Two Turtles

Skim

2009-01-25T16:28:00.000-08:00

Skim words by Mariko Tamaki, drawings by Jillian Tamaki

Wow... a downer, with a little hope at the end. Excellent portrayal of a teenage girls thoughts and feelings about stuff.

"All day today I was rubber. My eyes felt like bathtub plugs. I tried to take up as little space as possible. Everyone is watching me."

"I'm like an alien every time I sit at my desk. I don't even know if I'm supposed to have a protractor for math."

The ebb and flow of friends. Finding the right "weirdo" you can connect with just when the last one you connected with drifts off to join the club and you felt yourself starting to fall into, as Anne of Green Gables would say, the "depths of despair".

When recommending this book to a teen, know the book and know the person. There is suicide, a girl kissing her female teacher, Wicca, teens smoking, fairly absent parents, an Asian girl called "Skim". No violence, no sex.

It's excellent!

WARNING: Right when I finished reading this I had to listen to Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson.

Madapple

2009-01-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

Madapple by Christina Meldrum

Wow, where to begin! This is certainly an interesting read that was difficult to put down. No one in this story seems to have any grounding in reality. The protagonist is raised isolated from humanity in a house without electricity, they forage for food essentially. At age 15 she goes to live with her aunt and cousins who are part of a cult-like religion. This is the first time she has ever been around a male, she has never really talked with anyone other than her mother. I was a little disappointed in the ending because it was executed in such a sudden way that did not seem to mesh with the flow of the book, but I think it would make an excellent discussion.

There is a lot of science, nature, religious, and mythological references that I found somewhat long-winded, but that I think others will be much more interested in. The religious discussions among characters may be particularly interesting to young people who are trying to figure out what they believe and why. And, a lot of great vocabulary.

I wouldn't recommend this to the masses, but there are certainly a lot of teens who will be fascinated and appreciate something a little different.

My Most Excellent Year

2008-12-18T18:05:00.000-08:00

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park by Steve Kluger

This is not a literary masterpiece, but it certainly stole my heart and I was sad to say goodbye to my friends at the end. Having read so many serious books lately, this was refreshing--hell, Mary Poppins (sort-of) is in it!

This is good for teens who want light reading, but not crap. The format of pieces from a writing assignment to write a journal, instant messaging, and emails is very well executed and may be appealing to reluctant readers. Readers have to be able to and enjoy suspending belief in an apparently realistic story. Character development is outstanding, and the dialog just makes me smile. There are positive adult role models of all kinds: parents, teachers, and social workers. And, hopefully someday life will be so easy for gays, Latinos, and people with disabilities.

While this is certainly written as a teen book, there is nothing in it that is inappropriate for 'tweens. I think this would also be good for adults to see that teens do like happy things too, and for those adults that think teens are always up to no good. Ha, they're wrong!

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

2008-11-18T10:38:00.000-08:00

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

This was fabulous! I haven't sat down and spent the day (about 5 hours) reading an entire book in practically one sitting since Harry Potter. This is a book that teens can relate to. A geeky girl wanting to date one of the popular boys, what is she willing to do to get the boy, balancing her own friendships and identity with that of the popular boys, and the whole clique issue. And, there is the lure of secret societies to draw people in and give it more adventure.

At first I was thinking this was just another Fly on the Wall which I also couldn't put down, but it was primarily about the teen relationships. This on the other hand really gets you thinking about several things:

Words and language: Frankie plays with words, creating what she calls "neglected positives". Mathew comes from a family of newspaper editors so is always correcting everyone's misuse of language creating a juxtaposition that really gets you thinking about words and language. Plus, there are a lot of great rare words throughout the book making it great for vocabulary development.
The Cities, Art and Protest Class Frankie takes introduces a lot of great philosophy, like panopticon, that is perfect for teens to start thinking about as they form their ideas about themselves and the world they live in. And, the author ties in real news events, articles, and books that at first one may think are fictitious like Santarchy.
Feminism and the patriarchal establishment.
Analyzing why we do things. Is it for power, acceptance, revenge, to help other, loyalty, or schadenfreude (happiness at the misfortune of others). This explores a lot more motivations than than the typical teen novel, but within the typical teen experience.
The author "made use of Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon by Chuck Palahniuk."
Secret societies are fascinating! What is the driving force: the ritual, loyalty, friendships/alliances, the mission? Why do people join them, how do they impact members' lives, how do they impact others?

There is practically no sex, violence, or bad language that some people find objectionable. But, there is a lot of ideas about rebellion and great ideas for pranks. While most kids will probably think about the motivations of those who are rebellious and pranksters and the effects of those behaviors on others, some kids may use it as a handbook.

I, Coriander

2008-11-11T20:49:00.001-08:00

I, Coriander by Sally Gardner

I was enchanted by Coriander, a new fairy tail. It draws elements from classic fairy tales such as wicked stepmothers, fairies, shape-shifting, and magic shoes. Yet Coriander has her own, unique story to tell. The setting and character development was excellent, which is really what hooked me. And, there is something to it that reminds me of Sally Lockhart for some reason--is it the writing style, the setting, or what?

The book description and the School Library Journal review say it is for 6th-8th grade, but I think it may have broader appeal. I would have enjoyed it when I was in high school, perhaps others would too. Particularly struggling readers, reluctant readers, or just teens who like fantasy and imagination.

Below is the book description from Gardner's website:

"The story is told by Coriander, daughter of a silk merchant in 1650s London. Her idyllic childhood ends when her mother dies and her father goes away, leaving Coriander with her stepmother, a widow who is in cahoots with a fundamentalist Puritan preacher. She is shut away in a chest and left to die, but emerges into the fairy world from which her mother came, and where time has no meaning. When she returns, charged with a task that will transform her life, she is seventeen.

This is a book filled with enchantments -- a pair of silver shoes, a fairy shadow, a prince transformed into a fox - that contrast with the heartbreaking loss and cruelty of Coriander's life in the real world. With its brilliantly realized setting of old London Bridge, and underpinned by the conflict between Royalists and Puritans, it is a terrific page turner, involving kidnapping, murder and romance, and an abundance of vivid characters."

Shift

2008-11-11T20:08:00.000-08:00

Shift by Charlotte Agell

This is a high-interest, fairly easy read. I think this is perfect for reluctant teen readers, particularly boys. There is a lot of action and a lot of fun things that hook you in like the technology, the penguin, and that his sister is something of a precog. Like good science fiction it plays on current events and asks "what if." The authors presents higher level ideas about religion, government, ethics, and free-will that people can really delve into for a great book discussion. A great way to start conversations about separation of church and state, global warming, evolution/creationism, the PATRIOT Act, weapons of mass destruction, and genocide.

Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale

2008-10-30T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hush: An Irish Princess' Tale by Donna Jo Napoli

Such great potential. I liked the bare-bones of it, an Icelandic tale of a slave who didn't speak until they found her speaking Gaelic to her son. She then told them that she had been an Irish princess. I liked the idea of telling the story of how she got to be in Iceland and why she refused to speak. But, the telling of it was rather passive. Even the potentially exciting parts the kidnapping, the rape, being sold, the storm seemed rather rather dull. There are some good discussion topics such as the slave trade.

Summer Reading

2008-10-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

I've been terrible about keeping up my blog! I've decided I have to start posting somewhere so I've decided to briefly report on what I've read and listened to this summer. I admit, some of these I don't remember too many details about any more. But, I'll give you my impressions looking back on them. Hopefully, this will get me back in the habit of posting again.

Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine
Historical fiction about the cultural revolution. I really liked this story, and I felt it was told in a way that teens with no concept of what it might be like to live without constitutional rights and without 100 shops to go to for clothes, food, and other things can relate to and begin to understand. I think some 'tweens could handle this, but it's primarily teen.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
This is a fantastic book. I listened to it on CD, my house has never been so clean because I couldn't turn it off. Well written, unique, and really thought provoking. Take care with who you recommend it to. This is thirteen reasons why a girl killed herself, she does go through with it and explains how other people's actions caused her to do it. I think this is a great book for boys and girls, the protagonist is a boy who receives cassettes from the girl and his journey dealing with how his actions affected her. But, it is also about a girl, a girl I think almost every girl can relate too. Again, be careful... this is a girl who kills herself who girls who read this will probably see themselves in. But, it really hits you how subtle things you do may cause a ripple effect in the way it impacts the lives of others. Teen.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
By far the best book I've read in ages, and now my favorite by Alexie. The characters are so rich, the description of contemporary life on a reservation is clear and real. I listened to this on audio too, it is read by the author. At first I was worried, he sounded very monotone. But, after 20 minutes I was hooked! He is a natural storyteller. This could be a teen read for some adults, but there is a lot of teen boy humor and perspective which some adults just don't tolerate. Teen.

A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life by Dana Reinhardt
I really enjoyed this a lot. I found the story and character compelling. Don't ask me why I liked this better than Olive's Ocean, I think a lot of folks out there would disagree with me. I think I just connected better with Reinhardt's writing style and characters, particularly her adult characters. Teen.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry
I loved this, it was enchanting and fun. One of the better fractured fairy tale or parallel novel in chapter book format. Upper elementary, 'tween.

Ten Cents a Dance by Christine Fletcher
I loved this book--the history, the characters, the setting were so rich. I had never known about taxi dancers, I think teen girls will be absolutely fascinated. I know I was. And, this is loosely based on a relative of the author. A great teen read for adults, I recommended it to several of my friends who typically don't read teen literature. Teen.

Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes
I liked this book, but it really didn't do that much for me. Perhaps it was built up too much for me by friends who loved it. It was a good story, well-written. But it didn't strike me as anything particularly unique or special which is what I thought I was going to get. Upper elementary, 'tween.

Someday this Pain will be Useful to You by Peter Cameron
This is one I read about in a newsletter and just had to read. It was like a summer movie, enjoyable, but nothing to really wow me. That said, I was compelled to keep reading. Teen.

Whales on Stilts

2008-05-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

Whales on Stilts by M.T. Anderson

'On Career Day Lily visited her dad's work with him and discovered he worked for a mad scientist who wanted to rule the earth through destruction and desolation.'

Really, I don't know if there is anything left to say after reading this line from Whales on Stilts. It is GREAT! It is very stylistic, like the other M.T. Anderson books I've read. I think this book has a wider appeal than say Octavian Nothing. Mad scientists, kids who are adventure book authors, secret masks (masks you where when you don't want anyone to hear you discuss your plan to stop an evil plot to take over the Earth, duh!), laser eyes. At the end of the book the author has book discussion questions, my favorite goes something like: Many stories end in a love match, this story ends with robots. If it ended in a love match, where would they get married? And, Jasper Dash wore electric pants. If you could electrify any piece of your clothing, what would it be?

This book sparked my imagination to work in a way it hadn't since I was about 10 years old. I would electrify my gray hoodie with the pockets so that it could regulate my body temperature, have a light when I need one, and have a little freezer in the pocket to keep a popsicle because I love popsicles!

Look out pirates and robots, mad scientists are taking over!

Life As We Knew It

2008-04-19T12:38:00.001-07:00

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Life As We Knew It is a post-apocalyptic book for young adults. The premise is that an asteroid hitting the moon is going to be visible from Earth. Everyone is excited, the teachers in all subjects assign homework related to the event, astronomers are all over the news talking about the phenomenon. When the time for the event comes everyone goes outside to watch, but something unexpected happens. The asteroid is so large, the impact so great that it knocks the moon into a different orbit closer to Earth. Tides change drastically, wiping out the coasts. Thunder and lightening storms wreak havoc, earthquakes begin, and volcanoes begin erupting. The story is about Miranda, a high school sophomore, and her family as they struggle to survive!

This is in the same vein as Dies the Fire by SM Stirling, but it is better suited to younger folks as it isn't quite as frightening. Tt tells the story through developing Miranda's character and her relationship with her family, friends, and other people which creates a much gentler approach to this subject. Although, many teens are ready for, and would prefer the more mature Dies the Fire so know your kids well before making a recommendation!

This is an excellent book club book for 'tweens and teens. Kids can discuss what they would have done in Miranda's situation, what they would do if a similar event happened here. Whether they think such an event is possible. You could talk about how global warming is changing our world. Endless possibilities!

The companion book, The Dead and the Gone, is due out in June 2008 and will examine the event from the perspective of a 17 year old boy in New York. I look forward to reading it!

Uprising

2007-12-27T20:07:00.000-08:00

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix

This is gripping historical fiction that you will not be able to put down! Three teenage girls, two immigrants and one society girl, who through odd turn of events during the 1909-1910 shirtwaist strike become friends. The history of the shirtwaist strike and the shirtwaist factory fire of 1911 are fascinating, and the story of the three girls is heart wrenching. This is a story of the past and of today. Haddix does not pontificate, she doesn't need to. The parallels between immigration and exploitation of workers (and outsourcing to countries where labor laws don't exist or aren't enforced) then and now are clear. This is a great read, but it is also an important read. It is an opportunity to discuss the most pressing issues in politics and our global economy. The author's note points out that the fire of 1911 was the worst workplace disaster in American history until September 11th. What has changed, what hasn't changed?

My folks and I listened to this on a long drive. Dad reads mostly non-fiction, an occasional mystery, and everything by Jon Hassler. He couldn't wait to get back in the car to hear what happened next. He was impressed by the writing and thinks it's something everyone young and old should read.

PS: This story also brought us all to tears so have tissues ready!

Fly on the Wall

2007-12-16T09:39:00.001-08:00

Fly on the Wall: How One Girl Saw Everything by E. Lockhart

There is nothing spectacular about this book, but I couldn't put it down and I keep thinking about it. It's about a teen girl who I think most teen girls will relate to in one way or another. She only has one good friend, she likes this boy who is in a clique she isn't in, her folks are getting a divorce, her one friend is starting to get distant, her art teacher is getting on her case, and so forth. Then, she becomes a fly on the wall of the the boys locker room.

Her first day on the wall is mostly about naked boys and sexuality. I think it is done appropriately for the average teen, but some parents will be shocked and appalled. Frankly, I'd rather have a child of mine reading this book than trashy romance novels or looking at porn that perpetuate stereotypes, make sex more mysterious, and are simply unrealistic. This doesn't glamorize nudity or sexuality, it tries to demystify it as much as possible. There is kissing and making out, but no actual sex.

Aside from that, our girl really learns to see things from other people's perspectives for the first time. She doesn't emerge as this totally changed, new person. But, she does make a few positive changes that help her reconnect with her friend, initiate a friendship with one of the boys in the clique she realizes is a lot like her, stand her ground with her art teacher, and ask the boy she likes out.

Another well-done aspect of this book is the side story about homosexuality. Like kids will do, two of the teen boys tease other boys by calling them gay and making other terrible remarks. Some kids don't mind, those that do shrug it off as teens being teens. But, one boy finally confronts the others. He tells them that it isn't okay. And, it comes out that his father is gay. It is a side story that is handled very well. This is a different, good approach to talking about homosexuality.

I think there are a lot of good things in this books for teens and their parents to talk about. I would recommend parents of teens read this too. They may not like it, but there is a lot of truth in this book about what many teens are going through.

Fuzzy bee and friends

2007-11-23T08:26:00.001-08:00

Fuzzy Bee and Friends by Roger Priddy

Fuzzy Bee is E.B.'s favorite book. Great Grandma read it to him for 45 minutes! He loves the textures, the sounds, and the big bright pictures. He's starting to grasp and try to turn the pages (print awareness). And, he goos and gaws when he "reads" the story to Great Grandma (narrative skills). This is a big accomplishment for a 3 month old. He's already becoming a great reader!

On a non-book related note: Grandpa got E.B. to giggle for the first time yesterday!

An Abundance of Katherines

2007-11-03T20:21:00.001-07:00

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

This is Green's second novel, it was a 2006 Michael L. Printz Award finalist. After reading the summary and hearing rave reviews about this book I still wasn't interested in it because it sounded like another humorous teen coming of age/romance book. But, after reading Green's first novel, Looking for Alaska, I thought I'd give it a listen on one of my long car trips.

Green seems to really have a knack for character development. Within 30 minutes the characters already seemed like old friends. Green is great at dialog. He knows how to balance serious and touching with humor. And, the journey his characters go on rings true of the adolescent experience... as I remember it. My favorite scene was when Collin and Lindsey are in her secret cave the second time. It is so dark they can't see each other, they are having an extremely personal conversation, and the dialog is perfect.

This book has a great message about the value of local, oral history. It teaches Collin and the reader how to tell a story and why it is important to tell our own stories. It introduces the ideas of how truth is relative, memories evolve.

New Socks

2007-10-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

New Socks by Bob Shea

This is me as a child when I got something new or was excited about something. Wait, it's still me. I just typically have this dialog in my head now that I'm an adult... come to think of it, I just introduced my new bathroom night-light to ninjahq, nerdygirl, and clutchplate. You can meet him too, his name is Hammy. Damn, I haven't out grown this yet! This personal connection I have to the story makes me love it, help kids see how their lives relate to this story and they'll love reading it too!

This is a great book for print motivation and dialogic reading. There are a lot of activities you could do with kids while reading this story to get them up and moving--have them slide (or stride) across the floor in their socks, use their sock as a phone, pretend to call someone, introduce their socks to other kids, and so on until you just can't stand it anymore. You can ask them a million related questions that tie the story to their own lives. You must go to Bob's website and check out all the cute drawings kids have done and posted on his website!

PS: My favorite color to wear is ORANGE. I have solid ORANGE socks and stripey ORANGE socks. My ORANGE socks are good for hop, hop, hopping around the house. What color are your favorite socks? What are your favorite socks good for?

Splash!

2007-09-21T21:01:00.001-07:00

Splash! by Flora McDonnell

This is a lovely, simple book about animals cooling off on a very hot day. The illustrations develop the relationship between the baby elephant, its mother and the other animals. They create a warm, safe, loving, and fun mood perfect for parents to share with their little ones. The use of onomatopoeia is great fun--good for developing phonological awareness. This is also a good book to use dialogic reading to focus on vocabulary development. It's available in board book and hard cover. It is also available in almost a dozen different languages!

Antonio Rubio y Oscar Villan

2007-09-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

Luna and Cocodrilo by Antonio Rubio and illustrated by Oscar Villan

These are two titles in a series of Spanish board books that are all excellent for developing early literacy skills. The minimal text is perfect for vocabulary development and phonological awareness. They are a model for other books that want to focus on building early literacy skills. The illustrations are exceptional, giving life and sometimes even humor to the simple, repetitive text. The text is simple enough that if you took a year or two of Spanish in high school you'll do just fine with these--remember you don't have to read perfectly, you just have to have fun reading with your kids! Bottom line: these are beautiful, fun books to have in your collection. Icing on the cake: they are educational too.

Check out Villan's website, he's got wonderful art for all ages.

Label Disclaimer

2007-09-06T20:02:00.000-07:00

I have added labels. I hesitated to add them because too often have I run across people who live and die by them. For example, today I was explaining to a woman that beginning chapter books are typically for 7 or 8 year olds who already know how to read and are ready to move up to something longer with a more complex story. She asked: "What should I do if a 4 or 5 year old wants to check out a beginning chapter book?" Rip it out of their hands, it'll cause brain damage! Oh, my where do I even start.

Everyone reads at their own ability and interest level. These labels are not set in stone nor are scientifically determined. I am adding them for purely selfish reasons. I found that I frequently refer to my own blog and hate digging through the archives. Usually, I'm looking for books based on the readers' age so that is how I've decided to organize them.

E.B. First Books

2007-09-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

I'm an aunt! The first thing my nephew E.B. needed was The Real Mother Goose. It is not politically correct, in fact some of the rhymes are rather shocking! But, this is the REAL Mother Goose, published originally in 1916. These are the traditional rhymes that millions of American children grew up with, this is culture!

Next, I had to get E.B.'s mom's favorite book, Richard Scarry's Busy, Busy World. It's out of print, it was terrible trying to track down a copy that was less than $60 that Sister would feel comfortable letting E.B. chew on and love forever! This is the book Grandma S read over, over, and over again. I read this with Sister and Mountain Man's mother the night before E.B. was born. As we read our favorites we noticed we'd picked up quite a lot from this book. We heard some of the expressions we use, saw where some of our sense of humor may have come from, and saw some of our ideas about the world. I recommend going back and reading your favorite books when you were a kids, see if you recognize any characteristics of your adult self in there.

Who's Hatching is just too cute to pass up and there is a turtle on the first page!

White on Black is one of the best books for new born babies because there are no words and it is most appropriate for babies eyes that are starting to develop.

Ruby in the Smoke

2007-08-31T21:22:00.000-07:00

The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman

"Historical thrillers, that's what these books are. Old-fashioned Victorian blood-and-thunder. Actually, I wrote each one with a genuine cliché of melodrama right at the heart of it, on purpose: the priceless jewel with a curse on it – the madman with a weapon that could destroy the world – the situation of being trapped in a cellar with the water rising – the little illiterate servant girl from the slums of London who becomes a princess … And I set the stories up so that each of those stock situations, when they arose, would do so naturally and with the most convincing realism I could manage." --Philip Pullman

I enjoyed The Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith and The Maisie Dobbs Mysteries by Jacqueline Winspear. They aren't too scary, you learn something about the time/place the stories take place, there's a mystery to solve, and they have engaging characters. Sally Lockhart has all those qualities, but the writing is smarter. You'll be on the edge of your seat, but you won't be scared to turn off the light when it's time for bed.

In typical Pullman style, he weaves in ideas about religion, politics, and culture, but he is more subtle about it than in His Dark Materials. This leaves you more wiggle-room to develop your own ideas and opinions.

These are teen books that adults should be reading too. There is a bit of sex and violence some parents may object too. But the most objectional element of these books are that they encourage the reader to ask questions, think freely, and to take action.

PS: I'm a sucker for strong female protagonists and great book covers. Yes, I judged a book by its cover and it was damn good!

I'm a Pill Bug

2007-08-19T22:00:00.001-07:00

I'm a Pill Bug by Yukihisa Tokuda

Who knew pill bugs could be so cute and personable? This great little non-fiction book tells the life story of pill bugs--including a scene about mating and reproduction which, while tasteful and appropriate, may make some uncomfortable reading this in a storytime. This book also lends itself to dialogic reading, in fact there are some questions posed to the reader in the text that may be helpful to beginners of dialogic reading.

Did you know pill bugs eat rock and cement? There is a page that explains where to look for pill bugs and how to keep one as a pet for a short time. Then, reminds the reader to put the pill bug back where you found it after a few days.

In reading this non-fiction book I smiled, sighed, and became rather attached to these little critters as if they were fictional characters brought to life!

Face to Face with Caterpillars

2007-08-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

Face to Face with Caterpillars by Darlyne A. Murawski

Apparently, I'm on a non-fiction published by National Geographic kick. It's about time that the number of high quality non-fiction books for children is increasing. Caterpillars is for kids reading to learn, not kids learning to read. It has beautiful photos and clear, concise text. The book will capture your attention and your child's. You will see photos of creatures you never dreamed of, both beautiful and creepy are represented.

Barbara Kerley

2007-08-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

A Little Peace

You and Me Together: Moms, Dads, and Kids Around the World

Barbara Kerley does it again! These two titles are not as unique as A Cool Drink of Water, but they are just as beautiful, simple, and to the point. The photos will capture any child's curiosity, broadening their minds. These are wonderful for dialogic reading.

Looking for Alaska

2007-08-03T23:49:00.001-07:00

Looking for Alaska by John Green

This book is nothing like The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. But, as the book was coming to an end I suddenly thought about The Outsiders and was filled with a similar feeling. This is not as stylized as I am the Messenger, the writing seems nothing special at first. Then, Alaska tells the story about getting her boob honked over the summer and you laugh loud and true and think this John Green fellow's really good. The next thing you know The Colonel, Pudge, and Alaska are real to you. You're in their world and you don't want to leave.

A few if my favorite things: 1) Last words. 2) Their religion class--I learned more from this novel than my high school world religions class (almost). 3)The relationship between The Colonel and his mom. 4) Takumi. 5) Laughing. 6) Listing things in inner monologues.

This book too has adult themes--sex, drinking, and smoking. But, it is clearly a teen book.

I hear Green's book An Abundance of Katherines is even better. I'll have to give it a try. His website/blog have been recommended to me twice since last Friday so check it out too!

I am the Messenger

2007-08-03T22:52:00.000-07:00

I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

When I worked at The Bookstore I had a customer who came in two or three times. Her son was in JD for a while, a year or more. He was 16 I think. He was one of those kids who was too smart for his own good. The first time she came in she wasn't sure anyone could help her. She was looking for books for her son to read while in JD that were inspirational, that taught values, etc. But, it couldn't be preachy. In fact, her son couldn't suspect that she was giving him books that would influence him to make better life choices.

The first book I recommended was my favorite book, The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay. It's about boys school and boxing, he'll love it! Over her two or three visits to The Bookstore, I recommended 10-12 novels for her son. Mostly science fiction and fantasy, all adult fiction. Mostly things I was currently reading at 28 years old. Well, I wish I am the Messenger had been around then. I would have recommended it.

Stereotypical 19 year old going nowhere fast in a nowhere town. Working as a taxi driver, hanging out with his friends who are going nowhere faster than him. One friend unemployed and still living at home, all spend their time drinking too much and playing poker. Then, the ace of diamonds arrives with 3 addresses and times of day written on it. Almost instinctively he knows what he has to do. He has to help them. But, doing good deeds doesn't always mean reading out loud to a lonely old woman or running with a pretty girl. It means getting beat up. Getting a gun in the mail box that you know you're supposed to use. That's only the first card. What will he have to do when he gets the ace of spades?

This book is about making changes, finding the courage to make changes little and big. It's hard, some have a big impact, some seem to have almost no impact. Some changes actually seem bad at first. It's not over the top, it's going from seeing the glass half empty to seeing it half full. It's about helping and being part of something more than just you, your job, and your friends.

This has sexual references, rape, drinking, and more adult topics so it's not appropriate for all teens. In the library world we often identify adult reads for teens, this is a teen read for adults.