Blood Roses by Francesca Lia Block

Block, Francesca Lia . Blood Roses. HarperTeen, 2008. 144 pages. ISBN-10: 006076385X. ISBN-13: 978-0060763855.

Plot:

This collection of nine short stories centers on transformation and supernatural occurrences surrounding the female characters. In “Blood Roses” two sisters are obsessed with finding a blood rose, even though it means death for anyone who sees one. Their search leads them to the house of a man who claims to have photos of the dead rock star they love, but who spends his time talking about serial killers. In “Giant” Rachel begins to grow quickly after kissing her crush. She doesn’t feel worthy of him and wonders if she will be too much for him. In “My Haunted House” a little girl tries to convince her mother that the dollhouse her dad gave her is haunted. We learn a terrible secret about her father. In “My Boyfriend is an Alien” a schizophrenic girl begins dating a boy who says he’s an alien. In “Horses Are a Girl’s Best friend” Berry falls for a boy who is half-human half-horse. In “Skin Art” tattoos begin appearing all over Elodie’s body when she falls in love with a tattoo artist. In “My Mother the Vampire” a mother and daughter’s relationship is complicated by the mother’s quest to remain young. In “Wound and Wing” Audrey meets a fairy whose wings have been torn off. In “Changelings” a race of fairies lives underground.

Critical Evaluation:

Reading Block’s short stories is like being immersed in a dream. Her lyrical style and beautiful imagery alone would be enough to recommend this book, but the plots live up to the style, as well. Block has a way of slowly revealing what’s really going on, while still keeping some details hidden, that leaves the reader still contemplating the stories long after putting the book down. She’s also a master of subtext and metaphor. On the surface, each of her stories is simply about an unusual or supernatural occurrence. Underneath, she covers topics ranging from sexual abuse to fear of aging. Despite the range in subjects, each story touches on the idea of female transformation and the feeling so common in women - that of feeling like you’re too much, while still not being enough. This is a beautiful and empowering read. If shared with a young woman, it’s one that could be a catalyst for a great discussion.

Reader's Annotation:

Nine beautifully surreal stories about the transformation of young women.

Author Information:

Francesca Lia Block was born December 3, 1962 in Los Angeles. Her parents were a poet and a painter and their artistic lifestyle was a creative influence for Block. She has live in L.A her entire life, except for a brief period where she attended U.C Berkeley. After school, she returned to the city and still lives there with her two children. Her love for L.A. is very evident in her writing.

As a child she loved fairy tales and mythology and these have had a great influence on her writing. Her stories and novels all have a very fairy tale feeling to them, often containing magical or supernatural characters and situations. Though many do have a happy ending, they often contain gritty and dark elements. She writes about realistic and controversial subjects, which has led her books to be challenged often.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

English: Prose styling

Booktalking Ideas:

• Read the last paragraph of "Giant"
• Discuss the types of transformations the young women go through
  
• Talk about the fine line between fantasy and reality

Reading Level/Interest Age:

15 and older

Challenge Issues:

Sexual content
Graphic imagery
Nude photo on the cover

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

Adolescence is a time of great transformation. These stories touch on that in a way that is beautiful and fantastical.

The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 1) by Joss Whedon

Whedon, Joss. The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 Volume 1). Illustrated by Georges Jeanty. Dark Horse Comics, 2007. 136 pages. ISBN-10: 1593078226. ISBN-13: 978-1593078225

Plot:

It’s been a year since Buffy and her friends destroyed the Hellmouth while taking on The First and its army of uber-vamps. There have been many changes, but one thing always remains the same: they devote their time to fight the demons that attack the human world. The army of slayers has been mobilized in different areas of the world, while Buffy and her friends are primarily stationed in the Scottish moors. There are even two more Buffies now, decoys who have taken on her identity to fool their enemies. Their troubles are just beginning, however. Dawn has become a giant after a spell was cast on her by her former lover. Willow has been gone for weeks. Worst of all, Buffy is being targeted by a new government agency that's being helped by an old enemy. The agency traps Buffy in a dream state and the Scooby Gang must once again band together to defeat this new evil.

Critical Evaluation:

For die-hard fans of the series, this is a decent follow-up. Jeanty’s illustrations complement Whedon’s storyline perfectly. With the storyline picking up a year after the series finale, many changes are able to be made, but doing that does make it rather confusing at times. The retroactive explanations of what has happened during the previous year don’t work as well in graphic novel form as they might have in a television show or book that allowed for more exposition. It does, however, allow for the story to pick up right in the middle of the action, including introducing the type of “big bad” that was the staple of the original series.

Possibly the most satisfying part of the graphic novel is how true to self the characters have remained. Part of Whedon’s talent as always lain in his ability to create likable, realistic characters who are allowed to grow and change without losing any of their original appeal. He continues this trend with the new format. The dialogue is snappy and clever. The characters are well-rounded despite the limited space to develop them. Those who were fans of the series will probably enjoy the graphic novel, but newcomers might be a little lost.

Reader's Annotation:

A year after fighting The First and destroying Sunnydale in the process, Buffy, the Scooby Gang, and the army of slayers have expanded their operations across several countries with new villains to defeat.

Author Information:

Joss Whedon was born June 23, 1964 in New York. Both his father and grandfather were television writers, which is the path Whedon would also follow. He attended Riverdale Country School where his mother taught. He then spent two years at Winchester College in England before graduating from Wesleyan University in 1987. He moved to Los Angeles and worked as a script doctor before writing his own television shows and movies.

His most well-known television series is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show is based on the movie of the same name, though the two have little in common. After his original movie script was altered drastically, Whedon was able to use the series to fulfill his original vision. It spawned a spin-off show, as well as several comic book series. He has written and directed several television shows and movies and is the creator of 5 television series. He often casts the same actors in many of his projects.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

None

Booktalking Ideas:

• Tell where each of the main characters are at the beginning of the graphic novel
• Discuss the differences between the graphic novel and the television series
• Talk about how the world changed with the creation of the Slayer army

Reading Level/Interest Age:

15 and older

Challenge Issues:

Witchcraft/Magic/The Occult
Violence
Sexual content
Demonic characters

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This is the follow up to the popular television series. I loved the television series and have been wanting to read the comic for awhile.

The Initiation (The Secret Circle #1) by L.J. Smith

Smith, L.J. The Initiation. Harper, 1992. 320 pages. ISBN-10: 0061067121. ISBN-13: 978-0061067129

Plot:

After spending the summer in Cape Cod, Cassie is ready to go back to California. On her last day there, she helps a mysterious stranger and feels a connection to him. Though she loves him, she assumes that she’ll never see him again. She prepares to go back to California never knowing, but then discovers that she and her mother will be staying in Massachusetts and moving in with her grandmother in New Salem. Cassie starts the new school year hoping to make friends, but ends up on the bad side of a group of very powerful students known as The Club, the worst of which is Faye. After they spend a few weeks bullying her, she is rescued by Diana, another member of The Club. She and Cassie become best friends and Cassie learns that there are kind members. Cassie is still an outsider when it comes to The Club until one night when she is invited to join then and discovers that they are a group of witches and that she and her family are witches, as well. Cassie finally feels accepted and even begins to hope that she will see the mysterious stranger again. She gets her wish, but not in the way she expected. Diana’s boyfriend, Adam, returns to town and Cassie discovers that he is the stranger that she loves. Heartbroken, but loyal to Diana, Cassie vows to keep her feelings to herself. Faye discovers them, however, and blackmails Cassie to help her with some dark magic. Cassie is trapped, but they soon find out that Faye isn’t the only dangerous power in town.

Critical Evaluation:

Like most of Smith’s books, this one includes a sweet female character, close teenage friendships, a snarky villain, a fight for good, and, of course, romance. Smith’s writing style isn’t very sophisticated, but she is a decent story-teller. This is a simple and satisfying read. Despite having first been published almost 20 years ago, this story doesn’t really feel too dated. In fact, the innocence of her characters, even the villains, is almost refreshing when compared to more modern fantasy novels and supernatural romances.

Despite being a fairly minor character, the most interesting of the characters is Cassie’s grandmother. Rather than being transparent or flat like many of the other secondary characters, she is given a personality and a mysterious quality that encourages the reader to continue to search for what it is that she’s hiding. Cassie herself is slightly less interesting, but no less likable. This is a nice story with an ending that will leave the reader questioning what will happen next.

Reader's Annotation:

When Cassie moves to her mother’s childhood home, she encounters a group of mysterious and powerful teenagers.

Author Information:

L.J. Smith, also know as Lisa Jane or LJane, grew up Villa Park, California. She started telling stories before she could even read or write. She decided she wanted to be a writer at the age of six after writing a poem for her teacher. She has been writing ever since with the exception of a 10 year hiatus starting in 1998. After her brother-in-law was diagnosed with stage IV cancer and her mother with terminal cancer, she was unable to write due to the emotional state she was in. She has said this was the worst period of her life. After her mother’s death, she began to write again in honor of her.

Smith only writes fantasy novels, due to her fascination with magic and the supernatural. Her main characters are generally strong young females, because she wanted to write characters that could be role models for her readers. She includes dark elements in her novels, but is careful to say that all the stories will end with a happy ending.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

None

Booktalking Ideas:

• Read the passage beginning with "That night Cassie had a dream" placed on page 50 of the reprint omnibus version.
• Present as Cassie after her first day of school.
• Focus on the relationships between the members of the circle.
• Discuss the magic and power the group has.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Witchcraft/Magic/The Occult

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This was a series I enjoyed as a teen. With the popularity of L.J. Smith's The Vampire Diaries and the talks of this series also potentially becoming a television show, the books may again become popular.

Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot

Cabot, Meg. Shadowland. Simon Pulse, 2000. 256 pages. ISBN-10: 0671787918. ISBN-13: 978-0671787912.

Plot:

Suze Simon has always been able to see, talk to, and touch ghosts. She's a mediator and it's her job to help ghosts pass over into the after life, though some ghosts don’t need help so much as a kick in the butt to get them going. When Suze moves from New York to California to live with her new step-family, she hopes that she can put her job behind her and live like a normal girl. Unfortunately, she discovers that her room is haunted by a very cute ghost named Jesse and he seems pretty content to stick around. Suze also learns that there is the ghost of a girl named Heather hanging around her school. Heather shot herself after her boyfriend broke up with her and she is out for revenge. With the help of Jesse and Father Dominic, another mediator, Suze must try to help Heather cross over. Heather isn’t interested; she thinks that Suze is there to take her place. Heather wants her old life back and she isn’t going to let anyone stand in her way, no matter who gets hurt.

Critical Evaluation:

Like most of Cabot’s writing, this is a very cute book. Suze is a hilarious narrator. Her comments about those around her and her transition to life in California are humorous and witty. Though she tries to maintain a tough persona, her sensitivity often shines through. This aspect of her personality makes her a very sympathetic character. Jesse is an unusual but great romantic hero. His old fashioned chivalry perfectly counters Suze’s modern tough girl. Their budding romance is the driving force of the book.

The romance isn’t the only fun aspect, however. The mediator storyline is entertaining, especially when it comes to the disparity between Suze’s methods and Father Dominic’s methods. The two of them bouncing off of each other is one of the more fun parts of the story. Though Cabot does insert a few small frightening parts when it comes to the mediating, they don’t seem out of place with the relatively light storyline. This is definitely a fun read.

Reader's Annotation:

Suze is a mediator, which means she has an unusual gift: she can see, touch, and talk to ghosts. When she encounters a cute ghost who lives in her new bedroom, her life becomes even more complicated than it already was.

Author Information:

Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967 in Bloomington, Indiana. As a child, she was an avid reader and frequently spent her summer days in the library. In high school, she entertained herself by writing her own stories. She credits much of her inspiration for writing from the diaries she kept as a teenager, her own experiences, those of people she knows, and things she reads in the news, as well as a healthy dose of imagination.

She attended the University of Indiana as a Fine Arts major. After college, she moved to New York to pursue a career as an illustrator. When that failed, she turned again to writing. Her first novel - Where Roses Grow Wild - was published in 1998 under the pen name Patricia Cabot. Since then she has published over 40 novels for young adults as well as several others for tweens and adults. She has published under the pen names of Patricia Cabot, Jenny Carroll and under her real name.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

None

Booktalking Ideas:

• Talk about what it would be like to be a mediator.
• Discuss Suze's relationship with Jesse.
• Introduce Suze in character.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Violence

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

Meg Cabot's books have been popular with teens for many years.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7) by J.K. Rowling

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007. 784 pages. ISBN-10: 0545010225. ISBN-13: 978-0545010221.

Plot:

Harry has been left a task by Dumbledore: find and destroy the Horcruxes to defeat Voldemort. After fleeing Ron’s brother’s wedding, Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off to search the country for the remaining Horcruxes. The only problem is that they don’t know what they are, let alone where they are or how to destroy them. The three spend months on the run as they try to figure out what to do. They receive help from some unlikely places, including a goblin, Dobby the house elf, and some former classmates. Harry also learns more about his past and that of Dumbledore. Despite many near misses and one wild escape from the Death Eaters, the three friends eventually discover all the Horcruxes, including one hidden at Hogwarts.

After arriving back at Hogwarts they find that many things have changed under the leadership of Snape. One thing remains the same, however. Many at the school still support Harry and are willing to join him in the fight against Voldemort. This is made very clear when Voldemort and the Death Eaters attack Hogwarts. Harry, his friends, and many of the students and staff of Hogwarts take a stand against Voldemort. It’s been building for seven books and the final battle comes down to Harry and Voldmort while everyone learns what it means that “Neither can live with the other survives.”

Critical Evaluation:

Rowling outdoes herself in this epic finale to the Harry Potter series. It’s evident that she has thoroughly planned every detail of the series. Plot points, character traits and story lines from the previous six novels had not been introduced in vain, as they come together to form a conclusion worthy of the series thus far. Though the novel is really two stories in one - that of the journey and that of the war - they join together in a very cohesive way and neither would form a complete picture without the other. Despite its daunting length, the novel moves along at a quick pace. There isn’t any unnecessary exposition to distract from the central plot, but there are enough side stories to fill out book.

Though the reader has watched Harry, Hermione, and Ron grow throughout the series, it is in this novel that they truly come into themselves. Their friendship isn’t always an easy one, but their loyalty and love for each other is a wonderful example for readers of any age. In their honor and willingness to fight for what they believe is right in the face of dangerous and overwhelming circumstances, Rowling has created three characters that are the very definition of hero. She is a good character writer in that even her lesser characters are well-developed and substantive. She also doesn’t hesitate to kill a beloved character when it is necessary to the story, something that should be respected as many authors are afraid to do so. The characters and the plot complement each other rather than it seeming as if one is only there to support the other. This excellent finale exceeded my already high expectations.

Reader's Annotation:

In the final book of the series, Harry Potter and his friends set out to defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all.

Author Information:

J.K. Rowling was born on July 31, 1965. She began writing fantasy stories as a child, the first of which she remembers creating at the age of five. She was an avid reader and has said that the character of Hermione is based on herself as a child. She attended college at Exeter where she studied French and the Classics. After receiving her degree, she worked as a bilingual secretary and a researcher for Amnesty international. Following the death of her mother in 1990, Rowling moved to Portugal to teach English. While there, she married and had a child. After her daughter’s birth, she and her husband divorced and she and her daughter moved to Edinburgh, Scotland. Her famous rags to riches story is based on what happened while she was there. She was living off welfare and struggling with depression while she finished the first of the Harry Potter books. She used her depression, her grief over her mother, and instances from her childhood as inspiration for her novels.

Today, Rowling is one of the most famous authors in the world. She is the first person to become a billionaire by United States standards solely through writing novels and is the second wealthiest female entertainer in the world. She's been credited with helping revitalize the young adult genre and making reading a popular pastime for children and young adults again. Her books have won countless awards and been translated into 67 languages. They have spawned a series of movies, video games, clothing lines, numerous products, and even an amusement park.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

English: Plot Development, Creative Writing
Mythology: Allusions to Mythology/Mythological Archetypes

Booktalking Ideas:

• Focus on the friendship between Harry, Hermione, and Ron and what that has meant for the over the past 7 years.
• Discuss the prophecy “neither can live while the other survives” as how it pertains to the final book.
• Focus on the connection between Voldemort and Harry.
• Acting as each of the characters, discuss the mission that starts the book.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

12 and older

Challenge Issues:

Witchcraft/Magic/The Occult
Violence
Anti-government
Anti-family
Anti-religion
Poor role models

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

This is a wildly popular series with many age groups. The movie based on this final book is being released this fall. It's also one of my favorite series.

Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

Klause, Annette Curtis. Blood and Chocolate. Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 1997. 272 pages. ISBN-10: 0385323050. ISBN-13: 978-0385323055.

Plot:

Vivian’s pack of werewolves is forced to move from their home after a fire that kills her father - a fire they suspect was started by some locals who figured out what they were. After relocating, Vivian meets and falls for a human, a “meat boy,” named Aiden, which is forbidden by the pack. Loving a human leaves the pack open to exposure and it goes against their laws for mating. Instead, the pack thinks she would be more suited for one of her own. Gabriel, a young werewolf who takes over as leader in the place of her father, has his eye on her. When she accidentally wins a competition between the female members of the pack, she ends up named as Gabriel’s mate and new queen of the pack. Despite this, Vivian believes Aiden is the one for her and that she can trust him with her secret. As she contemplates telling Aiden and leaving her duty to the pack behind, a series of murders points to one of the pack being involved. Vivian can’t remember where she was during the attacks. Vivian must decide between Aiden and Gabriel, while trying to figure out who’s been murdering humans and if she’s involved.

Critical Evaluation:

Vivian’s internal conflict is what really drives this novel. Though the plot is entertaining and the other characters are interesting, if one-dimensional, they are secondary to the internal world of Vivian. Her struggle with deciding what she wants, who to trust, and where she fits in with the pack are well-developed. The reader is right there with her as she is torn between the human world and that of the werewolves. We feel her pain, confusion, fear, and shame. The other characters and the action tend further her story rather than stand on their own.

As the two vastly different love interests, Aiden and Gabriel are slightly more developed than the rest of the characters, but they still basically serve the purpose of representing the two sides of Vivian. Unlike the typical paranormal romance, however, the relationship between the human and the supernatural being ends up being unworkable. Despite what one might think, it’s actually refreshing to see a novel that allows the human character to have a negative and fearful reaction to discovering the truth. Though we might initially be supportive of her relationship with Aiden, by the time he and Gabriel both reveal who they really are to Vivian, it’s easy to switch sides. The ending does feel a little rushed, but it’s relatively sweet and satisfying.

Reader's Annotation:

Vivian has never wanted any life other than the one as a werewolf, but everything changes when an attack on her pack kills her father and forces the rest of the pack to move. She falls for a human boy and starts to question everything she’s ever known.

Author Information:

Annette Curtis Klause is a librarian and young adult author. As a child, she was given an assignment to write about what she wanted to be when she grew up and she chose librarian because of her love of visiting her hometown library. After discovering how much schooling was required to become a librarian, she put it aside until after graduating with an English degree in undergrad. With no idea of what to do with her future, she turned again to her dream of being a librarian and pursued her MLS at the University of Maryland. She has worked in libraries primarily in the children and youth departments since 1979 and says that this work and her studies really opened her eyes to the wonders of youth fiction.

She has also been writing since she was a child. She had her first novel published in 1990. She has published 4 novels for young adults as well as a handful of short fiction and poems. Most of her work focuses on the supernatural and also contains elements of romance.

Genre:

Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:

None

Booktalking Ideas:

• Discuss the choice between love and family duty.
• Compare Vivian’s relationship with Aiden to her relationship with Gabriel.
• Focus on the idea of keeping your real self a secret.
• Tell the story of where the loups-garoux originated.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

15 and older

Challenge Issues:

Sexual content
Suggestive language
Violence

Challenge Defense Ideas:

• Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
• If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
• Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
• Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.

Reasons for Selection:

The paranormal romance sub-genre of fantasy is a popular genre for teens at the moment.