Book Notes
By: Dr. Joan Ruddiman
Book Notes has hosted guest reviewers over the years, particularly in the area of teen reading. Book Notes also has a tradition of offering ideas for summer reading in late May and early June, as school winds down and we all can think about reading for fun.
I know that schools, particularly high schools, provide summer reading lists, and most begin the school year with some form of essay or assessment on that required reading. I am too much the teacher to fault curriculum that encourages reading to prepare for class discussion that fosters critical thinking. However, please-oh-please get the "must do" reading out of the way and then dive into the huge ocean of great Young Adult titles.
Hannah Hugger, a ninth-grader in Woodbridge, has some thoughts on YA books which she graciously shared with me. In the Book Notes spirit of promoting young authors and young adult reading, here’s to Hannah!
Life is Funny
by E.R. Frank
Life isn’t always funny for a group of diverse teens living in Brooklyn. Each is from a different walk of life and each at a different level of maturity in his or her life. As each story evolves, you learn that no matter the great differences their lives seem to have on the surface, they share many similar troubles and problems.
Take Monique, who got pregnant and needs someone to help her through the trials of it all. Or Gingerbread, who is finally learning how to have a real relationship even through his "ADD moments." He lives next to rich Drew, who needs to save his mother from his abusive father. Drew meets Sam, a model living under his father’s roof who barely sees his mother. On a modeling job, Sam meets Grace, a beautiful girl whose friends can’t even take away from her mother’s alcoholic rages. Grace meets Eric, whose only joy in life is his 5-year-old brother who might be put into foster care on account of their crack-addict mother.
These are just some of the characters in this amazing novel. Their bittersweet stories are told chapter to chapter, each one holding a new story. With every character, a new identity emerges and imprints itself on your brain and sticks to you as if you’ve known the characters all your life. This book is especially complex considering that this is E.R. Frank’s first novel. The story development ropes you in and the characters keep you coming back. On one hand I wanted to hear more and more about each character, but on the other hand I wanted the next page to hold a new person’s tale.
All the stories leave the endings open and keep you thinking. I found myself considering what might happen to the characters after the stories’ conflicts had been resolved, hoping they were happy in their imaginary lives.
Undertones of love, forgiveness, and finding your own true identity are what make this book have the ability to really hit home. Although targeted toward young adults, grownups and teens alike could easily enjoy this book. I recommend this book for ages 14 and up, as some parts are somewhat intense.
Stargirl
by Jerry Spinelli
Stargirl Caraway is different. She dresses like a confused actress, has a pet rat named Cinnamon, can’t control being nice to everyone, and has even changed her name three times. Enrolling at Mica High, where everyone strives to be the same, may seem like a death wish for someone like Stargirl. And with students like Hillari Kimble, who can’t seem to keep her mouth shut about Stargirl’s differences, this high school may not be the most welcoming place for Stargirl to start out her public school career. Then again, stirring things up at one of the most unwelcoming school may be the kindest and most selfless thing she has ever done.
"Stargirl" is told from the point of view of Leo Borlock. Leo is a student at Mica High when Stargirl comes to the school. He is one of many recipients of Stargirl’s intense kindness and one of her special projects at school. As her story evolves, the very fact that Stargirl enrolls at Mica High helps people to appreciate difference and begin to make their lives better. Through twists and turns, the students’ lives are turned upside down, but in every good way possible.
An encouraging book, the story explores the ideas of individuality and self-expression. Stargirl also proves that one person can change everything. Even though this story centers on what Stargirl is doing, the real star of this book is Leo. At the beginning, he suffers from some serious Timid Boy Syndrome. Soon enough, he begins to express himself and, through Stargirl’s selfless acts, he finds out who he is and who he wants to become.
Every student in high or middle school should read this book. Good moral values and ideas of staying true to yourself and defining your own person are what really make "Stargirl" shine. She allows her flaws to become part of each person and accept who they really are. If everyone acted like Stargirl, we would have a much better world to live in.
"Stargirl" is a wonderful commentary on not only the youth of today but also on the reactions we all have to new people we are wary of. The strong voice of the story could teach everyone to only become the person we want to be.
Amazing Grace
by Megan Shull
Grace "Ace" Kinacid is at the top of her game. She’s a Hollywood starlet who keeps her good reputation by continuing to play the game that got her famous: tennis. But when everything gets to be too much for her, where can she go to get away from it all? Well, as per her mother’s idea, Alaska.
Grace meets her aunt for the first time in her life while undergoing a makeover (so nobody can recognize her in Alaska) and not three days later she is traveling back to her aunt’s home there. And even though it may seem the last place a girl like Grace would go, once she gets settled in, it is the only place that has ever truly felt like home to her.
While Grace is there she learns the true meaning of friendship through two Eskimo cousins. She becomes better friends with them than anyone else she has ever met. She also develops a great friendship with her aunt and they end up learning a lot from each other. Under what we may call "primitive" conditions (i.e. cold showers and an outdoor bathroom,), Grace learns that sometimes having everything you want can take away from what you really need. Grace is a sweet, heartfelt character who really just needs to figure out who she is, even though she might need to become a new person to do that.
Grace’s voice is strong and speaks truths that most of us don’t have the gall to say. Learning to always do what is truly the healthiest for herself and others, she learns to never back down but always do what’s right. And through the help of everyone around her, Grace is able to figure out why she is the way she is. She figures out who she really is and promises to always stay true to that person.
Not a typical Hollywood teen story, "Amazing Grace" has a truthfulness that could be found in real life. Megan Shull seems to understand human emotion and train of thought. She tells the story of a real girl with real issues who only wants to break the façade that has been put up around her. The author understands how we develop our ideas about others and plays off that during her story.
Anyone could enjoy this story of love and living life to know what it’s really all about. Every aspect of this novel is well developed and in perfect balance. Sweet and charming, you won’t be able to put it down.
The Year of
Secret Assignments
by Jaclyn Moriarity
Emily, Lydia, and Cassie are tight. They’ve known each other forever and are best friends. In their English class, in order to "bring back the joy of the envelope," they are assigned a pen pal at their rival school. Each expects something else from the program. Lydia wants to be a writer and plans to use this as an outlet for writing. Emily wants a friendship and to meet some new people from the school that she knows nothing about. Cassie wants to use this a way to express her feelings about her father’s death that she can’t talk about in therapy. Each girl wants something different but gets something that they don’t expect.
Emily writes to Charlie, a soccer player, and they don’t exactly get off on the right foot. Lydia writes to Sebastian, an artist almost as weird as she is. And Cassie writes to Matthew, who only curses her off in the first couple of letters then warms up to her. Soon enough the letters turn to friendships and challenges. Later on, this turns to pranks and a new, more exciting rivalry that nobody expected comes about. Will the rivalry bring them closer or tear them apart?
A quick read, "Secret Assignments" will keep you wondering without managing to pull you too far into the story. The characters are affected in all different ways, as in real life, and have very strong and diverse opinions. Being told mainly in letters gives the story a new view that really makes the story. They are what show you the characters’ points of view and true feelings throughout the story.
Author Jaclyn Moriarity’s first book, "Feeling Sorry for Celia," gave readers a more in-depth, poignant view of the characters’ lives with a stronger story line. She slowed down her pace just when she should have sped up. But, all the same, cute events keep you reading despite the diluted plot.
Fun and quirky, it’s a good, fast read for all teens. It also serves a great purpose for reluctant readers who just need that one thing to help them get hooked on reading.
Dr. Joan Ruddiman, Ed.D., is a teacher and friend of the Allentown Public Library.

