Camellia the Bald by E. W. Zrudlo; Coastal Carolina Press: Wilmington, North Carolina, 2001; $9.95 If someone asks Jon o’Gates a question, he usually talks too much and tends to digress, which means he gives unnecessary information and gets off the subject a lot. Jon o’Gates is a character in a fascinating book called Camellia the Bald. I can relate to Jon o’Gates because sometimes at school, when I’m asked a question, I’ll give an answer and then tell a story about something I did or experienced that has little to do with the question. Once in fifth grade, my class was discussing a book and soon, because of me, the whole class was itching to tell their own dog stories because I told mine. Jon o’Gates also likes to wander off, daydream, and frolic about before doing what he’s supposed to be doing. He puts off until tomorrow what he could be doing today. So do I. My second-grade teacher once said that she wanted to “light a fire under me.” Sometimes when I’m stuck on a homework assignment, I’ll inch off my chair and go into the living room to play piano or watch TV. Well, back to the book. I have two questions for you. What would you do if you were sent away to live with your aunt, a real-live witch, and while exploring her house found an entrance to another world by climbing through a plain old mailbox? Would you be happy, scared, excited? Well, that’s what happened to young Susan Camellia Cardiff, the main character in Camellia the Bald. She found herself lost in a place she didn’t know existed. To make matters worse, she was supposedly the new queen and, therefore, it was her job to slay Glydfen—the almighty, merciless, firebreathing dragon who flew around terrorizing everyone and everything in sight. The land Susan discovered was called Ebal. Ebal was a “queendom,” not a kingdom. It was called this because only women could rule. Most adventure stories have one hero. This one had three. They were Susan, Jon o’Gates, and Piotr. Susan was a brave, understanding girl. At home, her family thought that her mother was going crazy. She would scream and hit Susan for no reason. Susan went to her aunt’s house to get away from home, and almost forgot all her pain and suffering. In Ebal, she went on a dangerous and daring adventure to the Old One. Jon o’Gates went with her as a guide. Together they ventured through dark forests, murky lakes, and even broken stars. With every step of the way, the hikers discovered more about themselves. By working together and trusting one another, they restored peace to Ebal. That reminds me of my soccer team. Have you ever heard the expression, “There’s no I in team”? It’s true. You can’t win a game alone. It’s a team effort. You have to trust the defense to shield the goal, the goalie to stop any shots, and the offense to communicate, dribble up the field, and score some goals. But I’m digressing again. Jon o’Gates was my favorite character. Not only does he give too much information that is unnecessary and off topic like me, but he is always willing to help and is a loyal friend. He could cheer Camellia up when she was scared or sad. If it weren’t for his calmness and quick thinking around the man-eating dragon, he and Susan wouldn’t have survived their long and frightening adventure. Piotr was a gruff old man who spent his life cooped up at home studying an old book about the rules and traditions of Ebal called The Histories. Piotr helps the two travelers on their long journey and gives them numerous tips that later come in handy. In the end, Susan and Jon teach Piotr how to have fun again, and enjoy life once more. Their adventure reminds me of when I moved to my new house from another town. At first, it was scary. Eventually, I relaxed and started to have fun exploring and leaping in and out of all our new rooms. Then I met new people, saw new places, and discovered new opportunities all waiting for me to arrive. There, I did it again. I started off talking about a great adventure with a dragon, and ended up talking about moving. How did I do that? Jessica Sashihara, 10 Martinsville, New Jersey
Book Reviews
A Greater Goode
A Greater Goode by Amy Schor Ferris; Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 2002; $15 Author Amy Schor Ferris’s latest story, A Greater Goode, is a touching novel about Addie Goode, a twelve-year-old, and her experience of friendships and the role that those friendships play in her growing up. The story is written from Addie’s point of view, and she tells about her own experiences, throwing in her own thoughts as she goes along. It is well written with good plots throughout the story and, indeed, is a page-turner. As soon as I opened the book to the prologue and read the first sentence, I was a captive of the book, entrapped in its pages with my eyes glued to the words. I remember it was a Monday, when I started the book. It was in Dr. McDonald’s office. That day I was going to have maxillofacial surgery and I was reading The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket. I was at an awfully boring part, so I got A Greater Goode out of my bag and started reading. When the assistant called my name, I got up with the book in my face, and when we were in the operating room, she said, “Let me take your book, I don’t think you’ll be having time to read.” I screamed, “No no no no no no no no no no!!!!!!!!” At home Mom said, “Dinner’s ready.” I was so involved in the book that I barely even heard her so I didn’t say anything. “Dinner’s ready!” I ignored her. “Let’s eat. Dinner’s ready!!!!” “Just a minute . . .” I muttered without looking up. It was like that for a while until Mom threatened to take the book away and I finally agreed to eat. At night I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep without finding out how the book ended, so I read and read until I closed the book and was satisfied. Just like Addie, I have had one of those weekends where everything is happening in “one full swoop,” as her housekeeper Jessie would say. Whether it’s that you have a piano concert, your best friend is moving away, a major history report is due, and you need to get a new bathing suit, or something that’s a lot more complicated like, in Addie’s case, I’ve always had a good friend to help me get through it all. But I have never really had a best friend for long because a lot of my friends tend to move away. At the moment, I’m the type of kid where I’m friends with everyone, not real good friends, just friends, and a lot of people think that’s great, but I wish that I had a best friend that I could tell everything to like Addie and her best friend Luke. When Addie and Luke saw the creepy guy being hateful toward Rachel and then slapping her in the old abandoned church, Addie and Luke ran away. But when Addie asked Jessie what she would do if she saw something bad happening, she replied, “If I saw something bad happening, I’m not the type to turn my back. If I saw someone being hateful, I’d put my two cents in. I think sometimes walking away from evil is just as evil.” Walking away from evil is just as evil. This is the one phrase in the entire book that inspired me most. Unlike Addie, I’m not the type that can stand up to people that easily and I am the type to just walk away from things. After hearing what Jessie said, I was glad that Addie decided to do something about what she saw. Judging by other experiences that she lived through, I can tell that Addie is a very kind and courageous person who can easily stand up for herself and others. At the same time that I was glad, I was also jealous of her and the ability she had to speak her mind. I would like for Addie to be my friend and have her teach me how to overcome my fears and be like her. I recommend this engaging novel for anyone who has been through tough times and knows that life brings lots of hard and complicated situations. If you’re looking for a good book on friendship, this is the book for you. A Greater Goode is a story that touches the heart, reminding us all that life is not perfect, and, nevertheless, friends will always be there for you when you need them. Martina McLarty, 12 El Cerrito, California
A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson
A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson by Michelle Y. Green; Dial Books for Young Readers: New York, 2002; $15.99 I love baseball, and I have always had a special interest in African-American history. But that is only a part of the reason that I liked A Strong Right Arm. The book is about Mamie Johnson, an African-American girl who plays baseball in the days when the major leagues were segregated. At the beginning of the book, we hear how Mamie has grown up with baseball, how her “life has been wrapped up in that three-inch universe of twine and leather.” I think that is a good beginning because it shows right from the start what the book is about and displays the attitude of the main character. This book takes us through the baseball life of Mamie, and there are many instances where she shows the heart and determination of a true winner. For example, when Mamie was ten, she moved from South Carolina to New Jersey. There was no baseball for girls in her new town, and when she saw a white boys’ team playing she wanted to play with them. The boys laughed and said she couldn’t play because she was a “colored girl,” but she signed up for the team anyway. I liked how, even when the boys teased her, Mamie knew she was as good as they were. Reading this book made me feel grateful for the kind of environment I live in. I am on a swim team. Unlike Mamie, I am not a natural athlete, but at least I am accepted and encouraged by my teammates. Mamie was a very good pitcher, but she was not fully accepted by her team because of her color. Mamie mentions that her family was always behind her, whatever she did. That shows the importance of a good family, because, as hard as it was for Mamie to achieve her goals, I think it would have been much harder without the strong support of her family. I like how Mamie says that her family was a leading force in her life and dreams, instead of saying that she accomplished everything she did by herself. My family is a huge part of my life, and I don’t think I would be where I am in anything without their support. Although there are parts in this book that would not be particularly interesting to people who don’t like baseball, I don’t think this book is mainly about sports. I think it’s about achieving goals, not giving up, and believing in yourself. Anastasia Apostoleris, 11 Princeton, Massachusetts
Phoenix Rising
Phoenix Rising by Karen Hesse; Henry Holt & Company: New York, 1994; $16.95 Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do some people live and others die? Isn’t it ironic how a loss can bring two strangers together, but then ultimately, keep them apart? These are some of the questions which Karen Hesse explores in Phoenix Rising a story of a friendship blossoming from one of the most devastating tragedies imaginable—an accident at a nuclear power plant. Nyle, a young teenage girl, has already lost her mother and grandfather when the accident happens at Cookshire power plant. She lives with her grandmother on their farm near the plant, and watches with horror and fear as the power accident spreads radioactive nuclear energy, destroying their flock and their crops. Nyle knows that people are dying as well, and wonders if she and her grandmother will be next. If you have never lost a loved one, you may not understand Nyle’s anger when she hears that Miriam and Ezra Trent, two sick refugees from the accident, are coming to stay in the back bedroom—the same bedroom where both Nyle’s mother and grandfather died. But I understood Nyle’s feelings, for last year my uncle, who was only forty years old, died after a terrible illness. Nyle’s anger is rooted in fear—fear of getting close to people only to lose them. She tries to build a wall, to protect herself from further hurt. As the story progresses, however, Nyle learns—and the reader learns with her—how to break down those walls. Nyle’s grandmother convinces her that taking the refugees in is the right thing to do. Difficult as it is for her emotionally, Nyle tries to make the best of the situation, and begins to spend time with Ezra. At first she reads to him and wets his face with compresses, but then they start to really talk—to connect—and they develop a deep relationship that goes both ways. It is not just that Nyle learns to care for Ezra, all the while knowing that she might lose him; Ezra also cares for Nyle, and his caring for her transforms her. As their friendship progresses, Nyle is no longer the closed, guarded person we met at the beginning of the story Ezra has an uncanny way of making Nyle open up. Nyle feels that Ezra understands her, and she is able to confide her deepest thoughts in him. Through Ezra, Nyle begins to break down her walls, and rebuild herself as a person. What a lesson in friendship! Phoenix Rising is also, however, a lesson in strength of mind and spirit. Ezra, like my dear Uncle David, was so sick that he could hardly move, but he willed himself to keep going on. He found the strength to keep living and to help others live their lives at the same time. While it is true that Nyle gave Ezra strength and prolonged his life, it is more remarkable how Ezra actually brought Nyle back to life. My uncle, like Ezra, gave me strength even as he lay dying, and I sat by his side. No matter how weak he was, he never stopped trying to animate me with his humor. The story of Ezra and Nyle confirmed for me that friendship and love are a two-way street. And we can learn so much in life—about how to live life—from helping to give life to those who are suffering. Alm Bryn, 12 Hollywood, Florida
Bloody Jack
Bloody Jack by L. A. Meyer; Harcourt, Inc.: New York, 2002; $17 Sometime in your life you most likely will experience the thrill of getting involved with something and loving it. It brings about new friends, new adventures, and sometimes even new hopes and a better life. Unfortunately, this new experience may not really be what you had overall expected. For example, many kids take up playing an instrument and get hooked on the idea of giving an exceptional concert. A lot of times the kids don’t realize that practicing and rehearsals take time and energy. I realized this after I started violin lessons! In Bloody Jack, an exciting new change also occurs. It is the eighteenth century and Mary Faber had been living on the streets in London. She is an orphan and she was living with a group of friends. The book called it a gang but I was surprised because everyone in the gang was so sweet and kind to one another and protected each other from harm. This new way to look at some gangs as being nice, substitute families touched me and now I will never look at gangs the same way again. When the leader of the family gang is mysteriously found dead in a nearby alley, Mary brushes away her grief and disguises herself as a boy. “Jacky” gets taken in on a ship going out to sea because she can read fairly well. Life starts to look up. She meets a group of boisterous boys and battles pirates, killing one and therefore earning her the name Bloody Jack. But killing is not as heroic as she had thought, and the gore and cannons terrify her. She gets sick at the beings and blood all around her. She never really got over the shock of her first real battle, as I never really got over the shock of my first time at “Laser Quest” (a game indoors where each person tries to zap another person with his or her laser gun). I related to Jacky here because I felt both overwhelmed and excited about the game at first glance. But, like Jacky, I was aghast at the idea that people were actually shooting at me! Bloody Jack is not a light read. Shootings and diabolical pirates cost lives from the ship. Jacky constantly has to watch out for her own safety, and when she relaxes she gets sexually harassed and beaten up! I had to put down this book a couple of times because the events seemed to be just too awful for me to continue. Happy experiences where Jacky was fully comfortable with what she was doing were scarce. I was disappointed that there were not a lot of passages with pure adventure. Sure, there were disputes and passages about what everyone did on the ship, but I felt the book was missing a lot of description, character development, and the supposed thrills of adventure on a ship. I was so relieved to be reading something exciting when Jacky was abandoned on an island in the ocean. She had to fend for herself and the plot was based more on her survival than her love life. I remembered the time I explored an island in the middle of a big lake and how I felt so little and alone compared to the natural wisdom of the plants. I thought that must be how Jacky felt! Bloody Jack is a complex, rather depressing, high-level read that will most definitely stir the reader and make them appreciate the little happy things in life. Julia Kete, 11 West Hartford, Connecticut
Flight to Freedom
Flight to Freedom by Ana Veciana-Suarez; Orchard Books: New York, 2002; $16.95 Flight to Freedom by Ana Veciana-Suarez is amazing right from the start. It is definitely a page-turner and will keep you reading for hours. When I first received the book, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy reading it. I had second thoughts about reviewing it because I usually don’t like journal-style writing. I started on page one and in a flash I changed my mind. This book is a daily journal belonging to a young lady named Yara Garcia. This book takes you through the easy, rough, happy and sad times of Yara that take place while she and her family are going through the process of exile. This “almost thirteen years old” girl tells us about her home life in Cuba and her days in La Escuela al Campo, a communist training camp. She tells us about her flight to America, her new life in America, and the different feelings and obstacles she faces every day of her new world. This story felt so realistic to me because my dad and his family went through the same thing. They came from Cuba to America in 1961. My dad was only eighteen months old and doesn’t remember much, but my aunts do and they share their stories. My feelings toward this book are natural. At some points I was laughing, celebrating or being proud of Yara’s actions, but at other times I was crying, scared, or upset. For example, when she talked about how her abuelo said, “I may never live to see my home country again,” I was sad, feeling upset for him. I couldn’t even imagine not being able to see my hometown or country again. Another example is when her abuelo died of a heart attack. I was crying very much because my abuelo from Cuba also died of a heart attack. I was scared thinking that it must mean something, but I just let it go. Nightmares that night? Oh yes!! When I hear about the cruelness of Fidel Castro and the horrible times the Cuban people went through, I think how lucky I am to live in a free country. I am able to do, say, and act in whichever way I want. I feel sorry for the Cubans and hope that one day Castro will come to his senses and let them live freely! I love this book and not only will I recommend it to my friends and family, I will read it over and over again! Joelle Waksman, 11 Cooper City, Florida
Virginia Lee Burton: A Life in Art
Virginia Lee Burton: A Life in Art by Barbara Elleman; Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 2002; $20 I can still remember when my dad read Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel to me. In fact, my dad remembers when his mother read Mike Mulligan to him. Did you ever wonder what was the story behind the acknowledgment to Dickie Birkenbush at the bottom of a page in Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel? Have you ever wondered if there was a real Mike? I did and found the answers in the book Virginia Lee Burton: A Life in Art. If you are curious, read the book to find the answers in the first chapter. Virginia Lee Burton: A Life in Art is Burton’s biography that describes her creativity and lifestyle. Energetic and amiable, Virginia kept busy from dawn to dusk, raising sheep, vegetables and two children on her New England farm. Abandoned by her mother as a teenager, she found emotional strength from her artwork, as well as her skill as a dancer. Burton created a home environment that promoted her artistic fervor, surrounding herself with artistic things and people. Her husband was, in fact, a well-known sculptor. Numerous photos that depict her life in art fill this book. I particularly like the one of her dancing on the giant granite picnic table in her backyard. In another photo, Virginia and her sons stand in front of the boys’ bedroom wall that shows hilly tracks and trains painted by their mother. The back cover shows an eye-catching picture of her uniquely decorated barn studio, only steps away from her house. I admire Virginia because of her ability in handling the emotional stress of her mother’s abandonment. Despite the negative impact that this must have had on her, she created a happy life for herself and her family. Interviews with her sons, who never recalled any visible signs of distress from this sad event, proved her successful efforts. While I still have my mother, I want to follow Virginia’s example of not dwelling on negative aspects of her life, but living in the present and improving her future. It must have taken a lot of courage to remain positive without letting her inward feelings affect her outwardly. I probably could not do this, because, if I have a problem, I go to my mom. Without her, I would have a hard time coping. Although Virginia was emotionally stronger than me, we are similar in several ways. Like me, her perfectionism made her constantly fix her work. If I’m doing a project and don’t like something about it, I mess with the mistake until it looks right. Sometimes, I end up making it worse. Virginia loved drawing, always sketching down ideas. When she took art and designing lessons, she had a long commute by rail, ferryboat and cable car. During those long hours, she sketched her unwary fellow passengers. I also enjoy sketching my friends and other people I meet. If I don’t have anyone to sketch, I draw people and animals from my imagination. Virginia read her stories to her children to test if they were interesting enough for them. I’m always testing my funny stories on my younger brother to see whether he will laugh. The hard part for me is writing the stories down on paper. It’s fun to read a biography about a person with whom I found much in common. Vivienne Clark, 10 Albuquerque, New Mexico
Melanie Martin Goes Dutch
Melanie Martin Goes Dutch by Carol Weston; Alfred A. Knopf: New York, 2002; $15.95 How would you feel if your parents told you that you were going to Holland for your summer vacation? Happy? Excited? Well, Melanie Martin feels both until she lands 3500 miles away from her home in New York City Melanie, a ten-year-old almost-fifth-grader, keeps a daily diary, and her entries and doodles make up the pages of the book. In this story, she travels with her mom, an art teacher; her dad, an overworked lawyer; her pesky brother, “Matt the Brat”; and her best friend since kindergarten, Cecily Hausner. This book has many good qualities. It is smart and witty. It made me laugh out loud because it was so funny. Through Melanie’s eyes I learned a lot about Holland. I learned what the Dutch eat (lots of cheese, including fondue) and how they get around (by bicycle). I learned about their great artists (Vermeer, Rembrandt, and van Gogh) and a great writer (Anne Frank). I learned about their windmills, wooden shoes, and half-nude beaches. I even learned that the Pilgrims were in Holland before sailing on the Mayflower. I also learned how jealousy and anger can make you behave badly and how important it is to try to be a good person. Melanie is a special girl. She is funny and intelligent, but she can also be stubborn and selfish. By the end, though, she learns to be kinder, especially to Cecily, who is dealing with a very serious issue. Melanie learns, with the help of Anne Frank’s diary, that “being a good person cannot just mean doing nothing wrong. It also has to mean doing something right.” Melanie also learns that it is stupid to complain about privileges when Anne did not complain about hardships, like having to live in a small area without making noise. I could relate to this book a lot. I have traveled to Europe with my family and I know that traveling can be both exciting and difficult. I have enjoyed going to museums and learning about different cultures, but sometimes I get sick of walking around and want to watch TV, and sometimes I get sick of foreign food and want to eat at McDonald’s. When my family travels, we are five people, two parents and three kids, just like in Melanie Martin. Most of the time we enjoy ourselves, but sometimes we argue. My brother can be annoying like Matt. Like Melanie, I enjoy writing. I keep a journal in school. This book made me want to keep a journal the next time I travel with my family. Melanie writes lots of short, funny poems and is very interested in words. I learned some new vocabulary and the derivation (the origin) of some English expressions. For example, Melanie’s dad says that “nitwit” probably came from the Dutch for “I don’t know.” When Dutch settlers went to school and couldn’t speak English, they would answer the teacher “niet weten” which earned them the nickname nitwits. Melanie Martin Goes Dutch is the second in a series—the first is called The Diary of Melanie Martin—but it doesn’t matter which order you read them in. I read Goes Dutch first and liked it so much that I immediately read The Diary in which Melanie and her family travel to Italy. These books are real page-turners. I can’t wait to read the next book about Melanie and her travels! Libby Coleman, 9 Scarsdale, New York
Shatterglass
Shatterglass by Tamora Pierce; Scholastic Press: New York, 2003; $16.95 Shatterglass, a fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, touches ingeniously close to the real world. Pierce is able to weave a tale which, although fiction, is startlingly believable. The last volume in The Circle Opens quartet, Shatterglass follows the life of Tris, a young ambient mage of unimaginable power, and Kethlun Warder, a glassmaker who just wants to live a normal life but can’t. Together they encounter two major crimes in the city of Tharios—one that takes away all rights of the prathmuni and the other, a murder. Who are the prathmuni? They are the “untouchables” of Tharios, uncomfortably similar to the Untouchables of India. In this book we are able to see the extremes of the mistreatment of people in India in a totally different world. When Tris asks a prathmuni girl why they are discriminated against, the girl explains, “We handle the bodies of the dead. We skin and tan animal hides. We make shoes. We take out the night soil. But mostly, we handle the dead, which means we defile whatever we touch . . .” This is similar to the Hindu law that says that working with animal skins makes one unclean, as does work that involves physical contact with blood, excrement, and the dead, all things which the Untouchables of India do. Shatterglass touched me because it shoved the issues of human injustice right into my face. When I first read about the prathmuni I thought, This is insane! I am so thankful that I don’t live in a world like that! And yet, only a day after I had read about the prathmuni, I happened to read an article in National Geographic that spoke of the injustice of Untouchables occurring in my world! As I read on I realized that Shatterglass had many messages that reflected reality. For example: Kethlun Warder. Keth is a glassmaker of about twenty years who just wants to be normal—but can’t. After being hit by lightning, he finds that his previous ease at glassmaking is gone and a mysterious power has taken its place. It is Tris’s job to help Kethlun accept the fact that he is not like everyone else and that being different is OK, even good. Almost everyone deals with the issues of wanting to be someone he or she is not and having to accept reality. And then the murder mystery. (That is the great thing about Shatterglass. It has at least three major plots occurring and intertwining all at the same time—and the book makes perfect sense!) Obviously I have never been involved with murder, so I can’t relate directly to it, but the mystery made the story that much deeper, that much more believable, that much better. After murdering the victims, the assassin would take the bodies and place them in public areas where everyone would notice them, in order to make the point that the caste system was wrong. In this way the murderer ridicules the government, but that does not mean that this method of drawing attention to the issue is the right one to use. The killer’s method of displaying the corpses brings further into view the insanity of the treatment of the prathmuni. It also shows how wrong murder really is; Pierce shows that no victims are anonymous losses. Hayley Merrill, 13 Waterford, Connecticut
Girl of Kosovo
Girl of Kosovo by Alice Mead; Farrar, Straus and Giroux: New York, 2001; $16 When people thought the Holocaust was over, it wasn’t. For the Jews it may have been over in the 1940s, but for the Albanians it wasn’t over until 1999. Girl of Kosovo is a marvelous book. Beneath the cover unravels a story thick and chock-full of courage, hope and sadness, which I think is written so eloquently and precisely Throughout the book Zana Dugolli, an eleven-year-old girl, struggles to keep the hatred of the Serbians out of her heart. Zana is an Albanian girl growing up in the time of a holocaust against Albanians. Every day she faces the struggle to survive and is alert to any gunshots and bombs, which may crumble her life to itty-bitty pieces. Zana is an amazing character, who out of necessity has converted her heart into a rock. In an attack in her village her ankle is obliterated and shrapnel weaves its way through her hip. Zana is sent immediately to a hospital in Belgrade seven hours from her home and family. Although wishing she didn’t have to go, she finds the courage inside of her. This amazed me because I wouldn’t want to be alienated from my family during war. I have never been separated from my family for more than a couple of days, and if at all I was separated it was with trusted close friends. Zana was sent away with absolute strangers. This I thought was a wonderful example of spirit. I realized how fortunate I was living in the USA, where unprecedented medical treatment is taken for granted. It was so unfair that the nurses at the hospitals chastised and called innocent Zana a terrorist for being an Albanian. Zana tried to ignore them but somehow the obnoxious comments won her over, and filled her heart with even more sorrow. At several such points in the book tears filled my eyes. I realized the Albanians were treated like dirt and pebbles on the road. After reading about so much injustice, I wanted to make a difference. I decided I had to make children my age read this book, and experience the aftermath of war from the perspective of a girl their age. Especially during today’s times, when the news is primarily about the US going to war with Iraq and biological terrorism threats on us. When there was no spirit in the air and sadness was just down the road, hope was still not defeated. An example of hope is when a British doctor helps Zana’s injury heal, and when a Serb takes Zama to the hospital. Both these incidents surprised me because from Zana’s point of view the Serbs were horrible. Also, it made me think why would a British person want to help an injured girl. Just as every cloud has a silver lining I realized that all Serbs weren’t bad; some had a side covered in sweet honey. What I thought made this book such a mandatory read is that it helped me understand the politics in this world. With North Korea threatening to send out nuclear bombs and Osama Bin Laden supporting terrorism, this book sends a special message out to its readers. “Don’t let anyone fill your heart with hatred,” as the author quotes in the story. Also, do not tolerate injustice. Eesha Daye, 11 Ardsley, New York
The Sight
The Sight by David Clement-Davies; Dutton Books: New York, 2002; $21.99 When I sat down to read The Sight, I was expecting a predictable good-against-evil, weak-against-strong, love-against-hate type story. Boy, was I wrong. As a writer, I find the greatest challenge in writing stories is developing a plot that is unpredictable, unique, and fraught with problems for the characters in order to leave the readers wondering what happens next. This is clearly not a problem for David Clement-Davies, the author of The Sight. From the opening scene where the alpha wolves Huttser and Palla are searching for a place to den to the poignant and dramatic conclusion, the wolf pack encounters problem after problem. The way that these obstacles are presented does not frustrate the reader: it excites him or her. Larka, Huttser and Palla’s female pup, is the main character of the story. As a well developed character should, she has some trouble dealing with the hardships she encounters. Larka grows and she begins to show signs of having the Sight, a mysterious and rare gift possessed by only a few wolves. Morgra, the villain of the story, is a loner with a dark past. She is one of the few wolves with the Sight. Morgra is determined to take Larka and use her to fulfill an evil prophecy that would change the life of all wolves. If I was Morgra and I was lucky enough to have the amazing gift of the Sight, then I would not waste it on fulfilling evil prophecies. In the story, however, that is Morgra’s goal. The wolf pack refuses to admit Morgra into the pack, as any sane human or animal would do. Unfortunately, Morgra curses them. Palla and Huttser are sure that this so-called curse is not real, until the pack begins to fall apart. The wolf pack faces trial after trial, and eventually only a few wolves remain. As the small pack traverses over icy, barren land, they are forced to walk over the ice, which is thin in some spots. Fell, Larka’s brother, falls through the thin ice, and ends up underneath a transparent pane of thick ice. Huttser is forced to watch his son die, literally in his grasp, because the pack is unable to penetrate the ice. I can relate to this situation, because when I got my braces, it was hard for me to play my flute. Songs that had been so easy for me were a struggle to play. In this way, I have had my own goals be very close, but I was temporarily unable to reach them. I was able to play my flute properly very quickly, so the ice separating me from my music was thin. I am sure everyone has come up against an imaginary wall in which the goal or reward is in sight, but getting to it is like trying to get through the thick ice that separated Huttser and Fell. Larka, who blames herself for the pack’s corruption, runs away after the loss of her brother, Fell. If I was Larka, I would not blame myself for what was not my fault. I might feel bad if I knew that the root of the pack’s problems was Morgra’s coveting my gift, but I would also try to understand that I could not help being what I was. Another brilliant twist in The Sight is the ending. In most stories, the hero or heroine is completely victorious. The Sight includes a dramatic and stunning conclusion that keeps you on the edge of your seat until you read the last gripping words. Talia Lester, 12 Los Gatos, California
Alia Waking
Alia Waking by Laura Williams McCaffrey; Clarion Books: New York, 2003; $15 Your lifelong dream dangles before your eyes. You reach for it and almost grasp it, but alas, you still have to watch the baby for your mother and scrub the floors. If there’s extra time in between chores, you might find an opportunity to sneak off for a bit and chase that fantasy. Not that it’s likely you’ll get anywhere at that rate. This scenario is true for Alia Cateson in Alia Waking. For all her life, Alia has wanted to become a warrior, a keenten. However, her mother needs help with the chores at home, and Alia has to spend almost all her time mending clothes and doing other household duties. She’ll be thirteen soon, and that’s the age when keentens choose girls to join them. If she isn’t chosen, she might have to spend the rest of her life cooking and cleaning. War has plagued Alia’s world for years. Her kingdom, Tram, is at war with a neighboring land called Beech. All of Trant despise Beechians, and when Alia and her friend Kay find two Beechian children in the woods, they’re immediately thought of as spies. The Beechians are locked up, and everyone assumes they’ll be executed. I thought it was horrible that the villagers all thought it would be OK to kill children. Prejudice is an issue in Alia Waking. The Beechian children found in the woods are supposed to be spies simply because of where they come from. I think this is very similar to some of the issues happening right now. Since the September II terrorist attacks, Arab Americans are being discriminated against because of the way they look. Peer pressure also comes up in this book. Alia wants to help the Beechian prisoners when they’re ill, but Kay disagrees. The boy has a hurt foot, so Alia wants to bring him rags to wrap it up. It’s wintertime and the prison is cold. Kay says, “Would they have done the same for your brothers?” Alia’s elder brothers died fighting Beechians in the war. But Alia brings rags and gets a healer for the sick girl, anyway. Kay becomes extremely angry with her and hangs out with another girl instead of with Alia. The two whisper together and play games Alia and Kay once did. Alia knows she did the right thing, but can she make Kay understand? And if Kay refuses, can Alia let her best friend go? I think Alia was really strong to stand up to her best friend, and I admire her courage throughout the book. I found it annoying that all the housework is left to the women and girls in Alia Waking. I know real life was like this for a long time, but it was still frustrating that Alia had trouble following her dream because of a huge workload, while her brothers did whatever they wanted. Reading this book makes me appreciate how lucky I am that chores are spread out in my family and that whether you’re a boy or a girl, you still have an equal amount of work to do. This book is filled with values, from acceptance of people regardless of race to standing up to peer pressure. All the conflict Alia experiences really pulled me into the book; I wanted to know how it ended. If you’re looking for a good read, try Alia Waking. Holly Kuestner, 13 Bothell, Washington
