Chris Lynch
Inexcusable
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2005
Genre-Narrative, Realistic, Contemporary
Iowa High School Book Award Nominee 2007-08
Keir Sarafian is a senior who thinks of himself as a good guy. As he thinks about what happened prior to the night with Gigi, he thinks about the events of his senior year. When he causes an opposing football player to be crippled, he keeps telling himself that he just did what he was supposed to do. After it is shown that it was an accident, he's offered a scholarship to play college ball as he had hoped. Knowing this he sets out to enjoy the rest of the year. When his sisters don't come for his graduation, he takes Gigi with him in a limo to surprise them. However, Keir is surprised to find that they could have come to his graduation but chose not to. His sister tells him a few truths about his year including his lack of respsonsibility. At the end Keir realizes the inexcusable truth that he did rape Gigi.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Friday, March 2, 2007
Far North
Will Hobbs
Far North
Avon Books, 1996
Genre-Narrative, Adventure, survival
Gabe is experiencing the Northwest Territories for the first time. He's attending boarding school in Yellowknife while his dad is working in the wilderness. His dad has arranged for Gabe to fly along with a bush pilot who is taking Dene (one of whom is his roommate who is dropping out of school) back to their village. Excited to show off the wilderness, the pilot flies them over the Nahanni River and sets the plane down above the Virginia Falls. When the engine fails to restart, the pilot tells the passengers to get all the supplies off. Unfortunately, the tree holding the mooring line pulls out and the pilot and plane are washed down the falls. Gabe, his roommate Raymond, and an old man must survive while waiting for rescuers. Gabe and Raymond decide to build a raft and take advantage of the Chinook to raft out while the river is ice free. However, the weather turns, and they end up in Deadmen Valley. Johnny, the old man, uses his native skills to help the boys survive. After Johnny dies, the boys first try to hike out on the frozen river and then trek into the mountains in search of game. Having killed a moose, they return to the cabin only to have a grizzly thwart them. With Raymond injured and the loss of the meat, the boys set out again down the river.
Far North
Avon Books, 1996
Genre-Narrative, Adventure, survival
Gabe is experiencing the Northwest Territories for the first time. He's attending boarding school in Yellowknife while his dad is working in the wilderness. His dad has arranged for Gabe to fly along with a bush pilot who is taking Dene (one of whom is his roommate who is dropping out of school) back to their village. Excited to show off the wilderness, the pilot flies them over the Nahanni River and sets the plane down above the Virginia Falls. When the engine fails to restart, the pilot tells the passengers to get all the supplies off. Unfortunately, the tree holding the mooring line pulls out and the pilot and plane are washed down the falls. Gabe, his roommate Raymond, and an old man must survive while waiting for rescuers. Gabe and Raymond decide to build a raft and take advantage of the Chinook to raft out while the river is ice free. However, the weather turns, and they end up in Deadmen Valley. Johnny, the old man, uses his native skills to help the boys survive. After Johnny dies, the boys first try to hike out on the frozen river and then trek into the mountains in search of game. Having killed a moose, they return to the cabin only to have a grizzly thwart them. With Raymond injured and the loss of the meat, the boys set out again down the river.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
The Sledding Hill
Chris Crutcher
The Sledding Hill
Greenwillow Books, 2005
Genre-Narrative, contemporary
Iowa High School Book Nominee 2007-08
Billy Bartholomew narrates this story of Eddie Profitt. First Eddie's father is killed while fixing a tire, and then Billy dies when he kicks a poorly balanced pile of sheet rock. Eddie deals with these terrible losses by becoming mute. BIlly in his new state sticks around to help Eddie. Eddie is touched deeply by the characters in a Chris Crutcher book that the librarian has a class of students read. However, the book is challanged by a religious group. With pressure from his mother and minister to be baptized, Eddie uses his quietness to spy and try to stop the book from being banned. In the end the book is banned, but Eddie has been able to deal with the loss of those he loves through the power of his own determination to do what is right.
The Sledding Hill
Greenwillow Books, 2005
Genre-Narrative, contemporary
Iowa High School Book Nominee 2007-08
Billy Bartholomew narrates this story of Eddie Profitt. First Eddie's father is killed while fixing a tire, and then Billy dies when he kicks a poorly balanced pile of sheet rock. Eddie deals with these terrible losses by becoming mute. BIlly in his new state sticks around to help Eddie. Eddie is touched deeply by the characters in a Chris Crutcher book that the librarian has a class of students read. However, the book is challanged by a religious group. With pressure from his mother and minister to be baptized, Eddie uses his quietness to spy and try to stop the book from being banned. In the end the book is banned, but Eddie has been able to deal with the loss of those he loves through the power of his own determination to do what is right.
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