Hub Reading Challenge

If you can't grasp from my super-awesome badge, I finished the 2013 YALSA Hub Reading Challenge! You can check out the books I read for the challenge and find the list of qualifying titles here.

Now that the challenge is complete, I can get back to reading my always growing stack of books and focus on #TheList some more!  It's going to be a great summer for reading! I can't wait.

We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March

Whenever I think about how civil rights was (and still is) such a controversy, it blows my mind.  Reading this book was nothing different.  Levinson covers the basics of the civil rights movement - MLK Jr., Rosa Parks, the KKK - but focuses on the lives of the children and teens who risked so much to make a statement and push for the rights they knew they rightfully deserved.  To explain the history, she highlights the experiences of four particular children: Audrey Faye Hendricks, Washington Booker III, James W. Stewart and Arnetta Streeter.

Levinson relied on personal interviews with her subjects, along with other written records of the events.  I love how she explains how witnesses and participants memories can change over time and how it was necessary to do extra research to make sure the facts aligned (i.e. no shortcuts kids, do your work).  She also mentions that despite living through the civil rights movement and teaching history, she didn't know about the children's march until she was an adult.  I didn't know about it either, which really stresses the importance of incorporating these nonfiction narratives into students' education - unfortunately, textbooks can't cover it all. 

My only complaint is that I think the book could benefit from more pictures to further explain the history and also to break up the endless text and ease the reading experience.  Despite the great narrative flow to the information, children and teen readers can often get bogged down with large amounts of reading, especially nonfiction. 

P.S. My last book in the 2013 Hub Challenge!  Woo!!

In Wonder Show, Hannah Barnaby tells the tale of a young girl's search for family.  Portia grows up in a world full of laughter and stories with her family of gypsies, but one by one they leave until she has only her aunt.  Her aunt, unable to handle Portia's active imagination, sends her to a boarding home for wayward girls. Desperate to reunite with her father, Portia escapes the evil Mister of the home.  She hides with a traveling sideshow, hoping all the while that she will see her father's face in the crowd.  There, while outcast as a "normal" amongst the "freaks," Portia finds the true meaning of family and what it means to leave one behind.

The freaks at the sideshow are inspired by real attractions found in the Barnum & Bailey circus and sideshows during the depression era.  The description of the family element that they share reminded me of the "peculiars" in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.  That got me thinking of bouncing these two books off of each other in a book club and exploring their similar themes.

Wonder Show has a few references to some nude Siamese twin dancing, but because it's not incredibly explicit and Portia's reaction to it is important to her growth, I'd say that this novel would be great for middle school readers and up. 

Ten

Gretchen McNeil's Ten is a modern YA retelling of the Agatha Christie classic And Then There Were None.  Megan and nine other teens are invited to an unchaperoned party on an island, leaving them to believe they're about to have the time of their lives.  But when they discover a DVD that declares vengeance on the party guests it all changes.  Over the course of three days, the bodies start piling up, each death indicated with a red slash on the wall.  Megan must work as fast as possible to not only figure out who is behind the murders, but more importantly, escape the island alive.

I'll be honest, when I first realized that Ten was a retelling, I wasn't expecting it to be that great. It was especially groan-worthy when Megan "pulled out a copy of the Facebook invite," because it seemed like a halfhearted attempt to inject teen culture into the Christie story.  But once the mystery took off and characters were fleshed out, it became a gripping thriller.  The ending also involves a new twist that I did not see coming, so kudos to McNeil. 

I think teens who aren't familiar with the Christie thriller will enjoy it the most, but those who have had exposure to the classic will appreciate the new ending.  The book trailer for Ten is the DVD played in the novel.  It's actually pretty great and playing this would be a simple way to book talk this novel. 

My Friend Dahmer

 

Derf Backderf was a classmate and semi-friend to Jeffrey Dahmer.  My Friend Dahmer is a graphic novel recounting the high school and familial experiences that played a role in shaping Dahmer's murderous future.   The reflections on Dahmer's high school years not only foreshadow what is to come, but also cause the reader to question why no adult interfered to help the situation. Are they to blame for what happened? Can anyone but Dahmer even be blamed?  In the novel's introduction, Backderf emphasizes that he feels no sympathy for Dahmer post-murders, but while reading his presentation of Dahmer's early history, you can't help but feel sorry for what he lived with and wonder what could have been done to prevent the monstrosity to come.

This excerpt from the earlier parts of the novel is very "The Road Not Taken."

Backderf accounts for all of his sources that he relied upon to put this work together, including interviews with teachers, students, FBI files, and his own memories.  He does his best to present facts, not speculation, and he makes notes throughout the novel to explain the few artistic liberties taken (i.e. leaving Dahmer's younger brother out of the story).  The artwork is spooky and bears a great (and nerve-wracking) resemblance to Dahmer. 

This graphic novel can work on so many levels.  It's great for readers of history, graphic novel enthusiasts or novices, and readers interested in serial killers - fictional or nonfictional.  I especially believe that teens who enjoyed titles like I Hunt Killers and The Name of the Star, recent popular YA novels that feature serial killers,will also enjoy this graphic novel.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is Greg's, a high school senior, account of his time spent with Rachel, a girl recently diagnosed with leukemia.  But no, it's not that kind of Nicholas Sparks novel. There's no wedding to live out a dying girl's last wish, no life-changing lessons learned, no dramatic court scene to get her the treatment she needs.  Greg tells the reader of this right off the bat.  Alternating between lists, scripts, and prose, Greg explains how he was forced by his Mom to befriend the dying girl, how he is a failure at cheering up the soon-to-die, and how he realized he was the worst filmmaker of all time.

This novel is for the older teen with the twisted sense of humor - aka my favorite patron. This novel is all kinds of dark. It also contains a LOT of crude language, some violence, discussion of death, and various references to drug use, including one hilarious scene where Greg, who doesn't do drugs, is accidentally high and is afraid that the silence in the room is "possible racist silence."

The sheer ridiculousness, but also insightfulness (I made up a word) of the accidental high scene caused me to erupt into laughter while on an un-airconditioned subway stuffed full of miserable people trudging to their jobs who were unappreciative of my glee. 

Anyway, this novel is darkly hilarious, a little depressing here and there (the words "dying girl" are in the title, after all), and a great reminder of how we need to take a break from putting ourselves first all the time.  It's Jesse Andrews' debut novel and I'm excited to see what he does next. 

Monstrous Beauty

I tackled this audiobook during my sister's high school graduation ceremony.  When 863 kids are graduating, you know you're in for a long night. Always be prepared - audiobooks are great for the stealth factor.  When I began listening, the mythology initially confused me and I thought that my preparedness was going to kick me in the butt. But then I was immediately sucked in and I fell in love with this fantasy novel.

Hester's family is cursed, each mother dying immediately after giving birth to their first child.  As a result, she has sworn not to fall victim to this curse, shunning love and the pain it ultimately causes.  Where I thought that this would turn into a boy trying to convince her otherwise (which still kind of technically happens), instead of becoming a cliché fluttery mess, Hester decides to take action and research (at the library!! YAY!!!***) what could have cursed her family all those generations ago. Alongside her research, Monstrous Beauty brings the reader back and forth between the 19th century and present day to learn what ties Hester to legends of the sea. 

The novel is a great mix of fantasy, romance, and suspense.  Also, while the reader knows more than Hester at various points of the novel, there are still surprises at the novel's climax, which is fantastic.  On Shelfari (my digital bookshelf of choice), I saw this novel tagged as a retelling. I'm unfamiliar with mermaid mythology, so I can't speak to that, but if it is, then this novel definitely peaked my interest in wanting to learn more about the mythology of sea creatures.

***Sidenote: then she steals from the library, which I can't condone.  DON'T DO THAT!

Gone, Gone, Gone

Gone, Gone, Gone takes place about a year following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when the DC-area sniper was at large.  The novel captures the heightened fear that the sniper brought to the nation. It also comments on the way we often try to take ownership of the tragedies that happen to our communities and the nation as a whole.

The novel utilizes dual narration, with alternating chapters of Lio and Craig's perspective on the terror and its impact on their burgeoning relationship.  Craig is an ultra-sensitive teen, still reeling from the loss of his first love, and Lio is a cancer survivor from NY who is new to the DC area. The two have an immediate connection with each other, and work toward a relationship all the while working through their feelings on who can claim ownership of the tragedies, who is allowed to feel scared, why they personally shouldn't feel scared, etc.

It can get pretty angsty and at times, confusing, but the teen's dramatic interactions ring true.  They are informed by the author's (Hanna Moskowitz) own experiences during the sniper attacks and I think that many readers who have experienced a tragic national event will understand the emotions Lio and Craig experience. I personally won't forget how freaked out I was by the DC sniper and I was all the way in Boston when that happened. [Seriously, I once had a nightmare that I was a victim. I woke up the next day to news that there was, in fact, another victim. My father then walked past me in the hallway when I said good morning and I was convinced for about 5 minutes that I was a ghost.] Fast forward to the Boston Marathon 2 months ago and while I was terrified, I wanted nothing more than to go about my normal routine and prove that I was strong (Boston Strong, if you will).

What I liked best about the novel was that all of the conflicts were related to the national tragedies and not LGBT matters.  There are no negative consequences - broken hearts aside - from the main characters' homosexuality.  It's just a normal thing.

Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy

Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy, by Bill Wright, is featured as a popular paperback in the 2013 Hub Reading Challenge.  Carlos is a gay teenager dead-set on getting a makeup sales job at Macy's.  Along with working toward his loft goal, Carlos grapples with his sister's homophobic and abusive boyfriend, his mother's unemployment, his crush on a straight boy, his best friend's image issues, and his chance to help a TV star with sensitive skin.  It's a lot for a teen to handle. 

I would classify this novel as realistic fiction for it's portrayal of homophobia and bullying, as well as the concentration on familial relationships.  But the realism definitely takes a backseat when Carlos is at work, particularly when working for a celebrity.  And that's fine, because it incorporates some fun alongside difficult topics.  The book is funny, emotional and overly ridiculous at times, but I can understand why teens would find the often self-absorbed Carlos an empathetic and entertaining character.  It's a great touch that Carlos acknowledges throughout the novel that he is self-absorbed, but then just keeps on being himself.  He's a great son, brother and friend. He knows he doesn't have to change; he knows he's fabulous.  Without the acknowledgment, he might be a little more tough to take. 

That being said, I'll be honest, I wasn't a big fan of this selection.  While certainly funny with a few poignant moments of self-realization, family and friendship, ultimately the novel lacked some sort of oomph. Perhaps, Wright bit off more plot than he could chew. The novel ends without closure for basically every story element.  While it's not an unusual tactic for an author to take, in this particular novel, it felt a little lazy.

There is mention of domestic abuse and one scene of physical bullying. Outside of these instances, the novel is fairly mild in language and plot, so I would definitely recommend this to mature middle-schoolers through 10th graders.

The White Bicycle

I just found out that this Printz Honor book is actually the third in the Wild Orchard series. So right off the bat, I can tell you that you don't need prior knowledge of the first two in order to fall in love with this novel.

19-year-old Taylor has Asperger's Syndrome, and is traveling to France with her mother in order to work as a "personal care assistant" to boost her resume in her continued attempts at achieving total responsibility.  While making decisions and learning about the world around her, Taylor grapples with her mother's constant life interference and inability to let her be a woman. The ultimate reveal of  betrayal is both heartbreaking and uplifting as Taylor keeps on keeping on toward her personal goals.  I'm definitely going back and reading the other novels in the series when I get a chance.

I've encountered many young adults who love the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time as well as Marcelo in the Real World, both of which focus on a main character with Asperger's.  In the past, they have asked me for more books with similar plots and themes, and I'm definitely adding The White Bicycle to my mental list.  Brenna paints a realistic depiction of Taylor's thoughts and confused emotions throughout her experiences.  I believe teens will relate to Taylor's conflicts with family and life; the way she describes her understanding of events and emotions are peculiar yet insightful and even without the perspective of a person living with Asperger's, they apply to the angst and emotional rollercoasters that can be a teenager's life.

The Running Dream

If you have someone looking for a happy ending book about someone going above and beyond overcoming adversity, The Running Dream, by Wendelin Van Draanen, is what you need to reach for.
 

Jessica wakes up in the hospital after a severe car accident.  Her leg has been amputated.  Her days of track team and running seem over. She struggles with adjusting to her new life: simple tasks are difficult, she's behind in school, track is no more, insurance woes plague her family; she just can't seem to put one foot in front of the other (don't groan, the book is chock full of puns like this!).  But slowly and surely Jessica adapts to the changes in her life and takes on new challenges as she learns what is truly important in this world.

My only major issue with the book is something that only happens in a brief section: Oscar Pistorious named as a role model for Jessica.  While other famous disabled runners are also mentioned, he comes first and, with 2 missing legs, understandably has a bigger impact on Jessica.  However, due to recent events, people have shifted on their feelings about him and that recent history pulls at the reader quite a bit when his name comes into play.  Obviously, this happened after the book's release, but it's akin to reading a story about someone being inspired by OJ Simpson.  So much yikes.

Also, the constant stream of successes for Jessica as she works toward her happy ending might bother some readers for being unrealistic.  The way she soars through recovery sometimes makes it seem like her bigger challenge is her crush on a boy, not her missing leg.  But it didn't bother me, because I liked feeling uplifted by the character's successes, particularly her new friendship with a fellow classmate with cerebral palsy.

I'm not a runner, but being from Boston, this book really resonated with me.  The cynic in me could say that this novel is overly optimistic at times, especially with how fast Jessica makes her recoveries and easily (as easy as it can be with one leg) overcomes every obstacle she faces, but the stories of hope that keep coming from the Boston Marathon bombing victims erase my cynicism and make me appreciate the hopefulness of the story.

I think The Running Dream could work in so many displays: sports, marathons, health, quick picks, etc.  It is a fast, interesting read that incorporates overcoming adversity with typical teenage obstacles that young adult readers will appreciate reading, with or without an interest in track.  

The Name of the Star/The Madness Underneath

I recently reread Maureen Johnson's (follow her on Twitter if you haven't already) The Name of the Star to prepare myself for the sequel, The Madness Underneath.  While I still love NotS, I had mixed feelings about MU.

NofS is a paranormal mystery.  Someone in London is recreating the murders of Jack the Ripper.  Rory, a new American boarding school student with the new ability to see and interact with ghosts, is pulled into a ghost police task force in order to aid the investigation - all the while dealing with school, friends, boys, and the ever-increasing "Ripper Mania" that engulfs the area as the people await more murders.  It's a thrilling adventure, often funny, and a great commentary on the celebrity status of monstrous people.

I loved it as much as I did the first time I read it.

However, the sequel didn't live up to its predecessor.  Too much of the novel is spent rehashing the events of the first, with a great focus on Rory's discomfort about her abilities and fear for what will happen to her now. While that focus is to be expected as she went through a terrible ordeal, too much of the novel is spent dissecting her thoughts and not enough focus on the current paranormal adventure. There are people inexplicably dying and not enough explaining.  It frustrated me.

The ending did pick up, however, and there will be a third installment to the series.  I hope that the third book is more like the first.  I've recommended NotS to many students and they've all come back saying that they loved it.  I just hope they appreciate the sequel as well and will stick around for the next book.

Bomb: The Race to Build - and Steal - the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

I've been trying to work more nonfiction into my reading habits this year.  Namely, I like to kick butt at bar trivia and when watching Jeopardy (even though the trick to that is - the louder you answer, the more right you'll be) so it's good to learn things.  But I also don't want to be lost when a student comes up looking for help with school research, so it's good to stay in the know and/or relearn some history.

Steve Sheinkin is my favorite nonfiction author for children and teens.  He creates wonderful narrative nonfiction with engaging writing, great placement of images and in depth research.  His words are never condescending to young readers, but he still manages to explain difficult concepts accurately in layman's terms.  I love him.

That's why I was excited to see Bomb on the 2013 Hub Reading Challenge.  I had been looking forward to reading it and this finally gave me a reason to abandon my other work (kidding...) and pick it up.

Bomb is about just what the title says: The Race to Build - and Steal - the World's Most Dangerous Weapon.  Sheinkin ties together the stories of 3 nations - the US, Germany, and the Soviet Union - focusing on their quests to either build an atomic bomb, prevent the others from building an atomic bomb, or steal the plans for the atomic bomb. He moves between the history smoothly, never leaving the reader confused about the timeline of the events.

In addition to the bomb's meaning in terms of war, Sheinkin also focuses on the physics behind building the bomb, the steps taken by the scientists involved in the Manhattan Project, and the politics involved to keep the project top secret.  He also addresses the heavy emotional components that accompanied the creation of a weapon of mass destruction and how they connect to our lives today.

This book works for middle school and up, possibly even younger.  It's engaging and informative; I couldn't put it down. It works just as well for those looking for an interesting read as it does for those working on a project for school. I even think this could make a solid book club title selection.  Sheinkin also provides an annotated bibliography which is always immensely helpful to those readers who are interested in the topic or searching for more resources for their own work.  I highly recommend this and all of Sheinkin's other works.  Seriously. Go. Now.

Word to the wise.  Sometimes it's a good thing to think about where you are when you're reading particular books.  Because I frequently - well let's face it, almost exclusively - read children's and YA books, I've grown accustomed to ignoring the stares and freaked out expressions of people on public transportation. I don't even think about it anymore. But nothing quite prepares you for the looks you get at an airport and on an airplane when you're reading a book called Bomb.  Whoops.

This is Not a Test

This is Not a Test, by Courtney Summers, is a zombie apocalypse novel.  I'm not really into the whole walking dead frenzy that everyone seems to be in these days, but I decided to give the novel a try so I could have one under my belt in case any teen ever came looking for a new one.

Like all zombie stories, survival is key in this novel.  Zombies have overtaken the town and six teenagers remain, having taken shelter in their high school.  They board the doors, listen for help messages on the radio,  and try not to go crazy while playing the waiting game. But tensions are too high because not only are they in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, but they also have hormones. Crazy teen hormones.  Seriously, sometimes the teens' emotions change about 3 times in one page.

But they all have reasons for their emotional outbursts, or lack thereof. Sloane, the narrator, is a victim of severe domestic abuse and abandonment, and these experiences weigh her down in the group's survival efforts. Grace and Trace witnessed their parents get overcome by zombies and Chris, another teen survivor, is to blame for their downfall.  The novel moves from whether or not they can survive the physical demons to whether or not they can defeat their inner demons (how very Buffy - I mean really, they're trapped inside a high school and fighting demons).

The novel was...okay.  I think teens would really enjoy it.  There's action, lots of swearing, a little sex, drinking and survival of the fittest.  But the amount of blame in this book really weighed the book down for me and while relevant, started to become redundant around the 6th time Trace lashed out at Chris for leading his parents to their deaths.

This is Not a Test may or may not become a TV movie, but it probably depends on how we as a nation feel about zombies after World War Z comes out.

Sparks: The Epic, Completely True, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie

Sparks is an LGBT themed book that I read immediately after The Miseducation of Cameron Post in order to see how they compared.  While they both touch upon religion and its connection to sexuality and life, Sparks is definitely more comedic and light-hearted in its approach.

Debbie is in love with her best friend, Lisa.  Enough in love that she frequently attends Christian Youth Group sessions where they constantly harp on the dangers of homosexuality, just to spend more time with her.  It doesn't stop there. Debbie never swears, attempts to block out all improper thoughts, and only watches good old-fashioned family TV (i.e. Full House - this book is so full of Full House references that it is a 90s nostalgia fanatic's dream), because that's how wholesome Lisa lives her life.  But Debbie's lesbian secret is discovered  and her life spirals out of control as she attempts to tell Lisa before someone else can. During her journey, she relies on her new friends Tim and Emma and their invented religion, Bluedaism, to help build an identity separate from Lisa's.

I would say that Sparks is like a middle school LGBT version of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.  It's a novel about self-discovery, love, and friendship, and it all takes place in one night.  It's definitely entertaining in its approach, but I think tweens would appreciate it more for its approach to identity through Bluedaism (especially the bits about being Blueish and patting Bluedha) than the LGBT factor.  While S.J. Adams' novel focuses on gay acceptance and redefining what is "normal", the focus is more on accepting your personal identity.  Not only does Debbie need to construct her own self, but Emma struggles to accept her weight, Tim struggles to reveal his true sexuality (straight) and characters are frequently forced into roles they don't fit.  There is religious commentary sprinkled throughout.  It's definitely not an attack on religion, but a discussion on how religion should compliment who you are, not force you to hide your identity.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Within my incredible soft spot for YA literature, I have an even softer spot for LGBT YA fiction.  The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Danforth's Morris Award winning debut novel, is now in my top LGBT reads.

It's the 90s (yes, that is also a huge factor in why I love this novel) and Cameron lives in the middle of nowhere Montana.  She realizes she has different feelings towards girls at a young age, but her discovery coincides with the tragic death of her parents.  She doesn't know what to make of her feelings until years later when she meets another lesbian on her swim team.  Lindsey takes on the task of getting Cameron up to speed on lesbian speak and activities (music, movies, pride festivities) even when she moves back home after their summer together.  Cameron continues to live in secret until she is betrayed by a friend and forced to attend a curing camp by her conservative born-again Christian aunt.  Cameron continues to struggle at the camp, both with her feelings about her sexuality and also her guilt over her parents' deaths. 

I'm generalizing here, but a good chunk of LGBT fiction that I've encountered primarily focuses on either a character's confusion over whether or not s/he is gay or the reaction of others to a character's intentional or unintentional outing.  Cameron Post features both of these concepts, but also focuses on the internal struggle Cameron faces as she tries to grapple with the idea that maybe her family and church are right; what she's feeling may in fact be wrong.  Also, while the curing camp that Cameron is forced to attend is obviously supposed to be viewed as an antagonizing force, because the workers are shown to struggle when faced with adversity, Cameron's experience there isn't so black and white. I like that Danforth's realistically explores how a teen facing such a program feels when they want to please their family despite being angry with them.

Some of the scenes are pretty sexual, and there's drug and alcohol use littered throughout, so I'd definitely limit recommending this title to older teens or mature readers.  

Dodger

In my effort to read more "boy books" (I cringe every time I use that phrase and I know I should stop and that my continual use of the phrase just furthers others' belief that such a thing exists and this is a run on sentence and I absolutely ADORE what Maureen Johnson did with cover flipping) I selected Terry Pratchett's Dodger from the Hub Reading Challenge List because male author + male title character = boy book for a lot of people. 

Dodger is a "tosher" (sewer scavenger) who saves a young lady, Simplicity, he sees being abused by two men.  Dodger is tasked with finding out all he can about Simplicity, ultimately learning that she is the secret wife of a prince and this status is blocking a planned political marriage.  It becomes clear that whoever is behind the attack won't stop until Simplicity is killed.  From that point on Dodger is determined to catch the villain. Throughout his quest, he unintentionally becomes a hero, and undergoes the process of evolving from tosher to gentleman in appearance while still maintaining his tosher street smarts and experience.

Pratcher mixes humor, adventure and historical fiction to create an entertaining, intelligent story.  When I first began reading the novel, I was immediately struck by how Dickens-like it was.  The fictional names alone scream out Dickens: Dodger, Simplicity, Mrs. Sharples (sometimes pronounced Sharp Balls), etc. Then Charles Dickens was revealed as a character (he's first introduced simply as "Charlie").  Thennnnn I learn that Dodger is actually based on the Artful Dodger, a character from Dickens' Oliver Twist, which I didn't know because I haven't read that book yet.  So yeah, that's why the book seems very Dickens.

Being historical fiction, the book also features a great number of "real" characters: Henry Mayhew, Angela Burdett-Coutts, Benjamin Disraeli, Robert Peel, and John Tenniel.  Even Sweeney Todd of urban legend/literary/musical fame makes a notable appearance.

Overall, even if the reader does not understand the historical and literary connections, the novel is a great read...for boys AND girls.

Drama

Drama, by Raina Telgemeier, is a graphic novel that follows Callie, a techie in her middle school drama club. Because drama club is the center of Callie's life, the club and her personal life frequently collide.  As such, the drama referenced in the title applies to both the drama club and the teenage drama Callie experiences in her daily routine: unrequited crushes, panic attacks over text messaging, potential gay-bashing bullies, etc.

The angst is very peppy.  If anything, Callie reminds me a bit of a young, stressed out Liz Lemon:

This approach effectively blends the campiness that surrounds all drama clubs with the personal angst; it would be incredibly jarring if the two didn't mesh. It doesn't beat the reader over the head with the drama, but still maintains its relatability.  It's great for middle schoolers looking for a graphic novel that is bright and funny with an emotional core.  However, for a teen looking for a more gripping, less peppy graphic novel, they'd be better off with selections similar to Anya's Ghost.

Also, the depiction of the drama club is spot on.  Tweens/teens who participates in theater will appreciate how well Telgemeier captures the spirit.

The Diviners

"Naughty John, Naughty John
Does his work with his apron on..."

While reading The Diviners, this will get under your skin.  Fast.

The diviners are people with special psychic powers - healing, prophetic, invisibility, etc. - all existing in Prohibition-era New York.  The first in a series, this novel focuses primarily on Evie, a young woman who can read a person's past through their objects.  While other diviners are mentioned and play bit roles in the plot, it's really Evie's story.  Using her power resulted in scandal in her small town home, so she is sent to NY to stay with and help her uncle with his occult museum.  After a series of occult-based murders occur, they are enlisted to help with the case.

This Libba Bray novel is chock full of suspense. As the reader, you are granted a front row seat to the gruesome attacks from the victims' perspectives.  You get to experience not only their confusion and ultimate fear, but the fear of Evie and the other diviners as they put the puzzle pieces together, bit by bit.

It's a very long novel, which can be a pain (I mean this literally when you drag it to work with you on a daily basis), but not because I think teens are turned off by long works. As I found out at the end of the novel, this is the first of a series and the characters introduced here will have more developed roles in the future books.  But at times their presence seems to drag out the main focus of this novel and left me wondering if it was exposition that could have waited until the sequels.

Regardless, the characterization is strong, the action suspenseful, and the writing is engaging and very clearly well-researched.  I was hesitant going into this novel because I had previously tried reading Bray's Going Bovine and couldn't bring myself to finish.  But this novel kept me interested from start to end. I highly recommend this novel for people who like well-developed thrillers and mysteries and/or people looking for suspense, paranormal plots, or historical fiction.  While the novel (and probably series as a whole) has many mystery elements, it's not a typical whodunnit type of thriller, so be wary of giving this out to someone looking for a fast mystery (the almost 600 pages will also probably clue the reader into it not being a fast mystery).

Code Name Verity

The other day I was thinking of how I would describe this novel.  That led to me dreaming about doing a review of this sung to the tune of "Super Bass" by Nicki Minaj: This one is for the girls with the history fix/turn pages and see truth and lies mix.  Unfortunately (read fortunately) that's all I can remember. What's odd is that I didn't even like this novel that much, so I'm not sure why I'm dreaming up reviews.

A pilot (Maddie) and a spy (Queenie), best friends during WWII, crash during a mission and the spy is captured by Nazis. Tortured as a prisoner of war, she agrees to betray the British war effort.  The novel is her confession (and often apology to her side) about what she knows.

I can see why Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity receives a great deal of praise (a 2012 Printz Honor book for starters), but it didn't grab me the way I had hoped.  Without spoiling the novel, there is a twist to events, but it comes far too late in the game.  As the Queenie entries progress, they start to feel repetitive. Does it make sense after the fact? Yes, but for me it tended to drag on enough that I was openly stating "come onnnnn" to the novel as I was reading.

But it is adventurous, clearly researched historical fiction with an element of girl power, so it definitely has an audience out there amongst young adults.