the lost colony: the red menace

Title: The Lost Colony: The Red Menace by Grady Klein

Genre: Graphic Novel

Annotation: Propaganda reins supreme in a time where people choose to blame the world's woes on society's outcasts.

Review: In a world where conspiracy abounds and people are surrounded by wars and rumours of wars, sometimes a book is just what we need to illustrate the current state we find ourselves in. The Red Menace proves to be the kind of mirror that we need to see that. Using early settler conflict with the Native Americans, author Grady Klein paints a portrait of blind patriotism and profiteering that mirrors our country's present dilemma at home and abroad. Inhabitants of a secluded island fight the politics of misinformation in order to live peaceable lives.

General Sherman Krutch is stuck in his mind fighting "the Red menace" -- or American Indians, as it were -- even though the Indian wars are now over. Married to the general's daughter, Governor Snodgrass continues to profiteer from the perceived threat of these "evil Injuns," playing up the legend of "wartime hero" Johnny Crevasse. Stuck as outcasts in this story, fugitive slave Louis John and his barkeeper companion Joseph Padre -- or Jo' Pah' -- fight the cultural subjugation that surrounds them. Both of them must confront their identities and embrace who they are, even as society tells them that they are the source of its ills.

Perhaps our leaders today would do well to read Klein's comic parody and realize that playing off people's fears and insecurities does nothing to solve problems. Eventually, the truth of every matter comes out. War for injustice causes always fails, and in The Lost Colony, misinformation and greed likewise meets a karmatic end.

hear me out

Title: Hear Me Out: True Stories of Teens Educating And Confronting Homophobia

Genre: Nonfiction

Annotation: Coming out as a gay or lesbian is a very personal experience, and every person has their own story.

Review: I came out to my friends and family when I was 18. The summer after my graduation from high school was a tumultuous one, and I remember the anxiety of having to tell those close to me that I wasn't like them, that I was gay. Looking back, I do not regret speaking those words to them; it forced me to live a more authentic life because of who I was.

Participants of Toronto's Planned Parenthood project, Teens Educating and Confronting Homophobia (also referred to by the acronym T.E.A.C.H.), compiled a collection of their own coming out stories to share with other young adults who are facing those same kinds of situations. One of the best tools we have as a community is the power of our words. The strength of our voices can edify others and offer encouragement to be seen and heard. The premise of this collection is to create visibility outside of the GLBT community. So often queer youth are forced to remain silent, feeling they are doomed to live their lives amongst the shadows. Regardless of sexual orientation or minority status, each person should be allowed to live a full life without the fear that they will be put down as a "less-than" and not as an equal.

The stories in Hear Me Out demand a recognition of the existence of queer individuals everywhere, from rural farms to urban communities. Heartbreak and shame exists for many. Having felt it myself, the reinforcement of cultural oppression oftentimes can be crushing to GLBT youth. Yet, for each story of pain and loneliness, another is told of opportunity. These young adults have a choice to put themselves out as who they really are in public. That takes courage. Fictional stories have the safety of not being linked to real people, so when first-person accounts of queer persons are read by adolescents, the added layer of reality can be both frightening and comforting. Not much else stings as much as isolation. Books like Hear Me Out let teens know they are not alone, and that in & of itself is worthy of applause.

baby be-bop

Title: Baby Be-Bop by Francesca Lia Block

Genre: GLBT

Annotation: The spirits of his ancestors visit sixteen-year-old Dirk McDonald in order to help him resolve his anxiety about his homosexuality.

Review: Why, even today, must gay youth feel so "different," so stigmatized, as though they must keep hidden away their intimate desires and future hopes? This question becomes even more vexing when you consider that most of us only want to love and be loved in return; gay adolescents are, in fact, not so different from straight ones. Rather, social stigma creates anxiety and fear for many gay youth. Francesca Lia Block tackles these issues head on in Baby Be-Bop and provides GLBT adolescents with a colorful message of hope. The story revolves around sixteen-year old Dirk McDonald, who wonders if his caretaker grandmother Fifi will be able to accept his sexual identity if and when he tells her about it. Dirk fears that she'll only consider it a phase. Dirk also worries about being authentic and strong. He doesn't want his sexuality to weigh him down, and he doesn't want to be hurt for being gay. As Dirk is muddling through these feelings, he meets Pup Lambert, a rambunctious teen from a dysfunctional family. They soon become fast friends, but Dirk begins to develop romantic feelings for the clearly heterosexual Pup. After some tension, Dirk tries to tell Pup how he feels, but Pup scorns his coming out attempt and the two become estranged. Afterwards, Dirk manufactures another identity and a fake id to go along with it, and he delves into the gothic punk rock scene in Los Angeles. He goes out almost every night to unhappy clubs where the patrons are dressed in threatening attire and thrash to loud, angry music. It is obvious to the reader that Dirk is trying to punish himself for being gay, or identify with a subculture that eschews the traditional pop culture. As Dirk is leaving one of these establishments, he makes a derogatory comment about a swastika tattooed on another patron of the club, and that man along with several accomplices attack Dirk and beat him, all the while calling him a "faggot."

Dirk is fortunate enough to make his way home, where he collapses in his bed. What follows in the next few chapters is some of the best writing in the book. While Dirk is in a dreamlike state, he is visited by his great grandmother, his father and his mother, all of whom are deceased. The relatives recount their life stories to Dirk, who is stunned to realize that he's never asked his grandmother about any of them. Storytelling is a recurrent theme in the book; it is symbolized by a golden genie lamp that Fifi gives Dirk to tell his secrets to on his sixteenth birthday. "Telling your story is touching. It sets you free." Each character has a special narrative, and the description of their lives almost reads like a fairy tale. At one point, Dirk even tells his father that he's gay. The language is rich and luxurious at times, popping with colorful imagery and whimsical elements (such as fairies). In addition to his ancestry, Dirk gets a glimpse of his future, one that will involve a young man named Duck Drake who is a strong young surfer from Santa Cruz. At the very end of the book, we find that Dirk coming out of his deep sleep only to find himself in a hospital with Fifi watching diligently over him. She had been the one retelling their family stories to him; in effect Dirk came out to his grandmother while he was in this hallucinatory state.

Books like Baby Be-Bop are very important for gay youth struggling with their sexual identities. Block should be commended for writing a very accessible, short book that delivers some incredibly powerful messages. Moreover, Baby Be-Bop is a prequel to a series of other books that have positive gay characters. Among the more salient of Block's themes is love, "any love that is love is right." Block successfully shows how important it is to remain connected to one's past in order to find one's future, and narrative is one surefire method of ensuring these connections.

the bluest eye

Title: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Genre: Multicultural

Annotation: In the midst of racial hatred and abuse, an African-American girl longs to possess the beauty she desires and wipe away the ugliness that surrounds her in 1940's Ohio.

Review: Pecola Breedlove wants nothing more than to have blue eyes, the blues eyes one's ever seen. Who can blame her? The pretty white girls all have pretty blue eyes and pretty blond hair. In a place where black is not beautiful, Pecola suffers the degradation of her peers and turns into her own shroud of loneliness and despair. Pecola's family (if it can dare be called that) is wrought with dysfunction. Her mother has a loathing for her daughter and son, and Pecola's father is an abusive alcoholic who is controlled by his bestial passions. After being raped by her father, Pecola becomes pregnant and goes to live with Claudia (one of the story's narrators), but nothing is able to save the young girl from her own madness. The Bluest Eye paints a portrait of grasping for the unreachable, only to collapse within the hollowness of longing.

The Bluest Eye reveals a myriad of little horrors that make this book somewhat hard to read. The brutality of rape, the taboos of pedophilia & incest, the demoralizing nature of racism - all of these things could easily overwhelm any reader. The elegance of Morrison's story lies in how human truths well to the surface above the muck and mire of these said iniquities. The Bluest Eye tells more than just how a young girl unravels after being impregnated by her own father. Everybody has a piece of Pecola within them. We all yearn to belong, to find beauty in what others deem to be broken and ruined. The essence of human struggle can be summed up in our need accept ourselves and be excepted by others, for we are social animals to say the least. The block Pecola faces is society itself. Her culture had standards she could not reach, and without a support system to uplift her, Pecola fails to find the personhood she requires. The tragedy of her story is not in how she fails, but in how her family and community fail her.

This story could be argued as not suitable for adolescent readership, but I would reason that the harsh realities of life are never pleasant and do not change as young adults grow older. Educators and other adults need to provide the stories that will prepare teens to handle the unbecoming qualities society possesses. The Bluest Eye well earns the praise it receives.

kira-kira

Title: Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

Genre: Multicultural

Annotation: After moving from Iowa to Georgia, two Japanese-American sisters share an incredible bond that will withstand the ultimate test.

Review: Katie Takeshima adores her older sister. Lynn does everything with her younger sibling, and together it seems as if they can take on the world. They love their parents and want to make everything good in the world happen for them. But when their father's job prospects transport the family from the cornfields of Iowa to the chicken processing plants of Georgia, life seems to lose a bit of its kira-kira (or "sparkle" in Japanese). Even through the adjustments Katie and Lynn must make as cultural rarities in a new community, they maintain a friendship only sisters can know. Sadly, Lynn's dreams of going to college and buying a house by the ocean are threatened as she become progressively ill. With her most devoted companion paling before her very eyes, Katie must find her own voice even if it's the only way to honor her fading sister.

Kira-Kira is a superb illustration of the influence our siblings can have on us as we grow into young adults. Having my own younger sister, there were times I had to hold back my tears when reading Katie's accounts of pride and of sorrow, especially after Lynn dies from lymphoma. Lynn's confidence and aptitude for academics appears to take center stage with their parents, who - once arriving to Georgia - have to work themselves ragged to support the family and no longer seem to enjoy the life like they previously had up north. Katie easily could have become embittered by Lynn's "perfection," but no malice lies within her heart; she could never hate her sister. Towards the end of Lynn's life, she and Katie have a spat of frustration in which they shout that they hate each other. After her death, Katie mourns this fact, but is reassured that people do not display their true nature in illness. Lynn continually edifies her sister, and after she dies, Katie takes a step further into womanhood; her grades improve and she takes on more responsibilities to help her mother and father.

Even as a story of great loss, Kadohata's novel illuminates the joys of friendship, especially in the cohesiveness of family. Though tragedy may try to tear that webbing asunder, the threads of sisterhood last a lifetime. Lynn's presence exists with Katie up to the beaches of southern California. As the Santa Ana winds blow around the Takeshimas on the New Year, Katie can feel her sister's spirit where it had always longed to be.

home in one piece

Title: Home In One Piece by John Thompson

Genre: Biography

Annotation: A North Dakota farm boy fights for his life on a frozen, January day when his arms are ripped off in a machinery accident.

Review: Don't ever let someone tell you that farm work isn't hard. It is downright life-threatening, especially in John Thompson's case. While grinding feed on his family's farm in North Dakota one winter morning, John slipped and became entangled in the corkscrew-like auger he was operating. John awakes with the urgent licking of his beloved Blue Heeler, Tuffy, only to find that both of his arms have been brutally torn asunder from his body. Miraculously, John finds the strength to walk across the farmyard to his empty house, where he maneuvers around locked doors and calls for help. This young man lives to tell the tale of his harrowing surgery and road to recovery in his autobiography, Home In One Piece.

Having lived on a farm in North Dakota as a child and on into young adulthood, I related to a lot of the imagery that John used in his story, and found many aspects of his & his family's life to be similar to my own growing up. Stories of farming accidents are all too common back home, and this one was as heart-wrenching as the others. One cannot help but feel empathy for his family as they watch their son work through such a grueling path to wholeness. John's unintended heroism sparks hope for many across the United States, and even across the world. These wounds are not merely on the surface, but extend deep inside his psyche. The stress of publicity and emotional healing drains John as he adjusts back into everyday life and seeks to find a place in his rural surroundings.

Young adult stories often cover topics of emotional angst and adjusting to life changes. In John Thompson's case, these same issues occur in the face of great adversity, yet still ring as true as for any other teenager today. When the world offers us the gravest of circumstances, humanity still can be distilled into a melting pot of common experiences that translate across the ages and countless cultures. John's writing style reads as if he's talking directly to the reader; there is no pretense in his account. This book is one to which any adolescent can relate. Every person has a need to find their purpose in life and etch out the path which they must follow, and Home In One Piece illustrates that journey with frankness and precision.

the illyrian adventure

Title: The Illyrian Adventure by Lloyd Alexander

Genre: Adventure

Annotation: Sixteen year-old Vesper Holly embarks on a grand adventure replete with a quest for treasure, political intrigue, and a mysterious foreign destination known as Illyria.

Review: Reminiscent of a teenage, female Indiana Jones or a young Laura Croft (Tomb Raider), Vesper Holly leaps from the pages of The Illyrian Adventure with her boisterous resiliency. The adventure is relayed by Professor Brinton Garrett, newly appointed as Vesper's guardian after the passing of her father. This method of storytelling is actually quite engaging, and it's a nice respite after reading so many "first person" accounts in other works of adolescent literature. Regardless, the story really takes off after Vesper convinces Professor Garrett to accompany her to the obscure little country of Illyria to prove her father's wild theory of linking Illyrian mythology to actual history. Set in1872, the heroine encounters sexism and nationalism in the tiny European country. But upon learning the Illyrian language and customs, Vesper gains a great appreciation for their way of life. However, the country is on the verge of a civil war that dates back 700 years to a conflict between two ancient kings, Ahmad and Vartan. Vesper is lucky enough to befriend King Osman, who promises her protection, as she sets off into the backwoods of Illyria to search for a lost treasure. During her travels, she hires a "dragoman" named Nilo to guide the party to Alba-Collia, the place that Vesper believes will validate her father's suppositions regarding Illyrian mythology and history. As it turns out, Nilo is actually the leader of the rebel resistance that King Osman is fighting. Nilo and Vesper, along with Professor Garrett, eventually recover the treasure, which was the gift of peace from Ahmad to Vartan, and save King Osman's life. In the end, Vesper "saved a king's life, prevented a civil war, triumphed over her father's detractors, foiled an abominable villain, and contributed to scholarly knowledge."

The Illyrian Adventure was a pleasant surprise. While it might not win much critical acclaim, the story is intricate and defensible. More importantly, several themes visited in the story are germane to world affairs today. For example, the recent conflict in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, is somewhat parallel to the dynamics in Illyria. Vesper is an outspoken critic of the civil war in Illyria; she befriends leaders on both sides of the conflict. The storyline also illustrates how history is relevant to contemporary events and how, if not understood correctly, we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our progenitors. Lastly, it was refreshing to see a strong, young woman cast as the hero/heroine; Vesper was confident, intelligent, and keenly aware of the social inequalities that plagued Illyria.

the sign of the beaver

Title: The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare

Genre: Historical Fiction

Annotation: A friendship between two young boys is forged in the vast wilderness of Maine during the latter part of the eighteenth century.

Review: Imagine celebrating your thirteenth birthday all alone amidst the wilds of colonial Maine, charged with protecting your family's homestead while they are on route to join you. Matt finds himself in just this situation when his father leaves him to retrieve Matt's mother and siblings from Quincy, Massachusetts. After a chance encounter with a unscrupulous white man who steals Matt's firearm, his only means of obtaining meat and his sole means of defense, the young boy might not have survived his six-month ordeal had it not been for the kindness of a local Penobscot Indian Chief, Saknis, and his grandson, Attean. These two Native Americans first come to the aid of Matt after he is swarmed by bees and sprains his ankle. Then, as payment for their help, Matt agrees to teach the English language to Attean. Sankis hopes that his grandson will learn enough of the white man's words to understand the treaties into which they are entering. However, throughout the course of their lessons, Attean ends up teaching Matt how to be self-sufficient in the forest. Their friendship continues to develop until the boys are threatened by a mother bear, which they must kill in self-defense. This act precipitates Matt's deeper enculturation into the native way of life when he is invited to the Indian settlement to celebrate the killing of the bear. Attean is then sent on a vision quest by his grandfather to find his spirit or manitou. This experience changes Attean, who is growing into a man. Eventually, the Native Americans decide to leave their home in Maine and head westward, away from the encroaching colonialism of the white man, to continue their hunter/gather way of life. This turn of events means that Matt will lose his boyhood friend, Attean, and be left to face the coming winter alone since his family's trek back to the homestead from Quincy was obviously delayed.

Set about five years after the end of the French and Indian War, we find out that Attean's mother and father were both killed by white men during this battle. The story also illustrates some of the cultural conflict between Judeo-Christian white colonists and Native Americans. For example, in one passage, Attean questions Matt about the white man's tendency to take ownership of the Indian's ancestral hunting grounds: "How can man own land? Land same as air. Land for all people to live on. For beaver and deer. Does deer own land?" The travesties committed against native peoples by white settlers are immense, and, in many ways, Speare does not go far enough in her criticism or condemnation of colonialism in North America. Yet, one interesting literary device is her use of the story between Matt and Attean to uncover the racism and the ethnocentrism in Robinson Crusoe, another adventure tale involving settlers and "savages." As Matt so astutely observed, "He remembered Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday. He and Attean had sure enough turned that story right about. Whenever they went a few steps from the cabin, it was the brown savage who strode ahead, leading the way, knowing just what to do and doing it quickly and skillfully. And Matt, a puny sort of Robinson Crusoe, tagged along behind, grateful for the smallest sign that he could do anything right."

vampire breath

Title: Vampire Breath by R.L. Stine

Genre: Horror/Vampire

Annotation: When Freddie and Cara's rambunctiousness gets the best of them, the discovery of a vampire in their basement could lead to their demise in the future...and the past.

Review: Freddie Martinez is a fighter, not in a major sense of the word, but usually when it comes to showing his best friend and neighbor, Cara, who's boss. During a night of babysitting, the duo stumble upon a secret passage way in the basement of Freddie's house. At the end of an erie passageway, they stumble upon an empty room -- empty, save for a mysterious bottle that sits inside. The two discover that the bottle contains an ethereal substance called Vampire Breath, and once spilled, releases the frail, ancient vampire known as Count Nightwing. The count's thirst is great, and the one thing that Nightwing needs is the sustenance of his soon-to-be victims. Unbeknownst to Cara and Freddie, the Vampire Breath has many uses, and inadvertently transports the three of them back to the past, where the two friends must elude the clutches (and fangs) of Count Nightwing and get back to their own time.

R.L. Stine has always had an excellent talent for crafting stories for younger adolescents, and after reading Vampire Breath with a more "mature" set of eyes, I can remember why his books were so appealing to me and my friends. Even though the book is not substantial in length by any means, Stine's text has an urgency and speed to it that equates success in the teenage marketplace. Pages turned easily one after another as I sought to find out what would happen to Freddie and Cara. The suspense of the horror genre are exemplified in this vampire story; two young kids face a supernatural foe that must be vanquished lest they meet their doom in his clutches. In the back of one's mind, we have to assume everything will end all right, but the quickening pace of the author's prose urges us onwards with just a twinge of uncertainty. The story doesn't end as one would expect -- Stine punctuates Vampire Breath with a twist that only a Goosebumps novel can summon up.

While I do applaud this book for its entertainment value, but I do not think it is by any means award material. Stine's fiction in serial form beckons to slash fiction with little literary merit. I would encourage young people to read these books because of there fun, effortless feel. Vampire Breath easily illustrated challenges of establishing a more adult personhood, especially for Freddie. In the backdrop of fanciful situations, this teenage boy struggles to assert himself as powerful and independent, eschewing cowardice and rising up again "adult adversaries." Young adults can identify with characters like Cara and Freddie, and feel all the more empowered by them.

passionate plea: the diary of a young girl

When an atrocity such as the attempted annihilation of an entire group of people occurs in our global community, there is a duty to respect that grave injustice. The Holocaust is an example of such a program of hate that has marred the course of human events. History is unforgiving, and humanity must take what it can from the misdeeds and misfortunes of those who have gone before us.

Among the accounts that we have about the Holocaust today, Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl gives us great insight into the life of Jews in hiding during World War II. It is difficult to imagine being confined to cramped quarters with seven other people for the duration of over two years. The residents of the secret annex at times had to deal with impoverish, unpleasant living conditions, with the lurking fear of being discovered and killed by the Nazis. It wrenches my heart to think of anyone having to be subjected to such an ordeal.

Here lies the significance of Anne Frank's diary: through her insight and observations, at heart she is still a regular teenage girl. Anne writes about her opinions of her classmates before going into hiding much like I would have described mine in middle school or junior high. Struggles with her parents exist, as well as the pangs of living with the van Daan family. Anne also experiences love for Peter, and reaches a maturity (both physically and emotionally) during her exile in the back quarters of her father's office building. This book is not just an account of the Holocaust - it is the account of the life of a young woman who is experiencing the life lessons & emotions that all other teens will feel. The universality of The Diary of a Young Girl makes it a book that teaches adolescents that there are things everyone will go through, regardless of their circumstances.

I hope you will vote for this monumental book. Anne Frank's diary deserves the honor of such an award, and today's youth deserve to be exposed to it.

passionate plea: a northern light

Having read Jennifer Donnelly's A Northern Light as one of the first selections for this semester, I keep returning to this book in the back of my mind. Donnelly has truly created a masterpiece of young adult literature in the story of Mattie Gokey. Despite taking place over a century ago, the life choices that this girl must make ring true even in the 21st century. Who cannot empathize with the struggle of duty? Every single one of us has had to weigh the needs of others against our own, and the universality of this message makes A Northern Light a necessary read for persons of any age, but especially young adults. Mattie's journey to becoming the woman she wants to be is rift with life's obstacles. She must face abandoning her already torn family in hopes of pursuing an education in New York City, with a career as a writer. Traditional ways of life do hold value for her (marriage to a good man who she can build a life with, being a responsible wife & mother, nurturing the family she loves & community in which she lives), but when everything is balanced, she must ultimately choose for herself and potentially hurt the ones she loves the most.

I implore you, please vote for A Northern Light. This work is worthy of such an honor. I would be remiss if I did not defend my support and encourage you all to discover the greatness that has been crafted in this story.

catcher in the rye

Title: A Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Genre: Challenged

Annotation: Growing up sucks, and sometimes one needs drop out of boarding school and go on a life-changing adventure in New York to get through.

Review: How does one differentiate between typical teen angst and problem teenage behavior? Adolescence is, above all else, a time of pronounced physical, emotional, and psychological change. It is not surprising that some children do not or cannot readily accept all the changes that occur during their juvenile years. This is certainly the case for Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in A Catcher in the Rye. Salinger, the author, quickly paints Holden as insecure, moody, depressed, apathetic, and impulsive, but there is some question as to whether Holden is a troubled youth or simply a typical teenager (even though by the end of the novel he is undergoing psychotherapy).

The story takes place over a 3-4 day period when Holden has been expelled from Pencey Prep, a private boarding school in Pennsylvania and decides to travel back to familiar territory in Manhattan. Of the experiences he has, several important themes emerge during all of these exchanges. Among the themes that appear in the novel, Holden’s (sexual) identity crisis is paramount. This could be one of the main reasons this book is so often challenged and banned. Holden is attempting to “become a man,” first by challenging Stradlater over the honor of Jane Gallagher, then by dancing with the women at the Lavender Room, briefly dating Sally Hayes, and also by agreeing to hire a prostitute. These are affirmative attempts at developing a heterosexual male identity. However, Holden also seeks to prove his heterosexuality by making immature comments against homosexuals when he is with Carl Luce, and also as he flees from Mr. Antonili when Holden feels threatened by what he interprets as a homosexual gesture made by his former English teacher. The anxiety that Holden expresses over homosexuality could also indicate some ambiguity regarding his own sexual identity.

Perhaps one of the more interesting themes in Catcher is the very classist/elitist nature of the storyline. Holden is obviously from an affluent family that lives in Manhattan and sends their children to prestigious boarding schools. Holden’s penchant for literature and the arts and his knowledge of high culture also denote membership in the upper class. In fact, he eschews the film industry for which his brother D.B. is working in Hollywood in favor of literature. Holden makes numerous comments about his disdain for motion pictures. Presumably, Holden should be content with his privilege and social status. Several times in the novel it is mentioned that Holden is a handsome young man. Yet, he is not content with life’s fortunes. Holden remains depressed and sullen throughout the novel. He is only happy when the innocence of childhood is reintroduced into his life, particularly by his younger sister Phoebe. Perhaps Salinger is commenting that, regardless of one’s station in life, we all must face the pains of adolescence/change and some of us (again regardless of social class) will not successfully adapt to the changes brought on by age. Moreover, depression and mental illness can affect anyone. At first blush, Catcher is a simple story, yet it deals with incredibly complex subject matter: growing up, becoming a man, and feeling as though you’re failing at it all.

a wrinkle in time

Title: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Genre: Sci Fi / Fantasy

Annotation: The tesseract, a wrinkle in time, allows otherworldly beings to transport three human children through the cosmos to a placed called Camazotz to face an evil darkness, the Black Thing, that is enveloping the universe.

Review: Meg Murry isn't a typical teenager; she has parents who are scientists, a genius of a younger brother, and more importantly she tessers through space with three celestial beings who are engaged in the classic good versus evil battle with a malevolent shadow spreading throughout the galaxy. The story commences with Meg and her brother Charles Wallace enjoying sandwiches at home when the evening is disturbed by Mrs Whatsit. In addition to the odd character, Mrs Whatsit, the reader is introduced to Mrs Who and Mrs Which, all of whom turn out to be shape-shifters that ferry Meg, her friend Calvin O'Keefe, and Charles Wallace across the cosmos to find Meg's father.

The journey takes the child protagonists to several alien places, including Uriel where Mrs Whatsit transforms into a centaur-like creature. They also visit Orien's Belt where they see a darkness encroaching across the heavens and partially engulfing the earth. The children eventually arrive at Camatzotz where IT, an evil being appearing as a disembodied brain, oversees the land and speaks through the man with the red eyes. It is here that we find Mr. Murry, Meg's father, imprisoned in a transparent column and where Charles Wallace succumbs to the influence of the menacing IT. Meg uses spectacles given to her by Mrs Who that rearrange atoms and allow her to pass into her father's prison and facilitate his escape. The climax of the story involves Meg's love eventually freeing Chares Wallace of IT's control and the family returning safely to Earth.

As I understand it, the story was quiet different and unusual when it was written. One element that I found particularly interesting was the imagery related to science and the pursuit of knowledge: a baby genius, scientist parents, a malevolent brain, etc. Scientists and scholars are even equated to prophets in Chapter 5 The Tesseract when the Earth's warriors fighting the Black Thing are identified as Pasteur, Madame Currie, Einstein, Euclid, Copernicus, etc. Even reciting elements on the Periodic Table can fight evil, but then again so can love. However, the juxtaposition of science/logic with emotion never seems to be at odds, but the concepts rather seem to work in tandem to overcome darkness, which might be interpreted as the manifestation of fear. Regardless, the story turns on the classic light versus darkness trope, and it is important to note that L'Engle used religious imagery to reify the struggle between good and evil.

hatchet

Title: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Genre: Censored

Annotation: Armed with only a hatchet from his mother and haunted by the divorce of his parents, a boy must survive the wilds of Canada.

Review: Anyone who has ever witnessed the breaking up of one’s own parents’ marriage can certainly empathize with Brian Robeson’s angst over his mother’s infidelity (the secret) and his folks’ recent divorce. However, everyone can relate to his struggle to stay alive in the harsh Canadian wilderness after the pilot of the plane ferrying Brian to his father suffers a heart attack and leaves Brian to crash land the aircraft into one of the lakes that dot the unpopulated area. For better or worse, Brian survives the harrowing accident with only a small hatchet that his mother had given him for working with his father in the wilderness.

The description of surviving the crash was poignant, and it was replete with sensations basic to the human condition: pain, thirst, hunger, fear. Civilized man – or boy – was thrust into raw nature where he had to find the wherewithal to fend for himself and adapt to nature’s elements and attend to his body’s needs in order to survive. Remembering one of his former English teachers named Perpich, Brian attempted to stay positive and “get motivated” at the beginning of his fifty-four day adventure in the remote Canadian woods. Brian goes on to find shelter, locate food, face a bear, make fire, survive a tornado, and ultimately gain the strength to swim to the sunken plane, find a locater beacon and facilitate his own rescue.

Hatchet is a study in strength, whether physical endurance or the emotional fortitude to face one’s internal demons and fears. For instance, Brian found the inner strength to remain relatively calm after the pilot fell into unconsciousness. Luck or serendipity also played a role in the story. Brian was “lucky” that the pilot had given him a brief piloting lesson just before crash landing. Brian was also lucky when he found a lake in which to land the plane, a shelter that had been conveniently scooped out by glaciers past, various wilderness foods, and (lastly) the ultimate recovery of the survival packet that led to Brian’s rescue. Moreover, through his ordeal in the wilderness by the lake, Brian also learned the most important rule of survival: feeling sorry for oneself doesn’t work. And yet through this test of strength, of will, he had “died and been born as the new Brian.” In fact, it was this metamorphosis that ultimately allowed Brian to come to terms with the divorce, the “breaking word.”

the cay

TITLE: The Cay by Theodore Taylor

GENRE: Multicultural

ANNOTATION: In a matter of staying alive, the bond between two strangers can mean life or death, regardless of what you can see.

Who hasn't dreamed of being stranded on a deserted tropical island, away from civilization, fending for oneself? Well, the reality can be a whole lot more difficult than the fantasy. Young Phillip discovers this firsthand in The Cay. En route to the United States mainland with his mother during WWII in the Dutch West Indies, Phillip's ship is gunned down and he finds himself alone on a raft with the ship's cat and a rugged old black fellow by the name of Timothy. With little hope of rescue, the trio are washed ashore a desolate cay (i.e. a small coral island) and with Phillip being made blind from a blow to the head, he must rely on Timothy in ways that he would have never imagined. Trials and tribulations bring these two together in a culmination of unforeseeable circumstances.

Taylor's young adult novel illuminates the tensions that exist in a segregated society. Even though Phillip lives on an island where he regularly interacts with "Negroes," the voice of his suspicious mother lurks in the back of his mind, especially during his early experiences with Timothy. "They're different from us, and they live differently." In his blind state, Phillip learns to realize that deep down, he and the old man aren't much different; he even says to him, "Are you still black?" at one point (jokingly, of course, but the heart is still behind the sentiment). This novel does a great job of presenting a picture of clashing cultures in an exciting tale, which definitely will have teen readers (and adults as well) vividly placing themselves on this isolated cay.

sexy

SELECTION: Sexy by Joyce Carol Oates

GENRE: Coming Of Age/Problem Novel

ANNOTATION: Seemingly unshakable and oozing charm, Darren must come to terms with the reality of being a man of integrity and being true to oneself.

REVIEW: 16 year old Darren is the boy that everyone idolizes. His peers think sexy but shy. He's a star performer on the swimming team. Even his blue-collar father wants to see him do better than his older brother. But sometimes the pressures of life can make one's world seem as if it is imploding around him. After an ambigous car ride with his English teacher, Mr. Tracy, Darren wonders how far his looks and presence have taken him.

After their encounter, Darren starts hearing complaints from his teammates about Mr. Tracy's grading, and a dangerous scandal is formulated. In a world where masculinity is held in the highest regard, Mr. Tracy's eccentric manner is brought into question and it is up to Darren to come to the aid of the educator he admires, or keep his struggle internal.

Oates' novel is an aggressive foray into the world of adolescent literature, fully portraying the intense ethical struggle for a teen to do what he truly believes is right. The subject of homosexuality (and teenage sexuality in general) is bravely explored as well. Such a viceral novel deserves any award that it is nominated for, and so I am suggesting it be considered for the Printz award.

ghost world

Selection: Ghost World by Daniel Clowes

Genre: Graphic Novel

Annotation: In a world full of freaks and losers, two girls strive to not fit in.

Not all outcasts hate being on the outside. Just ask Enid and her friend Rebecca. This duo definitely owns their angst and approaches the world with a critical lens. Who can blame them? As they drift from day to day after their graduation, the two look for meaning in the world around them. Clowes pulls no punches demonstrating Rebecca and Enid's feelings of alienation. There is a gritty authenticity to the girls' sexual experiences, pranking of strangers, and raw emotional exposure.

Though Ghost World is a story that every young adult reader could relate to, this is not a book I'd nominate for the Printz Award. The thing that turned me off the most to the story would have to be the author's use of profanity and the almost vulgar display of sexuality would not necessarily be appropriate for the average teenage reader. Despite these apparent short-comings, this story provides a somewhat dark and jagged portrayal of life as a teen who doesn't quite fit in the heirarchy of society, but rather lives on the edges (and quite gladly at that).

a northern light

Annotation: Mattie Gokie struggles to find balance in her own life in the rural Adirondacks while uncovering the awful truth behind the death of young female tourist.

Though a sizable tome, do not be intimidated by Jennifer Donnelly's venture into young adult literature. A Northern Light interweaves a true-to-life story about the 1906 murder of Grace Brown in upstate New York with the coming-of-age experience of 16 year-old Mattie. Caught between duty and personal fulfillment, Mattie must decide what she wants to do with her life. Since the loss of her mother to breast cancer and the abandonment of her oldest & only brother, Mattie helps take care of her father and sisters on their modest farm. The harsh realities of adulthood come quickly, leaving little room for her to pursue her dream of attending college in New York City. While working at a lake resort in her community, a young tourist turns up dead after a boating incident. Unknown to those around her, the woman leaves Mattie a stack of letters, requesting she destroy them. Curiosity gets the best of her, and as she reads them one-by-one, the awful truth of her demise is revealed, along with her decision about college and her family.

I greatly enjoyed this book, given that I related a lot to Mattie's character. Mattie has a great love for language, and Donnelly titles each chapter with a different vocabulary word to coincide with the one that Mattie chooses to learn for each new day. Mattie's own desire to create stories for the things left unsaid in her life positively advances the author's tale, and give the reader a sense of discovery as they are given a deeper look into the issues Mattie faces. The central theme of following the desires of other and working for the greater good, versus following one's own self-interests is one that anyone can identify with, especially teenagers. The path to adulthood requires each of us to forge our own path, and A Northern Light illustrates that to a T.

I would highly recommend both young and not-so-young adults to give this book a read, and whole-heartedly nominate this selection for the book award.