Among The Free

Among the Free

Margaret Peterson Haddix (2006)

The conclusion to the Shadow Children series, a Big Brother dystopian saga of "third children" forced to hide. I read the first one, Among the Hidden, but skipped right to the last book (it was only one the Library had). Some adventure, some danger, lots of bravery and decisions to help others and the greater good. My first impression of the lead character is why is he still so weak and confused after 6 books? Seems like by now he would have a better idea of what's going on and where he stands.

Like Dystopian books? Here's a website with series titles, summaries, even teaching ideas: Dystopian Pathfinder. And here is the author's site, but I'm not sure it's been updated in a while.

My Brother's Ghost

My Brother's Ghost

by Allan Ahlberg (2001)

A short little book about a woman remembering her childhood and how the ghost of her older brother helped their family through rough times. Set in the 1930s (40s?) it's a bit old fashioned -- polio, cigarette cards, pork pie hats -- and British, but the story stays interesting and has a dramatic finish.

Adoration of Jenna Fox

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

Mary Pearson (2008)

A techno-mystery thriller with questions of medical (and parental) ethics. Good supporting characters, quick paced, futuristic, and a little family drama. A girl awakes from a terrible car accident and must put together the mysterious pieces of her life. Friendship and a bit of teen romance, plus her strong courage, help her start figuring things out.

And now for our Guest Reviewer, Son #3:

I liked the book because it is suspenseful. Jenna Fox is a 17 year old girl that just woke up from a coma and is dealing with amnesia. She slowly finds out the danger of the whole truth about her survival of a deadly accident. The Adoration of Jenna Fox is a good story of the future of illegal medicine.

The Young Man and the Sea

The Young Man and the Sea

by Rodman Philbrick (2004)

A boy and his father deal with loss, the dad stuck on the couch and the boy out at sea after the tuna that can help turn their lives around. The hero is brave and resourceful and we pull for him immediately.

Deeper levels: geography of story, fish/lobsters.

Mick Harte Was Here

Mick Harte Was Here

Barbara Park (1995)

A quick read and no mystery, we know from the beginning the brother died in a bicycle accident. Doesn't shy away from the pain and confusion of losing someone, but there is humor mixed in and a likable, connectable main character.

Should be required reading for our school, we had two helmet-less incidents last year, skateboard and motorcycle. Can we duct tape helmets on all kids until they turn 18?

The Fault In Our Stars

The Fault In Our Stars

John Green (2012)

Quite the prolific young man, this Mr. John Green. Author (5 or 6 books since 2005?), websites (leading the "fight to increase awesome and decrease suck"), and YouTube star... when does he sleep?

Cancer isn't new, rare these days is any person that hasn't been touched by it. And while this book is about the pain of living and dying with cancer, it does such a great job letting us know the characters as real, quality people that I didn't feel played when someone died, I felt thankful I was able to read the story.

And I'll probably kiss my boys a few extra times today.

Besides the whole painful death by cancer subject matter there is alcohol, language, and un-explicit sex. Nothing most kids don't see/hear/know about already but I'd still suggest waiting for the teen years to read it.

When Zachary Beaver Came To Town

When Zachary Beaver...

Kimberly Willis Holt (1999)

A busy summer for a boy in small town Texas, 1971: a 600 lb boy in a trailer comes to town, his best friend's brother goes to Vietnam, his mother runs off to Nashville, the girl of his dreams loves someone else, he mows the lawn of a senile Judge, and his father raises worms.

Interesting book, full of very descriptive phrases that would provide many examples for use of figurative language. Almost too many personalities and goings on in the first third, might be hard to keep track of the side characters, but when the story focuses it becomes great. Almost got the tears welling up at one point as well.

Good book with many talking points, several angles for different students to appreciate and discuss.
Has anyone seen the movie?

The Silver Child

 The Silver Child

by Cliff McNish (2006)
Book One of the Silver Sequence

The first two chapters of this book were very impressive, original and thrilling, especially for a YA fantasy. Overall the book doesn't finish as strong as the opening, it gets a bit over dramatic and confusing -- narrator switches, too many narrator self-questions (Why did I..., What should I...), and proportion issues (just how big is the "angel"???) but I'm probably being over critical.

Children start to change, gaining X-men like powers and gathering in a city dump. These aren't cool Animorph changes, there's a lot of pain and confusion and the threat of something unknown yet dangerous coming, but between the invasion situation and the children's talents I'm actually looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy (usually I'm "One and Done").

*Author's website*

The Shadow Thieves

The Shadow Thieves 

Anne Ursu (2006)
Book One of The Cronos Chronicles

Just started this one, supposed to be really good ("Harry Potter-like!"). So far the language, allusions, etc seem to be at a higher level than HP or Riordan's Lightning Thief, we'll see when the action starts...

If it keeps me up past midnight to finish it, it's a good book. This one is a good book, so I may nod off in middle of re-zzzzzzzz....
view.

Creepy yet nattily attired underworld villain, emotional teens, mythological action & adventure, with an almost Douglas Adams-like sense of humor. I started off thinking "12+" because of some vocabulary and the inferring asides, but a good 10+ reader would enjoy it too. Like some Sesame Street skits, you don't get what you don't get but you still can get it. Enjoyable, especially for fans of Percy Jackson and crew, great connections to Greek mythology, and strong family/personal courage and responsibility message.

The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z

The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z 

Kate Messner (2009)

"One can do worse than be a swinger of birches."

A lot going on in this book, seems like a good one to take your time on with a class. The pretty and popular girl bully angle, mother/daughter communication and understanding, procrastination on school projects, art brain vs over organized brain (also the mother/daughter deal), grandparents dealing with old age and possible Alzheimer's, funerals, running track, young romance, the poetry of Robert Frost, plus lots and lots of trees.

Personally I'm going to try to get my 6th grade boy to read it, although the only hook for him may be the electronic genius friend (sorry son, no dragons, robots, or time travel). But my father does suffer from cognitive issues and this might be a way to see if he has questions about that. It's not all serious stuff, it's an entertaining story with good characters and some humor.

4/5 stars

Dead End in Norvelt

Dead End in Norvelt

Jack Gantos

Newbery Medal 2012

Kind of a funny book, lots of people like it (hence the awards) but it's not a typical story. A lot happens, something on almost every page, and the dialogue is quick and realistic (swear I heard my mother's and grandmother's voices throughout). Humor, strange events, but realistic and lots of historical elements (WWII, Cold War, New Deal, the Roosevelts).

I've seen this called a mystery, but it's not really. The mystery is downplayed until the end and really not important, or I guess not treated seriously. And the Hell's Angels? They're there, then not there....

The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan

Katherine Applegate
Newbery Medal 2013

Rare is the book that makes me want to gather up the neighborhood kids and pretend I had a class of my own to read this to. The only distraction as I read was all the lesson ideas popping in my brain. Loved it.

"Magic Realism" children's book style: Ivan is a gorilla and an artist telling us his story, from capture in Africa to shopping mall circus* to a home at the zoo. Sad but warm, cute but real, simple but thought-provoking. Would go nice with Dahl's Magic Finger in helping students learn to respect the animal kingdom.

5 out of 5 stars, highly recommend.


*Do they really have such things? Never heard of it. I could see a petting zoo maybe, but elephants and JCPenny?

I Funny

I Funny

James Patterson (2012)

Are all Patterson's books written with someone else these days? Whoever wrote what in this one did well, and the illustrations work very well also.

James is in a wheelchair, lives with uncaring family and a bully cousin, but wants to be a comedian. Using humor to deal with/avoid the pain in his life he learns to trust the people who care for him and have confidence in himself. Quick read with good message.

Lots of classic humor, great way to introduce students to some old time comedy.

Waiting for Normal

Waiting for Normal

Leslie O'Conner (2008)

Unfortunately, living in a trailer and dealing with hunger, neglect, reading issues, and separated families is the norm for too many children. This book touches on all of this (and more: cancer! music recitals!) in the life of a 6th grade girl but does it with a positive, confident cast of characters that brings hope to the story and reader.

Realistic but not too grim, great characters, humor. A good book to connect with lessons on empathy and recognizing other' circumstances.

Divergent

Divergent

by Veronica Roth (2011)

"The greatest book ever" says my 6th grade Son#3 and after months of bugging, and constantly re-positioning it at the top of my TBR stack, I gave in and read it.

Part Hunger Games, part Uglies series, part Hogwarts sorting hat, there's not much new; post-apocalypse society begins breaking down and young people must discover who they really are and, I presume by the end of the series, set the world heading in the right direction. The underdog heroine is likable, the parental deaths are tragic, and the questions/discussion possibilities interesting. Good action, although the climactic battle relied on far too much rote gun play. Teen romance does turn into teen sex, or at least the mention of it as a scary possibility, so now I guess it's time for the father/son birds and bees chat...?

I liked Hunger and Uglies better, but despite my aversion to trilogies I will go grab the next book off the shelf.

And it looks like Ms. Roth is a Blogger too: http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/


**Guest Review by Son #3**

Divergent by Veronica Roth is a #1 New York times best seller. A teenage girl, Beatrice,makes a choice that will change her life depending on who she is. Life is hard where she is after her choice, but this almost perfect world collapses when some one strives to discover some of their cities history. Only a group of people including Tris survived, now she and the other survivors must take their life back. This book is great for people who like the Hunger Games,The Uglies, and The Maximum Ride series. I like this book because it is TOTALLY AWESOME and is impossible to put down, because so much is always happening and there a surprise at every chapter.

Untouchable

Untouchable

Scott O'Conner (2012)

Not a children's book (wait until you're older, you wouldn't understand most of it, anyway) but a book I am recommending to any and all that will listen. It's dark, but with art and light and hope.  It's sad, but with love, unbreakable and true.  It's quiet, with emotions and memories and a pull that doesn't let go. It made me wish I could start the last school year over just so I could make sure there were no students like The Kid, hurt and ignored and misunderstood.

Click

Click

by 10 Authors (2007)

Interesting idea, seems to be the fad for a group of authors to co-write a book, and the overall theme stays true even as points of view and times shift throughout.

A family mystery, why did Grandpa leave this gift/puzzle? leads to who really was Grandpa. Lots of characters, lots of world travel. A little challenging, suggested for good readers.

I Have Lived A Thousand Years

I Have Lived A Thousand Years: 
Growing Up In the Holocaust

by Livia Bitton-Jackson (1997)


Not an easy book to read.  And they all shouldn't be easy, should they?  A 13 year old Jewish girl and her family are forced into ghettos, labor camps, and concentration camps under Nazi Germany.  The point is made very clear that it is a daily miracle any of them survived the inhumane treatment.  Strong story of will, of family, of caring for others and not allowing oneself to be changed or beaten by a terrible ordeal.

The degrading violence and personal humiliations are not white washed, the facts of daily conditions in the camps are clearly presented.  Great opportunities for a variety of lessons across the curriculum.  I remember visiting a camp, Dachau I think, when I was 11 or 12, and the strongest memory I have is how small and cramped the sleeping areas were, how little room there was between the bunk levels. Still very clear to me 30+ years later.

While I think it's important for children to be aware of the Holocaust and of similar historical and current events, I don't think I'd introduce a book this frank and real until 6 or 7th grade.  Having the students/readers the same age as the author when she lived through these horrors could be more personal and powerful.

And now I want to go read The Book Thief again.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Suzanne Collins (2008-2010)

Ah, another ultra-violent book (and movie*) that is not only accepted and okay-ed but exalted because it will "get the kids to read" -- not sure if there's a grrrrr here or merely a hmmm...

As my three regular readers know (what? Can't count myself? Not famous or eccentric enough to speak in 3rd person?) Ok, as both my regular readers know, I sometimes wail and rant against the amount of violence surrounding us, specifically in children's pop culture. But I did enjoy the book, I found the characters compelling and the violence/Government control/blind faith in leaders as abhorred and rejected by the main characters, the book, and the author.  So it's all good, don't toss the message out with the bloody bathwater, as the saying sort of goes.

I think Katniss is a strong role model, not just for females but for encouraging the questioning of that's just the way it is and because we've always done it that way. Problem solving, putting others first, caring for family, taking responsibility, exploring and understanding how those (of us) in charge are not always right and/or good. I won't let my students read it, and neither will our Librarian, unless parents say ok, and even then I'd be hesitant, if only because I don't want them to miss the good stuff by reading literature/vocabulary over their head. If all they take from it is a desire to shoot something with bow and arrow, did we really "get the kids to read"? FULL DISCLOSURE: My 5th grade son read book 1 and loved it, but he's stuck with me as TeacherDad so you can be sure he'll be stuck discussing thematic elements at the dinner table.



*I thought the movie was very well done. As a movie, it was exactly what going to the theater and becoming immersed in the big screen and the story is all about.  It reflected the book yet stands alone. It looked a little TV movie-ish for the final battle scenes, but District 12 more than made up for that. I'm glad I didn't take my 10 year old, although half my 5th grade class said they went opening weekend. He'll see it on video, and he'll see enough in his life, there's no rush to desensitize him.

The Wikkeling

The Wikkeling

by Steve Arntson (2011)

A little spooky, a bit complicated, and very much well worth it. Three kids that don't fit in with the "normal" -- one would love to be a garbage collector when he grows up -- in a future society of computers for standardized testing on every students' desk and cell phones tracking one's every movement. (hmm, did I say "future"?)

A special attic is discovered, full of old books and candles and a window that shows a tree lined street of the past, and the children are chased by a ghost-like creature that is also connected to the city's Big Brother-like computer system. A little mystery, some adventure, helping friends and standing up for what you believe in. Cats, grandparents, and a man named "Oak" are also involved.

4/5 stars, highly recommend it.

connections: 1984, The Last Book In The Universe