Angry Management by Chris Crutcher

Although I was already a fan of Chris Crutcher's work, this book shot to the top of my TBR pile when it was challenged by a parent in South Carolina.  Because of Crutcher's willingness to take on a host of societal issues, his books are often challenged--and teens love them.  I'm not generally a huge fan of short stories, but I enjoyed this collection of three novellas and the chance to revisit characters from several of Crutcher's previous novels.  Highly recommended.

The characters in the three stories are loosely bound together by Mr. Nak's Angry Management group.

"Kyle Maynard and the Craggy Face of the Moon"  features Sarah Byrnes and Angus Bethune.  Sarah bears her burn-scarred face like a shield to protect herself from becoming too involved with anyone and Angus uses his girth and his sense of humor in a similar way.  The teens become closer as they embark on a road trip to find Sarah's mother, who abandoned her to her abusive father.

In "Montana Wild," Montana West writes the kind of stories for her school newspaper that never get published, thanks to conservative administrators backed up by the right-wing head of the school board who happens to be her adoptive father.  When her latest story, about medical marijuana, gets shot down, she is asked to write a human interest piece on a football player.  Trey Chase is not a stereotypical "dumb jock" and Montana is drawn to him right away.  His grandmother, Mari, is dying of cancer and uses marijuana to ease her pain and nausea.  Mari suggests that Montana not give up on her medical marijuana article.  Even knowing that the school paper won't publish it, Montana decides to push the issue and get it before the school board.  Mari says, "You don't have to win to win.  Just keep putting it in front of them.  The truth rises."  The showdown between Montana and Maxwell West is inevitable.

The third story, "Meet Me at the Gates, Marcus James" was my favorite.  Marcus is the only African American student at his high school, which is run by football-obsessed bigots.  Not only is Marcus whip-smart and outspoken, but he is also gay.  When he strolls into Mr. Simet's U.S. Government class wearing the pink noose that had been hanging on his locker, no one misses its significance.  Mr. Simet is supportive, but cautions Marcus about the statement he's making by wearing the noose.  When the school administrators call an assembly to "address" the bigotry, Matt Miller, a devout Christian calls them out for appearing to address the issue, while making it impossible to resolve.  I love this character, who embodies the best Christian behavior, rather than the holier-than-thou brand of Christianity that permeates American culture.  He stands up and tells the truth, which unleashes an unforeseen shitstorm and connects him with Marcus forever.  Marcus' father is another interesting character because, even though he understands what it's like to be hated for something he can't control (his race), his initial reaction to learning that Marcus is gay is anger.  He eventually accepts his son and has this to say, "You know, teacher man, bein' homosexual isn't somethin' my boy chose.  He just was.  Somebody's readin' the good book all wrong.  You ask me, God creates it, God loves it.  Simple as that."  Amen.

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

Set in the fictional town of Bayonne, Louisiana in the late 1940s. Two African American men, proundly different, are both struggling to be men in a racist society.

Uneducated Jefferson witnesses the murder of a white storekeeper during a robbery. The perpetrators are also killed, and Jefferson is put on trial for murder. In Jefferson's defense, his lawyer says not that Jefferson is innocent, but that killing him would be like slaughtering a hog. The all white jury is not swayed by this argument and sentences him to death in the electric chair.

Jefferson's godmother, who raised him, asks a black school teacher, Grant Wiggins, to visit Jefferson in jail and help him to face his death with dignity.

Grant longs to leave the South and is unwilling to take his task seriously. He really doesn't believe it will make a difference. After all, though he is well-educated, he still feels bound and limited by the same racist attitudes that resulted in Jefferson's conviction and death sentence. Eventually, however, the two men form a bond that transforms them both.

Heart-wrenching and thought-provoking. A MUST READ.

When the Legends Die by Hal Borland

Thomas Black Bull and his parents return to the wilderness to live in the old way after Thomas' father kills a man. When his father dies in an accident and his mother follows as a result of illness and grief soon after, Thomas is left alone. He has no desire to return to the white man's world and lives peacefully on his own for several years, befriending an orphaned bear cub along the way and renaming himself Bear's Brother.

Eventually, he is discovered and forced to attend school in town, where he is miserable. The teachers and officials at the school, some well-meaning and some not, try to "help" and "civilize" him. In the process, they make him ever more angry and miserable as they take away his connection with the old ways.

I loved the first and last parts of this book, but the middle, where Thomas becomes a brutal bronco rider known as Killer Tom, lost me. Readers who enjoy action may well like this part, but I was appalled at Thomas' brutality and had a hard time feeling sympathetic towards him.

In the end, Thomas is redeemed and manages to recapture his connection to his past. While the "happy" ending may be perceived as a bit too neat, I like to believe that this is how life is--that we all have the ability, however deeply it hides inside of us, to be true to ourselves.

Overall, I highly recommend this book.

Redwall by Brian Jacques

Book one in the Redwall series.

I picked this up on a whim the other day and was immediately drawn into the beautifully detailed world of Redwall and its animal inhabitants.

Redwall, the home of an order of peaceful mice, is threatened by Cluny, an evil rat who sets his sights upon Redwall Abbey. Young Matthias, an awkward young novitiate, is sent on a quest to recover the lost sword of Martin the Warrior (also a mouse). This sword is Redwall's only hope for defeating Cluny and his horde of mercenaries.

Through his quest for the sword, Matthias finds allies in unlikely places and forms bonds of friendship with a wide variety of creatures, each with a distinct personality, who help him to defeat Cluny.

Marvelous, highly detailed, and packed with action. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for readers of all ages!

Maus I and II by Art Spiegelman

If you read nothing else this month, check out Art Spiegelman's marvelous graphic novel / memoir. In Maus, published in two parts, he recounts his father's experiences as a Jewish survivor of the Nazi concentration camps during WWII.

Intertwined with the horror of the Holocaust is the story of the troubled relationship between father and son. Set against the backdrop of contemporary modern life, the events of the Holocaust seem even more terrifying.

A MUST READ for all!

Maus I by Art Spiegelman

Part one of two.

Art Spiegelman interviewed his father, Vladek, a Holocaust survivor. Vladek's story is told in comic book format, with the Jews as mice and the Nazis as cats.

The graphic novel approach brings a new perspective to this moving memoir. I especially liked the way that Vladek's Holocaust memories were interwoven with the present relationship between the father and son. Not only do we get a glimpse of the horrors of the Holocaust, but we also see the profound and long-lasting effects on the survivors and the generations that followed.

A MUST-READ (don't forget part two)!

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

I have said before that I am not a huge fan of graphic novels, but this is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Three different stories, each featuring characters who are unhappy with who they are--Jin Wang, a lonely boy who wishes his classmates would accept him, Monkey King, a Chinese folk hero who sacrifices much in his quest to be accepted as a god, and Danny, an American teen who is tortured by the yearly visits of his stereotypically annoying Chinese cousin--intertwine in this clever and moving gem of a book. Readers of all cultural backgrounds will find common ground with Jin Wang and his struggles to fit in.

Highly recommended.

Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives, Vol.II by Ellen Schreiber

Second book in the manga version of Ellen Schreiber's Vampire Kisses series.

Raven and Alexander's love story translates exceptionally well to the manga format. I like that the manga books are a parallel series, rather than merely a retelling of the existing books. My only complaint is how short these books are in relation to the price.

Alexander's half-vampire cousin, Claude, is still in town. Claude and his naughty vampire gang are looking for the vials of blood that can turn them into pure vampires. Alexander and Claude's grandmother always refused to make Claude a full vampire because she felt that he would abuse the power. Ruthless Claude will do anything to possess that powerful blood--even if it means putting Raven and her human friends in danger.

Alexander and Raven come up with a plan to trick Claude into returning to Romania, but Raven might just find herself in more danger than ever.

Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty

Fourth book in the Jessica Darling series.

Jessica is back and as snarky as ever. She has graduated and is sharing a tiny apartment with her best friend, Hope, and her still-skanky friend, Manda. She enjoys her part-time job as a fact-checker for an obscure magazine, but doesn't make enough money to cover both her rent and her student loan payments. She babysits for her niece and feels like she is mooching because of the overly generous paycheck she receives for the babysitting.

She and Marcus are "on again," but Jessica doesn't see how she will continue the long-distance relationship with one of Princeton's newest freshmen. She intends to break up with him, but he shocks her with an out-of-the-blue marriage proposal.

Marcus asks Jessica to take a week to think about his proposal and, in the meantime, to write about her thoughts and feelings in a journal for him. Join Jessica for a week as she ponders what could (and should) come next in her life.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Miles Halter is a high school junior who is tired of living his life under the radar. Fascinated by famous last words, Miles convinces his parents to enroll him in an elite boarding school in order to search for what Francois Rabelais called "The Great Perhaps" in his own final words.

Once at Culver Creek, he is invited into a close circle of friends by his roommate, Chip, a practical joker who insists on being called "the Colonel." He immediately falls for smart, sexy, and moody Alaska Young. She already has a boyfriend, but hooks Miles up with his first girlfriend.

When tragedy strikes, Miles and his friends must re-examine their lives and friendships as they try to find a way to move forward. Green uses the backdrop of a classroom assignment and a caring but crusty teacher to show how Miles and his friends come to terms with tragedy and each find closure.

The characters are well-realized and multi-dimensional. It is easy to care about them. Introspective readers will especially relate to Miles' emotional journey. Excellent novel, highly recommended for teen (and adult) readers.

Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

Book six in the Artemis Fowl series.

Artemis's mother is dying. When Artemis tries to use the last of his stolen magic to heal her, he only manages to make her condition worse. After summoning Holly to help, he discovers that his mother has a magical disease called spelltropy. The only known cure comes from the extinct African lemur. Artemis caused the death of the last one while trying to fund an expedition to save his father.

Artemis guilts Holly into traveling back in time with him to undo the damage and save that last lemur. They race against time (literally) to save the lemur before it is too late.

But even with the help of the demon warlock, No. 1, events might get too twisted to ever untangle. Not only does an old enemy reappear, but Artemis must also face a 10-year-old Artemis, who is ruthless enough to sabotage the entire mission.

I was disappointed that Artemis's love interest from the previous book never showed up. I also wanted to know more about the demons. Mulch Diggums is my favorite character and did not have as much fun as in previous books. While the book kept me entertained, the story became difficult to follow as it kept twisting in on itself. That pesky time paradox...

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

Kaeleigh and Raeanne are identical twins, mirror images of each other. They share a terrible secret.

Kaeleigh is the good girl--she does well in school and has a lead role in the school musical. Ian, her sort-of boyfriend, loves her deeply. Her father loves her too, but not the way a father should.

Raeanne knows about her father's visits to Kaeleigh's bed. While a part of her wants to protect Kaeleigh, another part of her feels jealous because her father didn't pick her. She breaks rules at every turn, skipping school, getting high, and having all kinds of sex.

The family was normal until the night of the accident, when their father, a judge, caused a fatal accident while driving drunk. Their mother responded by throwing herself into her political career and freezing out her family. Their parents are still married, but the marriage is in name only.

Their father, lonely and tortured by his own terrible secret, drinks to escape his demons. And he sexually abuses Kaeleigh.

I loved the format of the novel. The poems were beautifully written and the shapes, especially of the mirrored ones, made me slow down and savor the structure.

The treatment of Raeanne's drug use made me a bit uncomfortable, mostly because the negative aspects were downplayed. In Crank, which details a girl's downward spiral into addiction, her drug use is also graphic and descriptive, but the reader could clearly see the path of destruction.

I would have liked to have read more about Kaeleigh's relationship with her father and also about the events in his childhood that set him on the path of the abuser. Also, the twist at the end would have felt more authentic if it hadn't happened so close to the end of the book. I wanted to know more about what happened AFTER Kaeleigh faced the truth.

While this was not my favorite Hopkins novel, teen fans will not be able to put it down. It is chock full of issues and mature content. It's all in here--sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders, cutting, mental illness, bad boys, and, like Pandora's box, a small taste of hope and love.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Brian is on his way to visit his father in Canada when the pilot of his small plane has a heart attack. Though Brian manages to gain control of the plane, it goes off course and he crashes into a lake. He survives the crash, but finds himself alone in the wilderness with only the clothes on his back and the hatchet his mother gave him.

As Brian struggles to survive on his own, he gradually gains the patience and skills he needs to keep himself alive.

A great survival story.

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

Picoult's specialty is the headline-inspired moral dilemma and this one is no exception.

Shay Bourne is on death row, awaiting execution for the murder of a young girl and her father. Miracles began to happen as soon as Shay arrives in the cell block--wine coming out of the faucets, changes in the health (both emotional and physical) of the other inmates, and a bird who is brought back to life. Some believe that Shay is a new messiah, especially after he decides to donate his heart to the 11-year-old sister of the little girl he killed.

Picoult explores religion, capital punishment, redemption, and mother/daughter relationships in her latest page turner.

On the Fringe by Donald R. Gallo (ed.)

Another home-run collection for young adults edited by Donald R. Gallo. Anyone who reads YA lit will recognize the phenomenal authors featured in this collection--M.E. Kerr, Chris Crutcher, Jack Gantos, and Joan Bauer, to name a few.

What I liked best about this collection is that it went beyond the stereotypical tales of puny geeks getting bullied by muscle-bound, light-on-brains jocks. Each story deals with unique individuals who feel like outsiders for a variety of reasons. My favorite stories: "Muzak for Prozac," about a boy who stays medicated in order to deal with his guilt at outing a lesbian classmate and "Guns for Geeks," a horrifying and heartbreaking story inspired by the Columbine tragedy about a boy who is just not going to take the bullying anymore. A painful read, but something that we all need to think about.

Another collection of short stories that I also recommend, edited by Gallo as well, is No Easy Answers.

Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit by Julius Lester

Julies Lester and Jerry Pinkney retell the marvelous tales of Uncle Remus with the same sly sense of humor and with the addition of some modern detalis (references to shopping malls and such). I listened to the audio version, which I highly recommend. It kept me laughing out loud even as I spent the day hauling around boxes of heavy textbooks.

Acceleration by Graham McNamee

Duncan still has nightmares about the day he failed to save a drowning girl. His guilt overwhelms him and his relationships with his family and friends suffer because of it.

Duncan takes a mind-numbingly boring job at the transit authority lost and found. One day, while poking around the dusty shelves looking for a book to read, he comes across a mysterious journal. The journal belongs to a serial killer wannabe who documents the acceleration of his crimes--torturing small animals, setting fires, to stalking women on the subway.

Duncan feels driven to stop the would-be killer before he strikes, but when he tries to turn in the diary, the overworked police are not interested. Duncan, with the help of his two very different best friends, sets out to find the killer.
Plot and characterization are both handled well and the suspense gradually builds to an exciting climax. Very well-done mystery that will keep readers turning pages.

Don't skip the interview with the author at the end of the book. It will give you a fascinating glimpse into the writing of the novel--and it's funny.

Blackthorn Winter by Kathryn Reiss

During a trial separation, Juliana's mother takes Juliana and her little brother and sister to live in a tiny artist's colony in England. Juliana's mother plans to find some solitude and peace so that she can start painting again and recapture her artistic self. Juliana understands none of this and misses her dad.

Shortly after Juliana arrives in Blackthorn, her mother's school friend, a nosy and obnoxious woman, is murdered. Though a suspect is jailed right away, Juliana is convinced that the real killer is still on the loose and investigates on her own.

Juliana's investigation leads her to make some mysterious connections with her own past. Can she find the real killer before he - or she- strikes again?

Lots of creepy atmosphere and suspense will keep mystery fans turning pages.

Stop in the Name of Pants! by Louise Rennison

Book NINE in the Georgia Nicolson series. If you haven't met Georgia yet, you'll want to start with the first book, Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging. These books are so funny that they come with a warning: Do not eat or drink (especially carbonated beverages) while reading. You WILL laugh out loud and it WILL hurt if food and/or drink comes spewing out of your nose. BEWARE!

Georgia is back, but still stuck in the cakeshop of love. She is the official girlfriend of the Luuurve God, Masimo, but she's all alone at home while he's visiting his family (and his ex-girlfriend) in Pizza-a-Go-Go Land.

Though Georgia has finally eschewed The Sex God, Robbie, with a firm hand, she can't stand it when he takes up with Wet Lindsay again.

Dave the Laugh keeps cropping up when Georgia least expects it. He gets all her jokes and they accidentally spend more time on the snogging scale.

When tragedy strikes Georgia finds that she can be (sort of) mature, but she still finds plenty of time to snog and do the bison disco with her mates. Still no choice, on the boyfriend front, though. How long is Dave going to wait for Georgia to realize that he is the one for her?

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Spent the day rereading Les Mis and avoiding the work I should be doing to get ready for school. I loved this book the first time I read it in high school (even with a poor translation) and it just gets better every time.

Jean Valjean, #24601, spends years in prison after stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving family. When he is finally released, he becomes ever more bitter because no one will give him, an ex-convict, a chance to start a new life. He repays a bishop's hospitality by stealing silverware. Instead of pressing charges, the bishop makes a furthur gift of a pair of silver candlesticks and tells Jean Valjean to use them to make a good life for himself and others.

The plot is complex, combining many storylines and historical connections. Hugo frequently digresses from the main storyline, but his story of love and redemption is a must-read. Once you have read this enormous book, check out the musical. Listen to the Original London Cast Recording. Better yet, go to London and see it live. And bring kleenex--lots of it.

Check out pictures from the musical, see video clips, and even buy tickets for a performance at the official website: http://www.lesmis.com/pages/tickets/tickets.htm.