Teen

American Panda by Gloria Chao

| Tasha

American Panda by Gloria Chao

American Panda by Gloria Chao (9781481499101)

Mei is a freshman at MIT. Her Taiwanese-American parents have decided that she will become a doctor, though Mei tends to be a bit freaked out by germs. They also want her only to marry a Taiwanese boy selected by them. As Mei chafes under their expectations and excessive attention, she starts to date a Japanese-American boy at MIT. But her brother was kicked out of the family for dating a girl her parents didn’t approve of, so she has to keep him secret. She is also keeping her love for dancing and her dream of owning a dance studio from her parents. And when she starts to see her brother again, she also can’t tell them that. As Mei’s lies and secrets grow larger, it becomes inevitable that they will topple over and the truth will come out. But what does that mean for her relationship with her parents and extended family, going to MIT and her own dreams?

Chao has created a book that she needed as a teenager, one that reflects the deep-seated expectations of a family. At times, the reactions and actions of the family are horrifying, including the put downs of Mei, the disowning of children, and the expectation that the parents’ opinions are all that matter in every scenario. And still, readers will see the love shine through since Chao allows spaces to form that give Mei and her family hope for reconciliation in the future.

The book is masterfully written allowing readers to see culture as both a foundation but also as a constricting world at times. She imbues the entire novel with humor, since Mei is funny and smart, seeing the world through her own unique lens. The messages from Mei’s mother pop up between chapters, offering their own moments of laughter. The steady growth of connection between Mei and her mother is one of the most vital parts of the book, as Mei’s discovery of her own voice allows her mother to step forward too.

A book that belongs in all public libraries, this novel will speak universally to all teenagers looking to make their own paths. Appropriate for ages 13-16.

(Reviewed from copy provided by Simon Pulse.)

 

Mary’s Monster by Lita Judge

| Tasha

Mary's Monster by Lita Judge

Mary’s Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge (9781626725003)

The daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft, an early feminist author, Mary never knew her mother except through her writings. Sent away as a child to live in Scotland, Mary eventually returned to her family where her stepmother rejected her. Believing firmly in free love and the right for a woman to choose her own life, as a teenager Mary ran off with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who left his wife behind to be with her. But things are not that simple and their lives were filled with Percy’s madness and womanizing. Soon Mary is a pregnant teen, unmarried and disowned by her family. But she does not give in and begins to write her masterpiece of a novel, Frankenstein. She pours all of her grief of losing several children, her love for a man who is unable to commit to anyone, and the wound of the loss of her mother.

This verse novel is pure wonderment. Judge illuminates each page with her illustrations, capturing the emotional anguish that filled many of Mary’s days. A few of the pages are voiced by the monster himself, the typeset crooked and voice uniquely that of the creature. It is beautifully handled, the words crafted to evoke emotion and to show the desperate choices that Mary was forced to make.

In my undergraduate thesis, I read the works of the early feminists and Mary Wollstonecraft was one of those writers. It is fascinating to see how her ideals shine in Mary’s life and yet played out into tragedies at times. The fact that Judge read Mary’s diaries is evident on each page of this book, since Mary’s voice rings so clearly on them and her passion for change, love and creativity shines through the darkness of her life.

A masterful look at one of the greatest works of literature and the woman behind it. Appropriate for ages 14-18.

(Reviewed from copy provided by Roaring Brook Press.)

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

| Tasha

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (9780062662804)

Released March 6, 2018.

Xiomara feels completely unheard and smothered by her mother’s high expectations, particularly those around church and confirmation. She knows how to use her fists to settle arguments, often coming to the defense of her twin brother. She ignores the lewd glances of the men around her who react to her curves far too often. Xiomara’s mother refuses to allow her to date, so when she catches her daughter kissing someone, there are real consequences. Still, Xiomara continues to find her voice. She asks questions at confirmation and eventually joins the school’s poetry club. Xiomara’s passion for words, slam poetry and speaking out won’t stay hidden from her mother for much longer.

Written by a famed slam poet, this book is ferociously written, taking life and putting it on the page with an honesty that almost hurts. The entire verse novel is beautifully written and each poem is a study in how to capture a moment in time with clarity. There are some poems that shine, the anger burning so brightly that they can’t be ignored. They beg to be read aloud into a microphone.

Xiomara’s character is complex and amazing. She is a girl just finding her voice, emerging from the huge shadow her mother has cast and finding her own way forward. She is a mix of sensuality, verse and anger that is completely intoxicating.

One of the best verse novels I have ever read, this one deserves a standing ovation. Appropriate for ages 14-18.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and HarperTeen.

 

2018 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

| Tasha

YALSA has announced the list of Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers for 2018. The full list has 30 titles with a Top Ten list:

42 Is Not Just a Number: The Odyssey of Jackie Robinson, American Hero

42 Is Not Just a Number: The Odyssey of Jackie Robinson, American Hero by Doreen Rappaport

Dear Martin

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Long Way Down

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Miles Morales

Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds

One of Us Is Lying

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Patina (Track, #2)

Patina by Jason Reynolds

Sandwiches!: More Than You've Ever Wanted to Know about Making and Eating America's Favorite Food

Sandwiches: More Than You’ve Ever Wanted to Know about Making and Eating America’s Favorite Food by Alison Deering, illustrated by Bob Lentz

Scooby Apocalypse, Volume 1

Scooby Apocalypse, Vol 1 by Keith Giffen, illustrated by Howard Porter

Spill Zone (Spill Zone, #1)

Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld, illustrated by Alex Puvilland

 

2018 Great Graphic Novels for Teens

| Tasha

YALSA has announced their list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens for 2018. They also have a top ten:

The Backstagers, Vol. 1 (The Backstagers, Volume One)

The Backstagers by James Tynion IV, illustrated by Rian Sygh

Black Hammer, Vol. 1: Secret Origins

Black Hammer, Volume 1: Secret Origins by Jeff Lemire, illustrated by Dean Ormston

Brave (Awkward, #2)

Brave by Svetlana Chmakova

I Am Alfonso Jones

I Am Alfonso Jones by Tony Medina, illustrated by Stacey Robison and John Jennings

Jonesy #1

Jonesy by Sam Humphries, illustrated by Caitlin Rose Boyle

Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation

Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Damian Duffy and Octavia E. Butler, illustrated by John Jennings

Lighter Than My Shadow

Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green

My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 (My Brother's Husband Omnibus, #1)

My Brother’s Husband by Gengoroh Tagame

Pashmina

Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani

Spill Zone (Spill Zone, #1)

Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld, illustrated by Alex Puvilland

2018 Best Fiction for Young Adults

| Tasha

YALSA has announced their list of Best Fiction for Young Adults for 2018. The impressive list also offers a Top Ten, which you can see below:

Eliza and Her Monsters

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Guide, #1)

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Goodbye Days

Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner

The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic (Grisha Verse, #0.5, #2.5, #2.6)

The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo, illustrated by Sara Kipin

Long Way Down

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Piecing Me Together

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

Sparrow

Sparrow by Sarah Moon

Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

What Girls Are Made Of

What Girls Are Made Of by Elana Arnold

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

| Tasha

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman (9781442472457)

This is the sequel to the award-winning first book in the Arc of a Scythe series. It continues the story of Citra and Rowan. Citra is completing her apprenticeship under Scythe Curie when they find themselves being hunted down. Rowan meanwhile is doing the hunting, taking out scythes who are hiding illegal activity. He kills as Scythe Lucifer and has become a legend of sorts. As the time for the Winter Conclave comes about though, something far more sinister is rising up and just in time for when the MidMerica scythes gather.

I often have issues with second books in series, a kind of sophomore slump. Shusterman though does not miss a step here. He brings readers right back into his sharply drawn world. It is the writing itself that does this. He has a particular tone and style evident here as he writes of beloved characters and introduces new characters to root for. They are all marvelously complexly drawn, the heroes full of darkness and the villains full of righteousness. The character of the Thunderhead itself is also wonderfully created, its voice wise and also full of questions.

The book is one that will keep readers guessing throughout. Even as they know something is coming, it is not clear what it is or what that will mean. There are layers here that reveal, foreshadowing that is deftly written, and an ending that is so fast and wild that you almost can’t turn the pages quickly enough.

Beautifully crafted and written, this is a worthy successor to the first. And that is saying something! Appropriate for ages 14-18.

Reviewed from copy provided by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross

| Tasha

The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross

The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross (9780062471345)

Brienna has never known who her father is, only that he is from neighboring Maevana. When her grandfather takes her to Magnalia House and has her accepted as a student of passion, Brienna discovers a new home. Among the handful of other students, Brienna discovers sisters as well as her own interest in history. As Brienna gets ready to master her passion for knowledge and leave Magnalia House, her plans go awry and she doesn’t complete the graduation ceremony and find a patron. Instead, her flashbacks of memories from a mysterious ancestor tie her closely to those who would restore a queen to the throne of Maevana and dethrone the imposter king. As war brews, Brienna becomes the linchpin to a plan that takes her into the heart of her homeland of Maevana and the dangers of political intrigue generations in the making.

Ross has deftly woven a story set in medieval times with glimpses of magic. Her story is firmly feminist, calling for queens to sit on thrones, the power of magic in women’s hands, and the ability of women to create plans that are daring and effective. The world created here is tightly drawn, two neighboring nations with differences in cultures that come together in Brienna. Ross also incorporates the fall of a queen and the resulting ramifications of her loss. It’s beautifully drawn, some of it revealed only towards the end of the novel to complete the picture.

Brienna is an incredible protagonist. She is humble and yet clearly bright and gifted, just with different gifts than the school for passion may be looking for. Her ability to plot and plan, learn to use a sword, and adjust her reactions to political turns shows how clever she is. There is a lovely romantic tension in the book as well, kept quite proper and reserved and yet smoldering at the same time.

An intelligent and well crafted teen novel filled with political intrigue and a woman who will lead the way to change. Appropriate for ages 13-17.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and HarperTeen.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

| Tasha

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang (9781626723634)

Released February 13, 2018.

While Prince Sebastian’s parents are busily searching for a bride from him, he is hiding a secret from everyone. He hires a dressmaker, Frances, to make his wardrobe for him, including dresses that are stunning creations. They allow him to become Lady Crystallia, who soon becomes a Paris fashion icon herself. As Frances gains fame as the Crystallia’s dressmaker, Sebastian’s secret becomes much harder to hide and soon the two have to choose between keeping the secret and allowing Frances to follow her dreams.

This graphic novel by Wang, who did In Real Life with Cory Doctorow, has created a graphic novel that embraces people exploring their gender identity while also incorporating a beautiful romantic nature to the entire book. Throughout there is a feeling of connection between Frances and Sebastian, one that goes beyond fashion. The fashion adds a layer of self expression for both of them, of triumph and discovery as well.

Wang’s art captures Paris at the dawn of the modern age. Filled with gowns, horse-drawn carriages and grandeur. It also has a humor in it, one that allows readers to chuckle at absurd situations and one that creates truly human characters for readers to connect with deeply.

Beautiful, layered and modern, this graphic novel embraces gender identity and gorgeous dresses. Appropriate for ages 12-15.

Reviewed from copy provided by First Second.