Contaminated 2: Mercy Mode - A Review

Garner, Em. Contaminated 2: Mercy Mode. New York: Egmont USA, 2014. Ebook.

ISBN 978-1-60684-357-4

Summary from Amazon:

"Seventeen-year-old Velvet, her little sister, Opal, their mom, who is recovering from the Contamination, and Velvet's sweet boyfriend, Dillon, are attempting to build a new life amid the rationing and regulations of the post-outbreak nation. But the outbreak isn't over: more people turning into "Connies," more madness erupting, more killings occurring. And what they are being told is not the truth; the truth is far darker and more threatening."

What an intriguing take on the current dystopian trend!  Admittedly, I was a bit cynical, as I have read quite a few books in this genre in the last year.  These authors have to work a bit harder to get my attention.  Garner succeeded! I liked, very much, that the book is not set somewhere in the distant future.  These events could conceivably be happening in our world right now.  Such timeliness will engage student readers. Initially, I was pleased that Velvet was just a “normal” kid working to survive in a world gone mad, and that pleased me.  Without a spoiler, her status changes a bit in the course of the novel, but in a way that is believable. Students will relate to her struggles and her triumphs. I worried a bit that a typical sort of “love triangle” was being set up, but I am relieved that such is not the case. While my students will likely enjoy the developing romance a bit more than their cynical teacher, this relationship and others are nicely developed throughout the series of adventures. The detailed writing, especially when Velvet is undergoing experiences as a captive made me cringe. Well done. While this book is the second in a series, background information is skillfully woven in so that it can be successfully read as a standalone. While I felt the narrative drug just a bit here and there, enough twists and turns surfaced that I will be adding this series to my collection. Fans of Susan Beth Pfeffer and Veronica Roth will be lining up for this one!

I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Can Creativity be Learned?

For a variety of reasons, I have been pondering the idea of being creative and creativity during my time off from school this summer.  I have pondered earlier in this blog whether or not early and consistent exposure to technology stifles creative thought in our children.  The article here http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/07/can-creativity-be-learned/372605/#comments by Delistraty attempts to answer the question - "Can Creativity be Taught."  He cites studies that seem to indicate that the brains of creative people are simply wired differently. Other researchers suggest that while opportunity and practice enhance creativity, creative people are simply...creative. What are the implications for teachers and librarians?

Summer Reading: The Geography of You and me

I was eager to read The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith because my students and I have so enjoyed The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.   This love story, travel story, coming of age story did not disappoint!

 

A summary from Smith’s website:

 

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they’re rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen’s relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and — finally — a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith’s new novel shows that the center of the world isn’t necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

(http://www.jenniferesmith.com/the-geography-of-you-and-me/)

How will I sell this book?

·         So many of my girls just love a good love story.   Among them, who wouldn’t want to be stranded in New York City on the roof of an apartment building during a blackout with a stranger who just seems to get you? Magical. And I can be as cynical as the next adult, but I, too, was caught up in the magic of Lucy and Owen. True love sells.

·         But…the cynical adult LOVES that each of these young people travel -0ne across the country and the other across the globe – forging new relationships with their parents along the away.  They stay in love through old fashioned post cards, and some new fangled emails, but the relationship develops across time and distance.

·         I teach in a small town with many rural students, and through this book, the readers visit London, Scotland, San Francisco, and New York City.  What a great way to see the world for kids who don’t have the opportunities to do so in person.

·         Lucy and Owen have both experienced loss. Lucy’s brothers have moved away to school.  Owen’s mother has died.  I have kids who will relate personally to these losses and will be drawn to the book in this way.  I love how the characters come to terms with these losses and a healthy, and not trite, realistic way. 

What will I pair it with?

·         Smith’s other titles: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight which shares many of the features of the current title, and This is What Happy Looks Like which is still on my summer reading list.

·         Books that feature travel like Maureen Johnson’s Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes  and Gayle Forman’s Just One Day.  Forman will be hot this fall due to the movie release of If I Stay, so it would be silly not to capitalize on that excitement!

I look forward to “talking” this book!