What my Mother Doesn't Know

Bibliography

Sones, S. (2003). What my mother doesn’t know.  New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.  ISBN: 9780689855535, pp. 259.

Summary

Sophie is an average teenage girl. She feels insecure about her looks and constantly compares herself to other girls. She is frustrated by her absentee dad and her mother that is more interested in soap operas than what is going on in Sophie’s life. She adores her two best girlfriends, but she feels lost when they leave her over winter break to go on dream vacations with their families. She is dating the good-looking popular, Dylan, but she finds that she can’t stop thinking about the geeky, shy boy in her art class, Murphy. She relays her teenage drama and the things she learns about herself in poetic verse that reads much like a diary.

 Critical Analysis

Readers will quickly connect to Sophie as her innermost thoughts are shared in simple verse. The events of the story are simple and there is no strong climax, but the characters are well-developed and easy to root for, especially Murphy. Through Sophie’s relationship with Murphy, Sophie begins to learn things about herself that she was afraid to admit or kept hidden for fear of the ridicule often associated with being different as a teenager. As her thoughts grow deeper, readers can see Sophie changing and developing who she is.  Her transformation is heart-warming and the innocent romance will appeal to young adults.

The Teen’s Guide to Word Domination: Advice on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Awesomeness

Bibliography

book cover retrieved from barnesandnoble.com

 Shipp, J. (2010). The Teen’s Guide to Word Domination: Advice on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Awesomeness. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin. ISBN: 9780312641542, 304 pp.

Summary

Josh Shipp’s teen self-help book begins by explaining that the only world that you should really dominate is your own, and that others will try to take control. It maintains that it is your responsibility to recognize this and stop it. He encourages teens to be a “hero” rather than a “villain” that would try to control someone else. Throughout the books he gives tips for building self-confidence, finding a unique identity, and for making the right choices. His advice is explained in a unique way describing the villains that will ruin your attitude such as “ghosts” (painful memories that are hard to overcome), “pirates” (bullies), “puppies” (ideas that seem fun but have unforeseen consequences), and more.

Critical Analysis

Shipp provides some sound advice on relationships, sex, money, and other topics that will interest teenagers. His funny, what he describes as “in your face” humor will appeal to young adults, and so will the references to pop culture such as iPods, facebook, and other media that are important to teens. It is a relevant and easy to read self-help book that students will laugh at and hopefully take serious as well. As he describes others that can influence your life, many of his references have negative tones including his description of adults that want and expect their children to turn out just like them. He focuses more on who to stay away from than whom to be friends with. It has a distrusting tone instead of a discerning tone, which would be more appropriate. However, students will find some good advice in the book, and they are likely to have a good laugh as well.

Out of the Dust

book image from barnesandnoble.com

Bibliography

 Hesse, K. (1997). Out of the Dust. New York: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN: 9780590371254, 227 pp.

Summary

Out of the Dust is written in verse from the viewpoint of fourteen-year-old, Billie Jo. She is struggling to find hope on her dust covered farm in Oklahoma. The only thing her family has to look forward to is the baby her mother will soon deliver. However, like the dusty crops, that dream tragically fades away. After an accident that leaves Billie Jo badly burned and alone with her father, things don’t seem like they can get worse. She leaves dusty Oklahoma to find a better life, but she quickly realizes she belongs at home. As she and her father work together to develop a relationship, they see hope on the horizon of a new life.

Critical Analysis

The poetic form of this Newbery Award winning novel allows readers to hear Billie Jo’s thoughts as well as paints a dreary picture of the harsh effects of the Dust Bowl on Oklahoma. A great hopelessness and pain in portrayed through Billie Jo’s stories of her mother’s death and her loss of talent for playing the piano--the one thing that gave her hope during the dust storms. However, due to the short poems, the story is not weighted down by tragedy, and it is an accurate account of the bleak times faced by farmers. The poetic elements such as line breaks and figurative language help tell a rich story with minimal text. Although the story does convey the courage and resilience of Billie Jo and her father, the novel does not have an absolute resolution, and the reader is left wondering if the farm and the beloved Billie Jo will in fact be saved. Also, the characters do not feel fully developed, and there is a sense of detachment from the story because of this. However, it is an interesting account that would be a great complement to a US history unit on the Great Depression and the effects of the Dust Bowl.

Beauty Queens

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Bibliography

 Bray, L. (2012). Beauty Queens.  New York: Scholastic Paperbacks.  ISBN:  9780439895989, 400 pp.

Summary

This satirical novel about the world of beauty pageants begins with an airplane crash. The fifty “Miss Teen Dream” contestants are on their way to the beach for a photo shoot when they are struck by tragedy. Most of the girls and all of the crew do not survive. The twelve remaining contestants must find a way to survive on the island without killing each other. Miss Texas quickly takes charge, but as she starts to lose her wits the other girls are forced to look within themselves to find their true identities instead of what has been created for them through pageantry. The girls briefly think they may be rescued by the crew of the reality television show “Pirates Bodacious IV: Badder and More Bodaciouser”, but when that does not work out they must create their own plan. The only problem is the island may not be as deserted as they once thought…

Critical Analysis

Beauty Queens is a satire about beauty pageants, America’s obsession with reality TV, and the ridiculous marketing techniques of products. However, while poking some fun, Bray also creates a well-written story about young girls discovering their true qualities and appreciating what they have to offer that is more than skin deep. A transgender contestant introduces the idea of what sexuality really means and how society views it, and through this story line Bray gives a wonderful lesson on tolerance and open-mindedness. The story is told while focusing on each character individually. The reader learns more about the characters through contestant fact sheets with uniform questions the contestants have answered about themselves. There are also footnotes to explain some of the made up products, television shows, and people created by the author. The only extra material that really interrupts the story instead of adding to it are the commercial breaks which are meant to show the ridiculousness of product marketing and television. These commercials are a bit over the top and aren’t necessary in order for the reader to understand the satirical nature of the overall story. Despite this flaw, the story is quick with lots of adventure, and it conveys a powerful message while also soliciting a good laugh.

Divergent

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Bibliography

Roth, V. (2011). Divergent.  New York: Katherine Tegen Books.  ISBN:  99780062024022, pp. 487.

Summary

Beatrice Potter is a part of a faction known as Abnegation in a dystopian society based in Chicago. There are four other factions that make up the community in an effort to create a more peaceful world. The five factions Abnegation (selflessness), Candor (honesty), Amity (peace), Dauntless (bravery), and Erudite (knowledge) hold a choosing ceremony each year where sixteen year olds decide to which faction they will belong. They say that a faction is more important than your family, so Beatrice knows she must choose wisely. Even though she respects the gentle spirit of the Abnegation faction, she never feels like she belongs. In a surprising turn of events, she chooses Dauntless and enters an initiation process that is more difficult than she can ever imagine. During the initiation she changes her name to Tris, and she continues to hide the most important secret she has carried with her even from her faction. As she becomes more comfortable with her new faction, she suddenly learns that none of the factions are exactly what they seem, and she begins to wonder if their society can stand much longer with the five factions in place.

Critical Analysis

Roth has brought a fresh twist to the ever popular dystopian novel genre. At first, the idea that all people of a faction can emulate one characteristic trait seems far-fetched. However, as the characters are developed the reader sees that is not the case at all, and perhaps that is the theme of the novel. Can a society divided into factions really survive, or is everyone a bit divergent? Tris is a strong female character. Despite her insecurities, she stands up for herself and shows courage during difficult times. The love story between Tris and Four is realistic and doesn’t overshadow the main theme to become the central plot of the story. The only true downside is the slow climax. Roth tells so much back story that by the time the climax comes, it is a bit rushed and underdeveloped. The ending does leave the reader ready for the next installment in the trilogy, Insurgent, which was released May 2012.

If you Come Softly

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Bibliography

Woodson, J. (2010). If you come softly.  New York: Penguin Group.  ISBN:  9780142415221, pp. 181.

Summary

Ellie and Jeremiah meet for the first time when they bump into each other in the hallway of their prep school. Neither can seem to get the encounter out of their mind. Eventually they meet again and ditch school to spend an afternoon together in Central Park. They are instantly enamored with one another, but there is one problem--Jeremiah is black and Ellie is white. Both adolescents are worried about the ridicule they will face from their friends and family. As the relationship progresses, they find that they care too much about one another to worry about the stares they get on the subway, and they try to find the courage to break their news to Ellie’s family. In the end, they find that racism will destroy their relationship after all.

Critical Analysis

Woodson tells the story of Ellie and Jeremiah in alternating voices. The two characters are fully developed before they begin their romance together. Woodson deals with a sensitive subject matter with grace and shows how the bigotry of others affects both students. Readers especially see this through Jeremiah’s conversations with his dad about white people and his distrust for them. However, the relationship between the two teenagers does not seem well-developed, and readers spend much more time getting to know the individuals than they do the couple. This is a problem since the relationship is supposed to be the center of the book. Although the couple face some sideways glances and worry about what others may think, there are no major events that build up to the climax. The climax is gut-wrenching and will leave readers feeling angry at the ignorance displayed. Overall, it is a gentle and moving story, but the slow plot may inhibit young readers from receiving this important message.

Looking for Alaska

Bibliography

John Green. (2006). Looking for Alaska.  New York: Penguin Group.  ISBN:  9780142402511, pp. 256.

Summary

Sixteen-year-old Miles Halter leaves his home state of Florida to attend Culver Creek Preparatory School near Birmingham, Alabama. Unlike at his public school in Florida, he quickly fits in there with other students that appreciate his quirky obsession with memorizing the last words of famous people and that don’t judge his lack of experience with smoking, drinking, and sex. Miles befriends his roommate Chip “The Colonel”, the dangerous but alluring Alaska, and Takumi known for his hip rhymes. The foursome work together to plan elaborate pranks and get under the skin of the headmaster known as “The Eagle”. The fun comes to a tragic end when one of the students is killed in a car crash. Miles finds himself desperately searching for answers to the suspicious accident as well as the quest for the “Great Perhaps” that brought him to Culver Creek in the first place.

Critical Analysis

Green does an amazing job of developing each character in this story of one adolescent boy’s search for the meaning of life and death. Told through the perspective of sixteen-year-old Miles, readers are introduced to a number of intelligent teens that seem to be only worried about having fun. However, Miles learns as he becomes closer to his prep school friends that everyone has their dark secrets that haunt them. He is especially drawn to the elusive, Alaska, that simultaneously flirts with him and keeps him at a distance claiming she is in love with an out of town boyfriend. At times this back and forth is a bit annoying, and readers are frustrated right along with Miles. When Alaska is killed in a car crash, readers mourn her death through the confused and grief-stricken view of Miles. Readers will be disappointed as well as you finally see their relationship developing only to see it abruptly come to an end. He spends the rest of the novel trying to make sense of that fateful night as well as unraveling the true meaning of life and death. This thoughtful story is full of many literary and scholarly references which will be lost on some teenagers; however, it will have great appeal to those that can appreciate the deep concepts and realistic characters. Due to the sexual content, language, and references to drugs and alcohol the book is recommended for more mature audiences. However these elements are used in a believable way to shape the lives of teenagers that are living away from their parents. The layout of the book (in days prior to and after the accident) makes it a quick read that will leave readers thinking long after the last page.