Recent Read: Inside Out and Back Again

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, and then just received a Newbery Honor. And now that I've read it, I can agree that the awards and honors are well-deserved. Written in free verse poems, this children's book tells the story and experience of 10-year-old Ha's journey from war-torn Vietnam to safety in the very foreign United States. Each poem is like a moment, a snapshot, a taste, a feeling. Lai very effectively brings to life the little things--the difficulty of adjusting to new food, language barriers and difficulties, etc. It's absolutely lovely. Plus, it's fast--you could probably read it in an hour or two.

Recent Read: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson is a high fantasy novel about Princess Elisa, a plain, overweight, and lazy second daughter thrown into the spotlight and a position of leadership she was never supposed to bear at the age of 16 as she's suddenly married off to the handsome king of the neighboring kingdom. She also is the chosen one--the bearer of the Godstone and therefore destined to perform a great service for good and for God. But she doesn't understand her mission, her role as queen, or her own strength.

I was impressed by this book. Sometimes young adult fantasy novels are underdeveloped--especially in comparison to adult fantasy. So it was refreshing to read something more complex, without quick fixes or cliches. I love Elisa--she's so human. She struggles with her faith, she gets winded going up stairs, she's unpopular, but she's smart and clever and has a good heart. All of the characters are well-rounded and interesting. The world-building is also fresh and new (it's spanish-influenced, the settings are deserts and jungles, and the magic is religious). Quite good and refreshing in a lot of ways.

ALA Youth Media Awards 2012

I think I was more pleased by who didn't win than who did.

Medals are in golden yellow; honors are in gray.

CALDECOTT

A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka

Blackout by John Rocco

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell

This list is not at all unexpected. A Ball for Daisy was all over the place. People loved it. It's sweet and nicely done, and a dog book. If you love dogs, I think its safe to say you will love this book. .

Blackout was also very good. There's a blackout in NYC and so a boy and his family discover the stars and playing in the streets and playing games by candlelight. Really nice.

As you know, I love Me...Jane.

Grandpa Green I figured would get something, but I think it's undeserved. Nice concept poorly executed in my opinion. The illustrations are great, but as I mentioned before, it's confusing; it has pronoun problems (antecedent rule).

NEWBERY

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin

I had heard of everything except Breaking Stalin's Nose. I'm in the middle of Inside Out and Back Again (also the winner of a National Book Award), a novel in verse about moving from Vietnam to America during the war. So far, quite good. Happy to see the overrated Breadcrumbs did not get anything.

PRINTZ

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Why We Broke Up by David Handler

The Returning by Christine Hinwood

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Nothing for Chime, surprisingly (though I can't say I'm disappointed).

So those are the big categories. Some of the smaller categories are worth looking at too.

GEISEL (for easy readers)

Tales for Very Picky Eaters by Josh Schneider

I Broke My Trunk by Mo Willems

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

See Me Run by Paul Meisel

For those of you who don't know, the easy/independent/beginning reader is a very specific genre meant for children learning to read on their own. They use a simple vocabulary, a large typeface, and short sentences. Did you ever read the Frog and Toad books? Those are easy readers. So it's a particular challenge to come up with a fun, entertaining, story with such limitations. There is a lot of boring stuff out there, so it's fun to see who is honored in this category. I checked out Tales for Very Picky Eaters today and it's a lot of fun, but I think I Want My Hat Back is better--in its originality, story and illustrations (so, everything). Mo Willems is the king of the easy reader (and one of the most popular children's author/illustrators today--I've read 32 of his 36 books, they're all good if not excellent).  He's won the medal twice and been honored twice in this category. His Elephant & Piggie books are hilarious and delightful, and I Broke My Trunk is no exception.

William C. MORRIS Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

So here's where we find Between Shades of Gray (happy to see it got something) and Girl of Fire and Thorns. I've almost finished Girl of Fire and Thorns--a really good fantasy story.

Now I have one question

Where on earth is A Monster Calls????!!!!!

It seems like a crime that it wasn't honored or medaled anywhere in these awards. (Does it not qualify?) I can acknowledge that though I loved Between Shades of Gray and Imaginary Girls, they had their flaws. But this book was excellent on every level. It's creative, well-crafted, meaningful, artistic, loved, critically acclaimed. How could it not win anything? Maybe I don't know their criteria well enough. Read it, and see if you understand what I mean (or if you disagree).

Why I didn't like Chime as much as everyone else did

So let me start off by saying I liked Chime. I thought it was quite good when all is said and done. There were some wonderful things about it (see the end of this post). But I also thought there were some major problems, too. I don't think it's as stunning as everyone says.

I read one glowing review after another--on librarian blogs, in newspapers, in review publications, on GoodReads, etc. They gush and gush over the language. But I found one particularly interesting review on GoodReads which inadvertently highlighted what was wrong with this book. Unfortunately I can't find the review to quote it, but she said that she liked it but had a hard time following the scenes in the swamp. She was confused. That's the key problem with this book. Billingsley is guilty of going for pretentious "evocative prose." The cost? Clarity.

The swamp scenes are the worst offenders. They're vague and interspersed with Briony's narration and commentary. Billingsley leaves out details, and says things like "the stars rubbed out the Dreary-spaced shape" (referring to Mr Dreary's disappearance into the swamp). Another example: "I made a sound like peeling paint." What does peeling paint sound like? It's especially problematic when the major action happens in the swamp. There are moments when it's hard to tell what exactly is happening because it's so vague. It wasn't until afterwards that I could infer what happened. Sometimes it works really well, and the imagery is indeed quite evocative: "With every step, we squeezed at the lungs of the swamp. It breathed out mist and poison." But too often it was hard to follow and understand.

At other times it just annoyed me: "Eldric and I drifted through the swamp. We wept cross the Flats, we bled around the remains of ancient trees." They were walking, not bleeding or crying. This is supposed to connote something, but what I'm not entirely sure.

I can see how the narration could turn people off. Briony's first person narration is saturated with thoughts of her own self-hatred. She also insists that she isn't a regular girl and doesn't feel what regular girls feel. Hearing her go on and on about this can be annoying (there were many comments to this effect on GoodReads). So the beginning is a mixture of Briony's internal narrative, vague swamp scenes, and withheld information that is hinted at without being revealed. That might be enough to stop some readers from continuing. I wouldn't blame them.

But as far as Briony's narration goes--there's a purpose which I will not reveal. Once I finished the book and looked back on the narration, I thought it interesting and well done. And I also can't help but wonder if girls with self-loathing issues and self esteem problems might relate to her thinking.

My criticisms being said, this is a really interesting book. Lots of people love it, and I can understand why. I loved the creative, eerie, and dangerous world of Swampsea. And the relationships and interactions of the characters are great--including a nice romance. And then there's the ending which puts the whole thing in a new light. Once everything is revealed,... well, I guess you'll have to read it to understand what I'm talking about. It concludes in an interesting, beautiful and meaningful way.

Vicar of Dibley

So I've been on two kinds of kicks recently: Richard Armitage and British television.

So when I heard that Richard Armitage did a comedy stint on the Vicar of Dibley, I had to see it. I'd seen a bit of the show once--i think it was their red nose day thing or something. I watched "The Handsome Stranger," where Armitage's character is introduced. HYSTERICAL.



If only life were really like this.

Best Picture Books of 2011

I read 70+ picture books published in 2011 in my quest to put together my own list of the best picture books of the year. I read every picture book mentioned on a list and in major blogs as Caldecott contenders/best of 2011. So I feel pretty confident that (unlike last year) I really saw all of the best the year had to offer. This is a pretty objective list (as objective as I can be). Unlike the Books of 2011 list which was about favorites and titles I loved, this is about quality. I evaluate them based on story, illustrations, how well they’re suited to each other, language, and kid appeal.

(Just a note: If you don't have kids yet and so this doesn't seem quite relevant, there is one title that I would encourage you to go read: I Want My Hat Back)

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
How to describe this book? Told through dialogue, it's a story of a bear’s search for his missing hat, accompanied by nearly expressionless illustrations that result in deadpan humor. The bear asks a series of animals “Have you seen my hat?” He lies down lamenting, “My poor hat. I miss it so much,” before realizing that one of the animals was lying (something that readers already saw and recognized). The major events of the story are implied rather than shown, including the wickedly funny conclusion, but I think this makes the whole thing more fun, as readers figure out the hidden jokes. Everything in this book—illustrations, text, pacing, etc.—work together to create a hilarious and clever picture book that is truly original.

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes
The endpapers alone are enough to set this book apart. As the title suggests, this book shows spirals in nature—where they can be found, what purpose they serve, and how beautiful they are. The reader is presented with animals (snails, merino sheep, squirrels curled up to sleep, monkeys grasping trees), plants (ferns, flowers like roses and calla lilies), and even forces of nature (whirlpools, waves, tornadoes, galaxies). The stunning scratchboard illustrations are intricate and give the reader myriad things to look at and find. A reader could spend hours scrutinizing the pages. But this book does even more—it alerts the reader to the beauty and genius of nature. It inspires the reader to look outward for the spirals around them. See the real cover with a snail front and center here.

Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell
When I heard about a book about Jane Goodall, I rolled my eyes, totally uninterested. But in trying to keep up with buzz, I checked it out, read it, and found it was wonderful! It tells the story of a girl named Jane and the childhood explorations of nature and dreams of future explorations she shares with her stuffed chimpanzee. I loved the use of old ornamental engravings. Both the prose and the illustrations capture childhood wonder, innocence, and whimsy. What I really loved about his was that it didn’t strike me as a book about Jane Goodall, but a book about childhood imagination and dreams, and their coming true!

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey and Tom Lichtenheld

The perfect book for little truck-lovers who need to go to bed. Nice pastel illustrations accompany clever rhyming stanzas about various kinds of trucks and the things they need to do to go to sleep. Dear Cement Mixer "takes his bath, gets shiny-bright. / Pulls up his chute, turns off his light. / He cuts his engine, slows his drum, / And dreams of sweet dreams of twirly fun.” In the illustration, Cement Mixer has pulled a blanket over himself (which sits on top of him like a handkerchief). At the end of each description the reader whispers, “Shh…goodnight, goodnight.” It’s the kind of book that would likely be requested over and over and over again, and good enough that a parent wouldn’t mind. A gem.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon by Katherine Peterson, illustrated by Pamela Dalton
This is a “reimagined” version of St Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Creatures illustrated in beautiful scherenschnitte (papercuttings). Each page contains a few lines thanking God for his creations of a certain category—sun, moon and stars, wind and air, water, etc. The intricate paper cutouts that accompany the lines are filled with details and scenes of people, animals, and nature, often framed by natural ornamentation. Children will have much to look at on each page, and it’s kinda nice to have such a high quality book that is all about gratitude to God.

Melvin and the Boy by Lauren Castillo
A story not just about having a pet, but about caring enough about something to let it go. A boy wants a pet and thinks he’s found the perfect solution when he sees some turtles in the public park. He takes one home, names him Melvin (because “because Melvin is a good name for a turtle”) and tries to do all the things he imagined doing with a pet-—playing, sharing food, meeting his friends, taking him for a walk, etc-—but Melvin doesn't really like to come out of his shell. Melvin realizes that his pet would be happier back in the pond with his friends. This a quiet, sweet book with some humor and lovely illustrations that perfectly suit the story.

Bone Dog by Eric Rohman
In this sweet Halloween story, a boy and his beloved dog, Ella, anticipate the end of their time together in her old age. Under the full moon Ella promises Gus she will never leave him, noting that “a promise made under a full moon cannot be broken.” After Ella dies, Gus goes out to trick-or-treat in a skeleton costume, only to be surrounded by a bunch of real skeletons, who are eager to turn him into one of them. “Bone appetite!” Before they can get too close, a bone dog comes racing in. I won’t spoil the end but it’s funny, just as many of the illustrations and skeletons’ lines are. A story of grief, mixed with humor. The ghouls of Halloween make for an entertaining read, yet it's also a comforting story, as Gus comes to terms with the death of his friend. The illustrations are fantastic hand-colored relief prints with heavy black outlines.

Press Here by Herve Tullet *
An interactive book that doesn’t require some kind of electronic tablet. It starts with a yellow dot on a white page. Underneath it says, “Press here and turn the page.” Turning the page reveals a page that looks identical except another yellow dot has appeared next to the first one. The reader is soon instructed to rub one of the yellow dots, the result is that on the next page, that dot is red. The reader introduces more dots and more colors, shakes them around, turns off the lights, blows the dots out of the way, and enlarges them. It’s fun, creative and unique, and I imagine kids would love it.

Along A Long Road by Frank Viva *
As the small print notes at the beginning, “this book was created as a single, continuous thirty-five-foot-long piece of art using Adobe Illustrator.” The reader follows as someone travels along a long, glossy, golden yellow road that can be traced, unbroken from beginning to end. The stylized illustrations are appealing, and each page has lots of little details tucked away for children to find.


Can We Save the Tiger? By Martin Jenkins, illustrated by Vicky White

It’s not all that often that nonfiction titles are truly interesting, but this one is. It’s a book about endangered animals. It discusses different kinds, explaining their situation and why it is what it is. Jenkins details the plight of extinct animals, animals who are losing their habitats, animals that have been affected by unnatural predators that humans have brought to their habitats, animals endangered accidentally by human actions or disease, and animals who used to be endangered or on the brink of extinction but aren’t anymore thanks to conservation efforts. Well-written, easy to understand, interesting. But the highlight of this book, and the thing that takes it to the next level are the illustrations. Natural history illustrator Vicky White’s illustrations are stunning! You can see some of her more serious artistic work here.

* not eligible for Caldecott

Honorable Mention
Gingerbread Man Loose in School by Laura Murray, illustrated by Mike Lowery
Samantha on a Roll by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Christine Davenier
Stars by Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee
Where's Walrus by Steven Savage
A House in the Woods by Inga Moore
Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes
Perfect Square by Michael Hall
If You Lived Here: Houses of the World by Giles Laroche
Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? by Susan A. Shea, illustrated by Tom Slaughter


Notably missing:

Grandpa Green – a nice idea with nice illustrations but a bit confusing. There are pronoun problems, and it comes off as a book for adults not kids. Kids will probably like the topiary but I don't know if they'd get the rest of it.

Blue Chicken – inconsistent and unrealistic (I know it’s about chickens that come to life off the page, but how does pouring water over everything only eliminate the blue you don’t want?), some redundancy, a little wordy.

Singles of 2011

"Lonley Boy" by The Black Keys
This was tough because I like to only have 1 single per group, but the Black Keys had two stellar singles from two different albums this year. (The other was "Howlin for You" from Brothers). It took me a long time to get with the program (Tighten Up deserved a place in last year's list), but now I'm hooked on the Black Keys. Sometimes all you wanna hear is some good old-fashioned guitar-driven rock n roll. How they got put in the Alternative category of the Grammys I'll never know.


"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele
Fantastic. She has that fabulous voice, and then you add a great a beat, some soul, and a song that isn't just some characterless pop song. I also love Rumour Has It, Someone Like You, and Turning Tables.


"Young Blood" by The Naked and Famous
A new band from New Zealand with a unique sound chracteristic of new electronic trends in alternative music.


"If You Wanna" by The Vaccines
The Vaccines worked on stripping down songs to the essentials. The result? Irresistible, simple rock songs like this. I dare you to resist.


"Holocene" by Bon Iver
beautiful. And the video was shot in what looks a bit like paradise to me: Iceland.


"Hellcat Spangled Shalalala" by Arctic Monkeys
A laid back 60s summer afternoon. My favorite songs from the new album? Suck It And See, That's Where You're Wrong, and Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair. This song has an interest factor that landed it on the list.



"We Found Love" by Rihanna
One of her best.


"Lotus Flower" by Radiohead
Whatever Radiohead comes up with next, it's usually interesting. Though I always skip 2 tracks on the disappointingly short album, I like the single--and I even like the video in all its Thom Yorke weirdness.


"Sophia" by Laura Marling
Laura continues to evolve in her sound and mature in her music and her presence. "Sophia" is indicative of a new twang and hint of blues that was introduced on the new album.


"Cruel" by St. Vincent
Weird, interesting, original. And I wanted to put someone new on the list. I think my favorite song from the album is Strange Mercy, but this is the single, alors voila quoi.




Honorable Mention

"Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People


"Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes


"Still Life" by the Horrors


"Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga


"Super Bass" by Nicki Minaj
If you want to listen to this one without swearing or seeing scantily clad people, go here.


"Midnight City" by M83



Notably missing: Coldplay (one word: bleagh ;-D actually the album is okay, but no more than okay.)

Books of 2011

Books read: 61

(see another post for picture books)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman ✦ The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter ✦ The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan ✦ Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer ✦ Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb ✦ Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson ✦ Go Ask Alice ✦ The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky ✦ Graceling by Kristin Cashore ✦ Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block ✦ American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang ✦ 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher ✦ Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney ✦ How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff ✦ The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz ✦ A Step From Heaven by An Na ✦ The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie ✦ When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead ✦ Dragon Haven by Robin Hobb ✦ Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegestar ✦ A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer ✦ The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer ✦ Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman ✦ Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin ✦ Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine ✦ Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi ✦ The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins ✦ White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean ✦ Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding ✦ Uglies by Scott Westerfeld ✦ A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray ✦ Pretties by Scott Westerfeld ✦ Vampire Knights vol. 1 ✦ House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer ✦ Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead ✦ Looking for Alaska by John Green ✦ Scott Pilgrim 123456 ✦ Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor ✦ Withering Tights by Louise Rennison* ✦ Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater ✦ Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison ✦ Divergent by Veronica Roth* ✦ Born to Rock by Gordon Korman ✦ Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel ✦ Peak by Roland Smith ✦ Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol* ✦ The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger ✦ A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness* ✦ Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys* ✦ Zita the Spacegirl by Ryan Hatke* ✦ Beauty Queens by Libba Bray* ✦ A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness* ✦ Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu* ✦ Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma* ✦ Chime by Franny Billingsley* ✦ Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns) by Mindy Kaling

* indicates published this year

Now I'm gonna talk about my favorite books of the year. Not best, favorite. There are plenty of these I'd recommend (and some I would not), but I did manage to narrow favorite things down to 10 (with some honorable mentions, because it's so hard to pick just 10).

1. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
I think this was the book of the year for me. I listened to this on CD in the car going to and from internships and school. It grabbed me, drew me in, and didn’t let go until the last word. Krakauer, an experienced climber, shares his journey up Everest, which started as a report on the commercialized climbing operations coming into vogue, and ended as survival of the deadliest season on Everest in history. I found the story intensely fascinating. Krakauer's vivid descriptions made me feel like I was on the mountain with him. It sparked an obsession with climbing and really tall mountains which will probably stay with me for the rest of my life. Even though I read it 8 months ago, I could start reading it again tomorrow.

2. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys*

In the middle of World War II, Stalin took over the Baltic States of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, and in 1941 he deported 300,000 Lithuanians he considered a threat to his regime, transporting them to work camps and prisons in Siberia. This is the story of 15-year-old Lina, who is separated from her father and deported along with her mother and 10-year-old brother. It’s a story of terrible tragedy and cruelty, and yet a story of hope, love, and the strength of the human spirit. Beautifully written, Sepetys develops strong characters that I cared about, and creates striking images that stuck with me. I really loved this book. Even though the events of the book are tragic and heart-breaking, I came away with a feeling of hope and awe at not only the strength of the human spirit, but at the love and kindness humanity is capable of even in the worst of circumstances.

3. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness*

Conor O’Malley is woken one night to the sound of someone calling his name. As he looks out the window, he sees a monster—a giant, walking yew tree—but Conor isn’t afraid because he has to deal with much worse in his waking life: his single mother’s cancer treatments. But was the monster real or a dream? The monster returns and tells Conor that he will tell him three stories, and then Conor must share a story of his own—Conor’s own truth. I didn’t know much going in, but I could tell from the beginning that this was going to be novel about grief and how a 13-year-old deals with his mother’s cancer, rather than a novel about a monster. It isn’t a long book, and Ness isn’t wordy, but in simplicity Ness conveys powerful, complex emotions. This book is beautiful, breathtaking and heart wrenching. The dark, textured illustrations spread and creep into the margins, adding to the story and its mood. There were so many moments that struck my very core—they were so true, so real, so authentic. It’s a sad story, and there’s a good chance it will make you cry, but I think it’s worth it. (If you’re looking for catharsis—this would do the trick.)

4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I'm not even gonna bother saying anything.

5. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Arnie is born and raised on the Spokane Indian reservation. He’s smart, but he’s also beat up on a regular basis by teens and adults alike, and everyone around him is drunk most of the time, including his parents. At the suggestion of a teacher, Arnie decides his only hope is to transfer to a school off the reservation, where the only other Indian is the school mascot, a decision that may save his life but is also perceived as the ultimate betrayal by his community and best friend. It's a book that's funny and real and poignant, and I was fascinated by the reservation world which is so foreign to me. I also liked the messages of transcending your fate and the evils of alcohol (a real breath of fresh air in a genre that so regularly depicts it as fine, normal, fun). Plus it's based on the author's own life (he too, left the reservation to attend a mostly white school). (There’s quite a bit of language)

6. Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor

In the author's note, Taylor explains some of her inspiration, concluding, "Like a magpie, I am a scavenger of shiny things: fairy tales, dead languages, weird folk beliefs, fascinating religions, and more." Mix that with her love of Rosetti's "Goblin Market" and you get this young adult book of 3 stories of 3 kisses in different times and places and the results and meaning of those kisses. Fanciful, haunting, vivid imagery, passionate, romantic, with a fair amount of the sinister and creepy. I should include a caveat that this book is not graphic, but it’s suggestive. The last story in particular has potential to make readers uncomfortable because of the kind of invasive, violating magic that is used. And there’s an implied sex scene (or at least that’s what I wrote in my notes—I don’t actually remember anymore). I just don’t want anyone to be caught unawares.

7. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Unaware that his parents have just been murdered and their killer is coming for him, a baby climbs out of his crib, wanders out of the house, and into the safety of a nearby graveyard, where the ghostly inhabitants decide to adopt him and raise him as their own. What follows are the adventures Bod (short for Nobody) has growing up in the most unusual of circumstances. I love the graveyard world Gaiman creates; the ghosts are delightful and charming. Sometimes joyful, at other times sad, all of Bod's adventures have a certain child-like quality to them that makes the book rather sweet despite the harrowing beginning. I love the Washington Post’s comment: “Like a bite of dark Halloween chocolate, this novel proves rich, bittersweet and very satisfying.”

8. Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Scott Pilgrim is 23, lives in Toronto, is the lead singer of his band Sex Bo-bomb, is “in between” jobs, and just started dating a cute high schooler named Knives Chau. Life is sweet until magenta-haired, very cool Ramona Flowers rollerblades into his life. Then life gets sweeter, and a lot more complicated. He learns that in order to date Ramona, Scott has to defeat her seven evil exes. I smiled and laughed my way through all six volumes of this quirky series. Scott is slightly awkward, doing things like learning the guitar line from Final Fantasy, and saying stuff like, “I wish I could turn into a morphing ball and roll to the bathroom from here, instead of having to get up.” The characters are likeable alternative types. The illustrations are well-done—expressive and humorous. It’s part manga, part comic book, and part video game, but the story and writing are strong enough for me to love it even though I’m not a gamer or comic book nerd.

9. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
I almost forgot about this one because it was earlier in the year. Melinda starts high school rejected and ostracized because she called the cops at a party over the summer. All her closest friends ignore her, never bothering to find out why she made the call—something that happened that she's buried deep inside herself. Anderson's sarcasm and humor are perfectly suited to high school. But what I really connected to was how well she captured the feelings of solitude and isolation I know so well. Because of that, the humor, and the spot-on depiction of the atmosphere of high school, this is an excellent and authentic book.

9. Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma*

Ultimately, I think this is about two sisters and their all-powerful bond. The story is told from the perspective of the younger Chloe, who describes Ruby (the one who raised her while her mother was drunk and her father was absent) as a captivating girl who seems to have a way with all people—charming them into doing whatever she wants. While at a party with her sister, 14-year-old Chloe swims into the reservoir and discovers a dead body in a row boat. Then everything changes, and she is sent away to live with her father, a few states away. But after two years, Ruby comes to get her and bring her back home where everything is like it was before…or is it? I had my doubts about this book when I started it. Then I read chapter 4 and I was hooked. I had to know what was going on (I’d rather err on the side of giving you less plot info rather than more, but at the same time it might be good to know that if you're looking for a completely realistic story this is not quite it). Suma created such vivid characters and images, I sometimes felt like I could see them standing in front of me. There was a fluidity and eeriness and strangeness and moodiness to it that I really liked.

10. Looking for Alaska by John Green

Last-words-collecting Miles Halter leaves his home where he has no friends to discover what Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps" at Culver Creek Boarding School. There he makes a few friends, including the the wild, sexy, clever, and messed up Alaska Young. Surprisingly, I had a hard time putting this book down. I really appreciated how well-written it was. The language, composition of the story, characterization—they were all so well done (it’s one of those stories where little things are introduced that you barely notice, and then they come into play later on). There are moments of such poignancy and honesty without sentimentality. (Caveat: There is a rather graphic, but short sex scene, sensuality, TONS of smoking and drinking, and language)

Another set of titles I could have included on this list because of the impression they made is A Child Called It / The Lost Boy by David Pelzer. If you don't know already, the two books together are about the horrific child abuse of a little boy and his escape from it into foster care. Tragic, fascinating, difficult both to put down and to take but also hopeful. It's another one that had quite an effect on me.

Other books I loved/thoroughly enjoyed this year and would recommend (but don't quite fit the above category):

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding (this might've belonged in the above list)
Withering Tights by Louise Rennison* Good company, quite funny.  Set in England, it's a about a girl named Talullah who goes to a performing arts summer camp/college thing in Yorkshire. A book with delightful quirky characters that I just enjoyed spending time with.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Dave Kinney Fast, funny read.
Uglies and Pretties by Scott Westerfeld Set in a future US where everyone has an operation at the age of 16 to turn them "pretty." Will Tally follow her friend who plans to run away to a place (that may or may not exist) where people stay ugly for life or will she get the operation, fulfilling her lifelong dream?
Antsy Does Time by Neil Shusterman When Antsy learns his friend has a terminal illness he signs over one month of his life to his friend.  (sounds sci-fi but it's not)
Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol* In this graphic novel, Anya struggles with regular teenage insecurities about her body, her family and boys, but when she meets a ghost at the bottom of a well, things start to change.