ALAN Online

ALAN’s Picks is a monthly book review column edited and compiled by Dr. Pam Cole of Kennesaw State University.  Be sure to check the site regularly for the a preview of the latest titles in YA Lit.

Reviewed this Month:
Angry Management by Chris Crutcher
Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George
Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog
Forget Me Not by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Gone by Michael Grant
Girl to the Core by Stacey Goldblatt
The Princess Plot by Kirsten Boie
The Midnight Charter by David Whitley
Temple of the Sun by Moyra Caldecott

Angry Management by Chris Crutcher
Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2009, 246 pp., $16.99
Relationships/Social Issues/Coming-of-Age
ISBN: 978-0-06-050247-8

This collection of three short stories features characters from earlier Crutcher novels and short stories brought together in interesting ways. The stories are presented as “counselor notes” from Mr. Nak, hired to work with troubled teens. In “Kyle Maynard and the Craggy Face of the Moon,” Angus Bethune and Sarah Byrnes are brought together in a road-trip to help Sarah come to terms with the mother who abandoned her. The trip leads to an improbable love story and the hope for a happy ending for two characters who need one. “Montana Wild” uses a school newspaper censorship case to set-up a public confrontation between Montana and her abusive father. The story also tackles the issues of child abuse, medical marijuana, and racism. “Meet Me at the Gates, Marcus James” is a tragic story about the power of racism and homophobia to destroy lives. Marcus James, a gay, black student in an all white high school, finds a pink noose hanging from his locker. Despite the support of his favorite teacher Mr. S, his grandfather, and Matt Miller, a fellow student struggling to live his Christian principles, the incident escalates into murder.

Crutcher’s ability to create memorable characters is evident in the first and third stories. The first is especially satisfying because it focuses on two of his most interesting characters in a well-told story. “Montana Wild,” on the other hand, is a story begging to be a novel. The author takes on too many issues in a single story, and the result is underdeveloped characters that are not sympathetic enough to carry the controversial topics explored. The third story is the most moving. Written from the different perspectives of the main characters, the story is powerful and haunting and will stay with you for a long time.

Reviewed by Jim Cope, Kennesaw, GA

Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury, 2009, 248 pp., $16.99
Fantasy/Adventure/Heroine/Relationships
ISBN: 978-1-59990-369-9

Creel and Luka have many challenges to resolve before their marriage finally takes place. Creel, a common dressmaker, must finish her elaborate wedding gown while trying to minimize the damage being done between her embarrassing aunt and her soon to be father-in-law, the King. Luka is constantly under the harsh gaze of his father, the King, for choosing to marry a commoner.

Apart from their family struggle, Creel and Luka are alone in their desire to continue peaceful and productive relations with the Dragon population—now living in the Far Isles after the last war. As Creel and Luka are in transit to the Far Isles for a quick visit before the marriage, Velika, the queen of the dragons, is kidnapped. Wedding plans are forgotten as Creel, Luka, and their dragon friends fight to save the dragon queen.

Many interesting topics arise within the ensuing adventure: relationships between two vastly different populations (human and dragon), the rights one population has over the other, the treatment of royalty, and the roles of females. One doesn’t initially notice the interesting lessons on morality and humanity as a suspenseful adventure unfolds involving advanced weapons, dragon fire, and some very young heroes.

George’s angle on popular topics such as fantasy and dragons is unique. A story is present, providing a fun escape from reality, but readers also subconsciously learn something about themselves as they ask, “What would I have done?” Recommended  for middle school readers.

Reviewed by Kristie Jolley, Orem, UT

Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog
Delacorte/Random House, 2009, 248 pp., $16.99
Fairies/Changelings/High School
ISBN: 978-0-385-73706-7

Morgan has a remarkable life for a high school sophomore. Her best friend, Eden, is slightly wacky but loyal. Her boyfriend Cam, a varsity football hero, is the boy-next-door whom she has known forever and the ideal combination of best friend and boyfriend. Also, Morgan has psychic powers that allow her to see into other people’s future, which gives her certain notoriety with her classmates. Everything is wonderful until strange events start to occur, and Morgan discovers that Cam has started to grow fairy wings. Along with growing wings, Cam is getting weaker, and he seems to be shrinking. At the same time, Pip appears claiming to be the real Cam stolen by fairies and here to trade places with Cam at the stroke of midnight on the birthday they share. Dawn, a gorgeous fairy Cam is supposed to marry when he takes his rightful place and becomes king of fairyland, arrives to make sure the switch occurs even if the switch means harming Morgan in the process. Meanwhile, Pip struggles to fit into the human world, while trying to help both Cam and Morgan.

Morgan, Cam, and Pip’s attempts to stop the transformation, and Dawn’s determination to have Cam return to fairyland, provide readers with a lively tale that is strangely believable in a fantastical way. The author’s inclusion of rough language and Morgan’s sarcastic attitude toward her parents make this a choice best suited for high school students.

Reviewed by Susan M. Landt, Green Bay, WI

Forget Me Not by Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Scholastic, 2009, 178 pp., $16.99
Relationships/Environment
ISBN: 978-0-545-09401-6

A beautiful read relating to the writer, reader and passionate young adult embedded in us all. Each chapter begins with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson that is beautifully woven into the chapter and the life of Willa, the main character. Willa just finished her freshmen year of high school and readies herself for a summer doing all the things she loves most: spending time reading her power punch pix, short novella reading selections; spending time with her boyfriend, JFK; hanging out with her best friend, Tina and her newest friend, Mare; spending time with her strict but loving mom, new dad, whom she adores; and grandma, who owns a quaint little book/candy store in their home town, Cape Cod; and of course, spending time listening to the heart of the ocean. Willa soon realizes summer is offering all she desires and more.

At the turn of every page, Willa is offered a new challenge, which she takes on with incredible compassion, wit and humor. Can Willa plan a wedding, explore a new friendship, keep her boyfriend and make a difference in the environment, all in the first two weeks of summer? Paratore leaves readers searching her website for the release date of her sequel, tantalized by the incredible closing line—don’t read ahead and spoil the delicious surprise! With a fifth grade reading level, this is a wonderful read for the reluctant high school reader longing for more mature content. Paratore hits the mark by interweaving the timely issues of immigration and environmental consciousness.

Reviewed by Wendy Farkas, Davision, MI

Gone by Michael Grant

HarperTeen/HarperCollins, 2008, 558 pp., $9.99

Dystopia/Science Fiction

ISBN-978-0-06-144878-2

On a normal morning in Perdido Beach, California, something extraordinary happens: Everyone fifteen and older disappears. Poof. But everything hasn’t been entirely normal in Perdido Beach for some time. Fourteen-year-old Sam Temple has recently discovered, to his horror, that he has the ability to emanate a burning, searing light from his hands. Lana, a girl from a nearby area, has the ability to heal even severe wounds just by touching them; and Astrid Ellison’s younger autistic brother, Little Pete, can alter physical reality. Sam and genius student Astrid form an unlikely leadership team and begin to run their town without any teachers, doctors, police, childcare givers, restaurant workers, or any other adults. As they reconnoiter the area, Sam and Astrid observe that animals have dangerously mutated and that they are trapped behind an impenetrable barrier that the kids call the Fallout Alley Youth Zone: the FAYZ. Normal is definitely gone.

Even worse, the FAYZ runs through Clifftop where the residential Coates Academy for “difficult” youth stands. There, Caine Soren and Diane Ladris unleash their eerie powers. After Caine comes into town to co-op Sam’s leadership, Caine and Sam establish a shaky peace. When Sam learns that he and Caine are related, Sam storms Coates and finds that Caine has cemented into concrete blocks the hands of children with “powers.”   Caine likewise captures Astrid and Sam and cements their hands, but Little Pete remains free since no one knows he has powers. Astrid provokes Pete to use his powers to shatter the concrete blocks. Sam now knows that he must prepare for war with Caine. Drake, a psychopathic Coates student, enlists mutated coyotes to fight with him and Caine against Sam. After the inevitable battle between Caine and Sam’s coalitions, Caine limps away to join forces with the mutated coyotes and their leader, Darkness. Sam and Astrid begin to settle uneasily into FAYZ life.

This book is a page-turner. The second book in this series, Hunger, lets enthralled readers of Gone continue this story of mystery, conflict, and science fiction.

Reviewed by Dawn Latta Kirby, Kennesaw, GA

Girl to the Core by Stacey Goldblatt
Delacorte/Random House, 2009, 304 pp., $16.99
Coming-of-Age/Female Empowerment/Core Values/Relationships
ISBN: 978-0385736091

One might think that being raised by a very opinionated Irish family would make fifteen-year-old Molly O’Keefe a rather strong-minded individual. Unfortunately, Molly is beginning to realize that she’s just the opposite. She caves in to everything. She sneaks into nightclubs with her friend, Vanessa, and even bakes endless batches of blueberry muffins with her nine-year-old neighbor, Claire. With her boyfriend, Trevor, Molly has managed to hold firm that she doesn’t want to go further yet, but she feels she might be slowly giving way to his advances.

When Molly catches Trevor kissing his ex, all she wants to do is lie low. Still, she ends up agreeing to a walkathon the next day with Claire’s Girl Corps troupe. Taking part in the walk gives Molly a sense of strength that she never thought she had, and the confidence of the younger girls in the Corps impresses her. While her dad, her uncles, Vanessa, and even Trevor keep telling her exactly what she needs, Molly decides that she needs the inspiration and values of Girl Corps to transform into the person she really wants to be. Standing up for herself, however, may cost her more than she dares to lose, including the support of those she considered friends. Molly must learn to stick with her values and let go what she doesn’t need, or continue to let her life be ruled by others.

Molly’s transformation and journey into self-confidence comes off realistically, and the author provides a vehicle for female enlightenment without bashing the opposite gender. This theme of empowerment continues after the book has finished with 100 Girl Corps journal questions, so that readers can start their own journeys toward making goals and discovering the values they hold in their own cores.

Reviewed by Allison Fraclose, Tucson, AZ

The Princess Plot by Kirsten Boie
Chicken House/Scholastic, 2008, 378 pp., $17.99
Mystery/Political Scandal/Royal Families/International
ISBN: 978-0-545-03220-9

Jenna Greenwood, a timid and polite fourteen-year-old who lacks self-confidence, defies her overly protective single mother and attends a local casting call for an upcoming movie. Much to her delight and shock, Jenna is chosen for the role of the princess in the movie. She is immediately whisked away in order to meet the director of the movie and to do an onscreen test. Unbeknownst to Jenna, she has become the crux in a political scandal that involves the royal family in the country of Scandia. Jenna was selected for the movie because of her resemblance to the princess of Scandia. Jenna begins to realize that this is no movie that she is participating in, and her involvement becomes more precarious as her decisions and acting skills are now a matter life and death for herself, Malena, the actual princess of Scandia and the people of Scandia.

Boie creates a world populated by realistic characters who are struggling to do their best in extremely difficult situations. The strength of the novel is in the fact that we can see ourselves in the characters and can imagine what we would do in their situations. It is a difficult book to put down as each chapter leads to a new mystery and twist, and loose ends are not tied up until the closing pages. In addition, the international nature of this novel (originally published in Germany) adds to the distinctive flavor of the story. Although composed of imaginary governments and royal families, the novel would make an excellent jumping off point for discussions on politics, composition of royal families, and recent political scandals. This novel will certainly lead to a growing American fan base for Boie.

Reviewed by Aimee Rogers, Tucson, AZ

The Midnight Charter by David Whitley
Roaring Book, 2009, 336 pp., $16.99
Dystopia
ISBN: 978-1-59643-381-6

Imagine a world where everything is for sale or trade, including every emotion and humanly possible sensibility. Imagine a time when debtors are punished so harshly that death is often their final fate. In the ancient city of Agora, two teenage protagonists find themselves at the center of such a world with no understanding of the role they are predicted to play in its undoing. Lily is an orphan whose only clue to her existence lies in an unattainable government document known as the Midnight Charter. Mark, sudden heir to the position of astrological prophet, has been sold by his father to a doctor in hopes that he will not become a victim of the gray plague. Together and apart they will pit the powers of compassion and charity against those of greed and profit.

This multilayered fantasy invites readers to consider what happens when the capitalistic notions of a country become its demise. Themes of friendship, responsibility, and freedom are at the heart of a well-crafted dystopian novel that, in some ways, is reminiscent of Lois Lowry’s The Giver. Whitley has written a book that will force readers to ask if the place they imagine is a trip back in time or a glimpse into the future. The ending makes it clear that books to follow may be as much a commentary on our own lives as they are on the lives and times of Lily and Mark.

Reviewed by Elaine O’Quinn, Boone, NC

Temple of the Sun by Moyra Caldecott
Tricycle Press, 2009, 234 pp., $7.99
Fantasy
ISBN: 13:978-1-58246-267-9

Images, stirrings, and dreams open the second in the Sacred Stones series as two powerful groups of people converge at the Temple of the Sun. Kyra, her brother Karne, and his pregnant wife Fern, coming from the North, travel to this spiritual training ground for the Lords of the Sun. There they meet Lord Guiron, the High Priest, and the half spirit, half girl Panora, and a malevolent foe from their past, Wardyke, re-emerges. As Kyra studies for her place as a Lord, events from the past bubble through to the present, provoking conflict. In a majestic denouement, the past is silenced. But for those
who are hooked on the series, the introduction of the young Deva promises more of this adventure.

This novel will appeal to the cerebral reader who enjoys philosophy over action. Caldecott weaves together fascinating pieces of ancient myths, pagan beliefs, folk tales, animus, Buddhism, monotheism, and pantheism into a tranquil philosophy embodied by likable, admirable characters. The magical, mystical abilities of the characters provide the book with another area of enchantment. The final battle of good and evil is played out with supernatural grandeur. There are both strong male and female characters in the novel. Thoughtful teens will enjoy the challenge of figuring out the real world locales Kyra travels to.

Reviewed by Lottie Waggoner, Bloomington, IN