Don't Discount YA Literature, Part II: The Dos and Don'ts of Criticism

Last week I talked about a certain amount of prejudice that seems to exist in the minds of many adult readers when it comes to books written for teens.  My complaint is that many adult readers of YA novels seem to either expect that the book will be flawed, or will readily excuse any flaws in the novel because of the target audience.

I will admit that not every YA book is a masterpiece.  There will be books out there that do have their problems, and it's perfectly acceptable for a reader to voice their criticisms of the novel.  However, we can very rarely can we chalk these flaws up simply to the book's target audience.  It is important instead for readers to really think about and be able to define exactly what a book's problem's are when reviewing, discussing, or otherwise critiquing a YA (or any other) novel.  This way they will not fall into the trap of immediately placing blame for a book's inadequacies on the perceived target audience.

Here are a few common critiques that I have seen made of YA books by adult readers.  I will be attempting to define what is or is not productive about such comments and, if needed, explore alternative ways to more concretely express dissatisfaction with a novel:

"This book had its problems, but it's a YA novel so I kind of expected it."
Should you be making this comment:  I hope not!  I'm very sorry if you've had bad experiences with YA novels in the past, but please do not assume that all YA novels are poorly written.  They're not.
Better ways to deal with this reaction:  Unfortunately, there might not be a better way of expressing this type of reaction.  But exactly why is it that you have such low expectations for this kind of book?  If you find yourself making this comment frequently then it might be time for you to try some different YA novels.  More on that to come in a future post.

"I was willing to let a few things go with this novel because it's a YA book."
Should you be making this comment:  NO!  It's perfectly fine if you decide to let a few minor flaws go with a book.  Readers of all kinds - myself included - do this all the time.  What is not okay with this kind of comment is the implied assumption that all YA novels will have problems or that it's somehow more acceptable for books written for teens to have these problems.
Better ways to deal with this reaction:  "This book wasn't perfect, but I was willing to let the flaws go.  Here are the flaws.  Also, here are the things that I did like that really made this book work for me."

"Ugh, teenagers are so annoying.  I hated the characters."
Should you be making this comment:  NO!  Teenagers as a whole should not grate on your nerves because no two teens - or teen characters in novels - are alike.  This sort of broad generalization is a bit unfair to an entire demographic of very real people and fictional characters.  It's fine if you didn't like the characters in one particular book.  That happens.  What's not okay is blindly assuming that all teen book characters are terrible.
Better ways to deal with this reaction:  "I did not care for the characters in this book.  Here's why."

"This book was nothing but teen angst."
Should you be making this comment:  Probably not.  Do you know what "angst" really is?  It basically means that the character has an emotional situation that needs dealing with that is causing him/her some sort of duress, and it not exclusive to teenagers.  Conflicts like this exist in books written for all ages, not just YA novels, and these sorts of concerns are necessary to drive the plot and create an interesting book.  As with anything else there will be situations where angst is over or poorly used, but if you really try to put yourself in the character's shoes you'll see that most of the time their concerns have real foundation.
Better ways to deal with this reaction:  Just be careful not to throw the word "angst" out there too readily.  It's an apt word in some cases, but the phrase "teen angst" has such a negative connotation that it should not be used lightly.  Try to understand the source of the "angst" before you critique it too harshly - a little understanding can make a situation seem more like "conflict" than "angst."

"I'm not a teenager, so I couldn't identify with the characters/plot/setting of this YA novel."
Should you be making this comment:  I hope not!  The vast majority of the conflicts and issues that teen characters are dealing with in YA novels actually apply to the adult world too - relationship woes, conflicts with family, dissatisfaction with the society we live in, trying to find one's place int he world, bullying, violence...the list goes on.  Admittedly, a teenage character lacks the life experience that, say, a 40-year-old adult has when dealing with some of these problems, so they might go about it differently.  This is an opportunity for the reader to really put on their empathy shoes and try to explore something that is unfamiliar.  This should be exciting, not alienating.
Better ways to deal with this reaction:  Before responding this way to a book, reflect on the situation that you had trouble identifying with.  Really flex those empathy muscles and make an honest effort to try to understand whatever it is that initially seems so foreign to you.  If you still feel alienated, then that's fine.  It'll happen.  But please keep an open mind and be open to discussion with someone who was better able to identify with the book.

The moral of the story:  Be thoughtful.  Be empathetic.  Be open minded.  If you've done all of these things and still find yourself unsatisfied with a book then that's fine.  You don't have to like everything.  But please make a sincere effort to try.

See also:  Don't Discount YA Literature
See also:  DDYL, Part III:  Books to Try

Bo at Ballard Creek

Bo has two fathers, but she didn't get them in the usual way.  She also eventually gets a little brother, but he doesn't join the family in the usual way either.  This this charming story tells all about young Bo's childhood as the adopted daughter of two big, burly miners just after the height of the Alaskan gold rush.  The town of Ballard Creek is filled with tough miners and loving Eskimo families, and everyone takes a hand in raising Bo.  Over the course of a year, Bo sees her first airplane, encounters a grisly bear, helps one of her papas in the cookshack, listens to lots of records, and attends a big Fourth of July celebration.  All the while the miners are busy working, hoping that they'll hit enough paydirt to make it through the year.  Even though Bo lives in a small town in the wilderness, there is never a dull moment in Ballard Creek!

Kirkpatrick Hill's charming novel, Bo at Ballard Creek, reminds me quite a bit of Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic Little House in the Big Woods.  Each chapter of the book recounts a different episode in Bo's life and provides exquisite detail about what everyday living in this specific time and place was like.  The story is very engaging, the characters are lovable, and Bo herself is a spirited counterpart to Laura Ingalls.  As a reader I found myself especially fascinated by Bo's papas and their unique co-parenting situation.  Such partnerships may seem unusual to modern readers, but it really does make perfect sense given the time and the place.

Overall Grade:  A+

If you'd like to learn more about this book check out an interview with Kirkpatrick Hill, the author of Bo at Ballard Creek.  Hill herself grew up in Alaska in the company of mining, just like Bo does.  In the interview, Hill describes how some of her own experiences were included in the story.

The Center of Everything

The small town of Bunning comes together every year for their annual festival celebrating the donut, which they claim was invented by the brave Captain Bunning who founded the town.  This year Ruby is honored by being the student chosen to read her winning essay at the festival's parade.  As Ruby waits for her turn to read her essay, she is also waiting for an opportunity to fix everything that has gone wrong in her world recently.  Ruby's best friend is mad at her, and things aren't looking so good with her new friend, Nero, either.  Most of all, Ruby greatly regrets not listening to her grandmother, Gigi, who recently passed away.  But Bunning Day is the perfect opportunity for Ruby to make things right.  It all depends on her essay, and also on the magic of her birthday wish...

Author Linda Urban has a history or writing thoughtful novels with introspective characters, such as A Crooked Kind of Perfect and Hound Dog True.  Her latest effort, The Center of Everything, is brilliantly written.  Ruby's character is well-crafted, and she somehow manages to be meek and powerful at the same time.  The pacing of this novel is interesting as most of the action takes place in only a two-hour period, but lots of flashbacks and introspection to flesh out the details and provide needed backstory.  The writing is certainly distinctive (it's already getting some early Newbery buzz) and I expect that this book will make my "Best of 2013" list.

This book will be appealing to fans of author Wendy Mass (11 Birthdays, etc.) and Rebecca Stead (When You Reach Me)

Overall Grade:  A

Across the Universe

Amy's parents, who have military and science backgrounds, are selected to help build a new colony on Centauri-Earth.  Unfortunately, the trip through outer space will take about 300 years, so Amy and her parents are cryogenically frozen along with 97 other passengers for the duration of the journey.  But when Amy is woken up fifty years too early it soon becomes clear that life aboard the Godspeed isn't at all what she would have expected.  Was Amy's awakening really an accident?  Soon it becomes clear that someone is trying to murder the other passengers who lie frozen in the ship's cargo hold, and only Amy cares enough to try to solve the mystery.  As Amy races to unlock Godspeed's secrets she encounters Elder, a teenage boy who is destined to become the leader of the ship's crew.  Is Elder Amy's greatest ally...or does he deserve a spot on her list of suspects?

Beth Revis' Across the Universe is one of the best science fiction reads I've encountered for the teen audience in quite some time.  There is some romance, but rather than dwelling on it as so many teen reads seem to do, this book does what science fiction does best:  It explores the human condition.  The story is narrated in alternating perspectives by Amy and Elder, so readers really get to see both sides of the story and the individual biases that form the basis of these characters' opinions.  This book has mystery, intrigue, a fascinating setting, and interesting characters.  What more can you ask for? 

Overall Grade:  A


But the story doesn't stop there!

In A Million Suns, Elder is now the leader of the Godspeed and is ready to enact his vision of what life on the ship could be like.  Unfortunately, his reign isn't going as smoothly as he had hoped.  While Elder has the beginnings of a rebellion in his hands, he and Amy learn that there are even more mysteries to be uncovered on Godspeed.  As they put together the pieces of the puzzle, Amy and Elder soon make a startling discovery...

In the final volume, Shades of Earth, Amy and Elder have finally made it off of the ship and onto the planet Centauri-Earth.  But even with the warnings they have received, the planet proves more dangerous than imagined.  Soon it becomes clear that Godspeed's crew isn't alone on the planet.  But what is the real danger:  The giant dinosaur-like creatures, the flowers with mind-numbing toxins, or something else - or someone else - entirely?  Amy and Elder will have to figure it out quickly, before the planet they worked so hard to reach kills them.

One downloadable novella and several short stories further flesh out the story of Godspeed's journey to Centauri-Earth. 

This series is well worth the effort.  I love that while the plots of all three books are intertwined, each book stands solidly on its own.  Each book has elements of mystery that drive the story, and it's fascinating as a reader to imagine what they would do in this unusual situation. 

The Unfortunate Son

Often Luc feels like he is incredibly unlucky.  After all, he was born with only one ear and his father seems to despise him.  But when he becomes an apprentice to a fisherman Luc feels that his luck might be changing.  It turns out that he has a real talent for life at sea, and soon his nets are full.  He develops strong bonds with Pons, the old fisherman, his sister Mattie, and Beatrice, the daughter of a disgraced knight whom Pons and Mattie care for.  Life as a fisherman is simple, but for the first time Luc is truly happy.  But Luc's luck changes again for the worst when he is kidnapped at sea and sold into slavery in Africa.  Luc's situation could certainly be worse - his master is a kind and respected man who gives Luc a wonderful education - but even under these favorable circumstances Luc is still a slave and fears that he may never be able to return to his home in France.  Meanwhile, Beatrice is determined that Luc be found and in so doing uncovers a secret about his origins that would change his life forever...if only they knew where Luc was. 

 

Set at the turn of the 16th Century primarily in France, author Constance Leeds has crafted a masterful piece of historical fiction in the form of The Unfortunate Son.  The writing is filled with so many little details about life in this time and place.  Each and every one of the characters is well-developed and likable.  The plot is filled with equal parts adventure and intrigue with a dash of subtle humor thrown in for good measure.  Most intriguing is the way that this book gets readers to think:  How does one deal with an unfortunate situation?  What does it really mean to be lucky or unlucky? 

 

This book remains on Elizabeth Bird's list of picks for the 2013 Newbery, and I'll agree that this book is certainly deserving.  Great writing, the setting, unique plotting, and interesting characters help this title stand out from the crowd and make it truly "distinguished."

 

Overall Grade:  A

Guitar Notes

Lyla seems to be perfect.  She gets perfect grades, has perfect friends, and plays the cello perfectly.  But despite how wonderful things seem, Lyla isn't happy with her life.  Tripp, on the other hand, is more of a loner with his own issues whose only comfort - his guitar - has been taken away by his mother in the hopes that he'll make some friends without the guitar crutch.  The two find themselves sharing a practice room at school, with Tripp using the room on odd days and Lyla on even days.  What begins as a few notes about practice room etiquette (please throw away your trash) soon evolves into an unlikely friendship as they bond over Tripp's borrowed guitar.  Lyla and Tripp share secrets with each other and challenge each other to write songs and to look at their music in different ways.  But circumstances and well-meaning parents threaten to end Tripp and Lyla's friendship just as it is starting to flourish. 

In Guitar Notes, author Mary Amatto has created a wonderful story of friendship.  It was great to get at the emotional core of both of these characters and see how two people who seem so different really do have much in common.  And how many teen books can you think of where friendship is the central, driving theme of the story?  Not many.  I greatly appreciate that Tripp and Lyla's relationship never evolves into romance so that we can focus on the frienship that both characters so desperately need.  The story is told in alternating viewpoints and includes Tripp and Lyla's notes, text messages, e-mails, and song lyrics.

Overall Grade:  B+

See You At Harry's

Fern's family drives her crazy.  Her dad has a new plan to advertise his restaurant that involves using the whole family and he doesn't understand how this will ruin Fern's life. Her mother spends a lot of time meditating to find her inner peace.  Her sister is taking a year off between high school and college and is supposed to be helping at the restaurant, but is mostly looking to get out of doing any work.  Her older brother is in the closet and is having trouble both at home and at school as a result.  And Fern's younger brother Charlie is little and cute and seems to get away with everything, and no one else seems to see how annoying he is.  Fern loves her family, but with so much going on she often feels alone.  But when tragedy rocks the whole family's world, Fern feels more alone than ever as she wrestles with her grief and guilt. 

There isn't a way to talk about Jo Knowles' See You at Harry's without making it sound incredibly sad and tragic.  And I'll be honest - it's a heart-wrenching tear-jerker at times.  But what impresses me most about this novel are the more positive aspects.  Knowles does an amazing job of creating a realistic, nuanced portrait of a family.  The members of Fern's family all love each other, but they don't always get along perfectly.  The characters are what make this story powerful instead of saccharine, and it's great to see how the family comes together when they really need to.  This book is a bit of a page-turner and most readers will be able to get through it fairly quickly, but it is worth lingering a bit with these characters.

Overall Grade:  A-

Life As We Knew It

A major astronomical feat is about to take place:  A meteor will hit the moon.  At first, all 16-year-old Miranda thinks is that this event is giving her teachers an excuse to assign more homework.  But when it turns out that the asteroid is much denser than predicted, the impact actually knocks the moon out of its orbit and pushes it closer to the Earth.  As a result the Earth's climate changes drastically.  Tsunamis destroy coastlines around the world.  Volcanoes hidden beneath the Earth's surface erupt and ash clouds the sky.  Disease spreads quickly.  Crops are destroyed and food becomes scarce.  Electricity and heat become almost completely unavailable.  Suddenly homework is the last thing on Miranda's mind and she and her family struggle to survive in rural Pennsylvania. 

Told through Miranda's diary entries, Susan Pfeffer's Life As We Knew It is actually sometimes hard to read.  Not because the writing is poor - it's not - but because it becomes so easy to imagine that this disaster could really happen to us.  I personally found myself looking at the moon strangely and wondering if I had enough canned food in the house after I finished reading it.  The diary format works very well in this book because it allows readers to focus on Miranda's emotional response to the disaster rather than dwelling on the scientific whys.  Readers only know as much about what's happening in the rest of the world as Miranda does, and that honestly isn't much.  But this format makes it easy to get inside Miranda's head and connect with her situation on a personal level.

I read this book recently for a second time as it was this month's selection for my teen book club. It's just as powerful of a read the second time around!

Overall Grade:  A-

If you enjoyed Miranda's story there are two sequels to this book.  In The Dead and the Gone we learn about this same disaster from the perspective of a boy in New York City.  The conclusion to this trilogy, This World We Live In, brings Miranda's and Alex's stories together.

Summer of the Gypsy Moths

Nothing is going the way that Stella planned, and for a girl obsessed with keeping things in order this is a very bad thing. Stella's mother has gone off to "find herself" (again), and so she has been sent to live with her great-aunt Louise at the small Cape Cod resort that Louise runs. To complicate matters Louise has also taken in a foster child Stella's age, and unfortunately Stella and Angel do not get along very well. Things get even more troublesome when, just as school is ready to end for the summer, Louise suddenly dies. What are Stella and Angel to do? Neither of them has family that can take them in or anywhere else to go. The only option the two girls see is to bury Louise in the garden and hope that nobody notices...

Author Sara Pennypacker has made a name for herself with her early chapter books, especially the lovable "Clementine" series. Summer of the Gypsy Moths is her first foray into writing for somewhat older readers and it's a real gem. It's easy to see why this book has been generating a bit of buzz this year as the writing expertly blends humor and heart. It's just a delight watching Stella and Angel's relationship develop as their unusual circumstances throw them together. And who can resist a story where two girls hide a dead body? Pick this book up today. You'll be glad you did.

This book should appeal easily to fans of Suzanne LaFleur's Love, Aubrey and/or Jennifer Holm's Turtle in Paradise.

Overall Grade: A

Dust Girl

Callie LeRoux seems to be stuck in Slow Run, Kansas helping her mother run a hotel that hasn't seen much business since the Dust Bowl's arrival. Even though Callie suffers from dust pneumonia her mother refuses to leave for a more prosperous climate, insisting that she needs to stay there until Callie's long-missing father returns for them. But when Callie's mother disappears in a dust storm Callie knows she has to take matters into her own hands. Soon Callie learns a few details of her past that she never would have imagined: Her estranged father was a fairy prince, and warring fae factions are all very interested in finding Callie one way or another. As Callie tries to escape these dangerous fairies and find her mother she teams up with Jack, a boy living as a hobo with a mysterious past of his own. The two attempt to make their way to California, where Callie thinks her mother might have been taken, but Kansas proves to have plenty of dangers for them to deal with first.

There is quite a bit to like in Sarah Zettel's Dust Girl, which is a unique take on faerie mythology. The Dust Bowl setting is certainly an interesting one, and it was fascinating to see how different elements from this region and time period were incorporated into the novel. Especially interesting was the way that music from the period was worked in, both as a way of enhancing the setting and as a part of this world's faerie lore as music turns out to be one of the faerie's sources of power. Callie was a fun character to follow and I appreciated the way that she struggled to make sense of her mixed background - both before and after she learns of her fae heritage.

Overall Grade: A

Dust Girl if the first book in the American Fairy Trilogy. No official word on when the next book will be published, but my money is on sometime during the summer of 2013.

Keeping the Castle

Althea's family is in dire straights. Her great-grandfather foolishly built an elaborate castle on a cliff in Yorkshire, and now the whole family's fortune as been lost to the castle's upkeep. Althea is determined that her family will keep the castle at any cost so that her young brother will have something to inherit when he comes of age, and so she is determined to marry anyone who is rich enough to help repair the crumbling building. Unfortunately there simply aren't very many suitors to be had in the area. Things change quickly when the young and wealthy Lord Boring moves to Lesser Hoo, and Althea soon finds herself plotting ways in which she can tempt Lord Boring to propose. But Lord Boring has brought with him his friend and business manager Mr. Fredericks, and the meddling Fredericks keeps getting in Althea's way.

Patrice Kindl's Keeping the Castle is a light, easy read that is perfect for summer. The plot is fairly predicable, but in this case predictability is not a problem. Instead it becomes easy for readers to simply fall into the Regency setting and become absorbed in this comedy of manners. Comparisons to Jane Austen are inevitable given the book's subject and setting, and unfortunately (inevitably?) Keeping the Castle lacks the cleverness and drama of Emma or Pride and Prejudice. Still, anyone looking for a historical comedy will likely be pleased as the book has plenty of funny moments. This is also a quick read that may appeal to reluctant readers despite the period language.

Overall Grade: B

The One And Only Ivan

Ivan is a silverback gorilla who lives at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall. Ivan is used having humans visit him and rarely thinks about his former home in the jungle. Generally Ivan is content to sit in his domain, talk to his friends Stella the elephant and Bob the dog, watch television, and - best of all - create art with crayons and paper.

Things change, however, when business at the mall slows and visitors become few and far between. To bring in more business a baby elephant named Ruby is added to the mall's menagerie. Ruby is frightened. She misses her home in the jungle and her family. Suddenly Iven is forced to look at her situation - and his own - through new eyes. Finally Ivan has someone to protect, someone who needs a mighty silverback gorilla to provide for her. But what can Ivan do to change Ruby's situation when he is stuck in a cage?

There is so much to appreciate about this novel. First of all, The One and Only Ivan is a stunning, inspiring book full of emotional power. Author Katherine Applegate did a great job giving Ivan his own voice, using brief paragraphs and efficient, poetic languate to pull readers into Ivan's story. This style of writing really makes this book a page-turner. It's just beautifully written.

In many ways the writing reminds me of Kathi Appelet's 2009 Newbery Honor winner The Underneath with one important difference: I found The Underneath incredibly depressing. I love the fact that even though The One and Only Ivan gets into some serious issues regarding animal rights and captivity and even though parts of this book are sad (I'll admit that I teared up a few times), the story never becomes bogged down in sadness. There are plenty of hopeful, inspiring moments too and lots of well-developed character to love, and I truly feel that this tone makes The One and Only Ivan much more accessible to readers.

Overall Grade: A



Need more convincing? Check out the book trailer:

The Fault in Our Stars

As a child, Hazel was diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer and expected to die. But thanks to a medical miracle and a drug that only works in a small percentage of users (herself being one of them), Hazel has bought herself a little more time. Unfortunately, no one is sure how much. Now Hazel is sixteen, constantly hooked up to an oxygen tank, out of school and somewhat disconnected from the rest of the world. Then at a support group meeting she meets Augustus Waters - handsome, brilliant, and in remission from the disease that took his leg. The two erudite survivors are drawn to each other and especially bond over Hazel's favorite book. Unfortunately the book ends abruptly when the narrator dies, and while Hazel appreciates the symbolism she has always been troubled by the lack of closure. Augustus takes Hazel on a journey to track down the book's author and, if at all possible, discover exactly what happened to the remaining characters.

After reading this book I think that I can truly say that I love author John Green (author of such books as An Abundance of Katherines and Will Grayson, Will Grayson). He is such a smart writer, and in The Fault in Our Stars he really does an excellent job of exploring what it is like to live with a death sentence. The lesson Hazel learns about not allowing cancer to define the scope of her life is a powerful one. There have been plenty of books written about kids with cancer, but very few that have so effectively explored the human condition with such well-drawn, clever, truly interesting characters. Best of all, Hazel and Augustus' story will appeal to all kinds of readers, not just those looking for a tear-jerker. I laughed and cried simultaneously - a rare treat to find in any story, but even more impressive in a genre that normally assumes that crying is enough. Well played, John Green.

Overall Grade: A

I fully expect The Fault in Our Stars to make my Top 5 list of best books of 2012 - it was really that good! If you need more convincing, check out the book trailer:

Saving Armpit

The small town of Harmony Point is having a rough time. The town's welcome sign been strategically vandalized to read, "Welcome to Armpit," and with the town slowly falling into disrepair there are some who think that "Armpit" is living up to its name. Things soon begin to look up, at least, for the local baseball team. The Terriers haven't won a game in recent memory, but with the help of their new coach - Harmony Point's new postmaster - their game is really starting to turn around. The Terriers are thrilled with their coach and are looking forward to maybe winning a game or two this season. But soon rumors spread that the government will close Harmony Point's post office, consolidating with the post office of a nearby larger city and forcing their new coach to move away. What are the Terriers to do? They soon begin a letter writing campaign in an attempt to increase business at the post office and prove that Harmony Point really does need its post office. In the process, the Terriers might just be able to help their town make a few changes that will help the rest of the town shed its reputation as the region's armpit.

I was pleasantly surprised with author Natalie Hyde's work in Saving Armpit. Sports fans should be pleased with the story of an underdog baseball team, and those readers who generally avoid sports stories will find enough else in the story to keep them interested. I especially enjoyed reading the responses that the kids got to their letters from sources ranging from summer camps to government officials to the Barry Manilow Fan Club, which were featured between chapters and often included plenty of funny comments. I also greatly appreciated the subtle message about community activism found in this book. Though the Terriers didn't initially set out to really improve their community, by the end of the story readers can see that all of the letters that they wrote really have made their community a better place.

It is worth noting that this book is set and was originally published in Canada. Readers will need to be aware of this setting as they encounter references to Parliament and see the Canadian flag on replies from government officials. The only non-transferable difference that truly prevents this story from taking place in the United States: Apparently Canadians can write letters to their representatives without paying for postage, part of a program designed to encourage communication between representatives and their constituents. Still, this detail shouldn't be a major deterrent for American readers and might actually spark some conversation about the similarities and differences between the two nations.

Overall Grade: A-

Anna and the French Kiss

Take a look at the Teen / Young Adult section at your local library. You know what kinds of books you'll find? Honestly, a lot of depressing stuff. You'll find no shortage of heartwrenching, issues-driven dramas, bleak dystopias, and angsty supernatural stories. But what if you're in the mood for something on the light side? Stephanie Perkins has recently become one of my new favorite YA authors by virtue of her refreshingly light romances. Because sometimes you just need something happy.

Anna and the French Kiss is exactly my kind of escapist fiction. Anna has been sent to a boarding school for American teens in Paris, France. Despite the glamorous European setting, she isn't exactly thrilled to be leaving her home, friends, and almost-boyfriend behind. But things start to look up when Anna starts making friends in the dorms, including the charismatic Etienne St. Clair. The two instantly hit it off, but he is in a relationship and Anna still holds out hope that something will happen with the boy from home. As the year progresses Anna and St. Clair become friends but the timing for anything more is never right. Can a series of near-misses finally lead to romance?

Okay, Anna and the French Kiss isn't brilliant literature. But it's a light, pleasant read. Perkins does a good job of creating interesting characters and using the setting to her advantage. Reading Anna and the French Kiss is kind of like watching a romantic comedy - the story is somewhat unlikely, but it's probably going to make you smile.

Overall Grade: A-

Perkins' follow-up, Lola and the Boy Next Door shares many of the features that made Anna so much fun to read. Lola has only three wishes: To go to Winter Formal in an elaborate Marie Antoinette-style ball gown, for her parents to like her 22-year-old rocker boyfriend, and to never see Cricket Bell again. Unfortunately it doesn't seem that she is likely to get her last two wishes. Cricket grew up next door and broke Lola's heart before moving away two years ago. But when the Bell family returns Cricket is quickly thrust back in Lola's life. Now everything - Lola's relationship with her boyfriend, her home life, and even the Winter Formal - are all much more complicated than they used to be.

Just as with Anna, Lola and the Boy Next Door is guaranteed to give you the same fluttery, swoony feeling as a good romantic comedy. Lola gets bonus points, however, for a few interesting details. Most significant is the role that Lola's parents play in the story - not only are they a pair of gay men free from bad stereotypes, but they're also actively involved in Lola's life. The norm is generally to minimize or eliminate the role of parents in books for teens, it's refreshing to see some parental influence.

Overall Grade: A-

Desperate for more Stephanie Perkins? A third companion novel, Isla and the Happily Ever After is set to be published Fall 2012.

Okay for Now

Doug knows that as soon as something good happens to him, something bad will happen to take it away. Just before school begins in 1968, Doug and his family move to the small town of Marysville so his father can start work at the town's paper mill. Doug hates everything about their new living situation and tensions rise between him, his troublemaking brother, and his mean and abusive father. When school starts no one really expects anything but problems from Doug given his family background. But even though all of these problems, a few good things happen too. He gets a job as a delivery boy at the local deli and becomes unlikely friends with the owner's daughter. At the public library he discovers a book of lovely bird drawings created by John James Audubon and learns to draw from the head librarian. But when he discovers that the city council has been selling the beautiful pictures to generate money for the town, Doug is furious. How can even his birds be taken away from their home? Soon it becomes his mission to return all of the pictures back to their rightful place.

Gary Schmidt (author of Newbery honor books Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy and The Wednesday Wars) has once again crafted a thoughtful, insightful novel for young readers. There's a lot going on in Okay for Now as numerous plot threads intertwine to give a complete picture of Doug's 8th grade year. The story is highly complex, and as a reader you really get pulled inside Doug's head as he deals with a lot of different - and many of them extremely difficult - issues. I don't know how Schmidt did it, but he somehow managed to write a book that is heartbreaking and incredibly moving without being depressing.

The narration style in this book is particularly noteworthy. Told in the first person, Doug only shares information with readers when his character is good and ready to do so. There are plenty of times when it is clear that Doug is hiding something uncomfortable, especially when he refers to his home life, so immediately readers are lead to question just how reliable of a narrator Doug can be. Clever readers, however, can learn just as much from what Doug refuses to say as they can from what he actually tells us. The narrative style is incredibly conversational - you can really imagine this kid relating his story - but it's also impressibly polished. The writing is clearly well-edited and every word has been deliberately selected to tell this powerful, personal story.

Overall Grade: A

Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading

Of all of the awful, not-fun things in the world, Charlie Joe Jackson hates reading more than anything. He thinks it's a miserable activity and can think of plenty of other things that he'd rather be doing than sitting down with a book. He has managed to get through his entire school career without ever reading a whole book thanks to a deal he has with his friend Timmy, who reads the book and then tells Charlie all about it in exchange for snacks in the lunchroom. But when the deal is uncovered by parents and teachers, Charlie finds himself in trouble. If he can't bribe Timmy to do his reading for him, then how will he get through the school year? Because Charlie has gone this long without reading a book - he's certainly not going to start now.

I wasn't exactly expecting to like Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading very much. After all, I'm a librarian. I love reading, and it's kind of my job to help other kids learn to love reading too. The premise of this book seems to go completely against this ideal. However, I have to admit that author Tommy Greenwald has a little gem on his hands in the form of this book. It was a lot of fun watching Charlie go through such extreme lengths to avoid reading. When it comes down to it Charlie is a smart, likable character. Pair him up with a fun supporting cast of characters and some solid, funny writing and you really do have the makings of a great story.

This is a book that I would highly recommend to all kinds of readers, but especially to reluctant readers. The book's subject matter has surprisingly little to do with this recommendation. Short chapters, supporting illustrations, and a fairly fast pace make this book great for any kid who, like Charlie, just doesn't care for books. Fans of books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, and Big Nate will also be pleased.

Overall Grade: A-

If you need further enticing, check out the official book trailer:



Fans will also be pleased to know that a sequel, Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Extra Credit will be available in 2012.

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer

Sam isn't anything terribly special. Just your average 19-year-old college dropout stuck in the fast food business. But one night Douglas Montgomery walks into Plumpy's and develops a keen interest in Sam. Douglas recognizes Sam for what he really is: a necromancer with the latent, untapped power to control the dead. The whole situation is a bit of a shock to Sam, but seen he begins seeing the supernatural all around his hometown of Seattle. But Douglas, an incredibly powerful and sinister necromancer himself, isn't content to just let Sam be. He insists that Sam join forces with him, threatening to harm his friends and family if he does not comply. Soon Sam finds himself in way over his head. How the heck is he going to get out of this one alive?

There's a lot to like about Lish McBride's debut novel, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Perhaps most intriguing to me is the age of the main character. Off the top of my head I can't think of a lot of books about young adults between the ages of 18-24, and it was nice to see a book focused on this seldom-featured age group. To make things better, this book was really compelling. This is a book that doesn't take itself too seriously as the narration is laced with all kinds of snarky comments. The lightness of the book makes the pages turn quickly, but at the same time there are plenty of moments that are very intense. Who knew that humor and gore could work so well together? This book has a little something for everyone and will appeal to those looking for humor, scary stories, or the supernatural.

There is also a sequel in the works, expected to be out sometime in 2012. Personally, I can't wait.

Overall Grade: A

Check out the book trailer! I think it pretty well sums up the tone of this book.

Marty McGuire

Marty was told that the third grade would be amazing. It was promised that in third grade you would get to read longer books and be in the school play. What Marty didn't anticipate, though, was loosing her best friend Annie to the princess-loving Veronica Grace. Now Marty, who just doesn't like all of this girly dress-up play, doesn't have anyone to hunt for frogs or pretend to be Jane Goodall with. Things get even stranger when Marty is cast as the princess her her class' performance of The Frog Prince. Marty is sure that there has been a huge mistake. But as practice for the play gets underway, she learns a little something about improvisation and develops an idea to make the play a little more interesting.

There are an awful lot of books out there that focus on princesses. And while it's true that many of these books feature strong, smart princesses, it was kind of nice to see a different kind of character in Kate Messner's Marty McGuire: the precocious tomboy. Marty really just doesn't like being prissy and girly. She doesn't go on to discover her "inner princess" or anything like that as the story progresses. Instead, what Marty learns is that it's good to try new things even if they make her a bit uncomfortable at first. What's especially interesting about this book's take on the issue is that there's not really a strong pro- or anti-princess message. Even though she is reluctant, Marty gives the role of princess a try. There are other characters like Annie who manage to straddle the two sides, and in the end even prissy Veronica Grace is set up to be Marty's friend as they go off to play Jane Goodall while wearing tiaras.

To be honest, the plot of this book was a tad predictable to me. I've been around the easy chapter book block a few times and could pretty much see where this book was headed from the beginning. But for the average kid reading this book (or even the average adult), the predictability will not be a problem. The writing is solid and the characters extremely likable. Illustrations by Brian Floca add the perfect level of detail. This book is great fun.

Overall Grade: A

Chime

Briony knows that she is the cause of all of her family's troubles, including her sister's developmental problems as her stepmother's death. Of course it's her fault - she's a witch. Briony knows that she can never reveal what she has done to her family because being a witch is punishable by death, and despite everything she has done Briony fears being hung. So instead, she bottles up her self-loathing and instead focuses her efforts on protecting her twin sister, Rose. But things change with handsome bad boy Edric arrives in Swampsea. Soon Briony's life becomes a little more complicated as she fights her attraction to him, knowing that she does not deserve the pleasures that come with love. When Eldric's father's attempts to drain the swamp result in anger from swamp-spirit Boggy Mum, Briony knows that she'll have to do something drastic to save her sister from Boggy Mum's deadly revenge, the swamp cough. And in the meantime perhaps, with Eldric's help, she can make peace with her ugly past.

Franny Billingsly's novel Chime is extraordinary. The language is a bit eccentric as it darts from one vivid image to the next, but it is this very strangeness that makes it lovely and pulls readers in. Even though her shockingly staggering guilt, Briony's narration also somehow manages to be darkly funny and I enjoyed some of her snide remarks. If all of this somehow isn't enough to grab the average teen reader, the supernatural themes, early 20th Century setting, and a swoon-worthy love interest certainly will seal the deal. No wonder Chime received glowing starred reviews from nearly every major book review publication - I can't think of another book like it.

Overall Grade: A