Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy

I was surprised at how much I learned and truly ended up enjoying this historical novel even though I did not have a direct personal connection. Spanning nearly all of the 19^th century, this novel describes the life – hardships and triumphs – of a black family whose lives are intertwined with the Creek Nation. Originally slaves of a Native American Creek chief, Cow Tom and his family become freedmen at the end of the Civil War and ultimately own their own ranch and cattle business. Their journey is a difficult one – due to prejudice, disease, poverty and personal betrayals.

Citizens Creek is really two stories in one: first, the story focuses on Cow Tom and his abilities as a translator which leads to some privileges and many dangers.  In that section, readers learn about historical events like the Seminole Wars, Removal Act, the Trail of Tears, and life at Fort Gibson after the Civil War.  Next, we follow his granddaughter, Rose, and learn about homesteading and the life in Indian Territory (later Oklahoma), and the grit and perseverance needed, especially for women. 

One concern I have is that although this novel is based on a real family who had some amazing accomplishments, there were seemingly unnecessary inaccuracies and Rose could have been more fully developed.  In fact, the last third of the book felt a bit rushed with a shift towards more personal issues and less about the broader trends and actions of the time.  There is much, however, in this novel which will relate to Junior Theme, with thought-provoking sections portraying how minorities and those who are different have been ostracized and poorly treated during America’s history. Like As Far As the Eye Can See, this title probes lesser known aspects of America's Western expansion. And the story continues: a much more recent infographic dealing with race relations was published recently by Christian Science Monitor.

Other titles by Lalita Tademy, a best-selling author and former vice-president of Sun Microsystems, are also multi-generational family sagas; they are set in the South and include Cane River and Red River.

Girl From Mars by Tamara Bach

     Girl From Mars by Tamara Bach is a realistic story about two girls who fall in love. I was intrigued with this book because it is short, easy to read, is about teenage girls, translated from German, and a winner of the Oldenburg Young Adult Book Award.

    
     Set in Germany, Miriam is bored with being fifteen, tired of her un-eventful life, and tired of living in small town; she can’t wait for the big city. Then, she meets Laura, and something “new,” something “big” happens in her life, and she enjoys this distraction in her life. Yet, Miriam can’t quite identify why she likes spending time with Laura.

     Their friendship is strong, and their relationship flows into something more. It’s slow, natural, and unplanned. When they do cross the line with a kiss, neither Miriam nor Laura knows what to do. Laura has been here before, and things didn’t go well, and Miriam grapples with the reality of the situation, wondering if that kiss even happened or it was a dream.
    
     With love comes the chance for heartbreak, yet a chance for hope for what could be. I was surprised by the ending, yet, with a little reflection and analysis, Miriam and Laura are thought-provoking characters with meaning and depth.

Little Fish: A Memoir From a Different Kind of Year by Ramsey Beyer

     Ramsey Beyer tells the story of her freshman year in college - that precious summer before that new chapter of life begins at college through the beginning of the following summer, when one becomes accustomed to change, and that "earlier" life seems so distant.

     Ramsey tells her story as graphic novel with black and white drawings and lots of lists.  She really likes to make lists, and whether or not the reader attended college, one can relate to most of the ideas in her lists. Ramsey learns to develop relationships, to hone her art skills, and to be an independent, self-sufficient young adult.

     I liked the large dialogue bubbles, the simple, full-page drawings in black and white, and the lists in bullet points; it all made the story easy to read - the story unfolded quickly and flowed easily from page to page and section to section.

     Little Fish is a fun, significant read for juniors and seniors; however, some persuasion/selling will be needed, since the cover art is more elementary, which is disappointing. The art does not include Ramsey with braids, which is one of her signature characteristics, nor does the art send the message of going to college, but more of a young girl simply moving to a big city. 

As Far as the Eye Can See by Robert Bausch

I initially chose Far as the Eye Can See because I love the cover, I was looking for a “western” that might appeal to students for Junior Theme, and other reviews compared the narrator’s voice to characters created by Mark Twain. While I would still tend to recommend Pulitzer Prize winning Lonesome Dove by McMurtry as the western to read for Junior Theme, I will suggest that students consider Far as the Eye Can See. If they are willing to be patient, they will come to appreciate and look upon the narrator, former Union soldier Bobby Hale, with affection.

He travels for a spell with a wagon train, decides to live as a trapper for several years, and learns even more about himself after accidentally shooting a young, part Indian girl called Ink.  Hale has a unique perspective: "There ain't no use in thinking about the future too much because of what it does to what's going on here and now." For me, it took some time (at least a third of the book), to feel connected to the story and the characters and that may be too long for most students.  However, they will find rich themes (survival and self-discovery, war, genocide, race relations, even gender expectations) which they can relate to today.

Far as the Eye Can See by award-winning Robert Bausch has been named one of the best books of 2014 by Amazon Editors and received starred review from Kirkus.

Added November 30:  This year is the 150th anniversary of Sand Creek Massacre and numerous articles and reflections are being published by The Wall Street Journal "My Great-Great-Grandfather and an American Indian Tragedy", The Denver Post "Searching for Culpability 150 Years Later" and via PBS' website. Or this local production from Rocky Mountain PBS:

Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas by Stephanie Baron

Have you been enjoying Death Comes to Pemberly on pbs? Then definitely look for Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas which is another intriguing mystery which actually features Jane Austen as a main character.  Part of the series by Stephanie Barron, this newly released selection works as wonderful historical fiction, providing detailed description of Georgian Christmas customs as it is set in 1814 and begins with Jane and her family traveling for the holidays.

Eventually, a member of the house party is killed and we are drawn into a closed house mystery, complete with romantic entanglements and political intrigue. The many twists and subplots kept me guessing until the very end of this cozy mystery. Throughout the book, Barron alludes to Austen’s works and captures the tone, language and manners of the time. Overall, a quick and enjoyable read.