A WORLD AWAY by Pauline Francis

Much like the story of Pocahontas, A WORLD AWAY tells of an Indian girl captured by European explorers and taken from her world to theirs. 

Nadie has watched the white men burn her village and kill her mother.  Then they took her from her native land and delivered her to England.

Once in Plymouth, England, Nadie misses her home and wants to return to her father and the memories of her mother.  She is taken in by a man of the church and his sister who do their best to provide for her and make her feel comfortable, but the white world confuses her.  She doesn't understand their religion, their government, and the behavior of those who feel she represents evil and shouldn't be allowed to live freely among them.

Nadie does find comfort with Tom the blacksmith.  Her interest begins with her fascination for his work.  The flaming forge and the blacksmith's talent draw her into his shop.  When Tom extends the hand of friendship, Nadie finds she is attracted to him for other reasons as well.

Pauline Francis is adept with historical fiction, and fans of that genre will enjoy A WORLD AWAY.  It tells a timeless story that will remind readers of what they've learned in their history classes.

FIRE FROM THE ROCK by Sharon M. Draper

FIRE FROM THE ROCK is a story set in 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the time of the federal order requiring integration of public schools.  It tells some of what happened leading up to the Little Rock nine - the students who were the first to attend a previously all-white high school.

Sylvia will be starting high school next year.  As a young black girl, she is focused on boys, her classes, and pleasing her parents.  She is the daughter of a preacher and an elementary school teacher.  The family is used to the way things are in Little Rock.  Shopping at store owned by blacks, going to their black church, and living in their segregated neighborhood are just the way things are.  However, in other parts of the country blacks are protesting and demonstrating for civil rights, and it's beginning to influence the younger generation in the Little Rock area.

Sylvia is worried about her older brother Gary.  He had a run-in with some white boys who beat him up and dumped him on the front porch.  Gary is now determined to get even with his attackers, and he sees the upcoming integration as his chance.  However, his sister Sylvia becomes one of the chosen students instead of him.

Being one of the black students chosen to begin the integration of Little Rock schools both excites and frightens Sylvia.  She views going to the larger, better equipped high school as a chance to reach her goal of becoming someone special and making a difference in the world, but at the same time she knows her experience could be a dangerous one.  She has the support of her family, but ultimately the decision to attend the all-white school is hers.

Author Sharon M. Draper captures the true flavor of those tumultuous times.  Examples of devastating prejudice are described in detail.  Readers familiar with this period of history will appreciate the directness with which Draper presents the events, and younger readers will have a chance to see those challenging times through the eyes of a character much like themselves.  After reading a few brief passages to my students, quite a waiting list has formed of readers wanting to read the rest for themselves.

MILES FROM ORDINARY by Carol Lynch Williams

Having read and enjoyed THE CHOSEN by Carol Lynch Williams, I was happy to see she had written a new book.  Now that I've read MILES FROM ORDINARY, I'm looking forward to her next book, and I'm also curious to see if she includes a library/bookmobile concept again.  Interesting that both her books have a sort of hero/heroine involved with the library.  I like it.

For as long as she can remember, Lacey has known that something is not right with her mother.  Grandfather died the day Lacey was born, but she has grown up hearing about his ghost which supposedly gives ongoing advice to her mother. 

When Lacey heard news in her classroom about the attack on the World Trade Center, she immediately knew she should go home to take care of her mother.  She knew her mother would fixate on the tragedy and "listen" to the advice of her dead father, thinking she needed to prepare for the worst. 

Things like the terrorist attack or a recent tornado, flood, or hurricane are the reason Lacey's mother's bedroom is crammed with canned goods, toilet paper, and other survival supplies, and it's the reason why the windows are always closed and locked and why her mother only leaves the house to go to the grocery store.

It's been a year since Lacey's mother demanded that her sister, Lacey's Aunt Linda, leave the family home.  That left Lacey alone to take care of her mental ill mother.  Recently, things have seemed a bit better so Lacey encouraged her mother to apply for a job at the local Winn-Dixie, and Lacey herself was able to get a part-time job at the library.  Hoping the grocery store job would give her mother the needed confidence to get out of the house, the two jobs would also give Lacey a chance to get away as well.  But it only takes one day for everything positive to fall apart.

MILES FROM ORDINARY is the story of a young girl's struggle to deal with the responsibility of caring for her mentally ill mother.  Lacey's life is filled with constant memories of a past made up of her mother's crazy actions and irrational behavior.  Feeling abandoned by her aunt, Lacey is becoming resentful of this huge responsibility and unable to imagine any kind of future for herself.  Readers will be quickly drawn into Lacey's world, and if they are like me, they will turn each page hoping that Lacey can survive long enough to make a life for herself.

CONTEST TIME!!!

I haven't had a contest recently so here goes. 

The prize ..... a paperback copy of IDENTICAL by Ellen Hopkins.
(It's my favorite of all her books.)

I'm going to try an entry form this time so here goes.

*Contest deadline is April 15th.

I AM J by Cris Beam

J has always known he was different.  Now almost eighteen he has decided it is time to commit to who he really is and make the fact clear to his parents and his best friend Melissa.

J was born Jeni Silver.  His parents have always seen him as their little girl, but J knows deep inside that though his body may be female, he is truly male.  Transgender to be exact. 

After spending most of his life attempting to ignore the betrayal of his body, J is determined to take the steps necessary to become his true self.  He wants his parents and his best friend to come to terms with and accept him as transgender, but even if they don't, he will find a way to get the injections of the testosterone that will lower his voice, stimulate facial hair growth, and help him develop the male attributes that will make him be the person he believes he truly is.

Author Cris Beam takes a difficult subject and creates a book that will help readers understand the physical and emotional turmoil of one transgender boy.  She is able to explain J's gender frustration from an early age, his secret crush on his long-time friend, the constant jeers and taunts from fellow high school students, and the fear of disappointing his parents who sacrificed much for their daughter.  Readers will experience J's self-discovery, his courage, and his determination in facing the long, hard path before him.

YELLOW FLAG by Robert Lipsyte

Stock car racing is a family business in YELLOW FLAG.  Kyle's grandfather was known as the Blue Shadow and more recently Sir Walter.  He brought his sons into racing and now his grandson Kris, Kyle's older brother, is the driver of Hildebrand number 12.

Kyle grew up around the track and raced in the midget class, but his interests have headed in another direction.  He inherited his mother's musical talent and has become an accomplished trumpet player.  As part of a high school brass quintet, he hopes to make music a career.  At least that's the direction he thought he was headed.

When Kris is injured and unable to drive in a race crucial to the family business snagging an impressive new sponsor, Kyle is drafted to replace him.  The deal is one race and then either Kris is able to return or they will find another driver.  The problem is once Kyle is behind the wheel again he remembers all that he loved about racing.

YELLOW FLAG is one of Robert Lipsyte's earlier YA novels and I'm excited that I ran across it.  Readers will find plenty of action on and off the race track.  Lipsyte combines the fast-paced energy of racing with the emotional ups and downs of family versus friends.  Even readers without an interest in racing will be able to enjoy this one.

RATTLED by Lisa Harrington

Lydia and her sister Jilly are excited when a new family moves into the house across the street.  The first thing they noticed is the fact that there are two teens moving in, and the second thing is that one of them is an incredibly attractive male.

Lydia and Jilly introduce themselves to Megan and Sam.  The sisters are imagining lots of summer activities involving their new neighbors and anticipating new classmates come fall and the start of the new school year.  All the excitement and anticipation quickly evaporates when the girls meet Megan and Sam's mother. 

Mrs. Swicker is a mean as they come.  On the surface she is nice enough as she greets her new neighbors, but as soon as Lydia and Jilly begin attempting to make friends, she vetoes every activity they suggest.  When she does finally agree to allowing her children to participate, she always tags along and ruins the event.  Soon her negativity and controlling attitude begin to raise suspicion.  Lydia is sure Mrs. Swicker is guilty of some heinous crime and the children are in danger.

RATTLED is a well-needed addition to the mystery genre in teen fiction.  I constantly have students asking for mysteries and finding them is difficult.  This book by debut author Lisa Harrington will be just the ticket for those interested readers, and I'm looking forward to what she has to offer next.