Symphony for the City of the Dead

Symphony for the City of the Dead; Dimitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad

By M.T. Anderson

This not a book everyone will love, or even should read. But it is powerful, and I am glad to have read it. If you are interested in classical music, Russian history, or World War II, you might enjoy this incredible true story....and M.T. Anderson is such a great writer! I visited St. Petersburg last summer--formerly known as Leningrad--and read this before I went. Unbelievable history.

Review from School Library Journal:

This ambitious and gripping work is narrative nonfiction at its best. Anderson expertly sets the scene of the tumultuous world into which Dmitri Shostakovich was born in 1906 and traces his development as an artist and a public figure. He also tells the story of the composer's beloved Leningrad, focusing on the creation and legacy of the symphony written in its honor at the height of World War II. In his author's note, Anderson poses an intriguing question: "How do we reconstruct the story of someone who lived in a period in which everyone had an excuse to lie, evade, accuse, or keep silent?" The compelling, well-researched narrative relates what is known of Shostakovich's story, what is speculation, what is revisionist history, and what new sources have revealed. The chilling details of the Stalin regime and the plight of the Russian people even before the Germans arrived will be eye-opening to many teen readers. The book has all the intrigue of a spy thriller, recounts the horrors of living during the three year siege, and delineates the physical oppression and daunting foes within and outside of the city. This is also the story of survival against almost impossible odds. Through it all, Anderson weaves the thread of the composer's music and the role it played in this larger-than-life drama. 

School Library Journal (September 1, 2015)

The Great Brain

The Great Brain
By John D. Fitzgerald

This book, the first in the humorous Great Brain series, was published way back in 1967 but takes place when the author was a little boy, growing up in small town Utah way, way back in 1896. I learned a lot about what life was like back then--getting the first indoor toilet in town, making homemade ice cream with a wooden, crank ice cream maker and ice from a frozen pond, and the types of games kids played before there was television or--gasp!--computer games. However, the types of games include things that are kind of unacceptable nowadays, like "Cowboys and Indians." There are many references to Indians, in fact, and many of them are not very kind or accurate. But that's how a lot of white folks--especially those new to the West--viewed the local tribes, so it gives a critical reader something to think about.
Mostly the story is about little John D. getting swindled by his older brother, Tom, who is a smart kid, and always looking for a way to make money (a few pennies, or a whole dollar was a LOT of money back then!). There are other important--and tragic--parts of the story, however, like when the mostly-Mormon community realizes a Jewish man new to town has allowed himself to starve to death rather than ask for charity. Or the cruel treatment of a family of Greek immigrants by some of the townsfolk.
All in all, The Great Brain is a surprisingly funny tale of brotherhood, childhood, and changing attitudes in small town America at the turn of the last century.

Zebrafish

Zebrafish
By Sharon Emerson
Illustrated by Renee Kurilla

LOVE this graphic novel! Excellent characters!

Summary by Book Aunt:
Now, just because a book supports a good cause doesn't mean it's a good book, but this one has definite appeal. The premise is a kick, for example—Vita Escolar tries to start a rock band, but she keeps getting volunteer bandmates who don't actually play instruments. She tries another round of sign-ups, but the same people show up. That's when Vita starts to go with the flow, coming to appreciate her odd little team of air guitarist Plinko, cool techie Jay, quiet artist Walt, and Walt's environmental activist sister Tanya. Rounding out the cast is Vita's older brother, Pablo, who appears to be raising her for some reason.
We gradually learn that Tanya is in treatment for leukemia, a fact that she hides from the kids at school. But Vita is over at the hospital a lot because recent college grad Pablo works in a lab there, and she runs into Tanya and finds out the truth. It turns out that Vita's mother died of cancer. And Pablo's research department needs money to help them with their cancer experiments on zebrafish, the fish which inspires the name of Vita's sort-of band...

More at: http://bookaunt.blogspot.com/2010/05/review-of-zebrafish-by-peter-h-reynolds.html

Parrot in the Oven

Parrot in the Oven;  Mi Vida
By Victor Martinez

For Manny Hernandez, life is no walk in the park.  He lives in the projects with his family, including his unemployed, often drunk dad.  His bitter but resigned mom spends all of her time cleaning their apartment, his older brother loafs around drinking and not holding jobs.  Manny also has two sisters--a toddler who he accidentally almost shoots with his dad's rifle, and an older sister who gets pregnant but loses her baby in their bathroom.
Somehow Manny's family sticks it out and sticks together, despite hard times.  Manny is beginning to learn about racism in his small town, growing up in a mixed-race community in the 1950's.  He tries to find friends but struggles with self-confidence and fitting in.  He loves his family and tries to understand the battles he witnesses between his mom and dad, and between his mom and older sister.  And Manny sometimes gets bullied, even though his brother is tough and protective. 
Desperate to meet girls and fit in, Manny decides to join a gang in a neighboring community and go through their initiation rites--getting beat up by the other gang members.  Then he must face decisions about breaking the law to keep his new "friends".   Ultimately Manny has to figure out if that's the kind of life or friends he really wants to have. 
Victor Martinez, the author, grew up in Fresno but until recently lived in the Mission District in San Francisco.  He died earlier this year.  His novel about a Chicano boy's coming-of-age is a serious but sometimes funny fictional account of his own life experience.
(ISBN:  0-06-026704-6)

Muse

Muse;  The Magazine of Life, the Universe, and Pie Throwing
by Carus Publishing Company, Cricket Magazine Group

Muse is a funny, engaging, 9-times-a-year non-virtual glossy paper magazine for kids 9-14 years old.  Focused on science, history and the arts,  it's divided into two main parts, Regular Stuff and New Stuff.  The Regular Stuff includes letters from readers, Q&A ("Is it true that when you see someone you love or hate, your eyes dilate?" Yes!) , art/writing contests and winners, and comics.  And my personal favorite, Bo's Page, where you read several short "factual" articles and try to figure out which one is false.  They have titles like "DNA Makes the Best Genes", "Marathon Migration", and "Technology of the Future (Batteries Not Included)", so this page is hilarious and truly difficult to figure out! 
The New Stuff part of the magazine is made up of mostly non-fiction stories about interesting things, like how sewer workers get their jobs done, and what whale vomit is like...Sound intriguing?!
There are several strange "muses" you'll run into while you're reading--they are tiny drawn cartoon characters who appear throughout the magazine and make witty comments in comic-like format about the articles. 
I particularly enjoyed reading the special Last Page in one recent issue of Muse;  it described in detail an Italian delicacy that is actually illegal to sell.  It's called casu marzu.  It's, um, cheese with maggots in it.  And people eat it.  With the maggots.  Seriously gross!!
Perhaps you are the kind of person who enjoys learning crazy, obscure facts about our world, different animals, and peoples' lives...perhaps you don't mind some disgusting details, for example how things like casu marzu are made...perhaps you would enjoy the fun, silly, and definitely interesting stories in Muse!  It claims to be a magazine for kids "who want to know everything."  There are several other magazines published by the same folks at Carus Publishing, too.  You can read about them at http://www.cricketmag.com/

Dragonology

Dragonology;  The Game
Templar Publishing

I had a great time playing this old-fashioned board game, based on a book called Dr. Ernest Drake's Dragonology;  The Complete Book of Dragons, edited by  Dugald A. Steer.  The game board is a world map with travel paths across land and sea;  each player can travel using tickets for a hot air balloon, train, stagecoach, steamboat, airplane, elephant or camel.  The object of the game is to conquer three dragons, thereby becoming the Master Dragonologist.  There are nine different dragons around the world map, each a tiny detailed, colorful figurine, and the game pieces are characters--figurines of different men and women.  Although it may seem simple at first, Dragonology involves some complex strategy and problem-solving skills.  As you roll the 12-sided die and move your character around the board, you draw from a deck of Bit of Knowledge cards.  A particular card may be a certain dragon (you must collect three of a kind to advance to the lair and conquer the dragon) with details about it's habitat, behavior, and mythology.  Or the card may be a sneaky trick or move you can make to thwart your opponents, like Hypnotise or Snatch.  On your turn you might steal a dragon from your fellow dragon-seekers (you can also trade), or you might do something like make everybody else throw in their cards, shuffle them, and re-deal...that messes up any progress anyone has made!  If you're lucky, you'll draw a Wild dragon card, or a Shield to block any tricks.
There are many opportunities to try out and use strategies in Dragonology.  Playing a board game with friends is definitely a fun way to spend an hour if it's cold or rainy outside, and it's a nice change from being on the computer!  The board, dragon and character pieces, and cards are all beautifully designed and fun to use.  It had been awhile since I'd played a board game and I really enjoyed the social and unpredictable interaction with my opponents.  This game allows anywhere between 2 and 6 players.
It is an exciting game especially if you are a fan of dragons, fantasy games, or geography. 
You also might want to check out the book on which it's based.  In the same series of books you can also read Spyology, Wizardology, and Egyptology.

Spore

During spring break in Colorado my three nephews have been showing me some of their favorite games, including Spore, which we all agree is really amazing.  Rated 10+, it's a complex, visually incredible, multi-leveled game of evolution and adaptation.  The game starts with single-celled organisms and culminates with intergalactic space travel.  One of the most impressive aspects of Spore is the design element;  you get to design everything from creatures to vehicles to town halls to spaceships.  And there are hundreds of features and colors to choose from...every game can be different. 
There are five stages to progress through beginning with Cell and moving to Creature, Tribal, Civilization, and finally to Space.  At each stage there is an "economic" component;  you spend DNA to make your creature more evolved, for example, or look for food which enables you to help out your tribe.  Once the civilizations have evolved, there are Spice Geysers to seek out and mine, and Spore Bucks to spend and earn.

You learn as you play this game that you can change your mind about something, go back and adapt your creature or try a new strategy.  Things are flexible and always evolving, which is what makes the game challenging and fun.
One part of Spore that I find interesting is that a player can decide how they want to "behave" in any particular game.  The creature you design can be an herbivore, a carnivore, or an omnivore, and this determines the level of "violence" in a game.  Or, later on, you can decide if you will trade with other cities and planets, or try to destroy them.  There isn't an obvious advantage either way, though my nephew Miles told me if you go around destroying all the time "people won't like you very much."
Eventually there are the agressive Grox to deal with, creatures who live at the center of a galaxy and must be overcome to finally end the game.  However, my nephews have had Spore for almost a year and haven't come to that point yet.  There are so many cool creatures, structures, and space ships to design, this game never gets boring, or old, or even finished!

Athletic Shorts

Athletic Shorts;  Six Short Stories
By Chris Crutcher

It's fun to read short stories sometimes.  Especially good ones.  You don't have to read them in order, you don't even have to finish the book (though you'll want to with this one), and it's just not as big of a commitment as picking up a novel.  Almost all of the stories in this book feature characters from other novels by Chris Crutcher--so if you're familiar with his books, you'll probably recognize some names.  But you don't need to read the other books to enjoy this one.
The teenage boys in these six short stories are all dealing with different issues;  one boy lost his parents and little brother in a drunk boating accident, another puts up with teasing about his gay parents, yet another is afraid of humiliation when he has to wrestle a girl during a tournament.  There are loving fathers and abusive fathers and absent fathers and racist fathers within these beautifully written stories.  What all the teenagers have in common is a love of sports--wrestling and swimming, especially.  For them, being athletes is the way they release anger, sadness, joy, and playing sports allows them to feel like part of a team.
Chris Crutcher tackles real-life problems.  I kept thinking about the characters even after I finished reading--because they seemed real.  I wondered how they were going to overcome certain things, and felt sort of proud of the way they got through hard situations.  Mostly I admire how the author is not afraid to write about serious, hard-to-hear-about subjects like racism (one story is told from the point of view of a white boy who has always been racist, but starts to question his own perspective).  For those readers who enjoy(ed) Matt Christopher's books but want something more challenging and complex, try reading Chris Crutcher.
(ISBN: 978-0-06-050-783-1)

Center Court Sting

Center Court Sting
by Matt Christopher

I thought I'd read a Matt Christopher novel, since he's the #1 Sports Writer for Kids and has written about a million books.  So I chose Center Court Sting.  I was impressed!  Not only was the play-by-play basketball in the novel exciting and graphic, but the story of Daren McCall figuring out how to be a better team player and friend was realistic and gripping.
Daren is a decent basketball player on his middle school team, the Rangers.  They are one of the best teams in their league.  However, their success is jeopardized when Daren can't get his anger under control.  He loses it on the court and in the locker room one too many times.  His coach, and even his close friend Lynn start to call Daren on his bad attitude.  But the trouble is that Daren isn't sure why he's acting the way he is--it seems like all the problems are other peoples' fault!  He even messes up a chance to impress his next door neighbor, Judy, when her little brother goes home crying after playing ball with Daren.
Luckily, Daren has a dad who listens and helps him out by giving him some good advice.  At school and then on the court, Daren starts to pull it all together--just in time for the final game with their rival team, the Demons.
Daren seems like a regular kid, dealing with the kind of frustrations everyone has sometimes.  When he finds out some sad information about one of his teammates, he's able to understand why the other player has seemed so hostile.  And he changes his own behavior.  For anyone who likes basketball, or any sport, this book is a great read. 
(ISBN: 0-329-09547-1)

American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese
By Gene Luen Yang

A funny, poignant, true-to-life-mixed-with-some-fantasy graphic novel about a Chinese American teenage boy coming to terms with who he is.  Along the way he encounters racism, friendship, first crushes, and an annoying "cousin" who embodies every negative Chinese stereotype anyone has ever heard of.
After Jin Wang's family moves from San Francisco's Chinatown to a more suburban neighborhood, he is the only Chinese American in the school.  There is one Japanese American girl in his class, however, with whom everyone thinks Jin has an arranged marriage...Eventually a new boy arrives "off the boat" from China, and after some initial avoidance, Jin decides to be friends with the newcomer.  Good thing, because Wei-Chen tells Jin's crush, Amelia, how great Jin is and Amelia agrees to go on a (hilarious) movie date with Jin.
Meanwhile, a Chinese fable is interspersed with Jin's American high school drama; in the fable a Monkey King is struggling with his own identity and power, wanting to be a god instead of a king.  The Monkey King becomes aware of and begins to dislike his own monkey-ness.  He suddenly insists all monkeys wear shoes, among other changes in his kingdom.
The stories of Jin, his friend Wei-Chen, and the Monkey King are woven together in a clever way at the end of the novel.  Acceptance of oneself is a clear but complicated theme in Yang's graphic novel, which specifically highlights how cruel kids can be to each other in school.  Though his story focuses on a Chinese American teen trying to fit in, this is a story any middle school student can probably relate to.  
(ISBN: 978-1-415-68878-6)

The People Shall Continue

The People Shall Continue
By Simon Ortiz
Illustrated by Sharol Graves

This is an incredible poem which tells the history of American Indians in this country.  The picture book begins at the time of Creation--told in many different ways by different tribes--and ends in the present.  Simon Ortiz, who is himself from Acquemeh (Acoma) Pueblo, relates how Europeans arrived and battles were fought, land was taken, and indigenous people were forcibly stripped of their cultures...but throughout all of this the elders in the tribes told the stories of their people to the children so they would not forget who they were.  "This has been the struggle of our People.  We have suffered but we have endured," say the parents.  Ultimately, The People Shall Continue is hopeful and empowering without glossing over any of the atrocities in this country's history.  It is truly a teaching story.
Simon Ortiz wrote this poem with the rhythms of a traditional oral narrative, which is one of the things I most love about the book (it's so nice to read out loud).  The illustrations by Sharol Graves are vivid and bold, with evocative silhouettes and bright colors.  It is an inclusive story, too, though Ortiz recognizes many different tribes and their distinct traditions and cultures.  In the end, the People--a word he uses to describe all of the tribes--look around and see others suffering too; "Black People, Chicano People, Asian People, many White People and others who were kept poor by American wealth and power."  There is a call to unite against power that oppresses, and to ensure no one has their humanity taken away.   
(ISBN: 0-89239-041-7)

Kidshealth.org

Kidshealth.org

This is such an excellent resource for everybody!  I learned about this website from my colleague Wendy, another school librarian.  There are distinct places here for teens, kids, and parents--and accurate answers to any and all questions about puberty, bodies, food & fitness, emotional well-being and lots of other health-related things.  It is easy to navigate around the site and find what you are looking for.  What is particularly great about using a website like Kidshealth.org is that if you are the kind of person who might feel shy or embarrassed about asking puberty-related questions or checking out health books at the library, you can find answers without talking to anyone.  Of course, most teachers and parents and other adults want to help answer those questions, but if you don't feel like asking it's nice to have a good website to go to.
In the section for teens, you'll find information about everything from gum disease, to dealing with feelings about being overweight, to food allergies, to smoking, to handling stress about going to school dances.  The site is current--I just found information about the disaster in Japan and tips on what to do to help--and the information is also non-judgmental.  For example, a tab on body piercing explains what it is, what to expect if you have it done, and health problems that sometimes result from piercings.  If you prefer to listen instead of reading the information, there is an audio feature available.  It's easy to get the information in Spanish, too.
In the part for kids, you can read about braces, feeling too short or tall, and find easy, healthy recipes to prepare.  The "Kids Dictionary of Medical Words" looks really helpful, as well as a section that explains (in kid language) some common health problems adults often suffer from.
Kidshealth.org is a very impressive, accessible collection of articles, videos, games and other resources all related to physical and mental health.  Check it out!

Stay Strong

Stay Strong;  Simple Life Lessons for Teens
By Terrie Williams
Introduction by Queen Latifah

In this guidebook of life skills for young people, celebrity PR agent Terrie Williams discusses common negative attitudes and how to turn them around.  Celebrities like Eddie Murphy recount their own stories and Queen Latifah introduces it all with an inspiring, personal message.  Rap lyrics and real stories about real kids are interspersed throughout this book, which has been described as "a hip-hop version of Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul."
Each chapter has a catchy title like "Life Isn't Fair and Nothing You Do Matters",  "Nobody Else Uses Manners. Why Should I?", and "If I Don't Feel Like Being Bothered, I Shouldn't Have to Pretend."  Basically, Ms. Williams takes these commonly-held beliefs among teens and turns them on their head with frank, uplifting style.  Her book is very readable, full of great suggestions, and includes lots of examples from her own life, the lives of celebrities she's worked with, and teenagers. 
Chapter five, "How I Talk is My Business" is an especially practical one, with tips on everything from overcoming shyness to writing condolence cards.  There is great emphasis on talking slang (when it's appropriate) and using swear words (when it's inappropriate).  Ms. Williams writes with honesty and knowledge about how teens and adults talk, and it's not at all patronizing.  It's really real.
(ISBN: 0-439-12972-9)

The Man Who Walked Between The Towers

The Man Who Walked Between The Towers
By Mordicai Gerstein

Whoa, this is an amazing story!  Author Gerstein has written a picture book about the true story of a Frenchman named Philippe Petit, who tightrope-walked between the two World Trade Center towers in New York City.  This happened in 1974 (the year I was born!), when the towers were first built.  By this way, this tightrope was stretched--illegally--a quarter of a mile up in the sky.  That's 1,340 feet!  The Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in New York City, and some of the tallest in the world.  Mr. Petit, an "aerialist" by profession, figured out a way to sneak into the towers with a team of friends dressed as construction workers.  They shot an arrow, connected to a wire, from the top of one tower to the other.  And Philippe Petit danced and performed for over an hour on the wire while police waited to arrest him on the roof!
Why would someone do this?  Was Philippe Petit crazy?  These were the questions I found myself asking as I learned about this wild story.  A documentary film was made about Petit, the Twin Towers, and many other adventurous stunts he pulled off with beauty, grace and style.  This film is called "Man on Wire" (2008) and directed by James Marsh.  It's so worth seeing!  Mr. Petit himself talks about what drives him to perform at such dangerous heights, why he risks his life to tightrope-walk, and what it feels like to balance at the top of the world.
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers and "Man on Wire" are also powerful tributes to the collapsed Twin Towers and the people who died on September 11, 2001 during the terrorist attacks.  The memory of Philippe Petit's brave act of artistry lives on in New York, just as the memories of the towers and those who perished live on.
(ISBN: 978-0-7613-1791-3)

Love That Dog

Love That Dog
By Sharon Creech

Sharon Creech is such a good writer.  Love That Dog is a seemingly simple story told through the journal of a boy named Jack.  We only get to read his entries, but it's easy to figure out he is writing to his teacher and she is replying to his comments, and mostly the theme is that Jack doesn't like the poetry they are reading and writing in class.  Not as simple is the underlying story--that Jack doesn't think boys write poetry, that he doesn't think he has anything to write about, and he has undergone some traumatic incident involving a mysterious speeding car (he keeps mentioning it in his journal).
Eventually Jack starts to realize that some of the poetry they're studying in class is kind of interesting, and he begins to have more confidence writing his own.  He gradually allows his teacher to post his poetry on the classroom wall, first anonymously, then with his name.
The great Walter Dean Myers is one of the poets the class is learning about.  Full of sounds and rhythm, Myers' poetry resonates with Jack, and when Walter Dean Myers is actually invited to the school to speak Jack can hardly wait for the day.  In the end, Jack is inspired to reveal his voice and his own difficult story through poetry.
Sharon Creech gives us a short, sweet-sad story of inspiration, self-confidence, and dealing with loss.  The journal style of the narrative invites the reader to infer a lot about what is actually going on, and gives the book a mysterious air.  A lovely quick read for boys and girls alike.  
(ISBN: 0-439-44242-7)

Coraline

Coraline
By Neil Gaiman

This is definitely a book about facing your fears, and real bravery.  "When you're scared but you still do it anyway," says Coraline, "that's brave."  In this wild, creepy fantasy, a little girl discovers a parallel world behind a door in her house.  On the other side, Coraline's "other parents" are scheming to keep her and destroy her real parents.  They have already stolen the souls of some other children, who appear as ghosts and explain some of this to Coraline.  The adventure Coraline embarks upon requires her to outsmart the other mother, which she does, along with the help of a friendly and coy black cat.  Along the way she encounters rats, monsters, cobwebs, magical toys, and bizarre neighbors.  But by far the spookiest thing about the story, for me, was that Coraline's other parents have giant black buttons instead of eyes--and they want to sew buttons onto Coraline, too.
I love Coraline's even-keel, go-getter attitude.  She doesn't skip a beat when she has to report her parents missing to an unconvinced police officer.  And though she is scared, she doesn't hesitate to walk right into danger in order to do what needs to be done.  She is really smart and brave, but also has her moments of breaking down and needing friends and advice from others.  Which she finds, luckily.
Perhaps it's a story of appreciating what you have, even when it's not perfect.  Coraline wishes her real parents would understand her better and have more time for her, but when she temporarily loses them, she realizes how much she loves them--and how much they love her.
(ISBN: 978-0-06-1139-37-6)

Somewhere in the Darkness

Somewhere in the Darkness
By Walter Dean Myers

Fifteen-year-old Jimmy is struggling with his life in tenth grade.  He's a smart kid but he misses a lot of school.  His elderly guardian, Mama Jean, is loving but unable to keep tabs on Jimmy because she's working hard to make ends meet.  So things are hard enough when Jimmy's estranged father appears out of the blue on their New York City doorstep.
Jimmy's father, Crab, has been in prison for 9 years.  He wants to reconnect with his son, but doesn't really know how to begin.  He convinces Jimmy to leave New York and drive to Chicago with him, where he says he has a job waiting for him.  On the road Jimmy starts to feel more and more uncomfortable, but also develops some empathy for his father.  Things get more complicated when they get to the city; it turns out Crab doesn't actually have a job, he's walked out of prison, and he has a serious illness.
The two of them leave for Arkansas, eventually, in a stolen rental car, and make it to Crab's hometown.  There they meet a cast of characters from Crab's past and Jimmy learns about some of the struggles in his father's life--and realizes he cares about him.  In the end, Jimmy and Crab discover some truths about each other and themselves that will bring both joy and sadness. 
This book is an incredibly poignant story of a tough relationship, and the need people have to understand their past and their family ties.  It is a story of redemption and perseverance, as well as strength and bravery.  Walter Dean Myers writes exquisitely of a complex and haunted relationship between father and son.

(ISBN: 0-545-05577-6)