Hattie Big Sky

Peach’s Picks Rating


Title:
Hattie Big Sky

Author:
Kirby Larson

Illustrator:
None

ISBN:
0385733135

Publisher:
New York: Delacorte Press

Copyright:
2006

Length:
289 pages

Plot Summary:
It’s 1918 and the World War I is still raging in Europe. Sixteen-year-old Hattie Brooks lives in Arlington, Iowa. She is an orphan who has been shifted from one family member to another. Currently, she is staying with a kind uncle and his wife who are eager to have Hattie move on. To Hattie’s surprise, an uncle she never knew existed, has died and left his Montana homestead claim to her. She decides to seek the independence this opportunity offers and sets off for Montana with not much more than her cat and a pair of her uncle’s old work boots. Homesteading is much more than she imagined. Anti-German sentiments run high in this Montana community, ranchers do not like homesteaders, the Spanish influenza strikes, and Hattie finds herself battered and confused as the deadline for meeting the homestead requirements loom. The story is told in first person and includes letters Hattie writes to a friend who is serving in the army and is stationed in Germany. It also includes personal journal articles that Hattie sends back home to the Arlington, Iowa newspaper. The community is interested in her experiences as a homesteader. Hattie is happy to be independent, but life on the prairie can be out of control.

Critical Evaluation:
The book is based on the experience of the author’s great-grandmother. It is astonishing to think of a young woman from an urban area attempting to homestead alone. Each chapter opens with a short letter or an article written for Hattie’s hometown newspaper. This is an effective device used to draw the reader into Hattie’s personal thoughts. The author paints a vivid picture of the mixed emotions faced by a young woman on her own in an environment that is totally foreign to her and full of daily tasks that she can barely accomplish. The writing is clear, but lacks punch. While both joyful and fearsome events swirl around Hattie, the writing does not effectively convey happiness and tension. Hattie’s character is more two dimensional than fully drawn. The nearby rancher, who is courting Hattie until he realizes that she will not part with her homestead, is a one-dimensional villain. The book will only be read and enjoyed by fans of historical fiction.

Reader’s Annotation:
Orphaned Hattie Brooks lives with her uncle and aunt in Iowa. To her surprise she inherits a homestead in Montana and sets off to stake her claim.

Have you ever wondered about the lives of your grandparents or great-grandparents? Kirby Larson, the author of this book, researched the life of her great-grandmother as a 16-year-old homesteader in Montana to create this story.

Author Information:
The author says she has always had a passion for books and refers to them as her best friends while she was growing up
As a mother reading to her children, the book Ming Lo Moves the Mountain by Arnold Lobel inspired Larson to become an author
She lives in Kenmore, Washington
Interests include gardening, bird watching, traveling, making soup, and being with friends
The book was inspired by the life of Larson’s great-grandmother, Hattie Inez Brooks Wright

Genre:
Historical fiction

Curriculum Ties:
Use in literature and history classes

Booktalking Ideas:
What do you think it would be like to be a 16-year-old girl setting up a homestead on the prairies of Montana in 1918?

Reading Level/Interest Age:
Ages 13-16

Additional Books by Author:
Magic Kerchief
Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival (co-written with Mary Nethery)

Challenge Issues:
None apparent, but if challenged, deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.

Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
The book received a starred review in Booklist and was a Newbery Honor Book (2007). Three peaches are awarded because it is an interesting look into a homesteader’s life, but lacks pizzazz.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Hattie-Big-Sky-Kirby-Larson/dp/0385735952/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273017162&sr=1-1

References:
Larson, K. (2010). “Biography.” Kirby Larson: Writer of Young Adult and Children’s Literature. Retrieved February 2, 2010, from http://www.kirbylarson.com/bio.html

Schwa Was Here

Peach’s Picks Rating


Title:
The Schwa Was Here

Author:
Neal Shusterman

Illustrator:
None

ISBN:
978-0525471820

Publisher:
New York: Dutton Children's Books

Copyright:
2004

Length:
228 pages

Plot Summary:
“Schwa: The faint vowel sound in many unstressed syllables in the English language (intro to book)”, an almost indistinct sound. Calvin Schwa is almost invisible to his teachers, school mates, and family. He has a way of suddenly appearing and vanishing like a whisper. Anthony Bonano, also known as Antsy, and his friends, Howie and Ira, find this out one afternoon while they are throwing a plastic dummy off the Marine Park Bridge in Brooklyn and filming the event. Imperceptibly he appears to Antsy and friends holding the dummy’s broken head. The boys team up to use the Schwa’s ability to go unnoticed to their benefit, tricking and deceiving others. They meet their match when trying to trick Old Man Crawley, the mysterious curmudgeon who lives a strange existence in solitude with 14 Afghan dogs. He calls their bluff and they end up as caretakers for his seven virtues, seven vices, and one granddaughter. The end is unexpected and leaves the reader thinking about the Schwa and relationships in general.

Critical Evaluation:
The story is told in first person by the teen male protagonist, Antsy. He and his friends speak in authentic voices using teen slang with a Brooklyn accent. Written dialect or accents can sometimes be difficult to follow in narrative, but Shusterman masters it here. The reader will fall in with the cadence of Brooklyn. There is some bathroom humor that will get boys chuckling, for example; page 2, the play on the word PISHER Plastics (name of the company for whom Antsy’s father works) and the location of the company’s name on plastic urinals. The story is full of high jinks that teen boys would like to image joining: throwing a dummy off a bridge and video taping the fall and blowing up the dummy with firecrackers. Each chapter is cleverly titled with a titillating phrase that foreshows upcoming events. The plot becomes very complex and begins to ramble in the middle. The ending is unexpected. The author has done a fine job of developing multiple social relationships that lead to an excellent starting point for discussions about friendships and child-parent relations.

Reader’s Annotation:
Antsy is just hanging out with his friends one afternoon throwing a dummy off the Marine Park Bridge and videotaping the fall. Inexplicably, the Schwa shows up and soon the friends hit on a way to make money through The Schwa’s ability to go unnoticed.

Author Information:
Grew up in Brooklyn, New York
Began writing when he was young
Attended junior high and high school at the American School of Mexico City
Attended the University of California, Irvine where he was a member of the swim team and also wrote a humor column
He holds degrees in psychology and drama
Shortly after graduating from college he negotiated a book deal and was hired to write a movie script
He lives in southern California and has four children
Currently his works include novels, screen plays, and television scripts
He has also directed two award-winning short films
His novels have received many awards:

Genre:
Contemporary realistic fiction – friendship

Curriculum Ties:
Use in literature classes

Booktalking Ideas:
The Schwa is a kid who is practically invisible, think of what you could do with a friend like that.

The Schwa is a nearly invisible kid whose friends conduct experiments to determine how far he can go without being noticed; for example: can he walk through airport security with an iron bar in his pocket, or, can he use the boys’ restroom wearing a Day-Glo orange sombrero and a costume from a school play and not be noticed.

Reading Level/Interest Age:
Ages 13-16

Additional Books by Author:
Antsy Does Time
Everlost
Everwild
Full Tilt: A Novel
Unwind

Challenge Issues:
Language
Deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.

Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
The book received a starred review in School Library Journal. This book is included because I read other books by Shusterman and enjoyed them so I thought I would read another. Three peaches are awarded because while it was an interesting concept with an ending that makes the reader stop and ponder, I found it rambling.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Schwa-Was-Here-Neal-Shusterman/dp/0525471820/ref=sr_1_1_oe_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273014642&sr=1-1

References:
Shusterman, N. (2010). “bio.” Neal Shusterman. Retrieved February, 2, 2010, from http://www.storyman.com/bio/

City of Bones: The Mortal Instruments Series, Book 1

Peach’s Picks Rating


Title:
City of Bones
The Mortal Instruments Series, Book 1

Author:
Cassandra Clare

Illustrator:
None

ISBN:
9781416914280

Publisher:
New York: M.K. McElderry Books

Copyright:
2007

Length:
485 pages

Plot Summary:
Clary Fray; 15-years-old, hip and beautiful, lives a normal life in Manhattan with her mother, Jocelyn. She is led to believe that her father is dead. Suddenly, her life takes an abrupt turn. Her mother is not only missing, she has been kidnapped and suspicious events unfold that are not just normal, they are outright supernatural. It seems that her mother might be involved with the paranormal events that are happening. The story is set in the gritty underbelly of New York City. Clary sees three teens covered with tattoos murder another teen. Oddly, the victim disappears before her eyes. No one else seems to notice. She has entered the world of Shadowhunters, people who track and kill wicked demons. The Mortal Cup, a potentially dangerous magical instrument, is hidden from all but Clary’s mother. There are villainous demons who seek the cup for their own benefit and the destruction of all. Clary fights to save herself, her mother, and the world as she struggles to learn her true identity. The story is full of werewolves, vampires, and all sorts of demons, both friendly and unfriendly.

Critical Evaluation:
City of Bones is the first book in a series of four, three of which have been published to date. The book is fast-paced and keeps the reader engaged. With the exception of Clary, the characters are flat stereotypes that are met time and again in books of this genre and are, for the most part, predictable. A nice touch is the rough tough motorcycle gang style of characters, just the right edgy tone for teen girls. New York City is the perfect background for the gothic feel the author creates. Some of the action and characters are a little too far fetched, but the book is so much fun that the reader can suspend belief and enjoy the read. Romantic triangles with Clary in the middle keep the romance side of the book intriguing. Every girl will want to be as resourceful as Clary. While the book may not withstand the test of time, it is very entertaining for the moment, making a reader look forward to the next in the series. It serves well those who enjoy the paranormal and like to read in a series.

Reader’s Annotation:
One night Clary and her friend Simon go to a club in New York City looking for a good time. Instead Clary witnesses a murder that Simon and the club’s bouncers cannot see and she becomes embroiled in a life and death battle with demons.

Author Information:
Born in Tehran, Iran to American parents
Clare’s family traveled the world, including France, England, and Switzerland during her childhood
Her parents trekked through the Himalayas with her in a backpack when she was a toddler
She attended high school in Los Angeles
She has also worked as a writer for entertainment and tabloid magazines
The name Cassandra Clare is a pen name inspired by a Jane Austen short story
She began writing City of Bones in 2004
She prefers writing in coffee shops and restaurants rather than at home alone
Maintains at blog at http://cassandraclare.livejournal.com/

Genre:
Paranormal, supernatural, horror

Curriculum Ties:
Use in literature classes

Booktalking Ideas:
If you liked the Percy Jackson novels when you were younger, you will enjoy this book.
If you enjoyed Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you will enjoy this series

Read the following passage from page 2: “The boy grinned. He was normal-enough looking, Clary thought, for Pandemonium [all-ages club]. He had electric blue dyed hair that stuck up around his head like the tendrils of a startled octopus, but no elaborate facial tattoos or big metal bars through his ears lips. I’m a vampire hunter” [he said].

Reading Level/Interest Age:
Ages 14-17

Additional Books by Author:
City of Ashes, The Mortal Instruments Series, Book 2
City of Glass, The Mortal Instruments Series, Book 3

Challenge Issues:
Violence, demonology, language, sexual situations
Deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.

Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
This book received positive reviews in School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and Publisher's Weekly. Four peaches are awarded because while the book is a fun escapist read that leaves the reader looking forward to the sequel, the story line is not distinct enough to keep it from blending in with other werewolf/vampire horror stories.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/City-Bones-Mortal-Instruments-No/dp/1416914285/ref=sr_1_1_oe_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273007182&sr=1-1

References:
Clare, C. (2010). “Bio and contact.” Cassandra Clare, Retrieved April 27, 2010, from http://www.cassandraclare.com/cms/bio



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