Girl Stories

Girl Stories (Weinstein, Lauren R.; 2006) 237 pages; ISBN 9780805078633

An a-typical story about an actual, typical tween, Girl Stories is a series of tales told in graphic novel form by Lauren Weinstein and featuring a 13-year-old narrator named, perhaps autobiographically, Lauren.  Weinstein approaches the travails of Lauren in graphic novel form.  She does not sugar coat the often difficult, awkward, confusing years of pre- and early teen hood.  The vignettes here tell of Lauren’s (embarrassing) hobby of playing with Barbies long after most girls have packed them away, her struggle to be accepted by the cool kids, and her brutally honest account of dropping a friend who might jeopardize her popularity index. 

Weinstein explains in her intro that this book represents several years worth of work, and therefore the style of her illustrations changes over time.  The straightforward pictures sometimes belie more serious topics and dialogue that address serious tween and teen issues.  Angst over wanting a boyfriend or girlfriend and body issues are two such subjects, and though these can quickly evolve into more mature themes, they are also very important issues for young readers.  Weinstein’s honesty in depicting one young girl’s struggle with these years is refreshing and comes across as authentic, which many tween readers will appreciate.  However, that same honesty makes this titles more appropriate for older tweens than the younger or less mature readers in this group.

The graphic novel format of this book makes it an easy read for some who are put off by longer doses of text, but Weinstein’s language is challenging enough to keep strong readers plenty interested as well. 

Recommended for ages 11 and up.

The Karate Kid

The Karate Kid [Motion Picture] 1985.  ISBN 0800138074

Tweens who enjoyed last year’s Karate Kid remake starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan still have reason to check out the 1985 original.  Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio), a newcomer to Los Angeles, is bullied and finds help from his apartment manager, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita, Jr. in an Oscar-nominated performance).  Today’s tweens will not know Morita from “Happy Days” fame, but his performance as the wise and patient Karate master from Okinawa might still remind them of someone they know.  Morita gets the details right, and along with Macchio’s best performance, creates a relationship that is even more believable than Larusso’s with his teen love interest, Ali (Elisabeth Shue).

The story resonates with tweens 25 years after its release, especially with so many recent high profile incidents of bullying among young people.  In the film, Miyagi teaches Daniel that respect and inner peace are more important than physical dominance—as displayed by the more militaristic Cobra Kai martial artists (the bullies) in the film.

Among the highlights of the movie are the “wax on, wax off” scene in which Daniel realizes that seemingly endless household chores are actually lessons in Karate; more subtle are the scenes with Daniel and his mother (Randee Heller), who is having almost as much difficulty finding her way in a new environment as her son is.

While the music and fashion in Karate Kid are dated, the script is filled with realistic dialogue and timeless humor.

View a clip of the film here.

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The Giver

The Giver (Lowry, Lois; Houghton Mifflin, 1993, 180 p. 9780395645666)
 
Lois Lowry establishes a setting without conflict, strife, or other forms of unpleasantness.  It is also a setting of sameness, one in which everything from the weather to collective memories are completely controlled and predictable.  Young Jonas, age 12, is about to receive his life assignment from the Elders in the community.  This ritual bestows a duty to each child based on the skills they have demonstrated, and Jonas unexpectedly receives the rare and prestigious job of being the Receiver of Memory.  Though an important honor, the proclamation terrifies Jonas.

Jonas trades playing games with his peers for training sessions with the man whose job he will take over, the aging Receiver who is now known as the Giver (as he will give the ability to remember to Jonas).  Jonas is surprised and alarmed at much of what he learns from the Giver.  One of the most disturbing things he learns is that when a member is “released” from their society (such as when the elderly become unwell or when members break society rules), they are not sent off to the mysterious “Elsewhere,” but rather they are killed.

Jonas’s misgivings about his new responsibility come to a head when he finds that a young child they have been fostering, Gabriel, is to be released soon for failing to grow at an acceptable rate.  Jonas must make an important decision:  remain faithful to his society and his role as the Receiver knowing that Gabriel will be killed, or attempt to save Gabriel by betraying everything and everyone he has ever known.

Lowry’s book has received many awards, including the Newbery Medal. 
 
--Ages 11-14

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games (Collins, Suzanne; 2008; New York: Scholastic Press; ISBN 0439023483)

If you took the Olympics, reality television, and Roman gladiator fights and mixed them all up, the results might look something like The Hunger Games.  This is the story of Panem, which used to be the United States but now is 12 districts surrounding one powerful capitol.  Years ago, the hungry, oppressed people of the districts attempted to overthrow the capitol but were unsuccessful.  As a yearly reminder of their failed revolution, each district must now send two of its young people to the capitol to participate in the Hunger Games; all residents of Panem are required to view round the clock coverage of the games, and only one of the 24 competitors may live.

Collins tells the story primarily through the experience of Katniss Everdeen, at 16, a contender in the Games.  Katniss has one advantage in the games because her deceased father taught her years earlier how to use a bow and arrow, but those in charge of the games are able to play on each competitor’s weaknesses and darkest fears so Katniss’s strengths may not be enough to help her survive.  Her life at home is a difficult one; since her father’s death in a coal mine accident, Katniss’s mother has suffered debilitating depression and can barely provide for Katniss and her charming younger sister, Prim.  Life in the districts is not easy for anyone, but Katniss soon learns that even that existence is much easier than participating in the cruel games. 

Though the story is wrapped up, the ending of The Hunger Games also leaves readers wanting more.  Fortunately, Collins rounds out the story with two additional tomes, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Readers of the first title will not be satisfied until they have devoured the whole trilogy.

 

The Outsiders

The Outsiders (Hinton, S.E., 1967, 192 pages, ISBN 9780140385724)

Though it was written more than 40 years ago, The Outsiders remains a relevant and compelling novel for young readers today.  The author, S.E. Hinton, knew a few things about teens and tweens, as she was only 15 when she began writing the novel.  The Outsiders is about two rival groups of teenage boys, the Greasers, poor boys from the wrong side of the tracks, and the Socs, society boys with money and privilege.  Certainly the tension between those two classes has not dissipated since the time of this book.

The protagonist, Ponyboy, is a Greaser living with his two older brothers after their parents have died.  Though he is not terribly violent, Ponyboy finds himself involved in a knife fight that goes awry when Greaser Johnny kills a Soc.  Johnny is on the run but about to turn himself in when he and Ponyboy come upon a church on fire with children trapped inside.  Their heroism ultimately costs Johnny his life, and Ponyboy must face the aftermath of the tragedy and destruction in which he has been involved.

A subplot to the story is Ponyboy’s friendship with Cherry, a Soc.  The two develop a sweet though forbidden friendship that helps Ponyboy realize not all Soces are alike.  Through this storyline, Hinton interjects poetry by Robert Frost.  Readers would not expect a Greaser to be fond of poetry, and readers who are not already familiar with Frost benefit by their exposure to the beauty of his words.  The Outsiders will evoke a range of emotions, and the timeless story of a hero who does not know his place in the world is sure to continue to be relevant and universal.

Touching Spirit Bear

Touching Spirit Bear (Mikaelsen, Ben; 2001; New York: Harper Collins; 241 pages; ISBN 9780380977444)

This story begins with a description of a very angry 15-year-old Cole Matthews arriving by boat at the remote corner of Alaska that will be his home for the next year.  Guilty of brutally beating a classmate, Cole thinks he is pulling one over on the system by agreeing to a year of banishment and intense survival training instead of being locked up.  The arrangement is part of “circle justice,” a system that focuses on healing after a violent crime rather than punishment, but Cole’s commitment to healing is fraudulent.  He does not feel remorse for his crime any more than he feels affection toward his distant, abusive parents.  The only emotion he truly feels is anger.

Cole overestimates his ability to skip out on his consequences, and his disrespectful, hostile attitude leads to a vicious attack by a large “spirit bear” that leaves him close to death.  Only when he reaches this desperately low point does Cole begin to think about what has brought him here, and how he will get past it if that is still possible.

Many people are ready to give up on Cole—and he makes it easy for them to do so with his lack of contrition or civility—but his parole officer and a Tlingit Indian elder have enough faith in Cole to try to help him learn other ways of dealing with the path he has chosen up to this point.  This novel addresses themes of survival, forgiveness, trust and respect for nature through a captivating story line and clear, concise, compelling writing.  It is a story that can penetrate the hardest of hearts and will appeal to a wide variety of readers.

 

Found

Found

(Haddix, Margaret Peterson; 2008; New York: Simon & Schuster; ISBN 9781416954170)

Found is the first book in The Missing series, in which a group of 13-year-old children who have all been adopted by various families discover the strange story of their origin: they were on board a plane that delivered 36 babies, unaccompanied by adults, and then disappeared.  Two of those children now lead the effort to discover the truth about this mystery.

Ages 10-14

Homecoming

Homecoming (Voigt, Cynthia; 1981; New York: Simon Pulse; 402 pages; ISBN 9780689851322)
 
A 13-year-old girl, the eldest in a family of four children, assumes responsibility for her siblings when their mother apparently abandons them.  This novel sets the stage for the sequel, Dicey’s Song.

Maniac Magee

Maniac Magee (Spinelli, Jerry; 1990; 184 pages; ISBN 9780316807227)

Jeffrey Magee, an orphan, leaves the unhappy home of his aunt and uncle in search of a better life.  The ensuing adventures of “Maniac” Magee delve into stories of heroic athletic endeavors and racial issues. Spinelli was awarded the Newbery medal for this book.  

(Ages 9-12)

Out of the Dust

Out of the Dust (Hesse, Karen; 1997; Scholastic; 227 pages; ISBN 9780590360807)

Narrated by Billie Jo, a young girl struggling in Oklahoma during the Great Depression, this novel in verse introduces young readers to poetry and history through the voice of a thoughtful young survivor.

(Ages 11 and up)

The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief (Riordan, Rick; Miramax Books/Hyperion Books for Children; 2005; 377 pages; ISBN 9780786856299)

The first book in the tremendously popular series, The Lightning Thief is the tale of 12-year-old Percy Jackson (an allusion to Perseus from Greek mythology).  Jackson is a demigod, the son of Poseidon and a mortal mother, and he seeks sanctuary at Camp Half-Blood along with other kids like him.  If traditional Greek myths do not appeal to some readers, surely this story will.

Brain Camp

 Brain Camp (Kim, Susan and Klavan, Laurence; 2010; 160 p., ISBN 9781596433663)

Summer camp takes a scary spin in this tale of Lucas and Jenna, two kids from different backgrounds who are invited to the exalted Camp Fielding--although neither Lucas nor Jenna is considered an especially great student.  They expect to roast marshmallows with the smart kids, but instead find themselves in the middle of a horror story!

Montage of graphics from the book is here.

(Ages 10+) 

Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence

Fist stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence (Canada, Geoffrey; 1995; 179 p. ISBN 9780807004227)

Canada narrates his own stories, often gritty, of life on the streets of the Bronx in the 1950s. Today, Canada is a well known educator. In the 1950s, he was a boy being raised, along with his brothers, by his mother after his father left. He tells a series of stories in both personal narrative and graphic novel form.


(Ages 11+)

Fever 1793

Fever 1793 (Anderson, Laurie Halse; 2000, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; 251 p., ISBN 9780689838583)

If the cover art with the close up of a yellowed eye does not grab you, the plot of this gripping novel will.  The story opens with a description of protagonist Mathilda (Mattie) Cook waking up on a sweltering August day in Philadelphia, 1793.  A buzzing mosquito—an ominous sign of the tragedy to come—provides the background noise as Mattie begins her morning routine of dressing and helping her widowed mother with chores.  The Cooks run a coffee house, popular in Philadelphia during this period, as the author explains in the appendix.  Her mother is all work and efficiency with no joy since Mattie’s father died.  Her grandfather, a celebrated war hero, adds humor and the gift of storytelling to Mattie’s life while helping with the coffee house.  But when their assistant, a young, healthy girl, dies suddenly from a fever, things go downhill fast.

The story follows the true account of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia that killed 5,000 people in a matter of months.  Each chapter begins with the date (the story moves ver y quickly, in part because the timeline is so short) and a quote from a Philadelphan from that time which corresponds with the progress of the fever’s plague.  These details, along with mentions of actual politicians such as then President Washington, lend vivid color to this story that is already fascinating, thanks to Anderson’s concise, descriptive writing.  Philadelphia was the nation’s capital at this time, and the images of people boarding up and abandoning their homes and, in some cases, their ill relatives, is especially striking given this fact.

In addition to addressing the health epidemic, the story also includes themes of family, budding love, and the emerging role of free African Americans in the country at this time.  As with all of her books, this is a title to add to the bookshelf of any school library.

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.

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