Book Review: Girl Overboard

Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Headley. (Grades 9+)

Syrah Cheng, daughter of multi-billionaire cell phone mogul Ethan Cheng, is not quite sure where she fits into her world. She's a snowboarder on the mend from a knee injury and a (vastly worse) heartbreak that's left her vulnerable and adrift. Her family is no help - all they care about is their bottom line - and she's having problems with her best friend. Finally, after studying her father's business model, Syrah will figure out what is important to her and learn to ask for what she wants.

Y'know, I really liked this book and the characters have really stuck with me, but for a pretty big portion of it I really couldn't figure out where it wanted to go. Syrah's dealing with a lot of issues. Her family is pretty cold to her and she can't seem to make them understand what she needs or wants. It's like they're speaking different languages. She's feuding with her best friend (whom she may or may not be in love with). She's dealing with a traumatic relationship-type incident and a physical injury that's keeping her from the one thing she loves the most (snowboarding). She doesn't really have any friends at her school (kids are only interested in her because of her family's money). It's all interesting, it's just a lot for one book.

That said, if it wasn't the most unique plot for a teen novel, I think the specifics were very unique and made it stand out. I loved that Syrah is a snowboarding girl. How many of those do you get to read about? I loved the supporting characters, especially Syrah's half-sister Grace and Syrah's new friend Lillian who helps Syrah find a purpose. Although there are some elements of the Oh-crap-I'm-in-love-with-my-best-friend plot, there are some twists that keep it from falling into cliche.

Things maybe get wrapped up a bit too neatly, but the fact remains that I didn't want to put this one down. I loved getting to know Syrah and seeing how she grew and changed over the course of the book. I'll definitely be looking for more of Justina Chen Headley's books.

Check out Justina's website and read more reviews at Becky's Book Reviews, bookshelves of doom, and Em's Bookshelf.

Book Review: Freeze Frame

Freeze Frame by Heidi Ayarbe (Grades 9+).

Something happened that morning in the shed and if Kyle could only remember what it was, things might be okay. Jason is dead. There was a gun. But though Kyle can remember the scenes before and after the shooting, he can't remember what, exactly, happened to Jason. Guilt consumes him as he deals with the aftermath of the incident and, with the help of some new friends, deals with his feelings and starts to heal.

I found Freeze Frame to be absolutely gripping. Kyle's a cinema aficionado and he sees the incident like scenes in a movie. He keeps trying to put them together, to remember the scene that his mind can't quite grasp. As he writes and rewrites the scene, trying to capture it, he eventually starts to remember what happened on that tragic morning.

Throughout the book you get references to Kyle's passion for film. He often envisions scenes as famous directors would direct them. The story's told through Kyle's point of view, but you see how the incident affects other members of the community as well. Jason's little brother is getting bullied at school and Kyle feels duty-bound to protect him. Kyle's sister is ostracized because she's related to "the murderer". All of these subplots come together to paint a full picture of a town deeply affected by this tragedy.

Kyle's put into therapy, but it's his growing relationship with the school librarian that helps him the most. Mr. Cordoba allows Kyle to eat lunch in the library when his peers shun him. He suggests books for Kyle to read and Kyle suggests movies for Mr. Cordoba to watch. Mr. Cordoba becomes a friend to Kyle just when he needs friends the most. This friendship was one of my favorite things about the book. Although Mr. Cordoba is a friend to Kyle, he's still an authority figure and someone Kyle can look up to.

I thought the plot lagged a tiny bit in the middle, but the beginning and the end had me racing through the pages. The reader (and Kyle himself) has no idea if Kyle killed Jason on purpose, if it was an accident, or if something completely different happened. I'd recommend this title to teens who like thrillers and mysteries, maybe fans of books like Jodi Piccoult's 19 Minutes.

Although the story quite definitely centers around an Issue, this didn't feel like an Issue Book to me. Throughout the book you learn things about Kyle's friendship with Jason and his relationships with the people around him. As Kyle comes to grips with what happened, he also gets to know himself better and starts to find his place in the world.

Check out Heidi Ayarbe's website where she talks about writing Freeze Frame. Read another review at Reader Views Kids and don't miss this conversation with Heidi Ayarbe.

Book Review: Freedom Song

Freedom Song: Young Voices and the Struggle for Civil Rights by Mary C. Turck. (Grades 4+)

On a September Sunday in 1963, the basement of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham echoed with chatter and laughter. Teenagers combed their hair and checked themselves in the mirrors. That Sunday, on Youth Day, they would lead the services. They were ready to stand in front of everyone, ready to lead, ready for life.

And then life ended. A bomb blast shook the church, tumbled the walls, and killed four young girls. Their church was bombed, their lives were ended, by racists attacking black people and the civil rights movement.

Nearly 45 years later, another group of young people assembled in the same church basement. Once again, young people combed their hair and checked themselves in the mirrors. On the first day of their Freedom Tour, the Chicago Children's Choir got ready to sing in the 16th Street Baptist Church.

So begins this comprehensive look at the songs that inspired, motivated, and educated people during the Civil Rights Movement. This book is not only a text about the history of slavery and civil rights, it's a chronicle of the Chicago Children's Choir's tour of historical sites in the American south. Historic photos are shown alongside photos of modern children taking their places and singing songs that sent a message to the world.

We shall overcome.

From the roots of the music in African songs and rhythms to spirituals, gospel, jazz, and protest songs, Freedom Song examines how songs grew from and affected the civil rights movement. There is a ton of information in this book. Much of the information about the civil rights movement has been explored in other texts, but this book's focus on music and its accompanying CD help it stand out.

The book comes with a CD recording of the Chicago Children's Choir: Songs on the Road to Freedom. 18 of the songs discussed in the book are included on this CD so readers can hear the songs that they're reading about. An index, appendix with song lyrics, and comprehensive list of further resources makes this an excellent book for research.

This book would be a great addition to classroom discussions about the Civil Rights Movement and I'd pair it with When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan. As you're planning units and displays for Black History Month, don't forget Freedom Song.

Happy Non-Fiction Monday! Head on over to Picture Book of the Day for the roundup.

Audiobook Roundup

With various trips home for the holidays, I've been listening to some great audiobooks!


Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl is based on events from his own life, but reads just like fiction. Andrew Sachs provides hilarious narration that makes the book really come to life. I'd highly recommend this to any fans of Dahl or anyone with middle grade kids looking for a great family listen.

Another great family listen (especially for families with older preschoolers or younger elementary kids) is My Dog May Be a Genius by Jack Prelutsky. The fun thing is that each poem in this selection is set to music and sung. The tunes are sometimes repeated, but a host of different musical instruments (guitar, bango, mandolin, and oboe to name a few) make each song fun to listen to. The silly words will have kids howling and begging for repeated listens.

One that's great for teens is The Compound by S.A. Bodeen. Fifteen-year-old Eli has spent the last six years with his family in an underground compound created by his billionaire father to protect them in the event of nuclear war. But as events unfold, Eli starts to suspect that his father may have lied about there being a war... and now he won't let them out. The story goes to some bizarre places, but it was compelling listening.

I read Good Masters, Sweet Ladies by Laura Amy Schlitz last year after it won the Newbery. I really enjoyed this recording, read by various actors. I'd recommend it as supplemental listening to those who have enjoyed the book or as companion listening with the book in front of you. I don't know it would stand alone very well if you haven't read the book and you certainly won't want to miss the illustrations of the print book.

And last, but certainly not least, I listened to PS: Longer Letter Later by Ann M. Martin and Paula Danziger. I've been meaning to get to this one for awhile, as Martin and Danziger were two of my favorite authors growing up. This story is told in letters between two best friends. When Tara has to move to another state, Elizabeth's not sure how she'll get along without her best friend. While Tara's family seems to be finally getting its act together, Elizabeth's is starting to fall apart. I especially enjoyed that the book was read by both authors - Ann M. Martin reading Elizabeth and Paula Danziger reading Tara. It was a treat to hear these authors that I love and I don't know that professional actors could have done any better. This is a great choice for families with daughters or middle grade best friends taking a trip.

Book Review: Every Soul a Star

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass. (Grades 4-7.)

From the moment I saw the cover of this book, I knew I wanted to read it. Okay, I know, you're not supposed to do that judging by the cover thing. But I couldn't help it. The cover is just so beautiful! And the words inside did not disappoint.

Describing the Moon Shadow campgrounds as rural is something of an understatement. Far, FAR away from city lights, the campgrounds are free from light pollution, which makes them the ideal place to do some stargazing. Or to watch an eclipse. And, in fact, a total eclipse is coming this summer.

Ally and her family run the campgrounds and they've been preparing for this eclipse for years. For a few weeks this summer, the campgrounds will be filled to capacity with eclipse chasers and amateur astronomers. Ally can't wait. She's passionate about astronomy and hopes to discover a comet someday. She may not have many friends (it's kinda hard to meet people when you live in the middle of nowhere) and she's not very concerned with her clothes or her hair, but Ally knows her stars.

Bree is kind of the polar opposite of Ally. She wants to be a model and she reaps the benefits of her carefully cultivated popularity. When her parents announce that they're going to the Moon Shadow campgrounds, Bree is crushed. She's not exactly a nature girl.

Jack is going to the Moon Shadow in lieu of summer school. See, he failed science because he'd rather draw than pay attention in class, and his science teacher offered to take him on a two-week trip to see the eclipse and help out with an astronomy experiment. He'll write a report at the end and it'll count as his science credit. But when Jack gets to the Moon Shadow, he finds much more than he's looking for.

In the days leading up to the eclipse, these three kids will be thrust together and form and unlikely friendship. Everything's changing and they're each looking for something (even if they don't know exactly what). As the eclipse approaches, maybe they'll find it...

I am a total geek and my favorite thing about this book was all the scientific and astronomical facts that Wendy Mass scattered throughout the book. Because Ally is such an astronomy dork and because the campground is filled with amateur and professional astronomers, the facts never seemed dry or superfluous. They were included in the story organically and I thought that made for a really interesting, unique story.

I loved all the characters, but I think that maybe I liked Bree the best because she didn't turn out to be the "typical" pretty, mean girl. Sure, she's beautiful. And, especially at the beginning of the story, she's kind of full of herself. But underneath that lacquered veneer, she's a real person and where she could be a real snot she actually shows compassion.

I liked seeing the story from all three perspectives, although I found the way the voices skip back and forth in time to be slightly distracting. Sometimes the next narrator picks up where the previous one left off, sometimes they go back in time a little bit so you see the same event through their eyes. Eh, it's a small complaint and didn't really mar my enjoyment of the book overall.

Definitely pair this one with a non-fiction astronomy book because I guarantee it'll pique your interest in stars, dark matter, eclipses, and comets. Might I suggest The Mysterious Universe or When is a Planet Not a Planet?

Visit Wendy Mass's website for info about this book and her other books. I've read A Mango-Shaped Space and I'll definitely be looking for some of her others. You also might want to read other reviews at A Patchwork of Books, The Reading Zone, Book Nut, Fuse #8, and Blue Rose Girls.

Post-Cybils, uh, post

So, the shortlists have been posted! I hope y'all enjoy the books on the YA Fiction shortlist and I wish the best of luck to the next round of judges who have a hard task in front of them. Each of these books is excellent.

The YA Fiction nominating panel was made up of a fantastic group of bloggers. Hard-working, even when balancing personal commitments and upheaval, all six of my fellow panelists are just awesome.

Of course, there were some compromises made. Put seven bloggers in a chat room and ask them what their favorite book of the year was and, chances are, you'll get seven different answers. I think our list is fantastic, but there are a few other books that I'd like to give honorable mention to. I think these books are worthy of buzz and I hope you'll pick up the ones that sound interesting to you.

The Last Exit to Normal by Michael Harmon is a funny, touching book about a boy who moves to a small town in Montana with his dad and his dad's husband. Life for gay fathers and their son in a small town isn't exactly what Ben expects and as he gets acclimated he deals with the residual anger he's been feeling towards his father. I thought Ben was a very realistic protagonist and I appreciated the fact that his problems with his dad didn't magically disappear overnight. They had to work at their relationship. And Ben's spunky grandmother is one of the best supporting characters I've read in a long time.

The Squad: Perfect Cover by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is about cheerleading spies. C'mon. That should be enough to make you want to pick it up. If it's not, consider the fact that it's unputdownable and smartly funny.

How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt is a thoughtful novel about a girl traveling across the country to find something she doesn't know she's looking for. As she builds houses for tornado victims, she'll rebuild her own self-confidence.

Good Enough by Paula Yoo made me laugh and laugh. Patti Yoon is a goal-oriented high school senior... until she meets dreamy musician Ben and her priorities start to change. Filled with heart and laugh-out-loud funny, this is the perfect book to cheer you up when you're having a bad day. (Or to read in general on any day.)

Girl, Hero by Carrie Jones is a little atypical, but it's a story that really stuck with me. Liliana has a lot of problems she she de-stresses by writing letters to John Wayne. Yeah, John Wayne the dead actor to whom she is in no way related. She sees him as the perfect father figure, a guy who's not afraid to step up and defend the little guy. And as the story progresses, Liliana will figure out how to step up and be her own hero. The story's told through Liliana's letters and maybe not everyone will dig that. But for those who do, you'll find a true and brave protagonist in Liliana.

Looks by Madeleine George is told in a cinematic style that makes it seem like the story is unfolding before your very eyes. Two very different girls will come together to get revenge on the girl who hurt them both. The writing is gorgeous and I was totally engrossed in this book.

This was my first time serving on a Cybils committee and, although it was definitely a lot of work, it was so, so fun and definitely rewarding.

Cybils finalists!!!

First of all, Happy New Year!! I have high hopes that 2009 is going to be an awesome year!

And seeing the announcement of the Cybils finalists is a great way to kick off the year!! I'm so proud of our YA fiction shortlist. I hope you like it.

I'm really happy to see Savvy on the MG fantasy list and A Curse Dark as Gold, Graceling, and The Hunger Games on the YA fantasy list (I haven't read The Explosionist, Airman, or Wake, but I've heard great things and that is looking to be one heck of a shortlist!!).

Rapunzel's Revenge made it onto the MG graphic novel list (woo!). And I love the shortlist for MG Fiction. I loved Alvin Ho and Every Soul a Star (my review for this is coming soon!). The London Eye Mystery has been highly recommended to me by some of my colleagues and I'm also looking forward to checking out Diamond Willow.

Thanks to all the panelists who put in a LOT of hard work to eke out these shortlists. I look forward to reading the books I haven't yet read and I'm excited to see what the next round of judges will think! The winners will be announced on February 14.

Wrapping up 2008

Here are my reading stats for 2008:

I read a total of 273 books in 2008 (this does not include fiction picture books, though it does include non-fiction picture books). 30 adult books, 93 YA novels, 67 juvenile/YA non-fiction books, 73 middle grade novels, and 10 graphic novels. 16 of these were audiobooks.

My reading resolution was to read more non-fiction books. In 2008 I read or listened to 11 adult non-fiction books and 67 juvenile/YA non-fiction books. Non-fiction reading made up just under 30% of my reading (and listening) in 2008.

Here's the breakdown month by month (this includes audiobooks):

January - 22
February - 30
March - 21
April - 26
May - 16
June - 27 (8.5 were for the 48-Hour Book Challenge)
July - 15
August - 23
September - 16
October - 26
November - 35
December - 22

My highest months were November (due to Cybils reading), February (nothing to do in Chicago in February except curl up inside and read!), and June (thanks, 48HBC!). I'm happy with these numbers and I just hope to discover many excellent books in 2009 just like I did in 2008!

What I've been doing since October

Voila Cybils nominees... plus at least a dozen library books. I haven't read every book on this table, but I've read at least half of them.

Whew!

Book Review: Let It Snow

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson, & Lauren Myracle. (Grades 9+)

Okay, with three YA powerhouses joining forces to write delightful, funny, sweet Christmas stories, how can you go wrong?

Um... you can't. At least not in my opinion.

I really wanted to get this review up before the holiday because I think it makes a fantastic stocking stuffer. But, uh, that didn't happen. You should still read this book.

Here's a bit of a summary from Amazon: "A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks."

I loved these stories because they're funny. They're sweet, but not over-the-top romantic mush. They're smart. They're about smart, imperfect characters. And they fit really well together. Characters from the first story show up in the other two (and vice versa). Perhaps my favorite scene is at the very end where all the major characters end up together in a Starbucks.

Let it Snow is a feel-good read for the discerning teen reader. Highly recommended for fans of any of the three authors. Read more (better) reviews at Parenthetical.net, Fyrefly's Book Blog, and Pop Culture Junkie.