tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367072160701660262024-02-20T05:01:48.155-08:00Tween LiteratureTween book reviews, a look at those books for ages 10-14.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-64106371887242367902008-04-21T16:50:00.001-07:002008-04-21T16:51:00.548-07:00OLA/WLA ThanksThanks to everyone who attended our program. The energy was great, I had a lot of fun.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-80174673243146070722008-04-13T14:43:00.000-07:002008-04-13T14:47:34.453-07:00Conference Hand-OutReading B’Tween the Lines: Tween Literature<br /><br />OLA/WLA Conference in Vancouver, WA<br />April 17, 2008<br /><br />Presented by Jennifer Fenton and Sarah Evans<br /><br />Recent Tween Books:<br />*Abbot, Tony. <a href="http://tweenlit.blogspot.com/2008/01/firegirl-by-tony-abbott.html">Firegirl. </a><br />Avi. Traitors’ Gate.<br />*Bagert, Brod. Hormone Jungle: Coming of Age in Middle School.<br />*Bateson, Catherine.The Boyfriend Rules of Good Behavior.<br />Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks.<br />*Cohn, Rachel. Two Steps Forward.<br />*Curtis, Christopher Paul. Elijah of Buxton.<br />Dunmore, Helen. Ingo.<br />Dunmore, Helen. Tide Knot.*Friesner, Esther. Nobody’s Princess.<br />*Gaiman, Neil. M is For Magic.<br />Giff, Patricia Reilly. <a href="http://tweenlit.blogspot.com/2008/01/house-of-tailors.html">A House of Tailors</a>.<br />*Guzman, Michael. <a href="http://tweenlit.blogspot.com/2008/03/finding-stinko.html">Finding Stinko</a>.<br />Hale, Shannon. Book of a Thousand Days.<br />Harrington, Jane. <a href="http://tweenlit.blogspot.com/2007/12/four-things-my-geeky-jock-of-best.html">Four Things My Geeky-Jock-of-a-Best-Friend Must Do</a> in Europe.<br />Hemphill, Helen. Runaround.<br />*Homes, Elizabeth. Pretty Is.<br />*Jones, Kimberly K. <a href="http://tweenlit.blogspot.com/2008/01/sand-dollar-summer-by-kimberly-k-jones.html">Sand Dollar Summer. </a><br /><a name="5213602604525991798"></a>*Jocelyn, Marthe. How It Happened in Peach Hill.<br />*Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Greg Heffley’s Journal.<br />*Korman, Gordon. <a href="http://tweenlit.blogspot.com/2007/12/schooled-by-gordon-korman.html">Schooled. </a><br />Korman, Gordon. Swindle.<br />*Landy, Derek. Skullduggery Pleasant.<br />*Larson, Kirby. Hattie Big Sky.<br />*Lasky, Kathryn. The Last Girls of Pompeii.<br />*Lord, Cynthia. Rules.<br /><a name="8901186930169641200"></a><a name="2830495554260275794"></a>*O’Connor, Barbara. How to Steal a Dog.<br />*Paulson, Gary. Lawn Boy<br />Primavera, Elise. The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls.<br />*Schlitz, Laura Amy. Drowned Maiden’s Hair: A Melodrama.<br />*Schlitz, Laura Amy. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village.<br />Schmidt, Gary. The Wednesday Wars.<br />*Schrag, Ariel (editor). Stuck in the Middle: 17 Comics from an Unpleasant Age.Schrag<br />*Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret.<br />*Spinelli, Jerry. Love, Stargirl.<br />St. Anthony, Jane. The Summer Sherman Loved Me.<br />*Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Mysterious Benedict Society.<br />Taylor, Laini. Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer.<br />Wilson, Jacqueline. <a href="http://tweenlit.blogspot.com/2008/02/candyfloss.html">Candyfloss</a>. *booktalked title<br /><br />Tween Series:<br />Allende, Isabel. City of the Beasts.<br />Alexander, Lloyd. The Chronicles of Prydain.<br />Anderson, Jodi Lynn. May Bird Trilogy.<br />Barry, Dave. Peter and the Starcatchers.Bryant, Annie. Beacon Street Girls.<br />*Buckley, Michael. Grimm Sisters.<br />Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl.<br />Collins, Suzanne. Gregor the Overlander.<br />Cooper, Susan. The Dark is Rising Sequence.<br />Corder, Zizou. Lionboy.<br />D’Lacey, Chris. The Fire Within.<br />Duane, Diane. Young Wizards.DuPrau, Jeanne. The City of Ember.<br />Flanagan, John. Ranger’s Apprentice.<br />Funke, Cornelia. Inkheart.<br />Harrison, Lisi. The Clique.<br />Horowitz, Anthony. Alex Rider.<br />Hunter, Erin. Warriors.Jacques, Brian. Redwall.Jacques, Brian. Outcasts of the Flying Dutchman.Kerr, P.B. Children of the Lamp.Lewis, C.S. Chronicles of Narnia.Machale, D.J. Pendragon.Nimmo, Jenny. Charlie Bone.<br />Nix, Garth. Keys to the Kingdom.Paolini, Christopher. Inheritance.<br />Pierce, Tamora. Song of the Lioness.<br />Pratchett, Terry. Johnny Maxwell Trilogy.Pullman, Philip. His Dark Materials.<br />Riordan, Rick. Percy Jackson and the Olympians.<br />Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter.<br />Snicket, Lemony. Series of Unfortunate Events.<br />*Stone, Jeff. The Five Ancestors.<br />Stroud, Jonathan. The Bartimaeus Trilogy.<br />Walden, Mark. H.I.V.E.: Higher-Institute-of-Villainous-Education.<br /><br />Classic/Older Tween Titles:<br />Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women.<br />Almond, David. Skellig.<br />Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever 1793.<br />Avi. Crispin: the Cross of Lead.<br />Bauer, Joan. Squashed.<br />Bloor, Edward. Tangerine.Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Does My Shirts.Clements, Andrew. Frindle.<br />Creech, Sharon. Walk Two Moons.<br />Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy.<br />Cushman, Karen. Catherine, Called Birdy.<br />Fleischman, Sid. Seedfolks.<br />Funke, Cornelia. The Thief Lord.<br />Gaiman, Neil. Coraline.<br />Hesse, Karen. Out of the Dust.<br />Hiaasen, Carl. Hoot.<br />Holm, Jennifer. Boston Jane.<br />Kadahota, Cynthia. Kira-Kira.Konigsburg, E.L. The View From Saturday.<br />L’Engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle in Time.<br />Levine, Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted.<br />McKinley, Robin. The Hero and the Crown.<br />Lowry, Lois. The Giver.<br />O’Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins.<br />Park, Linda Sue. A Single Shard.<br />Paterson, Katherine. Jacob Have I Loved.<br />Paterson, Katherine. Lyddie.<br />Patron, Susan. Higher Power of Lucky.Paulson, Gary. Hatchet.<br />Peck, Richard. A Year Down Yonder.<br />Raskin, Ellen. The Westing Game.Reiche, Dietlof. Ghost Ship.<br />Sachar, Louis. Holes.<br />Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl.<br />Staples, Suzanne Fisher. Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind.Tolkien, J.R. Hobbit.<br />Voight, Cynthia. Homecoming.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-63485066510974578932008-03-24T16:41:00.000-07:002008-03-24T16:44:22.035-07:00Finding StinkoBy Michael Guzman (a Seattle area author)<br /><br />12 year old Newboy is a foster child on the run. When he finds Stinko, a beat up dummy, in the trash Newboy discovers that he has a voice only through Stinko. A sad, but uplifting story.<br /><br />I enjoyed this little novel and would recommend it to younger tweens, ages 9-12.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-9679146063013015132008-03-16T21:12:00.000-07:002008-03-16T21:32:47.112-07:00So what is a tween anyway?Well, you can come to our WLA/OLA conference session and find out the answer to that question! But in the meantime, here are two articles that help fill you in.<br /><br />Much of the interest around making tweens a separate category comes from the marketing world. <a href="http://www.admapmagazine.com/pdfs/myers.pdf">Read here</a> for advertising guru James Myers' summary of what tweens are and how they are unique in today's culture.<br /><br />To understand the specific developmental characteristics that define the needs and interests of this age group, <a href="http://www.nmsa.org/Research/ResearchSummaries/DevelopmentalCharacteristics/tabid/1414/Default.aspx">read this</a> research summary from the educators at the National Middle School Association.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-52136026045259917982008-02-13T15:20:00.000-08:002008-02-13T15:21:48.505-08:00CandyflossAnother tweener from Jacqueline Wilson, I had a difficult time getting hooked into this one. Typical girl coming of age story British style.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-89011869301696412002008-02-12T15:39:00.000-08:002008-02-12T15:41:54.997-08:00How It Happened in Peach Hill by Marthe JocelynGreat tween novel for older tweens. This would pair nicely with A Drowned Maiden's Hair. Annie and her mother move around performing psychic readings for desperate people. Annie plays the village idiot in order to gain information for her mother and one day Annie decides she's had enough. An interesting coming of age story. For ages 11-14.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-28304955542602757942008-02-12T15:34:00.002-08:002008-02-12T15:36:25.349-08:00Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon HaleThis is a reworked fairytale for tween girls. Pleasant, nothing too deep~but likely to attract girls 11-14.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-75473478337313115612008-01-23T19:46:00.000-08:002008-04-13T14:59:57.095-07:00Firegirl by Tony AbbottShort, compelling novel about a burned girl who touches the lives of her classmates.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-4624762726398329352008-01-15T16:15:00.000-08:002008-01-15T16:22:02.052-08:00A House of TailorsSmall novel by Patricia Reilly Giff about a young German girl in the 1870s who comes to America. She thinks that she is escaping a life of sewing, but in fact finds that she must sew in America as well.<br /><br />Quick read. I enjoyed it, although it is almost more of a novella.<br /><br />Ages 10-14, true tween title.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-70790976962656066762008-01-13T15:08:00.000-08:002008-01-13T15:16:04.487-08:00Sand Dollar Summer by Kimberly K. JonesThis first novel is a lovely gem. A quiet story for younger tweens. Lise is 12 years old and her life changes in a moment when her mother (a strong single mom) is injured in a car accident. Lise and her 5 year old brother accompany her mother to an island in Maine.<br /><br />Never having seen the ocean before, Lise is afraid of the waves and water. She strikes up a friendship with an elderly Native American man.<br /><br />This summer at the beach novel is an emotional journey for Lise and her family. Hating the island and the sea turns into a new found respect and love for the sea by summer's end after a harrowing experience.<br /><br />For children ages 10-14.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-20183690705098731532007-12-31T15:31:00.000-08:002007-12-31T15:35:49.300-08:00Four Things My Geeky-Jock-of-a-Best-Friend Must Do in EuropeLong title this one! Jane Harrington is the author and this is a simple little story about at tween girl on a cruise with her mother. Brady's best friend, Delia, told her that she must do four things (and she wrote them on Brady's hands and arms.)<br /><br />Brady writes a series of letters to Delia while on a Mediterranean cruise with her mom. Brady makes new friends and sees a few new countries.<br /><br />Light and humerous, there's not much depth here, but it is an ok read.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-19720227009150135872007-12-08T15:32:00.000-08:002007-12-08T15:39:00.677-08:00Schooled by Gordon Korman<span style="color:#cc0000;">One of the best tween books I've read in a long time. Sort of like Love, Stargirl in that the main character is quirky and marches to a very different drum.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Capricorn (Cap) has spent his whole life at <em>Garland </em>(a commune left over from the 1960s) and then one day his grandmother, Rain, falls out of a tree and life is never again the same.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Cap is placed with a temporary foster family and goes to public school (8th grade) for the first time.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Public school is another world to Cap and he is like a visitor from another planet. The popular kids make Cap a target, but he doesn't react quite the way they expect. Voted 8th Grade President as a traditional school joke~Cap believes everything he is told including that he must learn all 1100 student names.</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">I enjoyed this quick read and would recommend it readers ages 10-14. </span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span>Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-51557114922849307052007-12-03T16:39:00.000-08:002007-12-03T16:40:46.300-08:00Currently Reading The Castle CoronaI'm almost done reading Sharon Creech's new novel. This doesn't actually seem to be a tween book. I think it is pretty solidly Juvenile.Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-47525830486937937402007-11-07T19:30:00.000-08:002007-11-07T19:41:22.121-08:00Other Tween Titles Without Reviews<span style="color:#990000;">Here are tween books or series. The ones with * are titles that I have read (or at least attempted to read.) I may review some of these as time permits. I loved the <strong><em>Gregor</em></strong> series, although it is quite young so just barely qualifies as tween ;-)</span><br /><span style="color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#990000;">I thought that <strong><em>Fever 1793 </em></strong>and <strong><em>Artemis Fowl </em></strong>were really teen novels, but I guess they do work for the older tweens. </span><br /><span style="color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Some of these such as <strong><em>Hatchet, The Giver, Harry Potter, Holes, The Golden Compass, </em></strong>and <strong><em>Inkheart</em></strong> are true tweeners and classics of children's and young adult literature. </span><br /><span style="color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#990000;">*The Penderwicks<br />The City of Ember<br />*Grimm Sisters<br />Harry Potter<br />Percy Jackson and the Olympians<br />*The Clique<br />*Walk Two Moons<br />*Fever 1793<br />*The Giver<br />*Hatchet<br />*Holes<br />Peter and the Starcatchers<br />Alex Rider<br />Pendragon<br />*Golden Compass<br />*The Westing Game<br />*Artemis Fowl<br />Eragon<br />Eldest<br />*Hobbit<br />Hoot<br />*Stargirl<br />*From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler<br />*Inkheart<br />Inkspell<br />*Higher Power of Lucky<br />*Princess Academy<br />*Bud, Not Buddy<br />*Gregor the Overlander<br />Flush<br />*Frindle<br />Tangerine<br />The Shakespeare Stealer<br />The Mysterious Benedict Society<br />*Lemony Snicket<br />*Dragonology<br />*Pirateology<br />Al Capone Does My Shirts<br />Charlie Bone<br />Warriors<br />Redwall<br />Outcasts of the Flying Dutchman<br />*Children of the Lamp<br />*Chronicles of Narnia<br />Ranger’s Apprentice<br />*Artemis Fowl<br /></span>Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-636707216070166026.post-74504505813072695852007-11-07T13:48:00.000-08:002007-11-07T22:41:45.800-08:00First Round of Book Reviews from Jennifer<span style="color:#ff0000;">In preparation for our upcoming program at the OLA/WLA (Oregon and Washington Library) Conference in April, I have been reading tween books. This blog is to help Sarah and myself keep track of what we've read and what we might wish to booktalk. I'm a Children's Librarian in Snohomish County and have enjoyed reading books for tweens (ages 10-14) these past few months. Here are a few of the books I've read.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663366;"><em><strong></strong></em></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663366;"><em><strong>The Last Girls of Pompeii</strong></em> by Kathryn Lasky<br />When Mt. Vesuvius erupts in Pompeii in the summer of A.D. 79, wealthy Julia and orphan Mitka find their lives altered forever. Excellent quick historical fiction read. The slave girl is to be sold to an “old” man, but this may go over the head of younger tweens. I really enjoyed this book. Good, solid historical fiction for ages 10-14.<br /><br /><strong><em>Runaround</em></strong> by Helen Hemphill<br />Eleven-year-old Sassy has her eye on her handsome neighbor, Boon, and she needs more information about love. Only no one will talk to her about it, and her sister sets her up for an embarrassing moment. Mild profanity, sometimes crude. Unlikeable characters. I didn't really like this book, but it did make an impression. Would likely appeal to middle school girls.<br /><br /><strong><em>The Boyfriend Rules of Good Behavior</em></strong> by Catherine Bateson<br />All the changes in her life have almost overwhelmed Millie, but she finds she can handle it all when she finds out what's really important. An Australian import. Good portrayal of a tween caught in between. I enjoyed this quick tween read, ages 10-14.<br /><br /><em><strong>Two Steps Forward</strong></em> by Rachel Cohn<br />Fourteen-year-old Annabel's extended family gathers in Los Angeles for several weeks over the summer where she must contend with step- and half- sisters and brothers and her own mother's failing second marriage. This is a sequel (which I have not read), and I enjoyed this book on its own. Recommended for tweens ages 10-14.<br /><br /><strong><em>Rules</em></strong> by Cynthia Lord<br />Catherine, in an attempt to better interact with her autistic brother, devises a set of rules to regulate his behavior. It is only after meeting another autistic boy at her brother's clinic that she realizes her rules may be flawed. This is a lovely little book, it really needs to be hand sold since the topic is unlikely to attract readers right away. Very well written. For younger tweens, ages 9-12.<br /><br /><strong><em>Pretty Is</em></strong> by Elizabeth Holmes<br />Erin is entering middle school after summer break and worries that she will be considered a dork like her big sister Monica. Erin cuts off a former friend’s hair in an act of desperation. I wasn't sure if I'd like this novel, and was pleasantly surprised. It was a quick read and deals well with issues of peer pressure and moving from elementary to middle school. For the younger tweens, ages 9-12.<br /><br /><strong><em>Love, Stargirl</em></strong> by Jerry Spinelli<br />Stargirl returns meeting a new cast of characters including 5 year old Dootsie and a woman who is afraid to leave her house. I liked this novel even better than <strong><em>Stargirl</em></strong> and found it to be appropriate for tweens as well as teens. Stargirl returns better than ever and the friendships in this book are well developed and diverse. A lovely read for tweens ages 10 and up.<br /><br /><strong><em>Drowned Maiden’s Hair: A Melodrama</em></strong> by Laura Amy Schlitz<br />Set in the early twentieth century, this first novel tells the classic foundling story with mounting melodrama and multiple twists and turns. Eleven-year-old Maud is always in trouble in the orphan asylum, so she's delighted when she's adopted by the three elderly Hawthorne sisters. Suddenly she has the luxury of new clothes, running water, and good food. This is a great little story for younger tweens as Maud discovers what it means to be true to herself and that loyalty can't be blind. Ages 9-12.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663366;"><br /><strong><em>The Invention of Hugo Cabret</em></strong> by Brian Selznick<br />I was truly prepared to hate this book since I am skeptical of books promoted by celebrities and pseudo-celebs. Instead I was blown away, I read it quickly and shared it with my husband who pored over the artwork. The format is unusual, it is told with words and pictures. It is not a picture book or graphic novel, but does have similar elements. It is almost like watching a movie. This book also provides a lead in to interest in various subjects including the history of movies and automatons. All ages!</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663366;"><br /><strong><em>Hattie Big Sky</em></strong> by Kirby Larson<br />Hattie is looking for a place to belong after being shuffled from family to family since her parents’ deaths. She inherits a claim from her uncle and sets out to “prove her claim” while learning the true meaning of family. The year is 1918 and anti-German sentiment is strong. Powerful, heartbreaking and heartwarming novel. Kirby earned a Newbery honor for this gem of a novel. Hattie is an unforgettable character and her story truly resonates. The World War I setting certainly parallels World War II and today's world, some things never change. Great tween book for ages 10-16.<br /><br /><strong><em>How to Steal a Dog</em></strong> by Barbara O’Connor<br />One day Georgina has a home, a best friend, and plenty to eat. The next, she's living in a car with her mother and brother. Carrying on as usual isn't possible: washing up in a restaurant bathroom, doing homework by flashlight, losing her friend. Mom works two jobs, but it's not enough, so impatient Georgina decides to steal a dog, hoping to collect a reward. She picks her furry victim and makes careful plans; but she doesn't count on her conscience. Recommended for younger tweens, ages 9-12.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663366;"><br /><strong><em>Nobody’s Princess</em></strong> by Esther Friesner<br />Helen of Troy tells her story as it has never been told before. Helen wants to be a warrior like her brothers and doesn’t let anything stop her from following her heart. This volume in the series covers Helen’s childhood up until about the age of 14. A fun, fast historical read for older tweens, ages 10-16.</span>Tween Librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07848603203860013355noreply@blogger.com0