Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Why: This is part of my 2014 YA Lit challenge

When: January 2014

How: as an ebook on my iPad

Thoughts: I loved this book. Lots to think about. It's set in a high school that doesn't operate on the heteronormative view that organizes our society for the most part. The GSA in this book, for instance, exists to help the straight kids learn how to dance for homecoming. The quarterback of the football team is transgender and also the homecoming queen. And in the middle of all of that, a romance builds--a realistic, honest, teenage romance.

Click on the book image to read about the book on Wikipedia.

Review Haiku:
teenage love without
the obstacles of our world
human loves human

Adaptation by Malinda Lo

why: Malinda Lo spoke at last fall Colorado Language Arts Society conference. She's a product of BVSD. She writes YAL with LGBTQ characters.
when: January 2014

how: as an ebook on my ipad.

thoughts: Lo's work is important. Young people who identify as LGBTQ need to see themselves in books, to see their stories and experiences represented. And that's what we have in this book. This was a great read as a work of science fiction. The beginning opens with some birds falling dead from the sky--and not in a magical realism sort of way where the characters don't seem to notice and this all seems to be normal in the world of the text. The characters are freaked out. And it only gets weirder. And in the center of this there is a character trying to figure out her sexual identity, and that struggle is woven fully into the science fiction-y issues at the center of the text as well. Very cool how Lo has done that. There's a sequel. I'll read it after I conquer The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (which so far is delightfully strange).

Click on the book image to go to the author's website.

review haiku:
birds dead from the sky
airplanes downed by birds. Girl gets
alien DNA

Columbine by Dave Cullen

why: I've been wanting to read this book for a while. After the Arapahoe shooting, I figured it was time.

when: January 2014 (took me about a week)

how: as an ebook on my iPad, purchased from my local independent bookseller

thoughts: The author says this book took him 10 years. And I believe it. It's exhaustive. It pours through the writings and videos that Klebold and Harris left behind to try to understand what drove them both to murder. In short, Harris was a psychopath. Kelbold was depressed and suicidal. Together they were a deadly pairing. I also learned that their plans were to kill far more people than they did that day. Their bombs failed to detonate. As a high school teacher, it's terrifying to read and learn about these events, but I'm more and more convinced that prevention is not about arming teachers, but doing everything you can to have a healthy community that seeks out and supports kids who struggle. There were plenty of opportunities to do just that with these two but it didn't happen as it needed to.

Click on the book image to go to the author's website.

review haiku:
terrifying simply
terrifying. That's all.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

why: book club

when: January 2014 (took me less than a week)

how: as an ebook on my iPad (purchased as always through my local independent bookseller)

thoughts: This was a suspenseful read. You get three different story arcs starting in the first three chapters, but you very quickly realize that all three story arcs will weave together and likely collide somehow (and they do, violently). The premise here--a woman finds a letter sealed in an envelope--addressed to her from her husband, to read on the event of his death. Should she read it? Would you?

Click on the book image to learn more about the book.

review haiku:
we carry secrets
but some are worse than others
and then there's karma

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

why: I got a strong recommendation from a teacher colleague for this one last summer and I'm finally getting around to it.

when: start 5/30/2013, end 1/5/2014

how: as an ebook on my ipad

thoughts: This is a tome, but it was well worth my time. I started reading it months ago--but I wasn't able to give it the brain space needed by reading it in the 20 sleepy minutes I had before falling asleep on many nights. I put it down after getting about a third into it. I wrote about that here. So once winter break started, I picked it back up again and started at page one. Wow. Loved this book. Chabon makes you work for it. The writing is gorgeous. The characters are wonderfully complex. The heartbreak is real. This is yet another book connected to the holocaust and that has a carney element. Not sure why I keep getting drawn by these kinds of books. But wow. This definitely explores what the devastation of the holocaust can mean to an individual who escapes. This explores the golden age of comic books in America. This explores love and devotion and magic. I definitely recommend it, but be ready to work. Chabon will not coddle you. You've got to pay attention.

Click on the book image to go to the wikipedia entry for this book.

review haiku:
heartbreak and heartbreak
how many ways to escape?
read this book to see

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

why: I loved Eleanor and Park and was really sad when that book was over, so I thought another Rainbow Rowell book would be good.

when: December 2013 (again, due to ignoring of blog updating, I'm not certain of the actual dates, but again about three days this took me).

how: as an ebook on my iPad.

thoughts: I loved this. I really did. Rowell builds very complex adolescent worlds. I loved the whole fanfiction thread--something I have known very little about prior to reading this.

Click on the book image to learn more about the book.

review haiku:
is fanfiction mere
plagiarism? professor
thinks so, but not Cath

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

why: This officially begins the year where I will read as much critically acclaimed YA lit as I possibly can. (ok, so maybe I'm starting on my 2014 challenge a month early here)

when: 12/2/13-12/7/13 (I just realized I read three books this past week)

how: as an ebook on my iPad

thoughts: I loved this book. Loved loved loved it. And maybe it's because of the two teenage characters who connect over the same new wave music that was so vivid in my own teenage years. And maybe it's because the book was such an honest and genuine portrayal of a relationship unfolding. And maybe it's because the ending was perfect. Just perfect. And maybe it's because Eleanor and Park are such an unlikely pair but the totally work. I don't know but I just loved it. And now I'm reading Fangirl--another by the same author.

Click on the book image to get to the author's website.

review haiku:
the cure, depeche mode
U2, school bus, teenagers
my own nostalgia

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

why: book club and also I wanted to read this with my daughter.

when: start 8/3/13 end 8/17/13

how: As an ebook on my ipad (purchased as always from the local independent book store). And this is the first ebook my kid has read--normally she likes books with actual pages and stuff, but I convinced her to try this one on the screen.

thoughts: I loved this book. Just loved it. Take a wonderful child with a severe facial deformity who has been home schooled his whole life and send him to middle school. What happens? Well, that's what this book is about. It shows the courage of young people, both through the main character Auggie's experiences and through his friends' fierce devotion to him (even though some are slow to come around).

Click on the book image to get to information about the book from the author's website.

review haiku:
we can be so mean
met by of something different
accept--and we grow

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

why: Well, I couldn't NOT read this after finishing the previous book, Divergent.

when: start 8/2, end 8/5

how: as an ebook on my ipad and mostly in the middle of the night when I should have been sleeping.

thoughts: This is a gripping continuation of the first book in the series. Not much more to say because I can't give away what you learn at the end of this book (and that made me angry that the third book in the series does not come out until October. Really?). Anyhow, perfect summertime read. I'm interested to talk with my students to see if any of them have read this series and what they think of it.

Click on the book image to get to the author's blog and scroll down to find this text.

review haiku:
beyond the fence lies
truth that changes everything
what will happen next?

Divergent by Veronica Roth

why: Someone said that this was in the same category as The Hunger Games, so I thought it would be great summer reading.

when: start 7/30, end 8/2

how: As an ebook on my ipad (purchased as usual online from my local independent bookseller!)

thoughts: As you can see, I tore through this one pretty quickly. Hard to put it down once you get started. A friend asked me recently if this was written in the same first person present tense voice as The Hunger Games, and it is, and that narrative voice is annoying, but it really didn't matter. The whole premise here of the five factions living in and around a futuristic dystopic Chicago where 16 year olds have to decide their life faction in a choosing ceremony was really pretty cool. Lots to think about there in terms of how our own society is structured and works. I had to purchase the next book in the series immediately and start reading the moment I finished the last page of this one. 

Click on the book image to get to information on this text from the author's blog.

review haiku:

at 16 years old

choose your faction, your people,

unless you don't fit

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

why: I wanted some fun summer reading, and this was recommended to me by a friend who often recommends books to me.

when: start 7/14, end 7/22

how: I read this as a ebook on my ipad (as usual, purchased through the website of my local independent book seller!). This is what I was reading for fun in the evenings when I was reviewing all those books about teaching on our road trip this summer).

thoughts: I had read another book by Sittenfeld (Prep) a few years ago (great book, by the way--I highly recommend), so I was expecting this to be equally engaging. Just right for a summer read. For some reason the other book I'm trying to get through for fun right now isn't going very quickly. I like it, but it just doesn't hit my summer reading needs right now. I'll get it done eventually. ANYHOW, American Wife is a fictional take on the relationship of George and Laura Bush (in the book, Alice Lindgren and Charlie Blackwell). The author researched Laura Bush's life extensively, so much of this is accurate (including the tragic car accident in her teens where Laura ran a stop sign and ended up killing one of her friends). But of course, much of this is absolutely fiction (like the moment in the book where Alice speaks out against the war in Iraq and her husband is furious and considers it a personal betrayal). I enjoyed the book on the whole, though I wondered how political I should consider this book. Is it ultimately a criticism of Bush's presidency? (Charlie Blackwell comes off as somewhat ridiculous lots of the time in this book). If you read it, let me know if you think this book is political.

Click on the book image to read more about the book from the author's website.

review haiku:
a President's wife
her life is complex, manic
she yearns for simplicity

Joyland by Stephen King

why: This one is just for fun. I haven't read King in ages and a colleague posted a link about it in Facebook so I thought I would check it out. 

when: start 7/6, end 7/8

how: I had to read this one in paperback. For some reason, King is not permitting ebook copies of this. This confuses me because King has been a huge proponent of ebooks and ereaders. Whereas I loved seeing the book sitting around the house, I remembered how much I prefer reading on my ipad just for the simple physicality of holding a book vs. having the ipad propped up somewhere and reading on it. 

thoughts: This was a fun read. It certainly doesn't achieve the psychological depth of some of King's work (like The Shining, for instance), but I'm pretty sure it's not about that anyhow. This is a fun summer read set in a fun and campy amusement park in the summer. There is a mystery in the middle of this book and a ghost too, but what takes center stage really is the world that this book throws you into--a world inhabited by carnies. Loved it. 

Click on the book image to read a review of the book from the NYTimes.

review haiku:

a murder mystery?

kind of. Moreso a trip to

carny world. Enjoy!

Unremembered by Jessica Brody

why: A student of mine who blogs about books recently blogged about this. It looked like good summer reading.

when: start 5/30 end 5/31

how: as an ebook on my ipad

thoughts: Definitely a suspenseful read. I pretty much tore through it. It's the first in a trilogy but I'll have to wait for a while for installment #2. This is a great mixture of YA, mystery, and science fiction. Girl wakes up apparently the only survivor of a terrible plane crash with absolutely no recollection of anything--that's where the book starts. It unravels the mystery chapter by chapter until the end. Cool stuff.

Click on the book image to get to the official author's webpage.

Review haiku:
Seraphina lost
memories, all of them
but love reconnects

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

why: I picked this up for my daughter and I to read together as our second book club book. She loves animals and she's an artist, so I thought a gorilla who paints would grab her attention.

when: start 5/21/13 end 5/24/13

how: as an ebook on my ipad (purchased through the website of my local independent book seller of course!)

thoughts: I loved this book. I cried at the end, tears of joy for Ivan and Ruby and Bob and Julia. I love that this was inspired by an actual gorilla who spent over 20 years of his life living at a shopping mall. There wasn't an elephant in the real gorilla's life like there is in the book, but the real gorilla did paint like Ivan does. This book is about friendship and the ethical treatment of animals and imagining the mental and emotional worlds of animals and the role of art in creating empathy for the experiences of others. I loved it. This book won the Newbery Medal for 2013, by the way.

Click on the book image to go to the book's official website.

review haiku:
Ivan and Ruby
captive in a shopping mall
art sets them free

Billy Ray Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain

why: a colleague brought this to me this week but warned me not to start reading it until I have three days to dedicate to it, meaning I won't be able to stop reading it once I start it

when: start 5/4/13 end 5/28/13

how: as an ebook on my iPad (from the local bookseller of course!) Even though I have a copy of this sitting on my desk at school to read, I much prefer ebooks so I downloaded it for myself.

thoughts: When another colleague saw this book on my desk, he told me that this is the book everyone should have been reading about the Iraq war. And I agree. Wow. The juxtaposition of war vs. the American pro football insanity is powerful here. The Dallas Cowboys' equipment room as described in this novel has more gear in it for a single game than our soldiers have for battle. I've always had issues with the hype surrounding professional sports in our world (and by "hype" I mean all the money spent on this when there are people starving in our country). And I think that ultimately this novel makes a burning commentary about US and what WE pay attention to. In the novel, this group of soldiers are only on the mind of the Americans back at home because a Fox News team caught a few minutes of a firefight where the soldiers killed a bunch of bad guys. So now the soldiers are all heroes and on tour for two weeks in the states so everyone can admire them. The two week tour culminates with a Thanksgiving day Cowboys game with the soliders as the special guests (though not more special than the halftime entertainment, Destiny's Child--see again how this novel comments on our priorities?). The novel tells the story of that five or so hour period at the football game--brilliant. Heart wrenching. Powerful. I could keep going here, but you should really read it on your own and tell me what you think.


Click on the book image to see a review from the NYTimes for the book.

review haiku:
football versus war
where are our priorities?
never mind. Kickoff.

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

why: recommendations from our librarian and from students

when: start 4/1/13 finish 5/4/13

how: as an ebook on my iPad (from the local bookseller of course!)

Click on the book image to see the Wikipedia entry for the book.

thoughts: I loved this book. The moment I finished it I immediately went back to page one and started reading again! (Didn't read the whole thing again, just the first few chapters). There's a bit of mystery to it, and there are several different characters on seemingly different paths who eventually come together (I always love that). And yes, it is essentially about love and what it means in our lives. Loved it.

review haiku:
The history of us
history of all of us is
The history of love

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

why: recommendations from colleague and student

when: start 4/1/13 end 4/9/13

how: as an ebook on my ipad (purchased through the Boulder Bookstore of course--must support the local independent bookseller!)

thoughts: This is another post-apocalyptic story akin to The Road, but set in Erie, Colorado. The main character lives at the Erie airport, flies a plane to patrol the area looking for intruders, and shares the airport with another survivor of the flu that took almost everyone. It was fun to be able to visualize all the places mentioned in the book since most of it takes place in Boulder County. In the center of the text is not a father/child relationship like in The Road, but a man and his dog and also a friendship with the other man who is also living at the Erie airport. Hence, the story is a bit less painful and heartbreaking than The Road (though The Dog Stars definitely has its moments), and I was pleased in the end that the final image of the characters is a hopeful one. There is hope for this world.

Click on the image to get to some information about the book on NPR.

review haiku:
most dead by the flu
the few who remain build a
new reality

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

Why: book club

When: start 3/10/13 end 3/28/13

How: as an ebook on my iPad

Thoughts: Okay I kind of loved this book. The voice is just awesome. And Oscar--unique character. Loved his geekiness. Loved his passion. Loved his single-minded dedication to his vision of happiness, despite all obstacles. Loved the window into a cultural world I'm not familiar with.

Click on the book image to read the wikipedia entry for the book.

Review Haiku:
Thank you Oscar Wao
for being simply just you
despite the fuku

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

Why: Book club

When: Start 2/15/13. Finished! 3/5/13

How: as an ebook on my ipad

Thoughts: I've been very intrigued by this book, wondering how Rowling's writing would translate to an older audience. So far, some things have shocked me a bit--things that never would have graced the pages of Harry Potter. But the intricacies of the plot are just as I would expect based on the other seven books I've read by her.

So now after reading this: it was longer than it needed to be. Way longer than it needed to be. By the end it all came together in a heartbreaking way that has left me thinking ever since I finished. Full of commentary and symbolism about class structure, community responsibility for the individual, etc. Though the omniscient narration annoyed me and made it difficult for me to feel connected to the story because it wasn't about one particular character's struggle, by the end it became clear to me why the omniscience was necessary. The book is about all of us collectively and how we fail to take responsibility for others because of being so wrapped up in our own crap.

I'm glad I read it even though it took me forever.

(click on the book image to read about the book on wikipedia)

Review haiku:
Pagford. Fields. Yarvil.
We are these communities.
Care for each other.

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

Why: a couple of weeks ago at a meeting with some colleagues, two of them raved about an author I had never even heard of. Smith has also a newer novel just out in 2012, but I figured I'd start here with this one that has been very critically acclaimed.

When: Start 2/2/13 End 4/1/13

How: as an ebook on my iPad

Thoughts: Awesome line from chapter 1: "Clara Bowden, aged seventeen, was gangly, bucktoothed, a Jehovah's Witness, and saw in Ryan a kindred spirit. A typical teenage female panopticon, she knew everything there was to know about Ryan Topps long before they ever spoke." I've never seen "panopticon" used in quite this way, and I love it.

This book took me a while, but finally I conquered it. Loved it too. It's complex--lots and lots to unpack, but it definitely taught me some things about British contemporary culture and the struggle of immigrants there. The teeth motif was fun to puzzle out for sure.

review haiku:
people do differ
but we all have teeth, white teeth
with roots. What are yours?