Double Feature: As we know it to be

Life As We Knew It

By Susan Beth Pfeffer

Heck yes! This was recommended to me by a university professor who was reading this one. A year later it was in my possession and I was sucked into this apocalyptic world.

Told in diary form by Miranda, a typical teenager, the story begins with day to day thoughts of your average teen. One day it changes when a meteor hits the moon, sending it off it's original orbit causing earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes to erupt. All the things that Miranda once had have been gradually disappearing, friends, school, electricity, the Internet, and food, forcing her family to make hard decisions.

What kept me reading was the question “What else can happen next?” because the events that happen just lead to one thing after the other and the family is forced to adapt. Miranda is a brilliant character that is so relatable in her journey of confusion, denial, and finally acceptance. I believe this book is excellently told and really makes you think the “what if” question we all dread to approach.

Overall, yes! Recommended over and over to anyone who will listen.

5/5 STARS

Use in the classroom:

I would use this in a literacy circle for grades 7-9. Possible discussions on “what if there were no internet” or “electricity”. In our consumer-oriented world, what would many of our students have to say about going without their internet access? I would love to find that out. The very recent tragedy of the Japanese tsunami can be discussed or the current famine in some parts of Africa. I highly recommend this for classroom use. 

Letters Between Friends

Sorcery and Cecilia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot

By Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer

Genre: Historical, Fantasy

I read this book a while ago and it still has stuck with me. Not necessarily for the story, but for the concept. The book is told by two cousins, Cecelia and Kate, writing letters to one another. To write this book Wrede and Stevermer actually wrote these letters to one another, portraying a character each. Originally, they used this as a writing exercise, but sat down and realized they had a book. Love love LOVE this idea. I read this explanation and took the book out of the library immediately.

Taking place in an alternate, Victorian-Austen England, the two cousins write to one another as they endure the trials of being a young girl becoming a lady in high society. Rich in language that I can only describe as Austen-like, I delved into this world that was spattered with little hints of magic.

I cannot decide if I like this book or not. It's one that's in the middle. I loved the concept, the background, but it felt incredibly predictable. For those that love Austen, I'd recommend this novel. I probably won't read it again.

3/5 STARS

In the classroom:

Possibly for use as an individual study. There aren't any deep deep topics to discuss. It would be interesting to study how young girls born into rich families actually lived in Victorian England. I would recommend this more for “fun” reading rather than studying.

A Grimm Phaerie Tale

Poison

By Chris Wooding

Genre: Fantasy

Ever read any of Grimm's Fairy Tales? Surprised by how different they were from the Disney version? Wish you had more tales to read? Look no further.

When Poison leaves her home in the marshes of Gull to retrieve the infant sister who was snatched by the fairies, she and a group of unusual friends survive encounters with the inhabitants of various Realms, and Poison herself confronts a surprising destiny. Enter a world where all humans are endangered – a gruesome, nightmarish land of malicious tricksters and evil disguised as beauty.

Wow, wow, wow. I read this a few years back when I was asked to present on a fantasy novel. My mother suggested this one and I've been hooked on Wooding ever since. This has got to be one of my most favourite books in a long time. It reads exactly like a fairy tale. Each world created seems to have so much fantastic elements, but so different from the one before and the one after. Wooding is one of those rare authors that can write an ending that is unpredictable, and yet, believable. I was so incredibly satisfied after finishing this book.

Overall, I love it.

5/5 STARS

Use in the classroom:
Fantasy is always a touchy subject when teaching in the classroom. If I were to use this as a classroom book, I would first contact parents to let them be aware that we are reading this novel. This book has magic and some parents would rather teachers not use this material in the classroom. What I love about this book is how it will blow your mind and I would love to see my students confused in the ambiguous (as I still am). It's the idea of freeing your mind to allow anything to be possible. Would I use this, yes. Grade 8-9 reading level. Depending on parent's reaction, recommended for individual study, literacy groups, and/or classroom novel.

The Satiated Games

The Hunger Games

By Suzanne Collins

Genre: Utopian/Dystopian

Upon the insistence of my students, I read this book. I can be a bit of a snob when it comes to reading books that are “all the rage”. Mostly because I've read horrible books that people love and I was afraid to say something because of their EXTREME loyalty. Here's where I was wrong. This is a fantastic book. I have not read the 2^nd or 3^rd. Do not give them away. And, I am slightly excited for the film (2012).

North America has been divided into 12 districts. The Capitol, the central place of power, keeps these districts in line by forcing them to send one boy and one girl, every year, to fight in the arena. These children must fight, to the death, on live TV for the sake of punishment, entertainment, and tradition. Katniss Everdeeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the games. She quickly becomes a fan favourite, both in the world of Panem and in reality.

Every book seeks to offer background on the main character, and the first part of this book does this is in a slow fashion. I was not at all grabbed until the contestants were thrown into the arena. From there on in, I was hooked and could not put the book down. 

Overall, I loved this book. It pushes the limits of what young adult reading should be. The topic of the book can bring many debates into the ring, such as the morals behind throwing children into a fighting arena or bringing to light the realness of this entertainment in the Roman Empire through gladiators. I highly recommend this for any young adult reader.

4/5 STARS

** My only reservation about reviewing this book highly is that it's been done before. Most notably in the Japanese book, Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (copyright 1999). It takes place in an alternative time, where Japan is under totalitarian regime and to create paranoia and fear, students are taken to an island where they are told they must fight one another to the death. I find this version to be much darker, less toned down, and like anything Japanese, pushes the boundaries of what it is to be human. You can find more info on the wikipedia page here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Royale and on the movie here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Royale_%28film%29.

Use in the classroom:
Already this book has gained recognition through young people, however, it is very graphic and a very mature topic. Think carefully about the class you are presenting this to as well as contacting the parents. It presents many gripping open ended topics that can be debated. I would also offer the debate about books being popularized, the "Harry Potter Effect". We want critical thinking adults, not commercial zombies. An excellent springboard for that discussion. Highly recommended for individual, would definitely use in a literacy circle, and would be a great class novel.

Year of the Dragon

Eon

By Alison Goodman

Genre: Fantasy

What helps with a break up? A story about a girl's empowerment in a man-centered world.

Here's where we find Eon, actually Eona, a girl who has been training in magic and sword-work to become a chosen Dragoneye. In this world, Dragoneyes are based on the Chinese Zodiac – Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, etc. Females are forbidden to participate, and become, Dragoneyes, but that is exactly what Eon is training for. When her secret threatens to be revealed, she and the royal family are put into danger. She must find her own strength within her to stabilize the kingdom and prove she is just as capable.

Lately, due to the success of several books with many many pages, we've been seeing bigger and bigger books appear on the shelves. In all honesty, I think this one could have been 100 or 200 pages less. A bigger book doesn't mean more stuff, it just means that the author couldn't figure out a way to say what they wanted to say in a more succinct and precise way. At least, that's my view. This book is close to 600 pages, I put it down in the middle and had to wait several weeks before finishing it off because of the length.

Other than it's size, I loved it. I bought it originally because there's a Tamora Pierce review on the front. Sucker, I know. It combines two things I love – Asian culture and girl-dresses-up-as-boy-to-train-for-man's-job-and-becomes-a-legend (see “Song of the Lioness Quartet” by Tamora Pierce). If you love those books where girls strive for excellence in a very human way, I would recommend this book. I had the “twist” figured out midway through the book, so it was not as big of a surprise as Goodman might have though, but it might fool someone else. Ninja meets girl. Excellent start of a series for her and I cannot wait for Eona, the sequel.

4.5/5 STARS 

Use in the classroom:
This is a great novel for perseverance and girl-power. Because of its size, I would not recommend this as a classroom novel, nor a literacy group novel. An individual study and a fast reader would be its best use or in the classroom library.