Review: The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Sarah

The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson. Shades of London #2. Putnam Juvenile, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Mystery/Ghost Story

Face Value: This is a definite upgrade from the first book. While it doesn’t scream to me from the shelves, I think the ghostlike London silhouette is

madness underneathDoes it Break the Slate? Rory is going through a tough time in this book. It’s darker, and more internal than the first one in the series. But although it lacks some of the levity of the previous book, and Rory makes some seriously stupid choices during it, I still felt like The Madness Underneath broke some slates. Allowing our wonderful, funny, sharp heroine to go through depression and anxiety after a traumatic event is not only believable, it’s Slatebreaking. Rory isn’t a perfect hero, she’s an accidental hero who is taking on everything she can, as best as she can.

Who would we give it to? This is a sequel, so if you’re in the market for the first book, you’re probably in the market for this one. This is a great series for lovers of ghost stories, lovers of contemporary fiction and those of us who have always wanted to attend boarding school in London. Continue reading →

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Review: Sofi Mendoza’s Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico by Malin Alegria

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Brianna

Sofi Mendoza’s Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico by Malín Alegría. Simon & Schuster, 2007. Currently available.

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

Cover_One_WayTicket_REV-198x300Face Value: It’s kind of cheesy, but I like it. I don’t like that we only see part of the girl on the cover, and most of that is exposed skin – but at least we do see her face. The road signs pointing in different directions are pretty clever, given that Sofi is confused about her own identity and life direction throughout most of the story. She doesn’t know which direction to go.

Does it break the slate? Well…sort of? Sofi Mendoza pushes the limit to be considered a Slatebreaking character because she doesn’t change her behavior until the very end of the book. I think she may be, and I’m going to take the liberty of imagining that she carries on living her fictional life as a Slatebreaker. But what’s truly Slatebreaking here is Alegría’s book. There are a only handful of YA books out there that explore border politics, and this one is truly a standout. Alegría tackles multi-ethnic identity and life “on the other side” with nuance. Continue reading →

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Review: The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Sarah

The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd. Balzer + Bray, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Gothic novel, Horror

Madman's DaughterFace Value: Meh. It’s not that this cover is inaccurate, it’s just a little…familiar. It looks like dozens of other covers with a girl in an old fashioned dress. It loses points, also, for the tagline “In the darkest of places, even love is deadly. Yeah, of course, there is a love story element to this book. But love is not at all the central focus of this horror show, and it is definitely not the most deadly part.

Does it Break the Slate? The most Slatebreaking element of this book is the overall concept – integrating a female voice into a known, completely male-centered story. Shepherd’s re-imagining of The Island of Dr. Moreau retells the story through the eyes of Juliet, the doctor’s daughter, and gives her a voice in this world. I love that – and I am thrilled that Shepherd plans to continue this series with reimaginings of Frankenstein and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. On it’s own, Juliet is a Slatebreaking character up to a point – she is smart and determined and a survivor. However she is also frequently defined in the context of her relationship to men – her father’s daughter, romantic interest to either Edward or Montgomery. Juliet allows herself to be defined in relationship to these people.

Who would we give it to? If you’ve read the original story, or are familiar with traditional gothic novel tropes, you’ll really enjoy this one. Shepherd doesn’t shy away from the gothic element or the horror – it’s gruesome, but in a really well crafted way. Continue reading →

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Review: Betsy Was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Brianna

Betsy Was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace. Harper Perennial. First published in 1947. Currently available.

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

BWAJFace Value: I’m going to use this opportunity to rave about the new covers for the Betsy-Tacy series. These covers came out several years ago, and I love how they capture the essence of the original book yet still appeal to readers now. The covers feature some of the original Vera Neville illustrations for the series, which have a certain charm about them. To complete this stylish package, each of the new editions features a forward by a contemporary author who also loves Betsy & Tacy. Meg Cabot wrote the forward for the edition I read, and it was everything I could have hoped for. There’s something I find so charming when authors discuss what they admire about other authors.

Does it break the slate? For a book written in 1947, I was impressed that the female characters showed so much initiative and willingness to challenge authority. The primary lesson learned from Betsy Was a Junior is that Betsy Ray needs to buckle down and work hard in order to achieve her goals. Of course, she learns this because she flits around during junior year doing a bunch of other goofy stuff and doesn’t achieve all that she hoped for. That means we see Betsy doing some extremely foolish things throughout the book. But she learns from them! And that is ultimately what’s important. I don’t think Betsy can quite be a Slatebreaker because she does conform to many of the class and gender expectations of a small Midwestern town in the 1940s, but she’s certainly an admirable female character.

Who would we give it to? Minnesotans and Midwesterners! Betsy’s world is so clearly small-town-Midwest that readers living in that region will appreciate the quirky residents of Deep Valley. I would also give the Betsy-Tacy books to a reader who has finished all of Lucy Maude Montgomery’s Anne Shirley books and is hungry for more historical fiction about smart, adventurous girls.

Continue reading →

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Review: One Came Home by Amy Timberlake

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Sarah

One Came Home by Amy Timberlake. Knopf, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Historical Fiction

One Came HomeFace Value: This is an excellent cover, the kind of cover that people ask you about, because it’s intriguing. But at the same time, it’s a cover that looks totally appropriately middle grade, totally historical, and totally cool, all at once. I love the pigeons pulling apart the title (even though in general, pigeons are not something I enjoy), love the landscape. The cover perfectly captures the tone of the book.

Does it Break the Slate? Shattered with a Springfield single shot. Georgie Burkhardt is a determined, fierce protagonist. I respected her stubbornness, her strength, and her skill. I loved her heart and determination. Sure, some of the skills she possesses throughout the book are a little on the superhuman scale, but never in a way that feels untrue to the character being developed. Georgie blows expectations of a young girl at the time out of the water, in a way that is both historically believable and can be deeply resonant with contemporary readers.

Who would we give it to? Wisconsin might not be what we think of as the Wild West, but anyone who likes a good shootout western will be all over this one. In fact, it might be the best middle grade western I’ve ever come across. Pair it with The Misadventures of Maude March, or give it to the True Grit lover in your life. Continue reading →

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Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Brianna

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013. Currently available.

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

15745753Face Value: This is a stunning, simple cover. It looks like appropriately 2013 and will appeal to contemporary readers, but it also captures the 1980s vibe of the story. I loved this cover until I started reading. That’s when I realized that Eleanor was not represented well on the cover.

Throughout the book, Rowell describes Eleanor as a curvy girl. She is at one point described as having a body “like a medieval barmaid.” Park, on the other hand, is significantly smaller than Eleanor. He is 5’ 4” and has a slight stature. Their physical differences are definitely a factor in their romance, and it is a source of great anxiety for Eleanor. I wish that the cover illustration didn’t magically make Eleanor a small and skinny girl. I want her to be represented the way she is, without any editing to make her look smaller just for the sake of cover design balance.

Does it break the slate? The relationship between Eleanor and Park is definitely Slatebreaking. Even though both Eleanor and Park face enormous social discomfort by being together, they push through that awkwardness and find a way to love each other. They are an unconventional couple, especially among the plethora of YA romantic couples that readers know and love. I like that they bring something different to the romance genre.

Who would we give it to? There is a Romeo and Juliet motif running throughout Eleanor & Park.  I would give this book to any high school student reading or performing Romeo and Juliet, because it would be a great way to start a conversation comparing the two stories. Even those who roll their eyes at the desperate romance of Romeo and Juliet might find something intriguing about Eleanor and Park.

Continue reading →

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Review: The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano by Sonia Manzano

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Sarah

The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano by Sonia Manzano. Scholastic, 2012. Currently Available.

Genre: Historical Fiction

The Revolution of Evelyn SerranoFace Value: Powerful image that reflects the content and location of the story, and hints at one of the central metaphors in the book! Love! Says Evelyn, “There’s a Puerto Rican expression that says some people try to ‘tapar el cielo con la mano’ ­– to cover the sky with their hand.” People cover up what they don’t want to see. There’s a hand reaching up to the sky in this image, but the sun is shining through the fingers – a gorgeous symbol for Evelyn’s emotional journey. I like what happens with the text too – Revolution and Evolution are both key to the emotional core of the story, and the text suggests this without being too cheesy.

Does it Break the Slate? Totally. There are three generations of Slatebreaking women in this book, all of whom are making it happen in their own way. The political, activist, historical and family threads of this novel all come together for an undeniably feminist story.

Who would we give it to? This book would be  a great pairing with Rita Williams Garcia’s amazing One Crazy Summer. Radicals making the world a better place and a young girl’s journey into self-awareness and racial and political advocacy. Continue reading →

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Review: Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Sarah

Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff. Razorbill 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Mystery / Ghost Story

Paper Valentine HardcoverPaper Valentine Paperback Face Value: I love this cover. In fact, the cover on the left is a huge part of why I was excited about this book. The stylized paper cutout, the intricately cut heart, the desolate background – I think it all works perfectly.  The upcoming paperback cover (right) is much more generic “dead-girl” so if you’re looking to make a purchase, I would act now or plan on an ebook.

Does it Break the Slate? Eventually. Hannah is not a Slatebreaker in the early pages of this book. She’s a lovely, thoughtful, sincere person, but she is paralyzed with sadness and guilt and fear. At the start of the book, she’s not very proactive, and she makes some dumb choices during the course of it. BUT. As the story moves forward, Hannah starts to stand up for who she is, and ultimately save herself.

Who would we give it to? Mystery readers and ghost story lovers will find a whole lot to appreciate in this story. I also think that girls who love Weetzie Bat, and slightly fantastical stories about girls who make their own dresses out of flower petals will appreciate Hannah and Lillian and what happens to them. Continue reading →

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Review: An Infidel in Paradise by S.J. Laidlaw

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Brianna

An Infidel in Paradise by S.J. Laidlaw. Tundra Books, 2013. Currently available.

Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

15767359Face Value: I really liked this cover – it has the richness of those gilded covers that are usually only used for books deemed “classics.” The snake poised to strike hints at the danger and high stakes of the story within. For a YA cover, this is not bad at all.

Does it break the slate? NOPE. And it’s such a disappointment. Emma is a young woman with unique experiences living all over the globe, which one would hope would make her better able to navigate the intricacies of cultures different from her own. Instead, she wallows in her own self-pity and tromps all over the cultural expectations of her new Pakistani neighbors. And although she could certainly have challenged their male-dominant culture in Slatebreaking ways, she was mostly just obtuse about it.

Despite all of my griping about Emma’s cultural incompetence, this was not a bad book. It was very well written, and I enjoyed it despite disliking the main character. More on that in the body of the review…

Who would we give it to? It might be a good book for young readers who will be spending long periods of time living in cultural or geographic circumstances vastly different from their home culture. Emma’s behavior and clumsy mistakes would at least model what not to do when living in a different country. Which is kind of the point of the story – watch Emma fumble and learn along with her. Continue reading →

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Review: The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Sarah

The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando. Dutton Juvenile, 2012. Currently Available.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

the best night of your pathetic lifeFace Value: This cover is totally cool, edgy and dorky in all the right ways. I’ve been noticing silhouettes as a frequent cover motif recently and it’s one that I totally approve of. Plus, the way the scavenger hunt items emerge through the text is a great way of hinting at the plot without giving too much away.

Does it Break the Slate? Eh, not really. To be honest, Mary is really whiny and self-absorbed for a lot of this book, and I wanted to shake some sense into her. But at the same time, I found her to be seriously relatable and believable as a senior in high school. It’s a self-absorbed time. And it’s really scary to be on the verge of something major, trying to brace yourself for a huge change and have the meaningful experiences you always thought you would based on popular culture. So yes, Mary can be really bratty and rude and selfish. But I get it. And by the end of the book, she’s grown up a lot. Maybe there is some real Slatebreaking in her future.

Who would we give it to? It would be a kind of fun graduation present. And I think the content would be deeply relatable to anybody about to graduate from high school and move onto the next phase of life, whatever that is. I think this is one of those books that works better though, when you’re actually in that phase of your life. Continue reading →

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