Posts filed under 'Hi-Low/Quick Read'
“Shakespeare Bats Cleanup”
Shakespeare Bats Cleanup by Ron Koertge
Mrs. Martin recommended this to me and asked me about the last entry—some students who read the book saw some hidden meanings there. Well—hidden meaning? That was intriguing enough to get me to read. And now I want to recommend this book to you—it is so short, it’ll take you about an hour to read. And yet it deals with so much.
Kevin is fourteen. He’s a great first baseman and baseball is his joy, but when he gets mono, he has to stay home in bed. His father gives him a journal to pass the time, and he decides to write a few poems to deal with the break-up with a girlfriend and more importantly, with his mother’s death. What’s fun is that he writes poems about these things—a sonnet, a ballad, a pastoral, a haiku (OK, that one is funny), blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter), couplets, a sestina—but you just smoothly read through these poems without knowing what he’s doing. What you do know is that through these forms, Kevin does a better job of expressing his emotions. Instead of saying, “I’m bummed that my mom died,” his images and language show you what his mother was like and why he misses her so much.
So, yeah—read it. As for the hidden meaning? I didn’t get it, but if you do, let me know!
Add comment May 24, 2010
“Telling”
Telling by Marilyn Reynolds
The novel begins with twelve-year-old Cassie meeting her new neighbors, the Sloans, and agreeing to baby-sit their children. Each time Cassie baby-sits, Fred Sloan makes a sexual advance toward her, progressively becoming more obvious and direct. In the beginning, Cassie doesn’t tell anyone, but instead tries to beg off the baby-sitting jobs. Unfortunately, Cassie’s mother often says ‘yes’ for her, thinking that Cassie should enjoy making the money.
When Cassie finally tells her older cousin, the two go to baby-sit together. Cassie only baby-sits alone when Fred is out for his bowling night and will be home later than Angie. One night this plan backfires and Fred catches Cassie alone. He forces kisses upon her and promises he won’t hurt her. She freezes in fear. Afterward, she won’t go out. Once the truth comes to light, not all adults believe Cassie –and Fred and his wife won’t admit what happens. The novel continues with the effects of the truth upon both families and the danger that Cassie is in while she is ‘telling.’
We just got two copies of this book for our ‘SSR’ library in the textbook room at COHS. I thought it was realistic and recommend it. Ask in the textbook room if you’d like to read it.
Add comment May 18, 2010
“Skulduggery Pleasant”
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
Stephanie Edgley is brokenhearted over the death of her Uncle Gordon, who, in a surprise move, has left Stephanie his estate. He was a bestselling author of fantasy and magic, and hung out with what his family considered a weird, low-life crowd. One of this crowd comes to the reading of Gordon’s will. He is hidden by his dark glasses, muffler and overcoat. When Stephanie is later staying the night in the house she inherited from Gordon, this strange man saves her life. It quickly becomes apparent that Gordon was murdered and Stephanie, bored with life on the east coast of Ireland, wants to help find the killer.
But the strange Skulduggery Pleasant isn’t a man—at least not a live one—he’s a skeleton, and a powerful one at that, a detective who takes on cases in the world of magic, vampires, sorcerers, ‘cleavers,’ Elders and Hollow Men. Apparently, Gordon’s best selling novels were based on reality. And thus begins Stephanie’s adventures in the world of the supernatural.
Skulduggery and Stephanie (aka Valkyrie Cain) are a smart-mouthed, wise cracking pair as they fight the evil Nefarian Serpine, who hopes to resurrected the Faceless Ones and destroy mankind. They dodge bullets (or are shot), outrun vampires, escape cleavers and more. They survive broken bones, burning and torture. The action never stops—violence, danger nor magic—but through all they are cool. (Skulduggery even drives a 1954 Bentley.)
Skulduggery Pleasant has many great twists and turns that keep you involved in detective books. Though Stephanie is twelve, she acts much older. The violence in the book, while not gratuitous, is also more suited to teens than to kids. So don’t pass this one up if you find a copy shelved with the kids’ books. Oh—and it has that always sought after ‘more than 375 page’ benefit—even though the pages are short and the action so fast that you’ll finish in no time at all. And if you really like it, sequels are here.
Add comment February 23, 2010
“The Graveyard Book”
“There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.”
The first sentence of The Graveyard Book
Though The Graveyard Book has been marketed to younger teens in the U.S., it is sold as an adult book in some places. As soon as you start reading, you’ll see why. The tale opens with a man and a knife and a family being murdered. Though three are killed, the youngest, a baby about a year and a half old, climbs out of his crib and wanders away, ending up in a nearby graveyard—an old graveyard, no longer in use except as a nature sanctuary.
The inhabitants of the graveyard—all ghosts except for Silas, who is neither alive nor dead—argue mightily about the boy’s fate, but in the end, he is kept by the Owens’, who in life never had children. Silas agrees to be the boy’s guardian. Thus Bod—short for Nobody Owens (“so named because he “looks like nobody but himself”)—is raised where he is given ‘the freedom of the graveyard’ and therefore can practice skills like fading and haunting. He grows up exploring chapel mausoleums, ancient burial chambers and the home of the monstrous creatures as well as accidentally entering the ghoul gate and endangering his life. Outside the graveyard danger also awaits as the man Jack, who assassinated Bod’s family, is still looking for him.
The community of the dead includes several teachers and other useful sorts. Bod learns what he needs to know, but longs for the friendship of the living as well as the dead. But when he goes outside the graveyard, he learns of the ancient order responsible for his family’s death.
This is a quick read and a very original book. It’s not all dark—there are lots of puns and much fun to be made of the inhabitants of the graveyard, like the failed poet who recites some (pretty awful) lines for Bod. A plus is the inclusion of illustrations.
Add comment February 16, 2010
“Twice Told: Original Stories Inspired by Original Art”
Twice Told: Original Stories Inspired by Original Art has stories by many wonderful YA writers and drawings by Scott Hunt.
When a teacher asks you to read short stories, check this book out. Each section has art work–a pencil drawing. Following the drawing are two stories that interpret that piece of art. It’s great to see what a creative mind comes up with–how different the two stories can be and how far they can venture from that beginning in the drawing (which is the point–the art is something of a prompt, but once the creativity gets going, the story takes on a whole new dimension). Some of the story writers happen also to be some of my favorite YA authors–Sarah Dessen, Bruce Coville, Neal Shusterman, Margaret Peterson Haddix, M. T. Anderson, and Alex Flinn. Judging from books that checkout here, I think these are some of your favorites as well. Other story authors are new to me–which is great because it gives me the opportunity to meet them and then find out about other works they’ve written.
I also want to recommend this book to you if you’re a budding writer. What sort of story will you write after contemplating the drawing? The art is just right to start those creative juices flowing.
Add comment January 29, 2010
“City of Ashes”
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (Book Two of The Mortal Instruments)
Here’s another Top Ten Teen Read of 2009—but with smart cover art and an intriguing title.
I read City of Ashes because it got on the top ten teen book list. I probably should have read the first book in the trilogy, City of Bones, but Clare does a good job of grounding the reader. Clary Fray is a Shadowhunter, which is a mortal who polices the ‘Downworld’ of monsters—werewolves, vampires, fairies (Seelies), witches and warlocks. Ordinary mortals are given the pejorative ‘mundanes’ and include Clary’s sometimes boyfriend, Simon.
Though Clary and Simon share an unbreakable bond, it’s really Jace that Clary has the hots for, mostly because Jace has that ‘bad boy who takes crazy chances and is angry at everyone’ thing going. Unfortunately, though the two were raised apart without knowledge of one another, they turn out to be brother and sister. Their father is the evil Valentine whose goal is to overthrow the Clave (Shadowhunter society). His reasons have to do with his hatred for all ‘Downworlder’ beings except Shadowhunters. He sees them as inferior monsters.
The arrogant Valentine engages a lot of powerful demons that mundanes can’t see. It is soon clear that he cares nothing for his own children if they disobey him, and could easily destroy them along with others in the Clave. So the battle is on. And it is fierce. Action is swift, bloody and described in detail. Demons are imaginatively described. As the plot twists, you’ll be hanging on for the ride. And here’s an added bonus: there’s lots of good writing—you can talk to your English teacher about the great metaphors and imagines. There’s a bit of lousy writing as well—when your English teacher lectures about how annoying a plethora of adverbs can be, bring this book in and get extra credit. (Clare can reconstruct any sentence to throw in pointless adverbs, making meaning stupefyingly [get it?] redundant.)
But so what—you’re going to be engaged—from cover to cover. And then want to go back and read Book One—City of Bones–and get on the waiting list here for Book Three—City of Glass.
Add comment January 20, 2010
“The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks”
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
A so-so cover that only has appeal after you’ve started reading the book and ‘get it.’
A so-so title.
And one of the top ten teen books of 2009.
How did that happen?
It’s a great read.
Frankie is a sophomore at a very exclusive private high school, Alabaster Preparatory Academy. She has the makings of the ‘ugly ducking turned swan’ cliché. But she’s also very brainy and wants to be taken seriously. (Her family calls her Bunny Rabbit.) When she meets the hottest senior guy on campus and he starts dating her, she is the envy of other girls on campus. This could be all they’d want. Not Frankie.
The guys in her boyfriend’s group belong to an all-male secret society called the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds. Frankie isn’t supposed to know anything about it, but she’s too smart and inquisitive—devious–not to figure out what’s going on. The Bassets are goofy and they mostly pull really dumb pranks—and most of these go unnoticed. Frankie is excluded because she’s a girl. She wants to belong—these guys she hangs out could also be clichés about the snobby, privileged guys who will go to Harvard and Princeton and run the rest of our lives some day. But they, too, are smart and likeable. We want Frankie to break the barrier and be part of their group. When she secretly infiltrates the Bassets and masterminds some great pranks, we think these guys will have to love her. But they don’t actually have to do anything.
“It is better to be alone . . . than to be with someone who can’t see who you are. It is better to lead than to follow. It is better to speak up than stay silent. It is better to open doors than to shut them on people.” The Disreputable History takes on not only boy/girl relationships, but class and privilege (the ‘old boys club’)—and, as a bonus, has a lot of fun with words and language. Frankie is an oddball girl with a quirky imagination. If you are tenured of stories (real or fiction) with girls erasing themselves for boys, you’ll identify with her.
Add comment January 20, 2010
“Endgame”
Endgame by Nancy Garden
Here’s a new one,and I admit I haven’t read it yet, but it intrigues me. Here is the blurb from the book jacket.
A new town, a new school, a new start. That’s what fourteen-year-old Gray Wilton believes as he chants, “It’s gonna be better, gonna be better here.” But it doesn’t take long for Gray to realize that nothing’s going to change–there are bullies in every school, and he’s always their punching bag. Their brutal words, physical abuse, and emotional torture escalate until Gray feels trapped in a world where he has no control, no support systems, and no way out–until the day he enters the halls of Greenford High School with his father’s semiautomatic in hand.
Add comment December 8, 2009
“Girlfriend Material,” “The Waters & the Wild,” “The Disreputable History of Frankie Landu-Banks”
I’ve mentioned before that we purchase books from the Junior Library Guild because they make great choices. Here are recent purchases that looks good:
Excerpted from the Junior Library Guild Reviews:
Girlfriend Material
Kate had been looking forward to a fun summer at home in Utah taking a fiction writing class, playing tennis, and hanging out at her best friend’s pool. Instead, she is on her way to Cape Cod with her mother. The only saving grace for Kate is the chance to renew her friendship with Sarah, the daughter of her mom’s friends. But two things soon become clear to Kate: Sarah never considered Kate a friend, and Kate’s mom isn’t just spending time away from her husband; she is considering a divorce. Could anything save this from being the worst summer of Kate’s life?
JLG Reviewers Say: Although filled with references to the literary classics Kate adores (Ernest Hemingway, Vladimir Nabokov, Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Robert Frost, and Agatha Christie), Girlfriend Material has all the trappings of a great beach read, including a fast-paced storyline, relatable characters, and a setting one can get lost in. Through Kate, readers are transported to idyllic Dryer’s Cove, where well-to-do New Englanders summer in spacious homes situated along the bay. Readers join Kate as she explores her relationships and picturesque surroundings.
The Waters & the Wild
Bee believes she is a changeling. Always feeling somewhat awkward and out of step with other kids her age, Bee finally finds her place in the world when she befriends two other outcasts, one a self-professed alien and another who insists she is a reincarnated slave. Their friendship works a magic that lets Bee feel as if she can do anything—except stop her shadowy double from haunting her.
JLG Reviewers Say: As spiky and otherworldly as Bee herself, Francesca Lia Block’s slim novel, The Waters & the Wild, gives readers a visceral sense of the hazards of adolescence through the imagery of magic and fairy tales. With language both ethereal and sparse, Block brings to life the feelings of what it is like to be young and strange with all the energy and immediacy that accompanies it. “And then with the curse, or, in this case, blessing, of the unpopular, the unathletic, the overweight, the strange, they vanished like shadows into the spring night.”
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
JLG Reviewers Say: Frankie Landau-Banks, a sophomore at the prestigious Alabaster Preparatory Academy, thought she had her school’s social dynamics figured out. But when she begins dating the gorgeous and witty senior Matthew Livingston and hanging out with his rich, popular friends, Frankie senses there’s something that they’re not telling her. She soon discovers that they are members of an all-boys secret society. Frankie lets them keep thinking she’s just a cute, clueless girl, all the while implementing a plan with a seemingly impossible goal: to take over the Loyal Order of the Basset Hound. A 2009 Printz Honor Book.
Add comment December 1, 2009
Dear Author: Letters of Hope
Dear Author is a wonderful, compact book of letters from kids and teens to authors. The teens pour their hearts out, telling the authors how their books have helped them, how some books have even saved lives.
You’ll recognize some of your favorite authors. A teen girl writes to Laurie Halse Anderson about her experience of being raped by a guy at her school, and compares it to the book Speak. A girl writes to Lois Duncan, author of many young adult mysteries and of the non-fiction book Who Killed My Daughter? Her own stepfather killed her two little brothers and then committed suicide. She credits the book Who Killed My Daughter? with saving her life, but asks the question why? Why do these things happen? Ms. Duncan’s answer is very moving.
Many other authors answer letters in this book, including one of my favorites, Chris Crutcher. Please read this—it’ll take an hour or two, but the impressions left by the authors’ deep sympathy for young adults will last much longer.
Add comment August 18, 2009
