Oracles of Delphi Keep

Author: Victoria Laurie

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication Year: 2009

Most of the readers will be: Middle school girls and boys.

Reader's Advisory: Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series is another great example of modern fiction drawing on classical mythology.

Summary:
Ian Wigby and his ward (sort-of sister), Theodosia Fields, live in a well-kept orphanage located near the White Cliffs of Dover. While treasure hunting in caves near the cliffs they discover mysterious writing, a silver box, and a terrible beast. Their discoveries launch them, and several other key people in their lives, into a quest which takes them to London and Morocco. They are directed by the long-dead Oracle Laodamia. Her scattered and hidden prophecies, in addition to Theo's ever-growing talent at seeing the future, may give them the power to prevent World War II and the rise of dark powers that feed on human suffering.

My favorite passage:

Ian crested the top stair and looked about. The light was dim, but he knew exactly where he wanted to hide his silver box. There was a bench built into the wall at the top of the stairs, with wooden slats for a seat. He could hide it in the bench until it was safe to bring it out and inspect it. As he reached for the loose slat, however, he took just a moment to study the box. He turned it around in his hands, admiring its detail. It was beautifully crafted and rested on four balled silver feet. He shook it gently and he could feel the small vibrations of something rattling inside. Curious, he tried to open the lid, but as hard as he tugged on it, it wouldn't give way.
With a sigh he decided it was best to leave it for now and attempt to pry it open later. He then quickly pulled up the slat and placed the box at the bottom of the bench. A few seconds later he was dashing back down the stone steps and through the door to the hallway, where Theo was waiting impatiently.
"All done," he said to her. "Thanks for keeping watch."
"You're going to get yourself into big trouble one of these days," she admonished.
"Not with you to look after me," he replied with a grin as he gave her hair another tousle.
Her face softened and she pushed his hand away with a smile. "Someone's got to look after you," she said. "Otherwise you'd go without supper so often you'd starve to death."
Ian was instantly reminded of the dinner plate she'd snuck up to him, and he realized she was no longer holding it. "Speaking of eating, what did you do with my dinner?"
"I had to hide it in the loo when I heard Madam Scargill on the stairway." Theo disappeared into the lavatory and Ian was horrified as he watched her come back out with his food.
"You hid it in there?"
"Would you rather Madam Scargill see me standing at the lavatory door with it?" Theo snapped.
"Good point," he agreed. "Now, go on and finish your own supper," he said, taking the plate from her. "And say hello to the earl for me."
Theo gave him a small smile. "I'll tell him it's your birthday and perhaps he'll come upstairs to visit with you."
"That'd be brilliant, thanks!"
The two parted and Ian headed back into his room, where he ate his birthday supper in peace and quiet and watched out the window for the Earl of Kent and his companions. (pg 52-53)

What I really think:
First off I wanted to explain about my opinion on which young people will be interested in this book. Although there is a male protagonist (usually something that attracts male readers), I get kind of a girly vibe from the story. It could be because of the very strong (both in personality and power) female characters like Theo, Lady Arbuthnot, and the posthumous presence of the Oracle Laodamia. I'm not saying boys won't read it, but I strongly suspect it will appeal more to girls.

Stories drawing on classical mythology seem to be pretty popular right now in the middle grades. I like that Laurie did things a little differently by mixing up her Greek influences with Phoenician and even Druid. Things can get a little confusing at times, but overall the mythology behind the story is magical and compelling.

Now, the fact that Theo has predicted World War II is a little eye rolling. I was enjoying my little fantasy world without it getting too real. Perhaps now would be a good time to mention that the author isn't really British. The biography on the back flap says that as a child she lived in England for a year with her family. Overall, I think she did a pretty good job with the setting and characters considering that she isn't a native (and I'm practically an authority since I just spent a year in England myself). But this World War II business - you see it in British literature ALL THE TIME. There is a good reason for that. The war was much more personal for England than it was for America, so I can understand the need to keep working through those emotions.

I think what really got me was the vilifying of German-sounding characters. So, in a book set around World War II there is no getting around the fact that Germans are going to be the bad guys. BUT what about the Austrian couple who work for Caphiera (one of the mythological bad guys, or bad lady as it were)? They speak with thick accents, adopt children in an attempt to hunt down Ian and Theo, and lead to the deaths of both those children. Was that really necessary? Couldn't they have been French or American or even British?

Lets not get too carried away with hating on the Germans and people who sound like them, okay?

This book appears to be the first in a series. A lengthy quest is set out for Ian and his companions, but they only complete part of it by the conclusion of the novel.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Author: Sherman Alexie

Illustrator: Ellen Forney

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Year: 2007

Most of the readers will be: Middle and high school boys.

Reader's Advisory: For another juvenile novel on the topic of Native Americans read Native Americans: A Novelized Memoir by Isaac McCoy.

Summary:
In spite of multiple physical problems caused by being born with water on the brain, Junior has grown into a teenager with a lot of promise. Unfortunately, he lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation and people who stay on the reservation rarely do much with their lives. Junior makes the big decision to attend high school in a neighboring town outside "the rez." Many of the people from his town of Wellpinit feel that he has betrayed them and his new classmates are slow to accept him. Can Junior balance his two worlds and still be true to himself?

My favorite passage:

And do you know what the very best thing was about Wellpinit?
My grandmother.
She was amazing.
She was the most amazing person in the world.
Do you want to know the very best thing about my grandmother?
She was tolerant.
And I know that's a hilarious thing to say about your grandmother.
I mean, when people compliment their grandmothers, especially their Indian grandmothers, they usually say things like, "My grandmother is so wise" and "My grandmother is so kind" and "My grandmother has seen everything."
And, yeah, my grandmother was smart and kind and had traveled to about 100 different Indian reservations, but that had nothing to do with her greatness.
My grandmother's greatest gift was tolerance.
Now, in the old days, Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity. In fact, weird people were often celebrated.
Epileptics were often shamans because people just assumed that God gave seizure-visions to the lucky ones.
Gay people were seen as magical, too.
I mean, like in many cultures, men were viewed as warriors and women were viewed as caregivers. But gay people, being both male and female, were seen as both warriors and caregivers.
Gay people could do anything. They were like Swiss Army knives!
My grandmother had no use for all the gay bashing and homophobia in the world, especially among other Indians.
"Jeez," she said. "Who cares if a man wants to marry another man? All I want to know is who's going to pick up all the dirty socks?"
Of course, ever since white people showed up and brought along their Christianity and their fears of eccentricity, Indians have gradually lost all of their tolerance.
Indians can be just as judgmental and hateful as any white person.
But not my grandmother.
She still hung onto that old-time Indian spirit, you know?
She always approached each new person and each new experience the exact same way.
Whenever we went to Spokane, my grandmother would talk to anybody, even the homeless people, even the homeless guys who were talking to invisible people.
My grandmother would start talking to the invisible people, too.
Why would she do that?
"Well," she said, "how can I be sure there aren't invisible people in the world? Scientists didn't believe in the mountain gorilla for hundreds of years. And now look. So if scientists can be wrong, then all of us can be wrong. I mean, what if all of those invisible people ARE scientists? Think about that one." (pg 154-156)

What I really think:
I did find one inconsistency which isn't really relevant to the storyline, but I am sort of surprised neither the author or editor caught it. Early on in the story, Junior opens up his geography book to see the words "This Book Belongs To Agnes Adams" (pg 31). And he says that that is his mother. Adams is his mother's maiden name. But then he calls his grandmother "Grandmother Spirit." Spirit is his last name, so the name his mother took from his father. And Grandmother Spirit is supposed to be his mother's mother. So really, her last name should be Adams, and not Spirit. There could be some sort of explanation, but none was given.
I don't need to tell you that this is a good book, because it already won the National Book Award. But yes, it is wonderful. Not only does Alexie give us a window into reservation life, but he also creates a character that the average teenager can relate to. Not all of us had to deal with the exact same issues as Junior, but we did all have to move between different worlds even if those worlds were only the world of children and the world of adults.

The Ask and the Answer

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: Walker Books

Publication Year: 2009

Most of the readers will be: Late middle school and early high school boys and girls.

Reader's advisory: For another trilogy that challenges the way we think about the world try Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials.

Summary: (Caution! Spoilers for The Knife of Never Letting Go)
Todd and Viola have made it to Haven hoping it is the one place on New World where they will be safe only to discover that the citizens of Haven have already surrendered to Mayor (now President) Prentiss. Immediately the two are separated and for a while, Todd doesn't even know if Viola has survived the bullet she took as they entered town.
Todd is locked up in the top of a church tower with the old mayor of Haven (now called New Prentisstown). Every day he has to work with Davy Prentiss doing things that make his skin crawl. He watches as President Prentiss bends the men of New World to his will and turns the women into the enemy.
Viola is cured in a house of healing and ends up with a group called The Answer. The Answer intend to stop President Prentiss by any means necessary. Even force. Even if that force leads to civilian casualties.
Will Todd and Viola be reunited? Together could they have the strength to save New World from two violent dictators?

My favorite passage:

He gets to his feet.
He stands up tall-
And I shout his name again-
"TODD!"
Because it does something-
It does something to him-
It does something for him-
The Mayor's wrong-
He's wrong for ever and ever-
It's not that you should never love something so much it can control you.
It's that you need to love something that much so you can never be controlled.
It's not a weakness-
It's your best strength-
"TODD!" I shout again-
And he looks at me-
And I hear my name in his Noise-
And I know it-
I know it in my heart-
Right now-
Todd Hewitt-
There's nothing we can't do together-
And we're gonna win-
(pg 494)

What I really think:
Often when you have a series of novels the first one seems to be the best, and I think this is because the first book is when you learn all about the world where the story takes place. It is difficult for subsequent books to fill you with the same wonder you feel when you read the first because there aren't any more big surprises.
In The Knife of Never Letting Go, we learn a whole lot about New World. We learn what Todd has been told, and then we start to learn what is really going on. In The Ask and the Answer, Ness skillfully keeps us guessing whether we can believe everything we have read so far and even introduces some brand new twists.
He also introduces Viola as a narrator. She has a strong voice and her experiences provide a nice contrast with Todd's experiences. It is interesting to see how each of them handle being apart.
I will admit that I wasn't as engaged in some of the middle parts of this story as I was when reading The Knife of Never Letting Go, I think because I really like the interaction between Todd and Viola and they just aren't together throughout most of this book. However, the ending makes up for everything.

The Knife That Killed Me

Author: Anthony McGowan

Publisher: Definitions

Publication Year: 2008

Most of the readers will be: Late middle school and early high school boys.

Reader's advisory: For another book on school violence try Shattering Glass by Gail Giles.

Summary:
As the knife inches closer to Paul Varderman he recalls the events that have led up to this moment. In the days prior to the big fight with the kids from Temple Moor Paul is befriended by Roth, the school bully. Roth is clearly using Paul, but in some ways it is better than being abused. But Paul has also been befriended by Shane and his group of "freaks." The freaks aren't so bad, but Paul feels like an outsider to their group. There are forces pulling on Paul from many different directions when he decides to go to the fight.

My favorite passage:

I am pushed to the ground, my knees leaving hollows in the wet earth. And I want to move. Either away or towards. To do something. But I have been burned to this spot, like one of the ashy bodies cooked to stillness in Pompeii. Only my eyes can move.
But that's enough for me to see it coming.
The knife that will kill me.
It is in the hand of a boy.
The boy is blurred, but the knife is clear.
He has just taken it from the inside pocket of his blazer.
There is something strange about the way the world is moving. I can see an outline of his arm - I mean, a series of outlines - tracing the motion from his pocket. A ghost trail of outlines. And so there is no motion, just these images, each one still, each one closer to me.
He is coming to kill me.
Now would be a good time to run.
I cannot run.
I am too afraid to run.
But I don't want to die here in the gypsy field, my blood flowing into the wet earth.
I must stop this.
And there is a way.
It comes to me now.
Part of it but not all of it.
Maths. Mr McHale. A sunny afternoon, and no one listening. He tells us about Zeno's Paradox. The one with fast-running Apollo and the tortoise. If only I could remember it. but I'm not good at school. All I know about is war, battles, armies, learned from my dad, whose chief love is war.
But I have to remember, because the knife is coming. Each moment perfectly still, yet each one closer.
Motion
and
perfect
stillness.
How can that be?
Yes, I think. To reach me the knife must come half the way. That takes, say, two seconds. But first it must go half that distance. Which takes one second. And half that distance, which takes half a second. And half that distance, which takes a quarter of a second. And so it goes on. Each time halving the distance and halving the time: 2+1+1/2+1/4+1/8+1/16. The sequence is infinite. It means he can never reach me. I am safe.
And so I can leave the me there, the me now, waiting for ever for the knife, while I go back to the beginning. (pg 6-8)

What I really think:
I really enjoy all the bits about the knife. I know they aren't really the point of the book. I know the point has more to do with bullying and fighting and all that, but the knife stuff is great. You can feel the tension as the knife slowly gets closer and closer.
As for the fighting stuff, this novel is an excellent deconstruction of a boy. It is easy to stand on the outside and wonder how perfectly nice young people get involved in things like this. McGowan has demonstrated how it's not just one thing that makes a boy carry a knife. It's a whole series of events that wear him down and make him doubt himself. This would be a nice novel to read in a classroom to really get a discussion going on school violence and how students can choose better ways to deal with their problems.

The Sisters Club

Author: Megan McDonald

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Year: 2008

Most of the readers will be: Mid-elementary age girls.

Reader's Advisory: For another book on sisters try C. S. Adler's Split Sisters.

Summary:
Stevie Reel loves her sisters Alex and Joey but she struggles to find something good about being in the middle. Finally she decides that she is the "glue" that holds the family together. But after Stevie and Joey humiliate Alex in front of her crush, who has come to dinner, Alex wants to quit the Sisters Club. Is there anything Stevie can do to make it up to Alex?

My favorite passage:

King Lear
Starring Alex
Time: Old-Timey England
Setting: The Kingdom
(A.K.A. The Reel Living Room)
Characters:
King Lear (The Father)
Three Daughters:
Goneril (The Oldest...That's Me!)
Regan
Cordelia (The Youngest)

Before the curtain rises: King Lear is preening himself, waiting to be flattered. He sits, looking at a map.

King Lear: (Why do I have to remind Dad three times? Stage directions say 'Point to map'!) 'Tis time I remove myself from public life. I wish to give each of thee, my three daughters, a parcel of my kingdom. This will depend upon how much each of you loves me.

Goneril: Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? (Good line!) Thou art more-

Stevie: Alex, quit showing off!

Me: What? That's a real line from Shakespeare. (I should know!)

Stevie: Well, it sounds like Romeo and Juliet, not King Lear.

Joey: Sick! It's from an ooey-gooey love poem!

Dad: Are we going to do this scene or not?

Regan: OK, I love thee more than all four of the seasons, not just one day in summer.

Goneril: I love thee more than meat loves salt.

Regan: Well, I love thee more than meat loves special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame-seed bun. My love is Supersize!

Me: Hey no fair. Dad, she's making it sound like an old hamburger commercial, not Shakespeare. (Since when is Stevie the Shakespeare expert?)

Stevie: Don't look at me. You're the one who loves Dad like meat. I'm just following your lead. You always say to ad-lib.

Goneril: (Getting down on one knee in front of King Lear.) I love you more than the ocean has water, more than the sky has stars.

Regan: (Breaking into song.)
My love is warmer than the warmest sunshine,
Softer than a sigh.
My love is deeper than the deepest ocean,
Wider than the sky.
My love is brighter than the brightest star
That shines every night above...

Me: Um, last time I checked, King Lear was not a musical. (Or a comedy!)

Joey: Then when do I get a line? You guys are the greedy sisters, fighting over all Dad's, I mean, King Lear's, stuff. Doesn't the good daughter get to say any words?

Me: Just be happy you didn't have to be an eggplant.

Dad: OK, Cordelia. Your turn. Read your line.

Cordelia: I can hardly breathe for all this odious hot air that fills thy room.

Joey: What's odious mean?

Stevie and Me: (Holding noses.) Stinky!

King Lear: My youngest, you have been strangely silent. Have you no tender musings on your love for me?

Cordelia: My love for you, dear father, is as a daughter's should be. No more, no less.

King Lear: Thou art a boil, a plague-sore, an embossed carbuncle in my corrupted blood. Away with you! Cast thee from my sight forever!

Joey: (Being dragged from room.) Hey! What did I do? You mean I get sent away? I thought I was the only one who really loved King Lear.

Stevie: You're still banished!

Joey: No fair. you guys told me I was the good one.

Goneril and Regan: (Snickering.) More for us! More for us!

Cordelia: What stugly upsisters you have proven to be. Off with their heads!

Me: You're supposed to say, "A pox on you."

Cordelia: Chicken pox on you!

Me and Stevie: (In fits of giggles while dragging Joey, a.k.a. Cordelia, from room.)

Lights go down as Cordelia is banished, stage left. Quick curtain.

Joey: Wait! We're not done. Nobody got stabbed or poisoned or anything.

Me: That's 'cause we lost the plastic dagger.

Joey: Couldn't we just use a spoon or something?

Goneril: How daft! King Lear was lying in his bedchamber, unaware, never guessing he was about to be spooned to death!

Regan: Then, when Goneril saw her own image reflected upside down in the spon, she keeled over and died.

Goneril: Thou thinks thee so clever, but thou art not the least bit funny.

King Lear: (Collapsing on couch.) Give an old man some peace! (pg 23-27)

What I really think:
What a great book about sisters! McDonald has illustrated beautifully some of the best and worst things about sisters and made me want to put marshmallows between my toes.

The Dragonfly Pool

Author: Eva Ibbotson

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

Publication Year: 2008

Most of the readers will be: Late elementary and middle school girls.

Reader's advisory: For a more advanced book that takes a look at another aspect of World War II try Code Talker: a novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac.

Summary:
Fearing that London will soon be bombed by the Germans, Tally's father sends her to a boarding school in rural Devon. Tally doesn't want to live away from her father and aunts and he doesn't make enough to pay tuition, but Tally has been offered a scholarship.
Tally learns all about boarding school from her rich cousins who have been going for years. She thinks she understands about the uniforms and dorm parties, only to find, upon arriving at Delderton, that there are no uniforms and every student has their own room. This school is quite unique.
Tally grows to like Delderton very much and her friends think so highly of her that they allow her to talk them into preparing a folk dance for a festival they have been invited to in Bergania. Bergania has been standing up to Germany and Tally believes Delderton should show their support of the small nation. But things get complicated while they are there. The king of Bergania is killed and the Deldertonions sneak his son, Karil, out of the country.
Tally has done her part to save Karil's life, but can she save his spirit? He has been forced to live with his grandfather in London and act like a prince should. But he wants to be with his friends in Delderton. He wants to choose his own future.

My favorite passage:

Daley folded up the letter and looked round at the meeting.
'It's quite an honour to be asked. As I say, I shall of course turn it down but-'
'Why?'
The clear voice carried to all parts of the hall. Julia grasped her friend's arm, trying to quieten her but without success. The peppermint disappeared down Tally's throat.
'Why?' she said again. 'Why would you refuse?'
She had forgotten that she was not going to speak again. One word had leaped out at her from the letter that Daley read.
'Bergania' - it was more than two weeks since she had seen the travelogue, yet she found she could remember the film in detail. She could see the snowy mountain range with the central jagged peak, and the fir trees running up the slope towards them. She could see the river and the spire of the church where St Aurelia was buried, and the palace. She could see the proud king on his horse and, as clearly as if she was there, the young prince in his troublesome helmet trying to blow the plumes out of his eyes.
'Why can't we send anybody?' said Tally yet again. 'The King of Bergania is very brave; he said no to Hitler.'
'Because,' said the headmaster patiently, 'we have never done folk dancing here at Delderton and it is less than a month till the festival. And there are other reasons.'
'Just because we've never done it doesn't mean we can't do it. There's probably a book about it; there's a book about everything. It must be very difficult to stand up to Hitler. It wasn't just that he said no about letting the troops go through his country, but he also won't let Hitler dig up minerals in his mountains to use for armaments. And I know people like Tod think there should be kings, but if there are and they're brave and resolute then surely we should show them that we're on their side.'
'I don't see how it would help the Berganians if we went and did folk dancing all over them,' said one of the senior girls, 'especially when we haven't any idea how to do it.'
'It's to do with just being there,' said Tally. 'They invited us so they must want us to come, and refusing would be a snub.'
She looked round the room for support but no one seemed ready to back her up. Even her own friends were silent.
'Folk dancing's silly,' said a boy with huge spectacles. 'People wind ribbons round a pole and get tangled up.'
'Or they wear idiotic clothes - trousers with bells on them and bobbles on their hats,' said Ronald Peabody.
'Only sissies do folk dancing,' came Verity's disdainful voice.
'Really?' The deep voice came from the back of the hall. Matteo had appeared to be asleep. 'You surprise me.' He uncoiled himself and moved forward to the centre of the room, and the children made way for him. 'You surprise me very much.'
Everybody fell silent, watching him as he turned and faced the meeting.
'You might of course call the Falanian Indians sissy. Certainly they do a folk dance before they dismember their enemies and nail them to trees. There are even bells - or rather gongs - involved, though not, if I recall, ribbons. It takes an Indian child five years to learn the steps, and they are not allowed to take part in it till they can crunch up the skull of a jaguar with their bare hands.
'And there are the leopard hunters of Nepal. They do a folk dance to prepare themselves for the chase, which includes leaping over pits of burning cinders with a firebrand in their mouth. The steps go something like this.'
And without any warning Matteo leaped high into the air, seemed almost to hang there and came down with a blood-curdling howl almost on top of David Prosser, who stepped back with an agitated squeak.
'I could give you more examples,' said Matteo, 'but I just wanted to make the point that whatever folk dancing is, it's not sissy.' (pg. 91-94)

What I really think:
I thought this book was delightful once I got into it. There is some history, some adventure, a spunky heroine.
The only thing I didn't like was the cover. It put me off and was one of the reasons it took me a little while to feel interested in the book. It is overly girly (especially the curly lettering) and gives the book a younger feel to it. There are several strong male characters in the book and it isn't for children who are new readers. Looking on the back flap I saw that at least two of the author's other books have very similar covers. Unfortunate.

Blood Red Snow White

Author: Marcus Sedgwick

Publisher: Orion Children's Books

Publication Year: 2007

Most of the readers will be: High school girls and boys.

Reader's advisory: For another book on Russia and British spies try Phoning a Dead Man by Gillian Cross.

Summary:
Arthur Ransome has fled to Russia to get away from his unhappy wife. He is a journalist reporting to the British people on Russia's war with Germany (Britain is at war with Germany, too) and later on the Russian revolution. Arthur wants to spend his time working on his books of Russian fairy tales and maybe visiting his girlfriend, Evgenia. But things are complicated.
Evgenia is Trotsky's secretary. And the British government wants to put the Tsar back in power. The Bolsheviks and the English would both love to use Arthur for their own ends. Can Arthur manouver his way through this difficult situation and create a fairy tale ending for himself and Evgenia?

My favorite passage:

Now, only a few trees ahead of him in the forest, stood two men deep in conversation. One was a Russian, the other a Jew, and they were firm friends, though they spent much of their time arguing.
They would argue about all sorts of things, but each would listen politely to what the other had to say. First, the Jew, whose name was Lev, would argue that the people of Russia should be its true masters, and while he did, the Russian, whose name was Vladimir, would stroke his small and excellent beard. Then they would swap, and Vladimir would argue that while what Lev had to say was true, they should not forget that people needed guidance from enlightened minds. And Lev would stroke his own small and excellent beard.
Then they'd each light a pipe, and have a good long smoke, while they thought what to argue about next. (pg 46)

What I really think:
I didn't look at this book very closely when I picked it up and expected it to be some kind of fairly tale adaptation. I was very surprised to discover that it was a historical fiction novel about the Russion revolution. But, I actually really enjoyed it. Sedwick masterfully weaves a fairy tale feel into the novel and has shed light on the real life of a man who went to Russia to write and was finally convinced to be a spy.