Clip and File Reviews of New Fiction Hardbacks
Gary M. Salvner and Virginia R. Monseau, editors
Block, Francesca Lia
Baby Be-Bop
Reviewed by Kay Parks Bushman
Language Arts Department Chair
Ottawa High School
Ottawa, Kansas
Woodson, Jacqueline
From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun
Reviewed by Darien Fisher-Duke
Librarian
Brookland Middle School
Richmond, Virginia
Rodowsky, Colby
Remembering Mog
Reviewed by Ruth K.J. Cline
Professor Emerita
University of Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Moore, Martha
Under the Mermaid Angel
Reviewed by Judy Beckman
Professor of Education
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Dirk McDonald is in conflict with his own identity. He doesn't want
to be gay,but he knows that he is. The last person that he wants to
hurt is his GrandmaFifi, who has lovingly provided a wonderful home
for him in Hollywood. Then,one night, through a magic lamp, ghosts
of Dirk's ancestors, including themother and father he never knew,
share tales of his past, present, and futurethrough magical images,
setting him free to know that true love in any form isright.
Francesca Lia Block paints another modern-day tale sharing the
adventures offriends living in Shangri-L.A. Mature teens who have
already enjoyed the talesthat began with Weetzie Bat should
look forward to this continuation.
" `What time is it?' I asked Mama.`Your growing time,' she
replied." MelaninSun's family consists of him and Mama alone. Mel
finds that "the world turnsupside-down when you are
thirteen-going-on-fourteen." His notebooks detailanger, confusion,
and denial as Mama introduces him to an important person inher
life. Mama loves a woman, a white woman from another world, or so
it seemsto Mel.
Issues of sexual identity and race are presented in a believable
and honestmanner. The diary entries are interspersed with dream
meditations, and thedialogue maintains an engaging pace. Woodson's
prose is lyrical; and, with theexception of Mama's friend Kristin,
her characters are alive. Teens willrespond to Mel's search for
himself. This universal search often involves thediscovery that you
can understand, or at least accept, others as you come toknow
yourself.
It is two years since Mog was murdered, an unsolved crime in
Baltimore, andsister Annie is relating her efforts to cope with the
after effects. The familyis stunned by what happened and each
crawls into his or her own shell. AlthoughAnnie has friends who try
to help her, it is not until she goes to a therapistthat she is
able to make plans for her future. Her younger brother has CoachMac
at school to whom he can talk; the father and an older cousin who
is partof the household are able to work through their grief; but
the mother is stillin denial about Mog's death.
The author is inside Annie's head to show readers what she is
thinking. Thereis little external action, even though Annie is a
summer lifeguard and has abrief romance, but readers can empathize
with Annie and see the value of anoutsider to talk to.
Thirteen-year-old Jesse feels rotten about her life. Her
dirt-colored hair isthin as a duck's behind. The family is squashed
into a run-down trailer whereprivacy is impossible. Her refusal to
pray for her sick brother probably causedhis death.
Her life changes suddenly when thirty-year-old Roxanne moves
into the trailerpark. Jesse's parents object to Roxanne's Liberty
Bell chest tattoo, herbizarre clothing, and her age; but Jesse
looks more deeply. Roxanne teachesJesse to see beyond their poverty
and to place emphasis on "heart words" andactions. Through
Roxanne's own grief-driven search for the son she gave away
atbirth, Jesse learns that letting go of hurts doesn't mean letting
go of love.Martha Moore's fast-paced novel draws down-home,
off-the-shoulder folks withwhom middle-school readers will laugh
and cry.
Korman, Gordon
Something Fishy at McDonald Hall
Reviewed by Wendy H. Bell
English Teacher
Enka High School
Asheville, North Carolina
Plummer, Louise
The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman
Reviewed by Edna Earl Edwards
Professor of Education and English
West Georgia College
Carrollton, Georgia
Cooney, Caroline
Flash Fire
Reviewed by Jim Brewbaker
Chair, Curriculum and Instruction
Columbus College
Columbus, Georgia
Meyer, Carolyn
Drummers of Jericho
Reviewed by Michaeline Chance-Reay
Instructor of Education
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas
Fans of Bruno and Boots will welcome the latest in Gordon Korman's
series, butfor many first-time readers, this is definitely a
"No-Brainer." The redoubtableduo faces competition from Boots'
younger brother, Edward, who threatens to topevery prank and
escapade they dream up with better ones of his own. To makematters
worse, he also has captured the hearts along with the
undividedattention of the girls next door at Miss Scrimmage's
Finishing School. AlthoughKorman's fast pace keeps the action
moving, the episodes are too often sillyand implausible. Easy to
read, the book should appeal to early middlegraders.
Told in first person by seventeen-year-old Kate Bjorkman, this
romance isdifferent because of Plummer's tongue-in-cheek attitude.
Throughout the novel,the narrator refers to the characteristics of
a romance novel, comments onphrasing in the Romance Writer's
Phrase Book, and includes segments ofrevision notes to add
possibilities and information.
Protagonist Kate is six feet tall, wears thick glasses, and has
an extensiveknowledge of linguistics, gained from her professor
father. Her story is set inMinnesota at Christmas time when these
unexpected guests from California appearfor the holidays: her
brother, who is in college; his wife; his friend andKate's hero,
Richard, whom she has not seen in four years; and Richard
andBjorn's attractive friend, Fleur St. Germaine.
The story moves rapidly despite the conscious commentaries on it
as a romancenovel. The reader is aware of both the story and the
explanation of a romanceincluding realism, an interesting
technique.
Flash Fire chronicles two hours of life and death in
Pinch Canyon,an affluent cut that everyone (it's hard to tell why)
assumes is safely out ofthe path of a devastating Southern
California fire. Flawed in other respects,the narrative -- jumping
back and forth as it follows nearly a dozen teenagers,parents,
servants, and even tourists -- skillfully captures the
unpredictableand deadly power of the fire. Cooney is at her best in
descriptive passagesdetailing its rapid and relentless movement.
She is far less skillful in creating believable characters.
Everyone inFlash Fire is a caricature: Mark, who gives his
life to save hisbrother's ashes from the blaze; Matt, who thinks
the fire is such neato fun;airhead Danna who wouldn't be plausible
as an extra in Clueless; adultswho are worse than the kids.
This cynical reviewer was tempted to root for thefire. Cooney's
youthful fans, though, will find Flash Fire to be
apage-turner.
When Pazit Trujillo moves to the little hamlet of Jericho, after
spending ayear in Israel, the town undergoes a test of religious
freedom. She joins theprize-winning band to play the flute and make
new friends but, in an attempt tobe true to her beliefs, turns into
the focal point of a crisis. Billy Harper,fellow band member and
admirer, emerges as the novel's idealistic,clear-thinking hero when
he becomes Pazit's champion (much to the consternationof his family
and friends). In the end, both lives are changed and linkedforever
by what transpires. Enough issues remain unresolved to warrant
asequel, by the author or student readers, exploring life after
high school forthese two young people from diverse backgrounds who
are so drawn to oneanother.
Carolyn Meyer illustrates how much children and adults take for
granted whenthey live in a fairly homogeneous community and how
defensive they can becomewhen rhetoric collides with reality. Her
well-drawn characters and credibledialogue make this story more
than a morality play for teens who routinelyexperience both the
mundane and the dramatic in their own school setting.
Lynch, Chris
Slot Machine
Reviewed by Alan M. McLeod
Professor of English Education
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia
Bennett, James
The Squared Circle
Reviewed by James E. Davis
Professor of English
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio
Cheripko, Jan
Imitate the Tiger
Reviewed by Ted Hipple
Professor of Education
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Klass, David
Danger Zone
Reviewed by John H. Bushman
Professor of English Education
University of Kansas
Ottawa, Kansas
What's three weeks of summer camp for incoming high-school freshmen
like withyour two best buddies? Elvin Bishop soon learns the
Brothers are trying todetermine which athletic team (slot) each
camper will best fit. He is movedfrom football to baseball,
wrestling (which he likes) to golf, while buddiesMikie and Frankie
may have found their respective slots in basketball and golf.Peer
pressure, following the rules, discovering oneself, and "things are
notalways what they seem" are key elements of the story.
The book should appeal to younger adolescents interested in
sports, camp, andhigh school. In some ways this reader was reminded
of the quest in Lipsyte'sOne Fat Summer. Gaining
self-respect is a major theme and handled wellby a gifted
author.
The
ALAN Review
Spring 1996 |
Alan M. McLeod
Virginia Commonwealth University |
When college freshman Sonny Youngblood, who lives and breathes
basketball, getscaught up in a college recruitment scandal, he is
forced into the nightmare ofan identity crisis. Painful memories,
which could destroy the player he is,emerge when he reunites with a
feminist cousin. Bennett uses real names andplaces (Southern
Illinois University) but goes to great length to emphasizethat the
work is fiction. He does, however, capture the corruption of
collegeathletics and the fraternity scene so well that the book
sometimes reads likenonfiction. Strong plotting (with a shocker
ending), clearly drawn characters,realistic setting, and
finely-honed language will be appealing to readers.Although some
readers may be offended by sexual content and the unusual
cousinrelationship, that should not keep them from reading this
novel, which treatscoming to terms with self in all of its
complexity.
High school senior Chris Serbo plays football -- a lot -- and
drinks -- a lot.Through Cheripko's brilliant use of flashback
techniques from the detox clinicto which he has finally been sent,
readers learn about Chris's life of despair,self-delusion, and,
were it not for a savvy teacher, probable self-destruction.Far from
being the enviable hero we find in most athletic novels, Chris
whines,blames others for his own failings, loses his girl friend,
flunks hisschoolwork, almost forfeits his football position, even
alienates himself fromhis Aunt Catherine, who, after the death of
his mother and the actual andalcoholic withdrawal of his father,
tries her best to rear Chris but withoutmuch success. Laudable
Chris may not be, but he certainly is real.
This novel deals intelligently with significant issues in
adolescent life. Andit does so with considerable excitement and
grace, the kind we find in thenovels of Chris Crutcher. I highly
recommend it.
Klass has created a most suspenseful novel that brings together
elements ofsports, racism, and international politics. Jimmy Doyle,
an accomplishedbasketball player from a very small town, finds
himself faced with hate andracist views as he accepts the honor to
play for an American Dream Team ininternational competition in
Italy. In addition to his own self doubt -- can hereally compete at
this level? -- Jimmy meets Augustus LeMay, a teammate whosees Jimmy
as a white boy instead of a basketball player. The growth of
Jimmy,as he interacts with Augustus, faces imminent danger from
people withnationalist views, and understands his own abilities and
how they cancontribute to the team, makes for a strong, powerful
work of literature. Awonderful read for sports enthusiasts as well
as for those who like suspense.
Deaver, Julie Reece
Chicago Blues
Reviewed by Hazel Davis
Athens, Ohio
Hayes, Sheila
The Tinker's Daughter
Reviewed by Hannah Pickworth
Lower School Librarian
Friends School of Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland
Ferris, Jean
All That Glitters
Reviewed by Connie S. Zitlow
Associate Professor of Education
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, Ohio
Mahy, Margaret
The Other Side of Silence
Reviewed by Margaret J. Ford
Librarian/Media Specialist
Memorial High School
Campbell, Ohio
Seventeen-year-old Lissa Hastings, at her alcoholic mother's
request, takes hereleven-year-old sister, Marnie, to live with her
in Chicago where Lissaattends art school. In her spare time Lissa
makes miniature rooms andoccasionally sells them to supplement her
meager income from her singer fatherand his new wife. Lissa manages
to solve all the problems of responsibility forher sister until her
father tries to take Marnie on the road as a part of hismusical
act. Next she is faced with her newly-cured mother who comes to
takeMarnie away. Lissa's unbelievable maturity cannot be explained
away by herchildhood role in the family. Had Deaver cast Lissa as
19 or 20, the novelwould be far more believable. However, young
readers will probably enjoy thisone.
Although accepted in her hometown of Old MacIntosh, Holly Gerard is
stillembarrassed that she knows nothing of her father and that her
hippie mother,Paisley, runs a shop of sixties "collectibles."
Holly's desire for a "normal"life becomes more important when two
new girls, Maddie and Camille, move intotown and both want to be
Holly's friends. Maddie is an actress that Holly wantsto impress,
but Camille's father is in jail and Holly wants to avoid her. Asthe
story unfolds, the reader joins Holly as she becomes more mature
about thenature of family, friends, trust, and place.
This fast-paced novel will appeal to middle-school girls looking
for anentertaining story. The plot is easy to get into and moves
quickly. Readers canrelate to the story's events, which provide an
opportunity for self-reflectionand insight at the conclusion
without being preachy. The conflict and itsresolution are
realistic, and the main characters are likeable without
beingperfect. (Nostalgic adults from the sixties will enjoy this
one, too.)
How can Brian stand to leave Chicago and spend six weeks in the
Florida Keyswith his father, Leo? The usual summer visit of two
weeks is hard enough, butthis year Brian's mother is on her
honeymoon with "the Guy." Brian yearns for afather, not like
sloppy, distant Leo, but more like Leo's neighbor Nathan, whois a
loving, concerned father to his sullen, difficult step-daughter,
Tia.Nathan teaches Brian to scuba dive; and, with Leo and Tia, they
join anunderwater archaeologist in his search for the Nueva
Cádiz, avessel that sank in 1648. Brian soon becomes the
expert photographer, eventaking underwater pictures of illegal
treasure thieves. He's not sure, however,if he can become a friend
to the beautiful, but angry, dark Tia. After ridingout a hurricane
with Leo and learning the secret of Leo's childhood, Briancomes to
terms with his father in the pleasant, but not unexpected,
ending.Readers of Richard Peck's Father Figure will see
similarities in the twobooks. With its combination of adventure and
romance, All That Glitterswill interest individual young
adult readers. It does not, however, have theliterary merit to be
recommended for whole-class reading.
Hero Rapper is an elective mute, one who chooses not to speak, in
anon-traditional, intellectually gifted family. She escapes into
her silentworld -- away from mother, Annie, a university professor
who wrote the cultbook on raising children,
Average-Wonderful, and father, Mike, a househusband. Add to the
familial mix Ginevra, mathematical whiz and demolitionderby driver;
Athol, metaphysical genius and closet soap opera writer;
andSapphira, a student of weird words -- the antithesis of
"average-anything."
As Hero searches for her place in this family and explores the
differencebetween what is real, outer reality, and what is true,
inner knowledge, shefalls into the existence of Miss Credence, the
reclusive post mistress, whohides a terrible secret in her
mysterious Victorian mansion.
Margaret Mahy weaves a wonderfully complex story of family
difficulties andGothic suspense, a sure winner with
middle-school/junior-high readers.
Gallo, Donald, editor
Ultimate Sports
Reviewed by Charles R. Duke
Dean, Reich College of Education
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina
Peck, Richard
Lost in Cyberspace
Reviewed by Bruce C. Appleby
Professor Emeritus
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, Illinois
Zindel, Paul
The Doom Zone
Reviewed by Richard F. Abrahamson
Professor of Literature
University of Houston
Houston, Texas
Berry, Liz
The China Garden
Reviewed by Susanne L. Johnston
Lecturer in English
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, Wisconsin
Finding good sport stories for adolescents is not easy, so this
collection is avaluable addition to any library. Don Gallo has put
together sixteen stories bysuch writers as Robert Lipsyte, Norma
Fox Mazer, Harry Mazer, and others thatoffer young readers a
smorgasbord of sports: wrestling, basketball, crosscountry,
swimming, boxing, diving, sailing, fishing, and one yet to be
played.All of the stories were written specifically for this
collection. Six havefemales as central characters. Each story runs
about twenty pages andemphasizes less the actual sport and more the
emotions and motivations of thecharacters engaged in meeting both
the internal and external challengespresented by athletics. The
collection should appeal to both male and femalereaders, junior
high and beyond.
Richard Peck has again written a compelling story, peopled with
interestingcharacters. Josh Lewis, a sixth grader at Huckley School
for Boys, has anobnoxious older sister, a mother who worries too
much (his parents areconveniently separated), and a computer nerd
buddy, Aaron, who has almostperfected traveling through time in
cyberspace. As Josh and Aaron travelthrough time and space, they
untangle a confused legacy involving their historyteacher and a
servant from the 1920s. Despite the gratuitous appearance ofJosh's
father and the stereotyped adults, Peck has created young
characters whoare real and whose very flaws make them more
interesting. Peck uses the talkand jargon of surfing the Internet
well, giving us insights into how youngadults understand cyberspace
more realistically than do adults. (When the boysgo to English
class, they talk of going to Linear Decoding.) When your harddrive
crashes and your buddy is traveling in cyberspace, a whole new kind
ofadventure is created, one that young people (perhaps 9 to 13)
will enjoy.
| The
ALAN ReviewSpring 1996 |
Bruce C. Appleby
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale |
Capitalizing on the Stine/Pike horror phenomenon, Zidel serves up
his ownrecipe of gore for young teen readers and garnishes it with
liberal doses ofwish fulfillment.
Aunt Sarah invites her teen nephew Jackson to join her in
England atStonehenge. The army has hired Aunt Sarah to help them
solve the mystery of anever-increasing number of mutilations around
the ancient rocks. In no timeJackson has been swept away in a
helicopter, seen his first killing, and hadthe army share with him
top secrets.
The killer is an underground hominid who comes out of the
tunnels aroundStonehenge to mutilate animals and people. When Aunt
Sarah is bitten by thecreature and it captures her brain, Jackson
must face the monster and, with thehelp of a new-found girlfriend,
solve the mystery of how to kill this thing.
In young-Indiana-Jones fashion, Jackson saves his girlfriend,
rescues hisaunt's brain, solves the riddle, and kills the monster
while the army looks onin wonder. The Doom Zone is fast
paced and features a grotesque monsterwith a propensity for
discharging great quantities of mucous fluids from itsnostrils.
Place this on the book shelf labeled "Fast Food Reading."
Clare's plans to spend a busy summer in London before beginning her
studies atthe University are abruptly halted when the mother moves
to Ravensmere, anEnglish country estate, to care for the aging
owner. Once there, Clare feelsalmost too comfortable, as if she has
been there before. The people all seem toknow her and have been
expecting her, especially the dark young man named Mark.In
Ravensmere's China Garden, Clare discovers her psychic powers and
unlocksthe mystery of her family history and her shared destiny
with Mark.
The China Garden is an intriguing book of British customs
and legendswoven into a modern tale of love and duty. Older readers
will identify with theconflicts between a teen and her single
mother, and the struggle to remainchaste in a loving
relationship.
The
ALAN Review
Susanne L. Johnston |
Spring 1996
University of Wisconsin-Stout |
Carter, Jimmy
Talking Peace
Reviewed by Jeffrey Kaplan
Visiting Assistant Professor
University of Central Florida
Daytona, Florida
Giblin, James Cross
When Plague Strikes: The Black Death, Smallpox, and
AIDS
Reviewed by Gerry McBroom
Assistant Dean, Arts & Sciences
TVI Community College
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Fry, Virginia Lynn
Part of Me Died, Too
Reviewed by Joan F. Kaywell
Associate Professor of English Education
University of South Florida
Tampa, Florida
Brooks, Polly Schoyer
Cleopatra: Goddess of Egypt
Reviewed by Joyce A. Litton
Library Associate
Ohio University Library
Athens, Ohio
When I first received Jimmy Carter's book Talking Peace, a
tingle wentup and down my spine. I have long admired America's
"Prince of Peace" and havewatched with awe his rise from school
board member to President. His tale isthe stuff that dreams are
made of, but I was unsure if his life and times wouldmake
compelling reading to today's teenagers. If you hadn't lived "as an
adult"through the signing of the Camp David Peace Accords, why
would you care?
But care you do. In plain spoken passages, Carter writes of how
he and hisassociates executed some of America's most daring peace
missions, including hisrecent work in Hati, Korea, Bosnia, and
Sudan. Written in
a"first-person-I-am-going-to-assume-you-know-nothing" voice,
President Carter'sbook speaks to young adults about what it is like
to be President and wage a"war of peace" in a turbulent universe.
His behind-the-scenes look and clearlydefined vision for a better
tomorrow make for absorbing reading and a perfectsupplement for a
unit on the topic of "war and peace." A must read forpolitical
junkies and young people.
The
ALAN Review
Spring 1996 |
Jeffrey Kaplan
University of Central Florida, Daytona |
Tracing the "Black Death" from 430 B.C., small pox from 1157 B.C.,
and AIDSfrom 1974, Giblin uses extensive research to examine how
these pandemicdiseases affected civilization. He graphically
describes how "every majorplague ... seems to have brought out the
best as well as the worst in people."The best is shown in those who
have cared for the afflicted despite risks tothemselves and those
who have brought cures and education to others (like Dr.Edward
Jenner and Magic Johnson). The worst is shown in the persecution
ofdisease victims, such as the Christian treatment of Jews who
contracted theBlack Death, gay bashing, and the ostracizing of Ryan
White. As a complement tothe teaching of history, medicine,
sociology, religion, and even art, this bookwith woodcuts by David
Frampton will be useful for high-school readers who willappreciate
an honest look at how humanity reacts to deadly diseases.
Facing death is difficult for us all, but it is especially tough
for childrenand teens who don't know how to discuss their feelings
or really have the wordsto say. Virginia Lynn Fry, an artist and
bereavement counselor, "breaks thesilence" of twenty-two children
as they grieve over the death of their lovedones. Eleven stories
are included, ranging from the death of a pet through
amurder/suicide of parents. In each case, a hospice counselor is
able to getthese young people to use writing, games of safe
aggression, farewell projects,rituals at the time of death, and
other creative activities to bring theirfeelings out into the open.
Thirteen-year-old Jesse in her poem "A Choice ofWeapons" captures
the essence of this powerful book: "Sticks and stones arehard on
bones, Aimed with angry art. Words can sting like anything, But
silencebreaks the heart." A brief epilogue provides a glimpse into
how these youngpeople's lives have developed since their
tragedies.
Aimed at a middle-school audience, this biography of Cleopatra is
well-written,balanced, and entertaining. Brooks does an excellent
job of distinguishingbetween fact and myth. Cleopatra became queen
of Egypt at eighteen. Little isknown of her earlier years, other
than that she received an unusually extensiveeducation. Brooks
handles Cleopatra's affairs with Julius Caesar and MarkAntony
accurately, but tastefully. Not glossing over her subject's flaws,
theauthor indicates that Cleopatra may have been a woman ahead of
her time becauseof her political acumen, her leadership, and her
bravery.
The book contains extensive and informative textual endnotes.
Unfortunately,since they are at the back of the volume, readers may
overlook or ignore them.The book concludes with an excellent
bibliography and a fine index. Brooks hasmade an ancient,
controversial queen come alive for young adult readers.
Paulsen, Gary
The Rifle
Reviewed by Chris Crowe
Associate Professor of English
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah
Burks, Brian
Runs with Horses
Reviewed by Mike Angelotti
Professor of English Education
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Denenberg, Barry
An American Hero: The True Story of Charles A.
Lindbergh
Reviewed by Nicholas J. Karolides
Professor of English
University of Wisconsin--River Falls
River Falls, Wisconsin
Collins, David R.
Casimir Pulaski: Soldier on Horseback
Reviewed by Joyce C. Lackie
Professor of English
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, Colorado
"It is necessary to know this rifle," begins Paulsen. He then
describes thecreation in 1768 and early history of a one-of-a-kind
muzzle-load rifle. Afterbrief use in the Revolutionary War, the gun
is stored in a farmhouse atticwhere it remains, forgotten for more
than 200 years. It is found in 1993 andeventually ends up hanging
over the fireplace of a house in a small Missouritown. The next
section of the book opens with, "It is necessary to know thisboy,"
the boy who is killed when the rifle discharges accidentally.
This book is unusual in that an object -- the rifle -- not a
character, is thefocus of the text. Paulsen describes in minute
detail the construction andworkings of the rifle and relates its
history in a detached voice laced withforeboding and tension. The
message of Paulsen's history of the rifle: gunskill people.
Brian Burks attempts to portray the thoughts and feelings of Runs
With Horses,a sixteen-year-old Chiracahua Apache brave preparing to
become a warrior inGeronimo's last band of free Apaches. Runs With
Horses distinguishes himself inthe rigorous tests of mind and body
only to be denied the final test in battleby Geronimo's surrender
to General Miles in 1886. Brian Burks writes awell-researched,
credible story, holding back neither the brutality of theApache in
battle nor the dishonor of the white man in treaty. More than
that,Runs With Horses is a well-written piece of fiction
that will likelycapture the imagination and educate the sensitivity
of readers young and old.The only criterion is that they are
capable of responding to the uncomplicatedlanguage and structure of
this worthwhile human study. This slim volume alsooffers a magnetic
oral read. I loved it no less than the fourth and sevengraders and
college students with whom I shared it.
Highlighting the major events of Lindbergh's life, An American
Hero: TheStory of Charles A. Lindbergh reveals his character in
relation to theevents. Part One, "Ascent," capsulates his rural
Minnesota boyhood and earlylearning-to-fly experiences, leading to
the 1927 trans-Atlantic flight thatbrought him international fame
and hero status in the United States. The flightand preparations
for it are detailed. Part II, "Descent," explores the crime --the
kidnapping of the Lindberghs' infant son -- and "trial of the
century."Attention is also given to Lindbergh's endorsement of Nazi
Germany in thepre-World War II years and his leadership in
isolationist movements whichgradually brought about the plummeting
of his popularity and fall from heroicgrace. Dynamically meaningful
in this well-paced biography are excerpts fromLindbergh's diaries,
particularly his flight log, as well as those of his wife:these
express character and state of mind. The detail and social
orientationsuggest a secondary school audience; however, enough
history is included toprovide access for advanced middle-school
readers.
The
ALAN Review
Spring 1996 |
Nicholas J. Karolides
University of Wisconsin-River Falls |
David R. Collins' quick-paced biography tells the intriguing story
of CasimirPulaski, a little-known Revolutionary War hero from
Poland who became GeneralWashington's cavalry chief. Though more
than 170 counties, cities, roads, andlandmarks bear his name, many
of us know almost nothing about the freedomfighter who came to the
colonies after Russia effectually swallowed up hishomeland.
In short, clear chapters, Collins traces Pulaski's privileged
boyhood on hisfather's estate, where he learned to ride and shoot,
his family's resistance tothe Empress Catherine's encroachments
into Polish territory, and his trip towar-racked America. The book
builds to an exciting climax of battles andbetrayals, with Pulaski
mortally wounded while trying to take Savannah from theBritish.
Collins' concise prose and Larry Nolte's action-packed
illustrations make thisbook an entrancing read for middle-school
students interested in history andits recurring theme of the
struggle to achieve political freedom.
The
ALAN Review
Spring 1996 |
Joyce A. Lackie
University of Northern Colorado |
Rinaldi, Ann
The Secret of Sarah Revere
Reviewed by Betty Carter
Associate Professor of Library Science
Texas Woman's University
Denton, Texas
Holland, Isabelle
The Promised Land
Reviewed by Lois Buckman
Librarian
Moorhead Junior High School
Conroe, Texas
Taylor, Theodore
The Bomb
Reviewed by Donald R. Gallo
Professor of English
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, Connecticut
Curtis, Christopher Paul
The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963
Reviewed by Jeanne Marcum Gerlach
Professor of English Education
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia
Although the term "unease in Boston" frequently characterizes that
city'spolitical turmoil prior to the American Revolution, it could
also describe thepersonal conflicts of Sarah Revere, teenage
daughter of Paul Revere. What wasSarah to think of her father's
clandestine meetings? of Dr. Joseph Warren'sstrong bond with her
new stepmother, Rachel? and of Rachel's apparent supportfor her
father but obvious friendship with Lady Frankland and Margaret
Gage?"What matters?" she asks her father, "The truth? Or what
people think?"
Little does Sarah know of truth: she is privy to only a piece of
the pictureboth within her own household and throughout the city.
From this limited windowshe judges others, imagining many "what
ifs" rather than recognizing what is.While setting is fully
realized, plot suffers. Sarah, the outsider, remainsapart from the
action -- her personal turmoil is simply less gripping than
thepolitical conflict surrounding her.
Maggie and her younger sister, Annie, are very happy with the
family in Kansaswho gave them a home when the orphan train they
were riding passed throughKansas. They never imagined leaving to go
back to the horrors that would befalltwo motherless girls living in
New York until, one day, their uncle fromIreland arrives, concerned
that they are not being reared in the ways of theCatholic church.
Tension arises over religious differences; then, illnessbrings the
family together.
In this sequel to The Journey Home, Isabelle Holland
captures life onthe prairie through the eyes of Maggie and Annie.
They appear to be leading asimple life until their uncle arrives
and deep prejudices felt during the CivilWar are rekindled. Holland
skillfully weaves life on the frontier, prejudice,and the sisters'
dilemma into an engaging historical novel.
Sorry Rinamu and his family are happy to be rid of the Japanese
soldiers whohad occupied their small Pacific island in the early
1940s. But in 1946 theylearn that their home on beautiful Bikini
Atoll will become the testing groundfor American atomic bombs. They
must leave their peaceful ancestral land,though authorities have
promised they will be able to return in two years.
Whensixteen-year-old Sorry learns about the potential effects of
radiation, hefeels he must do something to stop the planned
testing. Theodore Taylor, whowas an officer on one of the U.S.
ships that prepared Bikini Atoll for theatomic explosions, has
affectionately recreated the tranquility and beauty ofthat remote
place along with the feelings of loss and betrayal that the
nativesfaced. In light of recent French nuclear testing and the
protests thereof, thisstory is particularly poignant.
The
ALAN Review
Spring 1996 |
Donald R. Gallo
Central Connecticut State University |
Curtis introduces the reader to ten-year-old Kenny and his family,
the Watsons-- Momma, Dad, Joetta, Kenny, and Byron -- in his first,
but unforgettable,novel. We meet the Watsons one super-cold
Saturday in their home in Flint,Michigan. We immediately sense the
family closeness through the comedicdialogue of the characters.
However, we soon travel with the family from theirsomewhat calm
life in the North to Birmingham, Alabama, where the Civil
Rightsmovement was just beginning.
Curtis introduces us to the South of the 1960s -- a place where
AfricanAmericans couldn't eat in restaurants, use public restrooms,
or be seen on thestreets after dark. The trip with Kenny and his
family is realistic: I felt Iwas in the car with them. I saw the
water fountains with the NO BLACKS signs. Isaw the busses where
African Americans stood near the rear. And I heard
myAfrican-American friends admit that they were afraid to travel in
certain areasof our country. Traveling with the Watsons to
Birmingham was like looking at apicture from the past. I trust that
picture will keep changing for the better.I feel re-awakened. Thank
you, Christopher Paul Curtis.
![[Alan Review Image]](http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/alan-review-log1.jpg)
