Red Scarf Girl by Ji Li Jiang

This book is a memoir about the cultural revolution in China, and I gave it a rating of three out of five. Ji Li is finishing elementary school when Chairman Mao and the Communists take over. The Communists try to get rid of all fourolds, any beliefs that have to do with the way things used to be. They try to stop signs that any people are better than others, but it gets out of hand. Ji Li's aunt is publicly disgraced, because she dresses too nicely. Ji Li's family is worried, because they have a housekeeper. The grandmother of Ji Li's best friend kills herself, because she is afraid the Red Guard will accuse her of something. Signs are posted all over the town with Chairman Mao's beliefs, and people are told what they are supposed to think. Ji Li is torn between trying to fit in with the new society, and her loyalty to her family; her father is imprisoned, and Ji Li is asked to testify against him.

This book is not for everyone, but it will be enjoyable for readers interested in cultural history. It describes how the Communists were able to take over the Chinese culture, and it is still in power today. Most of the citizens enthusiastically supported Chairman Mao when he first took power, but they became confused when they saw how they lost control of their lives. They lived in fear of the Red Guard and had no way to defend themselves.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This story is a classic novel and movie, and I gave it a rating of five out of five. It is for mature readers. The plot follows Jem and Jean Marie (Scout) Finch as they grow up and deal with racism in Alabama during The Depression. Scout is an emotionally naive, young girl, although she has a fiery temper and narrates the story. The children are almost obsessed with seeing their mysterious neighbor, Boo Radley, and rumor has it that he almost killed his father with a pair of scissors. Atticus Finch, the children's father, is a lawyer and is appointed a case that will bring the town's emotions and anger to dangerous levels. Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping a white woman, and the rage and bigotry of the some white citizens is almost uncontrollable. Through it all, Scout learns the lesson that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird.

The plot moves back and forth from the simple, small-town lifestyle to the emotionally charged atmosphere of prejudice. The topic of racism is central to the plot and much of the language is very blunt, perhaps offensive. A major conflict deals with the uneasy relationship between whites and blacks, and the problem is compounded by the pressure of The Depression. Scout's innocence helps to address the serious issues in a simple manner, and this quality actually helps to ease some tense situations. This book won a 1961 Pulitzer Prize, but it's only for readers ready for some serious reading. It's my daughter's favorite book of all time.

Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick

I'm not sure everyone will enjoy this book as much as I, but I gave it a rating of five out of five. Steven is in the eighth grade and can't think of a topic for his journal entry entitled "The Most Annoying Thing in the World". He decides to write about his five-year-old brother and all of the things about him that are annoying. However, the journal entry takes an unexpected twist when Steven reveals that Jeffy has been diagnosed with leukemia. Most of the plot deals with Steven's internal battle with the conflicting feelings that are racing through him. He's sad that Jeffy has this disease that may kill him, but Steven gets angry when his parents focus all of their attention on Jeffy. Then, Steven gets angry with himself for feeling jealous of his brother. Throw in the normal eighth grade problems of getting good grades, having a crush on the hottest girl in school, and dealing with friends, and Steven's life is spinning out of control. He wants to appear like he's keeping things together, so no one really understands just how messed up he's feeling inside. Steven is able to find a safe place where he can escape when he heads to the basement to play his drums.

This plot focuses an character, so it won't appeal to readers looking for action. The author does a wonderful job of expressing Steven's feelings, and they're realistic. It's easy to feel jealous when your brother is getting all of the attention, even if it's because he has a deadly disease, but then it's equally easy to feel guilty about those feelings. The book contains some light-hearted moments, and they usually come from Jeffy. His dangerous pie, his embarrassing comments to Steven, and his innocence throughout the ordeal help to ease some of the tension. The book has the common plot situation where the boy has eyes on a popular girl, but his close friend, a girl, has the same feelings about him.

Left for Dead by Pete Nelson

This book is a non-fictional account of a boy's attempt to clear the name of a World War II captain, and I gave it a rating of three out of five. As you should know, the first, and only, time an atomic bomb was used occured during WW II and quickly ended the conflict with Japan. The USS Indianapolis had a long, distinguished history in the Navy, and it was chosen to carry the parts needed to build the huge, dangerous bomb across the ocean. However, the navy withheld some important information from Captain McVay, and the Indianapolis was sunk, after completing the mission, by a Japanese submarine. Many men died quickly from the explosions and fire, but many others died slowly as they drifted for days in the ocean. Injuries, hallucinations, dehydration, and sharks took the lives of hundreds of additional soldiers. In the end, about 900 crew members died, only 317 men survived, and Captain McVay was court-martialed and found guilty of endangering the lives of his crew. Fifty years later, a young boy named Hunter Scott was looking for a topic for a history project. He chose to take on the task of challenging the navy and officially clearing the captain's record. The book is his story.

I found it helpful that the chapters broke the incident into manageable parts. There were stories about the war, the crew, the mission, the attack, surviving at sea, the rescue, and the trial. Some of the events after the sinking were very inspirational, while others were very disturbing. On one hand, there were crewmen risking their lives to save others, but on the other hand, there were hallucinating crewmen who were a danger to others. Readers who enjoy war history will probably love this book. For most of us, I think, some of the sections were a little too factual, but other parts were intriguing. Overall, I enjoyed the book, and I'm glad I read it.

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

This book is based on a true story, set in 1985 wartime Sudan, and I gave it a rating of three out of five. The main plot of the book follows a Dinka boy named Salva  as he is forced to flee from his school when rebels attack. It's not safe to return to his village, so he starts heading east. His journey takes him through lion territory, across a desert, and over the Nile River. He finds danger from wild animals, rebel attacks, heat, and thirst. He hopes to find his family someday, but he's focused on surviving right now.

In a shorter subplot, set in 2008 Sudan, a Nuer girl named Nya walks four hours, twice each day, to get water for her family. The family is forced to move for three months each year when the water source dries up. However, one day two strange men arrive and start digging a hole into the dry ground near Nya's home. Who are these men, and what are they doing? The two plots are woven together to come to one peaceful resolution.

The book was written similar to a memoir, but I think I would have liked it better if it had been written in first person, from Nya's and Salva's points of view. The narrator let us know their thoughts and feelings, but I didn't make a connection with the characters that I might have made if the stories had been told through their own eyes. The stories of Nya and Salva were more interesting when I remembered that the Dinkas and Nuers had been enemies for hundreds of years.

The Great Brain by John Fitzgerald

I've heard about this book for many years and finally read it. I gave the book a rating of four out of five. The setting is in a small rural town in the 1890's. The narrator is J.D., John Dennis, but The Great Brain is his brother, Tom. Tom comes up with creative ideas in each chapter, most of them to make money, and J.D. sometimes tries to out think him. That never works. Tom tries to make money when work is being done to install the first indoor toilet in the town. He comes up with a plan to help the sheriff find some kids lost in a cave. He helps a Greek immigrant boy learn to defend himself and learn English. Tom profits from all of these plans, and more, so the reader begins to wonder if Tom has compassion for others.

The book was not what I expected. I thought the Great Brain would be the narrator, and he would create all kinds of wacky inventions. I thought the Great Brain would help others, but Tom came up with all kinds of schemes to get money out of people. Each chapter had its own plot, and Tom's character seemed to change a little as the book moved along. It was funny to see two brothers interact in typical ways and to see how Tom could change almost any situation into a money-making opportunity.

Half Brother by Kenneth Oppel

I gave this book a rating of four out of five. Ben's parents are scientists, and they decide that they're going to "adopt" a baby chimpanzee and teach it to learn sign language. They tell Ben that Zan, the chimpanzee, is part of their family, and that Ben will be like his big brother. Zan learns many words very quickly, but he still acts like a wild animal at times. Ben starts to think of Zan as his little brother and gets upset when his parents treat Zan like a specimen in an experiment. Ben's dad is under pressure to receive grant money to fund his projects, and some people start to question his methods. There are many things going on in Ben's life, and they all seem to add to his stress. The plot takes a serious turn when Ben's father decides to end the experiment. What will happen to Zan?

The conflict is enjoyable, because Zan is an adorable character. We are able to learn about his thoughts and feelings through sign language, although some people think of him as experimental animal. The dad's experimental methods, the animal rights activists, and Ben's personal life all add to the conflict to make things worse.