Middle Grade Pick: Extraordinary Birds

Extraordinary Birds
by Sandy Stark-McGinnis
Bloomsbury Children's Books
2019
214 pages
ISBN: 9781547601004

Eleven-year old December has seen her share of foster homes. They never seem to work out for her. She dreams of flying away like a bird. So much so, that she convinces herself that the scar on her back is where her wings are now forming. Once her wings are complete, she will fly away from all the human sadness.

December studies birds all the time; her constant companion and security blanket is a book her mother left behind: Complete Guide to Birds: Volume One. She knows the book by heart and if given a page number, she can tell what bird is featured on that particular page.

December knows more about birds that anything else, and when she's placed with a foster parent who rescues birds, it's a match made in heaven, but December fights it as the reader would expect. In school, December makes friends with another bullied student, Cheryllynne who adds to the story in all the right ways.

December knows that most bullies don't want to be mean; they do it because they've been hurt--which is a very mature thought for an eleven-year old to have. She is wise beyond her years, and young readers will have such empathy for her. They will root for December to find her place on the ground with foster mom Eleanor.

With her friendship growing between Cheryllynne and her heart open for family and a home, December is finally able to face her past abandonment. She helps a Henrietta the hawk rehabilitate and learn to fly again, and when she soars skyward, December knows everything will finally be alright. All animals need a home and maybe, just maybe, she's found hers.

What an extraordinary book! The is the gem of 2019 and a MUST READ which is likely to become One Book for many schools and will win many awards this season. Did someone say Texas Bluebonnets? This someone just did! And I'm always right about award books!

Highly, highly recommended and FIVE STARS! BOOK OF THE YEAR, in my opinion.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Beach Pick or How To Move On With Your Life Pick: Ramona Blue

Ramona Blue
by Julie Murphy
Balzer + Bray
2017
400 pages (page count taken from arc)
ISBN: 9780062418357

Ramona Blue is author  Julie Murphy's most memorable character yet. A strong female on the brink of discovery, Ramona is learning about life and love and how both can change and that change is okay.

Ramona Blue longs to escape her seedy beach town of Eulogy, Mississippi--Eulogy--even sounds desolate right?  Ramona's world is made up of her pregnant sister Hattie, her inept  father, her idiot mother and no where to go or to be except at one of her jobs. Ramona is the only one who seems to "get" that the family  is struggling for their existence. Since Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home, they have been living in a FEMA trailer that is little better than sleeping outside.

Ramona is a larger than life figure--standing at over 6' tall, she has to duck and navigate her "home" and showering in the tiny shower is laughable. Ramona, far from a shrinking violet, sports electric blue hair...always. After saying good bye to her summer romance Grace, Ramona realizes that for her, it was more than just a summer fling. She is worried that Grace will go back to her "real" life and forget all about their summer together.

When old friend Freddie arrives back in town, Ramona is happy to spend time with him. It is easy being around Freddie and their friendship seems just right.

Ramona is on the edge of something great--her life is before her, her past behind her. This coming of age story will strike a chord in readers. It is real life. Fiction just says it better! Thank you, Julie Murphy, for making terrible things beautiful.

This book is for anyone who is at the crossroads whatever they may be. Ramona Blue will choose and it will be alright.

Heartfelt and deep, Ramona Blue will pull readers in, and Julie Murphy has another winner on her hands!

Highly recommended grade 9-up. Mature subject matter.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

High School Pick: The Great American Whatever

The Great American Whatever
by Tim Federle
Simon & Schuster
2016
274 pages
ISBN: 9781481404099

Reviews:

"The Great American Whatever knocked me out. Tim Federle writes with a rare voice — original, authentic, engaging." (Rob Thomas, author of Rats Saw God and creator of Veronica Mars)

"A raw nerve of a book—so perfectly tender and funny and true. My heart now belongs to The Great American Whatever. Officially. Completely." (Becky Albertalli, author of Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda)

*"Federle’s first foray into YA is an accomplished effort, dramatic and distinguished by carefully developed, appealing characters... whimsical, wry, and unfailingly funny." (Booklist, starred review)

*"A Holden Caulfield for a new generation." (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

"The mix of vulnerability, effervescence, and quick wit in Quinn’s narration will instantly endear him to readers." (Publishers Weekly)

*“Even under the weight of grief, Quinn’s conversational and charming narrative voice effervesces, mixing humor and vulnerability in typical Federle style." (School Library Journal, starred review)

"Recommended for mature teens who want to be inspired." (VOYA)

"Federle’s YA debut takes its place in the lineage of Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower and John Green’s coming-of-age tales." (Horn Book Magazine)

*"What sets this fantastic novel apart is Quinn's brilliantly realized, often hilarious first-person voice, from laugh-out-loud asides to heart-wrenching admissions...Charming and imaginative." (Shelf Awareness, starred review)

“Federle has triumphed. He’s written a moving tale about grief that’s also laugh-out-loud funny.” (The New York Times Book Review)

 

My Review:

 

Laugh out loud, rolling on the floor funny, comic, hysterical, laughter ensues, if I had just drank chocolate milk I would probably shoot it out my nose, side-splitting, slap yo mama funny! Tim Federle is the real deal. He can write comedy if he ever needs a side job, but that's not going to happen anytime soon.

 

The Great American Whatever is the perfect teen angst book of 2016 and Quinn the perfect "every" boy. When Quinn's beloved older sister dies in a horrific (is there any other kind?) car accident, Quinn takes grief and self blame to a whole new level. He stays in his room, not moving, not eating, not bathing, not reading or watching television, not doing anything. For months. His mother tries to rouse him, but with her own failure as both a mother and wife, she is wallowing in self pity herself. The world as they both know it has changed in an instant. Lucky for Quinn, he has a great friend who won't take no for an answer. Geoff literally drags Quinn out the door and to a party.

 

Quinn meets a cute boy and is excited when the boy gives him a note with his phone number on it. Too bad Quinn can't find his cell phone. He has not seen it in months. Since that terrible night when he got his last text from his sister, right before she died. The book is full of grief, but Federle makes grief hysterically funny.

 

Quinn goes on a date with cute boy Amir and gets drunk. The next day, Quinn says, "This is the kind of hangover people write horror movies about, movies that are never funded because they're too graphic....a hangover feels like...a sledgehammer eloped with a swing set and they honeymooned in your head."   

 

Once he is able to tell his story out loud to Amir, Quinn is able to forgive himself and move on. He will always feel a void where his sister/film maker/director used to be, but when he discovers that his dream was not her dream, it is an a-ha moment.  Quinn sees life through the script of a movie. It has been his dream to write and produce films and he now has the chance to go to film school. Another quirk that sets Quinn apart is his love of movies--all types of movies from old black and white, to spaghetti westerns, to horror. He gives teen readers ideas on what movies to be sure and see. Hopefully they will take notice.

 

If Hollywood can get the right writers (Tim Federle, maybe?) The Great American Whatever would be a fantastic teen movie or even a comic sit-com.

 

Highly, highly recommended grade 9-up. Mature situations, profanity.

 

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.   

YA Pick: Me Being Me Is Exacly as Insane as You Being You

Me Being Me Is Exactly as Insane as You  Being You
by Todd Hasak-Lowy
Simon Pulse
2015
646 pages (no kidding!)
ISBN: 978144495739


The girth of this novel will scare away some readers but not if they realize most of the book is written in short, choppy lists. The format is easy to love and easy to read.

Readers will empathize with the main character. Darren's life is messed up! His parents divorce, his older brother goes to college, his best friend moves away, his dad drops a bombshell (he's gay), and later Mom tells him that she's moving across country. No one is acting as they "should," and Darren begins listing everything wrong with everything.

The format works and lets readers see what's bothering Darren through third person point of view as Darren refers to himself in the third person. Emotions leap off the pages through Darren's lists. He feels grief, disappointment, sadness, loneliness, and surprisingly, great compassion.

Through the lists, Darren's voice comes through. He's just a kid who's learning how to fit in. He's a bit overweight and self-conscious, he's seriously crushing on a cute girl, he's not speaking to his dad, he's mad at this mom, and he's disappointed with his brother. All this adds up to the expected overblown teen angst so familiar in YA, but the author does it better. Darren is a character who comes through the pages. Readers will commiserate with him as he navigates through the problems and obstacles with sarcasm and wit.

I thought the novel dragged in several places and easily could have been cut 150 pages or so and still would be a compelling read. A shorter book may have packed a stronger punch. Boys will believe in Darren and girls can study teen boy behavior. It's quite entertaining.

Recommended grade 9-up. This is NOT for middle school. At all. Sex, drugs, rock and roll, profanity. The usual suspects.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Guest Blogger: Teen Blogger's Pick: You and Me and Him

This blog post was written by teen Joshua Gandara who shared his review with me.

You and Me and Him
by Kris Dinnison
HMH for Young Readers
2015
288 pages
ISBN: 9780544301122

You Me and Him by Kris Dinnison is a downright roller coaster of emotions--love, betrayal denial, embarrassment, and self-hate . In this story Maggie, an overweight high school girl,  and her gay best friend Nash have lived in their little town since they can remember. They've always had a close friendship, but when the new guy Tom--your classic hot body Prince Charming, that every girl wants-- arrives it creates a little tension between Maggie and Nash. Nash calls "Dibs" first and Maggie concedes. In a small town every girl must have the new guy and what are the odds that  Tom will fall for either of them? As  Tom hangs around with the duo, he begins to feel a little attraction to Maggie.


After testing her friendship with Nash, the reader will truly understand Maggie and the bonds of friendship. My Thoughts: This book is amazing and I love the way Maggie who is not your typical YA female protagonist in the physical looks department she can still find romance. Very often in today's society we see the stick thin, beautiful model getting all the love, but finally here someone isn't judged on her appearance but rather  by her personality and heart. The book is told in Maggie's voice so we get an insight to her emotions which aren't always so sweet and dandy, but at the end of the day who doesn't like that? Reading this showed me the true boundaries of a friendship and even reminded me in a special way never, ever judge a book by its cover because the book that might not look the best always turns out to be the best book you'll ever read. Don't be put off by the cover art. This is a book for you!

Highly recommended grade 9-up. Profanity.

THIS IS TEEN BLOGGER 100, Joshua Gandara.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I (Pamela Thompson) received the ARC from the publisher. Teen reviewer Joshua Gandara asked to read and review this book. We received no monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

HIgh School Pick: Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls

Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls
by Lynn Weingarten
Simon Pulse
2015
325 pages
ISBN: 9781481418539

Dark, disturbing, defiant, thrilling and taut, Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls will keep readers guessing until the very last page. The symbolism of the three burnt matches on the cover will catch the eyes of teen browsers,  but the story and the characters will keep them reading.

Best friends June and Delia drift away from each other, and nearly a year later June is saddened and horrified to learn of Delia's death. June knows it wasn't suicide and she will not stop until she has answers.

As June begins to investigate, she finds out deeply disturbing things about her "friend." Delia was not just keeping secrets, she was lying and doing much, much worse. Just who was this girl that June befriended? No one is who they seem to be in Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls and that's the darkness (in a  good way) of this book.

Delia is a case study in friendly sociopath. She manipulates, lies, cheats and controls without any shame. She has no conscience and no soul. She asks everything, forgives nothing, and walks away from trouble and even love. June is easily coerced allowing the vibrant Delia to lead the way. Delia is a white hot supernova that will soon burn out, and June is left with mere sparks of dying stardust.

I loved the premise of the story and the first part of the book really raced along. It gets weird in the middle and weirder still at the end. Love triangles and blackmail, deception, deceit and hatred cause all the characters to act with June being the likely loser.

This is one book not for middle school. Profanity, gender identity, sex, violence, underage drinking, bad behavior. Recommended for grade 9-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

LGBT Pick: This Book Is Gay

This Book Is Gay
by James Dawson
Sourcebooks Fire
2015
272 pages
ISBN: 978149617822

Available June 2015

This Book Is Gay  is aimed at the YA audience and questioning teens but it should be required reading in high school--and not just in sex education classes. Dawson addresses the obvious: the definitions of gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, straight and asexual. Perhaps because he identifies as a gay man, he spends more of his time discussing the male homosexual and much less time on the female homosexual. He briefly mentions asexual persons.

Reading more like a memoir  or a personal diary, This Book Is Gay is an enjoyable read. Using actual quotes from people he  interviewed  helps the reader identify with these persons as having a story and being human--not just being identified solely  for their sexual orientation.

I am overjoyed Dawson addresses the fact that kids always say, "Oh, that's so gay!" meaning something derogatory. As an educator I've heard all kinds of labels used in a derogatory way and used to bully others. Kids are killing themselves because they are afraid to go to school. Kids are cutting themselves or hurting themselves in other ways. The homophobia has to stop. And adults who see it must step in and address it. Dawson offers a "QUIFF" system. When you hear homophobic language, think "QUIFF." These are the terms he uses:
Q-Question it. Ask, 'What do you mean by that?"
U-Understanding-Say, "Do you know what gay actually means?"
I-Institution-Say, "This school is a tolerant place; you can't say that"
F-Feel, State how it makes you feel. "I consider that offensive and homophobic"
F-Funny, make a funny comment.

and he cautions, do not to stand up to someone when it's obvious they are on a rampage. Keep your safety in mind first.

Lively, comic illustrations by Spike Gerrell  lighten the mood and text. Many of those people interviewed said they wished they had had a book like this one when they were in their tweens/ teens. Did you know 21% of people question their sexuality or gender between the ages of 6-10, and 57% do so ages 11-15?

The book also contains a chapter for parents of a teen who has come out and a list of helpful contact sites, URLs and phone numbers--not to mention a glossary of terms used in the text. One thing U.S. teens may embrace is the fact that so many British terms are used. Anglophiles will be pleased to learn some new terms to pepper their Twitter feeds with.

Highly Recommended for grade 9-up. Mature subject matter, facts about sex, gender issues, body image. Someone really needs to write a similar book for grades 6-8.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

 

High School: Afterworlds

Afterworlds
by Scott Westerfeld
Simon Pulse
2014
608 pages
ISBN: 9781481422345

Dizzying, defiant, deviant, and direct, Afterworlds is a mash up of what every YA editor craves. It appears Westerfeld decided to hit every note that makes YA exciting: throw in paranormal romance, maybe a hot guy who just happens to be dead, make the protagonist an underrepresented ethnicity, make it a coming of age story, add helicopter parents who give in easily (yeah, right!), big city, bright lights and the siren's call of New York, the brisk publishing industry with its own sub-culture and jargon, a love interest--oh, but make it a lesbian relationship, add a few minor friends and write two stories in one and call it a bestseller. Sit back and collect the reviews and the revenues.

I was drawn to the possibility of the this novel. Much of it is good, if not great. The opening scene focuses on Lizzie (who is the protagonist of Darcy's soon to be published YA novel). The reader sees a terrorist attack at an airport where Lizzie is somehow transported to another plane (haha, pun not intended) where she meets hot death god Yamaraj. Maybe it's just me, but really, a hot death god? And Lizzie is not one bit squeamish?

Darcy's story is that of a recent high school grad who is lucky enough to have written a YA novel in thirty short days and sold it immediately to a publishing house in New York. She refuses to go to college, telling her traditional parents that she will be living in New York, thank you very much, and will be working on her rewrites while she waits on the actual publication date of her much anticipated novel. Darcy meets fellow deb writers at a cocktail party and becomes fast friends with one. Darcy is naïve and sheltered; she has never been in love or in a relationship, yet her parents agree to allow their young, naïve daughter to live alone in the  largest city in the nation? Without security and no doorman? In an apartment of her own choosing? (Westerfeld himself has no children).

I am a fan of Westerfeld's writing; so much so, that I gave Afterworlds the benefit of the doubt. I was excited to read Afterworlds; it is different from anything I've read. However, it seems at times the author is either pandering to the publishing industry or sniggering at the book buying masses. Judge for yourself. I have a feeling this is one book that will be buzzed about. Several times, I thought, "Genius!" and just as many times I thought, "Failure...."

Suitable for high school grade 9-up. Mature situations.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

High School Pick: Bang

Bang (Visions, book 2)
by Lisa McMann
Simon Pulse
2013
256 pages

Available October 8, 2013

Horrifying and ripped from the headlines, Bang (Visions, book 2)showcases Lisa McMann's deft handling of characters and dialog.

Jules Demarco isn't seeing visions anymore...thankfully...but Sawyer--her brand new boyfriend--is. One shared kiss freed Jules and enslaved Sawyer. His new visions, and he's seeing them everywhere, are a school shooting. The trouble with the visions, however, is that they're not clear at first. Sawyer sees only the back of the shooter walking away and he sees bodies of the wounded. He doesn't have any other clues. Jules helps Sawyer by asking him questions and he's able to see more and more clues. They ask for Trey's help, too.

The Demarco/Angotti feud has been going on for years. Jules's family claims that Mr. Angotti stole a meatball recipe from them and has been using it to get rich. The Angottis have their own reasons for hating the Demarcos. Jules and Sawyer are caught in the middle of their families' ugly argument and like star-crossed young lovers Romeo and Juliet (Jules, haha!) things begin to heat up. As they do, Sawyer's visions become nearly deadly. If the teens don't locate which school the events take place, they won't be able to stop the shootings.

Recommended for fans of the series. It would be helpful (but not necessary) to read Crash (Book 1) first. Crash is suitable for middle school, but Bang is suitable for high school due to profanity, heavy petting, and violence. It's too bad, really, because those middle school readers who read book 1 will want to read book 2.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publishser. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Book Giveaway: Winger

Winger
by Andrew Smith
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2013

I have FIVE copies of this great new YA novel up for grabs! For every reluctant reader--male or female--Winger delivers!

Here's what I wrote when I reviewed it:

Winger is a top-notch YA read that will resonate with readers long after they have finished it. It is that rare book that speaks to all teens, male and female. Who doesn't love an underdog? And an underdog like Ryan Dean West speaks to the humanity in all of us.

Scroll down for the full review.

Publishers Weekly, starred review
Kirkus, starred review
Booklist, starred review

read the reviews

For your chance to win, simply post a comment to the blog. Please include your first name, city, state, and email contact. Deadline for posts is July 15 at noon MST. Winners will be chosen randomly by Randomizer and notified on the afternoon of July 15. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email.

Books will ship from New York courtesy of Simon & Schuster. Good luck and start posting now! Pamela

High School Pick: Winger

Winger
by Andrew Smith
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2013
439 pages

Winger is a top-notch YA read that will resonate with readers long after they have finished it. It is that rare book that speaks to all teens, male and female. Who doesn't love an underdog? And an underdog like Ryan Dean West speaks to the humanity in all of us.

 Ryan Dean West is a scrawny 14 year old junior, younger than others in his class, but he's scrappy and fierce both on and off the rugby field at Pine Mountain. He's rooming with Chas--a real zero and the typical "meathead" jock-- in O-Hall (Opportunity Hall); O-Hall is the place the "really bad kids" are sent to on campus. Ryan Dean is sent there for hacking a cell phone account. Ryan Dean knows he has to watch his back in O-Hall and around Chas in order to stay alive.

Ryan Dean is clever and quick. He tells readers that at Pine Mountain, kids can't have cell phones or electronics. Ryan Dean says, "...the kids here actually talk to each other. And they write notes, too. I know these are both ridiculously primitive human behaviors, but what else can you do when your school forces you to live like the xxxx-ing  Donner party?"( xxxx-expletive)

Coach McAuliffe, the rugby coach, is from England and he is short (like Ryan Dean) and a former winger. Ryan Dean describes his coaching style, coach "...could talk the most civilized-sounding xxxx you would ever hear, and he could cuss you out with the most vicious obscenities and it would sound like he was reading from Shakespeare."

Ryan Dean describes the O-house chaparones Mr. Farrow and Mrs. Singer as "Satan's minions." When Ryan Dean isn't slamming into people on the rugby field, he's hoping to get Annie Altman, his best friend, to think of him in a romantic way. Friendships are tested when Ryan Dean strays, but good friend and rugby teammate Joey tries to keep him on track.

Winger is a terrific YA novel that will entertain and amuse readers, but it will also force them to face bullying, teenage cruelty and angst, anxiety, depression, fear, fitting in, and friendship. Be prepared to laugh and cry with Ryan Dean.

The ending is unexpected and traumatic; don't cheat and read the ending first. Get to know Ryan Dean. Live in his world, in his heart and in his head. You'll be a better person for it.

If you know any reluctant reader, this is THE book for him/her. Boys will empathize with Ryan Dean and girls will love him.

Highly, highly recommended grade 9-up. Language, mature situations, drinking, gambling, bad prep school behavior.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Guy Pick: Openly Straight

Openly Straight
by Bill Konigsberg
Arthur A. Levine Books
2013
336 pages

Available June 1, 2013

Clever, funny, and poignant, Openly Straight will touch readers and make them think.

Rafe is an openly gay high school student, the only child of "insane" parents. His parents are quirky; his mother does naked yoga and Rafe says he's pretty careful to pull down the blinds, "...unless I want to see a show that no son should ever see"--his father loves to sing and dance and put on a good show. Rafe barely tolerates it, but he realizes that other people think his dad is funny and a great sport.

Rafe plays soccer and gets along with all his classmates, but he wants to be just Rafe, not Rafe, the gay guy. His answer to his problem---transfer to an all boys' school in New England and reinvent himself. He decides not to tell anyone he's gay and see if the guys will accept "just Rafe."

Rafe leaves behind his best friend Claire Olivia--a girl he's bonded with over their parents' NMI--"Naming While Intoxicated." Both Rafe and Claire Olivia swear that their parents must have been drunk when choosing their names. Claire Olivia feels deserted and tells Rafe that he's changed.

Boys at the private school accept Rafe as straight and straight Rafe is soon befriending jocks and playing football on the lawn. When Rafe attends his new creative writing class, Mr. Scarborough wants the class to be introspective and write about themselves, but how can Rafe write about himself when he's covering so much up?

Openly Straight will make readers laugh out loud and experience empathy for Rafe who is just trying to fit in.

Highly recommended grade 9-up. Language, gender identity.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Fun Pick: The Reece Malcom List

The Reece Malcolm List
by Amy Spalding
Entrangled
2013
352 pages
2013

Irresistable musical theatre gLeek Devan is sure to charm teen readers. She's fun, smart, spunky, and musically gifted and she's ready to take her bow.

Devon's father dies in a car wreck and Devon is told that she will be leaving Missouri traveling to California to live with her real mother. Her "mother" dumped her at birth and has made her own life. Devon never got to know her and knows very little about her. Her mother sends her private lawyer to escort Devon to California.

Reece Malcolm is a talented writer whose books are always on the New York Times Bestsellers list. She lives in a nice modern home with new live-in boyfriend Brad. Devan begins making a list of things she's knows about Reece Malcolm, her mother. She finds that Brad is nicer than Reece and Reece's friends are nicer than Reece, too.

Devon is excited to be attending a private perfomance arts school but worried about the huge price tag. She feels guilty that her mother is spending way too much on her. Then there's the new laptop computer and expensive shopping spree. Devon is overwhelmed.

As she discovers more and more about Reece, Devon feels closer to her, but she also has questions. How could this person ignore her own daughter for sixteen years? Now she's trying to make up for it by showering her with gifts and a great school.

Devon learns that her mother was only 16 years old when she had her, her mother is not a morning person, her mother hates crowds, but loves coffee and is a great shopper but doesn't worry about fashion or style for her own outfits. Reece and Brad have a passive/aggessive relationship and Reece knows she treats Brad terribly but she seems to enjoy it. Devon tries to figure it out.

Reece supports Devon in her musical theater debut and even though things are off between them and they have a huge fight, her mother is her biggest fan. Devon apologizes for snooping and they agree to work things out.

Recommended grade 9-up. Several of the performers are having gender identity questions. Mature subject matter.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Conspiracy Theory Pick: Adaptation

Adaptation
by Malinda Lo
Little, Brown and Company
2012
386 pages

Compelling, clever, twisted, and tense, Adaptation will have you looking under your bed and in closets, hurrying down dark streets and worrying that the guy in a dark suit might be following you.

Reese and David are at Phoenix Airport waiting on a flight home to San Francisco. They were just in a debate tournament and are looking forward to getting home. Reese knows she blew their chances at the win and worries that David is blaming her. She watches as birds begin falling from the sky onto the tarmac outside. Something’s wrong, Reese feels it. Then news stations start reporting plane crashes all over the country. Birds are downing aircraft. The president cancels all air traffic and Reese, David and their teacher are trapped—along with everyone else flying that day.

Suddenly there’s no cell phone reception either. The kids convince Mr. Chapman to rent a car and drive back home. When they stop for gas, Mr. Chapman is carjacked and shot. David starts the car and he and Reese race away from the crime scene as the gas station blows up. As the kids race through the desert, they are in a car accident.

When Reese wakes up, she doesn’t realize she’s been in a coma for twenty seven days. Where is Reese and why are the doctors keeping everything so hush-hush? David seems okay, too, but they both feel “different” somehow. After signing a non-disclosure agreement from the government, the kids agree to keep their treatment and the facility a secret and they are escorted home.

While they were in comas, the country has been put on lock-down. In many cities, rioting has occurred and the feds have enforced curfews and taken back the streets. Reese’s friend Julian has been working with a “conspiracy theory” Internet guru, and finds out about a government plot to keep the bird problem a secret. The government is hiding a lot more that a few thousand dead birds and Reese and David are right in the middle of the government’s secret program. A girl named Amber befriends Reese and soon they become much more than friends, but what is Amber’s secret? She says she’s trying to help Reese, but is she? (She immediately became suspect for me).

Reese and David notice that they’re not themselves. Their wounds heal in minutes and they are starting to understand each other’s thoughts. When Julian starts digging into Area 51 and uncovering government secrets, he unleashes a storm of publicity. Just what is going on in the Nevada desert? What happened to Reese and David?

The government conspiracy was easy to believe and even the fact that aliens had visited Earth was conceivable, but I felt the relationship between Amber and Reese was unbelievable; suddenly a girl wakes up from a coma, is greeted by government agents, is lied to, is forced to sign an agreement that places her in grave danger, and she turns around and trusts a complete stranger immediately with her secrets and her love? When Reese’s mother catches the two girls kissing, she has no reaction. Also, Reese’s mother is a lawyer with friends in high places, yet she accepts the fact that the government has had held her daughter for 27 days and returns her, yet she still has no reaction, legal or otherwise. It seemed almost as if Reese’s mother was involved in the conspiracy.

Recommended grade 8-up. Girl on girl kissing. Reese questions whether or not she is gay, but realizes she likes David, too. She has a discussion with Julian about whether she might be bisexual. The Amber/Reese relationship does not go any place and it’s over before it begins. Since there are gay characters in most prime time network television shows, students will likely look past her brief “like” with Amber. No language. Some violence.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I purchased this book for my library. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Graphic Pick: Drama

Drama
By Raina Telgemeier
Graphix (Scholastic)
2012
240 pages
Full color illustraions (graphic novel)

For all theater GLEEks and musical theater buffs, for all the stage crew, lighting peeps, sound dudes, scenery builders, and costume designer GLEEks, Raina Telgemeier has created a fun graphic novel about your world.

Callie loves the theater but soon realizes that she is not gifted with a voice that will earn her parts in the middle school production. She’s happy to be on the team anyway; she is proud to build the set and props for her school’s productions of “Moon Over Mississippi.” When cute twin brothers Justin and Jesse appear on the scene, Callie starts crushing. She’s not the only one interested in the brothers either.

Justin is the outgoing one, the talented one; Jesse is the shy brother who doesn’t seek the footlights and the greasepaint. Callie befriends both brothers and is surprised when Jesse spills his secret.

When leading roles are passed out, Justin is disappointed. There’s a big dance coming up and Callie hopes that Justin will ask her.

Drama happens on the stage and behind the scenes. The show must go on; Jesse uses his hidden talents to save the production.

Telgemeier tells a teen tale full of heart through her words and heartfelt illustrations. Smile, her first graphic novel , got rave reviews. I have no doubt, Drama will satisfy teen readers. Several cultures are represented by her characters, and fans of LGBT genre will identify with some characters and their problems.

Recommended grades 7-up. LGBT content. One main character clearly identifies himself as “gay.” The other teen characters do not “freak out” when he admits it. It is not a big deal for any of the kids. No sex. No language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.


This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

LGBT Pick: The Letter Q: Queer Writers' Notes To Their Younger Selves

The Letter Q: Queer Writers' Notes To Their Younger Selves
Sarah Moon & James Lecesne, Editors
Arthur A. Levine Books
272 pages

Available May 1, 2012

Touching, poetic, provocative, and poignant, The Letter Q will resonate with hordes of teens; teens who feel left out, teens who are bullied, teens who bully to cover up deeper problems, teens with issues, and all those who feel they are outsiders looking in will find words of comfort in these pages.

This paramount book is bound to cause a cacophonous commotion in publishing and LGBT circles and among troubled/not so troubled teens. It is frank, in-your-face honesty written by the most prolific and talented authors of our time. Each author writes a letter to their younger self--what would you say to yourself if you could? Teens who feel left out and struggling with issues other than homosexuality will also love reading about famous people who were once young, emotional, and searching for answers just like themselves.

Letters from ya authors include David Levithan, Sarah Moon, Jacqueline Woodson, Amy Bloom and many other fine writers. Each author has a unique voice yet all seem to agree on one important fact: it gets better! Whatever angst, distrust, agony, fatigue, anger, hatred, self-loathing or just plain apathy you are feeling in school, the real world will embrace you and love you for who you are and who you will become. Words of wisdom from Michael Cunningham (author of The Hours), "Worry less. Love being exactly who and what you are...Have faith in the fact that your sexual identity, which sometimes seems to you like an impediment, is one of your greatest gifts."

From Jacqueline Woodson's (Locomotion, Beneath a Meth Moon) letter to her younger self, "I want to tell you, it gets better. There is a whole world of women like you out here. They are amazing! They are mothers and doctors and lawyers and actors and electricians and builders and thinkers and doers." I love how "mothers" is listed first!

From Terrance McNally (Tony Award winning writer), "You will grow up. Adolescence will be a distant, but always a vivid, memory."

From Larry Duplechan (Blackbird), "...take heart. Real life is nothing like high school...you'll get through it, I promise. You're stronger than you know; stronger than you'd ever dream. And don't worry: You won't be alone through this."

Their letters offer advice, sincere empathy, intense and raw emotion, and love. Love for their young, naive, fragile selves and for other young, naive and fragile readers.

Every parent who has a teen who is struggling should read this book and pass it on to their teen. It's not about sexuality and gender; it's about accepting one's self and loving one's own unique character.

Highly, highly recommended grades 9-up. Mature theme and situations. Some sexual references. LGBT.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Guy Pick: Aristotole and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Simon & Schuster
2012
368 pages

Blogger's Note: (Although I live in El Paso and the author is a local writer and professor, that is not the reason I read and reviewed the book. It sat on my shelf for about a month before I picked it up. The first chapter drew me in with its palpable teen angst and well-depicted teen characters Dante and Ari).

Poignant, deeply touching, and sensitive, this tender coming of age story centers around two fifteen year old boys: Dante and Ari. It's not easy being fifteen and it's not easy being different. Ari says, "I was fifteen. I was bored. I was miserable." Sounds familiar, right?

Dante and Ari share their dreams and fears, beautiful poetry, good books, and deep conversations. They know they're not like other boys. They are intellectual, thoughtful, and quiet; they are the "good" boys. They cry over a wounded bird. They don't run in a gang, or do drugs, or cause trouble.

Ari wrestles with his family's demons, too. His father is a Vietnam vet who never quite came home--at least not mentally. He's hard to get to know and doesn't talk about Vietnam--ever. Ari's older brother Bernardo is in prison, but it's another topic the family never discusses. Ari feels that his family has too many secrets and wishes someone--his mother or his father--would tell him about Bernardo or about why his dad is so broken.

Dante's father accepts a position in Chicago and the two friends are separated for a year but stay in touch through letters (it's 1987--pre-email era). Ari is happy to see Dante when he returns but a little wary, too.

When Dante gets jumped by a group of neighborhood thugs, Ari makes things right. Dante's parents confront (nicely confront) Ari about the boys' "relationship."

The secrets of the universe aptly describes the struggle both boys face with their questions: Who am I? Why am I the way I am? Am I normal? What is normal?

Their questions are answered and the family secrets are spilled. Love is not necessarily gender specific; love wears many faces and blossoms sometimes in unexpected ways.

Highly, highly recommended for grades 9-up. Mature situations, discussion of sexual topics, language, LGBT

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.