_Shabanu: Daughter of the Winds
By Suzanne Fisher Staples       

Publisher's Note:  Life is both sweet and cruel to strong-willed young Shabanu, whose home is the windswept Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. The second daughter in a family with no sons, she’s been allowed freedoms forbidden to most Muslim girls. But when a tragic encounter with a wealthy and powerful landowner ruins the marriage plans of her older sister, Shabanu is called upon to sacrifice everything she’s dreamed of. Should she do what is necessary to uphold her family’s honor—or listen to the stirrings of her own heart?

Overall Review:  Shabanu: Daughter of the Winds is the coming-of-age tale of a young Muslim girl who lives in the Cholistan desert in Pakistan.  Suzanne Fisher Staples tells a poignant story portraying the life and culture of these desert families and the role of women in them.  The language is stark and vivid, much like the lives and landscape of the desert people Staples is writing about.  The story is a little slow to get going and continues somewhat unremarkably for a while, giving a detailed picture of how life is for a young Pakistani desert girl whose family raises camels.  One keeps wondering again and again when the climax will come, then suddenly it’s there like a hammer strike and the story explodes!  In the conversation with the author in the back of the book, Staples says that Shabanu is an exploration of the “universality of human experience” and the similarities of women across many cultures; however, I found it very difficult to overcome the drastic and sometimes shocking differences between Shabanu’s culture and my own.  In the end, though, I found myself in tears over the spirit of a young girl struggling against the strictures of her society and how she reconciled herself to them and became a woman.  An eye-opening and thought-provoking read.  Overall Rating:  4 our of 5 Stars.

Content Review:
Violence: Few strong Instances

Profanity:  None

Sexual Content: Several mild instances

Mature Themes:  Few strong instances

Recommended Age Group: 14+

There are several instances of death in this book, both by natural causes (they do live in a harsh desert climate) and by less natural.  Two main characters’ lives and virginity are threatened, and there is at least one instance of a harsh beating.

There is no profanity to speak of. 

The family lives in the desert in small huts and raises camels; issues of both animal and human sexuality are referred to several times, though never detailed or in a base manner.  Again, the virginity of characters is threatened. 

Mature themes are based mostly in the fact that girls are married off at age thirteen to one of their parents’ choosing and all the ramifications therein, and the potential rape of a young girl.  Sexual themes in raising animals, close desert life, and girls thinking of their own futures—while never explicit in any way—would also lend the book toward a more mature audience. 

Shabanu is rrecommended for ages 14+.

_This review was written by Kristen.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Laurel Leaf, a Random House Imprint for a review.

Ice
by Sarah Beth Durst

Publisher's Note:  When Cassie was little she thought her mother had been taken prisoner by trolls because of a deal she’d made with the Polar Bear King. Just a fairy tale to soothe a child whose mother had died. But on her eighteenth birthday, the “fairy tale” comes true when the Polar Bear King comes to take Cassie for his bride. Realizing she has the power to save her mother, Cassie makes her own deal with the bear and finds herself on a journey against time, traveling across the brutal Arctic to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. It is a journey that will teach Cassie the true meaning of love and family—and what it means to become an adult.

Overall Review: Talking animals, magical transformations, sentient winds—have you ever wondered if there could be a logical explanation for all the fantastical things that happen in fairy tales? In Ice, Sarah Beth Durst explores exactly this question, setting a classic Scandinavian fairy tale ("East of the Sun, West of the Moon") in a modern-day world of scientific facts. Cassie has grown up at an Arctic research station with her scientist father and his team, studying polar bears. When bizarre things start happening to her, she has a hard time believing it—but soon, she's falling head-over-heels into a fairy tale world more wild and wonderful than anything she could have imagined. I'm not sure I've ever read a book quite like Ice. It captivated me from the first page, pulling me deep into Cassie's frozen home and keeping me frantically turning pages until the end. Although there were places in which I felt that the story lacked detail, and some of the storylines and explanations felt weak, it still made for a delightfully compelling winter read that had me thinking about the story even after I'd closed the book for the last time. If you're looking for a fairy tale that's not quite like anything you've read before, Ice is the book for you! Overall Rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Content Review:
PROFANITY:  Mild, but consistent throughout the novel

VIOLENCE:  Mild, one or two instances that verged on moderate

SEXUAL CONTENT: Mild to moderate

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

Profanity is mostly fairly mild, but is scattered consistently throughout the novel.

Violence is mostly mild, with one or two scenes (of a polar bear eating a seal) that might be considered moderate; however, the description is not particularly graphic and the scene is handled in a light and amusing way rather than an intense one.

Sexual content is mild to moderate; all descriptions are extremely tame and handled in a sweet manner, but there are a few discussions about a "wedding night" (a husband tells his wife that it is their wedding night; a wife tells her husband they never have a wedding night). Two married characters kiss in bed and it is implied that they have sex, but it is not described. A character is pregnant.

Mature themes consist of sacrifice, endurance, and a girl growing up without a mother.

This book is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 16+.

_This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

To Say Nothing of the Dog
By Connie Willis


Publisher's Note:  Ned Henry shuttles between the 1940s and the twenty-first century while researching Coventry Cathedral for a patron interested in rebuilding it until the time continuum is disrupted.


Overall Review:  To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis may technically be a science fiction novel, but it feels more like The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde.  You don’t have to be a die-hard science fiction fan to enjoy this book.  (In fact, if you want hard-core science fiction, this isn’t it.)  Willis is amazing in her incorporation of chaos theory, time travel, English history, and literary knowledge.  The true charm of this book is the first-class, dry, understated humor and dialogue.  The pacing is even-handed and the conclusion most satisfying.  After this book, I will never look at an English bulldog without smiling.  Overall Rating:   4.5 out of 5 stars!




Content Review:
VIOLENCE:  one mild instances

PROFANITY:  a few mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  one mild instance

MATURE THEMES:  none

RECOMMENDED AGE:   21+

Violence is minimal.   There is one fairly lengthy scene that occurs during a German bombing of a cathedral in London.  Within that scene there are explosions, a fire, and general chaos, but no deaths described.

Mild religious profanity was noted three times. 

Sexual content is mostly non-existent as most of the story occurs in Victorian England.  One character does kiss another character.

This delightful book has nothing that would be inappropriate for ages younger than 21.  However, the pacing and dialogue of the book lend itself to an older, more mature reader who can appreciate its tongue-in-cheek and dry humor.

To Say Nothing of the Dog is a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 21+!
_

_This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

_ Plain Kate
by Erin Bow

Publisher's Note:  A debut novel that's as sharp as a knife's point.

Plain Kate lives in a world of superstitions and curses, where a song can heal a wound and a shadow can work deep magic. As the wood-carver's daughter, Kate held a carving knife before a spoon, and her wooden charms are so fine that some even call her "witch-blade" -- a dangerous nickname in a town where witches are hunted and burned in the square.

Overall Review:  Combine a charming, haunting, and lyrical writing style with a fabulous cat, a complex villain, and a lonely but strong girl, and you have Plain Kate by Erin Bow.  The protagonist, Plain Kate, struggles valiantly to make her way in an unfriendly world filled with magic, Roamers, and witch-hunters.   Kate’s aloneness in the world made my heart ache for her and elevated the tension in the story while creating an unpredictable storyline.  Kate’s feline companion provided needed comic relief at key times.  Although it is filled with some painful moments, Plain Kate concludes on an authentic and hopeful note.  Loved it!   Overall Rating:   5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:
VIOLENCE:  a few mild and moderate instances

PROFANITY: none

SEXUAL CONTENT:  none

MATURE THEMES:  a few mild to moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE:   12+

Violence included the following incidences:  there is a report of deaths due to illness; there is report of death by burning; there is a report of a death by drowning; a market stall is attacked and destroyed with an ax; a character is attacked by a crowd/mob and the character’s ear is cut with a knife; there is a report of deaths by a plague; a character is locked in a cage and then the cage is set on fire; a magical creature destroys some people; a character is tortured; a character dies by knife; a character dies.

Mature themes include stereotyping, witch hunts, death, exploitation of the weak and outcast, revenge, and restitution.

Other content of note was magic involving the use of blood.  The blood was not obtained through violence per se, but nevertheless those scenes could be a bit disturbing for someone sensitive to blood.  Also there was a reference to a “woman’s monthly blood”.  Because of these items and some of the heavier themes, I would recommend a slightly older reader.

Plain Kate is a Clean Read for ages 12+!

_This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

_Sixpence in her Shoe
by Phyllis McGinley

Publisher's Note:  None - This is an older title in its sixth reprinting!

Overall Review:  This collection of essays about all aspects of homemaking is written in an entertaining, tongue-in-cheek manner that will make you smile—and maybe even giggle once or twice. Sixpence in Her Shoe is more than just a rosy-eyed view of domesticity; McGinley makes her arguments for the stay-at-home housewife in an articulate, educated manner, with plenty of exceptions to her rules. In fact, the thing I liked best about this book is that, while McGinley has plenty of her own opinions to bring to the fore, the overall message of her delightful book seems to be "figure out what works for YOU." In hilarious manner, she explains how most of the popular advice given to young wives has little bearing on her marriage: her husband never wants to talk about his work, he longs to be given a list of problems to fix around the house, and he can't stand to have his wife get up and prepare a hot breakfast for him. Likewise, McGinley urges her readers to find their own rhythm when it comes to being a wife, homemaker, and mother. In a few places, the book seemed to drag a little as the author went off on a tangent or got bogged down in details.  However, overall it was a very entertaining read! Sixpence in Her Shoe is perfect for homemakers of all sorts—whether they stay at home full time or not, have kids or not, or subscribe to conventional ideas or not.  Overall Rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Content Review:

PROFANITY: Very mild

VIOLENCE: None

SEXUAL CONTENT: Very mild

MATURE THEMES: None

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 18+

There is one instance of very mild profanity (a religious epithet used in its proper context). At one point, the author says that sex (along with religion and politics) is one of the three topics that inspires the liveliest discussions at dinner parties. The content of this book is appropriate for any age; however, since it is most likely to be of interest to married women, Sixpence in Her Shoe is recommended as a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 18+.

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

The Amulet of Samarkand
by Jonathan Stroud

Publisher's Note:  Nathaniel is a magician's apprentice, taking his first lessons in the arts of magic. But when a devious hot-shot wizard named Simon Lovelace ruthlessly humiliates Nathaniel in front of his elders, Nathaniel decides to kick up his education a few notches and show Lovelace who's boss. With revenge on his mind, he summons the powerful djinni, Bartimaeus. But summoning Bartimaeus and controlling him are two different things entirely, and when Nathaniel sends the djinni out to steal Lovelace's greatest treasure, the Amulet of Samarkand, he finds himself caught up in a whirlwind of magical espionage, murder, and rebellion.

Overall Review:  The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud and its main character, Bartimaeus, rock!  There is just no other way to say it.  This book introduces us to Nathaniel, an apprentice magician, and to Bartimaeus, a djinn.  Armed with an infallible, lofty self-esteem, Bartimaeus keeps the narrative clipping with his observations, asides, and snarky comments which are delivered via footnotes.  The footnotes are sheer brilliance of the highest degree and propel this book into an elite class of fiction.  In addition to the format and the characters, the plot line is strong and never flags.

This book can be found shelved in either the children’s section or the young adult section, but it is one of the rare books that can capture an older audience.  Bartimaeus is complex and entertaining enough to hook an adult.  This is the first book of a series that started as a trilogy, but last year a fourth Bartimaeous book ( essentially a prequel) came out.  Taken as a whole, The Bartimaeus Trilogy is near the top of my all-time best series list due to individual book strength, continuity and congruent vision among the books, and several of the best characters of recent children/YA fantasy.    Overall  Rating:   5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:
VIOLENCE:  many mild instances and a few moderate instances

PROFANITY:  two mild

SEXUAL CONTENT:  none

MATURE THEMES:  none

RECOMMENDED AGE:   12+

Violence consists primarily of magical battling, including but not limited to:  explosions, clouting, vaporizations, bombing, squishing, detonations, throwing.[1]   The majority of violence is inflicted by the various imps, djinni, afrits, madrids, and foilots on each other as they carry out their masters’ biddings.   The descriptions were brief[2] and non-gory.  There is a reported murder.  A fire results in two deaths.  There are instances of characters being knocked unconscious by walls, rolling pins, etc.  There is the death of a couple of human characters as a result of some of the magical dueling. 

Only two mild profanities were noted.  

This book is best for a strong reader who can navigate the footnotes employed by the author.   Sidenote:  Don’t be alarmed, as I initially was, when the book begins with pentacles and the summoning of a demon.[3]  Those items are quickly re-defined within the parameters of the magical, fictional world the author has created and are not sinister.[4]   

The Amulet of Samarkand is a Clean Read for ages 12+!

[1] You get the idea.  Think Mario Super-Smash Brothers type of fighting.

[2] Yet, quite amusing.

[3] Don’t call him a demon.  Bartimaeus prefers djinn.

[4] Think genie in a lamp.

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

_
Siddhartha
by Herman Hesse (translated by Rika Lesser)

Publisher's Note:  One of the most widely read novels of the twentieth century, Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha explores the struggle of the soul to see beyond the illusions of humankind and achieve a deeper wisdom through spirituality. Born into wealth and privilege, Siddhartha renounces his place among India’s nobility to wander the countryside in search of meaning. He learns suffering and self-denial among a group of ascetics before meeting the Buddha and coming to realize that true peace cannot be taught: It must be experienced. Changing his path yet again, Siddhartha reenters human society and earns a great fortune. Yet over time this life leaves Siddhartha restless and empty. He achieves enlightenment only when he stops searching and surrenders to the oneness of all. 

Overall Review: Siddhartha, the son of a high-caste Brahmin priest, from an early age hopes to achieve total enlightenment—to be able to completely transcend his life. Deciding quickly that he cannot find the knowledge and happiness he desires among his people, he and his friend Govinda leave the Brahmins to become “shramanas”, ascetic holy men. Over the course of his life Siddhartha follows many paths and many teachers, until at last he discovers the one thing that will lead him to true peace. A fictional account inspired by (but not quite based on) the life of the man who became the Buddha, Siddhartha is a beautifully written tale of one man’s quest for spiritual joy. Like the river which brings Siddhartha to his final awakening, the book flows slowly and sweetly, rich with lovely language and profound insights. For those who are looking for a quiet, reflective read, Siddhartha is the perfect choice! Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Content Review: 

PROFANITY: Very mild

VIOLENCE: Very mild

SEXUAL CONTENT: Strong

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 21+

There is extremely mild profanity, consisting of very mild oaths and exclamations.

Violence is also very mild; a character is bit by a poisonous snake and dies.

Although there are only a few scenes of sexual content in Siddhartha, there are a few parts that are fairly explicit and would not be suitable for young people. (Although the sexual act itself is not described, there are a few explicit passages describing arousal or longing.)

Mature themes are mild, and consist of seeking for spiritual knowledge, running away from home, and death.

Siddartha is recommended for ages 21+.

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

The Warrior Heir
by Cinda Williams Chima

Publisher's Note:  Before he knew about the Roses, 16-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity.  Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high-schoolers.  Then one day Jack skips his medicine.  Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before.  And it feels great—until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts.

Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself:  He is Weirlind; part of an underground society of magical people who live among us.  At the head of this magical society sit the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game—a magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death.  The winning house rules the Weir.  

As if his bizarre magical heritage isn’t enough, Jack finds out that he’s not just another member of Weirlind—he’s one of the last of the warriors—at a time when both houses are scouting for a player.

Overall Review:  Chima in The Warrior Heir delivers a high-octane fighting and action adventure that is spot-on for a high school audience.   The protagonist, 16 year-old Jackson Thomas Swift, is instantly easy to relate to because of the normalcy of his activities, friends, problems, and life.  A series of events spin his life out of his control, but Jack maintains his humanity and compassion to the very end.  Containing magical elements with an original and intriguing back story, the book reads more like an action-thriller than a straight-up fantasy.  My sixteen year-old son calls literature for guys “dude-ature” and this is definitely it.  However, I couldn’t put the book down and there is a cast of strong, supporting characters of varying ages, both male and female.  This is the first book in a series, but the book is nicely and satisfactorily wrapped up in the final chapter so that it can be read as a stand-alone.   Overall  Rating:   4.5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  many mild instances and three moderately strong instances

PROFANITY:  a few mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  one mild

MATURE THEMES:  a few mild

RECOMMENDED AGE:   16+

As might be expected in a book titled The Warrior Heir, the area of grey is in the violence category and depends on personal sensitivity.  The three moderately strong instances are as follows:  a scene where a child returns to find several family members dead and blood on the walls and floor and witnesses the vaporization of another family member; an attempted abduction in which a character is bound, is held under water, has his face smashed against floor, and is generally roughed up with a following rescue attempt that rips another character in half--literally; a toast in which it is promised that a warrior will “rip out the still-beating heart” of the opponent.  The mild instances include, but are not limited to such items as a newspaper report of a death, magical skirmishes with flames and fireballs, simulated battles of swordplay with ghosts (no blood), an attempted poisoning, a vision showing a woman taking her life by knife, a fight with some bullies, a kidnapping, a gladiator-style tournament involving swordplay, axes, etc.  (non-gory), and a ghost army killing some wizards.  Violence probably approximates a PG-13 level, if this were a movie.

Profanity consists of approximately a dozen mild profanities.  Several times the author chose to simply indicate that a character “swore” or said some “obscenities”.  One character makes a rude gesture. 

Sexual content consists of two mild kisses.  One character tells a friend that a girl “lusts after you.”  Peripheral sexual content is a brief mention of a “breeding” program for warriors. 

Mature themes touch upon the ethics of a medical operation on an infant and of using people as pawns for selfish purposes.

The Warrior Heir is a highly recommended read for ages 16+!

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

_ The Next Door Boys
by Jolene B. Perry  

Publisher's Note:  With her body still recovering from last year's cancer treatments, Leigh Tressman is determined to be independent. Despite the interference from her overprotective brother, the ever-expanding line of young men ready to fall in love with her--not to mention the physical frustrations and spiritual dilemmas Leigh discovers what it actually means to stand on her own and learns that love can be found in unexpected but comfortable places.

Overall Review:  The Next Door Boys by Jolene B. Perry portrays an independent character, Jane, entering college to find her way to freedom.  Situations lie around every bend, which make Jane more dependent on her brother and his roommate (aka the boys next door).  Readers will identify with Jane as she flies along the roller coaster ride of identity-struggle, as both reader and Jane feel the heartache of a girl trying to find herself.  The experiences are vivid while the diction provides words that carry a sting as well as a caress. As her life spirals out of control, Jane’s relationships go flying and she is forced to scramble for those relationships she wants to hang onto and those she is willing to let go.  The Next Door Boys provides a close-up of the courage necessary to untangle one’s own life.  Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars.  

  Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  None

PROFANITY:  None

SEXUAL CONTENT:  Mild

MATURE THEMES:  Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE:   16+

Sexual content is seen in descriptions of factors related to infertility. 

Mature themes include fatal illness, infertility, and war. 

The Next Door Boys is a Clean Read for ages 16+.

_This review was written by Meg.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Cedarfort for a review.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox
by Mary E. Pearson

Publisher's Note:  Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson's vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication. The Adoration of Jenna Fox is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Overall Review:  Set in the near future, The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson introduces us to Jenna Fox, a seventeen year-old emerging from a coma after a serious auto accident.  As Jenna proceeds through the recovery process, the reader proceeds with her, trying to uncover the truth about the accident and the secrets that are being kept from her.  The author successfully balances the characters, plot, action, and mystery to pull the reader along.  The likeable and authentic main character and the free-flowing chapter style and layout gives this book a contemporary feel that will appeal to young adults.  However, because it addresses issues about science/medicine and ethics, souls and humanity, choice and manipulation, and parent-child relationships, this book’s audience easily extends beyond the young adult demographic.  Multi-generation characters with varying points of view also offer something to adult readers.  The Adoration of Jenna Fox is reminiscent of books such as The Giver and Enchantress from the Stars in that it asks complex questions, but doesn’t provide the answers.  I found myself thinking about the book long after I had completed reading it.  Relevant, reflective, refreshing—do yourself a favor and add this book to your must-read list.  Overall  Rating:   5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  three mild instances

PROFANITY:  a few mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  three mild instances

MATURE THEMES:  several moderate mature themes

RECOMMENDED AGE:   16+

Violence consists of a reported accident and learning that a character served time in prison for beating someone (the event is not described).  One character tries to force a character to go somewhere with him and the character successfully defends herself by grabbing his crotch.

Profanity consists of approximately a dozen mild, religious profanities.  While technically not a profanity, a coarse word is used.  Another coarse word is used and a character, not understanding its meaning, misuses it later.  That word then becomes somewhat of a running joke and is used several, subsequent times. 

Sexual content consists of the following three scenes:  two characters kiss;  two characters embrace and are “passionately kissing”;  two characters French kiss.  Each of the three scenes is very brief and consists of only one to two sentences.

Mature themes include, but are not limited to, keeping secrets, parent-child relationships, friendship, medical ethics or lack thereof, illegal activities, control/choice/manipulation, souls, humanity.  This book has excellent discussion material for a book club or school project. 

This book is a Clean Read for ages 16+!

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer