The Hunger Games

Collins, S. (2008). The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press.

Summary

Panem is a nation that that has risen from the ruins of a North America destroyed by natural disasters and wars. At its beginning, it was made up of one Capitol that controlled thirteen districts, each responsible for a specific industry like technology, agriculture, or textiles. Then came the Dark Days: the districts rebelled against the Capitol and almost won, until the Capitol obliterated District 13 and regained its oppressive control of the remaining districts. The Hunger Games are an annual "celebration" that all the citizens of Panem are forced to watch. To remind the districts of the Capitol's total control over them (as if they could forget), each district is forced to hold a lottery to choose one boy and one girl tribute to send to the Games. After the twenty-four tributes are paraded through the Capitol and celebrated by the bizarre looking humans who live there, they are thrown into the arena and the games begin. The rules are simple: use whatever skills you have to survive, and whatever weapons you can find to kill the other tributes, for the last tribute alive is crowned the victor. And the whole thing is televised to the entire country. Katniss Everdeen, like all twelve to eighteen year olds in District 12, dreads the annual reaping with fear that she might be chosen. However this year, a nightmare she never considered happens: her twelve-year-old sister, Prim, is chosen in the reaping. Frantic with fear at the thought of her little sister in the arena, Katniss volunteers to take her place in the Games, even though she knows this means she will certainly never return home alive. Even though she is forced to play along with the Capitol and their Games, Katniss is not a girl to go down without a fight. She becomes known as "the girl on fire" and ignites a spirit across the districts she never dreamed possible.

Worth a bookmark?

The Hunger Games is truly one of the best books I have ever read, yet it is so different than books I usually fall in love with! It is fast paced, suspenseful, and heart-wrenching. Katniss Everdeen is a dynamic character who is far from perfect, but fights to survive while doing the right thing, even though it means personal danger. Readers empathize with her as she struggles with conflicting emotions and decisions that could literally mean the difference between life and death. I don't think you'll need a bookmark for this book, because you won't be able to put it down!

This first book in the trilogy introduces the characters and setting, as well as showing the reader issues with an tyrannical government from the perspective of its suffering citizens that are further developed in the next books.

In my library…

This book and the series are great for booktalks to get kids excited about books. I have also come across an activity designed by a librarian in Colorado that recreated the Hunger Games combined with a food drive. Here is a link to information and pictures of this activity that got kids begging for this book! http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=331908

Reviews

Brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced…a futuristic novel every bit as good and as allegorically rich as Scott Westerfeld's Uglies books…the considerable strength of the novel comes in Collins's convincingly detailed world-building and her memorably complex and fascinating heroine. In fact, by not calling attention to itself, the text disappears in the way a good font does: nothing stands between Katniss and the reader, between Panem and America. This makes for an exhilarating narrative and a future we can fear and believe in, but it also allows us to see the similarities between Katniss's world and ours. (The New York Times—John Green)

Among the Hidden

Haddix, M. (1998). Among the hidden. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

Summary

Luke is twelve years old. He has never been to school, never been inside a store, and never visited family or friends. In fact, Luke has never ridden in a car or been further from home than his own back yard. Before Luke was born, the government made a law that limited each family to only two children because of the threat of shortages of food and resources. This law, strictly enforced by the Population Police, meant that Luke was not supposed to exist so for the protection of both him and his family he must stay hidden at all times. Luke accepts this fate until the government decides to develop the woods and fields surrounding his farm house into housing. His life is now confined to the attic, because if anyone saw him through a window or suspected a third child in their home, Luke's entire family would be punished or even killed. Luke becomes bitter and resentful in his new life, and passes the time by watching the developing neighborhood through the attic vent. He soon learns the schedule of everyone coming and going from the new homes. One day he is shocked to see a curtain flutter in a house where no one should have been. As days and weeks pass, his desperation fuels his courage to leave the safety of his attic to discover a secret that could mean he is not the only hidden child.

Worth a bookmark?

Among the Hidden is a fast-paced book that keeps its readers on the edge of their seat with many surprises. Depicting a society that is scary, yet not difficult to believe in, the characters are faced with problems that many believe may be in our not-so-distant future. Readers may identify with the pressure Luke feels to conform to rules that he does not agree with, but feels powerless to change. Luke's character is dynamic throughout the book; initially he meekly accepts his circumstances but eventually he begins to feel empowered to make small steps that may lead to major changes in his life and the lives of other hidden children. This book is the first in its series and the ending sets up the sequel by leaving the reader itching to know what happens to Luke next.

In my library…

This book could be used as an introduction to science fiction and/or fantasy. Readers who shy away from these genres because they can be so far-fetched and heavy with technical terms could ease into the genres with this book because it is more realistic than other science fiction. It also has some elements of a good mystery, like suspense and twists, that would keep a reader turning the pages and even picking up the next book.

Reviews

Gr 5-8-Born third at a time when having more than two children per family is illegal and subject to seizure and punishment by the Population Police, Luke has spent all of his 12 years in hiding. His parents disobeyed once by having him and are determined not to do anything unlawful again. At first the woods around his family's farm are thick enough to conceal him when he plays and works outdoors, but when the government develops some of that land for housing, his world narrows to just the attic. Gazing through an air vent at new homes, he spies a child's face at a window after the family of four has already left for the day. Is it possible that he is not the only hidden child? Answering this question brings Luke greater danger than he has ever faced before, but also greater possibilities for some kind of life outside of the attic. This is a near future of shortages and deprivation where widespread famines have led to a totalitarian government that controls all aspects of its citizens' lives. When the boy secretly ventures outside the attic and meets the girl in the neighboring house, he learns that expressing divergent opinions openly can lead to tragedy. To what extent is he willing to defy the government in order to have a life worth living? As in Haddix's Running Out of Time (S & S, 1995), the loss of free will is the fundamental theme of an exciting and compelling story of one young person defying authority and the odds to make a difference. Readers will be captivated by Luke's predicament and his reactions to it.-Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA (School Library Journal)

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Brashares, A. (2001). The sisterhood of the traveling pants. New York: Random House.

Summary

Four friends: Bridget, the bomb-shell blonde athlete; Tibby, the pessimistic film maker; Lena, the shy, beautiful, modest artist; and Carmen, the drama-living writer. One pair of jeans, found in a thrift store, mysteriously fits them all and becomes the glue that holds them all together in their first summer apart since they were born sixteen years ago. Bridget becomes dangerously obsessed with her young, hot coach at a soccer camp in southern California. Carmen, excited at the prospect of spending a whole summer with her father, learns he has been keeping secrets from her. Lena visits her grandparents in Greece, finding love and art in unexpected places. And Tibby, bitter at being left behind at home, befriends twelve-year-old Bailey, who teaches her lessons of life, love, and friendship that she will never forget. During this first summer of the Sisterhood, the girls begin to grow into themselves as individuals while realizing just how much they still need each other.

Worth a bookmark?

I absolutely love this book! Each of the girls gets to tell her story from her own perspective, yet the story of the group is woven together so gracefully that they are never really separate stories. Brashares writes in a way that invites you to be part of the Sisterhood, and you feel like you share in the girls' friendship. The characters are dynamic and far from perfect; it is agonizing to watch them work through their dilemmas yet wonderful to see how they come out on the other side stronger both as individuals and as a group.

In my library…

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series would make excellent reading for a book club for high school girls. Because the movies are extremely different from the books, it would be interesting to discuss the differences and why the filmmakers chose to change such an already wonderful story. Characterization would also be a great skill to teach using these books because each of the characters is so different, yet they complement each other as best friends.

Reviews

Any story that begins "Once upon a time..." has to be good, and this one is. It is hard to imagine that one pair of thrift shop jeans could play such an important role in the lives of four teenage girls. The story begins before the birth of four teenagers when their mothers meet in an aerobics class. Although the mothers drift apart, the girls become close friends. A trip to the local thrift shop and one non-descript pair of jeans become the catalyst for a summer of change. How can one pair of jeans look so incredibly good on four different girls with four dramatically different figures? Its magical, at least that is what the teens think. "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" is born when the girls decide to send the jeans to each other over the summer. The journey of the traveling jeans takes the denim talisman from Greece where Lena discovers herself, to California where Bridget learns a life lesson, to South Carolina where Carmen must learn about family, and finally back home where Tibby discovers the real magic in them-or is it life? (Rita Karr, Children's Literature)

Hoot

Hiaasen, C. (2002). Hoot. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Summary

Hoot is a mystery like no other. While Roy is trying to find a place to fit into his new home in the south Florida, a construction foreman repeatedly reports mysterious vandalism at the site of a new Mother Paula's All American Pancake House, keeping the newest addition to the police force busy figuring out how to report vandalism where nothing was broken. It seems as though the vandal's goal is not theft, but delay and disorder of the building site. Roy makes an unlikely friend in an older, tough girl at school named Beatrice, who eventually lets him in on secrets about her family and the mystery of the running boy he has been curious about since seeing him one morning from his bus window. When he realizes the running boy is the construction site vandal, Roy gets pulled into a complicated web of family issues, new friendships, business, politics, and environmental problems. He learns the boy's sole mission is to preserve the habitat of the small burrowing owls Mother Paula's is indifferent to destroying by building their new restaurant. Even after he decides he should help the owls, Roy has to be creative and gutsy to find a way to save the rare owls who win people's hearts with their tiny "hoot"s.

Worth a bookmark?

It is interesting that the creatures this book revolves around, the small burrowing owls, rarely make an appearance in the story. That they are talked about but rarely seen adds another element of mystery to this book. Although the main issue is preserving an environment there are many other problems Roy and the other characters must deal with in the story, problems like bullying, new friendships, and unique families which readers can learn valuable lessons from. I think this book is great for middle schoolers to learn that they do not have to wait until they are adults to make a positive impact on their world.

In my library…

I would use this book in a unit or display about the environment and endangered species. Although the burrowing owls aren't portrayed as "officially" endangered, it is important for students to learn that building new, exciting places like restaurants or shops often has environmental consequences attached, such as destroying many plants or animals' habitats.

Reviews

Hiaasen, a columnist for the Miami Herald and the author of many best-selling novels for adults about the wild and wacky side of the state of Florida, offers a hoot of a read here in his first novel for YAs. Roy is the new kid in town, a student at Trace Middle School in Coconut Cove. From the school bus window, as a bully is harassing him, Roy spots a barefoot boy his age running by, and he becomes intrigued. Roy follows the boy, and gradually learns that he is involved in trying to protect the nesting site of some rare burrowing owls. This site is currently an empty lot that is about to be turned into a pancake house by a corporate executive called Chuck Muckle, with the assistance of a bald foreman called Curly. Adventures and misadventures ensue—alligators pop up in portable potties and a tough girl takes a bite out of Roy's bike tire—before Roy works out a way to get revenge on the bully and help the barefoot boy save the owls. My 14-year-old daughter read this and liked it, calling it "clever and funny" and commenting "it was interesting how the plots came together." Hiaasen's trademark over-the-top humor and satire, along with his concern for safeguarding Florida's wildlife, come through clearly and will entertain readers. Here's hoping he continues to write for YAs. Recommended for junior high school students. (Paula Rohrlick; KLIATT – KLIATT)

Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Best Friends and Drama Queens

Cabot, M. (2009). Allie Finkle's rules for girls: Best friends and drama queens. New York: Scholastic Press.

Summary

Allie Finkle and her friends are fourth graders who try to welcome a new girl, Cheyenne, into their classroom. Instead of appreciating the girls' offered friendships, Cheyenne tells the girls their lack of interest in boys and kissing makes them immature and proceeds to upset the balance of a peaceful and happy class. All children who have been in school can relate to the excitement and anxiety that happens when a "new kid" joins the class, as the whole class works to figure out the new student's spot in the already established social circles of the class. Allie and her friends do not agree with Cheyenne that they need to have boyfriends to be cool or mature, but are not quite sure how to speak their minds when the whole class is against them. The issue even turns them against each other! Cheyenne also teases the girls for being "babyish" because they still play pretending games. Eventually Allie lets herself break down, having a good cry in her closet when she becomes overwhelmed by the problems she faces. While in the depths of despair she struggles whether or not to tell her mother, then worries about the consequences she may face with her classmates for opening up. This issue of how "grown up" to act at certain ages is one all children will encounter as they grow up, as well as facing peer pressure to do things they know are not appropriate.

Worth a bookmark?

Allie Finkle and her friends are so realistic they remind me of my group of girlfriends when I was in fourth grade! Allie is portrayed as a strong girl who, although she sometimes misses the mark, tries very hard to do the right thing. A reader walks away from this book learning the lesson of the old phrase "What is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular." They see a great example of resisting peer pressure—great not because it is easy, but in the sense that it is worthy and makes a stronger person. Readers also learn about dealing with difficult people in a mature way, meaning standing your ground without being rude or mean. Readers who are paying close attention may also be reminded that trusted adults are great resources for help and advice when tough situations arise. Finally, young readers may realize that it is okay to be a kid, just as Allie was in no rush to grow up and have a boyfriend.

In my library…

The Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls series would be excellent for a book club for fourth and fifth grade girls. Both the characters and problems are realistic and not superficial, so readers could easily relate and put themselves in the story. For example, the theme of this particular book is dealing with growing up. Throughout the story the characters struggle to balance what they want to be and do with what other kids their own age are doing, as well as what their parents and teachers expect. For the first time they are told by a peer that what they enjoy is "babyish" and to be mature they must do something they do not understand and are uncomfortable doing. This makes them question their values and views of their world. It seems as though this may be the first time Allie and her friends have encountered serious peer pressure. Although they try to resist, even Sophie and Caroline give in to do what Cheyenne says simply because it is easier or less embarrassing than to go against her. Allie finds that sticking up for herself and what she believes does not make her popular with the girls in her class, yet she does not give in and in the end is proud of herself and stronger for it. A reader can easily imagine she and her own friends in the situations Allie and her friends encounter, and may learn some valuable lessons about how to survive growing up following Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls.

Reviews

Gr 3–5—Allie Finkle is anxious to return to school after a rather boring winter break. Her spirits perk up when she hears about a new girl from Canada who will be joining their fourth grade class. However, Cheyenne is not what Allie and her best friends expected: she's a bully and thinks all the girls are immature. Cheyenne forms a new clique and institutes a new game which involves chasing boys on the playground and kissing them when caught. She orders all girls to "go with" a boy, even though most of Allie's classmates don't have a clue what they means. In this third book (Scholastic, 2009) in Meg Cabot's series, Allie decides she's not quite ready to be a grown-up and wants to enjoy life as a kid, no matter what Cheyenne tells her. Narrator Tara Sands perfectly voices the naïve but charming nine-year-old, expressing Allie's rollercoaster of emotions. She easily transitions from incredulous Allie and strong willed Cheyenne to sweet but authoritative Miss Hunter. The pacing is faultless and the production quality is first-rate. An excellent choice for individual or classroom listening.—Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN (School Library Journal)

Skippyjon Jones

Schachner, J. (2003). Skippyjon Jones. New York: Dutton's Children's Books.

Summary

Skippyjon Jones is an extrodinary, remarkable Siamese kitten. No matter how hard she tries, Skippyjon's mother cannot tame his vivid imagination that makes him act like anything but a cat. When he is banished to his room think about what it means to be a Siamese cat, he cannot resist the call of his closet despite his mother's orders to stay out. Skippyjon's closet, it seems, is the portal to other lands created by his own imagination. In this adventure, Skippyjon becomes El Skippito, the great sword fighter, who helps a band of Chihuahuas defeat the Great Bumblebeeto who steals all their beans. As El Skippito's sword pops the Great Bumblebeeto in the deserts of Mexico, freeing all the stolen beans for the doggies, Skippyjon breaks open a piñata in his closet, exploding candy and toys all over his room. The great noise brings Mama Junebug Jones running, and she scoops him up with hugs and kisses, wondering aloud, "What am I going to do with you, Mr. Cocopugs?"

Worth a bookmark?

I haven't laughed so much reading a book in a long time! Skippyjon Jones is a mischievous yet endearing, unforgettable character whose imagination is as big as his giant ears. It has a perfect mix of mischief, humor, and adventure that kids of many ages can relate to and enjoy. When his mind's adventure takes him to Mexico, he develops a hilarious dialect mingled with a few Spanish words he knows. The book is best enjoyed read out loud!

In my library…

Stories about Skippyjon Jones are great books to get kids thinking, talking, and writing about their own imaginations. Most kids can remember a time when his or her imagination got carried away. This book would also be a great Mexican cultural connection because there are many words from the Spanish language included in the story. Kids who are familiar with Spanish would enjoy sharing their knowledge of these words with other kids.

Reviews

Skippyjon Jones is not your ordinary Siamese cat. He enjoys being with the birds and much to his mother's displeasure, he sleeps with them, eats worms and plays in the birdbath. This just is not the type of behavior she expects from her son. Banished to his room, and warned to stay out of his closet, Skippyjon does not seem to be the least bit fazed. He actually ends up on another adventure, and this time he is a masked bandito consorting with a group of dogs—the Chimichangos. The fearless Skippyjon saves them from an awful monster bumblebee named Alfredo Buzzito. It turns out that the bee is actually a birthday piñata and when he punctures it all the goodies come spilling out all over his room. Mama for once is not really upset and the irrepressible Skippyjon is ready for his next adventure. The illustrations are as humorous as the story and kids will enjoy them. The text is sprinkled with Spanish terms, which may make reading it aloud a challenge for some and a big hit for others. There is no pronunciation guide for those who may not be familiar with Spanish. 2004, Dutton, Ages 3 to 8. (Marilyn Courtot-Children's Literature)

Postcards from No Man’s Land

Chambers, A. (1999). Postcards from no man's land. New York: Speak.

Summary

Amsterdam, World War II, occupied by German Nazis. Amsterdam, fifty years later, "an old city occupied by the young" (p. 3). What do the two have in common? Jacob Todd is about to find out how deeply connected are the past and present of this mysterious city. Jacob, a teenager traveling to Amsterdam for the first time to honor his grandfather and namesake, an English solider who died in Oosterbeek during WWII, learns much more about his family than he ever expected. Jacob has lived with his grandmother most of his life, growing up rather sheltered in a middle class English home and hearing stories of his heroic grandfather his grandmother describes as the ideal man. His host family includes Geertrui, who as a young woman nursed his wounded grandfather and has since maintained a friendship with Jacob's grandmother. On her death bed, Geertrui has enlisted the help of her grandson, Daan, to help her write the true story of the relationship that developed between her and Jacob's grandfather so that Jacob may truly understand the man his grandfather was. While in the city, Jacob meets a variety of people young and old who begin to open his eyes to the possibilities that lie beyond his sheltered, proper world. As Jacob discovers many truths about himself, he begins to question and explore his own world views—gender identities, significance of historical landmarks such as the home of "his" beloved Anne Frank, his own sexuality, even the concept of euthanasia—within the context of this old yet liberal city.

Worth a bookmark?

At times this story was difficult to read, not because of how it was written but because of the intensity of the issues presented through the telling of Jacob's and Geetrui's stories. As he begins exploring Amsterdam, he quickly learns that the rest of the world is not exactly like home: one of his first experiences is being attracted to and flirting with a young woman at a café, only to discover that she is actually a he. This happening, in addition to Daan's views and sexual preferences, cause Jacob to reexamine his own sexuality and views about relationships and marriage. Jacob is also faced with a very difficult decision at the end of the book, whether or not to tell his grandmother, who is still deeply in love with his grandfather even fifty years after his death, the truth about his and Geertrui's relationship before his death. Geertrui is also faced with difficult decisions: as a young woman, many stem from surviving physically and mentally in a war-torn country, and later in life to decide how to spend her last days. The ripple effect of those decisions reaches across generations and families. Chambers weaves together the dual stories of Jacob and Geetrui beautifully to show the connection between past and present. Although this book will probably not make it to my list of ones to read again and again, the story was never dull and was one of those that made the reader uncomfortable in a good way, causing the reader to examine his or her own values and social ideas along with the characters.

In my library…

This book effectively opens doors for exploring social issues that young adults face more frequently today than in the past. It is easy for teens to say they believe one way or another on an issue without ever taking the time to consider it for themselves, but it takes much more maturity and consideration to debate an issue in context. For example, instead of writing about or discussing, "Do you think euthanasia is right?" a more meaningful question would be "Do you agree with Geertrui's decision to have an assisted death in her circumstances? Why or why not?" Additional social issues pervade this book, posting questions that all teens will have to answer for themselves at some point in their lives. The best thing about this book in that context is that it defines no wrong or right answers, only presents the issues an different perspectives on them, leaving the reader to draw his or her own conclusions.

Reviews

This book received international acclaim after its 1999 publication in Europe. Older teens on this side of the Atlantic now have a chance to read the two complex and challenging narratives intertwined in this beautifully written novel. When 17-year-old Jacob travels solo from England as his grandmother's representative at a ceremony in the Netherlands commemorating the World War II Battle of Arnhem, he is transformed. Jacob is intrigued and excited by new ideas engendered by initially bewildering experiences: the strangely disturbing Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, new acquaintances who cross gender lines, and, most of all, the imminent assisted death of the elderly lady who was his grandfather's wartime nurse and has kept in contact with his family. This frail Dutchwoman, the second narrator, has her own startling tale to tell, recalling in detail her short but passionate relationship with another Jacob long ago, when the whole world seemed to be burning and when serious, irrevocable choices were made in haste. The protagonists in these coming-of-age stories face real-world decisions involving love, sexuality, and friendship, linking the teenagers across time and generations, and leading to a conclusion as convincing as it is absorbing and thought-provoking. -Starr E. Smith, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information (School Library Journal)