The Looking Glass Wars (The Looking Glass Wars Trilogy #1) by Frank Beddor

Beddor, Frank. The Looking Glass Wars. Speak, 2007. 400 pages. ISBN-10: 0142409413. ISBN-13: 978-0142409411.

Plot:

Alyss Heart is the beloved princess of Wonderland. Her mother, Queen Genevieve, is a benevolent ruler, but Genevieve’s sister, Redd, is evil and has sworn revenge on Genevieve for taking what she saw as her rightful place as ruler of Wonderland. On Alyss’s seventh birthday, Redd atacks Wonderland. She kills Alyss’s parents and the father of her best friend, Dodge, but Alyss escapes with Genevieve’s bodyguard, Hatter Madigan. The two of them jump through the Pool of Tears, a portal to earth. They are separated in the process and Alyss ends up as a street child in London, while Hatter spends the next 13 years getting into trouble as he searches the world for her. Soon, Alyss is taken in by the Liddell family, who change her name to Alice and raise her as their daughter. At first Alyss insists on telling everyone who she really is, even going so far as to tell her entire life story to the Charles Dodgeson who promises to write a book about her. He creates the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, but Alyss is outraged that he fictionalized her life story in such a way. Eventually, though, even Alyss begins to forget who she is as she grows up and even agrees to marry Prince Leopold. Hatter discovers her shortly before her wedding.

Meanwhile, in Wonderland, things are getting worse. The few rebels who are still loyal to Genevieve are planning to take back the queendom, but they can’t do it without Alyss. Dodge has grown up to be a good warrior, but he’s a bitter man set on revenge. When a wounded Hatter arrives back in Wonderland, Dodge decides to go after Alyss himself, kidnapping her from her wedding. Now that she is back in Wonderland, the rebels expect her to lead them, but Alyss isn’t sure that she can.

Critical Evaluation:

This is such a great premise for a book. Taking the story of Alice in Wonderland - one that already has controversy concerning the truth surrounding it - and turning it into a “true” science fiction novel is a clever move. Beddor includes all the well-known characters but gives them a twist. His use of their names and certain qualities are enough to make them recognizable to anyone familiar with the original story, but they’re still quite different from the original. The story celebrates the power of imagination and Beddor was certainly using his when he created his Wonderland.

This book contains features to satisfy all manner of readers. There are elements of fantasy, science fiction, romance, history, and plenty of action. Beddor created a fascinating world complete with its own politics, fashion, weapons, inventions, and various types of inhabitants. Though he’s created an impressive world, he didn’t fall back on his fantastical environment to support the story; the plot is also complicated and exciting. The supporting characters are entertaining and really round out the story. However, it’s the main characters, particularly Alyss, Hatter, and Dodge, who are impressively written. Beddor gives them each their own secrets, motivations, love and pain in a very convincing way. He writes both male and female characters well. Beddor is a imaginative writer who has created a captivating novel that leaves the reader hungry for more.

Reader's Annotation:

This is the true story of Alyss Heart, the rightful heir to the Wonderland throne.

Author Information:

Frank Beddor was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from the Catholic private school, Benilde-St. Margaret's School, in 1977. He was a competitive skier and was the World Freestyle Skiing Champion in 1981 and 1982. After he left competitive skiing, he turned to film work. He had a few small acting parts in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He then worked as a producer of films and video games, including the successful film There’s Something About Mary.

While in London for the U.K premiere of There’s Something About Mary, he visited The British Museum and was inspired to write his Looking Glass Wars series. The book was rejected by every major publisher in America before being published in the U.K. After becoming popular there, Penguin agreed to publish it in America. Beddor has also written graphic novels, created a card game, a video game, an apparel line, a musical CD, and a possible musical theater production all based on his Looking Glass Wars novels.

Genre:

Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

English: Comparison to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Booktalking Ideas:

• Introduce this as the "real" story of Alice in Wonderland.
• Discuss what it would be like to be thrust into a completely strange world.
• Talk about the power of imagination.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 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:

Everything related to Alice in Wonderland has experienced a resurgence in popularity recently. This is a great twist on the traditional story.

Uglies (Uglies Trilogy #1) by Scott Westerfeld

Westerfeld, Scott. Uglies. Simon Pulse, 2005. 448 pages. ISBN-10: 0689865384. ISBN-13: 978-0689865381.

Plot:

Tally is an Ugly. She hasn’t yet reached her 16th birthday where she will undergo the surgery that will transform her to a Pretty and allow her to live in New Pretty Town where she can spend all her time partying with the rest of the new Pretties. Missing her best friend Peris, who has already become a Pretty, she sneaks over to New Pretty Town to see him. While there she is almost caught, but is helped by another Ugly named Shay. Tally and Shay become friends. Shay reveals that she doesn’t want to become a Pretty and is planning on running away instead. After Shay disappears, Tally still plans to become a Pretty, but on the day of her birthday she is taken to meet Dr. Gable, the head of Special Circumstances, the city’s security force. Dr. Gable informs Tally that she must find Shay and lead Special Circumstances to the colony of runaways where Shay is living or she’ll never be allowed to become a Pretty. Tally agrees and sets off to the colony, know as The Smoke. When she arrives, she begins to enjoy the freedom of The Smoke and decides to stay instead of revealing where they are. She also falls in love with a boy who was born there, named David. What Tally doesn’t know is that Dr. Gable expected her to betray her mission and has a way of tracking her anyway.

Critical Evaluation:

On the surface, Uglies is a dystopian post-scarcity science-fiction thriller. Looking deeper, however, the entire novel is a metaphor for the confusion inherent in adolescence when torn between desires for individuality and the need to conform, as well as the fear of growing up. Teenagers will appreciate Tally’s predicament. She desperately wants to join Peris and the other Pretties in New Pretty Town, but as she learns more about the Uglies living in the Smoke and discovers life outside of the city, she is drawn to that lifestyle. However, the Smoke simply represents another type of conformity. Tally has to learn to reconcile what she wants with the demands of those around her, which is something that every individual must go through as part of growing up.

Westerfeld creates a dazzling world with his descriptions of New Pretty Town. The technology he creates is fascinating and fun. Who wouldn’t want a hoverboard? He manages to make being a Pretty sounds incredibly appealing, which makes it all the more horrifying when it’s revealed what happens during the transformation.

The novel is an exercise in suspense. The reader is never sure what is around the next corner or who is an enemy. Just as one problem is resolved, something else is introduced. The characters’ motivations are often hard to read as it seems like even the most innocent often have some kind of agenda. We spend most of the novel watching Tally’s world fall apart around her as she learns that it’s a very different place than she thought it was. She remains a strong character throughout. When the novel ends, the reader will be anxious to find out what happens to her next.

Reader's Annotation:

Tally has always look forward to her 16th birthday when she will become a Pretty. When Tally's new friend Shay declares that she plans to run away instead, Tally must decide if she should become a Pretty or follow Shay.

Author Information:

Scott Westerfeld was born May 5, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. His father was a computer programmer, so Westerfeld and his family traveled a lot when he was a kid. He lived in Texas, California, and Connecticut. He attended a magnet school for arts in Dallas. He earned a bachelors in Philosophy from Vassar and did graduate work in Performance Studies at New York University. He is married to the Australian author Justine Larbalestier. The two divide their time between Australia and New York, specifically to avoid winter in either hemisphere.

Before becoming a novelist, he worked as a ghost writer and music writer. His first novels were adult science fiction, but he transitioned to writing for young adults with his book So Yesterday in 2004. He has also published non-fiction, short stories, poetry, and several essays.

Genre:

Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

Science: Care of the Environment
Health: Body Image
Sociology: Community

Booktalking Ideas:

• Talk about the anticipation of becoming a Pretty.
• Compare Tally and Shay.
• Explain some of the technology they use in the book.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

13 and older

Challenge Issues:

Allusions to alcohol use
Negative body image issues
Anti-family
Anti-government

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 book was recommended to me by a teenage friend of my sister. It's popular with her group of friends.

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic Press, 2008. 384 pages. ISBN-10: 0439023483. ISBN-13: 978-0439023481.

Plot:

In the future, North America has become a country known as Panem, consisting of a capitol and 12 surrounding districts. Years before, the districts launched a rebellion against The Capitol, but they were defeated. As punishment, each year the districts must send one boy and one girl to fight to the death on television. These tributes, as they’re called, are drawn at random in a ceremony known as The Reaping. When sixteen-year-old Katniss’s younger sister is chosen to be a tribute, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She, the male tribute Peeta, and their alcoholic mentor Haymitch are sent to The Capitol to participate in the Hunger Games. While there, Katniss and Peeta are encouraged to play up to the crowd in hopes that it will give them an advantage. Katniss soon learns that this includes pretending to have a doomed relationship with Peeta. She and Peeta are thrown together in the arena to play out their love affair, but Katniss knows that only one of them can survive. What she doesn’t know is that Haymitch, Peeta and The Capitol all have a plan for her.

Critical Evaluation:

In The Hunger Games, Collins has written a book that can appeal not only to teenage audiences but adults, as well. The plot is complex and the characters are universally appealing. Though the writing style is often conversational, it only serves to personalize the story. It is a compelling narrative and one which the reader will be unable to put down. The fast pace and exciting description of the actual Hunger Games are juxtaposed nicely with the sweeter moments between Katniss and the other characters. Katniss is an engaging narrator and the reader is immediately on her side. The Capitol serves well as a terrifying and anger inducing villain.

Equal to the entertaining plot and characters are the ethical aspects of the story. This is most certainly a book that will make the reader think and question the situation. One of the most important questions the book raises is that of whether or not it is right to do what is necessary for survival. Collins doesn’t provide the readers with the answers, but instead allows them to decide for themselves. This book would excellent for both pleasure reading and using in a classroom. However, because there is quite a lot of violence, it would be wise for a parent or teacher to consider the age and temperament of a teen before recommending it.

Reader's Annotation:

In Panem, where teenagers are forced to fight to the death on television to pay for the rebellion, Katniss must survive after volunteering to take her younger sister's place.

Author Information:

Growing up, Suzanne Collins’s father was in the Air Force, so she moved all around the country. She has said that doing so made her aware of what it felt like to be a stranger somewhere, much like the main character in The Underland Chronicles. She attended New York University and received an M.F.A in dramatic writing. She spent 16 years living in New York, but now resides in Connecticut with her husband and children.

Before becoming an author, she worked as a writer for children’s television. She’s written for shows on Nickleodeon and Kids’ WB as well as several specials. After working in television for 12 years, she published her first novel for young adults, Gregor the Overlander, the first of The Underland Chronicles series. Since then she has published 8 more novels. Her books have won numerous awards and topped the New York Times Bestseller list. She was named one of Time magazine's most influential people of 2010.

Genre:

Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

Government: Totalitarian Government, Fascism
Mythology: Comparison to Theseus
English: Plot Development, Symbolism, Character Development

Booktalking Ideas:

• Compare her relationships with Gale and Peeta.
• Talk about Katniss's decision to take her sister's place.
• Discuss where the idea of The Hunger Games originated and why.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Violence
Anti-government

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 required reading for the class. It is a book that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. It's also one of my favorites.

The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner Trilogy #1) by James Dashner

Dashner, James.. The Maze Runner. Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2009. 384 pages. ISBN-10: 0385907028. ISBN-13: 978-0385907026.

Plot:

Thomas first wakes up in a dark elevator below The Glade with no memory other than his name. He is pulled out by a group of boys around his age who all arrived in The Glade in the same manner. Every thirty days for the last 2 years a new boy has arrived. They learn to live together, surviving by farming the land and using the supplies that periodically arrive from the same mysterious elevator. Surrounding The Glade is a large and dangerous maze that several of the boys spend each day exploring. These “runners,” as they’re called, are attempting to find a way out. They must return each night before the doors close or risk being caught out in The Maze at night with its deadly nocturnal inhabitants. Thomas decides that he needs to become a runner and, partly through a heroic act, manages to maneuver himself into that position.

Quickly following Thomas’s arrival, a girl, Theresa, appears in the elevator. She is the first girl ever and bears a message saying that she will be the last person sent and that things are about to change. Thomas immediately feels a connection with this girl and soon learns that they can communicate telepathically. Her arrival triggers a change in The Maze. The doors no longer close and those living in The Glade are now victim to the creatures that live in The Maze. They soon decide that they will make a run for it and try to escape The Maze as a group. Though they know it will be a dangerous mission and they aren’t sure that what awaits them outside The Maze is any better than being in it, the boys and Theresa decide they will risk it to escape their imprisonment in The Glade.

Critical Evaluation:

Dashner’s characters and setting descriptions are adequate, but the unfolding of the mystery is where his talent truly lies. From the opening paragraph the reader is hooked. He is able to slowly reveal answers to the many questions the story brings about, but each answer introduces a whole new set of questions. There is very little extraneous detail, so the story moves at a quick pace that fits the urgency of the characters’ situation, especially towards the end of the book. He also manages a tight and suspenseful feeling that keeps the reader engaged until the very end. The ending is abrupt, but in a way that leaves the reader immediately hungry for the next book in the series.

Thomas is the only character that is truly well-developed, but the other characters aren't completely flat. His relationship with Theresa and where the two of them came from is one of the more interesting aspects of the book. He’s a relatable character, especially in that despite making numerous mistakes and hiding many secrets, he’s sincere and good. It will certainly be exciting to see where he will go from here.

Reader's Annotation:

Trapped, with no memory, and surrounded by a maze designed to kill them, Thomas and the boys who arrived in the Glade before him are desperate to find a way out and back home. When a girl arrives - the first ever - she brings a message that changes everything.

Author Information:

James Dashner was born in Georgia in 1972. He attended Brigham Young University and now lives in Utah with his wife and children. In 2003, he published his first book, A Door in the Woods. This, as well as the rest of the his Jimmy Fincher series, were done with a small publishing company out of Utah. His dream has always been to be a full time author, which he was able to accomplish in 2008 with the publication of his second series of books.

His inspiration comes from many places, including his own childhood. He based part of the relationship between Tick and his parents in The 13th Reality series on his own relationship with his parents. He also names many of his characters after people in his own life or people he admires, whether real or fictional.

Genre:

Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

Logic: Solving of Problems and Puzzles
English: Plot Development

Booktalking Ideas:

• Read the first page and talk about waking up with no memory of where you came from or how you got there.
• Present it as one of the runners returning for the day.
• Describe The Glade, The Maze, and The Grievers.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 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:

I read a profile of the author that mentioned the trilogy. I was interested in reading the books after seeing a teaser for the plot.

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzane Collins

Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay. Scholastic Press, 2010. 400 pages. ISBN-10: 0439023513. ISBN-13: 978-0439023511.

Plot:

When the novel opens, Katniss Everdeen is living in the secret District 13 with the rebels who rescued her from her second Hunger Games competition. Though she is with her family and Gale, she was forced to leave Peeta behind and suspects he is probably dead or worse. Katniss was rescued because the rebels would like her to be the Mockingjay, the symbol of their revolution. After discovering that Peeta is alive and being used by the Capitol, she agrees to help, but only if they fulfill some of her conditions, including that she wants to be the one to kill President Snow. The rebels agree and stage a rescue of Peeta, only to discover that the Capitol has engineered his brain to hate Katniss. Though the rebels try to rewire him, he is a loose cannon as he, Katniss, and the rebels rally the other districts and head into battle in the Capitol. Everything goes wrong, however, and her group is stranded in the hostile Capitol trying to get close enough to President Snow in order to kill him. As they reach Snow‘s mansion, they discover it is surrounded by children and rebels, including Prim, Katniss’s sister. Bombs begin to go off and Prim is killed as the Capitol falls to the rebels. Snow is found guilty and sentenced to be executed by Katniss. Before this can occur, however, Katniss learns some horrifying things about the night of the bombing and the role she and her friends played in the rebellion.

Critical Evaluation:

This final book in the trilogy was one of the most anticipated books of the year and it didn’t disappoint. Collins weaving of Katniss’s personal story with the story of the rebellion personalizes war and its consequences in a way that few young adult novels do. She doesn’t sugarcoat the story and doesn’t hesitate to show the horror and violence that accompanies the rebellion. Though the book is violent, the violence isn’t gratuitous. It’s evident that Collins gave careful consideration to the descriptions she included. The violence isn’t there to entertain, but rather to show the horror, corruption, and dehumanization of the rebellion. Collins continues the question she introduced in the origin of the trilogy, that of whether the end can truly justify the means. However, this time the reader is forced to apply that question to both sides rather than just the Capitol’s tactics. It’s a complicated moral issue that she handles in thoughtful and emotional way.

Katniss has the strength of a warrior, but vulnerability that reminds the reader she is a child who has been thrust unwillingly into this situation. She makes mistakes and she doesn’t always do the right thing, but she is always doing what she thinks is right. She learns more about trust and betrayal than one would hope someone her age should have to. Katniss is a character the readers can respect. In Katniss, and Mockingjay in general, Collins has created something that the reader can find both captivating and thought-provoking.

Reader's Annotation:

After years of abuse by the capital, the districts have had enough and they’re fighting back. Katniss is lynchpin in the rebels’ plan, but is she really ready to be the Mockingjay?

Author Information:

Growing up, Suzanne Collins’s father was in the Air Force, so she moved all around the country. She has said that doing so made her aware of what it felt like to be a stranger somewhere, much like the main character in The Underland Chronicles. She attended New York University and received an M.F.A in dramatic writing. She spent 16 years living in New York, but now resides in Connecticut with her husband and children.

Before becoming an author, she worked as a writer for children’s television. She’s written for shows on Nickleodeon and Kids’ WB as well as several specials. After working in television for 12 years, she published her first novel for young adults, Gregor the Overlander, the first of The Underland Chronicles series. Since then she has published 8 more novels. Her books have won numerous awards and topped the New York Times Bestseller list. She was named one of Time magazine's most influential people of 2010.

Genre:

Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

Government/History: War and Rebellion, What is Freedom?
English: Plot Development, Symbolism, Character Development
Ethics/Philosophy: Ethics of War, Does the end justify the means?

Booktalking Ideas:

• Focus on where each of the characters are at the beginning of the story.
• Discuss the choice Katniss must make between Peeta and Gale.
• Give an overview of Katniss’s journey so far and ask where she will be going next.

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Violence
Anti-government

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:

It is the much anticipated finale to the popular Hunger Games trilogy.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother. Tor Teen, 2008. 384 pages. ISBN-10: 0765319853. ISBN-13: 978-0765319852.

Plot:

17-year-old Marcus and his friends decide to skip school to participate in an online scavenger hunt, which results in them being on the streets of San Francisco when a terrorist group attacks. As they look for help for his friend Darryl who was stabbed in the melee, they’re all taken captive by the Department of Homeland Security. They spend days in a detention facility where Marcus is interrogated, tortured, and threatened into silence before they are finally released, without Darryl. They then discover that San Francisco has turned into a police state. Marcus and his friends decide they’re going to take on the DHS for what they did to them and Darryl.

Marcus uses technology to organize a group of teenagers to fight back against the DHS and the tracking tools they’re using. As he does this, his relationship with his friends becomes more and more strained until they become too afraid to continue helping him. Marcus is left with only the help of his new girlfriend Ange and the army of faceless teenagers who are quickly getting out of control. As the DHS closes in, Marcus decides that he’s unable to handle it all alone anymore and reveals what happened to his parents and a journalist. This only serves to further anger the DHS and Marcus soon learns that he has nowhere else to hide. He can only hope that telling his story can help him before it’s too late.

Critical Evaluation:

I hadn’t expected to enjoy this book as much as I did. I went into it biased because of the description and subject matter, but found myself reading it voraciously after the first chapter. Doctorow manages to weave together an interesting story, descriptions of a large amount of technology, and a political message in such a way that each only serves to enhance each aspect. Marcus could have easily been written as a cipher or fallen flat, but instead he’s a deep and complex character. He’s also a character to which many readers can relate, whether they have the same rebellious and righteous streak that he does or not. Doctorow gives him foolhardy fearlessness that comes with youth and believing in your cause, but also a vulnerability that adds tension to the reading.

The inclusion of descriptions a vast number of technologies is another area where the book could easily have become dry and unreadable, but instead Doctorow explains them in a way that is both easy to understand and incredibly interesting. In fact, I found some of the technology so fascinating that I was inspired to do more research on the subject myself. It’s a great way to introduce the reader to many of the technological options that are in use today or could be in use in the near future.

Reader's Annotation:

When Marcus and his friends decided to skip school, they had no idea they would end up being interrogated and tortured by the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. Now Marcus is mad and he’s going to make the DHS pay for what they did.

Author Information:

Corey Doctorow was born July 17, 1971 in Toronto, Canada. His parents were very active in many causes and Doctorow inherited that passion. As a child he campaigned for Green Peace and was involved in the movement for nuclear disarmament. He also volunteered with the Youth Challenge International. As an adult, Doctorow is a big proponent of intellectual freedom and the loosening of copyright laws.

He has written over 20 novels, anthologies, and non-fiction books many of which are licensed under Creative Commons. Technology, intellectual freedom, digital rights management, and post-scarcity economics are common themes in his books. He offers several of his books, including Little Brother, as free downloads on his website. He encourages his readers to remix his books through their Creative Commons licenses and send him the results to post.

Genre:

Science Fiction

Curriculum Ties:

Computer Science: Technology
Government: Terrorism, Freedom and Rights, Torture and Interrogation Tactics
English: Character Development, Plot Development

Booktalking Ideas:

• Introduce each of the characters using their online personas.
• Focus on the scene where they’re picked up by the DHS.
• Discuss Marcus’s idea of freedom vs. safety.
• Focus on some of the technology mentioned in the book.
  

Reading Level/Interest Age:

14 and older

Challenge Issues:

Sexual content
Profanity
Anti-government sentiment
Violence
Positive view of hacking

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:

It was a required reading for the class. It has also now become one of my new favorites.