Repossessed: A Novel
by A.M. Jenkins
Kiriel is one of the fallen, working in Hell, tormenting the other damned souls. And he's bored. But he has a plan...take the body of a human just before he dies. Which is how he ends up in the body of 17-year-old Shaun. He doesn't want it forever...he just wants to take a short "vacation" to experience the sensations of Earth. True, it's unauthorized and he's breaking all sorts of rules and committing lots of sins, but what's the worst they could do to him? Send him to Hell? Kiriel decides it's his duty to "plant some seeds" while on Earth, like suggesting to a bully to treat people better and convincing an unpopular, overweight girl that she is beautiful. But he also works to improve the relationship with Shaun's brother and mother, and paves the way for his geeky 8th grader brother to come out of his shell and make friends. This book is hard to put down and the characters and situations are flawless. Much of Kiriels's time is preoccupied with sex and plans to experience it firsthand. The ending is unexpected leaving readers satisfied that after Kiriel has returned to Hell, his work while on Earth will not have been wasted. This 2008 Printz Honor selection gives the reader something to think about while making him giggle the entire time. Highly recommended for teens in grades 10 and up.
by A.M. Jenkins
Kiriel is one of the fallen, working in Hell, tormenting the other damned souls. And he's bored. But he has a plan...take the body of a human just before he dies. Which is how he ends up in the body of 17-year-old Shaun. He doesn't want it forever...he just wants to take a short "vacation" to experience the sensations of Earth. True, it's unauthorized and he's breaking all sorts of rules and committing lots of sins, but what's the worst they could do to him? Send him to Hell? Kiriel decides it's his duty to "plant some seeds" while on Earth, like suggesting to a bully to treat people better and convincing an unpopular, overweight girl that she is beautiful. But he also works to improve the relationship with Shaun's brother and mother, and paves the way for his geeky 8th grader brother to come out of his shell and make friends. This book is hard to put down and the characters and situations are flawless. Much of Kiriels's time is preoccupied with sex and plans to experience it firsthand. The ending is unexpected leaving readers satisfied that after Kiriel has returned to Hell, his work while on Earth will not have been wasted. This 2008 Printz Honor selection gives the reader something to think about while making him giggle the entire time. Highly recommended for teens in grades 10 and up.
The Foreshadowing
by Marcus Sedgwick
In 1915 England, during WWI, everyone is expected to "do their part" in the war effort. 17-year-old Sasha's older brother Edgar enlists in the Royal Army as an officer. Sasha has always been able to see the future, but the only thing she can predict is death. While working as a volunteer at the hospital this ability frightens her, but nothing can compare with the moment when she sees Edgar's death. Following Edgar's death in France, brother Thomas also joins the Royal Army, even after Edgar's last plea for him to become a doctor to help the wounded instead. When Sasha also sees Thomas' death, a bullet while in High Wood, she knows she must do something to prevent it. Impersonating a nurse, she leaves for France in search of Thomas' unit, refusing to believe that her premonition cannot be altered. Found out as a freud and accused of being a spy, a man known to her as "Hoodo Jack" who also has visions of the future, helps her escape and search for her brother. One wonders if perhaps he has had a vision about Sasha? This easy-to-read historical fiction story will most appeal to girls in grades 9 and up. The brutality of war and the place of women in society are continual themes throughout the book, as well as the connection between Cassandra of Greek myth and Sasha's abilities to see the future, while no one believes them.
by Marcus Sedgwick
In 1915 England, during WWI, everyone is expected to "do their part" in the war effort. 17-year-old Sasha's older brother Edgar enlists in the Royal Army as an officer. Sasha has always been able to see the future, but the only thing she can predict is death. While working as a volunteer at the hospital this ability frightens her, but nothing can compare with the moment when she sees Edgar's death. Following Edgar's death in France, brother Thomas also joins the Royal Army, even after Edgar's last plea for him to become a doctor to help the wounded instead. When Sasha also sees Thomas' death, a bullet while in High Wood, she knows she must do something to prevent it. Impersonating a nurse, she leaves for France in search of Thomas' unit, refusing to believe that her premonition cannot be altered. Found out as a freud and accused of being a spy, a man known to her as "Hoodo Jack" who also has visions of the future, helps her escape and search for her brother. One wonders if perhaps he has had a vision about Sasha? This easy-to-read historical fiction story will most appeal to girls in grades 9 and up. The brutality of war and the place of women in society are continual themes throughout the book, as well as the connection between Cassandra of Greek myth and Sasha's abilities to see the future, while no one believes them.
The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray
by Chris Wooding
This complex horror story takes place in an alternative Victorian London where wych-hunters fight every type of beast, ghoul, and nightmare ever feared. 17-year-old Nathaniel and his guardian Cathaline are wych-hunters, working at night during a time when a Jack-the-Ripper type of killing is taking the lives of multiple women. Alaizabel Cray is a young girl who has somehow escaped from an asylum and whose body, they discover, is harboring Thatch, an elderly evil spirit with a diabolical plan to assist a cult-like group known as the Fraternity. This book would be suitable for older teens who enjoy a well-told story that includes plenty of details, atmosphere, and ground-laying for an alternate world. Although there are battles and action during the climax of the story, the majority of the book is slow moving - creating characters and background to build suspense. Very well thought out and has a satisfying conclusion. One has to wonder though, since Nathaniel is a wych-hunter and Alaizabel has wych powers, will there be a sequel?
by Chris Wooding
This complex horror story takes place in an alternative Victorian London where wych-hunters fight every type of beast, ghoul, and nightmare ever feared. 17-year-old Nathaniel and his guardian Cathaline are wych-hunters, working at night during a time when a Jack-the-Ripper type of killing is taking the lives of multiple women. Alaizabel Cray is a young girl who has somehow escaped from an asylum and whose body, they discover, is harboring Thatch, an elderly evil spirit with a diabolical plan to assist a cult-like group known as the Fraternity. This book would be suitable for older teens who enjoy a well-told story that includes plenty of details, atmosphere, and ground-laying for an alternate world. Although there are battles and action during the climax of the story, the majority of the book is slow moving - creating characters and background to build suspense. Very well thought out and has a satisfying conclusion. One has to wonder though, since Nathaniel is a wych-hunter and Alaizabel has wych powers, will there be a sequel?
An Innocent Soldier
by Josef Holub
Originally published in German in 2002, this book was the winner of the Batchelder Award in 2006 as the most outstanding childrens' book published in a foreign language and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States. I was on the committee that chose this book as the most distinguished. It tells the story of a young farmhand's experience as a soldier in Napoleon's invasion of Russia beginning in the winter of 1811. Betrayed by his farmer, he is conscripted into the Grande Armee and joins an ill-fated march to conquer Moscow. He becomes the personal servant of a young aristocrat, a life-transforming experience for both of them. Adam's naive narration allows readers to understand the horrors of war even as he begins to grapple with its futility and evolves from a passive reporter to a fully engaged survivor. Don't let the serious tone scare you, because this book is full of humor. You will find yourself laughing even as you cringe from the war's brutality. I highly recommend this book for teens in grades 7 and up.
by Josef Holub
Originally published in German in 2002, this book was the winner of the Batchelder Award in 2006 as the most outstanding childrens' book published in a foreign language and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States. I was on the committee that chose this book as the most distinguished. It tells the story of a young farmhand's experience as a soldier in Napoleon's invasion of Russia beginning in the winter of 1811. Betrayed by his farmer, he is conscripted into the Grande Armee and joins an ill-fated march to conquer Moscow. He becomes the personal servant of a young aristocrat, a life-transforming experience for both of them. Adam's naive narration allows readers to understand the horrors of war even as he begins to grapple with its futility and evolves from a passive reporter to a fully engaged survivor. Don't let the serious tone scare you, because this book is full of humor. You will find yourself laughing even as you cringe from the war's brutality. I highly recommend this book for teens in grades 7 and up.
Nick of Time
by Ted Bell
This action-packed adventure will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Two stories center around the Greybeard Island in the English Channel - one current day story (which is 1939 just before the English enter WWII) and the other is 1805 aboard the H.M.S. Merlin ready for battle with a pirate ship named Mystere. 12-year-old Nick travels back through time using a time machine invented by Leonardo DaVinci to help his ancestor Captain Nicholas McIver of the Royal Navy and Admiral Nelson's entire fleet who are threatened by the French and Captain Billy Blood. Blood has the twin time machine in his possession that he uses to kidnap children and dogs which he holds for ransom on his ship. Nick's dog Jip is one dog that is being held and one reason Nick returns to the 19th century. Meanwhile, his little sister Kate is in the care of Comander Hobbes, a spy for the English, when their boat is overtaken by a Nazi U-boat. There are many twists and turns in this complicated story best suited for readers in grades 6 and up, although it would be good read-aloud to younger readers as well.
by Ted Bell
This action-packed adventure will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Two stories center around the Greybeard Island in the English Channel - one current day story (which is 1939 just before the English enter WWII) and the other is 1805 aboard the H.M.S. Merlin ready for battle with a pirate ship named Mystere. 12-year-old Nick travels back through time using a time machine invented by Leonardo DaVinci to help his ancestor Captain Nicholas McIver of the Royal Navy and Admiral Nelson's entire fleet who are threatened by the French and Captain Billy Blood. Blood has the twin time machine in his possession that he uses to kidnap children and dogs which he holds for ransom on his ship. Nick's dog Jip is one dog that is being held and one reason Nick returns to the 19th century. Meanwhile, his little sister Kate is in the care of Comander Hobbes, a spy for the English, when their boat is overtaken by a Nazi U-boat. There are many twists and turns in this complicated story best suited for readers in grades 6 and up, although it would be good read-aloud to younger readers as well.
Elsewhere
by Gabrielle Zevin
Liz Hall is 15 when her bicycle is hit by a hit-and-run driver. She wakes up on a ship crossing the River Nile unaware that she has died. A grandmother she has never met meets Liz when the boat arrives in Elsewhere, a world very similar to Earth. Here, the dead age backward from the day they died until they are babies again and sent back to Earth. Liz is very angry at the hit-and-run driver for ending her life before she has learned to drive, without the chance to go to prom and to graduate from high school. Now she won't have a chance at a life that includes boyfriends, husband or children. She spends a great deal of time at the observation decks where she can watch her friends and family on Earth, and devises a plan to let her family know who the driver was of the car that killed her. After her anger begins to subside, Liz slowly adjusts to her new life in Elsewhere accepting a position placing into new homes animals who have resently died and discovers that life can go on even when you're dead. This book will appeal to teens in grades 7 and up.
by Gabrielle Zevin
Liz Hall is 15 when her bicycle is hit by a hit-and-run driver. She wakes up on a ship crossing the River Nile unaware that she has died. A grandmother she has never met meets Liz when the boat arrives in Elsewhere, a world very similar to Earth. Here, the dead age backward from the day they died until they are babies again and sent back to Earth. Liz is very angry at the hit-and-run driver for ending her life before she has learned to drive, without the chance to go to prom and to graduate from high school. Now she won't have a chance at a life that includes boyfriends, husband or children. She spends a great deal of time at the observation decks where she can watch her friends and family on Earth, and devises a plan to let her family know who the driver was of the car that killed her. After her anger begins to subside, Liz slowly adjusts to her new life in Elsewhere accepting a position placing into new homes animals who have resently died and discovers that life can go on even when you're dead. This book will appeal to teens in grades 7 and up.
The White Darkness
by Geraldine McCaughrean
14-year-old Symmone travels from England to Antarctica with her uncle and a tourist group, presumably to see the penguins and other polar attractions. It's where she has always wanted to go and the trip could not be a more unexpected, but pleasant surprise for her. After all, hadn't her genius uncle Victor prepared her for this trip all her life? The books, the life skills...she knows everything there is to know about the south pole. Especially about the expedition made by Captain Robert Falcon Scott to be the first to reach it. Her hero, though, is Captain Lawrence Oates, the officer chosen to take charge of the needed ponies, and the imaginary friend in whom she confides. Sym begins as a clumsy, awkward, insecure and naive girl, but gains her confidence as the fight for her survival begins once realizing this trip is not at all what she expects. The conversations she has with Oates fill the story as she struggles to differentiate between truth and delusion. Twists and turns in the plot begin at page 1 and don't stop until the final page is read. This is the 2008 Prinz winner meaning that it was chosen as the best teen novel published in 2007. However, it was originally published in England in 2005. This is also one of the best books I have read this year. The name comes from the Antarctic nights that are forever light. Highly recommended to teens in grades 8 and up, and especially to those who enjoy survival or adventure stories.
by Geraldine McCaughrean
14-year-old Symmone travels from England to Antarctica with her uncle and a tourist group, presumably to see the penguins and other polar attractions. It's where she has always wanted to go and the trip could not be a more unexpected, but pleasant surprise for her. After all, hadn't her genius uncle Victor prepared her for this trip all her life? The books, the life skills...she knows everything there is to know about the south pole. Especially about the expedition made by Captain Robert Falcon Scott to be the first to reach it. Her hero, though, is Captain Lawrence Oates, the officer chosen to take charge of the needed ponies, and the imaginary friend in whom she confides. Sym begins as a clumsy, awkward, insecure and naive girl, but gains her confidence as the fight for her survival begins once realizing this trip is not at all what she expects. The conversations she has with Oates fill the story as she struggles to differentiate between truth and delusion. Twists and turns in the plot begin at page 1 and don't stop until the final page is read. This is the 2008 Prinz winner meaning that it was chosen as the best teen novel published in 2007. However, it was originally published in England in 2005. This is also one of the best books I have read this year. The name comes from the Antarctic nights that are forever light. Highly recommended to teens in grades 8 and up, and especially to those who enjoy survival or adventure stories.
Freedom's Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories
by Ellen Levine
The author has collected first-hand accounts from those who were black children living in Alabama and Mississippi between 1955 and 1965 and played some role during the civil rights movement as they tried to fight segregation. This was a time of demonstrating for freedoms in a non-violent manner under the guidance of Dr. Martin Luther King. The young people participated in sit-in's at restaurants that only served whites. They participated as freedom riders, sitting wherever they chose on buses when they were only supposed to sit in the back . They marched to courthouses for the right to register to vote. They attempted to integrate the schools.They held mass meetings and prayer meetings, all with the intention of getting the same rights as whites. Participating many times against the wishes of their parents who were frightened of losing their jobs, these children fought for what they believed in. They were proud to be arrested multiple times knowing they would get news coverage and the nation could see how blacks were being treated in the south, all the while realizing they could be beaten or killed for demonstrating. This book is concise and an excellent summary to this span in time. Suitable for those students studying the civil rights movement or for those interested in historical events. Grades 9-12.
by Ellen Levine
The author has collected first-hand accounts from those who were black children living in Alabama and Mississippi between 1955 and 1965 and played some role during the civil rights movement as they tried to fight segregation. This was a time of demonstrating for freedoms in a non-violent manner under the guidance of Dr. Martin Luther King. The young people participated in sit-in's at restaurants that only served whites. They participated as freedom riders, sitting wherever they chose on buses when they were only supposed to sit in the back . They marched to courthouses for the right to register to vote. They attempted to integrate the schools.They held mass meetings and prayer meetings, all with the intention of getting the same rights as whites. Participating many times against the wishes of their parents who were frightened of losing their jobs, these children fought for what they believed in. They were proud to be arrested multiple times knowing they would get news coverage and the nation could see how blacks were being treated in the south, all the while realizing they could be beaten or killed for demonstrating. This book is concise and an excellent summary to this span in time. Suitable for those students studying the civil rights movement or for those interested in historical events. Grades 9-12.
Come in from the Cold
by Marsha Qualey
Set in Minnesota in 1969, the first part of the book is told from Maud's point of view, a 17-year-old whose sister has been "underground" protesting the Vietnam war and recently blown herself up in a college laboratory. The second part of the book is told from Jeff's point of view, whose brother is killed in Vietnam. In his conservative town, Jeff protests the war in a non-violent manner. Maud and Jeff meet through one of these protests one year following their respective sibling's deaths and immediately find a connection. This fast-paced novel follows their relationship through the drugs and alcohol, the Kent State killings, and the country's apathy as they search for answers and find love. The surprise ending is completely appropriate for the time. This mature story is recommended for grades 8 and up and for teens interested in stories set during the Vietnam War. Qualey's book Everybody's Daughter continues the story started here.
by Marsha Qualey
Set in Minnesota in 1969, the first part of the book is told from Maud's point of view, a 17-year-old whose sister has been "underground" protesting the Vietnam war and recently blown herself up in a college laboratory. The second part of the book is told from Jeff's point of view, whose brother is killed in Vietnam. In his conservative town, Jeff protests the war in a non-violent manner. Maud and Jeff meet through one of these protests one year following their respective sibling's deaths and immediately find a connection. This fast-paced novel follows their relationship through the drugs and alcohol, the Kent State killings, and the country's apathy as they search for answers and find love. The surprise ending is completely appropriate for the time. This mature story is recommended for grades 8 and up and for teens interested in stories set during the Vietnam War. Qualey's book Everybody's Daughter continues the story started here.
Trouble
by Gary D. Schmidt
“If you build your house far enough from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.”
Fourteen-year-old Henry Smith lives with his hero, football playing brother Franklin, sister Louisa, and parents in Blythbury-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, where his family has lived for generations. The nearby town of Merton, an old mill town is now almost completely inhabited by Cambodians, refugees from a horrific life of war and slavery.
Enter Trouble. Franklin is hit by a truck while running. Not just any truck. One belonging to a Cambodian family. Chay Chouan, who attends school with Franklin, although gallant in his efforts to save Franklin, is the final straw for the out-of-work white men who don’t think Cambodians are worthy of citizenship in America. Racial tension is at an all-time high at the high school and around town. The fact that Chay gets off with only the loss of his license doesn’t help matters. Or is that all?
When the school year ends, Henry heads out to climb Mt. Katahdin with his best friend Sanborn. It was something he was supposed to do with Franklin and the last words out of Franklin’s mouth before he died. Katahdin. They head out with Black Dog, the dog Henry finds drowning in the sea next to his house. But who’s going to pick up two boys and a dog and drive them to Maine? Maybe Chay who has been disowned by his father and is driving without a license? Only more Trouble could be on the way.
The well-rounded characters offer so much to this story. Sanborn and Henry, who pummel each other into the ground on more than one occasion and continually throw insults back and forth.
“Can you press your own weight?” asked Henry.
“With you on top of it.”
“Liar.”
“Fool.”
“Big butt.”
“Skinny runt.”
It almost becomes comical. Louisa, who lives in the shadow of her brothers although she is probably more athletic than either of them. Their father, who questions if Franklin would have grown into a good man, because he’s not sure he has the courage to hear a true answer.
Schmidt also manages to throw in a side story about an old ship that shows up on shore following a storm providing some family history that they might rather have stayed in the sea. It turns out that their house wasn’t built far away from Trouble at all.
This latest book by one of my favorite authors comes out in April. No two of Schmidt’s books are the same, and this one may be intended for the most mature audience yet. Teens in grades 7 and up will not be disappointed.
by Gary D. Schmidt
“If you build your house far enough from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.”
Fourteen-year-old Henry Smith lives with his hero, football playing brother Franklin, sister Louisa, and parents in Blythbury-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, where his family has lived for generations. The nearby town of Merton, an old mill town is now almost completely inhabited by Cambodians, refugees from a horrific life of war and slavery.
Enter Trouble. Franklin is hit by a truck while running. Not just any truck. One belonging to a Cambodian family. Chay Chouan, who attends school with Franklin, although gallant in his efforts to save Franklin, is the final straw for the out-of-work white men who don’t think Cambodians are worthy of citizenship in America. Racial tension is at an all-time high at the high school and around town. The fact that Chay gets off with only the loss of his license doesn’t help matters. Or is that all?
When the school year ends, Henry heads out to climb Mt. Katahdin with his best friend Sanborn. It was something he was supposed to do with Franklin and the last words out of Franklin’s mouth before he died. Katahdin. They head out with Black Dog, the dog Henry finds drowning in the sea next to his house. But who’s going to pick up two boys and a dog and drive them to Maine? Maybe Chay who has been disowned by his father and is driving without a license? Only more Trouble could be on the way.
The well-rounded characters offer so much to this story. Sanborn and Henry, who pummel each other into the ground on more than one occasion and continually throw insults back and forth.
“Can you press your own weight?” asked Henry.
“With you on top of it.”
“Liar.”
“Fool.”
“Big butt.”
“Skinny runt.”
It almost becomes comical. Louisa, who lives in the shadow of her brothers although she is probably more athletic than either of them. Their father, who questions if Franklin would have grown into a good man, because he’s not sure he has the courage to hear a true answer.
Schmidt also manages to throw in a side story about an old ship that shows up on shore following a storm providing some family history that they might rather have stayed in the sea. It turns out that their house wasn’t built far away from Trouble at all.
This latest book by one of my favorite authors comes out in April. No two of Schmidt’s books are the same, and this one may be intended for the most mature audience yet. Teens in grades 7 and up will not be disappointed.
The Sweet Far Thing
by Libba Bray
This is the third book in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, the first was A Great and Terrible Beauty and the second was Rebel Angels. Gemma now has the magic of the Realms bound to her and she has promised to join hands in the Temple to share the magic with all the tribes, but problems begin to arise immediately when some do not want to share it. She isn't sure how to control the magic in the beginning but she continues to have visions and is confused about how to best divide the magic. She doesn't trust her teachers who are trying to get the magic from her and manages to hold them off by claiming she doesn't have it anymore and denying that she can get back into the realms. She is having family problems with her father now very ill and her brother being courted by the Rakshana in an attempt to steal the magic. As well, she promises to change the course of Ann and Felicity's lives so that they can lead them the way they want to rather than be married off. Ann wants desperately to be on stage and Felicity wants to move to Paris and wear trousers like the men. Meanwhile, the girls at Spence are preparing for their debut and spend hours practicing their curtsies for the Queen. This book is full of action and suspense, mystery and even a little love. The trilogy wraps up nicely and readers will be pleased with the outcome, which remains a mystery right up to the end.
by Libba Bray
This is the third book in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, the first was A Great and Terrible Beauty and the second was Rebel Angels. Gemma now has the magic of the Realms bound to her and she has promised to join hands in the Temple to share the magic with all the tribes, but problems begin to arise immediately when some do not want to share it. She isn't sure how to control the magic in the beginning but she continues to have visions and is confused about how to best divide the magic. She doesn't trust her teachers who are trying to get the magic from her and manages to hold them off by claiming she doesn't have it anymore and denying that she can get back into the realms. She is having family problems with her father now very ill and her brother being courted by the Rakshana in an attempt to steal the magic. As well, she promises to change the course of Ann and Felicity's lives so that they can lead them the way they want to rather than be married off. Ann wants desperately to be on stage and Felicity wants to move to Paris and wear trousers like the men. Meanwhile, the girls at Spence are preparing for their debut and spend hours practicing their curtsies for the Queen. This book is full of action and suspense, mystery and even a little love. The trilogy wraps up nicely and readers will be pleased with the outcome, which remains a mystery right up to the end.
The Hobbit
by J.R.R. Tolkien
This is the story of the hobbit Bilbo Baggin who suddenly finds that he has been dragged into an adventure by the wizard Gandolf. Along with thirteen dwarves as Thorin Oakenshield as their leader, many lands are crossed and many adventures had as an attempt is made to reclaim The Lonely Mountain as the dwarves rightful home. Thorin's grandfather ruled as King under the Mountain, but the dragon Smaug battled the dwarves and now inhabits the caves and has plundered all of the gold and jewels therein. Armed with only a map indicating a secret door into the mountain, the group leaves for a yearlong adventure. This epic quest is a classic having originally appeared in 1937. It was immediately popular and lead to the author writing a continuation to the story, which became The Lord of the Rings. It has been translated into over 40 languages. It may be read by teens ages 12 and up, but is also an excellent book to read aloud to younger child since it reads like a fairy tale.
by J.R.R. Tolkien
This is the story of the hobbit Bilbo Baggin who suddenly finds that he has been dragged into an adventure by the wizard Gandolf. Along with thirteen dwarves as Thorin Oakenshield as their leader, many lands are crossed and many adventures had as an attempt is made to reclaim The Lonely Mountain as the dwarves rightful home. Thorin's grandfather ruled as King under the Mountain, but the dragon Smaug battled the dwarves and now inhabits the caves and has plundered all of the gold and jewels therein. Armed with only a map indicating a secret door into the mountain, the group leaves for a yearlong adventure. This epic quest is a classic having originally appeared in 1937. It was immediately popular and lead to the author writing a continuation to the story, which became The Lord of the Rings. It has been translated into over 40 languages. It may be read by teens ages 12 and up, but is also an excellent book to read aloud to younger child since it reads like a fairy tale.
Dark Sons
by Nikki Grimes
He calls himself my father.
So why is he sending me away?
This is the question
I’m tired of asking.
A novel, told in free verse poetry, incorporates two stories about boys abandoned by their fathers. The first tells the biblical story of Ishmael who is the first son born to Abraham by a maid-servant. Abraham miraculously has a second son by his wife Sarah years later. The second is the contemporary story of Sam, who father remarries and has another son. Both young boys feel devotion to their respective mothers and are confused by the seemingly loss of their father’s love. The strain of their relationships with their fathers are chronicled, the attempts at forgiveness, the further rejection by their fathers, and their ultimate realizations about their struggles. Their faith in God is evident throughout, and since three religions derive from Abraham, this has wide appeal. Beautifully written and easy-to-read, this poetry will be enjoyed by teens in grades 6 and up. It is a winner of a Coretta Scott King Award Honor in 2006 and other awards for teen literature.
by Nikki Grimes
He calls himself my father.
So why is he sending me away?
This is the question
I’m tired of asking.
A novel, told in free verse poetry, incorporates two stories about boys abandoned by their fathers. The first tells the biblical story of Ishmael who is the first son born to Abraham by a maid-servant. Abraham miraculously has a second son by his wife Sarah years later. The second is the contemporary story of Sam, who father remarries and has another son. Both young boys feel devotion to their respective mothers and are confused by the seemingly loss of their father’s love. The strain of their relationships with their fathers are chronicled, the attempts at forgiveness, the further rejection by their fathers, and their ultimate realizations about their struggles. Their faith in God is evident throughout, and since three religions derive from Abraham, this has wide appeal. Beautifully written and easy-to-read, this poetry will be enjoyed by teens in grades 6 and up. It is a winner of a Coretta Scott King Award Honor in 2006 and other awards for teen literature.