Review 5 The Birchbark House

 

Erdrich, Louise. The Birchbark House. New York: Hyperion, 1999. Print.

Annotation:

It is 1847 and seven year old Anishinabe  Omakayas lives with her family on the island Moningwanaykaning (Island of the Golden Woodpecker) in Lake Superior.  Through the four seasons of the year Omakayas learns about herself and her people as they grow, harvest, and hunt for food to get them through the harsh winter.  Along the way Omakayas encvoounters bears and makes friends with a crow.  In the winter smallpox comes to the island and many Anishinabeg fall sick and die.  Omakayas now has to deal with the loss of hope and a feeling of helplessness.

Justification for Nomination:

Louise Erdrich has written a beautiful book full of lessons on how life was for the Anishinabeg in Minnnesota.  Her prose is engaging and very easy to read, but that is not to say that it is simple.  Peppered throughout the book are Anishinabe words (there is a glossary in the back to help the reader figure these words out if the context is not clear) along with rich and beautiful illustrations done by the author.  As a historical novel The Birchbark House works on all levels, it tells a story and it teaches the reader about the lives and lifestyles of the Anishinabe (Ojibwa).  I could not help thinking about the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder when reading this book.  As a child I thoroughly enjoyed the Little House series and would have equally enjoyed The Birchbark House.  Erdrich does a very good job of showing what life was like for Anishinabe people and as such helps the reader understand the lifestyles and belief of the people.  Since I personally believe that as a whole our society has a criminal lack of understanding or even basic knowledge of the Native Americans lives and histories, The Birchbark House is a fine primer for any young person to begin to learn more about these people who still exist and whose culture has not gone away.  Readers in Minnesota will connect with this book because they will know the places where the story takes place and I think that can only add to the appeal.  Erdrich knows her stuff and I do not think there is one aspect of the Anishinabe culture that has been misrepresented making it historically accurate.  The book is meant for the younger YA readers but as a 38 year old I was enthralled and charmed by The Birchbark House.  I understand that it has become a series of books and I will eagerly read all the books in this series and would recommended it to readers of all ages who might be remotely interested in Native American history.  This book deserves to be a Printz nominee and should receive all due considerations.  To not do so would be to overlook what I think is a very important book for YA readers both as a work of Historical fiction and as very good read.

Genre:

Historical Fiction

Review 4 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

 

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007. Print.

Annotation:

Life is hard for Arnold Spirit.  He lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation and attends an all white school outside of the reservation.  Trying to get out of the trap that is life on the reservation Arnold finds that he stuck between two worlds: his Indian family world and the outside white world that offers him a chance to break free from the hardships and limitations of the reservation.  Both worlds treat him with mistrust and Arnold seeks to find a way to balance the both.  Based on the life of the author Sherman Alexie.

Justification for Nomination:

Sherman Alexie has written a book that will appeal to readers of all ages but one that will definitely appeal to YA readers, especially the male readers.  His story is both humorous and poignant and his voice is acthentic.  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is the semi-biographical story of Alexie’s own youth fictionalized to a degree.  His protagonist is named Arnold Spirit but he goes by Junior.  Caught between the worlds of the “rez” and the outside white world Arnold is trying to find himself.  Along the way the reader gets a very frank and honest take on a young boy’s feelings and thoughts on everyday issues and the greater issues of life.  Racked with a need to belong YA readers will relate to Arnold as he tries to define himself in a world that cannot accurately define him, and is hostile to defining him in any other way that Indian/Non-Indian.  Young male readers will especially relate to Arnold’s frank and open discussions about sports, pimples, masturbation, and girls.  Woven throughout is an eye opening lesson on the hardships of reservation life. I believe that The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a book that might actually engage some of the more uncommitted and even the unmotivated YA readers to take interest.  Alexie writes in the true voice of young boy, not in a voice that is meant to sound like an older man looking back.  This authenticity makes this book even more relatable and helps the reader get a grasp on the views of Arnold.  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is worthy of not only the Printz award, but any other award that it might qualify for.  All the YA books I have read so far in my opinion qualify for this award, but The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is the book that exemplifies what a great YA read should be: real, relatable, and very readable.

Genre:

Autobiography, Memoir        

Review 3 Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie

 Black, Holly. Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie. New York: Simon Pulse, 2005. Print.

Annotation:

After finding her boyfriend and her mother making out Val flees to New York City where she discovers a strange new world, totally alien from her life in New Jersey, and discovers that there is more to the world than meets the eye.  Along the way Val learns some new things about herself as she tries to figure out what has happened to her and what is happening to her.   

  

Justification for Nomination:

Valiant is a hard book to place in just one simple genre.  It tackles issues of betrayal, running away, homelessness, and addiction, as well as the idea that the Faerie do exist and live among us.  Valiant’s main character Val is a normal unsure-of-herself teen who flees to New York.  So far the novel reads like a problem novel and seems very realistic.  As she meets up with some other teens the novel takes a twist into the fantasy genre.  All the time it retains its realistic settings and problems.  Val begins to take Never which is a drug that allows humans to temporarily obtain Faerie powers.  If you remove the Faerie powers Val is really just addicted to a drug.  The beauty of Valiant as a YA novel is that it weaves so effortlessly the real and the fantasy.  When you boil away all the fantasy there remains the story of a young girl who runs away and discovers that she does indeed have the internal strength to make it in the world.  I would suggest this book for the Printz award because it covers some weighty issues that teens will identify with while being edgy enough to incorporate the fantasy element of the Faerie.  Valiant should be nominated but it could come in under several categories and place well in all of them.  Holly Black has the gift of dialog; her characters sound like teens and react with appropriate speeches and utterances.  YA reader who read Valiant will identify and relate to her characters because of this.

Genre:

Problem, Realistic, Edgy, Fantasy, Coming of Age    

Review 2 Impulse

Hopkins, Ellen. Impulse. New York: Simon Pulse, 2007. Print.

Annotation:

Tony, Vanessa, and Connor are three teens who are in a psychiatric hospital after each has tried to commit suicide.  All three tell their stories of how they came to be where they are and what they are thinking about their present situation.  All three tell their tales in verse.

Justification for Nomination:

At first glance Impulse seems like a daunting challenge to both YA and adult readers.  The book comes in at 666 pages and it is all written in verse.  Ellen Hopkins has written a great book with believable characters and realistic settings.  The fact that it is written in verse only adds to the pathos of the three protagonist.  Each character has a distinct style and voice that make it easy for the reader to understand who is talking at the time.  The subject matter is weighty, suicide, but the book does not pander or patronize.  Each characters pain and confusion is spelled out for the reader to read and react to.  I believe that many readers will have a definite reaction to this book.  Hopkins talent for verse is only outshined by her ability to create complicated characters that are real and very accessible to the reader.  Readers will enjoy the challenge this book represents: the challenge is well worth the reward.   This book should be a must read for anyone looking for a Printz Award nominee.

Genre Catalog:

Narrative Verse/Realistic/Problem