If You're Looking For . . .

Okay, I admit it. I've fallen behind, terribly behind, in updating. With the start of high school, particularly The Commonwealth Governor's, a half-day magnet school, the last two weeks have been rather hectic for me. I've decided to include multiple review/recommendations (Informal reviews. There are ellipses aplenty. Many parentheses are present. This is example A, for those out there keeping track.) in one post, in hopes that you will (pretty please) forgive me for my tardiness!

If you're looking for a scary story that also incorporates hippies, private schools, and those terrible all-of-a-sudden, why-are-you-doing-this-mrs-author-lady-you-must-finish-the-book-with-a-happy-ending endings . . . read Bliss by Lauren Myracle. Once a hippie, Bliss Inthemorningdew (Yes, that's her name. Yes, it screams "World Peace!" and "Alternative Fuels!") has recently moved in with her grandmother, who is strictly against all things hippie. Bliss is living with her grandmother because her parents have moved up north to Canada in attempt to enter total hippie-dom, or something of that nature. Bliss must attend a rather prestigious school because her grandmother is heck-bent on "restoring Bliss's virtues and ways of living". However, trouble seeps in when Bliss hears voices on the first day of school . . . voices that she can only she can hear. Voices of a dead girl. Complete with mean girls, blood rituals, toilet floats, and quotes from The Andy Griffith Show, Bliss is a story to replenish your fear factor.

If you're looking for a book about human-animal relationships that also defines brotherhood, humane treatment of animals, and doing what is best even when it's hard . . . read Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel. Taking place in 1973 before many animal protection rights were established, Half Brother is about Ben Tomlin who was an only child . . . until his parents brought home a chimp. Zan, an ultra-wild, uber- friendly chimpanzee is brought into the Tomlin household as an experiment. Ben's father, a behavioral scientist, has been granted money to run a research project to determine whether chimps are capable of language and hand communication. Ben, at once first reluctant, eventually becomes a friend, a teacher, and, most importantly, an older brother to Zan. However, when questions of if Zan is actually learning to communicate or is just memorizing the hand gestures arise, Ben must question Zan's role in the family. A heart-wrenching, coming-of-age story, Half Brother shines light on the natural bond between brothers.
 

If you're looking for a book about popularity, media, misbehaving celebs, and our technology obsessed world . . . read Famous by Todd Strasser. Only fourteen-years-old, Jamie Gordon is already part of the paparazzi, receiving loads of attention on gossip and fangirl sites. When she's invited to spend a week with pop sensation Willow Twine, Jaime knows this is an opportunity that will either make or break her career. But when some scandalous photos of Willow make their way on to Jamie's camera, photos that she didn't even take, Jaime holds the pop star's future in the palm of her hand. Everyone wants to get their grubby, greedy paws on the provocative shots, but there's only one person who can hold the title of the photographer. A suspenseful look into the difference between photography and stalking and living your life with a camera as opposed to living your life looking through a camera, Famous supplies original characters in an original setting.

If you're looking for a book about teen characters who act just like teen characters and have real problems that real teens are often faced with and also create for really, really, really (really) FANTASTIC stories that consist of spectacular prose . . . read anything by John Green (specifically Looking for Alaska, but all his books are stellar) and anything by Laurie Halse Anderson (specifically Wintergirls and Speak, but, much like with Green, all her books are MEANT TO BE READ). Excellent story-telling, wonderfully-drawn characters, and meaningful messages are what make these books award-winning, accolade-garnished, waterproof up to fifty meters, shock resistant masterpieces of literature. OK, I was kidding about the sportswatch-esque (?) details, but what can I say? I really like this particular set of novels.

And, lastly,

If you're looking for two of the absolute best books ever published . . . read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King. I've already written a review for The Book Thief, so you can read that for details on a historical novel that takes place during the Holocaust and is narrated by Death (However, it's a super old review, so don't make fun of any spelling or grammatical or lifestyle errors. Please). As for Ms. Vera, she has been the best book I have read so far this year, and I expect her to stay at that number one position too, so I would like to publish my review of her on the first day of the new year. (Or maybe the last day of 2011, since it's going to be numero uno this year, not next.) However, I will tell you that it is an AMAZING book about pizza deliveries, flow charts (the good kind), and losing a friend who was kindasortamaybe an enemy/love towards the end. (For the record, I never use gigantic font sizes, so you have to infer that is book is very good. And when I say "good", I mean "one of the best books ever written".)  It, along with The Book Thief, also won the Printz Honor, making them two of the best books in young adult literature.
 
So there you have it! Read, read, read! It's the beginning of the school year and you are now well-equipped with a list of books to take you through the first semester. I hope that I will be updating regularly this month, but I cannot make any promises. Just hang with me, internet community!

Till next time,
Jacob Hopkins
 
(images via and via and via and via and via and via)

STRONG Characters

STRONG, in all caps, characters are leaders that can be viewed as role models and influential people in literature. STRONG characters seek excellence, but not at the expense of others. They strive to be the best they can be, but understand their limitations. They display their generosity and teach others, but also realize when it’s their turn to follow instead of lead. They face their obstacles and succeed, or at least try, to defeat their fears and demons. STRONG characters are often liked, main characters in novels. However, any book character, much like any person, can be STRONG. Listed below are three STRONG female and male characters and what traits, skills, and values they possess.

Three STRONG Female Characters

• Evie, from Paranormalcy: Determined, thoughtful, and witty, Evie always does her job, containing paranormal creatures, in a timely manner. Assertive, but not harmful, she disarms her suspects, but always makes sure that they are properly treated and are set on the right track at the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA). A good friend to her mermaid pal, Evie demonstrates a STRONG, powerful aura of stability and gratitude.

• Lanesha, from Ninth Ward: Young and independent, Lanesha must take lead over her elderly guardian, Mama Ya-Ya, her dog, Spot, and her friends, TaShon, Max, and Ginia, as the take cover in the heart of Hurricane Katrina: the poverty-stricken Ninth Ward of New Orleans. Lanesha has the ability to see ghosts, including her deceased mother. Despite be mocked for her ability, Lanesha remains kind, curious, and STRONG during such an uncertain time.

• Liesel, from The Book Thief: Facing a new foster family during a difficult time in the world’s history, WWII, Liesel must adapt to new surroundings and new ways of living. Hiding the majority of the time due to her religion, Judaism, Liesel teaches and occupies herself while living in conditions that would cause many to give up. STRONG till the end, Liesel’s story is one to be heard.

Three STRONG Male Characters

• Marcelo, from Marcelo in the Real World: Born with Asperger’s Syndrome (a form of autism), Marcelo is proud of his abilities. Enjoying taking care of animals and learning the Christian religion, Marcelo is not afraid to speak his mind. But when he’s forced to get a job in the mail room of his father’s law firm, Marcelo must enter a whole new world, where not everybody is kind or easy to understand. Marcelo must be STRONG to be prosperous.

• Doug, from Okay for Now: Between moving to a new house, attending a new school, and living with an abusive father, being STRONG is not easy for Doug. However, finding friends at the local library and solitude in drawing, Doug discovers how happiness and generosity can change people for the better.

• Brewster “Bruiser,” from Bruiser: An outcast, a loner. Teased, bullied. Brewster, better known to his classmates as “Bruiser,” is always silent, the bruises covering his body the only thing expressing that something’s wrong with him. When Brewster falls in love with a girl named Brontë and becomes best friends with her brother, Tennyson, he begins to feel like he is STRONG enough to reveal his dark secrets.

(images via and via and via)

Great Reads for this Spring

Ahhh. Spring. The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and the sun is coming out of hibernation, glowing and spreading its warmth to Earth. What better time to enjoy nature, start fresh, or to dig into a great book? Never.

I’ve read, and heard about, so many great books lately that I feel that I must share them with you, the readers of The Bookshelf. I feel that I have compiled a list of books, new and old, fiction and true, to support you through the great season of spring. Books take you on adventures, provide you with guidance, and, well, are the greatest thing ever invented. Nothing compares to them. That’s right. Nothing. I hope you enjoy the following books as much as do and have a great spring reading and cherishing them.

Books that will make this spring the best one yet:

•       Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys: I, unfortunately, have not had the opportunity to read this book yet. However, I have not heard a single negative review of this historical novel. This book, which is already racking up tons of honors and slots on bestseller lists, explores the life of Lithuanians being forced into labor-camps during the Soviets’ rule. These camps, which are very similar to the Nazi concentration camps, prove to be foul, horrible places. But as the reader follows the journey of Lina, a sixteen-year-old    Lithuanian, it is discovered that courage and determination can conquer the odds. This harrowing novel is on the top of my to-read list, and I hope to review it once I am finished.

•          If I Stay by Gayle Forman: I read this book about a year ago, a month or so before the creation of The Bookshelf. Mia is an aspiring cellist and has hopes of making it into the prestigious Juilliard School, a preforming arts college in NYC. However, after a sudden car accident, Mia’s parents die, and she and her younger brother are taken to the hospital in critical condition. While comatose, Mia narrates the story, ultimately trying to make the decision to live or die. She is able to hear and see everything while she is in the coma and must face the difficult truth that if she were to live, her world would be completely different. This is a strong novel about life-altering decisions and willpower.

•          White Cat by Holly Black: Cassel Sharpe comes from a family of cure workers: people who are able to control the lives of others. Each curse worker is given the ability to control different things in people such as, emotions, luck, dreams, memories, physical pain, et cetera, all with the touch of a bare hand. Cassel, however, is the only one in his family that was not born a curse worker. Though Cassel is viewed as a con man or criminal like curse workers are, he still feels like one because he murdered his best friend. The reader is taken on an adventure of cons, shady pasts, lies, and unclear intentions as we the readers, and Cassel himself, attempt to discover what caused him to kill his best friend. A stellar read – review coming soon.

•           What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell: Another book that explores the art of lying and deception. Taking place after the end of World War II, Evie, an average ‘40s teen, is swept into a web of lies when her stepfather returns from war. Everything seems bright and cheery at first, but when Evie and her family go to Florida for a vacation, a whole other side is revealed to Evie of her once simple life. Many events occur that reveal shocking secrets about her once picture-perfect family. And when tragedy strikes, Evie must decide between what is right and what will ultimately save her family, whom, despite everything, she still cares for. The ending to this novel caught me by surprise as I’m sure the whole book will for you.

•          A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle: I am actually currently reading this classic book, perfect for all ages. What begins with the simple life of Meg Murry, quickly sky rockets into a time-traveling, space-defying tale of a genius four-year-old, three mysterious old ladies, and a being called IT. Originally published in 1962, this timeless classic will take you on an adventure and touch your heart.  

Well, there you have it; your ultimate list of what to read this spring – because no spring would be perfect without the presence of books!

ALA's Midwinter Conference

Every year the American Library Association, ALA, has a midwinter conference. Usually held in January, these conferences provide many seminars, courses, and award shows for the members of ALA, educators, and authors. One of the most anticipated segments of the midwinter conference is the announcement of the ALSC, Association of Library Service to Children, and the YALSA, Young Adult Library Services Association, Award Winners. Awards that are received include, the John Newbery Medal for children's literature, the Michael L. Printz Award for young adult literature, the Randolph Caldecott Medal for illustrators, and the Coretta Scott King Award for African American authors and illustrators. I am most excited about the Newberry and Printz awards, because the winning books best fit my interest reading level.

I have decided to include the Newbery and Printz winners and honors (runner-ups) on this post, so you, the readers of The Bookshelf, will be aware of some of the most prestigious books to read this year.

John Newbery Medal Winner and Honors:

• Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool: WINNER, Twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker is the daughter of a drifter who, in the summer of 1936, sends her to stay with an old friend in Manifest, Kansas, where he grew up, and where she hopes to find out some things about his past.

• Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm: HONOR, In 1935, when her mother gets a job housekeeping for a woman who does not like children, eleven-year-old Turtle is sent to stay with relatives she has never met in far away Key West, Florida.

• Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus: HONOR, Fast-paced and full of adventure, this fascinating, true story is based on a real incident that occurred in 1841, and follows a young Japanese boy as he travels from Japan to America and back to Japan.

• Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman: HONOR, Welcoming her readers into the “wild, enchanted park” that is the night, Joyce Sidman has elegantly crafted twelve poems rich in content and varied in format. Companion prose pieces about nocturnal flora and fauna are as tuneful and graceful as the poems. This collection is “a feast of sound and spark.”

  

• One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia: HONOR, The voices of sisters Delphine, Vonetta and Fern sing in three-part harmony in this wonderfully nuanced, humorous novel set in 1968 Oakland, Calif. One crazy summer, the three girls find adventure when they are sent to meet their estranged poet-mother Cecile, who prints flyers for the Black Panthers.

Michael L. Printz Award Winner and Honors:

• Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi: WINNER, Near a drowned New Orleans ravaged by hurricanes and global warming, Nailer and his young crew eke out a meager existence by scavenging materials on the ship-littered coast.

• Stolen by Lucy Christopher: HONOR, While on a layover at Bangkok Airport, 16-year-old Gemma, the unknowing object of a long obsession, is kidnapped by Ty and stolen away to the Australian Outback.

• Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S King: HONOR, Vera Dietz wants to be ignored, but the ghost of her ex-best friend won’t leave her alone in this dark comedy that examines relationships, identity, grief and flowcharts.

• Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick: HONOR, In this grim, chilling story set in the Arctic Circle, Sig finds his father’s frozen corpse as human predator Wolff arrives seeking retribution and a hidden Gold Rush treasure.

• Nothing by Janne Teller: HONOR, Pierre Anthon’s nihilism causes his classmates to begin a search for life’s meaning in this bold, unsettling parable translated from Danish.
  

There you have it! I would highly suggest clicking the link on the title for each book; it provides a much more descriptive summary, especially with the last one, Nothing. That summary was the best short one I could find for this modern-day Lord of the Flies. Nothing is an amazing book, different, but most certainly amazing. I plan to post a review on it soon. My personal favorite on these two lists is Please Ignore Vera Dietz. I read it about a week ago, and it is, so far, the best book I've read this year (and once again the short summary does not suffice this fantastic piece of literature). On my to-read list: Moon Over Manifest, One Crazy Summer, and Stolen.

I hope I've provided you with useful suggestions as to what to read this new year, and that this extra long post has not scared some of you away. :)