Eleanore Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. Pamela Dorman Books, 2017, 336 pages.

The Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll. Plume, 1999, 176 pages.

The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl. Alfred A. Knopf, 1978, 56 pages

So Roald Dahl--my new favorite author-- if you love funny, irreverent, violent, a little scary, smart books for kids. Quirky Books for Quirky Kids. The ending, as satisfying as La Mariquita Malhumorada, is a bonus.

The Help: a novel by Kathryn Stockett. Berkely Books, NY, 2009. 535 pages.

Tinkers by Paul Harding.Bellevue Literary Press (2009), 192 pages.

Family gathers around an old man dying---he is taking stock of his life and remembering his own father's life, as he comes in and out of consciousness. A clock theme runs through story as the old mans life ticks away. Beautifully written-- luscious, really--a poetic quality to it -- the art of a few well chosen words. Introspective and beautifully sad. not for everyone.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Candlewick Press, 2006. 156 pages.

Seen every version of the movie possible, but i had never read the book before-- i loved it. Rich in detail and language and setting-- I now have some idea what it felt like to be in one of those crooked streets in London in 1843-- the smells and the dirt and soot and the closeness-- to put a hand out the window and almost touch the dirty window next door...The special foods and the games and the feel of it. i loved it and i am amazed at how true so many of the movies remained to the book. Dickens at his best, i think-- full of imagery and descriptive language and good and evil and redemption...at less than 200 pages. The illustrations help convey the mid 19th century feel. Brilliant.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan. Disney-Hyperion, 2006. 400 pages

Very Harry Potteresque-- Young Percy Jackson learns at the age of 12 that he is really a demi-god-- his absent father is really Neptune, God of the Sea. For his own safety he must leave his mortal mother and his home in Manhattan and travel to Camp Half-Blood with his best friend who, it turns out, is not a boy at all, but a Satyr (goat feet). He learns the skills needed to survive the greek monsters and must go one a quest with Grover and new friend Annabeth. They must find who has stolen lightning from Zeus-- but before they do, lots of adventures and humor and learning about Greek mythology
Very Harry Potter-- if for a younger set who like the US setting, the fresh and sassy and smart alecky Percy and a lot more action-- less pages but still a healthy read. i enjoyed it. An 11 year old i am very friendly with Loved it and cannot wait to read them all--fancies himself a young Percy i have no doubt-- just waiting to be rescued and sent to live with his exciting new family...
A very good series-- i recommend it absolutely-- kids love it. it will not have the adult followers that HP did, but it is not as deep as HP-- still
i do not hesitate to recommend it and even put it on the city of boston's myths and legends summer book list for middle school grades 6-8.

Bloodline by Kate Cary. Razorbill/Penguin, 2005. 324 pages.

Set in England during World War I and told entirely through journal entries and letters or the characters, Nurse Mary Seward reads the journal of Lt. John Shaw, a patient badly injured-- physically but especially emotionally--during fierce fighting in France. She becomes wary of Captain Harker, John's commanding officer. As Mary grows more suspicious, Harker gets close to John's only living relative, a young and naive sister Lily. Before Mary can convince John of the danger, Harker and Lily run off to Transylvania to marry and the shared bloodline to Dracula becomes known. John and Mary follow to try to save Lily, and the entire family from their fate.
I am especially fond of stories told in journal and letter form. I really enjoyed the beginning and middle of this book--the journal entries brought trench life during the First World War to life. Cary knows something about the period, i suspect. The story was compelling and well written until about two thirds through, when i thought it felt hurried and got ridiculous. the entire vampire part bored me, honestly-- anyone could see it coming-- all the tension of a good creepy horror story was gone. Also, i did not much like the characters in the end, and so cared little for what happened to them.
So, a no for me personally, but vampire fans-- youngish, middle school aged ones-- will enjoy it fully.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2008. 219 pages

The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Scribner (1995), Paperback, 128 pages

The old man, Santiago, is at the end of his life. He is a fisherman--- a hard life, and now he is old and poor and unable to catch the fish he could in his heyday. Thinking to change his luck, he sets out --too far and all alone-- to richer but more dangerous fishing grounds and has the battle of his life with an enormous marlin-- 3 days and 3 nights. A short and thrilling and absorbing read-- truely-- i am not making this up. Full of symbolism and irony -- and so well written-- a sparseness to the text--in few, well chosen words-- this is Hemenway at his best. I will not spoil the story by saying more. A great book for all readers...especially good for book groups and guided reading because there is so much to talk about. A Classic.

The Story of Babar by Jean De Brunhoff. Random House Books for Young Readers (1967), Library Binding, 56 pages

A french classic i never read until today! A sweet tale of a young orphaned elephant who finds friendship and adventures in the city and then returns home to the forest to be crowned King. Lovely in its simplicity, Babar feels like a bedtime story created by a favorite aunt or uncle. The illustrations are exquisite-- both old fashioned and timeless. One warning though--while the script style font is charming, early readers may have trouble reading the text. Still, a lovely and charming tale loved by generations of children around the world.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Penguin, 2003. 336 pages

It is Georgia, 1964, and 14 year old Lily Owens hates her life. She has vague, ominous memories of her mother 's violent death, lives with a cold, abusive father (physical and emotional abuse) and is a social outcast among her peers. The only stable figure in her life--Rosaleen- is-a middle aged black farm worker employed by her father to watch over Lily while he operated his peach farm. One day, Rosaleen goes into town to register to vote --it is 1964-- and insults the biggest racists in town and Lily and Rosleen are forced to flee. They end up in Tiburon SC, at the home of 3 sister bee keepers--the first real home Lily and Rosaleen have ever had. All goes well until one day, when the past catches up with them. i enjoyed the story, told from Lily's point of view. The characters, who continue to develop as the story unfolds, are fun and interesting, quirky and sad. It feels very southern, full of strong, colorful women who are both in conflict and bonded together and like family. The book is well written, holds your interest and moves along rapidly. I do want to note, however, that the backdrop is Georgia and South Carolina, 1964-- big events from the civil rights movements frame the story, but it is not a work of historic fiction--and the sensibility is completely 21st century-- as a historian, i cannot let this go and it did mar my enjoyment of the book. For example, the interraccial love affair between Zach and Lily is treated by the church ladies with knowing smiles and cute asides-- which certainly does not ring true because in that historical time and place, Zach's life would have been in real danger; young black men were murdered for a lot less than that. Still i enjoyed the book immensely-- a fun, fast read with lots to talk about for book groups. i recommend it with the above disclaimers.

Hot Girl by Dream Jordan. St Martin's Griffin, NY. 2008. 214 pages

Kate has had a tough life so far; her drug addicted parents forfeited their parental rights to the state when she was only months old, and Kate, a former gang-banger, has bounced from foster home to group home to foster home all her life. With the help of a much respected social worker, Kate is staying clear of trouble--but its hard. Then Kate meets wild and sexy Naleejah and things change fast...With the help of her new friend kate is now hot and sexy and commanding everyman's attention, even Charles, her homeboy and not so secret crush...of course things don't stay happy long and street smart Kate realizes she should have followed her instincts about Naleejah--who does not really have her interests in mind...
I did not care for this book at first-- i thought the neverending streetslang was over the top...but i was wrong--some kids do speak like that and the dialog language changed even within characters--depending on the situation and whom the character was speaking--just as it does in real life. Kudos to Jordan for that. Plus, i really like t Kate--and find the characters and the situations very authentic and real on many levels. The characters are interesting and believable and the story is fast paced and interesting, and i love the ending--really loved it- it was both positive and credible at the same time--no small feat for any literature, let alone YA lit. In fact, the deeper i got into the novel, the more i liked and appreciated it. Hot Girl is great for a girl's group, a book club, a classroom or on its own. There is already an informal waiting list for my review copy and i am ordering it for our YA collection where i know it will be a huge hit!

The Savage by David Almond. Candlewick (2008), Hardcover, 80 pages

When Blue's father dies, everything changes for him--the loss is enormous, huge, devastating, and raw. At the same time blue is also forced to deal with a bully---a really meanspirited and viscous boy--who torments him in a really disturbing way. As the child becomes depressed and more introverted, his teacher suggests he write a story to help him deal with his feelings--Blue writes from the pain and creates a savage character (this is the graphic) who may be real or not, who may be Blue, or not....The story Blue creates is intensely personal--for a long time he will not share it with even his mother--and the Savage becomes an embodiment of Blue's feelings--the pain, the frustration, the rage--and desire for revenge--and in the end, becomes the catalyst for Blue to recover..with a little magical realism help!
I really like The Savage-- i found it beautifully written-- slim in volume but deep in emotion. And like all works for young people that deal with the issue of bullying in an authentic manner, the adults in the story--even loving, caring ones, fail to deal with the issue in any direct or effective way---leaving the victim feeling truly on his own. This is a British import filled with british english expressions that i think it is good to expose our kids to. The graphic within a novel format works very well, allowing us to see both sides of Blue--the boy and his psyche---and his healing. Magic and emotion, pain, bullying, fear, shame , anger, revenge, longing--the book has lots to think and talk and teach about. Highly recommended.

The stories of devil-girl by Anya Achtenberg. Ann Arbor, MI : Modern History Press, 2008. 103 pages

There is so much to say about this slim novella, but i have trouble finding the words. Devil-Girl grows up in a cold, disfunctional home, neglected by a physically and emotionally abusive mother. Brief descriptions of her father drift in and out of the work, and i get the impression that he abandons devil girl and the rest of the family. A loveless, unhappy home---devil girl is repeatedly told --and comes to believe--she is worthless of any thing good and worthy of all the abuse she gets--almost seeking it as a young adult. She moves or is thrown out of hte house, then becomes homeless, a drunk, drug addict, petty criminal, prostitute whore, eventually marrying an abusive man. Similar in many ways to Sapphire's PUSH, Devil-Girl eventually finds community, friendship, purpose and self worth in education, at a school in Boston and later in Minnesota. She is saved, redeemed, renewed. In fact, my only complaint about the work is that Achtenberg does not tell us more about the road to recovery...does not go into more detail and carry us along on the recovery route...That will be the next Devil-Girl novella, perhaps?? Beautifully written --lyrical, musical language that moves --rich in imagery ..."Fatherless, I roam. Dead-tongued kisses lodged in my throat." Achtenberg correctly states that this work sounds like poetry and reads like prose--part diary, part memoir, part storytelling, The Stories of Devi-Girl is beautifully written but difficult to read. It is not for everyone-to be sure, but i really liked it and enjoyed reading some parts aloud-- Anya Achtenberg is a very strong writer.

Mick: Blue-eyed son #1 by Chris Lynch. HarperCollins, 1996, 146 pages

This is the first in a series of books about a young white working class teenager from an alcoholic, racist family in an Irish American neighborhood in Boston filled with parochialism and thuggery. Mick wants more. When he rejects racism, he also rejects his family as well as the parochial, lumpen neighborhood he has lived in his entire life; so his family and neighbors come after him physically and at one point, almost kill him. The racist reputation of his neighborhood follows him to school where he is always in danger of physical attack from groups of Asians and Latinos. He falls in love with a Latina named Evelyn, who hates his guts and he develops a new friendship, his first since kindergarten, with Toy, a mysterious loner who, while definitely not white, is race is unknown. This first book ends with Mick on the ground, bloody and beat up, denying he is “one of them” to the object of his affection, Evelyn. She slams the door and leaves him on the sidewalk; clearly a set up for the sequel.
Mick has lots of appeal for local youth, especially white working class youth. The voice and scenarios are totally authentic and come directly from white working class culture in Boston neighborhoods, especially from South Boston and Dorchester. “Why don’t you just go an have your own pissy little yellow faggot-ass parades and leave us alone” (p.30). and “—he’s always sayin’ something when he’s slapping me, y’know, so it takes forever; I hate that (p.130). I speak with authority because I’ve lived here my whole life. In addition, the story incorporates lots of real events, (names changed to protect the innocent??) such as the influx of Vietnamese families into the neighborhoods and the attempts by gay groups to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. It has real local flavor, so much so that I wonder how popular they are outside the area. I really liked it.

Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez. Simon Pulse, 2003, 272 pages

This work speaks directly to gay and questioning youth in an authentic voice. Nelson, loud and in-your-face out, is continually harassed by other students while adults look the other way; he is full of insecurity at the same time he exudes confidence. Kyle, a nice quiet swimmer, is afraid to confront his parents and wants to keep it quiet; Jason, basketball jock, finds the closet still can’t protect him from his abusive father, and he is confused, afraid of the risk and in denial. Rainbow Boys tells the story of three different gay teens (“types?”) who have all the usual teen angst (too fat, ugly braces, poor grades), combined with all the gay teen issues (coming out, parents, bullies) and so much more ( first sex, safe sex, first love, getting used, getting rejected, falling in love, therapy/help groups). The characters are well thought out and are imperfect (until the end) and real. I saw bits of many gay men I have known in their story…the beatings, the political activism, the depression and self loathing, the problems with dad. It reads well and really pulls you in; you care what happens to these characters.
Overall I loved it, but at the end it seemed like Sanchez added in a couple of quick things, perhaps… suddenly it got little hokey, i.e. The GSA is approved “unanimously”; the sudden re appearance of Debra to tell Jason she accepts him and they can still be friends (this isn’t boy meets boy!); the seeming ease with which Kyle and Jason came out in high school at the end lacked the credibility that had been present in the entire book before this. Still, it does not detract much from the work. I really enjoyed reading this book and I think it is good for all youth to read; either to validate your own experience or to gain a better understanding of what it is like to be a gay teen in high school.

A Bad Boy Can Be Good For A Girl by Tayna Lee Stone. Wendy Lamb Books, 2006, 240 pages.

I did not find this book; it found me. I was searching through the stacks for YA graphic novels when I came across it, hidden in that group. An especially juicy section was bookmarked with a slip of paper from the library and I assumed some YA did not feel comfortable checking it out, but was ‘checking it out’ just the same. I scooped it up only to find it on the READING RANTS list of the best YA romances and with great reviews. I never would have picked it up based on the title or the graphic-y cover, but I LOVED IT and I loved the premise: a high school girl who knows better gets burned by the school heart throb. Instead of hiding she admits her mistakes to herself and her slighted girl friends, and turns her heartbreak and humiliation into a positive force for change by telling her story and using it as a cautionary tale for other victims (actual and potential). Using Judy Blume’s romance classic, Forever, she warns girls of what happened to her by writing all over the volume in the school library. Two other girls realize too late and after they are burned they also read the notes, only to realize that many, many girls have fallen for that jerk. They are not alone; instead they are empowered.

Meeting Lizzy by SarahBeth Carter. LJW Publishing, 2008. 211 pages

I'm so disappointed with this book--it is very poorly written and looks as if it is self published or computer generated.While i like the concept of a book written from dual points of view--the narrative really lacks authenticity--One voice--purported to be told from the point of view of a male 17 year old, particularly does not ring true, --- no teen ever sees themselves, let alone speaks of themselves as "in disguise" as a freak because i hate my father. In public, Cy goes around dressed like what sounds like a poor man's version of Edward ScissorHands--everywhere, even to school where he is shunned for this by all but one, even stranger, friend...while at home (where he lives alone because his father is always out of town) Cy washes the makeup off his face and wears jeans and t-shirts, so he can be "normal" in secret. It is so contrived it is ridiculous and no teen will ever take this seriously...Domestic violence among teens is a topic of enormous importance and very little is written on it--the subject deserves better treatment than this. Poorly written, unappealing, contrived, contorted and ludicrous storylines such as this one hold the entire subject up to ridicule.

Lost and Found (Bluford High Series #1) by Anne Schraff, Townsend Press, (2002), 133 pages.

I wanted to like Lost and Found---I really did. The entire Blueford series is wildly popular with teens and I loved The Bully, one of the Bluford boy books, but i was disappointed with Schraff's work. HIghschool student, Darcy Willis, has some problems. Her Dad abandoned the family and hasn't been seen in years, her mother struggles financially and works very long hours as a nurse to make ends meet; she is tired and distracted. Darcy's grandmother had a stroke and now lives with them--paralyzed and unable to talk--needing constant care. and Darcy's younger sister, Jamee, deals with her issues by shutting down emotionally, pushing away everyone who loves her, and acting out at home and in school with lots of at risk behavior. Darcy is smart and studies hard and does well academically, but she is lonely and doesn't make friends easily and acts superior to her peers--partially to hide her shyness. Things get mysterious and even ominous when, for a class project, Darcy is paired with 2 students with bad reputations. A stranger begins to follow her and then her sister disappears. Darcy must put the pieces together to save herself and her family.
The book, like the others in the series, has lots to recommend it--relatively short, easy middle reader with Black characters and urban settings and typical kid problems and situations--Darcy's life seems very real to me. The problem with Lost and Found, i thought, was not only the predicable ending, but also that it sends a poor message to girls; Darcy learns that if you stop being stuck up and stop thinking that you are better than your lower achieving peers, then a boy and his male friends will beat up a male bully who is threatening you, and your father will comeback into your life and save your sister. i was really disappointed --especially since i really loved The Bully and it's very positive and realistic storyline. Unfortunately, i cannot say the same for Lost and Found; it sends a bad message to teen girls and I cannot recommend it.