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Hello Vincent Massey community! My name is Ms. Gammon and I'm thrilled to be your librarian in the Learning Commons. I come to you after eight years at Altadore School, and I'm really enjoying my new digs here at Massey so far. I have two teens of my own - an 18 year old boy and a 16 year old girl. I have a background in Drama, Literacy, Youth Events and Lifeguarding.
I have set some pretty lofty goals for myself this year, which I hope all of our staff and students can help me achieve. First, it's so very important we work together to make our Learning Commons a safe, respectful and friendly place to be. I hope you will join me often - whether on the computers, reading books, checking out materials or learning with your class. There is always something happening here! My second goal is to put the right books into the right reader's hands. Young Adult novels are often amazing works of fiction, and I'm reading furiously to be able to offer you the best recommendations I can. Finally, this blog. Let's call it Title Page. I want to create a shared space where we can talk about what's New and Now in teen fiction. Here you can look for (and submit) reviews, check out what books are coming to our space, and keep up on our displays and events. Maybe we will even start our own Massey Book Club... It's going to be a great school year! Hate List by Jennifer Brown Near the end of their junior year at high school, Valerie's boyfriend Nick went on a shooting spree in the cafeteria, targeting the students from their "Hate List" - a list of students and teachers who made them angry - a list started by Valerie herself. After killing 6 and injuring many others (including shooting Valerie in the thigh), Nick turned the gun on himself and committed suicide. Five months later, Val is facing her return to school for one final year. Haunted by the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, her former friends, and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and the guilt she lives with every minute of the day.
This is such a powerful book, and so different from other books written about fictional school shootings. Telling this story from the perspective of the shooter's girlfriend sends the reader in all kinds of emotional directions, hand in hand with the main character. This isn't just a case of a bad kid who goes crazy and brings a gun to school - we, the readers, are given opportunities to see Nick as Val and his friends saw him. We sit with Val as she undergoes psychological therapy, we spend time with her at school and see the reaction of the students who aren't sure if she is a hero or an accomplice, a bystander or a murderer. There are repercussions for this character (and everyone around her) far beyond what we would normally think about when we hear about a school shooting. Hate List is a compelling and important novel. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy realistic fiction. There are so many lessons to be learned here about kindness, acceptance, forgiveness, caring and healing. It can be a draining and exhausting book to read, but also a very rewarding experience. "Just like there's always time for pain, there's always time for healing" Starflight by Melissa Anders Starflight is a romantic teen sci-fi novel about a penniless orphan (and convicted felon) named Solara Brooks. Solara is hoping for a fresh start in the outer reaches of the galaxy, but doesn’t have money to make the journey to her new job. While waiting at a space station in hopes of being chosen as hired help for the voyage, she crosses paths with her high school nemesis Doran Spaulding. Doran is filthy rich and a major jerk. As the story unfolds, the two travelers end up on a dilapidated ship together – the Banshee – and all sorts of intergalactic shenanigans ensue.
Make no mistake. This book is not literature. There is not a lot of substance here, no hidden meanings or deep life messages. The characters are flawed, make mistakes, live with regret and experience some exciting adventures, but they aren’t about to reach off the pages and change your life in any way. This book is light and easy to read and quite entertaining. The world building is good but not mind-blowing. The secondary characters are interesting but not deeply developed. The story is fun but easily forgotten. If all you are looking for is a fun read that will give you some escape time, this could be it. I really enjoyed Starflight and it’s likely you will too. |
AuthorThis book lover's blog is brought to you by the Learning Commons at Vincent Massey School, Calgary. Specifically, Ms. Gammon and various student book reviewers. We want to share our favorite titles with you! Archives
May 2017
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