Teen book reviews

articles

• Book review: Stranger Moon by Heather Zydek
• The Guinness World Records 2013
• Book review: Masquerade by Cambria Hebert
• Book Review: My Copan Adventure by Eugene Ruble
• Book review: Fated (Book 1 of The Soul Seekers) by Alyson Noel
• Book review: Underworld by Meg Cabot (book 2 in the Abandon series)
• All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin, a book review
• Review of “The Trap” by Sarah Wray, a teen adventure book

Reviewer: Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author site and find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

Genre: Tween
Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 170 pages
Publisher: Moth Wing Press (November 6, 2011)

Moths, mystery, and growing up are the focus of Stranger Moon. Twelve-year-old Gaia (and she hates her name!) is not your typical tweenager. Anyone who can recite screeds of information about moths, and in particular the elusive Luna moth, just has to be labeled ‘nerd.’ Gaia finds refuge in her love of unusual insects and her little gang of equally geeky friends. Her dad is glued to his computer, her mom died when she was little, and she is bullied by the ghastly duo, ‘The Emmas,’ at school. Could life get any worse? The night she and her friends go on a moth hunt, they find a bug-eating, scary wild woman living in the woods, in an abandoned ice cream van. They spend the summer spying on her, as they investigate her history, as well as defending their tree house from invasion by the Emmas. They discover the identity of the crazy lady, and must decide if they should use the information to exact revenge on Gaia’s worst enemy.

This book is so much more than a story about kids growing up. Gaia and her friends display typical tweenager idiosyncrasies as the author taps right into what makes a tween tick. Each character is well drawn and believable. As the story unfolds, the gang find themselves tested on several levels. They need to learn friendship, compassion, and
basic kindness: to boring Leonard with his yo-yo and his crippled hand, and to the mad woman herself. The ultimate challenge comes with how they deal with the vital information about the woman’s identity. Gaia’s strained relationship with her emotionally distant father also changes, bringing some interesting revelations. I loved the tone of thinking that author Heather Zydeck instils in Gaia’s inner narrative. As in most tween lives, everything is Dramatic and Tragic, with some Big Words to enhance the seriousness of it all. I laughed aloud at various points.

The fragile and sometimes uncertain life cycle of the Luna moth resembles the rite-of-passage that Gaia and some of the other characters experience. The completion of the cycle offers redemption, understanding, and acceptance as they move onto a happier level. There are moments of great sensitivity as Gaia tries to understand life and people, and wrestles with conflicting emotions and ideas. A sensitive and humorous look at the angst and conflicts of tweenagers and their issues. The author impressed me with her perception and insight. I found the resolution and tying up of loose threads a little rushed at the end. However, a great book for tweens, and for parents to learn how tweens think. Highly recommended.

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Review by Tiffany Markman, mom to a one-year-old, tries to balance her workaholism with cuddling her daughter, reading books, consuming caffeine & reining in her intrinsic kugelry. Follow her on twitter.

I’ve been told more than once by friends who work at bookstores that the most commonly stolen book is the bible. Who’d have thought? Well, this book is allegedly number two on that list of dubious distinction: The Guinness World Records.

It’s an annual reference book that contains a collection of world records: both human achievements and extremes of the natural world. In the 2013 edition we find out:

Who’d win in a race – the world’s fastest man or the new fastest sheep?

This edition has all of the stuff I loved as a kid: the disgusting metre-long fingernails, the full-body tattoos and the mammoth spiders, but there’s a free Augmented Reality app (for both iOS and Android) that supposedly brings records to life in 3D.

The layout is bright, if a little busy, and the ‘Actual Size’ button is fabulous. The range of topics is also broader than I remember, extending into tiny niches of pop culture, space travel, sports and engineering. Star Wars even has a dedicated section.

Kids from age 7 or so up will pore over the new Guinness World Records, exclaiming at the coolness, the grossness and the amazingness. Adults just won’t be able to help themselves. And it’s an interesting tome to have lying around the house.

(Quick-‘n’-quiet confession: We keep our Guinness World Records in the loo.)

Note: If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the uniquely detailed free weekly newsletter for parents in Gauteng – Jozikids – or KwaZulu-Natal – Kznkids.

Reviewer: Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author site and find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

Genre: Young Adult

Reading level: Ages 14 and up

Paperback: 360 pages

Publisher: Otherworld Publications LLC (December 7, 2011)

ISBN-13: 978-1936593255

Rating: 4 stars

Available from Kalahari

Golden girl Heven Montgomery had it all: the looks, the body, the talent, the popularity, the good grades, and she is (of course) a cheerleader. Life is perfect…until one day something dreadful happens. Heven is attacked by some horrific creature while walking home from the library and she ends up terribly disfigured. Her life goes from hero to zero in one foul swoop. She can’t even remember what really happened. She hides away from the world, dresses in unattractive clothing, and is left with only one true friend, Kimber. Then gorgeous hunk Sam Kavanagh arrives at her school and things change. Although Heven is sure Sam must be put off by her appearance, he is not. Only Sam sees Heven’s inner beauty, which is still part of her. However, Sam also has terrible secrets; he is not who Heven thinks he is. And he is consumed by guilt about it.

This is a different kind of YA love story, involving the paranormal. It also reverses the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ theme in an interesting way. Just as Beauty discovered the Beast’s inner worth, so does Sam see Heven for who she really is. Heven also rediscovers her sense of self worth. Told from multiple points of view, the story unfolds to reveal an astonishing array of twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing until the very last page.

Author Cambria Hebert has done well with this first novel, getting into the YA thought patterns and expressions, really conveying the emotional highs and lows of the YA experience. Love, the first fluttering feelings, the angst, and ecstasy, and the intensity of each moment are all well described. Emotion, drama, action, horror, and character development make this a YA novel that stands apart from the rest. There is some violence but it is in keeping with the paranormal angle and is acceptable. I found some coincidences a little too convenient and editing issues were distracting, but the story is compelling. YA and paranormal fans will love this book, especially since the ending leads the reader into the next story.

Reviewer: Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author siteand find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

Genre: Adventure/Historical

Reading Level: 7-12

Paperback: 20 pages

Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing

ISBN: 9781616331986

Rating: 4 four stars 

Available from Kalahari

Twelve-year-old James Questor accompanies his father, a Harvard professor, to the Copan Valley, Central America where the professor is investigating the ancient ruins of the city of Copan. Not only is this an adventure for the curious boy, brimful of questions, but it’s also a way of stepping back in time and learning about the ancient Mayan culture that disappeared inexplicably. Experts have proposed a variety of theories: was it war, famine, overbuilding, the lack of water? No one knows, but for James, this is an opportunity to study history up close by exploring the ruins and examining the remains of frescoes, artifacts, and hieroglyphics. Filling in as his father’s assistant is a great way of digging into the past. James is fascinated by what they find on their expedition: not only ruins, but also the remains of huge pyramids, and tall stone slabs called stelae, covered in ancient Mayan writing. Through his questions, James learns about the magnificent Mayan culture that stretched from southern Mexico to northern Honduras.

This is a wonderful book for curious and adventurous kids, eager to learn through having fun. James uses maps to trace their journey, and the beautifully detailed illustrations and maps are a visual feast. The author is a gifted artist and his images are simply wonderful. Just studying the illustrations will teach a keen young reader so much. This is the kind of book that makes learning fun and which young readers will want to treasure.

Reviewer: Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author site and find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

Genre: Young Adult

Reading level: Ages 12 and up

Paperback: 440 pages

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books

ISBN-13: 97-1-4472-0680-4

Rating: 4.5 stars

Available: Exclusive Books and Kalahari

Life changes for Daire Santos at age seventeen. In fact, things get so weird that her mother, Jennika, a film make-up artist, sends Daire to her grandmother in a little town called Enchantment, New Mexico. For a rebellious teen like Daire, this dusty backwater is anything but enchanting. She is also scared of what’s been happening to her: animals follow her; crows mock her; the atmosphere turns hazy and glowing people appear from out the blue. Daire wonders if she is actually having the nervous breakdown her mother thinks she is. Once in Enchantment, her grandmother starts piecing together the puzzle that Daire’s life has become. She is not going nuts. Daire has a role in life that ultimately she’s not too keen on accepting. Her father was a gifted Soul Seeker, as is Daire. His death points to the ominous force looming, one that Daire needs to battle. To do this, she has to learn her craft as a mystical Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the Upperworld, Middleworld, and the dark Underworld. Daire must also connect with her Shaman bloodlines and her animal guide to harness the kind of magickal powers she’ll need. Added to this, Daire meets Dace, the boy she has dreamed about. He is a handsome, pure young man, with similar powers. Alas, his twin, Cade is the exact opposite, and represents evil incarnate. The fight for control of Enchantment begins…

In a novel twist, this book introduces Native American traditions, mythology, and legends to the YA market. This makes for an intriguing story as the reader learns with heroine Daire. Admittedly, Daire starts out a little whiney, but that’s understandable with so many seemingly crazy things happening to her. Daire also loses control when nightmarish visions plague her, and that’s not good for the people around her. Daire’s grandmother is a fount of wisdom and it’s a unique way for the author to weave in the kind of traditions and history that give this book its unusual slant. Fated is filled with a rich mythology in the soul visions, the spiritual quest, and the animal guides that all have meaning for Daire. This book does focus on spiritual growth in a fascinating way, and makes a nice change from the usual menu of vampires/werewolves and other undead elements in the young adult market. Daire learns about love, trust, faith and hope; all the things that have eluded her up until now. Teens keen on an interesting read will love this book. Fated is Book One in the Soul Seekers series. Look out for Book Two: Echo later in 2012

Reviewer: Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author site and find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

Genre: Young Adult

Reading level: Ages 14 and up

Paperback: 308 pages

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books

ISBN-13: 978-0-330-45387-5

Rating: 4 stars

(Available from Kalahari and Exclusive Books)

Imagine if your boyfriend is actually the ruler of the underworld, yep, that’ll be Hades. Now imagine that having died and been revived by him in the past, you’re back in Hades, faced with a choice of – do I stay or do I go? Keep imagining because things are going to get worse! Your grandmother is possessed by a Fury, yes, an evil creature from Greek mythology. She’s trying to kill you so as to punish your boyfriend. Hurting you will hurt him. Now imagine, your cousin Alex is going to be trapped in a coffin on the night when everyone in your hometown of Isla Huesos (which, by the way,means Island of Bones) celebrates a kind of Festival of the Dead tradition. This festival involves lots of coffins … and your cousin is going to suffocate in one of them. Oh, did I mention that a fabulous necklace, given to you by your hunky (dead) boyfriend actually contains the Persephone Diamond, which turns black when Furies are about.

Pierce Oliviera has an extraordinary life. Although she started out as a normal girl, family events took a strange turn. In Book 1: Abandon, Pierce died but was brought back to life by John Hayden, ruler of Hades. Now she finds herself half in the world of the living and half in the world of the dead. Underworld is the second book in the series and expands upon the Hades/Persephone Greek myth, where (if you’ve done your homework) you’ll remember that Persephone ate six pomegranate seeds while in the underworld. As a result, she must spend six months on earth, and six months with her dark consort.

In Underworld, Pierce finds herself more intrigued than ever by the mysterious John Hayden and his smouldering good looks. He is everything a seventeen-year-old girl could want … or maybe not? John has a guilty secret that’s eating him up because basically he is lying to Pierce. Pierce also finds out more about the convoluted and corrupt relationships between the aristocratic and wealthy families on the island. Their histories are intertwined with John’s previous human life. Unfortunately, the rich and powerful of Isla Huesos stop at nothing to keep their secrets safe and their wicked future plans on track. If this involves killing people, then so be it. John, Pierce, and their friends find themselves targeted at every turn by enemies, both human and eternal.

This enchanting and surreal reworking of the Greek legend will definitely intrigue romantic teens as John and Pierce develop their relationship. After all, it’s not every day that a girl says goodbye to the land of the living. The author depicts a plausible underworld, which also has a cast of eccentric characters to assist John as he ferries souls from life into death. Although this is the second book, the author filters enough back history into the story, enabling readers to get the picture. John and Pierce’s otherworldly romance continues in Book 3: Awaken.

by Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author site and find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

Genre: Young Adult

Reading level: Ages 12 and up

Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books

ISBN-13: 978—0-33-53789-6

Rating: 3.5 stars

Fast forward to a semi-dystopian 2083, where pleasure items such as chocolate and coffee are banned, paper is in short supply (thus, no more books are printed), water is rationed, and New York City is a hot bed of crime and poverty. Simple things like telephone calls and emails carry a high price tag. Museums, libraries, and cultural centres have closed down, lakes have dried up, and people wear ‘vintage’ clothing because garment manufacture has stopped. You can’t even get fruit! Yet, life goes on and people manage…in a way.

Anya Balanchine is the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city’s most notorious (and dead) crime boss. The Balanchine family manufactures chocolate, a business that now carries a criminal label. Anya’s mother was killed in a botched assassination attempt on her father’s life. The incident alsoinjured her older brother Leo, leaving him childlike in an adult body. It’s up to Anya to keep the remaining family together, and still shoulder the tasks of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother. Anya is out the family’s immediate sphere of activities until a batch of Balanchine chocolate, given to her by a cousin, has fatal consequences. Anya’s ex-boyfriend is almost fatally poisoned and the police naturally think she’s to blame. At the same time, her new boyfriend’s father, the assistant DA, tells her to keep away from his son (Win) or else! Suddenly, Anya finds herself the focus of public attention and that’s not good! Things go from bad to worse when gentle Leo, who had started working for the family as a gopher, takes it into his head to shoot his uncle, now the head of the Balanchine family business. Everything spirals out of control and Anya faces a heart-breaking decision in order to save her brother and her younger sister.

Told from Anya’s point of view, the story unfolds as Anya battles hardships, trying to salvage her life. Anya is feisty and brave, with a slightly hardened attitude to relationships and people. A nice touch is Anya’s increasing memories of things her father said, and his words of advice. In this way, the father becomes like a living character. Anya will do anything to protect what remains of her family. She is also loyal to her buddy Scarlet, a wacky, arty girl, who is a good friend to Anya. The author has captured perfectly the emotional highs and lows of the main character and readers will really bond with Anya. The book has great pace and action until the high point of Anya’s arrest. Then the story slackens and much of what takes place thereafter (exciting in itself) seems almost quickly jammed together to get to the end. This is the first book in the Birthright trilogy, which could account for a rushed conclusion.

by Fiona Ingram, a  South African writer who loves books, travel, animals, antiques, and adventures of all kinds! Read Fiona’s author site and find out about her recently published children’s adventure novel

Length: 240 pages

Rating: 4 stars

Suitable For: Ages 10+

When fifteen-year-old British teen Luke Sheldon wins a place at an American summer camp for smart kids, he thinks he’s in for the trip of a lifetime. He’s also glad to get away from his snarky older brother for the holidays. It sounds like a dream vacation, with courses in cool stuff like archery, fire building, horse riding, and survival techniques. Surrounded by forests and built above a labyrinth of underground tunnels, there is more to Camp Hope than meets the eye. Why do some of the kids suggest the place should be called Camp No Hope? Is it true that three campers disappeared a few years earlier? And why does camp leader Captain Budd as well as the course trainers refuse to talk about it? When Luke starts to find coded messages in his dorm, he thinks it is a silly game until disaster strikes. Too late, he discovers he has been lured into a terrifying trap that could cost him his life.

The adrenalin starts pumping on page one as we find Luke running down an underground tunnel, running for his life! Flashback to when it all begins at camp where Luke meets up with a bunch of teens just like him. There is the usual gaggle of types: the bully, the sidekick, the nerd, the good friend, the joker, and of course, the GIRLS! In an amazing coincidence, Luke bumps into Natalie, his best friend in junior school. At the time, they were inseparable, until Natalie’s parents died and she moved away. Luke is happy to renew his connection with Natalie and even imagines thingscould go further until…the beautiful Kathryn (aka Star) arrives. She’s totally gorgeous, confident, popular, and she chooses Luke as her campboyfriend. Although he’s no slouch, Luke hasn’t much confidence when it comes to girls. Star’s friendship with him is like a dream come true, except that it seems to alienate Natalie. His friendship with Natalie also causes tension between Luke and his best camp buddy, Matt. Added to this swirling mix of emotional pressure and excitement at decoding each new clue is Luke’s weird dorm leader (adult) Drew, who has all the characteristics of someone who could kill and not bat an eyelid. Drew also likes knives… Things are never quite what they seem, and it’s up to Luke to solve this mystery without ending up dead!

This is an action-packed teen adventure certain to keep young readers glued to the pages. The characters are well rounded, and Luke is a very likable teen. The events unfold through his eyes, and in the process, Luke makes discoveries about himself and his relationships with others around him. By the end of this riveting read he has matured, and come to an understanding about life. The message of the book is one of forgiveness and hope, and the meaning of friendship.

ISBN-10: 0571239218

ISBN-13: 978-0571239214

Publisher: Faber Childrens