Camo Girl

Magoon, K. (2011). Camo girl. New York: Aladdin. Sixth grader Ella Cartwright still misses her father who died three years ago. She also misses her friend Millie who seems to have deserted her for the more popular folks in their Nevada classroom and only talks to her when no one else is around. Consequently, she spends most of her time with Zachariah (Z) who also has had his share of losses over the past couple of years: his father and their home. Because his mother works at Walmart, he spends his nights sleeping in the retail giant's aisles. Ella has vitiligo, resulting in patches of light and dark brown patches on her face. The school bullies have taken to calling her "Camo Girl," which prompts her to avoid her classmates and to assess herself only according to her outward appearance. When newcomer Bailey James enters the scene, his personality and basketball skills provide him a quick ticket to popularity. Still, he is drawn to Ella, possibly because they are the only two African Americans in the class but possibly because they may have something else in common. As Ella begins spending time with Bailey, Z withdraws further into the fantasy world that he and Ella have created in order to avoid the harsh and painful realities of their lives. But his fantasies lead Z on a potentially dangerous journey, and Ella realizes that her friend needs more help than she can offer. She also discovers that while she and Z have secrets, Bailey has secrets on his own.

The cruelty of middle graders and the effects of loss in this book are offset by the love the women in each of these families have for their children. In all three families, the mothers--and in Ella's case, her grandmother--are doing their best to provide a loving, supportive environment for their offspring. The author also carefully shows how there are many ways to hide the truth from others. While Z creates his own world filled with magic and quests and Ella withdraws into herself, Bailey uses the mask of friendliness and popularity to hide his pain.

Favorite Lines:
“When sad things happen, you build a room in your mind to put them. A safe place to hide the thoughts that make you want to cry. If you try really hard, you can sometimes get the door to lock” (p. 179).

“I haven’t realized how cool I am, how the desert breeze whirling around us has already stolen the heat of the day” (p. 181).

“It’s hard to be the broken one, the different one, the one carrying secrets and holding things that hurt” (p. 183).



The Trouble with May Amelia

Holm, J. L. (2011). The trouble with May Amelia. New York: Atheneum. Picking up where the earlier Our Only May Amelia (2000 Newbery Honor Book) left off, this title follows the further adventures of 12-year-old May Amelia, the only girl in a family of seven brothers. As the story progresses, it becomes clear how much she misses her older brother who had eloped with an Irish girl and her little sister Amy whose death she still mourns. She's just about always in trouble of some kind--and the author often uses capital letters to indicate particularly weighty terms or concepts, such as "It is 1900 and I Am in Trouble Again" (p. 2). May Amelia's voice is distinct in this book just as it was in its predecessor, and it's clear that while she loves her brothers dearly, being the only girl for miles around in Nasel, Washington, has plenty of disadvantages. It seems as though Amelia has the tendency to get in the way, irritate or be an annoyance for some of her family members, particularly her father who usually refers to her as "Girl" and regards females as having little use on the farm. When May Amelia is asked to translate for her Finnish father who doesn't feel comfortable conducting business in English, she is eager to do so in order to help him see that she can contribute in some way. Although times have been tough, the family starts to have hopes that the future will brighten once an investor shows interest in the area as a possible port. A series of mishaps force changes in the family's lives, and May Amelia's equilibrium is upset.  While some individuals rise to heroism during troubled times, others do not; instead, blaming others, something this book shows vividly. Additionally, it is filled with unforgettable characters and events that will touch readers' hearts. This one prompted me to laugh, to cry, to reflect, and to hope while shaking my head in wonder at the marvelous May Amelia as she tries to find her place. This one will be read and read and savored for the beautiful language and story incorporated by Holm.

Favorite Lines:

“It’s spring, and the sky is gray as the slates we use at school" (p. 3).

“Our barn is on fire, and the flames are licking at the sky like greedy fingers trying to catch a cloud”

(p. 46).

Small Acts of Amazing Courage

Whelan, G. (2011). Small acts of amazing courage. New York: Simon & Schuster. It is 1919, and Rosalind James, 15, has spent her whole life in India where her father leads a regiment. He is often away from home, and while he is gone, her mother is in charge of running the household. But she isn't very good with finances or discipline and has allowed Rosalind the freedom to explore the bazaars and culture of their town. It seems that she is drawn to the flavors and habits of India rather than those of her British patriots, most of whose conversations bore her. On one occasion, she even attends a rally led by Ganhi who is trying to rally support for Indian self-determination. When Rosalind learns that a baby has been sold to a man who buys children and deliberately cripples them, she wrecklessly buys the baby herself, setting a chain of events that leads to her father exiling her to England. Off she goes, miserable at the changes in her life but hopeful that at the very least she will obtain a quality education. Her two spinster aunts are as opposite as it is possible for two individuals to be. Aunt Ethyl is the dominant one who controls the purse strings and determines every act taken by Aunt Louise is softer and more nurturing. For whatever reasons, Ethyl prevented Louise's marriage many years ago, and now the two lead a quiet, safe, and boring life. From the start, Rosalind and her aunt butt heads, and she senses a kindred spirit in Louise. When the two of them make plans to attend a lecture by a woman speaking about the need for India's independence after encountering Max Nelson, the son of a British woman who runs an orphanage for Indian children back home, they are inspired but also caught by Ethyl. Various circumstances lead to Rosalind's swift return to India where she can once again savor the flavors of her adopted country. This is a story of independence on several levels: Rosalind's, her aunt Louise's, and India's. It is from small acts of extraordinary courage such as taking control of your own finances that lead to even larger acts of rebellion. The author provides many examples of the difference between how the wealthier British citizens live and the lifestyle of many of the Indian servants. This title offers a glimpse of an important period in world history, and is sure to remind readers of the necessity to stand up for what is right even when it goes against what others maintain is right. Rosalind herself is impressive and inspiring, and her growth and dawning awareness of the inequities around her seem realistic and natural.

Favorite Lines:

“He placed them with their bowls at strategic locations in the bazaar, and then late in the day he would gather them up like so many dolls that had lost their stuffing and take them away along with all they had earned for him” (p. 15).



“When I picked up the still-warm, limp body and held it in my hand, I saw that all its bright colors had faded, and I saw how much is lost when something dies” (p. 119).

Joseph's Grace

Moses, S. P. (2011). Joseph's grace. New York: Simon & Schuster. This book continues the story of Joseph Flood first begun in the earlier Joseph. Joseph, a high school junior, is living with his aunt and uncle because his drug-addicted mother is unable to take care of him while his father serves with the military in Iraq. Although she's been in treatment to kick her habit, she keeps returning to the drug scene and an unsavory boyfriend named Bow. Looking for money he claims she owes him, Bow comes to the house where Joseph is staying, and demands payment. He shoots through the door, killing Joseph's beloved cousin Jasmine, who is the light of the family's life. Joseph must balance school, work, sports, and a new relationship while mourning her loss. He and his family also try to help his mother turn her life around. This book has a quite grace and is blessed with an honest appreciation of just how hard it is to put a life together after addiction has caused someone's life to go astray. The author totally nailed the embarrassing scenes in which Joseph is embarrassed by his mother's visits at school, at work, and even during a tennis match, when she comes looking for money to support her habit. It's also clear that Joseph loves her despite her failings. While loss and disappointment permeates the book, the author clearly illustrates that there is a way out of despair and there is hope even during the most difficult times. Although the story will break many hearts, readers will surely root for all the members of Joseph's family to find a happy ending.

Favorite Lines:
"The blood was like a river draining the life out of our family. Jasmine not only died, she took a part of us with her" (p. 18).

"This is the story of my life, I'm thinking as Momma walks out of my life again. She's dragging her suitcaes like a college girl going to her dorm" (p. 52).

Famous

Strasser, T. (2011). Famous. New York: Simon & Schuster. New Yorker Jamie Gordon, 15, loves taking photographs and brings her camera everywhere she goes. That's how she happens to snap a shot of a celebrity mother behaving badly in public. Suddenly, Jamie is becoming famous. Even at her exclusive prep school where many of the parents are well-known, she briefly becomes a minor celebrity. When one of her other celebrity shots becomes a People cover, even more attention comes her way. But fame has a short shelf life, and Jamie quickly learns that no one captures the public's attention for long. She jumps at the chance for an exclusive photo shoot at the Hollywood home of Willow Twine who is trying to burnish her tarnished image after a series of misadventures, including a stint in rehab. Although Jamie is sure that the two are becoming friends, it's clear from the start that Willow is using Jamie just as much as Jamie is using her. As the story moves back and forth in time, culminating in Jamie having to make a decision about what to do with a revealing shot of Willow, it is easy to see that Jamie, too, has become caught up in the world of celebrity and has changed in unflattering ways. Her self-absorption and awe for the famous folks whose shoulders she is now rubbing are palpable, resulting in her forgetting the individuals who really should matter to her.

While the author's decision to use multiple narrators and to tell the story through shifts in time and not in chronological order heightens the story's suspense, it also caused some confusion about exactly when certain things happened. More than once, I had to flip backward in the book to determine how old Jamie was at the time. The inclusion of Jamie's school friend Avy's own desperate search for fame and rapid downward spiral revealed another dark side to fame, but coupled with a stalker intent on "protecting" Willow, made the storyline somewhat clunky and unbelievable. Jamie's own transition is made clear through her text messages and emails to her boyfriend Nasim. By the time the story comes to its inevitable conclusion, it's clear that few can be trusted on the way up--or down--the ladder to fame.

Favorite Lines: "Here's one way to tell private and public schools apart. At lunch in private school we sit in the dining room at round tables covered with tablecloths" (p. 62).

"You were so busy thinking about yourself, yourself, yourself, and your career" (p. 148).

The Secret River

Rawlings, M. K. (2011). The secret river. Illus. by L. & D. Dillon. Published in a slightly longer version in 1955 after the author's death, this story still has relevance in the twenty-first century. Deep in the Florida woods live Calpurnia, her dog Buggy-horse, and her parents. When hard times come, her father finds it hard to make a living since there are no fish to be found. Calpurnia, who writes and recites poetry, goes in search of fish. By falling her nose as she's been advised to do, she happens upon a secret river that is teeming with fish. She respectfully asks the fish if she can take some of them, and they allow her to do so. When it's time to leave, Calpurnia must devise a way to transport all those fish. As night falls, she encounters an owl, a bear, and a panther, all of whom want their share of food. She generously parcels out fish to each one and makes her way home. Readers will recognize fairy tale motifs throughout the story. The acrylic illustrations are gasp-worthy and show the faces hidden in trees as well as the beauty of the Florida woods. Details such as the pink paper roses Calpurnia fashions, braids into her hair, and then uses as bait for the fish add dimension to the already engaging and timeless tale. Even the endpapers consist of fish swimming along in tandem. This one is definitely a must-have for your bookshelves.

Ten Miles Past Normal

Dowell, Frances O'Roark. (2011). Ten miles past normal. New York: Atheneum. Fourteen-year-old Janie Gorman is tired of living on the small farm where her family has lived for the past few years. Although she enjoys milking the goats, somewhat inexplicably named for country singers Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, and Kitty Wells, she doesn't enjoy sometimes tracking in their waste products, especially on the first day of school. The pungent smell insures that Janie leaves a fragrant memory on the bus, something her classmates won't let her live down. At the heart of the matter, all Janie wants is to have a normal high school life. Still, that isn't too likely, given that her mother is a popular back to nature blogger who sometimes writes about her daughter and since she's been assigned a lunch period when none of her friends from middle school are assigned. Sadly, Janie heads to the school library during lunch and befriends another newbie named Verbena. What's a girl to do to be considered normal once her reputation has been established based on one misstep?

Janie has more on her side than she realizes. Her best friend Sarah defends her and gets her involved in curricular and extracurricular projects that she would otherwise have shunned. For instance, when Sarah considers playing the bass in order to get to know their mutual heartthrob better, Janie is the one who decides to follow through, leading to a friendship--and maybe more--with a guy called Monster. Janie also suggests interviewing two neighbors who turn out to have been involved in the Freedom Schools during the Civil Rights Movement. The harder she tries to be like everyone else, the more Janie realizes that there are advantages to being on the fringe, and being true to the person she is becoming may mean standing up for herself in unexpected ways.

Janie's journey to self-acceptance is one with which most teen readers can relate since the truth is right in front of her all along even though it takes her awhile to see it. I longed for more stories from the heroic Mr. Pritchard and Mrs. Brown, and was pleased to see that Janie learned something from their examples as well as from Monster's own self-confidence. Maybe being normal isn't all that it's cracked up to be.


Favorite Lines:

“He has this way of talking after we’ve visited Mr. Pritchard that reminds you he grew up in Rome, Georgia, that my dad is, in fact, a redneck for peace. At other times, while you’d never mistake my dad for, say, a native New Yorker, his southern roots sort of hide under his tweed jackets and professor’s briefcase ”(p. 34).

“When I get off the phone I feel oddly refreshed, like I’ve just returned from a hike in the woods on a cool autumn afternoon” (p. 107).

“Just wait until I tell Sarah that Prince Charming isn’t such a prince after all” (p. 127).