YA Historical Fiction: HATTIE BIG SKY by Kirby Larson

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

Larson, Kirby. 2006. HATTIE BIG SKY. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0385733135

               Hattie Brooks is an ambitious sixteen year old who is bequeathed her uncle’s homestead claim in Montana. Tired of being Hattie Here-and-there, having been passed from family to family after she was orphaned, she longs to have a permanent place to call home. She ventures out alone, with her cat Mr. Whiskers, to finish the provisions of proving the claim. Not a simple task with fencing and crops and the fee to be paid. The harsh realities of frontier life quickly erode away the romantic dreams of a quaint farm life. With help from caring and kind neighbors, Hattie is able to survive and make gains in proving the claim. However, more than the obstacles of nature hinder her quest, from the stresses caused by the country involved in World War I, both emotional and financial, to the violent threats from the hysterical suspicion of anything German, and greed of unkind neighbors. Hattie learns the lessons life, both bitter and sweet, as she battles to prove her land and herself. 

               Based on the experiences of author’s great-grandmother, Hattie is a somewhat larger than life protagonist that is quite extraordinary, but believable.  Though her problems are primarily related to those of her situation and time period, she also is shown to deal with issues of teens today. Her idealism and naiveté is endearing, while her toughness and fortitude is inspiring. Hattie loves to write, each chapter beginning with one of her letters, some of which were published in a newspaper. “The authentic first-person narrative, full of hope and anxiety, effectively portrays Hattie's struggles as a young woman with limited options, a homesteader facing terrible odds, and a loyal citizen confused about the war and the local anti-German bias that endangers her new friends” (Kathleen Odean, Booklist, Sep. 1, 2006). The cast of characters which surround Hattie, from her soldier correspondent Charlie and adopted family of the Muellers to the devious Traft Martin, round the story out and pull readers into her world.  

               The setting and plot are intriguing, with the familiar survival on the frontier farm unusually combined with the hardships of World War I.  Set in 1918, the effects of a war having been in progress and nearing an end on the life of those left behind are shown. “As I stretched each strand of wire, tapped it into place with a staple, stretched and tapped, stretched and tapped, I thought again of that conversation in Wolf Point between Mr. Hanson and Perilee. About folks who called sauerkraut “liberty cabbage” in order to swallow it down with their supper. And of Charlie doing his duty, eager to finish off a German or two. I thought about all the fences that get built in this world - the ones that divide folks and tear them up, like the actions of the Kaiser and his henchmen, and the ones that bring folks closer together, like this stretch of fence Karl Mueller had built for me” (Larson 80).  Though, the main focus is on Hattie and her struggles, both comical and heartbreaking, in forging a new life and accomplishing a seemingly impossible task. The events are very believable and plausible, giving the reader a real sense of what life was like then for those people. There is a true authentic fell to the story. Prevalent themes include patriotism, bigotry, dealing with loss, overcoming challenges, community dynamics, and proving oneself. “Her discovery of enormous strength within herself as she makes independent decisions on what is right, how to lead her life, and build her character makes this a delightful and empowering book for young women who will enjoy some of the eccentric Montana characters as much as Hattie's forthrightness and intimate concerns”(Elisabeth Greenberg, Children's Literature).

Classroom Connections

-        Complete a research or background project about homesteading, the requirements, the propaganda, and the experience of homesteaders.

-        Do a paired reading with a nonfiction book about WWI 

Best Books:

Best Children's Books of the Year, 2007 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Book Sense Children's Picks, Winter 2006/2007 ; American Booksellers Association; United States
Booklist Book Review Stars , Sep. 1, 2006 ; United States
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2006 ; Booklist Editor's Choice; United States
Children's Pick of the List, 2006 ; NAIBA; United States
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to Ninth Edition, 2007 ; H.W. Wilson Company; United States
Notable Children's Books, 2007 ; ALSC American Library Association; United States
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2007 ; National Council for the Social Studies; United States
School Library Journal Best Books, 2006 ; Cahners; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, November 2006 ; Cahners; United States
Senior High Core Collection, Seventeenth Edition, 2007 ; The H. W. Wilson Co.; United States
Top 10 Women's History Books for Youth , 2007 ; Booklist; United States
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2007 ; American Library Association; United States

Awards, Honors, Prizes:

Cybil Award, 2006 Finalist Young Adult Fiction United States
John Newbery Medal, 2007 Honor Book United States
Montana Book Award, 2006 Winner United States

YA Historical Fiction: A NORTHERN LIGHT by Jennifer Donnelly

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

Donnelly, Jennifer. 2004. A NORTHERN LIGHT. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0152053107

               Mattie Gokey is a sixteen year old girl whose intelligence and ambitions test the boundaries of the traditional and expected in the North Woods in 1906. With the inspiration of great authors and her fascinating teacher, Ms. Wilcox, she sees herself as more than the farmer’s daughter who raises her younger siblings in the place of their deceased mother, more than a future farmer’s wife. The trials and toils of her life, however, make this dream less and less of a reality. Struggling to scrape money together for herself, family, and neighbors in need, battling her father who doesn’t understand her, experiencing the ugly side of real adult life, and being swept into a relationship which she can’t quite believe, are all obstacles to her ticket to freedom. With the inspiration of the secret letters of a mysteriously drowned young lady, Mattie gains the strength, courage, and insight to pursue her dreams. 

               Mattie, as the protagonist, is a believable teenage girl in the time period of the turn of the century. Though weighted down by many struggles, and seemingly less heroic than her brave and boisterous friend Weaver, her realizations and triumphs concerning real problems of both the times and today make her a strong character readers will identify with. Mattie’s obsession with reading provides both inspiration and disappointment for her; the many allusions to literature add depth to the story and the character. “It’s just that there are no Captain Wentworths are there? But there are plenty of Pap Finns. And things go well for Ann Elliott in the end, but they don’t for most people.” My voice trembled as I spoke, as it did whenever I was angry. “I feel let down sometimes. The people in books - the heroes - they’re always so heroic. And I try to be, but…”” (Donnelly 202). All characters in the story are fictional, with the exception of the couple in the boating “accident,” at the hotel, whose real letters and actions were weaved through the story. 

               The characters are placed in a historical setting which reflects the struggle of rural farm life, starkly contrasted by the wealthy tourists who descend on the Adirondacks in the summer. “Donnelly's first YA novel begins with high drama drawn straight from history: Grace Brown's body is discovered, and her murder, which also inspired Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, is the framework for this ambitious, beautifully written coming-of-age story set in upstate New York in 1906” (Gillian Engberg, Booklist, May 15, 2003).  The emerging trends and changes of social issues related to the time period, from racism to women’s rights and education, are included among the traditional struggle for money and survival. Though there are hints of romanticism and a few too many plot lines, the events are fairly plausible and serve the dual purpose of creating a window into the past while reflecting on the present. There are strong themes often found in realistic fiction today, such as difficult family relationships and developing sexuality, while also traditional themes of historical fiction such as survival, community, and farm life. “There are many issues here--murder, mystery, romance, discrimination, rights of women, the value of the intellectual life--and the author handles them all deftly” (Beth Guldseth, Children's Literature).This is a blending of both genres, which is sure to appeal to fans of either.

                                                              

Classroom Connections

-        Pair with a realistic fiction story in which the characters deal with similar issues and themes. Then discuss or write about how the similarities and difference between the challenges presented, and how they relate to real life.

-        Obtain access to primary source documents, such as the letters of Grace Brown, or other dealing with the time period and incorporate into novel study

-        Read excerpts from the various authors and poets as they come up in the story, to give a better background understanding of the literary references

Best Books:

Amelia Bloomer List, 2004 ; ALA Social Responsiblities Round Table (SRRT); United States
Booklist Book Review Stars, May 15, 2003 ; United States
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2003 ; American Library Association; United States
Booklist Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth, 2004 ; American Library Association; United States
Capitol Choices, 2004 ; The Capitol Choices Committee; United States
Children's Literature Choice List, 2004 ; Children's Literature; United States
Choices, 2004 ; Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2003 ; Publishers Weekly; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, March 3, 2003 ; Cahners; United States
Recommended Teen Books, 2003 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
School Library Journal Best Books, 2003 ; Cahners; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, May 2003 ; Cahners; United States
Senior High Core Collection, Seventeenth Edition, 2007 ; The H. W. Wilson Co.; United States
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2003 Supplement, 2003 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Top 10 Youth First Novels, 2003 ; American Library Association; United States
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2004 ; American Library Association; United States
Young Adults' Choices , 2005 ; International Reading Association; United States

Awards, Honors, Prizes:

Borders Original Voices Award, 2004 Winner Young Adult United States
Charlotte Award, 2006 Winner Young Adult New York
Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year, 2003 Honorable Mention Favorite Novel of the Year United States
Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year, 2003 Honorable Mention Your Vote to Win the Newbery United States
Jefferson Cup Award, 2004 Honor Book United States
Los Angeles Times Book Prize, 2003 Winner Young Adult Fiction United States
Michael L. Printz Award, 2004 Honor Book United States

YA Fantasy and Sci-Fi: SONG OF THE LIONESS: IN THE HAND OF THE GODDESS by Tamora Pierce

Song of the Lioness: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce

Pierce, Tamora. 1984. SONG OF THE LIONESS: IN THE HAND OF THE GODDESS. New York: Simon Pulse.  ISBN 0689878567.

               In the continuing story of Alanna, a.k.a Alan, of Trebond, a girl disguised as a boy, prepares to face the final test of becoming a knight. She struggles to continue with her deception, though some already know the truth, including her overlord and lover Prince Jonathan. Alan impresses all through a series of challenges, from defeating a warrior from a neighboring land in a duel, escaping kidnap by an enemy army, and the wielding of her magical power. More trials arise when she suspects treachery by Jonathan’s relative, Duke Roger, and relies on the protections afforded by a visit from a goddess. Alanna eventually triumphs through the Ordeal, becoming a knight and revealing her true self to all. Almost immediately, she discovers the truth behind treachery and fights to save the life the Queen, Jonathan, and herself. “She looked up. Everyone in the chamber -- even Jonathan, even Thom -- stared at her with some kind of horror. For a minute she was afraid of herself. She had killed the king’s nephew. She had killed her greatest enemy, the most powerful sorcerer in the Eastern Lands” (Pierce 260). After the victory, she soon leaves to begin her chivalrous adventures beyond the castle.

               This story is intriguing with its protagonist being female but pretending to be male to prove herself in field that would otherwise be denied her. Though very heroic and not overly flawed, teen readers are able to relate to her through her desire to prove herself as well as the idea she is not truly understood by anyone and has her own ideas about her future. Alanna is a fairly well developed character, though more the typical hero than the frequent overly tragic characters of teen literature. She has her fair share of trials and learning experiences, however. Though faced with minor antagonists throughout the story, Alanna is suspicious but not fully aware of her true enemy until later in the story.

               The story takes place in a fairly typical medieval setting, with exception of the existence of magical abilities by some characters and objects. The story is very Arthurian with the existence of sorcerers and castle life, knights and the coming of age of rulers. "An action-filled adventure novel" (Fantasy Review). Life and death situations are prevalent for the future warrior as she continues to hone her skills and deal with her emotions. The story has a satisfying conclusion, though Alanna’s adventures are clearly intended to continue.  Though not overly thematic, there are issues which she deals with internally as we all do, from separation from family, loss, love and relationships, ambition and role in life, as well as struggling with secrets and having to lie to those you love. The authors flowing and simple style moves the reader from one adventure to the next in a quick pace.  "This series is sprightly, filled with adventure and marvelously satisfying" (School Library Journal).

Classroom Connections

-        The class could create a graphic novel version of the story

-        Students could write about what they think will be the first adventure Alanna experiences as a knight

-        Do a background study or project about the process of knighthood, hierarchy, and life in medieval times

Best Books, Awards

• Main Selection, Children's Book of the Month Club
• Winner, ZDF Preis der Lesratten (German fantasy award)
• Nominee, 1985-86 South Carolina Children's Book Award

YA Fantasy and Sci-Fi: LIFE AS WE KNEW IT by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Pfeffer, Susan Beth. 2008. LIFE AS WE KNEW IT. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 9780152061548.

               Miranda was an average teenager living in Pennsylvania with a pretty average life…until an asteroid hits the moon. Knocked closer to the Earth, the change in gravitational pull causes massive amounts of lethal natural disasters. Tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, and climate change put everyone’s life in danger. Miranda’s quick thinking Mom manages to quickly hoard supplies and keeps them on strictly rationed amounts of food, water, and fuel, determined to keep her family safe and alive. At first things seem bad, but there was hope things would soon get better. As time goes on, things only seem to be getting worse and worse. Miranda must come to terms with her new way of life, the sacrifice, and the death that surrounds her. She and her two brothers battle to survive, to keep the family whole, and to stay sane in the hardship and isolation of a world so rapidly changed. 

               This story is organized as a journal kept by Miranda to chronicle events, though it doesn’t always read as one. “A while ago Jonny asked me why I was still keeping a journal, who I was writing it for. I’ve asked myself that a lot, especially in the really bad times. Sometimes I’ve thought I’m keeping it for people 200 years from now, so they can see what our lives were like. Sometimes I’ve thought I’m keeping it for the day when people no longer exist but butterflies can read” (Pfeffer 336). The traumatic and sobering events caused by the moon seem frighteningly realistic. The day to day struggle for survival in such a situation is accurately portrayed through the writing, sometimes mundane but often dramatic. “Each page is filled with events both wearying and terrifying and infused with honest emotions” (Ilene Cooper (Booklist, Sep. 1, 2006).Miranda is a typical teenager who reacts in believable ways to what is going on, sometimes mature and sometimes extremely childish. Not only does she have to deal with survival, but she struggles with relationships with family friends and boys, while also battling her own inner turmoil. The need for survival is often at odds with her feeling of responsibility to her family and her own will. Readers can easily put themselves in Miranda’s place as she deals with mounting challenges and obstacles.   Although some suspension of disbelief may be necessary as to circumstances, the events are by far realistic. It’s hard for the reader to keep oneself from projecting the situation and not run to the window to make sure the moon is still in its rightful place and the world remains the same. 

               The story is set in present day, with a very realistic setting of rural Pennsylvania. The only elements of science fiction are the occurrences as a result of the asteroid hitting the moon. “Plausible science fiction with a frighteningly realistic reminder of recent tragedies here and abroad” (Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2006).It clearly shows how science can impact everyday life, with the situation giving many reminders of earth and physical science in the real world. The themes go far beyond disaster and survival, to the examining of our most basic morals and values and how we would live up to them in extreme situations. Would I choose to starve to death to allow my brother to survive? Would I choose to stay and help the family, or leave and try to make it on my own? Would I resort to isolation, theft, decimation, or even murder if it meant my, or my family’s, survival? Am I prepared for a disaster? These and many other profound and thought-provoking questions race through the reader’s mind as they follow the struggles of Miranda and her family, wondering if the world will ever be the same again, and if all or any of them will survive. “The sense of doom in this fast-paced, speculative novel is overwhelming, but so, too, is the humanity of its characters and the will to survive” (CCBC, Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices, 2007).

Classroom Connections

-        Cross-curricular project with science where students study and research the effects of the moon on the Earth

-        Students could write their own science fiction stories which involve a realistically plausible situation

-        A Socratic circle discussion could be held, pulling specific situations from the story then discussing the different options available and how the students would choose to deal with them

Best Books:

Amazon Editors' Picks: Top 10 Books, 2006 ; United States
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2007 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Book Sense Children's Picks, Winter 2006/2007 ; American Booksellers Association; United States
Booklist Book Review Stars , Sep. 1, 2006 ; United States
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2006 ; Booklist Editor's Choice; United States
Children's Pick of the List, 2006 ; NAIBA; United States
Choices, 2007 ; Cooperative Children’s Book Center; United States
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to Ninth Edition, 2007 ; H.W. Wilson Company; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, October 16, 2006 ; Cahners; United States
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2007 ; American Library Association; United States
YALSA Teens' Top Ten, 2007 ; American Library Association; United States

Awards, Honors, Prizes:

Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2009 Winner High School Maryland
Evergreen Young Adult Book Award, 2009 Winner Washington
Garden State Teen Book Award, 2009 Winner Fiction Grades 6-8 New Jersey
Quill Awards, 2007 Nominee Young Adult/Teen United States
Sheffield Children's Book Award, 2008 Highly Commended Longer Novel United Kingdom

YA Fantasy and Sci-Fi: A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY by Libba Bray

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Bray, Libba. 2003. A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 9780385732314.

Gemma Doyle has been raised in India, but longs to return to her native England to cool, lush landscape and the delights of the season. She gets her wish when the tragedy of her mother’s murder causes her to be sent to the Spence Academy, a prim and proper finishing school to prepared girls to be married women of society. Gemma is haunted by the guilt she feels about her mother’s death, as well as the frightening visions she has experienced since that day. At first an outcast, she soon finds acceptance and friendship with a group of girls when they form the secret Order, based on myths and legends goddesses and a diary that chronicles the experiences of two friends who discover magical power beyond imagination. Gemma knows she has this same power, eventually sharing it with her friends, who use it to escape their faulted circumstances. However, danger, scandalous behavior, darkness and lust for power threaten not only their friendship, but their very lives. 

Gemma is a strong protagonist who is very much a flawed and self-doubting heroine, her imperfections making her a believable and relatable character. She demonstrates courage and a willingness to stand up for others, while also falling to persuasion and temptation. The reader sees her grow from a childish girl, to a more refined yet willful leader as she struggles with the fear, then delight, then obsession of her powers. The depth of her emotions and thoughts are experienced as she deals with her own challenges, as well as those of her classmates and family.  The antagonists in the story change, some in and out of even being antagonists, while the overarching nemesis of Circe is ever-present, unbeknownst to Gemma.  

The plot can be a bit slow and somewhat meandering at rare times, but readers are kept in suspense throughout as to how Gemma will be affected by the magical powers and world. “Mysterious continued visions, dark family secrets, and a long-lost diary thrust Gemma and her classmates back into the horrors that followed her from India. A Gothic touched by modern conceptions of adolescence, shivery with both passion and terror” (Kirkus Reviews, November 15, 2003).Though there is not a clearly defined quest, there are problems to be solved, perilous situations, and evil to fight, with the somewhat revealed quest at the end. Though there is a conclusion, it clearly leads on to continuing future adventures. The main setting at the Spence Academy is described in detail and plays a significant role in the story, while the alternate magical world is just as important, but not as well sensed. The use of the door of light as the passage between the two worlds makes sense, but how it is accessed is rather vague. The time period of the late 1800’s in England lends another level of interest and complexity to the story. 

Major themes of this story include forgiveness, dealing with loss, the station of women in the time period, the need for power, and adolescent friendship. The teen girls at the focus of the story are becoming more aware of themselves as they become aware of the reality of the world(s) around them. They discover their ability to solve some problems, but not others, with the recurring idea that all have both light and dark, good and evil, but the light and good can be victorious. “But forgiveness…I’ll hold on to that fragile slice of hope and keep it close, remembering that in each of us lie good and bad, light and dark, art and pain, choice and regret, cruelty and sacrifice…We’ve got to forgive ourselves that” (Bray 402). The author uses rich imagery to enhance the suspense, ghostliness, and drama, as well as the day to day events. “A well written page turner, with strong characterization and dialogue, this Victorian-era gothic novel will find many readers unable to put it down until the very last page” (Valerie O. Patterson, Children's Literature).

Classroom Connections

-        Conduct a background knowledge museum walk project about the Victorian era, with special attention to British society and education

-        Have a discussion or writing assignment comparing the classes at Spnce Academy to modern public education

-        Have students work in groups to create an alternate ending to the story using a Web 2.0 tool

Best Books:

Core Collection: Social Class in Youth Fiction, 2007 ; Booklist; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, December 8, 2003 ; Cahners; United States
Senior High Core Collection, Seventeenth Edition, 2007 ; The H. W. Wilson Co.; United States
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2004 Supplement, 2004 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2004 ; American Library Association; United States
YALSA Teens' Top Ten, 2004 ; American Library Association; United States

Awards, Honors, Prizes:

Borders Original Voices Award, 2004 Winner Intermediate/Young Adult United States
Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year, 2003 Winner Best Novel for Older Teens United States
Iowa High School Book Award, 2006-2007 Winner Iowa
NAIBA Book of the Year Awards, 2005 Winner Young Adult United States