Escaping The Tiger Laura Manivong

Escaping the Tiger by Laura Manivong

It's 1982, 12 yr old Vonlai, his older sister Dalah and their parents must escape their home country of Laos, which was had a Communist government. In the beginning the family leaves in the night for Thailand. While in Thailand they must stay in a refugee camp. Vonlai's father tells the family they will only be there a few weeks. However, they aren't given an opportunity to leave for a few years. Escaping the Tiger centers around Vonlai and his families time in Thailand.

The author will hook many readers with the midnight escape. It moves at a good clip, there's danger and a little action. We get to know the family and what they are leaving behind, especially Vonlai. Young readers will be able to relate to Vonlai sadness at not being able to say goodbye to his best friend. Or never being able to play soccer with this friends again.

Vonlai's family must adjust to the hard life of living in a refugee camp. This is a visual story, readers will be able to easily picture Vonlai's new world. While playing soccer Vonlai becomes friends with, Kavin, an older boy. He was my favorite minor character. There were moments when the book crossed over into too much lesson not enough story. Except for the parts with Kavin. Vonlai was a strong enough character to over come this and keep my attention. Vonlai's relationship with his sister, Dalah was one of the stories strengths.

Escaping the Tiger is a good story with protagonist readers will want to follow until the end.

Kirkus and Booklist review via the author's site.

Read an excerpt

The Red Umbrella Christina Diaz Gonzalez

The Red Umbrella by Christina Gonzalez
14 yr old Lucia Alverez is excited about an unexpected break from school, thanks to Castro's revolution. Lucia's parents fear for her safety. Lucia and her younger brother Frankie can't leave the house. When Lucia and Frankie sneak out, they see their dad's boss interrogated and threatened by Castro's men. Slowly, Lucia begins to realize the Cuba, she knows and loves is changing. When Castro came into power, family and friends became enemies. Lucia and her best friend Ivette, grow apart. Ivette joins the Jovenes Rebeldes, a communist youth movement in Cuba. Lucia's parents won't let her join. I didn't instantly like Lucia. She fought her parents, and didn't understand why they were against Castro.

Somewhere along the way, I realized a 14 yr old who is forced to stay home (even if there's a good reason) will fight their parents. Also Castro's ideas looked good to Lucia because they differed from her parents. The early tension between Lucia and her parents, made it easy for me to imagine parents and children choosing different sides. If things had gone differently, Lucia could've run away and joined Jovenes Rebeldes. This was one of the books strengths. Gonzalez allows the reader to consider what if. What if Frankie hadn't gotten sick, and Lucia never passed that oak tree?

After the oak tree, Lucia has seen too much and trust her parents completely. Lucia's parents try to give the impression that they support Castro, in hopes that it will keep them safe. Its not enough. They are worried about the safety of Lucia and her younger brother, Frankie. They decide to send Lucia and Frankie to the U.S. alone. Between 1960 and 1962 ( Red Umbrella, 1961) Operation Pedro Pan was in effect. Many Cuban parents who were against Castro sent there children to the U.S. alone.

Lucia and Frankie are in Miami for a short time. The two are placed with a husband and wife in Nebraska. They keep in touch with their parents through letters and the occasional phone call. The author does of allowing the reader to feel Lucia's experiences. The Alveraz family connection and love is very strong. I thought the author could've developed certain aspects a little more. One day Lucia runs into Laura, a classmate. Her father was arrested for spreading anti -revolutionary lies. I thought Laura woud've made a good character I would've loved a conversation about Castro's ideology between Lucia and Laura.

The author used, Ivette to give a voice to Castro's belief, with letters to Lucia. They didn't feel natural to the story. It was the only time the Gonzalez faltered in blending fact with fiction.

The Red Umbrella is wonderful read. Gonzalez tells a great story. A red umbrella makes a few appearances, I especially loved the last one. The author has mastered the art of symbolism. There aren't many middle grade novels about how Castro's rule impacted Cuban families. I believe this is the first one about Operation Pedro Pan. Its a very good first.

Read an excerpt The Red Umbrella could be paired with Leaving Glorytown: One Boy's Struggle Under Castro by Eduardo F. Calcines. It's a beautiful memoir about a boy growing up in Cuba when Castro came into power.

Countdown Deborah Wiles

Countdown by Deborah Wiles

The cover of Countdown caught my attention. When I quickly flipped through it, I saw old ads about a turtle named Bert who ducks and covers from atomic bombs, a photograph of President Kennedy as well as photographs with slogans. Wiles already had me and I had yet to read a word.

Its 1962, many Americans are worried about a nuclear war. I don't remember learning about the Cuban Missile Crisis (maybe I was absent that day) even though it was a major event in U.S. history. Countdown centers around that time of uncertainty. Like every other student 11 yr old Franny Chapman is learning to duck and cover like Bert the turtle just in case.

I absolutely loved Franny's voice, pure in its believably. She is a wonderfully realistic character. Franny is growing up during a time of change and her life must go on. Wiles has written a beautiful historical novel. Once, I started reading I didn't want to stop. The author easily explains the conflict between Russia, Cuba and the United States. For homework Franny is required to watch President Kennedy speech when he tells the country Cuba has missles.

The fear and tenison everyone feels can be felt through Wiles words. I was moved when the author took the time to make Cuba real and not simply a place to be feared. Franny's teacher Mrs. Rodriquez, tells her class about Cuba, the homeland of her husband.

Interspersed throughout are photographs, speeches and slogans of the time. Adding another dimension to the story. I found myself looking forward to these factual breaks. In 1962 many people were fighting for equality for all people in the U.S. Wiles addresses this as well. Frannie Lou Hamer story is featured. Franny's older sister Jo Ellen is working with CORE and SNCC organizations.

Countdown was entertaining, educational and a pleasure to read. I loved and highly recommend it. Franny Chapman is one of my favorite female protagonist of 2010. Read an excerpt

Diamond Ruby Joseph Wallace

Diamond Ruby: by Joseph E. Wallace

I was very happy to see that this was released today. Set in Brooklyn, NY the novel begins in 1913. Ruby Thomas is just 7 yrs old. For a few chapters Wallace allows the reader to connect to Ruby, her family and Brooklyn, NY. Then the 1918 flu epidemic hits and everything changes. 13 yr old Ruby must becomes the only provider for her two young nieces, Amanda and Allie. After the epidemic Ruby uses her strong arm to kill squirrels for dinner.

I picked this novel up because it had baseball. A few pages in I realized it was so much more.

Ruby's an amazing character filled with heart and determination to survive. Ruby faces many obstacles while trying to support her nieces. The Klan, is trying to become a presence in NYC. They don't think a Jewish girl should be pitching even if its just as a sideshow at Coney Island. Gangsters have found a way to make money off of Ruby's arm. She must figure out a way to out smart them.

Wallace's writing gave me the feeling of being transported back to 1920's Brooklyn, NY. The book is populated with some sports greats like Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey. This is a beautifully written story. It has a little of everything, suspense, love, loss, fear, family and of course baseball. I loved losing myself completely in Diamond Ruby's world.

Diamond Ruby is fiction and very appropriate for young adult readers. I was flipping through a children's catalog last week and saw Diamond Ruby. It doesn't get more crossover than that. I won't be surprised to see this one on a few best of list at the end of the year.

A starred Library Journal review

Crossing Bok Chitto - Tim Tingle, Jeanne Rorex Bridges

Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle, Jeanne Rorex Bridges
After reading Debbie Reese's review of Tingle's Saltypie a few weeks ago, I wanted to read it. Since it wasn't out yet I decided to check out one of Tingle's other books. I am very happy I sort out this wonderful story.

Many Native Americans helped slaves find their way to freedom. Bok Chitto is a river that cuts through Mississippi. On one side of the river the Choctaws people lived, the plantation were on the other side.

Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl comes across a sercet slave church, while getting blackberries for her mother.

"The old man began to preach and the people began to sing. Martha Tom had never heard music like this before, but it touched her deeply. Then something else touched her - on the shoulder. She looked up to see the biggest man she had ever seen, his chest so big it was about to pop his buttons off his shirt! " You're lost, little girl?" he said in a deep voice that seemed to smile. "You're Choctaw, from across Bok Chitto? Martha Tom nodded."

The preacher gets his son Little Mo to take Martha Tom back to the river. The two become very good friends. Little Mo's mother is sold to the auction block. The family runs toward freedom and gets there thanks to the Choctaw people.

Tingle's has written a very entertaining and informative story. Bridges illustrations are beautiful.
Professional reviews and Honors via the publisher's site

Saltypie is scheduled to be released on May 1st. Another Cinco Puntos Press title, I am looking forward to is Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush by Luis Alberto Urrea

Good Fortune Noni Carter

Good Fortune by Noni Carter

I always have to mentally prepare myself for a novel set during slavery, especially one that's almost 500 pages. So Good Fortune sat unread for awhile. The other day, I was finally ready. I am glad that I made time for this book ecause there is a very good story inside.

14 yr old Sarah was four when she's kidnapped into slavery. Than her name was Ayanna. Now its 1821 Sarah is a slave in Tennessee. At night she dreams of her family and freedom. Mary, a slave who works in the house becomes Sarah's new mother. Mary's son Daniel her new brother.

Sarah splits her time between working the cotton fields and caring for the two small children in the house. When the children play school, Sarah uses the oppurtunity to educate herself. Sarah is determined to learn to read and write no matter the risk.

When Sarah learns that Daniel and a few of his friends are planning to escape, she wants to go. One of the master's sons Jeffrey has his eye on Sarah. She wants to leave before he can put his hands on her.

Sarah has feelings for John, Daniel's friend. John feels the same way. Their relationship is fragile and dangerous thanks to Jeffrey.

Good Fortune is 470 pages, and reads like a novel half its size. Sometimes long novels jump too far ahead in the story and I've feel as if I've missed something. Other times they don't seem to move at all and the story seems to drag. Good Fortune doesn't fall into either one of those categories. I loved the paced. Carter's writing is very good. Sarah's voice is clear and strong throughout.

One of the things that stood out for me in this novel is the research that went into it. If a young reader had never read a novel about slavery, Good Fortune would be the second one I gave them right after To Be A Slave by Julius Lester. ages 11up read an excerpt