Teen Book Diva

A Change of Name & Address

2007-04-27T15:36:00.000-04:00

Hey, everyone! I'm moving to a new blog address - getting it up and running right now. The new blog wil still contain lots of book review (hopefully a lot more than I've been writing lately, as my class is almost over!), but it will also contain more "2.0" Library and Lit goodies. Check it out here (and remember it's still a work in progress...)

http://highschoollibrary20.blogspot.com/

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

2007-04-23T14:52:00.000-04:00

American Born Chinese was on my list to read before it won the Printz Award, thanks to Michael Cart's presentation at this year's ISLMA conference. He raved about it, so, even though it didn't sound like something I'd pick up on my own, I wanted to read it. It took forever for our library copy to get here, however. Then some students wanted it, and I loaned to to a teacher who was just getting into graphic novels...and so on. Finally, on Friday, a snagged it for myself and took it home to read over the weekend.

It's actually three stories that seem to have no connection. One is the story of Jin Wang, and American born Chinese, who wants nothing more than to fit in. The second is the story of Danny and his cousin Chinkee, who is a glaringly offensive portrayal of the stereotyped image of a Chinese immigrant - pidgin grammar, silk pajamas, etc. Last is the story of the Monkey King and his desire to obtain a higher consciousness and thus no longer be a monkey.

At first I was nervous the story lines wouldn't tie together and I'd be left trying to puzzle out their meanings. I had nothing to worry about, however. Gene Luen Yang does an excellent job of bringing the stories together to illustrate what it feels like to be and outsider in two cultures.

What I'm Reading: The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti

On My Bookshelf: Queen of the Slayers; Buffy Season 8; Beastly by Alex Flinn

Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan

2007-04-23T14:31:00.000-04:00

Pride of Baghdad was incredible on two levels: first as a graphic novel, second as an illustration of the situation in Iraq. The story is based on real events: a pride of four lions escapes from the Baghdad Zoo when the city is bombed by the Americans. Told from the lions' point of view, we see the planes flying over the zoo, experience their confusion at the explosions, and their sense of excitement and trepidation when the realize they've been freed. Teens who don't know very much about the war will still enjoy Pride of Baghdad for the story & the illustrations, while those who possess more knowledge of the war will pick up on the subtle analogies between the zoo animals and the situation in the Middle East.

What I'm reading: American Born Chinese by gene Luen Yang

On My Bookshelf: The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti; Queen of the Slayers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson

2007-04-12T14:17:00.000-04:00

CSI fans will like Ferguson's forensic mystery, the story of a girl whose father is the local coroner. Cameryn knows she wants to study forensics, so she talks her dad into maker her his assistant - a great way to get some real experience. The job gets interesting in a hurry when a high profile murder is committed in their little town - a town that hasn't seen a murder in Cameryn's lifetime. Cameryn's new job puts her right in the middle of the investigation, much to the chagrin of the medical examiner and her grandmother.

There are enough twists & turns in The Christopher Killer to make it a good mystery, and the forensic details may appeal to those who aren't fans of typical mysteries. Less gory than CSI (maybe - depends on how good your imagination is) but definately more detailed than the average mystery, The Christopher Killer is the first in a new series that is recieving acclaim from authors & forensics experts both.

I couldn't put this one down until I was done, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, Angel of Death, which is already out. The mystery kept me guessing for most of the book, and I enjoyed the exploration of Cameryn's relationship with her family. The family dynamics are what will make me, and other readers, rush to pick up the next book.

What I'm Reading: The Audacity of Hope by Barrack Obama

On My Bookshelf: Beastly by Alex Flinn

Good Girls by Laura Ruby

2007-01-25T14:22:00.000-05:00

Sadly enough, Laura Ruby's Good Girls is the only new YA book I've read in well over a month. I love books for younger children, too, but I really miss my YA books! I feel like I'm almost there - almost comfortable with the class - so I can actually start reading some things for older kids again. I can't wait to get my hands on America Born Chinese, the new Printz winner - our library's copy is in processing.

The good news is that Good Girls is a good choice to be the only YA book I've read lately. I started it a few months ago but put it aside; the opening did not seem particularly distinctive, and I couldn't remember why I was anticipating this one. However, I went back to it and I'm glad I did.

Audrey, a "good girl" who gets good grades, has been hooking up with her class's playboy, Luke. The hooking up has been all physical, and Audrey's pretty confused. Luke acts like he likes her when they're together, and she loves the way he makes her feel, but he barely acknowledges her at school. Knowing she should end things, Audrey hooks up with Luke one last time. But the last time might be one time too many.

There are some pretty detailed descriptions included in this book, but with good reason. Although describing it this way won't spark the interest of many teens, Audrey really is exploring her sexuality and figuring out how to take control of it, because, so far, it seems to be taking control of her. Teens will totally understand how Audrey feels, physically and emotionally, when she & Luke hook up.

There are some other descriptions that are pretty detailed as well. After finding out her daughter is sexually active, Audrey's mother makes an appointment for Audrey with a gynecologist. It's Audrey's first exam, and she describes it all quite clearly. As far as I know, this is the only such description out there in a YA novel, and it's about time girls had something to help take the mystery out of this sometimes scary experience.

I thought about Good Girls a lot after I finished it, and not just because I didn't have time to move on to another book. Audrey & her experience stuck with me. I loved that Audrey got burned by her sexual experiences, but she didn't let that scare her away. I loved the character development of Audrey, Luke and her friends - Luke is very two dimensional at the beginning of the book, just like his relationship with Audrey. That changes as Audrey changes.

Good Girls isn't a horror story about a good girl gone bad, but it does show how easy it is to end up in trouble when you're a teen - even when you are a good girl.

What I'm reading: Black and White Airmen: Their True History by John Fleischman (for a review)

On My Bookshelf: The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin (I've been reading in on my lunch break, but I'm not getting anywhere fast!)

Children's Literature Criticism

2007-01-25T14:14:00.000-05:00

I've been doing a lot of prep work for the class I'm teaching this semester, and that means reading a lot of picture books & criticism, neither of which I feel particularly inclined to write about. However, I would like to put in a plug for an older but great collection of essays on children's literature: Celebrating Children's Books by Betsy Hearne & Marilyn Kaye. It is no longer in print, but if you can get your hands on a copy, I recommend you do.

Sold by Patricia McCormick

2006-12-14T14:19:00.000-05:00

Sold is on many librarian's shortlists for the Printz Award for this year, and with good reason. This powerful novel is the story of a young girl from Nepal, unknowingly sold into prostitution by her step-father. Taken hundreds of miles from her home, forced to work in a brothel, and cheated of her earnings by the madam, Lakshmi's life is bleak, and she has little hope of escape. Her earnings will never be enough to pay her debt to the madam, and the chances of her contracting a disease and being tossed into the streets is very real.

Sold, Lakshmi's story, is told in short vignettes, providing brief glimpses of the poverty of Lakshmi's mountain village, the love of her mother, and the bleak reality of life in the brothel. This style often leaves me wanting more of the story - more details, more development - but I think it is best for Lakshmi's story, since details would be almost too much to bear.

According to Patricia McCormick's notes, over 12,000 Nepali girls are sold into prostitution each year. While Lakshmi's story is fiction, it is based in the reality of many young girls.

SPOILER: Don't read past this point if you don't want to know about the end of the book!

The main flaw in the book, that I can see, is that Lakshmi is saved by Americans - Westerners. This sort of "Americans to the rescue!" ideal is troubling, since it may lead readers to see all Indian and Nepali people as uncaring and even evil, ignoring the plight of these young women, and Americans as the rescuers who always do the right thing. This might be misleading to a teen who is not familiar with these cultures, and whose multicultural reading is limited. It would have been gratifying to see Lakshmi's escape made possible by a member of her own culture.

What I'm Reading: This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn by Aidan Chambers

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

2006-11-30T23:35:00.000-05:00

John Green does it again. In his follow-up to the Printz winner Looking for Alaska, Green creates another cast of characters we'd love to know better.

Colin Singleton is a prodigy. Not a genius, just a prodigy. And now that he's eighteen and graduated from high school, his prodigy status has expired - and Colin's certain he'll never make it to genius.

When Colin's girlfriend - Kathrine XIX (the 19th in an amazing line of Katherines he has dated) dumps him, Colin's best friend Hassan convinces him to take a road trip. In Gutshot Tennessee, Colin and Hassan discover the grave of an Austrian archduke and the Theory of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which Colin thinks will prevent future heartbreak by all women named Katherine.

Is Colin a dumpee, or is he really a dumper at heart? Will he ever make "genius" - will he ever really matter? And what's with all the Katherines, anyway?

Not all teens will appreciate John Green's hilarious novel - some might find Colin just as annoying as his classmates do. Other's will see themselves in Colin's social ineptitude and his unluckiness in love. As with Looking for Alaska, Green has created a truly clever cast of characters and a truly clever book. Instead of Pudge's last words, this time he gives us Colin's anagrams, and, of course, his Theory of Underlying Katherine Predictability - complete with footnotes and a mathematical explanation of the formula (written by a real mathematician - see Appendix A).

What I'm Reading: Far From Normal by Kate Klise

On My Bookshelf: Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer

My Lost and Found Life by Melodie Bowsher

2006-11-30T23:17:00.000-05:00

Ashley Mitchell is a character many teens will love to hate. Rich, popular, beautiful and snobby, Ashley is just the type of girl we like to see get what she deserves. And in My Lost and Found Life, it seems like she does.
Ashley's mom has always made sure Ashley had everything she wanted. Being a single mom might be tough, but Ashley doesn't have to think about her mom's life -she's too busy thinking of herself. So when her mom tells her things will have to change - their expensive lifestyle has to stop - Ashley doesn't want to hear it.
But the next morning Ashley's mother is gone. It seems the expensive lifestyle they've been living is thanks to her mom's theft - her mother has been stealing money from work for years. Now she's taken off with a million dollars, and left Ashley alone.
Living in a trailer behind a gas station, working in a coffee shop and struggling to make ends meet, Ashley's former life seems pretty far away. But the toughest part for Ashley isn't her living conditions or her money problems. It's wondering what happened to her mother. Ashley just can't believe her mom left her behind, and Ashley can't forgive herself for the terrible things she said to her mother the last time they spoke.
Ashley's growth as a character is admirable; her self-centered personality transforms into a self-confidence that serves her well as she has to make her own way in the world. Bowsher's writing is occasionally stilted, and she tends to "tell" things rather than "show" them, but she turns Ashley from a unlikable snob into an strong young woman. Despite the rough spots, Ashley's story is definitely enough to keep you reading.

What I'm Reading: Kathy Reich's Deadly Decisions
On My Bookshelf: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Getting Buffed

2006-10-16T14:11:00.000-04:00

I'm using an upcoming unit in our SciFi/Fantasy class on Buffy the Vampire Slayer as an excuse to read up on Buffy criticism. Here's a sampling of what I've read so far:

Seven Seasons of Buffy: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Discuss Their Favorite Television Show
This was a great introduction to Buffy criticism. A collection of essays written by scifi/fan authors who are Buffy fans, it includes some fun essays (Is That Your Final Answer...? by Roxanne Longstreet Conrad) as well as some readable discussions of important issues (Where's the Religion in Willow's Wicca?). This one assumes familiarity with all seven seasons of the show.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Critical Reading of the Series by Anne Billson
A general critical look at the show overall, this work includes brief summaries of each season at the beginnings of each chapter. The first chapter is a great look at the history of female heroes in TV (or lack thereof) and Buffy's role as a trailblazer for strong female characters. Chapter Two gives some great background info on the show (how it came to be), and the remaining chapters look at issues like "Love and Other Catastrophes" and "Revenge of the Nerds." Again, probably best to be familiar with all seven seasons, although the summaries will help if your memory needs to be jogged.

What Would Buffy Do? The Vampire Slayer as Spiritual Guide by Jana Riess
Although it sounds as if it could be a bit preachy, this was a completely readable look at all the spiritual aspects of Buffy - and when I say all, I mean it wasn't just from a Christian perspective. I loved the comparison of Buffy to a lama (she is a chosen one who inherits the wisdom of all those who have come before her) as well as the exploration of the themes of sef-sacrifice, friendship, self-reliance, spiritual mentors & humor's role in spirituality. This is not a stuffy tome that will be a turn-off to non-religious fans, but a great exploration of several of the weightier themes addressed in the show.
Appendixes contain summaries of each season as well as character profiles, but to really appreciate the book, you should watch the shows themselves. There are also a few spoilers for the Buffy spin-off Angel in this one, especially in the chapter on redemption, which examines Angel's character closely.

What I'm Reading: More Buffy books!
On My Book Shelf: Buffy, and Finding Serenity, a collection of critical essays on Joss Whedon's series Firefly

Waking Sleeping Beauty: Feminist Voices in Children's Novels by Roberta Seelinger Trites

2006-10-16T11:07:00.000-04:00

A little bit of theory and criticism to get me thinking. Trites is one of the professors in Illinois State University's English Dept, part of their masters/PhD program in young adult and/or children's lit. I'm thinking of applying next year, so I'm doing a little recon.

In Waking Sleeping Beauty, Trites examines several children's/YA novels through the lens of feminine criticism. She begins by discussing feminist criticism, and points out that it doesn't just look at female characters or "girl" books, but at all books where feminist issues of subjectivity, voice, etc. are important. A book can be a feminist novel even if it has a male protagonist.
As literary criticism, most of the chapters are quite readable. I found Trites' explanation of "subjectivity" as a literary term a bit foggy; a more clear explanation would have been helpful since it is an important concept referred to repeatedly throughout the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed the early chapters, examining voice and subjectivity in classics like Little Women (one of my favorites), Cassie Binegar and The Hero and the Crown. However, as I got further into the book, I found myself wondering where the recent title were. The book was published in 1997, but the majority of the YA texts examined were published in the 1970s and 1980s. While the concepts Trites examines are universal and can certainly be applied to books from any era, I missed a discussion that included text that were more contemporary. However, in all, Waking Sleeping Beauty is an excellent introduction to the feminist study of children's literature.

What I'm Reading: Stacks of Buffy books
On my bookshelf: More Buffy books & Finding Serenity

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

2006-10-03T20:55:00.000-04:00

When Chicago was granted the right to host the 1893 World's Fair, it wasn't just the biggest event in the history of the city (yes, maybe even bigger than the incident with Mrs. O'Leary's cow), it was one of the biggest events of the 19th century. The honor of a city and a nation was at stake; if Chicago and the United States couldn't outshine the Exposition Universelle, the Paris World's Fair of 1889, then they would never live it down. Paris's Fair had been a marvel of light and technology, and it's finest achievement was a lingering monument to the event: a 75 story tower, then the tallest structure in the world, designed and built by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel.
Fortunately for the pride of the city and the country, Chicago architect Daniel H. Burnham was hired to design the fair. Facing and fighting impossible deadlines, financial difficulties, interference by the fair committee, the death of his partner, workers' strikes, an economic panic, fires, tornadoes and fueding women, Burnham persevered, living in a "shanty" in Jackson Park for over a year so he could supervise the project firsthand.
The fair was a triumph for Burnham and for Chicago, and Eiffel's tower was trumped by George W. Ferris's creation of the world's first amusement park ride. But underneath the soft light of the fair's White City was a current of darkness that would not be brought into the light until the White City was falling to ruin.
Dr. H. H. Holmes, doctor, pharmacist, hotel owner and America's first serial killer, used the chaos and crowds of the Word's Fair to find his victims and to cover their disappearances. An accomplished con man as well as a killer, Holmes created a castle of terror in his hotel before leaving the city after the close of the fair.
Daniel Burnham and H. H. Holmes: two educated and talented men of the late 19th century, together in a city bustling with preparations for an event that would awe the world. Two stories woven together in Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America. A true crime novel, a historical text and an all-around great story rolled into one, Devil in the White City has appeal for a wide range of readers: those who like mysteries, those who like history, those fascinated with serial killers, those interested in Chicago history, and those who just plain like a well told story.

What I'm Reading: Waking Sleeping Beauty: Feminist Voices in Children's Novels by Roberta S. Trites and Seven Seasons of Buffy: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Discuss Their Favorite Television Show

On My Bookshelf: More Buffy books, and still wanting to get to Chabon's Summerland (especially during the playoffs!)

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

2006-09-18T16:13:00.000-04:00

Julie is enthusiastic about Jane Austen, but her friend Ashleigh is enthusiastic about everything. When Ashleigh finally reads Pride and Prejudice, Miss Austen's novels become her latest obsession. Embarking on a quest to find her own Mr. Darcy, Ashleigh drags Julie to a dance at a local boys' boarding school, where, in a plot that would make Miss Austen proud, Ashleigh unknowingly claims Julie's crush as her own true love and assigns Julie's affections to Ned, a Mr Bixby for sure.
While Julie's reluctance to tell Ashleigh the truth is annoying, and Ashleigh's refusal to listen to Julie is downright frustrating, Enthusiasm is fun enough to keep teens interested and to spark their interest in the incomparable novels (or at least the films) of Miss Austen herself.

What I'm Reading: Love, Ruby Lavender
On My Bookshelf: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen; The Book of Fate by Brad Melzer; Summerland by Michael Chabon

Anyone But You by Lara M. Zeises

2006-09-08T16:57:00.000-04:00

An interestingly "blended" family: Seattle and her dad moved in with Layla & her two sons six years ago. When Seattle's dad left, Layla decided to raise Sea herself, and Layla, Seattle, Critter & Jesse have been a family every since. Sea and Critter aren't just like brother & sister - they're best friends. That is, until a girl, a guy, and Seattle's dad all enter the picture.
Lara Zeises tells the story from alternating points of view, so the reader understands Seattle's dislike of Critter's new love interest while also understanding Critter's attraction. The family situation sets up an interesting new dynamic to the boy-and-girl-as-best-friends story, but the re-appearance of Seattle's father in the midst of these brief weeks of discord is pretty predictable, and his role seems unnecessary- like he appears just because he's expected. We don't really know why he picked this week, this day to re-appear in Seattle's life - unless it's just to make this week more confusing for her.
Still, Seattle & Critter's confusion about their feeling (for others and for each other) is real & believable, and I was left wondering about their future - as siblings, as friends, and possibly as a couple.

What I'm Reading: Enthusiasm by Polly Schulman
On My Bookshelf: Summerland by Michael Chabon

Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen Headley

2006-09-08T15:59:00.000-04:00

Patty Ho is trying to figure out what it means to be Patty Ho. Half white, half Asian, she's uncomfortable with both, since her white father left them and her Taiwanese mom is stricter-than-strict - and (thanks to her dad) very suspicious of white guys. This means Patty can't date, and when a Chinese fortune teller tells Patty's mom that Patty will marry a white guy, her mom decides the best place for Patty this summer is math camp at Stanford - where she's sure to meet a nice Asian boy.
And she's right. Patty doesn't want to be at math camp, but she's surprised by the people she meets there. Although unnaturally fond of math, most of the other kids at camp are fun, and when Patty meets Stu, a nice Asian boy who's going to be a doctor, math camp might turn out to be just what her mother ordered...
At first I thought this book tried too hard, and I didn't really like Patty. But I kept reading, and while I still think the author sometimes strains to be witty, I really liked the "hapa" Patty becomes. I loved the fact that this book makes being smart and going to math camp look cool, and I loved it that Patty didn't just start to figure out who she is, but that she's worth standing up for.

What I'm reading: Anyone But You by Lara M. Zeises
On My Bookshelf: Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt

2006-09-05T11:28:00.000-04:00

In many ways, the story of A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life is predictable. An adopted child's biological mother wishes to see her; the daughter isn't ready. She finally agrees. They bond. The mother reveals she is terminally ill, and the daughter finds the mother only to lose her again. But she is changed forever by the experience.
What makes A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life worth reading is Simone, the main character, and her distinct, fresh voice. Her adopted parents are present and caring, and her relationship with her younger brother is a positive one. She is not haunted by her adoption and is not interested in meeting her mother. Still, when her parents begin to press her, Simone finally agrees to meet with Rivka, and she discovers a piece of her heritage that she has, perhaps unknowingly, been missing. Rivka, the daughter of a Jewish Orthodox rabbi, is very much a practicing Jew. Simone, like her adoptive parents, identifies herself as an atheist (she even belongs to an atheist student group). But Rivka's quiet faith has appeal for Simone, and much of her limited time with Rivka is spent exploring not just her family's history, but what it means to be Jewish - and what it means to have faith in something larger than yourself.

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

2006-08-25T22:01:00.000-04:00

I began reading Melissa de la Cruz's earlier book, Fresh Off the Boat, last year and quite honestly couldn't finish it because I felt the writing was so poor. When I first saw Blue Bloods, I was really excited - I love vampire books, and the idea that the blue bloods of New York society might actually be vampires, descended from the Mayflower's passengers, sounded really promising. It sounded a little reminiscent of Scott Westerfeld's Peeps, which I loved. However, when I saw who wrote it , I was prepared to be diappointed. In fact, I thought about not reading it at all.
But I did, and I'm glad I did. The writing was still bad, but the story was good enough that I had to finish it. It was disappointing - I can't help but wonder what the story could have been in the hands of a better writer. Some things, like the vampires' life cycles, aren't explained very well, and most disturbing to me was de la Cruz's tampering with history. In her version, Captain Myles Standish became governor of Plymouth in 1622 for 31 consecutive one-year terms. William Bradford was actually Plymouth's governor beginning in 1621, and remained governor for over 30 years. De la Cruz also has Standish leading party of male Mayflower vampires to look for their fellow creatures at Roanoke in December 1620; the colony of Roanoke had been found abandoned as early as 1590. The Pilgrim settlers would have known of it's demise and had no need to undertake such an expedition 30 years later.
Adjusting history to fit a story is one thing, but not including a note explaining the alterations is much worse, in my opinion. De la Cruz, in her very. very brief note on the text, mentions the "true story" of Roanoke's disappearance in 1590, but does not point out that she altered the date or explain why she did so. She doesn't take responsibility for her misrepresentation of history, and young readers may take her altered version as fact.
Still, the story itself is actually good and is an interesting take on the typical vampire legends. De la Cruz's blue blooded vampires were cast out of Heaven, forced to live as immortals on earth, reincarnation every 100 years and carrying centuries of memories with them. New York high society is run by vampires, and the blood of the student body of the exclusive Duquesne School runs very blue. Schuyler, Bliss and several others are about to to discover their heritage; a new generation of vampires is coming of age (again), but their immortality is threatened by a predator from their past.
This one will definitely appeal to teens, and most won't share my complaints, I'm sure. However, there are definietly better vampire books out there - steer the kids toward Twilight by Stephenier Meyer or The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause instead.

What I'm Reading: A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life
On My Bookshelf: Spacer and Rat; Nothing But the Truth

Hazing Meri Sugarman by A. Apostolina

2006-08-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

Cindy Bixby just wants some friends. She dreams of being popular, but she knows that's a lot to ask for - she'll settle for friends. But leaving for college changes things, and Cindy actually gets into Alpha Beta Delta, one of the most exclusive sororities on campus. Suddenly, she's not just popular - she's a member of the most powerful organization at RU, and the sorority's president, Meri Sugarman, has taken a special interest in her. After Meri makes her over, Cindy's turning heads all over town - but when she turns the head of Meri's ex, she's in big trouble. Meri won't take second place to anyone, and Meri is one enemy Cindy will wish she didn't have.
For a slightly more mature audience (older characters, some sex, drugs & drinking), Hazing Meri Sugarman is an off-the-wall look at life in a sorority. This one is so over-the-top that I stayed up past midnight to finish it - I had to see how Cindy could possibly get the best of Meri!

What I'm Reading: Blue Bloods
On My Bookshelf: A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life; Spacer and Rat

On the Head of a Pin by Mary Beth Miller

2006-08-25T21:41:00.000-04:00

I was a little reluctant to read this one because it sounded like such a dark book. Five teens gathered in a cabin after a party - three drunk boys downstairs, one boy and one girl upstairs. And one gun. The time is terrible - the gun goes off, and the girl is dead.
On the Head of a Pin is the story of the aftermath. The shooting is covered up, the unconscious boyfriend drugged and forced to forget what he knows. When the crime is discovered, it will destroy the lives of each of the boys in very different ways.
I was right - this one is dark, and haunting. Michael, the confused and lost boyfriend, is the most touching character, and one who stayed with me even after finishing the book. The writing isn't as strong as it should be - Miller stumbles in a few scenes - but Michael's character is true and helps carry the book through the rough patches.
I booktalked this one to freshmen this morning and got great responses from several freshmen boys.

What I'm Reading: Hazing Meri Sugarman
On My Bookshelf: Blue Bloods, etc.

Honus & Me by Dan Gutman

2006-08-25T21:26:00.000-04:00

As a huge baseball fan, I couldn't pass up the Baseball Card Adventure series when I came upon it at the bookstore last week. It's the story of Joe Stoshack, a boy who loves baseball but isn't very good at playing it. While cleaning out a neighbor's attic, he finds a baseball card - a T-206 Honus Wagner, the most valuable baseball card in the world. But Joe soon find the card is special for more than it's monetary value; he can use the card to travel through time. After Honus Wagner shows up in Joe's bedroom, Joe travels back in time with Honus where he gets to watch the 1909 World Series and get some tips from the man many feel was the greatest ball player of all time.
This is a great book for young boys who are sports fans; I have a cousin who would probably love it. The writing isn't fabulous, but the story is so much fun I read it anyway, and I plan to read the others in the series. I can't wait to hear about Joe's adventures with Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Shoeless Joe and Satchel Page.

What I'm Reading: On the Head of a Pin by Mary Beth Miller
On My Bookshelf: Hazing Meri Sugarman; Blue Bloods; A Brief Chapter in the Impossible Life

Wicked

2006-08-21T21:34:00.000-04:00

Gregory Maguire’s twisted novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is set to become a modern classic thanks to the musical based on the story. Building on the one dimensional characters made famous by L. Frank Baum’s original novel and the classic movie The Wizard of Oz, Maguire develops the Land of Oz into a place of political intrigue and complicated alliances. Characters like Glinda the Good Witch, Dorothy, the Wizard and, of course, the Wicked Witch of the West are seen as complete characters with vital roles to play in the history of Oz.
Wicked is the story of Elphaba, a mysterious changeling child born with green skin and a natural aversion to water. An outcast even within her own family, Elphie begins to find her place as a young woman at Shiz University. Her friendships with Animals, Munchkins and her roommate Glinda are cut short by tragedy, however, and Elphie leaves the university and her circle of friends to go underground. Increasingly concerned with correcting the wrongs she sees in Ozian society, Elphaba is caught up in events that will eventually steal her passion and leave her a shell of her former self.
Flipping the familiar story on it’s head, Wicked presents a completely unfamiliar Oz, an Oz where Animals can be exterminated, political alliances forged by magic and trickery, and where the ultimate villain, the Wicked Witch of the West, can be a sympathetic heroine with a fine sense of honor and a true love of justice.

Maguire, Gregory. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the
West. New York: HarperCollins, 1995.

What I'm Reading: Honus & Me by Dan Gutman; The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century by Thomas L. Friedman
On My Bookshelf: An assortment of children's books, including Summerland by Michael Chabon; Victory by Susan Cooper; Hoot by Carl Hiaasen & The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg.

Dracula

2006-08-08T22:02:00.000-04:00

I read most of Dracula in college for an awesome class in Gothic literature, but it was near the end of the semester and I wasn't able to finish it. Since it's been several years, I decided to go ahead and reread this one as part of my League project, especially since Mina Harker is such an important character in the League books. In the movie, Allan Quartermain (Sean Connery) is the "leader" of the group, but in the GNs, it is Mina who takes the lead.
This alone is fascinating, after reading Dracula. The (male) heroes of Dracula - Van Helsing, Mina's husband Jonathan, Dr Seward, Lord Godalming and Quincey Morris - are incredibly intent on protecting Mina from danger, even after she has become Dracula's victim. Although she proves early on in the hunt that she is smart and brave, and perhaps better than any of them at deduction and planning, she is shut out of the hunt because she is a woman.
In The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, however, Mina is not just the leader; she is a strong, liberated woman who is divorced from her (weaker) husband. Alan Moore takes a character who is forced into a particular role due to the gender constraints of her time and liberates her for the 20th century.
So many other things about Dracula have already been said - the prototypical vampire novel that established vampire legend. Dracula also included the veiled eroticism that so often underlies vampire stories (although Dracula is not a "sexy" vampire). Dracula's attacks on Mina and Lucy Westenra are more like seductions, and Jonathan Harker's reaction to his wife's succumbing to the vampire is reminiscent of a man whose wife has been raped or seduced by another man. It's also worth note that Dracula seems to prefer female victims - the three vampires who try to seduce Harker while he is in Dracula's castle, Mina, and Lucy are all young, attractive women.
As a horror story, I think Dracula has lost much of its punch when compared to the works of Stephen King et all. But it is a mesmerizing story, beautifully crafted through letters, journal entries, newspaper articles and other documents (interesting that two of the greatest horror novels of the 19th century - Frankenstein and Dracula - are both told through letters, journals, interviews, etc. instead of through a traditional narrative. Is this testimony format and attempt to make them seem more real?). This is one of those books that everyone should read for the cultural literacy factor if nothing else- the movie versions of Dracula are so far from the original story (although Bram Stoker's Dracula, the one with Gary Oldman released in 1992, is fairly close to the original story), and Dracula is such a popular cultural figure, that I think everyone should experience the original story.
For another great book about Dracula, check out The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.

Stoker, Bram. Dracula. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2004.

What I'm Reading: The Night My Sister Went Missing by Carol Plum-Ucci (Advanced Reading Copy)
On My Bookshelf: Wicked; In Cold Blood

The Wright 3

2006-08-08T21:49:00.000-04:00

Check out my comments on Chasing Vermeer for my general thoughts on these stories. The Wright 3 is a sequel to Chasing Vermeer, and I think I liked it even better. This story is also an "art" mystery, although in this case the work of art in question is the Robie House, a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright located in Hyde Part, the neighborhood where the characters live. The book contains some great info on FLW and his work (it inspired me to go track down a couple of books on his work & the Prairie style of architecture) as well as the codes, puzzles and mysteries employed in the first book. I'm looking forward to more books from Blue Balliett.

Balliett, Blue. The Wright 3. New York: Scholastic, 2006.

What I'm Reading: Dracula
On My Bookshelf: Still the same!

Mockingbird

2006-08-08T21:40:00.000-04:00

I love To Kill a Mockingbird, and I was facinated to learn that, until now, there has never been a full-length biography written about the author, Harper Lee. Just released in May, Charles Shields's work is a facinating look at the life of the author of one of the classics of the 20th century.
For more, read my review in The Hub.

Shields, Charles. Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee. New York: Henry Hold & Co, 2006.

What I'm Reading: Dracula (to continue the League project)
On My Bookshelf: The Night My Sister Went Missing by Carol Plum-Ucci (an ARC for review); Wicked by Gregory Maguire (we're going to see the musical next month) and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (Harper Lee was his research assistant).

King Solomon's Mines

2006-08-08T21:17:00.000-04:00

I'm finally getting started on my League of Extraordinary Gentlemen project, and it seemed logical to start with the character I knew the least about.
H. Rider Haggard's Allan Quartermain books were incredibly popular in the late Victorian era. At this height of British imperialism, Quartermain's character - an adventurous elephant hunter - would have been an exotic but familiar figure to most Englishmen. Haggard first wrote his books for boys (as he states in his introduction), but they were popular with a large audience of both sexes.
King Solomon's Mines is the most famous Quartermain story, the tale of an adventure into the African wilds in search of King Solomon's goldmines. As I read the book, I found myself thinking how predictable it was, comparing it often in my mind to movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Mummy. What made the book so interesting is that it is the prototype for this sort of adventure story - adventure seekers like Indiana Jones have their roots in Allan Quartermain and his adventures. When Haggard wrote the Quartermain books, this sort of adventure was new and innovative. He was so successful that hundreds of other stories like his have been written - so many that the tenants of the story have become common knowledge to most readers:
1. A group sets off on a dangerous adventure that promises the possibility of treasure, although the group usually has other (non-monetary) motivations as well.
2. The group reaches the destination after a series of adventures only to face a seemingly overwhelming threat.
3. Through luck, cunning and some surprise occurrences, the group overcomes the threat, usually resulting in some humanitarian results (righting past wrongs, helping the helpless, etc.)
4. As a reward, the group receives help finding their treasure, but to take possession, they must face more obstacles
5. The heroes overcome obstacles and take possession of their treasure, but usually this is at some cost - either loss of life, or partial loss of treasure
6. The heroes return home, where few know of their adventures and life continues as usual.
Such is the story of Allan Quartermain. Despite the predictability of the story (which was forgivable, under the circumstances), I found myself drawn in by the story and anxious to finish the adventure. I can certainly see this one holding some appeal for reluctant readers - especially the boys Haggard wrote it for - but the language is, of course, a little dated & a bit flowery. However, I don't think the language is so off-putting that it makes the book unappealing. Rather, it is reminiscent of classics like Treasure Island - the story overcomes the language and draws in the reader.