Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate. Feiwell & Friends, 256 pages.

4th, 5th grade. sad. magical realism. Bookclub.

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass. Scholastic Press, 2009. 267 pages

The kids are crazy for the very popular and prolific Wendy Mass. I am finally reading her.
11 year olds Anna and Leo share a birthday, and a party every year. But for the 10th birthday they have a fight (of sorts) and Birthday 11 is the first they will celebrate separately. Anna cannot wait for it to be over but in true "Freaky Friday" tradition, she relives her birthday over and over and over until she can get it right-- and undo the damage of last year.
A huge hit and sure to be well loved by bookgroup-- already have a parents 2 thumbs up.

The Dream Stealer by Sid Fleischman. Greenwillow Books, 2009. 89 pages.

Susana, a young Mexican girl, misses the best friend she left behind when her family moved to a new city. Susana is reunited with Consuelo Luisa in her dreams, until Zumpango, the Dream Stealer, tired of taking people's nightmares, steals the lovely dream for himself. Susana sets off to get it back. Short and sweet, The Dream Stealer is full of rich language and not too scary fantasy. Fleischman includes a great explanation of his inspiration for the story.

Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes. Chronicle Books, 2010. 224 pages.

With her mom working in Costa Rica for the summer and her father dead, 12 year old Izzy is visiting her nana and her mom's home village in New Mexico for the first time. Izzy hopes to find out more about her father----(her mom is secretive) and in the process she learns about herself-- her family and her heritage. Full of el sabor de la south west, Izzy visits her ancestral village, hears the folklore and sees the old ways, learns to cook, meets her nana- a seer and curandera, visits with her father's ghost, improves her relationship with her mom, and finds friendship and love. yes, the storyline is somewhat predictable but this is a sweet and gentle story appropriate for the 10-13 year olds-- a time when we all tried to figure out who we were, where we came from and how we would fit in. i really enjoyed this book and recommended it to two 6th grade girls (neither of whom are latino) who like to read and are curious about the world around them. They loved it too. **includes a glossary of common spanish words and an easy tortilla recipe.

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.

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff. Wendy Lamb Books (2006), Paperback, 224 pages

It is the age of modern terrorism--seemingly the not too distant future—and 15 year old Daisy leaves NY to spend time in rural England with cousins she barely knows. The family is a little odd, as is Daisy herself, with the family patriarch, who Daisy never does meet, away in the war, but Daisy instantly connects with the group, especially with cousin Edmund, a twin with whom she shares a special telepathy, as well as an incestuous relationship. Life is idyllically absent any adult oversight ( her aunt goes off somewhere and is unable to return due to an invasion of foreign troops) and the children all take good care of eachother, until the war reaches their very doorstep and they rapidly find themselves terrorized, starving, enslaved, lost hungry and in constant danger from civilians and , troops foreign and domestic. Determined to reunite with Edmund and the other boys, Daisy and Piper’s existence becomes more and more desperate. They eventually meet, but much has happened and eventually Daisy’s parents in the US manage to get her back home where she stays for several years until she is able to return to Edmund as a young adult…But life is very different for everyone now… I liked the book but it is not for everyone. Rosoff is a very talented writer and the entire book is written in first person as a narrative… as if Daisy is recording it for an interview. I found myself pulled into the story that is told in an absolutely authentic voice. The story line is odd and mundane and fantastic all at one….my first true understanding of the genre Magical realism. Many reviewers say 8th grade, but I say highschool. Good book club book. needs guidance for best result.. Printz award. 9th grade +