With a Name Like Love

Not many people know this, but I’ve been struggling with my faith the past few years. (I consider myself a Christian, but I haven’t regularly attended church in a while. I have many reasons for this, none of which I’ll get into here.) I tell you this to introduce you to a book that may have done just a little to restore my faith. The book is With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo, and it’s a nominee for the 2013-14 South Carolina Children’s Book Award. I was kind of leery about reading this book because I thought it might be too preachy…seeing as how it’s about a preacher’s daughter and all. I was surprised, though, by how sweet the book was. It was quietly beautiful, and it presented faith–and Christian love–as I think it was truly meant to be:  selfless and without judgement.

Ollie is the eldest daughter of the traveling preacher Everlasting Love. (Yes, that’s his real name.) In the summer of 1957, the family–which consists of Everlasting Love and his wife Susanna, Ollie, and four other daughters–travels to the small town of Binder, Arkansas, to set up their revival tent for three days. On her first day in Binder, Ollie meets a boy who will change her life. Jimmy Koppel has seemingly lost everything. His mother is in jail for killing his father, and, if something doesn’t happen soon, he’ll be shipped off to live with an aunt he’s never met. Everyone in the town appears to hate Jimmy just because of who his daddy was, and no one will believe him when he says his mom is innocent. No one except Ollie, that is.

Ollie is determined to prove that Jimmy’s mom didn’t commit this horrible crime, but can she convince her father to stay in town longer than three days? She needs time to get information from Jimmy and prove his mom’s innocence, and time is something that’s quickly running out. And even if she does have time to do a little investigating, will folks’ attitudes about Jimmy’s family prevent them from coming forward with information…even if it could set an innocent woman free?

As Ollie and Jimmy become friends, they are confronted with both the best and worst in humanity. Some people just can’t let go of their own anger and hatred, but some show these two young people–and everyone else in this troubled community–that there are good people in the world, and those people will do whatever they can to help those they love or people in need. Will the good outweigh the bad in this small town? Will the truth about the death of Jimmy’s father come to light? And what will Ollie learn about herself, her family, and friendship through all of this? Learn what love really means when you read With a Name Like Love by Tess Hilmo.

With a Name Like Love would be a great addition to any elementary or middle school library. Regardless of a reader’s faith–or lack thereof–the message in this book is one that all could stand to receive. It will also find a place in many church libraries. (As a matter of fact, I can think of several adults who really need to read this book. It might make them take a closer look about their own attitudes and what Christian love is all about. “Love thy neighbor” is something that a lot of people just don’t take seriously.)

This book is a work of historical fiction, but young readers, especially those who’ve grown up in the South (or have older relatives who have) will have very little problem relating to some of the things in this book. Some, though, may find it odd or even fascinating that people used to live without things like refrigerators or flushing toilets. If readers have grown up in a church (as have most of my students), they’ll even recognize some of the hymns sung by the church-goers in this book.

With a Name Like Love is author Tess Hilmo’s first book. I honestly hope it won’t be the last! To learn more about this author and this lovely book, visit http://tesshilmo.com/.

Ripper

I’ll admit that I have a somewhat morbid fascination with the unsolved mystery that surrounds Jack the Ripper. (I’m no ripperologist, but my personal bucket list does include taking the Jack the Ripper tour in London.) In the past couple of years, there have been a number of YA fiction books published that revolve around the unknown serial killer. Last year, I was lucky enough to read Maureen Johnson’s The Name of the Star, in which someone is recreating the crimes of the Ripper. (It’s an absolutely fantastic read, and I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel, The Madness Underneath, which will be released on February 26th.) Several days ago, I started reading Ripper by Amy Carol Reeves. I first heard about this book from the author herself. She presented information about her book at the annual SCASL (South Carolina Association of School Librarians) conference earlier this year. I was enthralled by her research process and the little details that went into the making of Ripper. I meant to read the book as soon as I could get my hands on it, but one thing or another inevitably got in the way, and I didn’t make the time to really get into this book until a few days ago (when I got out of school for winter break). Now, I’ll go ahead and tell you (if you didn’t already know) that historical fiction is not exactly my cup of tea…unless it happens to take place in London. There’s just something about that city that totally captivates me, and Ripper only added to my obsession…

The year is 1888, and a young girl, recently orphaned, has moved to London to live with her strict, unyielding grandmother. Arabella Sharp is not exactly a typical Kensington lady…much to her grandmother’s chagrin. Abbie would much rather be doing something interesting rather that sitting around all day waiting for her grandmother to select a suitable husband for her. Unexpectedly, Abbie receives an invitation to work at Whitechapel Hospital, assisting a doctor and family friend with the care of poor women (mostly prostitutes) and their children. Even though the work is most unpleasant at times, Abbie feels drawn to the medical field and is considering doing something totally unheard of–applying to attend medical school.

While Abbie is learning much at Whitechapel Hospital–and dealing with rather puzzling feelings for not one but two young physicians–something more sinister is occurring nearby. Prostitutes, all of them former patients at the hospital, are being murdered. No one seems to know anything about the culprit, but his heinous crimes soon earn him the nickname Jack the Ripper. All of London, specifically the rundown area of Whitechapel, is in an uproar. Who is this killer? Why is he targeting prostitutes? And why can the police find no trace of him?

Abbie, much to her dismay, may be in possession of answers to these questions. Ever since she first entered the Whitechapel area, she’s been plagued by visions. Visions of the Ripper’s crimes as they are committed. She’s seen what he does to his victims. She’s felt his breath on her neck. She knows that he’s somehow got his eye on her. But why? And what is his connection to the hospital where she feels so needed?

As Abbie does all that she can to uncover the mystery of the Ripper, she uncovers something that she is totally unprepared for. Jack the Ripper is not the only being wreaking havoc on London. Something much bigger may be at work, and the Ripper might just be one small piece of the puzzle. Can Abbie unveil the truth before she’s lost to a power that spans centuries? Before she–or someone close to her–becomes the Ripper’s next victim? Read Ripper, Amy Carol Reeves’ gripping tale, to reveal the horrible, hidden truth about the world’s most infamous serial killer.

I wasn’t quite prepared for the supernatural twist at the end of this book. (I liked it, but it was a bit surprising.) Ripper isn’t simply a retelling of the crimes of Jack the Ripper. It does contain lots of information based on actual events, locations, and people, but this is most definitely a fictional account of what could have happened during that horrible time in 1888…if you believe in the strange and supernatural, that is. (I’m not saying that I do, but it is kind of fun to read about.) Amy Carol Reeves detailed what was and wasn’t factual in her book when she spoke at the SCASL conference, but I must confess that I can’t remember everything. (It was in March, after all.) I will, however, get the opportunity to go over this information with her again, as she is speaking at the conference again this year. (And I get to facilitate a panel with her and several other YA authors.  Hooray for me!) I also look forward to talking with her about the next book in this series, Renegade, which is due out in April of 2013.

If you’d like more information about Ripper and author Amy Carol Reeves, I encourage you to visit the author’s website. For those of you searching for information on Jack the Ripper, there are thousands of websites that contain loads of information, many of them saying different things. Theories abound on the true identity of this killer, so it’s no surprise that this enigma has found its way to YA fiction. If you can recommend any other YA Ripper books, let me know, and I’ll add them to my towering to-read pile!

The Romeo and Juliet Code

I freely admit that I tend to judge a book by its cover.  After all, it’s the first glimpse of a book that I get.  A good cover will tell me what genre the book falls into, what the target audience is (young readers, middle grade, YA, adult), and just a smidge about the book–without giving anything critical away.  It will also show me a little about the book’s tone.  For instance, a dystopian book with a bright pink cover is probably a bad idea.  I want the covers of these books to be as bleak as the environments depicted on the pages. 

The cover of my latest read, The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone (another nominee for the 2012-13 South Carolina Book Award), was, in my most humble opinion, a failure on all counts.  The book itself was okay, but it did not match the cover in any way.  That bothers me.  Anyway, here’s the cover:

Now, judging by the cover, and even the title to a certain degree, one would likely expect this book to be a middle-grade, contemporary–possibly geeky–romance. Well, one would be wrong. The Romeo and Juliet Code is a work of historical fiction. It takes place from May to December of 1941 in the town of Bottlebay, Maine. Is there anything about this cover that suggests historical fiction to you? If there is, please let me know!  There is a small bit of romance in this book, but certainly not enough to warrant this cover.  Maybe I should have my students design a more fitting cover for this book. 

Moving on to the story…

The Romeo and Juliet Code introduces readers to Felicity Bathburn Budwig, a young  British girl who is moving to Maine to stay with relatives for the duration of World War II.  Her parents leave her with family members she’s never met, and Felicity doesn’t really know where her parents are going or when–or if–they will return for her.  They don’t even write to her…but they do send letters to her Uncle Gideon.  Felicity is barely allowed to touch these letters.  That, of course, makes her want to know what the letters are hiding.

With the help of Derek, a boy who lives with the Bathburn family, Felicity learns that these mysterious letters are codes being sent from her parents.  But what do they say?  What is the code’s connection to Romeo and Juliet?  Do the codes have anything to do with the war that is sure to involve America at any moment?  Just what are her parents involved in?  And can Felicity and Derek figure everything out–including the mystery surrounding the turmoil in the Bathburn family–before they lose their minds?  Discover the truth when you read The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone.

While this book is a decent historical mystery with a dash of young love, it wasn’t exactly a quick read, and that–along with the misleading cover–will make this one a hard sell.  I know some of my female students will pick up the book because of the current cover, but the “bait and switch” here might turn them off once they start reading.  Most of my male students won’t pick up this book at all because the cover makes it look like a “girl book.”  Again, a redesign would help tremendously, and that may well be how I get students to read this one.  I’ll give them the opportunity to recover my library’s copies of this book with their own designs.  They’ll have to create covers that accurately depict the book without giving too much away.  Of course, they’ll have to read the book to enter the cover design contest.  Something to think about…

If you’d like more information about The Romeo and Juliet Code and other books by author Phoebe Stone, visit http://www.phoebestone.com/.

The Secret of the Sealed Room

In honor of Independence Day, I decided to read Bailey MacDonald’s The Secret of the Sealed Room: A Mystery of Young Benjamin Franklin (which just so happens to be nominated for the 2012-2013 South Carolina Children’s Book Award).  Those of you who follow this blog at all know that historical fiction is not my favorite genre, but I had to read this book anyway, so I decided to read it on a day that had at least some connection with one of the story’s characters–Benjamin Franklin.  The events in this book, as far as I know, are completely fictional, but the story gives readers a glimpse of what life was like in the early eighteenth century (especially for poor young people) and a look at what one of America’s founding fathers may have been like in his younger days.  Even I have to admit that’s kind of cool.

In The Secret of the Sealed Room, readers are introduced to Patience Martin, a fourteen-year-old girl who is an indentured servant in the household of a rather horrible woman, Mrs. Worth.  When Mrs. Worth is found dead–and it is determined that she was poisoned–people begin to wonder just who had the opportunity to kill the wealthy woman.  There’s also a valuable box missing from Mrs. Worth’s room–which was locked from the inside until the woman’s body was found–and all fingers point to Patience as the thief.  Patience knows she didn’t steal anything, but she sees no way to prove her innocence…until she runs away and forms an unlikely friendship with a printer’s apprentice, a young man named Benjamin Franklin.

Benjamin helps Patience to disguise herself, and he provides her with food, clothing, shelter, and even a paying job.  Patience and Benjamin also begin to investigate the mysterious circumstances around the death of Mrs. Worth.  Benjamin is rather brilliant (and Patience is no slouch in the intelligence department), and the two young people combine their considerable brain power to uncover what really happened to Mrs. Worth.  But time is running out.  Patience is sure to be caught soon, so she and Benjamin must work quickly to clear her name before she and another innocent bystander pay for a crime that someone else committed.

Can Patience and Benjamin discover the truth…before one or both of them end up in even more trouble than they thought possible?  Find out for yourself when you read The Secret of the Sealed Room by Bailey MacDonald!

To my great surprise, I did enjoy this book, but I do have a couple of complaints.  First, there is no author’s note at the end of the book detailing how much of the story is fact–or at least based on fact–and how much is fiction.  I would have loved to see a bibliography of resources and a narrative of the author’s research process during the creation of this book.  If this information was readily available on the author’s website (http://www.baileymacdonald.com/), that may have satisfied me somewhat, but I can’t find any information about this book’s historical background on the site.

My second complaint is that this book is on the Children’s Book Award nominee list at all.  (Of course, this is not the fault of the author.)  It’s a great book, but I think it’s more appropriate for middle school (and some very high level elementary readers).  The language is a bit difficult, even if it is true to the time period.  Even I didn’t know what some of the words in the book meant, and I pride myself on having a very large vocabulary.  I think the difficulty in understanding many words will turn a lot of readers off, especially if they pick this book up as part of their recreational reading.  It’s going to be hard for me to push this book as an SCCBA nominee.  I’ll try my best, but it definitely won’t be easy.

Despite the issues I had with The Secret of the Sealed Room, I think this is an enjoyable book for any readers who would like to see what Benjamin Franklin may have been like as a young person.  We all know him as an inventor, statesman, and revolutionary, but his experiences as a younger man made him one of the central figures in American history.  Even though this story is fictional, it’s fairly easy to imagine a young Ben Franklin being inquisitive enough to get himself involved in a murder investigation!

Inside Out & Back Again

Two reviews in one day?  Can it be?  Well, obviously it can.  After finishing Rapture earlier today, I was in the mood for something a little less anxiety-inducing, so I started reading another of the nominees for the 2012-2013 South Carolina Children’s Book Award.  I thought a book written for children would surely be a lighter read that a YA novel dealing with a possible apocalypse.  Yeah…not so much. 

The book I chose to read was Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai, which tells about a year in the life of a young girl in 1975.  The girl, Hà, leaves everything she’s ever known in South Vietnam in the hopes of a better life in America.  This book, a novel in verse, was a super-fast read, but it definitely shed some light on what Vietnamese immigrants, particularly children, may have faced when they escaped a war-torn—but familiar—Vietnam for a new home that was often more frightening that what they left behind.  This story is even more real because it draws on the author’s own experiences.  Inside Out & Back Again is a powerful read that I won’t soon forget.

Ten-year-old Hà and her family know that change is coming.  War has torn their country apart and claimed one of their own.  Although they are reluctant to leave Vietnam behind, there seems to be no other choice.  Hà doesn’t want to leave her beloved papaya tree, her friends, or the hope that her father will return, but she must go with her family on a journey to a peaceful new home.  But the journey itself is anything but peaceful…

Along with so many other refugees, Hà and her family board a ship that takes them away from the bombs and bullets that plague their home in Saigon.  Food and water are scarce.  Privacy is non-existent.  There are so many people seeking asylum, and no one knows when they can expect to be rescued.  So they cross the sea in hopes that an ally will come along.  And one day, it happens.  An American ship escorts them to Guam where Hà’s family makes plans to go to America.  Eventually, they are sponsored and taken to a place completely foreign to them—Alabama.

Hà is confused by her new home.  She doesn’t understand why the English language has so many confusing rules.  She doesn’t know why her new schoolmates make fun of her.  She doesn’t understand why so many people in the town seem to hate her family on sight.  She doesn’t like the food that is so different from everything she enjoyed in Vietnam.  Hà does know that she is angry, and she longs to find some peace with her new and often frightening circumstances.  With the help of her mother, brothers, and a few neighbors and friends, Hà discovers an inner strength that helps her to adapt to the sudden changes in her life and stand up for herself when others want to push her down.

Inside Out & Back Again is a story of one girl’s journey to a new home and a better understanding of herself, her family, and what it takes to heal from the scars of the past.  This is a wonderful book that I think would be excellent supplemental reading for classes studying the Vietnam War.  A lot of times, this period in history tends to be glossed over, especially when considering the plight of Vietnamese refugees in America.  I’ve taken loads of history classes throughout my education, and I can’t remember a single instance of studying about how the Vietnamese—particularly children—were treated after the war was over.  (I studied this a little on my own when the marching band I worked with did a Miss Saigon show, but that was a bit different.)  This book fills a void in historical fiction, and I look forward to sharing it with the teachers at my school as a possible novel study with our fifth grade students.

This book is an excellent selection for any elementary, middle, or high school libraries.  Children, teens, and adults alike will find this book, a Newbery Honor Book and National Book Award winner, extremely moving, and I hope that it will make them think about their own stories and how they may intertwine with the stories of people the world over.

Turtle in Paradise

When I first saw the title of my latest read, Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm, I immediately wanted to substitute the word “Turtle” for “Cheeseburger.”  (All of the Parrotheads out there know what I mean!)  As it turns out, I wasn’t too far off the mark.  Turtle in Paradise, a nominee for the 2012-2013 South Carolina Children’s Book Award, takes place in Key West in 1935.  The Key West we see in this book, however, is not yet the popular tourist destination that it would eventually become.  Like every other place in the nation at this time, Key West has been hit hard by the Great Depression, and our main character, a girl named Turtle, has also been hit hard by some major changes in her own life…

When Turtle’s mother gets a job as a housekeeper for a woman who hates kids, Turtle is sent all the way to Key West, Florida, to live with a bunch of relatives she’s never met. Turtle, a no-nonsense eleven-year-old, is not exactly thrilled with the arrangement. It soon becomes obvious that her aunt and cousins–all boys–aren’t what one would call happy about the situation either. But they do the best they can, and Turtle soon adapts to life in the Keys.

Turtle learns a lot about the family her mother left behind. (It seems she’s related to nearly everyone around her. The road she lives on is even named after the family.) She meets cousins and a grandmother she never knew she had. She goes on outings with the rambunctious boys in the neighborhood and discovers all kinds of things–how to care for whiny babies, nicknames for nearly everyone in the community, and how to make people think there’s a ghost playing tricks on them.

Turtle teaches the boys a thing or two as well.  She even leads them to a treasure that will change their lives forever.  But just as Turtle is finding  a home and family in her own personal paradise, something–or someone–comes along that could turn her world upside down once again.  Read Turtle in Paradise to discover how one girl finds a way to hold on to the things–and people–that really matter.

Normally, I’m not a big fan of historical fiction, but I enjoyed Turtle in Paradise, partly because it didn’t really feel like I was reading historical fiction.  Yes, there were historical details that added to the story.  (I especially enjoyed the Ernest Hemingway cameo.)  At its heart, though, I thought this book was a story of how one girl dealt with the changes in her life.  She adapted to a completely new situation, and she eventually grew to love her extended family and the new setting in which she found herself.

I adored the character of Turtle.  Unlike girls in a lot of children’s books, Turtle definitely didn’t see the world through rose-colored glasses.  She was a realist–some would even say a pessimist–and she was often brutally honest with those around her…kids and adults alike.  She used her wits to get by, and she didn’t sugarcoat things.  She wasn’t a girly girl, and she got right in there with the boys when they romped around the Keys. 

I wasn’t terribly impressed with most of the adults in this story–particularly Turtle’s mom and aunt–but I think a lot of that can be attributed to what life was like in 1935.  When adults are worried about being able to pay the bills and support a bunch of kids, I guess there’s not a lot of room to be overly sympathetic and sensitive.  I would have liked more resolution, though, regarding Turtle’s father and her mom’s boyfriend.  There’s more story to tell there.

All in all, I think Turtle in Paradise is a fine book for readers in upper elementary on up.  Even adult readers will appreciate the bits of nostalgia offered in this book–The Shadow, Little Orphan Annie, etc.–and this book could lead to further reading about what life was like in different parts of America during the Great Depression.  Turtle in Paradise is yet another wonderful summer read, and I think kids of all ages will enjoy it!

If you’d like more information about Jennifer L. Holm and her amazing books (including the insanely popular Babymouse series), visit http://www.jenniferholm.com/.  Happy reading!

Corsets & Clockwork

With books like Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan and Cassandra Clare’s Clockwork Angel, steampunk has arrived in YA literature.  (If you don’t know what steampunk is, you really need to do some research.  It’s pretty cool.)  The combinations of historical fiction, fantasy, romance, and science fiction make for some interesting, brilliant stories that engage the imagination.  Many of these tales give readers the feel of stepping into a music box.  It’s a magical world full alternate realities and sepia-toned dreams.  My latest read, Corsets & Clockwork, is a collection of thirteen steampunk romances, and several of the authors featured in this anthology are among my favorites (particularly Kiersten White, aka The Funniest Woman Ever).  This is a great book for those who would like an introduction into the steampunk world or for those who already love these types of books.

Most of the stories in this collection are the very definition of steampunk.  They take place in the Victorian Era; there are automatons, clockwork, and steam-powered vessels; there are certain magical elements at work; and they provide alternate views of actual events.  There are appearances by such notables as Napoleon, Calamity Jane, Jesse James, and Jack the Ripper.  Some stories contain more interesting characters—a half-mermaid cannibal, an automaton playing Juliet in the theater, Siamese twins (and one of the twins has a vampire boyfriend), thieves, and lots of robots.  It’s a good time.

Teen and adult readers, especially females, will find something to enjoy in this  anthology.  Were there some stories that were less than stellar?  Absolutely.  In fact, there was one—and I won’t say which one—that left me completely baffled.  I still have no idea what was going on in that story.  At the same time, there were a few stories that I think could have potential as novels if things were fleshed out a bit.  Three of my favorites in this collection were Wild Magic by Ann Aguirre, The Clockwork Corset by Adrienne Kress, and Tick, Tick, Boom by Kiersten White—who made steampunk even better when she added some explosives.

If you’re interested in giving steampunk a try, I strongly urge to you check out Corsets & Clockwork: 13 Steampunk Romances edited by Trisha Telep.  It’s a fantastic voyage, and you should really be along for the ride!

Bewitching Season

Well, I’ve finally finished Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle.  To be perfectly honest, I’ve been trying to finish this book for about two months.  It’s not a book I would generally pick up, so I wasn’t really motivated to finish it.  (I finally did because it’s nominated for my state’s young adult book award for next year.)  While it took an exceedingly long time to get interested in this book, once I got about halfway through, I couldn’t wait to finish it.  The action really picks up in the middle, and I could finally say that I was invested in the story.

Persephone and Penelope are about to be launched on London society.  The year is 1837, and the twin sisters are preparing for their first London season.  These aren’t two ordinary sisters, though.  They are witches.  For years, they’ve been training with their governess, Miss Allardyce, who not only teaches them writing and math but also how to use and control their magical gifts.

As the season is set to begin, however, Miss Allardyce goes missing.  Persy and Pen have no idea where to find her.  The two sisters must also deal with unbelievably tedious dress fittings (at least, I found them to be tedious), a nosy little brother, and the inevitable husband hunting of the season.  Persy wants little or nothing to do with the season and would love to devote all of her time to finding her missing governess, but her plans are complicated when she catches the eyes of two potential suitors.

As events unfold, Persy and Pen learn of a foul plot to control the Princess Victoria, heir to the throne, and their missing governess is somehow involved.  Can they thwart this evil plan while maintaining their decorum in London’s most prestigious ballrooms?  Is this even possible?  And how can Persy concentrate on rescuing Miss Allardyce when she’s trying to decide who she should marry or if she should wed at all?  Read Bewitching Season to learn how truly magical Victorian London can be.

While I admit that it took me forever to finally finish this book, I do plan to check out the sequel, Betraying Season, soon.  Now that I’ve read Persy’s story, I’m eager to see how things develop for her sister Pen.

The Smile

What is the most famous smile in the world?  Only one comes to mind–the Mona Lisa.  I think it’s reasonably fair to assume that most people know what this painting looks like, but no one really knows the story behind it.  Leonardo da Vinci never put a date or name on this painting, so much of what we know about the piece is pure speculation.  In Donna Jo Napoli’s The Smile, speculation goes a step further.  Napoli takes what she knows about the history of Florence, Italy, and interweaves these events into an entirely plausible story about the girl who was the inspiration/model for one of the most renowned paintings the world has ever seen.

Elisabetta is a young girl of noble birth growing up in Florence, Italy.  She knows that she will one day be betrothed to one of the nobles in the city.  Her greatest hope is to marry a young man she truly loves.  One day, a friend of her father’s, local artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, introduces Elisabetta to young Giuliano de Medici, a son of the most powerful family in Florence, and she feels that she has at last found the love of her life.  Giuliano calls her Monna Lisa and professes his love for her.  Fate, though, can be cruel, and a series of events take place that seem to conspire to keep these two young people apart.  The Medici family is soon reviled in Florence and is exiled.

Elisabetta does not know how to cope in this new and terrifying world.  War threatens constantly.  She rarely hears from Giuliano, and she does not where to turn.  Is their love doomed before it even has a chance to begin?  How can she keep her smile, the thing Giuliano first loved about her, when the life she knew seems to be crumbling before her eyes?  Read Donna Jo Napoli’s The Smile to find out what could have happened to the girl behind the world’s most famous smile.

I truly enjoyed this book, especially since I was able to see the da Vinci exhibit at the High Museum in Atlanta just last week.  As I was reading, I was able to say to myself, “I’ve seen those pieces,” when the characters were talking about da Vinci’s sketches of horses or other figures.  Although I’ve never actually seen the Mona Lisa, I would love to someday.   I would also like to visit Florence to really experience the city in which most of this book’s events take place.

I think The Smile would be an excellent book for any reader interested in art and the possible stories behind the masterpieces.

Flygirl

In Sherri L. Smith’s Flygirl, readers are introduced to the Women Airforce Service Pilots, a group of female pilots that served during World War II.  Ida Mae Jones is determined to become one of these pilots.  Only when she’s in the air does she feel truly free.  There’s one major problem, though.  WASP doesn’t accept African American pilots.  Ida Mae is determined that this will not stop her, and she decides to “pass” as a white woman in her quest to become a pilot.

Ida Mae, or Jonesy as her new friends call her, does just what she set out to do.  She becomes a pilot in the service of the U.S. Army.  She feels like she’s really doing something to help the war effort, but she is torn because she must hide her true self in order to do what she loves.  She can never tell anyone that she’s just pretending to be white.  If anyone finds out, her entire future is over, and her very life could be in jeopardy.  Will she ever get to really be herself, or will she spend the rest of her life hiding?  Can she ever be free outside of an airplane?  Read Flygirl to find out.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed Flygirl.  I’m not usually a fan of historical fiction, but this book captivated me from the very beginning.  (I am a feminist, so that might help to explain it.)  I didn’t know much about the female pilots during WWII, so this story enlightened me a bit.  While reading, I was mad at the injustices that Ida Mae endured, both as a woman and as an African American, just so she could do what she was born to do.  I can almost understand pretending to be someone you’re not so that you can do what you love.  Almost.  I honestly don’t know if I could give up my family or my identity for anything, but I’ve never been put in that situation, so I don’t really know what I would do.

I think Flygirl would be excellent supplemental reading for social studies classes studying World War II.  This would be an excellent resource to introduce students to the role of women in the war effort.  Most people have heard of Rosie the Riveter, but this book may give them another glimpse of how women sacrificed and made military contributions during World War II.