King Dork by Frank Portman March 16, 2013

King Dork
Portman, Frank
Delacorte Press. 2009. ISBN: 038590312X

Summary

Tom Henderson, nicknamed Chi-Mo, self-nicknamed King Dork, has a lot to say about high school. Apart from having to deal with teachers making him re-read Catcher in the Rye for the umpteenth time and learning to mispronounce vocabulary in English class, he has to constantly dodge his “normal” schoolmates and the creepy assistant principal intent on torturing him every day. He also has a lot to say about his family – his new-age mother and hippie stepfather, who are doing their best but cannot pull their act together as parents. He spends most of his free time thinking up band names and album covers for his theoretical band he started with his friend Sam Hellerman. And if that wasn’t enough to occupy his mind, he now has to solve the mystery of the non-existent girl he met and kissed at a party, and the mystery of the encrypted message he found in his dead father’s old copy of Catcher in the Rye. As he somewhat inexpertly navigates through adolescence, Tom starts to understand more about his father, his family, and his peers.

Critical Evaluation

Part realistic fiction and part mystery, King Dork explores the various facets of teenage life, especially if said teenager is on the far edges of the “popular crowd.” Teeming with Tom’s sardonic observations, the book is an apt satire of school life. Inept teachers, cruel bullies, girl cliques, drama hippies, and a disastrous battle of the bands might seem a little exaggerated but that’s half the fun.  The book is completed by a list of all the bands that Tom and Sam came up with throughout the book, and also Tom’s satirical glossary of things from Advanced Placement (classes that are far easier than regular classes and for which students receive inflated grades) to The Who (The first greatest rock and roll band in the world), complete with a mispronunciation guide. Overall, the book is meant to be comedic, but it contains many true reflections on individuality, belonging, and growing up. The humor and the many references to books and music might not appeal to everyone, but those who can identify with Tom Henderson and Sam Hellerman will love the book.

Reader’s Annotation

Tom Henderson, self-nicknames King Dork, is an outcast who likes to come up with band names and make fun of high school. When he finds a mysterious coded message in his father’s old Catcher in the Rye copy, he is intent on solving the mystery.

About the Author

Frank Portman (aka Dr. Frank) is the singer/songwriter and guitarist for the influential East Bay punk band the Mr. T Experience (MTX). MTX has release about a dozen albums since forming in the mid-1980s, and continues to record and tour. Frank has written and recorded a theme song for this book that will be released upon publication and available for purchase on iTunes. Portman’s first book, “King Dork,” was embraced by teens, adults, music lovers, Catcher in the Rye fans and haters, and the literary community. It has recently been licensed by Will Farrell’s production company. “Andromeda Klein” is Frank’s second novel for young readers. He lives in Oakland, California. You can read more at FrankPortman.com orFrankPortmanBooks.com. – The Huffington Post

Website: http://www.frankportman.com/index2.html

Genre

Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

Interest/Reading Level

Grade 11+/ATOS 7.3

Challenge Issues: sexually explicit, language, drug use

Challenge Defense Ideas:

1. Have a copy of the  American Library Association Library Bill of Rights to show/give to patron.
2. In addition to, or in place of the above, explain library policy of inclusion of information that might be controversial. For example, Pasadena Public Library, Philosophy of Selection. Have a printed copy ready, with appropriate sections highlighted.
3. Explain the parental rights and responsibilities with their children’s library use. Explain the different card designations and the parents’ right to monitor or restrict borrowing of materials.
4. Depending on the library’s policy, either have  paperwork to fill out for formal challenges, or the contact information of those who handle challenges.
5. Give examples of book reviews from School Library Journal,  Library Journal, or BookList. Note any awards that the book received.

Reasons for Inclusion

ALA Best Book for Young Adults

Deadline by Chris Crutcher March 1, 2013

Deadline
Crutcher, Chris
Greenwillow Books. 2007. ISBN: 0060850892

Summary

High school senior Ben Wolf’s plans for his senior year of high school change when he finds out that he has a terminal illness which will give him no more than a year to live. When he finds out that the chance of his survival after treatment is low, he decides to keep it a secret from everyone he knows in order to live a normal year. He decides to spend his last year doing things he always wanted to, like playing football and dating Dallas Suzuki. Never mind that he is 123 pounds and he fears he has no chance with Dallas – he has nothing to lose and it gives him courage. With his new-found courage, he tries to help the town drunk to clean up and makes it his cause to convince the 943 all-white citizens of his hometown of Trout, Idaho to name one of the streets after Malcolm X. As the year progresses, Ben learns more about the people he thought he knew all along, wins some battles and loses some, and makes sure that he will not be forgotten.

Critical Evaluation

Chris Crutcher can tell a story with wit, soul, and unforgettable characters. The novel explores many issues, like destiny, death, loyalty, and friendship. It also brings up issues of alcoholism, mental illness, child abuse, and racism. It seems that these are too many issues to be packed into one book, but Ben Wolf’s clever first-person narrative makes the story come together, and integrates the themes effortlessly. While many books focus on one issue, many teens may face multiple issues in their lives. As we follow Ben through the book, we are drawn into his world and question with him issues of life and death, right and wrong, winning and losing, and never once ceasing to admire his courage, boldness, and intelligence. This is also the reason that while the book focuses on issues, it is not a problem novel. It is a realistic novel that succeeds in showing life as it is, while managing not to be bleak and disheartening. It is a smart, inspiring novel with an unforgettable character, that is rich beyond its 300 pages.

One of the things that makes this a remarkable book is its main character. Ben Wolf is a wonderful protagonist who is mature beyond his years, but still has all the flaws of a normal teenager. It is impossible not to admire his courage and determination, as well as his wit. It might be difficult to find teens who are as independent and wise as Ben. Not many teenagers would have the single-minded resolve to keep a terminal illness a secret from their parents, and strong-arm their doctor into not only keeping it a secret, but also not providing a treatment. However, Ben still has his flaws, like arrogance and idealism, as he thinks that it is still his responsibility to take care of everyone and not let anyone take care of him.

This is a great book that will appeal to boys and girls, although its many descriptions of football will appeal more to those interested in the sport. It will also be a good selection for reluctant readers, because of its interesting story and involving narrative.

Reader’s Annotation

After 18-year-old Ben Wolf finds out that he will not live for more than a year because of an illness, he decides to live his last year to the fullest without telling anyone he knows.

About the Author

“Chris Crutcher, 66, is the author of fourteen books — eleven novels, including his latest PERIOD 8, two short story collections and an autobiography.  Prior to his work as an author, he taught school in Washington and California and acted as director of an Oakland alternative school for nearly a decade.  That academic history coupled with 25 years as a child and family therapist specializing in abuse and neglect  and  30 years as a Spokane Child Protection Team leader has infused his literary work with realism and emotional heft.  His signature blend of tragedy and comedy have made him a favorite with teen and adult readers.

He is also one of the most frequently banned authors in North America — a fact he considers an accomplishment, rather than a drawback.

A popular Voices from the Middle columnist for several years, and recent contributor at the Huffington Post, Crutcher has been awarded the NCTE’s National Intellectual Freedom Award, the ALAN Award, the ALA’s Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award,  and Writer magazine’s Writers Who Make a Difference Award.

Chris Crutcher makes his home in Spokane, Washington.” – Chris Crutcher Biography

Website: http://www.chriscrutcher.com/

Genre

Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties

English Language

Booktalking Ideas

1. Talk about Ben’s plans when he finds out that he has a year to live.
2. Discuss Ben’s decision to play football.

Interest/Reading Level

Grade 9+/ATOS 5.1

Challenge Issues: language, child abuse.

Challenge Defense Ideas:

1. Have a copy of the  American Library Association Library Bill of Rights to show/give to patron.
2. In addition to, or in place of the above, explain library policy of inclusion of information that might be controversial. For example, Pasadena Public Library, Philosophy of Selection. Have a printed copy ready, with appropriate sections highlighted.
3. Explain the parental rights and responsibilities with their children’s library use. Explain the different card designations and the parents’ right to monitor or restrict borrowing of materials.
4. Depending on the library’s policy, either have  paperwork to fill out for formal challenges, or the contact information of those who handle challenges.
5. Give examples of book reviews from School Library Journal,  Library Journal, or BookList. Note any awards that the book received.

Reasons for Inclusion

Multiple issues: terminal illness, death, family, alcoholism, racism.

You Know Where to Find Me by Rachel Cohn February 19, 2013

You Know Where to Find Me
Cohn, Rachel
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 2008. ISBN: 0689878605

Summary

Miles and Laura are cousins who grew up inseparable and drifted apart in high school. While Laura grows up in wealth and perfection, beloved by teachers, peers, and her father, Miles grows to be a self-made outcast. Laura’s part-time friendship is a blessing and a curse for Miles, whose only bonding experiences revolve around late-night drug use together. This is a story told by Miles, whose low self-esteem because of her weight, prescription drug abuse, and loneliness reaches its apex after Laura’s unexpected suicide. Miles not only has to deal with the loss of the girl who was like a sister, but with the heartbroken and confused peers and adults she left behind. As Miles lets her grief and drug abuse spiral out of control, she has to confront the reality that there are adults and peers who not only cared about Laura but for her as well.

Critical Evaluation                                             

The book deals with numerous issues, like suicide, bipolar disorder, self-esteem, gay parents, and drug abuse. Told from the viewpoint of the snarky, creative Miles, it is a story of falling apart and getting back up, although falling apart has a more central role in the book. It is an emotional novel, although a 200-page book dealing with so many issues could be somewhat overwhelming. The reader cannot help but feel a deep sense of dread throughout the book, which gives the reader little hope for the future of the main character. Perhaps this was the intended point of the book, to be as bleak in its realism as possible. However, it might have attempted to convey the message that sometimes there is still hope for redemption even when things looks beyond hope.

The book moves at a slow pace, and leaves its audience craving for a more complex plot and secondary character development. The novel is very introspective, and the plot revolves around Miles’ self-esteem issues and bad decisions. The secondary characters are seen from Miles’ point of view, which might explain their one-dimensional nature, since Miles does not interact with them. However, since they play an important role in helping her at the end of the book, making them more important in the novel would make the book more complex. The book does, however, compel the reader to think of the consequences of suicide, drug use, and the power of family and friends in difficult situations. Because of its mature themes, the book is appropriate for older teens.

Reader’s Annotation

When Miles’ cousin Laura commits suicide, Miles finds her life spiraling out of control, as she has to come to grips with living without Laura and understanding her reasons for suicide.

About the Author

“I was born on December 14, 1968 in Silver Spring, Maryland. I grew up in the DC area (suburban Maryland), but also spent my childhood summers in Western Massachusetts with my grandparents, so I kind of feel like I am from both places.

From the time I learned how to read and write I was always trying to create stories. I grew up surrounded by books and by family who were educators – the desire and encouragement to write came readily in my household. When I was a kid, I loved books by Judy Blume, Ellen Conford and E.L. Konigsburg. (I loved Judy Blume’s books so much that I used to actively wish I would get scoliosis so I could be like Deenie.) My favorite books were: Harriet the Spy;Deenie; And This Is Laura; Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Anything for A Friend; From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler; and Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth. Oh, and anything by Jackie Collins or Sidney Sheldon.

When I was seventeen, I took off for Manhattan to attend Barnard College. I graduated from Barnard with a B.A. in Political Science. I thought I wanted to be a journalist, but it turned out I wanted to make up stories about characters in my head instead of report on actual people’s stories. A few years after graduating from college, I moved to San Francisco and got an administrative job at a law firm to support myself while I began to seriously study and write fiction. I wrote three unpublished novels before the fourth I attempted, Gingerbread, was published. Since then, writing has been a full-time career — and joy.

I currently live in Los Angeles, CA.   I don’t have hobbies, unless the pursuit of a great cappuccino counts as one. I spend a ridiculous amount of time organizing my music library and reading books, and hanging out with my two very cool cats, Bunk & McNulty.” Rachel Cohn, Frequently Asked Questions

Website: http://www.rachelcohn.com/

Genre

Realistic fiction.

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1. Describe the characters of Miles and Laura, their friendship and drifting apart.
2. Read one of the unique short chapters written by Miles.

Interest/Reading Level

Grade 10+/ATOS 5.7

Challenge Issues: drug use, suicide, homosexuality

Challenge Defense Ideas:

1. Have a copy of the  American Library Association Library Bill of Rights to show/give to patron.
2. In addition to, or in place of the above, explain library policy of inclusion of information that might be controversial. For example, Pasadena Public Library, Philosophy of Selection. Have a printed copy ready, with appropriate sections highlighted.
3. Explain the parental rights and responsibilities with their children’s library use. Explain the different card designations and the parents’ right to monitor or restrict borrowing of materials.
4. Depending on the library’s policy, either have  paperwork to fill out for formal challenges, or the contact information of those who handle challenges.
5. Give examples of book reviews from School Library Journal,  Library Journal, or BookList. Note any awards that the book received.

Reasons for Inclusion

Multiple issues: suicide, drug abuse, gay parents, self-esteem.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown February 11, 2013

Hate List 
Brown, Jennifer
Little, Brown. 2009. ISBN 9780316041454.

Summary

In May, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend Nick opened fire in the cafeteria of their high school, killing and injuring many students. He shot her in the thigh, yet she was initially implicated in the assault because of a notebook she kept with Nick called the “hate list,” in which she jotted down all the things and people she hated, the  names of bullies who made her and Nick’s life miserable. When Nick mentions their “plan” after he shoots the first person on the list, many of the classmates think that she had planned it with him. Not many saw that she was the one who stopped the attack and saved a classmate’s life. Now, after a grueling summer, Valerie feels ready to go back to school and face the consequences of what Nick did, and the students’ and their parents’ anger at her for the events. Slowly, Valerie tries to go back to her life after the months of isolation, and learn to live in the aftermath of the tragedy. Along the way, she gets help from unexpected sources, like her previous tormentor and the one she saved, and a quirky art teacher who helps her rediscover her love of art.

Critical Evaluation

This powerful novel will find a rapt audience in teens and adults. It explores the very relevant issues of bullying and teen violence, and does it in an engaging and thought-provoking way. Valerie is both a victim and a perceived accomplice in the crime that left many injured and dead, and a perfect narrator to relay the different sides of the story.  The novel is also a critique of the sensationalism of the news media and its disregard for going deeper into the real stories of those they write about. Although similar in its subject to other novels about gun violence in schools, it holds its own with high literary merit through character development and compelling storytelling.

The character development in the book is worth noting. Told from Valerie’s point of view, her character is the most fully developed. Brown paints a worthy portrait of a normal teenager who has found herself in a terrible situation because of a mixture of her actions and those beyond her control. She is confused, depressed, ashamed, and ultimately brave. Although she finds herself in her situation because of Nick, whom she misjudged with catastrophic consequences, she cannot stop herself from missing him and wanting to vindicate him to the world so that they stop seeing him as a monster but as she saw him. Brown also makes her other characters just as interesting and emotionally powerful, like her disheartened but protective mother, her former best friends, her former bully whose life she saved, and her kindhearted art teacher.

Hate List is a book to be taken seriously, and a page turner with an intensely engaging style. The emotional, lyrical style can be overwhelming at times, but it is what makes the novel such a success. Its effect on the reader resembles that of a psychological thriller, reading with a sense of dread but also hope. For although no one’s life is in danger except Valerie’s, the reader has no choice but to sympathize and hope against all odds for the misunderstood, unlikely protagonist of the novel and the impossible situation she has found herself in. Although such a dire, intense book will not be to everyone’s liking, it is a book worth reading for every high school student, because its subject matter is relevant to teens.

Reader’s Annotation

At the end of their junior year in high school, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend opens fire in the school cafeteria, seeking out his victims from a list that she started of all the people she hated. Now, Valerie has to summon the courage to go back to school and face the consequences and her own guilt, in the hopes of redeeming herself and moving on with her life.

About the Author

“Jennifer’s debut novel, HATE LIST (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009) received three starred reviews and was selected as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a VOYA “Perfect Ten,” and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. HATE LIST also won the Michigan Library Association’s Thumbs Up! Award, the Louisiana Teen Readers Choice award, the 2012 Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award, was an honorable mention for the 2011 Arkansas Teen Book Award, is a YALSA 2012 Popular Paperback, received spots on the Texas Library Association’s Taysha’s high school reading list as well as the Missouri Library Association’s Missouri Gateway Awards list, and has been chosen to represent the state of Missouri in the 2012 National Book Festival in Washington, DC. Jennifer’s second novel, BITTER END, (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011) received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and VOYA and is listed on the YALSA 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list and is a 2012 Taysha’s high school reading list pick as well.

Jennifer writes and lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area, with her husband and three children.”-Jennifer Brown Biography
Website: http://www.jenniferbrownya.com/

Genre

Realistic fiction.

Curriculum Ties

English Language

Booktalking Ideas

1. Talk about Valerie’s dilemma about going back to school.
2. Discuss Valerie’s blame for the shooting.

Interest/Reading Level

Grade 9+/ATOS 5.6

Challenge Issues: Violence

Challenge Defense Ideas

1. Have a copy of the  American Library Association Library Bill of Rights to show/give to patron.
2. In addition to, or in place of the above, explain library policy of inclusion of information that might be controversial. For example, Pasadena Public Library, Philosophy of Selection. Have a printed copy ready, with appropriate sections highlighted.
3. Explain the parental rights and responsibilities with their children’s library use. Explain the different card designations and the parents’ right to monitor or restrict borrowing of materials.
4. Depending on the library’s policy, either have  paperwork to fill out for formal challenges, or the contact information of those who handle challenges.
5. Give examples of book reviews from School Library Journal,  Library Journal, or BookList. Note any awards that the book received.

Reasons for Inclusion

School Library Journal Review. Publishers Weekly Review. Relevant issues of bullying and school violence.

Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron February 9, 2013

Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You
Cameron, Peter
Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2007. ISBN: 0374309892

Plot Summary

The summer before the brainy but unsociable 18-year-old New Yorker James is supposed to go to Brown University, he is overcome with the certainty that he does not want to go to college after all. He is considering the alternative of buying a house in a small town in the Midwest, perhaps to move away from his thrice-divorced mother, his emotionally distant lawyer father, his college-aged sister who is dating her professor, and his “Teutonic” therapist. He might not be looking forward to moving away from the two people he considers to be his friends – his aristocratic grandmother and his quirky and talented coworker at his mother’s art gallery – but the prospect of being alone sounds very enticing to him. James’s witty, self-exploratory narrative takes us to the events of that summer, as well as the events that might have led to his scruples about college, like a disastrous leadership trip to Washington D.C. which led him into therapy, and his school’s proximity to the World Trade Center during the events of 9/11.

Critical Evaluation

Although many sources attribute sexual orientation as its main subjects, this book is very much about growing up and having to face society. For some teenagers, especially those who, like James, are introverted and find it difficult to interact with others, this is a real fear. Cameron manages to convey the voice of a smart, self-confident, yet confused teenager very well, and create a character that is lovable and sincere. Because of book’s intelligent introspective narrative, many people in their teens and beyond can relate to and learn from James. There is also the enigma that surrounds James, and those drawn to him will want to join him in learning about himself and the world around him.

Albeit its wealth of themes that would interest older teens, the plot of the book is somewhat sparse. The author takes the reader into a leisurely stroll through James’s mind, and they leave without much to remember him by. Except for one somewhat memorable scene involving a case of fake identities, the plot is as slow as a lazy summer day. In a way, this mirrors the experience of James and makes the reader really feel the limbo that James feels, but it hurts the complexity of the book, making it less substantial and memorable.

Reader’s Annotation

The summer before James is set to start college, he has to face his fears and examine the reasons behind his hesitation to go to college.

About the Author

“Peter Cameron was born in Pompton Plains, New Jersey in 1959 and grew up there and in London, England. He spent two years attending the progressive American School in London, where he discovered the joys of reading, and began writing stories, poems, and plays. Cameron graduated from Hamilton College in New York State in 1982 with a B.A. in English Literature.

He sold his first short story to The New Yorker in 1983, and published ten more stories in that magazine during the next few years. This exposure facilitated the publication of his first book, a collection of stories titled One Way or Another, published by Harper & Row in 1986. One Way or Another was awarded a special citation by the PEN/Hemingway Award for First Book of Fiction. In 1988 Cameron was hired by Adam Moss to write a serial novel for the just-launched magazine 7 Days. This serial, which was written and published a chapter a week, became Leap Year, a comic novel of life and love in New York City in the twilight of the 1980s. It was published in 1989 by Harper & Row, which also published a second collection of stories, Far-flung, in 1991.

Beginning in 1990, Cameron stopped writing short fiction and turned his attention toward novels. His second novel, The Weekend, was published in 1994 by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, which also published a third novel, Andorra, in 1997. FSG published Cameron’s fourth novel, The City of Your Final Destination, in 2002, and his fifth novel, Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You, in 2007. FSG will publish Cameron’s most recent novel, Coral Glynn, in February of 2012. His work has been translated into a dozen languages.”- Peter Cameron Biography
Website: http://www.peter-cameron.com/

Genre

Realistic Fiction

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

1. Present the book as one of the dialogs between James and his therapist.

2. Read an excerpt to give an idea of James’s voice and attitude throughout the book.

Interest/Reading Level

Grade 10+/ATOS 6.0

Challenge Issues: Homosexuality

Challenge Defense Ideas

1. Have a copy of the  American Library Association Library Bill of Rights to show/give to patron.
2. In addition to, or in place of the above, explain library policy of inclusion of information that might be controversial. For example, Pasadena Public Library, Philosophy of Selection. Have a printed copy ready, with appropriate sections highlighted.
3. Explain the parental rights and responsibilities with their children’s library use. Explain the different card designations and the parents’ right to monitor or restrict borrowing of materials.
4. Depending on the library’s policy, either have  paperwork to fill out for formal challenges, or the contact information of those who handle challenges.
5. Give examples of book reviews from School Library Journal,  Library Journal, or BookList. Note any awards that the book received.

Reasons for Inclusion

School Library Journal Review. Appeal to male audience.