Going Places vs. The Spill Zone (Book 1 of 2)

    

Two different books. Two very different genres. One, a novel about misplaced love from the perspective of a high school boy named Hudson Wheeler. The other, a graphic novel concerning badass girl, Addison, and a radioactive spill that gives inanimate objects very creepy abilities.

Going Places by Kathryn Berla

Hudson’s story has a slow start and a disappointing ending. A high school boy meets and obsesses over a few girls, gets involved in a bit of a mystery with one of his Distress Dial clients, all the while having gone through losing his father in Iraq a year prior. The sub-plot involving the mysterious old man ended up being the most interesting part of the story. Unfortunately, the love story seemed to go on forever and his decisions, in the end, were uninspiring.

We didn’t love it but we can definitely see the appeal to a young-ish audience that can relate to teenage love and angst.

The Spill Zone (Book 1 of 2) by Scott Westerfeld

Three years ago, Addison, the main character, lost her parents and most of her hometown to a mysterious event that created “the spill zone”. She is left taking care of her scarred little sister, so she drives her motorbike into “the zone” to take illegal photographs and sell them. This zone is a place where nightmares come true and danger is waiting around every turn.

The Spill Zone was suspenseful, engaging and surprisingly creepy. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! I read this alongside a few students in my grade 8 class. We all enjoyed it. Me, a bit too much. One afternoon, while reading this in class, I was just entering “the zone” with Addison; she was teaching me the rules to stay alive when… BRRRRING! My phone goes off and I nearly leap out of my chair. The grade 8 students had a good laugh and it motivated a few more to pick the book up. Nothing like a book with a bit profanity, that manages to scare even the teacher, for a bit of motivation eh? Not recommended for elementary students but a great read for Junior High and up. Looking forward to reading part 2.

Written by Chelsey McPherson and the L.A. Team at Westminster Junior High (Wendy Dawson, Laura Johnson, Kerri Boyle and Carla Gust)