DEATH CLOUD by Andrew Lane

Lane, Andrew. Death Cloud. New York: Square Fish, 2011. ISBN-10: 031256371X.

As adventure stories go, this one bristles with intrigue and pulses with strange twists and turns. A young Sherlock Holmes, intent on returning home for summer holidays from his boarding school, instead is diverted towards his estranged uncle’s home in the country. What begins as a humdrum, monotonous stay with inaccessible and cold relatives turns rather quickly into a sharp and confusing mystery when a dead body appears on his uncle’s land. It’s a promising tale, and young readers will enjoy the antics that Sherlock and his new mate Matty Arnatt get up to moments within meeting one another, from inadvertent spying on shady criminals to surreptitious boat rides. And the climax, well it’s just one round of intensity after another, with observation and cunning being the most deadly weapons.

The confusion around the titular enigma that momentarily lingers over bodies, a “death cloud” of sorts, is unfortunately resolved too quickly. However, that in turn does lead toward a new series of questions that befuddle the reader more than any would-be otherworldly forces. Basically the truth seems more farfetched than imagination, but at least Holmes is quick to point that out to the villains themselves, who only begin to question the feasibility of their plans at this young teenager’s prodding. Visually, readers might also be somewhat unsettled or perturbed by the villain himself who, having suffered a great injury during a war, has an almost laughable appearance if it weren’t so disturbing. Still, Lane uses history to his benefit and creates characters and settings that fit perfectly into the time period and the machinations of that era.

There does remain one major issue though—the imagining of young Sherlock Holmes himself. Any avid Holmes reader will find it hard to believe that as a fourteen year old, Sherlock had not yet developed his keen sense of observation, wit, sarcastic cunning at least to some degree. I can see him not fitting in at school, but I cannot imagine him being so… timid. I welcomed the summer tutor his brother hires for him, an American with sharp senses and a sharper brain, who guides Sherlock through his first stages of development into the dark world of mystery and crime solving. But Sherlock himself did not ring true for me, instead lacking in personality and falling for a girl far too simply like any typical teenager would. That Lane’s book is fully endorsed by the Conan Doyle Estate makes me wonder though, do I expect too much of the grand master detective? Or do his talents deserve to have been inculcated at an earlier age?

Nevertheless, the book does allow for a growing parade of subsequent books, which may resolve such issues as: Why his uncle was estranged from his father in the first place? When does Holmes’ disdain for common folk and ambivalence toward women develop? And what mysteries lie within his own family? It would be a fun experience to see if and how these unfold amidst the wild capers Sherlock is bound to pursue.

Reviewed by Alya Hameed

A TIME OF MIRACLES by Anne-Laure Bondoux

Special Feature: Review by a Middle School Student

Bondoux, Anne-Laure. A Time of Miracles. Trans. Y. Maudet. New York: Delacorte Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-385-73922-1. $17.99 US, $20.99 CAN.

It is the 1990s and civil unrest is spreading throughout the Caucuses. Blaise Fortune (aka Koumaïl), a homeless seven-year-old orphan, sets off on a difficult and passionate journey alongside Gloria, his devout caretaker, out of the Republic of Georgia towards the free land of France. Throughout Bondoux’s heart pounding story of sacrifice and survival, these two helpless mendicants depend upon each other to reach the Promised Land and, most importantly, learn to persevere through the power of love.

In this fictitious young adult novel, the two exiles struggle through times of poverty, exhaustion, and distress, while growing together in spirit and family. Koumaïl and Gloria both sacrifice their own desires and needs for each other’s wellbeing, but they never lose the hope they have of arriving in France, away from the troubling and dangerous political unrest and near the answers to Koumaïl’s past. On foot, the pair transition from one refugee camp to another, each time listening to intense and harsh stories and seeing the physical and emotional scars of other refugees. In one instance, one of the refugees explains, “They came into our house with Kalashnikovs. They shot my husband. Fatima saw him fall on his prayer rug. Ever since then, she refuses to open her eyes.” Gloria, the mother-like figure, nurtures and guides Koumaïl through these many refugee camps and the countless miles in between. In response to the great sadness surrounding Koumaïl’s life, she, as a nurturing mother would, soothed the young boy by whispering, “There’s nothing wrong with making up stories to make life more bearable.” She releases enigmatic bits and pieces of Koumaïl’s life, from their first meeting at the site of the train derailment to the story of his beautiful mother. With her different and calming stories, Gloria teaches Koumaïl to love with all his heart and to keep from “catching a despair.” This is the impetus that propels the two’s emotions and determinations and is what leads Koumaïl to decrypt his past later on in the storyline.

Bondoux beautifully illustrates the passionate and suspenseful journey across Europe while opening up the mind of a poor nomad who lays prey to the chaos in this world. In this riveting novel, love and hope are put on the line and the importance of family is strongly expressed. A young Koumaïl develops into an adolescent in a bloody world and, ultimately, learns the immense power of love.

This exceptional work of literature leaves readers nail-biting questions and allows them to distinguish for themselves their own paths and values. “Is there a difference between a lie and a made-up story?” Will you learn the foolproof remedy of despair? Learn for yourself in this powerful novel, A Time of Miracles.

Review by Mauro Schenone, 8th grade

JERSEY TOMATOES ARE THE BEST by Maria Padian

Padian, Maria. Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best. New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2011. ISBN: 978-0375865633

Imagine being best friends with someone and then realize you will not see each other for a whole summer. That is what Henry Lloyd and Eva Smith feel like. They are Jersey girls and best friends.  Henry loves tennis and Eva loves dance. But their summer did not go exactly as planned.

Henry Lloyd got invited to go to Chadwick tennis camp in Florida for the summer and Eva Smith got accepted into the New York School of Dance. Both were thrilled at their accomplishments until they figured out that they would be far away from each other for the whole summer. Once both girls were at their summer camps, they loved their experiences and still kept in touch and told each other all the drama. Henry was at the top of the tennis rankings at Chadwick, and Eva was always noticed by the her ballet instructor and even asked to demonstrate. Little did anyone know that Eva had not been eating much. While Henry was making new friends and creating memories, people started to notice Eva becoming very skinny. Eva had anorexia. When Henry found out Eva’s problem, she could not stop thinking how bad of a friend she had been. Henry knew she needed to be there with Eva, so she drove back to Jersey. A few weeks later, Henry went back to camp and Eva went to a facility to help her eat correctly again. Because the facility was in Florida, they could see each other frequently. Henry and Eva never gave up on each other and that is what made them best friends.

The author, Maria Padian, shows what a true friendship looks like. Henry and Eva were there for each other for all the ups and downs they struggled through. This book really gets you hooked to see what happens next. It also really explains what anorexia can feel like and encourages you not to become anorexic. Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best is a book I encourage other teenagers to read not just for the fun of it, but aslso for those who struggle with eating disorders because it helps you understand what it feels like.

Review by Sarah, 8th grade

SANTA CLAUS IN BAGHDAD by Elsa Marston

Marston, Elsa. Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories about Teens in the Arab World. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-253-22004-2: $15.95.

What do you know about Iraq, Libya, and Palestine? What do you know about the young teenagers who live in those countries or others like Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Jordan? You've heard about the uprisings and for years you have seen footage and read headlines. Have you really thought about the teenagers there, however? I thought I had, but after I read Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories about Teens in the Arab World, I realized that, despite my attempts to be broadminded, I have pigeon-holed Arab teenagers into an existence defined by political upheaval. In her introduction, Elsa Marston states that what "[Arab] young people want is what people everywhere want: A secure home and loving family, good friends, teachers who care about their students, the chance to grow and express themselves, and hope for a better future." Read Santa Claus in Baghdad and you, like me, will be convinced Marston is right.

Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories about Teens in the Arab World consists of eight short stories about a teenager from his or her country. The first short story which is the source of the book's title is about an Iraqi teenager who learns the rewards of selflessness when she sells her dearest belongings to earn money to buy a gift. In "Faces" we meet Suhayl, a Syrian teenager, who is struggling to navigate the complexities of living with divorced parents—especially after his father decides to remarry. His efforts to help his overworked mother are heartwarming and a bit humorous as mishaps threaten to thwart his surprise for her. I was most touched by "Honor" and the lengths its Jordanian heroine, Yasmine, goes to protect the honor of a friend—even if she doesn't understand or agree with the importance of hijab. Similarly admirable is the Palestinian refugee in Lebanon, Rami, and his determination to once more inspire his older brother.

As heartwarming as many of the stories might be, Marston does not shy away from difficult issues such as honor killings, jihad, limited education for girls, cultural schisms, growing generational gaps, poverty, divorce, and refugee camps. What makes Santa Claus in Baghdad so powerful is the consistent attention to and a focus on the humanity that unites us. I highly recommend this book; in fact, a friend and I plan to use this in conjunction with selections from Arabian Nights as the basis for a high school reading group.

Stephanie Ashley

A STONE IN MY HAND by Cathryn Clinton

Clinton, Cathryn. A Stone in My Hand. Somerville: Candlewick Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-7636-4772-8. $6.99. Age: 10 and up

Cathryn Clinton describes A Stone in My Hand as historical fiction. She says it is "the story of a single girl and single family"and that it is not meant to be a comment on present political situations. Nevertheless, the tale, that of an eleven-year-old Palestinian girl whose father has gone missing, is achingly current.

Malaak is so traumatized by her father's disappearance that she falls into near silence; in fact, rather than talk to her family and friends, she begins to confide in a bird named Abdo. Malaak talks to Abdo as she watches the world of 1988 and 1989 Gaza City: There are soldiers, guns, and bombs; curfews and school closures; hot city streets and cool nights on rooftop patios. She studies those around her: her sister, Hend, dreaming of one day having her own home and family, her mother growing ever paler and tired, and her brother, Hamid, whose eyes crackle with fire as he longs to join the Palestinian Liberation Organization. She observes her brother's friend, Tariq, who rarely speaks after witnessing the shooting of his father when Tariq was five years-old. Through all of this, Malaak imagines that she can see through Abdo's eyes and fly above the conflict surrounding her. Nonetheless, Malaak and her family cannot escape the violence and another tragedy threatens to once more render Malaak mute.

Clinton manages to provide a story of hope while staying within the confines of a reality that can have no happy ending. Death, violence, and the pain of a broken family are all present, but life, kindness, and resilience gained through friends and family are even more powerful. A Stone in My Hand is well suited for early adolescent readers. Yes, it is a far gentler rendering than it might be, but it is a good introduction and reminder of the complex and overwhelming dilemma that children and teenagers, not just adults, must face.

Stephanie Ashley

THE LIST by Siobhan Vivian

Vivian, Siobhan. The List. New York: Push, 2012. ISBN: 978-0545169172. 

On the last Monday in September, the students of Mount Washington High School will see copies of a certain list posted all over the school. It happens every year. It's unavoidable. It's a lottery of the ugliest and prettiest girls in the school, naming one of each category for each grade, 9th through 12th. The list is cruel but official, with a Mount Washington seal imprinted in the corner. Nobody knows who has the seal, or how it is passed down through the generations of list creators. But everybody knows that the notarized list will shape the school year for eight girls.

Siobhan Vivian's young adult novel takes on the volatile world of high school and shows how vicious it can be. The story follows the perspectives of the eight girls who were named on the most recent list, showing how each girl deals with what is either a great boost for popularity (for the prettiest) or a black mark of undesirability (for the ugliest).

Vivian explores the emotional complexities that accompany unrequested notoriety. The winners of Prettiest are flattered, but also cautious, and subconsciously aware that being pretty doesn't really matter all that much. Margot, the senior winner, is unnerved by the knowledge that her sister's "victory" the year before actually caused her to lose friends and retreat from the social strata, and she is also anxious about her unresolved history with her Ugly counterpart. Bridget, the junior prettiest girl, battles with an eating disorder -- one that caused the weight loss that got her recognized. Sophomore prettiest Lauren is new in town, still sheltered after being homeschooled, and she doesn't quite know how to handle the newfound attention she attracts. Finally, Abby, the prettiest freshman girl and a less-than-stellar student, struggles with conflicting feelings of insecurity and superiority, especially since her plain and academically brilliant older sister starts to give her the cold shoulder.

The emotional repercussions for the "ugliest" girls are expectedly severe. The senior, Jennifer, has made the list as ugliest for the fourth year in a row, and she longs to buck expectations as she tries to embrace her "ugliest girl in school" status. Junior Sarah reacts by making herself as ugly as possible, not showering and not changing clothes, to the detriment of her relationship with someone who thinks she's beautiful. Sophomore Candace, pretty and popular on the surface, is alienated by her friends and must address the fact that no one actually likes her as a person. In the freshman class, athletic swimmer Danielle is nicknamed "Dan the Man" and is ostracized by her own boyfriend.

The List alternates between the girls' perspectives chapter-by-chapter, examining their interactions with each other, showing the unexpected alliances that form in the face of rejection, and teasing out the mystery of who writes the list each year.

The characters face their insecurities with varying degrees of success. The "ugly" girls come a longer way than the "pretty" girls in mature self-actualization, but some need more help than others. With its flawed characters, The List demonstrates that beauty isn't a free pass for an easy high school experience, and that what's going on beneath the surface is far more important than appearances.

With so many perspectives to toggle through, it's understandable that not every character's situation is fully explored. That said, I would like to have seen more intricacy in junior Bridget's storyline; her experience with an eating disorder was a little too simplistic. Such a complex, painful affliction is difficult to tackle in spurts like Vivian does throughout The List, and Bridget's internal monologue fell flat for me. Covering a character's internal battle with thoughts of "I'm healthy! Just eat! But I mustn't eat!" just doesn't illuminate the psychologically damaging aspects of that kind of struggle. I applaud Vivian for giving her characters genuine real-life issues and examining how those challenges are colored and complicated by high school peers, but I wanted a little more from this particular storyline.

Overall, The List does an excellent job of illustrating a high school battleground and the relationships therein. Not every character gets a happy ending or has an epiphany, but each girl's experience of growth and self-reflection is drawn in a realistic, thought-provoking way.

Reviewed by Jill Coste

MIDDLEWORLD by Jon and Pamela Voelkel

Voekel, Jon, Pamela Voelkel. Middleworld. EgmontUSA, 2010. ISBN-13: 9781606840719. $8.99.

Special Feature: Review by an elementary school student.

I looked through bookshelves and ran my fingers along various bindings, when something caught my eye. The title read Middleworld, by J & P Voekel.

From the moment I saw it till the moment I began it, I knew I wouldn’t let it out of my sight. With all the unexpected journeys and unidentified characters, I was mesmerized, but more than anything it was the mystery of the Maya that attracted me to Middleworld. The two main characters, Max the video game expert and Monkey Girl (aka Lola), come from two opposite worlds; it was an exciting voyage to see how they reacted to each other’s different lifestyles. I liked Lola the most. She’s daring and brave, loves the jungle, and is thankful for everything she has (not including Max). I relate to Lola because I love Norway as much as she loves the jungle. The jungle is her birthplace and home like Norway is mine.

The book is mostly about how the Maya culture is literally coming back from the past. This is both good and bad. One of the important events is when the ancient Maya King, Lord 6-Dog, and his mother, Lady Coco, possess the bodies of two howler monkeys, which results in a series of unfortunate events. This made me feel very strange. The book also made me feel curious to find out the mysteries that lurk around every corner.

My favorite part is when Max and Lola meet. It is like a dog and a cat. They are complete opposites, but despite their differences, they have much in common. I connected to the book because like Lady Coco, I love to be free. When she takes over a monkey, it is like a bird is taken out of a cage. She is swinging and laughing -- she is free at last!

The lasting impression that I’ll take away from reading this book is to make sacrifices. It’s difficult to explain why, but the characters made a lot of sacrifices in their lives that will inspire me to make more in my life.

People who love adventure, electrifying moments and the mystery of the Maya will enjoy this book. You’ll understand why once you read it.

Review by Madeleine Denison, 5th grade

TIMBER WOLF by Caroline Pignat

Pignat, Caroline. Timber Wolf. Markham, Ontario: Red Deer Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-88995-459-5. $12.95. 

Winner of the Governor General’s Award

Imagine waking up in the middle of the northern Canadian wilderness with no memory of your identity (even your name!), how you got there, or where to find home. Such is Jack’s predicament in the gripping opening of Timber Wolf.

He is wounded, but doesn’t remember the injury. As he struggles to find food, warmth, and shelter in the harsh winter climate, he meets two characters whose friendship has ironically ambiguous overtones: a native youth named Mahingan, filled with anger at the white men, and a silent, yellow-eyed timber wolf, without a pack. The wolf saves him from peril on multiple occasions – bringing him game, dragging him out of a frozen lake, and leading him back to Mahingan’s hut when he is lost. Mahingan, however, resents Jack, even to the point of shooting an arrow into his back.

Bit by bit, through narrative interspersed with dreams, Jack’s memory comes back, first of his father, then of his injury, and finally, of his family. As Mahingan and Jack spend more time together under the influence of Mahingan’s wise grandfather, they (and the readers) realize that the two boys are more alike than they believe: not only have both lost a father, but also both are striving for acceptance in an adult world. In a touching episode near the end of the book, the boys grapple (literally) with their emotions—Jack with guilt and Mahingan with anger. They learn that emotions need release, and their physical fight leads to a sincere friendship. As a reader, I couldn’t decide if the action felt too contrived, but perhaps it would be identifiable for a boy, rather than an adult woman. The elaborate thank you speeches at the close of the book felt just slightly too raw, too emotionally open—perhaps the characters had changed too quickly for my understanding of them to catch up—but here, again, I was on the fence about it.

The brilliant aspect of the book, in my opinion, is the construction of parallel journeys among the characters. Jack walks alongside Mahingan as the boys journey to manhood, and alongside the wolf as the two journey to find their “pack.” As the close of the novel, Pignat skillfully juxtaposes Jack’s reunion with family and the howls of the wolf pack. Jack becomes a man and finds his home because of and with Mahingan and the wolf.

Timber Wolf is the third stand-alone book of the “Greener Grass” series. If they’re all as well done as Timber Wolf, I wish I could read all three!

Marisa Behan

STARTERS by Lissa Price

Price, Lissa. Starters. New York: Delacorte Press, 2012. ISBN: 9780385742375. $17.99.

One of the latest offerings in the dystopian young adult fiction field, Starters features Callie, a 16-year-old orphan living in a post-biological-warfare Los Angeles, where the Spore Wars have wiped out every living soul between the ages of 20 and 60. Living on the streets of LA, where she fights “unfriendlies” and allies with “friendlies,” Callie is in dire need of money for permanent shelter for herself and her sickly brother, Tyler. This desperation pushes her to Prime Destinations, an organization that uses teenagers’ bodies as vessels for elderly people who want to feel young again (in this dystopian society, Enders, as they’re called, live to be well over 100 years old). In return for a hefty sum of money, Callie must simply allow a chip to be implanted in her brain and essentially go to sleep for days at a time while a 150-year-old Ender gads about and enjoys the blessings of youth and beauty.

Callie is understandably hesitant at first, but when a fire takes away her and Tyler’s only remaining belongings and they are forced on the run yet again, with Tyler coughing all the way, Callie determines that the money she’ll get from Prime Destinations is worth relinquishing control of her body. She gets control back, though, when she wakes up in the middle of her renter’s borrowing period. While Callie tries to figure out what went wrong, she enjoys the opulent lifestyle led by her renter, Helena, and starts a romance with Blake, a rather wooden love interest. As her feelings for Blake (inexplicably) grow, Callie also hears from Helena, who reveals that Prime Destinations is not as legitimate as it appears. The pressure builds as Callie races to stop the government from supporting Prime Destinations' nefarious plans. The plot races through its romance and reveals, ending with a cliffhanger that paves the way for book #2 in this trilogy.

Starters is fast-paced and simply written, sometimes to its own detriment. The hurried pacing overshadows the development of Callie's character, motivations, and history. The Spore Wars are not explained in depth, and we learn that they only wreaked their havoc a year prior. I would have liked to see more explanation of their destructive properties and more specifics about how Callie went from having a home to being a street urchin in a matter of months. Such a rough transition could have offered a great deal of personal exploration for Callie, but her emotions are explored only shallowly. We get the occasional comment on how nice it is to sleep in a comfortable bed again, and of course Callie is in awe of Helena's wealth and gorgeous home, but there is no emotional impact or self-reflection in Callie’s experiences. Tyler, Callie's sick brother, is her motivating force in life, but we don't really get any backstory to their relationship or why she feels so compelled to take care of him beyond older-sibling obligation. Additionally, the author, Lissa Price, suffers from a case of telling, not showing, as she uses her secondary characters as vehicles for exposition and not as well-rounded people that enhance Callie’s story. Finally, the flat romance between Callie and Blake calls to mind YA insta-love, wherein two characters are suddenly transfixed by each other for no apparent reason. On Callie and Blake's first date, Price again tells us instead of shows us what's happening. Apparently whatever conversation Blake and Callie had was killer, but we don't get to know what they talked about.

Despite its shortcomings, Starters delivers a fantastic concept and raises interesting ethical questions. I see echoes of Robin Wasserman's Skinned, with the idea of the brain inhabiting another body, and Marie Lu’s Legend, with a bleak, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles cityscape. Like both of those novels, Starters features an urgent desire for survival and a contemplative look at the lengths to which governments will go to maintain control. With its fascinating premise and the promise of further character development in the rest of trilogy, Starters will surely be a commercial hit.

Reviewed by Jill Coste

THE MOURNING WARS by Karen Steinmetz

Special Feature: Review by a High School Student

Steinmetz, Karen. The Mourning Wars. New York: Roaring Book Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-59643-290-1. $18.99 US.

The main character of the book is Eunice, a.k.a. Marguerite Gannestenawi. Eunice lives with her family in Deerfield, Massachusetts before she is taken as a captive to Kahnawake. Her father, Reverend Williams, and other families are also taken captive by the Maqua. The tribe’s Atironta and Kenniontie are to be her step-parents; they lost their own daughter, so Eunice, now called A'onote, is to take her place. While with the Maqua, A'onote befriends Gaianniana and Joanna. During her first Green Corn Festival, A'onote is officially adopted into the Turtle Clan. There she meets a boy named Arosen, who is her friend Gaianniana's cousin. Arosen is to become A'onote's husband.
For some time, A'onote hasn't received any new information about her family. But after receiving Kenniontie's [her Natie American father] favor for her wedding with Arosen, she heard that her father had been looking for her. Then, after some time in Kahnawake, Eunice meets her father, Reverend Williams. He promises to get her back. She also learns her brother Joseph has been freed and become a trader. She is forced to choose between her new peaceful life, or go back to things as before in Deerfield.

I found the book interesting because I am quite fascinated with subjects concerning Native Americans. I was captivated by the two worlds Eunice lives in, the way she adapts to her new surroundings, and the choices she has to make..

Some strengths of the book lie in the emotions Eunice feels. That Eunice is, in a way, waiting for someone from her family, especially her father, helps to shape story line. I don't think of this as a weakness of the book, but I do think the clans -- turtle, bear, or wolf -- don't really have anything to do with the story.

Yes, I would recommend this book to people my age because, in some ways, the main character's life might correlate with the relationship between them and their parents. I would recommend it to someone my age or maybe someone older because a younger kid might not be able to understand the situation Eunice is in.

Steven Maglaya, 9th grade, 14 years old

ZITFACE by Emily Howse

Special Feature: Review by a High School Student

Howse, Emily. Zitface. Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish Children’s, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-7614-5830-251699. $16.99 US.

Zitface, by Emily Howse, describes the challenges and phases a teenage girl has to go through – for example, boys, heartbreaks, and changes in her body. The main character, Olive Hughes, is going through a really hard time dealing with school, boys, and her career – acting. But something worse pops up: acne, and not just a bit. Olive’s outbreak is severe. Before the acne, she has a boyfriend and a job, and every girl wants to be her. When her luck runs out, though, she gets dumped, fired, and made fun of. Yet she ends up happy being who she is and not caring what other people think of her.

To me this is a good book because, even though teenage girls go through all of these changes, Olive sees the bright side in everything, and this book actually teaches lessons on how to handle specific problems. I would definitely recommend it to another girl because it might help in whatever problems she’s going through.

Carmen Herrera, 9th Grade, 14 years old

THE LUCKY KIND by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Sheinmel, Alyssa B. The Lucky Kind. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-75-86785-9. $16.99.

Nick Brandt and his friends Stevie and Eden all struggle with the same questions: “Are all families somehow messed up? Is anyone’s family normal? Does everyone hide something?” Nick finds out that his father has a secret adult son, born out of wedlock, who had been given up for adoption; Stevie’s parents barely know he exists, taking frequent exotic vacations, often over the holidays, leaving him behind in their NYC apartment; and Eden’s parents are weird, and fight constantly.

Sheinmel addresses difficult teen issues such as family tension, secrets, and first love. However, her characters engage in smoking, drinking and sex, none of which have direct repercussions in their lives.

The characters are relatable—only a few pages in and I cared about the narrator, his family, and his budding love with Eden. Sheinmel has addressed all the family issues appropriately and with understanding, but were I a parent, I’m not sure I would give The Lucky Kind to my son or daughter.

Marisa Behan

THE GHOSTS OF KERFOL by Deborah Noyes

Noyes, Deborah. The Ghosts of Kerfol. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-7636-4825-1. $7.99 US/$11.00 CAN. Ages 14+

Deborah Noyes riffs off Edith Wharton’s gothic ghost story, Kerfol, to create this compilation of short stories. The original “backstory,” that is, Edith Wharton’s original ghost tale, is told from the point of view of a young servant girl, observing the terrifying episode of madness, wrath, and haunting that make up Kerfol. From the death of Yves de Cornault, the dogs (and human characters) have been returning yearly to haunt the castle. In the short stories that follow, Noyes weaves together new hauntings in various time periods, up to the present day. The stories hold together nicely: just when you begin to miss a character, he or she shows up as a ghost! The final story, I think, puts a brilliant twist on the sequence – the haunted visitor to Kerfol is deaf and he, unlike the other haunted visitors, interacts most intimately with the Kerfol spirits. His sensory separation from the world allows him to be ghost, but not ghost simultaneously.

Noyes’ novel is well timed, with a resurgence of interest in the Gothic. But unlike many other gothic interpretations of today, there are no vampires or implausible love relationships, just a good story, enough of the uncanny to disturb, and interesting, complex characters. The Ghosts of Kerfol is a welcome addition to the modern gothic young adult novels on the shelves today!

Marisa Behan

THE TIGER RISING by Kate DiCamillo

DiCamillo, Kate. The Tiger Rising. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2001. ISBN: 978-0-7636-5270-8. $15.99.

Rob has a suitcase full of “non-thoughts:” the things in his life that he can’t change and therefore won’t do him any good to dwell on.  In this suitcase he keeps problems such as his incurable leg rash, his teasing at school, the recent death of his mother, and the poverty of his father. Also in the suitcase, he keeps “not-wishes,” such as his desire for a friend.

Everything changes when he finds a caged tiger in the woods behind his motel and a new girl, Sistine, moves to town. Armed with renewed purpose and a friend, Rob learns how to un-cage his painful memories, freeing himself to let some good stuff in!

DiCamillo, author of The Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn-Dixie, lives up to her previous successes with The Tiger Rising. Emotionally gripping, poignant, and touching, with relatable characters and a catchy story, The Tiger Rising pulls at your heartstrings in a positive, cathartic way.

Marisa Behan

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. Hunger Games. NY: Scholastic Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-439-02352-8. $8.99. 14 & up.

The first book in Suzanne Collins’ post-apocalyptic dystopian trilogy is compelling, suspenseful, and thought-provoking.

Collins presents readers with a strong female protagonist and narrator: sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen. As the head of her household, Katniss cares for her mother and younger sister by illegally hunting in their hometown of District 12, just one of the dozen impoverished districts that surround, and support, a lavish capitol city. Every year, to remind the districts of their failed attempt at rebellion 75 years prior, the nation’s oppressive President Snow requires that each district send two tributes, one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen, to the “Hunger Games.” When Katniss and her friend Peeta find themselves representing District 12 in the 74th annual Games, they are whisked away to the lavish Capitol, and forced into an arena where they must fight their fellow tributes, and one another, to the death on live television.

Readers are immediately intrigued by the strange world, and unjust circumstances, that Collins puts forth. They are hooked by Katniss’ plight, and are quickly impressed with her maturity, self-sacrificing nature, and the remarkable talents that she exposes in the arena. Collins uses a large portion of the text to successfully develop her characters. Instead of feeling fake or two-dimensional, each member of Collins’ cast of realistic and relatable individuals possesses a great amount of depth. Readers feel intensely attached to Collins’ complex characters, thus they relish every suspenseful twist and turn; however, the dark themes and graphic nature of the text should not be overlooked.

Because the Games are broadcasted live to “entertain” citizens, Katniss faces not only physical torment, but great psychological distress as well. Indeed, Katniss must wrestle with the thought of killing her young peers; and yet, what is almost more damaging is that she must also set her own personality and character aside to portray a different version of herself. If wealthy viewers in the Capitol like what they see on television they can become her sponsors, and send her medicine, food, water, and supplies. Therefore, in order to garner favor with the audience that is watching her every move, Katniss must abandon herself and pretend to be someone she is not. Collins does a wonderful job conveying to the reader Katniss’ inner turmoil as she is incessantly haunted by the requirement to kill or be killed, and continually torn between who she really is and who she must present herself to be.

Part of this inner turmoil and uncertainty is drawn from a love triangle between Katniss, Peeta (her fellow District 12 tribute), and Gale (her best friend, and hunting companion, from home). However, though the appearance of a love-story plays a great role in Katniss’ time in the arena, Collins clearly does not want this love triangle to be the forefront concern of the trilogy. Unlike the Twilight series, which divided readers into clear-cut “teams” that were built upon the protagonist’s two love interests, Collins clearly has more important subjects that she hopes to highlight. As the series continues, it is evident that though the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale is present it is often pushed aside to expound upon greater concerns like tyranny, materialism, conformity, politics, propaganda, starvation, and rebellion.

The Hunger Games does not simply establish a thought-provoking perspective of a dystopian society, or a cast of captivating and complex young characters. Most importantly, the text creates a wonderfully detailed foundation for the rest of Collins’ series.

Caitlin Kennedy

CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire. NY: Scholastic Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-439-02349-8. $17.99. 14 & up.

Catching Fire, the second book in Suzanne Collins’ popular dystopian trilogy, will certainly satisfy a reader’s taste for suspense; however, this action-packed follow-up to The Hunger Games has a very political core.

Katniss must pay for the actions she took to save both Peeta and herself during the 74th Hunger Games. Some citizens have interpreted her overall success in the arena as an aggressive act of defiance towards the Capitol. The districts are buzzing with rumors of unrest and rebellion. As the “faces” of the supposed revolution, President Snow forces Katniss and Peeta to put a stop to it. The Capitol does not like to be made a fool, it demands revenge; thus, it threatens everything that Katniss and Peeta hold dear in order to salvage control of the nation. And President Snow hopes to regain the Capitol’s grasp on the districts through the conveniently timed “Quarter Quell,” an event that occurs every 25th year of the Games and allows the Capitol to introduce a twist in the way the Games are executed. As the 75th Hunger Games are set before her, Katniss must decide her role. Is she to be the face of the rebellion? What will she do to spare her family? To shelter Peeta? To protect Gale?

Once again, Katniss is faced with tremendous psychological distress, as she never feels completely safe from President Snow’s pervading threats and nearly omnipresent scrutiny. Readers witness the previously strong protagonist practically wither, due to the pressure of knowing that she might not be able to protect her loved ones. Katniss almost looses her sense of self-reliance, as it seems that President Snow is so set on her demise that she believes she is doomed before she can even attempt to make things right. However, what seems to wear on her the most is the heavy guilt she feels from the awareness that she is ultimately responsible for the needless deaths that have occurred, and will continue to occur, due to the “rebellion” she incited.

Readers adopt Katniss’ despair, and experience her same feelings of anxiety and near-paranoia throughout the entire book as she frantically attempts to attain some sort of clarity concerning the constant threats, and utter turmoil, that surround her. And yet, at the very end of the text, the author uncovers the truths that have been purposefully kept from Katniss (and the reader) throughout the entire novel. Collins sets up the next, and final, book in the trilogy by leaving Catching Fire in a complete state of questioning. Katniss does not know whom to trust, after she learns that her previous allies, like her mentor Haymitch, have kept such great secrets from her.

Collins presents a compelling and suspenseful narrative that ensnares her readers all over again. However, it is evident by the end of Catching Fire that Collins is clearly shifting the focus of her writing from character development to political and social commentary.

Caitlin Kennedy

MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay. NY: Scholastic Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-439-02351-1. $17.99. 14 & up.

The Hunger Games series has become extremely popular in the last few years. Its books have been stationed at the top of various bestseller lists for months on end, and the first two books in the series have been nominated for, and won, a number of awards and honors (including the California Young Reader Medal Award for Young Adult Fiction and the Publisher’s Weekly Best Book Award for 2009). And if that weren’t enough, the trailer was just released for the first Hunger Games movie, which will be in theaters Spring of 2012. And yet, in spite of all of the excitement and anticipation surrounding this series, author Suzanne Collins’ presented fans with a rather lackluster final book to tie up her trilogy.

Unlike the first two books in the series that establish rich character development and interaction, Mockingjay deals almost exclusively with the social and political issues that wreck havoc on Katniss’ world.

After Katniss is rescued from the arena of the 75th Hunger Games, a full-on war begins between the districts and the Capitol. She learns that her home, District 12, has been incinerated, and that her mother, sister, and best friend Gale have made it safety to the rebellion’s headquarters, located in District 13. District 13 is a militant, yet thriving, underground community, which is virtually unknown to the Capitol because it was presumably destroyed during the last uprising-attempt. While she is essentially jailed in District 13, Katniss learns that her time in the arena was completely planned, without her acknowledgement or consent. She was to distract the Capitol, while the rebels worked to make a strong first stand against President Snow. Katniss was to be protected in the arena at all costs because she is so important to the rebellion, while others, including Peeta, were to be sacrificed. Unable to return to District 12, Katniss is forced to take on the role of the Mockingjay (the face of the rebellion), participate in various propaganda videos, and take orders from the president of District 13, Alma Coin, who Katniss believes to be just as power-hungry as the evil President Snow.

Throughout the text, Collins continually illustrates the harrowing effects of war, goes into lengthy descriptions of different battles and, overall, completely drags out the rebel’s attempt at taking the Capitol and capturing President Snow.

It is as though, all at once, Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and the rest of Collins’ characters lose their depth, complexities, and even emotions. Their personalities become thin, weak, unrealistic, and unrecognizable shadows of their former selves. Perhaps this is an intentional decision on the author’s part, to show the numbing effects of war. But what is far more likely is that Collins’ characters suddenly become stiff and artificial simply because they are neglected throughout the majority of the novel, while the author rants about the dystopian world’s political problems.

Of course, had the trilogy ended seamlessly, critics would have been just as displeased. Katniss’ world was far too damaged and convoluted to present a convincing ending in which everything is resolved. However, Collins’ flagrant disregard for her characters, literally tying up their loose ends in a one-page epilogue, cannot be excused. It is as though the author got so caught up in the descriptions of war and the social and political flaws of Katniss’ world, that she reached her page limit and went, “Oh, I forgot, I have to wrap this up.”

After establishing such richly complex yet relatable characters in her first two books, Collins fails to do those characters any justice in her final text. Throughout The Hunger Games, and even Catching Fire, Collins writes about her characters so descriptively and intentionally that readers cannot help but form strong attachments to them. Having built a relationship with these characters, it is heartbreaking for readers to finish Mockingjay with the sense that their fictional friends were not treated with the respect they deserved. Readers finish the trilogy without answers, without closure, and with the haunting feeling that their favorite characters’ stories were not really given the ending they were worthy of. These characters deserved better.

Interestingly enough, most readers do not disagree with how Collins tied up her loose ends but rather the vague, pithy way in which she did so. For the final twenty-five pages, though Katniss is still narrating the text, readers are not given any insight to what she is really thinking, or feeling, about the big events that are transpiring around her.

By the end of Mockingjay, Katniss and the rest of Collins’ characters have become a shadow of what they once were in the first two books of the Hunger Games series. However, this is not the result of a harrowing war, or due to a damaged dystopian society, but rather, the characters are weak and artificial simply because of poor writing.

Caitlin Kennedy

A TIME OF MIRACLES by Anne-Laure Bondoux

Bondoux, Anne-Laure. A Time of Miracles. Trans. Y. Maudet. New York: Delacorte Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-385-73922-1. $17.99 US. Ages 12+

When I turned the final page of this book and closed the cover, I said aloud to my empty kitchen, “Wow. That was an incredible book.” I can see why Random House decided to translate it from the original French for the American market. The fictional narrator, Blaise Fortune, also known as Koumaïl, tells his story – as a war refugee in the Caucasus – and grips the reader’s heart.

The memoir-like novel is a tale of abject poverty and homelessness, but never asks the reader to feel pity, or to feel sorry for Koumaïl and his mother-figure Gloria. Gloria and Koumaïl have been running away from war for as long as he can remember. They sacrifice food and energy for one another’s well-being, while always hanging on to their dreams, trying as hard as they can not to “catch a despair.” Gloria always puts a positive spin on their trials. She tells Koumaïl, “There’s nothing wrong with making up stories to make life more bearable.” She takes their often shocking situations and turns them into little blessings for Koumaïl‘s sake. For example, the first time we see them move to a new place, she instructs Koumaïl to dig a hole behind their shack (made of a corrugated tin roof, next to a garbage dumping ground):

“Finally, she shows me a spot behind one of the walls, where I’m supposed to dig a hole.
“What’s it for?” I ask.
“Well, it will be to do our business!” she answers with a wink.
“Oh, OK.”

It gives me a funny feeling to dig our toilet. In the Complex, we shared toilets with the other people on the floor, but here we’ll have our own private corner. Gloria says that we’re becoming bourgeouis. I don’t understand that word, but she laughs so hard that I laugh with her, right by the edge of our future poop hole.”Bondoux illustrates the cruelty of war through other characters like Koumaïl’s friend Fatima, a young girl who has refused to open her eyes since she saw her father shot on his prayer mat, or Stambek, whose “mind had stayed in the rubble” when a bomb struck their house. The prevailing theme of the novel is one of hope – regardless of who surrounds you and how bad the situation is – hope and family sustain you as you “always walk straight ahead toward new horizons.”

The book is beautifully told, a magnificent insight into the life of a nomadic refugee, and later, a lonely child immigrant far from home.

Marisa Behan

TOKEN OF DARKNESS by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. Token of Darkness. New York: Delacorte Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0-385-73750-0. $16.99

The main theme of Token of Darkness is constructed around Cooper Blake, his traumatic accident and its consequences. Due to a car crash, Cooper has to readjust his life and cope with the multiple facets of scars which now dominate his life. Not only did he miraculously survive, but since then, he is accompanied by Samantha, whom solely he can see.

Samantha becomes the center of his life, while he draws back from his friends, including his football team. Although she has no memory of her former existence, she helps him to come to terms with his new situation. Since the accident, Cooper is able to not only see Samantha, but also the shadowy demons which lurk in the dark to feed on weak humans and which threaten him and his surrounding again and again.

Cooper tries to return her kindness and support, but does not know where to start. He gets unexpected help from Brent, Delilah, and their mentor Ryan. All three have experiences when it comes to paranormal incidents: Brent is a telepath, Delilah is the manipulative captain of the cheerleading squad and a witch, and Ryan belongs to a long line of sorcerers. None of these three trust Samantha, and want to save Cooper from the potential threat she poses.

Token of Darkness is dominated by a dark and thrilling atmosphere. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes manages to tell a fast-paced story about growing up, trusting ones instinct, seeking help in times of need, and looking behind the mere façade of a person. In order to move forward in life, all of the characters need to face their problems, even traumatic experiences. Friends are paramount in achieving this aim; only with their support, Cooper is able to break his social isolation, and to become a happier person.

Karin Kakorski

Review: BLEEDING VIOLET by Dia Reeves

Reeves, Dia. Bleeding Violet. New York: Simon Pulse, 2010. ISBN: 978-1416986195. 464 pages. $16.99.  

Dia Reeves’ Bleeding Violet is set in the fictional town of Portero, Texas. Like any other sleepy supernatural town, there is certainly more to this one than meets the eye. The inhabitants are divided between some locals who are well aware of the dangerous, hidden, supernatural portals that populate the town, while others live in ignorance. 

Sixteen year-old heroine Hanna attempts to reconnect with the mother she has never met and to navigate teenage existence in this odd town filled with secret doors to different dimensions. Her story is complicated by a host of psychological conditions for which she is medicated, and by the supernatural monsters that she encounters. Hanna struggles to merge her primarily Finnish (Anglo/Caucasian) upbringing with her physical resemblance to her absent African-American mother. She is forced to balance this racial and cultural uncertainty with the discrimination she faces as a supposed non-supernatural outsider in Portero.

Once Hanna learns that her psychoses are a result of her supernatural heritage rather than an actual psychological condition, she embraces her gifts in the hope of saving her mother from the evil spirit that has possessed her corporeal form. Helping Hanna is the brooding Wyatt. He is a member of the Mortmaine, a militia-esque group that protects the residents of Portero from the unsavory entities that dwell on the other side of the town’s many doors. 

The writing is rich and the story psychologically complex. There is some sexual content, and the violence, while beautifully described, is graphically intense, and perhaps better suited for a more mature adolescent reader.

Heather Tylock