Spirited Away directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Miyazaki, Hayao (Director). Spirited Away.
Studio Ghibli. 2003.
Screenplay: Hayao Miyazaki.
Run time: 125 minutes.
Rating: PG.

Watcher’s Annotation
Chihiro's parents have become pigs after eating food meant of the spirits, but with the help of Haku she will be able to restore them and escape back into her own world.

Plot Summary
10-year-old Chihiro is moving from her home. During the drive to their new house, her parents get lost. The find the ruins of an old amusement part. The smell of food draws her parents. They find a market place full of stalls with no people present. Her parents sit down and begin to eat everything. Chihiro does not join them and becomes increasingly alarmed when they begin to transform into pigs. To save her parents Haku, a boy she meets, tells her she will have to go to the bathhouse and ask Kamaji for work. Kamaji sends Chihiro to Yubaba (the witch) who runs the bathhouse. Yubaba agrees to hire Chihiro to save her parents, but only if she gives Yubaba her name. Chihiro becomes Sen. The Bathhouse and the marketplace where her parents ate all belong to the spirits. At first Chihiro is frightened but she is soon befriended by Lin. Haku, who is really a water spirit, helps Chirhiro save her parents, and in doing so has his own name restored. Chihiro saves her parents and they return to the mortal world.

Critical Evaluation
Miyakai is famous for his beautifully animated films, and this is one of his best. He takes Japanese myths and legends, and brings them to the screen. The color styling for this film is vibrant, and the scenes in the bathhouse are realistic. His protagonist, Chihiro is spunky and single-minded in her determination to save her parents from becoming bacon. Along the way she also helps Yubaba’s baby son grow up a little. The voice talents are also very good. Miyazaki has chosen actors with many credits to their names. Suzanne Pleshette’s gravelly voice is perfect for the dual roll of twin witch sisters. His choice of Daveigh Chase is inspired. She has just the right amount of stubbornness and appeal to create a character that the audience will care about. This film won the Academy Award for Best Animated film in 2003, and to date it is the highest grossing non-American film in history. I would recommend this film to any young person who loves anime, or graphic novels because it has the same vibe and unique storyline.

Genre
Animation, fantasy, adventure

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Some scary images for younger children.

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the film and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Internet Movie Database (IMDb) at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245429/externalreviews
· Try to get reviews of the film from teens that have seen it.

Why I included this title
I like the film and it is included on the ALA 2009 Best Films for Young Adults.

The Return of the King directed by Peter Jackson

Jackson, Peter (Director). The Return of the King.
New Line Cinema. 2003.
Screenplay by: Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, Peter Jackson.
Run time: 251 minutes (extended edition).
Rating: PG-13

Watcher’s Annotation
The final battle looms in front of Aragon and Frodo. Aragorn tries to protect Minas Tirith, while Frodo prepares to send the one ring into the fire of Mordor.

Plot Summary
As the last film of the series opens, Frodo, Sam and Gollum have nearly reached Mordor in their quest to destroy the one ring created by Sauron. In a parallel story Aragorn and his crew, along with Gandalf have successfully defeated the enemy in Rohan. The armies of Rohan are called to aid Gondor. As friend and foe meet for a final clash in Minas Tirith, Frodo and Sam continue on their journey in Mordor. As the great battle ensues Aragorn rallies the forces to draw attention away from the Hobbits in Mordor. Frodo can’t destroy the ring, but in hand-to-hand combat with Gollum, the ring falls into the volcano. Both Gollum and the ring destroyed, the Hobbits find safety on a craggy outcropping as the volcano erupts around them. Gandalf and the eagles find the Hobbits and save them. Aragorn is crown King of the West, and the Hobbits return home from the war. Later, Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf and Galadriel travel to the west to the Elven homeland.

Critical Evaluation
This is the final film in the trilogy created by Peter Jackson. The films adapted from the classic novels of JRR Tolkien are all very good, but the final film The Return of the King is the culminating experience. The world Jackson created from  Tolkien’s work is amazing. Critics have stated that important portions of the books are absent in the film version. It has always been the nature of film to adapt as necessary to fit the time constraints presented. In addition, Jackson has tracked the film to flow smoothly in a consistent manner. This is especially evident in the second and third films where the story lines diverge in two separate directions. Jackson handles the divergence masterfully. The acting for the final movie is good, especially that of Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn). Mortensen makes the role his own. In the first films he does not wish to assume his rightful place as king.  In the last film he has resigned himself to the role. This film won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2003. I do not know if the Academy considered the entire series when they voted, but they truly chose a masterpiece.

Genre
Fantasy

Curriculum ties
The novel is a classic. It might be used in English classes.

Challenge Issues
Violence

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the film and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Internet Movie Database (IMDb) at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167260/externalreviews.
· Try to get reviews of the film from teens that have seen it.

Why I included this title
One of my favorite films of all time, and it is an Academy Award winner.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl.
Laurel Leaf. 2004 (2000).
ISBN: 8780440416777
$6.99. Paperback. 208 pages.

Readers Annotation
Uniquely individual, Stargirl has everyone talking, but it isn’t all good. Can Leo resist the peer pressure to dump the girl he likes just so he can fit in?

Plot Summary
Stargirl Caraway has been homeschooled her entire life, so when she arrives at Mica High School she has never been exposed to the cliques and groups of a normal high school. Stargirl is a nonconformist. She wears the fashions her mother creates, doesn’t wear makeup, brings her pet rat to school, and plays the ukulele during lunch break. The students don’t know what to make of her. She is kind, thoughtful and supremely self-confident. Leo Borlock is attracted to her and soon they start dating. Leo pressures Stargirl into conforming to his perceived standards, and soon Stargirl is going by the name Susan and worrying about peer pressure. Leo isn’t sure if he likes the girl she is becoming and breaks away from her. Stargirl is also pressured into an interview on the school’s radio station where she is humiliated. The student body turns on her and Stargirl is now alone, her self-confidence is shattered. She decides to return to the girl she was, and leave the school. She returns one last time for a dance, where she leads the students in the bunny hop.

Critical Evaluation
I read this story a long time ago and was struck by how courageous the Stargirl character was in the face of tremendous pressure to conform. Jerry Spinelli has imbued his character with a spirit bordering on the supernatural. I only felt sorry for Leo. He lost the girl of his dreams, and he lost his chance to break free from the old school mold. His discovery that it was Stargirl who sent him the porcupine quill necklace shows just how caring and benevolent Stargirl really was. Stargirl is really more like a mythical creature (maybe angelic), sent to Earth to teach lessons in kindness and benevolence to people who lack those traits. Her disappearance adds even more to the mythology. Leo as narrator implies that 15 years have gone by since Stargirl disappeared, and for him it seems little has changed. Except for the day he again receives a porcupine necklace for his birthday. This book is deeply touching, and remains in my memory (like Leo’s) as a favorite.

Information about the author
Jerry Spinelli (1941-) won a Newbury for his novel Maniac Magee, and a Newbery honor for Wringer. You can find out more about him on his website at http://www.jerryspinelli.com/newbery_002.htm

Genre
Narrative fiction, contemporary life

Curriculum ties
Self-esteem, bullying issues

Challenge Issues
None

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this book. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could read the book and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have read the book. You can find out more about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Stargirl-Readers-Circle-Jerry-Spinelli/dp/0440416779/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260324197&sr=1-1

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss Stargirl’s self-esteem and how she isn’t bothered by what people think.
2. Talk about Leo’s attempt to change Stargirl.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 12 and up

Why I included this title
This book is on the 2000 ALA Best Books for Young Adults list.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Brashares, Ann. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
Delacourt Press. 2001.
ISBN: 0385730586.
$8.95. Paperback. 294 pages

Readers Annotation
Four girls and one magical pair of jeans embark on a summer adventure none of them will forget.

Plot Summary
For the first time since their birth, four best friends: Lena, Tibby, Bridget and Carmen are spending the summer apart. Carmen, half Puerto Rican, buys a pair of jeans from a thrift store on a whim. Somehow, magically the jeans fit each girl although they have very different figures. Together they decide that the pants must have some kind of good mojo, so they create The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Each girl will wear the pants for a week before forwarding them to the next friend. Lena travels to Greece to visit her Grandparents. Bridget travels to Baja California to attend soccer camp. Carmen goes to visit her Dad in South Carolina. Tibby is the only girl staying home because she has a job at Wallman’s. Each of the girls faces a crisis that they must cope with alone. For each of them the Traveling Pants is the linking force in their friendship as they learn about love, family, and death.

Critical Evaluation
Brashares does a very complicated thing and makes it look easy. She takes four characters, gives them individual voices, and places in a story that manages to remain contiguous, easily read, and enjoyable. Brashares uses the epistolary format for part of the novel. Each girl has a set of troubles that she must learn to overcome. Lena must deal with the fallout from a misinterpreted situation with the boy Kostos. Bridget (Bee) has her first sexual encounter with a camp counselor. Carmen discovers her Dad is getting married again and will have a second family. Tibby befriends a little girl dying from leukemia. Although Brashares is dealing with big life changing subjects she is not heavy handed. The book is a little gem that I would recommend to any student.

Information about the author
Brashares is the author the the “Sisterhood” series of books. She also has a website that is connected to her blog. However her biography hasn’t been updated since 2008. You can find out more about http://annbrashares.com/

Genre
Fiction, epistolary novel

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Underage sex

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the book and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Sisterhood-Traveling-Pants-Book/dp/0553494791/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260311481&sr=8-1
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about how Carmen finds the pants and they fit all the girls.
2. Discuss the characters individual issues, for example: Lena and Costos.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult. Ages 13 and up.

Why I included this title
This book is on the 2001 Best Books for Young Adults list.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Marr, Melissa. Wicked Lovely.
HarperTeen. 2007.
ISBN: 9780061214677
$8.99. Paperback. 352 pages.

Readers Annotation
Aislinn has always been able to see faeries, and now they taking notice of her.

Plot Summary
Aislinn, a seventeen-year-old Catholic schoolgirl has always been able to see faeries. Her grandmother has warned her to be careful not to acknowledge their presence or the consequences will be dire. Everything is fine until she catches the eye of the faery Summer King, Keenan. As he begins a game of seduction to lure Aislinn into becoming his Summer Queen, the Winter Queen (his mother ) plots to stop him. While the Winter Queen rules faery, winter continues to become longer and colder. The coming of the Summer Queen is destined to restore order to faery. Aislinn’s best friend Seth worries that he will lose her to Keenan. His fears are justified when Aislinn drinks the summer wine and dances in faery all night. Aislinn doesn’t know that the transformation to become the Summer Queen is already taking place. When she discovers that she is changing she runs to her safe harbor – Seth’s boxcar home. There she realizes that it is Seth’s love she craves and not Keenan’s. To save faery she agrees to become the Summer Queen in name only so that she and Seth can remain together as lovers.  This is book one of series.

Critical Evaluation
Marr’s novel is in keeping with the current trend of urban faery stories. Like Holly Black, Marr has created a faery world that exists side-by-side with our own. In both world’s there are only a few that have the gift of sight, and for them the world is far more dangerous place. However, Marr’s novel is not as gritty as the books by Black. While Wicked Lovely has some interesting difference, like Aislinn’s ability to choose which world she will inhabit, it lacks the danger prevalent in Black’s work. Marr tells us that faery is dangerous, but Black shows us it really is. Marr practically skips over the politics of the faery court. Instead, her story is more focused on the relationship between the Summer and Winter courts as parent and child. Marr’s story rambles around a bit, and seems a bit long. After reading both novels I think I could recommend both but for different reasons. If want more drama and violence you should read Holly Black’s Tithe, but if you want a love story, you should read Wicked Lovely.

Information about the author
At this writing Marr’s website is under reconstruction. Some pages are accessible but the home page is not. Instead you can look here for information about Melissa: http://www.harperteen.com/contests/wickedlovely/

Genre
Fantasy, Urban faery mythology

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Sexual situations

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the book and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_4_13?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=wicked+lovely+by+melissa+marr&sprefix=wicked+lovely
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss how Aislinn can see faeries.
2. Discuss her relationships with Keenan and Set.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 15 and up.

Why I included this title
The book was recommended at Hickelbee’s books, and I enjoy the genre.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Hale, Shannon. Book of a Thousand Days.
Bloomsbury. 2007.
ISBN: 9781599903781.
$17.95. Hardcover. 336 pages.

Readers Annotation
Locked in a tower for seven years with her mistress, Dashti is happy to serve. But when Lady Saren refuses to speak with her betrothed Dashti impersonates her, and she finds herself falling in love with the nobleman.

Plot Summary
16-year-old Lady Saren refuses to marry Lord Khasar, the man her father has chosen for her. As punishment she is locked in a tower with her lady’s maid, Dashti. Told from Dashti’s perpective as entries in a diary, we learn that before she became a maid she was a child of the steppes and orphaned. Because she could sing the healing songs she was trained to become a maid. Pledging herself to her mistress she soon learns that their fate is to be imprisoned together for seven years. Saren is miserable, while Dashti is joyful at having a place to live and food to eat for such a long time. Lady Saren is visited by two suitors. Lord Khasar who thinks the imprisonment will break her, and Khan Tegus from the neighboring city Song for Evela. Saren refuses to speak to either and forces Dhasti to speak to Tegus in her stead. Dhasti discovers that Tegus is as kind as Khasar is cruel. Their imprisonment is cut short by the destruction of the city. Dashti and Saren escape on foot. Together the girls discover that their destinies are more entwined than they had imagined.

Critical Evaluation
Hale’s novel is intriguing. Written in a diary style, it seems like a historic novel although it isn’t. The novel is based on an unknown story by the Brothers Grimm and has a fairytale vibe like her earlier Newbury winning novel The Princess Academy. This novel takes place in ancient central Asia, which has not been explored as story location in any novel I have read. Most critics said that they felt this book was magical, but I am not enamored. I found the story very slow, difficult to follow, and I barely finished it. Dashti is a well-developed character but the book held no surprises. From the beginning I knew how the book was going to end. I loved Hale’s Princess Academy, and her new graphic novel Rapunzel’s Revenge, but I will have difficulty giving this book a solid thumbs up.

Information about the author
Shannon Hale lives with her husband and two small children near Salt Lake City, Utah. She is the author of six young adult novels, and two adult novels. You can find out more about her on her website at http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html.

Genre
Fantasy.

Curriculum ties
None.

Challenge Issues
None.

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this book. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could read the book and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have read the book. You can find out more about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Book-Thousand-Days-Shannon-Hale/dp/1599903784/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260298468&sr=1-1.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss the imprisonment of Dashti and Saren.
2. Talk about their escape from the tower.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 14 to 17.

Why I included this title
I enjoyed Princess Academy, and Rapunzel’s Revenge and it was recommended by Hicklebee’s Books.

10 Things I Hate About You directed by Gil Junger

Junger, Gil (Director). 10 Things I Hate About You.
Touchstone Pictures. 1999.
Screenplay: Karen McCullah Lutz, and Kirsten Smith.
Based on a play by William Shakespeare.
Run time: 97 min.
Rating: PG-13

Watcher’s Annotation
Outcast Kat isn’t interested in dating anyone at Padua High School, but her sister Bianca is determined to set her up with Patrick so she can finally begin dating.

Cast
Heath Ledger, Patrick Verona
Julia Stiles, Kat Stratford
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cameron James
Larisa Oleynick, Bianca Stratford
David Crumholtz, Michael
Larry Miller, Walter Stratford
Andrew Keegan, Joey Donner

Plot Summary
This modern version of William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, is set in Tacoma at the fictional Padua High School. Michael introduces new transfer student Cameron to the ins-and-outs of the campus. When Cameron spots sophomore Bianca Stratford, Michael warns Cameron to set his sites elsewhere because Bianca’s older sister will make his life hell. Katerina “Kat” Stratford is part of the loser crowd because is so hostile. Cameron, with help from Michael and Joey Donner, concocts a play to pay Patrick Verona, a guy with a possible shady past to date Kat, leaving Cameron and Joey free to vie for Bianca’s affections. Bianca slowly comes to like Patrick even though she doubts his sincerity. Kat is suspicious of Patrick’s interest in her, and when she uncovers the plan set forth by Cameron and Joey she leaves him at the prom. Patrick takes the money he earned for dating Kat and buys her a guitar. The pair makes up.

Critical Evaluation
This movie is very loosely based on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. Some of the names are a close match (like Padua High), and Stiles plays a shrewish kind of high school girl, but it is really a teen formula piece. The movie is teen-boy-meets-girl film, with little to recommend it beyond some very funny scenes. Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona steals the film with his rendition of “I love you Baby,” on the bleachers. When he looks at Stiles you really believe he is falling for her. Stiles as the smart-alecky Kat, shines when she gives her English professor hell during class. Together Stiles and Ledger have a definite chemistry that makes you wish they could have made another film together. Oleynick as Bianca, Kat’s boy crazy younger sister is charming, and her love interest Gordon-Leavitt is a classic good guy.  Miller as Dad Stratford is suitably clueless about his daughters, but he does have several a very good scene involving a pregnancy suit that he forces daughter Bianca to wear before she goes out.  Scenes of a drunken Kat dancing on a table, and flashing her breasts to spring Patrick out of detention could have been left out, but it seems that teen films require these scenes as part of their formula. I like this movie, and I seen it several times, but as soon as the singing scene is done I always shut it off.

Genre
Romantic comedy.

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Crude sex-related humor and discussion, teen alcohol and drug use.

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the film and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Internet Movie Database (IMDb) at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0147800/externalreviews
· Try to get reviews of the film from teens that have seen it.

Why I included this title
I like the film (within reason), and it is included on the ALA 2009 Best Films for Young Adults.

Outside Beauty by Cynthia Kadohata

Kadohata, Cynthia. Outside Beauty.
Antheneum. 2009.
ISBN: 9781416998181
$16.99. Hardcover. 288 pages.

Readers Annotation
Shelby’s mother has had a terrible accident, and how she and her sisters will have to live with their fathers – apart for the first time.

Plot Summary
Shelby is one of four sisters by four different fathers. When their mother suffers a terrible disfiguring car accident the girls are forced to live with their respective fathers. The mother Helen Kimura is a Japanese bombshell who collects men along with their money whatever expensive jewelry they buy her. She usually leaves them by moving to a new city with her daughters. The girls are very close with the eldest taking care of the younger. Eldest Marilyn is 16 and half Italian. Shelby, the narrator is 13 and fully Japanese American. Lakey, age 8 is half Chinese, and youngest sister Maddie is 6, and half anglo. After the girls separate to live with their fathers, Shelby begins to suspect that Maddie's father is abusing her. Shelby, living in rural Arkansas with a father she barely knows is a revelation. She comes to appreciate her father for his quiet ways and knowledge. It is the girl’s fierce loyalty and determination that keeps them together in tough times.

Critical Evaluation
The novel is placed in the 1980’s without any of the cultural references expected. The novel feels like it should be placed in the ‘50s or ‘60s because – who has four daughters with four different men when birth control is so readily available? Mother Helen Kimura is a modern geisha girl. She basically prostitutes herself to get the things she wants. The only thing she cares about is beauty – the beauty you can see on the outside, not the beauty of a personality or soul. She is very shallow and selfish. When she is in involved in the accident and her faced is ruined she basically has a mental breakdown. Shelby is an insightful narrator, but comes across as much older than her 13 years. When I finished this book I wondered what the author was really saying about beauty. Maybe Kadohata just wanted to tell girls that beauty is a fleeting thing, and they are better off with familial love and being smart rather than beautiful. It seems that the author took the long way around to get to that message.  The relationship between the sisters, and Shelby and her father are precious and realistic.  Those moments are the best thing about the book.

Information about the author
Cynthia Kadohata (1956-) won the Newbery Medal for her novel Kira-Kira in 2005. Her website has not been updated to include this book (or maybe she is ignoring it). You can find out more about Cynthia and her family at http://www.kira-kira.us/.

Genre
Narrative Fiction

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Promiscuity

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the book and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Outside-Beauty-Cynthia-Kadohata/dp/1416998187/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260280946&sr=1-1
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
I wouldn’t booktalk this novel because I don’t like it.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 12 and up.

Why I included this title
I like Kadohata’s Kira-Kira, so I thought I would like this book too.

Juno directed by Jason Reitman

Reitman, Jason (Director). Juno.
Fox Searchlight. 2007.
Screenplay: Diablo Cody
Run time: 96 minutes.
Rating: PG-13.

Watcher’s Annotation 
Juno is 16 and pregnant with Paulie Bleeker's baby.  All she needs now is a nice family to adopt their child.
Cast
Ellen Page, Juno MacGuff
Michael Cera, Paulie Bleeker
Jennifer Garner, Vanessa Loring
Jason Bateman, Mark Loring
Alison Janney, Brenda MacDuff
J.K. Simmons, Mac MacGuff
Olivia Thirlby, Leah


Plot Summary
In this comedy 16-year-old Juno MacGuff discovers she is pregnant with best friend, Paulie Bleeker’s baby, and she doesn’t know what to do. She decides to have a quick abortion, but is put off when a schoolmate is outside the abortion clinic. Talking with her friend Leah she then decides to put the baby up for adoption. After finding an ad in the Pennysaver, Juno then tells her father and stepmother about the baby. First shocked by Juno’s news, the parents try to support her decision. Juno is happy with her selection of the adoptive parents. Vanessa and Mark Long have a nice house, and good jobs, but Vanessa is a little standoffish. Mark, on the other hand, is happy to have a little buddy to talk to about music and slasher movies. As Juno’s pregnancy progresses she stops by Mark and Vanessa’s house occasionally to fill them in on baby news. Juno brings out Mark’s inner child. He makes a mild pass at Juno and tells her he is leaving his wife. Juno is furious, and Vanessa is heartbroken because she really wanted Juno’s baby. Juno makes a deal with Vanessa that excludes Mark, and when the baby is born Vanessa becomes the adoptive mother. In a parallel story, Paulie (a track star) feels slighted by Juno and decides to take another girl to the prom. Juno is jealous and begins to realize that she is in love with him. They become a couple just before the baby is born.

Critical Evaluation
Although it doesn’t sound like it from the plot summary the film is very funny and touching. Diablo Cody wrote a sweet treatise with another viewpoint about teen pregnancy. Sometimes things happen and it all works out for the best. This movie is not a big sobfest. Cody’s characters are superb, and the acting is natural and understated. Ellen Page as Juno is a wise cracking teen that admits that she’s just a kid. Her boyfriend, Michael Cera as Paulie just wants to do what’s best and still be Juno’s best friend. Mom (Alison Janney) and Dad MacGuff (J.K. Simmons) are probably the funniest characters of all. When they find out that Juno is pregnant there is no screaming and yelling, they just comment that it might have been easier if Juno had gotten a DWI. They are smart and funny parents, which is unheard of in a teen film. It’s true that Juno doesn’t talk like a normal teenager. Yet she is compelling. Underneath her snarky exterior is a really nice kid who is trying to do her best. The quirky soundtrack by Kimya Dawson is perfection. This film was nominated for many awards including Best Picture at the Oscar’s. Cody won the award for Best Screenplay in 2007.

Genre
Comedy, contemporary issue.

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Teen pregnancy

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the film and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Internet Movie Database (IMDb) at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467406/externalreviews
· Try to get reviews of the film from teens that have seen it.

Why I included this title
I like the film and it is included on the ALA 2009 Best Films for Young Adults.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Patterson, James. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment.
Little, Brown and Company. 2005.
ISBN: 9780316067959
$7.99. Paperback. 464 pages.

Readers Annotation
Maximum Ride is a girl with wings on a mission to save her flock from the scientists at the Institute.

Plot Summary
Maximum Ride is a genetically enhanced 14-year-old. She and five others escaped from the Institute with help from a sympathetic scientist named Jeb. Max and her flock all have wings and can fly. As they travel around trying to remain incognito, they begin to experience newfound supernatural talents. Mutant wolf men called the Erasures hunt the children relentlessly. They discover along the way that Jeb, the man they thought of as a father figure, and who helped them escape is responsible for hunting them with the Erasures. As the flock tries to find their reason for being, one of them is captured. Little Angel, only 6-years-old is returned to the institute. The kids rescue Angel, and set off on adventure after adventure, where they are nearly caught each time, but manage to escape. In the meantime, Max develops a little voice in her head that tells her what the gang should be doing. It tells her that she should be focused on saving the world and not locating the parents of the flock.

Critical Evaluation
This series is extremely popular with younger young adult readers. The book is thick, and the chapters are broken down into tiny chunks (think short attention spans). There is little character development. The book is all about action. There is so much action that scenes become redundant, and seem to be repeating. At one point I though I was rereading the same chapter. While the idea behind the book is entertaining (kids with wings), the prose is limited. Some critics have said that the book reminded them of a video game. Maybe this is true, but it reminded me of those two-minute stories that you can read in one sitting while on the toilet. I’m not really sure what my young friends see in this series of books, but I know that I won’t get suckered into reading another one.

Information about the author
James Patterson is a prolific writer that has had many books on the NY Times Best Sellers list. You can find out more about his many adult series, and the Maximum Ride series on his website at http://www.jamespatterson.com/index.php.

Genre
Science fiction, fantasy, action, adventure

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Violence

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the book and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Experiment-Maximum-Ride-Book/dp/0316067954/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260260450&sr=1-1
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
I will not booktalk this novel because I do not like it.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult

Why I included this title
Recommended by a teen.

The House of Dance by Peg Kephart

Kephart, Peg. The House of Dance.
HarperTeen. 2008.
ISBN: 9780061429286.
$16.99. Hardcover. 272 pages.

Readers Annotation
Rosie’s wants to give her father one last gift before he dies. She wants to learn to dance for him like her grandmother used to do.

Plot Summary
Rosie’s widowed grandfather is dying of cancer, and her mother hasn’t spoken to him in years. Her mother is also having an affair with a married man. It is only the beginning of summer and Rosie told by her mother to see to her grandfather’s needs. Rosie loves spending time with him. Together they decide to go through his belongings and decide which items should be thrown out, given away, or kept ‘in trust.’ In performing this task Rosie sees and hears her grandfather’s life. While listening to her grandfather’s collection of LPs, Rosie discovers that her grandmother loved to dance the foxtrot. She comes to know him better, and as a final gift she decides to throw him a party. Rosie notices a dance studio on the second floor of a building she passes everyday. As she watches she decides that she will take ballroom dance lessons so that she may dance for her grandfather as her grandmother once did. The dance studio has some quirky characters, and she makes new friends while learning to dance. Yet, Rosie gains more from her lessons than a few dance moves, she also gains self confidence.

Critical Evaluation
This is a beautifully written novel. It is filled with lyrical prose that is laden with descriptions of the natural world. A literary novel, this book focuses on the emotions of losing someone you love, while pulling your family together again. Rosie tells the story in a poetic first person narrative. Kephart’s character development of Rosie and her grandfather are nearly perfect. There relationship is loving and sentimental. Rosie’s mother treats her as if she was an adult already, and her relationship with a married man is creepy. While she both loves and derides her mother’s romantic decision-making, it is her relationship with her grandfather that gives her emotional sustenance. A budding romantic relationship between Rosie and the boy next door is never fully realized, but you wouldn’t expect it to be in this type of novel where the focus is on the passing of a loved one. The story is slow, and drawn out, just as Rosie wants her remaining time to be with her grandfather. This book is for a young adult reader who has a budding love of literature, and wants to read a sentimental story.

Information about the author
Peg Kephart currently teaches advanced fiction writing at the University of Pennsylvania. Although she doesn’t have a permanent web address, she has a blog that you can find at http://beth-kephart.blogspot.com/.

Genre
Contemporary fiction

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
None

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this book. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could read the book and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have read the book. You can find out more about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/House-Dance-Beth-Kephart/dp/0061429287/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_5.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss why Rosie is helping her Grandfather go through his possessions.
2. Talk about Rosie’s relationship with her mother.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 13 and up.

Why I included this title
I discovered this book last summer and it stuck with me. It is a lovely read.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire.
Scholastic Press. 2009.
ISBN: 9780439023498
$17.99. Hardcover. 400 pages.

Readers Annotation
Katniss and Peeta return to District 12 after their victory at The Hunger Games, but trouble awaits them as the districts begin an upraising.

Plot Summary
Katniss and Peeta’s dual win at The Hunger Games leaves the Districts breathless. Caught in a love triangle between her long-time friend Gale, and Peeta, Katniss must choose between them. Her onscreen romance at the Games with Peeta forces the two to prove to the masses that they are truly in love. This creates further strife between the three young people. As they travel on their victory tour they begin to notice signs of the beginning of an uprising. Katniss is placed as a kind of figurehead of the revolutionary movement, and it is not a safe place to be. Threatened by President Snow, Katniss fears for the safety of her family and friends. When the Central Government places District 12 under 24-hour guard their fears are realized. Announcing the beginning of the 75 Hunger Games, or Quarter Quell, President Snow informs the citizens of Panem that the participants of this game will come from the pool of winners of past games. This means that Katniss and Peeta will again compete. The competition is shorter and is never completed because revolution erupts.  Katniss and Peeta are separated, and District 12 is no more.

Critical Evaluation
This novel picks up where the The Hunger Games left off. Collins answers the questions left over from the first novel, but now adds a substantial layer of political intrigue. Katniss, now the figurehead of the revolution is placed in the center of a firestorm, and the Central Government will do anything to get rid of her. They know that they can’t martyr her, so the send her back to the games hoping that she will die in the arena. The villainous government inflicts pain on its people, and thinks nothing of sending the District Citizens to their deaths. As in the first book, the characters are realistic. The blossoming romances between Peeta, Gale and Katniss are complicated. She doesn’t really know what her feelings are for either young man until the end of the book. Katniss is troubled at first by being used as a symbol for the revolution, but soon she begins to believe that something must be done when her family is threatened. The long-suffering Peeta tries to hang on to Katniss even though she has feelings for Gale also. The romance set against the backdrop of a revolution is like a beacon of hope for young people. This book is as good as the last and I am anxiously awaiting the third installment of the series which is due to be released on August 24, 2010.

Information about the author
Collins writes that she spent too much time as a child watching gladiator movies as a child. She has written for children’s television since 1991. She is currently working on the third installment of The Hunger Games trilogy. You can find out more about her at http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/index.htm

Genre
Science Fiction, Fantasy, horror

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Violence

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the book and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Catching-Fire-Second-Hunger-Games/dp/0439023491/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_img_in
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss the beginning of a revolution against Central Government of Panem.
2. Talk about Katniss her relationships with Peeta and Gale.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 15 and up

Why I included this title
This book is sure to be on some best books lists in the coming year.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games.
Scholastic Press. 2008.
ISBN: 9780439023481
$17.99. Hardcover. 384 pages.

Readers Annotation
To be chosen for the Hunger Games is almost certain death, and Katniss has just volunteered to compete.

Plot Summary
16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, lives in District 12 of what remains of the United States. As punishment to the remaining districts for waging war, the central government of Panem requires them to send tributes to the city. One boy and one girl, ages 12 to 17 are chosen by lottery to compete in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are televised in all the districts and viewing is mandatory. When Katniss’ little sister Prim is chosen, Katniss takes her place. Also chosen from the district is Peeta the baker’s son. The Games are brutal and deadly. Only one contender can win, and that winner will is promised money, food and fame. Katniss who has grown up in the wild country of what was once Appalachia can hunt and kill, but she knows she is unprepared to compete against the Careers who have prepared their whole lives for the Games. Peeta is even less prepared. Yet Katniss does become a contender, and she must decide if she will keep her humanity or lose it playing the Game.

Critical Evaluation
Informed by Greek mythology, gladiator films and “Survivor,” Collin’s Hunger Games is an extraordinary novel. She has created characters that we care about despite their situation. Katniss is cold and calculating while playing the Games, yet we care about her survival and mental health. Peeta is the good guy who usually gets killed, but in this case Katniss saves them both.  Peeta values his humanity, and ultimately teaches Katniss what matters most in the games.  It isn't winning, it is not losing your humanity.  In the end, only Katniss and Peeta remain as contenders and they each refuse to kill the other.  The real villain in the story is the Central Government, who forces the districts into poverty, and then demands the deaths of their children for all to see. What could be worse for a family than to see their child murdered on camera? This is a book I had trouble putting down. It makes you wonder if, in the future, such horror could occur. Society today is watching hours of broadcast news, and reality TV shows. Lately it seems as if the two are blending together at an alarming rate. Young adults will appreciate the gritty, honest characters that inhabit this world, while comparing our existing society to the dystopian world of the Games.

Information about the author
Collins writes that she spent too much time as a child watching gladiator movies as a child. She has written for children’s television since 1991. She is currently working on the third installment of The Hunger Games trilogy. You can find out more about her at http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/index.htm.

Genre
Science Fiction, Fantasy, horror

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Violence

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the book and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023483/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260244829&sr=1-3
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss the history of the Hunger Games.
2. Talk about Katniss and Peeta and their reactions to be chosen to compete.

Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison

Harrison, Kim. Once Dead, Twice Shy 
(Madison Avery, Book 1).
HarperCollins. 2009.
ISBN: 9780061718167
16.99. Hardcover. 240 pages.

Readers Annotation
Madison Avery went to the prom and died – sort of.

Plot Summary
When Madison Avery left the prom with a handsome stranger she doesn’t expect to die.  Before he could stab her with his sword she steals his amulet and gets away.  She discovers that although her body is dead and missing she still exists. Now she’s stuck in between life and death. Not really dead, but certainly not alive. As long as she carries the amulet she appears to be living so she continues to go to school. After all she’ll have to get a job someday. She doesn’t know why the dark reaper tried to kill her, and she isn’t going to sit around trying to figure it out. When the story begins Madison is already in training with Barnabas, to be a light reaper. Light reapers are the good guys who try to prevent the killings of the dark reapers. Madison has taken the amulet of the dark timekeeper Kairos. The timekeepers have the ability to move through the time stream. One is dark, the other light. It’s all about balance in the cosmos. Overseeing the reapers are the Seraphs, a high order of angels. Madison is also protected by a guardian angel named Grace, and she has a cute new boyfriend named Josh. If she can figure out why Kairos wants her truly dead, she might just have a chance of staying alive.

Critical Evaluation
Although she doesn’t admit it, it seems as if Harrison has been influenced by the cable television show Dead Like Me. With her usual joyfulness Harrison has created a world where grim reapers and guardian angels really exist. Yet unlike her Hallows series, this novel could have used a little more time in editing. There are plot holes, but Harrison is known to employ them in future storylines. Plus, the novel bogs down in several places. It’s almost as if she has left off writing the novel, come back to it and forget where she was. It is confusing. This is her first young adult novel and claims to be the first book in a series. We can only hope the future novels have more clarity.

Information about the author
Kim Harrison is the author of The Hallows series of books. You can find out more about her on her website at http://www.kimharrison.net/index.html.

Genre
Fantasy, horror, teen dating

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
None (the violence is very mild).

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this book. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could read the book and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have read the book. You can find out more about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Once-Dead-Twice-Madison-Avery/dp/0061718165/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260231309&sr=1-1

Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about how Madison becomes a reaper trainee.
2. Talk about her relationship with Josh.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 15 and up.

Why I included this title
The is the first YA novel by Harrison, and I am a fan of her Hallows series.

Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie by Holly Black

Black, Holly. Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie.
Simon & Schuster. 2005.
ISBN: 0689868227.
$16.99. Hardcover. 336 pages.

Readers Annotation
Betrayed by her mother, Valerie runs away to New York City only to find herself living in the subway system tunnels and addicted to faery drugs.

Plot Summary
Valerie Russell, a 17-year-old runaway finds herself living in the subway tunnels under New York City with a troop of captivating homeless teens. Lolli, Luis and Dave all work for a mysterious creature making deliveries of a substance called Nevermore: “Never more than once a day, never more than a pinch at a time, and never more than two days in a row,” Lolli tells Val. As Val becomes more and more addicted to the substance, Lolli talks her into approaching the troll who supplies the creatures of New York their drugs. The troll, Ravus agrees to hire Val as another runner to deliver the products necessary for their survival outside of faery. But faery folk are dying, and Ravus is accused of poisoning them. Val finds that she is beginning to fall in love with the honorable troll. Ravus teaches the very athletic Val how to fight with a sword so she can better protect herself against faeries. Val is not there when Ravus is attacked and his heart is stolen. Val travels with Luis to the Unseelie Court. She makes a deal with King Roiben (from the book Tithe). If Val can defeat Mabry she can have Ravus’ heart back. After Val successfully defeats Mabry, and returns his heart, she and Ravus decide to stay together.

Critical Evaluation
Holly Black has written three stories of a beautiful, but brutal faery kingdom. In this novel, Val is an angry, angst-filled teen that quickly becomes addicted to a faery susbstance.
As she descends into addiction she becomes deeply tangled in the politics of the faery courts without even knowing it. She is flawed - but trying to find a way out of the situation. For Val she finds a hero and romantic partner in an exiled troll. Like all of Black’s novels that I have read, there are parts that are difficult to stomach, and this novel is no different. Val witness’s barbarism and cruelty, when she has already been wounded by her mother’s betrayal. Yes, it’s difficult to read, but it is worth it. Black uses easily understood symbolism, which will appeal to reluctant readers.

Information about the author
Holly Black lives in New Jersey with her husband and her secret library. You can find out more about her on her website at http://www.blackholly.com/index.html

Genre
Fantasy

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Drug abuse and violence

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the book and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Valiant-Holly-Black/dp/1416901183/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260220302&sr=8-2
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss the betrayal that forces Valerie to leave her home.
2. Discuss how Val meets Ravus and begins to work for him

Reading Level/Age
Young adult. Ages 14 and up.

Why I included this title
This book is included on the ALA Best Books for Young Adults, ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, and CCBC Choices.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother.
Tor Teen. 2008.
ISBN: 9780765319852
$17.95. Hardcover. 384 pages.

Readers Annotation
Marcus thinks he knows how things work in the net world until he and his friends are caught in the backlash over a terrorist attack in San Francisco.

Plot Summary
Marcus skipped school one day to play Harajuku Fun Madness with his geek squad, when the worst terrorist attack on American soil takes place in San Francisco. Picked up and detained by the Department of Homeland security at Gitmo-by-the-Bay, he is interrogated for days before being released and ordered to be silent about the questioning. On his return home he discovers that much of San Francisco is now a police state. Marcus can’t be a passive bystander. He is determined to discover where his missing friend has gone, and to stop the DHS from turning San Francisco into a prison camp. His attempts to thwart the DHS only make things worse. His friends begin to fear for their safety and leave Marcus to pursue answers on his own. With time running out for his friend he seeks help from his parents, and a reporter. While his technical knowledge is awe inspiring it is his words that make a difference in gaining freedom for all the detainees.

Critical Evaluation
The book is an Orwellian view of a possible world to come. The book felt over-hyped to me because of the technical jargon used by the author. I believed at the time that I understood what Marcus and his friends were talking about, but I only got a small portion of the technical babble. It was a little like trying to read a foreign language. As a cautionary tale this book works. If there were another attack on American soil like the one described in the novel, I feel certain that the DHS would find a way to detain citizens under the auspices of the Patriot Act. What I think most people will take away from this book is that it is possible for our freedoms to be taken from us in an instant if something should go wrong. That is a very scary proposition. While the technical stuff is essential to the novel many people might be put off by it.

Information about the author
Cory Doctorow is an interesting character, he writes that he “is a science fiction novelist, blogger and technology activist.” You can find out more about him at http://craphound.com/

Genre
Fantasy, technology

Curriculum ties
English, could be compared to Orwell’s Big Brother.

Challenge Issues
None

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this book. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could read the book and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have read the book. You can find out more about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Little-Brother-Cory-Doctorow/dp/0765319853/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260172565&sr=1-1

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss why Van and Jolu break with Marcus.
2. Discuss Marcus relationship with Ange.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 14 and up

Why I included this title
Required reading.

Chalice by Robin McKinley

McKinley, Robin. Chalice.
Ace. 2009.
ISBN 9780441018741
$7.99. Paperback. 272 pages.

Readers Annotation
Beekeeper Marisol has become the new Chalice of the Willowlands. She must join the land with its new Master even though he is an Elemental Priest of Fire in order to save them all from the Overlord.

Plot Summary
Orphaned Marisol is called to become the new Chalice of her people when the decadent old Master and his Chalice are killed in a fire. As Chalice, Marisol holds the honorary cup, which is instrumental in healing the broken land. Marisol struggles to learn her new position before the new Master arrives. The new Master shall be the brother of the old, the only problem is that he is now an Elemental Priest of Fire whose touch can burn skin to the bone. Marisol is determined to save her land from the Overlord who waits at the border ready to take over her homeland, but the new Master frightens his subjects. With the help of her bees and their honey, Marisol weaves her magic to help her people overcome their fear. She discovers that her personal power is a part of the land just as she is part of all the people. It is through her bees that the Master is transformed back into the man he once was so that they might rule and save the Willowlands from harm.

Critical Evaluation
McKinley’s favorite fairytale, Beauty and the Beast comes to life again in this book. Marisol, thin, small and unsure of herself is given a position of power as Chalice. The Master has become a beast through fire. The greatest difference in this book is setting. The Willowlands are sentient, and suffering from a lack of care. McKinley carefully weaves this story about a beekeeper trying to save her country through careful plotting. The story is intriguing – how many beekeepers have ever been hero’s? McKinley does a fine job of bringing Marisol to life, and uncovering her hidden strengths. Like many of her previous novels McKinley likes girl characters that do things. The story of the love blossoming between the two young people is tender.  My only criticism is that the book ends abruptly. I had to read it several times to figure out what happened. I simply couldn’t believe that the story was over in a few short pages.

Information about the author
Born on November 16, 1952, Jennifer Carolyn Robin Turrell McKinley spent much of her early life traveling the world as a Navy brat.  She currently resides in England.  McKinley won the Newbury Medal for The Hero and the Crown. You can follow her at: http://robinmckinleysblog.com or www.robinmckinley.com. 

Genre
Fantasy

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
None

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this book. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could read the book and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have read the book. You can find out more about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Chalice-Robin-McKinley/dp/0441018742/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss the job of the Chalice
2. Talk about what beekeeping means to Marisol

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 14 and up

Why I included this title
This book was part of my author study on Robin McKinley.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Shaffer, Mary Ann and Annie Barrows.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society: A novel.
Random House. 2008.
ISBN: 9780385340991
$22.00. Hardcover. 288 pages.

Readers Annotation
It’s 1946 and Juliet Ashton, a writer, is looking for sunny subjects to report. She never expects to find the stories on the Isle of Guernsey.

Plot Summary
This epistolary novel begins in 1946 just as London is emerging from the Second World War. Writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject when she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams, a farmer on Guernsey Island. Adams had come across her name in a book he purchased written by Charles Lamb. Juliet and Dawsey continue to exchange letters, and she comes to intimately know the people who inhabit his world. She discovers that the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was created as an alibi when the Germans occupied the island. As Juliet’s correspondence continues with the members of the society, she learns about their home, the books they enjoy, and the impact of the German occupation. Juliet is so captivated by their stories that she sets out to join her new friends. She wants to investigate the mysterious disappearance of an island resident, Elizabeth in a German prison camp. The letter format might be a novelty for young adults who text message all day long, but it is a great way to see the (mostly) beautiful communication of the past, when life allowed us time to put a pen to paper.

Critical Evaluation
Many critics noted the similarity between this novel and the works of Jane Austen. I never noticed any similarity between the two, although Austen is often mentioned among other writers in the novel. This novelty of this book is in the letters themselves. Shaffer is excellent at finding the voice of each of her characters. The novel is truly like reading personal mail from the past. The characters are beguiling and readers will have sympathy for their plight during the occupation. The only part I did not care for was the subplot about Elizabeth and her daughter Kit. After Elizabeth is taken away to a concentration camp, the people on the island raise her daughter Kit. It is heartrendingly sad in such a joyous novel of renewal. I would recommend this book to any young adult who wants to read a good novel in a unique format.

Information about the author
Mary Ann Shaffer (1934-2008) was inspired to write this novel after a visit to England in 1976. As she finished the novel her health began to decline and her niece, Annie Barrows completed the writing process. This is Shaffer’s only novel. Annie Barrows is the author of the Ivy & Bean series for children. You can find out more about Shaffer at http://www.bookbrowse.com/biographies/index.cfm?author_number=1586. You can find out more about Annie Barrows at http://www.anniebarrows.com/

Genre
Historic fiction

Curriculum ties
English, history and social studies: WWII, letter writing.

Challenge Issues
None

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this book. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could read the book and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have read the book. You can find out more about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Guernsey-Literary-Potato-Peel-Society/dp/B002WTC8RA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260164060&sr=1-1

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss the format of the book (letters vs. straight narrative fiction)
2. Discuss the occupation of the Channel Islands during WWII

Reading Level/Age
Adult crossover

Why I included this title
I consider it one of the best books of 2008.

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

Hamilton, Laurell K. Guilty Pleasures.
Berkley Trade. 2002.
ISBN 978-425197547
$15.00. Paperback. 368 pages.

Readers Annotation
Anita Blake, animator and vampire executioner is called upon by the Master of the City to uncover the person murdering vampires.

Plot Summary
Anita Blake works for Animators, Inc. and raises zombies out of graves for a living. She is also a state sanctioned vampire executioner. The local Master of the City, Nikolaos wants to hire Anita to investigate who is murdering the most powerful vampires in St. Louis. Anita refuses and is later coerced into working for the vampires. Jean-Claude, a vampire who works for Nikolaos, and manager of the all male strip club Guilty Pleasures works with Anita. When Anita is nearly killed during her first meeting with Nikolaos, a very old vampire in the body of a young girl, Jean-Claude saves her by sharing some of his life force. This gives Anita the first vampire mark. Nikolaos introduces another animator to Anita. His name is Zachary. Anita knows that something is just not right with Zachary, but she can’t fathom what it is. Meanwhile, Edward another vampire executioner shows up at Anita’s apartment. He has been hired to execute the current Master of the City. Anita meets a number of supernatural beings including the king of the wererats.  Ultimately, Anita discovers that Zachary is a zombie who is only alive through gris-gris magic. Anita, along with Edward, kills Nikolaos, and Zachary who is responsible for the murders. In doing so Jean-Claude becomes the new Master of the City of St. Louis. Anita is on her way to becoming his human servant.

Critical Evaluation
In this debut novel, author Laurell K. Hamilton introduced a set of fabulous characters. Anita, is charismatic and at the start of her career. Hamilton embued her character with a snarky sense of humor, and an unknown power that continues to grow with the series. Jean-Claude, is smart, sexy and 300 years old. It becomes clear in later novels that although he is a Master Vampire, he is no master to Anita. Edward, the sociopathic killer is scary good at his job. Anita learns how to kill efficiently and effectively from him. The storyline is original. In Anita’s world, supernatural beings are out, and living with the humans. The novel is smart, funny, sexy, and a good read. I would recommend this novel to older young adults (17 an up) who have read YA vampire series and want more vampire-themed books. I would not however, recommend the novels from #4 on, because they include graphic sex. This novel does not include scenes of graphic sex, but is has a great deal of violence. It is not for the squeamish. Young adults who read this novel should not expect the romance of Twilight or its sequels.

Information about the author
Laurell K. Hamilton has been writing since she was a child. She had difficulty selling this novel because no one knew what genre it should fall into. She is consistently on the New York Times Bestseller list. There are currently 16 books in the series. You can find out more about her at http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/index.php.

Genre
Paranormal thriller, horror, fantasy.

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Violence.

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the book and its contents.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Guilty-Pleasures-Anita-Vampire-Hunter/dp/0425197549/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260155655&sr=1-2
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss Anita’s ability to raise the dead.
2. Talk about her work with the police in uncovering supernatural crimes.

Reading Level/Age
Adult crossover.

Why I included this title
This is the first book in one of my favorite vampire series.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist directed by Peter Sollette

Sollette, Peter (Director). Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
Columbia Pictures. 2008.
Screenplay by: Lorene Scafaria
Novel by: Rachel Cohn
Run Time: 90 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Watchers Annotation
At their first meeting Norah asks Nick to play her boyfriend for five minutes. That five minutes leads to an evening together in the Lower Eastside of Manhattan searching for a band called Where’s Fluffy?

Cast
Michael Cera, Nick
Kat Dennings, Norah
Aaron Yoo, Thom
Rafi Grayon, Caroline
Alexis Sziena, Tris
Jay Baruchel, Tal

Plot Summary
It has been months since Tris broke up with Nick, and with one last message he tells her that he is leaving one last CD mix on her doorstep.
At school in New Jersey, Norah and her friend Caroline are finalizing plans for the weekend. Norah tells Caroline that she will go with her as long as she doesn’t get drunk. Tris (also a school mate of Norah) brags about her ex-boyfriend leaving CD’s on her doorstep and throws it into the trash. Norah, who has snatched all the CD’s Tris has thrown out loves the mixes and cover art created by the boy she doesn’t know. The girls are also on the hunt for the elusive band Where’s Fluffy?
At the gig Norah askes Nick and asks him to play her boyfriend for five minutes.  By this time Caroline is very drunk and Norah decides to take her home. This leaves Nick and Norah free to search for Where’s Fluffy? Along the way, Nick and Nora get a call that the boys have lost Caroline. After meeting up the group scours the city looking for the very drunk Caroline. Caroline in the meantime has found her way to the bus station, where she becomes violently ill. At one of their club stops, Norah’s ex-boyfriend tries to drag her away from Nick. Norah escapes and continues to search for the band and Caroline. They finally find Caroline at a gay cabaret show. Nick lets Norah drive his car. She crashes it into a fire hydrant while looking through his ipod.  They agree to go someplace that is more private and end up at Electric Lady Studios, which is owned by Norah’s father. While there the pair makes out on the sofa. Soon after Norah gets a text message from Caroline that they have found Where’s Fluffy? They rush to get to the gig. Once they arrive they are both confronted by their ex’s. As the band begins to play Nick holds out his hand to Norah and they leave together. By this time it is nearly dawn.

Critical Evaluation
This is a great premise for a movie. Unfortunately it plays like a scavenger hunt. Michael Cera (Nick), and Kat Denning (Norah) have a lot of chemistry on the screen. They are totally believable as two people that are attracted to one another. Their little spats seem funny and silly. However, I did not find the character of Caroline to be humorous. An incipient alcoholic, Caroline has one of the grossest scenes ever filmed. She paws through a toilet bowl filled with puke to find her cell phone and her lost gum. The gum later ends up in Norah’s mouth, and then Nick’s. The best characters in the film are Nick’s gay band mates. They are fast-talking, fun seekers, and I wish they had been in more of the film. The ex’s, Tal and Tris and shallow selfish children who do little for the story, except provoke ridicule.  Because of the title I expected a stellar soundtrack.  I was disappointed that the music was barely noticeable in the film. You can find more information about the film on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0981227/.

Genre
Romantic comedy.

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Underage drinking, language and sexual situations

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the film and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Internet Movie Database (IMDb) at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0981227/externalreviews
· Try to get reviews of the film from teens that have seen it.

Why I included this title
The movie was advertised as a teen film based on the book of the same name, and I had heard good reviews.

Woolvs in the Sittee by Margaret Wild

Wild, Margaret. Woolvs in the Sittee.
Illustrated by Anne Spudvilas.
Front Street. 2006.
ISBN: 9731590785003
$17.99. Hardcover. 40 pages.

Readers Annotation
Hiding in a basement from the wolves he see everywhere, Ben longs for the blue skies of the past. Is he being hunted?

Plot Summary
In a post apocalyptic world Ben hides form the woolvs (wolves) that wander the streets. Ben, a young teen, demands the attention of the reader. The streets he describes are empty except for occasional bicycle. Traffic long gone from the roads. He once had friends and a family and now they are all gone. Each spread is detailed with Ben’s nearly illiterate script. He writes that the woolvs are “hatefuls,” and they “spare no won.” His neighbor Mrs. Radinski gives the young man spare water and food as he hides, and she even leaves the safety of the building to retrieve Ben when he is fooled by blue paint on a wall outside his windows into thinking the sky is blue again. Yet she doesn’t believe him when he tells her about the wolves. Instead she tells him that he should go back to school and take up a hobby. When Mrs. Radinski disappears from the building, Ben takes clothing, food and water and sets out to take back the city from the woolvs. On the final page he entreats us to join him.

Critical Evaluation
Spudvilas illustrations for this work are created using watercolor, charcoal and pencil. The color choices are dynamic and produce a feeling of dread through the dark imagery and shadow figures. Spudvilas expertly generates visual imagery usually seen in animated films. For example, for one spread she use greens, reds and veins of black, with small handprints on one page and the text in white on the next. The handprints overlaying the red watercolor almost look like heat images, not prints. While the red paint looks a little like dried blood. In another image the once bright sun suggested by the protagonist Ben, is now darken and filled with soot or ash. The sun barely peeks through the cloud cover. On the walls of Ben’s hideout are primitive drawings of wolves and Ben’s words that “no won is spared.” The book generates a sense of terror of the unknown as we read Ben’s words as effectively as any Stephen King novel. Do the wolves really exist, or is Ben delusional? These are questions never answered in the text. Instead it is left to the reader to determine if the protagonist is truthful. This is a very effective (albeit slim) horror story that reluctant older readers (15-18) should enjoy.

Information about the author
Margaret Wild (1948-) is a prolific children’s author from Australia. Most of her books are for children ages 4-8. Although she does not appear to have a personal web address you can find some information about her here.

Information about the artist
Spudvilas website is a virtual gallery of her work. You can find it at this address: http://www.annespudvilas.com/default.asp

Genre
Fiction, horror

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
None

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this book. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could read the book and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have read the book. You can find out more about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Woolvs-Sitee-Margaret-Wild/dp/1590785002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260134468&sr=8-1

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss the setting for the story
2. Talk about Ben and his lack of education and his compelling story.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 12 and up

Why I included this title
I found this book to be compelling so I wanted to include it for reluctant YA readers.

Luna by Julie Anne Peters

Peters, Julie Ann. Luna.
Little, Brown & Company. 2004.
ISBN 9780316011273.
$7.99. Paperback. 256 pages.

Readers Annotation
Luna hides her true identity from everyone except her sister, Regan. Regan loves Luna even though she is her brother.

Plot Summary
Regan and Liam, work hard to hide Liam’s true identity. Liam is struggling with his sexual identity.  He is a transgender who longs to become a woman full time.  Regan struggles while keeping her brothers secret, he wants to come out to his family and friends as his true self.  Going back and forth in time, Regan narrates her viewpoint of her life growing up with Liam.  Regan just wants a normal life but the family is keeping too many secrets. Luna’s attempts to be out in public are difficult and embarrassing for Regan. Luna’s coming out to her father is dramatic, it takes place on her 18th birthday. Dad doesn’t understand, and Mom is outraged that Luna picked that day to come out. Regan doesn’t understand until she thinks about it later. Mom had known all along and kept the secret with Luna and Regan. For Luna to have the freedom to become who she is inside, she must leave her home. She tells Regan that she id doing this for her as well. Regan doesn’t understand the truth in the statement. If Luna stays Regan will forever try to protect her and keep her secret. Luna doesn’t want to live in secret anymore, she wants to fully become a woman. Luna’s departure means freedom for her and her sister, Regan.

Critical Evaluation
Julie Ann Peters ( 1952 -) writes novels that speak to disenfranchised youth. Luna is an important book for many reasons. It assists young people who are transgender and living in difficult circumstances. It brings up the importance of acceptance of all people no matter their differences. It is also difficult to read at times. Peters has created believable characters whose struggle with the truth is faced by many families. There were times while reading the novel that I felt angry with the parents for their lack of involvement in their children’s lives. This kind of realism is what young adult novels are all about. Peters captures the essence of what it is to be transgender and living a secret life with integrity. She also understands sibling dynamics. While Regan loves Liam/Luna she feels deeply ashamed about his status. While it is easy to feel sympathetic about Luna’s plight, Peter’s real hero in the story is Regan who puts up with Luna. When Luna gives Regan her car it is a small payment for putting up with her secrets and demands.

Information about the author
Julie Ann Peters has written a number of books for the GLBT community. She has also won numerous awards for her books. Luna is a National Book Award Finalist, and has been included on the following lists of best books: ALA Stonewall Honor, 2005; ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2005; and ALA popular paperbacks for young adults.   You can find out more about her on her website at http://www.julieannepeters.com/files/index.htm.
Her newest book By the Time You Read This I’ll Be Dead, is already generating buzz although it will not be released until January 2010.

Genre
Narrative fiction, contemporary GLBT issues.

Curriculum ties
English and social studies, contemporary issues.

Challenge Issues
Transgender, GLBT

Challenge defense ideas
· Become familiar with the book and its content.
· Refer to the collection development policy of the library.
· Refer to reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly available for viewing on amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Luna-Julie-Anne-Peters/dp/0316011274/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_2Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Talk about what it means to be transgender.
2. Talk about Regan keeping Luna’s secret.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult, ages 15 and up.

Why I included this title
Class requirement, and the book is on many best books lists.