Ship Breaker by Bacigalupi (audio)

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi. Narrated by Joshua Swanson.

Audience: 12 and up
My Rating: 3* of 5

Summary: In America's Gulf Coast region, where grounded oil tankers are being broken down for parts, Nailer, a teenage boy, works the light crew, scavenging for copper wiring just to make quota--and hopefully live to see another day. But when he discovers an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, Nailer faces the most important decision of his life: Strip the ship for all it's worth or rescue its lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl who could lead him to a better life.
Comments: In a nutshell: I prefer Hunger Games. Swanson's accents were ethnically confusing--I wonder if this was conscious choice or his lack of dialect prowess? While the first third of the story compelled me, the author's storytelling rhythm eventually bored me, as did his repetitive phrases: "blossomed with pain," etc. Richard Lopez: now there's a fascinating, utterly repulsive villain the likes of which I have not read in a while!
Awards: Printz award, National Book Award finalist
Read-alikes: Hunger Games by Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (*spoiler-free except for one vague quote*)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. Scholastic, 2010.

Audience: Ages 13+

My Rating: 4.5* of 5

Comments: After hearing Suzanne speak in April, I was worried that Mockingjay might shift what had thus far been a seemingly unbiased series of war stories toward a didactic vehicle for Collins' personal message/agenda on war and politics. Suzanne, I will never doubt again. She is far too talented a writer for that to happen even with such delicate subject matter. None of my predictions for the conclusion of this trilogy came to fruition--I've never been so glad to have guessed incorrectly. I enjoyed the pacing, surprises, punches to the gut, revelations, unexpected connections, and unfortunate losses woven into this powerful conclusion. Above all, I admire Suzanne for giving young adult readers an honest, realistic ending to Katniss's story. Life is messy, love is imperfect, war is impossible, but somehow many survive and slowly rebuild a life...and even try to make it good.

There are worse games to play.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 2008.
I know I'm way behind to just be reading this one. Wow! A fantastic and compelling read that you can't wait to get to the ending of but hate for it to be over. I'm impressed by how different it is from her Gregor books. The point at which the books ends surprised me--I expected a painful cliffhanger--but it is still intriguing enough to propel you into book 2.

The True Meaning of Smekday

The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex. 2007.

Audience: ??? This is my question...who is this book for? The main character is 12, but very smart-talking and mature. There is plenty of swearing and semi-swearing. It weighs in at over 400 pages and overall is pretty sophisticated, sarcastic, and mature IMHO.

We have this title in Juvenile. Plano has it in YA. Dallas has it in Juvenile. SLJ says grades 4-8...4th grade? Really? Publisher's Weekly says ages 8 and up...8? Really?

I really enjoyed this book, but am a bit baffled by where it really belongs and who is the best audience for this one. Please weigh in if you have input!

When You Reach Me (audio)

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. 2009.
Audience: Grades 4-7th; ages 9-14
My Rating: 4*s of 5
Summary: As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.
Comments: I kept seeing reviews for this book and decided to give it a listen. It is a great puzzle-read with a well written girl protagonist. It was very satisfying to keep track of each subtle clue as it clicks into place. More than anything, though, it is a book about relationships. A passage about racism is deftly but clearly handled. I enjoyed this clever story and find myself thinking about it from time to time.
Awards: Newbery medal!
Read-alikes: A Wrinkle in Time (more of a companion book than a read-alike), Chasing Vermeer by Balliet