YA Book Reviews for Oct. 16, 2008
From CRBSLS
Traffic:Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us) by Tom Vanderbilt
This book should be required reading (or at least chapters of it) for all Driver Ed students as well as anyone who drives. Vanderbilt explores the statistics and what they show about how roads are designed and accidents happen, as well as the psychology of what happens when people get behind the wheel. Apparently much of common knowledge is not actually true and "safer" roads and situations can actually be more dangerous. Told in an amusing Bill Brysonesque style. High school-up. (Reviewed by Marion Burghart, Schoharie Jr-Sr H.S. Library)
ANOTHER KIND OF COWBOY by Susan Juby
Two very different teens find a connection in this quiet but affecting story. From boyhood Alex has yearned to be a rider, but not the kind of rugged cowboy that his alcoholic father envisions his son becoming: Alex loves the artistry of dressage. When his father wins a horse in a card game, it may be that Alex's dream can become a reality. He begins to take lessons at a barn run by an unlikely eccentric gay couple, under whose tutelage Alex's riding talents flourish. Enter Cleo, a rich spoiled girl who has a fine horse of her own, but who couldn't care less about riding. Cleo instead is yearning for the love that her globe-trotting parents are incapable of providing. The two teens develop a close, oddball kind of friendship. Alex is finally able to come out as a gay teen, and Cleo is able to assert herself. The voices of these two misfits are absolutely true. Filled with wry wit, this is a warm and loving story. Gr. 7-10
Reviewer: Ann Sayers
NOTE: I (Ann) also reviewed the title below last November, but think it is worth mentioning again: it is a little sleeper that will make a really good grade 5-7 book talk.
THE MAILBOX by Audrey Shafer
12 year old Gabe has knocked around in the foster care system his whole life. At long last a caring social worker locates Gabe's wandering Uncle Vernon, who is an aging Vietnam vet with plenty of emotional problems. As Gabe's only relative, Vernon becomes Gabe's legal guardian and together the two commence a loving, unlikely friendship. But just as the school year starts, Gabe comes home one day to find Vernon dead. The boy panics, not knowing what to do. The next day he goes to school without telling anyone, and when he returns he finds his uncle's body gone, and a cryptic note in the mailbox "I have a secret. Do not be afraid." Gabe continues to hide the truth from the authorities, and to carry on communicating with the mysterious stranger who keeps leaving notes for him. Eventually matters begin to unravel, of course. This is both a mystery, and a story about love and trust. Good for grades 4 to 7. Reviewed by Ann Sayers
GOOD BROTHER, BAD BROTHER: The Story of Edwin Booth and John Wilkes Booth
by James Cross Giblin
This is fascinating history and drama and chilling crime all wrapped up in one: the large Booth family produced several talented actors, starting with the patriarch Junius who came over from England in 1821 to seek fame and fortune. Conveniently forgetting the fact that he had left a wife behind, he married Mary Ann Holmes, and they produced a large family (although as was quite typical of the times, several of the children did not live to become adults). Three sons--Edwin, June, and John--grew up handsome and developed successful careers in the theater. By the mid-1800's each had acquired a national reputation--as well as large bank accounts-- from their stage work. Of the three, John Wilkes Booth was perhaps the most good looking--he certainly had a way with women, some of whom he loved and left. Whenever John was on a stage bill, his name drew crowds. But as the country broke apart during the civil war, John's sypmathies turned more and more to the south, and he became estranged from his family. The story of how such an educated and able person could slowly evolve into a fantatic is troubling. Giblin has done a fine job with this biography of two brothers (Edwin and John--June played less of a role in the family as he emigrated to California early on), one steady and commited, the other fickle and mad enough to kill a president. I wonder what student will sit down for the whole journey, but this is high quality research and writing. Gr. 7+
Reviwed by Ann Sayers
Vandal by Michael Simmons
It's hard for Will to be a typical teenage boy when he's constantly being battered by his older brother, 18 year old Jason. We're not talking sibling rivalry, we're talking jail time, juvenile facilities, and at the height of the intensity, a serious injury to their little sister. Will's witty comments and membership in a Kiss tribute band help protect him from the burdens Jason is putting on his parents and family, but only to a certain point. There's humor, anger, frustration, and bad boy adventure enough to get both boys and girls interested. (Reviewed by Alicia Abdul, Albany High School)
All We Know of Heaven by Jacquelyn Mitchard
A tragedy that affects two families tells the tale of this story. Two best friends get into a car accident where one dies and the other lives, but a case of mistaken identity leaves one family to mourn a death that they were not prepared for, while the other now has hope of a strong recovery for their daughter. And, caught in the middle is the boyfriend of one of the girls, Danny. Has he lost his girlfriend in the wreck or is he learning to love her after this tragic accident? Definitely sentimental with strong bonds of family to keep it together, the first-person flashbacks bring to light a history of the girls and how it will affect their future. (Reviewed by Alicia Abdul, Albany High School)
I finally managed to log in! I went back and read the Mailbox based on your recommendation, Ann and I enjoyed it very much. It was short enough to be a quick ride without bogging down and the characters were very compelling. I read several books this week:
The Night Tourist
by Katherine Marsh is a (light) supernatural story aimed at 5-7 graders. It centers on a young boy who majors in studying Latin and the Classics but is (typically) a lonely fish out of water. A traffic accident results in a very different twist on the journey story as he travels to seek the opinion of a second dr. regarding the extent of his seemingly non-existant injuries. Although he meets a friend while undergoing adventures, she is pretty unusual.
Schooled
by Gordon Korman presents another fish out of water story but represents another end of the spectrum. Cap (Capricorn) Anderson is forced to leave the secluded hippy commune where he has been raised and home schooled since birth to attend public high school for 8 weeks while his grandmother and sole guardian receovers from an injury. While the humor of his transition is what will draw readers in (grades 6-9)the characters and their transformation in their reaction and unlitmate acceptance of their new classmate are the real story here.
Taken
by Edward Bloor deals with a society in the not too distant future where children are issued microchips (similar to those currently used with pets) to curtail widespread kidnapping epidemics. The main character is a rich girl in an exclusive community whose famous, but inattentive, father leave her alone with the servants much of the time. As has happened with so many of her classmates, the girl is kidnapped on one of the opening pages and the entire novel deals with her internal struggle to deal with the situation. (grades 6-9)
Reviewer: Mary Beth Farr
BLACK DUCK by Janet Taylor Lisle
A high school would-be journalist begins an uneasy relationship with the only surviving community member who remembers Prohibition. As David gets the man, Ruben, to open up, the story shifts to the small coastal town as it was in the 1930's. The Black Duck was infamous for being the only bootleg ship to escape the Coast Guard. As David discovers, however, the town and its people are all affected in various ways as organized crime encroaches on the town. Really enjoyable on many levels. David's relationship with his father reflects Ruben's and his father. The crimes surrounding the illegal activities has a ripple effect that today's young people face. Really enjoyed this and it is an easy read, too. Gr. 7-10
Reviewer: Judi Stott, Shaker Junior High
