Whales on Stilts

Whales on Stilts by M.T. Anderson. Series: M.T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales. Library Copy. 2005.

The Plot: The Thrilling Tale of Katie Mulligan (you remember her from the Horror Hollow Books), Jasper Dash (Boy Technonaut) and Lily Gefelty as they encounter Whales -- on -- Stilts. (I'm saying that in my Pigs In Space voice.)

The Good: It's not just that I grew up reading series books; I grew up reading series books from every decade. Mary Rose at Boarding School (still cannot find much online about them). The Outdoor Girls of Deepdale and their (god help me I'm telling the truth) Camping and Tramping Club. The Happy Hollisters. So reading these books, that are tribute to those series, is great. It's tribute and love song, yet laughing at the same time, mocking with love.

Will kids today like them? Well, I don't think kids who are readers have changed. They still delight in the box of books at a grandparent's house, the dusty books found at a garage sale. And so, yes, they will like these books, also.

Plus, even if they don't get the homage to those earlier books? This is still a funny, adventurous tale. Kids who want humor? Give them this.

To begin with: "On Career Day Lily visited her dad's work with him and discovered he worked for a mad scientist who wanted to rule the earth through destruction and desolation." Could there be a better opening line? Or summation of a plot?

Lily herself is quietly observant: "Lily believed that the world was a wonderful and magical place. She believed that if watched carefully enough, you could find miracles anywhere."

She has two friends, Katie and Jasper. In a quasi reality show aspect, Katie is also the star of a series of children's books, and it's a bit meta in that the books are slightly fiction but Katie also does indeed live off Route 666 and encounters haunted happenings. I'm sure the Winchester boys will be visiting any time now. And Katie will kick their asses. (Yes, I'm in denial about Dean. So?)

Jasper, meanwhile, has stepped right out of those old series books I adore. He goes around saying things like, "Dash it all, chums, this sounds a mighty pickle." He is very proud of his photocopy machine, which involves a mule on a treadmill. Jasper speaks as if he's from the 20s, with a view of the future that is 80 years old.

But, as I said, you don't need to know that Katie is RL Stine come to life or Jasper a throwback to the 20s/30s to enjoy the humor. Dad works in an abandoned warehouse on edge of town. With a receptionist. That, my friends, is the type of humor I adore. An abandoned warehouse where the father doesn't realize something is up, is just plain crazy; add in a receptionist for the evil people? And chums, it is brilliant.

There is a sequel, which I haven't read yet; and a third book!

Links:
Via NPR, hear MT Anderson read the first chapter.
Cynsations (Cynthia Leitich Smith) -- interview with the author
The Toothbrush Mystery

The Murder Of Bindy Mackenzie

The Life Murder Of Bindy Mackenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty. Personal copy.

Bindy Mackenzie is the most successful girl in Grade 11. She works hard, and she has the grades and the class standing to prove it. It's not just in school that she excels; she also works three jobs. And she cares about her fellow students—why, last year Bindy held lunchtime advisory sessions!

So what if her parents have moved to the city, leaving her to live with an aunt and uncle? So what if her mother never responds to her emails? So what if her father requires a "business proposal" before "investing" in whatever Bindy wants to spend money on? As her father OKs proposals such as buying cheap things to resell at higher prices to classmates, he tells her again and again that she is smarter, and better, than everyone else. And Bindy believes him: Isn't the proof in her grades and accomplishments?

So what if she's quirky. Bindy does some of it deliberately, to show that she is well-rounded, such as her multicolored nail polish. Other stuff she does for fun, such as transcribing all the conversations around her onto her laptop. And then there's her little habit of comparing people to animals.

But still, Bindy doesn't need anyone. She does quite well by herself. So when she is forced, FORCED, into the new "Friendship and Development Project" (she notes the acronym FAD), with a group of people she has nothing in common with (they are coarse of language and not the brightest), she is upset. It is a waste of time, time spent better studying.

It gets worse after the first group project: anonymously comment on the other people in your group. The nicest thing said about Bindy is "fastest typist." She's also called "too smart" (how can one be too smart, she wonders) and "talks like a horse." Bindy gets angry and resolves to get even. And just as she takes her schoolwork seriously, she takes revenge seriously.

Except...revenge isn't as sweet as she thought it would be. And when things start going wrong in her life—not only does she stop handing in papers, she stops caring about doing well, and, oh yeah, there's the fact that someone may be out to kill her—Bindy discovers that she may need friends after all.

Bindy is a makeover book, with its protagonist evolving from an isolated, arrogant, lonely teen to someone with friends and who knows how to be a friend. Along the way, a mystery or two is solved. Makeovers are tricky—we don't really want everyone to be alike, and we don't want to say that there's only one right way to do things. Bindy is cautioned by her brother Anthony to not lose herself or disappear. What works is that Bindy doesn't; Bindy is actually a pretty cool teen. What's not cool, though, is her ingrained habit of judging everyone, and finding them wanting. And letting them know that. Why Moriarty is a genius is she takes this unlikable character and makes her lovable. You root for her, you cringe as she makes some serious missteps, you cheer her accomplishments.

This is a companion book to Moriarty's other books, The Year of Secret Assignments and Feeling Sorry For Celia. All take part at the same school, and there are overlapping characters. Chronologically, Feeling Sorry For Celia takes place first and Bindy last. This is one of those sets that doesn't have to be read in order, but, because Moriarty is a wonderful author, you'll be happy that you've read all three.

This review originally appeared in The Edge of the Forest, Issue 10, December 2006.
This was one of my my Favorite Books of 2006 (see sidebar)

Links:
I Have A Bed of Buttermilk Pancakes (Jaclyn Moriarty's blog) (oooh, there will be another book in this sequence!!!)
Propernoun review.
So many books, so little time review.
Confessions of a Bibliovore review.
Bookshelves of Doom mini review.
Page Numbered review.
TeenReads.com review
Moriarty Madness for Aussie Day (highlighting all titles by the author) at Finding Wonderland.

The Qwikpick Adventure Society

The Qwikpick Adventure Society by Sam Riddleburger. ARC provided by author.

The Plot:

The Qwikpick Adventure Society is comprised of three kids: Lyle Hertzog (who is recounting their adventure, using the typewriter his Dad got him), Marilla Anderson (who took the pictures) and Dave Ruskin (maps.)

And the adventure involves a poop fountain. Oh no, I'm quite serious.

The Good:

This is a great, old-fashioned fun book. Three kids who hang out together and have an adventure: going to see the sewage treatment plant. Because the town is about to update the treatment plant so it will no longer have a, erm, poop fountain. The humor is from the kids, from the journey to the sewage treatment plant and what happens there.... I was laughing and almost throwing up at the same time.

Quotage is needed to convey the humor:

"But the word adventure is stretching it a lot.
"We didn't stop a smuggling ring or get mixed up with the mob or stop an ancient evil from rising up and spreading black terror across Crickenburg. . . . But we did see something that not many other people have gotten to see and no one will get to see again: the Amazing Poop Fountain at the Crickenburg Wastewater Treatment Plant."

Part of my love for this book? The amazing amount of times "poop" is said and each and every time it is a correct usage. What other word would you use? OK, technically it's a "sludge fountain"...but I love when the kids realize that really means poop.

I also like that it's more than just the story; there is the typed part, but also handwritten notes (as Marilla and Dave add their two cents worth), photos, even a mini comic book. I love the mix of ways to convey a story: it adds dimension to the plot and the characters.

Full disclaimer: the author lives in the same area that my aunt does. I love going down for 16 Hands. Sometimes, I think, wow, it would be cool to move down there (around Floyd County); but I'm not sure I'd survive the winters.

Anyway, "knowing" the area this takes place was an added treat. But, aside from that, it is a great setting; not just the Southwest Virginia setting, but also the working rural poor. Lyle's parents both work in the Qwikpick (Dad had a better job, but the factory closed up); they live in a trailer park. Lyle's writing this story on a typewriter because that is what the family can afford. Lyle's a good kid; he appreciates that getting the typewriter is the best his family can do for him. Marilla's family has seen a reversal of fortune because of a family illness eating up all their money, so they, too, live in the trailer park. How refreshing to read a book about kids who live in a trailer park -- with loving parents. No abusive drunks, no drugs.

The Great Origami Pegasus Triumph. No, I cannot explain more, but this had me laugh out loud.

Also good? Marilla's family are Jehovah's Witnesses. And it's just that matter of fact; no negativity, no stereotypes about it. It's who and what she is.

Age rang: I agree with the book jacket, that says ages 8 plus/ grades 3 up. In terms of younger readers, unless you have an issue with the word "poop," or a problem with the reality that some kids live in trailers*, it's a good read. And I also think that older readers looking for hi-lo titles will enjoy it. The use of comics, photos, etc., makes it a fun read; plus the kids are written in such a way that even young teens will have a laugh. Especially over The Great Origami Pegasus Triumph.

This book demands a sequel.

One more thing. Having just lived thru a summer of having to give boys books that, well, aren't the type of things they are interested in ... let me just say. THIS book should be on summer reading lists. It would make librarians happy to be able to give this one to the reluctant reader who is engaged in a war of wills with the mom because they don't want to read (insert Newbery winner here.)

*I kid you not, I had a parent at the library object to Because of Winn Dixie because she didn't want her kid to know that people lived in trailer parks. Can you imagine? And, while Lyle's family is struggling for money, I've seen some awesome mobile homes. We cannot all afford to live in McMansions.

Links:

The inspiring fountains of poop at The Roanoke Times
Cece Bell (the author's wife)
QwikPick homepage (for the book)
A Year of Reading review
Hey! There's a really cool T-shirt! (no, not of Poop. Hey, did I mention that "poop" is PeterParker's favorite word? Yeah, he's 4. I know.) More info on the T-shirt here (yes, I just did a typo of another word for poop instead of shirt. He he. I did fix it, tho).
Just Like the Nut review
Original Content (Gail Gauthier) comments

(I'm sure I read a few more reviews, but cannot find them, so if I missed you, leave a link in the comments.)

A Girl, A Boy, And A Monster Cat

A Girl, A Boy And A Monster Cat by Gail Gauthier, illustrated by Joe Cepeda. ARC supplied by author. Publication date June 2007.

The Plot. A girl. A boy. A monster cat.

OK, there's more than that, but I couldn't resist. As an aside, since the title reminds me of my blog name, I now have to refer to this book as Monster Cat.

Brandon's ideal afterschool activity? Watching TV. Hannah's ideal afterschool activity? Hunting dinosaurs (aka turkeys) in the backyard, sailing a pirate ship (tree in the backyard), saving the world from her monster cat (aka Buttercup.)

Hannah's mom babysits for Brandon after school three days a week. So Brandon gets dragged into Hannah's school games. With surprising and amusing results.

The Good: Gauthier brings the funny. The humor is often very dry; for example, when Brandon describes Hannah he says "Her games are like really bad TV shows. Only you can't turn the channel to something better because you're part of the show."

Brandon often likes Hannah's games, tho he won't always admit it. Especially since Hannah has the knack of pushing the game a wee bit too far. And of giving Brandon the worst part of the game. Often, the cat has a better role than Brandon.

Part of the humor is from Hannah herself; she is blunt, confident, and has no idea she may rub someone the wrong way. Upon meeting the new neighbor, Hannah asks "is your house haunted?" Brandon recognizes that the new neighbor does the equivalent of back away slowly from Hannah; Hannah herself has no idea that she's scared the neighbor.

Monster Cat is under 9o pages; and perfect for the "just finished easy readers, scared off by how long chapter books are now that everyone thinks they have to compete with Harry Potter" crowd. Brandon and Hannah are in third grade; and this will be a fun read for younger grades.

Monster Cat is the perfect book to show that reading is fun. In addition to the manageable overall length, the individual chapters are short, each one able to stand alone as a short story (there is an overall story arc, also); and Cepeda's illustrations are amusing. (Hey, I just realized he did the illustrations for one of my favorite picture books ever!)

What else? I like that this is one of those books that creates Drama from the everyday life of real kids. At it's heart, it's about two imaginative kids, their neighborhood, a cat, a dog.

Links:

More info on the origins of Monster Cat (first in a series) at Gail's website.
Gail's blog, Original Content.

Wolves

Wolves by Emily Gravett. Library copy.

The Plot: Rabbit gets a book on wolves out of the library. He's so captivated by the book and involved in the reading that he doesn't notice it when the wolves leave the book.

The Good: Because I like picture books a little bit twisted, this quickly earned a place on my Best Books list. Even tho this book falls under the "holy Hannah it's brilliant, but who will I read it to?" dilemma.

The book rabbit is reading is the book you are holding in your hands. Examine the endpages, look at the cover under the dustjacket: yep, you're reading rabbit's book. And if you're reading rabbit's book, and you know how that story ends . . .

I also have a wee bit of a spoiler dilemma because part of my initial joy was a "did they just do that?" reaction.

So spoilers!!!!

Yeppers, spoilers, skip it if you don't want to know.

As rabbit reads the book, the reader notices the wolf leaving the book. And eyeing the rabbit. Just when we learn that one thing that wolves like to eat is . . . rabbits. Next we see a scratched up book jacket that does not bode well for the rabbit. And one of the last pages shows rabbit's mail, clearly neglected, letting you know -- yes, the wolf ate the rabbit.

But for those of you who want happy endings, well, we have an alternate ending! And it's impossible to read without hearing it said in a silly, we all know this is impossible but let's pretend, shall we? voice, that says that this wolf was a vegetarian and he and the rabbit sat down and ate jam sandwiches. Part of the fun of this ending? It's clearly created from ripped up pages of the book; clearly made up.

It's like Stephen King or the X Files for kiddies. Cheetah will LOVE this. When you're looking for a story to read to older kids -- those too old for picture books, but you need something that will be short, hold their attention, and create a bit of respect, humor them, let them know that you know that they aren't little kids -- pick this one. And at least the teacher will giggle at the end note: "The author would like to point out that no rabbits were eaten during the making of this book. It is a work of fiction."

My favorite picture books are the ones that are quirky, or different, or twisted; or that require the reader bring something to the book. This hits all those spots; so a Best Books of 2006.

Links:
Planet Esme review.
An interview at Pan Macmillan.
A Fuse #8 Production review.
WATAT review (scroll down).

The Exiles At Home

The Exiles at Home by Hilary McKay. Library copy.

The Plot: The four Conroy sisters introduced in The Exiles return! This time, it follows a year in the life of Ruth, 13, Naomi, 12, Rachel, 8, and Phoebe, 6. During this time, the girls "illegally" sponsor a boy's education in Africa; illegally, because it's done without the permission of the parents. Each month, they scramble to come up with new ways to earn the monthly stipend they have promised.

The Good: It's Hilary McKay. Have you all not yet been converted to the cult of "anything she does is good"? No?

The Exiles followed the girls during the summer they spent with Big Grandma. Now, we follow them for a year. While I strongly recommend reading The Exiles because it's a great book, you don't have to read it to enjoy The Exiles at Home. McKay quickly sorts out the four girls and introduces you to the way they view the world. That view is best summed up by young Phoebe, that there is "nothing worse than what happens to you by not doing it."

In a way, the girls remind me of Peter Pan. In that, the Conroys are seductive; you love them, laugh with them, turn the page, half in fear of what they think of next. But like Peter Pan, they are still very much children, with their own dedicated world view. It's very matter of fact; honesty and blunt; sometimes callous; always entertaining.

The older girls deliberately teach the next door baby some rather naughty behaviour just so they can keep a baby-sitting job. I laughed so hard I cried; and luckily, the mother was rather understanding of it all. One example is teaching the poor baby the game of Omelette, which consists of crawling around a couch at top speed shouting "omelette" until one loses all sense. Ruth observes, "she was dizzy and the world whirled and the word took possession."

While the "getting the money for the boy in Africa" is the book long plot, the delight is in the every day things the Conroys do. After Christmas break, Ruth is in such a rush that she leaves on her PJ top and doesn't realize it till she gets to school. Ruth, surveying her bedroom, observes that it is "only a mess in patches. Bits of it are still tidy." Phoebe creates a zoo, and as people bother her, she puts them in the zoo.

Rachel, on what people think of her: "Rachel thought that Mrs. Collingwood was the only person who realized how very nice Rachel really was, or could be, if it was convenient for her to be nice all the time, which it wasn't."

Naomi, and her belief in the written word: "Anyone can garden; thousands of books tell you how."

The mother, on trying to understand her daughters' latest scheme: "'Tell me,' said Mrs. Conroy, 'exactly what you are talking about: as if I were a very stupid person.'"

Links: Bookshelves of Doom review.

Tantalize

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith is now available; my review from the ARC is here. Copy from BEA.

Links:
The YA Authors Cafe author interview.
Smith's online background bibliographies (and while you're there, check out the other Tantalize links)
not your mother's bookclub author interview.
Bookshelves of Doom review
Laura Bowers' review

Learning To Play Gin

Learning To Play Gin by Ally Carter.

The Plot: Sequel to Cheating At Solitaire. It's ten months since Julie and Lance got together and for two people who are dating, they barely see each other. His acting career has taken off, so he's either filming or promoting his movies; her career has come to stand still (who wants to read a self help book about how awesome it is to be single when the writer is now in a picture perfect relationship?), so Julie spends her time renovating her house and being with her family and friends in her native Oklahoma. Julie is surprised to hear via a TV interview that Lance has bought a house in LA, and even more surprised when he asks her to go to California. She's not sure what to do or where she belongs; but she goes. Can someone who was so good at Solitaire learn how to play Gin? Is it possible for Julie to be happy in a relationship?

The Good: As with CaS, what works best is the friendship between Julia, Caroline (her sister) and Nina (her best friend.) These are people you enjoy hanging out with, even if it's pretend.

I also liked how Julie, so good at being single, now has to learn how to be part of a couple.

The writing is funny; some of my favorites include the observation that "Barbie messed everybody up." And how's this for a description of someone attending dinner: "When Wes walked into the kitchen, he didn't look like someone who was ready for Thanksgiving -- he looked liked someone who was celebrating Thanksgiving in a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie." Julie's mother is present in this one in pithy emails: "Daddy kind of hurt his leg, but the vet was here and said it was nothing, so he's not going to the doctor. We're so lucky to have such a good vet nearby."

This book takes place over a fairly short period of time; but what I missed was Julie's career. I wonder if Carter knows how she is going to resolve this dilemma. What was raised is that Julie feels that she cannot honestly write for "single women power" since she is no longer single. At the same time, she respects and honors those single women she wrote for and cannot see herself writing "90 Days to a Wedding Ring" type book or a "now that I'm in couple it's the best! thing! ever!" book.

Julie muses that she wrote books for women to be happy just as they are.... what will she write now? A novel is mentioned, but not much is said about the plot. I felt as if Julie was dancing on the edge of a great idea for a non fiction book, one that wouldn't be "single power," wouldn't be "unless you're married, your worthless," but would be honest and about being happy with your life without dieting or pretending or manipulating, regardless of significant other status.

But -- no such new nonfiction book idea happened. Which makes me convinced there will be a third book.

While these are books about grown ups -- the main characters are all in their 30s, with thirtysomething lives; Nina is twice divorced, Caroline also has some issues with her husband -- the humor is all ages. Julie goes thru the "normal person in the world of LA" experience, trying to find clothes that fit a normal person instead of anorexic twelve year olds and adjusting to all the people in Lance's life (assistants, assistants to assistants). I'm not sure if it's just Carter's style, or if she was aware that despite this book being clearly marketed towards adults her teen fans may read it; either way, this is a clean romance. You could read it aloud to Grandma and not blush.

Links: the Bookburger Between The Buns interview.

Pop!

Pop! by Aury Wallington.

The Plot: Marit has made a decision: she's going to lose her virginity. She's also going to get a boyfriend. The thing is, she has also decided that these two things have nothing to do with each other. She has a crush on the new guy at school, Noah; but she believes her nervousness about sex is getting in the way. Luckily, there's her best friend Jamie. She doesn't love him, but she trusts him. Things don't always go according to plan...

The Good: I think Pop! is one of the frankest books I've read about someone losing their virginity; I'm not surprised to find out that Wallington was a writer for Sex and The City. (She also wrote for Veronica Mars! How cool is she!) What's weird is it's also the second book I've read recently where a teenage girl makes this decision based on society. Here, Marit is convinced that she's the last virgin in her class; in This Is All, Cordelia wanted to go against statistics and have sex before teens statistically have sex. (Another interesting point -- in neither of these books are those assumptions questioned; Marit truly believes she's the last virgin, Cordelia truly believes the stats about the average age a teenager has sex; and both use it as a jumping off point for action. It's treated no differently than someone saying, the average age people learn how to swim is 16 and I need to start lessons now!)

Anyway, while the sex is explicit, it is described in an almost clinical way; it's not a romance novel version of sex. There was some controversy about this title; I think realistic first time sex is a lot healthier for a teen to read about than those books that are all romance novel sex. (And I say this as a reader of the romance genre; I'm not putting down that genre. I'm just saying, what is better, the myth of romance novels of the realism of Pop?.) The book is the upper YA range, it's not for middle school. As a comparison, it's no more explicit than This Is All, Doing It, or King Dork.

I liked Marit; but I did find her choices a little odd. Sex with one boy, dating another.... It's like she fears the emotional intimacy of sex, so enters into a sexual relationship with someone who is a friend to keep a certain emotional distance from it. She creates a relationship where she can create physical intimacy with one person without emotional intimacy; and emotional intimacy without physical intimacy. Of course, nothing works out the way she imagines it will, or hopes it will, and the ending... I don't give too much away about the ending, but there is much to chat about in the comments, if you like.

I have to say, when Noah finds out what's been going on, I felt sympathy for him -- and I hope he doesn't get together with Marit. And I feel sorry for Jamie. Marit realizes the dilemma: "Because sleeping with one guy when you were trying to get something started with another? Ranked right up there on the Top Ten Tackiest Ways to Ruin a Friendship."

Are you wondering why I'm reviewing this, as it's a bit clear that personally I was a bit surprised by Marit's motivation and choices? The thing is, whether or not I agree with her moral choices, it is depicted realistically, with respect, and with humor. And this is a very funny book because Marit is funny. On looking at a self portrait she's drawn, she muses that "It was supposed to be a pop-art portrait, but in it, I looked more like a Japanimation action hero. Apparently, when I looked in a mirror, what I saw was Sailor Moon."

Not surprisingly, I kept on picturing this as a movie or TV show and I think with a good actress in the lead role, I would have a better understanding of what Marit did . Things I liked: the dialogue between the characters, the stuff they did for fun (watching movies, hangout out), I even pictured Noah as Jared Padalecki while Marit was a young Claire Danes.

What I liked best about this book is that Marit and her friends are outsiders, deliberately not involved in school. Noah, on the other hand, is Mr. School Spirit. But guess what? This is NOT a makeover story!! Marit attends a few rah rah events because of Noah's involvement, but never does she have to compromise who she is or change her hair. It's nice to see the Popular Guy/ Arty Girl done in a way where the Arty Girl doesn't have to become someone else.

Links: Bookshelves of Doom review. The teenwire.com interview. Dispatches from an MFA Seeking Writer's take on the controversy and then more thoughts from Dispatches.

Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

The Plot: It's been a tough year for fifteen year old DJ; with her mother working two jobs, her father injured and her two older brothers away at college, it's up to DJ to take care of the family dairy farm. Summer should be a bit of break (DJ won't think about how she failed English); but it's lonely.

Then Brian shows up. Brian lives in the next town over; which means he is on the football team; the rival football team. He's also cute and popular. His coach is good friends with DJ's family, and DJ's family needs the help. Football is very important to DJ's family -- heck, the cows are named after football players. So since is what the coach wants, Brian helps out. DJ gives him a bit of a rough time, but who wouldn't? Brian clearly can't pull his weight.

When DJ overhears an angry Brian telling his friends she's a Dairy Queen -- no better than the cows -- DJ starts to reexamine her life, her family and her friends.

The Good: DJ is quiet (like most of her family), with only a few friends. It hasn't helped that for the past year she's been doing backbreaking work to make sure the family farm survives. It's affected school (failing classes, dropping out of sports). But being quiet isn't' the same as having nothing to say; and when DJ does speak (even if it's just to the reader) she can be quite sarcastic: If there was ever a TV show called People Who Are Crazy And Need To Have Their Heads Examined, I'd be the very first guest and I hadn't done anything all weekend unless you count sulking, but I guess my body needed the rest.

When DJ overhears an angry Brian making fun of her, she could get mad and get even. But -- and here is why DJ is a great character -- after the anger, the hurt, and the wee bit of revenge, she listens to what he said. And thinks, am I just a cow? Going along with my life, not really thinking about it, not making choices?

DJ decides to take action: I saw something I wanted to do and I decided to do it. The feeling of freedom this gave me -- I can't even describe it. It was my decision. I chose it. I am not a cow.

What she decides to do? Play football; like her brothers before her. Dairy Queen takes the reader thru the grueling training, the attitudes she gets from others, the tryouts. It's clear this isn't a walk in the park; but it's also clear that DJ is tough and willing to walk.

She's not so willing to talk, tho. Remember cute Brian? She helps him train, failing to ever mention that she hopes to try out for her school football team. I mentioned their schools are rivals, right?

This book could easily have fallen into the romance category; but it's more about DJ than about DJ and Brian. It's also about communications in a family; DJ's family has silence down to an art form, and it's hurting all the family members, not just DJ.

Links: The Longstockings Review. Bookshelves of Doom Review. Swarm Of Beasts Review. Sara's Holds Shelf.

How To Ruin A Summer Vacation

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How To Ruin A Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles. Flux.

The Plot: What could be worse than your father deciding to spend time with you? What, that doesn't sound like a bad thing? Did I mention he's a deadbeat, barely remembering to call on birthdays? Or that he's now decided that you're going to spend the entire summer with him, and for some reason, your Mom has agreed? Meaning you cannot spend the summer with your best friend and your boyfriend? OK, maybe this will convince you -- the sudden reason he's all Daddy dearest is he wants to introduce you to his sick mother. Talk about playing the sympathy card! Oh, and another thing, not only have you never met this Grandmother, guess where his mother lives. Israel!! I know!! It gets worse, if you can believe it. Mom and Dad never having been married; and it's not until you're in Israel, outside the house, that Dad lets you know his family knows nothing about you.

Oh yeah. This summer is ruined.

The Good: Amy is in a snit over her forced trip to Israel. She's mad at her mother, who is involved with a new guy; mad at her father for being an absentee Dad; mad at both of them for forcing her to change her summer plans and fly to Israel. I love a good self-righteous angry teen; Elkeles puts you right in Amy's shoes, so you are just as angry at the world as she is.

Amy is so angry that she pretty much turns off everyone she meets, earning the tag American bitch. She has to make the best of this situation; and the cute guy she meets helps. A lot. This is a story about finding family (Amy connecting with her father, Ron, and her Israeli relatives), accepting and forgiving other people (Ron has let her down), romance (the cute guy, Avi), religion (Amy isn't Jewish, but her father and his family are), and discovering a new country. It's also very funny, as Amy makes so many goofs that I almost shut my eyes in embarrassment for her. Did she just say that? Did she just do that? Oh yes she did! Some of her highpoints include calling her cousin O'Snot (Osnat), one of the local kids Moron (it's Moran, actually), and starting a fight at a disco.

Deadbeat/absentee Dads are a tough thing to write; or, at least, I'm tough on them being done realistically, especially because I don't think someone changes from distant to TV-Dad for no good reason. So, here are the excuses made for Ron: he was young, he let the mother's family keep him out of the picture, he decided to concentrate on his career, he had no family or resources in the US. What's changed? His job is secure, and his mother dying makes him want to establish a relationship with Amy, he' s no longer a kid barely out of his teens. I'll be honest; not the best of reasons... but I'll live with it, because other than that this is a fun book. Hey, maybe I'm getting soft in my old age.

Finding roots has been done in teen books before, but how often are the roots in Israel? Amy thinks she is going into a war zone; she ends up in a small town in the Golan Heights. Amy learns about Israel and about being an Israeli. It's not the warzone she pictured; but there are soldiers, people whose lives are changed by bombings, and the teens she meets are preparing to go into the army. It's a comedy, but it's realistic; this isn't some fantasy version of Israel. Amy's mother isn't Jewish; and this trip is the first time she learns about Judaism; in addition to embracing her father, she also embraces Judaism. How many romantic comedies for teens are about finding religion?

Edited to fix names.

Rash

Rash by Pete Hautman. 2006.

The Plot: It's the future, and it's safety first all the way. And no hurt feelings. Well, basically anything that anyone has ever thought could be bad, or is bad, is also illegal. Take Bo's dad, who is in prison for road rage: yelling and banging his fist on a car. It's a problem having a parent in jail; but, it's not uncommon since 24 percent of the population is in jail. Break a rule, go to jail.

Bo is falsely accused of spreading a rash at school, loses his temper, and goes to jail. Once there, his assigned work is to make frozen pizzas. But something else is going on; the warden likes football and has started an elite football squad. Bo's about to find out the real meaning of competition.

The Good:

Competitive sports are either outright illegal (such as football) or so heavily regulated and full of safety equipment that the sport is practically unrecognizable. Bo runs; but here he explains all the safety equipment:

Back when Gramps was in high school, kids ran faster. Gramps claimed to have run 100 meters in 11 seconds, and the mile in 4:37. That was before the Child Safety Act of 2033. Now every high school runner has to wear a full set of protective gear -- AtherSafe shoes with lateral ankle support and four layers of memory gel in the thick soles, knee pads, elbow pads, neck brace, tooth guard, wrist monitor, and an FDHHSS-certified sports helmet. We raced on an Adzorbium® track with its five centimeters of compacted gel-foam topped by a thick sheet of artificial latex. It's like running on a sponge.

Rash is well written; but it also offers plenty for book discussions. Here is Bo explaining why prisoners have to work:

Of course, without [prisoners], there wouldn't be anybody to do the manual labor that makes this country run. Without penal workers, who would work the production lines, or pick the melons and peaches, or maintain the streets and parks and public lavatories? Our economy depends on prison labor. Without it everybody would have to work -- whether they wanted to or not.

I recently read Inexcusable by Chris Lynch. Which I need to blog about; I did like it. But the book gave me a sense that organized sports equals bad, and I have read reader's comments that said that organized sports encourages or creates bad behavior in boys. So it was a relief to read Rash, and to read something that is a defense of football; a defense of it as an outlet, that competition can be good. Hautman also has some negatives (jocks pushing non-jocks around), but he does not label the sport itself as negative.

Rash is a world that has tried to legislate away violence, anger, aggression and hurt feelings; and the repercussions are serious. And humorous. All those things are part of life; and people, and their society, become ill when they try to suppress these feelings, legislate against the feelings, and remove any type of outlet for those emotions.

What else is good: this is a dystopia, but it's much funnier and more light hearted than Feed. There is a lot of "wow, people were so odd in the old days, can you believe what they thought or did." And since that is something people think now about people in the old days, it's funny (while giving one something to think about). Some of the humor also comes from the surprisingly little reveals about the future; Bo, for example, is short for Bono. Cracks me up that kids in the future will be named Bono.

Links: Publishers Weekly interview with Pete Hautman (interesting because Hautman isn't himself a "team sports guy" yet the team sports part is so great!) Author's blog.

Caddy Ever After

Caddy Ever After by Hilary McKay

The Plot: The most recent book about the Casson siblings is told by each of the four siblings, in connecting stories. While episodic, at it's heart, this is a story about love and relationships: love between siblings, friends, family, and the opposite sex.

The Good: It's Hilary McKay. Of course it's good.

Each sibling voices a section of the book; it begins with Rose, and despite the title, Rose also ends the story. Artistic Rose, with her independence, fierceness, and loyalty, has stolen the show in the last few Casson books and this one is no exception.

Rose is making Valentines; all, of course, are for Tom, but since all cannot be sent to Tom she shares them with others. Indigo assists in the planning of the school Valentine's Day dance, for reasons of his own. Quite accidentally, it's because of him that Saffy starts dating Oscar. Which is why Oscar's older brother, Alex, enters the picture, and meets Caddy. What at first seems episodic, without plot, is actually a complex look at relationships and how we affect each other, whether we mean to or not.

Yes, there is a heartbreaker of a storyline, as Caddy and Alex date. Even if you haven't read the other books, even tho this part is told by Caddy herself, it's obvious that these two do not belong together.

I love the Cassons because they are so fierce about each other, but also so unique and so real and so fun. I love McKay, because hidden under the fun bits are serious issues. Saffy's boyfriend calls and says he'll be over in a few minutes to pick her up, and Saffy looks at her family through another's eyes, seeing the remnants of dinner, the mother in pajamas ("it looks weird"), the mess of the house. Caddy calmly says, "Meet him on the doorstep. That's what I always did."

I remembered then how Caddy used to vanish from the doorstep, one moment there, the next gone, as if snatched by aliens into another world. (She would appear, sometimes what seemed like days later, looking thoughtful.)

It's a bit of a laugh, imagining trying to hide the chaos that is the Cassons, and a look back, a moment when Saffy connects with Caddy as both have passed beyond childhood. But it's more than that: it is also a hint, explored more fully as Caddy dates Alex, that while Caddy loves her family, adores her siblings, being a Casson is not easy. Hence the attraction to Alex, as un-Cassonlike as the Casson father, Bill.

Rose's teacher, Miss Farley, is a great addition to the series; from Rose's description of Miss Farley on the days Miss Farley doesn't take the time to put on make up to the Miss Farley's time-killing game, "Hot Gossip," where all the children share what's going on their lives.

Could this book be read without having read the others? I suppose so; Rose, in her initial section, does introduce her siblings. But the question is, why would you want to? It's a great family to visit with, so why spend less time with them by only reading the most recent book?

A Publisher's Weekly article about this most recent book, The Appeal of McKay's Casson Children.