The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation

Title: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation
Author: M. T. Anderson
Publisher: Cambridge, Mass. : Candlewick Press, (2006)
ISBN: 0763624020 9780763624026
Pages: 351
Characters: 03-01, Octavian, Casseopeia,
Bookmarks: 4

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing tells the story of Octavian, a slave boy, as he grows up in the years leading up to and during the American Revolution. Unlike most slaves, he is treated incredibly well as he is serving as a science experiment. After his mother, also a slave, has a failed affair with a wealthy investor for the Lucidity Society Octavian's owner 03-01 works for, his life is irrevocably changed. No longer is he treated well, instead, he lives his life as a house slave. One day, he escapes only to be captured and brought back. With the help of one of the Society's scientists, Octavian escapes. Will the two make it back to freedom or be caught?

Up until about page 200, I was really into this book. I loved when Octavian was narrating and it abruptly and unexpectedly switched to a different narrator who was not as interesting. This was really disappointing, going from a very insightful narrator to one that was very limited. I really liked that Anderson used language, spelling, and grammar that was authentic to the Revolutionary War period. While not Anderson's best work, it is definitely a good but difficult read.

The Burn Journals

Title: The Burn Journals
Author: Brent Runyon
Publisher: New York : Vintage (2004)
ISBN: 1400096421 9781400096428
Pages: 374
Characters: Brent Runyon, Mom, Dad, Craig, various doctors and nurses
Bookmarks: 5

One day after an incident at school Brent Runyon comes home and attempts to light himself on fire. He immediately regrets it and puts himself out. Brent spends the next several months in the burn unit recovering. Some parts of his recovery are pretty normal- watching TV, fantasizing about sex, talking about movies. Other parts are more harrowing- having to see psychologists, get skin grafts, physical therapy. Once out of the unit, he must adjust back to being in the real world and having his scars. He must recover both physically and emotionally. Yes, some of what Runyon does during recovery like listening to tapes, watching movies on a VCR, playing Nintendo (especially Mario Brothers) may be a bit dated to teen readers, but it doesn't take away from his story.

I had heard a lot of great review about this book and was excited to Runyon has done an amazing job. The detail and emotional involvement of the book sucked me in immediately. Runyon's descriptions of how he felt through the whole experience, physically and emotionally are incredible. The book is completely gripping. One of the few books emotionally powerful enough to make me have to put it down at times because I couldn't handle what was going on. I can't imagine putting into writing for anyone to read hardly any of the experience of my life, especially not something as traumatic and life-changing as a suicide attempt. While I would love for any teen to read this book, I am afraid that some parts of it may glamorize Runyon's experiences- getting free stuff from Magic Johnson and meeting celebrities. Overall though, it is a great book.

Beastly

Title: Beastly
Author: Alex Flinn
Publisher: New York : HarperTeen (2007)
ISBN: 9780060874162 0060874163 9780060874179 0060874171
Pages: 304
Characters: Kyle Kingsbury/Adrian King, Linda Owens, Will, Magda, Kendra
Bookmarks: 5

Kyle is "that guy" in school- hot, popular, smart. Only he treats other people like trash. That is until the night of Spring Formal when he plays a trick on a classmate, Kendra. In return for his cruelty, she transforms him into a beast. He is given two years to break the curse by finding his true love and getting a kiss from her. Kyle believes that it is impossible. His father banishes him away from home and Kyle retreats from the world, with only his tutor Will and maid Magda for company and changes his name to Adrian. That is until his home is broken into one night and in return for his freedom the would-be thief gives Kyle/Adrian his daughter, Linda in return. Kyle/Adrian and Linda quickly adjust to being together and you can feel the chemistry between them. Despite having everything she didn't in her previous life, Linda is unhappy due to missing her father. Kyle/Adrian lets her go to him, only for Linda to run into trouble. Will Kyle/Adrian be able to rescue her? Will the curse be broken in time?

I absolutely LOVED this book!!!! Granted, it probably helps that Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairy tales. I loved that Flinn wove in a couple of other fairy tales (Little Mermaid, Snow White & Rose Red, Frog Prince) through a chat group that Kyle/Adrian was a part of. I also loved that Flinn not only completely fleshed out the story, but set it in the modern world, complete with cell phones and Internet. (It would be interesting to see 20 years down the road how the modern world holds up.) The characters in the story are extremely interesting and the plot moves along quickly. I actually listened to this on tape on my way to and from work and was always disappointed to arrive at my destination. More than once, I was almost late because I stayed in my car until the end of a chapter. While it is definitely more of a girl book than a boy book, I highly recommend it!

Cloaked

Title: Cloaked
Author: Alex Flinn
Publisher: New York : HarperTeen (2011)
ISBN: 9780060874223 0060874228 9780060874230 0060874236
Pages: 341 pages
Characters: Johnny, Princess Victoriana, Meghan
Bookmarks: 3 1/2

Johnny works in the family business repairing shoes. The stall next to him is run by his best friend, Meghan. One day, Johnny is approached by the beautiful Ailoranian Princess Victorianna and sent on quest to find her brother, who has been transformed into a frog. Johnny, tired of living a life repairing shoes and wants to do something else- design shoes and escape from his life at the hotel. Johnny accepts the quest. On the way, Johnny is helped by magic and to his surprise, Meghan. Will he be able to find the frog prince and make him human again?

The premise of this book is really interesting. During our childhood, we are all introduced to fairy tales. What would it be like if these fairy tales are set in the present instead of "once upon a time"? While I liked that the book combined several lesser known tales (frog princess, elves and the shoemaker, fisherman's 3 wishes, and several others). This makes the book seem to be rather busy. It would be improved if it were limited to less fairy tales. It is still an enjoyable and quick read.

The Game

Title: The Game
Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Publisher: New York : Firebird (2007)
ISBN: 0142407186 9780142407189
Pages: 179
Characters: Hayley, Harmony, Troy
Bookmarks: 2

Hayley has lived with her grandparents since she was a small child. Her grandmother is very controlling while her grandfather is more lenient. After talking to two men she refers to as Flute and Fiddle, Hayley is suddenly shipped off to Ireland and thrust into a life with her many cousins. Her cousins introduce her to "the game" where they go into they mythosphere (a magical land that contains the worlds myths). When "the game" is discovered by her Uncle Jolyon, trouble ensues and Hayley learns about her past and that of her family.

I really wanted to like this book. It had a good premise- the Gods and characters from myths are alive and among us. This book was really disappointing though. The story often moved slow and it seemed as though Jones had to work to hard to include some of they mythical characters. If a reader does not have a decent knowledge of mythology, they will be a little lost with much of the story. I did however like that at the end there is an explanation of the different characters.

Looks

Title: Looks
Author: Madeleine George
Publisher: New York : Viking (2008)
ISBN: 9780670061679 0670061670
Pages: 240
Characters: Cara, Aimee, Meghan, J-Bar

3 bookmarks

Think back to high school. Were you popular, nerdy, a jock, or nobody- invisible. That is exactly what Meghan is. Described as almost tank like and constantly tormented by the jocks, she has no real friends. Aimee, the classic anorexic, is new to the school. She thinks she has found a friend in Cara. When Cara violates her trust, Aimee decides to get back at her. Along with Meghan, Aimee finds the perfect way to get back Cara. Only it doesn't work out quite how either of the girls expected and they must live with the consequences.

I really wanted to like this book. It had such potential. After all, the main characters are such physical opposites yet form an unlikely friendship. There is a great subplot of a fight between athletics and academics (which comes to a head but no real resolution). Worst of all, there is no real resolution at the end between Cara, Aimee, and Meghan. None of them seems to grow at all.

Target

Title: Target
Author: Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson
Publisher: Brookfield, Conn : Roaring Brook Press (2003)
ISBN: 0761319328 9780761319320 0761327908 9780761327905
Pages: 175
Characters: Grady, Jess, Pearl

5 bookmarks

Rape is something that just happens to women, right? Wrong. Rape can happen to anyone. Part way through last school year, Grady, is raped. After the rape, he withdraws from his school and friends and essentially stops eating. The next school year, he moves to a different school where no one knows him. He does try to fit in, he just tries to get by. That is until he is befriended by Jess and Pearl who manage to learn the truth about his past.

I knew that YA lit has been tackling some serious issues. Couldn't believe it when I found a YA book that actually dared to tackle the taboo subject of a young man being raped. This book absolutely blew me away, not only due to the subject matter but to Johnson's sensitivity. This book could very easily have been a huge flop or sob story. Instead, you really root for Grady to pull through. While you don't know fully by the end that he will fully get closure, you do know that he has made some progress.

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

Title: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Author: Sherman Alexie; illustrated by Ellen Forney
Publisher: New York : Little, Brown Books (2007)
ISBN: 0316013684 9780316013680 142876450X 9781428764507
Pages: 230
Characters: Arnold "Junior" Spirit,

4 bookmarks

Arnold, known on the reservation as Junior, was once happy on the Spokane reservation with his family. He yearns for a brighter future though and decides to move off the rez and go to the wealthy public school nearby. His family struggles to be able to afford to get him there and feed him lunch, but gladly makes the sacrifice. After starting at the public school, Junior becomes almost exhiled from the tribe. During the school year, his father's best friend, his grandmother, and his sister all die tragically. Junior joins the basketball team and twice has to face his former teammates from the reservation. Following his sister's and grandmother's deaths, Junior is once again accepted as part of the tribe.

During my undergraduate studies, I took a course in Native American religion. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian made me think back to this class and how Native Americans are perceived by whites and what Native Americans think about it. Alexie captured both sides of this perception quite well. This is a great book for young people to read. It briefly introduces them to a culture that they most likely will not experience otherwise. It also helps to show how important it is to feel like an accepted part of the community.

Whale Talk

Title: Whale Talk
Author: Christ Crutcher
Publisher: New York : Greenwillow Books (2001)
ISBN: 0688180191 9780688180195 0060293691 9780060293697
Pages: 220
Characters: T.J. ,

5 bookmarks

T.J. isn't your typical student. He's incredibly smart, bi-racial (Japanese-American and black), and adopted by white parents. He doesn't exactly fit in at his white school in suburban Washington state. After seeing a student with disabilities, Chris Coughlin, get picked on for wearing his dead brother's letter jacket and for being picked on and snubbed for not participating in sports, T.J. decides, with the help of teacher Mr. Simet, to start a swim team. For the swim team, T.J. gathers together the most unlikely group of boys, all social rejects with in the school. The boys and their coach quickly bond, and surprising everyone actually manage to swim well. While swimming, T.J. must deal with former football player Rich Marshall and current football player Mike Barbour harassing him at school. Which T.J's life at home collides with Rich Marshall's personal life, only trouble can ensue. What will happen when Marshall and T.J. finally have a confrontation?

I absolutely loved this book. The cast of characters on the swim team is great, ranging from one legged Mott, to former bodybuilder Tay-Roy, and mentally handicapped Coughlin. It's amazing to see how well the boys bond and stick together. It shows what the good side of high school sports can be- camaraderie, trust, and providing a support system. The ending did come as a bit of a surprise, but made a lot of sense within the context of T.J.'s home life and dealings with Marshall. Perfect book to show that not everyone is what they seem to be and that who you are in the community doesn't determine how you will act.

The Plain Janes

Title: The Plain Janes
Author: Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg
Publisher: New York, New York : Minx (2007)
ISBN: 9781401211158 1401211151
Pages: unpaged

5 bookmarks

After being the victim of a bombing, Jane and her family move to the suburbs from Metro City. Jane longs for the culture of the city until the day that she sits at the reject table and finds a group of girls who she fits in with. Ironically, all the girls are name Jane. Together, the four Janes form a group- PLAIN (People Loving Arts in Neighborhoods) and put on random art attacks. Unfortunately, not all the people in the suburbs like the art attacks and a curfew is imposed on the teens of the town. Through the random art attacks, the Janes are able to inspire people to bring their town to life. Our Jane is also able to finally get some closure about the bombing when she learns that "John Doe", another victim of the attack has been released from the hospital, fully recovered, and she makes plans to meet him.

I absolutely loved this book! It is a shining example of how we can overcome our personal tragedies and come out stronger for them. It also shows what can happen when people with a vision join together. A single vision can work change on an entire community for the better.

Delirium

Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: New York : Harper (2011)
ISBN: 9780061726828 0061726826
Pages: 441
Characters: Lena
5 bookmarks

Imagine a world where love is viewed as a disease that can be cured. That is the future that Lena lives in. She cannot wait until her 18th birthday when she will be able to have the treatment. A few months before she is scheduled to be cured, Lena does the unthinkable- meets a boy and falls in love with a boy who has sneaked in from the outlands. Lena discovers that her secret is found out when she is placed under house arrest and makes a desperate plan to escape.

This book is cruel in that the rest of the series is not out yet. I cannot hardly wait until the 2nd book in the series comes out next year. This book completely sucked me in and I was hardly able to put it down. Instead of going to be around 10 the night I finished it, I went to bed at 1....and didn't regret it in the least only that the book was over.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

Title: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Author: Marjane Satrapi
Publisher: New York : Pantheon Books (2003)
ISBN: 0375422307 9780375422300 037571457X 9780375714573
Pages: 153

4 bookmarks

Perseoplis is the story of Marjane, is actually the memoir of the author's childhood in Iran. Satrapi is the great-granddaughter of Iran's last emperor and the daughter of Marxist parents. Persepolis tells the story of Satrapi as she grows up in Tehran following the overthrow of the Shah, during the Islamic Revolution, and into the war with Iraq. While growing up, she ponders why everything is going on and worries about the safety of her parents as they demonstrate and people around her are arrested.

I really like Persepolis and can understand why it has been compared to Art Speigelman's Maus. I am not quite as impressed with Persepolis as I was Maus however. I did like that the book was about an area that most of us Americans do not know much about- Iran. It is fascinating to get that different perspective on things. This book would be great to use in the classroom at the high school level. It would be great to use in a history classroom to help students learn about the history of Iran.

Dangerously Alice

Title: Dangerously Alice
Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Publisher: New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers (2007)
ISBN: 9780689870941 0689870949
Pages: 294

4 bookmarks

I was first introduced to the Alice series of books when researching puberty in children's literature for a class last year. The series was mentioned repeatedly in the literature I read so I thought, what better series to read a book from than the Alice series, which has received a lot of acclaim for being realistic.

I have to admit that I was not disappointed. High school is a rough time for a lot of teens. You struggle between living up to the expectations of your teachers, parents, and peers. Most of the time during high school, it is the expectations of peers that we actually wind up living up to. This is exactly the case with Alice. It seems that through most of high school so far, Alice has pretty much followed the rules- made good grades, worked for the school paper, didn't really go out drinking and partying. When she is labeled MGT, she decides that she needs to show that she really isn't a "Miss Goody Two-shoes". When interviewed for the paper she says she wants to be a bubble dancer, dates Tony (who is notorious for being "fast"), and writes a story for the paper after pretending to be a teenage runaway. She also fights with her stepmother about the new family pet and having a car. Alice realizes that she is in over her head when she goes to a party without her parents permission and tragedy almost strikes. It's then that Alice realizes that she can't keep being the bad girl and that every action has possible consequences.

If the rest of the Alice series is as good as Dangerously Alice was, then the entire series is pretty good. While not at all one of my favorite books, Dangerously Alice was enjoyable. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor did accurately depict what it is like to be a teenager. She didn't shy away from some touchy issues that parents might not necessarily like their teens to read including fighting with parents, teenage drinking, and masturbation. This would be a great book to read to facilitate a discussion about actions having consequences if it could be approved for a reading list. We need to have books that deal with real life in our English classes.

Space Between Trees

Title: The Space Between Trees
Author: Katie Williams
Publisher: San Francisco : Chronicle Books (2010)
ISBN: 9780811871754 0811871754 9780811877299 0811877299
Pages: 274

1 bookmark

16 year old Evie feels that she has no real friends. She stretches the truth about her relationships. In order to fit in with "The Whisperers", she fabricates a relationship with Jonah, who does pest removal in Hokepe Woods where she delivers papers. When he finds her classmate Elizabeth (Zabet) murdered one day, Evie finds herself fabricating another relationship, this time to be accepted by Zabet's father. Evie quickly becomes friends with Hadley, Zabet's best friend in order to cover up her lie. Together, the two hatch a plan to find Zabet's killer. Unfortunately, someone else who is innocent gets caught in the crossfire of their plan and Evie must live with the consequences.

They say don't judge a book by its cover. This book is definitely a case where you should follow that advice. The cover of the book is fabulous- a black tree shape is cut out of the center and placed over purple end papers. The visual effect is striking, specially with barely being able to make out the girl in the background. Sadly, the rest of the book does not live up to the cover. I was seriously disappointed by this book. The premise had so much potential. Instead, the book moved slowly and Evie changed from just being annoying and whiny to being annoying, whiny, and easily manipulated. The fact that she blindly followed Hadley and at the end covered for her made Evie's character really unbelievable. I was also completely shocked at her lack of feeling in cleaning up and re-arranging Zabet's room. It was not something that I see most people doing. Real people would understand that the room didn't need to be disturbed, that Zabet's dad would take care of it in time. I also kept wanting to see some major change in Evie, maybe that she would let someone know that Hadley was crazy and living dangerously. Never happened. The whole book could have been redeemed if the surprise of the murderer had been any good. Seriously, a vagrant. I kept wanting it to be Hadley so that I could have a reason to dislike her other than her being more annoying that Evie.

Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: New York : Scholastic Press (2008)
ISBN: 9780439023481 0439023483 9780545310581 054531058X
Pages: 374
Bookmarks: 5

Awards: North Carolina Young Adult Book Award (2008), British Fantasy Award for Top Ten (2009), Georgia Peach Book Award (2009), A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year (2008), Cybils Award for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2008),
Amelia Bloomer List (2009), An ALA Notable Children's Book for Older Readers (2009), Horn Book Fanfare Best Book (2008), West Australian Young Readers' Book Award (WAYRBA) for Older Readers (2010), Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee (2011), Red House Children's Book Award for Older Readers & Overall (2010), New York Times Notable Children's Book of (2008), Publishers Weekly's Best Books of The Year, South Carolina Book Award for Junior and Young Adult Book Awards (2011), Rhode Island Teen Book Award (2010), Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (2010), ALA Teens' Top Ten (2009), Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2010), Sakura Medal for Middle School Book (2010), Silver Inky Award (2009), Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award (2009), Florida Teens Read (2009), Iowa High School Book Award Nominee (2011), ALA's Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults (2009)Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People (2009)

If book awards mean anything to you at all, clearly The Hunger Games is a great choice. Even if book awards mean nothing to you, The Hunger Games is a great choice. It is very rare that I wholeheartedly recommend a book to just about anyone. This book is one of the few instances that I can honestly say is a must read.

Panem, located in the future North America, is divided into 12 districts. The Capital rules these districts. Each year, The Capital requires that 2 tributes, one male and one female, are sent each year to participate in The Hunger Games as punishment for an uprising. The Hunger Games are an annual televised death match in which 12-18 year-olds from each district battle each other to the death in an arena designed by The Gamemakers. When Katniss's younger sister, Prim is selected, Katniss takes her place, despite participating in the Games is most likely a death sentence. Along with Peeta, the other tribute from District 12, Katniss goes to The Capital to participate in the Games. After somewhat limited preparation, Katniss, Peeta, and the other tributes are thrust into The Arena and The Hunger Games begin. Katniss quicky decides that she is in it to win, whatever the cost. However, while playing, she is confronted by the decision- is survival worth the loss of friendship, love, and their humanity.

The Hunger Games was one of those books that it is almost impossible to put down. You get sucked into the world that Collins creates and quickly become attached to the characters. It is a little disturbing to think of a world in which often brutal murders are committed by teenagers for the entertainment of others and that some of these teens are specially groomed for this role. Suzanne Collins definitely makes you think with this highly entertaining (and addictive) book.

I actually think that this book would provide a lot of good discussion in a high school English class, especially if read in conjunction with Lord of the Flies as there are some similarities in the brutality that can be found within people. Comparisons could also be drawn by history teachers with the brutality found in the Roman Empire and in Medieval Europe (although both can be argued are somewhat less disturbing than the mandatory, televised Hunger Games).

Playing with Matches

Title: Playing with Matches
Author: Brian Katcher
Publisher: New York: Delacorte Press (2008)
ISBN: 9780385735445 9780385905251 0385905254 0385735448
Pages: 294

4 bookmarks

Leon Sanders is your average teenage guy. Not terribly popular, but has a core group of close friends. He is essentially an unknown in his high school, which is better than Melody, a classmate who was badly burnt as a child and is more of an outcast. In order to escape working on a group project with a classmate he hates, one day Leon decides to work with Melody and discovers that the two of them share many interests and quickly become friends. Soon, feelings start to develop on both sides, but Leon can't get over his obsession with his dream girl Amy. Who will Leon choose, the beautiful but often petty and mean Amy or disfigured but smart and entertaining Melody?

Like much of the YA fiction that I have read, this is a bit cliched and predictable. What normal teenage boy is going to stay with a girl who is amazing but disfigured when he can have a beautiful and popular girl instead? I did like though that at the end, Leon realized that he should have stayed with Melody and that Amy was basically just going to use him. This is your typical story of "it's what's on the inside that counts". Thankfully, it is a quick read and does have some parts that are genuinely funny.

What I liked the most about the story is the transformation that Melody underwent. At the beginning of the book, she is pretty quiet and tries to stay in the background as much as possible. After becoming friends with Leon, she starts to make more friends and becomes a lot more confident and social. It was through Leon's friendship that she was able to start to value herself and not just see herself as a disfigured burn victim, but as a complete person that other people might actually like.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Title: Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Author: John Green and David Levithan
Publisher: New York: Dutton (2010)
ISBN: 0525421580 9780525421580
Pages: 310

4 bookmarks

We all know that there are other people out there who share our name. How often though, do you happen to meet someone with the exact same name as you? Chances are slim to none. However, one night in Chicago, Will Grayson does just that after being ditched by his friends who snuck into a club.

Will Grayson is best friends with Tiny (who is anything but tiny). Tiny, who is pretty flamboyantly gay, has written about his life that he wants to perform for the school. After Will Grayson introduces Tiny to the second Will Grayson, Tiny's play and the life of the original Will Grayson are changed.

While I can't say that this book was epic, or changed my life, or any number of glowing over the top compliments, I can say that it pretty much sucked me in. Despite gay Will Grayson being whiny and complaining constantly, straight Will Grayson being boring and just sort of floating through life, and Tiny being over the top, the book was enjoyable. The flaws in the characters were what actually made them believable. I loved the fact that John Green and David Levithan used the names of actual bands in real life that the characters liked.

I do have to say that the lyrics to Tiny's musical and the musical itself were epic. His musical is one that I definitely would go see. At times, they are funny enough that I would laugh, not just a snort, but an actually laugh. Unfortunately, I do not see the possibility of many high schools putting on a musical like Tiny's. While I do not want to ruin the ending, I do have to mention that it was really touching and showed that both Will Graysons had grown some over the course of the book.

An Unspeakable Crime: The Prosecution and Persecution of Leo Frank

Title: An Unspeakable Crime: The Prosecution and Persecution of Leo Frank
Author: Elaine Marie Alphin
Publisher: Minneapolis : Carolrhoda Books (2010)
ISBN: 9780822589440 0822589443
Pages: 152

2 bookmarks

Leo Frank was the superintendent of the pencil factory in Atlanta, Georgia until the fateful day in 1913 when an employee, Mary Phagan, was found murdered in the basement. While there were several other suspects, the Jewish Leo Frank quickly became the prime suspect in the murder. Following a media feeding frenzy, Leo Frank is convicted of the murder on shaky grounds. Even after his death sentence was commuted, "justice" at the hands of Georgia citizens prevailed when Frank was kidnapped and lynched for the crime.

It is true that much of what is taught in history class is taught from the perspective of white middle class males. History as taught in most high school classrooms glosses over anything that is negative in history. This is a fact that continuously bothers me. Not everything in United States history has been good. In fact, much of our history has revolved around persecuting people of different ethnicity, religion, and cultures. A compelling argument can be made that the case of Leo Frank is one of those. Much of this is lost though with the highly pro-Frank bias of the author and her sometimes condescending tone (for example explaining that there wasn't always the Internet). If a high school teacher wants to use a book in class that reveals some of the negatives of American history, they would be much better served by Lies My Teacher Told Me, That's Not in My American History Book, or The People's History of the United States

Girl by Bart Bare

Title: Girl: a novel
Author: Bart Bare
Publisher: Vilas, North Carolina : Canterbury House Publishing (2010)
ISBN: 9780982539644 0982539649
Pages: 182


4 bookmarks

Loren Creek isn't your typical teenager. Most teenagers live with their parents. Loren lives by herself, illegally. After her mother dies from cancer and the state tries to force her into foster care, Loren runs away from the mountains of Tennessee and crosses over into Boone, North Carolina with the help of 2 friends. There, she sets up a new life, disguised as Lorne. Living as Lorne, she rents a house from an old man, posing as his grandson and enrolls in the local high school. There, Lorne is one of the guys and even becomes one of the stars on the football team. All the while, her caseworker from Tennessee is desperate to find her. Living a double life as Lorne is hard on Loren, but she makes the best of it and is able to get by until disaster strikes during a game. Then, the truth about her past and her identity comes out with surprising results.

While the book was pretty well written Loren/Lorne does not always seem like a teenager. She seems to be more of an adult that some of the adults in the book. She's more responsible and insightful than a lot of the adults that I know. I can't make up my mind whether or not this was intentional.

I think that this book seemed a bit more real because it is set in Boone, NC. I have spent a good deal of time there, and Bart Bare is able to capture the city well.