Beastly by Alex Flinn

Beastly by Alex Flinn
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian 

Beastly is not a book I would have normally selected to read. Fantasy is not my preferred genre, but since author Alex Flinn is speaking at a conference I am attending next month, I figured I would try her twist on an old fairy tale.

This modern-day Beauty and the Beasttakes place in New York City.  Kyle Kingsbury, a freshman at an elite private school, plays a cruel trick on the new girl in school dismissing her as some “Goth freak.”  However, the girl turns out to be a witch who casts a spell on the vain Kyle.  Transformed into a disfigured beast, Kyle has two years to break the spell.  Abandoned by his father and unable to show his face in public, time begins to run out and it looks like Kyle may remain a beast forever.

I really enjoyed this fresh version of Beauty and the Beast, and read it quite quickly.  It was great fun and a pleasant departure from Flinn’s other books which are realistic depictions of teenage angst.  The research Alex Flinn put into the creation of this book is apparent.  What makes it unique is it is told from the point of view of the beast, with Kyle the story’s narrator.

The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy of Beastly; it can be reserved through NIOGA.  To read more about Alex Flinn visit her website.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian

The sequel to last year’s smash hit Diary of a Wimpy Kid did not disappoint!  In Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, Greg Heffley returns with his embarrassing summer tucked safely behind him… or is it? Only Rodrick knows Greg’s secret and is using it blackmail Greg.  Compounding matters at home is little brother Manny; now that he can talk, Manny’s turned into the biggest tattle-tale. And as Greg beings 7th grade he forgot one important detail–he still has the Cheese Touch! Zoo-Wee Mama.

Greg is still a jerky kid with very few redeeming qualities, but his journal (remember it is NOT a diary!) will once again keep readers in stitches. There were not as many laugh-out-loud moments as the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but Rodrick Rules is still chock-full of that dry wit and familiar middle school tragedies that charmed us the first time around.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and Diary of a Wimpy Kid command the 1 and 2 spots on the New York Times Children’s Best Sellers List.  Like the original, Rodrick Rules also received a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly.  The third installment, The Last Straw, is due out in the Fall.  Also in the works? Two more Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and a movie! So while you’re waiting for more Greg Heffley, the first Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been nominated for a Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Award. Visit here and vote for it today! 

The Lewiston Public Library has one copy on order.  Other copies can be requested through NIOGA.  To learn more about Diary of a Wimpy Kid and it’s author visit www.wimpykid.com.

Remember Me? by Shophie Kinsella

Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian

Sophie Kinsella has a knack for creating protagonists readers cannot help but root for.  True to form, within the first few pages of her latest novel, Remember Me?, Kinsella had won me over with hapless heroine Lexi Smart.

We meet Lexi on the eve of her father’s funeral.  She was stood-up (yet again) by her loser boyfriend, was excluded from the annual bonuses at work, and is futilely attempting to hail a cab in the pouring rain.  Wearing boots half a size too small, Lexi slips on the wet pavement and falls.  When she wakes up it is three years later.

In those three years, Lexi has apparently undergone a transformation.  No longer “Snaggletooth,” Lexi has perfect porcelain veneers, sleek hair, and a toned body.  Along with this new look comes a gorgeous, multimillionaire husband and a powerful corporate career.

Things, however, are not as perfect as they seem.  With her memory gone, Lexi’s career is in jeopardy.  Domestically, her starchy husband isn’t as wonderful as he appears.  And what happened that caused all her old friends to despise her?  After mysterious architect, Jon, drops a bombshell, Lexi struggles to unearth the last three years and reclaim her life.

I became a fan of Sophie Kinsella after devouring her Shopaholic series several years ago.  Her other books, Can You Keep a Secret? and The Undomestic Goddess, are also gems.  While Remember Me? was not my favorite Kinsella books, it is great fun.  Her heroines are written with such warmth and humor that readers cannot help but be enchanted.  And as predictable as the plotlines can be, we always cheer when her characters triumph.

The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy; it can be reserved through NIOGA.  To learn more about Sophie Kinsella visit her website.

What I Was by Meg Rosoff

What I Was by Meg Rosoff
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian

Award-winning young adult author Meg Rosoff’s first adult novel, What I Was, is a thrilling coming-of-age tale.  The 100-year-old narrator, H, takes us back to his year at St. Oswald’s, an all-male school on the eastern coast of England.  This is H’s third boarding school.  H knows he is a disappointment to his father but doesn’t much mind.  H assumes this school will also have little success turning him into a man, and his tenure at St. Oswald’s will be as brief.

Skipping out on a long-distance run, H meets Finn, a boy living alone in a rickety fisherman’s hut.  An unlikely friendship is struck—one that will haunt H for the rest of his life.  H envies Finn and his life by the sea.  Thoughts of Finn become all-encompassing; minutes, hours, days, weeks are all planned around Finn.  However, H cannot escape the real world by hiding on the beach and scandal soon shatters their idyllic world.

What I Was is spellbinding.  H’s adolescent insecurities are relatable to all readers, as were his wistful feelings of longing and regret.  Rosoff keeps the reader captivated through the entire book—and even pulls off a big surprise twist toward the end.  The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy; it can be reserved through NIOGA.  To learn more about author Meg Rosoff visit her website.

The Ashleys: There’s a New Name in School by Melissa de la Cruz

The Ashleys: There’s a New Name in School by Melissa de la Cruz
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian

The movie “Heathers” meets “My Super Sweet 16″ in a junior high version of beautiful, rich, powerful, and deliciously mean girls. In Melissa de la Cruz’s new series, appropriately named The Ashleys, Ashley Spencer, Ashley Li, and Ashley Alioto rule Miss Gamble’s Preparatory School for Girls. Set in San Francisco, the girls vie over clothing, boys, and whose sprawling mansion has the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

In There’s a New Name in School we meet the Ashleys on the first day of 7th grade where they soon discover that dowdy scholarship student Lauren Page has completely transformed over the summer. Lauren’s family is now extremely wealthy, and Lauren has undergone a stunning makeover. Along with her new bank account and her new looks, Lauren is determined to join the Ashleys… and then destroy them.

The Ashleys promises to be a lively new series. Although not terribly original and at times blatantly over the top, it offers all the flash and fun of the Gossip Girl and It Girl series without the, ahem, questionable extracurricular activities. For those readers (like me) who got totally sucked into the glamorously spoiled and can’t wait for the second installment, Jelous? due out April 2008, author de la Cruz offers a sneak peak in the back of book 1.

To learn more about author Melissa de la Cruz visit her website and MySpace page.  The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy; it can be reserved through NIOGA.

Your Own, Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill

Your Own, Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian

Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath tells the tragic story of Sylvia Plath’s rise and fall through poetry. Author Stephanie Hemphill took true accounts from the life of Plath and imagined the thoughts, feelings, and exchanges that took place around those events. Hemphill included footnotes at the end of each poem that shed more light on the circumstances that inspired the preceding verse. These anecdotes revealed the more peculiar side of Plath, such as her and her husband’s reliance on a Ouija board to pick lottery numbers, and displayed Hemphill’s vast research on her subject.

I have never read Plath, knowing that works such as The Bell Jar were dark and tended toward the depressing. However, this book was a wonderful introduction to the enigmatic Plath. Additionally, Your Own, Sylvia would make a splendid companion for the seasoned Plath student. Hemphill is passionate about her subject, and this is much appreciated by the reader. I would have liked if more photographs were included, but this does detracts from neither the book’s literary merit nor the reader’s great enjoyment of it.

Your Own, Sylvia received Starred Reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Horn. On Monday, January 14 it was named a Printz Honor Book at the American Library Association’s 2008 Midwinter Conference. To read about author Stephanie Hemphill’s thoughts on Your Own, Sylvia visit Random House Authors. The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy; it can be reserved through NIOGA.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian

Seventh grade can be tough—especially if your teacher hates you. In Gary D. Schmidt’s The Wednesday Wars, Holling Hoodhood is left alone every Wednesday afternoon with the treacherous Mrs. Baker. While his Catholic and Jewish classmates leave early for religious education, Presbyterian Holling is clapping erasers, cleaning rat cages, and [gasp!] forced to read Shakespeare!

As a recent transplant from Long Island, I was immediately drawn into the world of Holling which takes place in suburban Nassau County. The chapters, broken down into the moths of the school year, chronicle the (mis)adventures of Holling and Mrs. Baker’s Wednesday afternoons.

The book starts a little slow, but if you are a persistent reader, you will be thoroughly delighted by The Wednesday Wars. It’s a feel-good read with some truly hilarious moments. However, set during the Vietnam War, The Wednesday Wars is not without its somber moments. Holling Hoodhood (my new favorite name in literature!) is a refreshing character. Although he always comes out on top, Holling is hardly flawless. Luckily his nemesis, Mrs. Baker, is always around to bail him out.

The Wednesday Wars received Starred Reviews from Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Horn, and there is both Newbery and Printz buzz surrounding it (check back January 14, 2008 to see if it won any awards). The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy; it can be reserved through NIOGA. To read more about Gary D. Schmidt and The Wednesday Wars, visit Clarion Books.

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian

Gossip Girl meets New York City’s Gilded Age in The Luxe.  Author Anna Godbersen’s debut is a page-turner from beginning to end.  Full of romance and scandal, The Luxe is a murder-mystery rocking high society.

Elizabeth Holland, back from Paris, is betrothed to Henry Schoonmaker, the city’s most eligible bachelor.  Unfortunately, their union is not based on love but on convenience.  Instead of planning and celebrating, there is cunning and scheming abound.  Everyone has a secret and The Luxe is crammed with lust, love, envy, greed, and hate.

The packaging of this book is fabulous—from the cover photography to the carefully chosen typesets inside.  Godbersen’s meticulous research into this time period is obvious to and appreciated by the reader.

Between the spectacular cover, however, were some faults.  The Luxe was extremely predictable.  Godbersen leaks too many clues too early, and by a quarter of the way in, the reader is able to (correctly) predict the ending.  Also, for a 433 page book, the characters are not deeply explored.  They are familiar stereotypes which lets Godbersen off the hook from creating a back-story. The only deviation from the bland cast is Diana Holland, whose complicated spunkiness is a delight.

Nevertheless, this book is a juicy read.  If you want to be entertained, The Luxe is an ideal choice.  Godbersen is currently writing a sequel which I am certainly looking forward to reading.

To read more about The Luxe visit Harper Teen.  The library owns one copy; it can be reserved through NIOGA.

The Absolutey True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Reviewed by Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian 

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is Sherman Alexie’s fifth novel and his first for teen readers.  It chronicles Arnold “Junior” Sprit’s freshman year of high school.  Junior, after the first day of ninth grade, decides to leave the reservation school and attend a local public high school where he is the only non-white student.  Semiautobiographical, Alexie explores themes of identity, community, death, and life. 

Born with a myriad of health problems, Junior finds life on the reservation to be a dead-end.  He laments his future if he stays, and decides to transfer to another school.  Despite the odds stacked against him—including having to often walk the 22 miles home from school—Junior carves himself a little niche at Reardon High School.  But things are not perfect for Junior.  His best friend from the reservation, Rowdy, despises him for leaving.  Then, without the support of his best friend, Junior must mourn some tragic family deaths alone. 

Junior is a fresh, new voice.  An honest, matter-of-fact protagonist, readers will find themselves rooting for Junior rather than pitying him.  Author Sherman Alexie strikes a wonderful balance between humor and heartbreak making his novel poignant without being overwrought.  Tackling a very personal subject matter, Alexie delivers a story of hope.  Coupled with Ellen Forney’s endearing artwork, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is an unforgettable read for teens and young adults. 

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian has already won the 2007 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.  It received a Starred Review from School Library Journal who also named it to its Best Books of 2007.  Other accolades include: Publisher’s Weekly 2007 Best Books of the Year Children’s Fiction, The New York Times Notable Children’s Books of 2007, Amazon.com Best Books of 2007, Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2007, and Kansas City Star’s Top 100 Books of the Year.  

For an updated list of awards and to read journal reviews visit Sherman Alexie’s website.  The Lewiston Public Library owns one copy; can be reserved through NIOGA.

Holiday Programs @ Your Library

The Lewiston Public Library will host several holiday programs during the month of December. The first event is Saturday, December 1, 2007 when the Children’s Room will be participating in the Lewiston Christmas Walk. At 10:00 and 12:00 families are invited to hear a Christmas story and make a small craft. Don’t forget to grab a candy cane on your way out! For more information on the Lewiston Christmas Walk visit http://www.historiclewiston.com/ or http://www.northofthefalls.com/.

Please direct any questions about our upcoming holiday programs to Lorraine Yaeger, Children’s Librarian, or Suzanne Dlugolonski, Teen Services Librarian.

The Lewiston Public Library wishes all of our loyal patrons a happy, healthy holiday season!