Bone: Out from Boneville

Bone Volume One: Out from Boneville (Smith, Jeff; 2003) ISBN 0963660942

Bone is the first edition in a series of stories about three cousins who are on the run: Phoncible B. Bone (aka Phoney), Smiley Bone, and Fone Bone.  The reasons for their plight help to explain some important character traits.  Phoney Bone has been run out of town—Boneville—after Phoney shows disrespect for the town’s founder.  Phoncible is highly motivated, but not entirely honest and upright.  Protagonist Fone Bone is equipped with both courage and the ability to problem solve.  Smiley Bone is more likeable than Phoncible, but far less intelligent than Fone.

Phoney and Smiley are separated from Fone, and the story splits into two different paths.  While on his own, Fone meets up with Thorn, a young, courageous and talented girl with a secret past.  Thorn lives with her hard scrabble grandmother, perhaps the toughest character in the story despite her age.  Thorn helps Fone reunite with his cousins, though they encounter great danger and excitement in the form of rat creatures along the way.

Meanwhile, Phoney tries to run another scam with Smiley that may get him into hot water once again.  Their storyline is lighter in tone that Fone’s is, and it provides many funny moments.

The Bone cousins’ story is told in black and white line illustrations.  As with most graphic novels, it is accessible for a wide range of readers.  Author Jeff Smith conveys a slew of emotions and moods among his characters, creating a lively pace for the story.

Interview with the author here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXwFRZ4nFXA

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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Twelve Rounds to Glory

Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali (Smith, Charles R. Jr.;2007;  Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press; ISBN 9780763616922)

Smith’s story told in verse along with bold, colorful illustrations by Bryan Collier combine for a powerful biography of one of the country’s best known athletes.  Smith divides the story into twelve rounds, each of which reads as a chapter explaining an important era of Ali’s life.

Each round begins with a quote pertinent to the upcoming chapter.  The story begins with a lyrical description of the baby Cassius Clay, born in 1942 in racially divided Kentucky.  Smith includes an anecdote in which someone steals Clay’s bicycle.  He wants revenge but a police officer informs him, “First, kid, you hafta learn to fight!”  Clay takes these words to heart, and his career in fighting begins.

Smith includes many of Clay’s boxing highlights, such as his gold medal turn in the 1960 Olympics, and he explains Clay’s conversion to Islam which leads him to change his name to Muhammad Ali, which means “worthy of praise, high-exalted one.”  He also covers Ali’s refusal to  join the Army when drafted because it conflicts with the beliefs of his faith.  This decision costs him his boxing title and, for several years, his ability to compete.

The story also includes some of Ali’s most notable fights, such as those against George Foreman and Joe Frazier, and it concludes with his current and enduring battle, that against Parkinson’s disease.  The portrayal here is one of a tough, disciplined, principled man who influenced his sport perhaps more than anyone else thus far.  Twelve Rounds to Glory was awarded the Coretta Scott King award in 2008.

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.

They Called Themselves the KKK

They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group (Bartoletti, Susan Campbell; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010; 172  p.; ISBN 9780618440337)

Bartoletti documents the beginnings of one of the most feared groups of humans in the history of this country.  She uses clear, concise language to explain how a group of white men in the South hatched a plan in an attempt to quash any upward social movement—and even some basic freedoms—of African Americans.  It is an account of the horrifying potential for man to inflict devastation as a reaction to personal fear.

The author begins with a brief history of the Civil War, using many primary sources to give as thorough a picture of the issues as possible in the limited space of a chapter.  Her accounts are vivid and her own narrative is nonjudgmental.  The real story begins in Pulaski, Tennessee when six officers from the Confederate army decided not to accept their defeat, but rather to gather other white men who feared any gain in power and privileges among black men and women and squash it down.  This secret group grew into the Ku Klux Klan, a name that originally was taken from the Greek “kuklos,” or circle.

Many pictures and illustrations accompany the accessible text, making this an appropriate text for younger readers who may not yet have the attention span for a more advanced text.  The chapter titles alone are enough to pique most readers’ interest, such as “Boys, Let Us Get Up a Club,” “They Say a Man Ought Not to Vote,” and “A Whole Race Trying to Go to School.”  The author includes a time line of Civil Rights, quote attributions, a bibliography and thorough source notes, and an index.

Ages 12 and up

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

Copper Sun

Copper Sun (Draper, Sharon; Antheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006; 302 pages ISBN 9780689821813)

This is the story of Amari, a 15-year-old girl living happily with her family in Africa and looking forward to marrying her beloved Besa soon.  Amari’s life is devastated in an instant when a group of white slave traders invade her peaceful village, killing many of her neighbors and all of her family as she watches in horror.  Amari goes through the next few weeks in a haze as she is prepared for the long journey across the sea to America where she is sold into slavery, all the while reeling from her tremendous loss of family and homeland.

Draper’s work of historic fiction is readable for younger students, but the subject matter is probably best suited for the upper level of middle readers, mainly because of the violent nature of what Amari experiences.  She is raped aboard the ship, though Draper implies the attacks without describing them.  The plantation owner who buys her labels her as a birthday gift for his teenage son, and she is further abused (again, the reader infers the abuse).  Amari, a sweet and obedient girl, gets along well with the other slaves and even forms an unlikely friendship with a white indentured servant her own age.  The two misunderstand and mistrust each other in the beginning, but form a strong bond when they attempt to escape together.  Ultimately, this is a hopeful tale and an effective way to impart some of the horrors of this part of the country’s history to young students.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

Al Capone Does My Shirts (Choldenko, Gennifer, 2004, 215 p. ISBN 0142403709 $6.99)

This fictionalized account of a family living on Alcatraz island in 1935 is charming, witty, and abundantly sweet.  Twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan narrates the tale of his family’s recent move that has brought his father to work on The Rock as an electrician and guard.  Moose is not happy about the move, which means he must leave behind his best friend and baseball-playing buddies, but his family is hopeful about getting his sister—who has autism, though that name and diagnosis do not yet exist—into a promising new school in San Francisco.  Moose is frequently torn between wanting to move back to his old, familiar life, and wanting to get help for the sister he loves.

Moose meets up with a new group of playmates, including the mischievous Piper—the warden’s daughter—who is always plotting a new scheme that is sure to land Moose in trouble.  The earnest and endearing Moose will appeal to a wide range of readers, including boys and girls from middle school on.  The author includes delightful details (many of which are probably true, as she explains in the notes) about Alcatraz at that time period, including Al Capone’s mother’s visit that sets off the metal detectors and sets the island abuzz.  It is a lovely tale of family loyalty, friendship, and finding one’s way in the difficult age of early adolescence.