Membrane by Carol Moreira
Summary: Tanya’s got problems. When she falls through a membrane and enters a parallel universe, she encounters her double who has problems of her own. Nicknamed P by Tanya, P’s problems include the inhabitants of another parallel universe trying to invade her world. The membrane has a mind of its’ own, and Tanya, P and their friend all find themselves at its’ mercy, giving them new perspectives on the invasion issue. Faced with an invasion into her mind, Tanya learns to overcome her troubled memories to become a stronger person.
Number of Pages: 234
Age Range: 13-14
Review: Membrane is a complex book about travelling to multiple parallel universes, alien invasions, overcoming bullying and finding the strength to face your fears.
I found myself often confused while reading today. Tanya seemed to be a teen with average and real problems when suddenly she ended up in a parallel universe, passing through a membrane made up of substances that I thought were hazardous to humans. Still Tanya seemed to pass through it several times without harm.
What I did like about the book was Tanya’s growth. Once the reader finally finds out what happened at the “last school” she went to, an alien species is invading her mind to replay the memory over and over. With the help of others from another parallel world, she learns to deal with her fears and anxiety herself. The ending is a bit ambigious – it seems the alien race invading one of the parallel universes is also invading Tanya’s world in a more subtle fashion – but Tanya is now ready to handle it.
Memorable Quotes:
“I should have known that because I got how it felt to have music flow out of you at the same time as it flowed out of other people. Music connects everyone in an amazing way. When you’re playing music you can feel like you love every person in the entire world.” – Tanya from Membrane by Carol Moreira, page 35
“I shuddered – ‘interrogation’ was a terrible word. How could P be casual about it? The Others must have been traumatized to find themselves trapped in a strange universe where they were treated like lab rats. Then I remembered that everyone in P’s universe had been scared of the Others. The Others had been looming in the sky over their heads for a long time. Maybe this behaviour was tit for tat. Whatever caused it, it was terrible.” – Tanya from Membrane by Carol Moreira, page 104
“…perhaps it’s good to be from Nova Scotia – we had beautiful, mostly unspoiled scenery, friendly people, great music and the best sailing.” – Tanya from Membrane by Carol Moreira, page 225
Membrane by Carol Moreira is published by Fierce Ink Press (2013).
(Buy this book: Amazon
| Canadian Booksellers)
Game Plan by Natalie Corbett Sampson
Summary: Basketball athlete Ella is usually responsible and cautious, but one drunken Hallowe’en night lowers her inhibitions with her boyfriend, Sam, leaving her only seventeen and pregnant. Katherine and Danny Frayne are a married couple who have tried unsuccessfully for five years to conceive without success so they begin the process to adopt a child. These two heartfelt journeys unfold separately, but Ella’s decision about her unplanned pregnancy will connect them forever.
Number of Pages: 306
Age Range: 17-18
Review: Appearances are deceiving on this one. What looks like a light-hearted teen book about sports from the cover is actually a thoughtful exploration of the adoption process from both sides of the coin. I suppose because of Ella’s part of the story it can be classified as teen, but it’s a book that crosses over into the adult fiction genre.
It seemed a bit obvious that Katherine and Danny were going to end up with Ella’s baby, but reading both sides of the story and how each faced their own unique challenges provides insight and depth. Even though the adoption seems like a sure thing, Sampson still manages to introduce doubt as Ella agonizes over her decision.
There is genuine emotion in the telling of the two tales and I was close to crying more than once. I loved the relationship between Ella and her brother Ben, as well as the development of Ella’s relationship with Charlie. As for Katherine and Danny, they seemed to live a charmed life, but Katherine’s insecurities made her a real character for me, as the scene where Danny is crying in the nursery after a failed adoption made him real as well.
In the end, it’s the story about a teen who had one night of recklessness and the game plan she decides on to deal with the resulting situation. Katherine and Danny are dealing with their own grief over not being able to conceive, but Ella’s actions in response to being pregnant end up giving them the most precious gift.
It’s a beautiful and touching story, but one I would recommend for older teen readers due to its’ ability to be a crossover book.
Memorable Quotes:
“She followed Alex through the aisles to the pharmacy. When they came to the display of tests, the multitude of options was overwhelming. ‘Any look good to you?’ Alex asked, as if they were choosing a movie.
‘None of them look good,’ Ella said. She looked over the colored boxes of smiling women holding plastic sticks. Why isn’t there a box showing a terrified teen? Then again, none of the boxes showed the results the women were gleaming about. Maybe they’re all negative and the women are relieved and celebrating. She reached for the closest box and wrenched it off the peg.” – conversation between Alex and Ella about pregnancy tests from Game Plan by Natalie Corbett Sampson, pages 108-109
“Carol nodded and scribbled in her book, ‘Yes, but how do you feel now? Do you think you’ve grieved sufficiently? Do you honestly think you’re ready to move on to adoption?’
Katherine wanted to scream: How do I feel now? I feel like shit! I want to be a mother. I want a child. I want to raise a person. So I’m reduced to police checks for criminal activity and child abuse. I’m subjected to personal judgement by complete strangers asking about the intimate details of my marriage – our arguments, our sex life, our financial struggles. I’m forced to prove my worth over and over. How do I feel?” – conversation between Carol and Katherine from Game Plan by Natalie Corbett Sampson, page 143
“‘I’m sorry, Momma, I know I should keep it, I know I should want it, but…’ Ella wiped her face with both hands. ‘What kind of person does that make me?’
‘An honest one, and a realistic one. A brave one. Not a mother, but a wonderful girl.'” – conversation between Ella and her mother from Game Plan by Natalie Corbett Sampson, page 201
“‘Ells, shit happens. Bad choices and bad luck, and now you’re paying for it. You can’t undo the past – you know that. And you’re doing everything you can to make things right.'” – Charlie from Game Plan by Natalie Corbett Sampson, page 228
“Ella started to cry as her mother spoke, because she was starting to grasp why it hurt worse than she had expected. I didn’t think I’d love the baby. All along she had seen the baby as a consequence, a problem to solve, an obstacle to overcome. But there she lay, not a problem or an obstacle, but a warm, breathing, beautiful baby she loved. Even though it hurt.” – Ella from Game Plan by Natalie Corbett Sampson, page 274
“Katherine stood for a long moment watching after Ella. Her emotions were a confusing tangle. Her elation was bundled in the warm weight in her arms, but her heart was breaking for the young girl who had fled the room. There had been no way for Katherine to prepare for the devastation she had just witnessed. She finally understood how her joy was born from someone else’s pain. She winced and inwardly vowed never to take that for granted.” – Katherine from Game Plan by Natalie Corbett Sampson, page 295
Game Plan by Natalie Corbett Sampson is published by Fierce Ink Press (2013).
(Buy this book: Amazon
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Not Suitable for Family Viewing by Vicki Grant
Summary: After being burned by her mother Mimi’s celebrity status, Robin has withdrawn from the world to avoid further pain. Her one remaining friend, Selena, challenges her to get off her pampered butt and do something, and when Robin finds a mysterious ring as well as a photograph hidden carefully in her mother’s room she gains the motivation to do so. Impulsively she travels to Port Minton, Nova Scotia in search of answers to the origins of the ring, but Robin ends up learning more than she ever expected.
Number of Pages: 290
Age Range: 15-17
Review: Last book on my journey of Vicki Grant’s, but it was my favourite. Today I was laughing till I cried while reading the scene where Robin meets Levi and mistakes him for a dangerous predator. Grant sure knows how to write memorable meet-cutes.
Not Suitable for Family Viewing is both poignant and fun. With the mystery of Robin’s mother’s past and the journey Robin has to go on to find out the truth, it’s just a good story. It’s difficult to go into detail without ruining the book for first-time readers, but I was struck by Grant’s portrayal of the difficulties in facing and overcoming one’s past. Plus I enjoyed the fact that there were a couple of plot twists I didn’t see coming. Throw Grant’s impeccable sense of humour into the mix and you’ve got a book that will hold your interest and keep you guessing while making you roll with laughter.
Recommended for mid-teens looking for some romance, mystery and humour.
Memorable Quotes:
“It makes me think: why does everyone always feel sorry for the people in comas? The comatose guys should be feeling sorry for us. They’ve got it easy. No worries. No expectations. No wondering how you’re going to fill your day. (Next time the guidance counsellor asks me what I want to be, that’s what I’m going to say: comatose. If nothing else, it will make picking my courses easier.)” – Robin from Not Suitable for Family Viewing by Vicki Grant, page 5
“I don’t want to hurt her again. (I don’t think she wants to hurt me either. Maybe that’s why we avoid each other.)” – Robin from Not Suitable for Family Viewing by Vicki Grant, page 95
“‘You know, I’ve done more shows than I can count on heroes. People who’ve jumped onto subway tracks to save a stranger or fought off an intruder or thrown themselves on a hand grenade. And every time I do one, I think of Rosie. We always make bravery out to be this big, flashy thing. It isn’t always. Rosie Ingram is one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. I mean it. I’m not saying everyone at high school was out-and-out mean or that some people didn’t try to help. But Rosie was the only one brave enough to really get to know me. She didn’t care if it looked bad on her. That’s real courage. Unfortunately, it’s just not very good TV.'” – Mimi from Not Suitable for Family Viewing by Vicki Grant, page 278
Not Suitable for Family Viewing by Vicki Grant is published by HarperTrophy Canada (2009).
(Buy this book: Amazon
| Canadian Booksellers)
Running on Empty by Don Aker
Summary: Seventeen year-old Ethan has a chip on his shoulder a mile wide. Every thing is everyone else’s fault and he deeply resents having to face the consequences of his own actions. This attitude of entitlement leads him down a self-destructive road that will take away almost everything he has and put his closest relationships to the test. Hopefully he’ll be able to pull himself out of it before anyone gets hurt.
Number of Pages: 265
Age Range: 15-17
Review: The interesting part of reading more than one book by an author is developing a sense of their specific writing techniques. In Don Aker’s case, it’s all about a story with drama, suspense, tension and explaining intense scenes by jumping ahead.
The first time I read Running on Empty, I was practically screaming at Aker to tell me what happened to Raye! The second time, today, since I already knew, the tension wasn’t as heightened and strong, and I didn’t have to shout. He leaves his reader suspended right till the end though, so if you haven’t read this book before be prepared for a gut-wrenching ride.
Ethan is not exactly the most likeable character, but the dynamic between him and his father was page-turning. Watching Ethan spiral out of control deeper and deeper into his gambling addiction reminded me a bit of The Opposite of Tidy by Carrie Mac because it was like seeing an accident and not being able to tear your eyes away. Again, my favourite part was Ethan’s little sister Raye, and also like Way to Go by Tom Ryan I thought it was interesting how Aker had a character who tipped with lottery tickets. Is this a Nova Scotia thing?
I would recommend this book for male teen readers because I think its’ grittiness will hold their interest and in the end it has a positive if hard fought message.
Memorable Quotes:
“The Chow Down, on the other hand, seemed to attract every oddball, cheapskate, and family with kids under five. Kids who screeched at their parents, upset their food, balled up the pages of the colouring books Lil kept on hand, and threw crayons Ethan brought them in Styrofoam cups. Reaching down for a stub of Burnt Sienna that looked like it had been gnawed on, he could understand why some species ate their young.” – from Running on Empty by Don Aker, page 48
“Ethan looked at his blue-haired, tongue-studded, frequently fake-tattooed sister and couldn’t believe this was the same kid who, years ago, used to follow him around like a puppy, her short legs pumping madly to keep up. A lot of older brothers would have minded, but Ethan hadn’t. He said he did, or course, but most of the time it was just an act for his buddies. He actually liked having Raye around. Some of it, he now knew, had to do with their mother dying; they had filled a void for each other at the time. But the rest of it had to do with Raye.” – from Running on Empty by Don Aker, page 96
“‘Nothing stays the same, Ethan,’ she’d told him. ‘The one thing you can count on is that everything changes.'” – Ethan’s mom from Running on Empty by Don Aker, page 170
“‘All you think about is yourself. You’re so wrapped up in what you want, what you think you need, that you don’t give a damn about anyone else. An old guy lives on soup and you can’t even give him back the cost of the ticket he bought you. That’s cold.'” – Pete from Running on Empty by Don Aker, page 183
“He learns when to split, learns about card counting, learns there is so much more to the game than he’d imagined. In some ways blackjack is like physics, unseen forces working in the background, the dealer a kind of gravity bringing everything back to centre. But blackjack is also not like physics. Because these forces he understands. There is a cool logic here that seems sensible, safe.” – from Running on Empty by Don Aker, page 189
Running on Empty by Don Aker is published by HarperTrophy Canada (2012).
(Buy this book: Amazon
| Canadian Booksellers)
Run by Eric Walters
Summary: Fourteen year-old Winston’s bad behaviour at home and at school has his mother at her wits’ end. Following a suggestion from the police officer who brought Winston home from his latest runaway attempt, Winston’s mother sends him to live with his father for a bit. About to leave on a trip to Nova Scotia to follow a lead on a story, Winston’s father takes Winston along. It’s 1980 and it turns out the story is about a young, unknown man named Terry Fox who is on the cusp of changing the country and perhaps Winston too.
Number of Pages: 236
Age Range: 12-14
Review: Eric Walters blends fiction and non-fiction to create a classic story about one of Canada’s most beloved heroes, Terry Fox.
Keeping in mind that my experience of Terry is second-hand through movies and books, I thought Walters did a superb job in his portrayal of Terry and his friend Doug Alward. I could imagine Terry Fox saying the words and dialogue that Walters wrote. I especially liked the way Walters put more of the focus on Doug, because his role in the Marathon of Hope is often undervalued. The message about best friends fighting but still being friends was honest and realistic, but is also somewhat overlooked as an aspect of Terry’s journey. Walters truly captured that Terry was an average guy doing an extraordinary thing, being supported by extremely loyal friends and family.
The only problem was that the parts of the book featuring Terry Fox and Doug Alward were so well done that I found myself just wanting to read more about them instead of Winston. Although I suppose it’s a bit like Blood Brothers in Louisbourg by Philip Roy, Run works as an exploration of a historical event because the narrator is an observer and is not directly involved. Also, part of Walters’ purpose in writing the book was to educate a new generation about Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope. Placing Winston as the narrator is effective because he’s just an average kid that others will be able to relate to.
I would recommend this to any teen who has a limited knowledge of Terry Fox as an introductory piece, but I do think it is geared toward a younger teen audience. The new Puffin Classic edition (published in 2014) where I found my quotes has an excellent introduction by Deborah Ellis.
Memorable Quotes:
“The Marathon of Hope is about searching for a cure for cancer. It is also a manifestation of the hope we share with all of humanity – that the world as we know it, with its pain, sorrow and injustice, can be made better through our combined intentions and efforts.” – from the introduction by Deborah Ellis in Run by Eric Walters, page vii
“You know, the only people who don’t make mistakes are those who are too timid to try new things. Stay bold, take chances and be prepared to make bold mistakes.” – Winston’s father from Run by Eric Walters, page 30
“You have to understand that I’m one of the lucky ones . . . the people who survived cancer. I can remember those who weren’t so lucky. I’ve been there in the cancer ward with other people . . . this is my way of trying to make the hurt stop so that other people don’t have to suffer or die.” – Terry Fox from Run by Eric Walters, page 54
“‘Nice people,’ Doug said. ‘It’s like everybody in the whole province of Newfoundland is friendly.'” – Doug Alward from Run by Eric Walters, page 58
“‘By running like this I let people know that cancer can be beaten . . . that life can go on . . . that you define people by their ability and not their disability.'” – Terry Fox from Run by Eric Walters, page 58
“‘If I stopped every time I felt a little bit of pain I’d still be somewhere in Newfoundland. Or probably I’d have given up when I was running laps and I’d still be back home. Pain is just part of it. Tired is just part of it. You have to run through those things.'” – Terry Fox from Run by Eric Walters, page 158
“‘I was lucky, I got cancer, but I survived. Today I feel privileged to even be alive. But as I think back to those first few months, how scared I was, not knowing whether I would live or die, I remember promising myself that should I live I would rise up to meet this new challenge face to face and prove myself worthy of live, something that people take for granted.'” – Terry Fox from Run by Eric Walters, page 172
“‘He gave us a dream as big as our country,’ I said, cutting him off.” – Winston from Run by Eric Walters, page 198
“‘Somewhere the hurting must stop . . . and maybe that place is here.'” – Terry Fox from Run by Eric Walters, page 205
Run by Eric Walters is published by Puffin Books (2003).
(Buy this book: Amazon
| Canadian Booksellers)
About Amy
Amy Mathers has been passionate about reading from a very young age, and hopes others will share her enthusiasm for funding a teen book award. Read more Follow Amy
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