Idenpendent Study

Charbonneau, Joelle. Independent Study. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston: 2014. 310 pages. Tr. $17.99 ISBN: 9780547959207 *

Plot Summary:
Independent Study is Charbonneau's follow up to The Testing.  Independent Study begins with Cia receiving her placement in the University.  Cia is particularly talented in mechanical engineering and hopes to be placed in that school and is disappointed to learn she has been placed in the government school, while her boyfriend Tomas has been placed in the bioengineering school.  Cia does not have her memories of the testing, but she does has the recordings she made before the testing officials wiped her memories, but she is afraid to believe that these recordings could be true.  Could the university really be responsible for the deaths of so many students?  Would they really send students into unrevitalized area with the intention to kill one another?  As she tried to excel in her new area of study, Cia can no longer ignore the things she sees and the terrifying recordings she made.  Determined to uncover the truth of the University and Dr. Barnes program, Cia puts herself in more danger than she realizes trying to gather information for the rebels.

Critical Review:
While The Testing was a bit derivative of  other dystopian novels, such as The Giver and Divergent, Independent Study is wholly original.  Charbonneau has created a future that  seems peaceful and prosperous, but underneath is terrifying.  Charbonneau not only explores the idea of government control, but also the value of education to society as a whole.  Dr. Barnes believes only the best and most determined students should receive an education at the university and go onto be the future leaders of the country creating a group of followers to take over the government.  Cia sees the value of education to everyone and how it can be used to improve the lives of those in the colonies.  The last book in the trilogy promises action and rebellion on behalf of the students that is hinted at in Independent Study.

Genre:
Science Fiction
Dystopian

Reading/Interest Level:
Grades 6 and up

Similar Books:
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth

Author's Website:
http://joellecharbonneau.com/

Book Website:
http://www.hmhbooks.com/thetestingtrilogy/

*Book to be published January 2014, review of advance copy.

Curtsies and Conspiracies

Carriger, Gail. Curtsies and Conspiracies. Little Brown and Company, New York: 2013. 310 pages. Tr. $18.00 ISBN 9780316190114 

Plot Summary
Sophronia has been attending Miss Geraldine's Finishing School for six months now and is doing splendidly, in fact she is at the top of her class!  During her six month review Sophronia discovers a device that looks very much like the communication device she retrieved for the school months earlier, only this version is much smaller.  Ever aware of what might turn out to be valuable information, Sophronia pockets it and takes it to her friend Vieve, a precocious ten year old inventor and niece of Professor Lefoux.  School is further complicated by the arrival of several guest students from Bunson's Academy for Boys and several attempted kidnappings of Sophronia's friend Dimity and her brother Pillover..  Once again Sophronia much use all her skills as an intelligencer to save  her friends, her professors, and her school from a malicious vampire hive and the ever villainous Picklemen.

 Critical Review
It is rare for a sequel to be as entertaining and as engaging as the original, but Carriger has a knack for keeping the interest of her readers throughout a series.  Curtsies and Conspiracies is a clever and intriguing, steampunk spy story.  Sophronia is a wonderful heroine, at once intelligent and loyal to her friends, however, in Curtsies and Conspriacies, Sophronia will be tested in new ways while keeping of a promise to a friend. While it is the second in the Finishing School Series, it could easily be read as a stand alone.  Old fans of Carriger will be delighted with continued appearances from character from Carriger's previous series The Parasol Protectorate, including a cameo from everyone's favorite dandy vampire, Lord Akeldama.

Genre
Science Fiction
Historical Fiction
Steampunk

Reading/Interest Level
Grades 7 and up

Similar Books:
The Gallagher Girls Series by Ally Carter
The Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel

Author's Website
http://gailcarriger.com/

Champion

Lu, Marie. Champion. G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York: 2013. 369 pages. Tr. $18.99 ISBN 9780399256776

Plot Summary:
Champion is the long awaited conclusion to Marie Lu's Legend Trilogy.  It has been six months since reader left June and Day in Prodigy with the knowledge that Day is slowly dying and June embarking on a political career.  The two are reunited when the Colonies threaten to break the cease fire unless the Republic can provide a cure to the latest plague outbreak in the colonies.  In order to develop a cure the Republic needs to run tests on Day's brother Eden, the one thing Day will not allow is for his brother to fall into the hands of the Republic again.  Eden is no longer a child and has his own ideas about the situation, especially after Day's dear friend Tess falls ill.  While June deals with the political end of the war, Day goes back to the streets to rouse the people and lead a guerrilla front against the Colonies, all the while battling his own illness and increasing weakness. 

Critical Review:
Like Legend and Prodigy, Lu has again written a fast-paced, page turner full of action, adventure, and a little bit of romance.  June and Day battle with their feelings for one another, while being thrown into the turmoil of their country, they must push aside their own desires for the good of family and country.  Champion keeps readers guessing and challenges them to ponder the destructive forces of war.  Champion is indeed a stunning conclusion to an excellent series.  I can't wait to see what Marie Lu comes up with next!

Genre:
Science Fiction
Dystopian

Reading/Interest Level:
Grades 8 and up

Similar Books:
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth

Author's Website:
http://marielu.org/

The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba

Engle, Margarita. (2010). The Firefly Letters: a Suffragette’s Journey to Cuba. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, 151 pages. $16.99 ISBN: 9780805090826

Plot Summary:

Cecilia is a young slave girl who is owned by Elena’s family.  When Fredrika comes to stay with Elena’s family Cecilia is sent to serve as Fredrika’s translator for the duration of her stay since Cecilia’s English is better than Elena’s.  Elena is twelve and very sheltered, her days are spent inside embroidering linens for her future marriage.  Meanwhile Cecilia and Fredrika become fast friends, sketching and releasing captive fireflies together about town.  Soon Fredrika asks Elena’s father to find her and Cecilia a place to stay in the country because she is concerned for Cecilia’s health.  Cecilia is pregnant and the city air has given her a severe cough.  Elena misses the friendship of the older girls while they are away, finding Fredrika’s influence has caused her to rethink her future and immediate goals.  When Fredrika and Cecilia return to the city Elena shares with Fredrika a plan she has been developing; a plan she believe Fredrika will not only approve of, but willingly assist in. 

Critical Review:

The Firefly Letters is beautifully written in verse.  The story is based on the letters of Swedish suffragette Fredrika Bremer, who visited Cuba in 1851.  Cecilia really existed and served as translator to Bremer during her stay in Cuba, but the author notes that Elena is fictional.  Engle’s verse and imagery make it easy to imagine the lush island’s warm evenings lit by the glow of fireflies above.   Engle also describes the practice of slavery as it existed on Cuba at the time.  This story is touching, written from three the viewpoints of three very different young women: independent Fredrika, sheltered Elena, and slave Cecilia.  All three lead very different lives and yet all become true friends.  Cecilia is the only one who is literally owned, but in a way all three are captives of their gender.  Because they are women they automatically have fewer rights and less say in their futures and the futures of their children.  Cecilia realizes this as she wonders about what kind of future her baby will have.  Elena wonder what kind of future she will have with the man her father chooses for her to marry when she turns fourteen in two short years.  Fredrika refused to be trapped by marriage in Sweden and leaves to travel the world.  Engle’s story was brief, under 150 pages, but it conveyed a world of feeling and emotion.  This is a true gem.

Genre:

Poetry

Historical Fiction

Interest Level:

Grades 7 and up

Similar Books:

The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle

Subjects/Themes:

Cuba

Slavery

Poetry

Women’s Suffrage

Awards/Honors:

Pura Belpré 2011 Honor Book

ALA Notable Book 2011

ALA Amelia Bloomer List 2011

Annotation:

The Firefly Letters tells the story in verse of three girls contemplating their futures in a world ruled by men.

Book Talking Ideas:

The Firefly Letters is an historical novel written in lyrical verse.  The story follows Swedish suffragist Fredrika Bremer as she visits Cuba in the 1850’s.  Fredrika is an independent, free thinker who refused to be tied down by marriage, deciding to travel the world instead.  In Cuba Fredrika meets Cecilia and Elena and changes their world and future by just being their friend. 

Why I chose to include this Book:

I included The Firefly Letters because I was blown away by the beautiful, lush verse and vivid descriptions in the novel.  

Charles and Emma: the Darwins' Leap of Faith

Heiligman, Deborah. Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith. Henry Holt and Company, 2009. 268 pages, $18.95 ISBN: 9780805087215 (trade)

Plot Summary:

Heiligman opens her biography of the influential British scientist, Charles Darwin, right after his return to England after his five year voyage on the HMS Beagle.  Upon returning home Darwin decides his life is missing the love of a wife and a family and at age 30 he married his cousin Emma Wedgewood.  Over the course of their marriage the couple had ten children, seven that lived to see adulthood.  Darwin respected Emma immensely and even though they never did agree on religious issues, Darwin being an atheist and Emma a devote Christian.  Both Emma and Darwin were extremely well read and intelligent.  Emma acted as Darwin’s editor, helping his to strengthen his arguments and refine his research.  With Emma’s help, Darwin spent 20 years perfecting his best known work On the Origin of Species. 

Critical Review:

I was touched by the relationship between Charles and Emma.  Theirs was truly a marriage based on love and respect.  While Emma feared for her husband’s soul, she was never anything but supportive of his career and his research.  They never lost the romance of their marriage continuing to write each other love letters long after they were married.  Heiligman’s biography is a winner for those who love science and for teens who are looking for a beautiful love story. 

Genre:

Nonfiction-biography

Interest Level:

Grades 7 and up

Subjects/Themes:

Evolution

Religion

Charles Darwin

Awards/Honors:

Michael L. Printz Honor 2010

National Book Award finalist 2009

YALSA Award for Excellence in Non-fiction 2010

Junior Library Guild Selection

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults 2010

Author’s Website:

http://www.deborahheiligman.com/index.html

Annotation:

Charles and Emma is the story about the marriage between pioneering scientist Charles Darwin and his devotedly Christian wife Emma. 

Anya's Ghost

Brosgol, Vera. Anya’s Ghost. First Second, 2011. 221 pages, $19.99 ISBN: 9780316056212 (trade) 

Plot Summary:

Walking to school one day Anya stumbles into an open pit, where she encounters the remains and the ghost of the last person to fall down the pit.  Lucky for Anya she is rescued, but the ghost hitches a ride when one of her bones ends up in Anya’s bag.  Initially Anya is annoyed by the ghosts hitchhiking, but when she helps Anya cheat on her test and impresses Anya’s crush, Anya changes her mind about having the ghost around.  That is until the ghost starts getting demanding and Anya discovers the true nature of her dead friend and how she really died.  

Critical Review:

Brosgol’s first book is a stunning graphic novel.  Anya is a funny and clever narrator struggling with fitting in without betraying her Russian and Jewish heritage.  Like many teens Anya feels like an outsider and yearns to fit in and be accepted by her classmates.  Brosgol’s graphic style of drawing is similar to the style of artist and writer Marjane Satrapi. 

Genre:

Graphic Novel

Fantasy

Multicultural

Interest Level:

Grades 7 and up

Similar Books:

Persepolis Marjane Satrapi

Subjects/Themes:

Ghosts

Teenage girls

High School

Judaism

Awards/Honors:

ALA Notable Children’s Books 2012

Cybil Award 2011

School Library Journal Best Books 2011

YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens 2012

YALSA Top 10 Graphic Novels for Teens 2012

Author’s Website:

http://verabee.com/

Annotation:

After falling down an old well Anya meets a ghost who returns home with her and becomes her new friend. 

Ghostopolis

TenNapel, Doug. Ghostopolis. Scholastic, 2010. 262 pages, $24.99 ISBN: 9780545210270 (trade)

Plot Summary:

TenNapel’s graphic novel revolves around Garth, a terminally ill teen who is accidentally sent to the afterlife by affable ghost hunter Frank Gallows.  Determined to rescue Garth, Frank enlists the help of his ex-girlfriend and ghost Claire Voyent to help him travel to the afterlife.  Meanwhile, Garth finds himself in a strange land with only a ghost horse named Skinny as a friend until he runs into someone who knows him, his grandfather.  With the help of Skinny and his grandfather Garth makes it to the capitol of Ghostopolis, where he meets up with Frank and Claire who have recently landed in the afterlife.  Unbeknownst to Garth, the ruler of Ghostopolis, Vaugner sees the living boy as a threat and enlists his minions to capture him and his accomplices.  In order to return home Garth must defeat the evil Vaugner and restore peace to the afterlife. 

Critical Review:

Doug TenNapel has created a classic hero tale in his boldly illustrated graphic novel Ghostopolis.  Garth’s sudden appearance in the afterlife and his mission to defeat the evil overlord and bring peace coincides with the classic hero archetype.  TenNapel’s characters are well developed and his illustrations are bright and beautifully colored.  Ghostopolis is an edgy, fast paced, tongue in cheek tale that will leave readers wanting more. 

Genre:

Graphic Novel

Fantasy

Adventure

Interest Level:

Grades 9 and up

Similar Books:

Anya’s Ghost Vera Brosgol

Subjects/Themes:

Death/dying

Tyranny

Author’s Website:

http://tennapel.com/

Annotation:

Ghostopolis is an edgy graphic novel in which teen Garth must defeat the evil overlord of the afterlife and bring peace to Ghostopolis.