Historical Fiction (1) The Book Thief

https://www.overdrive.com/media/347660/the-book-thief

Zusak, M. (2005). The book thief. New York: NY:  Alfred A. Knopf.
ISBN-13:  9780385754729
Format:  Paperback
Cost:  $12.99

Awards:  2006 Horn Book Fanfare
2006 Kirkus Reviews Editors' Choice Award
2006 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
2006 Daniel Elliott Peace Award
2006 Publishers Weekly Best Children Book of the Year
2006 Booklist Children Editors' Choice
2007 American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults
2007 Michael L. Printz Honor Book
2007 Book Sense Book of the Year (Indie's choice)
National Jewish Book Award
2014 Edwards Award

Annotation:  Growing up in Nazi Germany during WWII, Liesel Meminger learns the power of words can get her through the extreme highs and lows of life. The human spirit of survival is victorious through the most difficult of circumstances.

Mini Book Review:  Death narrates this intense historical fiction novel about the life and survival of Liesel Meminger, a young German girl growing up in Nazi Germany during WWII. After finding a stolen book under Liesel's mattress, her foster Father, Hans Hubberman, teaches Liesel how to read which helps her deal with loss, love, abandonment, sacrifice, death, survival, and courage throughout her lifetime. Her unlikely friendship with Max, the son of a Jewish friend Hans is indebted to help hide in their basement, thrives as they share their struggles and difficulties with each other. While the inevitable death and destruction of war destroys the majority of Liesel's family and friends, Death questions how life can be so horrible and wonderful at the same time.

The Book Thief is a heavy, long fiction novel about a difficult, tragic time period in history, focused on the life of a young German teenager. Death's perspective is deeply philosophical and the story creates extremely emotional responses even thought it is peppered throughout with lighter moments. I would highly recommend reading this book as the theme of the human spirit of survival in the face of extreme opposition is applauded. This book is well suited for both a young adult library collection in a school, public, or personal library as well as in the adult fiction collection in a public or personal library. It would be a good fit for both young adults and adults alike. 

Available Formats:  Hardcover, Paperback, Audio CD, Audible Audio Edition, Kindle, Video

Quote:  On the power of words from page 147:

"Once, words had rendered Liesel useless, but now, when she sat on the floor, with the mayor's wife at her husband's desk, she felt an innate sense of power. It happened every time she deciphered a new word or pieced together a sentence. She was a girl. In Nazi Germany. How fitting that she was discovering the power of words."

Multimedia:  Here's a video of my mini book review: 

Extra! Extra! Did you know a movie based on the book came out in 2013? Check out the movie trailer here:

Classic Fiction (1) Buried Onions

Image from Scholastic

Soto, G. (1997). Buried onions. San Diego, CA:  Harcourt, Brace & Company.
ISBN-13:  9780152013332
Format:  Hardcover
Cost: $17.00

Annotation:  Life is difficult growing up in a Mexican/American neighborhood. Eddie will need to be tough to overcome the comparative tears of sadness created by the buried onions.

Awards:  None

Mini Book Review:  In a Mexican /American neighborhood in Fresno, CA, 19-year-old Eddie, a Hispanic teen, is having a hard time avoiding violence and death. His cousin Jesús was violently killed and Eddie's friends and family want him to exact revenge. Eddie tries to stay clear of conflicts and find work, but he is constantly confronted with frustrations and major setbacks. It is difficult for Eddie to determine who his friends and enemies are, and the comparative analogy of such a difficult and depressing life is of a giant onion buried under the city that causes tears of sadness. While it was written in 1997, it is quite relevant in terms of the multi-cultural issues faced in today's world.

Available Formats:  Hardcover, Paperback, Audio, Audio Cassette

Quote:  Taken from page 2:

"The sun was climbing over the trees of City College and soon the black asphalt would shimmer with vapors. I had a theory about those vapors, which were not released by the sun's heat but by a huge onion buried under the city. This onion made us cry. Tears leapt from our eyelashes and stained our faces. Babies in strollers pinched up their faces and wailed for no reason. Perhaps as practice for the coming years. I thought about the giant onion, the remarkable bulb of sadness."

Multimedia:  Here's a video of my mini review of the book:

 

Extra! Extra!  Did you know Gary Soto is an award winning author and writes poetry? If you want to find out more about Mr. Soto, check out his website here:  http://www.garysoto.com/index.html.