Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Meyers

Fighting in battle can seem romantic and brave. The Vietnam war caused many to begin questioning that romanticism of war. Seventeen year old Richie Perry had plans to go to college after graduation in the late 1960s, but those plans fall through. Not knowing what to do, Richie enlists in the Army figuring it is better than ending up on the streets of Harlem. He is quickly sent off to Vietnam after a brief training. He has hopes that his knee injury will get him out of fighting, but, of course, something happens with his paperwork, and he ends up in battle alongside his new buddies, PeeWee and Jenkins. Richie struggles to come to terms with what he was told about war and Vietnam during his basic training and the reality he experiences in Vietnam. He begins to question the validity of the U.S. role in Vietnam. After dealing with commanders who are more concerned with their own promotions and their soldiers’ safety and realizing that African-Americans are purposely being sent on the most dangerous missions, Richie decides to demand some answers from his authorities, despite warnings from his comrades.

This is a coming of age story about a young adult who is trying his best to live to come of age. The story is an eye opener about the realities of war. This is a great book about survival and discover, and a recommended book for anyone who dreams of fighting in battle. Meyers manages to let the story speak for itself without becoming preachy. With you are for or against war, this page turner will have you questioning your own beliefs and perceptions. Fans of other Walter Dean Meyers books will not be disappointed as he continues writing in his usual edgy style here.

Book; 14+; ISBN 978-0545055765; New York: Scholastic Inc, 1988

A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Abbotson

Anna, who was a Russian countess until the Russian Revolution forced her aristocratic family to flee to England, decides to find work as a house servant to help support her family and allow her brother to remain in school. To keep her job, Anna must keep her aristocratic upbringing from her employers and also keep her job secret from her own family. Even though Anna is almost penniless, her new co-workers soon figure out that Anna was born into a higher class. However, Anna manages to keep her job by showing her wiliness and determination to work just as hard as everyone else. Complicating matters is the young master of the house, Rupert, the Earl of Westerholme. Rupert has recently returned from the Great War (that’s World War I) with the guilt of his brother’s death. Anna is attracted to Rupert, but he already has a fiancée, the horrible Muriel. To Rupert, Muriel is sweet, perfect future wife. To the house servants and Anna, Muriel is a cruel woman and a horrible snob. Unknown to Rupert, Muriel is into eugenics, a plan to breed people to create a superior race and eliminate undesirable traits. Sound a little like the Nazis? Hitler and his followers tried to implement eugenics in their quest for the perfect, Aryan race.

A Countess Below Stairs is a bit predictable, but still enjoyable. It’s a great read for hard times when you need a lift. There are enough twists to keep a reader interested, and readers of this book usually end up coming back for more Eva Ibbotson books. Whether you are interested in this book as a romance or as historical fiction, you will enjoy it.

Book; 12+; ISBN 978-0380613748; Leicester: Ulverscroft, 2007

Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James Swanson

Even though we all learn that it was John Wilkes Booth who assassinated Abraham Lincoln, few of us learn the supsenseful story of how Booth ran and was ultimately caught by the authorities. When Abraham Lincoln is assassinated on April 15, 1865 the hunt begins for his killer, John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices. This book tells the story of that manhunt. Booth ran for 12 days from Washington D.C. to Virginia. A suspenseful page turner, the novel tells us the story from the viewpoints of those hunting Booth and families of the conspirators involved in the assassination.

Although this book is found in the fiction department, it is based on true events and all characters are actual people. It is a great introduction to the true-crime genre as well as a fun way to learn about history. You might pick this book up to supplement your U.S. history class, but you’ll end up reading it for enjoyment. It is a page turner that will have you wanting to share the story with others, which makes it a great book report book.

Book; 13+; ISBN 978-0439903547; New York: Scholastic Press, 2009

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

During the Holocaust, Nazis did not only target Jews. They sent many other groups to concentration camps as well. In late 1930s, Nazi Germany, Liesel’s has lost her family. Her father, accused of being a communist, is sent to a Nazi concentration camp, and her brother has died. Liesel goes to live with a foster family. She has a habit of stealing books, and stole her first book before she was even able to read—a gravedigger’s manual from her brother’s funeral. Her foster father uses this manual to teach Liesel to read. The story is told by Death (you know, the Grim Reaper) as Liesel lives through the war years. Liesel gains an eclectic group of friends and supporters, including the Jewish man hiding in her foster family’s house.

This is a book that is difficult to explain without ruining its experience. It was originally published for adults, but in the U.S. is published for young adults, maybe because it is about a child. Parts can be disturbing, and the book is great to read with others with whom you can discuss it. The Book Thief stands out from the herd of other Holocaust and World War II books, and I highly recommend it.

Book; 14+; ISBN 978-0375842207; New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Would you like to live in a society where everybody is equal? How about if equality means that everyone gets a special surgery that makes them pretty or handsome? Not too bad huh? That is the world in which Tally Youngblood lives. Turning sixteen means a surgury that will make you beautiful and hot. Once you've turned from an Ugly to a Pretty, you also get to go live in a city where your only responsibility is to party and have fun. Tally is excited to turn sixteen and get to go join her friends who have already become Pretties. It is what she has wanted her entire life. However, in the weeks before her sixteenth birthday, Tally meets Shay, who does not want to become Pretty. The two girls develop a bond, and Shay invites Tally to run away with her to live with others who do not want to become Pretty. Tally cannot imagine not becoming a Pretty and turns Shay down. Just in case, Shay gives Tally cryptic instructions for how to find her should Tally change her mind.

When Shay disappears, Tally is brought in to the authorities and questioned about her friend. They strike Tally a deal: either show them the way to Shay and her friends who chose to stay Ugly or stay Ugly forever herself. To find Shay and the other rebels, and ultimately betray their whereabouts, Tally sets off on a dangerous journey by herself. Her journey will expose her so called perfect society for what it really is and lead her to discover what is truly important in life. If only she will survive it.

I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It is not the fluffy novel I expected. Westerfeld created a story of extreme environmentalism and equality. It takes place in the future but does not feel like a typical sci-fi story. Westerfeld is great at keeping just enough unknown to encourage the reader into each chapter. This would be a great book for a book report as there is lots to think about and respond to, but it is still a fun read. I couldn't put it down. It is the first of a trilogy, and I can't wait to get my hands on the other books.

Book; 14+; ISBN 978-0689865381; New York: Simon Pulse, 2005