Chasing Freedom by Gloria Ann Wesley
Summary: Sarah and her grandmother Lydia are slaves living in Carolina when the Revolutionary War between the British and the American Patriots takes place. Their owners are Loyalists who plan to flee to Nova Scotia, and Sarah and Lydia find themselves in The Book of Negroes with passage to freedom in the new country. Once there though, freedom is an uphill battle as promises are broken and old attitudes threaten their safety.
Number of Pages: 231
Age Range: 17-18
Review: From Barbara Smucker’s Underground to Canada to Lawerence Hill’s The Book of Negroes, Gloria Ann Wesley’s Chasing Freedom bridges the gap in literature about slavery in the late 1700s for teens. It lies closer to Hill’s work than Smucker’s though.
This is a piece of historical fiction that’s more of a challenging read. Wesley explores the story of an entire family affected by slavery, from the grandmother Lydia to her grandchildren Sarah and Prince. In the end it kind of turned into a social justice piece about a young woman who dares to follow her dreams, and I felt the focus of the book was lost a bit.
There’s no denying though that Wesley is a talented writer. Her exploration of the concept of freedom is thought-provoking and insightful. I had to whittle down my list of memorable quotes because I had so many.
I’d recommend it for older teen readers, and probably for a school curriculum type setting. Chasing Freedom is a book adults will enjoy as well though.
Memorable Quotes:
“‘What good is freedom, Ma’am, if all we can do is live in fear? It’s not right that we get treated this way, not here.'” – Sarah from Chasing Freedom by Gloria Ann Wesley, page 4
“‘It sure got me going,’ Reece laughed, ‘and I’m not much on religion. All it does is keep a man down, encouraging him to rely on something other than himself. We have the tools to direct ourselves and a conscience to guide us. Fools have no conscience. That is what accounts for sin. What a man needs to get ahead is not prayers, but a good fight.'” – Reece from Chasing Freedom by Gloria Ann Wesley, page 57
“A slave woman, she thought, never fully realises the joy of her heart nor the sweetness of her body. All these years, her body has served others. It has known the work of a man and a woman, the cut of the lash and the forced bearing of children, but never the tenderness of love.” – from Chasing Freedom by Gloria Ann Wesley, pages 64-65
“‘Freedom is not a reward, Sarah. Freedom is a right. Never forget that.'” – Fortune from Chasing Freedom by Gloria Ann Wesley, page 78
“‘You have to understand hatred. It’s like a poison that attacks the mind and the heart. It keeps them from feeling or understanding. Some people have the poison in them. In some minds, Sarah, you are not as good as they are. That makes you less deserving.’ Margaret bent her head and shook it several times. She could not look into Sarah’s eyes. ‘You deserve better. We all deserve better. I can’t change that, but we can’t let it stop us.'” – Margaret from Chasing Freedom by Gloria Ann Wesley, pages 192-193
Chasing Freedom by Gloria Ann Wesley is published by Roseway Publishing (2010).
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Home Truths by Jill MacLean
Summary: Brick’s got one thing on his mind – following through on his plan to make enough money to move out as soon as he’s legally able to. Under the thumb of his physically and verbally abusive father, Brick’s anger and frustration finds expression in his bullying of other ‘weaker’ kids. His younger sister Cassie brings out his softer side, and he’ll do anything to protect her. An odd job expands Brick’s circle, and shows him that things can be different as more and more people begin to support him. When he finds out the previously unthinkable is happening, Brick finds the courage to take a stand and draw his line in the sand, knowing he finally has others to back him up.
Number of Pages: 278
Age Range: 15-17
Review: I know we’re talking about a ten year age gap here, but I love Jill MacLean’s portrayal of sibling relationships in Home Truths, just as I did in Nix Minus One. Kudos to MacLean, because conveying such a close brother/sister relationship is even more difficult when the sister is only four. I know the cover for Home Truths has changed now, but the one I have pictured here is my favourite; it is apt and touching.
This is a powerful and disturbing read. Brick’s journey from isolated bully/punching bag to a mature young man with friends and support is well-detailed and worth reading about.
Perhaps the most surprising part of MacLean’s book was the revelation of Floyd’s point-of-view of the abuse he inflicts on Brick near the end of the novel. Despite the fact that we know Floyd has also been abused as a child, he is an unsympathetic character and remains one, but I appreciated MacLean’s explanation of his actions.
The first time I read this book, there was one major plot point that threw me. Brick is only 14, striving to get out of the house when he turns 16. But Brick seems very mature for his age throughout the book, and I questioned whether a fourteen year-old would have been able to bulk up enough to physically take on his adult father even with the karate. The second time I read it (today) I replaced 14 with 16 and 16 with 18 and the story just flowed. At times it is a difficult read though because of the scenes of violence against children and the incident with the dog. Lots of gut-wrenching moments.
The age discrepancy makes it difficult to pin down an age range, but with the mature themes of abuse I would recommend it for mid-teens or older even though Brick is a younger character.
Memorable Quotes:
“Let’s get this over with. I’m a reader. Nonfiction mostly, because I like to hoard information. I’ve tried novels, but you can’t trust the facts any more than you can trust the authors to keep the emotional lid on. I’ve even tried poetry. Lids off and toss ’em in the air, that’s what poetry’s all about.
Although I own an old-fashioned boom box with a CD player and an AM/FM radio, I don’t own a laptop, iPod, iPhone, or Blackberry, and Floyd hogs the TV – what else is there to do every evening from November to April except read?” – Brick from Home Truths by Jill MacLean, page 3
“‘Why did you put the pallets there?’ he says, pleasantly enough.
‘So last year’s wood is nearest the cellar door?’ Declarative statements can be dangerous. They don’t teach you this in grade eight English.” – conversation between Floyd and Brick from Home Truths by Jill MacLean, page 16
“Fear is what I live with, fear that sometimes hibernates and sometimes claws me like a grizzly.” – Brick from Home Truths by Jill MacLean, page 95
“I haven’t told Docker I run every day except Sunday – my secret. The way it makes me feel – like there’s hope, like there’s something I can do right – is my secret too.” – Brick from Home Truths by Jill MacLean, page 175
“I’m tied to her. We’re in this together and no way out.
My little sister. Who came to my rescue.
I rub my cheek on her hair. I love Cassie.
Well yeah, of course I do. I just never put it into words before.” – Brick from Home Truths by Jill MacLean, page 182
“If responsibility is the heaviest word in the dictionary, hope is the scariest.” – Brick from Home Truths by Jill MacLean, page 234
Home Truths by Jill MacLean is published by Dancing Cat Books (2010).
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Emily for Real by Sylvia Gunnery
Summary: Emily’s breakup with her boyfriend Brian comes right before the sudden death of her grandfather. Circumstances conspire to leave Emily without a boyfriend or a best friend to confide in when her grandfather’s will turns out to have some surprises. Enter Leo, a guy who thinks Shakespeare is a pervert and is dealing with challenges of his own. The two strike up an unlikely friendship that supports Leo through family conflicts and Emily through the revelation of a secret that will change her life.
Number of Pages: 202
Age Range: 14-16
Review: Through Emily For Real, Sylvia Gunnery provides her readers with a window into Emily’s family, a close-knit group centred by her father Gerald and his twin sister Emma. As multiple family secrets are revealed, Emily turns to a new classmate named Leo for support and ends up finding a best, if not somewhat unusual, friend.
I love Gunnery’s heartfelt characters. We join Emily at the beginning of the book frantically cutting out her now ex-boyfriend from all of their pictures making it easy to slip into her perspective. Emily For Real is a lighter read about the true meaning of family, issues of identity and genuine friendship.
Reading a story where the main girl and guy characters are just friends, and great friends at that, is refreshing, especially because the dynamic between Emily and Leo is real and relaxed. Gunnery allows them to just be with each other, but also to challenge each other when needed. Leo’s advice on how to handle Brian coming back into town was perfect.
Even in the midst of the family confusion, Emily is always surrounded by love. I was sad when I finished Emily For Real, because I found myself just wanting to live in her world a little longer.
Memorable Quotes:
“… I already know that life has its ups and downs, that there’s more fish in the sea, that love can be cruel, and any other cliché that’s supposed to make you feel good but only makes you want to puke.” – Emily from Emily For Real by Sylvia Gunnery, page 3
“After she leaves I go to my room and listen to music and picture Brian talking slow French to this girl in Montreal and her giggling when his accent sounds English and his smile and brown eyes and just the way he tilts his head sideways when he’s kissing. His soft soft lips and how sweet his breath smells. The pressure of his mouth and how he sometimes moans and pulls me in closer, tighter.
But it’s not me. It’s her.
Crying is not cathartic.” – Emily from Emily For Real by Sylvia Gunnery, page 9
“Right now Leo’s eyes are dark wells. He’s down in there somewhere and so’s his little sister Caroline. It’s like they’ll be down in there forever unless their mom wakes up and sees them and holds out her hand.” – Emily from Emily For Real by Sylvia Gunnery, page 47
“‘Silence never works.'” – Dana from Emily For Real by Sylvia Gunnery, page 166
“‘Kids figure stuff out. And they can handle more than adults give them credit for.’ I don’t try to keep the sharp edge off what I’m saying.
Dad looks at Mom and she looks down at her plate. It feels like we’re all stuck in quicksand.
If you ever get stuck in quicksand, you’re supposed to lie flat so you spread out your weight and you won’t sink like a stone into the guck. I remember learning about that in elementary school. But are you just supposed to lie there? Shouldn’t you edge your way along, very cautiously, until you reach solid ground? Because if you just lie there, you’d eventually sink. Maybe more slowly, but you’d still sink. I’m sure of that.” – Emily from Emily For Real by Sylvia Gunnery, page 171
Emily for Real by Sylvia Gunnery is published by Pajama Press (2012).
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Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari
Summary: Lucy is a sixteen year-old surviving on her own after a plague has wiped out her entire family and most of the world’s population. A stranger named Aiden rescues her from a wild dog attack and invites her to live with his community of survivors at a place called Hell’s Gate. Reluctant, but forced to abandon her shelter by a tsunami, Lucy joins the community and has to adjust to living with others again. Turns out the community is being regularly culled by scientists with questionable motives involving plague research, and Lucy herself is the object of their desire due to the secret in her blood.
Number of Pages: 343
Age Range: 13-15
Review: If ever there were literary sisters from different books, I think they would be Dr. Lessing from Jo Treggiari’s Ashes, Ashes and Jeanine Matthews from the Divergent trilogy (by Veronica Roth). It is truly creepy how similar the two characters are in their single-minded pursuit of science at the expense of human life. They even seem to look alike.
Lucy is an incredibly independent character who has taught herself to survive on her own after the plague deaths of her whole family. Preferring her own company she only turns to community living when she has to after a tsunami wipes out her shelter, but finds a reason to stay in her crush on Aidan.
Things are pretty complicated though because scientists from the local hospital constantly raid the community, looking for something specific for their studies that turns out to be Lucy’s blood. Lucy, Aidan and Del go on a rescue mission to save the children that have been taken, but the reader is left with more question than answers after their encounter with Dr. Lessing as Ashes, Ashes is the start of a series and purposely leaves the reader hanging.
I was impressed by Lucy’s determination and survival skills, but things didn’t really pick up for me until Lucy moved into Hell’s Gate and started interacting with more people. I was frustrated by storylines left hanging, yet I am intrigued enough to want to read the next book in the series. What makes Lucy’s blood so special? Is Dr. Lessing truly pursuing science or does she have darker intentions? To that end, when is the next book coming out?
Recommended for early to mid teens with a caution about scenes of violence.
Memorable Quotes:
“‘Nothing will get rebuilt without people,’ he said.
‘People’ – she put a snotty emphasis on the word – ‘are the reason we’re in this mess in the first place. Too many people, and most of them are a waste of oxygen.'” – conversation between Aiden and Lucy from Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari, page 41
“The Hell Gate. The question was, were you entering hell going in or coming out? As far as she was concerned, the jury was still out on that one.” – Lucy from Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari, page 83
“Now that he was leaving, she felt the familiar lump of dread settle in her stomach. Funny how she felt safer when she was out in the open and could see her surroundings.” – Lucy from Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari, page 109
“‘Don’t you ever just feel like saying ‘forget it’?’ Del said. ‘There’s just too much . . . responsibility,’ she said finally. Her mouth clenched around the word. She looked at Lucy, then at Aidan. Her eyes gleamed. ‘I mean, we’re teenagers, right? Aren’t we supposed to be getting ourselves into trouble? Having a good time? Sex and drugs and rock ‘n’ roll! Isn’t that what it’s supposed to be like?’ Her voice lowered and softened until she sounded like a little girl. Wistful and sad.” – Del from Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari, page 249
Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari is published by Scholastic Inc (2013).
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Oak Island Revenge by Cynthia D’Entremont
Summary: Fourteen year-olds Jonah and Beaz are starting their summer by keeping their Oak Island treasure hunting plans a secret due to Jonah’s parents being over-protective and Beaz’s mother being physically abusive. But this one simple secret multiples into other secrets when a local girl turns up dead and Jonah and Beaz keep stumbling upon clues revealing who the murder is. As some of the secrets are unveiled, the most powerful ones remain silent, causing danger to Beaz. Jonah learns that while the truth isn’t always pretty, it is vitally important, and the mysterious Oak Island proves to seek its’ own revenge.
Number of Pages: 203
Age Range: 12-13
Review: Well-paced and suspenseful, Oak Island Revenge is a coming-of-age book about one young man’s journey into the world of secrets. Harmful, helpful and self-preserving, the secrets Jonah encounters will change the way he views his life, friends and family.
Most of these secrets revolve around the murder of a local teenager named Charlotte, whose body is found after she has been missing for days when it washes up on shore after a storm passes through. D’Entremont does a skillful job of weaving together the clues surrounding Charlotte’s murder, and developing Jonah’s growing maturity. Oak Island Revenge has an earnest tone to it, and while D’Entremont does not prove easy answers to her reader, I did enjoy when Oak Island itself took care of the bad guys.
It reads a bit young for teen, but this tale of mystery and plot-twists held my interest and kept me turning pages. The balance between the historical aspects of Oak Island and the stories of Jonah and Beaz was impeccable, and I found myself caught up in the story D’Entremont created instead of wishing I could just read about the historical part. That said, there is a non-fiction book called Oak Island Family written by Lee Lamb and published by Dundurn that would be a lovely accompaniment to Oak Island Revenge as it provides more history and explains “The Money Pit” in much greater detail. I was glad I had already read Lamb’s book before D’Entremont’s because it enriched the experience of reading it for me.
The stories of Oak Island are very intriguing – Canada’s own buried treasure right in Nova Scotia – and D’Entremont’s contribution to the lore surrounding Oak Island is superb.
Memorable Quotes:
“‘Sitting in this hospital brings back a flood of memories, son. There are things we do for our loved ones. Things that seem right at the time.'” – Abraham Morgan from Oak Island Revenge by Cynthia D’Entremont, page 180
“The dull ache left in his stomach surprised him – the moment of his brother’s unmasking left him feeling empty. There was no joy in this truth. Just truth.” – Jonah from Oak Island Revenge by Cynthia D’Entremont, page 181
Oak Island Revenge by Cynthia D’Entremont is published by Nimbus Publishing (2012).
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