The Subtle Knife

The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials Book 2)
Author: Philip Pullman
Published By: Yearling, 1997
ISBN: 0-440-41833-X
Genre: Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Pages: 326

In The Subtle Knife, the reader meets up again with Lyra Belacqua where The Golden Compass has left us dangling. Lyra in turn meets up with Will Parry, a boy from a different world who joins her on her adventure, and many of the characters seen in The Golden Compass reappear as well.

The Subtle Knife is a page-turner. Again, I don't want to give away too much - or anything, really - but the transition into the next section of Lyra's story is smooth and the adventure picks up. The cliffhanger for Book 3 is fantastic... I'll be picking that up soon.

Rated: 5/5

Spellbound

Spellbound
Author: Janet McDonald
Published By: Speak, 2001
ISBN: 0-14-250193-X
Genre: Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Pages: 138

In Spellbound, Raven Jefferson is a teenage mother and high school drop out, trying to adapt to her new roles in life. Without a high school diploma, she doesn't know how she can ever get a job to support herself and her family - until her older sister tells her about the Spell Success program, where a spelling bee could lead to a college scholarship.

Spellbound is a sweet little book, with vibrant and well drawn characters in Raven and her best friend Aisha. Set in the Brooklyn projects, the dialogue is riddled with ebonic phrases and descriptions of African-American life in a ghettoized area. Of course, it is Raven's dream to rise above her current situation and make a better life for herself and her son, and the novel focusses on her determination and drive to succeed. Suggested age range 13+.

Rated: 4/5

Supplemental to the Point: That's All She Wrote For Credit

The class I started this blog for is now over, so now any further updates will be reading YA for fun. I think I will maintain it (maybe not with quite as much frequency) for awhile, because the class reminded me how much fun reading YA can be.

The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials Book 1, aka Northern Lights)
Author: Philip Pullman
Series: His Dark Materials
Published By: Yearling, 1995
ISBN: 0-440-41832-1
Genre: Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Pages: 399

In The Golden Compass, Lyra Belacqua is a little girl with a heritage and a destiny. Of course, she doesn't know about either. The first in a series, The Golden Compass sets up the scene for the story that will follow, as Lyra's sense of curiosity and adventure takes her to far away places with amazing characters.

So obviously the struggle in The Golden Compass is to review it without giving any bit of the plot away. I guess they managed it on the back cover blurb, but I don't write copy for a living! Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed The Golden Compass. I enjoy fantasy in general, and I am a Harry Potter fan as mentioned previously in this blog, and the story in this work is somewhat comparable to the HP series - a child with destiny, in a world not quite like our own. Really, you should just read it and see for yourself. Plus you want to be prepared for the movie coming out later this year! Suggested age range 11+.

Rated: 5/5

Avril Lavigne

The Best Damn Thing
Artist: Avril Lavigne
Released: 2007
Label: Sony Music Canada
Genre: Pop/Punk, Dance

This is Avril Lavigne's third record, and she hasn't shown much growth as an artist; in fact, she might actually be regressing. The Best Damn Thing is filled with the same peppy three-chord power riffs as her earlier work, which may or may not please long time fans. This particular album (which isn't actually out in stores yet, but available online if you know where to look, winknudge) is punk-lite with a sparkley pink veneer. I'll admit though, the first single, "Girlfriend," is quite the earworm. Suggested age range 12+.

Rated: 3/5

Degrassi: The Next Generation

Degrassi: The Next Generation
Produced By: Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn

Airs On: CTV (Canada), The N (USA)
Rating: TV-PG
Released: 2001
Genre: TV/Teen Drama/Reality TV

Degrassi is a Canadian institution, and a show I've been watching on and off in its various incarnations for many years. The general premise of Degrassi - kids at school, going through stuff - never changes, and TNG is the latest version of this very successful formula. This is Degrassi TNG's sixth season, and in that time the kids (Emma, Spinner, Paige, Marco, and all the gang) have grown up so much that they necessitated a new theme song - no longer was a children's chorus singing "whatever it takes, I know I can make it through" really appropriate, when the characters are in high school and some in university.

Degrassi is very situation- and issue-oriented, and TNG has had to keep up with the times. What I like about the show is that it doesn't shy away from topics. In recent memory there have been episodes with a pregnancy, anorexia, a school shooting, and a lesbian relationship. Of course, these issues often get neatly wrapped up within a few episodes, but that is the nature of television. I still enjoy Degrassi, and I know tons of other adults who love it as well, and despite its popularity amongst adults, it's still a veritable phenomenon with teens. We love Degrassi! Suggested age range 13+.

Rated: 5/5

RAMP for Youth

RAMP for Youth
Affiliation: Toronto Public Library

The first thing I noticed about the RAMP page is that it was bright, kitschy, and fun. The second thing I noticed was that, unlike the IPL TeenSpace, they highlight books! - the Book of the Week is currently American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (101 Ways to Dance, reviewed in this very blog, was a previous Book of the Week selection). And check out this poll on the front page:

What fake book would you read first?
- The Goth Who Wore Pink
- Why Daddy Tries on Mommy's Clothes
- Dealing with Anger the Jack Bauer Way
- The Rap Star's Guide to Sensitive Lyrics
- Jack Sparrow's Mascara Tips

Hee! I voted for Dealing with Anger the Jack Bauer Way.

RAMP has tons of links and programming available, as well as emergency contacts, discussion groups, a section to "express yourself" through art and reviews, help with school, etc.

From the website:

10 Cool Things You Can Do on RAMP:
- Discuss your ideas and concerns with other teens
- Share your writing and art work
- Send in reviews of books, movies, and music
- Findout about Toronto community services for teens
- Get help with your homework
- Get the scoop on jobs and volunteering opportunities
- Find out about help in emergency situations
- Learn how to take care of your body and soul
- Find out about fun stuff to do in Toronto
- Get connected to your library

Overall I really enjoyed RAMP (though I couldn't figure out what, if anything, RAMP stands for). It's produced in conjunction with teen librarians and actual teens, and that shows. There's a wealth of information presented in an eye-catching and informative way, and they never lose site of the fact that it is a library website. Well done. Suggested age range 13+.

Rated: 5/5

IPL TeenSpace

Internet Public Library TeenSpace
Affiliation: University of Michigan

Maintained by the Regents of the University of Michigan, the IPL TeenSpace is a library portal site of sorts. There are links to help students write their papers, links to webcomics, information about graphic novels, resources for frequently asked questions, and a poetry wiki, amongst other features.

As a huge procrastinator myself, the Procrastinator resource page amused me immensely, as it is not so much about combating procrastination as enabling and indulging it with tons of links - urban legends, games, trivia, etc.

The page is a great resource with plenty of links, but for a library website there's no mention of books! So that is one thing I'd like to see more of, somehow. Maybe if they instituted a forum for teens to review books, or made some suggestions as far as what to read next... remember, reading is a great procrastination tool! Suggested age range 12+.

Rated: 4/5