Bend it Like Beckham

Bibliographic Information: Chadha, G., Nayare, D. (Prodcers) & Chadha, G. (Director). (2002). Bend it like Beckham [DVD]. United States: 20^th Century Fox.

Starring: Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightly, Jonathan Rhys

Plot Summary: Soccer is the only thing Jesminder “Jess” Bhamra cares about, but despite the fact that she’s grown up in the Western civilized world of London, England, her Sikh family are trying to maintain their cultural values. Unfortunately for Jess, this means that soccer is out of the question. Not only is it too manly, but it requires her to show too much skin, and be strong muscled—not the fine qualities of a bride. It certainly doesn’t help that her sister is engaged, and the festivities surrounding the impending wedding day require Jess to stick her duties of shopping for wedding shoes, learning to cook an entire family meal, and showing her sister support.

            Against her parents wishes, Jess secretly plays soccer with some boys at the park and one day, an English girl named Jules, sees Jess’s skills and ability to “bend the ball like Beckham.” Jules asks Jess to join her soccer team, and reluctantly she does. On her new team, she shows insecurity about wearing shorts (a childhood accident has left her thigh scarred), but her coach, Joe, shows her his own messed up knee from several surgeries, and she feels better. As Jess struggles to keep her soccer practices a secret (telling her parents she has a job), her and Jules both develop a romantic interest in Joe. When Jules witnesses Jess and Joe almost kiss, their friendship is broken. What’s worse, Jess’s father, who started to show some support for her talent, witnesses her hugging her coach after an upsetting game.

            Jess is then accepted into a University and accepts the fact that she can’t play soccer any more, despite an American scout’s interest in her. Meanwhile, Jules is facing similar parental problems when her mother wrongly assumes she is a lesbian (simply for being athletic). But when both Jess and Jules are offered a scholarship in America, they find a way to mend their friendship and families in the process.

Critical Evaluation: Jess represents the multitude of barriers that have faced women through out history, especially women who are the daughters of immigrant parents. One the one hand, Jess is lucky to have a family that cares about her so much, but their traditional values are preventing her from finding an identity in the more modern world—a world that celebrates women’s ability to play rough like men. Jess feels like her parents are blind to her sister’s immoral ways of dressing sleazy, and secretly having sexual encounters with her fiancé. But Jess has an actual talent that can lead to success, and she’s not trying to deceive them—in fact, she wants to share her love of soccer with them, but they refuse to understand. With a little determination, she breaks through to her dad, who was an athlete in his younger years, and through sheer will power, makes her dreams come true.

Reader’s Annotation: Jess wants to be professional soccer player, but her conservative Sikh parents only want her to be proper lady and get married.

Director Information: Wikipedia states, “Gurinder Chadha (born 10 January 1960) is a British film director of Sikh Indian origin. Most of her films explore the lives of Indians living in the United Kingdom. She is best known for the hit films Bhaji on the Beach (1993), Bend It Like Beckham (2002), Bride and Prejudice (2004) and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008). Her most recent project is the comedy film, It's a Wonderful Afterlife released on 21 April 2010.

Gurinder Chadha was born in Nairobi. Her family was part of the Indian diaspora in East Africa. They moved to Southall, West London when she was two years of age, where she attended Clifton Primary School. After graduating from the University of East Anglia, Chadha attended the London College of Printing in 1984/85 and studied for a post-graduate diploma in radio journalism, following which she worked as a BBC Radio reporter. Chadha then began working in television, and moved into film production in 1993.

She is married to Japanese-American filmmaker Paul Mayeda Berges, with whom she sometimes collaborates. They have twins, born in June 2007.”

  

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Subjects: independence, family, love, soccer, cultural heritage

Curriculum Ties: Culture and Society

Booktalking Ideas: Have your parents ever disagreed with your dreams?

How does Jess find a way to balance respect for her family and culture, without hindering her dreams?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 13+

Challenge Issues/Defense: N/A

Reason for Selection: This award winning film offers girls, especially those who feel restricted by their cultural heritage, an example of a successful coming-of-age tale. The struggle to become independent without betraying family is an issue that will resonate with teens.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Bibliographic Information: Chbosky, S. (Producer) & Chbosky, S. (Director). (2013). The perks of being a wallflower [DVD]. United States: Summit.

Cast: Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller

Plot Summary: Charlie is starting his first year of high school with no friends. Some seniors (Sam and her step-brother Patrick) introduce him to their social circle, where he is embraced as one of the wallflowers, and participates in some very grown up activities: mistakenly eating a pot-brownie, getting mixed up in a few love triangles with girls (and boys), going on driving adventures, and participating in a production of the Rocky Horror Picture show. On one memorable night, they drive through a very long tunnel, a song plays that no one has heard before, and Sam stands in the back of the truck with her arms outstretched. Intrigued, Charlie feels attracted to Sam. His new friends are always there for him, and he stands up for them in return, but since they are seniors, they will be leaving for college soon, and he will be back at square one.

            Meanwhile, Patrick keeps having flashback of his aunt who died when he was seven. He remembers loving her even more than his own family, and during an emotional collapse at the end of the film, his doctors reveal that he was molested by his aunt and had repressed the memory. He stick to his therapy, and meets up with Sam and Patrick after she’s been away at Pennsylvania State University. Sam finds out that the “tunnel song” was “Heroes” by David Bowie, and they return to the tunnel, where Charlie now stands in the truck, feeling “infinite.”

Critical Evaluation: Between the film and the book of the same name, I’m not quite sure what stands out about this simple yet moving story. Perhaps it is the subtle weaving of great bands like the Smiths and David Bowie that litter the soundtrack, or maybe it’s just the emotional honesty. Lines about feeling “infinite” sound cheesy out of context, but in the dreamy depiction of teenage freedom and potential, they are quite fitting. The sentimental tone of this movie makes it stand out, but so does the inclusion of LGBTQ themes and struggles. Charlie’s struggle is quintessentially young adult, but it is unique in that he has faced trauma: the suicide of his best friend Michael before high school, and the abuse he received from his aunt, followed by her tragic death. Charlie’s character adopts healthy coping mechanisms, such as writing to no one, that give troubled teens a glimpse of hope by suggesting they “write” their own destinies.

Reader’s Annotation: Charlie has had a rough year and can’t wait to start his first year of high school on a positive note. Too bad that’s impossible.

Director Information: Gale’s Contemporary Authors Online states, “Pennsylvania-born screenwriter, stage writer, and television writer Stephen Chbosky is also the author of the coming-of-age novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower. 

Chbosky did not intend The Perks of Being a Wallflower to be a young-adult novel, but because of its graphic focus on adolescent life it has been viewed as such by many critics. In an interview with Marty Beckerman for wordriot.com, Chbosky discussed how he responded to the criticism and controversy that followed the book's publication. "It's hard, because I didn't write it to be challenged. I didn't write it to be a controversial book. I can't really take it as a point of pride because it was banned someplace." Instead, Chbosky has reacted by "mourning the fact that people can't agree to disagree, and people can't find common ground. The people who object for moral reasons cannot see the value of the book, and the people who see the value of the book don't realize why it's upsetting to more religious people."

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Subjects: high school, fitting in, friendship, love, sexual abuse,

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: What does Charlie mean when he says he feels infinite?

What songs mean the most to you and why?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 14+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to depictions of drug and alcohol use, sexual themes, and sexual abuse, this film may be challenged. If so, refer to:

 1. The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed reviews and list of awards won and nominated for.

5.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: This is a heartwarming film that culminates all of the experiences of high school: struggling to fit and finally finding acceptance in unlikely people who are quirky and smart and introduce you to great music. It depicts a range of teen emotions in a very poetic way. Fans of the book will enjoy seeing the characters on screen.

Remember the Titans

Bibliographic Information: Bruckheimer, J. (Producer) & Yakin, B. (Director). (2000). Remember the titans. [DVD]. United States: Walt Disney.

Plot Summary: Based on a true story about a desegregated high school football team in 1971 Virginia, this movie focuses on the trials of coaches Herman Boone and Bill Yoast as he aims to increase his team's chance at earning a scholarship. Racial tension is high in this dramatic portrayal of a small town trying to get adjusted to the changes happening when blacks and whites are desegregated. After tough training and many pitfalls, the team conquers not only football (by remaining undefeated), but their racial differences, too. The team inspires harmony in the community, changing their town forever.

Critical Evaluation: This is one of those unforgettable and inspiring true stories that takes America’s murky past and reveals the capacity for human strength, determination, and love, despite our many differences. Watching the players evolve from disparate, rivaling groups, to a team and family, is heartwarming.

Reader’s Annotation: The Titans are a recently desegregated football team with a new coach bent on getting them a scholarship.

Director Information: Wikipedia states, “Yakin was born in New York City to an Israeli couple who met in Paris while studying mime with Marcel Marceau. He attended a yeshiva, and later, the Bronx High School of Science, where he was classmates in 1983 with actor Jon Cryer.

Yakin studied filmmaking at New York's City College. He moved on to New York University, and made his first deal for a screenplay at the age of 19.

After finishing school, Yakin worked in the film business helping to develop projects for several companies, and saw his first screenplay reach the screen in 1989, when The Punisher, a vehicle for Dolph Lundgren, was released. Yakin's next screenplay was The Rookie, starring Clint Eastwood and Charlie Sheen. Wanting to take on more personal material, Yakin drew from his experiences growing up in New York's inner city for his next screenplay, Fresh. Yakin opted to direct his screenplay for Fresh himself, and the film won critical acclaim, earning the Filmmaker's Trophy at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.

Genre: Drama

Subjects: football, segregation, civil rights, teams, high school

Curriculum Ties: American History, segregation

Booktalking Ideas: Why is Coach Boone told that he will be fired if his team loses one game?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to issues of race and discrimination, this movie may be challenged. If so, refer to:

 1. The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed reviews and list of awards won and nominated for.

5.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: Denzel Washington gives a great performance and the film won numerous awards.

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream

Bibliographic Information: Stone, T.L. (2009). Almost astronauts: 13 women who dared to dream. New York: Candlewick. ISBN: 9780763645021

  

Plot Summary: N/A

Critical Evaluation: This close look at a specific chapter in women's history explores 13 amazing women who paved the way for female astronauts. These courageous women proved, through a series of strenuous physical and psychological tests, that women were just as fit, if not more so, than men to be astronauts. Unfortunately, due to the social and political climate, vice president LBJ's actions, gender expectations and general resistance from NASA, these extremely smart and passionate pilots never got to become astronauts, but they certainly paved the way for future generations of women to enter space. Full of gritty details, expert research, and a passionate approach to this interesting topic, Almost Astronauts offers a reliable example of an important aspect of civil rights and sexism. Stone writes about the topic in a very poetic and engaging manner that teens will be very drawn to.

Reader’s Annotation: Find out just how difficult it was to be a woman…and an astronaut in the 1950’s and 60’s.

Author Information: Gale’s Contemporary Authors Online states, “Tanya Lee Stone is the author of dozens of nonfiction books for young readers, including titles in the "Regional Wild America," "Wild Wild World," and "Making of America" series. "I am passionate about nonfiction," Stone told Suite 101 online interviewer Sue Reichard. "I just love coming across a little-known piece of history or an interesting topic in science and finding a way to get kids just as excited about it as I am." In 2006 Stone expanded into fiction with A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl, a young-adult novel that was described as "one of the most honest treatments of teenage sexuality to be found in YA fiction" by Kliatt contributor Claire Rosser. "I absolutely love reading and writing within this genre," the author remarked to Teri S. Lesesne in Teacher Librarian. "The urgency, passion, drama, and importance, all wrapped up in transitioning from being a kid to an adult, is the stuff of life. I love immersing myself in it." In addition to her nonfiction titles, Stone has also published picture books that include B Is for Bunny: A Springtime Alphabet Book.
Stone, whose father was also an author, developed an early interest in telling tales. "I've been writing stories since I was seven years old," she noted on the Random House Web site. "Some of them were even published--in the school newspaper." After graduating from Oberlin College with a degree in English, Stone moved to New York City, where she spent thirteen years in the publishing industry. "My editorial background has definitely been an advantage in terms of craft," she explained to Cynthia Leitich Smith on the Cynsations Web site. "I edited hundreds and hundreds of books before I wrote my first one for publication."

Genre: Non-Fiction, Space

Subjects: women’s rights, astronauts, space, NASA, discrimination

Booktalking Ideas: How are women in the sciences perceived nowadays? Has anything changed?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 10+

Challenge Issues/Defense: N/A

Reason for Selection: This is an ALA Best Book for YA’s and won the Sibert Medal. Young girls interested in careers in the sciences and aerospace will love taking a glimpse into the history of their future professions. Students with research assignments will be provided with a wealth of useful information, resources and photographs, even if this book is intended for younger audiences. 

Feed

Bibliographic Information: Anderson, M.T. (2002). Feed. [Audiobook]. Baker, D.A. (Narrator). Listening Library. ISBN: 0807217735

Plot Summary: In a dystopian futuristic America, where human brains are connected to the “feed,” Titus decides to go to the moon for spring break with his friends, which turns out to be a pretty “null” affair, until he meets a girl who intrigues him in an unusual way. The beautiful Violet Durn—dressed in old wool instead of plastic, is one of the many people who have their feeds attacked by a hacker at a club. Hospitalized and disconnected from their feeds for the first time since infancy (with the exception of Violet, who didn’t receive the feed until she was 7), Titus and his friends are unable to chat, play games, shop, or intoxicate themselves via intentional malfunction sites. Violet and Titus make a romantic connection during their recovery. When they return to Earth, typical high school life goes on: Titus dates Violet and attends SchoolÔ, a school with holograms for teachers, guiding students in the ways of consumerism.

When Violet decides to act against the feed by creating a purposefully confusing customer profile, she soon learns that her feed was not completely repaired, and she slowly starts to lose function in her body and mind. As Titus tries to cope with the deterioration of his girlfriend, she tries to raise his awareness to the riots and hostility being aimed at the United States from the Global Alliance, but his apathy for anything remotely meaningful, is just a product of a world controlled by corporate greed. With no privacy or original thought among the 73% of Americans who have the feed, they are all blind to the destruction happening all around them. All anyone cares about is stimulation in the form of fun, appearance, trends, shopping, and gaming.

Critical Evaluation: One of the most frightening aspects of this realistic dystopian vision of America, is that Regular school was done away with when the feed made it possible to access any piece of information at any given time via the brain. Corporations now bombard the feed with advertisements that are catered to each individual’s tastes, sights, thoughts, and actions. Products can be purchased and delivered instantly, even clones. Babies are customizable, and people fly around in “upcars” that go on auto-pilot through giant tubes. The oceans of Earth are acidic, the clouds are trademark products of corporations; everywhere, false beauty abounds and nature is squandered. The rich can afford to travel to the moon, but people in the lower class, like Violet and her father who homeschooled her, can’t even afford to connect to the feed. Violet’s dad is a quirky professor who represents any last connection to our current world, and he accesses the feed with a backpack computer and goggles with built-in screens. As a professor of ancient languages, Violet’s father  represents how language has been stripped of its power, beauty, and cadence by forms of texting, chatting and the telepathy offered by the feed.

Overall, Anderson offers a very satirical vision of the future, and it’s amazing that this book is already 11 years old, before social media was as big as it is now. The “feed” is comparable to Facebook, with the exception of screens and tangible computers. This book opens up a dialogue for debate about consumer culture, the future of information technology, and the possible outcomes for human life and Earth itself.

Reader’s Annotation: Titus is one of the 73% of American connected to the feed—a network of human minds all connected via chatting, games, ads, and shopping. He meets Violet on the moon and falls in love.

Author Information: From http://mt-anderson.com/, it states that M. T. Anderson has written stories for adults, picture books for children, adventure novels for young readers, and several books for older readers (both teens and adults). His satirical book Feed was a Finalist for the National Book Award and was the winner of the L.A. Times Book Prize. The first volume of his Octavian Nothing saga won the National Book Award and the Boston Globe / Horn Book Prize. Both the first and second volumes of that two-part series were Printz Honor Books. He has published stories for adults in literary journals like The Northwest Review, The Colorado Review, and Conjunctions.

He writes: "I love writing for younger readers. I love their passion. I love their commitment to stories. I love the way their heads are exploding with all the things they want to say and do. Thanks for reading the things I've written."

Genre: Science Fiction, Cyberpunk, Dystopian

Subjects: consumerism, communication, advertising, Internet, love

Curriculum Ties: Advertising, Communication, American Culture

Booktalking Ideas: Play a clip from one of the advertisements in the audiobook, setting up the future environment. Ask teens if they would trade in their smart phones to access the Internet from their mind. What would be the pros and cons of such a technology?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 14+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to strong language, this material may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

5.     Book selection rationale.

6.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: Feed was a National Book Award finalist and recommended by numerous YA resources.

Boy Meets Boy

Bibliographic Information: Levithan, D. (2003). Boy meets boy. New York: Knopf. ISBN: 978-0375832994

Plot Summary: In a small utopian town where all sexual orientations are accepted and embraced, Paul, a gay teen who was outed by his Kindergarten teacher, has mostly lived a comfortable and perfect life. His parents and older brother embrace his homosexuality, and even his school is a fantastical community where cheerleaders can ride motorcycles and the football quarterback can also be homecoming queen. Paul’s world is juxtaposed with his friend Tony. Tony lives in an adjacent town, and his parents are religious conservatives who believe they can stamp out his homosexuality. Paul and Tony’s mutual friend Joni, hang out at a bookstore concert one night, where Paul meets Noah, his new love interest. Paul finds out that they attend the same school, and soon they start to date each other. Everything is peachy until Paul’s ex, Kyle, comes back into the picture. Kyle broke up with Paul because he was unsure of his sexual identity, feeling bisexual and “on the fence” about who he was. When Kyle realizes his mistake, he confesses his true feelings for Paul, and Paul kisses him. Naturally, Noah finds out, and Paul must mend all of his mistakes, while helping his friend Tony fight depression, and Joni’s bad relationship choices to boot.

Critical Evaluation: This book breaks away from the usual LGBQT themes of struggling for acceptance in a hostile world of bullying and ridicule. Instead, Levithan provides LGBQT teens with a fictional safe haven, where the important things can shine: love, friendship, and finding your identity. Granted, his utopian vision is farfetched, and unfortunately a far cry from the true plight of most gay teens, but at the same time, Levithan is pushing forth an important question: what if? What if everyone was free to be himself or herself? What would such an accepting place look like? Underneath all the positive speculation though, lies just another formulaic teen love story, but with a gay twist: boy meets boy, boy loses boy, boy wins back boy. What keeps readers glued to the pages isn’t the predictability of the plot, however. Its Levithan’s grasp of language and pacing; never does the story fall flat, every scene is charged with drama, emotion, or reflections on coming-of-age. Overall, Boy Meets Boy is a breath of fresh air, in a world of YA lit that can often be depressing and bleak.

Reader’s Annotation: Paul meets Noah, a cool artist who wears blue suede shoes. They fall in love, but Paul’s past follows him like a shadow. The boys are unsure of how to trust each other, considering they’ve both been heartbroken before.  

Author Information: Gale’s Contemporary Authors Online states, “David Levithan has written numerous novels for teens and young adults, as well as novelizations of movies and television-show tie-ins. Several of his novels actually began as short stories written as Valentine's Day gifts for friends, a tradition he began many years ago; his novels Boy Meets Boy, The Realm of Possibility, and Are We There Yet? all got their start this way. Along with his work as a writer, Levithan works as editorial director and executive editor at Scholastic, where his responsibilities include editing the entire Push imprint. A line focusing on new voices and new authors in young adult literature, Push led to Levithan's editorship of the anthology You Are Here, This Is Now: The Best Young Writers and Artists in America: A Push Anthology, which was the first book-length work to feature his name on its cover. When asked by an interviewer on the Barnes & Noble Web site to give his advice for writers waiting to be discovered, Levithan commented: ‘Don't write to be published. Write because it's something you want (or have) to write.’”

Genre: Fiction

Subjects: LGBQT, homosexuality, friendship, love, relationships, high school

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: Read from the passage where Paul and Noah meet in the book store.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to LGBTQ themes, this book may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

5.     Book selection rationale.

6.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: This is one of the sweetest LGBTQ books I have ever read and has won numerous awards and honors.

Hattie Big Sky

Bibliographic Information: Larson, K. (2007), Hattie big sky. New York: Yearling. ISBN: 978-0385735957

Plot Summary: Sixteen-year old Hattie “here-and-there” is an orphan who’s been ushered around from one relative to the next (hence her nickname) and currently resides with her self-righteous Aunt Ivy and Uncle Holt in 1917 Iowa. She writes often to her school friend (and love interest) Charlie, who is off fighting the Kaiser in Germany. On the same day that Aunt Ivy hints at sending Hattie to work in a boarding house, she receives a mysterious letter from her late Uncle Chester—offering an opportunity at a brand new life. In the letter, he offers her the chance to claim his land and house in Montana, as well as one horse and cow. With a little nudging from Uncle Holt, and much to Aunt Ivy’s dismay, Hattie gets on a train headed west.

            When she arrives, a man on the train criticize her for getting off where there’s “a whole lotta nothin’,” but this doesn’t deter Hattie, as she soon meets her friendly neighbors, the Muellers. Perilee, mother to three and expecting a fourth, offers Hattie a warm welcome and gets her acquainted to he homestead life. Even the children offer her sound advice, like fetching water for her morning coffee the night before—that way she won’t have to face the bitter cold as soon as she wakes up. And cold it is. Over the course of a year, Hattie deals with blizzards, wolves, a stubborn cow, and exhausting physical labor and she tends to the land and struggles to survive the harsh weather. Still, the vast beauty and “big sky” that surrounds her is a welcome embrace compared to the rejection she as faced time and time again.                        

            Conflicts rise as local residents become suspicious of German immigrants (Perilee’s husband Karl is German) and the villainous Traft Martin tries to oust him. Hattie tries to defend this loving family she has come to know, insisting that they are patriotic and harmless, but with WWI looming overseas, paranoia rises and prejudice is rampant. Now, on top of her physical stress, Hattie is pressured with the duty of patriotism, and is persuaded to buy liberty bonds that turn her prospects into poverty. Then the Muellers are struck with the Spanish influenza, and Hattie is pushed to her limit. As it turns out, a teenage girl’s hard work and determination can only get her so far.

Critical Evaluation: This tale of American turn-of-the-century farm life is told through the unique perspective of the strong-willed, good-natured, Hattie, who is wise for her age, but has room to grow. She interacts with her neighbors and the community (even the despicable characters) with grace and keen moral judgment—a skill she’s picked up from having been put down all of her life. Through her trials, Hattie represents the complex nature of growing up: one has to not only adapt to new surroundings, but work hard, and defend what’s right in a world full of wrong. Her disgust at the prejudice against Germans opens her eyes to the real world, and makes her all the stronger.

Reader’s Annotation: Hattie proves up her Uncle’s claim to tend a homestead and 320 acres of land in Montana, with nothing but her valise and Mr. Whiskers, her cat.

Author Information: Gale’s Contemporary Authors Online states, “Kirby Larson began her writing career penning chapter books while seated at her kitchen table, setting aside her work to serve up her family's meals. Never a prolific writer, she has nonetheless gained critical praise for creating good-humored stories that accurately reflect the problems and concerns of children in the early elementary grades. Larson focused on plot and character development in her chapter books Second-Grade Pig Pals and Cody and Quinn, Sitting in a Tree, as well as in her picture book The Magic Kerchief. Her focus on such details paid off when she turned to older readers in her young-adult novel Hattie Big Sky. The sixth book written by Larson over a span of a dozen years, Hattie Blue Sky earned the Washington State author a prestigious Newbery Honor designation from the American Library Association following its 2006 publication.

Larson's first two chapter books, Second-Grade Pig Pals and Cody and Quinn, Sitting in a Tree, introduce a second grader named Quinn. In addition to worries about celebrating a holiday devoted to swine in Second-Grade Pig Day, Quinn finds herself with friend problems when her efforts to befriend Manuela, a new student, are foiled by more-aggressive classmate Annie May. The class bully, with his relentless taunting, tries to ruin Quinn's friendship with a boy in Cody and Quinn, Sitting in a Tree. Susan Dove Lempke, reviewing Larson's first book in the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, predicted that young readers will enjoy following Quinn's "travails as she agonizes, in true-to-life second-grade fashion, over the pigs and Manuela." Quinn's solution to her dilemma, which involves the girls working together to compose a limerick about pigs, gives the book a "whole-hoggedly satisfying ending," in the opinion of School Library Journal contributor Janet M. Bair. In Cody and Quinn, Sitting in a Tree Quinn and company "act out this typical school story with a generous measure of humor and sensitivity," concluded Pat Mathews in Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, and Kay Weisman declared in Booklist that "Larson has an accurate sense of seven-year-olds' preoccupations and a good ear for dialogue" in the title.”

Genre: Historical Fiction

Subjects: orphans, World War I, racism, patriotism, farms, Montana,

Curriculum Ties: World War I, Race and Society

Booktalking Ideas: How does Hattie’s story parallel the opportunities for women today?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12+

Challenge Issues/Defense: N/A

Reason for Selection: This was a Newbury Honor book as well as an ALA Best Book for YA’s. No library collection would be complete without a warm-hearted historical prairie type novel.

Punk Rock Etiquette

Bibliographic Information: Nichols, T. (2008). Punk rock etiquette: The ultimate how-to guide for diy, punk, indie, and underground bands. New York: Roaring Book Press. ISBN: 1596434155

Plot Summary: N/A

Critical Evaluation: For the striving musician and diy-er, this fun how-to book provides tips and ways to start a garage band, develop a fan base, and become rock and roll legends. With witty and wise words, Nichols gives teens the opportunity to learn the importance of merchandising, booking shows, touring, and on-stage performance etiquette to become a successful band. Funny illustrations are interspersed with text to offer a hand made “zine” feel. Though there is some practical advice offered, this book is primarily for humorous entertainment (and his tips for sleeping in a van while touring sound fun, but can be dangerous).

Part of what makes this book so entertaining, is the drama Nichols weaves into his topics. For example, when discussing stage etiquette, he describes three steps to “winning millions of dollars” through performance: The Setup, The Thunder, and The Departure. He switches between examples of bands with good and bad etiquette, with little cartoonish sketches to illustrate. The bad band heads straight for the bar, while the good band introduces themselves to the sound guy and sets up their merchandise table. Even if the rock and roll dream seems trite, the overall theme of advice is professionalism—which can be carried into any career choice.

Reader’s Annotation: Learn about all of the in-and-outs of forming band, writing, recording, getting fans, and touring with this quirky how-to guide.

Author Information: From his official website, the quirky Travis Nichols says of himself:

“I write books. And draw drawings. And paint. And draw comics. And rock (and roll). So until this interweb fad goes away or gets co-opted by THE MAN, this is a “website” of my work. Feel free to “click around”. I also cold hustle my wares, so if you’ve paid your rent and picked up enough tofu and vegetables to get you by until next week, well, have at it, darling. I accept funds made of money. Also, I like you a lot. And I really wish you’d recycle.

Hey, but seriously, though. Real quick. I’m the author and illustrator of Matthew Meets the Man, The Monster Doodle Book, and Punk Rock Etiquette: The Ultimate How-To Guide for DIY, Punk, Indie, and Underground Bands. Punk Rock Etiquette was awarded a Blue Ribbon by The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. I’m still waiting on the actual blue ribbon to arrive. PRE was also nominated as one of the Best Books for Young Adults, as well as one of the 2009 Popular Paperbacks by YALSA.”

Genre: Non-Fiction, How-to-Guide

Subjects: punk music, rock music, bands, DIY

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: Have teens divide into two groups: the band with good etiquette, and the band without. Have them act out examples form the book.

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12+

Challenge Issues/Defense: N/A

Reason for Selection: This is an ALA Best Book for YA’s and a very humorous read for all those punk teens.

Tender Morsels

Bibliographic Information: Lanagan, M. (2008). Tender morsels. New York: Knopf. ISBN: 978-0375848117

Plot Summary: Liga Longfield endures brutal and traumatic abuse from her widowed father which results in a child, and similar trauma from a group of village boys results in another pregnancy. Just when Liga is convinced that death may be her only escape from her horrific experience, she is granted safety and security in the form of a separate world, akin to her own personal heaven, where she is free from harm, and able to raise her two girls in a cottage in the woods. The daughters, gentle Branza and sprightly Urrda, couldn’t be more different, both in appearance and manner. In this paradise, where even the townspeople are all friendly and helpful, Liga slowly heals from her emotional wounds, but after years of solitude, feels a complicated kind of loneliness. The void is filled when one day a friendly bear appears in their world, and they grow fond of his comforting, gentle company. Little do they know, that the bear is a boy who has crossed the threshold from the real world, and other, more dangerous types are soon to follow. Meanwhile, Urrda’s strong will and spirit urges her to explore the unknown, and she mistakenly returns to the real world. While time moves at a slower pace in reality, Liga and Branza grow ever older in their paradise, convinced that Urrda has disappeared forever.  As more bears break the border between worlds, Liga learns she must learn to face reality once again, where there lies both good and evil.

Critical Evaluation: This story starts off on a very bad note, and trudges through some very difficult material to experience, let alone read about. But Lanagan is careful which details to include, never lingering on harsh moments for long, instead focusing on the depth of emotion and reflection that occurs afterwards, revealing the slow process of healing. Liga is but a maiden throughout her traumas, and so we get to see through her young perspective, how she slowly gains an understanding of what is happening to her, and what it means for her future. Her sheer sensitivity and calculated methods for saving herself and her children are deep and utterly human, to the point that she is willing to fling herself and her child from a cliff. Her salvation comes in the form of magic, but it only lasts for so long. Underlying the safety of her new life, is the harsh reality: she must eventually learn to face her fears again, and her daughters help give her the strength, as they too try to piece together their world and their identities. The language is intense, gritty and whimsical all at once, mirroring the clash of tone in this corporeal fairytale. This is a true feminist piece, full of dynamic female characters that takes the Grimms Brother’s “Snow-White and Rose-Red” tale, and fills in all the details in a poetic and gripping way.

Reader’s Annotation: Liga creates a magical world where dangerous men don't exist, and she and her daughters can live a comfortable and safe life. But the magic that separates her world from reality is waining, and bears and dwarfs are crossing the threshold, endangering her paradise.

Author Information: Gale’s Contemporary Authors Online states, “In addition to writing for children, author Margo Lanagan has worked as a freelance book editor as well as a technical writer. Growing up in the Hunter Valley and in Melbourne, Australia, she traveled extensively, in addition to studying history at universities in both Perth and Sydney. The insight and experiences gained from both her travels and her education have provided the inspiration for Lanagan's middle-grade and young-adult novels as well as for short-story collections such as White Time, Black Juice, and Red Spikes.”

  

Genre: Fantasy

Subjects: fairy tales, sexual abuse

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: Introduce the original fairy tale of “Snow-White and Rose-Red” as the back drop for a discussion on the relationship between mothers and daughters.

Reveal how men are presented as bears in Liga’s world, and what benefits and/or dangers this could be towards the females in the novel. Why bears?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 16+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to descriptions of sexual abuse, this material may be challenged. If so, refer to:

1.     The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies, Reading Lists, and Resources for Recommended Literature: Pre-K-12.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed book reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly.

5.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reason for Selection: This book tackles heavy issues in a creative way, and has won numerous awards and honors.