Tuesday, November 11, 2014

BOOK REVIEW: Historical Fiction: Paperboy by Vince Vawter




1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY
Vawter, Vince. (2013.) Paperboy. New York: Delacorte Books for Young Readers. [Kindle Dx version] Retrieved from Amazon.com.ISBN 0385742444.


2.  PLOT SUMMARY
Memphis born, 11-year-old Victor has a stutter – even his own name is hard to get out.  So he uses a technique from a speech therapist that has him releasing air and hissing letters, because at 11 years old, “it’s better to be called a snake, than a retard.” He loves pitching baseball, his friend ‘Rat’ and his African American housekeeper, Miss Nell – ‘Mam,’ who calls him ‘Little man.’After taking Rat’s paper route as an apology for a busted lip during one hot July, things really start to shake up.  A neighborhood woman drinks too much, a retired merchant marine coerces him to come out of his shell, and he’s forced to communicate with customers.  But when a drifter junkman refuses to give back his knife, things take a turn for the worse.  Set against the changing segregation of the South in the late 1950’s, ‘Little Man’ must stand up for himself and Mam and learn that you can’t always make a difference on your own, but you must always have courage to try.


3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS
A few years ago, I would have had to google in order to check the accuracy of the setting and tone of Paperboy.  Now, living in Memphis, I can feel the heart of the city in each page - from Peabody Avenue to the Memphis Zoo on the trolley and in alleyways.  Vawter does a wonderful job of capturing the feel of the city in the late 1950’s.  The characters are believable and most are quite likeable - as they should be.  Paperboy is a mostly autobiographical piece for Vawter.  Little Man comes to life in million little details -- from his stutter to the descriptions of the lemonade at the Italian restaurant with his family -- we can feel each setting in the small movement and piece them into the larger image.  Even his parents and the villain, Ara T, could easily come off as caricatures, but have enough depth and moments to set them apart from two-dimensional stand-ins.  Vawter leaves enough information to give depth to the civil-rights movement happening around Little Man, but doesn’t overwhelm the reader in events that would pass, and often do, right over the head of his young protagonist. For instance, Mam’s seat on the bus or her uniform just feel like part of her, even though even Little Man recognizes there’s something strange and perhaps not right about the situation.  Even his attempts to stand up to Ara T and speak when its painful help to keep the theme of growth and moral justice through learning even and authentic.  Though at times Little Man’s speech patterns get a little overwhelming, especially since he states he is typing rather than telling the story, the first person style of the narrative keeps the pacing of the story moving.  There are moments when it slows, but like the Memphis heat, a cool breeze shuffles through to keep the protagonist and his thoughts moving until you slide into the Autumn rains and things reach their culmination.

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
A NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER
AN ALA-ALSC NOTABLE CHILDREN’S BOOK
AN IRA CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULTS’ CHOICE
AN IRA TEACHERS’ CHOICE
A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION
A BANK STREET COLLEGE OF EDUCATION BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A NATIONAL PARENTING PUBLICATIONS AWARD HONOR BOOK
A BOOKPAGE BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK
AN ABC NEW VOICES PICK
AN ALA-ALSC NOTABLE CHILDREN’S RECORDING
AN ALA-YALSA AMAZING AUDIOBOOK
AMAZON BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2013: AGES 9-12
From BOOKLIST – “First-time author Vawter has lived this story, so he is able to write movingly about what it’s like to have words exploding in your head with no reasonable exit. This paperboy is a fighter, and his hope fortifies and satisfies in equal measure.”
From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “Vawter portrays a protagonist so true to a disability that one cannot help but empathize with the difficult world of a stutterer. Yet, Victor's story has much broader appeal as the boy begins to mature and redefine his relationship with his parents, think about his aspirations for the future, and explore his budding spirituality.”

5.  CONNECTIONS
Gather other coming of age books to read such as:
     Timberlake, Amy.  ONE CAME HOME.  ISBN 0375873457.
     Vanderpool, Clare. NAVIGATING EARLY.  ISBN 0385742096.
     Howe, James.  ADDIE ON THE INSIDE.  ISBN 1416913858.
     Erskine, Kathryn.  THE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF MIKE.  ISBN 0142421014.


Gather other books that explore the early 1960’s in America, such as:
     Scattergood, Augusta.  GLORY BE.  ISBN 0545331803.
     Madden, Kerry.  GENTLE’S HOLLER.  ISBN 0142407518.
     McMullan, Margaret.  SOURCES OF LIGHT.  ISBN  0547722362.
 

BOOK REVIEW: Historical Fiction: Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman




1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cushman, Karen.  Alchemy and Meggy Swann.  Recorded by Katherine Kellgren.  [Audiobook].New York: Listening Library, 2010.  ISBN 030771022X.

2.  PLOT SUMMARY
Margaret Swann’s life has been anything but easy.  With the death of her beloved gran and her waddle, her mother has jumped at the chance to cart Meggy off to her father in London at his summons.  But when she arrives as his door, he doesn’t want her either! Trying to navigate her father, the alchemist’s, mood; her only friend, a goose named Louise; the jovial nature of the former apprentice, Roger; and London’s streets on her walking sticks is going to be quite a dance!  When Meggy learns that there’s a plot to poison a nobleman, she must decide between doing what is easy, and doing what she knows is right.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Books like these were often my favorites growing up.  I enjoyed learning about the history of everyday people in a time period from the people (even make-believe) themselves, and I was excited to come across this author again after reading some of her books so many years ago.  However, Meggy’s personality early on in the book nearly had me finding another book to read.  While the time and people seem very accurately portrayed, it is very hard early on to find Margaret Swann very likeable at all.  She’s mulish and seemingly spoiled, even though she mentions she’s had a hard life and hasn’t been given much.  The descriptions of her dark room are very believable, but the streets and goings on outside her doors seem glossed over.  We want Meggy to reconcile with her father, but it’s very clear, that like Meggy, his attitude and development are well out of our hands.  Meggy’s growth and use of her strength to adapt to her surroundings and create a better life for herself are laudable, but even with his slightly altruistic gesture at the end, her father’s are too-little too-late.  That’s not to say this book doesn’t have its high points. The songs Meggy sings are beautiful and gorgeously reproduced by Katherine Kellgren’s reading. Her accents and voice for Meggy feel true to the words and time period. The former apprentice Roger and the cast of actors and friends are lively and bring a sense of color to the piece.  Even Meggy’s schemes to stop the poison plot are entertaining and keep you right with her, hoping that she can prevail in the end.  The voices of the characters are slightly marred by heavy accenting that comes off as stereotypical - especially Meggy’s “ye toads and vipers,” but overall, it feels realistic and provides a quick read and even quicker insight into the poorer neighborhoods of the Elizabethan era.

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOKS OF 2010
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH NOTABLE BOOK 2011
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOKS OF 2010
From BOOKLIST – “Writing with admirable economy and a lively ability to re-create the past believably, Cushman creates a memorable portrayal of a troubled, rather mulish girl who begins to use her strong will in positive ways.”
From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “Katherine Kellgren's lively reading of Karen Cushman's novel (Clarion, 2010) is flawless, capturing Meggy's feisty temperament in the period language. Her narration of a wide-range of accents if excellent, and she does a wonderful job singing the ballads that Meggy composes and sings.”

5.  CONNECTIONS
Gather other books about overcoming obstacles and coming of age:
     Clarke, Mary Stetson.  THE IRON PEACOCK.  ISBN 1887840672.
     Hesse, Karen.  STOWAWAY.  ISBN 0439305357.

Gather other Karen Cushman historical fiction books to read such as:
     CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY.  ISBN 0547722184.
     THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE.  ISBN 0547722176.
     WILL SPARROW’S ROAD.  ISBN 0547739621.

BOOK REVIEW: Historical Fiction: The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages




1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Klages, Ellen.  The Green Glass Sea: a novel.  New York: Viking Press, 2006.  ISBN 0670061344.

2.  PLOT SUMMARY
In 1941, ten year old Dewey Kerrigan is having a rough time.  First, she has to travel across the country by herself when her dad gets moved for a job into a town without an official name, but then she doesn’t really get along with anyone her age in this mysterious town.  On the upside, an aspiring engineer like Dewey has plenty of the United State’s top scientists to talk to in Los Alamos.  But she’ll find a connection in Suze Gordon, a semi-misfit like herself, whose parents are also working in New Mexico on the top-secret ‘gadget.’  With the shadows of secrets, war, and the tragedy of death hanging over them, these two girls will find that sisters go beyond blood and sometimes the super hero really is inside the little kid.

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS
I’ve read a great number of books on World War II, some children’s books, like Waiting for Anya or Number the Stars, some not, like Hitler’s Scientists and Night, but most have been centered around the people involved with making the decisions or at least on the ‘front lines’ as it were.  Klages brings the story back home -- to those affected by the war, but maybe not directly.  Instead, we get history in snippets of overheard conversation or through vague references to people and places that the reader might know better in hindsight than the characters living through it.  I got excited when I realized that Dewey was on a train with Richard Feynman and that ‘Oppie’ aka Robert Oppenheimer was just a few doors down.  Looking back at the year made me realize that in the early 1940’s New Mexico desert, this book might not have a happy ending.  While the research is fit in vague references and comments, the amount of information can get overwhelming at times but the characters remain likeable and true to each other and the setting.  Even the switch between the voices of Dewey and Suze is handled with finesse as the reader can easily slip from one to the other without the jarring effects of feeling like an outsider for either girl as they explain their own story.  The theme of superheroes and service to a country versus what is at times ambiguously moral is underlined by the currents of fitting in and being yourself.  Klages provides a great deal of history, including in her sources other books on those who were involved at Los Alamos and the history behind the location that was a state secret for so long.

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
SCOTT O’DELL AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION
JUDY LOPEZ MEMORIAL AWARD
NEW MEXICO BOOK AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK
2009 ONE BOOK, ONE NEBRASKA FOR KIDS
A HORN BOOK FANFARE SELECTION
A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION
A SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB SELECTION
FROM SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL – “Many readers will know as little about the true nature of the project as the girls do, so the gradual revelation of facts is especially effective, while those who already know about Los Alamos's historical significance will experience the story in a different, but equally powerful, way.”
From BOOKLIST reviewer John Green – “The novel occasionally gets mired down in detail, but the characters are exceptionally well drawn, and the compelling, unusual setting makes a great tie-in for history classes.”

5.  CONNECTIONS
Gather other books by Ellen Klages such as:
     WHITE SANDS, RED MENACE.  ISBN 0142415189.
     PORTABLE CHILDHOODS.  Introduction by Neil Gaiman.  ISBN 1892391457.
Gather other books about World War II and the people who shaped the outcomes of war such as:
     Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw.  DOGS ON DUTY: SOLDIERS’ BEST FRIENDS ON THE BATTLEFIELD AND BEYOND.  ISBN 0802736505.
     Bruchac, Joseph.  CODE TALKER: A NOVEL ABOUT THE NAVAJO MARINES OF WORLD WAR TWO.  ISBN 0142405965.
     Sheinkin, Steve.  BOMB: THE RACE TO BUILD – AND STEAL – THE WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS WEAPON.  ISBN 1596434872.