Michael Printz YA Award Winner - The First Part Last

Bibliography
Johnson, Angela. 2003. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689849222

Plot Summary
At just 16, Bobby finds himself as a single parent after his girlfriend Nia suffers brain damage after delivering their daughter Feather. Although they had plans of giving her up for adoption, Nia's postpartum condition spurs Bobby to refuse to sign the papers and raise the baby himself. His choice results in him struggling to care for his daughter while trying to keep up with school, maintain his friendships, and live up to his parents' expectations of being a responsible man.

Critical Analysis
Angela Johnson gives readers at taste of what teenage pregnancy and fatherhood is like from the male perspective. The exhaustion of caring for baby Feather can be felt by readers such as when Bobby takes Feather for a doctor's visit and wishes that the doctor would write him an excuse for getting out of the constant attention a baby needs: "It just had to get me out of staying awake all night, changing diapers every hour, and doing nothing except think of the yawning little thing in the white booties, whose baby carrier was all I wanted to be in." Scenes in which Bobby expresses his love for Feather and her mother are beautifully worded and his effort to do the right thing (be responsible and mature) is demonstrated by the choices he makes: "I thought about laying her in the middle of my bed and going off to find my old Game Boy, but I didn't. Things have to change. I've been thinking about it. Everything. And when Feather opens her eyes and looks up at me, I already know there's change." In the final chapter, readers will be begging for more about this young father and daughter duo as they start a new life in Heaven, Ohio, the town where Bobby's brother lives and a seemingly pefect place for raising a child. Brief, but poetic and riveting, this novel is a great read for highschool students as it will grab listeners immediately and make it an ideal subject for class discussion.

Review Exerpt(s)
BookList - "Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again."
Kirkus Reviews - "It's the tale of one young man and his choices, which many young readers will appreciate and enjoy."

Connections
*This novel would make a great topic for discussion for highschool students regarding teen pregnancy.
*Other novels about teenage pregnancy:
Cole, Sheila. WHAT KIND OF LOVE?: THE DIARY OF A PREGNANT TEENAGER. ISBN 0380725754
Wild, Margaret. ONE NIGHT. ISBN 0553494341
Bechard, Margaret. HANGING ON TO MAX. ISBN 0689862687

Newberry Award Honor Book - Rules

Bibliography
Lord, Cynthia. 2006. RULES. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439443822

Plot Summary
Living with her autistic brother David, 12-year-old Catherine struggles to find order and balance in her life. While she loves David, she is embarrassed by his behavior. She makes rules to help him function more normally. Her longing to live a normal life so that she can receive as much attention from her parents as her brother does as well as make friends without being hindered by her brother's behavior is further complicated by her growing friendship with Jason, a paraplegic.

Critical Analysis
Cynthia Lord sheds light on the family dynamic created by a family member with a disability. Narrated by Catherine, readers are able to experience what it is like to grow up with an autistic brother. They are able to enter Catherine's topsy-turvy world filled with conflicting feelings about loving David but at the same time being embarrassed, impatient, and resentful of him. Catherine's concern for her brother is shown in the rules she makes for her brother, "so if my someday-he'll-wake-up-a regular-brother wish doesn't ever come true, at least he'll know how the world works, and I won't have to keep explaining things." At the same time, her wish to fit in with everybody else is hindered by her brothers abnormal behavior and the amount of attention he needs. Making "real friends" is not as easy for Catherine and unexpectedly becoming friends with Jason only makes the matter more complicated. Ultimately, Jason helps Catherine admit that her rules may really be excuses, opening the way for her to free herself from what she fears others will think: "You're a good friend, and I've been--Weak." Entirely convincing, her emotions come across vividly through her thoughts and actions. Readers will relate to the universal themes of being/feeling different and finding acceptance.

Review Excerpt(s)
Publishers Weekly - "A rewarding story that may well inspire readers to think about others' points of view."
School Library Journal - "A lovely warm read, and a great discussion starter."
Kirkus Reviews - "Middle-grade readers will recognize her longing for acceptance and be intrigued by this exploration of dealing with differences."
Booklist - "The details of autistic behavior are handled well, as are depictions of relationships."

Connections
*Students can be invited to write about an experience they had about feeling like they were different and not accepted by somebody else.
*Students can write about something that happened in the story through another person's point of view, such as Catherine's mother, father, or friend Jason.

Fantasy Series- The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide

Bibliography
DiTerlizzi, Tony & Holly Black. 2003. THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES: THE FIELD GUIDE. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689289368

Plot Summary
The Grace Children (13 year-old Mallory and 9 year-old twins Simon and Jared) and their recently divorced mother move into their great Aunt Lucinda's worn out Victorian house. There, Jared discovers a field guide, Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You--a hand book to faeries and other creatures. Often in trouble, Jared gets blamed for some unusual occurences until his siblings finally believe what the field guide says, after they see one of the creatures inside it for themselves.

Critical Analysis
Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black prove to be a remarkable pair, as they introduce fantasy-loving readers to the story of the Grace children and the fantastical world of creatures around them. The Grace children's discovery of the mysterious faerie realm that exists around them pulls readers in, making them anxious to read more. The first creature readers are introduced to, is a peaceful brownie living inside the walls of the house. Unknowingly, the Grace children destroy his home in the walls, causing him to turn into an enraged boggart. Jared suspects this when he reads about brownies in the field guide: "The Arthur guy says it's a boggart. See, brownies are these helpful guys, but then if you make them mad, they go crazy. They start doing all these bad things and you can't stop them. Then they become boggarts. That's what I think we have." The boggart's ways of exacting revenge on three of them, such as knotting Mallory's hair to her headboard and freezing Simon's pet tadpoles into ice cubes all while making Jared's mom believe he is responsible for this, makes for a story with just enough menace and suspense. The clever headings of each chapter such as "In Which There Are Answers, Though Not Necessarily to the Right Questions," and the antique-style pen and ink illustrations are appealing to young readers. So is the book's opening letter from Holly Black to the reader, the note written to her and Tony DiTerlizzi by the Grace children, the map of the Spiderwick estate, and a handwritten note in Arthur Spiderwick's upstairs library, which will perhaps convince some that the story is real.

Book Review Excerpt(s)
Publishers Weekly - "Appealing characters, well-measured suspense and an inviting package will lure readers on to The Seeing Stone, due next month."
Kirkus Reviews - Readers who are too young to read Harry Potter independently will find these have just the right amount of menace laced with appealing humor and are blessed with crisp pacing and, of course, DiTerlizzi's enticingly Gothic illustrations."

Connections
*Other fantasy series:
Nimmo, Jenny. MIDNIGHT FOR CHARLIE BONE(CHILDREN OF THE RED KING, BOOK 1). ISBN 0439474299
Rowling, J.K. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE (BOOK 1). ISBN 0590353403
Mull, Brandon. FABLEHAVEN: RISE OF THE EVENING STAR (BOOK 1). ISBN 1590387422
Neff, Henry H. THE HOUND OF ROWAN: BOOK ONE OF THE TAPESTRY. ISBN 0375838945
Sage, Angie. SEPTIMUS HEAP BOOK 1: MAGYK. ISBN 0060577312
MacHale, D.J. THE MERCHANT OF DEATH (PENDRAGON SERIES #1) ISBN 0743437314

Scott O'Dell Award winning book - Elijah of Buxton

BibliographyCurtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. ELIJAH OF BUXTON. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439023443

Plot Summary
Eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman was the first child born into freedom in the Canadian settlement of Buxton. His mother is concerned that he is such a "fra-gile" boy since he is quite gullible and sensitive. However, everything changes when a former slave who calls himself the "Right Reverend Deacon Doctor Zephariah Connerly the Third" runs off with money that Elijah's friend Mr. Leroy had saved to buy his family out of slavery. Feeling that he is to blame, Elijah journeys with Mr. Leroy to America to find the thief and bring him to justice. He soon sees the horrors of slavery that he had only heard about from his parents and other ex-slaves. Facing such horrors while finding the courage to save a child that would otherwise be immersed into slavery, he proves that he is not as "fra-gile" as his mother thought him to be.

Critical Analysis
Curtis takes us on an unforgettable journey through the eyes of Elijah Freedman, the first child "born free" to former slaves in Buxton, a settlement for ex-slaves in Canada. Through the eyes of Elijah, the reader is transported to the settlement in Buxton, a place united by the experiences of slavery shared by most of its residents. The setting is vividly described through the eyes of Elijah as are his feelings of being too "fra-gile" for a boy about to become a young man. Readers can find humor in the naivety and gullibility of Elijah such as when he visits a traveling carnival and really thinks that a mesmerist is going to shoot lightning bolts from his eyes and make him levitate: "The first thing I did was look straight up, partly so's I wouldn't have to see the stage, but mostly 'cause if the Preacher was gonna force me to watch and get floated off by lightning coming outta some white man's eyes, I wanted to see if there was something I could latch ahold on to afore I ended up in the clouds." At the same time, readers witness how the boy becomes stronger, capable of risking his neck to cross the border to help Mr. Leroy find the preacher who stole his money. As he does this, he is confronted with the horrors of slavery, which only proves to the reader that he is "fra-gile" no more but a hero for doing what was right and saving a young child that was bound for slavery.

The colloquial language of the characters brings authenticity to the story, making readers feel even more "in the moment" and the author's note at the end lets readers know that the settlement of Buxton is a real place. Knowing that much of the story is based on fact, readers young and old will no doubt feel immensely touched by a story written so true to the history of the time.

Excerpt Review(s)
BookList - "Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edge of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears."
Kirkus Reviews - "It's 1859, in Buxton, a settlement for slaves making it to freedom in Canada, a setting so thoroughly evoked, with characters so real, that readers will live the story, not just read it."
School Library Journal - "Curtis' talent for dealing with painful periods of history with grace and sensitivity is as strong as ever."

Connections
*Books about the history of slavery:
Hamilton, Virginia. MANY THOUSAND GONE: AFRICAN AMERICANS FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM. ISBN 0679879366
Lester, Julius. TO BE A SLAVE. ISBN 0141310014
Lester, Julius. FROM SLAVE SHIP TO FREEDOM ROAD. ISBN 0140566694

Historical Fiction - The Midwife's Apprentice

Bibliography
Cushman, Karen. 1996. THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE. New York: HarperTrophy. ISBN 006440630X

Plot Summary
One evening an orphaned girl with no home or name but Brat is found by Jane, a cold and ill-tempered midwife, who calls her Beetle and takes her in as her apprentice. It's a hard-working life for Beetle, but she makes a place for herself, adopting a cat and befriending one of the village boys. Anxious to learn the trade, she secretly observes Jane's midwifery skills, something that the midwife tried to keep her ignorant of. As her confidence builds, she gives herself a real name at last: Alyce. However, when she is requested to deliver a baby and fails, she runs away, believing she is too stupid to be of any worth. With time, she discovers that she is capable of doing some things right and returns to Jane, determined to continue her apprenticeship this time around without giving up.

Critical Analysis
Cushman paints a realistic picture of medieval England as the people and language of the time come to life with her witty detail as when she says "Beetle sometimes feared Jane Sharp was a witch, for she mumbled to herself and once a pail of milk curdled as she passed, but mostly she knew Jane was what she first appeared, a woman neither young nor old, neither fat nor thin, with a sharp nose and sharp glance and a wimple starched in sharp pleats." With simplicity, wit, and humor, Cushman captures our attention with the story of a homeless and nameless young girl (Alyce) looking to find her place in the world. It's a theme most readers can relate to, as many of us come to doubt who we are as she does after failing to deliver a baby during a diffcult birth. She is struck by failure, thinks that she is too stupid to be the midwife's apprentice, and runs away. Through her experiences she finally discovers the truth in what her friend from the village had told her, "You got guts and common sense. Just because you don't know everything don't mean you know nothing. Even Jane Midwife herself don't know everything, though she think she do." Finally seeing the beauty and self-worth in her that others did, she returns to the village to continue her apprenticeship. Her determination is felt when she tells Jane, "Jane Sharp! It is I, Alyce, your apprentice. I have come back. And if you do not let me in, I will try again and again. I can do what you tell me and take what you give me, and I know how to try and risk and fail and try again and not give up. I will not go away." The story is wonderfully told and carries a message that readers will be happy to hear.

Review Excerpt(s)
Publishers Weekly - "Cushman has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent."
BookList - "Kids will love this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone."
School Library Journal - "Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal rememdies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature."

Connections
*Students can be asked to write about something they failed at and how that made them feel.
*Students can research how different times and different places saw midwives differently.

Classic work of historical fiction - The Whipping Boy

Bibliography
Fleischman, Sid. 1986. THE WHIPPING BOY. by Peter Sis. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0439441420

Plot Summary
Jemmy is an orpahned rat-catcher taken from the village to serve as the whipping boy for obnoxious Prince Brat. Since it is forbidden to physically harm the heir to the throne, Jemmy must suffer the punishment for the spoiled prince's mischief. Jemmy, tired of being thrashed, plans to run away, but Prince Brat beats him to it. He demands that Jemmy come with him and the two embark on an adventure involving two dangerous outlaws chasing after them. By the end, the two boys manage to escape and become friends and Prince Brat is changed for the better.

Critical Analysis
Fleischman makes this tale of a bratty prince come to life as the story mentions the trouble he causes with his practical jokes such as dumping bullfrogs in the moat to disturb everyone's sleep, hog-greasing the horses' saddles so that the knights slip and fall off, and tying the lords and ladies' wigs to their chairs so that when they stand up their wigs come flying off. His meaness and selfishness is reflected in him seeking to find pleasure from the whipping boy's pain. "A whipping boy is supposed to yowl like a stuck pig! We dress you up fancy and feed you royal, don't we? It's no fun if you don't bawl!" Jemmy, the whipping boy, is made to be a respectable hero as he endures the pain of the punishments without a noise uttered. He turns out to be not only street wise but more educated than the prince himself as he takes note of the prince's lessons while the prince refuses to learn how to read and write, saying "Pish-posh. I can always get someone to write my name for me." The plot is simple and entertaining, as the reader finds interest in the runaway adventure of Prince Brat and Jemmy to see if they can put aside their differences and work together to escape the clutches of Hold-Your-Nose Billy and Cutwater, two dangerous outlaws. To the reader's delight, annoying Prince Brat returns to the castle a changed person, which is demonstrated when he places Jemmy under his protection for saving him and the two become friends.

Short chapters make this story easy to read, giving readers a nice change of pace. Not only are the characters vividly portrayed, but the adventures of the boys are splashed with humor as when the reader finds out at the end of the story that the two outlaws escaped from the rat infested sewers only to unknowingly board a ship full of convicts "bound for a speck of island in distant waters. A convict island." Sis' black and white pen and ink illustrations capture the humor of the text and emphasize particular events in the story to match the author's comic style.

Review Excerpt(s)
Kirkus Reviews - "A rollicking tale of adventure and mistaken identity, written in a style reminiscent of 19th-century melodrama."
School Library Journal - "Supplmentary characters are well-drawn both by Fleischman and by Sis, so the whole hangs together in basic appeal."

Connections
*Other stories set in Medieval times:
De Angeli, Marguerite. THE DOOR IN THE WALL. ISBN 0440227798
Cushman, Karen. CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY. ISBN 0064405842
Cushman, Karen. THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE. ISBN 006440630X

Historical Non-fiction - An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793

Bibliography
Murphy, Jim. 2003. AN AMERICAN PLAGUE: THE TRUE AND TERRIFYING STORY OF THE YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC OF 1793. Clarion Books: New York. ISBN 0395776082

Plot Summary
In this Newberry Honor, National Book Award Finalist, and Robert F. Sibert Medal winning book, Jim Murphy recreates the devastation experienced by the city of Philadelphia in 1793 caused by an incurable outbreak of a disease known as yellow fever. Along with the yellow fever epidemic, Murphy details the major social and political events of the time, as well as medical beliefs and practices.

Critical Analysis
Murphy transports readers to the city of Philadelphia during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. He chronicles this terrifying time based on firsthand accounts both medical an non-medical. The ever present sense of fear and impending doom during the crisis is vividly expressed in the text. Murphy tells of a headstone of a yellow fever victim that bore the words "Stay Passenger where I lie/ As you are now so once was I/ As I am now so You shall be/ Prepare for Death and follow me."

Interweaved throughout the text are the social and political conditions of the time. Heroes such as the Free African Society whose life-saving efforts helped the infected while most Whites fled were still regarded with indignitity as a book published during the time villified Black nurses as extortionists. President George Washington's conflict with the French because of his refusal to support them in their war against Britain is also cited throughout the story. Murphy explains how the fever had a significant impact on the situation, quoting John Adams--"nothing but the yellow fever...could have saved the United States from a total revolution of government." The medical beliefs and practices of the time are also noted, such as bloodletting, removing blood from the body in an effort to cure patients. Although many of the medical treatments seem ludacris, they give us an intersting look into the world of medicine in the 18th century.

Archival artwork and photocopies of documents bring the story to life by helping the reader picture what the city was like back then. A comprehensive history in the book's final chapter details the yellow fever phenomenon. It gives the reader insight to other outbreaks, its causes, and ways it has tried to be prevented, although the fact that it has no cure is sure to make some readers uneasy. Source notes, acknowledgements, a note about the illustrations, and an index prove the accuracy of the book.

Review Exerpt(s)
BookList - "History, science, politics, and public health come together in this dramatic account of the disastrous yellow fever epidemic that hit the nation's capital more than 200 years ago."
Kirkus Reviews - "A mesmerizing account that will make readers happy they live in the 21st century."
School Library Journal - "Murphy chronicles this frightening time with solid research and a flair for weaving facts into fascinating stories"

Connections
*Other plagues that students can read about:
Farrell, Jeanette. INVISIBLE ENEMIES: STORIES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. ISBN 0374336075
Corine, Phyllis. THE BLACK DEATH. ISBN 1560062991
Marrin, Albert. DR.JENNER AND THE SPECKLED MONSTER: THE SEARCH FOR THE SMALLPOX VACCINE. ISBN 0525469222