VVMBookBlog

Rash by Pete Hautman

I found Rash when I was looking for football chapter books and decided to give it a try. At the beginning of the book I was confused at why it was mentioned as a football book. Bo Marsten is a sixteen year old going to school in the late 21st century and football is illegal. Actually most things are illegal or overly protected. For example, he must wear protective clothing and a helmet to run track. In the beginning of the book Bo is a typical teenager who likes a girl while the girl likes someone else. This causes Bo to get angry, hit the boy, and get sent to prison. Since almost any type of emotion, especially violence, is illegal this is part of the culture.

When he gets sent to prison, he makes pizza. If he attempts to escape, he could be eaten by polar bears in the tundra. It is while he is in prison that Bo gets involved with football. Football is illegal, but the prison warden loves football and lets an exclusive group play. Bo has to try out for football and really doesn’t know how to throw or catch. This football becomes quite brutal, and Bo must make a decision about his future.

This book is about much more than football. Bo makes an artificial intelligence on his computer which becomes a help as he continues his time in prison. It takes place in the future, so Bo’s grandpa would probably have been a teenager in 2007. If you like football and computers, this will be an interesting book.

Iron Thunder: The Battle Between the Monitor & the Merrimac by Avi

Avi is a prolific writer. I once listened to him speak at a convention. He is dyslexic and had difficulties with reading in school. Maybe this is what makes him an incredible author. He wants his books to be entertaining, something people will enjoy reading. His latest book, Iron Thunder, is historical fiction set during the Civil War.

Thomas is the main character. His father has recently died fighting for the Union in the Civil War. Although he is only 13, he must take care of his family (mother and sister). He is forced to find work. Because he is small for his age and smart, he is given a job building the Monitor, an iron ship. Most people are making fun of this concept because few, if any, think that an iron ship will float. This is a secretive job because the North doesn’t want the South to know that they are building this ship (or at least they don’t want any details given to the south).

Although Thomas is working, he is only making 75 cents a week. A man offers him a dollar a week if he will share information about the boat. This is a difficult decision because he would make more than twice what he is making now, but he would be “ratting” out the North to the South. Since his father died for the North, he takes the dollar the first time he sees this man, but he doesn’t supply the man with information. Later the man will come back to get the information for which he has paid. Danger will come to him and perhaps his family.

This book is a fast-paced account of the building of the ship and the battle that follows. It is also a story of a teenager who makes tough decisions in a difficult time. Although this book is fiction, Avi researched the events to bring history to life.