Book review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (YA)

Ever since Jacob was a boy, his grandfather told stories of how he escaped Poland during the War to a remote island in Wales, where he stayed at Miss Peregrine's Home. He described the other people there, like the boy with bees in his stomach, a girl who could levitate, and a woman who could change into a falcon. Even scarier, his grandfather talked about the monsters that chased him throughout his life. Jacob believed these stories were true, until he realized his grandfather was only telling entertaining tales.

When Jacob is sixteen, he finds his grandfather, brutally attacked in the woods. His grandfather's last words are a cryptic jumble, urging Jacob to find the bird and the loop and the letter about September 3, 1940 and to escape to the island before the monsters find him. As Jacob reels from the shock, he sees a terrifying man in the distance with tentacles dangling out of his mouth. Convinced he is conjuring up imaginary creatures because of his grandfather's stories, Jacob sees a counselor and tries to deal with his ongoing nightmares. However, after finding a letter that seems to echo his grandfather's dying wish, Jacob flies to Wales with his father to make peace with his loss. Once he starts exploring the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, though, he realizes that his grandfather's stories might actually have been true and somehow, these strange children may still be alive. He also learns that the monsters, like the tentacled man, are indeed after him.

This New York Times best seller is an odd, intriguing read. Riggs shaped the narrative around creepy, vintage photographs that he found at flea markets, using them as characters in the book. They are sprinkled throughout the story and add a unique depth to the fantasy. Riggs also does a good job of building the world at the island and creating suspense as Jacob tries to escape the monsters. The ending seems primed for a sequel, and there is a rumbling of rumors that Tim Burton is considering a film adaptation of this novel.

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Book review: Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher (Young Adult)

The premise for this book, quite frankly, is pretty messed up. Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a package of cassette tapes with his name on it. They were recorded by Hannah Baker, a classmate and crush, who killed herself two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them, but he has to listen to the tapes to find out why. In a night full of anguish, he crisscrosses town, listening to Hannah reveal stories and secrets, and becoming a first-hand witness to her pain.

I was reluctant to read this book, but when I started, I couldn’t stop. It was a shocking, emotionally heavy way to discuss such a somber topic, but Asher made the situation and characters believable and thought-provoking. While the book isn't overly graphic, I would recommend that parents read the book along with their kids and discuss it together.