Ratings Explanation

Language: “Nigger” used over 20 times. A handful of common swear words and over 20 religious exclamations.

Violence: Grandma slaps Janie. A slave owner’s wife hits a slave for having a white baby, it is presumed that the baby is the child of the owner. The Mistress tells the slave that she will be whipped 100 lashes in the morning. Jody slaps Janie. Tea Cake is stabbed in a fight but there are no details given. A man slaps his wife around to show he’s the boss. A drunken brawl in a cafe.

Sexual Content: A woman’s firm buttocks and breasts are mentioned. There are a few sexual illusions within the metaphor of flowers, blossoms, pollination and open petals. An unmarried couple wakes up together. A married couple fights and it turns passionate. A few kisses.

Adult Themes: The rape of a 17-year-old girl is mentioned. Jody thinks men have to think for women. He puts them in the same category as chickens and cows. Jody’s oppression of Janie. A black woman despises others who have darker skin than she and seeks association with those who have lighter skin. Slavery. Social issues relating to race.

Synopsis

Their Eyes Were Watching God is the story of Janie Crawford and her journey to know herself. It takes her through poverty, wealth, loving and empty relationships, three marriages and death. Janie has been raised by her grandmother, a former slave, who only wants safety and protection for Janie. But Janie longs “to be a pear tree – any tree in bloom! With kissing bees singing of the beginning of the world! She was sixteen. She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle with life but it seemed to elude her. Where were the singing bees for her?” So Janie goes about her life, always longing to be that tree in bloom and searching for what will fulfill her.

An absolutely beautifully written book. Zora Neale Hurston has in incredible gift for language and imagery as well as the ability to see human behavior and put words to it that capture it exactly. Here are a couple of examples from the book.

“She was a rut in the road. Plenty of life beneath the surface but it was kept beaten down by the wheels.”

The following quote comes after Janie and her husband fight and her husband hits her. “Janie stood where he left her for unmeasured time and thought. She stood there until something fell off the shelf inside her. Then she went inside there to see what it was. It was her image of Jody tumbled down and shattered. But looking at it she saw that it never was the flesh and blood figure of her dreams. Just something she had grabbed up to drape her dreams over.”

I loved Janie’s journey and the woman she becomes in the end – able to stand completely on her own, regardless of the whispered comments behind her back,  at peace with where she has been and where she will go from here. A must read for high school and older.

2012 Newbery Medal Winner

Ratings Explanation

Language: “Sweet Cheeze-us” and “Cheeze-us Crust” used a handful of times. Several other religious exclamations. “Damn” used once and “Japs” used a few times.

Violence: It is briefly mentioned that Marines killed a lot of Japanese and burned some alive with flame throwers. Several old women are poisoned. A man is run over by a cement truck.

Adult Themes: War: Soldiers didn’t want to shoot the Japanese enemy. Officers had to threaten to shoot their own men if they didn’t fire. A girl smokes. Death and murder.

Synopsis

Even though Jack Gantos has been grounded for the rest of his life, the summer of 1962 will be one for the history books. During this relatively short period of time, Jack  learns to type and to drive, sees his first Hell’s Angels brigade, buys rat poison for an old man who rides a tricycle, digs a bomb shelter, sees several dead bodies, discovers a woman tied up in her basement and rides in an airplane – among other things. It will definitely be a summer never to be forgotten, and that’s one of the most important things Jack will learn: “Don’t ever forget your history or any wicked soul can lie to you and get away with it.”

Jack spends much of his landmark summer with Miss Volker, an original Norvelt resident  tasked by Eleanor Roosevelt to document the passing of all original Norvelters. Because of her extreme arthritis, Miss Volker can no longer type and requires a scribe. As Jack types the obituaries for each of the dying founders of his town, he also gets a history lesson, for Miss Volker is determined that someone remember the history of Norvelt because if this town dies, “someone will have to be around to write the obit.”

I thoroughly enjoyed Dead End in Norvelt, especially its very quirky characters and small town setting. It reminded me of the small town where I grew up, except my town wasn’t nearly as exciting. This is really a history book in disguise and Jack Gantos (who is both the author and the main character) was able to weave some really fantastic history into the book, ranging from the  destruction of the Incas by Pizarro to John F. Kennedy’s harrowing WWII experiences. But the history of Norvelt and its people ends up being just as important as the well known stories. Full of clever prose, life lessons and, of course, history, Dead End in Norvelt is a deserving Newbery Medal recipient. Recommended for 5th grade and up.

Ratings Explanation

Violence:  A hunting party finds three young children in the woods, apparently having been raised by wolves. It’s described that the hunters pointed guns at them and almost “got off a shot or two.” A man mentions that most of his family met gruesome ends while hunting. (No details given.) A room in the home is covered with mounted heads of a variety of animals, trophies of the master of the house. A “hunting” party is put together when the men are told that the children have been seen running into the woods.

Adult Themes: No explanation is given as to how the children came to live in the woods, but it’s mentioned that they were probably abandoned. There is talk of sending the children to an orphanage. The children are left in the barn for several days because the couple doesn’t know what to do with them. A few characters smoke cigars. Lady Constance acts in “the manner of a person who had overindulged in champagne or some similar beverage.”

Synopsis
Three young children have been found on the extensive grounds of Ashton Place, and fifteen-year-old Penelope Lumley has been hired as their governess. She has been charged with their care and taming. Miss Lumley has her work cut out for her as the children need to learn everything from how to put on clothes properly and how not to chase squirrels, to Latin and poetry. She spends her time teaching and taming these children, all the while trying to figure out the mystery of where they came from.

This was just a fun book to read. It was a story different than any others I’ve read, although it reminded me a bit of Roald Dahl’s stories. A funny and interesting plot with likable characters and amusing situations. I also thought that the writing was fantastic. I enjoyed the dry humor and parenthetical side notes given by the author. The only thing I didn’t love about the book is that it ended with “To Be Continued…” in what seemed like the middle of the story. I hadn’t realized that it was going to be a series. Almost none of the mysteries were solved, nor any of the questions answered, but if you go into it knowing there are two additional books, it might not be so disappointing. Geared for 5th to 8th grade, I think it’s just right for that age group and anyone else who likes an entertaining read.

Ratings Explanation

Violence: The guards chase and capture Lina. They are rough with her.

Adult Content: Lina and Doon face the uncertain future of their city. Lina copes with the death of her parents (before the book starts) and then later, her grandmother. Lina and Doon have the courage to attempt to escape from Ember.

Synopsis

Fearing the end of human civilization, scientists create and populate a city deep underground in this post-apocalyptic tale. The city of Ember is self-sufficient and stocked with supplies to last 200 years. There is a generator that supplies power and electricity, which provides artificial light for the citizens. But the year is approximately 241 and the supplies are nearly gone and the generator is failing. Instructions left by Ember’s Builders on how to leave the city and return to the earth’s surface have been lost over time. Lina Mayfleet (whose job is a Messenger) and Doon Harrow (who works in Pipeworks) are the two young teenagers in the book who find the instructions, albeit in pieces. There is a corrupt mayor and his guards who are intent on stopping Lina and Doon. Time is running out as the teenagers must decipher and follow the clues to leave Ember, if there is any chance of escaping the imminent darkness and the certain end of the city and its inhabitants.

Super exciting read for boys and girls alike. It would make a fantastic read aloud book. The author had me hooked until the end. I’ve recommended this book to several others, who all agreed that they loved the book. There are 3 other books in the series (book 3 is a prequel). A movie was made of “The City of Ember”, though I have not seen it.

Ratings Explanation

Language:  The ethnic slurs “Jap” and “Chink” are mentioned; signs that read “No Japs Allowed” posted on businesses.

Violence:  Knowing her dog will starve to death once the family is taken away, a woman kills her dog by hitting him on the head with a shovel and buries him. Japanese-Americans are spat upon and shot at; bricks are thrown through the windows of a train that is carrying Japanese-Americans to the internment camps. A Japanese man is shot dead by a guard at the camp.

Sexual Content:  Brief mention of a girl lying naked with a guard in the back of a truck at the camp. A girl talks about getting her period. Lewd magazines are found in the family’s abandoned house; descriptions of naked men and women and positions they are photographed in.

Adult Themes:  An adolescent girl starts smoking. An unwanted baby is found in the trash. Japanese-Americans are treated like enemies and forced to leave their homes and jobs to live in internment camps until the end of World War II.

Synopsis

It was December, 1941, and the Japanese had just bombed Pearl Harbor. In only a matter of weeks, signs were posted all over the Pacific coast informing people of Japanese ancestry to pack their bags and prepare to leave.  They had been “reclassified”, and overnight went from being fellow American citizens to the slant-eyed enemy (people of Chinese ancestry wore pins or signs that read ”I am Chinese” to differentiate themselves from the Japanese). They were relocated to one of several internment camps strewn across the United States until the war ended. Forced to abandon their well-kept homes and gardens, their jobs and places of business, their schools and neighborhoods, they left with all the worldly belongings they could pack in one small suitcase and went to live behind barbed wire fences in shabby barracks in the desert.  Many lost everything they had, and returned three or four years later to nothing, forced to start their lives over and live with the taint of anti-Japanese sentiment that would linger until long after the war had ended. When the Emperor Was Divine tells the story of one such family who was relocated from Berkeley, California to Topaz Mountain, Utah. The story shifts points of view from the quiet, docile mother to those of her two bewildered young children and finally the kindly father who, suspected of being a spy for the Japanese, is yanked by the FBI from his home in the middle of the night in his slippers and sent to live in a prison camp in New Mexico. Eventually the war ends and the reunited family returns to a vandalized home and the scalding looks of once neighborly neighbors. They will never be quite the same again.

I picked up this gem of a novel because I was intrigued to read something about what was never taught to me out of history books growing up. The internment of over 100,000 Japanese Americans, most of whom were American citizens, is one of those incidents in American history that for many years had been quietly swept under the rug. Ms. Otsuka brings it into the light, and her lyrical prose and stark details make this book shine; she never over-dramatizes but writes with restraint and simplicity. The characters never whine about the injustice in their lives (as would clearly–perhaps rightfully so–happen today), they just continue to gaman suru, or persevere, as the Japanese do. What results is luminous and poetic, not tragic or heavy. Well worth reading and recommended (high school and older.)

Ratings Explanation

Language: Common swear words used fewer than 20 times combined. Religious exclamations and profanity used about 20 times. 5 F-words. A few derogatory terms referring to Germans.

Violence: A plane strafes the countryside, aiming at Elise. Two planes battle in the sky. Elise slaps a downed German pilot. Some mention of  Jews being beaten or humiliated.

Sexual Content: One young woman asks another what she knows about “sexual intercourse”. They discuss it in fairly vague terms. One of them wants to have sex with  her boyfriend. A father tells his son that he could take Elise as a mistress. A couple has been drinking and they start to kiss. Things get heated and she has to elbow him to make him stop. Elise imagines having sex with Kit. An unmarried girl becomes pregnant. A man sees a woman naked in the bath. An unmarried couple makes love and there is a brief description. Several kisses.

Adult Themes: Jews in Vienna are persecuted and driven from their homes. Elise knows that the German pilot despises her because she is a Jew. Moving on after the death of a loved one. Premarital sex. A young woman becomes pregnant out of wedlock. War.

Synopsis

“Viennese Jewess, 19, seeks position as domestic servant. Speaks fluid English. I will cook your goose.”

After posting the above advertisement, Elise Landau is offered the position of parlor maid at Tyneford, an estate in the English countryside. Leaving her home, family and life of ease behind in Vienna, Elise attempts to adjust to the life of a servant instead of a privileged young woman. Some months after her arrival, the young and dashing heir to Tyneford, Kit Rivers, returns home and he and Elise strike up a friendship. Although their relationship raises eyebrows, Kit is reckless and full of fun and he makes life at Tyneford bearable for Elise, but as war looms for Europe, Kit feels compelled to enlist and fight for England. The war will change everything for Elise, her hopes and dreams, her family, and even her name.

I enjoyed The House at Tyneford, but I wouldn’t categorize it as a favorite. Elise’s plight was interesting with her leaving Austria to become a maid. Her life in Vienna had been a privileged one of parties and operas, but in England she was just the maid. Because of her background she was not welcomed by the other servants as one of their own. She was also unable to be a part of the family at Tyneford. This social no-man’s-land highlighted the morés of the time and place and Elise’s struggles in navigating them. On the other hand, the book also shows how many expectations were suspended during war time.

My favorite part of the book was the house itself and the way it changed through the story based on the experiences of the characters. All houses, no matter the size, are just houses, but the people in them make the house interesting and alive.

I found the strong language (f-words) out of context and distracting from the story.  I was thinking at first that I would recommend this book to my mother, but in the end decided against  it. This book is appropriate for adults.

Ratings Explanation

Language:  It is mentioned twice that someone swore but no swear words were actually used.

Violence:  A highwayman holds up a carriage. Someone is shot. A kidnapping occurs at gunpoint. Two men duel with swords.

Sexual Content: A few kisses take place.

Adult Themes: It is mentioned that a woman died. Marianne and her maid are robbed. A man is drunk.

Synopsis

Marianne Daventry has spent the last year with her grandmother in Bath following the death of her mother, while her twin sister, Cecily, resides with relatives in London. Marianne receives an invitation from her sister to spend the summer in the beautiful English countryside and looks forward to a relaxing and peaceful time away from the confines of her grandmother and Bath. Cecily’s summer plan is to capture the heart of Edenbrooke’s highly sought after heir. Marianne’s courage is put to the test as she and her maid fight off a highwayman while traveling. While recovering at an inn she meets a handsome yet mysterious stranger before traveling on to Edenbrooke. Relaxing isn’t exactly the word to describe her summer as she finds herself involved with adventure, intrigue and, of course, romance!

I am such a fan of Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, that I was immediately drawn to this book by Julianne Donaldson! The thing that I loved most was that Marianne learned to be okay with and accept who she is instead of trying to fit the perfect mold of who English Society expected her to be. This quote sums it up, “I reread my grandmother’s letter and realized with a deep sense of contentment that I had not had to change at all in order to have every hope for happiness in life. I had not had to learn to sing for company or to behave like Cecily or to stop twirling. I could be myself and be loved deeply. I was in fact, a lot like Meg (horse), who had always been a racehorse. I just hadn’t known it.” Great story! I would recommend this for grades 7 and up.

Ratings Explanation

Violence: Andy comes across a bear that was inhumanly killed by hunters who only want the fur and other prized parts. The bear’s head and four feet have been cut off.

Adult Content: Andy must face his fears as he struggles to survive a kayak accident and then nearly two weeks alone in the wilderness of Alaska.

Synopsis:

Fourteen-year-old Andy Galloway has come to Alaska to see first-hand the area where his father, an archeologist looking for traces of the earliest Americans, died a decade previous. After leaving his kayaking group for a short detour, Andy becomes separated from the others when a terrible storm occurs. Andy washes up on Admirality Island–an island full of bears, wolves and other wild animals. Andy struggles to survive on his own, while still hoping to be rescued. Soon, Andy becomes aware that there is someone else on the island, a strange, prehistoric-looking man that Andy names, “The Wild Man.” Is this man friend or foe? As Andy explores the island, he encounters a bear, an unusual dog, an empty mining town, and a cave with ancient human remains. Eventually, Andy and the Wild Man realize they have much more in common than they thought and they begin to work together toward a satisfactory conclusion.

Will Hobbs has written numerous outdoor adventure books targeted for boys. If your son loves this genre, as mine does, then Wild Man Island, or any of his other books would be a sure hit and a safe bet. Mr. Hobbs draws on his personal experiences as both a middle school teacher and as an outdoor enthusiast when writing his novels.

Ratings Explanation

Violence:  There is war raging in Sudan.  A village is attacked by rebel soldiers and the children in school are told to run into the bush.  A man is hit with the butt of a gun.  People are stung by bees.  A young boy goes missing in the night.  It is explained that a lion has probably killed him.  Salva’s shoes wear away so he is forced to walk barefoot.  His toenail is ripped off when he stubs it.  Men die from dehydration.  Uncle is tied to a tree and shot to death.  Refugees are forced into a river filled with crocodiles.  Many are shot.  1000 people die.

Adult Content:  There is a mention that Salva’s father has other wives.  This war in Africa revolves around religious freedoms.  Salva’s growing up years are filled with hardship and sorrow.  He is separated from his family.  He believes them all to be dead.

Synopsis

A Long Walk to Water is told from the alternating viewpoints of Salva and Nya, two young children from Sudan.  Salva’s story begins in 1985 in the midst of war and turmoil.  One day Salva’s school is attacked by rebel soldiers and the children are forced to flee into the bush to safety.  Salva is separated from his home and family and begins a long journey walking through the African countryside.  Nya’s story is set in 2008.  Her life revolves around water.  Her job is to walk the long distance to fetch water for her family.  It takes all day.  Then a change comes which interconnects the lives of both Nya and Salva.

This book is based on the true story of Salva Dut.  Books like this always leave me grateful for the life I lead.  The struggles Salva and so many others faced is just tragic.  It makes my heart hurt.  But, in the midst of war and heartache you find courage, determination and hope.  This book gives the reader a good idea of the pertinent harrowing experiences of Salva without becoming bogged down in the many particulars that filled those years in the refugee camps.  I enjoyed following both Salva and Nya’s lives through to the end when they eventually come together.  The ending is touching and filled with hope.  I think it is a good introduction to the war in Sudan and the conflicts surrounding that war.  A Long Walk to Water is a middle grade book.  School Library Journal says 5th-8th grade while Booklist says grades 6-9.  Here are a couple of my favorite quotes.  ”I only need to get through the rest of this day, he told himself.  This day and no other. He sighed, and Salva heard that sigh all the way to his heart.”

Newbery Award Winner

Ratings Explanation

Violence: Hunting for food.  A nest full of baby mice is thrown into the fire during the clean up of the cabin.

Adult Themes:  Although not described in detail, the family’s father suffers from post traumatic stress syndrome after returning from the war.  The mood of the family is not the same.  A neighbor suffers a heart attack and is hospitalized.

Synopsis

After Marley’s dad returns home from the war, things are hard.  He isn’t the same as he used to be.  The family decides to move to the country, where her mom grew up, to help him recover.   On Maple Hill they are greeted by the Chrises, kind neighbors who help them fix up the run down house they are staying in. The Chrises also show them how to make syrup from the hundreds of maple trees in the surrounding woods.  The clean air and hard work seem to be helping and Marley’s father begins to show interest in life again. A year later,  the miracles that seem to be happening on Mapel Hil come to an end when Mr. Chris suffers from a heart attack in the middle of the sugar harvest.    Although Marley is young, she is determined to help her new friend and bring about another miracle on Maple Hill.

A Newbery Award Winner in 1957, this book brings out the challenges and charms of its era.  Told through the view point of a young girl, this is a tale of the healing power of love and friendship even after the evils of war.   I recommend it to anyone needing a feel good story.