#tbt: Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Image: Simon & Schuster

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. 272 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 

#tbt features Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. This book was originally published in 2000 with this cover:

Sometime between its 2003 and 2008, when I left my K-8 position for a middle school, I created a unit which paired fiction and non-fiction. I paired Fever 1793 with An American Plague by Jim Murphy, which pubbed in 2003. I honestly cannot remember what other fiction/ nonfiction pairings I created, but it was a good unit. The reason why this one sticks is because Fever 1793 created two of the most unlikely readers.

JJ fell in love with this book and recommended it to his bff. Both boy's mothers were so astounded by their enthusiasm that they also read the book!

This is what great historical fiction does. 

PS: I prefer the original cover. 

Happy reading.

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi

Image: Penguin Random House

Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi. Unabridged e-audio, ~3 hrs. Narrated by Peter Romano. Books on Tape/ Listening Library, September, 2024. Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.

Middle Grade Monday features Kareem Between by Shifa Salvage Safadi. Kareem isn't too excited about starting seventh grade in 2016. His best friend moved away, he was cut from the football team, and his mother expects him to befriend a new Syrian boy whose family recently immigrated. Kareem was born in America, struggles to learn Arabic, loves the Chicago Bear and all things football. When the school bully, who happens to be quarterback of the football team promises Kareem a place on the team if he does a project for him, Kareem knows he shouldn't, but wants to be part of the team so badly, he does. Of course, it isn't only one assignment, but Kareem is stuck.

When his grandfather who lives in Syria falls ill, Kareem's mother travels there to arrange for her parents' transfer to the United States, but becomes stuck in Syria when then-President Trump's Muslim Ban goes into effect.

I read this one with my ears and the narrator did a good job, especially pronouncing the Arabic that is woven throughout.

This novel in verse flows lyrically, but the visual structure of the poems also convey meaning, so I reread it with my eyes. It's a short, powerful read that should resonate long after the story ends.

Kareem Between won the National Book Award/ Literature for Young People earlier this fall and appeared on several Best Books lists as well. 

Fact Friday: Change the Game: a Graphic Novel by Colin Kaepernick and Eve L. Ewing.

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Change the Game: a Graphic Novel by Colin Kaepernick and Eve L. Ewing. Illustrated by Orlando Caicedo. 144p. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc., March, 2023. 9781338789652. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Happy penultimate Friday of the school year! Can you tell that penultimate is one of my favorite words? Fact Friday features Change the Game: a Graphic Novel by Colin Kaepernick. Young Colin was a multi-sport student athlete at his high school. Adopted by white parents, and attending a predominantly white school, Colin experienced casual racism daily. He was being scouted by colleges to play baseball thanks to his fastball, but he has doubts about playing baseball. No colleges expressed an interest in having him play football. 

This graphic novel conveys Colin Kaepernick's gradual coming of age thoughtfully, interspersing some excellent sports sequences. I'm not sure how many middle school students are aware of Mr. Kaepernick* or his social justice activism, but fans of football and baseball as well as graphic novel memoirs will enjoy this thoughtful entry.

*The Monday after Mr. Kaepernick first took a knee, I was standing behind an eighth grader who liked to stir the waters. He took a knee during the pledge, then looked around and saw me. He stood up immediately. I called him aside and told him that if he was taking a knee on principle and in support, I had no problem, but if he was looking to get a rise out of his classmates and teachers, he should rethink it. 

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Indivisible by Daniel Aleman

Image: LBYR

Indivisible by Daniel Aleman. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~9 hours. Read by Adan Rocha. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/ Machete Audio, May, 2021. 9781549138058. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Happy Tuesday! Today is the end of my first full week of summer break and it certainly has been eventful as have the last 26 days. I'm reading some awesome books and have just made my way through a stack of fun picture books. 

Teen Tuesday features Indivisible by debut author, Daniel Aleman. Sixteen-year-old Mateo Garcia leads a pretty good life in the lower east side of Manhattan. He's out to his supportive parents, he's on track to get into a good college, he has two best friends in Kimmie and Adam and, while he may be poor, he, his seven-year-old sister, Sophie, and his parents are close-knit and happy. All that comes crashing down when ICE agents arrest his parents. It doesn't matter that they have built a life in the U.S. after overstaying their visas. It doesn't matter that their children were born here and are U.S. citizens. It doesn't matter that Pa runs a bodega that is an important part of their neighborhood. 

With no relatives to turn to, Mateo and Sophie do their best to maintain normalcy. A family friend offers to take them in, but Mateo declines. His apartment is tiny and his wife just had a baby. Soon, the reality of keeping up at school, running the bodega, caring for Sophie and making rent sets it. A near-miss with Child Protection forces Mateo to face reality.

Mr. Aleman effectively puts faces on the faceless. He paints portraits of striving immigrants who love their adoptive country and work hard for very little. Mateo is an earnest narrator and Adan Rocha's performance is nuanced and emotionally resonant. 

Like Efrén Divided, Indivisible is powerful, timely and important. It belongs in all library collections. 

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Fat Chance, Charlie Vega

Image: Penguin Random House

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~665 minutes, Holiday House/ Listening Library, February, 2021. 9780593397183. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Last time! Happy penultimate Tuesday of the 2020 - 2021 school year! The final day of school is one week away! I hope you've got your summer reading lined up! If not, be sure to check this space for recommendations all through the summer!

Teen Tuesday features Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado. Sixteen-year-old Charlotte, "Charlie" Vega is a brown girl growing up in a mostly white Connecticut suberb. She's a writer and a reader. She and her mom still miss her dad who died. She has a gorgeous, Black and popular best friend named Amelia and Charlie plays the third-wheel, fat friend role pretty amiably. Her mom used to be overweight as well, but now she has slimmed down and is constantly nagging Charlie about her weight. Charlie longs for a swoony romance of her own and is so pumped when her crush, a football player named Cal invites her to a football awards dance. Can this really be happening?

Charlie is the smart, endearing narrator of this slow-paced, thoughtful romance. Debut author Crystal Maldonado explores mother-daughter as well as best friend dynamics and issues of self-acceptance and fat-shaming as Charlie struggles to find love and her place in the world. New-to-me narrator, Carla Vega's portrayed a thoughtful Charlie in a well-paced, engaging performance. While adult-me occasionally rolled my eyes at Charlie's naiveté, teen readers will root for Charlie to go for it.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~ 8 hours, 17 minutes. Read by Dion Graham. Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins Publishers, January, 2021. 9780063043817. (Review of e-audiobook downloaded from the public library.)

Teen Tuesday features Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas. This is Ms. Thomas' third novel and is a prequel to her New York Times bestselling debut, The Hate U Give. Fans of THUG, will be thrilled to meet seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter. 

When Maverick is told he's a father as a result of a one-night stand, he cannot believe it. No sooner did the paternity test results come back identifying Mav as the father of Iesha's son, then Mav found himself the sole care taker of him. He has been dealing drugs in order to help his mother make ends meet, but stops at the behest of his cousin, Dre. This adds tension to his already fraught relationship with King. Iesha is King's on-again-off-again girlfriend and presumed he was Iesha's son's father. 

He takes his responsibility seriously and has the support of his mother. He's offered an after-school job working at Mr. Wyatt's grocery story, but the pay is peanuts compared to what he was earning slinging and babies are expensive! Keeping up with schoolwork is really hard as well, what with the baby keeping him up at night. And, he has to come clean with Lisa. They were broken up at the time of the one-night stand, but she dumps him anyway and he'd do anything to get her back.

Like Ms. Thomas' previous novels, her characters brim with personality and her Garden City setting is vivid. Families struggle and are often beset with tragedy, but they offer support and unconditional love. Mav's father has been in prison for most of his childhood, but he still calls regularly to check in and is there to listen. Mav's voice is compelling. He may not be book smart, but he is intelligent, wryly observant, fiercely loyal and wants to do right.

Concrete Rose was narrated by Dion Graham, one of my favorite narrators. He utterly embodies Maverick and his performance is well-paced and nuanced. Read it with your eyes. Read it with your ears. Maverick's story is gripping.

Teen Tuesday: Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri

Image: Candlewick Press

Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri. 224 p. Candlewick Press, August, 2011. 9780763649227. (Own)

Teen Tuesday features Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri. Twelve-year-old Cole is in danger of repeating seventh grade thanks to his habit of skipping school. His mom has had it, so she packs up his things and drives from Detroit to north Philadelphia to dump him with the dad he never knew. The last thing he expected was to come face-to-face with a horse. His father is a horse whisperer who owns a stable right in the middle of the city. This illustrated novel is fiction but based on a real stable in Philadelphia called The Fletcher Street Riding Club. Ghetto Cowboy was optioned for film by Idris Elba and is in production under the title, Concrete Cowboy.

Middle Grade Monday: Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Image: LBYR

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes. 224 p. Little, Brown Young Readers Group, August, 2010 9780316043076. (Own.)

Middle Grade Monday features Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Lanesha lives with Mama YaYa, her foster grandmother and has never known her parents. Mama YaYa has visions that always come true and she sees that a big storm is about to descend on New Orleans. That storm is Hurricane Katrina. Lanesha and Mama YaYa have nowhere to evacuate to so they stay put. When the levees break, the water quickly submerges Lanesha's house to its attic. This harrowing tale gives readers a sense of the catastrophe that was Hurricane Katrina. Ninth Ward was published in 2010. It was Ms. Parker Rhodes first novel for young readers. 

Teen Tuesday: Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu

Image: Penguin Random House

Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu. DC Icons #2. Unabridged e-audiobook. ~9 hours. Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, January, 2018. 9780525525561. 

Teen Tuesday features book #2 of the DC Icons series in which popular YA authors imagine the teen years/ coming-of-age of four popular DC superheroes. Batman: nightwalker was written by Marie Lu, whose "Legend" trilogy is a TMS favorite. 

Billionaire Bruce Wayne is about to turn eighteen and will inherit his family's wealth. A terrorist organization called the Nightwalkers is targeting Gotham City's wealthiest citizens to murder and electronically steal their fortunes. The Gotham City PD captured Madeleine Wallace and imprisoned her in Arkham Asylum but she is not talking - except to Bruce Wayne, who happens to be doing community service for interfering with a police investigation. The police brass enlist Bruce's help. But can he trust either side?

This was perhaps the most intriguing of the four DC Icons books I read. Still, it felt a bit juvenile, cops and robber-ish, as in, improbable coincidences and plot holes. The new-to-me narrator was engaging and paced his performance well. The action was nearly non-stop making this plot-driven book appealing to those readers who crave page-turners. 

Teen Tuesday and Arc Review: Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

Image: Penguin Young Readers

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera. 310 p. Dial Books/ Penguin, September 17, 2019. 9780593108178. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher, ALAAC19)

Juliet Milagros Palente took a women's studies class at college because she had a crush on a girl. She fell in love with the girl and the writings of Harlowe Brisbane, feminist author, as well. She wrote to Brisbane asking for a summer internship. When she got it, she packed her bags for Portland, Oregon and came out to her family just before leaving for the airport. Things did not go great. Additionally, Lainie, her first love, on an internship of her own in D.C. isn't returning her texts. As a self-proclaimed "Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx," Juliet has a lot to learn, about Portland, feminism, and being a queer poc. And it isn't from Harlowe, who, though she considers herself an ally, often can't get past her white privilege and fragility. 

I fell in love with Juliet on page one and gobbled this story up in two sittings. Juliet is a joyous character, so open and honest and curious and enthusiastic. It hurt to watch her bump up against unkindness. I also loved that the many Spanish words and phrases were not translated for outsiders like me. It's up to me to look them up. I would love to reread this with my ears. 

There were one or two teeny-tiny things that niggled, tiny things like, "Can you hear a click when someone disconnects a cell phone call?" that were mostly lost under the rest of the awesomeness. 

This is the author's debut novel but it was published as a paperback a couple of years ago. It was an Amelia Bloomer finalist, but this got by me. Hopefully, Dial/ Penguin will bring readers to this not-to-be-missed story. It's a tad mature for my middle school crowd, having more to do with serious discussions of feminist theory and intersectionality than language, drug use or sex. Smart teen fans of edgy, hilarious, thought-provoking novels will love it.

Middle Grade Monday: The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, U.S. A. by Brenda Woods

The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, U.S. A. by Brenda Woods. 208 p. Penguin Young Readers Group, January, 2019. 9781524737092. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher.)

When Gabriel receives a brand new bicycle for his twelfth birthday, he cannot wait to ride it. Unfortunately, he runs a red light and seems headed for bone-crushing disaster when he is pushed out of the way by bystander. The bike is totaled but Gabriel is not, thanks to Meriwether, an African American man who is in town looking for a job. He fixes Gabriel's bike and Gabriel convinces his father to hire Meriwether to fix cars in his gas station. Not all are pleased with this arrangement in the Jim Crow south. Most notably, another mechanic named Lucas, who is rumored to be associated with the KKK. As a genuine friendship grows between Gabriel and Meriwether, Gabriel's awareness of the racism Meriwether deals with on a basis daily also grows.

Gabriel's voice is instantly engaging and the setting of Birdsong is vividly painted. I wrote on GR that Brenda Woods is the unsung hero of MG fiction. Seriously, most of her books clock in around 200 pages, feature interesting main characters with fascinating dilemmas and the writing is lovely. I just love her books.

This is the perfect introduction of life in the Jim Crow south for younger readers. An author's note provides context about the problems African American veterans encountered when they returned home from serving honorably during World War II. Seriously folks, a first-purchase. 

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry

Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry. Unabridged downloaded audiobook. Read by Michael Crouch. 9 hours, 4 minutes. HarperAudio, August, 2018. (Review from downloadable audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Michael's father has broken his promise and he is furious. His rather emotionally distant father has a penchant for moving the family whenever there is a possibility of a raise or a promotion. He had promised there wouldn't be a move until Michael finished high school. Now, Michael, a devout atheist  finds himself, not only moving, but attending a Catholic high school. He's not into the school uniform, his stern principal, his teachers, most of whom are nuns or his classmates, many of whom come off as pious and judgmental He fears he is destined to sit alone at lunch until he hears Lucy engage Sister in a discourse about saints, feminism, and religious patriarchy. Intrigued and hoping to have found someone to sit with, Michael rather creepily follows Lucy until she turns and confronts him. Reluctantly, she invites him to sit together at lunch where she introduces him to her bestie, Avi, who is Jewish. Eventually, he is inducted into Heretics Anonymous, a secret society. The other two members are Max, a Korean American who is a bit obsessed with capes and may be autistic and Eden, a Wiccan. Has Michael found his people?

Boy, do I love a smart novel dealing with religion and belief! This debut is impressive from its catchy title, irresistible cover somewhat evocative of "grilled cheesus" from the second season of Glee, to the voice of its narrator, Michael. Michael's bitterness is palpable and understandable. While he's a bit self-absorbed, he's also inquisitive and intelligent. Every character is interesting, including the zealously devout, his father and his teachers. They are not one-dimensional cardboard figures. 

Fave narrator, Michael Crouch turns in another great performance. I've listened to enough audiobooks narrated by him to amend my early impression that he is a chameleon. That said, he sounds appropriately youthful, imbues his character, Michael with humor and paces his narrations well. 

Heretics Anonymous is so appealing. Hand to your thoughtful teens who enjoy laughing and want a smart romance. I am eager to read more from Katie Henry and hope the Morris Committee is reading.

Fact Friday: Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol. 256 p. First Second, April, 2018. 9781626724457. (Own)

Fact Friday features Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol. This is Brosgol's second graphic novel and, unlike her debut, Anya's Ghost, this one is a memoir about nine, almost ten-year-old Vera's time spent at a summer camp for Russian children. Vera lives with her single mother, brother and baby sister. She doesn't quite fit in with her savvier, wealthy classmates as scenes from two birthday sleepover parties show. When a prickly girl from Vera's Russian church tells her about her Russian culture summer camp, Vera begs her mother to go. Her cash-strapped mom signs Vera and her very reluctant younger brother up for two weeks. Vera is ecstatic. Her brother? Not so much. 

Hilarity ensues as Vera tries to fit in with two fourteen-year-old bunkmates and camp life which includes using outhouses and speaking entirely in Russian. 

The art is predominantly greens and browns. Changes in panel size and crisp, authentic dialog keep the reader engaged and alternately cringing and rooting for Vera. 

Be Prepared is perfect for graphic novel fans, especially fans of gn memoirs. There have been so many good ones lately and this one holds its own.

Teen Tuesday and Review: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. Unabridged audiobook on 3 compact discs. 3.5 hours. Read by the author. HarperAudio, March, 2018. 9781538500231. (Review from audiobook borrowed from public library.)

(This went on our broadcast this morning)Teen Tuesday features The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. Sixteen-year-old Xiomara Batista tries to follow her mother’s strict rules; but at six-feet tall, it’s hard to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. She has learned to fight with her fists and pours her heart out in a leather notebook her twin brother gave her for their birthday. Sophomore year brings X a language arts teacher who sees the poet in her and Aman, her biology lab partner with whom she shares her love of music and whom her mother must never know about. This debut is gritty and raw. Readers will root for X as she struggles to find her voice.

Review: The Poet X is one impressive debut! I loved X's voice from the first line. I also loved the author's performance. My heart ached for Xiomara, who is up against a lot - the catcalls and leers her curves elicit in her Harlem neighborhood and at school and her religious mother's assumption that she will succumb to those catcalls, all the while yearning for an education that will get her out of Harlem. She loves her twin fiercely but is upset that he doesn't stand up for himself against the bullying his gentle, nerdy self attracts. She's also a tad jealous that he's smart enough for a fancy magnet school that puts him that much closer to escape. X is fierce but caves to the discipline of her mother. She's a nuanced and complicated teen whom readers will relate to as she comes of age.

Not to be missed for teen collections.

Audiobook Review: Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith. Unabridged audiobook download. 9 hours, 19 minutes. Read by Philip Church. Listening Library, 2014. (Free download courtesy of Audiobooksync.com)

Because Grasshopper Jungle reviews indicated a mature audience and I work in a 5th through 8th grade middle school, my copy of it languished on my tbr since it pubbed. I wanted to read it, but kept moving more age-appropriate books ahead. I tend to read more mature YA books with my ears so when audiobooksync offered it (and many other fantastic titles) this summer, I marked my calendar. 

Toward the end of this past school year, two eighth graders, a boy and a girl, who are vociferous readers were combing my shelves in search of a book to read. It really became a long and rambling book talk as titles were recommended but one or both had already read them. Somehow Andrew Smith came up. The boy threw his hands over his eyes and staggered back saying, "Grasshopper Jungle! Oh my god! That book traumatized me! I am scarred for life!" He would not elaborate when I asked what he meant. The girl, an aspiring actress, with sophisticated and eclectic taste, rolled her eyes and asked me if I read it. When I responded that I had not but wanted to, she told me that it was intense and mature but pretty good. 

Two excellent readers. Two wildly different reactions. One ready. One not. I happen to know both fairly well. The boy had commented that other books "traumatized" him - usually books with themes of sexual identity. I think he may be struggling. It doesn't stop him from seeking more out.

After reading the mindf*ck that is Grasshopper Jungle, I get it. Crude, lewd, hilarious, complex, loopy, and brilliant. It's a story about friendship, first love, sexuality, politics, unethical scientific research, survival, and the telling of history. It's pretty bloody brilliant but not for everyone.

The new-to-me-narrator's performance was perfectly voiced and perfectly paced.