Here are some quick thoughts on two young adult novels which
were published in early September.
THE HOTEL BETWEEN by Sean Easley is an exciting fantasy
centered on twins Cameron and Cassia who want to find their missing Dad. The
chance comes when Cam discovers The Hotel Between, a mystical place with “four
main rings that make up the trunk – Lobby Level, Elevator Bank, Mezzanine,
Courtyard. Everything else branches off those by way of turners, which is just
what we call doors binding one part of the Hotel to another.” And it is through those doors that Cam and
various guides like Nico and Rahki magically explore other countries, face
danger and confront secrets. School
Library Journal recommends this novel for middle school students and it is
certainly complicated (and sometimes confusing!) enough to appeal to readers
who enjoy fantasy and adventure, as Cam seeks to find both his father and a
cure for Cassia’s spina bifida.
PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE
by Ellen Hopkins is written in
verse and focuses on six Arizona teenagers who deal with gun violence and white
supremacy. School Library Journal
suggests this novel for those in grades 10 and up. In fact, Violence narrates this text, leaving
the reader to guess which of the intertwined teens will kill and who will die. Hopkins
explores several timely topics (brain injury, attitudes towards undocumented immigrants,
depression, drug dealing, and more) which will resonate with teen and new adult
readers while showing how "each [character] possesses an incentive/ to
pick up a gun, pull the trigger." A powerful and thought-provoking text
from an award-winning and popular novelist.
No comments:
Post a Comment