The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley

The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley

Crowley, Suzanne. The Stolen One. Greenwillow Books, 2009. 406 pages. $17.99. ISBN 0061232008

Readers Annotation: After the death of her adoptive mother, Kat and her deaf adoptive sister venture to London to find out the truth of her real parents. Along the way Kat learns the true meaning of love and the ways of the Virgin Queen’s court.

Plot Summary: Kat always knew she wasn’t her mother’s flesh and blood but never really gave it a second thought until a strange woman appeared, dying at their cottage door. After the woman’s death, and subsequent burial by the man who loves her, Kat starts to ask questions. With no answers, and more questions once her mother dies, she decides to go to London with her deaf sister to get the answers she desires. The mysterious Lady Ludmore takes in Kat and Anna and Kat is quickly among the queen’s favorites as the newest addition to her court. Her talents with the needle further her popularity and spur the interests of not just one suitor. Her mother’s prophecy of Kat’s abandonment of her sister prove more likely as her popularity with the queen progresses and her quest for information about her real parents seems to get her nowhere. Will she succeed in discovering the truth about her past?

Critical Evaluation: From the beginning of the book, Crowley captures the reader with plot twists that make the book hard to put down. The unusual circumstances of Kat and Anna seem too strange at first, but as the story progresses, and the reader catches glimpses into the past of Grace, it slowly makes sense. The Stolen One is a perfect addition to the speculative fiction about Queen Elizabeth and the whole mystery and tragedy of the aftermath of King Henry VIII. It seems fitting that this book would be suited towards young women between fourteen and eighteen, although Barnes and Noble suggests ages twelve and up. Twelve seems a bit too young for some of events to make sense, and to grasp the mentality of the Elizabethan age. Crowley presents what seems a well-researched piece regarding speculation surrounding the virgin queen.

Reading Level: Suitable for ages fourteen to eighteen due to the subject matter.

Book talk ideas: Read a passage from the book, I suggest the description of Queen Elizabeth’s collection of dresses and accessories. Discuss that fashion has always been a big part of culture, especially among the elite. Today, however, fashion seems to be more easily attainable. Give examples of other books that may be of interest, like A Sweet Disorder by Jacqueline Kolosov, or the Gossip Girl series that involves a fair amount of drama and fashion among the modern elite.

Why it is included: I chose this book because I wanted to compare novels set in Queen Elizabeth’s court. This novel is fairly new and has not been recognized in any lists or received any awards.

Challenge Issues: The treatment of characters with physical impairments may be an issue with some readers, however I would argue that the treatment of the characters reflects the mentality of the age. It is beneficial to understand how different people were treated to understand where we have come.

A Sweet Disorder by Jacqueline Kolosov

A Sweet Disorder by Jacqueline Kolosov

Kolosov, Jacqueline. A Sweet Disorder. Disney Hyperion Books, 2009. 418 pages. $16.99. ISBN 1423112458

Readers Annotation: After the death of her father, and a stint with the insufferable countess, Miranda arrives in Queen Elizabeth’s court and soon becomes a favored embroiderer.

Plot Summary: Sent to live with the somber countess of Turbery, the wife of her late father’s cousin, Miranda’s dreams of marrying the man she once loved are shattered. At Turbery, the beautiful embroidery Miranda is skilled in creating is looked down on, the days are spent reading of pious women, and the food is bland. It is soon discovered that the wishes of Miranda’s guardians are to see her married to a wealthy man of the court. The countess forces a horrid Seagram on Miranda, but soon she discovers what Seagram is truly like. While at court, Miranda’s talent with needle and thread are quickly noticed and soon after, Queen Elizabeth gives her the task of recreating her mother, Anne Boleyn’s coronation gown. The court is not without its scandals, and it seems that Miranda is at the heart of them. As everything seems to be going wrong in Miranda’s life, she is rewarded with one wish from the queen when she sees her completed gown. Miranda’s choice will change her life, and hopefully she’ll find the true love she’d hoped for.

Critical Evaluation: Another representation of the Virgin Queen’s life at court, A Sweet Disorder is an interesting tale for those who are interested in the drama of court. All the books I’ve read that take place in Elizabeth’s court involve much in the way of fashion, reflecting Elizabeth’s own passion. This book is one of the more believable stories, involving the real plight of being a woman who is given no say in her future. I was captivated by Miranda and how she would manage her life, despite all the grief she faced at the beginning. I thought the story followed what seems to be the framework for romantic historical fiction, something tragic spurs the main character to have to prove herself among the elite while catching the attention of many a suitor, but in the end allowing her to marry her true love and slip out of the monarch’s attention unharmed. I would recommend this to teens who enjoy teenage drama with an historic twist.

Reading Level: The reading and interest level of this book is best suited for high school age readers.

Book talk ideas: I would read the prologue because it reflects the issues for women in that era. I would talk about the importance of a sizable dowry in order to have a comfortable life and marriage in those days. I would also mention that, as in other books like The Stolen One, Queen Elizabeth placed much importance on fashion.

Why it is included: I chose this book because it was just released and found it similar to other books I chose for the project. I was interested in how it compared to books of a similar topic.

Challenge Ideas: I’m not sure what about this book would be controversial in all honesty.

Vacations from Hell by Libba Bray, et. al.

Vacations from Hell by Libba Bray, Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Claudia Gray, Sarah Mlynowski
Bray, Libba, Casandra Clare, Claudia Gray, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Mlynowski. Vacations from Hell. New York: Harper Teen, 2009. 280 pages. $16.99 ISBN 9780061688737

Readers Annotation: Be careful where you go on vacation.
Plot Summary: Each short story is about vacations that go wrong, paranormal wrong. The first story, Cruisin', is about vampires who go on vacation. Next is the witch filled tale, I Don't Like Your Girlfriend. The Law of Suspects involves two American sisters on vacation in France, murders and an infectious letter. The Mirror House is about a woman who steals the souls of men. Finally, Nowhere Is Safe is the story of recent graduates on a European vacation who decide to go to the Town of the Damned.
Critical Evaluation: Each of these authors have been sucessful in the young adult world. For a few of these authors, this compilation is not their first. In fact a couple of the authors have had their short stories included in other paranormal collections. These stories are short and sweet, if murder and the paranormal are your sweet.
Information about the Author: Libba Bray recently concluded her Gemma Doyle trilogy and will have a new novel, Bovine, out in September. Maureen Johnson is most famous for 13 Little Blue Envelopes, and has five other novels and one other short story in a collection. Cassandra Clare is the author of The Mortal Instruments series which includes City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass. Claudia Gray has created the Evernight series featuring Bianca, a student at a Gothic boarding school. Sarah Mylnowski has a series of teen lit that involves witchery, and has also published several chick lit books for adults as well. Each of these authors lives in New York, New York.
Genre: Paranormal, Horror, Short Stories
Age Level: Ages 14 and up
Curriculum Ties: Use when discussing short stories, and discuss the variety of short story anthologies out there.
Book talking ideas: Read one of the stories. Discuss why writers write short stories as opposed to full length novels.
Challenge Issues: The horror and paranormal content may be of concern.
Why I included it: I included this book because it is one of the newest short story compilations by one or all of these authors. There is a group of young adult authors, most of whom live in New York City, that frequently collaborate on collections together. Also, I chose this collection because Libba Bray is one of my favorite authors.

The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb

The Fetch by Laura Whitcomb
Whitcomb, Laura. The Fetch. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009. 380 pages. $17.00 ISBN 9780618891313

Readers Annotation: Calder, a Fetch with the charge of taking souls to the afterlife, breaks his vow with God and returns to earth in search of his Squire, a young woman.
Plot Summary: Calder is a Fetch. He safely takes souls from earth through the four stages necessary to get to heaven. He's always felt a little out of place in heaven, and in the Aisle of the stages, but hasn't ever questioned it. On one of his trips to earth to guide a soul he sees a beautiful woman, one he cannot get out of his head. He is so moved by her love for her infant son that he wills the baby to live. He is consumed by her, and much to his surprise he is taken again to the house of the woman, to retrieve the same boy. Still later he is sent to retrieve Grigori Rasputin and discovers that Rasputin knows the woman he has longed for. She is none other than the Empress of Russia. He decides to switch places with Rasputin, taking over his dead body while allowing Rasputin to roam in the Land of Lost Souls. Calder soon realizes he made a terrible mistake but is unable to go back to heaven with out his Squire, or Fetch in training. The woman he wanted as his Squire refuses to leave her family and instead Calder gives his Key to her son Alexis. Calder, mistaken for Rasputin, is murdered twice and finally wakes up to find the Tsar and his family on the verge of being executed. Calder finds Alexis and Ana still alive however and they set off in search of the Key and their way into heaven.
Critical Evaluation: The Fetch is a very interesting take on an issue we, as humans, can know very little: the afterlife. The idea that there are celestial beings that take human souls to heaven through a series of trials and tasks is thought provoking. Another aspect of the story that is quite interesting is the theory of what happened to Alexis and Anastasia after their family was assassinated. Whitcomb's alternate history of the brother and sister make for a very interesting read. The only issue I have is with her portrayal of time passing while on their journey basically around the world. It seems as if no time at all passes while they travel from Russia to Japan, to California, to New York and on to England. It doesn't seem believable, but then neither does a story about the afterlife.
Information about the Author: Laura has published two young adult books, The Fetch and A Certain Slant of Light. She has also published two books on how to write and publish novels.
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance
Age Level: Ages 14 and up
Curriculum Ties: An interesting inclusion into a unit on the Russian Revolution.
Book talking ideas: Discuss alternate histories and how they can try to explain events that seem unexplainable.
Challenge Issues: The portrayal of the afterlife may be an issue for some parents who have different belief systems.
Why I included it: I included this book because of the praise she received for A Certain Slant of Light. I also found the idea of the Fetchkind and the reason for Anastasia's disappearance very creative.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

Johnson, Maureen. 13 Little Blue Envelopes. New York: Alloy Entertainment, 2005. 337 pages. $8.99 ISBN 0060541431

Readers Annotation: Ginny’s Aunt Peg leaves her a quest to accomplish after her sudden death that takes her on a wild ride through Europe.

Summary: After the sudden death of her Aunt Peg, Ginny receives a letter that contains one thousand dollars and instructions that she needs to go to the Chinese restaurant beneath her old apartment in the Lower East Side, New York City. The owner of 4th Noodle handed her a package containing 13 illustrated blue envelopes. Once she psyched herself up enough, and her parents, to go on a trip to Europe along, Ginny set foot on an adventure. On her first stop in London she meets Robert, an old roommate of her Aunt Peg’s and stays in her aunt’s old room. Her first task in the UK is to be a patron of the arts, and her path crosses with a young playwright named Keith. After a trip to Scotland to visit another eccentric artist like her aunt, Ginny and Keith part on bad terms. Ginny visits Paris, the city of love and cafes, and Amsterdam, where she meets an eccentric family that takes her on a whirlwind tour of the city. However, it doesn’t seem that her aunt’s instructions are turning out how she planned. Back in London, Ginny discovers who Robert really is, confronts Keith about how she really feels and finds her aunt’s hidden stash. Will this hidden collection give Ginny answers about her aunt’s illness and life before she died, or will it be just another hopeless clue?
Critical Evaluation: I expected Johnson to be just another one of those giddy writers of teen romance, but decided to put my prejudice aside and give 13 Little Blue Envelopes a try. I was soon sucked into Ginny’s quest and wanted her to succeed. Johnson balanced the confused romance and serious life changing experiences for a book that takes the reader through every emotion. Angry at Ginny’s stubbornness, excited with each new envelope, sad at her aunt’s deterioration, jealous of Ginny’s freedom and adventure, happy that she broke out of her shell. I would recommend this book to late high school girls to get them thinking about life after high school. It could open their eyes to another option. Few graduates seem to go backpacking through Europe fresh out of high school these days, but it is an experience that could change their lives for the better. While it wasn’t a very challenging read, it was though provoking.
Information about the Author: Maureen Johnson has written several young adult books including Suite Scarlett, Girl at Sea and Devilish. She has also contributed to two short story collections. Johnson lives in New York, New York.
Genre: Drama, Romance, Adventure
Age Level: 15 and up
Curriculum Ties: No curriculum ties
Book talking ideas: Discuss what it would be like to pick up and go off on a trip all alone with no idea of where you're going. Also discuss the lost art of letter writing.
Challenge Issues: No challenge issues.
Why I included it: I included this book because I found the idea of going on a trip without knowing where you're going is fascinating. Also I've heard good things about Maureen Johnson.

The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose by Mary Hooper

The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose by Mary Hooper

Hooper, Mary. The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose. Bloomsbury, 2006. 334 pages. $16.95. ISBN 1582348545

Readers Annotation: Eliza Rose goes to London to find her father after being disowned by her new step-mother only to find that he is not truly her father. In her search for her real parents, Eliza finds the excitement of the stage, friendship and love.

Plot Summary: Eliza Rose always thought her family loved her, until her new stepmother throws her out of the house. Desperate to find her father so he can make her stepmother take her back, Eliza journeys to London where he has taken work after the great fire. Eliza is imprisoned for stealing food, but is eventually freed by Ma Gwynn who ends up using her for her own gains. During the yearly fair, Eliza is dressed as a mermaid and forced to sing her the paying customers of the fair. One customer is so infatuated by the mermaid he offers to pay Ma Gwynn to have her for the night. To prevent Eliza being sold in such a manner, one of Ma’s daughters, Nell, takes her away to be her maid. Nell is an actress and is quickly becoming one of the favorites of the king. After working with Nell as her maid, and in the theatre, Eliza comes to love the excitement of the London theatre and falls for a fine gentleman named Valentine. Finally she finds her father, but all does not end up as she’d hoped. In order to find her true family, she meets an astrologer who tells her she is high born. If only such a thing were true, then she could find her family and marry the man she desires.

Critical Evaluation: Although I did enjoy this book and often couldn’t put it down, I thought it was a bit too light and happy go lucky despite the bad situations Eliza is put into. Eliza’s character, while supposed to be coming into her own as a young woman, seemed much to naïve, or even flighty. For someone looking for a book about a strong young woman following their dreams, this wouldn’t be quite what they were looking for. As for Nell, the idea of being perfectly happy being one of many mistresses of the king and producing a “bastard” child doesn’t seem to be the greatest example to be giving either. That being said, this is a period piece and reflects the mentality of the age. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book for a great historical piece, but would recommend it for a semi-lighthearted happy-ending romance. With all the talk of mistresses, sexual encounters, and lewd language I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone under fourteen.

Reading Level: The reading level of this book better suits ages 14 and up, but the interest level would be that of an older teen.

Book talk ideas: Read the passage where Eliza is describing the situation with her stepmother and her banishment from the house. I would discuss the similarities of this book to Cinderella. Fairy tales like Cinderella aren’t just for children, as this book has the same elements of the fairy tale but with more mature subject matter.

Why it is included: I chose this book because I wanted a comparison to Hooper’s other book Newes from the Dead. It was on two best books lists, one in 2005 and the other in 2006.

Challenge Issues: There is much discussion in the novel about being mistresses, having pre-marital sex and having illegitimate children. I can see that this would be a problem for most parents. I would argue that women at the time would find it an honor to be thus courted by the king. I would also argue that it is up to the parent to restrict what their children read.

S. Darko directed by Chris Fisher

S. Darko directed by Chris
Fisher, Chris. S. Darko. Perfs. Daveigh Chase, Briana Evigan, Jackson Rathbone, and Ed Westwick. Beverly Hills, CA: 20th Century Fox, 2009. 103 minutes. $14.99 UPC 024543575184
Readers Annotation: Seven years after the death of her brother, Donnie, Sam is haunted by his same visions.
Plot Summary: Seven years after the death of her brother, Donnie, Sam (Daveigh Chase) travels across the country with her friend Corey (Briana Evigan) in search of answers. Instead she finds people who are haunted by the same visions as her brother. Sam becomes involved in the drama of the small town she and Corey stop in, and captures the interest of two of the local boys (Jackson Rathbone and Ed Westwick). There seems to be something dark taking hold of the small town, especially after a meteor strikes nearby. The young town war veteran keeps to himself and his visions, but he towns people think he is responsible for the disappearances of two boys. Sam soon uncovers the mystery, and ends up dying just as she figures it out. Or does she?
Critical Evaluation: For fans of the cult classic Donnie Darko, this film may disappoint. It seems that its purpose is to follow Sam as she tries to find herself despite her grief, but it gets lost in the random events of the small town. There are so many Sam as ghost visions and points where they go back in time, that is tends to get a little confusing. What is that awful rash and where was the meteor from? How did the Iraqi veteran come to the town and how ironic is it that his mother wrote the infamous book that cause Donnie's insanity? Why did it take them so long to make a sequel? Maybe these things don't really matter when all a viewer wants is some shock, gore and twist endings.
Genre: Horror, Drama
Age Level: Ages 13 and up, however some of the imagery would not be suitable for younger teens
Curriculum Ties: No curriculum ties.
Book talking ideas: No book talking ideas.
Challenge Issues: The graphic imagery would be a concern for parents of younger teens.
Why I included it: I included S. Darko because I am a fan of Donnie Darko and was excited by the idea of a sequel. I'm still not sure if I liked it or not.