A Northern Light

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc., 2003. 389 pages.

      3. A succinct evaluative annotation. Plot: [Conflict] Mattie Gokey was born before her time; she lives in 1906 and wants to go to school to learn to write so she can become a writer, but her father wants her to stay at home, taking care of her family and get married to Royal Loomis who seems interested in Mattie. [Rising Action] Mattie goes to a hotel to earn money so she can marry Royal. While there, Mattie gets possession of a girl’s letters to her lover, right before that girl drowns in the lake. [Climax] Mattie realizes that the girl was murdered by her lover through the letters and makes her final decision about what she’s going to do with her life: go to school to become a writer instead of marrying Royal. [Falling Action] Mattie gives money and letters to all of her family and friends before she decides to go to New York. She also gave the girl’s letters to the police so the girl’s death will be avenged. [Resolution] Mattie starts her life in hopes of achieving what she sets out for, going for her dreams rather than her father’s dreams. Theme: The themes in this novel include the future, murder, mystery, romance, life, and hope. Tone: The tone of this novel is very serious. Mattie is very conflicted about what she should do, either respecting her father’s wishes or going after her own dreams that she’s been thinking about all of her life. Style: The author’s writing style was very unique. For a few chapters, Mattie is in the present, reading the murdered girl’s letters to figure out what really happen; the following chapters goes back a few months, leading up to the murder, telling Mattie’s story and her life before she made her ultimate decision. Characterizations: Mattie is very bookish smart – she just wants to write and live a book life where there are happy endings. She takes care of her family and is very conflicted about disobeying her father, but she decides that she wants to see the mysteries of the world than to be a wife following her husband’s rules. Readability: This took a little time to read. The reader really needs to know when Mattie is talking in the present or the future, but once that is recognizable the story flies by, making the reader want to find out what happens next and how the novel will end.

2. My reactions to the book. The mystery, romance, and life complications really drew me into this novel. Mattie is very young for the decisions she has to make in her life and seeing her strength and decision process is a great attribute to this novel. The one downside, though, is trying to figure out which tense Mattie is telling her story throughout the chapters, but as stated above, once that’s realized the novel is a great read. The author stated at the end of the book that the events that happened with the girl who was murdered and her lover (Grace and Chester) actually did occur in real life. The information about Mattie, though, was fiction and was just to add to the storylike text in this novel.

3. Comment on the cover art. The cover art of the book that I read was the original hardback, rather than the updated edition of the novel. This older edition is very telling about what happens in the story, with the lake where Grace was killed and the lettering in the background showing Grace’s letters. It is a bit plain, though, and probably won’t grab a viewers attention because it looks old and not interesting. The newer cover will attract young girls because of the portrayal of the girl on the cover, looking mysterious and tortured, but not knowing why she looks that way. 

Almost Astronauts

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2009. 134 pages.

     1. A succinct evaluative annotation. Plot: [Conflict] The problem is that the 13 women want to become astronauts but it was 1960 and women were not allowed to do anything but be a mother/housewife. [Rising Action] Jerri Codd started taking the tests that the Mercury 7 men took in order for them to go into space, seeing if she was capable to also go to space. [Climax] Codd excelled at the tests, making headway for all females and 12 other qualified females to try the test as well. However, NASA and the government decided that they didn’t want to send women to space. [Falling Action] Even though Codd and the rest of the women tried their hardest, they were unable to go into space. They worked different jobs, most involving flying aircrafts until they retired. [Resolution] The 13 women did get the motion started for years to come when women would be allowed to go into space, which is where the book ended on a happy note. Theme: The themes of this book included history, science, women, leaders, and fighting for what the characters believed in. Tone: The tone of this book was very serious. The female astronauts wanted to be able to go into space very much and they fought NASA, stereotypes, and the government. They were not giving up without trying every last method. Style: The authors writing style was very formal, giving facts, but doing it in a story type manner to ensnare the reader into the story. The author also used short, concise sentences rather than long sentences and paragraphs. Characterizations: This didn’t have one sole character, but it was about 13 females who all had one mindset in track: achievement, success, loyalty. They wanted to show America that with hard work and dedication that anyone can be an astronaut – even if they were female instead of male. Even though they weren’t able to make it into space, they still were able to achieve their goal when females were allowed to become astronauts years later. Readability: This novel was very, very easy to read. I finished it within a few hours and I think young readers will find it easy to read as well.

2. My reactions to the book. This book surprised me. Going in, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it since I don’t like Non-fiction – I was dead wrong. This story not only taught me history, but I enjoyed the story like writing about the 13 women in the 60s. I think that is this books best strength – the way it’s told. The reader gets entrapped by the story and wants to find out more. A weakness, even though there aren’t many, is the format of the book. It looks like a boring, educated book. I think the author could get more readers if the book looked more interesting on the outside, because the content on the inside is amazing. The content is very accurate to what had happened in the 60s with these 13 women.

3. Comment on the cover art. I think the cover art needs to be spiced up a little bit. As I said before, many won’t want to pick this up based off of the cover, which looks like the book will be boring and “educational” to the extent that the readers will want to stay away. If the book was smaller and had 1 image of the females, or something to attract attention, I think public would want to read it more.

Trickster: Native American Tales

Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection by Dembicki, Matt (ed.), and Various Artists. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Books, 2010. 231 pages.

      1. A succinct evaluative annotation. Plot: Because there are 21 stories, there are a variety of different plots that happen in this novel. The majority of the stories, though, talk about a moral, or lesson, in life. The tricksters do something they aren’t supposed to, learn what they did wrong in their actions, and should learn from their mistakes, but since they are tricksters, they really will probably do the same actions again, only a little bit smarter about the outcomes. The ending of the stories, though, teach the reader a lesson of life and try to explain why something is the way it is today – through the story that was just told. Sometimes it might work, other times it might just be a fun story to read when one has free time. Theme: This book has a few themes, including learning lessons, finding out the meaning of certain aspects of life, and also, understanding a different culture (Native American culture). Tone: The tone of this novel is very fun and upbeat. The stories are about learning a lesson, but they also have a few funny moments when one of the characters does something unexpected and humorous for the reader to laugh about because they can relate it to their own lives one way or another. Style: The author’s writing style of this book is in a storytelling way. The tribes that the editor was able to get the stories from told the story the way they have always performed the story, and that was how the story was portrayed in this novel. Also, the illustrations were very precise and imaginative to get the reader’s creativity flowing when reading this novel. Characterizations: Many of the characters in this novel (21 stories overall) were tricksters and learned their just deserves in the short story. There was a moral to the story and overall the tricksters didn’t learn their lesson, but will more than likely do the same actions at a later date. Readability: This was very, very easy to read. Anyone who has a few minutes to space can pick up this book and read a story or two for pure enjoyment.

2. My reactions to the book. I’ve never read a graphic novel before, so this was a great experience. Not only was I able to read the Native American stories that were told in the tribes and were passed down through generations, but I was able to see the story from the graphics that the artists drew to correlate with the stories. That is one of the major strengths of this novel – being able to have different artists draw the story in a way to understand the traditional story. The only weakness I can think of is that for new graphic novel readers, trying to figure out exactly which section of the book to read after the previous one is a little tricky, but not too hard. The stories are very accurate – the editor made note of going to different tribes and asking their permission to use the stories that are very real to them and putting them into his collection of tales.

3. Comment on the cover art. The cover art of this novel is very unique. Because it’s a graphic novel, it is appropriate that the cover should be drawn as another graphic. However, I think it’s a mixed signal. There is a rabbit on the cover, but there are 21 stories in this book that are about many different animals or characters. I think a more variety of characters would have been better for the cover to attract a broader audience.

Charles and Emma

Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heligman. New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 2009. 268 pages.

      1. A succinct evaluative annotation. Plot: [Conflict] Charles Darwin decides to marry, but the woman he wants to marry is religious whereas he believes in a scientific answer. He also is doing research to find answers about evolution which was not looked highly upon in the 1800s. [Rising Action] Charles marries Emma and starts his research for evolution. [Climax] After printing his research for society to see, Charles gets both positive and negative attention. [Falling Action] Even with their differences, Emma and Charles are married for over 40 years and Charles’ work becomes more extensive in his research. [Resolution] Charles and Emma live happily together and Charles’s work continues on after he passes away, changing religion and science in the 1800s. Theme: The themes in this book include history, science, religion, faith, love, and a change in society. Tone: The tone of this book is very educational, descriptive, and historical. The author is retelling the lives of Charles and Emma Darwin in a way that will try and capture the attention of young adults. It is very serious and very straight forward for a young adult book. Style: The author’s writing style is very formal. There is no dialogue which might deter young adults from reading this book. Also, the author uses a lot of quotes from other sources, which is referenced at the end of the book.  Characterizations: Charles is very serious. He takes things one step at a time, always making a list, not very religious but more scientific. He wants answers and will study his experiments until he feels that he has all of the answers he can get. Emma is very much the opposite. She is disorganized, religious, and spontaneous. However, she is the sweetest woman one ever met and she is dedicated to her family. Very kind, patient, and loving. Readability: This was a tough book to read. I struggled to get through the beginning and got used to the writing style, but one needs to keep going to read this amazing story.

2. My reactions to the book. I have mixed feelings about this book. At first, I could not get into the story at all. It took me forever to get through the first 50 pages, but I kept going back and trying again because I wanted to read this book. After that struggle, I got into the story and was able to read it for long periods of time. The one thing that I would say is the weakness of this novel is the way it is written. The content is great, but the narrative, no dialogue, long sentences and paragraphs were very hard to get used to. Since this is a young adult novel, I would have to say that the audience should want to read this book because it’s not for a light read for fun. As for the strength, I think the content is its best strength. After getting past the different writing style, the reader learns a lot about the subject of Charles and Emma Darwin’s life in the 1800s. The information is very accurate and the author makes note of where she got the information from to make sure that the information is correct.

3. Comment on the cover art. The cover art could be improved. A history, science, or religious reader might be intrigued by the cover because of what it represents, but any other reader might not be into the art. I will say, though, that the cover does portray the content of the story very well and gives the viewer/reader the whole story based on the 3 characters of the cover. However, I think if the author wanted to attract more of an audience, changing the cover would be one of the many steps to do if it is to be reprinted.

Movie Review: I Am Number Four

**This is a review about the MOVIE of I Am Number Four - not the book.**

I Am Number Four directed by D.J. Caruso. DreamWorks, 2011. 109 minutes.

      1. A succinct evaluative annotation. Plot: [Conflict] John is from another planet, called Lorain, but was forced to come to Earth when his planet was invaded by the Mogadorians (Mogs). John and 8 other children were able to escape from the Mogs and have been on the run their whole lives. John is Number 4 and the Mogs are killing the children in order until they get to Number 9. [Rising Action] John and his protector, Henri, are on the run when they go to Paradise, Ohio and the Mogs catch up to them. [Climax] John meets Number 6 as he faces the Mogs who are trying to kill them, testing John’s newly found powers to survive. [Falling Action] John and Number 6 are able to defeat the Mogs, but they know there will be more coming to finish what the Mogs started. [Resolution] John and Number 6 go in search for the other 4 remaining survivors of their planet so they can defeat the Mogs together. Theme: The theme of this movie includes adventure, aliens, survival, friendship, home, and war. Tone: The tone of this movie is serious because John is always running to stay alive and he wants the running to stop so he can finally live in one place longer than a few months to a year. Style: The director’s style to this movie is a lot of action, darkened scenes, and very little dialogue. The actions speak louder than words in this movie. Characterizations: John is reserved and quiet, not wanting to attract attention to stay off of the Mogs radar. He is very serious and very loyal to the ones he cares about. Number 6 was not in the movie too much, but she is very mysterious and a survivor, doing what she needs to do in order to stay alive.

2. My reactions to the MOVIE. This was a good movie. The action was enough to keep the attention of the viewers and left the viewer in enough suspense throughout the movie to stay sitting through it all to find out what was going to happen next – which is one of the strengths. One of the weaknesses, for me, was that a lot of the scenes were shot in complete dark, which made it hard to know what was going on and then blinding light appeared making it still hard to see in some shots. There was no accuracy to this movie as all of the content was about aliens and make believe information.

3. Comment on the cover art. This is the cover art of I Am Number Four’s movie and I think it is very intriguing for the viewer to look at while deciding if they want to watch it or not. One will look at the cover and want to know why the guy’s hands have blue surrounding them, and after watching the movie, I can see why there is fire in the corner of the cover. I think most will like the cover and will find it appealing enough to rent it for the night, but some, like teenage boys, might not want to watch a movie because there’s a guy on the cover and it won’t be that interesting for them. 

Lost Boy, Lost Girl

Lost Boy, Lost Girl: Escaping Civil War in the Sudan by John Bul Dau. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 2010. 159 pages.

      1. A succinct evaluative annotation. Plot: [Conflict] John and Martha were children when the Civil War happened in Sudan, so they were running for their lives to stay alive during those awful years. [Rising Action] Every time John and Martha started to settle down in a new place, they would have to move again because the war followed them to their new location. [Climax] John and Martha were given the opportunity to go to America, to start over and have a life that didn’t consist of running. [Falling Action] John and Martha got great education and learned to live in America with the new culture and rules. [Resolution] John and Martha, after many years of running, got married and were part of events that were created to help the other children in Sudan during the war to try and avoid those children to live the lives they went through. Theme: The themes in this novel involved war, survival, a new life/beginning, and helping others. Tone: The tone of this novel was very serious. John and Martha were not able to be children in their childhood and they were always trying to stay alive. They were denied their freedom to follow their culture and were forced to do anything to keep moving to their next location. Style: The writers’ styles were very formal and almost “storytelling” – they were reliving their lives when they were growing up, but they kept a professional atmosphere to the story instead of showing all of the emotion they must have felt back then. Characterizations: John is a strong leader. He had to take care of 1,200 boys when he was at one location and had to keep things in order because he was the eldest. He always looked for ways to survive and tried to help everyone around him in the process. Martha was also a survivor – not only did she have to take care of herself when she lost direction with her parents, she also had to take care of her younger sister who was 3 years younger. Martha did whatever she needed to do to survive, listened to her elders, and worked twice as hard to get the education she needed in order to go to America and start her life without running. Readability: This book is very easy to read. The chapters are short and don’t involve all of the politics that were occurring during the time, so the younger readers would be able to fly through this book and understand the hard time John and Martha went through right away.

2. My reactions to the book. I loved this book. Even though I’m not a huge non-fiction book fan, this book really caught my attention and made me feel for the writers who went through that horrible time in Sudan. One of the many strengths of this book is the way it’s written. Both Martha and John wrote alternating chapters to tell their story, while different from one another, it was also similar in the way that they had to fight to live and fight to get to where they are today.  The information is very, very accurate. These writers went through the experience that they wrote about and it was what they remembered growing up.

3. Comment on the cover art. The cover art is amazing. The scenery shows the harsh weather of Sudan, showing the reader a glimpse of what the authors had to go through during the Civil War at Sudan, along with the hardships of dealing with the government that was trying to capture the Sudanese. Also, the coloring shows the reader that it was awful traveling through the desert for those many years they were running for their lives. The cover was one of the reasons I wanted to read this book!

Ship Breaker

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2010. 326 pages. 

      1. A succinct evaluative annotation. Plot: [Conflict] Nailer, a ship breaker worker, lives with his abusive father and does hard work for little reward. When a huge storm comes through his town, a ship is found that was destroyed during the storm and had one living person on board: a girl named Nita. [Rising Action] Nita is running from her uncle who wants to take over her father’s company, which will destroy the docking business overall. [Climax] Nailer helps Nita get back to her clan, or her father’s people, but gets captured by her uncle and Nailer’s father. In the end, Nailer was able to get to Nita and get Nita to her father again. [Falling Action] While getting Nita back, Nailer had to kill his father in order to survive. Nailer realized, though, that his father was never part of his real family – blood only defines so much. [Resolution] Nailer and his family he gained during his life (Sadna and her daughter Pima) went with Nita’s people to have a better life than what they were used to as a ship breaker. Theme: The themes in this novel include survival, hardships, understanding, family, and identity.  Tone: The tone of this novel is very serious. Nailer lived a hard life, always waiting for his father to abuse him. Nailer wanted a better life and to do something that he always wanted to do: be on a working ship rather than strip a broken ship of the copper and iron. Style: The author’s writing style is very unique – the word choices and the descriptions of the bodies of water. This was set in the future, so the author was able to use his creativity in talking about the world years away. Characterizations: Nailer is a tough, hard worker who learned to go by the rules and not complain about how his life is. He looked at the world as a new experience and something that he would want to live in, never taking anything for granted because he was not able to grow up with privileges. Nita was spoiled – she looked down on Nailer and his life style, but learned that not everything is as easy as she was used to. She grew into a person that realized not everyone is as lucky as she is, and she became a hard worker because of that. Readability: This novel was very easy to read and very enjoyable to read about the world in the “future”.

2. My reactions to the book. I really liked this book. Not only was it different than most because it’s about the future, but the topic is something I’m not familiar with so it was very interesting to read about. One of the books strengths is that the main character is a male and that there is a lot of action in the story. Many young adult books are about teen angst of young girls, so this is a great viewpoint to read about. One of the weaknesses, I found, was that I would read a paragraph about the technical terms of a ship and not know what the characters were talking about – the advance talking definitely deterred from the reading and I always wondered what they were talking about. As for the accuracy, because this is set in the future, the information about the states wasn’t accurate but the information about the ships and oil might be accurate – I’m not sure how much research the author went into before writing the book.

3. Comment on the cover art. The cover art is very simple, yet shows the life of how Nailer lived. The colors are the same as oil and dirt and grim that Nailer lived through, and the text indicates how Nailer wrote on the ships he broke when he was unable to read at the beginning of the book. I think it will attract a lot of young adults to pick up and look at.