Very Young Girls (DVD)

Schisgall, David (2007).  Very young girls [motion picture]. New York: Showtime.  

Summary:  Very Young Girls exposes the realities of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking that happens right here in American neighborhoods.  This documentary interviews about a dozen young women aged 12 -21 who have been victims of sexual exploitation and then criminalized. Their tragic stories challenge general public perceptions of prostitution as a choice between consenting adults.  The film shows that the average age of a prostitute is 13 years old and the children, most of whom are already under the care of social services or the justice system, enter the sex industry by being lured or kidnapped or sold and then raped by pimps often twice their age.  The documentary follows the counseling work and advocacy done by GEMS, Girls Education and Mentoring Services of New York. 

Additional comments:  Viewers of this documentary will never again dress up for a "Pimps and Hoes" party and will be so moved to talk anyone from knowingly glamorizing an industry that enslaves young girls.  One of the most poignant moments of the film was the acceptance speech by Rachel Lloyd, the founder and Executive Director of GEMS, of the Reebok Human Rights Award. She scolded the Academy Awards for the performance of "It's hard out here for a pimp", which glamorizes prostitution and the debasement and violence against women.  This film will profoundly move young adults and force them to question the lyrics of hip hop and other projections by the media.

Shimmy Shimmy Shimmy Like My Sister Kate

Giovanni, Nikki (1996). Shimmy shimmy shimmy like my sister Kate:  Looking at the Harlem Rennaissance through poems. New York:  Henry Holt and Company.

ISBN: 0805034943

Summary:  Award-winning, contemporary African-American poet, teacher, and activist Nikki Giovanni has compiled and commented on a collection of 20th-century poems largely from the Harlem Renaissance to celebrate and affirm being a black American. Selections include well-known poems, such as Paul Laurence Dunbar's "Sympathy" ("I know why the caged bird sings!" and Langston Hughes' "Harlem" ("What happens to a dream deferred?") as well as poems from less prolific authors, such as Waring Cuney and Lance Jeffers.

Additional comments:  Nikki Giovanni reflects on each poem's meaning and historical context. She also comments on each poet's life and legacy.  This anthology is full of anger at the persecution blacks have faced and continue to face, full of hope for the future, and full of love, pride, and strength for what's been overcome.   

 

Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom

Albom, Mitch (1997 ). Tuesdays with Morrie.  New York:  Doubleday. 

ISBN: 0385484518

Summary:  The middle-aged author records and reflects on his weekly philosophical and inspirational conversations with his favorite college professor while he is dying of Lou Gehrig's disease. From his wheelchair and later his deathbed, Morrie coaches Mitch with weekly "life lessons" about dying, life's purpose, happiness, culture, love, emotions, and forgiveness. 

Additional comments:  Grab your tissues for this one!  You will fall in love with Morrie as he faces his physical deterioration, increasing dependence on others,  and impending death with bravery, optimism, and spirit.  This is a quick read that will help you to put your priorities and misfortunes into perspective.  

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon

Haddon, Mark (2003). The Curious incident of the dog in the night-time. New York: Vintage Contemporaries.

ISBN: 1400032717

Summary:  A murder mystery told by Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old autistic boy. When Christopher discovers his neighbor's dog dead in her yard with a pitchfork sticking out of him, he decides to track clues and solve the mystery, in direct defiance of his father's objections.  While uncovering the mystery, Christopher learns much more than just the incidences surrounding the dog's death as he unravels family secrets. 

Additional comments:  Haddon's insightful first-person narration gets the reader inside the mind of someone who is highly intelligent, obsessive, compulsive, irrational, devoid of emotions, and resistant to being touched.  After adjusting to Christopher's point of view, readers adjust to his abnormal behavior and logic, such as counting cars of each color to determine whether it is a Black Day (when he doesn't eat or speak with anyone) or a Super Good Day.  Despite the heavy and sad content of the novel, there is light humor in Christopher's efforts to process idiomatic expressions and solving problems.  Readers will be drawn in by the intriguing character and the unusual turn of events. 

Spoken Word Revolution, Redux (Audio CD)

Eleveld, Mark (2007). Spoken word revolution, redux (Audio recording).  Naperville, Illinois: Sourcebook Media Fusion. 
ISBN: 1402208693 /978-1-4022-0869-0

Summary:  A book and CD collection of a variety of poetry in the form of slam, hip hop, musical interpretations, and youth-created. A broad range of topics are represented, some with a political theme, such as "Sonny's Letta" and some with a light-hearted tone, such as "Tom Waits, I hate you" and "Truce, why I'm not a businessman".  Some poems explore sexualtiy, such as "Slut", while others explore reflections on self-image, like "Thick" and identity, like "My name is not Rodriguez".

Additional comments: This anthology presents a terrific introduction to spoken word.  The accompanying CD brings the poems to life with rhythmic and impassioned readings, and sometimes background music and sounds like audience laughter and applause. 

The Clarence Principle by Fehed Said

Said, Fehed (2007). The Clarence Principle. San Jose: SLG Publishing.
ISBN: 1593620640 / 978-1-59362-064-6

Summary:  This graphic novel tells the story of Clarence, who kills himself and then journeys to a nightmarish land beyond his bathroom door. Presents a surreal and twisted vision of the afterlife.

Additional comments:  The Clarence Principle is worthy of several readings because it seems to convey a deep, existential message that requires some revisiting to access.  In Said's frightening purgatory, the dead can die again and one can literally give their arm in payment (worth noting: a bloody arm).  Clarence finds himself on stage, an actor in a play in which whatever he says appears to be scripted in advance. This unusual and gothic graphic novel touches upon issues of free will and purpose of life that will intrigue young adult readers.

The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

Salinger, J. D. (1951).  The Catcher in the rye.  Toronto: Bantam Books.

ISBN: 0553250256   

Summary:  The story begins with Holden Caulfield explaining in first person narration about his final days as a Junior at Pencey Prep after getting kicked out for failing four of his five classes.  He leaves Pencey a few days earlier than planned after he gets in a fight with his room-mate about a girl. Holden takes a train in the middle of the night from Pennsylvania to New York City but chooses to not go to his apartment before the date his parents are expecting his return and to instead check into a hotel and bar hop in the city.  Everywhere he goes, Holden is quite miserable and depressed.  He meets a few characters over a few days in the city, all of whom annoy him for being "phony" and further depress him.

Additional Comments:  The Catcher in the Rye is a classic and timeless in its appeal to young adults, particularly privileged young adults who have a gripe with superficial social norms found among the upper echelons of society and who can relate to the prep school setting against which Holden Caulfield rebels.  Though nearly 60 years after its original publication, Holden remains an icon for teenage emotional turbulence and angst because of  his extreme depression, suicidal comments and daydreams, irrational ideas, impulsive behavior and remarks, utter sense of loneliness and isolation, confusion about his future, and resentment for and harsh criticism of others. 

Edgar Allen Poe (Audio CD)

Price, Vincent and Rathbone, Basil (2000). Edgar Allen Poe Audio Collection. Caedmon; Unabridged edition 
ISBN: 0694524190 / 978-0694524198  

Summary:  Vincent Price and Basil Rathbone, two masters of classic horror, read poems and short stories by Edgar Allen Poe.  

Additional Comments:  Poe's rhythmic and haunting gothic poetry may confuse readers with the antiquated and formal language of the 1800's.  Yet, when read aloud, the poetry turns into music and the meaning is more accessible. 

Vincent Price, whose voice teens might recognize as the deep, spooky narrator in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video, and Basil Rathbone both have bass voices that convey the sinister, dark mood of Poe's writing.  Yet, they also both use a range of pitches and cadences, which is particularly effective in Basil Rathbone's reading of  "The Bells" because it describes the sound and the mood of bells in various contexts, some light and happy and some full of terror. Click on the links below to view YouTube videos that complement the readings.

Vincent Price reading "The Raven"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FID1CiB4bcU

Basil Rathbone reading "The Bells"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0889pnbURtY

Basil Rathbone reading "Annabel Lee"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJhvKEMhn20

Basil Rathbone reading "The Tell-Tale-Heart"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvHUNY_NXsU

Life of Pi, by Yann Martel

Martel, Yann (2001 ). Life of Pi.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0395977894

Summary: Life of Pi, by Yann Martel, follows the adventures of 16-year old Pi Patel.  He, his family, and all of the animals from his family’s zoo are aboard a cargo ship moving from southern India to North America when disaster strikes and the ship sinks. Things become even more disastrous for Pi when his lifeboat becomes a refuge for several zoo animals, including the Bengal tiger. 

Additional Comments:  Life of Pi is an imaginative and suspenseful tale of survival in which Pi examines not only his place in the immediate surroundings of the lifeboat but also on a philosophical level, his place in the universe as well.

Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich

Ehrenreich, Barbara (2001 ). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America .  New York: Metropolitan Books.

ISBN: 0805063889

Summary:  In Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich temporarily disowns her Ph.D. and comfortable multi-room home to investigate life at poverty-level wages. Taking jobs whose mental and physical effort is often underrated, such as waiting tables, cleaning houses and hotel rooms, working at Wal-Mart, and assisting at a nursing home, Ehrenreich must find the cheapest accommodations and meals available in order to survive at six or seven dollars an hour. 

Additional Comments:  Written partly in response to welfare reform, her social experiment is a test to find out just how livable minimum wage is without government assistance.  It might come as no surprise that she is barely able to make ends meet.  Starting in Florida, she moves to several locations around America to compare her findings across geographic regions, yet surviving on minimum wage (even with two jobs) was nearly impossible, not to mention damaging to her health and spirit. Nickel and Dimed is essential reading for privileged high school students who will never be forced to scrub someone else's toilet. They will gain insight and empathy for the hard-working lower-class trying to make an honest living by jobs that the upper-class refuse.

Everything You Need to Know about Latino History

Novas, Himilce (2007). Everything you need to know about Latino history. New York: Plume.
ISBN: 97804522888898 

Summary: Everything You Need to Know about Latino History is an easy-to-navigate retelling of U.S. and Latin American history from a Latino perspective. Novas writes in a question-and-answer format, beginning with general information and proceeding to specific Latino subgroups, such as Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, and Dominican Americans. In the process, Novas, a journalist and expert on Latino history, debunks common misinformation and stereotypes that are erroneously propagated by Anglo-centric history classes traditionally taught in American schools. 

Additional Comments:  The 2008 edition of Everything You Need to Know about Latino also includes current pop culture, such as “Ugly Betty” and recent famous Latino /Latina athletes, entertainers, and politicians. Everything You Need to Know about Latino History should be required reading to educate all Americans about the contributions and history of the fastest-growing ethnic group.

Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser

Schlosser, Eric (2002). Fast Food Nation: the dark side of the all-American meal. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.  
0395977894

Summary: Eric Schlosser's 2002 New York Times bestseller, Fast Food Nation reveals that a seemingly trivial decision to buy a quick hamburger has hidden costs that are uncovered during Schlosser's disturbing investigation. Schlosser chronicles the rapid spread of fast food chains and the corresponding rise of agribusinesses as the food industry has had to accommodate the massive demand for beef and chicken as more and more franchises open across America and abroad.

Additional Comments:  Be forewarned that you may never again set foot in a McDonald's or Taco Bell after reading this provocative investigation of the fast food industry.  Read this book, and you will forever remember factory workers with missing fingers, factory workers who are forced to work overtime in dangerous conditions, and the gory butchering of cattle and chicken as they are slaughtered.  A moving example of "investigative journalism" that reveals the ways in which chain, fast food restaurants are destructive to employees, to public health, and to animal welfare.

Cuba 15, by Nancy Osa

Osa, Nancy (2003). Cuba 15. New York: Delacorte Press.

ISBN: 9780385732338 / 0-385-73233-3

Summary:  First time novelist Nancy Osa relates a light-hearted and entertaining coming-of-age novel about 15-year-old Violet Paz, whose Cuban grandmother insists on throwing a quinceanero—a traditional celebration to mark a girl’s transition to womanhood. Violet, whose father is Cuban and whose mother is Polish, initially opposes the festivity, feeling out of touch with her Cuban roots and reproachful of having to wear a fancy dress. But, she concedes to appease her abuela. 

Additional Comments:  Osa draws partially from her own experiences connecting with her Cuban heritage to create Violet, a spunky, comical American adolescent who is introduced to family customs and history and is developing a stronger sense of cultural identity. Female readers will particularly relate with Violet’s feelings towards friendships and family relationships while learning about Cuban culture and history.

Drink Cultura, by Jose Antonio Burciaga

Burciago, Jose Antonio (1993). Drink Cultura. Santa Barbara: Joshua Odell Editions.
ISBN 1877741078

Summary:  Burciago writes, “I’m Mexican by nature and American by nurture.” (p. 63). A Chicano cultural activist, Burciago presents a series of essays in Drink Cultura that explore elements of American and Mexican cultures and Mexican-American culture. By discussing language, food, and holidays, Burciago explores his identity as a Chicano Texan—neither Mexicano nor gringo, but caught between cultures —with wit and insightful commentary informed by personal experience and history. 

Additional Comments:  Despite his levity, Burciago also addresses serious social injustices against Latinos, such as the past prohibition of Spanish language and Mexican culture in schools, the struggles of the campesino farmworkers and the labor movement, and the evolution of the Chicano Movement. Students of Latin American studies will especially benefit from Burciago’s critique of American culture and history.

Revenge of the "Illegal Alien", by Cesar A. Preciado-Cruz

Preciado-Cruz, Cesar A. (2008). Revenge of the “illegal alien: A Mexican takes on the Empire. Oakland: Making Changes Press.

ISBN 9780615152998

Summary:  Human rights activist Cesar Preciado-Cruz (teolol) releases revolutionary rage in his Revenge of the “illegal alien: A Mexican takes on the Empire, a collection of poems and short stories that condemn the United States for the repression of people of color, for the wealthy corporate elite, for the political lies about Iraq, for the general contempt of undocumented workers by Americans who benefit from their services, and for historical atrocities. Cruz’s radical poems in English and Spanish lend themselves to spoken word to fully realize the emotional intensity of his writing. 

Additional Comments: Some readers will undoubtedly squirm with discomfort from his calls for insurgency in poems like “license this” and “the terrorist” and from his vilification of the American government in poems like “on the 4th u lie (4th of july)” and “things taken”. However, his voice represents the vital perspective of the underrepresented and marginalized.

Hair (Soundtrack)

MacDermot, Galt (1979). Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical (Cast recording).  United States: RCA Victor Broadway. 

Summary:  After Claude receives his draft card, he arrives in New York City to report for military service but ends up meeting a tribe of long-haired hippies living in Central Park and gets swept away by their pacifist, bohemian, counter-culture lifestyle of LSD, marijuana, and free love. Hair was originally an off-Broadway rock musical in 1967 before being adapted into a movie in 1979 with such stars as Beverly D'Angelo and Treat Williams.

Additional Comments:  Hair addresses all the controversial issues that were dividing society at the time and remain relevant to the present:  anti-war, skepticism of the government and "Big Brother", racism, sexual liberation, experimentation with psychedelic drugs, a budding sense of spirituality and incorporation of eastern philosophies, and non-conformity with societal expectations. Many songs have become anthems for the peace movement and the era, including "The Age of Aquarius", "Good Morning Starshine", and "Let the Sunshine In".  Other simply paint a picture of values and lifestyles of the counter-culture, like the pride of long hair as described in "Hair":  "Gimme a head with hair, long beautiful hair / Shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen. . .I want it long, straight, curly, fuzzy / Snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty /Oily, greasy, fleecy, shining / Gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen /Knotted, polka-dotted / Twisted, beaded, braided /Powdered, flowered, and confettied /Bangled, tangled, spangled and spaghettied!"  Hair's rebelliousness and anti-establishment attitude is bound to touch today's teens as much as it did over thirty years ago.

Into the Wild (Soundtrack)

Vedder, Eddie (2007).  Music for the motion picture "Into the wild" (Audio recording).  J-Records.

Summary:  Into the Wild was originally published by Jon Krakauer in 1996 and told the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man whose desire to separate himself from the constraints of society and whose post-graduation adventures across America land him in the solitude of the Alaskan wilderness.  A diary he kept revealed that his attempt to live off the land while living alone in an old van led to food poisoning that eventually killed him. Eddie Vedder, the lead singer of Pearl Jam, went solo to create the acoustic soundtrack for Sean Penn's 2007 Oscar-nominated film. 

Additional Comments:  Eddie Vedder's melancholic guitar-strumming and thoughtful lyrics echo Chris' reflective musings and sense of detachment from others.  Eddie Vedder's raw, emotional vocals in songs like "Hard Sun" and "Society" set a mournful tone that echo Chris' departures from friends and family that care for him.  Lyrics, such as  "Society, crazy indeed / I hope you're not lonely without me" also further echo the story's tragic theme of a young man whose head-strong determination to make it on his own lead to an untimely death.  

Juno (Soundtrack)

Messina, Matt (2007). Music from the motion picture "Juno" (Audio recording). Rhino Records.

Summary:  This quirky film tells the story of a high school girl, Juno MacGuff,  who gets pregnant and finds a couple to adopt the baby.  The deluxe soundtrack is a collection of 35 songs from contemporary independent artists, such as Belle and Sebastian, Cat Powers, and Kimya Dawson, as well as "oldies but goodies", like Buddy Holly, the Velvet Underground, the Kinks, and Sonic Youth.   

Additional comments:  The music is often playful with simple rhyming lyrics, such as "Anyone else but you" by the Moldy Peaches and "Me and You" by Barry Louis Polisar, and childlike xylophones, like "The Lorings" by Mateo Messina and "All I want is you", by Kimya Dawson, which also has a baby crying in the background.  The music helps to keep the movie light-hearted and optimistic, despite the heaviness of the topic of teen pregnancy.  

Whale Rider (DVD)

Caro, Niko (2002). Whale Rider [Motion picture].  New Zealand:  Appollo Media.

Summary:  Set in picturesque New Zealand, Whale Rider tells the story of 12-year-old Pai.  Pai's twin brother died at birth along with their mother, which devastated Pai's grandfather who believed that her brother was destined to be the incarnation of a Maori hero and the chief who would save their traditional ways and beliefs that are disintegrating in modern times.  Pai yearns to please her grandfather by learning sacred traditions, but her grandfather only gets angry because the traditions are strictly for boys and her efforts offend the ancestors.   But, can her persistence and achievement of challenging feats make him change his mind?

Additional comments:  The beautiful cinematography, the visual capturing of Maori rituals, such as the haka, and the enchanting songs to the ancestors that are echoed by eery whale songs all combine to make the movie possibly a better option than the book (with exception of the Hollywood ending).  The strong themes of the "Whale Rider" are the loss of ancient cultures in modern, oppressive societies as well as the inequitable treatment of girls in a male-dominated culture.

Weetzie Bat, by Francesca Block

Block, Francesca Lia (1989). Weetzie Bat. New York: HarperCollins Publisher.  

ISBN: 9780060736255 / 0-06-073625-9

Summary: Weetzie Bat's life changes when she becomes friends with Dirk, "the best-looking guy at school". This is the first book in a series that follows their adventures in Los Angeles as they create a home with Weetzie's boyfriend, My Secret Agent Lover Man,--a movie director--and Dirk's partner, Duck.  

Additional Comments: Written with simple language and subtle poetry that moves quickly yet is emotionally charged. Readers will enjoy a glimpse into this alternative L.A. lifestyle.

The Geography Club, by Brent Hartinger

Hartinger, Brent (2003).  Geography Club.  New York: HarperTempest.

ISBN: 0060012234 /978-0-06-001223-6

Summary: In a high school where the jocks torment one outcast with relentless bullying, Russel views his survival at high school as dependent on hiding that he's gay.  Keeping his self-knowledge from all of his friends, he turns to gay chat rooms on the Internet at night. When he encounters another student at his high school and meets him in the park at night, his life at high school changes drastically as they form "the Geography Club", which is secretly a support group for gay students.  

Additional Comments:  A moving portrayal of the lengths teens take to fit in and feel "normal".  Normally nice, good people can cave in to extreme peer pressure.  Russel joins in the mocking of Brian Bund because he is afraid to take a stand and risk ostracism.  Russel's friend, Gunnar, lies to his best friend because of his pressure to find a girlfriend and to have sex.  What's right and what's wrong can get complicated and confused.  This is a moving book about how difficult life can be for a queer or questioning youth in a close-minded and volatile place like a school.  

Chinese Handcuffs, by Chris Crutcher

Crutcher, Chris (1989). Chinese handcuffs. New York: HarperTempest. 

ISBN 0060598395 / 9780060598396

Summary:  Dillon struggles with the memory of his older brother's gory suicide and the guilt that he was a cause, a feeling that is shared by his brother's girlfriend, Stacy.  An underachiever at school, he often stands up to the principal's pressure to "give back to the school" by putting his athletic prowess into school sports. Meanwhile, he befriends a star-basketball player, Jennifer, who confides in him that her step-father is sexually abusing her.

Additional comments:  This story is filled with complicated emotions and issues presented quite graphically.  Dillon has difficult decisions to make regarding keeping his friend safe while also respecting her trust that he'll maintain confidentiality.  Hits on a number of issues with which some teens will relate and feel less lonely.  The nice basketball coach serves as a great role model; however, her intimate conversations with her male student seem a bit unrealistic as does her response to information that she is legally bound to report. But, perhaps teen readers won't pick up on this.   

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

Alexie, Sherman (2007).  The Absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian.  New York: Little Brown and Company.

ISBN 0316013684 / 9780316013680

Summary:  Tired of being made fun of and beat up for his physical differences and tired of the poor education, resources, and opportunities around him, Junior makes the difficult decision to leave the school on the  Spokane Reservation to attend all-white high school.  Considered a traitor by the rez and ignored by his new wealthy, white class-mates, Junior persists to make the 20+ mile commute to school, often hitchhiking because there's not enough gas money without much hope that his situation will improve.

Additional comments:  Despite the humorous narration, the story is quite depressing.  The reservation is rife with alcoholism that is so severe to cause multiple deaths, and opportunities for employment are so few on the rez that the best bet for Junior is to leave. Junior's poverty becomes very clear to him when he switches to the privileged school where he tries to hide his difficulties in an attempt to fit in.  Readers will get a reality check about the dismal living conditions on Native American reservations and the deep sadness of losing one's heritage. 

Black Orchid, by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman, Neil (1991).  Black orchid.  New York: DC Books.  

ISBN: 0930289552

Summary:  Black Orchid is a super-hero who is "hybrid"--part plant and part human.  Unclear of her origins, Black Orchid seeks to find out who, or what, she is. She unravels the story of her life as a human that ended in murder and was followed by rebirth or creation by a childhood friend who was a scientist. 

Additional Comments:  Black Orchid was originally a comic book series from the 1970's.  Gaiman's vision of her life story is mysterious and dreamy and slightly confusing as events are out of sequence.  Comic book aficionados will appreciate this unique story that goes from Gothic City to the Bayou to the Amazon.  Readers who are unfamiliar with the genre may get lost in the narrative that requires a good deal of inference and patience to follow.

Trino's Choice, by Diane Gonzales Bertrand

Bertrand, Diane Gonzales (1999). Trino's choice.  Houston: Pinata Books.  ISBN: 1558852689
/ 978-1-55885-268-6

Summary: When Trino witnesses a crime and ducks into a bookstore to hide from the perpetrator, Rosca, a tough eighth grader, Trino meets Lisana and her "school-type" friends, which introduces him to different activities and ways of interacting.  Trino is pretty miserable, living in a small trailer with his hard-working mother, three brothers, lazy cousin and never with enough food to eat.  When his mother loses her cleaning job and his baby brother gets ill, Trino has to make a difficult decision about how to get money to help the family.

Additional comments: Trino's Choice is a quick read that is fast-paced and moving.  The story provides a glimpse into a very difficult home-life without any father figure, supervision, and without consistent nutritious meals.  Trino's Choice is a great book to show life in a poor barrio and the hard life of low-waged jobs.  However, the characters are not very well developed, and although tragedy strikes at the end, the book doesn't have the emotional impact it could have if more connection were created with the characters. But, reluctant readers will be drawn into Trino's world and challenges.