Nightmare by Joan Lowery Nixon

Module 8/SLIS 5420/July 26 - 31

Bibliography

Nixon, Joan Lowery. (2003). Nightmare. New York: Delacorte press
ISBN: 0-440-23772-4

Summary

Emily Wood's has had the same haunting recurring nightmare since she was little. Now, at seventeen, she is about to find out why. A certified "slacker," Emily's parents are sending her to Camp Excel to help her with her motivation and grades - but Emily will get quite a bit more out of her visit. Who is haunting her dreams? Only someone at Camp Excel knows.

My Impressions

I did not really enjoy this mystery. The plot seemed simplistic and the dialogue and character development was contrived. However, I am an adult - and the purpose of this mystery book is to appeal to "tweens" who are not quite ready for adult mysteries and their complex plot, but are too mature for children's mysteries. This is a good bridge book, for that purpose, but the writing certainly doesn't stand out.

Reviews

School Library Journal: Grade 5-8-Since childhood, 10th-grade Emily has had nightmares about a shadowy, slimy place where she is entangled with vines and sees a body lying in water. She is so petrified by this dream about the open-mouthed and blankly staring corpse that she is unable to confide in anyone. Her parents are upset because she won't let them help her and are frustrated because she doesn't take after her two brilliant sisters. They send her to Camp Excel, an experimental program for underachievers, where Emily has a sense of deja vu, and her true nightmare begins when she realizes her life is in danger. Elements of suspense and mystery are cleverly integrated with the teen's problems resulting from what she witnessed as a child. Readers will once again fall under Nixon's spell as they enjoy this page-turner.
Susan Cooley, formerly at Tower Hill School, Wilmington, DE
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Booklist: Gr. 6-10. The nightmare has haunted teenage Emily Wood since she was a child: a crumpled body lying half in and half out of the water; dead eyes in a pale, bloody face; a mouth open in a scream that no one can hear. Did it really happen? Whose body is it? Who was the killer? And who is now stalking Emily at Camp Excel, the summer camp for underachievers that her parents have forced her to attend? There's some heavy coincidence, but the late Nixon was a multiple award winner for her YA mysteries, and this one, published after her death, continues her inimitable blend of horror and whodunit, this time with a touch of shivery mysticism and a lively contemporary cast. Readers will rush with Emily to solve the puzzle, even as they shudder at the occasional terse statements by the killer, who is steadily getting closer to another victim. The climactic confrontation in a creepy cave in the Texan Hills is unforgettable. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Suggested Library Use

As mentioned in my impressions, this is a good recommended read for students or "tweens" who have not yet graduated to adult mysteries but want a good bridge in between. Good book for a mystery book talk, as well.

What the World Eats by Faith D'Aluisio

Module 7/SLIS 5420/July 18-25

Bibliography

D'Aluisio, Faith. (2008). What the World Eats. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.
978-1-58246-246-2

Summary

D'Aluisio's book features families all over the world from Bosnia to Chad, Mongolia to Mali and the United States, and shows us, truly, what the world eats. Not only does D'Aluisio tell the story of a week's worth of food for each family, but also breaks down how much money they spend on a week's worth of food, how they get the food and what the food means to each culture. Interspersed throughout each family's food-story are various facts, information and graphics about the world and food.

My Impressions

This is one of the most interesting books on food for young adults and children. It's easily relate-able because D'Aluisio features families, and it's interesting because, who doesn't want to peek inside a stranger's fridge/pantry? Especially if that stranger lives in Poland, Egypt, etc? There are just so many great parts of this book, I don't know where to begin. I absolutely love the breakdown of cost for a week's worth of each family's groceries. It's startling, for young people, how little can be spent on food - but additionally, how few processed foods some families live on. When you take a look at US families as compared to, say, Guatemalan families, there are so many pre-packages, pre-made foods, but then you look at the colorful, delicious array of fruits and veggies that the Guatemalan family use in their everyday cooking, and it makes your mouth water. Maybe this book will give kids a reason to try new foods and understand how important food is within each unique culture.

Reviews

Publishers Weekly: Starred Review. "Adapted from last year's Hungry Planet, this brilliantly executed work visits 25 families in 21 countries around the world. Each family is photographed surrounded by a week's worth of food and groceries, which Menzel and D'Aluisio use as a way of investigating not only different cultures' diets and standard of living but also the impact of globalization: why doesn't abundance bring better health, instead of increased occurrences of diabetes and similar diseases? These points are made lightly: delivered almost conversationally, the main narrative presents friendly, multigenerational portraits of each family, with meals and food preparation an avenue toward understanding their hopes and struggles. A wealth of supporting information—lush color photographs, family recipes, maps, sidebars, etc.—surrounds the text (superb design accomplishes this job harmoniously) and implies questions about global food supplies. Pictures of subsistence farmers in Ecuador cultivating potatoes from mountainous soil form sharp contrasts with those of supermarkets in a newly Westernized Poland. Fact boxes for each country tabulate revealing statistics, among them the percentage of the population living on less than $2 per day (47% in China, where the average daily caloric intake is nonetheless 2,930 per person); the percentage with diabetes; number of KFC franchises. Engrossing and certain to stimulate." All ages. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suggested Library Use

I would use this book during an international food or food and culture themed program. It would be great to incorporate some different "food tastings" to allow kids to taste different foods that are featured within the book. Tasty, informative and fun - you can't lose.

An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston

Module 7/ SLIS 5420/ July 18-25

Bibliography

Aston, Dianna. (2006). An Egg is Quiet. Vancouver, BC: Raincoast Books.
ISBN: 978-0-8118-4428-4

Summary

Dianna Aston introduces children to the artistic and scientific world of eggs with style and whimsy. Illustrating the shapes, sizes, textures and many details of eggs, An Egg is Quiet, is a non-fiction, informational book that will pique children's interest in biology. The soft pastel colors and swirly, mischievous text add a perfect visual element to the bite-size, but poignant facts.

My Impressions

I know I should 'never judge a book by its cover,' but this one is oh-so lovely. The whirly, twirly text and soft pastels called out to me. Then, to my delight, the facts and beautifully written text perfectly matches the gorgeous and whimsical illustrations. Aston has turned the possibly dry topic of eggs into a page-turner. Some of my favorite text/illustration pairings are on the "An egg is shapely" page. Aston writes about the "tubular" egg of a lesser-spotted dogfish. Her vocabulary usage is peculiar enough to get kids asking, "what does that word mean?" without being too complicated. I loved everything about this book!

Reviews

School Library Journal: Kindergarten-Grade 2–"An exceptionally handsome book on eggs, from the delicate ova of the green lacewing to the rosy roe of the Atlantic salmon to the mammoth bulk of an ostrich egg. Aston's simple, readable text celebrates their marvelous diversity, commenting on size, shape, coloration, and where they might be found. The author occasionally attributes sensibilities to eggs (An egg is clever, for example). Still, her quiet descriptions of egg engineering and embryo development (no mention of mating) are on the mark, and are beautifully supported by Long's splendid watercolor depictions of a wide variety of eggs. (One teeny carp–Steller's jays are not spelled with an ar, though they are stellar performers when wheedling for your lunch at a campsite!) A beautiful guide to the unexpected panoply of the egg."–Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Booklist: PreS-Gr. 2. "This beautifully illustrated introduction to eggs resembles pages drawn from a naturalist's diary. The text, scrolled out in elegant brown ink, works on two levels. Larger print makes simple observations that, read together, sound almost like poetry: "An egg is quiet. . . . An egg is colorful. An egg is shapely." On each spread, words in smaller print match up with illustrations to offer more facts about bird and fish eggs across the animal spectrum. The illustrations are too detailed for read-alouds, but there's a great deal here to engage children up close. The succinct text will draw young fact hounds, particularly fans of Steve Jenkins' Biggest, Strongest, Fastest (1995) and his similar titles. Long's illustrations are elegant and simple, and the gallery of eggs, as brilliantly colored and polished as gems, will inspire kids to marvel at animals' variety and beauty. A spread showing X-ray views of young embryos growing into animal young makes this a good choice for reinforcing concepts about life cycles." Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Suggested Library Use

There are so many great uses for this book. This could be used during a biology program, a bird program, and Easter program, etc.

Testing the Ice by Sharon Robinson

Module 6/SLIS 5420/July 12-17

Bibliography

Robinson, Sharon. (2009). Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson. New York: Scholastic, Inc.
978-0-545-05251-1

Summary

Jackie Robinson wasn't only the first black baseball player to shatter the barrier and join Major League Baseball, but he was an even more courageous dad. Through this story, his daughter, Sharon Robinson tells the story of Jackie Robinson's greatest achievment - being a great father.

My Impressions

I adored this story. Robinson is able to juxtapose her father testing the ice in both baseball and one of his biggest fears. Although he won't swim, for his kids, he goes out onto the cold Connecticut lake to test the ice for his eager, skate-happy kids, and proves himself to be the bravest dad in the world. It's a heart-warming story about family that teaches kids history too!

Reviews

School Library Journal: Grade 1–3—"An affectionate tribute to Robinson's father's courage and character. In 1955, the family leaves New York City for a lakeside home in an idyllic, woodsy setting in Connecticut. Sharon and her brothers quickly make friends with the neighborhood kids and spend much of their time playing in and around the lake, though she notices that her dad never joins them in the water. Her new friends are awestruck by him and his stories of his breakthrough into the Major Leagues. When he bravely tests the ice so that the children can play on the frozen lake, Sharon realizes that he can't swim. Robinson neatly sums up the significance of her father's achievements while depicting him as a loving family man. Nelson's large paintings, done in pencil, watercolor, and oils, dramatically convey Robinson's public persona, the intensely competitive athlete, and contrasts that with the relaxed, yet commanding father Sharon and her brothers knew. This book is for a younger audience than the author's Jackie's Nine: Jackie Robinson's Values to Live By (2001) and Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America (2004, both Scholastic), but it adds another facet to children's understanding of the man and should resonate with a wide range of readers." —Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Suggested Library Use

I would use this book for a variety of library activities - a history segment, baseball history or a Father's Day story time.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson

Module 6/SLIS 5420/July 12- 17

Bibliography

Anderson, M.T. (2006). The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing. Cambridge: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3679-1

Summary

Octavian and his mother live a life of aristocratic luxury. He has the best education and is taught by the scholars of a philosophical college in Boston during the revolution. But soon, Octavian uncovers a secret that changes everything - a secret that will change his and his mother's lives forever and greatly alter his relationship with his mentors.

My Impressions

I have mixed feelings about this book. I will say that when I put it down, I was thoroughly satisfied, but there were some bumps in the beginning and middle. First, the language is a bit muddy because Anderson uses historically accurate language for the class and time about which the book is written. After you master that, however, the book starts out slowly until you realize the secret of Octavian's true identity (which I will not give away) and then it picks up. However, it slows down again until the pox party (for which the first volume is named). I think the party should have happened a bit sooner in the story, rather than so close to the last third of the book. Once the pox party occurs, the books picks up the most speed and, I think, ended quite well. The last few chapters have some of the most moving and profound passages of the entire book, and are worth muddying through the beginning and middle. Overall, this is a MUST read. I know it doesn't sound like one - but once you put it down, you will know why.

Reviews

School Library Journal: Starred Review. Grade 9 Up–"In this fascinating and eye-opening Revolution-era novel, Octavian, a black youth raised in a Boston household of radical philosophers, is given an excellent classical education. He and his mother, an African princess, are kept isolated on the estate, and only as he grows older does he realize that while he is well dressed and well fed, he is indeed a captive being used by his guardians as part of an experiment to determine the intellectual acuity of Africans. As the fortunes of the Novanglian College of Lucidity change, so do the nature and conduct of their experiments. [...] Readers will have to wait for the second volume to find out the protagonist's fate. The novel is written in 18th-century language from Octavian's point of view and in letters written by a soldier who befriends him. Despite the challenging style, this powerful novel will resonate with contemporary readers. The issues of slavery and human rights, racism, free will, the causes of war, and one person's struggle to define himself are just as relevant today. Anderson's use of factual information to convey the time and place is powerfully done."–Sharon Rawlins, NJ Library for the Blind and Handicapped, Trenton
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Booklist: *Starred Review* "M. T. Anderson's books for young people reflect a remarkably broad mastery of genres, even as they defy neat classification. Any labeling requires lots of hyphens: space-travel satire (Feed, 2002), retro-comic fantasy-adventure (Whales on Stilts, 2005). This genre-labeling game seems particularly pointless with Anderson's latest novel, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation (2006), an episodic, highly ambitious story, deeply rooted in eighteenth-century literary traditions, which examines, among many other things, pre-Revolutionary slavery in New England.

The plot focuses on Octavian, a young black boy who recounts his youth in a Boston household of scientists and philosophers (The Novanglian College of Lucidity). The Collegians believe so thoroughly in the Age of Reason's principles that they address one another as numbers. Octavian soon learns that he and his mother are objects of one of the Collegians' experiments to learn whether Africans are "a separate and distinct species." Octavian receives an education "equal to any of the princes in Europe," until financial strains shatter Octavian's sheltered life of intellectual pursuits and the illusion that he is a free member of a utopian society. As political unrest in the colonies grows, Octavian experiences the increasing horrors of what it means to be a slave.

The story's scope is immense, in both its technical challenges and underlying intellectual and moral questions--perhaps too immense to be contained in a traditional narrative (and, indeed, Anderson has already promised a second volume to continue the story). As in Meg Rosoff's Printz Award Book How I Live Now (2004), in which a large black circle replaces text to represent the indescribable, Anderson's novel substitutes visuals for words. Several pages show furious black quill-pen cross-hatchings, through which only a few words are visible, perhaps indicating that even with his scholarly vocabulary, Octavian can't find words to describe the vast evil that he has witnessed. Likewise, Anderson employs multiple viewpoints and formats--letters, newspaper clippings, scientific papers--pick up the story that Octavian is periodically unable to tell.

Once acclimated to the novel's style, readers will marvel at Anderson's ability to maintain this high-wire act of elegant, archaic language and shifting voices, and they will appreciate the satiric scenes that gleefully lampoon the Collegians' more buffoonish experiments. Anderson's impressive historical research fixes the imagined College firmly within the facts of our country's own troubled history. The fluctuations between satire and somber realism, gothic fantasy and factual history will jar and disturb readers, creating a mood that echoes Octavian's unsettled time as well as our own.

Anderson's book is both chaotic and highly accomplished, and, like Aidan Chambers' recent This Is All (2006), it demands rereading. Teens need not understand all the historical and literary allusions to connect with Octavian's torment or to debate the novel's questions, present in our country's founding documents, which move into today's urgent arguments about intellectual life; individual action; the influence of power and money, racism and privilege; and what patriotism, freedom, and citizenship mean." Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Awards

Michael L. Printz Honor Book
National Book Award Winner

Suggested Library Use

This book must be used during American history lessons. Children often get a glossed over version of American history, but they rarely see history from this point of view. Although it is historical fiction, the events and surrounding life of Octavian are all based on true historical events, and even the trials that Octavian encountered were based in truth.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Module 5/SLIS 5420/June 4-10

Bibliography

Cashore, Kristin. (2008). Graceling. Orlando: Harcourt
ISBN: 978-0-15-206396-2

Summary

Katsa has a gift - if you can call it that - she is one of the graced. Marked with one blue and one green eye, she is known to be a graceling, but her power is feared by many. Although many gracelings are graced with sport, domestic or intellectual talents, Katsa is graced with the ability to kill. Though she feels as though she is an outcast, and is treated as a brutish minion of her ruling king, her life's purpose and luck changes when she meets Po. Together, Katsa and Po must use their combined talents to take on a dangerous mission.

My Impressions

There are so many reasons to love this book. First, Katsa is a strong, independent female protagonist - who I think is a great role model for young women. So often, we see stories about warriors who are boys, but Katsa is a smart female warrior. Next, Po is a perfect sidekick for Katsa and gives the story great balance. Although there is romance, Po really gives Katsa her freedom and is a great example of what a loving, respectful relationship is. Cashore does a great job combining fantasy and realistic elements. She tackles all the mystical and magical but also weaves in real issues that teens deal with - independence, gender issues, freedom, etc. This is a great book and a great example of a strong female character and role model.

Reviews

Amazon.com Review: "If you had the power to kill with your bare hands, what would you do with it?

Graceling takes readers inside the world of Katsa, a warrior-girl in her late teens with one blue eye and one green eye. This gives her haunting beauty, but also marks her as a Graceling. Gracelings are beings with special talents—swimming, storytelling, dancing. Katsa's Grace is considered more useful: her ability to fight (and kill, if she wanted to) is unequaled in the seven kingdoms. Forced to act as a henchman for a manipulative king, Katsa channels her guilt by forming a secret council of like-minded citizens who carry out secret missions to promote justice over cruelty and abuses of power.

Combining elements of fantasy and romance, Cashore skillfully portrays the confusion, discovery, and angst that smart, strong-willed girls experience as they creep toward adulthood. Katsa wrestles with questions of freedom, truth, and knowing when to rely on a friend for help. This is no small task for an angry girl who had eschewed friendships (with the exception of one cousin that she trusts) for her more ready skills of self-reliance, hunting, and fighting. Katsa also comes to know the real power of her Grace and the nature of Graces in general: they are not always what they appear to be.

Graceling is the first book in a series, and Kristin Cashore’s first work of fiction. It sets up a vivid world with engaging characters that readers will certainly look forward to following beyond the last chapter of this book." (Ages 14 and up) --Heidi Broadhead

School Library Journal: Starred Review. Grade 8 Up—"In this debut fantasy novel, Cashore treats readers to compelling and eminently likable characters and a story that draws them in from the first paragraph. In Katsa's world, the "Graced," those gifted in a particular way, are marked by eyes that are different colors. Katsa's Grace is that she is a gifted fighter, and, as such, she is virtually invincible. She is in the service of her tyrannical uncle, king of one of the seven kingdoms, and she is forced to torture people for infractions against him. She has secretly formed the Council, which acts in the service of justice and fairness for those who have been accused and abused. Readers meet her as she is rescuing the father of the Lienid king, who has been abducted. The reasons for his capture are part of a tightening plot that Katsa unravels and resolves, with the help of Prince Po, the captive's grandson. He has his own particular Grace, and he becomes Katsa's lover and partner in what becomes a mortally dangerous mission. Cashore's style is exemplary: while each detail helps to paint a picture, the description is always in the service of the story, always helping readers to a greater understanding of what is happening and why. This is gorgeous storytelling: exciting, stirring, and accessible. Fantasy and romance readers will be thrilled."—Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suggested Library Use

This would be my first pick for a Book Talk for tween and teen girls. It has the perfect balance of strong characters, romance and adventure.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Module 5/SLIS 5420/July 4- 10 Bibliography

Juster, Norton. (1961). The Phantom Tollbooth. New York: Random House
ISBN: 0-394-82037-1

Summary

Milo is bored. He's never satisfied - whether in school or out, whether outside or in - that is, until he receives a mysterious package: "one genuine turnpike tollbooth." So what is Milo to do except assemble the booth, climb in his car and let the adventure begin. As he makes his way through Dictionopolis, the Doldrums and various other fantastical locations, he learns the intricacies of language, the ridiculousness of boredom and that there is always a new adventure waiting around the bend.

My Impressions

If you've already been down the rabbit hole, The Phantom Tollbooth must be your next destination. Not only is it an excellent fantasy book for kids, it gets even better as you grow older and are able to appreciate Juster's hilarious use of language. This book stands the test of time - written in the 60s but still expanding imaginations today. Explore Dictionopolis, Digitopolis and even take a plunge into the Doldrums - you won't regret it.

Reviews

Amazon.com Review: "It seems to me that almost everything is a waste of time," Milo laments. "[T]here's nothing for me to do, nowhere I'd care to go, and hardly anything worth seeing." This bored, bored young protagonist who can't see the point to anything is knocked out of his glum humdrum by the sudden and curious appearance of a tollbooth in his bedroom. Since Milo has absolutely nothing better to do, he dusts off his toy car, pays the toll, and drives through. What ensues is a journey of mythic proportions, during which Milo encounters countless odd characters who are anything but dull.

Norton Juster received (and continues to receive) enormous praise for this original, witty, and oftentimes hilarious novel, first published in 1961. In an introductory "Appreciation" written by Maurice Sendak for the 35th anniversary edition, he states, "The Phantom Tollbooth leaps, soars, and abounds in right notes all over the place, as any proper masterpiece must." Indeed.

As Milo heads toward Dictionopolis he meets with the Whether Man ("for after all it's more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be"), passes through The Doldrums (populated by Lethargarians), and picks up a watchdog named Tock (who has a giant alarm clock for a body). The brilliant satire and double entendre intensifies in the Word Market, where after a brief scuffle with Officer Short Shrift, Milo and Tock set off toward the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the twin Princesses, Rhyme and Reason. Anyone with an appreciation for language, irony, or Alice in Wonderland-style adventure will adore this book for years on end." (Ages 8 and up)

Suggested Library Use

This book fits perfectly with a language/English segment in both the classroom or the library. Juster's clever use of language and double entendre will make kids laugh as they learn.

The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen

Module 4/SLIS 5420/June 28 - July 3

Bibliography

Dessen, Sarah. 2004. The Truth about Forever. New York: Penguin Group
ISBN: 0-670-03639-0

Summary

Macy is in search of perfection. A year-and-a-half after her father dies, Macy seeks to put order and control back into her life - even if it means she is barely living it. She has the perfect boyfriend, the perfect grades and perfect job at the library for her college transcripts. But, when the staff of Wish catering (and more specifically a boy named Wes) whirl into her life, she might learn that perfection is last on her list of priorities.

My Impressions

The first 50 pages or so were a bit slow - but after that, the story picks up and I couldn't put it down. Dessen does a great job of weaving a believable summer romance that keeps you turning the pages, but also focuses on the issues that Macy is facing with her family and her emotions. After realizing that she is sacrificing herself for the pursuit of perfection, Macy's character really opens up and comes alive.

Reviews

School Library Journal: Grade 7 Up– "Macy, 16, witnessed her father's death, but has never figured out how to mourn. Instead, she stays in control–good grades, perfect boyfriend, always neat and tidy–and tries to fake her way to normal. Then she gets a job at Wish Catering. It is run by pregnant, forgetful Delia and staffed by her nephews, Bert and Wes, and her neighbors Kristy and Monica. "Wish" was named for Delia's late sister, the boys' mother. Working and eventually hanging out with her new friends, Macy sees what it's like to live an unprescripted lifestyle, from dealing with kitchen fires to sneaking out at night, and slowly realizes it's not so bad to be human. Wes and Macy play an ongoing game of Truth and share everything from gross-outs to what it feels like to watch someone you love die. They fall in love by talking, and the author sculpts them to full dimension this way. All of Dessen's characters, from Macy, who narrates to the bone, to Kristy, whose every word has life and attitude, to Monica, who says almost nothing but oozes nuance, are fully and beautifully drawn. Their dialogue is natural and believable, and their care for one another is palpable. The prose is fueled with humor–the descriptions of Macy's dad's home-shopping addiction are priceless, as is the goofy bedlam of catering gigs gone bad–and as many good comedians do, Dessen uses it to throw light onto darker subjects. Grief, fear, and love set the novel's pace, and Macy's crescendo from time-bomb perfection to fallible, emotional humanity is, for the right readers, as gripping as any action adventure."–Johanna Lewis, New York Public Library

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Booklist: Gr. 9-12. "Dessen returns to a familiar theme and recognizable characters: the "perfect" girl at odds with a controlling mother and keeping boys at arm's length because of father issues. Here the girl is Macy Queen. Her father has died, her mother can't grieve, and every time Macy tries to break out of the automaton state in which she is trapped, Mrs. Queen reels her back. Macy gets a job with a catering company, whose employees mirror and mask similar emotions to her own--among them, a girl who is scarred on the outside, but not on the inside, and two motherless brothers, the older of whom, Wes, helps Macy break through. As is often the case with Dessen, the novel is a mixed bag. Much of it is wonderful. At its purest, the writing reaches directly into the hearts of teenage girls: Macy's games of "truth" with Wes are unerringly conceived, sharply focused on both characters and issues. Yet a subplot about Macy's job at the library features cardboard characters and unbelievable situations. This seesawing between spot-on observations and superfluous scenes slows the pace and makes readers wait too long for the book's best moments." Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Suggested Library Use

This one is another great book for a summer reading book club and even a book talk. The summer romance aspect and the fact that this book is a page-turner will make it the perfect summer read for a teen girl.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Module 4/SLIS 5420/June 28 - July 3

Bibliography

Spinelli, Jerry. 2000. Stargirl. New York: Dell Laurel Leaf
ISBN: 0-440-41677-9

Summary

Stargirl throws the whole school for a loop when she comes out of her home-schooled cocoon and joins the public school world. When she isn't playing the ukulele and singing at lunch, she is bouncing and cheering for both teams during the school football and basketball games. At first, she's a hit - someone new and exciting, but soon the school turns against her and it's up to the shy and cautious Leo to help Stargirl succeed in a world of normal.

My Impressions

I keep flipping back and forth with this book. I did like it - and I do think that the message was a great one, but much of the time that I read it, I felt that the story, especially Stargirl's character and the student body at large, was contrived. I think Spinelli went a bit too far trying to make Stargirl over-the-top weird and ended up with an in-your-face version of a hippie, when he meant to create a believable girl. The only character that I felt was developed well was Leo. He is timid, cautious, genuine and scared. Showing his transformation and the issues he faces while connected to Stargirl were the most real sentiments in the entire book - which, alone, I think make it worth reading.

Reviews

Publishers Weekly: "Part fairy godmother, part outcast, part dream-come-true, the star of Spinelli's novel shares many of the mythical qualities as the protagonist of his Maniac Magee. Spinelli poses searching questions about loyalty to one's friends and oneself and leaves readers to form their own answers, said PW in our Best Books citation." Ages 12-up.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

School Library Journal: Grade 6-10-"High school is a time of great conformity, when being just like everybody else is of paramount importance. So it is no surprise that Stargirl Caraway causes such excitement and confusion when she arrives at Mica High in Arizona. Initially, everyone is charmed by her unconventional behavior- she wears unusual clothing, she serenades the lunchroom with her ukulele, she practices random acts of kindness, she is cheerleader extraordinaire in a place with no school spirit. Naturally, this cannot last and eventually her individuality is reviled. The story is told by Leo, who falls in love with Stargirl's zany originality, but who then finds himself unable to let go of the need to be conventional. Spinelli's use of a narrator allows readers the distance necessary to appreciate Stargirl's eccentricity and Leo's need to belong to the group, without removing them from the immediacy of the story. That makes the ending all the more disappointing-to discover that Leo is looking back imposes an unnecessary adult perspective on what happened in high school. The prose lapses into occasionally unfortunate flowery flights, but this will not bother those readers-girls especially-who will understand how it feels to not quite fit the mold and who attempt to exult in their differences."
Sharon Grover, Arlington County Department of Libraries, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Suggested Library Use

Stargirl would be perfect for a summer reading book club - it's short and has a strong message that will give students something to think about while outside of the school environment.