made me laugh. That's a genre? Awesome! The book follows Jem, the protagonist, who for as long as she can remember has seen numbers when she looks at people. Those numbers just happen to be the date that person will die, and unfortunately for Jem, she realized this after her mother's death of an overdose. After being shunted around the foster care system in London, Jem has become a withdrawn, troubled teenager who refuses to make friends. Why bother, she thinks, when they're just going to die on her anyway?

But she finds herself drawn to Spider, one of her classmates, and Jem begins to think of him as a friend despite knowing that his numbers show that he only has a few weeks to live. When the two witness a terrorist attack on the London Eye--after Jem realizes that everyone in line has that day's date as their numbers, she and Spider run for it, stealing cars and walking across the countryside to try to escape from the bleakness of their lives in London. Unfortunately, the police are looking for them as witnesses to the bombing, and since they're both troubled kids, they know the system isn't going to be kind to them.

This is one of those books that I feel strange saying I enjoyed. It's a bleak book with very little hope to it, and that's one of its strongest points. The majority of YA/teen books I've read end with at least a glimmer of hope, even if they're incredibly depressing. It feels like publishing companies need to impart some sort of "keep your chin up" message to their young readers, as if every piece of literature written for anyone under the age of 21 should be used as a tool for teaching. While I think that readers of all ages can and often should learn something from what they read, I am completely against the idea that books for children and teenagers should be didactic. I think fiction should be entertaining, and if the reader learns something, more power to them.

Numbers is not a book about learning to navigate the foster care system and becoming a well-adjusted adult as a result of what you've learned. It's about a girl who is very, very messed up, and understandably so. She found her mother dead of an overdose at a young age, and has been basically neglected by the system ever since. On top of that, she knows when every single person she meets is going to die. That would screw up even the most well-adjusted individual. Jem actually irritated me at points, particularly when she and Spider are having to walk cross-country. She spends a lot of that time complaining and whining, and while it was annoying, it also fit her perfectly. She's a teenager who has never been out of London before. While she's not accustomed to an easy life, she's certainly not used to having to slog through mud and go hungry. Her actions and reactions make perfect sense, even as she starts to mature and realize exactly what is going on around her.

Ward's characters are by far the strongest aspect of this novel. Even the supporting characters, like Jem's foster mother and Spider's grandmother, while not entirely fleshed out, still made me feel like they had personalities that Jem only sees peripherally. Spider, too, is nicely fleshed out even from Jem's point of view. You get a sense of his way of thinking, his problems with the world, with being viewed with suspicion because he's a black teenage boy in predominantly-white Britain.

This brings me back to the bleakness of Numbers. It is highly effective because it isn't the kind of book that will wrap everything up neatly, after school special style. If it had ended with sunshine and daisies and everything's a-ok, I would have felt cheated. This isn't a story that needs a happy ending, and it's definitely better served by not having one at all.

However, this isn't to say that the novel doesn't have problems. While the characterization and tone are great, the plot and pacing are uneven. The story moves along at a good clip for the first part, but when Jem and Spider go on the run, it starts to get bogged down, and by the time they're caught, I found myself wishing that something big would happen, just to break up the monotony. The ending itself, while satisfying in that it fit the tone of the rest of the novel, did seem a bit contrived, as if it relied a bit too much on a "make the reader gasp" ploy.

The biggest flaw, for me, was that Ward just didn't do enough with the numbers. She makes references to psychic powers--Spider's grandmother can see auras--but by the end of the book, the numbers went nowhere. I see a lot of people referring to this book as science fiction or paranormal, and I just can't agree with those labels. Jem's ability to see the death numbers could have been an amazing twist to the story; why can she see the numbers, for example? What's the spur behind these psychic powers? Unfortunately, this is never addressed, and I felt like the numbers just trailed off into nothingness.

Despite this, I did find this an enjoyable read. I finished it off over the course of a day, and it did keep me hanging on. I was up way too late trying to finish it because I didn't want to have to wait until morning. It's a solid debut for Rachel Ward, and I think her writing will only improve.

Review: Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

Buy It Now: OR on Amazon

Description: The author of the best-selling and critically beloved Mortal Engines quartet has written a stunning prequel. Fever Crumb is set a generation before the events of Mortal Engines, when cities are just beginning to devour each other. Is the mystery of Fever, adoped daughter of Dr Crumb, the key to the secret that lies at the heart of London? (from Amazon)

Fever Crumb has been adopted and raised by Dr. Crumb, a member of the Order of Engineers, where she serves as an apprentice. At a time when women are not seen as reasonable creatures, Fever is an anomaly, the only girl to serve in the Order. Soon, though, she must say good-bye to Dr. Crumb--nearly the only person she's ever known--to assist archaeologist Kit Solent with a top-secret project. The assignment involves a mysterious room that rests beyond a maze of tunnels and once belonged to Auric Godshawk, the last of the Scriven overlords, and Fever must help Kit unlock it. The Scriven, not human, ruled the city some years ago but were hunted down and killed in a victorious uprising by the people.

As Fever's work begins, she is plagued by memories that are not her own, and Kit seems to have aparticular interest in finding out what they are. All Fever knows is what she's been told: She is an orphan. But whose memories does she hold? And why are there people chasing her, intent on eliminating her? Is Fever the key to unlocking the terrible secret of the past? (from the book jacket)

This review is based on a free copy received from the publisher.

TDF Pamela's Review: A

As the description says, this book is a prequel to the Mortal Engines series, which I have not read. Luckily, it is written so well that prior knowledge of the events of Mortal Engines isn't needed to enjoy the heck out of this book.

Fever Crumb was raised by Dr. Crumb in the Order of Engineers and is a very rational girl. However, her commitment to the Engineers' rationality is strongly tested when the secrets of her past begin to resurface and she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous search for ancient technology.

While the characters themselves are fascinating and well-developed, what I found most enjoyable about this book was the setting. It is set in London, but it took me a while to figure out exactly when it takes place. The current technology is almost steampunk in feel, but there are constant references to "Ancient" tech that is basically the technology of our time. I love the feel of the book, as if our world is recovering from a massive catastrophe and is hanging onto the old technology found by archaeologists, even though they haven't the faintest idea of how to reproduce it.

The little details that Reeve throws in both enhance the regressed future setting as well as making the book pretty darned funny. Fever is nearly run over by a group of religious practitioners wearing "robes and pointed hats... chanting the name of some old-world prophet, 'Hari, Hari! Hari Potter!'" I was actually reading this while my class did group work, and I got some very strange looks when I snorted with laughter. Little touches, too, like B@ttersea, a pub called the Blogger's Arms, and the use of 'blog' and 'blogger' as a swear word on par with 'bugger' are graceful additions to the place and time that barely remembers our time.

And Reeve's writing is often just funny on its own. My personal favorite line, in a scene where Engineers are leaving the giant statue head that is their headquarters:

...But by then a whole crowd of Engineers were coming out of Godshawk's nostril like a highly educated sneeze...

The only major complaint I have about this book is that the plot feels rushed at times. Fever is immediately thrust into her new duties, which is actually an excellent way to begin a book, by tossing the reader right into the action, but the rest of the events in the book seem to happen at a breakneck pace, especially when rushing toward the climax. It's a bit exhausting, and I found myself wishing it had been drawn out just a bit more.

But overall, I very much enjoyed this book, and I'm currently on the hunt for the Mortal Engines series. I love the setting and want more!

This review is also published at The Discriminating Fangirl.

Copper

We've often seen the boy-and-his-dog comic and cartoon characters: Charlie Brown and Snoopy, Sherman and Peabody, even Elroy and Astro Jetson. Invariably the dog is-- like real dogs-- an unshakable optimist. Not Fred, the dog in Copper. He predicts things will go wrong. When they do, he isn't even happy being right. Copper, his boy, is the optimist here, a beacon of positive, shining joie de vivre. Their strange adventures into lands full of interesting creatures, often aboard strange modes of transportation, never fail to entertain Copper, for he finds a lovely philosophical lesson everywhere he goes.

Kazu Kibuishi is no stranger to the graphic novel genre. Scott McCloud said, "His work is so beautifully drawn that it hurts my head to look at it." He created and edits the comic anthology Flight and his graphic novel Amulet 2 has just debuted at #2 on the New York Times Bestseller List, under "Graphic Novels."

Copper has been an online comic for a while now. The book states that it is for ages 8 and up, but as a chronological adult I thoroughly enjoyed it. The section at the end showing his techniques for creating this, from the low-tech crow-quill pen dipped in the bottle of ink, to digital colorization, is fascinating. Want to learn how to do this kind of creative work? He's teaching "Storytelling for Comics and Film" class in Seattle starting next week.... well, maybe I won't be able to make it. But the idea that storytelling is the nucleus of a work such as Copper is an important concept. Perhaps a paper can be written on this idea...

Manga Book review of Fruits Basket Volume 1

Fruits Basket is about a Japanese family named Sohma, who generation upon generation have been cursed by the twelve spirits of the Eastern Zodiac. No one in the family knows the reasons why they were cursed, only that with each generation a few are born who can turn into the various animals of the Zodiac when they are hugged by the opposite sex. However, there are two who are born different, the god of the Zodiac and the cat who was tricked by the rat and forever left out of the Zodiac. The god of the Zodiac is the one who binds the members into a bond, forever attempting to celebrate the final banquet of the Zodiac with all twelve spirits together in one last celebration. The feisty cat is the most cursed, only he can have three forms; human, cat, and were-cat. He is forever struggling to gain entry as a member of the Zodiac, but is always defeated by the luckiest member of all, the rat.

The first volume springs from a group of misfits who form a family bond due to isolation. Three cousins of the Sohma family; Yuki the rat, Shigure the dog, and Kyo the cat, have been segregated from the Sohma ancestral family home to live somewhat isolated without anyone to care for them. Through a chance meeting, Yuki and Shigure find young Tohru Honda, a student in the same school as Yuki and Kyo, living in a tent on their property. They learn that she has lost her mother and refuses to burden any of her family or friends with her problems. Quickly the four form a friendship when Tohru, who is invited to live in their home as a maid/mother-figure, accidentally hugs the three cousins and they turn into their animal Zodiac. Tohru of course, is somewhat stunned when the three in animal form begin to argue about what to do with the hilarious situation. Shigure, the oldest cousin at twenty seven, decides to talk to Akira Sohma, the head of the family and the god of the Zodiac, about Tohru Honda. Akira decides to let Tohru keep the family secret and live in the house with Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo.

With Tohru’s gentle kindness, she links the three misfits into a family. Shigure becomes a father figure, Tohru the mother figure, and Yuki the son. Nevertheless, Kyo develops feelings of love for Tohru, but senses that he will never be worthy of her love and will not tell her his feelings until much later.

As the story progresses into twenty-three English translated volumes, each Sohma member who is cursed with the animal spirit is introduced. With the exception of a few, most are abandoned by their parents and are tormented with a need to rid themselves of their animal spirit to live a life of freedom. Since Akira Sohma is the god of the Zodiac, the twelve are drawn to him in a bond that they cannot deny but wish to purge and end the curse.

Unbeknownst to the cursed members, Tohru Honda holds the key to their salvation. Through love, understanding, and gentleness, each member is slowly able to liberate their animal spirit because the curse, after so many generations has weakened. Never before have all twelve members including the god and the cat; have existed at the same time.

Fruits Basket is a touching romantic story of love, family, and the need to fit in. Those who peruse Fruits Basket are compelled to read all volumes because the story progresses so intricately, that it weaves its mysteries into our very hearts.

Cathy's Book

Okay, so I've been TRYING to get this thing online--since movies take up more space, uploading has been a pain. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this video that talks about Cathy's Book. Hope you enjoy, and I can't wait to see what you think!

Skeleton Creek

Imagine a group of friends huddled together, lit by the gentle flicker of candlelight as they listen to the suspenseful words of a ghost story. Now imagine them bathed in the soft glow of a computer screen as they watch the startling images of a ghost video. Which experience is more spine-tingling fun?

You don’t have to pick. Patrick Carman’s Skeleton Creek fuses the ghost story and ghost video into an encounter more frightening and entertaining than either can be alone.

Book One in the series begins with words in a diary format. In fact, the novel itself is crafted to look like a blue composition notebook with “SKELETON CREEK” scrawled as the title and “RYAN’S JOURNAL” written in red marker on what appears to be masking tape. A collage of white skulls has replaced the typical marbled pattern of most composition notebooks. In actuality, the novel has a nicely bound hardback cover.

The sense of authenticity, first created by the cover, is the hallmark of the story. When you leaf through the pages you will see the journal format continues with lined pages and a hand-written style font. Anything other than Ryan’s words or drawings appears to have been taped into the book—this includes printed emails and other documents, scanned images and even the publishing information. The “paper” of these additional materials appears to be a different color and texture than that of the journal itself and each category has its own unique font. Of course, even a small child can see that this is all just an illusion created by the printer, but it enhances the audience’s ability to suspend their disbelief.

The ghost videos are produced by Ryan’s friend and co-conspirator, Sarah. In Romeo-and-Juliet fashion, the two are being kept apart and therefore forced to communicate secretly through email and Sarah’s video messages. Ryan is also injured and basically housebound, but in spite of their challenges, the two manage to investigate strange occurrences at an abandoned worksite called the Dredge.

Sarah’s videos are also designed to appear authentically “homemade.” They are shot from one camera’s perspective and most are edited using basic techniques. Sarah pans and zooms like a typical amateur videographer, and when she is moving, the shot has that familiar handheld shake which my mom calls “Frankenstein walking.” That term is certainly appropriate for this ghost story.

Of course, there are clues that the videos are professionally done. The sound and lighting is much better than most amateurs achieve. There is also a rather annoying flicker added to the video. I think it has dual purposes: first, to make it seem more authentic (not seamless) and second to build tension (the “trackiness” does not seem to happen randomly). I have never seen such a flicker on any homemade videos—certainly not on digital film like Sarah is using.

The web site where you watch the videos is also too intricate and polished to feel like a typical teenager’s personal site. The site is fascinating, frightening and easy-to-use, however, and I would trade that for authentic amateur any day of the week. You can check it out: SarahFincher.com. Of course, you can’t watch Sarah’s spooky videos without the passwords hidden in Ryan’s journal, but the eerie site offers some other points of interest.

Overall, the well-crafted authenticity allows readers/viewers to dive deeply into story, immersing themselves in tension and fear. Ryan’s words provide the background, details and suspense that Sarah’s films can explode into terror and shock. Some of her video simply tells what she has figured out on her own, but the footage recorded at the Dredge offers a few fun surprises.

Certainly this story can be enjoyed alone, but I highly recommend that you share the experience one dark night with a few of your closest friends. Ones you like to scream and laugh with. And remember, this is just Book One.

History in Words and Pictures: Real History. Real People. Real Enlightening.

High school American History, eleventh grade. Boring. Few students enjoyed it, except for me. But I was already a history monster, and I sat up and paid attention. Not like those others, shooting spitwads, passing notes and slam books (I always had a page full of retorts and cruel remarks that some thought were hilarious under my name.) Rarely was actual history thought about during those classes, back in 1968 and '69. How frustrating it must have been to teach that! It probably isn't much different today.

But wait! Out on the cyber-horizon-- it's a bird... it's a plane... it's Super-Historian! Yes, kids, that's right. Geeky but enlightening, Super-historian Howard Zinn, who was a history professor back in my high school days, as well as an ant-war activist and marcher in Civil Rights protests right alongside Dr. King, has just what the bored kid needs. Start by watching this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m9T96ZU74R9W3/ref=flash_player_2_preplay

That's right, kids, a graphic adaptation of A People's History of American Empire. Mike Konopacki did the art, historical photos are included, and much of the dialogue is based on lectures shown in the film about Dr. Zinn You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train. This is truly a multi-media package.

First, a warning: this isn't actually the same history that your high-school textbook showed you and your teacher tested you on; it's more of the "underground" version. ""American Empire" says it, though... Ever wonder about those pesky Sandinistas down in Guatamala, that Reagan was so hot about killing? (Remember Iran/Contra? Probably not much. But that was all about helping those who were fighting against the Sandinistas, the side chosen by Reagan and his cohorts to support because those Sandinistas were no doubt Socialists.) Anyway, they took their name from one Augusto Sandino, in the early part of the twentieth century. His story starts on page 212, and by the time you finish it you'll understand exactly what a "banana republic" is... if you make it that far.

But if you start at the beginning, the first story you'll read and see (that's the glory of words-with-pictures! They stick in your head) is about the massacre at Wounded Knee, the final stroke of Manifest Destiny getting the pesky Native Americans out of the way of white folks.

You will learn of the Zoot Suit Riots, as well as the true story of the Rough Riders' charge up San Juan Hill (and I must admit there are occasional discrepencies; Teddy Roosevelt was drawn on horseback. But the Rough Riders' horses were somehow on the next ship and hadn't reached the battle zone yet.) Oh-- and you'll understand a whole lot better the current attitude toward the possibility of American intervention in Iran, because the story of how our CIA overthrew a democratically-elected government there in 1953, then established a long-absent Shah on the Lion Throne... they have every right to not want our "help"!

So dig into this People's History (as opposed to the history texts written by, and approved by, the educational-industrial complex), and learn. --MaryK

A Little Malice Anyone?

Take a black feather, a twig, cat hair, a tear, a lock of your hair, and set them on fire. Say “Tall Jake, take me away” six times, and you’ll be gone. You probably won’t like where you go. But others can see you—in the pages of a comic book called Malice. What happens when you get there? You might live. If you’re lucky. Or unlucky. Malice is both a comic book, one that is supposedly only a rumor, but it exists, and a place, one that is supposedly only a rumor, but it exists. It’s not pleasant there as Seth and Kady find out. Kids die. Some escape. Some don’t want to escape. Seth and Kady just want to find their friend and put an end to the madness.

Malice by Chris Wooding (author of Poison, Storm Thief and others) is described as part novel, part comic. The novel itself is well-written and compelling. The comics are strangely unsettling. Sometimes I couldn’t quite figure out what I was looking at. But I think that’s intentional. Malice, though, is part of the grand experiment occurring in teen reads in that it blends genres, just as Skeleton Creek (one of my favorites) uses videos and Cathy’s Book includes physical artifacts and goes beyond the book to the internet. And the mystery itself is just grand. How can they escape Malice? What happens when they do? Why would anyone want to return? Who is Tall Jake? What’s up with that cat? How about a little hypnotism? Okay, maybe it gets a little far-fetched sometimes. But it’s fantasy! The characters are funny, serious, brave, and scared. My kind of teenagers.

But drats. I don’t know the end. I have to wait for part 2.

Speak

Speak
By Laurie Haise Anderson

This book is about a young girl, facing the trials and tribulations of being in high school, and also facing her own ordeal. What the reader knows is that the main character is having trouble. Her grades are dropping in school, her social life is pretty much absent, and she is distant from her family. Something is eating at her, something she is trying to suppress far back into her memory, so far back so she will not have to think about it anymore, not have to suffer anymore. She has mood swings and her body is changing, she cannot fit into her clothes anymore. She hides away in a closet in her high school, her hideaway where she feels comfortable. Eventually you find out that the summer before she had gone to a party. She got drunk and one of the boys, who she refers to as “It”, raped her. She calls the police, but she gets afraid and runs home, leaving the attacker free from prosecution. She goes through the next school year, suffering and falling apart. Her attacker tries to assault her again in the end, but she finally stands up for herself and overcomes her ordeal. Everyone finds out the popular boy raped her and he pays for what he had done. She realizes that she should have spoke up about it earlier, instead of repressing it. She is in the end, empowered, and free of what was literally eating at her.
This book is excellent. I think it would be a benefit for adolescences to read it because it teaches young women what to do and what not to do in a rape situation. Melinda, in the beginning, called the police after she was attacked, but because she was afraid, she ran home. Perhaps it was because she was ashamed. She felt it was her fault, she was drinking, and it was her fault that this happened to her. But it was not her fault and she had no reason to be ashamed. She is quite and timid throughout the book, but in the end, she gets a voice and she begins to heal. She is no longer a victim.
I believe this is one of the best books I have read. This is because the character was so real. I often wondered if Anderson, herself, had been attacked, because what Melinda goes through, what she thinks about, her physical state, are feelings a victim of rape goes through. I connected with the character and it made me think of all the women who do not report a rape. It made me want to speak out, like Melinda did in the end. She finally had a voice and I think this is a great book, in that it is a tragic truth that needs to be empowered and given a voice. Melinda is a hero, she doesn’t start out that way, but she is definitely a hero in the end. And who knows how many women she saved from suffering the same fate she did, just for speaking out and demanding justice. I think that is what we need to convey to adolescences, speak out against injustices, no matter what kind, it is the right thing to do, and this book is a perfect example of just that.

Go Ask Alice

Go Ask Alice was one of the first books I really sat down to read. Many books I’d read before were simply assignments and held no interest with me. It was very easy to relate to the protagonist from the very beginning. She brings to light the everyday problems people face but never really discuss. The kind of hardships most people in society endure, but ignore at the same time. The most interesting part about the relationship with the author and the reader is curiosity.

Since this is a diary, you get the true aspect of her day to day life over a long period of time. You share the same sense of anxiety awaiting the next days events. The impact this book has on the reader is mare intense since she was living it while she was writing it.

The fact that this diary is anonymous is even more enticing. We all know journals are private, so there must be something worth reading if they published it. While reading this, I felt as if I were going back and reading my own journal. I was constantly overwhelmed with a sense of nostalgia as I experienced her maturing with the turn of every page. The lingering thirst for understanding of what it was really like during the drug years are quenched while living vicariously through the protagonist.

The media always expresses what it was like back in the 1970’s with movies like Dazed and Confused or That Seventies Show. Although we get a glimpse of what the drug culture was like, we aren’t shown first hand. This young girl goes from the most popular girl in her home town, to a stranger in a new city. When she comes home for a visit, her friends seem to have matured a bit faster than she has. Her new experiences lead her to a vicious downward spiral with very small hope of emergence.
Although this journal was discovered and published in 1971, it didn’t become popular until it was re printed in 2008. This book is a must read for every teenager. Although learning through your mistakes is effective, learning through someone else’s may save your life.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is an extremely interesting and entertaining book on every possible level. The first detail about the book that drew me in, was its status somewhere between novel, graphic novel, and picture book. The illustrations are not only extremely well done, but are necassary to understand the story, for they fill in the gaps that the written story leaves out.

Alongside this very effective hook is a story that mixes fact with fiction. The young protagonish, Hugo Cabret, is an orphan at the start of the story and is as alone as he could be for his drunken uncle who was caring for him, if you could call it that, and was apprenticing him to his trade as the upkeeper of the train station's clocks has disappeared and Hugo is forced to keep up appearances so he won't end up in an orphanage. While he is doing this, he is also attempting to fix an automaton that his father worked down before his death and the burning down of the museum that he worked at. This leads to a journey of self-discovery both for the young Hugo and many of the other characters that surround him. Intertwined with this story is a history of both early film and one of the earliest film makers. Similar to Hugo's story, the history is very intriguing and draws the reader in even deeper, making them want to find out more on their own.

These different facets of the book all combine together to make something both more interesting and more entertaing than the parts seperated. Although the book is a fairly quick read, it is one that, in my opinion, can be revisited many times and which will reveal more of itself to those that are interested in the subject and pursue it.

Twilight

No doubt that this saga has already been written about but I now turn my pillow over to sleep on the cold side! Yes, of course, I am talking about the Twilight saga. Much like the movie, the beginning of the novel was a little slow, hard to get into but then at some point I was an addict. Like Bella was Edward’s own personal brand of heroine, I could not get enough of the essence of these characters for myself. I found myself losing sleep over wanting to know what was going to happen next.
Stephenie Meyer created a world within a world where fantastical creatures such as vampires and werewolves rome and live amongst us. They feed and cause damages and tragedies that humans just can't seem to figure out. Vampires are not merely creatures of the night, but also of the morning, noon, and evening. Their skin sparkles like diamonds in the sunlight and they have unbelievable superhuman capabilities, yet they can be as tender and passionate as their self control allows towards humans.
This saga is the story of Bella Swan, a seventeen year old girl who moves from sunny Arizona to rainy, cloud-covered Forks, WA. Here, the mystery and the love story begins between she and Edward Cullen, the "seventeen" year old vampire who captivates nearly all of his female readers.
Meyer did a fantastic job of creating a new perspective of the fantasy world that lives around us, while we are completely unaware of their existence. I now compare every vampire book, story, novel, and movie to the sleepless, free-reigning, night and day vampires of Stephanie Meyers.
Bella’s character tends to frustrate me at times, however, because this strong-willed, independent girl becomes extremely needy and clingy in book two. Yes, her heart is more than broken, it is torn in two but when Alice shows up after “seeing” Bella’s death, there was nearly a feel or sense of homosexuality between Bella and Alice. Alice was the only connection Bella had to her Edward, so she would crawl into Alice’s arms and nuzzle her face into Alice’s neck, to smell her and fall asleep in her arms.
Some of the aspects of the novels and the story line that I love are Meyers’ development of the relationship between Bella and Edward. So many tweens and teens are reading these novels and Meyers keeps a moral boundary within them. Edward stood strong with his old values of not having premarital sex with Bella; despite the fact that he thought he would kill her. The scenes after they are married were tastefully written and did not seem too inappropriate for young teens.
I do recommend these novels to anyone who likes good fantasy and supernatural phenomena in their stories. I believe Twilight would be a good book to spark interest among classroom readers to discuss character traits, foreshadowing, and setting within a novel. Kudos to Stephenie Meyer. You have a fan here!

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Rarely is the protagonist in a young adult novel a balanced portrait of a mature human being, but especially when she is a nine year old who wishes to become a witch. Tiffany Aching, raised on a farm, embarks on an adventure to recover her brother, who has been kidnapped by the Queen of the Fairies. Armed simply with a frying pan and her grandmother’s book on sheep diseases, Tiffany encounters the Nac Mac Feegle, a group of six-inch tall, rowdy, tattooed Scots who are notorious for drinking, stealing, and fighting anything that comes their way. The Mac Feegles, those of the title, act as guide to Tiffany on her adventure to the grey, wintry Fairyland, a place where one becomes lost in one’s dreams. Such is the world created by Terry Pratchett in The Wee Free Men (HarperCollins, 2003).
Tiffany Aching is entirely believable. Told in the form of a fairy tale, the book is magical and enchanted, but not because it is a fairy tale. What sets it apart from similar literature is how intelligent Tiffany is. Rooted firmly in the land and the folk wisdom that has been passed to her from her Granny Aching, Tiffany is common sense personified, a child of enormous pluck who believes more than anything that what is just and true will prevail. Fueled as much by indignation as by a desire to rescue her brother, Tiffany suffers the common doubts of a young girl trying to find her identity in the greater world, but does so with a dedicated aplomb that is simultaneously comic and inspiring. Relying on her intuition, Tiffany is a feminist and a humanist who does not easily suffer fools, and she is as direct and unembellished as the land she loves.
The book combines folk wisdom, myth, and superstition into a cleverly executed narrative that turns the fairy tale on its head. Fairyland is a dreadful place that nobody would want to live unless by force, and the Chalk, which in an urban world could be seen as rustic—if not archaic—is a place of enchantment.
If the purpose of literature is to inspire and entertain, then Terry Pratchett’s The Wee Free Men is certainly on point. Smartly written, insightful, and sometimes hilarious, the plot moves at lightning speed without lag. This novel fulfills all its promise, although it in an unexpected and welcome fashion.

3 Willows

3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows is a young adult novel written by Ann Brashares. It is a continuation of the popular series, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and offers its readers an easy yet meaningful read. This book gives a look at life through the eyes of three young teens: Jo, Polly, and Ama. These girls find themselves facing difficult situations during their summer between middle school and high school. As they part ways for the summer, the young ladies face problems alone without the help of their two best friends.
In her novel, Ann Brashares addresses common difficulties that teenage girls go through. It lends hope to struggling teens that are trying to find their way in a big and unforgiving world.
The novel is easy to relate to. Remembering my life as a young teenager, several issues clicked with me and I wish I had read this book when I was fourteen. Issues of self-worth, beauty, the value of intelligence, independence, race, and divorce are tackled by the witty actions of Jo, Polly, and Ama.
Being a follower of the Sisterhood, I thought that this novel was going to be a repeat of its predecessors. Surprisingly though, it isn’t. 3 Willows has its own elements and story line that separates it from any of the previous novels by Ann Brashares. The girls in this book are easy to relate to. They have different personalities and attributes that separate them from the girls in the Sisterhood. It is almost as if the qualities of Ama, Jo, and Polly equate to the qualities of one well-rounded person. This gives every reader a chance to connect with the characters and measure their lives with the changing willow trees. Measuring their lives by the lives of the 3 Willows, the girls learn to love themselves for who they are and not by who the world wants them to be.
I highly recommend this book to every teenage girl because it teaches the basic lessons of life in a graceful and amusing way. This eloquent novel shows its readers that you are only young once, so don’t let your insecurities and fears keep you from reaching your highest potential.

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gailman

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman is anything but your typical bedtime story. The story is a gothic version of The Jungle Book. Gaiman does a masterful job at making a graveyard seem like a perfectly acceptable place for a young boy to grow up. I am sure Gaiman’s ghostly story has the likes of Henry James, Jane Austen, and Edgar Allan Poe jumping for joy in their graves.
A hideous crime is being committed in the opening scene. A man named Jack has just murdered three of a four member family. The youngest of the family, a toddler, wonders out the front door and over the hill to the local graveyard. The graveyard offers the toddler safety from the man seeking to kill him and becomes the main setting for the story. The graveyard houses a very diverse group of residents with deaths that range from centuries ago to relevantly modern times. The story proves out that it truly does take a “graveyard” to raise a child. Everyone takes part in the rearing of Nobody Owens, the name give to the toddler after he arrived in the graveyard. The living child is raised by the dead. There is one called Silas, a character that is not quite living and not quite dead, who becomes Nobody’s guardian. Silas helps Nobody make sense of his past and offers him hope for his future. A future that eventually will have to take place among the living. Nobody will leave the only home he has ever known, the graveyard.
Some may have issue with the first line of an adolescent book beginning with, “There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.” Please don’t let this prevent you from enjoying this book and encouraging adolescents to read the book. The murder of Bod’s family has already taken place and is not given much description at all. It is truly secondary to the sense of family and unconditional love that is represented in this story.
Everyone loves a good ghost story, especially children. This book offers readers a great combination of a suspenseful gothic tale and a coming of age story. I highly recommend this book as a great way to introduce the gothic genre to young readers.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Sometimes you get used to the idea that Young Adult literature is something, well, simple. That Young Adult literature is just light, fluffy stuff to give to teens so that they'll read more. Things like Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, a sort of intellectual pack of Skittles. Being a college student, I fell into this trap. When I heard about Unwind by Neal Shusterman, I picked it up, expecting a somewhat mediocre horror story, intended to scare kids. Certainly a refined, intelligent and more mature college student such as I couldn't be provoked by a work from the Young Adult section.

I was very, very wrong.

Neal Shusterman's novel is a very, very dark work of literature. I will be honest with you, gentle readers, this novel is not for the faint of heart or the closed minded. It's a dystopian look at life America, and a chilling examination of one of the most controversial issues in modern America: abortion.

Unwind takes place in a future America, many years after the resolution of a conflict referred to as "The Heartland Wars", a brutal civil war between Pro-Life and Pro-Choice factions within the nation. In this brave new world, human life is protected from conception to the age of thirteen, thanks to the 'Bill of Life'. However, from the age of 13 to the age of 18, an unwanted child may be retroactively aborted, so long as the child remains 'alive'. This process, called 'Unwinding', essentially reduces a child down to his or her component parts, which are then used for organ transplants for anyone who needs them.

Our story centers around three teenagers that meet by sheer accident. All three face this fate, but for different reasons: Connor, a problem teen who is being Unwound because his parents cannot deal with his behaviour problems, Risa, an orphen who is being Unwound to cut costs at the adoption facility, and Lev, a 'tithe' from a rich religious family who is willingly being Unwound. Their stories, presented individually from their point of view, combine to give us a chilling journey through this strange, yet familiar world; from their escape, though many close calls and places of safety, until the climax at the Unwinding facility.

Shusterman's dystopian world seems all to real to us. His villians aren't cartoonish malefactors who cackle with glee as they seek to harm our protagonists; they're policemen who are just doing their jobs, adults who unthinkingly buy into the idea of Unwinding, and a government that has all but sanctioned their death. Their evil isn't dramatic or ostentatious; it's quiet, subtle, and banal, the evil of bureaucracy, greed and apathy. His heroes or their allies particularly heroic either: the majority of them teens on the run, put under constant stress that forces them to become all-too pragmatic dispite still being immature. They have tempers, beliefs, and hopes, and questions about the 'big' things in life we would expect teens to have. Even though the heroes do triumph in the end, their victory is costly, and their future outlook uncertain. Presented in Shusterman's clear, concise writing, we're presented with characters who are neither black nor white, but a decidedly realistic shade of gray.

Another of the book's strengths is that doesn't tell us how the world has changed, it shows us, and it pulls no punches. It shows us how easy it is for people to accept something as barbaric as Unwinding if it's given a palatable veneer. In this world, children are 'valued'. They don't die during the unwinding, they 'live on in a divided state'. Unwinding facilities are called 'Harvest Camps', where the condemned are fed, sheltered and entertained by cheerful nurses and doctors. We're shown how something well-intentioned, like the 'Stork Initiative' (if you find a baby on your doorstep, it's legally yours) can be made tragic by human selfishness. We're shown how something like Unwinding can effect everyting from the medical industry (why bother trying to cure diseases when you have a ready supply of fresh donor organs to draw from, especcially since that pesky problem of rejection is taken care of) to religion (apparently, ten percent of what you own also includes your children), to parenting (Don't want your divorced spouce to have your child? Unwind him! Your teenage son is violent and always getting into trouble? Unwind him! Have one to many daughters when you want a son? Unwind them!). It also shows us, in graphic, chilling detail, exactly what the procedure is, from the point of view of one of the characters in the book's cast. This is a world that is not only horrifying in it's implications, but equally as horrifying in its realism.

Given this is a book about abortion, you might think that Shusterman would come down on one side or the other. He doesn't. He presents both sides equally, and with equal condemntation. In this abortionless world, he shows us adoption centers crammed to bursting with disposable children, schools with nurseries for teen moms, and desperate young mothers leaving children on doorsteps. In a world where you can choose to have your child Unwound, he shows doctors who cheerfully chat about basketball as they dismember living people and a society that supports the wholesale slaughter of children. Yes, abortion has stopped by the Bill of Life, but as one observation in the book states, "the Bill of Life was supposed to protect the sanctity of life. Instead, it just made it cheap." This neutral stance presents neither side as completely right nor wrong, and the book carries it off with skill.

Unwind is a deeply unsettiling book, that would best be set for older teens who can probably handle the subject material and some of the more disturbing ideas it presents. If you've read books like 1984 and Lord of the Flies, you might enjoy Unwind's complex and dystopian world. However, don't read it, unless you plan on following it with something more positive and uplifting. You'll need it.

Bone: The Dragonslayer Book 4 by Jeff Smith

I came across the graphic novel Bone: The Dragonslayer one day as I was going through my son’s bookshelf to find something to read for this book review. To be honest, I had never heard of a graphic novel before. As I looked at it, I determined it to be a glorified comic book only with better binding. Well, despite my initial reaction, I decided to read this book. I found out from my son that this book is 4th in a series of nine books by the same author, Jeff Smith. However, since this is the only one my son owns, and I am too cheap to go out and buy the first one, I will have to start with the 4th book.

The first thing I noticed about this book is that there isn’t any background information at the beginning of the book to set the reader up for this story. I found that very frustrating. Smith is apparently writing to an audience that would have read the book from the beginning of the series, or this is a gimic to get readers to buy the other installments. I’m going with the latter. I had to go to the publisher’s website (Scholastic Books) to get a background for this story. When I found the website, I discovered that this series revolves around three ghost-like creatures who are from the town of Boneville. They are Fone Bone, Smiley Bone and Phoncible P.(Phoney) Bone. I’m not sure where the name Fone came from, but both Smiley and Phoney are what their names imply in relation to their characteristics. Fone, however, is characterized as the quiet hero who will always do what is right no matter the cost to himself. He is definitely my favorite of the three.

This novel doesn’t mention how the Bones family arrive in the town they have come to call home, Barrelhaven. However, as in most towns, there are people who like the Bones and people who don’t like them because they are different. Of the people who do like them, Grandma Ben and Thorn should be noted. Grandma Ben is unlike any grandmother I have ever seen. She is super strong and is able to fight off huge rat creatures the size of bears. One of them describes her best as “strong and hard as a knotted old tree.” I want that grandmother. Thorn is her grandaughter. She is your typical teenager trying to figure out her place in the world. She never smiles and there is always a gloomy feel to her. I don’t want that teenager.

The story revolves around the threat of impending doom to Barrelhaven. There are dragons, rat creatures and unknown dark forces in the distance whom the town fears will attack at any moment. Phoney Bone, forever looking for the next scam, has convinced the town that he will slay the dragon, which turns out to be false because he knows that dragons are peace-loving. While that storyline proceeds, Fone Bone travels with Grandma Ben and Thorn roaming the forest and fighting whatever comes their way. (I never could figure out why they were in the forest.) You wouldn’t catch me there. But a secret is revealed in the forest that creates a rift between Thorn and her grandmother. As a result, Thorn and Fone Bone go back to Barrelhaven just in time to help sort out the chaos Phoney Bone has created, however there is still a continuous threat of danger on the way. Finally, the story ends with a “to be continued” note at the end.

In the end, I came to the conclusion that the characterization in this story makes all the difference in whether someone likes the story or not. The storyline itself leaves much to be desired, but as with other book series, I’m sure the final book will be the best due to the fact that all questions are finally answered. My son has become so attached to these characters, he began begging me to buy the rest of the series the minute he was done with book 4. I will more than likely buy the series because I want to know what becomes of the characters, as well. Who knows, maybe we can create our own graphic novel book club at home where all his friends can come over, drink milk, and discuss the literary elements of the series, or not. A mother can dream, can’t she.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

In my years of reading, I have never come across such an entertaining and captivating story. I could not put the book down until I had finished reading it. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling is about a young boy who learns after years of being mistreated by his only living relatives, that he is a wizard and his parents were too. Not only is he a powerful wizard, but he learns that one of the most powerful wizards of all-time, Lord Voldemort, had killed his parents and tried to kill him. But his story did not end on that fateful night, and years later, he learns the truth about his heritage and just how special he truly is. Harry learns after being accepted to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His admission to this specialized school gives him a chance to escape the Dursley home to develop his skills in sorcery. His journey from the uncomfortable closet under the staircase to the great halls of the Gryffindor house. Harry's life is changed for the better, from the friendships he gains to the athletic prowess he exudes in the classic sport, Quidditch. But as with all good things, they must come to an end, and that happens to come with a few confrontations with shady characters who Harry feels might want him hurt or dead. The ultimate confrontation comes when he learns of the reappearence of Voldemort. Harry's triumphant rise from outcast to hero is a worthy read that will please readers again and again.

The main problem that I forsee in teaching this book to a class is the close-minded approach that a lot of parents feel about the subject of magic and witchcraft. One of the most entertaining things about the book was the candies that the Hogwarts students got to eat throughout the book. The funniest of these was Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, ranging from chocolate and peppermint to booger and vomit. The book is packed full of strange creatures and funny events that give it a certain feel that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what will Harry, Ron, and Hermione get into next. This book will definitely hook readers into reading the entire series of Harry Potter books.

Check out Skelton Creek by Patrick Carmen

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

I will admit that I do judge a book by its cover - I need to get over it. Otherwise, I will miss out on hidden treasures like The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. I am not mechanically inclined. I can barely turn a screwdriver. The word “invention” scared me away. I immediately thought I was going to read boring details about some kind of invention that I knew I would not understand. Boy, was I wrong. Do not let the size fool you. It is a thick book. But, Brian Selznick, a Caldecott winner, combines original drawings and historical pictures to create not only an interesting read, but also a visual masterpiece.

Set in 1931, Selznick mixes history with fiction. Hugo, the son of a clock maker lives with his neglectful uncle in a train station maintaining the clocks. One day Hugo finds an old notebook with his dead father’s belongings. In the notebook he finds an intriguing drawing. His search for the inspiration behind the drawing sets Hugo on an adventure. The mystery begins with the notebook and ends with Georges Méliès, a real-life French filmmaker who fictitiously now works in the train station.
Each page has a black border as if the reader were watching a movie screen. Further, when the words end the pictures take over. The black and white pencil drawings effectively advance the story. The pictures zoom in and out creating the feel of watching a movie in a theater. Paying homage to early filmmaking, Selznick also includes vintage pictures of films such as A Trip to the Moon.

Completing this masterpiece, Selznick infuses history into the novel. He prints the book using a 12-point Monotype Bulmer font. The font, named after William Bulmer, was an eighteenth-century English printer. The paper is 80# Finch Opaque Vellum that is thread-sewn in 16-page signatures. Needless to say, the novel is visually and physically stunning. Brian Selznick does not stop with just telling a story. He creates an experience. Without neglecting a single detail, Selznick weaves magic into every thread-sewn page.

Educators will love this book; the history alone lends itself for use in the classroom. This novel reaches the casual reader, the fan of graphic novels, film buffs, and yes, the not-so-mechanically inclined.

Elizabeth Haydon's The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme: The Floating Island

Meet Charles Magnus Ven Polypheme, a Nain (dwarf-like creature with a lifespan four times as long as a human's) that ends up on the magically haunted island of Serendair. On his 50th birthday he finally starts his life on the open sea to Inspect a ship that he and his family just finished constructing. Attacked by Fire Pirates and left for dead, a merrow (mermaid) named Amariel rescues him and keeps him alive until Captain Oliver Snodgrass saves him from the sea. He soon learns that his rescue was not by accident.

During his adventure, Ven finds himself trying to solve the mystery of death and disappearances at the crossroads of Crossroads Inn, owned by the captain's wife. Falsely accused of thievery and murder, Ven is thrown in a jail to write out his story and ultimately finds out that he's the only one on Serendair who can summon the mystical Floating Island.

Surrounded by different races, talking cats and invisible people: the magic of the world, I believe that this is a journal of finding one's self. The Floating Island creates a world full of undiscovered fantasy and places you right beside Ven in his adventure. The book is written in a way that drags the reader in. Third person, but with loose journal entries entirely in Ven's handwriting and experiences.

"The first rule of good puzzling--see things as they are, and not as they seem" (pg.227). Though the king of Serendair gives the tagline, Ven seems to twist it in a way and uses it to solve his own puzzle.

Haydon seems to have a love and fascination for beaches and the ocean by the way she explains every color to the last detail. Her characters are gorgeous and very much alive in your mind. Luck and becoming lucky are also big topics in her world, the one who deserves the luck will win the luck. Haydon's writing is intriguing and creative, her well thought out Floating Island is a beautiful place one the reader can escape to and enjoy for hours on end.

The sequel, I'm sure, will commend Haydon's talent so I look forward to finding and picking up The Thief Queen's Daughter.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

In 2005, now acclaimed teen novelist Stephanie Meyer published the first of four novels relaying a tale of a love-struck teen and an extraordinary vampire. One must ask themselves, “why out of the many vampire novels, did Meyer’s succeed so greatly? Will Stephanie Meyer go down in history and be named among the best, or will the “Twilight” fad fade away after a few short years of fame?

Seventeen year old Bella Swan chooses to move to Forks, Washington after her mother remarries. As she begins her new life, Bella finds that there is much more to Forks than meets the eye. Eventually, Bella finds herself in love with Edward Cullen, a dreamy, courageous teen-vampire. As Edward and Bella battle to beat the odds by staying together, they face a more challenging obstacle: and enemy vampire.

Although the story is intriguing and entertaining, Meyer is no where near the greatness of other authors such as Anne Rice. The “Twilight” series while compelling, is only another teen-love story which will soon come to an end. The simple writing of Meyers may be exactly what drew in so many young readers. Meyers combination of simple sentences and an easy-to-follow plot leads her to the path of a great book, but not necessarily a classic.

I believe that Meyers has great ideas and a fascinating story, but an elementary style of writing. The main reason that Meyers book is so popular is because she has powerful characters. Her characters will draw a reader into the novel and make them want more. Without the role of Edward Cullen, for instance, Meyer’s book wouldn’t be near as popular as it is today.

“Twilight” is definitely a must read and a great all-around book, although I do not think it will be put on the same bookshelves as “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Catcher in the Rye,” or Gone with the Wind.” It will not become a classic.

Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier

Dimple Rohitbhai Lala isn't your average New Jersey girl. From her inauspicious breech birth, to her gods-loving parents, she always knew she didn't fit in with her average American surroundings.

We are introduced to Dimple on her 17^th birthday, recently dumped and feeling more aware of her different status than ever. Even her name marks her as a freak: Dimple Lala, an ode to her more-than-ample hips and different heritage. In contrast, her best friend Gwyn is the picture of All-American-ness: blond, thin, great wardrobe, and a constant supply of boys.

The only place Dimple feels truly at home is behind a camera. As a young girl, Dimple understood a little Marathi, but soon after “Any memory of language was checked at customs.” Her loss of language was a huge piece of her missing identity, as it left her unable to communicate with her beloved Dadaji, her mother's father.

Soon after came the pictures. Able to communicate visually with her grandfather, the camera both gives her a voice, as photographer, artist, even dutiful granddaughter, while simultaneously shielding her—after all, you can't be the star if you're behind the lens.

Ironically, her photography soon becomes centered around Gwyn, who is only too happy to be the star of Dimple's photos. Although Gwyn seems to have it all, throughout the book we find that Gwyn has more than enough problems of her own: absentee parents, boy problems, and identity issues. While Dimple wants nothing more than to blend in, Gwyn longs to stand out.

One aspect Dimple was not prepared for was her parent's introducing her to a boy. An Indian boy. A chino-wearing, living at home, good Indian boy. Dimple is beyond horrified. An arranged relationship is the epitome of what sets her family apart from everyone else on their suburban block. Luckily, Karsh is a persistent guy, and his influence opens up a new world to Dimple.

Through Karsh, Dimple is introduced to the desi scene—a movement trying to bring South Asian identity the respect and discussion it deserves. For the first time Dimple is introduced to other South Asians who are also caught between identities. But even there Gwyn manages to take over, intruding ever more obviously on Dimples relationships.

Not surprisingly, Dimple and Gwyn's relationship becomes extremely strained. Although irritating and obnoxious, Hidier did a good job of rounding out Gwyn's character so we can't judge her too harshly. Contrasting Gwyn's physical beauty are her many hidden flaws. In many ways she is searching for herself as much as Dimple is.

Hidier deals with many sensitive topics in a well-rounded and realistic way. In particular I liked the incorporation of Kavita, Dimple's cousin from India. Homosexuality isn't the easiest issue to deal with in an adolescent novel, but Hidier does a fabulous job, adding another layer of identity to work with, and making it possible for nearly any reader to find a way to connect with this book.

By the end of a novel, I almost felt tutored on the ways on Indian life, but not in an obtrusive way. It gives a fascinating insight into Indian culture. Even the title, Born Confused, refers to a slur on South Asians, ABCD, which stands for American Born Confused Desi. By incorporating this into the fabric of the narrative, Hidier removes any power the label may have and reinforces the theme that it's ok to be confused, to not have all the answers.

In many ways, this book is a traditional happy-ever-after, but Dimple is such a likable charter, you can't help but be glad it ends that way. Hidier has done a fantastic job of capturing what it's like to be a teenage girl who doesn't perfectly fit in. It reminded me of many traumatic moments from my own adolescence (shudder) but also reinforced that sometimes, everything does work out in the end. I highly recommend this novel, if only to remind yourself of how far you have come from an angst-ridden teenager.

The Alchemyst: Timeless Battle of Good & Evil by Michael Scott

Michael Scott’s The Alchemyst: is a story of good vs. evil. It’s a tale of twin brother and sister, Josh and Sophie, who are suddenly thrust into a world of magic. The alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, who is the guardian of an ancient book of spells, the Codex, is attached by an evil magician who works for the Dark Elders. Josh, who works for Flamel in a bookstore, suddenly finds himself in the midst of a battle between the two magicians. Josh’s twin sister, Sophie, works just across the street in a coffee shop notices strange things happening in the book store. It is discovered that Josh and Sophie are actually prophesied about in the Codex, and this is where the story takes the reader into a land of magic and myth.
Scott weaves allusions of various myths, science and different religious teaching into his book to create the fantasy world.
Besides the conflict of good magician vs. evil magician, Scott creates conflict between the twins, who have been best friends throughout their entire life, when Sophie’s magical powers are awakened before Josh’s powers. Josh is then, predictably, approached by the evil magician, John Dee.
The reader is left wondering which way Josh will go at the end of the story. Will he remain by the side of his sister or choose the evil John Dee because of the slight he feels by not having his own powers awakened?
There was one part of the book that caused me to disconnect from the story. Nicholas Flamel goes to a magical warrior, Scathech, for help. Scathech, “2nd generation,” speaks with an Irish accent and takes the twins to her grandmother’s, The Witch of Endor – “Dora,” who is purported to be “1st generation” and speaks with a New York accent, for help. The gap in the generation between grandmother and granddaughter were disconcerting to me. Also, the New York accent was weird since The Witch of Endor was alive before human kind, and a New York accent is by no means “an old world” language – even in modern times, The United States, is a young country. This bothered me so much, it was hard for me to continue to be lost in this fantasy world.
However, The Alchemyst is captivating, interesting and entertaining despite the awkward part with The witch of Endor and Scathech.

Clay by David Almond

From the beginning of this novel I observed a young boy consumed by evil thoughts transition to a young boy who combated evil thoughts.

The boy who endures this transition is named Davie. Davie and his best friend Geordie are actively involved in church as altar boys. And, at the same time, create havoc by stealing, threatening other children with knifes, and exchanging evil thoughts of killing others.

A troubled boy by the name of Stephen Rose is sent to live with his aunt, who was referred to as Crazy Mary. It turns out that Stephen has an unusual gift: he is able to make living creatures from clay.The moment Stephen and Davie met, they feet drawn to one another. The friendship between Stephen and Davie grow, and Stephen shares his secret life giving ability to Davie. Stephen wants to create this creature to protect himself and his friends. The two mix the clay together with their spit and stolen communion to bring to life the life size creature, one they will name Clay.

I find the relationship between Davie and Stephen unusually close. I sense a homosexual bond between the two. They feel drawn to one another from the very beginning. Stephen taunts Davie’s girlfriend by kissing Davie on the cheek. And, they have a baby together – Clay, so to speak. Instead of sperm, spit is used to create a being. The communion, the body of Christ, is used to purify the creation.

However, Stephen’s plans for Clay are far from pure. He tries to train Clay to kill people by placing molds of clay angels in the palms of his hands and commanding the creature to crush them.

Davie is appalled by the grave situation he has gotten himself into, and seeks to put an end to the creation by commanding the creature to lie down, rest, and die in the cave where Clay was created. Stephen walks in and discovers what Davie is doing, and the two fight. Stephen disappears after waving his hand in front of Davie’s face as if he is bringing Davie out of a trance.

I enjoyed this story by David Almond, just as I enjoyed Skellig. Religion played a huge role in the creation of Clay. Stephen often played the role of God and made reference to Christianity, and even told his mother he wanted to be a god when he grew up.I also saw striking similarities between Clay and Frankenstein. The two creations were conjured up by no will of their own and were abandoned. Davie and Dr. Frankenstein were similar, as well. Davie, at one time, commanded Clay to go away, just as Dr. Frankenstein told his creation. Davie was worried that he and Stephen had the ability to create a multitude of creatures like Clay, and Dr. Frankenstein was concerned of an entire lineage coming from his creation. Also, Stephen and Dr. Frankenstein both share the desire to become gods.

With all this being said…I would definitely recommend this story. It is truly fascinating he wrote about a boy who has the ability to give life. However, I think it is unusual that this boy was so violent. I did not see this sort of violence in Skellig. Toward the end he confessed that he had the ability to take away life and was responsible for his father’s death, and the death of a neighborhood bully. After Davie witnesses such evil, he realizes the imperativeness of goodness in the world and changes his ways. I believe that is the message that David Almond is trying to make.