Contemporary Realistic Fiction Review-LOOKING FOR ALASKA

1. Bibliography
Green, John. 2005. Looking for Alaska. New York: Penguin Group, Inc. ISBN 9780142402511

2. Plot Summary
Miles Halter is unenthusiastic about his social status and boring life in his hometown of Florida. His junior year of high school he decides he needs to leave his family and move to Alabama to attend the boarding school that his father attended and to search for the "Great Perhaps", a concept he has borrowed from the late Francois Rabelais, like so many other's "last words" he has memorized. Once in Alabama, Miles makes friends with his roommate, nicknamed "the Colonel", and the Colonel's best friend Alaska Young. Miles, or "Pudge" as the Colonel names him because he is so skinny ("It's called irony, Pudge. Heard of it?"), is completely entranced with Alaska from the moment he meets her. Not only is she "the hottest girl in all of human history" but she has a mysterious and powerful energy about her that draws Pudge in. Pudge tries to keep his feelings about her to himself because Alaska has a boyfriend in another school but nevertheless finds himself in a close friendship with her. Unfortunately, part of Alaska's intriguing energy is quite a bit of self-destructive behavior and emotional instability which centers from a tragedy from her childhood. The story journals the experiences and friendships of a close group of friends as they break the rules, smoke, drink too much, and play pranks while trying to make their grades and survive their teenage years. The pivotal moment in the story occurs when Alaska rushes off in her car after an all night drinking binge and gets into a fatal car crash. The rest of the story is spent detailing the grief process of her friends, Pudge and the Colonel specifically. Feeling like they have some responsibility for her death, Pudge and the Colonel make it their mission to piece together the mystery of what happened to Alaska that night, what was going through her mind, and whether the car crash was an accident or suicide. In the process of trying to find the truth, Pudge confronts his beliefs in life and death, hope and faith, and what lies beyond.

3. Critical Analysis
This story absolutely radiates with the realistic experience of being on your own for the first time. While much of the independence and unsupervised fraternizing rings more typical of college years, Green brings it down to a high school level, with just enough structure and supervision that it feels comfortable and safe but not so much that it interferes with the exploration and relationships of the young protagonists. The characters are completely and almost painfully real, with their vulnerabilities, faults and strengths, longings, and heartaches. Pudge, in particular, is poignantly depicted, his lust and longing artfully expressed, and his grief and guilt tangible. The dialogue is so realistically written that it makes you wonder how far removed the author is from that stage of life! Of course, there is lots of needless profanity as is a hallmark of young adult conversation, realistic bantering between friends, and awkward conversations. The way the book is set up is unique and adds to the suspense of the story. Instead of chapters, the book is divided into two sections: before and after. It is then laid out in a countdown starting with "136 days before" and ending with "136 days after" so the reader is aware from the beginning that there will be a climactic event and may even pick up on the fact that Alaska is doomed. The story is full of frank and believable descriptions of first sexual encounters, rebelling against authority, drinking and smoking, and navigating the jungle of friendships. While the authority figures in the story are harmless and offer overall protection and structure, they are still an obstacle to overcome in order to explore and experience life. Young adults will identify with and appreciate the respect Green gives them in the themes of loyalty to one another, their ability to problem solve, and the depth of their emotions. Without preaching, the reader gets the sense that Pudge is a much wiser person by the end of the book and has learned a lot about actions and consequences as well as some personal answers to the meaning of life. My only criticism of this book is that Alaska fits a little too nicely into the stereotype of the male fantasy. Even though she is very intelligent and has depth to her character, at the heart of the allure of Alaska Young is that she is depicted as a very curvy, attractive girl who has a voracious sexual appetite and likes to hang out and drink with the guys.
However, that minor detail does not take away from the fact that this is a very powerful coming of age book that mirrors real experiences and consequences in current times.

4. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal-starred review-"Green's dialogue is crisp, especially between Miles and Chip. His descriptions and Miles's inner monologues can be philosophically dense, but are well within the comprehension of sensitive teen readers...Green draws Alaska so lovingly, in self-loathing darkness as well as energetic light, that readers mourn her loss along with her friends."


Kirkus Reviews-"The Colonel, Takumi, Alaska and a Romanian girl named Lara are an utterly real gaggle of young persons, full of false starts, school pranks, moments of genuine exhilaration in learning and rather too many cigarettes and cheap bottles of wine."


Publisher's Weekly-"the novel's chief appeal lies in Miles's well-articulated lust and his initial excitement about being on his own for the first time. "

Micheal L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature

5. Connections
There are so many great discussions this book can lead to. Some of them are:
-The theme of drinking and driving and the possible consequences of it
-The grief process, especially in the context of losing friends
-Emotional disorders such as depression, etc. in the context of the characters
-Personal beliefs in the afterlife and our purpose in this life
Other novels by John Green:
Paper Towns ISBN 0525478183
An Abundance of Katherines ISBN 0142410705

Fantasy Review-THE CITY OF EMBER

1. Bibliography

DuPrau, Jeanne. 2003. The City of Ember. Maryland: Random House. ISBN 0375822739

2. Plot Summary

DuPrau tells a story of a future society that lives underground and is desperately dependent on quickly disappearing resources and a faltering electrical system. Although the reader is not sure of the catastrophe that drove mankind underground, the prologue explains that the "Builders" who created the safe haven left instructions for the people to return above ground after 220 years but the instructions were lost. This sets the scene for our protagonist, Lina Mayfleet, a young girl who lives in the city of Ember many years after the forgotten deadline has passed. As expected, the situation is dire with shortages of food and supplies, a deteriorating generator, and no hope in sight. Lina begins to piece together clues that lead her to the conclusion that there must be a way out of Ember. Along with her friend, Doon, Lina works against time to unravel the mystery in order to save the people of Ember and in the process, uncovers government corruption. Doon, Lina, and her baby sister Poppy find the way out and escape into a world of light. As they explore a cave, they look down a deep hole to see the distant lights of Ember beneath them. Doon writes a letter to his father with the instructions for leaving the city, ties it to a rock, and drops it down the hole in the hopes that the people of Ember will receive it and escape the city also. The story concludes with one of Lina's neighbors finding the letter and setting the way for the next book in the series.

3. Critical Analysis

Young people will be attracted to the strong character of the young protagonists in this book. Although they are young, Doon and Lina alone have the determination, bravery, and curiosity to acknowledge the impending danger and search for answers. The adults in the story range from corrupt government officials, to citizens who refuse to accept the situation, to adults who practice a "religion" that believes that the "Builders" are going to come and save the city. Whether they are kind or cruel, the underlying message is that they are powerless. That theme is evidenced further by the fact that Lina's parents are dead and her grandmother, their only caretaker, has grown feeble of mind and dies in the course of the story, leaving Lina and her sister to a kind neighbor. Lina portrays the struggle of a child with too many adult responsibilities. The children also win the morality test as Lina feels guilty and overcomes her selfish desires when she loses her sister while on a errand to find colored pencils for herself. In striking contrast, the mayor of the city, greedily and maliciously uses his power to create a personal stockpile of food and supplies for himself while others go hungry. The characters in the story are very believable and the dialogue is natural. Although the reader is in the dark about the specific disaster that led to the creation of Ember, the story of its origins are told via a diary page from one of the first settlers of Ember. The details are very well thought out and the pretense is believable. The description of this deteriorating city flooded in artificial light is very vivid and the reader can really get a feel for its citizens with their fear of black-outs and their society structure. The underlying theme is that you must be brave and search for answers instead of accepting the status quo. There is also a powerful metaphor of escaping small-minded human nature and corruption for a brand new world. This is brilliantly described as Lina and Doon watch their first sunrise after escaping from underground. Duprau captures the wonder of two children who have never seen the light of day. When Doon throws the message back to the imprisoned people of Ember, it is the perfect ending full of hope for a new day.

4. Review Excerpts

Kirkus Reviews "Well-paced, this contains a satisfying mystery, a breathtaking escape over rooftops in darkness, a harrowing journey into the unknown and cryptic messages for readers to decipher."

School Library Journal "DuPrau debuts with a promisingly competent variation on the tried-and-true "isolated city" theme... the quick pace and the uncomplicated characters and situations will keep voracious fans of the genre engaged."

Booklist "Readers will relate to Lina and Doon's resourcefulness and courage in the face of ominous odds."

Publisher's Weekly "Thanks to full-blooded characters every bit as compelling as the plot, Lina and Doon's search parallels the universal adolescent quest for answers. Readers will sit on the edge of their seats as each new truth comes to light. "

5. Connections

The Books of Ember

The Prophet of Yonwood-Prequel-ISBN 0440421241

The City of Ember

The People of Sparks ISBN 0375828257

The Diamond of Darkhold: the Fourth Book of Ember ISBN 0375855718

Historical Fiction Review-ELIJAH OF BUXTON

1. Bibliography
Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439023459.

2. Plot Summary
Elijah is the first free black child born in Buxton Settlement in Canada West. His parents and other folks are always on Elijah about being "fra-gile", which in his case means he scares easy, is prone to tears, and is a bit gullible. Curtis paints a vivid picture of life in the settlement and develops Elijah's character along with his family and the inhabitants of Buxton before unraveling the pivotal events in the book. After working hard for many years, a friend of Elijah's, Mr. Leroy, finally has enough money to buy his family out of slavery in America. In his haste, he trusts the wrong man to arrange his family's departure and ends up losing all of his money. After Mr. Leroy dies of a heart attack, Elijah tries to keep his promise of finding his money but instead finds himself face to face with recaptured slaves. In the hopelessness of their existence, Elijah tries to find the courage within himself to make a difference by smuggling their baby back to Buxton and to the freedom the slaves will never know.

3. Critical Analysis
This is a surprisingly profound book on the plight of slaves and newly freed slaves during this time period. It is surprising because the author very wisely eases the reader into heavier subject matter by spending a large part of the book developing characters and using humor and realistic dialog to paint a picture of life in the settlement of Buxton. By the time the action takes place, the reader is already connected to our endearing protagonist, Elijah, who, despite all his good intentions, is often misguided and is blissfully removed from the horrors of slavery. The reader is also familiar enough with the Preacher to be wary and familiar enough with Mr. Leroy to be outraged at the injustice done him. Curtis provides an Author's Note that reflects how much research he put into this story and outlines so many facts that he weaved into this fictitious tale. This novel certainly does not sugar coat the reality of slavery. In fact, the reader may feel that the story stopped short. After all, Mr. Leroy dies, nobody recovers his money and his family remains in slavery, and Elijah cannot save the recaptured slaves. But central to this story is hope and the triumph of the human spirit in the face of tragedy and hopelessness. The most moving dialog in the book is when Elijah has taken the recaptured slaves' baby and is starting to return to Buxton when he overhears the mother and father talking to one another, still in chains and facing the option of returning to slavery or killing themselves with Elijah's gun. They argue affectionately about who will keep the gun and who can make better use of it and then the mother teases:
"'Sides, Mr. Kamua...if you's the mighty African king you's always claiming you is, and you wants this here pistol so bad, why don't you come on over here and take it from me?"
The father replies with a laugh, "I love you, Chloe."
"She said , "Aww, hesh, Kamua, I love you, too."
The humanity and humor in the face of such tragic options and the comfort the slave parents take in knowing their baby has a future is a haunting and moving testament to the courage of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

4. Review Excerpts

Booklist starred review-"Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller."

School Library Journal-"Elijah's decisions along the way are not easy ones, but ultimately lead to a satisfying conclusion. Curtis's talent for dealing with painful periods of history with grace and sensitivity is as strong as ever."

Publisher's Weekly-"The powerful ending is violent and unsettling, yet also manages to be uplifting. "

Newberry Medal Winner

5. Connections
*Could accompany any discussion on slavery
* Could spark a discussion on courage to do the right thing in the face of danger
Other books by Christopher Paul Curtis:
Bud, Not Buddy ISBN 0385323069
Bucking the Sarge ISBN 0440413311
The Watsons go to Birmingham-1963 ISBN 044022800X

Historical Fiction Review-THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE

1. Bibliography
Cushman, Karen. 1995. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Harper Trophy. ISBN 006440630X.

2. Plot Summary
The beginning of this story finds a little orphan girl with no name and no home sleeping in a dung heap to keep warm. After the village midwife finds her and allows her the floor to sleep on and a little food in return for her labor, Beetle, as the midwife has named her, begins to find security if not affection in her place as the midwife's apprentice. She begins to learn the midwife's skills, to stand up to village bullies, and even gives herself a name: Alyce. All of her new found self-esteem is deflated, however, when she tries to deliver a baby and fails. In shame, Alyce runs away to a nearby village and works as an inn girl. While she is there, she is befriended by a wise scholar who teaches her to read and asks an interesting question of a "worthless orphan": "And what, inn girl, do you want?" Alyce's thoughtful answer is, "A full belly, a contented heart, and a place in this world." One day unexpected visitors at he end put Alyce in the position of having to deliver a baby all by herself. After the success of this task, Alyce finally knows her place in the world and returns to the village and the midwife who is harsh but fair and will teach her the skills she needs to become a midwife.

3. Critical Analysis
This is a story with complex characters that are easy to identify and sympathize with. Alyce's heartbreaking existence where"snug cottages and warm bread and mothers who hugged their babes were beyond her imagining," helps the reader understand her low self-worth and the thought processes behind her actions. The midwife is an intelligent depiction of the dichotomy of human faults and strengths. Although she is harsh and cruel to the child and jealous of her emerging skills, she also sees the value in her and ultimately helps Alyce to know her purpose in life. The plot of the story realistically depicts the lot of an orphan in medieval England and the role of midwives in village life. Cushman describes in detail the superstition that accompanied medicine in general and birthing babies specifically. Cushman includes an Author's Note that further describes the role of midwives during this period of history and how that profession has evolved to accompany the medical field. The description of the village, the brief but thorough portrayals of the village inhabitants, and the dialog of the characters all lend authenticity and richness to the setting. An easily identifiable theme in this book is that of finding your self-worth and purpose in this world. We watch Alyce evolve from a powerless child with no name to one who has special skills, who stands up for herself and even finds the courage to stand up for others, and who is finally sure of her worth and where she belongs. I think that her kindness to the cat, to the village boy she saves from drowning, and to the little orphan boy are very important elements to the story. Not only does it help to show her progression from a child that can't even help herself to one that can not only help herself but help others, but it also has a universal truth to say about planting seeds of kindness that come back to favor you and stresses the fact that even a little orphan girl with nothing has the power to choose to be kind. I think this is a beautiful transformation story that is easy to identify with and is rooted in an interesting and well depicted time period.

4. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal-"Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature."

Booklist-"This is a world, like Chaucer's, that's neither sweet nor fair ; it's rough, dangerous, primitive, and raucous. Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone."

1996 Newberry Award Winner
A 1996 Notable Children's Book (ALA)
A 1996 Best Book for Young Adults (ALA)
New York Public Libary 1995 List of Recommended Books
Booklist "Books for Editors' Choice"
School Libary Journal Best Books of the Year, 1995

5. Connections
*Could accompany a history lesson on the medieval time period
*Could spark further discussion on the roles of midwives throughout history and the superstitions and traditions that accompanied their line of work
*Could spark further discussion of orphans and their plight throughout history
Other historical fiction by Karen Cushman:
Matilda Bone 0440418224
Catherine, Called Birdy 0064405842
The Loud Silence of Francine Green 0375841172
Rodzina 044041993X
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple 0064406849

Historical Fiction Review-NUMBER THE STARS

1. Bibliography

Lowry, Lois. 1989. Number the Stars. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. ISBN 0613723198.

2. Plot Summary

Number the Stars tells the story of ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen living in Nazi occupied Copenhagen in 1943. It unravels the progression of food shortages and harassment by Nazi soldiers to the mysterious "relocation" of Denmark's Jews. As the danger increases, it becomes apparent to Annemarie that sinister things are happening in her beloved homeland and, surprisingly there are many resistors willing to risk their lives for their Jewish neighbors, including her own parents! With this knowledge, Annemarie is thrust into a dangerous mission to save her best friend's life as well as many others by helping to smuggle them across the sea to neutral Sweden. A beautiful story of bravery, loyalty, and a commitment to human decency, the Afterword of this book summarizes the unique and remarkable actions of the people of Denmark during the Nazi occupation that led to almost the entire Jewish population escaping to Sweden and out of Hitler's clutches.

3. Critical Analysis

This book is very easy to read, written in simple language and not getting lost in too many details. The story, told from a child's perspective, brings an extremely relevant and personal aspect to the horrific events of the Holocaust. It begs the question, "What if my best friend had been Jewish?" as was the case in countless situations. It really brings to light the fact that the Jewish people of these occupied countries were active citizens that were deeply entrenched and tied to the non-Jewish citizens. It is a fact that is sometimes easy to forget when studying the detachment and segregation of the Jewish people during this time period, and in doing so underestimate the fear and pain of severed ties felt by all. Lois Lowry has told a very important story that played a part in this horrific time period. Perhaps it was a small part and not as big as some of the other events that took place during the Nazi occupation, but that makes it all the more reason for it to come to light. In a time of unthinkable injustice, brutal mistreatment, and unbearable sadness, a light in the dark came from the people of Denmark, who succeeded in protecting their Jewish friends and neighbors, but more importantly, had the courage to stand for goodness and righteousness. The Afterword summarizes the actual events in history and gives readers an overview of Denmark and it's role during World War II.

4. Review Excerpts

School Library Journal-"Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery. "

Starred review-"A story of Denmark and the Danish people, whose Resistance was so effective in saving their Jews."

Kirkus Reviews-"A deftly told story that dramatizes how Danes appointed themselves bodyguards--not only for their king, who was in the habit of riding alone in Copenhagen, but for their Jews."

5. Connections

*This book could be used in conjunction with any unit on World War II and the Holocaust.

*Should spark a thoughtful conversation about discrimination, hate, and the choices we have to make in order to do the right thing in difficult circumstances.

*Could be enriched with further research of Denmark and its people.

Other books by Lois Lowry:

The Silent Boy ISBN 0440419808

Autumn Street ISBN 0440403448

Anastasia Krupnik ISBN 0440408520

Gossamer ISBN 0385734166

Messenger ISBN 0385737165

The Giver ISBN 0440237688

Gathering Blue ISBN 0385732562

The Willoughbys ISBN 0618979743