Jellicoe Road

Marchetta, Melina. Jellicoe Road.  New York: HarperCollins, 2006. 419 p. eBook.

 

Abandonment issues don’t begin to describe the issues that haunt Taylor Markham’s dreams.  Left at a 7-11 when she was eleven, Taylor has been living in a boarding school for the last seven years.  Her closest adult figure is a very aloof Hannah, who recently disappeared without a trace.  On top of Hannah’s betrayal, Taylor has to deal with being the unwilling leader of the school’s underground society and having to deal with the annual war games played between the Townies, the visiting military group known as The Cadets, and the Jellicoe School that Taylor calls home.  As the weeks go on talk of a serial killer, Taylor’s mother, and the history of a group of five kids that changed Taylor’s very existence begins to unfold.  The more answers that surface, the more questions come to light, and it seems as though no one can rest until all is revealed, once and for all.

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta is certainly one of those books that gets under a reader’s skin and nestles itself into the very fiber.  Taylor Markham is a teenager who is hard to love. She is aloof and hostile and clearly wounded.  She ends up with a ragtag group of friends whom the reader wants to love and throttle, usually at the same time.  The core strength of the novel is the intricate web that Marchetta weaves around Taylor and her gang, and a whole other group of kids from the past… a group that has a lot of secrets that need to be uncovered.  The reader has moments of “I just knew it” only to find out that the reader only knew a miniscule piece of something much, much bigger and hidden deeper in the past.  Certainly a weakness from the book is the confusing set up that leaves the reader quite befuddled for the first few chapters.  The chapters in italics, a clear indicator that it is something different than the current-day Taylor story, are not truly revealed until well into the book.  A reader can feel just as confused as our protagonist, though surely that is not an unintentional fluke.  Perhaps to truly appreciate the story that untangles itself in Jellicoe Road, it is first important to be just as tangled up in it as the characters themselves.

For a YA reader, Jellicoe Road delivers a hard hitting story, filled with emotions that are very real to most teens: confusion, a yearning for acceptance, and a desire to know what the universe has in store.  The book takes readers on a journey that was twenty years in the making, and it has the travelers stop and wonder if maybe it would just be better to let history keep its own secrets. But, of course, we know that history has its own agenda.

Forever

Blume, Judy. Forever. Seattle: Bradbury Press, 1975. 224 p. eBook.

 

Katherine knew enough to know that she would only lose her virginity to someone she loved.   What Katherine did not know was that when she met Michael at a New Year’s Eve party, they would start down a trail of firsts, and lasts, and forevers as they moved closer and closer into adulthood. High school seniors, Michael and Kath become fully involved in one another’s lives, until distance and the realities of the real world begin to tear at the core of their beliefs.  Readers follow Katherine and Michael as they make decisions about sex, birth control, love, and what forever really means.

Certainly the strength of Forever is the honest writing approach to some very difficult topics.  While this book is frequently found on the challenged and/or banned books list, it takes a straightforward approach to topics that can be rather uncomfortable for a teen.  Readers experience what Katherine experiences as her relationship becomes intimate.  For teen readers, Forever can provide answers to questions that otherwise would be uncomfortable to ask.  And for a parent, Judy Blume has provided a perfect springboard for frank discussions about the family’s values regarding teen sex and teen relationships.

A weakness within the book is also its strength.  As young readers grow, they will recognize the name Judy Blume and easily connect her with some of their favorite childhood books.  That familiar author and innocent title may lead a younger reader to pick up the book. A reader that may not be ready for a book with the level of sexual frankness contained in Forever may be disturbed by the content of the book.  In this case, it would be important to reiterate the belief that parents/guardians need to be aware of the book choices of youngsters. 

Despite the potentially uncomfortable subject matter, Judy Blume’s Forever is a respectful, earnest depiction of sex and the emotions that are part of such a big decision.  This is a powerful novel for both readers and their parents/guardians, as it may open barriers that are often restricted as teenagers wade the turbulent waters that will ultimately lead them to adulthood.

 

I Am the Cheese

Cormier, Robert. I Am the Cheese. New York: Knopf, 1977. 233 p. eBook.

 

Adam Farmer is on a frantic bike ride to reach his father. His father is in the hospital in Rutterburg, Vermont, and fourteen-year-old Adam knows that he must reach him despite the dangers.  Each rotation of his bicycle tires brings him farther from what he knows and into a world that terrifies Adam.  As Adam struggles to continue on his journey, the reader soon learns that things are not exactly as they seem.  In fact, as Adam’s life crumbles around him, readers are left wondering who to believe and if there is anyone to trust.

I Am the Cheese can easily be regarded as two novels in one. The first novel describes Adam while he battles against environment, devious strangers, and his own mental demons to get to his father.  The second novel, written in transcript form, details methodical questioning designed to make Adam remember.  As Adam begins to recall his past, the reader becomes exposed to a sinister history that could not be predicted.

Truly the strength of Robert Cormier’s work is in his ability to leave a reader guessing.  As Adam forges on his bicycle journey, readers become engrossed in the details he reveals about his life with his parents.  And as the transcripts reveal more of Adam’s past that has been locked away in his mind, readers are floored by the unwitting deceit of such an unreliable narrator.  If there were to be a weakness of this work, it would be that the ending seemed to come quickly and almost too tidily.  Adam and his reader are going helter-skelter through his journey and sudden slam into the conclusion.  The impact is enough to bruise, but not enough to have regretted the journey.

For a young adult, I Am the Cheese fits perfectly into the question-everything mentality that is a rite of passage for so many.  For many, Adam is the first unreliable narrator who did not intentionally mean to lead readers astray.  For a young adult reader, it may be enough to eye their parents wearily for a few days. Maybe even enough to drag out the family photo albums…just to be safe.

Round Two

Well, I had such a good time reviewing books a few semesters ago, that I've signed up for the advanced course. All of the reviews henceforth will be with the new coursework.

Happy Reading!

Tales from Outer Suburbia

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Tan, Shaun. 2006. TALES FROM OUTER SUBURBIA. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books. ISBN 9780545055871

PLOT SUMMARY

In this short story collection, Shaun Tan teaches us what really happens in suburbia through clever text and oddly eclectic artwork. Each of the fifteen stories deals with an occurrence in suburbia and how the suburbanites react (or are so oblivious that they don’t even notice when, say, stick figures invade the neighborhood).  The stories involve a strange cast of characters, but ultimately teach lessons about life and those around us.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Most striking is Tan’s beautiful artwork which accompanies each tale.  It may be hard to decide if it’s the artwork or the text that creates the power behind this work, as they fuse together so perfectly.  With no specific setting, beyond the suburban area, the reader can muse that this may be his or her town that is being described.  Certainly a distant cry from realism, the book is down-to-earth enough that it may cause the reader to pay a bit more attention to the neighborhood. Between foreign exchange students who are actually miniscule aliens and a large water buffalo who gives the best guidance, fans may be surprised to find how much they learn about the world from these short tales. TALES FROM OUTER SUBURBIA is a true delight to read and one that should be enjoyed time and time again.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Australian Book Industry Award for Illustrated Book of the Year (2009)

World Fantasy Award Nominee for Best Collection (2009)

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “While somewhat hard to place due to the unusual nature of the piece, this book is a small treasure, or, rather, a collection of treasures.”

BOOKLIST: “The thoughtful and engaged reader will take from these stories an experience as deep and profound as with anything he or she has ever read.”

CONNECTIONS

Certainly Shaun Tan’s other works deserve a read:

Tan, Shaun. THE ARRIVAL. ISBN 978-0439895293

Tan, Shaun. LOST AND FOUND. ISBN 978-054229241

And for a little insight into the world and the art of the author, check out:

Tan,Shaun. BIRD KING AND OTHER SKETCHES. ISBN 978-1848770508

When You Reach Me

 

Unabridged version: 5 cds
Single reader: Cynthia Holloway

Sound quality: Very clear reading with appropriate volume.  There is no background noise or static.
Reading:  Holloway uses multiple voices for multiple characters, but remains consistent throughout the reading.

Listening: The listening experience was engaging and interesting. The reading remained enjoyable from the beginning to the end, with no lulls in between. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stead, Rebecca. 2010.WHEN YOU REACH ME. New York: Yearling. ISBN 978-0375850868.

PLOT SUMMARY

Miranda is a sixth-grader whose life has suddenly become very confusing. Her best friend doesn’t want to see her after he is attacked on the street, and then these notes start showing up. Each note is more confusing than the last, and as Miranda starts to figure things out, she still can’t understand what’s happening. All she knows is that if things work out correctly, two lives will be saved.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The novel describes life in 1979 New York in such a way that readers can easily imagine the surroundings.  In the same way, Miranda’s words and her take on life is like eavesdropping on a conversation.  You’re not involved, but you feel like you are.  Miranda’s conflicts are reminiscent of friendships in middle school, allowing readers to connect to her and the challenges life presents.  And behind it all, a bizarre mystery is unfolding.  The reader has the pleasure to have just as many clues as Miranda, which makes the ending truly an eye-opening surprise.The audio version provided a feeling of ‘a good friend telling a story’ whereas the text version felt a bit less personal.  A combination of audio and text would allow the greatest connection to the story.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Newbery Medal winner

Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This unusual, thought-provoking mystery will appeal to several types of readers.
BOOKLIST: “The '70s New York setting is an honest reverberation of the era; the mental gymnastics required of readers are invigorating; and the characters, children and adults, are honest bits of humanity no matter in what place or time their souls rest.”

CONNECTIONS

Readers would be interested in reading the book Miranda was obsessed with:

L’Engle, Madeline. A WRINKLE IN TIME. ISBN 978-0374386160

Other Rebecca Stead books:

Stead, Rebecca. FIRST LIGHT. ISBN 978-0440422228

Stead, Rebecca. LIAR & SPY. ISBN 978-0385737432

The Fault in Our Stars

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Green, John. 2012.THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 978-0-525-47881-2.

PLOT SUMMARY

Hazel Lancaster has battled for cancer for years, and knows that ultimately, she is described as having a terminal diagnosis.  Her life has become predictable in the ordinary day-to-day struggles that having nearly non-working lungs present.  Predictable until she meets Augustus Waters at a cancer support group.  Together, Augustus and Hazel navigate the struggles of life with cancer and understanding the mark that each of us make simply by being alive.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Even after finishing the book, I can’t help but wonder how Hazel is doing and wish I could become true friends with her. John Green’s characters became real in his most recent work and are every bit John Greenish as they can be.  Fans of the author are awarded with Green’s typical high-level vocabulary and sardonic teenage quips, but this book is far more realistic than any other work.  Despite my limited experience with cancer, readers will understand the struggles the characters face trying to prolong the days they have on Earth.

 

Set in ‘anywhere USA’, readers are able to supplement the setting as anywhere that the reader holds close.  More than anything, readers stop realizing their reading a book and feel as though they have an up close look at two lovers who are fighting a battler much bigger than themselves. Undoubtedly THE FAULT IN OUR STARS is a book that stays with the reader, long after the last page has been read.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

Voice of Youth Advocates: “Purchase for small and large libraries alike, though several copies may be wise considering both Green's popularity, and the potential of this book to become a classic.”
BOOKLIST: “Green shows his readers what it is like to live with cancer, sometimes no more than a breath or a heartbeat away from death. But it is life that Green spiritedly celebrates here, even while acknowledging its pain. In its every aspect, this novel is a triumph.”

CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed Green’s stylistic writing can check out his other novels:

Green, John. PAPER TOWNS. ISBN 978-0142414934

Green, John. LOOKING FOR ALASKA. ISBN 978-0142402511
Green, John. AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES. ISBN 978-0142410707

Readers who are interested in reading other fiction about young adults with cancer:

Andrews, Jesse. ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL.ISBN 9781419701764                                          
Castrovilla, Selene. THE GIRL NEXT  DOOR. ISBN 9781934813157                                                             
Crutcher, Chris. DEADLINE.ISBN 0060850892