Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska. NY: Dutton Children’s Books.
Although I had read some mixed reviews of this book, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel Looking for Alaska. For me, Green seemed to effortlessly capture the essence of young adulthood while encompassing all of those characteristics so often associated with the young adult genre of literature: tragedy, romance, and angst. When Green’s protagonist, Miles Halter (aka “Pudge”), transfers to Culver Creek Boarding School his junior year of high school, he forms friendships that will forever impact the rest of his life. His roommate Chip “The Colonel” Martin and new friends Alaska (also initial love interest) and Takumi lead Miles on a path of boarding school hijinks, and expose him to family dynamics otherwise foreign to him.
Broken into two parts, “Before” and “After,” Looking for Alaska builds suspense in its first half by marking each chapter with number of days “before,” leaving the reader with the distinct feeling that something significant is coming. Leading up to this significant event, the reader learns that Pudge’s closest friends “The Colonel” and Alaska Young are battling inner demons, Alaska’s eventually culminating in her own self-destruction. A product of a trailer park childhood, “The Colonel” harbors resentment toward the “weekday warrior” students - those students who go home on the weekends to McMansion lifestyles, while Alaska blames herself for her mother’s death and strained relationship with her father.
Carter, A. (2010). Heist Society. NY: Disney, Hyperion Books.
Katarina Bishop has lived a life of adventure as the daughter of (and accomplice to) two of the world's most accomplished art thieves. In an attempt to extricate herself from the family business, Kat enrolls herself in boarding school seeking to experience what she perceives as a "normal" teenager's life. Her stint at boarding school is short-lived, however; when long-time family friend and love interest, W.W. Hale the Fifth, stages the ultimate boarding school prank to get Kat expelled, all part of a master plan to lure her back into the family business. Kat's father has been wrongly accused of stealing priceless pieces of art from the dangerous Arturo Taccone's "personal" collection. Kate and Hale soon embark on the race of a lifetime, spanning multiple European countries in an attempt to save Kat's father and clear his name.
I loved this book. It was the ultimate escapism piece of fiction, appealing to one's love of travel, intrigue, and adventure. I also found it charming that Kat's team of experts, to help her track down the stolen masterpieces, was comprised solely of other teenagers, each with that niche talent needed to pull off one of the world's biggest art heists. Often underestimated by the adults, I think teens will love this book as well. Despite their young age, Kat and crew manage to infiltrate a world of which most adults can only dream. A great book!
The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee (Reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Lee, Y.S. (2009). The Agency: A spy in the house. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
Driven to a life of pick-pocketing and theft at an early age, twelve-year-old Mary Quinn is imprisoned and waiting to be hanged for her crimes when she is mysteriously rescued by the benefactors of Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. After completing her education at the academy, Mary is inducted into the secretive and elite Agency at seventeen, and embarks on her first mission as a fledgling spy: play companion to Victorian London's privileged Angelica Thorold while investigating Angelica's father's illegal cargo shipping business. Can Mary find the proof necessary to expose Mr. Thorold's illegal business dealings before time runs out? And is everything as it seems?
Loved this book - read it in a weekend! Looking forward to the next two in the series.
The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman (Reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Pullman, P. (1985). The ruby in the smoke. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf.
Sixteen-year-old orphan Sally Lockhart must navigate Victorian London's sinister side of society in her quest to solve the mystery of her father's death. Along her investigative journey, Sally is confronted with a lurid cast of characters, including the evil Mrs. Holland. Mrs. Holland is determined to stop at nothing to prevent Sally from uncovering the truth and obtaining the elusive ruby - the valuable gemstone at the pinnacle of this thrilling story.
Another great read - look for the BBC movie adaptation as well, it's a good one!
Another great read - look for the BBC movie adaptation as well, it's a good one!
Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman by Eleanor Updale (Reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Updale, E. (2003). Montmorency: Thief, liar, gentleman. New York: Scholastic.
A grievously injured young criminal being treated by the renowned Dr. Farcett, Montmorency inadvertently learns of the engineering plans to develop Victorian London's first underground sewer system. Montmorency schemes his robberies of society's wealthy for the remainder of his incarceration, and once released, creates the alter-ego Scarper to help him carry out his devious crimes, until certain events have him questioning his life of crime altogether.
A gritty crime story and vivid descriptions of London's urban development lend the novel credibility as to what life in Victorian England might have been like. If you like this one, there are two more in the series!
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Rowell, R. (2013). Fangirl. NY: St. Martin's Press.
In Fangirl, eighteen-year-old twins, Cath and Wren, are starting their first year of college, and navigating brand new territory without the comforts of home. Much to the more introverted Cath's chagrin, Wren is intent on branching out at college and no longer wants to share a room with Cath (after a lifetime of doing so). Dealing with the foreign stresses of college life, an acerbic roommate she can't quite figure out, and new love interest Levi, Cath retreats to a world she feels most comfortable - writing Simon Snow fanfiction under the pen name Magicath. Although the online fandom world of character/series Simon Snow provides a cathartic outlet for Cath, it also holds her back from experiencing many of those college "firsts" her sister and classmates are discovering.
After an esteemed professor questions Cath's authenticity as a writer, Cath struggles to find her own creative voice in her first fiction-writing college level class, despite her prolific fanfiction authorship and cult-like following. Add to this the growing distance between her and twin Wren, an absent mother, and a father prone to manic episodes, Cath fumbles her way through her first year of college, at times wanting to throw in the towel and move back home. With the support of her tough-talking roommate and the patience of the very kind Levi, Cath begins to find her niche, learning some tough life lessons along the way.
This was a phenomenal novel - definitely on my personal top ten list of books I've read in 2013. Cath is a relatable character, and her experiences are very relevant to the teen reader. We have a copy of Fangirl in the HHS Library, come check it out!
The Graphic History of Gettysburg: America's Most Famous Battle and the Turning Point of the Civil War by Wayne Vansant (reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Vansant, W. (2013). The Graphic History of Gettysburg: America's Most Famous Battle and the Turning Point of the Civil War. Minneapolis, MN: Zenith Press.
A vivid and striking portrayal of one of US history's most epic battles, The Graphic History of Gettysburg by Wayne Vansant gives a play by play of the Battle of Gettysburg with elaborate illustrations to complement his text. Moments leading up to the battle are described extensively, as well as key players in the famous battle, and the roles they played in the military tactics of July 1863. Significant events such as the fight for Little Round Top and Pickett's charge are covered in great detail, with maps of union and confederate battle lines included. Vansant's graphic novel format is an innovative and visually appealing alternative to textbook delivery of information surrounding one of the most famous battles in American history. A must-read waiting for you at the HHS Library!
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld (reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Neufeld, J. (2009). A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge. NY: Pantheon Books.
In his nonfiction comic, Neufeld recounts five different true stories of survival in the days before and after 2005's devastating Hurricane Katrina. Those residents who did not, or were unable to, evacuate New Orleans were forced to navigate deep waters or seek refuge in their attics or on their rooftops. After the city's levee systems were breached by the powerful storm surge, some areas of New Orleans were submerged in over 15 feet of water, with several buildings simply being swept away. Neufeld depicts the stories of Denise (a sixth-generation New Orleans resident with a master's degree in guidance and counseling), Leo and Michelle (twenty-something natives of New Orleans; Leo - a publisher of a local music zine; Michelle - a waitress and gymnastics instructor), Abbas and Darnell (Abbas - an Iranian-born New Orleanian, father of two, and owner of a family-run convenience store; Darnell - Abbas's friend who stays behind to help Abbas weather the storm in the convenience store), Kwame (high school student and son of a prominent pastor), and Brobson (the doctor living in the French Quarter who refuses to evacuate, instead hosting a hurricane party).
Neufeld does an incredible job of illustrating the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina and the general sentiment of New Orleans residents being told to prepare for the worst storm in the city's history. As the weather conditions become more and more dire, Neufeld's graphic panels are rich with the emotions and anxieties of his profiled residents as they prepare for, and ultimately survive, the massive storm. The havoc wreaked by the hurricane was staggering; A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge poignantly articulates the accounts of residents as they navigated the crisis, evacuation, and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. A very moving read!
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy DuBurke (reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Neri, G. (2010). Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty. NY: Lee & Low Books, Inc.
A graphic novel dramatization of the true story of eleven-year-old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer's life and death, Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty explores the gang-related events that shook Chicago in 1994. A member of the Black Disciples gang, Yummy lived in the high-crime Roseland neighborhood of Chicago's South Side. Another sad story of parental neglect, Yummy alternates between his grandmother's home and his teddy bear, and carrying a gun and running ruthless "errands" for more senior members of the Black Disciples. In an act of gang-related violence, Yummy accidentally shoots and kills an innocent bystander, 14-year-old Shavon Dean. Stunning black and white panels tell the story of Yummy's hiding from the police, the community's reaction to and mourning of the young girl's death, and the grievous consequences wreaked by a single violent act. A riveting, tragic story - you won't be able to put this one down!
Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm (reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Fetter-Vorm, J. (2012). Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb. NY: Hill and Wang.
A vivid portrayal of the building and dropping of the first atomic bomb, this graphic novel narrates the timeline and efforts of the Manhattan Project. Exquisitely detailed diagrams outline the importance of achieving a chain reaction in the production of nuclear energy, and the work of scientists, led by J. Robert Oppenheimer, diligently engineering the atomic bomb. Black and white panels serve the novel well in depicting the stark, desert landscape of New Mexico - host to the atomic bomb's birth and test detonation. The catastrophic results of dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki are strikingly rendered, and the moral implications of such a weapon are explored. A good primer for understanding more about the atomic bomb and the science and history behind it.
A gritty crime story and vivid descriptions of London's urban development lend the novel credibility as to what life in Victorian England might have been like. If you like this one, there are two more in the series!
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Rowell, R. (2013). Fangirl. NY: St. Martin's Press.
In Fangirl, eighteen-year-old twins, Cath and Wren, are starting their first year of college, and navigating brand new territory without the comforts of home. Much to the more introverted Cath's chagrin, Wren is intent on branching out at college and no longer wants to share a room with Cath (after a lifetime of doing so). Dealing with the foreign stresses of college life, an acerbic roommate she can't quite figure out, and new love interest Levi, Cath retreats to a world she feels most comfortable - writing Simon Snow fanfiction under the pen name Magicath. Although the online fandom world of character/series Simon Snow provides a cathartic outlet for Cath, it also holds her back from experiencing many of those college "firsts" her sister and classmates are discovering.
After an esteemed professor questions Cath's authenticity as a writer, Cath struggles to find her own creative voice in her first fiction-writing college level class, despite her prolific fanfiction authorship and cult-like following. Add to this the growing distance between her and twin Wren, an absent mother, and a father prone to manic episodes, Cath fumbles her way through her first year of college, at times wanting to throw in the towel and move back home. With the support of her tough-talking roommate and the patience of the very kind Levi, Cath begins to find her niche, learning some tough life lessons along the way.
This was a phenomenal novel - definitely on my personal top ten list of books I've read in 2013. Cath is a relatable character, and her experiences are very relevant to the teen reader. We have a copy of Fangirl in the HHS Library, come check it out!
The Graphic History of Gettysburg: America's Most Famous Battle and the Turning Point of the Civil War by Wayne Vansant (reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Vansant, W. (2013). The Graphic History of Gettysburg: America's Most Famous Battle and the Turning Point of the Civil War. Minneapolis, MN: Zenith Press.
A vivid and striking portrayal of one of US history's most epic battles, The Graphic History of Gettysburg by Wayne Vansant gives a play by play of the Battle of Gettysburg with elaborate illustrations to complement his text. Moments leading up to the battle are described extensively, as well as key players in the famous battle, and the roles they played in the military tactics of July 1863. Significant events such as the fight for Little Round Top and Pickett's charge are covered in great detail, with maps of union and confederate battle lines included. Vansant's graphic novel format is an innovative and visually appealing alternative to textbook delivery of information surrounding one of the most famous battles in American history. A must-read waiting for you at the HHS Library!
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld (reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Neufeld, J. (2009). A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge. NY: Pantheon Books.
In his nonfiction comic, Neufeld recounts five different true stories of survival in the days before and after 2005's devastating Hurricane Katrina. Those residents who did not, or were unable to, evacuate New Orleans were forced to navigate deep waters or seek refuge in their attics or on their rooftops. After the city's levee systems were breached by the powerful storm surge, some areas of New Orleans were submerged in over 15 feet of water, with several buildings simply being swept away. Neufeld depicts the stories of Denise (a sixth-generation New Orleans resident with a master's degree in guidance and counseling), Leo and Michelle (twenty-something natives of New Orleans; Leo - a publisher of a local music zine; Michelle - a waitress and gymnastics instructor), Abbas and Darnell (Abbas - an Iranian-born New Orleanian, father of two, and owner of a family-run convenience store; Darnell - Abbas's friend who stays behind to help Abbas weather the storm in the convenience store), Kwame (high school student and son of a prominent pastor), and Brobson (the doctor living in the French Quarter who refuses to evacuate, instead hosting a hurricane party).
Neufeld does an incredible job of illustrating the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina and the general sentiment of New Orleans residents being told to prepare for the worst storm in the city's history. As the weather conditions become more and more dire, Neufeld's graphic panels are rich with the emotions and anxieties of his profiled residents as they prepare for, and ultimately survive, the massive storm. The havoc wreaked by the hurricane was staggering; A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge poignantly articulates the accounts of residents as they navigated the crisis, evacuation, and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. A very moving read!
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri, illustrated by Randy DuBurke (reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Neri, G. (2010). Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty. NY: Lee & Low Books, Inc.
A graphic novel dramatization of the true story of eleven-year-old Robert "Yummy" Sandifer's life and death, Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty explores the gang-related events that shook Chicago in 1994. A member of the Black Disciples gang, Yummy lived in the high-crime Roseland neighborhood of Chicago's South Side. Another sad story of parental neglect, Yummy alternates between his grandmother's home and his teddy bear, and carrying a gun and running ruthless "errands" for more senior members of the Black Disciples. In an act of gang-related violence, Yummy accidentally shoots and kills an innocent bystander, 14-year-old Shavon Dean. Stunning black and white panels tell the story of Yummy's hiding from the police, the community's reaction to and mourning of the young girl's death, and the grievous consequences wreaked by a single violent act. A riveting, tragic story - you won't be able to put this one down!
Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm (reviewed by Mrs. Fournier)
Fetter-Vorm, J. (2012). Trinity: A Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb. NY: Hill and Wang.
A vivid portrayal of the building and dropping of the first atomic bomb, this graphic novel narrates the timeline and efforts of the Manhattan Project. Exquisitely detailed diagrams outline the importance of achieving a chain reaction in the production of nuclear energy, and the work of scientists, led by J. Robert Oppenheimer, diligently engineering the atomic bomb. Black and white panels serve the novel well in depicting the stark, desert landscape of New Mexico - host to the atomic bomb's birth and test detonation. The catastrophic results of dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki are strikingly rendered, and the moral implications of such a weapon are explored. A good primer for understanding more about the atomic bomb and the science and history behind it.
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