Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
Ryoko is from a world that looks exactly like a Japanese Manga. Known as the government secret, Ryoko makes his debut and his peers are not sure what to think of him, especially when he comes to their Homecoming party with beautiful long hair. Marissa, who just broke up with her boyfriend, is very intrigued by the new guy; whether she wants to admit it or not, she is definitely a cosplayer. When Ryoko meets Marissa, he falls madly in love with her and will do anything to win her affection including fighting her ex-boyfriend (just like they do in Shonen). However, things in this reality are quite different, especially when it comes to expressing emotions; usually, when we are sad, we don't have a rain cloud raining above our heads, nor do we have expressions lines on our faces when we are super happy. Although Marissa is intrigued by Ryoko, there is something special about him that she cannot shake, especially when he shows her that the manga world and the real world are not as different as it seems. As Ryoko and Marissa get to know each other, Ryoko's time on this plane is running out. When he entered this world, he came through something called a Rip and the beings that cause this rip are trying to get through our world as well. With the help with Dr. Capeletti, Ryoko has been trying to re-build the machine that will open up the Rip to get him home; if he doesn't time his return trip carefully, he will be stuck here forever. However, after getting to know Marissa, staying her doesn't seem all that bad until all hell breaks lose and Chaz, Marissa's ex, comes after him with a vengeance.

Critical Evaluation:
All I can say about this graphic novel is BRILLIANT! Not only have Lyga and Doran managed to blend two very popular mediums together, they have done it in a way that is well-written, funny, and quite entertaining. Honestly, I don't know what I would do if a Mangaman shows up at the Library and how I would react. Depending on the character, I might fall in love or just laugh hysterically. This graphic novel combines everything from romance, mystery, science fiction, humor, and horror into one amazing story that readers will finish in about 40 minutes. The juxtaposition of both art forms is awesome because those who aren't familiar with Manga will get a pretty cool experience since Ryoko explains how it all really works. Also, veteran manga and comic books readers will appreciate the sarcasm when it comes to subtle things like the "sweat drop," the facial lines, the random highlighted words, the rain clouds, and manga references to hentai and what not. Also, the awkward moments (i.e., the kissing that almost leads to sex) that is found often in Shojo ends up being more comedic than sexy. I did like the ending because not everyone has the opportunity to see themselves in Manga form so Marissa probably got the better end of the deal. As a manga fan, I had a lot of fun dubbing the voices with all the voice actors I come across in anime so not only was I reading a graphic novel, I had an anime running through my head as well. I would love to see another blending of manga and comics again simply because it's just so much fun!   

Information about the Author:
According to their websites:

[Barry Lyga] [c]alled a “YA rebel-author” by Kirkus Reviews, Barry Lyga has published eleven novels in various genres in his seven-year career, including the New York Times bestselling I Hunt Killers. His books have been or are slated to be published in a dozen different languages in North America, Australia, Europe, and Asia.\

After graduating from Yale with a degree in English, Lyga worked in the comic book industry before quitting to pursue his lifelong love of writing. In 2006, his first young adult novel, The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, was published to rave reviews, including starred reviews from Booklist and School Library Journal. Publisher’s Weekly named Lyga a “Flying Start” in December 2006 on the strength of the debut.

Lyga lives and writes in New York City. His comic book collection is a lot smaller than it used to be, but is still way too big.

[Colleen Doran] is a cartoonist, illustrator and film conceptual artist, she has illustrated the works of Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Warren Ellis, Anne Rice and J Michael Straczynski.

 A Distant Soil, Colleen’s epic science fiction/fantasy tale from Image Comics, is a complex space opera, among the first of its kind in the USA, and is ongoing as a webcomic and graphic novel series.

Colleen was one of the first American artists to discover the lure of Japanese comics, and later went on to work for various Japanese publishers as a consultant, teaching the American market to manga industry executives.



She won a grant from the Delphi Institute to study American popular culture, and was chosen to represent the United States at the Japan/America manga/comics seminar in Tokyo, Japan along with Eisner award-winning cartoonist Jeff Smith, Pulitzer Prize and Oscar award-winning creator Jules Ffeiffer, Denys Cowan, and Nicole Hollander. She also lectured at the Singapore Writers Festival in 2005.
, and was Artist in Residence at the Smithsonian. She has exhibited her work at shows and galleries in Milan, Vienna, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo.

Genre:
Teen Graphic Novels

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to Mangaman:

• American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com:

"An inventive offering, sure to please fans of both American and Japanese comics."—Kirkus, starred review
"Fantastic—in every sense of the word! Lyga and Doran have created an eye-popping fun-ride through the comics traditions of East and West. Fans of both comics and manga will love Mangaman. Colleen Doran’s encyclopedic, rapid-fire grasp of manga conventions blows my mind!"　—Jeff Smith, author of Bone　
"Wonderfully quirky and subversive humor."--Bulletin

Plot Summary:
When Hurricane Katrina hit the town of Pass Christian, Laurel's happiness washed away with the deaths of her mother and grandmother (M'Lady). After moving to a new city, Laurel tried to start all over again, but no matter how many stories she told, or wrote, those stories could not heal the pain and then she met Kaylee. After moving to Galilee, from Jackson, Mississippi, Kaylee showed up on Laurel's doorstep at the right time because she never felt so alive. Just when things couldn't get better, Laurel tried out for the cheer squad and then she met T-Boom. T-Boom was everything a girl could want, but it was the blue tattoo that said "Gumbo" that reminds her of M'Lady's gourmet gumbo and the smell of the salt and the sea, T-Boom was Laurel's savior and nothing could be more perfect until T-Boom opened up the dime bag of Moon. How could she refuse or question the man she was going to love for the rest of her life, but Laurel had no idea what his kiss and powder would lead her to. What should have been a perfect life led to events that not only shattered her family, and friendship with Kaylee, Laurel's addiction led her to places that she never meant to be. T-Boom promised her that one day they would get clean, but it seemed that day would never come and then Moses appeared. Luckily for Laurel, she finally found the angel M'Lady was always talking about because it was his words that forced her to make another difficult choice: go to rehab or die on the streets. This road wasn't going to be easy, but life rarely is and Laurel has to decide if she is willing to deal with her pain or become a mural on the Meth Head row. 

Critical Evaluation:
The hardest part of this story is reading about all of the pain Laurel held onto. Not only did she lose her mother in grandmother in one of the biggest natural disasters in history, she had to cope with this loss the only way she could: burying it deep inside. The hardest part about death is there is no easy way to explain it, nor is there a way to escape the pain that we feel. For Laurel, the death of her mother and grandmother was just too much to bare and when she tried Meth for the first time, she started to feel alive again. For Laurel, she wanted to feel her grandmother and mother again and she saw T-Boom as the way back to them. All Laurel wanted was to be happy and, like most people, in need, she went looking for comfort in relationships and habits that quickly destroyed her friendships and family. T-Boom does seem to care about her, but, like most addicts, their number one priority is themselves, especially when it comes to acquiring their next fix or protecting their investments. Rather then helping and comforting her, T-Boom quickly abandoned her and that forced Laurel to pursue the dangerous path to her next fix. Unfortunately, this story is not unheard of because there are a lot of people who lose there way in life, especially when it's a result of tragic events. Teens, who are already mentally unstable due to adolescent development, have it the hardest when things go completely wrong and out of control. However, with every hopeless situation, there is always a silver lining. Moses was Laurel's intervention because he told her that she is not alone in this struggle, but, more importantly, he told her the plain truth that if she keeps doing what she is doing that she will die. Furthermore, he reminded her that she has a family who probably loves and misses her and her addiction, in many ways, makes her take everything she has for granted.I definitely needed a tissue because it's too easy to imagine ourselves in Laurel's shoes and we hope, and pray, that it will never happen to us.

Information about the Author:
According to her website:

I wrote on everything and everywhere. I remember my uncle catching me writing my name in graffiti on the side of a building. (It was not pretty for me when my mother found out.) I wrote on paper bags and my shoes and denim binders. I chalked stories across sidewalks and penciled tiny tales in notebook margins. I loved and still love watching words flower into sentences and sentences blossom into stories.

I also told a lot of stories as a child. Not “Once upon a time” stories but basically, outright lies. I loved lying and getting away with it! There was something about telling the lie-story and seeing your friends’ eyes grow wide with wonder. Of course I got in trouble for lying but I didn’t stop until fifth grade.

That year, I wrote a story and my teacher said “This is really good.” Before that I had written a poem about Martin Luther King that was, I guess, so good no one believed I wrote it. After lots of brouhaha, it was believed finally that I had indeed penned the poem which went on to win me a Scrabble game and local acclaim. So by the time the story rolled around and the words “This is really good” came out of the otherwise down-turned lips of my fifth grade teacher, I was well on my way to understanding that a lie on the page was a whole different animal — one that won you prizes and got surly teachers to smile. A lie on the page meant lots of independent time to create your stories and the freedom to sit hunched over the pages of your notebook without people thinking you were strange.

Lots and lots of books later, I am still surprised when I walk into a bookstore and see my name on a book or when the phone rings and someone on the other end is telling me I’ve just won an award. Sometimes, when I’m sitting at my desk for long hours and nothing’s coming to me, I remember my fifth grade teacher, the way her eyes lit up when she said “This is really good.” The way, I — the skinny girl in the back of the classroom who was always getting into trouble for talking or missed homework assignments — sat up a little straighter, folded my hands on the desks, smiled and began to believe in me.

Genre:
Teen Contemporary Fiction, Teen Hi/Lo Fiction


Reading Level/Interest:
Teen Hi/Lo for Grades 9 & up


Books Similar to Beneath a Meth Moon:

• Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
• Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Awards & Recognition:
(Kirkus, starred review)

(Publishers Weekly, starred review)

(School Library Journal, starred review)

(The Horn Book)

(The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books)

(Booklist)

Plot Summary:
Thom is different. Not only is he one of the best basketball players on his team who is not popular, or well-liked, he has a medical condition (Epilepsy) that strikes at the most inconvenient times. Another reason why Thom isn't well liked is that his father was once a superhero who got caught up in a scandal that ruined the respect and admiration everyone had for him. However, deep down, Thom knows why his peers and elders distance themselves from him is because he is gay. Although Thom hasn't "come out" or announced that he is gay, he believes that people can see right through him and despise what they see. After suffering from an epileptic episode on the court, Thom thought his life was over; his doctor revoked his driver's license and he was kicked off the basketball team. Granted, being kicked off the basketball team for having a medical condition that's considered a "liability," Thom realizes that there is nothing left in his home town other then to disappear. Well, after a embarrassing situation with his father's laptop, Thom packed his stuff and left. Not knowing where to go, or do, Thom thought this was the right thing to do until the super villains showed up, along with the Man in Black, and the League. After saving the lives of two people, Thom was invited to the League tryouts to become an elite superhero. Despite blowing up the training simulator, Thom's life changed after learning that the leader of the League is the very man whom his father trained as his sidekick and later abandoned him in his time of need. Not only is Thom trying to manage, and harness, his superpowers, he is trying to come to terms with his sexuality, his mother abandoning him, and meeting his father's expectations. Who said being a superhero was easy? 

Critical Evaluation:
I am so glad I read this book simply because it was not at all what I expected. I am a huge fan of comics, stories, and movies that discuss the inner-minds and feelings of superheroes because it confirms that with all of the super powers, and abilities, they are still human beings. In many ways, when we humanize our heroes, we are not only cutting them slack, but we are realizing that they have feelings, hopes, and dreams like the rest of us. However, that idolization has some serious backlash and that is exactly what happened to Thom's father, Hal. Many years ago, Hal was embroiled in an incident that not only cost them use of his left hand, but made him the local pariah. No one knows what really happened that day except the fact that people died while he was in the building and the blame was placed on him. This is the ugly side of humanity. Hal was treated this way because no one was willing to hear his side of the story, nor were they willing to forgive. This is the problem with heroes; human beings have this knack for placing so many expectations on one person that when tragedy strikes, they quickly abandon or criticize them to the point where they literally have to go into exile. Unfortunately, because of the "incident," Thom suffers from his father's humiliation as well. However, it's not his father's reputation that is bringing him down; in fact, Thom is gay and, for some reason, everyone knows it without him admitting it. I cannot begin to understand what Thom is going through because not only are his superpowers brewing, he has to deal with some extreme teenager problems. As I was reading this book, all I could think of was the X-Men and how they took in young mutants and helped them develop their powers as well as self esteem. Thom's team, a rather obvious group of misfits, is the perfect example of awkward teenagers who must work together to become invincible. Furthermore, just like any teen, there is the unwavering hope that they will find love and acceptance and the ending will have readers anxiously waiting for the sequel (there is a sequel!) 

Information about the Author:
According to his website:

Perry Moore is a best-selling author, film producer, screenwriter, and director, best known as the executive producer of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Moore grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia and attended Norfolk Academy. He majored in English at the University of Virginia, where he was an Echols Scholar, and later served as an intern in the White House for President Bill Clinton before starting his entertainment career in talent and development at MTV and VH1. He then worked as part of the original production team for The Rosie O'Donnell Show. Moore next worked as a creative executive for the late filmmaker Ted Demme and producer Joel Stillerman before joining Walden Media, where he developed and oversaw such film projects as I Am David, the film adaptation of Anne Holm’s acclaimed novel North to Freedom.

A longtime fan of children’s literature and comic books, Moore’s first novel, Hero, the first of a fantasy series about a group of modern-day superheroes, was published by Hyperion August 28, 2007. The young adult novel tells the story of the world’s first gay teen superhero. A big screen adaptation is in the works with Stan Lee.
He is also co-directing a documentary about legendary children’s book author and illustrator Maurice Sendak with partners Hunter Hill and filmmaker Spike Jonze.
 

Genre:
Teen LBGTQ Fiction, Teen Adventure

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to Hero:

• The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To by D. C. Pierson
• The Geography Club by Bret Hartinger

Awards & Recognition:

• Positive Review from Booklist
• Positive Review from School Library Journal

Plot Summary:
Airi Hoshino is a romantic. Not only is it her goal to marry the man of her dreams, she truly believes that if she arrives at school for, on time, for two years, the magic mirror she inherited will grant her wish to marry her true love. When not watching romantic dramas, Airi dreams about her prince and vows to keep her first kiss just for him. However, all of that changes when Aram emerges from her mirror. Aram is a prince from a magical kingdom who was thrust into the mirror by his faithful servant because Prince Jelie, his eldest brother, cast a spell on him. When Aram arrived, Airi's life was lonely and it was nice having him him around until she realizes that Aram turns from a cute little boy into a gorgeous man overnight. The only way to save Aram is the "Maiden's Kiss" and Aram asks Airi to be his maiden. Caught between her vow to save her kiss for her soul mate, Airi doesn't know what to do because she cares for Aram even thought he's absolutely clueless when it comes to taking care of himself. In this series, Airi and Aram go on a journey where they will learn a lot about one another and each other, which leads to many revelations and disasters.

Critical Evaluation:
This manga is yet another one of my guilty pleasures. Not only is it funny, but it's super romantic because Airi and Aram needed each other in so many ways. For years, Aram hasn't known kindness because his half-brother has made his life miserable. The only person who cares about him is his guardian, Lei, but Aram needed more than just him. Airi, a romantic herself, has built this ideal man because she, like Aram, is on her own and needs something, or someone, to look forward to. Although Airi has built this elaborate fantasy, all of that changes when she realizes that love isn't straightforward like it is in her soap operas. Love is more than just having a home and family, but it takes work, requires a lot of patience, and sacrifice. The more time she spends with Aram, the more she realizes how complicated love is, especially because of great great great great great grandmother's "betrayal" that sent the mirror that brought Aram to her realm. There is plenty of magic and mystery in this story so any Shojo fan who is looking for a fun read where "Happy Ever After" really does exist.

Information about the Author:
According to Wikipedia:

 Matsuri Hino is a Japanese manga artist born in Sapporo, Hokkaidō. She made her professional debut in the September 10, 1995 issue of LaLa DX with the one-shot title Ko no Yume ga Same Tara (この夢が覚めたら, When This Dream is Over) . Hino Matsuri is also well known for her anime/manga series 'Vampire Knight.'

Genre:
Teen Romance Manga

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up
 
Books Similar toMeruPuri:

• Vampire Knight by Matsuri Hino
• Absolute Boyfriend by Yu Watase

  Awards and Recoginition:From Anime News Network.com:

• New York Times Manga Best Seller List, October 2-8 (Oct 14, 2011)
• North American Anime, Manga Releases: September 4-10 (Sep 6, 2011)
• JManga Site Launches with Works Never Printed in U.S. (Aug 17, 2011)
• New York Times Manga Best Seller List, July 24-30 (Aug 5, 2011)
• Japanese Comic Ranking, May 30-June 5 (Jun 8, 2011)
• Anime/Manga/Game Industry Members Check In After Quake (Mar 11, 2011)
• UK Retailer Lists Vampire Knight Guilty, Rideback (Jan 28, 2011)
• New York Times Manga Best Seller List, December 6-12 (Dec 17, 2010)
• Japanese Comic Ranking, December 6-12 (Dec 15, 2010)
• Japanese Comic Ranking, November 29-December 5 (Dec 8, 2010)

Plot Summary:
Martin Stokes  is currently serving time in New York's Rikers Island on a "trumped" charge that should have slapped him with no time served and probation. However, due to financial hardship, Martin's mother was unable to post his bail and his original court day was delayed by his public defender and the judge presiding over his case. Martin has been at Riker's for five months and he is desperate to get out. When his new court date finally arrived, Martin faced yet another set-back and was sent back to jail. Furious, and disappointed, Martin was ready to implode until his partner-in-shackles threw a punch that led to a fight where Martin was slashed in the face. Not knowing what his face looks life, and if the pain will ever go away, Martin is struggling with his hate and then he is moved from his modular to the "the Sprung." Not quite sure what's going on, Martin decides to keep a low profile and let everyone know that he is not to be trifled with. However, all of this changes when he learns that "the Sprung" is actually a facility that allows offenders a second chance at life: to earn a high school diploma. Martin is not only relieved that he doesn't have to fear for his life, but he can actually get back on track on with his life. Although he only has a few weeks left before his court date, Martin meets a variety of people who not only genuinely care about him, but makes realizes the true meaning of friendship, especially after an incident that shakes the entire  Sprung.

Critical Evaluation:
Paul Volponi has written a story that is not only very real, but provides a unique perspective into the world of the juvenile corrections system. As an adult, reading this book, I struggled with with incidents that took place, especially when the race question was posed. However, this story is not about exposing the dark side of judicial system, but about surviving and getting out. Martin was not only imprisoned on a bogus charge, but he was attacked by an inmate who should not have had a weapon in the first place. Martin has every right to retaliate, but he realizes that if he does, he will not only lose his freedom, but he will cause immense pain to his family. I really appreciate how the author gave Martin a conscience that not only realized that difference between good and bad, but that with every decision he makes there will always be a consequence. Furthermore, I also appreciated how the author inserted adult figures who genuinely care about the teens and were willing to sacrifice a lot to fight for them. However, in order to demonstrate the concept of "the good and the bad," there were also adults who didn't care about the inmates (they only cared about their image and getting paid) and teens, who were provoked, paid the price for their lack of compassion and integrity. Lastly, another grim reality that readers saw is when inmates commit suicide. The loss of Sanchez hit Martin very hard because he was not only the first person he could call "friend," but he was intelligent, kind, and terrified of being moved to prison. Although Martin blames Brick (the resident hustler) for dreaming up the scheme hat led to Sanchez's death, but, deep down, he knew that the reason why this happened is because Sanchez did not want to have to fight for his life by committing unspeakable things to others and himself. This is the harsh reality of prison life and reader's learn the difference between jail and prison. Rikers High is a great title for those who need a bit of a wake call or for those looking for a gritty read about life behind bars.

Information about the Author:
In his brief biography on his website:

Paul Volponi is a writer, journalist, and teacher living in New York City. From 1992 to 1998, he taught incarcerated teens on Rikers Island to read and write. That experience formed the basis of his ALA award-winning novels Black and White and Rikers High. From 1999 to 2005, Paul taught teens in drug treatment programs, inspiring his ALA award-winning novel Rooftop. 

Genre:
Teen Lit for Guys, Teen Contemporary Fiction
 

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to Riker's High:

• Monster by Walter Dean Myers
• Juvie Three by Gordon Korman

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com:

"Volponi's punchy, journalistic prose runs the gamut of emotions, propelling readers through relief and triumph." --Kirkus

"This novel is a strong choice for middle and high school libraries." --VOYA

Plot Summary:
If Alice Liddell did not fall down the Rabbit Hole, Alyssa, and her ancestors, would not have been cursed with madness. All of her life, Alyssa has been teased because of the tale her great-great-great-grandmother Alice told to Lewis Carroll. Although most people believe that the story is nonsense, what they don't know is that Alyssa can actually hear the chatter of flowers and insects just like her mother and that Wonderland is an actual place that has left its mark on all of the Alyssian descendents. Sadly, Alyssa's mother, Alison, has been institutionalized since "the Accident" that occurred when she was a little girl. Although Alyssa is terrified that she will inherit her mother's illness, Alyssa is starting to have strange visions that not only connect the giant moth from her past, but prove her mother isn't insane. In fact, this inherited insanity is actually a curse that can be broken, but, in order to break the curse, Alyssa must return to Wonderland and undo what her great-great-great-great grandmother did. Not knowing where to start, Alyssa must rely on the ramblings of her sick mother who is in danger of losing herself if Alice does not break this curse. Furthermore, Jeb, her best friend and the love of her life, ends up following her down the Rabbit Hole. Little does Alyssa know, but the visions she has been having are actual memories and Morpheus, the boy in her dreams, is very real as well. Every minute she spends in Wonderland, Alyssa is learning that the whimsical tale that her grandmother told isn't true at all. In fact, the further Alyssa and Jeb travel into Wonderland, more "truths" are turned upside down and they are one step closer to meeting the madness that rules Wonderland and that every character in the story is not whom they seem to be, nor do we know what their real intentions are. In this re-telling, readers will be haunted and thrilled by the dangers that await in Wonderland and if Alyssa can complete the task her predecessors were unable to do.  

Critical Evaluation:
I am beyond impressed with this re-telling of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland." Not only does Howard manage to retain the mysteriousness of the original story, but reveal the ugly truth as to why Wonderland is no longer the Wonderland we, readers, all love. For those of us who have read the original story, Wonderland was an ideal where magic, fun, and silliness prevail. However, what we don't pick up, initially, is that Wonderland is actually a very hard place to live because it is filled with contradictions and problems that make the real world look like a better alternative. However, in Howard's version, it was Alice, herself, who willed herself to Wonderland only to find that her real wish was to return home, leaving the delicate balance of Wonderland in shambles. The central theme of this story revolves around choices and consequences. Alice was able to down the Rabbit Hole because she willed the Rabbit Hole to appear. Another example of choices is Alyssa's mother decision to be institutionalized to keep Alyssa safe. One thing about adulthood that bugs me the most id when parents keep very important secrets from their children. For Alyssa, had her mother told her what was going on things could have been different. However, her choice to keep the secret from Alyssa has cost her time, which she may never be able to get back. As for Alyssa, her choice of following Morpheus through the mirror has not only jeopardized her mother's sanity, but brought Jeb to Wonderland with her. However, her choice had a consequence and that is what brought Jeb through the Rabbit Hole as well. Alyssa is actually a very extraordinary girl not just because she can talk to bugs and flowers, but, unlike her predecessors, she is willing to end the curse by any means necessary. She is a very brave girl who goes through a tremendous amount of growth in one story that makes readers want to finish the story. Another aspect of this story, that will keep readers wanting more, is the romance. The best thing about this device is that it doesn't distract from the actual story, which is what I love! I am not a huge fan of mushy books, but the romance compliments the darkness, which can be rather creepy at times (i.e., Rabid White). All in all, this is a great debut and I will be patiently awaiting the next installment (yes...there is a sequel). 

Information about the Author:
According to her blog:

Anita Grace Howard lives in the Texas panhandle, and is most at home weaving the melancholy and macabre into settings and scenes, twisting the expected into the unexpected. She’s inspired by all things flawed, utilizing the complex loveliness of human conditions and raw emotions to give her characters life, then turning their world upside down so the reader’s blood will race.

Married and mother of two teens (as well as surrogate mom to two Labrador retrievers), Anita divides her days between spending time with her family and plodding along or plotting on her next book.

When she’s not writing, Anita enjoys rollerblading, biking, snow skiing, gardening, and family vacations that at any given time might include an impromptu side trip to an 18th century graveyard or a condemned schoolhouse for photo ops.

Genre:
Teen Fantasy, Teen Romance


Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to Splintered:

• Beastly by Alex Flinn
• Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com

"Fans of dark fantasy, as well as of Carroll’s Alice in all her revisionings (especially Tim Burton’s), will find a lot to love in this compelling and imaginative novel."
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Alyssa is one of the most unique protagonists I've come across in a while. Splintered is dark, twisted, entirely riveting, and a truly romantic tale."
—USA Today

"Brilliant, because it is ambitious, inventive, and often surprising — a contemporary reworking of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,’’ with a deep bow toward Tim Burton’s 2010 film version."
—The Boston Globe

"It’s a deft, complex metamorphosis of this children’s fantasy made more enticing by competing romantic interests, a psychedelic setting, and more mad violence than its original."
—Booklist

" Protagonist Alyssa...is an original. Howard's visual imagination is superior. The story's creepiness is intriguing as horror, and its hypnotic tone and setting, at the intersection of madness and creativity, should sweep readers down the rabbit hole."
—Publishers Weekly

"While readers will delight in such recognizable scenes as Alyssa drinking from a bottle to shrink, the richly detailed scenes that stray from the original will entice the imagination. These adventures are indeed wonderful."
—BookPage

"Attention to costume and setting render this a visually rich read..."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Wonderland is filled with much that is not as wonderful as might be expected, and yet, it is in Wonderland that Alyssa accepts her true nature. The cover with its swirling tendrils and insects surrounding Alyssa will surely attract teen readers who will not disappointed with this magical, edgy tale."
—Reading Today Online

"Creepy, descriptive read with a generous dollop of romance."
—School Library Journal