American Born Chinese
by Gene Luen Yang

Publisher's Note:  Jin Wang starts at a new school where he’s the only Chinese-American student. When a boy from Taiwan joins his class, Jin doesn’t want to be associated with an FOB like him. Jin just wants to be an all-American boy, because he’s in love with an all-American girl. Danny is an all-American boy: great at basketball, popular with the girls. But his obnoxious Chinese cousin Chin-Kee’s annual visit is such a disaster that it ruins Danny’s reputation at school, leaving him with no choice but to transfer somewhere he can start all over again. The Monkey King has lived for thousands of years and mastered the arts of kung fu and the heavenly disciplines. He’s ready to join the ranks of the immortal gods in heaven. But there’s no place in heaven for a monkey. Each of these characters cannot help himself alone, but how can they possibly help each other? They’re going to have to find a way—if they want fix the disasters their lives have become.


Overall Review:  "It's easy to become anything you wish...so long as you're willing to forfeit your soul."  Do you turn away and despise who you know you are, or do you embrace yourself and what you stand for?

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang explores family, culture, and society through the experiences of three distinct characters: the monkey King, a Chinese-American boy Jin, and an All-American teenager, Danny.  Yang offers us an original tale that triumphantly explores the struggle of succumbing to the pressure of being accepted, and forgetting who we really are.  As these three seemingly unrelated stories suddenly converge, we learn that although we face trials, we must recognize that we have all been intentionally created for a purpose, and that this knowledge will lead us to find our own personal destiny and give us the power to overcome whatever stands in our way. 

American Born Chinese is highly recommended for parents, teenagers, and book clubs, and offers a fantastic jumping-off point for discussion into the value of a person, and how being who you are meant to be can be freeing (sometimes literally, as with the monkey king!)  Don't discount the graphic art of the book...in fact, the symbolism offered by the pictures is what drives home the meaning behind the story.  In the end, the merging stories will make you question everything you just read, will push you to put the pieces together and figure it out, and even lead you to take a long, hard look in the mirror and consider yourself carefully.  Told in a clear, fresh voice, American Born Chinese shines as an encouraging, witty, and memorable story of being true to yourself, no matter what others expect you to be.  Overall Rating is 5 out of 5 stars! 


Content Review:

PROFANITY:  One dozen instances of coarse langauge

VIOLENCE:  Few very mild instances and 2 instances of mild violence  

SEXUAL CONTENT:  Three mild instances and one moderate instance

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

The profanity in this books consists of a dozen instances of mild coarse language, including a few racial names, a few very mild profanities, and a few instances of general name-calling.

Violence was all very mild or mild and brief.  The very mild instances included a bully threatening a kid, and a girl who punches a boy for stealing a quick kiss, and a boy who punches another boy for calling him a name, a character is slapped, and two boys get in a brief fist fight.  Mild violence included 2 instances of characters being stabbed through with a spear, a picture of a monkey with his head cut off,  multiple pictures of a character in fights with others, and an instance/picture where a character relieves himself on a pillar.

Sexual content included three mild instances and one moderate instance. Mild instances included a joke about the female chest, an instance in which we know that a character has urinated in another kid's soda, and a brief thought about a girl taking off her clothes.  The moderate instance was a non-descriptive innuendo where a boy invites a girl to participate in a sexual act.

Mature Themes include a scene where a boy is smoking, judging others for being different, self-worth,
discovering who you are, and accepting yourself even when others do not. There is also a very uplifting, underlying theme surrounding our divine worth as individuals.

American Born Chinese is recommended for ages 16+.

This review was written by Melissa
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Square Fish for a review

Small Steps
by Louis Sachar

Publisher's Note:  Two years after being released from Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin, Texas, trying to turn his life around. But it's hard when you have a record and everyone expects the worst from you. The only person who believes in Armpit is Ginny, his ten-year-old disabled neighbor. Together, they are learning to take small steps.
 
Armpit seems to be on the right path until X-Ray, a buddy from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a get-rich-quick scheme. X-Ray's plan leads to a chance encounter with teen pop sensation Kaira DeLeon, and suddenly Armpit's life spins out of control. Only one thing is certain: he'll never be the same again.
 
Combining his signature wit with a unique blend of adventure and deeply felt characters, Sachar explores issues of race, the nature of celebrity, the invisible connections that shape a person's life, and what it takes to stay the course. Doing the right thing is never a wrong choice—but always a small step in right direction. 

 
Overall Review:  In Louis Sachar’s capable hands, the natural prose and dialogue in Small Steps results in a fluid and satisfying read.  Small Steps’ only connection to the Newberry-winning Holes are the characters Theodore Johnson (aka Armpit) and X-Ray.   Thematically, the book does not dig too deep and some of the characters and relationships are loosely sketched, thus stretching plausibility.   However, the main character Armpit comes alive as a breathing, bleeding, and believable protagonist who is just trying to do the best he can to put his life on track and move forward.  He is an everyday guy that one can’t help worrying with--while rooting for his success.  Small Steps has a somewhat open ending—not because it is a set-up for a sequel—but because there isn’t always a fairy-tale ending and real life is open-ended.  We all just move forward, doing the best we can, while taking small steps.  Overall Rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
 
Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  two mild instances and one moderate instance

PROFANITY:  a few mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  a few mild instances

MATURE THEMES:  a few mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP:   14+

Mild violence includes a character being handcuffed and hit with a billy club and a brief fist fight between two teenagers.  The moderate instance of violence is a scene in which a character attacks some other characters with a baseball bat, knocking one unconscious and breaking another’s arm.  There is a stabbing with a knife in the same scene and a character is punched until he is unconscious.  These events are briefly described.   

Profanity consisted of approximately a half a dozen mild, religious profanities.  While not technically profanity, there are two times a crude word is used and a character “flips the bird” at another character.

Sexual content consisted of two characters kissing twice; reports of a man cheating on his wife; comments by one character that songs are all about “sex” but she is a virgin; a pop star is told to “dance sexy” and that the backup singers provide “sexual energy”; a news report wrongly reports that a character was found in bed with another character.

Themes include having goals, starting over, doing the best you can, choices, valuing people for who they are, and lying.

Other content includes a scene where some adults are drinking beer; a parent demands a urine sample for drug testing; two characters scalp some concert tickets.

This book has two characters from the book Holes so I assumed, incorrectly, that Small Steps was a companion book for a younger audience.  Small Steps is definitely aimed at an older audience than Holes because of the themes, storyline, and age of the protagonist.

Small Steps is a clean read for ages 14+.

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Delacorte Books for Young Readers  for a review

Persepolis
(The Complete Version)
by Marjane Satrapi

Publisher's Note:  Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming--both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.  Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom--Persepolis is a stunning work from one of the most highly regarded, singularly talented graphic artists at work today.


Overall Review:

Marjane: "I wanted to be a prophet."
Grandmother: "Marjane, come here and help me stand up."
Marjane: "Don't worry, soon you won't have any more pain. You'll see."
Grandmother: "In that case, I'll be your first disciple."
Marjane: "Really?"
Grandmother: "But tell me how you'll arrange for old people not to suffer?"
Marjane:  "It will simply be forbidden."

Persepolis is a deeply thought-provoking and genuine account of Marjane Satrapi, who grew up in the despair of the Iranian Islamic revolution--a war and cultural shift that ripped apart Iranian families and society.  In describing the fundamentalist takeover of Iran, and the Satrapi family's experiences, Persepolis pushes the reader to carefully consider not only the ramifications of war on a society as a whole, but the impact that it has on a developing child. 

Perhaps the most touching part of the book is the first half, which gives us the unique angle of a child's perspective during the cultural revolution:  innocent, impressionable, and profoundly confused. To be allowed to slip inside the mind of Marjane, a precocious 10 year-old, and experience the thoughts, the quiet desperation, and the questions that she expresses over the revolution and death surrounding her, is authentic and enlightening.

In the true innocence that only a child possesses, Marjane recounts her search for God, for control in a repressive and forbidding society, for a connection with her war-torn family, and for a place in a world that denies what she has experienced. Finding herself pulled between identities, she realizes that she is "a westerner in Iran, and an Iranian in the west", and struggles to find herself amidst Iranian culture, the religion of Islam, and the appeal of Western society.

Marjane's loss of childhood, joined with parents (who adamantly insist that education is the sole key to freedom), and a government-enforced culture (that demands that religion is the only freedom), ultimately leads her to a personal conviction to learn for herself, and act on what she believes.  Marjane Satrapi is brave enough to allow us this personal, openly honest glimpse into her experiences as a child who grew up in the midst of war and death, and it stands as a great reminder to all of us that life is invaluable, and that one person can make a difference.  Overall Rating is 5 out of 5 Stars!


Content Review:

PROFANITY: Strong Instances Throughout Entire Story

VIOLENCE: Mild, Moderate, and Strong Instances Throughout Entire Story

SEXUAL CONTENT: Mild, Moderate and Strong Instances Throughout Entire Story

MATURE THEMES:  Strong and Adult Themes

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 21+

Instances of profanity were found throughout the entire story with language found on almost every page.  The language included religious exclamations, swear words, and strong coarse language.  The first fourth of the book was, in general, free from profanity, but as the book progressed, instances became more routine.  The use and amount of profanity in this book would make it inappropriate for anyone under the ages of 21. 

Due to the fact that this books revolves around a cultural revolution and war, there are many instances of mild, moderate, and strong violence.  For mild instances, two characters are slapped, talk of bringing "death to the king",  a friend of a character comes back from fighting having lost limbs, mentions of group executions, and a man drowns.  Moderate instances of violence include multiple violent demonstrations where people are shot or killed, a scene in which two women are executed, child soldiers and a discussion of the recruiting tactics used and the death or injuries they sustain in battle, and an instance when a man cuts himself on the head with a knife.  Strong instances of violence include graphic examples of prisoner torture (including water techniques and dismemberment), two attempted suicides, and an instance where a man is murdered.

The first half of the book contains almost no sexual content.  However, as the story progresses, there are large areas of the story involving sexuality, sexual intimacy, and relationships.  Mild sexual content includes a crude sexual joke, a mention of women prostituting themselves, self-inflicted pain (slapping) lead by schoolteachers among female students, a young character mentions how her grandmother's bosom looks, a female character mentions that she had 8 homosexual roommates (just mentioned, nothing more), a character's boyfriend discloses that he is gay, and two brief discussions of sexual intimacy, birth control methods, and birth control pills.  Moderate sexual content includes one mention of a rape occurring, an instance where woman tries (unsuccessfully) to urinate standing up, and when a character sprays perfume between her legs to be attractive.  Strong sexual content includes a detailed story of a woman who is arrested and raped, and when a character overhears her roomate being sexually intimate with a man, and then sees the couple naked and makes a reference to sex and joke about male genetalia. 

As for mature themes, the themes are strong and intended for an adult audience only.  They include many moderate scenes of drug, tobacco, and alcohol use, attempted suicides, sexually intimate relationships, war, death, and religious fundamentalism, including the veiling of women.

Overall, the dialogue and storyline are very straightforward, but the use of graphics (although very simple) makes the impact of the above instances more powerful.  Since most of the above instances were related to real life and war, this book definitely holds intrinsic value, and exposes readers to the life experiences of a young Iranian girl. 

However, in the second half of the book, the instances of sexuality and profanities increased significantly, and we find all the instances of drug use.  I would recommend that sensitive readers who are interested in experiencing this life-changing story get the first half of the book only, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (recommended for ages 18+),  as it would definitely be a valuable read for anyone who would like to avoid the more explicit parts of the book.  

Due to the overall adult content and themes in this book, The Complete Persepolis is recommended for ages 21+. 

This review was written by Melissa
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Pantheon Books for a review

Hattie Big Sky
by Kirby Larson

Publisher's Note:  For years, sixteen-year-old Hattie's been shuttled between relatives. Tired of being Hattie Here-and-There, she courageously leaves Iowa to prove up on her late uncle's homestead claim near Vida, Montana. With a stubborn stick-to-itiveness, Hattie faces frost, drought and blizzards. Despite many hardships, Hattie forges ahead, sharing her adventures with her friends--especially Charlie, fighting in France--through letters and articles for her hometown paper.

Her backbreaking quest for a home is lightened by her neighbors, the Muellers. But she feels threatened by pressure to be a "Loyal" American, forbidding friendships with folks of German descent. Despite everything, Hattie's determined to stay until a tragedy causes her to discover the true meaning of home.  Newbery Honor Book.


Overall Review:  I considered myself a pretty mature sixteen-year-old, but I had nothing on Hattie Inez Brooks, the protagonist of Kirby Larson's beautifully-crafted novel Hattie Big Sky!  At sixteen, orphan Hattie ("Hattie Here-and-There") inherits a land claim in eastern Montana.  Grateful for the chance to leave her less-than-loving Aunt Ivy, Hattie packs up and leaves Iowa for the land of the "big sky." While working for ten months to prove up her uncle's claim, Hattie deals with recalcitrant farm animals, bigoted neighbors, and the harsh reality of the First World War.  Hattie's spirit and spunk won me over immediately!  Larson's prose made me feel like I was right in the middle of the wide skies and blue flax fields of Montana.  My only complaint was that the book didn't last long enough!  Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars!


Content Review:

PROFANITY: Very mild

VIOLENCE: Mild

SEXUAL CONTENT: Very mild

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 12+

There is some extremely mild profanity (mostly consisting of references to profanity and not actual epithets).  There is some mild violence; a homesteader's barn is set on fire, a few schoolboys try to throw rocks at another schoolboy, a few cowboys threaten men with violence (and knock one down).  There is some extremely mild sexual content—a boy touches a girl and she thinks that it feels like an electric charge.  Mature themes consist of war, prejudice, and making the best of unpleasant circumstances.  This book is recommended as a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 12+.

 This review was written by Cindy B.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Yearling for a review

See Content Reviews for Similar Books:

Outliers
by Malcolm Gladwell

Publisher's Note:  In the past decade, Malcolm Gladwell has written three books that have radically changed how we understand our world and ourselves: The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers. Regarded by many as the most gifted and influential author and journalist in America today, Gladwell has the rare ability to connect with audiences of tremendously varied interests.


Overall Review: We usually think of success as being the product of simple hard work—but is it? In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell challenges this idea, showing that success depends on a lot more than hard work alone. In the course of the book, you'll learn the surprising secrets of success for people all over the spectrum. You'll find out, for instance, what the key ingredient that sets Canadian pro hockey players apart from their fellows is (hint: it's not talent); how to predict the birth year and ethnicity of nearly all top New York lawyers (you'll even be able to predict their parents' or grandparents' professions!); why Asians are good at math; and why some countries have dramatically higher rates of airplane crashes than others. With language that is clear and easy to follow, Gladwell presents dozens of fascinating case studies to back up his points. Not only did I enjoy the interesting information presented in this book, but I was inspired, too! Gladwell helps to unravel the popular cultural notion that success comes from a magical "it" factor that you either have or don't; Outliers is sure to be an inspiring eye-opener to anyone who has ever felt like they lack talent!  Overall Rating is 5 out of 5 stars.


Content Review:

PROFANITY: One moderate instance

VIOLENCE: A few very mild, one moderate

SEXUAL CONTENT: Very mild

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 18+

There is little profanity in the book; however, one of the studies that the author cites involved participants being insulted with a moderate derogatory epithet, and that word is used a few times in the discussion of the study. There are a few references to violence, mostly very mild (a pilot slaps a co-pilot, etc.), but there is one moderate instance—a story is told about a slave owner who inflicted severe punishments on his slaves if they tried to run away, and the punishments are briefly described. There is reference to slave owners taking their slaves as concubines and having children with them. There are a few mature themes, all dealing with difficult living situations (poverty, neglect, slavery, etc.). Although this book is a clean, easy read, it subject matter would probably appeal most to adults. Outliers is recommended as a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 18+.

This Review was Written by Cindy B.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

The Beekeeper's Apprentice
by Laurie King

Publisher’s Note:  In 1915, long since retired from his observations of criminal humanity, Sherlock Holmes is engaged in a reclusive study of honeybee behavior on the Sussex Downs. Never did he think to meet an intellect to match his own–until his acquaintance with Miss Mary Russell, a very modern fifteen-year-old whose mental acuity is equaled only by her audacity, tenacity, and penchant for trousers and cloth caps.

Under Holmes’s tutelage, Russell hones her talent for deduction, disguises, and danger: in the chilling case of a landowner’s mysterious fever and in a kidnapping in the wilds of Wales. But her ultimate challenge is yet to come. Soon the two sleuths are on the trail of a murderer whose machinations scatter meaningless clues…but whose objective is quite unequivocal: to end Russell and Holmes’s partnership–and their lives.


Overall Review:  Meet Mary Russell.  Brilliant, lonely, and orphaned, she just happens to stumble onto someone while walking and reading a book.  That person is none other than the imitable Sherlock Holmes!  From that point on, these two are almost inseparable as Russell begins to learn at the feet of a master.  They pass through case after case where I admit to feeling bewildered at times by the things they can ‘see’ and wondering ‘whodunnit’--and we even hear those famous and enshrined words: “Elementary, my dear!”  What fun!  It has been many years since I’ve read a mystery novel, and even more since I read one as well written and clean as ‘The Beekeeper’s Apprentice’!  Ms. King has a thoughtful, profound and insightful writing style.  The story is inspiring as we see the inner workings of the mind, and fast paced enough to keep you turning the pages.  I loved the banter between Holmes and Mary Russell.  I enjoyed seeing many well-known characters again such as Watson, Inspector Lestrade, Mycroft, Mrs. Hudson, and even Moriarty makes a bit of a cameo.  This is written much in the same style and language as the original Sherlock Holmes series, so if you are a fan of those, it’s possible you will like this as well.  And if you’ve never read one, this is a fun place to start!  I’m looking forward to reading more of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes mysteries!  Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.


Content Review:

PROFANITY: few mild instances

VIOLENCE: few mild instances and one strong instance

SEXUAL CONTENT: None

MATURE THEMES: Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

There was some profanity scattered throughout.  It was never concentrated anywhere, but one mild word here and there every now and then.  There is absolutely no sexual content.  Since this is a mystery/thriller, there is some violence, but it is reasonable (can you say violence is reasonable?) and not overwhelming.  Nothing is written out in gory detail for shock value.  Some characters are shot.  Bombs are laid and characters are hurt or die.  There is a kidnapping.  Some characters die.  Some characters are held at gunpoint and that is pretty intense.  I put the mature theme at moderate just because of the nature of the novel itself.  It is, after all, a mystery with a lot of action.  Much of it is purely psychological as the facts are revealed and we wonder who it could be and why.  I would consider this to be a clean read, and appropriate for ages 16+.

The Family Nobody Wanted
by Helen Doss

Publisher's Note:  Doss's charming, touching, and at times hilarious chronicle tells how each of the children, representing white, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, Mexican, and Native American backgrounds, came to her and husband Carl, a Methodist minister. She writes of the way the "unwanted" feeling was erased with devoted love and understanding and how the children united into one happy family. Her account reads like a novel, with scenes of hard times and triumphs described in vivid prose.

The Family Nobody Wanted, which inspired two films, opened doors for other adoptive families and was a popular favorite among parents, young adults, and children for more than thirty years. Now this edition will introduce the classic to a new generation of readers. An epilogue by Helen Doss that updates the family's progress since 1954 will delight the book's loyal legion of fans around the world.


Overall Review: Growing up, my mom had an old, battered paperback copy of The Family Nobody Wanted. When I was about five, while learning the finer points of reading in the bathtub, I dropped it in the water! I read it several times as a child until I accidentally left it at my violin teacher's house as a preteen and never saw it again. I recently saw a reference to the book and decided to look it up at my local library. Boy, am I glad I did! Helen Doss's memoir tells the story of how their very unusual family—comprised of twelve adopted children of all different races—came to be. Told as a young wife that she would never be able to bear children, Doss experienced years of longing and heartbreak before she and her husband were able to adopt their first child. While trying to adopt a second child, they discovered that while the waiting list for Caucasian children was long, there were many more children who were considered "unplaceable" because of their skin color and racial backgrounds. Applying an incredibly amount of tenacity and perseverance to the problem, Doss eventually convinced an adoption agency to let her adopt a mixed-race child (the social worker, vehemently opposed to the idea, insisted that they couldn't possibly be happy with a child who looked so "different"). Desperate to provide a home for these unwanted orphans, the Dosses eventually end up adopting twelve multiracial children (and fostering two more!). I emerged from this book full of admiration for a woman with enough love, spunk, and heart to not only take in so many children in need, but to make a happy, loving family out of all of them! This is a perfect read for anyone who has ever been touched by adoption, and for anyone who believes in the importance of a loving family.  Overall rating is 5 out of 5 stars!


Content Review:

PROFANITY: Very mild

VIOLENCE: Mild

SEXUAL CONTENT: None

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 12+

There is no real profanity in the book, but there is one instance in which a character begins to say a minor swear word and then stops and apologizes. There is some mild violence; a troubled foster child obsesses over wanting a knife, several children play with knives without understanding what they are doing, and a man is severely beaten because of his ethnicity. All of these are handled gently and without any graphicness. Mature themes throughout the novel include racism and bigotry, as well as some passing references to abuse and neglect. Although this is a memoir mostly directed toward adults, because of the large number of funny anecdotes about Doss's children, it could easily be enjoyed by kids and young adults as well!  This book is recommended as a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 12+.

This Review was Wirtten by Cindy B.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Reviewer

Pathfinder
by Orson Scott Card

Publisher's Note:  A powerful secret. A dangerous path. Rigg is well trained at keeping secrets. Only his father knows the truth about Rigg's strange talent for seeing the paths of people's pasts. But when his father dies, Rigg is stunned to learn just how many secrets Father had kept from him--secrets about Rigg's own past, his identity, and his destiny. And when Rigg discovers that he has the power not only to see the past, but also to change it, his future suddenly becomes anything but certain. Rigg’s birthright sets him on a path that leaves him caught between two factions, one that wants him crowned and one that wants him dead. He will be forced to question everything he thinks he knows, choose who to trust, and push the limits of his talent…or forfeit control of his destiny.


Overall Review:  Hats off and congratulations to Orson Scott Card in Pathfinder  for being brave enough, crazy enough, and brilliant enough to tackle time travel and not have the story implode!  Pathfinder begins as really two stories, two timelines, and two different styles of writing (one science fiction-flavored and one traditional hero quest-flavored) which progressively converge.  I am not a hard core science fiction fan, but those sections quickly became my favorite and are what hooked me.  The ability of the protagonist, 13 year-old Rigg, to see paths left by living organisms is truly ingenious and original.
 
Card progresses the plot primarily through dialogue, requiring the reader to work through the thought process with his characters.  Midway through the book, the story did bog down briefly in political intrigue and philosophizing before returning to the truly interesting parts of the story.  Dominated with male characters who like to banter, this book is an engaging read even if you are not a science fiction or fantasy enthusiast.  Ended abruptly—not concluded, the book is obviously the set-up for a series and I will be standing at the front of the line for the next book.  Overall Rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

 
Content Review
 
VIOLENCE:  a few mild instances

PROFANITY:  one mild instance

SEXUAL CONTENT:  none

MATRUE THEMES:   a few mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP:   16+

Violence consists of the non-graphic, non-detailed reporting of some murder attempts, mob activity, fisticuffs, and such.  One mild profanity was noted.  While technically not profanity, a few coarse words were occasionally used.  Sexual content was limited to passing references to illegitimate children and river men’s philandering.  Thematic material, while neither difficult nor prominent, consists of ethical issues about truth, manipulation, and colonization.   Although there is nothing in this book that would make it inappropriate for a younger reader, this book is dialogue-driven rather than action-driven and it takes a patient reader to work through the complex concepts of time travel and the political intrigue.  Thus, it would be most enjoyed by older readers.  This is a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 16+.

This Review was Written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Simon & Schuster for a review

The Alchemist
by Paul Coelho

Publisher's Note:   Every few decades a book is published that changes the lives of its readers forever. The Alchemist is such a book. With over a million and a half copies sold around the world, The Alchemist has already established itself as a modern classic, universally admired. Paulo Coelho's charming fable, now available in English for the first time, will enchant and inspire an even wider audience of readers for generations to come.

The Alchemist is the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. From his home in Spain he journeys to the markets of Tangiers and across the Egyptian desert to a fateful encounter with the alchemist.

The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us, as only a few stories have done, about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, above all, following our dreams.


Overall Review:  The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is a lyrical fable, simply told, of an Andalusian shepherd boy searching for his destiny and his treasure.  Stylistically, one can almost hear an ancient storyteller unfolding the story next to a fire under a canopy of stars.  This is not a book about character development.  This is not a book about plotline.  This is a thinking book.  Woven within the story are ideas and themes to be pondered and revisited.  It is refreshing in an increasingly skeptical and secular society to hear a message regarding fate and faith; destiny and the divine.  The cynical reader would say the book appeals to what people want to believe about life and destiny, but I think it rather reminds of truths that we all once knew, but have forgotten along our way.  Beautifully begun, patiently paced, and eloquently ended, The Alchemist inspires personal evaluation and leaves a taste of hope for life’s possibilities.  Overall  Rating is 5 out of 5 stars!


Content Review
 
VIOLENCE:  one mild instance

PROFANITY:  one mild instance

SEXUAL CONTENT:  none

MATURE THEMES:  none

RECOMENDED AGE GROUP:   16+

Violence consists of the report of wars, battles, and a hanging.  A character is robbed and beaten, but a detailed account is not provided.  Profanity includes one mild instance.  There was no sexual content.  No difficult, mature thematic material is present, but the book’s general themes would be most appreciated by readers 16 and older.  Because this is a great discussion book , it would be an excellent selection for a book club.  The Alchemist is a Squeaky Clean read for ages 16+.

This Review was Written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Reviewer