The Disreputable History

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks was an interesting story about a clever young girl who decides to defy the all-boys society by beating the boys at their own game. It is a smart novel that keeps readers interested in what the outcome will be. I do think that this book would be a good read for young adults, especially young girls. It was easy for me to get through the book, which makes me think that young adults would also enjoy this book. It has some good lessons, but I do think that it is more dedicated to a female audience.

~Spoiler Alert~

This next session will be dedicated to details within the text. Themes, characters, what I thought of it, and possibly how it ended. If you don't want the ending to be given away then please don't continue!

The novel begins with Frankie telling about how she has changed throughout the summer. She is at the beach with her family and decides to go off by herself, wanting to get away. Even in her first conversation with her family readers can see how smart Frankie is. She is very persuasive and gets what she wants. She describes how she "bloomed" over the summer and went from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan. Frankie goes back to school, eventually dating the boy she has had a crush on for years. Frankie's boyfriend is one of the leaders of The Secret Order of the Basset Hound, which is a all boys society. Frankie is not allowed in the society, which makes her want it even more. Frankie's genius mind comes out in the novel when she takes matters into her own hands and decides to play her own games with the boys.

This book is a great read for young girls. Frankie deals with keeping her individuality while she is in her relationship. While reading the book I saw how badly she was being treated by her boyfriend, which made me think over past relationships and what I put up with. Frankie's decisions in her relationships can be a help to daughters because it can show them how easy it is to lose yourself while dating someone.

The book also shows how sensitive teens are to certain issues. I know that I would have been able to relate to the issues Frankie was dealing with when I was a younger adult in high school. Frankie decides that it is unfair for her boyfriend to seclude her simply because she is a girl, so she decides to fight back. Although Frankie is staying in an unhealthy relationship, she does decide to take matters into her own hands by fighting back. This is a good thing for young girls to read about because it shows that discrimination should not be accepted.

Overall, I really liked the book and think that it would be great for young girls to read. It is interesting from the very beginning and deals with some issues that are important to all young girls.

Octavian Nothing

This book is another very interesting read. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, by M.T. Anderson, is different than any book I have ever read. The plot is focused towards a young boy, Octavian, who realizes that his entire life is being controlled and that, in reality, he has no freedom. Unlike books such as The Outsiders or Hunger Games, this book takes a bit of time to really get into. If your child is the type who only likes book that are interesting right from the get-go (which was the way I was as a kid) then this book may be a struggle to get through at first. I would strongly urge your kids to push through though!

The book can be considered a 'coming-of-age saga' due to Octavian's struggles and eventual awareness of the way life really is. This book is not a simple read or a lighthearted text. It deals with Gothic themes and is quite 'heady', but it is also a book that really makes you "think". It is deep but also has very rich with ideas.

~Spoiler Alert~

This next session will be dedicated to details within the text. Themes, characters, what I thought of it, and possibly how it ended. If you don't want the ending to be given away than please don't continue!

Octavian spends his life thinking that he is a normal boy, living in a normal home, with normal surroundings. He lives in a house full of philosophers and scientists, and he has received a phenomenal classical and musical education. Eventually Octavian realizes that his life is far from normal, and that he is actually an experiment to prove that the African race is inferior to the European race. For me, the story really began to get interesting when Mr. Gitney held a 'Pox Party', in which everyone was infected with the pox. When Octavian's mother, Cassiopeia, is killed my the pox and eventually dissected, Octavian flees from the house, resulting in his enlist in the colonial army.

Although the book began to get more interesting, it also was a little weird to me. The fact that Cassiopeia is dissected was quite alarming. I know that she and her son were seen as 'experiments' but this part of the book just seemed a little unnecessary for some reason. It may just be my biased opinion because I don't exactly like those kinds of things :).

Octavian's time in the army is told from a different perspective, Private Goring's, which adds more depth to the novel. It is interesting to see the different views throughout the book. When the book is eventually picked back up by Octavian, he is recaptured and back to the Gintley house. The end of the book leaves readers wanting more, which I find very intriguing and I hope to be able to read the second novel soon.

This book can show your young readers how thankful they should be for the freedom they have. Octavian must fight to get away, when we all are given our freedom. I really felt as if a major theme was racism. The doctors are attempting to prove that the African race is 'second-rate' when being compared with the European race. This book shows how we are all people with feelings and everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

Overall, I liked the book but I would not consider it a 'must read!' I found the characters well developed and the themes well thought out. Anderson is a great writer, so if you are looking for a book that is well developed with an interesting story and characters, than this is the one!

*There are swear words throughout the novel a a few 'intense' scenes, but they would not be a big enough deal to not have your child read the book.

The Hunger Games

Hm...where to begin with this book. I loved it! Parents, if you want your son or daughter to read a book that they will really enjoy from the very first page than this is perfect for them! I remember that as a young adult I would get so excited to read a certain book, but as I began to read it I would lose interest. If the book did not catch my attention immediately than I would put it down to "read later", but never come back to it. The Hunger Games is definitely not that type of book. From the very first page readers are engrossed in an entirely new world, following along as a young girl goes on the adventure of a life time.

~Spoiler Alert~

This next session will be dedicated to details within the text. Themes, characters, what I thought of it, and possibly how it ended. If you don't want the ending to be given away then please don't continue!

Katniss Everdeen is a young girl who takes her sisters place in the 74th Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are an annual televised event, in which the evil Capital puts young boys and girls against one another to see who will survive. Katniss is known as "the girl on fire" due to her wardrobe and her fierce competitiveness. Katniss' eventual partner for the hunger Games, Peeta, is in love with Katniss and confesses this while on live television. Katniss knows that to survive she must use the audience's emotions, using Peeta's love for her as a means to get audiences to help keep her alive.

This book would be a great read for young adults because it is a story about fighting without the slightest thought of giving up. As we grow older we see that life is not always perfect. It can be difficult, sad, angering, emotional, and a lot of the time simply un-fun. This book deals with all of those issues, but shows what it means to push through them and keep going.

Another good reason why this book is appropriate for children is because it is a way of stepping back from our own lives and seeing just how grateful we each should be for the freedom that we have. Katniss and Peeta come from a place where they do not have the normal things that we view as necessities. They wear the same clothes daily, and must fight for the small rations of food that they have. I think that kids would read this book and begin to be grateful for the small things in life. A home, clothes, food, friends, and most of all, freedom. I really think that they would be more appreciative and grateful for the things that they have been blessed with.

Lastly, the book is appropriate because it shows what happens when you keep going. Katniss refused to give up and fought to the very end, finally winning the competition. Because of her ability to keep a steady mind throughout the competition, she ended up being victorious even though all odds were against her. It is a story of the underdog becoming the victor.

Overall, this book is not only an incredible story, but it also will help your children to love reading and leave them thirsty for more.