Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy is a memoir in graphic novel form. It is FANTASTIC! Huda writes of a time in her life when she moved from a large city where she was known as the “hijabi girl” to a small, predominantly Muslim community where nearly everyone adorned hijabis. This prompted a lot of questions for Huda in regard to her own identity. Who is Huda? The book follows her journey to find friends and fit in, but most importantly Huda’s self discovery shines through in the end. I feel all middle school and high school students will find this relatable, funny, and quick to read. I am choosing to put the book in our graphic novel section rather than the biography section because I think it will get more use.
Author Archives: Stacy Udo
The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein
The historical fiction WWII novel, The Enigma Game, is actually the “prequel” to Elizabeth Wein’s critically acclaimed Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire. I did not read her earlier works but this did not at all detract from my enjoyment of this well-crafted tale. The story is told in the voices of three young people brought together by the strange circumstances of war.
It is 1940 and 15-year old Louisa has recently lost both her parents at the hand of German forces. She is the child of a black Jamaican father and a white British mother, and has to suddenly be responsible for her own survival. She has a difficult time finding employment in her new English homeland because of racial prejudice and her young age, but is able to find a job in Scotland taking care of an elderly German-born ex opera singer.
Jamie, the second narrator, is a Royal Air Force flight leader stationed at a base near the Scottish village of Windyedge, where the story takes place. Ellen is the third voice, and she is a youngish volunteer driver for the military base, and grew up as a “Traveller,” the common name for the nomadic tribes of the British Isles.
Wein cleverly weaves a tale of espionage and wartime drama as seen through the eyes of her three main characters. A pilot from the German resistance leaves an Enigma code maker/breaker machine at the Limehouse pub, which is the central location for the main characters. Louisa, a classically trained musician, is able to crack German pilot code communications to help aid the Royal Air Force. The pacing of the story really varies with the voice, and I found Louis’s voice to be spunky and intelligent but somewhat contrived, as opposed to the other two older characters who seemed more genuine. I was most engaged with Jamie’s narration of dangerous flight missions. I think this story would resonate with WWII history buffs, and it has an impressive amount of historical detail that I found fascinating. Recommended grade level for this book is 9th grade and above. I give the book four out of five stars.
Review by M. DeBuse-Losh, OHS Library Secretary
The Ghosts We Keep by Mason Deaver
Mason Deaver’s 2nd novel, The Ghosts We Keep, is a deeply emotional story of a non-binary high school student losing his older brother in an accident. Liam Cooper is already having trouble maintaining friendships at school and is struggling with his place in the world and what he wants to do after high school, and the death of his brother makes him almost suicidal. It’s a believable story, and it was born of the author’s own grappling with grief. It moves pretty slowly and the main character might drive you a bit crazy, but you’ll hang on to the end in order to find out how Liam matures and survives this tortuous time. Genre: Realistic Fiction
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by M. Losh, OHS Library Secretary
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
Main character, Spencer, was born biologically female but identifies as male. His early high school experiences have been riddled with bullying and threats to his life. At Spencer’s new school he decides to keep his transition a secret, passing easily as male. Spencer is a skilled soccer player, but encounters trouble playing for his new school’s team once the coach finds “female” listed as the sex on Spencers birth certificate. At this point, Spencer must decide if keeping his transition a secret is more important than playing soccer.
This book would interest student athletes as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies. The character development is strong, the events unfold in a way that makes the reader want to continue to learn what happens. I highly recommend this book for all high school libraries.
We Are Inevitable by Gayle Forman
This is a book about grief, addiction, family and finding your community. I went into this book with high expectations because I’ve loved every other book by Gayle Forman, but by the end of this read I was left wanting so much more. The main character, Aaron, is boring and had me often wondering why I couldn’t connect to him very well. The events unfold slowly with little development. The one redeeming aspect of the book is the way we see Aaron and his parents dealing with grief in vastly different ways; none of which are coping well, but all are still making their way through it.
The book is appropriate for both upper middle and high school students. There are characters dealing with substance abuse and addition as well as a character who dies of an overdose.
The Sullivan Sisters by: Kathryn Ormsbee
The old adage, “you can’t judge a book by its cover,” may be true, but I was entranced by the intricacy of the cover, and it was a bit metaphorical for this story of a complicated, dysfunctional family. Three sisters, Eileen, Claire, and Murphy live in a small town in rural Oregon with their perpetually stressed-out mom, and have only the dimmest memories of their father who died before Murphy was born. Their mom works long hours to provide for the family and pay down a huge medical debt incurred with their dad’s illness, and she becomes more and more emotionally distant from the girls as they grow older. Each sister is facing a tough sequence of events, but none knows what the other sisters are actually going through. The tight, protective sisterly bond they used to share in years past has been completely shattered by the flawed way the sisters handle their individual challenges.
Eileen, the oldest, stumbles on a dark family secret and deals with the news by keeping it a secret, and drinking (a lot). She’s always been a talented artist, but her soul is being sucked dry by her inability to process this secret and her creativity withers away. Claire, meanwhile, has lofty plans of attending an Ivy League college and escaping the confines of her homophobic town. She follows a social media personality that espouses the concept of “excellers” and “settlers.” Claire considers herself an exceller, and effectively shuts herself off from her family, whom she thinks are all settlers: they settle for less, while she rises above. Murphy is a magician-in-training who loves attention, but feels abandoned by her family. To top it all off, she forgets to care for her pet turtle and it dies right before Christmas, which just amplifies her sadness. She has a theory that she is just the spare tire of the family…forgotten, unseen, and unheard.
None of the girls is expecting a warm or cheerful winter holiday, but what they really don’t expect is the cryptic news Eileen gets from a local law firm that they had an uncle (their dead father’s brother) in a seaside town in Oregon. Not only that, he very recently died and bequeathed his estate to the girls, each sister to receive a third of the estate upon their 18th birthday. What follows is a stormy trip, weatherwise and relationship-wise. The house turns out to be a mansion, and a bit spooky at that, but the tale never really gets to a nail-biting pitch.
Ormsbee writes in a 3rd person omniscient point of view, with chapters dedicated to each sisters’ thoughts and experiences, interspersed with chapters detailing the past, and it can be a bit tiring bopping back and forth between them all. However, readers can also glean from each chapter why each sister feels and acts the way she does, and it gives an opportunity for more understanding and empathy. Even though the somewhat ominous cover alluded to the story as being a thriller or gothic horror piece, it is neither. Rather, the mystery in this sister-tale is more about assumptions, relationships, and family secrets. It would appeal to those who enjoy reading about complicated family dynamics, with a nice twist or two in the telling. The reader who is anticipating a dark and suspenseful murder mystery might be aggravated by the slow pace and micro-detail of every interaction. We should be grateful that Ormsbee had this unknown uncle lurking in the background because without his posthumous nudging, these sisters (and their mom) would have apparently gone down their own destructive paths and flamed out, which would have made for a depressing read. As it is, the themes of redemption and resolution may be what redeem this story as a whole.
I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.
M. DeBuse-Losh
Prepped by Bethany Mangle
This is a story about a community of “Doomsday Preppers.” The narrator, Becca, is a third generation community member, she’s been born into the world of safety at all costs. Now, as a soon-to-be-graduate, Becca desperately wants to leave behind the craze she’s grown up in. Fortunately she finds an ally in Roy, the boy that her parents have pre-arranged her marriage to, both are keeping the same secret: they do not believe in Doomsday. The only thing really holding Becca back is her younger sister; she knows that her absence within the community will put her sister in a dangerous position. Becca and Roy work together to devise a plan to help Becca’s sister and escape from the community.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are well developed and the storyline is unique. As readers we root for Becca and Roy and wonder what the future holds for the two of them. You could hand this book to almost any student and there will be something for them to relate to.
Destination Anywhere by Sara Barnard
Protagonist, Peyton King, has been the target of taunts, teasing and bullying throughout her school career; she is lonely and looking for something to connect with. Fortunately she has her art that allows her to process the world surrounding her. At seventeen, she sets off on a journey that takes her from her home town in England to the western shores of Canada. Although her family does not approve of this, Peyton is determined to make a new start and meet some longed-for friends along the way. Readers learn, though flashback, about the types of bullying and self harm that Peyton must go through to be accepted by her peers. The tipping point and ultimate reason for Peyton’s escape to Canada is revealed slowly throughout the chapters. Present day Peyton’s journey is much more than one of escapism; she learns who she is and wants to be – she demonstrates true strength in her self by the end of the novel.
Author, Sara Barnard, brings together a likable cast of characters from all over the world; they are all travelers at heart, but the reasons for traveling are widely different. This is a quick read that even the most reluctant would be able to pick up and connect with. There is sex, drinking, and drug use; therefore it is best suited for high school libraries.
Under Shifting Stars by Alexandra Latos
This novel is full of complex family dynamics within one household. Twins, Claire & Audrey, are very different – even their zodiac signs are different because they were born on totally different days; this has always allowed them to be individuals and not automatically seen as a duo. Within the past year, their family has lost a son and brother; they are all faced with tremendous grief and dealing with that grief in different ways. The twins no longer attend the same school because Audrey in not neuro-typical, but her main goal is to try to get back to the school her sister attends. Claire is desperately trying to figure out who she is and whether or not her body matches her gender identity. As the family attempts to deal individually, they begin to realize that the healing cannot happen unless they do it together.
I enjoyed the book; however the way that the author discussed all of the gender and sexual identity confusion made me feel like I was reading a textbook – terms blatantly defined rather than shown through development. I do feel many teens, and even adults, will easily relate to the emotions and feelings presented in this novel.
Golden Arm by Carl Deuker
For a reader who doesn’t typically go for sports-themed books, the book Golden Arm by Carl Deuker made for unexpectedly entertaining and sometimes suspenseful reading. If you do love baseball, it will just make this a more enjoyable read. In this coming-of-age story, Lazarus (Laz) is a student in an underserved Seattle high school negotiating many challenges at school, home, and on his baseball teams. He’s a gifted pitcher with a “golden arm” and a shy kid who has a stutter and a learning disability. Laz grew up in a trailer park without many of the privileges that the students in a wealthy district up north don’t even think twice about. Cell phones (not throwaway flip-phones), personal transportation (he rides the bus and walks long distances), a personal bedroom stocked with a computer, access to math tutoring, or having an actual pitching coach are things that he regards as luxuries and out of reach. His mom and half-brother Antonio are his family; his dad is out of the picture. Laz has the opportunity to contend for a state title on a team for a wealthy Seattle high school and his ultimate goal is to be a draft pick for the major leagues. It’s not a straightforward trajectory, though, and he has to deal with how to fit in at his new school, his alternate living situation, and how the cultural norms and expectations he experiences in his new setting mesh with his own developing personal ethics. The author does a nice job of using Laz’s point of view to portray the successes and challenges that are intrinsic to the growing-up process without over-analyzing or being preachy. It’s a high-interest story that’s a fairly quick read. Many young people will recognize and identify with Laz: being a poor kid with few resources trying to succeed in a culture defined by a rich, socially privileged class.
I do wish there was more development of the past relationship between Laz and his biological half brother Antonio because it is central to the plot. In the narrative they are real brothers who grew up together with no “half” about it, but Antonio’s character seems a bit hollow. Similarly, the character of Suja, Laz’s childhood friend (and romantic interest?) is underdeveloped and Suja seems more like support staff than a teenage girl Laz really likes. Even though the reader might wish for more thoroughly fleshed-out development of the important people in Laz’s life, overall the book is a satisfying read. Golden Arm should appeal to readers who enjoy a suspenseful plot that makes a few unexpected turns, and to those who tend towards the genres of sports, realistic fiction, and local color. However, it should appeal to a broader audience with a very elemental conundrum: How does a kid remain true to themselves when they have a tangible opportunity to “succeed” and live their dream, but to make this happen they must sacrifice the very relationships that helped make them who they are?
