It's time for the holidays and I always like to recommend new fantasy series for gift giving. This year's recommendations include Ignite the Stars, a sci-fi series by debut author Maura Milan, Fire and Heist, a fantasy involving shape-shifting dragons by Sara Beth Durst (The Queens of Renthia series), Shadow of the Fox, a Japanese mythology based fantasy by Julie Kagawa (The Iron Fey series), and The Darkest Star, a spinoff of the Lux series by Jennifer Armentrout (The Lux series).
Ignite the Stars is set in 8921 in the Olympus Commonwealth, the most powerful force in the galaxy. Ia Cocha, a criminal mastermind whose planet was destroyed by the Commonwealth, is captured and sent to their Royal Star Force academy on planet Apehelion. At first she is determined to escape, but slowly she begins to care about her cohorts, including Flight Master Knives, whose father captured her, and Brinn Tarver, Ia's roommate, who is hiding her half-Tawny heritage, which would endanger her safety. As Ia learns to trust her new friends, she discovers her brother, who she has always worshiped, is plotting against her. Chapters alternate between the three protagonists' perspectives as they discover that all is not as it seems in this action-packed sci fi adventure, which is filled with thrilling space battles and political intrigue.
Fire and Heist introduces the Hawkins family, who are wyverns, humans descended from dragons. They are obsessed with hoarding and stealing gold. Since her mother's disappearance, the main character Sky and her family are outcasts in the community. Now Sky is determined to steal a jewel from the leading wyvern family and in the process find her mother and restore her family's credibility. She gathers her crew, including her estranged boyfriend, who still loves her, but was forced to abandon her by his father, who owns the jewel. In attempting the heist, she uncovers a secret about the dragon society that changers her family's fortunes forever.
As Shadow of the Fox, which involves Japanese folklore, opens, the time has come in Iwagoto when a dragon god will grant a millennial wish to anyone who possesses an ancient scroll. The last wish brought such destruction that the scroll was divided into three pieces and hidden. Now both the emperor's concubine Lady Satomi and the head of the Shadow Clan Lady Hanshou are determined to find the pieces so that they can be granted a wish. Tatsumi, demon slayer of the Shadow Clan, who is bound to the sword Kamigoroshi and the demon imprisoned within it, is tasked with finding the pieces. Yumeko, a Kitsune (half fox/half human spirit), who was raised in the Silent Winds temple, manages to escape with a part of the scroll when Lady Satomi sends demons to destroy the temple. She meets Tatsumi and convinces him to head off on a quest to the Steel Feather Temple to find the rest of the scroll. The cliffhanger ending will leave readers anxious for the sequel.
The Darkest Star, the first book in the romantic sci-fi Origin series, introduces 17-year-old Evie, whose father died in the Earth's successful war against the invading space aliens called Luxen. (detailed in the Lux series) When Evie joins her friend at a nightclub patronized by Luxen, who now wear armbands that neutralize their powers, she meets Luc, who is an Origin, a Luxen with heightened abilities. In the days that follow, girls begin disappearing from her school and Luc keeps turning up, whenever Evie is in danger. As the reader ultimately discovers, Evie and Luc's lives are inextricably linked and the suspense as to how and why makes this a real page-tuner.
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Thursday, November 15, 2018
New YA Mysteries: Little White Lies, The Guggenheim Mystery, The Cheerleaders and I Do Not Trust You
Mysteries are arguably the most popular genre in
fiction. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys have captivated readers for
generations. In teaching the mystery
genre, analyzing the author’s use of classic mystery techniques can help
students understand why mysteries are such “page turners.” Foreshadowing, cliff hangers, and red
herrings are just a few of the techniques the authors use to keep their readers
coming back for more. This month I am recommending four new mysteries teens might enjoy. Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynne Barnes (The Naturals) features Southern belle debutantes sleuthing to solve a variety of mysteries. The Guggenheim Mystery by Robin Stevens (Murder Most Unladylike) reunites 12-year-old detective Ted Spark and his sister with their cousin Salim in NYC to solve an art heist mystery. Stevens was asked to write the book for Siobhan Dowd who died after writing The London Eye Mystery, the first book in the series. The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas (Little Monsters) focuses on two teens who attempt to uncover long buried truths about what actually happened when five high school cheerleaders died in separate "accidents" several years in the past. I Do Not Trust You by Laura Burns and Melinda Metz (Crave, Sanctuary Bay), a mystery thriller with a supernatural element, pairs Memphis Engel, a brainy history geek, with Ashwin Sood, a wealthy Brit with dark secrets, in a quest to find the missing pieces for a statue of the Egyptian god Set.
Little White Lies, the first book in the new Debutante series, introduces eighteen-year-old mechanic Sawyer Taft, who struggles to make ends meet and feels more like a parent than a daughter to her absentee mother. She is astounded when her estranged Southern belle grandmother shows up, offering her half a million dollars if she participates in debutante season. Although she is conflicted, Sawyer ultimately accepts. Not only will the money pay for college, it will also give Sawyer an opportunity to find out who her biological father is. But she gets a lot more than she bargained for when her newfound friends involve her in kidnappings, theft, and high society scandal. This layered mystery is a fun romp through makeovers, gorgeous clothing, twisted relationships and romantic liaisons.
In The Guggenheim Mystery Kat and Ted Spark are back, after solving the mystery of their cousin Salim's disappearance in The London Eye Mystery. Now they are visiting him in NYC, where his mother has taken a job at the Guggenheim Museum. While the three are visiting the museum, a smoke bomb goes off and when the smoke clears, a Kandinsky painting is missing. Salim's mother is being framed for the crime and Ted is determined to clear her name. Ted, who is on the autism spectrum and has unusually keen observations skills and appreciation of patterns, enlists the help of Kat and Salim to solve the mystery. They use deductive reasoning to work through a list of suspects.Ted narrates their adventures using amusing meteorology metaphors and allusions to Homer's Odyssey. Well integrated clues help readers to solve the puzzle along with the characters in this engaging middle level mystery.
The Cheerleaders opens as a a grieving town is coming up on the anniversary of the death of five of their high school cheerleaders. Two died in a car accident, two in a horrific murder and the fifth in an apparent suicide. The suicide victim's sister Monica begins to suspect that her sister Jen's death was not a reaction to the death of her friends and decides to investigate. Told in alternating chapters from Monica's first person perspective and Jen's third person flashbacks, the mystery unravels as Monica looks into some anonymous letters she found in her stepfather's desk, along with her sister's phone. Stepdad was the police officer who killed the supposed murderer. The letters intimate that all is not as it seems. The car accident and the murders are linked and the real culprit is still at large. Monica becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth, alienating her friends and aligning her with people tied to the mystery. Jen's chapters slowly reveal her disenfranchisement from her friends and then horror and guilt over their deaths. Readers will enjoy guessing the outcome of this complex well-written mystery.
After her archaeologist father's apparent death in a plane crash, Memphis "M" Engel, the protagonist in I Do Not Trust You, throws herself into attempting to finish his life's work: translating an ancient map written in a secret language. Then she meets Ashwin Sood, a member of a cult which worships the ancient Egyptian god Horus. He informs her that her father is alive and being held captive by the cult. He will trade her father for the map which describes the locations of five different pieces of a statue of Set, a relic which has the power to destroy the world. The statue is sought by not only his cult, but also the cult which follows Set. Instead, M convinces him to join her on a global search for the missing pieces. Although they must collaborate to decipher the clues, with her translating the hieroglyphics and providing vast historical knowledge and his providing the funds, they do not trust each other. When his supernatural abilities are revealed, they begin to confide in each other and join forces to thwart the two cults, whose rivalry threatens world collapse. Their whirlwind travels through the catacombs of Paris, a sacred forest in Norway, the ruins of a submerged temple in Egypt and beyond, make for a suspenseful journey, as readers root for the two to finally trust each other and outwit those who are trying to stop them. I was captivated by all the historical information used to decode clues and lead them from the discovery of one piece after another. All and all, it's a fun and compelling romantic mystery.
Little White Lies, the first book in the new Debutante series, introduces eighteen-year-old mechanic Sawyer Taft, who struggles to make ends meet and feels more like a parent than a daughter to her absentee mother. She is astounded when her estranged Southern belle grandmother shows up, offering her half a million dollars if she participates in debutante season. Although she is conflicted, Sawyer ultimately accepts. Not only will the money pay for college, it will also give Sawyer an opportunity to find out who her biological father is. But she gets a lot more than she bargained for when her newfound friends involve her in kidnappings, theft, and high society scandal. This layered mystery is a fun romp through makeovers, gorgeous clothing, twisted relationships and romantic liaisons.
In The Guggenheim Mystery Kat and Ted Spark are back, after solving the mystery of their cousin Salim's disappearance in The London Eye Mystery. Now they are visiting him in NYC, where his mother has taken a job at the Guggenheim Museum. While the three are visiting the museum, a smoke bomb goes off and when the smoke clears, a Kandinsky painting is missing. Salim's mother is being framed for the crime and Ted is determined to clear her name. Ted, who is on the autism spectrum and has unusually keen observations skills and appreciation of patterns, enlists the help of Kat and Salim to solve the mystery. They use deductive reasoning to work through a list of suspects.Ted narrates their adventures using amusing meteorology metaphors and allusions to Homer's Odyssey. Well integrated clues help readers to solve the puzzle along with the characters in this engaging middle level mystery.
The Cheerleaders opens as a a grieving town is coming up on the anniversary of the death of five of their high school cheerleaders. Two died in a car accident, two in a horrific murder and the fifth in an apparent suicide. The suicide victim's sister Monica begins to suspect that her sister Jen's death was not a reaction to the death of her friends and decides to investigate. Told in alternating chapters from Monica's first person perspective and Jen's third person flashbacks, the mystery unravels as Monica looks into some anonymous letters she found in her stepfather's desk, along with her sister's phone. Stepdad was the police officer who killed the supposed murderer. The letters intimate that all is not as it seems. The car accident and the murders are linked and the real culprit is still at large. Monica becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth, alienating her friends and aligning her with people tied to the mystery. Jen's chapters slowly reveal her disenfranchisement from her friends and then horror and guilt over their deaths. Readers will enjoy guessing the outcome of this complex well-written mystery.
After her archaeologist father's apparent death in a plane crash, Memphis "M" Engel, the protagonist in I Do Not Trust You, throws herself into attempting to finish his life's work: translating an ancient map written in a secret language. Then she meets Ashwin Sood, a member of a cult which worships the ancient Egyptian god Horus. He informs her that her father is alive and being held captive by the cult. He will trade her father for the map which describes the locations of five different pieces of a statue of Set, a relic which has the power to destroy the world. The statue is sought by not only his cult, but also the cult which follows Set. Instead, M convinces him to join her on a global search for the missing pieces. Although they must collaborate to decipher the clues, with her translating the hieroglyphics and providing vast historical knowledge and his providing the funds, they do not trust each other. When his supernatural abilities are revealed, they begin to confide in each other and join forces to thwart the two cults, whose rivalry threatens world collapse. Their whirlwind travels through the catacombs of Paris, a sacred forest in Norway, the ruins of a submerged temple in Egypt and beyond, make for a suspenseful journey, as readers root for the two to finally trust each other and outwit those who are trying to stop them. I was captivated by all the historical information used to decode clues and lead them from the discovery of one piece after another. All and all, it's a fun and compelling romantic mystery.
Friday, October 5, 2018
Classic Connections: Pride, Always Never Yours and She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah
Literature and film are filled with classic connections - stories that incorporate elements of the classics but with a twist. Many YA authors are following this time honored tradition of
retelling a classic story in a modern setting
or incorporating elements of a classic into a
modern tale. Pairing the new novel with the classic material gives students the opportunity to appreciate the clever
variations that the modern authors imagine. This month's recommendation are three such novels. Pride by Idi Zoboi (American Streets) is a retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, set in present day Bushwick, New York. Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberley and her husband Austin Siegemund-Broka introduces Megan Harper who tries out for a small part in Romeo and Juliet and ends up with the lead. She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah by Ann Hood incorporates the Beatles' history and songs into a novel about a sixth grade girl, who thinks meeting the Beatles at their concert in 1966 will solve all her social problems.
In Pride, Ibi Zoboi sets Jane Austen's classic in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. Zuri Benitez, who is of Haitian-Dominican heritage, is worried about gentrification of her diverse community, when the African-American Darcy family moves into a renovated mansion across the street from her family's apartment building. Zuri, a poet with ambitions of attending Howard University, clashes with the arrogant Darius Darcy when she meets him, but her sister Janae, a college freshman, is smitten with his brother Ainsley. The story continues to follow the classic with the Wyckham character, Warren, pursuing Zuri, while talking younger girls including Darius's sister, into taking revealing selfies. The Mr. Collins character is the nephew of the Benitezs' Oshun-worshiping godmother and apartment building owner, who will inherit the building when she dies. When Zuri goes to an open-mic night to share her poetry, she is surprised to meet Darius and his sister there, and the ice between them begins to thaw. Those unfamiliar with Austen's work will still love this classic story of pride in one's community and prejudice through misunderstanding. Encouraging a reading of the original will allow students to appreciate how incredibly clever the author is in adapting the story to a modern day setting and problems.
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet provides the backbone for Always Never Yours, with each chapter beginning with a relevant quote from the play. In the novel high school senior, Megan Harper has dreams of attending a prestigious directing program, but she must have at least one acting credit on her application. She auditions for the smallest part in her school's production, but is cast as Juliet. Megan has always considered herself a "Rosaline." Her seven ex-boyfriends have all found true love right after dating her. To make matters worse, her last boyfriend left her for her best friend, and now he is her co-star. Complications ensue! Crushing on a new stagehand, Will, Megan enlists the help of Owen Okita, a new drama kid, who spends much of his time writing lyrics for Will's emo band and gets her in ways no other boy ever has. But Megan, who can't see that he's obviously her perfect match, struggles to find what she truly wants. Their witty repartee makes this a deliciously fun read. The husband and wife authors are high school sweethearts who fell in love over a shared love of the bard, which is reflected in this wonderful romantic comedy.
She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah revisits 60s Beatlemania through a story of sixth grader Trudy Mixer, who is a Beatles fanatic and president of her school's fan club. When the once-popular club dwindles to three members and her best friend joins the future cheerleaders, Trudy is determined to remedy things by going to the Beatles concert in Boston and meeting Paul McCartney. Her dreams almost come true when her dad buys four concert tickets, but then he is called away on a business trip. She and the other three club members, awkward Peter, uncool Jessica and unkempt Nora, decide to head to Boston on their own. Riding the train for the first time and attempting to make their way to Suffolk Downs Racetrack where the Beatles play for 25,000 people is fraught with problems, but the teens ultimately are rewarded, learning valuable lessons along the way. Beatles song titles are used as chapter headings that thematically relate to what's happening in the story. Having attended a Beatles concert in 1963 in Indianapolis, Indiana when I was thirteen, I relived the emotions riding on actually seeing my heroes, and the joy at being one of the screaming masses as they sang the songs I knew and loved. This well-written middle school tale not only is a treasure trove of Beatles history, it also explores issues teens of every generation face.
In Pride, Ibi Zoboi sets Jane Austen's classic in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. Zuri Benitez, who is of Haitian-Dominican heritage, is worried about gentrification of her diverse community, when the African-American Darcy family moves into a renovated mansion across the street from her family's apartment building. Zuri, a poet with ambitions of attending Howard University, clashes with the arrogant Darius Darcy when she meets him, but her sister Janae, a college freshman, is smitten with his brother Ainsley. The story continues to follow the classic with the Wyckham character, Warren, pursuing Zuri, while talking younger girls including Darius's sister, into taking revealing selfies. The Mr. Collins character is the nephew of the Benitezs' Oshun-worshiping godmother and apartment building owner, who will inherit the building when she dies. When Zuri goes to an open-mic night to share her poetry, she is surprised to meet Darius and his sister there, and the ice between them begins to thaw. Those unfamiliar with Austen's work will still love this classic story of pride in one's community and prejudice through misunderstanding. Encouraging a reading of the original will allow students to appreciate how incredibly clever the author is in adapting the story to a modern day setting and problems.
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet provides the backbone for Always Never Yours, with each chapter beginning with a relevant quote from the play. In the novel high school senior, Megan Harper has dreams of attending a prestigious directing program, but she must have at least one acting credit on her application. She auditions for the smallest part in her school's production, but is cast as Juliet. Megan has always considered herself a "Rosaline." Her seven ex-boyfriends have all found true love right after dating her. To make matters worse, her last boyfriend left her for her best friend, and now he is her co-star. Complications ensue! Crushing on a new stagehand, Will, Megan enlists the help of Owen Okita, a new drama kid, who spends much of his time writing lyrics for Will's emo band and gets her in ways no other boy ever has. But Megan, who can't see that he's obviously her perfect match, struggles to find what she truly wants. Their witty repartee makes this a deliciously fun read. The husband and wife authors are high school sweethearts who fell in love over a shared love of the bard, which is reflected in this wonderful romantic comedy.
She Loves You Yeah Yeah Yeah revisits 60s Beatlemania through a story of sixth grader Trudy Mixer, who is a Beatles fanatic and president of her school's fan club. When the once-popular club dwindles to three members and her best friend joins the future cheerleaders, Trudy is determined to remedy things by going to the Beatles concert in Boston and meeting Paul McCartney. Her dreams almost come true when her dad buys four concert tickets, but then he is called away on a business trip. She and the other three club members, awkward Peter, uncool Jessica and unkempt Nora, decide to head to Boston on their own. Riding the train for the first time and attempting to make their way to Suffolk Downs Racetrack where the Beatles play for 25,000 people is fraught with problems, but the teens ultimately are rewarded, learning valuable lessons along the way. Beatles song titles are used as chapter headings that thematically relate to what's happening in the story. Having attended a Beatles concert in 1963 in Indianapolis, Indiana when I was thirteen, I relived the emotions riding on actually seeing my heroes, and the joy at being one of the screaming masses as they sang the songs I knew and loved. This well-written middle school tale not only is a treasure trove of Beatles history, it also explores issues teens of every generation face.
Monday, September 24, 2018
New YA Sports Novels: The Prodigy, Here to Stay, Rebound and Attucks!
Although young adult sports novels frequently involve thrilling play by play, they also usually include additional conflict that the protagonist must navigate with integrity and determination. New books by four award winning authors explore the stories of young people who deal with personal challenges while playing competitive sports. In The Prodigy by John Feinstein, a 17-year-old golf phenom not only competes in the Masters but also struggles to resist going pro before he is ready. Here To Stay by Sara Farizan focuses on JV basketball player Bijan Majidi who scores the winning basket in a varsity game, propelling him to newfound popularity that in turn attracts racist bullying. Rebound, the prequel to The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander, finds the twins' father Charlie Bell channeling his grief over the death of his father into a newfound love for basketball. Finally, Attucks!: Oscar Robertson and the Basketball Team that Awakened a City by Phillip Hoose tells the tale of the fabled 1955 Crispus Attucks Tigers, the first all-black team to win a state championship in a racially integrated tournament.
After making it to the finals in the U.S. Amateur championship, 17-year-old golfer Frank Baker, The Prodigy, earns an invitation to the Masters, where he captures the attention of sponsors and greedy agents with his spectacular performance. His single dad, who is struggling to pay bills, wants Frank to turn pro, but Frank knows he is not ready. Frank's swing coach enlists the help of a sports journalist to guide Frank through the challenges of standing up for himself in the cutthroat world of competitive golf. Award-winning sportswriter John Feinstein enthralls us with riveting play by play on real courses with famous golf pros, officials and journalists. The realistic golf jargon, as well as a subplot about Frank possibly losing his amateur status, add to the suspense of his thrilling feats and comebacks during the tournament. In the end a climactic act of sportsmanship shows him to be an honorable young man who deserves to be the master of his own destiny.
In Here to Stay Sara Farizan (Lambda Literary Award winner for LBGT YA fiction) introduces JV basketball player Bijan Majidi who enjoys newfound popularity when he scores a winning basket while subbing on his prep school's varsity team. He also attracts the attention of his crush Elle Powell, who enlists his help in her crusade to change the school mascot The Gunner to a something non-violent. However, Bijan's Jordanian and Persian background provokes a cyberbully to post a picture of him as a terrorist entitled "Our New Mascot." His outraged single mother wants him to protest this hate crime, but he resists until the bully also targets two of his lesbian friends. He then realizes the issue goes beyond himself and he launches a courageous public campaign to find out who is behind the attacks. Bijan's first person narrative alternates with a humorous imaginary live analysis of his life from his two favorite NBA commentators. The suspenseful mystery examines a variety of societal issues in an engaging timely read.
Kwame Alexander's latest novel-in-verse, Rebound, a prequel to his Newbery winner, tells the story of Josh and Jordan Bell's father and how he came to play basketball. The summer of 1988 Charlie Bell is reeling from the unexpected death of his father. He buries himself in comic books and ends up getting sent to his grandparents after a brush with the law. His no-nonsense grandfather puts him to work in the sweltering heat and takes him to the Boy and Girls club where he shoots hoops with his cousin Roxie, who lures him into playing with her team. Slowly but surely, "Chuck" begins to heal through the love of family and friends, as well as his newfound love of the game. Comic-style illustrations of Chuck fantasizing about being a basketball superhero by Dawud Anyabwile complement Alexander's wordplay in this must read for fans of The Crossover.
Hailing from Indianapolis and an ardent basketball fan, I am excited to share a new non-fiction book that comes out October 23rd - Attucks!: Oscar Robertson and the Basketball Team that Awakened a City. This true story of the all-black Indianapolis high school, Crispus Attucks, tells the story of how a sports team led to the integration of a segregated city. When the Crispus Attacks Tigers won the Indiana state championship in 1955, it showed the world that black athletes are not inferior. Led by the future NBA star Oscar Robertson, the brilliantly coached team of boys, raised in poverty, dominated championship play. They were the first championship team from Indianapolis and the first all-black team to win a racially open tournament, ultimately leading to integrated teams in the future. Although National Book Award winner Phillip Loose tells the history of the high school, he focuses on the role Oscar Robertson played which makes the story more intimate, giving us a Birdseye view of the racism he and others experienced.
After making it to the finals in the U.S. Amateur championship, 17-year-old golfer Frank Baker, The Prodigy, earns an invitation to the Masters, where he captures the attention of sponsors and greedy agents with his spectacular performance. His single dad, who is struggling to pay bills, wants Frank to turn pro, but Frank knows he is not ready. Frank's swing coach enlists the help of a sports journalist to guide Frank through the challenges of standing up for himself in the cutthroat world of competitive golf. Award-winning sportswriter John Feinstein enthralls us with riveting play by play on real courses with famous golf pros, officials and journalists. The realistic golf jargon, as well as a subplot about Frank possibly losing his amateur status, add to the suspense of his thrilling feats and comebacks during the tournament. In the end a climactic act of sportsmanship shows him to be an honorable young man who deserves to be the master of his own destiny.
In Here to Stay Sara Farizan (Lambda Literary Award winner for LBGT YA fiction) introduces JV basketball player Bijan Majidi who enjoys newfound popularity when he scores a winning basket while subbing on his prep school's varsity team. He also attracts the attention of his crush Elle Powell, who enlists his help in her crusade to change the school mascot The Gunner to a something non-violent. However, Bijan's Jordanian and Persian background provokes a cyberbully to post a picture of him as a terrorist entitled "Our New Mascot." His outraged single mother wants him to protest this hate crime, but he resists until the bully also targets two of his lesbian friends. He then realizes the issue goes beyond himself and he launches a courageous public campaign to find out who is behind the attacks. Bijan's first person narrative alternates with a humorous imaginary live analysis of his life from his two favorite NBA commentators. The suspenseful mystery examines a variety of societal issues in an engaging timely read.
Kwame Alexander's latest novel-in-verse, Rebound, a prequel to his Newbery winner, tells the story of Josh and Jordan Bell's father and how he came to play basketball. The summer of 1988 Charlie Bell is reeling from the unexpected death of his father. He buries himself in comic books and ends up getting sent to his grandparents after a brush with the law. His no-nonsense grandfather puts him to work in the sweltering heat and takes him to the Boy and Girls club where he shoots hoops with his cousin Roxie, who lures him into playing with her team. Slowly but surely, "Chuck" begins to heal through the love of family and friends, as well as his newfound love of the game. Comic-style illustrations of Chuck fantasizing about being a basketball superhero by Dawud Anyabwile complement Alexander's wordplay in this must read for fans of The Crossover.
Hailing from Indianapolis and an ardent basketball fan, I am excited to share a new non-fiction book that comes out October 23rd - Attucks!: Oscar Robertson and the Basketball Team that Awakened a City. This true story of the all-black Indianapolis high school, Crispus Attucks, tells the story of how a sports team led to the integration of a segregated city. When the Crispus Attacks Tigers won the Indiana state championship in 1955, it showed the world that black athletes are not inferior. Led by the future NBA star Oscar Robertson, the brilliantly coached team of boys, raised in poverty, dominated championship play. They were the first championship team from Indianapolis and the first all-black team to win a racially open tournament, ultimately leading to integrated teams in the future. Although National Book Award winner Phillip Loose tells the history of the high school, he focuses on the role Oscar Robertson played which makes the story more intimate, giving us a Birdseye view of the racism he and others experienced.
Sunday, August 19, 2018
New YA books by Popular Authors: Kiersten White, Meg Wolitzer and Mary Pearson
Several popular YA authors have penned new books that I would like to recommend this month. The two hundredth anniversary of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has inspired, not only a movie about her starring Elle Fanning, but also a retelling of the book by Kiersten White (And I Darken series), called The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, told from the point of view of the wife of the monster's creator. Meg Wolitzer (Belzhar, The Interestings) has written The Female Persuasion, a coming-of-age novel which focuses on a young college student who gets involved with a feminist icon. Mary Pearson's (The Remnant and The Jenna Fox Chronicles) Dance of Thieves is the first book in a new fantasy adventure series, set in the kingdoms of the Remnant universe.
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein introduces an orphaned 17-year-old, Elizabeth Lavenza, who has been taken in by the Frankensteins as their son Victor's companion. Although a genius, he is prone to rages and her sole purpose is to socialize him. When he heads off to college and doesn't write, she fears she will lose her position and follows him to renew their relationship. When she finds him and discovers his experiments on immortality have resulted in a monstrous creation, she does everything she can to shield him from discovery. However, the more involved she gets, the more she realizes that Victor may really be the monster. Elizabeth, who was a minor character in the classic, is a strong protagonist and the message as to what truly makes a monster is thought-provoking. Those familiar with the original story will enjoy this creative re-imagining, but it can be easily be read as a standalone. It comes out September 25th.
In The Female Persuasion Greer Kadetsky, the over-achieving child of former hippies, is devastated when her parents fail to follow through on applying for financial aid for Yale and she is relegated to attending her fallback school, while her boyfriend Cory heads to Yale without her. Her first week at college she is sexually harassed by an abusive frat guy and finds the courage to fight back after hearing an inspirational speech given at her college by feminist, Faith Frank. After graduation Cory pursues a career in finance, and Greer finds a job at Faith's foundation which supports women around the world. Greer's relationship with Faith plays out over a decade, as she moves from idolizing her to becoming a colleague and critique. An unexpected family tragedy derails Cory's future, and he and Greer part ways as their world's diverge. As they struggle to find their way back to each other, they must come to terms with what they want out of life. The romance, however, takes a backseat to Greer's relationship with Faith. The thoughtful exploration of women's issues is very timely and is sure to appeal to more mature readers.
Dance of Thieves is set in the Remnant universe with some familiar characters and politics, but it is not necessary to have read that series to enjoy this book. Kazi is an orphan, who has risen in the ranks of the new Queen's elite guard, due to her abilities as a thief. When she is sent to Tor's Watch in search of a war criminal, she meets Jase Ballenger who has just inherited his father's position as leader of an outlaw nation that doesn't recognize the Queen. Jase and Kazi are snatched by slavers and chained together, so when they escape, they must work together to make it back to civilization. Although at odds politically, Jase and Kazi are drawn to each other, despite constantly lying to each other about their true motivations. The complex tale of warring territories, competing kingdoms and changing loyalties is sweetened by the star-crossed romance between the two. Told in alternating chapters from Kazi and Jase's points of view, this action-packed fantasy is a page-turner, which is sure to have readers anxious for the next book in the series.
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein introduces an orphaned 17-year-old, Elizabeth Lavenza, who has been taken in by the Frankensteins as their son Victor's companion. Although a genius, he is prone to rages and her sole purpose is to socialize him. When he heads off to college and doesn't write, she fears she will lose her position and follows him to renew their relationship. When she finds him and discovers his experiments on immortality have resulted in a monstrous creation, she does everything she can to shield him from discovery. However, the more involved she gets, the more she realizes that Victor may really be the monster. Elizabeth, who was a minor character in the classic, is a strong protagonist and the message as to what truly makes a monster is thought-provoking. Those familiar with the original story will enjoy this creative re-imagining, but it can be easily be read as a standalone. It comes out September 25th.
In The Female Persuasion Greer Kadetsky, the over-achieving child of former hippies, is devastated when her parents fail to follow through on applying for financial aid for Yale and she is relegated to attending her fallback school, while her boyfriend Cory heads to Yale without her. Her first week at college she is sexually harassed by an abusive frat guy and finds the courage to fight back after hearing an inspirational speech given at her college by feminist, Faith Frank. After graduation Cory pursues a career in finance, and Greer finds a job at Faith's foundation which supports women around the world. Greer's relationship with Faith plays out over a decade, as she moves from idolizing her to becoming a colleague and critique. An unexpected family tragedy derails Cory's future, and he and Greer part ways as their world's diverge. As they struggle to find their way back to each other, they must come to terms with what they want out of life. The romance, however, takes a backseat to Greer's relationship with Faith. The thoughtful exploration of women's issues is very timely and is sure to appeal to more mature readers.
Dance of Thieves is set in the Remnant universe with some familiar characters and politics, but it is not necessary to have read that series to enjoy this book. Kazi is an orphan, who has risen in the ranks of the new Queen's elite guard, due to her abilities as a thief. When she is sent to Tor's Watch in search of a war criminal, she meets Jase Ballenger who has just inherited his father's position as leader of an outlaw nation that doesn't recognize the Queen. Jase and Kazi are snatched by slavers and chained together, so when they escape, they must work together to make it back to civilization. Although at odds politically, Jase and Kazi are drawn to each other, despite constantly lying to each other about their true motivations. The complex tale of warring territories, competing kingdoms and changing loyalties is sweetened by the star-crossed romance between the two. Told in alternating chapters from Kazi and Jase's points of view, this action-packed fantasy is a page-turner, which is sure to have readers anxious for the next book in the series.
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
Summer Escapist Fantasy: Sky in the Deep, Furyborn and Ash Princess
It's summer and time for some action-packed, fast-paced escapist reading. The Viking-inspired fantasy Sky in the Deep by debut author Adrienne Young introduces a culture where two clans are pitted against each other in an age old conflict, until they must band together to fight a common enemy. Furyborn, the first in a new trilogy by Claire LeGrand, alternates between two stories, set a thousand years apart, about two women, the savior Sun Queen and the destructive Blood Queen, who will impact the fate of the Aritas empire. Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian imagines a world where a captive princess attempts to retake her kingdom by entering into a relationship with the son of the man who enslaved her people.
Sky in the Deep focuses on the fjord-dwelling, Sigr-worshiping Aska clan and the mountain-dwelling, Thora-worshiping Riki clan, who battle every five years over a religious blood feud. It is once again time to fight, but Eelyn, an Aska warrior, is still mourning her brother Iri, who died in the previous war. Imagine her dismay, when she sees him fighting for the Riki this time around. When she is taken prisoner by Fiske, a Riki warrior, Iri manages to save her life, but she is enslaved. At first she is furious with Iri, but the longer she is with the Riki people, the more she realizes that they are no different from her Aska clan and begins to understand his defection. Then the vicious Herja clan attacks both the Aska and the Riki settlements and Eelyn, Iri and Fiske determine that the only way to survive is for the two clans to band together to defeat the Herja. Fighting alongside Fiske, Eelyn slowly develops an affection for the Riki and envisions a future where they live together in peace. Epic battles, fierce loyalties and gentle romance make this a must-read this summer!
Furyborn, the first book in the Empirium trilogy, is set in the fantasy world of Aritas and alternates between two stories set a thousand years apart. A prophecy suggests that two women will be born, the savior Sun Queen and the destructive Blood Queen, who will impact the ultimate fate of the Empire. Rielle, who wields elemental magic, is forced to undergo seven trials to discover her true identity and ascend the throne. A thousand years later Eliana, a bounty hunter, joins the rebels who are fighting the Empire. The stories of magic, angels and saints in Rielle's era are thought to be myths in Eliana's. However, when her mother disappears, Eliana attempts to rescue her and gets embroiled in a cosmic battle that has been ongoing since Rielle's reign. There is a great deal of world building in this introduction to the trilogy, but the two stories are cleverly interwoven and fast-paced once each heroine begins her quest.
Ash Princess, a complex and thrilling series starter, introduces Theodosia, a royal prisoner, who lives with her captors, the Kalovaxians, who murdered her mother, the Fire Queen of Astrea and enslaved her people. The Queen's Guardians, who drew power from magical gems found in Astrean caves, are gone and her people are forced to work in the mines, harvesting the magical gems for the Kalovaxian Kaiser. Theodosia, who is now known as Thora, is forced to wear a crown of ashes and is punished every time the rebels, who swear allegiance to her, act out. After being forced to kill the last Guardian, rumored to be her father, Thora vows to retake her kingdom. She has the sympathy of the Kaiser's son, Prinz Soren, the friendship of Lady Cress, whose father heads the Kalavoxian army, and the loyalty of Blaze, who leads the rebels. The princess agrees to remain a prisoner to spy for the resistance, plotting to overthrow the Kaiser and take back her kingdom. The plucky heroine, the love triangle, and the twists and turns in the plot that set up the climatic ending make this a sure-fire winner that readers won't want to put down.
Sky in the Deep focuses on the fjord-dwelling, Sigr-worshiping Aska clan and the mountain-dwelling, Thora-worshiping Riki clan, who battle every five years over a religious blood feud. It is once again time to fight, but Eelyn, an Aska warrior, is still mourning her brother Iri, who died in the previous war. Imagine her dismay, when she sees him fighting for the Riki this time around. When she is taken prisoner by Fiske, a Riki warrior, Iri manages to save her life, but she is enslaved. At first she is furious with Iri, but the longer she is with the Riki people, the more she realizes that they are no different from her Aska clan and begins to understand his defection. Then the vicious Herja clan attacks both the Aska and the Riki settlements and Eelyn, Iri and Fiske determine that the only way to survive is for the two clans to band together to defeat the Herja. Fighting alongside Fiske, Eelyn slowly develops an affection for the Riki and envisions a future where they live together in peace. Epic battles, fierce loyalties and gentle romance make this a must-read this summer!
Furyborn, the first book in the Empirium trilogy, is set in the fantasy world of Aritas and alternates between two stories set a thousand years apart. A prophecy suggests that two women will be born, the savior Sun Queen and the destructive Blood Queen, who will impact the ultimate fate of the Empire. Rielle, who wields elemental magic, is forced to undergo seven trials to discover her true identity and ascend the throne. A thousand years later Eliana, a bounty hunter, joins the rebels who are fighting the Empire. The stories of magic, angels and saints in Rielle's era are thought to be myths in Eliana's. However, when her mother disappears, Eliana attempts to rescue her and gets embroiled in a cosmic battle that has been ongoing since Rielle's reign. There is a great deal of world building in this introduction to the trilogy, but the two stories are cleverly interwoven and fast-paced once each heroine begins her quest.
Ash Princess, a complex and thrilling series starter, introduces Theodosia, a royal prisoner, who lives with her captors, the Kalovaxians, who murdered her mother, the Fire Queen of Astrea and enslaved her people. The Queen's Guardians, who drew power from magical gems found in Astrean caves, are gone and her people are forced to work in the mines, harvesting the magical gems for the Kalovaxian Kaiser. Theodosia, who is now known as Thora, is forced to wear a crown of ashes and is punished every time the rebels, who swear allegiance to her, act out. After being forced to kill the last Guardian, rumored to be her father, Thora vows to retake her kingdom. She has the sympathy of the Kaiser's son, Prinz Soren, the friendship of Lady Cress, whose father heads the Kalavoxian army, and the loyalty of Blaze, who leads the rebels. The princess agrees to remain a prisoner to spy for the resistance, plotting to overthrow the Kaiser and take back her kingdom. The plucky heroine, the love triangle, and the twists and turns in the plot that set up the climatic ending make this a sure-fire winner that readers won't want to put down.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
YA novels focusing on American teens with immigrant parents
According to Robert Selman from Harvard's Graduate School of Education, "Good children's literature not only raises moral dilemmas, but also generates the feelings that are associated with situations where moral conflict and confusions exists. He suggests that through reading about social conflict students can vicariously learn how to resolve problem situations. With the immigrant experience being a hot topic right now, there are several new YA novels about American teens with immigrant parents that I would like to recommend. Sara Saedi's autobiographical Americanized: Rebel without a Green Card, chronicles the story of finding out she is undocumented after living in the US most of her life. Kelly Loy Gilbert's Picture Us in the Light focuses on a Chinese American boy whose parents are hiding a dark secret. Next year's Teen Lit Conference keynote speaker Sadhya Menon (When Dimple Met Rishi) has just released a new book From Twinkle with Love, about a young Indian American aspiring filmmaker. Nisha Sharma also explores the world of film making in My So-Called Bollywood Life, focusing on an Indian American girl obsessed with Bollywood, who hopes to attend NYU film school.
In Sara Saedi's laugh-out-loud memoir Americanized: Rebel without a Green Card, which is based on her teenage diary, she explores the experience of being an undocumented immigrant. After fleeing from Iran and moving to California during the Iranian Revolution, Sara found out she was in the US illegally at age 13. In addition to the constant fear of deportation, she struggles with the usual complaints about her awkward teenage years - bad complexion, unrequited love, her uni-brow, and the idolization of her perfect older sister. Black and white photos and original diary entries are included in each cleverly titled chapter, such as "Sporting the Frida Kahlo." Her parents' frustrating attempts at documentation, as well as the history of Iran and advice for currently undocumented teens are interspersed with her tales of teenage angst. Her navigation of life between two cultures will entertain readers, as well as give them a deeper cultural understanding of what is means to be undocumented. She includes a helpful recap of her immigration journey she calls "immigration for Dummies" at the end of the book.
Picture Us in the Light focuses on Danny Cheng, who rejoices when he gets a full ride to Rhode Island School of Design. But then his life begins to unravel when he finds a mysterious file of documents that his immigrant Chinese parents refuse to explain. Knowing they had a daughter who supposedly died in China, Danny wonders if her death is involved with his parents' secretive behavior. In addition Danny is beginning to come to terms with his attraction to his best friend Harry Wong and struggles with guilt over the suicide of a girl who was his nemesis at school. Danny's Asian-American community is socio-economically and religiously diverse which creates a variety of problems, as well. When he discovers the reason for his parents' secretive behavior and begins to resolve his issues with friends, he realizes his life will never be the same. Although the book covers some tough issues, it is ultimately uplifting.
Sanhya Menon's latest From Twinkle with Love introduces Twinkle Mehra, a film geek who has a mad crush on her school's top athlete, Indian American Neil Roy. When his nerdy twin brother Sahil asks her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, she decides it's a dream come true. Not only will she get to make a film, she can get closer to Neil. Twinkle has always felt invisible. Feeling ignored by her preoccupied parents and her best friend Maddie Tanaka, who has defected to the cool crowd and Neil who doesn't give her the time of day, Twinkle longs to be noticed. She decides the film project is just the way to gain acceptance. Complicating matters, she is beginning to find herself attracted to sweet doting Sahil, with whom she has a lot in common, but she is also receiving anonymous letters from a secret admirer known as "N"whom she hopes is Neil. Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, the story explores the topics of friendship, family, navigating the world as a woman of color and following your heart rather than your game plan.
I couldn't resist also telling you about My So-Called Bollywood Life, which stars Bollywood movie lover, Winnie Mehta, who has her heart set on going to NYU film school. When her boyfriend Raj, who is her natal star chart match, cheats on her and takes over the school's film festival, Winnie is devastated. With the help of film geek Dev Khanna, she plots to reassert herself in the film club and ends up falling in love with him. Then Raj decides he wants her back and secures filmmaker Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) - Winnie's idol - as the festival guest of honor to prove his commitment. Conflicted as to whether she is denying her destiny by choosing Dev, Winnie looks to Bollywood for answers. Chapter headings reference Bollywood films, and high-drama tropes and self-referential jokes make this a delight for fans of the genre, as well as romantic comedy fans. Details about each movie referenced are included at the end of this charming debut novel.
In Sara Saedi's laugh-out-loud memoir Americanized: Rebel without a Green Card, which is based on her teenage diary, she explores the experience of being an undocumented immigrant. After fleeing from Iran and moving to California during the Iranian Revolution, Sara found out she was in the US illegally at age 13. In addition to the constant fear of deportation, she struggles with the usual complaints about her awkward teenage years - bad complexion, unrequited love, her uni-brow, and the idolization of her perfect older sister. Black and white photos and original diary entries are included in each cleverly titled chapter, such as "Sporting the Frida Kahlo." Her parents' frustrating attempts at documentation, as well as the history of Iran and advice for currently undocumented teens are interspersed with her tales of teenage angst. Her navigation of life between two cultures will entertain readers, as well as give them a deeper cultural understanding of what is means to be undocumented. She includes a helpful recap of her immigration journey she calls "immigration for Dummies" at the end of the book.
Picture Us in the Light focuses on Danny Cheng, who rejoices when he gets a full ride to Rhode Island School of Design. But then his life begins to unravel when he finds a mysterious file of documents that his immigrant Chinese parents refuse to explain. Knowing they had a daughter who supposedly died in China, Danny wonders if her death is involved with his parents' secretive behavior. In addition Danny is beginning to come to terms with his attraction to his best friend Harry Wong and struggles with guilt over the suicide of a girl who was his nemesis at school. Danny's Asian-American community is socio-economically and religiously diverse which creates a variety of problems, as well. When he discovers the reason for his parents' secretive behavior and begins to resolve his issues with friends, he realizes his life will never be the same. Although the book covers some tough issues, it is ultimately uplifting.
Sanhya Menon's latest From Twinkle with Love introduces Twinkle Mehra, a film geek who has a mad crush on her school's top athlete, Indian American Neil Roy. When his nerdy twin brother Sahil asks her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, she decides it's a dream come true. Not only will she get to make a film, she can get closer to Neil. Twinkle has always felt invisible. Feeling ignored by her preoccupied parents and her best friend Maddie Tanaka, who has defected to the cool crowd and Neil who doesn't give her the time of day, Twinkle longs to be noticed. She decides the film project is just the way to gain acceptance. Complicating matters, she is beginning to find herself attracted to sweet doting Sahil, with whom she has a lot in common, but she is also receiving anonymous letters from a secret admirer known as "N"whom she hopes is Neil. Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, the story explores the topics of friendship, family, navigating the world as a woman of color and following your heart rather than your game plan.
I couldn't resist also telling you about My So-Called Bollywood Life, which stars Bollywood movie lover, Winnie Mehta, who has her heart set on going to NYU film school. When her boyfriend Raj, who is her natal star chart match, cheats on her and takes over the school's film festival, Winnie is devastated. With the help of film geek Dev Khanna, she plots to reassert herself in the film club and ends up falling in love with him. Then Raj decides he wants her back and secures filmmaker Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) - Winnie's idol - as the festival guest of honor to prove his commitment. Conflicted as to whether she is denying her destiny by choosing Dev, Winnie looks to Bollywood for answers. Chapter headings reference Bollywood films, and high-drama tropes and self-referential jokes make this a delight for fans of the genre, as well as romantic comedy fans. Details about each movie referenced are included at the end of this charming debut novel.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
CTLC: Young Adult Romance
I attended the Colorado Teen Literature Conference a couple weeks ago and the afternoon keynote speaker was the award-winning romance writer Simone Elkeles, best known for her Perfect Chemistry and How to Ruin trilogies. Her self-deprecating humor was very engaging, as she talked about her path to writing YA romance. She frequently does talks at correctional facilities where her novels are wildly popular with young incarcerated males. Her new novel Crossing the Line, which is about star crossed lovers in Mexico, comes out June 12th. While you are waiting for its publication, I would like to recommend several new YA romances. Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett (Alex, Approximately) explores the Romeo and Juliet romance between former best friends whose parents are feuding. August and Everything After by Jen Doktorski (The Summer After You and Me) focuses on two musicians who find solace in each other after the loss of friends in traffic accidents. In The Upside of Falling Down by Rebekah Crane (The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland), Clementine Haas, an American teen who experiences amnesia after surviving a plane crash in Ireland, falls in love with an Irishman and his country, as she is trying to rediscover who she is.
In Starry Eyes nerdy stargazer Zorie Everhart uncharacteristically agrees to join a group of popular classmates on a "glamping" vacation at a northern California resort, the summer after her junior year. She plans to attend a meteor shower viewing with her astronomy club at a nearby location after the trip. When the teens come to pick her up for the drive, she is horrified to find out that her former best friend and crush Lennon Mackenzie is going, too. Their families are feuding because his lesbian moms have opened a sex shop next to Zorie's parents' spa, which seems to be hurting business, and they haven't spoken to each other since he stood her up for homecoming without an explanation. After a series of unfortunate events, Zorie and Lennon find themselves abandoned by their friends without a ride home, so they decide to hike to the meteor shower event, giving them time to resolve their differences and find their way back to love. Serious subjects such as grief, betrayal and divorce are explored, but the snappy dialogue, sympathetic characters and an action packed plot are what will make this a winner with teens.
August and Everything After introduces Quinn and Malcolm who meet when they are both grieving the loss of friends in traffic accidents: she her best friend and he two band mates. In the aftermath of loss, Quinn is paralyzed by panic attacks and Malcolm substance abuse. When Malcolm invites her to play drums for his new album, she finds it the perfect summer distraction. As their relationship deepens through music and her desire to save Malcolm from his demons, Quinn struggles with sublimating her own desires to Malcolm's demands. Pressured by her mother and aunt to decide on a master plan for her future, she must decide whether to go on tour with Malcolm after they record his demo or focus on her own goals and healing. Appropriately named after the Counting Crows' debut album (1993), the book is about change and redemption and forgiving oneself.
The Upside of Falling Down is a step above the usual amnesiac melodrama. The only survivor of a plane crash outside Shannon, Ireland, 18-year-old American Clementine "Teeny" Haas panics when she wakes up in an Irish hospital, remembering nothing of her former life. Playing a game of truth or dare, she convinces a hospital volunteer, Kieran O'Connell, to sneak her out of the hospital and take her to Waterville, where Kieran shares a home with his pregnant twin sister Siobhan. Hoping to regain her memory, Teeny spends time with Siobhan and her boss Clive at a used book, record, and costume shop and helps Kieran with his "do-gooder" projects around town. Slowly, fragmented memories of her old life surface, meanwhile her father and nurse Stephen are back at the hospital trying to locate her. Kieran and Teeny continue their game of truth or dare, concentrating much more on dares than telling each other the truth about her identity and his conflicted relationship with his business mogul father. The colorful characters and Irish setting make this a charming read. Siobhan is a testy rebel, who is very suspicious of Teeny, and Clive is a flamboyant bisexual who embraces Teeny's impulsive spirited antics in her search for her true self. Kieran is, of course, a swoon-worthy leading man, whose good looks and supportive friendship lead Teeny to fall in love with him. The surprising reveal at the conclusion makes this a fun and satisfying romantic read.
In Starry Eyes nerdy stargazer Zorie Everhart uncharacteristically agrees to join a group of popular classmates on a "glamping" vacation at a northern California resort, the summer after her junior year. She plans to attend a meteor shower viewing with her astronomy club at a nearby location after the trip. When the teens come to pick her up for the drive, she is horrified to find out that her former best friend and crush Lennon Mackenzie is going, too. Their families are feuding because his lesbian moms have opened a sex shop next to Zorie's parents' spa, which seems to be hurting business, and they haven't spoken to each other since he stood her up for homecoming without an explanation. After a series of unfortunate events, Zorie and Lennon find themselves abandoned by their friends without a ride home, so they decide to hike to the meteor shower event, giving them time to resolve their differences and find their way back to love. Serious subjects such as grief, betrayal and divorce are explored, but the snappy dialogue, sympathetic characters and an action packed plot are what will make this a winner with teens.
August and Everything After introduces Quinn and Malcolm who meet when they are both grieving the loss of friends in traffic accidents: she her best friend and he two band mates. In the aftermath of loss, Quinn is paralyzed by panic attacks and Malcolm substance abuse. When Malcolm invites her to play drums for his new album, she finds it the perfect summer distraction. As their relationship deepens through music and her desire to save Malcolm from his demons, Quinn struggles with sublimating her own desires to Malcolm's demands. Pressured by her mother and aunt to decide on a master plan for her future, she must decide whether to go on tour with Malcolm after they record his demo or focus on her own goals and healing. Appropriately named after the Counting Crows' debut album (1993), the book is about change and redemption and forgiving oneself.
The Upside of Falling Down is a step above the usual amnesiac melodrama. The only survivor of a plane crash outside Shannon, Ireland, 18-year-old American Clementine "Teeny" Haas panics when she wakes up in an Irish hospital, remembering nothing of her former life. Playing a game of truth or dare, she convinces a hospital volunteer, Kieran O'Connell, to sneak her out of the hospital and take her to Waterville, where Kieran shares a home with his pregnant twin sister Siobhan. Hoping to regain her memory, Teeny spends time with Siobhan and her boss Clive at a used book, record, and costume shop and helps Kieran with his "do-gooder" projects around town. Slowly, fragmented memories of her old life surface, meanwhile her father and nurse Stephen are back at the hospital trying to locate her. Kieran and Teeny continue their game of truth or dare, concentrating much more on dares than telling each other the truth about her identity and his conflicted relationship with his business mogul father. The colorful characters and Irish setting make this a charming read. Siobhan is a testy rebel, who is very suspicious of Teeny, and Clive is a flamboyant bisexual who embraces Teeny's impulsive spirited antics in her search for her true self. Kieran is, of course, a swoon-worthy leading man, whose good looks and supportive friendship lead Teeny to fall in love with him. The surprising reveal at the conclusion makes this a fun and satisfying romantic read.
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Teens Dealing with Death: Children of Blood and Bone, The Beauty that Remains, and Orphan, Monster, Spy
Regardless the genre, teens dealing with death is a familiar topic in young adult literature. Loss of a loved one is a life-defining moment for the main characters in three new YA novels. The first book in a new fantasy series, Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, focuses on a young girl whose mother was murdered when the king decides that all magicians in the kingdom must die. The Beauty that Remains, a contemporary realistic fiction debut by Ashley Woodfolk, explores the way three teens deal with the death of a beloved friend. Finally, Orphan Monster, Spy by Matt Killeen is a WWII historical fiction about a young Jewish girl, who becomes a spy after her mother is killed as they try to escape the Nazis.
Children of Blood and Bone, from the new Legacy of Orisha series, introduces Zelie, a diviner with latent magic abilities, who is hoping to bring magic back to her kingdom. King Saran has killed most of the maji, including her mother, but his daughter Amari escapes his palace with a scroll containing the power to reignite magic. Amari's is devastated when her maid, who is a diviner, is killed by her father. During her escape she is aided by Zelie, who realizes that the scroll Amari has stolen is one of the three relics need to perform a ceremony to restore magic powers to diviners. Aided by Zelie's brother Tzain, they are traveling to a mythic island, which they must reach to perform the ceremony before the solstice. Prince Inan, Amari's brother is hot on their trail, but en-route he discovers, he is a diviner as well. Along the way, allegiances shift and a cliff hanger ending will leave readers anxious for the sequel to this new action-packed page turner.
In The Beauty that Remains Autumn, Shay and Logan, teens who are loosely connected by their interest in an Indie band known as Unraveling Lovely, have all lost a loved one. Autumn's best friend Tavia, who is Autumn's boyfriend Dante's sister, died in a car accident. Shay's twin sister Sasha died after a long battle with leukemia, and Logan's ex-boyfriend Bram committed suicide. They are all struggling in unhealthy ways. Autumn, who is blaming herself for opting out of the party from which Tavia was driving, is lashing out a everyone around her, including Dante, leaving her without a support system. Shay, whose family doesn't really know how to cope without focusing on her dying sister, is having panic attacks and skipping school. Logan, the lead singer in Unraveling Lovely, derails the band when he turns to alcohol to assuage his pain. The self- and life-defining nature of grief is examined, as these characters learn that things change after someone dies, but they must focus on the beauty that remains. The story, which is told in alternating voices, involves three empathetic teens about whom readers will care deeply, as their separate lives ultimately converge in this exploration of loss.
In 1939 Germany Sarah and her mother are trying to escape to Switzerland, but her mother is killed. Blond, blue-eyed Sarah has been trained by her actress mother to assume various identities because she is a Jew. She is aided by a British spry, who convinces her to help him steal Nazi blueprints for a nuclear bomb. She enrolls in a Nazi boarding school, befriends a scientist's daughter, sneaks into a fortress where the bomb is being built, but not without a vast amount of intrigue and danger. With references to real-life characters, Orphan, Monster, Spy has a unique story line from which to investigate a variety of familiar topics, including the Holocaust, the race to get the nuclear bomb, and the complex spy network during WWII. This fast paced and cleverly constructed spy thriller is also a coming-of-age story about an incredibly imaginative and resourceful young girl, who lives in constant danger.
Children of Blood and Bone, from the new Legacy of Orisha series, introduces Zelie, a diviner with latent magic abilities, who is hoping to bring magic back to her kingdom. King Saran has killed most of the maji, including her mother, but his daughter Amari escapes his palace with a scroll containing the power to reignite magic. Amari's is devastated when her maid, who is a diviner, is killed by her father. During her escape she is aided by Zelie, who realizes that the scroll Amari has stolen is one of the three relics need to perform a ceremony to restore magic powers to diviners. Aided by Zelie's brother Tzain, they are traveling to a mythic island, which they must reach to perform the ceremony before the solstice. Prince Inan, Amari's brother is hot on their trail, but en-route he discovers, he is a diviner as well. Along the way, allegiances shift and a cliff hanger ending will leave readers anxious for the sequel to this new action-packed page turner.
In The Beauty that Remains Autumn, Shay and Logan, teens who are loosely connected by their interest in an Indie band known as Unraveling Lovely, have all lost a loved one. Autumn's best friend Tavia, who is Autumn's boyfriend Dante's sister, died in a car accident. Shay's twin sister Sasha died after a long battle with leukemia, and Logan's ex-boyfriend Bram committed suicide. They are all struggling in unhealthy ways. Autumn, who is blaming herself for opting out of the party from which Tavia was driving, is lashing out a everyone around her, including Dante, leaving her without a support system. Shay, whose family doesn't really know how to cope without focusing on her dying sister, is having panic attacks and skipping school. Logan, the lead singer in Unraveling Lovely, derails the band when he turns to alcohol to assuage his pain. The self- and life-defining nature of grief is examined, as these characters learn that things change after someone dies, but they must focus on the beauty that remains. The story, which is told in alternating voices, involves three empathetic teens about whom readers will care deeply, as their separate lives ultimately converge in this exploration of loss.
In 1939 Germany Sarah and her mother are trying to escape to Switzerland, but her mother is killed. Blond, blue-eyed Sarah has been trained by her actress mother to assume various identities because she is a Jew. She is aided by a British spry, who convinces her to help him steal Nazi blueprints for a nuclear bomb. She enrolls in a Nazi boarding school, befriends a scientist's daughter, sneaks into a fortress where the bomb is being built, but not without a vast amount of intrigue and danger. With references to real-life characters, Orphan, Monster, Spy has a unique story line from which to investigate a variety of familiar topics, including the Holocaust, the race to get the nuclear bomb, and the complex spy network during WWII. This fast paced and cleverly constructed spy thriller is also a coming-of-age story about an incredibly imaginative and resourceful young girl, who lives in constant danger.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
New Fantasy Duologies: Tess of the Road, Between the Blade and the Heart and The Belles
Three new fantasy duologies, that I think teens will like, debuted in early 2018. Rachel Hartman returns to her Seraphina series with Tess of the Road, a tale about Seraphina's stepsister Tess Dombegh, who disguises herself as a boy to seek a legendary serpent. Between the Blade and the Heart, the first in the Valkyrie duology by Amanda Hocking (Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles), introduces Malin, a Valkyrie whose job it is to slay immortals and return them to the afterlife. The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton in her solo debut introduces a world where a jealous God has made everyone gray and ugly. The wealthy pay women known as Belles to use their magic to transform them into something beautiful, depending on the latest fads and personal ideas of beauty.
In Tess of the Road the main character Tess is recovering from a catastrophic downfall after being seduced and abandoned. Although she tries to redeem herself, all is lost when she ruins her twin sister Jeanne's wedding by drunkenly punching the groom. Disguising herself as a boy, she hits the road to help her childhood friend, a quigutl dragon, find a legendary serpent. Along the way she must pose as a priest, work as a manual laborer and fend off robbers, as she slowly makes peace with her past. At first bitter and self-pitying, Tess ultimately shows her worth through her courage, resilience and empathy. Her triumphant quest to find the serpent allows her to begin to reenter society in this tale of female empowerment. The first in a duology, this novel sets the stage for further adventures on the road.
Between the Blade and the Heart, the first in the Valkyrie duology, introduces Malin, a Valkyrie-in-training, whose job it is to slay immortals and return them to the afterlife. When she discovers that her mentor/mother failed to carry out an assignment, resulting in the death of a fellow Valkyrie, Malin joins her son Archer to find the culprit and kill him. Malin's roommate Oona, a sorceress-in-training, and her ex-girlfriend Quinn come along for the ride. The story is immersed in Norse mythology and includes many fascinating creatures, making this novel heavy on world-building, but not lacking in action and romance. The obligatory love triangle has a new twist in that Malin is bisexual. The cliffhanger ending will leave readers thrilled that the sequel From the Earth to the Shadows, comes out April 24, 2018.
In The Belles the God of the Sky in the opulent world of Orleans becomes jealous of the Goddess of Beauty's love for their children, so he curses them with ugliness. She in retaliation creates the Belles, who have magical powers allowing them to transform people's ugliness. Camellia and her 5 sisters are Belles who have just finished their training and are about to enter society. A contest is held to determine which one will get to serve in the royal household. Although not chosen at first, Camellia ultimately ends up in the palace, where she finds the crown princess in a coma and her younger sister obsessed with power. As Camellia struggles to unravel the political plot, she uncovers the secret to the Belle's origin in a culture obsess with beauty. This novel challenges readers to think about their own ideas of beauty and what women go through financially and physically to attain it. The Belles, as well as the other two novels reviewed, are most appropriate for mature readers.
In Tess of the Road the main character Tess is recovering from a catastrophic downfall after being seduced and abandoned. Although she tries to redeem herself, all is lost when she ruins her twin sister Jeanne's wedding by drunkenly punching the groom. Disguising herself as a boy, she hits the road to help her childhood friend, a quigutl dragon, find a legendary serpent. Along the way she must pose as a priest, work as a manual laborer and fend off robbers, as she slowly makes peace with her past. At first bitter and self-pitying, Tess ultimately shows her worth through her courage, resilience and empathy. Her triumphant quest to find the serpent allows her to begin to reenter society in this tale of female empowerment. The first in a duology, this novel sets the stage for further adventures on the road.
Between the Blade and the Heart, the first in the Valkyrie duology, introduces Malin, a Valkyrie-in-training, whose job it is to slay immortals and return them to the afterlife. When she discovers that her mentor/mother failed to carry out an assignment, resulting in the death of a fellow Valkyrie, Malin joins her son Archer to find the culprit and kill him. Malin's roommate Oona, a sorceress-in-training, and her ex-girlfriend Quinn come along for the ride. The story is immersed in Norse mythology and includes many fascinating creatures, making this novel heavy on world-building, but not lacking in action and romance. The obligatory love triangle has a new twist in that Malin is bisexual. The cliffhanger ending will leave readers thrilled that the sequel From the Earth to the Shadows, comes out April 24, 2018.
In The Belles the God of the Sky in the opulent world of Orleans becomes jealous of the Goddess of Beauty's love for their children, so he curses them with ugliness. She in retaliation creates the Belles, who have magical powers allowing them to transform people's ugliness. Camellia and her 5 sisters are Belles who have just finished their training and are about to enter society. A contest is held to determine which one will get to serve in the royal household. Although not chosen at first, Camellia ultimately ends up in the palace, where she finds the crown princess in a coma and her younger sister obsessed with power. As Camellia struggles to unravel the political plot, she uncovers the secret to the Belle's origin in a culture obsess with beauty. This novel challenges readers to think about their own ideas of beauty and what women go through financially and physically to attain it. The Belles, as well as the other two novels reviewed, are most appropriate for mature readers.
Friday, February 9, 2018
Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award
Yesterday at the CCIRA convention in Denver, the 2017 Blue Spruce winner, Six of Crows by Leigh Barduga, and the 2018 nominees were announced. The winner focuses on six dangerous outcasts in the magic infused city of Ketterdam, who are offered vast sums of money to liberate a scientist from a maximum security prison. Kaz, who heads the crew, recruits his friends to help him with the heist. The story is told from multiple points of view and along the way readers find out each person's backstory, which leads them to Kaz's gang. This page turner ends with a cliff-hanger ending, followed by the sequel Crooked Kingdom.
The 2018 nominees include several previously reviewed in this blog, including Everything, Everything, by Nicola Yoon, The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Saenz, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, and The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. In addition to these titles, the following novels are up for the 2018 award.
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Two sisters leave their cruel father to attend Caraval-a faraway once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show. Along the way one is kidnapped and the other is aided by a mysterious sailor and finds herself enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak and magic.
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
When the pirate king discovers that a legendary treasure map can be found on an enemy ship, his daughter Alosa knows there is only one pirate for the job - herself. Leaving behind her beloved ship and crew, Alosa deliberately facilitates her own kidnapping to ensure her welcome on the ship.
The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron
Canaan is a quiet city on an idyllic world, hemmed in by high walls, but every 12 years the town breaks out in a chaos of bloody violence, after which all the people undergo the Forgetting, in which they are left without any trace of memory. But Nadia has never forgotten.
Kill All Happies by Rachel Cohn
Victoria Navarro has one night to throw the ultimate graduation party at Happies, a legendary restaurant that is closing. She hopes to say goodbye to lifelong friends and make sure her crush never forgets her, but all doesn't go as planned.
The Marvels by Brian Selznik
The author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, once again employs pen and ink drawings, as well as text, to tell the story of the Marvels, a brilliant family of London actors.
Nyxia by Scott Reintgen
Emmet accepts an interstellar space contract, but learns en route that to win the promised fortune, he and the other recruits face a brutal competition, putting their very humanity at risk.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Three teens separated by continents and decades embark on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. Joseph flees Nazi Germany in 1930, Isabel leaves Cuba on a raft to America in 1994 and Mahmoud begins the journey from Syria to Germany in 2015. Surprising connections tie their stories together.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
John Green's latest novel focuses on Aza whose OCD threatens to derail her attempt to get control of her life, as she pursues the mystery of a fugitive billionaire.
Wax by Gina Damico
Poppy Palladino, with the help of a wax boy called Dud, attempts to uncover an evil plot that threatens her hometown of Paraffin, Vermont.
We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach
The lives of 4 high school seniors intersect weeks before a meteor is set to pass through Earth's orbit with a 66.6% chance of striking and destroying all life on Earth.
To read more about the award and find book talks for the new nominees go to http://www.coloradobluespruceaward.org/
The 2018 nominees include several previously reviewed in this blog, including Everything, Everything, by Nicola Yoon, The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Saenz, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, and The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. In addition to these titles, the following novels are up for the 2018 award.
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Two sisters leave their cruel father to attend Caraval-a faraway once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show. Along the way one is kidnapped and the other is aided by a mysterious sailor and finds herself enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak and magic.
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
When the pirate king discovers that a legendary treasure map can be found on an enemy ship, his daughter Alosa knows there is only one pirate for the job - herself. Leaving behind her beloved ship and crew, Alosa deliberately facilitates her own kidnapping to ensure her welcome on the ship.
The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron
Canaan is a quiet city on an idyllic world, hemmed in by high walls, but every 12 years the town breaks out in a chaos of bloody violence, after which all the people undergo the Forgetting, in which they are left without any trace of memory. But Nadia has never forgotten.
Kill All Happies by Rachel Cohn
Victoria Navarro has one night to throw the ultimate graduation party at Happies, a legendary restaurant that is closing. She hopes to say goodbye to lifelong friends and make sure her crush never forgets her, but all doesn't go as planned.
The Marvels by Brian Selznik
The author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, once again employs pen and ink drawings, as well as text, to tell the story of the Marvels, a brilliant family of London actors.
Nyxia by Scott Reintgen
Emmet accepts an interstellar space contract, but learns en route that to win the promised fortune, he and the other recruits face a brutal competition, putting their very humanity at risk.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Three teens separated by continents and decades embark on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. Joseph flees Nazi Germany in 1930, Isabel leaves Cuba on a raft to America in 1994 and Mahmoud begins the journey from Syria to Germany in 2015. Surprising connections tie their stories together.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
John Green's latest novel focuses on Aza whose OCD threatens to derail her attempt to get control of her life, as she pursues the mystery of a fugitive billionaire.
Wax by Gina Damico
Poppy Palladino, with the help of a wax boy called Dud, attempts to uncover an evil plot that threatens her hometown of Paraffin, Vermont.
We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach
The lives of 4 high school seniors intersect weeks before a meteor is set to pass through Earth's orbit with a 66.6% chance of striking and destroying all life on Earth.
To read more about the award and find book talks for the new nominees go to http://www.coloradobluespruceaward.org/
Sunday, January 28, 2018
New from favorite authors: Far from the Tree, The Inexplicable Logic of My Life, and The Whole Thing Together
The 2018 edition of my book What's New in Young Adult Novels? and Ideas for Classroom Use is now available. I have added over 80 books from 2017 with recommendations for using them in the classroom. Many of the books have been reviewed in this blog already, however, before I move on to 2018 titles, I would like to recommend three 2017 novels by some of my favorite authors. Robin Benway (Emmy and Oliver) won the 2017 National Book Award for Far from the Tree, her saga about three siblings who find each other after being adopted out to different families. Benjamin Alire Saenz (Aristotle and Dante Discover Secrets of the Universe) follows the senior year of Salvador, who was adopted by a gay Mexican-American man after his mother dies in The Inexplicable Logic of My Life. Ann Brashares (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) focuses on two half-siblings who share a room at a family beach house, but have never met each other, in The Whole Thing Together.
In Far from the Tree Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, finds herself pregnant and decides to find her biological family, after giving the baby up for adoption. She reconnects with her younger sister, Maya, a confident gay teen who was adopted by a well-to-do family who also have a biological daughter, and Joaquin, their stoic older brother who is a product of the foster care system. Grace is much more interested in finding their biological mother than either of her siblings. Chapters alternate between their third person perspectives, as each teen struggles to navigate personal challenges that they keep secret. Maya's mother is a closet alcoholic, Joaquin's latest foster parents want to adopt him, and Grace is trying to decide if she wants to maintain a relationship with her baby and adoptive family. This touching family saga is truly deserving of its National Book Award.
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life introduces Salvador, whose gay Mexican-American father adopted him when he was three, after his mother, who was Dad's best friend, dies. Sal finds his world turned upside down when his adoptive grandmother Mima is diagnosed with cancer, his best friend Samantha moves in with him after a family tragedy, and his streetwise gay friend Fito is kicked out of his home by his drug addicted mom. Complicating matters, Sal uncharacteristically gets into several fist fights and wonders if he inherited violent tendencies from his biological father. When his adoptive dad gives him a letter his mother left for him, Sal hesitates to open it, thinking it might be better to leave that chapter of his life closed. In short journal like chapters and text messages, this novel reveals a story of love, loss and the value of family.
After Robert and Lila bitterly divorce, in The Whole Thing Together, they and their three daughters take turns sharing the family's Long Island beach house every summer. The parents remarry and each have another child, Ray and Sasha, who share the same bedroom in the beach house on alternate weeks. Although they share toys, books and even a bed, they have never met, until they unexpectedly run into each other at a NYC party and feel an instant attraction. When their stepsister Mila gets engaged, the two families decide to bury the hatchet for an engagement party at the house, with disastrous results. Then a family tragedy initiates a truce, and they begin to deal with long standing issues and healing begins. This exploration of split family dynamics is both funny and tragic with a little romance thrown in as well.
In Far from the Tree Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, finds herself pregnant and decides to find her biological family, after giving the baby up for adoption. She reconnects with her younger sister, Maya, a confident gay teen who was adopted by a well-to-do family who also have a biological daughter, and Joaquin, their stoic older brother who is a product of the foster care system. Grace is much more interested in finding their biological mother than either of her siblings. Chapters alternate between their third person perspectives, as each teen struggles to navigate personal challenges that they keep secret. Maya's mother is a closet alcoholic, Joaquin's latest foster parents want to adopt him, and Grace is trying to decide if she wants to maintain a relationship with her baby and adoptive family. This touching family saga is truly deserving of its National Book Award.
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life introduces Salvador, whose gay Mexican-American father adopted him when he was three, after his mother, who was Dad's best friend, dies. Sal finds his world turned upside down when his adoptive grandmother Mima is diagnosed with cancer, his best friend Samantha moves in with him after a family tragedy, and his streetwise gay friend Fito is kicked out of his home by his drug addicted mom. Complicating matters, Sal uncharacteristically gets into several fist fights and wonders if he inherited violent tendencies from his biological father. When his adoptive dad gives him a letter his mother left for him, Sal hesitates to open it, thinking it might be better to leave that chapter of his life closed. In short journal like chapters and text messages, this novel reveals a story of love, loss and the value of family.
After Robert and Lila bitterly divorce, in The Whole Thing Together, they and their three daughters take turns sharing the family's Long Island beach house every summer. The parents remarry and each have another child, Ray and Sasha, who share the same bedroom in the beach house on alternate weeks. Although they share toys, books and even a bed, they have never met, until they unexpectedly run into each other at a NYC party and feel an instant attraction. When their stepsister Mila gets engaged, the two families decide to bury the hatchet for an engagement party at the house, with disastrous results. Then a family tragedy initiates a truce, and they begin to deal with long standing issues and healing begins. This exploration of split family dynamics is both funny and tragic with a little romance thrown in as well.
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