Book Review HOW I LIVE NOW

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Rosoff, Meg. HOW I LIVE NOW. 2004. New York: Random House. ISBN 0385746776

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Daisy, a fifteen-year-old girl, is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her Aunt Penn and cousins she has never met: Osbert, 16; 14-year-old twins Isaac and Edmond; and 9-year-old Piper. She is glad to leave Manhattan though because she can’t stand her distant dad and “wicked” step-mom. As she spends more time with her cousins, Daisy starts falling in love with Edmond. When Aunt Penn travels to Oslo, Daisy begins a sexual relationship with Edmond. During this time, an unnamed force is also invading England. Initially, Daisy and her cousins enjoy the freedom of having no adults around or rules. However, a group of soldiers come force the children out of their home and separates them. Daisy and her cousin Piper are sent to another village. After this is the horrors and struggles Daisy and Piper face and Daisy’s determination to return to find Edmond and her other cousins.

Daisy and Piper stay with a couple’s home, Mr. and Mrs. McEvoy, and do farm chores for them. After the war is over, Daisy is forced to return back to America and enter a hospital. Six years later, she goes back to England to stay with Edmond who suffers from post traumatic stress from the war.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
To be frank, I believe Meg Rosoff’s book How I Live Now was terrible. Many things, such as lack of details, made me unable to connect with the book. For example, Rosoff never mentions who England is invaded by. I spent half of my time reading this book trying to figure out which war in history this was, as well as the time period this book was set it. I didn’t realize until later on in the book that this war was a fictional war.

In addition, some elements in the story’s plot are unbelievable. To begin with, what sane mother leaves her teenage children and niece alone in a house with no adult supervision? Also unbelievable, if nothing else creepy, is the sexual relationship between Daisy and her cousin. I don’t feel that their relationship added anything to the story. Daisy’s relationship could have been substituted with another person, and the story would have remained the same—except it would have eliminated the incest factor. I feel the author simply added this to make the book controversial.

However, not everything in Rosoff’s book is bad. Daisy’s character (excluding her relationship with her cousin) is someone teenagers can relate to. Daisy is unhappy with her life because she feels like her father had chosen his wife (her step-mother) and new baby over her. She struggles with anorexia and feels like therapy for it is useless.

Overall, I would not recommend this book.


4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize
Michael L. Printz Award

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “This riveting first novel paints a frighteningly realistic picture of a world war breaking out in the 21st century.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Daisy's voice is uneven, being at times teenage vapid, while elsewhere sporting a vocabulary rich with 50-cent words, phrases, and references. In addition, Rosoff barely scratches the surface of the material at hand.”

5. CONNECTIONS
Readers who enjoyed How I Live Now might be interested in other Rosoff’s books.

Rosoff, Meg. JUST IN CASE. ISBN 0452289378
Rosoff, Meg. WHAT I WAS: A NOVEL. ISBN 0452290236

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Book Review AMERICAN BORN CHINESE

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Yang, Gene Luen. 2006. AMERICAN BORN CHINESE. Color by Lark Pien. New York: First Second. ISBN: 1596431520

2. PLOT SUMMARY
American Born Chinese tells three seemingly separate stories. The first story introduces Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family. He is the only Chinese-American student at his new school and as a consequence doesn’t have many friends—not until the new Korean student transfers to his school. The second story tells us the story of the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables. The third story brings us Chin-Kee, who is the epitome of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype. Chin-Kee has an accent, eats cats, and always knows the answers to teachers’ questions. When Chin-Kee first arrives, he greats Danny’s friend by saying, “Such pletty Amellican girl wiff bountiful Amellican bosom! Must bind feet and bear Chin-Kee’s children!” And for some unknown reason, Chin-Kee always makes a yearly visit to his American cousin—Danny.

All three characters—Jin Wang, Monkey King, and Danny—suffer humiliation from other people’s prejudices and as a consequence want to change their identify. Jin Wang wants to look more like Greg, an all-American boy, so he can win the heart of Amelia, the all-American girl. The Monkey King does not want to be a monkey. He wants to be a god who smells nice and wears shoes. Danny dreads Chin-Kee’s visits and constantly needs to be changing schools because of embarrassment he suffers due to his Chinese cousin’s antics.

In the end, these three stories surprisingly come together helping Jin Wang accept his identity as a Chinese-American and moving beyond his anger.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In American Born Chinese, Yang tackles the deep issues of race, prejudices, identity, and shame. Within the two modern stories, is the fable of the Monkey King. Here, we learn how the Monkey King desires/declares himself to be a "Great Sage, Equal of Heaven.” Tze-Yo-Tzuh, the creator of all existence, tells Monkey King that he was created to be a monkey, and a monkey he will remain. After refusing to accept this reality, Tze-Yo-Tzuh buries the Monkey King under a mountain of rocks. Here, he remains for five hundred years.

The second story begins with Jin Wang as a little boy and resumes later when he is in the 7th grade. Jin Wang develops a crush on the all-American girl. Before asking Amelia on a date, Jin Wang decides to change his hair to appear more American. After a fight with his friends, Jin Wang dreams of the herbalist's wife, and wakes up with his head hurting, thus revealing himself to be Danny of the third tale.

In the third story, Danny suffers humiliation from his Chinese cousin who comes to visit him every year. Danny feels he must change schools after his cousin’s visit because he is deeply ashamed of his cousin.

In the end, we realize why Danny was so embarrassed and bothered by his Chinese cousin. Danny was really Jin Wang. Jin Wang, like the Monkey King, hated his identity and wanted to change. However, as Tze-Yo-Tzuh explains, who we are born as is who we are meant to be: “I do not make mistakes little monkey. A monkey I intended you to be. A monkey you are.” The overall theme is then that we should not try to change because we would only be fooling ourselves. This theme despite all the fantasy elements transcends time. Readers, even those who are not minorities, will be able to relate to the main characters who feel different and don’t belong with the "in-crowd."

American Born Chinese is a graphic novel with fantastic the illustrations and coloring. The artwork is crisp, clear, and effective in developing the story lines.


4. AWARDS WORD AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
Michael L. Printz Award
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year

BOOKLIST: “The stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects--shame, racism, and friendship--receive thoughtful, powerful examination.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Graphic novels that focus on nonwhite characters are exceedingly rare in American comics. Enter American Born Chinese, a well-crafted work that aptly explores issues of self-image, cultural identity, transformation, and self-acceptance.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Teachers can use American Born Chinese to discuss race and prejudices with middle school students. Students can discuss what it’s like growing up being a minority, and Anglo American can discuss any prejudices they know of/feel themselves towards other ethnic groups.

This discussion can lead to an understanding of students coming from other ethnicities and lead to acceptance/tolerance.

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Book Review RULES

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lord, Cynthia. 2006. RULES. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439443822

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Catherine is twelve years old and simply wants a normal life. Having a normal life and being cool is almost near impossible for Catherine because she has a younger brother, David, with autism. As a result, her family revolves around keeping David happy; Catherine’s mother must take him to his occupational therapy classes while dad must take David to the video game store whenever he wishes. Catherine craves her parents’ attention and is annoyed by all the attention her younger brother receives but then feels guilt because of her brother’s disease.

When the old woman next door moves out, Catherine finds out the new family moving in has a daughter her age. Catherine is overjoyed and wants to make sure her new neighbor, Kristi, likes her. Whenever Kristi is coming over to hang out, Catherine makes sure to remind David about the “rules.” He must remember “chew with his mouth closed,” “no toys in the fish tank,” “to keep his pants on” and most importantly, “if the bathroom door is closed, knock (especially if Catherine has a friend over).”

Catherine soon finds herself trying way too hard to impress Kristi and also hiding a new friend, Jason, who she met at the occupational therapist clinic. Jason is in a wheelchair and cannot talk without using his communication cards. After forming a friendship with Jason, Catherine decides to expand his card collection by making new words for his communication book.

Jason invites Catherine to his birthday party which falls on the same day as the community center’s dance. Once at the party, Jason asks Catherine if she wants to go to the dance with him. After declining his invitation, Jason suspects that Catherine is ashamed of their friendship. In the end, Catherine apologies to Jason and asks him to go to the dance with her. They both have a great time, and Jason even makes Catherine break her own rule: “no dancing unless I’m alone in my room or it’s pitch-black dark.”

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In contemporary realistic fiction novels, characters are vital, and children need to be able to identify with them. In Rules, Catherine obsesses in looking cool and fitting in with the cool crowd. Catherine is a good kid but doesn’t always make the right decisions because she does not want to be embarrassed in front of her friends. This is something any pre-teen and teen can relate to. In addition to all this, the rules that she has written for David to learn also consume her life. These rules prevent her from opening up to people, voicing her opinions, and even dancing in public.

After becoming good friends with Jason, who suffers from a physical disability, Catherine finds out Jason struggles with accepting his disability and has even wanted to die. She helps him try to fill the void he feels and make him feel complete. Interestingly, Jason helps guide Catherine through her own emotional journey. With his help, Catherine grows up and realizes that her rules are just excuses from making hard decisions and facing her fears.

Lord’s style of writing is simple with plenty of teen vocabulary: whatever, yeah right, awesome, and stinks a big one. Comical and heart-warming, Rules is a page-turner that is sure to keep readers entertained.

4. AWARDS WORD AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
American Library Association Notable Books for Children
Newberry Honor Medal
Schneider Family Book Awards
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award
Great Stone Face Children’s Book Award
Maine Student Book Award
Bluegrass Award

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “A rewarding story that may well inspire readers to think about others' points of view.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Set in coastal Maine, this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter.”


5. CONNECTIONS
After reading Rules, teachers can lead a discussion with middle school students about families coping with children or other relatives with disabilities. The topic of accepting peers with disabilities can also be discussed.

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Book Review WEEDFLOWER

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kadohata, Cynthia. 2006. WEEDFLOWER. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689865740

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Sumiko, a twelve-year-old girl, lives in a flower farm in California. Because she is the only Japanese girl in her class, she does not have many friends, and much of Sumiko’s life has been filled with loneliness. The story begins with Sumiko running and yelling with excitement because she had been invited to her first birthday party! The excitement soon fades when the birthday girl’s mother quietly uninvited Sumiko because she is Japanese.

After Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government forces all Niekki—people of Japanese decent—to leave their homes and are sent to an assembly center at a racetrack, where they live in a horse stable. Eventually, they're moved to the Arizona desert, which is located on an Indian reservation.

Although Sumiko and her family are unhappy to leave their lives behind, they soon adjust to life on the relocation center. She forms new friendships with some of the Japanese kids, shares her interest in flower farming with Mr. Moto, and even makes her first true friendship with a Mohave Indian boy.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Set during WWII, Weedflower is a story about life as a Japanese American during World War II. Though a historical fiction novel about a Japanese girl, Kadohata presents a character whom many teenagers can relate to. Sumiko is a girl who is different and just cannot fit in with the rest of her class. She can’t seem to make friends, and she is filled with loneliness and sadness. The book begins by Sumiko describing what it feels like to be lonely. She describes feelings like “everyone was looking at you…like nobody was looking at you…like you didn’t care about anything at all… [and] like you were just about to cry over every little thing.” Young adults often struggle to find their identity and may not fit in. Readers will benefit from learning about Sumiko’s plight and how she overcame her obstacles.

The author’s style of writing reflects Japanese Americans culture. Kadohata includes Japanese words like Niekki, which means individuals of Japanese decent; chapon, which means a mix of Japanese and English; hakujin, which means white people; and haji, which means shame. Sumiko’s grandfather, Jiichan, who was born in Japan, struggles with the English language. After Sumiko wakes up late after the party she was uninvited from, he asks her “You go one party and now you think you can wake up late?”

Weedflower does not include many details about the war, but it does offer an excellent view on the discrimination Japanese American’s experienced during WWII.

4. AWARDS WORD AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award
PEN Center USA West Literary Award

BOOKLIST: “In a quiet, stirring narrative, the author of the Newbery Medal Book Kira-Kira (2003) once again brings close a little-known part of American history through the eyes of a child.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Kadohata clearly and eloquently conveys her heroine's mixture of shame, anger and courage. Readers will be inspired by Sumiko's determination to survive and flourish in a harsh, unjust environment.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “She is a sympathetic heroine, surrounded by well-crafted, fascinating people. The concise yet lyrical prose conveys her story in a compelling narrative that will resonate with a wide audience.”

5. CONNECTIONS
Students can read this informational book about life on a relocation camp.

Cooper, Michael L. 2002. REMEMBERING MANZANAR: LIFE IN A JAPANESE RELOCATION CAMP. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618067787

Image Credit: schoollibraryjounal.com

Book Review NUMBER THE STARS

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lowry, Lois. 1989. NUMBER THE STARS. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395510600

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Ten-year-olds Annemarie Johansen and Ellen Rosen are best friends who live in Copenhagen, Denmark during the Second World War. Annemarie is a Christian, but Ellen is Jewish. These young girls’ lives change when the Rosen family and other Jews become endangered. In efforts to keep safe, Mr. and Mrs. Rosen leave Ellen with the Johansen family to go in hiding.

Ellen pretends to be the Johansen’s other daughter Lise, who died fighting for the Danish Resistance. Eventually, Ellen is taken to Uncle Henrik’s home where Annemarie’s family hopes to smuggle the Rosen family into Sweden by using fishing boats. In the end, it is Annemarie’s bravery that helps her Jewish friends safely flee Denmark.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Lowry’s character of Annemarie is someone the targeted audience (8-12 year olds) can relate to. She is a typical young girl who likes to play with paper dolls, run in the girls’ footrace at school, and thinks her younger sister is a pest. However, Annemarie’s character is also someone students can learn from because her circumstances have made her grow up faster than she should have.

The theme of justice, bravery, and devotion are prevalent throughout the book. The author explains, “Now she was ten, with long legs and no more silly dreams of pink-frosted cupcakes. And now she—and all the Danes—were to be bodyguards for Ellen, and Ellen’s parents, and all of Denmark’s Jews” meaning Annemarie had to try her best to protect Jews from injustice because it was the right thing to do.

Throughout the story, we learn facts about the Holocaust, WWII, Nazis, the Danish Resistance, and the daily life of average citizens during this time. Lowry does an excellent job in balancing fiction and facts in Number the Stars.

4. AWARDS WORD AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
Newbery Medal
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award
Rebecca Caudill Young Reader’s Book Award
Great Stone Face Children’s Book Award
Golden Archer Award
Sydney Taylor Book Award

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Set in Nazi-occupied Denmark in 1943, this 1990 Newbery winner tells of a 10-year-old girl who undertakes a dangerous mission to save her best friend.”

5. CONNECTIONS
Number the Stars is a historical fiction story about a little girl’s life during WWII in Denmark. Another book students can read is Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, which is a true account of this time.

Frank, Anne. 1993. ANNE FRANK: THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL. New York: Bantam Books. ISBN 0553296981

After reading both books, students can compare and contrast the two books.

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Book Review CHAINS

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anderson, Laurie Halse. 2008. CHAINS. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 1416905855

2. PLOT SUMMARY
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, an African American thirteen-year-old girl sought her own freedom. Isabel and her five-year-old sister, Ruth, are promised freedom. However, they end up under the possession of the cruel New York City couple, the Locktons. Isabel and Ruth, much like many other slaves, endure horrific mental and physical abuse by their owners. Trying to keep her promise to her deceased mother, Isabel takes all the punishment she can in hope to protect her younger sick sister. After the sisters’ vindictive mistress sells young Ruth, Isabel is determined to run away and find her younger sister with her one and only friend Curzon, a slave boy.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Set in 1776, Isabel tells the story of her tragic life as a slave. Though this setting might seem like ancient history to young kids, today’s youth can relate to the protagonist’s rebellion and sheer determination to do the right thing. As the story develops, we learn about Isabel’s bravery and spirit even after she is branded with the letter “I” for Insolence on her cheek.

Chains vividly describes New York City life during the 1700s as well as the horrible conditions for the American prisoners of war. As Isabel tries to save Curzon, she describes the filthy prison: “The stench was overpowering—men unwashed for moths and puke and muck and rot that was eating living flesh.”

Anderson’s style of writing also captures the essence of Revolutionary times. She brilliantly includes slang and colloquial language of the time. Here, Becky, another slave tries to explain to Isabel how things work in New York City: “Some folks switch back and forth. One day they’re for the King, the next, it’s all ‘liberty and freedom, huzzah’! A tribe of Mr. Facing-Both-Ways, that’s what you’ll find in New York.”

The author begins each chapter with a historical quote and makes chapters short and easy to read. Readers will be captivated by this book from the beginning to the very end.

4. AWARDS WORD AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Award
American Library Association Notable Books for Children
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Well researched and affecting in its presentation, the story offers readers a fresh look at the conflict and struggle of a developing nation.”
VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES: “Through the graceful simplicity of dialogue and narration, even brief side characters are deftly drawn and believable. Thought-provoking and emotional, Isabel's story will linger long after the last page has been read.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Middle school students learning about slavery and the Revolutionary War can read Chains to form a more complete view of this time.

*Teachers can lead a discussion on the hypocrisy of some Patriots and Founding Fathers, who fought for White men’s freedom while others were in chains.

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