#14--The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)--Kody Keplinger

When I was at the YA Lit conference in Phoenix in January, the Phoenix Book Company was there with some books for sale.  I picked up a few titles and this was one of them.  I was intrigued by the title--and the fact that it was almost 50% off didn't hurt either!

Bianca, a high school senior, is our protagonist.  The story opens with her at a local club for teenagers, The Nest.  The only reason she is there is because her two best friends, Casey and Jessica, have dragged her there, again.  She is talking to Joe, the bartender, when Wesley Rush, the school "man-slut" approaches her as a way to hopefully get the attention of her more desirable friends. He has nicknamed her "The Duff--Designated Ugly Fat Friend" and she promptly throws her Cherry Coke in his face.  Unfortunately life at home is unraveling.  Her mother, who travels A LOT for her job as an inspirational speaker has had divorce papers delivered to Bianca's dad, an on-the-wagon alcoholic, from afar.     

As an escape from reality, Bianca and Wesley start having an enemies-with-benefits relationship that quickly escalates to them meeting up several times a week for a tryst.  Wesley's family is just as dysfunctional as Bianca's, maybe even more so.  His family is very wealthy and his parents spend much of their time traveling.  His younger sister lives with their grandmother--who despises Wesley, so much of the time, he is in his huge mansion of a home alone.  In the meantime, Bianca's father falls off the wagon when he realizes that the divorce papers are for real and goes on a drinking binge for several weeks.  Bianca doesn't feel like she can confide in anyone about this, so Casey and Jessica feel even more out of touch with her--they also don't know about her relationship with Wesley either.  However, Wesley has witnessed the destruction Bianca's father is leaving in his wake and protects her from his rage.  By the time Bianca discovers that she has feelings for Wesley, she has determined that she has to end their relationship because he could never love a "Duff".

This book was written by an 18-year-old....and it was somewhat obvious.  About halfway through, I was rather disgusted with the language used, unnecessarily most of the time, and the lessons that were being taught to high schoolers about making light of sex and how free they were with it.  I don't have my head in the sand....I know high school kids have sex.  However, it is not something I condone and I didn't like how this book made light of two teenagers jumping in the sack on a regular basis.  I almost put the book down, but decided that I wanted to see how it ended.  In the end, after Bianca tries, unsuccessfully, to move on from Wesley, they both solve some of their family issues and they end up back together.  I'm not sure how realistic this is....it tied itself up a little too neatly at the end, for all the mess that they made throughout the book.

This title will definitely NOT be going on the shelves of my library--and I think I will be giving my copy away.    On to happier reading this week, I hope!

Happy Reading!!

#13--Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip--Jordan Sonnenblick

I may have mentioned in the past that Jordan Sonnenblick has been a visiting author at my school....and we have been lucky enough to have him come TWICE!!

Curveball is his latest title to come out and it has been very popular with my students, so, since my goal was to read at least two books last week by previously visiting authors, I grabbed this one off one of my many stacks of unread books around my house.

At the end of his 8th grade year, star pitcher, Peter Friedman has a career-ending injury in his elbow.  After spending the summer in physical therapy after surgery, Peter isn't sure what his freshman year will be like since he is no longer an athlete.  His best friend, and pitching partner, AJ doesn't believe that Peter won't be back on the diamond come spring.  And he is working hard to get Peter back into peak physical condition, no matter what it takes.  Peter can't bring himself to tell AJ the truth--that he can never throw a ball again.

Fortunately, Peter also has photography--the passion that he and his grandfather, a professional photographer, both share.  When his grandfather realizes that he is beginning to suffer from signs of Alzheimer's, he gives Peter all of his high-grade camera equipment.  Peter has signed up for a photography class as one of his electives, and when he proves, on the first day, that he knows quite a bit about photography, the instructor sends him over to the advanced class....and within minutes, another cute freshman joins him...the only two freshmen in the class.  Peter and Angelika get paired together to work on projects, and Peter really likes her, but Angelika isn't interested in dating someone who can't be honest with those he cares about--Peter hasn't told AJ the truth, and he also hasn't told his parents what is going on with his grandfather.

One of the things that I really like about Sonnenblick is that he brings back main characters from other books as peripheral characters.  If you hadn't read his other books, the characters wouldn't necessarily jump out at you, but they are nice surprises every time it happens.  This time around, San and Emily from Zen and the Art of Faking It make an appearance, and it was nice to see them again, a little bit older in this outing.

This book made me both laugh and tear up, which Sonnenblick tends to do--and is the mark of a great book, in my mind.

Happy Reading!!!

#12--Heaven Looks A Lot Like the Mall--Wendy Mass

Each year our PTO sponsors a visit from an author.  And each year, I buy as many of the author's books as I can get my hands on--for the express purpose to have them signed....and to hopefully read, someday.  Several years ago Wendy Mass was our visiting author, and I bought all of her books that were out at that time...and there were quite a few of them.  In an effort to get through more of our past authors, I decided to read two past authors' books last week.  Heaven Looks A Lot Like a Mall was the first one I picked up.

I wasn't completely sure what to expect of it, but the description sounded somewhat intriguing.....Tessa, a 16-year-old, has an accident in gym class that puts her in a coma.  While in the coma, Tessa has an experience, a la It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol where she is shown events from her past in an effort to help her change her ways.  All of the events take place at the local mall where her parents both work and where Tessa has spent much of her life growing up.  The story is told in verse....which I'm not usually opposed to, but other than the fact that this was a very quick read because of the verse, I don't really think it added to the plot.

Tessa is not a likable character....I found very little about her to be redeeming.  At the end of the story, it was obvious that Tessa had regrets, but I'm not sure how she will change and whether or not the changes will be believable...or if she will revert to her old ways of lying and conniving.

Overall, it was a quick read, but I'm not in love with this book.  I'm sure I have some students who would like it, but I would have a hard time selling it.  Of the Wendy Mass books I've read thus far, A Mango-Shaped Space is still my favorite.

Happy Reading!!

#11-Ten by Gretchen McNeil

OMG!!!  (This is not a phrase I use, if at all, so that is momentous in and of itself.)  I often lose track of time when I'm reading a good book.  But today I was almost late to school for meetings because I was so sucked into this book!!!  We got Ten a week or two ago and it immediately caught my attention when I was cataloging it because it sounded like a remake of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (also known as Ten Little Indians), just with a modern twist and teenagers as the victims.  I love a good Agatha Christie story and And Then There Were None is my favorite....partly because I was in the play version in high school and partly because it was the first Christie I ever read.  I often tell my students who are looking for a good mystery that I've never been able to figure out who did it in an Agatha Christie book until she is explaining it to the audience....and I challenge them to try to figure it out before the end if they can.  So far, no one has been able to do it, but I'm still waiting for someone to be able to do it.

Anyway, back to Ten.  I read the first chapter last week and then life got in the way.  I was able to pick it up and read the next ten chapters over the weekend but had other things going on and wasn't able to get beyond that.  So, today after school and before having to get back for meetings, I decided to sit down and work on it.  I read more than 200 pages in less than 2 hours....that is how good this book is!!  Because I knew the Christie story, I had an idea that there was a pattern to the murders (in Christie's novel, the murders are based on the children's rhyme, Ten Little Indians--hence the original name of the book), but it took a little while before I was able to put the pieces together.  I also knew that the killer would be someone from within the group.  I did not figure out who the killer was or why he/she was bent on revenge until the end....just like a Christie!!

I refuse to say any more about this book as I don't want to give anything else away.  But you have to read this book!!!!

Happy Reading!!!

The original poem used in Agatha Christie's book and play.....

Ten little Indian boys went out to dine;

One choked his little self and then there were nine.

Nine little Indian boys sat up very late;

One overslept himself and then there were eight.

Eight little Indian boys travelling in Devon;

One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks;

One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.

Six little Indian boys playing with a hive;

A bumblebee stung one and then there were five.

Five little Indian boys going in for law;

One got in Chancery and then there were four.

Four little Indian boys going out to sea;

A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.

Three little Indian boys walking in the zoo;

A big bear hugged one and then there were two.

Two Little Indian boys playing in the sun;

One got all frizzled up and then there was one.

One little Indian boy left all alone;

He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

#10--The Hunger Pains: A Parody by The Harvard Lampoon

One of my students had asked me several months ago if I had heard of this title, and I hadn't.  So, last week, he handed it to me to read.  I breezed through it pretty quickly last night.  The Hunger Pains is a parody of the original Hunger Games, hopefully a pretty obvious connection :). 

All of the characters have been given new names, sometimes similar sounding and sometimes not.  Katniss Everdeen becomes Kantkiss Neverclean, Gale becomes Carol (since they are both girl names), etc.  Kantkiss is pretty much the opposite of Katniss, except that she is still a tomboyish hunter, but she is pretty dumb and clueless about lots of things.  Kantkiss is still from District 12, but their specialty is no longer mining---it is telemarketing.  The other 11 districts also have specialties that are much different than the originals. 

The biggest kick I got out of it was that the people of the Capital (where California used to be) speak with an accent that "used to be called Jamaican," so Effu (Effie) has a Jamaican accent, yet Cinnabon, Kantkiss's stylist, doesn't have a Jamaican accent.  Cinnabon is never very prepared with her costumes and comes up with ridiculously pathetic costumes that Kantkiss loves. 

Anything from the original that could have been made fun of has been....and even some things you wouldn't have thought to make fun of too!  Overall, the parody was funny (but not necessarily kid-appropriate), but poorly written.  I'm glad that I had the opportunity to read it, but this is not a title I will be revisiting. 

Happy Reading!!

#9--Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Na Liu and Andres Vera Martinez

Every once in a while I come across a book that I just have to read, for whatever reason.  This was one of those books.  The cover intrigued me; and I also couldn't tell for sure whether or not it should be included in the collection as fiction or nonfiction.  And the fact that it was told in beautiful pictures drew me in even further.

The author, Na Liu, tells stories about growing up in China during the time period immediately after Chairman Mao died (1976-1980).  The artwork, done by her husband, is gorgeous, especially the pictures that are meant to look like Chinese propaganda from the time period.  I felt like I was in China during this time period and it was brought to life for me.  The story is broken up into several chapters that tell a continuous story.  I would love to know more about Liu's life between the time period portrayed in this book and when she emmigrated to the US in 1999 as you don't often find stories of this time and place, written for children or teens. 

I must say that I'm pretty excited to get this title on the shelf soon!

Happy Reading!!

#8--The Captive Prince (Three Thieves, Book 3) by Scott Chandler

While I was cataloging books last night, I came across this graphic novel.  This is the third book in the series....for some reason, we do not have the first one.  :(  I read through it to try to determine what genre sticker I should be putting on it and I think I will be looking into trying to find the first one to add to our collection. 

The story opens with the three thieves, Fisk, Dessa, and Topper, on the run from Queen's Dragons (I'm guessing something big happened in book 2).  Dessa comes across a young man who has been kidnapped and she rescues him from his captors.  It is later revealed that Paladin (the young man), is actually the crown prince.  When Paladin's father discovers that Paladin is safe and who rescued him, he invites the three thieves back to the palace for a celebration.  And the story continues in predictable fashion.... 

Despite it's predictable nature, there were a few new elements to this story that I'm curious enough about to go back and read the first two books and will be looking for the next book in the series to come out.

Happy Reading!!

#6 and #7 Love Hina 1 and 2 by Ken Akamatsu

I will admit that I rarely stray from reading the printed word into graphic novels, especially if those said graphic novels are manga or anime (I'm still not exactly sure what the distinction between the two is, but I know there are people who can explain it!).  In an effort to broaden my horizons, I was handed the first two books of the Love Hina series. 

The story follows Keitaro Urashima, a second year ronin (a student who didn't pass the college entrance exam) and his escapades.  Keitaro has been kicked out of his parents' house because he failed his entrance exams to Tokyo University for the second time.  Fortunately, his grandmother owns Hinata House, a lodge.  What Keitaro doesn't know is that Hinata House has been turned into a girls dorm--a lodging house exclusively for girls.  His aunt has been taking care of the house, but he soon finds out that his grandmother has left Hinata House to him while she is traveling and he is the new landlord.  Keitaro could have been admitted to another university, however, as a child he made a promise to the girl of his dreams that they would go to TU together.  Unfortunately, Keitaro can't remember her name, or even what she looks like. 

While trying to study for the entrance exams again, he also has to fulfill his landlord duties as well....while the girls are trying to run him off.  Can he keep his mind on his studies and off the girls?  Especially the one tutoring him?

These books have also been turned into a cartoon.  So, I'm curious as to how it turned out....as well as how the rest of the story turns out, as there are 14 total books in the series.....

Happy Reading!!

#5--Tears of the Tiger by Sharon Draper

I'm a little behind on my postings....I actually read this one closer to the beginning of the year.  At the beginning of the story Andy and his friends Rob, BJ and Tyrone, go out after the big basketball game to celebrate.  Three of the boys, Rob, Andy and Tyrone, get drunk and on their way home, Andy, who was driving, wrecks the car.  Andy, BJ and Tyrone are able to get out, but Rob does not, and he is declared dead at the scene.  The rest of the story takes place over the course of the remainder of the school year and is told through homework assignments, letters, and conversations.  Andy does not handle his guilt or depression well after the accident and the adults around him are no help.  His parents keep telling him to put the "unfortunate incident" behind him and to "be a man."  Andy is able to convince his school counselor, as well as the outside help he is getting, that he is fine.  In the meantime, his grades are falling, he is skipping school, and the only one to really see how he is handling everything is his girlfriend Keisha, who is starting to fray at the edges as well with having to deal with Andy and his mood swings. 

While I don't agree with how Andy handled things, I was more upset with how the adults in his life treated him.  This was a very easy read and I think it would resonate with some students.  There is a positive message to come out of the tragic happenings of the story, that I hope those who read it can catch on to as well.

Happy Reading!!

#4--Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech

I spent several hours yesterday after school cataloging books for my library.  Most of the books were ones that we specifically ordered, but some of the books were donated by students, and this one was one that a student had donated.  I wasn't familiar with the title, although we have a number of Sharon Creech's books in our library.  There wasn't much of a description and I try to avoid books about main characters who are younger than my students (7th grade).  So, I quickly read through this book this morning, trying to determine whether or not I would be putting it into the library collection.  Because the story, what there is of one, is told in poems, it made for a very quick read. 

The gist of the story is that Jack's teacher, who he had last year, expects them to write poems (and lots of them).  She uses several famous poems (by poets like Edgar Allan Poe, Walter Dean Myers, William Carlos Williams, Alfred Lord Tennyson,  and T.S. Eliot) to teach her students.  Jack then uses these poems to inspire his own poems.  Through the poems, Jack tells his teacher how much he dislikes cats and how much he misses his dog.  The poems take place over the course of the school year and by the end of the year, Jack has changed his mind about cats....to the point that his parents got him a black kitten for Christmas.  We also find out that Jack's mom is deaf and he wonders if she can hear onomatopoeia words and other similar.  Or does she just have silence, like a silent movie? 

There wasn't much meat to this story, as far as I'm concerned and I was not able to determine how old the protagonist is....the storyline indicates somewhere in elementary school, but some of the words used in the poems Jack "writes" indicate that he is more like in middle school....so I think I'm going to pass on putting this title in the library. 

Happy Reading!!

#3 Shelter by Harlan Coben

I spent a long weekend this January in Phoenix, AZ.  I was there to attend a conference for work about what is new in YA literature.  I've been going to this conference annually since I started working as a librarian and I look forward to it every year.  The presenter is Patti Tjomsland and she is amazing!  I have actually travelled from PA to FL, VA, and now AZ to see her present!

My mom went with me and we made a girls' weekend out of it.  We spent some time hiking and just relaxing.  One of the places we went to was Tempe Marketplace, a beautiful open-air mall that had live music each night of the weekend.  We actually ended up at the Marketplace twice because the day we tried to go to the Phoenix Botanical Gardens there was a marathon and every road we tried to take was blocked for the race, so we gave up and headed to the Marketplace, simply because we knew we could get there!  We both grabbed a book to sit by one of the fantastic fireplaces situated throughout....

 



At several different junctures, Mom needed to get up and move around....while I sat glued to my seat to finish this story!  Mickey has witnessed his father's death and since his mom has been sent to rehab after spiraling down after her husband's death....and now Mickey is living with his Uncle Myron, much to his chagrin and dismay.  Right before school starts, Mickey goes to a meeting at his new school for all new students.  There he meets Ashley, who he quickly falls for.  They spend the next few weeks getting to know each other, until the day Ashley just disappears.  Being tired of losing so many people in his life, Mickey isn't about to let her go that quickly.  He goes to great lengths to find out what has happened to Ashley.  There are all kinds of twists and turns in this story that I didn't see coming.  There is a second book in this series, Seconds Away, and I can't wait to read it!!  Fortunately, my library has a copy of the second title.....but it is checked out, so it may be a while before I get the chance to read it.  But read it, I will!

Happy Reading!!!

#2 Leap Day by Wendy Mass

Imagine only celebrating your real birthday once every four years....that is what Leapers do.  Leapers are those special few people who are born on February 29.  Josie Taylor is one of those special few, and today is her 4th birthday...but she is actually turning 16.  The story takes place over the course of Josie's birthday and is told from a number of different points of view.  It follows Josie and her friends and family from the beginning of the day to an end-of-the-day celebration at the lake where one of her friends tells her a big secret.  The author gives insight as to the future of some of the characters and what they will be like, but not fore everyone.  If you're going to explore the future of several minor characters, why not do it for all? 

Wendy Mass was our visiting author several years ago and this is the second of her books that I've read.  I am rather ambivalent toward this title, but really liked the other title I read, A Mango-Shaped Space. 

Happy Reading!!