But I wasn’t born Republican.  It’s not genetic.  Believe me–I’m familiar with genetics.  I have McMurphy, the eight-hundred-pound gorilla I carry in my DNA, a total loose cannon rolling around my personality.

Born to Rock is Gordon Korman’s most recent creation and unleashes a relatively fast-paced coming-of-age adventure focusing on the Leo Caraway, a “to-be” graduate from high school and student of Harvard.  He’s a self-declared republican, Republican Club president, and quite content with life.  That is, until he is accused of cheating in a test and ends up losing his scholarship.  Things couldn’t be any worse when he finds out his real father is the lead punk band Purge, King Maggot, whose real name is really Marion X. McMurphy, who just so happens to be the idol of his best friend Melinda Rapaport (who is also anti-Republican).

This leads Leo to his so called biological father, keeping in mind that this biological father is the legendary King Maggot (McMurphy) who is worth millions and just may be able to pay his tuition to Harvard if he really is a McMurphy.  Upon meeting his biological father, they decide to run a DNA test and in the meantime to have Leo tag along on tour and work as a roadie.  This will be the ultimate test for Leo as he must not only find a way to get the money he needs for college, but also find out who he really is amongst his friends and family, both new and old.

I have always been a big fan of Gordon Korman’s works.  Not only because they were fun to read, but because Gordon has a way of making reading fun for even those who really don’t read that often.  Born to Rock is no exception.  It starts off with an excellent introduction to the main character, Leo Caraway and delivers an adventure with plenty of crazy antics.

The jump between high school and university or college is a major period in life and I enjoyed Gordon’s take on the transition with the parallels on the identity search that I am sure many would identify with.  However these issues are not the only ones that Gordon decides to take on as Leo must face numerous ethical issues along the way that expose him to the reality of the world outside “Republican Club”.  These range from saving a free-roaming dog owned by a band member, coming to the aid of an aging band member in denial who decided to re-attempt the “splits” on stage.  Gradually Leo learns about himself, the friends that remained true to him, and his biological father.

One thing I have noticed in most of the recent books by Gordon Korman are the minute details that keep the book relevant to youth.  Whether it may be a cell phone, the internet forums or even the odd mention of Canadiana, these are great additions to the story and give it a depth that can be appreciated by today’s young adults.

Whether you may be looking for a fast read, or something for an identity-searching soul, Born to Rock will definitely give a different spin on life and the characters that Gordon has slipped throughout the book will keep you reading from cover to cover, providing you with some good laughs. 

Each time I put my weight on a fresh dagger, my heart went into my mouth.

I was in grade 8 when I first read Cue for Treason, which was assigned by my English teacher.  While I rarely put any effort into doing the homework, and on occasion not completing the work at all, I read the entire book within the first week and continued to read it over and over and over again throughout semester.  Since grade 8 (that was a pretty long time ago now), I have picked up the book again on occasion to enjoy the adventure again and enter the world that Geoffrey Trease created so well by merging a series of fictional characters in their youth with the backdrop of the actual closing years of the sixteenth century, when there is a plot against Queen Elizabeth.  Trease also weaves a magnificent storyline that incorporates historical figures such as Richard Burbage and William Shakespeare that play a rather major role in the lives of two of characters, Peter and Kit.

From the beginning, you are introduced to a young lad from Cumberland, Peter Brownrigg, who is involved with the rest of the male folk in his community to secretly resist the takeover of some “public” land by a noble by the name of Sir Philip Morton for his own.  Morton has put up a wall around the land and the community has now come together to take it down while Morton and his men are away.  Peter is assigned to be a lookout, and he succeeds in warning his family and neighbours, but succumbs to the irresistible urge to throw a rock at Morton.  This rapidly leads to Peter being declared a criminal and him running away from home to escape capture.  Through a series of twist and turns, a conspiracy plot unravels and thickens as Peter makes new friends and finds new enemies as he is determined to survive.  Peter finds himself amongst a band of actors, and later ends up acting as an official spy for her majesty.  The adventure is thrilling as well as entertaining at times while Trease leaks new information through the story to perhaps unveil how Peter will survive, escape capture and maybe even save the Queen.

I think Cue for Treason was probably one of the first historical fiction novels I read and to this day I continue to enjoy historical fiction.  Geoffrey Trease had done an excellent job of assembling a cast of characters young and old, fictional and real in a past era.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re a fan of Shakespeare and his works or not, because in this book … it’s all about the adventure!