Speak

Speak. By Laurie Halse Anderson. 240 pages. Speak, 2009. PB $11.99 ISBN 978-0142414736

Summary: When word spreads that Melinda Sordino called the cops to a party a few weeks before the end of summer, she effectively becomes the pariah at her high school. At the party Melinda is raped by a high-school senior, and hides this from everyone, virtually becoming mute the entire school year. Instead of speaking with others, she turns into herself. Initially a stellar student, Melinda is now failing every class with the exception of art. It is in art class that she feels comfortable to express her feelings. Will Melinda be able to escape from being raped, or will it continue to haunt her?

Critical Review: The transition form middle school to high school is tough, but it is especially so for Melinda Sordino. Laurie Halse Anderson powerfully illustrates the disgusting trend of senior boys preying on freshmen girls. Every tween girl should read this book before starting high school. As librarians working with tweens it is vital that we recommend titles that can positively impact the live of these girls. Melinda Sordino speaks for all tween girls that have been raped. Keeping silent is never the answer, as Melinda discovers with the help of her sensitive teacher, Mr. Freeman. Through his guidance she learns to confront her past and move on with her life. We owe it to tween girls to speak about these issues. However painful they may be to discuss, tween girls deserve to receive the information. 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 14-18 years

Awards: National Book Award Finalist; Margaret A. Edwards Award, 2009

Reviews: Publishers Weekly (2001, April 9); School Library Journal (2001, January 1); Voice of Youth Advocates (1999, December 1); Library Journal (1999, December 1)

Similar Materials: Laurie Halse Anderson’s Wintergirls

Subjects/Themes: depression, rape, under-age drinking, high school, high-school freshmen, high-school seniors, art class, loneliness, pariahs

Character Names: Melinda Sordino; Rachel Bruin; Any Evans; David Petrakis; Nicole; Heather Billings; Ivy

Author Website: http://madwomanintheforest.com/

Brief Annotation: At a party a few weeks before beginning high school, a senior rapes freshman Melinda Sordino. 

Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not So Fabulous Life

The Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not so Fabulous Life. By Rachel Renee Russell. Illustrated by the author. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2009. 288 pages. Tr. $12.99  ISBN 978-1416980063

Summary: When her father loses his job, Nikki Maxwell is alarmed to be enrolling in Westchester County Day School for eighth grade. Her mother adds to her misery by bringing home a diary instead of an Iphone. Now she’ll never be able to fit in with her designer-clad classmates. Within the pages of her diary, Nikki confides the loneliness and angst she feels about her new school. Will her unpopularity make it impossible for her to make friends and win the new art competition?

Critical Review: Rachel Renee Russell’s “Dork Diaries” series holds the same place for girls that Jeff Kinney’s “Wimpy Kid” series does for boys. Russell accurately depicts tween’s use of technology. The book begins with Nikki lamenting the fact that her mother will not purchase her an Iphone. With the loss of her father’s job, money is incredibly tight in the Maxwell household. Nikki’s parents cannot afford to purchase designer clothes or expensive phones, making it difficult for her to fit in with her snobby classmates. Russell emphasizes the overarching need of many girls to fit in and be popular. Nikki’s friends are uniformly unpopular among their peers, but they shine through their multifaceted interests. Not only are the girls interested in typical tween pastimes such as boys and fashion, but they also enjoy reading and drawing. Nikki aspires to become an artist, and takes first place at her school’s competition. Her maturity and confidence springs off the pages. 

Genre: Humor; Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 9-13 years

Awards: Children’s Choice Book of the Year, 2010

Reviews: School Library Journal (2001, June 1)

Series: Dork Diaries

Similar Materials: Jeff Kinney’s “Wimpy Kid” series

Subjects/Themes: art; friendship; school and education; diaries; popularity; comics

Character Names: Nikki J. Maxwell; MacKenzie Hollister; Chloe Christina Garcia; Zoeysha Ebony Franklin; Brandon Roberts; Brianna Maxwell; Jessica; Violet Baker; Theodore L. Swagmire III

Author Website: http://www.dorkdiaries.com/

Brief Annotation: Nikki Maxwell embarks upon eighth grade at Westchester County Day School, and tries to

The Invisible Rules of Zoe Lama

The Invisible Rules of Zoe Lama. By Tish Cohen. Penguin, 2007. 208 pages.  Tr. $15.99 ISBN 978-0-525-47810-2

Summary: Crowned as a guru by a recess monitor when she dispelled a bully during kindergarten, the advice of Zoe Monday Costello continues to inspire countless students and teachers. Zoe’s advice is readily accepted by her seventh-grade teacher, Mrs. Patinkin, on everything from picture days to dealing with obstreperous students. Others run to Zoe in the hall, questioning her about friendships, boys, and fashion. Zoe is also called upon to help with her grandmother deal with her Alzheimer’s, and to keep this information from her overworked single mother. She is adamant that she will not allow her grandmother to live in a nursing home. However, she’s worn thin with homework, counseling, and her involvement as the chairgirl for the Winter Dance Committee. Does she have what it takes to balance this incredible workload?

Critical Review: Zoe’s rules will have tween girls laughing non-stop. Her compassion and empathy for others makes her a superb role model, as does her appreciable confidence and self-esteem. Tish Cohn deals with difficult issues like Alzheimer’s disease with aplomb, in a manner that speaks to young readers. Zoe’s grandmother is eventually placed in a nursing home, however, Zoe’s mother patiently explains the necessity of this step and the nature of her mother’s disease. Tweens with unconventional (i.e. single parent families) will relish Cohen’s heroine and will look for other books within the series.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 11-14 years

Reviews: Booklist (2007, October 1); School Library Journal (2007, August 1)

Series: Zoe Lama Series

Similar Materials: Tish Cohn’s The One and Only Zoe Lama; Marrissa Moss’s “Amelia” series

Subjects/Themes: multigenerational families; single-parent families; Alzheimer’s disease; school and education; interpersonal relations; parents; grandparents; mothers and daughters; friendships

Character Names: Zoe Monday Costello; Susannah Barnes; Laurel Sterling; Riley Sinclair; Mrs. Patinkin; Massie Robbins; Brianna Simpson; Smartin Granitstein

Author Website: http://www.tishcohen.com/

Brief Annotation: A seventh-grade girl functions as her school’s guru, and also compassionately contributes her senile grandmother’s well being.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. By Jeanne Birdsall. Knopf, 2005. 272 pages. Tr. 15.95 ISBN 978-0-375-83143-0

Summary: The motherless Penderwick sisters – Rosalind, Skye, Jane and Batty – are spending their summer at a Massachusetts cottage with their botany-loving father. Over the summer they develop a warm friendship with Jeffrey, their landlord’s son. Jeffrey dreams of becoming a concert pianist, unfortunately his mother has other plans for him; she wants him to attend military college, as her father did. Mrs. Tifton doesn’t approve of her son playing with these girls, preferring that he play with those from his own class. Will the children be allowed to play with each other, and can the Pendericks save Jeffrey from military school?

Critical Review: It is not until the end of the novel that Mrs. Tifton finally listens to her son’s feelings and can empathize with him. She eventually approves of Jeffrey’s desire to attend a Massachusetts boarding school and enroll in some music classes. For the Penderwick girls, the summer is a time of immense growth. The Penderwicks defend their family when under attack by Mrs. Tifton. Their relationship with their father is a direct contrast to Mrs. Tifton’s relationship with Jeffrey. Mr. Penderwick subscribes to a parenting philosophy, which places a premium on children’s freedom to explore whatever topic is of interest to them. Each girl cultivates a particular talent. Skye brought a mathematics book along with her to the cottage, and Skye, the author, is working on her Emily Starr series. Batty, the youngest, pretends that she’s a fairy, and holds a deep appreciation for animals. Rosalind takes on the role of Batty’s main caretaker, and dreams of the day when Cagney, the groundskeeper will fall in love with her. Rosalind’s feelings take a perceptive plunge, however, when she realizes that Cagney already has a girlfriend. Cagney’s goodbye lightens her mood, making her realize that though she has a lot of maturing left, Cagney appreciates her conversational abilities. Above all, The Penderwicks is a moving story that children eight through twelve-years will covet. It is a wonderful read-aloud choice.

Genre: Realistic Fiction; Friendship 

Reading/Interest Level: 8-12 years

Awards: National Book Award, 2005; School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2005; American Library Association Notable Books for Children, 2006

Reviews: Publisher’s Weekly (2005, July 25); School Library Journal (2005, July 1); Booklist (2005, April 1)

Series: The Penderwick Series

Similar Materials: Lesley M. M. Blume’s Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters

Subjects/Themes: summer vacations; cottages; friendships; dreams; career-goals; mathematics; science; botany; Latin; rabbits; dogs; musician; pianists; boarding schools; single-parent families; sisters

Character Names: Rosalind, Skye, Jane and Batty Penderwick; Mr. Penderwick; Jeffrey Tifton; Mrs. Tifton; Dexter; Cagney; Churchie

Author Website: http://www.jeannebirdsall.com/

Brief Annotation: Four sisters summer in a Massuchesetts cottage with their father, and develop a lasting friendship with their landlords son,.

Touchblue

Touchblue. By Cynthia Lord. Scholastic Press, 2010. 192 pages. Tr. $16.99 ISBN 978-0545035316

Summary: Bethsaida’s Island school in Maine is about to close, due to lack of enrollment. Reverend Beal’s ideal to take in foster children to boost enrollment is taken over by the local community. Eleven-year-old Tess Brooks’ family fosters a thirteen-year-old boy named Aaron, and Tess finds reason to be hopeful. Aaron misses the mainland, dislikes lobster fishing, abhors reading, and prefers being in his room to playing board games. Will Aaron remain with Tess’s family, or will he return his mother, forcing the island school to close?

Critical Review: Lord’s novel evocatively portrays life in coastal Maine through the lens of an eleven-year-old girl. Tess loves living on an island, and tries to pass this love along to her foster brother. It takes some time for Aaron to trust the Brooks, for he’s built up a lot of resentment for being removed from his alcoholic mother and being placed in an endless-stream of foster homes. Tess and her parents accept Aaron like a brother or son, showing him that there are people that care about him. Meanwhile, Tess learns that while plan may not work as expected, there are other roads that lead to the same destination. Aaron adapts to life on the island, saving the island school and forming a lasting relationship with Tess.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 10-14 years

Reviews: School Library Journal (2010, September 1); Publishers Weekly (2010, August 9); Booklist (2010, August 1)

Similar Materials: Jennifer L. Holm’s Turtle in Paradise; Charlotte Agell’s The Accidental Adventures of India McAllister

Subjects/Themes: foster homes and children; Maine; islands; schools and education; musicians; bibliomania; lobster fishing; board games; superstitions; alcoholism

Character Names: Tess Brooks; Aaron Spinney; Mr. and Mrs. Brooks; Mrs. Coombs; Eben Calder; Reverend Beal; Mr. and Mrs. Brooks

Author Website: http://www.cynthialord.com/

Under the Persimmon Tree

Under the Persimmon Tree. By Suzanne Fisher Staples. Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 2005. 288 pages. Tr. $17.00 ISBN 978-0374380250

Summary: Najmah lives in the Kandahar Hills of Afghanistan with her older brother, Nur, and her mother and father. They eke out a living from grazing sheep and planting crops. However, this all changes when the Taliban arrives at their house, taking all their food and kidnapping her brother and father. Without extra help around Najmah cares for her pregnant mother, nurturing her until the baby arrives. Planes shoot both mother and babe, as American forces try to take down the Taliban. Now an orphan, Najmah dons the clothes of a boy, making the perilous journey to Pakistan with some neighbors. Meanwhile, Nusrat, an American-wife of a Pakistani doctor longs for word from her husband from the front. She hasn’t heard from him in months. During the day she teaches refugee children under the persimmon tree in her backyard, and at night, dreams about her husband by looking up at the stars. Najmah becomes a student of Nusrat, and the two form a close bond.

Critical Review: Steeple’s novel authentically portrays the horrors of war, and is a perfect novel of the post-911 world for tweens. She provides us with a fascinating study of Middle-Eastern life. It is vital that tweens realize the Muslim religion, and understand that contrary to widespread misconception, Muslims are far from fanatics. Najmah and her family epitomize the innocent Afghanistan masses, forced out of their homes by religious zealots. Nusrat and her husband, Faiz, demonstrate the true message of Islam: loving kindness to everyone, especially the less fortunate. The persimmon tree school is a place of healing within a world of turmoil, a place where Najmah and Nusrat can recover from their tragedies and embrace their new lives.

Genre: Realistic Fiction; Historical Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 12-14 years

Awards: American Library Association Notable Books Award, 2006

Reviews: Voice of Youth Advocates (2005, October 1); School Library Journal (2005, July 1); Booklist (2005, July 1); Publishers Weekly (2005, June 20)

Similar Materials: Suzanne Fisher Staples’s Shabanu and Shiva’s Fire; Catherine Stine’s Refugees

Subjects/Themes: war; Afghanistan; Pakistan; stars; families

Character Names: Mada-jan; Nur; Baba-jan; Najmah; Nusrat (Elaine); Faiz; Asma; Margaret; Jamshed; Maha; Babar; Husna; Fatima; Sultan

Author Website: http://www.suzannefisherstaples.com/

Brief Annotation: In the aftermath of September 11, an Afghani refuge and an American schoolteacher meet in Pakistan, exchanging stories of the war and finding hope under the stars. 

The Homeschool Liberation League

The Homeschool Liberation League. By Lucy Frank. Penguin, 2009. 288 pages. Tr. $16.99 ISBN 978-0803732308

Summary: Just having finished wilderness-training camp, thirteen-year-old Katya is convinced that she cannot allow her parents to send her to school. She convinces them to homeschool her instead. However, homeschooling under her parents’ rule is very similar to traditional school, with Katya forced to log into her computer to access the Daily Instructional Matrix. With her new friends Milo, a violinist, and Francesca, she mounts an attempt to convince her parents that her style of learning is ideal.

Critical Review: Frank’s remarkable novel captures the desire of gifted tweens to structure their own lessons. Katya longs to be able study science, her main passion, by observing flora and fauna in their natural habitats. However, her parents’ definition of schooling is at substantial odds with hers. Through her friendships with Francesca and Milo, she finds the strength to confront her parents. Unfortunately her homeschool experiment lasted for only two weeks. I wish that Katya’s parents encouraged her to freely explore her interests, without confining her to a rigid work structure. Above all, Frank does a wonderful job at conveying the anxiety that is common with this age group. Moreover her emphasis on technology – namely, texting, IMing, and cell phone - accurately fits in with tween usage.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 10-14 years

Reviews: Voice of Youth Advocates (2009, December 1); School Library Journal (2009, August 1); Booklist (2009, June 1)

Similar Materials: Jerry Spinelli’s Love, Stargirl

Subjects/Themes: homeschools; gifted children; science; music; individuality; musicians; families; Connecticut

Character Names: Katya; Milo; Francesca

Author Website: http://lucyfrank.com/

Brief Annotation: A thirteen-year-old girl becomes a homeschool student and finds that it is far from what she expected.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. By Judy Blume. Random House Children’s Books, 2010. 160 pages. PB $8.99 ISBN 978-0385739863

Summary: Twelve-year-old Margaret moved to New Jersey with her parents, and embarks upon the trials of middle school. She becomes friends with Nancy, Gretchen and Janie, forming the “Four Preteen Sensations.” Together they chat about boys, fashion, body changes, and acceptable behavior. The girls dislike their classmate, Laura Danker, for wearing mature clothing and drawing the attention of boys. However, at the same time they long for boyfriends. Margaret avidly awaits the arrival of her period, and expresses the anxiety that she is feeling about these changes with her friends, grandmother, and mother. She also seeks advice on how to talk and engage with boys through her friends and female relatives. A substantial component of this book rests with Margaret questioning her Jewish religion.

Critical Review: Judy Blume’s novel sparked widespread controversy during the 1970s for mentioning the unmentionable (i.e. periods, breasts, Playboy, etc.). Though more than 40 years old, the expression of adolescent body angst in the novel makes this a relatable book for today’s tween girls. Margaret learns that it is easier to confide in God than to her parents or friends about her body’s changes, however, her quest for religious faith within a synagogue and church leaves her unfulfilled. Instead of turning to an authentic church, she finds spirituality by speaking with God on a one-on-one basis.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 10-14 years

Similar Materials: Judy Blume’s Just As Long As We’re Together; Frances O’Roark Dowell’s The Secret Language of Girls

Subjects/Themes: religious fiction; conduct fiction; self-identity formation; girls and women

Character Names: Margaret Simon; Nancy Wheeler; Laura Danker; Gretchen Potter; Janie Loomis; Mr. and Mrs. Simon

Author Website: http://www.judyblume.com/

Brief Annotation: Twelve-year-old Margaret Simon confronts the physical, emotional, and cognitive hurdles of becoming a teenager. 

Strange Relations

Strange Relations. By Sonia Levitin. Random House, 2009. 304 pages. PB $6.50 ISBN 978-0440239635

Summary: Marne’s parents can’t don’t have enough time to spend the summer with their daughter. Her mother will be launching a new line of designer clothes in Paris, and her pharmacist father will be busy working at a local L.A. hospital. Life with her parents has been incredibly different since the loss of her little sister, who never returned home from summer camp. Marne’s Aunt Carole, now Aunt Chaya, agrees that she will be more than happy to have her as a guest for the summer in Hawaii. Aunt Chaya has embraced the most orthodox form of Judaism, Hasidism, and Marne is introduced to her lifestyle. The summer spent with Aunt Chaya, Uncle Yitz (an Hassidic rabbi), and her cousins forces Marne to reconsider what’s important in life.

Critical Review: Initially Marne rebels against Hasidic philosophy, believing that these rules do not apply to her. However, as time with her relatives grows, she begins to appreciate her Jewish faith more. This awareness forces her to confront previous beliefs. She understands that her best friend, Kim, does not have her best interests at heart. Aunt Chaya becomes a role model to Marne, teaching her the joy that comes from religion. Time spent with her cousins pushes Marne to confront the trauma she’s been holding in about her kidnapped sister. The summer is also therapeutic for her relationship with her parents.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 12-14 years

Awards: Sydney Taylor Award, 2008

Reviews: Publisher’s Weekly (2007, June 25); Booklist (2007, June 1); School Library Journal (2007, May 1)

Similar Materials: Valerie Zenatti’s A Bottle in the Gaza Sea; and Sonia Levitin’s The Singing Mountain

Subjects/Themes: families; divorce; Judaism; Hasidism; Hawaii; friendship; death; tragedy

Character Names: Marne; Aunt Carole/Chaya; Yitz; Kim

Author Website: http://www.sonialevitin.com/slides/slides.html

Brief Annotation: An adolescent girl spends the summer in Hawaii with her Hasidic relatives, growing in her appreciation for her Jewish faith.

Confessions of a Closet Catholic

Confessions of a Closet Catholic. By Sarah Darer Littman. Penguin, 2006. 208 pages. PB $5.99 ISBN 978-0142405970

Summary: Justine Silverman is fascinated with Catholicism, and secretly give up being Jewish for Lent. Her paternal grandmother, however, suffers a stroke. Justine is distraught. Could she have caused her grandmother’s sickness by turning her back on her Jewish faith? She confesses her sins to a priest, who advises her that it’s best to research the Catholic faith before becoming Catholic. Her research leads her to learn more about her Jewish faith.

Critical Review: Justine is initially confused with religion. Her maternal grandparents are secular, discouraging her from participating in what they consider as religious superstition. As a child, Justine attended synagogue with her maternal grandmother, and remembers those times with joy. Justine’s family adheres to the Sabbath, by cooking a lot of chicken. No one in her family attends weekly service. The family only appears in synagogue for Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah. Justine respects the devotion she observes in the McAllister family. There everyone attends church at least once a week, and religious observance is a central part of family life. Justine is terribly curious about the Catholic faith, but she hides her interest from her family. Her siblings, paternal grandparents, and parents have laughed at her desire for religious information in the past. She confesses her sins to “Father Ted,” a teddy bear, and attends the occasional Catholic mass with her friend Mary Catherine. Her Catholic secret is safe until her grandmother has a stroke. Distraught with guilt, Justine confesses her terrible sin to her grandmother, a survivor of the Holocaust. She is ashamed with her actions. Amazingly her grandmother understands Justine’s need to research a variety of religions, and decide her faith for herself. When her Bubbe dies, Justine decides to learn all she can about the Jewish faith. She owes that to her Bubbe. Her quest brings her family closer to their Jewish faith. Justine and her father bond together by attending weekly synagogue services, where they can properly honor Bubbe’s memory by saying Kadish. Justine’s Jewish faith grows in leaps and bounds, as she meets for weekly session with the Rabbi, and decides to increase her religious devotion by keeping kosher. Her desires to become more religious are respected by her parents.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 10-14 years

Awards: Sydney Taylor Book Award, 2006

Reviews: Publishers Weekly (2006, July 17); Voice of Youth Advocates (2005, April 1); Publishers Weekly (2005, February 28); School Library Journal (2005, January 1)

Similar Materials: Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret

Subjects/Themes: multi-generational family, Judaism, Catholicism, middle-children; religious-identity formation; grandparents

Character Names: Justine Silver; Mary Catherine McCallister; Bubbe; Father Ted; Helena and Jake Silver; Mr. and Mrs. Silver; Grandma Lila and Grandpa Leo; Shira Weinstein

Author Website: http://sarahdarerlittman.com/

Brief Annotation: An eleven-year old Jewish girl questions her Jewish faith, secretly nourishing an interest in Catholicism.

Diary of A Wimpy Kid

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid. By Jeff Kinney. Amulet Books, 2007. 224 pages. Tr. $13.95 ISBN 978-0810993136

Summary: Greg Heffley’s memories from his first-year of middle school are replete with cartoons and lots of humor. He remembers the social suicide that befalls the boy unlucky enough to touch the basketball-court cheese; the disappointment that comes from receiving boring Christmas gifts; the social-anxiety related to boy sleepovers; and the goal of becoming a wrestling champion. He chronicles his attempt to become his school’s most-funniest person, and his anger when he learns that his best friend, Rowley, takes all the credit for the “Zoo-Wee Mama” cartoon.

Critical Review: The Wimpy Kid grew out of Kinney’s 2004 web comic, and has evolved to become a worldwide bestseller series and multi-billion dollar movie enterprise. The first movie came out in 2010, and the second is due in 2011. Kinney’s work is successful, for it authentically speaks to tween boys. The experiences that Greg Heffly relates in his journal are those shared by the majority of tweens across North America. Some adults are outraged by the acts of cruelty on display, namely Greg’s and Rowley’s deplorable behavior as kindergarten safety patrols. The image of what it means to be a man leaves a lot to be desired. However, I would argue that censoring or banning boys from reading The Wimpy Kid will not solve the problem.  Boys need opportunities to become inspired by books, and I cannot think of a better way than by providing them with books that are appealing to them. We need to provide boys with positive role models, and engage them in dialogue of what it means to be men. Boys need to understand that they do not need to behave like Greg or Rowley; there are other literary characters that they can follow (Susan Nielsen’s Word Nerd is an example), and it behooves us as librarians and teachers to market these books and make them accessible for boys. 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 9-12 years

Awards: Nominated for the Quill Awards, 2007; Original Voices Award, 2007; Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award, 2009; Garden State Children’s Book Award, 2010

Reviews: Booklist (April 1, 2007), School Library Journal (April 1, 2007), Voice of Youth Advocates (April 1, 2007), Publishers Weekly (March 5, 2007)

Series: The Wimpy Kid Series: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules; Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw; Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days; Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth

Similar Materials: Lincoln Peirce’s “Big Nate Series”: Big Nate in a Class by Himself

Subjects/Themes: Friendship; Families; Maturation; Humorous Fiction; Diaries; Schools and Education

Character Names: Greg Heffley; Rowley Jefferson; Collin Lee; Fregley; Manny Heffly

Series Website: http://www.wimpykid.com/

Brief Annotation: Greg Heffly chronicles his first-year of middle school with a plethora of cartoons and humor. 

Ramona Quimby, Age 8

Ramona Quimby, Age 8. By Beverly Cleary. Illustrated by Tracy Dockray. Harper Collins, 1981. 208 pages. Tr. $16.99 ISBN 978-0-688-00477-4

Summary: The sixth book in the Ramona Quimby Collection, Ramona Quimby, Age 8, follows Ramona as she embarks upon the third grade. Ramona is excited to be starting at a new school, and to be among the oldest students. It is also special for Ramona to be apart from her older sister, Beezus, who is starting middle school. However, Ramona’s school year doesn’t work out exactly as planned. She hits a raw egg against her head during lunch, and becomes the school laughing stock. Danny, a classmate, steals her eraser and is a perpetual menace throughout the school year. Family troubles also cause some tension, and Ramona’s feelings towards her third-grade teacher, Mrs. Whaley, are mixed. 

Critical Review: The accompanying pictures and large text make this a novel that some tween readers will cherish. This warm-family tale ends with Ramona and her family being bought dinner by a total stranger, who decides that they are the epitome of a wonderful family. Tweens understand that nothing is perfect, but that warm, loving families will always be able to weather hardship by binding together. Ramona is forced to make some sacrifices. Her family depends on her to cheerfully acquiesce with four-year-old Willa Jean’s every plan, so that Mrs. Kemp will continue to babysit Ramona while her mother works. As an avid reader, Ramona especially covets Sustained Silent Reading time, however, her feelings towards her teacher dramatically alters when she hears Mrs. Whaley call her a troublemaker and “show-off”. Not wanting to cause extra trouble for her teacher, Ramona throws up during class, and feels especially sorry for herself. Time at home helps, however, and Ramona returns to school feeling confident and rejuvenated. Ramona’s courage, integrity, humor, and positive nature are assets that other tween girls will want to emulate.

Genre: Realistic Fiction; Humor

Reading/Interest Level: 8-12 years 

Awards: Nominated for the Newbery Award, 1982

Reviews: Booklist (December 15, 1989)

Series: Ramona Quimby Collection

Similar Materials: The following books in the Ramona Collection: Beezus and Ramona; Ramona and Her Father; Ramona and Her Mother; Ramona Forever; Ramona the Brave; Ramona the Pest; Ramona’s World

Subjects/Themes: Financial Hardship, Families, Schools

Character Names: Ramona Quimby; Beezus (aka Beatrice) Quimby; Mr. and Mrs. Quimby; Mrs. Kemp; Willa Jean; Mrs. Whaley

Author Website: http://www.beverlycleary.com/

Illustrator Website: http://www.tracydockray.com/

Brief Annotation: We follow Beverly Cleary’s award-winning character, Ramona Quimby, into third grade. 

Criss Cross

Criss Cross. By Lynne Rae Perkins. Greenwillow, 2005. 337 pages. Tr. $16.99

ISBN 978-0060092726

Summary: In slow moving, beautifully drawn out prose Perkins captures the anxiety that comes with development. We follow the friendships between Debbie and her adolescent neighbors Larry, and Phil and Hector. Perkins’ unusual approach allows us to peer into the mental worlds of tweens. Debbie dreams of the day when something wonderful will happen that will set her apart from her peers, and falls in love with Mrs. Bruning’s visiting grandson. She and her friend, Patty, opt for cool clothes, exchanging their mother-approved garments for stylish fare behind the rhodendrum bushes before leaving for school. Hector learns how to play the guitar at the Presbyterian Church, and deals with his older sister, Rowanne. Juvenile anxieties about dealing with the opposite sex, finding where one’s heart lies, learning to drive, and dealing with discouragement are all explored in this superb novel.

Critical Review: Criss Cross is the sequel to Perkin’s All Alone in the Universe, and was awarded the Newbery Award. Some tweens may complain that events in this novel happen too slowly, and that nothing actually happens. Though Perkins’s novel is set in the sixties, the characters and story events are relatable to today’s tweens. I enjoyed Perkins’s idea to include non-traditional novel forms, such as graphic illustrations and haikus. 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Series: the sequel to Perkins’s All Alone in the Universe

Reading/Interest Level: 10-14 years

Reviews: Publishers Weekly (October 31, 2005), Booklist (October 15, 2005), Voice of Youth Advocates (October 1, 2005), School Library Journal (September 1, 2005)

Awards: Newbery Award, 2006; American Library Association’s Notable Books for Children, 2006; School Library Journal’s Best Books of the Year, 2005

Author Website: http://www.lynneraeperkins.com/

Similar Materials: Ann M. Martin’s A Corner of the Universe; Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me

Subject/Themes: Identity Formation, Friendship

Character Names: Debbie; Phil; Larry; Hector; Chrisanne; Mrs. Bruning

Brief Annotation: The pivotal moments in a year of four adolescent friends are chronicled in this Newbery Award winning novel. 

The Daring Game

The Daring Game. By Kit Pearson. Penguin, 2008. 240 pages. PB $7.99 ISBN 978-0143056942

Summary: Elizabeth is thrilled to be embarking upon her first year in boarding school. As an avid reader, she’s read her fare share of stories featuring the hilarious and courageous exploits of English boarding school girls. Those stories have appealed to her so much that she begs her parents to allow her to board for the year; instead of moving with them to Toronto, she wants to finally experience boarding-school life for herself. Patricia’s roommate, Helen, comes up with the idea to add some spice to dorm life; everyone in the “yellow dorm” should play the daring game!

Critical Review: Boarding-school life forces Elizabeth to deal with difficult questions. She’s constantly pulled between two opposing poles – her parent’s expectations and her friends. She does well in school, but doesn’t want others to feel that she’s a “teacher’s pet”. Developing and maintaining friendships are important to her, as they are to all tweens. Throughout the book, she’s forced to make tough decisions. Her feelings toward troublemaker Helen play a key part in her inner-development, as does her friendship with sixteen-year old Madeleine. Helen teaches Elizabeth that it’s sometimes acceptable to disobey rules. Both Helen and Madeleine send Elizabeth the message that there are more important things to think about than clothes, diets, and boys. As the book progresses, Elizabeth learns more about what her roommates home-lives are really like, from the dorm matron. This teaches her that there’s always more that lurks beneath facades. Elizabeth takes this information with relief: she need no longer be afraid that she’s not measuring up. Now Pam’s criticisms no longer hold such weight over her. Elizabeth’s feelings change towards the day students, as well. She used to believe that they were such snobs, and that they only talked about yacht clubs, dances, etc. She soon realizes that she was mistaken, and develops a friendship with one day-schooler who thinks boarding school life is infinitely more satisfying than living at home. Overall the year at Ashdown Academy shows how Elizabeth struggled, trying to reconcile her parent’s expectations with her own. She leaves school with appreciable confidence and maturity. Developing into a teen is not such a scary experience as she once thought!

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 9-12 years

Similar Materials: Penelope Farmer’s Charlotte Sometimes; William Mayne’s A Swarm in May; Ursula Nordstrom’s The Secret Language

Subjects/Themes: British Columbia, Canada; Boarding Schools; Daring Games; Friendships

Character Names: Elizabeth Chambers; Miss Tavistock (Ashdown Academy’s headmistress); Carrie, Helen, Jean, Pam (Elizabeth’s roommates); Madeline (Elizabeth’s sixteen-year old friend)

Author Website: http://www.kitpearson.com/index.html

Brief Annotation: The trials and tribulations of a year at boarding school are chronicled through the eyes of an eleven-year old girl.

A Handful of Time

A Handful of Time. By Kit Pearson. Penguin, 2008. 192 pages. PB $7.99 ISBN 978-0143056386

Summary: Patricia is sent by her parents to Edmonton to spend the summer with her cousins at their cottage. The summer away from home, enables her parents to finalize the plans for their divorce, but initially turns into Patricia’s worst nightmare: her cousins make fun of her, and her aunts and uncles feel sorry for her. Alone she finds an old watch under a floorboard. Winding it takes her back in time to 1952, when her twelve-year-old mother summered at the same spot.

Critical Review: A Handful of Time’s worth shines by expertly dealing with the pain that divorce has on children. At first Patricia fears that neither parent wants to live with her, but she soon learns that both desperately want to be given that privilege. Pearson’s prose shimmers on the page. Readers entering into Patricia’s summer will leave touched, secure in the knowledge that whatever pains them, hope remains around the bend. Escaping into the past can be helpful, but is only a temporary cure. There are people in their lives that care, who will do whatever they can to help make their lives better.

Genre: Time-Travel Fiction; Science Fiction; Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 9-12 years

Awards: Canadian Library Association Book-of-the-Year-for-Children Award, 1988

Similar Materials: Margaret Buffie’s Who is Frances Rain?; Philippa Pearce’s Tom’s Midnight Garden; Cora Taylor’s The Doll; Cynthia Voigt’s Building Blocks

Subjects/Themes: Divorce; Summer Vacations; Cottage; Alberta, Canada; Time-Travel; Families

 

Character Names: Patricia; Ruth Reid (Patricia’s mother, a T.V. broadcaster); Harris Potter (Patricia’s father, a journalist); Aunt Ginnie (Patricia’s mother’s sister); Uncle Doug (Ginnie’s husband); Kelly, Trevor, Rosemary (Ginnie and Doug’s children, and Patricia’s cousins); Uncle Rod and Aunt Karen; Christie and Bruce Reid (Rod and Karen’s children, and Patricia’s cousins); Nan (Patricia’s maternal grandmother)

Author Website: http://www.kitpearson.com/index.html

Brief Annotation: A twelve-year old girl travels back to the summer when he mother was twelve years old. 

The View from Saturday

The View from Saturday. By E. L. Konigsburg. Antheneum, 1998. 128 pages. Tr. $17.99 ISBN 978-0689809934

Summary: This is a story of Mrs. Olinski, a sixth-grade teacher at Epiphany Middle School, and the four students – Noah, Nadia, Ethan, and Julian – who took part in the Academic Bowl. Why did Mrs. Olinski choose this group, and why were they so successful? We follow the teammates, watching them grow intellectually, emotionally and physically, and watch how they grow together as a team. This sensitively nuanced, award-winning novel will remain a favorite of readers for many years to come.

Critical Review: E. L. Konigsburg’s engaging, award-winning novel alternates between first-person and third-person narrators. This unusual structure captures the different personalities of each member of the team, showcasing the unique talents that each team member brings. Tweens learn that judging others by outside appearances often results in an inaccurate impression of their strengths, and that our interactions would be terribly circumscribed without the ability to engage with all types of people.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 9-12 years

Awards: Newbery Award (1997)

Reviews: Booklist (December 15, 1998), School Library Journal (March 1, 1998), Publisher’s Weekly (February 2, 1998)

Similar Materials: E. L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler; Gary Schmidt’s The Wednesday Wars; Neal Shusterman’s The Schwa Was Here

Subject/Themes: Disabilities; Academic Bowls; Friendship; Calligraphy; Divorce; Sea Turtles; Bullying; Teams; Afternoon Tea; Musicals

Character Names: Noah Gershom; Nadia Diamondstein; Ethan Potter; Julian Singh; Mrs. Olinski

Programming Ideas and/or Lesson Plans:

http://www.planetbookclub.com/kids/archive/saturday12.98/saturdayintro.html (Fourteen Lessons)

http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/view/viewtg.html (Activities)

Brief Annotation: First-person and third-person narration describe the evolution of Epiphany Middle School’s Sixth Grade Academic Team, as they prepare for and participate in the Academic Bowl. 

Beezus and Ramona

Beezus and Ramona. By Beverly Cleary. Illustrated by Tracy Dockray. Harper Collins, 1955. 160 pages. Tr. $16.99 ISBN 978-0688210762

Summary: It seems that whatever Beatrice Quimby does, she cannot get away from her annoying little sister, Ramona. Ramona follows her big sister to the library and art class, and wreaks havoc at home by butting into chess games. Whatever can Beatrice do to rid herself of her pesky sister? Or is she simply stuck with her?

Critical Review: Although more than fifty-years old, this story continues to enchant all those who suffer from an annoying little brother or sister. In the end of the story, Beatrice realizes that her feelings towards Ramona are normal, and grows to love her little sister. Her Aunt Beatrice explains that, as a young girl, she also nurtured similar feelings towards her younger sister (i.e. Beatrice’s mother), but that these feelings didn’t prevent her from developing a warm-relationship later in life.

Genre: Friendship; Humor; Realistic Fiction 

Series: The Ramona Collection

Reading/Interest Level: 8-12 years

Author Website: http://www.beverlycleary.com/

Similar Materials: The following books in the Ramona Collection: Ramona and Her Father; Ramona and Her Mother; Ramona Forever; Ramona Quimby, Age 8; Ramona the Brave; Ramona the Pest; Ramona’s World

Subject/Themes: Imagination; Friendship; Sisters; Family life

Character Names: Beatrice Quimby (aka Beezus) and Ramona Quimby; Mr. and Mrs. Quimby; Aunt Beatrice; Henry Huggins; Ribsy

Brief Annotation: Nine-year old Beezus deals with her pesky little sister, Ramona, in Beverly Cleary’s classic novel for tweens.

Booktalking Ideas: I would pair the novel with the movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493949/) and ask students to compare/contrast the two. Beezus and Ramona can be used to discuss family experiences, especially having a younger brother or sister. Tweens can contribute whether Beezus’s trials mesh with their experiences, and can receive/exchange advice on how to deal with difficult younger siblings. 

The Higher Power of Lucky

The Higher Power of Lucky. By Susan Patron. Illustrated by Matt Phelan. 144 pages. Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books, 2006. Tr. $16.95. ISBN 978-1416901945

Summary: Two years have passed since Lucky’s mother’s death. Now Bridgette, her father’s first wife, cares for Lucky in the small desert town of Hard Pan, California. In this unusual town, twelve-step programs are scheduled around the clock, and in her part-time job as a sweeper, Lucky sits in on these meetings. Lucky is scared that Bridgette, homesick for France, will return to her country. Then who will take care of Lucky? Her father isn’t interested in fulfilling his fatherly duties.  She decides that she must take matters into her own hands, and following AAA precepts, runs away to start a new life for herself.

Critical Review:  When The Higher Power of Lucky was published, it unleashed a storm of criticism by some parents and librarians for the word “scrotum” on the fist page, and was unfortunately pulled from some library shelves. Others criticized the book for dealing with issues remote to the lives of many tweens.  How many tweens are interested in Charles Darwin or hold part-time jobs? Though Lucky is more mature than the average ten-year old, her fears of abandonment are relatable to many at this age. Patron’s sympathetic portrayal of these issues makes this a worthwhile book to share with any tween. At the book’s close, Lucy finds the love she needs. Lucky learns that Brigitte is submitting papers to adopt her.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading/Interest Level: 9-12 years

Awards: Newbery Medal (2007)

Reviews: School Library Journal (2007, May 1)

            Publisher’s Weekly (2007, February 12)

            PW Annex Reviews (2007, January 1)

Series: Lucky’s story is continued in Lucy Breaks (2009)

Similar Materials: Beverly Cleary’s Ramana Quimby series

Subjects/Themes: self-actualization; biology; poverty; alcoholism; loneliness; deserts; small-town life; unconventional families

Character Names: Lucky (our ten-year old heroine); Brigitte (Lucky’s father’s first wife, who cares for Lucky); Lincoln (a friend of Lucky’s who ties knots); Miles (a five-year old boy that thinks Lucky is his Mother); HMS Beagle (Lucky’s dog)

Author Website: http://susanpatron.com/

Illustrator Website: http://www.mattphelan.com/new.html

Programming Ideas and/or Lesson Plans: http://teachershare.scholastic.com/resources/10405 (Making Wind Chimes)

Brief Annotation: A ten-year old girl named Lucky resolves to find her “higher power”, and to escape the challenges of her poverty-infested life in this Newbery Award winning book.