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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Twilight directed by Catherine Hardwicke

Hardwicke, Catherine (Director). Twilight.
Summit Entertainment. 2008.
Screenplay by: Melissa Rosenberg
Novel by: Stephanie Meyer
Run time: 122 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Watchers Annotation
Bella Swan, newly arrived in Forks, meets the handsome and mysterious Edward Cullen. Edward is a vampire, and he is driven to protect Bella from a trio of roving vampires.

Cast
Kristen Steward, Bella Swan
Sarah Clark, Renee
Billy Burke, Charlie Swan
Robert Pattinson, Edward Cullen
For a full cast list go to IMDb at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1099212/

Plot Summary
Bella Swan has low expectations when she arrives in Forks, Washington. Introverted, Bella is surprised when so many boys are interested in her. It is Edward Cullen who attracts Bella’s attention. Beautiful and mysterious, Edward attempts to push Bella away, but he too is attracted. Bella known for her clumsiness is constantly at risk for injury. When she is nearly crushed by a truck it is Edward who saves her. Bella insists on discovering how Edward was able to reach her in time, but Edward refuses to tell her the truth. Bella and her school friends make a trip to the beach at the Indian reservation for a surfing excursion, it is Jacob Black a young Quileute Indian that tells her the myths of the cold ones. As she researches to local lore, Bella realizes the truth about the boy she loves – he, and his family are vampires. She approaches Edward with her new knowledge and he does everything he can to frighten her off. Bella is not deterred. Edward admits that his family is different from other vampire, they drink only animal blood, and he can read all minds, but not Bella’s. Their growing attraction escalates and they begin to date. During a vampire baseball game with the Cullen’s three rogue vampires appear. One of the vampires, James, smells Bella’s scent and attempts to attack. The Cullen’s whisk Bella away before James can harm her. James, a hunter, will not give up his hunt for Bella. He lures her away from Edward and proceeds to torture her while videotaping. His bite passes vampire venom into Bella. Edward and his family rescue Bella but she has been poisoned. Edward’s foster father, Carlisle saves Bella from becoming a vampire. Still healing from the attack by James, Bella now returned to Forks is going on a date with Edward to the prom. Jacob Black appears and warns Bella about Edward, but it is too late. Bella and Edward are in love and committed to each other, even though Edward refuses to make Bella immortal.

Critical Evaluation
The novel, by Stephanie Meyers is deeply romantic in an old fashioned way. It is similar in style to those written by the Bronte sisters, like Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights. The film, because of its reduced time does not achieve the same level of intensity as the novel. Kristen Stewart, as Bella tells her friend Angela that she is a strong and independent woman, that she should ask her love interest to take her to the prom. All those traits Bella seems to have in the beginning of the movie disintegrate when she meets Edward. She wants only to be with him, nothing more. When Edward warns her that he is a monster, Bella ignores the warning. Kristin Stewart as Bella walks through her lines. She is distant and emotionless. When Bella proclaims that she is irrevocably in love with Edward, she shows no visible signs of interest. There is no giddy smile, no joy in Stewart. Robert Pattinson is more believable as Edward. His determination to avoid Bella despite his attraction to his own “personal brand of heroin” is heartfelt. The two make a pretty pair as a couple, but there is no chemistry between the actors. The special effects for this film are lacking, especially those featuring Edward running. The director should have made more effort to include better special effects since the novel is held in such high regard by young women.

Information about the film
You can find out more about the film at IMDb, the Internet Movie Database at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259571/fullcredits - cast

Genre
Drama, fantasy, horror, thriller

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Sensual moments, 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 Common Sense Media at http://www.commonsensemedia.org/search/twilight, or IMDb at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1099212/externalreviews.
· Try to get reviews of the film from teens that have seen it.

Why I included this title 
The book and film are currently very popular with young women.

Tithe: A modern faery tale by Holly Black

Black, Holly. Tithe: A modern faerie tale.
Simon Pulse. 2002.
ISBN 0689867042
$8.99. Paperback. 336 pages.

Readers Annotation
16-year-old Kaye has always seen faeries. She just didn’t know she was one.

Plot Summary
After Kaye, a foul-mouthed teen, is almost murdered by her mother’s boyfriend, she and her mother escape to Grandmother’s house at the Jersey shore. A high school dropout, Kaye rekindles and old friendship with her friend Janet. Strange incidents keep occurring around Kaye. She makes a broken merry go ground pony come to life, and she enchants Janet’s love interest into falling for her unknowingly. When she meets the dark knight Rath Roiben Rye, she is drawn into the politics of faery. She discovers that she is a changling. Her blond asian looks are a glamour to hide her true green skinned, black eyed pixie nature. She has been hidden away from faery for 16 years to hide her real nature so that she will become the next human sacrifice (or tithe) in the Unseelie Court. Corny (Cornelius), Janet’s younger gay brother becomes besotted with Nephamael, a knight of the Seelie Court, who attempts to subvert the current Unseeling Queen. Kaye finds she must also rescue her friend while trying to save herself. Because she is not human the plot is foiled and all the wild denizens of faery begin to roam the town. It is only when Roiben claims the empty throne of the Unseelie Court that Kaye is free again. Kaye and Roiben declare their feelings for each other even though he is now the king, and she remains a disguised pixie.

Critical Evaluation
Holly Black has earned her living writing modern stories of a beautiful, but brutal faery kingdom. Her novels brim with beauty and horror as the two faery courts meet and battle for dominance. In the three novels about modern faery, her characters are deeply flawed but fighting to overcome supernatural odds. While it is difficult to understand the protagonist’s point of view at times, Black makes her characters believably sympathetic but quirky. Kaye is a sarcastic chain smoker who is her mother’s keeper. She is independent and thinks nothing of behaving badly. She is difficult to like. Her love interest Roiben has been spell bound to obey any who use his full name as a command. He is violent and murderous. It is difficult to understand what he finds so alluring in Kaye. There is a great deal of violence in this book – mostly all supernatural. Still, the novel has an original viewpoint, and many will find themselves cheering for a positive outcome for the changeling and her kingly boyfriend. The novel is gritty and dark, and difficult to put down.

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
Drinking, smoking, homosexuality, 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. http://www.amazon.com/Tithe-Modern-Faerie-Holly-Black/dp/0689867042/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259128853&sr=8-1
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss how Kaye meets Roiben
2. Discuss how Kaye discovers she is really a pixie

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

Why I included this title
This book is included on both the ALA Best Books for Young Adults and YALSA Teen’s Top Teen Booklist.

New Moon directed by Chris Weitz

Weitz, Chris (Director). New Moon.
Summit Entertainment. 2009.
Screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg
Novel by Stephanie Meyer
Run time: 130 minutes
Rating: PG-13

Film Annotation
In the second installment of the Twilight saga film adaptations, Bella celebrates her 18th birthday with Edward and his family. When the Edward and Cullen’s leave Forks soon after, Bella is bereft. Only her friendship with Jacob Black seems to restore her happiness.

Cast
Kristin Stewart, Bella Swan
Robert Pattinson, Edward Cullen
Taylor Lautner,  Jacob Black
Billy Burke,  Charlie Swan
For full credits go to IMDb at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259571/fullcredits#cast
 
Plot Summary
In this movie, based on the novel by Stephanie Meyers, Bella is left desperately depressed in the wake of the departure of the Cullen’s from Forks, Washington. For several months Bella stares out the window, ignoring the world around her. Desperate, her father recommends that she return to her mother rather than remain where the memories of her lost love haunt her. Bella does not want to leave, so she forces herself to reestablish contact with her friends. She discovers accidentally that she will have visions of Edward when she is in danger. From this moment she pursues dangerous situations so she might see him. She brings to motorcycles to her friend Jacob Black. Together they rebuild the bikes. While Bella has been sulking, Jacob has been growing – muscles mostly. He is now a buff teenager who still harbors a crush on Bella.  However, Jacob begins to withdraw from Bella too. He has his own supernatural issues to deal with. One afternoon Bella climbs to the meadow she and Edward had once visited. Unfortunately she meets the vampire Laurent. Just as he is about the dispatch her, five very large wolves come out of the woods and attack Laurent. Jacob comes to Bella and begs her to remember a story he once told her. That night she dreams about werewolves. With her new knowledge she pursues Jacob and discovers that the five wolves she saw, were all members of the Quileute tribe, and Jacob is one of them. Putting herself in harms way becomes Bella’s pastime. After she cliff dives and nearly drowns, Alice Cullen arrives. Convinced that Bella has perished, Edward decides to provoke the Volturi into ending his existence. Bella and Alice arrive in time to save Edward, but not without consequences. Bella is to become a vampire because she knows too much. When they return home safely, Edward and Jacob face off in a battle for Bella but she stops them both. Edward tells Bella that he will only transform her if she agrees to marry him.

Critical Evaluation
Like most movies based on books, New Moon has both good and bad moments. The storyline follows the basic plotline of the book, but leaves out most of the detail. Jacob Black, was supposed to have grown very large with the beginning of his transformation. The actor, Taylor Lautner became muscular yet not as big as described in the book. The original casting of Kristin Stewart as Bella, and Robert Pattinson as Edward remains a mystery. There are moments of dreadful acting between the two. During the scene where Edward tells Bella he is leaving, Stewart can only manage to bat her eyes and barely move her lips while talking. Pattinson seems to mumble most of his lines in the movie, and there is little chemistry between the actors. The chemistry between Lautner and Stewart is subtler, and for a few moments it seems that ice queen Stewart may succumb to Lautner’s charm and washboard abs. The best moments of the film are all centered on the werewolves. The computer generated images (CGI) special effects are absolutely phenomenal. The transformation from young men to wolves is instantaneous and seamless. It is utterly believable. The newest villains in this film, the Volturi, are suitably creepy. We can only hope that the acting for the next two movies improves, and comes up to the standards created by the CGI technology.

Information about the film
You can find out more about the film at IMDb, the Internet Movie Database at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259571/fullcredits - cast

Genre
Drama, fantasy, horror, thriller

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
None. This film is not currently in DVD release.

Challenge defense ideas
There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this film. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You could watch the film and become familiar with the content. Refer to the library collection development policy, and get reviews from reputable sources and teens that have seen the film.

Why I included this title
The books and earlier film are very popular with young adults.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. 
Illustrated by Dave McKean.
HarperCollinsChildren. 2008.
ISBN 97800605300921.
$17.99. Hardcover. 320 pages.

Readers Annotation
When his parents are murdered, a baby boy wanders into a graveyard where he is adopted by Mister and Mistress Owens. Nobody “Bod” Owens grows up amongst the dead, protected by the Jack of All Trades who hunts him.

Plot Summary
Nobody “Bod” Owens grows up in a graveyard after his parents and sister are brutally murdered one night. Named Nobody because he looks like nobody but himself, Baby Bod escaped by wandering into the graveyard. His ghostly mother pleading for his life convinces Mistress Owens to adopt the youngster and raise him as her own. With the protection of the graveyard, and his guardian Silas, Bod grows up knowing few living people. Silas, neither living nor dead makes sure that Bod receives the food and clothing a living child needs. This denizens of the graveyard provide his early education, and eventually a living tutor is hired to educate Bod when Silas goes away. Miss Lepescu, his tutor, moonlights as a weredog, and is assigned as additional protection for him. There are many dangers in the graveyard for a young man, and Bod experiences most of them. He meets ghouls who take him across the underground desert to their secret city. It is Miss Lepescu who saves him. The dangers in Bod’s short lifetime seem never ending. Bod is thirteen years old when the Jacks of All Trades arrive at the graveyard. It is up to Bod and his friend Scarlett to find a way to destroy them all. Scarlett is one of the few living characters. She appears in the story when Bod is very young, and again when he is a teenager. The prophecy of the doom of the Jacks of all Trades now fulfilled Bod begins to lose his ability to see the ghosts. With Silas’ help, he leaves his home to make his way in the world of the living.

Critical Evaluation
The Graveyard Book won The John Newbery Medal in 2009. The book is a blend of several genres. Its blend of fantasy, horror and mystery makes this book an original. The cast of characters is both creepy and funny. The murderous Jacks of all Trades are creepy villains. However, I never understood just what their job description entailed. Bod’s guardian Silas, who is neither living nor dead, is never fully explained. Although he is his guardian, he is not affectionate. He sees to Bod’s earthly needs, but we are never privy to his reasoning. The Owens’s are the perfect adoptive parents for Bod, kind, loving and loyal, they died childless in the 1700s’. The ghostly characters are interesting because they cover a range of historic periods. Their opinions are always based on the knowledge from their living time periods. While the overarching theme of this story is the affirmation of life, it is masterfully told through the eyes of the dead. Gaiman has left the ending open for a sequel to take place. Although this book is written for younger teens, it is a good read for reluctant older teens.

Information about the author
Gaiman, born and raised in England currently resides new Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has won numerous awards for his work, including: the Hugo, Nebula, Bram Stoker, and Mythopoeic awards. You can find out more about him on his website at http://www.neilgaiman.com/, or on his blog at http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/11/blood-blood-in-unimaginable-quantities.html.

Genre
Fantasy, horror, mystery

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/Graveyard-Book-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0060530928/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1258862647&sr=8-1

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss why Bod is adopted by the Owens’s.
2. Talk about his guardian Silas.

Reading Level/Age
Children and Young Adults. Ages 10 and up.

Why I included this title 
Although this book is written for younger children it has a timeless quality. It is also extremely well written, and it won many awards.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Tan, Shaun. The Arrival.
Arthur A. Levine Books. 2006.
ISBN 9780439895293
$19.99. Hardcover. 128 pages.

Readers Annotation
This wordless, graphic novel tells the immigration story of one man, and his strange and beautiful journey in a new and exciting world.

Plot Summary
In this immigration story told entirely through softly toned images,  the protagonist (a man) decides to immigrate to a new country. Leaving his wife and child behind he makes a long journey by boat.  He measures the days by the clouds, whose shapes seem to evoke symbols and shapes of faces, and even a fetus.  When he arrives he is processed and given his papers.  He can't read the papers he is given, the symbols are not in his language.  Bravely he forges onward to find a place to stay.  He has to draw pictures in a small tablet to be understood.  The city is large and filled with people of all cultures. Everything is strange. His new home is a small apartment in a large building.  His apartment even comes with its own pet.  The little creature helps the man locate the things he needs, even new friends.  Each new friend he meets tells him the story of his or her own immigration to the new land.  Most of his new friends stories are of oppressive governments, or wars from which they escaped to their new homes.  The man looks for work to save to bring his family to the new country. The man writes to his family, when he receives a letter telling him they are arriving he rushes to meet them. Reunited the family settles into their new life together. The final images show the man’s young daughter helping another immigrant.

Critical Evaluation
Under the cloud of tentacles a family decides to take refuge in a far country. The country is almost magical in its grandeur. Tan creates a vast world that appeals to the eyes like a feast. Each image is carefully constructed to unite with the whole. The most enjoyable pages are those where newfound friends explain the inner-workings of this country. I especially enjoyed the illustrations of the man learning which foods to eat. This part of the story is balanced against the memory sequences of his friends and their personal journeys. There are some disturbing images of war and tyranny, but these add to the overall effect, demonstrating the reason behind immigration. This work is multicultural and inclusive of all ages, races and genders. The book is both beautiful and compelling. It merits rereading often. This books is also good for the young adult reluctant reader, who may find a depth of understanding not experienced with the written word alone.  The book I have read that is closest in style is The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick.  Selznick's book won the Caldecott Award in 2007.  In Hugo Cabret much of the story is told in black and white drawings.  For a visual learner like myself the stories told by Tan and Selznick evoke emotions that words alone do not convey.  

Information about the author
Shaun Tan was born in 1974, and grew up in Perth, Western Australia. You can find out more about him on his website at http://www.shauntan.net/. He has won numerous awards for his work including a 2008 ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults.

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/Arrival-Shaun-Tan/dp/0439895294/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss how the author is able to tell the story without words.
2. Choose some passages to “read-aloud.”

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

Why I included this title
This book was chosen as a 2008 ALA 2008 Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults.

Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

Tan, Shaun. Tales From Outer Suburbia.
Arthur A. Levine Books. 2008.
ISBN 9780545055871
$19.99. Hardcover. 98 pages.

Readers Annotation
15 short illustrated tales make up this book. Each story is a small vignette of fantasy supported by Tan’s extraordinary artwork.

Plot Summary
This book includes 15 short stories based on Tan’s artwork. All of the stories are fantasy. Differing styles of artwork set each tale apart. One of the most interesting stories in the collection is titled “Eric.” In this tale, a small shadowy leaf-like creature comes to stay with a family. The family mistakes the creature for a foreign exchange student. Although they have prepared a guest room for Eric, he prefers to sleep in the cupboard. After taking the creature on excursions through the city to show it the sights, Eric brings home all the little items he has collected from the ground. When Eric departs on the back of a leaf the family, at first, does not know if he is returning. Upon opening the cupboard where Eric has been staying they discover a note from Eric and a lovely glow-in-the-dark garden. “It must be a cultural thing,” Mum says. The art for “Eric” is done with pencil. The illustrations are black and white, with the exception of the final image showing the garden, which has little dashes of color for the plants. All of the stories in this volume have a magical or mythical quality to them. For example, the first story in the collection called “The Water Buffalo,” is about a large water buffalo that lives in a vacant lot at the end of the street. The water buffalo, a near mythical creature, answers questions from the neighborhood by pointing in a direction. When the neighbors stop asking questions the water buffalo leaves the neighborhood. In the story “Make Your Own Pet,” Tan uses collage and painted images to create directions for how to make a pet cat. Printed over a spread this is the closest this work comes to looking (and reading) like a child’s picture book.

Critical Evaluation
Everything about this book is magical. A non-reader could spend hours looking at the illustrations and creating their own stories from them; while readers will want to return to this slim volume for rereading favorite tales. The strength of this book is not in the writing. It is in the combination of words and pictures. Tan’s earlier work, The Arrival, is similar in its ability to tell a complete story through images alone. The wide variety of Tan’s art techniques also makes this book interesting.  While his signature pencil illustrations are included, it is the combination of media that make this work exciting.  For example, in the story Distant Rain, Tan uses watercolor, pencil illustrations, and collage to create a scrapbook like effect that is both visually exciting and challenging to read.  The first spread of the story is light, with a blue background evoking light and rain.  The second spread of the story is dark, like the night, with little shadows behind the collaged images.  This is a style he uses often in this book. In some ways, it is like getting 15 individual books in one small volume. His work can be compared to that of David Weisner, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Selznick, all Caldecott winners.

Information about the author
Shaun Tan was born in 1974, and grew up in Perth, Western Australia. You can find out more about him on his website at http://www.shauntan.net/.  He has won numerous awards for his work including:

• 2008 ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults for The Arrival
• 2009 Children’s Book Council of Australia (Older Readers) for Tales from Outer Suburbia.
  

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/Tales-Outer-Suburbia-Shaun Tan/dp/1840113138/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258335089&sr=1-1

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss several favorite stories from the collection.
2. Read-aloud some of the stories.

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

Why I included this title
Shaun Tan’s work is similar to Chris Van Allsburg. This would be a good title to recommend for YA’s looking for similar books, or enjoyed The Arrival.

The Dreaming (Volume 1) by Queenie Chan

Chan, Queenie. The Dreaming (Volume 1).
TokyoPop. 2006.
ISBN 1427800057
$7.99. Paperback. 192 pages.

Readers Annotation
Twin sisters, Amber and Jeanie, have been accepted into an exclusive Australian boarding school, but it comes with a warning – don’t go into the bush!

Plot Summary
When twin sisters, Amber and Jeanie arrive at their exclusive Australian boarding school, their aunt (who is leaving as they arrive) tells them to hide the fact that they are actually twins from the vice-principal. There are rumors that the school is haunted, but their new friends, Schala and Millie, assure them that the rumors are silly girl stuff. As the girls investigate their new home, mean Mrs. Skeener, the vice-principal, discovers them. The pair is warned never to enter the bush at night because students have disappeared. Amber, the more sensitive sister begins to have unexplained horrifying dreams that she is being pulled into the bush. In her dreams she encounters women in long dresses standing under bleeding trees. The dream is frightening, but soon the twins discover that they are dreaming the same dream. After performing a séance, and another encounter with Mrs. Skeener, Amber is ready to leave the academy. When their friend Millie becomes ill, the girls are worried. When Millie disappears from her bed, they are frightened. Weeks later, as they search the grounds, Amber begins to recognize the forest from her dreams. Amber stumbles upon a water hole. As her shoe dislodges a stone into the water, the body of Millie rises from the depths.

Critical Evaluation
Author Queenie Chan provides a wonderfully creepy manga horror novel. This is the first book in a trilogy. The story is original and the artwork is typical manga style. Chan has created an interesting look for this book. The school hidden deep in the Australian bush, the truly creepy paintings on the walls, the hidden doors, the tight-lipped teachers all add to the imagery. Chan gives her characters interesting costumes to wear. The schoolgirls aren’t relegated to uniforms as in some other manga I’ve seen. Yet the costumes worn by the dream women are whimsical, and do not represent any specific time period, and they have a distinctly gothic feel. I enjoyed this book. It left me wanting to complete the trilogy. This is a good book for reluctant young adult readers.

Genre
Horror, manga format.

Information about the author
Queenie Chan was born in Hong Kong in 1980. She immigrated with her family to Australia when she was six-years-old. Chan creates her drawings by hand, and adds tone using a computer. You can find out more about Chan here http://www.queeniechan.com/, although it doesn’t appear that the website has been updated since 2007.

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 more information about this book on Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Vol-1-Queenie-Chan/dp/1598163825/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258327844&sr=1-1

Booktalking Ideas
1. Discuss how the twins, Jeanie and Amber, come to be at the school.
2. Talk about the rumors of missing students.
3. Talk about the disturbing dreams the twins are having

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

Why I included this title
I wanted to add some manga titles to my list. I found this one at my local library.

Fade by Lisa McMann

McMann, Lisa. Fade.
Simon Pulse. 2009.
ISBN 978416953586
$15.99. Hardcover. 256 pages

Readers Annotation
Dream catcher Janie and her boyfriend/partner Cabel try to uncover a sexual predator at Fieldridge High School.

Plot Summary
In this second book of the series, dream catcher Janie and her partner/boyfriend Cabel are assigned to a new case. They are investigating a possible sex offender at their high school. At first, Cabe doesn’t want Janie on the case, but when she accepts it he is forced to work with her. When Janie begins falling into the dreams of her classmate Stacey, she knows that she is on the right track. Stacey dreams of being sexually assaulted by a man she can’t identify. Janie is helping but her gift is taking its toll on her health. She realizes that she is slowly losing her sight and her hands are becoming crippled. Soon she can no longer drive. When Martha Stubin’s files come into Janie’s hands she discovers more about her gift – she will go blind, she will be crippled, but she will also be able to help people. As the case progresses, Janie discovers that there are multiple offenders. Invited to a house party by one of the teachers involved Janie is drugged with GHB. Although drugged Janie is able to protect herself, and get enough evidence to arrest all three men. Cabel and Janie have more love-angst-filled moments together. They are finally able to go on their first date together. As this story ends the pair are finally graduating from high school.

Critical Evaluation
Fade is written in the same style as Wake. Each chapter is broken down by date and time, giving a clear timeline of events. Much of the book is written in short clipped sentences, and sometimes sentence fragments. This book is grittier than the last. The subject matter is more adult in nature as it deals with themes of sex and sexual violence. As Cabe and Janie explore their love through sex, the author is not explicit, but it is an important and realistic aspect of their growing relationship. The chapters of the book that deal with the discovery and arrest of the perpetrators are realistic. Looking through Janie’s drug induced stupor is disturbing. It left this reader clenched in fear for her safety. The story does end well, with Cabe and Janie again facing unexpected aspects of their relationship, but finding a way through it to each other.

Information about the author
Lisa McMann currently lives in Arizona. She was born of February 27, but won’t divulge her year of birth. She got the idea for Wake from a dream. You can find out more about Lisa McMann on her website at http://lisamcmann.com/ or on her blog at http://lisamcmann.blogspot.com/.

Genre
Paranormal Fiction. Mystery.

Curriculum ties
None

Challenge Issues
Sex 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.com http://www.amazon.com/Fade-Lisa-McMann/dp/1416974482/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258251914&sr=1-1
· Try to get reviews of the book from teens that have read it.

Booktalking Ideas
1.  Discuss Janie and Cabel’s next case (sexual predator on campus).
2.  Talk about Janie and Cabel’s relationship and how it continues to develop.
3. Talk about Janie’s discovery of the effects of her curse.

Reading Level/Age
Young adult. Ages 15 and up.

Why I included this title
This is the second book in a series that I really like, and the first book (Wake) made the 2009 Top 10 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.