Read All Day

by Nina Sankovitch

Great Books for Kids and Teens Click on title for full review and to purchase books. Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan.  The narrator, fifth-grader Naomi Leon Outlaw, works through the struggles in her life by composing lists ("Things I am Good At"; "How To Get Boys to Stop Making Fun of My Name") but when her mother shows up at the door after a seven-year's absence,  Naomi's lists can't help answer the sudden surge of questions, including the mystery of where her father is and why her mother has come back. Through the support of her wonderful grandmother, tiny in stature but huge in heart and love; Owen, her smart as a whip and endearingly positive-thinking brother; her new friend Blanca, talkative and kind; and her finally-found father, an example of fortitude and love, and a master carver, Naomi will answer the pressing questions, and most importantly, she will be able to declare, loud and clear, who she is and with whom she belongs. I am David by Anne Holm. First published in Danish in 1963, this novel tells the story of a boy who has been raised in a concentration camp in Eastern Europe, cared for by the other prisoners and in the end, allowed to escape by a pitying camp guard, who tells him to head north, to Denmark, to find freedom.  He sets out on his journey sure that the guards are coming after him, but as time passes and his experiences accumulate, he begins to find faith, both in a God of his own fashioning and in his fellow man.  Trial by Journal by Kate Klise. Heroine Lily Watson has been named her town's first juvenile juror and the case she must deliberate involves the abduction and possible murder of a classmate. (Note to parents:  all ends well, with no deaths -- even the rats are saved!)  Lily does a great job listening during the trial; an even better job tracking down the truth; and the best job ever turning the whole ordeal into a term paper. This book is very funny (I loved the character's names -- Anna Conda, Golden Ray Treevor, Sy Meese, for example) and it is also serious in portraying the danger of taking people and things at face value, the importance of trusting yourself, and the satisfaction of treating others with respect, whether human or animal. Escape Under The Forever Sky by Eve Yohalem.  This is a great book for the pre-teen set.  It is a marvelous book about courage, responsibility, and connection. Based on a true story, thirteen-year Lucy finds herself deep in the wild country of Ethiopia, alone except for those who only wish to harm her. Drawing on courage and resources she never imagined she had -- and never, ever imagined she would need -- Lucy discovers not only what she is made of but realizes that her efforts to understand and care for others can be mirrored back in understanding and care for her.  Lucy makes connections that cross barriers of culture, race, and even species, and those connections save her life.  American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.  The three intertwined stories in this graphic novel explore the theme of identity, as set out in an early scene when a Chinese herbalist advises a very young boy that he can be whatever he wants to be in his life, "so long as you're willing to forfeit your soul."  The question then explored as the  stories unfold is what exactly is the soul: is it the one thing that you yourself can define with no interference from others, or is it defined and set for you and losing it means losing yourself? Is soul equivalent to identity and are you responsible for finding  and defining your soul?  Can mistakes and missteps be forgiven?  Alongside these questions of identity -- important to teens -- Yang presents other issues close to a teen's existence: falling in love, fitting in with the crowd, and sifting through all the advice offered by adults to figure out your own way.  Wonderful writing and accompanied as it is by perfect illustrations, American Born Chinese is a pleasure to read, and a great book. Undiscovered Gyrl by Allison Burnett. This book is for mature teens and adults. It is a searing and poignant portrayal of a very lost child, an excellent twenty-first century sequel to Go Ask Alice, the 1970s novel about a young woman lost to drugs.  This time round, teenage-hood in all its modern dimensions is even more alienating and dangerous because of its duality:  connection is offered through online blogging but the utter anonymity of online communication renders such connection ineffectual, and even worse, damaging in how it empowers the most destructive of behavior while offering no reward for moderation in action or reflection.  20 Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler. This is a great book for teenagers and parents to share -- it was engrossing, moving, and profound -- and there are scenes of drinking, sneaking out at night, and teenage sexuality that could open up some good discussions between the generations.  There is even a loss-of-virginity build-up and realization that is presented without fuss or overkill.  Ockler presents the story of two friends trying to recover after a shattering loss, each in their own way, in a writing style that is realistic and straightforward, and gives us a conclusion that is optimistic and life-affirming: "nothing every really goes away, it just changes into something beautiful."  Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz. The Alex Rider series is empowering and engrossing fare for the middle school crowd -- and really fun reads for their parents. Kids love books about kids who can outsmart adults, and Alex Rider, young and unwilling spy, does that so well. He is not a superhero or super suave, smart, or cunning.  He thinks his problems through and then goes for it, implementing his plan of escape, survival, or spoliation of the bad guys' plans.  There is no graphic (gross or age inappropriate) violence or damage, and the bad guys are the ones who go down in the end.  This series is just as much for girls as for boys: Alex is a kid struggling to listen to himself, understand adults, and navigate through unknown waters.  Any kid can identify with that load and all kids will love the wild ride that is one year in the life of Alex Rider. Silverwing By Kenneth Oppel. The first in a three-part series about a gutsy little bat with a dream of bringing the bats out to the light. (There is also a prequel, Darkwing). This book had me on the edge of my seat, cheering our brave bat on, booing the bad bat guys, and pondering just exactly what roles the humans play in all the fate of bats (Shade wonders too). The level of violence is just right for pre-teen kids, as well as the themes of war versus peacemaking, rights versus cooperation, loyalty to others versus self-determination, and the importance of history and memory.  The Silverwing series is a wonderful series for thinking kids who want some philosophy along with their adventure. The Picts and The Martyrs by Arthur Ransome. This is one of the twelve "Swallows and Amazons" books written by Arthur Ransome between 1929 and 1947.  The "Swallows" are the nickname for the children from the Walker Family and the "Amazons" refer to the two Blackett girls, Peggy and Nancy, and the Ransome books chronicle their very grand adventures in the country side of England and beyond (on up to the North Pole and along to the South Seas).  Ransome was the J.K. Rowling of his time, both in terms of popularity and in the length of his books.  As enchanting as Harry Potter is, I have to say I like the Ransome adventures better. Some of the plots veer off into the impossible but for the most part, the "Swallows and Amazons" adventures are about real kids who have real fun all on their own, no magic needed.  Fiendish Deeds by P.J. Bracegirdle.  This book is perfect fare for any kid who knows that a thinking mind is too good to waste on stupid concerns like popularity or status -- but who, once in awhile, feels maybe just a bit lonely on the outskirts of the in-crowd. Joy Wells is from the town of Spooky and proud of it.  She is also the number one fan of E.A. Peugeot, a gothic writer who disappeared years ago, leaving behind spooky tales reminiscent of another E.A.P., i.e., Edgar Allen Poe.  Joy is a true individual, from her leash-bearing toad pet to her choice in clothes (musty old things she finds in her basement) to her taste in books: the scarier the better.  When things in town turn as scary as a Peugeot tale, Joy is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and right some wrongs.  Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love by Lauren Tarshis. This is a very sweet and warm-hearted book. The girls and boys that make up Emma-Jean's middle school world are basically good and well-intentioned, and the problems they have to muddle through are typical for their age and their audience; this book provides encouragement for its readers, pre-teens approaching middle school and in need of a smile and a hug. Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love is one big smile and hug. Double-Click for Trouble by Chris Woodworth. This is a great book for middle-school aged kids that starts as a caution about the Internet and turns into an engaging story that brings home beautifully and effortlessly important lessons about the grass being greener, appearances being deceiving, and second chances meaning everything. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Told from the point of view of Melinda, a ninth grader who has been through hell but is not sure if the whole thing was her fault, the novel explores the crippling effects of guilt and confusion, and the healing effects of communication and connection. Anderson writes in the easy language of teenagers, and has Melinda express the usual preoccupations of clothes, status, and grades, together with the poignant and age-worthy longing for the safety of childhood and the freedom of adulthood but being stuck in the misery of teenage-hood.  Add into the mix a traumatic and hidden experience, and Melinda compels our sympathy and our understanding.  Masterpiece by Elise Broach.  A charming story about James, a boy, and Marvin, a beetle.  They are endearing and very real boys (even though one is a beetle) and the supporting crew of good guys and bad guys offer a fun plot of art forgery, theft, and pursuit of the bad guys. Marvin is our wonderful guide to the action and through his careful eyes and reasoned thoughts, we learn a lot about life, art, love, and friendship. Scat by Carl Hiaasen. Hiaasen creates normal but exceedingly brave and honest characters as well as real crazies on a mission, both evil and angelic. He places his characters within a uniquely Floridian landscape and lets the story take off. Hiaasen is always able to slip into his stories rock-hard lessons on integrity, respect, sorrow, and bravery, as well as running a line of unquenchable spirit, both human and of nature, that pulses through the chapters.  Best of all, he makes every one of his books one big wonderful ride and read. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.  A great adventure story about a man who can bring stories to life, literally bringing the characters out of the book and into reality, and the repercussions that this talent (curse) has both for his family and for the characters he reads out of books.  This is a beautiful novel about loving books and needing them, and an exploration of the relationship between readers and books, and between characters and authors, and also a treatise on the purpose of fiction: to experience and understand reality.  Most importantly, this book is a really great read, full of imaginative characters, vivid life, and irrepressible wonder. Watership Down by Richard Adams.  A lovely and gripping story about very brave rabbits, and their quest to find a quiet hillside where they can live in peace.  The quest is fraught with struggles, both physical and spiritual, but the rabbits are up to the challenge. Have Comments? Write to me at sankovitch@readallday.org. Site and content wholly written, created, and owned by Nina Sankovitch and cannot be used without the express consent of Nina Sankovitch. Some books reviewed on www.readallday.org were review copies supplied by the publishers.