Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

If you follow this blog or talk to me about how I select books for our high school library, you'll know that I'm always on the lookout for books written for an adult reader but would appeal to teens as well. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan was one of those titles.

It is 1946 Mississippi - a time rife with prejudice that is angry and hateful. Laura reluctantly follows her husband into the rural countryside where he has bought a farm fulfilling a long-kept quiet dream. Their home has no electricity, no running water, no indoor plumbing, and LOTS of mud! There are Black sharecroppers who are proud of their work and land to till. Blacks and Whites each know their "place" and get by. The Jackson's are one sharecropper family. Their son, Ronsell, has returned home a war hero yet in spite of all that he gave to defend freedom, he must live in the Jim Crow south where he does not have full freedom.

Hillary Jordan writes with an authenticity that gives us, her readers, an experience approaching having lived it. You will fear for Ronsell and his safety. You may need to put the book down for awhile, as I did, because the pain is so palpable. You will question how Laura, a strong, educated city-girl, can give up that life to move to this 'backward' area. You will know mud!

One more thing you may like to know, this is author Jordan's first novel - AND she won the Bellwether Prize for Fiction! Author Barbara Kingsolver created the award and it is given for "fiction that addresses issues of social justice and the impact of culture and politics on human relationships." Mudbound indeed delivers the human experience.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Having an interest in suspenseful mysteries I was not one to pick up a heartfelt and quirky novel; but once i picked the book up I simply couldn't set it down.Life comes at us with full force; unrelenting and persistent. Obstacles are often thrown into our lives, in ways where we cannot deviate from them. Who knew that such an obstacle would be one’s own skin color. In the novel, The Help, Kathryn Stockett not only writes from the perspective of the Southern maids, but also a young writer. Stockett moves her audience with this inspirational story.

Narrarated by three strong female leads, I believe is what truly sets this book apart from all others. Each one facing problems head on, without so much as a complaint. In life we don't get to pick and choose the horrific things we face, all we can do is stay confident and true until the "storm" passes through. Minny, Skeeter, and Aibileen risk everthing they have ever worked for to essentially, stand up for their rights and what they believe. Day after day Aibileen, Minny, and the rest of the black community took a back burner to everything the world had to offer, even though they worked just as hard if not harder than the others. Skeeter a young white writer, would soon change this.

This novel is inspirational, exciting, and hilarious. If you haven't picked it up yet, you should!

Reviewed by BHS student H. Geddes

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

In the face of oppression one must find strength from within. Alice Walker's novel, The Color Purple, explores the extensive and courageous journey of finding yourself when all your life you have been the subject of abuse.

The Color Purple begins with fourteen year old Celie writing a letter to God about her father's haunting abuse. Being married off at a very young age, she is forced to take care of children who will never be hers. Throughout her journey Celie continues to write to God about the everyday trials she must endure. Celie's only hope is in her sister Nettie who one day disappears from her life. As she grows older she eventually befriends her husband's mistress, Shug, who shows her that everyone deserves love. As Celie makes lasting friendships with the different women in her life, she learns that not only is her abuse wrong, but that she deserves to have a better life which she never imagined.

Through the examples of the strong women in Celie's life not only is she able to overcome her own abuse, but she becomes a beacon of hope for others. The Color Purple is a story of tenacity, proving to each reader that strength comes from within, and anyone can change a life. This is a captivating novel for those with an interest in feminist ideas, abuse or cultural differences, which will open your eyes to the world around you.

Reviewed by BHS student CJ Maliszewski

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

A man stood on top of a crate as white men around him called out prices. He was poked and examined from head to toe. His family had been taken from him and he had nothing left to call his own. To America, he was property, he was worthless. This was the life of the African American slave in the 1800s. This issue, over the treatment of slaves, was the one that divided our country and led us into the Civil War.

In 1851, Harriet Beecher Stowe published Uncle Tom's Cabin, this book that changed America's view of slavery once and for all. Stowe tells the tale of two sets of characters in her novel, both the tales of slaves and their many hardships. The story is mainly focused on Tom, a highly religious slave who is sold many places around the South. Yet, through kind masters and harsh masters, Tom keeps his faith and strength. He never once complains in the novel and remains devout and loyal to all his masters. Through Tom, Stowe reveals the horrors of slavery. She shows that even though Tom did everything his masters asked of him, he was still mistreated. In contrast, Stowe's second story revolves around a family of runaway slaves. Though this family faces many trials and hardships on their flight to freedom, they never lose sight of their goal. Through this family Stowe shows that through perseverance, goals can be reached, despite one's standing in the world.

Stowe uses vivid description and imagery to place the reader in the lives of each slave in her story. This book appeals to the reader's emotion causing them to feel each whip lash and harsh word as a slave would feel it. Stowe reveals this horrific time in our history reminding us that even though it's in the past, it's not forgotten. If you are someone who enjoys history, and experiencing new points of view, this book is for you!

Reviewed by BHS student N. Nollan

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

Catch 22 is most definitely a book without parallel. Set at the closing of World War II, this novel focuses on the plight of a deranged bombardier named Yossarian, who thinks that everyone he meets wants to kill him. He is perceived as crazy by his peers and his generals in the military, but as the novel unfolds, the reader begins to understand Yossarian’s point of view. Yossarian feels that his life is in danger, and he is right, because he is in the middle of a war, constantly flying air missions. What he doesn’t understand is that everyone else is under the same amount of danger as he is, and this mental disconnect is what makes Yossarian seem crazy to those around him.

Even with the issue of insanity aside, Catch 22, has a very emotionally challenging storyline, with graphic descriptions of death and horror from the war. Catch 22 is certainly a book that takes a while to really get into. It may take the reader a few tries to finally read it all the way through. What makes it worth the uncomfortable images and the tedious parts are the completely unexpected bits of humor that are stuck into the book. This comic relief usually comes when Yossarian is describing someone. “The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likeable. In three days no one could stand him” Author Joseph Heller uses these unexpected reactions and one-liners to capture and hold the audience’s attention.

The main purpose of Catch 22 is to provide a satirical look at how people view society and life. Heller also presents the disarming concept that we could have everything wrong, and the main character, Yossarian, who is deemed insane, is really the sane one. A true measure of a book’s worth is that it keeps the reader engaged and thinking long after the book has been completed, and Catch 22 does that. It leaves you pondering the unanswerable question, the insolvable Catch 22 of it all. Is it insane to think that everyone is out to kill you, or is this basic instinct of self-preservation that makes humans sane at all?

Reviewed by BHS student A. Bonomo

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Through her novel, The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan evokes emotion from the reader as she uncovers the relationship between mothers and daughters. Four Chinese immigrant mothers and their four Chinese-American daughters tell their remarkable life stories about strength, love, and courage.

The four Chinese mothers, after immigrating to San Francisco’s Chinatown, befriend each other. They all come from different backgrounds, yet they are all immigrants from China. They form a group, the Joy Luck Club, and meet regularly to eat Chinese cuisine and play mahjong. Over time, as they marry and have children, the Joy Luck Club includes the husbands and children of the four mothers. Each mother has one daughter. While trying to maintain their Chinese identities, the mothers attempt to raise their American-born children following their Chinese beliefs. However, the daughters begin to lose pride in their heritage. They do not understand the hardships that their mothers encountered in China. When they listen to their mothers, they only hear their broken English. Amy Tan explores the difficulties and hardships faced by Chinese immigrants, as well as their children.

Each of the eight characters brings a unique aspect to the novel as a whole. While maintaining a cohesive story, the author is able to tell each life story in an inspirational way that captivates the reader’s interest from beginning to end. Although it is difficult at times to distinguish which daughter belongs to which mother and differentiate between the various stories, this novel is very uplifting. The mothers exhibit tremendous strength and courage, and encounter difficulties that most Americans do not face, such as arranged marriages. Chinese culture and traditions are integrated throughout The Joy Luck Club. The reader is able to learn about many customs and beliefs of the Chinese people, and broaden their knowledge about Chinese culture.

Overall, this motivational novel is compelling to anyone wishing to learn more about Chinese culture, and those who wish to reflect on the relationships between mothers and daughters. The lessons learned in this story remain with the reader long after the last page is read.

Reviewed by BHS student M. Boskovich

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Over 200 years ago, Chinese women lived a secret life of pain and loss. They practiced foot binding - a sacred and important custom which bound their feet to the size of a thumb. At the age of 6, the foot binding began. Every bone in the foot was broken, and with no modern medicine, nothing could appease the pain. One in every ten girls would die from this practice, yet mothers continued to subject their daughters to this excruciating pain.

Why did the mothers secretly force this pain upon their daughters? The answer is simple: to get married. In Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, a girl of the name Lily experiences the ups and downs of foot binding. After bearing the pain, her feet are perfect. The matchmaker is in awe; her feet could get her any man of any status. Of course, coming from a lower class family, Lily would need to show she could handle being part of the upper class. The matchmaker comes up with the solution to provide Lily with a friend for life; a girl who astrologically matches with Lily and can show her what life in the upper class is like. This friend (called a laotong) is Snow Flower: a resilient, faithful girl, who may look like she has it all, but in fact is facing immense hardships.

Lisa See brilliantly uses detail to depict the lives of the two laotong; from childhood until their old age. See shows us that no matter if a woman loses their riches, love, or lives a life of pain: a best friend will stay true until the end. If you enjoy a book rich with history, secrets, and friendship, this is the book for you.

Reviewed by BHS student H. Williamson

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick: The Movie Hugo

Hollywood has been busy turning great books into exciting movies! The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is out now as the movie Hugo. The book won the Caldecott Medal for illustrations in 2008 so it only makes sense that the movie should also be cutting-edge 3D imagery. Martin Scorsese has directed the movie and I'm very pleased that Asa Butterfield was selected to play Hugo - he has the perfect eyes! If you've read the book, you'll know from the illustrations how crucial the eyes are to the mysterious elements.

Enjoy this movie trailer and pick up a copy of the book from your library!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

After reading Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman, I'm inclined to think that Ms. Hoffman loves the South. Although her novel begins with 12 year old CeeCee living in Ohio with her parents, we soon learn that her mother longs to be back home in the South lamenting often that living in the North isn't living at all. CeeCee's life is tragic because her parent's lives are also tragic. Her father is often away leaving CeeCee alone with her crazy mother. You'll quickly realize that life in Ohio is a train wreck waiting to happen. Indeed, after her mother's accident, CeeCee is swept away to live with her wealthy, southern great aunt Tallulah.

This book can be over-the-top sweet unless you are a fan of southern charm novels. It is interspersed with underlying tensions such as southern racism, mean-spirited ladies, and the loss of CeeCee's parents. The story moves along from one vignette to another, one character's story to another, but the end result is satisfactory. You'll cheer on CeeCee and Oletta, the African American cook and housekeeper, as they take on one challenge after another. I was troubled by the lack of young friends for CeeCee, with one exception. She seemed to be happy being swept up in the Savannah ladies' circles for most of this book. It is a nice story on many levels. I hope you'll enjoy it too.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

"Wasn't that the point of the book? For women to realize, we are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought."

When I got to this quote from The Help by Kathryn Stockett, I marked the page by bending the corner. I wanted to find it again - it spoke to me. These words spoke the essence of why Stockett wrote and many have read her first novel. In the author's notes at the conclusion of the book, Stockett reveals that that line was 'the prize' for her as well. She's the author and we shared a favorite line! I felt so good knowing that. But that line comes near the end of the book so getting there required much reading. Or should I say living with three wonderful characters - Aibileen, Minny and Miss Skeeter.

The Help occurs during the Civil Rights Movement of the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi. It follows the lives of white women who have black maids as 'help' to do their housework and raise their children. The story unfolds through the eyes of two of the black maids and one of the white women. Stockett has written in such a voice to bring the characters to life and to transfer you, the reader, to the time and struggles of the Civil Rights Movement.

I was a youngster, a young pre-teen, when our country was in the grip of these racial tensions. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an activist and people had not yet determined if he could be trusted or not. The peaceful demonstrations he spearheaded were sometimes deemed threatening. While I read The Help I felt that tension again in my body. I feared for the safety of Aibileen, Minny and Miss Skeeter. They were putting their lives and livelihood at risk.

Please find time to read this book. My wish is that you'll also find my opening line as a favorite. We are all 'just two people' - it's that simple.

Author's website

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Now that I've finished reading Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, I have accomplished my goal. I set a personal goal to read the three books that won Ms. Anderson the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award for her lasting contribution to teen writing. The other winning titles were Catalyst and Speak. Fever 1793 is the only one that is a historical fiction.

Set in Philadelphia in 1793, it chronicles the yellow fever epidemic through the eyes of 10 year old Mattie. At the time, Philadelphia was our largest city, a port city, and our nation's capital. Doctors did not know how best to eradicate the deadly sickness, people lived in fear and those who could, fled the city to less populated areas. As I read I was making personal connections to the H1N1 swine flu that is afflicting people now. I learned that this flu pandemic is no where near the seriousness of yellow fever. We also have medical advances and means to quickly educate people that help to control the spread of H1N1.

If you're a fan of history, and if you've never known about the yellow fever epidemic you may enjoy this book. If you're like me and history is not your favorite subject, you'll appreciate how easy it is to learn a bit of U.S. history through the eyes of a young child gravely affected by the yellow fever. Give it a try!

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Even if you are not into historical fiction, this book is a must read. It takes you back to July 1942 in Paris when all the Jews were rounded up by the French Police and taken to various concentration camps. A 10 year old Jewish girl, Sarah, locks her 4 year old brother in their secret hiding space and promises to come back for him before she is taken away with her parents. It is a journey of a little girl who just wanted a normal life and couldn't understand why she was being taken away by French Policemen that were her parents' friends. Sixty years later, an American journalist is given a writing assignment to investigate the roundup. She discovers various things about Sarah and what she went through. Sarah's Key is an easy read and it just draws you in. It is one of those books, you just can't put down. Surely, even if you are not a reader, you will be captured by Tatiana de Rosnay's compelling way to tell a story.

Reviewed by Mrs. Kiehler

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

You might enjoy this book if you are a romantic with an interest in wartime love stories. You might enjoy this book if you are a history buff, particularly the German occupations during World War II. You might enjoy this book if you can appreciate fine writing and the craft of letter correspondence. You most certainly will want to read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer if those attributes define you as a reader.

Like me you could be a reader that "tastes" many books. I come home from the library with tall stacks, lots of genres. I'm not sure if any of them will draw me in so I take home several. I first learned of this book during a lunch conversation with a fellow teacher. She highly recommended it so I placed a hold on it from my public library. I began to read it and put it down - it wasn't connecting with me. I returned it to the library unread. Oh well. Fast forward a couple months to a beach-side party Up North. Once again friends asked if I had read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. "Oh, you must read it. It's great!" I was told. Resolved to give it another try, I checked it out again from the library and determinedly began to read. This time I did not put it down. It was not a favorite for me but I did enjoy it enough to keep reading, hoping for more.

Mary Ann Shaffer, the author, has woven a series of letters between her main character, Miss Juliet Ashton, and her various friends and colleagues. The letters are written post World War II and entwine stories of the German Occupation of Guernsey, a Channel Island in the English Channel north of France. We learn not only of the hardships the people of Guernsey endured but also of Miss Ashton's search for meaning and love in her life. The story is tender and peaceful in spite of the war time. The characters will become your friends. This story is about connections we make with those around us and the strength we find in our friendships. Give this one a try, or two.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

When you open The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, you are embarking on a Five Star reading experience! The setting is Nazi Germany during the Second World War. You history scholars out there know immediately the atrocities that could be included and Mr. Zusak does not hold back. His descriptions of the lines of Jewish people being marched through the center of town--weary, hungry, and thirsty--send chills through your bones. Would you like to know which character in the book is telling you the story? Death. Yes, death is the narrator.

Death is kind. Death is also weary. He's grown tired of the work claiming all the souls he must tend to; the souls of those being marched through the center of town to their death at the command of Hitler.

Liesel Meminger is the book thief. She so longs to read that she takes books from others cleverly sneaking into the home of a wealthy woman helping herself to the woman's personal library. It's a bit ironic that the first book Liesel takes she finds in a graveyard. It's title: The Gravedigger's Handbook. You see, death is all around.

Reviewed by Mrs. Boehm

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Sometimes I choose a book based on the awards that it states on the cover that it has received and as luck would have it, this novel has such a list. Luckily, it has lived up to its stated potential - a great read!

Based on a true "murder" story set back in the early 1900's, this story weaves a tale around a young woman, Mattie Gokey, her family, friends, new romance, hardships and, yes, what the murder has done to her young life. Set in the "Northwoods" of upper state New York, the novel highlights the summer of a young high schooler, her passion for learning, her unfounded friendships at a summer resort, her future goals to attend college, and a budding romance with the "hot" neighbor.

The reader is drawn into A Northern Light and never disappointed with the unsolved "mystery" of the murder (be sure to read the author's note at the end) but intrigued, especially toward the end, with the unexpected finale, or was it, you tell me. This book is worth the effort.

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly was a Printz Honor recipient for excellence in young adult literature in 2004.

Reviewed by Mrs. Rozanski

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The following quote is from the author on the jacket of the book:
“Usually we give some clues about the book on the jacket, but in this case we think that would spoil the reading of the book. We think it is important that you start to read without knowing what it is about. If you do start to read this book, you will go on a journey with a nine-year-old boy called Bruno. (Though this isn’t a book for nine-year-olds.) And sooner or later you will arrive with Bruno at a fence.”

This was a great book - another intriguing story about the World War II Holocaust. There is now a movie based on this book, and I am looking forward to seeing it.
Reviewed by Mrs. Dunaski

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Ten year old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend, Ellen Rosen, live in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is 1943 and the Nazis have occupied Copenhagen. Life as they once knew it has changed for all Danish people - there are armed soldiers everywhere, food shortages, lack of clothing and electricity, and restrictions on all aspects of daily life. When the Nazis start rounding up all Jews, Annemarie knows that she must try to help Ellen, who is Jewish. Annemarie and her mother work to smuggle Ellen out of Denmark. This is a story of tremendous courage in the face of terror, all told from a child’s point of view. I am drawn to stories about the Holocaust - they always make me realize what a far-reaching effect that had on people throughout the world right up to the present time.
Reviewed by Mrs. Dunaski

Soldier Boys by Dean Hughes

It's World War II - 15 year old Dieter lives in Germany and 16 year old Spence lives in Utah in the USA. Both are anxious to defend their own countries in this wide-ranging and complex war being fought across Europe. They both soon learn the reality and ugliness of war, no matter which side of the battle one is on. The story is told in the third person and clearly explains both boys' points of view, which makes it easy for the reader to understand why each young man feels compelled to be a solider in this war. As an American exposed to the American point of view on World War II all of my life, I found it interesting to read how a young German looked at the situation. I'm not a big fan of war stories, but this is more than just a war story. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone.
Reviewed by Mrs. Dunaski