Identity Crisis is a perfect example of what makes the graphic novel so great. To have these characters we've loved since childhood involved in this exciting and somewhat mature themed murder mystery might sound insane to many, but it isn't insane, it's beautiful. Green Arrow, Batman and most of all Elongated Man come to life on these pages like old friends. Just like seeing an actor or actress you love in a movie you haven't seen before, experiencing these classic characters in a bold new story adds to the excitement of the adventure. But Meltzer doesn't just cash in on our love of the most popular DC superheroes, he gives sincerity and depth to characters many of us are not familiar with, or have forgotten.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Identity Crisis
On the Fringe
On the Fringe is a book of short stories compiled by different authors. The stories do contain one central topic, youth that are considered outsiders. These outsiders face many different problems. One story focuses on hygiene problems, one is about a boy that is short, thin, and is nervous around his peers, and yet another is about an outcast who took his anger out with a gun at school. These stories did not all focus on one person; several had a cluster of individuals that were in some way or another disliked by the seemingly perfect in-crowd. The stories definitely opened our eyes to a variety of issues that neither one of us had ever imagined existed. We, as a society, tend to close our eyes to so much that are unpleasant. This book brings out that side, the one that no one wants to realize exists.
Surrender
This is a story about a young man's struggles to overcome an abusive life, and it is told in a narrative style that keeps you guessing until the very end. He has only two friends - his dog Surrender, and the unruly wild boy Finnigan, with whom he made a boyhood pact. When a series of arson attacks grips the town, Gabriel realizes how unpredictable and dangerous Finnigan is. Events begin to spiral out of control, and it becomes clear that only the most extreme measures will rid Gabriel of Finnigan for good .The split between Gabriel and Finnegan begins to grow wider with each passing day, and in the end, it becomes clear that Finnegan will no longer be content watching Gabriel's life from the sidelines. It is a mesmerizing novel full of suspense and dread.
Speak
All teens should read this book. Peer pressure does a lot of bad things: one of those things is convincing victims to feel like they have done something wrong. Speak is a fast-paced read that involves the reader emotionally from the very start. Speak is an accurate depiction of the very common existence of high school cruelty and peer pressure. Everyone should identify with most of what happens in this novel, no matter what there age is. As the reader you will get mad at the good characters as well as the bad. Every page you will turn, it will give you hop that Melinda will somehow find the strength she needs to at last reveal what had happened to her and release herself from the pain and anguish that she is living with.
Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey
This book is the journal of Tish, a student in Mrs. Dunphrey’s English class. Tish is living with a mother who is mentally ill and a brother who is eight years younger than she is. Her abusive father left a couple of years ago. Tish is originally hesitant to write anything meaningful or personal in this journal, but after she tests her teacher and makes sure that she really isn't reading the entries marked "do not read," Tish begins to let her feelings show in her writing. Through these journal entries, the reader gets the full story of Tish's life, her struggle to be the adult in her family, and her need to take care of her mom and brother. When Tish's father shows up after being gone for two years, Tish's journal entries get scarier and scarier, and it is more and more disturbing to see that she is not sharing these stories of her life with anyone who could help her.
Love That Dog
Sharon Creech is a magnificent writer. In this book “Love that Dog,” the main character Jack is having a hard time writing poetry. He thinks that it is just for girls, but when then his teacher introduces the class to famous poet Dean Myer’s writings, Jack all of a sudden has a change in heart. Read this short but well written book to see what happens to Jack
The Bad Beginning
The Bad Beginning, the first book in the "A Series of Unfortunate Events," can be classified as clever, dark, and funny. At the beginning of the book, when the author says don't keep reading if you hate bad endings, he is quite right. First the Baudelaire children get the most horrifying news from Mr. Poe, a guy who can't seem to stop coughing, that their parents died in a horrible fire. They have a fortune, but they learn the unfortunate news that they can't have it until the oldest, Violet, who is 14 becomes an adult So their lawyer, Mr. Poe, takes the three children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, to the horrible guardian Count Olaf who will stop at nothing to get their fortune. The three orphans seem defenseless against Count Olaf's evil plans as he traps Baby Sunny in the forbidden tower until Violet agrees to marry him. However Count Olaf seems to have underestimated these smart children.
My Brother Sam is Dead
What a powerful book! This story revolves Tim Meeker, whose brother Sam goes to fight the Revolutionary War. The story is also a story on a family and a town torn apart. Some want to fight against the King, and others in the town (and the Meeker family) are against the King. Tim is fighting against the king and his father is fighting for the king. What makes this story so powerful is that its focus isn't on the war itself, but the families that are left behind. When someone fights in a war, they put their life on the line for their country. Then a death has some honor. Well for Sam, this was not so. I won't say how and why Sam had to die, but it was void of honor. This powerful novel also shows the reader what happens to the innocent people. My Brother Sam is Dead also shows what our soldiers did, who were considered the "good guys.”
Prom
Prom! Is it for everyone? Not for me; I’m not the typical “girly girl” type. I play sports, have a lot of guy friends and enjoy just hanging out in comfy clothes I relate to the main character, Ashley, in Prom. She doesn’t really care about the prom. Natalia, Ashleys’ best friend, however, is president of student council, head of the prom committee, and in charge of all of the final decisions for prom. “Natalia ropes Ashley into being on the prom committee.” And before long; Ashley is thinking about prom and graduation makes her realize that her current vision of the future isn’t exactly what she wants for herself. Ashley is a good kid who helps out her working class family, regardless of getting in trouble at school; she is a levelheaded teen who has a lot of redeeming qualities.
They Came From Below
I just couldn’t put it down! This novel by Blake Nelson was a powerful and entertaining story about two average teenage girls who go to
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
New Boy
I hate to be the new person in a new school, especially when the school is in a far away place that might be different from what I'm used to. Imagine being the only African-American student in an all white school, in a time when the expensive school you now go to has only ever accepted white students. What an isolating experience! Rob somehow manages to make a friend or two, with people who try not to see their differences as a barrier between them, but something that could potentially bring them together. The worst part about being in such a new surrounding is when Rob tries to go home, and everything seems so different from when he left them. How is a fifteen year old boy supposed to cope with the hardships of school and then again at home?
They Came From Below
Ever had the most amazing summer with your best friend? You get ready for it, saying you definitely won't get sick of each other and you're going to scope for hot boys and attempt to get boyfriends? That was the plan for Emily and Reese, but then these two reallyyyy hot guys showed up and weird things started happening. There was some kind of weird explosion in the ocean and then a radioactive blob showed up on the beach. Emily and Reese of course were too busy trying to figure out these two guys, and although they seemed weird, they were totally ready to date them and finally get what they wanted from their summer: young love. Too bad these guys were definitely out of their league.
My Life in Dog Years
Are you an animal lover? Do you consider your dogs part of your family? In the book, My Life in Dog Years written by Gary Paulsin, Paulsin tells tales of his life story through his experiences with eight of his dogs especially Cookie, Snowball, Josh, Fred, and Caesar.
Paulsin considers his dogs his best friends like many people do. This definitely is a must read book. Paulson singles out one chapter for each of his dogs that have played an important role in his life. Paulsen discusses how his dogs have protected him, hunted with him, played with him, hung out with him, and just have stolen his heart.
This book is a great read for all people who love animals and especially dogs. It will surely make you want to cherish every moment you have with your dog or pet. Don’t miss this book!
Paulsin considers his dogs his best friends like many people do. This definitely is a must read book. Paulson singles out one chapter for each of his dogs that have played an important role in his life. Paulsen discusses how his dogs have protected him, hunted with him, played with him, hung out with him, and just have stolen his heart.
This book is a great read for all people who love animals and especially dogs. It will surely make you want to cherish every moment you have with your dog or pet. Don’t miss this book!
Down the Rabbit Hole
Did you ever get in trouble for sneaking around, lying, and breaking the rules? Everybody does at some point in their lives. Down the Rabbit Hole written by Peter Abrahams is a great book for teenagers who always tend to learn the hard way.
The book is about the trouble Ingrid gets herself into due to her bad behavior. Ingrid is trying to get to soccer practice on time and she decides to get there on foot instead of waiting for her mom, however she gets lost in the wrong part of town. There she encounters Katie Kovak, who is better known as “Cracked-Up Katie” around town. Ingrid then reads in the paper that Katie was killed that same night they met. Ingrid knows she was probably the last person to see Katie alive, but she doesn’t tell anybody because of her fear of getting into trouble. Then, things take a turn for the worst when Ingrid remembers that she left her cleats at Katie's house and goes back to get them. Ingrid’s only hope is to find the real killer. Can she do it? You’ll have to read to find out.
The book is a fun read and has many morals that children and teenagers need to learn. This book is great and will have readers wanting to keep reading to figure out the mystery. Enjoy!
The book is about the trouble Ingrid gets herself into due to her bad behavior. Ingrid is trying to get to soccer practice on time and she decides to get there on foot instead of waiting for her mom, however she gets lost in the wrong part of town. There she encounters Katie Kovak, who is better known as “Cracked-Up Katie” around town. Ingrid then reads in the paper that Katie was killed that same night they met. Ingrid knows she was probably the last person to see Katie alive, but she doesn’t tell anybody because of her fear of getting into trouble. Then, things take a turn for the worst when Ingrid remembers that she left her cleats at Katie's house and goes back to get them. Ingrid’s only hope is to find the real killer. Can she do it? You’ll have to read to find out.
The book is a fun read and has many morals that children and teenagers need to learn. This book is great and will have readers wanting to keep reading to figure out the mystery. Enjoy!
Girl 15 Charming but Insane
Teenage years are difficult. Your appearance suddenly matters and you start noticing the opposite sex. You are in a constant struggle to attract the boys and not to be the last one to develop normal body parts. Teenage years are tough, but if you have a sense of humor you can get through it.
Girl 15, Charming but Insane, written by Sue Limb is a book that teenage girls should not miss. It is about fifteen year old Jess Jordan who wants to find her soul mate. She says she wants a soul mate who is a mix between Leonardo DiCaprio, Prince William, and Brad Pitt which today is every teenage girl’s imaginary perfect man. However, in attempt to get boys to notice her Jess becomes mortified and encounters disasters including one event being videotaped.
Jess becomes obsessed with death as her grandmother moves into her bedroom with her grandfather’s remains. Her father lives in Cornwall and is a hypochondriac. He sends Jess very weird daily horoscopes plus acts strange about Jess staying with him this summer. Jess’s has friend troubles, as well. Jess’s world is falling apart, but she is determined to fix it. However, with her sense of humor and her imagination, things get more complicated.
This book is a must read for all teenage girls. It is full of humor and will change your perspective about your own experiences. Laughter is a great way to get through your tough teenage years. This book will show teenagers that they are not alone. Don’t miss this book.
Girl 15, Charming but Insane, written by Sue Limb is a book that teenage girls should not miss. It is about fifteen year old Jess Jordan who wants to find her soul mate. She says she wants a soul mate who is a mix between Leonardo DiCaprio, Prince William, and Brad Pitt which today is every teenage girl’s imaginary perfect man. However, in attempt to get boys to notice her Jess becomes mortified and encounters disasters including one event being videotaped.
Jess becomes obsessed with death as her grandmother moves into her bedroom with her grandfather’s remains. Her father lives in Cornwall and is a hypochondriac. He sends Jess very weird daily horoscopes plus acts strange about Jess staying with him this summer. Jess’s has friend troubles, as well. Jess’s world is falling apart, but she is determined to fix it. However, with her sense of humor and her imagination, things get more complicated.
This book is a must read for all teenage girls. It is full of humor and will change your perspective about your own experiences. Laughter is a great way to get through your tough teenage years. This book will show teenagers that they are not alone. Don’t miss this book.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Love That Dog
Teenagers are reluctant when it comes to trying new things. They also tend to give up because the think that they are not able to do a certain task. Maybe they just can’t figure out a way to succeed in doing something. All teenagers want to be the best at everything they do. If you’re a teenager or if you want to figure out a way to engage teenagers in new experiences, then, Love That Dog by Sharon Creech is the book for you.
The book is about Jack. Jack hates poetry. He thinks that poetry is for girls. Every time Jack tries to write poetry, he gets writers block or becomes so cranky and says he can’t write poetry, which is really because he fears that his poetry will be bad. However, his teacher, Ms. Stretchberry, keeps having the class write poetry. Jack can't avoid them and starts to find poems that inspire plus connect to him. He tries to find a way to write about Sky, his dog.
Will Jack get over his fear that his poetry won’t be good? Will he be able to write about Sky and will he learn to like poetry? You’ll have to read to find out.
This book is inspirational and heart warming. It is sure to make you want to try new things because the moral of the story is that by not trying new things, you might miss out on something you enjoy. This book also sends the message to readers that the only way to learn is by asking questions and by being open to trying new things. It also suggests that if you try to connect something you like to the new experience, you might have a better outlook. This is a must read book.
The book is about Jack. Jack hates poetry. He thinks that poetry is for girls. Every time Jack tries to write poetry, he gets writers block or becomes so cranky and says he can’t write poetry, which is really because he fears that his poetry will be bad. However, his teacher, Ms. Stretchberry, keeps having the class write poetry. Jack can't avoid them and starts to find poems that inspire plus connect to him. He tries to find a way to write about Sky, his dog.
Will Jack get over his fear that his poetry won’t be good? Will he be able to write about Sky and will he learn to like poetry? You’ll have to read to find out.
This book is inspirational and heart warming. It is sure to make you want to try new things because the moral of the story is that by not trying new things, you might miss out on something you enjoy. This book also sends the message to readers that the only way to learn is by asking questions and by being open to trying new things. It also suggests that if you try to connect something you like to the new experience, you might have a better outlook. This is a must read book.
Brave New Girl; Catcher in the Rye; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Are your teen years frustrating and getting you down? Do you feel like you don’t fit in and are you struggling to find yourself against enormous pressures? Did you like the book, Catcher in the Rye and the book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? If so, then, Brave New Girl by Louisa Luna is a book for you.
Doreen is fourteen-years-old and she is sort of a tomboy. She has a hard family life and she seems to be invisible sometimes. It seems as though, everyone wants her to be something she's not and Doreen just wants to be Doreen. Unfortunately, she is struggling to find out who that is and what that really means. Doreen, also misses her older brother, Henry, who her father kicked out of the house when Doreen was young. Doreen hopes that Henry will come back for her. Besides Doreen having to deal with all these issues, her emotions get her into a bigger mess. She finds herself having to deal with issues that no fourteen year old should ever have to deal with.
Doreen is a modern day Holden Caulfield from the book, Catcher in the Rye and a modern day Huck from the book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. She goes through issues that every teenager can relate to and deal with at one point in their lives. Then, she discusses issues that are more serious just like Holden does in his story. Every reader can relate to Doreen's character in someway, just like readers relate to the characters of Holden and Huck. Doreen struggles with her search for identity just like Holden and Huck do in their tales.
This book is for any teenager who feels that they have obstacles to face and that they are struggling to find themselves with all the pressure placed on them. It will help you get through your teen years and understand that you are not alone.
Doreen is fourteen-years-old and she is sort of a tomboy. She has a hard family life and she seems to be invisible sometimes. It seems as though, everyone wants her to be something she's not and Doreen just wants to be Doreen. Unfortunately, she is struggling to find out who that is and what that really means. Doreen, also misses her older brother, Henry, who her father kicked out of the house when Doreen was young. Doreen hopes that Henry will come back for her. Besides Doreen having to deal with all these issues, her emotions get her into a bigger mess. She finds herself having to deal with issues that no fourteen year old should ever have to deal with.
Doreen is a modern day Holden Caulfield from the book, Catcher in the Rye and a modern day Huck from the book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. She goes through issues that every teenager can relate to and deal with at one point in their lives. Then, she discusses issues that are more serious just like Holden does in his story. Every reader can relate to Doreen's character in someway, just like readers relate to the characters of Holden and Huck. Doreen struggles with her search for identity just like Holden and Huck do in their tales.
This book is for any teenager who feels that they have obstacles to face and that they are struggling to find themselves with all the pressure placed on them. It will help you get through your teen years and understand that you are not alone.
An Abundance of Katherines
Everybody knows what students goof off in their school. Every high school has these types of students. In the book, An Abundance of Katherines, Hassan and Colin are the high school clowns, although Colin is pretty smart. An Abundance of Katherines refers to Colin’s attempt to understand why he has been rejected by nineteen girls all named Katherine. Colin and Hassan go on a road trip after Colin’s graduation, which turns into a journey into manhood. The book is full of humor as Colin and Hassan travel together because the situations in the book seem to be realistic so that the readers can picture the story happening. Readers will surely connect with Colin’s and Hassan’s characters. This book is perfect for teenage high school students. This book will be enjoyed by male readers, greatly. It’s very funny and is told from a male’s perspective. It is a must read. You don’t need to be a boy to enjoy this book, either. You just need a sense of humor. Readers Beware! You can not read this book without laughing. Enjoy.
Fever, 1793
Just Think! How would you feel if everybody got sick? Would you be willing to leave your home to search for help even if you needed to leave somebody behind and what would you take with you? Wouldn’t that be difficult? In the book, Fever, 1793 written by Laurie Halse Anderson, a teenage girl named Mattie goes through this nightmare where she struggles with all these questions in a devastating situation. Mattie is just fourteen-years-old and is living in Philadelphia during the yellow fever plague. She has to deal with love ones getting sick and worrying about getting the plague herself. She goes off in search of help where she has to deal with being separated from her mother, as well. Fever, 1793 is full of historical facts about the outbreak of yellow fever during the summer of 1793, too. If you like reading books about survival, bravery, historical issues, struggle, hope, and adventure, this historical fiction is for you. It is a great read for teenagers and adults. Readers will be left with a new and positive outlook on their lives as they realize that things could be worse for them after reading this book. It will also give its’ audience ambition to do the best they can and to show appreciation for what they have.
They Came from Below
They Came from Below written by Blake Nelson is a great read for teenagers. This is a science fiction book including mystery, love, adventure, and excitement. The story takes place on Cape Cod and is about a young girl named Emily and her friend named Reese who want to find some cute boys on Cape Cod. They do find two mysterious boys named Dave and Steve. The summer becomes much more exciting for the two girls after encountering Dave and Steve. They Came from Below is a wonderful and exciting book that will keep readers on the edge of their seat because they will want to find out what happens next. The book also sends a message to readers about protecting the environment and a message about how people should limit the pollution on the planet. Dave and Steve are from the bottom of the ocean and created by the pollution, which will get readers wondering. How much do we know about our planet? There could be numerous things that we as humans don’t know or haven’t discovered. This book will make readers wonder what the pollution is actually doing to the environment. This book will leave readers wanting more to read.
Cut
Teenagers always keep secrets and they always analyze their lives. However, there are good and bad secrets, which can impact a teenagers’ life drastically. This book will take readers through the emotional and physical pain that teenagers can face as they examine their lives. Cut by Patricia McCormick is a book about a fifteen-year-old girl named Callie. She had intense pain because everything in her life changed and Callie didn’t know how to express her feelings or thoughts to her family and friends. Callie has been cutting herself in an attempt to relieve some of her emotional pain caused by her anxiety and guilt in secret. Callie soon finds herself in a psychiatric institution with other girls in similar situations. Here she is forced to examine the situation and figure out why she got into such a difficult and harmful mess. Read this book to find out if Callie is able to learn how to release her emotional pain by talking instead of causing physical pain by cutting herself to release it. This is a good book for all teenagers especially for teenage girls because it shows them that they don’t need to bottle up their feelings and emotions to the point where they hurt themselves physically in attempt to release their emotional pain. It also shows them that they are not alone. Teenage girls will definitely get something out of this book.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
American Born Chinese
It’s Here! Action! Adventure! Humor! It’s all together in a single book. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is a must read if you want a book that you won’t want to put down. The illustrations in this book are remarkable and the story is written in comic strip style, which is a refreshing, fun, and new technique that is sure to get children interested in reading. This book includes fight scenes, a love story, animals doing kung-fu, superheroes, a monkey, and a few people that readers will connect with throughout this book. The readers will also learn about Chinese philosophy as they read. There are three different stories in this marvelous book that are all connected and they come together when the ending is revealed. Readers will become so fascinated when reading this book and they will want to keep reading to find out what happens next. This book is a great book and will get readers interested in reading other books. Enjoy!
Friday, December 7, 2007
Things I Have to Tell You: Poems and Writings by Teenage Girls
Thinking back to your adolescent years makes you remember those good and bad times. Teenage girls have a lot of thoughts no matter what decade they live in or where they live. They worry about appearance. They have fears and questions. They have secrets. They deal with pressure and changes. They deal with different emotions and they are misunderstood. Teenage girls struggle with identity. If you’re a teenage girl, this book is for you! If you have forgotten what you felt like as a teenager, this book will remind you.
Things I have to Tell You: Poems and Writings by Teenage Girls discusses many of these issues that teenage girls deal with daily. The book contains numerous poems and writings by teenage females. It shows readers that they are not alone and tells them that teenage years are difficult. The concerns included in this book are universal so every woman, young and old, will connect with this book.
These are just a few of the pieces in the book. Things I have to Tell You: Poems and Writings by Teenage Girls is an outstanding read for teenage girls. You will surely connect to it and relate to many if not all the works included.
Things I have to Tell You: Poems and Writings by Teenage Girls discusses many of these issues that teenage girls deal with daily. The book contains numerous poems and writings by teenage females. It shows readers that they are not alone and tells them that teenage years are difficult. The concerns included in this book are universal so every woman, young and old, will connect with this book.
These are just a few of the pieces in the book. Things I have to Tell You: Poems and Writings by Teenage Girls is an outstanding read for teenage girls. You will surely connect to it and relate to many if not all the works included.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
American Born Chinese
If you are ready to take on action, adventure, and humor all wrapped up into one book, then you are ready to read American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. If illustrations in books are something you crave, then don't suppress your appetite any longer because this book is written completely in comic strips! Do you enjoy fight scenes? Do you like to secretly indulge in the occassional love story? Do animals who know kung-fu and aren't afraid to use it sound interesting to you? In American Born Chinese you will meet new superheroes, a monkey, and a regular kid just like yourself. Mix in some ancient Chinese philosophy, add a foreign exchange student, and stir in a cute girl, and you will have all the ingredients you need for a great journey. Three different stories come together throughout this graphic novel, and are intertwined for an ending you will have to see/read to believe! Did I mention that someone even gets kicked in the...? You will have to dive into this story yourself to find out what happens.
Cut by Patricia McCormick
What if you had a pain so deep, so intense, that it made you unable to speak? What if everything in your life suddenly changed and you were forced to re-examine your life? This is exactly what happend to fifteen-year-old Callie in the book Cut by Patricia McCormick. Callie has been hiding a secret from her family and friends; she has been cutting herself in an effort to relieve all of her anxiety and guilt. However, this teenage girl gets a chance to explore her pain when she is placed in a psychiatric institution with others girls just like herself. And there she must answer the question, "Why?"
Why do teenage girls feel the need to turn their frustrations about life on themselves? Why was Callie so adament about not opening up and talking about her problems? Why did she at first puch away help, the help that she so desperately needed, and refuse to speak to her therapist?
"...you say it's up to me to do the talking. You lean forward, place a box of
tissues in front of me...
'Can you remember how it started?' you say.
I remember exactly."
What was so unsettling in Callie's life that made her want to escape? Will Callie be able to identify the reason why she is hurting herself or will her secret stay bottled up inside her, with no release? Read this story and find out if Callie is able to learn how to release her pain by talking instead of cutting.
Why do teenage girls feel the need to turn their frustrations about life on themselves? Why was Callie so adament about not opening up and talking about her problems? Why did she at first puch away help, the help that she so desperately needed, and refuse to speak to her therapist?
"...you say it's up to me to do the talking. You lean forward, place a box of
tissues in front of me...
'Can you remember how it started?' you say.
I remember exactly."
What was so unsettling in Callie's life that made her want to escape? Will Callie be able to identify the reason why she is hurting herself or will her secret stay bottled up inside her, with no release? Read this story and find out if Callie is able to learn how to release her pain by talking instead of cutting.
They Came from Below written by Blake Nelson is the perfect summer read! The science fiction book is filled with love, adventure and excitement which all take place on popular summer place, Cape Cod. The story is about a young girl named Emily and her best friends Reese, all the two girls want this summer is to find some cute boys. Their search is complete when they find two mysterious boys who are just to intriguing to let get away. After the girls meet Dave and Steve their summer becomes a lot more exciting and they witness both remarkable and dangerous experiences. “He picked up the boy, which made more people scream, the people who hadn’t realized the head was hanging off the body backward…Steve turned to Reese and me. He spoke very clearly and with great authority. He said, ‘I’m going to take this boy into the basement. I’m going to shut this door. I need you to keep everyone out for three minutes. Can you do that?’”
They Came from Below is much more than a good exciting book, the story has a powerful underlying meaning about pollution in our environment. These two boys that the girls meet come from the bottom of the ocean, it makes readers questions how much we really even know about the bottom of the ocean. The boys from the bottom of the ocean have been created by the environments pollutions to our seas and oceans. This is a very interesting and exciting book to read the underlying message combined with an easy read allows the story to attract all ages. Blake Nelson has created a suspense filled science fiction book that makes you crave for more!
They Came from Below is much more than a good exciting book, the story has a powerful underlying meaning about pollution in our environment. These two boys that the girls meet come from the bottom of the ocean, it makes readers questions how much we really even know about the bottom of the ocean. The boys from the bottom of the ocean have been created by the environments pollutions to our seas and oceans. This is a very interesting and exciting book to read the underlying message combined with an easy read allows the story to attract all ages. Blake Nelson has created a suspense filled science fiction book that makes you crave for more!
Prom Nights from Hell
What’s the one moment in high school most girls look forward to? Being asked to the prom. Prom is a magical night with glittery dresses, streamers, and sweaty kids crowed on a tiny dance floor. For the girls in Prom Nights from Hell, it’s so much more!
For Mary, it’s the one night where she must slay her best friend Lila’s date Sebastian- because he’s a vampire. Sebastian Drake is the son of Dracula, the most infamous vampire in history. He also happens to have turned Mary’s mother into a vampire, and she’s out for revenge. Little does she know what prom has in store for her!
Prom Nights from Hell compiles five stories from different authors about the prom gone seriously wrong. You think you had a problem with your corsage? Try wearing the corsage Frankie gets from a psychic before her prom. It’ll give you what you want, but at a high price- death! The stories in this book are sure to keep the reader hooked, and moving from page to page until all five stories are completed. It’ll definitely keep you coming back for more!
9/11
For Generation Y, the most memorable moment in our history is without question 9/11. Everyone can remember where they were, who they were with, and what took place for the rest of the day. 9/11 popped the bubble that Generation Y was living in; we thought we couldn’t be touched. But what about the ones who can’t remember what happened? Or what about those who weren’t alive yet? How will we teach them about the events leading up to 9/11?
Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon have taken the 9/11 consumer report and made it into a graphic novel, with pull-out pages depicting the minute by minute action from the morning of 9/11. Their novel not only shows the events leading up to the collapse of the Twin Towers, but it also shows the events which took place immediately after. The intensity and determination of the emergency personnel, the decisions made by the Bush administration, and the changes in homeland security are all details in this graphic novel, making it more accessible to the younger generations.
Although it’s based off the original 9/11 consumer report, this adaptation is clearly biased, and includes many provocative statements and pictures. A book, especially a graphic novel, is a good way to reach out to readers and help them connect with a moment in history. This graphic novel, however, is extremely controversial for a school setting, and I would not recommend keeping it in your classroom library.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
BlindSpots by Kyle C. Plye
Anyone who has ever dreamed of being a war hero should read Blindspots by artist and writer Kyle C. Plye. Blindspots is a graphic novel aimed towards young adolescent boys. The story is about a boy named Dean and his three best friends. Together, the boys take on many adventures including playing a game where they fantasize about being soldiers. Unfortunately Dean doesn’t just keep his fantasy game with his friends in the woods; he also brings in to his school. Dean ends up getting in trouble for his inappropriate behavior. School isn’t the only thing that Dean begins having problems with, but also his friends loose interest in his solider games. Dean’s friends start becoming more interested in girls then playing war with Dean. Luckily Dean is able to break away from being trapped in this war fantasy. By the end of the novel, Dean realizes his behavior and gets a fresh start at a new school when his dad is forced to move because of business.
The book reminds readers of the lives of young boys and takes readers into the life of a young military buff named Dean. The illustrations in this book make the story come alive even more; the pictures correspond to the actions on each page. I recommend this book in particularly to teen boys who are interested in war themed novels!
The book reminds readers of the lives of young boys and takes readers into the life of a young military buff named Dean. The illustrations in this book make the story come alive even more; the pictures correspond to the actions on each page. I recommend this book in particularly to teen boys who are interested in war themed novels!
THE FIRST PART LAST
“Bobby, I’ve got something to tell you.” One would imagine that those seven little words wouldn’t be enough to turn their entire world upside down. But for Bobby, those seven words change his entire life. That something he needs to be told is that his girlfriend is pregnant. His sixteenth birthday goes from being the happiest to the most confusing.
At sixteen, his life was nothing more than basketball and the arcade. Now, with his girlfriend Nia pregnant, sixteen means a baby, diapers and bottles. The two are faced with the difficult decision of whether to keep the baby or give the baby up for adoption. They know that at sixteen they will never be able to provide for that child.
Written from a Bobby’s point of view on the whole situation, Angela Johnson’s The First Part Last is perfect for those struggling with a romance or pregnancy in the relationship. Told from a male’s point of view, readers can finally understand the complicity of a teen romance, and realize boys feel just as scared.
You will be able to read Bobby’s story as it switches from past to present. As the events of his life unfold, you are there to laugh with him, and also to cry with him when tragedy strikes. At sixteen will Bobby and Nia be able to do the right thing? And at sixteen what is the right thing? Do they keep the baby, or give it up for adoption? You will truly be moved by Johnson’s novel, and the difficult decision they come to.
At sixteen, his life was nothing more than basketball and the arcade. Now, with his girlfriend Nia pregnant, sixteen means a baby, diapers and bottles. The two are faced with the difficult decision of whether to keep the baby or give the baby up for adoption. They know that at sixteen they will never be able to provide for that child.
Written from a Bobby’s point of view on the whole situation, Angela Johnson’s The First Part Last is perfect for those struggling with a romance or pregnancy in the relationship. Told from a male’s point of view, readers can finally understand the complicity of a teen romance, and realize boys feel just as scared.
You will be able to read Bobby’s story as it switches from past to present. As the events of his life unfold, you are there to laugh with him, and also to cry with him when tragedy strikes. At sixteen will Bobby and Nia be able to do the right thing? And at sixteen what is the right thing? Do they keep the baby, or give it up for adoption? You will truly be moved by Johnson’s novel, and the difficult decision they come to.
THE BOYFRIEND LIST
“Fifteen year old Ruby Oliver has had a rough ten days. In the past ten days she lost her boyfriend, lost her best friend, lost all her other friends, had graffiti written about her on the bathroom wall…” And the list goes on. Anyone looking for a laugh out loud book on teen angst will be a fan of e.lockhart’s The Boyfriend List.
Lockhart takes readers on a humorous journey through the life of Ruby Oliver, who goes from having it all-meaning a boyfriend and three best friends-to suddenly having nothing.
After the stress from being dumped by her first real boyfriend causes Ruby to have panic attacks, her parents insist she talk her feelings out with a “shrink.” Her therapist senses Ruby’s biggest problem is boyfriends and has her write a list of all her boyfriends. Ruby makes the list, but lists every boy she’s basically had any contact with.
The story is told directly from Ruby’s point of view. We go back in time to second grade when she shares a book with a boy, and when a boy puts gummy bears in her cubby, all the way to sophomore year when a guy is still putting toys in her cubby, but with so much more attached to the gifts.
We get to experience Ruby’s first real crush, her first kiss, and then her first good kiss, her first boyfriend, and her first breakup. The Boyfriend List allows you to look at teenage drama and life through the eyes of another. You may finally begin to understand you’re not alone. It seems as if everyone has a bit of boy drama. The Boyfriend list is a hilarious exploration of the complication of dating and friendship in high school. This book is for anyone who knows a crush means so much more.
Lockhart takes readers on a humorous journey through the life of Ruby Oliver, who goes from having it all-meaning a boyfriend and three best friends-to suddenly having nothing.
After the stress from being dumped by her first real boyfriend causes Ruby to have panic attacks, her parents insist she talk her feelings out with a “shrink.” Her therapist senses Ruby’s biggest problem is boyfriends and has her write a list of all her boyfriends. Ruby makes the list, but lists every boy she’s basically had any contact with.
The story is told directly from Ruby’s point of view. We go back in time to second grade when she shares a book with a boy, and when a boy puts gummy bears in her cubby, all the way to sophomore year when a guy is still putting toys in her cubby, but with so much more attached to the gifts.
We get to experience Ruby’s first real crush, her first kiss, and then her first good kiss, her first boyfriend, and her first breakup. The Boyfriend List allows you to look at teenage drama and life through the eyes of another. You may finally begin to understand you’re not alone. It seems as if everyone has a bit of boy drama. The Boyfriend list is a hilarious exploration of the complication of dating and friendship in high school. This book is for anyone who knows a crush means so much more.
RULES
“I click the seat belt across me and open my sketchbook to the back pages. That’s where I keep all the RULES I’m teaching David so if my someday-he’ll-wake-up-a-regular-brother wish doesn’t ever come true, at least he’ll know how the world works, and I won’t have to keep explaining things.”
All twelve year old Catherine wants is a “normal” life. But with an autistic brother she knows that her wish is impossible. Constantly being embarrassed by her brother’s antics she’s created a list of rules in hopes of getting him to act more normal. Her rules are meant to teach David how to act in public but they also teach him the way the world works. “Keep your pants on in public,” “Sometimes people laugh because they like you. But sometimes they laugh to hurt you.”
Over the summer Catherine meets her new neighbor, twelve year old Kristi and finally thinks she’s found the perfect best friend. Someone to laugh and share secrets with and someone to go swimming and hiking with. Things couldn’t be more normal. But then Catherine meets a different sort of friend. Jason is fourteen, in a wheelchair and communicates through a picture book. He too suddenly becomes the perfect best friend. Someone she can laugh and share secrets with, and even someone she can run around outside with.
Catherine’s world is turned upside down with these newfound friendships and she suddenly finds herself asking, “What is normal?” Could normal really just be someone who enjoys life regardless of the situation, or do you need to be fully functional to be normal.
Written through the eyes of a twelve year old girl, Cynthia Lord’s Rules is filled with humor as well as warmth. Through laughter and tears we follow Catherine on her journey towards achieving normalness, and finding acceptance in the most unusual of people. With a little help from two very different people, Catherine may finally see past the rules.
All twelve year old Catherine wants is a “normal” life. But with an autistic brother she knows that her wish is impossible. Constantly being embarrassed by her brother’s antics she’s created a list of rules in hopes of getting him to act more normal. Her rules are meant to teach David how to act in public but they also teach him the way the world works. “Keep your pants on in public,” “Sometimes people laugh because they like you. But sometimes they laugh to hurt you.”
Over the summer Catherine meets her new neighbor, twelve year old Kristi and finally thinks she’s found the perfect best friend. Someone to laugh and share secrets with and someone to go swimming and hiking with. Things couldn’t be more normal. But then Catherine meets a different sort of friend. Jason is fourteen, in a wheelchair and communicates through a picture book. He too suddenly becomes the perfect best friend. Someone she can laugh and share secrets with, and even someone she can run around outside with.
Catherine’s world is turned upside down with these newfound friendships and she suddenly finds herself asking, “What is normal?” Could normal really just be someone who enjoys life regardless of the situation, or do you need to be fully functional to be normal.
Written through the eyes of a twelve year old girl, Cynthia Lord’s Rules is filled with humor as well as warmth. Through laughter and tears we follow Catherine on her journey towards achieving normalness, and finding acceptance in the most unusual of people. With a little help from two very different people, Catherine may finally see past the rules.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
"Elfquest Archives: Volume 1" by Wendy & Richard Pini
I’d like to start by saying that I really don’t prefer the science fiction/fantasy genre. You won’t ever find me reading Japanese manga, and those box office hits adapted from famous comic strips aren’t worth the nine dollars I pay to see them. I knew that finding an interesting graphic novel to read was going to be a challenge, so I decided to revisit Wendy and Richard Pini’s Elfquest series, which I remember reading ten years ago. Upon taking a (very long) stroll down memory lane, I soon discovered I had a hard time putting this book down and read the entire thing over the course of the afternoon. Although I wonder if I still would have liked this graphic novel had I not read it once before, the first Elfquest Archives edition is enjoyable because of its sophisticated grammar, original storyline, and amazing artwork.
Elfquest tells of the young elf chief Cutter and his very toned and good-looking tribe of woodland elves who ride around on the backs of wolves and share the forest with a clan of human Neanderthals who relentlessly torment these “demons.” When the humans set fire to the woods, the elves are forced to escape to the cavern of the trolls, who are inhospitable and untrusting of them as well. King Greymung deceitfully leads the elves to the end of a tunnel where he promises they will find a forest, but instead they discover a barren desert. After three days of traveling by night, the elves are shocked to find a small village of their own kind nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. Compared to Cutter’s Indian-like tribe, the Egyptian-looking desert elves living in the valley known as Sorrow’s End are more civilized and initially frown upon the Wolfriders’ “barbaric” ways before learning to accept them. Further trouble arises when Cutter “recognizes” an elf named Leetah as his soul-mate. Unfortunately, the reluctant Leetah already has a suitor, who Cutter must challenge him to try and win her as his mate.
I believe that Elfquest will interest male adolescents in addition to female readers. Boys will appreciate the action, fighting, and images of bloodshed, while girls will favor the story’s romantic side. However, I would not recommend this book for any age younger than twelve because of illustrations depicting sex, violence, and nudity. I actually think the somewhat graphic nature and shocking nature of the novel makes it more intriguing, adding a sense of mystery and flavor to the story. For example, the Pinis illustrate and narrate the very liberal nature of elves, such as a nude bath scene, group sex, and a part that may leave the reader wondering if Cutter and his best friend Skywise are having sex and are in fact bisexual.
Although I am unaware if the other books in the series are as good as the original, Wendy and Richard Pini’s Elfquest Archives: Volume 1 is a fairly quick and entertaining read for those who appreciate great artwork and would like a break from reading extensive novels that lack visual appeal.
Elfquest tells of the young elf chief Cutter and his very toned and good-looking tribe of woodland elves who ride around on the backs of wolves and share the forest with a clan of human Neanderthals who relentlessly torment these “demons.” When the humans set fire to the woods, the elves are forced to escape to the cavern of the trolls, who are inhospitable and untrusting of them as well. King Greymung deceitfully leads the elves to the end of a tunnel where he promises they will find a forest, but instead they discover a barren desert. After three days of traveling by night, the elves are shocked to find a small village of their own kind nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. Compared to Cutter’s Indian-like tribe, the Egyptian-looking desert elves living in the valley known as Sorrow’s End are more civilized and initially frown upon the Wolfriders’ “barbaric” ways before learning to accept them. Further trouble arises when Cutter “recognizes” an elf named Leetah as his soul-mate. Unfortunately, the reluctant Leetah already has a suitor, who Cutter must challenge him to try and win her as his mate.
I believe that Elfquest will interest male adolescents in addition to female readers. Boys will appreciate the action, fighting, and images of bloodshed, while girls will favor the story’s romantic side. However, I would not recommend this book for any age younger than twelve because of illustrations depicting sex, violence, and nudity. I actually think the somewhat graphic nature and shocking nature of the novel makes it more intriguing, adding a sense of mystery and flavor to the story. For example, the Pinis illustrate and narrate the very liberal nature of elves, such as a nude bath scene, group sex, and a part that may leave the reader wondering if Cutter and his best friend Skywise are having sex and are in fact bisexual.
Although I am unaware if the other books in the series are as good as the original, Wendy and Richard Pini’s Elfquest Archives: Volume 1 is a fairly quick and entertaining read for those who appreciate great artwork and would like a break from reading extensive novels that lack visual appeal.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Magic Lessons by Justine Larbalestier
Book Talk: Magic Lessons
Magic Lessons written by Justine Larbalestier is the first book in the fantasy trilogy about magic! Some chapters are told in a first person point of view, from Reason the main character and others are told in a third person point of view, from inside either Jay-Tee's or Tom's mind, who are two of the other main characters in the book. These three different points of view could be confusing, but Justine Larbalestier pulls it off wonderfully. Magic Lessons is a perfect fantasy book for older adolescence to read to give them an outlet or escape from the real world. This fantasy trilogy gives readers the chance to look to fantasy to stretch their understanding of the real world. The best part of this book is that even though it is far fetched the relationships the characters share are real life situations which can make many connections for the reader.
Throughout the book Reason and her friends are trying to figure their magic out. They learn that if they use too much of their magic then they will use up their energy and die but if they don’t use enough of their magic then they will become insane. Since the characters are trying to figure out how all this magic work, it is also teaching the readers about this interesting magic filled world.
The book takes place both in Sydney Australia and New York City which gives quite a variation in scenery and atmosphere throughout the book. The characters can travel to these different places using this specific door. Throughout the book there is a lot of magic but that’s not all that the book deals with its filled with relationship issues with complex characters, a sense of danger throughout, and suspense!
Anyone looking for a good fantasy book? Then Magic Lessons is a must read Justine Larbalestier does a great job in combining fantasy to real life to create a non-stop page turner, loaded with excitement and thrills!
….Then, with a scream, she leapt backward and landed on the balcony with a thud. The glow-in-the-dark yellow thing was on her forearm, stinking into her. Reason tried to rip it off with her right hand. Tom grabbed at it, but the slick stuff slipped through his fingers. It disappeared without a sound into reasons arm.
Magic Lessons written by Justine Larbalestier is the first book in the fantasy trilogy about magic! Some chapters are told in a first person point of view, from Reason the main character and others are told in a third person point of view, from inside either Jay-Tee's or Tom's mind, who are two of the other main characters in the book. These three different points of view could be confusing, but Justine Larbalestier pulls it off wonderfully. Magic Lessons is a perfect fantasy book for older adolescence to read to give them an outlet or escape from the real world. This fantasy trilogy gives readers the chance to look to fantasy to stretch their understanding of the real world. The best part of this book is that even though it is far fetched the relationships the characters share are real life situations which can make many connections for the reader.
Throughout the book Reason and her friends are trying to figure their magic out. They learn that if they use too much of their magic then they will use up their energy and die but if they don’t use enough of their magic then they will become insane. Since the characters are trying to figure out how all this magic work, it is also teaching the readers about this interesting magic filled world.
The book takes place both in Sydney Australia and New York City which gives quite a variation in scenery and atmosphere throughout the book. The characters can travel to these different places using this specific door. Throughout the book there is a lot of magic but that’s not all that the book deals with its filled with relationship issues with complex characters, a sense of danger throughout, and suspense!
Anyone looking for a good fantasy book? Then Magic Lessons is a must read Justine Larbalestier does a great job in combining fantasy to real life to create a non-stop page turner, loaded with excitement and thrills!
….Then, with a scream, she leapt backward and landed on the balcony with a thud. The glow-in-the-dark yellow thing was on her forearm, stinking into her. Reason tried to rip it off with her right hand. Tom grabbed at it, but the slick stuff slipped through his fingers. It disappeared without a sound into reasons arm.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Monster
The best time to cry is at night, when the lights are out and someone is being beaten up and screaming for help. That way even if you sniffle a little they won’t hear you. If anybody knows that you are crying, they’ll start talking about it and soon it’ll be your turn to get beat up when the lights go out.
There is a mirror over the steel sink in my cell. It’s six inches high, and scratched with the names of some guys who were here before me. When I look into the small rectangle, I see a face looking back at me but I don’t recognize it. It doesn’t look like me. I couldn’t have changed that much in a few months. I wonder if I will look like myself when the trial is over.
They say you get used to being in jail, but I don’t see how. Every morning I wake up and am surprised to be here.
Imagine having to spend the night in jail.
Now imagine having to spend a week, month, or year in jail.
Now imagine having to spend time in jail for something you didn’t do. A crime no one, not even your defense attorney, believes you didn’t commit. Steven is a 16 year old boy who was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. And now he’s paying for it. Accused of murder by the others at the scene of the crime, Steven’s on trial, and no one knows what to think. Even his own family can’t hide their doubt about his involvement in the crime. Steven has no one, not even family, to truly cling to. He’s on his own, and he’s in prison.
Walter Dean Myers writes a masterful story about a young man wrongfully accused of murder. The unique setup of the book combined with Myers’ moving story line results in a captivating, eye-opening story. Monster is the story of racism which occurs every day, told through the eyes of a 16 year old aspiring film director. This book will open your eyes to the racism taking place all around, and it will soften your heart to Steven, a young boy trying to make his way through life.
Eyes of the Emperor
I was born in the
Eddy’s parents moved to
Major Parish hesitated. “You see, men… you are here to represent the enemy these dogs will encounter in the Pacific. We’re going to train them to find you by your Japanese scent. You’re not the trainers… you’re… you’re the bait. We’re going to teach them to smell you, track you down, and attack you.
Eyes of the Emperor is based off of real events that took place after the bombing of
Al Capone does My Shirts
“I want to be here as much as I want poison oak on my private parts.”
Welcome to Moose’s new life: life on
Finally Moose decides to start having fun again… which means he HAS to take Natalie along with him. Little does he know the trouble in store for him on
Al Capone Does My Shirts is a heart-warming story about a young boy forced into the caretaker role over his sister. The compassion and love Moose shows for Natalie is sure to move any reader, and make you think twice before your next sibling rivalry.
Friday, November 9, 2007
"Feed" by M.T. Anderson
Titus and his friends Marty, Link, Calista, Loga, Quendy, and Violet are adolescents living in the future United States, where they go on vacations to the moon and other planets, drive flying cars like the Dodge Gryphon, and stay up to date with the latest fashions and trends via a device called the “feed,” which is a computer chip implanted in their brains that keeps them continuously connected to the internet. The feed allows one to mentally watch television, access games, share music, talk to friends by means of “broadcasting,” and “be supersmart without ever working.” In fact, Titus finds it hard to find the right words to talk without using the feed.
Anderson addresses the evils of corporate America through this controversial computer chip implanted in the heads of children at an early age. He writes that the feed “knows everything you want and hope for” and sends consumer needs to corporations where it is profiled. The company then advertises it products back to the individual, similarly to pop-up ads on the internet. An overwhelming percentage of the future American population has the feed, which is often protested by those who argue that large corporations are taking over the nation with their excessive amounts of power. Titus’s liberal-minded girlfriend Violet states her frustrations against the feed:
Everything we do gets thrown into a big calculation. Like they’re watching us right now. They can tell where you’re looking. They want to know what you want. [. . .] They’re also waiting to make you want things. Everything we’ve grown up with—the stories on the feed, the games, all of that—it’s all streamlining our personalities so we’re easier to sell to. I mean, they do these demographic studies that divide everyone up into a few personality types, and then you get ads based on what you’re supposedly like. They try to figure out who you are, and to make you conform to one of their types for easy marketing.
Although a useful and entertaining device, the feed’s foremost setback is its connection to a person’s memory, emotions, and body function. Therefore, if one were to be disconnected from the feed or have it malfunction, there could be serious mental and physical consequences for the individual. When Violet’s feed begins to malfunction and refuses to stabilize, she worries she may die.
Although M.T. Anderson’s novel has many interesting concepts, it would be easier to follow the story if the narrator Titus were to explain more of the oddities in his futuristic world and to give more explanations in the beginning chapters instead of leaving the reader confused about events for quite some time.
The author also states that he studied adolescents to write the novel, however his characters seem somewhat awkward, perhaps because they use futuristic terms that are not thoroughly explained to the reader. There is also a significant amount of vulgar language, and although teens tend to swear a lot, some of it seems unnecessary and makes the story seem crude.
Anderson addresses the evils of corporate America through this controversial computer chip implanted in the heads of children at an early age. He writes that the feed “knows everything you want and hope for” and sends consumer needs to corporations where it is profiled. The company then advertises it products back to the individual, similarly to pop-up ads on the internet. An overwhelming percentage of the future American population has the feed, which is often protested by those who argue that large corporations are taking over the nation with their excessive amounts of power. Titus’s liberal-minded girlfriend Violet states her frustrations against the feed:
Everything we do gets thrown into a big calculation. Like they’re watching us right now. They can tell where you’re looking. They want to know what you want. [. . .] They’re also waiting to make you want things. Everything we’ve grown up with—the stories on the feed, the games, all of that—it’s all streamlining our personalities so we’re easier to sell to. I mean, they do these demographic studies that divide everyone up into a few personality types, and then you get ads based on what you’re supposedly like. They try to figure out who you are, and to make you conform to one of their types for easy marketing.
Although a useful and entertaining device, the feed’s foremost setback is its connection to a person’s memory, emotions, and body function. Therefore, if one were to be disconnected from the feed or have it malfunction, there could be serious mental and physical consequences for the individual. When Violet’s feed begins to malfunction and refuses to stabilize, she worries she may die.
Although M.T. Anderson’s novel has many interesting concepts, it would be easier to follow the story if the narrator Titus were to explain more of the oddities in his futuristic world and to give more explanations in the beginning chapters instead of leaving the reader confused about events for quite some time.
The author also states that he studied adolescents to write the novel, however his characters seem somewhat awkward, perhaps because they use futuristic terms that are not thoroughly explained to the reader. There is also a significant amount of vulgar language, and although teens tend to swear a lot, some of it seems unnecessary and makes the story seem crude.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Olives Ocean by Kevin Henkes
“Why did one girl die and not the other? Can you put the sea in a bottle, keep it?” (Henkes 175). These are some of the questions that Martha struggles with in the book Olive’s Ocean. Olive’s Ocean written by Kevin Henkes is a sweet tale that has plenty of useful life lessons. The book is about a girl Named Martha she receives a journal entry from Olives mother. Olive was killed by a car and the journal entry says how she would love for one say to become friends with Martha. Martha feels terrible because she always though Olive was a weird girl and would never talk to her. When Martha goes away for the summer she finds her self thinking about Olive and what it would be like is she was still alive.
Martha doesn’t just face the issues with Olive but she also finds herself in many different situations during her vacation which were family problems, almost drowning, boy issues which included being humiliated, falling in love, and first kisses. “I did something good for Olive. Tate is kind of nice. I love Godbee. Lucy’s cheeks are perfect. I almost drowned, but I didn’t. I’m alive” (Henkes 168).
Martha takes the reader through her summer experiences and how she learns to deal with her feelings. One way that helped her express what she was feeling was a deal she made with Godbee(her grandmother). The deal was that they both have to tell each other a secret each day; they both become very close and learn a lot about each other and themselves.
At the end of the summer Martha realizes how much she has grown up. The story ends with Martha bringing a special present back from her vacation to give to Olive. She is disappointed to find that she cannot give her gift to Olive’s mother but finds another special way to share her present with the Olive. This is a very sweet story that any teenage would enjoy and be used to help them through equally trying times.
Martha doesn’t just face the issues with Olive but she also finds herself in many different situations during her vacation which were family problems, almost drowning, boy issues which included being humiliated, falling in love, and first kisses. “I did something good for Olive. Tate is kind of nice. I love Godbee. Lucy’s cheeks are perfect. I almost drowned, but I didn’t. I’m alive” (Henkes 168).
Martha takes the reader through her summer experiences and how she learns to deal with her feelings. One way that helped her express what she was feeling was a deal she made with Godbee(her grandmother). The deal was that they both have to tell each other a secret each day; they both become very close and learn a lot about each other and themselves.
At the end of the summer Martha realizes how much she has grown up. The story ends with Martha bringing a special present back from her vacation to give to Olive. She is disappointed to find that she cannot give her gift to Olive’s mother but finds another special way to share her present with the Olive. This is a very sweet story that any teenage would enjoy and be used to help them through equally trying times.
Fever, 1793
What would it be like to watch every one around you get sick? What if you had to flee your own home in search of help? What would you take with you? And what would you do if you had to leave someone behind? In the book, Fever, 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson, a young teenager named Mattie has to answer all of these questions. This fourteen-year-old year lived in Philadelphia during the yellow fever plague, and her journey is full of loss, sickness, but most of all, hope. What would you do if you came down with yellow fever? Or if someone in your family were to fall victim to the plague? Mattie has to deal with all of this, and through part of the story, she is on her own; separated from her own mother.
Fever, 1793 is packed with historical facts, but not the boring kind. What happens exactly to a yellow fever victim? And just how many perished from this epidemic in the summer of 1793? Does this illness still exist today? By reading this story, you will discover all of the answers and see what it would be like to live during a time of panic and uncertainty. If you enjoy books about survival, struggle, and adventure, this historical fiction is sure to grab and hold your attention.
Fever, 1793 is packed with historical facts, but not the boring kind. What happens exactly to a yellow fever victim? And just how many perished from this epidemic in the summer of 1793? Does this illness still exist today? By reading this story, you will discover all of the answers and see what it would be like to live during a time of panic and uncertainty. If you enjoy books about survival, struggle, and adventure, this historical fiction is sure to grab and hold your attention.
LOL Book for Adolescents
It is true that only teenage girls get butterflies in their stomachs when they think about their first kiss? Or that they are the only ones who map out how, when, and where it will happen? Well, if you read First French Kiss and Other Traumas, by Adam Bagdasarian, you will see that this is not necessarily the case. Adolescent boys get just as worked up thinking about the opposite sex, and what defines their perfect match as their female counterparts do. Will, the main character of this story, is a teenager looking for thrills, popularity, casual flings, and the girl of his dreams. While he strikes out many times in the relationship department;
“So now I was going steady with Linda Lieban, a girl who, though lovely, was looking for someone to love much as a boa constrictor looks for a small pig to owl to swallow.”
Will realizes that growing up, finding love, and surviving school can be both hilarious and challenging all at the same time.
This book is a true account of Will’s younger life, and he talks about everything from his relationship with is father to falling off the top of the social ladder in his middle school crowd. Have you ever felt completely in control, just to lose it all the next moment? What is it like to get a taste of popularity. and then have it torn away before you have even fully digested it? Being a teenage boy has its’ own ups and downs, and Will’s story is a rollercoaster ride full of both excitement, disappointment, and, don’t forget, his very first French kiss.
“So now I was going steady with Linda Lieban, a girl who, though lovely, was looking for someone to love much as a boa constrictor looks for a small pig to owl to swallow.”
Will realizes that growing up, finding love, and surviving school can be both hilarious and challenging all at the same time.
This book is a true account of Will’s younger life, and he talks about everything from his relationship with is father to falling off the top of the social ladder in his middle school crowd. Have you ever felt completely in control, just to lose it all the next moment? What is it like to get a taste of popularity. and then have it torn away before you have even fully digested it? Being a teenage boy has its’ own ups and downs, and Will’s story is a rollercoaster ride full of both excitement, disappointment, and, don’t forget, his very first French kiss.
Must Read Author: Blake Nelson
Blake Nelson is an author not to be missed with his keen sense of style and being “in the know” of what is really going on in the world of teenagers. In his book, They Came From Below, two teenage girls find themselves in the center of romance and mystery during one event packed summer in Cape Cod. When Emily and her best friend Reese meet two dashingly handsome boys their plans of having summer flings and getting tanned at the beach all seem tangible. However, the tides turn when the girls discover there is something just not right with their new-founded crushes. Where did these boys come from, and what do they want? These two mysterious guys are unlike any they have ever encountered, and before long, the police are tracking their every moves. This science fiction book is sure to satisfy any reader’s appetite for the unknown.
Other appealing books from author Blake Nelson include The New Rules of High School and Gender Bender. In The New Rules of High School, Max seems to have it all: the looks, the grades, and the perfect girlfriend. When his relationship comes to an end, Max undergoes the aftermath while struggling to figure out who he really is and what he really wants. In the book, Gender Bender, two friends switch places physically and discover what it really is like to be a member of the opposite sex. These sixth-graders try out a new identity and truly see what is like to walk a day in someone else’s shoes. Think being a pre-teen is bad enough? Try seeing what it is like trying to be a twelve-year-old in someone else’s body.
Other appealing books from author Blake Nelson include The New Rules of High School and Gender Bender. In The New Rules of High School, Max seems to have it all: the looks, the grades, and the perfect girlfriend. When his relationship comes to an end, Max undergoes the aftermath while struggling to figure out who he really is and what he really wants. In the book, Gender Bender, two friends switch places physically and discover what it really is like to be a member of the opposite sex. These sixth-graders try out a new identity and truly see what is like to walk a day in someone else’s shoes. Think being a pre-teen is bad enough? Try seeing what it is like trying to be a twelve-year-old in someone else’s body.
Speak
Meet Melinda, a high school freshman who feels out of place not only in her own high school…but also in her own skin. Nothing feels worse than being rejected by your peers, and sometimes it makes a person begin to reject themselves as well. Speak, written by Laurie Halse Anderson, is the story of a young girl who must suffer through the perils of teenage life while keeping a secret that is slowly destroying her more and more each day. What is it about her that makes her push others away, and why others want to stay away? Melinda begins as friendless, failing school, and trying to run away from her fears at every turn. See why she finds the world surrounding her so frightening, and why see defines her peers as fakes and followers. Not all is lost though, as Melinda realizes that there is deeper meaning to her life, and that she does have the power to overcome her secret. Speak is an emotional story that is sure to captivate you, and make you realize just how difficult it can be to walk in someone else’s shoes for a day.
The Loud Silenceof Francine Green by Karen Cushman
Who ever doesn’t believe that opposites attract should read The Loud Silence of Francine Green written by Karen Cushman. The main character is Francine Green a quite, well behaved catholic school girl who become best friends with her complete opposite Sophie Bowman. Sophie is outspoken, rule breaking, war activist. The two best friends are completely different but they learn from each others personalities.
The Loud Silence of Francine Green takes place in the 1950’s when the United States when the United States was scared of communism and atomic bombs. Sophie has a strong opinion against the war and the government. Francine on the other hand never understood that she could have her own opinions and she is free to speak her mind. Sophie teaches Francine to speak up for what she feels and learns to develop her own ideas. With the help of Francine’s best friend, for the first time she decides she wants to be heard
This book takes you back to the 1950’s and shows the concerns and issues during that time. Through the perspective of a 13 year old girl the reader learns about this time period and the scariness of a war filled with atomic bombs, free speech, communists and blacklisting.
The Loud Silence of Francine Green takes place in the 1950’s when the United States when the United States was scared of communism and atomic bombs. Sophie has a strong opinion against the war and the government. Francine on the other hand never understood that she could have her own opinions and she is free to speak her mind. Sophie teaches Francine to speak up for what she feels and learns to develop her own ideas. With the help of Francine’s best friend, for the first time she decides she wants to be heard
This book takes you back to the 1950’s and shows the concerns and issues during that time. Through the perspective of a 13 year old girl the reader learns about this time period and the scariness of a war filled with atomic bombs, free speech, communists and blacklisting.
Rules by Cynthia Lord
“You can yell on a playground but not during dinner”
“A boy can take off his shirt to swim, but not his shorts”
“If you want to get away from someone check your watch and say ‘sorry gotta go!’”
These are just a few of the rules Catherine giver her brother in the heartfelt book Rules by Cynthia Lord. Rules is a story about a young girl Catherine who has a brother named David with Autism. The book is from Catherine’s perspective on her life and the ups and downs of living with someone who is autistic.
Life isn’t easy for Catherine, a young girl trying to live a normal life with friends while also trying to cope with the difficulties of her brother’s disability. During the summer Catherine tries to become friends with the new next door neighbor but David makes it difficult for Catherine to find confidence in building a new friendship. Luckily Catherine ends up meeting a boy who can not speak or walk, a close friendship forms and she builds her confidence and learns not to be embarrassed of her brother or anyone for that matter.
Have you ever been embarrassed by someone else’s actions? Or do you know the difficulties of living with someone with a disability and need something to connect too?
If so this book is perfect to bring strength and confidence too many who feel uncomfortable near someone with a disability. The book Rules, gives readers courage in overlooking that feeling, learning to face our fears and follow our hearts.
“A boy can take off his shirt to swim, but not his shorts”
“If you want to get away from someone check your watch and say ‘sorry gotta go!’”
These are just a few of the rules Catherine giver her brother in the heartfelt book Rules by Cynthia Lord. Rules is a story about a young girl Catherine who has a brother named David with Autism. The book is from Catherine’s perspective on her life and the ups and downs of living with someone who is autistic.
Life isn’t easy for Catherine, a young girl trying to live a normal life with friends while also trying to cope with the difficulties of her brother’s disability. During the summer Catherine tries to become friends with the new next door neighbor but David makes it difficult for Catherine to find confidence in building a new friendship. Luckily Catherine ends up meeting a boy who can not speak or walk, a close friendship forms and she builds her confidence and learns not to be embarrassed of her brother or anyone for that matter.
Have you ever been embarrassed by someone else’s actions? Or do you know the difficulties of living with someone with a disability and need something to connect too?
If so this book is perfect to bring strength and confidence too many who feel uncomfortable near someone with a disability. The book Rules, gives readers courage in overlooking that feeling, learning to face our fears and follow our hearts.
The BoyFriend List by E. Lockhart
“15 guys, 11 shrink appointments, 4 ceramic frogs and me, Ruby Oliver”
The Boyfriend List written by E. Lockhart is hilarious story about a girl and her debacles of going through her school years. Ruby Oliver is a fifteen year old girl who has been sent by her parents to see a therapist, after having several anxiety attacks. Ruby’s therapist assigns her to make a list of all her boyfriends, and during each session Ruby tells the story of each guy on her list. Through telling her therapist stories of each guy we learn all of Ruby’s school year drama. Ruby addresses issues of peer pressure, social statues, family life, friends and boyfriends. Going through school can be very hard for some and this book helps make light on the hard times teenagers go through. The way Ruby tells her stories is priceless it will surely put you in a good mood and searching for more.
“He ended up feeling my boob for the whole movie! He ate popcorn with his left hand and got lucky with his right. It started to feel kind of lopsided, for the right one to get literally an hour and a half’s worth of attention and the left one to be all on its lonesome. I barley knew what the movie was about, because I was thinking about my boob the whole time. My boob, being stroked by a near-complete stranger, a big meaty rugby player.”
This quote from Ruby is from one her stories about the 15th guy on her list. The way Ruby tells her experiences make them comic explorations of the wonderful and tragic times of living through those school years. Anyone who went through school or who is presently dealing with these times must read this hilarious tale by E. Lockhart! It is a great read that will surely make you laugh!
The Boyfriend List written by E. Lockhart is hilarious story about a girl and her debacles of going through her school years. Ruby Oliver is a fifteen year old girl who has been sent by her parents to see a therapist, after having several anxiety attacks. Ruby’s therapist assigns her to make a list of all her boyfriends, and during each session Ruby tells the story of each guy on her list. Through telling her therapist stories of each guy we learn all of Ruby’s school year drama. Ruby addresses issues of peer pressure, social statues, family life, friends and boyfriends. Going through school can be very hard for some and this book helps make light on the hard times teenagers go through. The way Ruby tells her stories is priceless it will surely put you in a good mood and searching for more.
“He ended up feeling my boob for the whole movie! He ate popcorn with his left hand and got lucky with his right. It started to feel kind of lopsided, for the right one to get literally an hour and a half’s worth of attention and the left one to be all on its lonesome. I barley knew what the movie was about, because I was thinking about my boob the whole time. My boob, being stroked by a near-complete stranger, a big meaty rugby player.”
This quote from Ruby is from one her stories about the 15th guy on her list. The way Ruby tells her experiences make them comic explorations of the wonderful and tragic times of living through those school years. Anyone who went through school or who is presently dealing with these times must read this hilarious tale by E. Lockhart! It is a great read that will surely make you laugh!
Monday, November 5, 2007
13
13 Adjectives about how I felt about the age 13 BEFORE reading 13 stories.
1. Confident
2. Normal
3. Similar to everything else
4. Privileged
5. Happy
6. Awkward
7. Popular
8. Modest
9. Outgoing
10. Friendly
11. Nervous
12. Worriless
13. Free
13 Adjectives about how I felt about the age 13 AFTER reading 13 stories.
Funny
Exciting
Sad
Happy
Shocked
Creative
Nervous
Awkward
Disappointing
Realistic
Thought provoking
Friendly
Lonely
The 13 ways I felt about being 13 before reading this book has changed in 13 new ways when I was done. The 13 year old kids who wrote this book, have 13 stories to share, with 13 different experiences, which may leave you with 13 new thoughts through your head, about what is it really like to be 13?
1. Confident
2. Normal
3. Similar to everything else
4. Privileged
5. Happy
6. Awkward
7. Popular
8. Modest
9. Outgoing
10. Friendly
11. Nervous
12. Worriless
13. Free
13 Adjectives about how I felt about the age 13 AFTER reading 13 stories.
Funny
Exciting
Sad
Happy
Shocked
Creative
Nervous
Awkward
Disappointing
Realistic
Thought provoking
Friendly
Lonely
The 13 ways I felt about being 13 before reading this book has changed in 13 new ways when I was done. The 13 year old kids who wrote this book, have 13 stories to share, with 13 different experiences, which may leave you with 13 new thoughts through your head, about what is it really like to be 13?
Saturday, November 3, 2007
"The Boyfriend List" by E. Lockhart
They say you have to kiss so many frogs before finding your prince. Ruby Oliver begins seeing a therapist after the emotional trauma of being dumped by her first serious boyfriend of eight months, who is truly more of a frog than a prince for the reason that he dumps her and begins dating her best friend.
As if fifteen year-old Ruby isn’t upset enough over losing her boyfriend and her best friend of ten years, a series of events cause Ruby’s social life to start spiraling downwards in a number of days as she:
1. [Does] something suspicious with a boy.
2. [Does] something advanced with a boy.
3. [Has] an argument with a boy.
4. [Drinks] her first beer (someone handed it to her).
5. [Gets] caught by her mom.
6. [Loses] a lacrosse game.
7. [Fails] a math test.
8. Hurt[s] Meghan’s feelings (even though they aren’t really friends).
9. [Has] graffiti written about her in the girls’ bathroom.
10. [Loses] all her other friends (Nora and Cricket).
11. Become[s] a social outcast.
What would you do if you were fifteen, were dumped by your first serious boyfriend, lost all your friends, and fell out of favor in the eyes of all your peers at school? Ruby begins having panic attacks, which her parents find worthy of a series of visits with a therapist named Doctor Z. On account of her troubled love life, Doctor Z assigns Ruby the task of making a list of “all the boyfriends, kind-of boyfriends, almost-boyfriends, rumored boyfriends, and wished-he-were boyfriends” she has had. Ruby decides on fifteen guys for her “Boyfriend List”:
1. Adam (but he doesn’t count.)
2. Finn (but people just thought so.)
3. Hutch (but I’d rather not think about it.)
4. Gideon (but it was just from afar.)
5. Ben (but he didn’t know.)
6. Tommy (but it was impossible.)
7. Chase (but it was all in his mind.)
8. Sky (but he had someone else.)
9. Michael (but I so didn’t want to.)
10. Angelo (but it was just one date.)
11. Shiv (but it was just one kiss.)
12. Billy (but he didn’t call.)
13. Jackson (yes, okay, he was my boyfriend. Don’t ask me any more about it.)
14. Noel (but it was just a rumor.)
15. Cabbie (but I’m undecided.)
Reading about Ruby’s secret crushes, the boy who left gummy bears in her mail cubby in fourth grade, the boy she was teased about being in love with by all the other kids at school, the boy who pretended he wanted to be her boyfriend but was dating someone else, her first (bad) kiss, her first (good) kiss, and her first 24-hour boyfriend will undoubtedly spark fond memories for female readers.
As if fifteen year-old Ruby isn’t upset enough over losing her boyfriend and her best friend of ten years, a series of events cause Ruby’s social life to start spiraling downwards in a number of days as she:
1. [Does] something suspicious with a boy.
2. [Does] something advanced with a boy.
3. [Has] an argument with a boy.
4. [Drinks] her first beer (someone handed it to her).
5. [Gets] caught by her mom.
6. [Loses] a lacrosse game.
7. [Fails] a math test.
8. Hurt[s] Meghan’s feelings (even though they aren’t really friends).
9. [Has] graffiti written about her in the girls’ bathroom.
10. [Loses] all her other friends (Nora and Cricket).
11. Become[s] a social outcast.
What would you do if you were fifteen, were dumped by your first serious boyfriend, lost all your friends, and fell out of favor in the eyes of all your peers at school? Ruby begins having panic attacks, which her parents find worthy of a series of visits with a therapist named Doctor Z. On account of her troubled love life, Doctor Z assigns Ruby the task of making a list of “all the boyfriends, kind-of boyfriends, almost-boyfriends, rumored boyfriends, and wished-he-were boyfriends” she has had. Ruby decides on fifteen guys for her “Boyfriend List”:
1. Adam (but he doesn’t count.)
2. Finn (but people just thought so.)
3. Hutch (but I’d rather not think about it.)
4. Gideon (but it was just from afar.)
5. Ben (but he didn’t know.)
6. Tommy (but it was impossible.)
7. Chase (but it was all in his mind.)
8. Sky (but he had someone else.)
9. Michael (but I so didn’t want to.)
10. Angelo (but it was just one date.)
11. Shiv (but it was just one kiss.)
12. Billy (but he didn’t call.)
13. Jackson (yes, okay, he was my boyfriend. Don’t ask me any more about it.)
14. Noel (but it was just a rumor.)
15. Cabbie (but I’m undecided.)
Reading about Ruby’s secret crushes, the boy who left gummy bears in her mail cubby in fourth grade, the boy she was teased about being in love with by all the other kids at school, the boy who pretended he wanted to be her boyfriend but was dating someone else, her first (bad) kiss, her first (good) kiss, and her first 24-hour boyfriend will undoubtedly spark fond memories for female readers.
"The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things" by Carolyn Mackler
Virginia Shreves is average. She’s your average fifteen-year-old magazine-reading, physical activity-loathing, web-surfing, instant-messaging, junk food-scarfing adolescent. To top it all off, she has a crush on the computer genius and avid trombone player, Froggy Welsh the Fourth:
Froggy is medium height and slender. His ruffled blonde hair crests into a
cowlick. His dollop of a nose reminds me of a lamb’s snout. Especially
since it’s always pinkish, probably from so much tweaking. Whenever his
pubescent voice cracks, he sounds like a screeching chicken. Put his name
and his traits together and you’ve got a farm.
The two adolescents are nervously trying to make it to “second base”; however Virginia’s insecurities about her curvy figure cause her to keep holding Froggy back.
Although usually bright and optimistic, Virginia becomes insecure and self-loathing as her family and peers continuously show their disapproval towards her weight. Her family is definitely not average. Virginia describes herself as having “dishwater blonde hair, pale blue eyes, a roundish face, and a larger-than-average body,” compared to the rest of the thin, brunette, over-achieving Shreves. Her mom is an adolescent psychologist with a huge clientele, her dad is a “high-powered software executive,” and her brother and sister are successful college students who both look like Abercrombie & Fitch models.
Virginia’s mom eventually talks her doctor into putting her daughter on a diet. Her insensitive father is also excited about her anticipated weight loss, offering to take her shopping for new clothes, and telling her, “You’ve got a great face, Ginny. Think of how much prettier you could be if you lost twenty or thirty pounds.”
Virginia is not popular at her school, but she’s not a loser either. She’s determined that “If I had to chart it, I probably fall somewhere between regular and dorky.” However, she still has trouble finding acceptance among some of her peers because of her looks. For example, while sitting in the bathroom stall, she overhears Brie, the bulimic leader of the 10th grade Queen Bee Popular Girls, talk about how she would rather kill herself than be fat like Virginia.
Will Virginia be able to overcome the opinions of her family and peers and accept herself? Will she adhere to her new diet and turn into the ideal Shreve? Will she ever make it to “second base” with Froggy Welsh the Fourth? Virginia proves to be entertaining and strong-willed in her decisions that ultimately lead her to happiness.
Froggy is medium height and slender. His ruffled blonde hair crests into a
cowlick. His dollop of a nose reminds me of a lamb’s snout. Especially
since it’s always pinkish, probably from so much tweaking. Whenever his
pubescent voice cracks, he sounds like a screeching chicken. Put his name
and his traits together and you’ve got a farm.
The two adolescents are nervously trying to make it to “second base”; however Virginia’s insecurities about her curvy figure cause her to keep holding Froggy back.
Although usually bright and optimistic, Virginia becomes insecure and self-loathing as her family and peers continuously show their disapproval towards her weight. Her family is definitely not average. Virginia describes herself as having “dishwater blonde hair, pale blue eyes, a roundish face, and a larger-than-average body,” compared to the rest of the thin, brunette, over-achieving Shreves. Her mom is an adolescent psychologist with a huge clientele, her dad is a “high-powered software executive,” and her brother and sister are successful college students who both look like Abercrombie & Fitch models.
Virginia’s mom eventually talks her doctor into putting her daughter on a diet. Her insensitive father is also excited about her anticipated weight loss, offering to take her shopping for new clothes, and telling her, “You’ve got a great face, Ginny. Think of how much prettier you could be if you lost twenty or thirty pounds.”
Virginia is not popular at her school, but she’s not a loser either. She’s determined that “If I had to chart it, I probably fall somewhere between regular and dorky.” However, she still has trouble finding acceptance among some of her peers because of her looks. For example, while sitting in the bathroom stall, she overhears Brie, the bulimic leader of the 10th grade Queen Bee Popular Girls, talk about how she would rather kill herself than be fat like Virginia.
Will Virginia be able to overcome the opinions of her family and peers and accept herself? Will she adhere to her new diet and turn into the ideal Shreve? Will she ever make it to “second base” with Froggy Welsh the Fourth? Virginia proves to be entertaining and strong-willed in her decisions that ultimately lead her to happiness.
Friday, November 2, 2007
"Olive's Ocean" by Kevin Henkes
Martha Boyle had never personally known twelve-year-old Olive Barstow before she was hit by a car while riding her bicycle. In fact, the shy and mysterious Olive had only been in Martha’s class a few short months before her death. When Olive’s mother unexpectedly appears at Martha’s door and gives her a journal entry written by her daughter, Martha is shocked to discover that she had much in common with her late classmate.
“I hope I get to know Martha Boyle next year (or this summer). I hope that we can be friends. That is my biggest hope. She is the nicest person in my whole entire class,” Olive’s journal reads. Martha is haunted by the journal entry throughout the remainder of her summer vacation, wondering what she had done to spark Olive’s desire to be friends. Her family trip to visit her grandmother in Cape Cod does not ease her grief, as she realizes how the two of them share a love for the sea. Martha’s favorite place in the world is her grandmother’s house on the Cape, while Olive wrote that would love to visit and live by the ocean one day. Most of all, Martha feels badly that Olive will never be able to fulfill the hopes and dreams described in her journal entry.
How much of an impact would the death of a distant classmate have on your life? Olive’s unfulfilled aspirations of seeing the ocean and becoming a writer cause Martha to realize how valuable life is, and that it can easily be taken away in an instant. For these reasons, I believe that Martha symbolically becomes the living version of Olive. With similar dreams of becoming an author, the main character is motivated to live her life to the fullest and not be afraid to pursue her dreams. An example of this is her fear of telling her parents she wants to be a writer, thinking they will disapprove the idea. However, she feels better about her career decision after reading that Olive had the same aspirations, and is inspired to begin writing a novel about a girl named after Olive.
“I hope I get to know Martha Boyle next year (or this summer). I hope that we can be friends. That is my biggest hope. She is the nicest person in my whole entire class,” Olive’s journal reads. Martha is haunted by the journal entry throughout the remainder of her summer vacation, wondering what she had done to spark Olive’s desire to be friends. Her family trip to visit her grandmother in Cape Cod does not ease her grief, as she realizes how the two of them share a love for the sea. Martha’s favorite place in the world is her grandmother’s house on the Cape, while Olive wrote that would love to visit and live by the ocean one day. Most of all, Martha feels badly that Olive will never be able to fulfill the hopes and dreams described in her journal entry.
How much of an impact would the death of a distant classmate have on your life? Olive’s unfulfilled aspirations of seeing the ocean and becoming a writer cause Martha to realize how valuable life is, and that it can easily be taken away in an instant. For these reasons, I believe that Martha symbolically becomes the living version of Olive. With similar dreams of becoming an author, the main character is motivated to live her life to the fullest and not be afraid to pursue her dreams. An example of this is her fear of telling her parents she wants to be a writer, thinking they will disapprove the idea. However, she feels better about her career decision after reading that Olive had the same aspirations, and is inspired to begin writing a novel about a girl named after Olive.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Rules
What does it mean to be normal? Is there some magic set of rules that one must follow in order to be consider average? And who wants to be average anyway? Just how important is it to fit in with the mainstream? Or is it even more important to follow your own path, even it that means you may not fit in? Meet Catherine, a twelve-year-old girl who asks these questions to herself. For Catherine, her main concern in life is something that cannot be changed-her younger brother’s autism. Author Cynthia Lord writes the story of an extraordinary sibling relationship in the book, Rules. In this story, Catherine gives her brother rules that she believes will help him seem more normal to the outside world, but these rules are in place to make her feel more normal. Through trial and error, she will learn that not everything in life is picture perfect, and that some of the more beautiful things have quirks that make them so wonderful.
Rules is a story that many can relate to. How many of your own rules do you have that you make yourself follow each day? And have you ever stopped to think just how much easier life would be if you let these rules go? Read Catherine’s story and discover just how liberating it can be to go with the flow and realize that normal is overrated.
Rules is a story that many can relate to. How many of your own rules do you have that you make yourself follow each day? And have you ever stopped to think just how much easier life would be if you let these rules go? Read Catherine’s story and discover just how liberating it can be to go with the flow and realize that normal is overrated.
“First the colors.
Then the humans.
That’s how I usually see things.
Or at least, how I try.
* * * HERE IS A SMALL FACT * * *
You are going to die.
I am in all truthfulness attempting to be cheerful about this whole topic, though most people find themselves hindered in believing me, no matter my protestations. Please, trust me. I most definitely can be cheerful. I can be amiable. Agreeable. Affable. And that’s only the A’s. Just don’t ask me to be nice. Nice has nothing to do with me.
* * * REACTION TO THE * * *
AFORMENTIONED FACT
Does this worry you?
I urge you- don’t be afraid.
I’m nothing if not fair.
How many books open with a statement telling the reader he or she is going to die? Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief isn’t just any book. It’s the one book that every person should read in their lifetime. It elicits laughter, tears; time spent pondering certain philosophical ideas, and a reevaluating of one’s life. The Book Thief isn’t just a book or story: it’s an invitation into the life of one young girl, into her sorrows and joys, her triumphs and downfalls, into her very being.
In The Book Thief we are told the story of Leisel, a young girl caught in the middle of Nazi Germany. What makes her story so interesting is that it’s told by Death. He begins the tale when He first met her, and continues on throughout her life, talking about the many times He encountered her but didn’t take her soul, and how entranced He was with this young girl. We learn about Leisel’s life: how she’s come to live in
Because the story is told from the point of view of Death, it’s unlike any other Holocaust story ever written. It’s not a generic overview of what Nazi Germany was like. Instead it’s an emotion packed journey through one little girl’s life, and everything she experiences. This book is truly one everyone should read before they die.
An Abundance of Katherines
“Hassan stopped on the staircase, and Colin with him. ‘She wants to make me happy. We fatties have a bond, dude. It’s like a Secret Society. We’ve got all kinds of shit you don’t know about. Handshakes, special fat people dances-we got these secret fugging lairs in the center of the earth and we go down there in the middle of the night when all the skinny kids are sleeping and eat cake and fried chicken and shit. Why d’you think Hollis is still sleeping, kafir? Because we were up all night in the secret lair injecting butter frosting into our veins. She’s giving us jobs because a fatty always trusts another fatty.’
‘You’re not fat. You’re pudgy.’
‘Dude, you just saw my man-tits when I got out of the shower.’
‘They’re not that bad,’ said Colin.
‘Oh, that’s it! You asked for it!’ Hassan pulled his T-shirt up to his collarbone and Colin glanced over at Hass’s hairy chest, which featured- okay, there’s no denying it- minor breasts. An A cup, but still. Hassan smiled with great satisfaction, pulled down his shirt, and headed down the stairs.”
What pudgy high school male hasn’t referred to his chest as “man-tits”? Hassan and Colin are classic high school goofballs, even though Colin is somewhat of a genius. An Abundance of Katherines is Colin’s attempt to understand why he has been dumped by all nineteen of his girlfriends, who all happen to be named Katherine. He and his best friend Hassan decide to go on a road trip after Colin’s graduation, and it becomes sort of a coming of age tale.
Colin’s journey to understanding is one filled with many laughs and realistic scenarios, such as Hassan showing his chest to Colin. Colin’s pessimistic attitude towards life mixed with Hassan’s dry sense of humor leads to nonstop laughter. Their realness makes it easy to connect with both characters, and to see this story taking place in the lives of the people around you. One of the more humorous moments is when Hassan and Colin decide to pretend they are foreigners in Gutshot, the small southern town they land in during their road trip. Colin pretends to be French, and Hassan speaks very little English. Eventually Hassan translates Colin’s words to mean he has hemorrhoids, and the whole scene plays off of that misunderstanding.
This book is perfect for high school and above, especially for boys. It’s funny, which makes it easy to approach, and it’s told from a male’s perspective. It’s hilarious no matter what sex the reader is, and it’s definitely a must-read.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Tenderness
Robert Cormier’s Tenderness depicts the journey of two teens both looking for tenderness in two completely different ways. Both are emerging into adulthood and seeking a feeling lost at childhood.
Lori is a fifteen year old runaway looking for the attention and tenderness she never gets at home. Her mother struggles with alcoholism and brings men into the home that do nothing but cause more stress between mother and daughter. Finally, having had enough of home life, she picks up and leaves to fulfill a fixation she has with rock star Throb. When the plan backfires, she finds herself drawn to the eyes and smile of a handsome boy, whom she shares a past with.
Behind the beautiful eyes and innocent smile lies Eric Poole. Poole is a convicted murderer being released after serving his three year sentence in a juvenile facility for the deaths of his mother and stepfather. He too is looking for a feeling of tenderness that he never got at home as a child. Only problem is that Eric finds tenderness in all the wrong things. Death of innocent animals and girls is how he achieves that tender feeling.
Lori and Eric reunite after a fateful meeting three years back, and from there readers are thrown into suspense wondering what will happen between the two. Lori is looking for the tenderness Eric once showed her, and he is looking for the tenderness in killing an innocent girl. Written in both characters point of view allows you to get into their heads and see how differently they see things and interpret events, and how they find tenderness in the same things, yet in different ways.
A suspenseful journey between the two will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning pages to see how the events will play out, and what the end result will be. Can a convicted murder looking for tenderness through charming and then killing innocent girls, and a lost lonely teen looking for tenderness from a charming guy ultimately save each other? Together can they overcome their fixation for a feeling lost years ago, and learn to live and love?
Lori is a fifteen year old runaway looking for the attention and tenderness she never gets at home. Her mother struggles with alcoholism and brings men into the home that do nothing but cause more stress between mother and daughter. Finally, having had enough of home life, she picks up and leaves to fulfill a fixation she has with rock star Throb. When the plan backfires, she finds herself drawn to the eyes and smile of a handsome boy, whom she shares a past with.
Behind the beautiful eyes and innocent smile lies Eric Poole. Poole is a convicted murderer being released after serving his three year sentence in a juvenile facility for the deaths of his mother and stepfather. He too is looking for a feeling of tenderness that he never got at home as a child. Only problem is that Eric finds tenderness in all the wrong things. Death of innocent animals and girls is how he achieves that tender feeling.
Lori and Eric reunite after a fateful meeting three years back, and from there readers are thrown into suspense wondering what will happen between the two. Lori is looking for the tenderness Eric once showed her, and he is looking for the tenderness in killing an innocent girl. Written in both characters point of view allows you to get into their heads and see how differently they see things and interpret events, and how they find tenderness in the same things, yet in different ways.
A suspenseful journey between the two will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning pages to see how the events will play out, and what the end result will be. Can a convicted murder looking for tenderness through charming and then killing innocent girls, and a lost lonely teen looking for tenderness from a charming guy ultimately save each other? Together can they overcome their fixation for a feeling lost years ago, and learn to live and love?
"The Rules Of Survival"
" I don't know if you'll understand this, Emmy, but for me, fear isn't actually actually a bad thing. It's a primative instinct thats your friend. It warns you to pay attention, because you're in danger. It tells you something, to act, to save yourself."
One thing that I grew up being taught by my parents was "trust your fears." By father would tell me that once in a while. Not to scare me, but to keep me on my toes being a girl and his first born. He would watch over me at all times if he could, but as I grew up and ventured out on my own to parties and on dates, he wanted me to remember that there are bad people out there and if I fear something, I should get myself out of that situation. I know the same is true for many other teens growing up, their parents tell them little sayings so they also, stay on their toes. Now what if our mother or father was the one that we feared? Not the fear of what would happen if you got a bad report card or what would happen if you got caught drinking. That is good fear. That fear means they care about us. What if it was the fear that scared the shit out of you. Like you feared your parent was going to kill you or a sibling. In the book, The Rules Of Survival by Nancy Werlin, Matthew is writing a letter to his baby sister, Em. In this letter he desscribes the torture that he, their sister Callie, and Em endured at the hands and words of their mother. This book is intense from start to finish and keeps the reader wanting to put it down. I recommend it to all children that have their own fears and need help learning how to over come them.
One thing that I grew up being taught by my parents was "trust your fears." By father would tell me that once in a while. Not to scare me, but to keep me on my toes being a girl and his first born. He would watch over me at all times if he could, but as I grew up and ventured out on my own to parties and on dates, he wanted me to remember that there are bad people out there and if I fear something, I should get myself out of that situation. I know the same is true for many other teens growing up, their parents tell them little sayings so they also, stay on their toes. Now what if our mother or father was the one that we feared? Not the fear of what would happen if you got a bad report card or what would happen if you got caught drinking. That is good fear. That fear means they care about us. What if it was the fear that scared the shit out of you. Like you feared your parent was going to kill you or a sibling. In the book, The Rules Of Survival by Nancy Werlin, Matthew is writing a letter to his baby sister, Em. In this letter he desscribes the torture that he, their sister Callie, and Em endured at the hands and words of their mother. This book is intense from start to finish and keeps the reader wanting to put it down. I recommend it to all children that have their own fears and need help learning how to over come them.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Queen Bees and Wannabes
Imagine living in a world where every movement you make, every word you say, and even everything you wear is constantly being judged by your peers. A place in which gossip is the native language and friendships are as fleeting, and usually just as unappetizing, as the daily lunch special. Welcome to the world of adolescent girls, a place in which you must constantly redefine who you are in order to fit in. How do teenage girls deal with all of the pressure they face at school, their changing bodies, their peers, and with the opposite sex? How did you deal? What group did you fit into, and more importantly, what role did you play in that group? Take a walk down memory lane, and by doing so, take a deeper look into the inner workings of cliques and how they can make or break an adolescent girl. Were you a mean girl? Did you betray your friends in order to gain a step on the social ladder? Or were you an outsider, desperately wanting an “in”, but not willing to sacrifice your true self just to be accepted?
Every woman remembers the trials and tribulations of adolescence quite well, but how do you help your daughter cope with the same thing in a new generation? Whether you are a mother or father of an adolescent girl, a teacher, a coach, or a teenager seeking answers to the complicated world of adolescent girls, Queen Bees & Wannabes will be an eye-opening reading experience for you.
Every woman remembers the trials and tribulations of adolescence quite well, but how do you help your daughter cope with the same thing in a new generation? Whether you are a mother or father of an adolescent girl, a teacher, a coach, or a teenager seeking answers to the complicated world of adolescent girls, Queen Bees & Wannabes will be an eye-opening reading experience for you.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Brave New Girl
"It was so hot the whole time. Burning right up. I could feel the sweat on my back seeping through the sheets. My mouth was dry, and I felt like all my bones were creaking like a rusty bicycle every time I moved. But I didn't actually move all that much. I didn't know what I should do. It was easier having my eyes covered, I think. I think staring at a bunch of black was easier. It sort of made me feel like I was in space or something. It helped because I didn't know anything about anything. Sometimes it helps for someone to cover your eyes because that was you don't have to see if you' re doing anything wrong."
IF only we could have someone put their hands over our eyes to avoid all the terrible experiences we endured in our adolescence. Unfourtanely, many teenagers go through where a simple "hand over the yes so I am invisible" tactic cant prepare us for. In Louisa' Luna's book, Brave New Girl, the main character Doreen has to deal with being an outsider in a school of clicks, parents that don't understand her, an older brother that was kicked out of her family when she was much younger, and having to deal with issues that no fourteen year old should have have to endure. As a modern day Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye, Doreen brings back the craziness that many people go through in adolescence. Every reader can relate to something in Doreen's life that has either happened to her or to someone in her surroundings. It is important to remember where you came from how you became the person you are now. Brave New Girl takes the hands over your eyes and brings you back to the time that shaped who you are today.
IF only we could have someone put their hands over our eyes to avoid all the terrible experiences we endured in our adolescence. Unfourtanely, many teenagers go through where a simple "hand over the yes so I am invisible" tactic cant prepare us for. In Louisa' Luna's book, Brave New Girl, the main character Doreen has to deal with being an outsider in a school of clicks, parents that don't understand her, an older brother that was kicked out of her family when she was much younger, and having to deal with issues that no fourteen year old should have have to endure. As a modern day Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye, Doreen brings back the craziness that many people go through in adolescence. Every reader can relate to something in Doreen's life that has either happened to her or to someone in her surroundings. It is important to remember where you came from how you became the person you are now. Brave New Girl takes the hands over your eyes and brings you back to the time that shaped who you are today.
"Things I Have To Tell You"
Going back in time can make you remember both the highs and the lows of a certain time in your life. It doesn't matter whether you grew up in the Depression and money was tight, "the flower child" years of the 60s, or were a member of the big hair, B.U.M. sweatshirt, and ugly leggings that had stirrups on the bottoms posse. Everyone will be reminded of what they went through during their teenage years after reading, Things I Have To Tell You. The language may be different, but the concerns are universal. The poems in this book took me back to the love for boys, the heartache they caused, stealing alcohol from my parents, the constant gossiping about other girls, the times I couldn't look at myself in the mirror because I was never pretty enough, the back stabbing, the semi-formal dances, and the terrible school pictures. From eating disorders, to first loves, to questioning your sexuality, to finding yourself, this book has a poem to help stimulate your heart and bring you back to your teen years. Find out where this book take YOU back to.
Friday, October 5, 2007
"In Darkness, Death" by Dorothy & Thomas Hoobler
Every time I find myself standing in a Hot Topic reading their wall of T-shirts printed with profound statements such as “Are You a Ninja or a Pirate?,” I think to myself that I just don’t get it. I could just never understand the fascination behind pirates, or these seemingly mythical martial arts warriors known as “ninjas.” But quite honestly, I never understood what a ninja truly was until I read the young adult novel In Darkness, Death by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler.
Recently Nominated for the 2008 Nutmeg Award, this mystery begins with the murder of the Samurai Lord Inaba after him and his guests fall into a deep sleep from a powder that is slipped into their drinks at the Lord’s homecoming party. The famous samurai Judge Ooka and his adopted son Seikei are called upon by the shogun (or chief military commander) to the ancient Japanese city of Edo to investigate the crime. Seikei, the 14 year-old samurai in training, is noble to a fault yet naïve of the world; a characteristic which often lands him in trouble, especially with Tokugawa, a ninja who Judge Ooka assigns him to travel with when he departs on his own investigation.
During these chapters the difference between a samurai and a ninja is revealed. Samurais are warriors similar to knights, as well as the highest ranking in society before the Lord and the shogun. According to Tokugawa, ninjas used to live in the mountains and be “close to the kami [Shinto deities or spirits] of nature,” but samurai chased them out of their terrain because the shoguns and emperors did not like them living beyond their rule. Having a connection with the kami allows ninjas to have supernatural powers such as the ability to become invisible, thus making them the most skillful killers in Japan. All of Lord Inaba’s servants and subjects believe he was killed by a ninja because no one saw the murder and as Tokugawa explains to Seikei, because “whenever the shogun and the daimyos [feudal lords]—and anyone else—wanted a killer, they knew that they should hire a ninja.” Furthermore, their one piece of evidence from the scene of the crime is a red origami butterfly speckled with black dots on its wings. Tatsuno says that “the person who left the butterfly did so to drive off the evil kami he had released by killing” the Lord.
Ok, so I get it now: ninjas are badass because can acquire superpowers from nature. They aren’t just black belts in karate who became a little too obsessed with the whole martial arts thing after they graduated. If you like ninjas, samurais, and reading about foreign cultures, then you will enjoy Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler’s Nutmeg Award Nominee In Darkness, Death.
Recently Nominated for the 2008 Nutmeg Award, this mystery begins with the murder of the Samurai Lord Inaba after him and his guests fall into a deep sleep from a powder that is slipped into their drinks at the Lord’s homecoming party. The famous samurai Judge Ooka and his adopted son Seikei are called upon by the shogun (or chief military commander) to the ancient Japanese city of Edo to investigate the crime. Seikei, the 14 year-old samurai in training, is noble to a fault yet naïve of the world; a characteristic which often lands him in trouble, especially with Tokugawa, a ninja who Judge Ooka assigns him to travel with when he departs on his own investigation.
During these chapters the difference between a samurai and a ninja is revealed. Samurais are warriors similar to knights, as well as the highest ranking in society before the Lord and the shogun. According to Tokugawa, ninjas used to live in the mountains and be “close to the kami [Shinto deities or spirits] of nature,” but samurai chased them out of their terrain because the shoguns and emperors did not like them living beyond their rule. Having a connection with the kami allows ninjas to have supernatural powers such as the ability to become invisible, thus making them the most skillful killers in Japan. All of Lord Inaba’s servants and subjects believe he was killed by a ninja because no one saw the murder and as Tokugawa explains to Seikei, because “whenever the shogun and the daimyos [feudal lords]—and anyone else—wanted a killer, they knew that they should hire a ninja.” Furthermore, their one piece of evidence from the scene of the crime is a red origami butterfly speckled with black dots on its wings. Tatsuno says that “the person who left the butterfly did so to drive off the evil kami he had released by killing” the Lord.
Ok, so I get it now: ninjas are badass because can acquire superpowers from nature. They aren’t just black belts in karate who became a little too obsessed with the whole martial arts thing after they graduated. If you like ninjas, samurais, and reading about foreign cultures, then you will enjoy Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler’s Nutmeg Award Nominee In Darkness, Death.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Dreamland
Caitlin has always been in the shadow of big sister Cassandra. That is until Cass picks up and skips town with her new boyfriend Adam. Her parents, so upset that their little girl has run off and ruined a perfect life, withdraw themselves from everything, including Caitlin. That’s when Caitlin meets Rogerson Biscoe.
“There were so many things I loved about him. The smell of his skin, his hair, wild and dreadlocked. The way he pressed his hand into the small of my back. He was so attentive, with one eye on me regardless of what else he was doing.”
Rogerson is different from anyone Caitlin has ever known. He is everything Caitlin isn’t. He’s confident, compelling and dangerous. Rogerson makes Caitlin feel on top of the world. He puts aside his “bad boy” persona and lets her in to his deepest feelings. She is finally able to forget about her parents and sister. It’s almost as if she is in a dreamland. Everything is so perfect with Rogerson, there is no way it can be real.
Finally, Caitlin has someone to make her feel alive. She is no longer in anyone’s shadow. She pushes away all her friends and spends every last minute with Rogerson. It’s as if she can’t live without him. Their relationship seems flawless to those on the outside.
To those on the inside, however, they know things with Caitlin and Rogerson are far from perfect. He has thrown Caitlin into a world she never knew existed. A world of sex, drug abuse, and violence. Suddenly, being with Rogerson is Caitlin’s biggest problem. Buts she’s fallen so fast and hard and can’t see the problem. So what if he slapped her in the car. After all, she was late. But what happens when the slaps turn into punches, and the punches turn into kicks?
“When he hit me, I didn’t see it coming. It was just a quick blur, a flash out of the corner of my eye, and then the side of my face just exploded, burning as his hand slammed against me.” “We didn’t talk about what happened. Rogerson parked in front of my house and kissed me tenderly, cupping my chin in his hand. As much as I hated to admit it-it seemed impossible, just so wrong-I felt that rush that always came when he kissed me, the one that made me feel unsteady and wonderful all at once.”
Can Caitlin wake up from this dreamland she’s fallen into and save herself and Rogerson before it’s too late? Dessen places you within the relationship of Caitlin and Rogerson. You will be right there through the good times and the bad, wishing and hoping for Caitlin to just wake up.
“There were so many things I loved about him. The smell of his skin, his hair, wild and dreadlocked. The way he pressed his hand into the small of my back. He was so attentive, with one eye on me regardless of what else he was doing.”
Rogerson is different from anyone Caitlin has ever known. He is everything Caitlin isn’t. He’s confident, compelling and dangerous. Rogerson makes Caitlin feel on top of the world. He puts aside his “bad boy” persona and lets her in to his deepest feelings. She is finally able to forget about her parents and sister. It’s almost as if she is in a dreamland. Everything is so perfect with Rogerson, there is no way it can be real.
Finally, Caitlin has someone to make her feel alive. She is no longer in anyone’s shadow. She pushes away all her friends and spends every last minute with Rogerson. It’s as if she can’t live without him. Their relationship seems flawless to those on the outside.
To those on the inside, however, they know things with Caitlin and Rogerson are far from perfect. He has thrown Caitlin into a world she never knew existed. A world of sex, drug abuse, and violence. Suddenly, being with Rogerson is Caitlin’s biggest problem. Buts she’s fallen so fast and hard and can’t see the problem. So what if he slapped her in the car. After all, she was late. But what happens when the slaps turn into punches, and the punches turn into kicks?
“When he hit me, I didn’t see it coming. It was just a quick blur, a flash out of the corner of my eye, and then the side of my face just exploded, burning as his hand slammed against me.” “We didn’t talk about what happened. Rogerson parked in front of my house and kissed me tenderly, cupping my chin in his hand. As much as I hated to admit it-it seemed impossible, just so wrong-I felt that rush that always came when he kissed me, the one that made me feel unsteady and wonderful all at once.”
Can Caitlin wake up from this dreamland she’s fallen into and save herself and Rogerson before it’s too late? Dessen places you within the relationship of Caitlin and Rogerson. You will be right there through the good times and the bad, wishing and hoping for Caitlin to just wake up.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
The Perks of Being A Wallflower
“‘Sam tapped her hand on the steering wheel. Patrick held his hand outside the car and made air waves. And I just sat between them. After the song finished, I said something. ‘I feel infinite’” (33).
There a time in all of our lives when we feel infinite, whether it is listening to our favorite song, spending time with a best friend, or even reading a great story. The Perks of Being a Wallflower written by Stephen Chbosky is one of those great stories that every high school student must read!
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a book of letters written by the main character, Charlie. Charlie is a modern version of Holden Caulfield in the book The Catcher in the Rye written by J. D. Salinger. Both of these characters have similar traits and the plot of both stories also have similar themes. Both of these Characters share a passion for English, and develop a close connection with one of their teachers. However for both these students, school doesn’t come easy. In both books Charlie and Holden go through the hard ships in meeting friends and holding on to friendships. Even more importantly they both seem to have issues within their family lives, and both try to cope with the hard times.
In The Perks of Being a Wallflower the reader experiences Charlie’s first year of high school with him. Similar to Holden Caulfield who explains his high school experience. Both of these characters express their ups and downs about many issues that occur in teenage life such as friendships, family and sexual relationships. These stories push the limits by adding sex and drugs into the text, which make reading them even more exciting! Even though these books were written in different time periods, The Catcher in the Rye was written in 1951 while The Perks of Being a Wallflower was written in 1999 many of the same issues arise. However today’s readers can connect to The Perks of Being a Wallflower because it targets teenagers of today by sharing different situations that arise for a teenage kid living in the challenges of today’s society.
Charlie is a teenage boy who starts high school with no friends and a family loss to his favorite aunt Helen. However, through his first year he learns to cope and understand death in his family. He meets friends, falls in love with a girl, dates a girl he doesn’t like, and fights the star of the high school football team. These adventures are only some of the experiences that Charlie shares with his reader in this coming of age tale of high school life. I highly recommend this book to not only high school students, but to college students, and even parents because the dilemmas that arise are intriguing for anyone’s interests. Charlie is a modern day Holden Caulfield and anyone who liked The Catcher in the Rye will love The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
There a time in all of our lives when we feel infinite, whether it is listening to our favorite song, spending time with a best friend, or even reading a great story. The Perks of Being a Wallflower written by Stephen Chbosky is one of those great stories that every high school student must read!
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a book of letters written by the main character, Charlie. Charlie is a modern version of Holden Caulfield in the book The Catcher in the Rye written by J. D. Salinger. Both of these characters have similar traits and the plot of both stories also have similar themes. Both of these Characters share a passion for English, and develop a close connection with one of their teachers. However for both these students, school doesn’t come easy. In both books Charlie and Holden go through the hard ships in meeting friends and holding on to friendships. Even more importantly they both seem to have issues within their family lives, and both try to cope with the hard times.
In The Perks of Being a Wallflower the reader experiences Charlie’s first year of high school with him. Similar to Holden Caulfield who explains his high school experience. Both of these characters express their ups and downs about many issues that occur in teenage life such as friendships, family and sexual relationships. These stories push the limits by adding sex and drugs into the text, which make reading them even more exciting! Even though these books were written in different time periods, The Catcher in the Rye was written in 1951 while The Perks of Being a Wallflower was written in 1999 many of the same issues arise. However today’s readers can connect to The Perks of Being a Wallflower because it targets teenagers of today by sharing different situations that arise for a teenage kid living in the challenges of today’s society.
Charlie is a teenage boy who starts high school with no friends and a family loss to his favorite aunt Helen. However, through his first year he learns to cope and understand death in his family. He meets friends, falls in love with a girl, dates a girl he doesn’t like, and fights the star of the high school football team. These adventures are only some of the experiences that Charlie shares with his reader in this coming of age tale of high school life. I highly recommend this book to not only high school students, but to college students, and even parents because the dilemmas that arise are intriguing for anyone’s interests. Charlie is a modern day Holden Caulfield and anyone who liked The Catcher in the Rye will love The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
When I was Your Age
I was not very good at sports. Awkward would be a kind term. Clumsy would be accurate. The sidewalk was our playground. I was not good at any of the sidewalk games, Hopscotch: Drew the lines better then I could stay in them. Jump Rope: Never could jump in. Always had to stand in. (doubledouch is still a mystery.) Roller Skating: fell a lot. Never learned to brake. Had to run into something to stop myself. Bicycling: still bear a scar under my chin from when I finally learned to ride a two-wheeler and went straight into a hydrant.
I was hopeless at music. Once a week Miss Klinger came into our classroom to teach music. She divided our class into redbirds and bluebirds. The bluebirds were allowed to sing; the redbirds listened. I was a redbird. At Christmas redbirds were allowed to sing, but all Miss Klinger offered were carols. Being Jewish, I did not think I should, but I wanted to, so I did. But I never sang all the words. When I came to Jesus or Christ, I hummed.
Fortunately, gym and music were never given letter grades. (How could anyone give a redbird a grade when she was never allowed to sing?) So those subjects never interfered with one of my two best things: getting A’s. My other thing was being the baby of the family.
As we pass through the years of adolescence, we learn that our teenage years can be a struggle. When I was Your Age provides real life stories of children growing up, stories of tragedy, and stories of triumph. The book is an anthology that includes several stories that all provide different perspectives on growing up. Each author takes readers back with them to their childhoods and shares an important life changing event that they endured in their own lives. Although the stories are from an earlier time, around the 1950’s, the issues remain the same which allows today’s readers an opportunity to make their own connections with these stories.
For example, readers can connect to stories about curiosity and imagination that go hand-in-hand with growing up, as well as stories that focus on the challenges, struggles, and triumphs. Readers of all ages and from different time periods will be brought back to their own stories about inspiration, tragedy and loss, their first summer job and their first time at summer camp. The best part of the book When I Was Your Age is that everyone can find at least one story with which to connect. The book targets issues that occur during school years including family life, friends, passions and adventures. We all know growing older is hard and that’s why I think it’s so important to read a book that enables the reader to connect to others that may have been through similar situations. These stories are sure to encounter a sense of recognition and joy in reading these stories.
Work Cited
Ehrlich, Amy, ed. When I Was Your Age: Original Stories About Growing up. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 1999
.
I was hopeless at music. Once a week Miss Klinger came into our classroom to teach music. She divided our class into redbirds and bluebirds. The bluebirds were allowed to sing; the redbirds listened. I was a redbird. At Christmas redbirds were allowed to sing, but all Miss Klinger offered were carols. Being Jewish, I did not think I should, but I wanted to, so I did. But I never sang all the words. When I came to Jesus or Christ, I hummed.
Fortunately, gym and music were never given letter grades. (How could anyone give a redbird a grade when she was never allowed to sing?) So those subjects never interfered with one of my two best things: getting A’s. My other thing was being the baby of the family.
As we pass through the years of adolescence, we learn that our teenage years can be a struggle. When I was Your Age provides real life stories of children growing up, stories of tragedy, and stories of triumph. The book is an anthology that includes several stories that all provide different perspectives on growing up. Each author takes readers back with them to their childhoods and shares an important life changing event that they endured in their own lives. Although the stories are from an earlier time, around the 1950’s, the issues remain the same which allows today’s readers an opportunity to make their own connections with these stories.
For example, readers can connect to stories about curiosity and imagination that go hand-in-hand with growing up, as well as stories that focus on the challenges, struggles, and triumphs. Readers of all ages and from different time periods will be brought back to their own stories about inspiration, tragedy and loss, their first summer job and their first time at summer camp. The best part of the book When I Was Your Age is that everyone can find at least one story with which to connect. The book targets issues that occur during school years including family life, friends, passions and adventures. We all know growing older is hard and that’s why I think it’s so important to read a book that enables the reader to connect to others that may have been through similar situations. These stories are sure to encounter a sense of recognition and joy in reading these stories.
Work Cited
Ehrlich, Amy, ed. When I Was Your Age: Original Stories About Growing up. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 1999
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