The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

Pages: 231

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Dystopian / Canadian Indigenous

Notes for Parents: Contains some violence, coarse language, sexuality, and other mature content.

The Back Cover

In a world nearly destroyed by global warming, the indigenous people of North America are being hunted for their bone marrow, which carries the key to recovering something the rest of the population has lost: the ability to dream. Frenchie and his companions, struggling to survive, don’t yet know that one of them holds the secret to defeating the marrow thieves.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This novel received the 2017 Governor General’s Literary Award and won the 2017 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature. It was one of Quill & Quire’s Best Books of the Year and A Globe & Mail Best Book. It was also one of the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Teens and School Library Journal’s Best Books of the Year. It is a White Pine Nominee and a CBC Canada Reads Nominee for 2018.

What’s good?

This is a unique and relevant story about a young man surviving a new world order. In a time when indigenous people hold the key to curing a strange disease, remembering the old ways becomes a fundamental theme. Storytelling as a means of communication and learning is central to this narrative about culture, environment, resilience, and healing. The characters illustrate the diversity of indigenous people, and the traits that make up a community. The effects of intergenerational trauma are carefully woven into the story, just as respecting elders and valuing the young are lessons learned. Betrayal, grief, fear, greed, and desperation drive the plot filled with adventure, violence, and a respectable amount of romance.

Best Part: The scene in the hotel when they all end up in the same room.

What isn’t good?

Is this plausible? Would the entire country turn on indigenous people just because they lose their ability to dream? With little world building, it’s difficult to believe that such an apocalypse would be possible. But is there more to it. There’s mention of global warming and environmental changes being severe, but is all this enough to create such a brutal world? The start is slow and there are a few editing errors in my edition.

Worst part: Nothing.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻ (4/5)

It’s tough to buy into the premise, that non-natives just turn into homicidal maniacs when you take away their ability to dream? However, this isn’t as distracting as it should be. The characters are strong, and the story is more about the coming together of people to form a family. By exploring the “old-timey” ways of their culture, they learn to communicate and to help each other. By understanding the history of their people and the beliefs of their ancestors, they learn to heal. This is an interesting and relevant tale that explores current issues using science fiction and adventure. Definitely recommended.

Dimaline, Cherie. The Marrow Thieves. Toronto: Cormorant Books, 2017.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Pages: 378

Intended Audience: Mature teens

Genre: Real life / suicide

Notes for Parents: Contains mature content, risky behavior, smoking, drinking, and centers on a character contemplating suicide.

The Back Cover

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death. Every day he thinks of ways he might die, but every day he also searches for—and manages to find—something to keep him here, and alive, and awake.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her small Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school—six stories above the ground—it’s unclear who saves whom. Soon it’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself. And it’s only with Finch that Violet forgets to count away the days and starts living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink…

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is being made into a major motion picture, set to be released sometime in 2018.

What’s good?

Suicide is a complex issue, but the author presents it in a straight-forward, easy-to-follow story about two teens going through tough times. Making it clear that mental illness is never a singular event, the characters experience a barrage of issues, like abuse, grief, bullying, and participation in risky behavior. Theirs is a multifaceted relationship, revealed in short chapters and small adventures that both heal and exacerbate life’s wounds. The end is both heart-breaking and hopeful.

Best Part: Quoting Russian poets

What isn’t good?

While it always felt the story was moving forward, nothing really happens until the end. Finch is obnoxious and difficult to like, despite the compassion he so desperately deserves. Violet’s tolerance of Finch’s strange behavior is incomprehensible, and it’s unclear how, or even if, he’s responsible for her transformation.

Worst part: Ultraviolent Remarkey-able.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻☻ (3/5)

In the end, I’m not sure what I think. Was Finch romanticized? Was suicide glorified? Or is this a stark look at the reality of mental illness and its aftermath? This is not a ground-breaking novel – it’s been done before and probably a little better. However, there’s a uniqueness that I enjoyed as the two teens, brought together in a moment of despair, move together for a while before they diverge in two very different directions.

Niven, Jennifer. All the Bright Places. New York: Ember, 2015.

Popular: A Memoir by Maya Van Wagenen

Pages: 255

Intended Audience: Tweens and up

Genre: Memoir

Notes for Parents: There are a few mature scenes that may be sensitive for young readers

The Back Cover

Stuck near the bottom of the social ladder at “pretty much the lowest level of people at school who aren’t paid to be here,” Maya has never been popular. But before starting eighth grade, she decides to begin a unique social experiment: spend the school year following a 1950s popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell. The real-life results are hilarious, painful, and filled with unexpected surprises—but through it all, Maya’s positive approach helps her to reveal a new understanding of self-confidence, kindness, and acceptance.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book was the 2015 winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction.

What’s good?

Maya is one courageous girl! She puts aside fear, embarrassment, and pride to blaze a trail toward popularity – 1950s style. It’s fun and funny, but Maya also deals with some serious issues along the way, like bullying, death, grief, stigma, school violence, and a drug war raging just across the border. The diary format is easy to read and well laid out. It includes photos, lists, and quotes for the 1950s book. Maya’s story unfolds at a good pace, and her adventures are believable. The ending provides a beautiful lesson about what it means to be popular.

Best Part: Her pearls, girdle, rag curls, and clutch purse.

What isn’t good?

It feels a little bit contrived. Maybe contrived isn’t the right word. Over-edited, maybe. Either way, the story is a bit too clean at times and often lacks emotional depth.

Worst part: Nothing.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺☻ (4/5)

I loved it! It was very entertaining. In fact, when I was about a quarter of the way in, I thought, “This would make a great movie.” It turns out that it was optioned by Dreamworks before it was even published! Maya is positive role model with a valuable message, and her memoir is a breath of fresh air. Highly recommended!!!

Van Wagenen, Maya. Popular: A Memoir. New York: Penguin, 2014.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston

Pages: 243

Intended Audience: Mature teens

Genre: Real life / Sexual assault

Notes for Parents: This deals with sexual assault and should be for mature teens only

The Back Cover

Hermione Winters is captain of her cheerleading team, and in tiny Palermo Heights, the cheerleaders don’t cheer for the sports teams; they are the sports team. This year’s summer training camp is Hermione’s last, and she knows this season could make her a legend. But during a camp party, someone slips something into her drink. And it all goes black.

In every class, there’s a star cheerleader and a pariah pregnant girl. They’re never supposed to be the same person. As Hermione struggles to regain the control she’s always had, she faces the wrenching decision of how to move on. The assault wasn’t the beginning of Hermione Winters’s story, and she’s not going to let it be the end.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The title Exit, Pursued by a Bear is a famous line of stage direction from Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.

Note: this review contains spoilers!

What’s good?

It has short chapters, is easy to read, and has a great cover. The story moves at a good pace, and the plot is straight forward. Hermione is a strong, confident high school cheerleader surrounded by a fiercely loyal best friend, trusting parents, an excellent school counselor, understanding teachers, and supportive classmates and community members. The hospital workers and police officers she deals with are highly professional. And her very funny therapist makes house calls and helps her with math homework. Hermione is one lucky girl.

Best Part: Dr. Hutt is hilarious.

What isn’t good?

You may have noted some sarcasm in my response above because everything is perfect. The few negative things are easily dealt with. The reporter is put in her place. Leo eventually changes his mind. Hermione deals with everything perfectly. But we all know there’s no such thing as perfect, so this story just doesn’t ring true. It’s dry and safe, and lacks any real emotion. Hermione worries about things, but none of those things happen. Everyone is supportive and understanding. It isn’t until her friend reveals a secret that she has a visceral reaction to anything.

Worst part: The way she identifies her attacker is ridiculous.

Recommendation ☺☺☻☻☻ (2/5)

The author presents an important story about a teen who is drugged and raped. However, it hits all the “things you might experience if you’re drugged and raped” without the character actually experiencing any of them. She thinks about them, fears them even, but manages to walk through the whole experience unscathed. Oh wait, she does experience one very important side effect of the rape, but she easily takes care of that with a quick trip to the city with her friend. Easy-peasy. Sorry but, I don’t recommend this novel. If you’re going to write about the hard stuff, you have to let your character be vulnerable to it.

Johnston, E.K. Exit, Pursued by a Bear. New York: Speak, 2016.