Speak

Speak
 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Bibliography

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, Giroux. ISBN 0374371520

Summary

Melinda Sordino was raped over the summer, but no one knows that is why she called the police to a wild party.  All they know is that she got a lot of people in trouble and she no longer has any friends.  Speak is the first person account of Melinda's struggle to find her voice after remaining silent about the rape.  She barely manages high school as she hopes that by not speaking, the pain will go away. She finds that speaking out is the only way to help herself and others.

Critical Analysis

The setting takes a back seat in this story, which is driven by rich characterization of Melinda Sordino and an engaging problem.   In Speak, which takes place primarily in Melinda's home and high school, Laurie Halse Anderson makes the point that internalizing traumatic experiences doesn't make them go away.  She does this without being preachy or exaggerating the problem.  In fact, many teenagers who have a guilty secret will be able to identify with Melinda, even if they have not experienced pain at the same level.  My only qualm with story is the coincidental timing of the volleyball team coming by when Melinda is trapped in "her" closet by Andy at the end of the book. Even with this quirk, the plot is well-built and authentic; the main and supporting characters are genuine and believable; and Anderson's writing suits the novel with seeming effortlessness.

Review Excerpts

* In a stunning first novel, Anderson uses keen observations and vivid imagery to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager.  -- Publishers Weekly

* Anderson perfectly captures the harsh conformity of high-school cliques and one teen's struggle to find acceptance from her peers. --Booklist


Connections

* Speak has been made into a movie starring Kristen Stewart.

* Here Laurie Halse Anderson reads a poems she wrote in response to teen letters about Speak on it's 10th anniversary.

* Expert from Speak

      I am Outcast.
      There is no point looking for my ex-friends. Our clan, the Plain Janes, has splintered and the pieces are being absorbed by rival factions. Nicole lounges with the Jocks, comparing scars from summer league sports. Ivy floats between the Suffering Artists on one side of the aisle and the Thespians on the other. She has enough personality to travel with two packs. Jessica has moved to Nevada. No real loss. She was mostly Ivy's friend, anyway.
      The kids behind me laugh so loud I know they're laughing about me. I can't help myself. I turn around. It's Rachel, surrounded by a bunch of kids wearing clothes that most definitely did not come from the EastSide Mall. Rachel Bruin, my ex-best friend. She stares at something above my left ear. Words climb up my throat. This was the girl who suffered through Brownies with me, who taught me how to swim, who understood about my parents, who didn't make fun of my bedroom. If there is anyone in the entire galaxy I am dying to tell what really happened, it's Rachel. My throat burns.
      Her eyes meet mine for a second. "I hate you," she mouths silently. She turns her back to me and laughs with her friends. I bite my lip. I am not going to think about it. It was ugly, but it's over, and I'm not going to think about it. My lip bleeds a little. It tastes like metal. I need to sit down.
      I stand in the center aisle of the auditorium, a wounded zebra in a National Geographic special, looking for someone, anyone, to sit next to. A predator approaches: gray jock buzz cut, whistle around a neck thicker than his head. Probably a social studies teacher, hired to coach a blood sport.
Mr. Neck: "Sit."
      I grab a seat. Another wounded zebra turns and smiles at me. She's packing at least five grand worth of orthodontia, but has great shoes. "I'm Heather from Ohio," she says. "I'm new here. Are you?" I don't have time to answer. The lights dim and the indoctrination begins.


    THE FIRST TEN LIES THEY TELL YOU IN HIGH SCHOOL

1. We are here to help you.

2. You will have enough time to get to your class before] the bell rings.]

3. The dress code will be enforced.

4. No smoking is allowed on school grounds.

5. Our football team will win the championship this year.

6. We expect more of you here.

7. Guidance counselors are always available to listen.

8. Your schedule was created with your needs in mind.

9. Your locker combination is private.

10. These will be the years you look back on fondly.

Angus, Thongs and Full-frontal Snogging
by Louise Rennison

Bibliography

Rennison, L. (1999). Angus, thongs and full-frontal snogging. New York, NY: Harper Collins Children's Books. ISBN0060288140

Summary

Written as a diary from August 23 to July 17, Angus, Thongs and Full-frontal Snogging hilariously captures Georgia Nicolson's thoughts on her cat, boys, family, and friends.  A mirthful "glossary" at the end helps American readers with all the British-isms scattered through the book.  

Critical Analysis

What makes this book funny?  First, Georgia Nicolson is portrayed as such a typical, unintentionally witty, and sincere teenager that all the things girls laugh at about themselves and each other are just waiting to make you snicker.  Second, Louise Rennison's style and approach keep the tone light, even when the subjects turn serious, while moving the believable plot along at an attention-keeping pace.  She helps girls laugh at those miserable, embarrassing spots on their noses, the horrible feeling of bras riding up to necks, and the mysterious creatures called boys!
 
Set in England, the story rings true.  Watch any term time morning and you will see children going to school in uniforms similar to Georgia's, all tugging at this bit or that. Rennison leaves the reader wanting more Georgia, not only because she's funny and we want to know if she moves to New Zealand, but because it is inspiring and even moving to see how she handles life's daily (minutely?) ups-and-downs.

Review Excerpts

* This "fabbity, fab, fab" novel will leave readers cheering, "Long live the teen!" -- Booklist

* It will take a sophisticated reader to enjoy the wit and wisdom of this charming British import, but those who relish humor will be satisfied. Fresh, lively, and engaging. --School Library Journal

Connections

* There are many Georgia Nicolson books to enjoy!  Here they are along with other books by Louise Rennison. And here is the movie version.

* And here is the official Georgia Nicolson website!

* Excerpt from Angus, Thongs and Full-frontal Snogging:


Sunday August 23 rd
my bedroom
raining
10.00 am
Dad had Uncle Eddie round so naturally they had to come and nose around and see what I was up to. If Uncle Eddie (who is bald as a coot -- two coots, in fact) says to me one more time, "Should bald heads be buttered?" I may kill myself. He doesn't seem to realize that I no longer wear romper-suits. I feel like yelling at him, "I am fourteen years old, Uncle Eddie! I am bursting with womanhood, I wear a bra! OK, it's a bit on the loose side and does ride up round my neck I if run for the bus "but the womanly potential is there, you bald coot!"
Talking of breasts, I'm worried that I may end up like the rest of the women in my family, with just the one bust, like a sort of shelf affair. Mum can balance things on hers when her hands are full--at parties, and so on, she can have a sandwich and drink and save a snack for later by putting it on her shelf. It's very unattractive. I would like a proper amount of breastiness but not go too far with it, like Melanie Andrews, for instance. I got the most awful shock in the showers after hockey last term. Her bra looks like two shopping bags. I suspect she is a bit unbalanced hormonally. She certainly is when she tries to run for the ball. I thought she'd run right through the fence with the momentum of her bosoomers' as Jas so amusingly calls them.

still in my room
still raining
still Sunday
 11.30 am
I don't see why I can't have a lock on my bedroom door. I have no privacy; it's like Noel's House Party' in my room. Every time I suggest anything around this place people start shaking their heads and tutting. It's like living in a house full of chickens dressed in frocks and trousers. Or a house full of those nodding dogs, anyway I can't have a lock on my door is the short and short of it.
"Why not?" I asked Mum reasonably (catching her in one of the rare minutes when she's not at Italian evening class or at another party).
"Because you might have an accident and we couldn't get in," she said.
"An accident like what?" I persisted.
"Well you might faint," she said.
Then Dad joined in, "You might set fire to your bed and be overcome with fumes."
What is the matter with people? I know why they don't want me to have a lock on my door, it's because it would be a first sign of my path to adulthood and they can't bear the idea of that because it would mean they might have to get on with their own lives and leave me alone.

Story of a Girl

Story of a Girl
 by Sara Zarr

Bibliography

Zarr, S. (2007). Story of a girl. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Comapnay. ISBN 036014532

Summary

Deanna Lambert had sex at age 13, was caught by her father, and has been defined by that moment ever since. Story of a Girl  begins at the end of Deanna's sophomore year in high school.  High school - where she is considered a slut - has had unpleasant moments, but Deanna does have two friends.  We travel with Deanna through this redemptive story as she comes to terms with people in her life who have wronged her and who she has wronged, and finally finds herself.  There are no flashy happy endings, only reality.

Critical Analysis

When reading this novel, I felt like I was Deanna.  The powerful and realistic characterization allows the reader to experience situations they never (or may) have lived. Story of a Girl feels like it is set in Anytown, America, a place where events like this are completely believable and probably really happen.  The plot and theme are not only appealing, but genuine. You will be left asking yourself,  "Did I know Deanna, was I friends with her, or mean to her?"

Sara Zarr's style carries this novel.  She writes straightforwardly in the first-person, adding to that feeling of being a part of the story.  She winds up the story with no magically happy endings, but with the sense that Deanna is learning, growing, and that she is going to be okay.

Review Excerpts

*A heartfelt, realistic novel about being defined by one moment, one choice, and then having to reinvent who you are....An evocative, thoughtful read from a debut author to watch.  -- Cynthia Leitich Smith

*This is realistic fiction at its best. Zarr's storytelling is excellent. --School Library Journal


Connections

* Expert from Story of a Girl

I was thirteen when my dad caught me with Tommy Webber in the back of Tommy's Buick, parked next to the old Chart House down in Montara at eleven o'clock in a Tuesday night. Tommy was seventeen and the supposed friend of my brother, Darren.

I didn't love him.

I'm not sure I even liked him.


* Want more Sara Zarr? Visit her Amazon page where you can find Story of a Girl on audio read by the author (pictured above).

* Want even more Sara?  Visit her website where she discusses banned books.

Kit's Wilderness
 by David Almond

Bibliography

Almond, D. (2001). Kit's wilderness. London, UK: Random House Children's Books. ISBN 0385729898

Summary

Christopher's (Kit's) family moves to be near his widowed grandfather.  In Stoneygate, an ancient mining community, he meets John and Allie - dark and light - and plays a game called Death.  Kit's Wilderness chronicles the development of Kit's friendships with Allie and John, as well as Kit's relationship with his aged grandfather -- and the spectral beings the descendants of the ancient families see.

Critical Analysis

While reading Kit's Wilderness I constantly felt emotionally unsettled.  The novel is charged with deep emotions throughout and I never knew whether I wanted to put the book down for a while and leave Stoneygate or keep reading!

The character development is incredibly deep on some levels but undeveloped on others.  For example, the relationships between Kit and John and Kit and his grandfather all hinge on the past of the community.  No other aspects are examined, but the reader feels like they are involved in that past completely. The same is true for Stoneygate.  The reader can almost picture the eerie wilderness with beings seen through squinted eyes, but the rest of the town is an unknown.

Almond's writing suits the subject of the novel perfectly and heightens the emotional pull.  At times poetic and others brusque and choppy, the words are always just right for what is happening.  Almond has succeeded in writing a story difficult to read and more difficult to put down.

Review Excerpts

*...establishes Almond as the most exciting new voice in children's books this decade. -- Literary Review

*...this superb piece of lyrically written literary fiction captivates children and their parents alike .-- The Guardian

* Almond offers another tantalizing blend of human drama, surrealism and allegory. -- Publishers Weekly

Connections

* Also available on audio here.

* Get to know David Almond and his work on his website.

* Designed for British classrooms, these resources are excellent for using Kit's Wilderness with students.

*From Kit's Wilderness 

Silky came that night, long after the doctor had gone, long after Grandpa had been put to bed, long after I'd come to bed myself, long after the moon shone in through my window.  Long after the moon had been blotted out and the snow began to fall, long after I'd tried to sleep and couldn't sleep and simply watched the snowflakes thicken on my windowsill.
     Just a glimpse, from the corner of my eye.  A shimmering like silk.  I caught my breath.  "Who's there?' I whispered.
     Nothing.  Then again, nothing but a flickering.  Nothing.  I closed my eyes, saw the boy running away from me, glistening  as he headed down the  tunnel.
     "There he is!" I called.  "After him! After him!"
      I ran. Endless tunnels, heading further and further into the earth.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie

Bibliography

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time indian. New York, NY: Little Brown and Company. ISBN 0316013684

Summary

Arnold, also known as Junior, decides to leave the "rez" to go to school.  He battles the anger of his people and the suspicions of his new peers to be an overcomer of obstacles once again in his short life.

Critical Analysis

As the title suggests, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian recounts a short span in the life of a teenage Spokane Indian who spends time away from the reservation.  Alexie's portrayal of Junior is brutally honest, witty, and touches on issues faced not only by Indians but many young teenage boys.  Junior must navigate alcoholism, abuse of friends, burgeoning sexuality, bullying, and making tough, life-altering decisions.  Occasionally in a novel the illustrations play a pivotal role.  This is the case here.  Ellen Forney's art, which represent Junior's cartoons, adds to the humor and to the development of Junior as a dynamic character.

 
Review Excerpts

* Breathtakingly honest, funny profane, sad...will stay with readers. --KLIATT (starred review)

* This is a gem of a book.... May be [Sherman Alexie's] best work yet. --The New York Times

* Fierce observations and sharp sense of humor... hilarious language. -- Newsday


Connections

*This book will resonate with teens, but some parents may object to the discussion of masturbation.

* Prefer to listen?  This book is available on audio here.

* Want to discuss this book with friends or your class?  You can find a dreading group guide on the right side of this page.

* Excerpt from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

I was fourteen and it was my first day of high school.  I was happy about that.  And I was most especially excited about my first geometry class.
     Yep, I have to admit that isosceles triangles make me feel hormonal.
     Most guys, no matter what age, get excited about curves and circles, but not me.  Don't get me wrong.  I like girls and their curves.  And I really like women and their curvier curves.

Where the Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows
 by Wilson Rawls

Bibliography

Rawls, W. (1996). Where the red fern grows. New York, NY: Delacourt Press. ISBN 0385323301

Summary

Billy Coleman is a hard worker:  He spends two years earning money to fulfill his heart's desire -- to own to red hunting hounds.  Where the Red Fern Grows is the story of Billy's dream, its fulfillment, and its conclusion.  Along the way, the reader watches as Billy grows into a man through both joy and pain and learns about the sad legend of the red fern.

Critical Analysis

The characters play the central role in Where the Red Fern Grows.  Billy Coleman starts the book as an eleven year old with a big dream he is willing to work for.  He is surrounded by supportive adults, a father who trusts him, a mom who worries over him, and a grandfather who helps him with his plans.  There are also other archetypal characters who play minor roles, such as the bully who gets his comeuppance.  Billy is easy to identify with even though most who read this story will never walk a literal mile in Billy's shoes.  He lets teens dream of days gone by and also shadows the independence that teens are growing into even though it looks different today than when Billy was a boy.

The setting is also vital to this story which richly protrays the theme of growing up.  It is hard to imagine these events taking place anywhere else than the Ozark Mountains.  The plot is fast paced and engaging, which is likely why this book holds a place in the hearts of teen readers still, even though some readers may balk at the hunting scenes.

Review Excerpts

*An exciting tale of love and adventure you'll never forget. --School Library Journal

*Arguably the greatest boy-and-dog story of all time, this is, for many kids, the book that introduces them to the power of literature. No one, adult or child, gets through this book without weeping, usually more than once, yet it never feels manipulative or trite -- it's a good, honest cry. --Common Sense Media


Connections

* Harrison Earl, age 13, says, "It's a real tear-jerker.  I had a tear jerked and I usually laugh at the sad or scary bits."

* Expert from Where the Red Fern Grows:
      I sat down and called my dogs to me.  With tears in my eyes, I told them that I just couldn't cut the big tree down.
     I was trying hard to make them understand when I heard someone coming.  It was Grandpa in his buggy.
     I'm sure not one in the world can understand a young boy like his grandfather can.  He drove up with a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on is whiskery old face.
     "Hello!  How are you gettin' along?" he boomed.
     "Not so good, Grandpa," I said.  "I don't think I can cut it down.  It's just too big.  I guess I'll have to give up."
     "Give up!" Grandpa barked. "Now I dont' want to hear you say that.  No, sir, that's the last thing I want to hear. Don't ever start anything you can't finish."
     "I don't want to give up, Grandpa," I said, "but it's just to big and my strength's gone.  I'm give out."
     "Course you are," he said. "You've been going at it wrong.  To do work like that a fellow needs plenty of rest and food in his stomach."
     "How am I going to get that, Grandpa?" I asked. "I can't leave the tree.  If I do, the coon will get away."
      "No, he won't," Grandpa said. "That's what I cam down here for.  I'll show you how to keep that coon in the tree."

* Where the Red Fern Grows is also available on audio and as a movie.

How I Live Now

How I Live Now
 by Meg Rosoff

Bibliography

Rosoff, M. (2004). How I Live Now. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 0385746776

Summary

With the feeling of being tossed out of her home in New York, Daisy arrives in England to an idyllic setting with her cousins and aunt shortly before terrorists invade England and war breaks out.  At first Daisy and her cousins feel untouched by the war, but this utopia doesn't last.  Completely at home and at peace, Daisy becomes involved in a physical and emotional relationship with her cousin, Edmond. Soon after the relationship begins, Daisy, along with her cousin Piper, are separated from Edmond and the rest of the male cousins.  Rejoining her family and taking care of Piper through the terrors of war become Daisy's focus.  An ending that takes place six years in the future, shows the family together again, though not in exactly the way the reader may expect.

Critical Analysis

Meg Rosoff tells a gripping tale using a distinct first person voice and a unique style.  When we first meet Daisy, she is self-absorbed and uses food to manipulate people in her world. As the story progresses, Daisy grows and matures in slow, but dramatic ways.  Run-on sentences and a conversational, almost stream of consciousness tone provide insight into Daisy's way of thinking. Stylized punctuations and capitalization help show Daisy's emotions.   

I can tell Meg Rosoff lives in England; her descriptions of the villages Daisy lives in or travels through are strikingly realistic, from the small village stores to the countryside and from the hustle of London to the slow pace of village life.  Rosoff is able to write convincingly about a time and place in which traditional moral behaviors are displaced; she creates a realistic world in which war breaks out.  Teens will almost certainly feel as if they have lived through this with Daisy.

When I first read this novel, I didn't like it.  As I have studied it and reviewed it, I realized I do like it, enough that I will read other books by Meg Rosoff.  What I don't like is the age recommendation.  The front jacket cover recommends ages 12 and up and I disagree.  I feel 15 and up is more appropriate.

Review Excerpts

* Kirkus Reviews, "This is a very relatable contemporary story, told in honest, raw first-person and filled with humor, love, pathos, and carnage."

* Kliatt Reviews,"Daisy is an unforgettable heroine--vulnerable and flawed, yes, but fiercely loving and tough as well."

* Horn Book, "This first novel is intelligent, funny, serious, and sweet; a winning combination of acerbic commentary, innocence, and sober vision."

Connections

* Here is an award winning, student created video related to How I Live Now by Expanded Books.

* Multnonah County Library has a book discussion guide for How I Live Now.  It includes a summary, a booktalk guide, discussion questions, and read alikes.  Find it here.

*Meg Rosoff has a website with a bibliography and a script writing contest for How I Live Now!  The contest is open to ages 13-18.  Check it out here.