Half Bad…is Really the Start of Something Good!

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Green, Sally.  Half Bad.  New York: Viking, 2014.  978-0-670-01678-5.  394p.  $18.99.  Gr. 9-12.

Half Bad is the first volume in a trilogy about witches in contemporary England.  Witches and humans, or fain, coexist in this world.  At the same time, white (good) witches are engaged in a war to rid the world of black witches.  Sometimes, it is difficult to tell who is good and who is evil in this strange world.  Nathan is a “half code”, the illegitimate son of a white witch and the most evil of black witches, Marcus.  White and black witches both want to use Nathan as a tool to find and murder his notorious father.  When the story opens, Nathan is being held prisoner in an outdoor cage and is subjected to starvation and beatings.  He does receive some formal schooling in his youth and during that time he meets and falls in love with Annalise, a neighbor who is a member of a prominent family of white witches.  Annalise has a minor role in most of this novel.  She does reappear toward the end of the book, which hints at a larger role for her in the promised sequel, Half Wild.

Nathan’s goal in Half Bad is to escape from his captors and find his father.  It is literally a matter of life and death for him; he must receive three “gifts” in order to come of age as a witch.  If he does not receive the gifts, he will die.  Nathan eventually escape, and with the help of many witches and fain, makes the journey to find Marcus.

Fantasy         Susan Fox, Washington Jr/Sr High School

I was not as enthralled with this novel as much as my students.  They view Nathan as a tragic and romantic hero.  The book is grim, and I wouldn’t recommend it to young or sensitive students. Nathan is subjected to horrible torture and mental abuse.  The action in the book is somewhat confusing toward the end.  There are many new characters to keep track of throughout.  How many of them will make an appearance in the second book?  What will Annalise’s role be in the second book?  I felt that this novel barely began to set the stage for the coming books in the series.  The one interesting aspect of this book is that (much like the Harry Potter series) it seems to be examining good / evil and the role of prejudice in our world.  The white witches often seem to be more evil than the black witches.  Has their power corrupted them, and is the prejudice against black witches totally justified?  Half Bad provides the potential for many interesting discussions.

YA Nonfiction…Art

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Loonin, Meryl. Public Art. Farmington Hills: Lucent Books, 2014. 1-4205-0917-9. 104 pages. $30.00. Gr. 5 and up.

Public Art, a new titles from the series Eye on Art, offers a brief description of public art  along with information about the various types of public art throughout the years.  It discusses the purpose and reaction to the statues, sculptures, and murals found around the world.  This is an overview to the art form and can be used as an introduction and supplement to more in-depth teaching or research.  Included in the text is a list of other sources, books and websites for further exploration.  Additional titles in this series include: Walt Disney, Paul Cezanne, Frida Kahlo, Comic Art, Michelangelo, Frank Lloyd Wright, Leonardo da Vinci, Painting, and Manga.

Art (700)     Laura Ward, Fox Chapel Area HS

 

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Kalman, Maira and Daniel Handler. Girls Standing on Lawns. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 2014. 978-0-087070-908-1. 64 pages, 54 color images.  $14.95. Gr. 7 and up.

This collection of photos from New York’s Museum of Modern Art is just as the title suggests, girls standing on lawns.  A part of America’s history is chronicled in this short book along with some of Kalman’s own paintings inspired by photographs.  This can be used in a creative writing class or an art class or even in an American History class as students imagine and reflect on the background for each photo.  The text provided by Handler gives inspiration and reflects on the possibilities for the situation surrounding the photos.  The authors intend to continue to create collections of these unique photos in book form.  This is a beautiful addition to the Arts and/or Literature sections.

Art, Literature    Laura Ward, Fox Chapel Area HS

Realism in History…New YA Fiction

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Shecter, Vicky Alvear. Curses and Smoke. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2014. 978-0-545-50993-0. 324 p. $17.99. Grade 7 and up.

Set just one month before the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Curses and Smoke is the story of a young girl, Lucia Titurius, and her childhood friend, Tages.    As Lucia’s father, the owner of a failing gladiator school, is preparing for her upcoming marriage to a much older but very wealthy man, she reconnects with Tag as he returns from Rome to take over his father’s responsibilities as medic.  Lucia and Tag find themselves in an awkward place with her the head of the household and Tag still a lowly slave.   However, the two quickly find love.  As the volcano begins to erupt, so does their romance and determination to be together.  Lucia’s character struggles with the role of women in Italian society and often tries to go beyond just being a woman with no voice.  Although rich with vocabulary with Latin roots, the story feels unrealistic at times.   This was a quick fun read and could be recommended for lower readers or those, like me, interested in Pompeii.

Historical Fiction, Romance    Laura Ward, Fox Chapel Area High School

 

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Connor, Leslie. The Things We Kiss Goodbye. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2014.  978-0-06-089091-91. 356 pages.  $17.99.

At first glance this might seem like a typical teen romance novel, but one quickly realizes that it is so much more.  Author Leslie Connor tackles the tough, but real, subject of abusive relationships and explores how teens often find themselves helplessly stuck in these tricky situations.  Being a Greek American female, Bettina Vasilis was raised with little freedom, so she cautiously enters a relationship with basketball star Brady Cullen treading the waters of dating lightly, knowing any wrong step could cost her the freedom she’s longed for.  When Brady begins to leave Bettina with bruises, she’s afraid that her father will blame her.  After Brady humiliates Bettina in front of his friends, she seeks solace in the parking lot of a nearby industrial park.  This is where she meets the handsome and mysterious “Cowboy.” Bettina’s life changes as she spends more and more time with Cowboy and their unusual friendship grows to be more. Connor explores other forms of abusive relationships through Bettina’s friendships and home life showing that there isn’t just one type of abuse.  However, for as realistic as this novel is, there are only three adults who have active roles in the story and some of Bettina’s friendships seem underdeveloped.

Realism     Laura Ward, Fox Chapel Area HS

Last Days of Summer…A Little More of the Best of 2013 YA Literature

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Myers, Walter Dean. Darius & Twig. New York: Amistad, 2013. 978-0061728235. $17.99. 208p. Grades 8 and up.

Does it make a difference how you want to live your life if someone’s intent on messing it up?  Darius is convinced it does.  Living in Harlem where gangs and bullies are a perpetual threat, Darius tries to focus on doing well in school and helping his mom and younger brother at home.  His one ally and best friend Twig, a sensational runner, is being scouted by colleges, but both boys find it difficult to think of the future when they are bullied on a regular basis by Midnight and Tall Boy.  When the editor of the Delta Review becomes interested in one of Darius’s short stories, he sees an opportunity to escape Harlem.  As he ponders the revisions to make, though, he questions his character’s strength and reasons for pushing his physical limits.  The discoveries he makes register a little too close to his own life.

While teens strive to be accepted and admired, they also need encouragement and guidance to build friendships around faithfulness and honesty rather than popularity.  Darius & Twig is a story of hope and optimism as well as one of despair.  In Darius’s world, sometimes the two are so close, it’s impossible to distinguish one from the other.

Realistic Fiction       Christine Massey, JWP Middle School

 

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Coley, Liz. Pretty Girl 13. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2013.  978-0062127372. $17.99. 352p. Gr. 9 and up.

Angie Chapman stands alone on the outskirts of town.  She has just returned from a weekend camping excursion with the Girl Scouts.  A little confused as to why she’s clutching only a plastic bag, she timidly shuffles to her front door.  Expecting a warm homecoming, the shock and bewilderment on her parents’ faces startle her, but not as much as the realization that she’s been missing for three years.  Now Angie must work with her parents and the local police to piece together the facts of her abduction.  Only her receptive psychiatrist can help when she discovers there are multiple personalities occupying her mind.  With the help of several invasive psychotherapy sessions, Angie has a chance to heal, but her alternative selves may not depart willingly.

An incredible,  psychological thriller shrouded in mystery and evil, Coley explores dissociative personality disorder, identity, and the controversial methods and procedures used to treat individuals.  Angie’s childhood innocence was marred by sexual assault at the hands of  a beloved relative which only makes the reader’s empathy increase as she remembers more of her abduction and imprisonment.  Fans of Ellen Hopkins looking for a similar read won’t be disappointed.

Realistic Fiction, Suspense   Christine Massey, JWP Middle School

Defy…YA Fantasy

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Larson, Sara B. Defy. New York: Scholastic, 2014. 978-0-545-59758-6. $17.99. 323p. Gr. 8 and up.

Alexa’s world was changed forever the night her parents were killed.  Disguised as a boy, she and her brother fled their home and joined a group of  loyal fighters in Antion’s elite army, the personal guard assigned to protect the prince.  For years, she has learned to hide her secret and control her emotions, but the death of her beloved brother may unravel her inner-strength and reveal her secret.  In the midst of turmoil, dedicated and loyal friend and fellow guard, Rylan, is acting peculiar, and Prince Damian is making absurd requests, even for a petulant young prince.  When the kingdom is attacked by an malevolent sorcerer, Alex, Rylan, and Damian become allies as they are taken captive and led through the jungle to an enemy kingdom.  Just when Alex thinks they are safe, the mystery and treachery of secret alliances and speculation of treason place her life in danger once again, and she must fight to protect her prince and friends.

A sensational story of mystery, intrigue and romance, fans of the Legend series will enjoy another remarkable heroine.  Living in a world where captive women are forced into slavery and live each moment at the mercy of the king, Alex shows unparalleled strength and courage.  Larson leaves readers eagerly awaiting a second installment.

Fantasy         Christine Massey JWP Middle School