I Am The Messanger

Author: Markus Zusak

ISBN:978-0375836671

Publication Information: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Plot Summary:Ed Kennedy feels like a slacker and a loser. He is a 19 year old cab driver with no solid future plans. Then one day he stops a bank robbery and becomes a local hero. Shortly after, mysterious things start happening to Ed. He begins to get playing cards in the mail, with different things written on them. He soon realizes that each card is a message that he needs to help the people that correspond to the information on the cards. He soon embarks on a series of quests that range from helping a church build up its congregation to sharing a meal and reading to an old woman at night. But despite all of the good that Ed is doing, he can't shake the feeling that he is still a loser. Will Ed gain the affirmation he needs, or is he destined to consider himself a loser forever?

Critical Evaluation: Zusak creates an affable character in Ed and his friends. The dialogue between the four friends is witty and sharp, with jokes and insults that may sound cruel, but are said in a way that shows a deep fondness and love for each other. What is slightly discouraging, however, is the fact that Ed feels like such a loser at the young age of 19. He compares himself to historical prodigies, like Joan of Arc or Salvador Dali. While lack of self confidence can be a a common feeling for teens, it seems unrealistic that Ed's of self-loathing at not being successful would be so prevalent at 19. However, despite this, the book is a good, fast read that a wide variety of teens will find engaging. Zusak creates a good pace, and enough tension to keep the reader intrigued as to why Ed is being sent the messages on cards. Overall, a book that many teens will enjoy, but with enough problems that it will not be on the absolute top of my list on books to recommend.

Reader's Annotation: Ed is a loser that isn't doing anything with his life, until a series of events sets Ed on a path to become a hero.

Author Information: Markus Zusak is the author of four other books: Getting the Girl, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, The Underdog and I Am The Messenger. His latest book, Bridge of Clay is due to be released next year. He lives in Sydney, Australia with his family. (Taken from the author's website http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/index.html)

Curricular Ties: Psychology

Genre:Mystery, Issues

Book talking ideas:

• What was Ed's hardest task?
• Why was Ed chosen to be "the messenger"?
• What was the task that you thought was the most important? What task would you most like to be assigned?
  

Challenge issues:Sex, Violence

• Familiarize yourself with the book and its contents.
• Check the library for specific policies on challenged books.
• Check the ALA website for advice on how to respond and react when a book has been challenged. (http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm)
  
• Find positive reviews from reputable websites.
• Ask the challenger for their specific objections and try to address them using information from the above research.

Interest Age: Grades 10 and up

Why I selected this piece: After reading Zusak's The Book Thief, I went out and read all of this books. This book is his most well known and acclaimed, after The Book Thief.

The Book Thief

Author: Markus Zusak

ISBN:978-0375842207

Publication Information: Alfred A. Knopf

Plot Summary:The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a 9 year old girl living in Germany during World War II. She is sent to the small town Molching, after her father is sent away for being a suspected communist, her brother dies and her mother is too sick to care for her. Despite the hard exterior of her foster mother, and the hard scrabble feel of the neighborhood, Liesel grows and thrives, becoming best friends with a boy in the neighborhood, Rudy, and growing to love her foster father, Hans. Hans is particularly loving to Liesel, and teaches her to read during the nights when she wakes up from terrifying nightmares. Liesel's life takes a new, dangerous turn, however, when Hans fulfills a promise he made to a friend many years ago, and hides a German Jewish refugee, Max. As Liesel befriends Max, she realizes how dangerous hiding a Jew can be, for both herself, her family, her friends, and especially, for Max.

Critical Evaluation: Zusak creates a near perfect YA historical novel in The Book Thief. He creates an incredibly insightful narrator in Death, who's pitch perfect weariness captures just how horrific the holocaust was, and how terrible war is in general. Zusak also creates a series of incredibly well written characters in Liesel, Rudy, Max, and Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Rudy in particular, will constantly break the reader's heart every time he tries to get Liesel to kiss him. Although the background of the novel is stark, there are moments of both beauty and comic relief. This book seems to have it all, wonderfully full characters and a well written plot that truly pulls the readers in. The pacing is brisk and readers will find themselves devouring this book. This is a must read for all teens, and would be an especially good tie in for teens studying world history and WWII.

Reader's Annotation: Liesel is growing up in World War II Germany with a big secret. She has a Jewish man hidden in her basement.

Author Information: Markus Zusak is the author of four other books: Getting the Girl, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, The Underdog and I Am The Messenger. His latest book, Bridge of Clay is due to be released next year. He lives in Sydney, Australia with his family. (Taken from the author's website http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/index.html)

Curricular Ties:n/a

Curricular Ties: History

Genre: Historical Fiction

Book talking ideas:

• Discuss the Holocaust, and Germans like the Hubermann family who were willing to risk their lives to defy Hitler.
• Why did Rudy and Liesel commit subversive acts, like laying bread down in the road for Jews marching to and from work sites?
• Why did the Mayor's wife feel the need to befriend Liesel?
  

Challenge issues: Violence

• Familiarize yourself with the book and its contents.
• Check the library for specific policies on challenged books.
• Check the ALA website for advice on how to respond and react when a book has been challenged. (http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm)
  
• Find positive reviews from reputable websites.
• Ask the challenger for their specific objections and try to address them using information from the above research.

Interest Age: Grades 9 and up

Why I selected this piece: The Book Thief has garnered such rave reviews both in the adult and teen literary worlds that I had to read the book.

Fighting Ruben Wolfe

Author:Markus Zusak

ISBN:978-0439241878

Publication Information:Push

Plot Summary: Cameron and Ruben Wolfe are two brothers trying to get by in life. Their family has hit a low point, their father was injured on the job, and hasn't been able to get work since. Their sister is going a little wild, giving their neighbors and school mates something to gossip about, and Cameron and Ruben generally just have too much time on their hands. One day, a classmate goes too far in insulting Cameron and Ruben's sister, and Ruben goes crazy. Word about his skills as a fighter quickly spread and soon both Ruben and Cameron are employed as boxers in an illegal fight night. Ruben morphs into lean mean "Fighting Ruben Wolfe", while Cameron is nicknamed "The Underdog," for his ability to continue to get back up no matter how hard the punch. Will Ruben ever lose a fight? Can Cameron continue to get back up? Most importantly, will the Wolfe family pull through during this time of crisis?

Critical Evaluation: Zusak certainly knows how to get the attention of teenage boys. He perfectly captures the voice of two young brothers that are just trying to get through life, with themselves and their family intact. The plot on boxing seems especially inspired in terms of wooing teen boys into reading his book. The boxing scenes are gritty while still being poetic, violent without being gruesome or gory. The pacing is fast, and the plot comes to a neat conclusion. This book may not be the best piece of YA fiction ever written, but it is a great recommendation for YA boys, particularly boys that are interested in sports, or reluctant to read anything too "girly."

Reader's Annotation:When Ruben and Cameron Wolfe are approached by a man who runs an illegal boxing ring, it is clear that a crossroads in the brother's lives has been reached. Will boxing send Rube and Cameron on a path to self discovery? Or will they end up beaten to a bloody pulp? Only time will tell.

Author Information: Markus Zusak is the author of four other books: Getting the Girl (the sequel to Fighting Ruben Wolfe), The Underdog (a prequel to Fighting Ruben Wolfe, no longer in print), I Am The Messenger and The Book Thief. His latest book, Bridge of Clay is due to be released next year. He lives in Sydney, Australia with his family. (Taken from the author's website http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/index.html)

Curricular Ties:n/a

Genre:Issues, Sports

Book talking ideas:

• Why did Ruben decide to take the job as a boxer? Was it just about money or is it about something deeper?
• Why did Ruben vouch for Cameron? Why was it so important to Ruben that Cameron also be included?
• Why was the dole such an important part of the book? Why was going or not going on the dole such a difficult decision for Mr. Wolfe and the whole Wolfe family to make?
  

Challenge issues:violence

• Familiarize yourself with the book and its contents.
• Check the library for specific policies on challenged books.
• Check the ALA website for advice on how to respond and react when a book has been challenged. (http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/index.cfm)
  
• Find positive reviews from reputable websites.
• Ask the challenger for their specific objections and try to address them using information from the above research.

Interest Age:Grades 9 and up

Why I selected this piece: Zusak's The Book Thief was such a compelling read that I went out and read all of Zusak's books.