Sunday, October 28, 2007

KENNETH OPPEL



Kenneth Oppel Official Site


AIRBORN
"Matt, a young cabin boy aboard an airship, and Kate, a wealthy young girl traveling with her chaperone, team up to search for the existence of mysterious winged creatures reportedly living hundreds of feet above the Earth's surface."

This was not what I expected. I had been recommending this book to boys as a Science Fiction adventure; just goes to show you how a cover and reviews can mislead. It's a wonderful story, but I think the audience extends to girls who have enjoyed books such as A Great and Terrible Beauty by Bray. Matt's relationship with Kate holds a prominent place in the plot. Kate's independence serves as a great example to girls. I don't like categorizing books as boy or girl interests, but this is not an adventure in the likes of Stormbreaker.


SKYBREAKER
Horn Book starred (Spring 2006)

This sequel to Airborn manages to delve into its characters even as it delivers yet another breakneck flight through the skies of its beguiling alternative world. The romantic tensions among the four adventurers, killing altitudes, conflicting agendas, and ruthless goons provide more than enough material for heart-stopping action scenes that will please even the most jaded of readers.


SILVERWING
"When a newborn bat named Shade but sometimes called "Runt" becomes separated from his colony during migration, he grows in ways that prepare him for even greater journeys."

Also, make sure to check out Oppel's Silverwing and sequels for an easy level, page-turning adventure.

Monday, October 08, 2007

EMAKO BLUE by Brenda Woods

"Monterey, Savannah, Jamal, and Eddie have never had much to do with each other until Emako Blue shows up at chorus practice, but just as the lives of the five Los Angeles high school students become intertwined, tragedy tears them apart." African Americans/High School fiction Book summary by
  • Follett Library Resources


  • Horn Book starred (Spring 2005)
    "Opening with the title character's funeral, this novel about an innocent teen victim of gang violence then flashes back through the months leading up to her murder. This modern-day morality tale has about as much subtlety as a made-for-TV movie, but the suddenness with which the tragedy occurs is sobering, and readers will feel acutely the injustice of Emako's untimely death."

    My Comment:
    Woods zeroes in on the teenage heart with Emako Blue. She evokes time, place and feelings in a sophisticated yet concise style. I can hardly wait to get this into my students' hands.

    Monday, October 01, 2007

    FORGED BY FIRE by Sharon Draper

    "Companion volume to: Tears of a tiger. Gerald, a teenager who has spent years protecting his fragile half-sister from their abusive father, must face the prospect of one final confrontation before the problem can be solved."Book summary by
  • Follett Library Resources


  • A compelling, dramatic story, this story conveys the importance of listening to your inner voice and following through with the right action. Gerald is a courageous hero and a strong role model for all teens. It's not easy standing up to evil when the evidence is not obvious or convenient to others. The writing is simplistic, but the storyline will carry teens to the gripping end.