A Heartwarming and Hilarious Tale That Will Appeal To All Ages

The Not-So-Great Depression: In Which the Economy Crashes, My Mom Goes Broke, My Sister’s Plans Are Ruined, My Dad Grows Vegetables, and I Do Not Get A Hamster by Amy Goldman Koss (Roaring Brook Press, 2010, 266pp.)

Ninth grader Jacki couldn’t care less about the “Great Recession” that’s affecting the entire country. All she cares about is watching cute animal videos on YouTube and hanging out with her best friend. But when her mom loses her job, she’s in for a major wake-up call. Suddenly, she and her sibs have no nanny to pick them up after school. There’s no gardener to cut the grass, no maid to clean up after them, and they just might have to sell their house! How will her family survive? Flanked by a lively, well-rounded supporting cast, Jacki proves to be a quirky, charming, and memorable heroine with a fresh, original voice. This heartwarming and hilarious tale set in the current economic crisis is one that will appeal to all ages. Recommended for Ages 13-15.

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Zombies vs. Unicorns! What More Could You Want?

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (Margaret K. McElderry, 2010, 432pp.)

First, there was the strange yet intriguing debate of Pirates vs. Ninjas. Now, editors Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier present Zombies vs. Unicorns, an anthology of six zombie stories and six unicorn stories selected to answer that ages-old question: do the undead have what it takes to beat those one-horned wimps to the title of “fan favorite”? Or will the power of rainbows wipe the floor with our brain-munching friends? The anthology consists of a wide variety of interpretations on these creatures. Although some of the usual stereotypes may appear, let it be known that the unicorns won’t always be tame and sparkly (Diana Peterfreund’s “The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn”), and the zombies won’t always be mindless drones (Alaya Dawn Johnson’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart”).

There are some stories here that truly shine. The gems of this collection rely on strong characters and creative twists, instead of using the mythical creatures of choice as the main attraction. Zombie-lover authors Cassandra Clare (“Cold Hands”) and Carrie Ryan (“Bougainvillea”) deliver dark, traditional stories; Alaya Dawn Johnson serves up an intense but playful zombie love story (“Love Will Tear Us Apart”), while Maureen Johnson pokes fun at celebrity adoption and Scientology in “The Children of the Revolution,” the comedic horror story of a young woman who is hired by an Angelina Jolie-type actress to keep watch over her horde of adopted zombie children. Naomi Novik’s irreverent unicorn tribute, “Purity Test,” is nicely complemented by Meg Cabot’s “Princess Prettypants,” a sweet, earnest, and riotously funny teen romance reminiscent of The Princess Diaries. Unfortunately, this anthology proves to be a mixed bag in terms of quality. The outstanding stories are accompanied by mediocre duds that take themselves too seriously (see Scott Westerfeld’s “Inoculata,” Garth Nix’s “The Highest Justice,” and Diana Peterfreund’s “The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn”). Margo Lanagan’s “A Thousand Flowers” recounts a flat, rather two-dimensional romance between a unicorn and a princess; Kathleen Duey’s “The Third Virgin,” offers a strange but uninteresting twist on the interaction between the world’s only unicorn and the unsuspecting virgins that stumble across its path. The last piece in the anthology, Libba Bray’s “Prom Night,” depicts life in a town taken over by kids after their parents turn into zombies, and is about as full of potential as a flat tire. While you may find yourself skimming through some of the stories, most pieces are guaranteed to be entertaining (if not exactly original or thought-provoking). Recommended for Ages 16-Up for use of Language, Violence, and Suggestive Situations.

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Sequel Proves to be Major Improvement Over Predecessor

The Struggle (The Vampire Diaries #2) by L.J. Smith (1991; HarperCollins, 2010, 304pp.)

Caught in a battle of wills between two vampire brothers, willful mortal Elena struggles to support Stefan after he’s accused of murder, while at the same time fighting off the affections of Damon, Stefan’s devious and devilishly attractive older sibling. As if she doesn’t have enough trouble on her hands, rival and former friend Caroline steals her diary and plans to use its contents against her. After the slow, plodding pace of The Awakening, The Struggle proves to be a major improvement. Now that Stefan and Elena’s relationship has been established, the story is free to move forward to more interesting things--such as fleshing out the supporting cast and building character development. Elena’s devotion to Stefan is touching and brings strength to her character, while Damon’s pursuit of Elena--alternately tormenting her and wooing her--makes him both villainous and sexy. The Caroline subplot entwines nicely with the Damon/Stefan subplot, creating enough momentum to keep the story speeding forward to its cliff-hanger conclusion. Recommended for Ages 15-Up.

High Adventure and Romance in a Solid YA Fantasy

The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen, 2010, 368pp.)

After her baby brother is kidnapped by evil faeries, high school outcast Meghan travels deep into the heart of the Nevernever to bring him back, encountering fantastical beasts, jealous faery queens, and true love. Drawing heavily on traditional lore, Kagawa’s richly imagined fantasy world provides a lovely backdrop to the story, while delightful supporting characters flank the novel’s rather average leading lady. Although there is very little objectionable material to bar this from a younger audience, (the love story is sweet and mild-tempered, and the level of fantasy violence is to be expected), the novel’s sporadic use of strong language (the worst instance is when a faery tells someone to “F*** off!”) may act as a deterrent to sensitive readers. Non-stop action and elements of high adventure and romance make this tale of teenage heroines a solid entry in YA fantasy. Recommended for Ages 15-Up.

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Not the Best, But Provides a Nice Message

Cut by Patricia McCormick (Scholastic, 2000, 168pp.)

Callie is sent to a treatment facility after her parents discover that she’s been cutting herself. After a while, she finally opens up to her psychiatrist and begins to re-examine the fragile home environment that prompted her distress. Although not as powerful as others of its kind in the “teen issues/bibliotherapy” genre, the message that Cut provides is a heartwarming one: we all have the power to change our situation, if we only are willing to take the initiative. Despite the novel’s short length, McCormick provides a solid picture of life at the facility and lets us get to know its inhabitants. The one problem-character that stands out, however, is the character of Amanda. A cutter like Callie herself, she is so unrepentant of her cutting compulsion that she seems to have been planted by the author as the persona of temptation. She often tries to draw Callie into discussions of different ways to cut oneself, and she even goes so far as to proudly display her scars to the other patients (she has the words “life sucks” carved into her arms). Sound edgy? It’s a little uncomfortable to read at times, but compared to other works, shouldn’t be too intense for younger teens. Recommended for Ages 15-Up.

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Offers Nothing New to Genre, But Will Still Appeal to Vampire Romance Fans

The Awakening (The Vampire Diaries #1) by L.J. Smith (1991; HarperTeen, 2009, 272pp.)

Elena, the queen bee of her high school, is confused when the new boy, Stefan, shows no interest in her whatsoever. What she doesn’t know is that although Stefan secretly carries a torch for her, he can’t bear for her to learn his terrible secret: he’s a centuries-old vampire! When Elena eventually finds out the truth herself, the two admit their feelings for each other and try to build up a relationship. Things get dicey when Stefan’s evil brother, Damon, shows up in town, and decides to steal our heroine away for himself. Sound familiar? Despite its Twilight undertones, The Vampire Diaries actually precedes Meyer’s sparkly vampires by at least a decade. Pushed into reprint by the rising interest in vampire literature, this book unfortunately offers nothing new to the genre. To make matters worse, it’s littered with characters that are both flat and uninteresting, and contains plot twists that the reader can see coming a mile away. However, teen readers looking to sink their teeth into more vampire romance will definitely find what they’re looking for here. Recommended for Ages 15-Up.

Have You Heard...?

Gossip Girl (Gossip Girl #1) by Cecily von Ziegesar (Poppy, 2002, 199pp.)

Rumor has it that Nate, who’s dating Blair, is really in love with Serena, but then again, who isn’t? Serena, the “It” Girl of the whole Upper East Side of Manhattan, is more or less perfect (maybe too perfect, some say). According to Blair, (the jealous, ex-best-friend of Serena), she got kicked out of her European boarding school for cutting class, peddling drugs, sleeping around, you name it. Some say she had a baby in France and left it to be raised by an au pair, says Chuck, one of NYC’s adolescent jet set last seen in the ladies’ room at last night’s party feeling up Jenny, Blair and Serena’s classmate with the DD bra size. But Dan, a Beatnik loner with a crush on Serena, doesn’t believe a word of the gossip on his golden girl. Vanessa, however, an aspiring filmmaker with a thing for Leo Tolstoy and her friend Dan, is beginning to have her doubts. Von Ziegesar creates a cast of characters that seem superficial at first, but develop into surprisingly likable people (most of them, anyway). The narrative is a shallow one with more than its fair share of laughs, but wraps up a bit too abruptly for any of the relationship problems to be solved in a realistic manner. All that aside, this giggly, gossipy first volume of the best-selling series is sure to impress teen girls with a taste for chick lit. Recommended for Ages 16-18 for sexual content and rambunctious adolescent behavior.

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