Image by theunquietlibrarian via Flickr
Syracuse.com has an interview with YA author, Laurie Halse Anderson who has had a year filled with censorship challenges to her novels.
She speaks about teens and their needs, honesty in writing, and much more.
If that doesn’t tempt you, then follow the link to see the incredible window she has in her new writing space. GORGEOUS!
YALSA has released the names of the five finalists for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for young adults (ages 12-18).
Almost Astronauts by Tanya Lee Stone
Charles and Emma by Deborah Heiligman
Claudette Colvin by Phillip Hoose
The Great and Only Barnum by Candace Fleming
Written in Bone by Sally M. Walker
Award-winning science fiction author, Will Shetterly has released his new YA novel via Lulu. This means it is FREE. Just head to Scribd and you can start reading immediately.
You can also read Shetterly’s blog to hear about why he did not go with a publishing house.
Thanks to Boing Boing.
Dragonfly by Julia Golding
Princess Taoshira comes from a court of rules, order and gentility, though she used to be a goatherd. Prince Ramil comes from a life filled with horses and action. The two of them could not be more different or have more different beliefs about life and religion. Yet the two of them are betrothed to unite their two countries which are both on the brink of war with Fergox who believes in a god of war and blood. Their first meeting is fraught with misunderstanding and miscommunication. When they try to go out for a ride in the forest together, they are both kidnapped and taken to Fergox. Now the question is whether they trust one another enough to escape together, because their odds of survival are better if they act as one.
Excellent fantasy, this book creates a world that is complex, fascinating and tangible. Both protagonists are complicated people who learn much about themselves as they interact with one another. There is growth in both of them throughout the book. Part of that growth is their slow-building romance that also reads as so real that it almost aches. Golding’s writing is strong and easily carries a book of this length without bogging. In fact, the action is swift and often great fun as are many of the supporting characters the two come across in their journey.
The most vital part of this book is the message of acceptance across cultural boundaries. Though the two main characters are so different, they still have much in common as rulers of lands. Yet it is the differences that are immediately apparent, it takes time and effort to find the common ground.
A beautifully rendered, complex novel, this book will be enjoyed by fans of Kristin Cashore and Suzanne Collins. Appropriate for ages 12-15.
Reviewed from copy received from publisher.
Also reviewed by Library Lounge Lizard.
Looking Like Me by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Christopher Myers
This father and son partnership has created a picture book that will work with a broad span of ages. Walter Dean Myers’ poem explores everything that a person can be, all the various aspects of a person. He focuses on what a person loves to do, relationships with others, and who that person really is. It is an empowering message of both individuality and connections to others.
The poetry in the book dances from one idea to the next with a jazzy rhythm and urban vibe. Christopher Myers’ art is joyous, loose and loud. The two work together to offer a book filled with rhythm and movement.
This book is accessible enough to be used with children in elementary school, but may speak loudest to older children and teens who are asking themselves about their identity. It begs to be used with students and reacted to in a personal way. Appropriate for ages 7-14.
Reviewed from library copy.
Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
This sequel to Lament continues the story of Dee and James, this time from James’ perspective. Now the two of them are at Thornking-Ash, a boarding highschool for musically talented teens. James is an incredibly talented piper and his talent draws in a faerie who seeks out musicians and gives them great music in exchange for years of their lives. Nuala arrives ready to make a deal with James, but as they get to know one another better, her motives change. Now they must deal with the fact that Nuala lives only 16 years and will be burned alive on Halloween only to return reborn without any memories. And on top of that, they have to stop the cunning other faeries who are searching for more power through Dee.
Stiefvater has outdone herself here. Her prose is thorny, magical, and gripping. The novel draws you into its faerie ring and won’t release you until you are gasping for breath from the dance. Her characterization of James is poignant and soul searching combined with a sarcasm and wit that really brings him to life. Nuala is a character readers will be set to detest, but will slowly warm to just as James does. She is a complex character who changes through the course of the book believably.
The setting of the school is done very well. It becomes both an area of safety and a place of fear. The campus setting is ideal for this sort of story with its separateness, community and structure.
Impossible to put down, breathlessly turning and spinning, this novel is a wonder. Highly recommended to all libraries and to all teens who loved Lament, this book is appropriate for ages 13-17.
Reviewed from copy received from publisher.
Also reviewed by Bib-Laura-graphy, Angieville, Jen Robinson’s Book Page, Library Lounge Lizard, The Well-Read Child, and Charlotte’s Library.
The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Adam Rex
Steve was a great fan of the Bailey Brothers who star in a series of detective novels. In fact, Steve considered their series and The Bailey Brothers’ Detective Handbook to be the best books ever. But even though he had read their books through several times, Steve was very surprised when he went to the library to work on his report about early American needlework and was attacked! Steve now had to recover a national treasure, evade secret-agent librarians, and clear his name of national treason. Oh, and finish his report by Monday.
An amazing riff on and homage to classic detective series like the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, this book is hilarious, exciting and just pure fun. Barnett’s tone dances between tongue-in-cheek and sincerity with great ease. Steve is a great protagonist, eagerly following the advice of the Bailey Brothers throughout his own adventure even though things rarely go as planned.
Rex’s illustrations are vintage Hardy Boys, done in black and white with gray washes of shadow. Just as with the novel itself, Rex plays with the format, making it modern but vintage at the same time.
Highly recommended for all libraries, this book begs to be shared with others. It would make a super read aloud for elementary school classes, because of its episodic nature and cliffhanging chapters. Appropriate for ages 9-13.
Reviewed from copy received from publisher.
Also reviewed by Book Trends, TheHappyNappyBookseller, and Fuse #8.
Running on the Cracks by Julia Donaldson
Leo just can’t stay at her aunt and uncle’s house any more. Her parents are both dead, so she heads to Glasgow to search for her grandparents using only a few clues that her father had given her over the years. After a few days of homelessness, Leo is rescued by Mary, a recent psychiatric patient, who tends to take in waifs and strays. The newspapers carry stories of Leo’s disappearance, so she is forced to hide in Mary’s apartment and only goes out at dawn to sketch. Finlay, a teen who wants to be tougher than he really is, meets Leo when she steals doughnuts from a cart he works at. He recognizes her as the missing girl and only later becomes a friend and protector. As Leo continues to hide from the authorities, her group of friends become more like family to her. But just when she begins to relax a bit, her uncle appears and the dangers of living with him become clear.
This story mixes tension with a story that is deep and moving. The tension of pursuit is constantly present in the story, but the meat of the book is really Leo’s search for her family and for a safe haven and the people she encounters and bonds with in that journey. Leo is a great biracial character. Her Chinese background plays an important role in the story and in her search for her family. She is a well-written character who shows great strength and ingenuity in the face of so many difficulties. It is also wonderful to see a male protagonist in Finlay who is just as strongly written and interesting as Leo. The pairing makes this a great choice for all readers.
Another aspect of the novel is the character of Mary who suffers from mental illness. She offers Leo protection and a home, but her moods and actions become more and more disorganized as the novel goes on. Her illness is portrayed with honesty and not hostility, which is refreshing.
I am not a fan of the cover. I wish it showed more of Leo and Finlay who make an intriguing pair of friends.
A fast-paced novel, this book reads quickly and despite darker themes is more about the positive side of life. Appropriate for ages 12-15.
Reviewed from copy received from publisher.
Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd
Holly was now placed with a family of her own after years in a residential home for teens. Fiona and Ray seemed to want her, but it might turn out the same as the last place where she was sent back. Best that she leave on her own terms and head to find her mother in Ireland where she was waiting. Holly dons a blonde wig that makes her look much older than her 15 years and calls herself Solace. From London, she hitchhikes her way across Britain. On the way, she meets kindness in surprising places and finds out more about herself and her past.
There is magic in Dowd’s writing, filled with crystalline moments and complexity and no simple answers. This road-trip novel has the essential ingredient of slow progression in self-awareness. Holly is a complicated character, filled with bravado, anger and confusion. She is portrayed with so many layers, that just discovering her is a joy. Holly’s use of an alter ego to understand herself is drawn with caring and a supreme gentleness. There are moments of stillness in the novel where insight is just around the corner, but then life intervenes and the reader must wait patiently for the next moment to come.
Dowd uses the setting as almost its own character in the novel. Readers who have never been to Britain will still find themselves picturing it clearly in their head, hearing the birds, visiting the dark towns.
This is a beauty of a character sketch created by a gifted author whose career ended way too early. Highly recommended for fans of problem novels, this book will stun with the quality of the writing. Appropriate for ages 14-17.
Reviewed from library copy.
Also reviewed by Abby (the) Librarian and Crossover.
Waking Brain Cells 