Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang

        

Title:  Daughter of Xanadu   Author:  Dori Jones Yang
ISBN:  9780385739238   Pages:  336
Publisher:  Delacorte  Press, New York, 2011

Readers Annotation:
Princess Emmajin, is the granddaughter of the Great Kahn of the Mongol Empire, and has the dream of joining the great army. In turn, Emmajin's grandfather entrusts her with the task of befriending and spying on the foreigner Marco Polo, whose strange ideas and ways take root and dare to question Emmajin's resolve to be a true Mongol warrior. 

Author Information:

Dori Jones Yang conducted research for Daughter of Xanadu by visiting Mongolia and studying its culture. Yang is originally from Ohio and has a keen interest in the Orient. She studied Mandarin Chinese in Singapore, and explored Asia as a foreign correspondent for eight years when she worked for Business Week in Hong Kong. She has written two other books and received high praise for both. 

Yang is married to Chinese born Paul, and together they have a daughter, Emily, who was born in Hong Kong. Currently, she lives near Seattle, Washington. Daughter of Xanadu has been recently nominated for ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults.

www.dorijonesyang.com

Plot Summary: 
Princess Emmajin, a member of the Golden Family, is the oldest granddaughter of the oldest son of the Great Khublai, ruler of the Mongolian Empire. Her sixteenth birthday is around the corner, and her official adult life will soon begin. Emmajin is best friends with her half-brother Suren, and together they have practiced archery, wrestling, and other male oriented pastimes, an unusual desire of a Mongolian woman. Emmajin has turned down several suitors in the hope of becoming a warrior. Her wish is to truly make a difference in her Empire, instead of living a passive life like most women in her country. When Suren's younger brother challenges all the male cousins to an archery contest, Emmajin is adamant to join and compete. She almost wins, and after observing her skill and bravery, her grandfather entrusts her with a special task.

Emmajin is to befriend and spy on the three foreigners from Christendom. In the process, one of these men, Marco Polo, shows her the world in a different light. After many adventures together, Emmajin starts to doubt some of her previous convictions, surprising herself most of all.

Critical Evaluation:
This historical fiction piece stays true to the time period of the fifth Kahn, subsequent to Genghis Khan's conquest of Mongolia and parts of China. Although some of main characters are fictional, such as Emmajin, Emmajin's sister, and Emmajin's cousin Suren, all other characters are based on real people. The story takes place in 13th century Mongolia, when surrounding countries were still being conquered by the huge empire. Despite the fictional aspects, the Mongolian culture is portrayed truthfully and respectfully.  The story line is realistic, and the emotions of characters are depicted truthfully. Emmajin's character relates her point of view throughout the narrative, thereby allowing the reader to understand the conflict between her previously held beliefs and her new yet foreign ideals. Daughter of Xanadu is truly a spellbinding adventure of an adolescent girl trying to break free of the bonds set by her time and culture.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Curriculum Ties:  World History - Ghengis Kahn and his dynasty, Chinese and Mongolian History, Marco Polo

Booktalking Ideas: 
     1.  Emmajin wants to fight as a soldier for her grandfather and for Mongolia, but is a female and not readily accepted as a fighter. How would you feel if you lived in a time where women were considered second class or weak?
     2.  Marco Polo and his relatives left their home and country for years at a time. How would you feel leaving your home and everything familiar for that long, without the ability to return even for a short visit?

Reading Level/Interest Age:  13+

Challenge Issue:  none

Why I chose this item: I wanted to include a book with Oriental ethnicity, and thought that its historical accuracy would serve as an asset to my collection.

  
Daughter of Xanadu book trailer

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (Audiobook)

           

Title:  Confessions of a Shopaholic  Author:  Sophie Kinsella

Performed by:  Emily Gray
ISBN:  1419304828  CD's: 10   Running Time:  11.75 hours
Publisher:  Recorded Books, LLC, New York, 2002

Readers Annotation:
Rebecca Bloomwood is a financial journalist who loves to shop. However, when she can't stop her shopping habit and spirals into debt, the only way out for Becky will be with the story of a lifetime.  

Author Information:
Sophie Kinsella, a former financial journalist, started writing under her real name, Madeleine Wickham. Her first book The Tennis Party, became a top ten bestseller. In 2000, Kinsella became a bestselling UK author with her novel Confessions of a Shopaholic. Outside the Shopaholic series, Kinsella has also written Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, and Twenties Girl. Sophie was born in London, where she lives presently with her husband and children.

http://www.sophiekinsella.co.uk/sophies-world/Biography/

Narrator Information:  

Emily Gray went to college at Warwick University, and graduated with honors. She also trained at Drama Studio London. Gray has performed in Too Rustic! at the Chelsea Playhouse, The Phantom Lady, The Way of the World, The Oresteia, Blithe Spirit at the Pearl Theatre Company, and Yes Is for a Very Young Man at the Brooklyn Arts Exchange. She's also played the part of Goneril of King Lear in a documentary for BBC 2.

Plot Summary: 
Rebecca Bloomwood, known as Becky by her family and friends, lives in a trendy neighborhood with her best friend Suze working as a financial journalist with Successful Savings. However, her favorite thing is not writing journal articles about money. Instead, Becky likes to spend money. Becky knows shopping like the back of her hand, and loves to peruse high end stores during her spare time. The problem is, all this shopping has put Becky in a tremendous amount of debt. Her situation gets to be so bad, that Becky refuses to even look at the menacing letters being sent by her credit card companies and her bank. While Becky tries to fix all of her problems, she encounters love, bravery, loyalty, and begins to discover much about herself.    

Critical Evaluation:

The narrator pulls the listener into the story by speaking in the manner in which the prose has been written. Truly, one can feel the story come alive as the single narrator uses different sounding voices to differentiate between the main character and supporting characters. This, coupled with the author's style, allows the reader to 'hear' the female protagonist's thoughts, making for an intriguing and entertaining tale. The author intermittently adds laugh out loud humor to the narrative, and in general, the entire book is somewhat light and fun. Interspersed with the threatening letters that Becky has received from various financial  institutions, the reader also gets a feel for her increasing stress that results from her shopping addiction. Confessions of a Shopaholic appeals specifically to the reader who similarly desires to always be shopping for fun and new items. 

Genre:  Humor/Fiction

Curriculum Ties:  Culture - British lifestyle, Addiction

Book-talking Ideas: 

     1. Becky is constantly rationalizing her shopaholic tendencies. Do you know anyone who has a shopping addiction?

     2. Becky attempts to curb her shopping addiction by cutting back. Have you ever been on a budget and had to cut back, and found it difficult?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 16+

Challenge Issue: none

Why I chose this item: I remember liking the movie, and thought that the shopping and addiction aspects would speak to my teenage audience. Additionally, I wanted to include an audio-book in my collection.

Further Series Reading: Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, Shopaholic Ties the Knot, Shopaholic & Sister, Shopaholic & Baby, Mini-Shopaholic 

 

Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You by Dorian Cirrone

             

Title:  Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You   Author:  Dorian Cirrone
ISBN:  0060557028  Pages:  213
Publisher:  HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 2005

Readers Annotation:
Kayla finally has a chance to star in the upcoming ballet, but her large chest lands her a second-rate part. To make matters worse, a classmate finds a threatening note in a pair of red ballet shoes, the same color shoes that she's supposed to wear in the ballet!

Author Information:

Dorian Cirrone has an MA in English, and started her career in writing as a journalist. Since then, she has written both children's and young adult books. Her debut adolescent novel, Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You, has been recognized as an ALA Teen's Top Ten Nominee 2005, an ALA Popular Paperback for Young Adults 2007, and is part of the Amelia Bloomer List for Feminist Fiction 2006. Dorian's latest young adult novel is Prom Kings and Drama Queens.

Dorian was a ballet dancer as a child, which gave her the inspiration for Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You. As Dorian got older, she continued to study ballet, tap, and jazz dance. Currently, Dorian lives in South Florida with her husband and two kids.

http://www.doriancirrone.com/about.html

Plot Summary: 
Kayla has been a ballet dancer since she was four years old. In fact, that's where she met her best friend Joey, who happens to be gay. Now that Kayla's in eleventh grade at the magnet school Florida Arts High School, she is hoping that her ballerina talents and her extra practicing over the summer will get her the lead role in the upcoming ballet, Cinderella. When Kayla checks the posting of the assigned roles, she is crushed to find that her name is under 'ugly stepsister'.

Miss Alicia, Kayla's ballet teacher, takes Kayla aside to tell her that a large chest does not conform to the typical ballet dancer, and that she should consider getting breast reduction surgery. To top it all off, blood red Pointe shoes start showing up all over school, with threatening notes attached to them. This especially scares Kayla, since her ballet costume includes red ballet shoes. Kayla goes through a year of self doubt and discovery, aided by her friend Joey and her new boyfriend Gray.

Critical Evaluation:
The author of this fiction piece skillfully combines dramatic and comedic elements, producing an entertaining work. Despite the lighthearted nature of the book, many authentic issues are addressed by the characters. Kayla deals with a potential life altering decision, struggling with her desire to be a ballerina versus her desire to leave her body unaltered. Kayla's sister Paterson has an end of the year art project that is unfairly censored by the school board. Joey is openly gay and determined to be a professional dancer but is worried about hurting Kayla's feelings. All of these topics are sure to resonate with the adolescent reader. As the author is intimately familiar with ballet, she gives the main character room to express her feelings through delightful ballerina jargon. Though readers may at times find the ballet references difficult to understand, the emotions of the female protagonist come through clearly.  

Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Ballet

Curriculum Ties:  English - Censorship

Booktalking Ideas: 
     1.  Kayla is uncomfortably self-conscious about her larger than normal chest, and considers surgery to help her fit in. Would you choose to change your own physical appearance to fit in?
     2.  Joey has been Kayla's best friend since they were very young, but never took the relationship further as a result of Joey's homosexuality. Do you have any friends that have a different sexual orientation than you?

Reading Level/Interest Age:  13+

Challenge Issue:  Nudity, Homosexuality
- This book has been awarded with an ALA Teen's Top Ten Nominee 2005, an ALA Popular Paperback for Young Adults 2007, and is part of the Amelia Bloomer List for Feminist Fiction 2006
- 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 book about fitting in, and the idea that a homosexual boy was a main character in the story line was also appealing. I also was intrigued by the booktalk from our class readings. Lastly, this book is a great addition for adolescent ballet lovers.

 

Parachutes by Coldplay

        

Title:  Parachutes by Coldplay  Format:  CD
Artists:  Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, Chris Martin   
ASIN:  B0000508U6    Studio: Capital Records  Release Date:  November 7, 2000

Band Information:
Guy Berryman (bass), Jonny Buckland (lead guitar), Will Champion (drums), and Chris Martin (vocals, guitar, keyboards), are the members of Coldplay, a British alternative rock band. They began initially in college at University College London, with lead vocalist Chris and lead guitarist Jonny. At the time, their band was known as Pectoralz, which changed to Starfish when Guy Berryman joined the band as the bassist. Soon after, Will Champion became a member of the band, acting as the drummer, backing vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. They renamed themselves Coldplay in 1998, and established their fame in 2000 with the song "Yellow".

Presently, Coldplay is a best-selling group, having sold over 50 million records all over the world. They have won many music awards, including Best British Group three times, four MTV Video Music Awards, and seven Grammy Awards. Coldplay supports several social and political causes, and have performed for many charities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldplay

Contents:
Don't Panic, Shiver, Spies, Sparks, Yellow, Trouble, Parachutes, High Speed, We Never Change, Everything's Not Lost

Music Summary:
Coldplay became famous with their single "Yellow" in 2000, which preempted the release of their debut album Parachutes. Once released, it became number one in the United Kingdom and has been certified seven times platinum. In the United States, the album reached number fifty one on the Billboard 200, and has been certified two times platinum. The album was nominated for the Mercury Prize that same year. Additionally, it won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 2002. Parachutes won the Best British Album award at the 2001 Brit Awards. The music itself fits into the alternative rock genre, with it's heavy use of electric guitar but soft and melodic pieces.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachutes

Critical Evaluation: 
Parachutes is a wonderful mood piece with mellow and melodic sounds played by acoustic guitar. Chris Martin, who leads the band with his incredible and emotional voice, makes great use of falsetto. The textured sounds found in the music are produced perfectly by a pairing of acoustic and electric guitars. The often distorted sounds of the electric guitars serve as an excellent counterpoint to Chris Martin's gentle vocals, and the heavy use of keyboards tend to add a fullness of tone not often found in the Rock genre. The song's lyrics are straightforward and easy to understand. Overall, the beauty of the music shines throughout every song, and makes for great listening.   

Genre:  Alternative Rock

Curriculum Ties: Music Appreciation- Rock bands, Alternative rock

Reading Level/Interest Age: 14 +

Challenge Issue: none

Why I chose this item:  I wanted to include a different type of rock, which is still very popular with teens. Additionally, though an older CD, this was their landmark debut album and has won many awards.

 Coldplay's Yellow

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

         

Title:  The Espressologist   Author:  Kristina Springer
ISBN:  9780374322281   Pages:  184
Publisher:  Farrar Straus Giroux, New York, 2009

Readers Annotation:
As a hobby, coffee barista Jane Turner keeps a journal that matches personalities with coffee orders. When her boss finds out, he comes up with a matchmaking idea that puts Jane's talent directly in the spotlight. 

Author Information:
Kristina Springer has a master's degree in writing from DePaul University. She began her writing career as a technical writer for a software company, and continued on to freelance writing in 2000. The Espressologist is Springer's debut novel for young adults. Her newest book Just Your Average Princess is due to come out in the Fall of 2011.

Kristina gained her inspiration for The Espressologist from her own experience in people watching at coffee shops. She currently lives in a Chicago suburb with her  husband Athens and her four kids Teegan, Maya, London, and Gavin.

http://www.kristinaspringer.com/bio.html

Plot Summary: 
Seventeen year old Jane Turner is a high school senior in her last semester. All that remains to complete her high school degree are a few easy classes. She's also enrolled in a couple of college courses at Anthony Carter Community College, and works as a barista at Wired Joe's. Jane loves her job at the coffee shop, as she works with her best friend Em and is able to earn money for college. What Jane has noticed while working there is that people's personalities fit with the drinks they order. She even keeps a record of personalities and drink types, and begins to match compatible personalities and drinks.

One day, Jane's manager catches her writing in her journal and demands to know the content of her entries. She tells him her theory of Espressology, and he decides that her matchmaking abilities would be a great holiday promotion for his shop. Before she knows it, Jane becomes an overnight wonder, making many successful matches. After a while, Jane wonders if she can find a compatible match for her own large iced nonfat mocha, no whip.

Critical Evaluation:
This light and humorous novel is a quick and enjoyable read. Though the plot is not complex in nature, the book's premise is extremely clever and entertaining. Coffee lovers will especially be intrigued by this original novel set in a coffee shop. The variety of coffee flavors and mixtures, alongside the descriptions of personalities, create amazing imagery for the reader. The reader will find that the characters are lovable and entertaining, albeit somewhat flat and underdeveloped. Still, the reader will love the romance and matchmaking theme that laces the story line. Reminiscent of a B grade chick flick, this predictable but sweet story will enchant all audiences.

Genre:  Realistic fiction

Curriculum Ties:  N/A

Booktalking Ideas:
     1.  Jane is working as a barista in a local coffee shop in order to earn money for college. When you get to college, will you have to earn money to pay your own way?
     2.  Will comes into the coffee shop a lot, and gets free coffee from Jane after pretending to like her. Has someone ever similarly taken advantage of you?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 13+

Challenge Issue:  none

Why I chose this item:  As a coffee lover myself, and because realistic fiction is popular among young adults, I decided this book would be a great addition to my collection. Additionally, being a quick read, I felt it would do well for reluctant readers. 

Raven Speak by Diane Lee Wilson

        

Title:  Raven Speak    Author:  Diane Lee Wilson
ISBN:  9781416986539    Pages:  247
Publisher:  Margaret K McElderry Books, New York, 2010

Readers Annotation:

Asa Coppermane's father is lost at sea, her mother is dying from the sickness that killed her only two siblings, her tribe is dwindling from the ravages of the never-ending winter, and the manipulative storyteller Jorgen is stealthily trying to become the new chieftain. Asa, next in line to become the Viking clan's chief, looks for her tribe's salvation in a strange old woman she's never met in her life.

Author Information:
Diane Lee Wilson is the author of Black Storm Comin'; the winner of a Spur Award for Juvenile Fiction, a Booklist Editor's Choice, a VOYA Top Shelf Fiction Pick, a Notable Social Studies Trade Book, and a Book Links Lasting Connection. Wilson's second book Firehorse, was a selection of the ALA Amelia Bloomer Project, and a Booklist Top Ten Mystery/Suspense for Youth selection.

Diane was born in Champaign, Illinois in 1957. She attended the University of Iowa where she obtained a degree in Fine Arts and English. Wilson has always loved horses, and owns an extensive collection of horse books and figurines. She currently lives in Escondido, California.

http://dianeleewilson.com/home.htm

Plot Summary:
It's the year 854, and fourteen year old Asa Coppermane is living through the longest and most difficult winter her clan has ever seen. There is little hope for the Vikings, as there is a deathly sickness among them, and almost no food to eat. The sickness has already killed Asa's two brothers and is ravaging her mother. Her father, the clan's chief, sailed away in stormy weather with the most able bodied men to search for food in other lands. To make matters worse, the clan's diviner and storyteller Jorgen, seems to be manipulating her people in his quest for power. When Jorgen tries to kill the horses that Asa's father specifically requested be left alive, Asa fights back and barely escapes with her favorite horse from childhood.

Asa, too scared and proud to return home immediately, meets Wenda the seer. Cryptic remarks coupled with Wenda's one eye and strange raven-speak, worries Asa. However, this mixture of revulsion and curiosity compels Asa to follow the old woman to her home that is filled with food. Assisted by Wenda, Asa digs deep into her soul to discover a path for herself and her starving clan.

Critical Evaluation:
Beautifully written, but with dark and morbid strains, Raven Speak spins a tale of courage, leadership, and desperate times. The reader acquires a genuine feel of the grim and desperate times of the Vikings, when food and medicine were sparse. As the story is told mostly from the vantage point of Asa Coppermane, the reader is able to sympathize with and admire the strong willed heroine. At times, the narrative is told from either the point of view of Jorgen the shaman or Wenda the seer. This unique narrative presents a more comprehensive picture of the story. The author is careful to utilize the vernacular of the times, which lends more authenticity to the historical elements of the story. In fact, the reader will find that much of Asa's story has basis in Norse mythology.

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Curriculum Ties:  History - Vikings, 800's

Booktalking Ideas: 
     1.  Asa makes a huge sacrifice at the end of the book in order to save her starving clan. If you were in a leadership position, do you think you could make a huge sacrifice for others?
     2.  Jorgen wants to take over the clan for his own selfish reasons, but Asa's father always put the clan's well-being before his own. How do you feel about people who abuse their positions of power?

Reading Level/Interest Age:  14+

Challenge Issue: none

Why I chose this item:  This book is for the horse loving teens. I also wanted to include a book with historical aspects from a foreign culture. Lastly, the book is written by an award winning author.

Skateboarder: magazine

Title:   Skateboarder  Format:  Magazine
ASIN:   B0047QU2X8  Distribution:  Monthly
Publisher:   Source Interlink, California

Content/Audience:

The first skateboarding magazine ever published, Skateboarder speaks to the skateboarding culture, primarily a male adolescent audience. The magazine is filled with spectacular photographs, both stills and action shots. There are in depth profiles and interviews on many professional skateboarding idols. Adolescents will especially love the skateboarding trick demonstrations. The many articles also include skate photography information, letters to the editor, advice columns, gossip columns, and 'Fifteen things you didn't know about'. Furthermore, the advertisements revolve around  skateboarding.

Critical Evaluation:

The magazine does condone the use of profanity and sometimes risqué pictures in their articles. Additionally, many of the articles are written using the jargon of the skateboarding culture.  Although the focus is on one sport, the magazine articles are diverse and interesting.  Their use of photography captivates the reader's imagination, and the product reviews are perfect for the quintessential skateboarder.  As the magazine caters to a male audience, there are no female skating articles, which detracts from the overall quality of the periodical. Additionally, the articles keep skateboarders and retailers abreast of the innovations in the skateboarding industry.

Genre:   Sports, Periodicals

Reading Level/Interest Age:   15 +

Challenge Issue:   Profanity, Risqué pictures.
- This is an established magazine that is currently an industry staple
- 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 magazine that is popular with the male teen audience.