Happy Book Birthday to Eva Eland & When Sadness is At Your Door! 

A comforting primer in emotional literacy and mindfulness that suggests we approach the feeling of sadness as if it is our guest.

Sadness can be scary and confusing at any age! When we feel sad, especially for long periods of time, it can seem as if the sadness is a part of who we are–an overwhelming, invisible, and scary sensation.

In When Sadness Is at Your Door, Eva Eland brilliantly approaches this feeling as if it is a visitor. She gives it a shape and a face, and encourages the reader to give it a name, all of which helps to demystify it and distinguish it from ourselves. She suggests activities to do with it, like sitting quietly, drawing, and going outside for a walk. The beauty of this approach is in the respect the book has for the feeling, and the absence of a narrative that encourages the reader to “get over” it or indicates that it’s “bad,” both of which are anxiety-producing notions.

Simple illustrations that recall the classic style of Crockett Johnson (Harold and the Purple Crayon) invite readers to add their own impressions.

Eva Eland’s debut picture book is a great primer in mindfulness and emotional literacy, perfect for kids navigating these new feelings–and for adult readers tackling the feelings themselves!

     

What inspired you to write this book about this topic right now?

Actually, I wanted to make a comforting picture book and wanted to understand more about image making that could achieve this. But I soon realised, that to make something comforting, I needed to understand the ‘difficult emotions’ better first, so I started to explore sadness, fear and anger as characters. Sadness was the one that I most resonated with myself, as it’s a feeling that has frequently visited me since childhood, and a feeling that has become very familiar, almost like an old friend.

My students are always interested in the behind-the-scenes process. How long did it take from the time you started drafting the book to finishing it to be ready for publication? 

Short version: I only worked on the book for about 2,5 months with Andersen Press (which is not a long time), but before we started working together on it I had already developed the book over the course of 1,5 years, but alongside many other projects and with many intervals, as I was studying the Children’s Book Illustration masters at the Cambridge School of Art at the time.

Longwinded version: With this book it’s a bit difficult to tell, because I had the original idea it’s loosely based upon in 2012. In 2016, during my studies at the Children’s Book Illustration masters at the Cambridge School of Art, I revisited this idea, but I initially focused on a completely different story, also about sadness. Early 2017, I decided to rework the first idea and make it into a picture book that I could present at the International Children’s Book Fair in Bologna, at the stand of the Cambridge School of Art. It’s there that Andersen Press found my book and approached me. We started working on it together in the summer of 2017. It was changing till the very end, as we had to tell the same story in fewer pages. It really became so much better because of this focus and we took great care in making sure the message was just right. We finished it in a relatively short time, for the final artwork I think I only had 3 to 4 weeks. It was only possible to finish it in a relatively short time because of all the work and experimenting I had done before that time already.

How/Why did you decide on the limited colors/illustration style for this book?

At the time I was developing this book, I was also experimenting with printmaking techniques, in particular risography, the method of printmaking I also used for illustrations in the book. I also experimented with just how far I could pare back my work, for it still to be effective and communicate. Working with a limited colour palette seemed to be a natural fit for this book. The subdued colours fit the subject, and I think with a topic like sadness, it is important to leave as much space for the imagination of the reader, to allow for their own interpretation. So however big, small or personal your sadness might be, you can still relate to the words and images in the book.

Did you try any other ways of depicting sadness before landing on this final version?

Funnily enough, the shape of this sadness, was there from the beginning. I did however experiment in between with lots of different ways of depicting sadness (abstract shapes, elephants and hairy creatures all past the revenue), but I decided that the sadness character you can find in the book now was the most effective one after all. It was important that the character wasn’t too specific but also that it had an endearing element to it, so children can relate to it and wouldn’t feel threatened by it. The halftone texture of sadness has been quite a long journey however to find. I was very sure from the beginning it shouldn’t have a solid outline and it should be semi-transparent – but sometimes it can still take a while to get it right.

What do you hope kids (& adults) take away from reading this book?

On the one hand I like it that the book seems to have a reassuring and comforting element to it, but what I like most is that it has the potential to show kids (and adults just alike) that it’s not necessary to be afraid of our emotions. We can learn to understand them better and take care of them, and as a result we will understand ourselves and others better. This is a continuous journey, but reading a book like this can be a great conversation starter between kids and adults, to explore the subject further – and as a result we might be able to feel more kindness and compassion towards feelings like sadness, ourselves and others. 

What’s next for you?

Making more books! I’m finishing my second book with Andersen Press at the moment, which will be coming out in spring 2020 if all goes well – and I have lots of new ideas for books that I will soon start to develop further. I can’t really share more I’m afraid.

Thank you to Random House for coordinating and providing an F&G of When Sadness is At Your Door to preview.

Title: BREAKOUT
Author: Kevin Emerson
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 24, 2014
Number of Pages: 304
Source of Book: ARC from author in exchange for honest opinion

        When Anthony’s angst-ridden rock ‘n’ roll lyrics go viral, he’s unwittingly cast as the school rebel. The truth is, he’s not trying to be anyone’s hero. 
        Anthony Castillo needs a new life. His teachers are clueless autocrats except for Mr. Darren, who’s in charge of the rock band program. The girls at school are either shallow cutebots or out of his league. And his parents mean well, but they just make things worse. It’s as if Anthony is stuck on the bottom level of his favorite video game, Liberation Force 4.5. Except there is no secret escape tunnel and definitely no cheat code. 
        Fed up, pissed off, and feeling trapped, Anthony writes his first song for his rock band, the Rusty Soles. His only problem: Arts Night. If he exercises his right to free speech and sings his original lyrics—where his own bombs will drop—he and his band will be through. 
       The clock is ticking. Time for Anthony to pick his battles and decide what’s really worth fighting for.

There is something about this book that struck a chord with me as a middle school teacher. Anthony reminded me of students I have currently and had in the past who feel misunderstood by their teachers…and seeing events from his perspective makes me want to do better by them. For this reason, I think Breakout is a book that teachers should read (especially Emerson‘s author’s note about the inspiration for this character).

Breakout will appeal to the boys in my classroom, but also some of the girls who want to get into the head of the boys and figure out what they’re really thinking. But the best audience for this book will be the musicians or kids who feel misunderstood. They will relate to the main character and root for him as they go along on this twelve day journey with Anthony, to Arts Night when his band will play for the school, to figure out how to stand up for what he believes and be true to himself.

At it’s heart, this is a book about perspectives and words and choices and wanting to be heard and being true to our feelings. That f-bomb word is a major factor in this book (although the actual word is never written out), but it’s about so much more than just one polarizing word and a choice about whether to use it during a performance or not. The power of one word comes more from the intent behind it and the purpose for using it – it’s about the emotion that caused that word to come out, as Anthony figures out and defends.

All of that being said, there were some specific references to things woven throughout that at times felt a little overused to me, but they did all end up connecting together at the end in a way that made sense. This could be more because I do not play video games, and so these references throughout would connect more with the intended teen audience who have more familiarity with them.

Kevin Emerson has again written a novel that is an ode to the music-loving teen, a call to action for teachers to understand their students, a story with universal themes of acceptance and finding one’s own strength and figuring out what’s right that will resonate with many readers, and rocking good writing that teens will relate to and devour. 

Although Breakout is a different tone (and gender of main character) from Emerson’s Exile, it is one to hand to students who enjoyed his writing and the music-centric elements.

Title: WE CAN WORK IT OUT (sequel to THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB)
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Publisher: Point (a Scholastic imprint)
Release Date: January 27, 2015
Number of Pages: 320
Source of Book: ARC from Publisher at NCTE

        When Penny Lane started The Lonely Hearts Club, the goal was simple: to show that girls didn’t need to define themselves by how guys look at them, and didn’t have to value boyfriends over everything else. Penny thought she’d be an outcast for life…but then the club became far more popular than she ever imagined it would be.
        But what happens when the girl who never thought she’d date a good guy suddenly finds herself dating a great one? She doesn’t need a boyfriend… but she wants it to work out with this particular boyfriend. And he wants it to work out with her.
        Only, things keep getting in the way. Feelings keep getting hurt. Words keep getting misunderstood.
        Penny Lane worked hard to declare her independence. Now she needs to figure out what to do with it — and how to balance what she wants with what everyone else wants. In We Can Work It Out, Elizabeth Eulberg returns to the world of her first novel, The Lonely Hearts Club, and gets to the heart of how hard relationships can be… and why they are sometimes worth all the drama and comedy they create. 

One of my very favorite books of the year finally came out yesterday! I say finally because I read it back in November and have had to wait five months for it to be available to everyone to read, which I hope happens soon because I want to talk to people about it. Luckily, I’ve been able to have several students read it and talk with them about it, and they loved it, too. As soon as I finished the book, I declared it one of my favorites of 2014…and it wasn’t even 2014 yet.

Title: EXILE
Author: Kevin Emerson
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (a HarperCollins imprint)
Release Date: April 29, 2014
Number of Pages: 320
Source of Book: ARC from author/publisher at NCTE

          Catherine Summer Carlson knows how to manage bands like a professional—she’s a student at the PopArts Academy at Mount Hope High, where rock legends Allegiance to North got their start. Summer knows that falling for the lead singer of her latest band is the least professional thing a manager can do. But Caleb Daniels isn’t an ordinary band boy—he’s a hot, dreamy, sweet-singing, exiled-from-his-old-band, possibly-with-a-deep-dark-side band boy. And he can do that thing. That thing when someone sings a song and it inhabits you, possesses you, and moves you like a marionette to its will.
          Summer also finds herself at the center of a mystery she never saw coming. When Caleb reveals a secret about his long-lost father, one band’s past becomes another’s present, and Summer finds it harder and harder to be both band manager and girlfriend. She knows what the well-mannered Catherine side of her would do, but she also knows what her heart is telling her. Maybe it’s time to accept who she really is, even if it means becoming an exile herself. . . .
         On sale in April 2014, Kevin Emerson’s EXILE is a witty and passionate ode to love, rock and roll, and the freedom that comes in the moment when somebody believes in you, even if you’re not quite ready to believe in yourself.

To celebrate the release of Kevin Emerson’s newest book, EXILE, a contemporary book about rock and roll, romance, mystery, and figuring out how to belong, my review/recommendation/gushing thoughts about the book are posted on the Nerdy Book Club blog today. Head on over there to find out more about why you should read this amazing book!

I’ve been anxiously awaiting the final installment in Laini Taylor’s DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE series, especially since reading the second book, DAYS OF BLOOD & STARLIGHT over a year ago, and the final book, DREAMS OF GODS & MONSTERS comes out tomorrow! Laini’s writing is beautiful and literary and draws the reader in, and this fantasy world creates an epic story.

Title: DREAMS OF GODS & MONSTERS
Author: Laini Taylor
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Number of Pages: 528
Source of Book: egalley from publisher

        By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

        When Jael’s brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.
        And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.
But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz … something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

        From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy. 
        At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

In honor of the release of this final book in the series, I’m re-sharing my recommendation for book one in case you missed it, so you can start at the beginning and go on this stunning and shattering journey from the first words.


My original recommendation for DAUGHTER OF SMOKE & BONE:
Laini Taylor’s writing is beautiful, but in that way that it doesn’t jump out at you and take you out of the story, it is just woven subtly in as part of the story and you don’t realize how beautiful it is until you get to a stopping point and heave a deep sigh of relaxation from having enjoyed the writing and been lost and wrapped up completely in the world she created. The artistry with which she weaves storylines together between the two different main characters and between the present with flashbacks of backstory is enticing. There is a twist in the plot about two-thirds of the way through that almost changes the books into a different story, but it’s of utmost importance to our understanding and works so well the way Laini has written it.


And the setting…the book mainly takes pace in Prague and in Laini’s deft hand, the mystery, history, and beauty of this city lives and breathes its own life into the novel. There are exotic settings around the world (and in fantasy realms) throughout, and each one is written to evoke its own individual mood for the reader and the characters situations.


Karou is a kick-butt girl, but is struggling with feeling lonely as she discovers that the world with the “monsters” she thought she understood is not what she was led to believe. As she interacts with Akiva, the angel she encounters on one of her errands, it becomes obvious that she has some kind of pull toward him, and he to her. Little does she know that even as he tries to destroy all she holds dear, he might actually hold the key to her figuring out who (or what) she really is – what she’s been seeking to find out for awhile. Toward the end as we discover, along with Karou, what has really happened, it is shocking in the best possible way for a novel.


This is definitely a fantasy book for fans of fantasy. It has a unique take on the angel mythology and the backstory and world Laini has created is entrancing. Pre-order it now so you can escape into Karou’s world in September! I know I’ll be anxiously waiting for the next book indicated by the “…to be continued” ending to delve back into the artistry and uniqueness of the story Laini Taylor has created.

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Title: SPLIT SECOND

Author: Kasie West
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: 2/11/2014
Number of Pages: 360
Source of Book: ARC from agent

I’m not posting the summary because there are spoilers if you haven’t read PIVOT POINT yet.

My thoughts: Loved, loved, loved! Fantastic follow-up continuing the story from PIVOT POINT. Having both Addie & Laila’s voices/perspectives in alternating chapters was perfect in getting to know more about the Compound. And Trevor is back in a big way, and we get to meet Connor – both of whom have become favorites. Kasie West writes relatable characters, great guys, sweet romances, and intriguing stories.


I’ve also had many students read it already since we’ve had an advanced copy of the book, and they all loved it also. 

I feel like I’ve been with this series for a long time. Back in early 2011, there was a ton of buzz about this debut book called DIVERGENT coming out in May. And the author, Veronica Roth, had an ARC contest on her blog. And I won it! I got to read it in March 2011, and I knew then that it was going to be big. I shared the book with students and we all agreed it was going to be a really, really long wait for the next book (one of the downsides of being lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy).

So I spent the next year anxiously awaiting the May 2012 release of INSURGENT. I was extremely lucky that a kindhearted and generous editor let me know she was sending me a hotly anticipated ARC of the second book – and that it would be sent out a month before the release to avoid spoilers. So I got my copy of DIVERGENT out knowing that I would want to reread it before getting book two since it had been so long since I read it, and I was again drawn right back into that world. And then a package came in the mail addressed in this way.

I set to reading it right away, and as I was reading INSURGENT, I couldn’t help but think this was really something special I got to be a part of, and what a feeling that is to have as a reader. I loved book two also and with the big reveal at the end I knew something crazy was coming. And then began the long wait for book three. What would be the title? What would happen? Who will be cast as Four in the movie? Why has the release date been pushed from spring to fall?! (Well, obviously because the author wanted to make sure it was the right book).

I’ve been eagerly anticipating October 22nd since it was announced as the release date for ALLEGIANT. I even preordered the ebook so I would have it right away since there were no midnight releases in my area (and I knew I’d have to teach). I’ve been reading DIVERGENT aloud to my 8th graders (in anticipation of a field trip to see the movie in March), and we weren’t done as of Friday, so I brought the book home and finished reading ahead myself because I knew that I wanted to reread the first two books because it has been so long since I read them. I wanted to really wrap up my experience with this series in the best way I could without being confused about details. This weekend, I reread INSURGENT for the first time (was I ever glad I did – there was so much I had forgotten!). And as I talked to my students on Monday, I shared my excitement for the release of ALLEGIANT with them.

I told them I wasn’t sure if I was going to stay up past midnight so I could start reading or just get up extra early in the morning, but that while they were on the computers typing first drafts of papers today in the library computer lab (an inadvertent lesson planning win), I would of course be available for help/questions, but I would also be reading every spare moment I had. Well, I ended up getting up at 4am (How appropriate. Ha!) to start reading because I was so excited I couldn’t sleep any longer. After 2 1/2 years, I was finally going to find out how this journey would end. I read for awhile, got ready for school, and headed in. My librarian also got the ebook, so we talked back and forth in our excitement all day. Every class that came in, students asked me if I had it, if I was reading it, and how far I was. By the end of the day, I was only 80 pages from the end, so I decided to just stay in my classroom to finish it.

*I’m going to talk about ALLEGIANT, and it’s spoiler-free, but if you don’t even want a hint of an idea about my feelings, you might want to skip this part.
At 4:30 this afternoon I finally did, and there were many tears. I was so grateful that a couple of my students who have read DIVERGENT and INSURGENT were in after-school activities in classrooms near mine so I could go talk to them right away. I was an emotional wreck after the events in the story, and I needed someone to talk to (without spoiling anything) who would understand how I could be crying over a book, and they did.

I know some people may not like events that happen in this book, and as devastated as I may be about certain things, I know that I trust authors to do what’s right by the characters and the stories they create. I’ve loved their books and writing for a reason, so even if it’s not what I might have hoped for, I know that it’s being true to what has to happen to tell the story completely. Especially in dystopian books, these are harsh times and bad/sad things have to happen. I think this book will require some processing time and stepping back to appreciate it for what it is, without gut reactions of not understanding why certain choices were made. But here’s the thing: If I didn’t care so much, I wouldn’t be upset or in tears or in disbelief, and it’s because of what the author has written that I care so much. I’ve always thought: I may not always get a happy ending in a book, but it’s the hopeful ending I really want so I can feel comfortable leaving these characters behind and knowing they’re going to be okay. After this long with these characters and this world, I’m so glad I got to finish my time with them in one big stretch like this, and that I was left with some hope at the end.

Happy Book Birthday ALLEGIANT and Veronica Roth! Thank you for the memories and emotions and experience I got to have reading your books, and especially for the connections I’ve been able to make with students through your words and stories.

Happy Book Birthday to Daisy Whitney’s WHEN YOU WERE HERE (one of my favorite books of the year)!!!

Title: WHEN YOU WERE HERE
Author: Daisy Whitney
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Number of Pages: 257
Source of Book: ARC from publisher at NCTE

When You Were Here, Lost in Translation meets Where She Went,
is about an American teenager who travels from California to Tokyo to
uncover the secrets surrounding the death of his mother, all while
trying to both hold onto and let go of the girl he’s been in love with
his whole life.

Danny’s mother lost her five-year battle with cancer three weeks before
his graduation-the one day that she was hanging on to see.

Now
Danny is left alone, with only his memories, his dog, and his
heart-breaking ex-girlfriend for company. He doesn’t know how to figure
out what to do with her estate, what to say for his Valedictorian
speech, let alone how to live or be happy anymore.

When he gets a
letter from his mom’s property manager in Tokyo, where she had been
going for treatment, it shows a side of a side of his mother he never
knew. So, with no other sense of direction, Danny travels to Tokyo to
connect with his mother’s memory and make sense of her final months,
which seemed filled with more joy than Danny ever knew. There, among the
cherry blossoms, temples, and crowds, and with the help of an
almost-but-definitely-not Harajuku girl, he begins to see how it may not
have been ancient magic or mystical treatment that kept his mother
going. Perhaps, the secret of how to live lies in how she died.

Remember three months ago when I posted that early recommendation for KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES by Shannon Messenger? No, you missed that one? Well, that’s OK, since it releases today, I thought I’d remind you, so you can see why I think it’s so great and you should go buy it today!

Title: KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES
Author: Shannon Messenger
Publisher: Aladdin (a Simon & Schuster imprint)
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Number of Pages: 488
Source of Book: ARC from publisher at ALA

In this riveting debut,
a telepathic girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new
world–before the wrong person finds the answer first.

Twelve-year-old
Sophie has never quite fit into her life. She’s skipped multiple grades
and doesn’t really connect with the older kids at school, but she’s not
comfortable with her family, either. And Sophie has a secret–she’s a
Telepath, someone who can read minds. But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a
mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she’s not alone. He’s a
Telepath too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is
that, well…she isn’t. Fitz opens Sophie’s eyes to a shocking truth,
and almost instantly she is forced to leave behind her family for a new
life in a place that is vastly different from what she has ever known.

But
Sophie still has secrets, and they’re buried deep in her memory for
good reason: The answers are dangerous and in high-demand. What is her
true identity, and why was she hidden among humans? The truth could mean
life or death–and time is running out.

Today you’ll be able to get this book, and you should
(especially if you live or work with middle schoolers in any capacity)!
KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES blew me away. I knew I really liked Shannon
Messenger from following her on twitter and on her blog, and then when I
heard she had a middle grades and a young adult book coming out as her
debut, I was really looking forward to reading them-especially when I
read the summary of each. As a middle school teacher, I was hoping I
would like KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES, and I am happy to say that I loved
it! I would definitely recommend this middle grades magical fantasy to
fans of HARRY POTTER and THE UNWANTEDS. It is a long book, but as it is
written so well for the middle grades level, it isn’t overwhelming.
There is something just so engaging and fun and entertaining in Shannon
Messenger’s third person, descriptive, writing style, and I devoured
this book in two days and didn’t want to stop reading until I knew what
would happen to these characters and world I wanted to be a part of.

Let’s
talk about Setting: Shannon Messenger has created an astoundingly
creative fantasy world within KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES. I wasn’t sure
exactly what to expect from the summary alone, and I never expected the
“place that is vastly different form what she has ever known” to be so
well-developed and thought out. As I was reading an advance reader copy,
it was missing the map artwork, so I look forward to getting a finished
copy to enhance the reading experience even more. The world of the
elves (and not what you ever pictured elves to be) is filled with
fantastical creatures (especially love Iggy!), magically evolved
elements, and cities built with beyond-this-world materials. This
parallel world is such a discovery, not only for Sophie, but for the
reader as well. The way it is described made me want to go live there as
well. Beyond the Lost Cities within the elven world themselves, there
is also Foxfire, which is the school for the nobility that Sophie ends
up in. It is a school where she will be trained in her special ability
and where she discovers people, places, things, strength, and
friendships beyond what she ever would have imagined, and what I would
have imagined as well.

We have to talk about
Characters: KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES is full of interesting,
multidimensional characters. The only thing that threw me a little bit
as I read this book was the
number of characters because their names are not ones we’re used to
hearing, so it did take awhile to keep track of who was who in the
beginning. Not only do we get Sophie who has to make some tough
decisions and look for people to support her, but we also get Fitz and
his family, along with a multitude of other characters throughout the
elf world. We see some of the most interesting jobs as Sophie meets
these characters which adds to our understanding of how this world
works. As she goes to school, we also meet Dex and Keefe among other
classmates, and these two become some of the most entertaining
characters to interact with Sophie. I kind of adore Keefe myself. He is
the snarky guy who brings the humor that Sophie so desperately needs as
she adjusts to her new life, and deep down, he is a really good, caring
boy. We get some hints as to deeper things going on with Keefe, and I
hope we get more of him in the next book. I also really adore Sophie.
She has core values that I admire and fights for what she believes and
knows is the right thing, even if it means she might get into trouble. I
rooted for her as she is a young girl with so much strength and
determination to do the right thing and help those she cares about. She
is a strong character for the audience of this book.

Talking
about Family is important: Sophie has to leave her family to join this
hidden world where she actually belongs, and that means she is in a new
place, realizing everything she thought she knew is not the way the
world actually works, and has no family to rely on and call her own.
When she gets placed with guardians to take responsibility for her, she
has a whole new set of relationship dynamics to work on. In the end, the
storyline with Sophie searching for family and her understanding of
loss, adds such depth to the character and the overall book, and adds a
dimension that I think many kids will relate to. I know these elements
of searching for family to love her and support her and call her own
brought some of the most poignant moments of the story for me. Because
what child doesn’t want a family to feel safe with and loved by? There
was much more of an emotional element to this book than I expected going
into it, and that’s a great thing.

Now let’s talk
about Plot: While all of the subplots going on in this book add depth
and interest to the story, the overall conflict at hand is a mystery as
to why Sophie was living in the human world. Unfortunately, as Sophie is
so young, the adults looking into things don’t want to include her in
the search, but as the clues build up, Sophie has to take it upon
herself to try to find out what’s happening and why and who is behind
it. Messenger has written a novel with a tightly woven plot strongly
balancing small elements, character development, descriptive details,
world-building information, and enough action to keep things moving at
an engaging pace.

I want to talk Sequel: I know a
sequel is coming, and I can’t wait to read it! Although I knew there
would be a book following this one, I still feel that this book wrapped
up its storyline in a satisfying way. There are no major cliffhangers
here, but it still sets up where the second book will go for the next
school year. I appreciate this so much because I don’t feel like I’ve
been left hanging, but I’m left with enough of a love for this
book/world/characters that I definitely want to get my hands on the next
book asap, and I hope you’ll feel that way about this one, too!

I
think this book will be a big middle grades hit for those who like
fantasy and mystery books. From the Preface at the very start, I was
hooked on the story as I was instantly pulled into what would have
happened to get Sophie to this point. As the story wound it’s way toward
that time near the end, it became even more engaging. I think if you
are a teacher or librarian or parent of middle school age kids, you and
they will feel the same. I absolutely recommend you get KEEPER OF THE
LOST CITIES in October.

So, happy, happy book birthday, Daisy!!! And happy book reading to all of you out there – make sure to read THE MOCKINGBIRDS if you haven’t yet (and why haven’t you?! It’s so important and so good!), and then get THE RIVALS to see what happens to Alex next. In celebration of THE RIVALS being out today, I decided to repost my recommendations for both books here. Enjoy & then go buy the books!

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: November 2, 2010
Number of Pages: 332
How I Got It: Won it from The Contemps Challenge

Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.
Themis
Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body
that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way–the
Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has
two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the
Mockingbirds–a secret society of students dedicated to righting the
wrongs of their fellow peers.
In this honest, page-turning account
of a teen girl’s struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy
Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or
someone–especially yourself–you fight for it.

THE MOCKINGBIRDS
is one of those books that is so powerful for young adults to read, but
deals with a very sensitive topic. In the same way that SPEAK
by Laurie Halse Anderson brought the topic of date rape and it’s
psychological impact on a high school girl to adolescents eleven years
ago, Daisy Whitney is doing it now in a more straight-forward way in her
debut novel, THE MOCKINGBIRDS. To
then find out that the author herself has personal experience with this,
makes it all the more clear how true and accurate the portrayal of
Alex’s experiences in the aftermath of this horrifying experience are
throughout this novel. At the start of the book Alex wakes up next to a
boy she doesn’t know and isn’t able to remember how she got there. As
she goes through that day trying to figure out and remember what
happened to her, it becomes apparent that she was incapacitated and date
raped. At her boarding school, where the adults trust the students to
behave honorably because they are so exceptional in all they do, she has
no adults to turn to for help, especially because she herself isn’t
sure of what happened. So, with the help and support of her close and
loyal friends, she debates about turning to The Mockingbirds, a secret
society made up of students who have decided to police and judge their
own and right the wrongs fellow students commit. Alex’s journey to find
her truth and path is searingly honest and provides a powerful example
of struggling to discover one’s own truth and sense of right and wrong,
and what one will do to find it.

I
read this book in one day – I just wasn’t able to put it down because
Alex’s story is so engrossing and captivating, providing a powerful
message for young adults. It provides an interesting look at how those
who want to stand up for others and do the right thing can organize a
system to police themselves that works. It sends a strong message that
“the absence of a no does not mean yes.” It touches on bullying issues
as well, and shows another way of looking at high school students: if
they know what others are doing is wrong, what are they willing to do
about it? At Themis Academy, The Mockingbirds are willing to do what it
takes to call out those who have wronged others and support the victims
in every way. Whitney’s writing style drew me in, made me interested in
the story and what was happening, and gave me clues along the way that
propelled the story forward along with my desire to read it. She wrote
smart, real characters with real friendships and struggles and desires.
This book has main and secondary characters who were written so I
honestly cared about them, wanted to know more about them, wanted to
root for them, and would love to hang out with them.

This
book is about doing the right thing, finding yourself and your inner
strength and beliefs by standing up for yourself and others, becoming
stronger in knowing the truth and fighting for it, and surrounding
yourself with ones you love who would stand up for and support you when
you need them. I think the book speaks for itself: “Maybe, ultimately,
that’s what we’re all aspiring to – to have our own sense of right and
wrong and to act on it.”

This is without a doubt one of the best books I’ve read this year, any year really, and I absolutely recommend that you read it! I
look forward to reading more by Daisy Whitney! In fact, book 2 in The
Mockingbirds is coming out in fall 2011 – it will definitely be on my
to-read list!

Other Books You Might Like: SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson and THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDEAU-BANKS by e. Lockhart 

My review of THE RIVALS from November 25, 2011
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 6, 2012
Number of Pages: 352
Source of Book: Requested ARC from publisher

When Alex Patrick was
assaulted by another student last year, her elite boarding school
wouldn’t do anything about it. This year Alex is head of the
Mockingbirds, a secret society of students who police and protect the
student body. While she desperately wants to live up to the legacy
that’s been given to her, she’s now dealing with a case unlike any the
Mockingbirds have seen before.



It isn’t rape. It isn’t bullying.
It isn’t hate speech. A far-reaching prescription drug ring has sprung
up, and students are using the drugs to cheat. But how do you try a case
with no obvious victim? Especially when the facts don’t add up, and
each new clue drives a wedge between Alex and the people she loves most:
her friends, her boyfriend, and her fellow Mockingbirds.



As Alex
unravels the layers of deceit within the school, the administration, and
even the student body the Mockingbirds protect, her struggle to
navigate the murky waters of vigilante justice may reveal more about
herself than she ever expected.

Goodreads Summary:
Juliette hasn’t touched
anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident,
but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why
Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no
one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay
attention to a 17-year-old-girl. Diseases are destroying the population,
food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the
wrong color.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Juliette is alone – and can’t be touched. She is deadly – and lonely and
neglected. All she wants is to feel human again and know that she has a
choice in what she does and how she’s treated, but with her abilities,
it’s not meant to be. Once people realize what she can do, they’re going
to try to use here. They’re going to try to sway her to their side.
They’re going to try to make her do what they want. Juliette’s journey
through this book leads to a growing strength and conviction as she
figures out what she really wants and who she wants to be. Along the way she
discovers a strength she never knew she had – in more ways than one.

Tahereh’s writing is really, really unique. It’s a little bit reminiscent of a
Laurie Halse Anderson style with a not completely linear writing
quality-there are poetic parts to it and repeated lines and an
interestingly effective use of the strikeout tool that I’ve never seen
before amazing incredible entrancing. It took me a
little while to get used to it, but once I did, I was hooked. Oddly, I
noticed the use of the word “shatter” quite a bit
throughout, and I’m not sure if it’s because I knew the title so it
stuck out to me more, or if it was a bit overused, but overall, a slight
quirk in an otherwise extraordinary story.

The first part of the book is really about Juliette and her solitary
confinement, but then a boy shows up. Adam was unexpected. Adam turns
out to be different than he seems; although, he does have his secrets. I
loved Adam though – he is the kind of sweet boy character who has
always
been out for good that I like to read about in YA books. He’s probably
one of my favorite boy characters I’ve read (he’s kind of in the vein of
a Peeta-type of love interest) recently. There are some definite scenes
of romance in this book-nothing too graphic, but definitely there.

Once you get to a certain point, it’s a can’t-put-it-down read and the
action kicks in. Up
until then, it’s a more subtle kind of book. It’s a dystopian,
but you don’t really get the world building until the last part of the
book; it’s much more character driven up until then. It doesn’t really
all come together for the reader to understand what’s actually happening
until the last part of the book – and by then you care so much about
the characters that your heart is breaking for them. But, we get Kenji
then – and oh how I loved Kenji and the comic relief he provides when
it’s most needed. I hope we get more of him in book two!

There is an overall feeling of a slow exposition and then a lot of the
action happening in the later half of the book. By the end, I was left
with a Hunger Games-ish feel. In the last quarter of the book – all of a
sudden the game was changing with much bigger stakes and I was even
more intrigued by what was going to happen. I very much feel like the
ending was left open for a series and can’t wait to find out what’s
going to happen next now that Juliette knows what she does. I do think
this will be a much talked about book come November!