book hoot

Tournament of the Books Update

2011-12-03T19:05:00.001+08:00

So the WINNER of the inaugural ToB is...... The Hunger Games. It was a pretty universal choice in the end. And rightly so, it's a page turner, there's a feisty female and a movie in the wings.

The Tournament was a success. I'll never forget the cheers and high-fiving that went on over BOOKS!

The Tournament of the Books

2011-11-28T11:07:00.001+08:00

While this is a departure from the stock standard review entry for me, I just needed to get this idea down while it was still fresh in my head.

In the last few weeks of the term, my year eights and I have held a tournament of the books, modified on the Morning News ToB which I avidly followed this year.

So we began with 16 books that the majority of the class had read this year:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
The Declaration
The Hunger Games
Holes
Chinese Cinderella
Once
Gone
Parvana
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas
My Sister's Keeper
Shopaholic
Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging
Fallen
Twilight
Shiver
Tomorrow When The War Began

Then pitted book against book for the first round where one student would review the book, and another would judge between the pairings. The reviews went up on the class wiki page. Here is an excerpt from a particularly cute one:

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a war time book set in Germany about a nine year old boy named Bruno. His world is turned upside down when his father a newly promoted Nazi officer moves the family from central Berlin to a far away country house. Bruno misses all his friends and feels lonely every day, until he meets a "farmer" called Shmuel who wears his striped pyjamas all day every day. Bruno befriends him an the book is all about what they do together from opposite sides of the fence.

I liked this book because it tells you that not all Germans knew what their soldiers were doing and that they weren't all to blame. It is also a bit of a coming of age novel even though Bruno is only nine. It shows him having the maturity of an adult but the common sense and naivite of a child. His sister also grows up a lot more, throwing out her adored dolls to try and land a young soldier. The book made me laugh and cry which makes a really clever book.

So then we had eight winners from round one. As the rounds progressed, there were fewer books that all the class had read, so this made the decision making quite hard. When I revisit this next year, I'll think about the text choices a bit earlier and get more of the class to have read the selections.

To solve this problem, I decided to let the original nominees of the books choose an excerpt to read out loud and let the listeners choose whose book sounded better. This was the most enthralled I have seen this class for a long while. They listened intently and deliberated over their choice. Some of the decisions were really tough; all the top eight were well written and their chosen excerpts were sad, clever, funny and engaging. They sat quietly and listened last period on a Friday! A teaching miracle!

The final four were Once, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging.

For the next stage I got the class into "teams"; Team Harry, Team Katniss and so on. Then I posed some hypothetical questions about their characters such as:

How long would your character last in the Australian outback?
What is your character's most treasured possession?
Is your character afraid of anything?
What is your character's strength?
What would your character's axiom or life motto be?
Is your character likely to appeal to teenage girls?
Does your character have any flaws?
If the country was ruled by a King and he was a bad man, what would your character do about it?
What is your character's greatest skill?
What would your character give as a Christmas present?

And then decided between their answers as to which character deserved a point. This was hilarious! They treated it like a debate, interjecting and making each team elaborate with examples. At one point two girls high fived each other when they thought of a particularly winning answer. So much fun!

The two victorious books are The Hunger Games and Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging. The winner will be voted on today in our regular library lesson. Can't wait!

H00t #45 All I Ever Wanted

2011-07-22T11:38:00.000+08:00

When I started reading Vikki Wakefield's All I Ever Wanted, it was just after the Wall Street Journal article about darkness in YA fiction, and the subsequent response to this. I confess I spent most of the first half thinking, well this is a perfect example of a text that would further the 'YA books are too dark' argument. How wrong I was. And what a great lesson in perceptions this book offers.

The book starts with nearly seventeen year old Mim retrieving a package for her mother. The implication is that there are drugs in the package. She desperately wants to escape her (literally) wrong side of the tracks, suburban life, and has created a set of rules that will help her achieve this:

I will finish school. I will not take drugs. I will not get tattoos. I will not drink alcohol. I will not say ‘fuck’ all the time. I will not have sex. I will not be like everybody else. I will only trust myself. One day I will leave this place and never come back. I will not turn out like my mother.

When Mim's best friend Tahnee breaks one of their agreed pacts, Mim's rules start "clacking over like dominoes" and it seems everything is about to change.

Wakefield writes some excellent minor characters, the neighbours are especially memorable. The Tarrant family with alcoholic Mick, his wife Donna and dog Gargoyle make for much of the menace just outside Mim's front door. In fact the street seems like something out of Underbelly or Animal Kingdom, sides of Australia that are not commonly represented.

In contrast, the love interest, Jordan and his sister Kate live seemingly in a different world where there are shade trees and "...the trucks don't forget to pick up the rubbish and their recycle bins aren't raided for cans or bottles. They have fences that keep people out and dogs in. Perfect little lives." However we learn Mim's perception of their lives is incorrect. Their parents don't ever seem to be around or to care when Kate gets a tattoo or that their son is involved with criminals.

So, all in all this coming of age story is a really interesting look at suburban Australia and at ourselves; the judgments that we make and just how wrong we can be.

4 hoots from 5

Happy tales,
Barking Owl

B00k H00t #44 The Golden Day

2011-06-12T11:40:00.000+08:00

Ursula Dubosarsky's The Golden Day is beautifully written and the story will haunt you for quite a while.

It opens with a class of eleven small girls being led by their teacher, Miss Renshaw into some gardens for a spontaneous excursion. The book is set in the late sixties, and opens on the day that Ronald Ryan was hanged. The girls and their teacher go to the gardens ostensibly to 'think about death'. Miss Renshaw is clearly a bit of a hippie:

She wore a drooping crimson dress with a geometrical pattern of interlocking squares and triangles in green and purple. Around her neck on a string of leather swung a tear-shaped amber bead that glinted in the sunlight.

They go to the gardens quite often, at least twice a week, so that they can write poetry and listen to Morgan the gardener/ poet/ conscientious objector who Miss Renshaw is interested in. But this excursion is different. Morgan leads them to some caves by the sea and what happens next, (which I am not going to spoil) affects them all.

Charles Blackman's Floating Schoolgirl

The narrative is multi-layered and is rich because of this. Each of the chapters is titled after one of Charles Blackman's "Schoolgirl" series. Dubosarsky writes that this painting, Floating Schoolgirl was one of the inspirations for the novel, but there are also autobiographical, musical and film references and sources of inspiration. Picnic At Hanging Rock is probably the film that I was reminded of the most while reading.

The young narrative voices in the text are engaging, if naive and sometimes a bit frustrating. Cubby and Icara are the two main characters. There are some scenes where I was genuinely frightened for Cubby, so that tells you how engaging and cleverly written they are.

Finally, as a teacher there were moments that made me snicker; at the freedom of the teacher to take the girls wandering through the gardens, to the school's response and the letters sent to parents. In schools, the more things change, the more things stay the same.

One more thing! The cover is lovely and the inside front and rear covers are fabulous. They are yellowing newspaper articles that provide context for the historical periods. In the front cover there are articles about Ronald Ryan, and in the back cover the drowning of Harold Holt and the sacking of Whitlam. The author's website has some excellent resources for further investigation.

So, definitely get your hands on this clever and haunting novel. Enjoy the mysterious ride.

Five out of five hoots!

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

H0oT #42 Surface Tension

2011-05-22T16:35:00.000+08:00

Cassie is more than a little obsessed with Old Lower Grange, the town which was submerged on the day she was born, eight weeks premature. Her parents and two older siblings have memories and tell stories of their old house and the old town, but Cassie feels left out, missing out on history.

Because of her premature arrival, Cassie's lungs aren't great and she swims laps in the local pool to help them strengthen. But the floating bandaids and other kids doing bombies don't make for peaceful swimming. Her preoccupation with the "Atlantis" nature of Old Lower Grange and disgust for the pool combine to drive her to the lake. There she certainly finds much more than a place to swim in peace.

Meg McKinlay constructs Cassie and the narrative skillfully, drawing together her bravery with the symbolism of the drowned town and submerged secrets. The descriptions of the lake and drowned town are poetic, and quite eerie in places.

I like that there is the potential for romance between Cassie and Liam, a boy whose tragic past is connected to the secret in the lake, but that their friendship is what is concentrated on here.

There are the usual problems in New Lower Grange; as a small town most people know everyone else and their history. There are suggestions of covering up the past in rewriting history to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the town, leaving out the protests about the flooding for example.

There are also some lovely connections in the sub-plots with Cassie's father's art and her sister's job on the local council both having a direct influence on the outcome. McKinlay uses the motif of problems simmering just beneath the surface throughout the text:

"A heavy red glaze could cover a network of tiny hairline fractures that would shatter something utterly if you struck it hard enough in just the right spot.”

Readers who enjoy a bit of mystery and suspense will race through to the satisfying finish, just as I did. Cassie is a gutsy, believable character, you'll find yourself cheering her on.

Four hoots from five.

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

H00t #41 Anastasia (My Royal Story)

2011-04-25T09:26:00.002+08:00

This series is all the rage in the school library at the moment, perhaps the relentless media coverage of the royal wedding has something to do with this. But, as I was just reading on a friend's blog we all know that being a princess is not easy. Especially if you are a Romanov and your people are turning against you.

Anastasia is told in diary form. In the beginning the entries are about teasing her sisters, the boring nature of her lessons and food. She is a carefree thirteen year old whose major concerns are the matching outfits she and her sisters wear. Of course this is all about to come crashing down with the start of World War One.

There are other problems in the royal family which also provide some interest in the first part of the book. The youngest Romanov, the long-awaited heir to the throne Alexei, has hemophilia. Like all boys, he is prone to accidents, but in his case those are dangerous and incredibly painful. Alexei's pain is the author's way of introducing Rasputin, or Father Grigori as he is known to the family. When the boy has an injury which causes him internal or external bleeding, Alexandra the Tsaritsa calls on Rasputin, and Alexei gets better. (For me every time Rasputin is mentioned I had the Boney M song stuck in my head.) His role in the downfall of the dynasty is certainly hinted at in Anastasia's diary; she never trusts him.

In the second half of the book, the mood certainly changes leading up to that fateful night. Anastasia is growing up and she becomes aware that not everyone loves her father as much as she does. As things become worse in Russia, the family stay close and their mood is ever hopeful. This makes the ending all the more poignant for the reader, especially I would imagine for those who don't know the history.

Carolyn Meyer includes some historical notes at the end of the narrative including a family tree and some commentary about the conspiracy theories surrounding Anastasia.

All in all this is a moving story of the end of the royal family. It could certainly act as a gateway text to other historical novel or learning more about history which can only be good.

Three hoots from five.

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

Book h00t #40 Dash and Lily's Book Of Dares

2011-04-10T09:09:00.004+08:00

While I'm waiting for David Levithan's The Lover's Dictionary, I snaffled this from the school library before it was even processed! For me, the e-book will never replace the joy of a brand new book, with perfectly smooth spine.

The book was co-written with Rachel Cohn, like Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. They alternate between the points of view of Dash and Lily and apparently emailed each other the chapters as they were done. Clearly they are in synch because it works well.

In the lead up to Christmas, Lily is looking for adventure and love, even though she doesn't realise it. She is left in the care of her older brother while her parents are in Fiji. Dash is also alone, because he has manipulated his parents into believing that he is spending Christmas with the other one of them when in fact he is looking forward to some solo time in New York. Dash comes across a red Moleskin notebook in The Strand where there are 18 miles of books! Heaven! Inside there are clues and dares that he can choose to follow. Of course, he is the perfect boy for just such a task.

This is a funny and beautifully written book. I loved the references to poetry sprinkled throughout. And I especially loved both characters joy in words. Apart from this, I thought that there were some important ideas about teen relationships. Dash comes to realise that his relationship with his ex was forced and that they're better off as friends. She wisely says:

...when people say right person, wrong time or wrong person, right time it's usually a cop out. They think that fate is playing with them. That we're all just participants in this romance reality show that God gets a kick out of watching. But the universe doesn't know what's right or not right. You do.

I see this book is being made into a film. Excellent news!

Five hoots from five.

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

Book H00t #39 Triple Ripple

2011-03-27T09:23:00.001+08:00

Brigid Lowry has three flavours in her latest book for early teen readers. First, there's the fairytale which forms the backbone of the novel. Glory comes to the castle to work as a maid to Princess Mirabella, but finds her destiny is not as simple as she thinks. Interrupting this narrative are comments made by The Reader and The Writer.

In The Reader section, we meet Nova. She is struggling with friendship problems and some tensions at home. She uses the fairytale book as an escape from her 'real' world. I'm sure this is something most teen readers can identify with.

Then there is The Writer who makes mistakes, struggles with creativity and comes up with sparkly good ideas. I really enjoyed this section with its tension between the pressures to write and the desire to give yourself over to the 'muse' and characters. Having been to a couple of Lowry's creative writing workshops, I could hear her voice clearly.

Younger teenage girls will love this book. Some of them might find the narrative incursions frustrating, others will enjoy the commentary, the overlapping and the decision making that goes into the writing process.

Four hoots out of five.

Until next time, happy tales.

Barking Owl

H00t #38 Fruitloops and Dipsticks

2011-02-20T14:51:00.000+08:00

What would you do if you're the new girl at school and the teacher mistakes you for a boy? Would you have the guts to go along with it? Simone is going through quite a transition, so you can understand her reasons for the deception. Her mother has a new partner and she and Simone have moved in with him. She has lost her dog and her grandfather has announced he would prefer to spend his last days living with them. Then of course there are the problems pretending to be a boy!

This is a lovely coming of age story. I particularly enjoyed the Scandinavian names and landscape. It is part of the Gecko Press collections of "Seriously good books from around the world."

Julia Marshall translates Ulf Stark's original text. He has written around 30 books for children and young adults. Also he has won many prizes in Sweden and internationally, including the German Youth Literature Prize, the Astrid Lindgren Award and the August Prize. Books by Ulf Stark have been translated into more than 20 languages and he has twice been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen prize.

Stark writes Simone's grandfather beautifully. He has some sage advice for her, but also for the reader:

We're all filled with forces we don't know about,' Grandpa said. 'Like the sea, which is full of fish and algae and currents and life and all kinds of strange things. The dipsticks carefully build thin, ugly bridges over these unknown waters. They're afraid of getting wet in case they ruin their shoes. We fruitloops like to crawl around amongst it all. We put ourselves in the path of the currents and let them carry us along. Even though it's risky; and even though the dipsticks may sometimes look at us with fear and loathing.' 'Be careful of the bad winds,' Grandpa whispered in my ear before he hobbled out into the dark and disappeared up the stairs.

So if you're feeling a bit displaced, or just a bit fruit loopy, see if you can find a copy of Fruitloops and Dipsticks. I can promise you'll enjoy the ride.

Four hoots/ five.

Happy tales,
Barking Owl

Book H00t #37 Will Grayson, Will Grayson

2010-12-12T15:56:00.000+08:00

I picked up Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan earlier this year, while on a trip to Sydney, in the wonderful Kinokuniya bookstore. It sat and sat on my TBR pile for over six months, which is a shame! But, as it turns out the timing could not have been better; it is a perfect antidote to 13 R3asons.

The blurb:

What if you were somewhere you never expected to be and met someone with your name? What if the girl you didn't think you were interested in started being interested in you? What if your best friend started writing a musical about your life... and it made you look lame?

What if you are depressed? What if you are in love with someone you have never met? And what is the story with the guy walking around with your name?

Told from the perspective of each of the Wills, this is a book about love- finding it, falling in it, falling out of it, love between friends, and parental love. Tying the two Wills together is larger than life Tiny Cooper.

Tiny Cooper is not the world's gayest person, and he is not the world's largest person, but I believe he may be the world's largest person who is really, really gay, and also the world's gayest person who is really, really large.

Tiny is writing a musical about himself, featuring his many ex-boyfriends and his best friends. His character really made the book for me, he is witty and wise.

While some of the characters are depressed, this is in no way a depressing book. It treats 'issues' and problems that teens face with sensitivity and is a gentle reminder that there are people out there who care and who are going through the same stuff as you. I liked the writing of the adults too, unlike 13 R3asons, they were moderate and sensitive. in particular, the parental reactions to these teen boys coming out were reasonable and caring.

Even though I am in no way the demographic for this book, it was so engaging. I really liked the dual narration. The authors used punctuation to define the voices for the readers which worked well. The lyrics for the musical were so funny, and the instant messaging also helped characterisation and narrative whiz along. It really is beautifully written:

Tiny Cooper has brought me to a Gay-Straight Alliance meeting to hook me up with a girl. Which is of course idiotic in the kind of profound and multivalent way that only an English teacher could fully elucidate.

Loved, loved, loved the uplifting ending.

Highly recommended, pop it in a Christmas stocking!

4 hoots out of five!

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

Book H00t #36 13 R3asons Why

2010-11-29T22:34:00.001+08:00

The blurb:

Clay Jensen returns home from school one day to find a box sitting on his doorstep. Upon opening it, he discovers that it is a shoebox containing seven cassette tapes recorded by the late Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who recently committed suicide. The tapes were initially mailed to one classmate with instructions to pass them from one student to another. On the tapes, Hannah explains to thirteen people how they played a role in her death, by giving thirteen reasons to explain why she took her life. Curiosity and fear of exposure keep the people on the list listening to the tapes, and through the audio narrative Hannah reveals her pain, and her slide into depression that ultimately leads to her suicide.

Thirteen reasons why I didn't love this book:

1. Stupid number/ letter title.

2. The main character Clay, is on Hannah's list when he hasn't wronged her in any way- it's all a narrative ruse.

3. The premise that teenagers would pass on tapes- tapes!- to others thereby incriminating themselves and opening themselves up to derision. Would. not. happen.

4. Dark, dark theme. No likable characters, no sensible adults, only a glimmer of light at the end.

5. Suicide is represented as easy. I think this is dangerous- just last week I heard on radio that in Australia, every day, six people take their own lives.

6. The representation of school as being the worst possible place for Hannah, isn't realistic for me. Naive?

7. The narrative voices were annoying for me. I thought Clay's responses to Hannah's comments interrupted the flow and dragged the plot's heels.

8. I've read that some people find this book 'preachy'. It's just NOT preachy enough.

9. The English teacher acting as a 'substitute' counselor was a bit too neat in gathering the poetry and lack of sensible advice together.

10. It makes the reader into a voyeur.

11. I wanted it to be better, I wanted the suicide to be a ruse, another rumour and the revenge to be ramped up as a result.

12. Hannah is not nice. The revenge seems petty at times.

13.Hannah is a victim- weak right from the get go. Not someone I would want a teenage girl emulating, or even thinking about too much.

2 hoots/ 5

Happy tales, and happier books!

Barking Owl

Book H00T #35 Fly Girl

2010-11-21T19:11:00.000+08:00

What a lovely little read this is. It ticks all my boxes: spunky female protagonist, a series of challenging episodes, lovely writing and some real issues for later discussion.

Ida May Jones is a twenty year old young woman who is desperate to take to the skies again. Her departed father taught her how to fly and she has experience crop dusting. But as a black maid she has to work hard to make this dream a reality. Ida May dreams of going to Chicago’s Coffey School of Aeronautics to obtain her license. Also, when her brother enlists and is sent to the Pacific, Ida Mae promises to stay and look after her family and the strawberry farm.

Temptation comes when Ida Mae hears about the WASP, Women’s Airforce Service Pilots, scheme. She wants to do her part for the war effort and as a woman, let alone an African American woman, it is going to take some swift moves and clever thinking. Ida's light skin and 'good hair' certainly helps her "pass" as white, but this also leads to some crises of conscience.

Based on the real WASP, to whom last year President Obama awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, this book teaches history and civil rights without ever feeling like a lesson. “. . .If you’re colored, you get the short end of the stick. If you’re a woman, you get the short end of the stick. So what do we get for being colored and women?”

The characters are warm and well drawn, and the narrative is pacy. You'll be itching to get airborne too!

Five hoots!

Until next time happy tales,
Barking Owl

H00t #34 The Rosie Black Chronicles: Book 1 Genesis

2010-11-01T09:47:00.001+08:00

Great cover don't you think?

I'm not a fan of some science fiction, let's get that out of the way from the get go. But, I do love dystopian fiction and Lara Morgan's Rosie Black Chronicles looks to be a great series in this genre.

Book One is set in a futuristic Australia, Newperth to be precise, and being a Perth native, this piqued my interest. Morgan devises an apocalyptic event which is frighteningly possible; the "Melt" has sunk coastal cities. In the author's notes, she credits Tim Flannery's The Weather Makers as her inspiration. I'll be honest here, I wanted much more to take place in this setting of futuristic Perth. The action moves "off-world" far too quickly for my liking. Perhaps Book Two might have the action closer to home?

The division of the people of Newperth into the "Centrals, Have-nots, Bankers and Ferals" is also realistic and credible for Western Australian readers. The division of our city into those who are North, those who are South, and those who live in Fremantle certainly rang true. I also found myself thinking about the geography of the setting; where would Central East Darling Grove be on current maps?

Rosie finds a mysterious box in the first few pages that sets the action of the narrative into motion. And the action and suspense is pretty relentless for much of the book. There's drama and romance in there too, but for the most part the reader is on a rocket-ride lurching from event to event.

Rosie is certainly clever, gutsy and likable. Teens, and YA fans who enjoyed dystopias such as Patrick Ness’s Chaos Walking Trilogy, Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games books, Susan Beth Pfeffer's Moon Trilogy, or John Marsden’s Tomorrow When the War Began will love it.

One final point to Morgan's credit, there's no forehead smacking cliff-hanging moment at the end. I know some readers hate that.

Three and a half hoots out of five.

Until next time,

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

Hoot #33 Mice Gordon Reece

2010-09-22T19:02:00.001+08:00

This psychological thriller had me hooked very quickly. Shelly and her mum are both victims of abuse; Shelly is bullied my her previous 'friends' in some horrible ways. Her mother is bullied by her ex-husband in a messy divorce and she is also bullied in the workplace. The two little mice scurry off to the country to lick their wounds. But, their bad luck doesn't end there.

The pace of this book is just right. It builds and builds until Shelly and her mum finally fight back.

Something that irked a little for me was the repetitive characterisation of the two of them as mice. It was a little heavy handed for my liking, but, is probably about right for the young adult readership.

The tone and tension reminded me a little of Beautiful Malice, a big hit with every teen girl I've recommended it to. However this has more depth I think. It will certainly make readers think about the ethics of fighting back and how far you would/ should go to protect yourself and your loved ones. It also has some lovely connections to Macbeth running through the story (Shelly is studying the play for her examinations.)

All the characters are well drawn. And if you have ever been bullied, which lets face it a lot of people have, then the scenes where poor Shelly is retreating further and further into herself because of horrible girls at her school will resonate with you. And no, I don't think the bullying is at all unrealistic or too violent.

Four hoots out of five

Happy tales,
Barking Owl

Book H00t #32 Pippi Longstocking

2010-08-22T09:45:00.001+08:00

Happy Book Week to you all! As you can see from this post, Book Week is a particularly big one at my school, culminating in dress up day. Now we teachers always find this a source of much discussion, if not angst.

This year the theme is "Across The Story Bridge." What does that suggest to you? We went through characters that are associated with bridges but trolls and billy goats didn't really appeal. So we decided to choose characters that have crossed the bridge from print to film.

All this is leading up to my re-reading of Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking. For costume inspiration, I bought the lovely new edition illustrated by Lauren Child. And I am enjoying reading it so much. It reminded me how much I loved her sassiness.

Pippi is an excellent example of a strong girl who knows her mind, is independent and has fun at the same time. She also has a pet monkey!

If you haven't read Pippi Longstocking, or need a refresher, this edition is a lovely read.

5 Hoots out of 5

Happy tales,
Barking Owl

Book Hoot #31 The Ask And The Answer

2010-08-08T17:25:00.003+08:00

The second in the Chaos Walking trilogy, The Ask And The Answer is a story of dictatorship and rebellion. It picks up moments after The Knife Of Never Letting Go left off. Viola and Todd are being kept apart by the Mayor of New Prentisstown, formally Haven.

For a lot of the story, each believes that they are fighting on the right side of the conflict. Todd is a part of The Ask and Viola The Answer. And this is one of the book's main themes; in war, is there a 'right side'? I imagine this would quite a challenging idea for some readers. But there are other themes here that show Patrick Ness is certainly not talking down to his readers.

The Spackle, an alien race who make a small appearance in Chaos #1, are more central to the plot in this book. The Mayor puts his son, Davy, and Todd in charge of using the Spackle as slave labour. They even brand them in an eerily similar way to the Jewish race being tattooed in the Holocaust. There are also moments of torture and ethnic cleansing in this story line. And as Todd struggles with his conscience; the old excuse of 'just doing my job' works for a while.

Meanwhile Viola finds herself in a group of terrorists. Just as The Ask is primarily made up of men, The Answer is primarily women and so there are themes of female emancipation in her sections. Mistress Coyle the leader of The Answer carries out a series of bombings and the book asks the reader to consider 'collateral damage'. Viola struggles with the actions of the rebels, but like Todd is blinded by the charisma of her leader and what seems at first to be their just cause.

I would highly recommend this series. I'm about to start Monsters of Men and can't wait to see how the series is concluded.

Five out of five Hoots!

Happy Tales,
Barking Owl

Book Hoot #30 Sugar, Sugar

2010-07-02T13:51:00.004+08:00

Sugar Sugar seems an uninspired title for such a good book. Carole Wilkinson sets the story in 1972, so far in the past that for YA readers it may seem like another planet!

Jackie has left suburban Adelaide chasing her dreams of being a fashion designer. She travels from London to Paris for the weekend, thinking that she will show her marsupial and native fauna clothing ideas to a famous fashion designer. It is in Paris that the adventures begin. Jackie loses her folio and chases it across Europe, ending up in Afghanistan. Instead of swearing, she says sugar, hence the title.

Being a wanna-be fashion designer, Jackie is always snappily dressed:

I had a wash and changed into my grey velvet hot-pants and green pigskin boots... my maroon tights perfectly matched the swirls in my paisley blouse, and my over the knee high heeled boots looked great.

As she moves from Paris heading gradually east, we see Jackie transform and mature. Clothes are a constant motif throughout the story, but as she sees the poverty and conditions some people live in, she realises that there are more important things than fashion. Friendship and loyalty are two themes running through the book.

As I said earlier, the time period would be very unfamiliar for today's YA readers, the lack of communication with family when you're overseas is certainly a thing of the past. Jackie sends aerograms, doesn't telephone because of the expense and she doesn't have a camera either. in the endnotes Carole Wilkinson says:

When we travelled through the Middle East, photographic film was expensive and the need to record one's life in minute detail belonged to the distant future. We took ten photos.

It's a bit of a shame that this ability to be out of touch has gone; even when you're on the other side of the world today, you can still read emails, and your parents can be in touch immediately. I think that the setting, the time especially, would interest readers.

The places and landscapes are also especially well written. The sort of risk taking adventures that Jackie has make you want to stuff your hot-pants and thigh high boots into a yellow rucksack and hit the overland Hippie Trail.

Four Hoots/ Five

Recommended for older readers, being hippies there are some drug experiences...

Happy Tales,

Barking Owl

Book H00t #29 The Help

2010-06-06T18:16:00.003+08:00

Kathryn Stockett's best selling, first novel The Help is about three women: two black maids and one white university graduate, who live in Jackson Mississipi. Set in the early sixties, the multi-voiced narrative shows their different experiences of the dawning of the civil rights movement. Their determination to find their own voices and make their own protest makes this book an engaging and compelling read.

There are hints of what is happening in the wider world, references to the march on Washington and Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech for example. So, I think this would make an excellent novel to read as a companion to a study of this historical period. But it is a compelling page turner in its own right. *I was reading on an IPad, so that page turning was silent :) *

While the stories of the mistreatment of the maids are compelling, it is the kindness of these women to their charges that also stays with the reader.

Aibileen is raising her seventeenth child, and she teaches her all that she is "good and kind and important", lessons her mother does her best to undermine. She has recently lost her son, and this has been a catalyst that makes her change. She is a woman who shows the power of commitment and faith.

Minny, has a "sassy mouth", is an excellent cook and is regularly beaten by her husband. She takes some pretty memorable revenge on the nastiest of the white women in the book, Hilly, and this is the impetus for her placement with another employer who doesn't know her reputation, and doesn't really know how to treat 'the help.' She cares more for this silly woman than you would think possible, and they have a friendship which seems remarkable given the circumstances.

Skeeter has just graduated from Ole Miss, and despite earning a degree and wanting to become a journalist, is pushed into blind dates by her friends and overbearing mother, until she has that ring on her finger. The mysterious disappearance from the family plantation of the woman who raised her makes Skeeter look closer at the lives of the black women around her. This is an awakening for her and the start of the book that brings them all together.

I really enjoyed this novel, it was a quick read, but a really satisfying one at the same time.

4 hoots/ 5

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

Book Hoot #28 Beautiful Malice

2010-05-30T20:44:00.003+08:00

Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James was subject to a huge bidding war apparently. I can see why the editors were crazy for it: pacy narrative, likable characters, sad ending. All the elements for a successful YA book, except this one crosses that mythical genre line. It is perfect for an adult read, especially adults who like psychologial thrillers.

I was reading this while waiting for an operation, waiting most of the day as it happens, but the narrative kept me entertained and my mind off my knee. I got it pretty much done before the op, and finished it that night. Such is the captivating power of a good story.

Katherine is trying to escape her horrible past. She meets a charismatic and attractive girl who seems to have not a trouble in the world. Just what Katherine needs. Of course, as anyone who has read or watched one of these kinds of stories before knows, Alice has hidden troubles of her own, and secrets that aren't revealed until the last chapter.

This is a tightly written and interestingly structured story which flips from a more mature and reflective Katherine's point of view, back to chronological time during Katherine's HSC year, and also to the year before when something horrible happens that destroys her family. To say anything more would ruin the carefully built tension and probably the most interesting part of the book.

While I don't like to read stories that represent girls as victims, and yes it goes against my whole kick-ass theme here, along the way in this book are messages for teens about toxic friendships and irresponsible drinking. If some readers are scared out of their wits here, it wouldn't be such a bad thing!

3 and a half H00Ts /Five

Until next time,
Happy tales

Barking Owl

B00k H00t #27 Loving Richard Feynman

2010-05-08T08:49:00.006+08:00

Fifteen year old Catherine is a science loving, geekish girl who is finding her place in Kyneton and highschool. When her dad gives her a poster of Richard Feynman, the Nobel Prize winning physicist who assisted in the development of the atomic bomb, she develops an unusual crush and begins to write her diary in letters to him. Over the course of the book, she reads his biography as well and reflects on his involvement in the bomb. She learns about love, maths and friendships.

Penny Tangey's novel has been short listed for the CBCA Children’s Book of the Year for older readers, along with previously reviewed Liar and Stolen. It is a much gentler read than those two, but equally well written and the plotting wasn't too predictable.

Also, Tangey does write an authentic teenage voice. Catherine is quirky and funny, her quick temper and mood swings are well captured. Because Catherine is a maths wizz, this brings her together with other like minded students, is the start of some friendships, and teaches her humility as well as confidence.

She also learns that people are flawed, her parents and her beloved Feyman included. Getting through high school is a common theme in teen reads, the portrayal of adults as complex and flawed probably not so much. So, this is certainly refreshing.

But, I don't know how many teenagers would identify with her obsession for Feynman. The kissing of the poster was a bit cringey for me. (It made me recollect my obsession for Davy Jones, from the Monkees that is not at the bottom of the ocean! That's showing my age...)

So, I'd recommend this one for thirteen or fourteen year readers. The letter style diary narration is easy to read, so reluctant readers might also enjoy this one too.

Any embarrassing teen crushes you'd like to share?

Happy Tales,
Barking Owl

Book H00t #26 The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag

2010-05-02T16:34:00.004+08:00

Flavia de Luce, eleven year old precocious sleuth of the village Bishop's Lacey is back! And she's caught up in another murder in the delightful The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley.

No spoilers here, I'll just tell you how much I love Flavia and her hateful sisters Feely and Daffy. The chapters where Flavia puts her poisoner's skills to work against horrible Feely are genuinely laugh out loud. There is much more fun to be had between those two characters.

The murder and events surrounding it are a tad darker than in The Sweetness At The Bottom Of The Pie, however there are also many funny scenes. I liked Flavia's attempt to get Dogger (the family's gardener/ butler/ handyman) to explain the "mechanical details" of what exactly happens during an affair. Her only point of reference is Madam Bovary:

'What did Flaubert mean,' I asked at last, 'when he said that Madame Bovary gave herself to Rodolphe?'
'He meant,' Dogger said, 'that they became the best of friends. The very best of friends.'

There were also some excellent lines about the BBC as a famous television puppeteer of the (fabulously named) show 'Snoddy The Squirrel' plays an important role, but I'll let you discover those yourself.

Yarooh! for the latest installment of Flavia de Luce! Don't you love it when a much anticipated novel meets all expectations?

Happy tales,
Barking Owl

Fictional Bad Boys

2010-04-26T20:52:00.002+08:00

Did you watch Tess Of The D'Urbervilles on ABC1? It brought back a few memories for me.

Firstly, I remember my favourite teacher, the woman who inspired me to take up the chalk, beginning a discussion in Lit about Tess, "So girls, what did you think about the rape?" And of the shocked faces in the room, "What rape?!" we cried. We had completely missed it! Now, I'm sure she set us up, and good on her. What a memorable lesson!

Also, now this is going to age me so don't judge, I remember getting the video (yes kids, before DVDs) of Nastassja Kinski in Roman Polanski's Tess. Saucy!

But all of this is leading me into a discussion of Fictional Bad Boys, because I was always of the opinion that Alec D'Urberville was MUCH more interesting than Angel Clare, who always seemed to be a bit of a milksop to me. See, the lessons of literature are not always the ones that the "Back To The Classics" brigade would like us to learn/ teach.

So, who are the top 5 bad boys of literature?

Exhibit #1 Heathcliff he'll dig you up after you're dead! That's how bad he is!

Exhibit #2 Wickham he can rock those military whites more than Darcy's foophy shirt, and he'll run off with your little sister if you're not careful.

Exhibit #3 Rhett Butler Frankly my dear, he'll whisk you up that staircase and into bed before you can say twiddle dee-dee.

Exhibit #4 now Hamlet *should* be a bad boy, but there are several Acts of poncing around, so I'm calling Othello- don't cross him mind!

Exhibit #5 Lestat the thinking person's Edward. Sexy, brooding and a little bit bitey.

Who's on your bad boy list? And can you think of an Australian bad boy character? I struggled as you can tell.

Happy tales,
Barking Owl

Non-fiction for senior students

2010-04-25T20:37:00.006+08:00

I've been reading some non-fiction lately, partly to find something for my senior classes, and partly because I've been off the novel for a little while.

I started with Eating Animals thinking that might be a controversial but interesting read, but I think that some students would be really confronted, if awakened, by some of that information. I have taught Fast Food Nation with some success in the past. I might still come back to Safran Foer's text, even if just in part because of the beautiful writing.

Your Skirt's Too Short by Emily Maguire is a reworking of Princesses and Pornstars for young adults. I think some students would really get into the sexual politics and issues raised here. Maguire writes about her past as a slut and in doing so, questions our definition of the term. This would make the young reader think, perhaps for the first time, about power and discourse of sexuality. But, I found that she lost her way after the first few chapters, perhaps because the content wasn't new, or indeed meant, for me.

Lastly, I read Nice Work by Jana Wendt. I heard an interview with Wendt on local radio and was inspired to rush to the bookstore and snatch it up. The interview was so much better than the book.

This was disappointing, but perhaps to be expected. Wendt after all was one of Australia's better reporters, she could question an interviewee into the corner. Words are her weapons. Her writing on the other hand I found quite forced.

The objective of the book was to find out what drives people in their work. Wendt shadows a boxer, a priest, a forensic anthropologist and others in this quest. I just wish there had been more of the subject and less of Wendt in the overall book. The world of work is a fascinating topic, the book didn't live up to my expectations.

So, back to the drawing board. I'm waiting on my copy of Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers. This might be the one! I live in hope :)

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

H00t #25 The Book Thief

2010-04-12T12:17:00.003+08:00

I am pleased to report that I have finally finished reading The Book Thief.

Firstly, can I say that Markus Zusak is lovely, cute and funny. I loved hearing him talk about writing at the Fremantle Children's Literature Centre last year.

So, I WANTED to like this book. I know that MANY people love it and much has been written about it, so I'm going to be brief in explaining why I don't.

The narrative point of view, while original, didn't really do much for me. I found the foreshadowing unnecessary and disruptive.
This was a LONG book which needed editing. Apparently it started out as a novella but ended up at 584 pages!
While I loved some of the characters, Rudy and Max, I struggled with Liesel. I'm not really sure why.
Another book on the holocaust? Really?
The colour of the sky- WAY too many times.

So, opening myself up for all sorts of derision here, what was it about The Book Thief that you loved? I'd really like to know because I start teaching it in a little over a week :)

Until then, happy tales,

Barking Owl

Quick update

2010-04-05T09:32:00.003+08:00

It's nearly been a month without posting, and the last one was a cop out post. I blame the world of work...

So I've been reading quite a lot, just not teen fiction. Unless you count The Book Thief beloved of many, I'm just not one of them... I'm not sure what the block is with this one, but I'll have to suck it up because I start teaching it in about a fortnight. I think it needed editing down to about a third of its size.

I've also read the latest Alexander McCall Smith The Double Comfort Safari Club which was lovely, as usual.

And Lolita which was disturbing and beautiful all at the same time.

And Ian McEwan's Solar which I really loved. A lot of the negative reviews you might be reading miss the satire, in my humble opinion.

So, there's a quick round up. I have The Ask And The Answer waiting for me, and this book promo has me wanting to get into this series too:

nature sounds site

2010-03-09T16:46:00.003+08:00

Someone called Andris found my humble little blog and would like me to promote his website.

I've had a go and it looks legit. The sheep sounds cracked me up. Only a Kiwi might find listening to them relaxing!

He says:

Sometimes it is hard to read if surrounding environment is noisy. In such situations it helps to use earphones and listen to some kind of white noise. It is known that sounds of nature work better as white noise comparing to music because of its two factors:
* lyrics which tend to distract thoughts
* varying volume of music which makes white noise either too quiet or too loud.

So I have made a free tool http://www.naturesoundsfor.me with which you can create a composition of nature sounds, save it in WAV file and listen to it via portable audio player for example when reading in public transport or while waiting in a doctor's office.

http://www.naturesoundsfor.me

Give it a burl, or not :)

Book Hoot #24 The Knife Of Never Letting Go

2010-03-01T16:19:00.003+08:00

Todd Hewitt is the last boy in a town of men. Prentisstown is a new settlement on a planet where because of a virus everyone can hear everyone elses thoughts and all the women have died. When Todd and his talking dog Manchee (you can hear the thoughts of every living thing in this world) stumble across some 'quiet' while out looking for apples, his world begins to change. He has discovered a girl.

The Knife Of Never Letting Go is the first in the Chaos Walking trilogy and it is an amazing beginning. I haven't been gripped by a book like this since Hunger Games. Apparently the Chicago Tribune labelled the novel as “a read-alone, stay-up-way-too-late book.” It is brimming with suspense and tension. There are moments of humour and tenderness also. Todd's relationship with Manchee in particular is lovely.

The noise is metaphorical, of course, of how many distractions there are in our everyday, how difficult it can be to stay focused and remember what's important. Todd repeats his name to himself, reminds himself of how close he is to his 13th birthday and sings a song from childhood all to block out the noise. How rare, but how important it is to find those pockets of silence and peace.

Viola, the girl with quiet from the swamp, turns out to be far from the damsel in distress. In fact she saves Todd a few times in their flight from Prentisstown. Quite the kick ass heroine!

I think if you like suspense, action packed reads, you'll like this one. The ending is open, of course because of the whole trilogy thing, but the good news is that part two is in the stores! I'm off to buy number two tomorrow!

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

Book H00t #23 The Girl Who Fell From The Sky

2010-02-25T09:06:00.002+08:00

This novel has won the Bellwether Prize (an award for literary fiction that addresses issues of social justice and the impact of culture and politics on human relationships) but it doesn't read like a 'worthy' book. And by the way, what a great cover illustration.

I enjoyed Rachel's story. She is the sole survivor of a fall which claims her mother, brother and baby sister. How and why they fell from a rooftop is the spine of the narrative. Rachel's father, an African American GI, and her Norweigan mother's relationship is complicated by alcohol abuse. So there are issues of racial identity on top of having to come to terms with the accident and the expected trials of adolescence.

Adding more layers to the narrative are two more viewpoints; one from a boy who witnesses the fall, the other from a co-worker of Nella (Rachel's mother). We also have brief, probably too brief, comments from Nella's journal. Rachel comes to live with her grandmother, and there are a lot of humourous moments to relieve some of the tension. The story resolves sentimentally with readers wanting more from what is quite a brief novel.

Happy reading, happy tales,

Barking Owl

Book Hoot # 22 When The Hipchicks Went To War

2010-02-15T18:50:00.003+08:00

When I picked this up, I was sceptical. How could a 16 year old find herself performing for the troops in Vietnam? But, I went along for the ride. And I was really glad that I did because when you get to the author's notes at the end, you realise that not only was it possible, that it did happen.

This is a well researched and tightly written narrative by Pamela Rushby which sensitively explores issues surrounding the Vietnam war.

Kathy is ready to leave school- but the possibilities open in the 60s are limited. She is frustrated setting perms at the local salon, her friends are heading in different directions and she dreams of breaking free from her insular town. The first step is a job as a go-go dancer, but the real opportunity comes in an audition to entertain the troops in Vietnam. So Kathy flys off with two other girls who make up The Hipchicks. They come back to earth awfully quickly.

As well as looking at this fascinating period in history, there are other themes that the novel touches on: what happens when your best friend is protesting against conscription and you're essentially earning a living from war, the tricky relationship between mothers and daughters and all the drama of first romances.

A very satisfying read, recommended for 14-16 year olds.

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

Book Hoot #21 Eating Animals

2010-02-07T21:04:00.004+08:00

Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals is certainly a difficult read for those of us who do, eat animals that is. There are some passages that I flicked over, I just couldn't have those images in my head before sleeping, but there are also some enjoyable moments here too. I find Foer's writing so clever and emotive and insightful.

While this is a book written by a vegetarian, its not a polemic. Foer moves through the unacceptable factory farming practices used for fowl, cattle and pigs. After reading this, you will think again about what goes in your mouth.

The parts I enjoyed the most were the comments about traditions and the role that food on the table plays in these ceremonies. Foer asks us to consider if a tradition like Thanksgiving, for example, could be the same without the turkey. The kindness in the personal moments in this story act as a counterpoint to the cruelty in others.

So, this isn't an easy book to read, but if you love animals it's essential.

Happy tales,
Barking Owl

Top Ten Kick-Ass Female Protagonists 2009

2009-12-29T12:44:00.006+08:00

Everyone else seems to be making a list for the end of the year, if not the decade, so here's my top ten brave, resilient, strong and kick-ass female characters from my reading in 2009.

In no particular order:

1. Mia in If I Stay by Gayle Forman
2. Daisy in How I live Now by Meg Rosoff
3. Gemma in Stolen by Lucy Christopher
4. Kaitness in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5. Miranda in Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pffefer
5. Micha in Liar by Justine Larbalestier
6. Deryn in Leviathan by Scott Westerfield
7.Flavia in the Sweetness at The Bottom Of The Pie by Alan Bradley
8. Lisbeth in The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
9. Kate in What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn
10. Precious in Tea Time For The Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith

So what do all these characters have in common? For me they have the ability to show female readers that girls can: survive, be active, find humour in adversity, show the boys a thing or two and importantly be strong and loving (often at the same time!)

I'm reading some adult stuff at the moment, Wolf Hall is keeping me pretty busy! And I'm off to beautiful Tasmania on Monday, but I'll be back soon with more reviews and hoots :)

All the best for all your reading in 2010,

Barking Owl

Hoot# 21 The Dead and the Gone

2009-12-15T16:16:00.002+08:00

The Dead and the Gone (Moon Trilogy#2) by Susan Beth Pfeffer is the companion book to Life As We Knew It. It's not a sequel, because the events are concurrent; Pfeffer takes us back to the moon being struck by the asteroid, but this time the setting is New York.

Like Miranda in Moon#1, Alex is quite the self-centred teenager. He is vice-president of his class, has Georgetown college aspirations and dreams of being the first Puerto Rican President. The book deals a little with his feelings of being an outsider in his school . Alex has an older brother, Carlos, who is in the marines, and two sisters, Bri and Julie.

One theme which differs slightly from the first book is the approach to religion. While Miranda's family is not religious at all, Alex's family is Catholic. They rely on the church for their education and food, as well as for spiritual strength. That's not to say that there aren't crises of faith, but I think that is only natural when dealing with the end of the world.

The story is told in diary narration, and like the first novel has an unresolved ending- but apparently Alex and Miranda will reappear in the final of the trilogy, The World We Live In.

Some readers might find this depressing, or scary, or both. There is a particularly frightening food riot scene, and this being Manhattan, there are some nasty rat moments as well. For all of this, I think it might nudge some readers out of their complacency or greed- this can only be a good thing!

I only have one complaint about this series, they make me hungry! Not that I'm going to stockpile food or anything... but I have a better idea of what to do if there are prolonged power outages.

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

Book H00T #20 Leviathan

2009-11-27T14:01:00.003+08:00

Scott Westerfield's Leviathan is the pacy and exciting first book in a trilogy. It is an example of steampunk which is a branch of science fiction. In this alternate history the Darwinists have taken the theory and applied it to manipulate DNA. They are in conflict with the "clankers" who have develped machinery such as the walker, a sort of tank on legs.

This dual narrative follows Alex, the heir to the Austrian throne and Deryn a would be pilot who has disguised herself as a boy to join the airforce. She is certainly a kick ass female protagonist, someone who would do anything to achieve her dreams. I'm a bit torn about the 'just kidding, I'm really *just* a girl' storyline. Surely in an alternate history we could have alternate gender roles?

Both characters are thrown together by accident on the Leviathan, a combination whale/ zepplin aircraft. Some of the most creative blending of science and machinery are in the descriptions of this craft.

The design of this book is particularly attractive. The symbolic inside cover map denotes the countries' political allies. There are also beautiful illustrations throughout.

The open ending is a little frustrating, and apparently the next installment is not due until October 2010. Westerfield has certainly turned me onto steampunk. I'm keen for further recommendations if you have any ideas.

Happy tales,
Barking Owl

Book Hoot #19 The Wild Things

2009-11-15T07:17:00.005+08:00

This is Dave Eggers' novelisation of the film made from Maurice Sendak's much loved children's book.

There were a couple of reasons why I desperately wanted to read this one:

I LOVE the picture book
I can't wait for the Spike Jonze film (and have been tearing up just watching the trailer!)
it has a furry cover(!!)
I am a bit obsessed with Dave Eggers

Yes, I have a little crush on all things Eggers. I get the McSweeny non-required reading every year, I have read all his books, have little dreams about moving to America to stalk him .... you get the picture!

So given all that build up, how was the book?

The premise is the same as the picture book, Max leaves home to sail away to an island of beasts. There is a wild rumpus, they love him so much they want to eat him up, they make him king, there is a parade and then he sails home to find dinner waiting.

But of course Jonze and Eggers had to fill the bones of the story out, and in doing so they have made Max a much more destructive character. His parents have divorced and he is acting out of anger and loneliness. He trashes his sister's room in a manner that could have major consequences, (and gets away with this) he is hostile to his mother's boyfriend and he lashes out culminating in biting his mum.

Eggers explains:

We all really get along - Spike and Maurice and I always had the same goals for the movie, and the novelization, too, which was to sort of reinstitute the dangerous elements of that book. Because when it came out, it was pretty controversial and some librarians didn’t like it, and child psychologists thought it was, you know, unhelpful. And it was really morally ambiguous in a way. It showed a kid sort of disobeying his mother and acting crazy - which all kids do, but you still don’t see much of in children’s literature. It’s too often, I think, washed clean.

Spike and Maurice and I just decided we needed to make the book wild and dangerous again and really unexpected. So the movie is really unlike anything anyone will expect, I think. And the book is different from both of them, actually. It has Max and Max going to an island, but in the book I’m able to [develop] the storyline also - as a book can always do. You have a lot more room to play with. The book is 150 words, the movie is 90 minutes, the novel gets to be a whole different level.

Max's rage doesn't just go away in this fantasy world though. It takes quite a while for him to learn that his actions have consequences, that even beasts have feelings. There were a few uncomfortable moments for me, mainly when Max was acting violently towards the beasts (and I realise that sounds odd; it didn't upset me when he bit his mother!)

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely and wholeheartedly. It is meant for "all ages" and there are definitely moments in there for all readers.

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

Tender Morsels for the win!

2009-11-04T07:07:00.003+08:00

Margo Lanagan has won a World Fantasy Award with Tender Morsels

The Guardian has the story here and this is my favourite part:

A book, she believes, is "perhaps the safest, the least confronting form" in which to explore tough stories, as it is much easier to decide to put down or take up an uncomfortable tale in a book, than it is to reject one on television or in a cinema. "If a young person (or an adult) is not ready, or not 'in the mood', for a particular story, or they need to pause in the reading, or even stop altogether, with a book they can pause, or stop, and no one else need see, know or comment," she said.

How absolutely true.

This one's a sure winner

2009-11-03T12:13:00.004+08:00

Well, if you're like me, another Melbourne Cup has been and gone leaving an empty place in the purse. I had the favourite in the office sweep, and I'd picked the Bart Cummings horses in my trifecta... it's a good thing I can pick good books!

What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn is about the grief felt by Kate Meaney a young girl who goes missing in a shopping centre. The first third of the book is told from her point of view, she is a delightful character who is obsessed with the potential crime scene at Green Oaks mall. There is a shocking turn of events which is not revealed until the end of the novel. In part two the narrative moves towards 2004 where we meet Kurt and Lisa, both of whom are struggling with their own loss- of family, of romantic hopes and so on.

This is a novel that will stay with you, one to chew over and chat about with your friends.

Wonderful writing, the voices of Kate, Lisa and Kurt are so well wrought. And I had an out loud gasp at one turn of events towards the end! Highly recommended.

Happy tales,
Barking Owl

yowza!

2009-10-27T21:11:00.003+08:00

Sorry for abandoning you little blog... here's a list of the things I have been doing instead of blogging:

shepherding another group of talented and bright young things off into the world
reading the third and final in the Milennium series
watching A LOT of ordinary television, and one excellent series of Mad Men

but I am BACK SOON, with a review of...

Until then, happy tales,
Barking Owl

Book h00T #18

2009-10-10T13:49:00.003+08:00

Well, seven days and nine books later, I'm back from a lovely holiday in Bali. We stayed at a beautiful resort in Ubud, and I read and read and read. My idea of a perfect break!

Top of the pile was Judith Lanagan's The True History of The Hula Hoop. This is a dual narrative is told from the perspective of Catherine, an Australian traveling performance artist and Colombia, a 16th century Italian clown. The prose is interesting and well plotted. I learned a lot about the hula hoop too! Lanagan is a hula hoop performer herself and this comes through in her passion about hooping. I also loved the West Australian connection. Highly recommended.

Liar by Justine Larbalestier is about Micah Wilkins, a self-confessed compulsive liar. Talk about an unreliable narrator! Much has been written about this novel, and I'm certainly not going to spoil the surprises for you, so I'll just add that it is an exciting, tightly written narrative that will keep you thinking long after you have closed it. Loved it. The tagline is: "Read it to believe it" and you certainly should.

The last of my YA pile was The Crossing by Mandy Hager. This is the first of the "Blood of the Lamb" trilogy, but to be honest, I don't think I'll be reading the next two. I'm not sure if it is an overdose of post-apocalyptic novels, or just that I didn't warm to any of the characters very much. The concept is interesting, but the manipulation of religion irked me a little; it was heavy-handed in my opinion. The love story just didn't fire either. It is pacy, and younger readers might enjoy it (but I'd point them to the Moon Trilogy, The Other Side of the Island or Hunger Games instead.)

So, back to work on Monday... I think I'll cheer myself up by chatting with my classes about the great books I read over the two week break. And maybe, actually I'm pretty sure they will have some new titles for me to check out too.

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

HOLIDAYS!

2009-10-01T14:45:00.007+08:00

In about four hours I'm heading off for a week in Bali, volcanic activity, tsunamis, and potential super typhoons couldn't keep me away.

In the suitcase, along with the sunscreen and the bathers are these:

Along with some non YA choices, these should keep me busy by the pool :)

And great cover designs too dontcha think?

So, hooting these beauties when I return.

Until then, happy holidays and happy tales,

barking owl

Book H00t #17 The Loblolly Boy

2009-09-22T18:00:00.005+08:00

Loblolly: a non-professional assistant to a ship's surgeon

Loblolly: a medicinal porridge sometimes containing meat

What do these definitions have to do with this book? Nothing, as far as I can make out. But what an odd word!

This loblolly boy is able to fly, doesn't need to eat and is invisible to others. Some people, the Sensitives and the frightening Collectors are able to see him and this drives the plot. Exchanges take place, bodies are swapped and children escape from one existence to another.

James Norcliffe's fantasy novel has a touch of the Peter Pans about it. It intrigued me! And I usually don't like fantasy.

There were also some beautiful passages of writing, like:

He did let me touch the wings once. The feathers were long and soft and glittered in the dapled sunlight with a speckle and an emerald shine. They were beautiful. When he flexed his shoulders they lifted and stretched and I gasped at the lovely symmetry of them.

The message is certainly not a clear one. The children want to exchange with the boy to escape their lot in life, but they quickly find out that jumping from the frying pan into the fire isn't all it's cracked up to be. Perhaps readers might sympathise with these kids, but shouldn't wanting to improve your lot in life be positive? And there's a theme about single parenting happening in there too which I have mixed feelings about.

All in all, this is an entertaining ride which will certainly raise questions!

Happy tales,
Barking Owl

Book Blogger Appreciation Week Meme

2009-09-16T22:05:00.004+08:00

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?

You can have a FAVOURITE snack? I am all-embracing in my snack choices.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you?

HORRIFY! Books are precious!

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?

see above.

Laying the book flat open?

I have a lavender scented book weight.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?

Both

Hard copy or audiobooks?

Hard copy

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you
able to put a book down at any point?

Urgh. This annoys me so much. I can stop at any point and pick up again immediately. Someone *close* to me HAS to finish at the end of a chapter.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

this doesn't happen often, english teacher :)

What are you currently reading?

The Loblolly Boy by James Norcliffe

What is the last book you bought?

see above

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can
you read more than one at a time?

More than one, life's too short for only one!

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?

nope, all the time.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?

stand alone, although I have enjoyed the Hunger Games series and the Moon books too.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

The Sweetness At the Bottom Of the Pie by Alan Bradley

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

By colour! Really, quite anal about it ;)

Two excellent articles FYI

2009-09-16T19:47:00.002+08:00

"Where The Popular Kids Are Sitting" by Karen Healey about YA readers, YA writers and the endurance of speculative fiction.

And

John Green's speech for the ALAN conference about the intelligence of teenage readers.

Weenie Hoot: Hunger Games II Catching Fire

2009-09-15T18:09:00.004+08:00

WOW. Just wow.

Again I devoured this one. It picks up pretty much where the previous novel left off, and the tension is ramped up almost immediately.

If you haven't caught this series, I see Dymocks is offering Hunger Games at $9.00. Get into it!

Oh and this isn't the Australian cover, but I like this one better :)

Happy tales,

Barking Owl

Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Interview

2009-09-15T09:00:00.001+08:00

As part of the Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I interviewed the lovely Jess from Barney's Book Blog

And it went a little something like this:

What’s the story of the title of your blog?

Have you ever seen the television show ‘How I Met Your Mother’? One of the characters (played by the fantastic Neil Patrick Harris) is named Barney and he has a blog where he writes about picking up chicks and being awesome. When I decided to start my blog, I didn’t like the name Jessica’s Book Blog, so instead I named it after the only person (although not real) I knew who had a blog.

What was the impetus to start blogging?

I read too much and needed an outlet to discuss my opinions on the books I read. My family and friends were at the point where they would roll their eyes every time I said, “I just read the most incredible book...”

When you started did you have an imagined reader in mind? Or were you writing for yourself primarily?

I didn’t really think about who would read my blog. It was more for me to vent my ideas and opinions about the books I was reading.

What lifted the number of subscribers and readers of your blog? Was it a particular post?

It wasn’t a particular post. It was embracing the blogger community and getting involved with weekly memes and commenting on other blogs. Commenting and engaging within the community made other bloggers search me out and become subscribers.

Do you blog all of the books you read?

No, I don’t usually review books that are a part of a series that I started reading before I started blogging. I do usually mention them in posts where I discuss what I am reading for the week.

Has your writing/ your ‘voice’ changed over the time you have been blogging?

My writing has changed. I have a very different reviewing format than I did in the beginning. I write more about the themes I see in books instead of just talking about what I liked. I also try very hard to be spoiler free.

Thanks Jess and happy Book Blogger Appreciation Week!

b0Ok h00t #16 The Absolutely True Diary of A Part Time Indian

2009-09-11T16:49:00.008+08:00

This award winning novel is told from the viewpoint of Arnold Spirit (Junior) a teenage cartoonist who lives on the Spokane Reservation, the rez. Arnold has a couple of strikes against him: he was born with "water on the brain", has seizures and oversize hands and feet. Against the wishes of his best friend, and the Indian community, Arnold decides to leave the local high school and head to the rich white high school Reardan. His tale is illustrated with his cartoons.

Does this sound like a funny book? Well, Sherman Alexi's character is funny! The voice of the 14 year old is realistic and the content is spot on for this age group. But this is tempered with the racist prejudice that Arnold faces, and the very real problems of the rez- alcoholism, poverty, hunger, loss of cultural identity and so on. Overall though, this is a book with heart, and I can see both boys and girls enjoying reading about such an unfamiliar world. The friendship between Arnold and Randy is lovely and real.

Overall, I think this would be a great book for thirteen year olds. And in Australia, it could lead to discussion about our treatment of and attitudes towards our Aboriginal people.

Happy tales.

Barking Owl

It looks like a wild and windy night, perfect for cuddling up with a book :)

BooK Hoot #15 Tender Morsels

2009-09-05T16:35:00.004+08:00

**spoiler alert**

Margo Lanagan's controversial fantasy has a very dark start. Liga is abused by her father, sexually and psychologically, but out of this horror comes a beautiful daughter, Branza. As if this isn't enough, she is then raped resulting in another daughter Urdda. The three live and heal in a place which is on the edge of what we would consider the 'real' world. Both of these worlds are nudging and tearing though, and there is movement between them from some minor characters. And a lot of bears!

This sort of text is not my usual cup of tea, but I found it strangely compelling. I wanted to know that life would be better for Liga and the girls. And I thought the writing was poetic and beautiful. Lanagan constructs a dialect which goes to making the world of the text fascinating. It is certainly an original fairytale, borrowing from Grimm's and like those shows just how cruel and unjust life can be. There are moments of tenderness, as the title suggests, and these are poignant and a relief.

Would I recommend this to teenagers? Well, yes. Older ones, who can cope with the darkness. Or those who like fantasy. It is an honest and brutal tale that has much to say.

And as for the controversy, fairy tales are not sweet nor Disneyesque. There are clear signs on the back that this is not a children's book. I hope most adults who are complaining about this text also stop their kids watching crime dramas, or playing violent games. If you don't want this stuff in your head, then you've every right to not read/ watch.

And what a beautiful cover! The artist's work can be seen here.

happy tales,
Barking Owl

Get with the program!

2009-08-31T11:19:00.003+08:00

There's an article in the NY Times about a 'revolutionary' idea- letting kids pick their own reading materials for class.

So. not. new.

“What child is going to pick up ‘Moby-Dick’?” said Diane Ravitch, a professor of education at New York University who was assistant education secretary under President George H. W. Bush. “Kids will pick things that are trendy and popular. But that’s what you should do in your free time.”

Seriously.

How can we NOT foster a love of reading? I think that's my primary role! (That and teaching possessive apostrophe rules...)

And Meg Cabot agrees.

b00k H00t #14 The Other Side OF The Island

2009-08-30T07:11:00.004+08:00

Yes, another dystopian YA novel on the list for year nines. But this is my favourite yet! It is eighteen years after "enclosure", the world as we know it has been flooded, presumably due to global warming, and there is only a series of numbered islands left. "Earth Mother" who is in charge of the Corporation, has enclosed some islands to control their weather, and the people's minds!

Allegra Goodman's combines globalisation and global warming in her dark vision for our potential future. The writing is tight and pacy and there's certainly much to be discussed in terms of language choice and her extrapolation of current global events. For example, the punishment for not filling out forms correctly is 24 hours of "Persuasive Reasoning and Positive Reinforcement" and the potential loss of teeth. As in all the best dystopian texts, the price of freedom is pain.

Honor (all the children in her birth year have names beginning with 'h') and her parents move to island 365 where there is New Weather and all people are controlled down to their jobs, housing and reproductive rights. Sound familiar? This totalitarian scenario has been seen before in texts, and of course in our world. The complications come when Honor's family defy the rules- even her name isn't really complying, and they begin to fight back. Of course along the way Honor tries to fit in with this new order.

I can't recommend this one highly enough. Speculative fiction has an important place in the classroom and in our lives, it always has. There are subtleties that adults will enjoy. For example: the Corporation are in the process of 'ceiling' the world; there are hotels just visible beneath the ocean and there's one memorable scene with a lone polar bear which reminded me of the scene from An Inconvenient Truth.

I think teenagers will lap this one up- and Honor certainly kicks some corporation ass!

Happy reading,

Barking Owl

No Blyton-esque endings- but where's the hope?

2009-08-26T19:45:00.002+08:00

There's an interesting article over at Guardian books blog about Anne Fine's comments at the Edinborough international book festival (how cool would that be?!)

It raises some of the issues that I'm interested in, namely the fine line between reality and despair.

Recently as a faculty we were discussing just this problem; we want students to read realistic texts, that are gritty and deal with issues worth discussion, BUT we also want them to retain a sense of hope. If you're being fed texts about the end of the earth in English, then moving to science to learn about global warming and then to social studies to learn about overpopulation, then you can see why some of them have such a bleak outlook.

And is it our place as English teachers to raise these issues?

I'm about to read Tender Morsels which has been so controversial in the UK this summer.

Watch this space :)

BooK H00t # 13 Life As We Knew It

2009-08-23T10:27:00.004+08:00

I loves me a good disaster book and Life As We Knew It delivered in spades, BUT it also had a feisty female protagonist and that made the read all the better for me.

The disaster that initiates the apocalypse in this novel is that the moon has been hit by a meteor and has been knocked closer to earth. This causes all sorts of cataclysmic events such as tsunamis, volcanic activity and climate change. The family's response to this forms the bulk of the novel.

Miranda is 16 and is preoccupied with all the things readers and viewers of American texts will recognise: prom, grade point average, friendships and budding romance. Her father has remarried and is expecting a new baby, and Miranda's response to this modern, but common, family composition will be a point of recognition for many readers. Over the course of the text she moves from the typical self-centered, argumentative teenager to someone who will do anything to ensure that her younger brother (at least) will survive.

Susan Beth Pfeffer tells the story in diary entries from Miranda's perspective. She has captured an authentic teenage voice with all the complaining, angst and arguments that will certainly ring true with teenagers, and those who live or work with them! Her relationship with her mother is an example of this- she loves her, she hates her, they fight hammer and tongs. I'm just grateful that the mother character isn't killed off! So much of this relationship forms the heart of the novel, and I found it both realistic and moving.

If you were to compare this disaster novel to some of the adult versions of the genre, then it is probably closest to Cormac McCarthy's The Road, which I loved. BUT the humanity in this text is completely different: the doctor character remains working in the local hospital when most are fleeing; people volunteer in the post office; teachers try to keep the schools open and the community shares when they can afford to. There is also lovely relationship with an older woman.

My one gripe is with the representation of faith. The church and its representatives are certainly not shown positively, and the character who chooses to starve herself to be closer to God is one I could have done without. I think discussing this in a christian school might be tricky.

This is the first in a trilogy, and like The Hunger Games, I'm hooked.

If after reading this, teenagers can get an appreciation for the little things in life, like hot showers and electricity, then that can only be a good thing!

Happy tales, and don't forget to stock up on the canned beans, *just in case!*

Barking Owl

Book Week Dress Up Day

2009-08-20T22:12:00.003+08:00

As promised, here's today's dress up efforts.

Can I tell you that suit was like wearing a doona and I BAKED most of the day, despite it being cold and rainy.

My year 12s found it hard to take me seriously when I was discussing Anti-American Imperialist discourse dressed as Tigger.

bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy
Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!

Book Week!

2009-08-19T13:57:00.003+08:00

Yes it's Book Week and that means lots of fun activities at school, culminating in a dress up day tomorrow.

The theme, as you can see is Book Safari and here you can dress to the theme OR come as your favourite character. I will be combining the two and dressing as Tigger (photos tomorrow.) Do you remember parading as your favourite character when you were a kid? And who would you choose now?

On Friday the winners of the CBC awards will be announced. Have you read any of these?

D.M. CORNISH Monster Blood Tattoo Book Two: Lamplighter (Omnibus Books, Scholastic Australia)

Anthony EATON Into White Silence (Woolshed Press, Random House Australia)

Jackie FRENCH A Rose for the Anzac Boys (Harper Collins Publishers)

Melina MARCHETTA Finnikin of the Rock (Viking Penguin Group Australia)

James MOLONEY Kill the Possum (Penguin Group Australia)

Shaun TAN Tales from Outer Suburbia (Allen & Unwin)

My guess, and it would be a complete guess, is Melina Marchetta. I haven't read it though... just going on her cred.

So, happy Book Week and happy tales,

Barking Owl

cheating at reading/ self imposed spoliers

2009-08-15T21:18:00.004+08:00

There's a funny article over at the Guardian about cheating at choose your own adventure stories. Go ahead, I'll wait.

Cute, hey?

So this got me thinking about whether you're the sort of reader who will peek at the ending of the book, or do you prefer to let the tale take you there?

I can't look. In fact I'm never even tempted. There are times that I don't make the ending, but that's different; if I don't care enough about the characters or the narrative to finish, then what happens at the end really isn't of much concern either.

Then there are the books that you don't want to finish, because then you won't be reading them anymore!

Here's a list of books that would have been completely ruined if I had known the ending prior to reading: (don't worry, no spoilers here!)

There's A Monster At the End of This Book by Jon Stone
The Life Of Pi by Yann Martel
Storm Boy by Colin Theile
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

Which ending has surprised you the most? Or satisfied you the most? Do you self-impose spoilers?

happy tales,
barking owl

The Dreaded Class Novel OR how to kill reading pleasure.

2009-08-12T17:08:00.003+08:00

At my school, we are in the process of deciding which novels to teach next year, 2010, which sounds like a date from the FUTURE to me, something from a science fiction text!

We run a class novel in every year group, with varying degrees of success. It always breaks my heart when students are casually discussing how little of these books they actually read. Some of them get by on classroom discussion, reading the bare minimum and hoping for the best.

It is always a trying process to find novels that all the teachers want to teach, that have some literary merit, aren't too adult and (as you might have gathered from my blog tagline) have strong, feisty teenage girls as central protagonists. There are lots of other criteria too: like some issues to discuss, the writing needs to be tight and the narrative satisfying. You're probably thinking it's a miracle that we find anything at all.

We had a lovely lot of books on appro from Westbooks and have enjoyed reading some of the latest YA ficiton. BUT nothing has leaped out yet.

What is your most hated class text?

Mine was taught by the most fearful headmistress, you know the kind: aging but still intimidating, formidable stare, terrifying habit of calling on you when you were dozy or unprepared. The novel was Bel Ria (something about a dog and a monkey apparently!) and her lessons consisted of reading a chapter out loud then setting questions that we would do for homework for her next lesson the following week. ALMOST killed my love of English, only saved by my regular teacher (think Miss Honey from Roald Dahl's Matilda.)

As a result, I try really hard not to kill a book with endless comprehension questions, and I try REALLY hard not to let teen apathy kill a book for me. My tens are struggling through To Kill A Mocking Bird right now, and I'm thinking of fun ways to teach it.

Ok, let me know which books were crucified for you by a teacher. Have you gone back to read it later? Or will it always be dead to you?

happy tales :)

Book Blogger Appreciation Week Meme

2009-08-08T16:01:00.002+08:00

Here goes:

1) What has been one of the highlights of blogging for you?

I am such a newbie at this. I guess I've enjoyed the reflection on my reading, choosing the texts and thinking about what effect my comments might have on readers. I like the compliments on my writing too :)

2) What blogger has helped you out with your blog by answering questions, linking to you, or inspiring you?

My friend Sarah put me onto the joys of blogging in the first place, and gave me the confidence and kick in the pants that I needed to get started.

3) What one question do you have about BBAW that someone who participated last year could answer?

Which blogger inspired you the most?

Looking forward to the week!

Book Hoot #12 Jasper Jones

2009-08-04T17:09:00.004+08:00

Jasper Jones tells the story of Charlie Bucktin and the insular mining town of Corrigin in the 1960s. Charlie and his friend Jeffery Lu are outsiders, but not to the same extent as Jasper Jones, a 'mixed race' boy who seems to be the town scapegoat for every misdemeanour. When Jasper knocks on Charlie's louvered windows one night, nothing will be the same for either of them again.

Craig Silvey's coming of age story makes many intertextual references that younger readers might not understand. The love interest, Eliza Wishart is obsessed with Breakfast At Tiffany's, Charlie voraciously consumes Twain, and Harper Lee's classic To Kill A Mockingbird makes many appearances throughout the text. Sometimes this is a bit forced to be honest.

I was reading Jasper Jones with teaching in mind, and it would make an excellent bridge between Mockingbird and Atonement. I feel it is important for WA students to read a text published by a West Australian, set in their home state. We tried Sorry by Gail Jones for this reason, to an underwhelming response. JJ has a much more engaging plot and more accessible themes. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps... I do have a few content and language concerns.

Jeffery Lu is the standout character in this text. He is a witty, quirky boy who will make you laugh out loud. (Sometimes I wondered if his voice would ring true with adolescent readers; there is an early conversation about superheroes that I found far too 'adult'.) In any case, he is memorable for his questions, and the cricket game is one of the best underdog performances I've read for a long time.

Jeffery Lu's best question: would you rather wear a hat made of spiders, or have penises for fingers?

Well, what would you prefer? ( And yes the spiders are venomous.)

Happy reading :)

Fantastic Mr Fox

2009-08-03T17:06:00.003+08:00

How very cool does this look?

@ Yahoo! Video

Create Your YA Debut novel cover

2009-07-30T20:43:00.004+08:00

Here's mine. Can you believe I got an owl? Spooky!
And yeah, I know there isn't a person in the picture, but the people ones were a bit disturbing... and I mean c'mon I wasn't going to let that owl go!

Via: Alien Onion.

Here's the instructions:

1 - Go to "Fake Name Generator" or click http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/

The name that appears is your author name.

2 - Go to "Random Word Generator" or click http://www.websitestyle.com/parser/randomword.shtml

The word listed under "Random Verb" is your title.

3 - Go to "FlickrCC" or click http://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/index.php

Type your title into the search box. The first photo that contains a person is your cover.

4 - Use Photoshop, Picnik, or similar to put it all together. Be sure to crop and/or zoom in.

5 - Post it to your site along with this text.

Have a look at the gallery.

BooK H0oT #11 Hunger Games

2009-07-26T17:27:00.004+08:00

This dystopian novel by Suzanne Collins is set in post apocalyptic USA where there are 12 districts left in Panem, all vying for whatever is left in natural resources, especially food. The Capitol demand a pair of sacrifices from each district every year as a reminder of their subservience. The Games are televised nationally and are fought to the death.

This book is the start of a trilogy and I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE! On the cover, Stephen King comments on the suspense, and he is spot on.

Collins' novel features exactly the sort of kick-ass girl I think there should be more of in YA fiction.
From the opening scene I knew I would like Kaitness Everdeen; she's spunky, brave and loyal. She provides for her family by hunting illegally and she has developed skills which serve her well when she gets to the Hunger Games in the Capitol. She is a complex character though; she feels deeply and responds to the unnecessary deaths with sensitivity.

These killings might make some younger readers uncomfortable, but they are handled well and make sense in terms of character and narrative. Like all speculative fiction, the reality television of today is taken to its logical conclusion- and Collins asks the reader to consider the extent to which those in power go to keep others subjugated.

While the plotting was pacy and engaging, perhaps there could have been more in terms of the political in the novel. Although Kaitness and Peeta both question the society in the Capitol and their methods of controlling others, they can't do much to protest in their situation. Perhaps there will be more of this in the next couple of texts. There's much to discuss here with a class about society, inequality and protest.

One little gripe, there were two sentences that made me stop because they were missing words. C'mon editors! Young readers, perhaps more than adults, deserve better proof-reading.

There are hints of Margo Lanagan's short story Singing My Sister Down and the classic Shirley Jackson story The Lottery here. Both of them would be excellent companion texts when teaching this novel. And if you were teaching Lord of the Flies, then this might be an easier/ more enjoyable option for some readers.

Recommended for:

girls wanting a protagonist who can take care of herself without mooning around longing for lurve (but there is a love triangle here too.)
boys too would like the pacy, action packed adventure
readers ready to move into sci-fi, this could be a stepping stone to some classic reads

Teaching ideas:

How far would you go for self-preservation?
Plot out the next two books- predict what might happen to some of the characters
Invent your own dystopia- extrapolate a current issue to its logical conclusion.

Discussion notes here from Scholastic.

Happy reading :)

B00K H00T #10 Stolen

2009-07-24T17:33:00.004+08:00

Wow this one was a ripper of a read! Lucy Christopher has an excellent debut novel in Stolen. Even though that was MY novel title! Have to come up with something else now...

Anyhoo, this is told from the point of view of Gemma a seventeen year old British girl who is en route to Vietnam when she is drugged and stolen from Bangkok airport. The style is second person point of view, written as a letter to her captor and this is effective in keeping the reader engaged in working out the mystery of where he has taken her and what his intentions are.

It reminded me a lot of John Fowles' The Collector, but the imprisoned Gemma is much more sympathetic than the (at times pathetically) self-obsessed Miranda, while Ty is more interesting but just as creepy as Clegg.

There is a touch of Stockholm syndrome in the resolution, and while teenage girls might like this romance, it wasn't the most interesting part of the story for me. I enjoyed the landscape descriptions of outback WA and that the premise was (mostly) believable.

One small quibble, and I know that the author has little say over these sorts of things, the snake on the inside cover and the back is a bit obvious and brighter readers will NOT appreciate the spoiler.

recommended for:

fourteen or fifteen year old girls
those who like a bit of mystery with their bit of romance
those who like to be creeped out a bit

teaching ideas:

the symbolism of the camel, and other caged things would provide discussion
writing from the second person pov, considering what situations this would suit
design a LESS obvious dust jacket!

happy reading :)

BOOk H00t #9 How Do You Spell G-e-e-k?

2009-07-23T11:43:00.003+08:00

This is a quick read from Julie Ann Peters that will engage 11 or 12 year old girls who are going through the trials of friendships.

Friends aren't always easy to get along with are they? Especially if, like Kimberley, they are under pressure from their parents to win a national spelling bee. Or if they are the naive new kid in school, like Lurlene (yes really), who has awkward dress sense, a loud laugh and is traumatised by her parents' divorce. Sometimes you find yourself stuck in the middle, like Ann, forced to mentor Lurlene, at the expense of the cute boy who teases her and Kimberley's companionship.

So, this is a book about much more than spelling. But I do have a few issues with some of the representations. There is a lot of teasing of these girls with little in the way of comeuppance for the perpetrators. Lurlene cops a lot of it, and seems clueless to do anything about it. The branding of characters into narrow stereotypes might be convenient for young readers, but c'mon now authors! Can't we break these common assumptions once in a while? See Diamond In The Window for more on this.

Speaking as a geek, I'd like to think that such geekdom as the pursuit of excellence in spelling might one day be seen positivly.

The resolution was a little too neat, expected and twee, but at the same time left some of the bigger questions hanging. How will Kimberley's parents cope with her performance? And what about the whole divorce theme? Or is it just expected that these kids will get on with their fractured families?

Recommended for:

younger readers having friendship bust-ups
spellers? although there's a surprising lack of spelling in the story
if you liked the documentary Spellbound
If you like those makeover type scenes; Lurlene gets a new look for under twenty dollars

Happy tales :)

your reading autobiography

2009-07-21T16:53:00.005+08:00

Today I used my year ten class for some blogger fodder (the 'mommy bloggers' can use their kids, so I figure this is only fair!)

I asked them to think about being read to as a child and what book they first remembered loving. ALL of them had something to write about there. They had such fun remembering the Spot series and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. There were also many happy memories of the connection between reading and security. I know that this is not always the case. Another reason to count my blessings I guess.

Then they wrote about the first 'chapter book' they read. Titles like the Animorphs series and Deltora Quest came up. Also these are kids who have grown up with the Harry Potter series. They love them so much and for many these were the chapter books they held triumphantly above their heads crying: I did it! One girl wrote about how her mum would read her the series before bed, but had gone out one night and missed their ritual. So, instead of waiting for mum, she pulled the book from the shelf and read it herself! How amazing to recall that first moment.

Another wrote about how a teacher had singled her and a friend out for some extra reading in the library as a reward for being a good reader. The pride she felt in being picked especially for this treat helped make her the reader that she is today. What a great reminder for teachers, it's those little things that can make such a difference to a child's esteem.

Lastly they recommended a title for me to read.

What would be in your reading autobiography? how have you grown up with books?

Happy reading :)

Book Hoot # 8 How I Live Now

2009-07-20T18:19:00.005+08:00

I was prepared to give this one a go given all the positive reviews, awards, and the fact it is rarely on the school library shelves, despite being five years old.

My first impressions were that Daisy is a nasty piece of work: obviously anorexic and manipulative to boot. I would have sent her to the other side of the Atlantic too! The instant attraction to her cousin is a bit sudden. AND what sort of self- absorption does it require to ignore terrorist attacks and invasion in the capital city of the country you're living in?

So, there I was disliking her when she crept up on me and all of a sudden I was on her side. The anorexia was an important motif; for Daisy and Piper have to struggle for food to survive and starving yourself when there's an abundance seems so ridiculous. If teenage girls only take that message away, then that's a GOOD THING.

The style of writing changes as the narrative moves along too. The run-on, overly long sentences were beginning to drive me berko, but I guess that this is the 'authentic teenage voice' that so many reviewers commented on. Anyway, by the end of the book, the sentences were shorter, thank goodness! And the last section is beautifully constructed.

Recommended for:

those who enjoyed the Tomorrow series by John Marsden
romantics
readers who enjoy a pacy, rip along read. (I did it in two hours.)

Teacher's notes available on the Penguin website:
http://www.penguin.com.au/PUFFIN/NOTES/f_notes.cfm

Super new look!

2009-07-18T17:16:00.005+08:00

Just a quick post to say how much I LOVE my new look and thank you to TDG. I love the retro owls, and the cuteness of them holding hands. If you have a blog, I would highly recommend Danielle.

I have nearly finished Playing With The Grownups by Sophie Dahl. I don't really have much of an opinion about it to be honest. Isn't that the worst thing you can say about a book? It is just kind of *meh*... This is her debut novel, and there's lots of description of clothing but little in the way of character motivation. As for the relationship between the mother and daughter, hardly credible.

Plenty more books to be read before I pick up another one of hers!

Oh, and Harry Potter was very enjoyable. Had a LONG conversation on the way home about what the purpose of the film was ... with someone who hasn't read the book! Of course there were changes. There is a particularly frightening scene in a corn field at The Burrow, and no battle scene as described in the novel. But even so, I LOVED it.

blog makeover

2009-07-15T15:36:00.003+08:00

I'm very excited about my blog makeover stylishly handled by the talented design girl, happening soon!

Meanwhile, finished reading HP in preparation for the movie excursion on Friday. I wonder how true it will be to the book...

In other YA book news, Melina Marchetta has won the 2009 Printz Award for Jellicoe Road. It also won the WAYRB older readers book last year. So that's another one to add to the ever increasing to be read list. Along with other honourable mentions:

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II, The Kingdom on the Waves, by M.T. Anderson

(but I should read the first one first!) and

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, by E. Lockhart

Both of which sound excellent.

I do have a leaning tower of books next to my bed, 21 at the last count. But I don't feel right if I don't have a big pile there, and several waiting at the library. Greedy? Or just super prepared? I thought that I would get through more these school holidays, but the HP got in the way a little. And I guess I should be reading To Kill A Mockingbird to get ready for teaching.

Too many books, too little time.

Books and Film

2009-07-13T10:17:00.004+08:00

I am re-reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in preparation for the film, which looks amazing. I got goosebumps just watching the preview! One of my favourite moments from the last HP was the flying through London scene, so vivid and realistic- that's the power of film.

Anyway, this got me thinking about books that are made into enjoyable films; ones that don't elicit the "the book was better" line. I feel a list coming on!

Holes by Louis Sachar is a wonderful adaptation by Disney, just as good as the novel, probably because Sachar wrote the screenplay. Also, it is cast really well with Sigourney Weaver as the Warden at Camp Greenlake. That song: "If only, if only the woodpecker sighs..." is going to be in my head all day now.
Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta is a favourite teen read, a coming of age, and coming to terms with identity tale. Again this is well cast with Pia Miranda and Greta Scacchi in the two lead roles. I think the film handles the suicide scene brilliantly, and Josie's response to her friend's death, probably *gasp* better than the book.
Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara tells the true story of the removal of Aboriginal children to Moore River native settlement. The award winning and controversial film, as you would expect, shows the distance and the beautiful, uncompromising landscape they travelled.
The Princess Bride by William Goldman is a perennial favourite, which was beautifully filmed by Rob Reiner. Although made in 1987, it has not dated. The book is an altogether different experience with an extended commentary about Goldman's relationship with his wife and (fictitious) son.
The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende is a fantasy which centers around a 'dangerous' book which allows Bastien Bux (yes really) to escape some bullies. Ah, books as escape. I loved the representation of Falkor the Luck Dragon. I fear that this film might have dated though, probably ripe for a remake.

What are your favourite book to film adaptations? And which books to films totally flopped? Leave a comment, please :)

yeah! what she said...

2009-07-11T10:09:00.003+08:00

Excellent comment from this article about the categorisation of books:

Good YA is not dumbed-down adult fare; it’s literature that doesn’t waste a breath. It doesn’t linger over grandiloquent descriptions of clouds or fields, and it doesn’t introduce irrelevant minor characters in the hope (too often gratified) that the book will be called Dickensian. As Laurie Halse Anderson, author of many excellent YA books, said in an interview, “We write for people who are pressed for reading time. We try to craft our books so they’re not bloated or meandering.”

Book Hoot #7 Wesley The Story of a Remarkable Owl

2009-07-10T16:15:00.005+08:00

So you might have worked out that I am a bit enamored with all things owl, so this memoir was right up my alley. The cover featuring Wesley as an owlet sold me, but I learnt a lot about what it means to keep an owl and what it means to be an owl. Stacey O'Brien writes with the devotion of a mother and the dedication of a scientist.

"The Way of the Owl" is a refrain that O'Brien uses to explain the behaviour of owls. For example, did you know that owls mate for life? And when an owl's partner dies, he might turn his head to the trunk of his tree and sink into such deep depression that he dies too. There's a lot to learn about owls, but equally about relationships in this book. O'Brien sacrifices a lot because she adopts Wesley, but she intimates that the sort of guy who couldn't accept her owl would not be right for her anyway. In the end, Wesley saves her, to return the favour if you like.

One aspect of this book which might put off some readers (squeamish teenage girls for example) is the amount of mice that are killed and consumed. O'Brien doesn't hold back on the gory details. And the graphic description of the coughed up pellet which contains a complete rodent skeleton might also be a bit much for some. Personally, I took great joy in reading these sections out loud to those in earshot!

The problem with animal based memoirs is that the end of the story is all too predictably sad. I really liked that O'Brien foregrounded this:

The one thing that I hate about animal stories is that after you have almost read the entire book and really care about the animal, they go and tell you how the animal died... so you should stop reading now if you don't want to hear about Wesley dying.

I am a big sookey-lala, so I had a little cry, certainly not as much as I did reading Marley and Me, but she is right about caring for the animal you're reading about. The talent of the writer is to get you to care.

Recommended for:

owl lovers! There's a memorable scene where Wesley stretches his wings to hug O'Brien
animal memoir fans
readers interested in wildlife science; there's a lot of science in this book

Teaching ideas:

pet memoir short stories are always popular
research ten things you don't know about an animal

Curl Up Under the Covers reads

2009-07-06T18:22:00.004+08:00

There are a lot of northern hemisphere summer reading lists going around, so in the spirit of list making and because on a rainy, cold day like today there's nothing better than reading in bed, here's my: southern hemisphere 10 best to read in bed list. (Not a catchy title, but you get the drift!)

Not all of these are specifically YA, but who says teens can't break into some of these?

The Road by Cormac McCarthy For a bleak, examination of the darkness of humankind after the apocalypse, for the freezing cold and wishing to escape it, but mostly for the spare and beautiful writing and the relationship between father and son.
Any one of the Alexander McCall Smith's Number One Lady's Dectective Agency series will make you as feel warm inside as if you had a large cup of bush tea.
The Boat Nam Lee will take you to many places, some of them uncomfortable, and will make you grateful for the warmth and security of your bed.
Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures by Vincent Lam is another collections of stories, it follows a group of medical students and will show you what it means to be a doctor.
Atonement by Ian McEwan will take you to the heat of Summer's day in England, through the horrors of WWII and back to England. Escapism at its most intellectual. SO much better than the film.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery isn't an escape to a place as much as it is to the inside of the characters' minds.
The Turning by Tim Winton will remind you that the heat is just around the corner with this series of interconnected stories set in Western Australia.
Feed by MT Anderson is a smart and funny YA novel, a satire about the all pervasive internet, which Anderson has placed directly into his characters' heads. Snuggle under the doona and let him take you to the moon and back.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte instead of trying to escape the wind and the rain, let Bronte take you to the stormy moors.
Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Pour yourself a hot chocolate and a slice of chocolate cake for this one and enjoy the magical realism, and the recipes!

What's your favourite book to curl up with? And does the season make for different choices?

B0oK H0oT #6 If I Stay

2009-07-04T12:15:00.003+08:00

Seventeen year old Mia and her family take a spontaneous drive to visit family on a 'snow day' and get into an accident with a 40 tonne truck which 'eviscerates' the car and kills her parents instantly. Teddy, who is six, and Mia are thrown from the car. The rest of the narrative moves between Mia, outside of her body watching is happening to save her, and flashbacks of her life up until that point.

This was a compulsive read for me, I inhaled it in about three hours and enjoyed it thoroughly. While it might sound as though it breaks my (self-imposed) rules about no dead mothers and gloomy plots, the relationship that Mia has with her parents, brother and grandparents is one of the most affirming I have read recently.

There is also a lovely music theme running through the book, Mia is a talented cellist, her boyfriend Adam is a punk singer and both of her parents were musical too. As for the medical scenes, I found them convincing, if a little disturbing, but I think teenagers seem to be immune to this sort of stuff, blame CSI perhaps.

The premise suggested by the title and the cover is handled really well and would be an interesting point of discussion for teenagers. Do you think that the critically ill have the 'choice' to survive? I like to think so, but what a hard decision, especially if you can see how damaged your body is and know the fate of your loved ones. And, would you have recollection of the time spent outside yourself?

recommended for:

musical teens, some of the descriptions of playing are beautifully done
realistic romance readers

teaching ideas:

point of view is interesting here, students could write the accident from Teddy's point of view
the ending is crying out for a sequel, or at least a discussion about what might happen next
I see that it is planned for a film in 2011. Students could plan the casting, storyboard some shots, discuss what changes would have to be made etc.

B00k HooT #5 How to Ditch Your Fairy

2009-07-03T16:32:00.003+08:00

There's so much to love about this snappy read. I was grabbed quickly by the vocabulary on page one: "My spoffs looked funny in the top, which is odd because my spoffs are tiny." Best opening line this year!

Charlie is cursed by her parking fairy. Her best friend has a clothes shopping fairy, her arch enemy Fiorenze has an all boys will like you fairy, even a finding loose change fairy would be better! So Charlie goes about trying to ditch her fairy, which proves to be more difficult than it sounds. She goes to an all sports high school and has a crush on the new boy, Steffie, who is unfortunately besotted with Fiorenze (Stupid-Name.)

So, funny writing, excellent concept and likable characters. But wait there's more! The thing I liked best about "How To Ditch Your Fairy" was the setting- neither America nor Australia as explained in a note to readers, and the resulting cute touches like Charlie loving cricket and basketball, and being able to own a quokka as a pet.

I would have loved to own a quokka when I was a kid. I did once swing one by the tail because my grandfather said its eyes would drop out. *shame* Of course that was back in the day when you could touch them and feed them. They are quite rightly protected now (probably from kids like me.)

This is a perfectly paced page turner.

Recommended for: those who believe in karma/ luck/ fairies. Personally, I think that my own parking fairy is pretty awesome :)

Teaching ideas:

the vocabulary: words like pulchritudinous, doos, doxhead all provided in a glossary at the back. Students could invent their own.
make a case for being awarded a fairy, or trading a fairy with a friend. Do fairies come to those who deserve them?

teen reading and sales of YA fiction

2009-07-03T09:27:00.002+08:00

This is an interesting read (via Meanjin, via Alien Onions) about teenagers, reading and how sales are rocketing on the back of HP and Twilight.

'There are several reasons why so many teenagers are passionate readers. A book is a pathway inside another person’s head. When you are young, you have few deep relationships, maybe no real emotional connections with others at all. You connect in the text. At that age, it is a revelation to see an author has the same dreams and insecurities as you do. Plus, there is a confidence and conviction to a fiction narrative’s voice. You are eager for someone to look up to, but certainly not your parents, not your teachers. A novel is an opportunity to really listen to another human being.'

Absolutely! Except for the relationships part, I think the emotional connections that most teenagers feel are as intense as at any other age, perhaps there are just more of them. Think of those extended intense phone conversations when you were a teen. HOURS I spent on the phone to my best friend. Back in the day of landlines, when you had to secrete yourself away from snooping parents, as far as the cord would stretch anyway. And the all consuming intensity of first love; now there's a powerful emotional connection if ever there was one!

I love the idea of 'you connect in the text.' What a thrill it is to introduce a new reader to an old favourite and have them fall in love with it, just as you did. That spark of connection or engagement is so precious.

And: 'A book is an opportunity to get “off the grid.”' Well, yes, as much as I love the grid, reading is an escape, always has been. School is off-grid for most teens too, I guess, depending on the restrictions that are in place. It is lovely though when you offer teenagers a chance to silently read how many of them are excited and glad to escape into a book.

In fact, I might get off grid and go finish my fairy book now!

getting them to read

2009-06-30T18:20:00.002+08:00

There's a story in the Guardian about a school in Wellington (NZ) where they are bribing the boys with Coke as a reward for some reading. The rewards get incrementally better with the number of books you can read.

Well. I'm a bit conflicted about this. On one hand, whatever it takes, eh bro? On the other, their little teeth! And the idealist in me wants to believe that there are better rewards, and that the desire to read should be intrinsically rewarding.

What reward programs have worked for you?

BOOK hOOt #4 Tomorrow All Will Be Beautiful

2009-06-29T18:01:00.003+08:00

This anthology, provided gratis (thank you!) by the Fremantle Children's Literature Centre, is a collection of writing by Brigid Lowry and illustrations by Beci Orpin.

I went backwards and forwards about these stories and characters; some I loved and imagined reading aloud to my classes, and then there was the second last story "Petalheads."

I don't want to turn anyone who might be reading this (anyone?!) off reading the anthology, but this one was a doozie and exactly the sort of text I think teens don't need to read. I'd love to hear from you if you disagree! The main character Jaya Cloudburst is "let loose in a world of Emilys" and is depressed. She meets up with Ruby who is bipolar. They are in an institution, and are separated when they design posters for "Let's Kill Ourselves Day." Other patients include an anorexic, a romantic interest and Jaya's alcoholic parents. While the pacing is tight and interesting, there's just too much happening in there in terms of unnecessary pain.

Ok, so that one is not my favourite... "An Alphabet of Girls With Glorious Names" is cute and "There Are Two Sorts of People" is lovely too. I loved the structure of this one which used the repetition of the title adding the premise for the next section. For example: "There are two sorts of people, those who like beetroot and those who don't."

"The Wedding Poem" is just beautiful and made me tear up! Here's the first stanza:

Off you go, you two,off you go
Away with you into the dusky summer evening,
flying a light plane into the winds of possibility and chance,
into a sky abundant
with dreams and credit cards, daughters and dogs,
discussions about microwaves and fairy lights.

Everything in this universe
has led to just this moment.

Lowry has an excellent style and her quirky narratives would be cause for lots of discussion.

Recommended for: potential poets, girls who love to doodle and draw and from the back cover: "the girl with the dodgy sense of humour; for the girl who likes sad songs and blue marbles..."

Teaching points:

lots of ideas for modelling writing
illustrate your own writing a la this text

hoOt #3: So Yesterday

2009-06-25T20:56:00.006+08:00

So Yesterday is a 2005 novel from Scott Westerfield. You might have read the Uglies series? It is narrated from the perspective of a 'cool hunter' called Hunter, but his side kick is the much more interesting. She is called Jen, and she's an 'innovator'. While Hunter is on the lookout for the latest trend, Jen is creating them. He first notices her because of her shoelaces and the rising sun pattern she has tied them in.
Again set in Manhattan, this tale is a race to find a disappearing boss, and solve the puzzle of an amazing pair of sneakers.

This is a pacey read that early teens would enjoy. Westerfield plays with the readers pop-cultural intelligence by not product placing any brand names in the text. For example: 'the client' is never named, but the reader can fill the gaps with the Greek goddess of victory ubiquitious shoe. His credit card is a four letter word! These little riddles are humourous and entertaining. But more than that there are informative sidebars into subjects like epidermiology to make points about consumerism and the spread of 'cool.'

I think this would appeal to teens who are consumer and advertsing aware, who might have been exposed to texts about coolhunting before, like the documentary The Merchants Of Cool, or web based organisations like Adbusters. Kids are culturejammers at heart; they hate the idea that they are a cog in the consumerist machine. And this entertaining read would touch that nerve.

Teaching ideas:

research an innovator (there's a list in the back of the novel)
invent some brand names
invent a cool new product and pitch it

Brigid Lowry

2009-06-24T20:27:00.005+08:00

I had a lovely morning listening to Brigid Lowry discuss creative writing, and doing some writing myself.

I wrote a story about something I vividly remember from primary school, when a group of boys carved a series of dents in the dirt for a "marble alley" and all the kids gathered every recess and lunch to play. I embellished the edges, of course. Do kids still do that sort of thing? I remember the teachers eventually shut it down, probably because we were all coming back to class filthy or because the marble bartering and competitions got out of control.

Brigid is a Kiwi/ Aussi author of YA fiction books such as Guitar Highway Rose, and Follow the Blue, neither of which I have read- yet... I will now though!

She talked and demonstrated the ways to get some 'juicy writing' out of students. The first warm up task was to write a list of ten things. I started a "bucket list" and surprised myself at all the creative things I want to do. Like play the cello and paint a picture. AND have something published. Now there's a goal!

a world wide trend it appears

2009-06-23T18:48:00.003+08:00

In the way that you do, I stumbled on this article from the Wall Street Journal which discusses exactly the ideas that prompted this blog. Go read the whole article if you have a chance. The journalist Katie Roiphe mentions several bestsellers, all of which have disturbing sounding plots.

Here's something that I wonder about:

"Teenagers have historically shown a certain appetite for calamity; they like a little madness, sadism and disease in the books they curl up with at night."

Do you think that's true? I remember moving from The Secret Seven into my Sweet Valley High phase, embarrassing but true. From there into some terrible Judith Krantz, and then all the *canon* that I was supposed to read.

I don't mean to sound like some sort of ingenue. But the DARK SIDE never really drew me in. What has changed that teens today are "curling up with these books"?

And then there's this:

"It’s easy to assume that this new batch of young-adult books peddles despair. In fact, the genre is more uplifting than the fizzy escapism that long dominated the young adult marketplace. Today’s bestselling authors are careful to infuse the final scenes of these bleak explorations with an element of hope..."

They DO peddle despair! And as a teacher, I have to worry that some teens might normalise these behaviours/ people/ events.

And does a happy ending counteract all the preceding misery?

Food for thought!

hOOt #2

2009-06-22T21:37:00.002+08:00

Kikki Strike Inside The Shadow City (2006) is about a group of teenage spies who discover a map leading to a world beneath Manhattan.

One of my students put me onto this one. (She chose it on a whim while on holiday and couldn't put it down- one of those books that will be forever connected to the place that she first read it.)

What I liked about it was the smart and sassy dialogue, the attractive setting (it doesn't get any cooler than NY) and the witty 'how to' sections at the end of every chapter which teach useful skills such as "How To Be A Master Of Disguise."

The narrator isn't the titled character. Ananka is the outsider who is initiated into the Irregulars, the group of girls lead by Kiki who explore the underground city. Ananka, endearingly, learns that she has skills and abilities that are valuable to the group. It is this sense of belonging, and the art of making friends that also makes this a valuable read.

Recommended readers: a 12 or 13 year old without a fear of rats.

Teachable points:

The 'how to' sections are a fun way to teach instructions and tone
The idea of a place 'just beneath the surface' would make an interesting setting for creative fiction
The spy genre is ripe for parody or spoof: like The Secret Show

HOoT #1

2009-06-21T18:31:00.000+08:00

So, a friend and I were lamenting the content of YA fiction in Australia. It began after a book promotion from "flightless bird" publications where the titles all seemed to involve:

a male protagonist (I think there were three females out of twenty titles)
the death of one or both parents
the removal of protagonist from familiar territory
cutting/ suicide/ anorexia/ mental illness and other such complications
a quirky and funny sidekick

Now, I'm not suggesting that it is easy to write a novel, or engage young readers who would rather be doing other things, but c'mon now!

So here I go on the lookout for books without any of the above criteria. Books I would be happy to let my class read. Here's hoping they're out there!