Censorship and Challenges

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Are you facing a censorship case?  Afre the materials in your classroom or library being challenged? You are not alone! There is help for you from professional organizations. We have collected links directly from three national organizations–the National Council of Teachers of English, the American Library Association, and the National Coalition Against Censorship–to give you a starting place in dealing with censorship challenges.

FROM NCTE (from http://www.ncte.org/action/anti-censorship):

“NCTE offers advice, helpful documents, and other support at no cost to teachers faced with challenges to literary works, films and videos, drama productions, or teaching methods. NCTE’s Anti-Censorship efforts are currently only funded to provide a public service to members and nonmembers when they are facing challenges to literary works, films, and videos.

Facing a challenge? Report A Censorship Incident - to report an incident, or call Millie Davis, NCTE Senior Developer, Affiliated Groups and Public Outreach, directly at 800-369-6283, ext. 3634.

Five Most Helpful Resources: The materials below have been identified by teachers as most useful in preventing and combating censorship.

FROM ALA (http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/ifissues/censorshipchallenges.cfm):

“A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.

ALA Policies and Statements on the Freedom to Read

FROM NCAC (http://www.ncac.org/resources):

“NCAC works to empower individuals facing censorship as well as individuals wanting to know more about censorship issues. These resources will give you a deeper look into the legal structure of protected expression.

  • Book Censorship Toolkit–A great packet with information for parents, teachers, and school officials for fighting book censorship in schools.
  • The Kids’ Right to Read Project Report–In the past couple of years the KRRP has confronted challenges and bans involving over 250 book tites in 28 states. This report details challenges and bans and how the KRRP responded to each.
  • The First Amendment in Schools–A collection of materials on the topic of censorship in schools for students, educators, and parents.
  • Graphic Novels: Suggestions for Librarians–A resource for librarians interested in creating a graphic novels section, adding graphic novels, and addressing concerns with graphic novels in libraries.
  • Issues Facing Libraries in the High-Tech Era–An in-depth look into the rights of minors, parents, and the role of the library as a public space in the age of the internet.
  • Online Resources–A collection of links to government resources, free expression organizations, listserves and usenet newsgroups.”

ALAN’s Picks: August 2011

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ALAN’s Picks is a monthly book review column that is compiled and edited by Dr. Pam B. Cole of Kennesaw State University.

Reviewed this month:

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World by Penny Colman
First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci
Hidden by Helen Frost
In Trouble by Ellen Levine
My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace
What Comes After by Steve Watkins
Where Do You Stay? by Andrea Cheng
The White Horse Trick by Kate Thompson
Wild Life by Cynthia C. DeFelice

 

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
Egmont, 2011, 480 pp., $17.99
Dystopian/Zombies/Survival
ISBN: 978-1-60684-175-4

In a world where an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) has wiped out almost everything, including people and electronics, Alex, who was camping in the  woods contemplating life vs. death after living with a deadly brain tumor, falls into the middle of a cataclysmic event. Alex, along with her makeshift family of Ellie, an orphaned eight year old; and Tom, a young army veteran, decide to make their way to the ranger station to find help. They must survive in the woods, while not only scavenging for food and avoiding hungry wild life, but also eluding cannibalistic zombies that were somehow transformed by the EMP.

This book stands out because Bick’s descriptions of very simple things like pain and smells are so dead on that readers can feel or smell what she is describing. When the EMP first hits, Alex describes the pain and other side effects of the EMP so well that readers have no problem understanding her experiences.

Bick has done her research regarding EMPs because the events are detailed and understandable. Her detail makes the possibility of the type of destruction that happens in Ashes seem reasonable, which is a terrifying prospect. This book will make readers question their definition of family and what one will do to survive.

Reviewed by Kellee Moye, Orlando, FL

 

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World by Penny Colman
Henry Holt, 2011, 223 pp., $18.99
Friendship/Women’s Rights/Social Reform/Laws/History
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8293-7

During a time when bold actions were unthinkable from a woman, not one, but two, incredible women join forces to fight for women’s suffrage. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony worked together for over fifty years to give women the same rights as men: to be recognized as citizens, to have the right to vote, to be able to divorce, to have the opportunity to go to college, to own property after marriage, and to have equal salaries. Throughout that time they were dedicated to their cause, but they forged an unbreakable friendship regardless of their disagreements.

Colman has written an exceptional story that brings to life a significant piece of history. This book, used in social studies classes or as independent reading, will teach children that the world they know today is not the world that has always existed. It will show that strong, powerful, intelligent, and important women in today’s world could not have been in these positions without Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony forging the way in the 1800s.

Reviewed by Priscilla A. Boerger, Boca Raton, FL

 

First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci
Scholastic, 2011, 150 pp., $17.99
Aliens/Family/Abandonment
ISBN: 978-0-545-06082-0

Alienated and abandoned: these are the themes at the heart of First Day on Earth. Mal, a high school student, struggles with abandonment after his father abruptly walks away from his family one morning when Mal is young. Mal’s mother disintegrates into alcoholism, leaving Mal to cope with the virtual loss of both parents on his own. Mal’s response is to turn inward, shunning others, and becoming an outcast in the teen social world. Mal’s greatest desire is to go back with the aliens, whom Mal remembers abducting and then abandoning him back on earth. When Mal meets Hooper—who claims to be from another planet, Mal is forced to examine his doubts, fears, and beliefs and make some difficult decisions. Confused and questioning, Mal sets out with Posey and Darwyn—two students who are starting to feel alienated from their friends—to help Hooper return to his home planet.

This slim volume is packed full of questions and uncertainty: what is real; what is imagined, and how can you tell for sure? Castellucci draws readers into the story by slowly revealing the character of Mal through his interaction with others and his thoughts about life. Each of the characters adds to our understanding of Mal, and each also presents a deeper view into the human spirit. First Day on Earth is a quick but deep read that should appeal to a wide range of readers. There are a few bawdy scenes at the beginning to establish specific personalities, but these do not detract from the insightfulness of the tale. Highly recommended for adolescent and adult readers.

Reviewed by Susan M. Landt, Green Bay, WI

 

Hidden by Helen Frost
Foster/Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011, 147 pp., $16.99
Suspense/Relationships/Friendship
ISBN: 978-0-374-38221-6

During summer camp, Darra and Wren, two fourteen-year old girls who have never met are intertwined by a secret past. The horrific occurrence that plagues both girls has left them scarred. At camp, Darra and Wren are thrown into the same living quarters—Cabin Eight—where they recognize one another and proceed to coexist as best as possible. The girls do not acknowledge each other, but through swimming lessons and camp fires, they slowly find themselves in similar surroundings unable to discount one another. Finally, Darra and Wren come to terms with their fear of confrontation and discuss the incidents six years prior that forever changed their lives.

This story of an accidental kidnapping, murder, dysfunctional family, and an unlikely friendship in lyrical and poetic form is a definite page turner. As an added plus, Frost offers a story in a well-organized and flowing narrative poem that makes for better readability.  Hidden is a story that inspires hope and forgiveness.

Reviewed by Mirta R. Espinola, Austin, TX

 

In Trouble by Ellen Levine
Carolrhoda/Lerner, 2011, 193 pp., $17.95
Teen Pregnancy/Relationships/McCarthyism
ISBN: 978-0-7613-6558-7

It is 1956 and Jamie’s best friend Elaine is “in trouble.”  Naïve, inexperienced Jamie is the last of her friends to have a boyfriend, but she listens intently to the stories flying around the school.  Jamie discovers that her beloved Aunt Sheila had a pregnancy she kept from the family with a man she did not love. But Elaine is in love with her baby’s father and plans for an idyllic future for them all. However, her parents are embarrassed by Elaine’s “condition”; thus, she stays upstairs when there is company and lies down in the backseat of the car when they are traveling. During the early months of Elaine’s pregnancy, Jamie feels an undercurrent of impending doom, and a voice keeps telling her to run. Is this feeling a result of her fear for Elaine?  Does it, perhaps, reflect fear for her father who is in jail as a political prisoner for Contempt of Congress?  Or is Jamie afraid for herself?

Setting the novel in 1956 allows young readers to see how differently society views unwed teenagers today. For instance, Elaine is forced to live at the Catholic Home and give her baby up for adoption. Levine’s novel also, unfortunately, shows us how much has stayed the same. The novel is a realistic account of girls “in trouble” and how, with friends and family and fortitude, they make it through.

Reviewed by Lottie Waggoner, Bloomington, IN

 

My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher
Lamb/Random House, 2011, 192 pp., $15.99
Relationships
ISBN: 978-0-375-85154-5

Vanessa Almond is fifteen, a sophomore at a Seattle area high school, and trying to create a memorable, quirky persona. She lives for her art and relishes good times with her two best friends. Nick is gay and struggling to discover the way to handle his sexuality and remain true to himself. Holly is a cello prodigy, shy, and committed to her music. Vanessa’s brash behavior with both her friends threatens to destroy the comfortable relationship they have built over the years. Her new job at a local art store contributes to impending disaster as she rushes headlong into adulthood without considering the consequences. Will she discover who she is and what she really wants before it is too late?

This is a fast-paced read, perfect for the reader who often feels left out and who appreciates a story about teen drama, a focus on art, and the power of art to motivate.  As the author acknowledges, Vanessa is difficult to get to know with her tough exterior as she finds herself enmeshed in potentially treacherous waters where she is not ready to swim; however, she somehow manages to charm with her gritty determination to break free in both life and art.

Reviewed by Judith A. Hayn, Little Rock, AR

 

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
Hyperion, 2011, 288 pp., $16.99
Fantasy/Witches/Superstition/Romance
ISBN: 978-1-4231-3787-0

Lexi grew up in the town of Near hearing stories from her father about witches, the life of the moor and other tales.  Since the death of her father, she has tried to pass these fairy tale stories on to her sister; however, things are happening in Near that indicate that these stories may be true.  A boy who fades in and out of view like smoke—a stranger—appears near the village, and the next night children begin disappearing from their beds.  The village is convinced that the stranger is responsible and the men set out to find him, recover the children, and dispose of the stranger. Lexi, on the other hand, is drawn to the stranger, and she believes that he is innocent; in fact, he helps her hunt for the children.  Can Lexi find the children before it is too late while protecting her sister, working with witches, and falling for the mysterious stranger?

In this debut novel, Schwab does an excellent job of interweaving many popular themes such as the supernatural, forbidden romance, and mystery with her own unique twists that result in a familiar, yet delightfully refreshing story. Schwab’s language is lyrical but does not detract from the plot. She also addresses important themes, including valuing differences and displaying strong female characters.  The mysteries that unravel in the novel are compelling and difficult to predict. In addition, Schwab sprinkles romance throughout the plot but not in the sickly sweet way that has become so common throughout much of this genre.  Schwab is a new author to keep one’s eyes on because if The Near Witch is any indication, she has a promising career ahead of her.

Reviewed by Aimee Rogers, Minneapolis, MN

 

Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace
Holiday House, 2011, 282 pp., $17.95
Relationships/Coming of Age/War/Racism/Violence
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2342-2

“…We will go back, one way or another. I promise.” Robert wishes his mother’s words were true, but he knows he can never go back. His reality is a prestigious boys’ boarding school in Zimbabwe, recently torn by war and struggling to survive under a new government that fosters the same hatred it fought hard to dispel. Robert is under constant scrutiny of his classmates:  some hope he brings with him the positive changes his homeland of England strove to foster, while others hope he will join their side in fighting for what they feel is rightfully theirs. Robert must choose one side or the other; to vacillate between the lines would be just as dangerous as hesitating in the middle of an open war zone.

Wallace paints a vividly real picture of the impact war can have on young people. Because Robert’s character is dropped into the middle of things, he has the ability to see both sides. In his mind, neither side is justified; they have both been wronged. The narrative style and difficult subject matter bear a strong resemblance to Cormier’s The Chocolate War. Out of Shadows is not for the faint of heart, and it is not recommended for all students. But for those with the thoughtfulness and strength to handle the subject matter, Out of Shadows will plant questions into the soul that will take a lifetime to answer.

Reviewed by Kristie Jolley, Pleasant Grove, UT

 

What Comes After by Steve Watkins
Candlewick, 2011, 334 pp., $16.99
Relationships/Emotional and Physical Survival
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4250-1

If you love the tale of Cinderella, this is a must read. Iris finds herself in quite a precarious situation when her dad passes away, and her best friend’s family (who promised her father to take care of Iris) experiences their own issues and is no longer willing to provide care. Iris, a high school student with nowhere else to go, is sent to live with her aunt. Aunt Sue is the epitome of the well-known wicked stepmother in a classic Cinderella tale. Book, Aunt Sue’s son, is a classic mirror image of the evil stepsisters in this story. Iris must learn to navigate and survive the ridiculous responsibilities that Aunt Sue straps to her while living in a new state, going to a new school, losing her father, and feeling left behind by her best friend and family. This story is an uphill battle from the beginning for Iris. It leads the reader to wonder how Iris is actually able to pull herself out of bed each day. As Iris begins to trust people again, after a horrible, physical altercation with Aunt Sue and Book, she starts to realize that she may be happy once again.

Watkins writes a story that captivates the reader by creating a main character who invokes pity and also inspires. While Watkins provides a story that is raw and truthful, the story opens up thoughts of just how tragic some people’s lives can become.

Reviewed by Aimee L. Morewood, Morgantown, WV

 

Where Do You Stay? by Andrea Cheng
Boyds Mills, 2011, 134 pp., $17.95
Death/Family Relationships/Racial Identity
ISBN: 978-1-59078-707-6

After his mother’s death from cancer, Jerome, who will be starting sixth grade, comes to stay with his Aunt Geneva and Uncle James and their two sons: Damon, fifteen; and Monte, ten. Jerome faces loss on many levels—he no longer has a home and does not want to be adopted; in the estate sale held after his mother’s death, the piano he and his mother loved to play is sold, and his cousin Damon, in particular, resents Jerome’s joining their family. Jerome finds a comforting companionship with Mr. Willie, who lives in the carriage house, next to an abandoned mansion. Mr. Willie also plays piano, provides a listening presence for Jerome, and offers a male role model for Jerome, whose father deserted the family. When new owners begin renovating the mansion and plan to demolish the carriage house, Jerome worries about Mr. Willie and where he will live.

With an eleven-year-old narrator, Where Do You Stay? will hold more appeal for tweens than for older teens and is definitely a book that adults should recommend to tweens who might be experiencing the death of a parent or a move to a new home. Andrea Cheng’s novel offers a realistic and poignant portrayal of Jerome’s experience of grief and loneliness. The vignette style of the chapters also makes it a very accessible read, though Jerome’s inner monologues address large and essential themes of belonging, family relationships, terminal illness, and the enduring love between a mother and son that cannot be negated by death. Readers might hear echoes of Cisneros’ House on Mango Street, though Cheng explores the African-American culture.

Reviewed by Mary Warner, San Jose, CA


The White Horse Trick by Kate Thompson
Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2010, 405 pp., $17.99
Irish Folklore/Fantasy/Climate Change/Fairies
ISBN: 978-0-06-200416-1

“The End.” That’s the title for Part One of The White Horse Trick, as readers are thrust into the couldn’t-be-more-different worlds of an earth filled with humans destroying themselves through climate change and greed, and T’ír na n’Óg—the fairies’ home where the sun never sets and no one is ever hungry. The worlds overlap with the Liddy family and their colorful characters:  Jenny, a clever and strong fairy teen raised by the Liddys; her brother Aidan, a spoiled brat turned tyrannical warlord; and her brother Donal, a reluctant general in Aidan’s army.

Painting a horrifying image of what our earth could be, Thompson describes a world devastated by the era of consumerism, when material avarice and comfort took the first place in the lives of a people who left an inheritance of village-wrecking storms and famine. Alternately set in Ireland and T’ír na n’Óg, the omniscient narrator and parallel plots require much of and give much to readers. While Part One, “The End,” satisfies, the plot rockets with a twist from the last forty pages to the end of the novel. It is too good a surprise to spoil here. Rich with allusion, imagery, and fantastic characters, The White Horse Trick, conclusion to The New Policeman trilogy, will give readers an amazing story with much to think about regarding current world issues.

Reviewed by Angie Beumer Johnson, Columbus, OH

 

Wild Life by Cynthia C. DeFelice
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011, 177 pp., $16.99
Coming of Age/War/Survival/Family Issues/Friendship
ISBN: 978-0-374-38001-4

Wild Life is the story of a twelve-year-old boy named Erik who is a hunter at heart. He has spent his life waiting for the moment when he, and his friend Patrick, can go out into nature and do what men have been doing for hundreds of years—kill animals for food. Upon passing his test to get his hunting license, Erik shares the exciting information with his parents, who congratulate him with heavy hearts. Erik’s parent are in the National Guard and while Erik was taking his test, they found out they were heading to Iraq to join the fight against Terrorism. From there, Erik’s life is flipped upside down as he is forced to leave his friends and school to go to North Dakota and live with his grandparents, whom he has not seen in nine years. Erik has no relationship with his grandparents other than having received birthday cards and holiday phone calls from them. In addition to being in a strange place with strange people, he must battle with family events from thirty years ago, while finding his place in the new landscape of North Dakota.

DeFelice has written a great coming-of-age story, which combines the issues of war, and the divide it presents in the modern family when both parents have career responsibilities. The story is centered around a boy who is entering adolescence and beginning to deal with adult issues such as death, companionship, and survival. It is a realistic portrayal of a traditional Midwest family dealing with the modern burdens of life.

Reviewed by Ray Engle, Indianapolis, IN

ALAN’s Picks: July 2011

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ALAN’s Picks is a monthly book review column that is compiled and edited by Dr. Pam B. Cole of Kennesaw State University.

Reviewed this month:

Anya’s War by Andrea Alban
The Betrayal of Maggie Blair by Elizabeth Laird
Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié
The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
Flip by Martyn Bedford
Grounded by Kate Klise
The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith
Now Is the Time for Running by Michael Williams
The Secret Journeys of Jack London, Book One: The Wild by Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon, and Greg Ruth (Illustrator)
Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
Then by Morris Gleitzman
The Visconti House by Elsbeth Edgar       


Anya’s War by Andrea Alban
Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, 2011, 188 pp., $16.99
Historical Fiction/WWII/Jewish and Chinese Culture
ISBN: 978-0-312-37093-0

The year is 1937; Anya has just celebrated her fourteenth birthday and has definite plans for her future. Her plans do not include following her mother’s career as a famed opera singer; rather she anxiously follows the disappearance of Amelia Earhart’s plane, fills the pages of her journal with pleas to President Roosevelt to keep the search going, and has hopes of becoming a doctor like her Aunt Paulina. Anya’s family, Russian Jews from Odessa, has fled to Shanghai, joining other Jewish refugees fleeing Stalin and growing Communist oppression. The Jewish refugees settle in Frenchtown, so the Rosen family (Anya’s father shortened the name Rosengartner when they arrived in China) lives quite comfortably and employs Chinese servants. For Anya, Li Mei, the family cook, serves more as confidant than servant, particularly the day after her birthday when Anya, returning from the market, discovers an abandoned baby. Anya struggles with the harsh reality of Chinese culture: girl babies are unwanted and easily disposed of. How can she assure that the beautiful baby she finds can stay alive?

Anya’s War operates in several genres but in predominantly historical fiction. Shanghai in 1937, with World War II pending, found the Chinese in conflict with the Japanese. Anya’s narrative highlights the fears of a Japanese invasion. The novel is also rich in cultural knowledge, while capturing the realistic tensions of a family in resettlement. Anya constantly wonders if “BC” life (meaning life before China) can ever be restored. The novel provides an engaging picture of an era fraught with world tensions and religious intolerance. The only drawback is the story’s somewhat abrupt ending that leaves a feeling of incompleteness.

Reviewed by Mary Warner, San Jose, CA

 

The Betrayal of Maggie Blair by Elizabeth Laird
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011, 423 pp., $16.99
Historical/Witchcraft
ISBN: 978-0-547-34126-2

Sixteen-year-old Maggie Blair lives a tenuous existence on the Isle of Bute in 17th century Scotland. Orphaned at an early age, she lives with her midwife/healer grandmother and drunkard uncle and suffers from seizures. Maggie views a whale that washes upon the shores of her island as an omen. Soon after, however, a rich landowner, who covets the land Maggie’s grandmother owns, accuses Maggie and her grandmother of witchcraft. He is also an adulterer. Maggie narrowly escapes execution and sets off on a perilous journey to live with her paternal uncle, who takes her in despite his wife’s disapproval. Unfortunately, he is a Covenanter at a time when the King’s men are scouring the land to rid it of such people.

The story is relentlessly somber as Maggie unsuccessfully seeks refuge in one place and then another. She is uneducated, but feisty. Her arch-nemesis, Annie, is truly evil and quite frightening as Maggie continually falls prey to her sly manipulations. Thoughtful young adult readers will be truly entranced by Maggie’s story. The writing invokes a strong sense of time and place, and the suspense ratchets up unbearably to a satisfying conclusion. Historical notes are included.

Reviewed by Brenda Kahn, Closter, NJ

 

Crusade by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié
SimonPulse/Simon & Schuster, 2010, 470 pp., $16.99
Vampires/Relationships/Rebellion/Violence/Religion
ISBN: 978-1-4169-9802-0

For centuries vampires, or the Cursed Ones, had remained hidden, and when they emerged a hunter would often protect the targeted town. However, the Cursed Ones have publicly come out of hiding and have expressed a desire for a partnership with the world’s governments so that all can live in peace; however, it quickly becomes evident that no equal partnership will develop because the Cursed Ones form strongholds around the world and feed at will. Most humans do not protest as an effort to protect their lives and their families. But some cannot meekly accept the new world order and fight back. The days of old when a single hunter could protect a town are gone and academies to train hunters pop up around the world. Crusade focuses on one team of hunters trained in Spain, and one hunter in particular, Jenn.

Although Jenn has been trained as a hunter and desires to stake as many Cursed Ones as she can, she questions her own abilities and struggles with her relationships with team members. When Jenn’s family is directly impacted, Jenn and the team fight to stop the Cursed Ones’ plans before it is too late.

Crusade will feel familiar to fans of the vampire genre with its forbidden love between mortal and vampire and the struggle between good and evil. However, Holder and Viguié provide some new and interesting twists on the genre, including a vampire who can withstand religious objects and a priest who guides the team. Additionally, the fight that the hunters and some humans put up is both exciting and inspirational. Crusade is most certainly the start of a new vampire series that will appeal to fans of the genre.

Reviewed by Aimee Rogers, Minneapolis, MN

 

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
Scholastic, 2011, 288 pp., $17.99
Social Situations/Adolescence/War
ISBN: 978-0-545-29014-2        

Imagine a plague that encompasses the world as a result of a war in which many people have died. Those left scavenge for food or materials to trade. Stephen was born after the war and the plague. He lives with his father, and his family has recently buried Stephen’s grandfather. They are salvagers and migrate from the north to the south of the United States and try to avoid the slavers, people who capture other people and use them as slaves. Stephen and his father find an old plane in the forest and are surprised by some slavers while they are looking for goods to trade. As they run from the slavers, Stephen’s father falls off a cliff into a river. Stephen jumps in to rescue him, but his father is in bad shape when they make it out of the river. Stephen does the best he can to care for his father’s injuries, but his father falls into a coma. Fortunately, Stephen meets people who take him and his father to a doctor in their village. Stephen becomes part of a family, and he even helps harvest crops and goes to school, while he waits to see if his father will recover.

The descriptions of life after the war and what everyone in this story goes through in Hirsch’s debut young adult novel keep the reader hooked to the end. Characters are realistic and engaging.

Reviewed by Ann Wolf, Belen, NM


Flip by Martyn Bedford
Lamb/Random House, 2011, 258 pp., $16.99
Identity/Supernatural
ISBN: 978-0-385-90808-5

Philip Garamond is a popular fourteen-year-old living in the suburbs. How did Alex Gray, however, suddenly wake up in Philip’s body? Hasn’t he been in a permanent vegetative state for months in a London hospital?  Who are these people that act like they are his parents, while his real Mom, Dad, and brother actively grieve his impending death?  Why can’t he go back instead of maintaining this smart aleck façade Flip (Philip’s nickname that matches his attitude) has crafted at the local high school?

Alex is determined to discover how this bizarre situation occurred and reverse it if he can. He finds answers and gains a mentor on a psychic evacuation website when Rob welcomes him to the fraternity of those whose souls have left their original bodies. The quest to overcome this supernatural event is filled with adventure and mishaps.

Alex is a likeable hero who questions his own identity and Philip’s. He goes through the same mood swings, hormonal surges, and endeavors to find his place as all adolescents, except he lives in the body of a boy he does not know and wants to leave so he can reclaim his own. Bedford’s first novel for teens is awash with tension and angst; the reader is mesmerized by Alex’s plight and his arduous journey to discover his identity.

Reviewed by Judith A. Hayn, Little Rock, AR

 

Grounded by Kate Klise
Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, 2010, 193 pp., $16.99
Grieving/Small Town Life/Mysteries
ISBN: 9780312570392

Twelve-year-old Daralynn’s life is divided into B.C. (Before the Crash that killed her father, brother, and sister) and A.D. (After Their Deaths). Living in small town Digginsville in the 1970s, Daralynn must grieve alone because her mother becomes stoic and detached. After her mother takes a job at the local funeral home, Daralynn comes up with the idea of a living funeral to bring in new business and give folks the chance to celebrate their lives. Why wait until people are dead to say nice things about them? Aunt Josie is a source of solace for Daralynn until Aunt Josie falls for newcomer, Clem Monroe. Slick businessman Clem rattles the town by promising them bigger and better things if they are willing to invest both their trust and their hard-earned money in Clem’s ventures. Suspecting Clem’s motives, Daralynn discovers secrets that, in the end, bring her family closer and bring the town together.

Simply written with a strong sense of setting, Grounded transports readers to Digginsville, so that they can experience small town life and walk in Daralynn’s shoes as she grieves and grows toward acceptance. Klise includes stylistic features such as newspaper clippings, leaflets, and journal excerpts to “ground” readers within the setting, bringing authenticity to the story. Klise’s characters are authentic and grow as the story progresses toward a satisfying resolution.

Reviewed by Kelly Byrne Bull, Baltimore, MD

 

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith
Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan, 2010, 368 pp., $17.99
Alternate Reality/Social Issues/Betrayal
ISBN: 978-0312613426

Jack is sixteen-years-old and excited about the coming summer. He is looking forward to an upcoming trip to London with his best friend Conner and a summer of sleeping in and hanging out with friends. Two nights before his scheduled flight out of the country, Jack goes to a party and has too much to drink and decides to walk home. After passing out on a bench in the park, Jack is helped up by a strange man in doctor’s scrubs who offers to take him home. From there, Jack and Conner begin a crazy foray involving kidnapping, murder, and betrayal as they make it to London, which is a gateway to the alternate world of Marbury.

Smith’s novel weaves a suspenseful tale that is full of unsuspecting twists and blatantly graphic detail. He toys with reality, while examining the power of friendship, therefore, making a fantastic story realistic, engaging, and full of tension.

Reviewed by Ray Engle, Indianapolis, IN

 

Now Is the Time for Running by Michael Williams
Little, Brown, 2011, 233 pp., $17.99
Immigration/Xenophobia/Soccer
ISBN: 978-0-316-07790-3

Deo and his older brother, Innocent, escape from their village after government soldiers massacre its residents in the wake of a contested election. Carrying only a soccer ball filled with billions of dollars of near-worthless Zimbabwean currency and a metal cereal box containing an assortment of treasures that bring comfort to the mentally challenged Innocent, the boys flee to a neighboring village to find a trusted friend of their now-deceased mother. They quickly realize that they will never be safe so long as they stay in Zimbabwe and flee to South Africa. Treacherous river crossings, violent gangs, hungry wild animals, and the constant perils of life as a refugee in a hostile foreign nation await Deo and Innocent on a possibly futile odyssey in search of their long-missing father. Against overwhelming odds, the brothers battle dangers both natural and man-made as they are forced to grow up without models of manhood in a land they struggle to call “home.”

What begins as a tragic, and now all too familiar, story of African “lost boys” searching for a safe haven in a cruel world evolves into a universally relatable tale of survival as Deo and Innocent become illegal immigrants in a multicultural nation. Deo’s first-person narration deftly renders the familiar strange for Western readers as the boys encounter fast food, department stores and modern cityscapes for the first time. Mirroring the rhythms of a refugee’s life on the run and of Deo’s beloved game of soccer, the pace of the story is brisk, never settling in any location for very long. Like the best works of John Steinbeck, the novel deals with the difficult yet eternal topic of man’s inhumanity to man with a simplicity of  language that belies the complexity of the emotional and geopolitical currents running throughout the narrative.

Reviewed by Sean Kottke, Battle Creek, MI

 

The Secret Journeys of Jack London, Book One: The Wild by Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon, and Greg Ruth (Illustrator)
HarperCollins, 2011, 368 pp., $15.99
Adventure/Historical Fiction
ISBN: 978-0061863172

The ensemble of Golden, Lebbon, and Ruth bring the Yukon Gold Rush to life in this novel based on the life and times of Jack London: famous author of such classics as Call of the Wild and White Fang. Readers follow a seventeen-year-old London as he voyages deep into the Alaskan wilderness, dealing with obstacles—human, environmental and animal—as he quests for gold, notoriety, and plays out his addiction for adventure. Jack encounters people of the Wendigo tribe, mysterious and folkloric beasts, and the bitter elements of Alaska.

Book One: The Wild is a daring adventure that has been researched and painstakingly detailed by Golden, Lebbon, and Ruth. The scenic beauty of the novel is enticing, and the voice and actions of the main character, Jack, make the reader cheer him on as he journeys across the land, encountering friends and foes. This is the beginning of an exciting series.

Reviewed by Ray Engle, Indianapolis, IN

 

Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
HarperCollins, 2011, 354 pp., $16.99
Relationships/School/Sex/Drinking
ISBN: 978-0-06-170124-5

Making choices: the fate of every high schooler. While the choices are typical, April’s living situation is not: she lives with her best friend, instead of her parents. After a string of events, including a messy divorce and remarriages, April decides to stay in her hometown of Westport, Connecticut, instead of moving to Ohio with her father and his new wife. Throughout her experience with Vi, her longtime best friend, April battles teenage life and the good times and horrifying ones that accompany it.

While April’s “freedom” may sound like a dream come true, she learns that choices can be a lot harder when parents aren’t around to help make them. Mylnowski’s novel is the perfect read for high school girls, especially those facing the inevitable decisions about partying, sex, and honesty. April’s character is funny, and her anecdotes keep the reader turning page after page.

Reviewed by Jane Monnat, Baldwinsville, NY

 

Then by Morris Gleitzman
Henry Holt, 2011, 198 pp., $16.99
Holocaust/Poland/Orphans/Survival
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9027-7

Our story begins in the early 1940s, in Poland, at the height of the Holocaust. Two young children, ten-year-old Felix (who is Jewish) and his friend, six-year-old Zelda (who is Catholic) escape—narrowly and suddenly—from a cattle car headed to a Nazi death camp.  Lost, lonely, and petrified, they manage to survive a gloomy and tangled landscape, but not before they stumble upon a pit filled with machine-gunned children and a local man collecting Jews for bounty.  Then, as fate and fiction would dictate, our two young heroes happen upon crusty and wizened Genia, a farmer with her own special reasons for hating Germans.  In fact, she hates Germans more than she hates Jews—which prompts her to hide our friends—risking all their lives in the hopes for a better tomorrow.

This engaging, plaintive, and soft-spoken tale of survival is the second of a planned trilogy (Once is the first in this series) by this prolific and entertaining author who writes of the Holocaust in a voice that young people will find inspiring and accessible.  Readers will relish the closeness that develops among these two children and their fearless protector—as the world around them turns violently upside down.  And they will fall in love with young Felix who struggles to protect his dear friend Zelda. Along with Genia, these three stand as a symbol for all those who braved life and limb to resist unspeakable evil. Young people will walk away with a better understanding of this reign of terror, and adults will cherish learning about the Holocaust through the eyes of young children. In a postscript, Gleitzman writes, “This story is my imagination trying to grasp the unimaginable.”  Indeed, it is.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kaplan, Orlando, FL

 

The Visconti House by Elsbeth Edgar
Candlewick, 2011, 287 pp., $16.99
Relationships/Friendship/Realism
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5019-3

High school is hard, and no one knows this better than Laura. Laura’s family recently moved to Australia, and she is trying her best to adjust to a new school, friends, country, and culture. While Laura does have acquaintances at school, she does not experience a true friendship until Leon, an unlikely confidant, enrolls. Laura and Leon’s friendship blossoms and continues to grow as they search for clues about the history of Laura’s family home, the Visconti House. This home is a marvel within the town, and Laura and Leon work to establish and give voice to the true history of its previous owners. As Laura and Leon work to discover the estate’s past, they become close friends, despite their fellow high schoolers’ perspectives of them. Their friendship helps them navigate their school and home environments and aids them in making informed decisions about their futures. Laura and Leon build a solid relationship that is fun, naïve, exciting, and transparent.

In The Visconti House, Edgar provides characters that adolescents will engage with because of the story context. Adolescents are all too familiar with the hardships of making and maintaining solid, true friendships in high school. This book demonstrates to readers that friendship can come in a variety of ways with different people if one is open.

Reviewed by Aimee Morewood, Morgantown, WV

The Last Summer of the Death Warriors Wins Walden Award

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The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is pleased and proud to announce the winner of the 2011 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award for Young Adult Fiction.  Established in 2008 to honor the wishes of young adult author Amelia Elizabeth Walden, the award allows for the sum of $5,000 to be presented annually to the author of a young adult title selected by the ALAN Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Committee as demonstrating a positive approach to life, widespread teen appeal, and literary merit.  This year’s committee considered nearly 300 young adult titles during the selection process.

The 2011 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award winner is:

The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork (Arthur A. Levine)

When Pancho arrives at St. Anthony’s Home, he knows his time there will be short: If his plans succeed, he’ll soon be arrested for the murder of his sister’s killer. But then he’s assigned to help D.Q., whose brain cancer has slowed neither his spirit nor his mouth. D.Q. tells Pancho all about his “Death Warrior’s Manifesto,” which will help him to live out his last days fully–ideally, he says, with the love of the beautiful Marisol. As Pancho tracks down his sister’s murderer, he finds himself falling under the influence of D.Q. and Marisol, who is everything D.Q. said she would be; and he is inexorably drawn to a decision: to honor his sister and her death, or embrace the way of the Death Warrior and choose life.

Nuanced in its characters and surprising in its plot developments–both soulful and funny–Pancho & D.Q. is a “buddy novel” of the highest kind: the story of a friendship that helps two young men become all they can be.

 

The 2011 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award finalists are:

  • After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick (Scholastic Press)
  • I Will Save You by Matt de la Peña (Delacorte Press)
  • Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick (Little, Brown and Company)
  • Wolves, Boys, & Other Things That Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler (Viking)

The authors of the winning title and the finalists will be invited to speak on a panel on Monday, November 21st at the 2011 ALAN Workshop in Chicago, Illinois. They will also be honored at an open reception immediately following the Monday sessions of the ALAN Workshop.  All Walden Award titles will be identified by an award sticker—gold for the winner and silver for the four finalists.

The Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee would like to thank: the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Foundation; the ALAN Executive Council; the ALAN Board of Directors; NCTE; and the more than twenty publishers who submitted titles for consideration.

The 2011 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee was comprised of eleven members representing the university, K-12 school, and library communities.  They are:

  • Teri Lesesne, Committee Chair Professor Department of Library Science, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX
  • Daria Plumb, Past Chair Classroom Teacher Riverside Academy, Dundee, MI
  • Carolyn Angus Director George G. Stone Center for Children’s Books, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA
  • Erica Berg Classroom Teacher Rockville High School, Vernon, CT
  • Jean Boreen Professor Department of English, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
  • Lois Buckman Librarian Caney Creek High School, Conroe, TX
  • Jeff Harr Classroom Teacher Theodore Roosevelt High School, Kent, OH
  • Jeff Kaplan Associate Professor College of Education, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
  • Diane Tuccillo Teen Services Librarian Poudre River Public Library District, Fort Collins, CO
  • Jennifer Walsh Classroom Teacher Forsythe Middle School, Ann Arbor, MI
  • Barbara Ward Assistant Professor Washington State University, Department of Teaching and Learning, Pullman, WA.

 

Daria Plumb, Past Chair

Classroom Teacher

Riverside Academy, Dundee, MI

 

Carolyn Angus

Director

George G. Stone Center for Children’s Books, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA

 

Erica Berg

Classroom Teacher

Rockville High School, Vernon, CT

 

Jean Boreen

Professor

Department of English, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ

 

Lois Buckman

Librarian

Caney Creek High School, Conroe, TX

 

Jeff Harr

Classroom Teacher

Theodore Roosevelt High School, Kent, OH

 

Jeff Kaplan

Associate Professor

College of Education, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

 

Diane Tuccillo

Teen Services Librarian

Poudre River Public Library District, Fort Collins, CO

 

Jennifer Walsh

Classroom Teacher

Forsythe Middle School, Ann Arbor, MI

 

Barbara Ward

Assistant Professor

Washington State University, Department of Teaching and Learning, Pullman, WA

 

For more information on the award, please visit ALAN Online: The Official Site of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents http://www.alan-ya.org/ .