Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Sometimes you come across a book, and it's one that you hope everyone will read; because really, everyone should read it. R.J. Palacio's Wonder is one of those books.

Unlike the Great Gatsby, a "classic," you don't read Wonder for the symbolism and plethora of literary tools (I actually don't really understand why we force it upon high school students). Instead, you read Wonder because it's about kindness and appreciation - two things from which this all humans would benefit.

Wonder centers around August Pullman, a fifth grader with a facial deformity that kept him from going to school. The story is told from the point of view of several young people - mainly fifth graders, but a couple of high school students as well. It's not all heavy. There's some laughter in there, and there's determination and resilience.

There's also a clarity that comes with children and their perception. This is actually my favorite part of the book. Kids see and understand more than we adults think they do, and I like how Palacio captures this in her story.

So, go get this one and read it. If you have kids, read it with them, and talk about the book. There's great lessons to be learned - especially if you wonder what you would have done had you been August's parents, and what you would do, had you been August or his sister, Via. But most of all, remember this book. Remember it when you're having a tough time. Remember it when you meet someone different.



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Like YA Fiction? Then Read Matched.

Matched by Ally Condie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


When I willingly forgo sleep on a work night and seriously contemplate removing myself from any and all social activity just so I can read, I know it’s book obsession. It didn’t take long with Ally Condie’s Matched trilogy.

This dystopian series hooked me in pretty early; which surprised me because I wasn’t expecting much. And I wasn’t expecting much because I did something bad, and I judged a book by its cover. Terrible, I know. But I couldn’t help it. I had never heard for the series or author before, and my favorite librarian suggested it to me because she knew about my love for young adult fiction. It didn’t help knowing that I was getting into another dystopian series. After the Hunger Games, I’ve steered clear of such novels because I loved those books so much.

If you’re at all concerned that this might be too much like Suzanne Collins’ world, don’t be. In Condie’s dystopian society, everyone is happy – or so they think. The government in power known as “the Society” has eradicated sickness (no more cancer), makes optimal marriage matches for citizens, puts people in the best job positions for their abilities, and has basically removed all the discomforts of life as we know it. There are even pills to keep you calm (there are always pills to keep you calm). Of course, not everyone is happy, and people are starting to wonder, and some are starting to learn.

This book is marketed as a romance, and I did find it be quite romantic. There’s a lot of love here, but it’s not just between two teenagers. There’s also love between friends and family. Maybe even a little self-love too. Condie’s written a great book for those of us who love YA fiction, and it’s worth losing sleep over. I mean, she made my heart swell every time I read the words of Dylan Thomas’ poem:

Do not go gentle into that good night.
Old age should burn and rave at the close of the day;
Rage, rage, against the dying of the light…





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What are Your Ten Best-Ever Teen Books?

This one's for book lovers, especially those who like to read in the YA genre.  After collecting nominations for a top-100 list of the best young adjust books, NPR has come up with a list of 235 titles, and it's now up to the public to vote.  We can each pick 10 books from the list.

That's right 10 books.  I don't know how it will be/was for you, but it was incredibly difficult for me!

My votes were for:

1. Anne of Green Gables (series) by Lucy Maud Montgomery
2. The Dark is Rising (series) by Susan Cooper
3. Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling
4. His Dark Materials (series) by Philip Pullman
5. The Hunger Games (series) by Suzanne Collins
6. The Princess Bride by William Golman
7. The Shiver Trilogy (series by Maggie Stiefvater)
8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
9. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
10. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

But, I also wanted to vote for:

1. Betsy-Tacy Books (series) by Maud Hart-Lovelace
2. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
3. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
4. The Mortal Instruments (series) by Cassandra Clare
5. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
6. A Separate Peace by John Knowles
7. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

And where in world was A Wrinkle in Time?  I don't get why it's not on the list when the Betsy-Tacy books are there; I could have sworn those were little kids.  But then again, NPR does talk about the debates they went through trying to figure out just what fits into YA.  At any rate, I can't wait to see the final list.  I just may have to re-read some of these titles.

What are your best-ever YA books?  If you voted, what were your selections?

P Eleven

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In October I attended a This is Teen event because author Maggie Stiefvater was going to be there. Two other authors also participated, and one of them was Jeff Hirsch, author of The Eleventh Plague. Honestly, I decided to read it because The Hunger Games author, Suzanne Collins is quoted on the book jacket as saying, "The Eleventh Plague hits disturbingly close to home...An excellent, taut debut novel."

If you've read The Hungers Games then you know that Collins is no-joke when it comes to the harsh realities of what our world would be like if it was destroyed by disasters of nature and mankind. Based upon my experience with her books, I felt like Hirsch's book would be worth a try. It turns out, Collins was right. While Hirsch's world isn't as disturbing (no televised fights to the death between children), you will find yourself in an America you recognize.

This time, the US has been decimated by a deadly sickness known as "the Eleventh Plague," and the country is a barren wasteland. Following the plague, was "the Collapse" when the government, businesses, hospitals, and the military fell. Our protagonist is a 15-year-old boy, Stephen, who was born after the Collapse. He and his father have just buried Stephen's grandfather, and they are faced with a choice. Stephen's grandfather ran their trio strictly, and the family kept on the move. Others were not to be trusted, and everything was done with one purpose in mind—survival. Eventually, Stephen finds himself in charge of their destiny; and now is when you should go to a library or bookstore and pick this one up.

For those concerned about exposing young readers to graphic elements, I say don't worry. This is far less violent than The Hunger Games series. What amazed me the most was the way this made me think about human nature and the things we regress to and cling to in dire times. I also loved the imagery Hirsch conjured for me with two of my favorite lines from The Eleventh Plague:

"There was nothing at his back but thirty feet of open air and, beyond that, the bared fangs of a raging river."

"I dug my thumbnail into the soft wood at the edges of the table and wondered if it was true, if she really would come back or if there would be a time when that rubber band stretched as far as it could and would snap, releasing her into the world, never to return."

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