2005 National Book Award Winner

Ratings Explanation

Violence:  A mean man hits a dog, who yelps in pain and retreats to its owner.

Sexual Content:  12-year-old Rosalind has a crush on 17-year-old Cagney, the gardener boy. She spies him kissing another girl and wishes it were her he were kissing, wondering what it might feel like. Children eavesdrop on a boy’s mother, who kisses her boyfriend and talks about marrying him.

Adult Themes:  Jeffrey’s mother is portrayed as an unkind, impatient, demanding woman who yells at her son and his friends a lot. She threatens to send Jeffrey to military school, where he’ll learn real discipline and proper behavior. Whether this borders on actual verbal abuse is probably up to the reader (if you’re a child, then yes; if you’re a parent, then perhaps not.) There is no physical abuse whatsoever.

Synopsis

The four Penderwick girls, their widowed father (a kindly botany professor), and their dog rent a cottage in the Massachusetts countryside for three weeks one summer, where they encounter all the delightful adventures one could possibly hope for in such a short span of time.  The cottage is actually a guest house on an enormous estate called Arundel, owned by the fabulously wealthy and equally snobbish Mrs. Tifton, whose own sweet 11-year-old son Jeffrey is in need of new and adventurous friends. He finds them, of course, in the Penderwicks–much to his mother’s chagrin, who considers the girls a very bad influence. Rosalind, who is 12, experiences the pangs of her first unrequited love when she meets the gardener boy, Cagney–seventeen, handsome, charming, and naturally inclined to see Rosalind as just a little girl. Then there is Skye, who is 11 and feisty, and hasn’t yet learned that speaking one’s mind (especially in front of Mrs. Tifton) can sometimes cause trouble. Ten-year-old Jane is an aspiring author with several unpublished books under her belt already, but just may find fodder for her new novel here at Arundel. Then there is four-year-old Batty, in butterfly wings and ever accompanied by faithful Hound, their pet dog. Together these four girls with Jeffrey in tow will escape a charging bull, ruin Mrs. Tifton’s garden party, discover a trove in Jeffrey’s attic, save runaway bunnies, and find the courage to face off to the tyrannical Mrs. Tifton herself. What more could one hope for in three short weeks?

The subtitle to this endearing novel is: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. And really, that is all the formula one needs for summer adventure. This book follows in the tradition of the classic children’s novel about families (think Alcott’s March sisters, or Nesbit’s Bastables), where siblings stick together through all sorts of mishaps or disagreements and come out better in the end. It requires no wizardry to make children fall inlove with this kind of simple formula, but the result is indeed magical. My 9-year-old daughter devoured this book, as did everyone in her little girls’ book club, and all agreed that a summer at Arundel Cottage would be ideal (in spite of having to deal with the dreadful Mrs. Tifton and her obnoxious boyfriend, Dexter). Now they are all eager to read the sequel, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street. Highly recommended.

Ratings Explanation

Language: The name of the Lord is taken in vain a couple of times, as well as a minor swear word. But the terms “nigger” and “nigra” are used twenty times–always derogatory.

Violence: Lynchings, burnings (of people), tar & feathering, and other violence and harassments by “nightmen” are common throughout the book. David is shot in the head. The Simms’s brothers beat up T.J. after the robbery and murder of Mr. Barnett when T.J. threatens to tell. The Avery family is dragged from their beds, kicked, spit on and beaten up. Children are whipped by their parents or teachers as a form of discipline. T.J. and Stacy have a fist fight. Cassie beats up Lillian Jean. Most of the violence and threats are racially motivated (whites initiating them against the blacks). There is the assumption that T.J. will be hung for his part in the death of Mr. Barnett.

Sexual Content: Brief mention of a white woman accusing two black boys of “molesting” her.

Adult Themes: The black community lives in constant apprehension of racially motivated crimes or harassments by the white people (whose actions are seemingly always outside the law). The book is written through the eyes of Cassie, a 9-year-old, who experiences this violence, discrimination and fear, mostly for the first time. She is afraid for her safety and that of her family and friends. The emotional trauma is as damaging as the physical trauma. There is a brief mention of kids smoking and drinking.

Synopsis

The Logans are a black family struggling to keep the land they’ve had for three generations in Mississippi. They experience the pain and fears of racial prejudice during the 1930’s, while trying to maintain their independence and integrity. Cassie Logan, age 9, must learn “the way things are” in society. From being given inferior school supplies to being forced to “cow down” to whites walking on the sidewalk, Cassie experiences prejudice. Around her, accusations cause the “nightmen” to burn and harass her neighbors. When her parents lead the black community in boycotting the local white-owned store, Cassie’s parents become the next target. Mr. Logan is attacked, thus making him incapable of working and Mrs. Logan loses her teaching job. The whites do not want “the balance of things” (in society) upset. After a burglary/murder occurs at the store, violent retaliations begin. Mr. Logan is forced to go to extraordinary lengths to prevent further tragedy.

This Newbery Award winning novel is a realistic portrayal of the segregation and racism experienced by many in the black community in the depression-era south. Hopefully, humanity has improved its attitudes and mores in the last 80 years. While I think that it important to teach our children such aspects of our nation’s history, I would not recommend this book to a grade school audience. I have a sixth grade daughter who won’t be reading this just yet. The violence and emotional trauma described are better suited for a jr. high or high school audience. I would have probably rated the violence and adult content a “3”, if an older teen read the book. The “4’s”given are with a 6th or 7th grade reader in mind. Also, I have read a couple of other books in the “Logan Family Series”—my favorite being, “The Land.”

Ratings Explanation

Violence: A boy is prepped for an Egyptian-style partial brain removal through his nose. (It doesn’t actually happen.)

Adult Themes: Cass doesn’t know who her father is. Max-Ernest’s parents are divorced but live in two halves of the same house. This provides for some strangeness in Max-Ernest’s home life.

Synopsis

The mysterious narrator of The Name of This Book is Secret is reluctant to tell his story and urges his audience to forget everything they read as soon as they are done reading it. What could be so secret and dangerous that simply reading it could put your very life in jeopardy? That is the question that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

Survivalist Cass and Logician Max-Ernest are extremely different, but when a super-secret mystery falls into their laps, they are forced to become collaborators. Searching for the resolution to a very old story and keeping one step ahead of the really evil guys keeps them constantly on their toes and in and out of sticky situations. As Cass and Max-Ernest learn more of the mystery, they realize they are on the ancient trail to the fountain of youth. Can they stop the madness before one of their classmates is lost forever? It  may be more than two 11-year-olds can handle, but don’t count them out too soon, they are quite capable.

Delightful! Pseudonymous Bosch is a quirky and fun narrator, lightening the tension at just the right moments. One of my favorite quotes came from Cass, “Funny how easy it is to get used to having a servant. Even for a survivalist.” I think I could get used to one as well! I love a good mystery and this is a great one for the little guys. It would be a really fun read aloud too. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Language: Zulaikha is verbally attacked because of her appearance.  Many call her “donkey face”.  American soldiers verbally attack an Afghan man for what they feel is neglect and abuse toward his new wife.

Violence:  Men are allowed to beat their wives as a form of discipline.  A women is punched in the face leaving her unconscious with a broken nose.  Another woman is severly burned from an ‘accident’.  Rumors are spread of the Americans bombing women and children.  The Taliban severly beat a woman in front of her family for having a book.  They eventually drag her from her home and shoot her dead.

Sexual Content: The bride is told to save her energy for the wedding night. The author mentions that the women share vulgar jokes.  During the dancing, the women pinch and slap each other in private areas.  The wedding cloth is given back to the bride’s family after the wedding night with blood on it to prove the virginity of the bride and the consumation of the marriage.  The husband ‘teaches’ the new wife every night so that she will have a son.

Adult Situations:  The country is recovering from the brutal reign of the Taliban.  Women have very little power outside of their duties in the home.  They are subserviant to the men in their life and have little rights to protect themselves.  Once a woman is married, she becomes the property of her husband’s family.  After a woman is severly burned, her husband casually sits outside of the hospital smoking and refuses to allow her to be taken to an American hospital for better treatment.  The woman dies within a day.  The husband casually leaves the hospital after her death.

Synopsis

Zulaikha is a young Afghan girl growing up in the time just after the Taliban regime was put down.  American troops are now in the area to help build and restore the country.  One day while walking to the market, an American soldier notices Zulaikha’s disfugured split lip.  He returns with a female captain who tries to convince her father to let the Americans operate to fix her mouth.  Zulaikha is overjoyed until she learns that the helicopter cannot make it to transport her to the hospital.  She must remain disfugured and return to her dreary life of endless housework and childcare. Her one consolation is that she has her sister to share her dreams and her chores with.  But, when her father comes into some money for helping the Americans construct a building, her sister is suddenly betrothed to be married.  Zulaikah has mixed feelings as she rejoices for her sister and mourns for herself and the lonliness she will live with.  Her step-mother gives her no comfort.  Instead, she is constantly giving her more chores or sending her for something at the market.  On one of Zulaikah’s trips, she meets an old woman who invites her into her shop for tea.  After they talk for a while, Zulaikha discovers that the women knew her mother who was killed a few years earlier by the Taliban for reading books.  The old woman offers to teach Zulaikha how to read and write and recite the poetry of the old days.  She begins to find the words tugging at her and tries to find time to study with her more often.  Zulaikha wonders if this is where she will find peace. Life quickly changes when she is suddenly given another opportunity for corrective surgery and her hope of becoming normal overtakes her desire to learn.  Little does she know that greater challenges are just around the corner and the peace she seeks is quickly slipping away.

This book was written by a soldier who actually served in Afghanistan.  He was inspired by the real story of a young girl receiving reconstructive surgery from the Americans for a split lip.  His experience with the Afghan people and his research into their religion and customs brings this book to life.   I really enjoyed the insight on the daily life of women in Afghanistan.   Their joys, their heartache, their dedication to their religion and their love for family are as real for them as they are for us.  I recommend this book for sixth grade and up because of the  insight it gives into the people of a country that we have been so politically involved in over the past few years.  It will help us all remember that we are all human beings looking for peace and happiness in the middle of life’s heartaches.

Ratings Explanation

Language:  The language is not offensive, but it is mentioned that the word “chicken butt” is used in place of the “A” word.

Sexual Content:  There are a few kisses included in the story.

Adult Themes:  A boy’s mother died from breast cancer. A character in the story struggled with drugs, drinking, stealing, and taking advantage of a teenage girl; although no details of this behavior were described.

Synopsis

High School student Chloe Hart has no interest in the popular crowd, especially one boy by the name of Taylor Anderson! He is the guy every girl dreams of dating. Even though he pays attention to Chloe and seems to enjoy teasing her, she refuses to fall for him, no matter how charming and attractive he may be. For some reason at the beginning of senior year he decides to be everywhere she is…how annoying! Chloe is determined to avoid him at all costs, but it just might be too late to resist him any longer…

Author Jenni James has created a modern version of the timeless classic Pride and Prejudice and has placed it in a high school setting in Farmington, New Mexico. This story was funny and endearing as well as clean! In fact, Chloe hosts a Halloween party and informs Taylor that there will be no drinking. I loved the way names from the original novel were woven into the story. Chloe’s middle name is Elizabeth and Taylor’s middle name is Darcy. The story also deals with the subject of being careful whom we date. One of the characters preys on teenage girls with the intention of taking advantage of them. This would be a very good discussion to have with your daughter on personal safety! The story is part of a series entitled, The Jane Austen Diaries with Pride & Popularity being the first in the series. The rest will include modern day versions of five additional Jane Austen novels. I would recommend this book for ages twelve and up.

Ratings Explanation

Language:  There are some exclamations involving Deity.  A girl calls her father a jackass.  Pisser is used as a name and mentioned several times.

Violence:  A father hits his daughter across the face.  Two girls get into a fight at school.

Sexual Content:  A girl thinks about her first kiss.  There is an “almost” kiss.

Adult Themes:  Mental disabilities, prejudice, social classes and family issues are all touched upon lightly.

Synopsis

The first time Juli saw Bryce she flipped.  Even at 6 years old those baby blue eyes had her convinced that Bryce was the only boy for her.  The first time Bryce saw Juli he ran away.  Juli was an annoying pest that just wouldn’t go away.  Bryce has been dodging Juli since 1st grade, but now that they are in eighth grade, something is changing.  Bryce is beginning to see Juli in a new light, but now Juli has decided that Bryce and his baby blues are not all she thought them to be.

This story is told from the two different points of view of Juli and Bryce.  Through them we get a glimpse of the events and thoughts that shape who they are becoming.  Riddled with misunderstandings and comic errors, this book will leave you smiling.  It is a light, easy read that young teens and pre-teens will enjoy.  This book was recommended to me by a friend and I’m glad I picked it up.  I believe Flipped has even been made into a movie (although I haven’t seen it).  Recommended reading level of 10 years and up, 5th grade and up.

Ratings Explanation

Adult Themes:  Ben and Rose are both deaf. Ben’s mother died in a car accident. Some characters smoked. Ben’s mother never told him the name of his father. Ben and Rose each had their own experiences in running away from home. Ben was robbed of his money. Rose’s parents have marital troubles. Ben’s parents were never married to each other.

Synopsis

The world is silent for young Ben Wilson having been born deaf in one ear, then later losing his hearing in the other ear due to a lightning strike. While in the care of his Aunt after having lost his mother in a car accident, Ben decides to risk it all and go in search of the identity of the father he never knew. He finds himself on a bus to New York City as he follows some possible clues to his father’s location. His quest leads him to the Natural History Museum where he discovers something about his father.

Fifty years beforehand, a young girl named Rose, who is also deaf, seeks out her mother in the same city. Ben’s and Rose’s stories become entwined in an unusual way. Will they be able to find the peace and happiness they both seek?

Author Brian Selznick tells his story through both word and picture in a captivating way. The book is big and beautiful! Ben’s story is told in words, while Rose’s story is told in picture with the two converging at the end. In this book a picture really is worth a thousand words! The sense of knowing who you are and where you belong were driving forces for Ben and Rose. They both longed to have their parents in their lives. I liked these quotes, “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” Also, “Ben wished the world was organized by the Dewey decimal system. That way you’d be able to find whatever you were looking for, like the meaning of your dream, or your dad.” This second quote tugged at my heart! I would recommend this book for children 4^th grade and up.

Ratings Explanation

Language:  There are about 10 instances in which God’s name is used casually (for God’s sake, OMG, for example).

Synopsis

More than anything in the world, Matty wants a horse of her own. Growing up in the resort town of Gull’s Nest, she sees the wealthy New Yorkers visit each summer, bringing with them their spoiled children and beautiful horses. When she lands a job at the local riding stables, Matty learns to care for horses and is also allowed to take riding lessons. She loves riding just as much as she knew she would. Matty moves in with her Grandmother for the summer and discovers a very old painting of an enchanting black horse. Matty wishes with every part of herself that this horse could be her very own. She knows it’s impossible, of course, so why does she feel pulled outside in the middle of the night with the horse in mind? And why does it seem like the horse in the painting is trying to communicate with her? And how is there a black horse, that looks exactly like the one in the painting, waiting for her in the meadow by the pond? Matty just might learn that what her Grandmother has always said is true: Be careful what  you wish for.

It is nice to find a book for this age group that is free of sex and violence. I enjoyed the part of the story in which Matty finds some old journals that reveal the history of the horse and painting. If you have a young horse lover, this would be a fun read for them. Thanks to Nancy DiFabbio for providing a copy for review.

Ratings Explanation

Violence:  Two men grab Koly.  She wrestles away, and is slapped on the first.

Sexual Content: A man in the holy city of Vrindavan is looking for young girls from the country.  He spots Koly and grabs hold of her.  He clearly has immoral intentions.  Koly has been warned and frees herself.  Later,  Koly is at a co-worker’s party when a lecherous artist stares at her and says he wants to paint a picture of her.  He has bad intentions for her as well.  American television programs are referred to as being “very improper.”

Adult Content: Koly’s mother-in-law treats her poorly.  She verbally abuses and berates her.  She is given the hardest of all the household tasks.  When Koly travels to the Ganges, she sees holy men “who wore nothing at all.” When Koly is left alone in Vrindavan, she has to sleep on the street.   She suffers great anxiety and fear over being homeless.  A co-worker, Mala, steals from their employer and Koly finds out.  At this co-worker’s party, Koly’s drink is intentionally laced with bhang (marijuana) by the artist.  She drinks it unknowingly.

Synopsis

Koly is a thirteen-year-old Indian girl who mistakenly enters into an unfortunate arranged marriage.  Soon after the marriage, Koly finds herself a widow living with her in-laws.  (Social mores prevented Koly from returning home to her parents.)  Her mother-in-law (her “sass”) is verbally and emotionally abusive to Koly, forcing her to do the hardest household tasks.  Koly’s father-in-law (her “sassur”) is too timid to stand up to his wife in how she treats Koly, but he does secretly teach her to read and write.   This begins to give Koly comfort and confidence.  After her sassur dies, Koly finds herself abandoned and alone in a big city full of would-be friends and foes.  Koly faces her new life with courage, and through her special embroidery talents, she saves herself–all within the realms of the established Indian customs.

This National Book Award winner was based on a newspaper article read by the author.   It was interesting to find out more about the centuries-old culture of India.  At first, I assumed this book took place a hundred or more years ago, but I soon realized that this type of underage/arranged marriage, the plight and shame of being a young widow, and the caste systems described, are alive and well in India toady.  Koly is a strong heroine of the highest character who takes control of her own destiny, after being used as a pawn as a young teen.   I enjoyed reading this very well researched book. There is a dictionary, of sorts, at the end of the book with definitions of the Indian vocabulary used within.

Ratings Explanation

Language: There are a few instances of name calling such as brat and “Skunk”.  It is mentioned that a few people curse.

Violence:  “Shadows” attack a man and he dies.  Two bullies with BB guns push Leven around.  Leven manipulates the weather and uses lightening to chase the bullies.  Leven is punched by another boy.  A being in the persona of a tree wreaks havoc on a home and its occupants.  A man threatens Leven with  physical violence.  A snake catches and swallows Leven and Winter.  Clover bites Leven which causes him to fall into a dreamlike state.  “Shadows” attack people in a train station.  Sabine threatens to kill Leven.  A frozen being is shattered into thousands of pieces.

Adult Themes: A storm causes fire, destruction and death.  Leven’s father dies in a car accident one week before he is born, and his mother dies after giving birth to him.  A baby girl is born and not wanted by her mother.  The father left months before she was born.  Babies are switched in the hospital.  Leven is not loved by his Aunt or Uncle and is even forced to sleep on the porch each night.  Likewise, Winter is not loved or treated well by her mother.  Some people  occasionally go missing and end up in Foo, never to return to earth.  Terry goes to a bar.  He has money stashed away for drinking. Geth experiences painful changes.  A few vehicles are stolen by the characters in the story, resulting in a police chase.  There is mention of stolen treasure by some fishermen.  The characters don’t always pay for the things they need.  There is mention of a man smoking a pipe.  At one point, Leven has a vision of his death.

Synopsis

Fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps was born into sad circumstances and lives a lonely existence with an uncaring Aunt and Uncle in Burnt Culvert, Oklahoma. But Leven comes to discover who he really is and what he was meant to do with the help of a little creature named Clover, a thirteen-year-old girl who can freeze things named Winter, and an unusual little being named Geth, who happens to be the king of Foo.  Leven never dreamed that his purpose would lead him to the world of Foo, the place of people’s hopes and dreams. He must reach the gateway between earth and Foo before Sabine takes over both worlds and carries out his evil plans.

There are five books in the Leven Thumps series with “Gateway to Foo” being book one.  This story uses quite a bit of imagination and would appeal to children in grades 5 through 8 in particular.  I did appreciate the absence of inappropriate language and sexual content, although the description of the negative people in the story seemed to associate them with being fat, lazy and unattractive, while thin people were kind and beautiful.  The back of the book has a glossary of terms which I would recommend reading first to better understand the world the author has created.  Drawings of some of the characters were included throughout the book as well.  A favorite quote was, “Optimism is our best ally.”  It was good to read about individuals who came to know of their worth and potential and were willing to make the necessary sacrifices for the benefit of others.