YA Book Reviews for Oct. 7, 2009
From CRBSLS
Tennyson by Lesley M.M. Blume
Set in the deep south during the Depression, this atmospheric story is narrated by 11 yr. old Tennyson, so named by her poetry-minded dreamer mother Sadie. Tennyson and her younger sister Hattie, along with their father Emery, live a hard-scrabble off-beat life in the boonies, where no one seems to mind that Sadie scribbles all day and night, dropping bits of paper everywhere in a fever of creativity. However when Sadie goes missing, Emery needs to search for his wife; he drops his daughters off at a crumbling plantation where eccentric Aunt Henrietta and her husband Twig and their surly sassy slave barely survive, in a huge mansion which is quite literally falling to pieces around them. Never were three people less qualified to take care of two children. Tennyson and Hattie have a hard time of it, and Tennyson begins to have strange dreams. To keep her mother close, Tennyson begins to write on scraps of paper. Gradually Tennyson's strange dreams reveal the dark and violent past associated with the house and the Fontaine family. Although the dream sequences sometimes jarred, and the plot takes an occasional odd turn, overall Blume does a good job of mixing the past and present, and bringing the crumbling, ghost-filled house to life. Her characters are wonderful; the old mansion itself is a character in the story. This is a suspenseful, good read for girls in grades 5-7. Good cover!
Reviewed by Ann Sayers
Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe
With gun violence prevalent in schools and deaths occuring at an alarming rate in homes where guns are stored, Ayarbe tells a somewhat captivating, though not particularly fresh, story about an accidental shooting between best friends; It occurs at the beginning of the story, so the book focuses on the aftermath as Kyle tries to repair his life and memory. He's an aspiring screen writer so he continues to re-write this gruesome event, yet whenever he has to write it out, he "freezes." Who comes to the rescue? But his school librarian, Mr. Cordoba, who's had a hard-scrabble life himself. So, through books, he reaches Kyle who in return is able to move on from the tragic incident. (Reviewed by Alicia Abdul, Albany High School)
Numbering All The Bones by Ann Rinaldi
I'm a closet fan of Rinaldi's. I've read everything she's written and gobble up anything new. She creates a strong female character who then intersects with famous characters from history. In this story, Eulinda, a mulatto slave, after many trials and tribulations rises from slave status to becoming Clara Barton's personal secretary. They intersect at an important landmark, the Andersonville Prison where thousands of Union soldiers, both black and white were horribly abused, killed, and buried during the Civil War. There are powerful themes and eye-opening subplots about southern life during and after the Civil War, as well as family relationships. Great for younger readers wanting to learn about history. (Reviewed by Alicia Abdul, Albany High School)
Carter Finally Gets It A Novel by Ann Brent Crawford
"One week and six days before the end of the year, and I finally feel like a fresh man." So says Will Carter, freshman screw up, obsessed with, well, most everything, but especially sex. This a very funny look into the mind of a socially inept, stuttering, ADD freshman as he tries to find his way. This was recommended by a male teacher who couldn't believe how well the author pegged the mind of an adolescent boy. Yes, there is some mild profanity, and yes there is talk about sex and drinking, but Carter stays on the straight and narrow (much to his own dismay) and somehow finds what he's looking for. Loved it! ~Grade 8-10 (Judi Stott, Shaker Junior High School)
Going Bovine by Libby Bray
This new novel by the author of the Great and Terrible Beauty series is a completely wild ride that is difficulat to describe. Cameron, a slacker trying to go through life unnoticed, starts have strange hallucinations and can't control his body any more. It turns out that he has BSE or Mad Cow disease. He embarks on a strange road trip to try and find Doctor X, who might have a cure. A series of madcap adventures ensue, but are they really happening or a figment of his disintegrating brain? Very funny but also tragic. Recommended for grades 10+. (Marion Burghart, Schoharie Jr/Sr High School Library)
