Happy Thanksgiving!

We're taking a break until Monday, but be sure to tune in then for an extra special Nonfiction Monday post!

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend, by Kody Keplinger

Kody Keplinger
Poppy
978-0316084239
Copy borrowed from library.
Cybils nominee.

 
Remember that episode of Average Joe, many moons ago, when the bachelorette was dressed in a fat suit and introduced to the bachelors as her own cousin? And while the guys were polite to her face (or ignored her completely), behind her back they said really awful things about her, and one guy went off on how she was obviously the DUFF - not knowing he was being taped, and that not only the bachelorette, but everyone in TV-land was watching and listening?

Not that we ever watched that show, of course. We just...er...heard about it.

At any rate, the guy that made the DUFF comment was summarily sent home, and to this day probably gets slapped upside the head by his grandmother on a regular basis. Because it's rude, right? It's really mean and awful and the guy made himself look like a jerk, right? Of course, he thought he was just talking to other like-minded guys. How much more of a jerk would he be if he, say, walked up to the 'cousin' and said all those things to her face?  And that, boys and girls, is how you paint one of your main characters as a complete and utter jerk in 100 words or less.

Because yes, that is what Wesley does. And then she kisses him. But later. But wait! Don't turn away in disgust, because this isn't a "gosh you're a jerk but you're so cute and I'm so worthless I can't help it" kiss, this is an angry, "I still hate you but that just makes it easier to use you" kiss. There's a difference, trust us. Sound complicated? It is! She is! And in case you've forgotten, high school is!

As much as we may hate some of the choices Bianca makes, we can't help becoming firmly entrenched on her side from the very start. She's a good person, a good friend, and by no means a doormat, but Wesley's "DUFF" comments have hit the heart of every teenage girl's insecurities. Every girl feels at some point that she is the weak link among her firends, that she is the one who doesn't measure up. Add in some serious problems at home, and who wouldn't want an escape of some sort?

Yes, we pretty much knew how it would all end, but we didn't care. We were happy with the ending. We were happy with the realistic characters and relationships. We were VERY happy with some of the insights that came to Bianca and her friends. And we are especially happy that turtles never really have to go through adolescence. We give it a

5 out of 5.

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Nonfiction Monday: Witchcraft in Salem, by Steven Stern

by Steven L. Stern
Bearport Publishing
978-1-936088-00-3
Review copy sent by publisher.

The Salem Witch Trials are one of those events in history that continue to enthrall readers of all ages. This book gives a concise overview of the events and names associated with it, as well as possible reasons for the girls' behavior and accusations, and the citizens' willingness to believe them.

The book has the aura of wanting to sensationalize or spook readers (and it is, after all, part of a series titled "Horrorscapes"), but nothing in the text was inaccurate or exaggerated. Some of the pictures add nicely to the background information, from photographs of tombstones and a fungus that could have caused hallucinations, to a map showing how politics may have come into play. Other pictures, however, are a bit bizarre, making us think about bad photoshopping, and distracting a bit from the text (pg. 4-5 is a good example).

If your library size or patron interest warrants a good-sized collection of books on this subject, we recommend adding this one, but we wouldn't make it our sole source. We give it a

3 out of 5.

For more reviews of great nonfiction books, click over to Practically Paradise.

Mary Engelbreit's Fairy Tales

Random House
978-0060-88583-0

Who doesn't love a book of fairy tales with rich, lavish illustrations? And who doesn't love the illustrations of Mary Englebreit?

The illustrations for this collection of twelve traditional fairy tales are bright and cheery, and full of little details children (and adults) will have a great time discovering. In Beauty and the Beast, one of the sisters has her tongue sticking out in concentration as she makes a list of all the things she wants her father to bring her. Snow White's evil stepmother sports a tiny skull bracelet as she furiously mixes the potion for her poison apple.

The picture definitely make the book, as we had mixed reactions to the stories. Engelbreit mentions in her author's note that she rewrote some of the endings to show her daughter and other young girls that it isn't necessary to marry a Prince Charming to be happy. The Princess and the Frog become good friends. The Little Mermaid is carried into the air by friendly spirits.

In some cases, this works, in others, it frankly doesn't. In Rumplestiltskin, it is the King's advisors who lock up the miller's daughter and make their demands, so we don't have to wonder why on earth she would marry someone who would threaten her life. The Little Mermaid, however, is a little too white-washed, and The Princess and the Pea still leaves the impression that a) the girl must be perfect, nobody cares about the prince's flaws, and b) being oversensitive and wimpy somehow makes you perfect. We would also have liked to see a bit more of an ethnic mix in our heroines (and heroes) - with a very few exceptions (Thumbelina), everyone is obviously Anglo.

In short, if you are looking for a beautifully illustrated book to read aloud - and hopefully discuss - with your daughters, this book is a fine choice. If, however, you are looking for a collection that is either all traditional or all PC, this is not it. Overall, we give it a

3 out of 5.

Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly

by Tara Kelly
Henry Holt and Company
978-0-8050-9010-9

Sixteen-year-old, music- and sound design-obsessed Drea doesn’t have friends. She has, as she’s often reminded, issues. Drea’s mom and a rotating band of psychiatrists have settled on “a touch of Asperger’s.”

Having just moved to the latest in a string of new towns, Drea meets two other outsiders. And Naomi and Justin seem to actually like Drea. The three of them form a band after an impromptu, Portishead-comparison-worthy jam after school. Justin swiftly challenges not only Drea’s preference for Poe over Black Lab but also her perceived inability to connect with another person. Justin, against all odds, may even like like Drea.

It’s obvious that Drea can’t hide behind her sound equipment anymore. But just when she’s found not one but two true friends, can she stand to lose one of them?

A few posts back we talked about issues books - those that were centered around some sort of major issue faced by teens today. One of the big 'issues' that has been popular lately is autism or Asperger's Syndrome.

But, wait! This is not one of those! Yes, Drea is somewhere in the Aspergers spectrum, but we can say that just as we say she is a musician. Or that she has moved a lot. Or that her grandmother is crotchety. Oh, or that she is a teenager! All of those things are just a part of who she is, and while all of them contribute to her personality and struggles, none of them is the entire sum of who she is. That is just one of the many reasons we absolutely loved this book.

Kelly, in fact, says it even better in her author's note:

"I'd like to start off by saying that this book is not about defining Asperger's Syndrome (AS) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It's about one girl's story and experience - which I hope everyone (whether on the autistic spectrum or not) can relate to."

Teens can definitely relate to Drea's story - the struggle to make and keep friends, trying to fit in in a world that seems totally alien, first relationships, drugs, abuse, family problems, etc. Musicians will love the music aspect of the story, but non-musicians won't feel lost. And the cover! Doesn't that just make your hand automatically reach out to open it up and check the description?

Fantastic and refreshing addition to the YA shelves from yet another debut writer. We give it a

5 out of 5.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else, by Erin McCahan

Erin McCahan

Arthur A. Levine Books

 978-0545088183

Borrowed from library, read for Cybils

Bronwen, as she tells us in her very first sentence, was switched at birth. She quickly goes on to tell us this is just a fantasy of hers, but...after meeting the rest of the family, her mother in particular, we have to ask...are you sure that's all it is? From eating habits to hair color (which her mother actually has her dye so it matches hers!), they couldn't be more different - and not in the "gosh, we're all different but we're just one big happy family" sort of way, but in the "what planet did you come from?" kind of way.

At any rate, Bronwen does not feel that she belongs in her current family, and we gradually get enough back story to understand that thoroughly. She remembers a time when things were better, and longs to be part of a close, open family once again. When Jared enters the picture and she is welcomed with open arms by his family, it looks like she will finally get what she has wanted. When he asks her to marry him, everything seems perfectly set up for her happily ever after.

Major shocker of the book: nobody is pregnant. Yes, we know, you just laughed, but think about it - how many YA books can you think of where a teenager gets married, and not only is nobody pregnant, but nobody is having sex? Nobody is a runaway, nobody is abused, there is no huge tragedy forcing them into marriage as the only option. Once they get over their surprise, the parents on both side are happy and supportive. Refreshing, isn't it?!

Of course, if everything worked out perfectly, this would be a really boring story. Instead, it works out realistically. Even really good, sensible plans can be far from perfect. Even being in love - really, truly in love - doesn't ensure a happy ending. And we. loved. the. ending.

We also loved the characters. Bronwen has a snappy wit and an intelligent, perceptive outlook. Jared is just dreamy, but not in an over-the-top unbelievable way (after their first date? The call? yeah, Miss Ami swooned.) There is some strong character development in Bronwen throughout the book, as while as the issues of family, communication, planning for the future, discovering a sense of self - all deep issues covered in a very light and easy read. Hand it to any teen (or adult!) girl you know (boys might enjoy it too, but wouldn't be caught dead holding a book with that cover.) We give it a strong

5 out of 5.

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin, by Josh Berk

by Josh Berk
Alfred A. Knopf
978-0-375-85699-0

Not only is this one of the Cybils nominees for young adult fiction, but has been tagged for a few other awards, including the Parents' Choice. What seems to be getting the most buzz is the cover - mostly negative buzz, unfortunately. Three tiny people walking? What does this mean, exactly? One looks vaguely worried, the other two are chipper. Not exactly attention-grabbing.



The paperback version, due out in June 2011, seems to address this issue - can we assume they will also address the misspelling?

So, then, what is it about? It is the story of Will (Hamburger is his IM name) Halpin, slightly overweight, hearing impaired, and attending public school for the first time. In addition to the usual issues of trying to fit in as the new guy, he has the added issues of being deaf in a school that cannot afford any sort of interpreter or closed captioning. Let's stop here for

Issue #1: Federal law states a school MUST provide what a child in special education needs in order to succeed in class, regardless of whether it fits in the school's budget or not. So, a little unrealistic there.

The big news at school is a birthday party in honor of the star quarterback, whose family is obscenely wealthy.

Issue #2: Why would a wealthy family send their child to an impoverished school?

Needless to say, Will and his new friend Devon (the second least popular kid at school) are not invited, but it really doesn't matter, because the star quarterback is pushed into a mine by...who? We now have a murder mystery which Devon is determined to solve a la Hardy Boys style (their code names are Frank and Chet). They enlist the help of Ebony, Will's smart and sassy former-sort-of-girlfriend from his old school. All sorts of secrets are uncovered before the somewhat-predictable murderer is revealed.

Issue #3: Many of these secrets are pretty heavy stuff. Very adult issues that are often dealt with by teens, unfortunately. Yet, the tone is never serious. It has been a while since we were in high school (our mascot was a snail), but we don't remember being so blase about tragic events. The voice of the characters made us feel like they were in middle school, watching some drama on the high school stage. A bit removed, more curious than concerned. Yes, Will is new to the school, and not personally vested in the murder victim, so that may explain some of it.

We do like Will. And Devon, and Ebony. Very distinct and fun characters with their own voices. Side characters were a bit one-dimensional, but that didn't hurt the story. Will's interactions with a variety of people in his life offer a good primer to anyone not at all familiar with the deaf community - you get a little bit of politics, some practical dos and don'ts, and a few "I never would have thought of it from that perspective"s.

At times this reminded us of Daniel Pinkwater in its sort of irreverent humor (which may also explain Issue #3). Not that Berk is as brilliant as Pinkwater, mind you, but he definitely shows promise (and he's a librarian - obviously a clever chap. Oops, slipping into Devon-speak there.) While we had a few problems with it, we enjoyed it on the whole, and give it a

4 out of 5.