American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese

Bibliographic Information:

Yang, G. (2006). American Born Chinese. New York: First Second. ISBN: 9781596431522.

Excerpt:

Plot Summary:

A graphic novel that weaves the stories of 3 indviduals: Jin Wang, Danny, and a monkey king. All to tell one very beautiful story about cultural identity and fitting in.

Critical Analysis:

As mentioned in the plot summary, this narrative is told in 3 sects. Jin Wang, an American born Chinese boy that is transferred to what appears to be a small town where Asian stereotypes are all the student body knows about the culture, Danny who appears to be a popular, blond jock, but who has a cousin named Chin-Kee that fits an Asian stereotype, and then The Monkey King, the name is self explanatory.

Both The Monkey King and Jin Wang are pressured by conventional social norms to try and and conform to Anglo, or in the Monkey King's case, human pressures, and they both feel shame in who they are and where they come from. The third character Danny, who is white with an Asian cousin is really Jin Wang denying his heritage and trying to mainstream as white, with the annoying cousin Chin-Kee representing what he is trying to oppress. I don't think I gave anything away there and, the foreshadowing to that fact is littered throughout the graphic novel.

The author Gene Yang makes references to Asian folklore and traditions which leads one early on to believe that Danny is going to be Jin Wang in denial. Anyhow, the culmination of Asian folklore and myth as if it is common knowledge to the reader is really fascinating as well as adds a unique way of telling this age old story in modern terms.

The book also makes use of humor by exposing and over exaggerating Asian stereotypes and generalizations. The humor is over the top and ridiculous, which is the only way to approach the issue. For example, Chin-Kee brings "clispy flied cat gizzards wiff noodles", and wants to find an American girl with a nice bosom so that he can bind her feet and make little Chin-Kee's, etc.

I really loved this graphic novel and would recommend it to everyone, regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity. Especially at a younger age (6-26), I have seen friends and partners from ethnically diverse backgrounds try to blend in or hide their heritage. So, I see this graphic novel as one that is addressing a very real issue that everyone has come in contact with at one point in their lives.


Reviews:
This beautifully produced graphic novel contains three storylines which come together in a well-constructed final chapter. The first storyline concerns the classic Chinese tale of the Monkey King (Sun Wukong) and his egotistical quest to become a god above all others. The second storyline is a about a Taiwanese-American kid raised in San Francisco's Chinatown who moves with his family to the suburbs. There he tries to fit in at his new elementary school, and goes through the usual loneliness of the outsider, endures bullying, makes friends with the other two Asian kids, and falls in love with a pretty white girl. The third storyline is delivered as a tasteless sitcom about an all-American high-school boy whose life gets turned upside down when his bucktoothed stereotype of a Chinese cousin comes to visit. Although the tone is very different in each storyline, they all have something to say about being different and coming to terms with one's identity, and the way they morph into a single climax at the end is quite clever and effective. It's a nice book to give any kid who's struggling with trying to find their place in the nasty world. The artwork is very clean and simple, with traditional lettering, crisp colors, and very simple paneling (which is nicely framed by generous white space above and below). The printing is beautiful and the paper and binding is top-notch. -A. Ross (Reader's Review)

As alienated kids go, Jin Wang is fairly run-of-the-mill: he eats lunch by himself in a corner of the schoolyard, gets picked on by bullies and jocks and develops a sweat-inducing crush on a pretty classmate. And, oh, yes, his parents are from Taiwan. This much-anticipated, affecting story about growing up different is more than just the story of a Chinese-American childhood; it's a fable for every kid born into a body and a life they wished they could escape. The fable is filtered through some very specific cultural icons: the much-beloved Monkey King, a figure familiar to Chinese kids the world over, and a buck-toothed amalgamation of racist stereotypes named Chin-Kee. Jin's hopes and humiliations might be mirrored in Chin-Kee's destructive glee or the Monkey King's struggle to come to terms with himself, but each character's expressions and actions are always perfectly familiar. True to its origin as a Web comic, this story's clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive. Even when Yang slips in an occasional Chinese ideogram or myth, the sentiments he's depicting need no translation. Yang accomplishes the remarkable feat of practicing what he preaches with this book: accept who you are and you'll already have reached out to others. -Publishers Weekly

The Rose That Grew From Concrete

The Rose That Grew From Concrete

Bibliographic Information:

Shakur, T. (2006). The Rose That Grew From Concrete. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN: 9780671028459.

Excerpt:

For Mrs. Hawkins -- In Memory of Yusef Hawkins

This poem is addressed 2 Mrs. Hawkins
Who lost her son 2 a racist society
I'm not out 2 offend the positive souls
Only the racist dogs who lied to me
An American culture plagued with nights
like the night Yusef was killed
if it were reversed it would be the work
of a savage but this white killer was just strong-willed
But Mrs. Hawkins as sure as I'm a Panther
with the blood of Malcolm in my veins
America will never rest
if Yusef dies in vain!
-page 107

In The Event Of My Demise

In the event of my demise
when my heart can beat no more
I hope I die for a principle
Or a belief that I had lived 4
I will die before my time
Because I feel the shadow's depth
So much I wanted to accomplish
Before I reached my death
I have come to grips with the possibility
And wiped the last tears from my eyes
I loved all who were positive
In the event of my demise.

You don't see any senior take-offs of his art. No garden parties with grandma bopping up to Something 2 Die 4. So, they found a name, Gangsta Rap, to somehow distinguish it from what? Polite, nice, highly compromised rap? They tried to isolate that beautiful boy who was trying to bring on the truth so that they could flood us with lies and excuses. -Nikki Giovani XV

Plot Summary:

A collection of poetry written by rapper Tupac Shakur between 1989 and 1991.

Critical Analysis:

The Rose That Grew From Concrete is a collection of four series of poems that rapper Tupac Shakur wrote from 1989 and 1991. He wrote them during a creative writing experience that he had with a UC Berkeley professor, Leila Steinburg, who would then go on to become his manager. The book of poetry also comes complete with several forwards from his manager, mother Afeni Shakur who was also a poet and activist, and the female, African-American poet, Nikki Giovanni. Reading those three forewards prior to enjoying this book of poetry several times is pivotal.

I included an excerpt of Giovanni's foreward as an example. As the forewards and poetry suggest, and after little web crawling will prove, Tupac was an incredibly interested and motivated intellect with a passion for all forms of culture and the arts. He was also a black man growing up in a single parent household, and grew up in poverty in Harlem, NY. But, as the poetry suggests, his circumstances did not break his spirit. Anyhow, much like the forewards and media evidence suggests Tupac was marginalized and then commercialized as being a violent, malevolent gangster. But, that is hardly the case. Though, he was a black man that considered himself a member of the Black Panther Organization which is an easy, and marketable target.

Anyhow, there are three series of poetry: The Rose That Grew From Concrete, Nothing Can Come Between Us, Just A Breath Of Freedom, and Liberty Needs A Glass. The first collection touches on issues of family, growing up in poverty, love, and friendship. Those poems are the most novice and a great example of an outsider poet. The thing is that Tupac does not try to impress the reader with flowery cliches or trite alliterations, but instead is very simple and honest in his word choices. I think the first series is a great example of Tupac blossoming as an aspiring poet.

The second collection, Nothing Can Come Between Us, is mostly made up of love poems to assumed partners, friends, and a miscarried child. Note, Tupac was 18 when these were written. This series contains the most ideographs which mostly consist of hearts and eyes. Once more, he was 18! I would hate for my corny 18 year old love poetry to ever be read less alone released. I could not help but take that in to consideration.

The last two series Just A Breath Of Freedom and Liberty Needs A Glass are absolutely beautiful and awe inspiring. Here, Tupac has a better grasp on poetic language and you can tell that he is more confident and going outside of his previously safer comfort levels. These collections are also a lot grittier touching on issues such as hate/race crimes, being a Black Panther, poverty, and then later on, the ominous prediction of an early death potentially due to the issues just mentioned. Tupac also hopes that he does not die in vain which is eloquently put in his last poem, In the Event of My Demise, Dedicated 2 Those Curious.

I strongly urge all to read this book whether they happen to be a poetry aficionado or not. Tupac shares a very unique and though sad at times, he is hopeful for the future. This book is an example of a beautiful and compassionate mind that can hopefully be appreciated by everyone regardless of demograph, socioeconomic class, age, or gender.


Reviews:
This is officially one of my favorite things to read. Its filled with so much reality, passion, breath taking. I have always been a fan of 2pac and it really does have you thinking alot about the struggles people face even if you have been in similar situations. You guys need to purchase this book. You wont be disappointed. Inspiring and breath taking. -Outthere22, A Reader's Review

A collection of poetry written by the rapper between 1989 and 1991, before he became famous. The poems are passionate, sometimes angry, and often compelling. Selections are reproduced from the originals in Shakur's handwriting, personalized by distinctive spelling and the use of ideographs (a drawing of an eye for I, etc.), and complete with scratch outs and corrections. With the exception of "In the Event of My Demise," all of the pieces are accompanied by typed text, which leaves his spelling intact. Some poems are also accompanied by his drawings. A few black-and-white photographs appear throughout. A preface by Shakur's mother, a foreword by Nikki Giovanni, and an introduction by his manager, Leila Steinburg, in whose writing group the poems were written, complete this unique volume. -School Library Journal

A Wreath For Emmett Till

The Wreath For Emmett Till

Bibliographic Information:

Nelson, M. (2006). A Wreath For Emmett Till. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 9780618397525.

Excerpt:

Rosemary for remembrance, Shakespeare wrote.
If I could forget, believe me, I would.
Pierced by the screams of a shortened childhood.

Emmett Till's name still catches in my throat.
Mamie's one child, a boy thrown to bloat,
Mutilated boy martyr. If I could
Erase the memory of Emmett's victimhood,
The memory of monsters...That bleak thought
Tears through the patchwork drapery of dreams.

Let me gather spring flowers for a wreath:

Trillium, apple blossoms, Queen Anne's lace,
Indian pipe, bloodrot, white as moonbeams,
Like the full moon, which smiled calmly on his death,
Like his gouged eye, which watched boots kick his face.

Plot Summary:

A collection of interweaving sonnets to remember the death of Emmett Till and his martyrdom that sparked the Civil Rights Movement.

Critical Analysis:

A Wreath for Emmett Till is a collection of sonnets in which the last line of a sonnet becomes the first line of the following. The style and rhyme scheme is called Patrarchan, being named after the poet Petrarch who invented the style in the 14th century.

Though the style the sonnets were written in is old, the poem is very modern in his topic and references. This poem is about the death of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy who was brutally slained and mutilated for potentially whistling or being flirtatious towards a white woman in 1955.

The poem serves as a remembrance of Emmett Till, takes in to consideration the perspective of a scared boy, a mother's loss, how Emmett's mother used the incident to incite the Civil Rights Movement, how Emmett's death served as a martyrdom for the movement, then remembers other faceless victims that have suffered due to civic injustice, then aspires to inspire hope.

The poem makes a lot of references to Shakespeare, his characters such as Ophelia and wreath building traditions, Billie Holiday's song and Lewis Allen's poem Strange Fruit, 9-11 and the World Trade Center, folklore, and of course a lot of biblical references.

There is no way I could dislike this poem because the story resonates with me so deeply. I think that Nelson did a good job in not reliving the tragedy but, instead taking on past and present perspectives. I feel that with the mention of 9-11 and wreaths made of various flowers towards the end was a bit distracting for me personally. I think I understand what she was getting at; Hatred, fear, injustice, etc. are still as prevalent today as they were in 1955 and we need to continue to advocate for peace and civil rights. I just personally would not compare the victims of the 9-11 attacks to Emmett Tills death. That is all.

This is a good book to be enjoyed by all but, especially for juveniles with an interest in civil rights, or as a teaching tool when introducing the civil rights movement and Emmett Till to youth.

Reviews:
This memorial to the lynched teen is in the Homeric tradition of poet-as-historian. It is a heroic crown of sonnets in Petrarchan rhyme scheme and, as such, is quite formal not only in form but in language. There are 15 poems in the cycle, the last line of one being the first line of the next, and each of the first lines makes up the entirety of the 15th. This chosen formality brings distance and reflection to readers, but also calls attention to the horrifically ugly events. The language is highly figurative in one sonnet, cruelly graphic in the next. The illustrations echo the representative nature of the poetry, using images from nature and taking advantage of the emotional quality of color. There is an introduction by the author, a page about Emmett Till, and literary and poetical footnotes to the sonnets. The artist also gives detailed reasoning behind his choices. This underpinning information makes this a full experience, eminently teachable from several aspects, including historical and literary -School Library Journal

Although written for children, I had to read the book twice to "feel" the horrible images that this book so beautifully captures. References to flower, plants, and trees are symbolic and make up the "wreath" for Emmett. Please read this book and share the experience with your children. The incident is described as the motivating force of the Civil Rights Movement. It is also a wake-up call to all those who continue to live a life of apathy and denial when it comes to standing up for the legacy of the African American struggle. -Linda Jo Smith, A Reader's Review

Fire From the Rock

Fire From the Rock

Bibliographic Information:

Draper, S. (2006). Fire From the Rock. New York: Dutton Children's Books. ISBN: 9780525477204.

Excerpt:

"Dad, listen. When they make a list of Negro kids who get to go to Central High, I want to be on it," he announced. Their father almost choked on his bacon. "Why would you want to do a fool thing like that?" he asked. He looked at Gary as if he had grown a second skull. "Because I deserve to go to a big, modern school, and have new books and desks and the best education in Arkansas," Gary retorted. "It was good enough for me when I was your age,' his father said, his voice tight. "We had strong Negro teachers who taught us pride in our heritage, our history, and our culture. No white school will ever do that for you." -page 20

"Does your mother like teaching the colored children at Stephens Elementary?" the bald-headed man asked. "Yes, sir. I'm sure she does. Very much." I wonder what Mam's job has to do with this. "We hear she pretty good at teaching, at least for a Negro." "Thank you." Sylvia tensed. "Do you think your mama is willing to risk that job? Some members of our community are opposed to integration". -page 128

Plot Summary:

Sylvia Patterson is a 15-year-old black girl growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957. She is about to enter high school and just wants to be a normal teen and fit in. The problem with that is that she is going to be one of the first black students to attend an all white high school.

Critical Analysis:

Fire From the Rock is a historical fiction novel that takes place in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957. Sharon Draper does an excellent job of interweaving the fictional life of Sylvia Patterson with the historical truth of the events surrounding the "Little Rock Nine". This book is told from Sylvia's perspective and in a loose journal entry like form of narration.

Something I really liked about this book is the black perspective that is provided. In this book it is not only whites that are against integration, but also blacks. Sylvia and her family know what is "right", and they know integration is an injustice. But, that doesn't mean they necessarily want to put themselves, their community, or their children in direct harms way.

Sylvia, the main protagonist of this narrative is chosen as one of the first few to integrate the high school. A lot of the book is her deciding what she wants, and if that decision is right for her family and community as well. On the other side of Sylvia deciding if she wants to participate in integration is her brother Gary, who wants to be one of the first and has aligned himself with the NAACP and has been labeled a troublemaker throughout the white community that opposes black and white integration.

Besides for having a black and white perspective, Sylvia's has a friend that is Jewish and considered "unworthy" of mingling with white students. She has to deal with her own kind of racist intolerance.

The actions and perspectives in this book can be shocking and uncomfortable. But, it is the reality of the Civil Rights Movement, the progress made, and the progress to come. Sharon Draper does not shy away from including disturbing truths and stories of violence that happened fictionally, and non fictionally during the Civil Rights movement. For example, Draper included vivid detail of the Emmett Till tragedy, and Sylvia's brother Gary is a victim of a race crime and dropped off badly beaten on their doorstep as a warning.

Something else that proves insightful and helpful is Sharon Draper's inclusion of a list of websites on the subject found in the back of the book for further research.

I think this is an educational and eye opening book for anyone, though I would especially recommend it for older juvenile readers and young adults.

Reviews:
An honor student, Sylvia Patterson is thrilled when she is chosen as one of the first black students to integrate all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957. But the racism in her town is terrifying, and she is not sure she can go through with it. Unlike her older brother, she does not want to be a hero and change the world. Besides, many in her black community are against integration; why not stay with her friends, concentrate on academics, and get to college? With stirring complexity, Draper personalizes the civil rights struggle beyond slogans and politics. There is sometimes too much historical background purposively woven into Sylvia's narrative, including her diary entries. But the surprising turnaround in the plot, as well as the shocking facts, will grab readers and raise the elemental issue: what would I have done? A final note fills in history and provides a list of Web sites.
-Booklist

Sharon Draper marvelously weaves fiction and history with so many twists and catches the only thing you can easily predict is that something will happen you didn't expect. This is a perfect book to help teenagers and tweens to understand not only the social climate that surrounded school integration, but the importance of the struggle for integration. This book should be on the required reading lists of every middle school and junior high across the country.
-Hugh Fletcher, A Reader's Review

Hole in My Life

Hole in My Life

Bibliographic Information:

Gantos, J. (2002). Hole in My Life. Canada: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd. ISBN: 0374399883.

Excerpt:

"Reading On the Road, I felt more like Sal Paradise than Dean Moriarty. Sal was in love with everything and everybody. His eyes were as wide and open as his heart. But, Dean confused me. He just wanted to consume everything. He had to keep moving like a shark, and in the end he was a tragic ghost of a person instead of a stream of milky way jazz under open highways. I wanted to move like Dean, but I wanted Sal's heart and soul." page 41

"It seemed to me that no amount of forgiveness would ever wash away his need to be forgiven every day. He reminded me of the Flannery O'Connor story I loved, "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," where the Misfits shoots the hugely annoying grandmother to death and then says she would be a good woman, if somebody had been there to shoot her every minute of her life." -page30

Plot Summary:

Jack Gantos is an aspiring writer that doesn't have a high enough GPA or the money to go to a college he wants to in order to pursue creative writing. In order to raise that money he is offered a deal where if he assists in smuggling and selling hashish he will get 10,000 dollars and can pursue his dream of being a creative writer, and have some interesting material to write about. Unfortunately, he gets caught smuggling hashish and must go to jail and serve six years in a federal prison.

Critical Analysis:

This short book is the memoir of Jack Gantos. It does not concentrate as much on his time in prison, but on his drug smuggling adventure and explores his aspirations to be a writer. There are a lot of reference to modern literature that the author is able to relate to. For instance, there are a few references to Jack Kerouac's On the Road, which is a pivotal piece of beatnik, outsider literature. This memoir is very interesting because it reveals insecurities and desires that I feel most "artsy, creative writer" types would be able to enjoy.

The memoir is told through self reflection and journal entries that Jack made while smuggling hashish. There is nothing hard or flawed about this character, instead he is reflective and sensitive. Also, this book does not demonize young people who experiment with drug use and drinking alcohol. Instead it provides a very humanist perspective that those activities do take place amongst young adults and it does not necessarily mean that one is an addict or doomed.

Jack is reckless at times, but ultimately wants to live an adventurous life and develop creative material for his writing. I think this book would be a good read for both young men and women. As someone in their late 20's I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to friends my age. I remember thinking that Jack's story did remind me of Kerouac's On the Road, but Jack Ganto's is a loving character that is full of life and not just consuming carnal pleasures (which I found to be the case when reading On the Road years ago). Also, Gantos's thoughts are well organized and poetic at times, whereas I found On the Road to read more like a poetic prose written by a kid with severe ADD. So, I somewhat consider this book to be a more modern and relatable On the Road for today's young adults, and I think reading this memoir would introduce them to other classic outsider authors that Gantos name drops throughout the book.

A good read, and highly recommended to everyone. :)

Reviews:
After penning a number of novels for preteens, including the Joey Pigza books and the Jack series, Gantos makes a smooth transition as he addresses an older audience. He uses the same bold honesty found in his fiction to offer a riveting autobiographical account of his teen years and the events may well penetrate the comfort zone of even the most complacent young adults. The memoir begins with the dramatic image of the author as a young convict ("When I look at my face in the photo I see nothing but the pocked mask I was hiding behind"). The book then goes on to provide an in-depth examination of the sensitive and intelligent boy residing behind a tough facade. Inspired by the words and lives of some of his favorite American authors, Gantos sought adventure after leaving high school. He eagerly agreed to help smuggle a shipment of hashish from Florida to New York without giving thought of the possible consequences. Knowing that the narrator is destined to land in jail keeps suspense at a high pitch, but this book's remarkable achievement is the multiple points of view that emerge, as experiences force a fledgling writer to continually revise his perspective of himself and the world around him. The book requires a commitment, as it rambles a bit at times, but it provides much food for thought and fuel for debate. It will leave readers emotionally exhausted and a little wiser.
-Publishers Weekly

I am a children's librarian who read this book and could hardly put it down. I read my (non children's librarian) husband a couple of paragraphs, and he grabbed it the second I was done. He inhaled it and gave it to his best friend, who does not read children's books. The best friend loved it and cannot understand why it is called a young adult novel. He thinks it is great reading for everyone! A wonderful read by an intriguing, and obviously stubborn and incredibly gifted human being.
-Amazon Reader's Review

The Demonata Series: Slawter

The Demonata Series: Slawter

Bibliographic Information:

Shan, D. (2006). The Demonata Series: Slawter. New York. Hachette Book Group USA. ISBN: 9780316013871.

Excerpt:

"Juni kicks one of the demon's legs--no response. She kicks a mouth stalk. It wobbles from side to side, but only from the force of her blow. Slowly, carefully, she pries its main mouth open and peers down its throat. I tense. If the demon's faking, this is the perfect moment to strike. I see the teeth start to come together and I prepare a ball of energy to hurl..." -page 132

Plot Summary:

Dervish, Grubbs, and Bill-E are trying to live a normal life without demons. Dervish is approached by a horror producer who wants to use him as a demon expert on her upcoming film. The film will take place in a town called Slawter. While filming paranormal demonic happenings disrupt the set which leads Grubbs to believe that it is not only actors on the set portraying demons.

Critical Analysis:

Slawter does a great job of mixing the real with the supernatural. The novel takes place in real time and dashes between memory flash backs of demon possession to the present day. I love this literary approach. The reader does not know if it is reality or paranoia and fear that are driving assumptions and accusation.

This book is frightening at times, as well as choked full of off the cuff quirky, sometimes self deprecating humor. Though the characters take on cliche "spooky" stereotypes it only adds to the suspense and drama. For example, Davida the movie producer, when she is described throughout the book she has the likeness of an aged flower child Elvira. She is described as, "Fiftyish, black hair streaked with gray, purple rimmed glasses. Like a giggling granny horror movie meister".

Something about this book that might capture others off guard is how there are a lot of references to the previous two books in the series published. It is assumed that if one reads this book they are familiar with the first which is not always the case. That aspect left me struggling at moments as I tried to put together references to Lordy Loss in the previous novel. If you have not read them you will have a hard time sorting out what previously happened to what characters and demonology truisms that have been established in the series.

Though I think this book could be enjoyable to both a male and female audience, it is definitely catered more towards males. On a positive note, this book does read a lot like a more mature Goosebumps novel, and it is appropriate for juvenile fiction, as well as young adult readers. Though, much like Shan's Cirque Du Freak series, this book would be of more interest to males than females.

Also, this book was very formulaic and the implication that this is only the beginning of a series is apparent early on. So, if you are looking for resolution in your reading, this is not the book for you. I, am one for resolution, and found it frustrating that not much was resolved as I would have liked. Also, it is revealed that the demons talked about and battled are "overgrown ghoulish ants, or monsters with five legs, etc..". When the demons were described in detail they seemed a bit corny and I would imagine incapable of really frightening someone. But, that might be an aspect of what makes this a good read for boys interested in juvenile fiction.

Reviews:

First of all, you have to read the first two books: Lord Loss and Demon Thief. The third book is so action packed and scary. This book is full of foreshadowing and you won't even see it coming you want to read it to the end. Its amazing. These are one of my favorite books, it sucks you into reading other scary books, and i love it. Darren Shan writes with a touch of Stephen King, which makes it a unique way of writing. I am almost finished with "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" and it is scary and awesome. I got sucked into this book because of the Demonata series. READ THIS SERIES AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF READING WILL CHANGE IN A GOOD WAY! this reading is for all ages.
-Sally Kelly (Reader's Review)

When I got this book I thought it was going to be like the last two. I was wrong; this book is more entertaining and exciting then the last two.

Grubbs Grady is trying to get his life on track after saving his brother from turning into a werewolf. His uncle Dervish is almost back to normal after fighting lord loss. In this book Dervish is called to do a movie with a famous horror director. It turns out it is a trap set by lord loss. I can't believe that Dervish and Grubbs escaped from the grasps of lord loss for the second time in a row but in return many civilians were slaughtered.

This book is a great book for young adults, but I am not sure about children because there is a lot of graphic violence. I can't wait until Darren Shaw comes out with the fourth book Bec.
-Amazon Kid's Review

The Dead & The Gone

The Dead & The Gone

Bibliographic Information:

Pfeffer, S. (2005). The Dead & The Gone. New York. Harcourt, Inc. ISBN: 9780152063115.

Excerpt:

"..."Things must be all right if there's so much food," Bri said, putting the groceries away in the cabinets, making them look full and normal again. "Oh, Alex. Powdered eggs! They're almost as good as real eggs." "Did you have real eggs on the far?" he asked. The temperature in the apartment was about fifty degrees, which was where he'd set the oil burner thermostat, but Bri made things feel warm and sunny again."

Plot Summary:

Alex Morales was looking forward to college and enjoying regular teenage life until his parents disappear after/during a series natural disaster. Now, Alex is thrust in to the position of caregiver of his two sisters, one of which is ill with severe asthma and he must fight for his families survival.

Critical Analysis:

The Dead & The Gone is the follow up to Susan Beth Pfeffer's Life As We Know It novel. The difference is that this novel takes place in the apocalyptic, dystopian future of New York City. Alex is the main protagonist who is thrust to the position of caretaker for his family after his parents assumed death in a tidal wave or other natural disaster which is caused by a meteor hitting the moon and bringing it drastically down closer to Earth which sparks a series of natural disasters.

In this novel catastrophic, life threatening events are a norm of everyday life. Also, issues such as starvation, hysteria, and people losing all moral compass are a lot of the challenges that Alex is faced with. What separates this novel from other dystopian YA fiction is that all though situations seem bleak, the themes of loyalty, family, and morality are reinforced instead of abandoned or only realized towards the end of the novel.

Alex and his sister are Catholic and of Puerto Rican descent. As one that also grew up more culturally than traditionally Catholic I found the characters to be relatable and an accurate depiction of cultural Catholicism. Also, the novel is written through journal entries which makes the story seem reflective and does an excellent job of reinforcing the narratives themes. A lot of dystopian narratives are cutthroat, whereas The Dead & The Gone is reflective and compassionate, and there are a lot of "good" characters with redeeming qualities, which separates itself from other books of the same genre.

I would recommend this book to both a male and female audience, though I think it is more catered towards young women. The only problem I have with this novel is that I think it is a bit longer than necessary and the lack of much change in settings was distracting and did not keep me fully engaged.

Reviews:
The characters in this book are vastly different than the first, which some reviewers don't seem to like. But to me it makes sense - the author is exploring how a worldwide event is affecting people from all walks of life. The "Life as We Knew It" characters aren't especially religious, but Pfeffer chose to sketch a Puerto Rican family that takes faith very seriously in "The Dead and the Gone." Obviously, the world is made up of people from all sorts of backgrounds - so why shouldn't the author take on different types of characters? It might have been interesting if she had chosen to write about characters in another country, instead of basing her two books in the United States. But my overall point is, I think Pfeffer made a great decision in exploring how the same event would affect people with a different worldview.

If you're looking for a happy ending, these are not the books you want to read. They're more character studies in a short period of time, but there is no real conclusion. There's hope at the end, but the story's not really "finished" - kind of like real life.
-Amazon Reader's Review

I love this series of books. The premise isn't scientifically valid - but it is a reasonable representation of where we might be headed if global climate change continues. This is a young adult novel, but I wouldn't recommend it for pre-teens as it has violent and disturbing aspects. The whole series is a story of hope and perseverance regardless of the horrors that happen. It talks about extreme bravery, love and loyalty despite adversity. I also like it because you never know what will happen next.
-H.M.S. (A Reader's Review)