10. Born to Rock by Gordon Korman

Korman, Gordon. Born to Rock. Hyperion Books. 2006.

Annotation: Leo Carraway, president of the Young Republican’s club, is looking forward to attending Harvard on a full scholarship until he’s unjustly accused of cheating on a test. As if his life hadn’t been turned upside down enough, Leo discovers that his biological father is actually King Maggot of the audacious punk band Purge. Life couldn’t get any worse until he suddenly realizes that although his father may be the personified opposite of all he stands for, his father is also filthy rich. Let the gold-digging begin.

Justification for Rejection: As you might guess, Born to Rock is intended to be a riotous jaunt, a story body surfing over the setting of a rock tour; something like the films Almost Famous meets The Great Rock and Roll Swindle. But it quickly loses it’s way due to a protagonist (Leo) whose perception is as narrow as a mic stand. His Republican positioning, it seems, allows him to only see punk rock as noisy garbage with no resemblance to music and he sees fit to remind us of this every ten pages or so. Since most of this book is about punk rock this becomes tedious. Although I graciously attribute this to Leo’s narrow perspective I had to repeatedly wonder if it wasn’t Korman who was out of his depth.
 An aspect of writing that separates the rock stars from the posers for me is the ability to take me into another culture realistically. Due to the almost total lack of sympathy for the culture of punk rock there’s little effort to give this culture anything but the most superficial and clichéd presentation. Being of this culture, back in the day, I found myself offended by his cartoonish and flat representations of the rockers. None but King Maggot himself leave any impression on the reader at all. But worse is the constant undermining of the music which is the foundation of this culture. To each his own, but why constantly berate the subject material advertised on the cover of the book? This coupled with Leo constantly reminding us that he’s a Republican only confirms the stereotypes that Republican’s are narrow-minded and judgmental. Notably this book was published in 2006 and this Bush-era Republican never once reflects on the actual government of the time – opportunity wasted.
Similarly, nearly every situation is simply unbelievable. Although intended to create a sense of rambunctious humor and/or surprise, the lack of verisimilitude repeatedly took me out of the book. In the course of the book Leo becomes a roadie for his new found father King Maggot of the fictitious band Purge. This sets up a great opportunity to take us into the backstage world of a touring rock band. Yet instead of creating a believable space, Korman only uses the opportunity to slam dance with our suspension of disbelief. For example, in one scene the bass player strings his guitar with barbed wire. Now as rock and roll as this might look, it is totally impossible as the barbs would prevent one from threading the tuning pegs. But more importantly even if you could string a bass with barbed wire you’d be able to play exactly one chord on this rig before being rushed to the hospital. There’s a fine line between something slapstick funny and just plan silly and with details that often don’t mesh with reality, silly becomes the headliner of this show.
This is all very unfortunate as this book does get into the territory of begging such questions as, the meaning of family, identity, challenging expectations and developing a pallet for something new. Yet even these themes are much more suggested than present. Instead the dominant theme stems from Leo using his biological father to get money for college and that this is perfectly ok because he’s rich. True the plot is left open at the end as to whether Leo will continue live the life of a rock star with King Maggot or not but this dynamic shift is like so many other elements of this book: unbelievable.

Genre of Catalog: Humor, Music, Nostalgic.

9. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

Kwok, Jean. Girl in Translation. Riverhead Trade. 2011

Annotation: In this coming-of-age story Kim and her mother leave Hong Kong and move to New York to seek a better life in America. But life is not easy for them as their Aunt Paula has them living in an apartment that should be condemned and working nearly as slaves – both to Aunt Paula’s benefit. During this transition Kim is in 6th grade and the story closely follows her through high school and ends with a twelve year jump forward which shows how the difficult choices Kim has made have affected her life. Through this story we learn a lot about Chinese culture, what it might be like to have to assimilate into American culture, the weariness of poverty and the difficulty of balancing personal success with personal happiness.

Justification for Nomination: Girl in Translation is an exceptional book in two ways. First in how it immerses the reader into the experience of American immigration and secondly in how it intimately shares the experience of the coming-of-age of Kim, our protagonist. I’m always impressed by a story that can authentically depict the perspective of a different culture. As a white, middle-aged, male American who knows only a little of the Chinese American immigration experience I found much to learn and sympathize with in this story. Although racially and culturally I’m quite different from Kim, her descriptions of living in a squalid apartment in Brooklyn and working in a Chinatown sweatshop reveled a world which I’d only seen glimpses of during my own sojourn in New York. Although this created a distinct and personal connection for me I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to know what life is like for many people in New York ghettos. In particular are the descriptions of the sweat-shop work Kim and her mother must do for much of the book. These scenes are palpable enough that you can almost smell the steam of the clothing presses but they also draw attention to the appalling fact that American immigrants continue to be subjected to a life that has little real difference from slavery. Readers with an interest in human rights, equal opportunity, immigration reform and other reformative actions would find Kim and her mother’s experience to be exemplary of those issues.
The cultural relevance of this story is greatest strength. In reading, we learn about Chinese customs and holidays and we also get a reaction to American custom from a very different perspective. Most engaging though are the Chinese sayings that populate the book such as “If you’re straight as an arrow you’ll have to beg for a living,” meaning that if you’re too honest it can be a detriment too.
In similar fashion Kwok does a good job of creating empathy for Kim through her  perspective. Told in the first person we are always surrounded by Kim’s thoughts. She’s a motivated person who sees education as the real means of her family’s social ascension. Moving to the United States is basically a lateral move for Kim and her mother, leaving Hong Kong for a better opportunity in New York actually is only a move to a vermin infested dump of an apartment and day-long garment work that barely pays the bills. Barriers of culture and language, fears of racism and their tyrant boss/landlord who is Kim’s Aunt Peg all stand in the way of progress for Kim’s mother. Kim though sees hope in education and this is the foundation for her character. Her focus on school allows her to set high goals for herself and her outstanding grades get her on a path of scholarship at Harrison Prep High School which in turn leads to her acceptance to Yale. All the while though Kim also plays a key domestic role as many children of non-English speaking parents do and it is Kim who finds a way out of their aunt’s traps to get a better job for her mom and a good apartment for both of them. For readers who enjoy self-determined characters will find a lot to appreciate in Kim.
Kim’s self-determination is also what brings this book into Alex Award territory. As the title implies Kim is growing up between two cultures. She wants to fit in with her white, prep-school American friends but this clashes with her poverty and culture in many ways that become commentary on both American and Chinese cultures. At times she may seem like a goody-goody, too easily navigating her way past drugs, alcohol and sexual urges (for the most part). But this likely stems from her sense of duty as a respectful Chinese daughter and there are times that she acts out of self interest. What’s interesting here though is that these somewhat selfish and thoughtless acts are signs of developing maturity and independence in Kim. This stands in stark contrast to many other characters of this age who’s selfishness pits them as frustratingly childish and emotionally vapid. The development in Kim’s maturity ultimately leads her to a situation where she must choose between the future she’s worked so hard for and an accidental pregnancy she finds herself in. The question of abortion is presented in this book as a skillfully balanced moral dilemma sure to embroil both sides of the abortion debate. But that’s what brings this discussion to an adult level because her situation is not present melodramatically. Her situation puts this pregnancy as the surprise stumbling block that could undo a lifetime of work and put her in and mother right back into the ghetto for the rest of their lives.
Although the issue of abortion avoids melodrama the weakness of the novel is that there are several scenes that are written with heightened suspense and/or drama which often are inconsequential side notes that do little to develop character, theme or plot. This happens several times with the character of Annette, Kim’s best friend. Although seeing Annette jump from being boy crazy one minute to developing communist sympathy the next shows how she is changing through her studies, these exploits are also fairly fruitless. This is a 320 page book and doesn’t need any padding. These scenes become sinkholes of anti-climax that the editor should have caught, yet, this is nowhere close to spoiling the book overall.

Genre of Catalog: Coming of age, Multicultural, Chinese, Based on true events, Fictional Memoir, Immigration tale, Winner 2011 Alex award.

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

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 2009.

Reasons that this book was banned:

http://www.abffe.org/bbw-booklist-detailed.htm
In 2008, school officials in Crook County, OR, removed the book from ninth grade English classes at Crook County High School after one parent complained about a passage that discussed masturbation. The Kids Right to Read Project sent a letter to the Crook County superintendent and the school board, offering resources and support to school officials who objected to the book’s removal. The superintendent removed the book in violation of district policy, but a committee review board voted to reinstate it. While the book was returned to the library, it was suspended from classroom use while the superintendent, school board, and a committee reviewed the district’s policy on instructional materials. 

In April 2010, the Stockton (MO) School District voted to ban the book after a parent protested its use in high school English classes. The District says it voted to ban the book due to violence, language and some sexual content.

Annotation: Arnold “Junior” Spirit takes the opportunity to leave his reservation to go to the rich white school in Reardan. In doing so tests his friendship with his best friend, a boy named Rowdy who feels Junior has turned his back on him. At Reardan, Junior deals with the mixed emotions of being well accepted into this new, white, rich world and wonders himself if he’s not some kind of traitor.

Justification for Nomination: This book is hilarious. The voice of Junior, our protagonist, is spot-on as a 14-year-old who survived Hydrocephalus as a baby to grow into a stuttering, skinny, glasses wearing, Native American boy who loves to draw cartoons. He’s exceptional in many ways from his ability to launch into geometry problems with ease to being able to reflect on his life and relationships through the cartoons he draws (and which are “reproduced” in the book). He takes his awkwardness in stride and though never forgetting it or even completely growing out of it, he becomes comfortable with who he is and popular for that quality. What’s so great about this old lesson about appreciating yourself for who you are is that it develops so naturally and realistically that it’s not a lesson so much as it’s simply felt.
As mentioned the book includes many drawings that are supposed to be from our narrator. This not only gives us another level of insight into Junior and a means to specifically see the faces of important people in Junior’s life it’s a great way to break up the page. I don’t think this would have been a slow-paced book without the drawings but including them really makes this a page-turner and so would be excellent for engaging reluctant readers.
With virtuoso skill the comedy of the story takes us into issues of poverty and racism related to reservation life. Some tinges of pain are felt such as when he laments that the only glasses available to him seem to be retooled adults glasses with ugly black rims. Yet he also says with pride that being hungry isn’t so bad because it makes food taste better. Similarly issues of alcoholism are managed with funny lines from his father claiming his only an alcoholic when he’s drunk to a much more serious situation that claims the life of his sister. Yet throughout these tragedies it’s Junior humor that becomes a life preserver for him. This doesn’t come across as crass or unfeeling but realistic. It made me remember times in my own life where I could as easily laugh as cry because I was so helpless to do anything about it.
As to the issue of this book’s removal from the aforementioned school the scene that probably got the school’s attention most is where Junior tells us he likes geometry to the point that it makes him feel hormonal. He connects this to the curves he sees on girls particularly those he studies in magazines in the bathroom. He then unabashedly announces:

Yep, that’s right, I admit that I masturbate.

I’m proud of it.

I’m good at it.

I’m ambidextrous.

If there were a Professional Masturbators League, I’d get drafted number one and make millions of dollars.

And maybe you’re thinking, “Well you really shouldn’t be talking about masturbation in public.”

Well, tough, I‘m going to talk about it because EVERYBODY does it. And EVERYBODY likes it.

And if God hadn’t wanted us to masturbate,. then God wouldn’t’ have given us thumbs.

So I thank God for my thumbs. (25-6)

But consider the context, the opening of the book is a story of birth defects, poverty, alcoholism and racism. This is a boy fighting against so many social stigmas from being Native American to having a stutter or wearing glasses. He cherishes moments of escape which are only had through drawing cartoons. So here he suddenly takes a stand on something that’s natural and to him bestowed by God, not condemned by God. But what I think might really make adults nervous is the line, “EVERYBODY does it. And EVERYBODY likes it.” This flies directly into the Victorian sensibilities that hide the legs of chairs behind skirting as to prevent sexual thoughts towards our furniture. Maybe we're nervous because we remember how curious we were about sex when we were 14 and how we too may have saw photos or read about masturbation in a book and…hey wait a minute.

Now is this appropriate for public conversation as stated by Junior? Well that could lead to some interesting discussion about our own views on sexuality and what’s on public display in the media all the time. Would it have to be a direct discussion as to whether we should masturbate or not? It’s certainly not a discussion I’d rush to with a class. But that’s what makes controversy such great fodder for debate. It reveals the concerns of each of us.

Genre of Catalog: Native American, Fiction, Based on True Events.

7. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Book 1)

Brashares, Ann. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Book 1). Dell Books for Young Readers. 2005.

Annotation: Four 15 year old girls trade a pair of thrift store jeans via mail while on seperate summer vacations that span the globe. Striveing for experiances that are pants worthy they attempt to break out of thier old routines and meet the horizon of adulthood head on to find that in the end there's reality to deal with.

Justification for Nomination: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants containes exotic locations, fantastic aspirations and relationships with friends, family and some sexual relationships as well. Traveling Pants jumps back and forth between the four separate summer vacations of Tibby, Carmen, Lena and Bridget. These four girls claim to be best friends since coming together pre-natally at their mothers’ Lamaze classes. Throughout the story they’re all 15 years old and Lena and Bridget are the ones who have to do battle with the sexual tensions in the book while Lena faces off with her father and his new fiancé and Tibby befriends a young girl with cancer. The variation in conflicts provides a little something for everyone a sort of literary salad bar where if Bridget’s story isn’t grabbing you, you can just hang on for a couple of pages and you’ll have an entirely different set of concerns. Similarly the settings range from Greece, Baja, South Carolina, and Bethesda where they live (and where Tibby spends her summer working at Walman’s) which also adds to a lot of variety.

Traveling Pants does a nice job of turning romantic cliche's on thier ears. What I think separates the craft from the pulp in writing is being able to use the conventions of genre to surprise and challenge the reader and Traveling Pants does so most effectively though the character of Tibby. Tibby’s relationship with Bailey starts out as awkward due to the fact that Bailey is four years younger than Tibby, yet there’s a connection between them which is well fleshed out through a documentary project that they work on together. The freshness and emotional risk and awkwardness that comes with a new friendship is natural and sincere and you really feel for them both when Bailey’s health takes a turn and this charming friendship ends all too soon. Although reminiscent of the movie My Girl it also smacks of the movie Love Story yet skillfully avoids seeming clichéd to which Brashares deserves kudos.

At the other end of the traditional romance spectrum there’s Bridget’s adventure in Baja where she stalks and seduces a soccer coach named Eric who is three and a half years her senior. Yet again Brashares does us the favor of avoiding a clichéd fairly tale ending with Eric resenting her and himself for bringing the relationship to a sexual level that is unsupported by any deeper feelings for each other. It was refreshing to see a bit of realism come into play as I was surprised and engaged in a way I wasn’t when it looked like Eric would indeed be a romance novel cliché.

The weakest aspect of the novel may be unfair to state as I read the first book in a series of four but for me there was a significant lack of character development in all of the girls and the experience the girls each go though demands some sort of epiphany or dynamic change. Instead they seem to only act out of self-interest and often it is the people around them that pay the cost of their selfishness. Lena is a good example who’s skinny dipping adventure in Greece leads to her grandfather getting beat up simply because she’s too embarrassed to speak up. My sympathy for Lena: going…going…gone. I had a similar experience with each of the girls in their own unique situations where I found myself saying, “what a B.” and the word wasn’t “Bridget.” Hopefully by book four these girls will develop a sense of conscience, responsibility and modesty before another elderly relative gets beat up. If not, I’m unsure as to why Brashares is putting these girls in situations where they should have such considerations.

Genre of Catalog: Romance, Comedy, Travel

6. The Lock Artist

Hamilton, Steve. The Lock Artist. Minotaur Books. 2011.

Annotation: Mike is a high school boy who experienced a trauma that has left him orphaned and mute (for psychological reasons not physical) which is the main mystery of the novel. Mike’s muteness makes him an outcast until he discovers he has a particular knack for understanding locks. After helping Brian “the house” Houser, who forgets his locker combination, Mike’s life take a turn where he’s recognized and highly admired for his talent but unfortunately this attention comes from those who want access to more than just their gym clothes.

Justification for Rejection: The real strength of this book is in the descriptions of lock-picking. As Mike learns the ins and outs and as he gradually becomes a safe-cracker he describes undoing the locks with great detail almost like a x-ray perspective of the inner workings of the lock in question. For someone with a similar interest this book seems to serve as a how-to guide for picking key locks and deciphering combination locks. This level of detail reminded me of Clive Cussler who also presents technical details while the adventure unfolds. It also has a bit of an air of Elmore Leonard in that it attempts to take you into the world of crime with authenticity.
Mike is a fairly rounded character mostly through his relationship with Amilia who he’s able to also share his talents as a graphic artist with. Mike communicates with Amilia by drawing paneled cartoons and so it’s through this communication that we learn about Mike’s sordid past. Amilia is also the vehicle through which Mike is able to show some caring and compassion. He’d be a very cold character without this relationship. They also become intimate and so we’re able to explore the feelings and concerns of sexuality through their relationship and maybe something sort of like love but not really, Mike’s just too selfish. The other characters are realistic albeit a bit stock especially the farther you get from Mike and Amilia – the more minor the character, the greater the cliché. Amilia’s impossible-to-like, goon of a boyfriend Zeke is a good example.
One aspect about Mike that may be very attractive for teens is that he is very independent. His Uncle Leto adopts him and pretty much let’s Mike do what he wants. In fact after Leto gets Mike a motorcycle, that’s about the last we see of Leto. Plus once Mike gets the attention of a criminal syndicate led by “The Ghost” he’s plunged into a world of adults who almost worship his lock-picking skill and give him all the money and freedom he could want. It’s pretty fantastic but I could see a teen connecting to this because we all hope to be recognized for our talents and respected. Yet this is a bit troublesome too because we’d hope that our students will be recognized and respected for something other than helping thugs steal from other people.
But I do have to give the book credit for not leaving the reader with the impression that everything is okey-dokey at the end of the story. At the beginning of the book Mike tells us he’s relaying this to us while he’s in prison so we know it’s not going to turn out okay. Moreover he doesn’t get the girl or ride of happily ever after. He’s left feeling the weight of all he’s done and it involves the theft of millions of dollars and the death of several of his cohorts. This serves as a cautionary tale and leaves us without the security and comfort of redemption, which is a good move by Hamilton.
The locations are many in this book and you have to wonder if Mike’s little motorcycle could really get him from L.A. to N.Y. to Detroit back and forth about a half a dozen times but I’ll graciously suspend my disbelief. But I won’t forgive the fact that these locations are pretty much just names and as cities they have no distinction from each other to speak of. Also there’s no reason that the events in the story couldn’t have all taken place in any one of these cities.
The real mystery of the novel is how Mike lost his parents and became mute. Although this is what Rosebud was to Citizen Cane - a MacGuffin to prod the plot along - Hamilton makes the mistake of revealing it 3/4 into the book which makes the last 1/4 tedious. Of course there’s the mystery of how he got into jail but – duh – he’s a safe cracker, one might guess that he gets arrested for breaking into a safe and they’d be right. Wow. Yet I will say that the reveal of Mike’s muteness is original and engaging and the event that caused it is truly thrilling and terrifying. It’s just too bad that Hamilton didn’t take the full page from Orson Wells and save the reveal for the very end.
And that brings me to the overall enjoyment of the book and although this book may meet much of the criteria of a YA mystery it’s not one I’d recommend. This book is just simply in need of a confident editor who can get Hamilton to condense this story. Similar to how he drops superfluous locations to add variety Hamilton uses the trick of a fractured plotline that jumps back and forth from Mike learning to become a “boxman” in Detroit to joining his second crew of thieves in L.A. where he’s finally caught. Although this does help with the pacing it also stands out as gimmicky and probably wouldn’t be necessary if Hamilton would have simply condensed. And the area he can condense on is the many descriptions of opening locks. Again this is the greatest strength of the book but after the tenth description that sounds all too similar to the previous nine I found myself skimming a lot. There are many other scenes too that are repetitive such as every time Mike meets someone it’s mandatory that have a discussion starting with, “Gee you really don’t talk do you?” This served its purpose after the first two times but probably happens a dozen times in the book. Characters also suffer similar repetition as Mike goes through not one but two crews of thugs on his rise to becoming the greatest boxman ever. Not only could either one of these crews be swapped for the other nearly every member of either crew could play musical chairs. Hamilton just spreads them all too thin, you don’t get enough time to know any of them let alone care about them. When they start getting shot and/or arrested it completely lacks any impact. So ultimately I could only really recommend this book to someone interested in becoming a locksmith, but then why bother with the superfluous characters, locations and repetitive dialogue? I’d simply recommend a book on locksmithing.

Genre of Catalog: Mystery, thriller, police procedural.

5. Fever 1793

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever 1793. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. 2002.

Annotation: The acclaimed author of Speak pens this gripping historical fiction that takes place in Philadelphia during the yellow fever epidemic that cast it’s shadow over early America. The 16-year-old protagonist, Matilda Cook, finds she has to grow up quickly as her family members die or become displaced by the malaria outbreak leaving her alone to survive in this epic and apocalyptic landscape.

Justification for Nomination: The elements that makes this story historical fiction are woven into this remarkable story with equally remarkable grace. Little details like washing out the butter churn with water boiled over an open fire give verisimilitude to the story while teaching us what life was like before refrigeration or supermarkets. These sorts of details also show the medicinal theories of the day as people fire off cannons to “purify the air” during the early stages of the outbreak. There’s even several characters based on historical figures like Dr. Rush who did his best to help his patients during this incredible time and George Washington who rides through town on his white horse near the end of the story to signal all that the danger has passed. Best of all is that each chapter begins with an excerpt from an actual letter, journal or other publication of the time. Here we get glimpses of proper etiquette for ladies, a sample of Poor Richard’s Almanac and even a bread recipe! All of which serve for either a giggle at how things have changed or to connect us to our setting.

But more wonderful than the excellent setting is the character of Matilda Cook the hard-working, ingenious and tough-as-nails 16-year-old who looses her beloved grandfather to the fever and her mother who’s displaced and lost through most of the story. Matilda finds herself alone while masses of people die in the street from malaria. But she’s definitely a survivor and by books end she’s not only preserved her family’s coffee shop from looting she’s restored it to a thriving business largely due to her own business savvy. She’s also taken on a business partner and an orphaned girl. She accomplishes this throughout the story by stepping back from situations and thinking them out. She keeps out despair by constantly re-affirming herself that she’ll make it to the next stage whatever that may be. Her strength is inspiring and engaging and for a reader who appreciates a can-do attitude there’s a lot to enjoy in Matilda.

The last point I want to tout on this book is it’s skillful use of humor. As you may guess this is often a grisly book where death is ever present and human kindness has also been quarantined. Yet Anderson through Matilda’s perspective and wit keeps this story buoyant throughout with Matilda’s intermittent humorous observations. One area where there’s some great play here is the Victorian dress of the time. When Matilda considers visiting Nathaniel (a boy she’s fond of) and may even dare to show her elbow she thinks better of it saying, “One must be careful when it comes to elbows and boys.” This historic context and Matilda’s charm are repeatedly delightful when they come together like that. 

My only complaint about the book is with a few characters like Nathaniel and the orphan Nell who add little to the story and are far from filled out as characters. It seemed there were a few characters that could have been taken out and hardly missed and in a story like this where you’re supposed to really care about the survivors it stands out. But this is mostly near the end of the book as events come to their conclusions so although noticeable there’s still other enjoyable reading going on so it’s fairly easy to overlook.

Genre of Catalog: Historic Fiction.

4. Hole in My Life

Gantos, Jack. Hole in My Life. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2002.

Annotation: As a teen, Gantos is kicked out of school for drinking and turns to psychedelic drugs thinking they will make him a writer like Kerouac or Burroughs. In reality, his drug use leads him to become a smuggler of hash. He’s eventually caught and the second half of the book is a prison memoir that realistically records Gantos’ terror in prison and his rather miraculous resilience as a developing writer and a human being.

Justification for Nomination: Joey Pigza, the main character in several books by Gantos, is a kid who suffers from ADD and often finds his life to be out of control, as a consequence Joey is often in trouble. Joey isn’t a bad kid, in fact he’s quite likeable. But bad choices and bad luck can quickly place us in a bad spot. Yet just because we might sometimes do bad things or make mistakes it doesn’t mean we’re bad people. The worst times in our lives can also be the times through which we experience the most important growth. We can see how Gantos developed this theme of human fallibility and redemption in his own life experience in his autobiography Hole in My Life.

The story arc is pretty simple: Boy wanders a troubled path, gets in serious trouble, boy does time, boy’s life is turned around for the better. But what keeps it interesting is Gantos’ humor and keen attention to detail. There are moments of the book that read like a how-to guide for drug smuggling and although some might balk that teens might use the book for just that purpose, it’s a necessary element of the narrative. Just because something’s a true story doesn’t necessarily mean it possesses verisimilitude. Gantos’ frank discussion of the life he lead gains our confidence and arrests our attention. Sure he might detail how the hid a ton of hash (literally) on the small boat that traveled from Florida to New York but he doesn’t detail how one would actually go about getting a ton of hash to begin with. So although it feels like a how-to it’s really not. The plot is interesting (trilling and terrifying at times) but it’s the other details woven in that make reading this fully worth the effort. In particular I enjoyed how Gantos details his development as a writer. His interest in writing is commented on throughout the book. In fact his plan is to take this one diversion, smuggle the hash, earn a quick ten grand, use the money to go to Florida State and gain the experience he felt he needed so that he’d have something interesting to write about. His plan does give him an opportunity to write but not in the way he’d planned. He’s arrested and convicted to prison and here between the lines and in the margins of a prison library copy of The Brothers Karamazov he starts his first real journal and takes his first serious steps as a writer. Ultimately Gantos is a positive figure in this book but only marginally. This helps though in that he’s not some superman who’s falls to unimaginable depths and then soars to unmatchable heights. No, Gantos is someone who can speak to someone else struggling with real everyday teen issues like drug use or poor self-esteem, yet harboring a greater vision for him/herself, to show that problems can be debilitating but they don’t have to define who your are. John Lennon once said, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” In most ways that is what this book is about and so it metaphorically becomes much more than just a story about crime.

Gantos indeed goes to a real prison but his story could stand as a metaphor for the many self-imposed prisons we create for ourselves. Gantos may not have mortared the bricks together for the prison that held him but he made his prison all the same. His actions (no one elses) separated him from his true desires. This could be equal to a teen dropping out of school, committing other crimes, falling into drug or alcohol abuse, just plain laziness or anything thing that comes between a teen and his/her potential. What works well for Gantos is that while highlighting the peril he finds himself in he’s also able to find enough points of light to continue on and manytimes he's suprized to find that the light comes from within. This story is less about doom and gloom than it is about assessing one’s situation and finding the way through. Compare this message to the cliché of the kid getting caught with some pot and the parent condemning him or her as “worthless.” How often do teens get a similar message after making a mistake – “do better or else!” Not only is this a burdensome yolk to bear every time you make a mistake it’s simply not true. We all make mistakes and some are 100% our fault stemming from personal desire, greed, vengance or whatever. It’s in dealing with these situations that we learn to better manage them and become better people. Sometimes the results will haunt us sometimes they’ll uplift us but either way mistakes can be indelible learning experiences and though I don’t condone running towards potential mistakes recklessly I also don’t condone condemning teens who slip while learning to navigate life’s complexities either.

Where I think this book will really connect with teens though is not necessarily through the themes of drug use, drug trafficking or the realistic prison experience offered in this book. The real connection is though Gantos himself who goes through many difficulties shared by many other teens. He lacks self-confidence largely because of severe acne flair ups especially when he’s stressed out (which, as you can image, happens often in this book). He smokes, drinks and does drugs to feel more adult, to feel like the writers he hopes to emulate and to escape the depressing world he often finds himself in. He’s lured into some shady deals but not to hurt anyone, just to make a little money. He’s forced to spend time in an institution before getting to live a free life of his choosing. Each of these elements reminded me of my own experiences growing up. Often the connections were indirect, I never had severe acne for example, but as all teens do I felt awkward and insecure about my appearance. In finding these indirect connections the book really opened up for me. I found it easy to relate to Gantos even though we’re very different people in most respects. In this way Hole in My Life has something for any reader to appreciate.

Genre of Catalog: Autobiography, Non Fiction, Prison Memoir, Printz Honors and Sibert Honors (2003)

3. Please Ignore Vera Dietz

King, A.S. Please Ignore Vera Dietz. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2010.

Annotation: Vera juggles the demands of her senior year of high school, her job and her personal relationships, which some times leads her to drink from a bottle of vodka she keeps stashed under the seat of her car. All the while Vera is haunted by the presence of her dear friend Charley who’s death is presented as a mystery gradually revealed throughout the story.

Justification for Nomination: The first aspect that grabbed me in reading Please Ignore Vera Dietz is the authentic voice of the story’s main character Vera. Vera is a loner who’s concerned about getting good grades to finish her senior year and saving up some money for college by delivering pizza. She’d be perfectly happy focusing on these two things and keeping to herself. But some issues in her life have made it impossible for her to have her druthers to be ignored. There’s her father who drinks too much after being estranged by Vera’s mother, a stripper in search of a better life elsewhere. There’s Jenny Flick, the girl from school who was jealous of Charley and who still has it in for Vera. There’s James the older man at work who Vera likes but is unsure how far she should go with him. And through it all is the memory or ghost of her friend Charley, the boy next door who’s own problems with his family led him to become involved with a sexual deviant and then to Charley’s own mysterious death. Even though Vera struggles with all of these complex issues she does so with a certain confidence that reassures us as we journey with Vera that somehow we will get through this even if everything doesn't turn out okay. Through the book we’re positioned as a sort of confidant, a best friend that Vera seeks but only seems to fleetingly find within the pages of her story. I could see this being a great fit for a teen reader similarly struggling to find the language to express him/herself. In reading this book we can’t help but feel that we’ve developed a relationship with Vera and as we ride shotgun with her we can learn humor, resilience, independence, responsibility and confidence.
A. S. King must also be credited for how the book creatively switches point of view sometimes to Charley’s ghost or to Vera’s father there’s even a couple of chapters told from the perspective of the local mall where a tragic scene of a pet store arson takes place. it also makes creative use of flowcharts (seemingly a study technique of Vera’s) that’s crosses over into other aspects of her life. From organizing the thought process of whether to hit the snooze alarm to avoiding the destiny of family curses the flowcharts in the book are an inventive way for us to get yet another look inside the mind of Vera.
This book also maintains a great balance in theme. Even though there is a gambit of adult issues addressed in this book, Vera’s character, though far from perfect, is able to delve into problematic issues like drinking and sexuality with candor and authenticity. Sure she makes mistakes but she’s also thoughtful of cause and effect in her life. She’s not one to be victimized and so she takes responsibility and attempts to change or resolve issues in her life entirely on her own if she has to. We can’t help but admire Vera and hope to take a little of her strength with us after finishing her story.
Although this book contains a ghost I’m still considering it a realistic fiction. Another remarkable technique of King is that the Ghost of Charley can be interpreted as either a figment of Vera’s imagination or as the actual spirit of Charley. Chapters from the point of view of Charley’s ghost strongly pull us to think that his spirit is a real entity, yet still leaves some room for speculation and either interpretation works fine. Aside from Charley’s ghost, every other aspect of the novel rings true. I’m only now getting experience in reading YA novels so I’m no expert, but King was able to make me, a white male in his 40s, feel like Vera Deitz’s BFF – impressive to say the least and, I suspect, exemplary of the genre.

Genre of Catalog: Realistic Fiction, Problem Novel, Mystery, Michael L. Printz Award honor book 2011.

2. Locomotion

Woodson, Jacqueline G. P. Putnam’s Sons / New York. 2003.

Annotation: Lonnie Collins Motion, AKA Locomotion is an 11 year old boy living with his foster parent Miss Edna. Lonnie is an energetic kid (hence the pseudonym “Locomotion”) and needs to express the grief of his situation along with other complex emotions that connect to school, friends and his poetry teacher, Ms. Marcus. Ms. Marcus gets Lonnie writing poetry to work out these issues and the book is sort of like Lonnie’s finished portfolio. Through his poems we come to know Lonnie and sympathize with his tragic past and hopeful future. We also get to see Lonnie develop his poetic talent one poem at a time.

Justification for Nomination: Although Locomotion is a simple, little unassuming book it accomplishes some remarkable effects with noticeable grace. Starting with the title and cover art the book promises to be energetic and like the little boy dancing on the cover the poems shift and move, snap and pop. This works well in several ways. Right away the readability of the book is heightened with the lively imagery of poetry. What’s particularly effective is that Woodson’s voice seems genuine to that of an 11 year old boy with all the aforementioned issues in his young life. Very quickly we come to know Lonnie and care about him. We want to learn more about him and through the poems we get clues to the mystery of his parents death which is the lynch pin in understanding Lonnie. The sense of mystery makes the book a page turner and with some pages only containing a haiku, the pages flip and turn like subway break-dancers. So for students with an interest in music and lyrics this book could be an excellent fit.

                        Students interested, yet cautions about poetry in general could really benefit from this book as well. Is Lonnie a “good poet?” That’s all in the eye of the beholder. But what’s interesting is that we get to see him develop as a writer though the course of the book. In his poems he includes conversations with his teacher. In the very first poem he says “I write the string-of-smoke thing down real fast./ Ms. Marcus says We’ll worry about line breaks later” (2). We see Lonnie’s talent for imagery and metaphor, yet room for thought in poetic form. In this way Locomotion also reads like an introductory course in poetry. From the teaching perspective you’ll want to keep a notebook handy because lesson plan ideas will emerge with each poem. From analyzing line breaks, imagery, word choice, rhythm and even a little rhyme, these free verse poems show how we can jump into poetry at any time and begin working out our own voice and as Paul Valery said so long ago, “A poem is never finished, only abandoned.” This book could be a great introduction to students in demonstrating that poetry (and other writing and literacy) is alive, evolving it grows as we grow and some times we grow from it.

                        The great strength of poetry as an art form is its ability to deal with complex emotions. We could have endless discussion as to weather the poems in this book (or any book) are any good. Another great strength of Locomotion is that it turns the conversation more towards asking if the poems are effective or not. One of the turn offs to poetry is the impression that poems are inaccessible riddles, an inside joke between the author and his/her poem for us to puzzle though, and analyze only to be told by the teacher that the "true" meaning is something entirely different. Instead, Locomotion presents fairly simple language yet connects to complex emotions by showing and not telling what the emotional weight is. The artistry of the book plays heavily on suggesting the emotional connection which is key in understanding other poetry and in writing our own. A good example of Lonnie direct style is in his Poetry Poem:

You don’t just get to write a poem once
You gotta write it once and over and over
until it feels real good to you
And sometimes it does
and sometimes it doesn’t
That’s what’s really great
and really stupid
about poetry.

The ambiguity of what’s “great” and “stupid” in poetry would be a fun discussion of student’s own feelings and examples of great and stupid poetry. Throughout the book Lonnie continues to invite us into his conversation in this way. For Lonnie he just needs to get it on the page. It fits with his character that he’s not to the point where he’s ready to put clear labels on his feelings, he can only describe them. This works well in that we get to understand who Lonnie is while watching him develop as a writer and all the while we’re becoming better readers of him and of poetry. What’s even more impressive is that this doesn’t come across as a gimmick. Woodson maintains such an authentic voice throughout the book that I never thought I was reading her. I always felt that I was reading Lonnie.

Genre of Catalog: Verse Novel, Free verse poetry, Realistic Fiction, Awards: Maud Hart Lovelace Award nominee, 2007-2008.

1. nothing

Teller, Janne. nothing. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2000.

Annotation: Pierre Anton is a young boy who suddenly forms the opinion that there is nothing of any value in the world. Life is only the span of time is takes to move from birth to inevitable death with nothing meaningful in between. In an attempt to prove him wrong, Peirre’s friends sacrifice everything of meaning to them in this existential tale.

Justification of Rejection: Although this story begs a fascinating question: what is important to you and why? this book is a one-trick pony that drags the reader into a pit of despair and abandons them there. The plot and setting seem to connect to Beckett’s Waiting for Godot with the introductory character of Pierre Anton climbing up into a lonely plum tree, barren in it’s autumn respite and declaring that he will not descend until someone can prove that life has some meaning to it. The rest of the book is an unfolding of Pierre’s friends sacrificing something dear to them to create a “pile of meaning” in a nearby abandoned sawmill. This begins with Dennis who sacrifices a Dungeons and Dragons book and a pattern begins where the person who sacrificed gets to choose the next person and what object they have to ante up. This quickly spirals out of control and leads to the contribution of a pet hamster which freezes to death on the pile, the exhumed corpse of a dead baby brother, the destruction and decapitation of a dog, the deflowering/rape of Sophie, and a finger crudely amputated from Jon-Johan. This morbid pile does lead to Pierre Anton descending from his tree only to be beaten mercilessly by his “friends” and cremated along with the sawmill and the pile of meaning which seems to prove his point that there is no meaning in life.

                  If you had the feeling that the names of characters I dropped were meaningless then you have a good sense of the character development of this book for we don’t get much more than that in the entire novel. The device of each child (these children are about 13 to 15 years old) sacrificing an object to the pile reveals one superficial aspect of each child each chapter for the majority of the book (hence one-trick-pony). Sophie is a virgin and so is forced into sex, Jon-Johan plays guitar and so looses a finger…but that’s about it. There are a few dynamic changes such as Sophie going crazy but these are melodramatic at best.

                  One of the main reasons this book suffers is the narrative voice. Although written in the first person, the voice of Agnes is not that of a 13 to 15 year old. Lines like, “Tall fir trees sheltered the churchyard from the street, and although they may well have protected us from any inquisitive gaze, they also screened off the street lighting, which we suddenly found ourselves in want of,” (Teller 80) do not emanate from an authentic young voice. But this is to a purpose. The voice and tone are clinically detached from the horrible events making the actions of the children themselves detached and soulless. But the content is so morbid we really don’t need it mired further by the gloomy narrative voice. It becomes hyperbolic and almost seems to be reaching for dark comedy. But as we know, a joke that misses its mark and falls flat makes us want to groan and boo. It’s extra miserable weight that this story doesn’t need.

                  Ironically this book has some success through the same devices by which it fails. It forces a reaction from the reader through its repulsion to form their own answer to Pierre Anton’s question as to what does have meaning in life. When we react strongly to the horrible actions of the children we’re affirming our own beliefs and therefore the discussion that this book could inspire could lead to very thoughtful insight and challenging assessments of the book. But for someone reading this book independently it only serves to reaffirm our own beliefs or to inspire Pierre Anton’s attitude that there is no meaning in life, no feeling, nothing. This is the attitude of a sociopath and seems to be the “truth” of the story unless the reader challenges it. It seems to condone robbery, vandalism, animal cruelty, rape, mutilation and even murder because the characters barely reflect on the terrible things they are doing. Therefore in and of itself I wouldn’t recommend this book when there are so many others out there that tread the same ground. Metamorphosis, The Stranger, and Nausea, just off the top of my head. I’d encourage anyone to read something else rather than nothing.

Genre of Catalog: Parable, Danish (translated to English), Horror. Danish Cultural Ministry Prize for best children's/youth book of 2001. Awards: Le Prix Libbylit 2008. Awards: Michael L. Printz Award, 2011.