Book Review: Black Duck, by Janet Taylor Lisle

     "I suppose you're here to find out about the old days,  Mr. Hart says. His voice is raspy-sounding, as if he doesn't use it much.
     I am.
     Must be the liquor Prohibition back in the 1920's you're interested in, rumrunners and hijackers, fast boats and dark nights.
     Yes, sir!
     I wasn't in it.
     You weren't? David frowns. I heard you were.
     I wasn't.
     Well.
     I guess that's that, Mr. Hart says. Sorry to disappoint you.
     Did you know anyone who was? David asks.
     I might've. Mr. Hart's glasses glint again.
     Could you talk about them?
     No.
     That was the end of their first meeting."

Summary:
David Peterson wants to be a reporter, so he contacts his local newspaper about a job. The editor won't hire him. But, if David can bring him a good story, the paper will print it. Which is how soon-to-be-freshman David finds himself sitting in 80-something Ruben Hart's parlor, hoping to learn straight from the source about the infamous goings-on that supposedly flourished for a time in their little Rhode Island town way back when. The rumored former Prohibition-era rumrunner denies being part of it.

Undaunted, David keeps going back to try again. It isn't until their third meeting that Ruben Hart finally relents. He tells David about his boyhood adventures with his best friend, Jeddy McKenzie, starting in the spring of 1929, when they were 14, and found a dead body - wearing an evening suit - washed up on Coulter's Beach. Over several visits that summer, Mr. Hart tells David the rest of the story: about him and Jeddy, and how they find themselves pulled deeper and deeper into the world of Prohibition, and rumrunners, and the legendary rumrunning boat, the Black Duck.

For Teachers and Librarians: 
Your students will find themselves fully immersed in Black Duck before they realize what's happened. And you can find a ton of ways to integrate Black Duck into your curriculum. For starters, you can craft a history unit with this book as its anchor: Prohibition, the rumrunning vessel Black Duck, rumrunners, life in the late 1920's in the United States and the impact Prohibition had upon it, and Rhode Island history. 

The book is interspersed with several news articles about the tragedy that befell the Black Duck, as well as present-day conversations between young David and the elderly Mr. Hart. David's pursuit of a story about the Black Duck, to be able to submit to the newspaper, is a nice springboard into a career unit focusing on journalism: deciding on a topic for an article, gathering facts, research methods, interviews and how to get them, finding sources, breaking into the business, etc.

Or, how about a couple of mini-units? A brief geography mini-unit on Rhode Island's coastal areas such as Narragansett Bay, and their significance in the state's history, would be interesting. Or, a fun side-lesson on the way people spoke in the 1920's, and how those words and phrases are used (or not) and what they mean, then vs now, such as: fellow, folks, hot shot, come along, having a grand time, hoof it, high roller, looking for a fix. Or, have your students research famous mobsters and their mobs mentioned in the book: Lucky Luciano and the New York City mob, Al Capone and the Chicago mob, and the Boston mob. Or, craft a mini-unit on crime and law enforcement as related to Prohibition: racketeering gangs, bootlegging, mobsters, Rum Row, law enforcement and corruption within its ranks, payoffs, bribes, protection money, smugglers... 

Well. Perhaps that last one would be more of a full unit, rather than a mini one. But you get the idea. Black Duck is the total package: a story your students won't want to put down, and a treasure trove of teaching material for you.

For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:
You know how it seems to go: kids just don't understand their elders, and elders just can't figure out these kids today. But for those who take the time to learn about each other, the perceived great divide between the two isn't quite the chasm it was once believed to be. In Black Duck, teenage David Peterson and octogenarian Ruben Hart don't immediately hit it off. David tells a bit of a white lie to get a conversation started with Mr. Hart. Mr. Hart can tell something isn't quite square, and is wary of opening up. 

But instead of ranting and giving up when he's initially rebuffed, David takes the time to prove he really is interested in Mr. Hart and his part in local history. And instead of blocking out David completely, Mr. Hart leaves the door open a crack, enough to notice the teen's sincerity, even if he took a bit of a slippery beginning to get there. Though the main story is about Prohibition, the infamous rumrunning boat Black Duck, and Mr. Hart's part in each, this is also the story of two people from different generations getting to know each other, and discovering that despite their ages, they have a lot in common. The reader is left with the impression that this is the beginning of an unlikely, yet lasting, friendship.

For the Teens:
Late 1920's. Small town. Prohibition. Rumrunners. Fast boats. A dead body. Secrets. Mystery. The mob. Kidnapping. That's just some of the exciting stuff you'll read about in Black Duck. And in amongst all that excitement, you'll also read about friendship, and family, and how two people of very different ages who grew up in very different times discover that they're not so different as they imagined. It's one of those books that will still be on your mind long after you've finished it. And aren't those the best kind?

For Everyone Else:
Black Duck has a little bit of everything: mystery, history, action, adventure, excitement, and lots and lots of things to make you think, and wonder, and perhaps examine life from different angles than you might be used to.

Wrapping Up:   
Black Duck, by Janet Taylor Lisle. Get it. Read it. You won't be disappointed. 
      

Title: Black Duck
Author: Janet Taylor Lisle
Cover art and design by: Tony Sahara
Pages: 256
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher and Date: Puffin Books, September 6, 2007
Edition: Sleuth Edition (paperback)
Language: English
Published In: United States
Price: $6.99
ISBN-10: 0142409022
ISBN-13: 978-0142409022

Book Review: Things Not Seen, by Andrew Clements

     "It's after the shower. That's when it happens. It's when I turn on the bathroom light and wipe the fog off the mirror to comb my hair. It's what I see in the mirror. It's what I don't see.
     I look a second time, and then rub at the mirror again.
     I'm not there.
     That's what I'm saying.
     I'm. Not. There."

Summary:
Bobby Phillips is a normal 15 year-old-boy, with a normal life. Until one morning. He takes his shower in the dark, like normal. He turns on the bathroom light when he's done, like normal. He wipes the steam from the mirror and looks in, like normal. But no one is looking back. Which is definitely not like normal. He's invisible. And he has no idea how it happened, or how to get back to normal. When he tells his parents, they all realize this can't get out until they can find a way to fix it. He can't tell his friends. He can't go to school. And unless they can figure this out, he can't have a life. But then one day, he meets Alicia at the library. And even though she's blind, and he's invisible, he begins to think that Alicia is the only one who can really see him. 

For Teachers and Librarians:
Invisibility, and its opposite, comes in many forms. Your teen students may identify with Bobby, and with Alicia, in a variety of ways. And teachers, librarians, and guidance counselors will find many ways to incorporate Things Not Seen into the curriculum:

• Emotional: Bobby feels invisible to his parents, even before he actually is invisible. He feels like they put work before him, and don't notice who he is or what he wants. Alicia feels all-too-visible to her parents, whom she feels are smothering her because of her blindness, and not giving her room to be who she wants to be. How do they each find ways to make their presence and wishes felt? What are the consequences or positives of those actions? Bobby unexpectedly has to fend for himself for a few days, without his parents. Discuss: how did he feel during this time? What mistakes did he make? What did he learn? What did he do well? Has something similar happened to your students? How did they work through it?
• Social: Bobby and Alicia form a friendship at first based on only partial honesty. How does Alicia react when she learns the truth about Bobby? How does Bobby feel about not letting her know at first about his invisibility? How does he feel after she knows? What stresses do Bobby and Alicia's friendship go through when one of them finds a solution to their individual dilemma, but the other does not?
• Career Study: Bobby loves the library, and finds solace there. He has a great love of classic literature, thanks to his mom's influence: she's a literature professor at the University of Chicago. Mr. Phillips is a physicist. Mr. VanDorn is a scientist. Mrs. VanDorn was former public relations worker, then became a writer and consultant. What careers are your students considering, and why? Do their parents' jobs influence their lives? How?
• Literature and reading: Have your students list the titles Bobby mentions liking or reading, and then find them in the library. Discuss: what makes a book a classic? How do these old classics compare to modern classics, and to popular literature? What books do your students consider classics? What books have had a profound effect on them, and in what ways?
• Disability: Both Alicia and Bobby have had sudden physical changes that drastically altered the life they used to know. How has Alicia's blindness affected her life? Her career ambitions? The way she perceives other people? What event from the book makes her feel that maybe her life is not as limited as she believed her blindness made it to be? Bobby is facing the possibility of a lifetime of invisibility. How does this affect his hopes for his future? The way he perceives other people? The way he thinks and feels about himself?
• Writing/Critical thinking: Discuss the pro's and con's of actual invisibility, both as Bobby sees it, and as your students would see it. How does Bobby think invisibility will affect his future? How would your students feel in his place? Compare/contrast the pro's and con's of whether or not Bobby should reveal his invisibility. Perhaps a creative writing assignment: what would they do if they could be invisible for a day? A week? A month? A year?
• Here is a great link to Language Arts and Social Studies lesson plans, with an invisibility theme: Things Not Seen Lesson Plan (from Scholastic.com)

For Parents, Grandparents, and Caregivers:
Things Not Seen is a book for you to read, as well as your teen. It is very much about the relationship Bobby and Alicia have with their parents, as well as how they each navigate the twists and turns of their respective lives, often thinking they are going it alone. This book gives adults a very realistic peek at what goes on inside a teen's head, and how important it is to them that their parents see them, and get them. But it also gives teens a view into how very much their parents love them and want to be there for them - even if they don't always know how to do that. The important theme here is, we all have to talk to each other, and listen to each other, so we can really see each other and help each other. And besides all that? It's a great story, with some interesting twists you don't see coming. It is by turns funny, and touching, and wrenching, and, well...you just gotta read it.

For the Teens:
So. Things Not Seen. It's a pretty cool story. I mean, invisibility? Seriously? Sounds like it would be a blast, right? Well, when it happens suddenly and without explanation to Bobby Phillips, the only thing he feels is scared. And then worried. Sure, he felt like his parents didn't even see him half the time, but now they really can't see him. And neither can anybody else. When he goes downstairs and tells his parents, they're scared and worried, too. As Bobby and his parents work through how to figure this all out, they realize they can't let this get out. Bobby can't go to school. He can't let anyone see him - or see that they can't see him. And as far as he can figure, he has no future. Then one day, he bundles up in head-to-toe clothes and heads to the library, where he literally bumps into Alicia. He finds out she's blind. As their friendship builds, for the first time in quite some time, he's starting to believe he's finally found someone who sees him. Could she be the one who can finally help him figure this out? And fix it? 


For Everyone Else:
Things Not Seen is a book that teens through adults will enjoy reading, and really get into. You find yourself feeling like it is completely plausible that a kid could turn invisible, and that there is a logical explanation for all of this. But is it fixable, or is Bobby looking at a lifetime of not being seen? There's only one way to find out. 

Wrapping Up:
Things Not Seen. It has invisibility. It has suspense. It has a wee bit of danger. It has a lot to think about. And it has some very funny moments - like when Bobby flits through the library naked and invisible. At worst, it will make you think twice before you sit down on those chairs at the library research tables. But at best, it will make you go out and find this book, and get reading.

Title: Things Not Seen
Author: Andrew Clements
Pages: 176
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher and Date: Philomel, 2002
Edition: First (Library hardcover copy)
Language: English
Published in: United States
Price: $16.99
ISBN-10: 0-399-23626-0
ISBN-13: 978-0399236266

Book Review: Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson

It is my first morning of high school. I have seven new notebooks, a skirt I hate, and a stomachache.

Summary:

The first two lines of Speak sound like they could come from just about any 14-year-old on her first day of ninth grade. But Melinda Sordino is not just any high school newbie. Her parents don't know what to do with her, her friends have turned against her, and she is an outcast to everyone else before she even boards the school bus - all because of what happened one night in August, shortly before school started. But her parents don't know what happened at all, and her friends and the other kids only know part of what happened. And the part they don't know - the secret Melinda harbors deep inside herself, the secret she is afraid to voice - is the part she desperately needs to tell. If only someone would listen.

For Teachers and Librarians:

Speak is one of those books. You know - a book with a story that truly "gets" what it's like to be a teenager, and to wade through that confusing place known as high school, and to figure out that confusing time known as the teen years. It is also a book about sexual assault, and depression; those are very hard things to deal with for adults, let alone teens. But, it is also about being true to yourself, about learning to trust those who deserve to be trusted, and about digging deep within yourself - with the help of someone you trust - to discover the strength to overcome, and to heal, and most importantly...to not be silent when you are wronged. It gives a voice to the voiceless, a ray of light to those trapped in darkness, a measure of hope to those who see none. It will open many, many doors - a welcome thing for so many teens who have been unable to open them on their own.

For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:

Speak shows both the dangers that come from keeping things hidden, as well as the positive results that come from speaking out. It shows the undeserved power given to those who hurt us when we remain silent, and the rightful shift of power back to us when we stand up for ourselves. It shows that trust comes in small steps, but the more steps we take, the stronger that bond becomes. It shows the profound effect even one caring teacher can have on a teen. It shows that while families may be broken, with even a little bit of effort on all sides, those families can heal. It is a story of hurt, and of healing; of sorrow, and of joy. It can be just the thing to coax your teen to talk to you. It can be just the thing for you to start to make some sense of behaviors you may be seeing in your teen. It is a journey - one that you and your teen won't want to miss.

For the Older Kids:

If you're looking for a book that gets it right - one that gets what it's really like to be a teen - then Speak is a book you've gotta read. Whether you're someone who feels lost, or alone, or hurt, or angry, or doesn't feel like anyone understands you, or if you just know someone who seems like something's not quite right, and you're looking for ways to figure out how to help them, Speak is a good place to start. It is a story that will stick with you. It will make you laugh sometimes, and cry sometimes. Sometimes it will make you angry, and sometimes it will make you think, and sometimes it will make you cheer, and sometimes you'll see yourself in there, and sometimes you'll see someone you know in there. It is a book you will never, ever forget, and you will be glad you read it.

For Everyone Else:

Speak. Find it. Read it. 'Nuff said.

Wrapping Up:

Speak has meant many things to many people, from teens to adults. Below is a video of the author, reading her poem, "Listen," which was inspired by the emails and letters she has received from those who have read Speak. ***Note: Not something for the little kiddos to view. Teens and adults only:

Title: Speak (10th Anniversary Edition)

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Cover Illustration: Michael Morgenstern

Pages: 240

Reading Level: Young adult

Publisher and Date: Penguin Group, 2009

Edition: 10th Anniversary paperback

Language: English

Published In: United States

Price: $11.99

ISBN-10: 0142414735

ISBN-13: 978-0142414736

Book Review: Paper Towns, by John Green

The way I figure it, everyone gets a miracle. Like, I will probably never be struck by lightning, or win a Nobel Prize, or become the dictator of a small nation in the Pacific Islands, or contract terminal ear cancer, or spontaneously combust. But if you consider all the unlikely things together, at least one of them will probably happen to each of us... ...My miracle was this: out of all the houses in all the subdivisions in all of Florida, I ended up living next door to Margo Roth Spiegelman.

Summary:

The story begins a few weeks before graduation. High school senior Quentin Jacobsen (Q) has been in unrequited love since childhood with carefree and storied next door neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman. When she is betrayed by her circle of friends, Margo enlists Q on an all-night, meticulously planned revenge trip. Then she disappears. It is up to Q and his friends to follow obscure clues left for him, and to try to find out what happened to her. In the process, they learn there is more to Margo Roth Spiegelman (and to themselves) than anyone ever thought.

For Teachers and Librarians:

Paper Towns is a fast-paced coming-of-age story. It's part love story, part mystery novel, and part young adult novel. You can use this book to fuel discussion with your teen students on who they are, and who they can become. Q is a guy who loves routine, is loathe to break rules, and is content to play it safe. But his heart pines for Margo Roth Spiegelman, who is exactly his opposite. Part of him wants to embrace her adventurousness, and part of him is afraid to push himself to extremes, as Margo does herself - for reasons no one is entirely sure of. The book can spark conversations about relationships, knowing oneself, pushing one's limits in order to grow. What are your students' limits? How far would they go to help a friend? What path do they want to travel into adulthood? And is there only one path? Or several? 

So many opportunities for discussion, and best of all, it is a book your teen readers will not want to put down. Full of a range of emotions, this book will have them laughing, crying, and everything in between. The author writes with such convincing voice, they can't help but be pulled in.

For Parents, Grandparents and Caregivers:

Your teen will not be able to resist Paper Towns. Though it is narrated by a boy, it explores equally the lives of both the boys and the girls in the story. They are seniors, about to make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives, and they're trying to find their way, yet still be true to themselves and to their friends. It has a little bit of everything: love, mystery, adventure, intrigue, some rebelliousness, lots of soul-searching, and a bit of humor sprinkled throughout. The characters come to learn something about each other, and about themselves. 

For the Teens:

Paper Towns is a book you won't be able to put down. By-the-book, routine-loving Q has always loved adventurous, carefree next-door neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman. But she doesn't return that love. Then one night she appears at his window, and convinces him to take his parents' van and come with her on an all-night revenge-fest to get back at the friends who betrayed her. The next morning, she is gone. At first, no one is concerned, since her past exploits are the stuff of legend, and she's always come back. But with only weeks to go before graduation, Q begins to worry as the days pile up and she still doesn't show. Then he discovers clues she left for him - some intentional, some not - and he enlists his friends to help him figure them out. Where is she? Why did she go? Do they find her? Alive? Better grab your copy, and get reading.

For Everyone Else:

Though Paper Towns is a teen novel, adults will find themselves drawn into this coming-of-age story as well. It is at times touching, at times heart-wrenching, and at times laugh-out-loud funny. But throughout, it is completely authentic, right down to the teenage boy's preoccupation with body parts and occasional crude humor and language. It is a book you will not want to put down until you've finished it.

Wrapping Up:

Paper Towns appeals to teens as well as adults. Fast-paced, mysterious, touching, and funny, it is a book you don't want to miss.

Title: Paper Towns

Author: John Green

Pages: 352

Reading Level: Young Adult

Publisher and Date: Dutton Juvenile, October 16, 2008

Edition: 1st

Language: English

Published In: United States

Price: $17.99

ISBN-10: 0525478183

ISBN-13: 978-0525478188

Book Review: The Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner

I didn't know how long I had been in the king's prison. The days were all the same, except that as each one passed, I was dirtier than before... ...I reviewed over and over the plans that had seemed so straightforward before I arrived in jail, and I swore to myself and every god I knew that if I got out alive, I would never never never take any risks that were so abysmally stupid again.

Summary:

Gen is a thief who delights in bragging to any who will hear that, "I can steal anything." The prison guards delight in reminding him of that boast each time they pass his cell, taunting him with questions about why he hadn't escaped yet. But one day, the king's magus, a scholar, summons Gen from his cell. "There's something I want you to steal. Do this for me, and I'll see that you don't go back to prison. Fail to do this for me, and I will still make sure that you don't go back to prison." And so begins the long and dangerous journey...

For Teachers and Librarians: 

The Thief is a young adult novel that will grab teens' attention and never let it go. It will appeal to both guys and gals, having the perfect mixture of action, mystery, and emotion. Megan Whalen Turner is a master storyteller, giving the reader just enough clues to keep it interesting, but not enough to give anything away before she's ready to have it known. Set in a place that resembles both ancient and modern Greece, the author notes that "Nothing in this book is historically accurate." However, your students will come across references to the bubonic plague, weaponry, printed and bound books, the landscape, monarchy, and even watches. These make for the perfect comparison and contrast to what ancient and modern Greece are really like, as well as research opportunities into when in history these things actually appeared and how they worked. The book is a good springboard into Greek mythology, as well, since Greek-like gods are intertwined in the plot. But most of all, your students will be hooked from the very first sentence. A definite page-turner.

For Parents:

If you struggle with how to get books in the hands of your teens, you are not alone. There is steep competition out there: ipods, internet, gaming, texting, videos, TV. It seems as if there's no room to wedge even the slimmest of volumes in between, but take heart. The Thief may be just what you need. It is a timeless story, with action, drama and suspense. It has the feel of an adult book, but it's still a book for teens, so you can feel good about what they're reading. It is a story that will pull them in right away, and they won't want to put it down. And best of all, it has two sequels, with another in the works, so once they devour this story, you have two more options to keep their noses in a good book - at least for a little while...

For Teens:

This is so not a kiddie book. And it's not a crud-my-English-teacher-is-making-me-read-a-total-yawner book. Gen is a thief who brags that he can steal anything. When he steals something way valuable that everyone thought couldn't be done, he shows it off - and is arrested. But while he's in the king's prison, chained and dirty, the king's magus summons him and gives him an offer he can't refuse: to steal something that has not been stolen or even found for hundreds of years. If he succeeds, he earns his freedom. If he fails, he won't go back to prison either, but... well, you get what I mean. Gen accepts, but not for the reason the magus thinks he does. You have to go find The Thief and read it. You will be so glad you did, and bonus! There are two more sequels, and author Megan Whalen Turner is working on a fourth.

For Everyone Else:

Though this is a young adult novel, it will appeal to adults as well. Set in what feels like Greece, though it isn't Greece, it feels timeless, and is riddled with mystery and sprinkled with clues set up to keep you always searching for more. In fact, there are so many twists and turns that you'll want to read The Thief again. And maybe even again.

Wrapping Up:

The Thief is the perfect marriage of suspense, intrigue, mystery and emotion. Find your copy today. 

Title: The Thief

Author: Megan Whalen Turner

Pages: 219

Reading Level: Teen/Young Adult

Publisher and Date: Penguin Group, 1998

Edition: Paperback

Language: English

Published In: United States

Price: $5.99

ISBN-10: 0140388346

ISBN-13: 978-0140388343