What do you do when you find out the boy you like is your brother?

This is only one of the problems facing Clary Fray in the second installment of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series.
Clary Fray is going through some major crises. First she finds out that she is a demon slaying Shadowhunter; Simon, her best friend, just told her that he loves her; the boy she is crushing on , Jace, is probably her brother; her mother is in the hospital in a magical coma; and her newly discovered father is trying to take over the world and summoning an army of killer demons to help him.
City of Ashes picks up where City of Bones, the first in the series, leaves off. Having defeated her father, Valentine, for now Clary tries to pick up the shattered pieces he left. Clary begins her search for the cure to what is wrong with her mother this search leads her into the heart of the supernatural world her mother kept hidden from her since she was a baby. Clary also tries to deal with Simon's feeling for her and her feelings for Jace. Because Valentine claimed Jace and Clary are both his children Jace feels sickened by the fact that he loves Clary, Clary on the other hand refuses to believe Valentine but for Jace's sake tries to bury her feeling for him by attempting to date Simon. If that isn't enough for one girl to deal with we find out that Valentine is murdering downworlder (supernaturals that aren't Shadowhunters) children and
has stolen the second of the mortal instruments that he needs to take over the world.
During her search Clary is summoned to the faerie realm she brings Jace, Simon, and her new shadowhunter friend Isabelle with her. While in the fairy realm Clary is forced by the queen into kissing Jace. After seeing the passion between Jace and Clary Simon runs off to the vampire hotel he was kept captive in in the first book where instead of killing him like he wants he is turned.
City of Ashes is not your average fantasy book; Clary is a heroine you will feel compassion for as she struggles with her world crashing down around her. I think this a fun and exciting book that deals with real world issues in a gritty and honest manner, however; I don't think that it is important for teens or teachers to read on it's own, which isn't to say I don't think it shouldn't be read because it should. I think Cassandra Clare is a fantastic writer but City of Ashes will leave you confused unless you read the prequel, City of Bones, first.

A thoughtful portrayal of cancer

"And before it was all over, we saw just one more thing: a man dancing with his wife at the water's edge to music only they could hear. He put a hand where her right breast had been as he bent to kiss her. Johanna was behind us at that moment, bundled in a huge sweatshirt. She slipped behind me and Matthew, putting her arms around us and pulling us tight. "Cancer can't ever touch that." -Notes From The Dog

Hopefully this excerpt displays the power of this novel effectively. Gary Paulsen's Notes From The Dog is a perfect example of young adult literature that is very engaging, but also covers a depressing subject (Cancer) in an extremely powerful way. The main character Finn (Huckleberry reference) is somewhat of an outsider who is disengaged with the world. He is a reader of many books, and lives withing his own boundaries as he opens the novel with the immortal line: "Sometimes having company is not all it's cracked up to be". This withdrawn character is very popular in these type of books, perhaps because young readers can easily relate to an individual who is somewhat guarded. For most of us, the whole high school experience involved us having to protect ourselves from the individuals around us-- not because they were all bad-- simply that the teenage years are the ones where we are most likely to feel vulnerable to the world's complexities.


I loved this book. The simplicity, use of emotion, strong characters, topicality, and general accessibility (a mere 129 pages) stood out above all the other books I have blogged on this semester. Paulsen is something of a legend in the YAL world, and his ability to connect to younger audiences is something I greatly admired.

Johanna (Finn's neighbor, a breast cancer sufferer) fits many of the archetypal female characteristics of other YAL literature. She is sociable, active, and very much a go-getter in life. But what sets her apart from other female characters in the genre is her disease. As she has breast cancer, it is easy to sympathize with her and understand the emotional turmoil that she must be going through. Paulsen creates a character filled with optimism, and for me she was the highlight of this book. Finn himself I could definitely relate to. His introverted behavior was easy for me to connect to, and I also loved Dylan (his dog) who was thoroughly involved in the story and helped create some of the humorous situations that occurred.

I would say this novel is an essential read for future teachers, and it would also be very easy to bring into the classroom. Many kids will relate to the themes and topics here, and it deals with a very weighty subject in a very touching and engaging way.





Blogged by Stuart Millar

If I Was Your Girl

"He was cool, though," Harlem said, laying next to me in bed and placing Noah between us. "But this is my man." He kissed me on my forehead. "I think I could probably do this."

For the first time in my life I felt like Heaven was smiling. I thought about telling Harlem that I loved him, but then a part of me still wasn't sure where this was going, so I changed my mind...though there was nothing I could do about my heart.

Ni-Ni Simone's If I Was Your Girl follows the story of Toi McKnight, a teenage mother. Readers begin the story with a brawl between Toi and her baby daddy's new girl, Shanice. Throughout the book readers are exposed to Toi's challenges of being a teenage mother and still maintain her identity as teen, which always seem to be in conflict. When Toi meets Harlem, it only becomes more complicated, but not always in a bad way.They end up falling in love and having an on-again off-again relationship. Toi decides to end the relationship for good and Harlem moves to Atlanta. Eventually, so does Toi and her family so her and her twin sister, Seven can attend Spelman University . Do Harlem and Toi reconnect in "Hotlanta?"

Simone's book is full of urban references from "sucking on my teeth" to the clothing and music describe. She did a great job with this book as I could picture exactly what they were wearing, hearing, saying. It gave me much better visuals than other books. She even wrote the text with an urban dialect which enhanced the reality of the story. There was also great comic relief with Percy and his posse; they were all about four feet tall. They were constantly chasing the girls in the story around and were always able to provide a laugh.

Simone does a good job of portraying the realities of teenage pregnancy. This is not the glamorous life and she is sure to show how it effects everyone in the family. This story is also a great depiction of growing up and maturing. Toi has to learn how to be a good mother, friend, girlfriend, student, and all around person. While she shares of many teenage girls of wanting to be in a relationship, she pulls away and fixes her relationship with herself, which I think is something very important that most authors touch on.

in my search for additions to my review I found out that If I was Your Girl is the second book by Simone. The first book Shortie Like Mine ,is actually a precursor to this book and is about Toi twin, Seven. I did not feel as if I missed out on anything though by starting with this book.

This Full House

Whatever happened to LaVaughn and Jolly? The characters we became so closely tied to in Virginia Euwer Wolff's Make Lemonade. Well "This Full House" provides the conclusions we have been searching for about the success (or failure) of the lives of Lavaughn and Jolly.

The story begins with LaVaughn, who has decided to enter a Women in Medical Science, WIMS, program to pursue her dream of entering college, but also to study science and medicine. For more information on real life WIMS programs click here: http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?content_spotlight/wscimed. This program is run by Dr. Moore, a woman who has dedicated her life to medicine and wants to offer young girls the chance to succeed.While finishing her last year of high school LaVaughn is enrolled in the WIMS program, has a job in the local hospital, and continues to watch Jolly's kids while she studies for the G.E.D. LaVaughn is beginning to see things from a new perspective and realizes that college is definitely a possibility for her now. As the book moves along LaVaughn comes to another shocking realization...she may have found Jolly's biological mother. So, LaVaughn dedicates herself to solving this mystery and we, as readers, figure it out right along with her.

If you liked Make Lemonade, then you will absolutely love This Full House. All of the loose ends of Jolly's life are finally discovered in a shocking and unbelievable twist that left me stunned! The continual struggles of Jolly have obvious appeal to young adult readers, because they are finally able to see Jolly's strength and her ability to overcome everything that was thrown her way. LaVaughn also provides an amazing example of perseverance, never giving up on her own dreams, while still being able to help others. I think that this book would create some very interesting classroom discussion about future goals, struggles, and ways in which to overcome those struggles.

For another opinion check out this review from the Washington Post at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2009/03/03/AR2009030303605.html

For a young adult perspective on this book check out this review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIza5NafYkw

For more information on the Make Lemonade trilogy, click here:

http://www.librarything.com/series/Make%20Lemonade%20Trilogy

You mean the biggest disaster isn't Groo?

Sergio Aragonés's Groo the Wanderer is a lovable but bumbling barbarian who tends to leave disaster in his wake as he travels from village to village trying to "help". In Hell on Earth it turns out that Groo isn't the biggest disaster to come to the kingdom.
The Locale is and indeterminate time not unlike the Middle Ages, and pollution from the kings weapons' factory leads the risk of global warming as well as imminent war. Groo goes to the weapons factory seeking a job, because the factory manager is scared of Groo he gives him a job bringing bundles down from the roof. Groo, seeking an easier way to to move the bundles, accidentally falls through the roof making an improvised chimney that releases the smoke that until that moment had been clogging the factory and making the workers sick. While the workers are happy that the smoke is no longer inside with them the towns people begin to see and feel the effects of the pollution. The townsfolk are angry about the pollution and demand that the king do something about it. Buco's answer, provided by Groo (of Course), is to build taller chimneys to make the smoke go higher in the air. This solution provided relief for Buco's kingdom but pushed the problem in to the neighboring kingdoms. After investigating the neighboring kingdoms find out what Buco is up to and increase their own weapons production creating more pollution. While the kingdoms are preparing for war the story shifts between Groo ineptly leading an army in search of an enemy that doesn't exist, and the Sage, Groo's logical friend who is wandering the kingdoms trying to persuade the people that the problem is environmental changes not who their king is.
While Hell on Earth is a bit preachy at times about the environmental issues that it tackles it is funny and that is why I think it is important to teach in the classroom. If Groo can figure out that there is a problem with pollution and that littering is bad for the planet than anyone can. Hell on Earth lets you know that anyone can help to clean up the planet.

Sharp Teeth

What lengths would you go to keep your darkest secret from the one you love? Sharp Teeth is a novel about a pack of werewolves in L.A., a pack of werewolves who freely change from humans to werewolves. These aren't the same kinds of werewolves we have seen before (in the Twilight series or Shiver), but werewolves who can push their transformation all the way to regular dogs. These transformations can be intentional or triggered by cocaine use or the smell of fried chicken. This story also depicts a dogcatcher named Anthony who gets unintentionally caught up in the lives of the werewolves/dogs, while struggling to deal with his painful past. He falls in love with a female werewolf who has stayed from the pack, attempting to break free from the others. Barlow does an incredible job making the characters complex, but also relatable in an unexpected way. What results is an extremely dangerous, crude, and intriguing tale written in a free verse style that makes it accessible to all, but also makes it unique to other novels. For an absolutely bone chilling excerpt from the book, check out this video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFJRn7akXeQ.

Although this book is exciting and very interesting, I do not think it is appropriate for high school classrooms because of the adult content matter and the language that is used. There are many scenes of drug use and violence as well as some distasteful language relating to sexual activity. With that being said, I would definitely recommend this book to older readers because it provides a completely different take on the usual vampire/werewolf tales in a much more adult way. Barlow moves past the typical werewolf human relationship, and comments on the human condition as a whole. The way we are all invested in pain and suffering, love and loss, and the inevitability of death. Proving that "the heart is a bloody thing".

For another review of this book check out this blog: http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-sharp-teeth-by-toby/.

You can also find more urban werewolves in "No Humans Involved" by Kelley Armstrong, summarized here: http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=No_Humans_Involved_by_Kelley_Armstrong.

Jumping Off Swings

America is obsessed with people having babies, plain and simple. When a famous actress shows even a hint of a baby-belly, the media goes wild. When a famous couple welcomes a child into the world, the rights to the first publicized baby photos sends magazines into a frenzy. And even when seemingly ordinary individuals have babies, we throw them baby showers, bestow numerous gifts on them, and many of us "just can't wait" to meet the little one when he or she arrives. Not only is America obsessed with the lighter, happier, more "normal" side of pregnancy, but it is also obsessed with the scandal that sometimes accompanies it. Like when a teenage girl gets pregnant.

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles is about such a scandal. Ellie is barely half-way through high school, but she is quickly forced into the adult world. She was not the most innocent girl in town - she often slept with boys in order to feel some sort of love. But after a one-night-stand with Josh, Ellie becomes pregnant and faces a world full of adult decisions which she is clearly not mature enough to make. Not only is she forced to deal with the pregnancy itself, but she is forced to come to terms with how she got there and how one mistake will affect so many people around her.

Ellie's story is told from four different points of view. Through Ellie we learn that while her family is physically present and able to meet their needs financially, there is an emotional disconnect, or dysfunction, which Ellie has always felt. Through Corinne, Ellie's best friend, we see how even the best of friends can sometimes have a difficult time helping each other, as Corinne often does not know how to support Ellie in her decisions. Through Josh, we get the point of view of the biological father of the unwanted baby, and how his own home life probably greatly attributed to his own careless actions as well as his reaction to the situation. And finally, through Caleb, who is Josh's good friend, we see how even in the worst of circumstances, sticking by someone is often the best thing you can do for them. Other characters play important roles as well. Caleb's mom, Liz, seems to serve as the moral backbone to the story, helping Ellie with love and support during a time when her own parents seem unable to. Also important is Josh's father, who sheds important light on Josh's own life and helps him see through the pain of what has happened.

Jumping Off Swings was an intense, emotional journey that every boy, girl, pre-teen, teen, and parent should read. It has a lot to say not only about actual teenage pregnancy, but also about how such an event can disturb the lives of so many people. This would be an excellent book to use in a sexual education class, and even in an English class when discussing character development. There are very few sexually graphic scenes, which is why I would recommend it to not only high schoolers, but middle schoolers as well. And because it looks at the issue from a female and male point of view, I believe that it would be beneficial for both boys and girls to read it. Ideally, it would be a book that a teacher could use, and also recommend that the parents of the students read as well, in order to open up discussion with their children.

Below is a video of a very interesting interview. The girl in the video was a freshman in high school when she became pregnant. She talks about her decision and how her friends reacted to her situation. The psychologist in the video makes some good points about teenage pregnancy, how parents are probably not taking enough precautions when talking to their teens about such an important issue, and how the media seems to glorify it.

RASL The Drift

Imagine you can jump through different levels of time and space! That's what Robert can do! How would you spend your time and where?

In this over sized, black and white graphic novel, Robert jumps around using time travel equipment that he and a fellow university scientist invented. His equipment looks like airplane engines that he straps on his shoulders and legs to propel him into his next "jump" in time. Its very bulky and he stashes it in garbage dumpsters and car trunks when roaming about in vehicles like pick up truck in what seems like modern time.

In the beginning of the novel, we find Robert stealing Pablo Picasso's The Old Guitarist painting to sell in a different time. He "jumps" to avoid the police takes time to drink, smoke, get laid (all graphically shown), he jumps because a strange lizard man attacks him. In his second jump location, he does another booty call which again involves drinking and smoking. Since he gets into a verbal fight with the booty call girl, he leaves her and goes to a strip joint (which, of course, has thong wearing pole dancers). Lizard man shows up, kills his booty call girl and destroys the Picasso painting - this, of course, becomes the story of the Drift Volume One, which continues on with an open ended ending that leads the reader to future Drift books.

"Graphic" novel really defines this book. Robert is not a good role model for students, unless you are teaching stealing, sex, drinking and smoking to your students! This is not your usual comic book superhero book!

I chose this book because I liked the storyline of time jumping, but I would suggest you skip this novel and "jump" in Steven Gould's Jumper Books and the movie The Jumper, here are the links to a better read:

http://www.jumperthemovie.com/

http://www.avclub.com/articles/book-vs-film-jumper,2178/

Mary Beth Hutting

Columbo in the Sands

Do you remember the old TV series Columbo? Peter Falk lazily wandered around in a crumpled overcoat solving mysteries. Detective Columbo took his time getting the facts and eventually piecing the solution and all aspects of the murder. In Finding Nouf, Nayir bumbles around trying to solve the who and why of the death of Nouf Ash - Shrawi, a 16 year old daughter of a wealthy Arabian family. Her body is found in a wadi (a desert area that suddenly floods with flash flood waters) and her family has her death ruled a suicide and gets on with their life. But one step-brother, Othman, feels Nouf was murdered and wants to know the truth so he enlists desert guide and friend Nayir to find out why Nouf was killed and by whom. Othman also enlists his fiancee' Katya Hijazi, a forensic worker to work on the case without coronor approval. So Nayir and Katya slowly piece together facts and evidence to solve the mystery.

So read to find out: Did Nouf kill herself? Who did kill Nouf? How did a 16 year old female steal a camel and a truck and get away unnoticed? What is a miswak? What is a misyar? Nouf was engaged to be married in two days, but was pregnant! Who is the baby daddy? Did he kill her to hide the pregnancy on a girl that was suppose to be a wedding virgin? All this taking place in the strict religious world of Arabia, where your sandals melt to the sidewalk, yet men go buy coats at the coat bizarre. But don't forget, if an Arab get bored he can drive the one main street around and around to relieve frustrations because gas is only .52 cents a gallon and there is nothing but desert and the Red Sea in all directions! Its a cooky Columbo episode in the sand!

Although reviews have claimed this book is "fast-placed", it is as fast - paced as a turtle. It takes 300 pages to solve the mystery of Nouf's death. Nayir, like Columbo, is in no hurry.

Throughout the book the reader is exposed to the many aspects of current Arabian caste system with its expectations for men and women. How and where men talk, how and where women talk, arranged marriges, prayers and beliefs of Allah are all part of this book. This would be a great book for older teens and young adults that are studying the Arab society. But have dictionary.com ready to look up Arab words that the author thinks everyone knows the meaning of (context clues don't really help unless you know Arab society and terms).

On a positive note, there is slight humor - Nayir eventually does compare himself to Columbo after he buys a "Columbo coat" to wear at the coat bizarre in 95 degree sunshine and Nayir lives on a house boat. Although Nayir is a pious man, strange sexual tension tingle between Nayir and Katya which is forbidden in strict Arab society and is troublesome since Katya is Nayir's best friend's fiancee!

A great book if you want to learn about life in Arabia or have students that are looking for a positive portrayal of the Middle East lifestyles and beliefs.

Author's question and answer section about Finding Nouf on her website

http://www.zoeferraris.com/qa.php


In case you don't remember Columbo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbo_(TV_series)

RD's life is Messed Up!

Oh The Joys of Middle School Times Three

RD is a Mexican 15 year old 8th grader, well 8th grader for the third time. He keeps getting retained because he refused to do any classwork or homework. He considers himself a big zero in life. But how else could he feel when he doesn't know anything about his father, his mother is locked up in jail, his grandmother just moved out and left him in a run down house with a seventy five year old step grandfather that has breathing problems due to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. You'd be messed up too!

Then one day, RD comes home to find Grandpa Earl dead on the bathroom floor. Now he is completely alone, only has 18 dollars, no food in the house and even if he did have food, he doesn't know how to cook!

RD doesn't want to become a ward of the state and be sent to a group home so he keeps his home life a secret. Struggling with the downers in life, RD teaches himself to survive even though he bleaches his jeans, forgets to bathe for three days, thinks Earl's ghost is in the house and doesn't know how cook food (he yells at a frozen chicken - "You'd taste good if I knew how to cook you!").

RD has more problems than most teens, but many teens will relate to RD and his struggles for self sufficiency, deals with school, girls and everything else that come with living in a poor neighborhood. Although RD has a bad school past, this book shows a positive turnabout of a Hispanic teen. He chooses to make the right decisions to make himself a better life. This book could lead to discussions of gangbanging, drugs, consequences of your actions and decisions in a positive and negative directions that they take you in life.

Warning:Fairy tale/lame ending! The book is realistic and great until the final three chapters.Have your students write a new ending to keep it real.