90 Miles to Havana by Enrique Flores-Galbis

[Pura Belpre Pick]

90 Miles to Havana is heart-wrenching tween historical fiction; the novel follows Julian’s journal from Cuba to Miami in 1961. His parents sent him and his brothers to Cuba following Cuba’s revolution (essentially switching from one dictator to another), as they cannot afford to send them all over at once.

Once in Miami, the brothers are placed in what is basically an orphanage camp. The orphans are left to fend for themselves and a very Lord of the Flies set-up ensues, with a bully named Caballo exacting firm control over all of the orphans. Most of the children are in a state of flux, waiting to be sent to foster homes or boys/girls houses in other states. When the brothers are broken up, we see Julian’s bravado come out—surprising even himself at his tenacity.

A quick read, 90 Miles to Havana tells the more poignant side of a piece of history that many have glossed over.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

[NYT Bestseller Pick]


Riordan combines ancient Egyptian mythology with modern day mystery in this elementary and middle school-level novel. Carter and Sadie are two young tweens whose father, a famous Egyptologist, disappears while working on the latest mysterious project in a museum. They are transported to different cities, different realms, and different ways of thinking. Along the way, they realize that although they have been separated for years, they have a closeness and a bond that cannot be mistrusted or denied.

What I loved about The Red Pyramid is the way Riordan mixes in history and mythology lessons into an exciting, catchy plotline. I consider myself quite adept at Egyptian mythology and even I found myself brushing up on certain gods and goddesses. This type of cerebral fiction is fantastic to bring to the table at such a young age, and the tween market is certainly ripe for it.

Disney website: http://disney.go.com/disneybooks/kanechronicles/

It's a Book by Lane Smith

[NYT Bestseller Pick]

It’s a Book is a picture book that I picked up, actually, at the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston. The premise of the book is two characters discussing a book; one of them is completely confounded that a book does not scroll, text, charge, or need a password. I found it incredibly clever and a serious reminder that in this age of overwhelming digital mediums, books are still wonderful to have and to hold.

While It’s a Book is appropriate from elementary to adults, some readers claim that the use of the word “jackass” at the end deems in it inappropriate for younger readers—despite the fact that the animal is, indeed, a jackass.

Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman; illustrated by Rick Allen

[Newbery Pick]

Dark Emperor is a clever book of poetry and also non-fiction information about animals of the night. Sidman pairs poetry about an animal (i.e., a snail, spider, owl, or a porcupine) with a whimsical illustration by Rick Allen. Then, beside the illustration, appears information about the animal and its habits, habitat, and physical appearance.

Dark Emperor is an excellent interdisciplinary mesh of science and language arts that would be a solid addition to any elementary classroom.

A Youtube video promoting the book:

Grandma's Gift by Eric Velasquez

[Pura Belpre Pick]

Grandma's Gift tells the tale of Eric, who is spending time with his grandmother before Christmas. Eric's grandmother does not speak English but she brings with her a rich Puerto Rican heritage. Eric's Christmas break assignment is to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and write about a new painting there; beforehand, Eric and his grandmother spend time making a traditional dish, pasteles.

It is obvious that Eric, both the young man and the author, enjoy celebrating the Puerto Rican heritage. Velasquez incorporates Spanish phrases throughout the text; the illustrations are incredibly life-like.

The author’s website: http://www.ericvelasquez.com/

Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin by Duncan Tonatiuh

[Pura Belpre Pick]

Dear Primo is a charming, well-written book that contrasts the lifestyles of two young male cousins--one who lives in an American city and one who lives in a rural Mexican town. They have not met, but they write one another and discuss their lives; for instance, Charlie, who lives in America, eats pizza and watches parades. Carlitos, who lives in Mexico, eats quesadillas and watches fiestas with mariachis. The book is intended to teach Spanish vocabulary, as the author has included in-text Spanish words and labels in the illustrations of what the Spanish words means. There is also a glossary in the back of the Spanish to English translation.

The illustrations are vibrant and colorful, if somewhat exaggerated in appearance. Overall, it is a very adorable story that highlights the slight differences between the cousins--most of what they do is similar, just termed differently.

The author’s blog: http://duncantonatiuh.wordpress.com/

The Duchess of Whimsy by Randall de Seve; illustrated by Peter de Seve

[Bluebonnet Pick]

The Duchess of Whimsy likes very fancy things, including fancy parties ("extravagant soirees") and "peculiar pets" like an octopus and baby elephant with wings. She is incredibly difficult to please and contrasts sharply with the Earl of Norm, who seems rather "ordinary" next to her. What complicates matters is that the Earl of Norm is in love with the Duchess of Whimsy, but finds it impossible to catch her attention. She prances around with toes painted every different color and ignores his elaborate attempts to impress her. That is, until the Cook became sick one night, and the Earl fixes a meal the Duchess cannot resist. They find out they have more in common than originally thought.

Peter de Seve's illustrations are an absolute delight; the characters and situations are exaggerated, just like the story, but done so in a humorous, charming manner. Children will love these whimsical, colorful pictures and the equally whimsical, colorful story.

Click here for an online reading of the story:
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/publishersoffice/screeningroom/0910/penguinstorytime/duchess_of_whimsy.html#vmix_media_id=21955191

Fiesta Babies by Carmen Tafolla; illustrated by Amy Cordova

[Pura Belpre Pick]

Fiesta Babies is a pithy, fun story about babies who "go out on the town" and participate in various activities, such as eating, singing, and giving hugs. What I love about this book is Cordova's vibrant, colorful illustrations that make every page fun. Also, nearly every page has a new Spanish word to learn; i.e., salsa, coronas, abrazo, and beso. Tafolla has included a Spanish-English glossary in the back of the book. We read this book to our bilingual kindergarten classes and they enjoyed it.

The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis

Pura Belpre pick]

Neftali is, and always has been, different—he sees the beauty in everyday objects (like pinecones and stones) and his imagination takes flight at the slightest whim. Neftali’s father dislikes these behaviors very much and discourages his son from reading too much or from writing—and Neftali is a very gifted writer.

Neftali, living in Chile during a time of extreme civil unrest, siphons all of his emotional confusion and pain into dreams and writing. Even when his father burns all of his notebooks, it does not deter Neftali from following his dream of becoming a writer. He eventually makes his way to the university, where his studies to become a poet, taking the pen name of Pablo Neruda, a poet who celebrates the beauty in the common and in his country.

Written in an absorbing mix of prose, poetry, and art, The Dreamer portrays the struggles a young Neruda experienced and how it affected his writing. The lush descriptions of the countryside are juxtaposed with the harsh realities of the political unrest, all subjects which Neruda tackled in his poetry.

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

[Bluebonnet pick]

Turtle in Paradise follows a brief episode in Turtle’s life when she must go live with relatives in Key West in the 1930s; at that time, Key West was not the lush, sophisticated escapist paradise it is today, but rather a close-knit community of “Conchs.” Turtle arrives and it surprised to learn that nearly everyone is her cousin, and nearly everyone has a strange nickname—Beans, Kermit, Johnny Cakes, and Pudding, to name a few.

Once Turtle unexpectedly meets her grandmother, Nana Philly (Philomena), she comes across what she believes to be a real, live treasure map from Black Caesar, a pirate who frequented the Keys. Once she and her cousins set off to find the treasure, more adventure ensues, and the children find out that while life may not be a game, they are all made of stronger stuff.

Turtle in Paradise is a quick read appropriate for elementary-level students and struggling readers at the middle-school level. While our time with Turtle and her family and friends is too brief to really develop much of any sense of character, it is an enjoyable trip to a time when Key West was unspoiled and wholly authentic.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

[Printz pick]

Ship Breaker is bleak, desolate—and an entirely engrossing account of Nailer, a scavenger crew member who rummages through the pitted bowels of wrecked oil tankers for metal parts in a dystopic near future society. The novel opens with a well-written and breathtaking scene that involves Nailer becoming entrenched in a vat of oil locked within the depths of a tanker. Thematic concepts of survival, desperation, and loyalties begin to become set up from the very first few pages.

Soon after, Nailer comes across a wrecked clipper ship, one of the nicer ships, and on that ship, a pretty girl. Nailer’s background clashes with his morals as he must decide whether to save the girl (and give up the potential money/swag of the clipper ship parts) or to kill the girl and reap the benefits of the wrecked ship. Complicating matters is his devilish figure of a father, Richard Lopez, who relentlessly chases him.

I couldn't stomach The Windup Girl, but I was pleasantly surprised by Bacigalupi's dystopic version of our future in Ship Breaker. It's bleak yet entirely comprehensible; our protagonist is likeable and believable. Some of Bacigalupi's overwrought similes were distracting, but overall it was well-written and paced nicely.

Reading excerpt: http://amcabu.podbean.com/2011/02/03/ship-breaker/

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by King

[Printz pick]

Vera’s best friend, Charlie, has died—five months after their friendship has fallen apart. Charlie comes to Vera in strange and sometimes enlightening visions, and Vera knows there is more to his death than what the authorities state.

King takes us on Charlie and Vera’s journey as they grew up together, struggling through Charlie’s parent’s abusive situation and Vera’s mother leaving when she was twelve. When Charlie takes up with a rough crowd, Vera is left behind, working full-time and trying to stay below everyone’s radar.

King does a remarkable job of character sketching—especially of Vera and Charlie. The other characters introduced in first person, Ken Dietz (Vera’s dad) and The Pagoda (a piece of structure located in the town in which they all live), are not as fully fleshed out and can be somewhat distracting. Vera is wholly sympathetic and it is easy to become enmeshed in her thoughts and actions, even when they are infuriatingly teenage-like. While King does manage to drag out the mystery of Charlie’s death perhaps a bit too much, the ending is fairly satisfactory.

Sapphique by Catherine Fisher

[NYT Bestseller Pick]

The much-anticipated sequel to Incarceron, I blazed through Sapphique in two days; it was much more easy for me to become involved in Fisher’s fantasy world this time around, now that I had become invested in the characters (namely, Finn, Claudia, and Jared—not so much Keiro).

Finn finds that life on the Outside is not as he expected; he is struggling to comes to terms with the Protocol of life outside of the prison. To further complicate matters, Queen Sia is claiming that Finn is not the true heir to the throne, and Finn’s memory loss is an enormous detriment to his case. His patience and time is running thin.

Inside the prison, the Warden now is playing a dangerous game with Incarceron itself, as Incarceron begins building a body in the plans to go Outside. Attia and Keiro must keep Sapphique’s magical glove from reaching the prison’s grasp, but they are, of course, waylaid at every twist and turn of the prison’s tunnels and traps.

I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, but appropriate; Fisher did not go “the easy way out” and try to tie everything up too neatly. Fans of epic fantasy will certainly enjoy this fantasy with well-defined characters and magical situations.

Payback Time by Carl Deuker

[Lone Star pick]

Mitch, an overweight school newspaper writer, is the last person who should be writing about sports. But the new editor places him on that assignment, so he wants to do his very best. He espies a new football player, Angel, who is not like the others—Angel can throw and play like a professional, but the coach does not utilize him like he should. Angel is very mysterious and Mitch sees an opportunity to uncover a story that would catapult him to the front pages.

However, when he begins to dig deeper into Angel’s past, Mitch quickly discovers that Angel is involved in something dangerous. Much of the danger is interspersed with football writing, as Mitch covers various football games during the season. The ending is rather abrupt and quickly tied up, but satisfactory. This book would be ideal for reluctant male high school readers.

Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer; illustrated by Josee Masse

[Bluebonnet pick]

Mirror Mirror is a book of reversible verse—what does that mean? I think it is best served with an example.

“The Doubtful Duckling” Take I
Someday
I’ll turn into a swan
No way
I’ll stay
An ugly duckling
Stubby and gray,
Plain to see—
Look at me.
A beauty I’ll be.

“The Doubtful Duckling” Take II (reversed)
A beauty I’ll be?
Look at me—
Plain to see,
Stubby and gray.
An ugly duckling
I’ll stay.
No way
I’ll turn into a swan
Someday.

Singer and Masse take the themes from fairy tales and write poetry about them, creating different themes using reversible poetry. It takes some talent to write the poetry that can be reversed and still create meaning, and it is quite fun. This would be a great poetry exercise with elementary, middle, and even high school students—to write a poem over a theme, and then have them reverse the poem to see what else the poem states about the theme.

The illustrations are quite colorful and vibrant, and show the duality of the reversible poems. For instance, “The Doubtful Duckling” has a swan that is part swan and part ugly duckling.

Nothing by Janne Teller

[Printz pick]


Nothing truly disturbed me; a group of seventh graders in Denmark decide to create their own “heap of meaning” after one of their classmates, Pierre Anthon, climbs up into a plum tree and refuses to come down. His refrain to anyone who comes near him is that life has no meaning, and his classmates are determined to prove him wrong.

What is disturbing is how they go about proving that life has meaning; each classmate has to give up something of great personal meaning to him or her, and it comes to pass that the previous classmate who gave up something determines what the next classmate gives up. Wickedness and revenge begin to surface, resulting in some utterly appalling behaviors from the classmates—but the strangest part is that no one, until the very end, sees anything wrong enough with the “plan” to stop it. And even then, these children are so enmeshed in their “meaning” that they begin to believe it does have meaning, even if they cannot truly understand it.

The book jacket states that Nothing is a twenty-first century Lord of the Flies experience, and that is exactly what I envisioned as I turned to the last page. The novel left me deeply unsettled, and while it may not be the best or most uplifting novel I’ve read, any novel that affects me emotionally is definitely worth the time it took to read.

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

[Printz pick]



Stolen is a disturbing and enthralling novel that follows the abduction of Gemma, a British girl traveling with her parents, by an older man named Ty, an Australian stranger. While at the airport, Gemma and Ty supposedly meet for the first time over coffee; he slips a drug into her coffee and then abducts her to Australia, feeding her drugs the entire time so she would not struggle.

When Gemma awakes in Australia, her first thought, naturally, is of escape. But she is greeted with a barren landscape of vast horizon and rusty sand—there is nobody around for hundreds of miles, and she has no way to escape. Through a strange series of events that show the humanity in even the most inhumane, Gemma alternatively comes to hate and love her abductor, a situation known as Stockholm syndrome.

Christopher writes with such passion and poetry; the descriptions of the landscape heighten the mysteriousness of Ty and the desolateness of Gemma’s emotional mindset. Certain episodes, like Ty’s capture of the camel and Gemma and Ty sleeping underneath the stars, are so well-written I felt as if the scenes were playing on a screen in front of me.

The ending is both exhausting, heartbreaking, and heartwarming—quite a feat for a young adult novel, especially a seminal effort by Christopher.

Moon Over Manifest by Claire Vanderpool

[Newbery pick]

Abilene’s father, Gideon, sends her away to a small town of Manifest, Kansas, while he works a railroad job. Abilene knows something else is going on, but she dutifully heads off to Manifest, “a town with a rich past and a bright future.” What she finds is a town with many secrets.

Abilene stays with Shady, a man who is a mix of a pastor and a bartender, and slowly begins to unravel the secrets of Manifest in an effort to learn more about her father, who lived there as a young boy and man. When Abilene finds an old cigar box filled with curious mementoes (“a cork, a fishhook, a silver dollar, a fancy key, and a tiny wooden baby doll” [35]) and letters, her curiosity is thoroughly piqued. After having to work for the town’s diviner, Miss Sadie, Abilene slowly hears the story behind each memento and letter, and thus the story of the history of Manifest, a town that reached its darkest hour and pulled together.

In a heartfelt ending, Abilene comes to an understanding of her father, and her father comes to an understanding of her. Moon Over Manifest is well-written and the interplay between the book’s present (set in the Great Depression) and past (during World War I) is excellently done.

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

[Coretta Scott King pick]

Lanesha lives with her “caretaker,” Mama Ya-Ya, after her mother died in childbirth and her other family ignores her. They enjoy their simple life of tradition steeped in mysticism, thanks to Mama Ya-Ya, who is somewhat of a soothsayer. The novel follows Lanesha as Hurricane Katrina bears down on her hometown; Mama Ya-Ya knows the storm is going to be hard, but she cannot quite pinpoint what else is going to be wrong: “’In my dream, Lanesha, storm clouds come; wind comes; rain smacks down; the water clears. Sun comes out. Folks go about their business. Everyone is happy. But then, everything goes black. Like someone pulling a curtain. Or a shroud being pulled over the dead. Or God turning out the lights’” (51). When Katrina does hit, Lanesha must rely on the full force of what she has learned from Mama Ya-Ya to survive during and after the storm.

Having the novel told from the perspective of someone so young does, of course, leave out details, probably gory ones, that occurred during Katrina--but for the audience level, I think that is appropriate. The interweaving of the mystical elements hearkens to the Cajun culture.

Reading excerpt: http://amcabu.podbean.com/2011/01/29/ninth-ward/

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

[Coretta Scott King pick]

Three sisters are sent to visit their mother on the other side of the country; they are apprehensive, and as well they should be, since they barely know their mother. When they arrive, they are greeted by a stranger, it seems, an admittedly sophisticated woman who seems to evince little emotion towards her own children. What they do notice about her is her passion about her writing and towards her work with the Black Panthers. The girls attend a Black Panthers day camp, which is interesting to read about, and fend for themselves in California. Many events have to ensue before the oldest, Delphine, comes to an understanding about their mother, causing her to have to grow up way before her time.

It is always difficult for me to fully enmesh myself in a novel with a thoroughly unlikeable character or characters -- such is the case with One Crazy Summer. The premise of the book is interesting and Williams-Garcia writers with an easy flair; however, the character of the mother is so obnoxious that it made it quite impossible for me to fully embrace the novel. The dynamic between the sisters is adorable and spot-on; it was interesting to read about the Black Panther "day care" camp, if you will, especially from a child's viewpoint. Definitely an interesting and quick read, just be prepared to have the character of the mother raise your blood pressure a few points.

Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan; illustrated by Brian Floca

[Sibert pick]

Ballet for Martha details the inception and implementation of Martha Graham’s ballet, Appalachian Spring. The book begins with a brief overview of how Graham’s ballets are different; she uses more stark and aggressive movements, using the body more as a canvas than as a metaphor. Then, the story of how the ballet begins to come together, with Graham collaborating with composer Aaron Copland and set designer Isamu Noguchi to create her story of a young pioneer couple striking out on their own in America. The ballet portrays their bravery and uncertainty in those brave and uncertain times.

Floca’s illustrations are well-matched to Greenberg’s and Jordan’s narrative, fully demonstrating Graham’s ballet techniques, frustrations, and triumphs. The back of the book contains a “Curtain Call” sections that offers more information about Martha Graham, Aaron Copland, and Isamu Noguchi; further, there is a Bibliography, a Notes and Sources, and a Photographs section that provides footnotes.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead; illustrated by Erin E. Stead

[Caldecott pick]

Amos McGee has a routine; he gets up early, puts on his uniform, eats his breakfast, and then takes the bus to his work, the City Zoo. There, he has various “jobs” with the animals, to include playing chess, running races, and reading books. One day, however, he becomes sick, and does not show up for work. The animals become restless and decide to come visit him at home.

Amos McGee was an immediate hit when I read it aloud to my first and second grade classes, not just for the adorable illustrations but for the funny and cute story. It’s a warm reminder that while we may count on people to be there every day, they are in fact counting on us just as much. Love this book!

Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strange Parrot by Sy Montgomery; photographs by Nic Bishop

[Sibert pick]

A truly fascinating encounter with one of the rarest animals on Earth, Kakapo Rescue takes the younger and older reader along on a textually and photographically stunning journey to a remote island off the New Zealand coast. On Codfish Island, a kakapo sanctuary has been erected to save the extremely endangered animals, of which eighty-seven exist; they only breed at certain times, and even then, their eggs and offspring are incredibly fragile. Montgomery and Bishop capture the volunteers’ highs and lows as they monitor the eggs and hatched babies; one story in particular, about a young chick who suddenly and mysteriously dies, pulls on the heartstrings.

Bishop makes sure to include photographs that show New Zealand’s splendor aside from kakapo parrots and Codfish Island, and Montgomery does an excellent job of providing background information about the events that led to the kakapo decimation. This book is an extraordinarily fascinating look at a fascinating and rare animal that one cannot help but want to save.

The Hallelujah Flight by Phil Bildner; illustrated by John Holyfield

[Bluebonnet pick]


The Hallelujah Flight is an illustrated journey of James Banning's and Thomas Allen's transcontinental flight in a plane they overhauled themselves in 1932. It took them 21 days and many "hallelujah" moments, such as coming face-to-face with prejudiced townspeople, ferocious storms, and lack of food. The two men were dubbed the "Flying Hoboes" because their mission was considered such a dangerous and foolhardy one, but Banning believed in it; he said anyone that helped them in this mission, from helping to build the engine to giving them a sandwich, would sign their names on the wings of the aircraft.

The illustrations are realistic, colorful, and well-done, a lovely supplement to the narrative.

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

[Caldecott Medal pick]

It's time for bed for Little Chicken, and Papa warns her not to interrupt the story this time. However, she just can't help herself, and ends up interrupting all of the stories in an amusing fashion! Papa reads her three classic fairy tales, and Chicken interrupts each one with a "common sense" ending that made me giggle out loud. At the end, Papa tells Chicken to read her own story out loud, and we see that Chicken is also a little artist.

Such a cute story! Stein's illustrations are also fun, done in warm colors and suggesting coziness. I did a little bit of research and found out that Stein used "watercolor, water-soluble crayon, china marker, pen, opaque white ink, and tea" to create these remarkable illustrations (Junior Library Guild, 2010).

The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette’s Journey to Cuba by Margarita Engle

[Pura Belpre pick]


The Firefly Letters is a collection of poems written by Engle that vacillate between Fredrika, Elena, and Cecilia; at first, I was apprehensive of the slim book, but quickly I was drawn into the simply written but very compelling poetry.

Fredrika sets off for Cuba in a fit of wanderlust, throwing off the chains of expectations placed on women during that time and spending her days writing and sketching. Her main concerns are women’s rights, and while she is amazed at the beauty of Cuba, she is appalled at the conditions of slavery and women’s rights in the supposed paradise. Even the daughter of her rich host, Elena, is subject to strict regulations, as Elena is set to marry a man chosen by her parents.

Cecilia is the house slave, valuable thanks to her translation skills; she is pregnant and married at the age of fifteen to a man she calls a stranger. The three women find ties that bind them together as they explore the island with Fredrika, and both Elena and Cecilia find inner strength they never knew they possessed. Fireflies become a metaphor for the plight of the women, as the lovely and delicate creatures are constantly captured and even de-winged by Cuban natives; the ladies take it upon themselves to go nightly to free the fireflies.

A lovely work, with many springboards for historical research into Cuban history, women’s suffrage, and language arts, The Firefly Letters is definitely worth reading, either in one sitting or in small bites.

Reading excerpt: http://amcabu.podbean.com/2011/01/22/the-firefly-letters/

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

[Lone Star pick]

Thanks to her slightly strange history teacher, Mr. Mauskopf, Elizabeth luckily snags a job at the mysterious New-York Circulating Material Repository, a library of curious objects. One of the more curious sets of objects lies in the basement—the Grimm Collection. Carefully collected by the Grimm brothers themselves, these are items purported to have inspired the stories that children still read today, but with the added excitement of magic instilled within them.

Elizabeth becomes drawn into an intriguing mystery when someone begins taking items from the repository and replacing them with fake magical items—items whose magic wears off after a short time. Is it her secret crush, Marc, who does act suspiciously from time to time? Or is it arrogant Aaron? Or one of the librarians, or someone else completely? Using magical items from the collection to help her along the way, Elizabeth embarks on an unbelievable journey that is fun to read.

Shulman’s strengths lie in her ability to create entire worlds within one novel; the idea of a repository that houses whimsical and magical items is unique in itself, and definitely fun to read about. Our protagonist, Elizabeth, is a strong female character who may occasionally fall prey to standard tropes in young adult literature—but her strengths certainly make this book one worth reading.

They Called Themselves the K.K.K.

[TAYSHAS pick]

They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: the Birth of an American Terrorist Group by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Bartoletti takes the reader on a well-researched, thorough journey from the K.K.K.’s inception to its ultimate legal demise. The power of this book lies in its authentic stories from firsthand accounts of those who had run-ins with the terrorist group. Also, Bartoletti includes an abundance of photographs, illustrations, and maps to provide us with genuineness and immediacy of the narrative.

A Civil Rights Time Line, Quote Attributions, Bibliography and Source Notes, and Index are included in the back of the book. They Called Themselves the K.K.K. is excellent, meticulous non-fiction that is appropriate for middle school readers and beyond.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

[TAYSHAS pick]

Firstly, let me say that I was a bit sad when this book ended—luckily, it was right around the time when Sapphique, the sequel, was released, so I ordered the sequel even though I was not entirely satisfied with some elements of Incarceron.

Incarceron involves two plots woven together—that of Finn, a prisoner of Incarceron, and Claudia, the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron who lives outside the prison. Much of the novel vacillates between the two storylines. Incarceron is a prison created to entirely sustain itself; it seems to be endless and when people die in Incarceron, they are recycled. Factions, families, and entire cities are built in Incarceron; the “outside” placed the riffraff of society there generations ago and left them to rot, essentially.

Finn “wakes up” at a certain time and is suddenly in the prison. While he becomes assimilated in the prison, he does not remember a childhood in the prison; in fact, he gets flashes and episodes in which memories of an outside world come to him. Thusly, he believes there is an outside, and that is where he belongs. He and some of his friends find a crystal key that they believe will aid them in reaching the outside, and there begins their arduous journey.

The key, incidentally enough, is magical, and allows the prisoners to communicate with whomever holds the original copy on the Outside. The person holding that key is Claudia, the daughter of the Warden. She is contracted to marry a man she does not love, and she is desperate to find a way out of the marriage. Claudia becomes the target of many intrigues and plots, but once she finds out about Finn and his plight, she becomes anxious to help him escape the prison. But where is Incarceron? The location is and always has been a well-kept secret.

Incarceron is indeed a well-paced and engrossing novel; while I ignored the gaping holes in the logic of physics exercised towards the end (when we learn where Incarceron is located), I still enjoyed the novel. Finn is just heroic enough and just human enough; Claudia, a strong, maybe too strong, female character.

Brain Jack by Brian Falkner

[Lone Star Pick]

Brain Jack is a very specialized novel that involves technical language—luckily, I love that kind of stuff, so I found all the jargon very interesting. The novel is obviously extremely farfetched, but I suspended belief for the time I read it and enjoyed it for what it was—pure fiction.

Sam Wilson is a high school kid who also happens to be a genius computer hacker. When he pulls off a hack that leaves even the government scratching it heads, he is recruited by a top government agency to work for them. However, when this agency and other users begin to use a new technology, called a headset, that relies on brain power to activate computer commands, the technology goes awry and begins to control the humans. Sam, a purist who does not necessarily need or want to use a headset, is one of the few who realizes this, and it is up to him to save the world, essentially. Car chases, a nuclear bombed-out Las Vegas, and computer trickery abound.

I think the premise of the novel is a sound one—that technology can take over our lives if we are not careful to ensure we are using it to supplement our tasks, not take over them.

Reading excerpt: http://amcabu.podbean.com/2011/01/17/brain-jack-excerpt/

Welcome! Genesis: January 2011

Ahh, my last semester...what a whirlwind. Along with my last semester in this Masters program, I am also getting married (March), buying a house (April or May), and having my first child (June). Needless to say, there are quite a few things occupying my brain at the moment.

Currently, I am working as an elementary school librarian in a Title I, bilingual school. It is certainly with its challenges, especially as I come from a high school English background. My goal is to transfer to a middle or high school library at the end of the semester for next year; if I cannot accomplish that, as positions are scarce, I hope, then, to transition back into the high school English classroom. We shall see what happens.

In the meantime, I look forward to sharing my thoughts about YA and children's literature!