Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson is not much like a typical 12 year old in many ways.  He has been kicked out of every school that he has ever attended, often finds himself in the middle of some disaster or trouble, has ADHD and dyslexia.  Oh, and he's also half-human, half-greek god.  Percy finds himself at a new school with one of his only friends, Grover and with one of his new favorite teachers, Mr. Brunner.  Little does Percy realize that everything going on around him is happening for a reason.  When Mr. Brunner and Grover begin to start acting a little strange after an incident with his math teacher Ms. Dodds (who turns into a flying monster and tries to kill him), Percy starts digging and finds out that there is a lot more about him that what seems.  He finally finds out the truth when his mother, Grover and Percy go on a little trip.  However, on the journey, they are attacked by a terribly monster and Percy kills it.  But not before it sends his mother to the underworld.  Once inside the safety of the camp, Percy learns that he is not only a half-blood, but a half-blood that is not suppose to exist.  While at the camp, Percy makes friends with Annabeth Chase (daughter of Athena) and Luke (son of Hermes) and also enemies of Clarrise (daughter of Ares).  He also learns that Zeus' prized lightning bolt is missing and that HE is the suspect thief.  Now Percy is on a journey with the help of Annabeth and Grover (who is actually a Satyre) to not only find Zeus' bolt, but to save his mother and catch a thief. 

WOW!  This book was an amazing start to the series!  At first, I simply thought it was a kiddie book and that I would find it boring and silly.  But the more I read, the more I loved it!  Every page has you wanting more of the story.  This not only speaks to the amazing storyline, but Riordan's ability to write so well and captivatingly.  I found it very hard to put down the first book until I was finished.  And just like pringles, once you start, you just can't stop!  I found myself quickly moving onto the next books.  The Lightning Thief is an amazing story, with interesting characters and some pretty amazing historical facts.  I found myself actually looking up some Greek mythology like I did when I was 9.  It's an amazing story and the way that Greek mythology is transferred over to present day is creative and well-done.  All in all, this book is amazing and the series only gets better!!  More to come about the rest of the series...

A Step from Heaven

Young Ju is an immigrant from Korea who came to America while still very young.  Even though not remembering much of her Korean life, she forced to walk a delicate balance between her new life as an American citizen and her traditional life according to her Korean parents.  Her struggle is difficult, especially when she must also deal with her alcoholic and abusive father.  Her mother works hard and long hours in a kitchen, forcing Young Ju to watch over her brother, deal with her father and also maintain good grades.  Over the years, Young Ju not only becomes a strong woman, but also one who is able to walk the fine line between freedom and tradition.    

 

A Step from Heaven gives an engaging glimpse into a world of abuse and immigration.  Very few teens have ever had to deal with this situation, so the book helps to open their eyes to the struggle of coming to a new place.  We see her grow up and have to deal with the good and bad problems of being an immigrant.  Not only that, but no matter the cultural boundary, her father is also an alcoholic and when provoked, will beat his wife and children.  Young Ju also struggles will the idea of tradition in her family.  She wants to be able to go and be like her friends, but this is not always possible, due to the fact that she is a girl and has very strict rules at times.  Even her brother at a young age has learned the role of women in their traditional society.  While she struggles with this, teens will also identify with her need to break free from her parent's standards.  While the story can be a little sad a time, Young Ju's courage and spirit help to her and the reader motivated.  Not only does the book give a wonderful insight into the life of an immigrant, but it also tells an engaging story that teens will enjoy and can also be educational as well.  Few know the struggles of coming to a new county, not knowing the language and learning new and different culture.  I think that A Step from Heaven helps others to realize what a challenge it can be for new citizens.     

The boy who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Helmuth Hubener is only 17 years old and is getting ready to face his death.  Over the course of the book, the few moments that pass while he is in prison seem to last forever, as he re-accounts for his life and the circumstances that brought him here.  He is a young boy, who even at a young age, knows that Hitler's oppression and ideals are wrong and he dares to speak out against him and the Nazi regime.  Although simple small acts, his defiance shakes the Nazi party members and leads to the cause of his death.   

The Boy Who Dared is an amazing account of the actual Helmuth Hubener.  He lived in Germany at the rise of Hilter's power and from the outside was a typical German boy.  He was a member of Hitler Youth and was a "good Nazi" to everyone else.  But he felt deep down inside that something wasn't right.  He listened to banned radio stations, made flyers, stole banned books, all in an effort to remember exactly who he wants to be and learn how to fight the Nazis.  The story is based on an actual person and most of the account is true.  However, his thoughts and feeling and the exact way that things happen were fiction, but could closely resemble fact.  It was amazing to see how control slowly slipped from the people into Hitler's hands and how people didn't really seem to mind, because they thought they were being "protected."  It was heartbreaking to see all the Helmuth endured simply in the name of truth.  He really did want what was best for Germany and he knew that didn't mean Hitler in power.  It is wonderfully written and keeps the reader intrigued on how it will all turn out.  You hope for the best, but knowing that he is in an concentration camp is not a good sign.  I like how the book comes from a perspective that is rarely seen.  We have seen the view from Americans, and Jewish Germans, but rarely from that of a German who was once a Nazi and turned against the Fatherland.  I like how the back of the book has pictures of Helmuth and facts, so that the reader knows he was a real person.  It was a heartbreaking and interesting story about Nazi Germany.  Teens will really enjoy Helmuth's character, determination and courage.  They will also relate to his struggle against his society.  It would be excellent for any sort of history project or simply to read more on the WWII era.

Messanger by Lois Lowry

Messenger takes place in a future that has apparently seen its share of troubles.  It is also a world where the unbelievable can happen.  A young boy, Matty, is getting ready to be given his true name when he discovers that he has a special gift:  the power to heal.  It is also during this time that he begins to notice changes in the people of Village.  Once a welcoming and loving place it has since become hostile and the people changing from their pleasant demeanors to more brash and hateful ones.  There is soon a decision to close Village to outsiders.  When Matty must travel to spread the word and also to find Seer's daughter in the next village over, he finds that forest, the place he once loved has now, like the people grown hostile.  On his journey, Matty discovers that his healing ability not only applies to small things, but one of the biggest things of all: the world.

Messenger actually turned out better than I thought.  I was not completely happy with the ending, but it was a satisfying one.  I thought it was very interesting how in the story Forest actually reflected on the emotional state of the people.  When the people became cruel and hostile, so did Forest, attacking all those who entered.  It was also extremely sad to see how people would trade characteristics of value for "things."  Such as trading your own children's health for a Gaming Machine or your compassion and kindness so that you'll look better.  It was the fact that people would give anything for stuff.  The end of the book while very sad, but is a fairly good ending.  Matty's healing ability takes a lot out of him.  After going through Forest and being completely beaten, he takes all the energy left in him to heal the world around him.  People revert back to their old selves, sick are healed and Forest once again becomes a tranquil place.  But all of this comes at the cost of Matty's life.  He gave up his life in order to bring peace and order back to Forest and Village.  So while things went back to the way they were suppose to be, Matty had died in the process.  The message behind the book, which is giving up who you are for material things is not worth it in the end, can be applicable to anyone.  This is the third installment in the Giver trilogy.  And in actuality, the books link together in some way or form, but they do not tell the same story.  The characters maybe mentioned in another story, but they are not the focus until their own story is told. 

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Arnold Spirit, Junior is not your typical reservation Indian boy.  He was born with excessive spinal fluid in his brain which has lead to several different physical problems that leave him the target of jokes and taunts on his reservation.  However, he is extremely smart and encouraged to go outside of the reservation for his education at Reardan.  Although this task is difficult at first, Junior now must deal with his two different lives and the struggles of life along the way.  He has to deal with loss of several people in his live, his growing feelings for a girl of a different race and the problems he faces from his teachers as well as his own friends.  

The story begins with the details about Junior and his life on the "rez" as everyone calls.  He has struggled with several different physical problems and deformities.  Not only that, but with his parents being "poor Indians" like everyone else, it makes getting the medical care he needs a bit difficult.  Several different themes that teens can relate to run rampt in the book:  fitting in, growing up, being an outcast, love, death and friendship.  I don't want to give away too much of the plot because this is so much going on and I think that it really needs to be read in order to have the full effect.  Junior seems to live two different lives after he transfers schools.  He is the Junior that is the smart, quiet basketball player Reardan that doesn't discuss his home life, and then he is the Junior that everyone knows about back on the rez.  This is particular tricky once he develops a crush on a white girl.  While feeling he is less that his classmates because he is poor and an Indian, he still develops a great friendship with her.  But just as he is dealing with his two different lives, three tragedies in a row knock Junior down.  He must deal with the deaths of his grandmother, Eugene (who is his father's best friend, but gave him rides to school) and finally his sister.  Arnold goes through a terribly rough time, but he has the support of both his friends at school and his family and friends on the rez.  The book is really about overcoming the different obstancles and downturns in your life, in order to make it better.  Some teens, especially those from different ethnic groups may relate complete to feeling like an outsider like Junior or those with disabilities will understand his struggles.  The audio version of the book is read by the author who seems to have based the story on his own experiences.  He has a very "story-telling" quality about his narration.  He manages to bring out emotion and a sense of comedy in his reading.  No matter what teen reads the book, they will get a great understanding of hardships and how to overcome from the story.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Bella is an average girl who has an extraordinary encounter with a vampire.  But this not the vampire she has heard about in myths and legends.  He is as beautiful as an angel, strong, fast, sparkles in the sun and only drinks animal blood.  When the two fall in love, Bella is swept into a world beyond belief.  And one of danger, when she discovers that she is not only the object of Edward's eye, but also something a little more dangerous. 

Twilight has a great deal of talk and popularity surrounding it.  Although I had not previous taken part in the "Twilight-mania," I was excited to read the book.  The first few pages in where okay and I continued to read thinking it would get to be more interesting.  However, around page 180, I discovered that the book continued to be more painful as I continued.  I found that often times throughout the book the story would become very dull, there were continuity errors, detailed descriptions of people and places were limited and had a very "serial killer" feel to it.  I found several things out of key with the plot.  Such as asking Bella to shop "tonight" but not really going until the next day.  Or the fact that James was an excellent tracker, but didn't smell Bella until the wind blew her hair, but Alice could smell her across the field.  Or is it logical to send Jasper, someone who struggles with not eating humans, to a school full of them when he could have easily been kept at home.  Or have him not attack Bella when she was bleeding in the dance hall?  I also struggled with the lack of details about how people looked.  Very few people had enough details to visualize the character.  But other descriptions sounded vague, such as they were beautiful, but nothing more.  I also am aware of the fact that it is meant to be a love story to entice teens.  However, I felt as though Edward was a serial killer at times, talk about wanting to kill her one minute and then telling her he loved her the next.  And they talk about being love after only really speaking a few times.  The book really seems promotes stalking and obsession.  Edward often follows her and often watches her.  Bella states that can't live without Edward and would do anything to be with him.  In all honesty, the depiction is more of an unhealthy fixation rather than love.  Yet, teens desire that kind of passion and love which is why so many enjoy the book.  I will say that I did happen to enjoy the movie more so than the book.  Had the story not contained it's "obsessive" component, I think that it would have actually been a good story.  I also think that the protagonist, James was introduced a little late in the game. 

Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Impossible is a fantasy story about a young girl named Lucy Scarborough.  But she is not just an ordinary girl.  She is now carrying her family curse that has been passed down through the generations.  In order for her to break the curse and free her mother and daughter from it, she must complete three impossible tasks and become free from the Elfin Knight. 
Lucy Scarborough has had a difficult life.  Her mother soon abandoned her after her birth, leaving her with her adoptive parents who love her more than anything.  After a terrible incident at prom, Lucy ends up pregnant. With the help with her friend who is love with her, Zach, she discovers that there is a curse placed upon all the women of her family.  If she doesn't complete three impossible task, then she'll suffer from a terrible fate.  The tasks come from a song, Scarborough Fair. In the song Lucy must learn to "make a magical shirt, without any seems or needlework; find an acre of land, between the salt water and the sea strand; plow it with just a goat's horn, and sew it all over with a single grain of corn."  These tasks must be completed in order for the Elfin Knight, a mythical person who placed the curse on the first Scarborough girl centuries ago, to leave Lucy, Zach and their unborn daughter along forever.

Impossible is full of intrigue, love, fantasy and adventure.  It's a great read for both teens and adults.  Lucy is a likable and easy to relate to character.  Although she struggles with different aspects of her life, one would never know from her normal appearance on the outside.  The story revolves around Lucy's pregnancy and what it may bring for her and her daughter.  While she must deal first and foremost with the curse upon her family, the underlying issue of her being a teen parent and what that means for her future is also mentioned.  She has to try and finish school and think about college, which is something that teen mom's have to deal with regularly.  She has the pressures of schools and having a baby.  On top of all that, she has to try and solve the three different impossible tasks.  The inventiveness of their solutions are actually kind of amazing to think about, and I think it'll allow teens to think outside of the box when it comes to problem solving.  All in all, the book was amazing and teen girls will particular enjoy the love story between Lucy and Zach.  I personally loved the story and thought that it was an amazing concept and had a great history behind it.