Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Pages:  214

Intended Audience: Teens and Tweens

Genre: Graphic Novel / Real Life

Notes for parents: None

The Back Cover

Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night, after Girl Scouts, she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached! And on top of all that, there’s still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly. Raina’s story takes us from middle school to high school, where she discovers her artistic voice, finds out what true friendship really means, and where she can finally…smile.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a graphic novel portraying the author’s real life story.

What’s good?

Raina is goofy and awkward and very relatable. The social and personal horror that follows her bumbling accident is heartfelt – I cheered for her the entire way. The colour drawings are excellent. This engaging story moves quickly and covers aspects of growing up that will be familiar to readers of all ages – boys, trouble with friends, self-esteem, etc.

Best part: When she stands up to her friends!

What’s not so good?

The story is set in the eighties so some readers may be confused by the pop culture references.

Worst part: None

Recommendations þþþþo

This is not a complex story, but it’s quick, easy, and a lot of fun. Highly recommended!

Telgemeier, Raina. Smile. New York: Scholastic, 2010.

The School for Dangerous Girls by Eliot Schrefer

Pages: 341

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Real Life / Thriller

Notes for parents: Contains violence, coarse language and mature themes.

The Back Cover

Who knows what goes on behind the doors of The School for Dangerous Girls?

The school’s mission is clear: To take girls who’ve caused trouble and to reform them into model citizens.

Its methods?

No freedom. No medication. No leniency.

No escape.

Some girls are meant to get better. And, as Angela is about to learn, some girls are meant to stay forever.

What the Back Cover doesn’t tell you:

The School for Dangerous Girls is actually called Hidden Oak, a desolate former boys’ school that gets cut off from society when it snows.

What’s good?

This story has a strong beginning, solid characters, and an interesting setting.

Best part: The history of the school.

What’s not so good?

Any hope there was of me liking Angela disappeared when she let the hamster die. In fact, I didn’t like any of the characters, except for, maybe, Carmen. The premise was unoriginal, plot development was very weak, and the story goes completely downhill after Angela is sent to the basement. I would have liked to know more about the girls’ background and about the school’s history, and less about all of the crazy evil that somehow continues. Did every girl who’s ever passed through the school have ridiculously stupid, naïve parents?

Worst part: The hair dye at the end. What was that about?

Recommendations þoooo

I read this book because there were great reviews listed on the back. Kirkus called it “Gripping, violent and terrifying.” Booklist said it was a “page-turner.” Most surprising of all, Newsweek said it was an “acutely observed, smoothly written confection.” Sorry, I don’t agree. I don’t recommend this book.

Schrefer, Eliot. The School for Dangerous Girls. New York: Point, 2009.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

Pages: 479

Intended Audience: Teens and Mature Tweens

Genre: Dystopian / Science Fiction

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language and violence

The Back Cover

Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee—whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not—stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden—a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives. But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a trilogy.

What’s good?

This is a creative, fast-paced adventure with interesting characters, simple storytelling, and lots of action. There’s an excellent dynamic between the two main characters that is interesting to watch unfold. I like how the noise had its own chaotic font, and how animal noise is comically primitive.

Best Part: Manchee! J

What isn’t good?

While I like the fast pace, there is way too much thrown at the characters. There was never time for the characters (or reader) to rest as the one-dimensional bad guys kept coming and coming and coming. I eventually found myself rolling my eyes as yet another chase began…

Worst part: Manchee! L

Recommendation þþþoo

This is an entertaining, fast-paced (have I said that enough?) adventure with a unique premise and lots of promise. There were many unanswered questions and a giant cliffhanger at the end that will hopefully be satisfied in subsequent books in the series. I enjoyed it, and I recommend it.

Ness, Patrick. The Knife of Never Letting Go. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2009.

The Bystander by James Preller

Pages: 223

Intended Audience: Tweens and up

Genre: real life / social issues

Notes for Parents: Scenes of bullying.

The Back Cover

Eric is the new kid in seventh grade, and he needs new friends. Griffin is cool and popular and wants to be his friend. But Griffin always seems to be in the middle of bad things. And if he doesn’t like someone, they’re in big trouble. The more Eric hangs out with Griffin, the more he ends up in the middle of bad things, too. But he’s just there, just watching while it happens; none of it is his fault. He’d like to do the right thing and stop being friends with a liar and a bully like Griffin. But how can he stop being a bystander without becoming a victim?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

It’s a fairly simple story about a boy who gets mixed up with a bully.

What’s good?

This is a thought-provoking and realistic portrait of one boy’s middle school experience. The author respects that bullying is a complex issue with no easy solutions. The writing is simple and straight-forward, making it a fast and easy read.

Best Part: Eric’s sneakers and $27.

What isn’t good?

The story ends not with a bang, but with a whimper. Perhaps this is apropos since the bleak reality is that justice for bullies is often fleeting. There are rarely concrete resolutions in the complicated world of teen drama.

Worst part: I didn’t like Mary.

Recommendation þþþoo

This was a good, solid story that brushed the surface of a growing issue. It doesn’t offer any solutions, but it recognizes the problem with a convincing example.

Preller, James. The Bystander. New York: Square Fish, 2009.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork

Pages: 312

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Real life / social issues

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language and sexual references

The Back Cover

Marcelo Sandoval hears music that nobody else can hear—part of an autism-like condition that no doctor has been able to identify. But his father has never fully believed in the music or Marcelo’s unique perception of reality, and he challenges Marcelo to work in the mailroom of his law firm for the summer…to join “the real world.” There Marcelo meets Jasmine, his beautiful and surprising coworker, and Wendell, the son of another partner in the firm. He learns about competition and jealousy, anger and desire. But it’s a picture he finds in a file – a picture of a girl with half a face – that truly connects him with the real world: its suffering, its injustice, and what he can do to fight.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The cover sums up the story well.

What’s good?

Marcelo is a beautiful and endearing character whose disconnect with the real world forces us to question what normalcy really is. This is a simple but emotional story with a strong plot, good supporting characters, and many poignant moments. Marcelo’s voice carries a subtle sadness as he navigates a world outside his comfort zone. It's almost painful to witness his vulnerability.

Best Part: Marcelo’s dog, Namu Amida Butsu.

What isn’t good?

Avoiding a concrete diagnosis of Marcelo’s condition was a cop out. The lack of commitment gave the author a licence to ignore the inconsistencies of Marcelo’s behavior (as compared to, say, a child with Asperger's Syndrome) which conveniently enables Marcelo to understand situations that the average autistic child would not. 

Worst part: The pace is a bit slow.

Recommendation þþþoo

This was a good story with a great protagonist, excellent language, and creative plotting. However, it was too simple for me. I couldn’t help but compare it to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, a novel that is much more complex and entertaining.

Stork, Francisco X. Marcelo in the Real World. New York: Scholastic, 2009.