2003-2004 Texas Bluebonnet Books
Flipped
There are two sides to every story and Wendelin Van Draanen allows readers to listen to the voices of both Bryce Loski and Juli Baker, two fourteen-year-olds, in alternating chapters, as they retell their history which began just before they entered the second grade. From the moment Bryce moved across the street from Juli, she was mesmerized by his gorgeous blue eyes and he found her annoying and pushy.
Bryce, a typical adolescent boy, finds Juli and her family "odd." Juli is the perfect student, always going beyond what is required in school and listening to the beat of a different drum instead of following the crowd. Juli falls in love with an old sycamore tree in their neighborhood and stages a sit-in when a developer attempts to cut it down to build a house. Bryce's grandfather, who has moved in with Bryce's family after his wife's death, reads of Juli's endeavors in the local newspaper and finds that she has the same presence as his deceased wife, "someone who is iridescent." When Bryce discovers the reason for the austere lifestyle of Juli's family, with the guidance of his grandfather, he begins to value the things in life that are truly important.
This witty coming-of-age novel, written in language true to that spoken by today's teens and dealing with the insecurities of youth, is sure to be a hit with adolescent readers, entertaining and yet provocative.
Van Draanen, Wendelin. 2001. Flipped. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN: 037591174X.
Eleven-year-old Louise Tolliver was wishing on a star one night when her older brother Willie began to tease her. In her anger, Louise called him a pig, and then went on about her business. That night, Willie failed to show up for dinner and when he was still not there the next morning, Clara Tolliver, Louise�s mother, called the local sheriff, Tod Watkins. As Louise and Clara were discussing Willie�s disappearance with Sheriff Watkins, a big white pig came running out of the woods toward their house.
People had always said that Tollivers� Hollow was a peculiar place, especially since the unexplained disappearance of Louise�s father, Jack Tolliver, seven years earlier. The unexpected arrival of this new white pig eventually leads Louise and her mother to suspect that Louise�s wish may have come true and that Willie has been transformed into a pig.
Betsy Hearne�s light-hearted fantasy is full of twists and turns as readers discover more of the history of the Tolliver family and how their lives are intertwined with the other members of their community including the Watkins brothers, Tod and Tom. Louise and Clara are forced to unravel the mystery and figure out just the right combination of wishes, kisses, spells, stars, songs and pigs before the Watkins brothers roast Willie for the Labor Day picnic.
Hearne, Betsy. 2001. Wishes, kisses, and pigs. New York: Margaret K. McElderry
Books. ISBN: 0689841221.
When ten-year-old Miguel�s parents divorce, he, his younger sister, Juanita, and their psychologist mother move from New York City to a small town in Vermont, leaving behind his father and all of his friends. Miguel begins to wonder if he will ever be able to make friends in Vermont where everyone seems to have blonde hair and blue eyes instead of dark eyes and hair like himself.
Their lives are changed even more when Miguel�s Mami invites her Tia Lola to come from the Dominican Republic, the birthplace of both of Miguel�s parents, for an extended visit. Tia Lola, an eccentric, energetic grandmotherly type of indeterminate age with a penchant for lots of make-up and wild, flowery dresses, brings the love of life back to Miguel�s family and to the entire community.
Filled with humor and steeped in the warmth, love and understanding of close-knit families, How Tia Lola Came to Stay is sure to bring a smile to your lips. Author Julia Alvarez includes many Spanish phrases and their translations as well as humorous passages relating Tia Lola�s first attempts at English. When Tia Lola meets Miguel�s prim teacher on the street, she greets her with, �Awesome-get-a-life-chill-out,� much to the dismay of Miguel who had been teaching her some of the slang phrases in the hope that she would �sound a bit more cool in English.� Entertaining and educational, this book will be enjoyed by readers of all ages.
Alvarez, Julia. 2002. How Tia Lola came to stay. New York: Dell Yearling. ISBN: 0440418704.