return to Reading Raves	Mrs. Pulver's Book Reviews 2003/2004          2004/2005 2005/2006
	Tea That Burns by Bruce Hall Bruce Hall is a fourth generation Chinese-American who shares his family's history from the time they immigrated to the United States in the late 1800's. I loved reading about the tenacity of these immigrants as they faced injustice and prejudice in San Francisco (where they built the transcontinental railroad) then again in New York where they thought they were fleeing west coast humiliations. Chinatown was born of necessity to protect the Chinese men (there were virtually no Chinese women) and unfortunately led to a mafia and turf wars. History does not just happen, it evolves through the struggles and tribulations of people. Hall successfully tells his personal family stories, shares Chinese culture, and let's the reader peek at the way things were "back then." While reading this, I was reminded of the same setting viewed in the movie Gangs of New York. While the movie brought the violence of the Five Points Region of NY to light, this book invites us to understand then dispell stereotypes many may have to this day. I highly recommend this to EIGHTH graders sparked by their own family history projects. By the way, the book title is derived from the Prohibition era when tea that burns was the underworld name for whiskey.
	In the Shadow of the Pali: the story of the Hawaiian Leper Colony by Lisa Cindrich This was an absorbing story of a twelve year old girl forced into isolation on an Hawaiian Island at the foot of the Pali cliff. Based on true events, Cindrich does a great job describing the suffering and lack of concern the outside world had for any of the afflicted lepers. Liliah's character changes from an angry, frightened child, to a resourceful, caring individual who wants to help the friends she has made here. Thoroughly researched, Lisa Cindrich shares what life can become without law and order. Just as Anne Frank's famous passage stating her belief in the goodness of humanity so too does Liliah's love surmount life's barriers. I highly recommend this engrossing book for historical fiction enthusiasts or those interested in stories of children overcoming insurmountable obstackes in their lives.
	The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold Recommended for MATURE READERS, this one is a page turner! Susie Salmon is a pretty fourteen year old murdered by her neighbor. She narrates her story from the other side, wishing peace for her family who deals with the aftermath of the horror. A charm bracelet connects Susie to her family and their locating the murderer. Recommended for MATURE readers because of subject matter (rape)
	Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling Harry approaches his teenage years perplexed with the changes in his life! About to enter his fifth year in Hogwarts, Dumbledore ignores him, Ron and Hermoine are acting funny and Sirius cautions him not to be rash! As Harry faces expulsion, accused of lying about He Who Must Not Be Named, and suffers from a haunting dream of doors and secret corridors, Rowling's fifth book in the series portrays Harry's vulnerability and frustrations. As he conquers Voldermort's evil, he must also deal with the prejudices of new Headmistress / Inquisitor, determined to expel him and degrade Griffindor in favor of the Slytherins. Harry must fight for dignity and adhere to his moral code that set him apart from the likes of Dracus Malfoy, dementors and Death Eaters. He learns the terrible secret that haunts his dreams…a real shocker'and must deal with another tragic loss. Rowland frequently reminds readers what happened in previous titles, so reading them in order is not necessary to enjoy this one. Recommended for ALL MS readers.
	Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan Twelve year old Loli must endure an arranged marriage to a sickly boy whose family steals her dowry to buy train tickets to the Ganges River where it is hoped his TB will be cured. Eventually she is abandoned and forced to fend for herself. Through her love of reading, and her skill at embroidering, this Homeless Bird finds true happiness. Recommended for anyone interested in experiencing other places and cultures (this one is set in India) or for those inspired by young people overcoming tough obstacles.
	Among the Betrayed by Margaret Peterson Haddix This is the third book in the series about a futuristic society in which families are forbidden to have more than two children. The society fears there will not be enough food for all. Nina, introduced in Among the Impostors, is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned by the Population Police. Her interrogator gives her an ultimatum: either she can get three other child prisoners, illegal third-borns like Nina, to reveal who harbored them and where they got their fake identification cards, or she will be executed. Nina sees a chance to escape the prison (which seems rather convenient at the time) and, taking the prisoners with her, quickly discovers their street smarts. But when their food supply runs out, Nina seeks the boy she knew as Lee (the series' original protagonist). Because it is in Nina’s hands to turn the others in to save herself, the question of trust keeps the reader in suspense throughout the novel. It is short, suspenseful and a surprise ending waits for you! Recommended for Young Adults. Other books in the Shadow Children series are: Among the Hidden, Among the Imposters, Among the Barons
	Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis by Peter Nelson Hunter Scott was an 8th grade student inspired by a reference in the movie ,Jaws, to the sinking of the USS Indianapolis battleship during WWII. Because the submarine delivered the "Enola Gay" (atomic bomb,) it was top secret and not tracked by naval dispatchers. As a result, when it was torpedoed and sunk in shark infested waters, survivors were on their own. Miraculously, a plane notices an oil slick in the water indicating trouble, then for five days. Among the few survivors who were finally rescued was the captain of the ship. It was felt he could have done more to save the ship, signal for help and as the cliche goes, go down with his ship.  Hunter was instrumental in getting congress and the president to re-examine who really was to blame and miraculously brought this group of veterans together to celebrate each other's lives and defend their skipper for handling well the circumstances beyond his control.
	Hoot by Carl Hiaasen Roy Eberhart is a new kid in school who is taunted by a bully. While Dana is smashing his head against the school bus window, he sees a strange barefooted boy run by the school bus then disappear onto a golf course. Roy elbows Dana in the face, resulting in his suspension from riding the bus. Now forced to walki to school, Roy seeks out the mystery boy. Eventually he learns that he belongs to a dysfunctional family, the wayward step brother of Beatrice Leep, a soccer jock noone dares to tangle with. The cast of comical characters are fun to discover and enjoy as they try to unravel a mysterious vandalism spree that has the police, politicians and school administrators befuddled. Kids will love the fun poked at these types. Hoot has a strong environmental focus, as nests of burrowing owls become the center of controversy when bulldozers prepare to build a new pancake house. How ordinary kids can accomplish extra-ordinary things will be sure to captivate readers. HIGHLY recommended. This one is also on the PA Young Reader's Choice Awards.
	Keeper of the Night by Kimberly Willis Holt This is an honest portrayal of Isabel, a young teen trying to understand why her mother committed suicide. "She died peacefully," but her family is not at peace until the truth of her mother's dispair is examined. Auntie Bernadette lovingly cares for Isabel and her brother and sister on the island o f Guam, the only home she's ever known. Auntie is the herb doctor, prognosticator, midwife and seamstress who insists Isabel competes in the fiesta queen pageant wearing the dress she made for her mother when she won the competition. As time goes by, Isabel worries she will lose all memory of her mother and tries to imagine her face. She watches her brother slowly "bleed" with grief for loss of his mother and the indifference of a father who ignores his son's needs. Surrounded by people who care, Isabel slowly recognizes she will never understand her mother's acts, but personally grows through the intervention of Auntie and friends. Girls will identify with the female perspective of coping with life's tragic moments, and boys can gain from the insights Holt offers through her male characters. Be prepared to laugh and cry at the same time.
	Rat Pack by Elisa Carbone New student Akhil Vyas causes a stir when he refuses to sit on a chair in the classroom. Becky, an overweight sophomore, intends to steer clear of Akhil--she doesn't want to draw attention to herself--but her best friend, Omar, befriends him, and the three become close. When they discover a student's plan to bomb the school, Akhil comes up with an unusual solution to prevent the disaster.
	Iqbal is a story based on truth...of a child slave, no not out of the 19th century industrial era , but of modern day Pakistan.  Iqbal Masih's impoverished parents were compelled to "bond" their son (at the age of 4) to a carpet trader who placed the boy in a filthy room full of looms, chained children, unsanitary bathroom conditions and little hope to erase the debt.  Only through his courage and persistence was he able to get the attention of an agency dedicated to freeing children such as him.  You won't be able to put this down.
	Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen.  Told in alternating voices, Bryce Loski spends his elementary school years avoiding Julianna Baker, a neighbor who has admired his "baby blues" since she was seven. Julianna, on the other hand attempts to involve Bryce in her life seemed with each backfiring. It finally dawns on her that he is a self centered coward despite his incredibly good looks.  Bryce's alternating spin on issues such as saving a sycamore tree, dumping eggs Juli faithfully provided his family and learning her family secret, eventually develops a deeper understaning of Juli's complex personality. It is not until Julie rejects him at the school annual fundraising "basket boy" auction that Bryce depserately seeks her forgiveness and romantic attention.
	TheYoung Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick. Who can resist these opening lines..."Before I tell you about the biggest fish in the sea and how it tried to kill me and then ended up saving my life, first you got to know about the leaky boat, 'cause it all began right there.'"   Join Samuel "Skiff" Beaman as he deals with his widowed father's endless mourning, the taunts and underhanded schemes of his rich neighbor and his drive to revive his beloved boat "Mary Rose".  Determined to earn big money harpooning a bluefish tuna, he sneaks out in the middle of the night in his small skiff and a naive plan.  Getting lost in the fog is only one frightening experince on this adventure, but his mother's words to "think smart" and "never give up" ring true when the fish of his dream appears and nearly kills him.  This one's a real page turner complete with bullies, revenge, legendary courage and heart-stopping adventure.
	Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang The Chinese Cultural Revolution in the 1960s impacts 12-year-old Ji-Li Jiang and her family as they deal with the new philosophy of Chaieman Mao and his government. In the New China of the revolution, family connections are all it takes to condemn someone, even if the "sin" of the family took place many years ago. As a result, because her grandparents were landlords, Ji-Li and her family are suspect. Ji-Li, a bright and eager student before the revolution began, starts to dread going to school, where Party loyalty now means more than academic achievement. She is humiliated when her name appears in a da-zi-bao , a type of propaganda poster that raises suspicions about people's actions without any basis of truth. And she is frightened when her father is detained for weeks by the government for refusing to confess to a "crime" he did not commit; indeed, he does not even know what it is they want him to admit to. Initially, Ji-Li had been swept up in revolutionary fervor, eagerly identifying "four olds"--old ideas, old customs, old cultures and old habits--to be destroyed. But now she is torn and confused. Her teachers tell her she is an "educable" child who can overcome her background if she denounces her family, but this, Ji-li realizes, she is not prepared or willing to do. Red Scarf Girl is Ji-Li Jiang's true story.
	Chinese Cinderella by  AdelineYen Mah This is the true story of an unwanted child that takes the reader through the experiences of a little girl whose birth caused the death of her mother and how she overcame unbelievable cruelty at the hands of her neglectful father and cruel stepmother and step siblings.  Her survival kit included a love of reading, her beloved Aunt Baba, and her intelligence. She survived an attempted abandonment at an orphanage / boarding school (one during the Chinese Revolution where it was believed she would be killed by the revolutionaries). Through hard work and a writing award she received in high school, her wealthy father changed his mind about turning her out into the streets and gave her the means to attend college.  She became an anestheologist and married a doctor who recognized the beautiful soul in this determined woman despite unrelenting obstacles.  I loved the testimonials Adeline made about her traumatic experiences, and felt her pain when she was at her loneliest.  Adeline's insights about life abound, most notably - money cannot buy happiness. Aunt Baba lost all material possessions during the Chinese Revolution, yet died a happy woman with many friends. Step mother died lonely and bitter...hated by aquaintances and remembered as having no friendships.  This is one of the best books I ever read.  It will stay with me forever.