An American Plague by Jim Murphy

    

Title:  An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793  Author:  Jim Murphy
ISBN:  0395776082  Pages:  139
Publisher:  Clarion Books, New York, 2003

Readers Annotation:
In 1793, an unknown sickness began to spread like wildfire, killing many of the inhabitants of Philadelphia. 

Author Information:
Jim Murphy is the author of over twenty-five books for young readers. He is well-known for his work The Great Fire, which was awarded a Newbery Honor, and for his many informational books. Murphy has been honored with many awards, including the Robert F Sibert Informational Book Award and the Boston Globe Horn Book Honor. He is also the two-time winner of the SCBWI's Golden Kite Award, and the NCTE Orbis Pictus Awards. Some of his other publications include The Boys' War, Across America on an Emigrant Train, A Young Patriot, and Pick and Shovel Poet. 

An American Plague is the winner of a National Finalist Book Award, a Robert F Sibert Medal, and a Newbery Honor Book. Currently, Murphy lives in Maplewood, New Jersey. He lives in a hundred-year-old house with his wife Alison Blank, who is a children's author, editor and TV producer. 

http://www.jimmurphybooks.com/about.htm

Plot Summary:
It is August 3, 1793. United States of America has recently been born, and George Washington is the President. Philadelphia is the country's capital, and Congress is set to convene there in the upcoming weeks. Swamps and marshes surround the city, and the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers have receded to reveal muddy bottoms filled with dead fish and decaying vegetation. Sinkholes were used as the city's sewer, dirty water runoff, and dead animal graves. Their noxious and poisonous fumes were only worsened by the heat of the summer. Philadelphia became a dangerous breeding ground for sickness.

The first signs of the epidemic began with an unknown French sailor, who fell desperately ill and died at a local boardinghouse. Soon thereafter, people living in and near the boardinghouse started dying as well. Although unknown at the time, this was the beginning of a Yellow Fever epidemic that would wipe out over 5,000 inhabitants over a period of three months.

Critical Evaluation:
This historical accounting of a terrible and sad time in America's history is masterfully written. Each chapter accurately describes the sequence of events in a suspenseful yet truthful fashion. The chapters are cleverly entitled with a description of the next phase in the epidemic, enhanced with real quotes from historical figures and actual citizens of Philadelphia . Images of newspaper clippings, photographs, and paintings are dispersed throughout the book. These lend an additional layer of realism to the book that the prose could not accomplish alone. The factoids are interspersed with personal stories and accounts, allowing the reader to feel the desperation, confusion, and uncertainty of the times. Overall, the book is terrifying and intriguing, appealing to audiences of all ages.

Genre:  Non-fiction

Curriculum Ties:  American History - Yellow Fever, Philadelphia

Booktalking Ideas: 
     1.  The yellow fever killed many Philadelphians during an epidemic in 1793, and to this day no cure has been found. Are you ever worried about contracting foreign diseases?   
     2.  During the epidemic, the only group of people who stayed in town and helped the suffering people were the African Americans, who were never given credit for their bravery. Why do you think people were so blind to their life saving efforts?

Reading Level/Interest Age:  12+

Challenge Issue: Raw facts, Death
- Award winning book: National Finalist Book Award, Robert F Sibert Medal, and Newbery Honor Book
- Award winning author:  Robert F Sibert Informational Book Award, SCBWI's Golden Kite Award, and the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award
- Compilation of teen reviews and the average reader reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
- Library policy

Why I chose this item:  I wanted to include a Non-fiction piece, as it's a popular genre among adolescents. Additionally, this book in particular was written by an award winning author, and had a compelling story line.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

    

Title: The Last Olympian   Author:  Rick Riordan
ISBN:  9781423101475   Pages:  381
Publisher:  Disney Hyperion Books, New York, 2009

Readers Annotation: Percy and his loyal band of friends battle Kronos, the evil Titan, in an attempt to save modern civilization and the gods above.  

Author Information: 

Rick Riordan graduated from University of Texas at Austin with a double major in English and history. Riordan is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He's also written the very popular Tres Navarre series for adults, winner of the top three awards in the mystery genre. His most recent children's book Throne of Fire has debuted #1 on the New York Times children's chapter book list.

Rick enjoyed the Lord of the Rings trilogy as a child, and later read mostly fantasy and science fiction novels. His inspiration for Camp Half-Blood in the Percy Jackson series came from his counselor work in college. Riordan currently lives in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife and two sons.

http://www.rickriordan.com/about-rick/biography.aspx

Plot Summary:
Percy Jackson  and the Olympians have been preparing all year for the ultimate battle against the ever growing evil Titan, Kronos. However, Kronos is also preparing, and continues to recruit gods and demigods to serve under his amassing army.  This fifth book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series begins with a battle against Percy's old friend Luke on his ship the Princess Andromeda. Luke and his friends attempt to stop the ship from reaching New York.

Once the battle on the Princess Andromeda is over, the Olympians find themselves fighting the most menacing monster yet - the rampaging Typhon. Percy and his band of demigods continue the battle in the streets of New York, desperately trying to stop the Titans from destroying Mount Olympus. Meanwhile, Percy is approaching his sixteenth birthday and is about to find out if he is the 'one' referred to in a highly anticipated prophecy.

Critical Evaluation:
This conclusion to the Percy Jackson series is sure to delight readers of all ages. Additionally, due to the classical themes, this story is perfect for mythology lovers. One can especially enjoy the family squabbles between the gods and demigods. The author successfully integrates Greek mythology with a modern day flair, creating a world that is very believable . A combination of adventure, mystery, magic, and humor, makes this book entertaining and exciting. The characters that the author has created are easy to relate to, impressing the reader with their courage and spunk. Percy has grown into a strong yet modest character; a realistic portrayal of a young adult in his circumstances. The ending does not leave the reader disappointed, answering all questions and tying up all loose ends, producing a satisfying conclusion to the series.

Genre: Fantasy

Curriculum Ties:  History - Greek Mythology

Booktalking Ideas: 

     1. A huge decision awaits Percy on his upcoming sixteenth birthday. Did you ever have to make a life altering decision with the added pressure of a deadline?

     2. Fate plays a large role in the world of the demigods. Do you believe in fate?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12 +

Challenge Issue: Mythology, Religion
- Bestselling book series: #1 USA Today bestseller, #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, #1 Los Angeles Times bestseller
- Compilation of teen reviews and the average reader reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
- Library policy

Why I chose this item:  This is the newest book of a New York Times best-selling series for young adults. As the main character is sixteen in this book, I decided to include this part of the series specifically.

Further Reading: The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth. 

 
The Last Olympian book trailer

Fearless by Taylor Swift

         

Title:  Fearless   Format:  CD
ASIN:  B001EYGOEM   Artist:  Taylor Swift 
Studio:  Big Machine Records  Release Date: November 11, 2008

Artist Information:
Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989 in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. She is a country pop singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. After the release of her debut album Taylor Swift in 2006, the Recording Industry Association of America certified it as multi-platinum. Taylor Swift earned four Grammy Awards for her second album Fearless. By 2008, Swift became the best-selling musician of the year when her albums sold a total of four million copies. Her third album, Speak Now, was released on October 25th, 2010, and sold over one million copies in its first week.

Some of Taylor's musical influences are Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes, Tina Turner, Dolly Parton, and her maternal grandmother. Swift enjoys participating in many philanthropic endeavors. In 2007, she assisted in a campaign to protect children against online predators. She also donated $500,000 to a flood relief telethon for the victims of the May 2010 Tennessee floods.

Contents:  Fearless, Fifteen, Love Story, Hey Stephen, White Horse, You Belong With Me, Breathe, Tell Me Why, You're Not Sorry, The Way I Loved You, Forever & Always, The Best Day, Change

Music Summary:
Fearless, a county pop album, topped the Billboard 200 for eleven non-consecutive weeks, which has not happened since 2000. This studio album also had the largest opening sales week in the United States in 2008 by a female artist in all music genres, and the overall fourth largest sales among all musicians. The most popular songs on the album are "Love Story",  "White Horse", and "You Belong With Me". In fact, "You Belong With Me" was nominated for a Grammy, and it's Swift's second best-selling single. The corresponding music video directed by Roman White won the 2009 MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. The music itself is a combination of classic country and soft rock, which has seen a resurgence in popularity in the 1990's.

Critical Evaluation: 
On the heels of country pop music's rise to popularity, Taylor Swift represents a perfect combination of the quintessential pop star and the girl-next-door. As she was a teenager when she first came onto the music scene, adolescents are enamored with her singing talent. Swift's songs take on classic country elements such as song lyrics that tell a story over a simple melody. Swift, a songwriter herself, composes songs that she says are inspired by actual life events. For instance, the song "Forever & Always" refers to her relationship with Joe Jonas, "Hey Stephen" is about a boy she once toured with, and "Fifteen" talks about her freshman year of high school. This autobiographical spin allows her audience to closely identify with much of her music. While the straightforward lyrics and melodious music are attractive to a wide crossover audience, Swift's subtle country twang help establish her as one of country music's biggest stars.


Genre: Music, County Pop

Curriculum Ties: Music Appreciation

Reading Level/Interest Age: 14 +

Challenge Issue: none

Why I chose this item: I wanted to include a female artist in my music selection, and Taylor Swift is very popular among adolescents.

 Taylor Swift's You Belong To Me