Mystery of the Third Lucretia

Biblio Bits The Mystery of the Third Lucretia by Susan Runholt, read by Krista Sutton, Random House/Listening Library 2008 (ISBN 978073936747).

Reading Level/Interest Age 920 lexile/ages 13+

Genre Mystery, Realistic Fiction

Format Audio book

Plot Summary

Kari and Lucas are two fourteen year-old best friends. When Kari's journalist mom gets a new job that requires her to travel more, she agrees to take both girls with her on some of her international business trips. On a visit to the Minneapolis Art Institute, in their home city, they notice an artist set up to copy a Rembrandt painting. When they want a closer look, they are growled at by the artist to "Go. Away!" They term this unfriendly fellow Gallery Guy and don't think much more of the incident. Months later at London's National Gallery, on their first international trip with Kari's mom, they head for the Rembrandt room and suspect that the artist copying another Rembrandt painting is their Gallery Guy, in disguise. The girls shift into surveillance mode, hoping to observe Gallery Guy and glimpse the painting, without his knowledge. They employ disguises of their own, but realize that the stakes are high when the regular guard of the Rembrandt room is suspiciously killed. When a new Rembrandt is discovered in Amsterdam, the girls decide to share their hypothesis with Kari's mom, but are unsure of how to get the art world critics to believe their story.

Critical Evaluation

Two strong female characters, a mix of art, art history, international travel, and culture, not to mention a great mystery---what's not to like? Krista Sutton does an excellent job reading a pretty diverse cast of characters; she conveys a variety of accents with subtle differences, and also pronounces Dutch street and place names with apparent ease (no mean feat!). This debut novel has many appealing elements, particularly the realistic friendship between Kari and Lucas. Their minor spats and tiffs, as well as their sillier moments (conducting giddy mock interviews in the bathroom at the National Gallery), are just as I remember my friendships in middle school. The initial coincidences begin to arrange themselves into a mystery and the girls trust their instincts and each other as they follow the clues. Sometimes their instincts are not always that brilliant, as when they decide one night to venture into The Quarter (the seediest part of Amsterdam), dressed to blend in (as prostitutes), in an effort to conduct surveillance on Gallery Guy's studio. The conclusion was definitely intense and nerve-wracking, as the threads of the story wove together. Fans will be glad to know that more Kari and Lucas mysteries are planned.

Reader's Annotation

Lucas and Kari are just two girls in middle school with the usual family problems. But their lives take an unexpected---and dangerous---turn when they suspect a major art forgery during their European travels. How will they get the grown-up art world to believe their story?

Author Information

Susan Runholt is a fan of travel, music, food, art, and feminism. She is the single mother of a grown daughter, who has been a consultant on this title and the subsequent installments. Runholt and her daughter, Annalisa, attended many exhibits at the Minneapolis Museum of Art when Annalisa was young. They attended a Rembrandt exhibit there that moved Annalisa to tears, and this event was an inspiration for The Mystery of the Third Lucretia. This is Runholt's first published work. (Information in this author bio is from here.)

Challenge issues

There are some mature themes here that contribute to the subplots of the story, such as the prostitution industry in Amsterdam, rape, and sexual abuse. There are no explicit details, but the references might spark further questions and discussion.

Booktalking Ideas

This would be a natural book to include in a booktalk on art and artists, particularly Rembrandt or Dutch masters, and a great pairing (if a little more mature) with the series by Blue Balliett that begins with Chasing Vermeer (2004).

Curriculum Ties

Oooooh, lots of great links for art teachers! The true crime genre of art theft and forgery has a lot of appeal for kids and adults. I could envision this book tying into an art class on painting and old masters. Many middle school art classes include an assignment where students are asked to paint a reproduction of a famous painting. There are some great passages that describe the need to observe the texture of the paint, the colors, etc. in person, which is what Gallery Guy is up to. What can students still observe from good-quality reproductions? What is lost/gained?

Why this book?

In the mood for a good mystery, and knowing that certain tweens I know have trouble finding mysteries amidst all the fantasy and vampire books out there, I checked the Debut Dagger Awards site and noted that Susan Runholt had been "commended" for this work of young adult fiction.

Series/Sequel

Rescuing Seneca Crane (2009)

Awards
None.

Rockport Public Library owns?

No.

Eternal

Biblio Bits Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith, Candlewick Press 2009 (ISBN 9780763635732)

Reading Level/Interest Age Ages 14+

Genre Horror, Supernatural, Romance

Plot Summary

Miranda is having one of those days: tongue-tied during her try-out for Romeo and Juliet, laughed at by the popular girls, and then her secret crush gives his girlfriend a big kiss right in front of her. She's ready for a quiet night in with her friend Lucy to nurse her bruised ego. But Lucy has other plans: a trip to the graveyard to meet up with some cool, older boys. The creepy night is made scarier when the girls are separated in the graveyard; pretty soon it's clear there is menace nearby. What Miranda doesn't know is that she has a guardian angel on her side; just as she's about to take a fatal step, Zachary calls her name and shows his light-filled form. This is a big breach of the Rules and before he knows it, Miranda is gone and Zachary's having a stern talking to from the Angel Michael. He's punished, but not quite fallen. Meanwhile, Miranda is a neophyte vampire (excuse me, Eternal) princess, "living" outside of Chicago with the current reigning Dracula as his pet/daughter. Zachary's new mission leads him straight to the midwestern headquarters of the Eternals and back to Miranda. The two have a mutual attraction that seems impossible. Can Zachary save Miranda? Is there any soul there left to save? Does she even want saving?

Critical Evaluation

Told in chapters that alternate from Miranda's and Zachary's points of view, this book had many appeal factors: supernatural beings, romantic tension, and a glimpse into the vampire "good life." Smith's writing style is engaging: funny and glib, tautly descriptive, romantically tense (in a doomed Romeo and Juliet way), with references to popular culture (when Zachary is asked what he's doing, his answer: "I'm on a mission from God," clearly a reference to this movie). The pace is consistent, though the beginning had some slow parts. Readers may stumble, as I did, over certain turns of phrase and allusions to the supernatural world that I was unfamiliar with. Were the relationships between shifters (werebeings) and Eternals more fully explained in Tantalize (2007)? There were a few leaps of faith that Smith asked of readers, with regard to plot and details, such as the sentries that guard the castle. They take the form of wolves, but it seemed that they were Eternals in another guise. I wasn't clear about whether this was a form of punishment or an indication of their station in life. I also finished the book and didn't feel that certain details were worked out to my satisfaction; perhaps this means a sequel to come. These things aside, this would be a good recommendation for a bereft fan of the Twilight (Meyer) books.

Reader's Annotation

It's Romeo and Juliet all over again, except this time the two warring clans are Angels and Eternals. Will the love-struck beings find their way to eternal happiness?

Author Information

Cynthia Leitich Smith was born in Kansas City, MO. She has published works for children, teens, and adults. She teaches writing for children and young adults in the MFA writing program at Vermont College for Fine Arts. She has won awards for her works which often portray the lives of Native American children in a modern context. Smith is married to award-winning author Greg Leitich Smith and lives with him in Texas with their four cats. Smith is "a tribal member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation." (Information for this brief biography is from here and here.)

Challenge issues

Possible areas of challenge: sexual tension; violence; some swearing.

Booktalking Ideas

Another perfect one for that booktalk around Halloween or that booktalk called "If you liked Twilight, here's what you should read next." Of course the romantic themes could be a draw also, around Valentine's Day, to focus on stories of star-crossed lovers: Romeo and Juliet, Trouble (Schmidt, 2009), An Abundance of Katherines (Green, 2006) to name a few.

Curriculum Ties

Why this book?

Another one that has appeared on the "if you like Twilight..." lists and an author who was reviewed in a group presentation on the genre of horror for tweens for this class (LIBR 264-10).

Series/Sequel

This title is considered a companion book to Smith's "dark fantasy debut," Tantalize (2007).

Awards
Book of the month, Native America Calling; YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

City of Bones

Biblio Bits City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, Margaret K. McElderberry Books, 2007 (ISBN 9781416914280)

Reading Level/Interest Age 740 lexile/age 14+

Genre Urban fantasy

Plot Summary

When Clary Fray starts seeing things that her friend Simon can't, that's the first tip-off that Clary's understanding of reality is about to expand in a major way. She's still trying to understand the murder she witnessed (that appeared to involve some fantastic beings), when Clary's mom, Jocelyn, leaves her a garbled message and disappears. Clary has never known her dad, who died in a fatal car accident when she was too little to remember him, so suddenly Clary is on her own. When one of the murderers shows up and offers to help Clary, she is as confused as ever, and pretty soon is on a race against time to solve the mystery that will save her mom, with the help of a few Shadowhunters and some Werewolves. Clary discovers that her own history is not what she thinks it is and that her mother kept some important secrets from her.

Critical Evaluation

This fast-paced urban adventure story is compelling. It appears on several lists that liken it to Twilight ( Meyer), and though it deals with supernatural beings and has a girl protagonist, it has many differences that readers who are expecting a Twilight-like read might be disappointed in. First, the pacing is brisk: this book is action-driven, not character-driven. In this way, I would liked it more to the Percy Jackson or Maximum Ride series, where practically every chapter has an element of surprise/danger. There are more relationships in this book to sort out and many more plot twists. Because of the larger cast of characters, some characters seem a bit one-dimensional and predictable. Again, with the pace at which the plot moved, there really wasn't time to get too deep with any one character except for the most central ones. Romance? Well, sort of. Definitely some romantic tension, but this gets complicated as the story unfolds. The fun part is the details like the vampire motorcycles that run on demon energies or the eccentric character of Magnus Bane, the warlock of Brooklyn. But there are a lot of holes in this fantasy world which makes it difficult to enter into the story fully, if you are a picky reader.

Reader's Annotation

A great romp through New York City's underworld of the supernatural, normally invisible to us "mundies" (short for mundanes), on a fast-paced adventure to keep the balance of good and evil in order, with many plot twists to keep you guessing!

Author Information

Cassandra Clare (pseudonym) was born in Tehran, Iran, and spent her childhood traveling with her parents to various places around the world. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles, where she also lived after college and worked as a writer for entertainment magazines and tabloids. Clare began writing this first installment of the Mortal Instruments series in 2004, and took inspiration from the city of New York for the setting. Clare has also written Harry Potter fan fiction, and gained attention for her extensive works in this genre. (Information for this author bio is from here and here.)

Challenge issues

Yes there are! The supernatural beings might be enough to give some readers pause, but there is definitely some language and swearing in this book that may be inappropriate for younger readers.

Booktalking Ideas

Supernatural beings...the unexplained...searching for your identity...urban fantasy...myths. These are all potential booktalking buddies for City of Bones. Maximum Ride (Patterson) would be a good companion here, particularly because of the female protagonist and the angelic themes. This book also has plenty of suspense and "creepy" so it could be a good one to promote around Halloween.

Curriculum Ties

Students could be asked to take one of the Downworld groups, (like vampires, werewolves, faeries, etc.), and flesh-out their cultures a bit more. Students could research cultural explanations of the supernatural group they choose and begin to build a world in present day New York for them. How would their history with Shadowhunters influence their alliances, survival, and leadership? Where would they hang out? What would their headquarters look like?

Why this book?

The Mortal Instruments series has appeared a few times on lists of "If you liked Twilight, you'll also like..." so I decided to try it and see what I thought.

Series/Sequel

Yes, this one is followed by City of Ashes and then City of Glass.

Awards
None.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

Pandora Internet Radio

http://www.pandora.com

Interest Age Ages 13+

Genre All

Plot Summary

Pandora is a Web 2.0 tool for music, that is a product of the Music Genome Project. A user creates a profile and then can generate up to 100 (with the free account) customized radio stations. A user could search for an artist that she likes, say the Jonas Brothers or Black-Eyed Peas, and by selecting that artist's name, the Music Genome Project will generate a playlist of music that shares certain similarities (tonality, vocalist's gender, rhythm, etc.) with the artist you have identified. You will not be getting a playlist of only Jonas Brothers music, though you will get some, but you will be getting similar music. If the playlist includes a song that you don't think is a good fit, you may give a thumbs down, and likewise, if you really like a song, you may give a thumbs up. In this way, the Music Genome Project "gets smarter" about what you like and what you're looking for. With the free account, users must watch a brief advertisement once per hour, or each time you select a new station.

Critical Evaluation

Pandora seems like a great way to sample music and perhaps find some new artists; once you've listened to a few things on your playlist, you might want to purchase an album or new songs. It's fun to play around with it and make new stations to fit your listening mood: quiet instrumentals, raucous pop music, old-school rap, folk, indie, etc. This is a powerful tool to explore and underscores the Web 2.0 concepts of customization, "if you like this, try this..." and modifying results to return even better matches. The interface is easy to understand, and users have the ability to purchase a single song from a link box at the bottom. There is also information about the artist, album, song, their contributions to their genre, and lyrics. Users have the option to share a song through Twitter, Facebook, and email.

Reader's Annotation

Your own personal music stations to fit your individual tastes and moods, right from your own computer. Pandora makes it possible to get into your musical groove and discover new artists at the same time.

Author Information

The write-up from the website seemed so succinct that I have included it in its entirety here:

Since we started back in 2000, we have been hard at work on the Music Genome Project. It's the most comprehensive analysis of music ever undertaken. Together our team of fifty musician-analysts has been listening to music, one song at a time, studying and collecting literally hundreds of musical details on every song. It takes 20-30 minutes per song to capture all of the little details that give each recording its magical sound - melody, harmony, instrumentation, rhythm, vocals, lyrics ... and more - close to 400 attributes! We continue this work every day to keep up with the incredible flow of great new music coming from studios, stadiums and garages around the country.

(For more information and to read more, check out Pandora's official site.)

Challenge issues

As with any online application, users are giving out personal information when they sign up: age, gender, location, etc. This may make some users uneasy, as data mining is so prevalent and internet privacy is of great concern for some users.

Booktalking Ideas

I would love to see Pandora included in a booktalk on music history and theory, perhaps mixing in some biographies of famous historical and contemporary composers.

Curriculum Ties

Listening to Pandora could be an interesting assignment for a music class (if all students are over 13 and parents agree to it), particularly comparing and contrasting the songs that Pandora "thinks" a user will like. Can we hear the similarities also? Does the Music Genome Project always get it right?

Why this site?
I have heard some tweens talking about playing around with Pandora as a way to explore new artists, for free, and you get to hear the whole song, unlike with iTunes.

Awards
None.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Available on the internet.

Babymouse, Queen of the World (v.1)

Biblio Bits Babymouse, Queen of the World, Vol.1, by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm, Random House, 2005 (ISBN 0375832297)

Reading Level/Interest Ages 9-12

Genre Humor

Format Graphic novel

Plot Summary

Babymouse is a middle-school-aged mouse with frizzy whiskers who attends school with lots of other kinds of animals (her teacher is a hippo). Babymouse's best friend is Wilson the weasel, who has been there for her since kindergarten. The queen of the girls is Felicia Furrypaws, who is cool, has smooth whiskers and great clothes. When all the girls except Babymouse get their invitations to Felicia's exclusive sleepover, Babymouse knows she must procure an invitation at all costs. When Felicia asks Babymouse for her homework in exchange for an invitation, and it turns out that Wilson's movie night is happening at the same time, Babymouse must make some difficult choices.

Critical Evaluation

Babymouse is a lovable and fallible hero. The illustrations are perfect: black on a white page, with pink as an accent. Babymouse indulges in some alternative fantasies (in space, as a detective, Babymouse vs. The Squid, etc.) that show us inside her creative mind, similar to Calvin's fantasies (Calvin, of Calvin and Hobbes fame). The story is predictably familiar: the social complexities and attractiveness of the "in-crowd." It's a theme that will never be overdone for middle-schoolers: this is perhaps the most important tween story that can be told, because it's a story that is re-told and re-enacted every day in middle school. The language is simple, the illustrations are engaging, and this would be an excellent selection for younger tweens, particularly girls.

Reader's Annotation

Babymouse wishes for more glamor and adventure in her life, but all she has is "an overdue library book and a locker that stuck." Will she ever get a coveted invitation from Felicia Furrypaws for an exclusive sleep-over party?

Author Information

Jennifer L. Holm was born in California but spent her growing-up years in Pennsylvania with her parents and four brothers. She attended Dickinson College (PA) and moved to New York City to work in television production. Holm received a Newbery Honor book for Our Only May Amelia. She currently lives in the northeastern part of the United States with her husband, son, and cat. This was her first collaboration with her brother, Matthew, who is a freelance writer and graphic designer. (Information in this author biography is from the book jacket, as well as the author's official site.)

Challenge issues

Oh come on! It's a comic about a mouse with common social issues!

Booktalking Ideas

I would definitely focus on Babymouse's character by asking my audience some questions. Have you ever wanted a little more adventure in your life? More glamour? Ice cream for lunch? No homework? Straight whiskers? I would build up their empathy with Babymouse, and then allude to some of the social challenges she faces, such as: How about wanting an invitation to a party that "all the cool kids" are going to?

Curriculum Ties

This would be a really fun study for an art class focusing on comics. The illustrations are deceptively simple and would lend themselves to a lesson on the expressiveness of Babymouse's face. Studying the ways that Matthew Holm shows Babymouse's emotions could be a great way to inspire the aspiring comics illustrators. Students could develop a simple animal character and draw their faces in several moods.

Why this book?
My local YA librarian reported that Babymouse is a hit with tween girls, so I thought I should see what all the hype is about.

Series/Sequel
Yes!

Awards
ALA Notable Children's Books, middle readers' category (2006); Gryphon Award (2006).

Rockport Public Library owns?

No.

Twilight: The Movie

Biblio Bits Twilight, produced by Godfrey, Mooradian, Morgan, and Rosenfelt; screenplay by Rosenbery; directed by Hardwicke. Summit Entertainment 2009.

Reading Level/Interest Age Rated PG-13

Genre Pop culture, horror, romance, magical realism

Format DVD

Plot Summary

When Bella moves to Forks, Washington (from sunny Arizona and life with her mom), she expects a small, boring town and a quiet life with her dad. Bella reconnects with a childhood friend, Jacob, who lives on a nearby reservation. Her attention is captivated by the Cullen family: five gorgeous, adopted siblings who attend Forks High School with her, and keep to themselves. It turns out that Bella and Edward are assigned as biology lab-partners, but Edward is unbelievably rude and Bella is mystified. When Edward saves Bella's life with a demonstration of superhuman strength and speed, she begins to suspect that Edward might be something other than human. Romance, and plenty of complications, soon follow.

Critical Evaluation

Condensing a nearly-500 page best-selling novel into a feature-length film is a tough job. Overall, I was impressed with the choices the screenwriter made in selecting the most significant portions of the book to portray onscreen. I was also pleased with many of the casting choices (Bella, her dad, Jacob, James, Jessica), the visual "look" and filming-style, and the way the relationships played out onscreen. However, Robert Pattinson (teen heartthrob) just didn't do it for me, as Edward, particularly his flat-sounding voice. And I have tried to listen to this on CD and hated the sound of the reader's voice. In my mind, Edward has a timeless appeal (and not those ridiculously dark eyebrows!), like a younger George Clooney. I, and others, are eagerly awaiting the release of the next installment: New Moon (November 20, 2009).

Reader's Annotation

You've read all the books, you have to see the movie! The real question is: are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Author Information

Stephenie Meyer received her degree in English from Brigham Young University. The idea for the characters in this popular series came to her in a dream; she worked on the first installment at odd moments and late at night, while her three sons were little. All of the Twilight Books have appeared on bestseller lists and she was named one of the most promising authors of 2005 by Publishers Weekly. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three sons. (Information in this author bio is from the author's official site.)

Challenge issues

Mature themes like throwing yourself so wholeheartedly at a boy (vampire) that you exclude all other interests and friends are just one of the ways that viewers might object to this film. Also, giving vampires a place in our world---and having their world be attractive---is another shivery concept.

Booktalking Ideas

Another one you won't have to booktalk (movietalk?) because it will walk off the shelves and probably stay off the shelves. It would be natural to include this movie in a booktalk about the supernatural or a Halloween/spooky theme, but it would also work in a booktalk with a romance theme.

Curriculum Ties

Not really applicable unless it was in a language arts class where students were asked to examine the role of Bella as the unlikely heroine in this series, or perhaps what it means for feminism that this book has become so popular with teen and tween girls.

Why this movie?
I had to satisfy my curiosity about how the movie version would measure up to the characters and visuals I had in my head, after reading the books. I saw it first in the theater (with my husband and a bunch of teen/tween girls) and revisited it for this assignment.

Awards
No.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

Graveyard Book

Biblio Bits The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, read by the author, Harper Children's Audio, 2008 (ISBN 9780061551895)

Reading Level/Interest Age 820 lexile/ages 10+

Genre Magical realism

Format Audio book

Plot Summary

When a calculated killer murders his family one night, it's only his penchant for escaping the crib that leads Baby to slip out of the house unnoticed. This turns out to be for the best, as the most important target was the baby himself. He makes his toddling way up the hill and into an old graveyard, but the killer has not forgotten his missed prey. The residents of the graveyard (ghosts) decide to harbor the fugitive, after much deliberation; Mr. and Mrs. Owens take him in as their ward and his guardian is the mysterious Silas, who is not quite a ghost, but not living either. Young Bod (short for Nobody), has the Freedom of the Graveyard, which affords him some of the privileges that the ghosts have, such as Fading and Haunting. But the caveat is that Bod must not leave the Graveyard or else he won't be protected from the outside forces that still seek his destruction. A magical tale of growing up and learning life's lessons both large and small, The Graveyard Book is a mix of humor, friendship, and love, and with a bit of suspense and scary thrown in.

Critical Evaluation

The audio version of this title is a true delight, read by Gaiman himself (one of the few authors who should be allowed to read their own stuff), with music by Bela Fleck interspersed between the chapters. In fact, though I want to share this book with my 11 year-old son, I may opt to listen with him rather than read it aloud, since Gaiman reads so masterfully. The only place in the story that has made me pause in my reading is the chapter when Bod enters the Ghoul Gate. During both of my readings of the book, I could see that Bod was about to get into trouble and I wanted to avoid reading about it or listening to it. The characters in this book, and their relationships, are one reason why this title is noteworthy (particularly Bod's relationship with the ghost girl, Liza, and the relationship between Bod and Silas). But really, Gaiman's everlasting talent as a writer is that he can conjure a complete and believable world of fantasy with absolutely no holes. As a reader, this allows one to fully immerse in the flow of the story and marvel at the possibilities Gaiman poses.

Reader's Annotation

Ready for a great story just in time to give you the Halloween shivers? Then you might be in the mood for the story of Nobody Owens, an orphan who lives in an ancient graveyard full of ghosts.

Author Information

Neil Gaiman was born in 1960 and grew up in West Sussex, England. Gaiman is the critically-acclaimed author of the Sandman series of graphic novels, has written poetry, short fiction, and books for adults. He has received many awards for his works, too many to name, and is primarily considered an author who writes in the fantasy genre (though there is lots of crossover). Gaiman is the father of three children and is divorced. He resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Information for this bio was gleaned from this entry and the author's official site.)

Challenge issues

The element of terror and suspense during the scenes when Bod is being actively pursued might make some parents leery of this title if they have younger children. Witchcraft is referred to because Bod is friends with a long-dead witch who was drowned, then burned.

Booktalking Ideas

I would definitely play up the supernatural elements for a Halloween-themed booktalk: a boy who lives in a graveyard and talks to ghosts, Fading, Haunting, Dream Visitations, not to mention the Danse Macabre (a traditional and ancient ball when the dead get to dance with the living).

Curriculum Ties

This makes an excellent read-aloud, even if you aren't Neil Gaiman. This would be a good selection for a language arts book, particularly because there are threads of the story that allow for some ambiguity and therefore lend themselves to interesting discussions. Who/What is Silas? Who are the Jacks? Who is Bod? Why is he the Jacks' target?

Why this book?
This book initially turned me off because the first few pages are so dark and scary. But the audio version was recommended highly by two librarians I know, so I tried it that way first (loved it), and then read the paper version.

Awards
Newbery Medal (2009); ALA Notable Book for Middle Readers (2009); Booklist Editors' Choice Award for Older Readers (2008); Hugo Award for Best Novel (2009); Audie Awards for Best Children's 8-12 and Best Audiobook of the Year (2009).

Rockport Public Library owns?

No.