The Tent

The Tent, by Gary Paulsen
Published by Harcourt Brace & Company in 1995
86 pages
Warning: This novel contains Christian religious content, crime and some language
Genre: Religious, Adventure, Family

This is the story of a poor father and son desperate for money. The two decide to become scheming "preachers." With a tent purchased at a thrift shop which is battered and beaten, the two set out across the country traveling to small towns. They begin preaching and passing around a collection plate, taking the donations for themselves. Not owning a Bible, the two use a Bible stolen from a local hotel. After success, the two become even more greedy for more money. Then encounter a man who suggests they use actors to stage being physically healed to increase their profits. The father and son team pursue this suggestion and substantially increase their profits to buy a used Cadillac.

This story is interesting, as the two discover their ethics and what is considered to be ethical by those surrounding them. How far will the two go for money? Do they ever admit to their scheme? I like the open ending of the novel and that readers are left questioning because this requires readers to think more about the ethics presented in the novel and what exactly is right and wrong.

The Opposite of Invisible

The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher
Published by Laurel-Leaf in 2008
151 pages
Warning: This book contains some physical intimacy, but nothing extremely explicit, as well as mild language and alcohol involving teens.
Genre: Romance, Friends and Society, Family

This novel, in the beginning, feels cliche of Young Adult literature. It begins with a girl in High School trying to decide if she wants to date her best friend Jewel, since the age of two, who she has recently developed feelings for or the popular jock Simon, who has a shallow love for Alice. As the story develops, it is obvious that Alice is going to have to learn from experience. This novel confirmed to me that some lessons can simply be learned only by experience.

I enjoyed the novel as it developed further. As Alice experiments being the girlfriend of the popular Simon who everyone at school knows, she soon discovers that she does not want to be this girl. Slowly, she returns to the comforting arms of Jewel who knows everything about her. I liked this book because Alice is faced with a decision to make, ans she ultimately discovers who she really is rather then who she has been pretending to be. And, I love the feel good ending (which I won't give away).

Green Angel

Green Angel by Alice Hoffman
Published by Scholastic Press in 2003
116 pages
Warning: This novel deals with death, sadness, grief and it is gloomy. There is some mild language and some disturbing disastrous events.
Genre: Death, Family

This novel, at times, reminded me of Overboard by Elizabeth Fama. Both books involve young girls learning survival skills, and falling prey to the selfish tendencies that may come with the survival mode situations.

After the sudden and tragic death of her family, Green hopes for their return. Unfortunately, they do not return. Green quickly transforms into Ash. She must learn to fight off looters, search for food and learn to help others. Looking past old biases and preconceived notions of various people from her past, Ash learns to help others beside herself survive. The grieving process is well documented. Ash, like all of us, copes with the death of her family in her own unique way. Will she remain Ash for the rest of her life, buried in the ash and wreckage of disaster, or return to the Green girl who once cared and protected her garden?

This book is wonderful! I have never experienced the pain of a loved one dying, so I was enlightened to the grieving process and how people grieve about death differently. This book is also interesting, because it can be interpreted as the grieving process of a young girl after the September 11th terrorist attacks in NYC in 2001. While the book does not say this explicitly, it could be interpreted this way.

Overboard

Overboard, by Elizabeth Fama
Published by Dell Laurel-Leaf in 2002
158 pages
Warning: This book is mildly thematic and contains scenes which may be scary to some younger readers because of intense, survival situations.
Genre: Suspense, Adventure, Survival, Family

This book is about a family living in Sumatra with her parents, who work at a clinic in this country. Annoyed with her life and the stress of the hospital, she runs away from home, in Sumatra, without telling her parents. On the ferry to another island where she plans to meet her uncle, Emily meets another American couple. They talk and form a quick friendship. Unfortunately, the ferry capsizes. Emily, age 14, is suddenly placed in survival mode as she tries to survive the night in the ocean. Throughout the night, Emily encounters sharks, desperate people, and a young boy who needs her help to survive.

This book is wonderful. I love the following quote;

"Emily looked around in desperation. If only the rescue boats were here, if only someone could make them all calm, save them before they hurt themselves, make them do the right thing.

But what was the right thing? Emily didn't know.

She was crying now, heaving, hot sobs that made her choke on her own mucus" (39).

There is power, as Emily transforms from trying to protect herself, and think of her own survival, to the survival of others. This book is also empowering because at a young age of 14, Emily is able to help more then herself. For me, this book turned my eye away from myself and to others, and I know it can do the same thing for young adults. I also find that for young adults who are often obsessed with their own lives, this novel would also turn their eyes and focus towards others.

Inexcusable

Inexcusable, by Chris Lynch
Published by Ginee Seo Books in 2005
165 pages
Warning: The book does contain explicit drug use, but the telling of the rape is not as explicit as I expected. The sex is implied, not described in detail.
Genre: Sex, Drugs, Realism, Rape

This book starts with a typical teenage boy; football player, popular among friends and into girls. Readers slowly begin to realize that this boy has done something wrong. Consistently trying to justify his actions, Keir, tries to convince himself that he is a good kid. Keir feels guilty for what he has done to his best friend, Gigi. She has accused him of raping her. Keir, in denial, tells the events of what lead up to the suggested rape. He tells the story of a controversial tackle in a football game, graduation, using drugs on graduation and also provides the details that his mother killed herself and that him and his dad live alone. Amidst telling these details, he consistently tries to justify that he is a good kid.

The book does contain explicit drug use information, but the telling of the rape is not as explicit as I expected. The sex is implied, not described in detail. While I believe this book could be used in a classroom, I would only teach it to Juniors and Seniors. This book is important because it discusses how two people can see one event very differently, as Keir and Gigi do. Young adults can learn from this. This will help them realize the importance of seeing more then one side of an arguments, and not always letting their own ideas fog the vision of understanding the ideas of another person.

This book is also a National Book Award Finalist.

The Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Published in 2009 by Sandpiper
272 pages
Warning: This novel contains some brief language
Genre: Comedy, Ages 9-12

Seventh grader Holling Hoodhood, son of local architect, is forced to endure Wednesday afternoon with the dreaded Mrs. Baker while other students attend religious training. Mrs. Baker exposes Holling to Shakespeare during their weekly time together. Little does Holling know, he will come to love Shakespeare and the quotable lines found in the literature. Holling must also put up with his parents who care more for Walter Cronkite then the achievements of Holling, as well as a cranky older sister who could care less about Holling and his life.

The Wednesday Wars is a bright comedy which focuses on the humorous happenings of a young boy growing up in Long Island, New York. Taking place in the late 1960's, the novel provides poignant insights to the Vietnam War as the school Holling attends comforts those in the school community affected by the war. There is also interesting commentary about the treatment of a young student, Mai Thi, a young girl native to Vietnam. The novel teaches appropriate lessons about treating others respectively in a light, fresh and humorous way. Holling and his sister also grow closer in the novel through a series of his sisters rebellious actions.

The book is fun because it also exposes young readers to the humor and interesting plot of Shakespeare. As Holling becomes very familiar with various Shakespeare works, he begins to surround himself by Shakespeare more and more. This book could be used as an introduction to Shakespeare, letting students know that it is in their capability to read Shakespeare. This book could also be used in companion to studying the Vietnam War, and understanding how people were treated wrong during this war.