Embedded Files
ELEMENTARY
It's an Orange Aardvark
Author: Michael Hall
Greenwillow Books, 2014
ISBN: 9780062252067
Grades K - 2: Wowser!!! My hat is off to Michael Hall! What a fantastic plot with anticipation and hope and wonder! I loved it and my students love, love hearing it over and over and over. Kindergarten kids cracked up and were so disappointed that the ants were eaten--but they still giggled. The ants are in a log and drill holes to see if the Aardvark is out there. Yet, they find all the colors of the rainbow and leave their safe tree and find a rainbow and a special surprise!!! The illustrations are fabulous in brightly cut paper form. I rank this up at the top with Eric Carle books and far beyond Chris Raschka.
REVIEWER: Debbie Johnson, Wallace Elementary School, Kelso, WA
John Muir: America's First Environmentalist
Author: Kathryn Lasky
Candlewick Press, 2006
ISBN: 9780763664701
Grades 4 - 5: John Muir, born in Scotland in 1838, he and his brother David were daring and adventurous. He loved the wild and often chose it over school. At age 11 John’s father packed up his family and moved to Wisconsin in America. Forced to work and not go to school John missed the teachings. So he awakened early and read books. He began to invent tools. He left the farm and took his invention of a clock that told the sleeper to get up to the fair. He worked to earn money to live and kept inventing things of which he sold. At age 29 he pack a small bag and walked 1000 miles to Florida. He then ventured to California where he fell in love with the mountains. Later he returned to this area and helped to pass a bill preserving the mountainous area as Yosemite National Park in 1890. He drew pictures of the nature he lived in and wrote about preserving the land. Becoming intrigued with glaciers he traveled to Alaska. John became a spokesman for the land and founded the Sierra Club in 1892 to help build a strong conservation policy. He was instrumental in helping to preserve the Grand Canyon and Mount Rainier. This biography is well written packed with facts and personal information about a man that did a lot for our country yet was not known as a public figure.
REVIEWER: Debbie Johnson, Wallace Elementary School, Kelso, WA
I Pledge Allegiance
Author: Pat Mora & Libby Martinez
Knopf, 2014
ISBN: 9780307931818
Grades K - Adult: Celebrated author Pat Mora and her sister Libby Martinez collaborate in creating this lovely picture book based their aunt Lobo becoming an American citizen, saying the Pledge of Allegiance at the ceremony. Little Libby is so excited for her great aunt and shares with her teacher that on Thursday the ceremony will happen. Mrs. Adams invites her to lead the pledge on Thursday in the classroom. Not only does she lead her class, but Libby accompanies her great aunt to the ceremony and pledges with all the new citizens. Patrice created the luminous pencil sketches that were painted digitally. This book celebrates the history of the Pledge of Allegiance and illustrates a slice of a personal family history which is now preserved for the authors’ family to cherish. We all have a coming to America story; what is yours?
REVIEWER: Joan Enders, Librarian and Educational Consultant, http://bookbevy.wordpress.com
SECONDARY
Mortal Danger
Author: Ann Aguire
Feiwel & Friends, 2014
ISBN 9781250024640
Grades 9 - 12: Perhaps I am biased. Ann Aguirre made a personal visit to our school, so if the cover of this book hadn’t hooked me, that connection certainly would. It starts rather precipitously with the main character, Edie, preparing to end her life from the top of a bridge when a handsome stranger talks her off the proverbial ledge and offers her a Faustian deal. Edie can have three favors granted. One by one the students from Blackbriar Academy who bullied her begin to suffer agonizing retribution, but Edie finds that revenge is not nearly as satisfying as she initially hoped. Even worse, the corporate mogul and his competition have no qualms about killing the people Edie loves as a mechanism for keeping her under control. There is just the right amount of gore and sensuality to keep the attention of high school readers. Kian, the young man who saves Edie, provides the love interest both male and female teen readers seem to crave. Aguirre does an excellent job of balancing profanity with vocabulary that is truly lush. The cherry on the proverbial literary sundae is Aguirre’s note to her readers at the end. In it, she discusses her own struggle with suicidal thoughts as well as the admonition that things do get better and resources for teens who may be feeling completely hopeless. Students are loving this title as much as I did, and I am likely to add at least one more copy in order to keep up with demand.
REVIEWER: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School, http://krusereviews.wordpress.com
Formerly Shark Girl
Author: Kelly Bingham
Candlewick Press, 2013
ISBN: 9781467732697
Grades 8 - 12: Bingham’s first book in this series, Shark Girl, was an Oprah Winfrey pick, and because of my own personal biases, I wasn’t sure whether that was sufficient recommendation. I loved it! Apparently, so did a number of readers because Bingham decided to add a sequel to satisfy fans who fell in love with her character, Jane. Formerly Shark Girl was a worth successor to the first book about a teen who loses her arm in a shark attack. In this sequel, Jane is entering her senior year. Her older brother has gone to college, leaving her and her mother to rattle around the house. As with other seniors, Jane is wondering what she wants to do when she graduates, and she has two main choices: enter college to become a nurse or go to art school. Her experiences with nurses during her injury have inspired her to become a nurse—and the possibility makes for a feel-good story the press will eat up—but she is still devoted to her art. Readers will once again appreciate Bingham’s use of a variety of formats including the free verse musings of Jane interspersed with newspaper clippings, notes from admirers, and other forms of communication. It’s a quick read that will resonate with readers, and its ending is a satisfying conclusion to Jane’s story. Bingham also walks the difficult line of writing a character that is maturing without adding anything that would render the story inappropriate for younger readers.
REVIEWER: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School
Prisoner of Night and Fog
Author: Anne Blankman
Balzer & Bray, 2014
ISBN: 9781467732697
Grades 9 - 12: Finding fresh perspectives on history can be a tough challenge, Anne Blankman was up to the task in her creation of Gretchen, a fictional character whose extended family embodies one of the most tyrannical personalities in history—Adolph Hitler. Gretchen, as a close family friend of the furor, sees his activities in a somewhat different light. The daughter of a man who was murdered in the putsch, Gretchen’s family appears to be teetering on the brink of poverty. Her older brother is a brute who finds his services appreciated in the new regime Herr Hitler is building, and no one seems willing to attempt to rein him in—even after he beats Gretchen horribly. Gretchen’s rescue comes from an unlikely source—a young Jewish journalist who is aware that a doctor has declared Hitler a psychopath. As Hitler’s agenda becomes more apparent, Gretchen must decide whether she will continue to support her furor and her family, or whether she will join the resistance. Her discovery about how her father died is the catalyst that changes everything. Carefully researched and beautifully written, Blankman kept me fascinated from the beginning to the end of her story, which is to be continued with another installation.
REVIEWER: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School
Returning to Shore
Author: Corinne Demas
Carolrhoda LAB, 2013
ISBN 9781467713283
Grades 8 - 12: As the saying goes, good things come in small packages and this book is a gem. There is just something intriguing about this story and the way it is written that makes it hard to put it down. It's about a girl who is sent to spend the summer with her father when her mother remarries for the third time. She hasn't seen him since she was three. He now lives on an island in Cape Cod and knows more about the turtles that he is studying than the daughter with whom he is trying to reconnect. At first Clare is resentful that her mother abandoned her to this stranger in order to go on a third honeymoon, and she is resentful that her mother divorced husband number two, the only father she knew. After a few days on the island, however, Clare finds clues that she and Richard do have a long-forgotten past and this becomes more of a return than an exile. Clare learns adults, too, have secrets, and sometimes to be a real parent means making tough decisions. When she meets some other teens on the island, she also learns about being true to your own principles, even if it’s not popular with your peers. This is a fast read that moves quickly. I can just imagine students reading it when they have one of those last minute book talks to do. However, I think that it will surprise them to find out how much they can relate to the plot and enjoy it. I highly recommend Returning to Shore – don’t let it get lost on the shelf!
Reviewer: Linda Solberg, retired, Castle Rock High School, Castle Rock, Washington
Hideous Love
Author: Stephanie Hemphill
Balzer & Bray, 2013
ISBN: 9780061853319
Grades 9 - 12: Who knew that Mary Shelley of Frankenstein fame led such a scandalous life? Stephanie Hemphill does a remarkable job of packing a lot of emotion into a free verse recounting of Mary Shelley’s life. From the introductory poem “I am Mary” that sets the emotional stage to the final “Elegy for My Shelley,” Hemphill takes readers on the bumpy road that Mary trod. Hemphill picked the episodes for her poems with care, and in spite of the details that might be missing, readers have a very clear picture of Mary’s tormented life. The Author’s Note is followed by a section describing each of the characters as well as those figures’ notable activities, a timeline of Mary Shelley’s books—including her posthumous works, and a suggested reading list that includes some of Hemphill’s sources. As the Common Core ramps up, this tome would be an excellent resource for teachers who wanted to pair some of Mary Shelley’s writing with Hemphill’s interpretation of Shelley, herself, as a character.
REVIEWER: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School
Tease
Author: Amanda Maciel
Balzer & Bray, 2014
ISBN: 9780062305305
Grades 9 - 12: This is the story of bullying gone too far. This is a story of a suicide because of bullying. The protagonist and narrator of this story is a bully. With that being said, the author does not make Sara a hero, but rather, someone to be understood. Sara and her best friend, Brielle decide not to like the new girl at school, Emma, and they make her life miserable. The plot moves forward through alternating chapters occurring before Emma’s suicide and then several months afterwards. What we see is Sara also moving from a selfish, self-absorb teen just trying to fit it with whatever her friend tells her to someone who realizes, to use a cliché, that doing what is right is not what is always popular. In the beginning Sara is in total denial that she did anything wrong or had anything to do with Emma killing herself. After all, everyone else hated her, too, and harassed her. Emma brought it on to herself. Nevertheless, a lawsuit is filed against the bullies most closely involved and Sara finds herself now on the outside, forbidden from her friends and shunned by the rest of the school. She then is befriended by another outsider, Carmichael, who has been teased and bullied for dressing and acting differently. Through his insights and those of her attorney, therapist and younger brother, Sara comes to realize she has been misguided by a so-called friend to do things she knew were wrong and is willing to face the consequences of her actions and to make amends. This powerful and timely novel would make a good companion to “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher. A worthwhile read for all teens and should be encouraged.
Reviewer: Linda Solberg retired, Castle Rock High School, Castle Rock, Washington
Torn
Author: David Massey
Scholastic, 2013
ISBN: 9780545496452
Grades 8 - 12: Many of the books about war that are currently available to teens are written from either the male, U. S. citizen’s perspective or from the perspective of a U.S. citizen who is somehow related to someone in the military. Massey’s decision to tell the story from the perspective of a female British medic is enough to capture the imagination of young women contemplating enlisting, but his ability to tell an amazing story will hold readers to the very end. Massey skillfully captures the hazing a new female recruit would endure on the battle field as well as her naiveté about battle protocol, and a healthy dose of trying to prove herself. Elinor quickly becomes acclimated to her role as a medic, but on one of her patrols she encounters a girl with startling green eyes who appears to be trying to communicate something. Elinor becomes fascinated with trying to solve the mystery of the seemingly indestructible little girl and is able to engage the interest of a young U. S. Lieutenant in her cause. Battle field love stories can be very poignant, and Massey does an excellent job of creating the emotion without the heavily romantic palpitations that could turn off some readers. This book was field tested by two young women who immediately fell in love and devoured the book in spite of reading difficulties.
REVIEWER: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School, http://krusereviews.wordpress.com
Say What You Will
Author: Cammie McGovern
Harper Teen, 2014
ISBN: 9780062271105
Grades 9 - 12: It’s rare that I fall so completely in love with a set of characters that I gush, but I fell in love with these characters. Not since Terry Trueman’s Stuck in Neutral series have I encountered a story with a central character who has cerebral palsy AND is such a sympathetic and integral part of the plot. The story starts with a somewhat titillating, unsent message from Amy to Mathew. The story continues to unfold as readers are introduced to Amy and Mathew, two flawed human beings who are struggling to navigate the already murky waters of adolescence and young adulthood. Amy is unable to communicate without a communication device and Mathew has OCD that in the beginning of the book is untreated. What starts as Amy’s struggle for independence and an effort to become normal becomes a friendship that has all of the complexities of an adolescent friendship. Amy’s mother, particularly, is a well-developed character who has difficulty balancing her need to protect Amy from the vagaries of the world with letting go and allowing Amy to become her own person. The plot traces the development of Amy and Mathew’s relationship from hired help to friendship to ill-fated romantic interludes and ends with both characters discovering how to set boundaries on their relationship. Their voices are raw and realistic and create a tale that is as powerful as R. J. Palacio’s Wonder.
REVIEWER: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School, http://krusereviews.wordpress.com
Free to Fall
Author: Lauren Miller
Harper Teen, 2014
ISBN: 9780062199805
Grades 9 - 12: Imagine a world in the not too distant future where all decisions are made for you by LUX, an app on your phone. This is the world of 2030 that 16-year-old Seattle high school junior Rory Vaughn finds herself, and she is perfectly fine with it. Life is good. She has just been accepted to an exclusive free boarding school in New England that her deceased mother attended. The only downside is that another girl from her school is also going and Hershey and Rory are exact opposites. However, once in school Rory starts hearing The Doubt, the colloquial name for the “whisper within” that children hear but adults are taught to ignore. It is telling her to stop listening to the app and leads her to discover that life really isn’t as perfect as she thought. She starts to find out things about her mother, about the school and the big technology company the makes the phones and the apps. With the help of a new boyfriend North, someone who also hears The Doubt, and his hacking abilities, she discovers a sinister plot that has been going on since before her mother was a student. Rory, North and Hershey can stop it if they are brave enough. Throw in a secret society, teachers who aren’t all that they appear to be, nanotechnology, and messages from the past makes this a fast paced thriller that is a real page turner and one that teens will definitely relate to and perhaps to think about when they pull out their electronic devices. Nicely enough, it is a well-written stand-alone novel with no cliffhanger ending enticing you to purchase another book. However, I will be looking for other books by this author!
Reviewer: Linda Solberg retired, Castle Rock High School, Castle Rock, Washington
Knockout Games
Author: G. Neri
CarolRhoda LAB, 2014
ISBN: 9781467732697
Grades 8 - 12: Erica's move to St. Louis, Missouri has been anything but easy. Her father's parting gift is a mini video camera engraved with her name. That little camera is destined to become the bane of Erica's existence. Kalvin Barnes is what many little kids in the hood aspire to become, and he takes his position as role model seriously. His "gang" has developed the Knockout Game as a method of "character development." Members of his group select unsuspecting victims and deal them one blow designed to knock them out. His discovery that Erica has skills with the camera are enough to provide her with entrée into his group. As the violence of the game escalates, Erica becomes more and more disenchanted by what she is filming even as her romantic link to Kalvin keeps her from taking a firmer stand against it. When the game ends in the death of a beloved art teacher, Erica must face the greatest test of her courage by exposing what she knows about the game. Like one of Neri's previous books, Surf Mules, the underside of juvenile criminal behavior is explored with gritty realism. Neri does not shy away from profanity, violence, or sexuality in Knockout Games, even though his protagonists are only in the eighth and ninth grades. It is that same unflinching approach that imbues this story with a sense of truth. Written for a generation that documents its violence using cell phones and social media, this story provides ample opportunities to discuss the growth of characters as they wrestle with concepts of art, morality, body image, racism, and hatred.
REVIEWER: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School, http://krusereviews.wordpress.com
We are the Goldens
Author: Dana Reinhardt
Wendy Lamb Books, 2014
ISBN: 9780385742573
Grades 8 - 12: Dana Reinhardt packs a lot of wallop in this short book. First, she uses second person point of view to tell the story of Nell and Layla Golden. Next she adds a plot speeds quickly to the rising action and all but eliminates the falling action. The story is written as a narrative to Layla, Nell’s older sister, but it is addressed to “you.” Nell longs to emulate her beautiful and talented sister. As a freshman, she has little clout of her own, but her sister is well established, and it is that entrée into their school’s social world that Layla uses to enforce Nell’s silence. Nell can’t help but notice, though, that her sister’s absences and weird behavior are tied to Mr. Barr, the gorgeous teacher at City Day about whom multiple rumors about liaisons with students abound. As Layla’s behavior becomes more and more troubling, Nell must decide whether to share her concerns with her parents. Reinhardt ends the book with the words “There’s something I need to tell you.” The ending is sure to drive students who MUST have closure out of their minds, but the ambiguous ending also makes this story a potentially powerful tool in the hands of a health teacher who can discuss the power of relationships and when and how to access outside resources.
REVIEWER: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School, http://krusereviews.wordpress.com
Endangered
Author: Eliot Schrefer
Scholastic Press, 2012
ISBN: 9780545165761
Grades 7 - 12: Nominated to the YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults list in 2013, this book is both fascinating and educational. The fourteen-year-old protagonist, Sophie, splits her time between her father’s home in the United States during the school and her mother’s bonobo sanctuary in the Congo during the summers. Schrefer uses vivid imagery to create the sense of despair shared by humans and animals alike. As Sophie is being driven to her mother’s sanctuary, she sees a bonobo that is near death. She uses her notebook money to purchase the bonobo, a faux pas that embroils her in the trade of a protected animal. Beyond the political ramifications of this transaction, Sophie finds herself stuck in Kinshasa in the middle of a coup. Her mother is releasing rehabilitated bonobos outside of Mbandaka when soldiers invade the Kinshasa compound and slaughter everyone they can find. Sophie manages to escape by hiding in the bonobo cage. At the earliest opportunity, Sophie leads her rescued bonobo and a small band of other bonobos to her mother’s encampment miles away. Schrefer does a remarkable job of telling a story of survival and affection in a setting that is unrelentingly harsh. Readers are immersed in the political upheaval of Congo and the graft that was part of living there while also developing an appreciation for a fascinating ape that is not nearly as well known as some of the others like chimpanzees and orangutans. This book is eagerly devoured by animal lovers, but the writing is so spectacular that it will engage a wide variety of readers.
REVIEWER: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School, http://krusereviews.wordpress.com
Muckers
Author Sandra Wallace
Random House, 2013
ISBN: 978037586745
Grades 8 - 12: This is a book about a small football team, in a small town and I have to admit that I put off reviewing it because I am not a super football fan. But it is so much more than that. Based in a tiny copper mining town in the 1950, the football team is determined to win the state title because their high school scheduled to close at the end of the year. The last time they won the state title was when the current quarterback’s (Red O’Sullivan) brother was quarterback. But he died at Iwo Jima and Red’s family died when Bobby did. His mother sunk into depression that has kept her hospitalized and his father has been drinking up his paycheck and leaving Red to fend for himself. To top it off, their team is integrated like their high school: Mexicans play side-by-side with Slavs and all the other nationalities that make up the town. Red has fallen for his best friend’s sister, but girls from the Barrio don’t associate with white boys from the Hogback. And the Korean War is sparking the fear of Commies, yet another way to divide the townsfolk. WWII continues to affect their lives as the wounded who return remind them daily. This is not just a feel good sports triumph; this is a nitty gritty treatment of real-life bigotry where the Mexicans swim on different days in the public pool, draining and bleaching before the whites swim. “Clips of the local newspaper” are interspersed in the writing and illuminate the events of their microcosm with a harsher perspective. I feel foolish for putting off reading this book. Based on a true story, it was a good read!
Reviewer: Lisa Sudar, Mark Morris High School
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