Summer Reading

Fiction

The Bronx Masquerade:Nikki Grimes-

An excellent book, even for those of you out there who are not big fans of reading. A quick collection of poems written poetry-slam style and short narrations by the characters, it tells an excellent story of high school kids in hard situations opening up to show what lies beyond the masquerade. Something anyone could enjoy.

The Book Thief:Marcus Zusak-

A book about a book lover for book lovers. Fascinatingly narrated by “death” herself, this book centers on a young girl in WWII Germany, who, with the help of her foster father, steals books and secrets away illegal books to learn to read and then share with a runaway Jew her family shelters.

Uglies:Scott Westerfield-

An excellent and easy read about a future in which the old “Rusty” society has passed away. At sixteen the “Uglies” undergo an operation involving lots of plastic surgery to make them into “Pretties,” who live across the river in what they think is a utopia. Parties every night, freedom, the ability to change your appearance through a plastic surgery operation whenever you like… what more could you ask for? But when people discover that not only is the appearance being changed, but also the mind in the “Pretty” operations, they realize that this is not as much of a utopia as was thought.

Fantasy

Harry Potter: J. K. Rowling-

It’s a classic. And you’ll understand now when your friends reference it.

Lord of the Rings:J. R. R. Tolkien-

Long, yes, but a fantastic and well-written story. Know the story behind the movies! The movies were impressive, but as in almost all cases the book is still much better and definitely worth a read.

Alanna: the First Adventure: Tamora Pierce-

For those of you wishing to be whisked away into a alternate world of swords, sorcery, adventure, and a girl disguising herself a boy to train as a knight, this is the book for you. The first of a quartet, this is a great, quick and fun read.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe:C.S. Lewis-

If you liked the movie, you will like this book (or the whole series) even more. Get the whole story, not just the bits that Hollywood liked. Also a classic, and definitely worth a read.

Ender’s Game:Orson Scott Card-

This is the kind of book you read now and will still remember years later. Many years into the future of earth, Andrew “Ender” Wiggin is an amazing child genius who is drafted into Battle School in space, to fight a future invasion by an alien race. He and his cronies who play games in Battle School and his siblings back on earth are in a position to change the world. Definitely worth a read. And if you like this, author Orson Scott Card tells the rest of the story in the many sequels.

Biography

A Child Called“It”: Dave Pelzer-

If you’re looking for an intense read, this is it. It is written by the victim of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. He was beaten and starved, and many worse things, by his alcoholic and unstable mother. He didn’t even have a name: he was called “it.” Be prepared for an intense and evocative read, though very memorable and thought-provoking.

Science Fiction

The Host:Stephanie Meyer-

Hey all you Twilight fans: have you ever heard of this book by the same author? Technically written for adults rather than for teens, as Twilight was, this book delves into a world where the alien race of “souls” are taking over Earth by taking control of the minds and bodies of humans. But when one of the humans resists her “soul,” and forces her to search for her family, the alien “soul” is forced to learn and discover herself and reconsider whether she should be there.

Maximum Ride:James Patterson-

What would it be like to have wings and fly? Find out with Maximum Ride and her family, who were grown by an illegal scientist mixing bird and human genes. They escaped the brutal scientist, and now live running from him and struggling to have a normal life. A captivating read about an epic adventure.

Book Review: A Child Called It

If there is one social issue that is guaranteed to make even the most desensitized person feel sympathy, it is child abuse. Although most of us are well aware of this ongoing problem, we rarely get a chance to understand the personal effects of child abuse and the extent to which it leaves an impact on children.

Dave Pelzer is a survivor of child abuse and lives to tell his story through his memoir, A Child Called “It.” This unforgettable book illustrates his journey from having a happy childhood to the brutal abuse by his emotionally unstable mother. In the story’s opening, Dave is rescued from his terrible situation and put in foster care, as school administrators uncover his home life. He flashes back to depict his life before abuse, living happily in Daly City, California as a “Brady Bunch” family. Pelzer’s mother begins having marital issues and consequently undergoes the cycle of alcoholism, which began the downward spiral into severe child abuse. It starts with her exiling Pelzer from the family, making him lose his sense of identity and belonging.

Later, the abuse escalates to her delivering extensive beatings and Pelzer experiencing starvation that left him nearly dead. His clothes were filthy and torn, and he was forced to eat spoiled leftovers that the dogs had finished. He lost all sense of purpose, and every former relationship disappeared, leaving him with no one to turn to. For no apparent reason, Pelzer is the black sheep of the family, and his siblings eventually catch on to his mother’s ways and treat him similarly. One particularly horrifying scene begins with Dave’s mother telling him, “You are a nobody! An It! You are nonexistent! You are a bastard child! I hate you and I wish you were dead!”

With enough mental strength to move mountains, he does not give up; he learns how to play his mother’s games and how to stay alive by the power of his dreams. He finds loopholes in her abuse and discovers ways to avoid further brutalization by stalling tactics and clever tricks. He convinces himself he has endless potential and will never treat others this way. The story concludes with a glimpse of the rescued Dave entering foster care, and readers are left wondering what happens in this part of his life. Answers can be found in Pelzer’s sequel, The Lost Boy.

Pelzer’s writing style makes it impossible to read this memoir without feeling compassion and an instinctive desire to help this child, and it truly opens readers’ eyes into the painful former world of Dave Pelzer. The writing style matures chronologically as Dave gets older, but it always remains child-like and simple, which leaves emotion seeping through the words. This life-changing story is deeply enthralling yet disturbing. It challenges us to believe in the capacity of the human spirit. A book such as A Child Called “It” is one of the rare, universally touching stories that leaves eternal footprints on the human heart and reminds us that we are capable of fighting for change and creating our own happiness.

Pelzer’s tale shows us that the future truly does belong to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams, as Eleanor Roosevelt once said. It will hold you at the edge of your seat from cover to cover, and you will find yourself cheering him on as he discovers a sense of determination that saves his life. This heart-wrenching, emotional account of Pelzer’s childhood promises to leave you wanting to take action and make positive change.