More Than a Game

More Than a Game [Motion Picture] (2009) Directed by Kristopher Belman, 105 minutes, rated PG; ASIN B002YMWQ2M

Any fan of basketball knows who LeBron James is, and like him or not, his talent as one of the best players in the NBA is undeniable.  In 1997, James was a sixth grader who loved to play hoops with his three best friends in Akron, Ohio.  The “fab four,” as they were known locally, rocketed through the amateur leagues and earned a reputation as small-time prodigies. 

This documentary film follows their journey from the streets of Akron to a private high school—which was perceived as a slight among many in the African American Akron community who assumed the boys would play for their local public school—where the four were most likely to continue to play as a unit.  The boys go from innocent elementary schoolers to cocky teens who begin to take their winning record for granted.  The film intersperses film from their early days and current interviews with the players, coaches, and sports writers who covered their meteoric rise.

Viewers know how this story will end for James, who signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers straight out of high school.  But many do not know the back story of how these basketball skills were born out of friendship and loyalty, nor are they likely to be familiar with the stories of the other three players who were all crucial parts of this legend. 

This is an excellent film for a sports fan, especially a basketball fan, and it provides enough of a human storyline to keep non-athletes riveted as well.  The story does not glorify James, despite the fact that he is the only one of the four who made it to megawatt status in the NBA.  Rather, it presents him as just one of these good friends.  While he is clearly the most talented of the athletes in this film, he is not the only one with a good story.  On the whole, it is a film with wide appeal.

See the trailer here.

The Truth About Forever

 The Truth About Forever (Dessen, Sarah; 2004; Viking; 374 p. ISBN 9780670036394) 

Macy Queen misses her deceased father terribly, but she can’t turn to her mother for comfort because her mother is barely hanging on herself.  She could turn to her perfect boyfriend, but he is leaving for the summer.   That leaves her with a boring job, and a surprising friendship with a new boy who helps her to see things in a new light.

Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra

 Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra (Lichtman, Wendy; 2007; 183 pages; ISBN 9780061229565)

This book is notable more for its clever uses of math in storytelling—with a female protagonist, no less—than for its plot.  Tess, an eighth-grade math whiz, uses mathematical terms to both view and describe many of the situations and relationships in her life. 

Rules

Rules (Lord, Cynthia; 2006; Scholastic Press; 200 p., ISBN 9780439443821)

Twelve-year-old Catherine narrates this tale of life with her autistic younger brother and the rules she tries to help him live by.  Catherine loves David, but she is also embarrassed by him.  This well-told novel shows how she learns to come to terms with those conflicting emotions.

Hatchet

Hatchet (Paulsen, Gary; 1988; Puffin Books; 195 p.; ISBN 9780140327243)

This is a classic tale of survival as protagonist Brian has to endure the aftermath of a plane crash that leaves him stranded in the middle of nowhere.  The hatchet helps Brian to forge an existence, and it is symbolic of the fracturing of his family following his parents’ divorce.  This book is the first of five in Brian’s Saga.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963

 The Watsons Go to Birmingham (Curtis, Christopher Paul; 1995, Delacorte Press; 210 pages; ISBN 9780385321754)  

The award-winning novelist Christopher Paul Curtis sets this fictional story in Michigan in 1963, and has the family travel to Birmingham just before the time that four young African American girls are killed in a church bombing.  The story is narrated by Kenny Watson, age 10, who details the exploits of his trouble-prone older brother with humor.  The story takes on a serious tone when Kenny’s sister is temporarily missing in the rubble of the bombed church.

Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare

Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare (Shan, Darren; Little, Brown and Company, 2001; 257 pages; ISBN 0-316-60510-7)

Darren Shan is a nice boy from a nice family.  He likes to hang out with his friends, play soccer, and oh yes, he has a fascination with spiders.  That fascination lures him to do something dangerous while visiting a freak show (in itself, a dangerous feat), and before long, Darren finds himself making a deal with a vampire to shuffle off his mortal coil and assist the creepy Mr. Crepsley as a half-vampire for the rest of his days.

Shan presents this story—the first in a series of 12 installments—as a first person account told from the perspective of a protagonist who shares his name with the author.  Are these true tales?  Shan hopes you will wonder, and surely many young readers will enjoy asking themselves if this premise could ever possibly play out.  These books predate the wildly popular Twilight series, but many young readers will discover and enjoy them in the current wave of vampire popularity.  Shan’s writing is fast-paced and entertaining.  The language is accessible for the middle and upper ranges of this age group.  As a nice bonus, he sneaks in opportunities to build vocabulary frequently (“Sir, what’s malformed mean?”).  He presents dialogue between tween-aged characters in a way that is realistic, not simplistic. 

Shan—the author—knows how to lure in a reader and keep him intrigued.  Darren—the character—is likable and layered—a good son and good friend who is truly conflicted when he must decide how to rectify a horrible situation for which he feels responsible.

Author's website

Coraline

Coraline [Motion picture] 2009, ISBN 0061660167

This 2009 film adaptation of the popular 2002 novel of the same title is a creative, fascinating version of a compelling story.  Coraline is a 12-year-old girl in a new town and a new house waiting to begin a new school year.  With no playmates yet, she turns to her parents for company, but they are buried in their respective jobs.  Coraline is left to explore their new neighbors—none of whom are of her generation—and her new home.  She gives in to temptation and explores a strange doorway that leads her to an alternate world with an “other mother” and “other father” who are utterly appealing in some ways (all the time and attention in the world!  whatever food Coraline would like!) and utterly freaky in others (buttons for eyes?  strange insect snacks?).  Coraline wants to return home to her preoccupied parents, but finds that is no longer an option.

Equal parts creepy and creative, this stop-motion animated film will engage young viewers and the adults who may watch it with them.  The lessons of the book—appreciating family, finding self-confidence in the face of fear, standing up for what is right—are conveyed as effectively in this film version as they are in the beloved book.  The subject matter is scary enough to keep older tweens entertained, but not so much so that younger viewers should not watch.  The title role is voiced by Dakota Fanning, an endearing portrayal of a curious, memorable character.

See a trailer here.

Big Nate in a Class by Himself

Big Nate in a Class by Himself (Pierce, Lincoln; Harper/Harper Collins, 2010; 214 p., ISBN 9780061944345)

Nate’s attempt to live up to his fortune cookie message that tells him, “today you will surpass all others.”  His dubious achievement of amassing more detention slips than any other student in history helps him to fulfill his destiny. 

Flipped

  Flipped (Van Draanen, Wendelin; Knopf, 2001; 212 p. 9780375811746)

Free-spirited Juli has a mad crush on buttoned-down Bryce, who cannot get far enough away from Juli for his liking.  Their contrasting feelings continue for six years, until the now-middle schoolers realize one day that things have…flipped, as each begins to see the other in a new light.  Each chapter alternates from Bryce’s point of view to Juli’s.

View a trailer from the 2010 movie here.

Loser

  Loser (Spinelli, Jerry; Joanna Cotler Books, 2002; 218 p., ISBN 9780060001933)
 
Donald Zinkoff is the loser of the title; a classically weird kid, Donald is at the very bottom of the elementary school pecking order.  Just when things seem to be dismal, Donald redeems himself.


See an interview with author Jerry Spinelli here.

Wintergirls

Wintergirls (Anderson, Laurie Halse, 2009; 278 p., ISBN 9780670011100)

Lia struggles with anorexia and cutting despite—or perhaps assisted by—the death of her best friend, which leaves her guilt-ridden as the numbers on her scale sink lower and lower.  Appropriate for older tween readers, as Halse Anderson pulls no punches in discussing difficult but critical issues for many young readers—especially girls.



Author's website
View a very brief video about the book here. 

Horror titles for_tweens

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Horror titles for_tweens

View more presentations from smuzio.