In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson

Lord, B.B. (1984). In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson. New York, NY: Harper Row & Publishers, Inc.

Plot Summary:
The book is set in the year 1947. After hearing word from her father in America, Bandit and her mother must leave their family in China and travel to New York to join him. Upon leaving Chungking, her family gives her an American name of her choosing; she becomes Shirley Temple Wong. Shirley and her mother finally arrive to their tiny one room apartment in Brooklyn after a long journey. Shirley begins school and her mother adjusts to life without servants and with washing machines. It takes Shirley a few months to adjust to life, customs, and the English language. She is lonely at first, without any friends. She accidentally interrupts a stickball game one day after school and receives two black eyes from a bully named Mabel. After not squealing on Mabel, the stickball players befriend Shirley and teach her the game. Shirley takes to it immediately, becoming obsessed with baseball, specifically the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson. For the rest of the season, she doesn’t stray far from the radio when a game is being played. By the end of the year of the boar, Shirley has adjusted well to life in Brooklyn, but also realized the importance of maintaining her original language and customs.

Review:
I love the organization of this book, spread over a year, beginning in China. The author shows the progression of Shirley’s year of transformation from being well versed in Chinese customs, to struggling with English and American customs, to submersing herself in only American customs, and finally finding a balance between her Chinese culture and new life in America. I love that the main character is a girl, who is obsessed with baseball. Shirley’s obsession with the sport is fantastic; it adds a lot of humor to the book. There is a great explanation of why baseball is an America’s favorite pastime and there is a lot of symbolism in Shirley’s embracing of this. I like that the events in the book were drawn from the author’s own life and coming to America. Through Shirley’s experiences she shows the hardships and loneliness of children coming to a new country and learning a new language and all new customs.

Genre:
historical fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 9 – 12

Subjects/Themes:
immigration, self-identity

Award Information:
ALA Notable Children's Book
School Library Journal Best Book

Character Names/Descriptions:
Shirley Temple Wong (Bandit, Sixth Cousin): 10 years old; travels from China to New York with her mother to join her father; loves baseball and Jackie Robinson
Father: Shirley’s father; gets an Engineering job in New York and moves his wife and daughter from China to join him; takes on the job of landlord of their building
Mother: Shirley’s mother; moves from China to New York with her daughter, Shirley, to join her husband; becomes pregnant
Mabel: largest 5th grade girl in Shirley’s class; gives Shirley two black eyes, then becomes her friend; plays stickball; teaches Shirley all about baseball
Mrs. Rappaport: Shirley’s 5th grade teacher
Emily Levy: new girl in Shirley’s class; becomes one of Shirley’s good friends
Jackie Robinson: baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers; hero of Shirley’s

Annotation:
It is 1947, the year of the boar, and the year Shirley Temple Wong leaves her home in China and moves to Brooklyn, New York. Shirley learns English and American customs, falls in love with baseball, and tries to hold on to her Chinese heritage.

Amandine

Griffin, A. (2001). Amandine. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.

Plot Summary:
Delia’s family had just moved and she was having some trouble meeting new friends, not that making friends was anything Delia was ever good at. After receiving some pressure from her parents, Delia makes Amandine, a strange girl who waits for her ride after school at the same place as Delia. Her friendship with Amandine is troubled from the start. She sends Delia grotesque drawings from her Ugliest Thing notebook and together they create scripts they act out, Amandine doing impressions of people they know. Delia isn’t exactly sure how she feels about Amandine, she has a lot of fun with her, but the fun seems bad and she is never sure what Amandine is going to do next. When Amandine acts really horribly towards their friend Mary and blames Delia for it, Delia decides she has had enough of Amandine. She refuses to hang out with her anymore, but unfortunately Amandine is not done yet with Delia. Amandine has dirt on Delia she is willing to let slip to their school if Delia doesn’t reconcile their friendship. Eventually, a lie is told, and Delia and her family are forced to take drastic measures to make their family “normal” again.

Review:
This book is definitely for older tweens. Amandine and Delia are both 14 years-old, but I think it would be a beneficial book to girls who are just entering middle school. There seems to be a phase girls go through around middle school where low self-esteem has a tendency to make some of them almost mean and create unhealthy friendships. I definitely went through it and saw other girls my age do the same. It's a rough age where you leave the comfort of your elementary school and move to a bigger school with more students. It is at this time when kids either cling onto or shed their existing friendships for cooler or more like minded friends. It can be a pretty brutal time in a girl's life, speaking from experience. Girls Amandine and Delia's age are often still trying to figure out who they are and what image they want to project, they are also dealing with becoming more empathetic and a growing awareness of right and wrong. It's a tough age, which the author captured well in this book.

Genre:
Fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 12 - 15

Subjects/Themes:
friendship, self-identity, lying

Character Names/Descriptions:
Delia Blaine (Delilah): 14 year-old girl; switched schools midyear; overweight; has a hard time making friends; becomes good friends with Amandine; steals things
Amandine Elroy-Bell: 14 year-old girl; becomes good friends with Delia; comes from family of artists; likes to sketch disturbing images for her Ugliest Thing notebook; has a mean streak; lies to get back at Delia for ending their frienship
Mary Whitecomb: friend of Amandine and Delia's; Amandine draws a gruesome depiction of Mary after Mary makes her angry; preacher's daughter; lives in the country; becomes Delia's only friend
Mrs. Gogglio: older neighbor who gives Delia a ride home from school everyday; is a nurse at a senior home; seems to be the only person who really listens to Delia; calls Delia "Delilah"

Annotation:
Desperate for a friend, Delia befriends Amandine even though she never feels quite comfortable in the friendship. When Amandine shows her true colors, Delia's family has to take drastic measures to escape the chaos Amandine caused.

The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook

Davis, E. (2009). The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook. New York, NY: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books

Plot Summary:
Julian is new to Mosburg Jr. High and he is determined to not let his ultra nerdiness be known to the other students. He doesn't want a repeat of his being an outcast at his last school. But, he can't hold back his incredible knowledge for long and when he accidentally lets a bit of aeronautical engineering slip in his class, he receives an invitation written in secret code. The invitation was to meet Ben and Greta, fellow aspiring inventors who ask Julian to join them in their secret hideout and invention workshop. Together, the three of them become the Secret Science Alliance (SSA) and create inventions such as a fog gun, curfew counteractor, pneumatic rollerblades, and the Kablovsky Copter, named after their idol, scientist Professor Andro Kablovsky. When Dr. Wilhelm Stringer, head inventor and CEO of Industrail Innovations Incorporated steals the SSA's invention notebook and the SSA goes to get it back, they find that Dr. Stringer has plans to steal a priceless artifact from the Mosburg History Museum. It is up to the SSA to foil his evil plan.

Review:
This graphic novel is fantastic. The story is clever and hilarious and the graphics are incredible. The layout of this graphic novel is similar to the adult graphic novels I have read, with a unique layout different from most comics. The book is filled with great diagrams, which provide the reader with a lot to look at and definitely adds interest to the book. Each page is filled with tons of details and descriptions, the reader will have a great time discovering all of these details. The inventions created are imaginative and wonderfully illustrated. I like the added touch of showing the sketches of the inventions shared on paper airplanes or the Hidden-Message-Passer-Pencil. The Secret Science Alliance is a quirky group made up of a nerd, a notorious troublemaker, and a sports jock.

Genre:
graphic novel

Reading Level:
Ages 9 - 12

Subjects/Themes:
adventure, inventions, self-identity

Character Names/Descriptions:
Julian Calendar: new student to Mosburg Jr. High; inventor; member of the Secret Science Alliance
Greta Hughes: student at Mosburg Jr. High; notorious troublemaker; inventor; member of the Secret Science Alliance
Ben Garza: student at Mosburg Jr. High; good at sports; inventor; member of the Secret Science Alliance
Dr. Wilhelm Stringer: famous inventor; constructs evil plot to steal Andro Kablovsky's hat
Professor Andro Kablovsky: famous inventor who lived from 1854 - 1942; idol of the Secret Science Alliance

Annotation:
Three junior high students form the Secret Science Alliance through their love for designing and building inventions. When their design notebook is stolen, they find another inventor's evil plan. It is up to the SSA to stop him.

Belle Prater's Boy

White, R. (1996). Belle Prater's Boy. Canada: Harper Collins Canada Ltd.

Plot Summary:

One morning Belle Prater disappeared. She left behind an alcoholic husband and their cross-eyed son, Woodrow. After it was clear Belle wasn’t coming back any time soon, Woodrow went to live with his grandparents in Coal Valley, VA. Next door to his grandparents live Woodrow’s cousin, Gypsy, and his Aunt, Beauty, and her husband, Porter. Gypsy and Woodrow are the same age, but hadn’t spent that much time together on account of there having been a disagreement of some sort between their mothers long ago. Gypsy can’t wait to ask Woodrow what he thinks happened to his mom, and neither can anyone else in their small town. Gypsy and Woodrow become very close, Woodrow is an excellent storyteller and Gypsy is beautiful and tells great jokes. They are well liked by friends and classmates. Through the course of the story things which had been kept from the both of them about their parents' pasts begins to come out, things that are hard to hear and digest. But their friendship keeps them strong as they learn some of life’s hardest lessons.

Review:

This is a beautifully written book. I loved every bit of it. The writing is poetic and lyrical, full of sweet tales. Woodrow and Gypsy, each from different backgrounds, are struggling with the same things in life, wanting to be seen for who they are not how they appear. They also are both dealing with the loss of a parent. I loved the descriptive setting, interesting characters, and odd names of the characters. I love how the story slowly unfolds as you read it. The author doesn’t sum up the book at the end, the reader is left with enough details to draw their own conclusions. The author does an excellent job of showing the thought processes that arise in tweens as they slowly begin to open their eyes to life as it occurs around them, whether they want to or not.

Genre:

Fiction

Reading Level:

Ages 9 – 12

Subjects/Themes:

Family, friendship, loss, self-identity

Series Information:

There is a sequel to this book entitled, "The Search for Belle Prater"

Awards Information:

Newbery Honor Book 1997

Character Names/Descriptions:
Gypsy Arbutus Leemaster: Woodrow's cousin; her father died when she was young, is known for her long beautiful hair
Woodrow Prater: Gypsy's cousin; Belle Prater's boy; is cross-eyed; lives with his grandparents
Belle Prater: Gypsy's aunt; Woodrow's mom; went missing; was depressed
Love Ball Dotson: Gypsy's mom; was always more beautiful that Belle; fell in love with and married Belle's boyfriend, who became Gypsy's father
Porter Dotson: Love's new husband; Gypsy's stepfather
Amos Leemaster: Gypsy's dad; killed himself while depressed after being badly burned

Annotation:
Sharing similar losses in their life, two cousins become best of friends while learning some of life's hardest lessons.

The Higher Power of Lucky

Patron, S. (2006). The Higher Power of Lucky. New York, NY: Atheneum.

Plot summary:
Lucky lives in Hard Pan, California with her French guardian, Brigitte. Lucky never knew her father, on account of he never wanted kids, and her mother was accidentally electrocuted during a storm a few years before. Hard Pan has a population of 43, the number didn't change after her mom died because Brigitte came into town to take care of Lucky. Brigitte is Lucky's father's first wife, and she was only supposed to take temporary care of Lucky while she waited for a foster home. Lucky aspires to be a scientist, she collects insects and specimens wherever she goes, carrying all the tools in her survival kit backpack, which she always has with her. Lucky works at Hard Pan's Found Object Wind Chime Museum and Visitor Center cleaning up garbage after each twelve-step anonymous meeting. It is here that she overhears the concept of having a Higher Power, which she determines she needs in her life. After seeing Brigitte's passport and suitcase out one night, Lucky jumps to the conclusion that Brigitte is heading back to France and Lucky will move on to an orphanage. This prompts Lucky to run away.

Review:
I thought this was a sweet little book, but to be honest, I am surprised that it won a Newbery Medal. Lucky is a likable character, and the other characters in the book are well developed and unique, but I felt that the story was a little predictable and similar to other stories. The little illustrations were a nice touch, especially in showing Lucky's home (constructed out of three trailers), the cholla burr, the parsley grinder, and the knots Lincoln ties. The setting was pretty interesting for the story, a tiny town in the desert where residents live in old water towers or cut up trailers. The story was enjoyably quirky, in the characters and the story of how Brigitte came to be Lucky's guardian.

Genre:
Fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 8 - 10

Subjects/Themes:
loss, self-identity, runaways

Series Information:
First book in two book series, second is entitled Lucky Breaks

Award Information:
Newbery Medal Winner 2007

Character Names/Descriptions:
Lucky Trimble: 5th grader; lives in Hard Pan; wants to be a scientist; doesn't know her dad and her mom is dead
Brigitte: Lucky's guardian; moved from France to take care of Lucky after Lucky's mom passed away; was married to Lucky's father before Lucky's mom
Lincoln: lives in Hard Pan; is in the 5th grade with Lucky; loves tying knots
Miles: in kindergarten; lives with his grandmother in Hard Pan because his mother is in jail; loves the book Are You My Mother?; likes to ask everyone for food
HMS Beagle: Lucky's dog

Annotation:
Aspiring scientist, Lucky, is always prepared for a disaster with her survival kit backpack. But when she fears her guardian, Brigitte, is going to leave her, Lucky decides to put her backpack to good use and runaway.

Woods Runner

Paulsen, G. (2010). Woods Runner. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.

Plot Summary:
Samuel lives in a settlement in the woods with his parents. The woods are all that Samuel has ever known and are as much his home as the cabin where his family resides. Briefly after hearing news of fighting between the settlers and the British, Samuel returns from hunting to find his parents missing and his cabin home burned down as well as those of his neighbors. Samuel, an excellent hunter, tracks his parent's captors until he is injured by a tomahawk. Samuel is nursed back to health by rebels who inform him that his parent's were taken captive by British soldiers. Samuel continues on his way gaining an eight year-old companion, named Annie, orphaned after British soldiers killed her parents. On their journey to find Samuel's parents, they meet Abner, a Scottish trader, who works to help the Patriot's cause. It is with the help of Abner and his friend Matthew that Samuel is able to locate his parents in New York and free them.

Review:
Gary Paulsen does such a great job with showing the strength, determination, and complexities of his male protagonists. Samuel is a wonderful example of the many young boys forced to grow up quickly during the Revolutionary War. Paulsen includes historical information at the beginning of each chapter detailing certain events or explanations of certain practices that took place during the Revolutionary War. These were interesting and helpful in providing background for the story. This is an excellent story that will be very interesting to young readers, which also provides a great deal of historical details.

Genre:
historical fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 9 - 12

Subjects/Themes:
Revolutionary War, self-identity, loss

Character Names/Descriptions:
Samuel Lehi Smith: 10 years-old;
Abigail Smith: Samuel's mother; captured by the British
Olin Smith: Samuel's father; captured by the British
Annie Clark: 8 year-old girl; her parents were killed by Hessians (German soldiers assisting the British); adopted by Samuel and his family
John Cooper (Coop): rebel looking to join up with the Patriots; nurses Samuel back to health after he is wounded by a tomahawk
Abner McDougal: Scottish tinker; assists the Patriots; helps Samuel find and save his parents
Matthew: friend of Abner's who helps Samuel's parents escape

Annotation:
Ten year-old Samuel is forced to grow up fast as he seeks out his parents who were captured by British soldiers.

Luna

Peters, J.A. (2004). Luna. New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

Plot Summary:
Regan’s brother Liam was born a girl. Anatomically Liam was born male, but mentally and emotionally Liam has always been female. Liam dresses up each night in girl’s clothing in his sister’s bedroom, it is the only time he is truly able to be himself and act as his female self, named Luna. Regan alone, is the sole person who knows Luna. The knowledge of Luna is a burden that has kept Regan from keeping friends or becoming close with anyone other than her brother and his best friend, Aly. Regan also must be her brother’s only support. He depends on her for confidence and emotional support. Regan’s relationship with her parents has suffered as well, she cannot contain her contempt for her father who tries to make Liam into the perfect son or her mother who turns a blind eye to her family. As Liam slowly begins to transition into Luna, bringing her out during the day, Regan also begins to emerge from the role she has created for herself. Instead of spending all her time babysitting for the normal family she wishes she had, Regan begins to see Chris, a boy who accepts Regan and her brother as they are.

Review:
The moth on the cover of this book is incredibly appropriate as a symbol of the metamorphosis of Regan and Liam. Throughout the course of the book Liam and Regan both begin to emerge from the protective layers they have been hiding behind. The author does an excellent job of portraying Liam and showing his absolute need to be a girl, that there is no other option for him. What was surprising to me was that I found the complexities of Regan and Liam’s codependent relationship more interesting than Liam’s story. My stomach tensed as I read about the immense pressure Regan had put on herself by making her Liam’s protector. The truths she must hide from everyone, including her brother, in order to protect him. The struggle of not wanting the role she had taken so many years ago, but not wanting to abandon her brother; that he is solely her responsibility. The flashbacks to moments in their life where Liam’s female identity presented itself in public at a young age is an excellent way to show the gradual awareness of his being transgender from the time when he was very young. It is nice that the author added in a little romance to lighten up the book, that was appreciated.

Genre:
realistic fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 12 & up

Subjects/Themes:
transgendered, siblings, self-identity

Character Names/Descriptions:
Regan: a sophomore in high school; her brother is transgendered; isolates herself from people because of her codependent relationship with her brother; begins a relationship with Chris
Liam/Luna: Regan's transgendered brother; is very smart; has a difficult time coming out to his best friend and parnets about being transgender; relies heavily on Regan to keep his secret
Aly: Liam's best friend; is in love with Liam
Chris: classmate of Regan's whom she begins to date

Annotation:
Regan struggles between her need to protect her transgendered brother and her own desires in life.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Brashares, A. (2001). The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Plot Summary:
As summer approaches, best friends Tibby, Lena, Bridget, and Carmen are soon to be separated by their summer plans. As they sit around Carmen's room watching her pack they discover a pair of jeans Carmen bought at a thrift store. As each differently shaped girl tries on the jeans, they discover that they have some mystical power to look incredible on each of them. It is there that a plan forms to share the pants during the summer and create a sisterhood of the traveling pants. As each girl wears the pants she gains the confidence to act on her life and make changes. Each girl gains insight and wisdom from her summer adventure. Tibby stays behind working a summer job and befriending the wise beyond her years Bailey, who is battling leukemia. Carmen travels to spend the summer with her father, only to find out that he has a new family she was not aware of. Lena spends the summer in Greece with her sister and grandparents reluctantly falling in love with Costos. Bridget goes to soccer camp in Mexico, brazenly throwing herself at one of the coaches and crumbling once her desire has been met. Each girl encounters obstacles, tackles them and overcomes them with the help of their friendship and the traveling pants.

Review:
This is a great read, both fast and engaging. The book jumps back and forth between the summer of each girl, leaving off at exciting parts in each story, which makes it a difficult book to put down. Each character encounters new experiences during the summer which test the limits of their strength and makes them depend on themselves and their friendship with each other. The book explores some hefty subjects such as cancer, suicide, and losing one's virginity, but does so with a mix of emotions and perspectives. Despite the heavy subjects, there is also quite a bit of humor and romance that carry the book along. The range of character types among the girls will appeal to young girl readers, each identifying with a different character.

Genre:
fiction

Reading Level:
Ages: 10 - 13

Subjects/Themes:
self-identity, friendship, cancer, suicide, sex, romance

Series Information:
This is the first book of the The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.

Character Names/Descriptions:
Tibby Rollins: 15 years-old; stays at home during the summer to work at Wallman's; befriends Bailey who helps Tibby to make a movie;
Lena Kaligaris: 15 years-old; goes to Greece for the summer with her sister to visit their grandparents; falls in love with Costos after an awkward encounter
Bridget Vreeland: 15 years-old; goes to a soccer camp in Baja Mexico for the summer; has a relationship with Eric a camp counselor; goes into a depression after losing her virginity to Eric; mother killed herself after suffering from manic depression
Carmen Lowell: 15 years-old; goes to South Carolina to visit her father for the summer only to find out that he is engaged and living with his fiance and her two teenage children
Bailey: 12 year-old girl who befriends Tibby; has leukemia
Costos: young Greek friend of Lena's grandparents; has a relationship with Lena
Eric: older counselor at Bridget's soccer camp; has sex with Bridget

Annotation:
Four best friends are separated for the summer, but kept in touch through the sharing of a pair of magical pants that give them each the confidence to overcome obstacles they each encounter.

The Lightning Thief

Riordan, R. (2005). The Lightning Thief. New York, NY: Hyperion Books.

Plot Summary:
Percy has spent most of his twelve years bouncing around from school to school struggling with his ADHD and dyslexia. It is at his final school that Percy is attacked by one teacher Ms. Dodds and aided by another teacher, Mr. Brunner. Ms. Dodds disappears and is mysteriously forgotten and not mentioned. After the school year Percy returns to his mom's apartment with her awful husband Smelly Gabe. He and his mom set off on a trip to the seashore, but their visit is cut short with the appearance of Percy's schoolmate, Grover, who alerts them that they are in danger and beckons them to leave with him. As they head towards safety, the three are pursued by a Minotaur who kills Percy's mother and injures he and Grover. Percy awakens at Camp Half-Blood where he learns that he is a demi-god and his teacher Mr. Brunner is really Chiron and his friend Grover is a satyr. At the camp Percy meets other demi-gods, is informed of the existence of Zeus and other gods and goddesses, he trains for battle, and is claimed by Poseidon as his son. Percy soon learns that there is great unrest among the gods as Zeus' master bolt has been stolen and blames Percy, son of Poseidon, but Chiron believes it was Hades who stole the bolt. Therefore Percy is sent on a quest to retrieve the master bolt before the summer solstice and prevent a battle between the gods. Percy sets out on his quest with the help of Grover and fellow demi-god, Annabeth, daughter of Athena. On their quest to the underworld the group encounters and outwits Medusa, the Furies, and Ares before locating the master bolt and discovering the unexpected culprit and learning that his mother might not have been killed after all.

Review:
I could see myself getting easily hooked on this series. I love mythology and loved reading the descriptions of the modern day appearances of the gods and monsters. Rick Riordan includes a lot of humor in the book through his depiction of the gods, such as Medusa owning "Auntie Em's Garden Gnome Emporium" or Ares and Aphrodite rendezvousing on an abandoned Tunnel of Love amusement park ride. The plot of the book is similar to the Harry Potter and Earthsea series, where a boy finds out he is not normal, receives some schooling on the matter, and then sets off to right what has been wronged. But, although this plot has been written many times, the characters are different and the quest is new and exciting to follow.

Genre:
fantasy, adventure, mystery

Reading Level:
Ages 9 - 12

Subjects/Themes:
mythology, good versus evil, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, dyslexia, self-identity

Series Information:
This is the first book of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

Character Names/Descriptions:
Perseus Jackson (Percy): 12 year-old boy; discovers he is the son of Poseidon; has ADHD and dyslexia - common attributes of demi-gods; must go on a quest to find the master bolt and return it to Zeus
Sally Jackson: Percy's mom; appears to have been killed, but turns out was not
Chiron, Mr. Brunner: Percy's teacher in a motorized scooter at his last school; Chiron, the centaur in his actual appearance; helps run Camp Half-Blood; guides Percy on his quest
Grover Underwood: a satyr who was disguised as a schoolmate to protect Percy; goes with Percy on his quest
Annabeth Chase: demi-god daughter of Athena; assists Percy on his quest
Luke: demi-god son of Hermes; counselor at Camp Half-Blood; chooses to serve Kronos and turn his back on his father
Gabe Ugliano (Smelly Gabe): Percy's stepfather; is mean to Percy and his mother; he smells really bad
Ares: god of war; turns out to be serving Kronos
Poseidon: father of Percy; accused by Zeus to have stolen his master bolt
Zeus: had his master bolt stolen; accuses Percy to have stolen it for Poseidon
Hades: is thought to have stolen the master bolt from Zeus; captured Sally Jackson
Kronos: father of Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades; got Luke to steal the master bolt

Annotation:
After discovering he is the son of Poseidon, Percy goes on a quest to retrieve Zeus' stolen master bolt from Hades to prevent a battle among the gods.

Shooting the Moon

Dowell, F.O. (2008). Shooting the Moon. New York, NY: Athenium Books for Young Readers.

Plot Summary:
The Army is in Jamie Dexter's blood. Her dad is the Colonel of Fort Hood in Texas and her grandfather was in the Army before him. She has lived her whole life being a part of the Army, traveling around the country to base after base. When Jamie's brother TJ signs up for the Army, she is thrilled, her brother will finally be able to live out their childhood dreams of enlisting. But when Jamie's dad isn't happy about TJ enlisting, it puts a chink in everything Jamie has ever believed about her father and the Army. Her brother is sent to the Vietnam war, excitedly anticipating hearing his tales of war, Jamie is disappointed when the only things TJ sends her are undeveloped canisters of film. As Jamie develops her brothers photos and befriends a private whose brother died in the Vietnam War, the realities of war confront Jamie and she finds herself questioning everything she had been raised to believe.

Review:
This is an wonderful novel of a girl's love for her father and family values, and how getting older and being exposed to the realities of life can begin to shatter everything you've grown up to believe. As a Navy brat, growing up in Navy housing, this book struck a particular note with me. It is an odd thing to be raised almost exclusively around those in support of the military, and then come to an age when you realize that not everyone feels this way about the military, which begins your own questioning of your beliefs. I loved Jamie's gradual realization that her father has imperfections and weaknesses, this is something many girls go through in their tweens, and it was described nicely within this story. It was interesting to see Jamie's ideals questioned as the horrors of war are discovered in her brother's photos.

Genre:
realistic fiction, historical fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 9 - 12

Subjects/Themes:
family, Vietnam War, self-identity, loss

Awards:
2010 Rhode Island Children's Book Award

Character Names/Descriptions:
Jamie Dexter: 12 year-old girl; lives in Fort Hood, Texas; dad is the colonel of the base; brother just sent to Vietnam; volunteers at rec center; plays gin rummy; learns to develop her brother's photographs of Vietnam
T.J. Dexter: Jamie's brother; enlists in the Army as a medic; sent to Vietnam; takes photographs to send to Jamie, especially of the moon; becomes a POW
Private Bucky Hollister: runs the rec center where Jamie volunteers; plays gin rummy with Jamie; his brother died in Vietnam
The Colonel: Jamie's dad; Colonel of Fort Hood; tries to prevent T.J. from going to Vietnam
Sergeant Theophilus James Byrd: teaches Jamie how to develop film; has already been to Vietnam, which greatly affected him

Annotation:
As Jamie's brother is sent off to Vietnam, the behavior of her Colonel father as well as the friendship with a private whose brother died in the war begins Jamie questioning her long time idealism of war.

Smile

Telgemeier, R. (2010). Smile. New York, NY: Graphix.

Plot Summary:

Due to her overbite, Raina was told by her orthodontist she’s going to have to get braces. The very same night Raina was racing some friends in the street and falls, busting her two front teeth. She was immediately rushed to the dentist who attempted to replace her teeth and build a cast around them to keep them in place. After a week the cast was removed and (oh no!) the jawbone had sustained more damage than her dentist thought and her two front teeth were higher up in her gums than the rest of her teeth. She looked like a vampire! These teeth had to go. Raina was given a temporary retainer with two fake teeth attached to fill the large gap left by her missing teeth. Then, the dentist decided to put braces on Reina, as planned, but try to bring all of her teeth closer together, thereby replacing her missing teeth with the teeth she already had. This was a lengthy and painful process filled with fake front teeth that were continuously shaved down as Raina’s teeth moved closer together through the constant tightening of her braces. After years of this, the gap between Raina’s teeth finally closed and her existing teeth were reshaped to look normal. Throughout this entire ordeal, Raina finished elementary school, middle school, and entered into high school; she also grew apart from her friends and found new ones who were much more accepting and fun to be with.

Review:

A graphic novel was the perfect format for Raina Telgemeier to tell the story of the long horrible process of fixing her front teeth. The illustrations provided funny and truthful portrayals of the discomfort and pain associated with dentist and orthodontist visits. The subject matter would have not been as entertaining or easy to read about without the illustrations. Not only did the author succeed in telling us about her horrific ordeal with dentists, orthodontists, endodentists, and peridontists, she also was able to show the changes that she was going through in addition to her teeth; those of her friendships and school life. Reina made a transition common to many children who move from elementary to middle school, she realized she had less in common with her friends than she had when they were younger, so she parted ways and found some new ones. This is a transition I went through at that time, as I’m sure many have. It’s nice that this graphic novel shows that this is just something that happens and can turn out to be a really good thing.

Genre:
graphic novel, nonfiction

Reading Level:
Ages 9-12

Subjects/Themes:
dental care, self-identity, friendships

Awards:
2010 Boston Glob-Horn Book Award Honor
2010 New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice

Character Names/Descriptions:
Raina Telgemeier: begins her story in the sixth grade and finishes as a sophomore in high school; sustains a serious mouth injury which causes her to spend many years trying to get her front teeth fixed

Annotation:
After knocking out her two front teeth, Raina spends her tween years filled with visits to dentists, orthodontists, endodentists, and peridontists. Throughout these years, Raina learns about life, friendships, and most of all herself.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Blume, J. (1970). Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. New York, NY: Random House, Inc.

Plot Summary:
Margaret just moved with her parents from her apartment in New York City, her friends and grandmother, to the suburbs of New Jersey. She immediately becomes friends with Nancy, a neighbor her age, who fills Margaret in school gossip and informs her on what is and is not cool at their school. Once the school year begins, Margaret meets the rest of Nancy's crew and becomes a part of their secret club. As part of this club Margaret must wear a bra, which, much to her chagrin, is not something she yet requires. As the school year passes Margaret keeps in touch with her grandmother, who still lives in New York City, continues to hang out with her friends, and begins to explore different religions as part of a year long project for her class. Margaret's father was raised Jewish and her mom, Christian. After her paternal grandmother became upset her son was marrying someone not Jewish and her materal grandparents decided to have nothing to do with their daughter for marrying a Jew, Margaret’s parents decided to raise her without religion. Margaret has always kept the fact that she talks to God a secret from her parents and they get upset when she tells them she has begun exploring different religions, stating she is too young for such a big decision. Margaret navigates through her sixth grade year learning about boys, dealing with her feuding family and lying friends, and anticipating changes in her body that are reluctant to come.

Review:
This is a great book for tweenaged girls. I read it at as a tween and remember it making me feel so NORMAL, which was something I didn't often feel at that age. Margaret is dealing with friends who are more developed than her, friends with insecurities, and her own questions about what she wants and who she is. That is every girl in their tween years. Because this book is especially important for girls about to get their period, I think it’s excellent they revised it to include maxipads with adhesive. I remember loving the book until I read about having to get a belt when I get my period. I had NO idea what Ms. Blume was talking about. I worried about it for a couple of days and then finally asked my mom, who explained that’s how pads used to be. For nostalgic reasons, I was really looking forward to that part, but I am glad they updated it to avoid panic in tween girls the world over.

Genre:
realistic fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 9 - 12

Subjects/Themes:
self-identity, moving, religion, periods, friendships

Character Names/Descriptions:
Margaret Ann Simon: narrates the book; just moved from New York to New Jersey; is in the sixth grade; struggling with her religious beliefs; wants to be normal and get her period
Nancy Wheeler: Margaret's first friend in New Jersey; introduces her to Janie and Gretchen; heads up their secret club; lies to Margaret about a few things
Janie Loomis and Gretchen Potter: friends of Nancy's who become Margaret's friends; together the four girls form the Four PTS's (The Pre-Teen Sensations)
Laura Danker: girl in Margaret's class who is very developed; Nancy has told Margaret lies about Laura
Grandmother (Sylvia): Margaret's paternal grandmother' lives in New York; is Jewish and would like Margaret to also be Jewish; loves Margaret very much, but doesn't get along with Margaret's parents very well
Moose Freed: fourteen year-old friend of Nancy's brother; mows Margaret's lawn; Margaret has a crush on him

Annotation:
Margaret navigates through her sixth grade year learning about boys, religion, dealing with her feuding family and lying friends, and anticipating changes in her body that are reluctant to come.

The Graveyard Book

Gaiman, N. (2008). The Graveyard Book. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Plot Summary:
During the tragic demise of his parents and sister at the hands of a knife-wielding man, a toddler wanders out of his home while the whole ordeal is taking place and up the street to the nearby graveyard. This is very unfortunate for the murderer , whose order was to kill the entire family. The murderer follows the scent of the boy to the graveyard where the baby's mother's spirit appeals to a ghost woman and begs her to take care of her son. The ghosts in the graveyard protect the baby from the murderer and vow to raise him as their own, giving him the Freedom of the Graveyard. The Owens, the ghosts who act as his parents, name the boy Nobody Owens, calling him Bod for short. Bod is raised by ghosts in the graveyard, learning the tricks of the ghosts, and rarely leaving to walk among the living. He learns how to read and write from ghosts who were teachers when they were alive, learns the ways of the dead from a werewolf, and about the fickleness of girls from a witch. Unfortunately, the secret society who ordered Bod's family murdered has not forgotten about the boy and returns to finish the job. It is up to Bod all he has learned to protect himself from these evil men.

Review:
This is such a well crafted story, so rich with imagination. Using the graveyard as an unlikely setting of a boy's upbringing is unique and pleasantly spooky. It is a wonderfully bizarre and unusual coming of age story, not unlike the author's inspiration, The Jungle Book. Gaiman develops his characters well, and provides lovely descriptions of the graveyard. There are many little details that add to the fun of this book, such as the inscriptions of each tombstone being provided after the introduction of each new ghost into the story. I thought that was a very clever touch. I was much more interested in Bod's life in the graveyard and learning about each of the ghosts and what they did in life and what they taught Bod, rather than the plot itself. The plot was great, but I was content with reading all of the little vignettes about Bod's time in the graveyard. The dark and misty quality of the illustrations add to the spookiness of the story.

Genre:
fantasy, horror

Reading Level:
Ages 9 - 12

Similar Books:

Awards:
2009 Newbery Medal Award
2009 Hugo Award
2010 Carnegie Medal
Locus Award

Subjects/Themes:
family, friends, loss, death, self-identity

Character Names/Descriptions:
Nobody Owens (Bod): family is killed when he is a baby; raised by the ghosts in the graveyard and given the Freedom of the Graveyard; lives in the graveyard until he is fifteen years-old; a secret society is trying to murder him
Silas: Bod's guardian; he is able to walk among the dead and the living so he can bring food and things from outside the graveyard to Bod; member of the Honour Guard
The Owens: ghost husband and wife who adopt Bod and raise him as their son
Scarlett: young living girl who plays with Bod in the cemetery when she was young and then makes his acquaintance again when they are older; befriends Mr. Frost; introduces Bod to Mr. Frost
Liza Hempstock: witch living in the graveyard; helps Bod with his fading; can leave the graveyard because she is buried just outside of it in unconsecrated ground
Nick Farthing and Maureen Quilling (Mo): living kids in Bod's town; bullies at the school Bod briefly attends; Bod haunts them
Jack Frost: murdered Bod's family; disguises himself as a historian; part of the secret society, the brotherhood of the Jacks of All Trades

Annotation:
A boy is raised by a graveyard after his family is murdered. The graveyard comes together to protect the boy from the evil that is still after him.

The Secret Blog of Raisin Rodriguez

Goldschmidt, J. (2005). The Secret Blog of Raisin Rodriguez. New York, NY: Penguin Group.

Plot Summary:
Raisin Rodriguez is not having the best year of her life. She was happily living in Berkeley, CA with her mom and dad and little sister, when her parents decided get a divorce. Then, her mom falls in love and gets married to her business partner. Next thing Raisin knows she's moving all the way to Philadelphia to live with her new stepdad and stepsister. Raisin is miserable in her new town, she misses her two best friends, doesn't like her older stepsister, and only knows one person at school, a freckle-face son of a friend of her stepdad's. In an effort to keep in touch with her best friends Raisin begins a blog where she discusses every single detail of her life in Philadelphia, including the all the tragic details of her trying to become friends with the popular girls of her school. Just when things start looking up for Raisin, her blog gets leaked to the rest of the school, how will she be able to face all of her schoolmates once they know all the awful things she's said about them and embarrassing things she's admitted about herself?

Review:
This book is like the Bridget Jone's Diary for tweens. At times the book can be over the top with silly antics and funny scenarios, and yet Raisin is a girl dealing with real issues, common to girls her age. Raisin's parents just went through a divorce, she had to move across the country to live with a new family and leave behind all of her friends. She is having self-identity issues at the new school, wanting so badly to be popular, but not quite achieving that status. I felt that the narrator's silly and at times annoying antics were too much and covered up a lot of the real issues involved in the plot and she can be a bit of a bully. But, the book's intent was obviously meant to be more entertaining, with a bit of a moral thrown in. In the end it seems Raisin has turned over a new leaf, yet she continues to write negative things about her new friends on her blog.

Genre:
realistic fiction

Reading Level:
Ages 10 - 13

Similar Books:

Subjects/Themes:
diary, divorce, popularity, self-identity, friendship

Character Names/Descriptions:
Raisin Rodriguez: 12 year-old girl; just moved from Berkeley, CA to Philadelphia after her parents divorced and her mother remarried; has only one friend at her new school; longs to be popular; keeps a blog
Claudia and Pia: Raisin's best friends from Berkeley; are the only ones privy to reading her blog; make comments on the blog
Jeremy Craine: son of Raisin's stepdad's friend; only person Raisin knows at school; talks too loud; has freckles; is really nice to Raisin, even if she isn't always nice back; likes Fiona
Fionas and Haileys: group of popular girls named the "Fiona and Haleys" by Raisin consisting of Fiona, Hailey, Madison, and Bliss; all carry a red bag with pink monogrammed initials; do not want Raisin in their clique

Annotation:
Outcast and alone at a new school, Raisin writes a blog in an effort to keep in touch with her best friends now on the other side of the country. But once the blog leaks out to her new school, all the work Raisin has done to gain popularity is in jeopardy of being ruined.

Confessions of a Closet Catholic

Littman, S.D. (2005). Confessions of a Closet Catholic. New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books.

Plot Summary:
Justine is having doubts about being Jewish. Her friend Mac’s family seems to be so much closer and more fun than hers; Justine thinks it might have to do with them being Catholic. She decides to turn her closet into a confessional, wearing her long black skirt and mother’s dinner napkin on her head, her large stuffed teddy bear is “Father Ted,” and matzo crackers and grape juice as her communion. Justine is also having a difficult time being the middle child in her family. She feels that her mother likes her older sister the best and her father likes her younger brother. Suddenly, Justine's grandmother, Bubbe, has a stroke and must come live with Justine's family. Justine is horrified when her mother finds out about her wanting to become Catholic and reveals this to Bubbe, a Holocaust survivor. Through her Bubbe's wise words and the help of a priest and rabbi, Justine begins to understand God and her own identity.

Review:
This book has so many wonderful levels to it. It discusses religion, self-identity issues, and the middle child syndrome, all very heavy subjects, but it does it in a very lighthearted way. Justine is a very likable character, she's smart and very funny, and is sadly pretty self-deprecating as well. As she struggles to understand her parents, God, and herself, Justine starts to appreciate herself. The author does a wonderful job of understanding and demonstrating the questioning nature of tweens in their discovery of self-identity, especially on the topic of religion.

Genre:
realistic fiction, humor

Reading Level:
Ages 9 - 12

Similar Books:

Subjects/Themes:
religion, self-identity, middle child, the Holocaust, family

Character Names/Descriptions:
Justine Silver (Jussy): Justine is an eleven year-old girl; she is Jewish, but would like to be Catholic; she is a middle child; her grandmother is a Holocaust survivor
Bubbe (Zofia): Justine's grandmother; suffers a stroke; is a Holocaust survivor
Mary Catherine McAllister (Mac): Justine's Catholic friend, lives in Justine's new town
Shira: Justine's Jewish friend; lives in Justine's old town; has known her since birth

Annotation:
Justine has decided to give up being Jewish for lent. Through her grandmother's wisdom and the help of a priest and rabbi, Justine begins to understand God and her own identity.

American Born Chinese

Yang, G.L. (2006). American Born Chinese. First Second Books.

Plot Summary:
This graphic novel contains three stories which ultimately diverge into one. The stories are of the Monkey King, who is trying to be recognized by heaven, Danny and his cousin Chin-Kee, and Jin Wang, a Chinese American elementary school student. The Monkey King attempts to do everything possible to be recognized by heaven, including being able to transform himself into different forms. Danny is a white high school student who is embarrassed by his cousin Chin-kee who visits him from China every year. Jin Wang is a Chinese American elementary student who struggles to fit in with his predominately white classmates.

Review:
This is an incredible graphic novel. The three stories run along side one another until they merge at the end and you are hit with the reality that they were not all that different from one another. This book tackles racism and identity issues in a very creative way. Jin and the Monkey King are both dealing with issues within their own selves as they have a hard time relating to the world around them. These two characters realize that their identity issues have just as much to do with themselves as the world around them. The storyline of Jin is sadly very realistic and could easily be seen within our schools in America.

Genre:
graphic novel, fantasy

Reading Level:
Ages 12 - 14

Similar Books:

Subjects/Themes:
racism, self-identity

Awards:
Michael L. Printz Award
National Book Award Finalist

Character Names/Descriptions:
Jin Wang: Chinese American elementary school student, has issues fitting in to a predominately white school

Wei-Chen Sun: Jin Wang's friend and classmate from Taiwan

Monkey King: King of Flower-Fruit Mountain, born out of a rock, longs to be recognized as a deity, has issues with being a monkey

Danny: white high school student, cousin to Chin-Kee

Chin-Kee: Chinese cousin to Danny, visits every year from China, is every possible negative Chinese stereotype in one character

Annotation:
This graphic novel contains three stories interwoven by each character's self-identity issues exacerbated by the racism they must endure.