The Freedom Maze Book Review

 Author: Delia Sherman. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Big Mouth House. ISBN: 9781931520300.

Annotation: In 1960 Louisiana, thirteen-year-old Sophie Martineau is sent by her recently divorced mother to Oak Cottage, an old plantation on the bayou, to stay with her grandmother for the summer. Bored and lonely, Sophie makes a wish that inadvertently transports her 100 years in the past, where, after being mistake for a slave, she experiences life on a pre-Civil War plantation.

Personal thoughts: I am a big fan of both historical fiction and time travel, so this book was right up my alley. I thought the author did an outstanding job of describing the plantation and life as a slave in 1860. The reader is truly transported into this tumultuous period of time, something that I think would be very valuable for tween or teen readers who are learning about the Civil War or slavery. The author’s passion for this era, as well as slave narratives and memoirs, is very evident throughout the novel, and adds that much more to the already exceptional story.

Plot summary: In 1960 New Orleans, thirteen-year-old Sophie Martineau is struggling to cope with her parents’ recent divorce. Her father has moved to New York City, and her former best friend is no longer allowed to socialize with the child of a single mother. To make matters worse, Sophie’s mother has decided to send her to Oak Cottage, an old plantation outside of New Orleans, to stay with her grandmother and aunt for the summer. Bored and lonely, Sophie makes a wish to be someone else, and is inadvertently transported back in time to 1860. Having spent several weeks in the sun exploring the bayou of Oak Cottage, Sophie’s tanned skin causes her to be mistaken for a slave, and she is immediately put to work in Oak River House, the luxurious home of her ancestors, the Fairchilds. Sophie is used to the racial segregation in the south of 1960, but nothing prepares her for the cruelty and discrimination she experiences as a slave in a pre-Civil War plantation.  

Review:  Inspired by real life slave narratives and memoirs, veteran author Delia Sherman’s The Freedom Maze proves to be a well-written and intriguing novel that is both entertaining and educational. Although the story involves time travel to the 19^th century, it begins in the past, over fifty years ago, at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Sophie is a complex character, as is her mother, a recently divorced, bitter woman who warns Sophie against associating with “negroes,” especially men. As was likely the case with many children during this period of time, Sophie is unsure of exactly why she is supposed to be afraid of African Americans, but takes her mother’s word for it, trying hard to be a proper southern lady. Sherman does an excellent job of conveying Sophie’s frustration, both with her parents’ divorce and her “exile” at the Oak River plantation. The story gets even more layered, however, after Sophie travels back to 1860. The many plantation slaves become to focus of Sophie’s new life, as do the ancestors she is forced to serve after they assume she is the light-skinned offspring of a relative and his servant. The author’s description of life on the plantation, from vocabulary to daily tasks, is very well done, and gives The Freedom Maze enough historical accuracy to have a strong place in the classroom. Overall, an exceptional novel that can easily be enjoyed by tweens, teens and adults, particularly those with an interest in American history.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Reading level: Grade 6+

Similar titles: Kindred by Octavia E. Butler.   

Themes:  Time travel, slavery, plantations, racism, divorce, American history, the South, the Civil War.

Awards/Reviews:  Starred review from Kirkus, positive reviews from authors Alaya Dawn Johnson, N.K. Jemisin, Nisi Shawl, Cory Doctorow, Jane Yolen, Holly Black, and Elizabeth Knox.

Series Information: N/A

Discussion questions:

-     Compare life for African Americans in 1860 to 1960. How were African Americans treated in each time period? Do you think things were that different between 1860 and 1960?

-     Why do you think the Fairchilds mistook Sophie for a slave? Do you think they would have treated her differently if they thought she was white?

-      Why do you think Antigua was so upset when she thought Sophie lost her free papers?

-      What do you think Sophie learned by living life as a slave in 1860?

-      Do you think life for African Americans has changed between 1960 and the present? How?

-       Read an actual slave narrative and compare Delia Sherman’s descriptions of life on a plantation. How historically accurate do you think The Freedom Maze is?

-     Why do you think the novel is called The Freedom Maze? What is the significance of the maze in the story?

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight Book Review

 Author: Jennifer E. Smith. Release date: 2012. Publisher:  Poppy. ISBN: 9780316122382.

Annotation: On a flight from New York to London for her father’s wedding, seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan happens to meet Oliver, a handsome college student returning home for the weekend, and the next twenty-four hours change their lives forever.  

Personal thoughts: I’m not usually one for a romance novel that is completely void of any paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy aspects, but I have to say that, after reading The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, I might have to give “real-life” novels a chance more often. I knew when I read the description of this novel that I was going to like it. I really enjoyed how it was set in a span of twenty-four hours. Since the reader knows this going into the novel, it makes for the pacing of the book to be really brisk and enjoyable. The reader knows the action is going to happen quickly, and that everything in terms of the plot is going to need to be wrapped up to some degree in a short time. I was impressed, however, with how much the author managed to include in the story, even though we only “knew” Hadley and Oliver for one day. Hadley’s memories and experiences she rehashes from her childhood are certain to resonate with many readers, especially ones whose parents have either separated or divorced. I plan on recommending this book to anyone who wants something realistic but enjoyable and touching as well.

Plot summary: Seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan is more than a little depressed about flying to London for the weekend for her father’s wedding. She hasn’t seen her father in over a year and has never met Charlotte, the woman he left Hadley’s mother for and his soon-to-be bride. Since her father’s semester teaching at Oxford turned into a permanent move to England, Hadley has been struggling to deal with his absence from her life. Now she’s packed her bags and is about to make the seven hour journey across the ocean to be a bridesmaid for the woman she knows she’s certain to hate. After Hadley misses her original flight by four minutes, she is forced to wait for three hours in a JFK airport terminal to catch the next plane to Heathrow. While she’s waiting, Hadley meets Oliver, a handsome guy about her age who is returning to his home in London for the weekend. A twist of fate puts them in adjoining seats, and the pair spend the flight talking, being more honest with each other than they’ve been with the people in their lives they’ve known for more than a few hours. Although they know they will be separated when they land in their destination, Hadley and Oliver can’t help but wonder if their chance meeting has changed their lives forever.  

Review:  Set in a period of twenty-four hours, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a sweet and surprisingly poignant novel that accomplishes a lot in such a short period of time. Many readers, especially tweens and teens, are bound to identify with Hadley’s difficulty coping with her father’s marriage to the woman who he left her mother for. This is an all-too-real situation that countless tweens and teens face everyday, and the author does a good job of approaching the emotions Hadley is feeling without making it melodramatic or sugar-coating things. Hadley’s connection with Oliver is also something that readers, both teen and adult, can understand. Oftentimes, it is the most unusual circumstances that allow two individuals to make a difference in each other’s lives, and that is, essentially, what this novel is about. It is a thought-provoking concept that allows for The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight to be a very meaningful read for anyone who has ever needed or found someone to lean on during a hard time. Overall, a quick but pleasing novel for fans of romance and fate.

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Reading level: Grade 6+

Similar titles: N/A

Themes:  Divorce, marriage, romance, love, fate, forgiveness.   

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly.  

Series Information: N/A

Discussion questions: 

-   Do you think it was fate or chance that brought Hadley and Oliver together?

-    Do you think Hadley did the right thing in agreeing to go to her father’s wedding? Why or why not?

-   Why do you think Hadley’s returning her father’s novel was so important to her?

-     What do you think the future holds for Hadley and Oliver?

Lark Book Review

Author: Tracey Porter. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN: 9780061122873.

Annotation:  After sixteen-year-old Lark Austin is brutally murdered, her friends, Nyetta and Eve, have difficulty coping with her death, especially when Lark’s ghost begins to haunt Nyetta.

Personal thoughts:  Wow, this was definitely not a fluffy YA book by any stretch of the imagination. I was very impressed by how Porter managed to include so much in such a short novel, and think that it shows something about her literary prowess. I had difficulty reading portions of the novel, especially those describing Lark’s murder, but think that this book is a very important read, especially for teen girls and anyone who has been affected by the loss of a friend.  

Plot summary: Vivacious sixteen-year-old Lark Austin is brutally murdered in the woods near the neighborhood she grew up in with friends Eve and Nyetta. After her death, Nyetta is haunted by the ghost of Lark who believes she will turn into a tree, the fate of other girls who were murdered in the woods. Eve is also haunted, but only with memories of Lark and the experiences they had growing up as best friends. Nyetta becomes more and more upset when it seems that she will not be able to help Lark escape her fate of being trapped in the forest for eternity. Will the two friends be able to cope with Lark’s murder and help her soul rest peacefully?

Review: Told in alternating voices between Nyetta, Lark and Eve, this short but powerful tale manages to accomplish quite a bit for its length. The gamut of emotions are present in this story: horror at the rape, brutal beating and murder of Lark, despair in the mind of her friend Eve who must cope with the death, mystery at what exactly is happening with Nyetta and Lark’s ghost, and hope that the friends, and town, will eventually be able to move on following the tragedy. Porter also includes some very tough issues in Lark besides the murder, including divorce, sexual assault and molestation. These themes, however, are not over-the-top and serve to help the reader understand how an entire community can be impacted from the loss of a promising and vivacious girl. Overall, Lark is a very moving and, at times, difficult read that is original in its telling and memorable.

Genre: Drama/Ghost Story

Reading level: Grade 9+

Similar titles: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

Themes:  Murder, death, loss, friendship, ghosts, divorce, sexual abuse.  

Awards/Reviews:  Positive reviews from School Library Journal and Horn Book.

Series Information: N/A  

Discussion questions:

- What would you say is the primary theme of Lark? Why?

- Do you think that Nyetta was truly haunted by the ghost of Lark, or was this the result of her difficulty in coping with the loss of her role model?

- How did the concept of the “girls in trees” make you feel? What did you think the author wanted the reader to feel when considering this idea?

- Why do think that Eve had trouble kissing or being physical with Ian?

- What steps can you take to avoid what happened to Lark?

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?

Life in the Fat Lane Book Review

Release date: 1998. Author: Cherie Bennett. Publisher: Dell Laurel-Leaf. ISBN: 0440220297.

Annotation: Lara Ardeche is perfect; thin, beautiful and popular she is a lifelong pageant winner and recently elected homecoming queen. Lara's life changes forever, however, as she rapidly and inexplicably gains weight

Personal thoughts: I enjoyed this novel quite a bit because it took a different perspective on a common topic: dealing with obesity in high school. Instead of having spent her life overweight, Lara Ardeche transitions from beautiful and perfect to living "in the fat lane." I thought this was interesting, and I'm sure will resonate with readers who have experienced weight fluctuations.


Plot summary: Junior in high school, Lara Ardeche, has the perfect life. Beautiful, popular and thin, Lara has spent her life competing in and winning beauty pageants. Her beautiful, thin mother and handsome father adore her, as does her cool boyfriend Jett and her best friend, Molly. Lara's life becomes even better when she is elected homecoming queen, despite the fact that she's just a junior. In the months following her homecoming victory, however, Lara's life becomes a living hell as she inexplicably begins to gain weight very rapidly. As she grows bigger and bigger, her popular friends abandon her, and Lara tries everything to get back to her former thin self. Matters are only worsened by her "perfect" parents who constantly pressure her to diet. After rigorous medical testing, Lara finally discovers that a rare metabolic disorder is the cause of her weight gain, a disorder for which there is no cure. As Lara's life continues to fall apart, she discovers that perhaps things were not as perfect as she had imagined, even when she was thin.


Review: Life in the Fat Lane provides a unique view of the teenage obsession with appearance as Lara Ardeche experiences both sides of the coin. Beginning the novel as a thin, beautiful and popular homecoming queen, the reader sees the benefits of fitting in with society's ideal image. As Lara gains weight rapidly, eventually ending up a size 24, the emotional torment she experiences illustrates the loneliness of being "different." As the reader transitions with Lara from beauty queen to "freak," Bennett takes the audience on the heartbreaking journey with her character. Secondary to Lara's weight disorder but equally heartbreaking is the breakdown of Lara's parents' marriage. Lara's mother provides a clear image of the future Lara may have had as a thin, beautiful woman, particularly the fact that this future is far from perfect. Overall, Life in the Fat Lane is a realistic look at what happens when the lie of perfection fails, and how to overcome the realization that apperances aren't everything.

Genre: Fiction

Reading level: Grade 7+

Similar titles: N/A

Themes: Eating disorders, popularity and image, divorce, weigh gain and loss, parental pressure.

Awards/reviews: Positive reviews from Publisher's Weekly and School Library Journal. Winner of ALA's Best Book for Young Adults award 1999.

Series information: N/A

Discussion Questions:

- Do you think how much a person weighs is important? Do you think other people think it's important? Why or why not?

- How do you think Lara's life changes once she becomes "fat"?

- Would you ever make fun of someone for being "fat"?

- Do you think Lara's life was easier when she was thin?