Crowe, Chris. Mississippi Trial, 1955. New York: Speak, 2003
Annotation: 16 year old white Hiram has to face brutal realities as he is drawn into the torture and murder of 14 year old black Emmett Till in Greenwood, Mississippi.
Justification for Nomination: Mississippi Trial, 1955 is based on actual events that helped spark the civil rights movement. In 1955, America was a different place; especially in Greenwood Mississippi. The setting of the old south is an effective way to help tell about the African American struggle against hatred and bigotry. The reader is taken into the heart of racism. The author uses regional and historical language of the times to convey the message of racism. The book does a good job of giving the reader a glimpse of what racial hatred sounds like, looks like, and feels like. The teen reader will be able to relate to the protagonist Hiram and his inner struggle to do the right thing even though he is scared. This can be a tough read at times, but the book illuminates the darkness of hate because of skin color. There are brutal fights, dehumanizing scenes, and murder in the plot of this book, but it is necessary to convey the message of the book. Besides the themes of racism, bigotry, and hatred, it also has themes of courage, love, understanding, family dysfunction, alcohol abuse, and discrimination. The book shows how some characters try to change themselves or others around them. Readers have the opportunity to learn about the Jim Crow Laws, the White Citizen Council, and the NAACP.
Genre: historical fiction, multicultural, edgy, search for identity
Awards:
American Library Associations: 2003 Best Books for Young Adults list.
Parent's Guide Children's Media Awards: 2002 Honor Book.
National Council for Social Studies: 2003 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People.
Association for Mormon Letters: 2002 Best Novel.
International Reading Association's Children's Book Awards: 2003 award in the Young Adult Fiction category.
Jefferson Cup 2003.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tasting the Sky A Palestinian Conflict
Barakat, Ibtisam. Tasting the Sky A Palestinian Childhood. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007.
Annotation: One minute you are watching your mother feed your baby sister. The next minute you are running for your life from the bulldozers that came to destroy your home, your village, and your way of life.
Justification for Nomination: Tasting the Sky offers a modest introduction to the Israel/Palestine six day war in 1967 through the eyes of a child. The author and narrator, and also the main character Ibiza writes in a first person narrative using a beautiful poetic prose to describe what she sees, smells, tastes, and feels during this traumatic time in her life. She uses flashback and summary to paint a picture of what it was like to grow up in the middle of a war, but she does it in a very unique way. The author writes in her childhood voice to the reader a glimpse of enduring the war and growing up as a refugee in her own homeland. This technique allows the reader to see the conflict through a child’s eye. The author gains the reader’s interest and sympathy by painting a picture of how families and children cope with the realities of war. The author never points a finger or lays blame. She allows her childhood self to convey the horrors and the beauty that she is surrounded by daily. While this would be a challenging read for the young reader, it is an important book to pursue to begin to understand what it is like for other children in other countries fighting for survival. There is a reference library provided in the back of the book for readers to learn more about this conflict. This would be a great classroom book for young adults to explore because it raises awareness about the six day war, opens minds, and offers the opportunity to engage in dialogue.
Genre: Memoir, multicultural, non-fiction, historical fiction
Annotation: One minute you are watching your mother feed your baby sister. The next minute you are running for your life from the bulldozers that came to destroy your home, your village, and your way of life.
Justification for Nomination: Tasting the Sky offers a modest introduction to the Israel/Palestine six day war in 1967 through the eyes of a child. The author and narrator, and also the main character Ibiza writes in a first person narrative using a beautiful poetic prose to describe what she sees, smells, tastes, and feels during this traumatic time in her life. She uses flashback and summary to paint a picture of what it was like to grow up in the middle of a war, but she does it in a very unique way. The author writes in her childhood voice to the reader a glimpse of enduring the war and growing up as a refugee in her own homeland. This technique allows the reader to see the conflict through a child’s eye. The author gains the reader’s interest and sympathy by painting a picture of how families and children cope with the realities of war. The author never points a finger or lays blame. She allows her childhood self to convey the horrors and the beauty that she is surrounded by daily. While this would be a challenging read for the young reader, it is an important book to pursue to begin to understand what it is like for other children in other countries fighting for survival. There is a reference library provided in the back of the book for readers to learn more about this conflict. This would be a great classroom book for young adults to explore because it raises awareness about the six day war, opens minds, and offers the opportunity to engage in dialogue.
Genre: Memoir, multicultural, non-fiction, historical fiction
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Maus
Spiegelman, Art. Maus. New York: Random House, 1992.
Annotation: A semi-autobiographical tale of Vledek and Anja Spiegelman living and surviving World War II in Hitler’s Nazi Poland.
Justification for nomination: This Pulitzer Prize winner of 1992 is a story of father who survived the holocaust, but can never forget the horror and atrocities he and his wife had to endure. Art is the son who attempts to tell his father’s story, but ends up with a better understanding of who is father is and what he has become since those tragic days of World War II. The author uses square bound panels with black and white imagery and limited gutter space. This allows the reader to move quickly through the story, but also, it seems easier to focus on the dialogue because it is in black and white. If vivid colors were used not only would it take away from the plot, but the use of vivid colors, I think, would brighten or cheer up a desolate time in history. This is not a story that has a happy ending; anyone involved is forever scarred. The author uses a variety of panel transitions that are fluid and true (action to action, subject to subject, and moment to moment). The word balloons and thought balloons were set up so it was easy to understand which character was speaking. The use of foreshadowing which started on the introductory pages was crucial for understanding the thought process of the protagonist—Vledek, Art’s father. The author uses two different narratives creating a story within a story. The present narrative is used when Art and Vledek are involved in the here and now dialogue and revealing their relationship. The past narrative is used when Vledek is retelling his experiences in Nazi Poland so the story jumps from present to past to present seamlessly without losing the reader. The double narrative seems to add a sense of importance of hearing stories told by your parent or grandparent. The themes of guilt (primary theme), racism, survival, death, violence (graphically, implied and language) foster passionate discussion and intense debate. For this reason, the book could and should be used in the classroom. It would work in a variety of classes, for example, history, sociology, and psychology. The author uses animal characterizations making the Jewish people mice, Germans cats, French frogs, and the Polish are Pigs. Some critics think that the use of animal depictions are insensitive to the Jewish people and the horrors that were inflicted upon them. I am of the thought that any stories about the holocaust are horrific and can be very hard to read about. The use on the animals gives the reader some distance from the horror to digest some of the themes.
Genre: Fiction/Graphic Novel/semi-autobiography/Historical/Challenged/Pulitzer Prize 1992
Annotation: A semi-autobiographical tale of Vledek and Anja Spiegelman living and surviving World War II in Hitler’s Nazi Poland.
Justification for nomination: This Pulitzer Prize winner of 1992 is a story of father who survived the holocaust, but can never forget the horror and atrocities he and his wife had to endure. Art is the son who attempts to tell his father’s story, but ends up with a better understanding of who is father is and what he has become since those tragic days of World War II. The author uses square bound panels with black and white imagery and limited gutter space. This allows the reader to move quickly through the story, but also, it seems easier to focus on the dialogue because it is in black and white. If vivid colors were used not only would it take away from the plot, but the use of vivid colors, I think, would brighten or cheer up a desolate time in history. This is not a story that has a happy ending; anyone involved is forever scarred. The author uses a variety of panel transitions that are fluid and true (action to action, subject to subject, and moment to moment). The word balloons and thought balloons were set up so it was easy to understand which character was speaking. The use of foreshadowing which started on the introductory pages was crucial for understanding the thought process of the protagonist—Vledek, Art’s father. The author uses two different narratives creating a story within a story. The present narrative is used when Art and Vledek are involved in the here and now dialogue and revealing their relationship. The past narrative is used when Vledek is retelling his experiences in Nazi Poland so the story jumps from present to past to present seamlessly without losing the reader. The double narrative seems to add a sense of importance of hearing stories told by your parent or grandparent. The themes of guilt (primary theme), racism, survival, death, violence (graphically, implied and language) foster passionate discussion and intense debate. For this reason, the book could and should be used in the classroom. It would work in a variety of classes, for example, history, sociology, and psychology. The author uses animal characterizations making the Jewish people mice, Germans cats, French frogs, and the Polish are Pigs. Some critics think that the use of animal depictions are insensitive to the Jewish people and the horrors that were inflicted upon them. I am of the thought that any stories about the holocaust are horrific and can be very hard to read about. The use on the animals gives the reader some distance from the horror to digest some of the themes.
Genre: Fiction/Graphic Novel/semi-autobiography/Historical/Challenged/Pulitzer Prize 1992
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Rats Saw God
Thomas, Rob. Rats Saw God. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.
Annotation: 18 year old Steve York is not going to graduate. He has mastered the SATS, but doesn’t care enough about himself to finish his work to graduate. If he can complete a 100 page paper over the summer and retell how he got to where he is throughout his high school career, the guidance counselor will pass him.
Justification for nomination: Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas is a story filled with controversial themes. He seemed to have lived two lives in his 18 years. One in Houston with his astronaut father, who he does not respect, but he does well in school, has a girlfriend, and is part of a school club that pushes all the limits. He lives here through his sophomore year. He then moves to San Diego with his mother and sister in his senior year after he loses his girlfriend. alienates his friends, starts smoking pot, and is flunking out of school. A high school guidance counselor makes him a deal. If he can write a 100 page paper telling how he got to the place is at today, he will graduate. The unique structure of the book allows the reader to watch Steve’s character develop in opposite directions. He starts out failing in his relationships and school as a senior, but by the use of flashbacks, the reader sees how his life fell apart. It is like this is a book within a book. The structure sets up a series of contrasts between Steve’s life in California and his life in Texas; both have the same elements, a parent, a girlfriend, school setting, supportive faculty member, and friends, but Steve is not the same person. The back and forth travel between the present and the past highlights the cause and effects of his action and the consequences that follow. The flashbacks are written like a report so you can clearly distinguish between the now and the before. It is told in limited 1st person point of view present tense, almost an autobiography, when he speaks of the present. It is told in limited 1st person point of view past tense when he is in a flashback so he is able to use the benefit of hindsight throughout the story. The secondary elements in the narrative deals with the character development and maturation of the additional characters, like Dub, Doug, the astronaut, his sister, etc. The characters are realistic, strong, and honest. Teen readers will be able to relate the characters as well as the strong themes. The themes represented are family, friends and enemies, challenges, triumphs, love, losing virginity, drug and alcohol use, and romance. This book also makes the censored list because of its themes of sex, losing virginity, teacher and student affair, and drugs.
Genre: Coming of age/challenged/edgy/search for identity
Annotation: 18 year old Steve York is not going to graduate. He has mastered the SATS, but doesn’t care enough about himself to finish his work to graduate. If he can complete a 100 page paper over the summer and retell how he got to where he is throughout his high school career, the guidance counselor will pass him.
Justification for nomination: Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas is a story filled with controversial themes. He seemed to have lived two lives in his 18 years. One in Houston with his astronaut father, who he does not respect, but he does well in school, has a girlfriend, and is part of a school club that pushes all the limits. He lives here through his sophomore year. He then moves to San Diego with his mother and sister in his senior year after he loses his girlfriend. alienates his friends, starts smoking pot, and is flunking out of school. A high school guidance counselor makes him a deal. If he can write a 100 page paper telling how he got to the place is at today, he will graduate. The unique structure of the book allows the reader to watch Steve’s character develop in opposite directions. He starts out failing in his relationships and school as a senior, but by the use of flashbacks, the reader sees how his life fell apart. It is like this is a book within a book. The structure sets up a series of contrasts between Steve’s life in California and his life in Texas; both have the same elements, a parent, a girlfriend, school setting, supportive faculty member, and friends, but Steve is not the same person. The back and forth travel between the present and the past highlights the cause and effects of his action and the consequences that follow. The flashbacks are written like a report so you can clearly distinguish between the now and the before. It is told in limited 1st person point of view present tense, almost an autobiography, when he speaks of the present. It is told in limited 1st person point of view past tense when he is in a flashback so he is able to use the benefit of hindsight throughout the story. The secondary elements in the narrative deals with the character development and maturation of the additional characters, like Dub, Doug, the astronaut, his sister, etc. The characters are realistic, strong, and honest. Teen readers will be able to relate the characters as well as the strong themes. The themes represented are family, friends and enemies, challenges, triumphs, love, losing virginity, drug and alcohol use, and romance. This book also makes the censored list because of its themes of sex, losing virginity, teacher and student affair, and drugs.
Genre: Coming of age/challenged/edgy/search for identity
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Inside Out
Trueman, Terry. Inside Out. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.
Annotation: “Wong Gong”, “Gong Wong”, “Wasteoid”, “You need to die!” Zach’s brain doesn’t work so well. If he doesn’t get his medicine on time the Rat and Dirtbag, the tormenting voices inside his head will come back. When the teen robbers enter the coffee shop where Zach is waiting for this mom , Zach is pushed to his limit. He needs to take his meds or risk going over the edge.
Justification for nomination: Wow! What an intense psychological thrill ride from beginning to end. Zach is waiting for his mother to pick him up after school one day. He sits and waits in a coffee shop, knowing that she will be there and then it will be time to take his medicine. Two young teen boys enter the coffee shop with guns and demand money. Zach does not have the capacity to feel so he doesn’t know enough to be afraid of the young punks. This begins a long journey for Zach, the two hoodlums and the rest of the hostages. Trueman takes the reader through two simultaneous crisis situations in a sharp, vivid style. Trueman weaves together inner and outer conflicts, while grounding the reader with references to the here and now. Though the story would have been great without the epilogue, it adds an impact that teens will be able to identify with and hopefully will open dialogue about mental illness and empathy. The story is full of tight, crisp psychological dialogue and suspense with a hero who the reader may know from school or the playground. Zach’s matter of fact thinking makes the dark regions of his mind both real and chilling. This book will appeal to all levels of readers. It is also a pocket book, which is appealing to male readers. The author has created a fast paced read filled with powerful and gripping words. It is action packed and each character adds an important role in the book, major or minor. Although the reason behind the robbery is one that makes you take pity on the two antagonists, careful conversation with most teens about teen justice can help alleviate any fears parents or teachers have about the controversial matter in the book.
Genre: Realistic novel/problem novel/edgy fiction, thriller,
Annotation: “Wong Gong”, “Gong Wong”, “Wasteoid”, “You need to die!” Zach’s brain doesn’t work so well. If he doesn’t get his medicine on time the Rat and Dirtbag, the tormenting voices inside his head will come back. When the teen robbers enter the coffee shop where Zach is waiting for this mom , Zach is pushed to his limit. He needs to take his meds or risk going over the edge.
Justification for nomination: Wow! What an intense psychological thrill ride from beginning to end. Zach is waiting for his mother to pick him up after school one day. He sits and waits in a coffee shop, knowing that she will be there and then it will be time to take his medicine. Two young teen boys enter the coffee shop with guns and demand money. Zach does not have the capacity to feel so he doesn’t know enough to be afraid of the young punks. This begins a long journey for Zach, the two hoodlums and the rest of the hostages. Trueman takes the reader through two simultaneous crisis situations in a sharp, vivid style. Trueman weaves together inner and outer conflicts, while grounding the reader with references to the here and now. Though the story would have been great without the epilogue, it adds an impact that teens will be able to identify with and hopefully will open dialogue about mental illness and empathy. The story is full of tight, crisp psychological dialogue and suspense with a hero who the reader may know from school or the playground. Zach’s matter of fact thinking makes the dark regions of his mind both real and chilling. This book will appeal to all levels of readers. It is also a pocket book, which is appealing to male readers. The author has created a fast paced read filled with powerful and gripping words. It is action packed and each character adds an important role in the book, major or minor. Although the reason behind the robbery is one that makes you take pity on the two antagonists, careful conversation with most teens about teen justice can help alleviate any fears parents or teachers have about the controversial matter in the book.
Genre: Realistic novel/problem novel/edgy fiction, thriller,
Kissing Doorknobs
Hesser, Terry Spence. Kissing Doorknobs. New York: Doubleday, 1998.
Annotation: 11 year old Tara has some strange habits, counting cracks, praying, and kissing doorknobs. She has to repeat her habits over and over until it feels right. OCD not only destroys the sufferer, it destroys their family too.
Justification for nomination: Tara is eleven years old when she realizes that something is wrong with her. It starts because she heard the phrase “step on a crack, break your mother’s back” and now she can’t stop saying it over and over and over again inside her head. Not only does she repeat the phrase, but she has to count cracks in the sidewalk on her way to school and then back home again. If she gets interrupted or loses count then she has to start over again. Tara suffers from a biological disease called OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Over time the rituals takes over a person’s life and destroys friendships, families and the sufferer. The author does a brilliant job of describing in vivid, realistic detail through the 1st person point of view a debilitating disease. By using 1st person point of view the author engages the reader so that they can delve deep into the mind of the OCD sufferer offering insight and understanding. Tara, the narrator, tells her story with frankness and humor. The author does a good job of writing in the voice of a teen expressing thoughts, fears, hopes, and insecurities. Most of the focus of the book is on the ever widening scope of Tara’s affliction and the havoc it wreaks on her family. One of the most moving aspects is the disintegration of the relationship between Tara and her mother. The other characters are likeable and are not either good or bad, but human. Themes covered in the story are teen pregnancy, sex, smoking, drugs, alcoholism, anorexia, and family dysfunction. The book makes positive points of the themes and also points out the absurdities of drug use and teen sex. The themes are relatable by most of the teens today. The author includes an afterward by Dr. AJ Allen M.D. which adds a clinical perspective to the disease. There are many themes that teens can relate to, but also the writing style is one that teens can enjoy. It is a faced paced easy read littered with humor, sincerity, sadness, and hope.
Genre: Coming of Age, realistic novel/problem novel/edgy fiction
Annotation: 11 year old Tara has some strange habits, counting cracks, praying, and kissing doorknobs. She has to repeat her habits over and over until it feels right. OCD not only destroys the sufferer, it destroys their family too.
Justification for nomination: Tara is eleven years old when she realizes that something is wrong with her. It starts because she heard the phrase “step on a crack, break your mother’s back” and now she can’t stop saying it over and over and over again inside her head. Not only does she repeat the phrase, but she has to count cracks in the sidewalk on her way to school and then back home again. If she gets interrupted or loses count then she has to start over again. Tara suffers from a biological disease called OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Over time the rituals takes over a person’s life and destroys friendships, families and the sufferer. The author does a brilliant job of describing in vivid, realistic detail through the 1st person point of view a debilitating disease. By using 1st person point of view the author engages the reader so that they can delve deep into the mind of the OCD sufferer offering insight and understanding. Tara, the narrator, tells her story with frankness and humor. The author does a good job of writing in the voice of a teen expressing thoughts, fears, hopes, and insecurities. Most of the focus of the book is on the ever widening scope of Tara’s affliction and the havoc it wreaks on her family. One of the most moving aspects is the disintegration of the relationship between Tara and her mother. The other characters are likeable and are not either good or bad, but human. Themes covered in the story are teen pregnancy, sex, smoking, drugs, alcoholism, anorexia, and family dysfunction. The book makes positive points of the themes and also points out the absurdities of drug use and teen sex. The themes are relatable by most of the teens today. The author includes an afterward by Dr. AJ Allen M.D. which adds a clinical perspective to the disease. There are many themes that teens can relate to, but also the writing style is one that teens can enjoy. It is a faced paced easy read littered with humor, sincerity, sadness, and hope.
Genre: Coming of Age, realistic novel/problem novel/edgy fiction
Friday, July 10, 2009
The Giver
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1993.
Annotation: Imagine a perfect community. There is no crime, no homelessness, no sickness, no war. Or is it so perfect? Jonas discovers more than he wants about his society and has to make a difficult choice.
Justification for rejection: Jonas lives in a society where everything is taken care of for everyone that lives there. Everyone who lives there contributes to the community and obeys the rules. If the rules are broken, the violator is “released”, once you become to old you are “released”. If a newborn can’t adjust in the recommended fashion then they are “released”. The author creates a riveting, thought provoking story by introducing young readers to complex themes such as individuality, tolerance, empathy, social and personal responsibility, sex, euthanasia, and infanticide. Although, these themes are controversial and have led to the banning of the book, it also causes the reader to search within themselves and own thoughts about how they feel about these issues. The central conflict is the letting go of highlights in life to get rid of the low points in life. The young protagonist Jonas discovers that through the goal of sameness, freedom of choice and uniqueness has been eradicated. These themes are stepping stones towards thought provoking discussions among young adults. The author gives a vivid description of the killing of a child because it is flawed, which I believe teaches the importance of acceptance towards an individual no matter what or how many flaw that person may have. That being said, I did enjoy the brilliant beginning and middle of the story. The reason for my rejection is the ending. The ending is ambiguous with fabled overtones. For me, getting through the ending was a chore. It felt as if the author was in a hurry to finish so she cut out all the dialogue and quickly led the protagonist on a quest seeking journey, but the reader never really knows what the quest really is or where he is going and then it just ends. Some aspects of the story were not fully explained and as long as the reader can accept that it should be an enjoyable read for most people, but is not in my opinion award worthy.
Genre: Science fiction/fantasy/coming of age/challenged
Annotation: Imagine a perfect community. There is no crime, no homelessness, no sickness, no war. Or is it so perfect? Jonas discovers more than he wants about his society and has to make a difficult choice.
Justification for rejection: Jonas lives in a society where everything is taken care of for everyone that lives there. Everyone who lives there contributes to the community and obeys the rules. If the rules are broken, the violator is “released”, once you become to old you are “released”. If a newborn can’t adjust in the recommended fashion then they are “released”. The author creates a riveting, thought provoking story by introducing young readers to complex themes such as individuality, tolerance, empathy, social and personal responsibility, sex, euthanasia, and infanticide. Although, these themes are controversial and have led to the banning of the book, it also causes the reader to search within themselves and own thoughts about how they feel about these issues. The central conflict is the letting go of highlights in life to get rid of the low points in life. The young protagonist Jonas discovers that through the goal of sameness, freedom of choice and uniqueness has been eradicated. These themes are stepping stones towards thought provoking discussions among young adults. The author gives a vivid description of the killing of a child because it is flawed, which I believe teaches the importance of acceptance towards an individual no matter what or how many flaw that person may have. That being said, I did enjoy the brilliant beginning and middle of the story. The reason for my rejection is the ending. The ending is ambiguous with fabled overtones. For me, getting through the ending was a chore. It felt as if the author was in a hurry to finish so she cut out all the dialogue and quickly led the protagonist on a quest seeking journey, but the reader never really knows what the quest really is or where he is going and then it just ends. Some aspects of the story were not fully explained and as long as the reader can accept that it should be an enjoyable read for most people, but is not in my opinion award worthy.
Genre: Science fiction/fantasy/coming of age/challenged
Monday, July 6, 2009
Dust
Slade, Arthur. Dust. Canada: Harper, 2001
Annotation: In the quiet, sleepy town of Horseshoe, Saskatchewan, evil is coming. For Robert’s 7 year old brother Matthew it’s too late. Is Robert next?
Justification for Nomination: The story begins in the depression era dustbowl farming community in Horseshoe, Saskatchewan. Eleven year old Robert’s younger brother Matthew disappears while walking to town. A strange man shows up and things start to get weird. I was hooked from the beginning. The uncertain, but driven hero is on a quest to find out what happened to his brother and other kids that are missing. The author uses Robert’s thoughts to build the mood of the story. The plot is littered with foreshadowing combined with unique twists and turns to keep the reader guessing and spellbound. Slade uses graphic imagery to describe the town, its people and the antagonist that harasses Robert until the end. The skillfully crafted sentences are easy to follow and it is an example of a good stepping off point for young readers to adult fiction. The dialogue is pretty strong and the characters stay true to themselves and the plot of the book. This story has all of the elements of a terrific young adult book that touches on many developmental dynamics that teens are going through. For example, family relationships, Robert and his parents become closer after Matthew disappears. Fear, hope and courage are all points that are experienced or shown by the young adult protagonist. The theme of good versus evil is strewn throughout the story. While there was not a lot of gore in the book, it provided intensity and thrills that teens find exhilarating. I found the ending to be satisfying with the hero winning the fight, but still left room for the imagination. This author is to teens as Stephen King is to the adult reader.
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Mystery
Annotation: In the quiet, sleepy town of Horseshoe, Saskatchewan, evil is coming. For Robert’s 7 year old brother Matthew it’s too late. Is Robert next?
Justification for Nomination: The story begins in the depression era dustbowl farming community in Horseshoe, Saskatchewan. Eleven year old Robert’s younger brother Matthew disappears while walking to town. A strange man shows up and things start to get weird. I was hooked from the beginning. The uncertain, but driven hero is on a quest to find out what happened to his brother and other kids that are missing. The author uses Robert’s thoughts to build the mood of the story. The plot is littered with foreshadowing combined with unique twists and turns to keep the reader guessing and spellbound. Slade uses graphic imagery to describe the town, its people and the antagonist that harasses Robert until the end. The skillfully crafted sentences are easy to follow and it is an example of a good stepping off point for young readers to adult fiction. The dialogue is pretty strong and the characters stay true to themselves and the plot of the book. This story has all of the elements of a terrific young adult book that touches on many developmental dynamics that teens are going through. For example, family relationships, Robert and his parents become closer after Matthew disappears. Fear, hope and courage are all points that are experienced or shown by the young adult protagonist. The theme of good versus evil is strewn throughout the story. While there was not a lot of gore in the book, it provided intensity and thrills that teens find exhilarating. I found the ending to be satisfying with the hero winning the fight, but still left room for the imagination. This author is to teens as Stephen King is to the adult reader.
Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Mystery
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