Ms. Kochel's Book Blog

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

2012-01-30T13:26:00.005-06:00

Get out your kleenex. Any time you read a book about two teenagers with terminal cancer you know it's going to be emotionally rough, and probably full of cliches about facing cancer bravely and living in the moment. But in the hands of John Green, it's refreshingly funny and touching and illuminating and frequently surprising. Hazel, who has thyroid cancer and needs assistance to breathe, meets Augustus, who had a leg amputated due to bone cancer, at a cancer support group. They share a sarcastic sense of humor an intellect beyond their years. They bond over a favorite book and contact the author to ask him some questions that lead them on a journey to Amsterdam. But the plot really isn't the point here. It's the characters and how they make something special in the midst of the rotten luck they share. Like many excellent young adult books, it's definitely for older teens and will be embraced by adults as well. I was serious when I said get your kleenex, though. Read this book somewhere where you can wallow in delight and in sorrow.

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

2012-01-30T10:12:00.003-06:00

This book won the Newbery Medal last year and I finally read it one year later. It's a historical fiction book about a girl named Abilene who is sent to Manifest, Kansas by her father who spent some of his childhood there. While her father is off working a railroad job, Abilene moves in with Shady, a local character who is a minister and appears to be a moonshiner. When she finds a box of mementos and letters she and two new friends set off on a quest to find a spy known as the "rattler." Along the way they discover stories about two long-gone local boys, one of whom went off to fight in World War I while the other stayed back in Manifest. They also discover how the town full of immigrants once stood up to the owner of a local mine and demanded better conditions for the local workers. Abilene's journey is one of self-discovery and along the way she helps the town of Manifest remember its past and look to the future. The story is a little bit complicated so I would recommend it to good readers who like historical fiction and appreciate a more complex plot.

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol

2012-01-27T13:53:00.002-06:00

Look at the cover of this book and notice the figure in Anya's hair. That's the ghost that follows her out of a deep well and becomes her friend and an ally in her awkward efforts to get the attention of her crush at school. Anya, a Russian immigrant to the U.S. who has worked hard to lose her accent and fit into American high school life, doesn't have a lot of friends and Emily (the ghost) is an appealing friend...at first. This graphic novel paints a realistic picture of Anya and her day-to-day troubles as well as the spooky story of how Emily turns out to be a not-so-friendly ghost. This one will be liked by fans of graphic novels as well as by younger teens who just want to read a good story about a girl they can relate to.

Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

2012-01-27T12:56:00.003-06:00

The year is 1958, and although Little Rock High School was integrated the previous year, racial relations have not improved in this southern city. In fact, all the public high schools in the city, both white and black, have closed this year to try to stop any further integration. Marlee is a 12-year-old girl who almost never speaks outside of her own family. Her older sister sits at home because her school is closed, but Marlee still attends her all-white junior high. She is thrilled to meet a new student named Liz who becomes her friend and helps her so speak up more and more at school. But one day Liz is gone and rumor has it that she left school because it was discovered that she is really black but passing as white in order to go to a good school. Rather than give up on the friendship, Marlee finds ways to keep in touch with Liz, but Marlee doesn't understand the danger she is putting Liz in by continuing their friendship. This historical fiction book is both a good story and a good lesson in American civil rights history. Middle school readers, especially girls who like historical fiction, will enjoy it.

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

2012-01-27T11:46:00.004-06:00

If you want to live (or re-live) the joy and pain of first love, read this book. Essentially, it's a very long break-up letter from a girl named Min to her ex-boyfriend, Ed. She's dumping a box of items on his doorstep along with this letter and each item means something in the history of their relationship. Min loves old movies and good coffee and is in the "artsy" crowd. Ed plays basketball, dates cheerleaders, and secretly loves math. None of their friends understand why they fell in love but they did. Handler's brilliant writing captures all those small moments of wonder at the beginning of a relationship. I enjoyed this as an adult (even though I got bogged down by the many allusions to old movies referenced by Min) and I think it will find it's niche with smart, artsy teenage readers. Like many other YA books, it contains sexual situations and other mature content, so I recommend it for older teens and adults who enjoy savoring good writing. I admire the way Daniel Handler, also known as Lemony Snicket, was able to understand and convey how it feels to be a heartbroken young woman. This book was just named a Michael Printz award honor book.

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai

2012-01-23T12:58:00.003-06:00

"They pulled my arm hair.

They threw rocks at me.

They promised to stomp on my chest."

Imagine that your father was taken prisoner years ago and has never returned. You live with your mother and brothers, in the shadow of a war, always hoping for his return. When the war does reach your home, you flee on a ship at a moment's notice and find safety in a refugee camp. Soon you learn that you have a sponsor in the United States of America—in a place called Alabama. You show up ready to begin a new life and instead of being met with kindness you are bullied, harassed, and humiliated. This is Há's story—a remarkable year in the life of a 10-year-old girl from Vietnam. It is also semi-autobiographical so you know that many of Há's experiences are grounded in the author's own childhood. It is beautifully written in free verse and is full of language to savor. It won the National Book Award and was named a Newbery Honor Book today.

Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck

2012-01-23T12:46:00.003-06:00

Secrets at Sea is about a family of mice that lives with a family of humans in New York state. When the humans plan a voyage to England to find a husband for their awkward oldest daughter, the mice fear for their own livelihood (no more crumbs!), but then decide to take fate into their own hands and stowaway on the ship with the humans. Helena, the narrator and oldest sister, tells of the family's adventures aboard the ocean liner in 1887. Once on board, the mice meet aristocrats, become involved in romances, and face the dangers of cats, long corridors, and the sea itself. This Victorian adventure could be enjoyed by children of all ages. It does have a lot of 19th century vocabulary unfamiliar to younger kids, but I read it with my first grader and he thoroughly enjoyed it. I think that it could appeal to readers all the way up through 6th grade.

No Ordinary Day by Deborah Ellis

2012-01-23T07:46:00.005-06:00

Valli spends her days picking up coal in her home town of Jharia, India. It is a dirty and dangerous job and she would much rather be in school learning to read. On the other side of the train tracks she sees the "monsters"—a community of people with leprosy who are feared and abused by the coal-picking children. When Valli discovers that the people she lives with are not actually her biological family, she hops on a coal truck and escapes to Kolkata where she is homeless but surviving day-to-day. In a chance encounter with a doctor she discovers that she herself has leprosy and she must decide whether to accept help or remain on the run. This slim book paints a picture of the life of the poor in India that is not often found in children's books. Intermediate and middle school children could learn a lot from Valli's story and it would make a good introduction into a discussion of poverty, human rights, and global issues.

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

2012-01-10T14:55:00.005-06:00

This book has a great premise. It is 1996 and two teenagers, Emma and Josh, log on to the internet via AOL for the first time. There they discover their own Facebook pages from 15 years in the future. Josh likes what he sees (he's married to the hottest girl in school, living in a big house, and the father of twins) but Emma, whose future self is caught up in a bad marriage, isn't so happy. They both decide to play around with the present to see how it affects the future, and even little changes turn out to cause big ripples in future events. The underlying tension of the book is that, while Josh and Emma are best friends, Josh wants to be more than friends and Emma is busy dating other people. I would classify it as a fun romantic comedy and an entertaining read. I think it could have had more depth to it or more reflection on how bizarre social networks might seem to a pre-internet person. It's not too racy but I would recommend it for 8th grade on up.

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

2011-12-09T11:23:00.001-06:00

I'm a few years behind in reading this but I'm glad I waited. Now I can go right ahead and read The Death Cure without having to wait a year. This is the sequel to The Maze Runner, which I read when it first came out a couple of years ago. Thomas and the surviving Gladers have escaped the maze and now are waiting to find out lots of things, such as who really is behind WICKED? What has happened to the world? Will they ever get their memories restored? Why were they subjected to such a cruel and elaborate "trial"? However, they soon find out that no one is giving out answers to any of their questions. Instead they are thrown into yet another trial. This time they must travel 100 miles through the "scorch" to get to a safe haven. Theresa has disappeared and in her place is a boy who claims to have been part of a similar maze trial with a group of girls called Group B. Our Gladers, AKA Group A, must travel through a hot, dusty wasteland toward an abandoned city populated with cranks that have the flare. (Yes, there is a lot of jargon in this book but it all makes sense when you read it.) Oh, did I mention that WICKED has told the Gladers that they all have been infected with the deadly flare and if they make it to the safe haven they will get the cure? There were enough plot surprises to keep me reading, and some new characters that added to the complexity of this series. My complaint about The Maze Runner was that it didn't have enough character development to make me care about Thomas and Theresa. The Scorch Trials was much better in that regard and I can't wait to hear how their story ends.

CHERUB Book 1: The Recruit by Robert Muchamore

2011-12-07T08:05:00.001-06:00

This British spy book came highly recommended by my avid 6th grade spy reader, Joshua. He says it's the next best thing to the Alex Rider books. There are 12 books in the series but only 4 are currently available in the U.S. So when one of our teachers went to England in September we had him buy the rest of the series. Our middle school book club read this book this month so I finally read it. As an adult who has read every Alex Rider book I was eager to compare. The hero of the story is an orphaned kid with some problems who is recruited into Britain's elite and secretive child spy agency, CHERUB. He must undergo an unbelievable 100-day training that would probably have killed any normal adult and then is sent on his first real mission. I have to say that I did like the story but I was a bit shocked throughout the book at the language and actions of the 11-year-old main character. It starts right off with an attack, an abusive stepfather, and a drunk and dead mother, and goes on to stealing beer, getting drunk, and a makeout session. I'm making it sound worse than it is, but still, for a book that I thought would be 5th and 6th grade appropriate it was a bit much. As I said the spy story is good, it's just all the other stuff that makes it more for older kids. I would say 7th grade and up for sure.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

While this seems in some ways to be Selznick's follow-up to The Invention of Hugo Cabret, it really is a completely different book. There are two seemingly unrelated stories—one told in words and one told entirely in pictures. Ben is orphaned and living on the Gunflint Trail in Northern Minnesota. After his mother dies he finds clues that lead him to look for the father he never knew. His quest eventually leads him to the Museum of Natural History in New York City. The other story (entirely in pictures) is about a girl from the 1920s who is deaf and unhappy and goes on her own quest, also to New York City. The art is lovely and the story is lovely as well. As you might expect, the stories come together in a surprising way as you realize that each child is on a similar voyage of discovery. There are many layers to this book and while it is over 600 pages long, about two-thirds of the book is pictures so don't let its enormous size stop you from a wonderful read. It would make a nice read-aloud for families.

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

2011-11-22T09:34:00.001-06:00

I recently re-read this amazing fantasy trilogy that consists of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Actually, I listened to them all as audiobooks narrated by the author and with a cast of actors playing all the characters' roles. I have listened to many audiobooks in my years as a school librarian and these are the absolute best (second place are the Harry Potter books which also are a great listening experience). It would be impossible to summarize the plot of this trilogy in a blog entry so I will just explain why I like these books so much. First of all, I love Pullman's invention of daemons, which are the physical embodiment of the soul. In Lyra's world, all humans have a daemon and it is in the form of an animal. You can talk to your daemon and cuddle up to it, but it's highly taboo to touch another person's daemon. Also, it's excruciatingly painful to be very far apart from your daemon. I love the relationships that the characters have with their daemons, and the fact that later in the series we find out that people from our world actually also have daemons. Secondly, I love the complexity of these books. Pullman has strong views about the church and what it has done to humanity that some people find objectionable, but I would argue that he has done a brilliant job of weaving his ideas into a marvelously complex fantasy world. I am in awe of the intellect that was able to create this epic story that entertains, delights, and even enrages some people. Thirdly, the characters Pullman creates are incredibly real. I would know Will Perry or Marissa Coulter or Mary Malone if I saw them on the street. In the end, a book is only as good as its characters and Pullman truly knows how to create living breathing characters, even when they are witches, armored bears, or Texan aeronauts.

Where She Went by Gayle Foreman

2011-11-19T21:22:00.001-06:00

I really liked If I Stay when I read it several years ago. I still recommend it to students frequently. This follow-up book from the point of view of Adam, Mia's troubled ex-boyfriend is absolutely beautiful and even better than the first book. Gayle Foreman takes us three years into the future. Adam is a bona fide rock star with a full slate of issues, Mia is a Julliard graduate beginning her solo cello career, and the two haven't spoken in almost three years. How and why did this happen? Who broke up with whom? In a novel rich with dialogue and emotional depth we get to hear Adam and Mia's conversation on the night they see each other again and go on a long tour of New York City by night. The book is practically written in real time which is quite unique. It reminded me of Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, two movies that I love that are also consist of dialogue between two likable characters on whom you just want to eavesdrop. As with If I Stay, this is a young adult book and I recommend it to readers in grades 8 and up.

A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

2011-11-19T21:15:00.001-06:00

My 7th graders just finished reading this book in language arts class. I had recommended it to the teacher but never actually read it myself. Finally the book came back to the library and I read it almost in one sitting. It is a moving book based on a true story that in another author's hands could have been a little too preachy. But Linda Sue Park isn't just any author and she wove together two narratives to make one complete story about Sudan. Nya, a girl in 2008 watches a new well being built in her village, and Salva, a terrified refugee boy in 1985 walks and walks to try to find a save haven in the most horrific of worlds. Salva eventually comes to Rochester, New York where he studies and works and becomes determined to help the people of his homeland. I am proud that our 7th graders loved this book. I'm sure they couldn't read this book without learning a great deal about the Sudan and without also having a lot of empathy for these characters whose lives are so different from theirs. I recommend this to all middle schoolers everywhere—especially those who want to learn more about the world.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

2011-11-19T20:50:00.001-06:00

I just finished reading this book to my son, Will, who is 6 years old. He begged me to buy it for him and to tell you the truth I thought he would not be able to handle it. He has a history of getting scared and can't even stand to watch Disney movies. But this magical book worked its spell on him and right now he can't sleep because he is thinking of questions (Who will be the new Dark Arts teacher next year? and Will Voldemort ever get his own body?) If I were J.K. Rowling I would have wanted to watch this kid read my book. He was alternately snuggled up to me, then sitting up full of questions, then full of amazement (Voldemort killed the unicorn?), and occasionally hiding outside of the room almost not able to stand the suspense. Oh, and of course he was laughing (especially when the troll got a wand up the nose). And you should have seen him adding up the points as Dumbledore kept giving Gryffindor more and more points toward the House Cup. He almost erupted into cheers when Neville got those 10 points. I have a new appreciation for this story—so full of honest childhood moments (mean kids and trading cards and dreams of being a sports hero) yet at the same time full of the most wonderful magic ever dreamed up. Reading this book together has been one of the best parts of being Will's mom (so far).

Crossed by Ally Condie

2011-11-08T10:37:00.000-06:00

Crossed is the sequel to Matched, a book about a dystopian society that controls all aspects of a person's life. Cassia is "matched" with Xander, who happens to be her best friend. But she gets a glimpse of Ky on her microcard and wonders if he is really her true match. This sets off a string of events that ends with Ky and Cassia in love but Ky is banished to the outer provinces. When Matched ends Cassia is determined to go after Ky. When Crossed begins, Ky is being used as a decoy and could be killed at any moment. He runs to take refuge in a canyon and takes along a boy named Eli. Cassia gets herself sent to where Ky is and takes off for the canyon with another girl named Indie. Fortunately we don't have to wait through the entire book for the two to reunite. They find each other again and must struggle to stay alive and figure out where they belong—in the Society, with the "farmers," or as part of the rebellion. Once again poetry plays an important part in the story and there are several surprising revelations about past events that make things more interesting. As in the first book, the romance is an important plot element, and also like the first book, we are left with a cliffhanger ending. Ky and Cassia are parted again and Xander is about to come back into the picture. These are enjoyable books for romance/dystopia fans but I don't find them quite as compelling as The Hunger Games trilogy or the Life as We Knew It books.

Jane by April Lindner

2011-10-18T10:22:00.000-05:00

I really enjoyed this modern retelling of Jane Eyre. It's about a 21st century Jane who drops out of college after the death of her parents. She gets a job as a nanny and her client turns out to be Nico Rathburn, an aging rockstar who is staging a big comeback. Plain, unassuming Jane loves Nico's daughter but doesn't particularly like Nico when she finally meets him. But of course, a forbidden love affair blossoms and the reason that it is forbidden is a mystery to Jane. When she discovers the secret Nico is hiding she must decide what to do. As I said, I enjoyed the story and stayed up late to finish it. Recommended for high school romance fans. (It is a little racier than Jane Eyre.)

The Abduction by John Grisham

2011-10-12T08:50:00.001-05:00

This is John Grisham's second book about Theodore Boone, a 13-year-old lawyer wannabe who gets involved in solving crimes in his hometown. In this story one of Theo's best friends, an 8th grader named April, disappears in the night from her home. It is assumed that she has been kidnapped—possibly by a distant relative who recently escaped from prison. The police don't want Theo's help with the case, but Theo can't resist getting involved. While the police track down the escaped criminal and look for bodies in the river, Theo follows another lead and finds April himself. I think some kids might like this book but it lacks the complexity and intelligence of many kids' spy books. It rambles on at times (what was up with the animal court story?) and in the end the plot is pretty simple. I don't believe that the police wouldn't have tried to track down April's father in another state. If they had the crime would have been solved very quickly. I get the feeling that John Grisham is churning these books out without giving them the attention he gives to his adult books. This is a shame, because middle school kids are smart and they can handle action, suspense, and complexity. Grisham also throws in references to booze and gambling and fraternity houses that were jarring to me. I recommend this book to younger middle school readers who want a mystery that won't require too much thinking.

The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick

2011-10-12T08:27:00.004-05:00

I wanted to love this book. I really did. It's a great concept. Four girls and their mothers form a book club and read classic books. As they read their lives begin to reflect the plots of the books they are reading together. In the first book they read Little Women (an old favorite of mine). The girls are not actually all friends. Their mothers have forced them into this group and there are some old conflicts to be worked through. Each girl has some private struggles to deal with as well. The problem to me with this book is that I just didn't like the girls all that much. The book switches perspectives to all four girls and I didn't feel sympathetic toward any of them. And their mothers weren't exactly believable either. I especially disliked the fat jokes the mothers made about another girl's mother (even though she was a nasty character). It was not a terrible book. I did like the connections to Little Women and I am going to read another one and give it another chance. It just wasn't a great book and that is what I was hoping it would be. The fourth installment in this series is based on the Betsy-Tacy series of books which is my all-time favorite series of books and I will be giving that book a try soon. It's on my nightstand now.

The Queen of Water by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango

2011-10-12T08:18:00.000-05:00

This novel is based on the true story of Maria Virginia Farinango, one of the authors. She was a very poor indigenous girl growing up in the mountains of Ecuador. Her people were badly discriminated against by the mestizos, who were descendants of the Spanish, and who considered themselves superior to the indigenous farmers who were beneath them on the social ladder. At age 7 Virginia was sent to be a servant to a mestizo family in a city far from her home. She was essentially a slave—working day and night cooking and caring for children and never allowed to leave the house. She was a very bright, inquisitive girl with a lot of initiative, and in spite of her imprisonment she learned to read and always kept her eye on escaping and getting an education. How she turns around her life and fulfills her childhood dreams makes for a perfect coming of age story for young people. I thought this was a fascinating story and all the more inspiring because it is true.

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

2011-10-12T08:10:00.001-05:00

I am catching up on my blog posts. I read this a while ago and forgot to blog about it. It is a delightful graphic novel told in first person by a teenager named Paige who moves to New York City and feels sort of lost there. It's about how she uses her art to create a new life for herself. I think this would be fantastic for girls 7th grade and up—and probably would appeal to girls who don't usually go for graphic novels. Artists especially will love how Paige expresses herself through her drawings.

I am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb

2011-09-20T07:32:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure what to say about this book. From the cover, I was expecting something appropriate for younger kids—maybe 4th and 5th grade boys. But when I started reading and heard the funny but trash-mouthed narrator I was a little taken aback. Oliver Watson is a 12-year-old kid who secretly is the third-richest person in the world. He's overweight and underdeveloped and puts on a dumb act at school and at home while he secretly overthrows dictators and blackmails presidents in his underground lair. He rigs his middle school drinking fountains with root beer and chocolate milk and has a transmitter in his jaw that can call for a squadron of jets to bomb the school at a moments notice. But it turns out that what he really wants is some approval from his father, which he thinks he can gain if he can be elected class president of the 8th grade. Of course, getting kids to vote for him is a lot harder than making billions of dollars. The author is a producer of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and it is truly a funny book, just be warned that this wise-cracking evil genius can be pretty crude—so give it to 7th and 8th grade boys who will appreciate it.

Jane Austen: A Life Revealed by Catherine Reef

2011-09-20T07:08:00.004-05:00

This biography of Jane Austen is a good fit for middle and high school students with an interest in Jane Austen and her novels. While there is a frustrating lack of information about Austen's life, Reef does a good job of conveying what is known and explaining why some things are unknown. The book is heavily padded with plot descriptions of the novels with a little commentary interspersed—which may help young readers better understand the novels. Photos from various movie adaptations of Austen's books make the book more interesting visually. Recommended for readers who (like me) enjoy Austen's books and the corresponding movies and want to know the story-behind-the-story.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher

2011-09-14T10:18:00.002-05:00

Incarceron is a vast and mysterious prison, a place from which only one man has ever escaped. Within it's borders desperate groups of prisoners fight for scarce resources. Fourteen-year-old Finn is a prisoner there who has no memory of his past. In the outside world there is a wealthy girl named Claudia whose father is the warden of Incarceron. She has been groomed her whole life to marry the heir to the throne and take over the kingdom when she is queen. However, the current prince is not her first fiánce—the real prince was killed years ago in a suspicious accident. When Finn and Claudia both acquire crystal keys that allow them to communicate with each other they band together to try to help Finn escape from Incarceron. I saw this book described as science fantasy and that's a good description. It has lots of action and the author has created a pretty amazing world for her characters to live in. Science fiction and fantasy fans will like it. (And the sequel, Sapphique, is already published.)

Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford

2011-09-09T12:32:00.000-05:00

This is the story of a high school freshman with ADHD who badly wants a girlfriend and to be a popular guy at his school. Carter is not a total loser—he has plenty of things going for him, including having some good friends, athletic talent, and a big sister to guide him through social situations. The problem with Carter is that he is obsessed with girls and has no idea how to treat them. When newly-hot drill team member Abby wants to go out with him, he blows it by bragging about his exploits in the locker room. It is frequently hilarious (in a crude high school boy kind of way) and definitely inappropriate for a younger audience. As an adult female I did not like the way Carter treats and talks about girls, but I don't doubt that he has an authentic voice and that guys especially will find him very funny. I did love the ending when Carter gets the role of a lifetime in Guys and Dolls. Recommended for high school guys looking for something funny.

The Loser List by H.N. Kowitt

2011-08-29T06:01:00.002-05:00

Doug Shine is a middle school geek who loves comics and drawing. When his name shows up on the "loser list" in the girls' bathroom his effort to erase it get him after school detention. There he has a run in with the toughest bullies in school who take him in and make him inadvertently part of a crime. Doug only wants to do what's right but can he win back his best friend and get the stolen goods back to their owner without getting beat up by "The Skulls"? This book is very much like the Wimpy Kids and Big Nate books. It has lots of drawings and an underdog for a hero. It didn't stand out to me as better than those books but it is entertaining if you're looking for something fun and easy to read.

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

2011-08-15T06:47:00.004-05:00

Neal Shusterman is one of my very favorite authors for teenagers and, while very different from his other books, Bruiser was a real treat. I didn't know what to expect because all of the reviews I read tried so hard not to give away what the book is really about. I couldn't even tell if it was realistic or a fantasy until I read it (and I'm still not so sure how I could classify it now that I've read it!) Four characters narrate this book: Brewster aka "Bruiser," a high school boy with no friends and a reputation for being dangerous and violent, Bronte, the nice, normal girl who falls in love with Brewster, Tennyson, Bronte's twin brother who at first is adamantly against his sister dating "Bruiser," and Cody, Brewster's 8-year-old brother. Brewster and Cody live with a sometimes-cruel uncle who forces them to keep to themselves and to form no relationships. Once Bronte and Brewster find each other, though, Brewster begins forging relationships with people with disastrous consequences for himself. SPOILER ALERT—don't read more if you don't want to know why. The truth is that Brewster has a gift (or a curse, depending on how you look at it). He takes away the pain of those he cares about—both physical and emotional. His body is a wreck and getting worse with every injury those around him sustain. The deeper he gets involved with Bronte's family the harder the toll is on his body and spirit. It's a good story with complex characters, and, as always with Neal Shusterman's books, there's a whole other deeper layer to talk about and think about. Recommended for 8th-12th grades.

Bloody Times by James L. Swanson

2011-08-12T06:40:00.003-05:00

I am a huge fan of Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, by the same author. It’s one of my all-time favorite nonfiction books for middle school boys because it reads just like a fiction story with an incredible amount of action and intrigue. Bloody Times is in many ways a companion to Chasing Lincoln’s Killer. It details the days following Lincoln’s assassination from two perspectives—the long, drawn-out funeral train journey that took Lincoln home to rest in Springfield, Illinois, and the actions of Jefferson Davis in the days and weeks immediately following Lincoln’s death. Both stories were mostly unknown to me and are quite interesting from my adult point of view. I don’t think this book will be quite as fascinating to kids as it was to me, though. The stories lack the drama (and violence) of the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth which made the first book so compelling. It’s still definitely worth reading, though, and I would recommend it especially to history teachers and students with an interest in history.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

2011-08-12T06:36:00.002-05:00

This book wins the prize for the most original book I read this summer. Libba Bray takes what sounds like a cheesy concept—a plane full of teenage beauty pageant contestants crashes on a mysterious island —and turns it into a satirical statement about corporate greed, pop culture, and the objectification of women. She manages to do this in the context of an action-packed, hilarious story with a cast of many multifaceted beauty qreen wannabees. The girls practice dance routines, build a functional society, flirt with pirates, and thwart an evil plot that would kill the girls off and blame it on a crazy dictator of a rogue state. The language and sexuality, as well as the sophisticated tone make this appropriate for high school, college, and even adult readers looking for something completely different.

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

2011-07-05T11:29:00.007-05:00

This autobiographical graphic novel is about a pre-teen girl, Raina, who trips and falls and winds up with horrible dental troubles. Her front teeth are pushed up into her gums and she endures years of braces and dental procedures to get her smile looking good again. Along the way she struggles with friendships and cliques and making friends that support her rather than bring her down. Kids will relate to Raina's struggles, and the fact that it all really happened to the author makes it even more interesting. It's quick and easy to read and the illustrations really fit the mood of the story. It will not take any convincing to get girls (4th-6th grade) reading Smile.

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

2011-07-05T11:18:00.002-05:00

This was a fun summer read about a teenager who gets the opportunity to change the course of her life. Devi, a high school senior, has spent the last four years dating Bryan at the exclusion of studying or keeping up with other friendships. When they break up she is devastated and wishes she could go back in time and change her behavior. When her cell phone falls into a mall fountain she gets her wish--she is only able to call one number--her own. When her 14-year-old self answers she realizes it is her chance to do things differently. The rest of the book is fun, if a bit predictable. Unlike many YA books, this one is wholesome and clean and would be a great choice for middle school girls who want a glimpse of high school life.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

2011-05-17T13:14:00.004-05:00

This is one of those books that you sink deeply into and when you finish you wish there were more. It's a modern story of a bright girl who is struggling with her younger brother's death. Andi is a musician and must write a paper about a French musician to graduate from high school. Her dad takes her to Paris over the winter holidays where she finds a diary of a girl that cared for the king's son during the French Revolution. Andi (and the reader) become engrossed in Alexandrine's story and their stories combine at the end. I enjoyed the story on several levels and learned some French history at the same time. I would recommend this to good readers (8th-up) who are willing to invest in a complex but rewarding story.

Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

2011-04-22T20:39:00.003-05:00

Having just returned from Disney World and just hosting Ridley Pearson at my school, I can't help but be excited about The Kingdom Keepers series. Five middle schoolers who get modeled for hologram characters at the Magic Kingdom find themselves waking up at night in the park in the form of holograms. An old man named Wayne tells them that the evil witches and villains in the park are trying to take control and the only way to stop them is to solve Walt Disney's old puzzle called the Stonecutter's Quill. The action takes the kids into Disney rides at night where Small World dolls swim after them, audio animatronic pirates chase them, and the witch Maleficent is on their trail. Don't look to this book for in-depth characterization—that's not the point. But the action and the inside scoop on Disney rides and tunnels and behind the scenes secrets make it irresistible to Disney fans. And Ridley Pearson is a fascinating speaker with great stories and advice about becoming a writer.

Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz

2011-04-22T20:29:00.003-05:00

I love that Anthony Horowitz can take Alex Rider and put him in situation after situation in which he must save the world and eight times I have come back to read the next story. He keeps coming up with new villains and new plots that only our favorite teenage spy can overcome. This time Alex finds out that a wealthy philanthropist is using genetically modified wheat to release a poison that will kill thousands, maybe millions of people in Kenya. His motive is to collect millions of dollars in donations then disappear with the money. Alex survives near-death disasters at least four times in the course of this book while MI6 and other authorities bumble around and his guardian anxiously awaits his return. Crocodile Tears doesn't break any new ground but it is every bit as fun as the other Alex Rider books. And now there is just one more book to go in this series guaranteed to captivate middle school boys.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

2011-04-22T20:13:00.003-05:00

Nailer is a teenager trying to survive in a cruel future world. He lives on the Gulf Coast in the wake of environmental destruction. Beached oil tankers just offshore provide a living for desperate children who scavenge them for wires and copper and anything else they can sell. Just when Nailer thinks he has made a lucky strike by finding a newly beached luxury ship he finds a half dead girl on board. His choice to keep her alive leads him toward the possibility of new opportunities but also great danger. This dystopian adventure moves at a fast pace and navigates the reader through a depressing and dark future—one in which the divide between rich and poor seems insurmountable. The theme of loyalty shapes Nailer and those around him. I did not connect with this book as much as I did with Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeiffer or Unwind by Neal Shusterman but it has gotten a lot of acclaim and certainly is entertaining and thought provoking. Fans of dystopian novels will definitely want to read this.

Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson

2011-02-17T13:20:00.003-06:00

This is the sequel to Chains and the story begins several months after Isabel and Curzon escape from New York City. This time Curzon is the narrator and he and Isabel have separated—she to go south to find her sister and he to join the Continental Army. Curzon thinks joining the army will guarantee him food and shelter for the winter but unfortunately this is the winter that the army spends in absolute misery at Valley Forge. In the beginning I felt like the book was a vehicle for describing the awful conditions the soldiers faced at Valley Forge. But the plot picked up when Curzon and Isabel are reunited (now both back in bondage) and begin once again to plan an escape. By the end I was fully engaged in Curzon and Isabel's story and also thinking about the contradictions inherent in the founding of our country. A must-read for those who read and enjoyed Chains.

Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham

2011-02-09T13:57:00.002-06:00

Imagine what it would be like if almost everyone in the world suddenly went blind. What would happen to society? Could human beings survive? Then add to this scenario a new breed of plant that can pull up its roots, move around, and kill people with a deadly whip-like stinger. That's the premise of this sci fi classic written in 1951. It sounds almost ridiculous but I could not put this book down. The main character, Bill, has his sight spared because he happened to have bandages over his eyes during the meteor shower that blinds most of the human race. He wakes to a strangely quiet world where no cars, buses, trucks or airplanes are operating and where people are staggering around trying to acquire food. He quickly realizes that nothing will ever be the same and that it will be pointless to try to save the lives of all the newly blinded people. He finds a handful of other people who were not blinded and together they must figure out how the human race can continue. I recommend this book to kids or adults who like to ponder what the future could bring.

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

2011-02-07T11:06:00.004-06:00

I confess that I had a lot of trouble getting into this story. I listened to the audiobook and at first it was hard to follow some of the language about Clankers and Darwinists and boffins. But it did turn out to be a really good book with some extremely cool technological ideas. It is the dawn of World War I and, as in real life, the Archduke Ferdinand is murdered, which sets all of Europe on the course toward war. In this fantasy world the Archduke has a son named Alek, whose advisors try to whisk him off to safety in nearby Switzerland. They travel in a Stormwalker—a huge walking armored vehicle created by the Clankers (the German-Austrian-Hungarian faction of the war). Meanwhile, in England a young girl named Daryn is disguising herself as a boy in order to enlist in the British air force. She gets a position on the Leviathan—a huge airship made of genetically modified creatures. (The British are Darwinists and they can manipulate DNA in amazing ways.) The crews of the Leviathan and the Stormwalker meet in the mountains of Switzerland and the lines between enemies and allies blur as Alek and Daryn form a tentative friendship. The story was good and the world of Clankers and Darwinists was also pretty fascinating. If you like this kind of story (often called steampunk) you should also try Airborn by Kenneth Oppel and Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve.

Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

2011-01-26T09:08:00.002-06:00

Deanna lives in a small town and she feels trapped by her reputation. As an eighth grader her father caught her in the backseat of a car with Tommy, a teenage boy. Since then her father and everyone else think of her as promiscuous. Now Deanna is 17 years old and she's trying to break out of that stereotype. Deanna must deal with family, friends, and her new job as she tries to make the emotional journey toward a new self.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

2011-01-25T14:21:00.004-06:00

I will start by saying that this book deals with sexual abuse and while it is not graphic, it is intended for mature readers. It's a chilling look at the life of a girl who was kidnapped at age 5 by a sexual predator. She is now 15 years old and has endured 5 years of physical and emotional abuse. She lives in fear of her captor, Ray, who keeps her in line by threatening to kill her family if she disobeys him in any way. Ray calls her Alice, and has told her that the last "Alice" he kidnapped was killed when she was 15 years old. Ray is trying to keep Alice childlike by depriving her of food and dressing her in girl's clothing, but she is maturing and he is thinking about finding a new girl. Even worse, he wants Alice to help him find the new girl and train her to what Ray wants her to do. As I said, it's not a happy topic but it's well-written and will be very engrossing for some readers.

Seer of Shadows by Avi

2011-01-25T14:02:00.003-06:00

Fourteen-year-old Horace Carpantine, an apprentice to a photographer, does not believe in ghosts but that doesn't stop a ghost from finding him. His employer, Mr. Middleditch, involves Horace in a "spirit photo" scam. It is Horace's job to take photographs of pictures of a dead girl named Eleanora. These photos will then be superimposed into a photo of the dead girl's grieving guardian. To Horace's surprise, his photos contain real pictures of Eleanora's ghost and his photos seem to be drawing her back into the world to take revenge on the guardians who killed her. With the help of a servant girl named Pegg, Horace now must try to stop the revenge-set ghost from committing murder. Readers who like history and spooky stories will like this book. Recommended for 4th-6th grade readers.

Matched by Ally Condie

2010-12-13T10:50:00.004-06:00

It is Cassia's 17th birthday and the Society holds a banquet to let her know who her match is. Miraculously, her match is her best friend Xander, who she has known all her life. Cassia is thrilled until she sees a fleeting image of another boy on her data card. Could he be her real match? He is Ky, an introverted orphan from the outer provinces whom she also has known for several years. For the first time in her life Cassie starts to have doubts about the Society and the lack of choice it gives its citizens. Before her grandfather dies at his scheduled time on his 80th birthday he slips her an illegal poem that begins "Do not go gentle into that good night." Cassia can't get these words out of her head and she slowly begins a relationship with the forbidden Ky. Ally Condie has created an interesting Society, with obvious parallels to The Giver and other dystopian literature. What makes this story unique is the focus on relationships and poetry and Cassia's slow awakening to the possibilities of a different life. My disappointment with the book is that the ending is unresolved. The author is planning a trilogy, but I would have preferred more resolution in this first volume. Recommend this to readers from 7th through 12th grades—especially fans of romance.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

2010-12-13T10:18:00.003-06:00

Two kids from the Chicago suburbs meet in downtown Chicago. Both are having a bad night and both are named Will Grayson. The first Will Grayson is not gay but is best friends with Tiny Cooper, "the world's largest person who is really, really gay, and also the world's gayest person who is really, really large." The second Will Grayson is gay and struggling with depression and a friend who has betrayed him. The characters come together in their struggles for identity and it all comes to a head the night of Tiny Cooper's big musical extravaganza. It's hard to explain this book except to say that it's brilliantly written by two outstanding writers for teens and it manages to be both hilarious and poignant at the same time. If you like John Green you will certainly want to read his latest book. Recommended for high school and up.

Sent by Margaret Peterson Haddix

2010-12-10T10:14:00.005-06:00

Sent is the first sequel to Found, in which a group of adopted children find out that they share a mysterious past. Spoiler alert: stop reading now if you don't want to know what happens in Found. The children are all historical children who either died or went missing and were taken by time travelers who intended to save their lives. But now time is messed up and the kids need to go back and repair time. Jonah, Katherine, Chip and Alex land in 1483 London where Chip and Alex turn out to be the imprisoned princes Edward and Richard. They slip into their real identities—sort of— and Jonah and Katherine try to figure out how to keep them from being killed without messing up time too much. The actual explanation and functioning of time travel aren't well developed but the plot and the characters are strong and readers will learn (along with the characters) about British history. A fun and action-packed sci fi book appropriate for 5th-8th graders.

Skinned by Robin Wasserman

2010-11-30T09:53:00.006-06:00

What makes a person a person? If your brain is scanned and uploaded to a computer and placed in a man-made body are you real? Popular Lia Kahn has a fatal accident--but in the future those with money can essentially have their brains transplanted into bodies that will never feel pain or die. Lia feels like herself--she has all of her memories and feelings and she has learned to control her new body. But she is unable to return to her old life. Even her best friends and family see her as a "skinner" or a "mech" and as much as they pretend things are the same Lia realizes that her previous life is over. Her only choice seems to be to join up with other "mech heads" who are taking full advantage of their new invincible status. It's an intriguing concept (and ultimately a pretty depressing concept). I enjoyed the book but I did not feel as connected to Lia as I would have liked to. She was a selfish, mean character before the accident and after the accident I don't think she had the emotional depth that a teenager who had lost everything would have had. It joins a growing list of books dealing with how far science can go to save a human life, including Eva by Peter Dickinson, Airhead by Meg Cabot, and The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson (a much better book with more ethical questions raised). By the way, this book has some mature content and I recommend it for 9th-12th grade readers.

Zoobreak by Gordon Korman

2010-11-29T14:20:00.005-06:00

Zoobreak is the sequel to Swindle, a book which was a very pleasant surprise for me. I was expecting a book about a dog or baseball and in reality it was a crime novel with 6th grade criminals. Well, Zoobreak is much the same, but for some reason I was not as enthralled in this story. The same cast is back—Griffin, the "man with the plan" and his group of friends are rescuing animals from a floating zoo where Savannah's pet monkey is being kept illegally. They decide to steal all 40 animals and then they must hide them from their parents, the police, and the evil owner of the floating zoo. This book has the same appeal as Swindle so I'm not sure why this one didn't pull me in. I guess there were so many implausible holes in the plot this time that I just couldn't stop thinking about them. Maybe I was just in a bad mood, though. If you liked Swindle you will probably also like Zoobreak. And Gordon Korman is awesome so you can never go wrong with his books.

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

2010-11-12T13:12:00.002-06:00

This is the first children's book written by a hugely popular author of legal thrillers for adults. Theodore Boone is not your typical 8th grader—he's the son of two lawyers and he has his own "law office" and he knows every judge and bailiff in town. He's fascinated by the murder trial that is going on in his small town. A guilty man is about to be set free when Theo finds out about a witness to the crime that could change everything. But the witness is afraid to come forward and Theo must decide what to do. I liked all the courtroom drama but there weren't enough twists and turns to keep the plot moving forward and there was no surprise ending, either. It was an enjoyable read and I think some kids will like it but I think it could have been better, especially coming from a great writer like John Grisham.

No Safe Place by Deborah Ellis

2010-11-05T13:03:00.004-05:00

Abdul is 15. He has no family left and he fled Iraq looking for a better life. Four months later he is homeless and hungry, living on the coast of France, and looking for a way to get to England. He makes it aboard the rickety boat of an unscrupulous smuggler along with a few other migrant teens. After a struggle with the smuggler the teens take over the boat and must work together to get themselves to England. Interspersed with the present-day action are flashbacks telling each story. Rosalia is a Roma girl, sold into the sex trade, with no safe place to go. Cheslav has fled a Russian military boarding school. Abdul has a horror story of his own from war-torn Iraq. The true dilemma of this book is that even if the young people get to England they are not safe there and not wanted there. There are no easy answers in this book but it sheds light on world issues that many teens probably know nothing about.

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

2010-11-05T12:32:00.006-05:00

Ellen Hopkins writes books about teens with big problems. In Burned, Pattyn's biggest problem is her abusive, alcoholic, strict Mormon father. When Pattyn is caught fooling around with a non-Mormon boyfriend he sends her to live with her aunt in rural Nevada. There she is free to question her religion, learn to drive, herd some cattle, and fall in love with an older man. Unfortunately, her happiness can only last for the summer and when she returns to her oppressive home things come to a head. For most of the book I thought it had less drama than a typical Ellen Hopkins book, but then I got to the ending. I don't want to spoil things for you, but get ready. It's not a feel-good book. This is definitely for high school readers who like books dealing with teen issues.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

2010-11-03T08:26:00.004-05:00

The heroine of this fantasy/adventure/mystery/romance is Katsa, a young woman "graced" with the gift of fighting. Gracelings like Katsa are easily identified by their eyes that are two different colors. In the first chapter of the book, Katsa encounters another Graceling fighter named Po who becomes an important character in the book. After rescuing an old man from an unexplained kidnapping and renouncing her own king and kingdom, Katsa sets off with Po to discover who kidnapped Po's grandfather. What they find is another Graceling who has fooled the entire kingdom and must be defeated. There's plenty of action and adventure here, but also a pretty mature love story and a well-developed fantasy kingdom. Recommended for fantasy fans 8th grade and up.

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

2010-10-20T09:56:00.003-05:00

This book is hard to classify—it's a historical romance about a 15-year-old girl growing up in the wake of World War II. It's also a mystery and a courtroom drama. Evie grows up quickly when she travels to Palm Beach with her beautiful mother and her stepfather, Joe. While there Evie meets Peter, a young soldier who just happened to know Joe from his days in the war. Evie is smitten with Peter and doesn't see what is going on between Peter and her mother. She also is not aware of the hostility between Joe and Peter and she doesn't understand why the Graysons, a Jewish couple they become friends with, are run out of Palm Springs because of their religion. Most importantly, Evie is not on the sailboat when three people go out boating and only two return. When one person goes on trial for murder Evie must decide how to proceed. Should she protect her family or tell all that she knows? This is a book to curl up with and enjoy the 1940s setting as well as the mystery as it unfolds. Best for high school readers.

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass

2010-10-08T08:26:00.002-05:00

Amanda has a pretty bad birthday the first time she turns 11. She doesn't make the gymnastics team, her mom gets fired, and her birthday party is a bust. The worst part is that she's been in a year-long fight with her former best friend Leo, and they are having separate birthday parties for the first time in their lives. She wakes up the next day only to discover that it is her birthday again and nothing has changed. On her third 11th birthday she makes a few changes and on a subsequent birthday she finds out that Leo is in the same boat she is in. They both are trapped in their 11th birthdays. They end their feud and start to work together to figure out how to make time move forward for them again. It's a fantastic premise for a book—kids love to imagine these kind of impossible scenarios. It's also fun to track the changes they make and the ideas they have for getting out of their predicament. At times these two kids speak with an emotional maturity far beyond their years, but they were otherwise believable characters. This is a sure winner for 10 and 11 year old readers.

Quick Reads

2010-10-07T14:10:00.009-05:00

Amulet Book One: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kubuishi
This glossy, full color graphic novel is a favorite of some of my fourth grade boys and now I know why. The story is pretty simple—a mother and two children move into the old family home and are lured into a strange world with demons, robots, and their long lost great uncle. It's a dark story—their father dies in the opening scenes and their mother is eaten by a horrible monster. The rest of the book is pure action—they follow the direction of an amulet and are thrown into one adventure after another. It had too much action and not enough character development for me, but I don't see that bothering kids at all.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
This book has a great cover and a great premise but I didn't love it quite as much as I wanted to. It's about a strange sixth grader named Dwight and his origami finger puppet of Yoda that gives out advice to other sixth grade students. Each chapter is a "case file" told by various students about how Origami Yoda helped them, predicted the future, or otherwise changed their lives. The main narrator is compiling the stories to help him decide whether or not to take Origami Yoda's advice about a cool girl named Sara. The book is very appealing with lots of little cartoons, doodles, lists and other features to break up the text and make it easier to read. Dwight is a strange character who was a little over-the-top for me. He does every gross thing a sixth grade boy can do and he seems completely clueless, but he's obviously also wise enough to give some good advice through his Yoda puppet. As an adult reader I wanted more insight into him—I wanted to see some character growth or at least some explanation of what made him such an enigma. It's still an enjoyable book and guys especially will love it (4th-6th grade).

Babymouse: The Musical by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm
This is the first Babymouse book that I have read. Babymouse tries out for the school musical but instead of getting the lead she is cast as an understudy. I enjoyed all the references to popular musicals (The Phantom of the Opera, Grease, My Fair Lady and more) but I think those references would go right over most elementary school students' heads. Kids will enjoy the plot and root for Babymouse to get her chance to perform on stage.

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech

2010-10-01T13:16:00.005-05:00

I'm probably the last person to read this book but I'm glad I did. It's a short, free verse story about a boy is a good writer but doesn't quite want to admit it to himself or his teacher. Jack's teacher, Ms. Stretchberry, exposes him to a variety of poetry that he doesn't always understand, but she encourages him time and time again to try writing in different styles. When he happens on a poem by Walter Dean Myers that he actually relates to he writes his own poem in a similar style and dreams of meeting Walter Dean Myers in person. I think kids from 4th-6th grades would appreciate this book best in the classroom where a teacher could expose students to the poets that Jack's teacher is reading to his class. It's a deceptively simple book with lots of teachable moments.

After by Amy Efaw

2010-10-01T13:07:00.003-05:00

What would you think of a person who left a newborn baby to die in a trashcan? Would you believe her if she told you she didn't even know she was pregnant? Would you see her as a cold-blooded murderer? Devon Davenport is this girl—fifteen years old, a star soccer player, a girl with big ambitions, and a girl who hides from her friends and her mother as well as from herself. The author begins on the day that Devon gives birth and takes the reader through the next couple of weeks as she goes from the hospital to the juvenile detention center to a court hearing. It's part psychological drama and part courtroom drama, and somehow Amy Efaw puts the reader on Devon's side and you find yourself willing her to speak up, remember, and open herself up to the people who care about her. This was a gripping story—but definitely for high school readers.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

2010-10-01T12:54:00.002-05:00

Auden West (named after the poet W.H. Auden) is a studious girl poised between the end of high school and the beginning of college. She goes to a coastal town to spend the summer with her not-very-attentive professor father, his young new wife, and their screaming newborn baby. While juggling family responsibilities and disappointments, super-responsible Auden meets some local teens and for the first time starts to have some normal teenage fun--including going bowling, having a food fight, and learning to ride a bike. She finds a kindred spirit in Eli, a fellow night owl, and they go on quests to have the fun Auden never had as a child. Elia and Auden both have issues to work through and they find a solid friendship in each other. Dessen writes with depth and empathy and this is a story that thoughtful girls in both middle and high school will enjoy.

Big Nate in a Class by Himself by Lincoln Peirce

2010-10-01T12:46:00.004-05:00

You can't help but compare this book to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. It's a heavily-illustrated cartoonish story of an middle schooler for whom nothing is going right. Big Nate, who is a 6th grader, receives a fortune in a fortune cookie that says "You will surpass all others." As his day goes on and he gets in trouble in every class in school he wonders how in the world he is going to surpass anyone. Although it wasn't all that memorable for me as an adult reader, it was quick and fun and probably best for kids 6th grade and younger.

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

2010-09-03T13:42:00.003-05:00

Melody is the smartest kid in her class but no one knows it. She has cerebral palsy and has very little control of her body, and because of her physical disability people assume that she is mentally handicapped as well. She has spent most of her time in special education classes learning the alphabet over and over. Her parents and a special neighbor realize that there is more to Melody than meets the eye but they don't know how to let her communicate. Finally, when she is in fifth grade she gets a special computer that speaks for her and allows her to show who she really is inside. No one can believe it when she earns a spot on the school's quiz bowl team, but will that be enough to earn the acceptance of so-called "normal" kids? This is an important book for all ages—it should be read by elementary school students as well as young adults and adults. It shows a hopeful, determined character who carries on in spite of great difficulties and almost insurmountable odds.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

2010-09-03T09:59:00.005-05:00

I am not reading any other reviews or opinions of this book until after I write this post. I was anxiously awaiting this book and it did not disappoint me. I mainly read these books because of the characters—I am invested in Katniss, Peeta, and Gale and how they deal with the horrible, fascinating, and cruel world they are thrown into. The book begins in District 13 where most of the characters we've come to know (well, the ones that aren't dead) are starting a new life. (Except for Peeta who is being held captive in the capitol and is clearly being brainwashed and possibly tortured.) The rebellion is in full force and seems to be pretty successful. All the rebels need is their symbolic Mockingjay dressed in her costume and acting in inspiring commercials for the war (called propos). But Katniss has become angry and bitter. All she wants is to rescue Peeta and to kill President Snow. But she cooperates and of course disobeys orders and jumps right into the most dangerous situations possible. Several times I thought I knew where the action was going. Every time Suzanne Collins completely fooled me. Like the other books it is high on action and futuristic technology but we never lose sight of the humanity of the characters that we love. I won't say anything about the ending except to say that I was satisfied. Not happy, but it was fitting and perhaps all we could really hope for.

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

2010-09-03T09:27:00.002-05:00

Three teenagers meet in a mental hospital. All have tried to commit suicide and all have deep secrets that they are reluctant to share. As they get to to know each other, Connor, Vanessa and Tony bond deeply and see the good in each other. Their problems are many--including sexual abuse, drug addiction, cutting, and of course, failed suicide attempts. Their friendship evolves as they go through different levels of therapy, and they seem to be improving when they are all chosen to go on a challenging wilderness adventure. What happens there is heartbreaking. This is a very mature book, and it will be enjoyed by readers who like reading about teen problems and complex friendships.

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga

2010-09-03T09:26:00.005-05:00

Don has a pretty miserable life. He is bullied at school, is not happy at home where he hates his step father and is at odds with his pregnant mother, and he only has one friend at school. When that friend starts hanging out with the jocks, Don is even more alone. The one thing that Don is passionate about is the graphic novel that he has been working on for years. His dream is to attend a comic book convention and get the attention of his idol, Bendis. A late-night text message from Kyra (AKA Goth Girl) begins a new chapter in his life. Goth Girl loves Fanboy's comic, but turns out to be a troubled person and there is nothing predictable about their relationship. Comic book fans and disenfranchised teens will relate to Don/Fanboy.

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

2010-08-02T10:32:00.005-05:00

Jordan Sonnenblick has done it again. Another great middle school story that makes you laugh, makes you cry, and makes you want to keep on reading. It's the follow-up to Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie but it's really not necessary to read the first book to enjoy this one. The focus here is on Jeffrey, who has survived childhood leukemia and is now in eighth grade. Jeffrey walks with a limp and has some learning problems related to his cancer medications. His big problem is that he has to pass the state math test in order to go on to high school. His best (and only) friend, also a cancer survivor, takes on the task of tutoring him. The best part of the new school year is that there's a cute new girl in school who wants to be friends with Jeffrey. This book follows Jeffrey and his two friends through eighth grade as they help each other become the best that they can be. It's hard to describe how enjoyable a Jordan Sonnenblick book can be--you just have to read one to understand. A great read for all middle school kids.

Unsung YA Heroes Lists

2010-01-22T10:36:00.003-06:00

Here are my favorite YA books that many people may not have read. My list slants toward middle school because I am a middle school librarian. Sorry I don't have time to annotate this--I'm home with a hungry baby. These are in no particular order.

See other people's lists at http://yannabe.com/2010/01/21/best-books-not-read/

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo (If you have not read this book go read it now!)
Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes

Immersed in Verse: An Informative, Slightly Irreverent & Totally Tremendous Guide to Living the Poet's Life by Alan Wolf
Secrets Of A Civil War Submarine: Solving The Mysteries Of The H. L. Hunley by Sally Walker
Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion (Scientists in the Field Series) by Loree Griffin Burns
Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson
Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman
True Believer (Make Lemonade Trilogy) by Virginia Ewer Wolff
Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas (NOT a middle school title but fabulous)
Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going (also mature and pretty well-known, but I love it)
Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick

What I've been Reading This Year

2009-11-30T20:51:00.005-06:00

Well, I have been on maternity leave from my middle school this year and while I've continued to read middle school books, I don't think I'll ever get around to blogging these individual titles. But I want to remember them so here's what I've been reading lately.

The True Adventures of Charley Darwin by Carolyn Meyer (good!)

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (great sequel to The Hunger Games)

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (I know it won the Newbery and all but it just didn't do it for me--seemed too contrived)

Maze Runner by James Dashner (I was hoping for another Hunger Games, but this one lacked character development in my opinion)

Octavian Nothing Traitor to the Nation Book One by M.T. Anderson (compelling but hard to imagine it being very interesting to kids)

Octavian Nothing Book Two by M.T. Anderson (ditto)

Things Hoped For by Andrew Clements (a pleasant surprise--I liked it a lot)

Marching for Freedom by Elizabeth Partridge (good solid nonfiction)

Butterflies and Moths by Nic Bishop (stunning!)

Front and Center by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (The final volume of the Dairy Queen trilogy. So good it made me cry to see it end.)

Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia

2009-11-11T08:06:00.003-06:00

Wow. This book is just disturbing. It's a day in the life of three high school girls. One is angry about being benched from playing basketball and plans to beat up another girl after school (for no reason). The girl about to get jumped is innocent and oblivious and self-absorbed. And the third girl knows what's going to happen but is too concerned with her broken fingernail to intervene. It's a mature book—definitely for high schoolers—with lots of urban slang. I'm sure it would be useful for discussions on ethics and right vs. wrong, especially in similar urban environments and rough schools. Mostly this book just depressed me. The two characters at fault here don't ever take responsibility for their actions or grow in any way. They just do what they do and think it's ok. If this is the future of our world it's scary.

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

2009-10-28T08:18:00.003-05:00

I was excited about this book because of the huge popularity of Alex Flinn's previous fairy tale book, Beastly, which had boys and girls clamoring for it at my middle school. This one is the story of Sleeping Beauty set in modern times. The princess Talia has been asleep for 300 years when a modern slacker teen named Jack finds the hidden kingdom of Euphrasia and decides to kiss the beautiful girl he finds there. Of course, she wakes up in the 21st century to a lot of problems—mainly that her father the king is furious with her. She runs off to Florida with Jack, who doesn't actually like the spoiled princess, and there suddenly becomes diplomatic and kind and brings out a new side in the formerly unmotivated Jack. Normally I can suspend my disbelief and just enjoy fairy tale stories, but I never got into this one. I thought both Talia and Jack changed rather suddenly and their romance seemed forced. And the return to Euphrasia seemed like a tacked on ending that didn't fit with the rest of the story. It wasn't a terrible book—I'm sure that some fairy tale fans will enjoy it—but I didn't find it as satisfying as Beastly or some of my other favorite fairy tale novels. And one more complaint—I am tired of middle school fiction containing scenes of wild drunken high schoolers partying. It's fine in a book like Speak where it's integral to a serious plot, but I just don't think it's necessary in every story about teenagers.

The Frog Scientist by Pamela S. Turner

2009-10-19T08:16:00.003-05:00

Many people have heard of frogs being found with extra legs and other strange deformities, but did you know that scientists have found many male frogs that are producing eggs instead of sperm? And did you know that frogs across the world are mysteriously dying out and going extinct? Many people think this is being caused by chemicals that humans use to kill weeds and insects. Dr. Tyrone Hayes is the Frog Scientist who is investigating the effects of these pesticides on frogs. In the excellent tradition of Scientists in the Field books, this is both a profile of a fascinating scientist and a lesson in biology and the scientific method. The writing is excellent, the photographs are stunning, and the fact that Dr. Hayes is a cool-looking African American scientist make this book a winner in every way. This ranks as one of my favorite nonfiction books of 2009. Give this to your middle or high school life science teacher today!

Science Warriors: The Battle Against Invasive Species by Sneed B. Collard III

2009-10-16T07:55:00.003-05:00

Can you imagine a place with 13,000 snakes per square mile? That's the reality on the island of Guam. The brown tree snake didn't used to be found there, but it moved in and has taken over the environment and scientists can't get rid of them now. And instead of trying to remove the snake from Guam, they just try to keep those snakes off of boats that go to islands like Hawaii so the snakes won't take over new islands. That's one of the invasive species covered in this book. The author also covers fire ants in Texas, melaleuca plants in Florida, and the zebra mussels in midwestern waters. (Minnesota is doing a great job keeping the zebra mussel out, and that is mentioned here.) This book goes in-depth on each of these invaders, but to keep kids' attention I think perhaps the book should have featured a few more invasive species examples in more general terms. It's a fascinating topic, but I'm not sure how many middle schoolers will stick with this text. But, as always, the Scientists in the Field series has excellent photos and information for kids who want to dig in to some fascinating nonfiction topics.

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

2009-10-16T07:38:00.003-05:00

If you read this author's outstanding nonfiction book called Hitler Youth, then you have heard of Helmuth Hubner, the German teenager who was executed by the Nazis for daring to speak against Hitler. In this historical novel Bartoletti takes the facts of Hubner's life and works them into a story that will be eye-opening to many readers. You know from the beginning that Helmuth is imprisoned and could be executed at any time. Through a series of flashbacks you see how he grew from a trusting boy to a teenager who saw through Nazi propaganda and lies and dared to speak against them. Helmuth's weapon was his own intelligence and ability to write. His crime was distributing pamphlets that spoke against Hitler. Readers will see how he secretly listened to British radio broadcasts, selectively involved a few of his friends, and ultimately was betrayed but never lost his courage or moral outrage. Looking back we all like to think we would have done the same, but I think very few people could have shown his bravery. Recommended for readers with an interest in World War II or history in general. This doesn't have war action like Soldier X or Soldier Boys, but it goes a long way in explaining the terrifying conditions in Germany and the reasons for Hitler's rise to power.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

2009-08-25T15:45:00.003-05:00

I have read several books about teenagers caught between life and death. The Afterlife by Gary Soto, Everworld by Neal Shusterman, and Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin all come quickly to mind. If I Stay is in a class by itself. It's the moving story of Mia who is an outstanding cello player, a good kid, and part of a loving family. Best of all, she's in love with Adam who is a musician in an up-and-coming band. Both are passionate about their music and though they are very different it's what brought them together. The premise of this book is that Mia and her family are in a fatal car accident. Her family is dead and Mia's body rests in a coma while Mia finds herself outside her body deciding whether to live or die. The moving part of this story is how Mia's family and friends pull together to try to bring her back to the living. In the end it is Adam who helps her make the difficult decision she needs to make. There are humorous flashbacks that make this book less serious and also let you see just how rich and full Mia's life was and how much she has lost in the loss of her family. I think it's an outstanding book but it is mature. I would only recommend it to high school students and possibly eighth graders.

Being Nikki by Meg Cabot

2009-08-25T15:33:00.003-05:00

This is the long-awaited sequel to Airhead. (Well, it was long awaited by a couple of my voracious 7th grade girls.) In Airhead, a video-game playing feminist teenage girl is killed and her brain is transplanted into the body of Nikki Howard, international modeling sensation (who also happens to have just died of a brain aneurism). Unfortunately for Em, she is now basically held hostage by Stark Enterprises and is unable to tell anyone but her immediate family that she is alive. In this book we see how Em is going on with life in the body of Nikki. She knows that she is constantly watched and that everywhere she goes there are surveillance devices to monitor her. In spite of having a life that many girls would envy, all Em wants is to win the love of her old best friend Christopher. But of course he thinks she is dead and in a surprise twist wants to avenge her death. When Nikki's previously unknown brother shows up and tells her that their mother has disappeared, the book turns into something of a mystery with Stark Enterprise being the bad guy. I loved the book right up to the end, but I hated the ending, which seemed to me like a contrived lead-in to book three of the series. I can't say this was a great book but it was lots of fun which is what books should be, after all.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-06-24T10:06:00.003-05:00

Wintergirls takes readers into the mind of Lia, a teenager spiraling out of control. Lia and former best friend Cassie used to compete to see who could lose the most weight. Now Cassie has died from her eating disorder, leaving Lia to feel guilty for ignoring her phone calls and haunted by hallucinations of Cassie encouraging Lia to continue on her destructive path. Lia, who has no friends and struggles with her family relationships, is alone with her own negative thoughts and inner voices telling her she must lose more weight and cut herself. In Anderson's hands it is poetic and insightful and certainly a cut above any other "teen eating disorder" book I have ever read. However, for some reason this didn't fully capture my attention—I kept hoping for a little more of a plot or some other thread to bring me out of Lia's inner turmoil. I know teens will love this book and it will touch their lives deeply, so I do recommend it to readers mature enough to handle the difficult subjects presented.

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

2009-06-08T15:41:00.003-05:00

I love Michael Morpurgo's books, especially Private Peaceful, but I never had read this one before, probably because I knew it was narrated by a horse. But I had a 7th grade student read it and love it so I decided to try it myself. Joey, the horse telling the story, was a farm horse before he was taken to be in the World War I cavalry. In this book you see the horrors of war through Joey's eyes and limited perspective. Joey is repeatedly a victim of human violence but through it all finds numerous kind, empathetic human beings who care for him and love him. Any realistic book about World War I battles might just be too much to take—it was a horrible war. But through the eyes of Joey the story is accessible to kids and readers will definitely sympathize with Joey and hope that he is someday reunited with his beloved master. Recommended for readers who want to read about war but who might not be ready for more gritty books such as Soldier X or Fallen Angels.

Nation by Terry Pratchett

2009-06-02T15:50:00.002-05:00

This unique story is kind of a fantasy, but more of an adventure/survival book. It does take place in an alternate reality, but it's a world much like ours without magical creatures or fantasy elements. Mau is a boy living on a small island and his people call themselves The Nation. He is in a canoe on the ocean when a tsunami devastates his island and kills everyone he has ever known. That same tsunami shipwrecks a young British girl on Mau's island and the two strangers slowly grow to be friends, allies, and creators of a new Nation. Both young characters question everything they have ever known—Mau must ask if his Nation's Gods are real and why they would destroy their own Nation. Daphne questions everything she has learned about what it means to be a proper young lady. Both children find they are more capable leaders than they could have ever imagined and together they unearth a secret about the Nation that changes world history. It's a deep story that is both adventurous and moving and will leave readers thinking for a long time. Recommended for both kids and adults.

The Last Invisible Boy by Evan Kuhlman

2009-06-02T15:40:00.003-05:00

If you flip through this book is looks like fun. It has lots of cartoon illustrations and short, compact chapters. But when you read the book it's really not fun at all. It is the story of Finn Garrett, whose father died recently and who is grieving so much he fears he is becoming invisible. His hair is actually turning white and doctors and psychologists don't have any answers for why it is happening. Finn's journal chronicles how he remembers happy memories of his father, connects more strongly with his mother and grandfather, and relies on the support of his best girl friend. It's not a bad story and it does have some humor, but at it's heart it's all about healing from grief, which may not be what readers are expecting. I have no idea how kids will receive it—I'd love to have some reaction from middle school readers.

In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer by Irene Gut Opdyke

2009-05-29T14:49:00.006-05:00

I am in awe of Irene Gut, the author of this book. She lived in Poland during World War II and rather than giving in to Hitler and the German army she fought to save the lives of the Jews around her. She was only 17 when war broke out and she was separated from her family and traveling with the Polish army as a nurse. Russian soldiers attacked and raped her and she later was forced to work for the German army as a cook and a housekeeper. Her first act of resistance was to pass food into a ghetto. From there she slowly took more and more risks to save Jewish lives until finally she was transporting Jews to a hideout in the forest, hiding them in her workplace, and harboring them in the basement of the home where she was living and working as a housekeeper for a Nazi commander. She was always fearful for her life but never stopped doing what she thought was right. It was heartening to read about numerous others who also were helping in a time of unbelievable horrors. I would recommend this to 8th graders on up through adults.

Football Genius by Tim Green

2009-05-27T16:16:00.003-05:00

Troy White is a football genius. He can watch a football game and predict what the next offensive move will be. It's not ESP or cheating of some kind, his mind just analyzes things and figures out what the opposing team is going to do next. When his mom gets a job with the Atlanta Falcons and Troy gets down on the sidelines he can't resist trying to tell the players and coaches his predictions. Of course, no one believes a kid so he is hauled off the field and banned from football games. This is the story of how he manages to connect with Seth Holloway, a Falcons player, and convince him of his talent. At first I was not a big fan of Troy—he steals a football, sneaks into games, and doesn't go about things in the right way. But somewhere along the way I got into this story and enjoyed rooting for Troy to come out on top (and for Seth and Troy's mom to get together). It was a fun read that I would recommend to 6th or 7th grade football fans.

All the Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg

2009-05-27T16:09:00.002-05:00

Matt Pin was airlifted out of Vietnam, never to see his biological mother and brother again. Two years later he has been adopted by an American family and is struggling with the memories of all that he left behind. He's a good baseball player and has a wonderful coach but he faces racism from some of his teammates. This is the moving story of how he comes to terms with his past and a secret that is too painful to share. It's written in free verse and is easy to read quickly, but it's so well written you may want to slow down and savor every word. Although it's historical fiction, it will also appeal to sports fans due to the baseball theme running throughout the book. A couple of 8th grade boys read and loved this one already so it comes highly recommended.

Maus: A Survivor's Tale Volume 1: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman

2009-05-07T12:31:00.005-05:00

Art Spiegelman's father, Vladek, survived many horrors during the Holocaust, including being imprisoned at Auschwitz. Years later he was a crotchety older man living in New York when his son interviewed him about his life experiences. This graphic novel tells his story alternating between the sometimes difficult father-son relationship of the present and the gripping survival stories from the past. It starts out before the war when Vladek was a prosperous young man and the reader gets a sense of how gradually the repressive Nazi measures took effect. It's an amazing story for all ages and one that could really bring the Holocaust to life for mature teen readers. This book is only part one—to find out what happened in Auschwitz you must read Maus II.

Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

2009-04-29T11:48:00.004-05:00

Jason is a 12-year-old with autism. He knows that his brain functions differently than other kids' brains, but still it is hard to change his behaviors in ways that will make him fit in better with his peers. The greatest joy in his life is his writing, and he posts his stories on a website called Storyboard. A fellow writer named PhoenixGirl reads his stories and strikes up a friendship with him. Jason finds out that her real name is Rebecca and he has some illusions that she might be his girlfriend. But when he finds out that he and Rebecca will both be attending a Storyboard users conference in Texas he fears that she will see what he is really like and not be his friend anymore. While not heavy on plot, the strength of this book is the first-person look inside the mind of a bright, struggling autistic boy. I would recommend it to readers who like to get inside of different characters heads and understand how they think and act. (By the way, the autism spectrum teacher at my middle school said it's the best middle school fiction book with an autistic character she has ever read.)

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

2009-03-16T14:02:00.003-05:00

This biography of a relatively unknown civil rights pioneer should be in every middle and high school library. I had heard of Claudette Colvin because I read Freedom Walkers by Russell Freedman, but I had no idea of the real story behind this 15-year-old girl who was arrested for not giving up her seat on a Montgomery bus months before Rosa Parks came along. Instead of being hailed as a hero, Claudette was actually ostracized and vilified by most of her fellow students. She faced criminal charges and was shortly after expelled from school due to her unplanned pregnancy. She could have given up the fight for justice but the next year she was the key witness in the federal lawsuit that officially ended bus segregation in Alabama. She risked her life to testify and never really got much credit for her efforts. Author Phillip Hoose tracked down Claudette Colvin in New York City and personally interviewed her numerous times for this book. It's well-written and absorbing and a great example of using primary sources. Recommended for readers of all ages—including adults.

Written in Bone by Sally Walker

2009-03-10T11:04:00.003-05:00

Imagine if someone found your body 400 years from now. What would they know about you? What could they learn from your skeleton? Believe it or not, scientists and anthropologists can learn a lot from human remains and this book tells about several mysterious bodies found in Virginia and Maryland. All the bodies were from people who died in the 1600s during the time in which Europeans were colonizing the "new world." In most cases historians knew absolutely nothing about the individual people found, but scientists were able to learn how old they were, whether they were male or female, how hard they worked, what country they came from, how long they had been in the colonies, and what diseases they suffered from. In some cases they have been able to figure out exactly how they died and who they were. This book is not only brilliantly written by award-winning author Sally Walker, it's full of stunning photographs and information about how these scientists do their jobs. A great choice for social studies teachers as well as curious middle or even high school readers.

Forever Princess by Meg Cabot

2009-03-09T09:49:00.003-05:00

This is the 10th and final book in the Princess Diaries series. Mia has grown up and matured and is now turning 18. In the beginning she finds herself telling lies to everyone—her parents, her boyfriend, and even her best friends. She lies about her college acceptances (she got in to every college and she thinks it's because she's a princess) and her senior thesis (which is really a steamy 400 page romance novel). Most importantly, she's lying to herself in thinking that she is in love with her current boyfriend, J.P. But when former boyfriend Michael returns from Japan she can't deny her real attraction to him. One of the most satisfying parts is that she and former best friend Lilly resolve their issues and Mia concludes that her oldest friends are the most important ones in her life. It's a believable and happy ending to the series and those who have read all of the books will not want to miss this one. Meg Cabot is, as always, funny and hip and in touch with teen girls. However, as a middle school librarian I have to say that a major plotline of this story is whether or not Mia will have sex after prom. She is the only remaining virgin among all of her friends and it is discussed a great deal. While Mia ends up making thoughtful decisions, the attitude of her friends toward sexuality is pretty flippant. I have always thought that Meg Cabot was writing for teenagers, not little girls or tweens, and that is definitely the case here. I have not seen this mentioned in any other reviews and I think it's a significant part of this book.

This Full House by Virginia Ewer Wolff

2009-02-19T17:52:00.004-06:00

I have waited a long time for this final installment in the Make Lemonade trilogy. It has been years since I have read Make Lemonade and True Believer, but the pleasure of reading those books came back to me as soon as I started reading. LaVaughn is an inner city girl who dreams of getting out of the projects and going to college. She's now in her senior year and accepted into a "women in science" program that may be her ticket to college acceptance. She's feeling regret about the way she once treated a boy named Patrick and she's still babysitting the two children of Jolly, a teen mother who she worked for in the first book of the trilogy. Oh, and her best friend Annie is pregnant. All the lines of the story come together when she comes to suspect a connection between Jolly and the head of her science program. Unfortunately, the coincidence is too great to believe, but the writing is so good and the characters so real that it didn't really matter to me. I was just interested in seeing LaVaughn through to college and achieving her dreams. There was a strong theme of acting according to your conscience and doing the right thing. And Wolff doesn't shy away from the complexity of figuring out what the right thing is. It's not always clear and it certainly can cause pain. The free verse format makes this a quick read and even when using dozens of scientific terms, Wolff makes it all sounds like poetry.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

2009-02-09T11:52:00.002-06:00

This book has it all. For those who like horror and suspense it's dark and creepy, and the book begins and ends with an attempted murder. But at the same time it's also got humor and heartwarming family moments, a sweet friendship between a boy and a girl, and it becomes a tearjerker on the final page. It's hard to believe that an author could take such a ridiculous sounding plot and put so much substance to it, but Neil Gaiman did it. Nobody Owens (Bod for short) survives the murder of his entire family when as a toddler he wandered into a nearby graveyard. Now he is being lovingly raised by the dead residents of the graveyard and the mysterious Silas who is neither alive nor dead. Bod is human but has been given some special powers in the graveyard. His early adventures are within the graveyard, but as he gets older he longs to see a little more of the world and even go to school. Eventually he finds out that the man Jack who killed his family is still after him and he will not ever be safe until he confronts this enemy. It's really a story of growing up, moving away from the "family" that raised you, confronting your fears, and moving into the wider world. It will be a popular middle school book and would be a great read-aloud. And of course, it won the Newbery Medal for 2009.

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson

2009-01-27T12:09:00.003-06:00

I don't like baseball, and while I vaguely know about the racial injustices in American baseball I had never actually read a book about the Negro Leagues before I read We Are the Ship. From the first words on the page I was drawn into the story—not because of the baseball but because of the history and human drama. The author writes as if he was one of the many players in the Negro Leagues, and this narrative voice drew me in. I could see the crowded buses, the restaurants and hotels that turned away black players, and the clowning moves of some of the early players. The artwork in this book is stunning and took the author/illustrator eight years to complete. This book is written at a perfect level for middle school students, but I'm afraid that they won't pick it up because at first glance it looks like a picture book for younger readers. If this book made me want to keep reading, anyone who actually likes baseball will be absolutely riveted. It should be read by anyone of any age who wants to learn about the history of the Negro Leagues. Teachers, this book would make a fantastic read aloud, either the whole thing or any one of the nine chapters (Nelson calls them "innings"). I was happy to see that this book won both the Coretta Scott King Award and the Sibert Award for children's nonfiction. It deserves it!

Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee

2009-01-27T11:55:00.004-06:00

First of all I should say I liked this book a lot. I cared about the characters and wanted to see them through to the end. The main character, named Maybe (short for Maybelline), is on the run to California looking for her biological father and trying to get away from her beauty-pageant-crazed mother. She's with two good friends—Ted, a flamboyant character and true friend who gets himself a job as the personal assistant to a former Hollywood starlet, and Hollywood, an aspiring film student and secret admirer of Maybe. I loved these three teens' friendship and how they all had a distinct path they were on in finding who they are. I also liked the way the story came together with Hollywood's award-winning documentary film. I don't think this book is too mature for middle school, but it is definitely a notch up from Lisa Yee's other books. The scene where Maybe's future stepfather tries to rape her was surprising and a little jarring for me, but it served as the catalyst to send her on her journey to California. While not a comedy, the book is infused with humor throughout and not a heavy problem novel like many YA books. It is populated with memorable secondary characters that stay vividly in your mind. I would recommend this for teens from 7th grade up through high school.

Chasing Lincolns Killer: The Search for John Wilkes Booth by James L. Swanson

2009-01-27T11:45:00.004-06:00

Most people know that Abraham Lincoln was shot by a man named John Wilkes Booth, but you might not know that after the shooting it took the nation's best police officers and detectives twelve days to finally track down the killer. This book does a great job of detailing the events of those fascinating days—including the day of the assassination and the steps Booth took to prepare for killing the president. Booth had a group of co-conspirators, none of whom were particularly smart or all that helpful to him. Only one was with him on his 12-day spree. He got pretty lucky in escaping into Maryland and then found a series of sympathetic people to help with his wounded leg, feeding him and his one companion, and getting them on a boat to Virginia. I found the play-by-play action to be fascinating and I think a reader interested in crime, action, or Abraham Lincoln will race through this book.

I'll Pass for Your Comrade: Women Soldiers in the Civil War by Anita Silvey

2009-01-23T14:03:00.003-06:00

This book is both fascinating and frustrating. It tells the stories of many women who, disguised as men, fought in the American Civil War. This was not an isolated thing—we know for sure that hundreds of women did this for various reasons. Some for adventure, others to follow husbands or brothers, and others to escape from poverty. The stories that we do know about these women are fascinating. The frustrating part is that we will never know the details of most of these women's lives. There are many tidbits in this book (such as women giving birth as prisoners of war) that are so intriguing, yet we never can know the details of their dramatic lives (How did they hide it? What happened after they gave birth? What did their families back home think of them?). Silvey has researched these women for years and what is known is well-told in this book. It's particularly fascinating to look at the photos of some of these women, both in uniform and in traditional dress.

She Touched the World: Laura Bridgman, Deaf-Blind Pioneer by Sally Hobart Alexander and Robert Alexander

2009-01-15T07:25:00.002-06:00

This biography of Laura Bridgman was fascinating. Years before Helen Keller became famous for her accomplishments, Laura went blind and deaf at the age of two. At that time no one had ever taught someone to read and communicate who had both of these disabilities. Laura was lonely and hard to deal with until she was sent away to a blind school to learn from Dr. Howe. She learned finger spelling quickly and from there the world was opened up to her. According to this book she was one of the most famous people in the U.S. in the early 1800s. She showed the world that all people, no matter what their challenges, should be given the opportunity to learn and live a meaningful life. The techniques Dr. Howe developed with Laura went on to be used with Helen Keller and many others after her. One of the book's authors is herself blind and deaf and in the final chapter she explains how life is different for people today with these disabilities. This book flowed well, was easy to understand, and could be appreciated by readers in 5th grade on up through adults. Recommended for people who like to read about people overcoming big challenges.

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

2009-01-14T16:07:00.004-06:00

Finally a book that I could not put down! I have not been very excited about very books published in 2008, but this one was fantastic. It's set during 1776 when patriots and loyalists were fighting it out over liberty. But we forget that many people in the colonies were slaves and neither side was talking about truly giving freedom to all people. Isobel and her sister Ruth are supposed to gain their freedom when their mistress dies but instead they are sold to a New York couple loyal to the King of England. They are transported to New York City, forced to work extremely hard, and treated poorly by their new owners. This is Isobel's story as she struggles to find a way out of slavery while all around her soldiers are preparing for war and her only friend is imprisoned and near death. When her sister, Ruth, is taken from her she loses hope but later regains it. Isobel is a determined, believable character and her situation is both heartbreaking and hopeful. The horrors of slavery are not glossed over, and there's lots of history here, so I think it will be most appreciated by readers seventh grade and up through adults. Social studies teachers should definitely read this one.

Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past by James M. Deem

2009-01-09T10:59:00.004-06:00

I am a big fan of James M. Deem's books, especially Bodies from the Ash about Pompeii, so I was excited to read this one. It covers all kinds of frozen bodies, from the famous European Ice Man to the child sacrifices of the Andes Mountains to George Mallory, who died scaling Mt. Everest. The book has beautiful photography throughout which makes it fun to browse through. There are several children's books about frozen mummies, but what sets this apart is the focus on melting glaciers and climate change. There's lots of science here, so I recommend it to teachers as well as to students.

Snatched by Pete Hautman and Mary Logue

2009-01-09T10:04:00.003-06:00

Roni is a high school reporter who gets involved in a missing person case. Her classmate, Alicia Camden, is beaten one day and disappears a few days later. The police are on the case, but it's Roni and her sidekick Brian who take big risks and do some crazy things to solve the mystery. Brian and Roni aren't really friends, but they are both smart and determined and they need each other to really figure things out. I enjoyed the humorous relationship between them and the clues and strategies they use to solve the mystery. I definitely recommend it to middle schoolers who like mysteries. And if you like it, read Doppelganger and Skullduggery, the two sequels.

The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues Book 1) by Rick Riordan

2008-12-09T13:36:00.004-06:00

Grace Cahill dies and leaves her relatives a choice—take a million dollars or a get a clue to the family secret. It turns out that the Cahill family is the most powerful family in world history but they have lost the source of their power and there are 39 clues that need to be found. The main characters are orphans named Dan and Amy, and they are competing against several other nasty groups of distant Cahill relatives who choose the clue. The first clue is pretty vague but leads them to researching Ben Franklin. First they go to Philadelphia then they end up in Paris. The competitors are cutthroat and there are fires and explosions that threaten to kill Dan and Amy. This book reminded me of The Da Vinci Code and National Treasure because of the complex historical clues that send the characters to some pretty amazing places. I thought I would love this book but I really didn't. Some of the supporting characters were stereotypical and completely unbelievable and I thought that no real kid in the world could ever have figured out the complex clues that Dan and Amy solve. If you can get past my complaints it is a story with lots of action and history. I'm sure lots of kids will love it and enjoy playing the online game that goes along with it. It has received great reviews and Rick Riordan is a good author, so read the book and convince me I'm wrong!

Swindle by Gordon Korman

2008-12-09T13:22:00.005-06:00

Have you ever seen a heist movie where criminals pull off a brilliant robbery? Swindle is the first real heist book for kids that I can remember reading. The kids in this book, with the leadership of sixth-grader Griffin Bing, plan and pull off a very elaborate theft of a baseball card worth one million dollars. The card is in the hands of a shop owner who lied to Griffin about the card's value. Griffin and his best friend Ben just want back what they think is rightfully theirs. However, they have to get past a vicious guard dog, a high tech security system, a strong safe, and a nosy next door neighbor. The cover of the book makes you think it's a dog book or a baseball book, but it's neither of those. It's really the story of a group of kids getting back at an unscrupulous adult who underestimates their intelligence. This will appeal to readers who like action and crime and kids who come out on top. (And don't worry, adults, the kids do realize in the end that they did something seriously illegal)

Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman

2008-11-25T16:00:00.004-06:00

This book was a wonderful surprise. I enjoyed The Schwa Was Here several years ago and I had forgotten what a great character Antsy Bonano is. This is the sequel to that book, but I believe with its new plot and characters it could stand alone. It's hard to describe the plot because there's a lot going on. In a nutshell, Antsy befriends a boy named Gunnar who has only six months to live. Antsy comes up with a symbolic gesture of donating a month of his life to Gunnar and suddenly everyone wants to donate their time also. Antsy is awkward, funny, earnest, and fully aware that he is not the coolest guy in the school, but somehow he becomes famous for his "time donation" scheme and ends up dating Gunnar's beautiful older sister. There's tons of humor in this story, but the real charm of the book is Antsy and his realizations about family relationships, his girlfriend, and how precious time is. This is Neal Shusterman's writing at its very best and I think this book ought to be recognized as one of the best middle school books of the year. It would make a fantastic read-aloud. I highly recommend it to readers in grade six on up.

The Juvie Three by Gordon Korman

2008-11-25T15:51:00.003-06:00

Although it has some humor in it, this isn't the usual funny Gordon Korman book. It's the story of three juvenile criminals, all imprisoned for different reasons, who are brought together to a halfway house by a well-meaning guy named Douglas Healy. They must behave perfectly or they will be sent back to prison. Of course, they don't all behave perfectly and when Healy takes a sort-of accidental fall the boys have a choice to make—own up to their part in the accident and get sent back to prison or cover up the accident and try to pretend that everything is normal. Healy goes to the hospital and wakes up with amnesia. Gecko, one of the boys, volunteers in the hospital to keep track of Healy's condition. There he meets a nice girl and they start a relationship. However, she doesn't know Gecko's true story. The ways that the boys cover up their secrets aren't always realistic, and the ending is definitely happier than real-life, but it's an engaging story with interesting characters who have complex motivations. This should appeal to kids who like to read about crime and gangs, as well as kids who like a good story with lots of action.

In Defiance of Hitler: The Secret Mission of Varian Fry by Carla Killough McClafferty

2008-11-06T12:34:00.004-06:00

This book is one more example of "all I ever needed to know I learned from children's nonfiction." I had never even heard of Varian Fry before I picked up this book. He was a pretty ordinary American man who volunteered for a two-week rescue mission during World War II. The plan was to go to Marseilles, France and find war refugees wanted by the Nazis and get them to safety. His specific mission was to save a specific list of important artists, writers, and thinkers who were in grave danger of being sent to concentration camps. The mission took all of his creativity, stamina, and skills and in it Fry found the most meaningful days of his life. The two weeks spread out into more than a year as Fry desperately tried every way he could think of to get refugees out of France, into Spain, then Portugal, then on to other countries. Together witha selfless staff of other unsung heroes, Fry ultimately saved about 2,000 people from death at the hands of the Nazis. Sadly, his work destroyed his marriage and he never found another endeavor that so fully used his skills and his compassion. McClafferty's research is excellent and her organization makes this book easy to read and understand. She deftly shows how difficult and draining the work was and how many obstacles the rescuers faced. Middle schoolers with an interest in World War II could definitely appreciate this book, but I believe it is equally appropriate for high school students as well as adults. It's an inspiring look at an unsung hero.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

2008-11-06T12:21:00.004-06:00

Most of us don't get the chance to go to an elite East Coast prep school with future power brokers and secret societies, but that's Frankie's life. She's a formerly geeky sophomore in high school who blossomed over the summer and suddenly caught the eye of the most desirable senior boy in the school, Matthew. He's generally a good guy and Frankie loves many things about him. What she doesn't love is that he doesn't really take her intellect very seriously. When he snubs Frankie to go to secret meetings of the Order of the Bassett Hounds, Frankie's latent criminal mind kicks into high gear and she comes up with a scheme to manipulate all the boys in the secret society and play some good pranks at the boarding school. She thinks she will earn the respect of the boys she is manipulating, but that is not what happens. This intelligent book has a strong vocabulary and some clever uses of the English language. Frankie is a complicated character—likable but definitely struggling to find her own personality and voice. A curious, smart, independent-minded reader will find a kindred spirit in Frankie Landau-Banks.