Recycling: Reducing Waste by Buffy Silverman

Recycling: Reducing Waste. by Buffy Silverman. Heinemann Library, 2008. 46 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  This book is part of a Do It Yourself Series.  It is specifically targeting tween readers interested in the environment, the green movement and helping the Earth.  The book is very attractive in its layout. There are photographs and illustrations on every page. The first chapters deal with trash - What is it?, Where does it go? What is its impact on the environment?  The main focus of the book is on recycling.   The connection between recycling and reducing trash in landfills is explained.  One complete chapter is devoted to recycling paper. The incredible volume of paper that consumers use and the process for making new paper from recycled paper is explained.  Other processes include; plastic, computers, cell phones, batteries and food and yard waste recycling. There are several excellent activities that give readers hands on experiences like simulating a landfill to monitor how different products decompose and making your own paper from recycled paper.  Throughout the text,  words that appear in a bold font are described in a glossary.  There are excellent resources listed including books, websites and organizations that students can pursue. This is a great book on the subject of recycling and is so complete it could serve as a  handbook for a school recycling club.  Well-written, excellent graphics and useful information make this book easy to recommend.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: 7.1 Interest level: Ages 8 to 11.

Exploring the Titanic by Robert D. Ballard

Exploring the Titanic. by Robert D. Ballard. Scholastic, 1988. 64 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  Sometimes real life events provide some of the most dramatic stories.  This is the case with the ocean liner R.M.S. Titanic, which was the largest ship ever built, and its first voyage was also its last.  The book details the construction of the Titanic and includes amazing facts like, if the titanic had been stood upright it would have been taller that any building at the time (1912). There are incredibly detailed cutaway views of the ship in full color illustrations.  The dramatic account of the Titanic’s first voyage reads like a great fiction novel.  One eerie fact presented in the book was that in 1898, an American writer had written a book called The Wreck of the Titan, in which an “unsinkable” passenger ship sails from England to New york, strikes an iceberg and sinks and does not have enough lifeboats for all of the passengers. The story of the Titanic exactly! A great feature of the book is that it goes beyond the historical accounts and invites the reader to become informed about the modern locating and subsequent exploration of the wreckage of the Titanic. This aspect in itself is fascinating. Criss-crossing miles of ocean using scientific equipment to attempt to locate the wreckage 12,000 feet below the surface and then exploring the wreckage in a 3-man submarine. Absolutely phenomenal photographs and illustrations enhance this account of an incredible accomplishment. The credibility of the book is solidified with the fact that the author was one of the scientists who located the wreckage and explored it in the 3-man submarine. I give this book the highest recommendation for tween readers!

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: 6.7 Interest level: Ages 8 to 13.

Natural Disasters by Claire Watts

Natural Disasters. by Claire Watts. DK Publishing, Inc., 2006. 72 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  Natural Disasters is part of an eyewitness books series. This book focuses on the Earths’s naturally occurring disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes and tornadoes. I am a visual person and this book captured my attention immediately with full color photographs on every page. Earth gives humans sustenance, but it “can also generate catastrophic disasters that kill people, damage the environment, destroy property and disrupt normal life.”  Descriptions of the Earth’s molten core and tectonic plates provide a foundation for the understanding of the instability that can cause disasters. Imagine a 100 foot high wall of water moving at 600 miles per hour towards your home.  This is the power of a tsunami. Incredible photos of tsunami damage bring the event to life. One tsunami killed an estimated 100,000 people in just 15 minutes! Earthquakes are unpredictable and can cause death and destruction as wel,l as the Earth’s surface shakes and levels man made structures. When the Earth’s molten core breaks through its crust. the extreme power of a volcano is released. “Lava, ash rocks and superheated gases” unleash a terrifying assault on the surrounding land.  Not to be outdone, hurricanes are huge storms that can measure 500 miles wide, have winds over 135 miles per hour and cause devastation and death. The book also has information on floods, wildfires, droughts and infectious diseases.  This is another great non-fiction selection for tweens that can be informative and entertaining.  

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: 8.6 Interest level: Ages 9 to 13.

You Wouldn't Want to be on the Hindenburg! by Ian Graham

You Wouldn't Want to be on the Hindenburg! : A Transatlantic Trip You'd Rather Skip. by Ian Graham. Franklin Watts, 2009. 32 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  This is one in a series of “You Wouldn’t Want to...” books. The LZ129 Hindenburg was the world’s largest airship.  It was a German built lighter than air craft that was filled with hydrogen and was as big as an ocean liner.  With the use of cartoon like illustrations the factual story of the Hindenburg is revealed through the eyes a mechanic who has been assigned as part of the crew.  Throughout the book, handy hints advise the mechanic like,”Make sure you are not afraid of heights!” and “Don’t light a match, hydrogen is extremely flammable!”  All of the parts of the giant luxury passenger air ship are detailed - the frame, the gas cells, the control car, passenger cabins, the engine car, lounge and the dining room. This book has the label disaster and that’s what transpires soon after the Hindenburg sets off on May 3, 1937 from Frankfurt, Germany for the United States.  After a spectacular flight across the Atlantic ocean the Hindenburg prepares to land on May 6 in Lakehurst, New Jersey.  As the airship gets close to the landing zone there is a bang and it bursts into flames! The hydrogen that filled the craft is on fire! The fire destroys the Hindenburg in only 32 seconds as onlookers on the ground are horrified. Amazingly 62 of the 97 passengers and crew survive the crash. To this day the cause of the disaster is unknown.  This book is filled with facts and is presented in an interesting and entertaining format. Reluctant readers will be especially drawn to this book.  This is a great read and I recommend it for tweens.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: 5.5 Interest level: Ages 8 to 11.

The Planet's Most Extreme Stinkers by John Woodward (Animal Planet)

The Planet's Most Extreme - Stinkers. edited by John Woodward. Blackbirch Press, 2005. 48 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  Sometimes you just want to read a book for fun.  This book explores the 10 most extreme “stinker” animals on Planet Earth.  In a countdown format, the reader learns about the most foul smelling animals on planet earth. Who would guess that one of America’s most common pets, the dog, comes in at number10? Ok, warning! It’s going to get gross if you keep reading.  Did you know that vultures go to the bathroom on their own feet to stay cool? Hippos make the list because of a fermented smelly “dung showering” behavior. Yes, it is exactly what you think. Extreme halitosis interest you? This is the claim to fame of the Hooker’s sea lion. Vomit is a key ingredient! I warned you if you keep reading it’s gross. “Hyena butter” is a smelly secretion and we are only on number 6. The “musk” of a musk ox is actually urine. The bull elephant has a special gland that secretes a rancid smelling liquid. A millipede seems harmless enough, yet when threatened it can release the foul smelling gas hydrogen cyanide which can kill!  The giant petrel is a bird that loves to feast on rotting flesh and then use projectile vomiting to spread a disgusting smelling acidic liquid.  And the number 1 stinker on planet Earth?  It’s the skunk!  The skunk’s powerful squirt glands can spray up to fifteen feet to cover its target in what has been voted “the worst smell in the world”.  This book is co-sponsored by the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet which gives it a scientific base.  There are full color photographs on every page.  Why do I think tween boys would love to read this book out loud to tween girls?

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: 6.0 Interest level: Ages 8 to 11.

Earth by Elaine Landau

Earth. by Elaine Landau. Children's Press, 2008. 48 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  This book is packed with information about planet Earth and would serve as a great resource for tween research.  Reader’s attention is captured immediately with satellite images of our planet where 6.6 billion people live. Using the photographs taken from space, the predominately blue hue of the earth is attributed to the majority (70%) of its surface being covered by water, but did you know that only 3% of the Earth’s water is fresh water?  Not only does the book focus on the Earth’s makeup, it also describes its place in the solar system.  Do you know how fast the Earth travels in its orbit around the sun?  The answer is 66,700 miles per hour!  Gravity, astronomy, asteroids and other planets are described.  It is life, in all of its forms, that sets the Earth apart as unique among the other planets. And it is water that is the requirement for all life on Earth - plants, animals and other living things.

The “centerfold” of the book is about global warming - what it is, what causes it, an what we can do to fight it.  Some of the suggestions include driving less, using less energy, planting trees and recycling.

The full color illustrations are very appealing. Earth’s three layers; the crust, mantle and core (which can reach temperatures of 11,000 degrees F.) are clearly displayed. Interesting features of the Earth are revealed like Crater Lake which formed 7,700 years ago when water filled a collapsed volcano and Meteor Crater formed 50,000 years ago when a meteorite crashed into the Earth!  There is a chapter dedicated to the moon.  There are cool statistics and great resources.  An excellent resource for tweens.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: 4.2 Interest level: Ages 8 to 11.

Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri (Book Trailer)

Day of Tears by Julius Lester (Book Trailer)

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (Book Trailer)

Pictures of Hollis Wood by Patricia Reilly Giff (Book Trailer)

What If We Do Nothing? Endangered Species by Sean Sheehan

Endangered Species. by Sean Sheehan. G. Stevens, 2009. 48 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  This book is part of a “What if We Do Nothing?” series. It is an excellent resource for tweens interested in the environment, focusing specifically on the impact of humans on life forms. Interspersed throughout the chapters are critical thinking activities that are all titled “What Would You Do?”  Readers are challenged to find solutions for situations like a mining company that wants to build a dam on an African river, being a member of a group that regulates whaling and dealing with animal injuries and attacks in a National Park.  One chapter is dedicated to Earth’s rain forests and the vital role they play in absorbing carbon dioxide and heat out of the atmosphere.The plants and animals of rain forests are being destroyed for agriculture and cattle at the rate of two football fields every second!  African wildlife is under threat from illegal hunters who sometimes pose as tourists and and then slaughter rare and endangered animals to sell their body parts on the black market.  The oceans, which are also vital to life on Earth, are being overfished to satisfy the palates of humans. Sharks, rays, dolphins, turtles and sea birds are being inadvertently killed by fishermen at the alarming rate of 27 million tons a year! North American wildlife are struggling with the impact of acids, lead, pesticides solvents and diesel fuel on their habitats.  One great success story is that of the California condor which in 1989 had only 25 birds alive.  Through conservation and breeding efforts there are now more than 300. Excellent photographs and graphics, a glossary and a resource guide all enhance this great nonfiction book for tweens.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: 8.4 Interest level: Ages 10 to 13.

True Green Kids - 100 things you can do to save the planet by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin

True Green Kids: 100 things you can do to save the planet. by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin. National Geographic, 2008. 143 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  If any tween felt inclined to start an Environmental/Save the Earth Club, this is the book to get them started.  This book is published by the highly respected and credible National Geographic Society.  The layout/graphics/photography of the book is exceptional and inviting. The introduction does an outstanding job of informing the young reader about the conditions on planet Earth and motivate them to take an active role in ways to preserve and protect our habitat. The author does a great job of informing the reader that each individual in many small ways can have a very positive impact on the environment. Consider this fact - Enough sunlight falls on the Earth’s surface every hour to meet the world’s energy demands for an entire year! Kids are encouraged to use a solar battery charger to power their iPods, laptops and cell phones. Save water, turn out lights, use an extra blanket, recycle; all ways to help save the earth. There is a great section on pets. I consider myself knowledgeable about environmental issues,  but I never thought  as this book points out about the pet waste that is placed in plastic bags and sent to landfills. There are actually ways pet waste can be converted to useable methane gas and serve as compost and for worm farming.  There are ideas for kids to use at home, at school, in nature, at school and with friends.  Ideas for how to shop “green” and a really cool section on “fun things to make” are here too.  The true green facts section is rich with information.  I highly recommend this book for tweens. It is enlightening and informative.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: 6.4 Interest level: Ages 10 to 13.

Walt Whitman Words for America By Barbara Kerley

Walt Whitman: Words for America. by Barbara Kerley illustrated by Brian Selznick. Scholastic Press, 2004. 42 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  Tweens can identify immediately with the young Walt Whitman at age 12 working as a printer’s apprentice.  He had a lifelong love of words.  Walt is portrayed as man who loved to travel and observe people, but he was equally enamored with forests, orchards, rivers and the beach. He found his true calling in life when he began to write poems.  In his own words, “the genius of the United States was in the common people.” This book focuses on Whitman’s passion for (or reaction to) the issue of slavery, Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.  Once the civil war broke out, whitman was drawn to spending time with wounded soldiers. He was equally adept at prose and wort of his visits to hospitals by saying “I have many hours afterwards, in far different scenes, had the pale faces, the look of death, the appealing eyes, come curiously of a sudden, plainly before me.”  He was distraught to find his younger brother’s name listed among the wounded and finally found him in a camp hospital. He stayed among the wounded there for over a week and gave voice to the soldiers through his poetic words. 

“By the bivouac’s fitful flame,

A procession winding around me,

Solemn and sweet and slow...

While wind in procession thoughts,

O tender and wondrous thoughts,

Of life and death, of home and the past

and loved, and of those that are far away...”

Walt was profoundly affected by the death and injury that war unleashed on the young men and returned to work in military hospitals, always taking notes and writing poems.  I was profoundly moved by a letter Whitman wrote to the parents of a soldier who died in the hospital. His tribute to Lincoln (whom he loved) upon his assassination, O Captain! is included in this book.  Sometimes we want tweens to love a book.  That is the case with me and Walt Whitman: Words for America.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: 6.6 Interest level: Ages 8 to 14.

Awards: Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) 2005

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White

Charlotte's Web. by E.B. White. Harper Collins, 1980. 184 pages.

Plot: This is the story of Wilbur the pig and Charlotte the spider and their adventures as unlikely friends.  The story begins when Wilbur is born a runt and his owner plans to kill him because he will cost more than he is worth.  The farmer’s daughter, Fern, convinces her dad to spare the pig’s life. The father agrees to allow Fern to keep Wilbur as a pet.  This plan is short lived and Wilbur is sold to another farmer named Homer Zuckerman who lives down the road. Fern can visit Wilbur, but her visits decrease and Wilbur becomes lonely.  Wilbur longs for a friend and none of the other animals seem to have time for him with the exception of a grey spider named Charlotte. Their friendship grows deeper and stronger. The animals learn that Wilbur is to be slaughtered for Christmas dinner!  Charlotte starts a plan of action to save Wilbur.  She spins a web above the barnyard door with the words “some pig” in it and the gullible humans believe it to be a miracle brought about by Wilbur. Wilbur is saved again and is taken to the county fair where he wins a prize (because Charlotte has secretly come along and spins one final word “humble”).  Wilbur returns to Zuckerman’s barn and Charlotte has reached the end of her life span.  Wilbur manages to retrieve Charlotte’s egg sacks and cares for it until the baby spiders are hatched.  Wilbur never forgets the special friend he had in Charlotte.

Review/Personal thoughts:  This is a classic children’s story. It is well-written and award winning. Themes of friendship, loyalty, loneliness, growing up and mortality are explored in this simple story. Although this book will most likely appeal to younger tweens, it has withstood the test of time.  It is another book that is hard to put an age limit on because it appeals to adults as well. 

Genre: Fiction

Reading Level: 4.4 Interest level: Ages 8 to 11.

Awards: Newbery Medal/Honor 1953

Harry Houdini for Kids by Laurie Carlson

Harry Houdini for Kids: His Life and Adventures with 21 Magic Tricks and Illusions. by Laurie Carlson. Chicago Review Press, 2009. 136 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  Harry Houdini was a name created by a boy to reinvent himself.  He was born in 1874 in Budapest Hungary with the name Ehrich Weisz.  With his family he immigrated to the United States when he was 4 years old and settled in Appleton, Wisconsin. Life was hard and Ehrich began learning simple card tricks to earn pennies on the street. One of the great features of this book is the inclusion of 21 magic tricks and illusions that offer a start for budding magicians.  At age 17, Ehrich invented his new name, Harry Houdini as a stage name for his magic show. Harry travelled with circuses, dime museums and freak shows performing his act.  He slowly began adding escapes into his act. He would be bound by chains and handcuffs and amaze the audience with his ability to wriggle free from the chains.  More dramatic escapes followed with police attempting to shackle him and every time he would escape. With his wife as a partner, Houdini expanded the act to include a mind reading act that left audiences stunned and was all based on a simple code. As Houdini created evermore spectacular feats they started to become death defying, capturing the attention of thousands of people at a time. In the milk can escape Houdini is handcuffed, put into a metal container filled with water and locked closed. The secret to the escape is revealed in the book!  The death defying escape act culminated with the Chinese Water Torture Cell. The mystery and controversy around his death concludes the book.   I remember as a tween, being fascinated by the life and death defying acts of Harry Houdini.  This man’s life is so remarkable, tweens of today will be equally fascinated.

Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography

Reading Level: 6.6 Interest level: Ages 8 to 11.

Tony Hawk and His Team-Skateboarding Superstars by Lita Sorensen

Tony Hawk and His Team: Skateboarding Superstars. by Lita Sorensen. Rosen Central, 2005. 64 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  For the right group, this story of Tony Hawk will be of high interest. The introduction describes Tony as a hyper, skinny fifth grader who was clumsy. He went on to become one of the best skateboarders ever. At age fourteen, Tony became a professional.  Stressed throughout the book is the concept of teamwork, which Tony says accounts for his individual successes. He considers his family his first team and describes his parents as “very supportive of everything their kids wanted to try- from surfing to playing in a rock band.” Tony tried tennis, baseball and basketball before he became interested in skateboarding. Tony got a sponsor and entered contests around the time that the professional National Skateboard Association was formed.  Tony Hawk was the first National champion when he was still in high school! Wealth and fame soon followed. At age nineteen he was considering retirement. He instead continued in the sport and began his own company. At twenty-seven Tony won competitions at the first ever X Games. One of his greatest achievements was to complete a trick called the 900-a two and one half turn in mid air. Tony is still involved with skateboarding today.  The book is a great introduction not only to Tony Hawk, but to the entire extreme sport of skateboarding.  Reader’s are given a short history of the sport, pictures and descriptions of skateboard tricks, a glossary and resource page.  Tween skaters will love this book!

Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography

Reading Level: 6.6 Interest level: Ages 9 to 14.

Dancing Carl by Gary Paulsen

Dancing Carl. by Gary Paulsen. Bradbury Press, 1983. 105 pages.

Plot: The story is set in a small Minnesota town in 1958. Marsh and Willy are friends who are both twelve years old.  Life is simple, unstressful, has plenty of fun and most of the story is centered on the town’s well-used ice rink.  The outdoor rink is open for both hockey and free skating and there is a warming house where people go to put on their skates and it is attended by Carl.  Carl has a reputation around town of being a drunk (he does drink) and that he has psychological problems incurred in World War II. He doesn’t speak much and he first catches the boys attention when they see him after the ice rink has closed, out on the ice without skates, moving in what appears to be very awkward movements with arms flailing.  At first they are unsettled by this strange behavior.  They start to see other things about Carl that can be interpreted as strong and kind. He enforces rules and runs off bullies just by looking at them.  He is extremely helpful with skates and jackets for the kids at the rink.  He is mysterious, hard to categorize and in some way pathetic. The boys discover that Carl’s “dance” on the ice is a reenactment of a plane crash that only he survived in the war. A new lady begins skating at the rink and Carl seems to begin a transformation out of sadness in much the same way he seemed transformed when He dances on the ice. All the time the boys are secretly pulling for Carl to be better.

Review/Personal thoughts:  I will always have a soft spot in my heart for humans triumphing over their hardships and I was pulling for Carl right along with Willy and Marsh.  Tolerance and acceptance, a new way of looking at people, war, loss and love are themes Paulsen explores in Dancing Carl.  My hope is that tweens will embrace the lives of Willy and Marsh and come to see Carl for the positive human being that he is.

Genre: Fiction

Reading Level: 7.1 Interest level: Ages 11 to 14.

Awards: Best Books for Young Adults, 1983; American Library Association YALSA

You Are Not Alone - Teens Talk About Life After the Loss of a Parent by Lynne B. Hughes

You Are Not Alone: Teens Talk About Life After the Loss of a Parent. by Lynne B. Hughes. Scholastic Press, 2005. 192 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  Not every tween will need this book, but for that special group, the one’s who have lost a parent, this is an extremely valuable read.  The author is credibly qualified to write on the topic because both of her parents died, her mother when she was nine and her father when she was twelve. The grieving process is complex, but one common thread among all children who have lost a parent is the feeling of being terribly alone. It is this common thread that Hughes has used as a foundation to share her story and provide a space for children to share theirs.  She is the founder and director of Comfort Zone Camp for grieving children. Much of the book is a collection of the children’s voices while at the camp as they try to give meaning to, learn to cope with and share about their parent’s deaths. These are powerful words.  “Not only did I lose my dad, I lost my best friend, my mentor, my teacher, my history, his secrets. I lost all the things a dad teaches a son.”  “Some people say you stop grieving after five, ten or fifteen years, but the truth is it never stops hurting.” “ If I could say one more thing, I’d just reiterate how much I love him and thank him for doing the things that nobody else in my life does. I’d tell him how much these things meant to me and that I’ll never ever forget.” 

The book covers many aspects that one might never consider when they haven’t lost a parent; feeling different from others, how home changes, what helps, how to move forward. The emotions stirred in me when I read this book were powerful enough to bring me to tears.  I cannot comprehend the depth of sorrow these children endure. This book offers compassionate support and resources for children who have had a parent die.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Reading Level: 6.2 Interest level: Ages 12 and up.

Night by Elie Wiesel

Night. by Elie Wiesel. Hill and Wang, 2006. 120 pages.

Review/Personal thoughts:  This is the story, the true story, of Wiesel’s account of his internment in German concentration camps during World War II when he was a teenager.   It is a graphic account of the horrors of man’s inhumanity to man.  This is not a horror story to entertain, but so that, as the author himself states, the world will never forget. Wiesel, his parents and his two sisters are loaded onto boxcars and taken to an undisclosed destination. The description of the train conditions were only a hint of the incomprehensible horrors that  would come. “The heat, the thirst, the stench, the lack of air, were all suffocating us.” They arrived at their destination, Birkenau, which no one had ever heard of.  Immediately men and boys were separated from women and girls. Wiesel writes, “I didn’t know that this was the moment in time and the place where I was leaving my mother and Tzipora forever.” The accounts of violence, humiliation, starvation and death is recounted in Wiesel’s powerful words.  Throughout the ordeal, Wiesel is with his father who becomes weaker and closer to death. Here is a teenager watching helplessly as his father literally is dying.  One of the prisoners gave Wiesel some advice, “In this place, it is every man for himself, and you cannot think of others. Not even your father. In this place, there is no such thing as father, brother, friend. Each of us lives and dies alone.”  This was the brutal reality of survival. This firsthand account will give older tweens a glimpse into the holocaust. It is a book that one will not forget and that is the author’s purpose.  Elie Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.

Genre: Non-Fiction, Autobiography

Reading Level: 4.8 Interest level: Ages 12 and up.

Government Leaders, Senior Policy Makers, Domestic Violence Experts Discuss Most Effective Ways to Stop Dating Violence Among Middle School Youth at Capitol Hill Event

        Domestic violence is a pervasive problem throughout all socioeconomic groups in American society. This article identifies the value of targeting middle school youth to end the cycle of violence.  Teen dating violence is the beginning of the perpetuation of domestic violence. One of the goals of the groups and individuals mentioned was to educate the public “about the debilitating problem of dating violence among our young people.”  This group (tweens) are at the beginning of their explorations of dating and romantic relationships and it is at this time in their lives where the most effective change in their perception of dating/family violence can be implemented. The article states, “Middle school is an important time in the development of an adolescent’s view of what a healthy relationship should be.  The importance of teaching healthy relationship skills early on is integral in the prevention of teen dating violence, which is far too prevalent and prevents far too many students from being able to focus on their education.” Tweens are given resources and support to identify signs of abuse and to get help. 

This effort has support from many diverse groups and political ideologies. A partial lists of the participants who are commonly aligned to end the violence include; The Family Violence Prevention Fund, Jewish Women International, Republican AND Democratic congressmen and senators, Department of Education, Department of Justice, MTV, Liz Claiborne Inc., and the Los Angeles Unified School District.  The Robert Wood Johnson foundation and Blue Shield of California Foundation have invested $18 million to support this cause. 

It had not occurred to me that dating violence is an issue among tweens.  It seems more obvious to me now that there is a direct connection between this and the more “visible” domestic violence issue. I am encouraged that so many diverse groups have joined together to raise the “visibility” of and begin an attempt to bring an end to dating violence.  Wouldn’t this be a great topic for a tween program in a school or public library?

Government Leaders, Senior Policy Makers, Domestic Violence Experts Discuss Most     

       Effective Ways to Stop Dating Violence Among Middle School Youth at Capitol Hill   

       Event. (2011, February 10). Targeted News Service. Retrieved from ProQuest  

       Newsstand. (Document ID: 2264263281).

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

The Incredible Journey.  by Sheila Burnford.  Illustrated by Carl Burger.  A Yearling Book, 1960.  148 pages.

Plot: Set in the Canadian wilderness, The Incredible Journey tells the story of three amazing animals who forge through difficult terrain and challenges of the road to get back to their human family.  It is the tale of Tao, the rather irreverent Siamese, Bodger, the ever-amusing bull terrier, and the ever-loyal Luath (a Labrador retriever), the young leader of the trio who longs for the companionship of his human friend Jim Hunter.  The trio set off from their temporary home, as they have been watched over by John Longridge, a friend of Jim’s.  The Hunters have been in England but are returning and though the animals have grown attached to John, there is,  especially in Luath’s heart, the desire to get back home. This trio faces the challenges of bears, a porcupine, a few unkind humans, the search for food, and the difficulty of surviving in an unrelenting terrain; they also experience the acceptance and kindness of strangers, humans who take them in, if only temporarily, to restore this trio to health, so they can once again move towards home.  What captures the heart of the reader is the absolute loyalty that this trio has for one another and the heartwarming connection they share with their human counterparts.  Watch this trio as they travel their incredible journey.

Review/Personal thoughts:  The Incredible Journey is a classic.  Burnford’s narrative description, with accompanying illustrations throughout the text, draws the reader in from the first chapter. The story is directed by the ever present commitment to the ideas of loyalty, love, companionship, friendship, and the simple desire “to be home”.  Tweens will be drawn into this story as many understand the love they have for their own animal companion – therein lies the tie that binds the reader to the story.  What exists at the core of this novel is the appreciation that we must all embrace:  animals simply make our lives better and hopefully, we do the same in return for them.  There is deep wisdom in the souls of this loyal trio and each reader will be reminded of how an animal has more than likely changed their life.

Genre: Fiction

Reading Level: 6.5  Interest level: Ages 10 and up.

Awards:  Young Reader's Choice Award, 1964 Winner

Rango

Rango: Film, 2011 Studio: Nickelodeon Movies Director: Gore Verbinski Run time: 107 minutes.

Plot: Rango is a chameleon who gets dropped in the Mojave desert and sets off on a wild west adventure that reveals a cast of characters including a cactus mouse, iguana, armadillo, desert tortoise, rabbit, rattlesnake, mole and a gila monster among others.  The “townsfolk” of Dirt are parched and desperate as the precious water supply is dwindling and foul play is suspected.  Rango takes on a persona that gives hope to the citizens that a hero has arrived and he is named sheriff, but his persona is all an act.  Gunfights, posses, bank robberies and a corrupt mayor all play into the story.  Rango uncovers that the mayor has secretly been diverting the town’s water supply for his own greed and profit.  The mayor calls in Rattlesnake Jake, the meanest, toughest, and most notorious gunslinger to get rid of Rango.  Jake reveals Rango as a fraud who has lied to the townsfolk and is run out of town in humiliation.  Rango has an encounter with the “Spirit of the West”, realizes his destiny is back in Dirt and returns for one more attempt to win back the trust of the citizens and save the town.

Review/Personal thoughts: This computer animated film is a winner. There is non-stop action, humor, adventure, heroism and realism from a bunch of critters living out the old wild west life. The visuals and animation are remarkable and will capture and hold the attention of viewers.  And many human themes are explored in Rango: finding oneself, courage, corruption, defending the defenseless, justice and the power of working together. The female character Beans is actually a great role model for girls as she shows strength, courage and intelligence.  It is amazing to me how an animated film can be so entertaining and the same time provide valuable themes.  This film is not out on DVD yet but tweens will love the theater experience of Rango... Two thumbs up!

Rated: PG

Interest Level: Ages 9 and up

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games.  By Suzanne Collins. Scholastic Press, 2008.  384 pages.

Plot: The novel’s setting is in the territory of Panem, formerly the United States, and a dozen districts that make up this country. This postapocalyptic setting is one filled with struggle and strife.  The Capitol, the controlling entity of this setting, has created a competition each year called the Hunger Games, to pit territory against territory, a fight to the death.  What comes to be understood is that these games are a product of the Capitol attempting to “still” the past actions of those who spoke against the “powers” that be.  It appears the Hunger Games might well be  a “reminder” to all participants and residents of who has control.  As the story begins, we meet our young female protagonist, Katniss, who has decided to take the place of her younger sister and place herself in the arena of competition instead.  The plot throws the reader into the center of the action as we follow Katniss through the dangerous competition where the struggle to survive is a minute by minute challenge.  Inserted into this storyline is the character of Peeta, a sensitive young man, also representing the same territory as Katniss.  The Hunger Games are a bloody event televised for the voyeuristic curiosity of territorial audiences.  As the games continue, Katniss is faced with challenge after challenge, barely surviving, yet calling upon the memories of home and the powers of her mind and heart, to beat the Capitol at their own game. Will she succeed?  Will she come to understand the confusions of her own heart?  Will she find renewed strength through the relentless challenges placed in front of her? Who, in the end, has control?  Let the games begin.

Review/Personal thoughts:  This novel’s gripping plot grabs you from the first page as you find yourself in the midst of Katniss’ struggles.  The story is layered with commentary on social hierarchies, the “haves” and “have-nots”, the challenge of poverty, the desire to rebel in a world that silences you, the resiliency of spirit, the desire to remain loyal and true to one’s convictions, and the power of love.  It is also a novel loaded with contradiction as the reader, while following the action of the games, is well aware that this is bloody entertainment to keep the people “in their place”.  The tragedy is that the games exist at all, pitting territory against territory, human vs. human, who have no say in the existence of such a brutal competition.  The question constantly exists of “why is this even happening?”, “why are people forced to be in such a blood bath?”  And yet, in the midst of this contradiction, the reader is rooting for Katniss and Peeta to survive in a battle you wish would never exist at all.  This is an excellent novel that tweens are sharing with one another. There is a commitment to Katniss and her journey, a desire to watch this powerful young protagonist take on any challenge placed in front of her. As each page is read, Katniss has an ally in the reader.  

Genre: Science Fiction

Reading Level: 5.3  Interest level: Ages 11 and up

Awards: ALA 2009 Best Books for Young Adults

Best Tween Books 2008

Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominees 2011: Tween Books