Whales on Stilts

Whales on Stilts by M.T. Anderson

'On Career Day Lily visited her dad's work with him and discovered he worked for a mad scientist who wanted to rule the earth through destruction and desolation.'

Really, I don't know if there is anything left to say after reading this line from Whales on Stilts. It is GREAT! It is very stylistic, like the other M.T. Anderson books I've read. I think this book has a wider appeal than say Octavian Nothing. Mad scientists, kids who are adventure book authors, secret masks (masks you where when you don't want anyone to hear you discuss your plan to stop an evil plot to take over the Earth, duh!), laser eyes. At the end of the book the author has book discussion questions, my favorite goes something like: Many stories end in a love match, this story ends with robots. If it ended in a love match, where would they get married? And, Jasper Dash wore electric pants. If you could electrify any piece of your clothing, what would it be?

This book sparked my imagination to work in a way it hadn't since I was about 10 years old. I would electrify my gray hoodie with the pockets so that it could regulate my body temperature, have a light when I need one, and have a little freezer in the pocket to keep a popsicle because I love popsicles!

Look out pirates and robots, mad scientists are taking over!

Life As We Knew It

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Life As We Knew It is a post-apocalyptic book for young adults. The premise is that an asteroid hitting the moon is going to be visible from Earth. Everyone is excited, the teachers in all subjects assign homework related to the event, astronomers are all over the news talking about the phenomenon. When the time for the event comes everyone goes outside to watch, but something unexpected happens. The asteroid is so large, the impact so great that it knocks the moon into a different orbit closer to Earth. Tides change drastically, wiping out the coasts. Thunder and lightening storms wreak havoc, earthquakes begin, and volcanoes begin erupting. The story is about Miranda, a high school sophomore, and her family as they struggle to survive!

This is in the same vein as Dies the Fire by SM Stirling, but it is better suited to younger folks as it isn't quite as frightening. Tt tells the story through developing Miranda's character and her relationship with her family, friends, and other people which creates a much gentler approach to this subject. Although, many teens are ready for, and would prefer the more mature Dies the Fire so know your kids well before making a recommendation!

This is an excellent book club book for 'tweens and teens. Kids can discuss what they would have done in Miranda's situation, what they would do if a similar event happened here. Whether they think such an event is possible. You could talk about how global warming is changing our world. Endless possibilities!

The companion book, The Dead and the Gone, is due out in June 2008 and will examine the event from the perspective of a 17 year old boy in New York. I look forward to reading it!

Uprising

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix

This is gripping historical fiction that you will not be able to put down! Three teenage girls, two immigrants and one society girl, who through odd turn of events during the 1909-1910 shirtwaist strike become friends. The history of the shirtwaist strike and the shirtwaist factory fire of 1911 are fascinating, and the story of the three girls is heart wrenching. This is a story of the past and of today. Haddix does not pontificate, she doesn't need to. The parallels between immigration and exploitation of workers (and outsourcing to countries where labor laws don't exist or aren't enforced) then and now are clear. This is a great read, but it is also an important read. It is an opportunity to discuss the most pressing issues in politics and our global economy. The author's note points out that the fire of 1911 was the worst workplace disaster in American history until September 11th. What has changed, what hasn't changed?

My folks and I listened to this on a long drive. Dad reads mostly non-fiction, an occasional mystery, and everything by Jon Hassler. He couldn't wait to get back in the car to hear what happened next. He was impressed by the writing and thinks it's something everyone young and old should read.

PS: This story also brought us all to tears so have tissues ready!