Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
Devon Davenport is an all-around student who has a lot going for her. Despite her lousy upbringing, and irresponsible mother, Devon does the best she can to take care of herself and her future. However, when the incident occurred on "That Night," Devon needs more than her mother--she needs a time machine. After being arrested for abandoning her child, Devon is devastated and scared. Moreover, in juvenile detention, Devon constantly thinks that she is not like any of the other detainees because she is a good person who has never done anything illegal and is a model student. However, the flashbacks of her time with him are becoming stronger as she looks back on the brief moment with him. How could she not know that she was pregnant? Why hasn't it sunk in that what she did was a crime? Is she really capable of murder? All of these questions haunt Devon during her time in Juvenile Hall, but, at the same time, it is during these moments that Devon slowly learns more about herself and that with every decision comes consequences.

Critical Evaluation:
After is an incredibly compelling of a teenager who did the mos unspeakable thing: she threw her baby away in a dumpster. As an adult, reading this story, it was very hard for me to read because all I could see was a scared little girl who did something very bad. Moreover, her mother is self-centered and lacks common sense, which conveys that she should have never had her child. However, Devon's attitude, at times, not only shows her naivety, but it angers readers because she just doesn't get it...how could she do that to her child? As the story unfolds, not only will readers learn about Devon, but the circumstances that led to this terrible decision. Not a lot of stories like this one are available for teens to read, but, nevertheless, it is a powerful tool that teens can learn valuable lessons such as forgiveness, trusting others, and not being afraid to talk to someone in times of need. Although this is a heart-wrenching story, Devon makes a decision that will not only free her from this nightmare, but lead her down the path to salvation.

Information about the Author:
Amy Efaw was born on September 27, 1967 in Oak Park, Illinois. In her website, she informs readers that she had a difficult childhood where her parents would fight and the police showed up from time to time. Amy was able to deal with all of the moments by applying to the United State Military Academy at West Point; Amy decided to apply to West Point because she knew famous heroes such as Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant graduated from this establishment and because she was a Civil War fan after her grandfather gave her a copy of  Gone With the Wind. Ultimately, besides wanting to step in the shoes of famous military leaders, she has no idea what she was getting herself into. While taking as many courses as she could, and enduring the harshness of training, Amy immersed herself in engineering courses and sports. In fact, she met her husband, a fellow classmate, and they were married a year after graduation, right before they were shipped off to Germany to fulfill their five-year enlistment. However, then months later, she was expecting her first trial and it was the beginning of the Gulf War. Thankfully, she was not deployed so she had two children and no longer on active duty. Amy Efaw spends her time writing and spending time with her family.

Genre:
Teen Contemporary Fiction

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to After:

• How to Save a Life by Sarah Zarr
• Crank by Ellen Hopkins 

  Awards & Recognition:

• Starred Review from School Library Journal (9/1/2009)

 Suggested Links:
To find information about the "Safe Surrender" law, please check out some of these links. Remember, things like this happen, but it is always important to seek help before making any decision that could bring dire consequences. 

• http://fire.lacounty.gov/programsevents/SpecialProgramsSafeSurrender.asp
• http://www.babysafe.ca.gov/
• http://www.sandiego.gov/police/pdf/safelysurrenderbabylaw.pdf

Plot Summary:
In this alternate reality, The Society controls everything. Every aspect of life is under their control, which means that every citizen has no say in what the eat, where they will work, who they will marry, and when they will die. For Cassia, who just turned seventeen, her mate will be revealed to her at her Matching Ceremony, which is a a big moment in her life. Cassia has always been obedient and has never experienced anything out of the ordinary until her match is revealed...she will be marrying her best friend, Xander. Although excited, and happy, to matched with her best friend, she is worried because this situation never happens (the rules of Matching state that one will never be matched with someone they know). Despite everything, Cassia is ready to look towards for the future, but she feels as if something is missing. In order to put her fears aside, she takes out the microcard given to her at her Matching, which should reveal Xander's profile and courting instructions, but when she his profile something happens...another profile replaces Xander's and Ky's picture shows up. Cassia hasn't seen Ky in years and she has no idea why she would be matched with him. When an official shows up during free rec time, she explain to Cassia that a mistake has been made and to just ignore it. The problem is that Society never makes mistakes. What seems like a minor problem, it instantly multiplies when Ky appears out no where and Cassia, for the first time in her life, makes a decision that will alter her life forever.


Critical Evaluation:
In this futuristic tale, is a forbidden romance that was destined to occur. In this world, the government has a hold of everything where humans are merely seen as followers as tools to maintain stability under the guise of peace. Although war, disease, famine, and pain have all been eradicated, the people live their lives knowing that anything outside of Society's wishes will result in utter disaster. Ally Condie provides a thought-provoking story where readers must decide if a world free of chaos and death is better than a world without free will. Cassia, Xander, and Ky are three teenagers caught in this battle between doing what is best and what is right. Since this story is a forbidden love story, where one girl is at the center of it all, this tale is quite unconventional. Not only does our heroine win, but she is the one who must set things right and decide that she will take the the "road less traveled" where she must sacrifice everything. Moreover, Xander is the classic example of the nice guy who finished last. However, readers will have plenty of hope that he will find what he is looking for in life because he does something for Cassia that will guarantee his happy ending. As for Ky, who should have been the stereotypical bad boy is someone quite the opposite: vulnerable under the guise of being brave. Although readers should feel sorry for him, they cannot help but root for him because he chooses to live the life he wants without letting the government saying otherwise.

Information about the Author:
According to her website:

Allie Condie is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel MATCHED, and its just-released sequel, CROSSED. She is also a former high school English teacher who lives with her husband and three sons outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She loves reading, running, eating, and listening to her husband play guitar.

Genre:
Teen Sci Fi, Teen Romance

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up


Books Similar to Matched:

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Awards & Recognition:

• Starred Review from Publisher's Weekly (10/4/2010)
  

Plot Summary:
Life for Nora Gray has not been easy. It's been a year since her father was mysteriously murdered and her mother has taken a full time job, leaving her alone with the housekeeper. Nora isn't popular and she is quite ordinary in comparison to her outspoken and curvaceous best friend, Vee. This year, Nora and Vee are enrolled in a class focusing on Human Reproduction and they are expecting to be partners. However, when Coach, their teacher, assigns them new seating arrangement, Nora is teamed up with a gorgeous boy named Patch. Despite his good looks, there is something about him that makes Nora uneasy. As an "ice breaker" Nora and Patch must ask one another questions about themselves, but Patch seems to know a lot about Nora without even asking her, which creeps her out. When its Nora's turn, Patch is incredibly reluctant to tell her about him, which kicks off a series of events that put Nora in incredible danger. Moreover, her life becomes even more complicated when she starts falling for Patch even though he scares her. The more Nora is around Patch, the weirder things become, especially when she gets the attention of another boy named Elliot, who is quite interested in Nora. However, when Elliot invited her and Vee to Delphic to ride the "Archangel," Nora finds herself the center of a devious plan involving the Nephilim and the Falling.

Critical Evaluation:
Although the story is intriguing, I started reminiscing about a story between and human and a certain vampire. Granted I am not into a lot of romances, I was hoping for a strong female lead and was somewhat disappointed. However, in comparison to the traditional female role, in regards to supernatural love triangles, I have a lot of hope for Nora's character, especially when she made a rather courageous decision towards the end. Since Hush, Hush is part of a saga, the opening sequence will not make a lot of sense nor will the truth behind Nora's involvement be revealed. This entire installment is very stereotypical teen romance where the main character is unsure as to why someone like Patch (i.e., dark, mysterious, and gorgeous) would be interested in them. Furthermore, Nora's best friend, Vee, in my opinion, is irritating since she doesn't do a lot for Nora other than force her to rescue her from her own ignorance when he should have listened to her best friend's warnings. Despite these flaws, the story is rather entertaining and I may actually read the next installment just so I can learn more about the Nephilim and Nora's family history.


Information about the Author:
In her website, Becca Fitzpatrick fell in love with storytelling in Kindergarten. However, she and her sister, alike, didn't like their elementary school not because they disliked learning, but the girls were mean. When she moved to Nebraska, before second grade, she started liking school and came across Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden. When her sister introduced her to Roald Dahl, she was hooked and when she saw the movie "Romancing the Stone" she knew she wanted to be an author. Although she still held onto her dream to become an author, she actually had the idea to become a spy: " I stalked the CIA website and filled out at least a dozen applications. I thought being a spy was dangerous and sexy. I didn't want to be the girl who got a degree, only to settle down and do house-ish things...like answer telemarketers' calls and choose between Spanish or Ladybug Red for the kitchen walls" (para. 6).

After marrying her husband in 2000, Fitzpatrick did not join the CIA but got her degree in Community Health at Brigham Young University where she hot a job working as a secretary at a local high school Although she loved working with the students, everything changed when her husband enrolled her into creative writing classes, which helped her to write Hush, Hush.

 
Genre:
Teen Supernatural Romance


Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up


Books Similar to Hush, Hush:

• City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Awards & Recognition:

• Positive review from Publisher's Weekly
• Positive review from Kirkus
  

Plot Summary:
When Joey came home to Albert Narracot, it was destiny that these two would be friends forever. Known for his spirit and his beauty, Joey, a Thoroughbred, was bought by Albert's father, when he should have bought a cow, Joey had to be broken and trained to be a work horse. When no one thought a horse like Joey could do it, Albert and his equine companion sent out to prove everyone wrong. Although Joey had proven his worth as a work horse, the family farm that was meant for Albert was failing. In order to save Albert's future, Mr. Narracot sold Joey to the military to become a war horse. World War I had found its way to England, and Joey found himself in a place that no horse would have ever thought. Luckily, the man who bought Joey was a kind man named Captain Nichols who was just as inexperienced as Joey when it came to war. Before boarding the ship to France, Joey met another horse name Topthorn who was not only as majestic as Joey, but became his brother and best friend as they fought their way through France. What both Joey and Topthorn did not anticipate is where their journey would take them and the many wonderful people they would meet. However, the most important lesson they would learn is how war is not only senseless, but that every one on this Earth is exactly alike not matter the language they speak or where they are from.
 

Critical Evaluation:
War Horse not only conveys to readers the power of friendship, but just how serious and, senseless, war is for every person and entity involved. What is more touching is that this story is told through the eyes of horse who not only sees these messages, but provides readers with another perspective that touches the heart and mind. Joey, albeit a horse, is just as vulnerable and scared as his human owner, which shows that animals really just as empathetic as any other human being. Moreover, the loyalty the Joey has for his owner, caretakers, and best friend is literally a feat that most humans could not attain. Given the setting of this story, World War I, readers will come across the incident in No Man's Land where a British and German soldier actually take the time to rescue Joey, but actually have a friendly conversation expressing their own frustration with this war, which leaves them in agreement that nothing will be solved in this battle. The anti-war message is subtle, but the main story of Joey finding Albert during this struggle is remains center stage and the love will conquer all.


Information about the Author:
According to his website, Michael Morpurgo was born in 1943 where he attended school in Sussex and Canterbury. He went to London University where he majored in English and French and, after graduation, he went on to become a primary school teacher in Kent, which showed him what he wanted to do with his life: 

We had to read the children a story every day and my lot were bored by the book I was reading. I decided I had to do something and told them the kind of story I used to tell my kids - it was like a soap opera, and they focused on it. I could see there was magic in it for them, and realised there was magic in it for me (para. 1).

In 1976, Morpurgo and his wife, Clare, founded a charity called "Farms for City Children" (FFCC), which provides impoverished children with the opportunity to escape the inner city by working a full week on an actual farm in the country side: "As a teacher I realised many children had little real contact with the world around them – to them the television was real. I wanted them to experience life at first hand" (para. 3). Morpurgo has written more than 100 books for children and spends most of his time cleaning out the stables with children, milking the cows, and feeding sheep. When he isn't busy having fun, he is usually found daydreaming about his next book. 

Genre:
Tween Historical Fiction


Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 4-7


Books Similar to War Horse:

• Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata
• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
  

Awards & Recognition:

• Positive review from Booklist (4/1/2007)
• Positive review from New York Times Book review (2007)
• Runner-up for the Whitbread Award (1983)
  

Plot Summary:
When Emma received a computer, she saw it as her father's way for showing he cares. Every since the birth of her half-sister, Emma feels as if she has been replaced with a new family. What is even harder is that her mother is already on her third husband who is not re-modeling her home, but changing the environment in which she grew up. Things haven't been going the way they should be since she and her best friend, Josh, aren't really speaking and she wants to break up with her boyfriend, Graham. When Josh comes over, unexpectedly, and brings her an AOL CD-ROM. Although she is happy to see him, she is unsure of his feelings since he tried to kiss her six months ago. After uploading AOL, she creates her first e-mail address and is now able to surf the world wide web. As Emma and Josh explore the Internet, they discover a website called Facebook. When Emma clicks on this bookmark, she sees herself. However, she doesn't see her seventeen-year-old self...she sees herself fifteen years into the future. The year is 1997 and Facebook will not be invented until 2004. After seeing her future, Emma learns that she isn't as happy as she hoped she would be. Moreover, Josh's future turns out to be even more extraordinary that leaves Emma feeling upset that she isn't just as successful. Although Josh firmly believes that Facebook is just a mean prank, Emma decides to take her future into her own hands, not fully understanding the impact of her decisions, which could result in life altering changes.

Critical Evaluation:
Told from two point of views, The Future of Us, is an intriguing story of two young people who haven't really thought about what they want from life. Emma, in all honestly, is a bit of a control freak who not only puts up walls between herself and friends, she is absolutely obsessed with perfection--she wants the perfect job, the perfect husband, and the perfect life. Josh, on the other hand, is more of "go-with-the-flow" kind of guy, which leaves him feeling unable to decide what he really wants out of life. Despite being polar opposites, Emma and Josh have always been able to talk about anything and everything and when Josh decides to take the friendship a step further, the delicate balance that keeps their friendship in tact shifts rapidly, leaving Emma disoriented and confused. Moreover, by throwing Facebook into the mix, not only does it further freak Emma out, but provides her with a glimpse of what could be. The only problem is that what "could" be is not good enough and sends her into a tail spin towards disaster. For Josh, not only does his possible future excite him, it seems to motivates him to put himself out there, especially to his potential wife. Asher and Mackler create a story that not only relates to teens, but gives them the opportunity to decide if the future is set or if it can be changed. Furthermore, readers will understand that every decision they make has consequences, which could change the future for better or for worse.   


Information about the Authors:
According to his blog, Jay Asher was born September 30, 1975 in Arcadia California. Asher has spent most of his life in California, but spent six months in Wyoming where he he came up with the idea for his debut novel, 13 Reasons Why. Asher has worked at several book stores, public libraries, and before he worked there,:

I worked at a shoe store, a trophy shop, and an airline. My very first writing award earned me a free fruit smoothie every day for a year. I've won a lot of awards since then, but that one tasted the best!

Jay Asher is married and has one son and The Future of Us is his second YA novel. 

Carolyn Mackler was born and raised in New York. She has always known she was a little different from all of her peers, especially when most of her friends were gossiping and carrying about their clothes and hair when she was still playing with dolls. As a proud "misfit," Mackler survived both junior high and high school with the love of her parents, best friend, Stephie, and reading. When asked why she writes for teens, she said:

People often ask me now why I write novels for teenagers. Lots of reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that I honestly believe that, along with certain friendships, I was saved by the books I read during those years. They spoke to me in a way that nothing else did. They helped me feel less alone. They made me laugh. They made me feel like there was a world bigger than my high school.

After attending college at Vasser, life continues to change, but not for the best. During her junior year at college, her parents split up leaving her distraught. However, she met her best friend Jenny, which not only helped her cope, but sent her on a cross country trip that left her missing the East Aoast and landed her an internship at Ms. Magazine and a beginning novel writing class at NYU. Needless to say, in this class, she wrote the preliminary draft of Love and Other Four Letter Words, which was published by Random House and kicked off her career as a YA author. Mackler currently lives in Manhattan with her husband and two sons.

Genre:
Teen Sci-Fi, Teen Romance


Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 and up


Books Similar to the Future of Us:

• Matched by Ally Condie
• Feed by M.T. Anderson

Awards & Recognition:

•  Booklist Starred Review (10/15/11
• Publishers Weekly Starred Review (9/12/2011)