The Monstrumologist, by Rick Yancey

The Monstrumologist, by Rick Yancey. New York: Simon and Schuster BFYR, 2009. ISBN-10: 1416984488; ISBN-13: 978-1416984481. 454 p.

Plot Summary
"mon-strum-ology. n. 1: the study of life forms generally malevolent to humans and not recognized by science as actual organisms, specifically those considered products of myth and folklore. 2: the act of hunting such creatures."

During the late 1800s, Will Henry is the orphaned assistant of Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, a man who has devoted his life to the study of monsters. Will, like his father before him, has seen plenty of gruesome scenes as he assists with necropsies in Dr. Lathrop's basement laboratory, but nothing can prepare him for the horrors that are about to come. The Anthropophagi--headless monsters with sharp teeth in their bellies, who impregnate and then feed on humans, have been discovered in North America. As they begin to prey on a New England town, can Will and Dr. Warthrop discover a way to defeat these monters and keep their town safe?

Critical Evaluation
Rick Yancey spends a lot of time setting the scene and presenting the history of human interaction with the monsters, but the tension he spends time building develops into a nail-biter of a climax. Yancey attempts to imitate the Victorian language of classic horror such as Frankenstein and Dracula. On the whole, he succeeds, although his excessive use of alliteration sometimes seems forced. Yancey's exploration, not only of the horror of monsters, but of the downsides of unfettered human ego and vanity, starts slow, but ends up being a great read.

Reader’s Annotation
Will Henry is the orphaned assistant to a scientist who studies monsters. When a group of violent, bloodthirsty monsters is discovered in New England and begins stalking the residents of a small town,Will discovers the horrors that human vanity and pride can cause.

Author Information

Rick Yancey knew he wanted to be a writer since he was a child in Florida. He earned an English degree from Roosevelt University in Chicago, and then returned to Florida, where he taught and did some theatre work. He then began working as a revenue officer for the IRS, and eventually worked there for 10 years. However, he kept writing, and was able to leave the IRS after the publication of his memoir, Confessions of a Tax Collector, in 2004. He has published six novels in addition to his memoir, including the Alfred Kropp trilogy for young adults and the Teddy Ruzak mystery series for adults. He lives in Florida with his wife and three sons (source). His website is www.rickyancey.com.

Yancey realized he wanted to be a writer in middle school. He says, "a teacher assigned a five-page narrative paper and I turned in 25 pages! I wrote a note to him, apologizing for the length, and he wrote back, “Never apologize for something you should be proud of.". He says his wife is the greatest influence of his writing career. "[She] knew how much the dream of being a professional writer meant to me and dreamed for me when I lost all hope. She rescued manuscripts from the trash, gave me pep talks and bought books to encourage me. She's my biggest fan and toughest critic."

Genre
Gothic horror

Curriculum Ties
English: A modern companion to be read with classic horror novels such as Dracula or Frankenstein to help teens learn to analyze the gothic horror genre.

Booktalking Ideas
-Read the passage where a monster explodes out of a cemetery grave to kill its first victim. It's gruesome and bloody, and will immediately set the scene and grab the interest of teens who like such things.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 9-12. While the protagonist is a 12 year old boy, I would hesitate to recommend it to younger teens because of the graphic, gruesome violence the monsters inflict on humans during the course of the story.

Challenge Issues
Gory, graphic violence, similar to that of Stephen King.

I included this book because it was a 2010 Printz Honor Book, and it was also recommended on the blog A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy.

A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray

A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray. New York: Delacorte Press, 2003. ISBN-10: 0385730284; ISBN-13: 978-0385730280. 403 p.

Plot Summary
Gemma Doyle has been sent to the Spence Academy in London after her mother's mysterious death near their home in India. Gemma has a hard time getting to know the other girls at Spence, but she isn't completely along--she's been followed from India by a mysterious young man who warns her to close her mind to the visions she has seen since her 16th birthday. As she becomes more aware of her powers, she becomes entangled with both the popular girls at school and a shadowy group called the Order. Does her destiny with the Order's magical world?

Critical Evaluation
It's clear that Bray conducted fairly extensive research about life in Victorian England. Girls during this era were groomed to become rich men's wives, and their opinions generally weren't valued by society at large. Bray's large female cast reflects different attitudes and perspectives on Victorian female roles, and even if this were solely a historical novel it would be a great read. The fantasy element only improves the book by providing an avenue to explore gender roles in even more detail as well as advancing the story. The setting, characters, and background behind the novel make it very enjoyable.

Reader’s Annotation
Gemma Doyle was sent to the Spence Academy after the tragic death of her mother. As she makes her new home in Victorian England, she starts having visions of another world.

Author Information
Libba Bray grew up in Texas, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. When she was 18, she was in a bad car accident and had 13 surgeries in 6 years to rebuild her face (she has an artificial left eye because of it). She says her three worst habits are "overeating, self-doubt, and the frequent use of the "f" word" and she hates donuts. When she doesn't write, she says she feels depressed and cranky and itchy, so she writes so everyone around her is happy that she's stopped complaining (source). Her most recent book was Going Bovine, which won the 2010 Printz Award. A complete biography can be found on her website at http://www.libbabray.com/LBAutobiography.html.


While A Great and Terrible Beauty is sometimes categorized as chick lit, Bray says she hates the term because it's demeaning. "By and large, the writing of men is not categorized and compartmentalized in this way beyond specific publishing genres, i.e., mystery, horror, science fiction. I have the same problem when movies are referred to as chick flicks. It's dismissive; it says that the themes that often show up in women's novels and films and the perspective of women artists are somehow less than....Now, that said, can we please, please move away from this recent spate of navel-gazing, whining, shopping-obsessed superficial novels in which guys are just accessories like the right shoes, and the deepest feelings encountered are a sort of self-absorbed sulkiness on the part of the heroine? Puh-leeeze" (source).  Her strong feminism and individualism is apparent in her work.

Genre
Gothic fantasy, historical fiction

Curriculum Ties
History: gender roles in Victorian England.

Booktalking Ideas
Evoke the setting by using the passage and description of the time Gemma first sees Spence.

Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 9-12.

Challenge Issues
Occult/magic issues.

Challenge Defense
Invite the challenger to read the book before making a value judgement.

I included this book because it was named a 2004 Best Book for Young Adults by YALSA. I also saw it at Target as I was browsing and it looked interesting.

Lips Touch: Three Times, by Laini Taylor

Lips Touch: Three Times, by Laini Taylor, illustrated by Jim di Bartolo. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2009. ISBN-10: 0545055857; ISBN-13: 978-0545055857. 272p.

Plot Summary
A collection of three short stories about kissing, with elements of the supernatural playing a role. In "Goblin Fruit," goblins crave the souls of young girls who dream endlessly of being pretty and of waking up as someone else. Kizzy, from an active gypsy family, wishes her family could just be normal; the goblin's want her soul more than anyone's. Was the handsome new boy in school sent by them? In "Spicy Little Curses Such as These," a child is cursed that her voice will kill anyone who hears it. She has been silent since the curse was placed. Now that she is in love, can she continue to hold her tongue? In "Hatchling," another girls discovers that she and her mother lead a transient life because she belongs to another world entirely. What will happen when she goes back?

Critical Evaluation 
Laini Taylor's tales are evocative of the hidden magics and terrible curses of the fairy tales of the Grimm Brothers. Her stories effectively draw the reader in, and, though the stories are short, she is able to create finely-drawn characters with believable motivations and histories. This book was a Cybil nominee in 2009, and the award was richly deserved. It was also a finalist for the National Book Award and a YALSA Top Ten Book for Young Adults pick. I loved this book.

Reader’s Annotation
This collection of stories about first kisses blends fairy tales and supernatural themes with real characters--a girl living in the shadows, who is suddenly being pursued by the handsome new boy. A girl who can't speak, being loved for who she is anyway. And a girl who learns her mom hasn't been entirely honest with her. 

Author Information 
Laini Taylor graduated from U.C. Berkeley and also attended the California College of Art. She has written three young adult novels that have earned starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and Publisher's Weekly. She spends her time making stuff (including products for her gift and stationary collection) and making stuff up (stories). She lives with her husband, artist Jim di Bartolo, in Portland, Oregon. She blogs regularly at http://growwings.blogspot.com/. 

Genre
Fantasy

Curriculum Ties 
English: Fairy Tale Tropes

Booktalking Ideas
-the magic of first kisses
-read passage from "Goblin Fruit" describing how Kizzy feels when she's with the new boy 

Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 9-12

Challenge Issues 
None

Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. New York: Little, Brown & Co., 2009. ISBN-10: 0316042676; ISBN-13: 978-0316042673. 563 p.

Plot Summary
Ethan Wate is counting down the days until he can leave the Southern town of Gatlin (two years and eight months). Lena Duchannes is the new girl in town, and she's unlike anyone Gatlin has ever seen. She's struggling to conceal her magic powers and the curse that's been on her family for generations: all Duchannes teens will either become Dark or Light on their sixteenth birthday. Ethan is drawn to Lena and wants to discover the connection between them. But this secret is too big for the two of them to handle. Will she be chosen by Light or Dark?

Critical Evaluation
Garcia and Stohl excel at creating a rich atmosphere of dread and tension as they draw the story of Lena's coming of age as a witch. The Southern setting makes an excellent background for issues of free will vs. fate, as well as how teens deal with the loss of loved family members. While Ethan's complete devotion to Lena may seem a bit unbelievable to more adult readers, it is refreshing to read a paranormal romance from the male perspective. Some plot ties remain open for resolution in the second book in the series. Recommended for Twilight fans looking for their next obsession. This title was a finalist for the ALA's William C. Morris YA Debut Award in 2010.

Reader’s Annotation
Lena Duchannes is a witch and will have to face a big choice on her sixteenth birthday. Can Lena and Ethan work together to break the curse before it's too late?

Author Information
Margaret studied American Literature at Amherst and Yale and earned a MA in English from Stanford.  She was a video game designer/writer for 10 years.  Kami grew up with four generations of Southern women outside of Washington, D.C. She has a MA in education and taught in the DC area.When discussing the influence the American South had on her writing, she said "The South seems like a place where magic and mystery really coexist, so everything we write springs from that profound sense of place. It helped that our families come from tiny towns and casserole counties, and we also spent time in and around Charleston where the book is set."


Kami is a Reading Specialist and continues to teach and lead book groups for children and teens.  She feels that "in some sense, all romances feel supernatural. They don’t feel natural—because each one is so special and unique. A supernatural romance takes those feelings and magnifies them, and allows us to explore them."

Kami and Margaret both live in the Los Angeles area.  More information about Kami and Margaret's work can be found at http://beautifulcreaturesthebook.com.

Genre
Fantasy, paranormal romance.

Curriculum Ties
History: Civil War, Antebellum South
Geography: The American South

Booktalking Ideas
What if your girlfriend were a powerful witch?
Don't judge a book by its cover

Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 8-12. Anyone old enough to enjoy Twilight is old enough to enjoy this book.

Challenge Issues
Magic/Witchcraft.

Challenge Defense Ideas
Get reviews from teens who have read it
Point to reviews (universally positive) and awards from ALA as criteria for inclusion in a collection.

I included this book because it was the teen book club pick for March at my local library. Since I volunteer with the teens, I read it so I could keep up with the book discussion.