MIDDLE SCHOOL FICTION Will he follow his conscience or the dictates of his government? In A Special Fate, by Alison Leslie Gold, the little known story of Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara is played out. Gold writes about a man of compassion and intelligence, who in spite of the danger to himself and his family, willingly becomes God’s instrument. Just as God placed Esther in a position of power in time to rescue his people from death, A Special Fate reveals how God used Sugihara in the same way. Gold uses short, simple sentences to reach her young audience, which sometimes interrupts the flow of the book, but Gold also wraps her narrative around the stories of some of the Jewish families Sugihara helped to save, making her writing seem more credible and alive. Included in the book are some photographs and images of actual documents signed by Sugihara on behalf of Jewish refugees. These images provide a glimpse into Sugihara’s personal life and reveal the faces of one young man and a little girl his actions helped to rescue. Virginia Schnabel, Freelance Writer, Shelton, Washington S P R I N G 2 0 0 1 4 6 C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L
BOOK REVIEWS HIGH SCHOOL FICTION ★ Backwater, by Joan Bauer. LCCN 98050729. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Putnam, 1999. ISBN 0399231412, HBB, $16.99. F. Genealogy--Fiction; Aunts--Fiction; Lawyers-- Fiction; Birds--Fiction; Survival--Fiction; Hermits-- Fiction. 185 p. High school (Middle school). Sixteen-year-old Ivy is determined to be an historian, contrary to her dad’s promptings that she follow in his legal tracks. To relatives who take pride in producing consecutive generations of lawyers, Ivy’s quiet, methodical ways appear rebellious. Yet, she is encouraged by the memory of her mother, who died of cancer when she was very young, leaving Ivy with an appreciation of people and their roots. At the annual holiday reunion, a competition ensues between Ivy and her aggressive Aunt Fiona over recording the Breedlove family history. Ivy is convinced that true character only appears through taking time to listen and record individual personalities. Aunt Fiona, widely known for her time management successes, prefers video clips of rehearsed speeches and views Ivy as unreasonable. Many of her relatives liken Ivy to her eccentric Aunt Josephine, who cut family ties and ran off several years before. One day, Ivy encounters a crazy neighbor who informs her that her Aunt Jo lives deep in the nearby Adirondack Mountains. With the encouragement of a motherly aunt, the help of an eccentric tracker named Mountain Mama, and a handsome student ranger, Ivy locates her estranged aunt and her birds. Aunt Jo reveals a side of the Breedloves Ivy had never known. As the quiet beauty of the place begins to grow on her, disaster strikes, and Ivy must rescue her injured aunt from the icy jaws of death. Backwater, by Joan Bauer, is a coming of age portrait of a young girl who, through adversity, finds value in herself and others. Ivy’s approachable characteristics draw the reader into her adventures. Though not specifically <strong>Christian</strong> fiction, this story exudes solid morals and values. Main characters are well sketched. Writing style and point of view are consistent and exquisitely crafted. Kim Harris, Librarian, Newman Riga <strong>Library</strong>, Churchville, New York Cabs, cameras, and catastrophes, by Wendy Lee Nentwig. (Unmistakably Cooper Ellis; 4.) LCCN 00008334. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2000. ISBN 0764220683, PAP, $5.99. F. High schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction; Models (Persons)--Fiction; New York (N.Y.)--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction. 143 p. High school. In author Wendy Lee Nentwig’s fourth book in the Cooper Ellis series, Cabs, Cameras, and Catastrophes, Cooper still has feelings for her former boyfriend, Josh, and embarks on a campaign to re-establish a relationship with him. Encouraged by her friends, Claire and Alex, Cooper makes attempts to restore a connection with Josh. This plan becomes muddled when she agrees to go out with another fellow. When he sees Cooper dating other people, Josh eventually begins seeing another girl. Cooper comes to realize she must trust God in the situation with Josh. This same trust in God is tested in her modelling jobs, when Cooper is confronted with skimpy clothing that she must model. During all this mayhem, Cooper also discovers that her best friend Claire is forced to deal with the painful issues of divorce. Once again, Cooper turns to God for comfort, support, and the wisdom to know how to support Claire during the difficult time of divorce. Throughout the book, Nentwig weaves <strong>Christian</strong> ideals and morals into her plot. This book will catch the eye and hold the interest of most young girls, since it deals with relevant topics that pertain to them, such as break-ups, boyfriends, and botched relationships. The main character shows a strong dependence and faith in God, which can only help reinforce the importance of personal relationships with God among the readers. Eileen Zygarlicke, Freelance Writer/Editor, Grand Forks, North Dakota ★ Diary of a teenage girl, by Melody Carlson. LCCN 00009655. Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah Publishers, 2000. ISBN 1576737357, PAP, $12.99. F. Diaries--Fiction; Self-perception--Fiction; Interpersonal relations--Fiction; <strong>Christian</strong> life--Fiction; High schools--Fiction; Schools--Fiction. 248 p. High school. Diary of a Teenage Girl, by Melody Carlson, provides a candid look at a sixteen-year-old’s life as she begins to question who she is and what she believes. The comfortable friendship she has with her longtime friend, Beanie, is put on the shelf when Caitlin finds herself accepted into the popular crowd at high school. Suddenly what Caitlin had only dreamed about becomes a reality; yet the popularity she experiences doesn’t fill her emptiness, and in fact increases her anxieties. Raised in the church, Caitlin begins to question her beliefs, particularly her parents’ beliefs, especially when she discovers her father is possibly having an affair. Another first-person account, Someone Like You, by Sarah Dessen—an ALA Best Book for Young Adults—covers much of the same territory as Carlson’s Diary does. However, even though Halley, the main character in Someone, comes to much the same conclusions as Caitlin, there is not the same heartfelt hope as is felt by Diary’s end. The difference? Jesus. Without being pretentious, Carlson shows how Jesus fills the empty places in our lives. Difficult subjects like infidelity, dating, abstinence, partying, and teen pregnancy are addressed from a point of view within the <strong>Christian</strong> circle of standards. Nonetheless, Carlson still addresses the roller-coaster life of a teen girl with down-to-earth authenticity and satisfaction. She makes it clear that even good <strong>Christian</strong> kids can take a tumble off the path at times. Her point is: are they willing to get back on it when God stretches out His hand in gentle correction and forgiveness? Pam Webb, <strong>Library</strong> Technician, Sandpoint, Idaho Elephant tears : mask of the elephant, by Richard Trout. (MacGregor family adventures; 2.) LCCN 00036223. San Antonio, Tex.: , LangMarc Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1880292726, PAP, $9.95. F. Elephants--Fiction; Poaching--Fiction; Wildlife rescue--Fiction; Adventure and adventurers--Fiction; Kenya--Fiction. 241 p. High school. The MacGregor family consists of Dr. Jack, Dr. Mavis, seventeen-year-oldChris, fourteen-yearold Heather, and twelve-year-old R.O. The teens are reminiscent of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, in that they are constantly happening upon exciting adventures that ultimately lead to their solving a crime. In this particular situation, the crime is that of poaching elephants, lions, and various other African animals. Chris, Heather, and their Kukuyu friend, fourteen-year-old Rebecca, find themselves stranded in the wilds of Africa where baboons infiltrate their camp. They must also confront the beginning of the rainy season, which entails several severe thunderstorms, charging lions, and being imprisoned by poachers. And these are only a few of the mishaps that occur during this fascinating tale. The details that are included in this story are so appalling that the reader becomes very aware of the plight of animals that are in danger of being killed by poachers just for their tusks, skins, and feet. Author Richard Trout is an environmental biologist and a college professor, and has done C H R I S T I A N L I B R A R Y J O U R N A L 4 7 S P R I N G 2 0 0 1
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