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.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
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.
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