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Unstoppable Octobia May, by Sharon G. Flake; Scholastic Press, $16.99, 276 pages, ages  8-12.

In 1953, most children are expected to be seen and not heard, but that’s certainly not the case with ten year old Octobia May, a plucky self-styled detective with a heart condition who is certain a vampire is rooming at her aunt’s boarding house. Coretta Scott King Honor Award winning author Sharon G. Flake (The Skin I’m in) weaves a vivid portrait of the Eisenhower era and explores topics such as racism, gender inequality, and the Holocaust.  Flake’s unique novel will attract vampire chasers and history buffs alike, while offering encouragement to young readers that it’s alright to speak out againt injustice, even when others might prefer to maintain the status quo.  

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The Book of David, by Anonymous; Simon Pulse, $17.99, 288 pages, ages 14-17 yrs. (June 2014)

At a nondescript American high school, David, the narrator of The Book of David, appears to lead the quintessential teenager’s life. Quarterback of the varsity football team and going steady with the cheerleading captain, David commands respect from the entire school population. With his pick of college offers, the senior year looks bright. After the arrival of a new boy in school, and David begins questioning his own sexual identity, and worries about the repercussions of doing so.  

The Book of David is structured similarly to the 1971 classic teen novel Go Ask Alice. David’s author is Anonymous and, like Alice, it is also written as a diary. David mimics perfectly how a typical contemporary American teenager might write, and exudes a sense of voyeurism. Following in Alice’s footsteps, David explores themes of identity and self-perception that will resonate with teenagers at all levels of the popularity ladder. The book illustrates how most teenagers wrestle with issues of social acceptance, and strives to offer readers answers on how to meet those struggles with grace and compassion. Both are beloved by teenagers because they open windows onto their protagonists’ innermost secrets.

David’s diary reveal emotions that he most definitely wants to keep hidden from his friends. The homophobic rants in the book might sound cliché, they do, alas, represent words young people deploy without much regard for their trajectory or ultimate impact.  In one poignant journal entry David expresses fear of coming out. Being a potential pro-football player, he laments the lack of gay role models in the National Football League. This book was just published in June 2014, when Michael Sam made headlines for coming out before being drafted in the NFL. Sam quickly became a role model for male teen football players, especially for a sport notable for its absence of openly gay athletes. Perhaps readers might have seen kinder, more hopeful entries in David if Sam had come out sooner.

Teens who savor epistolary narratives, and especially teens questioning their sexual identities will find much to enjoy here. The appendix contains a useful list of resources for those seeking support. David would make a worthy choice for teens–regardless of their sexual orientation or their popularity status–to better understand their peers, and themselves.

Nicole Basbanes Claire is the head children’s librarian at the Upton Town Library in Massachusetts, where she helps young readers discover the wonder of books. Prior to that, she was a teen librarian at Gleason Public Library in Carlisle, MA. Claire received her AB in English and Creative Writing from Sweet Briar College and her MSLIS from the Palmer School of Library and Information Science. She now lives and kayaks with her husband, Billy, at their lake house in Central Massachusetts.

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Choosing Books for Advanced Readers

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By Eva Watson-Schülze (1867-1935) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

An old friend contacted me recently asking for book recommendations for his six and eight year old boys. They are voracious readers, having already inhaled the entire Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series, along with many other titles. I sent a few suggestions, then thought that this might make an excellent blog topic.

Advanced readers may seem like a gift for parents, but you can’t just give them any book and say ‘read.’ To help parents find age-appropriate, engaging and stimulating books for children, I asked Beth Yoke, Executive Director of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and Massachusetts children’s book librarian Nicole Basbanes Claire for ways parents can keep advanced readers reading happily at their level. 

Meet your local librarian.

Claire, who works primarily with elementary-school children, suggests parents get to know their local librarian. “Going to your local library is the best (and free) resource to understand all the various kids books out there,” says Claire. “Tell the librarians about your child, and they will be able to find books related to your child’s interests.”

Choosing a book for young adults can be more difficult. Beth Yoke also advocates seeking out your local librarian in this situation. “It’s not so easy for busy parents to read young adult literature in order to determine if it’s a good fit for their teen,” says Yoke. “Librarians are not only well-read, but they are especially trained to find the right book for the right teen, and they’ll take into consideration the young person’s reading interest, ability level, family mores and more.”  

Demonstrate reading behavior. If you tell your child that reading is important, set the tone. “Read in front of them whenever possible. Share what you’re reading with your child, whether it’s a novel, grocery list, or mail,” Claire suggests. Family time is reading time, too. “Set aside time in the family’s schedule on evenings and weekends expressly for reading,” says Yoke. 

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“George Hardy The evening hour 1877” by George Hardy (1822-1909) – Bonhams. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Hardy_The_evening_hour_1877.jpg#mediaviewer/File:George_Hardy_The_evening_hour_1877.jpg

Choice is crucial. Encourage young readers to enjoy a range of materials, from educational to recreational books. Offer choice of reading format as well. Tablets or hardcovers don’t make a difference, so long as children are reading.

Prevent reader burnout. Advanced readers need mental breaks to prevent reader fatigue.  “Secondary students especially should be given the option to pursue lighter reads in their free time, as their required reading for school is academic-focused and sometimes challenging,” confirms Yoke.

Switch it up. If your child is in a book rut, recommend something different. Consider nonfiction and instructional books if your child generally gravitates towards fiction. “When younger readers burn out after reading chapter books, sometimes a switch over to nonfiction can be just what they need,” suggests Claire.

Support Related Reading Activities. Advanced readers will enjoy activities having to do with books, but that also offer a little respite. “Have children participate in library book clubs and creative writing, including writing “fan fiction,” says Yoke.

Provide transportation to the library. Children should have regular transportation to their local library, so they can borrow new reading material often. Some school districts provide transportation services to nearby libraries, so be sure to see what options are available in your community.

Below are e-resources available for elementary age and young adult readers to discover great new books:

  • YALSA’s free Teen Book Finder app, available on both Android and Apple, offers thousands of recommended titles for 12 – 18 year olds.  These titles are also a perfect opportunity for a parent and their teen to read the same title together and discuss the book.

  • YALSA’s Alex Awards are a good option for older teen readers. These are adult books that appeal to teens.  

  • The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) groups books according to age and subject matter.

Was this helpful? Happy reading –