Teen Book Reviews: March 2024 Page 2
The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
Review by EB
The Pickwick Club is a group of naive intellectuals that set out to explore the world. Its members are Samuel Pickwick, Augustus Snodgrass, Nathaniel Winkle, and Tracy Tupman. While the members may be educated and articulate, they still get into plenty of close calls. Shortly after they depart on their journey, the club unwittingly befriends a con artist. In no time at all, one of the club members gets into a duel with a doctor. Soon after that, they run into Tupman’s old friend, Mr. Wardle and his family. And pretty soon, the club ends up chasing the con artist who attempts to run off with and get married to Mr. Wardle’s middle-aged (and rich!) sister. Written by Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers is a hilarious story of the countless adventures that Mr. Pickwick and his friends have as they travel around the country. It is an account of their duels, law suits, imprisonment, and of course romance. It is also an account of all the unusual people they meet, such as Serjeant Buzfuz, Dr. Payne, Dr. Slammer, Alfred Jingle, and the witty Sam Weller. If you are looking for a light, fast-paced, and humorous read, The Pickwick Papers is for you.
The Canterville Ghost and Other Stories by Oscar Wilde
Review by EB
Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost is a very unusual ghost story. Far from being scary, this work is rather funny. It tells the story of Sir Simon de Canterville – the ghost who has terrorized the dwellers of Canterville Chase for 300 years. When an American family buys and moves into the mansion, the ghost plans to continue his reign of terror, but runs into some obstacles. The American family is too practical to be frightened by the ghost. Rather than being disturbed by the “irremovable” blood stain, for example, the family rubs it off with Pinkerton’s Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent. At other times, Simon Canterville attempts to startle the family, only to be startled himself instead. If you are interested in a new perspective on the lives (or afterlives) of ghosts, this short story is definitely for you. My favorite of the other stories in this collection is Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime in which Arthur Savile learns that he is destined to commit murder, and attempts to get that out of the way before he gets married (this turns out to be easier said than done). The other works are The Sphinx without a Secret – a story about a mysterious lady who may or may not be hiding something and Poems in Prose – very short, satirical pieces of writing that poke fun at various things, from religion, to art, to literature. Lastly, The Model Millionaire tells the story of a young man who is too poor to marry his beloved. If you like bite-sized works of literature and would like to laugh, you should read this collection.
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
Review by EB
A week before Halloween, long after all the other carnivals have gone, Cooger and Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show comes to Green Town, Illinois. Unlike regular carnivals, this one comes at three in the morning – the most disturbing part of the night. Two friends, Jim Nightshade and Will Halloway, watch the arrival of this carnival. In the morning, of course, they go to visit it, and run into their teacher, Mrs. Foley. Mrs. Foley tries going through the mirror maze only to be pulled out by Jim and Will after she starts shouting, apparently terrified. The two boys are intrigued by this and go back later that evening to learn more about the carnival. As they do so, they uncover a dark yet tempting secret about Cooger, Dark, and their eerie carnival. Naturally, Cooger and Dark will do anything to protect their secret. They frame the boys for robbery, and when that doesn’t get Jim and Will in much trouble, Mr. Dark takes matters into his own hands. With the help of his freaks, Mr. Dark goes on a search for the two boys who do their best to hide. Are Jim and Will going to escape the carnival and take it down, or be captured by its luring secret? I enjoyed this book because Ray Bradbury’s writing style is unusual. It is able to convey many of the disjointed thoughts that the characters have throughout the story. I also think that the relatively slow pacing of the story was a good choice because it builds the suspense of the novel. If you are looking for an eerie but not terrifying book, I strongly recommend Something Wicked this Way Comes.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Review by EB
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live on an Indian reservation? Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian tells the story of Arnold Spirit (Junior), a boy who lives on the Spokane reservation but chooses to go to school in Reardan, a middle-class white town 22 miles away. Even though Junior lives on and loves the reservation, the Spokanes see him as a traitor to the tribe. Meanwhile, the white kids in Reardan ignore (or bully) Junior because he stutters, lisps, and is Native American. This book shows the struggles Junior has as he tries to maintain friendships on the reservation and build new ones in Reardan. It also tells of the alcoholism and poverty that his family and tribe grapple with daily. Junior and his family may be experiencing tough times, but Junior refuses to be put down. He continues to stand up for himself and find joy in his life. I loved this story because it was both hilarious and heartbreaking. There are many times in the story where you laugh out loud at the way Junior describes his life (even the hard parts, such as being poor), but there are also many parts where you cry because Junior is experiencing so much loss at once. Sherman Alexie is great at capturing many contrasting emotions from overflowing joy to crushing grief. I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially those who are interested in learning about Native Americans and their experiences.