Who Is Claudette Colvin?

A few weeks ago, it was announced that Phillip Hoose won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature for his biography Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice. When she was just 15 years old, Colvin was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat for a white woman in Montgomery, Alabama. If this story sounds a bit familiar, it's important to note that Colvin did this on her own a good nine months before Rosa Parks! Why did history remember one and forget the other? You'll have to read the book, or at least this New York Times article.

National Book Award Finalists Announced

The National Book Award Finalists were announced yesterday, and it is always interesting to see which books are nominated in the Young People's Literature category. The category has a kind of stodgy title that sounds like it might be more for younger kids' books, but most of the nominated titles each year are for teens!

• Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman (biography)
• Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose (biography)
• Stitches by David Small (graphic novel, originally published for adults)
• Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor (supernatural short stories)
• Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia (urban fiction)

We have two of these in our teen section (Jumped, Charles and Emma) and one in our children's biography section (Claudette Colvin), so come in and see what you think of their choices!

Book Review: What I Saw and How I Lied

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

(Click on the book to see which libraries own it.)

SUMMARY: In this sophisticated thriller, 15-year-old Evie grows up quickly when she discovers her adored parents are not the people she thought they were. While on vacation in Palm Beach in 1947, Evie’s parents, Joe and Bev, get involved in a shady business deal with the Graysons, another couple on holiday. Meanwhile, Evie begins a flirtation with Peter, a handsome ex-GI who served with Joe and just happens to be staying at their hotel. Evie soon learns that Peter’s presence is no coincidence and that he threatens to uncover a terrible secret that Joe has kept since the war. When Bev, Joe, and Peter go boating, only two of them return, and Evie must sort through secrets, lies, and her own grief to find the truth. (from the Booklist review)

OPINION: What I first loved about this book was that I could see a glamorous black-and-white movie playing in my head while I read it. The atmospheric language and descriptions perfectly capture the time period, and the mystery has the feel of film noir. This book defies categorization as simply historical fiction or mystery. The plot drew me in, as it became apparent that all was not as it seemed. This book has surprising depths, and an even more surprising ending. Evie's testimony in the inquest after the boating incident was shocking, but her attitute toward her life afterwards is even more revealing. This is a completely worthwhile read for anyone who has ever loved and lost.

INTERESTING FACT: Judy Blundell has written over 100 series books and movie tie-ins under pseudonyms, but this is the first book she ever published under her own name. None of her previous work could be considered great literature, yet this book won the National Book Award! Read more about her story in this interview.

Book Review: The Rules of Survival

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

SUMMARY: Narrated by 17-year-old Matt as a letter to his youngest sister, Emmy, The Rules of Survival is his effort to come to terms with the vicious treatment he and his two sisters suffered at the hands of Nikki, their beautiful and unpredictable mother. As much as he fears her manic highs and lows, his greater concern as he grows older is for the safety of his sisters. Compounding the problem are the adults in their lives--their father and their aunt--who recognize Nikki's instability but find it easier to look the other way. When Nikki's ex-boyfriend Murdoch befriends the children, they want to believe that a more normal future is possible, but are afraid of being disappointed by an adult yet again. The characters captivate readers from the beginning, and short, terse chapters move the plot along with an intensity that will appeal to seasoned Werlin fans and reluctant readers alike. Teens will empathize with these siblings and the secrets they keep in this psychological horror story. (from the School Library Journal review)

OPINION: This book was a National Book Award finalist, and it is easy to understand why. Without being graphic or melodramatic, the author manages to convey a picture of life with an abusive parent that is both perceptive and horrifying. Matt's mother, Nikki, is selfish and childish at best, manipulative and cruel at worst. In a frightening example, she pulls the car into lanes of oncoming traffic to force her kids to declare their love for her. If you are a fan of A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer or if you like suspenseful thrillers, this book's for you.