Review: A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Sarah

A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2013.

Genre: Fantasy

A Corner of WhiteFace Value: I’m mixed on this cover. On the one hand, I find it a little twee, with the girl and the umbrella and the wisps of floating colors on some kind of magical path. On the other hand, the girl is wearing clothes that Madeleine actually wears in the book. Also I am pretty sure I would wear that outfit.

Does it Break the Slate? Absolutely. While feminism not the major focus of the story, the multifaceted female characters lead to a Slatebreaking result. Plus, there’s nothing better than when girl characters turn out to be both smarter and more powerful than others would lead us to believe.

Who would we give it to? This is a good bridge fantasy because it actually includes a healthy bit of contemporary realism. It’s also incredibly clever, with sharp dialogue and a really different kind of fantasy world. If you’ve read and loved Moriarty’s previous books, you might be surprised by the difference, but you definitely won’t be disappointed.   Continue reading →

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Review: Devilish by Maureen Johnson

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Brianna

Devilish by Maureen Johnson. Razorbill, 2007. Currently available.

Genre: YA Paranormal Fiction

imagesFace Value: Well, it sure is creepy! Those demon eyes are disturbing. The girl on this cover doesn’t look anything like how I picture Jane, Allison, or Lanalee, so I’m not sure who she’s supposed to be. Just another possessed teenage girl, I guess!

Does it break the slate? It does. Although Jane could easily succumb to temptation or take an easy out and leave her friend behind, she always chooses the fight. Jane does not back down, ever.

Who would we give it to? There are a lot of paranormal fiction fans out there reading books that do not feature strong female characters. This book offers a great alternative to those stories. It has the creepy supernatural elements, and there’s some romance as well, but it remains a book about two girls who make powerful, assertive choices when facing demonic opposition. Continue reading →

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Review: 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Sarah

17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma. Dutton Books, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction / Mystery

17 & GoneFace Value: Honestly, it looks like an instagram picture. It doesn’t make me not want to read the book, but nothing about the cover makes me totally ready to dive in either.

Does it Break the Slate? This book starts as one thing and turns into another. And what it turns into, I think, is ultimately Slatebreaking. (could I be more vague? But I can’t spoil anything before the break at least). Women are victimized during this book, but there’s also a real dialogue about what it means that so many 17 year old girls are able to go missing without knowing what happens to them.

Who would we give it to? Readers of contemporary realistic fiction, who are up for some darkness and ambiguity, with a fondness for an unreliable narrator. If you liked Suma’s earlier Imaginary Girls, you’ll like this one too – it walks the same line along the boundaries of reality. Continue reading →

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Review: Minnie McClary Speaks Her Mind by Valerie Hobbs

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Brianna

Minnie McClary Speaks Her Mind by Valerie Hobbs. Frances Foster Books, 2012. Currently available.

Genre: Middle grade realistic fiction.

9780374324964Face Value: This cover caught my attention from across a room. I was speed-walking through the library to the YA section to pick up something comforting like a Sarah Dessen or Maureen Johnson novel, and this cover stopped me in my tracks. It so clearly conveys empowerment. I love it.

Does it break the slate? Yes! Minnie is on the cusp of adolescence and she is struggling with challenges that any twelve year old would understand. She finds issues that matter to her and she speaks out, despite her extreme discomfort with public expression. There’s also a terrific Slatebreaking teacher character, Miss Marks, a female character who not only breaks the slate but also trains future Slatebreakers.

Who would we give it to? Girls who are afraid of public speaking. Minnie’s struggle with speaking in front of groups is beautifully captured in Hobbs’s writing. Every tremor and cold bead of sweat is reflected in the narrative of Minnie’s self-doubt. Her baby steps toward self-confidence will encourage readers who experience the same fear.

Continue reading →

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Review: Also Known As by Robin Benway

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Sarah

Also Known As by Robin Benway. Walker Books, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Spy Novel/Thriller

Also Known AsFace Value: Aren’t we done with disembodied girls yet? Apparently not, and it’s a shame because I feel like there are a whole lot of really fun spy-related things that oculd have been done with this cover. Instead we have a knee-socked, short-skirted bottom half of a body. Meh.

Does it Break the Slate? It does! Although Maggie would probably find a sneakier way around getting through the slate. She’s incredibly competent despite (even because) she is a teenage girl, she’s smart and clever, and what’s more, she doesn’t let her romance get in the way of the work she has to do or her work get in the way of her potential romance. Yes the book is lighthearted and a little fluffy, but it’s totally Slatebreaking in its own right.

Who would we give it to? Do you need a good beach book? Because this would be  a great one. It’s light and fun and terrifically snarky, with enough substance to keep you reading all the way through. Anyone who liked Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls series will love this one. Also I wouldn’t be surprised if it was turned into a show on the CW within the next 8 months. Continue reading →

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Use Your Gray Matter: Amelia Bedelia Does the Time Warp

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Brianna

When I was growing up, I was fond of Amelia Bedelia. As a kid with a predilection for language and words, I thought that a character who took everything literally was absolutely hysterical.  I remember Amelia Bedelia looking like this:

 Amelia Bedelia Image source: Harper Collins

A few years ago, I encountered Amelia Bedelia in the bookstore once again – but she didn’t look like the character I remembered. Instead, Amelia Bedelia looked like this:

meetAmeliaBedeliaImage source: Harper Collins

 At first I thought I was imagining things, but further research proved that it was true: Amelia Bedelia had done a time warp. Somehow, although years had passed, she had gone from a grown woman to a little girl. Continue reading →

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Review: The Boneshaker by Kate Milford

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Sarah

The Boneshaker by Kate Milford. Clarion Books, 2010. Currently Available.

Genre: Steampunk, Science Fiction, Historical Fiction

BoneshakerFace Value: This cover does a great job of capturing the specific creepiness of this story. I love that it’s illustrated (middle grade covers seem to be  more likely to go with the illustration), and I love that even though this cover packs a whole lot into it, your eye is still drawn to Natalie on her Chesterlane.

Does it Break the Slate? This book shatters slates, right and left. Natalie is an outstanding protagonist, right on the cusp of childhood/teenagerhood. She literally has to save the world. But she also has smaller battles to fight, and she handles them remarkably.

Who would we give it to? Anybody who thinks Steampunk is overdone or uninteresting, because this will change your mind. Also if you loved Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes, you’ll love the way this book is reminiscent of that classic story while being it’s  own totally original piece. Continue reading →

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Review: Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Brianna

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2013. Currently available.

Genre: Middle grade realistic fiction.

13414183Face Value: This is such an exuberant cover! Nate on the red carpet in NYC is a joyful image of a boy who is learning to fully embrace his identity. It’s a dramatic cover, which fits a highly dramatic story with lots of plot turns. Note the nod to E.T. in the upper left corner – clever, and awesome.

Does it break the slate? This book is, by my count, only the second book we have reviewed her on Slatebreakers with a boy as the protagonist. (The other was the fabulous Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King.) Even though we focus our reviewing on books that feature outstanding young female characters, it’s important that we acknowledge male characters who are also challenging stereotypes. Nate Foster in Better Nate Than Ever is definitely breaking the slate. He is a boy who risks everything to pursue a dream and get away from the closed-mindedness of his small town. He fears the bullying that he encounters every day, but he is smart enough to know he can make life choices that will lead him away from all of that in the future.

Who would we give it to? The boy who loves musical theatre and gets picked on for it – this is the book for him. Or for any theatre nerd. It would also be appropriate for any youth who is feeling stifled by their small town existence and feel that they are destined for something different, something that would never be accepted in their hometown. Continue reading →

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Review: Cinders & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Sarah

Cinders and Sapphires by Leila Rasheed. Disney-Hyperion, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Historical Fiction (or is Downton-Abbey-inspired its own genre yet?)

Cinders and SapphiresFace Value:  This cover is unsurprising. It doesn’t do much for me, as a reader, but it also doesn’t turn me off. It tells me that the book is going to be 1) historical, and 2) melodramatic. I wouldn’t expect it to be a conversation starter, but I wouldn’t feel the need to stick a book cover over it to read in public either.

Does it Break the Slate? Only in a surface value kind of way. It’s not anti Slatebreaking. But one of the problems that’s bound to happen when you write stereotypical trope characters is that those characters don’t really get the chance to break out of their molds. The good characters are good and want and do good things. The bad characters are bad and want and do bad things. It makes for an entertaining read, but it’s not shattering any expectations or breaking any new ground.

Who would we give it to? If you watch Downton Abbey or read The Luxe series, you are in the target audience for this book, and you will probably enjoy it well enough to give it 3 stars on goodreads. Continue reading →

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Review: Orleans by Sherri Smith

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Brianna

Orleans by Sherri Smith. Penguin, 2013. Currently available.

Genre: YA Futuristic/Dytopian Fiction

15721624Face Value: I adore this cover. With fantasy and futuristic book covers, I find that the cover illustrators/designers can be reluctant to go into much detail. It’s almost as if they’re afraid to give too many details of the fictional world lest they betray the reader’s vision. The cover of Orleans does not hold back. We see the ruins of New Orleans, juxtaposed with the green growth of plants rising above the water. And Fen is looking over it all. This artwork captures the devastation and new life that is rising from the spectacular fictional world Smith has crafted.

Does it break the slate? Yes. Oh, so much yes. Fen is wise beyond her years. She has been through some terrible, terrible things – but she has always been clever enough to survive and find a way out. What I find so fascinating about Fen is that she is so much a character based in a place. Fen is the Delta. Based on the survival skills and ingenuity she shows throughout the book, I have no doubt that she could escape and fine a new life on the other side of the wall. Yet, that’s never something she considers. She was born here and she will die here. The Delta is in her blood…literally.

Continue reading →

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