Departure Time

Departure Time (Vertrektijd)
by Truus Matti
translation by Nancy Forest-Flier
Namelos, 2010. 214 pgs.
Reading Level: 10-14

Annotation: Trying to make sense of her father's accident, a young girl is pulled between the real and the surreal.

Summary: Matti writes a double story, with the same protagonist at the heart of each one. In the first, finding herself alone and confused on a bare plain in the middle of a thunderstorm, the young, unnamed girl seeks cover in an abandoned hotel. Met by a sleepy, yet hospitable fox and a cantankerous rat, the girl finds shelter and friendship with the fox, if not the rat. Gradually, the rat comes to trust her, but mysterious piano playing from an indecipherable source and the rat’s work on an old bus consume her days while she tries to remember just what she’s doing there and what her purpose is. In the second story, the girl is despondent over the accident that took her father. With her mother overcome by grief and their move to a new home, the girl is weighed down by the apprehension that her actions might have caused her father’s death. Despite the love of her grandmother and her father’s friend, Mr. Malakoff, the girl remains convinced she is somehow responsible for this horrible tragedy.

Evaluation: With increasing clarity, the two disparate stories intertwine and with each successive chapter, the reader begins to understand the interdependence of each. Matti writes with a melancholy pen, but there is a sweetness that surrounds this vulnerable protagonist and it’s a beautiful thing to see her mature as she interacts with the fox and the rat--coming to terms with her father’s death and her younger self. The rat and the fox add touches of humor and ingenuity to the tale and the girl is a bit like Alice as she navigates through her own Wonderland, occupied by talking animals and upside down affairs. The pacing is just right, with just enough mystery to keep the reader guessing and just enough exposition for it not to be overwhelming. However, the story has such a sophisticated structure and relies so heavily on nuance that I’m wary that young readers will have a difficult time parceling out the significance and the relationship between the two separate narratives. I really liked the Matti’s style myself though, and it pays a distinct homage to St. Exupery’s “The Little Prince”, as both adolescents are taught life lessons from the lips of a talking fox.

Significance: Departure Time covers several important themes. It discusses the difficulty of losing a parent and the common feelings of guilt and responsibility. But, the story is also one of discovery, of the journey we make through adolescence and the ability and opportunity we have to look back on our live and realize how we’ve matured. It’s about forgiveness of self and forgiveness of other people, even when they’re gone from our lives.

Personal Choice: It was something to do with the book being published orginally in Dutch. I just love the Northern Barquoe school of art and the cover's airmail edging was enticing. Not to mention that one of the characters was a talking fox so, I was hooked.

Awards: Batchelder Honor, 2011 / ALA Notable, 2011 / USBBY Outstanding International Honor, 2011 / CCBC Choices, 2011

Breaking Night

Breaking Night: a memoir of forgiveness, survival and my journey from homeless to Harvard
by Liz Murray
Hyperion, 2010. 334 pgs.
Adult Fiction with YA Interest
Hardcover: $24.99

Annotation: When finding food and a place to sleep are top priorities, suddenly school doesn't seem so important.

Summary: Liz Murray had an unorthodox childhood. Her parents were drug addicts who could barely survive till next month's government check, so feeding their two children was an afterthought at best. With her dad in and out of jail and her mother in and out of the psych ward, Liz struggled just to find enough food to survive each day. Her hair was lice-ridden and the stench of her unwashed body and squalid clothing caused the other school children to ridicule her. Needless to say, it didn't make for a pleasant learning experience and so with no one who cared, Liz decided to skip most days, only showing up to take the end of year tests. She managed to pass on to the next grade each year due to her excellent reading skills honed from years of devouring her dad's collection of true crime novels--which he would check out at the library under numerous aliases and never return. Abused by her mother's friends and neglected by her parents, at one point Liz is even carted off to a state run girl's school where she suffered the mean-spirited bullying by some of the other girls. Returning home, Liz finds that nothing has changed. Finally, forced out of her house at fifteen, Liz became homeless, riding the trains all night, sleeping in friends' apartments or random stairwells. Scavaging food and sleeping arrangments was always a challenge, but Liz found a family in other troubled youth and with the help of her friends she managed to survive.

After AIDS claimes her mother, Liz remembers her mother's dream for her to finish high school and so she goes searching. She hears of an alternative high school that just might accept her and after being admitted, resolves to finish all 8 semesters in just 2 years. Still homeless, she lugs her books and other scant belongings along with her and with the help of her makeshift family of friends she studies like a demon, earning top grades and a leadership position in her school. During a special school trip to Boston, she discovers the magic of Harvard and with encouragement from her teacher, decides to take a long shot at a school most students wouldn't dream of, let alone a homeless girl. But even if she's accepted, Liz would never be able to afford college; however, with nudging from her guidance counselor she applies for a hefty New York Times scholarship. The scholarship is based on the answer to one simple question, "What challenges have you had to overcome in life?" and with that Liz begins writing her life story, because every day was a challenge and every night was a misery.

Evaluation: Liz Murray's story is heartwrenching, but she tells it with a compelling voice. Her prose is clear, readable and ultimately uplifting. With a childhood that cannot really be described as such, because Liz did not have the good fortune to actually be a child, she uses her experiences to propel her forward, rather than as a means to justify failure. Although many individuals would be reticent to reveal such personal indelicacies, Liz instead shares her memoir with candor and her words and accomplishments prove immensely inspiring. I had a hard time putting the book down and am grateful for Liz's courage and her resilient spirit. I found the following passage especially thought provoking. Liz writes, "I was always seeing myself through the eyes of adults, my parents, caseworkers, psychiatrists, and teachers. If I saw a failure in their eyes, then I was one. And if I saw someone capable, then I was capable." A beautifully expressed sentiment with a cautionary tale for all adults who work with youth. But what was written for adults will resonate with teens, especially those coming from troubled backgrounds themselves. Without doubt, Breaking Night is a triumph of will and a true light to the world.

Significance: Liz's story demonstrates that with hard work and intense determination, anyone can overcome the challenges their circumstances would appear to dictate. She excelled with help from some dear friends and excellent teachers. She proved that the responsibility for her future rested with her and not with her past. Liz demonstrates yet again that education has real power to change lives. But, perhaps an even greater achievement than Liz's eventual graduation from Harvard was her ability to honestly forgive both of her parents for their addiction and neglect and that is what makes the book an inspiring read for everyone.

Personal Choice: Although a bit long, the title was an immediate draw and I couldn't wait to find out more about Liz's personal triumph.

Awards: Alex Award, 2011

A Time of Miracles

A Time of Miracles (Les Temps des Miracles)
by Anne-Laure Bondoux
translation by Y. Maudet
Delacorte, 2010. 180 pgs.
(originally published in French, 2009)
Young Adult Fiction / Middle Readers
Hardcover: $17.99

Annotation: Koumail and his adopted mother struggle through the turbulent Caucases on his way to reclaim his French citizenship and reunite with his birth mother.

Summary: Born a French citizen under the name of Blaise Fortune, Koumail now resides in the Republic of Georgia with Gloria, the woman who saved him from a horrific train accident which injured his mother. Gloria rescued Blaise from the train, slipping him from his mother's bosom as she whispered his name, but Gloria was forced to flee the scene before she found out what happend to the woman. Since then, the two impoverished souls have been a comfort to one another, but with the collapse of the Soviet Union, unrest and fighting break out and Gloria feels it is now time to begin their journey to France--to reclaim Blaise's rightful heritage and find his birth mother. Along the way Koumail meets many friends and endures endless hardship. As they travel from refuge to refuge, slowly moving across Europe, Koumail begs for the story of his mother and his rescue time and again and with each telling Gloria reveals more details.

With each step of their journey Koumail learns more about life, meets both evil and good and looks forward to meeting his mother. But as the two are forced to keep moving by the encroaching army and lack of food, they find themselves again walking to their next refuge with Koumail trying to imagine his feet belong to another child, because if they are not his, he will not be able to feel the deep cold and the bleeding soles that remind him of his suffering. Gloria's hacking cough is a worry to Koumail, but she assures him she will not die until he has no more need of her. Struggling to navigate their way through a war-torn country, the two finally find themselves at the end of their journey and the French border is so close, but both Gloria and Koumail might not be able to make the crossing and Koumail can't imagine a life without her. And when Koumail/Blaise ultimately discovers the truth about his family, what will he do?

Evaluation: A Time of Miracles is a magnificant book and Bondoux does a remarkable job as she takes us on a journey of discovery. The tragedy of life in the Caucasus is artfully laced with experiences of exquisite compassion and rather than being ponderous and depressing, the beauty of Gloria and Koumail's souls offer a resplendant hope that people can indeed triumph. The mystery of Koumail/Blaise's past is divulged piece by piece so that the reader's attention is cleverly kept and each of Koumail's experiences offers another look at a desperate childhood, made bearable by human kindness. One of my favorite sentiments as taught by Gloria reads, "Never despair of human beings. For every person who lets you down, you'll meet dozens of others who will help you". The translation is quite good and the book is recommended for sophisticated middle readers or young adults.

Significance: There is a wider world of suffering and heartbreak that some readers can only imagine, but the power of the human spirit to triumph over them both and the beauty and strength of a mother's love make each experience a miracle. Koumail is like each of us, struggling to find out who he is and wrestling with the discouragements and the triumphs that define our being, no matter what our parentage.

Personal Choice: A Time of Miracles was originally published in French and because I speak the language, I felt a certain kinship with the book. And because it was published in the U.S. on my exact birthday, it was doubly auspicious and certain of making my 'to-read' list.

Awards: Batchelder Winner, 2011

Room

Room
by Emma Donoghue
Little, Brown, and Co., 2010. 321 pgs.
Adult Fiction with YA Interest
Hardcover: $24.99

Annotation: Imprisoned by a madman, Jack and his Ma live in a single 11x11 ft room for years with no hope of escape.

Summary: Jack is turning 5--his favorite number. His mother bakes him a cake like any other good mother would do. However, Jack wants 5 candles on the cake, a simple request, but when you're locked in a single room for 7 years by the hands of a madman, no request is ever simple. Kidnapped at 19, "Ma" has been imprisoned and abused by her kidnapper for long, tortuous years. Her son Jack was born into this very room and having never left, has zero concept of the world outside. Sure they have a small tv, but to preserve his innocence and perhaps his sanity, "Ma" tells Jack that what happens on tv is only make believe and so he never realizes there is a whole world out there that he is being kept from experiencing. His friends are Dora the Explorer from the tv, a long snake made of eggshells and the remote control. Christened "Old Nick" by Jack, their captor unlocks the industrical strength door every evening at 9pm to visit "Ma" and fulfill his filthy lust and every night "Ma" forces Jack into the wardrobe minutes beforehand to keep him safe. "Old Nick" takes away their garbage, grudgingly buys them food and once a week allows them a special Sunday treat, such as grapes or crayons--all things most children take for granted. As he grows, Jack starts asking questions that Ma finds increasingly hard to answer and so she tells him the whole story, but Jack's small mind has trouble taking it all in and grasping the magnitude of the injustice that's been perpetrated. But one night Jack and "Ma" conceive a plan for escape and it all hinges on 5-year-old Jack's ability to play dead.

Evaluation: Told from 5-year-old Jack's perspective, the experience of Jack and his mother takes on a bizarre innocence that only a child could relay. Donoghue does an incredible job at portraying the mind of a child whose view of reality is dysfunctional and distorted. Jack and his mother's approach to life is heartbreakingly simple. They wake up, eat a rationed breakfast, take a bath together, watch 1 show on tv (2 if Jack is lucky--but Ma doesn't want him to rot his brain so tv is kept to a minimum), do Phys Ed--which consists of strength maintaining exercises--eat lunch, play together, color, tell stories, eat dinner, brush their teeth (because for years Ma didn't take care of hers and now they are rotting and she has horrible pains), watch 1 more show on tv, read 1 or all of the 5 books they've been alloted and then go to bed--only to do the same thing the next day and the next and the next. Their only diversion is the small, steel enclosed skylight that gives them their only connection with the outside world. One day Jack spies a plane through the tiny opening, just like on tv, and this highlight keeps him excited for days on end.

Donoghue's Jack is both prodigiously bright and exceptionally naive, making for a endearing character the reader yearns to protect and educate. Jack speaks of "room" and "table", "wall", and "rug" without articles and without a proper sense of perspective. He still breast-feeds at five years and while the concept is a bit repulsive to most of America, it is a symbol of "Ma's" commitment to nurture her child and preserve his innocence, while providing him nourishment. "Ma" is a fierce protector and her character, while a secondary one, demonstrates the will of a mother when faced with tragic odds. She is remarkably resilient, keeping Jack occupied and setting a scheduled routine, doing her best to keep him and herself healthy and trying to provide as normal a childhood as possible in their extreme circumstances.

"Old Nick" is a peripheral character and his evil actions dictate Jack and Ma's life, but he cannot take away their spirit and their love for each other. Donoghue's gift lies in her ability to show us our own world through the eyes of a unique little boy. Little things take on great significance and you'll never look at the freedom to get up, put on shoes and and walk outside as a commonplace experience again.

I listened to the audio version of this book and while I was initially irriated by the voice of Jack, I came to love his childlike enthusiasm and I have to give high kudos to the actor who portrayed this precocious child. In short, Room is a fascinating read for adults while utterly appropriate for teens and will appeal to anyone searching for the next good book.

Significance: Room celebrates the resiliency of people faced with incredible challenges and the ability of a child to save his mother, both phsyically and mentally.

Personal Choice: I'd had several recommendations from people I trusted and the premise behind the novel intrigued me.

Awards: Alex Award, 2011

American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese
by Gene Luen Yeng
First Second, 2006. 240 pgs.
Young Adult: Graphic Novel
Hardcover: $19.95

Annotation: Yeng explores the complexity of identity with humor and wisdom.

Summary: Across the expanse of three separate plots, Yeng examines the nature of identity. First comes the intimidating Monkey King. Born of a rock he rules a mountian of monkeys, but when turned away from a party in Heaven, decides to transform himself in order to never be rejected again. Then we have Jin Wang, the only Chinese boy in his class until the Taiwanese Wei-Chen moves in. Not only bonded by the butt of racial snears, the two find they have a love of transformers and soon become fast friends. And finally we have Danny, whose horribly stereotypical cousin Chin-Kee arrives, making Danny's life miserable as he strives to navigate highschool with a family member whose embarrassing differences might make him an outcast.

Evaluation: A graphic novel is a type of comic book, usually with a lengthy and complex storyline similar to those of novels, and often aimed at mature audiences. (So says http://www.wikipedia.org/)

My previously uninformed perception was that graphic novels were a combination of the best in illustration with a mediocre plot thrown in to make them…something more than a children’s picture book. My bad. Super cool graphics?--Check. Simple plot?--Negative. American Born Chinese was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first graphic novel to win the American Library Association's Printz Award.

The adventures of the Monkey King, Jing Wang, Wei-Chin, and crazy cousin Chin-Kee are sure to capture your attention. The three separate plots of the novel explore the difficulties of being Chinese-American in a society where stereotypes abound. Being a teenager is hard in any country, and being ‘different’ can kill your social life--especially when your accent, appearance, and relatives differ so drastically from the ‘norm’. The temptation to give in to peer-pressure and blend with the cool crowd is nearly irresistible, especially when transforming yourself would make you more acceptable. Adhering to ancient cultural traditions seems unappealing when trying to navigate the hallways of high school, or rule a mountain of monkeys. And the question is…accept it or reject it? The novel is full of a “should I really be laughing at this?” style of humor that the Politically Correct Police would be sure to censor. Yet, Yang simultaneously draws a mesmerizing tale while teaching some extraordinary values. And when the intricate plot lines magically intertwine in the last pages, the beauty of the tale is overwhelming. Deep enough for a college thesis and light enough for a young teen, this graphic novel is a masterpiece of ingenuity.

Significance: American Born Chinese addresses the difficulty of being a minority--in any sense of the word--during the formative teen years. The novel offers superb discussion points on relevant young adult issues, such as: How do you navigate social and cultural differences and if you can transform yourself, is it advisable? Should you remain true to your traditional family values? How can you integrate successfully into a new society while still honoring your native culture? These and other cultural/social quandries make this book a great read for any teens struggling with difficult identity issues.

Personal Choice: I have a strong interest in Chinese culture and had never read a graphic novel, so with that combination of variables, I had to give this new genre a try and was utterly blown away by Yeng's genius in the process.

Awards: Great Graphic Novels for Teens, 2007 / Printz Winner, 2007 / ALA Best Book for Young Adults, Top Ten List / National Book Award Nominee, 2007 / San Franciso Chronicle Best Book of the Year / NPR Holiday Pick / amzon.com Best Graphic Novel/Comic of the Year / Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year / Booklist Editors' Choice Book

Soulless

Soulless: an Alexia Tarabotti novel
The Parasol Protectorate: Book 1
by Gail Carriger
Orbit, 2009. 384 pgs.
Science Fiction / Young Adult Fiction
Paperback: $7.99

Annotation: Not having a soul can be a disadvantage in Victorian London society, except when you're confronting vampires and werewolves, that is.

Summary: Alexia Tarabotti is enough to make any marriage-hungry mama despair. She's dark (thanks to her Italian father),  has a large nose, tends to be a bit of a  bluestocking and is missing quite an important appendage--her soul. Although the last is a matter her family is quite in the dark about. However, all things combined have left her in a state of spinsterhood, which is just fine as far as she's concerned--as long as she gets enough to eat. However, late one night at a society ball Alexia accidentally impales a vampire with her silver-tipped parasol and who should appear to mop up the mess but Lord Maccon, the alpha werewolf of the most respectable pack in London. The two are simply too stubborn and too much alike to get along, but as they (along with Lord Maccon's beta, Professor Lyall) attempt to discern just why a hungry vampire would attack a soulless creature, there begins an adventure that brings them together in highly romantic, highly inappropriate ways. As they soon find out, werewolves and vampires have been disappearing all over the city and so Alexia seeks Lord Akeldama's help, the oldest and most fashionably foppish vampire in London. But the two are unfortunately choloroformed and kidnapped one night and taken to the Hypocras Club, where dastardly experiments are taking place by scientists opposed to the rather civilzed vampires and werewolves who've integrated into society's highest echelons. It is there they meet up with Mr. MacDougall, (the American scientist who was really quite fond of Alexia) and the  man-made automaton. In spite of ensnaring Lord Akeldama, the scientists are perhaps even more pleased they have a truly soulless human upon which to experiment. But when Alexia is thrust into the chambers of Lord Maccon--in his most ferocious full-moon state of werewolfdom--so that they can measure the effects of her soullessness, life becomes wildly unpredictable and it turns out to be a decidely unfortunate move on the part of the scientists. All ends happily though, at least for Alexia and Lord Maccon, and there is even an appearance by Queen Victoria herself, with a blessing (or command) for the two to marry. Do they comply, you ask? You'll have to read it to find out.

Evaluation: I completely understand why the Alex committee proposed this title as vampires, werewolves and the like are quite the thing at the moment. However, I wasn't overly impressed and I'd honestly never recommend it to a teen. The plot is fun, has high energy and a nice regency romance feel to it. However, the novel is far too lascivious for my tastes, let alone appropriate for teen consumption as far as I'm concerned. But, the incorporation of steampunk elements: steam-powered torture chambers, electricity experiments, Dr. Lyall's glassicals and flying dirigibles, make the novel ripe for the current fashion. I suppose Alexia is a likeable character (of course one does have to root for her and Lord Maccon to acknowledge their mutual attraction) and there are the occasional moments of humor which make the novel fun to read, if not deserving of a place on my bookshelf.

Significance: Vampires, werewolves and ghosts, oh my! Yes, the combination of popular monsters, welded together with the steampunk genre, is all the rage at the moment and the reason this book found itself on the Alex committee's radar.

Personal Choice: You should never judge a book by it's cover, but I did. I loved the victorian dress on the cover model and her adorable steampunk top hat with goggles. Plus, she had a parasol and what girl doesn't love a good parasol (with accompanying gears and whatnots). The steampunk genre holds a bit of fascination for me after reading Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan and I was excited to tackle another book in the genre. It's just too bad this wasn't quite the one for me.

Awards: Alex Award Winner, 2010

The Knife of Never Letting Go

The Knife of Never Letting Go: Chaos Walking Trilogy, Bk 1
by Patrick Ness, narrated by Nick Podehl
Candlewick, 2008. 496 pgs
Young Adult
Hardcover: $18.99

Annotation: Todd will soon be a man on New World, but when he finds out the truth about his town, will he survive the chaos to reach his 13th birthday?

Summary: Todd Hewitt is just a month shy of his 13th birthday, the age when he will be proclaimed a "man" on New World. He and his guardians (Bed and Cillian) live in Prentisstown, in a futuristic society on a planet where everyone's thoughts--including the animals--can be heard just as plain as if you were thinking them aloud. Dubbed "the noise" this overwhelming cacophany rules the lives of the men in Prentisstown, and only the men, because the germ which caused men's thoughts to become audible managed to kill all the women, including Todd's mother. But, one day Todd hears something in the swamp that causes him to panic--silence. Silence is unheard of in Prentisstown and when Todd finds out what is causing the silence it's anyone's guess who is more frightened, him or the teenage girl looking back at him. But when he rushes off to tell Ben and Cillian, chaos breaks out and before Todd knows what's happening, the sheriff is calling for an accounting of what happened in the swamp and his guardians have thrust a backpack with his mother's journal into Todd's arms and urge him back to the swamp, telling him that he must read the book, the accompanying map and make his way to Haven--a town he never knew existed. Confused, Todd runs, taking his dog Manchee into the swamp with him where he encounters the girl again and the two soon realize they must stay together in order to save their lives because Aaron, the town holy man, seems intent on killing them both. Todd and Viola form a tentative companionship as they strive to stay one step ahead of Aaron and the men of Prentisstown, who, for whatever reason, want to ensure Todd never reaches Haven. It's a treacherous, painful journey for them both and along the way Todd learns that everything he's been told about Prentisstown and New World has been nothing but a lie. And whether or not he will be forced to use the knife Ben gifted him to defend himself or to make himself into a man is the most important decision Todd might have to make.

Evaluation: Patrick Ness creates a fascinating society on New World and Todd and Viola are fragile, sympathetic protagonists. The idea of "the noise" is a clever implement and the fact that Todd is just as much in the dark about the true nature of New World as the reader creates an exciting tension as we desire to know the real state of affairs just as much as he does. The pacing is excellent and the non-stop action as the teens struggle to make it to Haven is riveting. But, it is the narrator who makes the book come to life. Podehl is a genius at vocal personification and each character has substance. He does spot-on accents and every human, animal and alien has a different rhythm and different quality. I especially loved the Podehl's singing voice: strong, tantalizing and nostalgic as he gives voice to the folksong, "Early One Morning...on don't deceive me, oh never leave me", that Todd's mother and guardian used to sing to him. He does lovely immitations of the "spackle", the alien life forms native to New World and does an excellent Manchee impersonation. Overall a delightful book and a superb narrator made this a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I was only disappointed in the swearing, which was too harsh for my tastes. But the ending! I was absolutely stunned and heartbroken when the book ended as I hadn't realized it was the 1st in a trilogy. It's such a cliffhanger and I am waiting for the second book with great anticipation.

Significance: "The Knife of Never Letting Go" addresses several relevant themes for a teenage audience. First, the author uses "the noise" as a means to discuss the overwhelming and nonstop proliferation of constant information we currently contend with. Another major theme is the issue of when a child becomes a man and what is it that makes him a man--is it simply reaching a birthday or is it through choice, decision and action? Then there is the pain of losing one's parents, learning to trust someone new and trying to survive when all the cards seem stacked against you. The grandest argument Ness puts forth is the idea that we all 'fall' and what makes the difference is whether we get back up again. Using biblical themes of the fall and a possible atonement give this book more depth and catapult it into award-winning territory.

Personal Choice: I love, love, LOVE great audio books and when I saw this had won the Odyssey Honor, as well as several other awards I was immediately enticed.

Awards: Odyssey Honor, 2011 / Booktrust Teenage Prize / Guardian Award / James Tiptree, Jr. Award, 2008

Please Ignore Vera Dietz

Please Ignore Vera Dietz
by A.S. King
Knopf, 2010. 336 pgs.
Young Adult Fiction
Hardcover: $16.99

Annotation: When Charlie dies, Vera Dietz is the only one who knows the mystery behind his death, but will she find the courage to share the truth?

Summary: Vera Dietz and Charlie Kahn have been best friends since they were four years old. They hike in the woods, climb the Master Oak and even build a tree house together. But each have their secrets to keep. Vera never tells anyone that Mr. Kahn abuses his wife and Charlie never tells anyone that Vera's mom is an ex-stripper, until they reach high school that is. Then Charlie begins hanging out with the detentionheads, falls into the evil clutches of Jenny Flick and everything changes. He starts to believe the lies Jenny tells him and soon Vera and Charlie's friendship is a thing of the past, solidified when he hits Vera--exhibiting the traits he never wanted to inherit from his father and ensuring that Vera will never talk to him again. But Vera does talk to him one last time--the night the pet store burns down and the night that Charlie dies. "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" is the history behind the mystery of Charlie's death, his acquaintance with a creepy pervert and his slow slide into loserdom and lostville. But it's Vera's story too and she must work out her own demons as she finishes up her senior year and works full time as a pizza delivery techinician, all the while trying to come to terms with Charlies' betrayal, his death and her mother's leaving when she was twelve years old.

Evaluation: King tells a horrible story in a remarkably compelling manner. She rotates chapers from alternative points of view: Vera, Charlie (now dead), the Pagoda (a town landmark) and Vera's dad. It all works amazingly well and each chapter provides another piece of the puzzle that King slowly helps the reader put together. It's dark, dark, dark and yet there are wonderful moments of humor and triumph. Vera is sarcastic, smart, tough, but emotionally fragile and trying to survive this craziness. She's a superb protagonist and someone to love, even if you can't relate to her crazy life and especially if you can. I loved Vera's use of her vocabulary words and the way she would say "Parsimonious. Here is me using parsimonious in a sentence. My dad is so parsimonious he won't buy anything without a coupon." Vera and her dad have a fascinating relationship, but all the peripheral characters are well-wrought too. We have Mr. Dietz: Zen master who can't get over his wife's leaving and reader of self-help books; James: Vera's pizza 23-year-old pizza colleague, make-out partner and booz-buyer; Marie: the pizza manager with crazy teeth but a sweet disposition; the animal lovers at Zimmermans; Bill Corso: the deadbeat jock who can't read, Mr Kahn: wife-beater and stultifier of all dreams; and then there are all the people Vera delivers pizza to. King excels at character creation. In effect, "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" is pure genius.

Significance: It's a gripping story, horrifying and deadly serious as it tackles teen alcoholism, perversion, abuse, drugs, love, death and all the terrors we wish young adults never needed to know about, but sadly do. The book discusses destiny and whether or not we are forced to follow in our parent's footsteps because of our genes or whether we can break the cycle and live our own dreams. It portrays a teen-parent relationship as fallible, but ultimately salvageable and honors some adults, even when others are complete idiots. It is real, honest and definitely not for the faint of heart.

Personal Choice: One of my best friend's last name is Dietz and she urged me to read the book and tell her what I thought before she dared read it. My advice to her?...don't read it if you're in the mood for something light and fluffy because you won't find it here. It's a heavy, edgy story but stunning and eventually hopeful and one that deserves high honors.

Awards: Printz Honor Award, 2011

The Freak Observer

The Freak Observer
by Blythe Woolston
Carolrhoda Books, 2010. 208 pgs
Young Adult Fiction
Hardcover: $16.95

Annotation: Loa has not one, but two deaths to contend with and the nightmares and anxiety just keep getting worse.

Summary: Loa is attacked by her toilet plunger wielding father, not because she did anything wrong, but simply because she didn't die. Sometimes fright will do that to a person and he's already lost one daughter. But it wasn't Loa who died that night, it was Edith and now Loa must figure out how to survive the horror of her sister's death and her friend's. She's not doing particularly well though, with horrible nightmares of The Bony Guy, anxiety attacks and the inability to concentrate all contibuting to her dropping grades. Even her best friend Corey has betrayed her by going to Europe to a new school, sending her cruel postcards in the mail and posting shocking internet photos of her in compromising positions. On top of that, when her dad loses his job, she must help support her family doing dishes at the Piney Woods care center. And through it all she has that make-up essay to write for science class about the Freak Observer. Feeling like a freak herself, she's doing all she can to keep it together without going crazy. But it's more difficult than  she imagined and until "the nice boy" shows up, she's not doing a very good job.

Evaluation: Set in a logging community in a small Montana town, Woolston writes about the grieving process as experienced by one very unfortunate girl. Told in a mixture of both present day and numerous flashbacks, the story reveals the crippling nightmares Loa endures as her mind tries to come to terms with Asta and Edith's deaths. The book is particularly realistic in it's treatment of grief, anxiety and the separation from reality that trauma brings. Each chapter begins with a black page on which a science experiment is written, symbolizing several things. One being that Loa herself is attempting to understand her world in terms of a scientific equation; two, that she herself feels like a science experiment; and three, that science is a field where answers should be as easy to determine as a well-wrought equation but, real life often doesn't work that way.

I particularly liked this recipe for grief as given by Loa.

1) Heat the oven to Denial
2) Prepare the pan with a spray of Anger
3) Mix in two medium-size Bargain with The Bony Guy
4) Add 1/3 cup of Depression (tears will do if you want low fat)
5) Bake for 35 minutes, or until you can jab a toothpick in your arm and it seems Acceptable.

I thought Woolston was overly fond of the "f" word, but concede that it's probalby realistic of teens with an anger issue. The backstory of Asta's death and Corey's betrayal was well done and added layers of sorrow and confusion to an already desparing teen. The use of postcards was a particularly clever idea and demonstrated Loa's inability to see beyond her depression. When Loa ultimately realizes she had been connecting dots that weren't there, we see her brain beginning to heal. Loa's research on the freak observers is a nice literary device and mirrors her own disassociation from her world, just as the scientific theory of this discombobulated brain does.

With teen drinking, harsh language, nonchalant teen sex, PTSD and parental abuse the book is dark and inappropriate for all but the most mature teen readers. I feel hard-pressed to recommend it to anyone unless they've experienced death themselves. All said, the book is treats a dark, heavy topic with literary aplomb and even though it's "enormously sad" as Kathe Koja relays, it's an important addition to the body of literature treating the wretched reality of death.

Significance: While there are many teens who make it through adolescence without having to experience the horrors of a sibling or a friend dying, there are the unfortunate number who do not. This book addresses a difficult, important subject and follows a teen as she battles through the grieving process. Eventually, she will learn how to see the world clearly again and rid herself of her debilitating nightmares.

Personal Choice: Being acquainted with death, grief myself, I wanted to see how Woolston would treat the subject. The book wasn't my favorite, but probably realistic as far as the nightmares and PTSD are concerned.

Awards: Morris Winner, 2011

The Book Thief

The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak
Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2006. 560 pgs.
Young Adult Fiction
Hardcover: $17.99

Annotation: Death follows Leisel Meminger as she steals book after book during the horror and heartbreak of Nazi Germany.

Summary: Leisel steals her first book at her brother's gravesite before she even knows how to read, but The Gravedigger's Handbook becomes the satiric tome her foster father uses to teach her. Sent to the town of Molching, Germany during WWII to live with the Hubermanns, Leisel struggles with nightmares and her foster mother's caustic personality. But she finds a friend in Rudy, the German boy down the street who becomes her fast playmate and partner in crime. They steal apples from the neighbors and commit other petty acts, but it is Leisel who continues to steal book after book (including, hungering for the beauty of the words. Then Max appears, a Jewish boxer whose father Hans owes a favor. So they hide him in the basement, where he wastes away in fear and darkness, becoming friends with Leisel and ironically painting over the words of Mein Kampf to make her a comic book. Molching is caught between its citizens' desire to remain humane and the Nazi's increasingly constrictive tyranny; however, Leisel is somewhat protected by the sweetness of accordian-playing Hans. But even he cannot protect her when the Nazi's come to town and she will end up losing one of her most precious friends.

Evaluation: Juxtaposing horrific evil and resplendant beauty, Zusak writes one of the most moving novels to hit the literary world. The Book Thief is based on stories his mother used to tell of Nazi, Germany and although it began life as a 100 page novella, it blossomed into the 560 page volume we now know. The story is engrossing and the language is resplendant. Zusak's use of Death as the narrator is a brilliant, original choice and Death moves silently through the book, "haunted by humans" and his increasing death duties throughout the war, but providing an omniscient perspective and a grim wit. Leisel is a sympathetic character and the rest of the cast is well-wrought and increasingly more beloved. The book is haunting, lovely and superbly written. Line after beautiful line flows from Zusak's pen and it's difficult to choose a favorite phrase, but here are some of the choicest ones:

- "She was the book thief without the words. Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain."

- "I am haunted by humans." (Death)

- "Five hundred souls. I carried them in my fingers, like suitcases. Or I'd throw them over my shoulder. It was only the children I carried in my arms." (Death)

- "So much good, so much evil. Just add water." (Death)

- "It was a Monday and they walked on a tightrope to the sun."

- "I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant." (Death)

I listened to the audio version and was mesmerized by the narration of Allen Corduner, whose performance even brought Zusak's hard-bitten parents to tears.

Despite being set during the most apalling time period in history, the book celebrates hope. The New York Times writes that,  "hope is embodied in Liesel, who grows into a good and generous person despite the suffering all around her, and finally becomes a human even Death can love."
Significance: It's difficult to enumerate the power this book wields. Leisel teaches us that books have power. They have the power to hate and the power to heal. This is a title about Nazi Germany told from the somewhat rare perspective of the Germans who resisted the Nazi's pervasive influence.

Personal Choice: I have a fascination with books about the Holocaust and after reading several good reviews, this one caught my eye. I'm proud to say I began my literary love affair with Markus Zusak after reading this book.

Awards: Printz Honor Award, 2007 / ABA - Book Sense Book of the Year, 2007

Jellicoe Road

Jellicoe Road
by Melina Marchetta
HarperTeen, 2008. 432 pgs.
Young Adult Fiction
Hardcover: $17.99

Annotation: On the Jellicoe Road, the Townies, Cadets and the Jellicoe School children all vie for supremacy in the territory wars.

Summary: Abandoned by her mother on the Jellicoe Road, Taylor Markham is found by Hannah and taken to the Jellicoe School. Now coming upon her senior year, Taylor has just been named a House Leader at the boarding school and commander of the unoffical organization that runs the children's clandestine after-hours activities--translation, the territory wars. What the adults don't know is that the territory wars are serious business and began nearly 20 years ago when the cadets first came to camp next to the Jellicoe School for a 6 week outdoor education program. Then began a war of territory between the school, the townies and the cadets. Each year the children vie for trail rights, make boundary negotiations and try to win back key landmarks, such as the Prayer Tree or the clubhouse. But neither Taylor nor the rest of the house leaders think she's actually up for this monumental leadership role and her continually deteriorating emotional state make her less and less capable. When Hannah leaves the school without word, Taylor grows even more upset and when she finds the story Hannah's been working on the line between fact and fiction blurs until she's not sure what to believe anymore. And through it all the wars continue, with violent skirmishes, unlikely friendships and the complexities of first love forming between Jonah, Santangelo, Raffaela and herself.

Evaluation: Told from alternating chapters of present day and the past of 20 years ago, Jellicoe Road is a difficult story to unravel. But the tantalizing bits Marchetta slowly divulges keeps the interest high and the mind working frantically to decipher the story within the story. Once you figure out what's actually going on in the story Hannah's writing, it's difficult not to want to go back to the first of the novel and re-read it with this newfound perspective and even the most sophisticated teen readers will likely struggle with the past/present connection. As for characters, Taylor Markham is a complicated soul, but her goodness of heart, exterior toughness and her ultimate vulnerability will win the reader's heart. Hannah's relationship with Taylor is a continuing mystery and when you finally hit upon the truth the answer seems like it was always there. The war between the three factions is always riveting and their constant battles and increasing closeness is a beautiful testament to the power of friendship and comraderie. The novel tackles deeper themes and can be melancholy, but there are spots of humor and resiliency of character that lighten it's overall feel. There are bouts of strong language and casual teen sex makes an appearance so it's not for everyone. However, I loved the book for its complexity and for the masterful way Marchetta reveals the intricate threads that bind the characters to each other.

Significance: The title explores the journey adolescents take as they make their way through the perils of death and abandonment and learn to trust their peers while discovering the complex nature of family.

Personal Choice: My best friend raved about the book, so trusting her discerning taste I, along with my bookclub, had to give it a try we all thoroughly enjoyed it.

Awards: Printz Winner, 2009