"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales." Albert Einstein

30 April 2014

Zombie Baseball Beatdown


Bacigalupi, Paolo. Zombie Baseball Beatdown. Little, Brown BFYR, 2013.

Rabi and his friends love baseball. Their parents work at a meat processing plant. The plant uses weird chemicals in their cows, which then causes people to become zombies, and also the cows become zombies. The boys then use their baseball skills to save the day.

This particular book took a while to get interesting. With a fairly simple plot, the story itself is probably only enjoyable as an audiobook, when the listener gets to hear zombie cows mooing. One of the boys attaches a still-"living" zombie cow head to a car as some sort of odd, mooing hood ornament. I have some students who would enjoy this book, but it takes so long to get weirdly interesting that many of them would abandon the book before it had a chance to hook them.

Recommended for: young adults, tweens
Red Flags: zombie violence
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars

29 April 2014

William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope


Doescher, Ian. William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope. Quirk Books, 2013.

Imagine that William Shakespeare wrote the Star Wars epic in his classic poetic style. Now, insert some nods to other Shakespeare plays combined with puns related to the Star Wars universe. What you get is this book - a combination of a well-known story and a writing style that can't be matched. There isn't anything else quite like this. If I were still teaching high school English, I would definitely use this book as a tie-in during a Shakespeare unit. The familiar story makes Shakespeare's beautiful language all that more accessible for teens.

Recommended for: teens, adults, Star Wars fans
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Crap Kingdom


Pierson, D.C. Crap Kingdom. Viking Juvenile, 2013.

Tom Parking has always wanted to save a magic kingdom, so he's excited when he is approached by a strange creature and taken to a magic land. However, he is sad to find out that his magical kingdom doesn't have a name and kind of sucks. He doesn't get magic powers, the people in this new world are weird, and everything looks like it has escaped from a Goodwill (which most of it has). Tom has to decide whether he should fulfill his destiny or go back to his normal life.

I expected this book to be a whole lot funnier than it was. It seemed like the kind of book that would have been written by a group of seventh grade boys after drinking massive quantities of Red Bull. It probably seemed hilarious at the time, but it just. wasn't. funny. I wasn't impressed by the descriptions, the humor wasn't funny, and I didn't sympathize with Tom at all, so I had no reason to cheer for him throughout his adventures.

Recommended for: adults
Red Flags: language, bathroom humor
Overall Rating: 1/5 stars

28 April 2014

March


Lewis, John Robert. March. Top Shelf Productions, 2013.

This book describes John Lewis's involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. The art is well done, the story and historical context are interesting, and it was easy to read in e-format. I would love to have a copy of this book in my school's library, especially during Black History Month.

Recommended for: teens, tweens
Red Flags: violence
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

25 April 2014

The Boy on the Wooden Box


Leyson, Leon. The Boy on the Wooden Box. Atheneum BFYR, 2013.

This is the memoir of Leon Leyson, a Jewish boy who survived the Holocaust because he was on Schindler's list and was spared on several occasions.

This book reads very similarly to other Holocaust stories, but it has the added bonus of being nonfiction. I have many patrons who are interested in the Holocaust, and this book is a great addition to our collection.

Recommended for: tweens, young adults
Red Flags: concentration camps - violence, starvation, death, etc.
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

24 April 2014

Sold


McCormick, Patricia. Sold. Hyperion, 2006.

Lakshmi is a poor girl in a poor family in the Himalayan mountains. When the monsoons destroy her family's crop, Lakshmi is sent off to be a servant in a big city. She thinks she'll be washing clothes and caring for a rich person's house, but it turns out that she is passed from person to person until she ends up in a brothel, where she is starved and drugged until she submits. Her masters keep adding to her debt until it is clear she will never escape her slavery. Eventually, Lakshmi is able to escape with the help of an American who rescues her from the brothel.

This is a hard book to read, but it's a good book and a good reminder that all of the "first world problems" we face are not shared by those living elsewhere in the world. I would not recommend this book to every patron, but there are some patrons who would very much enjoy this book.

Recommended for: young adults, adults
Red Flags: rape, drug use, alcohol use, violence
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

23 April 2014

Broken


Lyons, C.J. Broken. Sourcebooks Fire, 2013.

Scarlet wants to go to high school, and in spite of a serious heart condition that could cause her to die at any moment, her father and stepmother allow her to try high school for one week. This leads to Scarlet learning some things about herself and her very sheltered life that she would never have found out otherwise. In taking a risk with her life, Scarlet saves herself.

Wow. This book was crazy. I guessed at the end long before we got there, but I still enjoyed the story and found it to be a compelling read. This story takes place over the course of only five days, so it is fairly fast-paced.

Recommended for: young adults, adults
Red Flags: stepmother has Munchhausen's, so she murders one of her stepchildren and makes the other one sick; also she poisons a football player and frames someone else for it
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Read-Alike: Mother, Mother

22 April 2014

Branded by the Pink Triangle



Setterington, Ken. Branded by the Pink Triangle. Second Story Press, 2013.

This book tells the story of the persecution of gay men in Germany and throughout Europe during the Second World War, and their difficulties in receiving reparations and recognition at the conclusion of the war.

It's common knowledge that Hitler caused the deaths of millions of Jews through his "final solution" program of concentration camps, but it's easy to forget that homosexual men, Jehovah's Witnesses, persons with disabilities, the Roma, and political prisoners also received harsh treatment at the hands of the Nazis. This is a great resource for students who wish to study the second world war or who want to understand the heritage of the LGBT+ community.

Recommended for: young adults, adults,
Red Flags: since this discusses concentration camps, there are lots of mentions of death, beatings, torture, rape, starvation, etc.
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-alike: Rose Under Fire

21 April 2014

The Universe versus Alex Woods


Extence, Gavin. The Universe Versus Alex Woods. Redhook, 2013. 

Alex was hit by a meteorite when he was ten, which not only scarred him for life (literally) but also gave him a seizure disorder. This disorder led to teasing, which eventually led to an old man's greenhouse windows being smashed, which in turn led to Alex being required to help this man for a number of weeks until his debt had been paid. This is why, at the beginning of the story, Alex is arrested on his way back to the UK when he is found in possession of a considerable amount of marijuana as well as the cremains of this same elderly gentleman. The rest of the book leads up to the first chapter.

This book caught my attention and managed to hold it even after I figured out why Alex was caught at the border with drugs and ashes. I liked Alex's personality and enjoyed watching his relationship with Mr. Peterson grow. I appreciated the way this book handled the topic of assisted suicide as well as secular humanism. While this book doesn't currently exist in my library, I could easily recommend it to teens who are interested in stories that wrestle with difficult topics.

Recommended for: young adults
Red Flags: marijuana use, language, assisted suicide
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

18 April 2014

American Born Chinese


Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. First Second, 2006.

I read this book because I really enjoyed Boxers and Saints, but I didn't find this one as enjoyable at all. There were multiple storylines which were difficult to separate, the one kid's cousin who visits from China I found simply appalling - he was so stereotyped it wasn't even funny anymore. I can't speak to the experience of growing up in a different culture, but this book was simply not my favorite. That being said, the art is very nicely done, the colors are appealing, and it is a Printz award winner.

Recommended for: fans of multicultural lit and graphic novels
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

17 April 2014

Handbook for Dragon Slayers


Haskell, Merrie. Handbook for Dragon Slayers. HarperCollins, 2013. 

Tilda is a princess. Tilda also has a foot that is turned oddly, which makes it difficult for her to walk unaided and also causes her a fair amount of pain. When her cousin kidnaps her and plans to take over her family's kingdom, Tilda has to assume the role of hero and savior even though she has never ridden a horse or done anything remotely heroic in her life.

This book was really adorable. I love Tilda's character as well as her handmaiden and the apprentice who follows her around. I really enjoyed the fact that Tilda transformed into a dragon but chose to become human again (twisted foot and all) so that she could resume her duties as a princess.

Recommended for: middle grade, tweens
Red Flags: minor fantasy violence
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-alikes: Princess Ben, Dealing with Dragons, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

16 April 2014

Relish


Knisley, Lucy. Relish: My Life in the Kitchen. Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, 2013.

This book tells the story of Lucy and her love of gourmet food. Interspersed throughout the memoir are recipes for various items mentioned in the story. Similar to Bechdel's Fun Home, this book is a memoir with no discernible plot or storyline to follow.

The art in this book is appropriate to the story. The story itself is mildly interesting, and the recipes are genuine. (My wife made one of them for dinner last night.) I don't see this book being popular with my junior high patrons, but high school students and new adults would definitely enjoy it.

Recommended for: young adults, adults
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

15 April 2014

COUNTDOWN: The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand



The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand is in stores today! I have two copies ordered for my library, as I know this book will be very popular once I book talk it with my students.

Today's question: Which historical figure would you like to be an apprentice for?  Obviously I'd want to be an apprentice for someone brilliant, but most brilliant historical figures were also a bit ... crazy, nu?

This is Nikola Tesla.  If I had to choose someone to be an apprentice for, this would be my choice.  He was a genius inventor, and it would be awesome to watch how his mind works and to learn to think like he did.  Also, I'd get to invent really cool stuff.

What about you? If you could be an apprentice for any historical figure, who would you choose?

And for those of you who missed the previous posts, here they are:

Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four

Mother, Mother


Zailckas, Koren. Mother, Mother. Crown, 2013. 

I don't even know where to start in my description of this book. The mom is a narcissistic nutcase who lives her life through her first child and lies and manipulates everyone so she can get her own way. When her oldest daughter gets pregnant, she guilts her into having an abortion and then guilts her into suicide for having an abortion. Then she covers up the girl's disappearance and tells everyone she ran away. Since daughter #2 is the black sheep of the family, the mom has her committed to a mental hospital so she can work on her latest project: Child #3. Her son, who is 12, has been diagnosed with Asperger's and a seizure disorder (after visits to three specialists because the first two wouldn't diagnose him), so mom home schools him, brushes and flosses his teeth, BATHES him, and picks out his clothes. Oh, and the dad turns to alcohol to avoid the entire family dynamic in all its awfulness.

This story is told in alternating perspectives of the two living children, so I would label this book as one with an unreliable narrator, too, since one kid's in a mental institution and the other one is being manipulated by the mother so that he lies to the police about how he was injured and doesn't know how to choose his own clothes for the day.

I hated reading about how horrible this mother was. I kept waiting for something awful to happen to her, and I finished the book just because I wanted to find out if everyone was able to escape her insanity (and to find out what really happened to Daughter #1 since we already knew the mom was a pathological liar). Crazy stuff. My students would LOVE this book, since they like books about people in horrible situations. I would not reread this one, since the mom drives me crazy, but it was very well-written.

Recommended for: young adults, fans of psychological thrillers
Red Flags: Dad's an alcoholic, Daughter #2 smokes while she's in the mental institution and does drugs beforehand, Daughter #1 commits suicide, Mom is uber-abusive to the entire family and drugs the dad and tries to kill Daughter #2, the son describes his masturbation habit
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Read-alikes: Broken by C.J. Lyons

14 April 2014

War Brothers



McKay, Sharon. War Brothers: The Graphic Novel. Annick Press, 2013.

This book tells the story of child soldiers in Uganda who were forced to join the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The problem of child soldiers and their recovery is an issue in many African countries, and this book tells the story in a sensitive and appropriate manner.

I can see why this book won an award this year. The art is appropriate for the story, and the book depicts the horrors of child soldiers without being overly graphic. When I find that money-tree, I'm going to purchase a copy of this book for my library.

Recommended for: teens and adults
Red Flags: lots of violence, mentions of rape
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-Alike: Chanda's Wars by Allan Stratton

11 April 2014

Whistle in the Dark


Long, Susan Hill. Whistle in the Dark. Holiday House, 2013.

Clem wants to go to school and become a writer someday, but in his small town, all the men work in the mine. Clem is disappointed, although not surprised, when he is pulled out of school to begin work in the mine. He finds the mine stifling and wishes he could somehow escape it.

This book reminded me a lot of the movie October Sky, where a kid from a mining town wants to enter a science fair. The tone in this book is similar: Clem dreams of bigger things but is trapped because he needs to help support his family. In Clem's case, though, the explosion in the mine solves the problem for him. This story is a bit bleak, but it is interesting and also likely a realistic portrayal of life in a mining town.

Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

10 April 2014

Stolen


Christopher, Lucy. Stolen: A Letter to My Captor. Chicken House, 2009.

Gemma is in an airport in Bangkok when it happens. She is drugged and kidnapped by a man who takes her to the Australian Outback where he has prepared a house for them to live in. Forever. She tries to escape several times, but they are so far away from civilization that there's no way she could get anywhere. When Gemma allows herself to be bitten by a snake, her captor has to take her to get some help, and it is then that she is able to escape and be reunited with her family.

This book is very popular among the girls at my library, and some of them have told me that their parents are surprised at how much time they spend reading when they pick up this book. I'm sure they are drawn to the fact that Gemma should hate her kidnapper but finds herself drawn to him and even misses him once she is freed.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: kidnapping, obviously; there is no sex - he doesn't rape her, molest her, etc. Some alcohol use.
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

09 April 2014

Fireborn


Forward, Toby. Fireborn: A Dragonborn Novel. Bloomsbury, 2013.

Bee is an apprentice to an evil fire wizard, and on the day of her naming ceremony, he steals her magic. Now she will need help from another wizard and his apprentice to get her magic back from the evil wizard.

The narration in this book is beautiful. I loved the lyrical quality of the fairy-tale story. This was not a "read for my fifteen minute break and then put down" kind of book; I needed lots of uninterrupted time to get lost in the story and enjoy the world-building and the characters. This book is not fast-paced, so I would not recommend it to readers with little patience for narration, but strong readers or those who enjoy taking their time to read through a book will enjoy this one very much.

Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: minor fantasy violence
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-alike for: Inkheart, the Redwall series, Paolini's Inheritance series

08 April 2014

Far Far Away


McNeal, Tom. Far Far Away. Knopf BFYR, 2012.

Jeremy can hear voices; specifically, Jeremy hears the voice of Jacob Grimm (the narrator of this book) in his head. Jeremy is trying to keep his family afloat: caring for his father who hasn't recovered after the disappearance of his mother, running his grandfather's two-book bookstore, and trying to survive going to school, etc. Also, because of the narrator we know there's a villain somewhere in this story, but not until the narrator recognizes the villain do we discover him, too.

Wow. This book was really well done, and I am so glad we have a copy of it in my library. First, having a fairy-tale style story narrated by Jacob Grimm is awesome. Second, I liked the sub-plot of Jeremy trying to save his bookstore by going on the reality TV show, but losing because he's never watched a Disney movie. Third, Jeremy's grandfather opened his bookstore to sell his own autobiography, both volumes of it, hence the Two-Book Bookstore. [Needless to say, Jeremy doesn't get much business at work.] Then we have the baker with his mysterious green smoke the night before he sells the prince cakes. And the whole time we know there's a bad guy that Jacob is keeping his eye out for, but since he doesn't know who it is, we don't, either. I guessed the ending long before we got there, but I still enjoyed the story very much. This will be an easy one to book talk, and I'm hoping it will get my students reinterested in the expansive fantasy collection in our library!

Recommended for: tweens, teens, strong middle grade readers, fans of fairy tales
Red Flags: some minor violence
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

07 April 2014

COUNTDOWN: The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand


In the new book The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand, the two main characters travel through a Narnian-wardrobe-esque portal into another dimension.  Unfortunately, they accidentally bring a mongoose with them (long story), and he ends up wreaking as much havoc in his new home as he did in his former home.

If I could bring a creature with me on an adventure, I think I would want something more useful than a mongoose. I'd want someone who could be helpful in situations I might encounter, and probably a creature who is mostly self-sustaining and able to adjust to a new situation quickly. Strength and healing powers would be great, too.  If I got to choose any creature to take on an adventure with me, I'd choose


Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix from the Harry Potter series.  Fawkes has healing tears; he's loyal; and he's very strong.  Also, since he can fly, he could carry me if I needed to get somewhere. And I wouldn't have to worry about finding him a litter box or special food or anything.

How about you? If you could take any creature (real or imagined) on an adventure, which creature would you pick?

For those of you who missed the other posts in this series, here they are:
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3

The Counterfeit Family Tree of Vee Crawford-Wong



Holland, L. Tam. The Counterfeit Family Tree of Vee Crawford-Wong. Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2013.

Vee Crawford Wong would describe himself as half Texan, half Chinese. He is in high school and he fakes a family tree for Spanish class and fakes a family history for his history class. He's frustrated because he doesn't really know his extended family at all. He ends up conning his family into a trip to China, where he meets his grandfather and finds out that sometimes things don't work out the way we expect them to.

What I liked: The multicultural aspect of this book was good. The details during the Wong family trip to China were good. Vee was a very real, very flawed character.

What I didn't like: First, Vee is uber-entitled. His family flies to China (all four of them, plus a guest) because of a letter Vee faked and which his father knew was a fake all along. That's a really expensive lesson for Vee to learn. Second, Vee refers to the girls' volleyball team as half princess and half lesbos. He stereotypes all the supposedly-lesbian volleyball players and uses the term lesbos frequently throughout his narration. That kind of homophobic language is not acceptable, and it did nothing to enhance the story at all.

Recommended for: young adults
Red Flags: homophobic slurs - "lesbo" and "fa----" neither of which is corrected, ever. Also, Vee is a teen boy, and the book is told from inside his brain. Therefore, lots of thoughts about sex.
Overall Rating: 2/5 stars

04 April 2014

Safe Spaces


I still remember vividly the day my French teacher told us she wouldn't put up with our crap in her classroom.  I was in yet another new school, my freshly purchased Dollar Store notebooks and pencils filling my older-than-dirt backpack, last year's not-quite-dead shoes on my feet, when my teacher told our class that she was willing to put up with a lot of crazy, but she absolutely did not put up with bullying. Ever. She told us in no uncertain terms that if we chose to pick on someone else in her room, we were choosing to spend the rest of the day in the office.

This was the first time I had heard anyone say anything like that. I had been to seven different schools, and as the perpetual new kid, I was used to being first a curiosity and then eventually an object of pity and/or ridicule as the year progressed. I knew it would proceed that way because it always had.  I wasn't looking forward to that progression at this school, though, because it looked like my family had finally settled in for the long haul, and if I was going to be at this school for four long years (twice as long as I'd been at any other school, ever), then I would rather not have to be teased the entire time.

Years later, I determined to do the same thing in my classroom, and I did. My seventh grade students did a lot of crazy things - making cardboard and duct tape "armor" for battle scenes, sitting inside their lockers and underneath their desks for free-reading time, using the window as an egress on days that the aircon died - but there was no teasing or bullying in my room.  My kids felt safe to be themselves, even if the "self of the day" was one of their alter egos. [Ask me about my student Catman sometime.]

When I started library school, I knew it would be very important to me that my library be a open and welcoming space for all people. One of the first things I did as a newly minted middle school librarian was to visit GLSEN's website and order a safe space kit.

The stickers are still in my desk, but the poster(s) have been laminated, and one of them hangs in the space behind the circulation desk.  It's quite visible, but it's also obviously part of the slew of posters I have hanging on my walls.  I wanted it to be noticeable but still part of the library landscape.

I also made a point to evaluate the collection at my library.  We have more than a few books - both fiction and nonfiction - about various minorities, but we had a grand total of two books about LGBTQ+ people when I got to this library. We now have twenty-eight books, ranging from nonfiction and poetry to manga and realistic fiction. That's not a lot, but it's a lot better than it was. I recommend these books just like I do any other books in our collection, regardless of the perceived or assumed identity/orientation of the student with whom I am speaking. I also have a picture of my wife on my desk, the same way other people have pictures of their kids or their cats or whatever.  My library isn't covered with rainbows and glitter, but I do make it clear to all students that this library is a safe space. Period.

In the seven months we've had so far of this school year, I've had perhaps a handful of kids say something about the poster.  The conversation usually goes something like this:

Student: "Mrs. F., I like your poster."
Me: "Really? Thanks. I like it, too. I think it's important that everyone feels safe at school and knows they won't be teased just because they are different."
Student: "Yeah.  Did you know that my dad/uncle/sister/friend/etc. is gay/lesbian/trans?"
Me: "No, I didn't, but I think it's neat that you wanted to share that with me."

Sometimes they talk about being teased because of their friend or relative; sometimes they talk about that person feeling hurt or betrayed or depressed. For most of them, it sounds like the first time they've actually told anyone, and sometimes just having someone else help you carry your secret makes it easier.  Sometimes all kids want or need is a place to feel like they've been heard, and I've given them that.

It's still a fact that LGBTQ+ youth are more likely than their peers to become depressed, miss school, or consider suicide because of the teasing and bullying they deal with on a daily basis. If I could, I'd send a guardian angel with each of those kids to school each day, blocking their eyes and ears from the hurtful things other people say and do. I'd remind them that things do get better and that they are loved and important. Owing to my lack of guardian angels, I have created a space in our school where kids can feel safe and know that they can be themselves.


What about you? What kinds of things have you done in your library/classroom/business to make it open and welcoming for all people? 

The Kingdom of Little Wounds


Cokal, Susann. The Kingdom of Little Wounds. Candlewick, 2013.

This book received a place on Publisher's Weekly's 2013 top ten list for books for young adults. I can't imagine what the editors at PW were thinking when they rated this book on that list.

The Kingdom of Little Wounds is a story that follows two servants in a royal household in northern Europe. Touted by the author as a "fairy tale about syphilis," the story details the lives of the royal family as they struggle to survive in spite of having an STD, all seen through the eyes of a couple of servants.

What I liked: The cover is beautiful. The writing is excellent. I enjoyed the fairy tale qualities of this book, and I can imagine my middle school or high school self picking up this book based simply on the synopsis and the cover art.

What I didn't like: Pretty much everything else. This book is VERY graphic, to the point that I do not think it is appropriate for tweens or teens at all. I would not ever recommend this book to a teen or a child. I would barely recommend this to an adult. This is a very long book, and it's filled with graphic death scenes, sex scenes, rape, etc. In the first sixty pages alone there are three sex scenes, one of which ends in a death and one of which is forced. The first rapist we meet has jewels sewn into his penis so he can keep them on himself in case of emergency, with the added bonus that he gets to enjoy hurting those women he rapes. One of the protagonists believes that she was impregnated when her fiance ejaculated onto her stomach: she says that his "seed" must have found its way inside her to make her pregnant.

I spent most of the time while reading this book either shuddering in disgust or shaking my head in disbelief. People who enjoy well-written books and are not bothered by graphic violence and sex might really enjoy this book, but it's not one I would ever put in my library, nor would I consider recommending it to my patrons. I'm not sure why Publisher's Weekly passed up so many good books to put this one on their top-ten list for this year.

Recommended for: no one. Adults, maybe. Fans of Fifty Shades, probably.
Red Flags: the entire book! Graphic sex, rape scenes, violent, explicit deaths, lots of alcohol use (some probably by the readers so they can stomach this book)
Overall Rating: I'd give this zero stars, but that's not an option on GR.

03 April 2014

Broken


Lyons, C.J. Broken. Sourcebooks, 2013.

Scarlet wants to go to high school, and in spite of a serious heart condition that could cause her to die at any moment, her father and stepmother allow her to try high school for one week. This leads to Scarlet learning some things about herself and her very sheltered life that she would never have found out otherwise. In taking a risk with her life, Scarlet saves herself.

Wow. This book was crazy. I guessed at the end long before we got there, but I still enjoyed the story and found it to be a compelling read. This story takes place over the course of only five days, so it is fairly fast-paced.

Recommended for: young adults, adults
Red Flags: stepmother has Munchhausen's, so she murders one of her stepchildren and makes the other one sick; also she poisons a football player and frames someone else for it
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Read-Alike: Mother, Mother

02 April 2014

Branded by the Pink Triangle


Setterington, Ken. Branded by the Pink Triangle. Second Story Press, 2013.

This book tells the story of the persecution of gay men in Germany and throughout Europe during the Second World War, and their difficulties in receiving reparations and recognition at the conclusion of the war.

It's common knowledge that Hitler caused the deaths of millions of Jews through his "final solution" program of concentration camps, but it's easy to forget that homosexual men, Jehovah's Witnesses, persons with disabilities, the Roma, and political prisoners also received harsh treatment at the hands of the Nazis. This is a great resource for students who wish to study the second world war or who want to understand the heritage of the LGBT+ community.

Recommended for: young adults, adults,
Red Flags: since this discusses concentration camps, there are lots of mentions of death, beatings, torture, rape, starvation, etc.
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-alike: Rose Under Fire

01 April 2014

The Universe Versus Alex Woods


Extence, Gavin. The Universe Versus Alex Woods. Redhook, 2013. 

Alex was hit by a meteorite when he was ten, which not only scarred him for life (literally) but also gave him a seizure disorder. This disorder led to teasing, which eventually led to an old man's greenhouse windows being smashed, which in turn led to Alex being required to help this man for a number of weeks until his debt had been paid. This is why, at the beginning of the story, Alex is arrested on his way back to the UK when he is found in possession of a considerable amount of marijuana as well as the cremains of this same elderly gentleman. The rest of the book leads up to the first chapter.

This book caught my attention and managed to hold it even after I figured out why Alex was caught at the border with drugs and ashes. I liked Alex's personality and enjoyed watching his relationship with Mr. Peterson grow. I appreciated the way this book handled the topic of assisted suicide as well as secular humanism. While this book doesn't currently exist in my library, I could easily recommend it to teens who are interested in stories that wrestle with difficult topics.

Recommended for: young adults
Red Flags: marijuana use, language, assisted suicide
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars