THE AMBIDEXTROUS LIBRARIAN

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Sherman Alexie) I wanted to live up to expectations. That's what it comes down to. The power of expectations. I hadn't heard of this book until I started looking into "Best of YA Literature" lists, and it kept popping up.  As I work in a school library, I felt it my duty to give it a blat!   The novel follows the life of a Native American teenager who is acutely aware that he is Native American.  He is also aware of all the issues and expectations that come with this.   Arnold, or "Junior" as he is also known, lives in the "poor-ass" Spokane Indian Reservation (the "rez"), and outlines for the reader (in both written and pictorial form), the depressing reality that is his daily existence.    Alcohol, violence, hardship and the complete lack of hope are the main themes, with topics discussed including (but not limited to) the potential success of his parents had they been white (...

The Cardturner (Louis Sachar) Most people familiar with the YA fiction scene would know Louis Sachar for his novel  Holes.  There is no doubt that Sachar is a great author, and  The Cardturner  is no exception. Sachar manages to take a totally uncool storyline for a YA novel (playing Bridge with oldies), and create a novel that still has all the elements of YA success; best friends, romance, little sisters, annoying/embarrassing parents, and a journey of self-discovery. Alton Richards is in his late teens and has fallen into the role of being " Cardturner" for  his rich (and blind) uncle, Lester Trapp.  This is of great pleasure to Alton's mother, whose only concern seems to be to whom Uncle Lester will leave his sizable fortune. As with all rich, mysterious relatives there is always an age-old scandal to gossip about, and Alton is somewhat skeptical about having to spend time with his Uncle given "the details" of his past.  But do...

Diary of a Penguin Napper (Sally Harris) Diary of a Penguin Napper is the first novel from Melbourne-based author, Sally Harris, which I discovered upon wandering into a bookstore in Richmond the other day.  I started chatting with a nice guy who I can only assume was the owner, and he convinced me to buy a copy (evidently he's a good salesman!).  I then proceeded to enjoy reading the book. OK, so I am a lot older than the target audience of 8-12 year olds, but hey, I can appreciate a good junior novel when I read one! Basically, Marty and his amusingly-named best friend Turds (yes, Turds) need to raise money fast so Marty can go on camp with the love of his eleven-and-a-half year old life, Jessica.  I won't go into too much detail, but in the end, kidnapping a penguin seems to be the best option to raise the bucks. Told as a kind of retrospective from Marty's point of view, the story is well paced and has it's amusing, if not slightly predictable scenarios an...

100 Best YA Books of all time?  You be the judge! OK, so Time Magazine has just posted a list of what they believe to be the best 100 Young Adult books of all time (follow the link below): TIME's 100 Best YA Books of all time How many of these have you read? More importantly, how many of these are in your local or school library?

Alex as Well (Alyssa Brugman) Alex as Well is a book that should be required reading for all those living through gender identity issues, or those who want to obtain a deeper understanding of the struggle of teenage years for those who are born transgender.   Alex is born "a bit of both", but her parents choose to raise her as male.  Alex hits puberty, and decides to stop taking her testosterone - she is a female, and wants to start living life as a female. The narrative begins with Alex enrolling herself in a new school as a female, electing to become vegetarian, and so beginning her journey of true identity.  Unlike Raven Girl , the story of Alex's transition to her true identity is not met with support from those who surround her.  In fact, the characterisation of Alex's mother, who writes down her horrendously selfish thoughts via an online "Motherhood Shared" blog, are enough to make anyone cringe.   Alex as Well  is a well written, engaging a...

Raven Girl (Audrey Niffenegger) A short, modern fairy tale of a girl born to a Postman father and a Raven mother, Raven Girl is a fable of love and identity, and finding the strength within to be who you were born to be.  Narrated in a simple but moving tone, with stark, somewhat childlike illustrations, the moral behind the fable is clear - know who you are, and surround yourself with those who accept you as you are, and you will have wings to fly. Interestingly, Raven Girl has also been made into a new dance for the Royal Opera House of Covent Garden.

The Witches (Roald Dahl) Don’t be fooled – REAL WITCHES exist, and their sole purpose is to eradicate ALL children due to the vile stench they exude!  REAL WITCHES are, of course, terribly icky, but they parade the world as lovely ladies and can only be spotted by those in the know! So begins the telling of a classic good vs. evil fairy-tale, where a young boy and his grandmother unwittingly find themselves in the midst of a large gathering of witches, led by none other than the Grand High Witch herself who plans to rid England of all children, forever!  Will their terrible plan be foiled in time? Packed with larger-than-life characters, colourful accents and disgustingly descriptive narrative, The Witches is bound to be a hit with children who enjoy a squeamish read! Dahl, R 1983,  The witches , Jonathan Cape, London. Children's - Horror

Girl Defective (Simmone Howell) As a teenager, did you ever look longingly at other people’s apparent domestic bliss, and wonder just why your family was so damn weird? Girl Defective’s protagonist, Skylark Martin, laments that her family are “like inverse superheroes, marked by our defects”.  As the daughter of an absent, artist mother, a borderline alcoholic father, and with a brother who is “on the spectrum”, Sky certainly has her share of domestic challenges.  Throw into the mix an older, unpredictable best friend, an intense teenage romance and a mysterious death (all against a St. Kilda backdrop) Girl Defective certainly delivers a colourful, engaging narrative.  A novel that tackles the issues of self-identity and familial relationships within romance and suspense, Girl Defective certainly offers the reader a little bit of everything! Howell, S 2013,  Girl defective , Pan Macmillan Australia, Sydney. Young Adult - Family