LSSL 5385 Module 4 Book Reviews

 

Brenda Ybarra

LSSL 5385

Module 4: Historical Fiction

• Title:  The Book Thief

Bibliography: 

Zusak, M. (2007). The Book Thief. Random House Children's Books.

ISBN:  978-0375842207

• Summary: 

• The Book Thief is a story that takes place in Germany during the wartime years of the late 1930s.  In this story, nine-year-old Liesel Meminger and her younger brother are being taken to a foster family.  On the way, her brother dies unexpectedly and during his burial,  she sees a book and decides to take it.  Over time, Liesel adjusts to her new family and even makes new friends.  Her attraction to books also continues to grow and so she continues to steal them, that is until she is given access to a library.   After going through tough times, Liesel feels like she no longer believes in the power of words so she decides to no longer read.  She is then encouraged to write her own life story instead and so she does.  This eventually saves her life after war destruction hits close to home and kills her family.  When having to relocate, Liesel drops her finished autobiography and Death picks it up.  Death is fascinated by the words in that book and when it is time for him to take Liesel, shocking confessions are revealed.

• 
  

• Critical Analysis:

• The idea of reading historical fiction had never really appealed to me.  I don’t know if this was due to past experiences, or just a lack of knowledge of the genre, but I have to say my perspective has completely changed, especially after reading The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak.  The Book Thief is written and presented in a particular way which just brings the story to another level.  Death narrates the story and shares the tale of an orphan who possesses a great passion for books and begins to steal them at a young age.  Not only is the story interesting, but it is written in a particular way that takes the reader back to the dark times of war in Germany but still makes us feel the sweetness and strength of a little girl caught in the middle of it all.  The author submits us through many emotions as the story unfolds.  The imagery used is incredible, giving us a clear picture of what is happening at every moment.  All this makes this book a must-read.  Overall The Book Thief is simply captivating!  One of the best novels I have ever read.

• 
  

• Review Excerpts:

• "Elegant, philosophical and moving...Beautiful and important."

• - Kirkus Reviews, Starred

• 
  

• "Exquisitely written and memorably populated, Zusak's poignant tribute to words, survival, and their curiously inevitable entwinement is a tour de force to be not just read but inhabited."

• - The Horn Book Magazine, Starred

• 
  

• "An extraordinary narrative."

• - School Library Journal, Starred

• 
  

• Connections:

• Other books by Markus Zusak:

• Underdogs 

• I am the Messenger 

• Bridge of Clay 

• 
  

• Related books:

• The Book of Lost Names

• All the Light We Cannot See

• Anne Frank:  The Diary of a Young Girl

• Title:  Salt to the Sea

• Bibliography:

• Sepetys, R. (2017). Salt to the Sea. Penguin Young Readers Group.

• ISBN:  978-0142423622

• 
  Summary:

• Salt to the Sea is a story of a historical event that is not well-known to many.  The story is set during World War II and begins in January 1945.  At this time, the Russians are gaining ground in East Prussia and people are fleeing, wanting to escape.  They board overcrowded ships that will take them to safety.  There are four main characters in this novel; Joana, Florian, Emilia, and Alfred.  All four board the same ship, Wilhelm Gustloff, and so their paths cross.  While on their journey to safety, the ship is struck by a Soviet submarine, and this causes one of the worst maritime disasters in history.  Only a few are able to survive.  Among them, Joana and Florian.

•  

• Critical Analysis:

• Salt to the Sea is beautifully written.  It is a very impactful story about such a tragic event.  The author places great emphasis on each one of her characters, and I feel this helps the reader immerse into each one of their situations.  The lives of these characters captivate you as you read.  

• 
  

I was not too familiar with this historical event, yet as I read, I was shocked at how tragic 

and deadly it was.  The facts presented helped me learn much more about it.  It was very sad to read about the situations the people were facing.  Ruta Sepetys does an amazing job exposing the truth of this “forgotten” event.  The book brings light to it in a spectacular way.  This is now one of my favorite historical fiction novels.      

• 
  

• Review Excerpts:

• * "This haunting gem of a novel begs to be remembered, and in turn, it tries to remember the thousands of real people its fictional characters represent. What it asks of us is that their memories, and their stories, not be abandoned to the sea." —Booklist, starred review

•  

• * "Artfully told and sensitively crafted, Sepetys’s exploration of this little-known piece of history will leave readers weeping." —SLJ, starred review

• 
  

• "The inevitability of the ending (including the loss of several characters) doesn't change its poignancy, and the short chapters and slowly revealed back stories for each character guarantee the pages keep turning. Heartbreaking, historical, and a little bit hopeful." —Kirkus Reviews

• 
  

• Connections:

• Other books by Ruta Sepetys:

• Between Shades of Gray

• Out of the Easy

• The Fountains of Silence

• I Must Betray You

• 
  

• Related books:

• Code Name Verity

• Between Shades of Gray

• All the Light We Cannot See

• Title:  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

• Bibliography:

• Boyne, J. (2007). The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Random House Children's Books.

• ISBN:  978-0385751537

• 
  Summary:

• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is the story of a nine-year-old German boy, Bruno, who with his family moves to a concentration camp in Poland.  In the camp, he lives in a lonely house surrounded by barbed-wire fences.  One day, he meets a boy who is on the other side of the fence.  The boy, Shmuel, is wearing striped pajamas.  The two boys form an unusual but deep friendship, each from their side of the fence.  This friendship remains a secret.  Bruno never really understands the situation until one day he decides to cross to the other side of the fence to help his friend Shmuel look for his father.    Shmuel gives Bruno his own set of striped pajamas so he can wear them.  While at the camp, Bruno is shocked at the poor conditions the people there live in.  Before he can cross back, Bruno and Shmuel, along with other prisoners, are killed in a gas chamber.  

•  

• Critical Analysis:

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a powerful but moving story.  It is told through the eyes of a child who does not really understand the atrocities occurring around him.  The story is very well-written while presenting a very sad and sensitive topic to the reader.

  

Although this story is regarded as a fable, the story pertains to actual events in history.  Historically it might not be completely accurate, but it does present some factual information throughout.    It seems as if the author’s focus is on the story itself but subtly blends in the subject of the Holocaust.  To me, this makes this novel suitable for younger audiences as well.  

I have heard so much about this novel and can say that after reading it, I can agree and disagree with some of the comments.  I don’t think the author intended to mask or hide any of the actual historical occurrences.  I feel that his purpose was more to delight us with an innocent story of a beautiful friendship that just happened to occur at the wrong place and the wrong time.  The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is definitely a powerful read.

• 
  

• Review Excerpts:

• "A book so simple, so seemingly effortless, that it's almost perfect." 

• -The Irish Independent

• 
  

• "An extraordinary book." -The Irish Examiner

• 
  

• Connections:

• Other books by John Boyne:

• All the Broken Places

• The Boy at the Top of the Mountain

• The Heart’s Invisible Furies

• 
  

• Related books:

• All the Light We Cannot See

• The Book Thief

• The Boy on the Wooden Box

LSSL 5385 Module 3 Book Reviews

 Module 3: Contemporary Realistic Fiction

• Title:  The Hate U Give

• Bibliography:

• Thomas, A. (2022). The Hate U Give. HarperCollins Publishers.

• ISBN:  978-0062498540

• 
  Summary:

• In The Hate U Give, 16-year-old Starr Carter has witnessed a White police officer killing her good friend, Kahlil.  Being the only witness, she is encouraged to give her statement to help out in the investigation but instead, everything is twisted and turned to make it seem as if it was all Kahlil’s fault.  Discouraged and outraged by the decision of the police not being charged with the crime, Starr joins protests and speaks to the crowd, and she gets involved in an incident with the police where tear gas is involved.  When Starr and her friends are in a store trying to get the gas off their eyes, King, who is to blame for all that has happened, and his gang, try to burn down the store.  There, he is then apprehended and taken.  Starr vows to keep speaking up and being an activist in search of a better future for everyone.

• 
  

• Critical Analysis:

• Without a doubt, The Hate U Give is a book that is familiar to many.  I had heard great things about this book but honestly never thought I would go through it with such interest.  This novel seems so real and is executed so well that it takes the reader through an incredible experience.  The characters are so authentic and the story is told in such a way you can feel the emotions.  Each character holds a unique personality which makes the story flow with ease. 

• 
  
• 
  

• The author did extremely well with the settings in the story.  I believe these highlight the issues presented in the story and help the reader comprehend the circumstances in the story better.  

The book shares many real-life events that many readers can relate to.    The story is so 

powerful and real that it makes this book a must-read.  The combination of many

incredibly written elements offers a one-of-a-kind experience when reading this book.   

Sadly, many of the topics presented in this story are prevalent in our nation making this novel a powerful tool.  Overall, this book truly takes you through so many feelings and emotions, some which can be intense.   The way the story is written simply makes the reader immerse in Starr’s life.  It helps us to see and feel the situations she, like many others, face and you cannot help but empathize. I can honestly say that it is one of the best young adult novels I have read.

 

• Awards Won:

• Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best  

• William C. Morris Award Winner 

• National Book Award Longlist

• Printz Honor Book 

• Coretta Scott King Honor Book 

• #1 New York Times Bestseller!

• 
  

• Review Excerpts:

• “With smooth but powerful prose delivered in Starr’s natural, emphatic voice, finely nuanced characters, and intricate and realistic relationship dynamics, this novel will have readers rooting for Starr and opening their hearts to her friends and family. This story is necessary. This story is important.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

• “Though Thomas’s story is heartbreakingly topical, its greatest strength is in its authentic depiction of a teenage girl, her loving family, and her attempts to reconcile what she knows to be true about their lives with the way those lives are depicted—and completely undervalued—by society at large.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

• “Beautifully written in Starr’s authentic first-person voice, this is a marvel of verisimilitude as it insightfully examines two worlds in collision. An inarguably important book that demands the widest possible readership.” — Booklist (starred review)

• 
  

• Connections:

• Other books by Angie Thomas:

• Concrete Rose

• Blackout

• Find Your Voice

• On The Come Up

• 
  

• Related books:

• Dear Martin

• Piecing Me Together

• Anger Is a Gift

• 
  

• Title:  Glory O'Brien's History of the Future

Bibliography: King, A. (2014). Glory O'Brien's History of the Future. Little Brown and Company. New York; Boston.

• Summary: 

• Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future is about Glory, a girl who is about to graduate high school and has no idea what she will do next. At the age of four, her mother committed suicide and since then, she and her father have lived a quiet life.  Glory is a loner, her only “true” friend is Ellie.  One night, while out with Ellie, they decide to mix in “bat ashes” with their beer and things change from then on. The next day, they are able to see people’s past and future just by looking at them. Ellie’s visions are not severe; however, Glory is able to see a Civil War and many disastrous events such as an end to women’s rights and young girls disappearing daily.  She begins to write down events. She also goes back to events such as the death of her mother and her father’s past, helping her understand herself, and her purpose.  This also helps her heal.

• 
  

• Critical Analysis:

• Although this book has some fantasy, such as drinking bat ashes and its effects, it is still quite believable.  A teenager dealing with the suicide of her mother, feeling lonely, and not being able to connect with her father due to all that has happened, can all be relatable topics that can make the reader feel a deep connection to the story.  Additionally, the topic of friendships and doubts, wondering if their friendship is a true one, is something young adult readers can associate with.  

• 
  

• Aside from the realistic topics shared in this story, A.S. King does present a somewhat different approach.  It was like reading two novels at once as the events alternate throughout the chapters.  It is not a traditional novel in which the story just flows.  I would say this might not be something all readers will appreciate.  It just might not be for everyone.  If anything, what I feel attracted me the most to this book was Glory and her story.  Even though she is not the most likable character, it is easy to connect to her pain and her anger.  

Overall, this novel was an interesting read.  I think it is something that teens would

definitely enjoy.  It is quite different but it is sure to delight the reader.

• 
  

• Review Excerpts:

• * "This beautifully strange, entirely memorable book will stay with readers."―School Library Journal, starred review

• *"Not only thoroughly original but also uniquely compelling and deeply memorable."―Horn Book, starred review

• * "A novel full of provocative ideas and sharply observed thoughts about the pressures society places on teenagers, especially girls."―Publishers Weekly, starred review

• * "An indictment of our times with a soupçon of magical realism.... Will inspire a new wave of activists."―Kirkus Reviews, starred review

• 
  

• Connections:

• Other books by A.S. King:

• Please Ignore Vera Dietz

• Ask the Passengers

• Reality Boy

• 
  

• Related books:

• The Year We Fell From Space

• Lucha of the Night Forest

• Title:  I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

• Bibliography:

• Sánchez, E. L. (2019). I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. Random House Children's Books.

• ISBN:  978-1524700515

• 
  Summary:

• I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is a novel in which Julia, a 15-year-old, shares her story and her struggles after the death of her older sister, Olga.  Julia is the daughter of hard-working Mexican American immigrants. Her older sister, Olga, was the “perfect” Mexican daughter, quiet and obedient.  On the other hand, Julia is rebellious, and disobedient, and has no problem sharing her opinion.  This causes problems with her family. Things take a turn for the worse following the tragic accident that took Olga's life.  Julia is forced to cope with grief and other mental health issues.  After finding some of Olga’s secret belongings, Julia reveals secrets that might not make Olga so perfect after all.   As  Julia goes through events, relationships, and self-hate, not only does Julia figure out who Olga was, but she also starts to discover herself.

• 
  

• Critical Analysis:

• I had seen the book, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, on my daughter’s bookshelf but had never made the time to read it, until now.  I can say that as a Mexican-American daughter myself, I found this story quite relatable and found myself quickly submerging into it.  Not only does the story detail what a “perfect” Mexican daughter is expected to be like, but it shares the struggles a 15-year-old girl faces and copes with, which can make it relatable to others as well.    

• 
  

• The author does an amazing job in this story as the main character, Julia, tries to find her own identity while trying to live up to her family’s cultural expectations.  She is conflicted throughout the story as she wants to follow her dreams and aspirations but the “cultural norms” prevent her from doing so.  I feel that topic doesn’t just apply to one race or ethnicity, but in fact, most of the readers can probably feel a connection to it.  Additionally, other topics such as coping with grief and mental health issues, are also highlighted in this amazing novel spreading a positive message.   The way the author gives a voice to Julia, as well as many other girls in similar situations, is done in such a unique and authentic way, that it just makes the story much more genuine.

• 
  

• Review Excerpts:

• “An earnest and heartfelt tale.” —Booklist

• “A timely and must-have account of survival in a culturally contested world.” —SLJ, Starred

• 
  

• Connections:

• Other books by Erika Sanchez:

• Crying in the Bathroom

• Lessons on Expulsion: Poems

• 
  

• Related books:

• For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts: A Love Letter to Women of Color

• Big Chicas Don't Cry