A couple weeks ago, I went on a scary, spectacular ride. The ride was a book, Proxy by Alex London. Imagine a world where life is so expensive for most people that they must go into enormous debt just to…
Author: J.L. Powers
J.L. Powers is the author of the y.a. novels This Thing Called the Future and The Confessional, and editor the forthcoming anthology That Mad Game: Growing Up in a Warzone.
Human Trafficking, Immigration, and Sexual Violence: an interview with Cori McCarthy
Lyn Miller-Lachmann already reviewed The Color of Rain by Cori McCarthy, which you can read here. I conducted a follow-up interview with Cory via email. Thanks for joining us again! JLP: Where in the world did you get an idea…
Broken by Elizabeth Pulford
For fans of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson comes Broken by Elizabeth Pulford and illustrated by Angus Gomes. The subject matter is not the same as Speak but the protagonists share a similar problem—keeping a terrible secret that is changing…
Panic by Sharon Draper
Would the enticements of fame and fortune tempt you to ignore all your mother’s warnings and leave a public place with a perfect stranger? Could you love somebody enough to ignore all the warnings signs of abuse and allow yourself…
Rapture Practice: An Interview with Aaron Hartzler
Aaron Hartzler’s new y.a. memoir, Rapture Practice, is the funny-sad-hopeful story of one kid’s lonely journey of self-awareness and spiritual angst while growing up in a fundamentalist Christian family. I was particularly excited to read the memoir because I made…
Being God by B.A. Binns
Happy Valentine’s Day from The Pirate Tree to you! Today I’m reviewing Being God by B.A. Binns, an unlikely choice for Valentine’s Day but a good one nonetheless. 17-year-old Malik Kaplan has a knack for making all the wrong…
No Crystal Stair: an interview with Vaunda Nelson
To kick off Black History Month, I interviewed Vaunda Nelson, author of the Coretta Scott King honor book No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem. No Crystal Stair by Vaunda Nelson…
How to Save a Life: Interview with Sara Zarr
Following up on Ann Angel’s review of How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr, I sent Sara a few questions to get her thoughts on adoption, teen pregnancy, grief, and what she learned through writing her book. You perfectly…
No Name Baby by Nancy Bo Flood
No-Name Baby by Nancy Bo Flood Published by Namelos, 2011. Warning: This review contains some spoilers. Of all the tough subjects tackled by authors we have reviewed on The Pirate Tree, our own Nancy Bo Flood’s newest novel,…
Undun-a novel set to music
The Roots are one of the most creative and socially conscious hip-hop bands today. Every album they release is a work of art, both musically and with lyrics that balance a social message with artistry. With the release of their…