The Giver

Lowry, L. (1993). The giver . Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 

The Giver by Lois Lowry is a Most Challenged Book according to Bookspot.com

A Newbery Medal Book

Jonas lives in an extremely structured society that controls citizen's everyday life activities. When someone makes a mistake or breaks a rule, he/she suffers consequences and can even be released (expelled) from the community. Jonas lives with his parents and a younger sister, his father is a nurturer, someone who takes care of babies. When Jonas turns 12, he will go through a ceremony that will decide his future job. Jonas' father brings home a baby that has been struggling in the nurturing center, we learn in this section that all the children in this society are born to "Birthmothers" in a center and after 1 year they are assigned a father and a mother. When Jonas is volunteering at the "House of the Old," he listens to an elderly woman relate a friend's release ceremony in which this friend's life was celebrated and at the end, he walked through a door never to be seen again, nobody really knows what happened to this old man. During the ceremony, each child that turns twelve is given a career assignment, the elders have chosen Jonas to be "Receiver of Memory," a job in which Jonas will be given memories of the past and will have the ability to feel pain and "see beyond." Jonas feels proud of this assignment.

At his training, Jonas realizes that some of the elders that rule his community do things differently that what the common people are allowed to and he begins to wonder what kinds of other privileges those leaders have that the rest of the people don't. Jonas experiences new things that the world had in the past and his community does not have any access to including feeling snow, exhilaration, sunshine, pain and more; the current Receiver explains to Jonas that  all the feelings are from a time before they went to "sameness."
As his training progresses, Jonas sees colors, he questions the Giver why the rest of the people don't have this ability and the explanation turns out to be that some things had to be left out in order for their community to prosper. Jonas' job, when he is fully trained, will be to impart his wisdom and help the community leaders make decisions, the memories will help Jonas advise the community for or against certain issues. The more Jonas learns, the more he questions the Giver until he begins helping at home with Gabriel the baby that more likely be release because he doesn't sleep through the night. One night, while Jonas is taking care of Gabriel, he accidentally transmits a happy memory to the baby and the baby finally sleeps through the night! On one occasion, the Giver transmits his favorite memory to Jonas: a family opening presents on a Christmas day, Jonas discovers the feeling of love and at that point Jonas makes a big change in his life, he will no longer take the pill that prevents him from feeling on a regular basis. When Jonas watches the release of a newborn identical twin, he realizes that the baby was injected and died, the memories gave Jonas the discernment to understand that a release means that the community is practicing euthanasia on individuals that either have a defect or are weak. Jonas decides to escape the community, with the help of the Giver and with baby Gabriel because when he was sent back to the Nurturing center, Gabe had cried all night and was to be released. Jonas escapes and finds a house after having spent sometime trying to survive in the wilderness. This house seemed to be part of the memories that he received and Jonas knew that he had found a home.

In this extraordinary novel, Lowry touches various topics such as life without the ability to make choices, no feelings and people are told what to do pretty much every moment of their lives. Jonas breaks many rules once he begins his training as "the Receiver" and begins questioning life in this community, in the end Jonas with a new gained moral standard, decides to save a baby from a certain death and escapes to uncertainty, showing the readers that hope, compassion and love are important parts our lives as human beings. I loved reading this book and the next two books that follow such a wonderful novel: Gathering Blue and The Messenger.

Hatchet

Paulsen, G. (1987). Just for boys presents Hatchet . New York: Bradbury Press.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen is a 1988 Newbery Honor Book.

Brian Robeson, a 13 year old who is traveling from New York to Canada to visit his father, has been thinking about his parent's divorce, his mother had given him a hatchet before the trip and Brian had attached it to his belt. The plane's pilot complains about chest pain and when Brian realizes that the pilot is having a heart attack, he tries to use the radio but is unable to the pilot dies, the plane is falling and finally crashes on a lake. Brian wakes up and realizes that he is alone in the wilderness, he is hurt and hopes that soon a search will begin and he'll be rescued. Brian learns a few things trying to survive: making a save shelter, what to eat and what not to eat, about the animals that surround him and how to protect himself; all of this with the help of his hatchet. One day, Brian sees a plane fly by but when the plane flies away from him, Brian becomes loses hope to go back home to his family and friends. After a suicide attempt, Brian realizes that he must survive no matter what and he becomes a "new" Brian. During this new stage, Brian overcomes animal attacks and even a small tornado that destroys his shelter. While examining the area and the damage left by the tornado, Brian spots the tail of  the plane and decides to get the plane's survival pack. After a few unsuccessful attempts, Brian gets the survival pack and returns to his shelter. Brian finds several useful items in the pack, when he is preparing a meal with some of the food that he found, Brian hears an engine, a plane lands on the lake, the pilot comes out and tells Brian that they received a signal from that place. Brian tells the pilot his name and asks him "Would you like something to eat?"

Brian Robeson is a typical teenager that despite all odds survives on his own leaving behind all the worries of his life in the city. During his time in the wilderness, Brian matures and becomes self-sufficient, observant and determined to survive. The surprising end when Brian asks the pilot if he'd like something to eat, shows how Brian was not in a rush to go back home, he was comfortable and happy to have found a new life in the wilderness. I recommend this book to 5th grade and higher level students, students will enjoy the main character challenges to survive in the wilderness.

Julie of the Wolves

George, J. C., & Schoenherr, J. (1972). Julie of the wolves ([1st ed.). New York: Harper & Row.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George is a Most Challenged Book according to bookspot.com

1973 Newbery Medal Book

First part: Miyax is an Eskimo girl that is trying to communicate and learn from a pack of wolves in order to survive, she ran away from home to go to San Francisco wher her friend lives.

Second part (flashback): Miyax as a younger girl lived with her father until he had to go to war, she went to live with her aunt and attended school where she changed her name to Julie, she becomes pen pals with Amy Pollock who lives in San Francisco, after some time, Julie and her aunt are led to believe that Julie's father died, eventually Julie is taken to another village to marry Daniel but when he tries to hurt her, she escapes.

Third part: Miyax is adopted by the wolves and follows them, when it is hunting season, Miyax separates from the wolves and travels South, some hunters are after the pack that saved her life, she saves one of the pups and lives on her own for a while until she learns through some travellers that her father is alive, when she finds him, she is disappointed for he has married a white woman and does not follow with Eskimo traditions, he has become a hunter. Miyax decides to return to his father and leave behind the Eskimo life.

I enjoyed this book because the protagonist, a young teenager learns how to be independent but also knows the value of a family, in this case the family or community being a pack of wolves. She survives the harsh Alaska weather and becomes a mature teenager that eventually has to decide between living in the wilderness and returning to life with other humans. This predicament shows how Julie even though she was thankful to the wolves, knew that living on her own was probably not going to be the easiest choice, she had to leave that behind. Although she didn't agree with her father's new ways, she knew the importance of family and community.

Atherton: The House of Power

Carman, P. (2007). Atherton: the house of power. New York: Little, Brown. 

Atherton: The House of Power by Patrick Carman is a 2008 Bluebonnet Award book.

Exposition:

In the planet Atherton, an 11 year old boy, Edgar, works in the fig groves. Edgar is constantly getting in trouble and Mr. Ratikan, the grove manager, punished him by taking away the little food that he is given after a day of hard work. Edgar is very agile despite the lack of food, his hobby is to climb up the Tabletop cliffs until one day he discovers a book.

Conflict:

Atherton is a three-level planet, the Highlands (top of the planet) is where the ruler lives along with the "upper class" citizens, these people are literate and keep the water source under a strict control. Tabletop (middle section) is where most of the people live in three sections called villages the Grove, the Village of Sheep, and the Village of Rabbits. These people work all day and have to pay dues to the Highlands with either their crop of their meat. The Flatlands is where all the waste goes and nobody has ever been there.

Rising Action:

Edgar buries the book: one of the many rules dictates that if anyone finds a book, they must turn it in to the Highlands without looking inside it. While Edgar is frustrated about the fact that he can't read the book, he also remembers a brief memory from the past where another person, perhaps his father told him that something "would come to him." Edgar is tormented by this memory and finally decides to climb to the Highlands (which is forbidden) to find someone that could read the book to him. The night that Edgar climbs all the way to the Highlands, he meets Samuel, a lonely boy that spends his time reading books. The boys make a pact and Edgar returns to the Highlands to hear Samuel read the book to him. In the mean time there are tremors across Tabletop and the Highlands, at the beginning they are barely noticeable but the tremors are stronger as time goes by. As Edgar is climbing again, he notices that the cliff is somewhat shorter and begins wondering what is happening. Samuel and Edgar discover that the Highlands are sinking as they read the mysterious journal. Then Samuel hides Edgar under his bed and tucks in the last page of the book in Edgar's pocket when Sir Emerik comes to his house and realizes that he is reading a book that no one had ever seen before. Sir Emerik takes Samuel to the fortress to let Lord Phineus ( the tyrant ruler of Atherton) know about the book. Lord Phineus' cruel manner frightens Samuel revealing the secret of the book to the men. Edgar goes back to Tabletop, visits the Village of Rabbits where he has a terrible encounter with Sir Emerik in which Edgar burns part of Emerik's hair. Emerik lies to Edgar and sends him to the Flatlands where he believes that Edgar will perish.

Climax:

All the people of Atherton realize that the Highlands are sinking and begin to prepare for what will happen afterwards. When the Highlands sink, there are battles between the Tabletop and Highlands people, Lord Phineus returns to his stronghold to protect himself and to stop the water flow to Tabletop. Edgar goes to the Flatlands and finds that two men live there: Vincent and Dr. Kincaid. Dr. Kincaid reveals to Edgar that he was the man from that early childhood memory and that the time has come, they must go back to Tabletop to warn the others about Tabletop's sinking as well. The real danger of Tabletop being at the same level as the Flatlands is the Cleaners, horrible creatures that eat anything and everything. Ever level is sinking, Atherton is changing and so is its people, alliances are being made between different groups of people, the people of Atherton have one purpose: to survive.

Falling Action:

When things calm down, Samuel is looking for Edgar and finds Isabel, Edgar's friend they both go to the fortress to find the water source and reopen it.

Edgar, Vincent, and Dr. Kincaid are also going to Atherton's stronghold to discover the truth.

Lord Phineus has gone mad when most of the Highlanders deserted him and goes to the water source to punish and gain control of the people again

Resolution:

The main characters are about to begin a dangerous journey that will continue on the next book: Atherton: Rivers of Fire.

Personal Reaction:

I read this book last summer...I just could not put it down! I'm happy to report that I went back to work and read the book with my GT class and they loved it!! They really got into it and even some of the reluctant readers were engaged and asking questions about the book. At the end, the class begged me to read the second book with them.... and we did! The book also contains quotes from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, connecting two of the characters, Dr. Kincaid and Dr. Harding, throughout the story. The characters and themes in this book are well developed, Patrick Carman uses suspense and understatement that keep the reader wanting to read more of the story. The unexpected surprises that the characters encounter add depth to the story line and take the reader on a journey in which s/he can vividly imagine the characters' tribulations, joys, sufferings, etc.

I highly recommend this book to upper level elementary students o Jr. High students.

New Moon

Meyer, S. (2006). Twilight: New Moon; book 2 . New York: Little, Brown and Co.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer is the second book of the Twilight Saga, a New York Times Λίστα Editor's Choice.

Exposition: When the Cullen family (vampires) celebrates Bella Swan's birthday, she gets a paper cut and Jasper cannot resist the blood scent, he attacks Bella, Edward intervenes, takes Bella back to her house and leaves her there. Edward decides to breakup with Bella and the whole clan moves out of  town, leaving no trace and no information of their new location.
Conflict: Bella and Edward are no longer together, Bella has a hard time recovering from this break up. Other vampires are trying to kill Bella to avenge their friend's murder by the Cullens. Jacob is in love with Bella and sometimes she resists but others, she gives in creating another conflictive relationship.
Rising Action: Bella becomes depressed to the point that her father is very concerned about her and asks her to go out shopping, to parties or other typical places for teenagers. Bella eventually becomes closer to Jacob Black, a member of a Native American reservation that has feelings for her. Some of Jacob's friends including him, are shape-shifters, turning themselves into warewolves due to the presence of another group of vampires that want to kill Bella. This pack decides that they will protect Bella from the vampires that are exploring the town and threatening with their presence.
Climax: When Bella dives from a cliff, Alice thinks that she has commited suicide and calls Edward to tell him the bad news, he then decides to go to Italy and get killed by the Volturi, the original vampires that rule and keep track of vampire news to maintain a certain order in their world. When Bella learns about Edward's fate, she travels with Alice hoping to be able to save Edward from a terrible death. Bella reveals herself to Edward, he believes that he has died but when the Volturi capture them and Alice, he realizes that it was all a misunderstanding and tells Bella tha he will never leave her again unless she asks him to leave.
Falling Action: The Volturi ask Alice to stay with them, they also remind Edward that Bella must die because she is a mortal that knows about vampires. The Volturi give Edward and Bella an utimatum: conversion or death.
Resolution: When Edward, Alice and Bella return to Forks, Bella wants Edward to turn her into a vampire ASAP but he still wants her to complete High School and go to college to buy some time. Meanwhile, Jacob reminds Edward of the ancient pact between warewolves and the Cullen family: If the Cullens kill a human in their area, the pact is over and the vampires will be killed by the warewolves.

I have to confess that I shed some tears (just a few) when I turned the pages and found that Bella's October, November, December, and January were blank... I could only imagine the pain and suffering of this girl!!! New Moon reflects the darkest time in Bella's life when the love of her life breaks up with her with no apparent good reason, she is devastated and life has no meaning for months. The author made an extraordinary use of understatement and unexpected insights. When Edward takes Bella to the woods and tells her that he is leaving and that he really didn't love her, the reader knows from the previous book of his feelings for her and this action shows how much he cares for Bella and how he wants to protect her from being harmed either by being killed by a vampire or by becoming one. Edward's action also bring surprise since he had professed unconditional love for Bella in the previous novel.

The Throne of Fire

Riordan, R. (2011). The throne of fire . New York: Disney/Hyperion.

The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan is a New York Times bestseller.

Exposition: Carter and Sadie Kane, two young magicians, are trying to retrieve an ancient Egyptian scroll. Carter was told by the god Horus that Apophis, the god of chaos is going to rise and they will have to collect the three sections of the Book of Ra to wake the sun god.

Conflict: Carter and Sadie, once again, must leave their regular lives in order to save the world from the evil Apophis. Their adventure requires them to risk their lives and the lives of those whom they love.

Rising Action: Carter and Sadie fight some gods that oppose waking Ra in London and travel to Russia to find the second scroll,  as they are able to escape the evil magician that wants to wake Apophis, Set sends them to Egypt for the third scroll. In Egypt, Carter and Sadie have to split and face challenges such as saving Walter, a magician trainee that Sadie likes, and waking Zia, another godling that Carter has been in love with since her shabti saved them when Set was trying to kill them in The Red Pyramid.

Climax: Carter and Sadie, with the help of Bes and Walter fight Desjardins and Menshikov, two of the three most powerful magicians in the world. The Kanes send Walter and Zia to help their uncle Amos in Brooklyn while they search for Ra in the Duat and wake him up. Carter and Sadie defeat Menshikov with Desjardins' help in the Duat but Apophis was awakened and execrated by Desjardins.

Falling Action: The Kanes return to Brooklyn to aid their uncle's team that has been attacked by magicians that support chaos.

Resolution: Ra leaves the children to take on his duties, uncle Amos - now the most powerful magician,  becomes chief Lector and returns to Egypt with Zia, Carter and Sadie Kane become the magicians in charge of the Brooklyn House and will prepare for Apophis' return...

Personal Reaction: I enjoy reading Rick Riordan's books, they are easy to read even if they're lengthy. Rick Riordan's use of dialogue and precise vocabulary, add depth to the story. The dialogue between characters takes the readers to a place in which he/she can actually visualize these teenagers and how they act toward each other with their teen attitudes and inner conflicts. Riordan's use of vocabulary to describe the situations and places, and sometimes even mock/refer his other books add to the visualization process of the reader as well.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Collins, S. (2008) The hunger games. New York: Scholastic Press.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a Young Adult Science Fiction book published in 2008 by Scholastic.

Exposition: Katniss Everdeen, a 16 year old girl, lives in Panem, previously North America, she and her friend Gale hunt and gather food in the outside woods of District 12 for their families' survival. During the reaping, Katniss' sister is chosen for the Hunger Games, a contest in which only one person - a tribute - will survive; Katniss immediately volunteers to save her beloved sister.                                                                Conflict: Katniss has to compete against 22 other tributes from other districts and Peeta Mellark from her own district. During their time together in training, Peeta and Katniss begin a relationship in which she is not sure what to think and feel for him.                                                             Rising Action: Katniss scores highest of all tributes during a test in front of the Gamemakers. The games begin and Katniss feels betrayed when she realizes that Peeta has joined a group of mean tributes that are hunting her.                                                                                                                            Climax: After a change of rules in the Games, Peeta and Katniss have joined in an effort to survive together, they become finalists when Caesar Flickerman, a reporter, announces that only one tribute will complete the Games. Peeta draws his knife and Katniss prepares an arrow, Katniss tells Peeta that they will go together to the end and gets poisonous berries from a bag. The Gamemakers decide to allow both of them to be victors.                                                                                                                           Falling Action: Peeta and Katniss are sent to a recovery area separately in which they spend time healing and waiting for the final interview before going back home. When the time for the inteview comes, Haymitch tells Katniss that she must continue pretending to love Peeta since she is in trouble for defying the Capitol with the poisonous berries.                                                                                                                               Resolution: Peeta believes that Katniss faked her love for him during the Games and tells her that he will participate in the final welcome back in District 12 but that he will not continue with the relationship. Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch are back home and Katniss wishes that she could hold Peeta's hand a little longer.

The Hunger Games is a books that provides the reader with suspense, understatement and unexpected insights among other literary elements. In many sections of the plot, understatement allows the readers to participate in the story, the facts and unspoken feelings are part of this experience in which the reader can conclude what the characters are feeling and make connections to their own personal experiences. The unexpected insights, small surprises, make the reader want more of the story, with this element, the story becomes meaningful to the reader.