Share: Great New MS/HS Books

[Dawn Sardes <Dmsardes@AOL.COM>]

May I say WOW?

I just finished yet two more winners for the Middle school to high school
crowd.  One is "If I Just Had Two Wings," by Virginia Frances Schwartz.

It chronicles the perilous journey of a group of young, escaped slaves along
the Underground Railroad.  The main character is Phoebe. Born the last of 5
children on a plantation in Alabama, she has watched all her older siblings
get sold off, except for her one sister Rachel, who runs off with another
young slave with whom she is in love.

Another young slave woman, Liney, the mother of two small girls, is bought by
the master.  Liney runs, but is captured, tortured, and returned within days.
 After recovering, she & Phoebe hatch a plan to escape, taking her children
with them.  A couple of days out, they meet up with Jake, another escapee
from their plantation.

As you read this story, you feel their hunger & terror and share their dreams
to control their own lives--to be free. They make their way by following the
clues in the lyrics of the old slave spirituals on which they were raised.

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book.  Trust me--get it for your
collection.  The female characters are strong young women--wonderful role
models for our kids regardless of race.  Jake, too, is honorable and
protective of them all, at one point sacrificing himself so they can escape
slave-catchers nearby.  If I were still teaching English, I would LOVE to do
a unit on this book.  In case this is an issue in your school/community,
there is no objectional language/scenes in it.

Yesterday, I also finished Cormier's newest (and, sadly, last) book, "The Rag
& Bone Shop."  It, too, is really good.  It's very short; I read it in 2
hours, so it would be good for your reluctant readers.  A 7-year-old child is
murdered.  12 year old Jason, the last to see her alive, is the prime
suspect.  They call in a special interrogator--a man famous for getting
suspects to confess.  Jason is innocent, but to this man, innocence does not
matter.

I'm ordering two additional copies of each for my library.  Next in my pile
is the new one called Shades of Simon Gray by Joyce MacDonald.

I'll let you know how I like it.


Dawn Sardes
YA Librarian
Euclid Public Library
Dmsardes@aol.com

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