Review of MAKE LEMONADE by Virginia Euwer Wolff (Poetry, Humor, New Media Category)

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Review of Make Lemondade by Virginia Euwer Wolff

(Poetry, Humor, New Media Category)

            1. Wolff, V.E. (1993). Make lemonade. New York, NY: H. Holt.  

2. Plot Summary: In this novel in verse, Virginia Euwer Wolff tells the story of Verna LaVaughn, a fourteen year old high school student, who needs a job in order to begin saving for college. She meets Jolly, a seventeen year old mother of young Jilly and Jeremy who needs a babysitter BAD. No one responds to an ad that Jolly posts except for Verna LaVaughn. Against the advice of her friends and with her mother’s ever present eyes watching over her, LaVaughn continues to babysit Jolly’s children and becomes very emotionally attached. As LaVaughn begins making more plans for her future in order to get out of the place she lives, she has to decide whether to continue to help this struggling family out or to put her own wants and needs first. Jolly must decide whether to continue down the dangerous path she is going or to turn the lemons in her life into lemonade.

3. Critical Analysis: Euler Wolff writes a very poignant novel all in free verse poetry using simplistically beautiful language. This novel is the first of a three part series. The other two books follow LaVaughn as she continues trying to reach her goal of going to college. Make Lemonade has been received multiple awards and several high compliments from reviewers. A Booklist starred review states, “Rooted not in a particular culture, but in the community of poverty, the story offers a penetrating view of the conditions that foster our ignorance, destroy our self-esteem, and challenge our strength.” Themes of resilience, perseverance, and fighting for a better life will stand out to readers throughout the story. Wolff does an excellent job of bringing these themes to life through her figurative descriptions and the dialogue between the characters.

The poetry seamlessly moves the reader through the plot of the story. It reads like a novel with dialogue and characterization; however, the use of frequent similes, metaphors, repetition, and unique punctuation will remind readers that the novel is in poetry form. The reader will also pick up on how even though a person can be very young, life experiences can age you and make you view the world differently. LaVaughn, who at fourteen has been very sheltered (and very loved) by her mother, then meets Jolly, who at seventeen, has had two babies, been fired from more than one job, and has not been protected and loved by parents. Their two worlds collide, creating an unusual friendship that works in the long run.

A Publishers Weekly, starred review, writes that Make Lemonade is, “Radiant with hope.” The theme of hope is the one that shines through the most, and the metaphor of making lemonade out of lemons is the perfect piece of figurative language to describe the characters’ situations in the novel. The literal planting of lemon seeds to make lemons within the story is symbolic of LaVaughn’s fight to bring sunshine into Jolly, Jeremy, and Jilly’s lives and to help Jolly realize her potential to make a better life for herself and her children. The novel ends on an unforgettable note that will leave readers thinking about that message of hope.

References

Amazon Ink.com. (2014). Book jacket for make lemonade. Retrieved August 3, 2014, from http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FMake-Lemonade-Book%2Fdp%2F0805080708%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1407293348%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Dmake%2Blemonade

Review of make lemonade by Virgina Euwer Wolff [Review of Novel]. (1993). Booklist Retrieved August 3, 2014, from www.booklistonline.com

Review of make lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff [Review of Novel]. (1993). Publishers Weekly. Retrieved August 3, 2014, from www.publishersweekly.com

Wolff, V.E. (1993). Make lemonade. New York, NY: H. Holt. 

Review of THE TEEN'S GUIDE TO WORLD DOMINATION: ADVICE ON LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF AWESOMENESS by Josh Shipp (Nonfiction Category)

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Review of The Teen's Guide to World Domination: Advice on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Awesomeness by Josh Shipp

(Nonfiction Category)

        1. Shipp, J. (2010). The teen’s guide to world domination: Advice on  life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.

2. Plot Summary: In this nonfiction, how-to piece of literature, Josh Shipp, teen motivational speaker, gives young adults advice for improving their quality of life through the choices they make and the friends they keep. Through the description of the seven “villains” that will be encountered in life and how to overcome them, Shipp gives insight into channeling the teen’s inner hero and therefore dominating his or her world, not the world’s of others, forever and forever. The author uses his own trying childhood to reach out to teens, not by using sob stories or trying to gain sympathy, but by using his mistakes to show others how to overcome hardships.

3. Critical Analysis: Josh Shipp uses fun, cheesy humor to write this nonfiction piece. His puns, clichés, and hilarity will gain a young adult’s attention very quickly. This informal tone should be appealing to the reader because it feels like he is in the room talking directly to the reader. That is a great idea for a self-help book in order to give it a feel of a non self-help book. The author also uses many personal stories throughout the read so the reader will be drawn in to the advice. This gives the expository pieces of the text a more emotional and connected feeling, and the stories also give the informational pieces of the book more authority. In a review written in Booklist, the reviewer, John Peters, states, “Drawing from his own experiences as a troubled youth, plus nearly a decade of motivational speaking to teen audiences, Shipp offers an unusually stimulating approach to making life decisions, rejecting bad choices, and nurturing a sense of self-identity. In his view, it is all about “dominating” one’s own self and world…..his hip vocabulary, vivid imagery, and confrontational rhetoric should keep readers engaged, and may well prompt some slackers to get off the stick.”

Josh Shipp was raised in twelve foster homes over the course of his childhood because his birth parents left him as an infant in the hospital, so he has much life experience to draw on. He tells stories of foster parents to being arrested for writing hot checks. His private experiences add a vulnerability and raw humor, which are very appreciated. The parts that are especially humorous and attention grabbing are the chapters on the seven “villains” that appear in teens’ lives. They are zombies, ninjas, ghosts, pirates, robots, vampires, zombies, and puppies. By using symbols and analogies that are interesting to teens, they are more likely to pay attention. (I sure did, and I am an adult!) I really appreciated Shipp’s down to earth, no nonsense descriptions of the things that can feel like plagues within our daily lives.

FOX writes, “He’s like the Dr. Phil for teens.” Also, CNN’s Young People Who Rock states, “Our generation doesn’t have a ‘Dear Abby,’ but we do have a ‘Hey, Josh.’” Those statements are very fitting because the scope of this book is a very comprehensive look at what teens today are concerned with. It covers everything from overcoming fears, handling parents and teachers the appropriate way, to managing money and dealing with relationships and sex. When writing about such topics as sex and romantic relationships, Shipp does tell teens to talk to their parents or trusted adults instead of “Googling” something that they don’t understand while reading, which is refreshing. The author’s approach is “In your face, but on your side,” and this tone rings true throughout the whole book, but there is also a sensitivity that Shipp uses that many adults may have difficulty achieving when addressing teenagers. He offers challenges to teens throughout the book such as making lists about what they are good at doing, what they don’t want to do in life, and the friends that they feel are true friends. Shipp’s philosophy is that by writing things down it gives teens something concrete to view when goal-setting.

The novel begins with a little information about Josh Shipp and why he decided to become a teen motivational speaker and writer; I was impressed from the start with his credentials for writing this type of book. He is not perfect; he admits, which makes him even more suited to write this type of book. Then, the novel gives a couple of chapters on what dominating your world means, the secrets to it, how to become a hero of yourself and others, and knowing who your enemies are. The seven villains are then described, and each chapter includes a quirky, interesting illustration. Each of the villain sections explains disguises the villains take on, their mission statements, their signature moves, how to dominate (or avoid or ignore) them, and how to rescue them, if possible. The last portion of the book is a series of how-to instructions for dominating your world.  There are many things that Shipp does well in this book, but the one thing I was most impressed with is his understanding of teens. It was like he could anticipate what they would be thinking before they continued to read after he made a bold suggestion or statement. His straightforward yet sensitive style is sure to have young adults soaking this read up. This book would best be suited for 8^th grade and up due to some of the more adult-like sections in it.

At first, I thought the cheesy humor would wear me down, but as I read further, I realized it was necessary. I knew the author’s call to action was serious, but he was trying to maintain a relationship with the reader and be authentic through his own style. He accomplished just that and kept me engaged as an older reader, and I think teens will be even more drawn in and relate to this author’s musings.

References

Amazon, Ink. (2014). The teen's guide to world domination: Advice on life, liberty, and the pursuit of awesomeness book jacket. Retrieved July 29, 2014, from http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FThe-Teens-Guide-World-Domination%2Fdp%2F0312641540%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1406656188%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Dthe%2Bteen%2527s%2Bguide%2Bto%2Bworld%2Bdomination

Peters, J. (2010). Review of the teen's guide to world domination: Advice on life, liberty, and the pursuit of awesomeness [Review of Nonfiction book]. Booklist. Retrieved July 27, 2014, from http://booklistonline.com.

Review of the teen's guide to world domination: Advice on life, liberty, and the pursuit of awesomeness [Review of Nonfiction book]. (2010). FOX. Retrieved July 28, 2014, from http://www.foxnews.com.

Review of the teen's guide to world domination: Advice on life, liberty, and the pursuit of awesomeness [Review of Nonfiction book]. (2010). CNN's Young People Who Rock. Retrieved July 28, 2014, from http://ypwr.blogs.cnn.com

Shipp, J. (2010). The teen's guide to world domination: Advice on life, liberty, and the pursuit of awesomeness. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Review of OUT OF THE DUST by Karen Hesse (Historical Fiction Category)

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Review of Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

(Historical Nonfiction Category)

            1. Hesse, K. (1999). Out of the Dust. New York, NY: Scholastic.

2. Plot Summary: Billie Jo is living in Oklahoma during the time of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Her father is a farmer, and the dust is overtaking his crops. Billie Jo’s mother is pregnant, and as her family prepares and waits for the arrival of the new baby, they must take measures to protect their farm and source of income. A terrible accident occurs, and her father does not want to talk about it. Billie Jo’s one sense of comfort and joy, playing the piano, becomes extremely difficult because of the accident. While the dust storms brew over Oklahoma and her father deals with issues in his own way, Billie Jo must try to find peace as well.

3. Critical Analysis: Karen Hesse writes this historical fiction version of one family’s struggle during the Dust Bowl using free verse.  Her poetry is simple, holding the younger reader’s attention, yet it is also very poignant, holding the older reader’s attention. Her writing is rich in vivid imagery, personification, and subtle symbolism, creating depth in the story in contrast to the small amount of words in each “section” or poem. She does a phenomenal job of creating deep emotion within short groupings of words. The characters and plot are fully developed through the free verse, and the telling of the story through first-person narration by Billie Jo, makes the story very meaningful and much more personal to the reader. A School Library Journal starred review states, “Hesse uses free-verse poems to advance the plot, allowing the narrator to speak for herself much more eloquently than would be possible in standard prose. The author’s astute and careful descriptions of life during the dust storms of the 1930s are grounded in harsh reality, yet are decidedly poetic.” Through her “careful descriptions,” and the first-person narration, Hesse makes the story really come alive, and it feels as though the family’s struggles are nonfiction even though they are fiction.

Hesse is very thoughtful in describing life during the extremely harsh times of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. The reader will be able to tell quickly that the author researched thoroughly in order to write a historically accurate novel about life in the 1930s in Oklahoma. The attention to detail and the descriptions of how the dust crept into every aspect of every day life are truly captivating. Several scenes during the story described how Billie Jo’s family had to turn the cups and plates upside down on the dinner table to attempt to keep the dust off of them before eating a meal; however, the dust usually crept onto the food, and the family would end up chewing gritty, tasteless food. Those are the descriptions that stuck with me as a reader and left me thinking, “What if that was to happen today?” Since the descriptions are historically accurate as well, anyone reading this novel will really be able to empathize with the people living during this time period. This novel is an excellent resource for teachers and librarians to use when teaching about the Dust Bowl. Booklist writes, “The story is bleak, but Hesse’s writing transcends the gloom and transforms it into a powerfully compelling tale of a girl with enormous strength, courage and love.” Living in the 1930s dust bowl was anything but glamorous and easy, and Hesse gives readers the perspective of history. Even though the story of Billie Jo’s family is fictional, the events very well could have happened during these hard times, and the facts and descriptions of the Dust Bowl’s storms’ devastation are very real.

The verse novel is suited for ages eleven and up. Young readers learn about this time period in school and will be familiar with some of the references and descriptions in the novel. Older readers will not only understand the historical references, but they will also identify with the relationship between a young teenager and her parents. They will understand a girl who struggles to find her place in the world even if they have not been through a tragic accident. A Kirkus Review writes, “The story is bleak, but Hesse’s writing transcends the gloom and transforms it into a powerfully compelling tale of a girl with enormous, strength, courage and love.” All readers will be able to relate to the novel’s major theme – that through despair, hope eventually overturns a dire situation. This theme is not only a constant in literature but also throughout history and in the daily lives of people.

References

Amazon.com, Ink. (2014). Out of the dust book jacket. Retrieved July 21, 2014, from http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOut-The-Dust-Karen-Hesse%2Fdp%2F0590371258%2Fref%3Dsr_1_cc_1%3Fs%3Daps%26ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1405959695%26sr%3D1-1-catcorr%26keywords%3Dout%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bdust%2Bkaren%2Bhesse

Hesse, K. (1999). Out of the dust. New York: Scholastic Press.

Reed Business Information. (1997). Review of out of the dust by Karen Hesse [Review of novel Out of the dust]. School Library Journal. Retrieved July 21, 2014.

Review of out of the dust by Karen Hesse [Review of novel Out of the dust]. (1997). Retrieved July 21, 2014, from http://booklistonline.com/Out-of-the-Dust-Karen-Hesse/pid=1022730

Review of out of the dust by Karen Hesse [Review of novel Out of the dust]. (n.d.). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved July 21, 2014, from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/karen-hesse/out-of-the-dust/

Review of PAPER TOWNS by John Green (Adventure, Westerns, Mysteries, and Sports Category)

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Review of Paper Towns by John Green

(Adventure/Sports/Mysteries/Westerns Category)

            1. Green, J. (2008). Paper towns. New York, NY: Dutton Books.

2. Plot Summary: Quentin, a high school senior in Orlando, Florida, is four weeks away from graduation until the mysterious disappearance of his neighbor and long-time crush, the quirky and fascinating Margo Roth Spiegelman, occurs. This turns Quentin’s world inside out, and clues begin to emerge that he believes are left only for him by Margo. Many of the clues come from Walt Whitman’s poem, “Song of Myself” (Leaves of Grass, 1855) and from other little bread crumbs she leaves behind. Margo’s parents have pretty much washed their hands of their daughter’s unpredictable behavior, so Quentin feels as though he must seek Margo out.

Margo has always loved a good mystery, and when she and Quentin were nine, they discovered something together that began her mystery seeking days. Margo disappears the night after she comes to Quentin’s window dressed like a ninja, all in black, telling him they are going on an all night adventure. After their all-nighter of breaking, entering, spray painting, and other shenanigans, Margo is not at school the next morning. Quentin becomes obsessed with solving the mystery, and with the help of some friends, Radar, Ben, and Lacey, he hopes to find where Margo is by taking a long road trip. However, figuring out who Margo Roth Spiegelman really is as a person turns out to be the most difficult mystery to solve of all.

3. Critical Analysis: John Green has created a jam-packed story filled with adventure, unrequited love, and mystery. He combines quirky wit, humor, mysterious clues, and friendships to draw the young adult (and adult) reader in. School Library Journal writes in a review, “Green’s prose is astounding – from hilarious, hyperintellectual trash talk and shtick, to complex philosophizing, to devastating observation and truths. He nails it – exactly how a thing feels, looks, affects – page after page.” Paper Towns is extremely intelligent, and the reader will be able to tell an extremely intelligent man wrote it. I found myself rereading certain quotations and portions, such as “What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person,” (p. 282), as stated by Quentin, the protagonist of the novel. John Green, who also wrote A Fault in Our Stars, is well known for his phrasing and profound quotes that stick with the reader long after the book has been read. (I have already been looking for t-shirts with my favorite quotations from this book!) I did find myself thinking often, “High school seniors don’t normally talk to each other this way…” So, be aware that the teen characters that Green has created are pretty smart, but the pure emotion of the novel and the sincerity with which it is written makes the smart, snarky dialogue effective when considering the tone and mood that the author is creating throughout the story.

The characters’ voices and personalities are truly developed more in their dialogue and interactions with each other more so than their actions, with the exception of maybe Margo. She seems to be more of a one-dimensional, static character, but as a reader, I felt this was necessary and done on purpose by the author. After all, she is supposed to be a mystery, and John Green does a phenomenal job of keeping her that way. Quentin’s friends, Radar and “Bloody” Ben, are the perfect support system to add more dimensions to Q’s semi-dimensional characteristics. Quentin is depicted as the high school senior who feels very detached from “all this high-school-is-ending-so-we-have-to-reveal-that-deep-down-we-all-love-everybody-bulls***” (p. 181). This makes him all the more typical but funny and very realistic.

A Booklist, starred review, states, “There are echoes of Green’s award-winning Looking for Alaska (2005): a lovely, eccentric girl; a mystery that begs to be solved by clever, quirky teens; and telling quotations beautifully integrated into the plot. Yet, if anything, the thematic stakes are higher here, as Green ponders the interconnectedness of imagination and perception, of mirrors and windows, of illusion and reality.”  That snippet of a review really digs into the heart of Paper Towns. It is accurate to say that this novel has several features and aspects within it that are like Looking for Alaska (2005); however, the heart of the novel is extremely interpretive and definitely in the eye of the beholder. Many themes can be taken away from the novel, so readers of all ages and backgrounds will be able to relate to various aspects.

The novel is divided into three sections with several chapters in each section. The chapters are about ten pages or less, which makes it easy for the reader to take breaks and reflect on the reading. This book is enjoyable, for sure, but it offers many opportunities for reflection. By introducing the reader to or reminding them of Whitman’s poetry in Leaves of Grass, and specifically the poem, “Song of Myself,” the reader is able to connect life to literature and literature to literature. This novel is excellent for just a leisurely read, but it would also be an excellent novel to use in a high school English class. This novel is suitable for grades nine through twelve and up due to some sexual and alcohol references and situations.

The symbolism of the road trip is certainly thought provoking, and even if the reader does not make a deeper connection to the hunt for Margo and the clues to the teens taking the road trip, the central message will not be lost. A review from the Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books, starred review, writes, “A suspenseful mystery, a compelling metaphor, and one of those road trips that every senior hopes he or she will have round out this exploration of the kind of relationship that can’t help but teach us a little bit about ourselves.” This novel is about the discovery of the self, and the major underlying theme is that the depths of a person aren’t always seen on the surface and may be different than originally percieved. I certainly did learn something about myself and the human condition, even if that sounds a little cheesy or cliché. Paper Towns is truly one of those stories that will stick with me for a very, very long time.

References

Amazon.com, Ink. (2014). Book jacket of paper towns by john green. Retrieved July 11, 2014, from http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPaper-Towns-John-Green%2Fdp%2F014241493X%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1405112731%26sr%3D8-1%26keywords%3Dpaper%2Btowns

Cart, M. (2008, October). Review of paper towns by John Green [Review of a novel paper towns]. Booklist, starred review. Retrieved July 11, 2014, from http://booklistonline.com

Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska. New York, NY: Dutton Books.

Green, J. (2008). Paper towns. New York, NY: Dutton Books.

Green, J. (2012). The fault in our stars. New York: Dutton Books.

Lewis, J. (2008). Review of paper towns by John Green [Review of a novel paper towns]. School Library Journal, Starred Review. Retrieved July 11, 2014, from http://slj.com

Review of paper towns by John Green [Review of a novel paper towns]. (2008). The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Retrieved July 11, 2014, from http://bccb.lis.illinois.edu

Whitman, W. (1855). “Song of myself.” In Leaves of grass. New York, NY: Garland Publishing.