Library of Clean Reads: Teen Book Reviews

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Badhat: A Wild Western Legend, written and illustrated by Harry McLaughlin

Badhat: A Wild Western Legend, written and illustrated by Harry McLaughlin (Rated: C)
Zaptoons
ISBN: 978-0615368542
Published April 2010
Paperback, 134 pages
Ages 10 onward

What a pleasant surprise this book ended up to be! With vivid characters in the memorable setting of the Wild West, rip-roaring scenes and witty, Western dialogue, I chuckled throughout this heartwarming and adventurous story.

Badhat, a lonely prairie dog wanders aimlessly in search of a purpose in life. He asks “the Almighty” for a sign and ends up in the town of Dagnabit, where the Gopher Broke Gang—outlaw bullies—are ruling and oppressing the town. Badhat just wants to quench his thirst and move on, but his subsequent actions lead him into a situation for which he isn’t prepared. Now he is faced with making choices that will ultimately teach him that he is not alone in this world and that his actions affect others. It becomes clear that he needs to figure out where he belongs, and how to let go of his past. The townsfolk, colourful characters you just have to love, learn their own lessons as well.

More than just a funny tale, the themes that run throughout this book are worthy and profound. Among them: Stand up for what is right; Trust God to guide you in life; and Learn to be proactive rather than relying on others to solve your problems. This may sound heavy, but the author, Harry McLaughlin handles this deftly and successfully, without a preachy tone at all, leaving the reader with such a satisfied feeling and a few things to ponder on.

I easily came to admire the author’s writing style, his mastery of dialogue, his cute illustrations scattered throughout the book, and the way he makes animal characters come alive. I have become an instant fan.

Disclosure: Thanks to Harry McLaughlin and ReviewTheBook.com for sending this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

How to Make a Bird by Martine Murray

How to Make a Bird by Martine Murray (Rated: P and S)
Arthur A. Levine Books
ISBN: 978-0-439-669511
Published June 1, 2010
Hardcover, 240 pages

Early one morning, 17 year-old Mannie Clarkeson leaves home for good on her bicycle wearing her mother’s red evening gown. As she embarks on her journey, we discover bit-by-bit through flashback scenes why she left. This beginning and the title hooked me immediately. Mannie’s mother is mentally unstable, her father kind and protective to a fault, her brother the center of attention, and Harry, his friend, different from the other young men. Then one night, an event shatters all their lives and Mannie must learn to face the truth and appreciate what she has, after mourning what she’s lost.

Author Martine Murray has a way of writing that draws in the reader in this coming-of-age story. It is introspective, brutally honest and lyrical. Manny is a quirky vulnerable girl. Seeing the world through her eyes is intriguing and reminded me of my teen years. I ached for this teenager who had to contend with great losses in her life. I liked the role the grandparents played in her life and that Mannie recognized the goodness in the people close to her that she failed to see initially when she focused on their faults as she struggled with emotional pain. This was a big mature step for a girl who grew up without much guidance.

As much as I liked being in the character’s head because of my psychology background, I cannot recommend it as a clean read. Apart from the profanity and some vulgar words, it has a scene with an exhibitionist that is explicit, several references to sexual situations, and a scene that involves drugs. It’s unknown if Mannie had sex with Harry but it is alluded. As a parent and an adult I appreciated this novel as it clearly demonstrated that a lack of communication, outward display of love and affection, and moral guidance could leave a child lost and hurting. But I question why novels today that are targeted at our youth (12 and up) contain such explicit elements. I understand the aspect of realism but my concern is for the impressionistic and beautiful minds of our youth.

Disclosure: Thank you to Nikole from Scholastic Canada for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.