The conclusion to Gregory Maguire’s The Wicked Years series does not disappoint. The series began with Wicked (1995), and continued with Son of a Witch (2005) and A Lion Among Men (2008). Out of Oz does stand on its own, but readers will appreciate it most if they are fans of the series.
MAGUIRE, Gregory. Out of Oz. Vol. 4. illus. by Douglas Smith. 592p. (The Wicked Years Series). Morrow. 2011. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–The concept of an alternate universe has been introduced to generations of children through stories of the fanciful Land of Oz. Springing from the imagination of L. Frank Baum, and then transformed into one of the most popular movies of the 20th century, the sights and characters of Oz are both strange and familiar. With Gregory Maguire’s series, these same characters are once again re-created but in unexpected ways. Teens who know the musical Wicked will already know the backstory: The Wicked Witch of the West is not evil but impassioned by an unpopular sense of justice. In Maguire’s Oz, the Wicked Witch has a name, Elphaba. She is not a mean-spirited loner, but embroiled in complex family relationships. She has a secret lover and a secret child. The bare bones tale presented by the musical version, however, cheats the audience of the magical chemistry of Maguire’s prose. The books in this series are epical, following the friends, enemies, and descendants of Elphaba through adventure after adventure. By the time this fourth volume begins, the cast of characters has expanded to include old faces, such as Brrr (aka The Cowardly Lion), and new ones, most prominently Rain, Elphaba’s granddaughter. Maguire provides readers with a quick synopsis of the first three volumes, as well as plenty of filler details during the course of the book, so it’s possible to begin the journey with this final book. Teens who enjoy sophisticated fantasy laced with humor and social conscience will be greatly satisfied with this reprise of a childhood favorite.–Diane Colson, Palm Harbor Library, FL
Rapper T.I. is now an author, and his debut is a coming of age novel about two teenagers. His inspiration? The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah (Pocket Books, 1999), the landmark Street Lit novel.
For more on T.I.’s writing process, inspiration and the difference between writing a book and writing music, take a look at this Huffington Post interview.
Co-author David Ritz is best known for collaborating on autobiographies with Ray Charles, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, the Neville Brothers, Janet Jackson — to name only a few.
HARRIS, Tip “T.I.” with David Ritz. Power & Beauty: A Love Story on the Streets. 368p. HarperCollins/Morrow. Oct. 2011. Tr $23.99. ISBN 978-006-2067654. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Power and Beauty are not biological siblings although they grew up as brother and sister sharing the same mother, who adopted Beauty. They are 16 when their mom dies in a fire. They comfort each other and then act on their sexual attraction. Soon after, they are estranged. Power goes off to be mentored by a hustler, Slim, in Miami, Chicago, and Atlanta. Included are many non-graphic sexual instances where Power can’t find enjoyment with women except while imagining Beauty’s face. The second half of the book focuses on Beauty’s life as she pursues success in the international fashion world. On the last page, they are about to be reunited, only for Power to be kidnapped in front of Beauty’s eyes. Readers who have made it this far may be invested enough to read the next book in order to find out what happens, but others will feel cheated by the ploy. Hot, raw, and gritty street lit it’s not. T.I., however, is hot in the hip-hop scene, and teens will be interested in this book simply because of his name. Fans of Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller’s “Hotlanta” series (Point) and Darrien Lee’s “Denim Diaries” series (Urban) might find this to be another book of interest, but it’s hard to believe that award-winning Ritz had anything to do with this book and its sluggish prose.–Amy Cheney, Alameda County Library, Juvenile Hall, CA
Back in late October when I first read Little Princes by Conor Grennan, I raved about it here briefly. Now that it is finally available (tomorrow is the official release day!), I want to add that this inspiring book should be in every school and public library. I do not say that often or lightly.
I recently had a chance to meet Conor at ALA Midwinter, and to interview him for an upcoming issue of the SLJ Teen newsletter (look out for it on February 16th). I urge anyone who has the opportunity to bring an author into a school, public, or academic library to consider pursuing Conor as a speaker.
Not only is Conor personable, well-spoken, and funny, his message is the importance of getting involved, of “just showing up.” He encourages young people to volunteer their time even if they worry that they lack the necessary skills for the project at hand.
Take a look at the wonderful website devoted to the non-profit that Conor created, Next Generation Nepal. I especially enjoy the page where he explains why he wrote the book.
GRENNAN, Conor. Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal. 304p. HarperCollins/Morrow. 2011. Tr $0. ISBN 978-0-06-193005-8. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Twenty-nine-year-old Conor Grennan began a year long trip around the world with three months of volunteer work in a Nepalese orphanage to justify the extravagance. As his friends had mentioned and he himself realized as he stood on the doorstep, he had absolutely no skills for the job, but he became deeply committed to reconnecting trafficked children with their families of origin. His account of no comforts, dull food, and a tangle of children are both hilarious and poignant. This is an action packed, breath-holding adventure of the heart and soul as Grennan negotiated steep mountain trails and bureaucracy while founding a non-profit organization and falling in love with an equally committed and passionate woman. His intelligence and humility shine through, and insights into the culture and the difference one person can make are evident. Grennan is able to poke fun at himself while his uncanny inner drive to see and act clearly is obvious. While comparisons to Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea (Penguin, 2007) are inevitable, this book is more accessible and possesses more immediate teen appeal.–Amy Cheney, Alameda County Library, Juvenile Hall, CA
Secret Daughter, a debut novel, has slowly but steadily become an international hit this year. It landed at #2 on the Amazon Best Books of 2010 Customer Favorites list, second only to Stieg Larsson’s The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.
Gowda is Canadian, where her novel is especially popular. This November article tells the story of its success, largely attributed to word of mouth by her readers.
GOWDA, Shilpi Somaya. Secret Daughter. 352p. Morrow. 2010. Tr $23.99. ISBN 978-0-06-192231-2. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Kavita, a young married woman in India, is just a teenager when she gives birth to her second baby girl. Tradition is powerful in her rural town, where sons are valued and daughters are unwanted. Kavita is terrified that this child will be killed like her older sister, so she smuggles her to an orphanage. Despite the subsequent birth of a beloved son, Kavita still yearns to know the fate of her lost daughter. Readers are able to follow the story of the daughter, Asha, who is adopted by a couple in America. Her adoptive father was born and raised in India, although her mother is solidly American. As Asha grows into her teen years, she becomes increasingly curious about her heritage and travels to India to stay with her father’s large, extended family. Teens will surely feel Kavita’s pain as she loses her daughters because of a practice that is not completely outdated in even today. Throughout the book, Kavita continues to visit the orphanage, gazing at each little girl to see if she can find her own child. Asha’s journey of self-discovery should also appeal to many teens, particularly those who were adopted as babies in faraway countries. Readers will discover, along with Asha, that families are forged in many ways–through blood, through acquired kinship, and perhaps most significantly, through persevering love.–Diane Colson, New Port Richey Library, FL
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
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.
