The Cat at the Wall by Deborah Ellis

Pages: 144
Intended Audience: Mature Tweens
Genre: Real life / War
Notes for Parents: Contains violence and mature themes

The Back Cover

On Israel’s West Bank, a cat sneaks into a small Palestinian house that has just been commandeered by two Israeli soldiers. The house seems empty, until the cat realizes that a little boy is hiding beneath the floorboards.
Should she help him?
After all, she’s just a cat.
Or is she?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The author has been to Israel and Palestine more than once and observed the conflict there in person. In 2004 she released a book called Three Wishes, a collection of interviews with Palestinian and Israeli children.

 

What’s good?
The complexities of the Israel-Palestine conflict are simplified by a 13-year-old girl from America who dies and returns to the world as a cat living on the wall that divides the two countries at war. With a unique storytelling style, the plot unfolds inadvertently while Clare the cat seeks shelter, and food, and perhaps a little love. Clare is a fascinating protagonist, but difficult to like, both as a bratty girl and an apathetic cat. However, character development is key, and Clare’s growth is subtle but very well done. The pace is good, the chapters are short, and at 144 pages, it’s an especially quick read.
Best Part: Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

What isn’t good?

It’s hard to expect more from a middle-school book about the Israel-Palestine conflict. Perhaps the conflict was too simplified, and maybe the characters could have been more fleshed out, but I never felt bothered by any of it. The story was not political; it was a poignant observation that focused on the results of war rather than the reasons for it.
Worst part: There was nothing I didn’t like.

Recommendation þþþþo

The story was sweet without being sappy, and honest without being too graphic. It has conflict and emotion, but is easy to read. It doesn’t provide a whole lot of information about the actual Israel-Palestine conflict, but it does provide a window into life in a war zone. I liked it. Recommended.

Ellis, Deborah. The Cat at the Wall. Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2014.

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

Pages: 265
Intended Audience: Teens
Genre: Drama / Romance
Notes for Parents: Contains discussions about religion versus science.

The Back Cover

Your best friend hates you.
The guy you liked hates you.
Your entire group of friends hates you.
All because you did the right thing.
Welcome to life for Mena Reece, whose year is starting off in the worst way possible. She’s been kicked out of her church group and no one will talk to her—not even her own parents. No one except for Casey, her supersmart lab partner in science class, who’s pretty funny for the most brilliant guy on earth.
And when Ms. Shepherd begins the unit on evolution, school becomes more dramatic than Mena could ever imagine as she is caught up in a controversy involving science, religion, freedom—and a heart-racing, blush-inducing, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him crush.
Now Mena’s own life is about to evolve in some amazing and unexpected ways.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the author’s first novel.

What’s good?

Mena is a strong, curious, honest, and very relatable protagonist. The story is basically about a girl who is trying to reconcile her beliefs as a Christian with what she’s learning in science class, and also with her conflicting feelings about the behavior of some of the people at her church. The plot is fairly simple, the pace is steady, and the chapters are short. The main characters, Mena and her friend Casey, are very well-drawn. It’s difficult for a story about religion versus science not to be preachy, but the author does a good job of eventually representing both sides respectfully.
Best Part: Puppies!

What isn’t good?

Hopefully people will read this story understanding that Pastor Wells and his congregation do not accurately represent the majority of Christian communities. While there are many organizations that would agree with what the fictional pastor was preaching, the actions of the congregation do not reflect those of the majority. The pejorative behavior of the church youth seemed a bit severe (although not unheard of), especially in contrast to the loving kindness of Casey’s family, and the savvy confidence of the science teacher.  
Worst part: Nothing was terrible.

Recommendation þþþþo

I enjoyed the story. It was interesting to watch the religion versus science debate and I think the ending was a win for both sides.  The light romance between the two main characters was sweet, and the puppy project was adorable. I found the behavior of the church youth a little hard to stomach, but unfortunately that’s a reality in some communities. Definitely recommended.

Brande, Robin. Evolution, Me& Other Freaks of Nature. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007.

Half Bad by Sally Green

Pages: 394
Intended Audience: Teens
Genre: Supernatural
Notes for Parents: Contains violence that may not be suitable for sensitive readers.

The Inside Cover

Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world’s most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan’s only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers – before it’s too late. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is monitored, when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the author’s first novel, and the first book in a trilogy.

What’s good?

This is a classic story of good versus evil. The trick is to figure out who’s good and who’s evil! This first part of the series is basically a coming-of-age story about a boy, Nathan, who’s rejected by his community because he’s half “good” witch and half “bad” witch. He has to put his trust in strangers if he’s going to develop his magic. Nathan is a natural protagonist and very likeable. The supporting characters are strong and interesting, especially Mercury, Gabriel, Annalise, and Marcus. The setting is modern but still has an old feel to it. The plot is simple and easy to follow.
Best Part: Despite what people say, Nathan still gives his dad the benefit of the doubt.

What isn’t good?

I’m not sure if it was the pacing or the plotting, but the second half of the novel was difficult to read. Things were happening, but it also felt like time was standing still. I was bothered by the terms white and black to describe good and bad witches. It’s an old habit that seems highly outdated for a novel set in modern times. The overall mood of the story is sad, peppered with unfairness, unkindness, suspicion, distrust, threats, blackmail, and some outright hatred. It leaves little room for hope.
Worst part: Having a few chapters told from second-person point-of-view was unnecessary.

Recommendation þþþoo

The story was good, but not great. Characterization was strong, but the plot was weak. Nothing felt new or unexpected, and it lacked a sense of hopefulness. I’m sure good will overcome evil, but it’s not really clear who or what “good” is. Despite the criticism and probably because the characters were so well done, I still found the story entertaining.

Green, Sally. Half Bad. New York: Viking, 2014. (Hardcover)