The Hobbit (audiobook)

Tolkien, J. R. R. (1997). The hobbit [sound recording]. Read by Rob Inglis. New York: BBC Worldwide.

Reading level: Grades 5+

Summary:
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who is quite content living a safe life in his hobbit hole, is pulled into an adventure by Gandalf the wizard. He is chosen by Gandalf to be the thief in a group of travelers who plan to sneak into Smaug the dragon's lair and steal some treasure. Bilbo and his companions encounter many obstacles on their journey, including trolls, goblins, wood elves, and, of course, a nasty dragon. Bilbo also manages to obtain a ring of some importance.

Comments:
I don't think this book translates well into an audiobook. At times it was difficult to understand what the narrator was saying, since Tolkien's language is very rich, and just hearing some of the unique words was not enough to fix them in my mind. I read the book long ago, and was surprised at how different it was than I remembered. It was much less "fantasy," and not as exciting. It's hard to imagine teens (or kids) today being interested in this sort of book with no young characters, and a relatively slow plot. A very creepy part that was done quite well was when the narrator voiced Gollum. This book's Gollum is quite different from the film version of Gollum (in Lord of the Rings), but both are great characters. Another fun part of the audiobook version is that the songs are sung, and music is added. This is quite an advantage to the book format. Compared to the Harry Potter audiobooks, this audiobook is definitely not as engaging. I would recommend this audiobook to individuals who are familiar with the book and want to experience it in a different format.

Rating: 3/5

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging

Rennison, Louise. (1999). Angus, thongs and full-frontal snogging: confessions of Georgia Nicholson. New York: HarperCollins.

Reading level: Grades 7-10

Summary:
Georgia is only 14, but her problems are many. She's in love with an older boy who doesn't seem a bit interested, her cat Angus is always causing trouble, her parents are totally weird, and her nose is just way too big for her face. Despite these problems, Georgia is able to keep a positive outlook on life, and constantly manages to find humor in difficult situations.

Comments:
Very funny book. It's definitely better than the "Mates and Dates" series. The book is written in a diary format, which I've never really enjoyed (lack of dialogue), but the humor of the book sort of made up for the format. Angus doesn't play as big of a role as I expected, but he is mildly amusing. The real joy of this book is the main character, Georgia. The situations she gets into are hilarious, and her comments on them even funnier. You don't really get a deep look into Georgia's character, which is one thing I found lacking with the book. It is a very superficial look into Georgia's life, but fun nonetheless. Recommended for any teen with a sense of humor.

Rating: 4/5

Tenderness

Cormier, Robert. (1997). Tenderness. New York: Delacorte Press.

Reading level: Grades 9+

Summary:
Lori is fixated with Eric, an 18-year-old serial killer who just got out of a juvenile detention centre. He looks like the sort of guy who would be tender, something Lori craves. Lori runs away from home, where she is hardly missed, and travels to the city where Eric is staying. Will Lori let her obsession with Eric obscure the danger warnings she feels?

Comments:
This is a very well-written book. Cormier switches perspective effortlessly, allowing the reader to experience the story from three main characters: Lori, Eric, and the detective who is intent on putting Eric back into prison. The storytelling is complex, as are the characters. I would classify the book as a crossover book; its tone reminded me strongly of Janet Fitch's book, White Oleander. I can understand why the book is controversial, since Eric commits some very evil deeds, and his feelings towards his murders are disturbing. There is some sexual content, but nothing graphic. The book shows a soft side to Eric, which may be one reason why it is controversial. Great book, and I would recommend it to mature teens and adults.

Also, as I was searching the book online, I saw that it's being made into a movie. Russell Crowe is playing the old detective. I would definitely check out the movie as well.

Rating: 5/5

Crazy Jack

Napoli, Donna Jo. (1999). Crazy Jack. New York: Laurel-Leaf Books.

Reading level: Grades 8-11

Summary:
A retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk fairy tale. Brought on by his father's disappearance, each fall Jack has dreams that drive him to act strangely. This leads the townspeople to call him "Crazy Jack." Jack is in love with Flora, but he can't pursue her, or be at rest, until he finds out exactly what happened to his father.

Comments:
At first, I didn't really enjoy this book. It seems that the women had very passive roles, and that everything besides the popular fairy tale storyline was filler. Once Jack grew up (from age 9 to age 16) the book became more interesting. Jack's behavior was quite strange, and it wasn't really in a funny way, more peculiar. There was some originality, but overall the book just didn't impress me. The author seemed to be trying to put too much symbolism into one small story.

Rating: 3/5

Mates, Dates, and Sequin Smiles

Hopkins, Cathy. (2003). Mates, dates, and sequin smiles. New York: Simon Pulse.

Reading level: Grades 6-10

Summary:
Nesta has to get braces and is devastated that she may have to put off her love life for a whole year. Of course, as soon as she get braces, she meets the boy of her dreams, Luke. Her mates tease Nesta that she is too shallow, and that just because she has braces doesn't mean she should put her life on hold. By the end of the book Nesta realizes that it's ok to be shallow, since not everyone can be full of deep ideas.

Comments:
This book was frighteningly similar to the other books in the series. It really seems that there are no original thoughts in any of the books. There are no surprises, no plot twists. Everything is predictable. The one different thing this author does is that she includes something (a quote, a recipe, advice) at the end of each chapter in all her books of this series. There are supposed to be humorous moments, but I found a hard time seeing anything amusing in the book. If you enjoy mindless reading, you may enjoy the book. I would not likely ever recommend reading this series. It would be a last resort.

Rating: 2/5

The True Meaning of Cleavage

Fredericks, Mariah. (2003). The true meaning of cleavage. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Reading level: Grades 6-11

Summary:
Sari and Jess are best friends starting grade nine. They both have always sneered at the popular kids and all things conventional. However, things change when Sari falls for a popular boy and becomes distant from Jess. Jess is confused, and lost without the presence of her friend. Jess comes to realize that her life doesn't have to revolve around her friendship with Sari.

Comments:
When I started this book, I thought it was going to be shallow and boy-centric, like many other chicklit books. However, as you learn more about Jess, you get to appreciate different levels of her personality. There is a subtle sophistication in this book that I haven't noticed in many other YA books. I really enjoyed Jess's character, who I was able to identify with. This book highlights the fact that people are not just good or just bad, but that people have many different levels. The author's use of the meaning of the word "cleavage" is also quite interesting. I would recommend this book to upper-level middle school and lower-level high school girls.

Rating: 4/5

Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (movie)

Kwaspic, Ken (Director), et al. (2005). Sisterhood of the travelling pants [DVD] . [s. l.] : Warner Brothers Pictures.

Rating: PG

"Laugh. Cry. Share the pants."

Summary:
Four friends are parting ways for the summer. Lena is heading to Greece, Carmen to North Carolina, Bailey to Mexico, and Tibby is left at home working at Wallmans. Before they separate, they find a pair of jeans that fits all them perfectly. The friends call the pants magical, and promise to send the jeans to each other throughout the summer so that they can all partake in the joy of the pants. Each girl goes through new experiences, and in the process learns something about herself.

Comments:
This movie was great. Each of the storylines are interesting, though I really enjoyed Lena's point of view. Exotic locations contrasted nicely with Tibby being stuck back home. There was a definite "girl power" theme running through the movie, which was enjoyable. The girls didn't get too caught up in romantic relationships; the main focus of their summers was learning about themselves. They had a very strong bond, which made me wish I had been one of their friends! The acting was also excellent. I would recommend this movie to any girl of any age.

Rating: 5/5

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

Mackler, Carolyn. (2003). The Earth, my butt, and other big round things. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Reading level: Grades 7-10

Summary:
Virginia Shreves has the perfect family. Too bad she doesn't fit in. While everyone else in her family is fit and trim, Virginia can only be described as "heavy." To make matters worse, Virginia has had to start grade 10 without her best friend, who has moved away. Throughout the book, Virginia battles her weight, her family, and her self-esteem.

Comments:
This was a fantastic book. You really feel for Virginia and the struggle she's going through. I also was surprised at Mackler's accurate description of high school. One scene describes how Virginia feels trying to find a seat in the cafeteria, and I could definitely relate. There's a sub-plot where Virginia's perfect brother gets kicked out of school. This allows Virginia to realize that her family really isn't perfect, and that she doesn't have to be like them to be happy. The book promotes a positive body image without being too serious about the issue.

Rating: 5/5

Fray

Whedon, Joss et al. (2003). Fray. Milwaukie: Dark Horse Comics.

Reading level: Grades 7+

"Bad day. Started bad, stayed that way."

Summary:
Melaka Fray (aka Mel) lives far in the future, where many humans have been deformed by environmental hazards. There is also a subculture of "Lurks," known to us as vampires. Mel finds out she is a slayer, and is trained by a huge demon named Urkonn. As she battles the lurks and tries to save the world from demon infestation, Mel learns more about her powers and learns to let go of the past.

Comments:
This was a pretty good graphic novel. There are a lot of the same elements that Joss Whedon included in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, but Mel is a unique character. There is also a little crippled girl, Loo, who is probably the best part of the book. She only has one arm and one eye, yet Whedon makes her a fiesty little character. The ending was unpredictable, and included a nice plot twist. There was quite a lot of action in the book, and the plot moved at a very fast pace. I would recommend this novel to boys and girls who enjoy graphic novels, and to anyone who enjoyed Whedon's other works.

Rating: 4/5

I Was a Teenage Fairy

Block, Francesca Lia. (1998). I was a teenage fairy. New York: Joanna Cotler Books.

Reading level: Grades 9-12

Summary:
Barbie's mom pressures her into modeling at a young age. On one of the photo shoots, the photographer sexually abuses Barbie. Soon after this, Barbie finds Mab in her back yard. Mab is a small, feisty fairy who is unimpressed with Barbie's passive attitude toward life. As Barbie grows up, she begins to take her life into her own hands, and begins to work towards her own dreams.

Comments:
This book had a pretty high degree of sophistication. Events are not usually described in exact detail; readers must figure some things out on their own. You had to actually think while reading the book (unlike in my previous two entries). There are also abstract passages that require some interpretation. Block does a good job of making Mab an ambiguous character. She could be a real fairy, or she could be Barbie's coping mechanism. I also enjoyed the ending, when Barbie finally gains some control over her life, and actively pursues her goals. I think this book would be an excellent read for teens going through the same experience as Barbie.

Rating: 4/5