Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Searching for the SSBOY Shortlist

Every year, committee members for SSBOY, the Surrey Schools' Book of the Year young readers' award program endorsed by SD #36 (Surrey), dedicate time and energy to reviewing scores of novels for young readers. Our goal is to create a shortlist of ten diverse novels, suited to readers aged 9-12, and which represent a variety of genres. Special recognition goes out to the committee chairs, who have taken responsibility over the years for gathering reading lists.

Sometimes, the novels which fall our way are too limited, for a variety of reasons, to make the shortlist, but still have something to offer a particular breed of young reader. For this reason, I have created some mini-reviews here. Looking forward to the release of the new shortlist in June, 2010!

CONTEMPORARY FICTION

And Then it Happened, Book 1, by Michael and Laura Wade
Books for Boys, 2003 ISBN: 978-09731178-0-6 81 pages
This series of books is extremely popular with 8 -11-year-old boys in our school district, and Michael Wade has made many visits to promote his writing and boys' writing in general. Each book is extremely short, easy-t0-read, and told in humourous episodes. (Each episode reads rather like a conversation held with a boy that age.)
Readers are introduced to the simple pleasures enjoyed by the"Triple Terror" of Gordon, Paulo, and our narrator, three boys with a love of pranks and sense of adventure. There are some truly funny moments, but a complete dearth of detail in setting, character development, or literary-artistic style. However, as an entree for the reluctant reader, sure; some young readers will never get enough of the light-hearted mischief the boys continually get up to. Think Mark Twain, minus the depth of understanding of the tragicomedy of the human condition.

11 Birthdays, by Wendy Mass
Scholastic, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-545-05239-9 267 pages
Amanda wakes up as an eleven-year-old for the first time, over and over again. Working with her ex-best-friend, Leo, Amanda discovers a mysterious family secret, with roots in the town’s distant past.
The story is very easy to follow, and although much action is predictable, some young readers will become involved in Amanda’s struggle to “wake up.” The addition of Leo as a major contributing character will broaden the novel’s appeal to male readers.

The Dragon in the Sock Drawer, by Kate Klimo [US]
Yearling, 2008. ISBN: 9780375855887159 pages
12-year-old cousins Jesse and Daisy stumble upon a "thunder egg" -- what is seemingly a geode, contains a real dragon. The children find themselves the protectors of this amazing creature, who is threatened by a sinister figure known as Saint George.
Very easy to read, but a limited story. A heavy-handed ending provides the entree to a sequel.

Dog Whisperer: Rescue, by Nicolas Edwards [US?]
Penguin Canada, 2007 ISBN: 978-0-312-36768-8 216 pages
Emily is a tween girl who lives a comfortable life with her adopted parents in a seaside town in Maine. Her recurrent nightmare about a storm and shipwreck leads her to rescue Zack, a Labrador retriever who is almost too injured to survive. From the onset, Emily and Zack have a unique connection, which allows them to understand each other with a kind of “ESP.” The book’s conclusion intimates that they will have many further adventures together.
Dog lovers will relate well to the strength of the tie between the girl and her new pet, and there are a few “tear-jerking” moments in the story. However, the author’s anxiety to give space to Emily’s identity issues (she is mixed-race, adopted by a white professional couple) leads to some heavy –handed scenes. Supporting characters are very two-dimensional, and some male readers may see this as a “girls’ book.”

Frozen in Time, by Ali Sparkes
Oxford, 2009. ISBN: 9780192727558 325 pages
While staying with their uncle, a reclusive scientist, Ben and Rachel stumble upon a mysterious chamber, buried in the wilderness garden. Inside, a shock: two children and their dog, living, by frozen since 1956. When Polly and Freddy are thawed into their new life, the children find themselves wrapped up in a mysterious, Cold War-era, plot, with danger chasing them down in the form of sinister agents.
Lots of very British language and detail here, but the plot bounces along, and readers get caught up in the characters' growing bewilderment, fear and sense of helplessness. As a read-aloud, the book opens discussion about many issues of culture and history; as a student read, the length, complexity and detail will challenge most elementary readers.

Pet Trouble: Runaway Retriever, by T.T. Sutherland
Scholastic, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-545-10241-1 164 pages
Parker finds himself the hapless owner of a dog with escape issues, and makes some surprising new friends along the road to responsible pet ownership.
Truly, a book for the limited reader who likes pets. The plot moves along clearly and predictably, and is very easy to follow.

Sand Dollar Summer, by Kimberly K. Jones [US]
Aladdin Mix, 2006. ISBN: 978-1-4169-5834-5 206 pages
Tween girl Lise reluctantly heads toan isolated beach community for the summer with her independent mom and mute younger brother. Spending time learning about family secrets, and about herself, Lise becomes a part of a new world, and risks her life to save a neighbour.
Lise is a credible character, and readers will empathize with her growing frustration with her family and and her life. The story itself is slow-moving, and not particularly engaging, but builds to a dramatic climax.

HISTORICAL FICTION
The Dragonfly Pool, by Eva Ibbotson [UK]
Macmillan Childrens Books, 2008 ISBN: 978-0-330-45635-7 398 pages
Tally is a British girl growing up in pre-WW2 London. Looming war forces her doctor father to make the difficult decision to send her to a boarding school in the countryside. But the school itself, proudly “alternative,” defies every convention, and Tally learns much about life and friendship, in addition to forging a surprising link of loyalty to Karil, the Crown Prince of the continental European country of xxx. As war creeps closer, Tally and her school friends become caught up in international espionage, and must determine what they can do to help Karil and his people, as the Nazis occupy xxx.
Ibbotson is strong here, and beautiful crafted language and images run through the story. Tally is unusual – understated – and her education is a mirror which reflects the growth of the characters around her. The international intrigue plotline, which relies on a number of coincidences, may be too complicated (or esoteric) for some readers, but there is enough action to hook attention. The emphasis on class/status anchors the book in a British literary tradition which is almost defunct now, and the book is perhaps most suited to a sophisticated, even adult, reader.

Eye of the Crow, by Shane Peacock [CAN] (YOUNG ADULT)
Tundra Books, 2007 ISBN: 978-0-88776-919-1 250 pages
A young teenage boy, the product of the marriage of a high-class society woman and a poor Jewish scholar, is coming of age in Victorian London under the name of Sherlock Holmes. The boy’s growing fascination with an horrific local murder leads him into encounters with the police, neighbourhood gang members, and Irene, the angelic daughter of an eminent philanthropist. As Holmes races to save the innocent Arab teen accused of the murder, he must go into hiding to decipher clues, and discover the true identity of the murderer. Events move relentlessly toward a tragic conclusion , and the character of the enigmatic master detective is born.
Peacock makes exceptional use of atmospheric language throughout the story, and the recurrent image of the all-knowing, all-seeing crows lends menace, and colour. Readers of Conan Doyle’s Holmes oeuvre may see the introduction of certain characters as over-deliberate attempts to make connections with the original Holmes stories, but events are credible, and the young Holmes is a dynamic character, whose growing desperation creates sympathy in readers. Less sophisticated readers may not comprehend the social background of classism and racism (Holmes is frequently referred to as a “Jew Boy”), but the book is a strong evocation of time and place. Sequels are promised.

Safe as Houses, by Eric Walters [CAN]
Seal Books, 2007 ISBN: 978-1-4000-2529-9 151 pages
Babysitter Lizzie continues with her normal schoolday routine of escorting her two charges back to their suburban home along the Humber River outside of Toronto, unaware that Hurricane Hazel is sending wind and rain heavy enough to flood the river, and eventually, send the whole house downstream. Lizzie is forced into a terrified heroism, and must try to keep herself and the two children she babysits safe, without any help from adults.
This novel is one of Walters’ shorter, simpler efforts, and the image of the rising river compels attention to the children’s plight. The book would be a great read-aloud to support class study of extreme weather, and Walters provides an endnote dealing with the history of the hurricane, which, in turn, may inspire research extension activities. Plotline is very linear, the central theme of heroism evident throughout, and character conflict very obvious, making the book a good choice for less able readers.

Run, by Linda Aksomitis [NZ]
Peason Education, 2007 ISBN: 978-1-86970-592-3
The daughter of a turn-of-the-century pioneer family is struck down with polio, and finds a relief for her suffering in the imaginative world of The Wizard of Oz.
The detail in this short novel is vivid and easy to picture. Victoria's pain and struggle, especially with the father who seems to have lost hope, are empathetic. However, this is a very solemn story, and not particularly engaging for all young readers.

SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY
100 Cupboards, by N.D. Wilson [US]
Yearling, 2007 ISBN: 978-0-375-83882-8 289 pages
12-year-old Henry has moved to a farmhouse in Kansas to stay with his aunt and cousins. Under the crumbling plaster wall of his attic bedroom lies a surprising secret: dozens of different-sized cupboards, leading to at least one parallel world. Before he knows it, Henry and his girl cousin, Henrietta, are caught up in a war between mysterious, unknown forces of good and evil. Venturing in and out of the cupboards, Henry learns some astonishing truths about himself and his family, and must try desperately to rescue them from peril.
Henry’s story is interesting, and the worlds behind the cupboards are evocatively described; the character of evil sorceress is chillingly awful. The evolving relationships between Henry and the different members of his new family are understated and credible, and readers become involved in Henry’s quest to undo the harm he has unwittingly caused, and save his family. As the novel comes to an end, the promise of a sequel looms....

After the Flood, by L.S. Matthews [UK]
Hodder Children’s Books, 2008 ISBN: 978-0-340-93181-3 236 pages
Jack is a British child living in a futuristic society of extreme weather where technology is primitive, seemingly due to energy shortages. He becomes the caregiver for Van, a mistreated horse, and with the help of Michael, a wheelchair-bound neighbour, saves the community from the devastation of flood.
This book puzzles in many parts, and it is unclear which child readers might find the story compelling enough to stay with. There are a few, finely drawn dramatic moments, but the characters are static, and the author has readers piece together events by integrating text pieces from one character’s notebooks, documentary style. Overall, the book opens with a promise of drama which is not fulfilled

Catmagic, by Holly Webb [UK?]
Scholastic, Inc., 2008 ISBN: 978-0-545-12414-0 130 pages
Lottie, whose busy career Mom has no time for her, is sent to a countryside village to stay with her uncle, the owner of a peculiar pet store. Soon, she stumbles on the family secret: her kin, who know magic and consort with witches, can actually talk with animals.
This is a simple, simple story with a target audience of fantasy-loving girls who also love animals. The characters are very two-dimensional, and the whimsical elements (talking dachshunds, broomstick-wielding beautiful young witches) drag at times. There are some more realistic nuances, such as family estrangements and peer dynamics at school, but the book is very limited. A sequel is promised....

CTRL –Z, by Andrew Norriss
Puffin, 2009 ISBN: 978-0-141-32429-6 162 pages
Alex is a young British boy who receives a crazy birthday present from godfather: a laptop computer that will let him travel back in time and thus “undo” mistakes. At first, the machine allows Alex to help Callum, his disaster–prone best friend, but soon, events are spiralling out of control, and Alex has to learn which kinds of help are responsible kinds of help.
There are many humorous episodes in the novel, which is a quick, simple read, despite some idiomatic British vocabulary. Imaginative students who appreciate the potential of technology may particularly identify with the situations, and it is easy to imagine this as a read-aloud in class: “Journal Response – What would you do first if you had a machine that could fix mistakes?” Overall, the effect is of a family movie based on a zany pretext.

Cyberia, by Chris Lynch
Scholastic, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-545-02793-9 158 pages
Zane is a young boy growing up in a futuristic society where everything – every motion he makes, every breath he takes – is computer-tracked. A sudden innovation in gadgetry gives him the power to communicate with animals, and he finds himself dragged into his pets’ desperate plan to escape control by the evil Dr. Gristle.
Clearly geared at the male reader who is both tech-crazy and curious about animals, this novel is quite engaging, and the reader’s interest is piqued as Zane is presented with a series of credible dilemmas to work through. The conclusion is not very satisfying; this is yet another book with a heavy-handed build-up to a sequel.

The Magic Half, by Annie Barrows [US]
Bloomsbury, 2008 ISBN: 978-1-59990-358-3
Miri is the "leftover" in a family with 2 sets of identical twins. Stumbling upon a magic piece of glass, she finds herself able to transport back to 1935, where she finds a new best friend. Desperate to bring her friend out of a miserable situation, Miri has to find courage in herself.
Although some readers will may be put off by references to fairies and magic, Miri's situation and the rescue mission she gets involved with are rather compelling. Less appealing to boys, the story moves along well, with the conflicts between characters obvious and credible.

The Magic Thief, by Sarah Prineas [US]
HarperTrophy, 2008 ISBN: 978-0-06-137590-3 411 pages
Connwaer, a child thief from the “wrong side of the tracks,” tries to steal from the magician, Nevery, and after a dramatic dose of magic, finds himself refashioned as the magician’s assistant. As he becomes able to give voice to his own magical powers, Conn seeks the prestige of full apprenticeship, and gets dragged into a plot to save his society from evil, magic-stealing forces.
There are a number of humorous moments in the story, which is fast-paced and full of action. Conn’s gradual realization of his own abilities is credible and unforced, and supporting characters interact appropriately. Echoes of another, more famous, prep school for wizards compromise the sections dealing with Conn’s education, and the whole image of the outcast boy growing into special powers is stale. However, the number of complications introduced (a crime boss, an Ice Queens, a decaying walled house) give the book some fresh appeal. A sequel is promised....

1 comment:

  1. I like your review of Ctrl-Z by Andrew Norriss. It is a fun, thoughtful book. Ctrl-Z has been chosen for the Battle of the Books in BC Canada 2011. There are Guided Reading Notes for Ctrl-=Z and info about all Andrew Norriss's books at
    http://anorrissbooks.wordpress.com

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