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Teen Scene

AUGUST 24, 2010
Anne Frank Her Life in Words and Pictures by Menno Metselaar and Ruud van der Rol

This book is the American translated version by Arnold J. Pomerans.  It is a unique edition regarding Anne Frank, her family and the times in which they lived.  Direct quotes are from Anne's diary.  Supplemental information puts the reader in the situation of this family's plight. As you read this account of Anne Frank's life, you almost have a sense of being in an Anne Frank museum.  Difficult as it is to read with the dreaded outcome we all know, the book is a worthy biography and well written with many actual photographs from Otto Frank's collection of his family.  Just when we thought another book could not be written about this girl, a fresh approach to the topic with family photos makes a statement regarding the importance of young and old to remember these events.  This book is most suitable for readers in grades 5-12.

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AUGUST 24, 2010
Dancing Through the Snow by Jean Little

Written in a realistic format, this book presents issues of growing up in the foster care system and the issue of abandonment.  In this story, Min, only age 11, has been in several foster homes.  She is cared for but does not sense she is a part of a real family.  Her current foster mother decides to have Min leave the family.  It is right before Christmas.  Fortunately, Jess, a recently widowed lady and physician in the town, takes Min into her home.  There is a connection made between Jess and Min.  Min finds what she needs in her life.  Even though this story seems a little "too perfect," the subject matter is serious and sensitively portrayed in Min, as a young girl with a sense of hope just wanting to be loved and part of a family.  Most suitable for readers in grades 6-12.

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AUGUST 3, 2010
Flash Burnout by L.K. Madigan
Blake, 15, loves photography, his girlfriend Shannon, and in a different way, he loves his friend Marissa. Shannon is his first romantic relationship, and Blake can hardly believe that this delicious girl wants to date him. Marissa is his photography buddy, but up until Blake takes a picture of a sleeping homeless woman, he doesn’t know much about Marissa’s personal life. The picture shows Marissa’s meth-addicted mother, and plunges him into her sobering family situation. Blake wants to help Marissa, but keeping Shannon, too, proves difficult. Blake’s life is backlit by his home life, with kind and wise parents who “deal in death”—his mother is a hospital chaplain, his father a medical examiner—and an older brother who consistently gives him a hard time. Effortlessly, Madigan balances the serious subject matter with quirky humor. She’s a skillful writer, good at creating believable teens and teen circumstances, but avoids stereotypes.  It’s sadly rare to see good parents in current young adult fiction, so it’s refreshing that Blake’s mother and father exhibit good parenting skills, as well as being rounded, slightly odd characters.  Some mild sexual content and language. This book won the 2010 William C. Morris Debut Award for a first time author writing for teens. Ages 13 and up.

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AUGUST 3, 2010
Mercury by Hope Larson
Set in Nova Scotia, this graphic novel tells two stories. One is set in 1859, the other in 2009, but both concern the same small town, and both focus on teen girls who are distant relatives. In 1859, Josey meets the mysterious Asa Curry, a handsome stranger who says he has found gold on their land and arranges a business deal with her father.  Josey is attracted to Asa, but her parents discourage the relationship, which makes it even more enticing for Josey. In 2009, Tara is living with her cousin and returning to high school after two years of homeschooling. Her home has recently burned down, and her mother is working far away. In the first days of school, she is mistaken for one of the boys at school, Ben. Through track, Tara and Ben become acquainted, and eventually begin to date. The two stories are linked through a mysterious necklace, as well as through their complimentary themes of identity and first romance. Toward the end, the novel transitions from the real world into a fantasy one. The illustrations are clear, making it easy to distinguish the characters and the two time periods. I highly recommend this Eisner Award winner for readers age 13 through adult.

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