Week 4: Who Doesn't Love the Beatles?

Title: Baby's In Black
Author: Arne Bellstorf
ISBN: 9781596437715
Publisher: First Second
Copyright Year: 2012
Reading Level: Grade 7 and up
Themes: Graphic novel, The Beatles, Music, Music History, 1960's, 1960's music, Stuart Sutcliffe, Astrid Kirchherr, the fifth Beatle, Germany, romance
Awards: None that I am aware of
Thumbs Up or Down?: Thumbs Up! Yay for non-fiction graphic novels!
Book Trailer: I wasn't able to find a book trailer (or well one that was in English) but I found a book talk with the author about this book I hope you enjoy.


My Summary: This book was originally printed in German. It is a graphic novel that depicts the history of the Beatles and their involvement with Astrid Kirchherr, who propelled the Beatles music career to the iconic music legends that they became. It takes place during the bands tougher years in Hamburg, Germany, often referred to as the early years. The story includes the fifth Beatle, Stuart Sutcliffe.Story is presented in the form of a romance which might make this book appeal to boys or girls.

My Review: From what I have read about this book I understand it to be a pretty true account. I personally enjoyed it because I love the Beatles and I love reading about history, it's true, I usually read non-fiction. Though I am not a huge fan of graphic novels this one was able to hold my interest through the entire books. The only thing I thought a parent might not like about this book are the depictions of drinking and smoking. I think drinking is probably something that has long been thought of as synonymous with the rock and roll industry. As for the smoking I believe it is a true depiction of a time when people more commonly smoked and should be thought of as nothing more than period aesthetic. Overall a quick entertaining read that taught me a little about the Beatles I didn't know

Week 3: Did the Apocalypse Come and No One Told Me?

Title: Everything You Need to Know to Survive the Apocalypse
Author: Lucas Klauss
ISBN: 978144243886
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Copyright Year: 2012
Reading Level:
Themes: religion, faith, romance, comedy, high school, humor, church, soul-searching, parent death, parent/ child relations, coming of age
Awards: None that I could find

Thumbs up or down?: Thumbs Up

Book Trailer:





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My Summary: This is a coming of age story that follows a young teen named Phillip as he is growing up and dealing with the dramas of life. High school is hard enough but Phillip is dealing with the loss of his mother while dealing with his atheist father. Not only is his home life difficult but at school his coach for the cross country team is riding him hard and he ends up being asked out by the girl of his dreams. Little does Phillip know that he has been asked to a church youth group activity. This book shows the struggles of a young adult dealing with faith, romance, a home life and school life.

My Review: I enjoyed this book and thought the dialog was well written. Though I originally chose this book because I thought it would be nestled among the zombie genre that seems to be popular right now I found that the book wasn't really about the apocalypse at all but about the journey of a young man and his struggles with life. I thought the author did an excellent job of intertwining humor in with a religious turmoil experienced by a boy. The book resonated a great deal with me as I know at that age I questioned my faith in God and I had a hard time with it. I think the book gives a unique perspective and offers a slice of life about how Phillip deals with his faith. I found the characters to be well developed and that they had good measures of reality to them. Overall a fun read with some serious overtones due to religion.

Week 2: World War II Fiction

Title: Code Name Verity
Author: Elizabeth Wein
ISBN: 9781423152194
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Copyright Year: 2012
Publishing City: New York
Reading Level: Grades 6 and up

Themes: World War II, Britain, Spies, Friendship, Occupied France, confessions, Nazi Occupation
Awards: 2013 Michael L. Printz honor book, shortlisted for Carnegie Medal, 2013 Golden Kite Honor, 2013 Edgar Allan Poe Award for best YA Novel 
Thumbs Up or Down?: Thumbs up! I really liked this book!
Book Trailer:

  

My Summary: This is the story of two women who meet during World War II. One is a pilot and the other is a spy. During their flight they crash land in occupied France and one is captured by the Gestapo. She is forced with a choice: Reveal the secrets of the mission or be tortured and ultimately put to death for her silence. She decides to do the latter, but it isn't exactly what the Nazi's are expecting. Through her confession she tells the story of how two women became friends and set out on an impossible mission.You will have to read the story to see if the two women are reunited and if Maddie, the spy will survive.

My Review: I really enjoyed this book because I love stories about World War II! I love all of the little details that the author includes to illustrate the world these two women are existing in.The characters are well developed and there is a lot of action that kept me interested as a reader.The details of the women's friendship is touching and attaches the reader to the characters. I enjoy stories of this kind where we hear a well-known story from a different point of view. Just as the novel, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, showed us the Holocaust from a child's perspective we now see a World War II perspective from a woman's point of view. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and patrons!

Week 1: This cover caught my eye!

Title: 52 Reasons to Hate My Father
Author: Jessica Brody
ISBN: 9780374323035
Publishing Company: Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers
Copyright Year: 2012
Publishing City: New York
Reading Level: Grade 7 and up
Themes: father-daughter relationship, affluence, children of the wealthy, romance, values, morals, teens, wealth, heiress, affect of money, hard work
Thumbs Up or Down?: Up, but not to high.
Book Trailer:

My Summary: This is a story of wealthy rich girl who seems to lack a purpose in life or any respect for the working class of people. She is obsessed with the money her family has and buying expensive things and having a mere material existence. Her father wanting her to have more out of life decides to postpone the disbursement of her trust fund and arrange for her to work 52 different jobs over the year. In her quest to appease her father and collect her trust fund she learns responsibility, morality and that love isn't about dollar signs!

My Review: I was first attracted to this book by the cover which I guess is the goal of any book jacket artist. I didn't think the story line was going to be the Cinderella story in reverse but it was. Though this is an overdone plot that has been done so many times before this one was still pretty good. I did like the character of Lexington Larrabee though in the beginning she comes off as the totally arrogant, spoiled princess that she is. The character does have some nice moments of catharsis as she is completing her jobs through the 52 weeks. In the end of course she learns money isn't everything. There are a lot of great comedic moments in the book. I really appreciate the perspective the author offered as she went from job to job. My undergraduate experience was much like this in that we had to participate in all aspects of the theatre even if we were not interested in them to gain insight and appreciation for the people working around us I think the main character gets this insight for the people that contribute to her privileged life on a daily basis. In spite of the title I don't think the main character ever actually hates her father, but more resents him for making her do all of the jobs. This doesn't last to long as she sees the value in the tasks that her father assigned her. Overall a nice quick escapist entertainment book. Don't know that'd I'd run and tell my friends about it but I enjoyed it.