In The Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

In The Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters


In the Shadow of Blackbirds takes place in 1918. 1918 is a momentous year.  It is the last year of World War I, and the Spanish Influenza is killing more people worldwide than the war. People are living in grief and no family is untouched by death. Spiritualism is all the rage because people want evidence their loved ones are on the other side and that there is a reason for all the madness.

The main character is named Mary Shelley Black after the author of Frankenstein. She is 16 and doesn't believe in ghosts or spirits until her true love joins the war and ends up dying.  Her boyfriend's brother, Julius, is a spirit photographer and Mary doesn't trust him.  She knows something is not right and that Stephen is haunted by blackbirds because his spirit visits her in the night.

This is a awesome, page turning ghost story and historical novel about WWI and the flu epidemic. It is a very enjoyable and totally creepy at the same time.  Winters does an excellent job of portraying this historical period.

While I was reading this, I kept thinking about my grandparents who were babies in 1918.  Their parents (my great-grandparents) must of been worried about them getting sick from the flu.  I am so glad we have never had a health crisis of this magnitude since then.  The widespread panic and health crisis is well written as is the descriptions faced by soldiers during the war and after.  Winters presents the social issues of 1918 in a way that you will never forget.  As a history teacher, I thought the history presented in the book was excellent and since I also enjoy a good ghost story, the two mixed together was just plain fun to read.

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Aliens have taken up residence in the sky right above us.  No one knows what they look like or what they want.  People are hopeful for peaceful coexistence but that is not the plan.  Possession of earth comes in waves.

The 1st wave is Lights Out.  Goodbye electricity and anything battery operated.

The 2nd wave is Surf's Up.  A giant wave takes out the coasts and all the people who live there.

The 3rd wave is a Pestilence and disease spreads like wildfire.  No family is untouched.

The 4th wave is a Silencer.  A silencer is a sharpshooter who shoots to kill.

The 5th Wave is what you least expect.
It is action packed, full of courageous characters in the midst of an alien attack.  You won't know what hit you and that is just what the aliens want.

Cassie just might be the last human walking around on earth.  She trusts no one and her mission in life is to rescue her little brother, Sammie, who has been taken to the nearest army base with other children.  Her parents are dead.  Cassie has never seen an alien and has no idea what they look like.  The world is over as she knows it and she shoots to kill.  Then she meets Evan Walker and Cassie doesn't know what to think or do and life is not so black and white anymore.

When I started The 5th Wave, I didn't realize what I was getting sucked into but I was reading as fast as possible because this plot is a rollar coaster ride and I couldn't let go.   In many ways I was reminded of The Walking Dead TV series but there are no vampires, just aliens and you don't know what they look like.  It is a very interesting story when you have no idea who the enemy is.

I normally don't worry about 2nd books or movies but in this case, I will be first in line for the 2nd book, come Sept. 2014 and I will definitely be seeing the movie. OMG, if you like science fiction this alien attack will blow your mind.The characters are awesome and strong and I really feel like this series is soon going to be all the rage.  Move over, Twilight and Hunger Games and make room for The 5th Wave.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Once upon a time there was a story about four teens who meet every summer on their grandfather's private island to run wild and free.  Three are cousins and one is not.  Three are white and one is not.  A relationship develops.  Grandfather does not approve.  They are called The Liars.

Once upon a time, Cadence is the heir to a wealthy family.  She has an image to uphold.  She must not let anything bother her.  She must be strong.  She must stand up for her mother.  She must agree to things she doesn't believe in.  She is tired of her family fighting over money.  She is tired and gets migraines.  She takes pills.  She can't remember how she hit her head.  She wonders why no one tells the truth.

Page turning, mysterious, multi-layered, fascinating, powerful, creative. Couldn't tear my eyes away for long and before I knew the book was done and I was in OMG land.  This is a gothic tale that is reminiscent of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.  We Were Liars is atmospheric and is a great read for summer.

I swear, I am telling the truth for I cannot tell a lie.

 

The Universe versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence

The Universe versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence

Alex Woods is a unique teenage protagonist. He is struck in the head by a meteorite when he is 10 years old and that makes him exceptional. He suffers seizures as a result and has a scar on his forehead like Harry Potter. He really has no friends except for an old pot smoking, Vietnam vet named Isaac Peterson. The form a unique friendship and it is this relationship that changes Alex Woods.

Alex has a mother who is a fortune teller, a set of bullies who follow him around and taunt him, and a cat named Lucy.  Alex is obsessed with astronomy, science and books.  He is one extraordinary individual who is under appreciated by his peers.  The only one who appreciates Alex, besides his mother, is Isaac Peterson.

Mr. Peterson has a wonderful library and every book written by Kurt Vonnegut.   Alex decides he wants to read every one of these books with Isaac and so he starts a Kurt Vonnegut book club called The Secular Church of Kurt Vonnegut. They only read Kurt Vonnegut books and the club lasts 14 months.  Lovers of Kurt Vonnegut should definitely read this book.  I have only read 1 Vonnegut book, so even if you don't love his books you will still enjoy this story.

This is a wonderful story about a creative kid, who is sick and bullied for being different, but can do extraordinary things because the people around him, namely Isaac, believe in him and trust him.  Alex Woods feels like the universe is against him, especially since it knocked him on the head with a meteorite.  Be careful universe, Alex Woods just might break your heart and defy you.

March by John Lewis

March.  Book One by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin.  Art by Nate Powell

March is a powerful graphic novel on the early life of Civil and Human Rights Activist and current Georgian congressman, John Lewis. This memoir begins with John's childhood growing up on a farm in rural, Alabama.  His job was to tend to the chickens.  He wanted to be a preacher and the chickens were his first congregation.  Right away he started to protest the treatment of his chickens and as they became food for dinner, he refused to eat.

John Lewis grew up to be very influential in the Civil Rights Movement.  He meets Martin Luther King Jr. and that experience changes his life.  He joins and participates in non-violent protest and social action in Nashville, Tennessee.  Like many activists of this time, John Lewis gets arrested but change happens and he is a big part of it.

The artwork in this book is amazing.  I've included one of my favorite drawings from the book in this post but there are many beautiful, gut-wrenching drawings of the Civil Rights Movement.  The art is done in stark black and white and it is moving.  I felt transported to another place in time and was enveloped in the story because of the beauty and expression contained in the graphic artwork.

Looking forward to the next volume.  Hope I don't have to wait to long.

Final Four by Paul Volponi

Final Four by Paul Volponi

"Live Radio Broadcast of the Game.
There are three broadcasters, a play by play man, a color commentator, and sideline reporter", Laura also known as Book Snob.

Note:  The book review of Final Four will be written in a similar format to parts of the book.

Color Commentator:  Ladies and Gentlemen, this is it, the final four, the big game between Michigan State Spartans and underdog, Troy University Trojans.  Who will win remains to be seen, but both sides are anxious to move up to the championship game.  "The last time the Spartans and the Trojans met for stakes this high was in the Trojan War of Greek Mythology, when the Spartans left a huge horse outside the gates of Troy." pg. 6.  I wonder, will the Trojans rewrite history here tonight?

Side line reporter:  There are 4 main players being represented in tonight's game, I mean book.

Malcolm is the leading scorer for the Spartans as a freshman and is ready to make his move into the NBA.  He is a little cocky and self-serving but maybe he has earned it.  He recently lost his sister in a drive-by shooting and you can see her image tattooed on his arm.

Michael Jordan also plays for the Spartans and you guessed it, was named after the famed NBA star Michael Jordan.  Michael is a junior benchwarmer thrown into the game.  He is roommates with Malcolm and lives under the shadow of his name.

Roko Bacic AKA Red Bull is a junior playing for Troy.  He is a native Croatian who has lived in the states since his senior year of high school.  His uncle taught him to play basketball on the streets of Croatia and now he is living his dream, playing college basketball.  His parents are very proud of him.  His uncle was killed by the Croatian mob.

Crispin Rice:  A senior who plays for the Trojans is in love with a girl named Hope and she becomes known as his good luck charm and is nicknamed, Hope of Troy.  He proposed to her in front of live television about 6 weeks earlier.  I wonder how things are going with this young couple.  Crispin needs to remain focused here today as the two teams head into battle.

Play by Play man:  I can't believe it folks, we are heading in to overtime tonight.  These teams are tightly matched and the players all deserve to come out on top.  You will have to read the book to find out what team wins the game.

Volponi, has written a book that takes place entirely during one basketball game.  Reading the Final Four is like having front row seats during a competitive game, where you know the key players first hand, their backgrounds, hopes, dreams and even failures.  The Final Four is full of court action, interviews, journal entries and play by play commentary.

Side Line Reporter:
I am not a big basketball fan so I am not sure I am qualified to report on the game, but the book was awesome for someone who doesn't know much about basketball.  For people who play the game, I can only imagine that they would love a book like this.  Final Four is fast paced, full of street courts and college ball, living a tough life and then living a dream.  Volponi doesn't shy away from some of the issues related to college ball like the fact that lots and lots of people are making money off the games, yet the players play for free and the aren't allowed to take any gifts or sell any of their tickets for games.  It is interesting to look at these issues and more, through the eyes of the players in The Final Four.

Color Commentator:  Like basketball?  Got Game?  Get yourself to The Final Four.

Moonbird by Philip Hoose

Moonbird.  A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Philip Hoose

The Moonbird, also known as B95 for the bracelet it wears around his foot, is a Rufa Red Knot shorebird.  It is called the Moonbird because scientists have estimated that B95 has flown the distance to the moon and back, an estimated 325, 000 miles in his long life.  The Rufa Red Knot is a shorebird that flies a distance of approximately 18, 000 miles per year round trip, from the southern most tip of South America to the Canadian Arctic to breed, and then back to Tierra Del Fuego.

The Rufa Red Knot species of shorebird is amazing.  They can fly for 4000-5000 miles without stopping for rest, food or water. They spend a week or two fattening up and refueling stopping about 3 times on their 9000 mile trip one way.  Their bodies are amazing and can grow a gizzard when they need it, they re-grow their feathers twice a year.

This amazing bird has been studied for about 20 years and in that time around 80 percent of the population has disappeared.  The reasons they shorebirds are dying is because the food sources on the migratory route have been declining due to human influence.  In Delaware Bay the shorebirds feed on horseshoe crab eggs but people are killing the horseshoe crabs and the birds die of starvation and can't get enough fuel to make it to the Canadian Arctic.

B95 is the one of the world's most famous birds because it is one of the oldest surviving Rufa Red Knots. This is the first time I have learned of this amazing bird because I read this amazing book by Philip Hoose.  I am now a fan and have searched to see if B95 was spotted this spring in Delaware Bay, NJ and he was!  He was seen in May of 2013.

Hoose tells the story of the Rufa Red Knots and B95 in eight chapters full of maps, pictures, and graphs.  I learned so much from this little book.  Hoose teaches the reader about each stopover place in the migratory route and it's food source and why it is important to the Red Knots.  At the end of each chapter Hoose profiles an important person/scientist/activist involved in the quest to protect this bird from extinction.  The Last chapter contains groups and ways to get involved to save the shorebirds from extinction.

Moonbird is a perfect book for bird lovers but teachers, parents, teenagers and kids would also love it.  It is informative, action-oriented and discussible.  OK, time to get out my bird book and my binoculars and look at the birds.

Steve Jobs: Genius by Design by Jason Quinn

Steve Jobs: Genius by Design by Jason Quinn and illustrated by Amit Tayal

Steve Jobs was adopted in 1955 by Paul and Clara Jobs.  He grew up in California an inquisitive child, full of energy and willfulness.  He was stubborn and knew what he wanted out of life and let no one stop him.  Steve had a lot of creative energy and friends and family who believed in his ideas.  He could have taken many wrongs turns and ended up a penniless hippie, but his strong will to persevere won out.

Steve's friend, Woz, created the first personal computer and Steve was the brains behind the business.  They ended up starting the Apple company together in Steve's parent's garage.  Steve always demanded perfection and he was a bit hot headed.  As Apple grew some people refused to work with him.  He was technically fired from the company he created.  So he decided he would create another company called NEXT and he would compete with Apple. NEXT and Apple became huge rivals.  Steve's NEXT company owned Pixar and created the first computer animated move called TOY STORY.

Steve knew he was going to change the world and so he did.  He didn't do it alone, he had help along the way and he knew how to lean on his friends for support.  This graphic novel biography of Steve Jobs was very informative and interesting.  I learned a lot about the type of man Steve was and the creative genius he brought to his projects.  When I started reading this book I had no idea who Steve was or what he accomplished besides the basics of being an Apple CEO.

The Artwork is very well-done.  The size of the book is equal to the size of an Ipad and it even looks like an Ipad.  Inside the artwork is done simply with black and soft colors.  Each panel is surrounded in black.  Steve is captured perfectly in every decade of his life.

Steve Jobs is not presented as the god of technology, he is presented as human in the book.  This biography details each decade of Steve's life including the high and low points of his life, including some of the mistakes he made, presented in the book.

You know it is really interesting to learn about a product or a companies history when you are a person who has used this type of product for awhile.  As a owner of an Ipod, an Ipad, an Iphone and a Mac computer, this was really cool for me to read about.  We are definitely a Apple product using family and knowing the history behind this company is valuable to me.  I never thought I would read a book about Steve Jobs and like it but that is what happened.  Now I am passing the book onto my son and then my daughter because I know they will like it to.

Steve Jobs thought differently and I wanted to include his words in this post.  He created the Think Differently campaign for Apple in the 1990's so below you can hear Steve narrate a commercial in the campaign.  It is very moving and makes me want to get out there and let my creativity flow.

Steve Jobs thank you for your creations.  You have made the world a better place.

"Here's to the crazy ones.
The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They're not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can't do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the crazy ones,
we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough
to think they can change the world...
are the ones who do."

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

Arn Chorn-Pond is eleven years old when the Khmer Rouge soldiers roll into his Cambodian town.  They have won the revolution and have plans to make the entire country equal.  They start by evacuating Arn's city saying the Americans plan to bomb it.  They march everyone out of the city for days, with little food and water.  People begin falling down and dying of dehydration and bullet wounds.  "In just one day people can get use to seeing dead body." pg. 22

When Arn and his family arrive in the countryside first they are stripped of their clothes and everyone must wear the same set of black pajamas.  Then their hair is cut short, including the girls.  Next they take away their possessions, saying that all belongs to Angka (the ruling body of the Khmer Rouge), every pot, pan, bowl and spoon.  Then they take away their names.  Everyone must be addressed by Comrade.  "Now all of us, we live as equal, no rich, no poor." pg 31  Then they separate the families.  Children are removed from their parents, men are separated from women.  Angka is their family now.  Everyday they are made to work in the fields to produce rice as their rations of food become less and less.

Arn is exposed to death every day and the only thing that keeps him alive is the music he plays for the soldiers and the friendships he’s made.  Eventually Vietnam invades Cambodia and Arn is thrown into the role of child soldier.

At the beginning of Never Fall Down, it is hard to read about the violence and atrocities being committed in the Cambodian genocide.  Towards the middle, the violence lessens as Arn makes his journey out of the work camp.  For some people this book will be hard to read, the violence too much to bear.  If Arn can live it, the least I can do is read it.  It is important as a reader to read the stories of those who have lived through extraordinary circumstances and to give weight and meaning to what they endured, experienced and lived through.  Sometimes the most difficult stories are the ones that inspire us, encourage us and make us aware of what happens around the world.

This is the third book I have read by Patricia McCormick and I eagerly awaited it’s release.  McCormick is a writer who tells a difficult story with grace and ease.  She educates her readers about issues that are central to problems going on in the world today.  Never Fall Down educates us about the history of Cambodia and teaches us that we must never give up hope that if we fall down, someone, somewhere will help.  We must always be willing to help those in need and to keep hope alive.

Never Fall Down is based on the REAL LIFE of Arn Chorn-Pond.
Here is Patricia McCormick and Arn Chorn-Pond in a short video clip about the book and Cambodia.



You can find more information about Arn and the amazing life he has led since 1979 at his website

http://arnchornpond.com/

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang

Game on.  When Dennis was young he discovered Pac Man and it resulted in a passion for video games.  He had a big plans for his life that included studying hard, finishing high school and college and then becoming a doctor.  But like a video game, unforeseen difficulties come up to knock you out of the game and Dennis didn't foresee his dad's early death.  Video games held the right amount of escape for Dennis and his grades began to suffer.  He hit rock bottom when he got expelled from college.

He wakes up one day to find four pint sized angels have appeared to guide him back to sanity and to help get him back on the road to living his life.

Level Up is a graphic novel that tackles the problem of video game addiction for young adults.  It also highlights the important skills that gamers acquire.  The storyline is realistic with a bit of videogame magic thrown in.  I think this book would appeal to the gamer or young man in your life.  The artwork is just right as the author and artist take the reader to different levels.  Levels are like chapters and characters morph into video game mode, much like Pac Man.  Level Up is a metaphor for life because life is like a video game.

Game Over.

Scribbling Women

Scribbling Women.  True Tales from Astonishing Lives by Marthe Jocelyn

Have you ever wondered about the people who have gone before you and have paved the way to make your life easier?

 Many women in the world are not taught to read and write and throughout time this remains true. Women and girls are undervalued.  Throughout history women who wrote were told they had nothing important to say and were encouraged to stop scribbling.  So Marthe Jocelyn was curious about scribbling women and started looking into resources to find the women who journaled, wrote letters and therefore described their experiences.  Jocelyn narrowed this list from thousands of women to the eleven she presents in her book, Scribbling Women.

The women Jocelyn included in her book are not well known and are not famous.  In fact I had only heard of three of the women, Nellie Bly, Dang Thuy Tram and Doris Pilkington Garimara.  I couldn't remember much of anything about Nellie but I knew Dang Thuy Tram well because I read a copy of her journals that were in her book "Last Night I Dreamed of Peace".  I read this book aloud to my 4th hour class last year so I was happy to see her represented in the book.  Doris Pilkington Garimara wrote Rabbit Proof Fence and I also read this book aloud to one of my classes (years ago) and then we watched the film.  Each of short biography of these Scribbling Women includes a photo and their personal quotes.  

Learning about these amazing women, who maybe didn't feel so special during the time they lived, was wonderful.  These are the women who have paved the way because they didn't follow the norms of the day, they pushed the limits and chose to live the way they wanted.  

Thank goodness they all recorded their experiences.  Reading Scribbling Women makes me consider writing my own personal journal.  I used to journal all the time and have 4 full volumes, maybe it is time to for me to get back to scribbling.

The Queen of Water

 The Queen of Water by Laura Rasau and Maria Virginia Farinango

Meet Virginia.  She is an Indigenous child in Ecuador who at the age of seven is given to a Mestizo family to care for their child.  Virginia's childhood is over quickly as she is forced to cook, clean and babysit while locked in the apartment all day.  She expects to be paid for her services and to be able to visit her family on weekends but what happens is quite different.  She is beaten on a regular basis, treated with racial insults, and never paid or allowed to see her family.  As Virginia grows older she realizes she has forgotten her language and the faces of her family.  She is caught in the web of domestic slavery and held in fear.

Eventually the people begin to trust Virginia and that is when she teaches herself to read and write.  When she is locked in the house all day she studies and makes plans to leave or call her sister.  Virginia is strong and sprited and in some ways is comfortable where she is, with a TV, food, a bed of her own and other luxuries.  But she has dreams, big dreams of becoming a singer or actress, dreams of freedom and love, dreams of becoming an educated women.  It's these dreams that force Virginia to hatch a plan of escape.

The Queen of Water is a great story of a resilient teen who is able to achieve her dreams.  It is based on a true story so it makes the reader aware of the plight of young children who are forced into slavery.  People my not realize that there are more people in slavery today than when it was legal 200 years ago.  Children are a big part of the slave trade today. Many parents are tricked and think they are sending their children to a better way of life when in reality they are suffering everyday, caught in the web of slavery and just want to come home.  Except they don't know where home is or how to speak the language and they are culturally changed and feel lost.  Some parents actually sell their children to slave traders.  It is a sad situation in our world and thankfully authors like Resau are bringing world wide issues like domestic slavery to the forefront.

The Queen of Water is about courage and the drive to make your life better no matter the circumstances.  Resau collaborated with Laura Virginia Farinango after learning her story and has written an important book that will appeal to readers of all ages and cultures.  

Dear Bully edited by Hall and Jones

Dear Bully.  70 Authors Tell Their Stories edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones

"Dear Bully,
I'm not sure if you remember me.  But I definitely remember you." Pg.9
If you have ever been bullied, it is an experience you will never forget.  It changes who you are and how you go about your daily existence. Some victims commit suicide as we frequently see in the news or lash out at their tormentors by bringing guns to school or getting in fights. Bullying is a no win situation and must be stopped, not tolerated.

Dear Bully is a compilation of 70 teen authors who share their thoughts and experiences on bullying.  Bullying affects a whopping 75% of our kids today and thousands of kids miss school everyday because they fear they will be bullied if they attend.  Popular teen authors like Ellen Hopkins, Mo Willems, Alyson Noel and R.L.Stine tell what is was like to be on the sidelines, to be the victim or the perpetrator.

One would think that a book about bullying would be sad and depressing and some of the stories are really sad but mainly Dear Bully is empowering.  These stories offer the reader hope and guidance on a deeply personal level.  There are actual relevant resources in the back of the book for young adults and their parents who are in need of help.

Initially I resisted reading Dear Bully but I ended up really liking it because it was so empowering.  I read it slowly, over a month, a few stories at a time.  I loved the variety of stories, writing styles, poems, authors and multiple points of view.  As an educator and a parent who has seen kids suffer under the effects of bullying, Dear Bully reaffirmed my belief that we are a village and we need to stand up for kids everywhere and prevent bullying.

Take a stand to prevent bullying!

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Miles made a life changing decision when he decided to enroll at Culver Creek Boarding School for his junior year.  The only thing he left behind was his parents as Miles had no friends and zero possibilities.   He felt stagnated in Florida and wanted to venture into "The Great Perhaps". 

Miles is a witty, intelligent narrator who loved to read biographies and memorize famous last words.
"Francois Rabelais.  He was this poet.  And his last words were 'I go to seek a Great perhaps.'  That's why I'm going.  So I don't have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great perhaps." Pg. 5.


At Culver Creek, Miles earns himself the nickname, Pudge, because he is so skinny.  His roommate, the Colonel, is a intelligent, short in stature, teen who hates rich people.  Down the hall lives the most beautiful elusive girl, that Miles has even seen.  He falls instantly in love with Alaska, who is a train wreck waiting to happen.  Alaska teaches Miles "Pudge" how to love, get to 3rd base, smoke, create fabulous pranks, celebrate life and more.  Alaska is essentially, a life changer, a force of nature, and a whirlwind of emotions. 

Green has created a fabulous cast of characters who will make you laugh, cry and ultimately capture your heart. Once you start reading Looking for Alaska it is hard not to get caught up in the labyrinth.   Looking for Alaska is a philosophical look at the turns you take in life and how twisted the labyrinth is.  One of the teachers creates a final exam where students must ask themselves what the most important question facing people is and answer it according to the three religions they studied in class.  Alaska's questions is:  "How will we ever get out of this labyrinth of suffering?"Pg. 158

Looking for Alaska is a intelligent, brilliant novel for teens and adults alike.  It is a coming of age novel that is unique, daring and downright enjoyable to read.   From the first page to the last word, this book will have you quickly turning pages and savoring the unique moments.
Once you meet Alaska you won't ever be the same.

My last words in the blog post will be one of the Colonel's cheers because they made me laugh.  Enjoy! 

Cornbread!
Chicken!
Rice!
Peas!
WE GOT HIGHER SATs.
Hip Hip Hip Hooray!
YOU"LL BE WORKING FOR US SOMEDAY!

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Revolution means a total or radical change.  The book, Revolution follows two girls who are undergoing their own Revolution and trying to overcome the chains that bind them.  Each girl lives a similar life 200 years apart and they are connected through a diary found in a old guitar case.

Andi is a spoiled American rich girl whose brother has died, her mother has just been admitted to a mental hospital and her relationship with her father is strained at best.  Andi is a musical genius with superior guitar skills and is supposed to be writing her senior thesis on a famous guitar player (Malherbeau- who is fictional)  Andi finds an old guitar when she goes to Paris with her father for winter break and finds a secret compartment in the guitar case which holds the key to another girl's past and maybe Andi's future.

Andi finds the diary of Alexandrine who is a poor French girl earning her living by entertaining people with her acting skills on the streets of Paris.  Alex soon becomes the personal companion of the Dauphin of France, 10 year old Louis-Charles when Versailles is overrun by a mob and the French Revolution has begun.  Louis Charles is imprisoned, and when his heart is found encased in a jar 200 years later, it is being tested by Andi's father who is a nobel prize winning DNA specialist.  The lives of these girls are interconnected through the creative dual storyline.

Revolution is also about the revolution of music and a romp through musical history.  It takes you from Bach and Handel which are some of Marie Antoinette's court favorites to Led Zeppelin and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  I enjoyed the musical piece of the book even though I hadn't heard some of the music.  I found a website called BookTunes where they created a soundtrack of Revolution that you can purchase on iTunes.
Revolution heads underground into the catacombs under the streets of Paris where bones of people past still reside.  The tour of Paris's underground was so fascinating and full of historical references that I never knew.  I never realized that it is still a burial ground open to the public full of victim's who suffered the fate of the Guillotine.  I am totally going here next time I am in Paris.

As a world history teacher I felt the book included accurate historical information about the French Revolution as well as the importance of music in the world then and now.  Revolution illustrates the importance of connections, change and the illusions of time and space.  History reminds all of us that the past is connected to the future and the future is connected to the past and that we all must adapt and change to survive and flourish.  Such a powerful lesson.