Spud--John van de Ruit

I just can't help myself, I have to blog about another boarding school book. Help, I'm obsessed!

Spud is set in South Africa just as apartheid is coming to an end. John "Spud" Milton attends an all boys boarding school and we learn about his adventures with his dorm-mates, The Crazy Eight, through his witty, enticing, and thoroughly entertaining journal entries. We can live vicariously through his words as The Crazy Eight sneak out for night swims, go ghost-hunting, endure birthday hazings, dream about girls, endure zany professors and parents, and more. While this book was a bit of a slow start for me, I think teens will like it.

Throughout this book, I had this nagging feeling, like it reminded me of something but I couldn't put my finger on it. At the end, I realized: this book totally reminded me of the Dead Poets Society movie! And although thematically different from Looking for Alaska, Jellicoe Road, and What I Was, readers who enjoyed those books will also like this one. What makes Spud stand out to me, however, is the subtle messages about friendship, culture, and society that are told in Spud's journal entries. Still, what I like the best about this book was that it made me laugh out loud. I must have looked like a crazy person when I was reading this in a waiting room the other day.

This book would be good for both boys and girls, though older teens might get more out of it.

The Truth about Chuck Norris-- Ian Spector

So I have a funny story to share with you. Recently I observed a Young Adult Advisory Board (YAAB) meeting at one of our branch libraries. The YAAB leader, Holly, is much loved by this group of about 20 teens, but they tend to get a little rowdy, especially after soda and candy. Holly often has to shout to be heard over their not-so-dull roar, and at this most recent meeting, one of her loyal YAAB teens decided to interviene on her behalf. The teen stood up on her chair and shouted "Give Holly the respect you would give Chuck Norris!!" and instantly it was silent in the room. I couldn't believe it! The teens not only knew who Chuck Norris was, but they *LOVE* him. Apearantly, all the teens had read this book, The Truth about Chuck Norris: 400 facts about the world's greatest human. According to this branch library's YAAB group Chuck Norris is the funniest, awesomest topic that anyone could ever discuss. Has anyone else experienced this Chuck Norris phenomena?

And after that meeting, I figured I better read the book myself. Here are a few "facts" listed in the book for your reading pleaseure. Most of the entries in the book revolve around these four topics: Chuck Norris's beard, his genetailia, roundhouse kicks, and sex. Just a warning: some are pretty tasteless/offensive (by which I mean totally funny to teenagers and to this librarian who thinks like a teen).

"Chuck Norris's dog is trained to clean up it's own poop because Chuck Norris will not take shit from anyone."

"The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain."

"When Chuck Norris was denied a McGriddle at McDonald's because it was 10:35, he roundhouse kicked the store so hard it became Wendy's."

"Chuck Norris can impregnate women with only a glance. He can also do this to men."

"Chuck Norris eats coal and shits diamonds."

"When he is alone at night, Chuck Norris likes to wear slippers with bunnies on them. Real live bunnies."

"If you drop a phonograph needle on Chuck Norris's nipple, it plays the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds."

"There are three ways to do things: the right way, the wrong way, and the Chuck Norris Way. The Chuck Norris Way is the same as the wrong way, but with more roundhouse kicks."

"Chuck Norris's beard has a representitive in congress."

"Chuck Norris is so American, he can eay tyranny and shit apple pie."

"Ozzy Osborne once bit the head off a bat. Not to be outdone, Chuck Norris then bit the head off of Batman."

"Rosa Parks refused to get out of her seat because she was saving it for Chuck Norris."

And my personal favorite...

"Rainbows are what happen when Chuck Norris roundhouse kicks Richard Simmons."

Cycler-- Lauren McLaughlin

I really, really wanted to like this book.

But I didn't. *sigh*

Jill is a stereotypical high school girl. She is obsessed with prom, engages in witty banter with her delightfully artsy best friend Ramie, feels misunderstood by her father, and strives to get straight As. Oh, there is one thing that really differentiates her from all the other girls... once a month, for four days, Jill turns into a boy named Jack. The book is narrated in alternating chapters by Jill and Jack.

So, the premise is simple, maybe not super original (anyone remember the 1980's "Classic" Willy/Milly?), but still interesting. The book itself however, was a major disappointment. First, the book opens with an fairly graphic description of Jill physically turning into Jack. I am not at all squeamish or prudish, but the opening scene made me want to put the book down, which is really the opposite reaction an author wants a reader to have! Also, Jack's character was so one dimensional, I had a hard time getting through his chapters. The most disturbing portion of the book was when Ramie let a boy she caught spying on her through her bedroom window into her house and had sex with him... without even knowing his name, let alone all the other things one hopes people talk about before having sex for the first time.

However, the biggest issue I take with this book is the slightly homophobic undertone it has. I do think that Lauren McLaughlin really did not intend for it to be there; actually I think she tried really hard to make it *not* homophobic. Still, there was a bit of stereotype perpetuation and I feel she used sexuality to solve the plot problem she created for herself when she wrote a character who is biologically a cycling hermaphrodite. Maybe I am taking it all too seriously, but I think teens who are sensitive to this type of pigeonholing will pick up on it too.

Overall, I must say this is one of the most disappointing books I have read in months... but still, as always, I'll bet I can find many teens who would enjoy this book. That's one thing I love about giving books to teens... most of the time they aren't looking for fine literature, and really just want an interesting story. I would give this book to girls who like light reading, romance, and comedy... maybe girls who enjoyed E. Lockhart's Fly on the Wall (a much better book IMHO). Be sure to keep your audience in mind when recommending this book because Jack's sections are full of masturbation and porn references.

Gakuen Alice-- Tachibana Higuchi

I should start out this post with a small disclaimer... I have tried really, really hard to get into manga, but I just don't love it. I really enjoy regular graphic novels, howver manga has been a struggle. I do like the series After School Nightmare and FLCL. Maybe I am just super picky when it comes to manga? For what it's worth, I did moderately enjoy Gauken Alice, but will probably not read more in the series.

Gauken Alice features a ditzy girl named Mikan and her rather mean best friend Hotaru. Some people are born with magical powers, which are called Alices, and when their powers are discovered they are sent to a special school in Tokyo to develop those abilities. When Hotaru is sent away to the Alice Acadamy, Mikan decides she cannot live without her. Mikan travels to the Alice Acadamy, is assaulted by a few boys, but is rescued by Professor Narumi. The professor believes Mikan possesses a secret Alice too, and sends her on a mission to discover what it is.

This is defiantly shojo manga (written with a female audience in mind). Teens who like shojo manga, magical powers, fantasy, and cute little spirits and animals will enjoy this book.

Generation Dead-- Daniel Waters

Imagine you lived in a society where the dead don't stay dead. If you happens to die sometime in your adolescence, there is a good change you will return... as a zombie. Except here's the deal: don't call them zombies (unless you are a zombie yourself, of course). The prefered term is Differently Biotic, or Living Impaired. Basically these undead teens are just like any other teenager... except they no longer need to eat, sleep, breathe or do all those annoying human things that keep our bodies moving.

Phoebe is your typical goth kid... and she knows it. But just because she has long (dyed) black hair, wears Victorian inspired clothes with killer black boots, and goes through a black eyeliner pencil every week doesn't mean you can judge her by the way she looks. When the undead teens started showing up, everyone expected a girl like her to crush on one of the zombies... and she scoffed at the idea... until she discovers that she DOES like one of them after all. When some of her more closed minded classmates begin very violent attacks on some of the Differently Biotic, Phoebe finds herself in physical danger as well, and has to make some tough decisions about life and love.

Generation Dead is one of those hard to categorize books. Both boys and girls will like it because it is jointly narrated by a male and female character (and who doesn't love zombie books, hello?). However, the cover of the book will appeal more to girls. This book encompasses the horror, comedy, coming-of-age, and romance genres, mixing them all together in a fun and very entertaining way. Also, this book is a good one for sharing the message that stereotype and prejudice are not ok... even if the prejudice is against a member of the undead.