Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman

Everyone has heard of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks, but Claudette Colvin and Mary Louise Smith? They were teenagers who, like Rosa Parks, refused to give up their seats on the bus. Freedom Walkers is the story of all four of these people, and thousands of others who came together to fight injustice. For over a year the African American people of Montgomery, Alabama refused to ride city buses. Many were poor and had to get to jobs that were miles away, but they walked and car pooled and got to work some other way. At night they came together at meetings throughout the city where they inspired and encouraged each other to continue the nonviolent struggle. There were bombings, people went to jail, and it took a long time to win, but they did. I read this book and admired these people--even wished I could have been one of them just to be a part of something so big and so right. Russell Freedman is an outstanding writer--if you want to know more about the Montgomery Bus Boycott, this is the book to read.

Gilda Joyce and the Ladies of the Lake by Jennifer Allison

Gilda Joyce is a high school freshman and self-proclaimed "psychic investigator." She agrees to attend a private girls school called Our Lady of Sorrows simply because she hears rumors of it being haunted by the ghost of a student who drowned there several years in the past. Gilda is smart and sassy, but doesn't make many friends because she is busy investigating the haunting and finding out that Delores's death might not have been an accident. Rather than doing psychic investigations, Gilda does real detective work and uncovers a secret society called The Ladies of the Lake. This is a combination high school girl book/mystery that will be enjoyed by middle school girls. It did make me want to keep reading, but I did think it was too long and could have been shortened and made better by a good editor.

How to be Popular by Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries books, has a knack for writing books about ordinary high school girls and how they really think and talk. In this book, Steph Landry has been harassed for five straight years by Lauren Moffit, queen of the school. Just before her junior year, Steph acquires a book called How to be Popular, and uses its tips to transform herself into the most popular girl in school. But her popularity lasts one week before she is challenged to be true to herself and not to Lauren and her fabulous boyfriend. Readers know all along that Steph is fine just the way she is, and that her best friend Jason is probably going to turn out to be her soul mate, but it's fun to read about all the twists and turns. I don't think this is Meg Cabot's best book (honestly, I think the first few Princess Diaries were fantastic and deserve some literary respect), but it's a fun story for girls in grades 6-9. I also recommend Teen Idol, Avalon High, and All American Girl, all by Meg Cabot.

Tunnels of Blood by Darren Shan

This is book three in the Cirque Du Freak series that is extremely popular with middle school kids (mainly guys). I confess that this is the first one of the series that I have read all the way through, and I read it because someone in my Prime Time class challenged me to read it for the Winter Reading Challenge. To be perfectly honest, I thought it was boring! I was surprised at how little action there was except right at the end when Darren comes up against the evil Vampaneze. I also thought the writing about Darren's romance with Debbie was terrible--no real kids would talk that way. I think it's great that kids love these books, but they are not for me! I'd much rather read a vampire book with better characterization like Twilight by Stephanie Meyer.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

I can't say too much about this book without giving away some of it's secrets. It is about an innocent 9-year-old German boy living during World War II. Bruno doesn't understand why his father's job has forced his family to move to "Out With" and he doesn't understand who all the people are that live behind the fence near his house. He does know that he would like to have some companionship, and he makes a good friend who happens to live on the other side of the fence. At times I thought Bruno was just too unbelievably innocent, but this book is supposed to be a fable, so you just have to suspend your disbelief and let the story take you to it's devastating conclusion. A very interesting read, especially for middle school readers with an interest in the Holocaust.

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale writes fantasy books with elements of fairy tales, but her books are not sweet little princess stories. Princess Academy transports readers high in the mountains to a small community that quarries precious linder stone far away from civilization. It is a shock when the people of Mount Eskel find out that the king plans to marry one of their daughters. All the teenage girls are sent to the Princess Academy to learn the ways of the "civilized" people of their kingdom and to compete for the Prince's attention. Princess Academy isn't glamorous and fun--it's full-time school with a strict and cruel tutor while snowed in all winter in a cold stone building far from friends and relatives. As Miri learns to read and finds out more about the economics of her kingdom, ideas begin to form in her head. She is torn between wanting to be chosen as princess and wanting to return to Mount Eskel and help her people. There is some suspense when bandits threaten the lives of the princesses, and Miri uses a strange kind of quarry speech to save the day. Read this book if you want to bury yourself deep into another world. And read The Goose Girl, also by Shannon Hale, which I thought was even better than Princess Academy.

Rash by Pete Hautman

Rash is set about 70 years in the future, when current students will be grandparents. Things have changed in the U.S., which is now the U.S.S.A., the United Safer States of America. Everything is now safe--no one can play sports or litter or get angry. One fourth of the population is in prison for breaking the safety laws. These prison work camps are run by corporations like McDonalds and General Motors. Bo is a teenager who gets in trouble with the law (he causes a psychologically induced rash among his classmates) and it sentenced to a prison on the Canadian Tundra where inmates make pizzas for 16 hours a day and where polar bears lurk outside the gates. Strangely enough, this turns into a sports book when Bo is recruited for the highly illegal prison football team. Bo is a fun character to read about, and it's an intriguing look at the future. I didn't love how it ended, but I did love the idea of the book and the future world that Pete Hautman created.

Perfect by Natasha Friend

Isabelle has an eating disorder. She eats huge amounts of food and forces herself to throw up. Her mom sends her to a support group, where she encounters the most popular girl in school—Ashley. Isabelle can't believe that perfect Ashley has any problems, but she does. When they become friends it is a dream come true for Isabelle. Unfortunately, the two friends continue their binging and vomiting together. As you read the book you realize that Isabelle does what she does because she is dealing with death and with a family that isn't moving on with life. And you see how Isabelle tries to help herself while Ashley isn't quite at that same point yet. I think girls will really like this book, especially those who like to read books about people with problems. It is definitely not as good as Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson or Cut by Patricia McCormick or Freaky Green Eyes by Joyce Carol Oates, all books with a lot more depth and plot twists, but readers will probably enjoy it.

The Alphabet of Dreams by Susan Fletcher

This book has an unusuall setting for a book written for young people. Mitra and her brother Babak live in Persia more than two thousand years ago. They have been separated from their noble family and have been living as beggars and thieves for two years. When Babak begins having prophetic dreams, Mitra (who lives her life disguised as a boy), decides to sell his dreams to make money. When Babak himself is sold to a Magus named Melchior, they begin a journey that will change their lives. Melchior teams up with two other wise Magi and following Babak's dreams, they head off to find a new king. As you can probably guess, these three men are the Wise Men and they are looking for the baby Jesus. But this isn't really a story about those wise men—it's about Mitra growing up and realizing that she needs to give up her dreams of finding her family and take good care of her brother (whose health is poor). This is a book that really gets you inside the heart and mind of another character, and you want to finish the book because Mitra and her brother are like your own good friends.

Silverfin: Young James Bond Book 1 by Charlie Higson

Fans of Alex Rider don't have all that many good spy books to turn to, so they will definitely want to try this one. Guys at OMS have found it and are asking for it all the time. I thought it started out a little slowly, but picked up speed and ended up having an excellent villain with a suitable evil plan to take over the world. Young James Bond is kind of quiet and insecure, and is bullied at school by George Hellebore and his nasty friends. During the holidays in Scotland James finds himself near the Hellebore estate, where a local boy recently disappeared. James and a friend decide to search for him. What they find is a bizarre lake teeming with huge killer eels, and a dungeon with genetically modified pigs and people, and the evil lord Hellebore who wants to do some experiments on James before he kills him. Several times we think young James will be dead any minute, but he always overcomes the danger. There is already one sequel out called Blood Fever, and more to come. Great for kids who like action and spy books.

Ark Angel by Anthony Horowitz

I don't usually read every book in a series, but I am hooked on the Alex Rider books. Actually I listen to them in my car and I love the British actor who does the reading. And last year I got to take some OMS students to see Anthony Horowitz in person, and he was funny and charming and someone I would love to be friends with. So I read all his books. Ark Angel was much like the other Alex Rider books, but I have to admit I don't think it was as good as Eagle Strike or Scorpia. This time Alex gets involved with eco-terrorists who try to kidnap the son of a billionaire who is building the world's first space hotel. Of course, Alex is almost killed several times before Nikolei Drevin is disposed of. Fans of Alex Rider will have to read this book. I'm not going to tell you what happens at the end, but I'm wondering if anyone else thinks Alex's final mission is a little too far-fetched, even for Alex Rider.

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan

This book is about an orphaned girl who grew up in Africa and longs to return to bring back the hospital her missionary parents used to run. Rachel loves Africa—the people, the animals, and the beautiful land. When her parents die of influenza (it is the early 1900s), the scheming Prichard family pretends Rachel is their daughter and sends her to England to butter up their dying grandfather. Rachel, who is sweet and good, wins over the grandfather and manages to get rid of the Prichards. But Rachel still dreams of returning to her beloved hospital in Africa. As you read this book you know that Rachel will succeed, but nevertheless it is fun to read about her journey to adulthood.

Gossamer by Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry has written a few amazing books (Number the Stars and The Giver are my favorites), so I had to read her newest book, Gossamer. This one is different—it's almost like a fable or a fairy tale or maybe a TV Christmas special. It's about dreamgivers, who inhabit human houses and bestow good dreams on people. And it's about the dreamgivers who go bad and bring nightmares. And it's about an abused and troubled boy who acts tough and mean, but is hurting inside and needs protection from the nightmares that come every night. This is a nice book that will make you feel good when you're done. I think kids from fourth grade on up would enjoy this book, especially kids with a little imagination.

Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

Tom is a seventh son of a seventh son, and his parents make him the apprentice of the Spook. In this fantasy world, there are ghosts, ghasts, witches, and boggarts, and Tom must learn how to deal with them all. He's not at all sure he wants to spend his life as the new Spook, but he does show some talent for the work. However, he makes a couple of mistakes and a powerful witch is released from captivity and coming after him for revenge. It's a fun story that is surprisingly believable, and I hear there is already a sequel published. Good for kids who like fantasy and kind of creepy books.

Best Foot Forward by Joan Bauer

Maybe you've read the first book about Jenna, called Rules of the Road. This one is just as good, maybe even better. Jenna sells shoes, and she is great at it. She's only 16, but she's an expert sales person and she's the assistant to Mrs. Gladstone, who is in charge of shoe quality. In this book, Jenna has to train a new shoe salesman--who has a criminal record and is out on parole, and she uncovers lies and deceptions within her shoe company. And she also finds a little bit of romance. Jenna is also going to Al Anon meetings as she deals with her father's alcoholism. Jenna puts her Al Anon wisdom to use to help her cope with her troubles in the show industry. She's a smart and interesting teenager. Highly recommended!