Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

I've been doing lots of reading of YA books this summer, and they have all been realistic fiction that has been more appropriate for older students.  I decided I needed to go back to my favourite genre- dystopian novels.  So I did a little searching to find out what I've been missing and this series kept coming up. 

In this dystopian novel the world is split into those with red blood and those with silver blood.  Silver blooded people are the aristocrats who rule the world.  Many of them have special powers and they are used to keep the red blooded people down.  Mare Barrow's is a red blood- her and her family and struggling to survive in the world where those with the wrong type of blood are limited to the worst, most dangerous jobs.  Mare knows that once she turns 18, she will be sent off to war to fight for the silver blooded royalty.  There is no choice in this, like her brother's before her, she has to report to war.  But when a chance encounter with someone changes her future, she soon discovers that even though she is of red blood - she also possesses special abilities.  This makes her a threat to the Silver's way of life and puts her life at risk as she tries to navigate living in the Silver world, while staying true to her Red family.

This is a great book!  Lots of action and excitement.  The only problem is, when you finish one book, you have to race to Chapters to buy the next one! 

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

This book has been getting a lot of notice on twitter and since it was described as the book version of The Breakfast Club  I knew I had to pick it up and I'm glad I did.

One of Us Is Lying starts off in a typical after-school detention with five students suffering through the punishment.  But while five students start off in detention, in a few short minutes, only four students walk out alive, one is dead.  The students thought that detention was the worst thing that could happen, but they soon realize that one of them is going to be blamed for this death. 

Simon, the boy who died, was not very well liked, as he was the owner of an app that spilled gossip and secrets about the other students at the school.  He was set to press 'submit' on an entry that would spill the deepest secrets of the other four students in detention that day.  These students were:

• Bronwyn- the over-achiever who has her sights set on going to Yale
• Cooper- the athlete whose pitch is going to lead him right to the Major league 
• Nate- the rebel who already has a police record
• Addy- the popular beauty queen who works very hard at always being perfect.

But each of these students has a secret they don't want revealed and so all have a motive for killing Simon.  The rest of the school population is very happy to throw all suspicion their way. But who had the biggest motive of all and killed Simon?  

This book was really enjoyable.  It was a great mystery novel as it kept me guessing right up until the end.  I really enjoyed the glimpse into what is hidden behind the exterior these students presented to the rest of the school community.  

There is some mature content in this, but it is appropriate and not something that would stop me from putting this in my Intermediate classroom.  The fact that the story is told from all four perspectives makes it a book that would be enjoyed by all students.  

Someone I Used to Know by Patty Blount

Last week, I read a tweet by Patty Blount talking about her new release- and I pre-ordered it right that minute.  Last night, I went to my mailbox, and there it was...I started it immediately, and finished it this morning (I sure do love my summers!).  Back in 2014, I read her first novel- Some Boys Are, and loved it, and this book was just the same.

Someone I Used to Know isn't your typical sexual assault story.  Typically those books deal with the immediate year after a sexual assault and how the victim deals with the fallout.  This book is actually two years after the assault and shows not only what the victim has to deal with, but also how family and friends are affected.

In grade 9, Ashley is raped by one of her brother's football teammates to score points for a game.  The result of the trial is a lighter sentence of sexual assault because the judge believed that he just got carried away and his life shouldn't be ruined for one mistake.  For Ashley however, her life has changed in so many ways through his actions.   Even though she is the victim, the school community blame her for getting the football program cancelled, her brother blames her for joining the dance team for the school and her parents blame her for drinking with her rapist.  Ashely suffers from anxiety, loneliness and struggles to get through her days at school.  However she isn't the only one who is suffering.  Her brother Derek is also struggling.  He is angry at his former teammate for not respecting his sister, but is more angry with himself for not protecting Ashely.  As he slowly learns that rape is not just an issue for women, he starts to recognize that he also plays a role in the way society view women, use sex to sell products and the way athletes and other powerful men are protected.  As Ashely learns to cope with her new normal, Derek also needs to learn how to cope with all of his feelings and emotions and learn to forgive and be there for each other.

This book, like Some Boys Are was amazing!  I could not put it down.  It is so interesting, painful and insightful to read how rape affects the family as well.  It makes me realize that there are some conversations I need to have with my own boys still in order for them to understand the role they play in ensuring all people are safe, respected and treated with dignity.

I also really appreciate the fact that Blount calls it like it is- I have trouble with the term sexual assault rather than rape.  As Ashley describes in this story, the word rape is hard to hear, and hard to say.  The phrase sexual assault seems to lessen the severity of action- the word rape is as ugly as the act itself.

Because of the subject of this story, I would hesitate to give this to elementary students.  However, at the secondary level- I think everyone should read it.

When by Victoria Laurie

Imagine looking at someone, in real life, on TV or in an image and seeing the date of their death.  It doesn't matter if it is someone you love, someone you've just met, or a complete stranger.  This is what life is like for Maddie- everywhere she looks, she sees deathdates.  After her father dies, Maddie's mother tries to profit off of her abilities by doing 'readings' for people to let them know when they, or someone they love will die.  The ability means that many people are afraid of her, and don't want to be around her. But at school, Maddie has her best friend Stubby and that is enough. 

However, when young people with a connection to Maddie start turning up dead, things take a turn for the worst.  The police of course don't believe in her ability, and this makes both her and Stubby a suspect in these murders.

I enjoyed reading this story- it actually reads like an adult mystery.  There is really just one part that would give me pause about giving this to students in grade 7 and 8- the police do describe the murder scenes in a bit of detail.  It didn't bother me, but sensitive students might find it a bit much.  It is really only one small part of the book though. 

The Way I Used To Be by Amber Smith

At the beginning of summer, my friend Becky told me about this website:  Book Outlet which is a great place to buy books- I love that you can search for just YA books.  I ordered about 8 YA books for just under $50 and the shipping was free.  The Way I Used To Be was one of those books. 

I really loved this book - although it was quite painful to read.  In the first chapter (well really, the first page) 13 year old Eden is raped by her brother's best friend in her own room.  What follows is how Eden learns to deal with this incident.  After telling nobody, she has to suffer on her own and figure out how to survive.  It was so difficult to read about all the choices Eden made in an effort to deal with the shame, embarrassment and horror of that night.  Like Speak, The Mockingbirds, and Some Girls Are- it is so raw reading about the effects of sexual assault, but so important to bring to light.  What makes this book stand out is how it is told.  Eden's story is not wrapped-up in a single year of high school.  Instead, we live with Eden as she navigates 4 years of high school while trying to deal with one harmful act. 

I am not sure I would put this in my elementary classroom- again, it is a mature book, dealing with mature themes.  I would be very careful about who I gave this book too- maybe closer to the end of the year in grade 8.  But it was a powerful read.

The Fragile Ordinary by Samantha Young

The Fragile Ordinary caught my eye a few weeks ago at Chapters.  Samantha Young is a new author for me- you can check out her website here.  I know I'm planning on ordering more of her books, although it looks like you have to be careful if you are buying these for teen readers.  Samantha Young reminds me of a cross between Sarah Dessen and John Green.

In The Fragile Ordinary, we meet Comet- yes her name is Comet- although as she says early on, her name really doesn't fit her.  Comet is a shy young women living in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Comet is really just putting in time at her high school, waiting until she can leave her town and leave her family behind for school in the States.  Comet is not your average teenager, she avoids social media and parties, preferring instead to spend her time with her books.  But then in walks Tobias to her classes- he is a brash, athletic American and is unlike anyone Comet has met.  As Tobias and Comet's friendship starts to grow, so too does her feelings for Comet.  But she doesn't like the way Tobias's life is heading- he is hanging out with trouble makers and Comet tries to stop her feelings for Tobias.  As Comet and Tobias find their way towards one another, they are faced with issues at their school that seem determined to keep them apart. 

I loved this story.  I loved Comet- she is such a unique character.  Quiet, bookish, but an outlandish dresser.  She has no support from home, but is determined to succeed in her life and has strong morals and a sense of right and wrong.  Tobias is also a complex character who is struggling with his own demons.  There is a bit of mature content in this book, much like The Fault in Our Stars, these two young people are experiencing first love, but it is beautiful and respectful.  I can see this being very popular with high school students, but I would also not hesitate to give this to grade 8 students as well. 

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

Amal Unbound caught my attention when it was announced as one of the Global Read Aloud books for 2018.

Amal Unbound is the story of Amal- a 12 year old Pakistani girl who dreams of becoming a teacher.  She loves school and learning.  But when she insults a very important man who demands her punishment, Amal is taken away from every thing and everyone she loves.   As Amal learns to live in this new life, she meets new people and is exposed to life as a servant.  But Amal's love of learning helps her both navigate this tense situation, it also helps her make changes for her whole community.

Amal Unbound is a quick read- I read it in about an hour.  There is a lot to unpack in this book with kids.  I think it would make a great literature circle or read aloud.  If you are thinking about using this- you have to check out this hyperdoc about the unit.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

There are some authors who you pick up and are immediately swept away into the story.  Since I've been away from reading YA books for a few years, it is so great to be able to order books by some of these authors.  Sarah Dessen is one of those authors for me.  I love her books! 

Saint Anything is the story of Sydney whose whole world turned upside down when her brother her someone in an accident.  Now, her parents lives revolve around him and his needs.  But Sydney feels guilt, anger, and lonely now.  When Sydney starts at a new school for a fresh start, she meets a whole new group of friends.  She is a great kid, but her parents are very worried she will follow the path her brother took and so they keep her on a very short leash.  Sydney needs to learn how to live with the results of her brothers actions, and figure out how she can move forward. 

This story, like so many of Sarah Dessen's books are so great for students.  This one has a few mature bits in it, references to drinking, but nothing that is too extreme.  I would not hesitate to have this book on my grade 7 shelf for kids to read. 

Ban This Book by Alan Gratz

I stumbled on this book on twitter and knew I had to buy it.   If you teach Junior grades- stop reading this blog and just go and order it- it is a book that packs a big punch. 

Ban This Book is the story of fourth grader Amy Anne whose favourite book is From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, she has read it several times and is always annoyed when she has to return it to the library for five days before she can check it out again.  When Amy Anne goes to check it out one day, the librarian tells her that the book has been removed because one of the parents thinks it has wrong morals that aren't appropriate for kids to read.  This is shocking to Amy Anne because she doesn't see anything wrong with the book.  So Amy Anne and her friends decide to track down all of the banned books and start their own library filled with banned books, but run out of their locker. 
The interesting thing about Amy Anne is that she is someone who rarely says what she thinks or feels, she thinks nobody is interested in listening to what she has to say, so it is challenging for her to stand up for what she believes is right. 

I LOVED this book!  It would make a great read aloud.  I loved Amy Anne (anyone who loves to read Little House on the Prairie is ok with me!)- she is a great character.  I love how she recognizes that books can help heal and connect people.  She is just so interesting.  My only concern with this is the fact that she is in grade 4- but the issues she is dealing with is perfect for Junior / Intermediate students.  If I was reading this to students in grade 6 or up, I would just change the one or two spots where they mention what grade she is in. Other than that there is no indication that she is just in grade 4.  This would be a great book to kick off Banned Books week - Sept 23-29. 

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Tell Me Three Things is another one of those books that I picked up from Chapters a few weeks ago. 
It is a lovely romantic story about fifteen year old Jessie.  We first meet Jessie during her second week of starting a new high school.  Her mother passed away almost two years ago, her father has remarried and relocated the two of them  from Chicago to L.A.  Jessie doesn't feel comfortable anywhere- not at home (which she refers to as Rachel's house- her stepmother), and certainly not at school.  This private school is home to many stereotypical teenagers, the girl drama is high and Jessie is trying to learn the background of kids who have been together since Kindergarten.  Jessie is determined to survive long enough to get through high school and move back home. 

However, Jessie is sent an email by "Somebody/ Nobody" welcoming her to the school and giving her advice on how to fit in.  As the relationship between Jessie and her anonymous friend starts to grow, and Jessie starts meeting other friends, she is still working to navigate the dangerous world that is high school while learning how to live in this new world she finds herself in.

I really enjoyed this story.  I liked the mystery of who is "Somebody/ Nobody" and watching Jessie learn to stand on her own after her world is torn apart by her mother's death.  There are some mature bits in this book, I would be hesitate to give it to a grade 7 student, but certainly at the high school level it would be fine. 

I also am planning on ordering her next book "What to Say Next" because I really liked the easy read of Julie Buxbaum's style. 

The Fourth Dimension by Eric Walters

It's been a while since I've read anything by Eric Walters, I don't know why because he never fails to draw me into a really exciting story.  The Fourth Dimension is no exception. 

In The Fourth Dimension, Walters takes us back to the setting of The Rule of Three to the world without power and the fight for survival when life is turned on its head.  This story introduces us to how other people learn to survive in this new world.

In The Fourth Dimension, we meet 15 year old Emma, her brother Ethan and her ex-Marine mother Ellen.  They were just setting off on a camping trip when the power went out.  They decided that the best thing to do is to wait out the power outage at their campsite just off Toronto Island in Lake Ontario.  On their own, they are able to fish and learn to adapt to life without power while staying hidden from other people.  However, they know that they are not safe with just the three of them.  They soon meet up with another community living on the Island and together they learn to come together to protect one another from people who want to take their shelter, food and weapons. 

I loved the Rule of Three books- loved how Walters wrote about a setting so familiar to those of us who live in Southern Ontario and he has done the same thing with The Fourth Dimension.  I've spent time paddling around Toronto Island and could easily visualize where Emma and her family were waiting out the power outage. 

But what I also love most about this book, and upon reflecting on The Rule of Three, is how Walter's gives the power and leadership to women.  Because of Ellen's military training people look to her for protection and guidance.  But we also witness how Emma learns to adapt and find her own strength during these troubling times.  I love that women and young women are given such a position of authority and power in these books.

 I think these books will be enjoyed by both boys and girls and I can't wait to meet my new students in the fall to introduce them to these characters. 

The Lives of Desperate Girls by Mackenzie Common

This book was another one that I picked up a few weeks ago at Chapters.  It appealed to me because it is Canadian, set in Ontario and deals with racial issues found in our own backyard. 

In this story, the main character Jenny is dealing with a lot in her life.  A young girl was murdered in her home town and her best friend has been missing for three weeks.  Everyone assumes she knows what happened to her best friend Chloe, kids at school whisper behind her back, and the police interview her often.  When Helen, is found dead, Jenny is shocked that the police, and the rest of the community aren't as interested in investigating this crime- instead they are focusing on where Chloe has gone.  Jenny starts to realize that because Helen lives on the reservation, her murder is not as high a priority as Chloe's.  Jenny struggles to come to terms with this and starts to do her own investigation - both to help find Helen's killer and to avoid dealing with Chloe's disappearance. 

This story had so many themes and ideas: bullying, sexual assault, racism, sexism, life in small town Ontario to name a few.  It was also a great mystery as well- Jenny does quite a bit of digging into Helen's story and learns not only about Helen, but also what life is like for some people on the reservation who are confronted with racism every day. 

It was a great story- I really enjoyed Jenny's character- she was so real and troubled. While this book deals with many mature topics, I think it would be ok in an Intermediate class.  I would suggest reading it first though, there are some topics that would need further discussions. 

Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

This book was on one of the shelves at Chapters the other day- and was a staff pick of the month, and on sale.  How could I not pick it up? 

Monday's Not Coming is the story of Claudia who has just returned from her summer away at her Grandma's to find her best friend Monday is missing.  Nobody seems to concerned- not the teachers, her parents, Monday's family or even the police.  But Claudia knows that Monday would never walk away from her, or stop talking to her.  As Claudia tries to figure out the mystery behind Monday's disappearance, she also has to confront issues in her own life- her lack of friends, her struggle with school and what high school she should attend. 

I really enjoyed this story.  Claudia is a great character and I really enjoyed the setting of the story.  The author chose to write this story not using a linear fashion - titles were "Before" and "After" and "1 Year before the After" which was a bit confusing, but made more sense at the end. 

I think this book is too mature for Intermediate students - I wouldn't put it out on the shelf for my students, but would give it to some students who I thought could handle it.  I would suggest reading it for yourself first. 

Bent Not Broken by Lorna Schultz Nicholson

This morning I put out a call on Twitter asking for some suggestions for YA books to read and received this response:

 Funny thing was, Karen had already put one of the books on our list of books to read, so that was the first one I picked up.   I've found a new favourite Canadian author! 

Bent Not Broken is part of the One-2-One Series that features students in the Best Buddies club at a Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School.  The Best Buddies club is an organization at this fictional high school that pairs students with special needs with other students at the school to be friends, participate in social events and basically just to have a buddy at school. 

In this story, we meet Maddie, a 14 year old who has had a traumatic brain injury after a bike accident and Justin who is in his final year of high school.  Both Maddie and Justin have challenges at home.  Maddie's identical twin sister is growing up and growing away from the family, and Justin lost his sister the year before and it seems that his family is falling apart as well.  I love how Justin is with Maddie- I think we don't often think of teenage boys as being empathetic and understanding, but Justin is just that.  As a mom of two teen-age boys, they often experience more emotions than they let on.  It was nice to see that side of Justin.  I also liked reading about Maddie and her struggles to get her brain to work the way she wants it to.  It was a good reminder that what we see on the surface of someone isn't everything that is going on inside them.  I need to keep this in mind when I meet the new students in the fall. 

Even though this morning I picked up 6 new books at Chapters, I am heading back shortly to get the other books in this series.  It's a winner for sure. 

I wouldn't hesitate to put this book in my Intermediate classroom- even though it is set at a high school. There isn't anything that would give me pause. 

Check out Lorna Schultz Nicholson's website here:  https://lornaschultznicholson.com/ 

Dread Nation 'Rise Up' by Justina Ireland

I'm not a big fan of zombie books- as a matter of fact, I don't think I've read any of them because they just don't appeal to me.  However, this one was getting some buzz on twitter, and I liked the historical aspect of it. 

Dread Nation 'Rise Up' is set just after the American Civil War when after the Gettysburg Battle, the dead started rising and devouring the soldiers.  Fast-forward 14 years and the story begins with Jane McKeene and her schooling at Miss Preston's School of Combat for Negro Girls.  At this school, black children learn to fight the undead. They learn how to handle weapons and learn proper etiquette so they can be Attendants to the upper class in the South.  Jane struggles to follow the rules, she likes to explore, find as much information as she can and do things her own way. This gets her into a great deal of trouble at times, and she worries she will never make a good Attendant.  However, when Jane and another young woman Katherine, who always plays by the rules, get thrown together, they have to learn  how to survive and save the people around them from becoming one of the shamblers

I found this book to be interesting to read on a few levels.  The plot of the story was fun to read.  Jane is quite the adventurer- I like how inquisitive she is -even when it gets her in trouble.  She is my kind of main character.  She's tough, strong, smart and sassy.  I liked how Katherine had a lot of the same traits, but went about her life somewhat differently than Jane.   I also found it really interesting to read about life in the South, after the war that was supposed to end slavery and how things didn't really change.  The fact that rich, white men held all the power in this book rings true to some of what we see in society today.  I couldn't help but draw parallels to many current events.  There was even talk about residential schools for First Nations - although that wasn't a big part of the novel. 

I think this is probably just the first book in a series of books.  I'm not sure I would pick up the next one right away, but the story of Jane and her quest to not only save the world from shamblers, but also to find her family is compelling.  I do have some lingering questions about where she will go next and what will happen to her and her friends, which means I will probably order the next book. 

Exciting News!!

As many of you know, I've not been in a school for the last three years.  But in September I am heading back to a school as a Vice Principal.  Even better- it is at an Intermediate School...which means one thing for sure- I get to read and talk to kids about books again.

Even more exciting news, my friend Karen has decided we need to read books together and talk about them. Then she said she wanted to contribute to this blog- which is great news for so many reasons.  So stay tuned- once the summer officially starts, this blog is starting back up again!