Buddha Boy

Biblio Bits Buddha Boy by Kathe Koja, Frances Foster Books, 2003 (ISBN 9780374309985)

Reading Level/Interest Age 1090 lexile/Ages 14+

Genre Realistic fiction

Plot Summary
There's a new boy at Rucher High and he's already earned a nickname for himself because of his unorthodox behavior: Buddha Boy. He looks like a small version of a monk, with his shaved head and hippie tee-shirts, and even begs for food at lunch; though he is called Michael on the official school paperwork, he asks to be called Jinsen, which he identifies as his spiritual name. When Justin, our narrator, and Jinsen are placed in a group for a collaborative project, Justin is hesitant because he doesn't want to be associated with this new weirdo. But there's a lot more to Jinsen than meets the eye: he is a practicing Buddhist and an amazing artist. Gradually, Justin starts caring less about what people will think, and more about the ideas that Jinsen has shared with him. But the teasing that Jinsen has experienced is getting worse, as he is physically bullied and and threatened. Justin wants to be a good friend, but he's not sure how to handle this, especially since Jinsen doesn't want the school administration involved.

Critical Evaluation

This is a slim book that delivers a lot of emotional impact. The portrayal of high school cruelty is realistic; in this case, the bullies are considered the "golden" boys of the school who can do no wrong. Justin's gradual acceptance of something new, his confusion about how to help Jinsen deal with the bullying, and the mix of strong emotions that surrounds their friendship, all work together to create a convincing narrative and sympathetic main character. It was sometimes hard to find the flow in Koje's writing, since she uses some unconventional stylistic techniques to express conversation and narration. I also was not fully convinced that Justin's friends, particularly Megan, would have so quickly changed their minds about Jinsen, right after he is given a special award for art and his commissioned banner is displayed for the school to see.

Reader's Annotation

Who's that nutty new kid in the dorky hippie tee-shirt? What's with his shaved head? He looks like some kind of, I don't know, like a monk or something. Is he begging? Oh. My. God. He is coming. To. Our. Table.

Author Information

Kathe Koja was born in 1960 and has made a name for herself as a writer of the horror genre for adults. She has been recognized for her work as a writer in numerous sources and awards. Koja attended Clarion Workshop for writers. She cites J.D. Salinger, Louise Fitzhugh, and Francesca Lia Block as inspirations. Koja lives in Detroit (MI) with her husband and son. (Information in this author biography is from her official site and the Gale's Contemporary Author's Online database, 2008.)

Challenge issues

Language, language, language! Wow. This book was somehow in the Juvenile section of our library and I will be making a recommendation that its designation be switched to YA. There is some swearing, and also references to drinking, smoking, and drugs.

Booktalking Ideas

I would probably design a booktalk about the theme of bullies and bullying and all of the ways this can happen, from excluding/ignoring someone to name-calling and teasing to destruction of property and physical violence. Mostly this has to do with somehow being different from the norm (which most of us are!). Though not as light-hearted, this book reminded me in many ways of Stargirl (Spinelli, 2000). There are lots of books that deal with this topic: Parrotfish (Wittlinger, 2007), Ten Things I Hate About Me (Abdel-Fattah, 2009), and Looks (George, 2008) to name a few.

Curriculum Ties

This book would make a great selection for a class on social health issues or life skills. The topic of bullying is the primary one, and is taken to several levels which could be discussed in large or small groups. The reason why Justin befriends Jinsen is because of a school project, but what else helped Justin to "see" Jinsen in a new way? What does this say about the dehumanization that occurs when we bully or reject or ignore other people?

Why this book?
I was looking for a book to add to my collection that dealt with bullying, and this one was one I had seen on the shelves. I thought it was going to be geared to a younger audience!

Awards
International Reading Association Children's Book Award for fiction.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

Ten Things I Hate About Me

Biblio Bits Ten Things I Hate About Me by Randa Abdel-Fattah, Orchard Books, 2009 (ISBN 9780545050555). Originally published in Australia in 2006.

Reading Level/Interest Age 720 lexile/Ages 13+

Genre Realistic Fiction

Plot Summary

Sixteen year-old Jamie is just your typical Aussie teenager: bleach-blonde hair, blue eyes, and now she's attracting the attention of Peter, one of the most popular boys in her school. She should be psyched about this social upgrade, right? Sure, except for Jamie is really Jamilah, an Australian of Lebanese descent who is a practicing Muslim (and sometimes wears colored contact lenses). Her dad forbids her to go out at night, her sister is a political activist who wears the hijab, and she has to attend Arabic school on the weekends. Since her mother died suddenly, Jamie's dad has become even more protective of her. Jamie has made the choice to hide her cultural identity in favor of blending in: she doesn't want the negative attention that she would get if she "came out" as who she really is. Jamie has never even told her closest friends about her secret. When racial tensions are running high at school, after the anti-Arab riots (based on true events of 2005), Jamie is as uncomfortable as ever in her assumed identity as racist comments fly among her peers.

Critical Evaluation

This title follows Abdel-Fattah's debut young adult novel, Does My Head Look Fat in This? (2007). As with her previous work, the multi-cultural lessons feel a bit overstated sometimes. While the author does a good job raising the issues, somehow the delivery falls a little flat: characters are either stereotypes or deliberately NOT stereotypes, they are pretty one-dimensional, and the plot development is predictable. The book feels needlessly over-long and creates a weaker impact since the essence of the story is distilled over more pages. That being said, this could be a powerful book for any tween who is contemplating their own identity, religious, cultural, or otherwise; what came off to me as rehashing of the same angst, could be just the right tone for a tween in a similar situation. We have all been in social situations in which we have obscured parts of ourselves, or in situations when another person's beliefs have been offensive; these are the universal themes of the book that will ring true for all readers.

Reader's Annotation

Jamie or Jamilah? Caucasian Australian or Lebanese-Australian? Jamie finds it easier to "pass" as a white in her racist high school. But when she continuously hears racist comments from her friends, will she dare to stand up to them?

Author Information

Randa Abdel-Fattah is an Australian of Egyptian and Palestinian heritage. She is a twenty-seven year-old lawyer who is married, with a young daughter. Abdel-Fattah grew up in Melbourne and now lives in Sydney. She is active in her local interfaith council and serves as a member of the Australian Arabic Council. Abdel-Fattah received Autralia's Kathleen Mitchell Award for Young Writers for this, her second, book. (Information for this author biography is from the book jacket, Wikipedia, and here.)

Challenge issues

Violent race riots and gang-rape are referenced. While nothing is explicit about this latter issue, it might raise further questions in readers.

Booktalking Ideas

This title would be a natural book to include in a booktalk about differences and how characters choose to deal with their own differences from the dominant culture. This could easily branch into questions of sexual identity, as in Parrotfish (Wittlinger, 2007) or My Most Excellent Year (Kluger, 2008). The theme of living with your own differences could even cross into various genres, including the supernatural books that are so popular (How do you blend in as a teen werewolf?), or into fantasy/sci-fi books like The Angel Experiment (Patterson, 2005). I would focus on the hidden identity part of this book of living a double life, and what that means in day-to-day life for Jamie/Jamilah.

Curriculum Ties

For older middle-school students this would be an interesting book to bring up in a social studies discussion about the historical context of "passing." Particularly in the post-Civil War era and the early 20th century, this phenomenon was common in the U.S. Discuss what this really means. Why would someone choose to do this? What is gained/lost? What does it mean for a person's family and extended family? Imagine a family in which a lighter-skinned sister chose to pass, while her darker-skinned sister doesn't have that option.

Why this book?
I was curious about where this author would go next, having read her first YA novel last year.

Awards
Oprah's Kids' Reading List, ages 10-12; Kathleen Mitchell Award for Young Writers, 2008.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

Drita My Homegirl

Biblio Bits Drita My Homegirl by Jenny Lombard, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2006 (ISBN 9780399243806)

Reading Level/Interest Age 690 lexile/Ages 9-12

Genre Realistic fiction

Plot Summary

Drita is a ten year-old refugee from Kosovo who arrives in Brooklyn with her family. Her father, an engineer, escaped over a year ago and has been driving a taxi so he could bring his family to the safety of the U.S. Drita just wants to fit in and be liked by her peers, but things start out pretty lonely for her, with her limited English skills, strange-smelling lunches, and unfashionable clothes. To top it off, Drita's mother is in a deep depression about leaving home and the safety of her extended family .Maxie is an African-American girl who is in Drita's new class. Maxie is one of the homegirls of the fourth grade: she's funny and athletic and has a lot of friends, but she's often impulsive and gets into trouble. Maxie is being raised by her dad and grandmother; her mom died when she was just seven years old and Maxie really wants her back. Maxie is definitely not ready for her dad to have a new girlfriend. Maxie's teacher suggests an unusual social studies project: to study Kosovo, the homeland of the newest class member, and introduce Drita's story to the whole class. This sensitive story includes a lot more than just a book about two friends: it's about the things that we all have in common and about how our differences make the world a smaller place.

Critical Evaluation

This story includes a lot of "food for thought" without being too preachy about it, mainly because the characters and plot development are so well-constructed. The chapters are very accessible, alternating between chapters by Maxie and Drita. Chapters are short and the pace of the story is steady, which may make it a good pick for reluctant readers. Both characters have very distinct narrative voices and, just to underscore the shift in perspective, two different fonts are used in the text. The story of Drita's immigrant experience included many details that readers will find familiar (like any student at a new school) and also surprising. Lombard writes English as Drita hears it, when she is beginning to learn: "Ov curs, Drita. Tek va pass" ("Of course, Drita. Take the pass." p.37). While Maxie at first comes off as a smart-aleck, we quickly see that her antics are to cover the pain that she is hiding about her mother's death. Overall, this book was engaging and readable, a moving story of friendship and family.

Reader's Annotation

We all have things that are hard for us. Some things are obvious, like being a refugee from Kosovo and starting a new school with hardly any English skills. Some things are hidden, like when your mom dies and you don't tell anyone because that would make it real.

Author Information

This is Jenny Lombard's first novel, though she has written a nonfiction book for adults and several plays and TV treatments. She is a public school teacher in New York City and says that she got the idea for Drita's and Maxie's story when she realized that there were nine languages other than English spoken in her classroom. Since the war in Kosovo was constantly in the news at the time, Lombard began to wonder what it would be like for a refugee family. Lombard lives in New York City with her husband, son, and two cats. (Information in this author biography is from the book's official site.)

Challenge issues

Pretty wholesome story here, though some might be turned off by Maxie's behavior at times.

Booktalking Ideas

There are several books about friendship and its benefits and challenges, geared to this audience: Ruby Lu Brave and True (Look, 2004), Julia Gillian and the Quest for Joy (McGhee, 2009), Moving Day (Cabot, 2008) and Ivy and Bean (Barrows, 2006), and The Year of the Dog (Lin, 2006) to name a few. I would focus on Drita's point of view: Imagine being woken up in the middle of the night and leaving your home with only the clothes on your back...Going to a new school and not being able to talk to anyone or understand them...

Curriculum Ties

This book wants to be read aloud and discussed as a class. It would be great to read in a community where there is a large refugee population, or just to raise awareness about refugees and immigrant issues in general. How are Drita and Maxie alike? How are they different? How are their families alike/different? These questions could spark some good conversation. Perhaps this class conversation could lead to a classroom code of conduct for social behavior for all new students (making them feel welcome but not overwhelmed, introducing them to classroom culture, school culture, etc.). Or the class could come up with ideas about how to approach a non-English speaker, which may not sound like an issue for most people, but in Maine this is something we need to teach (and not just to kids!).

Why this book?
The cover of this book caught my eye and was recommended to me by a former youth services librarian.

Awards
MSBA Reading List 2007-2008.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

Unfinished Angel

Biblio Bits The Unfinished Angel by Sharon Creech, Harper Collins, 2009 (ISBN 9780061430954)

Reading Level/Interest Age Ages 10-12

Genre Magical Realism

Plot Summary

Narrated in short chapters by an unfinished angel, this latest book by acclaimed author Sharon Creech, takes us back to the Ticino (the region in Switzerland you may remember from Bloomability). The Angel is an endearing character who is not quite certain about where s/he (gender neutral) fits into the grand scheme of things and is not sure s/he understands the rules and expectations of being an angel. When Zola and her father move into the Casa where the Angel has taken up residence, the Angel realizes that Zola is one of the few humans who can actually see her/him, and they fall into an unlikely friendship. Zola seems a little bossy at first, trying to tell the Angel how to be, and what to do, but eventually they unite in an effort to solve the problem of a small group of homeless children.

Critical Evaluation

A short book, told in short chapters, may appeal to some reluctant readers. The Angel's vivid observations about "peoples" and indignation about the trouble they cause are humorous and a great source for reflection. What is most enjoyable about this story is the dialect and invented language, malapropisms, and portmanteaus of the Angel ("surprise" + "please"="surplease"). Observing Creech's fun with language is truly a language-lover's delight! There are some areas of the plot that are not quite explored fully, such as why Zola's mother and brother come to Switzerland so much later, but readers will probably be distracted by the many other details of the story that are brought completely to life through the Angel's unique narration.

Reader's Annotation

Imagine I am not surpleased by the appearance of these peoples in my Casa, this Zola and her many layers of dresses in so many colors, who can also see me! Yes, she does, and I am thinking, could she also be an angel herself, here to teach me the better ways of being an angel?

Author Information

Sharon Creech is the Newbery award-winning author of Walk Two Moons (1994) as well as many other titles for tweens and teens. She grew up in South Euclid, OH with her four siblings and parents. She has taught high school English in Switzerland and England, and currently lives in New Jersey with her husband. She is the mother of two grown children. (Information in this author bio comes from the author's website.)

Challenge issues

I imagine there might be people who are offended by an angel being personified as slightly unsure of the Plan and his/her role on earth. It is not a very dignified representation of an angel, and that might bother some.

Booktalking Ideas

The most obvious booktalking buddy for this book would be Cynthia Rylant's The Heavenly Villiage because it shares the sweetness and endearing comfort of The Unfinished Angel while introducing some philosophical and spiritual themes to readers.

Curriculum Ties

Religion, philosophy, and spirituality could be ties. But perhaps it could also have a place in a curriculum unit on Renaissance art, and the depictions of angelic beings who appear to have such human characteristics, as opposed to previous artistic movements which had less realism.

Why this book?
For Sharon Creech fans, just the name on the cover will draw them in. A great choice for those who enjoy playful language, those who are in the mood for a feel–good story, and those who are interested in questions of philosophy and spirituality.

Awards
Too new to tell.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.