Boot Camp by Todd Strasser

Did you know that parents with a lot of money can send problem kids to private schools that operate like Army boot camps? The parents want their kids to be "whipped into shape" and to come back better behaved, and the boot camps can pretty much do whatever they want to the kids. It's kind of like being sent to prison without being legally convicted of a crime. Todd Strasser wrote this fiction book about a 15-year-old kid who really isn't a bad guy who gets sent to one of these abusive schools. His parents sent him away because he was dating an older woman who happened to also be one of his teachers. Garrett faces both physical and psychological abuse, but he refuses to admit that he did anything wrong. His stubbornness just gets him more abuse. Garrett eventually attempts and escape, but things don't turn out like you might expect. I don't think Strasser's books are particularly well-written, but he knows how to hit on topics of great interest to kids and how to put together a story that keeps kids reading. It's not a book for everyone—it's got violence and abuse and it's not a happy story at all. I suspect that some kids will really like it and others will want nothing to do with it. But if you do read it, I'm sure you will want to learn more about these Boot Camps and how they get away with what they do.

Revolution is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine

This fiction book reminded me a lot of Red Scarf Girl, which is a nonfiction book. Both books are about young Chinese girls caught up in the Cultural Revolution. Revolution is Not a Dinner Party is about Ling, the only daughter of two doctors. When the book opens life is pretty good, but little by little things get worse after Comrade Li moves into Ling's family's apartment. He is the voice of the communist party and is looking for people he can get into trouble. Neighbors get taken away to work camps and publicly beaten, and Ling's own father is taken away to prison. The book covers four years of Ling's life in this oppressive government system. I thought the events and historical aspects were very interesting, but to kids with no background in Chinese history I think much of it would be hard to follow. I also found that I didn't really feel emotionally attached to Ling. There was something distant in her way of narrating the book that left me disconnected. The writing is good and it is an interesting time period to learn about, but since it was a fiction book I wanted more. I had the impression that the author probably was telling a true story, and if that is the case, I would have preferred to read the nonfiction version. I will be very curious to know if kids read and like this book.

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Imagine forgetting four years of your life. Naomi falls down the steps outside her school and gets a head injury that leaves her physically healthy, but with no memories after sixth grade. Her family and friends have to tell her a lot of things—like the name of her boyfriend, the fact that her parents are divorced, and that she is co-editor of the school yearbook. It's rough at first, but it gives Naomi a chance to re-invent herself. She dumps the boyfriend, quits yearbook, acts in a school play, and fights with her former best friend, a guy named Will who clearly adores her. By the end of this book I was really into her story and the choices she was making. When you read it you can't help but think about the choices you might make if you could forget the past and start fresh. There's a lot of romance here, and also some mature themes, so I recommend it to 8th graders on up.

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

Christopher Paul Curtis's books are generally outstanding, so I was excited to get my copy of this one. It's the story of a community of escaped slaves who live just across the Canadian border in the 1800s. Elijah is a boy known for two things—being the first free-born citizen of Buxton and for throwing up on Frederick Douglass (a famous ex-slave who came to town when Elijah was younger). At first this book seemed kind of like a slice-of-life story about how Elijah was "fra-gile" and was afraid of all kinds of things. There were funny, folksy stories about him and the incidents that happened in Buxton. As the book went on, though, I realized that the author was just setting us up for an amazing, tragic finish. Everything came together in a heartbreaking final incident. You'll just have to read it to understand what I'm talking about. If you stick with this book to the end you are guaranteed to be amazed.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

Imagine getting a gift from your father five years after he died. Then imagine not being able to open the gift! That's what happens to Jeremy. A box comes in the mail and the box says "The Meaning of Life" on it. It's meant for him to open on his 13th birthday, but the four keys needed to open it are lost. This is the story of how Jeremy and his best friend Lizzie search for the keys that will open the box. Along the way they get arrested and forced to do community service for an old man who was a pawn broker. They have all kinds of new experiences and learn a little about the real meaning of life before they get the box open. This is a fun book that both guys and girls would like, and it gives you a lot to think about as you read.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Wow. This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It's both sad and hilarious, and I read it straight through almost without stopping. Arnold Spirit, also known as Junior, is a Spokane Indian living on the reservation ("the rez"). He has a big head, huge feet, loves to draw, and is a target for bullies. He's also very bright and he figures out that he needs to leave the reservation to fulfill his life's dreams. This is the story of his first year attending Reardon high school, where he's the only Indian. He loves his family and his culture, but he is not blind to the problems that alcohol causes in his community. In fact, it is the cause of numerous tragedies in his own family circle. Arnold makes new friends at Reardon, becomes a basketbal star, and struggles with his old best friend who feels betrayed by his departure. It doesn't sound funny, but it really is. Some people might think the innermost thoughts of this 9th grade boy are a little mature, but they are certainly nothing you wouldn't hear on TV. Recommended especially for 8th grade guys, but also for anyone (young or old) who appreciates good writing. (Just so you know, this is fiction but it is taken straight from the author's life.)

Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Miller

I could not put this book down. It is the story of one month in the lives of Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller. Annie was only 20 years old when she took the train to Alabama to become Helen's teacher. Six-year-old Helen's family loved her but had almost given up on her—she was blind and deaf and had no way to communicate, and so she behaved like a wild animal. Annie Sullivan knew what it was like to be blind and lonely and desperate for human connection, and she was also a tenacious and gifted teacher. When she arrived she realized what Helen needed—discipline, love, and words, which are the key to human thoughts and emotions. Annie tried to discipline Helen, but she fought fiercely, physically, and with great intelligence. Helen knew that her parents would give in to her slightest tantrum and she pulled all the right strings to get her own way. Annie had to take her away for a week in order to begin to civilize Helen's behavior. But even when Helen's behavior improved, she didn't immediately understand the concept of language that Annie was trying to teach her. I was amazed at the courage and talent of this young woman. It is a fiction story, but it's closely based on the letters of Annie Sullivan, and I imagine that the emotions and events are very true to life. Sarah Miller did a fantastic job of writing this historical fiction novel.

Diva by Alex Flinn

Caitlin is an opera singer, but it's not cool at her high school to let people know she doesn't care about cheerleading and all the other usual high school stuff. After shedding extra weight and leaving behind an abusive boyfriend, she secretly auditions to attend a high school for the performing arts. She gets in and attends the new school (in spite of her mother's objections) and Diva is the story of how she takes on new challenges and begins to become the person she dreams of becoming. One hurdle to overcome is her own mother, who dresses like a teenager, dates a married man, and is unsupportive of Caitlin's music. Another hurdle is the memory of her abusive boyfriend (whose story is told in the book Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn). One big benefit of her new school is that she is among kindred spirits—artistic teenagers capable of becoming true friends. I think any teenage girl could relate to Caitlin, but girls with an interest in singing will definitely want to read her story. It's well-written, thoughtful, and most importantly, an enjoyable read.

Swear to Howdy by Wendelin Van Draanen

What does it mean to be a good friend? Should you keep a promise no matter what? Those are the big questions in this funny/sad book. Rusty and Joey are best friends. They do lots of "guy" stuff like catching frogs, harassing their older sisters, and shooting at tin cans. Every time they do something they might get in trouble for they "swear to howdy" that they won't tell a soul. Then they hammer fists, punch knuckles, prick their fingers, and mix their blood to seal the pact. Joey is the wild one of the two, but he always means well. Unfortunately he has a father with a drinking problem who is a dangerous man. So when Joey makes mistakes, he really needs Rusty to keep his secrets. This short, funny book takes a big turn at the end that will really make you think.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

I'm not sure what I can say about this book. I'm sure it's already been discussed to death. I liked it, as I have liked all of the Harry Potter books. I should confess that I have never actually read a Harry Potter book. I listen to them on CD and I absolutely love listening to Jim Dale do all the voices. Here's what I liked most about this book: the focus on the friendship of Harry, Ron and Hermione. What great friends. I also like the other Hogwarts kids—Ginny, Nevile, and Luna. And I particularly enjoyed learning so much more about Dumbledore—he's one of my favorite characters. Rowling really made him into a complex person in this book. And Harry, almost in spite of himself, consistently chooses the honorable path that stems from his inborn sense of right and wrong. I like that he is so real and so good, but not in a preachy way. Now for things I didn't like. The story dragged a bit in the middle when they were living in the tent and didn't know what to do. I thought the ending with Snape was very predictable—I knew all along he was going to turn out to be good (or at least not evil). The part I really didn't like was the epilogue. It made Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione seem so BORING! So they fought off evil and now they just raise kids and send them off to boarding school. I'd like to think they have more excitement in their lives than that. (It reminds me of how I felt reading the later Anne of Green Gables books—grown ups are just so dull!) In spite of my few criticisms, I really did enjoy the book and I'm looking forward to listening to the entire series again from start to finish.

Marie Curie by Kathleen Krull

If you have to read a biography of a scientist, make sure you find one by Kathleen Krull. She digs into the lives of famous people and finds the things that normal people (like me!) find interesting. Yes, Marie Curie was a great scientist who won the Nobel Prize and discovered radioactivity, but Krull tells us all the other interesting stuff that we really want to know. How did this smart girl from Poland overcome the prejudice against women that kept women from studying science? How did her love affair with her employer's son almost get her into trouble? What was her relationship with her husband like? What about the affair she had after he died? If you read this book you will know all about Marie Curie the scientist and Marie Curie the human being. And she was amazing in both categories! You can't go wrong with the Giants of Science biographies. Sigmund Freud and Isaac Newton are also part of this series.

Schooled by Gordon Korman

Cap (short for Capricorn) is an 8th grader who has spent his life in a 1960s-style commune living only with his Grandmother. He's never had a friend his own age or watched TV or gone to school or done anything that most other kids have done. When his Grandma is injured, he is sent to live with a "normal family" and to go to public school. Right away the popular (but mean) guy in school pegs him for the biggest loser in the 8th grade. And at this middle school the tradition is to elect that loser class president in order to humiliate him. But Cap is so oblivious they can't figure out how to embarrass him. It's a light-hearted, funny book where the so-called loser ends up on top. In a way, this book is Stargirl for guys. I'm a big fan of Gordon Korman, and while I don't think it's his best book ever, I think lots of middle schoolers will enjoy this book.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

There is no doubt that this is a fine book and it will probably win some children's literature awards this year. While it is set in the 1960s, it captures the universal agony and humor of seventh grade as seen through the eyes of Holling Hoodhood. Every Wednesday Holling is stuck spending the afternoon with his teacher Mrs. Baker while all the other kids go to religious classes. Holling is sure that Mrs. Baker hates him, but as the year goes on he gains more and more insight into her life and he learns a lot from her about Shakespeare and running and baseball. This book has many humorous scenes such as Holling wearing yellow tights with feathers on the bottom in a Shakespeare play and the incident when rats fall through the classroom ceiling. It also contains a lot of Shakespeare quotes and wisdom, and numerous current events from 1967-68. Teachers are guaranteed to love this book (especially those who like Shakespeare and grew up in the 60s!). I'm curious how kids will like it.

To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel

This beautiful book is a memoir (an autobiography) of a girl who dreamed of being a ballerina. The author, from Puerto Rico, moved to New York City as a girl to attend the School of American Ballet. She spent years there learning, performing, and working incredibly hard. The artwork in this graphic novel shows the freedom and joy of dance as seen through young Siena's eyes. I learned a lot about the life of a dancer from reading this book. Girls who like to dance (or who dream of dancing) will love it!

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Imagine having a brother who constantly embarrasses you and being stuck babysitting that brother a lot of the time. And then imagine that your parents give all their attention to your brother and never seem to give you credit for putting up with him and helping out with him. That's the story of Catherine's life, and since her brother has autism, things aren't going to change. David doesn't understand how to behave in public, so Catherine is always writing down rules for him to remember (like no toys in the fish tank and keep your pants on in public). It's summertime and with her best friend away Catherine really hopes that the new girl in the neighborhood will be a good friend. But strangely enough, the real friend that she meets that summer is a paralyzed boy who communicates by pointing at cards. Catherine is an artist, a compassionate spirit, and a very believable narrator. She's the kind of friend I would have wanted to have when I was 12 years old. It's more than a book about kids with disabilities—it's about being true to yourself.

The Last Girls of Pompeii by Kathryn Lasky

You kind of know up front how this book is going to end. It's the story of two teenagers who have no freedom—Julia, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and Sura, Julia's slave. Julia's prospects in life are dim because she was born with a deformed arm and at that time it was considered a curse. Well, it's 79 A.D. and they live in Pompeii, so you can guess that they will be trying to escape the horrible eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. In spite of knowing something about the ending, I found the details of life in Pompeii to be fascinating. Lasky obviously did a lot of research into Roman religious practices (lots of animals are sacrificed), wedding rituals, food (flamingo tongues!), gladiator flights, and more. My only criticism is that the actual eruption of the volcano was almost anticlimatic—their escape seemed awfully easy. This book was personally fascinating to me because I actually visited Pompeii for spring break and walked those same streets. This is great for kids studying Roman civilization. My only fear is that there is so much detail and advanced vocabulary that this will be a hard read for the average middle schooler. But nevertheless, I recommend it for motivated readers, especially 6th graders since they study this era in history.

Demonkeeper by Royce Buckingham

Can there be a funny book about an evil beast that hunts (and sometimes kills) teenagers? This book has just the right mix of horror, fantasy, and humor to pull you in and make you keep reading. Nat lives alone in a very scary house where he is the demonkeeper. The job involves controlling his minions (3 little demons who are supposed to help him) and feeding the beast in the basement (a really evil thing that wants to escape). Nat makes the mistake of leaving the house for a date with a girl (strictly forbidden) and while he is gone some kids break into the house and unknowingly release the beast. When a very creepy "thin man" enters the picture, Nat has to fight two evil beings to keep his job as demon keeper. Good thing he finds a pretty understanding girl to help him out of this mess. Like I said, it's creepy and funny at the same time. I think middle school guys will especially like this one.

Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes

I can't say I have been all that thrilled about the books I've read this summer, but I'm happy to say this one was great. It's about a group of 5 high school freshmen who all struggle to fit in at their school until they come together to form a band called Lemonade Mouth. Each of the band members has a unique story, and each tells things from their point of view (so you have to keep track of who is talking). Wen is a nice guy who is struggling with his feelings for his father's sexy new girlfriend. Stella is new to the school and when told she can't wear a certain t-shirt she suddenly develops a reputation as someone who fights against the system. Charlie calls himself a "big fat loser," but he's really a sensitive guy with a talent for percussion. Mo's family is from India and she struggles to live up to her father's strict expectations (while she secretly dates a popular guy). And Olivia, the lead singer, is kind of strange and also so painfully shy she throws up in the bathroom before going on stage. Fate, detention, and a dentist's corny jingle bring the 5 students together, and the music they write speaks to the kids at their school—especially the kids who think of themselves as freaks. This book is funny and clever and the part I love most is the friendship that forms among these 5 kids. It is a high school story, so I recommend it to 7th and 8th graders. An interesting note: this author also wrote I am the Wallpaper, and those characters play a minor role here.

Red Moon at Sharpsburg by Rosemary Wells

The American Civil War comes alive in this novel about a girl from Virginia who sees first-hand the horrors of war. In the beginning India Moody is a smart, optimistic girl who believes that the yanks haven't got a chance against the Confederate Army. She sees her father and many other men go off to war and begins to hear about the brutality and futility of the war. India is tutored by Emory Trimble, a young man who studies bacteria and knows that lives would be saved if doctors would sterilize their instruments. India learns chemistry and biology along with him and dreams of being a scientist. India is poor and her home is in the path of the war. As she grows into a young woman she sees tragedy, understands the inhumanity of war, and sees her home and family destroyed. It's a moving, intense book with glimmers of humanity among the evils of war. It's the best Civil War novel for this age group that I have read. Recommended for 7th and 8th graders and especially for social studies teachers. (And isn't it cool that this is the same Rosemary Wells who wrote my son's favorite Mother Goose collection? She's got a lot of talent!)

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson is a really fine writer. She captures the voice of teenagers and tells tragic, difficult stories with amazing humor. Twisted has a male for a main character. Tyler Miller, a former loser who starts his senior year muscular and tough looking with a bad-boy reputation due to an act of vandalism he committed the previous year. It's the kind of combination that catches the eye of Bethany Milbury, queen of the school. She used to think Tyler was a total nerd, but now she's flirting with him and Tyler can't resist her charms. The downside is that Bethany's brother, Chip, is a real jerk, and Bethany's father is Tyler's father's boss. Things go wrong for Tyler at a big party, and while he is trying to be a good guy and not sleep with Bethany, he is accused of uploading pornographic photographs of her to the Internet. Thus begins Tyler's downward spiral which nearly ends in suicide. This book has mature themes—I don't recommend it to middle schoolers except for mature 8th grade readers—but it is compelling and well-written and very real. I wish high school guys would read this book and discuss the choices that Tyler makes.

Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

This book surprised me. I bought it for the media center because girls love reading about tragedy, and the biography of Bethany Hamilton (the surfer whose arm was bitten off by a shark) is a big hit. I thought this might be a mediocre attempt to capitalize on the popularity of that book. In reality, this is a well-written novel in verse format. The story begins in the hospital after fifteen-year-old Jane has been attacked by a shark. She has just been told that her arm has been amputated. She is depressed and angry and unwilling to be a brave, inspirational poster child. The book is quick and easy to read, but full of deep emotion and introspection. There are moments of beautiful poetry. I think readers will be drawn to the book because of the subject matter and the format, and will find that they are reading a really fine novel. Jane's story isn't full of drama or action—it's a journey of emotional healing. It's a big step up from the usual "chick lit" that some girls like to read.

Case Closed vol. 1 by Gosho Aoyama

This series of Japanese manga mysteries was recommended to me by mystery writer Michael Dahl. The detective, Jimmy Kudo, is a brilliant high school student who is transformed into a little boy by a would-be killer. While trying to get his body back to normal, he takes on the name Conan Edagawa and becomes the "little brother" of his best friend and secret crush, Rachel Moore. Her father is an inept private investigator, and Conan solves cases for him while making him think he's solving them. There are quite a few mysteries within this one book, and while the clues are there, they are clever enough that I couldn't solve them. It sort of reminded me of a modern-day Encyclopedia Brown, but with more sophisticated mysteries for older kids. I think middle school readers who like a mystery will really like this series.

Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures that May or May Not Exist by Halls, Spears, & Young

Everyone has heard of Bigfoot, Yeti, and the Loch Ness Monster, and even though no one has proven their existence, some people believe they really do exist. If you think it's fascinating to read about those creatures, this book is for you. The most interesting part of the book is all the cryptids (that's the name for mysterious creatures that aren't proven to exist) that most people don't know about. There's the Stronsay Beast, Mokele-mbembe, Champ, and many more. Several of the cryptids sound similar to dinosaurs. It is possible that they didn't all go extinct? You'll learn which cryptids have been found, which have been proven to be hoaxes, and which ones we still may find someday. This book is well organized and colorful with many photographs and drawings. It's also well-written and researched, and by far the highest quality book about Bigfoot and company that I've ever seen.

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

Imagine a summer in which you suddenly became rich without even trying. That's the premise of this short, funny novel by Gary Paulsen. The main character gets an old riding lawn mower from his grandma, and suddenly has more business than he can handle. When a friendly stock broker takes an interest, the money increases, and the situation gets a little ridiculous. Not a lot of 12-year-olds sponsor prize fighters or have to fend off criminals wanting a piece of their business. It's all rather ridiculous, but it's fun and the setting is Eden Prairie, Minnesota. It might even be a good read for the stock market club members. Recommended for 6th graders who dream of making money.

Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot

Quahogs (pronounced "co-hogs") are a big deal in this book. The author, Meg Cabot, writes The Princess Diaries books (which I think are great), and also a lot of other books for teenage girls. I think Meg Cabot is exceedingly smart and she knows exactly how high school girls think and talk. This book has lots of romance—Katie, our main character, actually is involved with three different guys during the course of this book (which is about one week in her life). Things get complicated in Katie's life when an old friend comes back to town. Four years ago Tommy did something unthinkable to the football players in this small town. Katie is trying to forget her own role in how Tommy was treated, but things are complicated by the fact that Tommy is now a really hot guy. I have to admit this isn't my favorite of her books. I think the main problem is that I didn't like Katie. She's a self-absorbed liar with nothing on her mind except hot guys ("McHotties"). Even though she learns some lessons in this story and discovers how not to be a "liar liar pants on fire," she still was a shallow character in my mind. But, that's not to say this isn't a sort of fun, mindless read, especially for girls who want some romance in their books. And if you read it, you will find out what a quahog is!

Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings

Of the five Maud Hart Lovelace nominated books I read this week, this is definitely the best. At it's heart it's a story about a kid who must decide whether or not to tell the truth, when to do so will change the lives of his friends and family forever. Brady lives in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay and he has spent his life on boats exploring the waters of the bay. One day a kayak sinks and a four-year-old boy is killed. Brady tries to save his life, but it is no use. Later Brady finds out the disturbing truth about the kayaking "accident." If I say any more it will ruin the story. Brady is a good character—he's a believable 14-year-old making the toughest decision of his life. I appreciate that the author gives the story a full conclusion and doesn't make us wonder what happens in the end to Brady and his two best friends. I think this book will be enjoyed by lots of middle schoolers this year.

Halfway to the Sky by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Here's one more Maud Hart Lovelace nominated book that I read last week. I'm kind of mixed on this one—I don't think it's a great book, but I was personally interested in the Appalachian Trail setting. Dani is only 12 but she has big plans. She runs away from home with the intention of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. She's running away for a reason—her family has fallen apart ever since the death of her older brother, who had muscular dystrophy. She also has a reason to run to the Appalachian Trail. It's where her parents met and she has heard about it all of her life. Dani's mother finds her on the trail right away, and the two end up hiking for a couple of months together. It's a time for both of them to face the past and to get ready for the future. It is a pretty predictable story about growing up and moving on, but the author made it interesting by weaving numerous details about the trail and its traditions. I would recommend this book for sixth grade readers, especially kids with an interest in the outdoors.

Emako Blue by Brenda Woods

I have read five Maud Hart Lovelace Award nominees in the last week and so far this is the one I think my students will like the best. It's short and simple, but has an emotional impact that will resonate with middle schoolers. The setting is a Los Angeles high school where the students come from a variety of neighborhoods—some safe and some not. Emako Blue is the name of a girl--she's beautiful and talented, and everyone knows she will get out of the ghetto where she lives and make it big someday. Tragically, Emako is killed, and this book tells her story from the perspective of her best friend Monterey, a guy named Jamal who tried to be her boyfriend, a girl named Savannah who never liked her, and a guy named Eddie who was her friend. It's a sad story, but it will capture the interest of readers who might also learn what life is like for innocent teens living in South Central Los Angeles. This is a good one for reluctant readers.

The Last Dog on Earth by Daniel Ehrenhaft

Unfortunately, this is another Maud Hart Lovelace nominee that I am not all that excited about. It had some good qualities, and maybe some readers will enjoy it, but with so many outstanding books written for kids I have no idea how this book was chosen. The main character, Logan Moore, is something of a screw-up. He has a rotten stepfather, but he can't blame all his problems on that. The only thing he's really good at is training his new stray dog named Jack. However, it's not a good time to love a dog because a disease epidemic is being spread by dogs in the western U.S. and people are being ordered to kill their dogs to stop the human deaths that are occurring. Anyway, Logan runs away from boot camp (his stepfather forced him to go), meets up with his dog, and tries to save her life. My main problem with this book was that I didn't particularly like Logan. He was kind of a jerk, and he seemed immature and unrealistic for a character who was supposed to be starting high school soon. I guess this book is there for the dog lovers of the world, but beware--bad things happen to dogs in this story!

Blackwater Ben by William Durbin

I will list the good qualities of this book first. It is set in Minnesota, around the year 1900, and the setting is a logging camp in the northern part of the state. Obviously the author did a lot of research on that era in history and filled the book with many details, including a lot of slang used by the loggers. I believe the descriptions of the camps and the jobs that were done are probably quite accurate. So I did learn something about that time in history. That's the good part. The bad part is that the book has no plot, and to me it seemed like an excuse to string together some charming, funny episodes in the lives of loggers. But that wasn't enough to make a good book for me. I didn't hate it, but I definitely didn't think it was a good enough book to make the Maud Hart Lovelace booklist, even though it was set in our state. I will be curious to see how kids respond to it this year since many of them will be reading it. Maybe they will prove me wrong.

The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

I have high praise for this book because it made me run 6 miles. I listened to it on my iPod shuffle, which I only listen to while exercising, and it is only a really good book that gets me going for more than 4 miles. It had been a year since I read Dairy Queen, and this book brought back all the excitement I first felt about that book. D.J. Schwenk is rare book character—she's an athletic, dairy farming teenager with an uncommunicative family and a cool potential boyfriend. She doesn't really have anything in common with me, but Catherine Murdock gets into her head and heart and makes me care so much about her that I feel like I am her while I'm reading this book. I don't really want to give away the plot. In Dairy Queen D.J. decided to go out for her high school football team, and in the beginning she is doing just that. But a lot of changes happen in the fall that change things completely for D.J. There's humor (she's accidentally written up in People Magazine), tons of sports (football and basketball), friendship (her friend Amber has a new partner and they are friends again), romance (making out but not going out with Brian), and family (the Schwenk brothers are a big part of this book). I don't want to bore you here, just read this book. I know adults and kids of both genders who loved Dairy Queen and who will want to follow along as D.J. takes some big leaps forward in her life. As I said, this is for everyone, but is absolutely required reading for girls who are into sports. Don't miss it.

Tunnels by Roderick Gordon & Brian Williams

I thought I was being extremely cutting-edge reading this book. While I was in England I had an e-mail from friends telling about the "new Harry Potter" which was discovered by the same man who found J.K. Rowling. It will be published in February 2008 in the U.S., but is already out in paperback in the U.K. So I bought a copy and tried to read it on the plane. One week later I have finally finished it. I didn't really like it. It is kind of cool that the main character, Will, follows his father into a complex underground world with evil guards (called the Styx), strange technology and torture methods, and a sort of bizarro family, but there was nothing else to make me want to keep reading. I need characters to care about and I didn't find them here. I found Will to be uninteresting—he's an outcast because he is albino, and his only friend is fellow outcast Chester who is big and fat. Chester is no Ron Weasley, that's for sure. Will didn't have much of a relationship with anyone in his family, even his dad, who is really his only hope since his mom and sister are pretty worthless. So this book needed incredible action to keep my attention (I love Alex Rider, after all, and there aren't deep characters there). And the action didn't do it for me. The underground "colony" is deeply evil and there is no humor to cushion the tragedies that occur. Another problem is that the ending is unresolved—just a gateway to a sequel. I will be very interested to see if this makes a big splash in the U.S. I believe the authors received a huge advance for this book. I will also be interested in how they change it for U.S. readers—it's very British in ways that I think will have to be changed for American kids to follow along. I am predicting that this book will be heavily revised or that it will fail big time. For better underground worlds, read City of Ember or Downsiders, or Gregor the Overlander.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

This book was supposedly written for young adults, but I would argue that it is really a book for people of all ages, especially for adults. It's definitely not aimed at middle school students even though the main character, Leisel Meminger, is of that age. It's an amazing, moving, wonderful book that gets more and more engrossing the more you read. Zusak chose to write about the Holocaust from the perspective of death, who isn't an evil character, he's just the one who is there to take people's souls away. Of course, death was very busy during World War II, but several times he noticed young Leisel Meminger, and he became fascinated with her story. Leisel, who is the book thief, is a German foster child in a poor family on Himmel Street in Molching, Germany. She has been given up by her mother and seen her brother die before her eyes. Her foster father, Hans Huberman, is goodness personified. Her foster mother, Rosa Huberman, is a stout, foul-mouthed, scowling woman with a great capacity to love. And her best friend Rudy Steiner is an indescribable companion whose goal in life is to be kissed by Leisel Meminger. Much tragedy befalls Leisel's family, but we get glimpses of their heroic kindness as they hide a Jew in their basement. Death is a cryptic, poetic, challenging narrator. I found myself reading and re-reading sentences to enjoy the images and the way the words were put together. Most of all I was moved by the humanity that death found on Himmel Street. It is a book that makes you cry at the evil in the world and also at the beauty that can live within the darkest circumstances. Recommended for mature teens and all adults.

Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy

It seems like I hear about new Holocaust books every day, but I'm not always motivated to read them because it's such a painful topic. Last year I skimmed this book and realized how good it was and we made it an option for our sixth grade historical fiction unit. This summer I listened to it on CD and it is incredible. It is classified as a fiction book, but it is based entirely on the author's aunt's experiences in the Lodz Ghetto during World War II. Syvia was four when her family was forced into the ghetto and almost 10 when the entire family was liberated. All of her childhood memories are of that ghetto where they suffered from hunger, cruelty, and overwhelming fear of being sent to death camps. The Nazis removed all children from the ghetto (telling parents they were saving them when they were really killing them). Syvia's father dug a grave for them and they hid in the cemetery. After the children were gone Syvia had to be in hiding from everyone. The book is very easy to read. It's told in verse form that is almost like poetry, but more like the thoughts and experiences of a young girl. I was horrified once again by what Hitler did to innocent human beings, and I stand in admiration of Syvia's family and how they survived. Recommended for readers of all ages.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

This is a fun, funny romance that takes place at a special school that trains girls (who happen to be geniuses) to be spies and CIA agents. Cammie is an excellent student--she studies 14 languages, data encryption, and covert operations, but she's never lived out in the "real world." During a CovOps class outing she speaks with an attractive boy (against the rules!) and a romance begins, aided by her best friends Bex and Liz. The book is her Covert Operations Report that summarizes her semester and all the problems that arise as she tries to date Josh but not let him know she's a Gallagher Girl. There's not a lot of spy action (i.e. not for fans of Alex Rider), but there's lots of fun in a more chick lit kind of way. I already have an advance copy of the sequel that comes out in the fall of 2007 (Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy), so ask me if you want to read it early.

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers

I have recommended this book to lots of boys who wanted to read about war, but I confess I had never read it myself. I actually listened to it on my iPod, which wasn't so great—somehow the horrors of the Vietnam war didn't go well with running around the lakes in the summer. But, it is every bit as good as I thought it would be, especially for readers who want to know what it was really like to be a soldier in Vietnam. Richie Perry, the narrator, is a smart African-American teenager who doesn't see a way to go to college, so he signs up to go to Vietnam. The dialogue between Richie and his comrades is vivid and realistic—Walter Dean Myers really has a knack for making characters come to life. He also has all the details of Vietnam embedded into the story—the jargon the soldiers used, the foods they ate, the routine of daily life (boring) contrasted with the horrors of going out on a mission. Of course, there is violence and colorful language, it couldn't be war without those elements. Other Vietnam War fiction books you might like are Cracker by Cynthia Kahodahata and Search and Destroy by Dean Hughes. Highly recommended for mature middle school readers interested in history or war.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

This is another fairy tale to treasure from Shannon Hale. It has many similar themes to her other books. Like The Goose Girl, it is about a girl who must overcome great odds while living a difficult peasant life, and like The Princess Academy, there is a somewhat magical way of communicating by singing. And like both books, the protagonist is a smart, determined girl who you come to know and love as you read about her struggles. The story is loosely based on a Brothers Grimm tale, but is set in ancient Mongolia. A noble girl is sealed in a tower for seven years for refusing to marry her father's desired suitor. Dashti, a mucker girl from the steppes, agrees to be sealed up with the Lady Saren to serve as her maid. The Book of a Thousand Days is Dashti's diary of the following years. Lady Saren is quite a mess, and the only reason she survives, escapes, and makes it to another kingdom is Dashti's determination and her ability to sing the healing songs that her mucker mother taught her. There is romance with a Khan, battle against the evil Khan of another realm, friendship, and a fascinating world made up of eight realms and dominated by an intriguing group of Gods and Ancestors. Readers who love Shannon Hale will also love Dashti's story.

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

I know, I am probably the last person in the school to read this book, but I finally did. And I liked it! In a way it wasn't what I had expected—I thought it was set in Victorian times in England or somewhere in Europe, but I guess the spirit of the book was what I anticipated. The orphans are clever and good-hearted, Count Olaf is evil (evil enough to dangle a baby from a tower, threaten to kill her, and to marry a 14-year-old girl for her money), and all the other adults are pretty much clueless. My favorite part of the book was how the narrator is always defining words for the reader, even if they are easy words like faked ("a word which in this case means feigned"). Of course, the ending left me hanging, and now I am wondering if in the final book of the series Count Olaf triumphs over the Baudelaire orphans. After all, he has promised to get their fortune and to kill them. I'm guessing that no matter how evil Lemony Snicket makes him out to be, there won't be any dead orphans in The End. But now I have to read 12 more books!

Final Shot by John Feinstein

I am glad this is a Maud Hart Lovelace nominee for 2007-2008 because I think a lot of basketball fans will love it. It's a mystery set at the Final Four and the detectives are 8th graders Stevie and Carol Ann, who won a writing contest and are there as full-fledged journalists. Early on they overhear a star basketball player being threatened to throw the final game against Duke, but they don't know who is threatening Chip Graber and why. Carol Ann is a minister's daughter, but she can lie and be sneaky like a pro, and she and Stevie figure out how to talk to Chip Graber. When they hear his story they realize they are up against a serious blackmailing and gambling scheme. This book has lots of detective work and even more inside scoop on the personalities and quirks of NCAA basketball. For kids who follow basketball it is a dream come true. Other readers will enjoy the mystery and the action. A fun book for middle schoolers, either guys or girls.

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon

This is another one of those sneak previews I picked up at BookExpo. I don't think it comes out until Fall 2007. It's a wordless graphic novel about a friendship between a robot and a dog who become separated but long for each other. I love the artwork—it's cute without being childish, and so expressive...I could just feel the regret of the good-hearted dog who had to leave his rusted robot friend behind. And the poor robot resounds with hopefulness in spite of being buried under the snow. It's amazing how much the artist can convey, especially in the small, single frames that begin and end the chapters. I would recommend this one for all ages, but its bittersweet ending will be most appreciated by older readers (especially teens and adults!).

The Secret of Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story by Peter Lane Taylor with Christos Nicola

The premise of this book is amazing—during the Holocaust a group of Ukranian Jews survived by living in deep underground caves for 344 days (the longest known time for humans to remain in a cave). Nicola, a cave explorer, found evidence of human activity in the Priest's Grotto cave network, and set out to investigate. Eventually he found some of the survivors alive and living in Canada. The book is a combination of their memories and the modern-day discovery of their hiding place. While it is an amazing story and comes with attractive photographs and maps, I couldn't help thinking it could have been more clearly told if it did not alternate between the past and the present. The story of the 38 survivors is amazing and inspiring, and deserves to be known. The heroic actions of the men who would sneak out of the cave for supplies are well documented, but I was left wondering more about the life of those who never left the darkness for 344 days. What was it like for the women and teens and the 1-year-old? How did they pass the time? Did they fight? Did they have light other than fire? Did anyone get sick or get pregnant or go crazy? The isolation they endured is unimaginable. A fascinating Holocaust story with a happy outcome.

Peak by Roland Smith

Wow! This is the new action book to recommend to middle school guys. Peak (yes, that's his name) is the 14-year-old son of two famous mountain climbers. His father, Josh, isn't part of his life. He never even answers Peak's letters because he is too busy climbing in Tibet and Nepal. The action starts when Peak is arrested for climbing a skyscraper. (It's the only thing there is to climb in New York City where he lives.) Josh sweeps in and takes Peak away to avoid jail time and lots of bad publicity. He says he's taking him to live in Thailand, but the real plan is to take Peak to the summit of Mt. Everest. It's not that Josh cares much about Peak, but he wants the credit for bringing the youngest-ever climber to the summit of the tallest mountain in the world. The rest of the book is all about the experience of trying to climb Mt. Everest. I have read several nonfiction books about this experience (Into Thin Air being the best one) and it is fascinating. It takes an incredible amount of equipment, time, determination, luck and egotism to succeed. Peak encounters a wise monk, a desperate teen from Tibet, stinking yaks, and many more characters on the mountain. It's mainly a book of action, but Peak is a better person than his father and learns valuable lessons about what is important in life. Highly recommended!

Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick

I was lucky enough to get an advance reader's copy of this newest book by Jordan Sonnenblick, and was also lucky enough to have it autographed at BookExpo in New York City. It's Sonnenblick's third book, and since I absolutely love his other two books (Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie and Notes from the Midnight Driver), I couldn't wait to read it. This story centers around San Lee, an 8th grader who has moved from place to place and changed his persona many times. This time he is angry about his dad being in prison and looking for a way to attract a cute girl named Woody. Partly because he is Chinese and because he appears to know a lot about Buddhism, the kids at his new school decide he is a Zen Master. This seems to work with Woody and life is going pretty well for San. But he does have to hide the fact that his mother is very much not Chinese and he is definitely not a zen master. There is much humor, as it true in all of Sonnenblick's books. There's also the underlying theme of a confused but good kid growing up and learning how to be a good human being and how to have strong relationships with peers as well as parents. There's a great sub-plot dealing with San and Woody performing community service together and I love how Sonnenblick always brings in that theme. I have to admit that this one didn't blow me away like Midnight Driver (one of my favorite books of 2006), but it is still highly recommended. Students will enjoy it and definitely learn a thing or two about zen!

Alabama Moon by Watt Key

Moon's dad hates the government and wants nothing to do with modern society. The two live together in a hidden shelter in a forest in Alabama where they hunt and trap and keep out of sight. Moon knows a lot about survival for a 10-year-old kid, but he knows nothing about life in the real world. When tragedy strikes his father, Moon is left alone, and is convinced that he needs to follow his dad's instruction to get to Alaska where he will find other people who "hate the government." As you might expect, the government gets ahold of Moon (in the form of a corrupt constable) and puts him in a boy's home, but he promptly escapes and takes a few other boys out in the wilderness with him. At first I thought the story was just too unbelievable—no 10-year-old could do the things that Moon does. But I have to admit that the book grew on me. I wanted to know what happened to Moon and it was a good survival story. Recommended especially for guys who like wilderness and survival stories.

Larklight by Philip Reeve

In this crazy fantasy book you have to believe that space travel and exploration were commonplace in the 1800s, and that Great Britain "ruled the waves" of outer space as well as most of the world. Philip Reeve, himself a British author, makes this action-packed science fiction/fantasy book also a Victorian melodrama. The vocabulary is tough and I imagine kids will miss much of the Victorian humor, but some dauntless readers will be love the story of Art Mumby and his sister Myrtle who escape the giant spiders that attack their home and take off on a fantastic journey through space on a pirate ship ruled by a young pirate king and his motley band of intergalactic pirates. Recommended for smart kids who are good readers.

What the Moon Saw by Laura Resau

This book explores the mystical connection between Clara, an American girl, and her grandmother in Mexico that she has never met. Clara's father left his remote, poor village for the United States and he never returned. Twenty years later his parents invite their granddaughter Clara to spend the summer with them. Clara is restless and unhappy, and jumps at the chance for a change in her life. Although she speaks Spanish, Clara is unprepared for life in rural Mexico, and unaware of the economic and social forces that pull people away from their homes to earn money and a "good life" in the United States. Clara learns how her grandmother discovered her gift of healing, and finds out that she too has that gift. Clara also meets a local boy her age who challenges and befriends her. The writing is lyrical, especially when the grandmother tells her own life story. This book is not for everyone, but for someone interested in the culture of Mexico and the relationships that bind people together, it is a real gem. Many Spanish and Mixteco words are used, but all are defined either in the text or glossaries.

Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz

My guest blogger today is Tom, a 7th grader who read an advance copy of the newest Alex Rider book called Snakehead. The book doesn't come out until next fall, but if you're an OMS student and you want to read it, e-mail me!

Snakehead is another great Alex Rider book. This is book 7 in the series of Alex rider adventures. This starts out with the ending of the Ark Angel Project. Alex is back from space and is picked up by the Covert Action Division (CAD) of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS). He is then thrown into another mission with the Blue Royal bomb, the Snakeheads, and his godfather. The Snakeheads are worse than even SCORPIA. He has to gather intelligence, diffuse the bomb, and stay alive. Can he do it? Read Snakehead to find out!

Owen & Mzee: The Language of Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Paula Kahumbu

This doesn't look like a middle school book, but I picked it up and couldn't stop reading it. It's a remarkable story of an unlikely friendship between Owen, an orphaned baby hippo, and Mzee, a 130-year-old tortoise. Owen was the only one of his hippo pod to survive the 2004 tsunami. The 600-pound baby was brought to Haller Park, a wildlife sanctuary in Kenya, Africa. There he immediately went toward Mzee, a grumpy old tortoise, and the next morning the pair was found snuggled up together. This book tells about the next year and a half of their lives, and how they have remained inseparable. With great photos and a touching story, this is an example of how children's nonfiction books can appeal to readers of all ages. It's not a book my students will necessarily seek out on the shelves, but I'm going to leave it on display by the bean bag chairs and I know they will pick it up and enjoy it.

7 Days at the Hot Corner by Terry Trueman

The most important thing in Scott's life is baseball. Or so he thinks until life throws him a curveball that makes him change the way he feels about his best friend, his parents, and his dreams for the future. The book opens with Scott nervously waiting at a clinic to be tested for AIDS. It will take a week for the results to come back, and in those seven days Scott must play in the championship baseball game as well as deal with the news that his best friend, Travis, is gay. As usual, Terry Trueman writes a gripping book for mature readers that is short but full of deep issues. Even Scott, whose whole world is baseball, can see that life has more complexity to it than he ever imagined. He sees his best friend threatened with violence, kicked out of his home, as well as accepted and admired by others. The question is, how will Scott treat Travis from now on? Recommended for mature readers (especially baseball fans).

The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon

This is the best graphic novel I have ever read. Jacobson and Colon took a complicated topic and put it into words and pictures to make it come alive and make sense in a way that just words could never achieve. It begins with the four airplanes that were hijacked and shows a timeline of the events of that day. Then it shows what the President and other officials were doing and how they handled the disaster. Then it goes back in time and shows how Osama bin Laden became the leader of Al Quaeda and how the 19 hijackers came to be chosen and trained. In the end it tells what the 9/11 Commission things the U.S.A. should be doing to fight terrorism. Unfortunately, our country has not been doing a good job of following the commission's recommendations. It's a really great comic book that is easy to read. If you want to understand September 11 and you don't want to read a thousand page book, this is the perfect book for you.