Quick Book Review - Keesha's House by Helen Frost

I picked up Keesha's House by Helen Frost from a special "April is Poetry Month" display at the library. I've been a fan of verse novels ever since I read Karen Hesse's Out of the Dust. Alternating narrators reveal stories of troubled teens who find a common safe place. They all have various reasons why they don't feel welcome at home. Stephie is pregnant. Harris just came out to his close-minded family. Katie's stepfather keeps trying to come in her bedroom at night. Staying at "Keesha's house" gives them time to make important decisions and set off on a new path in life, whether that means staying on their own or returning home. Not everyone gets a traditional happy ending, but every story is hopeful. The poems flowed across the page so effortlessly that it wasn't until I read the author's information at the back that I realized they were all written in either sestina or sonnet form. All in all, a book I highly recommend.

Quick Book Review - Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers

I've just read a very inventive book. Life on the Refrigerator Doors is told entirely through notes left by a mother and daughter as they struggle to communicate. The title comes from the idea that they're leaving these notes for each other on the refrigerator door as they cross paths. Claire is fifteen and dealing with normal teenage things like studying with friends and spending time with her new boyfriend while her mom is a doctor working odd hours. What starts out as mundane messages about what to pick up from the store and Claire eating dinner with her friend Emma shifts when Claire's mom faces a health crisis. I think part of the appeal comes from the fact that these notes seemed like they could have been plucked from the lives of any busy family. The feelings expressed in just a few words are always realistic. It's really quite a touching story, and it's a quick and easy read because of the format. I think it would be a great book for teens and their moms to read together.

Quick Book Review - American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

An award-winning graphic novel, American Born Chinese offers a realistic portrayal of the life of a young boy of Chinese descent. Parallel stories play with the idea of Chinese stereotypes and retell a folktale relevant to the theme of being happy with your true self. The three pieces come together at the end in a surprising way, and the result is a powerful book.

Quick Book Review - The Dreaming by Queenie Chan

Amber and Jeanie are twin sisters accepted into their aunt's exclusive boarding school. But strange things abound. They must pretend to be sisters born a year apart because the Vice-Principal won't let twins attend the school, a strange darkness engulfs the grounds each night, and the girls are constantly plagued by the dreams of trees dripping blood. However, when one of their friends disappears in the middle of the night, things go from strange to downright terrifying. The dark lines of the manga art style are especially well-suited to conveying the bleak and creepy setting. I thought The Dreaming did a great job of building a scary atmosphere, and it ended on a classic cliffhanger sure to make you seek out the next volume.

Quick Book Review - Boy Kills Man By Matt Whyman

When I first saw the title, I thought this book would be about a school shooting or something of that sort. It's actually about young assassins in Colombia, a life that the author assures us is based on reality. Sonny and his best friend Alberto have grown up together for nearly all of their 13 years. When Alberto begins to take jobs from a local crime lord, Sonny wants a part of the lifestyle - the money and the power - even as he sees the toll it takes on his friend. I've been trying to think of the right word to describe the overall effect of Boy Kills Man, and "unsettling" is the best I can come up with.

Quick Book Review - Born to Rock by Gordon Korman

I've always been a fan of Gordon Korman, and I was excited to find his newest book at the library a few weeks ago. (Now, Born to Rock really wasn't that new; it came out in 2006. I guess I just missed out on the release.)

Straight-laced Leo is shocked to find out that his long-lost biological father may actually be one of the grandfathers of punk rock. He's horrified until a chain of events leaves him looking for a new source of college funding. Will a summer on the road with his new dad lead to some parental financial support? Will he even be alive after a summer of punk rock touring? Born to Rock brought the humor I've come to expect from a Gordon Korman book, but it also had a serious side that I thought added depth to the story. I definitely recommend it.

Quick Book Review - La Línea by Ann Jaramillo

Yesterday, I had the chance to read La Línea by Ann Jaramillo, and I highly recommend it. The book is on a highly topical subject - illegal immigration to the United States. However, La Línea doesn't speak to the current political debates on the topic. It follows two young teens as they head for la línea, the border, from their home in San Jacinto. They want to be reunited with their mother and father who went north years before in search of better opportunities. The author says she was inspired by her own ESL middle school students, many of whom had to go through similar experiences to make it to the U.S. It's a short but powerful work.