America-Genre Banned

Frank,E.R.,America,Simon and Schuster 2002.

Annotation: Meet America a boy struggling for a safe place in the world. His mother was a crack addicts and his adoptive parents disown him for being part black. He moves between his paternal mother and the woman that would love him forever. As she ages His uncle molests hum and as he gets older all he wants to do is die. Until he meets Dr B.

Nomination Validation: There are many conventions to this novel. This novel is a coming to age novel with a reality that almost makes it seem like non fiction. America is given a multitude of situation that occur in the social sphere. His mother did drugs, His uncle Molested him and he has depression and OCD. The author ties this together with the characters name to speak up for a variety of children "in the system". She also uses a style where she bounces back and forth in time to bring the make the Revelation far more emotional to the reader. The author takes to places in life that many try to shield us from and places where others may have experienced these problems that have had their story swept under the rug.

Science Fiction/Fantasy Black Juice

Lanagan,Margo. Black Juice. Harper Collins 2004.

Annotation: Take your imagination to the limits with the ten short stories in this collections. They are Gripping, dark and explore subjects from execution and murder to the cultural phenomena of marriage.

Nomination validation:

The stories in Black Juice, represent the bright side of the genre. Each tale uses imagination and story crafting to illuminate points that are outside of the writing. The author creates stories that combine coming of age themes with strong adolescent characters and imaginative plots. In one of the stories we see a family's struggle with the loss of a loved one by staging a execution that occurs by making her sink slowly into a tar pit. Other stories explore death in comically dark ways by having a clowns gunned down by hit men. Over all the imagination and style of the novel make it a good read.

Horror Novel: In the Forests of The Night

Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia. In The Forests of The Night.

New York: Delcorte Press, c1999.

Annotation: After three hundred years in the world, the vampire Risika begins to contemplate her life as, Rachel Weatere, the person she was before becoming a vampire. She begins a cat and mouse game with one of her mentors, Aubrey, that will bring her to a showdown that may end her existence.

Defence of Nomination:

Amelia Atwater-Rhoades, wrote this novel when she was fourteen years old. The work is clear and insightful for a girl of her age. The novel seems to borrow a variety of plot conventions from others in the genre. It appears loose and repetitive at times as well. The bright spots are the use of imagery and language contributing thick mood that she creates.

Ultimately The author does a good job of mixing YA topics. There are elements of horror, Coming of age and historical fiction. I will admit that this is not the best novel I have read so far but, the fact that she is 13 and will inspire YA readers .

Multi Culture Novel: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

Alexie,Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. Little, Brown and Company, New York, Boston, 2007

Annotation: Meet Arnold Spirit! A middle schooler with medical problems and a love for cartooning. He and his best friend are a co dependant team from the Rez. One mistake by Arnold and he will learn determination and self acceptance while gaining acceptance from others in the mean time.

Defence of Nomination: Sherman Alexie, has put together a novel that will appeal to young readers on multiple levels. Sherman has built a novel that combines coming of age, multicultural issues, Physical challenges and even memoir.

The main Character, Junior, is from the reservation. He lives in poverty and the effects of such. He begins to see that the grown ups and the leaders of the rez have given up. So he decided to go to an all white school in a near by area. The turns his home town against him and sets the stage for a radical ajustment in his new school.

Ultimately Alexi creates a hero that not only aspires outside of his cultural norm but has the determination to fight for what he wants. Climbing the social latter from outsider to insider and in the mean time gaining back the admiration of the friend that is angry he is left behind. A definite winner.

Hitler Youth Growing up in Hitler's Shadow

Campbell Bartoletti,Susan.Hitler Youth Growing up In Hitler's Shadow.
Scholastic Inc., 2005

Annotation: As Adolph Hitler rises to power he has a plan to create a Nazi war machine. He knows that using the children will create the dedication he will need to forward his agenda. The Hitler youth is created. From politically organized children, to Nazi watch dogs, to zealous fighters, the Hitler youth are used to the advantage of Adolph Hitler through out at his reign.

Defence of Nomination:

In the beginning of this work we are told that it is not about Adolph Hitler but, about the Hitler youth that served him. Instead of the same information documenting the rise and fall of Hitler we are introduced to the vehicle of his rise to power. Through general history and the specific example of twelve members of the Hitler youth we are introduced to the phenomena that was the Hitler Youth. Young readers will be drawn into the parallels between their live as they know them and the regimented lives of the children of Nazi Germany.

Through studies of individuals and the pictures that accompany these stories we get a sense of the life of a young German before, during and after Hitler's rise. As would be expected there is a glossary that defines German terms as they apply to the story. We are taken systematically through an important time in history. The stories are factual and are able to create an emotional ties to the events that still haunt the world.

Hard Love

Whittlinger,Ellen.Hard Love.

Simon Pulse 2001

Annotation: John Lives with his mother and sees his father occasionally on the weekend. He has one Friend and is trying to find out where he fits in. Soon discovers a zine and is not only inspired to write his own but, to meet the writer of his favorite zine. This takes John from sarcastic and aloof to discovering love for the first time , even if it hurts.

Defence of Nomination:

This story brings a deep resonance with both teens and adults. It is peppered with many of the themes that growing up is made of. Not only does John find love for the first time but he is able to understand his parents in the process. Initially john is a cynical kid that does not know where he is in life and doesn't care. He does not care if he has a romantic interest and is happy with his one friend. Through the Zine, that he creates, he pours out his feelings about his poor relationship with his father, the fact that his mother will not make physical contact with him and the coming of his new step father.

Soon He meets Marisol, a young lesbian that is looking for "escape velocity". The odd paring leaves John is love. It is a love that he will never actually have and that helps him to realize what the grown ups in his life are going through as well. This novel lays out the stuff of growing up in a way that adults and teens can relate two in an eloquent way. I would definitely recommend it.

Conquering the Beast Within Review

Irwin, Cait.Conquering the Beast Within

How I fought Depression And Won...And

How You Can,Too. Three Rivers Press,New York 1998.

Annotation: Beware! There is a beast lurking and his name is depression. The beast will consume you until you are able to get help and conquer him. It may not be an easy task but it is possible.

Justification for nomination:

Cait Irwin takes a personal and complex subject and breaks it down into easy to understand metaphors. She takes us through her battle with depression and the steps that she had to go through in order to recover. She uses the Beast to bring forth the symptoms of depression. She also uses the beast to remind the reader that depression is an illness and not a reflection of the person that is going through that illness.

At times the story may seem a little simplistic. None the less the story carries a large impact on its audience. It will give YA readers the vocabulary and insight needed to ask for help if they find themselves in a similar situation.

American Born Chinese Review

Monday, May 24, 2010

American Born Chinese









Yang, Gene. American Born Chinese. New York & London: First Second Books, 2006.



Annotation: It is always hard to adjust to a new area. It is even harder when you move from an area that is primarily Chinese to an area that is primarily causation. Jin will have to learn to accept himself and others along the way to happiness.

Justification for Nomination:
Gene Yang, takes a delicate issue and brilliantly mixes it with Chinese myth and humor. From the beginning we are introduced to the myth of the Monkey King. When the king is treated poorly by those unlike him he sets out to be someone else with less than positive results. As this tale plays out we see Jin move from from an area of many Chinese to one that is predominately causation.

Jin has a hard time fitting in and at times lashes out at the other Asian charaters because he is having a hard time excepting himself. This is really brought to life by the introduction of his best friend Wei-Chen, who he initially rejects because of the way he looks and speaks, even though he does not have any other friends. It is also shown in the way Jin creates white ultra ego.

Much of the humor in the book is a result of the addition of a character names Chin-kee. Cousin Chin-Kee is a combination of all of the Asian stereo types one could imagine. Jin despises him and blames him for much of the problems that he is faced with. Ultimately he finds, though Chin-kee, the need to become and accept himself. This is a strong story about realizing how important it is to accept yourself and be happy regardless of your situation.

Genre: Graphic Novel, Printz Award Winner