Big Mouth and Ugly Girl

Oates, J. C. (2002). Big Mouth & Ugly Girl. New York: HarperTempest.  ISBN 0064473473

Plot Summary

                      Ursula Riggs is not your typical girl – she doesn’t fit into the usual female mold, nor does she want to.   She’s a jock, tall and tough, and her body type is not exactly feminine.  It seems obvious to her that her face is not her greatest virtue, so she’s labeled herself Ugly Girl.  When Matt Donaghy, a big mouth by his own admission, is overheard in the cafeteria making a joke about blowing up the school and then yanked out of class by cops who investigate it as though he was serious, Ursula is the only one who believes his claims that he had no such plans.  Despite her parents’ direct order not to get involved, Ursula does what she believes is right and sticks up for Matt with the principal.  Following this she is outcast just as he is, nothing new for her, and they begin to form an unlikely friendship that evolves into a romantic relationship.  As Matt is continually ostracized and begins to spiral down into a depression, he and Ursula both together and separately struggle to come to terms with issues of morality, loyalty, identity, and self-esteem in this modern love story.     

Critical Analysis

                          This is the first young adult novel by powerhouse Joyce Carol Oates and she loses nothing of her style and mastery by writing for a younger audience.  Her adult novels fairly overflow with imagery and sumptuous prose; however, this is not the case with Big Mouth and Ugly Girl.  She has pared down her usual richness and served up a cleaner, more accessible narrative without sacrificing her talent or dumbing it down.  This modern love story is tight, complex, and layered, delivering messages of morality and search for self but not in a preachy tone that might isolate a young adult audience.  Her characters are odd and complicated, very realistic.  Ursula is hard to like sometimes, just as she would be in real life.  Matt is hapless in ways that can be frustrating, especially next to Ursula’s tough capability.  But underneath their flaws and posturing, both of these teens are vulnerable in the way that all humans are vulnerable, and it is on this level that they connect and find common ground, forming their awkward and endearing romantic connection.  There are some difficult and important issues addressed here, such as school violence and the paranoia surrounding it post-Columbine, and contemplation of suicide, and the secret, dangerous toll of damaged self-esteem.  There is humor as well, moments of lightness and ridiculousness, that even out the tone and make this novel imminently readable.  The reader will root for Ursula and Matt all the way through, even when they are frustrating or obtuse, and ultimately will find satisfaction with the ways Oates chooses to resolve this story.

Reader’s Annotation

                                  Matt Donaghy and his big mouth are caught making a joke about blowing up the school – and before he knows it, he is ostracized and even criminalized by the entire community.  Only Ursula Riggs, self-dubbed Ugly Girl, will stick up for him, and they find themselves forming an unlikely friendship that leads to more.

About the Author

                             Joyce Carol Oates was born in 1938 in New York state.  She has been a writer and storyteller her entire life.  Her first novel was rejected at seventeen because the subject matter, the publisher felt, was too dark.  She attended college for English at Syracuse University and subsequently taught English and writing at a number of distinguished universities over a period of several decades. 

                             Her writing career began in 1963 and since then she has published a hugely prolific collection of works, including fiction, short stories, essays, nonfiction, plays, literary criticism, and poetry.  Among many others, some awards won by Oates include the National Humanities Medal,  the National Book Award, and the O. Henry Award.    She is perhaps best known for her discipline and her prolific nature.

                       

Genre

         Romance - contemporary

Challenge Issues

                          Possible challenge issues in this book include profanity, truancy, discussion of violence and suicide, and questionable morals.  In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book.  The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.

Curriculum Ties

                         English and Writing: voice and point of view.

Booktalk

              Have you ever made an offhanded comment you didn't mean and had it taken so seriously it actually got you into trouble?  This is exactly what happens to Matt Donaghy and no one will stick up for him but Ursula, a jock girl who doesn't fit in anywhere.  You never know who will come to your defense when you need it.

Reading Level and Interest Age

                                                    Grades 9-12.

                                                  

Why I Included This Book

                                           I am an avid reader of Joyce Carol Oates and was thrilled to find that she had written a young adult novel.  I was not disappointed - although the style is different, her expert handling of difficult topics involving modern society was just as sound.  Nothing was sacrificed in writing for a younger audience.  There are important issues discussed in this novel that young adult readers would definitely benefit from examining, such as self-esteem, identity, loyalty, and morality.  This book is truly original and worthwhile - a contemporary love story between two underdogs that delivers a sound and impactful message as well.

References

Joyce Carol Oates. (2011). Biography.com. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/joyce-carol-oates-9426174     

Joyce Carol Oates. (2011). Wikipedia.com.  Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Carol_Oates               

The Anatomy of Wings

Foxlee, K. (2009). The anatomy of wings. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0375847618

Plot Summary

                       It all started with a miracle, a vision on Beth’s part, after which she was never the same, drifting from the safety of her family and her predictable life to a darker place.  Despite the beseeching, the anger, and the earnest attempts to bring her back, there was simply no recovering her.  Soon after, her younger sister Jennifer’s singing voice vanishes without a trace, and the key to where it has gone lies somewhere in the tangled circumstances of Beth’s emotional unraveling and tragic death.  Jennifer and her best friend set out to solve the mystery in hopes of regaining Jennifer’s lost voice and discovering the meaning of Beth’s undoing.  Around them the family is breaking apart – the father absent, the mother silent, the grandmother exiled for speaking her mind, and the siblings left in Beth’s wake scattered and struggling to understand.  Through Jennifer’s bewildered perspective we move back and forth between the aftermath of Beth's death and the story of her descent from good girl to bad girl.  This story is tenderly and expertly told, hilarious in parts, painful in others, infused with a glow of magic, but achingly true to life in a way that resonates long after the story is over.

Critical Analysis

                          The beauty and fluidity of the prose, dialog, and imagery in this story cannot be overstated.  Foxlee is a masterful storyteller and a brilliantly talented writer.  Every moment is clearly seen with just enough detail to bring the scene to life but never heavy-handed or overstated.  The characters are set adrift after a tragedy that has no resolution, no closure, and she achieves their helplessness and grief with an accuracy that will make the reader hurt.  She handles moving back and forth through time with ease so that the reader is never lost, and the decisions she makes about when to do this and what to reveal are purposeful, never gimmicky.  Jennifer is a wonderful character, funny, bright, innocent and well-meaning, and through her perspective we feel the pain of the entire family.  The stories of the other families on their street might seem at odds with the plot line at first, but over time they provide context for the community and round out the book so that it is not simply an account of a family grieving, but rather a story about humanity and survival.  The place, a small town in Australia, plays an important but not overbearing role.  The unique characteristics of their landscape and the people who live in it provide a vibrant backdrop for these characters.  Finally there is the use of objects to spur this story forward and to provide signposts in the unraveling of Beth’s mysterious downfall.  The braid wrapped in cellophane, the ballet shoes wrapped in their laces, the half heart pendant, the application for secretarial school – Jennifer and Angela use these objects as clues in understanding why Beth went bad, what was done to try to keep her still, and why all of their efforts failed, resulting in a death that may or may not have been accidental – and this is a question that will likely never be answered, setting the haunting tone for this luminous novel.

Reader’s Annotation

                                  Beth, the beautiful eldest, the star of the family, is dead of questionable circumstances after a bewildering spiral down into darkness.  Her younger sister Jennifer lost her lovely singing voice sometime during Beth’s undoing and she and her best friend Angela set out to solve the mystery of where her voice has gone and why Beth left them so jarringly.

About the Author

                          Karen Foxlee was born and raised in Mount Isa, Queensland.  She worked as a registered nurse for most of her career but always wanted to be a writer.  After attending school to earn her degree in creative writing, she achieved this dream by writing her debut novel, The Anatomy of Wings.

                          Foxlee has earned several awards, such as the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize Best First Book for the Asia Pacific region and the Dobbie Award for a first published Australian female writer.  In college she also earned an Emerging Author Manuscript Award.  The Anatomy of Wings has been published in the United Kingdom and the United States as well as Australia.  It is her only book to date.

Genre

         Multicultural - teens around the world  

Challenge Issues

                          Possible challenge issues in this book include underage sex, drinking, and drugs, death, suicide, truancy, questionable morals, and magic or miracles.  In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book.  The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.

Curriculum Ties

                         English and Writing: prose, place, dialog, point of view, story arc, and objects/symbolism.

Booktalk

              What motivates people to do what they do?  What motivates them to behave like they should?  Why would a perfectly good girl who had everything suddenly veer off course and begin living her life on the edge?  These are the questions that Jennifer is left with after the death of her older sister Beth.  What she discovers and remembers about Beth's downfall, and what she discovers about herself and her family, will keep you turning the pages of this book and make you reluctant to put it down once you're done.

Reading Level and Interest Age

                                                   Grades 9-12, although interest level could go much higher.

                                                  

Why I Included This Book

                                          I have rarely been so impressed by a book that I just picked from a shelf based on the title and the cover.  This book reads like a novel written for any age, not just young adults.  Foxlee's examination of a family in crisis is impactful and important.  This is a story about hope, grief, and survival, and any one at any age could benefit from reading it. 

References

Karen Foxlee. (2011). SpeakersInk.com. Retrieved from http://speakers-ink.com.au/index.php/karen-foxlee.html

A Deadly Game of Magic

Nixon, J. L. (1983). A deadly game of magic. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Plot Summary

                      Following an out of town school activity, classmates but not-quite-friends Lisa, Teena, Bo, and Julian find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere during a dangerous rainstorm.  The bearded inhabitant of a house they happen upon offers to let them wait for the tow truck indoors – but he quickly leaves under mysterious circumstances and the four teens are at odds about whether to remain alone in a stranger’s house.  The weather forces their decision, however, and they decide to tough out the storm.  Derived from clues found all around them, they determine that the elderly widow of a magician lives there, and that she kept all of her husband’s creepy tricks and equipment after he was tragically burned to death.  Almost immediately, odd occurrences begin popping up all over the house.  More and more it seems that they are not alone and that whatever is lurking in the darkness wants them out.  Fortunately Lisa has a personal interest in magic and can decode many of the illusions they are seeing – but what they cannot decode is whether the presence in the house is living or dead, or both.

Critical Analysis

                          The most effective tension in this novel is achieved by the questions posed by Nixon that are teasingly unanswered throughout the course of the story.  What lurks in the back room that scared the tow truck driver enough for him to pass out and then bolt, leaving the four teenagers stranded there?  Are these strange experiences real magic tricks or supernatural occurrences?  Is the magician who was married to the resident of the house really dead and back from the grave, or did she stage his death and now he is out for revenge?  The reader vacillates back and forth between believing one thing and another as Nixon slowly develops this story.  There are some very effective creepy clues, such as the continual imagery of missing or disembodied heads in paper dolls, plaster replicas placed on a stack of pillows, a stuffed sweater set upright in a chair, and an illusion performed with the unconscious body of one of the teens.  There is also the sly mention of a small guillotine in the beginning of the story and the issue of its missing full-size mate, since, as Lisa says, they always come in a set.  This detail is raised and then dropped, only to be brought up again at the end of the story when the reader can finally infer what grisly scene is in the room at the end of the hall.  The characters each have personal issues they are struggling with in their lives and, throughout the course of this difficult night, they individually come clean about who they really want to be, separate from who their parents are pressuring them to be.  There is an element of symbolism in Nixon’s use of illusions, as the characters are sustaining their own personal illusions by behaving in ways that their parents want them to.  There are parts of this book that are a little bit too pat and convenient to be credible, such as the fact that Lisa just happens to know everything about magic and understands all of the old equipment, and the fact that the competition they just participated in involved miming so they have the necessary black costumes to remain hidden and fool the magician, but this novel is fun and suspenseful and suspending disbelief is not too much of a hardship.

Reader’s Annotation

                                  When four classmates suffer a car breakdown in the middle of a downpour, they are forced to wait for the tow truck inside a creepy house.  Strange, threatening occurrences start happening all at once inside the house and they must use their wits and teamwork in order to survive until morning.

About the Author

                            Joan Lowery Nixon began writing before she could even read, by dictating her work to her mother.  She grew up in Hollywood and had her first work published at the age of ten, in a children’s magazine.  She attended college for journalism, but later became more interested in fiction writing – mysteries in particular.     

                            Nixon wrote over 100 books total, including picture books, mysteries, and historical novels.  She won many awards, most notably the Edgar Award for mystery novels, which was given to her four times.  She was a member of the Author’s Guild and a board member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers.  She passed away in Houston, TX in 2003.

Genre

         Mystery/Suspense - suspense

Challenge Issues

                          Possible challenge issues in this book include magic.  In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book.  The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.

Curriculum Ties

                         English and Writing: suspense and symbolism.

Booktalk

              Stranded in a creepy house with a group of classmates who aren't really your friends, assaulted on all sides by illusions or are they the work of a ghostly presence, a strangely silent back room that seems to hold a secret too terrible to look at - this is what Lisa and her three teammates face on their way back from a school tournament.  Throw in a terrible storm that knocks out the power and the phones and you have a very suspenseful novel that will keep you guessing.

Reading Level and Interest Age

                                                    Grades 7-11.

                                                  

Why I Included This Book

                                          This is a suspense novel at its heart, but there are deeper issues addressed in the story as well, such as identity and parental pressures to achieve.  It is a fun book, a page-turner for sure, and there is a deeper message that may ring with young adult readers in ways they did not expect. 

References

Joan Lowery Nixon.  (2011). Scholastic.com. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/contributor/joan-lowery-nixon

Jack

Homes, A. M. (1989). Jack. New York: Macmillan.

Plot Summary

                      Jack is completely happy and carefree, until the day his dad moves out of his mother’s bedroom, and then out of the house completely.  Jack’s mother refuses to speak with her estranged husband and, even worse, for a while refuses to let him see his son.  Caught in the middle and clueless as to why any of this is happening, Jack struggles to adjust to this new life and the absence of his father.  Then comes the day when his father rows him out to the middle of a lake where he can’t escape and drops the bomb that will change their lives forever: he left because he is gay, and he is living with a man – a friend of the family, no less, that Jack has known for years.  Jack is stunned, angry, and more than anything, confused.  There are so many questions and no good answers.  As he fights to come to terms with this, he discovers that it isn’t only his family who appeared perfect on the outside but was riddled with secrets on the inside.  This is the story of Jack as he grows up and learns hard lessons about the world around him, and a close examination of love, family, and the ties that bind people even through extreme hardship.

Critical Analysis

                          One of the true strengths of A.M. Homes is her ability to create characters that are selfish, flawed, and truly likable all at once.  Jack reacts horribly to the news that his father is gay, but his is saved from the role of spoiled brat because the reader knows his heart is good and his anger and venom come from a shock and a lack of understanding.  Jack’s mother can be equally mercurial and selfish, and his father is unreasonable in his expectations.  Jack’s best friend is boorish and dense, and no help at all throughout the difficult situations they both experience.  That having been said, all of these characters are real and relatable; their reactions are realistic, not orchestrated for dramatic effect.  This reads almost like a nonfiction book in its honesty.  The dialog is true to teenagers without being too dated or corny, and the bullying pointed at Jack once the secret comes out is on par with the ignorance and cruelty everyone experienced in one way or another at this age.  Every character in this story evolves and comes to terms at least somewhat, but not in an orchestrated, unrealistic way.  Following a very upsetting incident with a family friend and domestic violence, Jack sees his parents pull together and reconnect as they haven’t been able to do since the divorce.  This does not happen overnight, but years after the split – a very realistic timeline for a family experiencing this kind of rift.  Alongside this story is a more normal one: that of Jack’s first real relationship.  He experiences sexual tension and bumbling inability to act normal around the girl he is dating.  These scenes are endearing and true to life and show the contrast between the normal pressures of adolescence and the difficult family issues Jack is dealing with as well.  On the whole, this is a well-executed coming of age story with an important message about understanding diversity.

Reader’s Annotation

                                 Jack’s family is perfect – or so it seems until his father is suddenly gone from the house and his parents can’t hold a conversation without fighting.  When Jack’s father tells him the real reason behind the split, that he is gay, Jack must deal with his own complicated feelings about this as well as the backlash when everyone else finds out.

About the Author

                            A.M. Homes was born in Washington D.C. and currently lives in New York City.  In addition to many novels and collections of short stories, she has also written a memoir detailing the true story of her birth and adoption and her quest for identity.  Among many other distinguished activities, she has been active on the board of Yaddo and The Writers’ Room, was writer and producer for the 2004 season of television hit The L Word, and is a regular contributor to such magazines as Zoetrope, McSweeney’s, and The New Yorker.

                            Several of her novels and short stories have been made into award-winning major motion pictures and made-for-television movies.  She has received many honors, including Fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Benjamin Franklin Award.  Her books have been translated into eighteen languages.

Genre

        Issues - GLBTQ parents

Challenge Issues

                          Possible challenge issues in this book include profanity, homosexuality, domestic violence, and sexual tension.  In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book.  The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.

Curriculum Ties

                         English and Writing: voice, character development, and story arc. 

Booktalk

              How would you feel if you found out your family had a huge secret that had been right under your nose for years?  That's what happens to Jack, meaning he has to deal not only with his parents' divorce, but with his sudden understanding that his father has been living a lie.  How he deals with this news is not always pretty, but it is always real.

Reading Level and Interest Age

                                                   Grades 8-12. 

                                                  

Why I Included This Book

                                          A.M. Homes is one of my very favorite authors.  Her young adult book is just as edgy and honest as her writing for adults, but true to the voice and feelings of a younger character.  She does not pull any punches or dumb anything down.  This reads exactly like A.M. Homes, just for a different audience.  Her truthful exploration of a difficult issue is important for teens to read and the realism will resonate with them.  This book would do well in a collection, both as a novel that addresses important issues, and a good coming of age story for anyone.

References

Homes, A.M. (n.d.). Biography. Retrieved from http://www.amhomesbooks.com/index.php?mode=text&section_id=111

Beauty Queens

Bray, L. (2011). Beauty queens. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439895979

Plot Summary

                      When a plane full of teen beauty pageant contestants crashes onto a desert island, chaos ensues.  No cell phones, no showers, no mirrors or make-up – how will these girls carry on?  Some of the survivors want to focus on shelter and food, while some want to keep their eyes on the prize and continue pageant rehearsal.  At first they cannot get it together, but as the circumstances grow more dire thanks to tsunamis, giant snakes, and the threat of starvation, they slowly pull together and find that they are more capable than they or any of their relentless parents and pageant sponsors could have thought.  As time wears on, the girls begin to discover who they truly are without the pressure of the pageant and their daily lives, and they are able to unite and achieve true girl power in the face of extreme opposition.  But can they keep it together despite the constant onslaught of fresh peril – including a murderous presence on the island and a wrecked pirate ship of beautiful boys who threaten to send them spiraling back to helpless giggles and batted eyelashes?

Critical Analysis

                          Hidden in what first appears to be a vacuous novel about self-absorbed, unrealistic characters is a true anthem of feminine power and self-discovery.  When they first crash, the teen beauty queens are hopeless.  Some give up immediately, some pin their hopes on unrealistic ideas of immediate rescue, some focus nonsensically on the pageant itself with continued pointless preparations, and some snipe viciously at their fellow castaways.  But the perils of the island become increasingly clear, and there is no choice but to pull together and put their extracurriculars to use – previously only useful for impressing judges and rounding out pageant entry forms.  Imagine their surprise when they discover that each and every one of them is capable of more than smiling, waving, and spouting empty pageant rhetoric.  Gradually the unique story of each character becomes known, encompassing a variety of hardships including juvenile delinquency, broken homes, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, sexuality, and, above all, crippling feelings of inadequacy.  The girls come to life as the novel unfolds, seeming almost to inflate as the reader understands each of their individual struggles.  One of the characters compares their time on the island to Lord of the Flies, pointing out that the boys on that island broke down without society to rein them in, but perhaps girls truly blossom without society keeping them in line.  Point of view switches freely between the girls, confusing at first when they all seem like stock characters, but more easily deciphered as they grow unique.  Mostly the story is told from the perspective of Adina, a teenage journalist and bass player who entered the pageant to bring it down from the inside.  She, too, is in for a hard lesson, not only about herself, but about the girls who she underestimated as bubble-headed and vain.  The plot is raucous and nonstop, twisting and turning to the point of ridiculous, but it is all in good fun, as this novel does not take itself seriously in the slightest.  The message here is clear: be yourself, embrace your so-called flaws, and don’t allow the pressure to be perfect to rob you of your natural perfection.                     

Reader’s Annotation

                                  Can a crashed plane full of teen beauty queens survive being stranded together on a desert island?  These girls must pull together in the face of peril in order to stay alive, and along the way they discover amazing things about themselves and each other.

About the Author

                            Libba Bray grew up in Texas, the daughter of a preacher.  She started writing early.  Her first story was about a family held hostage by a group of murdering bank robbers, whose plot is sabotaged by the twelve-year old daughter.  When she was eighteen she was involved in a horrendous car wreck that severely damaged her face and caused her to lose one of her eyes.  Following years of reconstructive surgery, she moved to New York, where she still lives with her husband and son.  She loves movies, music, and guilty pleasures like Velveeta.  One of her bad habits is overeating.

                            Her favorite way to write is to take her laptop (named Lucille) to a coffee shop and listen to the eclectic music played by baristas as she types.  Although she does commonly write about girls, her themes vary greatly, from beauty pageants to Gothic romances to mad cow disease.  She has also written a collection of short stories.

Genre

         Romance - chick lit

Challenge Issues

                          Possible challenge issues in this book include sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, underage drinking, and profanity.  In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book.  The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.

Curriculum Ties

                        English and Writing: voice, character development, dialog, and parody.

Booktalk

              Do you judge people by the way they look?   Do you feel like you get judged by the way you look?  When these beauty queens get stranded on a desert island, they have to look beyond the surface in both themselves and the girls around them, and in the process they discover that people do not necessarily fit into the narrow categories created for them.

Reading Level and Interest Age

                                                   Grades 9-12.

                                                  

Why I Included This Book

                                          Chick lit can sometimes be underestimated as shallow and pointless, like harlequin romance novels.  This book flashes the shiny veneer of chick lit but boasts a much more substantial message and plot line.  While not taking itself seriously, it delivers a serious lesson: love yourself for who you are, don't let the stereotypes and pressure define you.  It was a welcome surprise to me and enhances my collection.

References

Bray, L. (n.d.). Biography. Retrieved from http://www.libbabray.com/bio.html

Claiming Georgia Tate

Amateau, G. (2005). Claiming Georgia Tate. Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0763633119

Plot Summary

                       Georgia Tate is perfectly content living with her grandparents.  Her father is far away and her mother is dead – or so she thought.  The same day she finds out that her mother is actually alive somewhere in the world is the day her beloved grandmother suffers a stroke and dies.  Thinking it is the best thing for her, Georgia’s grandfather sends her to live with her father, a prospect that terrifies her.  The things her father did to her on a recent visit, unmentionable things that make her feel wrong inside, are a secret she cannot divulge to her grandfather.  Her father’s girlfriend quickly becomes jealous of the inappropriate attention he gives to Georgia and kicks them both out, leaving the two of them alone in a filthy apartment.  She is forced to dress provocatively and act as his girlfriend in public, her only hope that he will drink enough to pass out at night before starting in on her.  She is completely alone and struggling to survive – until she meets a fascinating transsexual in an upstairs apartment who seems understanding and willing to help.  This story is gritty, unflinching, and dark, but there are elements of light and hope for Georgia as she struggles to escape her pain.

Critical Analysis

                           The subject matter of this book – sexual abuse at the hands of the main character’s father - is uncomfortable and disturbing but handled tastefully.  There are scenes of seduction and affection that will make the reader squirm, and the pinnacle of the abuse, the rape scene, is painful but not gratuitous.  Much is left up to the imagination of the reader in a way that feels artful rather than insufficient.  Georgia’s isolation and unhappiness are the main focus of this story, and the reader feels these emotions along with her as she struggles to feed herself adequately, entertain herself during long, lonely hours, and fight against the filth of the apartment where she lives with her father.  She is in a hopeless situation but keeps battling forward despite downfall after downfall.  The cast of characters surrounding her is diverse and fully realized – her grandparents and aunt and their gentle, southern ways, the transvestite Tamika and her tough but sympathetic personality after years of facing personal opposition, her father and his deeply inappropriate, violent possession of Georgia, and the unexpectedly kind ex-convict she meets on the bus when she is finally heading home.  It’s true that this novel does lay the tragedy on thick.  There is sexual abuse, mental illness, a recounted suicide attempt, death, extreme misfortune, and there is the feeling of Georgia never catching a break no matter how hard she tries to rise above.  But despite this, the novel does not feel too heavy-handed.  There is humor and hope with Tamika, the pure love of her grandfather and all of her family back home, unexpected kindness popping up at times when she needs it most, and Georgia herself, buffeted by these difficult situations but fighting to move forward despite them.  The language of this novel is also lovely.  The dialog is realistic and the settings are fully described so that the reader always has a good sense of the place.  All of these elements make this book an absorbing and quick, if somewhat heavy, read.

Reader’s Annotation

                                  Georgia feels safe with her grandparents - safe from a father who does things to her that no father should do – but this world collapses when she loses her beloved grandmother and is sent to stay with her father and their terrible secret.  She is struggling to make it from day to day and losing hope when she meets an unlikely ally in an upstairs apartment.

About the Author

                            Gigi Amateau was raised in Virginia and went to school for Urban Studies and Planning.  For twenty years she worked in the nonprofit community.  She currently lives in Virginia with her husband and their daughter.  When she is not writing, she enjoys riding horses, bird-watching, and gardening.

                             Claiming Georgia Tate was Amateau’s first novel and achieved considerable success.  Among others, she received honors and praise from School Library Journal, New York Public Library, and Book Sense.  She has written two other books and taken part in an anthology as well.

Genre

         Issues - abuse

Challenge Issues

                          Possible challenge issues in this book include profanity, suicide, sex and sexual abuse, a transvestite character, and alcoholism.  In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book.  The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.

Curriculum Ties

                         English and Writing: place, dialog, and character development.

Booktalk

              What if you suddenly lost someone who meant the world to you and had to move to an unfamiliar place where you felt threatened?  What if you had to figure out how to get food, how to clean and maintain an entire filthy apartment, and you had no one to talk to, no one to help?  This is what Georgia is going through, and much worse.  Read this book to find out how she copes and how she manages to find help even when her world is at its darkest.

Reading Level and Interest Age

                                                    Grades 10-12.

                                                  

Why I Included This Book

                                         This is a well-written book about an important issue.  Amateau handles disturbing subject matter with grace and realism.  Teens will benefit from understanding the difficult topics set forth in Georgia's story whether they have gone through something like this or not.  For these reasons, I feel it enhances any collection.   

References                  

Amateau, G. (2011). About Gigi. Retrieved from http://www.gigiamateau.com/books.php

The Catcher in the Rye

Salinger, J. D. (1951). The catcher in the rye. Boston: Little, Brown. ISBN 0316769177

Plot Summary

                      Holden Caulfield is stranded in a world of phonies, jerks, and people who just don’t understand him.  He feels at odds with the boys he knows at boarding school, the girls with whom he engages in a push-and-pull of attraction and  dislike, the adults who expect things from him that he just can’t give, and his still-grieving family after the death of a younger brother from cancer.  Following expulsion from yet another school, Holden finds himself adrift in New York, passing the time before he goes home and faces his parents after this latest failure.  He spends his time trying to connect to a vast array of characters – nuns, mothers, cab drivers, tourists, teachers, old girlfriends - and is repeatedly rebuffed, misunderstood, and annoyed.  His little sister, the precocious Phoebe, is the only one who he can communicate with, and he finds bright spots with her.  As time drags on and Holden spirals deeper into a depression stemming not only from the expulsion but from years of disconnection, he struggles to understand what he wants and what happens next.

Critical Analysis

                          This novel, written by notoriously reclusive literary great J.D. Salinger, is told from the perspective of an adolescent but originally intended for adults.  However, because of the spot-on accuracy of the voice and viewpoints expressed by Holden, undoubtedly one of the most iconic young adult characters of all time, this book is and always has been extremely popular with young adult readers.  The voice in this book is perhaps the most important literary element.  Holden is vulnerable, sarcastic, sharply observant, highly analytical, and a masterful mix of mature and immature, and this is beautifully expressed in his unique, repetitive young adult language.  Words such as phony, madman, swell, moron, crazy – this language shows up again and again in the patterns of Holden’s speech, creating a highly believable and realistic narrative.  Sometimes Holden is likable and sometimes he is not, but always he is believable and consistent.  The story and characters are seen exclusively through his somewhat distorted and judgmental lens, making this completely Holden’s story and Holden’s world.  There is humor in this novel, and sadness, and love, and anger, and injustice, the whole spectrum of human emotion experienced in this period of days as Holden struggles to stay afloat despite his spiraling depression.  From outside his head, the reader recognizes that this is a story about never quite fitting in or measuring up, emotions young adults often feel, as well as a story about coping with the grief of losing someone you love, namely Allie, Holden’s brother.  The reader feels these aching emotions, and experiences Holden’s New York, a place haunted by the past, as he moves aimlessly through it trying to make sense of what has happened and what will come.

Reader’s Annotation

                                 Holden Caulfield has time to kill before he returns home following yet another expulsion from school.  He drifts aimlessly around New York, struggling to connect, struggling to understand, and waiting with apprehension for what comes next in his crazy life.

About the Author

                            J.D. Salinger, highly famous for his extremely reclusive nature, was born in New York City in 1919.  Known as Sonny when he was a child, he was obviously intelligent but did not apply this intelligence to his schooling.  He flunked out of school and his parents sent him to a military academy.  Following graduation, he was sent by his father to Europe to learn another language and to study the import industry.  He returned home and began college and, in part thanks to a professor who encouraged him and promoted his work, started to write in earnest.  But this was interrupted as he was soon shipped off to World War II.  Following the war, he suffered mental trauma and had to be hospitalized.  Once he recovered, he began writing again and completed The Catcher in the Rye, which was published and immediately achieved enormous success. 

            The attention brought by success was too much for Salinger and he moved from New York to a private estate in Cornish, New Hampshire, where he lived up to the day he died in 2010.  Following a short story released in 1965, he retreated completely from the public eye and never published again.  His reclusive personal life was often marred by unflattering tell-all memoirs from ex-wives and even his daughter.  Rumor has it that he continued to write every day and produced many unpublished novels, but no evidence has come forth to support this following his death.  His works continue to be highly influential and widely read.

Genre

         Crossover 

Challenge Issues

                          Possible challenge issues in this book include underage drinking and smoking, profanity, discussion of sex and prostitution, and questionable morality. In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book.  The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.

Curriculum Ties

                         English and Writing: voice, dialog, character development, and point of view. 

Booktalk

              Holden is an outcast in his own world.  He never fits in, he never measures up, he can't seem to behave the way people want him to behave.  After yet another failure at yet another school, he drifts along on his own trying to figure out how to tell his parents that he just isn't able to make his life work the way it's supposed to.  We have all felt this way at one time or another.  Holden is completely honest and thinks the things everyone has thought but maybe not said aloud.  His story is inspirational, relatable, and a relief to all of us who have felt that we are alone in the world even while surrounded by a crowd of well-meaning people.

Reading Level and Interest Age

                                                   Grades 9-12, although interest goes all the way up to adult age as this is a crossover novel intended for adults.

                                                  

Why I Included This Book

                                          This is my favorite book, period.  I read it when I was eleven years old after finding my mother's original copy from the fifties in a box of her things.  It blew my mind wide open and I have read it at least once a year, if not more, every year for the past two decades.  This story is achingly honest, poignant, and hilarious.  Holden and the entire novel are iconic and no collection would be complete without it.

References

J.D. Salinger. (2011). Biography.com. Retrieved 04:17, Nov 26, 2011 from http://www.biography.com/people/jd-salinger-9470070

                

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Rowling, J. K. (1999). Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books.

Plot Summary

                      Harry is always relieved to escape his family and return to school.  But his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry starts off horribly when he suffers a severe reaction to the ghastly floating prison guards known as Dementors surrounding the train to school and Hogwarts itself.  He and his best friends Ron and Hermione soon learn that Dementors are there looking for the infamous Sirius Black, a prisoner escaped from Azkaban, reportedly Voldemort’s right hand man who is out to kill Harry as an act of loyalty to his master.  He remains more or less under lockdown at Hogwarts where strange occurrences are afoot – such as a dire prediction during normally sleepy divination class, inexplicable activity on a useful tracking device known as the Marauder’s map, and one revealing discovery after another regarding Harry’s past overheard from under the invisibility cloak.  Layers to this epic story begin peeling away, laying the groundwork for the rest of the series, as Harry learns that Sirius Black was not only Voldemort’s henchman but also his father’s friend, and that many others around him are not necessarily what they appear to be.

Critical Analysis

                          Prisoner of Azkaban, the third Harry Potter book, takes an important step forward in the series with its revelation of an increasingly complex past.  Harry discovers more and more about his family and about the cast of characters surrounding him.  Important players are introduced in this book, including Remus Lupin as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Scabbers morphing into his human form to provide important assistance to Voldemort during his ongoing transformation, and of course Sirius Black, who is revealed to be Harry’s ally and godfather.  Rowling is truly laying the groundwork here for a mature, well-rounded story rather than simply a children’s series.  Increasingly Harry is forced to come to grips with his painful past and understand what happened to him the day his parents died.  He is forced to deal with the ever burgeoning reality of Voldemort and the fact that he is both a helpless target and a potential hero.  Ron and Hermione are with him all the way, although just as scared and confused as Harry.  The network of witches and wizards surrounding and protecting him – later known as The Order of the Phoenix – is increasingly important and fleshed out in this novel, setting up the reader for the inevitable war against Voldemort.  The reader becomes truly invested in Harry’s world and its dangers and uncertainties with this novel, more so than the ones preceding it.  The setting of Hogsmeade is also introduced, a rich and fully seen town augmenting Hogwarts, and the setting of many important revelations for Harry as he skulks around under his invisibility cloak.  As with all of her books, the ending mounts to a wonderful tension involving time travel, injury and danger to major characters, and the constant unraveling of one mystery after another.  The final scenes leave the reader in high anticipation for the next in the series.

Reader’s Annotation

                                  The escaped prisoner Sirius Black, a henchman of Voldemort’s bent on revenge-killing Harry Potter, is loose and Harry finds himself smothered by the protectiveness of those at Hogwarts and the presence of evil prison guards known as Dementors.  As he delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Sirius, Harry begins to discover things about the day his parents died and his past that will change the way he views everyone and everything around him.

About the Author

                            J.K. Rowling grew up in the English countryside with her mother, father, and sister.  Practically from birth, she was cast as the brainy one while her sister was cast as the pretty one, so they fought against these roles and against each other for most of their childhoods.  When they weren’t fighting, Rowling was making up stories and casting herself and her sister in roles which they would act out extravagantly.  Already she was creating worlds both through acting out and writing, although no one took this talent seriously.   In school she studied everything but writing, against her better judgment, and worked as a teacher before she finally found a muse arresting enough to hold her attention: Harry Potter.  The rest is history.

                             Harry Potter is a worldwide sensation that gained increasing popularity as each successive book came out.  All of the books have been made into major motion pictures and have been translated into countless languages all over the world. 

Genre

         Fantasy - magic/wizards 

Challenge Issues

                          Possible challenge issues in this book include witchcraft and magic.  In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book.  The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.

Curriculum Ties

                         English and Writing: story arc, character development, and the fantasy genre.

Booktalk

              Harry must come to terms with a family and a past that he never knew, including Siruis Black, an escaped lunatic who, it is rumored, is out to kill him.  But he discovers as the story progresses that there is more to Sirius than meets the eye.  Along with the ongoing threat of Voldemort, Harry and his friends delve deeper into the mystery of Sirius and his connection to Harry and discover that very little around them is as it seems to be.  This book is a very absorbing and hard to put down, thanks to a twisting and turning plot and the use of a number of particularly fascinating magic tools, such as time travel, the invisibility cloak, and the Maurader's map.

Reading Level and Interest Age

                                                   Grades 7-12, although interest level goes to adult age.

                                                  

Why I Included This Book

                                          I love this book because Sirius Black, one of the most complex and interesting characters in the series, comes into play and introduces a new layer to Harry's past and the fight of the entire witch and wizard community against Voldemort.  The introduction of Hogsmeade is a fun addition as well.  The characters begin coming of age in this book, more fully than the ones that precede it, and as a reader you make important advances into the story of Harry's fight against Voldemort.  No young adult collection would be complete without the Harry Potter books.

References

Rowling, J.K. (n.d.). Bio. Retrieved from http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/biography.cfm

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Rowling, J. K., & GrandPré, M. (2000). Harry Potter and the goblet of fire. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books. ISBN 0439139600

 Plot Summary

                      The famed Tri-Wizard Tournament is slated to take place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, meaning the year will be livened up considerably by the presence of competitors from other schools and the crowds attending the games.  Harry, Hermione, and Ron attend the picking of the name from the Goblet of Fire along with the rest of their classmates and are shocked to discover that two Hogwarts contenders are selected by the goblet – Cedric Diggory, upperclassman and outstanding student, and Harry Potter, who is too young to participate.  The decision of the Goblet is final, however, casting Harry into yet another test of his character and knowledge.  The school turns against him, including his best friend Ron, believing that he used magic to sneak his name past the rules and remain in the spotlight.  As Harry prepares, he flounders and doubts himself and fights to clear his name of any wrongdoing.  And as if this weren’t enough, all the while Voldemort continues to gain power and strength.  He needs Harry’s blood in order to fully recover and he is bent on getting it however necessary.  The climax of this book will shock readers with its brutality, nonstop action, and groundbreaking advances forward into the compelling story of Harry’s life and destiny.

Critical Analysis

                          While it is true that most of the action and excitement takes place at the end of this book, the account of the games themselves, the competitors, Harry’s preparation, and his evolving relationships with everyone around him are just as compelling to a devoted Harry Potter reader as the exciting conclusion.  Harry is growing older, as are Ron and Hermione, and their loyalty to him is tested by the inexplicable appearance of his name in the Goblet of Fire.  Hermione remains by his side but Ron is dubious and jealous.  These are very real and understandable emotions, especially for a fourteen-year-old, and the fact that Rowling allowed Ron to experience these feelings lends believability to the characters and their interactions.  Devout loyalty would not have been as realistic and would have made for a much flatter tale. Harry himself is fallible as ever, like many great literary heroes, and the reader cringes for him as he falters.  Again, to have Harry sweep the games and master every task would have been unrealistic and much less interesting.  His mounting fear and frustration throughout the book are palpable; he did not ask for this and he does not relish the attention nor the pressure.  Hogwarts is a rich and wonderful setting in every book, but especially in this one.  The games themselves and the obstacles they must overcome – brutal dragons, evil mermaids in the depths of the lake, a living maze – all of it is richly described and fully absorbing.  Also prevalent in this book is the beginning of Ron and Hermione’s burgeoning romance, and Harry’s preoccupation with the very pretty and supportive Cho.  The teen romance elements add yet another layer of believability to the story and the characters and allow the Harry Potter series to grow with its audience.  Finally there is the conclusion involving Harry, Voldemort, and Cedric, who the reader comes to genuinely like and root for.  The final scenes are jarring, extremely sad, and quite ruthless, and leave the reader thirsting for the next in the series.

Reader’s Annotation

                                 Harry’s name should never have been in the Goblet of Fire, but once again the impossible happened and he finds himself thrust into the Tri Wizard Tournament whether he likes it or not.  Meanwhile Voldemort continues to gather power and relentlessly seek Harry’s blood and he must resist this even as he fights for survival in the games, all with the school and his best friend Ron turned against him.  

About the Author

                            J.K. Rowling grew up in the English countryside with her mother, father, and sister.  Practically from birth, she was cast as the brainy one while her sister was cast as the pretty one, so they fought against these roles and against each other for most of their childhoods.  When they weren’t fighting, Rowling was making up stories and casting herself and her sister in roles which they would act out extravagantly.  Already she was creating worlds both through acting out and writing, although no one took this talent seriously.   In school she studied everything but writing, against her better judgment, and worked as a teacher before she finally found a muse arresting enough to hold her attention: Harry Potter.  The rest is history.

                             Harry Potter is a worldwide sensation that gained increasing popularity as each successive book came out.  All of the books have been made into major motion pictures and have been translated into countless languages all over the world. 

Genre

         Fantasy - magic/wizards

Challenge Issues

                          Possible challenge issues in this book include witchcraft and magic.  In the event of a challenge, I would consult the challenge defense file prepared for this book.  The challenge defense file would include: positive reviews from credible sources for the purpose of proving merit to the challenger; negative reviews in order to inform me on what might be challenged; a written explanation of my own rationale for including the book in the collection as well as a summary of the plot; the American Library Association Bill of Rights; a review of my branch’s selection policy; and, as a last resort, an explanation of the reconsideration policy for my library and an official reconsideration form.

Curriculum Ties

                          English and Writing: story arc, character development, and the fantasy genre.

Booktalk

              The ongoing tension between Harry Potter and Voldemort as he gains power comes to a head in this book as they finally face off.  But before this happens, Harry has to live through dangerous games of skill, life and death situations, and the whole of Hogwarts turning against him for his place in the spotlight.  This may be his most difficult year yet.

Reading Level and Interest Age

                                                   Grades 7-12, although interest level goes as high as adult age.

                                                  

Why I Included This Book

                                          Of all the books in the Harry Potter series, this is my personal favorite.  There is a maturing of the story here as Harry must deal with rejection, opposition, and death in ways he has not yet had to experience.  The story gathers tension and momentum as it goes on and the ending is sad and jarring in a way that is not remotely dumbed down for a younger audience.  Obviously no young adult collection would be complete without the Harry Potter books.

References

Rowling, J.K. (n.d.). Bio. Retrieved from http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/biography.cfm