Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-up: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

Last month's book discussion was a bit more difficult than they've been in the past, as most members of our book club had a pretty severe reaction to May's selection: Incarceron by Catherine Fisher.

To free herself from an upcoming arranged marriage, Claudia, the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, a futuristic prison with a mind of its own, decides to help a young prisoner escape.

Our discussion ranged narrowly between those of us who enjoyed the book and those who couldn't "get into it." Some of the readers' frustrations were with the alternating chapters between Claudia, the daughter of Incarceron's Warden, and Finn, the young prisoner Claudia decides to try to rescue from the prison. According to a couple of our teens, just as you'd start to get into one story, you were jerked out and placed into the other story - and Finn and Claudia's worlds are VERY different. Finn lives a brutal survival-at-all-costs life, while Claudia's life is quietly full of gowns, balls, and extremely well-mannered ladies and gentlemen.

Another frustration was with the setting - many readers gave up too early to learn that Claudia and Finn's world is set sometime in a future, futuristic enough to allow the people to create a prison that can think for itself, BUT that the people outside of the prison have decided that Victorian times were the "best," and therefore all activities, meals, clothing, etc. must reflect that time. Those of us who read and enjoyed the book were also frustrated, because we felt that the choice of the Victorian Era made it VERY easy for those in power to control its people via the strict class (poor servants, and rich "nobility") structure. But alas, we were not able to explore that much...

(Side note: we've agreed to reserve our graphic novel selections for discussion during May, a.k.a. "finals month")

Sadly, May's discussion was a bit like pulling teeth AND herding cats, as it's hard to focus a room full of teens to discuss a book very few of them finished, but we did come up with a list of books that also tackle over-powerful governments, steampunk/robotic elements, and/or scary, seemingly sentient prisons. These all come teen-book-clubber recommended!

1984 by George Orwell. Portrays a terrifying vision of life in the future when a totalitarian government, considered a "Negative Utopia," watches over all citizens and directs all activities, becoming more powerful as time goes by.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Huxley's classic prophetic novel describes the socialized horrors of a futuristic utopia devoid of individual freedom.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer. As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.

The Giver by Lois Lowry. At the ceremony of Twelve, the community's twelve-year-olds accept their predetermined Life Assignments. Jonas is chosen for something special.Gradually he learns that power lies in feelings. Then his own power is put to the test -- he may not be ready and he may not be able to save someone he loves.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. In a world divided by blood--those with common, Red blood serve the Silver-blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities--seventeen-year-old Mare, a Red, discovers she has an ability of her own. To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. But Mare risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard --a growing Red rebellion--even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction.

Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson. At age eight, David watched as his father was killed by an Epic, a human with superhuman powers, and now, ten years later, he joins the Reckoners--the only people who are trying to kill the Epics and end their tyranny.

Utopia by Sir Thomas More. Utopia, written by Sir Thomas More, depicts a fictional island with its own unique religion and customs. Sir Thomas More's work introduces readers into the concept of a perfect society with utopian, or perfect, ideas and beliefs.

War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. H.G. Wells' late nineteenth-century novel in which an intellectually superior race from Mars invades Earth with plans to take over the planet.

Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. This re-creation of the land of Oz, tells the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who wasn't so wicked after all. Past the yellow brick road and into a phantasmagoric world rich with imagination and allegory, Wicked just might change the reputation of one of the most sinister characters in literature.

Kearsten's Book Club: Dorothy Must Die Wrap-Up

Last month we met and discussed Danielle Paige's take on the Wizard of Oz stories, Dorothy Must Die.

Amy Gumm, the other girl from Kansas, has been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked to stop Dorothy who has found a way to come back to Oz, seizing a power that has gone to her head -- so now no one is safe!

Our discussion was wide ranging (as it often is) - here are some of the ideas we talked about!

• Addiction/abuse to/of both drugs (Amy's mom) and magic (Dorothy).
• Who was the creepiest character? (We pretty much agreed it was Scarecrow and his monstrosities. He was unsettlingly reminiscent of Nazi scientists...)
• Did Amy miss her mom...and should she? (We talked a lot about this one. Amy's mom had been pretty lousy to her in the last several years, and despite good memories from her childhood, the recent years of drug and alcohol abuse had really fractured their relationship.)
• Which of the members of the order of the wicked were our favorites. (This one was all over the place, though many of us liked Gert a lot.)
• "Good" vs "evil." (This is a fun one. In the Dorothy Must Die, Oz's "savior," Dorothy, has become the person who is destroying Oz, and the "wicked" people are those who are trying to stop her. How do our ideas of good and evil shift when the "labels" are wrong?

We had a good time with this one, and don't worry if you have little familiarity with the source material - L Frank Baum's books OR any of the movies. The story is a fun action-adventure all the same, complete with a training montage! And don't miss this month's discussion of the steampunk prison story, Incarceron by Catherine Fisher!

Already read Dorothy Must Die and the sequels? Why not try one of these book-club nominated readalikes? (Plus some musical recommendations!)

For different takes on classic stories:

• Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles, bk 1). As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.
• Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce. After a Fenris, or werewolf, kills their grandmother and almost kills them, sisters Scarlett and Rosie March devote themselves to hunting and killing the beasts that prey on teenaged girls.
• Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. Wicked views the land of Oz, its inhabitants, its Wizard, and the Emerald City, through a darker and greener (not rosier) lens. Brilliantly inventive, Wicked offers us a radical new evaluation of one of the most feared and hated characters in all of literature: the much maligned Wicked Witch of the West who, as Maguire tells us, wasn't nearly as Wicked as we imagined. 
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Follow the adventures of young Dorothy Gale and her dog, Toto, as their Kansas house is swept away by a cyclone and they find themselves in a strange land called Oz. Here she meets the Munchkins and joins the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion on an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City, where lives the all-powered Wizard of Oz.

For assassins in training:

• Graceling by Kristin Cashore. In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace, the Grace of killing, and teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king.
• Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. In the fifteenth-century kingdom of Brittany, seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where she learns that the god of Death has blessed her with dangerous gifts--and a violent destiny.
• (Also Sisters Red)

Be careful what you wish for (or getting unexpectedly drafted into something bigger than you thought):

• Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia. In a small South Carolina town, where it seems little has changed since the Civil War, sixteen-year-old Ethan is powerfully drawn to Lena, a new classmate with whom he shares a psychic connection and whose family hides a dark secret that may be revealed on her sixteenth birthday.
• Marked by P.C.Cast and Kristin Cast (House of Night, bk 1). In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It's tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends. 
• Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder. About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace--and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of ixia. And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. 

If you were fascinated by the Scarecrow angle and/or the idea of messing with nature:

• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Presents the story of Dr. Frankenstein and his obsessive experiment that leads to the creation of a monstrous and deadly creature.
• Island of Dr Moreau by H.G. Wells. Mad surgeon-turned-vivisectionist performs ghoulish experiments that transform animals into men.
• Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein. When young American pilot Rose Justice is captured by Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women's concentration camp, she finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery, and friendship of her fellow prisoners.

Musicals!

• Into the Woods (DVD). A modern twist on several of the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests.
• Wicked (Broadway cast recording). Based on the novel Wicked by Gregory Maguire.

Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-Up: The Program by Suzanne Young

The March wrap-up comes in just in time for our next meeting, this Monday April, 25!

On Monday, March 28, book club met at the Main Library to discuss Suzanne Young's dystopian, not-too-far-into-the-future YA novel, The Program.

When suicide becomes a worldwide epidemic, the only known cure is The Program, a treatment in which painful memories are erased, a fate worse than death to seventeen-year-old Sloane who knows that The Program will steal memories of her dead brother and boyfriend.

We had our usual spirited discussion, with MANY teen-submitted questions (28!!!), and while we strayed a bit to electro-convulsive therapy (for use in cases of extreme, therapy- and medication-resistant depression), for the most part we talked about the awful treatment of teens in this story.

Book club members were very upset about the way the adults in The Program acted as though any sign of sadness or grief was a death sentence, and they felt that the Program (which used drugs and therapy to "erase" bad or "infected" memories) was a horrible abuse. As one book club member asked, "Did all these adults forget that THEY were once teens?!?!?!"

Here are some of the questions/topics we discussed:

• "Is it ethical for the government to erase the memories of teens to protect them?" (The overwhelming response: "NO!")
• "Lacey's awesomeness." (We agreed that the main character's best friend-turned-erased-memories-turned-new friend was very cool.)
• "If teens can't talk or trust their parents, who can they talk to other than depressed teens?" (This was a major problem for us. In a world where The Program is the only option, the adults ignore the importance of therapy and talking about - rather than hiding - one's feelings.)
• "Would you choose to forget in order to get rid of depression? Would you send a friend or family member to have their memories wiped in order to protect them?" (Book clubbers overwhelmingly said no, but Kearsten said, as a parent, if her only two options were the Program/wiping her kid's memories or risking her child committing suicide - and losing her/him forever - she'd probably choose the Program. Kearsten is surprised the teens didn't throw things at her.)

Overall, our book club recommends this one, especially if you have the chance to talk to others about it once you're done...'cause you WILL want to discuss it!

Already read The Program? Why not try one of these teen-recommended readalikes?

Delirium by Lauren Oliver. Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, she falls in love. 

The Giver (and sequels) by Lois Lowry. At the ceremony of Twelve, the community's twelve-year-olds accept their predetermined Life Assignments. Jonas is chosen for something special.Gradually he learns that power lies in feelings. Then his own power is put to the test -- he may not be ready and he may not be able to save someone he loves.

Rash by Pete Hautman. In a future society that has decided it would "rather be safe than free," sixteen-year-old Bo's anger control problems land him in a tundra jail where he survives with the help of his running skills and an artificial intelligence program named Bork.

Shock Point by April Henry. Fifteen-year-old Cassie Streng is determined to expose her stepfather after learning that he is giving a dangerous experimental drug to his teenaged psychiatric patients, but he sends her to a boot camp for troubled teens in Mexico in order to keep her quiet.

Speak by Laurie Halse Andersen. A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda's freshman year in high school.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman. In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested for use by others, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs--and, perhaps, save their own lives. 

Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-Up: Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Last night, our teen book club very loudly discussed Malcolm Gladwell's Blink: the Power of Thinking without Thinking.

How do we think without thinking, seem to make choices in an instant--in the blink of an eye--that actually aren't as simple as they seem? Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept? Why do some people follow their instincts and win, while others end up stumbling into error? And why are the best decisions often those that are impossible to explain to others? Drawing on cutting-edge neuroscience and psychology, the author reveals that great decision makers aren't those who process the most information or spend the most time deliberating, but those who have perfected the art of filtering the very few factors that matter from an overwhelming number of variables.

The group agreed that this month's book was a bit of a challenge - nonfiction not being of high interest. However, despite the fact that about half of the teens didn't finish the book, we still had a lively conversation!

The topics we focused on were the chapters about the drawbacks to thin-slicing/split-second decisions (illustrated by a police shooting), the need for context in thin-slicing (experts being better at analyzing tiny bits of information), and emotion (whether or not we bought the facial-expressions-creating-emotional-responses. We do.).

We also tried the Pepsi vs. Coke taste-test challenge, with several of our teens guessing correctly! None of them are interested in becoming expert taste-testers, though, as the training sounds crazy intense.

Already read Blink? Why not try one of these book clubber-endorsed recommendations?

Outliers: the Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. The best-selling author of Blink identifies the qualities of successful people, posing theories about the cultural, family, and idiosyncratic factors that shape high achievers, in a resource that covers such topics as the secrets of software billionaires, why certain cultures are associated with better academic performance, and why the Beatles earned their fame.

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcom Gladwell. Uncovers the hidden rules that shape the balance between the weak and the mighty and the powerful and the dispossessed.

All-American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kelly. When sixteen-year-old Rashad is mistakenly accused of stealing, classmate Quinn witnesses his brutal beating at the hands of a police officer who happens to be the older brother of his best friend. Told through Rashad and Quinn's alternating viewpoints.

How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon. When sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson is shot to death, his community is thrown into an uproar because Tariq was black and the shooter, Jack Franklin, is white, and in the aftermath everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events agree.








Bonus TED Talk recommendation!

Why Eyewitnesses Get It Wrong. Scott Fraser studies how humans remember crimes — and bear witness to them. In this powerful talk, which focuses on a deadly shooting at sunset, he suggests that even close-up eyewitnesses to a crime can create "memories" they could not have seen. Why? Because the brain abhors a vacuum.

Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-up: The Name of the Star

Did you miss book club last week? Never fear, read on to find out what we thought of Maureen's Johnson's The Name of the Star!

Rory, of Boueuxlieu, Louisiana, is spending a year at a London boarding school when she witnesses a murder by a Jack the Ripper copycat and becomes involved with the very unusual investigation.

Overall, book clubbers *really* liked this one. We totally dug the boarding school, the ghostly element, and certain members seriously enjoyed the Jack the Ripper murders! (Though one teen lamented the lack of main character deaths. He felt those would have added more suspense and motivation on Rory's part. The rest of us mostly yelled at him for his wanting some of our favorite characters to die.)

We spent a lot of time speculating about ghosts in general - do ghosts exists? Why might ghosts happen? - and then moved on to the victims in the story and why those people - or anyone, really - becomes a victim of violence. We also touched a bit on the "Ripperoloigists" in the story (people who started flocking to the scenes of the books' murders to either sightsee, "help" with the investigation, or simply try to profit off of the spectacle), and how there are people/websites that devote their time to trying to solve unsolved murders from history and today. (For a one of Kearsten's favorites, see the link below.)

We had a great time discussing The Name of the Star, but if you've already read it, why not try one of these book-club-recommended "books to read if you loved The Name of the Star" titles?

Dead City by James Ponti. Seventh-grader Molly has always been an outsider, even at New York City's elite Metropolitan Institute of Science and Technology, but that changes when she is recruited to join the Omegas, a secret group that polices and protects zombies.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan. Through twists and turns of fate, orphaned Mary seeks knowledge of life, love, and especially what lies beyond her walled village and the surrounding forest, where dwell the unconsecrated, aggressive flesh-eating people who were once dead.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. Though she is from a family of clairvoyants, Blue Sargent's only gift seems to be that she makes other people's talents stronger, and when she meets Gansey, one of the Raven Boys from the expensive Aglionby Academy, she discovers that he has talents of his own--and that together their talents are a dangerous mix.

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender. While in Paris, France on a class trip, Colette Iselin enlists the help of her charming French tour guide to help uncover a possible connection between Marie Antoinette, a series of gruesome murders, and perhaps her own family history, and he also gives her insights into herself.

Absent by Katie Williams. Seventeen-year-old Paige Wheeler died in a fall off the high school roof and now her spirit seems bound to the school grounds, along with Brooke and Evan, two other teen ghosts who died there--but maybe if she can solve the mystery of her apparent suicide they will all be able to move on.

Soul Eater by Atsushi Ohkubo. Maka is a weapon meister, determined to turn her partner, a living scythe named Soul Eater, into a powerful death scythe - the ultimate weapon of Death himself! Charged with the task of collecting and devouring the tainted souls of ninety-nine humans and one witch, Maka and her fellow meisters strive to master their weapons as they face off against the bizarre and dangerous minions of the underworld. But the meisters' own personal quirks may prove a bigger obstacle than any sultry enchantress!

Bonus recommendation!

Ghost Whisperer - this TV show about a woman who can talk to ghosts is off the air, but you can find it on various streaming services.

Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-up: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Monday night we met for a very timely discussion of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak.  As it's Banned Books Week, and Speak has been challenged for inclusion in schools, we got to talk a bit about censorship as well!

A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda's freshman year in high school.

Our lively discussion ranged from characters to victim blaming to symbolism. Here are just a few of the questions/topics raised during our meeting (in varying degrees of decibel levels!):

• Mr. Neck was the worst - Why do some teachers seem to hate the students they teach?
• Why weren't Melinda's parents paying attention to her? That's their JOB!
• Melinda seemed to blame herself, and didn't want to speak up for fear that others would also blame her for what had happened.
• Was Hairwoman's physical transformation meant to illustrate Melinda's inner struggle/transformation?
• Why would someone try to ban a book that features characters going through things that many teens face?!?

Our biggest concern was how many of the people surrounding Melinda - her parents, former friends, classmates, and teachers - were frustratingly oblivious to her spiraling depression. Because people suffering with depression like Melinda often can't or won't speak up, we might not realize that someone needs help.

If you or someone you know is depressed or expressing thoughts about suicide, get help! A great resource is the Crisis Text Line. Please don't hesitate to help someone in pain.

Already read Speak?  Why not try one of these book club-tested, book club-approved similar titles?

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Jeannette Walls tells the story about her childhood. She talks about living like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains... As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home.

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death.

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen. In 1967, after a session with a psychiatrist she'd never seen before, eighteen-year-old Susanna Kaysen was put in a taxi and sent to McLean Hospital. She spent most of the next two years on the ward for teenage girls in a psychiatric hospital as renowned for its famous clientele--Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, James Taylor, and Ray Charles--as for its progressive methods of treating those who could afford its sanctuary

Hate List by Jennifer Brown. Sixteen-year-old Valerie, whose boyfriend Nick committed a school shooting at the end of their junior year, struggles to cope with integrating herself back into high school life, unsure herself whether she was a hero or a villain.

Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten. They say Delia burned herself to death in her stepfather's shed, but June does not believe it was suicide because she and Delia used to be closer than anything, but one night a year ago, everything changed when they and June's boyfriend Ryan let their good time get out of hand, and now, a year later, June owes it to Delia to know if her best friend committed suicide or was murdered.

The perks of being a wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. A haunting coming of age novel told in a series of letters to an unknown correspondent reveals the life of Charlie, a freshman in high school who is a wallflower, shy and introspective, and very intelligent, it's a story of what it's like to grow up in high school, tracing a course through uncharted territory in the world of first dates, family dramas and new friends.

Next Up! 10/26 @ Kearsten's Book Club:

Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-Up: Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne

This past Monday night, we rowdy book clubbers discussed the creepy and awesome apocalyptic thriller, Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne.

Trapped inside a chain superstore by an apocalyptic sequence of natural and human disasters, six high school kids from various popular and unpopular social groups struggle for survival while protecting a group of younger children.

WE LOVED IT.  

The discussion was, as usual, all over the place.  We spent a lot of time on the disasters - deadly hail, bus crashes, earthquakes, and toxic smoke - and how we might (or, in Kearsten's case, might not) have survived.  We also talked about the unsettling interactions with adults in the story, and how the teens handled themselves and the younger children. 

Kearsten's favorite part of the meeting was when we examined the ways in which the teen characters reacted to their situations.  Some distanced themselves, whether on purpose by hiding from the others or unintentionally by going into shock, while others tried to ignore the situation by drinking or using drugs.  Most of us were pretty disgusted by the characters who used drugs and alcohol, primarily because it meant they were leaving the younger children without support when they needed it most.

The teens in book club are awesome.

Here's a pic of some of the questions submitted by book clubbers! 

Already read Monument 14?  Then try one of these teen-endorsed read-alikes, which also focus on themes of missing parents, disasters, and survival!

Gone by Michael Grant. In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have "The Power" and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not.

The Enemy by Charlie Higson. After a disease turns everyone over sixteen into brainless, decomposing, flesh-eating creatures, a group of teenagers leave their shelter and set out of a harrowing journey across London to the safe haven of Buckingham Palace.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape.

No Safety in Numbers by Dayna Lorentz. Teens Shay, Marco, Lexi, and Ryan, quarantined in a shopping mall when a biological bomb goes off in an air duct, learn that in an emergency people change, and not always for the better, as many become sick and supplies run low.

Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-Up: Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson

It's been awhile, but Kearsten really wanted to share our book club experience last night wherein we discussed the first volume in the trade comics superhero series Ms. Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson.

Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City -- until she's suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? When Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them, as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her be too much to bear?

Our discussion rambled all over the place, from superhero costuming (as in, "what a relief it is that Kamala isn't wearing a tiny leotard with combat boobs and boots!") to strict parenting. However, the most interesting part of the meeting came as we approached the topic of racism.  We talked about the unkindness Kamala faces in her story, and the way Kamala fans used her image to defuse racist ads in San Francisco, which then led to ways in which book club members have seen and faced racism in their own lives. 

We also had a bit of time left to talk about the creators' reasons for creating Kamala, and to discuss her importance in the comics world.

Already read Ms. Marvel: No Normal?  Why not try one of these teen-recommended titles?

Ms. Marvel: Generation Why (Vol. 2) by G. Willow Wilson. Who is the Inventor, and what does he want with the all-new Ms. Marvel and all her friends? Maybe Wolverine can help! Kamala may be fan-girling out when her favourite (okay maybe Top Five) super hero shows up, but that won't stop her from protecting her hometown. Then, Kamala crosses paths with Inhumanity for the first time - by meeting the royal dog, Lockjaw! Every girl wants a puppy, but this one may be too much of a handful, even for a super hero with embiggening powers.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer. As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.








I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday October 9, 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price.

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King. Overburdened by his parents' bickering and a bully's attacks, fifteen-year-old Lucky Linderman begins dreaming of being with his grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War, but during a visit to Arizona, his aunt and uncle and their beautiful neighbor, Ginny, help him find a new perspective.








Captain Marvel: In Pursuit of Flight by Kelly Sue DeConnick. Carol Danvers is back. After changing her superhero name, Captain Marvel tries to live up to the legacy of her fallen predecessor, while facing a time-traveling adventure that's intricately linked with the woman who inspired her military career.









What Stands in a Storm by Kim Cross. Weaving together heart-wrenching stories with immersive reporting and dramatic storytelling, a gripping account of a weather event in April 2011 that saw a record 358 tornadoes rip through 21 states in three days shows how things that tear our world apart also reveal what holds us together.








Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story (Vol. 1) by Nobuhiro Watsuki. In the 11th year of Meiji, in the middle of Tokyo, the tale begins. Himura Kenshin, a humble "rurouni," or wandering swordsman, comes to the aid of Kamiya Kaoru, a young woman struggling to defend her father's school of swordsmanship against attacks by the infamous Hitokiri Battosai. But neither Kenshin nor Battosai are quite what they seem...

Kearsten's Book Club: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Last night, book club discussed the sad and thoughtful Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

When high school student Clay Jenkins receives a box in the mail containing thirteen cassette tapes recorded by his classmate Hannah, who committed suicide, he spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah's voice recounting the events leading up to her death.

We had a big, noisy crowd, which made discussion a bit difficult, but most of our talk centered on depression and suicide.  Was Hannah depressed?  Why don't people talk more about depression and suicide?  And what does depression actually look like?

We liked the way the book was written, with Clay's reactions to Hannah's recording happening as he hears her, and one of our book clubbers urged us to listen to the book on audio, as she thought it was really interesting to hear two distinct voices. 

Another book clubber encouraged us to go the the Thirteen Reasons Why website, where you can listen to Hannah's reasons yourself.

Overall, while it's hard to say we enjoyed this book, it is safe to say we were all affected in some way, and it's changed how we think about others.

Already read it?  Why not try one of these book-club-approved If You Liked Thirteen Reasons Why readalikes?

Kearsten's Book Club meets at the Main Library, in the Storytime Room on the 4th Mondays of the month at 6:30pm. Join other teens, ages 12-18, to snack, chat and discuss a variety of titles for teens (or of teen interest)!  No registration required - just show up and be ready to talk (or simply listen) about the book!

Kearsten's Book Club: Voting Edition, 2015!

Every year in January, book club settles in for an extra-long meeting so as to choose the next ten titles we'll be discussing (beginning in June).  Book club teens recommend the books, then we run through summaries of them all before book clubbers choose their favorites.  This year was SERIOUSLY tough, as there were a whopping thirty-four excellent titles to choose from.

Happily, we made it through and have an awesome bunch of books for June 2015-May 2016!

Interested in getting a head start on your reading?  Check out the list, in a variety of formats. 

Need a copy of Thirteen Reasons Why for our Feb 23rd meeting? Put it on hold today! 

Kearsten's Book Club meets at the Main Library, in the Storytime Room on the 4th Mondays of the month at 6:30pm. Join other teens, ages 12-18, to snack, chat and discuss a variety of titles for teens (or of teen interest)!  No registration required - just show up and be ready to talk (or simply listen) about the book!

Kearsten's Book Club: Gone by Michael Grant

It's that time again!  Book club met last night, Monday, October 27th, to discuss Michael Grant's creepy, disappearing adults story, Gone.

In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have "The Power" and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not.

We spent a lot of our time talking about characters, dissecting their reactions to their strange and scary situations and wondering which we might most be like - are we caretakers like Mother Mary?  Thinkers like Astrid, determined to try and figure out the science behind the happenings?  Or might we see an opportunity and seize it like Caine?

Most interesting was our discussion of responsibility: if others look to you as a leader, do you have an obligation to lead them?  Many of the characters in Gone look to Sam, our main point-of-view character, for guidance, due to past actions, but Sam doesn't feel at all prepared to take charge of over two hundred kids trying to survive with no adults.  Book group seemed pretty split, with half of us saying, "yes, if others look to you for leadership, clearly that means you have the skills needed," while the other half of us maintained that if someone in a leadership role doesn't feel like they have those skills, it's better for them to decline that leadership role, as a true leader needs to be confident.  What are your thoughts?

Overall, we enjoyed the book for it's plot and the fun we had in speculating about what exactly happens to those who disappear...



Already read Gone?  Why not try one of these similar reads, recommended by book club teens?

For kids trying to survive in a world without adults, try these:

The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson.  When a plague sweeps over the earth killing everyone except children under twelve, ten-year-old Lisa organizes a group to rebuild a new way of life.

Variant by Robison Wells.  After years in foster homes, seventeen-year-old Benson Fisher applies to New Mexico's Maxfield Academy in hopes of securing a brighter future, but instead he finds that the school is a prison and no one is what he or she seems.








If you're intrigued by the way civilization and compassion can breakdown in in scary situations, try one of these:

The Enemy by Charlie Higson.  After a disease turns everyone over sixteen into brainless, decomposing, flesh-eating creatures, a group of teenagers leave their shelter and set out of a harrowing journey across London to the safe haven of Buckingham Palace.

The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe.  Sixteen-year-old old Kaelyn challenges her fears, finds a second chance at love, and fights to keep her family and friends safe as a deadly new virus devastates her island community.









If having to "play by the bully rules" (As Gone character Quinn puts it) intrigues you, try:

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding.  Following a world war, a group of school boys survives a plane crash on a deserted island and creates a hellish environment leading to savagery and murder. Two leaders--one civilized, one depraved--epitomize the forces that war eternally in the human spirit.

Nothing by Janne Teller.  When thirteen-year-old Pierre Anthon leaves school to sit in a plum tree and train for becoming part of nothing, his seventh grade classmates set out on a desperate quest for the meaning of life.

For other great reads with themes of dystopia, survival, and war, try one of these!

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey.  Cassie Sullivan, the survivor of an alien invasion, must rescue her young brother from the enemy with help from a boy who may be one of them.

Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden.  While Ellie and her friends are away in the bush, the world changes. Suddenly they are in the toughest situations humans can confront, facing life and death decisions. They are thrown into a world where they find courage, initiative, spirit and wisdom ... or they die.

Kearsten's Book Club: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Last night, we had some welcome new faces as we talked about Marissa Meyer's awesome Cinder.

As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.

We had a very rowdy time discussing the many things that intrigued us about this book.  We noted how "cyborgs" like Cinder - who had a hand and foot replaced with robotic parts after surviving a horrific crash - are treated as second-class citizens, much like women and people of color have been treated in the US's history.  Cristian questioned how many of us today could be considered 'cyborgs' by the the government in Cinder's story - knee replacements, eyeglasses, pacemakers, etc.  Do these 'enhancements' make us less human?

One of our book club members mentioned the plague that is devastating the world in Cinder, and we were a bit creeped out by the similarities between the book's plague and the current Ebola crisis in Northern Africa.  Cristian mentioned the necessity of carriers of Ebola who happened to be immune to keep from running (they could spread the disease to others who aren't immune), and we then realized how similar that was to Cinder's plague - the Lunar people were immune carriers who had endangered the humans of Earth...

We also enjoyed noting the "traditional'" Cinderella elements in Cinder, and how Meyer changed them.  Especially in that Cinder's pumpkin ended up being an orange-rusted VW Bug.  So adorable!

And then came the tangents:

• Which Hogwarts house would these characters be sorted into? (We agreed that Peony and Iko would be Hufflepuff, Prince Kai would be Griffindor, and we split on Cinder, half for Ravenclaw, half for Griffindor. Cinder's stepmom and Queen Levana are both clearly Slitherin.)
• If you could get any robotic enhancement, what would it be? (Answers ranged from the practical, like endless data storage for test-taking purposes or an all-language translator, to the kinda creepy, like laser eyes or robotic legs with hidden compartments for storing poison capsules, to the outright hilarious: Wolverine claws, to aid one during choreographed street gang montages like in West Side Story - cue a gruff, Wolverine-style voice singing, "When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way...")

We really enjoyed reading and discussing Meyer's Cinder, and many expressed an interest in discussing the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th books in the series in future club meetings!

Already read Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress?  Why not try one of these book-club-suggested titles?

Alice in Tumblrland by Tim Manley.  Disney meets Lena Dunham in this illustrated humor book featuring your favorite fairy-tale characters dating and finding their way in 21st-century America; The Ugly Duckling still feels gross compared to everyone else, but now she's got Instagram, and there's this one filter that makes her look awesome. Cinderella swaps her glass slippers for Crocs. The Tortoise and the Hare Facebook stalk each other. Goldilocks goes gluten free. And Peter Pan finally has to grow up and get a job, or at least start paying rent.

Amped by Daniel H. Wilson.  In a near-future world where technologically enhanced humans are governed by a strict set of conduct laws, twenty-nine-year-old Owen Gray joins the ranks of a persecuted underclass that is planning to change, or destroy, the world.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine.  In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her.

Feed by M.T. Anderson.  In a future where most people have computer implants in their heads to control their environment, a boy meets an unusual girl who is in serious trouble.

Grimms' Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm.  An illustrated collection of fifty-two traditional tales collected by the Grimm brothers.

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix.  Like every commoner in the land, Ella dreams of going to the ball and marrying Prince Charming. But after she is chosen to marry the prince, life with the royal family is not the "happily ever after" that Ella imagined. Pitiless and cold, the royals try to mold her into their vision of a princess. Ella's life becomes a meaningless schedule of protocol, which she fears she will never grasp. And Prince Charming's beautiful face hides a vacant soul.Even as her life turns to misery, the stories persist that Ella's fairy godmother sent her to the ball: How else could the poor girl wear a beautiful gown, arrive in a coach, and dance in those glass slippers? But there is no fairy godmother to help Ella escape the deadening life of the castle. Can she do it on her own?

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce.  After a Fenris, or werewolf, kills their grandmother and almost kills them, sisters Scarlett and Rosie March devote themselves to hunting and killing the beasts that prey on teenaged girls.








Bonus TV and Movie suggestions!

The Matrix. A computer hacker discovers that reality is nothing more than an elaborate facade called The Matrix, created by super-intelligent robots that have enslaved mankind and are using their bodies as a power source.

Once Upon a Time.  On her 28th birthday, Emma Swan meets Henry, the son she gave up for adoption 10 years ago. Henry believes Emma is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, prophesied to break a powerful curse. Unconvinced, Emma returns Henry to Storybrooke, where she encounters the enigmatic Mr. Gold and clashes with mayor Regina Mills, the boy's adoptive mother, who Henry insists is none other than the Evil Queen!