 Teenage Henry, with a club foot, a terrible stutter, and dyslexia, is the target of unrelenting bullying. After committing several violent acts at school and at home, he is sent to the Home of Lesser Brethren, a desolate farm for troubled boys, in the middle of the lava fields on the Icelandic coast. The farm is run by the frightening and misguided Reverend Oswald and his loving wife. Henry finds some peace in tending the cows and sheep, but he is lonely and desperate for a friend. Each time he trusts someone, he is betrayed. The prologue explains that the story is a flashback written by Henry’s friend. Not until the end, do we learn who the friend is. This sophisticated and engrossing story of an outcast’s hope is a clear tribute to Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince. The poetic language describes moments of tenderness and also unspeakable cruelty. It will transport you to the cold, harsh, yet comforting Icelandic landscape. mjw |
| Title: Boy On The Edge Author: Fridrik Erlings Publisher: Candlewick Copyright: 2012 Original language: Written in English but based on a book the author had previously written in Icelandic. ISBN: 978-0-7636-6680-4 Hardcover pages: 240 Age range: 14 and up Genre: Fiction – novel Book setting: Iceland Author’s ethnicity: Icelandic Author’s residence: Iceland Subjects: Clergy, Club Foot, Dyslexia, Foster Children, Iceland, Northern Europe, Stutter, Teenage Boys |
Boy On The Edge
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Kioni is busy rounding up her mischievous goats who have roamed away from home and broken into the garden of a Kenyan schoolhouse on soup day. Meanwhile, her friends are gathering ingredients for soup. Just as the goats begin wreaking havoc on the garden, Kioni and her friends problem solve and find a way to make the soup even more delicious. They add goat milk. Striking 3D artwork combining paper sculpture and mixed-media collage illustrate the Kenyan community. A recipe for pumpkin vegetable soup that can be made by children and adults accompanies the story. cc
German eighth grader, Mike Klingenberg, is a boring kid with no friends. He is left alone for two weeks while his mother is in rehab and his father is away on a “business trip” with his attractive secretary. Andrej Tschichatschow, aka Tschick, is a Russian immigrant, the new kid in school, and also not popular. When Tschick shows up in a stolen beat-up Soviet-era car, the boys head out of Berlin on a road trip adventure across Germany. They have no map, no cell phone, and no plan. They meet some bizarre characters, dodge the police, and travel the autobahn. This is an insightful, exuberant, and highly engaging coming of age novel. mjw
When young Razia learns that there will be a new school for girls in her Afghan village, she is determined to attend. Her baba gi (grandfather) supports her, but her father and brothers refuse to give her permission. The school’s founder assures them that Razia will be safe and that allowing her to go to school will be for the good of the family, the village, and the country. The book is a fictionalized account of the building of the Zabuli Education Center, a school for girls in the Afghan village of Deh’Subz. The story is enhanced by photo, fabric, and drawing collage. Illustrations capture the beauty and harsh realities of the small village. Background information on the lack of girls’ education worldwide; a brief biography of Razia Jan, the school’s founder; a glossary; and classroom activities accompany this powerful book. mjw
“Mary Had A Little Lamb,” the classic rhyme, has been transformed in this bilingual version which takes place in rural Peru. Each straightforward English verse is accompanied with the Spanish translation directly below, making this a perfect read-aloud. Readers are transported to Peru as they read the rhythmically flowing text and view warm gouache and ink illustrations. A wordless picture spread allows students to become authors, making up their own stories. Distinctive Peruvian features such as Andean dress, culture, and landscape are depicted. cc
Adolescent Helene has been ostracized by girls who had once been her friends. They scribble insults on the school walls and snicker about her on the bus. Her escape is Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. When she goes on a camping trip with her class, she discovers an amazing red fox and a new friend, Geraldine. The mixed-media illustrations alternate between Helene’s sad, black-and-white world and Jane Eyre’s bold colorful English countryside. Helene’s world changes as she learns that she is worthy of friendship. mjw
Eleven-year-old outspoken and likeable Billie Templar lives in a military town called Merchant Stanton. Her dad is serving with the army in Afghanistan and Billie desperately wants him home so they can defend their four-year record of winning the three-legged race at the school carnival. She plans to ask the Queen to give him permission to return home, but getting to see the Queen is tougher than she thinks. With the help of sweet, crazy friends and old age pensioners, she stages a military tattoo to get the Queen to visit during the Jubilee celebrations. The story is heart-wrenching, hilarious, and has a feel-good surprise ending.mjw
This narrative scrapbook, art journal, and mini graphic novel tells the story of a teenage girl from northern England. Three central themes in her life are illustrated with bits of old diaries, energetic and quirky doodles, witty pieces of wisdom, references to TV shows and music, photographs, and even ticket stubs. The themes/chapter headings are ME; FRIENDS, OTHERS, COLLEGE, AND ART; and LOVE. This portrait of teen life is solid, frank, and adorable. The author is 18 years-old. mjw
The negotiation between teacher and student begins as the narrator tries to convince his teacher that his incomplete homework is not his fault. Subsequently more and more absurd, humorous homework excuses are revealed on each page. Giant lizards invaded the neighborhood, there was a problem with carnivorous plants, and elves hid all of the student’s pencils. But the teacher cannot be outsmarted: she’s read the same book. Detailed pen-and-ink illustrations enhance the hilarious text, exemplifying the great lengths students will go to in hopes of avoiding homework. cc
