Tag Archives: teens

Jun 10 2014

Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

Posted on by

**See Parent Note at the end of this post.**

I was so excited to pick up yet another sequel to A Long Way from Chicago, starring my favorite rambunctious grandmother of literature, Grandma Dowdel.  And, for the most part, this book met my expectations.  I think that a good number of my students that read A Long Way from Chicago last year might enjoy this book.  However, since they are still elementary-aged kids, I know some of their parents probably wouldn’t want this recommendation yet.

The main character is Bob, a preacher’s son who moves to town with his family to start a new church.  It is the era of bobby socks and Elvis Presley, but their neighbor, Mrs. Dowdel, has not really embraced the changing times.  She is still as feisty and independent in her nineties as she was when her grandkids, Joey and Mary Alice visited her all those years ago.

Each chapter focuses on a different Grandma Dowdel escapade-this time with Bob and his younger sister in tow.  His older sister is 14 and has no time for small town antics.  Some of the cast of characters introduced in Chicago are still present, and others are mentioned as the parent or grandparents of the current high school students in town.  It was interesting to see Mrs. Dowdel through the eyes of her new neighbors, and I enjoyed her antics as much as ever.  I felt like I was in on the joke when comments were made about her grandkids or Effie Wilcox, so I think that reading the other books first would be a great plan and make this a worthwhile companion piece for lower middle school grades.

**Parent Note**

At the start of the book, the main character is bullied by the bigger boys in town.  This results in him being stripped and tied up in Mrs. Dowdel’s outhouse.  Additionally, towards the end of the story, Bob’s younger sister declares that she no longer believes in Santa Claus.  By the end of the novel, there is a shotgun wedding at the church for a teenage girl and her army-private beau.  There is reference made to her dress fitting very snug across her middle.

For these reasons, I don’t see that this is a book I could read with my upper elementary students.  However, parents could make this call for their own children if they feel comfortable with the subject matter.

Jul 8 2013

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Posted on by

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is a delicious read.  The writing is rich and descriptive and the storyline is compelling.  This is definitely a book for skilled readers that enjoy detailed plots and settings.  The main character, Celia, is followed from childhood to her adult life-although the story jumps around in time and chapters are told from different perspectives.  It is not until the very end of the book that the reader understands why some chapters are being directed at us, the reader, while others are more omnipotent in nature.

Celia’s life is not easy.  She is introduced shortly after her mother commits suicide.  Her father sees her as a project, not as someone to love, which creates a very complicated basis for building relationships in the story.  Her father is a famous illusionist with a slightly sinister undercurrent.  He clearly wants to use Celia for her supernatural gifts and abilities to prove something to a mysterious opponent.  Celia is bound at age six into a competition with another “student” that she will not meet until later in life.  Her father’s training methods are cruel, and as we meet her competitor, we see that his training is equally rigorous, yet, unfeeling and sterile.

The title circus, though is wondrous and richly drawn by Morgenstern.  Due to the nature of the plot, the circus expands and develops with fantastic new attractions and incredible sights and experiences.  The circus “extras” become equally fascinating and the story about how they build, grow and develop the circus becomes an enjoyable secondary plot.  The circus is grounded in reality, created by people that have mechanical and technical gifts, but flourishes with the addition of magic by Celia and her competitor.  The circus is clearly the playing field for the competition, even though the reader is not initially sure if it is a competition between good and evil, good vs. good or evil vs. slightly less evil.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  It was a delightful story to get lost in for several hours.  The Night Circus is clearly written for avid readers with a more sophisticated grasp on literature.  The story would appeal to advanced high school aged readers.  The storyline does involve some cruel father/daughter moments and unpleasant mentor/mentee relationships.  There is romantic tension within the novel and one instance of implied sex between consenting adults.

 

Click here to purchase the book from Amazon (including Kindle)