Citation:
Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Recorded Books, LLC: New York. 2008. CD.
Annotation:
Junior is an American Indian with severe brain injuries that leave him disfigured, but very bright. After he transfers to an all white school for a better chance at life, his world completely changes.
Justification for Nomination:
This novel, with its natural narration, loveable characters, realistic situations, is one for teens to cherish for years. Junior makes the decision to leave his reservation school after he discovers that one of his textbooks is at least thirty years old. He then enrolls in Reardan High School in the white and richer area 22 miles from his "rez". With Junior's voice narrating in the most authentic teen voice you'll ever read, he outlines his freshman year at Reardan.
From being bullied everyday at his reservation school to attending a school where he is more or less accepted, he confronts racism, women, and what it feels like to be part of a team.
Alexie reads this novel with grace and passion that is rare among book readers. The character's voice is clear and the story benefits greatly from the impressive reading.
In this novel, Junior encounters everything from eating disorders to death to independence. And he does it all with emotion and well placed sarcasm. Alexie's characters get fully developed and explored throughout the novel. Especially Junior who changes as he jumps the hurdles of freshman year.
The reader is allowed to grow up with this character and laugh out loud to some of the things that he says to people or people say to him.
Junior goes through nearly every step of the "who am I?" quest. He loses his innocence as some people that he is quite close to pass away. Then he tests his boundaries by mouthing off to his teachers and attending an entirely new school. When Junior attends the new school, some of the people in his tribe are mad at him and shame him. He is ostracized by even his best friend and has to forge new relationships in a place he doesn't know.
Every teen will find something to relate to in this novel. It speaks from the heart about situations that may not happen all at once to the reader, but probably will happen eventually. When something does happen, they'll have a book to turn to.
Genre:
Coming of Age/Romance/Audiobook/Multicultural
8/3/11
7/28/11
Extra Credit: Review Two
Citation:
Green, John. Looking For Alaska. Dutton Books: New York. 2005. Print.
Annotation:
Miles has never had friends and when he is enrolled in a private boarding school in Alabama, he doesn't have high hopes, but he finally becomes accepted. He meets a remarkable girl named Alaska who changes his life more than he could imagine.
Justification for Rejection:
While this book is interesting and enjoyable to read, it isn't one that I would give any award to. The main character, Miles, is lonely and rejected. When he arrives at his new school he immediately follows around his independent roommate, Chip, who introduces him to Alaska, the girl of his dreams. Miles finally becomes accepted for the last-line-loving boy that he is and has some people to relate to and be rebellious with.
It sounds like a nice story, right? And it is, but something is lost in the cracks in the novel. Something about heart and finding your own independent way. This journey of "who am I" is forgotten by Green. Miles, in the end, is the exact same (maybe a little sadder) that he was in the beginning. He still follows his stronger-willed friends to lead the way for his lack of personality.
This novel does do a wonderful job testing the boundaries of authority with all its drinking and sex or possible sex. But, never do the friends ever pay for the wrongs that they do. The reader is meant to think that they suffer when they allow their friend to drive drunk and the friend gets killed. But, instead of getting lost in the grief they pass the time trying to figure out why she died and where she was going.
The plot of the story is adequate, but certainly not memorable. The characters are complex and unusual, but they lack authenticity. It is hard to believe that these teens could actually exist in this Culver Creek Academy. The authority figures are a joke and have no authority at all.
All in all, this novel is nice to read, it isn't one that I would care to read again. The characters and the setting, while interesting, but lack a certain luster. They lack the depth and insight of a truly moving story. The reader is left saying "So what?" at the end instead of sighing in relief.
Genre:
Edgy / Realistic / Coming of Age
Green, John. Looking For Alaska. Dutton Books: New York. 2005. Print.
Annotation:
Miles has never had friends and when he is enrolled in a private boarding school in Alabama, he doesn't have high hopes, but he finally becomes accepted. He meets a remarkable girl named Alaska who changes his life more than he could imagine.
Justification for Rejection:
While this book is interesting and enjoyable to read, it isn't one that I would give any award to. The main character, Miles, is lonely and rejected. When he arrives at his new school he immediately follows around his independent roommate, Chip, who introduces him to Alaska, the girl of his dreams. Miles finally becomes accepted for the last-line-loving boy that he is and has some people to relate to and be rebellious with.
It sounds like a nice story, right? And it is, but something is lost in the cracks in the novel. Something about heart and finding your own independent way. This journey of "who am I" is forgotten by Green. Miles, in the end, is the exact same (maybe a little sadder) that he was in the beginning. He still follows his stronger-willed friends to lead the way for his lack of personality.
This novel does do a wonderful job testing the boundaries of authority with all its drinking and sex or possible sex. But, never do the friends ever pay for the wrongs that they do. The reader is meant to think that they suffer when they allow their friend to drive drunk and the friend gets killed. But, instead of getting lost in the grief they pass the time trying to figure out why she died and where she was going.
The plot of the story is adequate, but certainly not memorable. The characters are complex and unusual, but they lack authenticity. It is hard to believe that these teens could actually exist in this Culver Creek Academy. The authority figures are a joke and have no authority at all.
All in all, this novel is nice to read, it isn't one that I would care to read again. The characters and the setting, while interesting, but lack a certain luster. They lack the depth and insight of a truly moving story. The reader is left saying "So what?" at the end instead of sighing in relief.
Genre:
Edgy / Realistic / Coming of Age
Extra Credit: Review One
Citation:
Whelan, Gloria. Homeless Bird. HarperCollins: New York. 2000. Print.
Annotation:
Koly is a 16-year old widow living in rural India with no skills exept her extraordinary talent at embroidery. When she is abandoned in an unfamiliar town for widows she has to find her own way out of poverty and into love.
Justification for Nomination:
Whelan uses her wonderful descriptions and character development to tell Koly's story. This girl was married at thirteen to a dying boy. When he died, she was left in the custody of his parents. His mother, a sour woman who never trusts Koly, forces her to do chores each day. His father, a teacher at a local school, lovingly teaches her how to read. When he dies, the mother abandons Koly in a town full of unwanted widows. She finds her way, with the help of a kind stranger, to a home for young widows where jobs and food are provided. It is here that Koly finds her strength to reveal her talent making tapestries and saris.
This book leads the reader on Koly's incredible journey through sorrow and heartache to eventual happiness. The graceful description of Koly's emotions and her actions paint a lovely picture that the reader can fully appreciate. Each event or person that knocks Koly down makes the reader squirm with its horridness, but each time she rises above makes reading the last few lines like a sigh of relief.
Whelan's language is simple and beautiful especially describing Koly's sewing talents and the nature around her. Sound and the setting are portrayed wonderfully. Each character is set up with an easy physical description, but their actions convey their personality without the reader being told.
Any reader could identify with this girl and her troubles. She has to find her own way in a life that doesn't give her any breaks. Her innocence is lost at a young age and is forced to grow up much sooner than anyone should have to.
While the cover of the book could use some color and zest, I think that if teens gave the story a chance they would be immersed in the unbelievable story of an uncommon girl.
Genre:
Mulitcultural / Coming of Age / Romance
Whelan, Gloria. Homeless Bird. HarperCollins: New York. 2000. Print.
Annotation:
Koly is a 16-year old widow living in rural India with no skills exept her extraordinary talent at embroidery. When she is abandoned in an unfamiliar town for widows she has to find her own way out of poverty and into love.
Justification for Nomination:
Whelan uses her wonderful descriptions and character development to tell Koly's story. This girl was married at thirteen to a dying boy. When he died, she was left in the custody of his parents. His mother, a sour woman who never trusts Koly, forces her to do chores each day. His father, a teacher at a local school, lovingly teaches her how to read. When he dies, the mother abandons Koly in a town full of unwanted widows. She finds her way, with the help of a kind stranger, to a home for young widows where jobs and food are provided. It is here that Koly finds her strength to reveal her talent making tapestries and saris.
This book leads the reader on Koly's incredible journey through sorrow and heartache to eventual happiness. The graceful description of Koly's emotions and her actions paint a lovely picture that the reader can fully appreciate. Each event or person that knocks Koly down makes the reader squirm with its horridness, but each time she rises above makes reading the last few lines like a sigh of relief.
Whelan's language is simple and beautiful especially describing Koly's sewing talents and the nature around her. Sound and the setting are portrayed wonderfully. Each character is set up with an easy physical description, but their actions convey their personality without the reader being told.
Any reader could identify with this girl and her troubles. She has to find her own way in a life that doesn't give her any breaks. Her innocence is lost at a young age and is forced to grow up much sooner than anyone should have to.
While the cover of the book could use some color and zest, I think that if teens gave the story a chance they would be immersed in the unbelievable story of an uncommon girl.
Genre:
Mulitcultural / Coming of Age / Romance
7/25/11
Review Nine: ALEX Award Winner
Citation:
Rebeck, Theresa. Three Girls and Their Brother. Shaye Areheart Books: New York. 2008. Print.
Annotation:
The Hellers are a dysfunctional family consisting of an overbearing mother, absent father, three daughters and one son. The daughters become famous because of their red hair and get tangled in the web of parties and those who want to take advantage of them.
Justification for Rejection:
While the subject of fame and its destructive powers is interesting and intiguing, Rebeck falls short with her cast of typical characters and predictable plot. The family is unkind to each other from the start and fake in every sort of way imaginable. Their mother has no authority in the story nor any kind of strength. Each daughter has her own distinctive personality, but they do not act in any way toward each other like they are sisters.
Everything about this novel, from the setting to the events, seems so forced and fake. It reads as if it were written by someone who has no idea what someone in the limelight really goes through. Everything that the Hellers encounter could be found on the front cover of a magazine. Nothing seems real except for the fact that the youngest doesn't want to be a model after all, but is forced into it by her sisters and mother.
The style of narration with its constant tense shifts and point of view shifts is distracting and hard to read. Also distracting was the sparse way that information is given. The descriptions of the family age order and also their apperances come in small droplets that the reader has to mold together with difficulty.
This novel is one that does not give the reader a chance to absorb the story at all. Everything is thrown together in a stack of pages that the reader has to sort out. The reader is not given a chance to care about any of these people because they don't care about themselves.
All in all, this novel is one that should be passed on the shelves. The subject may be enticing, but the book leaves something to be desired.
Genre:
Edgy / Coming of Age
Rebeck, Theresa. Three Girls and Their Brother. Shaye Areheart Books: New York. 2008. Print.
Annotation:
The Hellers are a dysfunctional family consisting of an overbearing mother, absent father, three daughters and one son. The daughters become famous because of their red hair and get tangled in the web of parties and those who want to take advantage of them.
Justification for Rejection:
While the subject of fame and its destructive powers is interesting and intiguing, Rebeck falls short with her cast of typical characters and predictable plot. The family is unkind to each other from the start and fake in every sort of way imaginable. Their mother has no authority in the story nor any kind of strength. Each daughter has her own distinctive personality, but they do not act in any way toward each other like they are sisters.
Everything about this novel, from the setting to the events, seems so forced and fake. It reads as if it were written by someone who has no idea what someone in the limelight really goes through. Everything that the Hellers encounter could be found on the front cover of a magazine. Nothing seems real except for the fact that the youngest doesn't want to be a model after all, but is forced into it by her sisters and mother.
The style of narration with its constant tense shifts and point of view shifts is distracting and hard to read. Also distracting was the sparse way that information is given. The descriptions of the family age order and also their apperances come in small droplets that the reader has to mold together with difficulty.
This novel is one that does not give the reader a chance to absorb the story at all. Everything is thrown together in a stack of pages that the reader has to sort out. The reader is not given a chance to care about any of these people because they don't care about themselves.
All in all, this novel is one that should be passed on the shelves. The subject may be enticing, but the book leaves something to be desired.
Genre:
Edgy / Coming of Age
7/18/11
Review Eight: Challenged or Banned Book
Citation:
Farmer, Nancy. A Girl Named Disaster. Orchard Books: New York. 1996. Print.
Annotation:
Nhamo, a twelve-year-old escaping her home to avoid an arranged marriage, travels alone for years through the jungle and dangerous rivers to Zimbabwe to find her father's family.
Justification for Nomination:
Farmer does an excellent job creating a strong and remarkable character in Nhamo. This girl escapes a potentially life-threatening arranged marriage and lives on her own in the wild for many years. She has to find her own food, find her own way, and protect herself against predators and pests. With the knowledge that she gained throughout her time in her village with her grandmother and her aunt, this girl survives in a place where many others have perished. Nhamo, up until leaving her home, had always felt like an outsider and unwelcome to everyone but her grandmother. She hated her village and the way that they made her feel. But, during her solo journey she realized that she needed human companionship and connection. She longed for her aunt and her cousins.
The way that Farmer showed this shift was unforgettable. This child was forced to grow up much faster than she needed to, but she discovered many things about herself that she would never had without this experience. The parts that were most enjoyable as a reader were the many instances when Nhamo described food that she was eating. From dried fish to tomatoes or mealies (corn) each food source makes your mouth water. This child is basically starving and surviving on what she has brought from her village or what she can find so anything she eats is so wonderful.
Farmer also creates places effortlessly in this novel. Each place that Nhamo sleeps or visits is vividly described and allows the reader to picture it with the girl. Although this novel is written in third person instead of the usual first person, this does not take the reader away from experiencing Nhamo's emotions. On the contrary, the reader feels Nhamo's loneliness and her fear from page one.
This novel is the most wonderful journey that any teen would be happy to take. The idea that this young person could accomplish everything that she does is breathtaking. By reading this book and the glossary and history in the back, a reader will learn a little something about African culture and how it feels to cut your own path in life without anyone's help.
Genre:
Coming of Age / Multicultural / Historical
Farmer, Nancy. A Girl Named Disaster. Orchard Books: New York. 1996. Print.
Annotation:
Nhamo, a twelve-year-old escaping her home to avoid an arranged marriage, travels alone for years through the jungle and dangerous rivers to Zimbabwe to find her father's family.
Justification for Nomination:
Farmer does an excellent job creating a strong and remarkable character in Nhamo. This girl escapes a potentially life-threatening arranged marriage and lives on her own in the wild for many years. She has to find her own food, find her own way, and protect herself against predators and pests. With the knowledge that she gained throughout her time in her village with her grandmother and her aunt, this girl survives in a place where many others have perished. Nhamo, up until leaving her home, had always felt like an outsider and unwelcome to everyone but her grandmother. She hated her village and the way that they made her feel. But, during her solo journey she realized that she needed human companionship and connection. She longed for her aunt and her cousins.
The way that Farmer showed this shift was unforgettable. This child was forced to grow up much faster than she needed to, but she discovered many things about herself that she would never had without this experience. The parts that were most enjoyable as a reader were the many instances when Nhamo described food that she was eating. From dried fish to tomatoes or mealies (corn) each food source makes your mouth water. This child is basically starving and surviving on what she has brought from her village or what she can find so anything she eats is so wonderful.
Farmer also creates places effortlessly in this novel. Each place that Nhamo sleeps or visits is vividly described and allows the reader to picture it with the girl. Although this novel is written in third person instead of the usual first person, this does not take the reader away from experiencing Nhamo's emotions. On the contrary, the reader feels Nhamo's loneliness and her fear from page one.
This novel is the most wonderful journey that any teen would be happy to take. The idea that this young person could accomplish everything that she does is breathtaking. By reading this book and the glossary and history in the back, a reader will learn a little something about African culture and how it feels to cut your own path in life without anyone's help.
Genre:
Coming of Age / Multicultural / Historical
7/10/11
Review Seven: Science Fiction/ Fantasy
Citation:
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1993. Print.
Annotation:
Jonas lives in a regulated world where rules run everything and when he is given the power to receive all memories of all humans that no one else but The Giver has, he realizes how terrible his world is.
Justification for Nomination:
Lowry creates a place in the future without colors or music or weather. This place is strictly regulated and no one makes their own choices. The Elders choose spouses and when someone can have children and they also decide what a twelve-year-old's occupation is going to be for the rest of their life. Jonas at twelve is given the rare honor of Receiver which means that he receives all memories that no one else knows. Memories of snow and war and colors. This child is exposed to all of humanity's ups and downs and times when people made their own decisions. But, it is when Jonas sees his father Release a newborn (which essentially is murdering it by lethal injection) he snaps and escapes.
Jonas is made to feel special with this honor that only is bestowed upon few people. He embraces his task with vigor, but as he realizes the truth he begins to resent the community. Jonas loses his innocence each time he sees a new memory and he tests the boundaries of authority by giving his memories to the newborn that his family is caring for when it is strictly forbidden for him to do so.
The conflict in the story is a wonderful social commentary on lethal injection and also what a world would be like without choices and everything else we take for granted. Jonas has an inner conflict when he has to realize what to do about everything that he knows. He has to decide to turn his back on his family and his home or go on living a lie.
Everything about this novel from the plot to the language to the setting is immaculate. Lowry's writing is rich and easy to follow. Her characters are deep and meaningful. Each sentence is inviting and relatable. The quest for truth and Jonas' initiative to create truth in his world is mesmerizing. This is one book that wholeheartedly deserves every award it has ever gotten. Reading this book will make you think of your own life in a different way and make you appreciate everything you may take for granted. Have you ever really looked at snow? Have you ever noticed that the color red is everywhere? Read this book and you'll never look at those things the same way again.
Genre:
Science Fiction / Coming of Age / Realistic
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1993. Print.
Annotation:
Jonas lives in a regulated world where rules run everything and when he is given the power to receive all memories of all humans that no one else but The Giver has, he realizes how terrible his world is.
Justification for Nomination:
Lowry creates a place in the future without colors or music or weather. This place is strictly regulated and no one makes their own choices. The Elders choose spouses and when someone can have children and they also decide what a twelve-year-old's occupation is going to be for the rest of their life. Jonas at twelve is given the rare honor of Receiver which means that he receives all memories that no one else knows. Memories of snow and war and colors. This child is exposed to all of humanity's ups and downs and times when people made their own decisions. But, it is when Jonas sees his father Release a newborn (which essentially is murdering it by lethal injection) he snaps and escapes.
Jonas is made to feel special with this honor that only is bestowed upon few people. He embraces his task with vigor, but as he realizes the truth he begins to resent the community. Jonas loses his innocence each time he sees a new memory and he tests the boundaries of authority by giving his memories to the newborn that his family is caring for when it is strictly forbidden for him to do so.
The conflict in the story is a wonderful social commentary on lethal injection and also what a world would be like without choices and everything else we take for granted. Jonas has an inner conflict when he has to realize what to do about everything that he knows. He has to decide to turn his back on his family and his home or go on living a lie.
Everything about this novel from the plot to the language to the setting is immaculate. Lowry's writing is rich and easy to follow. Her characters are deep and meaningful. Each sentence is inviting and relatable. The quest for truth and Jonas' initiative to create truth in his world is mesmerizing. This is one book that wholeheartedly deserves every award it has ever gotten. Reading this book will make you think of your own life in a different way and make you appreciate everything you may take for granted. Have you ever really looked at snow? Have you ever noticed that the color red is everywhere? Read this book and you'll never look at those things the same way again.
Genre:
Science Fiction / Coming of Age / Realistic
7/3/11
Review Six: Horror/Supernatural/Vampire Novel
Citation:
Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. Demon in my View. Delacorte Press: New York. 2000. Print
Annotation:
Jessica is an adopted teen writer who has vivid dreams about vampires' histories which she uses in her novels and becomes immersed in the very real truth that her dreams are true to life and is being hunted for revealing secrets.
Justification for Rejection:
Although this novel is very easy to comprehend, has likeable characters, and a concept that makes the reader think just for a second that this could be real, it is not one that is extraordinary or even memorable. Atwater-Rhodes shows her immaturity in her writing by focusing on general descriptions of her characters and stereotypical images of vampires. Jessica has a fiery personality, but it feels forced throughout because the novel is written in third person. The author does a disservice to her teen readers by not letting them experience the story with Jessica.
Jessica's character is relatable with her inability to identify with her classmates and her anger toward her adopted mother. Also, Aubrey, the vampire who lusts after Jessica, is painted as the heartthrob in the story although he lacks much of a personality.
The story itself does not give Jessica or any of the characters much room to change and grow with the emergence of the truths and trials. The plot is superficial at best and does not show much more than the words typed on the page. Atwater-Rhodes tells the story in such a way that the reader's brain can basically turn off and flow along with the words without much thought.
Lack of conflict within the main characters and the lack of any type of figurative language or imagery make this story one to move on from on the shelf. Although I think that Atwater-Rhodes is a talented author, this is not one of her best. The entire novel is rushed and glossed over and leaves the reader waiting for that sigh at the end of a good book when you know everything has just come together.
Genre:
Vampire/Coming of age/Romance
Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. Demon in my View. Delacorte Press: New York. 2000. Print
Annotation:
Jessica is an adopted teen writer who has vivid dreams about vampires' histories which she uses in her novels and becomes immersed in the very real truth that her dreams are true to life and is being hunted for revealing secrets.
Justification for Rejection:
Although this novel is very easy to comprehend, has likeable characters, and a concept that makes the reader think just for a second that this could be real, it is not one that is extraordinary or even memorable. Atwater-Rhodes shows her immaturity in her writing by focusing on general descriptions of her characters and stereotypical images of vampires. Jessica has a fiery personality, but it feels forced throughout because the novel is written in third person. The author does a disservice to her teen readers by not letting them experience the story with Jessica.
Jessica's character is relatable with her inability to identify with her classmates and her anger toward her adopted mother. Also, Aubrey, the vampire who lusts after Jessica, is painted as the heartthrob in the story although he lacks much of a personality.
The story itself does not give Jessica or any of the characters much room to change and grow with the emergence of the truths and trials. The plot is superficial at best and does not show much more than the words typed on the page. Atwater-Rhodes tells the story in such a way that the reader's brain can basically turn off and flow along with the words without much thought.
Lack of conflict within the main characters and the lack of any type of figurative language or imagery make this story one to move on from on the shelf. Although I think that Atwater-Rhodes is a talented author, this is not one of her best. The entire novel is rushed and glossed over and leaves the reader waiting for that sigh at the end of a good book when you know everything has just come together.
Genre:
Vampire/Coming of age/Romance
6/27/11
Review Five: Multicultural
Citation:
Martinez, Victor. Parrot in the Oven: MiVida. HarperCollins: New York. 1996. Print
Annotation:
Manny, a 14-year old Mexican-American, struggles to find his own way in his world of poverty and the enticing life of crime.
Justification for Nomination:
This novel portrays Manny in his qwest to find his identity. Martinez uses beautiful and clear language to convey the story of the young protaganist encountering very adult issues and events as he attempts to become a respectible man. Manny has to be the adult to his drunk father who would rather spend his money and time at the bar down the street than with his family. He watches in horror as his father chases his mother around with a rifle and then witnesses his older sister having a miscarriage.
Throughout it all, Manny doesn't identify himself as being a Mexican as much as being poor. His race is not focused on as he tries to avoid a life in a gang and save his family.
The first-person perspective works wonderfully in this novel because it gives the author a chance to show how thoughtful and kind Manny really is. Manny discloses his true thoughts about his family and friends and how much he truly loves them. With this narration, the plot moves quickly and easily through events in Manny's young life. The timeline is unclear, but it doesn't make any difference to the story. The pacing is choppy in parts, but the shocking events and realizations by Manny overshadow any indication of a out of place pace.
This book lets the reader experience Manny's discovery of a moral compass all on his own. He doesn't have role models so when he realizes that stealing someone's purse or beating someone up and living his life running from the police isn't what he wants, the reader realizes it with him. This portrayl of independence and loss of innocence is what makes this novel so wonderful for teen readers. Manny rises on his own and sees the right way despite every attempt by his peers to bring him down.
Parrot in the Oven is the type of novel that teaches teens that the right path isn't always the easiest, but when you reach the fork in the road, the right path is always the one to make you sigh in relief. It is the path to make you proud of being you.
Genre:
Multicultural/Coming of Age
Martinez, Victor. Parrot in the Oven: MiVida. HarperCollins: New York. 1996. Print
Annotation:
Manny, a 14-year old Mexican-American, struggles to find his own way in his world of poverty and the enticing life of crime.
Justification for Nomination:
This novel portrays Manny in his qwest to find his identity. Martinez uses beautiful and clear language to convey the story of the young protaganist encountering very adult issues and events as he attempts to become a respectible man. Manny has to be the adult to his drunk father who would rather spend his money and time at the bar down the street than with his family. He watches in horror as his father chases his mother around with a rifle and then witnesses his older sister having a miscarriage.
Throughout it all, Manny doesn't identify himself as being a Mexican as much as being poor. His race is not focused on as he tries to avoid a life in a gang and save his family.
The first-person perspective works wonderfully in this novel because it gives the author a chance to show how thoughtful and kind Manny really is. Manny discloses his true thoughts about his family and friends and how much he truly loves them. With this narration, the plot moves quickly and easily through events in Manny's young life. The timeline is unclear, but it doesn't make any difference to the story. The pacing is choppy in parts, but the shocking events and realizations by Manny overshadow any indication of a out of place pace.
This book lets the reader experience Manny's discovery of a moral compass all on his own. He doesn't have role models so when he realizes that stealing someone's purse or beating someone up and living his life running from the police isn't what he wants, the reader realizes it with him. This portrayl of independence and loss of innocence is what makes this novel so wonderful for teen readers. Manny rises on his own and sees the right way despite every attempt by his peers to bring him down.
Parrot in the Oven is the type of novel that teaches teens that the right path isn't always the easiest, but when you reach the fork in the road, the right path is always the one to make you sigh in relief. It is the path to make you proud of being you.
Genre:
Multicultural/Coming of Age
6/21/11
Review Four: General Nonfiction
Citation:
Colman, Penny. Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts: A History of Burial. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc., 1997. Print.
Annotation:
Using personal examples, photographs, and extensive research, the author outlines the historical and current rituals of many cultures and how each deals with death.
Justification for Nomination:
Penny Colman uses her pages and pages of sources to convey to the younger population how to understand death and dying. She skillfully uses her clear writing and descriptive pictures to educate children on the rituals of burial from other cultures and also from this country throughout history.
The book is divided into various chapters that all have something to do with burials and death. She includes personal anecdotes about her feelings when her father and brother passed away to allow the reader to understand and identify with her. She also includes pictures of their death certificates and cremation certificates to illustrate what happens after death. One chapter is entirely about what happens to the body after death and details some practices that are common such as autopsies and embalming.
Colman stimulates thoughts with her unusual facts from history such as wakes being first introduced for the purpose of making sure someone was really dead before they were buried. While this subject may seem odd for this age-group, the factual and poignant way that Colman writes creates a reading evironment in which the teen can absorb the information without feeling like they were creeped out or scared.
The entire book is bias-free with Colman focusing on many cultures throughout history and the world. She mentions Christians, Hindis, Jews, Eastern Europeans, Austrailians, Native Americans, and many others. Any reader will learn more than they ever wanted to know about death is this short book that with its large print and multitudes of pictures is clearly made for children and teens. There is even a list of famous graves that she includes in the back if the reader feels so inclined as to visit them.
This book will help anyone who has ever had anyone die close to them understand the history of death and show how crazy some people are when it comes to death.
Genre:
Nonfiction/History/Fascinating Facts
Colman, Penny. Corpses, Coffins, and Crypts: A History of Burial. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc., 1997. Print.
Annotation:
Using personal examples, photographs, and extensive research, the author outlines the historical and current rituals of many cultures and how each deals with death.
Justification for Nomination:
Penny Colman uses her pages and pages of sources to convey to the younger population how to understand death and dying. She skillfully uses her clear writing and descriptive pictures to educate children on the rituals of burial from other cultures and also from this country throughout history.
The book is divided into various chapters that all have something to do with burials and death. She includes personal anecdotes about her feelings when her father and brother passed away to allow the reader to understand and identify with her. She also includes pictures of their death certificates and cremation certificates to illustrate what happens after death. One chapter is entirely about what happens to the body after death and details some practices that are common such as autopsies and embalming.
Colman stimulates thoughts with her unusual facts from history such as wakes being first introduced for the purpose of making sure someone was really dead before they were buried. While this subject may seem odd for this age-group, the factual and poignant way that Colman writes creates a reading evironment in which the teen can absorb the information without feeling like they were creeped out or scared.
The entire book is bias-free with Colman focusing on many cultures throughout history and the world. She mentions Christians, Hindis, Jews, Eastern Europeans, Austrailians, Native Americans, and many others. Any reader will learn more than they ever wanted to know about death is this short book that with its large print and multitudes of pictures is clearly made for children and teens. There is even a list of famous graves that she includes in the back if the reader feels so inclined as to visit them.
This book will help anyone who has ever had anyone die close to them understand the history of death and show how crazy some people are when it comes to death.
Genre:
Nonfiction/History/Fascinating Facts
6/14/11
Review Three: Coming of Age
Citation:
Peters, Julie Anne. Define "Normal". New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2000. Print.
Annotation:
Antonia is the kind of girl who fades into the shadows as she does everything that she's told, but then her world is thrown off course by Jazz, a rebellious "punk", who Antonia is assigned to peer counsel for school. Their differences collide, but only briefly until they both realize that no one is "normal".
Justification for Nomination:
While the story of a good girl meets bad girl and they overcome their differences has been done many times in movies and other novels, this one has a little something unusual. Jazz is caked in black makeup and purple hair, and yet, her family is wealthy and caring. Antonia is a straight-A student with a perfect attendance record who runs her household alone while her mother copes with mental illness. She takes care of her younger brothers and makes sure that her mother eats. The plot was paced perfectly to make the events seem real to the reader. Jazz and Antonia don't trust each other too quickly. Antonia doesn't keep her family together like she thinks she can. The progressive action works also for the novel. Everything flows together smoothly. The surprises aren't jostling or ridiculous. The ending was statisfying and even may have come too quickly.
Peters creates two main characters with flawed and loveable personalities. Jazz is sassy and funny,but also cares deeply for her parents, though she will never show it, and for Antonia. And Antonia tries to seem so perfect to outsiders, but in reality she's just as insecure and hopeful as any of us. Teen girls will really identify with these two characters.
The style of the writing and the typeface make this novel a very quick read. Peters uses some elegant language, but most of it is quickly absorbed and not mulled over. The type is large and each page is undaunting for even the most distracted teen. The dialogue was forced and unnatural in some places which is a slight bruise on the pure flesh of this novel. Peters stays away from any kind of imagery or figurative language which makes the novel geared more toward the younger teens of middle school or early high school. The tone is never condescending or hard to decipher.
This novel is wonderful in every sense of the word. It has everything that a YA novel should to appeal to its audience: loss of innocence, "a moral compass", independence, friendship, and memorable characters. Any age would be happy to devour this novel.
Genre:
Coming of Age Novel / Search for Identity
Peters, Julie Anne. Define "Normal". New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2000. Print.
Annotation:
Antonia is the kind of girl who fades into the shadows as she does everything that she's told, but then her world is thrown off course by Jazz, a rebellious "punk", who Antonia is assigned to peer counsel for school. Their differences collide, but only briefly until they both realize that no one is "normal".
Justification for Nomination:
While the story of a good girl meets bad girl and they overcome their differences has been done many times in movies and other novels, this one has a little something unusual. Jazz is caked in black makeup and purple hair, and yet, her family is wealthy and caring. Antonia is a straight-A student with a perfect attendance record who runs her household alone while her mother copes with mental illness. She takes care of her younger brothers and makes sure that her mother eats. The plot was paced perfectly to make the events seem real to the reader. Jazz and Antonia don't trust each other too quickly. Antonia doesn't keep her family together like she thinks she can. The progressive action works also for the novel. Everything flows together smoothly. The surprises aren't jostling or ridiculous. The ending was statisfying and even may have come too quickly.
Peters creates two main characters with flawed and loveable personalities. Jazz is sassy and funny,but also cares deeply for her parents, though she will never show it, and for Antonia. And Antonia tries to seem so perfect to outsiders, but in reality she's just as insecure and hopeful as any of us. Teen girls will really identify with these two characters.
The style of the writing and the typeface make this novel a very quick read. Peters uses some elegant language, but most of it is quickly absorbed and not mulled over. The type is large and each page is undaunting for even the most distracted teen. The dialogue was forced and unnatural in some places which is a slight bruise on the pure flesh of this novel. Peters stays away from any kind of imagery or figurative language which makes the novel geared more toward the younger teens of middle school or early high school. The tone is never condescending or hard to decipher.
This novel is wonderful in every sense of the word. It has everything that a YA novel should to appeal to its audience: loss of innocence, "a moral compass", independence, friendship, and memorable characters. Any age would be happy to devour this novel.
Genre:
Coming of Age Novel / Search for Identity
6/6/11
Review Two: Graphic Novel
Citation:
Hale, Dean and Shannon.Calamity Jack. Illus. Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010. Print.
Annotation:
This graphic novel is a version of Jack and The Beanstalk in which Jack, a former petty thief, tries to rescue his widowed mother from the hands of a giant, impress Rupunzel, and find his own way to the right path of life.
Justification for Nomination:
This visually stimulating and heart-warming story will keep the attention of even the smallest attention span of a teen. Jack is a likeable and heroic character who conveys his thoughts in sarcastic side comments throughout the story. While the story is a familiar one, the new additions such as the ant people who have taken over the city and Jack's fairy-friend Pru take the fairy tale to a new level that has never been attempted. The story is fast-moving and the text is easily understood. Some of the name-calling may cause some eye-rolling with their corniness, but they may also illict a chuckle or smirk. The reader does not have to have any prior knowledge to Jack and the Beanstalk to follow the story though it does make it more interesting to compare the original with the Hales' interpretation.
The illustrations in this novel were the best part by far. They were vivid with color and action that moved the story along even if there weren't any text at all. The characters were constistant and engaging. It is evident that each panel was carefully constructed and drawn to aid the story in its overall message. The brightness of the colors and the unusual look of the giant and Rupunzel gave this novel the push it needed to overcome the slight weakness in the text.
The storyline was very "teen-friendly" with its concepts of love and growing up. Also, the idea of rescuing Jack's mother and changing his thieving ways for Rupunzel's love speak to the teen crowd. Jack has to come to terms with the knowledge that his girl may not like the real person he is and he has to decide if it would be better if she knew the truth or not. Teens will enjoy the thought of Jack having to save the one adult in charge of him from a giant.
This graphic novel is easy to read and understand without much thought. It would be the perfect book for someone who doesn't normally read a lot of graphic novels. The thoughtful images and compelling story make this sweet tale a must-read for any teen looking for a light read.
Genre:
Graphic Novel/Romance/Coming-of-Age
Hale, Dean and Shannon.Calamity Jack. Illus. Nathan Hale. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010. Print.
Annotation:
This graphic novel is a version of Jack and The Beanstalk in which Jack, a former petty thief, tries to rescue his widowed mother from the hands of a giant, impress Rupunzel, and find his own way to the right path of life.
Justification for Nomination:
This visually stimulating and heart-warming story will keep the attention of even the smallest attention span of a teen. Jack is a likeable and heroic character who conveys his thoughts in sarcastic side comments throughout the story. While the story is a familiar one, the new additions such as the ant people who have taken over the city and Jack's fairy-friend Pru take the fairy tale to a new level that has never been attempted. The story is fast-moving and the text is easily understood. Some of the name-calling may cause some eye-rolling with their corniness, but they may also illict a chuckle or smirk. The reader does not have to have any prior knowledge to Jack and the Beanstalk to follow the story though it does make it more interesting to compare the original with the Hales' interpretation.
The illustrations in this novel were the best part by far. They were vivid with color and action that moved the story along even if there weren't any text at all. The characters were constistant and engaging. It is evident that each panel was carefully constructed and drawn to aid the story in its overall message. The brightness of the colors and the unusual look of the giant and Rupunzel gave this novel the push it needed to overcome the slight weakness in the text.
The storyline was very "teen-friendly" with its concepts of love and growing up. Also, the idea of rescuing Jack's mother and changing his thieving ways for Rupunzel's love speak to the teen crowd. Jack has to come to terms with the knowledge that his girl may not like the real person he is and he has to decide if it would be better if she knew the truth or not. Teens will enjoy the thought of Jack having to save the one adult in charge of him from a giant.
This graphic novel is easy to read and understand without much thought. It would be the perfect book for someone who doesn't normally read a lot of graphic novels. The thoughtful images and compelling story make this sweet tale a must-read for any teen looking for a light read.
Genre:
Graphic Novel/Romance/Coming-of-Age
5/23/11
Review One: Printz Honor Book
Citation:
King, A.S. Please Ignore Vera Dietz. Random House: New York. 2010.
Annotation:
Please Ignore Vera Dietz is a novel about a eighteen-year-old pizza delivery technician whose best friend has just died and she is trying to come to terms with his death, her mother's abandonment, and how to do the right thing.
Justification for Rejection:
Though this novel has everything a YA novel should have (a likeable/flawed narrator, independence for the teen, dealing with troubling situations, and a little romance) it falls short when it comes to plot and organization.
The novel was written mostly from the point of view of Vera, but the author included snipets of thoughts and points of view from her best friend, Charlie, from the grave and her father. I found this an intrusion into the strong voice of Vera. This style of writing seemed like an obvious device for the author to convey information that they didn't know how to do any other way.
Though the story was very real and relatable, I found that not knowing why Charlie died until the very end, but given minimal hints that really added up to nothing was very frustrating as a reader. The novel is full of flashbacks and suggestions that don't aid the reader in figuring anything out. There is no "aha!" moment when the reader figures out the mystery. I was left in the dark until the author explicitly wrote what exactly happened.
The author does do a wonderful job of creating a moral quest in Vera about whether she should tell what she knows about Charlie's death or whether she should stay the invisible soul that she wants to be. In the end, Vera shows a good example of realizing that she has to share her knowledge to clear Charlie's name and to move on from his death. But, Vera only does this, it seems, because the ghost of Charlie has been haunting her until she shares what she knows.
Please Ignore Vera Dietz tries its hardest to convey real problems and real characters, but in the end the feigned suspense leaves the reader glad to shut the book.
King, A.S. Please Ignore Vera Dietz. Random House: New York. 2010.
Annotation:
Please Ignore Vera Dietz is a novel about a eighteen-year-old pizza delivery technician whose best friend has just died and she is trying to come to terms with his death, her mother's abandonment, and how to do the right thing.
Justification for Rejection:
Though this novel has everything a YA novel should have (a likeable/flawed narrator, independence for the teen, dealing with troubling situations, and a little romance) it falls short when it comes to plot and organization.
The novel was written mostly from the point of view of Vera, but the author included snipets of thoughts and points of view from her best friend, Charlie, from the grave and her father. I found this an intrusion into the strong voice of Vera. This style of writing seemed like an obvious device for the author to convey information that they didn't know how to do any other way.
Though the story was very real and relatable, I found that not knowing why Charlie died until the very end, but given minimal hints that really added up to nothing was very frustrating as a reader. The novel is full of flashbacks and suggestions that don't aid the reader in figuring anything out. There is no "aha!" moment when the reader figures out the mystery. I was left in the dark until the author explicitly wrote what exactly happened.
The author does do a wonderful job of creating a moral quest in Vera about whether she should tell what she knows about Charlie's death or whether she should stay the invisible soul that she wants to be. In the end, Vera shows a good example of realizing that she has to share her knowledge to clear Charlie's name and to move on from his death. But, Vera only does this, it seems, because the ghost of Charlie has been haunting her until she shares what she knows.
Please Ignore Vera Dietz tries its hardest to convey real problems and real characters, but in the end the feigned suspense leaves the reader glad to shut the book.
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