Albert Whitman Teen Review Roundup

by Kristin in Editorial

It’s been an amazing “Summer of Teen” — on the blog and here at Albert Whitman. Each book on our Albert Whitman Teen launch list has received a starred review and plenty of accolades. We couldn’t be more thrilled with our young adult debuts!

Here, we’d like to share with you some of the review highlights.

Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera

• Summer 2011 Kids’ IndieNext List, American Booksellers Association
• Starred review, Booklist
  “Set six months after 9/11, this unforgettable novel raises crucial headline issues through the story of teenage Khalid, born near Manchester, England, in a secular Muslim family.”
• “Readers will feel every ounce of Khalid’s terror, frustration, and helplessness in this disturbing look at a sad, ongoing chapter in contemporary history.” —Publishers Weekly
• “[T]his gripping look at a poorly defined war’s unintended consequences uniquely challenges readers to examine common beliefs and ask searching questions about means and ends.” —Kirkus Reviews

The Poisoned House by Michael Ford

• Starred review, School Library Journal
  “This ghost story is light fare, chilling and suspenseful. Readers who ask for ‘more like this book’ might well be primed for something more substantial, like Henry James himself.”
• “This snugly plotted novel for readers over the age of thirteen . . .  would serve as an excellent introduction to the adult tradition of ghost stories set in the same era.” —Wall Street Journal
• “A scullery maid, a great house, whispered evil and a ghost populate this first-person tale of mid-nineteenth-century London . . . In all, scary, compelling, and atmospheric enough for a satisfying chill.”—Kirkus Reviews
• “Ford’s ghost story, framed as a historical document from 1855, is a quick,  suspenseful read but a decidedly gentler brand of humor . . . The strength of the novel is the girl’s perseverance despite her disbelief, and the reward for Abi at the end will be just as great for the audience rooting her on.” —Booklist

We hope that you, our dear readers, will enjoy Guantanamo Boy and The Poisoned House, too!

While this ends our “Summer of Teen” on the blog, we will continue to bring you news and information about our books for teens in the months to come. But for next week…Random Acts of Publicity! We’ve asked several of our authors and illustrators to write blog posts about an Albert Whitman title by someone else…we’re very excited to see what they’ll do.