The Sledding Hill

by Chris Crutcher

~Billy Bartholomew is dead. His best friend, Eddie Proffit, is still alive. Billy and Eddie meet on the sledding hill--like they always have. And Billy is not about to let a little thing like death stop him from hanging in there with Eddie in his epic struggle to get his life back on track.~

This isn't a book about Eddie's epic struggle. This is a book about censorship. I'm more than halfway through at this point and I've learned far more about Chris Crutcher (who is a character in the book) than I have about Eddie or Billy or anyone else. I hate to say it because I agree with the message but I'm not digging this book. Breaking the fourth wall can be a really interesting device in literature but it isn't here. It's annoying and pulls me OUT of the story instead of into it. The message here is too blatant and damn near pedantic.

"But ultimately Crutcher's agenda swamps his characters and their stories, resulting in a book that is more like a set of talking points for freedom of speech than one that, like Eddie's cherished Warren Peece, will inspire YAs to stand up and do battle." - BookList, May 15, 2005

Stained

by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

~Set in the spring of 1975, this story of a teenage girl in love with two boys, and the priest who is the link between the three of them, is filled with suspense as these characters, and the lives they've touched in their small town, intermingle with an unforgettable force. ~


Now here's an author that has a story to tell and knows how to tell it. I was on the edge of my seat, reading it all at one sitting. The flashbacks that comprised every other chapter really serve the story well, building a meaningful history and contributing to the suspense. It most definitely is not a light read. I was either sad, angry or disturbed (or a combination of the three) for nearly the entire book.

Never Mind the Goldbergs

by Matthue Roth

I feel like I wasted my time reading this book and I surely don't want to waste more time writing about it so I've decided to quote opinions from reviews that I agree with.

"Roth's rather bloated first novel begins with a compelling premise: Hava Aaronson, a 17-year-old Orthodox Jew with punk attitude, gets cast in a new television show called The Goldbergs, and moves from New York City to Los Angeles for the summer taping. There, she has a wide range of experiences: Evie, her television sister, who at 15 is already used to sex and alcohol, takes her to Hollywood parties, while Hava and Charles, her television father, share an off-air kiss, challenging the teen's practice of shomer negiah ("We weren't supposed to touch boys we weren't related to"). Meanwhile, her classmate Moish also lands in L.A., making a film of every moment of his life, and the two outsiders search together for a place to worship, struggle with their beliefs and even take a road trip together to the Bay Area. Readers will appreciate the look into Hava's modern Orthodox Jewish culture and beliefs. In addition, the show itself, some of which appears in the narrative as script, leads to some funny moments (The Goldbergs is about an Orthodox Jewish family that's "so unorthodox they're Orthodox!"); Hava's catch phrase on the show is "Oh vey, dude!" But as the story goes on and on, readers will be left wondering what exactly the point is here. Unfortunately, a surreal moment towards the end, in which Hava meets the show's producers three old rabbis and an old Jewish woman who work by candlelight may be the point at which readers stop caring about Hava's journey." - Publishers Weekly, Mar 07, 2005

"Hava tells her story in a vivid, funny, and distinguishable voice, but the narrative action is not sustained and her character development is not as clear as her barely controlled emotions and conflicted interior dialogues." - Excerpt from School Library Journal, Jun 01, 2005

Claiming Georgia Tate

by Gigi Amateau

~Georgia Tate Jamison never knew her mother, and what she knows of her daddy from their one vacation together isn’t good. Her grandparents have raised her ever since she was a baby, but they would never, ever tell her the secret that her best friend, Ginger, finally lets spill. Could Georgia Tate be the last person in Ripley, Mississippi, to learn the truth about her own mama’s death? When Nana suddenly passes away, Georgia Tate’s beloved preacher granddaddy decides that a father and daughter belong together and sends her to live with hers in Jacksonville. The only problem is that some men, like Granddaddy Tate, were always meant to be fathers – and some men, like Rayford Jamison, were never meant to be. In Gigi Amateau’s extraordinary first novel, a betrayed and tragically abused young woman indomitably pulls toward joy – and in spite of it all, gives thanks for the good rains that cleanse the soul.~

At first I was put-off by how naive and child-like 12 year-old Georgia Tate is. Once I got over that, however, the book was a good read. I wanted to love it but I only liked it. The story is moving at times and well-written but, ultimately, I had a hard time believing it. Cindy Darling Codell says in her SLJ review, "Encompassing terrible things, this is still a story of faith and differing facets of individual spirituality. A moving first offering." I have to agree. This isn't really a story about a girl abused by her father. It's a story about faith, hope and spirituality. It's the feel-good incest book of the year. And for that reason, I have a have mixed feelings about it.

Hitler Youth

by Susan Campbell Bertoletti

~"I begin with the young. We older ones are used up . . . But my magnificent youngsters! Look at these men and boys! What material! With them, I can create a new world." --Adolf Hitler, Nuremberg 1933 By the time Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, 3.5 million children belonged to the Hitler Youth. It would become the largest youth group in history. Susan Campbell Bartoletti explores how Hitler gained the loyalty, trust, and passion of so many of Germany's young people. Her research includes telling interviews with surviving Hitler Youth members.~

One of the problems with studying World War II and the Holocaust is that what happened is so astounding that it hardly seems real. The story is delivered in such simple terms (Nazis were evil and they killed Jews and tried to take over the world) that it seems like more of a fairy tale than a history lesson. How are students supposed to relate? What are we expecting them to learn? "Look out for evil people in uniforms committing genocide. They must be stopped." Even personal and moving first-person accounts like Anne Frank's diary leave important unanswered questions. Why did this happen? And how? Hitler Youth addresses these questions in an honest and accessible way. Fascinating, infuriating and sometimes painful, this book is a history lesson that young people can understand, feel and possibly even use.

Rainbow Party

by Paul Ruditis

~Rainbow Party is a cautionary tale about a group of teens faced with the prospect of attending a party involving oral sex. The novel spotlights each of their diverse viewpoints in the hours leading up to the party. It explores what each teen has -- and has not -- been up to sexually, and why. And ultimately, why they would consider going to a party like this in the first place.
This book addresses important and timeless issues relevant to teens, including self-esteem, peer pressure, awareness about STD protection, and making an informed and educated decision about readiness for sexual activity. It was inspired by numerous news reports about the prevalence and attitudes among teens towards certain types of sexual behavior, and is intended to engage readers in this real-life issue in a responsible and constructive fashion.~

Or so says the publisher. I liken it to a dirty after-school special. Need I say more?

Photo by Brady

by Jennifer Armstrong

Interesting photos. However, except for chapter 2, The Man from Illinois, I couldn't get into this book. There doesn't seem to be any focused storytelling. I can see Civil War enthusiast being interested but not teens. Or most anyone else.

Down the Rabbit Hole

by Peter Abrahams

~Welcome to Echo Falls, Home of a thousand secrets, where Ingrid Levin-Hill, super sleuth, never knows what will happen next. Ingrid is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or at least her shoes are. Getting them back means getting involved in a murder investigation rivaling those solved by her idol, Sherlock Holmes, and Ingrid has enough on her plate with club soccer, school, and the plum role of Alice in the Echo Falls production of Alice in Wonderland . But much as in Alice's adventures down the rabbit hole, things in Ingrid's small town keep getting curiouser and curiouser. Her favorite director has a serious accident onstage (but is it an accident?), and the police chief is on Ingrid's tail, grilling her about everything from bike-helmet law to the color of her cleats. Echo Falls has turned into a nightmare, and Ingrid is determined to wake up. ~

While I can tell that this book is well-written and probably a good mystery, I don't generally read mysteries. They aren't my thing. I spend half the book yelling at the main character, "Just go to the police already!" It's possible that I'm too pragmatic to just relax and enjoy the work. As for Rabbit Hole in particular, not only was the book taking too long to go somewhere, it wasn't going where I wanted it to go. However, I take responsibility for that fact and will recommend it to mystery fans because I sense that there's some quality here. The protagonist, Ingrid, is well-drawn, intelligent and likable. Abrahams takes time to detail Echo Falls and the quirks of its inhabitants, making the setting come to life. It would have been nice had he developed more of a sense of mystery earlier on because I wasn't intrigued enough to stay with the story and finish it.

One more comment... What's with the name "Cracked-Up Katie"? Do people actually give nicknames like that anymore? And wouldn't it be something less corny like... oh say... "Crazy Katie"? Just my two cents.

Day of Tears

by Julius Lester

~Emma has taken care of the Butler children since Sarah and Frances's mother, Fanny, left. Emma wants to raise the girls to have good hearts, as a rift over slavery has ripped the Butler household apart. Now, to pay off debts, Pierce Butler wants to cash in his slave "assets", possibly including Emma. Through flashbacks, foreshadowing, and shifting first-person points of view, readers will travel with Emma and others through time and space. They come to discover that every decision has its consequences, and final judgment is passed down not by man, but by his maker.~

I'm not sure what to say other than it was good, interesting and sad. I don't believe I've ever read another piece of literature that has given so many views on and insights into slavery.

"When I'm around Joe I talk a lot braver than I really am, but deep down, I like not having to worry about all the things I'd have to worry about if I was free. And maybe that's reason enough to get away from here. A real man don't live his life letting somebody else take care of him like he was their child. Mistress Henfield treats all us niggers like we are pet dogs that sit when she say sit, fetch when she say fetch, and stand up on our hind legs and beg when she say so."

This is a moving novel that wants to be read aloud. It would be a great addition to the classroom. I know I never read anything nearly as good or interesting on the subject of slavery in all my years of education. The story carries weight and maturity but remains accessible because of the dialogue/first-person format.