Long Way Down

Long Way Down
By Jason Reynolds

When Will's older brother Shawn is shot and killed, Will knows the rules--no crying, no snitching, get revenge. And so, the next day, Will gets Shawn's gun and hops on the elevator in his apartment building, set on finding the guy he knows shot Shawn. However, over the course of the next 60 seconds, the elevator stops at each floor of the building, and each time, someone gets on--and in each case, it's someone Will cares about who has been shot to death, making him think about what he's on his way to do and how it has come about.

Dang. Wow. Holy cow.

This book is POWERFUL.

It's written in verse--I know some people don't care for novels in verse, but I like them and this one is amazing. Each word is perfect. I've never actually heard of Jason Reynolds before, and after reading this book, I realize I've totally been missing out because he is a phenomenally talented writer. There are so many beautiful crafted passages in this book. Here are a couple favorites:

"I felt like crying
which felt like
 another person
trapped behind my face

tiny fists punching
the backs of my eyes
feet kicking
my throat at the spot
where the swallow starts."

"Another thing about the rules
They weren't meant to be broken.
They were meant for the broken

to follow."

"How do you small-talk your father
when 'dad' is a language so foreign
that whenever you try to say it,
it feels like you got a third lip
 and a second tongue?"

"Spent my whole damn life
missing a misser.
That disappointed me."

The message of this book is so powerful. It captures an important theme and event that will resonate with a lot of readers but the idea of the ghosts from Will's past visit in the elevator is so unique and really packs a punch. This book easily makes my Best of 2017 list. 5 stars.

Dreamland Burning

Dreamland Burning
By Jennifer Latham

As Rowan Chase's family starts a remodeling project on their property, workers find a human skeleton. Rowan is captivated by the discovery, and she and her best friend James set out to discover who the skeleton belongs to and how he came to be buried on her property. Because of this search, as well as her summer job/internship working at a clinic in the poor part of town, Rowan comes to think about race differently than ever before.

In 1921, William Tillman, who is half-white, half-Indian, gets caught up in the racial conflicts sweeping Tulsa. As he works in his father's Victorla shop, he comes to know a couple of Negroes, and when the racial tensions explode, he must decide whether to side with the whites who are determined to rid Tulsa of "bad" Negroes, do nothing except protect his own skin, or help those who are being attacked.

This book started off a little slow for my liking, but I'm so glad I stuck with it. Not only is this a well-written and captivating story, it's also an important one, as it introduces readers (most of whom, like me, likely aren't familiar with the rioting and killing of many African Americans in Tulsa in 1921) to a significant even in history. The way the story is presented made it fascinating, as readers wonder, along with Rowan, who was killed and why. William's story was even more interesting, as we see his growth. The culmination of the tensions in violence is so gripping--and even terrifying as the readers have to wait to find out who survives and who doesn't. This was really, really well-written and makes my best of 2017 list.

4.5 stars.

To Hope and Back

To Hope and Back: The Journey of the St. Louis
By Kathy Kacer
Second Story Press, 2011. 204 pgs. Middle grade nonfiction

In 1939, over 900 Jews sought refugee from Hitler and the rise of Nazism in Germany by boarding the St. Louis and heading to Cuba. Having purchased costly tickets, which in some cases used up families' entire life savings, they were treated kindly by the crew, including Captain Schroeder, and they were anticipating a new life in Cuba, or after a brief stay in Cuba, in the U.S. However, as the ship was racing across the ocean, trouble was brewing, as Nazi propaganda convinced many Cubans the soon-to-arrive Jews were poor, dirty criminals. As the ship reached Cuba, no one was allowed to disembark. While a few concerned people tried to convince either the Cuban government or the U.S. government to allow the emigrants in, the Jews feared what would happen if no one would take them--because returning to Germany would mean almost certain death.

This is a first-rate book that blends fiction with nonfiction, as it follows two children, Lisa and Sol, who really traveled on the ship but who didn't necessarily experience everything that was attributed to them. I had heard of the St. Louis, but this made the story of the people come to life--and showed some of the consequences of the decisions made by hostile/weak governments.

4 stars. Clean read.

Under the Mesquite

Under the Mesquite
By Guadalupe Garcia McCall.
Lee & Low Books, 2011. 224 pgs. Teen fiction

Lupita has always enjoyed (and been slightly frustrated by) her large family; they're close and loving and life is good, as they've moved to the U.S. but still frequently visit relatives in Mexico. However, her mother's cancer diagnosis changes everything and Lupita tries to deal with school as well as taking care of her seven younger siblings.

This book is sad and pretty and lovely. (I don't know if I've ever called a book pretty before, but something about this one really is.) Lupita's struggle--and her mother's as well--are portrayed so realistically. This is an excellent choice for anyone who needs a good sad but hopeful book, a good novel in verse, or a just a plain good book.

4 stars. Clean read.

Inside Out and Back Again

Inside Out and Back Again
By Thanhha Lai
Harper, 2011. 263 pgs. Middle Grade fiction

In 1975, Ha has lived in Vietnam for her entire life, living with three bothersome older brothers, her sad mother, and the shadow of her father, who has been missing in action for nine years. When the opportunity comes for their family to flee the country, they decide to go, only to find that real-life America isn't quite like what they've seen in movies. As a stranger and outsider, Ha faces teasing at school and misses her homeland.

This novel-in-verse is beautifully written and gives readers a wonderful look at the process of leaving a beloved homeland for a strange country is like. I loved Ha--she's spunky and funny and I think Lai captured the emotions of such a turbulent situation perfectly. Just pick the book up; it'll convince you itself.

Clean read.

What Can(t) Wait

What Can(t) Wait
By Ashley Hope Perez
Carolrhoda LAB, 2011. 234 pgs. Teen fiction

Marisa wants to graduate high school, get accepted to UT-Austin's engineering program, and get out on with having a life of her own. However, her parents have very different expectations for her; neither of them even went to high school, let alone graduated, so they don't understand her need for education. They expect her to be a willing helper in their family by cooking, baby-sitting her niece, and working as many hours as possible at her part-time job to help support the family. Marisa's best friend, boyfriend, and favorite teacher tell her she needs to work for her dreams, but Marisa doesn't know how she can if it comes at the expense of her family, especially her adorable niece who needs all the attention she can get.

This was a gripping book; I was pulled into Marisa's struggles, charmed by her boyfriend, and frustrated by her family. This realistic, intense story is one that many teen readers will enjoy. (As a small side tangent, though, I have to say one scene is really bothering me; when Marisa's dad gets upset about Marisa being out with her friends, Marisa's best friend--also Latina--explains that it's different for her, since her mom is Cubana and not Mexican and doesn't let her dad push her around. That's a paraphrase, but it illustrates the point. Anyway, I just felt like that was stereotyping Mexican men and women, and while the stereotype might be true in a lot of cases, I think it particularly bothered me because we don't get a whole lot of literature that take us beyond that stereotype...and I'd like to see that.)

3 stars.

Eona: The Last Dragoneye

Eona: The Last Dragoneye

By Allison Goodman

Viking, 2011. 637 pgs. Teen fiction

Summary:

In this sequel to Eon, Eona and Lord Ido are the only two dragoneyes left alive, which means they are also the kingdom's only hope against Sethon, who, after slaughtering most of his family, has made himself emperor. Ido has been captured by Sethon; Eona has escaped to find Kygo, the true heir, but she is still untrained and doesn't know how to use her power, and she's discovering things both about her ancestors and herself that frighten her. While Kygo trusts her enough to make her his highest advisor, others are wary of her and even Kygo's feelings seem mixed. Eona must figure out how to control her power and how to even trust herself to make the right choices if Kygo has any chance of defeating Sethon and restoring peace to the kingdom.

Review:

Readers will be drawn once again into the Empire of the Celestial Dragons. Eona's internal struggles (including what her morals are, how she's willing to use her power, who she trusts and even who she's attracted to) are well-portrayed and make her into a round, but not always likable, character. Fans of Eon will like the conclusion; those who haven't read Eon will definitely need to read it first or they'll be completely lost in this intricate fantasy.

3.5 stars. Not squeaky clean but I don't remember anything excessive.

Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind

Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind
By Suzanne Fisher Staples
Knofp, 1989. 240 pgs. Middle grade/Teen fiction

Eleven-year-old Shabanu lives in the deserts of Pakistan, helping her father raise camels. As her twelve-year-old sister is preparing for her arranged marriage, Shabanu is beginning to think about her own arranged marriage, which will take place the following year. Just as Shabanu has come to accept the prospect of marriage and be excited about her future husband, disaster strikes and Shabanu will have to become the fourth wife of a much-older man in order to save her family--or decided to defy them by refusing and leaving.

This book was a tough read--it's fascinating but it's also disturbing. It's difficult to stomach the fact that even in today's world there are children forced into marriages that will make them miserable, that there isn't really a way to have a realistic, happy ending in many cases. So it was hard to read the book, with Shabanu continually facing loss and disappointment and there not really being a way for her to triumph. Yes, she has a triumphant spirit, but it's hard to think of a child facing what she's facing. At the same time, I really enjoyed the look at this culture, so different from my own. It was very eye-opening, and I appreciated the fact that the author showed a very loving family, who wanted to do their best to care for each other even though the restraints of their culture and socioeconomic status forced them to make really difficult decisions.

4 stars. (There's some talk about developing bodies and crossing into womanhood, but otherwise, it's a clean read.)



As a side note, at what point does a book become "historical fiction" instead of contemporary? This book was published in 1989, and I'm not sure how to classify this one. I'd also be interested in seeing what, if any, changes have come about in Pakistan since then--maybe the designation has less to do with the actual number of years but the social, political, and cultural climate...

Code Talker

Code Talker
By Joseph Bruchac
Dial Books, 2005. 231 pgs. Teen fiction

From the time he is sent to a boarding school run by whites and assigned a new name, Ned Begay is told that being Navajo is a bad thing. He's not allowed to speak his native language and is constantly told that only by leaving his heritage behind can he amount to anything. However, when Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, the Marine Corps suddenly has a need for Navajos who can speak both their native tongue and English. The first twenty-nine Navajos recruited devise a code to convey messages, based on their native tongue, and Ned, in the second wave of Navajo recruitments, becomes one of the code talkers vital to the success of the Marine Corps as they fight to retake American territories in the Pacific as well as establish a presence on Iwo Jima and Okinowa.

This is a fascinating piece of historical fiction, showing the contribution of the Navajos to the armed forces during WWII. I particularly enjoyed the details about how the code was developed and taught, as well as the incorporation of Navajo traditions into the story. Some of the military details bogged down the story for me, but I think others who are interested in war stories wouldn't mind that at all.

One thing I didn't like about the novel was that it talked about the cruelty of the Japanese military in their treatment of prisoners of war and when they took over Pacific Islands even put the native peoples in concentration camps, but it didn't mention at all how the Japanese in the U.S. were rounded up and stripped of their homes and everything as they were forced to live in concentration camps. While Bruchac did talk about how many of the Japanese (in Japan) didn't agree with the war, there seemed to me to be a slight imbalance by pointing out what the Japanese army did wrong and not what the U.S. did wrong.

Overall, great book. I wish there were more books out there by American Indian authors.

4 stars. Clean read, other than a little, little bit of language.

Small Acts of Amazing Courage

Small Acts of Amazing Courage
By Gloria Whelan
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2011. 217 pgs. Teen fiction

Rosy is a British girl living in India following World War I, as many Indians are starting to cry out for independence. Many of the British avoid the Indians, or employ them only as servants, but when Rosy rescues an Indian baby, sold to a cruel man when the family can't afford to keep him, she meets some British citizens who actually support Indian independence. Upset with his daughter, her father sends her to England for a proper education, but there, just as much as in India, Rosy comes to know her own mind and influence those around her.

This is a great piece of historical fiction, letting readers see what life was like in India in 1919. It's a brief story, but it's one that is well-written, with not a single wasted word, and readers will be enriched by reading it.

3.5 stars.

Where the Streets Had a Name

Where the Streets Had a Name
By Randa Abdel-Fattah
Scholastic, 2010. 313 pgs. Middle Grade Fiction

Hayaat is thirteen years old and lives in Bethlehem, where her family has been forced to relocate after the creation of Israel and subsequent conflicts between the Israelis and the Palestinians. A Muslim Palestinian, Hayaat must live with curfews and restrictions on travel. Although her family lives only six miles from their beloved Jerusalem, they are not allowed to go there. However, Hayatt believes that getting a jarful of soil from her grandmother's (former) land in Jerusalem, she will be able to prolong her grandmother's life. So Hayaat and her best friend Samy, a Christian Palestinian, set out for Jerusalem.

This book is phenomenal. Have grown up in the U.S., I think there's definitely a bias toward Israelis and against Palestinians, since the U.S. has traditionally been an ally of Israel's. I think there's a prejudice toward Palestinians, thinking they're all a bunch of Muslim terrorists. However, this book does much to encourage readers to think about the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts and see how there are many similarities between the peoples; just as many Jews wanted a place to live and feel safe following the Holocaust, Palestinians wanted to have their ancestral land. There are some very thought-provoking scenes in this book and characters of a variety of faiths (Jews, Muslims, and Christians) representing a variety of beliefs. It's also a great coming-of-age story as Hayaat faces her fears and finds peace in herself and hope in the future even in a situation where it would be tempting to lose hope. Although this book is being promoted as Abdel-Fattah's "middle-grade debut" (she's written two other great books for young adults), I think the story is interesting enough to drawn in older readers as well.

Four stars.

Left to Tell

Left to Tell
By Immaculee Ilibagiza
Hay House, 2006. 215 pgs. Biography

Immaculee Ilibagiza was living a good life in Rwanda; the first woman in her family to attend college, she was working toward a bright future. However, racial tensions, which had been in place in Rwanda for many years, erupted in 1994, and Immaculee was caught in the middle of it. As the majority group, the Hutus, began massacring the minority Tutsis, Immaculee, a Tutsi, found herself fighting for her life. In approximately 100 days, one million Tutsis were killed, and while Immaculee lost the majority of her family, she found a deeply personal relationship with Jesus Christ as she hid from the Hutus and prayed for her survival.

Immaculee's story is simultaneously sad, horrifying, inspiring, and moving. The atrocities committed against the Tutsis will turn readers' stomachs, but Immaculee's developing relationship with God is remarkable. This faith-filled story is an important one for people to become familiar with.

As a side note, it seems like a lot (or...all) of the books I've read that take place anywhere in Africa feature violence and war, and while such topics are certainly important and accurate, I wonder if I'm getting a skewed perception of Africa. Is Africa as bloody and violent as we're led to believe? What are the other sides of it?

Another African author, Chimamanda Adichie, talks about the "danger of a single story," or, basically relying on a single idea to represent a whole people/nation/continent in this really fascinating video: Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story | Video on TED.com
There's a really interesting part where she discusses a professor informing her that something she had written wasn't "African". So, I ask--what do we think it means to be "African"? Do we simply think of poverty, violence, and AIDS? What else is there? What other stories are there that need to be told? Tying this back to Left to Tell, Immaculee talks about how Rwanda is a beautiful country, like paradise. How many of us would associate Rwanda with beauty? While it's definitely important to know about the Rwandan holocaust, what more is there about the country that we need to know? What other stories do Rwandans have to share? And, what are some good sources for finding those stories?

Overall, 3.5 stars because the story is great, but the writing isn't necessarily the most compelling.

SkySisters

SkySisters
Written by Jan Bourdeau Waboose
Illustrated by Brian Deines
Kids Can Press, 2000. Picture book.

Two Ojibway sisters head out to check out the Northern Lights, which they call SkySisters.

This book is beautiful! The illustrations are really, really well done, and the story is sweet. I would definitely share this book with children.

Since the characters are Native American, whether or not is culturally accurate is important, but the author is Ojibway, and the book has been praised by scholars of Native American literature, such as Debbie Reese. (Check out her review here.) The fact that the book takes place in the present day is another selling point for me--so much Native American children's literature takes place in the past, and while stories of Native American history are important, it's especially important to find portrayals of contemporary life so that we don't pass along the idea that Native Americans are dead, that they only existed in the past.

Five stars!