Owen H., 16Like Spilled Water is a compelling and intriguing read that fixates on the bitter details of Chinese culture. It centers around a young woman named Na who has just completed her first year of studying coal technology, a field of education that she did not have interest in, but due to the priority that her parents placed on her younger brother (Bao-bao), it was her only option. However, her life drastically changes one day as she learns of Bao-bao’s abrupt death. This bombards her with endless questions that set the scene. “Did Bao-bao really commit suicide?” “What could have possibly driven him to this?” “Will she be content as a housewife or will she pursue her dreams?” At the beginning, I was captivated by the gripping storyline, but I soon realized that there is much more beneath the surface. This book grapples with the harsh realities that Chinese people must undergo each day — people belonging to the LGBTQ community are unable to express themselves and are often forced into marriage with members of the opposite sex, women are oppressed and force into marriages with those they do not love also, finding a companion is essentially a job interview, and parents stress their children, specifically males, to do well in their education, so they are able to support them in old-age. People who live in the Western World are not held to these atrocious standards, and ultimately, we are often blind to how easy we truly have it. For instance, American students dread taking the SAT, however, it pales in comparison to the Gaokao which determines whether a student will make it into a prominent university and oftentimes, parents will spend a fortune and many years preparing their children for it. Nevertheless, this novel opens the eyes of its audience and allows them to sympathize with Chinese citizens. The characters of Like Spilled Water are all well-written and exemplify the traditional standards of Chinese people. The main character, Na, was especially fascinating because we are able to follow her on her journey to uncover the truth and find her true passion in life. Furthermore, the overall look into her family gives the reader a chance to comprehend the adversity that needs to be overcome in many family relationships. Like Spilled Water is a fascinating work of literature and teenagers, and people of all ages alike, will love this spellbinding read. Read-alikes REFERENCES
CIN Catalog. (2021). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Goodreads [Cover Images]. (2021). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ NoveList Plus: Like Spilled Water [Genre/Themes and Read-alikes]. (2020). Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10912792&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Overdrive Catalog. (2021). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/ Owen H. (2021, March). Teen Review. TeachingBooks [Discussion Questions]. (2021). Retrieved from: https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?a=1&tid=72245
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Teen Review by Skye B., 17Hood by Jenny Moke is a creative and interesting retelling of the classic folktale, Robin Hood, with the main character not being Robin himself, but his unknown daughter. Isabelle, daughter of Marien, has only known the small struggling town of Kirklees and the convent her entire life, until one day, when trying to defend the innocent, she is arrested. Trapped and lonely, her mother rescues her and sends her into the woods with only a name and a singular message “Tell him the Wolf has returned.” And so, her journey begins as she flees the royal soldiers and uncovers her heritage little by little. Finding herself with new friends and companions, she learns of King John’s neglect of his people as she travels to find her father. Moke’s telling of Robin Hood with a female lead definitely makes this book stand out from the rest of the folktales that are told time and time again. I enjoyed that Hood is a separate story from the original Robin Hood, and instead of writing the exact same story, Moke writes Hood from the perspective of Robin Hood’s teenage daughter. Unfortunately, something that took away from the experience is that Isabelle and her group are almost always traveling in the book, making it hard to connect to the scenery and generate the feeling of a well-rounded book. While this was a portion of Hood I personally didn’t enjoy, it really depends on a reader's own tastes, as someone else may very well enjoy it! I would recommend Hood to younger teenagers who enjoy fantasy, adventure, and the classic Robin Hood tale. Read-alikes REFERENCES
CIN Catalog. (2021). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Disney Books [Official Discussion Guide]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://books.disney.com/book/hood/ Goodreads [Cover Images]. (2021). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ NoveList Plus: Hood [Genre/Themes and Read-alikes]. (2020). Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10899997&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Overdrive Catalog. (2021). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/ Skye B. (2021, March). Teen Review.
Teen Review by Hannah H., 16Geese are Never Swans, by Kobe Bryant and Eva Clark, is an inspirational tale of a teenage boy who has only one dream: to swim in the Olympic Games. An irritated soul, yet hardworking main character, Gus, knows that only one coach can get him to his dream, but there’s a slight hiccup. Coach Marks was the trainer for Gus’ older brother Danny, and our protagonist has always lived underneath Danny’s shadow. Even after Danny committed suicide from not making the national swimming team, this shadow continues to grow and swallow Gus. Will Gus’ anger and resentment for his brother, and even himself, threaten to take away all he has worked for? Brief yet intriguing, the chapters in this story are absolutely page-turning and absorbing. I always felt immersed in Gus’ world with his troubles and triumphs. However, the foul language in this book is everywhere, and, therefore, I do not recommend this work for younger readers, and even early teens. Additionally, the dialogue in Gus’ story gives you a more realistic view of the situation without the unnecessary ten-dollar words. Even though Bryant and Clark’s novel highlights incredible hardships that Gus had to face, (and I personally feel that the reader will shed a tear or two) the inspiring message of the value of hard work even when the trauma of your life is overwhelming, truly motivated me. In conclusion, I definitely recommend Geese are Never Swans to an older teen audience due to the language written in this novel. Thank you for reading! Read-alikes REFERENCES
CIN Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Common Sense Media Review. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/geese-are-never-swans Goodreads [Cover Images]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Granity Studios: Books [Official Website]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://granitystudios.com/books/ Hannah H. (2020, December). Teen Review. NoveList Plus: Geese are Never Swans [Genre/Themes and Read-alikes]. (2020). Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10662269&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Overdrive Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/
Teen Review by Hannah H., 16The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones, by Daven McQueen, is a charming tale of an unlikely friendship between yin and yang kids in the summer of 1955. Ethan Harper, a biracial teen whose fist in another boy’s face landed him three months with his aunt and uncle, only wants to stay in his room to read comics or listen to records. That all changes (although not so suddenly) when he meets the spirited Juniper Jones of Ellison, Alabama. With fiery-red hair and a spirit for adventure to match, Juniper and her bicycle are the exact opposite of the relatively mild Ethan. What challenges and explorations will the pair experience over the next few weeks? This page-turning work tackles injustices young Harper experiences in his three months at Ellison, such as ugly name calling, protests, and an intense and deeply tragic ending. Consequently, I feel as if most who read this book will shed a tear or two while immersing themselves in its pages. Although newly written, this deep yet light-spirited tale gives me the feeling that I am reading an amazing classic composition. Of the books I have reviewed so far, this one is my favorite, and I definitely recommend it to a teen/young adult audience. Make sure to check it out at the Coeur d’ Alene library, along with other interesting volumes like it! Read-alikes references
CIN Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Daven [Author's Official Wattpad]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.wattpad.com/user/keyframed Goodreads [Cover Images]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Hannah H. (2020, October). Teen Review. Interview with "The Summer of Juniper Jones" author Draven McQueen. (2020, June). Retrieved from: https://sobookingcool.com/2020/06/09/interview-with-the-summer-of-juniper-jones-author-daven-mcqueen/ NoveList Plus: The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones [Genre/Themes and Read-alikes]. (2020). Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10899995&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Overdrive Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/
Teen Review by Skye B., 17Roseanne A. Brown tells a rich tale of two radically different characters and their intertwined stories in A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, a story of family, magic, strange creatures, and deep history. The story begins with Malik, a young man who has faced many difficulties in life and is ripe with anxiety. We not only follow Malik’s nervous journey to save a loved one, full of twists and turns surprising both the reader and Malik himself, but we’re also introduced to Karina, the Crown Princess of Ziran. Unlike Malik, Karina is born into luxury, yet her life has been full of grief and loss, despite being surrounded by constant wealth. We follow their intertwined story over the span of one single week in which Solstasia takes place, one of the most important festivals to the Kingdom of Ziran, only occurring every 45 years. Each day is packed with a different celebration meant to honor the gods, but the main event of them all is the champion competition. The only thing Malik and Karina have in common is their desire to save a loved one, both of them willing to do anything, even murder another human being. Brown does an amazing job of creating characters with complex personalities and deep family histories. I find Malik the most interesting character, and personally one of my favorites, as he is a main character full of anxiety, something we don’t often see in the fantasy genre. This makes Malik feel more real and relatable as the reader sees how he experiences the same problems we do in real life. Not only does Brown create relatable characters, but she also creates the world of Sonande, which is full of lore, kingdoms, and different languages. This aspect made the book especially fascinating to me, as the world Brown has created is so well thought out that I still want to learn more about it. Additionally, this is Brown’s first book ever published and is inspired by Northern and Western African mythology. There were many times I had to look up a certain creature or aspect of folklore, and in reading this book I truly feel like I was pushed to learn more. I would definitely recommend A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown to anyone that enjoys fantasy fiction, as it tells quite the memorable story. Personally, I can’t wait for the next book to be published! Read-alikes REFERENCES
CIN Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Goodreads [Cover Images]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ NoveList Plus: Displacement [Genre/Themes and Read-alikes]. (2020). Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10896181&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Overdrive Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/ Roseanne A. Brown [Author's Official Website]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://roseanneabrown.com/ Skye B. (2020, September). Teen Review.
Teen Review by Hannah H., 16Displacement, a graphic novel by Kiku Hughes, takes your imagination on a wild adventure with a page-turning story line and excellent artistic work. This graphic novel by Hughes speaks about identity, confusion, and the power of the memory of the 1940 Japanese American internment camps, and their impact on the main character, Kiku, and her family. Curious yet timid, Kiku struggles to ask her mother about her Japanese ancestry when in San Francisco. After receiving minimal information about her heritage, Kiku suddenly finds her modern clothes replaced with classic 1940’s attire, and a heavy fog that goes as suddenly as it came. Where is Kiku? What was happening? Over the course of a year, Kiku discovers the hardships and the injustices that the Japanese American’s faced in the 1940 internment camps. Our protagonist grapples with being out of her own time, living right next to her own grandmother, and surviving under the circumstances at the camp. Additionally, Hughes paints an outstanding picture of the living conditions in these camps, such as poor housing and schooling opportunities. While writing with amazing emotion that brings unique life to Kiku’s family history, Hughes added some modern political statements that I personally felt were not necessary and did not add to the story. Overall, I sincerely enjoyed this short-- yet sweet --graphic novel called Displacement. This well-done work has sparked my interest in WWII history, and I hope you will stop by the Coeur d'Alene library to enjoy it as well. Read-alikes REFERENCES
CIN Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Goodreads [Cover Images]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Hannah H. (2020, September). Teen Review. NoveList Plus: Displacement [Genre/Themes and Read-alikes]. (2020). Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10908065&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Overdrive Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/
Teen Review by Hannah H., 16This phenomenal book, 28 days: A Novel of Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto by David Safier, features a tale of suffering, struggle, and unrefined bravery. Courageous yet fearful, the protagonist Mira has to risk everything to smuggle food from the Polish outside into the Ghetto to keep her family, and herself, alive. In the start of this paperback, Safier describes Mira in the first person while she tells of life in the Ghetto, the peril of smuggling, and the horrible ways the Nazi police treat the desperate Jews. Terrified, Mira almost gets caught by szmalcowniks, or Jewish bounty hunters, and is saved by an unlikely hero: an apparent Polish teen boy who turns Mira’s world upside down. Safier does an excellent job of describing the action-packed scenes of his novel, which make this published work a real page turner. However, some of his descriptions are distasteful and unnecessary, and even with my love of war films and books, I still frown upon some of his more gruesome passages. Even with the cons, this Safier novel is outstanding I would definitely recommend it. At the beginning of this volume, I was always thinking, “What will happen next?” and I constantly learned something new while reading this book. Learning of life in the Warsaw Ghetto really opened my eyes to what a girl my age would have to endure for her family. Protagonist Mira is constantly making sacrifices and life-or-death decisions, something a 16-year-old in the modern world rarely has to worry about. What would it have been like to be in Mira’s shoes? What if I had to smuggle food to keep my family fed? What if I had to join a resistance to defend my home? I definitely recommend this work, and make sure to stop by the Coeur d’ Alene library to enjoy it and many more amazing books like it. Read-alikes REFERENCES
CIN Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Goodreads [Cover Images]. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Hannah H. (2020, July). Teen Review. NoveList Plus: 28 Days: A Novel of Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto [Genre/Themes and Read-alikes]. (2020). Retrieved from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=neh&tg=UI&an=10884560&site=novp-live&custid=s5664038 Official Discussion Guide. (2020). Macmillan. Retrieved from: https://images.macmillan.com/folio-assets/discusion-guides/9781250237149DG.pdf Overdrive Catalog. (2020). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/ |
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