Booraem, Ellen Texting the Underworld, 319 pgs. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2013. $16.99. Language: PG (0 swears); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG. Twelve-year-old Conor loves South Boston and sees no reason to ever leave. His biggest problem is figuring out how to dumb down his academic achievements so that he won’t be sent to a more academically elite high school across town. At least that was his biggest problem until a floating girl shows up outside his window one night. Ashling is a banshee and has been sent to the O’Neill family. This can only mean that someone in Conor’s family is going to die. As Ashling inserts herself into Conor’s life he has to figure out how to keep her identity a secret while protecting his family and finding a way to beat Death.
This book has an original plot that plays out well. The main character of Conor is the typical anti-hero who is afraid of spiders and leaving his neighborhood, but in the end manages to complete the heroic task set before him. The interweaving of modern day and ancient Irish lore is intriguing and will keep readers interested. The story addresses death, including loss of family members and when can it be considered the appropriate time for someone to move on to the next world. Overall a pleasant read with only a few missteps with stilted dialogue as a result of an adult author trying her best to speak with the voice of a modern teenager.
MS/HS—ADVISABLE AEB Social Studies Teacher
No comments:
Post a Comment