YACS-UCLA: Book-Talking

During the 2006-2007 school year, YALSA (pre-YACS) talked up some great books!

May17. 07

Audiobooks! Audiobooks can be done very well or atrociously bad. Here are our reactions to some recent YA listening experiences.

Airborn Kenneth Oppel
This alternative history story features zeppelins as the transportation of choice. Full of pirates and action, this story translates well both on the page as well as a fast paced, full cast audio!
Bras & Broomsticks Sarah Mlynowski
When 14 year old Rachel finds out that her little sister and her mom are witches, she feels cheated on the witchcraft gene. In order to make the best of the situation, Rachel concocts a plan that blends her guile with her sister’s powers to stir up some trouble. (Recommended as a better text than audio)
Pendragon Vol. 1 D. J. MacHale
Book one of this epic translates fabulously to audio. On the eve of an important basketball game and with the memory of his kiss with a girl he's been crushing on for a while still lingering on his lips, Bobby Pendragon is whisked away by his uncle to become a "traveler,” someone, he discovers, who crosses territories, worlds and times. In order to save the civilization of Denduron, he must overcome his own pride, make horrible mistakes, and acknowledge his weaknesses. During his time on this new world, he witnesses an execution, the cruel enslavement of a people and watches helplessly as another traveler sacrifices her life to save his. The reader discovers all Bobby’s adventures through his magically delivered journals read by friends Mark and Courtney.
Twlight Stephenie Meyer
More romance than horror, this novel follows the relationship of human Bella and vampire Edward in the small rainy town of Forks, Washington. The professional voice actor who narrates successfully conveys both the romantic tension and blood lust of the pair. Fans of both genres will enjoy this piece, but should be warned that the 12 hour disk set it quite a commitment on audio.
Brief Chapter of My Impossible Life Dana Reinhardt
In this chick-lit with a message, Reinhardt tells the story of Simone’s junior year of high school. The typical teen novel is complicated when Simon’s birthmother suddenly wants a reunion. Simone has always been comfortable with her adoption and is unsure about this new twist. Well-reviewed as both print and audio, Reinhardt bring literary depth to the angst teen genre.
Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood Benjamin Alire Saenz
Boys get their own coming-of-age story with Saenz’s book about Sammy Santos's life as a Hispanic teen in the 1960’s. Set in Las Cruces, New Mexico, readers follow Sammy in his daily life in the barrio, with the loss of his first love, Juliana, and the normal, and not so normal, goings on in the turbulent neighborhood. Read by Hispanic author Robert Ramirez's, the audio brings authenticity to the piece that could have been lost on non-Spanish speaking readers.
Elsewhere Gabrielle Zevin
Meet Liz, a 15 year old girl who finds herself in Elsewhere following a fatal car crash that took her from her Earthly life. But even besides to obvious oddity of being dead, “life” in Elsewhere is rather odd, specifically, residents grow younger with each passing year instead of growing older. Liz must come to terms with her death while she adapts to her new surroundings. A touching and creative novel, Elsewhere deals with issues of death, family and love while maintaining a light tone that is more sweet than bleak.
Travel Team and Heat are both written by legendary sports journalist Mike Lupica and can therefore be successfully booktalked to athletic, but reluctant reader boys. Travel Team is about Danny, the small, yet determined basketball player whose team of A squad rejects is set on making an impression. Heat speaks to baseball fans and follows young, talented picture, Michael, whose life is complicated with the death of his father and questions about his family. Both books have been reviewed as having very accurate renditions of sports scenes and athleticism and the audio tapes are apparently can entice even non sports fans.

APR5.07

Controversial Books! These books have been formally banned from some shelves or simply talk about controversial topics that may challenge some readers.

Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn. Sixteen year old Cyd Charisse is quite the wild child. After being kicked out of boarding school, hiding an abortion and rekindling a romance with a local srufer, Cyd is off to New York to live with her biological father after years of separation. This coming of age series is reminiscent of McCafferty’s Sloppy Firsts series but has a punk rock edge that is bound to raise eyebrows! Catch Cohn’s next two books in this series: Shrimp and Cupcake. And if you enjoyed them, try: Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez. In this trilogy, Sanchez introduces readers to three young gay men as they navigate the difficulties of high school, coming out, relationships and family. Meet Nelson, the very out and proud, his best friend Kyle, the proud but closeted, and Kyle’s love interest Jason, the jock in denial. Jason begins have feelings for Kyle, the situation gets complicated by Nelson’s jealousy and Jason’s hesitancy to come out, both to himself and to the world. Others in the Rainboy Boys trilogy: Rainbow High and Rainbow Road.
Copper Son by Sharon Draper. Winner of the Coretta Scott King Author Award, this novel follows the life of 15 year old Amari as she is kidnapped from her home in Africa and forced into slavery. The novel goes onto describe the horror the middle passage and life on a plantation in a Carolina colony. There, Amari befriends a white indentured servant, Polly, and the two decide to risk escape south to Florida. Told with great description and accuracy, Copper Son is a touching novel that is both poignant and informative.
Godless by Pete Hautman. After an unfortunate account with a bully, 15 year old Jason finds himself dazed and inspired while staring up at the underbelly of a water tower. From that day on, Jason and his friends decide make a new religion and begin to gain converts who join them in worshiping the tower and the water it holds. Godless is an honest story of adolescents questioning religion and searching to find a belief system of their own.
Like the Red Panda by Andrea Siegel. Described by amazon.com as a “brutal answer to the throngs of Chick Lit,” the first novel of this young author describes the high school angst of 17 year old Stella. Stella is witty, smart and beautiful, but she is set on committing suicide before graduation. While the topic is seemingly depressing, Siegel manages invoke a few laughs as she invites us into the mind of this confused young woman.
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. A story about four people who coincidently meet at the top of a building where each had planned to commit suicide. When they discover one of the perspective jumpers is only a teen, the rest make a pact to postpone their leaps and think further on their existence. Described by Publishers Weekly as “grimly comic,” this book is bound to inspire an existential crisis or two.

MAR6.07

A movie, a book... it's both! Whether they have been already sent to the screen or will be in the future, these titles lend themselves to Hollywood.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. Fantasy tale full of wizards, spells, romance and magic. Made into a beautiful animated film in 2004 by Hayao Miyazaki.
Looking for Alaska by John Green. Previously reviewed for our November 20, 2006 booktalk, this piece has been optioned for a film for 2008 by the creator of the OC. The coming of age tale of teen angst lends January 18, 2008 should not be missed. Also, look for Green’s newest book An Abundance of Katherines.
Blood & Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause. This teen werewolf romance was made into a recently released film by the makers of Underworld. Though reviews were mixed, Klause’s series of offbeat love stories is a fun twist on the typical teen love story plot. (see also Sliver Kiss about vampire romance and Alien Secrets about extraterresial adventures.)
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Previously reviewed in our January 9th meeting, The Lightning Thief easily lends itself to the screen with characters and action reminiscent of Harry Potter. The tween audience can enjoy both the fast paced novel and its movie companion. Also check out the next two books in this exciting trilogy: The Sea of Monsters and Titan's Curse.

FEB20.07

Crossovers! What we grown-ups like, a teenager might find interesting as well. We found these to make the crossover.

Jesus Land: A Memoir by Julia Scheeres. Memoir that deals with adoption, interracial family issues, reform school, abuse, parents power/control over kids. Teens who have gone through similar issues may relate to this book. It’s tough read, recommended for older teens. 16+
Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America by Steve Almond. Alex award winner. Detailed descriptions of candy, candy, candy! Almond’s love affair with candy is divided into chapters on Almond’s experience with sweets. Written in a sophisticated language, this book is likely to appeal to older teens. 15+
The Queen's Fool: A Novel by Philippa Gregory. A teen girl fleeing the Inquisition goes to England. She’s a Sephardic Jew passing for Christian, and is chosen to be a lady in waiting for the queen. Full of intrigue, suspense and great detail, this historical novel would appeal to girls ready for a more advanced princess novel. 15+
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Set in Britain in a “special school for kids,” where they are kept separate from everyone else. There’s something different about these kids. Read to find out! Speculative fiction, recommended for older teens.
X23. X-Men comic book, similar to the Dark Angel television show. Very good comic, with lots of bloody illustrations.
Native Son by Richard A. Wright. Classic bildungsroman about an African American boy growing up in the Deep South. Often read in high school as English curriculum.
The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima. A beautiful, lyrical narrative about a fisherman’s boy who falls in love with the daughter of the richest man in the village. Recommended for kids in AP English classes.
Witch Child by Celia Rees. Historical novel, written in diary form, tells the story of a girl who flees to America after grandmother is accused of being a witch and hung. Rich in detail, this book has a sequel.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. Autistic boy finds his neighbor’s dog dead. This is a growing up story, with a mystery narrative that deals with family issues.
Ahab's Wife: Or, The Star-gazer: A Novel by Sean Jeter Naslund. “’Captain Ahab was neither my first husband nor my last,’ says Una Spenser, the eponymous narrator, in the first sentence of this deliciously old-fashioned bildungsroman, adventure story and romance. Naslund's inspiration, based on one reference in Moby-Dick, may not satisfy aficionados of Melville's dense, richly symbolic masterpiece, but it should please most other readers with its suspenseful, affecting, historically accurate and seductive narrative” (Review from Publishers Weekly).
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. Heart wrenching novel told from the perspective of deceased teen. Includes a very violent first chapter, but may be good with mother/daughter reading clubs because of its intergenerational perspectives.
Prep: A Novel by Curtis Sittenfeld. A little bit smutty, but well written. This is a boarding school story similar to Megan McCafferty novels: Sloppy First, Second Helpings and Charmed Thirds.

FEB6.07

Poetry and Spoken Word! Here's what moved us and what we think will move young readers:

Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti. Classic verse fairy tale (first published in 1862) that is full of beautiful language and a fabulously intertwined analogy for temptation and addiction.
The Realm of Possibilities by David Levithan. Though technically a sequel to Levinthan’s acclaimed Boy Meets Boy, this poem collection stands on its own, both as a book and as individual poems which all related to the theme of perseverance and possibility in the face of doubt.
The Rose that Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur. Touching collection of poetry by the well known rapper that includes primary source excerpts of the poems in Shakur’s own handwriting. Full of hope and definitely good material to reach young people who may normally shy away from poetry.
Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy by Sonya Sones. Memoir of poetry pieced together to tell the story of what happen when Sonya’s sister was diagnosed with manic depression. Also author of the equally sassy and poignant, One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies.
You Hear Me?: Poems and Writing by Teenage Boys edited by Betsy Franco Yas (also editor of Things I Have to Tell You: Poems and Writing by Teenage Girls). Collection of essays and poems by young men about an array of topics including school, love, violence, family etc. Note that the explicit language may be more appropriate for an older YA reader.
Bum Rush the Page edited by Tony Medina and Louis Reyes Rivera. Collection of spoken word poetry by many poets published by Def Poetry Jam. Includes themes such as love, sex, violence, race, family, politics etc. Note that the explicit language and adult subjects may be more appropriate for an older YA reader.
Spoken Word Revolution edited by Mark Eleveld, Marc Kelly Smith. Collection of spoken word poetry accompanied by an audio CD so each piece can be heard as it was intended. Note that the explicit language may be more appropriate for an older YA reader.
AND coming out April 2007: Spoken Word Revolution Redux

JAN23.07

Multicultural Literature! Here we have stories exploring people with different cultural backgrounds. What flavors did we bring to the mix?

The Chief by Robert Lipsyte. A Native American kid trains for boxing championship. Surrounded by a multicultural support network (his trainer is paraplegic, his biographer is African American, his mentor is Jewish,), our hero boxes in various ethnic enclaves. A fun read, The Chief covers the spectrum of diverse communities. Can he get past the distractions and focus long enough tot get the title? Read it and see. Recommended for teen boys or 11+, maybe some girls. Contains some “ethnic slurs. ”
Slam! by Walter Dean Myers. Basketball player nicknamed Slam, transfers to an Arts magnet school. Slam! explores family issues, friendships and drugs. This very basketball centric book will interest kids who are in to this particular sport.
Bound by Donna Jo Napoli. Set during the olden days of China, Bound is the story of a girl who is treated as a servant by her stepmother while her older sister has her feet bound, an act that is meant to make her more desirable as a wife. Written in short chapters, the novel intermingles really lovely poetry with charming prose. At times, however, it seems as if the author may try too hard for authenticity. Reading level is 10-14 year-olds.
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson. Written in short chapters, If You Come Softly, tells the story of a rich, white Jewish girl and an African American boy from Brooklyn who have an interracial relationship. They do not want to tell their families about their relationship. The “cheesy” dialogue is not very believable, but may be appealing to 14 year-old kids. The ending, however, did not satisfy our reader.
The Afterlife by Gary Soto. This realistic fantasy tells the story of a murdered boy who travels around as a ghost in the afterlife. Although his life ends at seventeen, the boy is neither regretful nor sad about his life. He meets other ghost and even falls in love w. another ghost, and figures out how to use his ghost powers. Told in first person narrative, the book is humorous and not your typical murder story. Buried Onions continues this story. Both novels seem to be set in the same neighborhood but not do not form a formal series. The story is interesting but not too exciting. There is some Spanish dialog and a helpful glossary at the end. The Afterlife will likely appeal to boys and girls as the supernatural elements are interesting. The narrative style drifts along, but it is easy to understand. The chapters not very short but they are easy to read. Recommended for 11-15 year-olds.
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez. This novel tells the story of four sisters who move from the Dominican Republic during a time of political upheaval. The novel takes on the conflicts that the girls face in acclimating to a new culture, and reconciling old vs. new cultural traditions. Each sister has a distinct personality. This mature book is recommended for older teens. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents is catalogued in both the YA and as adult sections.
The Curse of the ChupaCabra by Rodolfo Anaya. Recommended for Ages 14 years and up. - “Is the ChupaCabra mythical or real? Stories of the creature abound in Latino communities. The illusive creature is said to suck the blood of goats. Thus, its name, goatsucker. Whenever a backyard goat or chicken is mysteriously killed, the story spreads in the barrio that the ChupaCabra struck.

JAN9.07

Fresh from the Winter Break, we are here to take on the lengthy series genre. Sequels, trilogies, quartets, quintets...

Kindred by Octavia Butler. Twenty-six year old Dana is suddenly and mysteriously transported to the antebellum South, to save the life of Rufus, the plantation owner’s son and also her distant ancestor. Dana becomes more and more entrenched the realities of slavery as she continues to be summoned back in time by Rufus in order to ensure the continuation of her lineage. Kindred is highly recommend for reluctant sci-fi readers, students seeking a curriculum supplement to study slavery and race in America. Butler’s literary style and narrative voice is superb! A title we wished had a sequel.
The Amber Spyglass: His Dark Materials - Book III by Philip Pullman. Twelve year-old girl runs away from her suspicious care taker, to be caught up in modern-day dark ages where everyone has a daemon, or soul in an animal form. Philosophical and scientifically very detailed, the logic holds up in this adventurous tale filled with angel-witches and a looming war. The novel grapples with complex issues of truth, control of knowledge and god. The series has been compared to Lord of the Rings. It is sometimes shelved in Children, YA and Adult fiction departments. A movie, staring Daniel Craig + Nicole Kidman is in the making. Also known as the Northern Lights series, The Amber Spyglass is mature and emotive.
Holes by Louis Sachar. 1999 Newberry award winning novel, Holes falls in the magical-realism genre. Easy to read and good to recommend to reluctant readers, Holes is the story about a boy whose family has been cursed. He gets accused of a crime he did not commit and is sent to a juvenile detention camp where the kids are charged with digging holes but are not told why. The story examines the protagonist’s relationship with the kids at the camp and allows the reader in to his fantastically imaginative interior life. There’s a lot of humor. Recommended for 12+. The movie is also very great! The sequel: Small Steps.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares. A girl buys thrift store jeans and her friends try on the pants –which fit them all despite their different body types –and undergo a “growing up moment” while wearing them. This cute novel, written in an epistolary style, explores issues of relationships, boys, divorce and growing up. There are four titles in the series, which are recommended for junior high school girls. The movie is also cute.
The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot. The six books in this series deal with ghosts and can be described as a cross between the Buffy Series meets the Princess Diaries. There is nothing gory in this tale of a girl who can talk to ghosts. Her dad tells her she’s a mediator and can help people stuck between this world and the next to move on. Sometimes she has to exert some tough love to help them in their transition. The series also deals with the girl’s readjustment after she moves in with her mom who has since remarried and has a new family. The major theme here is “transitions.”
Castle Waiting by Linda Medley. An updated fairy tale with a feminist kick, this graphic novel explores what happens after “happily ever after.” It is recommended for younger girls.
The Harvest (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) by Richie Tankersley Cusick. Written in 1997, The Harvest is the first Buffy book. It’s a word for word retelling of fist television episode. The next books in the series are different from the TV episodes, and come in a variety of styles, from “choose your own adventure”, to reading levels for reluctant readers. There are two different Buffy series: one geared for teens, the other for adult readers. The adult series has more graphic violence and sexual situations, and is more psychological. It explores what happens prior to the official start of the TV series. They are still being published, so we can hope to read further stories of what happens after the official TV series ending. The series has different authors.
The Bluford Series, Some One to Love Me by Anne Schraff, Summer of Secrets by Paul Langan. Teens at Nidorf really like books in the Bluford Series. This one is about a girl who has a bad relationship with a boy and it affects how she feels about boys in general. Her parents are also going through problems. Her dad comes to her with a secret. The story looks at how problems can be resolved.
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1) by Rick Riordan. Young Percy has moved from boarding school to boarding school but weird trouble always seems to find him. When he realizes that he is half-god (son of Poseidon), things start to make sense. He is sent to camp with kids who likewise have Greek deities as parents and there is dragged into a war of mythical proportions, literally!

NOV20.06

Another book-talk, and this time you are free to choose as you will. When freedom abounds, what did we choose:

Littman, Sarah Darer. Confessions of a Closet Catholic. New York : Dutton Children's Books, 2005. Judy Blume-esque, 12 year old identity crisis, Justine’s seemingly perfect best friend is catholic but she is Jewish, what to do? Give up being Jewish for Lent! Funny with hints of genuine soul searching.
Yolen, Jane and Patrick Nielsen Hayden (Eds). The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy for Teens: First Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy for Teens. New York : Tor Teen, 2005. The teen version of popular adult collections.
Flake, Sharon G. Who am I without Him. New York : Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, 2004. Coretta Scott Kind Honor 2005. Short stories of young African American girls and the boys in their lives. Genuine accounts of young male/female relationships, universal themes and experiences. Written in urban vernacular. Range: funny, sad , and poignant.
Danticat, Edwidge. Behind the Mountains. New York : Orchard Books 2002. Immigrant fiction for young adults from an adult fiction author. 13 yr old Celiane moves from Haiti to Brooklyn, NY. written in journal form.
Dessen, Sara. That Summer / Someone Like You (series). New York : Puffin Books, 1998/ New York : Viking, 1998. Popular young girl, teen fiction. Written in authentic voice, realistic portrayal of contemporary teen angst. Themes in Someone Like You: teen pregnancy, friendship, death, and moral values. Themes in That Summer: growing up, family relationships, and body image (basis of movie “How to Deal”)
Hayakawa, Tomoko. The Wallflower. (manga series) New York: Del Rey/Ballantine Books 2004 - 2006. Currently, there are 10 volumes available in English translation. Odd young girl, Sunako, gets “makeover” by four young boys, hilarity, oddities, and some violence ensues…. May appeal to fans of Emily Strange (“goth chick lit”).
McKinley, Robin. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast. New York : Harper Trophy, 1993.
Wulffson, Don L. Soldier X. New York : Viking, 2001. WWII story of young soldier, based on a true story. Genuine portrayal of ugly war, shifting identity and allegiances of protagonist, 16yo Eric.
Anderson, M.T. Feed. Cambridge, MA : Candlewick Press, 2002. Future dystopian world where television feeds are connected directly into the brain. Brave New World, 1984 for teens.
Westerfeld, Scott. Uglies. (series fiction) New York : Simon Pulse, 2005. Future dystopian world where plastic surgery is not only the norm, but is required by age 16 in order to conform to a level standard of beauty. Young Tally and her friend Shay are scheduled for surgery, will they run away or conform? Uglies: (book 1), Pretties: (book 2), and Specials: (book 3).
Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. WWII story told from the perspective of Death.
Oates, Joyce Carol. Sexy. New York : HarperTempest, 2005. Young jock protagonist Darren faces questions of loyalty, family relationships, sexuality and coming of age in a small town.
Green, John. Looking for Alaska. New York : Dutton Books, 2005. (2006 Printz Award winner) 16 yo Miles moves to a boarding school where he is intellectually and emotionally stimulated beyond anything he could ever imagine.

OCT30.06

First book-talk of the quarter! (and a short meeting) We're doing Horror/Dark Fantasy books in honor of Hallowe'en. Titles encountered in our horror-fest:

Ray Bradbury. Something Wicked This Way Comes. New York: Bantam Books, 1990.Evocative imagery, creepy but fun, this book will appeal to boys (some girls too!) for the mystery aspect and overall fright factor.
Martinez, A. Lee. Gil's All Fright Diner. New York: Tor Books, 2005. Best friends on a road trip encounter zombies at a diner and decide to take them on. Written for adults, but is a YALSA pick. Contains some insensitive jokes and likely to appeal more to boys. Good high/low book for struggling readers.
CLAMP. [William Flanagan]. Xxxholic. New York: Del Rey Books, 2006. Manga! Boy sees spirits, stumbles into a shop where wishes are granted and seeks help to get rid of ghostly visions. Explores Japanese folklore and urban legends. Geared toward girls, but may appeal to boys. Comedic episodes with but dark bits of drama.
Sokoloff, Alexandra. The Harrowing. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2006. For upper level high school. Weird things happen when Ouiji board playing college freshmen open the door to the supernatural. Good imagery and exploration of identity and Jewish mysticism. Well written and creepy!
Avi. Wolf Rider. New York: Simon Pulse, 1993. A boy gets a call from a self confessed murder and is single handedly take him on. Good for 8th grade level. An entertaining read.
Pratchett, Terry. Wintersmith. New York: HarperTeen, 2006. Continues the story of Tiffany Aching. Deals with supernatural themes and apprentice witching.
Some Stephen King, Anne Rice and Dean Koontz appropriate for teen readers. King’s Buick 8 and Salem’s Lot often requested and in the Classics section at Burbank Public Library. No theme for next book talk.

Don't forget to keep up with this year's booktalkers!