It’s the summer of 1793 and Mattie lives with her mom and grandpa above their coffee shop in downtown Philadelphia. Like many kids her age Mattie spends most of her time avoiding chores and thinking about boys – well one boy in particular. Then a fever the likes of which Philadelphia has never seen takes hold of the city. When the fever hits close to home Mattie and her grandfather flee the city. Mattie will have to face her biggest fears, be more resourceful than she ever has been before and quickly learn how to survive in a city destroyed by the illness.

This is another great historical fiction by Laurie Halse Anderson. It is a great introduction to a time in American history that not everyone may be familiar with. It is well researched, and includes snippets from newspapers, letters and journals as well as an information appendix. While some might find historical fiction boring, this is simply not the case with Fever 1793. Fast paced and exciting, the reader will be at the edge of their seat wondering what will happen to Mattie and whether she will survive. Laurie Halse Anderson’s strength as an author lies not in a collection of strong and equal characters, but rather in one strong central character. This is also true of Fever 1793. Mattie is not only relatable in that she acts in ways that teen girls today can identify with, but also in her humour and sarcasm.  Those interested in a strong character or a strong historical setting will really appreciate this book. I really enjoyed it as it was both fun and informative. It comes highly recommended.

Other books by Laurie Halse Anderson: check my review for Chains

If you like reading American historical fiction from this time period, you might also enjoy: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Year of the Hangman by Gary  Blackwood, Blood on the River by Elisa Lynn Carbone, Besty Zane: The Rose of Fort Henry by Lynda Durrant, Soldier’s Secret by Shelia Solomon Klass, Just Jane by William Lavender

If you enjoyed reading about a plague, you might also enjoy: Time of the Rabies by Robert Laxalt, Last Child by Michael Spooner, The Great Death by John Smelcer

Non-fiction Connection: An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy

Rating: 5Q 3.5P MJS

Other Covers:

I’m thankful

…that my parents love to read and made sure I did too.

…that I always had books as a child.

…for my Karen, who’s always willing to analyze a good book for hours and hours.

…for my Lid and her crazy ideas.

…for our readers, who keep coming back to see what we have to say.

…that I live in a country that allows me freedom of blog.

…for bargain book racks.

…that my parents took the time to read to me when I was little.

…to have such fond memories of my Grandpa Mick’s book talks.

…that I’m from a family that values literacy.

…that my mother enthusiastically reads to her students.

…that I had teachers who read to me.

…for Barnes & Noble gift certificates.

…that Auntie Sherry handed me Speak.

…for Laurie Halse Anderson’s brain.

…for Ann M. Martin and Ann Brashares and Ann Patchett.

…for all the writers who make me think and urge me to be better.

…for you.  Thank you for reading.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Although I”m currently  not working in a school library, Thanksgiving week has brought to mind my favorite read-alouds for the holiday. Grandparents play an important role in each of these stories – and each story allows children and adults alike to remember and appreciate special moments with their grandparents.

Gracias, the Thanksgiving Turkey (Scholastic, 2005) by Joy Cowley and illustrated by Joe Capeda is a terrific story about a boy and his turkey – the one his father sent home to be Thanksgiving dinner. Miguel accepts the turkey his truck driver father sends home as one of the family.  The inevitable saving of Gracias, as Miguel dubs his pet, comes about in a most entertaining manner. The book liberally introduces Spanish vocabulary and paints a picture of a loving, Hispanic family and a close-knit community.  My students always loved this story and guessing the meaning of different Spanish words.

Turkey Pox (Albert Whitman, 1998) by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Dorothy Donohue,  features another unusual Thanksgiving when Charity comes down with the chicken pox and  can’t go to Grandma’s for Thanksgiving dinner. But Charity’s grandmother is not about to let  a few red dots ruin the holiday.  Early readers love this story and its amusing solution to Charity’s  problem.

My final favorite is The Thanksgiving Wish (Blue Sky Press, 1999) by Micheal J. Rosen and  illustrated by John Thompson. Amanda and her family make the annual trek to Bubbe’s house for the most  important holiday to her grandmother. But this year, Bubbe isn’t with the family and nothing goes right as they try to reproduce her traditional favorites. This story is my all time favorite to read with older elementary and middle school students. It helps bring into perspective what matters most in the world.

My wishes to everyone for a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with warmth, family and your own special holiday favorites.

Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Matt Faulkner

(Suggested reading level: Ages 4-8)

I hate to admit that I had no idea Sarah Hale was before reading this. She was a writer, a teacher, a publisher. She argued against slavery and fought for schools for girls. She was a “superhero,” which is what Thanksgiving needed. People were forgetting about the holiday, but Sarah Hale believed that the whole country should celebrate it, together, and made it happen.

Never underestimate dainty little ladies.

This book, for me, celebrates the power of a woman and the power of writing. Sarah Hale wrote letter after letter, article after article and never gave up. Finally, in 1863, President Lincoln delared Thanksgiving a national holiday.

I love reading books with Amber (9) that talk about real women who changed the world, in small and big ways. This story was a little young for her, but sometimes it’s nice to just sit down and read a couple of short books before bed and this was absolutely perfect for this time of year. Honestly, I would recommend this book to anyone with young girls in their household. Sarah’s a wonderful, real-life, example. Faulkner’s illustrations are fun, too, taking an exaggerated,  cartoonish look at the events.

Our copy was borrowed from the library and the above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon Associate.

Les: monday, monday

Linds: yep.  here it comes again

Les: dude, you’re supposed to sing along

Linds: but i don’t wanna

Les: sigh

Linds: plus, you gave me all the la la las

Les: well, that’s what you get for always making me start

Linds: well…well…hmph

Les: well argued, goofball

Linds: thx

Les: welcome

Linds: anyway.  aren’t we supposed to talk about books or something?

Les: technically.  party-pooper

Linds: clearly, i am never any fun

Les: not at all

Linds: because it’s not like you like books or anything

Les: i like other things too, though.  like the mamas and the papas.  they sing that song, right?

Linds: yep

la la, la la la la

Les: see? was that so hard?

Linds: not the point

Les: you = impossible

Linds: that was the point!  yay!

Les: i just totally rolled my eyes at you.  and i bet i’m not alone

Linds: tee hee

Les: i just did it again.  we should probably talk about books now

Linds: ok!  how’s the reading going, one book at a time girl?

Les: it would be going considerably better had i not left my book at the office

Linds: oh dear.  i believe that’s a reason to read more than one at a time.  what are you working on right now?

Les: chains, by laurie halse anderson.  didn’t you read friday’s favorite lines?

Linds: oh yeah.  i did, but i forgot.  i should just always assume that you’re reading one of her books.  because it’s true at least half the time

Les: it is. she rocks.

Linds: is this one SAD?

Les: it’s written from the POV of a slave girl during the american revolution. so yes. at least i anticipate SAD.

Linds: geez. what’s with the SAD?

Les: it’s compelling?

Linds: k.  i’m still not totally convinced.  but i guess so

Les: what are you reading?

Linds: i finally finished ash by malinda lo, so now i’m reading run

Les: oooooh, run! ann patchett ftw!

Linds: i’m really liking it so far.  the way she writes is as though she’s shining a bright light on just one person or scene at a time.  she illuminates them each in turn

Les: that’s exactly it

Linds: i really like that simple intimacy with each of the characters

Les: yep.  that’s not my favorite of hers – i found it too predictable for my liking – but it is beautifully written

Linds: i’m only about halfway, but i like how straightforward it is so far

Les: i really liked how she ended that one

Linds: well i’ll tell you what i think when i get there. i doubt it’ll take me long.

Les: probably not. it was a quick read for me.

Linds: which means it should take me about five minutes.

Les: probably

Linds: i was actually a little surprised at how easily it reads.  i wasn’t expecting that

Les: it isn’t as heavy as some of her others

Linds: it was the only one they had in print at the creepy place the day i got it.  they had bel canto on cd, but i figured you’d never forgive me if i listened to that one

Les: no cheating with bel canto

Linds: you and the “cheating”

Les: you and the “reading”

Linds: i wouldn’t have even known about truth and beauty to make you read it had i not listened to it

Les: well, then i’m glad you’re a cheater.  because i loved truth and beauty

Linds: see?  sometimes it’s a good thing

Les: i suppose so

Linds: but i promise to read bel canto properly

Les: k good.  it’s really something

Linds: maybe i’ll kick off my new year of reading with it

Les: it would make a good start

Linds: in ‘10, i swear i’m going to manage 52 books

Les: i’m gonna actually keep track this year, but i’m not holding myself to 52.  too much pressure

Linds: that works.  and that way we’ll be able to compare at the end of the year.  it’s fun

Les: we should see about adding book lists to the blog.  so everyone can keep track

Linds: that would be fun.  and way fancier than my word doc

Les: just a smidge

Linds: we could even do weekly updates, to see how far people have gotten and what they’re reading

Les: oh, you mean other people should play along?  i just meant they could track what we’re reading.  like for recommendations and stuff

Linds: well, yeah, but it’s more fun when people share what they’re up to in the comments. (hear that, readers?)

Les: oh. (you’re being bossy again.)

Linds: (duh)

Les: (right)

Linds: so anyway, we’ll get that set up for next year.  but in the meantime, we should probably go about our mondays

Les: you’re probably right

Linds: la la, la la la la

Les:

Linds: until next time, everyone!

Les: have a great week!

From National Book Award Finalist Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson:

We were sold once before, back when Ruth was a tiny baby, not even baptized yet.  They sold all of us from the plantation when old Mister Malbone run up his debts too high.  His bankers wanted their pounds of flesh.  Our flesh.

One by one they dragged us forward. . . Poppa fought like a lion when they came for him, the strongest lion, roaring; it took five of them with hickory clubs, and then Momma fainted, and I caught baby Ruth just in time and there was lion’s blood on the ground mixed with the dust like the very earth was bleeding.

I opened my mouth to roar, but not a sound escaped.  I could not even mewl like a kitten.

I’m only thirty-six pages in, and I already know this is going to be one of those books that grabs me and doesn’t let go.  Thankfully, the weekend is fast approaching.  More on Chains later, I suspect.  Happy weekend, everyone.

Here is my first attempt at booktalking.

Some computers seem to be having difficulty with the sound in the middle (the actual booktalk) so if you turn it up to hear, note that the music might come back out really loud towards the end.

My review for Speak is found here.

Do you need a break from bloodsucking love stories, ghostly friends or hairy man-wolves?  If you are between the ages of 9 to 99, then I have some suggestions for good teen/young adult books that may kick-start and inspire your imagination in a new way.

A Year Down Under, A Long Way from Chicago, and A Season of Gifts all by Richard Peck.

These books tell the story of Grandma Dowdel and the families she meets. Full of humor and satisfying endings, these books are truly books that should not be overlooked by any age reader!

Cabin on Trouble Creek and Oregon Bound by Jean Van Leeuwen

Cabin on Trouble Creek tells the true story of 2 brothers in the middle 1800s left alone for a winter on the new homestead. Their story of survival is sure to be of interest to many readers!

Oregon Bound tells a fictionalized story of a young girl traveling in a covered wagon with her family in the 1800s.  She is a plucky girl who helps her family and others through the long trek.

Faith, Hope, and Ivy Jean by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Two girls in high school in our modern times participate in a switch.  They spend 2 weeks going to school and living in opposite types of families., alternating in the city and in a small mountain town.  Well written and full of wonderful characters, both good and bad.

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan

A young girl living in Africa with her parents faces illness, death and ruthless relatives. This book is a can’t miss!

The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman

It is Gold Rush!!  How Lucy finds a way to accept moving to a place with no school, no library and nothing but dust and noise is delightful.

Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli
I had never heard of the Italian immigrants who settle in Florida and Louisiana until I picked up this book.  It is a book about acceptance of others and the surprising kindness of people.

Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

This book is fascinating as it tells the story of life in China when young girls were forced to have their feet bound.  This was considered beautiful to the people in that era.  This story is touching, sad, and wonderful!

Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can’t Have by Allen Zadoff

This book tells the story of an overweight high school boy trying to find his place in the world.  He is funny and smart.  He is asked to join the football team and becomes a hero for a while!  Read this book to discover just what can happen the “fat kid” in high school!

Another Shore by Nancy Bond

One of my all time favorites that tells of a young girl visiting a reenactment museum who finds herself caught in the past.

Wintergirls, Speak, Prom, and Fever 1793 all  by Laurie Halse Anderson
This is one of my favorite Young Adult authors.  All of these books deal with real life problems in a way that reaches all ages.  These books, in turn, cover young girls dealing with eating disorders, assaults, dating, and the Plague.

This post is courtesy of YWP NaNoWriMo, written by best-selling author : Laurie Halse Anderson

“No author on the planet gets a first draft published.’”

Writer’s block is caused by one of three things.

1. You are trying to be perfect.
2. You are under pressure to produce the finished product too fast.
3. You have been sitting down too much.

Let’s examine these closely, shall we?  Read More

Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author who writes for kids of all ages. Known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, her work has earned numerous ALA and state awards. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists. Mother of four and wife of one, Laurie lives in Northern New York, where she likes to watch the snow fall as she writes. You can follow her adventures on Twitter, and on her blog.

Les: um, lid? we kinda missed monday morning.

 Linds: huh.  so we did

 Les: oopsie

 Linds: sorry ’bout that, everyone!

 Les: we’re blog slackers lately

 Linds: life’s been a little nutty.  i bet they can relate

 Les: probably

 Linds: sometimes books just don’t get to be the priority.  it’s sad

Les: it is. but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

 Linds: yep.  have you been reading much lately?

 Les: not really.  mostly during my lunch hour

 Linds: which book are you working on?

Les: coraline by neil gaiman.  that’s what tomorrow’s post is about

 Linds: ah. so i won’t ask about it now and ruin the surprise.

 Les: please don’t

 Linds: no problem.  what’s next on your list?

Les: i think maybe chains by laurie halse anderson.  it’s one of her historical fiction works.  not typically my fave, but i love her, so i’m making an exception

 Linds: interesting.  i actually tend to enjoy historical fiction.  i went through this whole period where i read all about eleanor of aquitaine

 Les: you’re a dork, lid

 Linds: this is not news

 Les: right.  so maybe i’ll send you the book when i finish

 Linds: k. what period is it about?

 Les: american revolution, i think

 Linds: ah. i’ve only read a few of those.  but i’ve read a lot of civil war books.  the killer angels is a favorite.  and all those books by the shaara father and son.

Les: never read ‘em.  chains was a national book award finalist.  it’s gotten awesome reviews.  so i’m optimistic

Linds: ok, first of all, i may have to insist that you read the killer angels.  and secondly, i bet chains will be great.

 Les: yep.  my fifth grade teacher kind of ruined historical fic for me.  she made our class read across five aprils

Linds: yeah, i read that in 5th grade too.  interestingly, it had the opposite influence on me

 Les: huh.  i hated it.  and thought it was wildly inappropriate for fifth grade

 Linds: might have been 7th grade, actually. maybe that helped?

Les: i struggled with it, and i was one of the smartest kids in the class.  i’ve thought about rereading it a few times.  just to see if grown-up me likes it

 Linds: it’s amazing how bad timing can really ruin a piece of literature

Les: totally

 Linds: i bet everyone has a list of books that they can’t stand because they read them at the wrong moment.  like, for instance, the old man and the freaking sea

Les: right.  i’m trying to think of others.  my dad tried to make me read old yeller as my first chapter book.  that didn’t go over so well

 Linds: ah, reading mishaps.  always fun to reminisce about

 Les: totes.  anyone want to share their own reading mishaps with us? we’d love to hear them!

 Linds: absolutely.  and in the meantime, we’ll wrap this up. i think we’ve kept the nice people waiting long enough for us today!

Les: good plan, lid.  i’ll try to be on time tomorrow, and maybe we can get back to normal sometime soon

 Linds: fingers crossed!

When The Lovely Bones was published in 2002 it took off like a shot, catapulting its author, Alice Sebold, high into literary stardom. This dark, wrenching novel of disquietude and loss is the story of Susie Salmon, a 12 year old girl who is raped and murdered in an underground den by a neighbor one afternoon when she takes a shortcut home from school. Susie narrates the story from a place of solitude – her own personal heaven – where she observes her grief-stricken, traumatized family as they come to terms with her death while searching for answers about the crime. She also watches as her killer evades justice. Written in spare, at times lyrical, at times graphic, prose, Sebold’s novel is unsettling in its evocation of a conflicted afterlife, as well as its depiction of a terrifying, brutal crime that tears a family apart.

Now, seven years after it appeared as a book, The Lovely Bones will be a film. The bestselling novel has been brought to filmic life by Peter Jackson, the visionary director behind the Lord of the Rings trilogy, with an impressive cast that includes Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon, and the amazing young actress, Saoirse Ronan. It’s even scored by Brian Eno. Watch the trailer below. To me, it’s one of the most compelling, artful trailers I’ve seen in a long time, and promises a deeply emotional experience with a searching tone and eerie, almost painted, beauty to it.

Are you a fan of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak? Then don’t miss Alice Sebold’s first book, Lucky, a memoir about the rape she experienced her freshman year at Syracuse and the unlikely justice she eventually saw served, also available in the Loft.

Set in the beginning years of the War of Independence, this book portrays the lives of slaves in the North, and raises interesting questions about how the “founding fathers,” could fight for freedom while owning other human beings.

Thirteen-year-old Isabel and her younger sister, Lucy, have been promised their freedom in their mistress’s will, but her only heir sells them to a Tory couple who live in New York. Their new mistress at first takes a liking to Lucy, but when she sees her having a seizure, she believes she is possessed and gets rid of her one night while Isabel is in a drugged sleep.

Isabel’s only friend is the slave of a Patriot, and he begs her to spy on her new owners who have political connections with important Tories. Isabel is torn about what to do but ultimately provides some useful information to the Patriots. However, their promises of assistance to her go unfulfilled, and Isabel realizes she must act on her own to find Lucy.

An excellent book, with a very good question and answer section at the end that provides historical and moral contexts.

I don’t know about you but I sincerely enjoyed reading Speak for our class. If you enjoyed Laurie Halse Anderson’s writing style, maybe you might want to read another one of her books such as:

• Wintergirls
• Twisted
• Catalyst
• Prom
• Chains
• Fever

“I measure myself; I can’t act or play soccer, and most of them have better grades than me. But I am the thinnest girl in the room, hands down.”

Lia and her best friend Cassie had a bet about who could be the skinniest. Now Cassie is dead. Pretending Cassie’s death hasn’t affected her is just one of the lies that Lia is telling her family. After several stays in the hospital Lia has picked up some tricks to keep her family from knowing she’s still loosing weight. Dropping from 110 pounds to 85 is difficult, and yet as she accomplishes goal after goal, Lia still doesn’t feel better and can’t escape Cassie’s ghost who keeps encouraging her to lose more. As things get worse Lia will have to choose between her loved ones and her ultimate weight goal, 0 pounds.

I honestly believe that everything that Laurie Halse Anderson produces is gold. Every book is so different from anything she’s done before. She is able to float between writing styles in order to better express the voice of her protagonist and express the underlying themes. Wintergirls is a dark story about anorexia, and thus becomes even more heartbreaking when told through Laurie Halse Anderson’s lyrical narrative. The writing is very stylized and poetic with quick sentences. The reader gets the feeling that every word was chosen precisely to express the brokenness and distortion of these girls’ experiences. The characters are well developed, but at times the plot is slow moving. Some readers might be turned off by the writing style and others may find it helps them to identify with the character. Overall, this book is very well written and provides fresh insight into a horrible illness.

Other books by Laurie Halse Anderson: Speak, Chains, Twisted, Fever 1793

Other books that have to deal with eating disorders: Mercy, Unbound by Kim Antieau, Perfect by Natasha Friend, Looks by Madeleine George, What Happened to Lani Garver by Carol Plum-Ucci and LoveSick by Jake Coburn

Other books that deal with mental illnesses: Total Constant Order by Crissa-Jean Chappell, Where I Want to Be by Adele Griffin, Damage by A.M Jenkins, Cut by Patricia McCormick, Inside Out by Terry Trueman and It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

Rating: 4Q 2P JS

*I decided to include Junior High (grades 7-9) because girls of a younger age are becoming more and more concerned with their body image and might be suffering from anorexia.

Alright, to start it off, this is about PJ, because he’s the one who makes me feel the most confused.

“I’m so scared that the way that I feel,
Is written all over my face.
When you walk into the room,
I wanna find a hiding place.”

I’m afraid for him to find out that I have feelings for him. If he does, he’ll probably shun me or something because I’m three years younger than him. I’m afraid of embarrassing myself in front of my section if they ever do find out about it, because they just detest him. They don’t like how he bosses them around, even though he technically can.  When he walks into fifth period and I see him, I want to disappear so I wont have a chance of exposing myself.

“We used to laugh, we used to hug,the way that old friends do.
But now, a smile and a touch of your hand,
Just makes me come unglued.”

I used to give him almost no attention. He was George. He was indirectly my boss, but that was it. I followed his instructions without a second thought. And I didn’t turn red or start laughing around him. And Yuki most certainly didn’t tease me about him. But, now, whenever we even talks to me or pokes me, I turn what Clarissa calls “crayon,” and instantly struggle to regain normalness.

“Such a contridiction, do I lie or tell the truth.
Is it fact or fiction,
Oh the way I feel for you.”

I don’t know if what I’m feeling is right or not. Usually, I can tell right away. But, in this case, I guess I’m succumbing to a bit of peer pressure. I don’t want to let anyone I don’t trust know. If they did know, they’d tell him. He probably already does know. But is it a serious thing I’m feeling or is it just lust? I know I’m young to recognize the difference, but I’m not sure at this stage.

“So complicated, I’m so frustrated.
I wanna hold you close, I wanna push you away,
I wanna make you go, I wanna make you stay.”

I’m frustrated because I don’t know how to handle it. When I see him, I want to be close to him, but then I realize I’d just start spazzing and blushing, so I refuse. When Yuki asked me if I’d like to do cymbals for George at the assembly instead of her, I got really happy. And then I realized he’d know in an instant. So I said no. And when he gets bothersome, I want to push him away. But then he’s nice to me and I want him to stay. So my logic and emotions interfere with each other.

“Should I say it? Should I tell you how I feel?
Oh, I want you to know.
But then again, I don’t. It’s so complicated.”

Should I let him know? As in, should I flirt? I keep myself from it because I know it would just lead to something that’s complicated. If he were younger, as in, my age, I would go for it. But, because he’s so much older than me, I prevent myself from doing what would lead to what I want. I want him to know I have feelings for him. But I shouldn’t. It would just get complicated. It’s best to keep it all in my head.

“Oh… just when I think I’m under control.
I think I finally got a grip.
Another friend tells me that,
My name is always on your lips.”

Okay, anecdote time: Yuki and I were walking out of school one day when we walked past George. I saw him and I was trying to pretend to ignore him. I thought I finally had it under control. But then Yuki whispered to me, “He was totally just checking you out.” And I denied it because I didn’t want to believe it. Well, I did. The truth was, I didn’t want to believe that I wanted it.

“They say I’m more than just a friend,
they say I must be blind.
Well, I admit that I’ve seen you watch me
from the corner of your eye.”

Well, it’s actually the other way around. I get convinced that everything he does to me means something. I Hairwoman it. They tell me that it’s just a touch, etc. But I always deny it because I want to think that it means more. And I do see him watch me, sometimes. Sometimes, he turns away. But, most of the time, he just keeps staring and I have to turn away because I’m starting to blush.

“Oh, It’s so confusing.I wish you’d just confess.
But think of what I’d be losing,
if your answer wasn’t yes.”

I just wish I could have a straight answer. I want to know, with finality, if it means anything, everything he’s been doing. But then I think of what would happen if he said he didn’t mean anything. I’d have to deal with him all year, lose his friendship, and, on top of that, he’s still my superior. And that would be awkward. But I’m also afraid of what would happen if he said he did mean something. We’d still be separated because it isn’t wise to date someone that much older than you at this age.

La  Giunti Editore ha appena lanciato una collana dedicata al mondo di adolescenti e young adults. 

Y tratta temi forti riguardanti l’adolescenza, come la violenza sessuale, il rapporto con il proprio corpo, la sessualità e molto altro.

Mi ha scritto un redattore della Giunti per segnalarmi che la Y ha esordito il 14 ottobre con il cofanetto che comprende libro + DVD, intitolato SPEAK – Le parole non dette di Laurie Halse Anderson, un romanzo già culto in America e in arrivo per la prima volta in Italia.

Nel film, Kristen Stewart è Melinda Sordino, una ragazza che inizia il liceo con un trauma alle spalle e l’incapacità di parlare. Attraverso una dolorosa crescita interiore Melinda riesce a tirar fuori l’esperienza di violenza che l’ha traumatizzata e a ritrovare le parole.

In questo libro, così come emerge dal film, è importantissimo il rapporto fra madre e figlia adolescente che, attraverso un duro percorso di incomprensioni e silenzi, riescono ad avvicinarsi l’una all’altra fino alla “liberazione” finale. Madre e figlia, anche nella vita reale, hanno sempre una personale visione del rapporto che c’è fra di loro (visione che spesso non coincide), e questo libro può essere utile ad entrambe per riuscire ad entrare, almeno in parte, nel mondo dell’altra, e imparare a conoscersi meglio.

Speak tratta inoltre il tema dell’emarginazione scolastica adolescenziale, dei “gruppi” che si formano nelle scuole e sottolinea, tramite il punto di vista di Melinda, la situazione di coloro ne restano esclusi.

 Qui la trama del libro che sembra davvero molto interessante.

Provvederò al più presto per averlo.

Please check this out and vote…Laurie Halse Anderson (who is simply awesome…if you haven’t read her books, then you are missing out on something…not to mention she’s truly just a nice person)’s picture book, The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School, could possibly wind up in a Cheerios Box. For FREE. For kids all over. How awesome would that be??

http://tinyurl.com/ygc9o5y

Please pass this on too! You can vote every day in October!

This book nearly leaves me speechless. It brought back to me all the tough parts of high school — anxiety, awkwardness, the yearning to fit in. My high school years were a long time ago so I can’t even imagine how much tougher it’s become on today’s kids.

Melinda is entering her freshman year of high school after calling the cops a few months before, breaking up an end-of-year party. So, of course, everyone is mad at her. All of her friends have abandoned her. And, unfortunately, she can’t bring herself to tell them all what really happened at the party and why she did it.

She finds that introverting and saying as little as possible is the only way to function. Even her family seems to be going through a foundering dysfunctional phase. Finding out what brought all this about and how she drags herself out of the downward spiral it causes makes this a fascinating read. With only 198 pages, it’s also a quick read.

laurie halse anderson

This is a first novel written by Laurie Halse Anderson in 1999. Check out her website at http://writerlady.com. It has won numerous honors and awards and is really an excellent book, especially if you have kids in the middle school/high school age group. Even if you don’t, wrap yourself in a blanket, make yourself a cup of something warm and settle in. It’s like visiting high school again without being afraid you’ll forget your locker combination.

And speaking of reading, I’ve finally joined a book club. Yay! I’ve wanted to do this for years and just recently was invited to join a small group of lovely ladies that I know from a charitable organization I’ve worked with.

They meet once a month, discuss a little reading and drink some wine. One of the members says it’s a wine club and we read a little. The first book I’ve read with the group is “The Lost Symbol,” Dan Brown’s latest and greatest. (Mom, I will send it to you eventually.) What a fun discussion. Especially when there are things like religion and politics involved. Woo hoo! Pour another glass of cabernet.

I’m listening to an audiobook called Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. It’s about girls with severe eating disorders. But that’s not why I’m writing a quick post today. I’m writing because the book is supposed to be set in New Hampshire. And if the author did not fictionalise the location the young protagonist lives in my neck of the woods. Why? On her drive in Chapter 5 (where the young girl gets stuck in a traffic jam) she says the following.

Somewhere between Martins Corner and Route 28, I begin to cry.

This is an actual stretch of road. A stretch of road I drive any time I head towards Manchester. A stretch of road that connects Manchester, SNHU, a part of Hooksett and leads to Western Candia as part of early route 27. It is not a stretch of road that is generally known for traffic jams.

View Larger Map

Does the author know this? Is our protagonist a resident of Hooksett or Candia heading towards the larger city? Is she a student at SNHU or Derryfield. Perhaps the author does know of this location, or is she attempting to create a fictional location unaware of it’s actual existence. Because the location that actually exists is not known for the described traffic pattern.  Would it be strange to e-mail the author someday and ask her?

And despite the fact that I am not writing a review of the book, I strongly recommend the author’s other works. I’ve read several.  They are generally on the serious side of young adult topics, but they are beautifully written.

Edit: There is also a mention of “Amoskeag High”. My rowing club in Hooksett is Amoskeag Rowing club. The Merrimack River through our area is known as the Amoskeag on occasion. I think the fictional town is called Centerville, but I’m pretty sure the area is my part of New Hampshire.

I Give This Book 4 Stars!

Description: Since the beginning of the school year, high school freshman Melinda has found that it’s been getting harder and harder for her to speak out loud: “My throat is always sore, my lips raw…. Every time I try to talk to my parents or a teacher, I sputter or freeze…. It’s like I have some kind of spastic laryngitis.” What could have caused Melinda to suddenly fall mute? Could it be due to the fact that no one at school is speaking to her because she called the cops and got everyone busted at the seniors’ big end-of-summer party? Or maybe it’s because her parents’ only form of communication is Post-It notes written on their way out the door to their nine-to-whenever jobs. While Melinda is bothered by these things, deep down she knows the real reason why she’s been struck mute…
Laurie Halse Anderson’s first novel is a stunning and sympathetic tribute to the teenage outcast. The triumphant ending, in which Melinda finds her voice, is cause for cheering (while many readers might also shed a tear or two). After reading Speak, it will be hard for any teen to look at the class scapegoat again without a measure of compassion and understanding for that person–who may be screaming beneath the silence.

I finding it very hard to put into words how I felt about this book, especially without giving away the big part of the story (although, it’s not hard to guess).  I understood the main character, not because I’ve been in her situation.  But, because I know those who have.  It was upsetting to watch her sink lower and lower into a depression and see that no one cared.  I couldn’t believe that her parents couldn’t see that there was something extremely wrong with their daughter.  And how her ex-friends could be so petty about something they never cared to understand.   I breezed through this because I had to get to the end.  I needed to know that Melinda realized it was not her fault and that she could (and needed) to speak about it.  And in coming to terms with that I believe she realized she was probably not the only one.
I hope the any parent or young adult that reads this, takes into account what changes a person might go through if they experience something like Melinda did.  Not speaking up about it is a very real problem.
I do have to say that the writing in this story was very simple and written differently than a lot of things I’ve read.  But, I believe it is suppose to be that way.  I think it demonstrates how the narrator feels very well.