YA – Page 4 – One Chapter

Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson

4.5 stars YA/ Middle School Historical Fiction

She was like no other. Sage’s eyes were open and she wanted a life that was different. Set in the 1970’s, life may have been simpler, but the issues were still the same: who am I and where am I going?

On Palmetto Street in Brooklyn, Sage knows that the fires are close-by. This is her neighborhood, these are her neighbors, and surrounding her are the businesses and houses that are supposed to protect them, yet she knows that fire will consume the wooden structures. A portion of her world could go up in smoke, just-like-that.

Sage spends a great deal of her time on the court; she would have it no other way. The basketball court is her second home. This court is just like home as she shoots from different spots on the ink and as she plays a pick-up game with the neighborhood kids. Sage realizes and so do the other kids, that Sage is the only girl on the court. The only girl who dreams of making it big, shooting hoops. Sage is first-pick when choosing teams and they know, that she’s one that will take it to the hoop and score for their team. It’s Sage’s female friends who question this choice, a doubt that throws a shadow on Sage.

It’s Freddy who gives her reassurance. He’s the light that Sage needs. A friendship that benefited them both, as they felt tossed around.

I enjoyed the way that Woodson used reflection to set the stage for this book. As Sage remembers the past, she reflects on that summer in the late 1970’s and we can see how it has impacted her life. It’s Woodson use of words, their spacing and the conversations that were spoken on the page that amazes me. Reading this book, you need to stop and appreciate the talent and skill an author has, as they ignite the reader without over-explaining the situation. 4.5 stars

I’m the Girl by Courtney Summers

3 stars YA

Well, I’ve been waiting for the latest Courtney Summers book, and I finally got around to reading it. I tried reading it before, but I just couldn’t get into it, so I thought I’d give it another go. This book just didn’t grab me like Courtney’s previous books have.

Georgia stole some money from her brother which her brother discovers. With their mother no longer with them, it’s important and urgent to replace these funds. Georgia feels that the time has come for her to become an Aspirant Girl. This dream job can finally now become a reality. Her brother though, will begin working more hours at work.

Aspirant Girl. Nestled in the mountains, the member-only resort, just might be Georgia lifeline. Surrounded by wealthy individuals, Georgia might be able to repay her brother and fulfill her dream. Sounds simple enough but the road to her dream is complicated and not direct. Georgia does land a position at Aspera but it’s not what she desired. An accident while in route to Aspera has Georgia discovering a young body in the woods. Did I mention that Georgia’s mother used to work at Aspera and Georgia believes that she was terminated from her position? Why oh why would you want to work there Georgia? To prove yourself or are you shouting something to someone who is not even there?

I felt like Georgia was playing. I could understand her confidence and esteem to a point, but the book kept going and what was she doing? I felt frustrated and tired, feeling confused and lost at where this all might go. The whole thing was confusing. Sorry, but this book just wasn’t a good fit for me. Not a thriller but more drama than anything.

The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt

5 stars YA/ Middle School

What can I say about this fantastic new book from Gary Schmidt? You need to read it! Yes, what an interesting, thought-provoking read that I laughed, I cringed, and I stopped while reading to thoroughly enjoy the text that I had just read. It’s a clever story of Hercules Beal as he attempts to fulfil the writing assignment from his teacher at the Cape Cod Academy for Environmental Sciences. This is Beal’s first year at the academy and he’s not thrilled about having a retired marine lieutenant colonel as his teacher. Hercules has other classes at the academy but they don’t take up his time as much as the Beal lives with his brother as his parents died and they’re trying to keep the Beal Brothers Farm and Nursery running.

What got me first about this book. Every morning, Hercules leaves his house and takes a half-mile run/walk to a sand Dune. Before dawn, every morning. He stands there at the top and just as the sun “jumps into the sky, he whispers, ““Morning, Mom,” and “Morning, Dad” and the light is all around me now, so much of it that it finally spills over onto the west side of the Dune and it fills the dark.” What a sweet tribute to his parents every morning! Hercules knows that his brother Achilles is not happy to be living in Truro as he used to be a writer for a famous magazine and travel the world but they need to keep the family business going and Hercules feels that Truro is the most beautiful place on Earth.

This was a fun read and it went fast. I liked that the other students in the class also got interesting assignemnts and I read how their assignemnets went as I read how Hercules kept up with his assignment. Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer runs the classroom tightly but he does have some fun and tender moments as he keeps the students in line and he writes in Hercules . Each student in his has a yearlong Classical Mytholody Application Project. The project is individually based on the student and classical myths. I liked how each of them were unique and different, and I thought they brought a personal touch to these myths. When Hercules started his project, I was worried how difficult it was going to be but he was creative in the application of the myth’s story to his life.

An entertaining read and one I would highly recommend- heck, I highly recommend all of his novels! 5++ stars

“ I don’t know what happiness beyond belief would feel like. I can imagine, I guess, but I’m not sure what it would like. What I am sure of is this: Who would not want to give someone else happiness beyond belief?”

“ ….even if Hercules the Myth had to go down into hell alone, I didn’t.”

Brighter Than the Sun by Daniel Aleman

5 stars YA

What had once been an opportunity had now turned into an obligation as the situation changed. It had felt like privilege to cross into the U.S to attend school but now, as the family situation changed, Sol felt that attending school would have to go on the back burner as the family’s restaurant needed her attention. Trying to juggle school and work just wasn’t cutting it, perhaps she should just work as the family needed her financial help now before it was too late.

What a heavy burden for a 16-year-old to carry. Being the only individual in her family born in the U.S., Sol had the ability to travel back-and-forth freely between the U.S. and Mexico which was a tremendous benefit for their family. Sol and her family lived in Mexico and they owned a restaurant there. Her mother had just recently passed away and this restaurant was her passion. Since her death, this restaurant has struggled to stay afloat and unfortunately so has her family. Her mother was a huge part of their family and they all miss her badly. Sol has traveled to the U.S. to attend school for a few years with her father being her driver to the border. I can just imagine this ride as the two of them sit in the car twice a day. Sol proud that she is able to get a better education and her father proud and reserved, his daughter the person he could never be. As the restaurant struggles, Sol takes a job after school to help the family financially. With the long hours, Sol decides to stay with her best friend in the U.S. during the week and return to her family in Mexico on the weekends. I was having mixed feelings as I know that some sixteen-year-olds can handle this separation and for some, it’s a breaking point.

The first couple weeks went good as Sol tried to get into a routine. She was embraced by her new weekday family and when she returned to Mexico, she crammed as much as she could into those few days. Needing more money, she worked more hours and her time away from Mexico stretched. The more money that she brought it, it didn’t seem to be enough. Losing the restaurant would mean losing another piece of her mother, she couldn’t let that happen. As she fought with her emotions, I could feel the tension and her hope fading. When is enough……enough.

I really enjoyed this book. The cover of the book and the synopsis is what hooked me on this one. The book starts off rather sad as Sol talks about her name. Born on the day of the Feast of Our Lady of Solitude. Soledad feels the loneliness follows her wherever she goes. She had even tried to give herself a couple nicknames to get away from her name but nothing took. So, she was stuck with Sol. She has high expectations for herself which she has a hard time lowering throughout the book. Her best friend, who she stays with in the U.S. tries to talk to her about this. Ari tells her that she needs to let go and that she doesn’t need to control everything all the time and Sol listens but its hard to apply this information when you life is spinning out of control. The more that Sol spends in the U.S., Sol realizes that she’s different than when she’s at home. I love it when she makes this light-bulb moment yet what can Sol do with it. A great read that worth picking up. 5 stars

The Book of Unknown Americans by Christina Henriquez

4 stars Fiction

It’s Kirkwood Apartments, the home to a variety of Hispanic individuals who all have a story and a voice. Maribel and her parents move into the building when they arrive in the U.S., after Maribel experiences a medical issue. Needing special schooling for Maribel, Kirkwood Apartments fits the needs for their family since Mexico couldn’t. It’s a difficult adjustment for everyone but there are other individuals in the building who are experiencing these same issues, so the family has others that they can lean on.

I enjoyed the residents of this building, as they all had unique stories and they all came to the U.S. with high hopes. Although many were still were struggling, as I heard their stories, I couldn’t stop the emotions that I was feeling for them. They had expectations once they arrived in the U.S. and now, what do they do? The person that they once were back in their native country is now standing on foreign soil, confused and lost. Who can they turn to?

Once an important businessman in his country, this man is now working in the U.S., a gloomy, bleak environment, because it was the only business that he could find that would sponsor the Visa’s that he desperately needs. Then, there’s this another gentleman, who came to the U.S. and he begins selling drugs to make the money that he needs to survive. I’m sure that the church would look down upon this man, should he go back to his native country and try to resume, the Lord’s calling of his name. The stories were moving and heart-breaking, each one unique but they were all the same.

Mayor lives across the street from the Kirkwood Apartments and he meets Maribel. Mayor knows there is something special about her and he takes his time getting to know her. Mayor feels more relaxed and carefree around Maribel and he especially likes the way that she pays attention to him. A romance starts to occur, a slow and gentle relationship that’s surrounded by the residents of the Kirkwood Apartments. 4 stars

Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest

4 stars YA

She lied in shadows and allowed everyone, the ability to “do” for her. She had a voice, she was capable to do things, she just didn’t. It was now her senior year in high school and this was it. Her friends would be going off to different colleges next year and Effie, she hoped to go off to college too. A college in New York City if she had her choice but that would mean she’d have to speak up.

As Effie enters her senior year, she discovers that she no longer has her second locker at school. Not a problem with most students but Effie has cerebral palsy and she needs the two strategically-placed lockers, to help maneuver sufficiently during the day. Mom decides that Effie needs to figure this issue out on her own so she relinquishes the control button and Effie is on her own to acquire and acquire back her second locker. I had to wonder how many times Effie was allowed to take control of her own matters and who decided when she could? Effie was now a senior and this was the kind of tasks that she was responsible for: a locker. How is she even going to make it in college, on her own, if these are the types of decisions she is only allowed to make?

Effie makes small steps in this book and with each step, you have to cheer her on. When she starts to a relationship with Wilder, I cringed as I didn’t want Effie to get hurt. I thought the worse of Wilder. I thought Wilder was using her. I thought Effie was a part of one of Wilder’s dares or schemes. I didn’t want Effie to fall for Wilder and have him laughing behind her back. She was an innocent and wholesome individual and I didn’t want her to be walked on. Would she be able to find her voice, if she needed it? When her high school opened up lunch period to the seniors, I cringed when she started to accept their explanation and excuses. She voiced her concern but she wasn’t loud enough. She wasn’t being heard. As they talk about college visits, Effie hesitates about mentioning the college in N.Y.C. She’s thought about the obstacles she’ll have to face in the big city, she thought about the travel time, heck……Effie has thought through this decision so many times yet she needs to go and do a college visit to see for herself what it would actually be like.

It’s a good book about finding your voice, about stepping outside the box and testing the waters. Effie could go about life and take the easy path, the safe path or Effie can speak up and make a difference for herself and other. 4 stars

The Librarian of Auschwitz: The Graphic Novel adapted by Salva Rubio

4.5 stars Graphic Novel Middle School/YA

Edita loved her books, an adoration that would lead her on quite a journey in her life. As a young child, Edita enjoyed reading and was a sponge, immersing herself into books, as she wanted to know everything. With her parent’s encouragement, Edita was on her way. Edita’s greatest fear was time. Edita feared was that she wouldn’t finish all the books that she wanted to read, in her lifetime. I can totally relate to how Edita felt. The adults in her life had other fears they were dealing with which were now starting to hit closer to home. The troops were beginning to march in. Whispered conversations were now the norm, schools started shutting down and stars were being stitched on clothing. Edith was lucky as she used her stories to help her get through the days. When the family is finally forced out of their home, Dita can’t decide which books she wants to take with her. With her ONE suitcase limit, this is a difficult decision. NONE!?!

Now, that was crazy talk! Dita leaves with her family, carry no books inside her suitcase. The family is shuffled and pushed around like cattle, following all the other individuals who are forced out also. They’re lost, scared, and nervous. What is happening? The illustrations do a terrific job showing the feelings and bleakness of this time period as the individuals try to grasp exactly what is happening in their lives. Now is not the time to be modest or arrogant, Edith’s family knows they need to do what is expected of them to survive. When they finally stop drifting around, the camp they find themselves in, is trying to organize itself. They’re utilizing the talents of each of the prisoners, to benefit themselves. Dita’s special talent of reading is one that I didn’t think she realizes how special it was. With her ability to read different languages, Dita is able to assist many other prisoners and she becomes the secret librarian. Dita takes this job seriously but there were other important roles that she had. Fourteen-year-old Dita, taking risks that some adults were afraid of taking, and putting herself out there for the benefit of others: that’s one strong teen forced to live in a concentration camp.

This is based on the true story of Dita Kraus, an Auschwitz prisoner in WWII. A graphic novel adaptation is from Antonio Iturbe, The Librarian of Auschwitz. I found that this graphic novel touched on the important topics of Dita’s life and that the story moved quite quickly. Given that this book covers only 120 pages and Iturbe novel covers over 400 pages, Rubio did a great job showing the highlights of Dita’s life and how important she was. Having read both books (I loved Antonio’s novel!), and knowing that this is a graphic novel adaption, a lot of the details of the original book had to be left out. The author did include in his Epilogue some great information that I feel is important to this book and should be read. 4.5 stars

Imperfect: A Story of Body Image by Dounya Awada

2.5 stars Graphic Novel YA

I wasn’t fond of the cover of this book and if I was browsing, I wouldn’t pick it up. This nonfiction story is about Dounya who has a disorder. Body Dysmorphic Disorder – a psychological disorder that makes a person obsessed with their appearance. This person is obsessed with faults that they feel they have in their appearance.

Dounya grew up with a mom who she thought was perfect. Dounya wanted to be just like her mother so she tried, even at a young age to copy everything her mother did. Her world of being a perfectionist was just beginning. In every aspect of her world, Dounya tried to remain the perfect little individual. If Dounya thought she had failed, she was devasted. In their culture, food was love and her mother enjoyed showing her daughter her love through food. As Dounya put on the pounds, she tried to hide it but her aunt’s comment put her size out in the open, devasting Dounya.

Her reaction was not what I had expected. I felt Dounya was hiding and it wasn’t until later, that did she realized what she had done and she knew that she needed to do something different. With determination Dounya started to turn her life around but I began to wonder if she would ever be satisfied? This perfectionist in her just wasn’t going away.

The illustrations in this graphic novel are bright and colorful and I enjoyed all the different size text boxes that they used to create this book. There were a few instances where I thought the illustrations contradicted the story and I just didn’t know what to believe. If she accepted herself for who she was, why did her illustrations make her look so perfect? Was she perfect? I appreciate that Dounya shared her story but I have mixed feelings about how the artwork fit with her story. 2.5 stars

The Last Laugh by Mindy McGinnis

5 stars YA Suspense

It went off the rails pretty quickly! I suggest that you read the first book in this series before you tackle this book, as you’ll want to enjoy this ride to the fullest effect. There was quite a bit of drama amongst the characters even before this book began. As things started to heat up, I had a hard time putting this book down. Taking off right where the previous book left off, Mindy’s not just wrapping things up inside this book, Mindy begins by stoking up the fire. Into this dark storyline, I met some fantastic characters that I didn’t trust but they fit perfectly inside this story. Thanks, Mindy, for that fantastic ending.

Yonder by Ali Standish

5 stars Historical Fiction Middle School

Jack was a hero. Jack jumped into the racing floodwaters and rescued the two girls from downing while the rest of the congregation stared as the raging waters carried the girls away. If you ask Jack though, he’ll tell you a different story as Jack doesn’t want the attention and the glory. Jack just wants to be Jack. Jack is street smart which is working out for him but the truancy officer thinks Jack needs to be book smart too so he hunts Jack down and tries to make him attend school. Jack doesn’t learn much from the books in school but he does learn about the individuals inside the building.

Danny is the book’s narrator and he attends school with Jack. Like Jack, Danny also delivers the newspapers around town while Danny’s mother keeps the newspaper running. Danny’s mother has an important job and I liked that she was honest with her son as this helps Danny. It’s June of 1943, the war is raging and segregation is occurring. Danny’s father has enlisted while Jack’s father has returned home from the war, bringing home with him parts of the war which overshadow his life. Two teen boys: they’re the same, yet they’re different.

I liked the relationship of Danny and Jack. They could be themselves and they enjoyed being around each other. They liked to have fun together and they were able to talk freely without worrying about what they were saying. When Lou showed up, they tried to include her. Danny had led a sheltered life but when his eyes were opened, we got to see his world through his eyes now.

There seems to be some mysteries popping up in the book when Jack disappears and Danny takes it upon himself to find him. Lou has a different mystery that she wants to solve. I feel that Jack’s disappearance is based on Jack’s solving his own mystery and perhaps, Jack will never find him. Will anyone solve their mystery? I liked how Danny started to take an interest in the war besides just collecting his scrap metal for school. Jack feels comfortable around Danny and talks to him about some personal issues. I loved hearing the excitement in Jack’s voice as he talked about and wondered about Jack’s disappearance.

This is such a fantastic book. A book about war, bullying, friendship, family, and love.