Rotters Book Review

Author: Daniel Kraus. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Delacorte Press. ISBN: 9780385738576.

Annotation:  After his mother’s death, Joey Crouch is sent from his home in Chicago to live with the father he’s never met in Iowa. Ken Harnett is as far from an ideal father as it gets: he lives in a small, filthy shack, is always covered in dirt and a strange, foul odor, and disappears for days at a time leaving Joey to fend for himself. Soon Joey makes a startling discovery about Harnett, however, that explains his strange behavior: his father is a professional grave robber.

Personal thoughts: Wow. This is certainly different from any book I have ever read, and was, at times, very difficult to get through. I’m not sure what to make of it. It is very well written and the characters are engaging, but in a horrifying way. Kraus dives head first into the utterly macabre, and only brave readers should dare to follow him into the world six-feet-under. While the novel will make your stomach turn, you will find yourself unable to wait arriving at the fascinating conclusion. I will definitely remember Rotters for a long time.

Plot summary: Joey Crouch has lived a sheltered life in Chicago with his eccentric but loving mother. After she is tragically killed in a bus accident, Joey is sent to live with the father he has never met in the small town of Bloughton, Iowa. Not sure what to expect, Joey’s worst fears are realized when his new smalltown life fraught with unhappiness: his father, Ken Harnett, is an unkempt and unfriendly man who immediately lets Joey know that his presence is not desired. Joey is treated horribly at his new high school, constantly mocked, bullied, and abused by students and teachers. Joey does find some solace in the company of his friendly band teacher who encourages him to continue playing trumpet, a skill fostered by his mother. But as Joey’s life becomes more and more depressing, even music seems pointless in the endless monotony of torment. One night, Joey decides to learn the truth about his father’s odd behavior and hides in his truck as he leaves for another one of his late night trips. Joey soon discovers Harnett’s secret: he is a professional grave robber, or Digger, who makes a living pawning the treasures he steals from the dead. At first, Joey is horrified. Soon, however, he is drawn into the mysterious world of the Diggers as Harnett teaches him the finer points of uncovering a corpse.

Review:  This tense and often disturbing novel packs a powerful punch on many different fronts. The opening of the novel outlines the strange relationship between Joey and his mother then quickly jumps into the events following her death. After Joey arrives in Middle America, the juxtaposition of his experiences at his new high school and the “adventures” he has with his father makes for an interesting but also horrifying plot. Once Joey learns that he is good at his father’s craft, he uses digging as a means of escaping the torment, abuse, and bullying enacted upon him at his high school. The satisfaction the reader feels at Joey’s overcoming these obstacles is curious in light of the fact that it is obtained through his enjoyment of grave robbing with his long-lost pops. Graphic descriptions of what can be found six-feet-under, including such phrases as “coffin liquor” and “the boneyard blues,” make parts of the novel difficult to get through in a stomach churning way. These horrors, however, are what make Rotters such a unique, utterly original, and highly memorable novel.  Kraus does a fantastic job of turning something as disgusting as grave robbing into a means for a father and son to connect. The novel, while written for young adults, definitely has a place in adult literature as well, and can be enjoyed by any reader who wants something truly different from anything they’ve ever read.

Genre: Fiction/Horror

Reading level: Grade 10+

Similar titles: N/A

Themes:  Father/son relationships, grave robbing, death/loss, high school, bullying, feeling like an outsider, traditions.

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from authors R.L. Stine, Scott Westerfeld, Guillermo Del Toro, Chuck Hogan, and Michael Grant.  

Series Information: N/A

Discussion Questions:

- Had you ever heard of grave robbing before reading this novel? What had you heard? What did you learn?

- Do you think Joey's father's "job" helped the relationship between the two? Why or why not?

- Why do you think Joey was bullied in school? Have you ever been bullied?

- Do you think what Joey and his father did was wrong? Why or why not?

- What does the word "macabre" mean? How does it apply to this novel? 

Karma Bites Book Review

Authors: Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas. Release date: 2010. Publisher:  Sandpiper. ISBN: 9780547363011.

Annotation:  Wouldn’t it be nice if you could fix everything that’s wrong with middle school like magic? Wrong! Franny is about to discover that when you mess with the universe, karma can really come back to bite you.

Personal thoughts:  Although it is somewhat “light” fare, I really enjoy Karma Bites and would recommend it to tween girls as a fun read. I was impressed from the start with the authors’ writing style. It’s often difficult for adults to write in “tween” language without sounding corny or like they’re trying too hard. Kramer and Thomas pulled it off perfectly, creating a entertaining narrative that tweens will enjoy. I will definitely keep an eye out for my titles from this duo.  

Plot summary: Franny Flanders is about to begin 7^th grade and the worst thing has happened: in an effort to “go blonde,” Franny’s hair has accidentally been died orange by her best friend. Whoops! Luckily, Franny’s Granny is able to reverse the damage using a mysterious oily mixture. Franny appreciates Granny’s efforts, but things turn weird when Franny spends the first day of 7^th grade speaking her mind: something no middle schooler in the precarious position of “clique border crosser” should do. Franny questions her Granny and discovers the truth: the hair reversal mixture was a recipe from a magical Hindu box Granny received from a mysterious monk in Bhutan. As Franny learns more about the powers of the box, she decides to use more magical recipes to fix things in her life. First, she must reunite her two best friends, Kate and Joey. The three were inseparable in elementary school, but middle school caused Kate to become the leader of the “beeks,” the band-geek clique, and Joey to emerge as head of the “poms” and “peaks,” the school’s popular cheerleaders. After she fixes her social life, Franny takes on more challenges: getting her evil English teacher to chill-out, fixing the school’s cafeteria food, and ridding her father of his pesky new girlfriend in an effort to reunite her newly divorced parents. But how far can magic go to correct everything that is wrong in Franny’s world? Franny is about to discover that you can’t mess around with the universe, and that karma really bites.

Review:  Chock full of current language, pop-culture references, and humor, Karma Bites is the perfect “fun-read” for the tween girl of 2011. Franny is a very likable character, and the fact that she’s flawed makes her very relatable. Her adventures answer the question of what would happen if magic could fix all the wrongs of middle school. Tucked into Franny’s dealings with Hindu boxes, magical recipes, and hippie Grannies, however, is a valuable message: Franny eventually learns that she holds the power to making her life good, even if it’s not perfect. Authors Kramer and Thomas use their literary prowess to make the narrative sound as it’s coming from the mouth of a 12-year-old girl. Franny frequently uses fun phrases like “flip me out” to react to different situations. The writing style will hold definite appeal to readers. Apart from the entertaining aspects of the novel, Franny does deal with some serious issues that many tweens experience. Her parents are recently divorced and her grandmother has moved in to help her mother take care of her and her little brothers. Franny is clearly upset about the separation, and believes that her mother and father will get back together. She must also contend with the cutthroat social politics of middle school. Elodie, her school’s “mean girl,” is a vicious bully who enforces a rigid caste system dividing the student body into their rightful place. Her best friends, Joey and Kate, are now enemies and focus on who Franny spends more time with, rather than on Franny’s well-being. Tweens will be able to relate with these challenges on a very real level, despite the presence of magic. Overall, Karma Bites is an effervescent book that young readers are sure to enjoy.

Genre: Fiction/Humor

Reading level: Grade 4+

Similar titles:  None

Themes: Magic, karma, social aspects of middle school, divorce, bullying, cliques.   

Awards/Reviews: Positive review from School Library Journal  and www.teensreadtoo.com .

Series Information:  N/A 

Discussion Questions:

- Do you believe in karma? Why or why not?

- Do you think the social set-up of Franny's middle-school is realistic? What parts do you think are more realistic than others?

- Describe your experiences with cliques or bullying in school.

- Do you think Franny should get in the middle of the feud between Kate and Joey? Why or why not?