Review: Revolution

Revolution
Jennifer Donnelly
2010; Delacorte Press; ISBN 978-0-385-73763-0 (hardcover)

Historical Period/Events: French Revolution; Music in the 18th Century

Summary: Two years after the death of her little brother Truman--a death she feels responsible for--Andi Alpers is in freefall.  She's on various substances (some legal, some not) in order to get through the day, she takes care of her mother who has gone crazy in the aftermath of Truman's death, and she's about to get kicked out of her exclusive Brooklyn private school.  The only good thing in her life is music: playing her guitar and having music lessons with her teacher.  To try and get her back on track, her absent father forces her to accompany him to Paris, where Andi is expected to complete the outline for her senior thesis on the eighteenth-century composer Malherbeau.  In Paris, Andi gets drawn into the historical world of the French Revolution, thanks to several reasons--but most of all to the diary she finds, of a girl named Alexandrine who becomes devoted to Louis-Charles, the last French dauphin and the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.  These threads--Alex, Louis-Charles, Malherbeau, Truman, and Andi--will get drawn together in unusual ways, leading Andi to learn that while the cruel, horrible world may go on, she does not. 

This weighty novel, focused foremost on the grieving process, shows us an intriguing modern-day teenager.  While Alexandrine remains a character on the page, Andi lives and breathes, drawing the reader into her story.  Andi's struggle to deal with Truman's death is the thematic foundation of Revolution, and it is a slow, hesitant journey for Andi from hell to paradise.  The world-weary Andi slowly sees that just because the world is cruel and unfair, she cannot give in to the cruelty.  With leisurely pacing, Jennifer Donnelly lets Andi's story unfold, peppering the story with well-rounded characters and secondary themes of art vs. science, family dynamics, and young romance.  This novel is bound to find an audience among intelligent teens.

Review: The Red Umbrella

The Red Umbrella
Christina Diaz Gonzalez
2010; Knopf; ISBN 978-0-375-86190-1 (hardcover)

Historical Period/Events: 1960s Cuba and America; Operation Pedro Pan

Summary:  Life for Lucia is good.  She has her best friend Ivette, she's close to her parents and her little brother Frankie, and Cuba is a good place to live.  There have been troubles since the revolution, though, but Lucia doesn't really understand why her parents are so worried.  Then her family is branded as anti-revolutionaries, open to mistreatment and theft.  Fearing for their safety, Lucia's parents send Lucia and Frankie to America.  Living in Nebraska with the Baxters, a kind older couple, exposes Lucia to many new things, most of which she likes.  But she worries about whether she'll ever see her parents again.

Based on stories from Christina Diaz Gonzalez's family, The Red Umbrella looks at how families tried to protect each other after the Cuban Revolution.  Life in Cuba and Nebraska is vividly portrayed and contrasted, from the warm tropical beauty of Lucia's first home to the apple-pie Americana of her second home.  Peppered with Spanish phrases, The Red Umbrella is an eye-opening look at a new immigrant's adjustment to a new country.  This historical novel will be enjoyed by readers who have read Margarita Engle's novels in verse about Cuban history and are eager for a more modern story.

What is Historical Fiction?

It may seem like a silly question to ask, but defining just what is historical fiction illustrates the complexity of this genre.  On the surface, it's any novel set in the past.  But dig a little deeper, and you start seeing different questions.

Historical Fiction Month Kick-off

Welcome to Historical Fiction Month at librarian by day!  Every weekday in November, there will be discussion of young adult historical fiction.  Whether it's a book review, an essay from a guest contributor, or a post from me, readers will learn new things about historical fiction.  At least, that's the plan!

If you're attending the 2010 Young Adult Literature Symposium later this week, I hope you'll attend my presentation, "Doomed to Repeat It: Diversity in Young Adult Historical Fiction."  If you can't make it to the symposium, I'll be sharing info from the symposium next week.  In addition, if you are looking for a genre guide to YA historical fiction, perhaps you'll consider purchasing my book for your library or media center. 

I hope you enjoy the posts that appear this month at librarian by day.  I greatly appreciate the comments I've received since I started this blog, and I think that this month is the beginning of something new.  If you like the themed months idea, let me know.  And if there's any improvements you'd like to suggest, hit up the comment link.

In the meanwhile, get comfortable, enjoy the beverage of your choice, and happy reading!

Review: Dark Water

Dark Water
Laura McNeal
2010; Knopf; ISBN 978-0-375-84973-2 (hardcover)

Summary: Life in the southern California town of Fallbrook should be like living in a paradise.  But for Pearl, it's not so great.  Her parents have recently divorced, and Pearl and her mother live in the ramshackle guest house on her uncle's avocado ranch.  She's growing distant from her best friend, while her friend and cousin Robby is distancing himself from her.  Then she meets Amiel, a migrant worker who doesn't talk but juggles and mimes to express himself.  He captures Pearl's attention, making her chase him even as he tries to keep her at arms' length.  When a wildfire sweeps through Fallbrook, Pearl will choose Amiel over safety--with devastating consequences. 

This National Book Award finalist showcases the development of one young woman.  Pearl is confused and uncertain due to the changes in her life.  Falling for Amiel leads Pearl to bad decisions, as she does anything to attract his attention.  Laura McNeal presents in a sympathetic manner a young woman grappling with her life and making choices that others wouldn't make.  Other characters like Pearl's mother, her uncle, and Amiel are equally well-drawn in this thoughtful novel.  With its sense of foreboding, Dark Water keeps the reader turning the pages to find out what happens.

Review: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
2010; Knopf; ISBN 978-0-375-86659-3 (hardcover)

Summary: It all starts with a red notebook.  Lily leaves it at the Strand, the famous New York bookstore.  Dash finds it by the Salinger novels and follows its instructions.  Over the holiday period from just before Christmas to just after New Year's, Dash and Lily will have a friendship built on their notes to each other in the notebook.  As they exchange it back and forth, they will have a series of adventures.  Whether it's creating a Muppet, visiting Madame Tussaud's, or getting locked in at the Strand, Dash and Lily will discover new things about themselves as well as each other.

If a novel could be hot chocolate, Dash & Lily's Book of Dares is hot chocolate.  It's a sweet treat that you enjoy, thanks to the talents of Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.  Quirky, affectionate Lily and intelligent, reserved Dash are memorable main characters, each having their opportunities to tell the story.  Other characters, like Dash's puppy of a friend Boomer and Lily's Great-Aunt Ida, known as Mrs. Basil E., add extra fun to the story.  Readers who are not ready for the mature themes in Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, Cohn and Levithan's first novel together, will embrace Dash & Lily's Book of Dares.

Review: Yummy

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty
G. Neri; illustrations by Randy DuBurke
2010; Lee & Low Books; ISBN 978-1-58430-267-4 (paperback)

Summary:  Victim, villain, or both?  That's the question in 1994 as an eleven-year-old killer draws attention to Chicago's gang problem.  Nicknamed Yummy due to his love for candy, Robert Sandifer accidentally shoots a teenager in his Southside neighborhood.  The shooting exposes to the world at large many problems: gang warfare, broken homes and neglect, and children killing children.  In hiding after the shooting, Yummy just wants to go home to his grandmother.  But as the gang tires of protecting him, they know they can't let him go home.  Instead, they kill him.  Through the eyes of Roger, a classmate of Yummy's, a senseless story is told. 

With authentic language and stark black and white illustrations, the early 1990s are dramatically captured in Yummy.  The Roseland neighborhood, where stores close at 4pm to allow owners to get home before dark, is a tough, dangerous one.  The gangs and crime turn neighbors into strangers, removing a resource for when the government safety net fails.  Yummy is bounced in the system, never receiving from social workers or his grandmother what he gets from being a member of the Black Disciples.  The questions asked in Yummy are difficult to answer, giving readers an opportunity to consider ethics, morals and choices.

Review: Virgin Territory

Virgin Territory
James Lecesne
2010; Egmont; ISBN 978-1-60684-081-8 (hardcover)

Summary: Dylan is an unhappy transplant to Jupiter, Florida.  Never mind that it happened almost ten years ago: he's still upset that his father moved them away from New York City.  It was supposed to be a fresh start after the death of Dylan's mother.  Instead, Dylan is drifting, working at a golf course and isolated from others.  Then, a sighting of the Virgin Mary at the golf course changes Dylan's life.  He meets a girl named Angela, he makes new friends, and he reconnects with his father.  Is it because of the Virgin Mary, God, or another powerful being?  Or maybe it's just Dylan figuring things out . . .

With its cast of likable characters, Virgin Territory looks at the intersection of faith and life.  Mary followers, who travel all over the country to sighting locations, arrive in Jupiter and create upheaval in the small town.  Thanks to his new friends, Dylan slowly begins to recover from his mother's death, which occurred the day before the 9/11 attacks.  This recovery also allows Dylan to start repairing his relationship with his father.  Pair Virgin Territory with The Patron Saint of Butterflies for two examinations of spirituality in modern life. 

Review: Dark Song

Dark Song
Gail Giles
2010; Little, Brown; ISBN 978-0-316-06886-4 (hardcover)

Summary: Ames has a great life.  Her dad is rich and gives her anything she wants.  She has an adorable little sister and a great best friend.  The only fly in the ointment is her rocky relationship with her mom.  That's what keeps Ames' life from being some disgustingly sweet story.  But then, Ames' near-fairy tale life becomes a horror story.  Her father is fired, losing all their money.  Before she knows it, Ames is with her family in Texas, cleaning an old drug house to live in.  She's angry and resentful, and the only person who seems to understand is Marc.  Dark, obsessive Marc, who offers to kill her parents so it can be just the two of them.  Ames faces a choice: what will she decide?

Inspired by media coverage about girls helping their boyfriends murder her parents, this new novel from Gail Giles is a timely one.  As high-flyers come back to Earth thanks to the recession, teens who have been given everything have to learn to adjust.  In Ames's family, the good times hid the fact that none of them--except perhaps Ames's little sister--have the coping skills to face hardship without being destructive towards those they love.  As Ames slowly learns those skills to deal with this new life, she becomes isolated from her friends and family by Marc.  It's only when he suggest killing her parents that Ames receives the wake-up call she needs.  Giles's fans will cheer for Dark Song.

Review: Bruiser

Bruiser
Neal Shusterman
2010; HarperTeen; ISBN 978-0-06-113408-1 (hardcover)

Summary:  Tennyson doesn't like it when his twin sister Bronte starts dating Brewster Rawlins.  Better known as the Bruiser, Brewster is a large, hulking boy who keeps to himself.  But Bronte senses something special in Brew, who likes poetry and looks out for his litle brother, Cody.  As Tennyson gets to know Brewster, he starts to understand him.  But as Bronte and Tennyson learn about Brew's strange gift, it not only changes them--it changes Brew.

This accomplished novel adds a dash of the paranormal to a tale of friendship.  Not just a novel in multiple voices, with Tennyson, Bronte, Brewster and Cody each sharing narration duties, but there are shifts in style as well.  Brewster's sections are in poetry, while Cody's captures a young boy's thoughts and feelings.  Tennyson and Bronte are equally well-drawn.  Shusterman shows his talent not just for the unusual, but for the everyday aspects of life.  Bruiser urges readers to look beneath the surface and consider their actions in a compelling story of friends and family.

Review: A Small Free Kiss in the Dark

A Small Free Kiss in the Dark
Glenda Millard
2010; Holiday House; ISBN 978-0-8234-2264-7 (hardcover)

Summary:  Twelve-year-old Skip escapes from years of abuse in his foster homes and takes to the streets.  Billy, a homeless man that Skip is friends with, becomes his unofficial father figure, and the two of them watch out for each other.  Their cozy yet uncertain life is thrown into turmoil when a war begins, with bombings in the city they live in.  They struggle to survive, taking in a young boy named Max that they find in the local library.  Eventually, they find a home in an abandoned amusement park, trying to stay away from soldiers who are nearby.  Their family is increased by Tia, a teenage ballerina with a baby they name Sixpence.  But as soldiers approach them, Skip must gather his family together to escape to safety.

An insightful novel with beautiful language, this import from Australia views the destruction of war through a young teen's eyes.  Skip, with his eye for details, notices the light and shadow, color and texture of everything he sees.  In his attempts to find beauty, though, he sees much ugliness, whether it's the bombed-out buildings, the callous actions of survivors, or the cruelty of the soldiers.  He may not understand what he sees, but he attempts to figure them out without losing hold of his new-found family or the hope of art.  In his simple, straightforward manner, Skip draws comparisons to characters like Jonas from The Giver.   A quiet, thoughtful novel, A Small Free Kiss in the Dark offers a hopeful take on surviving disaster.

Review: The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June
Robin Benway
2010; Razorbill (Penguin); ISBN 978-1-59514-286-3

Summary:  The worst things for sisters April, May and June to deal with are their names and their parents' recent divorce.  Then they each discover that they have superpowers.  April can see the future, May can become invisible, and June can read minds.  It's hard enough dealing with normal teenage life, like crushes, friends, and family--now the sisters have to figure out their new abilities.  At first, these talents bring out the worst in each girl.  But when April sees a horrible vision, May wants to run away, and June gets into big trouble, the sisters will find out that their powers, like their lives, work best when they work together.

Creating a delightful novel in three voices, Robin Benway has penned an intriguing followup to Audrey, Wait!  Each sister's personality is distinct and clear, from April's bossy good-girl attitude, May's sarcastic and guarded wisecracks, and June's bubbly little-sister voice.  The story hums along, with the sisters learning not just how to use their newfound talents but also adjusting to their parents' divorce.  Most interesting of all is the feel that April, May and June are learning how to be friends and sisters, moving beyond their childhood squabbles and becoming adults.  The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June is an inspiring look at sisterhood and its magic.

Review: You

You
Charles Benoit
2010; HarperTeen; ISBN 978-0-06-194704-9

Summary:  Kyle Chase has made some bad choices, and now those choices have lead to disaster.  If he could go back, he wouldn't have blown off his smart friends, blown off his homework, blown off his parents.  But most of all, Kyle wouldn't have become friends with Zach.  Maybe if he hadn't, he would have gotten his act together.  He could have turned things around in school.  He might have even asked out Ashley, the girl of his dreams.  But none of that stuff happened, and now, it's too late for Kyle.

A common story is elevated by its style.  Charles Benoit, in his first YA novel, choose to use second person narration--a choice that breaks an unwritten rule of writing.  Yet this daring gives You its appeal.  It's like the reader is directing Kyle, but towards a conclusion that the reader doesn't suspect.  As a result, the reader is drawn even deeper into Kyle's story, into his feelings and thoughts.  An interesting look at a teen boy discovering his actions have consequences, You will be enjoyed by fans of Hate List.

Review: The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie

The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie: A Doll's History and Her Impact on Us
Tanya Lee Stone
2010; Penguin; ISBN 978-0-670-01187-2 (hardcover)

Summary: She's been a heroine, a role model, and perennial career-hopper.  She's also been a villian, a target, and a symbol of all that's wrong with society's treatment of females.  Funny how a 11 3/4 inch tall doll can be all that.  Yet in the fifty years since the introduction of the Barbie doll, that's what this toy has been.  For decades, little girls have wanted to play with Barbie.  But is playing with Barbies harmful?  The history and impact of the Barbie doll is full of depth and contrary opinions.

Tanya Lee Stone, author of the YALSA Nonfiction Award finalist Almost Astronauts, looks at another extraordinary female in her latest book.  Whether you think Barbie is a harmless toy or a symbol of evil, Stone takes an even-handed approach to her subject.  She lays out the criticism against Barbie while also presenting the praise for this remarkable doll.  Considering such varied topics as the creation of Barbie, ethnic Barbies, and even why we're always taking her clothes off, this book is a loving yet just examination of the Barbie doll.  Bound to provoke nostalgia and discussion, The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie would be an excellent choice for mother-daughter book clubs.

Review: The Tension of Opposites

The Tension of Opposites
Kristina McBride
2010; Egmont; ISBN 978-1-60684-085-6 (hardcover)

Summary: Ever since her best friend Noelle was kidnapped two years ago, Tessa hasn't really lived; she's been in limbo.  But when Noelle miraculously escapes her kidnapper, Tessa is so happy to have her friend back.  But the girl who returned isn't the same as Tessa's friend.  Calling herself Elle, she acts recklessly, her emotions extreme and quicksilver.  Tessa wants to help Elle, wants to protect her from being hurt.  But in protecting Elle, Tessa hurts herself: it interferes with Tessa's new relationship with Max, for one.  How can Tessa strike a balance between herself and Elle?

Part of a wave of kidnapping novels, The Tension of Opposites chooses to begin with Noelle returning home.  Thanks to this choice, readers experience the tangled aftermath along with both Noelle/Elle and Tessa.  On the one hand, Elle attempts to live life on her own terms, certain that she can never be hurt again like she was by her kidnapper.  Tessa, meanwhile, wants to protect Elle so that she won't be hurt.  This sets up an interesting dichotomy between the two girls, and adds a crackle of suspense to the novel.  Dark yet hopeful, The Tension of Opposites will appeal to readers who enjoyed page-turners like Bonechiller by Graham McNamee.

Review: A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend

A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend
Emily Horner
2010; Penguin; ISBN 978-0-8037-3420-3 (hardcover)

Summary: The car accident that kills Julia has a huge impact on her best friend, Cass.  Losing Julia makes Cass take a look at her life, dealing with questions she's tried to avoid.  Is Cass a lesbian?  Did she love Julia?  Who is she now without her best friend?  Shifting back and forth between Now (the end of the summer and the beginning of school) and Then (the weeks immediately after Julia's death), Cass begins to find answers to those questions, thanks in part to the musical Julia wrote.  As Cass helps Julia's friends put on the show, she realizes that these are her friends, as well.  Who would think such self-discovery would come from a show called Totally Sweet Ninja Death Squad?

From debut author Emily Horner comes a moving story about loss and life.  Cass's journey, both internal and external, rings true to the teenage experience.  Just as boys pull the hair of the girls they like, the middle school tormentor becomes Cass's girlfriend: an interesting twist on relationship dynamics.  Full of well-drawn characters and juggling shifts in storyline, this novel offers an in-depth look at one girl's coming of age.  Pair this with My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger for two feel-good reads.

Review: Not That Kind of Girl

Not That Kind of Girl
Siobhan Vivian
2010; PUSH (Scholastic); ISBN 978-0-545-16815-8 (hardcover)

Summary: Natalie is a smart, in-control girl.  She's in AP classes, the president of her school's student council, and full of plans for her future.  But in her senior year, Natalie finds herself confronting a lot of questions about what it means to be a girl.  Her best friend Autumn, the victim of a no-good boy three years earlier, seems to be making the same mistakes again.  Spencer, the freshman girl that Natalie is trying to mentor, doesn't want Natalie's advice on how to act around boys.  And then there's Connor, the football player that makes Natalie feel so many new emotions.  To figure otu what kind of girl she is, Natalie will end up asking herself one important question.

A moving look at self-discovery and female dynamics, Siobhan Vivian is establishing herself as the voice of teenage girls.  In the tightly-wound Natalie, readers can see the perils of staying closed off from experiences and people.  The relationships are spot-on, a real highlight of this very readable novel.  Pair Not That Kind of Girl with Sara Zarr's Story of a Girl for a one-two punch of female empowerment.

Reminder: Call for Contributors

In November, librarian by day is full of historical fiction, and I need help!  Read this post for more info about how you can contribute to this blog.  Remember, you only have until Friday, September 17 to sign up.  Thanks!

Review: White Cat

The Curse Workers #1: White Cat
Holly Black
2010; Simon & Schuster; ISBN 978-1-4169-6396-7 (hardcover)

Summary: In Cassel's world, some people have the ability to make things go their way.  It might be working on a person's emotions, changing their memories, or inflicting physical harm--all of these can be achieved with a simple touch.  Cassel, though, isn't a worker.  But three years ago, he killed his best friend, Lila.  This action still haunts him, especially since he can't really remember killing her.  Being vulnerable like that makes Cassel, a talented con artist, feel very unsettled, and he's determined to con others before he gets conned again.  When he realizes his older brothers are keeping something from him-something that's tied in with curse-working, Lila's death, and more-Cassel sets out to find the truth.  But he'll discover that maybe the con is better than the truth.

Holly Black creates a compelling, layered world in her new urban fantasy series.  The first book, White Cat, gracefully builds the world and establishs its rules.  What's more, the story of Cassel untangling the mystery he's part of is an action-packed one, full of fistfights and subtle plots.  Through it all, Black's gift for language shines through.  White Cat will be enjoyed by readers of Sisters Red and Beautiful Darkness.

Review: Glimpse

Glimpse
Carol Lynch Williams
2010; Simon & Schuster; ISBN 978-1-4169-9730-6 (hardcover)

Summary: Lizzie has always looked after Hope, just like Hope has always looked out for Lizzie.  They're more than sisters: they're best friends.  So when Hope walks in on Lizzie holding a shotgun, Hope's confused.  Why would Lizzie want to kill herself?  Why would she want to break up their family, take away one of the Chapman Girls--Momma, Lizzie and Hope?  As Hope navigates her memories and reaches out to Lizzie, she sees glimpses of the secrets she never knew.  And when she realizes just what secrets there are between her mother and her sister, Hope will be forced to choose between them.

A heartbreaking novel in verse, Glimpse explores the destructive power of secrets.  Lizzie hides the truth from Hope, trying to protect her, but this sacrifice leaves Lizzie unable to help herself.   It's up to Hope to show Lizzie how to save herself.  Thus, this novel is also about the power of family and love.  Well-paced with moving characters, Glimpse has a tone similar to Elizabeth Scott's Living Dead Girl, but with a more hopeful ending.