An Amazing Whirlwind of Emotions and History

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
(Review based on Advanced Reader Copy.)

You've got to respect a historical fiction novel for teens that has three pages of bibliography.

In this emotional whirlwind of a book, an American high school student--lost in despair over the death of her younger brother and the mental instability of her mother--finds herself through music and the history of the French revolution.

Andi is the equivalent of a musical prodigy, and when her brother dies, music is the only thing besides caring for her mother that keeps her going. (The anti-depressants help, but only just.) She's flunking out of her private school, and she gets an ultimatum: complete a well-orchestrated senior thesis or don't graduate. Andi's dad sweeps her off to Paris, hoping she can focus on graduation while he tests a 200-year-old heart for proof that it belonged to the dauphin, son of Marie-Antoinette. In the process, Andi discovers a hidden diary belonging to another 17-year-old girl, Alexandrine Paradis, the daughter of a puppeteer, who finds herself companion to the dauphin right before the start of the French revolution. Andi's depression continues to rise and fall, and she gets pulled into Alexandrine's story of pain, faith, and hope as Alex tries to survive the bloody massacres of her time and save the child prince. As Alex writes, "They are a truthful account of these bitter, bloody days." Andi finds herself absorbed in the past, so much so that one night she finds herself thrown into the horror of Alexandrine's world, unsure of what is dream and what is reality.

A story within a story could easily backfire or become confusing, but Donnelly pulls it off with a simultaneous grace and intensity that is impressive. Andi acts as a conduit between worlds, and her emotional responses to both are what make Revolution truly successful. Her depression is raw and tangible, not the never-ending list of adjectives some writers use to describe sadness. Donnelly makes both her character and her emotions--sorrow, hope, passion--available and accessible to readers, which is no easy task.

This is a great read for lovers of history, music, and modern-day dramas... and just about anyone else, for that matter. Highly recommended--Revolution captures the depths of depression and the heights of passion in a truly beautiful way, all the while exploring how history isn't always as distant as it may seem.

-Jenny

Age 14+ (some mature content)

Copyright October 2010

ISBN: 9780385737630

Available as an eBook

Image from www.goodreads.com

A "Rootin' Tootin' Good Time" for Girls!

Emily's Fortune by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

A word of warning: don't let the cover fool you--this book is really fun!

Newbery Award-winning author Naylor sets off on a tale in the untamed west where Emily, a recently orphaned girl who has inherited an unexpected fortune, attempts to escape her greedy, conniving Uncle Victor. Though timid and used to sitting quietly indoors all day, she grits her teeth and sets off in a coach (with her trusty pet turtle in hand), hoping to live with her distant but kind-hearted aunt. Along the way Emily meets Jackson, an orphan and a street urchin, and together they find themselves running for their lives and working together to befuddle Uncle Victor. In Emily’s adventures she learns how to climb tall trees, sleep outdoors, and disguise herself as a boy, all the while growing from meek to self-sufficient, and it’s a fun transition to witness.

Fun illustrations appear throughout the text, as do enlarged captions and Wild West “rootin’ tootin’” phrases (such as "blinkin' bloomers") that lead readers from one chapter to the next. Naylor keeps the action fun and her characters funny, elaborating on genteel ladies as they complain about bumpy wagon rides and overly ambitious child-services agents. With smart, quirky character names like “Miss Catchum” of the Catchum Child-Catching Services and Emily’s helpful neighbors—Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire—Naylor maintains the ride throughout, keeping it entertaining. With the southern dialogue and western “slang”, it would make for a great class read-aloud. It’s a book that shows just how strong and smart a little girl can become without being too girly—and really, anyone who learns to appreciate a good tree climbing while "hootin' and hollerin'" is a-okay by me! 

Like I said before, the cover is a bit murky and unfriendly, and while it does depict some of the scenes in the book, it doesn't do the book justice. Give it a chance, especially with some fun-loving, even quiet, girls and boys. Let the giggling and western twang begin!

Emily's Fortune is currently out in hardcover, and the paperback edition is planned for this November.

-Jenny

Age 8-12

Copyright June 2010

ISBN: 9780385736169

Available as an eBook
Image from www.perma-bound.com

Zanna Snow Solves Her First Case!

The Midnight Tunnel by Angie Frazier (Book 1 Suzanna Snow Mysteries)

I picked up this book because I'm always on the lookout for great mysteries for young readers, which (to me) are hard to find. While perusing other reviews of this book, I notice they make the obvious comparisons to Nancy Drew. The 11-year-old detective, in what I hope is the first of many books in this series, is better than Nancy Drew. I would actually compare this series to the Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer. Nancy Drew is good reading, but her character has no "oomph."

This fantastic new series, featuring 11-year-old Suzanna "Zanna" Snow, is set at the turn of the 20th century in the coastal town of Loch Harbor, New Brunswick. She toils day in and day out at the Rosemount, an exclusive summer hotel managed by her parents. As much as she longs to be a detective like her famous Uncle Bruce Snow, she is being groomed as her parents' replacement someday. But serving tea and waiting on other people are not what Zanna sees for her future.

You can't help but like Zanna from the start. She has a strong sense of who she is and what she wants to be. Like a meticulous detective, she keeps a notebook handy to jot down anything of interest, from the goings and comings of the hotel guests to the rules a detective should live by.

When a young girl, a guest at the hotel, goes missing, Zanna becomes the only witness. No one will take her seriously though, because she is young. I know children can be imaginative, but why do adults seem to think that what children see and say can't be taken seriously? Most books I've read immediately dismiss them. Now of course, it's up to Zanna and her friends Lucy and Isaac to solve the mystery. When her Uncle Bruce is called in to help, Zanna is delighted. However, upon meeting her uncle, she finds her expectations of him were too high. Zanna's great deductive reasoning would give Sherlock Holmes a run for his money. Read the book to find out.

Angie Frazier has done a great job of creating a cast of characters and an atmosphere that can grow with the series. This is her first novel for young readers. Her previous book Everlasting is for young adults.

-Ruby

Ages 9-12
Publisher: Scholastic Press (March 1, 2011)
ISBN: 9780545208628
Not available as an eBook at this time.