My Name is Not Easy

In Short 

My Name is Not Easy by Debby Dahl Edwardson is historical fiction about five different students attending a Catholic boarding school in Alaska during the 1960s. It was published in 2011 and has 352 pages. It won many honors, including being a National Book Award Finalist.

Summary  

My Name is Not Easy has five diverse narrators describing life at Sacred Heart School. While each character faces different challenges, the tension between Indian and Eskimo students is a central theme.

My Take 

This is a book that opened my eyes to a culture and history I hadn't heard much about. My Name is Not Easy is well written with characters that will make you laugh and make you cry. An important book about understanding others.

  
Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

Persepolis

In Short 

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a memoir about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It was published in 2007 and has 341 pages. Though not published as a young adult book, its graphic novel format and subject matter make Persepolis accessible and intriguing to teens.

Summary  

Persepolis tells the story of Marji's childhood in Iran, her adventures attending high school in Austria, and then her bitter-sweet homecoming.  Through it all, Marji searches for her place in the world.

My Take 

Persepolis is a rare glimpse into life in Iran. Marji is relatable and honest protagonist, and her struggles are real and heart-wrenching. The graphic novel format tells her story brilliantly. I recommend it highly. 

 

Also, if you enjoy the book, check out the movie with the same title.

 

 Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

Ship Breaker

In Short 

Ship Breaker by Paulo Bacigalupi is a dystopian novel set in the American Gulf Coast. It was published in 2010 and has 336 pages. It won a Printz Medal and was a National Book Award Finalist.

Summary  

Nailer's life is a constant struggle for survival as he and a small group of teens work to gather and sell scraps from old, abandoned oil ships. After a huge hurricane, he discovers a wrecked clipper ship and its sole survivor: a rich and beautiful girl. He has to chose whether to claim the ship and all its wealth or take a chance and help the girl.

My Take 

Ship Breaker is a fast-paced book that will appeal to fans--especially male fans--of other dystopian novels. It's well-written with lots of action and many unexpected twists and turns. I personally would have preferred more romance and a little less violence, but not every book can be The Hunger Games.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

Witches: The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem

In Short
Witches: The Abosolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer is a short history of the Salem Witch Trials. It was published in 2011 and has 144 pages. It was a Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor Book. 

Summary  

In a small town in colonial Massachusetts, two girls started to twitch, choke, and speak gibberish. At first it seemed like a strange illness, but soon the girls and their families had convinced the town that they were bewitched by three neighbor women. Thus began an outrageous witch hunt that resulted in the imprisonments, trials, and deaths of many falsely accused "witches". 

My Take 

I think Witches! is a perfect introduction to this dark moment in U.S. history. It's well-paced and has a lot of interesting details. I especially like how Schanzer wove excerpts from the actual trials throughout the story, and the black and white illustrations add a fun touch. If I have one complaint, it's that I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight...but I guess that's to be expected with the insane number of witch accusations flying. 

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

Dead End in Norvelt

In Short
Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos is historical fiction. Set in the summer of 1962, this book tells the story of Jack's adventurous summer despite being "grounded for life" by his parents. It was published in 2011, has 352 pages, and won the 2012 Newberry Medal and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.

Summary  

Jack (yes, same name as the author) is supposed to be grounded all summer. His mom will only allow him out of the house to help their fiesty old neighbor type up obituaries for the local newspaper. Soon Jack starts to realize that an unusually large number of long-time Norvelt residents are dying this summer, and he suspects foul play.

My Take 

I wanted to like this book, but the truth is I didn't. The pacing was too slow, and I didn't particularly connect with the characters. That said, there were interesting bits of history and parts that made me laugh out loud. I would recommend it for fans of Richard Peck's writing, which has a similar feel to me.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith

 

In Short
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman tells the (true!) love story of Charles Darwin and his wife Emma, and how it survived despite their opposing views on religion. The book was published in 2009 and has 272 pages. It won multiple awards, including being a 2010 National Book Award finalist.

Summary  

As a young man, Charles Darwin didn't believe in the Bible's creation story. Instead, he was creating a new and very controversial theory on the origin of species. His cousin Emma, a very religious person, accepted his proposal for marriage anyway. That decision--to marry despite opposing religious views--was a "leap of faith" that proved to be both heart-breaking and beautiful.

My Take 

I loved this book. Heiligman did a great job making heavy topics (science, religion, the debate on evolution) interesting and accessible to her audience. Though the book never had my heart pounding, the story was thought-provoking and well-paced throughout. Charles and Emma now feel like lovely, old friends.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

Entwined

 

In Short
Entwined by Heather Dixon is a dark retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It was published in 2011 and has 480 pages.

Summary
After their mother's death, Azalea and her eleven younger sisters find themselves confined to their castle for a year of mourning. Though dancing is strictly off limits during this time, they can't resist when they stumble upon an enchanted pavilion where magical figures dance each night. What begins as innocent fun soon spirals out of control, putting the princesses in grave danger.

My Take 

The book began a bit slowly, but by the time I was halfway through I couldn't put it down. The characters began to round out and the tensions rose. Unexpected plot twists kept me guessing until the very end. 

 

A great book for fairytale fans.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

Get Real: What Kind of World are YOU Buying?

The Chosen One

In Short
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams is realistic fiction telling the story of Kyra, a 13-year-old girl raised on a fundamentalist polygamist compound. It was published in 2009 and has 224 pages.

Summary
At thirteen-years-old, the prophet declares that Kyra will marry her uncle who is sixty and already has six wives. Disgusted, Kyra refuses to go through with it. Her father tries to change the prophet's mind, but things only get worse for everyone Kyra loves, leaving Kyra with no choice but to attempt a daring escape.

My Take
While I was interested in Kyra and her story, I found myself even more interested in the polygamist lifestyle. So many people with their lives so strictly controlled by one leader, their prophet.  I am interested to learn more about the people who really live this way. Fascinating.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

 

 

In Short
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl contains Anne Frank's descriptions of  her life  as a Jew in hiding during World War II. Her diary was preserved by a family friend and  first published in 1947 by her father. It has 304 pages.

Summary
Just after Anne's thirteenth birthday, she and her Jewish family go into hiding in the "secret annex" above her father's office. They are soon joined by another family and a single man. For two years Anne keeps a detailed diary of their lives during the most intense years of WWII, not hesitating to include family drama, private hopes, and angry musings.

My Take
I was surprised by how much I personally connected with Anne. Though her life  in hiding was intense, she has a very relatable teenage voice all throughout. When the book ended, I cried. I almost feel as if I knew someone who was lost to the Holocaust. The fact that this story is true makes the sudden ending a more somber experience.

 

What a tragic loss of life. What a beautiful surprise that her story lives on.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

Feed

In Short
Feed by M.T. Anderson is a dystopian novel that satirizes America's media-obsessed and corporation-driven culture. It was published in 2004 and was a National Book Award finalist. It has 199 pages.

Summary
Titus lives in a dystopian world where most people have a "feed" of constant media (radio, tv, texting, commercials) implanted in their brains. He never thinks to question his world until he meets Violet. Unlike his other friends, Violet is  home-schooled by her academic father, and she asks hard questions about the effects of their excessive consumption.

My Take
Though I wasn't very intrigued by the storyline, I can't stop thinking about the points this book is trying to make. Where is our obsession with media leading us? Should today's consumers be more mindful of where their products come from and what happens to them when they are discarded? How can corporations  and governments be held accountable by the public? Is Titus and Violet's world more possible than we might think?

*Warning: This book contains excessive language and some sensuality.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

A Writer's Notebook

In Short
A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You by Ralph Fletcher teaches young, aspiring writers how a writer's notebook can spur their writing. It was published in 1996 and has 136 pages.

Summary
Fletcher's writing is clear and concise. Each chapter focuses on a different way to use a writer's notebook. Ideas for notebook content include stories, snatches of overheard conversations, wonderings, favorite words, memories, interesting facts, sketches, and thoughts on the writing process. Fletcher's personal examples make it feel like you're getting advice from an old friend, and his student examples demonstrate different directions that each idea can take.  He also includes four chapters with other successful authors (including Paul Fleischman and Naomi Shihab Nye) discussing their use of writer's notebooks.

My Take
This was probably written for very young teens (maybe older elementary students), but I think it's a book that I'll go back to over and over again for simple writing notebook ideas and motivation. I've been keeping a journal and a writer's notebook for years now, but I feel excited to try some of these new ideas. If you aren't at all interested in writing, this book might not be a good reading choice.  Then again, maybe it's just what you need to get you excited about writing.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

What I Saw and How I Lied

In Short
What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell is an addictive mystery/romance set in post-WWII America. It was published in 2008 and won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in that same year. It has 284 pages.

Summary
Fifteen-year-old Evie wants desperately for her mother to allow her to grow up--to wear lipstick, date older boys, smoke cigarettes, and dress in stylish clothes. When Evie's stepfather takes the family on a Florida vacation, she meets the man of her dreams. Peter is in his early twenties and served in WWII, but Evie knows this is love. Things get complicated when Evie's parents are put on trial for murder. Slowly Evie realizes that life is a lot more complicated than she had thought, and now she has to decide whether to lie to protect her parents or tell the truth.

My Take
Overall, I thought What I Saw and How I Lied was a great page-turner, but it didn't move me. The ending was a departure from what I had expected, and that was a nice surprise even if it didn't seem very consistent with Evie's character. Maybe that was what kept me from fully loving the book: Evie was so naive and innocent and then suddenly so grown-up and, well, guilty. I guess everyone ended up guilty in one way or another. Maybe that's the point. We're all fallible, we all make mistakes, and we all have to figure out how to pick up the pieces of our broken lives and move forward to create something new.

*Warning: This book contains some language and sensuality. I would recommend it for an older teen audience.

Have you read this book? What did you think? Please post your comments.

Welcome to YA Book Beast

Welcome to YA Book Beast, a blog spotlighting a new young adult book each month. As a teen, I fell in love with young adult books like Ella Enchanted, Holes, The Giver, and (of course) the entire Harry Potter series.

Now, as an adult, I still feel drawn to this genre of fast-paced, well-written, and ultimately hopeful books. As an English teacher, I have the opportunity to be surrounded by hundreds of fabulous young adult titles, and I've decided to share some of my best finds through YA Book Beast. I plan to spotlight books from a mix of genres within the broader categories of fiction and nonfiction. Book selections will include award winners, popular titles, and oldies-but-goodies. 

Please feel free to comment, suggest books, and ask questions. Happy reading.