Module 4 Book Reviews

 

Medina, M. (2016). Burn Baby Burn. Candlewick Press. ISBN: 978-0-7636-7467-0

Plot Summary

Nora is almost 18 and almost free of her chaotic family. It’s 1977 and New York CIty is a mess. Following a freezing winter comes a boiling heat wave and a serial killer who favors brunettes and couples in cars. Nora is a senior in high school and is just finishing up the school year. She longs to turn 18 and move out on her own to escape her brother who becomes more and more violent by the day. Her mother always makes excuses for him and struggles to keep food on the table and rent paid. When fires start erupting all over the city Nora begins to see an even darker side to her brother. Nora faces her brother, a heatwave, and the threat of a serial killer everyday when all she wants to do is dance with her best friend Kathleen and be free.

Analysis

        This novel gives an accurate depiction of life as a teenager in Brooklyn in 1977. The author captures the moment in history and allows the reader to be transported into that time and place. “Numerous references to New York’s budget crisis, arson wave, and “Son of Sam” newspaper stories deliberately ground the story in a real time and place, while an ample sprinkling of seventies disco and funk song references creates a brighter soundtrack for the dreams and romance of teenage girls, hinting at a hopeful future for Nora.” —The Horn Book (starred review). Medina also includes aspects of Nora’s life that readers can relate to. The unknown after graduating from high school, teenage love, and friendships. She also gives a voice to domestic violence through the character of Hector, Nora’s brother. Hector is not only abusive to Nora but to her mother as well. Her mother often makes excuses for Hector and wants Nora to as well. Nora is surrounded by the feminist movement all around her and struggles to decide what is right for her life. “Her feelings are believably complicated...While Nora’s milieu may be different, contemporary readers will respond to her doubt about the world’s and her own possibilities, and they’ll be glad to see her bravely moving forward nonetheless.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.

Reviews

Historical fiction is sometimes a hard sell for contemporary teens; however, Medina’s novel entices readers by developing realistic characters and a strong plot framed by the turbulence of 1977 in NYC. At its heart, this is a novel about growing up. Nora struggles to find her identity outside of her family and make choices that will impact her future. There is a strong theme of feminism and redefining a woman’s role during that time in history. Nora’s outlook on relationships and life in general is frank but refreshingly honest...this novel is a strong choice for its message, characters, and historical perspective. —VOYA

Rooted firmly in historical events, Medina's latest offers up a uniquely authentic slice-of-life experience set against a hazy, hot, and dangerous NYC backdrop. Rocky and Donna Summer and the thumping beats of disco, as well as other references from the time, capture the era, while break-ins, fires, shootings, and the infamous blackout bring a harrowing sense of danger and intensity . . . An important story of one of New York City's most dangerous times. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Kirkus Prize Finalist

American Library Association Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Other books by Meg Medina include: The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind and Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. 

Donnelly, J. (2010). Revolution. Random House Children’s Books. ISBN: 978–385-73763-0. 

Plot Summary

        Andi has had a traumatic last few years following the sudden death of her younger brother. Her life is a mess, she is failing out of school and she is having to care for her mother who is struggling with her grief. Andi herself has developed a dangerous drug habit to cope with her brother’s death. Then her estranged father swoops in and takes her to Paris with him on a work trip in order to give Andi’s mother time to recover in a mental hospital. While in Paris Andi discovers a secret diary hidden in an old guitar of her fathers friend, a French scholar. Her father is an award winning scientist who is working on identifying an old heart believed to be the dauphin of France. After finding the diary, Andi starts to read it and discovers many similarities between herself and the owner of the diary Alex, who is telling her story from the 18th century during the time of the French Revolution. Andi becomes more and more invested in the diary and its owner as she reads ghosts seem to be coming right out from the pages into her already chaotic life.

Analysis

        This beautifully written story compares the lives of two girls the same age but in two different centuries. Andi and Alex have similar personalities and want to help the little boys in their lives. In this story the reader goes back and forth between contemporary and historical to see each girl try to make sense of the crumbling world around them. “This beautiful and complicated story effortlessly blends history, romance, music and tragedy into a must-read about two girls who connect across centuries.” -Justine Magazine. This story includes struggling with grief and drug abuse. The author shows Andi trying to use the drugs to push away her grief instead of dealing with it head on. This leads Andi into a downward spiral and the lines between reality and fiction are blurred. The author also includes many musical references with the storyline of Andi’s school research project on a composer from the eighteenth century. “While teens may search in vain for the music of the apparently fictional Malherbeau, many will have their interest piqued by the connections Donnelly makes between classical musicians and modern artists from Led Zeppelin to Radiohead.” -School Library Journal, Starred. This novel has everything that a teen could ask for romance, music, history, and the realistic problems teens today must deal with.

Reviews

  "Before the book is done ... we'll have taken a long strange trip of our own in Andi's company: back and forth between present-tense Andi and past-tense Alexandrine, between contemporary Paris and the filthy, terrorized streets of Robespierre's day, and deep into the clammy, bone-filled catacombs that underlie the city and where, in this ... memorable novel, past and present connect in a frightening, disorienting fashion." -The Wall Street Journal

[STAR] “Andi Alpers, a 17-year-old music lover, is about to be expelled from her elite private school. Despite her brilliance, she has not been able to focus on anything except music since the death of her younger brother, which pushed the difficulties in her family to the breaking point. She resists accompanying her work-obsessed father to Paris, especially after he places her mentally fragile mother in a hospital, but once there works in earnest on her senior thesis about an 18th-century French musician. But when she finds the 200-year-old diary of another teen, Alexandrine Paradis, she is plunged into the chaos of the French Revolution. Soon, Alex’s life and struggles become as real and as painful for Andi as her own troubled life. Printz Honor winner Donnelly combines compelling historical fiction with a frank contemporary story. Andi is brilliantly realized, complete and complex. The novel is rich with detail, and both the Brooklyn and Paris settings provide important grounding for the haunting and beautifully told story.” -Kirkus Reviews, Starred

Winner 2011- Young Adult Book of the Year

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book

ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults

Other books by Jennifer Donnelly include: The Tea Rose, Stepsister, and A Northern Light. 

Sepetys, R. (2011). Between Shades of Gray. Philomel Books. ISBN: 978-0-399-25412-3

Plot Summary

        This book is about a girl named Lina who one night is taken with her mother and brother from their home in Lithuania by Soviet police. Lina’s father was taken from their family and is sent to a prison camp in Siberia. Lina is a strong girl and fights to keep what is left of her family together while living in a Siberian work camp. Here she meets a boy and forms strong friendships with the people around her. She is a talented artist and starts to document the atrocities that she encounters through her drawings. Through her secret drawings Lina tries to communicate with her father. Lina is in the fight for her and her family's lives.

Analysis

        This novel focuses on WWII and Russia’s invasion of Lithuania. Included in the book are two maps depicting the journey that Lina and her family went on in order to get to the prison camps. Lina’s story gives a voice to the forgotten children of war and shows what it is like to grow up fighting for your life. “Between Shades of Gray is a story of astonishing force. I feel grateful for a writer like Ruta Sepetys who bravely tells the hard story of what happens to the innocent when world leaders and their minions choose hate and oppression. Beautiful and unforgettable.”--Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Newbery Honor–winning author of Hitler Youth. This novel also sheds some light on the atrocities that Stalin inflicted on his people and the countries that he invaded. Many historical facts were weaved into this story to give the reader a small picture of what life was like in the work camps. “Stalin deported and murdered millions, but he could not destroy the seeds of memory, compassion, and art that they left behind. From those seeds, Ruta Septeys has crafted a brilliant story of love and survival that will keep their memory alive for generations to come.”--Laurie Halse Anderson, bestselling author of Speak and Wintergirls. This book is a must read for any student learning about WWII or war and its effects. This book gives the reader empathy for the trials innocent people who are stuck in the middle of a war zone must go through.

Reviews

“In terrifying detail, Ruta Sepetys re-creates World War II coming of age all too timely today. Between Shades of Gray is a document long overdue.”--Richard Peck, Newbery Award–winning author of A Year Down Yonder

“Beautifully written and researched, it captures the devastation of war while celebrating the will to survive.”--Family Circle

“An engrossing and poignant story of the fortitude of the human spirit in a dark time in Lithuanian history.”--Associated Press

New York Times Notable Book

A Carnegie Medal nominee

A William C. Morris Award finalist

Other books by Ruta Sepetys include: I Must Betray You, Out of the Easy, and The Fountains of Silence. 

Module 3 Book Reviews

 

Yoon, N. (2015). Everything, Everything. Delacorte Press.  ISBN: 978-0-553-49665-9

Plot Summary

        Madeline suffers from a rare disease, she is basically allergic to the world around her. Therefore she is forced to live, and stay, in the sterile environment of her home. The only two people that she ever sees are her mother and her nurse Carla. One day new neighbors move in next door and she sets her eyes on a mysterious and cute boy. Madeline strikes up an unlikely relationship with the boy next door, Ollie. This leads her to learn more about herself and what she wants out of her life. The twist at the end will leave readers speechless.

Analysis

        This novel is a wonderful story of young love. The characters are diverse and true-to-life. This author tells the story through vignettes, diary entries, illustrations, emails, and IMs. This adds interest to the story and makes it a quick, can’t put it down, type of read. The reader gets to peek into two complicated family situations. Ollie has a depressed sister, an abused mother, and an alcoholic father. He finds solace in his relationship with Madeline. Madeline also has a complicated family. Her father and brother passed away in a car accident when she was very little and she now lives trapped in a bubble with her overreacting mother. In this story the reader sees Madeline grow up before our very eyes as she uncovers her past. This leads Madeline to make tough choices about how she wants to live her life and who she wants to live it with. "This heartwarming story transcends the ordinary by exploring the hopes, dreams, and inherent risks of love in all of its forms." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review. The story has several twists and turns with a great ending. This is a great read for anyone who loves a good romance. This book was also made into a movie for readers to enjoy.

Reviews

"This extraordinary first novel about love so strong it might kill us is too good to feel like a debut. Tender, creative, beautifully written, and with a great twist, Everything, Everything is one of the best books I've read this year." --Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Leaving Time

“Readers will root for the precocious Maddy as she falls hard for the boy next door . . .  teens in search of a swoonworthy read will devour.”--Booklist

New York Times Bestseller

Movie Trailer 

Other books by Nicola Yoon include: The Sun is Also a Star, Instructions for Dancing, and Blackout: A Novel. 

Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska. Penguin Books. ISBN: 0-525-47506-0

Plot Summary

        Miles Halter decides to leave his boring life and attend his fathers alma mater, a boarding school in Alabama. Miles wants to explore his life and the “Great Perhaps”. Upon his arrival he meets his new roommate Chip Martin, the colonel, who brings him into a group of friends including the mysterious and beautiful Alaska. This group of friends quickly bond over pranks and Miles develops a deep crush for Alaska. After pulling off the best prank ever a tragedy occurs and leaves many questions behind. This leaves Miles, Pudge as he is called, and his friends asking questions and finding answers in unexpected places.

Analysis

        This story includes typical teenage life and the heartache of loss. There are also lessons to be learned such as living life to the fullest. This is explored through Miles’s character as he is looking for the “Great Perhaps”. This book is a quick read that sucks you in and keeps you entertained throughout. I also liked how the book was divided into the “before” and “after” which builds suspense for the reader. The author leaves nothing out about the life of Miles, told honestly about the thoughts and activities of a teenage boy. “What sings and soars in this gorgeously told tale is Green’s mastery of language and the sweet, rough edges of Pudge’s voice.” —Kirkus. This story will make you laugh and cry as well as question the mysteries of life. A great read that you cannot put down.

Reviews

“Funny, sad, inspiring, and always compelling.” —Bookpage

“Stunning conclusion . . . one worthy of a book this good.” —Philadelphia Inquirer

“Green…has a writer’s voice, so self-assured and honest that one is startled to learn that this novel is his first. The anticipated favorable comparisons to Holden Caufield are richly deserved in this highly recommended addition to young adult literature.”

— VOYA

Winner, 2006 Michael L. Printz Award Finalist\

2005 Los Angeles Times Book Prize

2006 Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults

Other books by John Green include: The Fault in Our Stars, Turtles All the Way Down, and Paper Towns. 

Thomas, A. (2017). The Hate U Give. Harper Collins. ISBN: 978-0-06-249853-3

Plot Summary

        Starr Carter lives in two different worlds: the poor black neighborhood that she lives in and the rich suburban school she goes to. Starr often feels like she needs to be two different people depending on where she is and who she is with. One terrible night Starr witnesses her childhood best friend Khalil get shot by a white police officer even though he was unarmed. The shooting becomes a major news headline and forces Starr to decide who she is and what or who she stands up for.

Analysis

        This story is beautifully written and heartbreakingly honest. This book allows you to see into the life of Starr and her typical teenage problems (boyfriend, mean-girl best friend, fitting in, etc.) but she also has the added complication of race and how that affects her daily life. Starr feels as though she has to act a certain way depending on where she is. This is a constant struggle for her but ultimately leads her to discover her true self. The title of the book is in reference to Tupac Shakur’s THUG LIFE philosophy which stands for The Hate U Give Little Infants F***** Everybody. Khalil explains its meaning to Starr on the night of his shooting telling her that it means when you treat kids poorly when they are young it comes back to get you when they are older. This book hits on topics of race and how society treats young boys of color and the Black Lives Matter movement with honesty and truth. “The Hate U Give is an important and timely novel that reflects the world today’s teens inhabit. Starr’s struggles create a complex character, and Thomas boldly tackles topics like racism, gangs, police violence, and interracial dating. This topical, necessary story is highly recommended for all libraries.” -- Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review). I found this book to be powerful and eye opening. This book speaks to students who know Starr’s life like their own and gives perspective to students who don’t. This book is a must read.

Reviews

“As we continue to fight the battle against police brutality and systemic racism in America, THE HATE U GIVE serves as a much needed literary ramrod. Absolutely riveting!” -- Jason Reynolds, bestselling coauthor of ALL AMERICAN BOYS

“With smooth but powerful prose delivered in Starr’s natural, emphatic voice, finely nuanced characters, and intricate and realistic relationship dynamics, this novel will have readers rooting for Starr and opening their hearts to her friends and family. This story is necessary. This story is important.” -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

#1 New York Times Bestseller

Coretta Scott King Honor

Michael L. Printz Honor

This book has also been made into a movie.  Movie Trailer 

Other books by Angie Thomas include: Blackout, Concrete Rose, and Find Your Voice.

Module 2 Book Reviews

 

Powell, P.H. (2017). Loving VS. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil 

Rights Case. Chronicle Books. ISBN: 978-1-4521-2590-9

Plot Summary

In 1955 two teenagers Richard and Mildred fell in love in the middle of racial tension and segregation. In Virgina it is against the law for two people of different races to be married and cohabitate. When they are discovered to have been married in Washington D.C. the Lovings are arrested and kicked out of their home state of Virginia. Separated from their families and yearning to go home they decide to fight for their right to be married and live where they want. Their fight lands them in the middle of a landmark Supreme Court case. This devoted and loving couple fights against discrimintaion and prevails in the end.

Analysis

This docu-novel is written in verse alternating in perspectives between Mildred and Richard. This allows the reader to understand the perspective of each of the characters during this time. The author also includes photographs and documents to give the reader some historical background about what was happening in Virginia and around the country during this time period. Scattered throughout the novel are illustrations by Shadra Strickland. Strickland used a style of the time period called visual journalism. This style is characterized by using a loose, impromptu style with an informal feeling. These beautiful illustrations capture the feeling of the time with their simple lines and muted colors. At the end of the novel you will find a timeline that tells the reader of the events going on around the country during this time. This story is beautifully written and gives the reader an idea of what this couple went through so that we could be free to marry and live with whomever we love.

Reviews

"Presented through the alternating voices of Mildred and Richard Loving, the reader enters the lives of two people in a tight-knit community who fall in love and are forced to leave the world they have known. We grow up with them and understand their quiet strength. Patricia Hruby Powell sets the Loving's story within the historical context of the Civil Rights Movement thereby allowing readers to gain a greater understanding of the fight for equal rights, at both the personal and societal level." -Jennifer Kelley Reed, Teacher Librarian and blogger at Reederama

"This stunning book is a must-purchase for the simple pleasure of its poetry, its genuine and moving story, and its respectful consideration of this monumental case on its 50th anniversary."--School Library Connection

Other books by Patricia Hruby Powell include: Lift as You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker, Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker, and Struttin’ with Some Barbecue: Lil Hardin Armstrong Becomes the First Lady of Jazz. 

Schneemann, K., & Williams, L. (2020). Go with the Flow. First Second. ISBN 978-1-250-30572-5

Plot Summary

This story is about four girls who are fed up with the machines in the girls bathrooms always being out of menstrual supplies.  In their school periods are a taboo topic that no one will discuss.  How can the boys football team get new uniforms and the girls can’t get a tampon or pad?  When a new student is in need of a pad the girls become aware of the dire situation for supplies.  Then through research they discover how girls are treated around the world when they have their periods and the injustice some girls face.  Together Abby, Brit, Christine, and Sasha bond together to make a change for girls everywhere.  

Analysis

This story is told in graphic novel format.  The artwork is done in tones of red, fitting for the subject matter.  The characters in this story are diverse in ethnicity, sexuality, family structure, and period pain.  This gives the reader a good chance of relating to one of the characters and the struggles they are going through.  Girls everywhere will feel empowered to discuss their periods openly and to not be ashamed of what is natural.  Also included at the back of the book is an author's note, period facts, and other resources that can be helpful for young girls.  This novel is a great read for girls and boys alike to bring normalcy to the topic of periods.

Reviews

"This warm, candid friendship story isn’t shy about the message it’s trying to send―that periods need not be a dirty secret." ―School Library Journal   

"Shades of red aptly make up the book’s palette, and the cartoony style and figures resemble the Lumberjanes comic books. Fans of that series will appreciate this mix of friendship power and activism." ―The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

ALA Notable Book 2020

YALSA Great Graphic Novels 2021

Texas Library Association Maverick LIst 2021

Eisner Award, Best Publication for Kids, Nominee 2021

Book Trailer

Other books by Lily Williams include: If Bees Disappeared, If Polar Bears Disappeared, and If Elephants Disappeared.  

Nijkamp, M. (Ed.). (2018). Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR). ISBN: 978-0-374-30650-2

Plot Summary

This book is a collection of short stories about disabled characters by disabled authors. This collection of fictional stories takes place in the past, present, and future. Each story has a diverse set of characters with various experiences as well as characters of color and different orientations. There is a story for everyone in this collection.     

Analysis

    The stories in this collection are in various formats including letters and a play. The characters in these stories are diverse in their disabilities including blindness, anxiety, using a cane or wheelchair, and irritable bowel syndrome to name a few. They are also diverse in race and sexual orientation which adds to the depth of these characters. There is almost a character for everyone to relate to in some way. All of the stories are fiction with a bit of sci-fi, magic, and fantasy. There are also two stories “The Leap and the Fall” and “A Curse, A Kindness” that include two girls finding love.

    One story that I enjoyed was “Dear Nora James, You Know Nothing About Love”. This story tells of a young girl who has irritable bowel syndrome and divorced parents. I like that this disability is one that most people are embarrassed to talk about. The character Nora is trying to navigate high school and boys along with this truly debilitating disability. It gives the reader a different perspective on what it means to live with a disability and the daily struggle that some people have that is not noticeable from the outside.

    Each story has a protagonist that is going through life with ordinary struggles in addition to their disability. This collection of stories does a great job of telling stories with disabled teens that is not only about their disability but who they are as people. The reader truly feels the characters strength and their sorrows of what life is like for them. This book is an excellent read for everyone and an excellent way to expose students to diverse lifestyles and disabilities.

Reviews

"The stories feature wide variety and high quality, but most importantly, none of the teens at the center of the stories are defined by their disabilities. Teens disappointed by the lack of nuanced depictions of disability in YA fiction will cheer for these compassionate, engaging, and masterfully written stories." ―Booklist, starred review

"Unbroken is a much needed short story collection featuring disabled teens as heroes of their own stories. The anthology successfully subverts stereotypes and long-held literary tropes about characters with disabilities. This strong assortment of stories will attract a large teen audience and should be in collections serving young adult readers." ―VOYA

Kirkus Best of YA 2018 Pick

We Need Diverse Books 2018 Must Read

Other books by Marieke NijKamp include: The Oracle Code, Feral Youth, and Up All Night. 

Module 1 Book Reviews

 

Anderson, L.H. (1999). Speak. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. ISBN 978-0-312-67439-7

Plot Summary

Melinda is just starting ninth grade and she is already an outcast. Over the summer she attends a high school party where she is attacked and raped. She is so shocked and upset after the attack that she calls the police from the party. When the police arrive the party is busted and she is blamed. Not only has Melinda lost all of her friends but she is battling the horrors of being raped. Melinda struggles to deal with the reality of what has happened to her and is unable to speak. The only peace she finds is in art class with her teacher Mr. Freeman. Through the year Melinda slowly starts to come out of her shell and starts to process what has happened only to be attacked once more. This time Melinda stands up to her attacker and learns to speak up for herself.

Analysis

Anderson captures the gritty realism of high school perfectly. A small portion of this novel is based on Anderson’s own experiences after a sexual assult she suffered as a teen. The main character, Melinda tells her story through wit and humor which is used to hide her pain and suffering. Female students will empathize with Melinda’s struggles and may see themselves or someone they know in this character. Filled with symbolism, this book is a must read.

This book could be used to open the discussion of what unfortunately happens too often in high schools across America. What to do in this situation, and how to seek help when needed. It also touches on mental health issues such as cutting. These are all topics that today’s teens are faced with and this book lets girls know that they are not alone.

Reviews

“In a stunning first novel, Anderson uses keen observations and vivid imagery to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager. . . . Yet Anderson infuses the narrative with a wit that sustains the heroine through her pain and holds readers’ empathy. . . . But the book’s overall gritty realism and Melinda’s hard-won metamorphosis will leave readers touched and inspired.”

—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“A frightening and sobering look at the cruelty and viciousness that pervade much of contemporary high school life, as real as today’s headlines. . . . The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn . . . a novel that will be hard for readers to forget.”

—Kirkus Reviews, Pointer Review


National Book Award Finalist

ALA Best Books for Young Adults

Michael L. Printz Award Honor


Other Books by Laurie Halse Anderson include: Shout, Catalyst, and Prom.

Potok, C. (1967). The Chosen. Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-449-91154-9

Plot Summary

Set in the 1940’s The Chosen tells of a friendship between two boys on opposite sides of the Jewish faith.  Reuven Malther is a secular Jew with a father who is a professor and Zionist.  Daniel Saunders is a Hasidic Jew and the heir to a Hasidic rebbe.  This story follows the boys through their teens and into adulthood and captures their complicated relationships with each other and their fathers.  

Analysis

Potok himself grew up in the Hasidic community and uses his experiences to write this story.  There are a couple conflicts in this story, the conflict between the Hasidim and the Orthodox, as well as blind fanaticism and piousness.  The author also shows the two ways in which the fathers are choosing to raise their sons.  Danny’s father raises him in complete silence and a firm hand in order to train him to replace him as a tzaddik whereas Reuven’s father raises him as a scholar and with a gentle hand.  This leads to conflict between Reuven and Danny’s father as he tries to understand the hostile way in which he raises his son, who is his best friend.  He sees the toll it takes on his friend and how Danny follows his father with blind faith.  This book shows the world the ways of the Hasidic community in Brooklyn and makes their faith more accessible to people.  Readers can relate with the characters on the complexity of trying to figure out who you are and what you believe in as a young adult.  

Reviews

 “So entertaining, so full of love and compassion that readers of all persuasions will take it to their hearts. Mr. Potok is writing about two fathers and their sons... in a way that will ring just as true at Iowa as in Brooklyn.” ― Publishers Weekly

“It is a simple, almost meager story... yet the warmth and pathos of the dealings between fathers and sons and the understated odyssey from boyhood to manhood give the book a range that makes it worth anybody’s reading.” ― The Christian Science Monitor

National Book Award Finalist

Other books by Chaim Potok include: The Promise, The Book of Lights and My Name is Asher Lev.

Chee, T. (2020). We Are Not Free. Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0-358-13143-4

Plot Summary

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor fourteen teens lives become forever changed.  This group of Japanese American friends take the reader on a journey through the war and the incarceration camps they were forced to move into.  The teens have grown up together in Japantown in San Francisco and treat each other like family.  Surrounded by people who hate them for how they look and who they are, they must stick together to make it through the war.  

Anaylsis

Chee used stories from her own grandparents as well as historical tidbits to write this book.  This story is told from the fourteen points of view of each of the main characters.  The reader is weaved through the events of the war from each teens perspective. This allows the reader to understand how the characters were similar but also the differences.  Each character had their own complex relationship with their own families as well as their loyalties to America or Japan. The writing styles change throughout the book based on what character is telling the story.  There is both first and second person narration as well as verse and letters. Also included in the book are historical pictures of various places and documents. This book also gives you some insight into the incarceration camps during WWII and the daily conditions each teen was subjected to through their eyes.  The teens dealt with regular teenage things such as love, school, dances, and friends but they also had to deal with racism, death, and politics.  This topic of the incarceration camps is not often spoken about and has readers empathizing with the teens and the hardships they endured.  They were American born but were often called racial slurs and were preyed upon for how they looked which led them to question what it means to be an American.  This incredible novel is a story everyone should read.  

Reviews

Chee is a master storyteller.... Here, she uses her own San Francisco-based Japanese American family's history to inform a blazing and timely indictment of the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. Her passion and personal involvement combine with her storytelling talents to create a remarkable and deeply moving account of the incarceration.... [We Are Not Free] should become required curriculum reading on a shameful and relevant chapter in U.S. history.-- "Booklist, STARRED review.

“A compelling and transformative story of a tragic period in American history....Each voice is powerful, evoking raw emotions of fear, anger, resentment, uncertainty, grief, pride, and love....An unforgettable must-read.​" —Kirkus, STARRED review  

National Book Award Finalist

Printz Honor Book

Walter Honor Book

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor Book

Other books by Traci Chee include: A Thousand Steps Into Midnight and The Reader Series