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Category Archives: Young Adult

For the love of a character

There’s something about a well-developed character that makes a reader swoon. I went into this book not expecting to like it as much as I did. Instead, I was thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it and waiting for the next time that I could sit down to finish it. It’s also worth discussing the excitement of a clever cover that not only grabs a reader but represent EverythingEverything s a central theme that from nothing can come something.

Maddy is the main character of the story in which she is sheltered from the outside world as a “bubble baby”, understanding that she is allergic to the outside world and must live under the care of a nurse. And, anyone wishing to be near her, must go through decontamination before entering the house. Surprisingly, Maddy has created a world that she owns: reading, taking classes online, and connecting with her nurse that has become as much her caretaker as a friend. So it’s assumed that Nurse Carla would have a soft spot and arrange an indoor meeting between Maddy and her new neighbor, Olly, who she has taken a liking to after instant messaging and emailing. Olly is a risk-taker and somewhat damaged by the abusive relationship inside his house, which Maddy is privy to as she watches from her window. But Olly has now given her the freedom to dream of something more as love has blinded her from any fear she might have. And, in the best way possible, a shocking revelation has allowed Maddy to be set free.

The reader is along for the journey of a girl, coming of age, in a rich narrative that focuses on the development of the characters. And we’re ever so grateful to Nicola Yoon for bringing her and others to life.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on February 15, 2016 in Authors, Young Adult

Friends?

07 Feb

After reading Francesca Davis DiPiazza Friend Me!: 600 Years of Social Networking in America, I want to highlight my “six sensational” stories of unique friendships in literature.

Bear’s New Friend by Karma Wilson: What’s not to love about the beautiful pictures, vivid colors, and the collection of friends from the ground and the air that hang around with bear?
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen: When Terra meets Jacob in a collective quest to find inner strength from an outward ‘flaw’, they become inextricably linked.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See: All of See’s works are gorgeous, but the historical significance and flowing language of this secret language is beguiling.
Chemical Garden trilogy (Wither, Fever, Sever) by Lauren DeStefano: From the eye-catching covers to the unique storyline of three girls of varying ages brought together to be wives for a man who, like them, is losing the battle with a genetic predisposition to die prematurely, the three ‘sister wives’ bond in varying ways.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne: On opposite sides of the fence, the Jewish boy on one side of the fence is befriended by the Commander’s son on the other with a heart-wrenching end.
Selection series (The Selection, The Elite, The One, The Heir, The Crown) by Kiera Cass: Similar to DeStefano’s books, a crew of girls come together, this time in a palace to vie for the affections of a prince, with one girl seemingly disinterested repeatedly winning the attention from the prince.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on February 7, 2016 in Adult, Authors, Childrens, Fiction, Nonfiction, Young Adult

An ode to Sarah Cross

17 Jan

Book lovers understand Ambaum & Barnes’ Unshelved comic strip titled “The Seven Stages of Falling in Love with an Author”. I certainly do and have on a few occasions, fallen in love with an author, whether it be everything they’ve written or a series of books. I’ll call out Anne Rice from my teen years, Erika Robuck in my adult life, and a few that seem timeless like Ruta Sepetys and now Sarah Cross. That’s also not to mention the authors I can call out for being tireless in their efforts like Ann Rinaldi in making historical fiction accessible to middle grades or experts in delivery like James Swanson who writes awesome fast-paced thrillers based on true events.

But now to lay it on thick– a true early Valentine’s Day ode to the beauty of Sarah Cross’ writing– her talent for incorporating the wicked and the beautiful, the twisted and the sexy into engrossing fairy tale re-tellings. Not to mention the awe-inspiring covers that I want to hang as wall art and her selfless connection to her fans as evidenced by her short story “After the Ball” that she published on her website for fans to read because she knows how rabid we all are in wanting more.

If you’re not already reading her Beau Rivage series, you need to be. It’s a lesson in fairy tales– the famous and the obscure. It’s the best of a Disney movie with all of the grotesqueness of a true Grimms’ tale. It’s deep character development with a heaping dose of creativity. It’s striking ambiance and expeditious pacing. Sarah Cross– I ♥ you.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on January 17, 2016 in Authors, Fiction, Young Adult

Sneakers

16 Dec

It’s no secret that over the last four years, I have become obsessed with reading nonfiction, especially when it’s relevant and accessible to high school students: Keyser’s Sneaker Century: A History of Athletic Shoes is just such a book.

I will full-on confess that I own one pair of sneakers at a time and my most recent purchase were more expensive because they were custom fit for my type of workout as well as my tendency to walk on the inside of my feet. They aren’t a name-brand but they’re amazing. I also confess that in high school, I was obsessed with Adidas for no particular reason than I loved the three SneakerCentury -stripe.

Keyser’s book reveals so much about the brands we know and love including their backstories, the history of footwear and how sneakers impacted popular culture, how jogging became a recreational activity, and name-dropping athletes and their association with specific companies. All of this is neatly compacted into less than one-hundred pages. As I said, accessible in every way. And relevant. A recent author visit with Jason Reynolds had us talking about sneakers: specifically he referenced showing up to college with a bag full of sneakers and having a conversation with his roommate about why he didn’t have more than a pair or two. How many do you own? Do they each have a story to tell?

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on December 16, 2015 in Authors, Nonfiction, Young Adult

Graphically speaking

02 Dec

DonBrown

Simply looking at the two covers of Don Brown’s graphic nonfiction books allow a glimpse into the talent Brown has in illustration. But the story and storytelling are equally evocative. In fact, a reader learns as much through the text as they shown by turning the pages of these accessible stories providing perspective on two disasters that affected Americans.

The Great American Dust Bowl showcases the man-made tragedy of dust storms sweeping the west during the early 1900s after the land was taken from Native Americans and turned over to farmers who, without proper knowledge, farmed the land to excess. This led to dust storms that brought financial ruin, health issues and death, and environmental devastation. And with little dialogue and a precise narrative, the shocking story is ripe for discussion about what actions were taken (or not) which prolonged the problem.

Likewise, Brown makes the issue of action– or lack of it– central to Drowned City about Hurricane Katrina: trains that left stations without passengers, buses that were never called upon on top of politicians that would have known more if they turned on the television rather than from their own administrations, and the lack of basic necessities at the Superdome and local hospitals.

Brown makes you think and react because his visual art is stunning and rich. There are images etched in my brain and facts that I can quickly recall that make his work thoughtful and enriching.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on December 2, 2015 in Authors, Graphic novels, Nonfiction, Young Adult

A brewed romance

01 Dec

There are friends that you have where conversation is so easy, fluid, and casual yet carries an importance of epic proportions. You don’t need to check in every day, you also don’t need to have a deeply philosophical conversation each time you speak either. That is the way this book feels. As I started, I actually didn’t think I would enjoy it but instead became engrossed in the dichotomous complexity of each of the characters. As much as Aysel is billed as the main character, I would argue that Roman becomes a central figure with as much punch as Aysel and his relationship with his mother and his level of hurt is more sentimental while Aysel’s is more complicated because of her disinterest in life AND death.

The story picks up as Aysel visits a suicide website and decides to find another person interested in creating a suicide pact. FrozenRobot immediately catches her attention and lives close by. Even from their first meeting, a connection is born and through the pages, both characters reveal their reasons for wanting to commit suicide with troubled pasts that deal more with family than themselves .

As their relationship becomes intertwined and they have off and on conversations about how they’ll commit suicide (since Roman already had a date, the anniversary of the death), their feelings mutually grow. And Warga does a phenomenal job of warming this brewing romance rather than turning it on hot from the start. It’s subtlety is endearing. And why it’s the most fascinating non-romantic romance story and worth the read. MyHeartBlackHoles

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on December 1, 2015 in Fiction, Young Adult

A new powerhouse

17 Nov

ReynoldsCollage

I said it in my review of his second book, that Jason Reynolds was quickly becoming a powerhouse and with the September 2015 publish date of All-American Boys co-written with Brendan Kiely , it’s safe to say that that’s been solidified.

Of the three, my favorite continues to be The Boy in the Black Suit. It has everything from a simple evocative title, beautifully vivid characters in emotionally-charged situations, to true depth and relationship-building through shared experiences and understanding. You can’t help but make the comparison to the sentimentality and atmospheric bests of Walter Dean Myers resonating within the pages of this one. Though it’s all Reynolds’ own.

Yet it’s safe to say that All-American Boys will become an anthem of a new generation filled with hashtags and revolution. A contemporary classic. A call to action. A battle cry.

Pay attention.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 17, 2015 in Authors, Fiction, Young Adult

Jack Gantos: Read Them All

01 Nov

There is nothing more fulfilling than author visits. I had the opportunity to bring in Jack Gantos to our high school as well as spending an extra day at a few of our elementary schools. I was smitten from the start. He’s a powerful presence, a dynamic speaker, and a lighthearted and friendly guy who oozes thoughtfulness.

In preparation, I read some of the titles that I don’t often read at the high school level, his elementary and middle school books along with lesser known titles that while they don’t get the notoriety of Hole In My Life and the Joey Pigza books, show his depth as a writer. I want to share my thoughts on The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs and Desire Lines.

First, The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs is fantastically dark with an originality that is unmatched. Ivy doesn’t know which of the adult twins across the street is her father and her mother won’t share the fact either. Ivy now has her mission, to discover the identity of her father and what goes on behind the closed doors of the pharmacy that they run and their apartments upstairs. What is upstairs is more macabre than the scariest Halloween costume and more fantastical than an atmospheric event. I can’t spoil this short novel with too many more details, but know that fans of Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will enjoy.

Second, Desire Lines, can be a perfect addition to GLBT titles in the library, but it angers and infuriates then shocks and shakes you. Knowing that Gantos knew of a similar event during his life only makes it more painful. Our main character is being pressured to out gay classmates and while he does know two girls who meet at a pond that he frequents he isn’t giving in just yet, but the cracks are appearing. In one hundred and twenty pages the books gives a three hundred and sixty degree perspective of a tragedy in a small town with vivid characters that pushed me to finish within two hours. Save for slowing down to re-read phenomenal lines of text, I needed to see to the end in one sitting.

So, take yourself to a different place by reading a Gantos book that may not be targeted to you specifically because you won’t be disappointed as his stories are timeless and his storytelling is genius.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 1, 2015 in Authors, Fiction, Nonfiction, Young Adult

See you Saturday

15 Oct

In just a few short days, middle and high school students will descend upon the University at Albany’s Downtown Campus for the second annual TeenReaderCon. Write this down—on Saturday, October 17th. Boasting nine authors, including a few famous locals, let me take a moment to share my favorite book from each of the authors in one sentence.

Jennifer Armstrong’s Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and The Endurance: A riveting survival story with a killer setting.
SA Bodeen’s The Raft: A smart thriller on the open water with mind-bending twists—a contemporary version of survival classics.
Eric Devine’s Press Play: Compelling rather than sensationalistic, there’s a sensitivity and intelligence that makes the book so grounded.
Helen Frost’s Salt: A Story of Friendship In a Time of War: An eloquent verse tale of two boys whose lives are changed by the War of 1812.
David Levithan’s Every Day: Uniquely existential it allows readers to take a long, hard look at who we are, how we treat one another, and the fluidity of love.
Jackie Morse Kessler’s Breath: The final book in her Riders of the Apocalypse foursome, Kessler kills it with imagination, creativity, humor, and Death perched on a balcony.
James Preller’s Bystander: The necessary tale of Eric’s role in a middle school drama that can be happening in Anywhere, USA.
Eliot Schrefer’s Endangered: With the bonobo sanctuary destroyed and war breaking out, a beautiful story unfolds of the riches of the animal kingdom and the cruelty of humanity.
Todd Strasser’s Wish You Were Dead: The first in his ‘thrillogy’, I know it’s good when I’m scared in the middle of the day.

As anticipation builds, the most deeply personal images from our first event and the infectious excitement of the students reminded me of something Holden Caulfield said in The Catcher in the Rye that “what really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn’t happen much, though,” so while I can’t promise that you’ll be able to call up any of them like they’re a terrific friend, you can get pretty darn close Saturday.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on October 15, 2015 in Authors, Events, Young Adult