47. Maniac Magee

Maniac Magee
By Jerry Spinelli
Little, Brown, 1990
Narrated by S. Epatha Merkerson

Genre
Realistic Fiction

Awards

•  Newbery Medal (1991)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (1992)

Review
Orphaned at a young age, Jeffery Magee was sent to live with an aunt and uncle who hated each other so much they had two of everything so they didn't have to share or talk.  Jeffery couldn't stand it, so he ran away and just kept running until he reached a town separated, east and west, blacks and whites.  But, for a while, Jeffery didn't understand why people were called white or black because he saw a rainbow of different colors, until he finally understood and he left the black family he had come to live with because he was white and they were being harassed.  A wonderful story about how one boy, through running, untying knots, and being friendly, made great strides, with the help of parents on both sides, in breaking down the racial barriers of a town that began revering him as Maniac Magee, and learning what it might be like to accept having a family again.

Opinion
This book was a fabulous example of how racial lines can be drawn, even by children when they've never visited the home of someone from the other race.  The author did a great job of showing the lives of all the characters and the changes in their attitude the more they got to know Jeffery.  The suggestion that Jeffery didn't want to be part of a family because he was afraid he would hurt them (like he lost his parents, a guardian he found working at a zoo died, and his family in the black neighborhood was being harassed) seemed underdeveloped and then forced on the reader, even though it made sense for the character to feel this way.

Ideas
A great story to add to any display or curriculum about race relations.  Also something most children can relate to on some level, not feeling like they belong in a specific group of people.

43. Hatchet

Hatchet
By Gary Paulsen
First Aladdin Paperbacks, 1987
Narrated by Peter Coyote

Genre
Survival Fiction

Awards

• Newbery Award (1988)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (1989)

Review
This classic story of survival finds Brian on a plane flying over the Canadian wilderness to visit his father after his parents' divorce.  The pilot suffers a heart attack during flight and the plane crashes, leaving Brian to fend for himself in an uninhabited forest with nothing but the hatchet his mother had given him before he left.  Brian survives many struggles, not the least of which is finding the motivation to keep living and trying to survive after he realizes he missed the first, and likely only, rescue plane to fly near his camp area.  A distressing tale about a boy alone in the woods is also extremely inspiring to young readers, showing the intensity of the human will to survive.

Opinion
This book was much more captivating than I thought it would be.  Peter Coyote did a great job narrating, bringing life to the scenery and Brian's emotions.  The book was repetitive at places; at first I found this annoying and it stood out to me more in audio form than if I had read it, but then it seemed to fall into a pattern, representing the thought patterns Brian was developing to survive.  There are some dark times in the book, like when Brian tries to cut his wrists in despair after missing the rescue plane, but this is quickly followed by a "new" Brian, resolute and determined to survive, pulling away from the darkness that he briefly explored.

Ideas
Great book for reluctant readers, especially young boys as they can identify with the main character.  Though it seems more intended for late elementary or middle school children, high school aged students can also enjoy this book, especially if they are behind in their reading level or for nostalgia's sake.

39. Esperanza Rising

Esperanza Rising
By Pam Muñzo Ryan
Narrated by Trini Alvarado
Scholastic, 2000

Genre
Historical Fiction

Awards

• Jane Addams Children's Book Awards for Book for Older Children (2000)
• Publisher's Weekly: Best Book (2000)
• Publisher's Weekly Starred Review (2000)
• Pura Belpré Award: Narrative (2002)

Review
Esperanza's life is about to change.  She has always been the daughter of a wealthy father who owned a lot of land on his Mexican ranch; she was used to having servants, pretty dresses, and porcelain dolls.  But when her father is killed, she and her mother are forced to run to the US to escape her corrupt uncles who now own the farm.  Here, Esperanza learns to work and to appreciate life around her for what it is, not what she has.  This is a beautiful story of a girl coming to terms with who she is and adjusting to new circumstances, doing what she must do in the face of adversity.  This story is set during the Mexican Repatriation in the US and not long after the Mexican Revolution.  A powerful story that speaks to readers about coming to terms with hardships beyond personal control and rising above them.

Opinion
This is a great story and can be inspiring to readers, especially those who can identify with the main characters due to heritage, personal loss, or other similarities.  Esperanza is a wonderful heroine that girls can look up to as a strong female role model.  I think this book is good for more advanced readers in later elementary school or the average middle school reader.

Ideas
Great for many different kinds of displays: historical fiction, Mexican-American history, multicultural history, etc.  This book would also be good for a unit on multicultural literature.

36. Riding Freedom

Riding Freedom
By Pam Muñoz Ryan
Scholastic Paperbacks, 1999
Narrated by Melissa Hughes

Genre
Historical Fiction

Awards 

• Teacher's Choice Award (1999)

• WILLA Award: Best Young Adult Novel (1999)
• Arizona Young Reader's Award (1999-2000)
• California Young Reader Medal: Intermediate Reader (2000)

Review
After Charlotte banned from the stables because her riding makes the boys look bad and her only friend in the orphanage is being adopted, she decides to run away.  She escapes with the help of her friend and the stable hand, disguised as a boy.  She finds work in a stable with coach horses where she is a stable hand, and eventually coach driver, until she decides to move to California during the gold rush to find land where she can finally get her own ranch.  This is a wonderful story about "Charlie", a coach driver that was a woman disguised as a man until the day she died.  An inspiring story for young girls about chasing your dreams no matter what it takes, this story touches on the history of the woman's suffrage movement and talks about what it was like to be a girl in those times.  Melissa Hughes does a great job narrating, bringing Charlotte's story to life for the listener.

Opinion
This is an inspiring story about this girl who went against all odds to achieve what she did.  The author explains that though Charlotte was real, and most of the characters and history was accurate, some of the timelines were changed to coincide with historical events the way the author wanted.  I think this is a great book for horse lovers and for girls, who will find strength in Charlotte's spirit and resilience.

Ideas
Great for a display about historical woman, woman's suffrage, horses, or people who are not who they appear to be.

29. Lincoln's Grave Robbers

Lincoln's Grave Robbers
By Steve Sheinkin
Scholastic Press, 2013
Narrated by Will Patton

Genre
Non-fiction

Review
An exciting telling of how President Lincoln's body was almost stolen by grave robbers in a plot to force the government to release a notorious and talented engraver and counterfeiter.  Sheinkin touches on a brief history of the creation of the Secret Service, which was created to investigate and stop counterfeiting, in addition to covering a small part of the trouble with the election results in November 1876 between Samuel J. Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes, but he mainly focuses on the trouble counterfeit money was causing in the country.  Once the most talented engraver, Ben Boyd, was captured, counterfeit money was much harder to find to the joy of honest citizens and the Secret Service, but to the frustration of those who made their living off illegally distributing it like members of Boyd's counterfeiting ring who were having trouble surviving after his arrest.  They planned to rob the Springfield tomb that held Lincoln's body and ransom the body back to the government in exchange for Boyd's release and $200,000.  The story is told almost like a mystery or detective story, focusing around the Secret Service agent investigating the ring and the informer that had been placed in the ring.  An exciting narration given by Will Patton makes this little known part of history come to life in the listener's imagination as Sheinkin recounts the events of the planning and execution of the plot.  With bonus features like a glossary of terms and a short story about the history of body snatching in the medical profession, this book is full of interesting historical facts sure to grab the attention of tween readers.

Opinion
I loved listening to this book.  The narrator reminded me of the voice you might hear at the beginning of old private detective shows, where the camera pans into an office that says Private Investigator with a gumshoe behind the desk in a trench coat.  I had never heard of this event and felt like the book was very informative and well put into context of the times with information about the secret service and the big election happening at the same time.

Ideas
I think this is a great book for a display or study on little known facts, American history, or Presidential history.

28. Witches! The Absolutely True Story of Disaster in Salem

Witches! The Absolutely True Story of Disaster in Salem
By Rosalyn Scmanzer
National Geographic Children's Books, 2011
Narrated by Jessica Almasy

Genre
Non-fiction

Awards

• Society of Illustrators Gold medal for Best Illustrated Children's Book (2011)
• A Junior Library Guild Selection (Fall 2011)
• NY Public Library's 25 Best Nonfiction Titles (2011)
• #8 on Fuse list of 100 Magnificent Children's Books (2011)
• Kid Lit Frenzy top 5 Middle Grade Picks (2011)
• School Library Journal Starred Review and Best Book of the Year (2011)
• Included in Communication Arts Magazine's Annual Illustration Issue (May/June 2012)
• Robert F. Sibert Honor Award as one of the year's 5 most distinguished informational books for children (2012)
• NCSS/CBS Notable Social Studies Trade Book (2012)
• ALA Notable Children's Book

Review

A well-written history of the famous Salem Witch Trials that started in 1692 after two young girls, the daughter and niece of the town preacher, began suffering from odd symptoms (writhing and twisting in impossible directions, speaking strangely with nonsensical terms, and choking) and were diagnosed as being bewitched!  The girls were urged by their caretakers to finger the people whose spirits were harming them.  The girls fingered their family's longtime slave and two other village women, a beggar woman and an elderly ill woman who hadn't been to church in years.  Soon after this event, some of the girls' friends began experiencing similar symptoms and brought on the mass hysteria that lead to numerous people being accused and jailed for witchcraft, 20 people being killed, and ruined hundreds of lives.  Many people accused their own family members to avoid being accused themselves.  The courthouses were the stage where those claiming to be afflicted by the witches performed mimics of the accused person's gestures, pricked themselves with pins, bit themselves, and made shocking accusations about their own neighbors being in league with the devil.  Scmanzer covers this topic well, going into the poorly run trials where many were condemned based solely on spectral evidence and corrupt officials stole the assets of the accused for themselves before the person was even tried, rather than following the law and turning their assets over to the crown after they were condemned.

Opinion

A good synopsis of terrible historical events, this book gives an idea of the daily fright townsfolk must have experience during this time where anyone could be accused as a witch and would likely end up in prison, owing money for their "room and board" and their "rented" shackles, if they weren't condemned to die.  Scmanzer did a good job of writing to her target audience, upper elementary school, and even explained in her note at the end of the book that she paraphrased many of the quotes she used as they were more lengthy and written in more difficult, archaic English.  The narrator, Almasy, did a decent job of keeping the listener engaged in the audiobook, though I found her voice to get shrill and annoying at times.  Unfortunately, I did not have a physical copy and could not view the award winning illustrations, but the few that I've seen online are quite unique black & white art accented with red that seem to perfectly illustrate many of the occurrences.

Ideas

Great book for a middle-grade non-fiction reader and would be useful if writing a report.  The descriptions of the trials also gives a good look at the way religion was viewed in this time period and location, as well as how the legal system worked.

26. Dying to Cross

Dying to Cross
By Jorge Ramos
HarperCollins Publishers, 2006
Narrated by Jonathan Davis

Genre
Non-fiction

Awards
None Known

Review
Written by Jorge Ramos, a celebrated and popular Mexican journalist, this book tells the tragic story of over 70 immigrants from Mexico and various Central American countries who attempted to cross the Mexican-American border illegally on May 13, 2003.  These desperate people traveled a variety of ways and paid a few thousand dollars each to get from their homes to safe houses in Harlingen, TX, from which they were told they would be delivered to Huston, TX.  Based on the accounts of various immigrants, it seems the travelers were told different things by their coyotes (the people paid to bring them across the border) about what their accommodations and traveling methods would be, but in reality, they all ended up in a truck trailer for the last leg of their journey from Harlingen to Huston.  Although this truck had a refrigeration unit, the driver never turned it on, causing 17 people to die in the truck and 2 more later in the hospital.  Ramos' story tells about some of the lives of the immigrants before the tragedy and covers part of the trials after many coyotes, including the suspected ring-leader, were arrested.

Opinion
This was an extremely repetitive book and the author covered almost the entire story in the first chapter.  He reiterates facts like the temperature or that a young boy died in the truck and harps on "if only" ideas.  He briefly touches on the idea that both the countries Mexico and America are partially responsible for this tragedy due to poor immigration policy despite stating at the beginning of his book that he was simply trying to give the accounts of some of the surviving immigrants and some of those who died, not trying to make a political statement or legal overview.  This is a poorly written book, though the story it tells is heartbreaking and deserves to be told in a better way.

Ideas
I am not familiar with techniques used in journalism, but I feel like this may be an example of a journalist outreaching the bounds of what he is used to.   This could be used in a journalism or literature class to show how not to write an account of events.  It could also be used to discuss with tweens the problems that illegal immigration create for those attempting to travel in such a fashion, because although it is a poorly written book, it is a book that, in terms of reading level, would be appropriate for tweens to read.

23. Inkspell

Inkspell
By Cornelia Funke
Scholastic Inc., 2005
Narrated by Brendan Fraser

Genre
Low-Fantasy

Awards

• Best Sense Book of the Year: Children's Literature (2006)

Review

Meggie and Dustfinger's apprentence, Farid travel into the book Inkheart to find Dustfinger and warn him that Basta, a villainous man who loves to use knives and hates Dustfinger, had returned to Inkheart not long after Dustfinger himself.  A few days after Meggie disappeared into the book, her parents, Mo and Risa, were still heart-broken and thinking they've lost her forever.  They walk into their house only to find more old enemies that came from the pages of Inkheart.  Basta (who hadn’t returned yet), Mortola, and Orpheus had broken in, looking for Mo, Risa, and Meggie to exact revenge on for killing their old leader (also Mortola's son), Capricorn.  When Meggie is nowhere to be found, Mortola has Orpheus read all of them back into Inkheart where Mortola promptly shoots Mo with a gun brought with them from Mo's world.  Meanwhile, after warning Dustfinger, Meggie searches for the book's author, Fenolgio, who had come to live in the book himself, but soon discovers her parents were captured and are in the book and Mo is gravely wounded.  The rest of the story finds the small family trying to finally be reunited outside of captivity, and follows Farid as he tries to keep Dustfinger alive.  Fenolgio tries along the way to write beautiful words for Meggie to read and help him "fix" his story, but everything seemed to turn against his intentions, like a wish made to a genie that wasn't specific enough.  Funke did a wonderful job of trying to include readers whose first experience of the Inkworld is Inkspell by including character synopses at the beginning.  There is also a map for readers to follow the characters as they travel the vast and magical Inkworld, and small illustrations scattered throughout the book, presenting the characters and making the book itself seem as magical as the words in it.

Opinion

This is a great continuation to Inkheart, the first book in the series, but it can't quite stand on its own.  Many events are referenced from the first book, and not all of them are explained enough for those new to the series to be fully aware of the whole story.  A fairly easy read despite its thickness, Inkspell would be a great option for tweens who enjoy the adventure and magic often found in fantasy.

Ideas

Since this book was originally written in German and translated, this may be a good book for a display about popular books originating for foreign countries.  Many of the descriptions in the books are detailed enough to suggest that readers choose their favorite scene and attempt to illustrate it, like an illuminator would do in the book.

20. The Dark is Rising

The Dark is Rising: Book 2 of the Dark is Rising Sequence
By Susan Cooper
Random House Children's Books, 1973
Narrated by Alex Jennings

Genre
Adventure, Low-Fantasy

Awards

• Newbery Honor (1974)
• Named one of the "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children" by the National Education Association (2007)
• Named one of the "Top 100 Chapter Books" of all time by School Library Journal (2012)

Review

Will Stanton prepares for his Midwinter birthday, but can’t shake the feeling something is wrong.  Animals are reacting aggressively toward him and he is given a strange metal symbol as a birthday present by a long-time family friend, Farmer Dawson.  Soon Will discovers he was the last Old One, an ancient and powerful being, to be born and he came into the fullness of his powers on his 11th birthday.  Will travels through time with other Old Ones "…for all times co-exist, and the future can sometimes affect the past, even though the past is a road that leads to the future . . . But men cannot understand this.”  He is told by another Old One that he is the Sign Seeker, and that he already had one of them, the item Farmer Dawson had given him.  There are six Signs that must be gathered to help fight off the Dark, dark forces that were trying to control the world.  Will, along with the light (the Old Ones and others) fight constantly to keep the Dark at bay.  The Dark had some influence on the world and were the ones causing the snow, which Will soon discovers, is at risk of killing people in his village.  Will learns to control his powers and the Signs to fend off the Dark a while longer and keep his family safe from something they don't know is happening.   Will visits with other Old Ones in different times to learn more about who he is and how he can help fight the Dark.  A captivating book that shows a young boy coping with his new situation that can sometimes be seen as a gift and at other times be seen as a burden.

Opinion

I didn't know this was the second book in a series until looking more closely at the cover.  The author did a wonderful job of making the book stand alone, but now that I know it is part of a larger series, I certainly want to read the first book, and all the rest!  The setting changes frequently and I wasn't always sure "when" the book was, but I was swept up in the story nonetheless.  There is mention of British folklore in this book, and I'm sure I would find it all that more entertaining if I was familiar with the basics of the original folk characters, like Heren the Hunter.

Ideas

A great book for reluctant readers since it is part of a series they can keep going with if they enjoy this one, but the book also stands alone well, allowing readers who may be unsure about fantasy to try new things.

13. Redwall

Redwall
By Brian Jacques
Philomel, 1986
Narrated by Brian Jacques and Full Cast

Genre
Adventure, Animal Fantasy, Magic Realism

Awards

• The Lancashire Libraries Children's Book of the Year Award (1988)
• Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal (1988)
• The Western Australian Young Reader's Award (1990)

Review

A wonderful adventure story that portrays mice, and other woodland creatures, in Redwall Abby.  All the creatures are peaceful and everyone in the forest knows it is an unwritten rule to attack anyone wearing a Redwall habit, but the terrible sea-rat, Cluny the Scourge, sees Redwall as a perfect base for him.  Redwall inhabitants have their peaceful lives turned upside-down when they hear Cluny is coming to attack.  But Matthias, a brave young orphaned mouse, understood the danger ahead and took the Abby's founder, Martin the Warrior, as his example to try himself to become the Warrior of Redwall.  He later finds that Martin knew Matthias would be born long after he himself had died, and Martin's spirit would be with him in battle.  Along with friends like Constance the Badger, Basil Stage Hare, Methuselah the mouse, and Abbot Mortimer, Matthias retrieves Martin's hidden sword and shield, battles a giant adder snake called Asmodeus Poisonteeth, and defeats Cluny the Scourge and his army in this exciting adventure.  Author Brian Jacques and his full cast of voice actors do a wonderful job of giving life to the wonderful characters in this story and keep the listener yearning to hear more.

Opinion
I thought this was a wonderfully entertaining book; the voices of the characters were stuck in my head long after pausing the story and I was always wondering what would happen next.  The book is on the longer side, but it is perfectly appropriate for tweens who enjoy a good adventure story.  My friend had recommended I read this as it was apparently popular when we were growing up, but I had completely missed it! I'm certainly glad to have read it now than think I will be suggesting it to many children in the future.

Ideas
This may be a good book for reluctant readers because the story pulls you in not long after starting it and is full of action, but the thickness of it and some (though very little) of the language might be difficult.  This books will be pleasing to many different kinds of readers as it touches many genres: it has animals acting as humans, a magical element of Martin's spirit still being involved with Matthias, a brave warrior who strikes out on his own several times on quests, and an easily hated villain that all readers can root against.  Since the idea of the morality behind war is briefly touched on as well, this book could be a class assignment and a discussion generated on this topic.

12. A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 9: The Carnivorous Carnival

A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 9: The Carnivorous Carnival
By Lemony Snicket (Pen Name for Daniel Handler)
HarperCollins, 2002
Narrated by Tim Curry

Genre
Gothic Fiction

Awards
None known

Review

This is the ninth book in a 13 part series that follows the Baudelaire siblings, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, along a literal series of very unfortunate events that befall them.  Count Olaf and his odd troupe are still trying to find the Baudelaire's so they can likely kill two of them and capture the third to get their hands on a fortune left to the children by their parents.  The children must disguise themselves as circus freaks to fit in at a circus in the middle of nowhere.  The siblings spend their time at the carnival trying to escape and solve more of the mystery behind their parents' deaths before Count Olaf feeds one of the "freaks" working at the carnival to a group of recently acquired lions.  Handler creates a world where adults are ludicrous, caring more about the entertainment provided by "freaks", sloppy eating, and murder than the legality of the situation.  The children's guardian of sorts, Mr. Poe, is eternally inept causing the children to constantly try to escape Count Olaf on their own.  In contrast to the ridiculous adults, the three children are extremely smart and resourceful.  Handler also has a mysterious running side-story with the "author" Lemony Snicket who is supposedly chronicling the "true" tale of these children.  Their story somehow intertwines with his own unhappy circumstances, a mysterious organization named V.F.D., and a loss of his true love Beatrice.  The audiobook is satisfactory, with enough voice distinction to follow the characters and the narrator; there are orchestral inserts to introduce each chapter, played by The Gothic Archies created specifically for these audiobooks.

Opinion
This whole series is Gothic and dark, possibly disturbing some younger readers.  There is, however, dark comedy in how absurd the adults are in the face of all the children's problems.  Despite a lack of moral compass in many adults, the children maintain their own morals and struggle with having to do things that are wrong in order to ensure their survival.  I have read the previous books; this is the first book in the series I have listened to the audio of and I was disappointed.  I found the reading to be adequate if not lackluster, and I found the music irritating, abrupt, and distracting.

Ideas
This books shows many instances where the children must rely on their own skills to get out of situations.  Adults can show tweens that adults are not like this in reality - there is always someone they can talk to whether it's their parents, teachers, police, etc.  On a more positive note, this book has a lead female character who is an imaginative inventor, a role mostly taken by male characters.  Handler also instills a love of books through Klaus, an avid reader and apt researcher.  Children can learn that whatever their skills may be, they can be useful, especially when combined with others.

9. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
By Douglas Adams
Pan Books, 1979
Narrated by Stephen Fry

Genre
Sci-fi, Humor

Awards

• #1 on Sunday Times Bestseller list (1979)
• #1 UK Bestseller List (1984)
• 1,000,000 copies sold - Golden Pan awarded to Douglas Adams (1984)
• #24 on Waterstone's Book/Channel Four's list of "One Hundred Greatest Books of the Century" (1996)
• #4 on BBC's "Big Read" or "Nation's Best Loved Book" (2003)

Review
Arthur Dent thought it would be a relaxing Thursday, but woke up to the Earth about to be destroyed and his house about to be bulldozed! Soon he finds out his best friend, Ford Prefect, is a hitchhiker from another planet.  The two are promptly beamed into a Vogon spaceship that Ford flagged down so they could escape the Earth before its destruction.  Arthur and Ford later end up in the company of the Galactic President Zaphod Beeblebrox and Trillion, known as Tricia McMillan back on Earth where Arthur tried to have a nice conversation with her before Zaphod showed up with his apparently very successful pickup line, "Why don't you talk to me instead? I'm from a different planet."  The four of them, with a depressed robot, on their stolen spaceship powered by an improbability drive allowing them to travel through every point in space simultaneously, travel to the planet Magrathea.  Here they discover that the answer to THE question of "life, the universe, and everything" had been discovered millions of years ago by the great computer Deep Thought to be 42.  Not understanding the answer because they hadn’t asked the right question, the curious race was turned into mice and commissioned Earth (really an organic computer program used by the mice to study humans to find the real question) to be built.  This book full of absurd humor and an imaginative world if brought to life with the wonderful voice acting of Stephen Fry in this unabridged audio book.

Opinion
This is a wonderful book, humorous and fun for middle grade through early high school readers.  The absurdity of some of the humor is contrasted by the slight nagging thought that, if the mice were very good at their jobs as experimenters, we would never know if this were all true.  This is a great introduction to science fiction with creative characters and a thought provoking overarching theme.

Ideas
This book might be a good way to jump start a creative project about life on other planets, or a creative writing prompt to write about one of the other planets or species that may be in Douglas's world.  Otherwise, this would be a great book for a display of classic science fiction.

6. Go Ask Alice

Go Ask Alice
By Anonymous
Prentice Hall, 1967
Narrated by Christina Moore

Genre
Realistic Fiction

Honors

• YALSA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2000, 2003)
• YALSA Best Books for Young Adults (1971)

Review
A fictional story written in the style of a teenager's diary, Go Ask Alice addresses serious questions about growing up and presents an uncensored look at part of the 1970s drug culture that can still be translated into today's substance using population.  A book that address difficult topics like running away, drug use, sex, rape, body image problems, and profanity, it was still on the 2003 ALA list of the top 10 most challenged books.  The unnamed "author" of the diary experiences the normal troubles teens do growing up, struggling with her body image, dating, questions about sex, testing limits with parents, and being curious about drugs.  However, this story follows the young writer as she deals with these concerns in what could be argued to be an abnormal way.  While the book is often dark and explores hard to answer questions, it also focuses on themes of the importance of family and getting to know and accept oneself, even if it means forgiving oneself and moving forward to another stage in life.  The narrator, Christina Moore, has a wonderfully expressive voice, successfully conveying all the emotions felt by this teenage writer, including her often communicated fear and confusion.

Opinion
Beatrice Sparks is the editor of Go Ask Alice and many other books that are supposed to be based off diaries of anonymous teens addressing other contempory teen issues.  The problem is she was heavy-handed with her editing, which has landed all her "edited" diaries with a Fiction label.  She also made some parents, who gave her the diary of their teenage son to publish after he committed suicide, very angry by completely adding what became the premise of the diary - a completely fictional telling of a satanic cult, leaving little of the original diary left.  So, while this book, and her others, may be in some way based on a legitimate diary of a real teen, the books we see published may be far from the actual lives of the specific teens who inspired Sparks's stories.  Go Ask Alice is a popular, classic book for teenagers since it addresses so many key issues.  I feel like this book is appropriate for the upper ends of the tween age range, late Jr. high or high school.  It has profanity in it, young character runs away, describes having sex and being raped, describes the intensity of her "trips" and her addiction, and details her psychotic break, so it may be too disturbing and graphic for some users. But for those who can handle it, some powerful lessons may be learned.

Ideas
Go Ask Alice is a great book for any discussion about substance abuse, running away, and the general struggle teenagers go through during adolescence.  This is a good book for parents/teachers and teens to read together, or simultaneously, to help provoke discussion and open up communication lines about serious topics teens may be reluctant to discuss. Due to the authorship issues, it's also a great book to start a discussion about trustworthy information sources.

5. The Notorious Benedict Arnold

The Notorious Benedict Arnold

By Steve Sheinkin
Roaring Brook Press, 2010
Narrated by Mark Bramhall

Genere
Non-fiction

Honors

• Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Non-Fiction (2011)
• YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction (2011)

Review
An excellent telling of Benedict Arnold's involvement with the US's war for independence from Brittan.  Sheinkin does a masterful job of weaving quoted historical accounts into the text and writing as if this were a fictional novel.  The introduction is captivating and puts the reader on the edge of his/her seat, especially if they know little to nothing about Arnold.  Since the topic is historical, and some readers may find it boring if they already know the outcome, Sheinkin paid close attention to details, bringing in other characters that played large rolls, and adding novelty information that was likely not taught in school social studies.  Sheinkin organized the book by dates, making chapters short and including many maps to allow the reader to follow the action across the East Coast and Canada as battles were fought.  These diagrams will involve reluctant readers in the action of the battles.  The audio book narrated by Mark Bramhall was wonderfully captivating, bringing Sheinkin's description of Arnold and everything he did to life.  Bramhall had wonderful voices to differentiate all the historical quotations from the rest of the narration.

Opinion
I thought this was a great book, especially since I knew absolutely nothing about Benedict Arnold going into the book.  I now feel that I could give an account of who he is and what he did during the time of the American Revolution, though the book did not cover much of his life after he left America for Europe.  I was constantly wondering what was going on with his sons, who he seemed to have simply deserted and left with his sister most of their lives.  I don't know if this is because there is no information on what they were doing while Arnold was off fighting, marrying another woman and having another child with her, and betraying his country, or if the author simply didn't want to focus on them anymore than he already had.  I think this is a fantastic book that is easy for middle-grade and early high schoolers to enjoy while still learning about part the country's history.  Additionally, I feel that Sheinkin did a wonderful job listing his sources in a way that the reader understands which resources were used for what research and where every quote in the book came from.  It allows for easy access to resource suggestions for anyone interested in studying further on any particular part of Arnold's story.

Ideas
This book would be great in a few places: an exhibit or project on the American Revolution, anything focusing on Benedict Arnold, and possibly even something focusing on George Washington or John Andre who were both mentioned frequently throughout the book.

4. Island of the Blue Dolphins

Island of the Blue Dolphins

By Scott O'Dell

Dell Publishing, 1960
Narrated by Tantoo Cardinal

Genre

Historical Fiction

Honors

• Newbery Award (1961)
• Lewis Carroll Shelf Award (1961)
• Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People (1961)
• Pomona Friends of the Library (1961)
• International Board on Books for Young People Honor List (1962)
• William Allen White Children's Book Award (1963)
• Jugendbuchpreis (1963 - Given by Federal Republic of Germany)
• Rupert Hughes Award
• Nene Award (1964)
• George C. Stone Center for Children's Books (1971)
• Children's Literature Association: "11 Best American Children's Books of the Past 200 Years" (1976)
• Omar's Book Award (1985)
• School Library Journal, Books That Shaped the Century (2000)

Review

Karana's life with her tribe in their small village of Ghalas-at had a routine - the men hunted, the woman gathered, and they all survived together.  Karana's father was the chief of the tribe and she spent much time with her brother and sister.  One spring, hunters Karana thought of as Aleut came to the island and changed everything.  The Aleut and the men of the tribe fought and many of the men, including Karana's father, died.  A new chief took a canoe to find white men who could bring a ship to take the rest of the tribe to safety.  When the white men came, the tribe boarded the ship, leaving their home behind.  Karana found that her brother had missed the ship and she jumped off the boat to go back for him.  The two of them made plans to survive while waiting for the ship to return, but her brother was killed.  Karana was alone on the island for a long time and overcame many struggles before a ship finally came for her.  Tantoo Cardinal narrates this beautifully written book, bringing the story to life and speaking Karana's language as though she had known it her whole life.  Her cadence was like waves, going in and out from the beach, calming and flowing over the reader as she tells about Karana exploring her home and learning to live alone.

Opinion

The edition of the book I have doesn't say until the end that this story is based off history.  I feel that O'Dell did a wonderful job telling what this woman's life may have been like on that island, but I wish the book was organized with this information at the front.  The audio book doesn't cover this short informational segment and I never knew this book was more than a fictional story until discovering this short in the back.  I enjoyed that it was different than much historical fiction I've read before, starting with a historical character and creating events around her, rather than starting with a historical time period and creating characters within it.

Ideas

This is a great book for an exhibit about American Indians since O'Dell goes into great detail about how they hunted, and also a little detail about the beliefs and language of Karana's tribe.  I also think this is a great book for young girls since it has a strong female main character survivalist.  Many books I've seen about young people living alone are about solitary boys or groups of youth.  This may be an empowering book for young female readers.

1. Fortunately, the Milk

Fortunately, the Milk
By Neil Gaiman

Illustrated by Skottie Young

Harper Collins Children's Books, 2013
Narrated by Neil Gaiman

Genre
Sci-fi, Humor

Honors

• A Globe & Mail 100 Selection: Young Adult (2013)

Review

When a father is left to care for his two children while his wife is away for a few days, the children wake up in the morning to find they have no milk for their cereal.  The father goes to the store to get milk and is gone for a long time, but when he returns, he tells the children the amazing events that happened to him on his way home.  This is a humorous book about travels through space and time in a hot-air balloon with Professor Steg, the stegosaurus.  During his travels, the father escapes pirates, encounters a volcano god, outsmarts wumpires, and saves the planet from green globby aliens who want to redecorate it, all the while carrying a carton of milk.  The audio book, read by author Neil Gaiman, keeps the reader engrossed in the story, able to follow each character with their unique voices.  Young's illustrations are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein, creatively showing this father's adventure through space-time and what the children do while waiting for him to come home.  The typeface is lively and almost artistic on its own, curving around the illustrations and the letters dancing across the pages.

Opinion
I really enjoyed listening to and looking at this book.  If possible, I feel like that is the way to go as you will get the voices from the audio and the illustrations from the book.  However, I usually prefer reading to listening if I need to choose and would therefore prefer to read this book.

Ideas
I think children in middle to late elementary school will enjoy the goofiness of this book.  If children don't like reading, this book may be good for them to start with as the humor and fast-paced plot will draw them in so they'll finish reading before they even notice.