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- 1. BEST OF THE REST GRADES 6-9 The best of the books that almost made it from 2007-2012 Christy Ann Pierce Dedra Van Gelder
Editor's Notes
- Adoption, science fiction, time travelSchool Library Journal (May 1, 2008)Gr 4-8-Haddix's latest science fiction series starts off with a bang in this nail-biter. A plane arrives at an airline gate unnoticed by radar and most personnel. There are no flight attendants, no pilot, in fact no adults at all, but there are 36 passengers-each seat is inhabited by an infant. Thirteen years later in Ohio, teenage adoptees Jonah and his friend Chip begin receiving ominous messages declaring that they are among "the missing" and that someone is coming to find them. Frightened yet intrigued, the boys begin a search for their real identities with the help of Jonah's younger sister. Their search leads them to a discovery that strains credulity and leads them into danger greater than they ever imagined possible. The story is driven by an exciting plot rather than extensive character development, and the teens act independently of the adults, who appear as "bad guys" or are basically useless. If used in a classroom, the revelation of the babies' identities can be used to kick off a history lesson or two. This book's exciting premise and cliff-hanger ending will leave readers on the edge of their seats and begging for more.-Heather M. Campbell, Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
- Horror (supernatural)- shipwrecks, magic, brothers and sistersSchool Library Journal (July 1, 2010)Gr 5-8-In 1943, Max, 13, and his older sister Alicia are befriended by Roland, the grandson of a reclusive lighthouse keeper, when their family moves to a house on the coast to avoid the war. Max discovers a strange garden of sinister statues and a series of home movies showing that the statues change positions and expressions. Then, when his younger sister is hospitalized after an encounter with a strange presence that precipitates a fall down the stairs, he becomes aware that something sinister is afoot. The mystery deepens as Roland takes Alicia and Max diving to the ruins of an old shipwreck and the story of the ship and its mysterious passengers is revealed by the lighthouse keeper. Max begins to realize that something from beyond the grave is active in their midst and that it has an agenda that nothing on Earth can stop. In the end, someone will have to pay the price for a bargain made with the "evil one" long ago. The Prince of Mist hooks readers from page one. It is a combination of mystery, suspense, and supernatural thriller. The author keeps readers guessing all the way till the end in a story that's fresh, frightening, and beautifully translated. Awesome.-Debra Banna, Sharon Public Library, MA Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
- Self-acceptance, beauty, birthmarksSchool Library Journal (February 1, 2009)Gr 7 Up-Terra's body is very nearly perfect, except for the port-wine birthmark on her left cheek, which several surgeries have failed to remove. It is the teen's final semester of high school and she looks forward to college where she can study art and escape from her bullying, verbally abusive father. Over the Christmas holidays, Terra and her mother get into a car accident and meet Jacob, a Goth Chinese boy with a cleft lip, and his adoptive mother. The women immediately strike up a supportive friendship, while Terra and Jacob grow close. When Terra's brother, who lives in Shanghai, sends her and her mother tickets to visit, and Jacob's mother wants to try to track down Jacob's birth mother, they decide to travel together. But what about Erik, Terra's enamored but slightly clueless boyfriend? Headley's ambitious novel is written in a beautifully crafted style that flows seamlessly. The pace is somewhat bogged down in the first half but it quickens when the characters travel to China, where Jacob, Terra, and their mothers begin to confront their insecurities. Terra and Jacob are flawed, complex, and memorable characters. The message that true beauty and strength come from within is dominant, but this is also a moving and satisfying story in its own right.-Amy J. Chow, The Brearley School, New York City Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
- Realistic- Bull riding, skateboarding, brothersBooklist (January 1, 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 9))Grades 7-10. Cam O’Mara, 14, is a champion skateboarder, and when he is not helping out on the family desert ranch, he is practicing his moves with his friends in his small Nevada town. But when his older brother, Ben, comes home from the Iraq War severely injured and depressed, everything changes. Ben was a champion bull-rider, and Cam makes a pact with his brother to continue the family tradition: if Cam rides the bull to win, Ben will not give up hope that he can rebuild his life. That connection is a bit of a stretch, but the mix of wild macho action with family anguish and tenderness will grab teens. Driven by his brother’s pain, Cam is determined to prove himself in the dangerous bull ring, even if it means faking his identity and lying to his family. Told in a clipped, first-person narrative, this first novel makes the sports details of skateboarding and bull-riding part of the powerful contemporary story of family, community, and work.Bull’s name is Ugly!
- Supernatural/fanatasy- superheroes, movingSchool Library Journal (January 1, 2010)Gr 5-7-When Daniel Corrigan and his family move to Noble's Green, he notices that some of the kids there seem rather odd. After one of them miraculously saves his life, they admit that they have superpowers, but that they come with a price. They will lose them, and all memory of ever having them, when they turn 13. Because Daniel is the only one without these talents who knows about them, it becomes clear that he must find out who or what is sapping his friends' unusual abilities. Eric, their leader, believes that the secret lies in a series of old comics about a superhero named Johnny Noble, but Daniel's investigation reveals a far more sinister and dangerous villain, and the children must somehow defeat this monster. This book is a loving tribute to comic books and superhero stories. It starts out slow, but gradually gains a momentum that leads to a genuinely affecting conclusion. This is definitely a good pick for reluctant readers.-Tim Wadham, St. Louis County Library, MO Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
- Polygamy, cults, communal livingSchool Library Journal (June 1, 2008)Gr 6-9-Honey and Agnes are 14-year-old best friends growing up in the Mount Blessing religious commune near Fairfield, CT, but are polar opposites in their adherence to the "Four Big Rules" that govern daily life. Honey, abandoned at the commune as a newborn, is a perpetual rebel, having most recently been sent to the Regulation Room for kissing a boy. There, the group's founder/leader, the charismatic Emmanuel, metes out punishments. Agnes is a self-described "saint wannabe." She starves herself, sleeps on stones, and wears a cord tightly belted under her robe as reminders of the suffering endured by the saints. The girls share a love for Nana Pete, Agnes's father's mother, and live for her annual summer visits. When Nana discovers the physical and emotional abuse imposed on the children, she resolves to spirit them away. Honey is a willing runaway, but Agnes is reluctant. The kids' new reality includes "firsts" such as visits to McDonald's and Wal-Mart. Their route ends in Georgia, at the home of Agnes's estranged aunt. In the realistic and emotionally charged climax, family ties are revealed and, thanks to Honey's forethought and Agnes's new understanding that the truth can set you free, the cult is soon busted, police lights flashing. If both girls occasionally seem wise beyond their years, readers will nevertheless cheer them on as they ponder the limits of faith and duty.-Joel Shoemaker, Southeast Junior High School, Iowa City, IA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
- Realistic- leukemia, dealing with death, writingSchool Library Journal (November 1, 2008)Gr 4-7-Eleven-year-old Sam knows that he is dying from leukemia. He has decided to write a book that includes his thoughts on the matter as well as his lists and his questions, particularly those that no one ever answers like, "Why does God let kids get ill?" Through his writing, Nicholls has drawn a portrait of a family coping with a child's terminal disease. Readers meet Sam's mother, father, and younger sister, each of whom is dealing in a different way with his illness. Well researched and beautifully written, the book is equal to the best of children's literature about death and dying, Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia (HarperCollins, 1977) and Deborah Wiles's Each Little Bird That Sings (Harcourt, 2005). Sam knows that his father rushes off to work each day because he cannot admit to himself that his son is dying. He knows that his mother keeps Ella home from school during an unexpected snowstorm in March so they can have one last sledding day together. But, he does not verbalize this knowledge, just as his parents and Ella don't speak of his death. Sam is a child whom readers would want as a friend and he will be missed when the book is done.-Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, Loyola College, Baltimore, MD Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
- Realistic -HIV+, step families, camp, griefBooklist (July 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 21))Grades 6-10. Grief-stricken after her mother dies of AIDS, Emmy, 13, must also cope with the reality that she herself is infected with the HIV virus, which was passed on to her during Mom’s pregnancy or while breastfeeding. She is furious that she has to move in with her dad and stepmom; resists taking her huge pills three times a day; lashes out at her best friend; and hates it that everyone at school knows about her illness. The reality of living with HIV and AIDS is the drama here, and many readers will be held as much by the facts of the disease as by Emmy’s story. Of course, there is no easy resolution. After her father forces Emmy to attend a summer camp for HIV-positive girls, though, she does find connections with others like her, who do not know if they will grow up, get married, and have kids. Emmy’s lively first-person narrative tells a gripping contemporary story of confusion, sorrow, anger, and hope that will prompt group discussions.
- Dealing with death, high school, popularityHorn Book (January/February, 2008)Was it suicide or an accident -- or was ninth-grader Raquel Falcone pushed off a curb into oncoming traffic? And what was the quiet teenager like, anyway? In a series of chapters with different narrators, Raquel's friends, family, and acquaintances -- and a couple of strangers -- mull over her unexpected death and "smudge mark" of a life. First up is classmate Vanessa, who, after learning of Raquel's death, immediately thinks to herself: "Oh, crap. That makes me the class fat girl." Others who chime in to share their thoughts about Raquel (or themselves) include her best friend, her widower father, a handful of girls from the popular crowd, the driver of the car that hit her, and the EMT who decides to "let her slip away" after spotting an unsigned do-not-resuscitate form among her belongings. VandeVelde uses the multi-narrator structure to good effect here, and the characters she reveals are interesting and introspective and not always likable. Among their recollections, VandeVelde mixes in snippets from Raquel's blog, the police report, and the school custodian's notes. Together, all these bits and pieces yield a poignant portrait of a kindhearted and self-sufficient young woman.
- Mystery, Florida, family problems, grandmothers, adventureNotes: Thirteen-year-old Jason finds an old postcard at his recently-deceased grandmother's house that leads him on an adventure blending figures from an old, unfinished detective story with his family's past.
- Mystery, Frank Lloyd Wright, Chicago, SchoolsKirkus Review starred (March 15, 2006)The determined sleuths from Balliett's fine first novel, Chasing Vermeer (2004), return in another artful mystery, centered on one of Chicago's architectural treasures. As sixth grade wanes, the vibrant Ms. Hussey reveals heartbreaking news: Because of the extraordinary costs of maintenance and repair, Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, a city icon since 1910, will be dismantled in sections and donated to four museums. While the class's spirited campaign to save the building ends with the school year, the passionately curious Petra and Calder press on, abetted by Calder's good friend Tommy, just back from a traumatic year away. The shifting third-person narrative effectively captures the children's tense struggle to transform from duo to trio, and transmits their shared delight in puzzling, excavating and thinking deeply, creating a similarly heightened alertness in the reader. The "Wright 3" take increasingly bold risks to recover a stolen, priceless jade fish (Wright's own lost talisman) and save the Robie House. Many of the elements that made Chasing Vermeer such a success reappear here, from the culturally rich setting, to Calder's pentominoes (now three-dimensional), to Helquist's intriguing illustrations (not seen in their final state). Another tour de force blending art, math, philosophy, history and literature. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)
- Humorous, secret societies, puzzles, middle scholBooklist (May 1, 2010 (Vol. 106, No. 17))Grades 5-8. Travis hopes to be inducted into the Legend, a secret society at his middle school. Admittance to membership involves fulfilling tasks and solving puzzles that mysteriously appear in messages contained in blue envelopes. Travis is thrilled when he starts receiving the messages, but the bizarre tasks sometime land him in situations that lead to trouble with the school disciplinarians. Travis finds that the puzzles are more fun, though, and the reader can follow along as Travis tries to piece together the clues and codes. Eventually, he is admitted into the Legend, and he also solves the mystery of who is behind the false Legend clues. It all makes for a Dan Brown–type story for kids—right down to the secret, over-the-top Legend induction ceremony at the end. Kids who enjoyed solving the clues in Blue Balliet’s Chasing Vermeer (2004) may also enjoy this.
- Humorous, school, mystery, detectives, “mafia”Kirkus Review (August 1, 2008)Welcome to Franklin Middle School, where a junior gang of petty thieves and mobsters shakes kids down and humiliates them with water guns. Seventh-grader Matt Stevens, the class detective, is hired by fellow middle-schoolerVinny Biggs (something of a pint-sized Godfather) to recover a lost trinket from Nikki "Fingers," one of the fastest shots in school. Nikki has decided to go straight because her younger sister has entered the school. This knock-off noir kicks in when Nikki, about to hand over the charm to Matt, is "taken out"--soaked in a place to make it look like she's had an accident. This humiliation, a highly visible and common practice, immediately turns victims into social outcasts. Matt's detective instincts tell him that Vinny may have set him up, and he sets out to learn who was really behind this act. Matt Stevens may turn out to be a bankable franchise: His first-person present-tense narration carries in it echoes of Marlowe, and the simple plot makes some crafty twists and turns as it goes along. (Fiction. 9-11)
- Humorous, friendship, summer jobsSchool Library Journal (April 1, 2009)Gr 6-9-Fifteen-year-old friends Dave, Victor, and Curtis are looking forward to a long summer of freedom. Much to their dismay, their fathers require them to get jobs. In an effort to salvage their vacation, the boys devise a plan: they will tell their dads that they are working and then figure out a get-rich-quick scheme. If all goes accordingly, they will earn money with little effort and have a relaxing time all to themselves. They dub their plan Project Sweet Life. What results is a hilarious story filled with mishaps, close calls, and outrageous adventures. Peppered with Dave's mom's strange culinary creations (fish stick stew, spaghetti meatloaf, canned-tuna tacos, anyone?), the plot is a bit far-fetched; however, it will keep readers laughing and engaged. The novel will be especially appealing to middle school boys, who will wish they could start their own Project Sweet Life.-Sarah K. Allen, Thetford Academy, VT Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
- Mystery, ghosts, family problems, psychic abilities, humorousSchool Library Journal (July 1, 2005)Gr 5-9-Zany, likable Gilda Joyce deserves a place right next to her inspiration, Harriet the Spy. Ever since her father died two years ago, Gilda has been working on sharpening her psychic skills, both in an attempt to communicate with him and to solve spooky mysteries. The summer before ninth grade, she invites herself to San Francisco to visit relatives she's never met who live in a brooding Victorian mansion, complete with a ghost in the tower. Lester Splinter, her distant cousin, seems to be hiding something about his sister's suicide years ago, and Gilda is determined to find out what it is, with the help of his lonely, hostile daughter who is her age. Gilda's bravery, bluntness, and willingness to try anything help bring Juliet out of herself. Her asides to her father, written on his old typewriter, are not only humorous; they also show her grief, longing, and love for him. The wacky wigs and costumes she dons will make readers giggle out loud, as will the inserted progress reports she writes of how well her investigations are going. Readers will feel the hair on the back of their necks rise over the predicaments she manages to get into and out of. Returning home at summer's end, Gilda is surprised that her mother has begun to date and her older brother, Stephen, is friendlier. They have all begun to heal from their loss. Let's hope Gilda also returns in another psychic mystery that needs her gutsy, brash attention.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
- Hurricane Katrina, spirits, survival, New Orleans, African AmericansSchool Library Journal (August 1, 2010)Gr 5-8-Communicating with ghosts, including the spirit of her mother who died giving birth to her, is a gift that Lanesha, 12, has had for as long as she can remember. The girl's beloved caretaker, Mama Ya-Ya, a midwife and healer, has a gift that allows her to predict the future. When she begins to sense that a big storm is coming to their much-loved New Orleans neighborhood, both she and Lanesha must trust in their senses and in one another to survive. Lanesha is a wonderful character who exudes resilience and fortitude in the face of a catastrophe as well as a personal vulnerability in terms of her status as an orphan and an outsider. Words, numbers, and colors as seen through her eyes show the magic and wonder that exist in everyday things. The unique writing style even allows the unlikely combination of elderly Mama Ya-Ya's heady scents of Vicks Vapor Rub and Evening in Paris perfume to seem wonderful and inviting. Although the outcome of Hurricane Katrina is known, the clever writing allows the unavoidable tragedy to unfold in such a haunting and suspenseful manner that the extreme sense of foreboding and ultimate destruction is personalized and unforgettable. Heartbreak and hope are reflected in Lanesha's story, which will capture even reluctant readers due to the inventive storytelling and the author's ability to bring history to life.-Margaret Auguste, Franklin Middle School, Somerset, NJ Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
- Historical –Holocaust, Jews, orphans, survivalSchool Library Journal (April 1, 2010)Gr 6-9-Felix lives in Poland in 1942, and reading is his survival mechanism. Now almost 10, he was sent to a Catholic orphanage three years and eight months earlier by his Jewish bookstore-owning parents, and he's convinced himself that the sole reason he remains in hiding is because Nazis hate books. He's a natural storyteller, and when he finds a full carrot in what is typically a woefully thin bowl of soup, he fantasizes that it's a sign from his parents that they're finally on their way to take him home. When the orphanage is visited by surly Nazis instead of joyous parents, Felix escapes with only his cherished notebook full of his stories into the nearby countryside, still hoping for a family reunion. He soon discovers a burning home with two slain adults in the yard and their young daughter bruised but still alive. He takes Zelda on his journey, shielding her from the reality of her parents' deaths in much the same way he's been comforting himself, by inventing alternative realities. But, as he encounters the escalating ugliness of the death marches that are emptying his old neighborhood, now a ghetto, Felix becomes increasingly conflicted about the need to imagine a hopeful order and the need to confront brutal reality head-on. An easy first-person narrative in terms of reading level-and a good choice as a read-aloud-this Holocaust story also taps gut-punching power by contrasting the way in which children would like to imagine their world with the tragic way that life sometimes unfolds.-Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
- Survival, kidnapping, Ethiopia, mothers and daughtersBooklist (May 1, 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 17))Grades 5-8. Teens itching to read about life on another continent will relish Yohalem’s exciting debut novel set in Africa. Lucy Hoffman’s mom is the U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia, so Lucy lives and attends high school in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Unfortunately, Lucy’s overprotective mother won’t let her out of the house, which means no game drives or hanging out with her friends at the local ice-cream parlor. Frustrated and resentful, Lucy and a friend sneak out of the house and head into the city. The plot quickens when Lucy is kidnapped and held for ransom. Isolated and without shoes, Lucy plans an escape using her knowledge of the African wilderness. Loosely based on a true story, Yohalem’s tale weaves together the beauty of the African wildlife with the harsh realities of a poor and unstable region. Scenes depicting Lucy’s resourcefulness are riveting, and the author’s descriptions of Ethiopian culture will pique young readers’ curiosity about life abroad.
- Art theft, crime, boarding schoolBooklist (January 1, 2010 (Vol. 106, No. 9))Grades 6-10. After a childhood spent assisting her father, one of the world’s most talented art thieves, Katarina Bishop tries to leave the family business behind when she forges her way into a New England boarding school. She quickly discovers, though, that her past is inescapable. Her father has been accused of stealing already stolen masterpieces from a dangerous Italian billionaire. Certain that her father is innocent, Kat resolves to find the missing paintings and return them to their unsavory owner, who has given her a two-week deadline. Carter, the author of the Gallagher Girls series, skillfully maintains suspense as Kat assembles a team of teen accomplices, travels across Europe, and plots an impossible art heist to save her dad. This is a thoroughly enjoyable, cinema-ready adventure, and the details of thieving tools and techniques, lavish settings, and cast of eccentric characters, including possible spies and love interests, all add texture and depth to the action. Readers will hope for a sequel to answer the book’s central mystery: if Kat’s father isn’t guilty, then who is?
- Cuba history, family lifeKirkus Review (April 15, 2010)This is the story of Lucía, a Cuban girl who, at the age of 14, leaves her hometown of Puerto Mijares and flies to the United States from Havana with her little brother, Frankie, but without their parents. After arriving at a temporary shelter, they are soon transferred to the Baxters' home in Nebraska. Through Lucía's captivating voice, readers travel in time to the year 1961, when members of the Cuban bourgeoisie witnessed the drastic transformation of their society into a communist system. While Lucía's best friend, Ivette, and her secret sweetheart, Manuel, embrace the revolution and become, with their parents' support, "brigadistas," Lucía's parents, a banker and a housewife, refuse to accept the changes imposed by the new government and make the heartbreaking and, for the times, shocking decision to send their daughter and son to a foreign country, without knowing if they would be able to see them again. Gonzalez enters the literary scene with this exceptional historical novel that portrays the beginning of the Cuban exodus. (Historical fiction. 10 & up)
- Steampunk- war, genetic engineering, science fiction, WWIISchool Library Journal (September 1, 2009)Gr 7 Up-This is World War I as never seen before. The story begins the same: on June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife are assassinated, triggering a sequence of alliances that plunges the world into war. But that is where the similarity ends. This global conflict is between the Clankers, who put their faith in machines, and the Darwinists, whose technology is based on the development of new species. After the assassination of his parents, Prince Aleksandar's people turn on him. Accompanied by a small group of loyal servants, the young Clanker flees Austria in a CyklopStormwalker, a war machine that walks on two legs. Meanwhile, as Deryn Sharp trains to be an airman with the British Air Service, she prays that no one will discover that she is a girl. She serves on the Leviathan, a massive biological airship that resembles an enormous flying whale and functions as a self-contained ecosystem. When it crashes in Switzerland, the two teens cross paths, and suddenly the line between enemy and ally is no longer clearly defined. The ending leaves plenty of room for a sequel, and that's a good thing because readers will be begging for more. Enhanced by Thompson's intricate black-and-white illustrations, Westerfeld's brilliantly constructed imaginary world will capture readers from the first page. Full of nonstop action, this steampunk adventure is sure to become a classic.-Heather M. Campbell, formerly at Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
- Heroes, fantasyBooklist starred (June 1, 2005 (Vol. 101, No. 19))Gr. 5-8. Like the other 15-year-old wards of Castle Redmont, Will is nervous about Choosing Day, when each of them will be assigned to a different master for training. Though his dearest wish is to enter the Battleschool, his small stature prevents it. Instead, Will is apprenticed to the grim-faced, mysterious Ranger. Soon Will learns that becoming a ranger is more difficult, dangerous, and worthwhile than he had imagined. He earns the respect of his elders and the friendship of a former foe, but all this is prelude to the great adventure that follows, when his skills wielding a knife and keeping a heightened awareness of his surroundings become vital to the survival of his mentor and the safety of the kingdom. The last few years have seen the publication of many fantasies, but few have the appeal of this original story. Rather than creating a host of strange creatures and magical powers, Flanagan concentrates on character, offering readers a young protagonist they will care about and relationships that develop believably over time. Will's world is a colorful place, threatened by an evil warlord and his fierce minions, but it's the details of everyday living and the true-to-life emotions of the people that are memorable. Children will definitely look forward to the next adventure in the Ruins of Gorlan series.
- Fantasy- magic, powers, secrets, family, reportersBooklist starred (July 2010 (Vol. 106, No. 21))Grades 5-8. This companion to Newbery Honor Book Savvy (2008) provides the same high level of satisfying plot, delightful characters, alliterative language, and rich imagery. In this story, Ledger Kale’s thirteenth birthday arrives with the traditional family inheritance of a particular “savvy”—a power unique to each individual, who must then learn how to manage his or her new talent. At first it seems that Ledge’s savvy is one for destruction: “I could blow stuff apart without a touch, dismantling small things in bursts of parts and pieces: a light switch here, a doorknob there, garage door opener, can opener, Dad’s stop watch, his electric nose-hair trimmer too.” But during a summer visit to the Flying Cattleheart, Uncle Autry’s Wyoming ranch, Ledge learns to tame, train, and deploy his power to good ends as he struggles against 13-year-old Sarah Jane Cabot, an aspiring reporter looking to expose the family’s secrets, whose businessman father is trying to foreclose on the ranch. Other characters include Ledge’s safety-slogan-spouting seven-year-old sister Fedora, levitating twin cousins, and Grandpa Bomba, who is comforted in his last days by sweet music, preserved in old peanut-butter jars, from his long-dead wife. While adult readers will see this all as a beautiful conceptualization of the drama and metamorphosis of adolescence, younger readers will delight in the tall-tale tropes and Ledge’s authentic physical, emotional, and artistic challenges.
- Fantasy- mermaids, superstitionsSchool Library Journal (September 1, 2010)Gr 5-9-According to Windwaithe Island legend, Lady Lauretta disappeared into the sea 100 years ago, beckoned by an indescribably beautiful mermaid. As the book opens, Adrianne, 14, searches along the coast for her younger sister, who has gone missing. She finds Cecily unconscious on a rock and is terrified to see the legendary mermaid nearby. After a struggle during which Adrianne's wrist is cut, she escapes. Unconscious for three days, she finally awakens, but the wound will not heal. A visiting fortune-teller explains that she has been cursed by her attacker and will be led to her death. Many of the villagers begin to view her with fear and mistrust, but her longtime friend Denn sticks by her. Unable to resist her tormentor's song, Adrianne eventually goes to the shore, where she learns more about Jendayi, ruler of the Caribbean Sea, who promises her a new life among merfolk that includes happiness, acceptance, and marriage to a sea prince. The teen must then decide between truth and myth, love and lies, poverty and a prince. Youngsters will relate to her struggles and her efforts to overcome them. The plot pacing is steady and suspenseful as more details about the protagonist's current life and past are revealed through her absorbing first-person narration. Nielsen's new spin on a traditional fantasy setup is sure to appeal.-Samantha Larsen Hastings, Riverton Library, UT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
- Science Fiction, environment, music, survivalBooklist (May 15, 2010 (Vol. 106, No. 18))Grades 6-9. In 2041, when the world’s depleted oil supplies have forced governmental failures and the emergence of a black-market economy, 16-year-old Molly McClure travels to Oregon to convince her aging grandparents to join the rest of the family in British Columbia. That plan takes a backseat to the drama unfolding next door—where two children are being cared for by their drunken, gambling uncle—and Molly may have two more passengers for the return trip, if she can convince anyone to go. After taking a few chapters to focus the characterization and plot direction, Anthony delivers a plucky heroine with a musical gift, a taste of romance, and a family-values-based narrative about dealing with unexpected circumstances. The tone is hopeful, and there is an innocence to the storytelling that makes the main character seem much younger than her years, in spite of her ability to face down the rough guys. Don’t give this to hard-core sf fans, but it might fly with readers of Will Weaver’s Memory Boy (2001).
- Rock music, school, strong female main characterKirkus Review (June 1, 2010)Just as her rock band is about to make it big, Annabelle Cabrera's parents move her from Brooklyn to Providence, R.I. Finding fellow rockers is almost as hard as being away from her beloved abuela and adjusting to sixth grade in a new school, but she manages. An approaching battle of the bands means that Annabelle and her misfit bandmates will go head to head with the best rock band in school, which is fronted by the biggest bully in town. To cope, Annabelle creates her Rules to Rock By, which includes such nuggets of wisdom as "Rock stars don't blush." The conclusion wraps up a little too neatly, with a fantasy ending to the battle of the bands, but Annabelle emerges with a new sense of herself as a rocker, though her journey to her true calling as a band leader and songwriter sometimes gets lost in issues of bullying and absentee parents. The teens' voices are funny and distinct from one individual to the next, but the adults are either too good or too bad to be true. Still, middle-school rockers will enjoy the show. (Fiction. 8-12)
- Friendship, student exchange programs, toleranceBooklist (May 15, 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 18))Grades 5-8. Ivy June Mosley and Catherine Combs are participating in the first-ever exchange program between their schools. Both are seventh-graders in Kentucky, but their worlds couldn’t be more different: Ivy June lives with her grandparents in their mountain home without indoor plumbing or a telephone, while Catherine lives in a big house in Lexington and has her own cell phone. While spending two weeks in each other’s homes, the girls record their observations in journals, and the well-chosen details and scenarios lend authenticity to the girls voices. Catherine is horrified to learn that she can only wash her hair once a week, for example. Jealous friends and a tactless grandmother add challenges, but two large events cement the girls’ relationship. Ivy June and Catherine are mature beyond their years, and a mine accident is too heavily foreshadowed, but both the settings and characters are described with affectionate nuance. Readers will connect to these engaging girls and celebrate as they learn they are “more alike than different.”
- Interpersonal relations, middle school, problem solvingNotes: A quirky and utterly logical seventh-grade girl named Emma-Jean Lazarus discovers some interesting results when she gets involved in the messy everyday problems of her peers.
- Sisters, self confidence, middle school, Shakespeare, gifted studentsSchool Library Journal (February 1, 2010)Gr 5-8-Eighth-grader Hamlet Kennedy, so named by her slightly obsessed Shakespearean-scholar parents, works hard to be normal and fit in at school. This becomes even more difficult when her genius seven-year-old sister begins attending her middle school. Hamlet offers her guidance and is stung not only when her advice is rejected, but also when Desdemona befriends two mean girls who have picked on Hamlet for years. On top of everything else, her teachers announce a special Shakespeare unit, and Hamlet is assigned the starring role in A Midsummer's Night's Dream. Suddenly, blending into the crowd is no longer an option and she must find the courage to embrace her talent as a Shakespearean performer and her family's quirkiness. Hamlet's narration is charming, and readers will empathize entirely with her embarrassment at both her clueless parents and her wavering between trying to protect her younger sister and allowing her to find out the hard way how to pick friends. Add a bit of romantic intrigue involving mysterious origami pigs and you have an excellent choice for middle school readers.-Caroline Tesauro, Radford Public Library, VA Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
- Realistic- gifted students, Korean-Americans, ViolinSchool Library Journal (February 1, 2008)Gr 7 Up-If Patti Yoon's life were like the multiple-choice SAT questions she studies for, it might look like this: During Patti's senior year she decides to a) Make her Korean parents happy and go to HYP (Harvard, Yale, or Princeton), b) Go behind her parents' backs and apply to Juilliard, c) Quit studying and become infatuated with a trumpet player who listens to The Clash, d) Eat Korean food made with Spam (recipes included) and be the PKD (perfect Korean daughter), or e) All of the above. Patti would pick E, but life isn't a multiple-choice test, so she has to decide among these choices while trying not to stand out as an overachiever (standing out is a no-no for a PKD). Yoo will have teens wondering if Patti can ever measure up, and how she will survive the pressure and heartbreak of her senior year. Short chapters, the teen's funny occasional SAT tips, and her top-10 lists make this a good options for reluctant readers.-Shannon Seglin, Patrick Henry Library, Vienna, VA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
- Poetry, schoolHorn Book (July/August, 2007)Grandits playfully, and quite effectively, channels a teenage girl's dreams, anxieties, and pet peeves -- all in a series of concrete poems, no less -- in this much stronger follow-up to Technically, It's Not My Fault. We first meet ninth-grader Jessie on the book's cover, as she's busy defending her lipstick purchase: "I saw Blue, and it was love at first sight!" Her words (i.e., the poem) form the frame for a mirror that's been kissed by electric-blue lips. It's a cover that'll grab adolescent girls' attention -- and the poetry inside is equally appealing. Grandits works with many different fonts, positioning text in clever ways. In "Bad Hair Day" lines of text push upward and curl around like unruly strands. Sentences spike up and down in "A Chart of My Emotional Day," as Jessie goes from feeling "Just OK" to "Ticked Off" to "Ridiculously Happy." Across the thirty or so poems, Jessie reveals she's a vegetarian, plays volleyball and the cello, and can't stand cheerleaders. But it's to Grandits's credit that his protagonist isn't confined to a 2-D existence. She leaps right off the page, in turn feisty and insecure. And by book's end, she's able to remove a few bricks from "The Wall" that divides her likes from her dislikes -- discovering, among other things, that not all cheerleaders are airheads.
- Foster care, luck, MaineBooklist (August 2010 (Vol. 106, No. 22))Grades 4-7. Eleven-year-old Tess doesn’t want to leave her island home, but her family will have to move to the mainland if the state of Maine closes their small schoolhouse for lack of students. To increase their numbers, several families take in foster children, and so 13-year-old musician Aaron, who has bounced around since his grandmother’s death because his mother is an alcoholic, comes to stay with Tess’ family. Tess pins all her hopes on Aaron, but he is not at all what she expected: he doesn’t like reading, he throws up on her dad’s lobster boat, and he’d rather stay in his room than play Monopoly. Each chapter title is a folk saying that superstitious Tess follows as she wishes and schemes a way for Aaron to love island life. Aaron’s relationship with his foster family, particularly with impulsive Tess, develops believably. The tight-knit community and lobster-catching details make for a warm, colorful environment. This is a feel-good story about letting go of your expectations and accepting the good things already in front of you.
- Realistic- teachers, acting, military bases, schoolsHorn Book (November/December, 2009)One of sixth-grade teacher Miss Loupe's favorite quotes is "Everyone you know is fighting a great battle." She should know. Though she hails from a gung-ho Air Force family, she dropped out of the Academy -- and her father hasn't spoken to her since. Instead, she earned a degree in drama and teaching, and now she's parlaying her college improv skills into her first teaching job -- at the same military base school she attended. The war in the Middle East is very real to Miss Loupe and her students. Miss Loupe's brother Marc is serving in Afghanistan; narrator Bo fears that his base commander father will be deployed to Afghanistan; and Gari is living with her cousin Bo while her Army nurse mother is in Iraq. When Miss Loupe's brother goes missing, her sunny, adage-for-any-situation disposition is abruptly replaced with depression and worry. Using some of their learned improv exercises and inspired by their teacher's lessons, the students decide to help injured soldiers...and Miss Loupe. Armed with nothing more than their wits, their desire to do something, and a lot of plastic army men, Bo and Gari and their classmates come up with a plan to help everyone face the challenges of war. The classroom is often a place of lessons, but Holmes tells her story -- infused with details of military life -- with heart and energy, and leaves any didactism at the door. Sixth graders, military brats or not, will identify with this rich cast.
- School, Shakespeare, Coming of ageHorn Book (July/August, 2007)Entering seventh grade, HollingHoodhood knows all about teachers. They're "born behind their desks, fully grown, with a red pen in their hand and ready to grade." And the worst of them hate your guts, which is precisely the way he believes Mrs. Baker feels about him. Every Wednesday afternoon, when the rest of his class leaves early to attend Hebrew school or catechism class, Holling, the lone Presbyterian, stays behind with Mrs. Baker. As Holling sees it, she uses the extra time for special torture, ranging from cleaning out rat cages to diagramming impossibly convoluted sentences to reading Shakespeare. That the two will grow to respect each other is a predictable trope, but the alliance nevertheless becomes convincing and winning. Insistently in the background is the Vietnam War: Mrs. Baker's husband is missing in action at Khesanh; the school's cook loses her husband in the conflict; the presence of a Vietnamese refugee in the class triggers hatred and bigotry. At home, Holling's sister supports the peace movement and women's rights; his father puts his architectural business above all; and his mother passively acquiesces to Mr. Hoodhood. Ultimately, Mrs. Baker steps out from behind her desk as a multilayered individual who helps Holling (often through their discussions of Shakespeare's plays) to dare to choose his own ending rather than follow the dictates of others. Schmidt rises above the novel's conventions to create memorable and believable characters.
- Realistic- Middle school, single parent families, Washington, D.C. Kirkus Review (September 1, 2009)An upbeat teen with a talent for drawing and soccer who hails from the wrong side of the tracks learns to bloom where he's planted. When seventh grader Trevor moves to the trashy Hedley Gardens project with his single-parent mom and younger siblings, he decides "it's going to be my year." Entering a new school in a rich neighborhood, Trevor is accidently placed in an advanced science class. Encouraged by the eccentric teacher to discover the world of mushrooms, Trevor applies humor and evasive tactics to fit in. He draws original designs on his classmates' shoes, and he tries out for an elite soccer team knowing he can't pay the fees. However, Trevor's plans for success derail after the star soccer player sabotages him. Narrating in the present tense, Trevor instantly engages readers with a resilient and infectious can-do attitude that eventually enables him to turn the tables on his rival. Amato's mushroom metaphor aptly fits her young hero, who emerges from unpromising surroundings by following his mom's advice "to rise above it." (Fiction. 10-14)
- Realistic- friendship, brothers and sisters, school, growing upSchool Library Journal (May 1, 2008)Gr 6-10-Will Tuppence is a sensible kid, good at science, with an average social life and a loud-mouthed little sister, Tabby, whom he does his very best to avoid. But when he learns that scientists have recorded the first instance of proton decay, his logical mind goes into free fall contemplating the implications. When, soon after, he catches his friends Mi-Su and BT kissing, his confusion skyrockets. Does he like Mi-Su himself? Would Mi-Su kiss him? Does it even matter now that all protons in the universe are impermanent? But the point of the story is not proton decay; nor is it the uncertainty that the phenomenon represents-as manifested in Will's life via the love triangle. The story ultimately hinges on Tabby, and Will's relationship with her. Events transpire to remind him of its centrality, around which his daily life and his very identity orbit. With narrative that is fast moving and often laugh-out-loud funny, this book would make an excellent addition to any collection. Short sentences and brief chapters make it a good pick for even reluctant readers. Spinelli lives up to his well-established precedent of stories full of warmth, humor, and memorable characters. Tabby, though at times slightly unbelievable in her precociousness, is a comical and endearing creation. Will's teenage insecurities, overanalyzing, and mood swings are entirely believable, and readers empathize fully with him while willing him to step outside himself and look around at what he has.-Emma Runyan, The Winsor School, Boston, MA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
- Baseball, pitchers, grief, friendshipNotes: Eighth-grader Molly's ability to throw a knuckleball earns her a spot on the baseball team, which not only helps her feel connected to her recently deceased father, who loved baseball, it helps in other aspects of her life, as well
- Mental illness, mothers and daughtersHorn Book (July/August, 2004)"A person isn't supposed to have to guess who they are, they're supposed to know." In this well-told story tinged with loss, twelve-year-old Heidi It and her severely mentally disabled mother, So B. It, have been able to "fly under the radar" in their Reno apartment for years, avoiding detection (by social services, for example) through a combination of Heidi's extraordinary good luck and the loving attention of their agoraphobic next-door neighbor, Bernadette. Narrator Heidi's realistic voice lends authenticity to her unusual circumstances and prevents the whole scenario from becoming too far-fetched. Secure in Mama's love (though love isn't part of Mama's twenty-three-word vocabulary) and armed with Bernadette's home-school and life lessons, Heidi is remarkably well adjusted despite her sheltered existence. But unanswered questions about Mama's past keep gnawing at her. Why is Mama named "So B. It"? How did she and a newborn Heidi end up in the apartment? Heidi's discovery of an undeveloped roll of old film reveals some promising clues and leads her to embark alone on a risky cross-country quest for the truth about her family. The novel has enough suspense to draw in mystery fans, while Weeks portrays Heidi's emotional and physical odyssey with admirable economy and restraint. In the end, readers--and Heidi--gain a new appreciation for what constitutes a family.
- Fathers and sons,Single-parent families,Elvis Presley impersonators,Schools,Friendship,ChicagoSchool Library Journal (July 1, 2008)Gr 6-8-Josh Greenwood, 13, lives with his mom in Boston, but he is shipped off to his dad in Chicago when she has to go to Florida to care for her mother. Once there, he discovers that his shoe-salesman father has lost his job and is now an Elvis impersonator. Dad's new girlfriend owns a vintage clothing shop and her daughter, Ivory, wears outfits that are wacky mismatched blasts from the past, and she has a boyfriend who wears a dog collar. "Hard" does not even begin to cover Josh's feelings about his new life. Of course, in true middle schooler fashion, he is unable to see anything except how this situation affects him. His potential for humiliation and embarrassment are central to his character and lead to an explosive division between him and his father. Through a wonderful and believable process of discovery orchestrated partially by Ivory and her mom, father and son come to understand one another. Pearsall has given Josh an authentic voice, and his first-person narrative is engaging throughout.-Genevieve Gallagher, Murray Elementary School, Charlottesville, VA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.
- Stock car racingBooklist (March 1, 2008 (Vol. 104, No. 13))Grades 8-11. In this first title in the Motor series, a few days at a small dirt stock-car track in northern Minnesota are described through the eyes of adults and kids who are involved in various track activities. All eyes stay fixed on the weather forecast, since a washout weekend can make or break a track that is just barely hanging on financially. Despite the lack of a strong plot, Weaver presents compelling character studies, as he examines the outlying bond that unites all of his characters—a love of cars and racing. In fact, it is the atmosphere of the track that is the real star here. The noise, smells, and flying dirt stand out sharply against a background tensions of small-town life. Young racing fans, particularly those familiar with the small tracks that dot rural parts of the country, will find much that rings true here.