WHEN YOU REACH ME

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. 2009. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 0375850864

2. PLOT SUMMARY

When You Reach Me is a story about a girl in the 6^th grade named Miranda, growing up in New York in 1978 when some mysterious things begin to happen.  First, her best friend Sal gets punched in the stomach by a boy who does not even know Sal.  Sal starts ignoring Miranda for no good reason, so she has to find new friends, including the boy who punched Sal.  Miranda starts finding anonymously written notes with strange messages about the future hidden in places only she would find them, and her house key mysteriously disappears from its secret hiding place.  The notes indicate that unless Miranda takes action and figures out how to solve the riddle, a life may be lost, the future forever changed.   

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Miranda is a very likable character, who narrates the story in her own unique voice, creating a distinct structure for the style of the book. Her language is consistent with that of an 11 year old girl who does not have everything figured out in life, yet who has a unique perspective to which the reader can relate.  The 1978 New York setting seems accurately described and plays an important role in the plot.  The “crazy” homeless man who lives by the mailbox of Miranda’s apartment complex is accepted in the beginning, simply based on the setting of the story.  Later, he becomes of greater importance to the plot, and some stereotypes fall away with the knowledge of his back story.  When the strange things begin to happen to Miranda, the skepticism she feels about them is mirrored in the reader’s mind and serves as a tie to the real world, where things like time travel seem impossible.  For those who have read A Wrinkle in Time, clues to what may be happening will be scattered throughout the story as Miranda describes pieces of her favorite book.  This foreshadowing in the plot is creative, engaging, and full of intrigue.  Though it is clearly fantasy, it is grounded in reality, too, so that the impossible events seem plausible.

The themes of the book include time travel, of course, but also relationships, redemption, and independence.  The book is clearly targeted for younger audiences, but there will be great satisfaction for older audiences reading it, too.  Miranda learns some valuable lessons about who she is and how she views the world and left me thinking about who I am and how I view the world.

 “Mom says each of us has a veil between ourselves and the rest of the world, like a bride wears on her wedding day, except this kind of veil is invisible. We walk around happily with these invisible veils hanging down over our faces. The world is kind of blurry, and we like it that way. But sometimes our veils are pushed away for a few moments, like there's a wind blowing it from our faces. And when the veil lifts, we can see the world as it really is, just for those few seconds before it settles down again. We see all the beauty, and cruelty, and sadness, and love. But mostly we are happy not to. Some people learn to lift the veil themselves. Then they don't have to depend on the wind anymore.” 

When You Reach Me is a terrific read for people of all ages. 

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

"An exhilarating experience."
--Kirkus Reviews

"This imaginative book will be read for a long time into the future."
--Children's Literature

5. CONNECTIONS

If students have not yet read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, now would be the perfect time! 

THE SCORPIO RACES

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Stiefvater, Maggie. 2011. The Scorpio Races. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 054522490X

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Each year on Thisby Island, the water horses come from the sea.  They are brutal, flesh eating beasts that the bravest people of Thisby like to capture, ride, and race in the Scorpio Races.  At nineteen years of age, Sean Kendrick is the reigning champion who has a special way with the creatures, one that no one else seems to understand.  Puck Connelly is a young woman who has lost her parents and will soon lose everything else if she does not compete in and win the races.  This book is about the island, the people, the horses, and the unlikely partnership of two people who, for their own reasons, desperately need to win The Scorpio Races.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Sean Kendrick and Puck Connelly take turns narrating this riveting, mystical story about faerie type horses that live in the sea most of the year and the people of Thisby Island whose culture is shaped by them.  Both characters quietly stir the hearts of the readers with their melancholy stories and their hope for the future, but each has an individual voice that offers unique insight into the plot.  The descriptions of the island and the mysterious capill usice, or water horses, are vivid and integral to the creation of the beautiful, yet intense, mental images of this fantasy place.  Amazingly, even the frightening sea horses draw compassion from the reader through the masterful telling of this story.  The book reads like realistic fiction with the exception of the horses, so it feels very believable, like Thisby could almost be real.

Puck’s quest to race and win is at the center of the story, but doing so will not be good for Sean.  And as their relationship begins to form and grow, this becomes a conflict for both the characters and the reader. “I say, 'I will not be your weakness, Sean Kendrick.' Now he looks at me. He says, very softly, 'It's late for that, Puck.”  A resolution is not apparent and the tension magnifies as the plot moves toward its end.  One asset of the book is the realistic, subdued relationship between the main characters.  Themes of love, identity, trust, and sacrifice emerge and resonate with the reader and add to the relevance of the story. 

The Scorpio Races was a delight to read and unlike any other book I have had read.  I highly recommend this book for fantasy lovers, but I believe even non-fans will enjoy this unique spin on the genre.   

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

 “[A] taut, chilling, romantic adventure....Masterful. Like nothing else out there now.” – Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Stiefvater masterfully combines an intimate voice (think I Capture the Castle) with a fully evoked island setting with sensory-rich language (think Margo Lanagan) with a wealth of horse detail with a plot full of danger, intrigue, and romance. ... Stiefvater sets not one foot wrong as she takes readers on an intoxicating ride of their own. ... Stiefvater’s novel begins rivetingly and gets better and better…all the way, in fact, to best.” – The Horn Book, starred review

5. CONNECTIONS

For older readers, grades 8 and up, and also by Maggie Stiefvater is the book The Raven Boys.  I have not read it yet, but look forward to doing so! Here are some exciting reviews:

“Simultaneously complex and simple, compulsively readable, marvelously wrought. The only flaw is that this is Book 1; it may be months yet before Book 2 comes out.” - Kirkus, starred review

“. . . the book is marvelous, for not only is it filled with marvels, it is also a marvel of imagination and, more prosaically, structure. Rich, too, in characterization, this fantasy/mystery rises to the level of serious literature” - Booklist, starred review

“It’s a tour de force of characterization, and while there is no lack of event or mystery, it is the way Stiefvater’s people live in the reader’s imagination that makes this such a memorable read.” - Publishers Weekly, starred review

"The Raven Boys is an incredibly rich and unique tale, a supernatural thriller of a different flavor . . . The Raven Boys delivers." - School Library Journal, starred review

ONE CRAZY SUMMER

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Garcia, Rita. 2010. One Crazy Summer. New York: Amistsad. ISBN 0060760907

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

 It is the 1960s and summertime when eleven year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, are taking a trip from their Brooklyn home with their “Pa” and “Big Ma” (grandmother) to Oakland, California to see their mother, Cecile, who left them when they were very young.  This is their first encounter with Cecile since she left, and she is nothing like what the girls feel a “real” mother should be like.  She is crazy, negligent, bothered by their presence: “No one told y’all to come out here,” Cecile says. “No one wants you out here making a mess, stopping my work.” She calls herself Nzilla and writes poetry and prints all day long, which is why the girls are not allowed in her kitchen.  During the girls’ month long stay in Oakland, they encounter the Black Panthers group, and experience something much different than the Disneyland memories they were hoping for. It is the summer after Huey Newton was jailed and young Bobby Hutton was killed at the hands of the Oakland police.  Even though Delphine and her sisters are sent to the group just to get free breakfast in the morning and “summer camp” all day so that their mother will not have to deal with them, they ultimately learn a lot about “the revolution” and a little about their mother, too.    

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The characters in the book are real and honest, and are represented well.  Delphine and her sisters respond to the unusual, stressful situation of meeting a mother who does not seem to care a bit for them with grace, strength, and dignity.  These qualities draw a likeability and respect and enable the reader to relate to the girls even though their attitudes and experiences are from a different time.  Cecile is not a good mother, but by the end of the book, when Delphine gets a peek into her past, there is a greater understanding of why she is who she is.  The history is well told, without any unnecessary gloss, through Delphine’s eyes as she narrates her experiences with the events of the past from her young, yet “plain” perspective. The 1960s-Oakland-Black Panther-Revolution setting is not merely a backdrop to the story; it shares the stage with the characters in perfect harmony.  The themes of love, family, and race relations take a primary role while the more subtle themes of responsibility, loyalty, and forgiveness can be found as well.  The morals of the time are well reflected in both the primary and secondary characters, but there are countless parallels relevant to today’s generation.  One Crazy Summer is authentically written through Delphine’s voice and exposes more of the truth of the times than the media of the past revealed.  This book is a perfect blend of history and story, and one that will engage, educate, and entertain all at once. 

Awards:

ALA-ALSC Childrens Notable Book

Coretta Scott King Author AwardNewbery HonorKirkus Reviews - Best Children or Starred ReviewHorn Book FanfareParents Choice Award

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Kirkus Starred Review: “Delphine is the pitch-perfect older sister, wise beyond her years, an expert at handling her siblings...while the girls are caught up in the difficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and energetically told with writing that snaps off the page.”

5. CONNECTIONS

*Read No Laughter Here, another book by Rita Williams-Garcia. I have not read this book, but in researching it, I feel I must. 

OKAY FOR NOW

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Schmidt, Gary D. 2011. Okay for Now. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0547534175

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Okay for Now is a coming of age story set in 1960s Maryville about a young teenage boy, Doug Swieteck, who has an abusive father, an all-too-quiet mother, and two difficult brothers during the historical time of the Vietnam War and Apollo 11.  Lil Spicer, Doug’s first friend in “stupid Marysville,” sticks by his side even when the whole town believes the worst about the “skinny thug.”  His relationships within the community rise and fall based on their suspicions about his brother Christopher, but Lil is a constant for him.  Doug must cope with his dysfunctional family life, his position as an outcast at school and in the community, as well as his brother’s painful return from the war.  But as Doug discovers himself through art, he also finds love, hope, and purpose. 

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Doug’s life in Marysville is described in vivid detail, from “The Dump” that Doug and his family live in and the school in which our hero is often degraded, to the library where Doug begins to find himself in recreating John James Audubon’s Birds of America.  These drawings are used by Doug (and the author) to illustrate the lessons about people, relationships, and life that he discovers throughout the book.  Glimpses of the art can be seen at the beginning of the chapters, which helps the reader visualize what Doug is experiencing through the pictures.  The book is narrated in Doug’s voice using language and attitudes common to a young man, or should I say “chump,” as he often refers to himself, coming of age in the 1960s. 

The relationship between Lil and Doug is believable and age-appropriate.  Without this relationship, it is unlikely that Doug would have been able to grow and change.  From this relationship, he is introduced to the library, where he becomes friends with the librarian who teaches him about art, and ultimately about life. 

The characters’ attitudes are common for the time period, especially as noted in the mother’s attitude toward her abusive husband and the school teachers’ slowness to see the trouble Doug is in at home.  The history in the book is presented accurately, especially as it relates to the attitudes about the Vietnam War.  As a daughter of a Vietnam vet who lost his arm in the war, I was especially moved by the attitudes of disgust and even hatred toward Lucas: “And you know what they said when they saw my brother in his uniform sitting in a wheelchair with bandages around his eyes, his legs gone?  You know what they said?  They said he got what he deserved.”  What a troubling, yet authentic segment from the book!  Another historical event, the Apollo 11 missions, were referenced throughout the book and provide a backdrop for the theme of hope, most notably seen in the book’s ending.

The universal themes of hope, family, overcoming adversity, and self-discovery are universal with timeless parallels to life, and are directly related to the main characters of the book.  The only component of the book that seemed just too good to be true was the reformation of Doug’s father.  It seemed to come out of nowhere, and so unlikely that such a radical change of heart would have taken place with someone who was capable of forcing a tattoo of “Mama’s Baby” on his son on his 12^th birthday.  But otherwise, I found this book to be authentic, and at times even raw, but that just adds to its beauty. 

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Voya Review: "The book is exceptionally well written. Schmidt creates characters that will remain with the reader long after the book is done. Doug’s voice is unforgettable as he tries to help and protect his mom. . . .While there is much stacked against him, he is a character filled with hope that the reader cannot help but root for. Push this one on readers; they will not be sorry. . . .Schmidt writes a journal-type story with a sharp attention to detail, patterns in the story line, and an unexpected twist at the end."

5. CONNECTIONS

*Read The Wednesday Wars, the companion book to Okay for Now.  

LILY'S CROSSING

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Giff, Patricia Reilly. 1997. Lily's crossing. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0440414539

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Lily Mollahan lives in St. Albans with her grandmother and her father, Poppy, but every summer is spent on the lovely beach of Rockaway, a second home for the young girl.  Lily lives without a mother, who died of a heart condition when Lily was young. The time is 1944, when the Second World War rages in what seems like a very faraway place, that is, until Poppy joins the war effort in France.  Lily is so upset she doesn't even say goodbye to her father. But soon, Lily finds comfort in her friendship with Albert, the nephew of her grandmother’s neighbor in Rockaway, and the orphaned Hungarian refugee with a dark past of his own.  Both Albert and Lily tell lies to cover up the pain of the past, but ultimately find healing in the power of the truth. 

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Lily’s Crossing is beautifully written with just enough historical detail to paint the picture of the home front during World War II, without the weight of too much historical baggage.  The story deals with pain and loss and the coping mechanisms that Lily employs.  The loss of Lily’s mother affects her deeply, and she becomes quite skilled at weaving lies, both big and small.  Lily knows it is a problem.  “She thought of her list of problems: Number 1: Lies, and the second list, the list of solutions. Right up there on top was the promise not to tell a lie ever again, not even a tiny little one, much less one of those gigantic ones about her aunt being an important U.S. spy against the Nazis.” Unfortunately, Lily has a hard time with her resolution when she lies to Albert about her plan to swim to the ship that will ultimately take her to her father, not realizing that Albert would take her lie quite so seriously.  When the time for truth comes for Lily, she discovers that Albert has a lie of his own about his ill sister, Ruth, whom he left behind in France when he was coming to America.  Lily and Albert learn the tough lesson of honesty, but gain the rewards of friendship and a reunited family for their efforts.  Tender and heartfelt, Lily’s Crossing is a very satisfying read, with a happily emotional ending.   

Lily is a character to whom one can easily relate, flawed, yet sincere in her attempts at redemption. Because of the time period in which the book is set, she has much more freedom to come and go, which will surely be the envy of most children who read about her character.  The war history is accurate, given in a small enough dose to feel unforced, including just the details pertinent to Lily.  The setting is an integral part of the story, with Lily placed in just the right time and place for the plot to unfold.  The book is authentic and real, yet interesting and relevant to today with the timeless themes of honesty, family, and friendship. It is a great blend of fact and fiction and is sure to capture the hearts of its readers, as it did mine.     

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Booklist Review: With wry comedy and intense feeling, and without intrusive historical detail, Giff gets across a strong sense of what it was like on the home front during World War II. Lily makes up stories about her involvement with spies, submarines, and anti-Nazi plots in her small seaside town in 1944, but underlying her melodrama and lies is grief for her dead mother. When Lily's father has to leave to fight in France, she is so hurt and furious that she refuses even to say good-bye to him. As she gets to know Albert, an orphaned Hungarian refugee, she learns about his secret anguish: he is guilt-stricken about the younger sister he left behind (he, also, didn't say good-bye), and he is determined, somehow, to cross the ocean and find her. The happy ending, when Lily's father finds Albert's sister in France, is too contrived, but the reunion scenes at home are heartbreaking. The friendship story is beautifully drawn: both Lily and Albert are wary, reluctant, and needy; they quarrel as much as they bond, and in the end, they help each other to be brave.

5. CONNECTIONS

*Read a The Kids of the Polk Street School book, also by Patricia Reilly Giff, and see how the book compares to Lily’s Crossing.