Review: This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Sarah

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

15777621Face Value: This is a super cool cover and I love it a lot. Elise looks 100% like Glendale’s Hottest DJ in this cover. It is contemporary and reflects the story, and has a great aesthetic. No pastels or headless girls or floating dresses in sight. More covers like this please!

Does it Break the Slate? This is such a Slatebreaking story and one that I really wish I could have read when I was in high school. Though I never went through the depth of bullying that Elise did, I deeply related to her sense of helplessness, that people will never undersatnd or appreciate or even like her. And the triumph in going on this journey with her, seeing her come into her own as she discovers herself as a DJ is fantastic and absolutely Slatebreaking.

Who would we give it to? As I mentioned, I want to give this book to my high school self. And I am reasonably certain that there are about a million other teenagers who will identify with and appreciate Elise’s story. Sales has an authentic teenage writing style that continues to grow with each of her books, and I really hope that the fans of Sarah Dessen and Maureen Johnson start to discover and read her work. Also if you love Jessica Darling, you will probably love Elise Dembowski, just saying. Continue reading →

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Review: Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Sarah

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo. Candlewick Press, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: How to describe the genre? It’s not quite fantasy, but it definitely isn’t realism. It has illustration, but it isn’t fully a graphic novel. It’s a story about the unlikeliest of superheroes and it defies classification in the best of ways.

16052012Face Value: Gorgeous. I love the illustrations in the book and both Flora and Ulysses are perfectly captured on the cover. This is a heroine to fall in love with right from the cover, and the content will not disappoint.

Does it Break the Slate? Holy Bagumba Yes! Flora and Ulysses are my new favorite team of superheroes! Flora’s cynicism and Ulysses poetic soul make for a fantastic team who are prepared for anything. With a fantastic Slatebreaking hero and a deeper meaning masked by silliness, this is one for the canon.

Who would we give it to? Kate DiCamillo writes for everyone. Whether she’s writing heartwrenching epics like The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane or hilarious beginning readers like Bink and Gollie, her writing tends to give us the kind of book that the whole family can read together, appreciating it on a range of levels. Flora and Ulysses is just that type of book, with an emotional message unerneath some pretty hilarious squirrel antics. Continue reading →

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Use Your Gray Matter: Were the (original) American Girls Slatebreakers?

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Brianna

Screen-shot-2013-03-24-at-1.50.41-PMIt must be nice to retire at the young age of 27. In turns out that in doll years, however, 27 is ancient. I recently learned that Molly McIntire, one of the fictional girls of the American Girl series and accompanying line of dolls and accessories, is being retired. That means that Molly and her whole line of merchandise will no longer be available.

I’m not shocked that Molly has been retired. Since Mattel purchased Pleasant Company (the makers of the American Girls) back in 1998, several of the historical girls have been retired. But Molly was the last of the originals. The first three American Girls in print and in doll form were Kirsten, Samantha, and Molly. Now all of them have faded into the archives.

Upon hearing the news of the demise of all three original American Girls, I was struck with a sudden case of nostalgia. And then I had to check myself. A woman I highly respect once told me that nostalgia is often tainted with bias and misremembered moments, and thus can be a dangerous thing. I decided that I had to examine my own nostalgia and investigate whether or not these historical American Girls were really as amazing as I remembered them to be. Sure, I adored the books as a little girl, but did they truly set an example of independent girlhood? Continue reading →

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Review: The Year of Shadows by Claire Legrand

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Sarah

The Year of Shadows by Claire Legrand. Simon & Schuster, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Ghost Story / Fantasy

13129136Face Value: This is an excellent middle grade cover – exactly the kind of cover I would have been drawn to when I was younger. Olivia looks thoughtful and capabe and totally suspicious of her surroundings, and the ghosts in the background are just the right level of scary. It has a simultaneously classic and contemporary feel. I LOVE it.

Does it Break the Slate? Oh, totally. Olivia is brave and self-determined and a fantastic heroine. But she also has a thing or two to learn about friendship and taking care of others, and Legrand doesn’t let her off the hook. She’s one of the most authentically grumpy heroines I’ve found since Jessica Darling and I couldn’t be happier about that. But she does manage eventually to open herself up to the friendship she needs, and when it comes down to it there is no one more loyal.

Who would we give it to? This is an ideal addition to the canon of middle grade ghost stories. Put this on your Halloween shelves with Wait til Helen Comes and The Graveyard Book. But this is more than a good ghost story. This is one of the best middle grade books I’ve come across recently in the way it addresses the recent economic recession. The Economy is as much of a villain in Olivia’s world as the shades are. Continue reading →

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Review: Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Brianna

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard. Delacorte Press, 2012. Currently available.

Age Range & Genre: YA Realistic Fiction

9807262Face Value: This cover is ok. I’m not enthralled with the dreamy blowing-flowers-into-the-air situation, but at least we see a real girl’s face. The spine of the book has a small photo of two backpackers and the back cover has a beach photo, which gives it more of a travel feel. I don’t know what I’m looking for (not a map background, certainly), but I wish we could get some more of that travel novel vibe from the front cover. It’s the ever-changing settings that make this book enchanting, and I want that represented in the cover.

Does it break the slate? Yes, it does. It’s not an earth shattering Slatebreaking story because Bria is slow to evolve. With most slow moving characters, I get annoyed, but Bria was different. I cheered for her every step of the way as she inched along to confidence and independence.

Who would we give it to? First time solo travelers. I’ve traveled a little, but never completely on my own. Reading this book made me want to embark on my own “just me” trip because I was inspired by Bria’s eventual success. Continue reading →

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Review: The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Sarah

The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman. Knopf, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Horror / Dystopia

17061489Face Value: While this isn’t exactly a cover that I tried to read in public so that people would be intrigued by it, it’s a perfectly acceptable cover for this book. Nothing embarrassing and it looks appropriately frightening to reflect the story inside.

Does it Break the Slate? It does. One of the things Wasserman does best here is craft a cohesive story from multiple narrative points, and her protagonists feature a wide variety of very different young men and women. She also challenges assumptions about virginity, sexuality, and what it means to be a “good” girl.

Who would we give it to? I’ve heard this compared to Stephen King’s Under the Dome, which I have not read. So I can’t speak to that comparison. But if you want something creepy and unsettling and suspenseful, then you will probably like this! There’s a distinct horror vibe blended in with some of the more traditional contemporary dystopian elements. Continue reading →

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Review: After Iris by Natasha Farrant

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Sarah

After Iris by Natasha Farrant. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

16101131Face Value: Designers take notes. This is what a middle grade cover should look like. It’s age appropriate, but it’s also cool and contemporary looking. It gives a perfect glimpse into what the story is without giving too much away.

Does it Break the Slate? Absolutely. Blue is one of the Slatebreakers I tend to identify with most – hiding in the background until she needs to stand up for herself. I loved watching her figure out her identity in a world without Iris. And I loved the many Slatebreakers at work in the background of this book.

Who would we give it to? LOTS of people. This book is funny and sad and incredibly smart. Blue’s filmmaker aspirations, her sense of humor and her astute observations about her family will resonate with a lot of readers.   Continue reading →

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Review: Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Brianna

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt. Bloomsbury, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Going VintageFace Value: This is a totally acceptable cover for contemporary YA fiction. The cover model looks appropriately vintage and the photo background hints at the unusual vintage twist of the story. The pink and green are eye-catching colors, but they do make this cover scream “teenage girl” in a way that wasn’t necessary. This book could have had a cool, contemporary cover that looked very adult.

Does it break the slate? Yes, there is definite Slatebreaking happening in this book. I wasn’t sure if it would get to that point, but I was pleasantly surprised by Mallory’s growth as a Slatebreaking character. She also has a younger sister who is a Slatebreaker. It was a treat to read conversations where the younger sister was challenging her older sibling to be more independent and assertive.

Who would we give it to? Girls who have been burned in bad high school romances could find Mallory to be an inspiring character. She rises above a messy breakup to become more defined and confident as an individual.  Continue reading →

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Review: The Dark Between by Sonia Gensler

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Sarah

The Dark Between by Sonia Gensler. Knopf, 2013. Currently Available.

16217444Genre: Historical Fiction, Ghost Story

Face Value: This cover is suitably creepy, period appropriate and intriguing. While it’s not the most original I’ve ever seen, it’s more than acceptable.

Does it Break the Slate? For the most part, absolutely. Kate and Elsie are very different young women, but both given the space to be interesting, multi-faceted characters. And Gensler does a nice job of presenting the challenges of being a young woman in this time period without falling into traps of either presentism or over-simplicity.

Who would we give it to? The back cover suggests giving this book to fans of Jennifer Donnelly and Saundra Mitchell and I can’t help but agree with that statement. Slightly supernatural historical fiction – if you have a reader who likes ghost stories, this is a great offering. Continue reading →

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Review: Bad Girls by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Brianna

Bad Girls by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple. Charlesbridge, 2013. Currently Available.

Genre: Non-Fiction.

badgirlsFace Value: Completely gorgeous. It looks like a classic comic, which is what attracted me to this book on the library shelf. It’s also marketing genius to make a non-fiction book of biographical sketches look like an action-packed graphic novel.

Does it break the slate? Eh…no. The book has a potentially Slatebreaking concept but falls short of what is hopes to accomplish. The authors have written brief historical profiles of “bad girls” from throughout history. These are women who were notorious for murdering, thieving, or other forms of criminality. In some cases, they were simply known as ‘bad girls’ simply for being powerful and having several sexual partners. The authors supposedly want the reader to make her own decision about whether or not these women deserve such a bad reputation, but the text is incriminating in its own way.

Who would we give it to? History lovers would enjoy these short profiles of infamous women. It’s also got some great artwork mixed in, and is a nonfiction book that might appeal to graphic novel lovers.

Continue reading →

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