When You Trap a Tiger Beats Like a Love Story

Both books have a lot going for them: touching and challenging friendships, main characters who find their courage to become more themselves, and troubled family relationships that become a source of strength. The setting of Like a Love Story was extremely rich. I hadn't realized I wanted a novel set in New York City in 1989 at the height of the AIDS crisis, but it turns out I did. The three young people we follow are brave, flawed, and determined to find their place in the world and each others' hearts. A complete pleasure to read but unfortunately, not out winner.

In the end, When You Trap a Tiger won our votes largely because of the times that we're currently living in. As readers, we felt we needed some escapism which Tae Kellers perfectly provides with the magical realism in the novel. I mean, who doesn't need a fierce, magic, talking, tiger in their life right now. The Korean bedtime stories also gave us a much-needed feeling of comfort and whimsy in our lives. Another thing When You Trap a Tiger has going for it are the diverse characters. Readers of all ages will enjoy getting to know this Korean American family and might identify with the mixture of pride and shame that can come with having a first generation immigrant grandparent.

I also found it really lovely that the novel centered around three female generations within one family - grandmother, mother, and daughters - which reveals the legacy that our choices and decisions create for those we love. Finally, the larger question that the book raises - “What happens to those who journey in order to escape their problems?” - is provocative. Often we tell the stories of those who choose to stay, stand their ground, and suffer through things out of their control, but I appreciate the point raised by When You Trap a Tiger that those who choose to leave have beautiful and tragic stories that need telling also. 

So, grab some kimchi, make some tea, and go meet a tiger.

They Went Left vs. When the Ground is Hard

Shelley’s Thoughts:

It is always fun when my expectations are tossed aside. I chose this bracket because I recognized Monica Hesse’s name and I had high hopes for the novel They Went Left. Without giving too much away, the story was a captivating one. The protagonist, Zofia, is a young Jewish girl from Poland who is searching for her younger brother in the months after WW II. She is driven by the promise to her brother that she will find him once the war is over.  An interesting part to this story is that it takes place very close to the end of the war. This is a time period that is full of questions - Where did the refugees go? Who was looking after them in this place that has already been ravaged by war? How did people reconnect with family? Where do they go? Another idea that was developed was the “nothing girls.” These are the young girls who physically survive the concentration camps, but they are broken emotionally. They are hospitalized because they are unable to look after themselves.  While I was impressed with the different focus for the novel, and a few of the surprises, I did find my choice lies with the second novel.

The novel When The Ground is Hard was an emotional read for me. There are moments where I was very uncomfortable, but the moments of courage that these female characters experience were wonderful. It is a story obviously about race and the impact of mixed race during the late 1960s. But I was really intrigued about the narrator’s realizations about being a female during this time. There is danger lurking everywhere because they are female with the additional element of being mixed race living in Swaziland. There are many elements to connect with the high school experience as well: mean girls, cliques, social hierarchy, favoritism etc. But as a woman, the saying “when the ground is hard, the women dance” is as true now as it was 50 or 200 years ago. I guess I am looking at this through the “feminist lens”!!  

So my vote is the latter one.  I hate it when there are two solid contenders. Hopefully, there will be more that are this good.

(The rest of the Eastglen team had some great discussions about both books and also vote for When the Ground is Hard to go forward. Thank you, Shelley, for blogging for us!) 

PS - Check out this young person's very cool art project/review about When the Ground is Hard!

Frankly in Love vs. King and the Dragonflies

 Frankly in Love vs. King and the Dragonflies

 

Both were very good and very different books. King and the Dragonflies is about a boy (King) that has tragically lost his brother whom he thinks is now in the body of a dragonfly. King has flashbacks of his brother talking in his sleep and the stories his brother tells have great symbolism. While he and his family struggle with this loss, his ex-best friend goes missing and there is way more to that story than meets the eye. It is a story about friendship, mistakes, and finding out what really matters to you. 

Frankly in Love, I LOVED! It was hard to get into at first because it seemed as if it would be another book about angsty teenage love. The love story in this book is not what you expect. It ends up being a story about family, friendship, and the sacrifices Frank (the main character) has to make to maintain those relationships. He wins some and loses some but learns a lot along the way. I know you will too. It was beautifully told from the perspective of a firstborn Korean-American teenager. I laughed and I cried! Oh did I cry. 

Frankly in Love has to move on to the next round!

 

Deb

I read Genesis first. 

I didn’t love it. I wanted to love it, and I felt like I learned a lot about the perspective of the main character by reading it, but I didn’t find the writing to be overly strong and I felt myself rolling my eyes sometimes at the forced inclusion of musical references and the sometimes cliche responses of the characters. 

This Place was the clear winner for me. It does a beautiful job of giving us history lessons that are meaningful, succinct, and powerful. I think that the way the author gives us the details of the event, shows us on a timeline when it took place in the history of our country, and then tells the story in the graphic novel format will be impactful for students and will help them to see these historical events from the perspective of First Nations, Metis and Inuit people. Having the illustrations along with the more traditional presentation of facts will also support students to understand these events on a much deeper level. This book would be a wonderful addition to any class library from grade 3 up to grade 12. 

My vote is for This Place: 150 Years Retold.

Ashley 

I had high hopes for Genesis. The author allowed me to really learn a lot by presenting the world of a protagonist that is very opposite from my own experiences, but that was the big struggle for me, I learned a lot in this book. Rather than presenting itself as an intriguing piece of literature, Genesis reads more like a lesson and I need more than that from a book to truly fall in love with it. 

I’m probably (more than probably) biased towards This Place because I love graphic novels and the graphics in this novel are STUNNING. It is a collection of different Indigenous Short Stories, each with not only a different author, but a different illustrator. There is something for everyone in this story, as if you ever have a problem with any of the stories/writing you can just flip a few pages to find a stunning new piece of writing! This book succeeds where Genesis stumbled, in that I learned a lot throughout this book, but I didn’t feel like that learning was forced.

My vote is for This Place: 150 Years Retold. 

We Didn’t Dig Dig, but Slay Slew

 

Back in the day, when I was teaching high school English, one of the things I loved most was finding unique texts that subverted student expectations of genre, structure, voice etc. I can’t even remember the specific text he was referring to, but I distinctly remember a student saying to me after a pretty engaging class discussion, “You know what, Mr. McKeown? I really enjoyed talking about that book with everyone, but I totally didn’t enjoy reading it.” I totally got where he was coming from, of course, as I think we’ve all had that experience at some point, and that little anecdote came back to me about ¾ of the way through Dig. I could see all of the pieces starting to fall into place in this complex novel at that point, and they are important pieces. Having spent the last four years watching what seems to be the death throes of a long crumbling democracy (Note: I’m starting President Obama’s memoir as soon as I’m done writing this, so perhaps I haven’t totally given into cynicism and despair in that regard), I can recognize the, at times, poignant social commentary at work here. The narrative structure of the novel was obviously carefully crafted, but for some reason it really left us all cold. We had a good talk about this as an SBS smackdown group the other day and the question we grappled with was if the narrative construct - as thematically appropriate as it might be - ultimately sacrificed our deeper connections with these characters and I think we landed on a resounding “Yes.” I have no question that kids will respond to some of the specific circumstances these kids find themselves in and depending on their level of understanding of -and engagement with- the frightening polarization that seems to frame too much of our modern discourse, they will recognize the novel as an accurate representation of our modern ethos. We have a number of fairly sophisticated readers who have walked down our halls these past few years and we were struggling to think of one for whom this book would really resonate. One other minor but fairly substantial quibble: for a writer as skilled as this I’m not sure that making one of our central characters - the Freak - a ghost really served the larger ends of the novel all that well. I’m not opposed to ghosts or breaking the laws of physics in any general sense, and I have written positively about Ghost Boys and (way back) Everyday in these very Smackdown pages, but here, again, the Freak turned into a narrative device rather than a fully fleshed out character. It served to tie everything together certainly, but I’m going to suggest that this actually did a disservice to the poignancy of her story. So, I know this might get us some smacks as there is certainly lots of high critical praise for Dig, but that’s where we are at. 

 

Slay was a book that took a little while to warm up to and I’m fully prepared to own that as a flaw in my own specific reading context. I’ve played the odd video game over the years, but I’ve never been fully immersed in a digital world. Objectively, I’d say the author did a good job of crafting what it would be like to be within Slay (the game) and I could picture a number of students really being transported into that space. I just couldn’t get there. It would be like trying to imagine a mountain or an ocean if you’ve never actually experienced one. But like I say, that’s just me being old. Like Dig, this is a book that has something to say about important issues that are uniquely representative of our time. Slay is not as narratively adventurous - although it is not without ambition - and I think we all felt a little more connected with the characters, particularly Emerald. I think it is always a challenge for an author who hopes to educate - as Brittney Morris clearly does - to do so without being pedantic and she walks this tightrope quite ably. The thematic home base of the book is that in order to combat firmly entrenched systemic racism, young people of color need a space of their own where they can be free to live their lives without always being cast as “other.” In this book, that space is Slay, but the real drama in Slay plays out as our young protagonist navigates the “real” world of friends (and lovers), family and politics and I think she really has something valuable to say about the frightening complexities of our time. The author doesn’t shy away from nuanced discussions, but the book also has the appeal of a fairly straightforward narrative, that builds towards a satisfying conclusion. While my age may have been an impediment to my connections with the intricacies of the game itself, I think being a child of the 80s served me pretty well in understanding the multitude of African American pop culture references that are at the heart of both the game and the novel. Ultimately, We thought this was a book that could speak to a range of kids and have them entering into an important and timely dialogue about race and relationships in a very entertaining way. The first round is always a tricky one, but we like Slay for the underdog win here. 

 

Not Much of a Fight

I had the task of picking for our team. My first choice disappeared before our number got called, and so did my second. I'd heard good things about Maybe He Just Likes You, so I went for it. If I'd realized Fighting Words was by the author of The War that Saved My Life from a couple of smacks ago, this bracket might have been my first choice. 

In The War that Saved My Life, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley created an amazing story and a character with a unique and powerful voice. Delicious Naeveh Roberts has an equally compelling voice and a forceful story to tell. The things that happen to Della and her sister are heartbreaking, but it's a novel that sings the power of hope and healing. The author manages to deal with drug addiction, sexual assault, and attempted suicide in a way that is both very honest and entirely appropriate for young audiences.

Maybe He Just Likes You left us all a bit uncomfortable. Maybe it was just that we, as teachers, don't like to think that unwanted touching may be happening around us undetected. That we miss calls for help. That our favouritism is obvious. Or maybe it's that Barbara Dee's writing came up a bit short. It felt like the issue was the driver, rather than storytelling. The ending also wrapped everything up too neatly, with a pretty bow on top. Kudos to Dee for addressing a timely and difficult topic, but it felt too much like she wrote the book to address the topic. 

Fighting Words is ready to take on another contender.

Renée, Lynette, Kym, Jessica

 

The Lucky Ones was the unlucky book this time and Everything  Sad But True is happily the winner. 

Some group members were captivated early by one book:

I knew early into Nayeri’s story that I would feel sorry for any other title pitted against it. Our narrator, Khosrou, takes us quietly by the hand to bear witness to his reflections on his journey as a refugee. We cannot help it. We fall in love with him through his storytelling. From afar we appreciate the loss of a child, separated from a life of comfort and security. Throughout his journey with his sister and unstoppable mother, he shares stories from the past that illustrate how far they all have come as they wait for word that a brighter future awaits. (Carrie)

 I really enjoyed Everything Sad is Untrue, especially since I've also read the author's sister's novel The Ungrateful Refugee, which touches on the same situation but from a different angle and with a very different style. I didn't mind the wandering quality of the storytelling, but I can see how that might turn off a reader who is expecting a more straightforward narrative. (Erin)

Some were balanced in their affections: I enjoyed reading both books and for me they spoke to the heartache that is experienced when a person's world is turned upside down. (Maureen)

And some were, well, not as subtle: The Lucky Ones was a bit hard to stomach, and yes, I hate to admit it but Brad was right about judging this book by its cover! (Kim)

Also, the audiobook experience of The Lucky Ones, for one member, was subpar because the swearing seemed forced and became tiring to listen to.

Carrie summed it up nicely: For me, however, Nayeri’s tale is a win for me for several reasons. The authenticity, artfulness and beauty in the storytelling supports the maturity with which Khosrou comes to understand others and the world. His observations are relevant to the experiences of May and Zach; his observations explore universal truths of the human condition. For example, “Suddenly evil isn’t punching people or even hating them. Suddenly it’s all that stuff you’ve left undone. All the kindness you could have given. All the excuses you gave instead. Imagine that for a minute. Imagine what it means” bear relevance to the guilt that unfolds for many characters in The Lucky Ones.

The barriers built around May through Lawson’s abrasive dialogue and oversimplified and (at times) melodramatic narrative style distance the majority of other characters from her and, I am sad to admit, this reader as well. There is a tenderness, grace and hope in his storytelling, even amidst horrible circumstances. Masterfully, Nayeri enables the reader to both empathize and be inspired by Khosrou and his family.

And those are some thoughts from Group 9. Bring on Round 2.

A Decision (Largely) Stamped From the Beginning: Kendi/Reynolds Collaboration Eclipses Chernobyl-era Friendship Tale

Sometimes a book comes along that perfectly and deftly articulates the current zeitgeist, and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi does just that. 

Scratch that, on second thought.

The book isn’t merely a reflection of our current age that will fade with the next era; it harbours key insights and lessons that we need to internalize and practice well into the foreseeable future, to bring about real and lasting racial healing and justice. To embrace the simple rejection of racism, after centuries of complex and devastating justifications and policies. The blending of Xendi’s “courageous” writing with Reynold’s easy, accessible, and relatable style proves to be a powerful and unmistakable winner. Whether you read the text, or listen to the sonorous tones of Reynolds’ narration, this is a book that you HAVE to read. It’s too relevant, too well-crafted, and too urgent to ignore.

This is not to say that Stamped’s round 1 rival, Anne Blankman’s The Blackbird Girls, was a dud, automatically relegated to the losing side. Quite the contrary. It packs quite the wallop itself, combining the tragic events of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster with the secrecy and rigidity of the Soviet socio-political system, and at its true heart a bond of friendship, transcending an initial mistrust and hatred, culture, religion, family dynamics, and geography. The triple-narrator format adds to the complexity and thoroughness of perspective that will render the reader unable to put the book down, or turn the audio off. Well-paced, well-researched, and inspired by true stories and experiences of the survivors of the tragedy, The Blackbird Girls would be a fine addition to classroom library shelves, even for the upper elementary grades.  

As engrossing and well-crafted as this historical fiction book is, it simply does not match the urgency of Stamped. Every chapter seems to include yet another little-known and devastating racism-inflicted wallop that has plagued human history over the past 500-plus years. Our group’s Covid-appropriate Google Meet started off as a quick 10-minute check-in, but easily turned into a 45-minute conversation on the state of racism not only in the US (the focus of the Xendi/Reynolds book), but the racial struggles we face in Canada. Perhaps an equally poignant and accessible book is needed to ameliorate our own country’s shameful treatment of Indigenous people and people of colour.

In the final analysis, Stamped wins by a vote of 4 to 1. Although, we wouldn't be surprised if The Blackbird Girls finds its way to the final round via a well-deserved resurrection!

 Clap When You Land wins... by a parking stall

We need to admit this was a narrow win. 

Parked is lovely, with interesting, quirky characters all circling about important issues of adequate pay, affordable housing, how our pasts shape our presents, how privilege and helping others sometimes clash, and who to trust when life leaves one living off used books and peanut butter in a bright orange van. 

But it was SO VERY LONG. 

Clap When You Land has some of the sparkle that Parked lacks. There are intense moments of loss,  a compelling relationship between sisters distanced by geography and lies, and some beautiful lines of poetry that tackle difficult issues of identity, like this gem:

“Mami wanted me to be a lady:

sit up straight, cross my ankles,

let men protect me.

Papi wanted me to be a leader.

To think quick & strike hard,

to speak rarely, but when I did,

to always be heard. Me?

Playing chess taught me a queen is both:

deadly & graceful, poised & ruthless.

Quiet & cunning. A queen

offers her hand to be kissed,

& can form it into a fist

while smiling the whole damn time.

But what happens when those principles

only apply in a game? & in the real world,

I am not treated as a lady or a queen,

as a defender or opponent

but as a girl so many want to strike off the board.”

Still, we had trouble at times differentiating the sisters’ voices; and there were relational aspects that left us wanting - the distress of loss and the profound gift of finding; fathers and daughters and lies and love.

While it was charming and hopeful, Parked did have a flat tire, and we wish it lost a few spare parts along the way. So a round of applause for Clap When You Land, which for us, wins the draw. by Katherine Schock

Song Below Water vs PET

We at DSM found both books unique and the writing style sometimes annoying. One person hated both books with an emphatic UGH! It was hard to engage and become emotionally attached. These are heavy, dark themes.

Song Before Water 

Mermaids, Gargoyles, Soul Sisters and Black Lives Matter. This story tackles racism, sexism and the oppression of black women in society. Wow, it is timely, but a lot to take in. This society fears women with a voice. Think of Aretha Franklin’s voice. Mmm Hmm, pure power. The story features two young, black women with magical powers which are, at first, unknown and withheld.  The two main characters, Tavia and Effie, come to understand they actually have power and can use it. One is a Siren who uses vocal magic on others. They have a true sisterhood, just not by birth. The book is really about finding your true self and not being afraid to show your true self especially as a young black woman. That being said, the language is definitely for higher level YA readers. The fantasy elements of the story are confusing and hard to follow. The gargoyle on the roof although thrilling (I want one on my house) sat heavy on my shoulder, smirking while I read. After reading the story I still don’t know what an eloko is. It was too long. I found myself saying when is this going to end. Halfway through I started “skimming” until the last chapter. Magical Realism is not my thing! There were redeeming qualities. It has a good message. This book may resonate with the right reader. Others might go UGH!.

PET

Some of the team could not get into PET at all. 2 of us didn’t dislike it. Child abuse and angels vs monsters are the themes of this unique book which has a fairy tale vibe. I had to sit and digest the story for a while after reading. It certainly made me think about the child abuse happening right now in our society. Jam is a transgender girl who is selectively verbal. She often signs to communicate. She is loved and accepted by her parents and society. Her trans status normalized. Her friend’s parents are in a polyamorous relationship and one of them uses the pronouns they/them. Jam unknowingly summons a creature from within one of her Mother’s paintings because of a drop of her blood. The creature is here to hunt a monster, unseen but lurking in her friend’s house. It is about the unseen evil around us. Evil we can’t see or choose to ignore. Angels look like monsters and monsters look like regular humans. The Mother’s accent annoyed me. I loved the inclusivity. It is both a weird and wonderful book. A dark fable for our times.

It was not unanimous. Song Below Water moves on.

Valeen and the DSM Team

Fighting Words vs. Maybe He Just Likes You

 

'Fighting Words' definitely wins this round for me!

I quickly made my way through 'Fighting Words' with an attachment to Della and her upsetting yet powerful story. After escaping an abusive home to which we soon learn about Della and her sister Suki's experience with sexual abuse, this story is both uplifting  and harrowing. I found myself wanting to 'fight' alongside Della as she encountered unwanted bra snapping/ back pinching from a boy in her class which she soon learns to stand up to as she must also stand up to her abuser from home. I loved this book and would recommend it to various grade levels in Junior High. 

'Maybe He Just Likes You' could not handle sensitive subjects in the same way. A book with a lesson/statement really should read comfortably without that statement being pushed in your face to the point of wanting to stop reading out of frustration/ irritation. The protagonist Mila, deals with many unwanted, harassing behaviors from classmates and although it is clear that the author wants to make a point, the instances are upsetting and at times, I wanted to scream at our young Mila to stop hiding what was happening and stand up to these boys! In the #metoo movement, confronting an abuser and making them uncomfortable is powerful, but in this book, the reader is forced to feel this too and it just isn't the type of writing that I can agree with. 

The Good, the Bad, and the Meh…

Our team from ABM chose the books New Kid and Me and Sam Sam Handle the Apocalypse as our first reads and, as usual, had several disagreements when we met to Smack.

First the good: 

Sam Sam is written by Susan Vaught. She is a neuropsychologist who also happens to be neurodiverse. Most of us agree that there is enough good in this book that we would put it in our classroom libraries. Kids who are neurodivergent are often depicted as not being able to live independently, but Jesse has more life skills than anybody would expect her to have. We also love the strong female role model presented by Jesse’s mom. She is on the bomb disposal unit with the U.S. Army and is serving in Iraq. She is a calming force in Jesse’s often tumultuous world — even if it is always over a screen. It isn’t often that women are seen in this kind of role, and we think many girls would appreciate a step outside of the normal gender roles for women. Vaught also does an excellent job of explaining some of the sensitivities of being neurodiverse, such as Jesse’s brain itching and Jesse fighting her compulsion to count at inopportune moments. There is lots to like about this book, particularly for those kids trying to understand neurodiversity. 

New Kid by Jerry Craft is a great middle-school graphic novel that is accessible to all students in the class. Jordan is an art-loving kid who wants to attend art school, but his parents enroll him in a prestigious academic school where he is one of a few kids of colour. This book can be used as a gentle opening to discuss systemic racism in the U.S. as Jordan finds himself torn between two worlds -- and not really fitting into either one. The artwork, especially the two-page spreads, were enjoyable and often impactful. Although some of us think the racism is too subtle in this book, others believe that this is how most racism occurs — when people are not even aware of how their actions are perceived by others. The book does a solid job showing how stereotypes can hurt and confuse people. Other themes present include the desire to fit in and the toll that inequity of wealth takes on young people. As adults, It is easy to forget the pressures that exist during this time of life. Craft reminds us how important it is to ask real questions about what is going on in the lives of kids. He also, through Jordan, shows kids that change can be okay, not perfect, but that in the end they can reflect and see personal growth. 

And now? The bad.

As stated earlier, some of us are not happy with how subtle the racism is presented in New Kid. If students surface-read the novel (as so many do with graphic novels), they might even miss the racism that is presented. But really, that is about the only weakness found in this book. 

Sam Sam, on the other hand, presents several red flags. For some of us, the book just didn’t hold our attention. Others found there is just way too much going on. Extreme bullying, tornadoes, potential imprisonment of a parent, a gambling addiction, a neurodiverse character, a mystery that needs solving — too much! We feel the book would have been better if it could have focused on one issue, such as neurodiversity and bullying. But even the bullying, as written, is too much. The kids who were the bullies were totally out of control, both in and out of school, even though Jesse’s father was a long-time teacher there. Everyone in the school turned a blind eye to the torture that was going on. Yep. Too, too much. 

Finally, the meh. Although we will all put these books in our classroom libraries, neither of these books strike us as outstanding. But based on the weaknesses of Sam Sam, New Kid moves forward.

 Brianne: 

Being Toffee is a gut punch, but well worth the effort. The prose is smooth and easily sucks readers into the well crafted narrative.  Allison is desperate to lose herself and  to forget the pain, neglect, and abuse she’s suffered at the hands of someone she loves. When Allison recognizes that she might be the only person who can protect Marla she finds an inner strength she’s never known, This is a story worth sharing with our students *with care * as the content can be triggering and painful for some readers. 

Cursed was interesting... I enjoyed the retelling of a well known story and I truly appreciated how Miller’s graphics encouraged me to envision a more diverse Round Table. I loved the diverse retelling, even if it was only through Miller's artistry*.  To be honest, there were numerous times when I felt compelled to abandon this book - I still don’t understand why Nimue needed the addition of a love interest plotline when she’s a wicked bad-ass outcast that wields the sword of the One True King Queen. Why does she need a boyfriend when she’s busy slaughtering Holy Crusaders and trying to both unite and save her people from obliteration? I can’t say that I enjoyed this novel all that much, but I am curious to see if future installments can redeem this series!

Lisa

I agree with Brianne, Being Toffee  is a well crafted narrative of two lonely people who forge a friendship through their individual pain.  The content and plot line is believable, and I found myself accepting a believable ending to the stories of Allison and Marla.  

I gave a copy of Being Toffee to one of my prolific readers, to get her opinion.  She loved it.

Cursed:  Agreed - I too felt like abandoning the book a few times.  I found the character development disconcerting - she was a young outcast teen, who all of a sudden comes in possession of a sword and immediately is killing multiple men from the Red Palladin.  *There was a disconnect between the artist's rendition of the story, and the details from the writing - almost as if the artist didn’t actually read the text. 

Being Toffee is voted through to the next round!

 Lizzie down for the count…finally!   Zoe Triumphs!

vs

 

  Stephanie, Rushmi, Jon, Emily, Norma

Stephanie:  From the Desk of Zoe Washington is definitely a book I would recommend to younger students. I feel like it lightly broached important and relevant topics in a manner that would be palatable to children without being too intense or heavy. I, however, also agree with Norma regarding it’s underdevelopment with regards to plot and resolution, which was a tad disappointing. When reading it, I felt like it was missing a few chapters. 

The Borden Murders is definitely not a book I would read out of choice. I did find it harder to read and engage with at first due to the choppy narrative and different perspectives regarding the case. Despite my initial hesitation and irritation, I eventually found myself looking forward to reading it, which I feel attests to how good a book it actually is. I found myself talking to my husband about the case and how crime scene technology has developed over time. I also enjoyed the photos and the end of the book, where it talks about life after the trial. 

Although From the Desk of Zoe Washington is an easier read and the type of story I would normally be interested in, I vote for The Borden Murders this round. 

 

Rushmi:  From the Desk of Zoe Washington is a feel good read that you know will have a happy ending...which kind of leaves you wanting more from the book.  The book takes a straightforward path with the main storyline, which turns out better than expected, but doesn’t really dare to elaborate on the side stories, such as the baking show and apprenticeship, the “boy” friend, or the lies told to move the story along. In the end, it is an easy read, and good for middle school kids. The fact that the main character has motivation to meet her goals would be inspiring for kids, as is the fact that this book is very recent and mentions current events such as Black Lives Matter, relevant to the story seeing as the main character is a visible minority from a mixed family. Because it is current, you almost want to search up alongside Zoe to find out if there is truth to any of the story.  

The Borden Murders has you wondering with suspicion from the very get go. As part of history, it is interesting for readers to learn about how the people at that time lived, and what crime scene investigation was like. However, there are so many characters that you need to check the reference pages, along with the photos of the characters and the setting. What might help is a timeline of events at some point because things get fairly confusing. In the end, it is up to the reader to put together the facts of how the evidence was provided to make their own decision.  The one thing you do know all along is that this book probably won’t be appropriate for school aged kids. 

 

For this round, I nominate From the Desk of Zoe Washington to move to the next round.

 

Emily:  As a fan of crime and courtroom dramas, I was quite curious heading into The Borden Murders, especially since I was unfamiliar with the Lizzie Borden case. However, as I started reading, I found the shift in narrative voice from historical retelling, to analysis and extra background information to be jarring. It took me right out of the momentum of the story. If I were reading this book just for my own enjoyment, I don’t think I would have finished it.

In terms of the actual case, I found it was bogged down by the overabundance of details. Every piece of evidence or non-evidence was described by multiple witnesses, often with conflicting reports. In addition to this, witnesses contradicted each other and themselves so frequently that any “big reveal” lacked impact. I understand wanting to be historically accurate, but for me, the hyper-attention to detail made the case much more difficult to follow.

The final straw for me was the ending, or really the non-ending of we still don’t know if Lizzie Borden did it, and probably never will. This was frustrating for me after investing the time in reading the book. I kept expecting all of the extra evidence and detailed analysis to lead to something, but it never did.

From the Desk of Zoe Washington is an easy, feel good read with a main character that is easy to root for. This novel was much easier for me to get into in terms of writing style and flow, and I was quickly invested in the story of Zoe developing a relationship with her biological father.

The book isn’t perfect. The baking subplot felt a bit out of place in the context of the main storyline, especially since there isn’t much of a payoff with the internship or baking show audition.

The ending also felt slightly rushed. The author spends quite a bit of time developing the relationship between Zoe and her father, her investigation into his innocence, and the build up of all the secrets characters have been keeping from each other. But in the end when all is revealed, there seems to be a rush to tie up all the story threads, so you don’t feel the weight of the consequences to Zoe’s choices. Because of this, the ultimate resolution doesn’t feel as earned as it could have.

The story is sweet, despite its flaws and I can see my students enjoying this book.

For this round, I vote From the Desk of Zoe Washington to move forward.

 

 Norma:   Zoe is an easy read.  The story is simplistic and everything wraps up too quickly and positively with a big bow.  I would have liked more from the fallout from Zoe lying to her parents and Grandma and from breaking the rules; from Grandma aiding her in the deceit, from mom keeping things from Zoe.  There didn’t seem to be any real consequences.Such a build up and then a let down in how quickly everything was resolved. Judgement is reserved as to which book will move on.

 

The Borden Murders was a little more difficult to read as it wove facts of the case and narrative in an interesting way.  I was drawn to the story because  although I was familiar with the story of Lizzie Borden it was just very superficially.  I learned a lot about the judicial system of the day.  This book will appeal to kids who love mysteries and trying to find solutions.  There were many twists and turns to keep the reader interested. 

 

For me, I vote to move Lizzie Borden forward!

 

Jon:  Zoe was definitely the superior book.  It was a smooth read, it often left chapters on a cliffhanger to keep you interested and advancing the story.  It is a girl who slowly finds out that her father, who has been in prison for her entire existence, has been trying to play an active role in her life this whole time.  She wants to build the relationship, but has to do so in secret, as her mother wants him to play no role in her life.

 

There are numerous flaws and plot holes.  I find the backdrop of Zoe wanting to win the kid’s baking championship to be a chore to read through.  The second I entered a page where she was gathering baking materials, all I could think was “Oh no… not again… This is the next six pages of my life… Why does this keep happening…”  I get that the author used this as a time for Zoe’s self-reflection or important conversations, but it seemed that every other chapter she was baking something new.  Also, for a girl who wants to enter the Kid’s Baking Championship, she knows how to do surprisingly little without the use of someone else’s cookbook. 

 

Another issue that I had was how easy it was for a 12-year-old girl to resolve everything.  It literally took five minutes for her to find a solution to certain problems, whereas professionals couldn’t do it with time, money, and resources?  I’m not buying it. 

 

But no matter the issue in Zoe, it didn’t come close to the dry read that was The Borden Murders.  I will preface this by stating that I love a good murder mystery.  There is an entire channel dedicated to those shows where someone disappears, and they give a full hour breaking down the sequences of events, examining clues and suspects, and my favorite part is always right before the final commercial break when they say “When we come back, detectives find the clue that breaks this case wide open.”  And the excitement builds finding out what mistake the criminal makes to get caught. 

 

This was the opposite of that.  This was “And on every page we will show you one more clue and piece of evidence that leads nowhere or ultimately has nothing to do with the case.”  They brought in information under the guise that it would lead somewhere, but it ultimately never did. 

 

It may be that I had certain expectations for the book, but one of the more off-putting liberties the author took was adding detail that nobody could have possibly known.  How certain dialogue was said, what somebody doing when nobody was around, motivations for certain characters, etc.  It is as if the true story happened, that story was turned into a film with many artistic licenses taken, and that film was turned back into a story that became The Borden Murders.  

 

My vote goes for From the Desk of Zoe Washington.