It's Gonna Be Legendary!

A story as old as time. Two people, from opposite sides of town, who were never meant to know each other, let alone care about each other. And when they can't bare to let the other one go, they have to experience great sacrifice in order to be together. We have heard the story before, but that doesn't mean we don't want to hear it again in Marie Lu's Legend.

June is a prodigy. She is years younger than her classmates because she was moved forward so many times in school. Her perfect score on the Trial's is unheard of, and the Republic wants her to be their model soldier. Day is a criminal, according to the Republic. To the people he helps, he is a modern day Robin Hood. He steals from the evil, corrupt government and gives to the poor people caught in the crossfire of a war that would have been considered a civil war in times when the United States was one whole country. But Day is careful. No one knows what he looks like or who Day really is, including his family who thinks he is dead, and he never hurts anyone. All he wants is to level the playing field. When a desperate attempt to get plague cure from a heavily guarded hospital goes awry, he has to break his one rule- he has to wound a soldier to get away, but he makes sure not to kill him.

That soldier was June's brother Metias. He died that night. June has been enlisted to go under cover in the poor districts and see if she can find the elusive Day. She is all too happy to find the man who killed her brother. What she doesn't expect is to get caught in a paid fight, stabbed, and need to be saved by a mysterious but alluring boy. Day had no intention of saving her, but he couldn't help himself. Eventually June realizes who her saviour is, but not before he shares some very dangerous theories about what the Republic is really doing in the poor sectors, especially about the spread of each year's new plague. When Day is taken into custody, June can't help but think her brother must have known about this all. She begins digging through his journals, but she isn't ready for what she finds. June's whole world is turned upside down, but she can think of only one thing- saving Day.

Lu created a really interesting dystopia where the country we know has split in two. In that fight for land and power, they have made their citizens pawns. The Trials were a way to separate the weak from the strong. All kids have to go through the trials and their scores determine where they go from there- either to the labor camps if they fail, or to be a Republic officer if they do well. In fact, reading about the trials made me think about the SATs. The SATs have the ability to make or break a student's college applications. One test, one very biased, convoluted test can determine their futures. I have seen incredibly smart, intuitive, creative thinkers bomb that horrible test. Hopefully there is a college out there willing to "take a chance" on them despite those SAT scores, but you never know. Why do we use the SATs and GREs to measure people's worth and potential? Every person even remotely involved in education knows there are smart kids who don't test well and anyone who preps kids for the SAT hates the test with unbridled passion, so why is it still being used? Unfortunately I think it has something with our need to fit everyone into neat, predictable categories. But what do we know about neat, predictable categories when it comes to people? They don't exist! But I digress. I will continue to hate the SATs, but I will still administer it as I am supposed to, secretly hoping colleges will ban together to boycott its use. Hopefully it will happen someday!

So Lu's world, while fictionalized and exaggerated, isn't far from our own. Control and power are slippery slopes to terrifying times, as history has shown us time and time again. This would be a good book for any student who enjoys dystopias and other cautionary tales of what can happen when people are given too much power. It is appropriate for any middle school through high school student and uses average young adult caliber language. But remember something when you read it- if we all strive for conformity, we lose those amazing individuals who have given us all those comforts and toys we love so much!

I Dare You Not to Fall in Love

I had the honor of seeing David Levithan at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, NY this week. In fact, I survived nearly poking a hole in my gas tank, a very frustrated bout of roadside sobbing, and some ill wishes toward a local farm that left a veritable boulder in the middle of the road and was driving a tractor on the other side, causing me to ride over the boulder, in order to get to Oblong that night to see Libba Bray, Michael Northrop, David Levithan and E. Archer. While I was there, I had such a great time listening to these four YA authors, I picked up some of their books I hadn't read yet, including Levithan's Lover's Dictionary. I am so glad I survived such nonsense and got there. It was an amazing night and so far the books I snagged ROCK!

"balk, v.
I was the one who said we should live together. And even as I was doing it, I knew this would mean I would be the one to blame if it all went wrong. Then I consoled myself with this: if it all went wrong, the last thing I'd care about was who was to blame for moving in together."

"macabre, adj.
If you ever need proof that I love you, the fact that I allowed you to dress me up as a dead baby Jesus for Halloween should do it. Although, I suppose it would be even better proof if it hadn't been Halloween."

Lover's Dictionary is a strange book. It isn't your traditional novel by any means. In fact, it is arranged much like a dictionary with words A-Z listed at the top of the page. Then after the word and part of speech is a short story, reflection, or thought based off that word. All the "entries" center around the anonymous narrator's relationship. The beauty of this story is how honest, real, and amazing the relationship is. This isn't your average "romance" novel. This is a relationship in every real meaning of the term. It chronicles their meeting, their first few dates, realizing they love one another, moving in together, infidelity, and grief. The insecurities found in any relationship are described in such a real way it made me laugh, cry, and miss my fiance. This book is hard to describe because the impact it will have on you is so unexpected and heartwarming, you can't categorize it.

As I was reading this book, I knew exactly what I was going to do with it. I have a student who will be a senior and plans to take the SATs again. She has trouble with new vocabulary out of context, but it is hard to find a bunch of SAT vocabulary in one place. She is also very romantic and would love this story. I plan to take this book, have her read 3-4 entries a night, make a vocab card for the words, and then write her own entries for the words. I have a great feeling this will be a huge hit on so many different levels! I can't wait!

There is some references to intimacy in the book, but it isn't anything graphic. I think the relationship is clearly a mature relationship, but since this is actually adult fiction, that is understood. Therefore, I would only use this book with 11th and 12th grade students who were mature enough for the content (although the content is relatively tame). I just can't wait to share this book with everyone I can get to read it. It was so beautiful and sad at the same time. It was like Levithan looked right into all our relationships and splattered them on the pages! You won't be able to put this story down!

A New Dystopia Emerges

A dystopia is a strange thing. We want the world to be perfect, without pain, suffering, or oppression, but can such a thing exist? Veronica Roth's new dystopia comes out of a world that hoped to eliminate certain parts of human nature and focus on other parts. Divergent is a story of dystopian Chicago where people think a focus on one great quality of society can eliminate all the bad aspects of human nature. While seeking a utopia, they find themselves living in a dystopia, complete with the control and oppression they sought to avoid.

Beatrice Prior is part of the Abnegation faction- a group of people who devote themselves to selflessness to better the world. Because of their devotion to selflessness, they are in charge of the government, a fact the other four factions aren't always comfortable with. Erudite (knowledge), Dauntless (bravery), Amity (friendship), and Candor (honesty), along with Abnegation, make up the five factions in Chicago. When a kid comes of age in this society, they must choose which faction to join. Most kids follow the faction in which they were raised, but some jump to a new faction. First they take an aptitude test that gives them guidance as to which faction would fit them best, but the choice is all theirs. When Beatrice's brother Caleb chooses Erudite over Abnegation, their parents are shocked. When Beatrice chooses Dauntless and reinvents herself as Tris, her father is devastated, but her mom seems oddly proud. What they don't know is that her aptitude test was inconclusive- leading the tester to believe she was a Divergent. Luckily for Tris, the tester knows how dangerous it is for Divergents and warns Tris to hide the fact vehemently.

Immediately Tris must report to the Dauntless headquarters and before they even arrive, they are tested with death-defying stunts. Whether jumping from a train or leaping from a building, the Dauntless initiates are instantly thrown into the world they chose. When they get to the headquarters, they learn their initiation will consist of three stages and by the end, only ten initiates will remain with Dauntless. The rest will become Factionless castaways- sent to live in the margins of society, a fate worse than death for most.

As Tris continues her training, she gains a few friends, a few enemies, and a particularly interesting attachment to her trainer- a mysterious guy named Four. Training is brutal for the fearless. They must overcome their physical fears as well as their emotional fears before they can be considered Dauntless. Unfortunately, this leads to a lot of fierce competition, especially when a girl like Tris keeps coming out on top. But her budding friendship with Four helps her not only realize important things about herself, but also about the world they live in. More and more, Tris feels like something is happening between the five Factions that could lead to dangerous consequences. Together, they must get to the bottom of what is happening outside the Dauntless headquarters, even if it means risking everything they know and love.

This was an A.MAZE.ING story. I could not put it down and read all 500 or so pages in one day. I am sure it will be compared to Hunger Games because it is a YA dystopia in the wake of Suzanne Collins, but that is not enough for this story. It is the kind of story that holds its own in a world of similar stories and will keep the reader engaged and begging for the sequel. I know it is a long book, but I am sure this story will keep even the most reluctant readers hooked.

My only concern for this book is the vocabulary, but it isn't really a concern. Actually, there is something more to the fairly impressive vocabulary in this book. I think this book is not only excellent for entertainment value, but can also serve a greater purpose. The vocabulary in this story is a great starting point for SAT preparation. As a teacher, we all know vocabulary instruction means the most when a student encounters it in context, but it is hard to find a book with enough vocabulary to be useful in preparation for those dreaded SATs... but Divergent does it effortlessly! Unfortunately, what the book gains in vocabulary for older students may preclude it from being a great book for younger students. The vocabulary is very mature and I guarantee the context will keep these words with the student, no matter what. Just make sure the student is ready for such adult vocabulary.

This was a fantastic debut by Veronica Roth. I can't believe she is only 22, but I am blown away by the world she created. It is so original and well-developed, and the characters have so much depth. I love this story and can't wait to share it with my students, family, friends, and colleagues. This is one you won't forget (especially with a sequel in the future!).