Monday, November 16, 2009

Finished It...


Wish You Were Dead
by Todd Strasser

Rating: ☆☆

I had no idea that Strasser had a new book out, so when I saw this at Barnes & Noble last week, I had to grab it. Unfortunately, this book holds none of the originality and honesty of Strasser's best work: last year's sensational Boot Camp. However, I think most students will enjoy this book much more than I did.

My problem with the novel is the tired old suspense movie formula it seems to follow--a claim inside the dust jacket that the book is in the tradition of Duncan's I Know What You Did Last Summer is unfortunately dead-on. Todd Strasser is just better than that. He shouldn't need to be following in the footsteps of any other YA writer; instead, others should be following his lead. I always felt he was a pretty fearless writer, which is why I find it so puzzling that he would go this route.

The idea behind the story was interesting for me at first. Popular kids from a local high school slowly begin to disappear. The only clue as to their whereabouts comes through the rants of a blogger known only as "St-r-ssd." I liked how Strasser actually included the blog entries themselves. This nicely offset the traditional prose writing.

Maybe I'm just getting old, but I've seen similar stories too often, and they have always bored me to death. There is really nothing original when it comes to what happens to the missing teens. The whole scenario is also quite hard to swallow. I just shook my head several times. I thought characters were only this naive in bad movies. For example, two teens have disappeared, yet the protagonist thinks it's perfectly reasonable to go places alone, like an out-of-the-way horse stable. Would teens still be out partying when two of their classmates had disappeared just days earlier? The characters seem conveniently clueless.

To be fair, I can see my students liking this book. The suspense will probably keep them on edge. Maybe this is because they haven't seen as many bad movies as I have over the years, or perhaps because they get something from this story that I completely missed. -K.L.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Homework List Updated

The list of assignments to the right has been updated for the second quarter. You can see an outline of what we'll be doing for a while.

Currently Reading...


From the author of Boot Camp and Give a Boy a Gun.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Finished It...

Say Goodnight, Gracie,
by Julie Reece Deaver

Rating: ☆☆☆

This is an older novel that had received a lot of praise, so I thought I would give it a try. The story revolves around two central characters--protagonist Morgan and her friend/boyfriend Jimmy. Both are interested in the theater; Jimmy is a mega-talented dancer and actor, and he even gets an audition for Oklahoma early on in the novel. The two have been inseparable since birth, and their relationship begins to evolve beyond basic friendship. A tragic accident changes their plans for the future.

I really liked Jimmy's character. His personality really stands out through his auditions and in the way he playfully picks on Morgan. Other characters are lacking--both sets of parents, Morgan's aunt, and Morgan herself appear wooden and shallow at times. Their responses to the tragedy have a cookie-cutter familiarity.

I didn't like how the climax of the plot is given away on the first page of the novel. I feel Deaver could have let readers know a tragedy was looming without coming out and saying who the victim was and how it happened. I like the way the novel addressed the themes of grief and drunk driving. Those looking for a new take on loss might enjoy Deaver's critically-acclaimed offering, even if it didn't completely thrill me. -KL

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Currently Reading...

Apostrophe Quiz Tomorrow

I hope you paid careful attention as we reviewed the rules of the apostrophe today. You have a quiz tomorrow. Be sure to study.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Finished It...

Kissing the Rain, by Kevin Brooks

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

A disappointing ending hampered an otherwise outstanding novel. Moo's thoughts and feelings really come out through the first-person perspective. I often laughed at his honest perception of things. There are also some dangerous characters who are equally memorable. The sad thing was that the novel really lacks a resolution and/or conclusion. Moo and Brady devise a plan to get out of the predicament, but readers are left wondering how it might play out. Overall, this is still a book worth giving a try. Should Moo be honest and help a ruthless gangster, or lie and side with the police? It's a tough quandary that will make readers think. -KL