On the surface, seventh graders Kirsten and Walk couldn’t be more different. Kirsten is an overweight secret eater who hides her unhappiness over her parents’ constant fighting behind mountains of candy bars and bags of potato chips. Walk is a smart loner trying to make it as one of the only black students in Kirsten’s mostly white private school. But they become unexpected friends when Walk stands up for Kirsten when she is falsely accused of stealing a teacher’s wallet. When they each begin to talk about their new friendship at home, their families become suspicious, and neither Kirsten nor Walk can understand why. Is it because Kirsten is white and Walk is black? While that seems to be the rationale at first, there is another reason their parents don’t want them to become friends, a secret that will shake the growing tree of their relationship to its very roots when they find out. What looks like a benign school story from its innocent, colorful cover is actually a pretty deep read that will challenge the way you think about race and economic class, and help you understand that even though they often try to convince you otherwise, adults mess up too. And if you haven’t read her stuff before, you’ll definitely want to go back and check out Choldenko’s hip historical fiction, Al Capone Does My Shirts.
Freak Show by James St. James
I have just two words for you, James St. James: LOVE IT! Your unrepentantly outrageous and brutally honest bi-polar portrayal of seventeen-year-old Billy Bloom, drag-queen-in-training-wheels is one of the freshest, funniest YA novels I’ve read in YEARS. My only complaint is that this wasn’t a picture book, so I couldn’t get a gander at all of Billy’s meticulously constructed outfits. Yes, to Billy Bloom, “Being fabulous, being relentlessly fabulous, is damned hard, hard work, I can tell you…It requires more than just…platform boots and an ironic tee to cut it in today’s marketplace.†Billy is determined to bring fashion and culture to the “Stepford teens†who populate his new private school in the depths of swampy red state Florida. But his unrelenting good cheer in the face of apathetic teachers and waves of spitballs is finally squashed by a brutal beating that he suffers at the hands of several football players. After a long recovery and a great deal of soul-searching, Billy comes to the conclusion that there’s nothing wrong with him, it’s the REST of the world who needs to learn how to deal! So he decides to launch his most ambitious project to date—a run for Homecoming Queen. Does Billy have a hope in heck? Or are all his glitter-dreams destined to go up in a poof of lavender-colored smoke? Make no mistake, this book isn’t just for the cross-dressers among us (although, they will love it). It is for every teen who was told he or she couldn’t play, can’t join, or isn’t invited, and who perservered anyway. Even though St. James’s message comes dressed in heels and a tiara, it still rings true: be yourself, no matter what, because at the end of the day, “you must find your own path and live with your own decisions.” And really, can any book blurbed by both Michael Cart AND Perez Hilton be anything short of FABULOUS? Slide into your best pair of feathery pink marabous and RUN not walk to your nearest library branch or bookstore to check out the best comeback-kid story since Justin Timberlake’s post ‘N Sync career!
Daisy Kutter: The Last Train by Kazu Kibuishi
In an alternate sci-fi Old West, where both buffalo AND robots roam the range, famed train robber Daisy Kutter has hung up her guns. Ever since her square-chinned ex-beau Tom repented of his wild ways and became the local sheriff, Daisy’s not only lost her partner in crime and one true love; she’s also lost the will to illegally lighten trains of their valuable loads. Enter mysterious oil magnate and security specialist Mr. Winters. Winters proposes a job that has Daisy’s trigger finger itching—if she can successfully rob his new security enhanced train, he will pay her the handsome sum of 350,000 lugs (what passes for pesos in Daisy’s world). Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Winters just won Daisy’s dry goods store in a high stakes poker game—and if Daisy wants it back, she’s gonna have to strap on her gunbelt one last time. Now, this IS the Old West, so expect some double-crossing and serious gun play before this story is through. Kibuishi’s b&w graphic novel, chosen as one of the 2006 Best Books for Young Adults, features a trash-talking heroine who is equal parts Annie Oakley and Tank Girl, with moves that out-manuever Laura Croft. You’ll be hard-pressed not to frantically flip pages to find out what happens next, but after you do, take a moment to go back and admire Kibuishi’s cool, clean art, heated up by his heroine’s bad-ass action sequences.
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
You’re Not You by Michelle Wildgen
Bec is a college student at loose ends. Not crazy about her advertising major, she’s successfully avoided deciding what to do with her life thus far by partying hard with her roommate and best friend Jill and carrying on a guilty affair with a married professor. Then, while looking for a new part-time job that pays more than waitressing, she answers an ad for a home health-care aide. Expecting a weak, bed-ridden old lady, Bec is surprised to find that wheelchair-confined Kate, afflicted with Lou Gehrig’s disease, is young, smart, and sophisticated, with a wicked sense of humor. Like this exchange: “‘Oh my god,’ I said embarrassed. ‘You think I’m like those TV movies where the person with the disease teaches everyone how to live.’ Kate laughed soundlessly. ‘It’s always so nice of us.’†When Bec begins working for Kate and her husband Evan, she discovers a whole new world of witty conversation, gourmet cooking, and urbane dinner parties. Soon Bec is so immersed in Kate’s life that it becomes difficult for her to distinguish where Kate’s life leaves off and her own begins. Kate is dying, but Bec’s life has just begun. Will she ever be able to establish her own identity and personality while under Kate’s charismatic shadow? This sharply observed novel, full of painful realizations, hilarious conversations and some of the best food descriptions I’ve ever read, perfectly captures that time in our early 20’s when our adult identities are beginning to form and we are so easily influenced by those around us whose personalities are set and stronger than our own.
Slam by Nick Hornby
When it came to his life, Sam was pretty easy going–like his idol, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. Basically, he intended to skate (as in board, not roller) his way through high school, get into a good college and make his single mum (who had him when she was a teen and therefore never got to go to college herself) proud. That was the plan anyway. Until he got slammed. But this wasn’t like all the other times he took a tumble off his board. This time it felt like, “The wheels had come off the trucks, the trucks had come off the deck, and I’d shot twenty feet into the air and gone straight into a brick wall…and there wasn’t even a mark on me.” That’s because Sam’s been slammed with the hard fact that his ex-girlfriend Alicia is pregnant. And no matter how much he’s like to run away (and does briefly, in a comic sequence that literally defines the phrase “in denial”) Sam knows he has to do the right thing. But when one of your main coping stategies is to ask your poster of Tony Hawk for advice, you know you aren’t ready for fatherhood. Sam couldn’t be more unprepared. But life isn’t about to wait around for him to catch up. Since one of my Top Ten Books of All Time is his slacker masterpiece High Fidelity, I couldn’t be more pleased to see that Nick Hornby has finally turned his attention to the teen peeps. Though his subject is serious, Hornby writes with a light and humorous touch that will have you laughing even as you feel for the poor guy. Like when Sam is actually confronted with the reality of birth: “Would Alicia make those noises? Could I ask her not to?” and “I’m still not sure what the cervix is. It doesn’t seem to come up in normal life.” If you enjoyed Judd Apatow’s riotously funny summer flick Knocked Up, you’re gonna love Hornby’s Slam. Though each writer approaches the topic of unplanned pregnancy in his own unique way, both stories share the same great sense of humor.
P.S. If you’d rather cry than laugh when it comes to baby drama, check out Hanging on to Max by Margaret Bechard instead.
Breaking Up: a Fashion High Graphic Novel by Aimee Friedman and Christine Norrie
This little bit of raspberry-flavored fluff reads like a graphic novel episode of “Sex in the City: the High School Years,†without the, well, sex. Our narrator, brainy brunette Chloe, relates the story of her junior year at Georgia O’Keefe “Fashion†High like a pint-sized Carrie Bradshaw, complete with cute outfits and mild bouts of insecurity. Along with her three BF’s; sex kitten Mackenzie (a blond, man-stealing Samantha Jones doppelganger) cynical Isabel (a TOTAL Miranda if I ever saw one) and way-too-sweet Erika (SO annoyingly Charlotte), Chloe shakily navigates the stormy waters of high school in the leaky boat known as “Popularity.†As each girl faces her own personal trial (Chloe likes a geek-chic boy that she’s embarrassed to introduce to her friends, Mackenzie is mackin’ on another girl’s boy, Isabel’s parents have her on lock-down and Ericka is struggling with whether or not she wants to go “all the way†with long-time beau Kyle) they come to discover that their friendship is changing—and not necessarily for the better. Suddenly they can’t always be trusted to be there for each other, and begin to wonder if this is the end. Especially mean-girl realistic is the slightly masochistic relationship between Chloe and Mackenzie. Mac has always been the group’s charismatic leader, but when Chloe finally stands up for herself and declares her love for Trekkie Adam, will Mac allow such an insurrection, especially when it threatens her own popularity? Breaking Up is escapist chick lit at its best: clean and sweet until the claws come out! Christine Norrie’s blushing, pouting girls, reminiscent of Mattel’s My Scene Barbies, are just a bit too good-looking, with nary a zit or muffin top among them, but I didn’t care, because this is escapism after all, and who wants REAL high school when I can have High-School-Musical high school? I totally hope Aimee Friedman and Christine Norrie come out with a second installment of the Fashion High series–I’ve already made a space for it between my Sweet Valley High original paperbacks and Sex in the City complete DVD collection!
God Save the Queen by Mike Carey and John Bolton
This is the untold story of crazy Queen Mab; her regal rival Queen Titania, their battle for the throne of Fairie and the changeling teen who gets caught in the middle. Rebellious British teenager Linda likes living life on the edge, especially when it includes hanging out with slick elfin motorcycle boy Verian, who has taught her how to shoot up “red horse,†a hallucinogenic combination of heroin mixed with her own blood. The potent mixture not only gets her high, but also gives her frightening visions from the land of Fairie. Linda can see the tortured souls trapped in the dark heart of evil Queen Mab, who has stolen her rival Titania’s throne and forced Titania herself out into the human world to search for help. From Titania, Linda learns that her mother is a fairy, which makes Linda herself half fey. It is Linda’s dual-nature blood that makes “red horse†so powerful, allowing her to see into Mab’s heart. Now Titania is forced to call on her former friend and her teenaged daughter to help her destroy Mab. Because only Linda, who is both fairy AND human, can expose Mab’s black heart…with her unique, intoxicating blood. This darkly compelling graphic novel, richly illustrated in John Bolton’s photo-realistic style, is not for the faint of heart. It’s just as much horror as fantasy, more Stephen King than J.K. Rowling. But those who enjoy Holly Black’s Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale
Kiss My Book by Jamie Michaels
Dead High Yearbook, edited by Mark McVeigh and Ivan Velez
Welcome to Dead High! At this killer school, the only way to get your mug into the annual yearbook is to lose your head…or heart…or some other vital organ. In the boarded-up basement of a condemned high school, this year’s staff is hard at work creating the ultimate high school keepsake, making sure that everyghoul, I mean, everyone is included. Within it’s blood-smeared pages, you’ll find It-girl Rowena, who made the mistake of cuddling a little too close to her new puppy (which just happens to be a demon-possessed Chihuahua—watch out, Paris! This could happen to you!), Louis, whose nasty old grandma-turned-zombie held him hostage for midnight snacking purposes, and Clara, who was so determined to take the SATs that not even decapitation was going to stop her, among many others who had the bad luck of biting it too young. This half-cheesy, half-scary collection of short stories featuring teens meeting their untimely, supernatural ends reminded me of some of the best Tales from the Crypt storylines. I for one enjoy getting my shiver on, and I applaud McVeigh, Velez & crew for giving us a good old-fashioned, full-color, gory teen-themed horror-fest. I enjoyed every blood-curdling minute of it, and if you’re a fan of the Cryptmaster & co., you’ll (grave) dig it too!
Alabama Moon by Watt Key
There’s nothing I like better than a good survival story, and debut author Watt Key has penned a fantastic one! It’s 1980, and Moon Blake has never been to school, had a sleepover, or eaten at McDonald’s. That’s because his Pap, a disgruntled Vietnam vet who distrusts the government, has raised him entirely in the deep woods, far from any cities or people. Moon knows how to shoot and skin a deer, and how to make an impromptu shelter out of bay boughs and pine needles, but has no clue how to make small talk or interact with anyone other than his Pap. So when Pap has an accident and subsequently dies, unsuspecting Moon is left to his own devices, and is quickly taken into custody by the state. However, he surprises everyone when he not only busts out of the toughest boys’ home in Alabama, but takes a busload of boys with him, determined to live free or die trying! Alabama Moon is both a deep-hearted adventure story and an amazing character study of a unusual boy you will soon come to root for. This book was brought to my attention by the teens at the 2007 BBYA Teen session at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., who all had good things to say about it. So thanks, guys! I loved it!
Harmless by Dana Reinhardt
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Oh, Harry, I’m gonna miss ya.
Like the rest of the country, I’ve been holed up with HP7 for the last few days, dying to know what happened to the Hogwarts crew, while simultaneously hoping this last helping of Harry would never end. I’ve not reviewed any of Harry’s adventures on RR before, as the books are so popular and well known, that there would have been little I could add to the enormous body of critical writing that already surrounds the best-selling series. But with the end of a series that has captivated teen imagination for as long as RR has been on the ‘net, I feel moved to add my two cents at last. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry continues the quest that he and Dumbledore began in Half-Blood Prince: find the remaining horcruxes that contained the tattered remnants of Voldemort’s black soul and destroy them. Joined by Ron and Hermione, Harry and his two BFFs try and puzzle out the obscure clues left them by Dumbledore about where to find the remaining cursed curios. In addition, Harry learns about a trio of objects known as The Deathly Hallows that, possessed together, are rumored to be able to defeat the Grim Reaper himself. Are these objects related to Harry’s quest? Can he use them to destroy the horcruxes? Or are they just a false trail laid by Dumbledore to confound Voldemort, who is hot on Harry’s tail? I can say little more without spoiling the ending for all four of the folks who haven’t read it yet, even though some eager beavers have already posted the entire plot summary on Wikipedia.
Though the outcome of the final tome is often in doubt, one thing remains constant—its length. Like it’s predecessors, Deathly Hallows is a doorstop of 759 pages. And I have to say, about 500 of those pages felt like filler. But when the action comes, it comes hard and fast and violent, and several key players in the Harry Potter epic (not unsurprisingly) lose theirlives. I’ll admit, I shed a tear or two. But, the ending, o the ending! Finally, finally ALL is revealed, including the most hotly debated topic since the end of Book 6
Now, what on earth is J.K. Rowling going to do with all her free time??
I’m Exploding Now by Sid Hite
Sixteen-year-old New Yorker Max Whooten is angry and bored. (He’s mostly angry because he’s so bored, and people are so stupid. I can sympathize.) His whole summer is one big nothing, until his ancient cat, Mozart (aka “Crappy†due to his inability to utilize the litter box) finally kicks the bucket. Max’s mother, in a fit of conservationism, decides to forgo the usual options and instead sends Max, along with Mozart’s body, to upstate New York, where Mozart can be naturally laid to rest in his hippie Aunt Ginny’s backyard, and Max can learn how to get a life and get his anger under control. In Woodstock, Max discovers Kurt Vonnegut, first love, and the power of poetry. He even has an epiphany, which, despite popular belief, “doesn’t hurt at all.†This slim summer comedy reminded me of Blake Nelson’s equally spare The New Rules of High School
Jinx by Meg Cabot
Ever since the hospital she was born in was hit by lightning, PK (preacher’s kid) Jean Honeychurch has been plagued with bad luck, so much so that her friends and family have dubbed her Jinx. When her run of ill fortune results in her high school boyfriend turning stalker, Jean’s parents decide that a change of venue might be just the thing to turn her luck around. So Jean journeys from rural Iowa to the Upper East Side of Manhattan to stay with relatives and start over in a new private school. Feeling very much the country bumpkin, Jean is more than a little worried about fitting in with her sophisticated city slicker cousin, Tory. But hottie-next-door Zach, who shows her around school and introduces her to the delicious world of NYC take-out, soon allays her fears. Unfortunately, this doesn’t sit well with Tory, who has a crush in Zach herself. Will Jean’s bad luck draw Tory’s ire and cause her to lose Zach’s friendship? Or does this seemingly bumbling preacher’s daughter, who spills and trips through life, actually have a trick or two up her sleeve? This Charmed-meets-7th Heaven story, while not quite as sexy as its cover might imply, is nevertheless a sweetly entertaining read that makes a perfect posting for Friday the 13th! Full of Cabot’s bubbling good humor and go-down-easy prose, Jinx should join Meg’s other light and frothy reads (How to be Popular, Avalon High) on the beach towel this summer.
