Sara Gruen’s first novel, Water for Elephants (Algonquin, 2006), was (and is) a huge success with both teen and adult readers. It was also an Alex Award winner.
A few years ago, I had an interesting request. We were discussing what to read next in student bookgroup, and a senior asked that we choose something she could talk about with her parent’s friends and guests, something popular and a good conversation piece. That was a first! We ended up with Water for Elephants.
Of course, interest is high for Gruen’s second novel, Ape House.
Appeal factors for teens? For those interested in bonobos, this will hit the mark. Their scenes are the most affecting. The reality TV show will appeal. Many teens will be angered by the treatment of the animals and fascinated by the facts about human-ape communication.
Come to think of it, human-animal communication played a role in Water for Elephants too – didn’t we all love the moment when Jacob figures out the secret of communicating with Rosie the elephant?
GRUEN, Sara. Ape House: A Novel. 306p. Spiegel & Grau. 2010. Tr $26. ISBN 978-0-385-52321-9. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Gruen’s modern-day story features bonobo apes, a species that shares 98% of humans’ DNA and is capable of learning human language. The story is told from two points of view. Isabel is a university scientist who studies bonobos in captivity and considers them her family. John is a reporter writing a feature story on the apes. On the day following his visit, the facility is stormed by what appear to be animal activists. Isabel is severely injured, and the apes are sold to a mystery organization. They reappear as part of Ape House, a TV reality show that broadcasts their actions 24/7, frequent sexual encounters and all. As the program becomes a hit, John finds himself reduced to writing for a tabloid paper in Los Angeles, trying to find his way back to the action. Isabel, desperate to reunite with the bonobos, descends on the TV compound looking for a way to shut down the program. As in Water for Elephants (Algonquin, 2006), Gruen once again gives her novel texture with colorful secondary characters, but in this book, the appeal is clearly centered on the apes themselves. Although there are no teen characters, there is enough humor and drama to keep teens involved in the fate of the apes and the people who care for them. Readers interested in learning more about bonobos can try Vanessa Woods’s Bonobo Handshake: A Memoir of Love and Adventure in the Congo (Penguin, 2010).–Priscille Dando, Robert E. Lee High School, Fairfax County, VA
The Bells is less about opera than about the power of music, the melodrama of being an outcast and a victim of thwarted young love. This is a book about a boy nearly overpowered by his senses and emotions. For him, sound is a physical sensation.
Teens, both artistic and not, may identify with the extremes of emotion and passion, with the joy of making music. Historical fiction readers will appreciate a time period and milieu they may not have encountered before.
I am not usually one for book trailers or author youtube clips, but I enjoyed this one. The images and the music are beautiful, and it provides a peek into the author’s inspirations–the landscape of Switzerland and the story of Orpheus.
HARVELL, Richard. The Bells. 384p. Crown. 2010. Tr $24. ISBN 978-0307590527. LC 2009038737.
Adult/High School–Some books are described as cinematic because they feature narrative, structure, and descriptive imagery that create a visual reading experience. The Bells is operatic–a melodrama that reverberates with extreme emotions in unlikely circumstances and, like the best opera, is an irresistible indulgence in passion, love, loss, betrayal, secrets, and tragedy set to music. And it is music that permeates this tale of the life of Moses Forben, whose 18th-century world is composed of sound, each object vibrating with a melody only he can hear and that he is able to communicate through his remarkable singing voice. His voice, however, is the blessing and the curse that determines his fate. It saves his life but it costs him normalcy and his hopes and dreams for love when he is castrated by the obsessed director of his boy’s choir. It enchants the young woman who becomes the love of his life but it prevents him from ever fully loving her. It is to her son that he tells his story, explaining how he became the boy’s caretaker and a renowned opera star. Because most of the tale is about Moses’s youth and his quest for identity, purpose, and the relentless pursuit of doomed love, it has natural appeal for teens. A superbly crafted and engaging novel that echoes the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, The Bells will particularly captivate teens who appreciate music, drama, and historical love stories.–John Sexton, Westchester Library System, NY
Early last week, I had the opportunity to booktalk to the three 11th grade English classes at my school. I thought it would be interesting to share this experience, as a very informal case study in appeal.
The English teacher kicked off each class by encouraging the students to read over the holidays. I booktalked first, then turned it over to the students, asking them to recommend books to the group. We left time at the end of each period for students to browse and check out books.
I placed books on display all around the room, and on the tables where students were sitting, so they had plenty of choices.
I have starred the books that were checked out over the three class periods. (And a quick reminder–this is an all-girls school.)
My booktalks:
Section 1
Room by Emma Donoghue *
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Little Bee by Chris Cleve
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz *
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfeld *
The Blind Side by Michael Lewis
Soulless by Gail Carriger
Section 2
Little Princes by Conor Greenan (arc)
Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris *
The Help by Kathryn Stockett *
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies
Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver *
Section 3
Room by Emma Donoghue*
Little Princes by Conor Greenan * (arc)
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak *
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell *
The Dead Fathers Club by Matt Haig
Eagle Blue by Michael D’Orso *
A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce*
Books recommended by students:
1984
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver *
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Help by Kathryn Stockett*
Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
All We Know of Heaven by Jacquelyn Mitchard*
Blink and The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk
Beautiful Boy: a father’s journey through his son’s addiction by David Scheff*
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher*
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
The Red Leather Diary: reclaiming a life through the pages of a lost journal by Lily Koppel *
Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally
The Hate List by Jennifer Brown *
Open by Andre Agassi
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls *
anything by David Sedaris
Looking for Alaska by John Green *
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
The Help by Kathryn Stockett *
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Books on display in the room, and checked out:
The Big Short by Michael Lewis*
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien *
The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow *
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok *
One Dog at a Time: Saving the Strays of Afghanistan by Pen Farthing*
The Amnesia Clinic by James Scudamore *
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz *
Dreaming of Dior: Every Dress Tells a Story by Charlotte Smith *
Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs *
Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers *
Brother I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat *
The books that students fought over, or were recommended more than once:
The Help
Room
Thirteen Reasons Why
Before I Fall
Little Princes
One of my favorite moments was seeing students get excited when someone checked out the book they had recommended. I feel the same way.
I would love to hear your comments.
Is this valuable information?
What are your most successful booktalks?
Which adult books are popular in your library?
Adult/High School–Finny is a spunky kid, a red-headed firebrand fond of shocking her mother and challenging her father. After a typically heated argument, the 14-year-old slips out the sliding glass doors of her house, determined to leave her family behind forever. Her escape route soon leads her to a part of the Maryland countryside that is unfamiliar. As she climbs a rickety fence, a board breaks and Finny falls…into the arms of a boy. It doesn’t take long for her to fall hopelessly in love with Earl Henkel, a gentle soul who lives in a nearby shack with his father, a virtuoso pianist suffering from narcolepsy. When Finny’s parents discover that she is sneaking off to spend time with Earl, they send her to a boarding school where she rooms with gorgeous yet manipulative Judith. The subsequent unfolding of Finny’s story continually returns to her love affair with Earl and her unlikely friendship with Judith. Kramon creates characters that are quirky and lovable, weaving their tales of love and betrayal through the keen perspective of irrepressible Finny. This is an excellent crossover book for teens. Finny and Earl spend much of the novel apart, so most of their romance is comprised of waiting and yearning–something that many teens can relate to easily. YAs who enjoy books by John Green, who also writes of quiet, steady love, or David Levithan, with his exaggerated yet deeply human characters, should love Finny’s smart, saucy, and affecting story.–Diane Colson, New Port Richey Library, FL
Two mystery series with teen appeal added installments this year.
The Spellmans Strike Again is the fourth in Lisa Lutz’s hilarious series. The Spellman Files (2007) won an Alex Award, and was followed by Curse of the Spellmans (2008) and Revenge of the Spellmans (2009).
If you haven’t seen them, check out the great mass market paperback covers:
Perhaps worth refreshing your collection. The Revenge of the Spellmans mass market will be available in January 2011.
There is also a Spellmans TV series in the works. Read about it in this article from Variety. And a movie is listed on IMDB as in development for a 2011 release.
Next, Alan Bradley’s second terribly clever Flavia de Luce mystery is here, following 2009’s Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Delacorte), which won the Agatha Award, the Arthur Ellis Award, and the Macavity Award, all for Best First Novel. The third, A Red Herring without Mustard, will be released in February.
LUTZ, Linda. The Spellmans Strike Again. Bk. 4. 388p. (The Spellmans Series). S & S. 2010. Tr $25. ISBN 978-1416593409. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Isabel Spellman, narrator of the fourth installment in the series, practically defines the phrase “arrested development.” Chronically self-centered and sarcastic, Isabel is a 33-year-old private investigator who spends much more time interfering in her family members’ personal lives and in search of her next drink than actually working any cases in the family business. Good thing too because it’s the secondary characters who truly give this story life—particularly her genius teenage sister, Rae, and Isabel’s long-suffering love interest, Henry. Brief appearances by Rae’s new boyfriend add a welcome sane voice to the Spellman bedlam. Several issues occupy Isabel’s time: a desire to find dirt on rival investigator Harkey, avoiding her mother’s blackmail scheme to participate in lawyer dates once a week, and discovering why hardware (doorknobs, towel racks) keeps disappearing from her parents’ house. None of these problems is particularly important, and interest in an actual mystery takes a backseat to Isabel’s juvenile tendencies. Teens will read this for the humorous footnotes throughout, the snarky one-line zingers, and Rae’s clever machinations. They will particularly enjoy transcripts of the recorded conversations Isabel conducts with every character, the funniest bits in the book. A movie based on the Alex Award-winning first installment in the series, The Spellman Files (S & S, 2007), is currently in development.–Priscille Dando, Robert E. Lee High School, Fairfax County, VA
BRADLEY, Alan. The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag: A Flavia de Luce Mystery. Bk. 2. Unpaged. Delacorte. 2010. Tr $24. 978-0385342315. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Flavia de Luce, the plucky 11 year-old heroine introduced in the critically acclaimed Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Delacorte, 2009), solves another murder in her 1950’s English hamlet. Passionate about chemistry (more specifically poison), Flavia is funny, audacious, and courageous and follows the twists and turns of events with great aplomb. A traveling puppeteer arrives in town and becomes part of a cast of mysteriously intertwined characters. A farmer who has a hidden cannabis field, a former German POW who works on his farm, and the womanizing puppeteer who ends up dead have past connections that keep readers engaged. While attempting to solve the mystery of the puppeteer’s death, Flavia realizes that the long-ago death of a village child also needs to be solved. What does Mad Meg really know about it? How is the former German POW involved? Are the vicar and his wife connected to the deaths? Bradley keeps Flavia a few steps ahead of readers (often riding through the countryside on her trusty bike, Gladys) and her “choice nuggets of deduction” are extraordinary. Readers who enjoy a thoughtfully crafted mystery, a large cast of eccentric characters, remarkable vocabulary, and a step back in time will surely find much to admire in this book.–Jane Ritter, Mill Valley School District, CA
I thought I would kick off the Thanksgiving holiday week with two nonfiction titles that are garnering both critical praise and a great deal of publicity. They will likely end up in many a Christmas stocking this year.
How do they stack up for young adult readers?
First, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the much anticipated new book by the author of Seabiscuit (Ballantine, 2003). If teens are willing to read the World War II history involved, they will be rewarded with a thrilling survival story. Hillenbrand first heard about her subject, Louis Zamperini, while working on Seabiscuit. She carefully unearthed and meticulously researched his story, including conversations with the man himself.
Second, Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff. Cleopatra is traditionally a popular choice for students required to read a biography. This one has a glorious cover, and although longer than what students in it purely for an assignment might read, Schiff does the great service of righting the wrongs of history and seeking the real woman within the legend. This is an important piece of scholarship about a fascinating subject.
These books belong in every high school library, and can be recommended to young readers for appealing storytelling, narrative excellence, and (dare I say it) as models of original research and clear documentation.
HILLENBRAND, Laura. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. 478p. Random. 2010. Tr $27. ISBN 978-1400064168. LC 2010017517.
Adult/High School–It is difficult to imagine a life more epic than that lived by Louis Zamperini, who saw his dream of becoming the first athlete to run a mile in less than four minutes pre-empted by a nightmare of improbable survival through WW II. Against all odds, Zamperini lived through the crash of his B-24 and a 47-day ordeal adrift in the Pacific with his two surviving crew members, only to be captured by the Japanese and held for more than two years. In the hands of gifted story-teller Hillenbrand, the details of Zamperini’s life fall together like tumblers in a lock to reveal the source of strength, ingenuity, and resilience that he needed to survive exposure, shark attack, a typhoon, being shot at by fighter planes (one riddling his plane, another his life raft), disease, and extreme physical and psychological abuse. Hillenbrand deftly weaves stories of Zamperini, his friends and family, as well as tormentors, to transcend the facts of his war experience by exposing the scope of human nature–from depraved torture and hatred to reconciliation and absolute forgiveness. Teens may not be drawn to tales of World War II, but Unbroken will be irresistible to those who appreciate a well-told tale of survival. Teachers of 20th-century history and WWII will find this book a complement to their classes. Such is the nature of Zamperini’s heroism and perseverance that it could also accompany a reading of The Odyssey.–John Sexton, Westchester Library System, NY
SCHIFF, Stacy. Cleopatra: A Life. 354p. bibliog. index. notes. Little, Brown. 2010. Tr $29.99. ISBN 978-0-316-00192-2. LC 2010006988.
Adult/High School–When we consider that Sony Pictures has already cast Angelina Jolie to star in a film based on Schiff’s biography, and that a new Cleopatra exhibition will be traveling to five U.S. cities, we can begin to envision the coming fervor. What makes Schiff’s book such a winner is her combination of rigorous scholarship; bold, lively prose; and fully developed themes that go far to lift the historical person out of two millennia of myth, legend, and slander. The author addresses such questions as : Was Cleopatra beautiful? Did she sacrifice everything for love? Was she the original bad girl/material girl/femme fatale? But Schiff is more interested in how Cleopatra held her own as a woman in a man’s world. In addition to being the wealthiest person of her times and the ruler of most of the eastern Mediterranean, Cleopatra was a clever strategist, a tenacious negotiator, a brilliant administrator, and, by numerous accounts, the most elegant, most charming, most savvy, most beguiling female or male at any social function. Schiff thoroughly explores how Octavian, Cleopatra’s chief nemesis, and his fellow Roman “historians” manipulated the life and character of the Egyptian queen to suit their ambitious needs. The victors always get the first crack at telling it how it was, and Cleopatra’s early biographers made the most of it. Others in years to come fed on the theme of the wanton seductress. Now it is time, as Schiff suggests, to move beyond Cleopatra’s romantic/sexual effect on two men (and vicariously on a world of others) and to recognize her extraordinary ability to amass political power and to rule with finesse and authority.–Robert Saunderson, formerly at Berkeley Public Library, CA
Connie Willis considers her World War II alternate history/time travel saga to be one book. She calls it Blackout-All Clear, even though Blackout was published in February and All Clear in October. So we decided to publish one review encompassing both.
While yes, both books are long (very long), there are teens out there who have no problem with that. In fact, they relish it. I’m sure you’ve experienced this phenomenon, especially among fantasy readers. I encountered it with The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (Little Brown, 2005). In my library it was a popular among a specific group of friends, who all seemed inspired by the challenge implied by the helf of the book. They were happy to read it in hardcover, proudly lugging it around with their heavy textbooks, talking about it loudly.
The same was true of Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind (DAW, 2007). I might be bringing this up mostly so I can gloat over the fact that the next installment of the Kingkiller Chronicles is finally on its way. Wise Man’s Fear is set for release by DAW on March 1, 2011. How excited are we??
Blackout-All Clear is more history than fantasy compared to the two titles just mentioned. And history is another genre whose avid readers are willing to tackle a longer book.
Willis’ novel To Say Nothing of the Dog won an Alex Award in 1998, and also involves an Oxford University time travel project. But it was much lighter in tone than the book(s) we present today:
WILLIS, Connie. Blackout. 491p. ISBN 978-0-553-80319-8.
––––. All Clear. 641p. ISBN 978-0-553-80767-7.
ea vol: Spectra/Ballantine. 2010. Tr $26. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–In Blackout, Oxford historians in 2060 use time travel to study momentous events firsthand. Polly, Mike, andEileen, three adventurous young historians, are heading back to the 20th century to study aspects of World War II. Polly is playing the role of shop girl during the Blitz. Eileen is serving as a nanny to observe displaced London children who were sent to the countryside to avoid the bombing. And Mike, well…he seems to have been dropped in the wrong destination, which could cause major problems for the time travelers. Readers are clued throughout the book that this expedition is not working out as planned. Drop sites are demolished, dates are wrong, and the historians are increasingly frustrated by the lack of communication from the future. Nevertheless, this is much less a time-travel tale than one of historical fiction. The three historians are constantly trying to place themselves in the known sequence of events, always fearing that they will somehow alter history. History buffs will love the inside look at England during the worst of the war, while casual readers may find themselves scurrying for more background information. It is essential to read Blackout first. In All Clear, unidentified historians from the future strive to get Polly, Mike, and Eileen out of the past, using a variety of names and guises. At times, several hundred pages separate one segment of a character’s story from the next. Although the combined books make for a lengthy, complex narrative, it is satisfying to see the stories come together in the end. All of this is accomplished with Willis’s trademark understated wit. Readers with an interest in World War II should love these books, but also try recommending it to teens who enjoy complex fictional narratives such as Stieg Larsson’s “Millennium trilogy.”–Diane Colson, New Port Richey Library, FL
Today’s book, The Vanishing of Katharina Linden, has an undercurrent of fairytale themes, and brought to mind a conversation I joined recently.
One of the advantages of living in New York City is the ability to attend Bookfest each fall. Formerly hosted by the New York Public Library, this year it was titled Bookfest@BankStreet and held at the Bank Street College of Education on Saturday, October 30th. School Library Journal was a sponsor. You can read about the event and see photos of the panels we enjoyed.
Each attendee is expected to choose a book discussion group from a list of 10. Possibilities range from pictures books to chapter books, from middle grade to YA, fiction and nonfiction. Each group is led by an expert in the field.
This year I chose “Young Adult Fairytale Retellings,” led by Karyn Silverman, librarian at Elizabeth Irwin High School (and one of this blog’s book reviewers). Karyn teaches a high school literature course on fairytales and started a webpage on the topic.
Our reading list for the discussion: Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson, Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey, A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce, and Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan. (You can see all of the reading lists here.)
The diversity of this group of titles was striking. In time period, from pre-colonial India to modern-day New Zealand to an unspecified European village at the dawn of the industrial revolution. And origins, from Perrault to Maori legends to the Brothers Grimm. Honestly, our discussion made me want to take a class on fairytale scholarship.
Helen Grant was inspired to write The Vanishing of Katharina Linden after living in the German town in which she set the book, Bad Münstereifel. She incorporates local folk tales into a story that feels like it belongs in a Brothers Grimm collection.
GRANT, Helen. The Vanishing of Katharina Linden. 287p. Delacorte. 2010. Tr $24. ISBN 0385344171. LC 2010003415.
Adult/High School–When a young girl attending a village parade dressed as Snow White vanishes without a trace, fear and suspicion lead to unnerving accusations among the townsfolk. Ten year-old Pia, in league with a fellow classmate and outcast, derisively nicknamed StinkStefan, is determined to solve the disappearance of Katharina Linden. Pia learns that young girls have vanished from the town before and begins to pursue clues that lead her deeper into danger rather than toward a solution. With a child’s imagination she begins to conflate local folk tales of witches, woe, and redemption with her suspicion that one of her neighbors is responsible for the abductions. Grant incorporates elements of fairy tales into the story, which is set in contemporary Germany. Parents and adults are either indifferent or threatening to the children who naïvely navigate their problems on their own, thus increasing their vulnerability. Part of the fun of reading fairy tales is observing how much danger awaits innocent and clever child. As Pia proceeds to investigate the dark secrets of her town, readers will feel the same uneasy anticipation they did when Red Riding Hood whistled her way to Grandma’s house. The old-world feel of the German town, with its folklore and its gossip, is an engaging and entertaining option for those who enjoy their mystery with a dash of grim imagination.–John Sexton, Westchester Library System, NY
It has been a long time since I was genuinely scared by a book, especially one featuring zombies or vampires. Maybe it is the fact that they are everywhere these days, mixed with humor or social commentary that dilutes the horror itself. The last time I came close was reading Justin Cronin’s The Passage, but I will write more about that another day.
Last night I finished Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin (Morrow, 2010). A wonderful novel that will doubtless end up on my personal favorites-of-the-year list, it has only limited teen appeal. Although it does alternate between adult and teen perspectives, it is about regret and a life ruined. It has a dark, sad tone that makes it feel adult. There is horror of a different kind here – real people doing ugly things. Crooked Letter centers on two men who were briefly friends as boys, one an avid reader of horror novels. He was as a boy, and continues to read and reread his favorites as an adult. Stephen King’s Night Shift and Salem’s Lot make cameo appearances.
Which took me right back to 8th grade, when my group of friends passed around The Stand. How we loved that book! It’s incredible, the staying power of Stephen King’s books with teenagers over the last 30 years.
Joe Hill is putting his own stamp on the horror genre. His first novel, Heart-Shaped Box (William Morrow, 2007) was a good read. Horns, published earlier this year, is even better. And it has teen appeal. Ig, the young man who grows the titular horns, is barely older than a teenager himself, and he certainly doesn’t act older than one. Young adults will be alternately horrified and laughing out loud. And not a vampire, zombie, werewolf or fairy in sight!
Stephen King’s collection, Just After Sunset (Scribner, 2008) won a 2009 Alex Award. Wouldn’t it be fun to see his son follow in those footsteps?
HILL, Joe. Horns. 370p. Morrow. 2010. Tr $25.99. ISBN 978-0-06-114795-1. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Ig wakes up after a drunken night to find two horns growing out of his forehead. In the emergency room no one else can see them. They have the unfortunate effect of causing people to share their ugliest thoughts with Ig, and then immediately forget doing so. If he touches someone, he immediately sees their dastardly deeds and can sometimes push people to either fulfill or avoid their evil persuasions. One year ago, Ig was on his way to London for his first job, and Marrin, the love of his life, was planning to join him. But the night before he was scheduled to leave they had a terrible fight. That same night she was murdered. Ig is still the main suspect. Even his parents think he did it. Now, thanks to the horns, Ig sees that one of the people closest to him is pure evil. Horns is irreverent and can be laugh-out-loud clever. Teens will enjoy the humor, the horror, the love story and the murder-mystery pacing. Theology, pop culture, serial-killer lore, a great villain and a dramatic, gruesome final showdown all combine for a smart winner. And like Heart-Shaped Box, this book has, well, heart. Ig is lost without Marrin. He is figuring out if he is good or evil. As he becomes more and more enamored with his demonic side, Ig comes to believe that God is absent and the devil is the one with human interests at heart.–Angela Carstensen, Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York City
Yesterday I wrote about memoir. Today, I present the review of a mystery written by Homer Hickam, best known for a memoir, Rocket Boys (Delacorte, 1998), which he expanded into a trilogy with The Coalwood Way (Delacorte, 2000) and Sky of Stone (Delacorte, 2001).
He may not be writing memoir, but he’s still writing what he knows. Hickam is himself an amateur paleontologist, has spent time searching for fossils in Montana, and counts two Tyrannosaurus Rexes among his discoveries.
HICKAM, Homer. The Dinosaur Hunter: A Novel. 311p. St. Martin ’s/Thomas Dunne Bks. 2010. Tr $25.99. ISBN 978-0-312-38378-7. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Penned by the author of the memoir Rocket Boys (Delacorte, 1998; made into the movie October Sky), The Dinosaur Hunter brings a larger-than-life cast of characters to the Montana back lands. Mike Wire, a Los Angeles detective turned cowboy, works alongside his hard-as-the-land boss Jeanette, who rules Mike and the Square C ranch with a heart of gold. Enter paleontologist Dr “Pick” Pickford with his assistants, the capable Laura and the beautiful Russian Tanya, who are looking for dinosaur bones. The mayor and her husband want some of the action, and the neighbors up the road aren’t whom they seem to be. Bring in the Russian Mob and a pair of teen lovers, throw in the requisite survivalists–a part of Big Country lore and legend–and you have the makings of a great murder mystery in rural Montana . The unpredictable landscape and the painstaking work of an archeological dig are the backdrops for this story about greed, love, the search for truth–and the discovery of a set of dinosaur bones worth millions of dollars. Mike knows and understands the vagaries of the local weather and applies its lessons to his understanding of human behavior. Ever the detective, he’s ready to investigate when things don’t add up. While this book takes its time in dishing out the mystery, there’s something in here for most teens: ranching kids will identify with the physical and cultural landscape, city kids might be fascinated by how rural kids live, and teens with an interest in archaeology will find the descriptions of the archaeological dig informative and fascinating.–Connie Williams, Petaluma High School, CA
Angela Carstensen is Head Librarian and an Upper School Librarian at Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York City. Angela served on the Alex Awards committee for four years, chairing the 2008 committee, and chaired the first YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adult committee in 2009. Recently, she edited Outstanding Books for the College Bound: Titles and Programs for a New Generation (ALA Editions, 2011). Contact her via Twitter @AngeReads.
