Adult/High School

Adult/High School—With the intensity of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, Say You're One of Them tells of the horrors faced by young people throughout Africa. Akpan uses five short stories (though at well over 100 pages, both "Luxurious Hearses" and "Fattening for Gabon" are nearly stand-alone novels in their own right) to bring to light topics ranging from selling children in Gabon to the Muslim vs. Christian battles in Ethiopia. The characters face choices that most American high school students will never have to—whether or not to prostitute oneself to provide money for one's homeless family, whether to save oneself, even if it means sacrificing a beloved sibling in the process. The selections are peppered with a mix of English, French, and a variety of African tongues, and some teens may find themselves reading at a slower pace than usual, but the impact of the stories is well worth the effort. The collection offers a multitude of learning opportunities and would be well suited for "Authors not born in the United States" reading and writing assignments. Teens looking for a more upbeat, but still powerful, story may prefer Bryce Courtenay's The Power of One (Random, 1989).—Sarah Krygier, Solano County Library, Fairfield, CA

Adult/High School—Ferry takes readers on a storyteller's journey. As a high school English teacher and part-time travel writer, he uses fictionalized situations to engage his students' interest, and readers can never quite be sure whether he is telling them about real or fictitious events. After witnessing a fatal car accident, which Ferry believes he could have prevented, he finds himself drawn into the story of Lisa Kim, the victim. The book moves back and forth between Ferry's life and past and his connections, real or imagined, to Lisa Kim. The author does not follow chronological order or standard format in his story line, but instead moves between the past and present to allow readers a glimpse into the impact they have on others. Or do they? When the narrator delivers the line "what I'm saying is that very often illusion is all we have," it does make readers wonder if they have been taken for a ride. This book provides a unique, stylish, and challenging read for AP literature students and/or those interested in creative writing and the writing process.—Janet Melikian, Central High School East, Fresno, CA

Adult/High School—Olivia Jean, Daisy, and Birdie are three generations of black women who must deal with pregnancy, relationships with difficult and absent mothers, and men who cannot or will not stand by them in times of emotional ordeal. Each of their stories forms the core of the book, with the fourth section given over to a well-crafted, credible, and cathartic denouement in which they are reconstituted as a family. In the early 1960s, New Yorker Olivia Jean, 15, discovers that she is pregnant. Her 30-year-old mother, Daisy, takes her to Alabama to her own mother, Birdie, whom she hasn't seen since she left home at Olivia Jean's age. There, they wait out the teen's shameful state away from neighbors' prying eyes and wagging tongues. Each of these women is feisty, insightful, and smart—and impatient with the generation immediately next to her own. Glover brings each of them—as well as Olivia Jean's adored daddy and Birdie's mysterious partners—to vivid and well-focused life. Easy and quick to read, this story will resonate with girls who know the culture portrayed as well as those who are looking from the outside in.—Francisca Goldsmith, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia

Adult/High School—Seventeen-year-old Emily was overwhelmed by her pregnancy and new baby. She and her boyfriend, Matt, had little support from her family. Emmy was tired, stressed all the time taking care of Mahalia. After a few months she ran away, abandoning the infant to her boyfriend's care. Now she is living with her aunt and trying desperately to come to terms with her decision in the midst of a debilitating depression. Her dreams for her life with her child were shattered when she found she could not cope. Although she has a caring aunt and concerned parents, she floats through her days and evenings, never really connecting with anyone or anything, until she meets Martin and his son, Pete. They are the first people she really sees, and as she begins to watch them, their relationship brings the first glimmer of hope in her life since she left her baby. This story of a young mother groping her way out of depression is depicted with great sensitivity. Emmy's slow rediscovery of her self-esteem feels very real. Little Wing is a companion to Horniman's Mahalia (Knopf, 2003). It can be read alone, although those who do get involved with Emily's situation will seek out the first book.—Charlotte Bradshaw, San Mateo County Library, CA

Adult/High School—After the sudden death of Floy, her father's 300-pound girlfriend, 15-year-old Lutie McFee flees Spearfish, SD, with her 11-year-old brother, Fate. With only an apartment address to guide them, the siblings head toward Las Vegas in Floy's Pontiac, in search of the father they haven't seen or heard from in a year. Lutie's defiant personality lands the pair in a number of dangerous and precarious situations. However, her equally dominant determination drives her to do almost anything to protect her intellectual and withdrawn brother. When she is almost beaten to death during a robbery, a mysterious protector, Juan Vargas, comes to their aid. After getting medical treatment for her, Juan transports Lutie and Fate to his hometown in Hugo, OK. While Fate discovers a world of wonder and happiness, Lutie struggles to accept the support that is being offered to her. The ending, while unlikely, is satisfying and emotionally rewarding. Teens will immediately be drawn into the story by Lutie's feisty personality as well as the adventure, and ultimate hardship, of living by your wits. Recommend this one to those who enjoy gutsy protagonists, gritty plotlines, and fairy-tale endings.—Lynn Rashid, Marriots Ridge High School, Marriotsville, MD

Adult/High School—Published in Zulu in 1961, this recently translated novel should resonate with teens. With colorful storytelling reflecting humor, warmth, and compassion; well-developed characters and sense of place; masterful bantering and bickering; and often hilarious dialogue, the book offers a truly wonderful portrayal of the human condition and the bonds that hold us. A stranger from the city comes to a rural South African village claiming he is a benefactor on a mission to save the people in this traditional, pastoral place from a life of poverty and ignorance. In an attempt to elevate his status in the tribe's eyes, the black Ndebenkulu brags that in the city "whites call me an esquire." This pompous stranger soon manages to divide and disrupt the entire clan. Latching onto the humble and honest farmer Mkhwanazi, he insinuates himself into the man's life to the dismay of the farmer's teenage children and wife, who suspect from the get-go that this bombastic intruder is not at all what he claims to be. This cleverly rendered "boo-and-hiss" villain will leave the audience squirming in their seats as he twists his evil mustache and blatantly lies his way into the lives of this village. Finally, with the help of the tribal chief, Mkhwanazi's children devise a plan to out-con the con. Classism, racism, and encroaching capitalism are keenly represented in this touching, endearing, and sadly prescient tale.—Jodi Mitchell, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School—This well-written, copiously illustrated, slender volume would be a necessary addition to school and public libraries even if there was no narrative, because its outstanding photographs and other graphics are worth the purchase price alone. Bell's writing, however, adds immeasurably to the value of this atlas: it is articulate, clear, informative, and, above all, accurate. The author begins with a succinct history of ballooning and segues to a valuable account of those attempting to master heavier-than-air flight, ending with Orville and Wilbur Wright and their essential innovations and inventions. He covers the relatively slow improvements in airplanes between 1903 at Kitty Hawk and the guns of August 1914, lingering after 1914 on improvements to airplanes during World War I and the interwar period. World War II receives brilliant treatment with subchapters, among others, on the critical Battle of Britain, strategic bombardment, and the cross-Channel invasion at Normandy. Aviation in post-World War II conflicts—the Cold War, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf Wars—is amply treated. Two elements make Bell's book unique: his substantial coverage of civilian aviation and his graphic treatment of aviation's peripherals: maps, charts, air-traffic control, etc. Teens will understand, enjoy, and appreciate this book.—Alan Gropman, National Defense University, Washington, DC

Adult/High School—Cavazos had a rough start and continues to live a life with rough edges. Raised by a single father in East L.A., he was welcomed into the Avenues, a prominent gang, before he even knew the difference between a criminal life and a straight one. "Doc" had few chances to escape the violence around him. After obtaining a license to work as a radiologist and an eye-opening turn in county jail, he left gang life and entered the world of motorcycle clubs. At first glance, readers find the two worlds not dissimilar, and cops would certainly agree, but Cavazos has worked for more than a decade to transform his motorcycle club, the Mongols, and cleanse it of drugs, stealing, and roughing up women. He wants to ride with a group, not a gang, and from this book readers learn of the roadblocks he has had to face in order to turn the Mongols into a respected club. Those looking for "lemonade out of lemons" tales of gang survival and redemption should turn to Luis Rodriguez's Always Running (S & S, 1994). Including a smattering of black-and-white photos, Honor Few, Fear None could easily grab the attention of reluctant male readers and fill the need for gritty urban stories. Since Cavazos uses simple phrasing and tells a gripping story, his book would work well for hi/lo reading. Because of its clear structure and order, teachers could use it as a tool for helping students construct their own biographies.—Sarah Krygier, Solano County Library, Fairfield, CA

Adult/High School—Four-year-old Chiger thought of herself as a princess in her family's grand home in Lvov, Poland, in 1939. But things quickly changed as the Germans took all their belongings, their business, and their house, and moved them into one room in the ghetto. Finally, survival meant hiding for 14 months in the dark, slimy, airless sewers under the city. Leopold Socha, a sewer inspector, brought the family and 17 other people food, supplies, and news of the outside world, saving them and, he hoped, his soul as well. Although the survivors paid him, he continued to help them long after their money had run out. To keep warm, Chiger wore a green sweater knitted lovingly for her by her grandmother. The garment is now on display in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, along with her appalling story. The author writes with a compelling style that imparts the horrors of the sewer, the cruelty of the Gestapo, and the Russian "liberation." From her grand home to the sewers of Lvov, Chiger's exceptional story of a small Jewish girl stands out among the many Holocaust survival narratives as one that will touch the hearts of teens and adults alike and bring home the horrors of this very dark period in history. Use it to personalize the study of the Holocaust in world history, social justice, or psychology class.—Ellen Bell, Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, CA

Adult/High School—Accessibility is the word that comes immediately to mind when considering Billy Collins's poetry, and this collection will surely add to his popularity and praise. Few, if any, poets writing today can match his combination of wit, humor, and irony with equal measures of close observation, intelligence, and passion. Most of his poems can be appreciated with a single reading, but many reveal deeper thought and emotion with repeated readings. Collins is a master at employing simple, direct language to explore the wonders and mysteries of this world. Seemingly without effort, and never forcefully, he consistently invites readers to join him as he notices, considers, and comments on a wide range of profound and mundane aspects of life. All of this is particularly important when readers are relatively inexperienced in the world of poetry. It is safe to say that the legions of teens bored to tears by the likes of Eliot, Pound, and Auden in their English lit classes might form a more accepting view of poetry if they were first introduced to the genre by the work of Collins. This collection includes a poem titled "Oh, MY God!" which, in nine short lines, and with devilish wit, captures the essence of that all-too-popular exclamation in contemporary teen culture. And it is but one example of the many choice nuggets to be found here.—Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School—The tone in this guide is set with Lin's comic-style introduction of her "picture perfect day" as she experiences a wonderful morning of catching up on the latest fashions and plans to go shopping. Unfortunately, she realizes that's a dream, and she proceeds to show the reality of her life as a manga artist working toward a deadline. The book includes an adorable monkey that offers tips and flipbook-style animation of Lin stretching; neither detracts from the practical tips offered. A well-balanced combination of text and images provides solid information for readers wishing to learn or enhance skills in creating manga. Divided into five lessons—drawing tools and supplies, getting ready to draw, creating finished work, special techniques, and coloring—much is packed into this slim book. Lin discusses the importance of creating a story and developing characters, making manga paper (a great money-saving tip), various drawing techniques, and more. A section on computer graphics is likely to appeal to more advanced artists or those with appropriate computer skills. A gallery of the author's beautiful full-color artwork completes this fun and accessible work.—Lara McAllister, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia

Adult/High School—This book illustrates which nonverbal clues telegraph untrustworthiness and deception and which radiate sincerity and compassion. In this fascinating take on body language and the ability to decipher it for use in everyday life, Navarro emphasizes that while knowing the reasons for certain behaviors—like touching one's neck—can be useful in "reading" people, they are not foolproof barometers of deception. A former FBI agent who commonly used these techniques to help crack cases, the author cautions about jumping to conclusions and encourages using clusters of nonverbal patterns to help discover whether a person is lying or just under stress. One chapter is devoted to the brain and its limbic system, which controls those involuntary quirks of behavior. Black-and-white photos illustrate different points throughout. This book is a worthy research tool, and a good addition to larger collections.—Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI

Adult/High School—Preston gets to the heart of these nonfiction essays by placing himself in the center of the story. The "panic" of the book's title refers to his own when his biohazard suit was breached and he feared he may have been exposed to one of the deadliest known viruses. Two of the pieces involve the brothers Chudnovsky, mathematicians so closely dependent on one another that they refer to themselves as The Mathematician. The author was able to disappear as an interviewer to the extent that he became part of the brothers' portrait. At one point, one Chudnovsky says to the other: "The interviewer answers our questions…. The interviewer becomes a person in the story." Preston used this skill of blending into his accounts to his advantage. Whether he was strapping on gear to climb mammoth hemlocks with arborists trying to understand the diseases killing the great trees of the world or acting as an off-road driver for a couple of men with the disease of self-cannibalization, Preston fit in like a good supporting actor who also happened to be the cameraman, writer, and director. Teens will find these stories compelling. The author has the eyes and language of a fine novelist, but he has the mind of a scientist who is trying to understand some of the most fascinating mysteries of our age.—Will Marston, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School—Shukert is saucy, Jewish, and unabashedly quirky. In this collection of autobiographical shorts, she shares memories and anecdotes about growing up in comparatively non-Jewish Nebraska with the pace and proficiency of a veteran auctioneer. The shining gem is the chapter "Nazis in the Walls," which describes eight-year-old, Holocaust-fixated Rachel checking her showerhead for Zyklon B pellets and playing a game with her mother entitled, "People Who Would Hide Us from the Nazis." Perhaps as a habit picked up in explaining religious and familial traditions to goyim in her home state, she also includes a multitude of educational and entertaining footnotes explaining Jewish culture that begin with such greetings as "Howdy Gentiles!" As bright and witty as the author obviously is, however, there is a self-destructiveness and darkness that is at once announced and subsequently glossed over to unsatisfying effect. The humor and irony can feel slightly relentless during moments in which anorexia, alcoholism, and dangerous sexual promiscuity are laughed at a little too loudly. On the other hand, the tenderness and sensitivity of scenes with her grandmother read like a tribute and love letter. All in all, this is a clever and amusing title that is sure to be appreciated by teens who feel just a little outside the norm.—Shannon Peterson, Kitsap Regional Library, WA

Adult/High School—Siceloff and Maloney provide snapshots into the world of modern-day activism by highlighting and expanding stories originally shown on the PBS television show Now. The individuals represented are from all walks of life, and yet they all exemplify how change is possible at the grassroots level. It is easy for readers to jump from one person's story to another's depending on interest; examples of subject matter include environmental concerns, education and literacy, human rights, and politics. Each chapter opens with a couple of photographs and a brief summary of what the person did. Using a combination of narrative and interview techniques, the authors then move into an in-depth examination of what the individual achieved and how the journey began. The chapter concludes with a "Producer's Snapshot" in which a member of the Now production team relates an experience with and impression of the individual. Links to supplemental information on the people profiled, Internet resources, and suggestions for ways to take action in one's own community are included. With its strong role models, this book would make an excellent addition to civics classes and appeal to teens interested in activism.—Kelliann Bogan, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH

Adult/High School—Recognizing fashion styles and trends is one thing; putting them together in new and interesting ways is an altogether different animal. This handy guide helps with both the recognition of fashion dos and don'ts as well as with the development of new—and true—personal styles. It is part history, part fashion adviser, part shopping manual, and all fun. Each item of female clothing, from dresses to accessories to pants to underwear, is covered, with great black-and-white and color illustrations. Sections for each garment include what it looks like, the designer who first introduced it, celebrities who made it hot, and how it can be worn today. Who would have thought that parachute pants could be made rockin'? This would make a good addition to browsing collections, especially in larger libraries and those that have an abundance of fashion-forward or aspiring-designer teens.—Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI