Review: The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

Review: The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

Published by:Balzar + Bray, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, in 2012

ISBN: 978-0-06-202056-7

Reading Level: Grades 9 and up

I was a teen of the 90's. The grunge scruffiness, the bands trying to make a mark, the general questioning of the age. Who am I and why did I used to wear florescent shirts and all that jazz. Reading a book set in that era was nice, especially one that wasn't focused on the popular culture of the times but instead the living in the culture of those times. It felt familiar.
The subject matter was less personal but was still familiar. The story of a girl trying to find her place and her self during her teen years in the 90s sounds like the story of my life. Less like my life was the life of Cameron Post. Her parents die suddenly in a car crash and she's relieved - relieved they will never find out that she was kissing a girl at the time of their crash. Once she is orphaned, Cameron has to live with her well intentioned but old fashioned Grandmother and her very conservative and Christian aunt Ruth. She knows her home life will never be the same and knows that to fit in in her small town she's going to have to lay low and blend in, no matter what inner angst she is feeling. Then, SHE moves to town - beautiful cowgirl Coley Taylor with her perfect life and her perfect boyfriend. Cameron and Coley strike up an intense friendship, one which becomes intense in many ways. When the intensity turns to something physical, Cameron is sent away by her Aunt to be "fixed". Cam is forced to face the reality of what it will mean to deny her true self - and the reality of figuring out who her true self really is.
This book was visually quite beautiful - the descriptions of vistas, towns and places were striking and appealing to the reader. Cameron was a character I enjoyed meeting - and about whom I'd love to read more. Danforth scripted her characters beautifully and believably, and their joys and angst were quite visible and tangible as you navigated their lives. Character, setting, plot - all of these tenants of storytelling were beautifully developed and left the reader informed and wanting more.
This is one book I can't wait to share with my students.
I rate this book 5/5.
Goodreads page.

Review: We have a job

Review: We've got a job: the 1963 Birmingham Children's March by Cynthia Levinson

Published by: Peachtree Publishers. 2012

ISBN:978-1-56145-627-7

Reading level: Grades 5+

Every year I travel to DC with a student group. We go with a program called 'The Asper Human Rights and the Holocaust' program and spend four days in DC. The Holocaust Museum is a full day adventure; the rest of the time is spent going through DC. Each year I stand on the spot where Martin Luther King Jr gave his 'I have a dream' speech, on the stairs of the Lincoln memorial. Last year for the first time I went to the MLK memorial, a beautiful bas-relief positioned between the Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln memorials (and just a quick walk along the tidal basin from the FDR memorial). I know some of the history behind his importance - the general history which included his fights for equal rights, his sacrifices and his assassination, but I did not know a lot of the details, especially about those who fought along with him. Yes, the sit ins, the walks, the bus strikes, the restaurant sitins are all part of my knowledge, but who and where and how - and what happened to them has been less clear in my learning.

'We have a job - the 1963 Birmingham Children's March' by Cynthia Levinson helped fill in some of those gaps. Levinson follows the story of four different freedom fighters, all of whom were children during 1963. They entered the civil rights movements in different ways - by accident, by choice, reluctantly, passionately - but they all worked hard and risked much to fight for equal rights. When the adults were hesitant to fight the racist culture of Birmingham because their jobs and lives were on the line, the children of the city stood up and answered Dr. Martin Luther King's cry to 'Fill the Jails'. The children marched and filled the jails and then some, causing their fight to receive national attention and helped bring about the repeal of segregation laws. Their actions inspired thousands of other young people to demand their rights and fight for their freedoms around the world.

Levinson puts a focus on four children: Audrey, a 9 year old child of activists, Washington Booker III, a high spirited child child of the projects who just wanted to be allowed to eat a Banana Split at the local Department store, James W. Stewart, a teen child of professionals who had to deal with racism from both sides, given his light skin tone and Arnetta Streeter, who with her light skin could have 'passed' but chose not to, feeling colour should not matter. Each of this children were part of the actions taken by children in Birmingham. Whether they were like Audrey who was inspired by her parents and could articulate at her young age that she needed to go to Jail or like Arnetta who kept trying to get arrested and found she kept getting sent home, or like Washington who got involved almost by accident. Throughout there are pictures of many of the main people and incidents involved, further illustrating some of the dangers in which people found themselves. In addition, there are sections pulled from the main text with song lyrics, legal rulings and other information which informs the reader on some of the text needed to fully understand the book and the times in which the book is set.

Beautifully designed, this telling of a major event in Modern American history is well told and illustrated. I appreciated the use of black, white and grey throughout the entire book. At times, when the focus was on people other than our four main profiles, I wondered what the use of those profiles was. However, Levinson continued to return to our fearless four, and it was nice, after reading of all the confusion to then return to four people and ground your thinking. In reflection, it was also nice to be able to look back on this momentous story and think of a few of the ordinary people who were involved. A personal connection to a story that was larger than one person. As with many non-fiction novels, I wish the text pull outs were at breaking points in the text as I found leaving the narrative to read the pull out before I turned the page distracting - I didn't want to leave the narrative but didn't want to miss the additional info. I am looking forward to putting this book into my collection and know of several research based units in which it will come of use!

I rate this book: 4/5
Goodreads page.

Review: Bomb: The Race to Build - And Steal - The World''s Most Dangerous Weapon

Review: Bomb: The race to build - and steal - the world's most dangerous weapon by Steve Sheinkin

Published by: Flash Point, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, 2012

ISBN: 978-1-59643-487-5

Reading Level: Grade 7+

Non-fiction is not always something that I choose to read. While I often enjoy historical works, I generally reach for historical novels. Profiles of people, unless well written and about someone who is prolific and accomplished in their field, tend to pale to me when compared to a fictional character who can be developed and made into a person I want to read about - and there's rarely conflicting reports about the life and times of a fictional person. I research and read about events widely - I like to know the background of the historical fiction or the shows I'm watching - but I rarely get excited about picking up a non-fiction tome. I think that this makes the Non Fiction reading challenge more exciting to me - it's going out of my comfort zone, something that must always be done.

Appropriately, I started with 'Bomb', the story of making the atomic bomb during World War II. I am currently in the process of re-watching the HBO series 'The Pacific' and thus, found it apt to couple this with reading about the bombs which ended the war. I have often used those bombs as exemplars when discussing the phrase 'History is written by the victors'. As well, the sitcom 'The Big Bang Theory' is required watching in my house; their references to the Manhattan Project have sparked me to look up the people involved on the project. I approached this book with anticipation, the thrill of learning making my little librarian heart beat a little faster.

In 1938, a Germany based chemist made a discovery - when placed near radioactive material, a uranium atom split in two. This was the inspiration for the three countries - The United States, Russia and Germany - and their race to build the first atomic bomb. This book focuses on the American part it in all, including the spies placed within the American organization as well as the role they played in delaying the discoveries of other countries. Throughout there are pictures of the key players as well as important places.

At times, this book reads like a fantastic spy novel - made better by knowing that it's all true. Other times it gets muddy in explanation and development, trying to fit all the information in and losing some focus in the process. Occasionally I had to check and remember who it was they were discussing as it jumped from person to person to place to place. As well, as an adult reader, I could tell that at times the language was being refocused for younger readers and some facts sugarcoated. That's a small fact in the process but one that stood out to me several times. The information presented was extremely interesting and I loved learning more about the background of the bomb - and the fallout afterwards in and between the developing countries.

For students interested in a solid, historical nonfiction read, this book is a great one. It will aid in their understanding of these events, events which are important ones in their life time.

I rate this book 4/5.

Goodreads page.

Review: Love and Other Perishable Items

Review: Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buza

Published by: Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. Originally published in Australia by Allen and Unwin, Sydney (2010). American Publication 2012

ISBN: 978-0-373-87000-2

Reading Level: Grade 9+

Love, when you're a teenager, is almost always complicated. Love, when you're 15 and the person you're in love with is 21 is a little more problematic. 'Love and Other Perishable Items' addresses the question - what do when your first love is someone you shouldn't love?
Amelia and Chris both work in their local supermarket. Chris is a university student who is finding the motivation to finish his last year difficult to find. Amelia is finding high school to be not quite what she wants. Amelia, at first sight, fell head over heels with the sophicated Chris, but knows enough to not act on it. Instead she plays it cool and strikes up a friendship where they compare the injustices of growing up as well as bantering about books and b movies. On the surface they're perfect for each other - witty, funny and with similar interests. As time progresses, Amelia does not seem like the only person who longs for a romantic relationship. Yet those six years stand between them - inconsequential when they're in their sixties, miles apart when they're spanning their teens and twenties. Told in alternating sections of Amelia and Chris, the reader wonders if these two can find love - or is their relationship about to meet it's best before date?
This book details the firsts that Amelia is experiencing - her first love, her first real party, her first job, her first hangover. She's a very observant and mature fifteen, forming opinions on literature and feminism and practicing the ability to spout these opinions when she can. At the supermarket, she is not one of the girls who's 15-going-on-35 in terms of social maturity and sexuality. It is her opinions, not her actions, which makes her stand out to Chris. Chris is in search of something - badly burned by Michaela and finding solace at the Uni bar and in his crush on his coworker Kathy he goes from day to day unsure of where his life is leading. He is intrigued by Amelia and her mix of maturity and innocence and enjoys discussions with her, especially those where he can mentor her on books and popular culture. They are well suited and their friendship is one that develops organically, romantic feelings aside. The conclusion of their story is one which does not demean either character and which allows for the idea that the future is always wide open.

I found this book to be nicely written. It captured the angst of unrequited and inappropriate love without making it seem taudry and unrealistic. The issues presented are ones that the characters are quite aware of and it never becomes a 'he and I against the world' kind of Romeo and Juliet tale. Both Amelia and Chris grow and develop as characters, finding their places with each other but also in their own worlds. The alternating of voices, especially since they tell of the same times and events when appropriate, is done quite well, as is the conclusion where these voices are shared. At times, Amelia seems a little too perfect for Chris, Chris seems a little too aimless and the secondary characters seem a little too much like caricatures, however, overall they exist together in the world they inhabit, helping each other find what they want and begin to figure out how to get it.

I give this book a 4/5. Nicely written, draws on the simplistic at times, well concluded.

Goodreads page.

Review: After the Snow

Review: 'After the Snow by S. D. Crockett

Published by: Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-312-64169-6
Reading Levels: Grade 8+

When I give book talks to students, I don't only discuss books that I enjoyed. I bring out books that I didn't like as well, letting them know they weren't to my taste and why, including a plot review. One book like that is 'Blood Red Road' - I disliked the bleak dystopia and the plot that kept going and going and going. Unfortunately, while reading 'After the Snow' I was constantly reminded of 'Blood Red Road'. The bleakness, the journey, the family revelations, the violence and the times of inaction. It was 'Blood Red Road' all over again and I had to push to finish it.
'After the Snow' tells of a world that has suffered a brand new ice age. The oceans have stopped, America has become inconsequential and survival is of the utmost importance. Willo has only known the world in this state - ice and snow is his normal. He learns from the animals and spends time trapping them for food and for their fur, imitating them whenever he can and recognizing their power and their beauty. One day his family is taken away while Willo is out trapping. Unused to being the pack leader, Willo does what he can to survive, bringing as many supplies as he can to the top of the mountain so he can build a shelter and try to figure out how to find his family. On his way, he discovers a young girl and her brother who are starving and alone. Choices he makes from that point on will jeopardize his chances of survival and alter his destiny forever.
For me, when I read, I need to care about the characters. They could be doing something I've never done (to this point), such as fight cancer, participate in a battle to the death again other people their age, come to terms with the fact their father is a prolific serial killer, or go on a quest to kill the dark lord who-shall-not-be-named. The character of Willo was as bleak as the landscape and even his revelations about his family could not endear him to me. This character, when combined with the abysmal setting of snow and ice, could not make me care about him or his journey. Having not met his family, I had no connection of hope to his finding them, other than not wanting a young boy to be alone. I couldn't connect with the main character, thus, my connection to the book was one of suffering as I pushed to finish it.
I give this book a 2/5. It has merits, it's just not for me and I would not reread it.
Goodreads page.

Book Nerdiness

Random bookish thoughts for the end of 2012 and the beginning of the holidays for school:

- I ordered a school jacket. On one arm it has my last name. On the other side I had to put my 'team position' - eg, left wing, first flute, etc. I put booknerd. No one could argue it and everyone agreed (one child did want me to put best librarian person but I thought that might be a bit much.

- Read 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' last night. I had seen so many blogs lately comparing it to 'The Fault in our Stars' and had to try it out. Formulating a response to it - I think I need to get someone else to read it. I wish it didn't have so many swear words in it - it would have been a good companion for our level twos in basic when the level twos in academic do 'Fault in our Stars'.

- Also finally picked up 'Going Bovine'. Trying to get a copy of 'Code Name: Verity' to read over the break.

- Students are often mesmerized by my office. I've had people drag their friends to the library, sometimes for the first time ever, to see my office. Full of toys and sparkle, it does make me happy and makes me feel at home. I've since gotten comparisons to a person on a show I don't watch - Garcia on 'Criminal Minds'. Sometimes I think providing a bit of magic and personal sparkle gets kids to buy what you're selling - in my case, web 2.0 applications and YA lit.

Reading top ten (or five or seven) lists of books for the year has been fantastic - and expensive!

Trying to get my mind around a book outline. I have some ideas but need to get it written out.

Must figure out goals for the new year. Personal resolutions, bah! Professional resolutions are the way to go!

My 2012 Favourites

Recently I saw a Wordle on The Hub (why yes, I'm doing some professional reading) which deals with the top YA fiction of this year - 2012. I've been inspired to create my own top ten list of what I've read this year, from this year. I kept it to either the introductions of series or stand alone books, unless the book in the series stood out by itself as opposed to being a continuation of a story.

This is hard!

1. ’The fault in our stars’ by John Green. Beautiful, smart and funny.
   
2. ’Cinder’ by Marissa Meyer. Cinderella with a twist.
   
3. ’I hunt killers’ by Barry Lyga. I didn't expect to enjoy a serial killer book so much but the nature vs nurture debate was fantastic.
   
4. ’Skinny’ by Donna Cooner. A different Cinderella story as well as a different look at body image.
   
5. ’Enchanted’ by Alethea Kontis. Another twisted fairytale (sensing a pattern here).
   
6. ’Chopsticks’ by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral. A relationship told in pictures.
   
7. ’The List ‘by Siobhan Vivian. Painful look at high school
   
8. ’The Diviners’ by Libba Bray. Historical, supernatural, dark and light. I’m still thinking about it.
   
9. ‘Friends with Boys’ by Faith Erin Hicks. Graphic novel about fitting into high school – with a spooky element to it.
   
10. ’Tempest‘ by Julie Cross. Time travel and love story rolled into one.

Honorable mentions go to ‘The Selection’ by Kiera Cass, ‘Ripper’ by Stefan Petrucha, ’Born Wicked’ by Jessica Spotswood, ‘Masque of the Red Death’ by Bethany Griffin, ‘The way we fall’ by Megan Crewe and ‘Illuminate’ by Aimee Agresti.

Plus, series continuations that I anticipated and enjoyed: ‘Insurgent‘ by Veronica Roth, ‘City of Lost Souls’ by Cassandra Clare, ‘The Golden Lily’ by Richelle Mead, ‘Fever’ by Lauren DeStefano, ‘A Million Suns’ by Beth Revis, ‘Pandemonium’ by Lauren Oliver, ‘Reached’ by Ally Condie, ‘Girl of Nightmares’ by Kendare Blake, ‘Beautiful Redemption’ by Kami Garcia, ‘Such Wicked Intent ‘by Kenneth Oppel, ‘Goddess Interrupted’ by Aimee Carter, ‘Fear’ by Michael Grant, ‘Underworld’ by Meg Cabot, ‘Rise of Nine’ by Pittacus Lore,

This list was made that much more difficult by having to determine what came out in 2012 and what I read in 2012. That list – what I read in 2012 – would be much longer and involve books from the last few years! (‘The Name of the Star’ by Maureen Johnson, ‘A Monster Calls’ by Patrick Ness and so on…)