What’s New in YA•CLAS•SEPT 2011
Bray, Libba. Beauty Queens. New York: Scholastic Press, 2011. 390 pages
While the lipstick-bullet clad bikini body cover is awful, if you enjoyed Bray’s Going Bovine, then you’ll appreciate this satirically ridiculous story about a group of Miss Teen Dream contestants who survive a plane crash and end up stranded on a desert island. It’s a slapstick combination of “Gilligan’s Island” and “Miss Congeniality” with a twist of Lord of the Flies. Post-crash, the controlling Miss Texas wants the survivors to keep rehearsing for the pageant but the girls also have to figure out how to meet their basic needs: food, shelter, and how to condition their hair in the dry air. The novels spins into “Lost” like storylines as secret corporations, political maneuvering, and undercover reporters infiltrate the island. As the hairspray begins to run out, the survivors prove their mettle and they learn about life, friendship, and real beauty. Multiple perspectives, footnotes,and fun facts pepper this over the top social commentary on the commercialism of beauty, appearance, media, and more.
PIQUE AUDIENCE:high school and early college – must be pretty witty and appreciate humor
THEMES/CONNECTIONS/USES:choice read, book club - useexcerpts for examples of satire, social commentary on commercialism, materialism, corporate evils
Brown, Jennifer. Bitter End. New York: Little, Brown, 2011. 354 pages
Alex and her two best friends have been planning a fun-filled road trip to Chicago for years, spending hours languishing and fantasizing over the details. But then Alex meets Cole, and her attention shifts from years of true friendship to fascination with the hot new guy in town who actually takes an interest in her! Alex feels adored for the first time in her life, and she falls hard and forsakes her friendships. But Cole is not what he seems – on the surface, he is hot, popular, charming, and athletic; but deep down, he’s depressed and abusive, jealous, and possessive. He starts to manipulate Alex, threatening that he will leave her if she doesn’t stop spending so much time with her friends; but she is vulnerable and needy for love since the death of her mom years ago. Soon, a pattern of abuse sets in, and sadly, it takes much too long for Alex’s dad and sisters to notice how toxic Cole really is. While the novel overtly capitalizes on the stereotypes of abusive teen relationships, it also reveals the important roles friends and families can play in stepping up.
PIQUE AUDIENCE:grades 8-12 –fans of romance, drama, and Gossip Girl-style teen drama TV
THEMES/CONNECTIONS/USES:choice read – use for teaching about cycle of abuse/abusive relationships; impact of loss and family struggles on teens; compare to Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn
Cook, Trish and Halpin, Brendan. Notes From the Blender. New York: Egmont, 2011. 229 pages
The only thing Declan loves more than his death metal is the hottie from his high school, Neilly. While Dec is a goth-loving social outcast, Neilly is uber-popular, athletic, and sweet – plus, she’s the object of affection in Dec’s sexual fantasies. Therefore, it is more than awkward when Dec discovers his dad is having a baby with Neilly’s mom, and that Neilly will be moving into his house as his future stepsister. Dec proves how impossible it is for even a well-intentioned step-brother to just turn off his attraction to his future step-sister,but Neilly is oblivious, dealing with her own dysfunctional relationship with her boyfriend and questioning the cost of popularity. Through alternating perspectives, the two navigate the awkward landscape of a blended family by getting involved in a youth group, throwing a bomb-diggity party, and learning to accept the chaos of their new lives.
PIQUE AUDIENCE:grades 9-12 –fans of romance and books with an honest edginess
THEMES/CONNECTIONS/USES:choice read -blended families, teen obsessions, loss, healing; warning: some risqué sexual fantasies
Elkeles, Simone. Chain Reaction. New York: Walker, 2011. 308 pages
Despite being a little bit reckless in pursuit of his next adrenaline rush, Luis Fuentes has his priorities straight: work hard in school and sports and one day, study to become an astronaut. But moving back to the gang-filled Chicago suburb his family fled years earlier derails Luis and his dreams. It’s hard for him to resist the lure of the Latin Bloods, the gang that took his father’s life and almost killed his older brother, too. Mix in a complicated and romance with tough-girl Nikki and the discovery of family secrets, and you’ve got the final installment of the Perfect Chemistry series featuring the Fuentes brothers and their sexy-hot, star-crossed love affairs. There are some dumb choices in the name of family loyalty and predictable plot twists, but it’s vintage Elkeles - catch up with older brothers Alex and Carlos and bare with the cheeseball ending.
PIQUE AUDIENCE: guys and girls, grades 8-12 - fans of telenovelas, drama, and romance; fans of the previous Perfect Chemistry books
CONNECTIONS/THEMES/USES: choice read, romance lit circles, gang life/overcoming obstacles – great book/series to hook reluctant Latino readers
Flinn, Alex. Cloaked.New York:HarperTeen, 2011. 352 pages
While Johnny has dreams of one day becoming a famous shoe designer, he and his mom struggle to make ends meet at their shoe repair shop in Miami; plus, the most excitement in his life comes from conversations with Meg, the girl who works in her family’s coffee shop next door. But all that changes when a princess comes to town and decides Johnny is just the right Regular Joe to end a curse and find her brother, a prince who has been turned into a frog. The author borrows story threads from multiple sources – The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Six Swans, and more. This becomes a more whimsical tale than Beastly and A Kiss in Time - Johnny uses a magic cloak to travel around Florida to track down a lead he gets from talking swans and a talking fox, and he discovers that his friend Meg knows more about witches and elves than he imagined.
PIQUE AUDIENCE: grades 7-12 – fans of the modern day fairy tale
CONNECTIONS/THEMES/USES: choice novel – adventure, make believe, a little bit of mystery
Geir, Kerstin. Ruby Red. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2011. 330 pages
Gwyneth and her cousin Charlotte have birthdays one day apart, but they have nothing in common: where Gwyn is clumsy and goofy, Charlotte is cultured and aloof; while Gwyn would rather text and talk with her best friend Leslie, Charlotte spends time learning languages, history, and etiquette with her snooty mother. Happy to live under the radar, Gwyn is stunned to learn it is she, not Charlotte, who has inherited a family time travel gene. Frightfullyill equippedto handle the dangers of going back in time, Gwyn meets the evil Count Saint-Germain and his powers of mental manipulation, she barely escapes an ambush on her time travel partner, the handsome green-eyed Gideon. Gwyn soon realizes she is merely a pawn in a time travel mystery involving espionage, magic, ancient devices, romance, danger, and more. This book was published in German in 2009 and was immediately a hot hit (check out the blogs!) – sequels Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green are already out in Germany, but won’t be translated into English until spring 2012.
PIQUE AUDIENCE: grades 6-12 - fans of mystery, time travel, history, romance
CONNECTIONS/THEMES/USES:choice read, book club –strong female protagonist, discussion about plot twists and turns
Grisham, John. Theodore Boone – The Abduction. New York: Dutton, 2011. 217 pages
In this second installment of the Theodore Boone series, our 12-year-old protagonistTheo discovers his best friend is missing. Theo moves from shock to action – he and his bike-riding pals blanket the city with flyers about April’s disappearance and much to the chagrin of the local cops, begin their own investigation into what Theo feels is a suspicious situation. Theo knows April’s home life is not good and that her dad has been on the road with his pathetic band and her mom has been spending nights away, leaving April scared and alone in her house. Theo doesn’t believe the suspect the police have in custody, a greasy-haired distant relative of April’s who escaped from prison, is the right guy. With counsel from his uncle, a dishonored lawyer, Theo and his friends end up making more headway than the adults in the story, all in pursuit of the truth.
PIQUE AUDIENCE: grades 4-9 – fans of mystery, suspense, and adventure – and even some adult Grisham fans!
CONNECTIONS/THEMES/USES: choice read, mystery lit circles - friendship, investigation, dysfunctional families
Hall, Megan Kelly and Carrie Jones. Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories. New York: HarperTeen, 2011. 384 pages
Were you bullied? Did you watch it happen, or even make it happen to others? This collection of essays gives top YA authors a chance to air their dirty laundry, make amends, speak up, speak out, and share their bullying experiences. Most of the pieces are two to three pages, which makes them perfect for sharing with kids as a quick read aloud. Book also includes disturbing facts about the realities of bullying today and quick resources; overall, a positive resource for the bullies and the bullied of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
PIQUE AUDIENCE: depending on the essay, grades 6-12 – kids, teachers, administrators, parents – fans of real life stories, fans of Chicken Soup series
CONNECTIONS/THEMES/USES: use in anti-bullying presentations, read aloud/class discussion, choice read
Harmon, Michael. The Chamber of Five. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. 194 pages
Jason Weatherby doesn’t fit in at the Lambert School, but because his dad is a well-known politician, he’s accepted into the smarmy, slimy, backstabbing inner circle of private school snobs. He’s even elected into the Chamber of Five, the elite underground government that decides who is in, who is out, and manipulates the lives of all the students. Jason despises the actions of his peers, especially when he sees innocent classmates bullied both mentally and physically, much the same way his own father bullies him. Embroiled in a conspiracy larger than just the school, Jason has many demons to face if he is really going to take down the Chamber of Five.
PIQUE AUDIENCE: grades 9-12 – fans of tense prep school thrillers, mysteries, dark tales of peer pressure
CONNECTIONS/THEMES/USES:choice read, book club – examples character development, themes of bullying, abuse of power, father-son relationships, perils of privilege
Howe, James. Addie on the Inside. New York: Atheneum, 2011. 202 pages
Addie is a know-it-all and everyone knows it. She isn’t shy about speaking up in class, at home, with her friends, and even with her boyfriend. But middle school isn’t always the most accepting place for an outgoing, average looking girl with best friends who are all guys and a little bit of misfits themselves. After breaking up and making up one too many time, Addie and her boyfriend call it quits, and Addie’s heart is broken. Even her kooky grandmother and supportive parents and friends can’t pull Addie out of her funk. It’s up to her to figure it out for herself who she wants to be. Written in honest, sweet poems.
PIQUE AUDIENCE: grades 5-8 – middle schoolers worried about fitting in – fans of Totally Joe and The Misfits,Howe’s other books about Addie and friends
CONNECTIONS/THEMES/USES:choice read, book club – fitting in, acceptance, first love; models of story telling in verse
Lore, Pittacus. The Power of Six. New York: Harper, 2011. 406 pages
The novel opens with a new character, Marina, Number Seven, one of the surviving Garde of the planet Lorien. She lives unhappily as an orphan in a convent in Spain while her Cepan, Adelina, has acclimated too well to the life of a nun and isn’t interested in training her or preparing her for the world outside of the convent. Marina is unsettled and knows her legacies are developing and senses trouble brewing. Flash about two weeks after the end of I am Number Four to John, Sam, and Six, who are on the run and hiding from the Mogadorians and the FBI. They are wanted terrorists, John feels lost without Henri, Sam is a little bit homesick, and Six is focused on training and finding the other members of the Garde. Battle weary and uncertain of their next steps, they open John’s Lorien chest and find themselves drawn back to Paradise, Ohio and the work Sam’s dad was doing before he disappeared. While Sam and John make their way to Mogodorian headquarters in West Virginia, Six is compelled to follow up on a call for help from the Garde coming from Spain. All three of our heroes find themselves in a good bit of trouble by the last page, which primes readers for the next installment of the series.
PIQUE AUDIENCE: grades 8-12 – fans of I am Number Four; fans of mystery/sci fi/adventure stories
CONNECTIONS/THEMES/USES:choice read, book club – good vs. evil, aliens, friendship, survival
Patterson, James. Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life. New York: Little, Brown, 2011. 281 pages
Rafe Khatchadorian has one goal for sixth grade: to break every rule in the school handbook. Along with his sidekick Leo, Rafe develops a point system for his tomfoolery, like 25,000 points for chewing gum in class, 30,000 points for earning detention, and 50,000 points for pulling the fire alarm. A bit of a loner, the rule breaking makes middle school a little less awful for Rafe…until the school bully steals his secret notebook and charges him a per page fee to get it back. Bad grades, trouble at home, detention with the dragon lady? Rafe must dig deep to find his way out of this mess. Goofy boy pranks, silly middle school jokes, shocking twists, and pretty awesome illustrations by Chris Tebbets make this a laugh out loud for tweeners.
PIQUE AUDIENCE: grades 5-8 – boys and girls who enjoy a little mischief
CONNECTIONS/THEMES/USES:choice read, class read aloud - themes of friendship, bullying, acting out in school, loss
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2011. 494 pages
On her sixteenth birthday, Beatrice must choose one of five factions, each one dedicated to a virtue: bravery (Dauntless), intelligence (Erudite), peacefulness (Amity), honesty (Candor), or selflessness (Abnegation). Beatrice bears the burden of a secret – while each member of society is to pick the one faction that most reflects his or her strengths, there are a small number of people who show strength in multiple factions, like Beatrice. These people are called divergent, and they are seen as a threat. Keeping her secret hush hush, Beatrice chooses to leave her family and Abnegation for an adventure filled life in the Dauntless faction. But the initiation process to become a part of Dauntless is brutal and Beatrice (now calling herself Tris) realizes that the concept of the virtues has grown extreme and tension is mounting among the factions. While keeping her secret becomes a matter of life and death, so does simply surviving in this dystopian Chicago.
PIQUE AUDIENCE: grades 8-12 – fans of Hunger Games, rejoice! This three book series will satisfy your hunger!
CONNECTIONS/THEMES/USES:choice read, class novel, lit circles – awesome for discussion about morality, society, loyalty, virtues, and more – perfect for a book club selection!
Stiefvater, Maggie. forever. New York: Scholastic Press, 2011. 386 pages. Wolves of Mercy Falls (Book 3)
Stuck living with crazy Cole St. Clair, Sam is mopey and lost waiting to know if Grace is surviving as a wolf. Despite her father’s obsession with killing the wolves, Isabel is on the side of the wolves. Cole is looking for a cure, everyone suspects Sam is responsible for Grace’s disappearance and the death of another young girl, Olivia. Isabel isn’t giving Cole an inch, refusing his phone calls. When Grace shifts and she and Sam reunite, it takes some time but their love eventually binds them together. Isabel tips them off that the wolves aren’t safe in the Boundary Woods and Cole reads Beck’s journals and realizes the only thing to do is move the wolves. With an unlikely ally, this becomes a race against time for the wolves.