The Klipfish Code, by Mary Casanova

While most people are aware of the horrors that took place in Germany during World War II, most do not know about the Nazi occupation in other countries. When her home country of Norway is invaded by the Nazis, Marit refuses to accept their presence. She wants to do something to return her country to peace, but what? Marit starts by secretly saving paperwork written by other resistance fighters. Then she wears a paperclip on her collar as a covert sign of solidarity among the Norwegian people. But when her family members start to disappear, she knows she needs to take much bolder actions. Marit and her younger brother use what was known as the klipfish code and risk their lives to see their family again.

This is obviously heavy subject matter, especially with Marit’s separation from her parents when they join the Nazi resistance, but Casanova handles the topic in a manner appropriate for tweens. I would not outrightly recommend The Klipfish Code for anyone under 10 because of the mature content, but parents can be the best judge of their child’s maturity and reading level.

Finally, this book will have a greater impact if the reader has some previous knowledge of WWII and Nazi occupation. As such, it would be an excellent addition to a classroom lesson plan on this critical time in world history.

Casanova, M. (2007). The Klipfish Code. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 978-0-618-88393-6

Powder Monkey: Adventures of a Young Sailor

When he is only thirteen, Sam leaves his home in England to see the world working aboard a merchant ship. He is instead forced aboard a dangerous naval ship and put to work hauling gun powder to the cannons for battle. Sam lives in constant fear of beatings, injury, or even death. Should he have just stayed at home and worked in his father’s shop? Can he earn the respect of the hardened sailors? Will he ever see his mother again? Dowswell paints an excellent (and sometimes gory) picture of life aboard a ship in the nineteenth century, and tween boys especially will appreciate this adventure on the high seas.

Dowswell, P. (2005). Powder Monkey: Adventures of a Young Sailor. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN-13: 978-1-58234-675-5

Boys' Life, August 2010

Any publication sanctioned by the Boy Scouts of America is sure to be squeaky clean, but it should not be assumed that Boys’ Life is therefore boring. The August 2010 edition features a story about Hurricane Hunters, an Air Force squadron that bravely flies into the eyes of brutal storms to forecast when the storm will hit and where, potentially saving thousands of lives. Of course, Boys’ Life also features scout-friendly tips, like tying a better fly fishing knot and properly planning a backpacking trip. Some of the games and anecdotes may be too juvenile for older readers, but otherwise this is a magazine that would be of interest to boys of all ages.

The Chocolate Wars, by Robert Cormier

“They murdered him.” Any book that opens with such a line is sure to be tense, mysterious and, most likely, violent. The Chocolate War will get your heart pounding and make you squirm in your seat. While it is a suspenseful story of an underground society steeped in the history of Trinity private school, it can also be viewed as an extreme commentary on the cliques and cruelty often present among teens.

After examining his father’s monotonous life, Jerry Renault decides he wants a life that stands out, where there are no days that are just “fine.” The high school freshman gets the opportunity to stand out when he challenges the school’s secret society, The Vigils, and their malicious leader, Archie.

While I don’t think girls would necessarily dislike this book, it should be mentioned that there are no female characters in Cormier’s novel; the most prominent female character is Jerry’s deceased mother, who is described through flashbacks. Also worth remembering is that The Chocolate Wars was originally published in 1974. As such, today’s young readers may not fully grasp the contrast between the prep school boys and the free-thinking hippies that pass through his town. However, this book is considered a classic for many reasons. For instance, Jerry’s maxim- “"Do I dare disturb the universe?"- will still ring true among readers. And Jerry’s eventual answer may surprise them....

Cormier, R. (1974). The Chocolate Wars. Alfred A. Knopf: New York, NY. ISBN 978-0375829871

Summer reading programs

Library summer reading programs are one of those things that the public intrinsically believes to be good. While public libraries are constantly asked to prove that they are still useful and relevant, I do not see many instances where libraries are challenged to prove the worth of summer reading programs specifically.

A post on the State of Delaware Division of Libraries blog looks at a three-year study performed at the New York State Library whose results may call into question the widespread effectiveness of summer reading programs. While the study applauds the effects of summer reading programs, it also suggests that libraries may need to do more for disadvantaged youth to combat the “summer slide.” Students from a higher socioeconomic background generally have more access to books and encouragement outside of school already. Their participation in summer reading programs is of course advantageous, however, engagement in some sort of summer curricular activity may be more critical for youth who do not have “positive reading practices, and connections with institutions supportive of self-discovery and reading” outside of the classroom.

A second article I examined this week from School Library Journal, titled Flipped!: Want to Get Teens Excited about Summer Reading? Just Add Video proposed an innovative way to spark teen interest in reading programs. I was particularly interested in this article as I often wonder if traditional summer reading programs actually entice alliterate teens into picking up a book. The opportunity to win free passes and novels might be enticing for a kid who already loves to read, but I don’t think a movie ticket is enough to get non-readers to suddenly pick up a book. To solve this very problem, the King County Library System (Washington) created a Read.Flip.Win. program, which asked teens to create video trailers for their favorite reads. As the author affirms, this spin on a traditional summer reading program appealed to existing patrons, but drew new library users as well. The librarians were especially impressed with how at ease their young patrons were with this medium. Also, even though the library purchased some flip-style video cameras so that patrons without the necessary technology could still participate, they found that very few participants needed the library’s cameras. It would therefore be interesting to know if participants were primarily middle- or upper-class teens.

However, it still remains, in my humble opinion, that getting kids to read or even just visit the library under any circumstance (and at any time of year) can never have negative consequences.

Wooten, J. (2009). Flipped!: Want to Get Teens Excited about Summer Reading? Just Add Video. School Library Journal, 55(5), p. 38-40.

Everything on a waffle, by Polly Harvath

What, you don’t believe you can get lasagna on a waffle? Well, talk to Primose, who believes anything is possible. Primrose stills believes her parents are stranded on an island somewhere after being lost at sea in a nasty storm and never seen again. Although suddenly faced with a tough life which includes moving in with her uncle and being teased by her peers, where only The Girl on a Red Swing diner and its the sassy chef, Miss Bowzer, seem to cheer her up, Primrose keeps beating to her own optimistic drum. Because the main character is only eleven and has a flighty innocence that older tweens may not relate to, this book is best for tweens ages 8 to 11.

Horvath, P. (2002). Everything on a waffle. Scholastic: New York, NY. ISBN 978-0439451307

Money Hungry, by Sharon Flake

Unlike most of the tween titles I have read thus far which feature female lead characters, Money Hungry’s protagonist is hardened and streetwise. With memories of homelessness and the current reality of the projects haunting her, Raspberry Hill thinks constantly of money, whether she is selling candy to her classmates or counting change to fall asleep. Raspberry hopes for a better life for her and her mother but her money hungry ways may land her into more trouble than good. Although this story is hard and raw, it is written in a way that keeps it appropriate for most tweens. Impressively, this may be a book with a female lead that would be of interest to boys as well.

Flake, S. (2007). Money Hungry. Hyperion Books: New York, NY. ISBN 978-1423103868

Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen

A favorite since its 2002 debut, Hoot remains a laugh-out-loud story about Roy Eberhardt’s attempts to avoid bullies and find some excitement in his new hometown. When Roy repeatedly witnesses a strange boy running barefoot and at full speed through the neighborhood near his middle school, Coconut Grove, Florida suddenly seems a lot more interesting… and strange. Featuring port-a-potty vandals, several burrowing owls, a couple of bullies, one oily black hair, and Roy’s dry humor, this part-comedy, part-mystery is a novel unlike any other.

Hiaasen, C. (2002). Hoot. Alfred A. Knopf: New York, NY.

Rodzina, by Karen Cushman

After losing her siblings in a fire, her father by a runaway horse, and her mother to despair and fever, Rodzina is “alone, hungry, and miserable.” She finds herself first living on the streets of Chicago and then being taken in by the Little Wanderers’ Refuge orphanage. The orphanage can only house and feed Rodzina for so long, and as per their usual practice, puts Rodzina and dozens of other parentless children on an orphan train headed West. Although Rodzina is frightened and even imagines jumping off the train to live on the streets again, she knows there are good people in the world and continues to pray that she will be adopted by a loving mother and father. She also finds solace in caring for the younger children on the train, and especially feels for those orphans whose families are still alive but could not care for them.

Will Rodzina become a slave to a rich family, wind up homeless again, or find a loving mother and father? Rodzina’s story, as well as the rich Polish and American history woven into the novel, will hook readers and keep them guessing to the very end of this Newbery Medal Winner. Cushman also does an excellent job of detailing the American landscape in late 1800s.

Please click on the screen below to view a trailer for Rodzina:



Cushman, K. (2003). Rodzina. Dell Yearling, New York, NY. ISBN 0-440-41993-X

A long way from Chicago, by Richard Peck

It seems everyone has a family legend. For Mary Alice and Joey, who hail from Chicago, their family legend is born in yearly trips to visit larger-than-life Grandma Dowdel on her rural farm. The narrator, Joey, reveals hilarious stories about Grandma, including her connection to Abraham Lincoln’s top hat and her expert use of a twelve-gauge shotgun. Readers who plowed through Al Capone does my shirts will love Peck's A long way from Chicago.

Peck, R. (1998). A long way from Chicago. Dial Books for Young Readers: New York, NY. ISBN 0-8037-2290-7

I wanna re-do my room, by Clea Hantman

Recalling the day when I secretly started removing my pastel blue teddy bear wallpaper, I was instantly hooked on Hantman’s do-it-yourself guide. Hantman offers funky and fun ideas, like creating you own abstract masterpieces to hang on the wall and step-by-step instructions for t-shirt pillows. One of the best (and most hilarious) suggestions is adding a thought bubble above your favorite reading space. Write in one permanent thought or make it interchangeable. Best of all, she speaks to readers like she’s one of them: “If your room seems large and daunting, enlist a friend or three to help. Treat them to caramel white chocolate mochas before you start.”

This is one in a series of crafty books by Hantman, along with titles like I wanna make my own clothing and I wanna make gifts. Before you cringe about your teen picking up a paintbrush and adding zebra stripes to her furniture, imagine the money you will save in not purchasing brand new furniture and accessories. Applaud your tween for their creativity and for escaping the conspicuous consumption and disposable goods mentality. And certainly read this book yourself: I wanna re-do my room is even great for adults like me who desperately need a refresher course on basic sewing and painting techniques.

Hantman, C. (2006). I wanna re-do my room. Aladdin: New York, NY. ISBN 978-0689874635

Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen

Bryce has found next-door neighbor Juli to be an obnoxious pest since the day they met, while Juli has been preparing for the day her and Bryce become boyfriend and girlfriend. But everything changes when they reach junior high. This is an excellent pick for both genders, as chapters alternate between Bryce and Juli’s points of view. A movie based on the novel will be released to theaters in October, which is sure to generate a lot of excitement surrounding Van Draanen’s enjoyable twist on the boy meets girl storyline.

Van Draanen, W. (2001). Flipped. Alfred A. Knopf: New York, NY. ISBN 0375811745.

Adam Canfield of the Slash, by Michael Winerip

Soccer practice, jazz band rehearsal, Quiz Bowl Gladiator meet, running club, baritone lesson, school newspaper deadline. If this insane schedule sounds familiar to you or your child, this book will be a hit. Adam is constantly running late, trying to stay on top of his daily schedule, and has now begrudgingly accepted the position of co-editor for the school newspaper alongside his good friend Jennifer. Adam wonders if something has to give, and even considers giving up his favorite activity, reporting for the Slash. But after a meeting with the school principal, the Slash’s star reporters suspect a cover up at Harris Elementary/Middle School and Adam decides to give the story his all.

Impressively, Adam and Jennifer maintain a fraternal relationship and mutual respect for the other, at a time when society and media almost force tweens to explore their sexuality. Jennifer is almost the antithesis of a girly girl as a hard-nosed editor, playing basketball with Adam and, as he says, she isn’t “one of those annoying girls who spends their time on the computer filling in do-it-yourself romance sites for the boys they liked.”

While the cover art definitely has boy appeal, the point of view actually switches from Adam to Jennifer every few chapters. This is therefore a great book for both genders and allows the reader to explore the two personalities at the forefront of the story. At over 300 pages, Adam Canfield of the Slash isn’t the shortest of novels, but the action is so immediate and fact-paced (like Adam's crazy schedule) that readers won’t notice how quickly they reach the suspenseful end.

Winerip, M. (2005). Adam Canfield of the Slash. Candlewick Press: Cambridge, MA. ISBN 0-7636-2340-7

Marketing to tween girls

This week, I explored two articles relating to marketing practices and tween girls. According to the first article, Tweens: A billion dollar market by Rebecca Leung, “25 million kids, between the age of 8 and 13, form the most powerful consumer group since the baby boom.” Clearly, marketers are paying special attention to the attitudes and tastes of this age group.

Leung discloses that marketing firm Girls’ Intelligence Agency (GIA) infiltrates slumber parties by providing “Alpha Girls” as young as eight with boxes of never before released products to share with their friends. To me, this takes product placement, already rampant in movies, video games and television programs, to a whole new level. This article was my first encounter with these “slumber parties” and I immediately wondered what role parents played in allowing such direct marketing to their daughters. My question was answered by the second article, How Young Is Too Young: Marketing To The Tween Generation, published by the Journal of Business Case Studies: “The Tween and mom act as one consumer.” Parents want their kids to be comfortable and happy, and with the large amount of disposable income many families have, parents can provide their tweens with the products to facilitate this.

Of course I would love if companies sent me boxes of goodies to share with my friends, but as an adult, I would be aware of the companies’ motivations for doing so. I’m unsure if an eight-year-old can be as savvy of a consumer. The Journal of Business Case Studies article presents several questions for consideration:

• “Is it wrong for a company to target tweens with clothing options that many (e.g., parents, teachers, school principals, etc.) would consider inappropriate for their age?”
• “Does the nature of tween market bring more pressure on the retailers to adopt a higher ethical approach?”

I think our society has struggled for decades with what is and is not appropriate for children, but this concern is now magnified with the fairly recent increase in marketing aimed at tweens.

Al Capone does my shirts

Like many authors before her, Gennifer Choldenko grabs onto an already fascinating piece of history and imagines the characters and scenarios that were involved. When twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan’s dad gets a job on Alcatraz, the whole family moves onto the island. While adjusting to living in this strange place, Moose must also deal with the Warden’s conniving daughter, Piper, who loves to get him into awkward situations.

The reader quickly learns that Moose’s sister, Natalie, is “different.” Although it is never stated outright, it appears Natalie has autism, a condition not named or fully understood in the 1930s. Rather than display embarrassment and try to hide his sister, as some kids might do, Moose patiently handles his sister’s outbursts and proudly explains to others that Natalie is way smarter than they are.

In many ways this is a classic coming-of-age story, although Moose grows up in a very intimate community of families, surrounded by hundred of convicts, on an island in the San Francisco bay. What young man wouldn’t be enthralled by the stories of Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly that are woven into the novel? This novel is most excellent for boys grades 5-8, but girls and even adults will also be fascinated by Choldenko’s novel. I know I was!

Choldenko, G. (2006). Al Capone does my shirts. Puffin: New York, NY. ISBN 978-0142403709.

Word Nerd by Susin Neilsen

Anyone between the ages of twelve to sixteen interested in words would be attracted to Word Nerd by Susin Neilsen. The story of Ambrose, a boy growing up most recently in Vancouver BC with an overprotective widowed/single mom, is one that both boys and girls can relate to on many levels.

Ambrose has moved a lot as his mother struggles to balance this two-person family. His mom has not secured a solid job, which has triggered moves from one university position in one area to another. Ambrose struggles to fit in but finds he always has the wrong clothes, shoes, and academic interests. As a result of the moves, Ambrose has made or sustained no true friends.

Instead, as the title depicts, words have become his friends. He and his mom engage in games of Scrabble often. Ambrose loves the study of words, their origins and playing with them. He hates physical sports which often makes him a loner and a target.

The true adventure begins when Ambrose discovers a flyer for a local Scrabble Club. He befriends an ex-con named Cosmo and talks Cosmos into driving him to the club’s practice sessions despite his mother’s orders to “stay clear of that young man.” They soon develop a quirky big brother/little brother type relationship wherein each discovers a friend in the other. Ambrose helps Cosmo stay on the straight and narrow by steering clear of old acquaintances all the while winning over a new girlfriend, and Cosmo teaches Ambrose some fighting blocks for self-defense while covertly assisting in driving Ambrose to the big regional Scrabble tournament for which he has qualified.

It is an early coming to know one’s self book that many in the tween age group struggling to identify their own self and win autonomy will enjoy. This is also a story about loving someone despite, and because of, their weaknesses and faults.

Nielsen, S. (2008). Word Nerd. Tundra Books: New York, NY. ISBN 978-0-88776-875-0

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody

The Suite Life of Zack & Cody on Disney Channel, which centers around twin boys living in a ritzy Boston hotel, includes a lot of what you would expect from a tween sitcom. There is an abundance of stupid, slapstick humor and all the typical stock characters: the rich, snobby girl, the more down to earth girl, the goofy but loveable guy, and the boy all of the girls fawn over. (It reminded me of the early '90s shows Clarissa Explains It All and Salute Your Shorts.) Tween girls will especially love the stars of the show, twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse, who appeared many years ago in the comedic film Big Daddy. Zack & Cody deals with tween issues like dating, absentee parents and developing one’s identity by exploring different personas, but in a very safe way.

Are our kids losing their creativity?

“Preschool children, on average, ask their parents about 100 questions a day. Why, why, why—sometimes parents just wish it’d stop. Tragically, it does stop. By middle school they’ve pretty much stopped asking.”

The above is a quote from a recent Newsweek story, The Creativity Crisis, which highlights the sharp decline in creativity seen in America’s children. Between the time spent devouring video games and television and the pressure on our schools to meet standards, the article opines, America’s children are lucky to master reading, writing and arithmetic. Even China, known for its strict learn and repeat standards, has recognized the need to foster imagination and invention to make upcoming generations marketable in the workforce.

Personally, the projects and papers I remember most were the ones that required us to step outside the cycle of memorization and regurgitation. I can’t tell you offhand who was president in 1896, but I can tell you the results of my sixth grade science fair project. I also saw in my younger brother the failure of the school system to nurture those with more creative brains. My brother was expelled from high school after shutting down the school district’s entire computer system. He was bored out of mind, close to failing out, but was smart enough to manipulate a protected computer network. (Do I sound like too much of a proud sister?)

Today’s employers want innovators and go-getters, but those entering adulthood have rarely been asked to step into those roles. Budget cuts have forced schools to enlarge class sizes, meaning students will receive even less personalized attention. On a positive note, I see many school districts are now offering specialized academies, such as nursing, law and theater, to nurture those students who want to pursue a special interest. As always, though, parents can “make up the difference” and encourage free thinking and creativity (with some boundaries, of course) at home.

The Baby-sitters Club: Mary Anne Saves the Day

I could not resist revisiting the books that were a staple of my reading diet during my tween years. I must preface this entry by saying that my review is based on the original 1987 version of this book, which is all that was available at my local library. Martin’s series has recently undergone a facelift in the form of graphic novels. I hope to read one of the updated novels and compare it with the older version in a later review.

In Mary Anne Saves the Day, the fourth of over one hundred novels in the series, the usually shy Mary Anne (whose dad became super overprotective after her mother passed away) gets a chance to prove that she is not the immature weakling everyone thinks her to be The four members of the club are a close-knit group, never missing a weekly meeting and walking to school together everyday without fail. But when they get into a huge fight with no resolution in sight, the Babysitters Club may fall apart. Mary Anne decides it is up to her to bring the girls back together. Readers are also introduced to Dawn, the next member invited to join the club.

Although each character verges on caricature (e.g. Dawn, the blonde, tree-hugger from California and Claudia, the Chinese-American girl who tries to distance herself from her parents’ traditional ways), tween girls will identify with each of the babysitters in some way. And these are smart, entrepreneurial young ladies, usually supporting each other instead of working against the others. Certainly, Martin’s novels are a welcome change from some of the self-destructive role models and negative self-images that tweens are exposed to all too regularly.

Martin, A.M. (1987). The baby-sitters club: Mary Anne saves the day. Scholastic: New York, NY. ISBN 0-590-43512-4

Eggs, by Jerry Spinelli

Eggs is the rare gem for tweens that could appeal to girls and boys alike. Nine-year-old David has just relocated to a Pittsburg suburb after the death of his mother. He expresses his sadness and anger by lashing out at his grandmother and refusing to make new friends … until he meets thirteen-year-old Primrose, who lives in a van outside her psychic mother’s house in a shady part of town. While theirs is an odd relationship, it works. Both feel like outsiders and shun the people closest to them. At one point, David points out the irony in their friendship: Primrose tries to escape the mother who she says is crazy, while David wants nothing more than to have his mother back. Although they maintain a tough exterior- David constantly shouts at Primrose “I don’t like you!” and Primrose calls David names like “infant turd”- they find in the other the love and support they need.

Spinelli’s prose is great for readers who like it brief and to the point: “A drape parted. Light. Her silhouette leaving. Dark again. Night in a box. David alone. Scared.” I consider this the antithesis of J.K. Rowling’s rambling, 50 words per sentence style!

My only qualm with Eggs is the sometimes unrealistic circumstances. Yes, these characters are raw and real, but what grandmother would allow a nine-year-old free reign of the city, regardless of the circumstances? How many times would your grandson stay out until 2 am before you noticed? However, because this is such a powerful story and David’s progression from boyhood requires him to explore on his own, the reader lets it pass. Overall, Spinelli’s Eggs is a funny but moving story full of quirky, loveable characters.

Spinelli, J. (2007). Eggs. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0316166464.

The Magic Thief, by Sarah Prineas

Harry Potter fans will rejoice over this first installment of Prineas' fantastical series. The Magic Thief follows a young man's transformation from pickpocket into wizard in the magic-filled city of Twilight. There is an even a companion website (www.magicthief.com) for those multi-media loving tween readers.

Prineas, S. (2008). The Magic Thief. HarperCollins: New York, NY. ISBN: 978-0-06-137587-3.

The TARGET Method: Getting Tweens Excited about Reading

Chapter 4 in Teri Lesesne’s Naked Reading presents the TARGET method (Trust, Access, Response, Guidance, Enthusiasm, and Tween Appeal) as a way to get tweens to (re)discover a love for reading. It is obvious that Lesesne has ample experience working with this age group and truly enjoys it. Lesesne provides easy, concrete suggestions for each of the six steps in the TARGET process. I don’t want to repeat Lesesne’s recommendations verbatim, so I will highlight just a couple of my favorites:

• “Do not try to find books that address problem students might be having in class.”

This was a timely reminder for me, as I was completing the review below on Ida B., about a young girl whose mother is diagnosed with cancer. My first inclination was that Ida B. would be an invaluable choice for tweens who have had similar experiences in their own families. But after reading Lesesne’s suggestion, I realized that the last thing children dealing with a terminal illness in their family want is a heart-wrenching story. They would most likely prefer something light and humorous instead.

• “Print out a master list of possible questions and have students keep that list in their notebooks.”

In addition to a list of broad questions for students to consider as they read, I would also suggest keeping a blank sheet of paper directly in the book and keeping a pencil handy. That way, if the student has a favorite quote, a question about something that happened in the book, or an idea for a paper or project, they can quickly jot it down and continue reading. Of course, if a book is completely for pleasure and there is no reporting required upon completion, then these suggestions should be ignored! As Lesesne also suggests, not every book kids read should have a paper or project connected to it. Sometimes, it is okay to finish a book and just move on.

Although Naked Reading is aimed primarily at teachers, parents and librarians can apply these suggestions in the home or library, since Lesesne stresses the importance of having books everywhere. Have books available in the classroom, at home, and even in the car. Families can find great audio books for road trips and discuss the story together. Also, parents and teachers should constantly demonstrate reading for pleasure.

Finally, as a side note, I recently completed a group project on the effects of teen comic books in libraries. We came across a great case study in our research (Gorman, M. (2009). Comics in the Curriculum: Math, Science and History. Library Media Connection, 28(3), 36), demonstrating one teacher’s use of the graphic novel version of Beowulf alongside the traditional version. In one of her reading lists, Lesesne recommends the graphic novel based on Kafka's The Metamorphosis. Although I still am not sure there is ever a replacement for actually reading “The Canon,” bringing these new techniques and formats into the classroom seems like an excellent idea for getting tweens excited about reading.

Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech

Walk Two Moons is an endearing tale of thirteen year old American Indian, Salamanca Tree Hiddle as she navigates the emotions and reality of her mother’s death. She travels across the country with her eccentric grandparents and they visit the sites that her mother had on her same journey which ultimately ended with Salamanca’s mother’s death, in a bus down the side of a ravine.

As Salamanca’s journey begins she shares the story of a friend called Phoebe and the many escapades of Phoebe’s family. Interestingly, the stories shared evoke the exact emotions which Sal is experiencing. Along the way Sal gives herself over to the anxious journey and weaves a saga with Phoebe as main character, as she is wrapped in the quirky love from her grandparents. The Greek and Native American myths wrapped into the story also provide wisdom and strength. In a twist with that will surely evoke tears from the reader, Sal experiences yet another major loss along the journey.

Walk Two Moons is a great book for any youngster facing and internalizing the realities of losing a loved one. In the end she faces the truth of her mother’s demise but realizes that her mother will always live on in the streams, trees, grasses, and the smells of that summer she trekked to find her mother and ultimately find herself.

Creech, S. (1994). Walk Two Moons. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0064405171

Best friends and bullying

Ypulse recently posted a discussion on a New York Times story wherein the potential negative effects of tween and teen best friends are highlighted. (Last week, my professional reading post also included an article from The New York Times. See, newspapers and traditional news sources are still relevant, whether we access them in print or online!) Apparently, some schools have even gone as far as to separate best friends whose relationship is viewed as unhealthy to themselves or other students. The discussion about social cruelty among teenagers, and especially girls, is not new. In fact, the author of the Ypulse article makes a reference to Regina George, the lead character in the movie Mean Girls, which is based on the book Queen Bees and Wannabees by Rosalind Wisemand published in 2002.

We all know that middle school is rife with cliques. The power of the group can build one’s confidence if they are part of that ‘in” crowd or greatly damage one’s self-esteem if they are on the other side. We may have been one of the queen bees, comfortably seated at the top of the middle school social ladder. We may have been one of the outsiders, subject to ridicule by those queen bees but still wishing to be one of them. We may have tried to stay low on the radar of potential bullies. Or we may have been all of those at some point, since as often happens, middle schoolers explore many different identities and social circles in trying to define a sense of self.

The quick and easy fix of simply separating “bffs” (either by not placing them in the same in-class groups or on the same sports teams, or by placing them in different classes altogether) seems like it would create more issues than it would solve. As the Times article opines, "If children’s friendships are choreographed and sanitized by adults, the argument goes, how is a child to prepare emotionally for both the affection and rejection likely to come later in life?" Perhaps teachers need to address the root of the problem and provide lessons to students or administrators need to give school-wide assemblies on bullying. Separating two queen bees is only a temporary solution and, again, does not address the real issue of why tweens and teens need to so viciously distinguish “in” and “out” crowds. I can’t say I have an answer. There have always been popular crowds and has always been bullying to a certain degree. It is hard to say if the extent of cliquishness and bullying is actually greater or if the media and society are simply now more aware of the issue.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (The Motion Picture Soundtrack)

If you somehow avoided this fact, Eclipse is the third installment of Stephenie Meyers’ vampire series. Like the previous two soundtracks, it features mainly darker, modern rock that fits the stormy Forks, Washington weather. Surprisingly, even listeners who are not diehard Twilight fans can enjoy these selections from Vampire Weekend, Muse, The Bravery and others.

Kira-kira, by Cynthia Kadohata

“My sister, Lynn, taught me my first word: kira-kira."

Katie looks to her big sister and best friend, Lynn, to make sense of the world around them. Lynn explains to Katie that there is kira-kira (“glittering”) in everything around them. Lynn encourages Katie to become a great doctor, scientist or tennis player. When the family struggles to afford a house, it is Lynn’s idea for them to stop spending their allowance on candy and secretly save it for their parents. Lynn is the kira-kira in Katie’s life.

But when Lynn becomes seriously ill, there is no longer a role model for Katie to follow and she must learn to be a big sister herself. She constantly sees the worry on her parents’ faces, and tries to be responsible and tough so her parents have one less thing to worry about. In between being a caretaker for her younger brother, Sammy, Katie struggles with schoolwork and daydreams about her imaginary future husband Joe-John Abondondalarama.

On a historical note, Kira-Kira explores the prevalence of racism in the 1950s and 60s South. There are only six Japanese-American families in their Georgia town. Lynn points out to the unaware Katie that she may not have many friends when she enters first grade because they are Asian-American. The conditions of lower-class factory workers are also described in detail.

My first impression of Kadohata’s novel is that it seemed too young for the tween set. We are introduced to the main character before she is even five, and tween readers may initially have trouble relating to Katie. However, throughout the course of the novel, Katie develops into a very mature and admirable young woman. Kira-Kira is a beautifully written glimpse into one family’s life through the eyes of their middle daughter.

Kadohata, C. (2004). Kira-Kira. Atheneum Books: New York, NY. ISBN 06985639-3