Archive for Reviews

Basketball and Literacy

May 16, 2013 · Filed under Intermediate (3-5), Nonfiction, Picture Books, Reviews, Sports · Tagged , , , , , ,

Let’s talk hoops!

I am a big basketball fan, but for some reason my slow, low-jumping, 5’11” body was not attractive to NBA General Managers, and alas, I was not selected in the 1992 (or any other) NBA draft, so my career ended in high school.  But that’s what is great about sports…anyone can be a fan of the game even if you aren’t highly skilled.

The college season recently wrapped up with March Madness crowning Louisville as king, and the NBA Playoffs are currently in full swing.  I thought this would be a great time to talk about a basketball-related event and contest we recently had here at Mackin, and about a great new basketball-themed title I love.

Recently, a group of us at Mackin gathered to watch a webcast featuring two giants of their respective fields:  James Patterson, author of numerous books for children and adults, and Dwyane Wade, star guard for the NBA’s Miami Heat.  Their common bond is that they are outspoken advocates for getting children to read, so that makes me an instant fan of them both.  The webcast featured their commentary about the importance of reading in their youth, as well as answering questions from students at Ponce de Leon Middle School in Florida.  Also featured were video clips from other NBA stars, encouraging kids to read.  Overall, the webcast is a great tool that shows academic and athletic role models coming together for a great cause.  An on-demand replay of the webcast is available for viewing at jamespattersonevents.com for anyone interested.  Also, the Mackin-sponsored contest where you can win autographed items from both Patterson and Wade is still open!  Enter the contest here, until May 31st.

Sticking with the hoops theme, a recent book by Twin Cities author John Coy has grabbed my attention.  It is Hoop Genius, and is a great way to introduce children to the history and origin of the game of basketball.  The title refers to Dr. James Naismith, inventor of basketball, and tells how he devised the game that has become a huge phenomenon today.  It turns out that he was a young P.E. teacher who was having trouble engaging a group of boys in games that weren’t boring or that didn’t result in rough play and injury, and came up with a game he called “Basket Ball” to achieve this.

Coy’s story is enhanced by Joe Morse’s illustrations, showing the dress of the late 1800s as well as the mustachioed young men that played the first-ever game of basketball.  A small photo at the end of the book shows that the illustrations are historically accurate…evidently sporting a bushy mustache was the height of fashion for young men of the era!  I was especially interested in the reprint of Dr. Naismith’s original rules of the game, which shows how the game has evolved in the 100-plus years since its inception.  It would make a great compare/contrast activity to do with students, especially those that are basketball fans or players.

I will leave you today with a quote from one of basketball’s all-time greats, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: “I’m not comfortable being preachy, but more people need to start spending as much time in the library as they do on the basketball court.”

RyanBlogger: Ryan H.

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I, Witness by Norah McClintock (writer) and Mike Deas (artist)

April 29, 2013 · Filed under Graphic Novel, High School, Reviews · Tagged , ,

3055656When his best friend Robbie stumbles across a murder, Boone warns him not to tell anyone.  It is only days later that Robbie is gunned down in front of Boone.  Stuck in the same dilemma as his dead friend, Boone struggles with his own advice to honor the street code of staying silent.

This heavy black and white graphic novel uses negative space masterfully. The story itself can be relatable to those who live by street rules, only sometimes doing the right thing is the hardest and scariest decision.  This is definitely a page turner.

Recommended for high school (mild language and graphic violence).

Tuan's_PictureBlogger : Tuan N.

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Series Review: The World in Infographics

April 26, 2013 · Filed under Intermediate (3-5), Nonfiction, Reviews, Science · Tagged , , , ,

  • 71% of the earth’s surface is covered in water.
  • 97.5% of the water on earth is saltwater.
  • 68.7% of freshwater is found in glaciers.

naturalworldThat is all important information—and I could go on listing various percentages—but a list of numbers really doesn’t do much by itself.  What do you want me to know about those numbers?  Where do they fit into what I already know?

It’s often hard to get a sense of the meaning behind the numbers, especially for kids who may not have the context they need to apply the data to the world around them.  Many of the books we share with young people have charts, graphs, and other representations of data in sidebars and call-out boxes to help make sense of some of the data, but what if you made the call-out box the entire spread?  That’s exactly what The World in Infographics series does.  Each spread in these books is designed to look like the graphics we find and share online.

For those who may not have discovered infographics yet, here is a definition from Wikipedia: “Information graphics or infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly.”  These graphics are perfect for comparing numbers, getting a sense of scale, and making connections.

planetearthThe World in Infographics series uses these strengths to its advantage as it demystifies the numbers of our world.  In Planet Earth, for example, we learn the size of the world’s largest iceberg relative to the island of Jamaica and the 3,963 miles from the surface of the Earth to the center turns into the distance between London and Chicago. Some of these comparisons may work better than others, and some kids may take to this format more than others.  Nonetheless, this is a series to watch.  Planet Earth and The Natural World are available now.  Two more titles will be published in the fall.

These books are good choices for science teachers looking for simple visual explanations of various science topics.  But they are great choices for teachers who want to talk about using data and presenting knowledge.  This series will introduce students to the concept behind infographics and give them an opportunity to look closely at what translates well to this format and what doesn’t.  Whether you are using these books for the content or the presentation, you will find a unique series that will appeal to kids and teachers.

Bibliography:

Planet Earth by Jon Richards. March 2013. 9781926973753. Gr. 3-6

The Natural World by Jon Richards.March 2013. 9781926973746. Gr. 3-6

The Human Body by Jon Richards. October 2013. GR. 3-6

The Human World by Jon Richards. October 2013. Gr. 3-6

MindyBlogger: Mindy R.

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Book Review: Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets

April 22, 2013 · Filed under Fiction, High School, Novels, Realistic, Reviews · Tagged , , , ,

Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos. March 2013. 9780547928531. Gr. 9-12.

I loved this book.

The review that follows can really be boiled down to those four words, but that short distillation is what I keep coming back to, and is what I have been telling everyone about Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets, an outstanding debut novel by Evan Roskos.

The book is filled with quirkiness and lots of dark, self-deprecating humor, as well as healthy doses of heartbreaking sadness and equal measures of hopefulness.  Some may read the book’s synopsis that says, in part (regarding the protagonist), “James recites Walt Whitman, hugs trees, and talks to an imaginary bird therapist” and think that it is just too strange to pick up and read, but there is a sweetness to James that pulled me in; he is a character that you feel for and hope that things turn out well for him.

James is troubled.  He doesn’t feel that he fits in anywhere, and really only has one friend to help him navigate the difficult time of his life that is high school.  He struggles with depression and crippling anxiety, which is compounded by the fact that his parents aren’t willing to get him help.  He calls his father and mother, “The Brute” and “The Banshee”, respectively, and they are uncaring and abusive to James and his sister, Jorie.  Jorie has been thrown out of the house, leaving James even more isolated.  Typical adolescent issues also plague James, as he struggles with girl issues and being a good friend.

James’ mental illness provides the backbone of the book, and Roskos has drawn on his own mental illness issues to lend authenticity.  James resists becoming one of the multitude of the medicated, yet has difficulty getting out of bed due to his depression, goes through periods where he doesn’t even have the energy to eat, and even contemplates suicide.  At a particularly low point, he wonders if he and his sister are “poisoned with sadness in our blood”.  But with all of the gloominess in the book, there is always a hopeful air to James and his situation.  He uses poetry and photography to provide self-help, and “talks” with his imaginary bird therapist.  He does get professional help as well, so throughout the book the reader hopes things are turning in the right direction for James.

Teenhelp.com says that 20% of teens will experience depression before they reach adulthood.  Depression is isolating by its nature, so perhaps reading this book and knowing that others deal with similar issues may provide some teens with comfort and understanding about their situation.

Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets is a funny, sad, entertaining read that illuminates the often-dark topic of mental illness.

(Note: The book contains instances of sexual talk, mostly between James and his best friend Derek.  This is done in a responsible way by Roskos, and in my opinion, reflects how many teens talk about sex.  But, I would encourage you to get a copy in your hands and decide for yourself the age-appropriateness as it pertains to the teens in your life.)

Ryan H.

Blogger: Ryan H.

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Get Up and Dance!

April 18, 2013 · Filed under Picture Books, Primary (K-2), Reviews · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s been over two years since I started out the Mackin Books in Bloom blog with a post about ballet picture books, called “Dance, Dance, Dance!”  Here are some more recent picture books about ballerinas, including a few additions to series that I mentioned in the original posting.

Ballerina SwanBallerina Swan by Allegra Kent, illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully. 9780823423736. 2012. Gr PK-2.

From her pond, Sophie could see the dance students in Madam Myrtle’s Dance Studio, and she was intrigued.  She tried to watch through the window, but Madam Myrtle chased her away.  She peeked in from the corner for a few days, but that wasn’t enough—she just had to dance herself.  Despite obstacles, she did her best, and when the dance instructors announced that they would be trying out for the end-of-the-year performance of Swan Lake,  Sophie hopes that she will get a part.  But when the list goes up, she can’t find her name.  Has all her hard work been for nothing?

Vampirina BallerinaVampirina Ballerina by Anne Marie Pace, illustrated by LeUyen Pham. 9781423157533. 2012. Gr PK-1.

Pace’s picture book is written as encouragement to a young ballerina.  Don’t worry; don’t be dismayed; mistakes are OK, just do your best—because “the road to ballerinadom can be bumpy.”   The illustrations show, however, that this ballerina wannabe is not your typical dancing student.  She can take classes only in the evening, her fangs frighten the other students, and when she makes mistakes, she tends to turn into a bat.  But the advice is the same no matter if you are human or vampire:  Practice!  Practice!  Practice!

Flora and the FlamingoFlora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle. 9781452110066. 2013. Gr PK-2.

I love words—big words, weird words, old words—so it always surprises me how much I like wordless books.  Flora and the Flamingo is no exception.  These two ballerinas, a little girl and tall bird, are new dancing partners; neither is happy with the situation, and their body language and facial expressions show it.  But as they begin to dance together, even their tumbles help them develop into graceful and gracious partners.  This book has large flaps on several pages, and checking to see what is underneath is vital to the story.  I usually do not suggest lift-the flap books to libraries, but this one is delightful and clever, and I heartily recommend it.

Series additions to books I recommended in my first post:

Miss Lina’s Ballerinas and the Prince by Grace Maccarone, illustrated by Christine Davenier. 9780312649630. 2011. PK-1

Miss Lina’s Ballerinas and the Wicked Wish by Grace Maccarone, illustrated by Christine Davenier. 9781250005809. 2012. PK-1

Tallulah’s Solo by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger. 9780547330044. 2012. PK-2.

Tallulah’s Toe Shoes by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger. 9780547482231. 2013. PK-2.

Traceylogger : Tracey L.

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Book Review: The Twelve-Fingered Boy

April 8, 2013 · Filed under Fantasy, Fiction, High School, Mystery, Novels, Paranormal, Reviews · Tagged ,

The Twelve-Fingered Boy by John Hornor Jacobs.  February 2013. 9780761390077.  Gr. 9-12.

I love books with characters that are odd and unique.  I have posted here before about how I believe people judge books by their cover (I know I do!).  I loved this cover and the title, so, everything upon first impression about The Twelve-Fingered Boy grabbed me (groan-inducing pun intended).

Shreveport Justice Cannon, or Shreve for short, is a resident of Pulaski Juvenile Detention Center.  He has lived a rough life, having never met his father and being required to deal with his difficult,  alcoholic mother.  He has had to fend for himself, and also worry about his younger, vulnerable brother, Vig.  Shreve has made a “living” at the detention center by dealing contraband.  Fellow inmates make sure Shreve stays in their good graces, as he supplies the Heath bars, lollipops, and other sweets that they all desire.

Soon, Shreve gets a new roommate.  Jack is a smaller, shy boy who does whatever he can to be inconspicuous, which is difficult when one has twelve fingers.  Jack reminds Shreve of his brother, and Shreve becomes protective of Jack; a friendship is born.  Shreve soon sees that Jack’s hands aren’t the only things that make him unique.  When Jack gets angry, the air ripples around him, and he produces a powerful and destructive shockwave. Jack’s ability has attracted the attention of the dark and mysterious Quincrux, who apparently seeks out those with powers, to use for his own purposes.

Shreve and Jack decide that they can’t stay at the detention center while Quincrux is seeking them, as Quincrux is able to mentally manipulate people, making it easy for him to get past the detention center’s administration and get to Jack.  Shreve learns that he, too, has a special mental ability that was awoken by Quincrux, and this comes in handy while he and Jack are on the run.

We get a lot of “good versus evil” battles, and I must say that Quincrux is as menacing and scary a villain as there can be.  His intentions are not clear, and aside from some ambiguity at the end, it seems certain that he is the embodiment of evil.  A healthy dose of mystery is introduced to be tackled in the next book in this new series, and I am excited to see what is in store for Shreve and The Twelve-Fingered Boy.

Check out the delightfully ominous book trailer here, then get this in the hands (polydactyl or otherwise) of everyone you can!

Ryan

Blogger: Ryan H.

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Book Review: Dark Lord : The Early Years – An April Fools’ Joke?

April 1, 2013 · Filed under Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Middle School (6-8), Novels, Reviews · Tagged , , ,

Dark LordDark Lord : The Early Years by Jamie Thomson Dirk Lloyd. 9780802728494. 2012. Gr 5-8.

My dad loved jokes and pranks, and I am my father’s daughter.  The difference between us is that my dad could keep up a joke quite a while;  my jokes have to be quick, or my face gives me away—and at my victim’s first sign of doubt, I cave. One year, when a disappointing winter yielded no school cancellations, I woke up my boys on April Fools’ Day with “Guess what?!!!!  It’s a snow day today!!”  After a couple cheers, Alex (a champion at making jokes himself and thus a bit leery of the attempts of others) complained, “Why did you wake us up then?”  End of joke.

Our protagonist in Dark Lord : The Early Years thinks that he is being fooled with.  He remembers falling, a long fall, and when he hits bottom, his world has changed drastically.  Instead of his dark, imperious voice, he hears a high-pitched, boyish squeak.  His Helm of the Hosts of Hades is gone, as are the horns and knobby edges of bones on his skull, to be replaced with a mop of hair.  Where are his tusks and his yellowed fangs, which are so good at striking fear into his enemies?

And what happened to his spell which has covered the sky with the Black Vapors of Gloom?  The warm sun in the blue sky almost gives him a feeling of…”hmmm, let’s see now, something he hadn’t felt in eons, a sense of…peace came over him!”  Ugh!  What would happen to his reputation if his enemies and underlings found out that he was all getting all mellow and everything?

When people come to his rescue, they see only a young boy.  He tries to tell them that he is the Dark Lord, the Incarnation of Evil, the World Burner, but they misunderstand, and so he is given the name “Dirk Lloyd.”  An ambulance takes him to the hospital, where a social worker sets him up in a foster home.   No one believes that he is anything but a twelve-year-old boy with an obsession for fantasy games and movies.

But Dirk knows that he is really “from the Iron Tower of Despair, beyond the Plains of Desolation, in the Darklands.” He must find some way to get back there, because he is the Dark Lord, and his forces are in the midst of a battle with the forces of the White Wizard, Hasdruban the Pure.

But first, he has to go to school and get his homework done.

Dark Lord : The Early Years is hilarious, a great “boy book” for readers reluctant or not.  As the mother of two boys who loved love fantasy worlds, I can relate to all the talk about spells and magical weapons, like rings that can send a Blast of Ravening Flame, a Cloak of Endless Night filled with Bloody Glyphs of Power, and the spell of Agonizing Obedience.

The best part, though, is the doubt in both Dirk’s and the reader’s mind:  Is Dirk just a confused twelve-year-old boy…or could he really be a powerful and monstrous ruler?  Are all his memories just a big joke?

TraceyBlogger : Tracey L.

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Book Review: How to Lead a Life of Crime

March 25, 2013 · Filed under Fiction, High School, Novels, Reviews · Tagged ,

How to Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller. February 2013. 9781595145185. Gr. 9-12.

I am not a criminal. Far from it.  Sure, I have a couple of speeding tickets on my record, and once was cited for having a dirty license plate (can you believe that? I did appeal that one, and it was dismissed. Thanks, State of Minnesota! Keep your license plates clean, people).  But, for the most part, I walk the straight and narrow.  The great thing about books is that you get to be exposed to experiences outside of your normal life.  This is why a book like How to Lead a Life of Crime appeals to me; it is a gritty, dark, and sometimes gruesome story that is wholly unlike my life.  Do you want to experience the seedy underbelly of society without running the risk of incarceration?  This book is for you.

Flick comes from a rich and privileged family, but is living on the mean streets as a thief, stealing what he needs to get by.  Ties to his family were severed when his abusive, alcoholic father beat Flick’s brother to death and Flick’s mom committed suicide.  You quickly see that life has been grim for Flick, and he understandably holds his father in great contempt.  Flick wants nothing more than to avenge his brother’s death by getting back at his father.  Flick’s remaining bit of humanity is preserved by Joi, who he visits regularly at her shelter, which welcomes kids from across the city that have had difficulties of their own.  Joi is a kind-hearted person who Flick is obviously attracted to, but wary of letting get too close.

Flick is soon propositioned by a mysterious man who wants him to steal some documents from a house.  When the man is satisfied that Flick is skilled enough, he offers him to study at the prestigious Mandel Academy.  Flick soon finds out that the mysterious man is Lucian Mandel, who runs the academy, and who also holds the key to exacting revenge against Flick’s father.  So, Flick agrees to become a student at the school.  It turns out that the academy’s reputation for academic excellence is a front for something far less traditionally academic—students are taught how to get ahead by using criminal tactics.  At the Mandel Academy, courses such as “Partnering with Corrupt Regimes” and “Hand to Hand Combat” are on the schedule, and students battle for positioning in the school’s hierarchy, where there are great rewards at the top, and great consequences at the bottom.

Flick excels in the Academy, but is shaken and surprised when a new recruit shows up, and makes his “education” much more personal.  He has trouble focusing on his ultimate goal of getting revenge on his father, and begins focusing on taking down the corrupt school, all the while being guided by the spirit of his dead younger brother.

Kirsten Miller has come up with a great concept here; at one point, Flick describes the Mandel Academy as “Hogwarts for Hustlers” and this combines with a Hunger Games-like survival theme to make a unique read.  I loved the concept of the students battling for criminal supremacy.  Despite its darkness, there are some surprising moral themes that can be gleaned from the story.  One theme I particularly liked was how a character showed that progress could only be made to overthrow the evil school by banding together, and that starts by getting to know the strengths of all students, not just the ones that are high achievers.

How to Lead a Life of Crime is literary escapism at its finest.  You can go anywhere with a book, even the darkest corners of society.

Ryan H.

Blogger: Ryan H.

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Book Review : Mary Roach and Science Nonfiction for High School

March 18, 2013 · Filed under Nonfiction, Reviews, High School, Science · Tagged , , , ,

Reading nonfiction is a favorite of mine, and I usually read about social studies and science (or grammar).  I am glad that the Common Core standards include a stronger focus on reading nonfiction.

One of my favorite nonfiction authors is Mary Roach.  Like those of many librarians, my interests can be weird odd quirky, and Mary Roach takes quirky to a whole new level.  She asks questions that most people would not have thought of—but if they did, they wouldn’t dare to ask.  And not only does she dare to ask, but she finds the right people to ask and actually gets them to answer her. Her writing is accessible to upper high school students and her books would be great choices for Common Core lists.

StiffI was browsing in a bookstore when I found her first book, Stiff : The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, and everything about the book drew me in.  The cover showing a couple of bare feet with a morgue tag attached to a toe.  The great title (though nowadays a book with “lives” and “cadavers” in the title would probably be about zombies).  And of course the subject matter:  the history of the uses to which cadavers have been put.  We’ve heard about grave robbing and midnight autopsies by candlelight, but that’s just the beginning.   And though it might sound gruesome and morbid, Roach treated her subjects with respect…and lots of humor.  I have recommended this book to more people than any other nonfiction book, and most of those who dared to read the book have become Mary Roach fans.

Roach has also written books on how science has dealt with the afterlife, sex, and space exploration (see my earlier post on Packing for Mars).

Gulp : Adventures on the Alimentary CanalHer latest, coming out on April 1st, is called Gulp : Adventures on the Alimentary Canal.  Roach chronicles how early doctors and scientists studied the gastrointestinal system of animals and people and what sort of research today’s scientists are doing.  Then she describes how everything works, beginning with the role of the nose in tasting the food we put in our mouths and following the path of food to its inevitable conclusion.  So yes, there is one chapter devoted to gas and another devoted to the final product.  But we also find out things like: why don’t the digestive acids in our stomach digest the stomach itself; what flavors do dogs and cats like the most; can you really eat so much that your stomach bursts; and just what exactly is a fecal transplant and why would you ever want one. As I read, my vocal responses were equally divided between “YUCK!” and guffaws.  Though I probably wouldn’t recommend it to the squeamish, most teens and adults interested in biology and zoology would enjoy Gulp.

Bibliography:

Bonk : The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. Recommended for adults.

Gulp : Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach. 9780393081572. April 2013. Gr 11-Adult.

Packing for Mars : The Curious Science of Life in the Void. 9780393068474. 2010. Gr 11-Adult.

Spook : Science Tackles the Afterlife. 9780393329124. 2006. Gr 11-Adult.

Stiff : The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. 9780393050936. 2003. Gr 11-Adult.

TraceyBlogger : Tracey L.

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The Alex Awards

March 11, 2013 · Filed under Biography, Dystopia, Fiction, High School, Mystery, Nonfiction, Realistic, Reviews, Sports · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

I try to read broadly, through all levels and genres, but I will say that the majority of books I read are written for adults.  However, I do read a good number of Young Adult titles, so I have found the perfect intersection for me… the winners of the Alex Award.

Quoting YALSA’s website, the Alex Awards are given yearly to “to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.”  When this year’s winners were announced recently, I was pleased to see that I had read a number of them.  Here are my thoughts on these excellent titles:

Caring is Creepy by David Zimmerman. 2012. 9781569479773. Gr. 11-Adult.

This book starts out as a cautionary tale, as 15-year-old friends Lynn and Dani begin interacting with people on the internet for the sole purpose of “messing with them”.  All the while, because they are normal teenage girls, they pine for love and are looking for that special someone.  When Lynn takes it a step further and meets (in real life) someone she has chatted with online, things start to unravel.  Her mom, an ER nurse, is having issues of her own, having become a mostly unwitting participant in a drug scheme with her loser boyfriend.  These storylines intersect in a thunderous climax, in unexpected ways.  Without giving anything away, this one brought to mind a fresh take on Stephen King’s Misery, as love and obsession cause someone to be held against their will.  A few words of caution: This title has many adult themes, including a lot of the big three of sex, drugs, and violence.  It is a bold choice by the committee for the Alex Award.  There certainly is teen appeal here with the themes of online safety, love, and angst, but the maturity level of the reader should be carefully considered.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. 2012. 9780374214913. Gr. 11-Adult.

As mentioned, the intersection of adult and teen books hits me right in my literary sweet spot, and similarly, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is a marriage of many of my favorite things.  Take an odd independent bookstore, add in technology, a dose of mystery, and some supernatural/magical elements, and you have the recipe for a fun book. Plus, the cover of the hardcover version glows in the dark…how cool is that?  Anyway, the story revolves around Clay Jannon, a recently unemployed web designer who takes a job at a local bookstore.  He soon learns that this isn’t your typical bookstore, as there aren’t many customers, and those that do come in seem to only be borrowing old obscure books, with the blessing of the owner, the eccentric Mr. Penumbra.  Using his natural curiosity, and his talent as a computer guy, Clay begins piecing together what is going on.  This is a geeky pleasure right up there with Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One.

My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf. 2012. 9781419702167. Gr.10-Adult.

As I have blogged here before, I am not usually drawn (pun intended) to graphic novels.  However, I again have to admit that I really got into this one.  For me, there is something oddly fascinating about the psychology of what shapes someone like Jeffrey Dahmer.  This is the true story of someone who was probably as close of a friend as Dahmer had growing up, Derf Backderf (pseudonym of John Backderf), who grew up to be an accomplished artist. We all know what Dahmer grew up to be, and this is the chronicle of the adolescent Dahmer, at the beginning of his spiral into madness.  This book is simultaneously creepy, funny, sad, and overall very compelling.  Highly recommended.

One Shot At Forever by Chris Ballard. 2012. 9781401324384. Gr. 11-Adult.

This book about an unlikely, rag-tag high school baseball team has drawn inevitable comparisons to the Hollywood basketball movie Hoosiers, and rightly so. There are definite similarities, including the always-gripping David vs. Goliath plot.  While Hoosiers was mostly true with some fictionalization, One Shot At Forever is a completely true story, pieced together by Chris Ballard through research and extensive interviews.  Ballard is a great storyteller who brings the characters to life and instantly makes you a fan of the 1971 Macon High School Ironmen.  At that time in Illinois, there were no sports class divisions, so if your school had 100 students, they were pitted against schools that had 5000 when competing for the state title.  The Ironmen were led by Lynn Sweet, the reluctant, long-haired, hippie coach who announced at the first practice that he didn’t have many rules, and that practice was optional.  He felt that his team should be playing to have fun, and if it wasn’t fun anymore, they shouldn’t play at all.  He was more psychologist and mentor than coach, and the kids loved him.  I loved this book; it is one of the best I have read all year.

Pure by Juliana Baggott. 2012. 9781455503063. Gr. 11-Adult.

On the surface, Pure seems to be just another in the long line of dystopias that has emerged post-Hunger Games.  But Pure gets big points for its originality.  The post-apocalyptic world has arisen due to what is referred to as the Detonations. Those that survived the blasts intact live in the Dome, a sterile sanctuary, but those outside of this protected area were obviously not so lucky.  They were changed by the blasts, often in gruesome and disfiguring ways.  They fused with whatever was around them when the blasts happened, and the young protagonist, Pressia, shows this.  She has a doll’s face fused to the end of her arm.  Others have fused with objects, animals, or other people, all of which causes them to have a natural disdain for those living unharmed in the Dome.  When Partridge, a dome-dweller, and Pressia are forced together by circumstance, their worlds collide. They work together to reveal the truth about what happened to cause all of this.  This is an original take on the now-common dystopia novel.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt. 2012. 9780679644194. Gr. 11-Adult.

This is a beautifully-written, multi-layered, coming-of-age, sparkling debut novel, and also one of my favorite of the year (I almost didn’t have enough hyphens and commas for that sentence, and interestingly enough, there are many more adjectives to describe this book!).  The setting is the 80s, at the onset of the AIDS epidemic.  June Elbus is growing up with many of the same problems teens encounter; finding her place in the world, arguing with her older sister, and being embarrassed by her parents.  June can always find refuge in her relationship with her uncle, Finn, a famous artist.  Finn is dying of AIDS, and this obviously impacts June immensely.  As if being a teen isn’t hard enough, June has to deal with very heavy situations and circumstances.  The author brings the reader to contemplate love in all of its forms, and the result is powerful. This is a heartbreakingly sad, yet hopeful book that I cannot recommend enough.

RyanBlogger : Ryan H.

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