Book Review: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Genre:
Realistic Fiction

Interest Level:
Grades 3-6

Reading Level:
590 Lexile

Book Theme:
Religious discovery, puberty, moving to a new neighborhood

Books with Similar Themes: 
Grace by Morris Gleitzman, Eleven by Lauren Myracle

Bibliographic Information: 
Blume, J. (1970). Are you there God? It's me, Margaret. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Bradbury Press.

Plot:  
Twelve-year-old Margaret Simon has just moved with her family from New York to New Jersey and will be starting in a new school for her sixth grade year. She becomes friends with three girls named Nancy, Janie, and Gretchen, and the four of them form a group where they meet and talk about boys and puberty. The girls swear that they will tell each other when they start their periods and end each meeting by chanting "We must, we must, we must increase our busts!" Margaret talks to God every day but feels conflicted about her religious affiliation. Margaret's father is Jewish and her mother is Christian, although neither of them practice their religions. Margaret's paternal grandmother Sylvia wants her to be Jewish, and when her estranged maternal grandparents come for a visit they want her to be Christian. Margaret wants to chose a religion and goes on a quest to learn more about the two religions, but along the way finds herself feeling more confused than ever.

Review: 
This ground-breaking book was one of the first of it's kind of address the issue of tweens and religion. It explores religion through Margaret's eyes and shows how confusing religious discovery can be to adolescents. Tweens that come from families with two religions will appreciate this book for it's approach to Margaret's questions about God and religion. The book also discusses puberty and shows how it is both fascinating and scary to girls are they grow up. The girls are anxious to begin developing and it almost turns into a contest to see who will wear a bra first or who will start their period first. The pressure to grow up is something tweens see even today and something to which many tween girls and boys will relate. This book is written in simple and yet compelling language that helps the reader relate to all of Margaret's struggles and to appreciate all of the learning and growing up she does as she asks herself profound questions about life.
  
Notable tweens:

Margaret Simon- The main character of the story, Margaret is an only child who is unhappy to move from New York to New Jersey but quickly adjusts to life there and makes new friends. She is very close to her paternal grandmother but gets annoyed that she is so set on Margaret being Jewish. She becomes even more upset when her maternal grandparents arrive and want her to be Christmas and finds herself not wanting to talk to God at all at times.

Nancy Walker- Margaret's first friend in her new neighborhood and the girl who seems to know the most about boys and puberty. Nancy tells her friends she has started her period, but Margaret feels betrayed when she discovers that Nancy has lied to them.

Film review: Thunderpants

Genre:
Comedy, Kids and Family

Rating:
PG

Interest Level:
Grade 2 to grade 6

Movie Theme:
Children not fitting in, friendship


Movies with Similar Plots:  
Driving Lessons (2006), Ace Ventura Pet Dectective Jr. (2008)


Bibliographic Information: 
Broadbent, G. (Producer), & Hewitt, P. (Director). (2002). Thunderpants. [Motion Picture]. United Kingdom: Pathé Pictures International.

Plot:  
British child eleven-year-old Patrick Smash had had a problem since he was a baby. He can't stop passing gas. The problem gets so bad that his father leaves, he has no friends at school, and nobody likes him. He dreams of working in outer space but knows his problem make it impossible. He befriends a young boy named Alan A. Allen, a scientific genius who also has no sense of smell. They become best friends and Alan tries to help Patrick with his problem by designing thunderpants. The pants collect Patrick's gas and store it in a lunchbox he holds, so his problem no longer bothers anyone. When Alan disappears suddenly Patrick is left to fend for himself and finds the school bullying continues. He eventually is thrown out of school and then put in jail for a murder he did not commit of a famous opera singer. He is about to be executed when an American working with space program comes to take him away for a secret mission. Will Patrick get to be a spaceman or will his problem doom him to be an outcast forever?

Review:  
This funny and goofy tale is one that has left audiences divided. It's a film that many adults might find crude and would not want to show their children. Some children might find the film to be ridiculous or boring. However many children, tweens in particular, will find this move to be hilarious and also will relate to Patrick's social isolation and his close friendship with Alan.Children many also relate to Alan, a nerdy but brilliant child who ignores the taunting of his peers and continues using his talents. The movie also has the message of the importance of going for our dreams even when we have problems or are socially outcast. This film will not be appreciated by everyone, but the people who will appreciate it will laugh and laugh and also cheer for Patrick and all the underdogs of the world who have a dream of doing great things one day.
  
Notable tweens:

Patrick Smash (played by Bruce Cook)- Patrick is an eleven-year-old who has an embarrassing gas problem. He is socially awkward but also very sweet, caring, and loyal to his friend Alan A. Allen. Patrick dreams of being a spaceman and journeying to outer space someday. He has dark hair, is overweight, and always wears the same outfit with black shorts and a green and black striped shirt.

Alan A. Allen (played by Rupert Grint of Harry Potter fame)-  Alan is an eleven-year-old science wiz who doesn't fit in with his peers but doesn't let that stop him from being a great inventor. Alan has red hair, freckles, and glasses, and looks a bit like the stereotypical nerd.

Film Trailer:

Book review: Hatchet by Gary Paulen

Genre:
Adventure, Juvenile Fiction

Interest Level:
12-14

Reading Level: 
Lexile 1020, Grades 6-8


Book Theme:
Wilderness survival, divorce


Books with Similar Themes:  
Juggling Fire by Joanne Bell, Death Mountain by Sherry Shahan


Bibliographic Information: 
Paulsen, G. (1987). Hatchet. New York: Simon Pulse.


Plot:  
Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is flying to the Canadian wilderness to visit his father. His parents have recently divorced and Brian is haunted by his secret memory of why their marriage feel apart, a secret his father does not know. It is just Brian and the pilot on the airplane, and when the pilot has a massive heart attack Brian tries to radio for help but is unsuccessful. He is forced to land the plane alone. Brian then has to fend for himself and learn how to survive in the unfamiliar Canadian wilderness. He has to learn to build shelter, how to find food, how to hunt, how to build a fire, and how to stay alive. Brian holds to hope that a rescue party is coming to save him, but when he realizes that he had flown the plane too far off course he begins to loose hope and realizes he may have to survive in the wilderness forever. Will a survival party come to find Brian, and if not will he be able to find the strength to survive off the land for the rest of his life?

Review:  
This fast-paced novel has become a classic for tweens from 1987 and on to today. It touches tweens on so many levels because it is exciting and page-turning, and it also deals with some tough issues such as surviving in the face of fear, weathering divorce, and the pain of carrying the burden of a terrible secret. This is a great book for reluctant-reader tweens who might appreciate an exciting, fast-paced book to stimulate their reading interest. It is also a great book for any tween who is interested in wilderness survival. Tweens dealing with the fresh wound of divorce may also appreciate this book and relate to how Brian feels incredible sadness and anger but cannot talk about his feelings because life around him continues on and a much more challenging situation surfaces that takes precedence.

Book review: After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson

Genre:
Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age

Interest Level:
Ages 12-16

Reading Level: 
Lexile 750, Grades 6-10


Book Theme:
 Friendship, hard times, difficult family situations


Books with Similar Themes:  
Girl by Blake Nelson, Begging for Change by Sharon Flake

Bibliographic Information: 
Woodson, J. (2008). After Tupac and D Foster. NY: J. Putnam's Sons.


Plot:  
One day two young female friends, the main character whose name is never revealed and her friend Neeka look across the street and see a girl they have never seen before. The girls begin a conversation and become close friends. They learn her name is D and that she lives in foster care. D is a wander who is allowed to take the bus everywhere as long as she is home by her curfew. D says one day she will go back to living with her mother when the mother gets her life together. They learn very little else and are always wanting to learn more about her. D teaches them to love the music of Tupac Shakur. The three of them spend the next two years together and go through things like growing up and going to visit Neeka's older brother in jail. They struggle  together with fear and sadness when Tupac is shot and nearly dies. And then one day D's mother returns, and their lives and friendship are never the same.

Review:  
This book deals with some difficult issues such as absent parents, siblings in jail, gay siblings, living in foster care, and dealing with grief and loss at a young age. It also has friendship of  three girls that is strong but also fragile. It shows how friendships, no matter how strong they may be, can also start to fade away with the passage of time. Many tweens will love and relate to the characters in this book and their stories. Tweens who love rap music and have discovered the music of late Tupac will also find something in this book. Although Tupac was controversial this book shows the positive impact his music had on many people and how his death affect many. It's a great book for any tween who wants to learn about friendship, the positive sides of rap music for tweens, the strength of family in the face of tough times, and the inner strength it takes to survive in a foster care situation.


Notable Tweens
The main character without a name- The story is told from her point of view. She is the quietest of the three friends. She makes sure to follow her mother's rules. Her mother is a single mom and she is an only child. She is very close to her mother but often wishes for brothers and sisters like Neeka has.

Neeka- Neeka is a tween who is sassy and the most outspoken of the three friends. She comes from a big family with two older brothers, a pair of younger twin brothers and a pair of twin sisters. The family drivers her crazy and sometimes she envies her friend and wishes she were an only child. Her oldest brother is in jail for a crime he did not commit. He is also gay, which is something her mother has a hard time accepting.

D Foster- D foster is a character who is wise beyond her years. She has been in the foster care for a while and has learned that she needs to behave and not act out or she could be faced with being taken away. D relates to Tupac and feels as though he is talking to her in the song Brenda's Got A Baby. The song talks about people who don't have a chance. D says that Tupac is helping her find her big purpose in life, something she believes everybody has and everybody will find in their lives.

Book Review: Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Genre:
Science Fiction

Interest Level:
Ages 11-18

Reading Level: 
Lexile 810, Grades 4-5


Book Theme:
 Survival, dystopian novel


Books with Similar Themes:  
Birthmarkerd by Caragh M. O'Brien,  Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Bibliographic Information: 
Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games. New York: Scholastic Inc.

Plot: 
Katniss Everdeen lives in futurist North America, now called Panem. Panem has twelve districts, and Katniss lives in the poorest, District 12. Her father has died in mining accident and she must hunt and find food for her mother a younger sister Primrose. Each year two young representatives from each district are chosen at random to battle each other to death in a reality show televised to all of the district. The battles is called The Hunger Games and it takes place in a dome with artificial wilderness conditions. The winner of the battles is promised a life of safety and care for his or her family, but for the rest of the youngsters (referred to as tributes) the Hunger Games only mean an early death. When Primrose is selected Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and a boy named Peeta are the District 12 tributes and must fight to the death to win the Hunger Games and return to their families, but in the end there can only be one winner.

Review:  
This dystopian novel is filled with action, suspense, loss, regret, budding romances and conflicted emotions toward the opposite sex. It's an exciting, fast-paced story that catches the attention of readers and sucks them into the story. It is a story that is wildly popular with tweens, teens, and adults alike. It has even been made into a film titled with the same name. The biggest tween elements are Katniss' developing feeling for her friend Gale as well as her very established independence. Tweens will love Katniss for her bravery, strength, determination, and fierce loyalty to her young sister and another special tribute she meets. They will also love Katniss because of her courage to stand up for what she believes is right despite the consequences that may follow. This popular book has worked it's way into the hearts of many tweens and is likely to do so for many more.

Question: Is this a tween book?
Since there are no tweens who are main characters I have decided to address the question of whether or not this is a book for tweens. Although I loved this book I also found myself uncertain as to whether or not it should be taught to tweens before seventh grade. It's a book that is now being taught in many schools as early as fifth grade, and they love it! While I don't think I would chose it in a fifth grade curriculum I do believe that a lot of the themes are ones that tweens will relate to despite their being slightly more mature than typical tween books. In an age where shows like Survivor and CSI are hugely popular it's also no surprise that The Hunger Games is as well. My final analysis as to whether it's a tween book or not came when I asked an eleven-year-old what he thought and he eagerly said yes. As I read the book I asked him questions about it and he told me he was so excited that he wanted me to answer them and wanted me to ask him more. So, is this a book for tweens or not? My answer is that if it gets tweens reading and excited about reading, then absolutely!

Book Review: Caribou by Meg Wolitzer

Genre:
Historical Fiction

Interest Level:
Ages 12-14

Reading Level: 
Grades 7-9

Book Theme:
Vietnam War, family conflict

Books with Similar Themes: 
Eli the Good by Silas House, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Bibliographic Information: 
Wolitzer, M. (1985). Caribou. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Plot: 

The year is 1970, and twelve year-old Becca Silverman and her family are devastated when her nineteen-year-old brother Stevie is drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. Further conflict arises when Stevie decides to flee to Canada instead of fighting. Their veteran father is ashamed of his son and barely speaks to him before his departure. Their mother is caught in the middle and always seems upset. Becca is terribly sad that her brother is leaving and feels angry at both her father and her country. She wishes she had a family that was more understanding like her best friend Kate's. After Stevie leaves Becca decides to enter a school art contest to win $100. She wants to use the prize money to visit Stevie in Canada. Becca wins the contest and is selected to paint a school mural showing patriotism. Becca realizes that she doesn't feel patriotic and is torn between painting what she promised and painting what she feels in her heart.

Review:  
Caribou is a lesser-known book and also an excellent one that reflects the struggles of many families during the Vietnam War. It also reflects on a number of issues relevant to all tweens in any time period including puberty, blossoming feelings for the opposite sex, questions about religion, and forming independent thought. As Becca's convictions become stronger she finds herself feeling more conflict and tension in her family as she tries to establish her independence, as many children do when developing opinions about war and politics. This book is an excellent one for any tweens who are curious about what life was like for tweens during the Vietnam War. It is also an excellent book for any tween who feels passionately about a social issue and is looking to find inspiration to stand up for his or her beliefs.

Notable Tweens Characters: 
Becca Silverman- The main character of the story, Becca is twelve-year-old girl who struggles with feelings of sadness over the loss of her brother and feelings of frustration with her father's stubbornness. Becca comes from a Jewish family that only attends services during the High Holidays but still finds herself praying so that she can visit her brother. Becca and her brother are very close and she worships him. She is an excellent artist.

Kate Ruskin- Kate is Becca's best friend. The two girls tell each other everything and spend lots of time together. Kate wants to be a scientist when she grows up. Kate is an only child and being raised by her college professor parents. Her family doesn't argue and listens to them, so Becca thinks the family is perfect, but toward the end of the book Kate points out some things about her family to Becca that makes her realize that when it comes to families the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

Book Review: The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Genre:
Realistic Fiction

Interest Level:
Ages 12-14

Reading Level:
Lexile 1010, Grades 8.

Book Theme:
Death of a parent, being raised by a surrogate parent

Books with Similar Themes: 
The Dancing Pancake by Eileen Spinelli, Lovingly Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Bibliographic Information: 
Patron, S.(2006). The higher power of Lucky. New York: Anthenum Books for Young Readers.


Plot: 

Ten-year-old Lucky Trimble is a young child who recently lost her mother in a freak accident and is being raised by her guardian Brigitte. She lives in the middle of the desert in Hard Pan, California, population 43, where the other people are nice but like her live in difficult situations. Lucky lives in fear the Brigitte will go back to France and abandon her. After listening to several Anonymous Twelve-Step meetings Lucky hears people talking about finding their higher power and she decides that she too must find her higher power to keep Brigitte from leaving her to go back to France. As the story unfolds more is revealed about Lucky, her mother’s death, her absent father, and her relationship with Brigitte. When she discovers evidence that Brigitte is leaving Lucky feels no choice but to run away in hopes that it will convince her to stay after all, but then Lucky finds herself running away in a sandstorm!

Review:  
The Higher Power of Lucky is an incredible story that deals with some tough issues for tweens including death of a parent, feelings of abandonment, children with parents who are in jail, and poverty. The story touches on these issues in away that isn't over-dramatic or graphic. It is all described simply but also in a way that is very powerful. The reader can feel Lucky's pain and confusion over the death of her mother and over the fear of losing Brigitte. The scene where Lucky cries into her mother's urn conveys such strong emotions in such little words and is a great example of writing for tweens that both gently and powerfully expresses the sorrow of loss. This is an excellent book for any tween who has lost a parent, lives with a guardian, lives in a neighborhood filled with poverty and tough situations, or even one who is just trying to find his or her higher power. Definitely a top-pick tween read!

Notable Tweens Characters: 

Lucky Trimble- The main character of the story who has lost her mother and lives with her French guardian Brigitte. Lucky struggles with feeling angry at times and finds herself getting easily annoyed with a little boy named Miles who always wants to hear Are You My Mother? Lucky has a dog named HMS Beagle.

Lincoln Clinton Carter Kennedy- Lucky's best friend and someone she has budding feelings for, Lincoln's mother wants him to be president but he only wants to be a famous for untying knots.

Book Review: My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer by Jennifer Gennari

Genre:
Realistic Fiction

Interest Level:
Age 10-13

Reading Level:
Lexile 570, Grade 3-8

Book Theme:
LGBT parents, bullying

Books with Similar Themes:  
Arilla Sun Down by Virginia Hamilton, Blue Heron by Avi


Bibliographic Information: 
Gennari, J. (2012). My mixed-up berry blue summer. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

Plot: 

Twelve-year-old June Farrell’s life is turned upside down the summer that her mother and her girlfriend Eva decide they want to have a civil union and have a wedding ceremony. June wants to focus the summer and the upcoming Champlain Valley Fair pie baking contest but after she finds a Take Back Vermont sign in front of her mother’s Stillwater Marina Shop life take a difficult turn. People begin boycotting the shop and June sees Take Back Vermont signs everywhere. June started to be teased and bullied by other children and feels outcast from her friends. June feels angry at Eva and wishes her mother had never met her. Life was fine before Eva came! June still had friends and nobody put signs in front of the shop. June struggles to make sense of her new family, to understand society’s negative reaction to them, and to find her own strength to stand up for what’s right.

Review:

My Mixed-Up Berry Blue Summer is an incredible book that touches on difficult issues like adjusting to new family members, being raised by gay parents, homophobia in society, and bullying. The book really captured June’s feelings of confusion and reflected them a way to make both children and adults understand how confusing and difficult it is to understand these tough issues. The dynamic between June and Eva shows the conflict tweens feel when adjusting to a new parent. The book did an especially good job of explaining June’s feelings of loss and final acceptance of the fact that she’d never have a father, and her how she felt as she slowed started to warm to Eva. This is an excellent book for any tween who is being raised by a new gay parent and is learning to understand their conflicted feelings about the situation. It is also an excellent book for any tweens who want an understand of how their friends might feel who have gay or lesbian parents.