By Marie Rutkoski
Summary:
The daughter of a general in an ever expanding empire which makes those it conquers slaves, Kestral has lived a life of privilege. In an impulse decision, Kestral buys herself a slave named Arin, setting off a chain of events that she could never have anticipated. In a world where her people have always been in charge, she will suddenly become a pawn as the tides change against them. A fast paced read, The Winner's Curse will be difficult to put down.
Review:
The Winner's Curse is a fun and fast read. I had a hard time putting it down. Kestral is a great character, at first a little insipid, but grows dynamically as she faces challenges she didn't expect. The love story between her and Arin is believable and a great aspect to the book, and the ending sets up nicely for a sequel. A great book to give to fans of Landry Park, Pawn, or The Selection.
Genre: Dystopian
Age Level: 8th Grade
Showing posts with label Slavery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Slavery. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Monday, August 19, 2013
Sold
by Patricia McCormick
Summary:
Girls all over the world are sold into prostitution by their families. Sometimes the families don't know where the girls are going, but they are desperate for the money and believe they are giving them a chance at a better life. Once they arrive at their new 'home' the girls are spun into a constant cycle of debt, working off the money their parents were paid for them, working off the food they eat, working off the cost of a cot to sleep on, of medicine when they get sick. Sold is a fictional story of how one girl found herself thrust into this life, and how she found the courage to escape it.
Review:
Sold does a marvelous job of tackling the issue of child prostitution in an age appropriate way. While better for slightly older teens, the book shows the cycle these unwitting girls are trapped in. While Lakshmi is lucky enough to meet an American who runs an aid organization, most girls are not. The book does a good job of explaining that while all these girls should have Lakshmi's option of escape most don't or are too afraid to take it. It's a book that will stick with the reader after they put it down, and perhaps inspire those who read it to help in whatever way they can.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Summary:
Girls all over the world are sold into prostitution by their families. Sometimes the families don't know where the girls are going, but they are desperate for the money and believe they are giving them a chance at a better life. Once they arrive at their new 'home' the girls are spun into a constant cycle of debt, working off the money their parents were paid for them, working off the food they eat, working off the cost of a cot to sleep on, of medicine when they get sick. Sold is a fictional story of how one girl found herself thrust into this life, and how she found the courage to escape it.
Review:
Sold does a marvelous job of tackling the issue of child prostitution in an age appropriate way. While better for slightly older teens, the book shows the cycle these unwitting girls are trapped in. While Lakshmi is lucky enough to meet an American who runs an aid organization, most girls are not. The book does a good job of explaining that while all these girls should have Lakshmi's option of escape most don't or are too afraid to take it. It's a book that will stick with the reader after they put it down, and perhaps inspire those who read it to help in whatever way they can.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 8th Grade
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Girl in Blue
by Ann Rinaldi
Summary:
When the call goes out for men to enlist in the Union Army, Sarah sees her chance to escape the life she's been trapped in, and her impending marriage to her terrible neighbor. Disguised as a boy, she joins the army and becomes a Union soldier. After fighting in the battlefields of Virginia she's discovered to be a girl. Offered a chance to become a spy instead of being court martialed for lying to the government, she leaps at the chance to keep serving her country. But being a spy is much harder than being a soldier, being a spy means betraying those whose trust you are out to gain. Being a spy might even being betraying herself.
Review:
As usual, Rinaldi does a fantastic job of creating a historical novel that draws the reader in and makes them truly invested in the characters. Sarah is a likable character, with flaws and dreams. The people she meets along her journey each shape a part of the next stage in her life. it's a great book for girls who like adventure or historical fiction.
Age Level: 7th Grade
Genre: Historical Fiction
Summary:
When the call goes out for men to enlist in the Union Army, Sarah sees her chance to escape the life she's been trapped in, and her impending marriage to her terrible neighbor. Disguised as a boy, she joins the army and becomes a Union soldier. After fighting in the battlefields of Virginia she's discovered to be a girl. Offered a chance to become a spy instead of being court martialed for lying to the government, she leaps at the chance to keep serving her country. But being a spy is much harder than being a soldier, being a spy means betraying those whose trust you are out to gain. Being a spy might even being betraying herself.
Review:
As usual, Rinaldi does a fantastic job of creating a historical novel that draws the reader in and makes them truly invested in the characters. Sarah is a likable character, with flaws and dreams. The people she meets along her journey each shape a part of the next stage in her life. it's a great book for girls who like adventure or historical fiction.
Age Level: 7th Grade
Genre: Historical Fiction
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Trafficked
by Kim Purcell
Summary:
When you come from nothing and a great opportunity presents itself, you'd be a fool not to take it. At least that's what Hannah thinks. She's a poor nobody from Moldova, an orphan living with her grandmother and barely making ends meet. But then she's offered a chance to go to America. She would be a nanny, able to go to school and live the kind of life she's only seen on TV. She's not stupid, she knows that there are bad people out there who might take advantage of her, but these people seem different, better even. But once she makes it to America she's going to find out that nothing is how it seems. And in a place where no one knows who or where she is, there's no one to protect her.
Review:
Trafficked highlights an all too common issue in this day and age. Even with all the literature and information available to warn people about the dangers of human trafficking, be it for sexual or slavery reasons, the problem still exists. While Hannah's situation is, in the scheme of things, not the absolute worst, she still finds herself alone and without recourse as she is abused by the family she 'nanny's' for. Hannah had known before hand that situations like hers could exist, but never thought she would be one of those girls who was trafficked. It is a definite warning book that girls should read, a nicer version of the movie Brokedown Palace.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
Summary:
When you come from nothing and a great opportunity presents itself, you'd be a fool not to take it. At least that's what Hannah thinks. She's a poor nobody from Moldova, an orphan living with her grandmother and barely making ends meet. But then she's offered a chance to go to America. She would be a nanny, able to go to school and live the kind of life she's only seen on TV. She's not stupid, she knows that there are bad people out there who might take advantage of her, but these people seem different, better even. But once she makes it to America she's going to find out that nothing is how it seems. And in a place where no one knows who or where she is, there's no one to protect her.
Review:
Trafficked highlights an all too common issue in this day and age. Even with all the literature and information available to warn people about the dangers of human trafficking, be it for sexual or slavery reasons, the problem still exists. While Hannah's situation is, in the scheme of things, not the absolute worst, she still finds herself alone and without recourse as she is abused by the family she 'nanny's' for. Hannah had known before hand that situations like hers could exist, but never thought she would be one of those girls who was trafficked. It is a definite warning book that girls should read, a nicer version of the movie Brokedown Palace.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 10th Grade
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