Friends with Boys, by Faith Erin Hicks

Courtesy of Google

I LOVED this book!  I always wished I had a brother or brothers.  J  I do gain one brother when I get married next year – admittedly it’s a little different, since I did not grow up with him. 

This graphic novel is about Maggie, who is about to attend her local high school after having been home-schooled her whole life.  She has three older brothers and has never really socialized with anyone but her family.  At school, she has to navigate a new environment and figure out how to make friends.  Friends with Boys is a great coming-of-age story with compelling characters.  I love the dynamic Maggie has with her family and how she handles high school. 

The art is fantastic! My fiancé read this as a web comic and later bought the trade paperback when it was released to support Ms. Hicks.  I could not put it down – I understand it was agonizing having to wait for each successive page.  ;) I recommend to teenagers and adults.  

Tiger Eyes, by Judy Blume

Talk about books I haven’t read yet – hasn’t this one been out for more than twenty years??  Well, better late than never!  As a child, I made it through a few Judy Blume books; the Fudge books were favorites of mine, but I think I need to revisit and re-read Are You There, God?  It’s Me, Margaret and Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself.  Perhaps I just did not relate to the title characters; to be honest, I cannot give a clear answer on why I did not read more of Judy Blume growing up. 

Courtesy of Google

I really enjoyed Tiger Eyes.  It is about Davey, a girl who is coming to terms with her father’s sudden death.  Her mother moves her and her brother temporarily to stay with relatives in the Southwest – far away from their home on the East Coast where the tragedy occurred.  Davey finds her aunt and uncle overbearing, overprotective and overeager to keep Davey preoccupied with activities and outings in their efforts to help her through her grief.  In other words, they’re well-meaning, but Davey is having none of it.  On the one hand, she is a typical teenager and wishes to assert herself and be more independent from the adults in her life.  She does a lot of soul-searching and we see her identity develop and grow throughout the course of the story.  On the other hand, she is dealing with serious trauma, and only she can work herself through it.  No one else can do it for her.  She mirrors her mother, who in handling her own grief becomes self-absorbed and distant from her family.

What struck me about this book is that the entire time I was reading it, it felt genuine.  There is nothing presumptuous or contrived about the story or the characters.  The motivations and actions taken by everyone are convincing and natural.  The dialogue is not forced.  The ongoing pain of loss and the concomitant acceptance of death are wrenching.

Recommended for teenagers and adults.

The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling

All right, everyone- I am one of the biggest Harry Potter fans out there, which is why I put Harry Potter completely out of mind as I read Ms. Rowling’s new literary work. 

It is a very good read.  She is, as ever, and excellent writer, and despite the harshness and dark elements of her story, she draws you into the lives of her characters as skillfully as any good storyteller. 

It seemed to start out as a social satire, but as I read further I could see that there was a definite line of thinking that the author is pushing us, as readers, to pursue. 

I highly recommend this book: I enjoyed reading it and appreciate what Ms. Rowling is capable of, no matter how far off it is from her debut series!  That being said, THIS IS NOT A CHILDREN’S BOOK.  It is really for readers 16 and up.  It is not a beach read either: the subject matter is very heavy, so be in the right mindset when you read The Casual Vacancy.

Gone to Amerikay, by Derek McCulloch, Colleen Doran, José Villarubia Remember several posts back when I wrote about Mangaman (Barry Lyga)? Well, if you enjoyed Colleen Doran’s artistry as much as I did, you will not be disappointed in Gone to Amerikay. There are three storylines that intertwine as you follow the main characters from the beginning of the tale to its end. It is just as well-written as it is well-drawn. Find it at your local comic book shop!

Remember several posts back when I wrote about Mangaman (Barry Lyga)?  Well, if you enjoyed Colleen Doran’s artistry as much as I did, you will not be disappointed in Gone to Amerikay.  There are three storylines that intertwine as you follow the main characters from the beginning of the tale to its end.  It is just as well-written as it is well-drawn.  Also, Jose Villarubia is the colorist as he was for Gone to Amerikay!  Find it at your local comic book shop!

All These Things I've Done, by Gabrielle Zevin

What if we lived in a time when caffeine and anything made with caffeine was illegal contraband?  Heaven forbid-I could not live without my tea and chocolate!!!  But this is the setting for our story: a world where the crime lords smuggle caffeinated food items from place to place.  Anya Balanchine is the teenage daughter of the Russian mafia’s now-dead boss, and she is trying to live as normal a life as possible in addition to taking care of her two siblings and passing high school.  But sometimes relatives just don’t leave well enough alone, especially when she is the perceived heir to the Balanchine legacy, and she finds herself entangled in her extended family’s doings.  Throw in the interesting new boy at school whose father happens to be the new assistant District Attorney (and intent on dismantling the big caffeine criminal organizations), and you’ve got yourself a quirky, fun read!  For ages 15 and up.

Scary Godmother: Comic Book Stories, by Jill Thompson

This is a truly delightful collection of stories about Hannah Marie and her friends who live on the Fright Side of her bed.  It’s perfect for boys and girls 10 and up (and their parents and/or older siblings) who enjoy funny, spooky stories that are not too scary.  The artwork is whimsical and amazing to look at; it took me a week to read this book (almost unheard of; I am usually the one who finishes a book in a few days) because I spent a lot of time appreciating the artwork and examining the beautiful detail in all the panels.  People my age and older may be more familiar with Jill Thompson’s contributions to Neil Gaiman’s Sandman universe, so if you have not yet checked out Scary Godmother, I recommend it!  Find it at your local comic book shop!

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly

First of all, I have to say that I really, really hope Jacqueline Kelly writes another book about Calpurnia Tate, because I don’t think her story is yet finished.  It is 1899, and Calpurnia Tate is 11 ¾ and not your typical turn-of-the-century girl.  Calpurnia Tate is spunky and would much rather spend her time outside finding bugs and plants with her grandfather than inside learning how to sew a straight seam, cook, and do other domestic activities.  Give her credit for trying though!  She does at least attempt all of these things, with mixed results (but it makes Mother happy).  It’s a time of scientific progress and around the time that the theory of evolution is just gaining ground, and Calpurnia wants to be a part of that.  Calpurnia also narrates the story and, like Jerusha Abbott in Daddy-Long-Legs, is very witty and has a great sense of humor.  If a book makes me laugh aloud, and this one did, I usually determine it to be a good read.   Calpurnia reminds me of such favorite characters of mine as Amber Brown, Ramona, Clementine, and Scout.  This is an excellent story for ages 10 and up, and parents should enjoy it, too!

Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best, by Maria Padian

Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best, by Maria Padian, is a feel-good novel about two best friends who are going their separate ways for the summer.  Eva is going to a ballet summer program in New York City, while Henry (short for Henriette) is off to a prestigious tennis camp in Florida.  It’s the first time both girls have been apart for an extended period of time.  While Jersey Tomatoes is a lighter read, it does deal with some serious issues.  Each girl has an overbearing parent who seems to want nothing more than to live through his or her daughter’s talent.  While Eva is passionate about dance and Henry lives tennis, both also feel conflicted and even dislike what they’re doing at times.  They are constantly dealing with issues that are specific to what they do. In the end, the story asks these questions: What are the important things in life?  Who are you as a person?  How are you going to react if put in a given situation?  What is the right decision to make?  All in all, this is a very good read, and a healthy read, for girls 14-15 and up.  I really enjoyed reading it.  There is a lot of tennis lingo, but it does not take away from the story.  I don’t know anything about tennis and very little about ballet and I was able to follow Henry as she plays her game and Eva as she becomes alive on the dance floor.  Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best is also a good one for those who liked reading The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.

Shadow on the Mountain, by Margi Preus

Shadow on the Mountain, by Margi Preus, is just as good as her first novel, Heart of a Samurai.  The two books are not companions to each other, but they are written in the same style and are both well-research historical fiction novels for the reader 10 years old and up.  Note that Shadow on the Mountain is not to be released until September 2012.  I highly recommend it for those of you who enjoy reading historical fiction and/or read Margi Preus’ first book.  Shadow on the Mountain is about the boy Espen who, at age 14, is running “errands” for the Norwegian Resistance during World War II.  As he grows older and his work for the movement becomes more dangerous, he learns and understands more about how the world he was born into changed so drastically and seemingly overnight.  Through the eyes of various characters in the story, we see how different their motivations are and why they choose to act the way they do.  If anything, Margi Preus shows how history is never black and white, and emphasizes the importance of critical thinking.  

Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus

Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus, is really good! It is based on a true story about Manjiro, a 13-year old boy from a fishing village in Japan who, along with four others, is shipwrecked and eventually picked up by an American whaling ship in 1841. Since this is at a time when Japan was closed to foreigners and did not welcome back Japanese people who strayed too far from Japan’s borders (whether of their own volition or not), Manjiro must make the decision of whether he will try to get home anyway or join the crew. What happens next turns into the adventure of a lifetime. Preus does an excellent job of describing the cultural differences between the East and the West and the conflict that is constantly within Manjiro, even as he takes in the wonder of seeing and experiencing things beyond his wildest dreams! The book has a glossary at the back of technical terms and some Japanese words (which was very helpful), and a bibliography of the author’s resources, for those who, like myself, wish to know more about this period of history and its lasting effects today.

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom, by Susin Nielsen

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom, by Susin Nielsen, is about 12 year old Violet and her anger and sadness about her parents' divorce. Her parents don't quite understand her acting out and Violet gets in trouble a lot. Mixed in with her feelings are her love for her parents (of course); note also that much of her anger is directed toward her father, since he is the one who left. Eventually, the lesson that Violet must inevitably learn is that people are not perfect, and the only thing to be done is to make the best of a sad situation-but not before she makes her own attempts to set things right. This story is a good one to read for anyone, but will also speak in particular to preteen girls whose parents are not together anymore and are having trouble adjusting to the new living environment.

Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage

Three Times Lucky, by Sheila Turnage, is set in a small town in North Carolina, and gives us a brief glimpse into the life of Mo LoBeau, 11 years old and rising 6th grader. Oh, and by the way, it's a murder mystery set in the summertime. I really enjoyed reading it. I especially loved the relationships Mo has with her adoptive family, friends, and neighbours.  Mo is a crackup: she's full of spunk and a tomboy.  For ages 10 (possibly a more emotionally mature 10) to 11 and up.

Ruby Red, by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red is about a girl who has the time-traveling gene. Really good summertime read! Translated from the German, this is the first of three books (which have already been written and released in Europe). I am looking forward to the U.S. release of the second installment!