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September
2002 Vol.3 Issue 9
This
month's book reviews
A
compelling kid's novel about Philadelphia's yellow fever epidemic
of 1793
"Fever 1793"
is an award winning historical novel for kids authored by
Laurie Halse Anderson. Through the eyes and voice of fourteen-year-old
Mattie Cook, readers are introduced to life in Philadelphia
when that city was the seat of the new nation's government.
How Mattie and the entire city managed to survive a terrible
outbreak of yellow fever in the summer of 1793 makes up the
content of the novel. This story of how a typical young teenager
rises to heroic heights in the face of a terrible tragedy
in history should really involve a young reader of today.
Any adult giving
it a quick read will also be rewarded by vividly experiencing
a little known historical event.
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A
book by a children's author who
has been called a "magic realist"
"Skellig"
is the first children's book written by David Almond. His
second book, "Kit's Wilderness" was reviewed in
the February 2002 issue of Young Saint Louis.com. A British
author, his first book won numerous awards on both sides of
the Atlantic. His second matched his first in critical acclaim,
again both in Britain and the U.S.
His works have
been hard for reviewers to categorize, since he lets the reader
decide what is fact and what is imagination on the part of
his characters. Almond would take exception to that observation,
since he clearly believes that individual perceptions are
real in and of themselves.
The reader pretty
much has to accept the reality or existence of "Skellig",
the strange creature that gives his name to the book. In "Kit's
Wilderness", however, it is much more plausible to explain
supernatural phenomena in terms of a collective consciousness
or awareness of past events that seems to be embedded in our
human genes. Such a mature adult explanation doesn't seem
to apply in "Skellig". The creature is either real
or is contrived in the imaginations of two kids, influenced
by events around them that they do not understand.
As you can tell
from this little bit of discussion, "Skellig" is
not a typical kid's book. It would be a good idea if you read
this one and prepare yourself to discuss it with your boy
or girl who reads it. I suggest you let the child explain
it to you first, so that you're not interjecting your adult
analysis before the child presents his or her interpretation.
After all, it is meant to be a kid's book.
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A
sea story and voyage of discovery
for a teenager and five of her relatives
As in any good
children's novel, a young main character is trying to find
his or her way in an adult world. Adversity helps the young
hero or heroine discover strengths of which he or she was
previously unaware. In Sharon Creech's novel, "The Wanderer",
thirteen-year-old Sophie sets out to cross the Atlantic Ocean
on a fairly decrepit sailing ship along with five male relatives
from her adopted family. By voyage's end, all six of them,
Sophie and her three uncles and two cousins, come to know
themselves much more fully than before they set out to sea.
Orphaned Sophie, finally, is secure in her place as a full
member of the family.
"The Wanderer"
is a Newbery Honor book by an author who earlier won the Newbery
Medal for her book, "Walk Two Moons."
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A
late summer family outing turns
into a night of terror
Peg Kehret, author
of "Earthquake Terror," knows how to bring to life
a vacationing family's worst fears. She also knows how kids
like to read about how another kid takes charge in the absence
of adults and acts responsibly, even heroically, in the face
of a potentially life-threatening disaster. Twelve-year-old
Jonathan is scared to death in the face of the dangers that
surround him and his little sister, just like any normal kid
would be scared. Yet, he manages to do the right thing under
pressures that no twelve-year-old should have to experience.
It would be an
unusual young reader that could be induced to put this book
down before reaching its exciting conclusion. Is this short
paperback a children's classic? No. Is it worthwhile reading?
Definitely, yes.
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