Script Kiddie: Assured Destruction, Book 2

by Michael F. Stewart
Non Sequitur Press
978-0981269962
212 pp.
Ages 12+
August 29, 2013

When I reviewed Michael F. Stewart's Assured Destruction on March 21, 2013, I knew that this computer thriller heralded a great new series for young adults.  The second book in the Assured Destruction series, Script Kiddie, has proven me right.

The 2000 hours of community service that 16-year-old Janus Rose was given (as a consequence of her indirect involvement in cyber-attacks on those whose hard-drives she'd not destroyed) in Assured Destruction has the teen helping Detective Williams and snarky Constable Ethan Chow of the Ottawa Police Department in the High Tech Crime Unit.  Janus' computer skills, honed at her multiple computers (and Shadownet personalities), are exceptional and her problem-solving, while sometimes impetuous, lets her think outside the box readily.

Janus' first police case involves discovering how credit card information is being stolen from the very bank that has tried to foreclose on their home and company! Unfortunately, her quirky ideas about undercover work and her sincere interest in warning potential victims gets her off that case officially (though Janus doesn't always follow the rules) and instead profiling a killer from his laptop.

At school, Janus is drawn in to helping her classmate/friend Hannah who's been lured by an older man to submit nude photos of herself and needs help in getting away online from the man who continues to harrass and even threaten her.  Soon after, though, Hannah wants Janus to back off, and Janus doesn't know how she can truly help the teen.

To help in her investigations, Janus looks to the internet for a community of hackers with skills beyond her own.  But, after trying to ingratiate herself into Darkslinger.net, she is expunged for being a Skiddie a.k.a. a Script Kiddie, a naive wannabee hacker. It's only when she gets a bit of assistance from her mother's boyfriend, Peter, a retired computer security consultant, that she finds a way to be accepted at Darkslinger and get some much-needed help.

I haven't even mentioned the turmoil going on at home as Janus' mother's multiple sclerosis progresses, leaving her weaker and going blind, and Janus looks into the state of their finances.  Sadly, it's evident that the business, Assured Destruction, is not making enough money to pay the bills and upcoming mortgage payments.

For a sixteen-year-old, Janus does incredibly and credibly well.  Michael F. Stewart has not created an unbelievable superhero-esque teen.  She gets people angry at her, she makes poor choices (though usually with the best of intentions), she doesn't know who to trust, she tries to make things right, she skips school occasionally, she worries about her ailing mother, she wonders about her father who left, she likes to make out with her boyfriend Jonny (though her time with him is limited), she's tech savy and willing to learn what she doesn't know, and she does her homework (usually).  She's a teen with a lot on her plate and sometimes it slips off and then she gets more loaded on, but Janus just keeps on trying.  Not surprising that one of her Shadownet alter-egos, Gumps advises that,

"If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.  H. G. Wells" (pg. 156)

There is no time for the Script Kiddie reader to wallow in Janus' turmoil either, as the plot is fast-paced and relentless in its subplotting. While some readers may relate to the circumstances of Janus' life and the situations into which she stumbles so easily and innocently, Janus is like no one else.  Janus and Michael F. Stewart's other characters, many who are virtual or unidentifiable, are still surprisingly real and distinct. I don't know whether Michael F. Stewart has based these characters on real persons or not but that's quite a feat when there's only voice to give them substance. Having learned that Michael F. Stewart is also Mike Stewart, author of a number of graphic novels for Oxford University Press' Boldprint Graphic Novels series, I suspect his creativity spans different media, beyond text alone. That would explain the depth and texture of his writing and its ability to extend beyond dimensions rarely experienced in novels. Younger readers will not need to worry but I hope that as a "mature" teacher-librarian I can continue to navigate the digital and virtual dimensions with ease as I am already anticipating Books 3 and 4 in the Assured Destruction series.

Four Seasons of Patrick

by Susan Hughes
Red Deer Press
978-0-88995-505-9
80 pp.
Ages 7-10
October, 2013

Hard to believe that, in a spare 80 pages, author Susan Hughes efficiently and thoroughly takes the reader through a significant year of growth and tumbles in the life of Patrick McAllister, a young boy whose life revolves around his best friend Harry and his family, Dad and older brother Trevor.

Four Seasons of Patrick begins in winter with Patrick enjoying the familiar routines of first snow days with Harry and late night walks with his family to pick out "Mom's star" in the dark sky.  While Patrick cherishes the comfort of these traditions, he notes that his dad's new "friend" Linda and her pesky seven-year-old daughter may change things.  Sure enough, spring brings Dad's announcement that he and Linda are getting married and that Linda and Claire would be moving in at the end of August.  Patrick is overwhelmed by this, thinking of little else, including his friend, as he tries to find a way to cope.  After some drastic notions, Patrick comes up with the idea of a tree house for himself and Harry.

So, with the start of summer, Dad begins renovations on the house and Patrick and Harry start looking for the perfect tree for their hideaway.  The search seems futile until their neighbour Mr. Mutter points them in the right direction, and Patrick realizes that,

"...perfect doesn't always end up matching the picture in your mind." (pg. 48)

But the joy of building their tree house is tempered by Patrick's dad's delays in visiting it, though he does insist the boys take a somewhat-withdrawn Claire to see it. And, with the beginning of autumn and the school year, Patrick is asked to take on even more responsibilities for Claire who has become further withdrawn. 

Readers will empathize with Patrick's situation, as the youngest boy whose discomfort is discounted by Trevor's eager acceptance and by Claire's trumping them all as the youngest and the only girl.  Four Seasons of Patrick indicates that Patrick spends much time on introspection and consideration of his new family situation, and is able to finds the means to accept it and ultimately support Claire as she needs.  Without making him into a self-deprecating victim of family turmoil, Susan Hughes creates Patrick as any child in such a situation: he works at figuring out what's happening and how he can find a place to fit in, because there certainly is at least one.  He plays neither the victim nor the aggressor, and consequently will be that character to whom many children of blended families will relate.

It seems to me that when blending families, all participants must be on their toes, paying attention to any awkwardness, hesitancy, or aggression that may reveal itself.  And while I don't expect that children be allowed to direct the family dynamics or be mean and nasty, I would expect that their feelings not be negated or relegated to less-important status because of their age or gender.  Yes, Patrick is having issues with Linda and Claire coming into their family, but Dad certainly doesn't give Patrick more than lip-service.  Regardless, Patrick is able to find the supports he needs and ascend to an even better version of himself.  Isn't that what growing up is all about?

Seas of South Africa

by Philip Roy

Ronsdale Press

978-1-55380-247-1

200 pp.

Ages 10+

September, 2013

Oh, that Philip Roy.  He lulls the reader into calm with the beauty of his words.

I have learned that you cannot pick and choose what you will find when you go out to explore.  Sometimes you will find beautiful things, and sometimes you will find ugly things.  That is the world we live in.  In South Africa, where the warm Indian Ocean meets the cold Atlantic, like a meeting of two tigers, and where the hearts of people seem both bigger and darker than anywhere else, I found both. (pg. 1)

Then he plunges you into heart-stopping tension as Alfred, the star of The Submarine Outlaw Series, is accosted in Mozambique by a nasty behemoth of a pirate, threatened with a knife and almost drowned when the man tries to open the hatch while the sub is underwater.  So begins Seas of South Africa.

Though Alfred makes every effort to avoid the coast of Somalia and its pirates, he is dogged by one or more of them after escaping several altercations with the murderous thieves and relieving them of stolen treasure and money.   But, as he evades their search for him and as he frequently stops to wash the bloodied money, Alfred rescues a small parrot from a sinking boat, saves a young South African man who crashes his bicycle-powered plane into the ocean, survives the violence of mob justice in Soweto, and provides back-up for a wreck diver under attack from pirates.

But amidst the the heroics and narrow escapes, Alfred meets some memorable characters, learns more about South Africa's history including apartheid, experiences the anger, humour and breath-taking landscapes of Africa, and ultimately gains a new perspective that will direct his future exploring. 

I suspect that Alfred is a junior fictional version of Philip Roy himself: an explorer at his core with a heart filled with compassion and generosity, and the philosophical wisdom of an old spirit.  So his observations and appreciation of his experiences are probably as authentic as they can get, and that's how they read.  But in Seas of South Africa, Philip Roy goes beyond the adventure story, which is always part of The Submarine Outlaw Series, and the history, which often provides context for Alfred's explorations.  Delving deeper into the consequences of apartheid and its aftermath, Philip Roy demonstrates with subtlety that perspective can alter and justify interpretations of the same circumstances.  Prisons can be on isolated islands or within oneself, and desperation and violence may go hand-in-hand.  But, without a doubt, the clearest message given and received is to,

"Appreciate your life." (pg. 198)

Fortunately, Alfred clearly does, sharing that acknowledgement with the readers of Seas of South Africa and his intention to apply that obligation to ensuring the vitality and persistence of healthy oceans.  Bon voyage to our former submarine outlaw!

The Creature Department

by Robert Paul Weston

Razorbill

978-1-59514-685-4

352 pp.

Ages 8-12

November, 2013

Reviewed from galley proof

Don't let the title or cover graphics deceive you into thinking The Creature Department is a horror story.  Remember that Robert Paul Weston, author of Zorgamazoo (Razorbill, 2008), Dust City (Puffin, 2010) and Prince Puggly of Spud and the Kingdom of Spiff (Puffin, 2013), has a wicked sense of humour and loves to embed fairytale-like stories with fantastical elements and the dark vices typical of humans.  Nothing terrifying there.  Just creative, whimsical, and full of rich characters and settings.  And original, captivating storylines!

The Creature Department is the name of the Research and Development Department which Elliot von Doppler's Uncle Archie heads at the tech company DENKi-3000.  When Quazicom Holdings International expresses its intent to purchase the company, Uncle Archie invites twelve-year-old Elliot and fellow student Leslie Fang (who tied with Elliot in a recent science fair) to help generate a new invention by which DENKi-3000 would regain its reputation for innovation. 

For the first time, Elliot (with Leslie) gets to visit his uncle's super-secret department which, surprisingly, is run by creatures! There's Gügor the Knucklecrumpler (an 8 ft. salamander-like creature) who's the head of Rickum Ruckery; Jean-Remy, a suave fairy-bat, in charge of Fiddly Bitology; Harrumphrey Grouseman, the Right-Hand Head;  Patti Mudmeyer, a bog nymph, who's in charge of design; and the lovable Colonel-Admiral Reginald T. Pusslegut a.k.a. Reggie, a bombastadon who is more than a glorified security guard.  When Uncle Archie disappears, and Quazicom sends their consultant, Chuck Brickwater, to learn DENKi-3000's secrets, it seems that Elliot and Leslie are the only hope for helping the creatures develop their next astounding invention. 

In a race against Quazicom and an unscrupulous VP at DENKi-3000, Elliot and Leslie learn some valuable lessons ("...ze troubles, more than anything else, zey make you who you are." pg 109), accept the value of having creativity and open-mindedness, and share some amazing experiences with their new friends. 

And the readers are treated to all the humour, wisdom, mystery, adventure and fantasy that Robert Paul Weston so effortlessly imbues his stories.  But, with the addition of wings, dreadlocks, knobbly hands, leathery skin, furry tails, cerebellows (for sucking ideas out of one's brain), leaky gills, sludge-dripping hair, greenish skins and blubberous physiques, the creatures of The Creature Department add a new graphic element to the story (though the illustrations in Robert Paul Weston's other books enhanced the stories well).  In fact, the creatures have gone beyond illustrator Zach Lydon's work on the page and into the realm of 3D creaturedom, courtesy of the visual effects studio, Framestone.   (Check them out at www.thecreaturedepartment.com)  Loveable, quirky, clever and kind – these creatures are more than cartoons characters.  They're the heart of The Creature Department.

Counting Back from Nine

by Valerie Sherrard

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

978-1-55455-245-0

198 pp.

Ages 14+

March, 2013

In Valerie Sherrard's "Acknowledgements" for Counting Back from Nine, she tells of originally writing the book in prose before proposing a rewrite in free verse to her editor, Christie Harkin, at Fitzhenry & Whiteside.  An astute choice, I believe, as Counting Back from Nine has the depth and fluidity and Valerie Sherrard has the fine touch that can create a story in which not all has to be written out for the reader.  Novels in free verse are sophisticated writing and appropriate for stories that surge beyond the page and into the hearts of readers, as does Counting Back from Nine. It's not surprising that Counting Back from Nine has been nominated for a 2013 Governor General Literary Award for Children's Text and for a Red Maple award.

Lauren Oliver has been secretly seeing her best friend's ex-boyfriend, Scott, since they broke up.  When she finally admits it to Nina, she is promptly and emphatically told, "I hate you."  And so with telling her parents about this situation, and getting a reassuring hug from her dad, Lauren acknowledges that the countdown from 9 has begun. 

Dealing with all her friends unfriending her, and Scott being quasi-attentive, Lauren is surprised to find herself invited to join a classmate, Christine Oakley, and her friend, Dee, at lunch and then elsewhere.  She realizes how critical their friendship is to her, especially when her father is involved in a car accident and, though he shows great positivity in vowing to spend more time with family (step 8), he dies. 

While recalling bright sparks of memories of her father, all steps in her countdown, Lauren works to resolve the discrepancy in the father she recalls with affection and the father who was apparently having an affair with the woman passenger in the car.

"It is the strangest feeling
when joy and sorrow both
have claws on your heart." (pg. 58)

Soon enough, the readers will recognize that the countdown of sections from 9 to 8 and so on are tracking the progress of Lauren's grief for the loss of her father, his love, and her family (which is reconfiguring itself), and forgiveness for his infidelity and weaknesses.  While resolving these issues for herself, Lauren also finds the means to resolve her tenuous relationships with Scott, Nina and other friends.

Cloud nine is a very nice place to be but the fall can be hard.  Lauren's family, friendships and clandestine relationship with Scott put her on that cloud but clouds are not solid ground and, as each bubble of joy bursts, Lauren falls closer to reality.  Valerie Sherrard exemplifies that contemplative descent through streaming verse, never allowing Lauren to hit bottom but instead helping her land softly.  Young readers of Counting Back from Nine, including those participating in the 2014 Red Maple reading program in which the book is nominated, will appreciate the gentle treatment for some harsh life lessons.

2014 Write for a Better World Contest

World Literacy Canada

presents its annual

WRITE FOR A BETTER WORLD  

contest

for Canadian students in Grades 5-8

This year, the writing theme was created by  

Kelley Armstrong

 author of numerous award-winning fantasy books

(here's a sample below)

What to do:
• Using this story starter, tell what happens next in 400 words or less:

It’s been a long, sleepless night of strange dreams. Even once you wake up, you think you’re still dreaming, because you aren’t in your own bed. You aren’t even yourself! It’s no dream. You’ve woken in another part of the world, as someone from another culture. 

How stories will be evaluated:

• Has the writer written about a place and culture that is different from their own? Is there indication that the author learned something about the culture?

• How unique is the writer’s approach to the topic?

• How is the story organized? Is there a clear beginning, middle and ending?

• Does the writer use proper spelling and grammar?

• Is the main character well-written? Does he/she represent the ideals of global citizenship?

Deadline:
• April 4, 2014


Full Details:
• Details of prizes and the entry form can be found at http://www.worldlit.ca/canada-programs/write-for-a-better-world/write2014/

Marsha Skrypuch: Book Launch (Paris, ON)

Author Marsha Skrypuch 

 

 

will launch her two newest picture books

When Mama Goes to Work 

by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Illustrated by Jessica Phillips
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
978-1-55455-314-3
32 pp.
Ages 3-6

 

 and

 

The Best Gifts

by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Illustrated by Elly MacKay
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
98-1-55455-283-2
32 pp.
Ages 4-8

Reviewed here

 

on

Thursday, November 21, 2013

at 7:00 p.m.

at the  

County of Brant Public Library,
12 William St.
Paris, Ontario