Beast

Napoli, Donna Jo. Beast. ISBN-10: 0689870051, ISBN-13: 9780689870057. Simon Pulse. 2004.

Summary
In Beast, we see that the prince of Persia has made a bad choice on the Day of Sacrifices and a fairy turns him into a beast. This retelling of the The Beauty and The Beast fairy tale is made fresh because it is told through the eyes of the beast, the heir to the Persian throne. His journey through the Middle East and into France includes his efforts to embrace his life of a beast. This proves complicated because his mind is still that of an Islamic man, and he struggles to stay true to those moral principles. The end of his travels bring him to find an abandoned chateau in France, where he plants a rose garden and waits for a woman come to love him. But who can love a beast?

Critical Evaluation
Mixing Persian settings, Islamic moral codes and the beautiful fairy tale of The Beauty and the Beast, Napoli weaves an inspired retelling from the beast's point of view. The readers get to see first-hand how Prince Orasmyn is changed as a result of a fairy's punishment, his outward journey to the safety to the French chateau and his inward journey as an Islamic man trapped in a lion's body, as well as preparing himself for the woman—he hopes—who will come love him to set him free. Although the book is appropriate for younger readers, older readers will have the patience to relish in the story

Reader's Annotation
Prince Orasmyn has made a terrible choice on the Day of Sacrifies, and is punished by a fairy. He's been turned into a beast until the love of a woman can break the spell. Donna Jo Napoli rebuilds this traditional tale with the opulence of Persian and Islamic cultures.

About the Author
The Pennsylvania author, Donna Jo Napoli holds degrees in mathematics (BA) and romance languages (PhD) from Harvard, and has taught linguistics at several institutions over the years. In additions to gaining degrees, teaching, and writing and speaking on the topic of linguistics, she has written over 50 books for children of all ages—19 specifically for young adults.

Genre
Myth, Legends, Fairy Tales
Historical

Challenges
Sexual Content

Curriculum Ties
Sociology/Religions: the conflict an Islamic man would have as living as a lion
English: traditional fairy tales
English: rewriting of fairy tales
Geography: Persia

Booktalking Ideas
When you think about The Beauty and the Beast, do you think about the beast or the beauty's point of view…
What if you were a vegetarian, and were transformed into a carnivorous beast with your human powers of reason and reckoning—how would you handle a hungry tummy…

Awards
Carolyn W. Field Honor Book Award from the Pennsylvania Library Association

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 13+

Why I included this title...
I'm a newly devoted fan to Napoli, and a long-time fan of the tale of The Beauty and the Beast.

Bound

Napoli, Donna Jo. Bound. ISBN-10: 0689861788, ISBN-13: 9780689861789. Simon Pulse. 2006.

Summary
Bound is a beautiful retelling of the classic Cinderella fairy tale with a Chinese twist. Xing Xing has been orphaned, and is now a slave girl to her stepmother and her big-footed half-sister. The sister, Wei Ping, has just begun the painful tradition of foot binding to prepare for marriage. Because no cares if Xing Xing gets married, she is spared this treatment. During her daily slave girl duties, Xing Xing speaks to the spirit of her mother, who she believes is watching over her while inhabiting the body of a fish. When Stepmother kills the fish, Xing Xing wants to keep the bones, yet they must be hidden. In the same bone hiding place, she finds a beautiful gown and slippers that once belonged to her mother. She wears the the striking gown and slippers to a local festival, where she sadly loses a slipper in her efforts to escape notice. The slipper ends up with a prince who searches the land looking for the owner. Xing Xing is then able to decide her own fate and future… and is bound to no one.

Critical Evaluation
There are many tellings of the Cinderella fairy tale, and Napoli does a great job incorporating the historical facts of the Ming dynasty to create a touching tale. She creates a very likable Xing Xing, who is orphaned and left to the mercy of her stepmother and half-sister. In her bleak life, she seeks guidance and love from a beautiful fish that she thinks is the spirit of her dead mother. Readers will maybe make the connection of the spirit of her mother and the idea of the fairy god-mother. The story will certainly be recognizable by the classic threads of Xing Xing finding a well-hidden gown and slippers that belonged to her mother, especially when she loses a slipper while she's trying to avoid Stepmother at a festival. Readers will also celebrate when Xing Xing will find herself loved, valued and free from her bindings.

Reader's Annotation
Napoli has taken the Cinderella story to China, and has given us Xing Xing, an evil stepmother and a big-footed half-sister.

About the Author
The Pennsylvania author, Donna Jo Napoli holds degrees in mathematics (BA) and romance languages (PhD) from Harvard, and has taught linguistics at several institutions over the years. In additions to gaining degrees, teaching, and writing and speaking on the topic of linguistics, she has written over 50 books for children of all ages—19 specifically for young adults.

Genre
Myth, Legends, Fairy Tales
Historical

Challenges
n/a

Curriculum Ties
Sociology: the traditions of Chinese foot binding
English: traditional fairy tales
English: rewriting of fairy tales
History: Ming Dynasty
Booktalking Ideas
Do you believe in the spirits of your favorite people watching over you and guiding your life today…
If you rewrote the Cinderella, how would you change it…

Awards
American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 13+

Why I included this title...
After reading Hush, I'm a newly devoted fan to Napoli.

Wolf by the Ears

Rinaldi, Ann. Wolf by the Ears. ISBN-10: 0590434128 , ISBN-13: 9780590434126 . Scholastic Paperbacks. 1993

Summary
Sally Hemings is said to be the mistress of the great American Thomas Jefferson, and is said to have mothered several of his children. Wolf by the Ears is a fictional account of one of their children, Harriet. She has grown up in comfort and protection on the plantation of Monticello. She worked little, was tutored much and faced little of the real world of slavery in America. However, now at 19, she has been offered her freedom on her 21^st birthday. This is a frightening thought, because if she stays at Monticello, she'll remain a slave; but if she leaves, she leaves her family and her race behind.

Critical Evaluation
RInaldi weaves a story from pieces of legend and speculation. However, the story has a strong readability factor because there is always the mystery of whether or not Thomas Jefferson carried on a long-time affair with Sally Hemings and fathered several children with her. Young adults may be intrigued in the slavery and second-class status yoking the African-Americans at Monticello. Harriet's inner struggle to stay or go will also appeal to readers who are on their own paths of independence.

Reader's Annotation
Alleged daughter to Thomas Jefferson, Harriet Hemings faces a life of comfortable slavery or braving the unknown as a free "passing" white woman.

About the Author
Ann Rinaldi began her writing career as a weekly columnist with the Somerst Messenger Gazette in 1969. But it was her son's involvement in Revolutionary War reenactments that piqued her interest in history. By the early 1980's, she finished her first book, Time Enough for Drums and thus begun a career that has given young adult readers over 40 titles.

Rinaldi writes young adult historical fiction in hopes to interest readers in the great history of our country. Not only does she hope to grab the imaginations of older teens, she writes for younger readers in the Dear America series.

Genre
Historical

Challenges
Sexual content

Slavery

Curriculum Ties
History: Thomas Jefferson

Booktalking Ideas
Could you leave the only life you've ever known, for the "promise" of a better life…
If you could "pass" for something your weren't, would you fool people for a better life…

Awards
American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 15-18

Why I included this title...
This is an interested topic to me… how often did this happen and how often were these children treated like pets rather than regular slaves…?

Hush

Napoli, Donna Jo. Hush: An Irish princess' tale. ISBN-10: 0689861761, ISBN-13: 9780689861765. Atheneum Books. 2007

Summary
Hush is about the haughty Irish princess Melkorka. She is kidnapped by a slave trader, and forced into a life completely foreign to her. The princess learns her survival rests in her vow of silence, and it's her silence that captivates her fellow slaves, captors and masters.

Critical Evaluation
Napoli creates a world that very few readers are familiar with, but she takes a legend and makes an enthralling novel. The novel follows the growth of the Melkorka from an indulgent princess to a strong, silent character that grows to endure a life she was never meant to live. Readers may struggle with the Gaelic and Norse words interspersed in the story, but not to distract them from this enthralling story.

Reader's Annotation
This book is based on a historic Icelandic legend, Napoli weaves a story from general facts about life in Scandinavia, Russia and Ireland to create the world of Irish Princess Melkorka. She is a spoiled Irish princess that is kidnapped and sold into slavery. She takes a vow of silence, finds her silence gives her power over her captors, and is the key to her survival.

About the Author
The Pennsylvania author, Donna Jo Napoli holds degrees in mathematics (BA) and romance languages (PhD) from Harvard, and has taught linguistics at several institutions over the years. In additions to gaining degrees, teaching, and writing and speaking on the topic of linguistics, she has written over 50 books for children of all ages—19 specifically for young adults.

Genre
Historical
Myths and Legends

Challenges
Sexual Content

Curriculum Ties
History: Vikings
English: Myths and Legends

Booktalking Ideas
What if you were kidnapped and taken from your country…
Could you stop talking? What if your life depended on it...

Awards
American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults

Reading Level/Interest Age
Ages 12-17

Why I included this title...
I've shelved books by Donna Jo Napoli for years, without ever reading one. Hush caught my eye because of its root in Irish legend.