A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, 1843 Chapman & Hall

    Ebeneezer Scrooge is the epitome of a person without any Christmas Spirit. He begins his story as a lonely old man who refuses any Christmas extras to his employees. One night he is visited by a series of spirits--Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future--who encourage Scrooge to look beyond the physical things that are put together to make up the Christmas Season.
     The first spirit, Christmas Past, takes Scrooge into his own past to view the Christmases that shaped his views of the holiday. He sees that Christmas and the holiday season wasn't always something that took his workers away from making a profit, he once enjoyed the season with a child's joy.
     Christmas Present, the second spirit, takes Scrooge around to his secretary's home where he sees the young man's son, Tiny Tim. Tiny Tim is suffering from illness and might die if he doesn't get the care his family cannot afford. Scrooge begins to see how his dislike of the Christmas holiday and season are affecting the people around him, despite their innocent joy and faith in the season.
     The third ghost brings a bleak picture of Scrooge's future Christmases. The silent figure takes Scrooge through time to his future, to his tombstone. When he sees the stone, bare and without any appearance of mourners, Scrooge begins to see things differently.
     On Christmas Morning, after a night of travel, Scrooge thinks it was all just a dream, but has changed his take on the season. Eager to change his future, he rushes to his secretary's home to celebrate Christmas with his family. A Christmas Carol is the ultimate tale of Christmas Spirit, and the joy of the intangible elements of the season appropriate for children of all ages.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

The Lion the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, 1950 Harper Collins

     During the chaos of World War II and the bombardment of London, the Pevensie children--Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy--are sent away, like many children of the time, to a house in the country. While there, they children live with the strange old Professor Kirke who owns the house and his housekeeper. One rainy day while Lucy Pevensie, the youngest, plays Hide and Seek with her siblings she discovers an old wardrobe in one of the many rooms. It is the ideal place to hide, but as she moves further and further toward the back, she fails to find the back of the wardrobe. Instead she discovers a winter forest behind the many thick coats.
     Lucy goes into the forest, expecting it to be imaginary, and discovers Mr. Tumnus, a faun. After several hours at tea with this intriguing creature, Lucy worries her family will miss her and rushes home through the wardrobe to find that only a few moments have passed and her siblings haven't even noticed her journey. Peter, Susan, and Edmund can't believe the fantastic story Lucy tells them of her adventure, and write it off as her imaginings--she begins to believe them, but drops the subject to keep the peace.
     On a second indoor day, the children are entertaining themselves when Lucy decides to venture back into the magical wardrobe. This time, Edmund follows her. Lucy hurries to visit Mr. Tumnus for a second afternoon of tea. Edmund falls behind and encounters the White Witch. She plies him with candies, magic, and sweet talk encouraging him to return with his siblings. She speaks of a prophecy that would make Edmund king, and tells him of her power over the land, over Narnia. Meanwhile Lucy discovers that Narnia is ruled by a cruel White Witch who makes it "always winter and never Christmas" through her magic. Mr. Tumnus tells her of a prophecy telling of the Witch's overthrow, but warns her that the White Witch will use any means she sees fit to maintain power. Lucy and Edmund both return through the wardrobe, and Edmund refuses to support her story to Peter and Susan.
     After a late-night chat with the Professor, Peter begins to question the validity of Lucy's story--if one who is known to lie is challenging one who is know to tell the truth, who should he believe?
     The day comes when the housekeeper is searching for the four children and to avoid her, they find the only hiding place is the old wardrobe. Peter, Susan, and Edmund follow Lucy through and her story is proven true. Thus begins their adventure into Narnia.
     Lucy leads her sister and brothers to Mr. Tumnus' home, hoping to find him, but the faun has been taken by the witch for harboring Lucy rather than turning her in. The children are found by Mr. Beaver and taken to his dam. It is at the dam that the children learn the contents of the prophecy and why the White Witch wants them taken to her: when two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve sit on the thrones at Cair Paravel the White Witch's reign will be done and Aslan will return to the land. At some point during the evening, Edmund sneaks out into the night to join the White Witch--leading her to his siblings and threatening the safety of the Beavers' home.
     When his deception is discovered, Peter, Susan and Lucy leave with the Beavers in hopes of finding Aslan, the Great Lion who watches over Narnia, and restoring prosperity to the land. Their journey takes them across Narnia, and they encounter talking animals, forest spirits, other mythological creatures, and Father Christmas himself as the Witch's hold over the land weakens. Their encounter with Father Christmas results in gifts that later tip the scales in the children's favor: a sword and shield for Peter, a bow, quiver, and magical hunting horn for Susan, and a cordial of healing solution for Lucy.
     They meet Aslan and an assembly of Narnians willing to fight for their freedom. When Lucy and Susan are attacked in the woods by two of the White Witch's wolves, Susan uses her horn to call help: Peter and Aslan arrive, kill the Witch's lieutenant and follow the other wolf to Edmund, whom they rescue.
     The White Witch calls an audience with Aslan, claiming Edmund's blood as traitor, but Aslan lays down his life in accordance with the Deep Magic to save him. The Great Lion is sacrificed by the White Witch on the Stone Table, Susan and Lucy follow him and witness the death, but are surprised when he is resurrected the next morn, in accordance with an even deeper magic. Aslan takes the Pevensie girls to the White Witch's castle and the trio rescues the array of Narnians the Witch had turned to stone.
     Lucy, Susan, Aslan, and the revived Narnians return to the battle with the Witch. Aslan defeats the Witch, killing her, and the siblings are reunited. They set up a kingdom at Cair Paravel and the four become well-known as Kings and Queens of Narnia. After years of successful rule, known as the Golden Age of Narnia, the adult Pevensies return to the Wardrobe between worlds and return home to England at the precise moment they left from.
     While the Pevensies grow both developmentally and physically in Narnia, the story is about the struggles between siblings, good and evil, and learning to trust one's own values. It has been criticized for a resemblance to the Christian story, but also has elements of Norse, Greek, and other mythologies. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe highlights the dangers of jealousy and spite in Edmund's journey, and the joys of unconditional love in Lucy's innocent faith. Peter and Susan's skepticism belies a realistic outlook, and their more mature vantage as older siblings. The Professor, while not a key character, becomes a 'devil's advocate' and challenges Peter to look beyond his first impression of the world, and Susan's independence--though rooted in a desire to be 'grown-up'--leads her to become both a warrior and gentle queen.
     The suggested audience for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is third grade or eight-years-old, but it speaks to readers of all ages.

A Little Princess

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgens Burnett, 1905

     Miss Sara Crewe, a pampered young lady who grew up with her Captain father, is sent to live at Miss Minchin's dreary and dismal boarding school for well-off young ladies in London when her father travels to India. Sara becomes the bright spot for the young ladies of the school, showing nothing but naive kindness to the students and staff alike. She befriends the pupils, as well as the staff and they begin to consider her their princess--a title she accepts.
     But after a few years Sara's charmed life falls apart--her father goes missing while searching for a diamond mine and is considered dead, his business partner goes missing and Sara's fortune dries up, and the previously kind headmistress, Miss Minchin, becomes Sara's jailer. The woman is dissatisfied with being saddled with a presumed penniless orphan, of whom she was already jealous for her charm and grace, so she moves Sara from her position as 'wealthy pupil' to an attic servant.
     The servants and students of Miss Minchin's boarding school abuse Sara; starving her, forcing her to run errands in dangerous weather, and to teach the younger students. But over the next few years Sara's good cheer doesn't fade; she carries out her duties, despite the sudden change in position and lifestyle and the loss of her only parent with the help of her active imagination. Her optimism and persistence are rewarded when the house next door is let by a mysterious man, who turns out to be a childhood friend and business partner of her father, Mr. Carrisford. Sara meets his servant, Ram Dass, who secretly brings her exotic foods and gifts on behalf of Mr. Carrisford, but Sara doesn't keep these gifts to herself, she shares them with the other servant girl living in the attic, as well as the few students who are still her friends.
     Sara discovers the identity of her benefactor when she returns his escaped monkey. Mr. Carrisford has been looking for Captain Crewe's daughter since the death of his friend and takes Sara in when he discovers who she is. Miss Minchin comes to retrieve Sara, but is told she will remain with Mr. Carrisford and that her fortunes have been restored with the success of her father's diamond mine. Miss Minchin asks Sara to return as a student, but she is rejected and Sara brings her attic roommate to live with her as a companion and lady's maid.
     Sara's story is about maintaining a positive outlook on life, no matter what it throws at you. She is the perfect princess who doesn't let her circumstances get the better of her, and the notice of Londoners throughout the story label her a 'princess'. This classic is considered a children's story, but is written for a late-elementary or middle school crowd. It is understandable, but there are times when Sara seems too good to be true. Her happiness is infectious though, and A Little Princess captures her spark against a dark background of grimy London.

Black Beauty

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, 1877

     This story about a horse shuttled to and fro. The narrator is the horse, and goes by various names including Blackie, Darkie, and Black Beauty. Beauty begins his story as a colt, his mother reminding him to be a good horse. He becomes a well-trained carriage horse and continues to work for the gentry. When Beauty is ridden by one of his masters' drunk stable hand, he trips and skins his knees. Beauty is no longer considered fit to lead a carriage and becomes a work horse. He finds himself with more cruel owners and overworking himself in the course of trying to be of the most service to the humans around him. When he finds his final home retired in the country with the three ladies, he is recognized by a former stable boy as the beauty that led the carriage of the lord.
      Beauty's story is told in vignettes, each chapter is an incident with a moral or lesson about kindness and understanding. The book is said to be the cause for much change in the public opinion in relation to animal cruelty. Black Beauty opened the market for horse-stories that are now popular in children's literature. Sewell herself said she didn't intend the book to be a children's book, and portrayed a very realistic representation of horse behavior, as well as the conditions cabbies in late-seventeenth century London faced. While some of the concepts may be more advanced than some young readers are ready for, Black Beauty is accessible to readers as young as fifth grade.

The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry, Houghton Mifflin Company 1993

     What do you do when your entire civilization has no collective memories? Lois Lowry presents one idea: you give the collective memories to one person who remembers for everyone else.
     In this post-apocalyptic world, society is structured and organized to survive. Jonas lives with his parents, goes to school with friends, and takes his vitamins like a good child. But life begins to take on a new element when he starts to see flashes of something in his black-and-white world. Around the age of 11, Jonas goes through the Ceremony of Twelve where his skills and abilities are taken into account and, like every other child in the village, he is given the job that will be his for the rest of his life.
     As the ceremony goes on, Jonas' classmates each gain their assignments; simple and normal jobs like food worker and assistant in the childhood centers, but Jonas is given the mysterious task of Receiver of Memory.
     When he finally meets the current Receiver, Jonas is unsure what his task is. The strange old man lives in a run-down home outside the well-ordered community, makes his own food, and doesn't travel into town unless he must: a sharp contrast to what Jonas is used to, living in the town and getting food from a center.
     Over time he learns that the Giver is the Keeper of Memory, and the flashes of something Jonas has been seeing are more than just something wrong with his eyes, but color. Jonas is told the new job will bring him nothing but pain and isolation, but he finally really experiences life: happiness, love, rain, and sunshine in the memories of the community. But he also gets the memories of war, pain, and death. The Community has figured out a way to create sameness by isolating all collective memory in the mind of the Receiver of Memory; but while it protected them, the lack of memory inhibited the community's ability to experience life for real.
     Jonas begins to challenge what he's always believed, accepting that in order to experience pleasure you must also experience pain. And it is in comparing the two that you realize how powerful and affecting each is.
   Lowry's story includes concepts that may confuse younger readers, however they are presented in a way that doesn't challenge their understanding or enjoyment of the story. The Giver is aimed toward middle schoolers and has a relatable storyline, despite its post-apocalyptic setting. It is a memorable book, asking to be examined again and again with its cliffhanger ending.

Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, 1813

     Pride and Prejudice is considered one of English literature's greatest works. Elizabeth is a woman beyond her time. While her mother and four sisters are each absorbed in finding a man to care for them, Elizabeth Bennett wants her sisters to marry for love, or at least someone they can respect. When Elizabeth's goals for her sisters intersect with her mother's goals the five girls attend a ball and Elizabeth Bennett meets Fitzwilliam Darcy.
     Elizabeth's older sister, Jane, falls in love with Darcy's friend Bingley. But Bingley is discouraged from pursuing their relationship by Darcy, who cites Mrs. Bennett and her youngest daughters' behavior as unfitting for relations of a man of Bingley's standing. When she discovers Darcy's intervention in the relationship between Jane and Bingley, Elizabeth confronts him and he confesses his love--against his better judgement--which Elizabeth then rejects.
     Darcy's pride prevents Elizabeth from realizing the potential for a successful romance. When he overcomes it, she must battle her own pride to accept an opportunity her younger sisters fight for. She does manage to accept Darcy's suit, as the heroine in any marriage plot does, but Darcy must work for her affections.
     After Lydia, the youngest of Elizabeth's sisters, runs away to marry Wickham and much family trauma, Elizabeth finds herself pining for the man who pines for her. They marry and live happily to the end of their days.
     Austen's marriage plot is more than simply a story about weddings: it illustrates the nuances of class interaction during the Regency Era. This "Novel of Manners" displays the values of the society of the Bennett girls and its feature of a strong female character is somewhat unusual for an eighteenth century novel. However, this independent woman resonates with modern readers. Elizabeth Bennett is a woman written for modern times, making this a class for readers young and old.

The Queen of Attolia

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner, 2000 Greenwillow Books

     In the sequel to The Thief, Gen has become not only a national hero, but also the Queen of Eddis's personal spymaster. Though he despises the job, he enjoys the hunt (and the power that comes from holding the king of Sounis at bay) and ventures repeatedly into Attolia's fortress. When Gen is captured, the Queen of Attolia decides to cut off one of his hands, a gruesome punishment, but one worthy of a thief.
     Gen is sent home, no longer a threat to either Sounis or Attolia. When he arrives he finds his home at war with her neighbors and his cousin, the queen, plotting to maintain the stability and strength of her people at the expense of the two nations.
     For a time, everyone worries about Gen's sanity. Eddis posts guards to prevent him from harming himself, and he is nearly imprisoned in his room. But part of it is an act: Gen continues his work as Eddis' spymaster and chief spy. He makes his debut in Sounis, sneaking into the megaron and stealing the king's Magus. Sounis is thrown into turmoil as the distraction Gen ordered destroys the navy and Gen himself rides away with the brains behind the operation.
     This small act turns the tide of the two-front war Eddis is engaged in, causing Attolia to look for help from some undesirable places. The Mede Empire hangs in the background, a shadow waiting to descend over the peninsular nations of Sounis, Eddis, and Attolia. Through some tricky finagling the Ambassador to the Mede puts Attolia in the position where she must choose between an alliance with Eddis, and an alliance with the Mede in which she would become a figurehead and the foothold for the Mede invasion.
   The story shifts from being narrated by and centered around Eugenides to a third person point of view. It has moments of gruesome violence, but is is a story about nations at war and trying to prevent further bloodshed. An appropriate age group wold be 13-15 years old, at the youngest, but even older readers can find a personal connection.

Hourglass

Hourglass by Claudia Gray, 2010 Harper Collins

     Bianca has decided to escape Evernight with Lucas, but their life with the Black Cross (the vampire hunting community Lucas comes from) becomes more and more difficult. Bianca requires blood to stay alive, and her substitution of pigeon blood for human is not working. Lucas insists on feeding her his own blood even though Bianca is adamant about not wanting to suck the life force from her love.
     The couple plan their escape from Black Cross, but Lucas' stepfather keeps a tighter and tighter watch over the group. As Bianca becomes weaker and weaker the two fear that her secret will be found out. When they finally make a break for it, the Black Cross has come across Balthazar (a vampire from the academy) and the two run away when Lucas' parents' backs are turned during the battle. But Bianca hasn't had enough blood and is dying. Balthazar escapes and catches up with them, only to find he is about to lose his friend. The former enemies begin to bond as the situation becomes more and more dire.
     While Lucas and Bianca's relationship is still following the lines of Romeo and Juliet they have moved from the puppy-dog love to a kind of romance that allows for their strengths and weaknesses to be a part of the relationship. They develop as characters separate from one another and deal with the challenges they are presented with. The story is written for a younger high school audience, but has elements readers of all ages can identify with.

The Mystery at Lilac Inn

The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene, 1961 Grosset & Dunlap

     In her fourth adventure, Nancy visits her friend Emily and Emily's Aunt Hazel at an inn and resort owned by Emily and her fiance, Dick. The Lilac Inn is being haunted by a woman with dark hair and a flowing gown, driving away employees and causing strife throughout the resort.
     Nancy is called home to investigate a break-in at her home. She discovers that someone has been wearing her 'distinctive clothing' and using her identity to charge large purchases to her account. When she returns to the Lilac Inn, Nancy witnesses the theft of Emily's jewels and encounters her own apparition.
     With a twist involving Dick's friend John, Nancy displays a willingness to explore into new and different hobbies in the course of the case. After a close encounter with drowning and a cold war spy ring, Nancy captures her impostor, solves both cases and returns home safely.
     The elements that create Nancy Drew come together in this book: her disguises, uncommon skills, traditional values, and a system of deductive reasoning that carries her through to the end of each case. The writing is accessible and the ink and pen drawings allow an image of Nancy's era.

Dark is Rising

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper, 1974 McElderry Books

     On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers he is an Old One--one of the ancient and immortal forces of the Light. He embarks on a journey between Midwinter's Night and the twelfth night of Christmas to find and join the six Signs of Light. Along the way Will must discover how to use his new found power and have the confidence to use them. He still tries to fit into his normal family life, but finds it more and more difficult as he changes and grows into his powers. Will's quest is only one step in the sequence to banish the Dark forever.
     The fantasy world Cooper created in her Dark is Rising Sequence blends into the contemporary world of the Stanton family. The Old Ones have the capability of living outside of time and are the only force able to truly drive away the Dark. While Cooper's forces of the Dark must abide by certain rules, they were able to manipulate both the Old Ones and mortal men to their nefarious purposes.
     Will is reminded over and over throughout the story that the only thing he had to fear (because of the limits placed on the Dark) was fear itself. The only thing to prevent the success of Will's quest was Will himself and his fear of the quest's success. The story helps to build confidence as Will realizes he can succeed and has no reason to be afraid.
     Dark is Rising is the second book in the Dark is Rising Sequence, following Over Sea, Under Stone and followed by The Grey King, Greenwitch, and Silver on the Tree.

The Bungalow Mystery

The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene, 1960 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy Drew and her friend Helen Corning find themselves needing to be rescued in the middle of a lake where they're rescued by Laura Pendleton, an orphan recently coming to the area to meet her new guardians Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Aborn. Helen and Nancy meet Laura's new guardians when the couple come crashing into the hotel in disarray, provoking Nancy's dislike. Nancy has to go home when the Drew family's housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, is injured.
     When her father asks her to investigate a list of suspects thought to be involved with insurance fraud, Nancy implements disguise for the first time.  Laura later contacts Nancy at home saying that the Aborns are cruel and expect her to hand over family heirlooms. Laura has escaped with the jewels and asks for Nancy's help.
     The plot lines come together in a conclusion that weaves the two mysteries together. For the first time, Nancy carries disguises with her to be used in investigation. Nancy's old-fashioned values and talent for investigation allow her to help both her new-found friend and her father. Her story is told in an easily understood format with attention to details that create the cases she solves.

Over Sea, Under Stone

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper, 1965 Harcourt

     When the Drew family (Simon, Jane, Barney, and their parents) visit Trewissick in Cornwall for their summer vacation, the three children and their strange Uncle Merriman are on a quest for King Arthur's Holy Grail. At first it's just an adventure for the children, but when some strange characters come out of the woodwork things turn sinister.
     Through their encounters with the strange people hoping to turn Simon, Jane, and Barney over to their side and in searching for the Grail they learn the difference between the Light and Dark. When the forces of Darkness begin to use the people of Trewissick, Simon, Jane and Barney turn to Uncle Merriman and the Light to help complete their quest.
     Cooper's work was written for younger readers, but the writing style lends itself to an older audience. It is a somewhat simple storyline yet is skilfully crafted with twists and turns to draw readers in and immerse them in a realistic world full of magic and mystery.

Stargazer

Stargazer by Claudia Gray, 2009 Harper Collins

     In Gray's sequel to Evernight, Bianca and Lucas have been separated by the ideologies of their parents and the explosive events at the school. But the two are unwilling to allow the forces around them to keep them apart.
     Despite Lucas' absence from Evernight Academy, life goes on for Bianca. She helps fellow vampire Balthazar find his sister, and searches for whatever it was Lucas hoped to find in the headmistress' quarters. But soon enough her life at Evernight Academy is overshadowed by the loss of Lucas and all Bianca wants is to be reunited with her love. All the while the troubles between the vampires and wraiths escalate.
     When Lucas returns for her, Bianca decides it is time to be freed from the stress of having to hide him from her family, the urge to become a vampire, and the increasing pressure from the wraiths, to do what Bianca has no idea. Lucas doesn't play as large of a role in this portion of their tale, but the forces surrounding his and Bianca's relationship affect how they continue their lives. When the Black Cross returns to Evernight Bianca makes her decision--she escapes with Lucas and the vampire hunters.
     Gray has managed to continue the Romeo and Juliet theme without turning it into a soppy teenage drama. Bianca and Lucas work around the problems that keep them apart, rather than moping and hoping they miraculously fix themselves. The couple change their circumstances, working toward their desired ending. The language is general and the content, despite including several vampire killings and deaths, remains descriptive without being graphic. Stargazer is appropriate for middle school through high school ages.

The Hidden Staircase

The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene, 1959 Grosset & Dunlap

     In her second adventure, Nancy Drew gets a call from her friend Helen Corning (a returning character) to help her great-grandmother and great-aunt. The Turnbulls are two ladies who think their home is haunted. She agrees to visit Twin Elms Mansion and help the women discover the truth of their concerns. She and the Turnbull women begin to search for a hidden staircase that would explain the ghostly phenomenon. While Nancy is at Twin Elms Mr. Drew disappears, Nancy takes a break to discover what has happened to her father.
     Nancy wonders if the two cases are related and begins pursuing her father's disappearance in earnest. When she discovers Nathan Gomer, the man who forecasted Mr. Drew's troubles, has bought Twin Elms and an adjacent Turnbull family property something smells fishy. Nancy and Helen pursue both ends of the case surrounding the Turnbulls and eventually discover the connection that cracks the case.
     Nancy balances the two cases, their various twists and turns lending new perspectives to the other side. She is persistent and orderly, looking into each new theory and supporting her theories with evidence. While Nancy and Helen make some questionable choices for their era, they show initiative and subdue their own fear to solve the case and return Twin Elms to the Turnbull women.
     The story is written in understandable language. Nancy's adventures play out logically, yet with twists and turns that keep the story from being predictable. It is ideal for early mystery readers: not too frightening, yet it still has chilling elements. The tale is still enjoyable for older readers; it is quick with multiple plots that blend together for an all-inclusive resolution in the final chapters.

The Academie

The Academie by Susanne Dunlap, 2012 Bloomsbury

     Elizabeth Monroe is an American, specifically a Virginian in France and the daughter of future American President James Monroe. Eliza travels with her mother, also Elizabeth Monroe, for a year in Paris. Or so she thinks.
     Once they arrive she discovers that her mother has enrolled Eliza in an exclusive French boarding school. Rather than spending her days preparing for a magical night on the town, Eliza finds herself learning comportment, conversation, drawing, music, and all the other essentials to become a successful hostess in the new, post-revolution France. But her days aren't all dull; Eliza discovers that her classmates are the most celebrated young ladies in Europe: Hortense de Beauharnais (Josephine Bonaparte's daughter) and Caroline Bonaparte (Napoleon's youngest sister). Eliza's attempts at befriending the two girls only reveal their enmity. When the changing world leads the trio into forbidden territory, Hortense, Caroline, and Eliza discover Madeline, Hortense's brother's love.
     When life changes irrevocably for the four young women Eliza discovers just what she is willing to do for these new 'friends'. Madeline plays a larger part in the alteration of the girls' lives than they expected, but in the end Eliza goes home stunned at the changes in the world she discovered in Paris.
     Eliza as a character is, at first, excitable and strives to display herself in a manner similar to that of the stereotypical courtiers in novels of the time. She expects parties and balls and young men to fawn over her, so the shock of being placed in an all-girl boarding school dampens her spirits. Upon meeting Hortense and Caroline she takes the opportunity to indulge in what she thinks are politically advantageous friendships, losing herself to the more ambitious aims of Caroline despite having her own agenda for Hortense.
     Caroline despises her station, locked away from her love by a powerful older brother in a school with little to offer. She takes every opportunity to further her own desires, and even drags Hortense and Eliza into the mix.
     Hortense only wishes for her family to finally have happiness. Her mother has found love with Napoleon, yet his suspicions are easily swayed against her. Hortense finds her step-father a challenge as she has formed some sort of attachment to him, but she uses their relationship to keep Josephine in his graces. She is away she is a pawn in many schemes, but uses them to her own ends.
     While Hortense has experienced the fear of being thrown out, Madeline lives with the daily fear of being unable to escape her abusive mother. When her mother discovers the relationship between Hortense's brother and Madeline, the chance to escape is at hand and she is forced to take the leap. But Madeline realizes Josephine will never allow her son to marry the common daughter of an actress, she alters the course of her story to follow her own plans.
     The four young women of The Academie are strong-willed and frivolous, but they each take charge of their own lives in a country and world where women's lives are still controlled by the men around them. The challenges they face are interlinked as are the plans they conceive to escape their restrictions. The chapters jump from character to character, and are told in the first person. The language is understandable and suited to readers anywhere between 13 and 18 years old.

The Secret of the Old Clock

The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene, 1959 Grosset & Dunlap

     Nancy Drew is 18-years-old, titian haired, and brilliant! In this introduction to Nancy and her adventures, she rescues a small girl when she falls from a bridge. When she discovers that Judy's well-off and avuncular protector (Josiah Crowley) has died and left everything to snobbish, grasping distant relatives she feels she must figure out why such a thing has happened to such a sweet child and her unassuming family.
     She promises to help Judy and her aunts find the will Crowley hid before his death. Throughout her adventures she relies on her friends, lawyer father, and the Drew family housekeeper, Hannah Gruen, to help with her sleuthing.
     Nancy is stylish and independent, her mother died when she was a small child and occasionally she helps her father in his law practice. Her sensible and logical process makes her an excellent amateur detective. Her courage and persistence, mixed with a sense of right and wrong make her a good role model for young girls.
     The story is written in an accessible language with the old-fashioned values of the 1950s. Nancy is both a traditional daughter and a feminist in her freedom and values. This is a short novel (around 180 pages) that centers on the mystery to be solved, spiced with the relationships that surround Nancy as heroine.

A Curse Dark as Gold

A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce, 2009 Arthur A. Levine Books

     Charolotte Miller is the older daughter of the Miller of Stirwaters. When her father dies suddenly, Charolotte and her sister take over the workings of their wool-mill. Things have never gone perfectly according to plan for the Stirwaters Woolen Mill, but when there is no longer a male heir to run the mill things begin to go haywire. There is something at work on the mill, the workers believe in its moods and some accidents are just impossible, even with bad luck. Talk of a curse begins to circulate in the town, talk Charolotte can no longer discount or dismiss.
     Charolotte and Rosie have some hope of making a good season and helping their workers make it through the winter. Everything is going well: the mill is producing some of the best cloth Stirwaters has ever seen and the people are flourishing. However, soon enough, the spirit of the mill starts to work against them; an entire run is destroyed, their "jack-of-all-trades" handyman breaks his leg in an impossible fall, and the world itself seems to be against the two young women. With the cloth moguls circling, Charolotte doesn't know what to do.
     But a strange little man appears on the scene. He comes and goes as needed, and requests only small things in return: a worthless ring from Charolotte's mother, a brooch from her love. He then proceeds to spin straw into gold. When the strange little man asks for something Charolotte is unwilling to give, she must find a way to fight for her family and the mill that keeps her community alive.
     Charolotte's character begins as any other female heroine in a patriarchal society: alone, without resources, and without the confidence to pursue her desires. But when she only faces adversity in the cloth industry, she transforms into a pillar. Her tendency to keep bottle up her troubles only causes more of them, but in the end she manages to overcome the fears that make her keep her problems to herself. She transforms from a somewhat stock character into a realistic young woman with the problems and fears of any young adult.
     Bunce has managed to blend the myths of Rumpelstiltskin into the historical landscape of the textile industry. While their world features technology of today, its society is drawn up around realistic and historical lines in an understandable blend of technological and general language. This historical fantasy takes the superstitions of the time and plays out what would have happened if they weren't only superstitions.

The Vow

The Vow: The True Events that Inspired the Movie by Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, 2012 B&H Publishing Group

     This is the true story of Kimmer Carpenter and his wife Krickitt, told from Kim's point of view. Two months after their wedding on a trip to Krickitt's parents' home, Kim and Krickitt find themselves in the hospital following a car crash. Krickitt was driving and, after a near-death experience, sustains major brain damage. The doctors don't think she'll make it through the night, but she does only for her family and friends to discover that Krickitt can't remember the last year and a half. She doesn't remember Kim at all. 

     Kim tells of the struggles of living with a wife that no longer knows him, that cannot remember how they met, dated, or their life together. Krickitt repeatedly tells everyone that she feels no connection to the young woman in all the photos and videos. Yet the two still feel a need to stay faithful to their marriage vows. Eventually, through their faith, they discover their new relationship and re-dedicate their lives to each other. 

     Follow along as Kim realizes that his Krickitt is a completely new person, and falls in love with the new woman who is already his wife. With this read you can see their commitment to each other and each's relationship with God and how it strengthens the bond between the two. It was a quick read and compelling, despite my knowledge of the ending. 

Waiting for Deborah

Waiting for Deborah by Betty Neels, 2012 Harlequin

     Originally published in 1994, Waiting for Deborah tells the story of a young British woman whose stepfather has recently died and her step-brother and -sister have pushed her out of her home. In her quest for independence, Deborah meets Dr. James Marlow at a job nursing an elderly woman recuperating from a stroke and is slowly taken in by his kindness and concern.  Things don't go well with her haughty employer and, when the patient is well enough, Deborah is dismissed to find another job.
     As she moves from job to job, Dr. Marlow is always there, somehow in the background and picking her up when things go wrong. But as Deborah falls for the brooding doctor, she begins to wonder whether what he feels for her is a romantic passion or the concern for a lost puppy.
     Like many of Betty Neels' books, Waiting for Deborah focuses on the romance of the relationship between Deborah and Dr. Marlow. Unlike more modern stories, the most mature content is "he kissed her hard" as Neels focuses on what connects the two. It is a suitable choice for younger readers looking for romance without the risque content of more recent romance novels.

Supernaturally

Supernaturally by Kiersten White, 2011 HarperTeen

     In this sequel to Paranormalcy, Evie has gained the normal life she's always dreamed of. But life isn't as she expected. Normal is too normal: no bag-and-tag missions interrupting the cycle of school, work, time with Lend; no paranormals trying regularly to kill her; and no illusions about normal high school life.
     But it looks like things are going back when Raquel reappears and some strange and paranormal things start showing up. From being kidnapped by a slyph to rescuing a community of trolls, Evie falls right back into her roll at IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency).
     This time, though, she brings her new worldview with her. Lend and his father have taught Evie that paranormals can live safely in the real world, that they are people just as humans are. It isn't until things start to go really wrong-even for Evie-that Raquel, Lend, and Evie's new friends notice that something is out to get her. They assume that Evie's ex-boyfriend, Reth, and the fairies are behind it, despite his denial.
     Evie's new friend Jack is a bright spot when her involvement with IPCA darkens her relationship with Lend. But Jack has some problems of his own. His past with the fairies and hatred of them draws Evie closer and closer to the dark side of her abilities, a side that terrifies her.
     Evie has finally discovered what she is, but must figure out what it means to her. She fights against Lend's immortality and the fear that she'll burn through her soul too quickly to enjoy anything, all the while trying to get into college and create a future. When the darkness nearly swallows her, Evie has to choose between revenge on the beings who created her and submitting to the darkness, or taking control and owning who she is.
     Evie has matured between the two books, adding a degree of language and mature content that wasn't there in the first novel, but it is still a good read for high schoolers. Evie notices more of the nuances of her fellow characters, as does the reader, showing the change she's undergoing. Again, Evie's adventures serve to showcase how she changes as she meets more paranormals and develops deeper relationships with the creatures she once locked up without compunction.

The Thief

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, 1996 Eos

     Gen is a thief. When he brags to all of Sounis that he can steal anything, he is arrested and forced to join the kingdom's magus on a quest to find Hamiathes's Gift.
     Hamiathes's Gift is a stone to guarantee the throne of Sounis's neighbor Eddis to her monarch. Sounis (the king of the country) hopes to use it to force Eddis (the queen) into marriage and to use her lands as a stepping-stone to Attolia.
     Attolia has been damaged by plague as had Eddis and Sounis, and Sounis sees her unpeopled lands as the perfect place to re-settle his overpopulation.
     Gen travels with the Magus, Sounis's heir, and two others to the location of Hamiathes's Gift where his part of the quest begins, and the mission begins to fall apart. Betrayal, escape from incarceration, and a miraculous rescue characterize the rest of Gen's path home.
     The story is told from Gen's point of view, showing his inner thoughts and plans. Throughout Gen challenges the views his companions accept and put forth unthinkingly. He stands against the bullying of one companion to win the friendship and respect of the others. While his occupation isn't completely wholesome, Gen fulfills his role of Tool of the Gods and makes the other characters (and reader) think about what they believe and why.
     This is the first of a series about Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis by Megan Whalen Turner. It was a fun read, drawing on military and political strategy as well as mythology and social patterns from the modern Grecian world.

Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth, 2011 Harper Collins

     Tris Prior lives in a city held together by four factions--Dauntless the Brave, Abnegation the Selfless, Amity the Peaceful, Candor the Truthful, and Erudite the Intelligent. At sixteen every youth is tested and given the opportunity to choose a new faction and new life or to continue in their path.
     When Tris is tested, something goes wrong and her results have to be reported manually. The test administrator tells her that she's different--that she's Divergent and to keep it secret. Tris makes her decision and causes a rift in her family, but it is her decision and leads her into a moment of real happiness. But all around the initiation of new faction members tensions between the factions are rising. When everything shatters, Tris's Divergence is a useful tool and helps to keep her alive.
     Veronica Roth's first novel is a fast-paced read about a teenager trying to find her way in the world and to make her parents proud. While she struggles with the decisions that will change her life, Tris discovers herself and realizes things aren't always what they seem.
     There is a large amount of violence throughout the story, some of it more graphic than other points. Some language and mature content are sprinkled throughout. A suggested audience is seventh to eleventh grade, with a focus on 15-16-year-old. Divergence is the first of Veronica Roth's trilogy, followed by Insurgent.

Evernight

Evernight by Claudia Gray, 2008 Harper Collins

     At an academy set aside to assimilate Vampires into the mainstream world, Bianca is a rare creation--the child of two Vampires. She has lived her life knowing that one day she will join her parents in their undead lifestyle. When she meets Lucas Ross, a fellow student, something new starts to grow. Their new romance is challenged by the introduction of humans to the Evernight Academy.
     Tensions rise when humans, alongside the Vampires, begin to notice something is wrong at Evernight. When wraiths make an appearance at a school dance, seeming to attack Bianca and her human friends, the school's Vampire population goes on the attack. Within a few weeks Bianca and Lucas' relationship becomes taboo and Lucas's family comes for an unwelcome visit.
     Lucas's family is part of the Black Hand--an organization of militant vampire hunters--and Lucas was placed at Evernight to help infiltrate the stronghold. But his love for Bianca keeps him from revealing her fate to his family. When he leaves Evernight, Lucas pledges his love to Bianca, promising to come back for her.
     This supernatural love story follows the same lines as Romeo and Juliet: lovers from two feuding entities who will challenge all obstacles to be together. Where the story diverges from Shakespeare's work is in Bianca and Lucas's hope that they will be together even when present circumstances seem hopeless. Rather than run away and end up killing themselves, Lucas goes back to his family and Bianca stays with her family.
     There are a few mature scenes, and the occasional bout of foul language, but the main negative sentiment is one of race (vampire vs human vs wraith) and of class. This is Bianca's journey to discover who she is in light of Lucas's love and to either accept or create an ideology for her life. Evernight is the first of a series dealing with the Evernight Academy.

Paranormalcy

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, 2010 Harper Collins

     Evelyn has grown up finding and capturing Paranormals for the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA)--making the world safe for humans like her. But is she really human? When Paranormals begin to die mysteriously and Evie's strange ability to see through their Glamours reveals something that could help, no one is listening. Her only hope is a Paranormal who can shape-shift.
     The strange creature comes after Evie and her new friend, Lend, but they escape. Then the strange dreams she's been having begin to feature Vivian, the Paranormal who's been on a killing spree, and she reveals a strange connection to Evie.
     Vivian wants Evie to join her as she travels the world and "saves" Paranormals from their imprisonment on Earth. Evie just wants to be normal, to enjoy her blooming relationship with Lend, to attend high school, to attend Prom! She must make her choice--join Vivian on her killing spree to form some sort of family or fulfill a mysterious Fairie prophecy without definite knowledge of what comes next.
     Evie's tale is one of self-discovery--everyone else has a plan for her life, but she must realize her own dreams and fight for them. And not only does someone else hold the reins to her life, Evie doesn't even know what she is. The language and content of Kiersten White's Paranormalcy are suitable for nearly any age group, but a suggested audience is fourteen years or older.

Wildwood Dancing

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier, 2007 Macmillan

     If you weave together the Twelve Dancing Princesses, a Transylvanian Baba Yaga, vampires, and the Frog Prince what do you get? You get the tale of five sisters learning to take their place in a superstitious male-centric world.
     Jena is the second of her five sisters; Tatiana is the eldest and the pretty one, Paula is the scholarly one, Iulia is the passionate thirteen-year-old, and Stela is the tender-hearted five-year-old. Jena, as the sensible one, is put in charge of her father's affairs when he goes south for his health. The girls are getting by, continuing their monthly trips into the Other Kingdom to dance at the fairy court, but things begin to go downhill when the Night People appear in the Fairies' Enchanted Glade.
     Suddenly all the rules that've governed the girls interactions with the Other Kingdom no longer seem effective. Tati falls in love and begins to waste away, Jena is drawn to the leader of the Night People, yet is held back and grounded by her constant companion Gogu.
     Gogu is a frog Jena found in the forest after a traumatic incident with her cousins as a child. For nine years Jena and Gogu have been best friends, each the other's confidant with Jena the only one who can hear his thoughts. As things begin to change, so does their relationship. When Jena's cousin Cesar has taken over her responsibilities and locked the sisters in their home, things take a turn for the worse--Gogu turns into a human. Jena doesn't know if she can trust this new version of her friend.
     This is a story of Faith and Loyalty, Truth and Trust. The choices before Jena are difficult, but if she could just have faith and trust in the truths and friendships around her, the rewards will bring a lifetime of happiness. Along the way Jena experiences the ardor of her cousin's unwanted attentions, the loss of both friends and family, and she must give up control and allow her world to change. In accepting the changes around her, Jena grows into her new-found place in a shifting world.

Wondrous Strange

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston, 2008 Harper Collins

     Lesley Livingston's Wondrous Strange is an interesting take on the fairy stories of the English-speaking world. It focuses on Kelley Winslow, a seventeen-year-old actress trying to make her big break as A Midsummer Night's Dream's Titania, as she discovers that the world she has accepted as home is overshadowed by the Fey world of folktales. When she discovers the changeling Sonny, Kelley isn't sure what to think of this handsome stranger. But when he appears to be just another New York City stalker, she is prepared to write him off as a lunatic, despite his handsome appearance and his insistence that he knows something about Kelley that she doesn't even know about herself. Add to that the strange appearance of a roan horse in her bathtub and things are becoming more and more strange for Kelley and her NYC theater dreams.
     The story deals with several of the characters from William Shakespeare's plays and other English fairy tales including Queen Mab, Titania, Puck, Auberon (or Oberon), the Wild Hunt, and  Changelings. First and foremost this is a tale of a young woman trying to discover who she is, where she belongs, and what place her new-found relationship has set against the backdrop of impending war between the Elizabethan world's vindictive sprites in their Fey kingdoms.
     Wondrous Strange is the first in a trilogy written by Lesley Livingston that follows Kelly while she attempts to fully understand the world opening before her and her relationship with Sonny Flannery, all the while dealing with new-found power and achieving her childhood dreams. It is written for the high school age-range, with content and language that would be found anywhere from a local grocery store to the public high school. It's a fun read and a refreshing take on classic literature.

A Little About Me & My Goal

    Hey there! I'm Stephanie. I'm a senior at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, majoring in English Literature with a minor in Printing and Publishing Arts. One of the things I've always loved is reading, so (at the behest of my parents) I've decided to turn my love of reading into something productive for the rest of the world.
     The goal here is to present parents, teachers, librarians, and young readers with something that will give them an idea of whether a book is appropriate or would be enjoyable for their young readers or even themselves. The books I review will be books that I have read from cover to cover. I will note any foul language, mature content, and things I would consider to be offensive. I will try to point out themes that would be good for student readers and a general age range that would benefit most from reading the book.
    Now for a disclaimer, I am a college student so I may not be the best to determine the level of writing for readers. A simple rule of thumb to judge if the style is written to your reader's ability is to read a page aloud. If there are five or more words you have difficulty with on the average sized page, it probably isn't the best book for the reader's ability quite yet. The story may be appropriate, but definitely use your own discretion.

Happy Reading,
Stephanie