Paper Towns

Paper Towns by John Green
Published by Speak in 2009
305 pages
Warning: This novel contains explicit language, crude language from teen boys, description of nudity, sensual and sexual encounters and alcohol involving teens.
Genre: Adventure, Mystery

Margo Ruth Spiegelman is the eye candy of Quentin Jacobsen. The two are neighbors and have known each other throughout the years; but, Q is kind of a nerd. And Margo is kind of popular, so she doesn't always give him the attention he wants from her, especially at school. Margo enlists the help of Q on an all night rampage of revenge; finally, Q has made is in! Relishing in the attention, Q delights in the friendship that he hopes will follow. Unfortunately, when he returns to school, Margo has run away. Desperate to find her, Q believes she has left specific clues just for him and only him to find her. The search begins.

This is the second John Green novel I have read, and I have fallen in love with his writing even more. His humor is just hilarious. Some of my favorite excerpts:

"I don't believe in prom," I reminded her as she rounded a corner. I expertly angled my raisin bran to accommodate the g-forces. I'd done this before. (11)

"I like driving, anyway-this vehicle may be a minivan, but it's my minivan. Radar scoots out of his seat and into the first bedroom, while I grab the steering wheel and hold it steady, quickly stepping over the kitchen and into the driver's seat.

Traveling, I am finding, teaches you a lot of things about yourself. For instance, I never thought myself to be the kind of person who pees into a mostly empty bottle of Bluefin energy drink while driving through South Carolina at seventy-seven miles per hours-but in fact I am that kind of person. Also, I never previously knew that if you mix a lot of pee with a little Bluefin energy drink, the result is this amazing incandescent turquoise color. It looks so pretty that I want to put the cap on the bottle and leave it in the cup holder..." (261)

There are so many laughable moments in this book; I love how John Green writes, he is brilliant. This novel is also fascinating because of the self-discovery that each character seems to go through individually, and how it changes the group they collectively belong to.

John Green writes novels like Looking for Alaska which are very heavy because of the content and subject matter. Paper Towns is different; for people who want to read John Green, this is a good start because it is less edgier then his other novels. But, it still has its edgy moments with language.

Liar

Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Published by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books in 2009
384 pages
Warning: This novel contains sexual content, language, murder, and an unreliable narrator. Also, some scary images and narration which may scare younger readers (But I would not recommend this to students 14 and younger)
Genre: Friends and Society, Family, Mystery, Suspense

Micah is a compulsive liar; she openly declares her compulsion, and from the first page, we as readers do not know if we should trust her. Despite her continuous oath to tell the truth and not tell a lie, we find out she does. At school, her friend Zach has been murdered. The police are questioning Micah because of her habits, and believe (along with friends at school) she is a suspect. Fighting the accusations, Micah begins to reveal what we think is her true character.

This book will throw the reader for a spin! It is difficult to become engrossed in the novel when we are seeing things from the eyes of an unreliable narrator. Despite this, we become enthralled with the world that is Micah! Her lies press us to keep reading deeper into her world of deception. Form the first sentence to the last sentence, we don't know if we can believe anything Micah has told us. A definite, must read. I simply suggest allowing several hours to finish it in one sitting (and a good supply of CHEEZ-ITS); it's that good.

Impossible

Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Published in 2009 by Speak
364 Pages
Warning: dialogue about sex, language, moments that may scare some young readers, rape, teen pregnancy
Genre: Magical Realism, Family, Romance

Lucy has grown up in a foster home, unaware of the curse on the women in her family for the past several generations. Uneasy about recent visits from her insane mother, Lucy begins to worry why her mother is the way she is. When Lucy is raped at her prom, pieces begin to fall together. She discovers her mothers diary with details about the family curse that once fell upon her mother and have now fallen upon Lucy with her pregnancy. Unsure of what to think, Lucy involves her foster parents about the next course of action to take. Lucy decides, with the hep of her family, she will complete three impossible tasks to break the family curse. From this moment, readers will not be able to put the novel down.

I love this novel. It is addicting from the first page. Nancy Werlin merges magic with reality seamlessly and creates a strange and surprising universe full of twists and turns. The magical details Werlin presents are easy to believe, and the reader wonders when they get up from reading if they will suddenly be required to sew a seamless shirt. I love the message this novel sends to readers about family. Werlin presents the idea that no matter what task must be completed by an individual, family can stand by that individual through each moment of the task; thus, a person must never shoulder a burden or task completely alone. Family will always be there to help lighten the load and make whatever sacrifices are necessary.

I would suggest this book be read by a teen who believes that they can only count on their own power to accomplish something. This novel teaches the importance of teen work and even believing that help can come from beyond the grave, loved ones, a higher power, whatever. This novel simply teaches the benefits on relying on more then oneself.

The Witch's Boy

The Witch's Boy by Michael Gruber
Published by HarperTempest in 2005
377 Pages
Warning: This novel contains mild language and witchcraft
Genre: Fantasy, Witchcraft, Fairy Tales

This is the story of an ugly boy who is brought up by a witch; she calls the boy Lump. The women appoints a talking, sensitive bear to be the boys maid. What Lump does not know, is that his mother must give away her magic to save Lump. The story continues to unfold as the fate of Lump is unknown. He experiences a triumph and then loses it all. Gruber incorporates the classic tales of Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel and Rumpelstiltskin. Time Out has said- "Animals speak, spells are cast, dark forces seduce, and a foundling becomes a man in this compelling fantasy [with a] conclusion that readers will savor."

I have never been a fan of Fantasy, and this book did not grab me in the beginning. Although, about three fourths of the way into the book I did find myself savoring every word. I enjoyed the last part of the novel very much, and also enjoyed the incorporation of the various fairy tales throughout the novel. The story of triumph that Lump goes through is inspiring as well, and I enjoyed reading about his life and the different experiences he goes through. While I did not enjoy the entire book, I do understand why young adults and tweens enjoy the witchcraft and escape of Fantasy novels. This novel presents interesting ideas about family and happiness.

SPOILER ALERT

What I enjoyed most is the following excerpt on the second to last page:

"Lump and his family returned to the royal city then, and stayed there all their lives. Although they did not live happily ever after, for they often quarreled about religion and who loved whom the best, they were happier then most families" (376).

A fairy tale can still be magical and bring a person joy without having to end "happily ever after." We know, from the ups and downs of life, that not everything ends with a happy ending, but despite that, we can still find happiness in the ending that is.

The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry
Published in 1993 by Delacorte Press
179 pages
Warning: This novel contains some language and brief dialogue about sex. Also, the ideas of Utopia and Euthanasia are presented.
Genre: Utopian society, Coming of Age, Family, Friends and Society

Lois Lowry presents a futuristic society living in a Utopia; each year when children turn one year older, they receive an item that marks their growth up until the age of eleven. At age twelve, the twelves receive their assignment they will fulfill for the rest of their life. This assignment will be what allows them to contribute and be a productive member of society. Jonas is given an assignment that, when spoken, a hush falls upon the community. It will be painful, but the young boy has little choice but to accept the assignment willingly. Or does he?

This book is fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed the insightful perspective regarding how fragile life is. Lowry provides, in this novel, a space where ethics and agency are closely scrutinized and examined. As Jonas discovers the truth of pain and pleasure of life, the reader also discovers the importance of self-guided choices and agency. As the family robotic-ally shares "feelings" by law, they create false feelings simply because they must say something. The people are numb to real feelings, and readers recognize feelings cannot simply be made up. I enjoyed this novel because it causes any reader to question the importance of free choice; we see in this novel that we really don't appreciate it until we have lost it.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Published in 2007 by Little, Brown and Company

230 pages

Warning: This novel contains sexual references, language and violence.

Genre: Self and Body Image, Friends and Society, Death, Family

Alexie tells the story of Junior, a young man growing up on a distressed Indian reservation. Junior attends a run down school and is determined to make something better of himself. Despite mocking and ridicule from fellow tribe members, Junior leaves the reservation to attend a white school. There he finds trouble, but soon finds a place on the basketball team. Yet, his friends from the reservation will not let him forget the choice he has made.

This is a good book; it is not my favorite of the books I have read, but I did enjoy it. The main character is witty and friendly; I felt invited to read the book because of him. What makes this book even more entertaining are the sporadic cartoons, drawings from Junior, who is a budding cartoon artist. I enjoyed the novel also because Junior experiences loss that people of any race will and do feel, and we see how this unites him with his white school mates, and barriers this breaks down.

My favorite line of the novel is the very last line, but I can't give it away! Without that short five word line, the novel would not be the same. It speaks volumes.

Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Published in 2002 by Disney-Hyperion

304 pages

Warning: This book contains language, fairies, violence, leprechauns, and some crude language

Genre: Fantasy

Artemis Fowl is a genius kid; he can commit various crimes without getting caught. Him and his sidekick, Butler, devise a scheme to capture a fairy and hold her captive. In exchange, they will receive fairy gold, the best kind! Little does Arty know, the fairy he has chosen to capture has friends coming for her rescue. It is an all out battle as Artemis fights those of the underground!

I can't do fantasy books. For me, this book is hard to connect to because the fairies are just hard for me to get around. I do, however, recognize that many students are attracted to these books because of the fairies. But, for me, the connection simply wasn't there with the book. It was difficult for me, as an adult, to recognize how young (12) Arty is and the crime he is committing at that age. While he does come from a long line of the best criminals, it was not too believable to me. But, I do recognize that is part of the appeal in this book for younger readers, and I understand from their perspective why this fact draws adolescents to reading this book.

Bound

Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

Published in 2004 by Simon Pulse publishing

186 pages

Warning: This novel contains abuse towards children, language, mild violence, mention of sex and mild sensuality.

Genre: Multicultural, Donna Jo Napoli, Family, Body Image, Death

Bound is the retelling of the Cinderella story with a twist; it takes place in China during the Ming Dynasty (mid to late 1600's). Xing Xing is bound to her late father's second wife. She is the servant for her stepmother and stepsister. She takes care of her stepsister who is amidst binding her feet, in hopes of finding a suitor. In the meantime, Xing Xing spends time working with calligraphy and poetry; it is something she loves and is very good at. The time finally comes for the event which every Cinderella story centers on. The great ball! Will Xing Xing go? Or will Wei Ping, her evil stepsister, take her spot at the ball.

This is a beautiful novel. What a fascinating insight to the Chinese culture! I was exposed to ideas of reincarnation, poetry, foot binding and importance of marriage to the Chinese people. Napoli wrote very matter of fact, which made this novel easy and simple for me to understand; when learning about a foreign culture, I appreciate this style of writing from an author. Napoli exposed the myth that foot binding was to me; I never realized how real it was until I read this novel. I know understand the Chinese culture more and the lengths they are willing to go to to find a suitor. It makes me think about our culture and what we do; I can't help but think of the hundreds of ridiculous fad diets which exist that entice people to be skinny and beautiful. It's interesting because in the end of the novel, we see who "wins." In our society, we often feel like those who win shouldn't, when it comes to the skinny girl getting the job or the boy, but in this novel it feels like the winner should win. After reading the novel, I was unsettled about the Chinese culture and certain aspects; but the ending made up for all of it. Great book.

Following is my favorite excerpt I hope will lure you in. It illustrates the extremes of foot-binding:

Wei Ping knelt with one knee on each stool and took a loud, deep breath. Then she threw her weight on one knee and moved the other stool forward with her hands. She threw her weight on the other knee and moved the second stool forward with her hands. In this manner, she worked her way over to the kang, never putting weight on her feet. The kang was the most-used piece of furniture in their home-- where one could eat and talk and sew and even nap. It was adjacent to the stove, with a fire passage inside its stone slabs. Heat from the cooking fire passed under it, then out through the chimney in the roof of the cave. As Wei Ping passed Xing Xing, she spat on her toes. "No one will find you a husband." (page 6)