Raven Boys

Bibliographic Information
Title: The Raven Boys
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Narrator: Will Patton
Type of Media: Audio CD
Publisher: Scholastic Audio Books
Copyright Date: September 18, 2012
ISBN: 978-0545465939
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Curriculum Ties: N/A
Reading Level: Lexile 760
Interest Age: 12-18





Plot Summary
Blue is a non-psychic in a family full of them, but she has powers of her own, in particular she can enhance the strengths of others visions. Once a year she accompanies her mother to a special occasion where her mother watches the spirit of people who will die soon walk through on a ley line. Blue's presence allows Moira to see more but Blue never does, until a young man appears and she recognizes him as one of the students from Aglionby, otherwise known as a Raven boy. Blue knows that there is only two reasons which could have aloud her to see this boy's spirit, either she killed him or he is her true love. Considering that Blue has been told her whole life that she will cause the death of her true love it seems that it could be both reasons.
When Blue meets the Raven boy and his three friends she is drawn to them in ways she does not understand despite the fact that her standard if to stay away from privileged boys like them. As she starts to get to know each boy - Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah - she discovers a quest that they are on to find a mystical King from long ago and all of us a sudden she is completely wrapped up in the game.

Critical Evaluation
The audio recording for this is superb. The narrator,Will Patton, does a fantastic job with the different voices for different characters which really helped me view and feel who the characters were. This added to the development of the characters throughout the story because you get to hear the characters and how people talk shows a piece of who they are. This is one of the reasons that I love finding good audiobooks.
When it comes to the writing of the novel I think Stiefvater has done a good job connecting with teens through the young relationships we witness, the language of the book, and the way the characters all act to different situations. Stiefvater presents a story that is new and full of adventure, love, and growing up.

Reader's Annotation
Never before have I enjoyed a book about a long dead king and five teens who find themselves searching for him, but this story is a must read for all who love adventure of the supernatural sort.

Author Biography
Hello. After a tumultuous past as a history major, calligraphy instructor, wedding musician, technical editor, and equestrian artist, I'm now a full-time writer living in the middle of nowhere, Virginia, with my charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, four neurotic dogs who fart recreationally, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki.

I'm also an award-winning colored pencil artist, play several musical instruments (most infamously, the bagpipes), and recently acquired a race car.

Stiefvater, M. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Stiefvater/e/B001JSBZZ6/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Book Talk Ideas

• ley lines/ancient energy
• psychics

Possible Challenges

•  magic
• violence

Defense File

Have the library's selection policy and the Library Bill of Rights ready to hand out

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Know the awards, if any, the book has earned

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Reason for InclusionThis book is a sure hit for even the most reluctant readers as it is fast-paced and intriguing with characters that you can't help but like.