Book Review: Half Brother

I used to spend Saturday mornings with my mom and sister at the Saint Louis Zoo in the Jungle of the Apes/Fragile Forest.  Even though glass separated us from the apes, my sister raced with one of the chimps, Jimi, and I had my gorilla "boyfriend", the late Juma.  These moments where it was just the apes and us, I will always treasure.

Remembering times like this, I picked up Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel and began the journey of Ben and Zan in this young adult book.  The story focuses on Ben and his families move across Canada, so that his father (a fairly well-known professor) can begin a new, groundbreaking study for the 1960s.  The study involves cross-fostering a chimpanzee named Zan and teaching him language utilizing ASL.  Not only does Ben have to adjust to this lifestyle change, he is the new kid at a prestigious private school where he doesn't believe he is smart enough to be, and negotiate the trials of having a major crush. 

At first, Ben wants nothing to do with Zan.  His parents hope he will come to think of Zan as a little brother.  This does happen and it is enjoyable to read.  Its amazing to read how these two grew in understanding of each other. Ben becomes closer with Zan then he does his own father.

The book does not sugar-coat having a chimp in the household. There are issues with research students, neighbors, and media.

Ben makes tough choices and shows great courage towards the end of the book.  I began crying at the end because of how touching the hope was in Ben.

Link to discussion guide.

Book Review: Five Flavors of Dumb

The book title is SOOOO good, I don't even need to think of a quirky title for my post.  As I was reading this book by Antony John, I kept thinking my 5th graders would love this book...except there is cursing in the book.  I would recommend this book for middle school students and above.  It is an enjoyable read and there were nights I didn't want to go to bed just so I could get a little peek at the next event in Piper's life.

The story centers on high schooler, Piper, who criticizes a hot new school rock band, Dumb, then ends up being their manager.  The catch, Piper is deaf.  The band gives her the challenge of landing them a paying gig within one month of her managerial position.  The other catch, Piper has NO idea about hard rock.  

The other players in the story:
Josh, pretty boy/lead singer
Tash, punk rocker/guitar
Will, silent type/guitar
Ed, member of chess club with Piper & eventual drummer
Kallie, eye candy & eventual "can't quite cut it" guitar
Finn, Piper's younger brother, guitar mentor to Kallie & Tash

The reader really gets to understand Piper's relationships with the band and at home.  Her parents throw a slap in her face when they take money out of her college fund to provide cochlear implants for their youngest daughter, Grace.  She is becoming more distant from her mother and to top it off her father never learned signed language (which is her preferred method of communication) even though she can read lips and her hearing aids work somewhat in completely quiet areas.

I really don't even know how to sum up more of the story other than to say, Dumb is Piper's new beginning even if the band breaks up, gets back together, breaks up...well, you get the picture.

Antony John did his research well!  I loved reading the author's note talking about the different people in my hometown of St. Louis that he wanted to thank for assisting him in the history of rock and roll, what it is like for a deaf person in society, hearing aids, and ASL classes.  


Book cover taken from antonyjohn.net

Vive La Paris

During Memorial Day weekend, my mom and I drove to Columbia, MO for a half marathon I was running. The concept of this race series is very inspiring. It's called the Go Girl Run and it took place in three cities in MO.  It's an all female half marathon, so I already felt empowered by the amazing women I was around. Part of the proceeds of the run went to charities that aided women in need. How great!

On the way there, we started listening to the audiobook Vive La Paris by Esme Raji Codell.  I LOVED her book, Sahara Special, so I don't know why it took me forever to get to this book (as the little mantra goes through my mind, "too many books, so little time"). This book focuses on 5th grader Paris and her life lessons learned through multiple characters: her piano teacher, Mrs. Rosen, her brother Michael, and his bully, Tanaeja.

Paris takes you through time spent practicing the piano with Mrs. Rosen, a Holocaust survivor. Mrs. Rosen spares no time dispensing advice or her opinions (which come with a side of humor). Paris thinks she has got it all figured out, but you come to find out that her view needs some readjusting or as Mrs. Rosen puts it, Paris needs to view the world through "rose-colored glasses".

Paris divulges about her anger towards classmate, Tanaeja, who bullies her 13-year-old brother, Michael, out on the playground daily. She shares this anger with Michael, who brushes it off and responds that he won't hit a girl. When Paris doesn't get the response she wants from Michael, she goes to Mrs. Rosen. Mrs. Rosen lets Paris know that maybe she needs to talk with Tanaeja to figure out the problem or try and be friends with her.

Around this time Michael starts joining in on Paris's piano lessons by singing along. Mrs. Rosen decides that with enough practice they can take their show on the road...to the local retirement home. Their show is a hit! Paris notices for the first time just how genuinely happy Michael is to be able to sing in front of an audience. 

The happiness for Paris is short-lived with a gift that Mrs. Rosen bestows to her. This part of the novel is when you realize just how young and naive Paris is, but also just how much every student in America needs to read this novel. It brings about a powerful, and at times both delightful and sad ending.

This Book Is More Than The Sum Of Its Parts

.…or I’ve Flipped for Flipped

Recommended for grades 6-9

I was so excited to find out that Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen had been made into a movie, which is odd because I’ve never read the book. But, like all good books, its reputation preceded itself—I knew I would get around to reading the story. I really wanted to see the movie, especially after watching the preview (not gonna lie, probably watched it upwards of five times that first time). I counted down the days till it would hit theaters. Then, I started searching all the internet movie sites determined to find what local theater it would be in…it was showing in ZELCH! Come on now!! Not even the independent theaters were showing it and trust me, I checked for several weeks, hoping that eventually it would make it to a theater near me. It never did.

Well, with that disappointment, I decided I would just be one of the first people to check it out from the library. I watched it this past week and loved every minute of that movie! The two young actors portraying Juli and Bryce were wonderful and so was the supporting cast. The movie guaranteed that I would be reading the book within a week’s time (library, here I come!). So, not only do I have to buy the movie because I liked it so much, I now have to buy the book because I liked it so much and want to be able to read it yearly. I just have to point out that I ONLY buy movies that are my favorites and will stand the test of time of me watching them over and over again.

Flipped is a coming of age story that ventures a little into first love (or crazy first crushes…we’ve all been there), but Van Draanen keeps the balance well, by alternating chapters between Bryce and Juli. The book begins the summer before Bryce and Juli go into second grade. Juli sees Bryce (who just moved into the neighborhood) and right away she’s “flipped” for “those blue eyes.” On the other hand, Bryce wants nothing to do with Juli. This continues for several years, but along the way you find out what a strong-spirited individual Juli is and what a confused individual Bryce turns out to be. They live right across the street from each other, but their families couldn’t be any more different—Bryce’s family is well-off, but not stable, whereas Juli’s family might not be rich, but they are close knit.

Then it happens, in eighth grade, Juli finally discovers what a “coward” Bryce can be and really wants nothing to do with him (for the most part), but at the same time Bryce finally opens his eyes and sees Juli, I mean really sees Juli and what do you know, he’s “flipped” for her…funny how the story’s title works on several levels. The reader knows that Bryce isn’t all that bad and the story ends on a sweet note with Bryce’s noble act and Juli thinking that maybe she and Bryce can be friends after all.

One of my favorite lines in the book comes from Chet, Bryce’s wise grandfather, who says, “Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss…But every once in a while you find someone who’s iridescent, and when you do, nothing will ever compare.” I feel the same way about books.

Van Draanen, W. (2001). Flipped. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.