THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET by Brian Selznick
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When Hugo’s father perished in a fire, Uncle Claude took Hugo into his apartment in the train station and taught him how to care for the clocks. Now that Uncle Claude has disappeared, Hugo takes care of the clocks himself, hiding in the walls of the train station, stealing food when he can, and avoiding the Station Inspector. As soon as the clocks have been tended to, Hugo turns back to the secret project that keeps him going: the automaton man at the writing desk that Hugo’s father had been repairing when he died. Hugo is sure that if he can fix the automaton, the mechanical man will write a message from his father. Using his father’s notebook as a guide, he steals toys from the station toy booth and uses their parts to replace the missing and broken pieces. But one day, the toy maker catches him. When he sees Hugo’s notebook, he seems horrified and confiscates it immediately. Although Hugo follows him to his house, he cannot convince the toy maker to give it back. But he does meet Isabelle, the toy maker’s goddaughter, who seems to have secrets of her own. Together, she and Hugo try to get the notebook back and to decipher the automaton’s mysterious message.
This book has a very interesting premise that was inspired by a true story. It is told in words and pictures, switching back and forth between pages of prose and full-page drawings. As you discover later in the book, the format is very intentional for this particular story. I found it a bit challenging to get into because the transition between words and pictures was somewhat jarring (very different from reading a graphic novel!). But once I got into the rhythm, and deeper into the story, I was grateful for the story-telling images. The book deserves its Caldecott Medal.
RECKLESS by Cornelia Funke
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After his father disappeared, twelve-year-old Jacob sneaked into his study searching for answers. Instead he found a magic mirror. For twelve years, Jacob journeyed back and forth from his own world to the Mirrorworld, a parallel dimension where dark fairy tales became real: questers can sell magical objects on the black market, dangerous fairies seek human lovers, and sleeping princesses decay in eternal sleep, waiting for princes who never arrive.
For Jacob, the Mirrorworld is an escape from everything that he does not want to face in his own world. But when his younger brother, Will, follows him and is wounded by a stone Goyl, everything changes. As Will begins to turn to jade stone, Jacob and the fox-girl who loves him have to guide Will and Will’s fiancee, Clara, through his dangerous world, hoping to find a cure, though he is fairly sure none exists. Meanwhile Goyl army, led by the Dark Fairy, race to find the jade Goyl who has been prophesied to protect their king and lead them to victorious dominion over the human empire.
Based in a German fairy tale tradition that is already fairly dark, Funke’s Mirrorworld is chilling and grotesque. The book is marketed for teens, and will certainly appeal especially to an older teen audience, although adults who enjoy these kinds of twisted fairy tale fantasies will find the characters very accessible as well. I enjoyed reading this book very much.
If you liked Reckless, you might like Dreamwood by Heather Mackey or Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (both for a slightly younger audience).
MAUS by Art Spiegleman
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Art Spiegleman’s parents survived a Nazi concentration camp before moving to America. Years after his mother’s suicide, Art decides to tell his parents’ story in words and pictures, hoping that the bonding experience might ease some of the tension in his relationship with his father. This Pulitzer Prize winning memoir captures Spiegleman’s struggle of growing up in the shadow of his parents’ past, as well as the poignant and heartbreaking story of Vladek and Anja Spieglman’s love and life in Nazi occupied Poland.
This is one of my favorite books, and I highly recommend it. It is written for adults, but I read it for the first time in 8th grade and appreciated it as much then as I do now. The reading level is not difficult, but the subject matter is heavy. I realize that some people do not like books in graphic novel (panel art/comics) format, but if you have never tried reading a graphic novel, or assume that graphic novels are limited to stories of superheroes or fantasy worlds, this is a superb graphic memoir to try. I cannot recommend it enough!
Spiegleman’s story is completed in Maus II.
MISSING MAY by Cynthia Rylant
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Summer grew up with Uncle Ob and Aunt May, in the first home where she felt she truly belonged. But May’s death leaves a gaping hole in her life and Ob’s, and they both find themselves spending all of their time just missing her. With the help of their strange neighbor, Cletus, Summer and Ob begin searching for May’s spirit and for the peace to continue living their own lives.
I often hear complaints from people who do not like Newbery Award winning books because they are always about death and dealing with grief. Missing May certainly fits that profile. But this novel deserved its Newbery for more than just its weighty subject matter. Missing May is very well-written, with wonderful characters. Rylant takes you through a realistic heart-warming journey from grief to hope and renewed joy in life. I highly recommend this book! The audiobook is narrated by Frances McDormand.
If you liked Missing May, you may like Chasing Redbird by Sharon Creech.
THE REPLACEMENT by Brenna Yovanoff
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Mackie Doyle’s father has always taught him to avoid attention. If he keeps a low profile, no one will notice his unusually dark eyes, or his severe allergy to iron, or his inability to set foot on the consecrated ground of the church. No one will notice that he is just a replacement, a changeling left by the faerie folk when they stole the real Mackie Doyle from his crib and offered him up as a blood sacrifice. Of course Mackie’s parents and his sister Emma realize the truth, and others certainly suspect, but the people of Gentry are used to turning a blind eye every seven years when another child is taken. It is just the way things are.
Unlike most replacements who die in infancy, Mackie has survived to the age of sixteen, but as his allergic reactions and difficulty breathing become more acute, he doesn’t know how much longer he can live. When his sister Emma takes a terrible risk to save his life, Mackie finds himself suddenly caught up in the world of the “others,” the creatures he once belonged to and the only ones with the power to save his life. Unfortunately, it is the year for the blood sacrifice, and they have stolen his friend Tate’s little sister. When Mackie learns that young Natalie is still alive, he must decide where his loyalties lie, and how much he is willing to risk to protect those he cares about.
This book is exciting, incredibly creepy, and brilliantly imagined! Yovanoff combines the world of Celtic folklore with the world of modern high school seamlessly and believably, with a great balance between the fantasy conflict and Mackie’s struggles with friendships, love, and identity. I enjoyed every minute of this book, and highly recommend it to fans of dark fantasy, or just creepy gothic literature in general!
IDA B: . . . AND HER PLANS TO MAXIMIZE FUN, AVOID DISASTER, AND (POSSIBLY) SAVE THE WORLD by Katherine Hannigan
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Ida B spends most of her time with her mother and father in their Wisconsin orchard. She has no brothers and sisters or neighbors to play with, but she has an incredibly creative imagination, and befriends all of the trees, the river, and the animals in the orchard. She tried going to public school in kindergarten, but the rules and rigid structure of her strict teacher’s classroom were so suffocating to her that her parents decided to let her stay at home and be homeschooled. But when her mother is diagnosed with cancer, everything changes for Ida B and her family. They will have to sell part of the orchard—the trees who were Ida B’s friends—in order to pay for her treatment, and perhaps worst of all, Ida B will have to start public school for fourth grade. Horrified by her parents’ betrayal, Ida B decides to harden her heart. She will go to school, but she will not enjoy herself. She will not make friends. She will not allow herself to like her warm-hearted teacher. She will feel nothing. At least she will try. . . .
Although the premise may sound depressing, Ida B is an incredibly uplifting, funny, endearing book, with a spirited, witty narrator and the wonderful teacher who softens Ida B’s hard heart. Its intended audience is upper elementary readers, although I suspect many adults will find it as relatable and touching as I do. I highly recommend it!
THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
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In post-World War II London, Juliet Ashton is trying to focus on her career as a writer and to figure out how to deal with Mr. Markham Reynolds, the stranger who has been sending her flowers, when she receives a slightly unusual letter. A man living on the Channel Island of Guernsey has come into possession of a used book that used to belong to her. He loves it so much that he has written to see if she has suggestions for further reading. As their friendly correspondence grows into a friendship, Juliet begins to learn about the impact that the German occupation has had on the lives of the islanders, and of the sometimes humorous ways that they resisted their German conquerors.
This book is a charming, hopeful story of friendship and romance, told through a series of letters between Juliet, Dawsey (of Guernsey), and their other acquaintances. It is a light read, and could be good for a book group.
SHIP BREAKER by Paolo Bacigalupi
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In Nailer’s world, you need luck to survive. You can be small and able to work on light crew, stripping copper from shipwrecks for low pay. Or you can be strong on heavy crew, breaking down the larger metal salvage. But if you get an infection, you won’t be able to get medication, and you’ll die of fever. If you get stuck inside a wreck you’ll drown, or choke in the dust and oil, and the rats will eat you. Of course, even if you have no bad luck and are smart enough to do everything right, you still die on the beach sooner or later. Unless you get a really lucky strike. . . .
After a huge “city killer” hurricane, Nailer and Pima find an isolated wreck and hurry to get the first scavenge. But when they find a rich girl still alive, they have to make a choice. Pima suggests two options: cut the ringed fingers off her swollen hands while she’s alive, or slit her throat first. The girl is, after all, a great scavenge–a true lucky strike. With just the gold rings on her fingers they could feed themselves and more—maybe never have to work again. But Nailer chooses to save her instead, knowing that this decision might be the last he ever makes. Now he and “Lucky Girl” must somehow escape the clutches of her rich father’s corporate enemies and Nailer’s abusive, drug-addict father who wants to turn Lucky Girl in for ransom.
This post-apocalyptic vision of Earth’s future is very violent and very dark. Bacigalupi explores the meaning of family and loyalty and challenges readers to reflect on human treatment of the environment and the extreme gap in wealth and lifestyle between the heads of corporations and the lowest level industry workers. Ship Breaker took the 2011 Printz Award (for Young Adult Literature) and was a finalist for the National Book award. It is a great read for teens and adults.
ARTEMIS FOWL by Eoin Colfer
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Artemis Fowl, Jr., is not your average twelve-year-old. For one thing, he is the son of an incredibly wealthy crime lord and has grown up surrounded by advanced technology and bodyguards. For another, since his father’s disappearance and the onset of his mother’s mental illness, Artemis has virtually no adult supervision, managing his own life and the family’s assets. And most importantly, Artemis is a genius. It is precisely his unique position on the boundary of childhood and very mature adulthood that allows him to perpetrate his latest scheme–because when he learned of the existence of fairies, he was just innocent enough to believe in them, and plenty brilliant enough to concoct a foolproof plan to extort their gold.
After stealing the Book of the People from an alcoholic sprite in Vietnam, Artemis returns to his home in Ireland to crack the fairy language and learn all of their secrets. He then proceeds to Phase Two of the plan: kidnap a fairy and hold him for ransom, threatening to reveal their secret, underground world to the humans if the Lower Elements Police (LEP) do not comply with his financial demands. Unfortunately for Artemis, he kidnapped Captain Holly Short, an officer in the LEP Recon division, and she just may be his match. While Artemis uses his brilliant mind to stay one step ahead of Commander Root and the LEP technology, and his formidable bodyguard Butler keeps the perimeter secure, Holly tries to find a way to escape and take down the super-genius “mud-man.”
This book is a great blend of science fiction and fantasy, popular among upper elementary and middle grade readers (and certain nerdy librarians . . . ). The characters are fantastic, there is a decent amount of action, and humor is blended in quite nicely. I highly recommend this series to both eager and reluctant readers. There are eight books in the series.
THE BONE COLLECTOR by Jeffrey Deaver
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Lincoln Rhyme was once the greatest forensic investigator the NYPD had ever seen. That was before the accident that left him paralyzed and bedridden—only able to move one finger. Although he once delighted in the intellectual puzzle of criminology, Lincoln Rhyme now desires only one thing: his own death. But when the NYPD asks for his help tracking down a serial killer with a strange fascination with human bones, Rhyme cannot resist taking a crack at the bizarre case—especially as it becomes clear that this serial killer is leaving clues specifically for Rhyme himself. Energized by the mystery and his new partnership with the incredibly strong-willed and clever police officer Amelia Sachs who serves as his “arms and legs,” Rhyme postpones his assisted suicide and takes up the race to find the pattern behind the serial killer’s madness before he can claim another victim.
This mystery is a fast paced thriller with emphasis on the forensic aspects of detective work. The characters are compelling and while enough information is provided for the reader to piece the mystery together, there are also enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Don’t read this book if you are squeamish; the serial killings are described in detail. But if you like a good mystery thriller, I recommend it, with the substantial caveat that it is not a particularly sensitive or balanced portrayal of disability. It is the first in the Lincoln Rhyme series.
If you like forensic thrillers, you might like books by Tess Gerritsen.
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