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The Girl
with the Broken Wing
by Heather Dyer
Scholastic
October, 2005
$15.99
0-439-74827-5
Core audience: ages 7-10, grades 2-5
Notable aspects: Imagination, characters, plot
Review:
This is a wonderfully fast-moving story about a wounded "angel"
and her exploits with a set of twins intent on keeping her secret
and exploring their world together. Are there angels or not???!
Reviewer: B.J. Nooth, Baker Books
Rated: 7
Golden and Grey
by Louise Arnold
McElderry Books/Simon and Schuster
June, 2005
$15.95
0-689-87473-1
Core audience: ages 8-12
Notable aspects: characters, humor, plot
Review:
Tom Golden is bullied at his new school and feels like he doesn't
belong there. Through an accident of circumstances, he meets a kindred
spirit in loneliness, ghost Grey Arthur, who is usually invisible
to humans. When Tom is discovered by his parents talking to "someone
invisible", they call in a psychiatrist. Then the story really takes
off! Unscrupulous man, he plans to use Tom and his ability to see
the unseen , and even Grey Arthur (an invisible accomplice), as
a means to wealth and fame for himself. A very amusing scene ensues
when Mum is determined to find her kidnapped son, and a bevy(?)
of ghosts show up to disrupt the dastardly deed. Sound a bit like
Series of Unfortunate Events? They come to mind instantly as the
intriguing cover art is drawn by Bret Helquist. In the end, Tom
is quickly famous and lauded for bravery and manages to settle into
his school nicely. Grey Arthur sort of slips away. We hope he remains
an invisible friend and finds a few more.
Sue Carita, The Toadstool Bookshop,Milford, NH
Rated: 8
Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
by Suzanne Collins
Scholastic
July, 2005
$16.95
0-439-65623-0
Core audience: 8-12
Notable aspects: action, suspense, endearing characters, complex
relationships
Review:
We love Gregor in our family, in fact a new book causes us to drop
everything else-literally. Reading it aloud becomes our sole purpose
in life. With this book I read it at the breakfast table, as soon
as we scurried home from work, as evening entertainment, and then
before bedtime. We were so gripped by Gregor and his desperate need
to save his mother and his beloved bat from the plague that infested
the underworld that we had to keep reading. It was, as they say,-a
matter of life and death. When I read it out loud I can experiment
with my reading style, Boots as the toddler always adds a bit of
humor, and her beloved cockroach, Temp, has such a neat way of speaking.
Which, oddly enough, has crossed over into my everyday language.
In this adventure the group heads to the jungle, meeting up with
new family members that have only been mentioned in previous books.
The fact that Gregor's mom was even let into the Underland, well
that put quite a different spin on everything--eliciting a gasp
of surprise as we plunged on ahead. This book kept up the momentum
of the previous two, and the new setting also added something different
and fresh. Of course Gregor manages to figure everything out and
save the day, and the way it all ended1/4 Well, I can't wait for
another underground adventure. Let's hope Suzanne Collins hears
my plea. If you haven't read any of these books, you're in for a
real treat. The well-drawn characters, suspenseful plot, underground
imagery--these books have it all!
Reviewer: Beth Reynolds, Norwich Bookstore
Rated: 8
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
by J.K. Rowling
Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic
July 16, 2005
$29.95
0-439-78454-9
Core audience: Everyone ages 10 and up
Notable aspects: Plot, characters, imagination, excitement, fantasy,
magiccal world.
Review:
In the penultimate volume of the Harry Potter series, we find Harry's
life much more complicated than before. Gone are the nasty headaches
and forebodings of what He Who Must Not Be Named will do next that
plagued Harry. But instead, Harry, Ron and Hermione face a year
when Snape is now teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts, Dumbledore
is suffering from a nasty wound, and everyone clamors to know more
about what happened in the Ministry of Magic last year. Harry faces
several challenges including private lessons with Dumbledore, curious
students wanting to be close to The Chosen One, a slavering professor
who wants to touch the hem of the garments of everyone who is anyone,
especially Harry, and, scariest of all, romance. Things are seldom
what they seem, and the comfortable backdrop of Hogwarts with classes
and Quidditch is fraught with new dangers and crises. Yes, a terrible
tragedy occurs which leaves readers all around the world debating
what it all means an!
d what will happen in the seventh volume (and when will it be out.)
Rowling has done a fine job of reeling us in, referring back to
elements from the previous books, and challenging even the most
die-hard of Potterites to go back and go through those tomes with
a fine tooth comb!
Bina Williams, Bridgeport Public Library, The Book Vault, Wallingford
CT
Rated: 9.75
Review: It's
tied with book 3 for my designation of "best of the series SO FAR"
Reviewer: Alison Morris, Wellesley Booksmith
Rated: 9
Review: Someone
described this volune as "a parenthesis", and I have to agree. There's
a high proportion of dark material to whimsy and mythos, and so
much of the plot is left to the last volume that one worries it
won't all get the treatment it deserves. Furthermore, I find myself
disappointed in the case Rowling has made for Voldemort as a force
of evil. After the brilliant concept of the Dementors, Voldemort
is merely an abstraction, with no explanation of why anybody would
feel any allegiance to him. Good grief, George W. Bush is a more
believable villain than that.
Reviewer: Carol Chittenden, Eight Cousins
Rated: 6
Harry Sue
by Sue Stauffacher
Knopf/Random House
June, 2005
$15.95
0-375-83274-2
Core audience: ages 8-12
Notable aspects: character
Review:
Harry Sue sounds rough and street-wise and even includes a glossary
to the "jail jive" terms she uses in this engrossing tale told in
her voice. It seems her parents had a bit of a "to-do" when she
was 18 months old, and her Dad threw her out a window. Mom and Dad
were promptly sent up(again for Dad!) and Harry sent to live with
her Granny Clotkin , who runs a daycare center, where the kids wait
on her and things aren't very caring. Harry becomes their caregiver.
Meantime, she is trying to be as naughty as possible at school so
she will land in the clink and be able to find her uncommunicative
Mom. In turns of events really ironic, she often does the BEST thing
and is praised for courageous and selfless acts! She finds constant
parallels to her own life in Wizard of Oz and Dorothy's plight gives
her comfort and guidance. Thank goodness for some truly quirky characters
in her own life that help Harry Sue learn, in the end , that being
"tough" isn't half as good as being loved and loving.
Reviewer: Sue Carita, The Toadstool Bookshop, Milford, NH
Rated: 8
Heavy Metal
and You
by Christopher Krovatin
PUSH/Scholastic
June, 2005
$16.95
0-439-73648-X
Core audience: young adult readers
Notable Aspects: A teenage boy with candor and self-awareness tells
of his courtship with a girl he admires.
Review:
Samuel Markus is just like teenagers we all know -- he loves heavy
metal music, he loves acting in high school plays, and he is thrilled
by his good fortune when a girl he likes actually likes him back.
He is honest, funny, charming, and smokes too much. He loves putting
together mixed CDs of his favorite songs for his friends. And he
narrates his story with great charm and a bit of profanity. Kids
who enjoy these things will love reading this story. Of particular
charm is a classroom scene where Sam offends some violent jocks
by defending the character of Holden Caulfield from The Catcher
in the Rye. Sam's narrative style is somewhat akin to Holden Caulfield's,
only Sam has more confidence in himself. The brief scene gives a
nice "nudge, nudge, wink-wink" to Mr. Salinger for inventing the
genre that author Christopher Krovatin proves himself in as a worthy
successor.
Reviewer: Magoo Gelehrter, Baker Books
Rated:
The Human
Fly and Other Stories
by T.C.Boyle
Speak/Penguin
September 2005
$9.99
0-14-240363-6
Core audience: Ages 12 and up
Notable aspects:
Review: The Human Fly contains 13 stories and an Afterward. [sic]
Of uneven quality, as story collections too often are, these stories
would best be appreciated by reading The Afterward first. In the
Afterward, Boyle explains that his motivation in putting together
this collection is pure entertainment. As he discusses each story
the tidbits he adds help to put each story in perspective. While
some of the stories are too disturbing or provocative to serve as
mere entertainment, they would inject a much needed note of wit
into the average high school English class.
Reviewer Kathy Goddard
Rated: 8.5
I, Coriander
by Sally Gardner
Dial/Penguin
August, 2005
$16.99
0-8037-3099-3
Core audience: girls, ages 10-14
Notable aspects: Historical detail, vivid characters & setting
Review:
I really enjoyed the historical detail blended with an actual "fairy
tale." Her descriptions of London, The Thames, the other characters
and the fairy lives and characters is very strong, and the plot
moves right along. It is a very imaginative book and lovely to look
at -- beautiful end papers, etc. The ending was a bit too perfect
to be believable, however, if I were twelve or thirteen it is exactly
what I would have wanted. It's a very visual book.
Reviewer: Mimi Powell, Baker Books
Rated: 8
This story
reminds me of Joan Aiken's style of writing with magical underpinnings.
I think middle grade girl readers will be drawn in by the beautiful
cover and really enjoy the story.Though the book starts out strong,
it lost me halfway. I felt like there was more story between the
lines that I didn't get to read. I know this is the first of a trilogy,
but I still wanted more in this one.
Reviewer: Lisa Dugan, Koen Book Distributors (formerly of)
Rated: 7.5
Core audience:
girls who enjoy fantasy and historical fiction
Notable aspects: intricate plot, characters
Review:
Fairies and fantasy meet the Cornwall/Puritan decade in mid-seventeen
century England.. This is a story of a woman's love for her husband
and daughter, loyalty of friends, the extreme reaction of the Roundheads/Puritans
following the execution of the English king interwoven with the
magic of fairies tainted by the need for power and greed. Readers
will truly care what happens to Coriander and her family and friends.
Who can resist a happy ending?
Reviewer: Joanne Bibeau, Storybook Cove
Rated: 7.5
Indigo Blue
by Cathy Cassidy
Viking/Penguin
September 22, 2005
$15.99
0-670-05927-7
Core audience: Ages 10 and up
Notable aspects:
Review:
Indigo Blue, known as Indie, is eleven. She lives with her Mother
and toddler sister and their Mother's boyfriend, Max. Although the
adults argue a lot, sometimes violently, Indie is still surprised
when her Mother bundles up baby Misti, a few belongings and tells
Indie they are moving-without Max. Their new apartment is in a bad
part of town and a longer walk to school for Indie. Embarrassed
by her new circumstances Indie tries not to let anyone know about
her new life. She is reluctant to invite friends home but that becomes
less important as she is forced to spend more of her free time caring
for her sister as her Mother falls into a depression. Always worried
that Max will find them, Indie stays home rather than risk discovery.
When the inevitable happens and Max does find them Indie is once
again called upon.
This is a carefully told story of a family under siege by a batterer.
While there are certainly dark moments, overall the book is accessible
and should provide solace to younger children seeking to understand
similar relationships.
Reviewer Kathy Goddard
Rated: 8.5
Inexcusable
by Chris Lynch
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster
November, 2005
$16.95
0-689-84789-0
Core audience: Young Adult, 13 years +
Notable aspects: Authenticity, themes
Review:
This is a must read for everyone (parents, teachers & teens).
It tackles a difficult subject with honesty, and holds nothing back.
It shows how all misdeeds can be rationalized away -- but that,
at some point, we must open our eyes and accept our own responsibility.
Smooth writing style.
Reviewer: Nicole Guerra, Baker Books
Rated: 9
Reviewer Kathy Goddard
Rated: 7.5
Inkspell
by Cornelia Funke
Scholastic
October 2005
$19.99
0-439-55400-4
Core audience: 10 & up
Notable aspects: imagination, language, characters--both old &
new, exciting finish
Review:
Many months ago, when I heard there was to be a sequel to my beloved
"Inkheart," I emphatically announced my excitement by declaring:
"Given the choice between the new Harry Potter and a sequel to 'Inkheart'
I'd choose the latter." To which my husband quickly replied, "Let
me be in the room with you so I can scoop up the Harry Potter book
before anyone else notices."
It's not that I don't like Harry, I've read all the books-several
times. But having an unexpected continuation to a story you loved
but had thought complete, well nothing beats that. Not even a wonderful
wizard.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on my new found treasure. And Cornelia
Funke did not disappoint. It's a fat book, my favorite kind. And
the quotes I so loved at the beginning of each chapter, well now
there were even more of them-not to mention little sketches and
a complete list of character descriptions. Reading over the new
characters I could see that we would discover more about Dustfinger
and so I plunged ahead.
Dustfinger does finally convince someone to read him back into the
Inkworld, where he is reunited with his family. He had a family,
who knew? Well there are many more surprises in store, especially
when Meggie and Farid soon enter the Inkworld. Once they make the
decision to go I was reminded of the movies I've seen about the
first astronauts in space. I kept wanting to say to them, "There's
no guarantee you'll be able to come back, you know." Maybe that's
just the mom in me talking. And then shortly after, Meggie's father
and mother make the choice to follow her. Alas, there's no specifying
where you'll enter the world, so the rest of the story becomes a
sort of wild goose chase through this fantastical world each trying
to find those who came before them. All except for Elinor, she and
Darius are left behind in our world. Though I don't care for her
language at times, I do have a soft spot for any woman who loves
books as much as she does.
With so many new characters and so many new adventures I just kept
reading and trying to take it all in. Funke is like her beloved
Dustfinger, only instead of flames she uses words. They crackle
and dance at her command, creating these breathtaking images that
are beautiful or funny, or sad, but always memorable in their own
way. The ending for me was so unforgettable. Those images will be
with me for a long time. And now it's all I can do until the third
book arrives. For the only thing better than a sequel is to discover
that there's a sequel to that sequel. In years to come I'll be able
to recommend this trilogy to a child and watch them eagerly enter
the Inkworld.
Reviewer: Beth Reynolds at The Norwich Bookstore
Rated:
Core audience:
For mature middle readers, young adults, bibliophiles, fans of fantasy
and the Middle Ages
Notable aspects: lyrical language, rich and detailed settings, intricate
plot twists, acknowledgement of consequences, mature themes
Review:
Inkspell, the sequel to Inkheart, is dark. Unbelievably and unrelievably
dark. It's a very mature book that pulls no punches in the telling
of a much more involved tale than its predecessor. Many new characters
are introduced to round out the cast that we've already gotten to
know. Meggie is a year older, somewhat wiser, but still the intrepid
and curious young girl, who makes a young girl's mistakes. We get
better acquainted with Farid, Resa, and Fenoglio, the latter of
which still seems determined to control the story that he created
but which has taken on a life of its own. The darkness in this book
is offset by its richness of detail. Although it is just as long
as Inkheart, perhaps even longer, it moves at a much swifter pace
and sweeps the reader away even more strongly. I anxiously await
the resolution of the ending set up in the final pages of Inkspell.
Reviewer: Patty Cryan, Mike's Comics, Worcester, MA
Rated: 9
The King
in the Window
by Adam Gopnik
Miramax Books/Hyperion
October, 2005
$19.95
0-7868-1862-X
Core audience: Ages 10 and up
Notable aspects: very imaginative concept: complex and inventive
plot: adventure: humor: setting
Review:
Eleven year old Oliver Parker is a very unhappy American in Paris..
He hates the strict French school he attends, he misses his friends
from home and hasn't really made any new ones. Although his mother
tries to encourage him, his father is always busily glued to his
computer screen. Preoccupied with his problems on Epiphany night,
he forgets to remove the paper crown he is wearing because the prize
in the King cake, a strange looking key, was in his piece of cake.
As he glances out the window, he sees, not his own reflection, but
a long-haired boy dressed in an old fashioned embroidered doublet.
This boy, who is and is not his reflection, speaks to him, calling
him king and begging him to come home and lead his people. Thus
begins a complex and highly imaginative adventure.
The boy is a Window Wraith, and has mistaken Oliver for the "King
in the Window", the champion awaited by the Window Wraiths. This
"king' will lead the forces of good in the latest round of a long
battle against the evil Master of Mirrors who steals the souls of
those who spend too much time looking in mirrors of all kinds (including
computer screens}. This time the Master's evil intentions threaten
the whole world, and possibly the universe.
With the aid of a strange collection of allies including Neige (
the mysterious daughter of the apartment manager), the Window Wraiths
of Versailles, an elderly and eccentric Englishwoman, some of the
street people of Paris as well as his American friend Charlie who
arrives to visit, Oliver reluctantly takes on the task. The battle
ranges through the windows, river, museums, Eiffel Tower, secret
underground caverns, stained glass treasures and even the frozen
puddles of a wintry and brooding Paris and into the strange and
contrary world behind the mirrors. A glass sword, a crystal pendant,
the key from the king cake, the shadows of the city, a cavalry of
in-line skaters, mental exercise and a silver spoon are among the
weapons mustered by Oliver and his allies.
Gopnik has spun one of the most imaginative fantasies I have read.
Oliver, the reluctant and maybe accidental hero, grows in strength
of character and sense of responsibility as he steps up to the plate
and does what must be done. The adventure story is enlivened by
Gopnik's subtle humor which illumines and pokes gentle fun at Franco-American
differences in outlook. An underlying theme involving rhetorical
devices and precision of language tickled me as well; the future
of humankind might be in danger but there is always time for a good
discussion of metaphor and irony.
Reviewer: Ann K. Bertone, Buttonwood Books and Toys
Rated: 7.5
The King
of Mulberry Street
by Donna Jo Napoli
Wendy Lamb Books/Random House
October, 2005
$17.99
0-385-90890-3
Core audience: elementary to middle school
Notable aspects: plot, characters, setting, authenticity
Dom is a 9-year-old from Naples who finds himself alone on a boat
stowing away to America. The story of how he got on the boat and
how he makes his way in a strange land is one of strength, loss
and ultimate success. Based in part on her grandfather's life, the
book is steeped in the history and atmosphere of immigrant New York
at the turn of the twentieth century. Dom and his friends Gaetano
and Tin Pan Alley will tug at your heart.
Nancy Felton, Broadside Bookshop
Rated: 8.5
The Kingdom
Keepers: Disney After Dark
by Ridley Pearson
Disney/Hyperion
September, 2005
$17.99
0-7868-5444-8
Core audience: Ages 10 and up
Review:
This is a workmanlike sci fi interpretation of the 'Magic" of Disney,
Finn Whitman, an aspiring actor has along with four other teenagers
been chosen to be the model for a new sort of Disney guide. Their
likeness has been made into holograms with whom Magic Kingdom visitors
can interact. But something is wrong with the technology and Finn
begins dreaming that he is in the park at night after it has closed
to the public. When he is joined in the dreams by the other four
holograms, Finn understands that these are not normal dreams. With
the park increasingly coming under the influence of the 'Overtakers'
(Malevolent mutated Disney characters) it seems the teens are the
only hope. It may appeal to hardcore Disney fans because of the
scenes detailing the behind-the-scenes working of the huge entertainment
complex.
Reviewer Kathy Goddard
Rated: 7
Legend of
the Wandering King
by Laura Gallego Garcia, translated by Dan Bellm
Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic
August, 2005
0-439-58556-2
Core audience: Older elementary and middle school
Notable Aspects: character, plot, setting, language
Rating: 8.5
This fable-like novel is set in pre-Islamic Arabia. It is the story
of King Walid, whose ambition is to be named the best poet in the
land. His jealousy of the man whose poetry is chosen over his leads
Walid to commit acts which he later regrets. The journey he takes
to atone for them is one of self-discovery and growth. There is
action and suspense in this book as well as introspection, and I
love the fact that the main conflict centers around a poetry competition
in a society where poets are given the highest honors.
Nancy Felton, Broadside Bookshop
Rated: 8.5
Significant
themes: legends, storytelling, poetry, carpets, the Middle East,
choices, life lessons
Review: This is a wonderful book that artfully extends the tradition
of great storytelling. A memorable read that is rich with poetry,
adventure, and unexpected plot twists, The Legend of the Wandering
King ultimately leads readers toward a meaningful understanding
of the impact and responsibility of one's choices. (But, not to
worry -- it does so without fanfare or preachiness.)
Reviewer: Alison Morris, Wellesley Booksmith
Rated: 8
Let Me Play:
The Story of Title IX,
the Law That Changed the Future of Girls in America
by Karen Blumenthal
Atheneum/Simon and Schuster
July 2005
$17.95
0-689-85957-0
Core audience: will appeal mostly to those 14 and up (and this is
just as much for adults as for a YA audience!!)
Notable aspects: sports, women's history, legislation, hurdles (both
literal and figurative!!)
Review:
Let Me Play is a truly interesting and insightful look at that the
law that eventually moved girls (and women) one stop closer to equal
rights and an even playing field. While it would make a great gift
for precocious athletes in middle or (more likely) high school,
this is, for the most part, a book about the judicial system. Sound
boring? Think again. Politics, ugly in-fighting, endless hurdles,
tireless perseverance, big rewards. Funny... Maybe this IS a book
about sports, after all!
Reviewer: Alison Morris, Wellesley Booksmith
Rated: 8
The Liberation
of Gabriel King
by K. L. Going
Putnam/Penguin
June, 2005
$15.99
0-399-23991-X
Core audience: middle grade readers
Notable aspects: plot, characters, language, authenticity &
accuracy, imagination, sensitivity, humor, child-connected, interesting
setting, strong ending, significant underlying ideas, information
Review: I have to agree with Alison, this is a great book! My Penguin
rep says it is her first Newbery Pick of the year. I agree with
her, too. And, as you can see, it contains every notable aspect
that's part of our review process.
That's got to mean something.
In some respects I'd compare this book to Ann Martin's Here Today
(bringing alive a certain time in history), but I find it much more
tightly focused and well written. The story takes place in a small
town in Georgia in 1976 right before Jimmy Carter becomes president(it
is sooo weird to be reading historical fiction about a time period
in which I lived!). Perhaps Civil Rights have made great strides
by this time in history, but the KKK is still strong in this part
of the country. It is against this backdrop that we read about two
best friends: one white (Gabe) and one black (Frita). Gabe is terrified
of many things, including going to 5th grade next year. Frita, as
his best friend, takes it upon herself to help him conquer his fears.
She has him make a list of his top fears and she makes a list, too,
and one by one they tackle them.
K.L. Going conveys a well defined sense of place and time in history,
expressing dark realities in a way kids can understand, and within
that framework also expresses the power of friendship and family.
Reviewer: Lisa Dugan, Koen Book Distributors (formerly of)
Rated: 9
Core audience:
ages 10 and up
Significant themes: fear, racism, bullies, friendship, strength
of family, strength of community
Review:
The Liberation of Gabriel King is a quiet stunner of a book. Through
the vehicle of a strong, simple story about two friends on a mission
to conquer their fears, K. L. Going delivers a compelling look at
the things that reduce us to nothing, and the loves that bring us
back again. This is not (as the plot synopsis might suggest) a book
about race. This is a book about learning to stand up for yourself,
and trusting your friends to stand with you. In short, this is a
memorable, WONDERFUL book
Reviewer: Alison Morris, Wellesley Booksmith
Rated: 9
Core audience:
Ages 8-12, boys and girls
Notable aspects: Voice, setting, plot, sensitivity, strong ending,
significant underlying ideas
Review: Bright, feisty black girls whose best friends are dorky
white boy narrators seem to be a larger demographic in print than
in real life. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy set a very high
standard last year in this category, and The Liberation of Gabriel
King comes so close to that standard that I feel conflicted about
which to recommend to a customer. Gabriel King addresses a somewhat
younger audience, and softens the ugliness of racial violence on
that account. That may make it a good choice for school and library
use, and it will become a summer reading perennial, but as a gift
book, its understated tension and subtle humor would probably be
lost on most individual readers ages 8-12. Furthermore, the setting
of rural Georgia is less immediate to New England readers than that
of Phippsburg, Maine, where Lizzie Bright takes place.
Reviewer: Carol Chittenden, Eight Cousins
Rated: 8
Lionboy:
The Truth
by Zizou Corder
Dial/Penguin
September, 2005
$16.99
0-8037-2985-5
Core audience: 8-12
Notable aspects: satisfying conclusion, plot twists & turns,
comprehensive epilogue
Review:
Maybe it's because its part of a trilogy we tend to dismiss this
new book as being just like the others. Of course the kids who read
the first two will want this one as well. And that's true, but1/4
What if it were poorly written, or too far-fetched, or not satisfying.
Let's not even entertain those silly notions, because it's great!
My family and I came late to this series about a young boy who can
talk to cats in search of his parents. We listened to the audio
versions on a cartrip and all of us were equally riveted and entertained.
This time around we read the book out loud, so anxious were we to
have Charlie reunite with his parents. It didn't disappoint. Twists
and turns abound. New characters and old ones you may have just
forgotten make an appearance, giving this story charm and appeal
to a wide age range of reader.
Having a mother and daughter team write these stories makes for
interesting dialogue, giving an authenticity to the younger characters
that's often lacking in other books. On the other hand, you may
have to suspend a bit of disbelief when Neenu the chameleon helps
out with the computers, but then again all the animals in these
stories talk that's what makes them so engaging.
I found the epilogue in the form of a "Wish List" especially satisfying-tying
up loose ends for those of us who like that sort of thing. But when
it was over, and we saw those two little words "The End," we were
sad, but happy for Charlie. But now when we recommend them to new
readers they can devour them one right after the other and find
themselves charmed. Maybe even developing a taste for hot chocolate
with whipped cream and shaved chocolate on top. That's how we have
it at our house now-just like King Boris.
Reviewer: Beth Reynolds, Norwich Bookstore
Rated: 8
The Lioness
and Her Knight
by Gerald Morris
Houghton Mifflin
September 2005
$16.00
0-618-50772-8
Core audience: Ages 10 and up, both boys and girls, King Arthur
fans, fantasy fans, fans of Lloyd Alexander, Tamora Pierce's Trickster's
Choice, Vivian Vande Velde's Heir Apparent, etc.
Notable aspects: plot, characters, humor, imagination, setting,
literary quality
Review: This seventh installment in Morris's series of bright Arthurian
retellings sparkles with lively humor. Here, Lynet's teenaged daughter,
Luneta, chafes at the confines of dull country life and leaps at
the opportunity to visit her mother's friend in a distant castle.
Escorted by her newfound cousin and aspiring knight, Ywain, Luneta
encounters much more adventure than she'd hoped for. In her travels,
she meets a clever knight-turned-fool --- Rhience, a match for her
own quick wit and a temper for her impulsiveness -- as well as a
holy hermit who lives surprisingly well, a semi-tame lioness, and
a whole host of variously silly, absurd, vain, or dangerous folks.
The pace never falters and the banter never fails to amuse in this
delightful tale; 343 pages whiz by. How Gerald Morris goes unnoticed
by awards committees astonishes me; he proves himself time and time
again a master storyteller.
Note: While the book stands on its own, readers of Morris's earlier
books, especially The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf, will be happy
to reacquaint themselves with Lynet, Gary, Terence, Gawain, Robin,
Morgan Le Fay, and numerous other familiar friends. An author's
note at the end points readers to the medieval origins of the story
first told by French poet-chronicler Chretien de Troyes.
Elizabeth Bluemle, Flying Pig Bookstore
Rated: 9
Listening
For Lions
by Gloria Whelan
HarperCollins
July, 2005
$15.99
0-06-058174-3
Core audience: 10-12 (girls, especially)
Notable Aspects: Rich African/English setting, plot
Review:
Rachel is the daughter of 2 missionaries who spend their time tending
to the sick in East Africa in the early 1900's. When influenza strikes
their area, both succumb and Rachel is left an orphan. By a strange
coincidence of events she is sent to England impersonating the granddaughter
of a dying man. She is uncomfortable about the deception, but doesn't
know how to rectify it, thinking her "grandfather" would die if
he found out. There is a certain predictability about the story,
but the richness of the setting and the characters pulls it along.
Reviewer: Carol Stoltz, Porter Square Books
Rated: 8
Looking
for Lucy Buick
by Rita Murphy
Delacorte/Random House
November, 2005
$15.95
0-385-72939-1
Core audience: Ages 12 & up
Notable aspects:
Review:
Rita Murphy's new novel has the same wonderful magical realism and
strong female bonding that I have come to expect from her. Lucretia
Sandoni is 18 years old and is finally ready to start her new life
as Lucy Buick. Although she has loved her Aunts and Uncle Sandoni's
she has felt stifled by her life with them. She hops a train looking
for signs to figure out where to go. She wants to find her real
family, the ones who left her as a baby in an old Buick. She lands
in Gardenia, Iowa at Lila Fortune's Motor Lodge. There she meets
a cast of characters that help teach her what family really means.
Reviewer: Lorna Ruby, Wellesley Booksmith
Rated: 8
Marie, Dancing
by Carolyn Meyer
Harcourt
October, 2005
$17.00
0-15-205116-3
Core audience: Girls - 12 and up
Notable Aspects: characters, interesting setting, historical and
artistic mentions
Review:
Historical Fiction - The main character of the book is Marie Van
Goethem, the model for Edgar Degas' statue "The Little Dancer, Aged
Fourteen". The setting is Paris in the late 1800's. We see Marie
and her struggle to survive with her widowed alcoholic mother-a
good woman, but weak, an older sister-self centered and willing
to do whatever it takes to get what she wants, including seducing
rich older men and her younger sister-who must be taken care of.
We get a glimpse of what went into the modeling for the statue and
the initial public reaction to it.
I immediately fell in love with the character of Marie and would
have loved to see the book wrapped up in a nice fairy tale ending.
However, life does not always turn out that way and we learn of
the struggles Marie encounters.
Reviewer: Lisa Fabiano, Hearts & Stars Bookshop
Rated: 6
Core audience:
Children 12 and older who like historical fiction and ballet
Notable aspects: story development and characters
Review:
This is a fictionalized recounting of the life of the 14 year old
girl who was the model for Edgar Degas' sculpture, Little Dancer
Aged Fourteen, Petite Danseuse de Quartorze Ans. The book explores
the life of Marie van Goethem and her poor Parisian family. The
reader finds out what the real life of a ballet dancer entailed,
which could include being forced by financial circumstances to face
the reality of being a rich man's mistress. Only one of the 3 sisters
truly becomes a ballet star and Marie loses her one true love. This
is a touching and beautifully written story that all dancers will
treasure.
Reviewer: Janet Bibeau, Storybook Cove
Rated: 8
The Minister's
Daughter
by Julie Hearn
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster
June, 2005
$16.95
0-689-87690-4
Core audience: Girls ages 12-15
Strengths: Setting, language
Review: The thing I like best about The Minister's Daughter is the
rich, imaginative language. It's as genuine as a live, fresh, fragrant
Christmas tree, and just as full of promise. The thing I like the
least is the plot, which is trite and labored, as though the end
point (the Salem Witch Trials) had come first in the author's mind,
and no amount of logic (or illogic) could divert her from that destination.
In between are the characters. The major ones seem 2 1/2-dimensional:
the Evil One, the Good One, and the Confused One. But several of
the minor characters have a little more stuffing, and I wanted to
meet more of them. I can't wait to see what Hearn writes next.
Plot synopsis: in Puritan England of 1645, the minister's pretty
elder daughter becomes pregnant by a lusty young swain. Her younger
sister, telling parts of the story in flashback, is unbelievably
naive about her nasty sibling, and falls for the excuse that they're
under the spell of a witch: convenient, because rooting out witches
is quite the public entertainment of the day, and the minister himself
has thundered against witches from his pulpit. The elderly local
healer has just failed a trial by water, leaving her granddaughter
only half prepared to meet village medical and psychiatric needs,
so the granddaughter is easily set up as the culpable witch. When
a handy prince saves her at the last minute, the minister and his
household are disgraced, and soon set sail for Salem in the New
World.
Reviewer: Carol B. Chittenden, Eight Cousins
Rated: 7
Core audience:
teen girls
Notable Aspects: character, period detail, language, plot
Review: This is an engrossing tale told through two strands. The
first being the Minister's younger daughter's confession in 1692.
Patience Madden says "We went too far" in describing the plot devised
by her older sister, Grace, 15, to convince the townspeople, and
her widowed minister father, that her growing belly was due to the
spells of the town's healer and her "merrybegotten" granddaughter,
Nell. The two put on little "shows" similar to those of the Salem
girls accusing elders of witchcraft. Patience describes her older
sister as "artful as a snake" and indeed we see it once again, after
the minister and his daughters board ship for a new life in the
New World-Salem, of course- and then, what a strange twist at the
end!
The other strand is a third person narration of what is happening
with the townspeople, the town healer and Nell in the year 1645,
when most of the above action takes place. We see the angry townspeople
and what they do to suspected witches. It is suspenseful and we
see lives full of secrets. The real kicker is at the end, back to
the confession of Patience in Salem. This atmospheric tale ends
fittingly-but don't we all know that Patience will out!
Score: 9 (except for those pesky piskies!)
Reviewer: Sue Carita, The Toadstool Bookshop, Milford, NH
Rated: 9
Core audience:
12+
Notable Aspects: historic content, characters, authenticity
Review: England in 1692 is no place to be if you are a witch. Although
Grace is a ministers daughter, pretty and refined, she is by no
means an angel. Nell, on the other hand, is granddaughter to the
village folk healer and in training for the job herself. Although
they don't know it, their fates are closely linked in ways that
unravel throughout the book. The author fades in and out of really
authentic historic situations into fantasy that really is magically
done. I think it is a great piece of work that has just enough lustiness,
magic and intrigue to keep a teen ( or adult) interested.
Reviewer: Mimi Powell, Baker Books
Rated: 8
Mirror of
Fire and Dreaming
by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Roaring Brook Press
September, 2005
$16.95
1-59643-067-2
Core audience: older elementary and middle school
Notable Aspects: plot, characters, setting, language
Review:
In this sequel to The Conch Bearer, the apprentice Anand has a vision
that his mentor Abhaydatta is in danger. He embarks on a journey
through time as well as space to save Abhaydatta nd all those endangered
by an evil magician and a jinn. The book is set in both contemporary
Indian and India under Moghul rule. It is beautifully written, has
both emotion and humor and is full of adventure.
Reviewer: Nancy Felton, Broadside Bookshop
Rated: 8.5
Core audience: children 10-12 who enjoy fantasy and adventure
Notable aspects: setting, kid-appeal, interesting characters
Review:
Anand, the "keeper of the conch", and the newest member of the Brotherhood
in Silver Valley, goes on another adventure with Nisha, his companion
from The Conch Bearer and the conch. His Indian adventure includes
travel in time in order to assist his mentor Abhaydatta in his quest
to the aid a village tormented by an evil sorcerer and powerful
jinn. This engrossing novel set in India telling of fantasy, loyalty,
and good versus evil will appeal to young readers. Reviewer:
Janet Bibeau, Storybook Cove
Rated: 7.5
The Mistmantle
Chronicles
by M. I. McAllister
Miramax/Hyperion
September, 2005
$17.95
0-7868-5486-3
Core audience: Ages 8 up
Notable aspects: First book in animal-based medieval trilogy.
Review: Urchin is an orphan squirrel- his mother, fearing a prophecy
that her baby will bring down a powerful ruler, flees her island
and arrives on Mistmantle Island during the "Night of the Stars".
She delivers him only to die & be swept out to sea. A gull grabs
him, but he is dropped back & is rescued by two squirrels- the
King's attendant Crispin & Brother Fir, the island's priest.
They arrange to have him adopted & keep an eye on him. As he
gets older, he is asked to serve Captain Crispin as a page in the
king's tower. Squirrels, hedgehogs, otters & moles form the
main body of characters. Full of adventure as Urchin learns his
new duties and a coup d'etat plot is hatched by a member of the
court who fears a day "when squirrels fall from the sky". Readers
will learn about medieval hierarchies and tasks as well as animal
characteristics.
Reviewer: Pat Fowler, Village Square BooksellersRated 9
The Naming:
First Book of Pellinor
by Alison Croggon
Candlewick Press
June 2005
$17.99
0-7636-2639-2
Core audience: Fans of Tamora Pierce, fans of Shero books, fans
of fantasy
Notable aspects: Character development, positive values
Rating: For Tamora Pierce fans, I'd rate it a 8.5/9, for others,
7.5/8
Review: Okay, I could say, "They had me at hello", but what I mean
is, Candlewick had me at the quote from Tamora Pierce on the back
of the ARC recommending this title. It's funny, because usually
it bothers me when publishers point out that a prominent author
has given a quote to go on a book, and, yet, having TP's stamp of
approval made me dive into this story. It's definitely for young
adults, older middle grade readers, because it's dense, thick, filled
with words, a good book to sink your teeth into. It's about this
girl Maerad who is a slave in a far away little hovel and one day
as she is milking the cows, she is discovered by Cadvan, one of
the great Bards of the kingdom who takes her away with him, because
he recognizes in her that she has great powers and is also a bard
(bards here are more than just musicians, they are the ruling class).
The journey they undertake is long and arduous, outrunning evil
at every turn. Cadvan has been on a mission, because dark forces
are taking over the world and the bards must mount a battle campaign
to combat this evil. Throughout this Maerad comes into her own.
A sixteen year old girl who has never had the luxury of a bath,
has never learned to read. As she discovers the niceties of society,
she is also trained in swordplay, taught to read, and is prepared
to become a bard, so that she can fulfill a destiny she's not sure
is hers and she's not sure she wants.
The same qualities I love in Tamora Pierce's books are evident in
this book. I love Maerad's character. I love that she must undergo
grueling tests of her courage and strength. She is trained in all
sorts of things to prepare her for battle on many fronts. Through
it all, she develops a circle of close friends, and she is above
all a good person. I think if you are the type of person that had
issues with Eragon as in being too similar to Tolkien, then you'd
probably have even more issues with this book, because even I, now
that I have seen the movies (No, sorry, I haven't read the books),
can recognize similar characters, etc., but I still really, really
liked it. *Of course*, it's the first in a planned quartet. The
author is Australian.
Lisa Dugan, Koen Book Distributors (formerly of)
Rated: 8.0
Naughts
& Crosses
by Marjorie Blackman
Simon & Schuster
June, 2005
$15.95
1-41690016-0
Core audience: 14 & up
Notable aspects: imaginative setting, told from dual points of view,
includes details that make the reader ponder
Review:
A modern day Romeo & Juliet set in an alternative England where
the naughts are light-skinned and considered second-class citizens.
The Crosses are the dark-skinned ruling class-the two shall never
mix. Yet Callum and Sephy, the main characters in this story, have
been playing together since they were little. They are each other's
best friends, all they've ever known.
Blackman writes the type of YA novel that makes you think. A little
romance, intrigue, not to mention a good heaping dollop of politics
thrown in for good measure. I loved the little tidbits she includes,
like dark colored band-aids looking out of place on Callum's skin.
And those light skinned explorers that we read about in history
books, here play second fiddle to the dark men who really did all
the work.
She certainly uses dichotomy and opposition to spectacular effect,
playing each of the different sides off of each other: Boy vs. Girl,
Dark vs. Light, Old student vs. New student, Rich vs. Poor, Older
sibling vs. Younger sibling. (Callum and Sephy each has a older
same-sex sibling who a dramatic effect upon their respective family
dynamic.) Blackman is the queen of subtle nuance with each turn
of phrase another chance to re-examine "reality."
This story is the ultimate "What-if." Told from different points
of view, Callum and Sephy's tragic tale will keep you riveted to
the end. Of course it's not Happily Ever After, but Shakespeare's
couple didn't end up their either. I imagine this will do very well
in paperback with teens who don't think they like historical novels.
This one may surprise them.
Reviewer: Beth Reynolds, The Norwich Bookstore
Rated: 7
Operation
Red Jericho
by Joshua Mowll (Guild Trilogy Book 1)
Candlewick
September, 2005
$15.99
0-7636-2634-1
Core audience: ages 10-12
Notable aspects: Elaborate production
Review: Highly as I regard Candlewick fiction, this book is a piece
of gimmicky claptrap whose sole originality seems to be in making
up "facts". The setting is supposedly China and neighboring islands
in 1920, and the concept is the report of a secret society, including
diagrams, diary entries, photographs, plans, sketches, clippings,
lists and maps. An English boy of 13 and his sister, 15, are seeking
their missing parents when they're caught up in intrigues for control
of a powerful substance that roughly equals nuclear power. But I
became skeptical on the first page of Chapter 1 where a "clipping"
dated 1920, reporting on an international trade accord, cites "European,
Asian, African and American delegates..." Scuse me, but who was
speaking for Asian and African trade interests in 1920? On page
8, the sister makes offhand mention that "our airplane force-landed
four days ago in Indo China." You may search the internet as I did
to see if there's any history of passenger flight anywhere in east
Asia before 1929. Good luck.
I persevered as far as page 235 (of 257) and just couldn't take
any more. Perhaps those final pages, or even the two remaining volumes,
flesh out one or more of the oriental characters into an admirable
and complex person, in contrast to the stunt guys and evil ones
who populate the first 19 chapters. Perhaps they peel away the imitation
Jules Verne, Richard Halliburton and Da Vinci Code and 85 years
of world history to become a believable work of fiction. It would
be a surprise.
Reviewer: Carol Chittenden, Eight Cousins
Rated: 3
Review:
Incredible attention to detail in both story development and accompanying
graphics; heroic action, great characters. Joshua Mowll inherits
archives of family history. His aunt and uncle in their youth had
astonishing adventures, the details of which are shown through the
archival material. This story will go over big with the bright kids
(of all ages!) who enjoy the Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket, and Eragon
adventures. The author, Joshua Mowll, is himself a character in
the story as well as an extremely gifted writer and incredibly imaginative
graphic artist. The story unfolds via the archived materials of
all sorts that he inherits from his Great Aunt Rebecca. In her youth,
she and her brother kept journals as well as various artifacts from
their amazing adventures. These adventures ensued during the teenagers'
attempts to find their missing parents. Glorious and curiosity-provoking
details will cure readers into an appreciation of history. This
one is destined for greatness.! A bona-fide "10"!
Reviewer: Magoo Gelehrter, Baker Books
Rated: 10
Peeps
by Scott Westerfield
Razorbill/Penguin
September, 2005
$16.99
1-59514-031-x
Core audience: Ages 14 and up
Notable aspects:
Review: Working as a Health Field Officer for the Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene, Sexually Transmitted Disease Control,
Cal spends his time hunting old girlfriends and others infected
with the parasite that transforms them into "Peeps." As a carrier,
Cal will not transform but he is still able to infect others. His
"hunting grounds' are Manhattan and the surrounding bouroughs. I
wanted to like this book (I had really enjoyed Westerfied's previous
foray into sci fi, So Yesterday.) but I got bogged down in the tedious
requirements of the disease and the details of the hunt.
Reviewer Kathy Goddard
Rated: 7
The Penderwicks:
A Summer Tale of Four Girls,
Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
by Jeanne Birdsall
Knopf/Random House
June, 2005
$15.95
0-375-83143-6
Core audience: Girls and boys, ages 8-12
Notable aspects: Characters, plot, humor, language, imagination,
sensitivity, humor, child-connected, strong ending.
Review: Spirited, but gentle. A charming blend of old-fashioned
family stories and modern details. Four delightfully distinctive
sisters and their botanist-father vacation in a cottage on the estate
where two unique boys and an overbearing mother live, so naturally
there are adventures, friendships, rescues, misunderstandings, computers,
Latin, rabbits, mischief, tears, a big dog, computers, hiding places,
and a good-natured cook.
Reviewer: Carol Chittenden, Eight Cousins
Rated: 9
The Perfect
Distance
by Kim Ablon Whitney
Knopf/Random House
October, 2005
$17.99
0375832432
Core audience: ages 12 and up
Notable aspects: horseback riding, immigration, first love, self-confidence,
competition
Review: Don't be misled by the cover -- this is not "just another
horse book." With The Perfect Distance, Kim Ablon Whitney delivers
a smart, sensitive story about the nature of competition, the power
of self-confidence, and the occasional necessity of compromise.
Teens will find it easy to relate to protagonist Francie Martinez
and will find themselves cheering her on as she steers her way around
obstacles in both the riding ring and her social life. Francie's
experiences will surely resonate with readers (girls especially)
who will enjoy being along for the ride.
Reviewer: Allison Morris, Wellesley Booksmith
Rated: 8
Plastic
Angel
by Nerissa Nields
Orchard/Scholastic
June, 2005
$17.95
0-439-70913-X
Core audience: teenaged girls
Notable aspects:
Review:
Nerissa Nields has drawn on her many years as a singer-songwriter
to craft a well-written novel about 2 girls who decide to form a
band. Randi's father is a musician and her best friend Gellie is
being pushed by her mother into a modeling career. It is a story
about friendship and family and making difficult choices, told with
humor and empathy.
Reviewer: Nancy Felton, Broadside Bookshop
Rated: 8.5
Princess
Academy
by Shannon Hale
Bloomsbury
August 2005
$16.95
1-58234-993-2
Core audience: Middle School girls
Notable aspects: plot, imagination, interesting setting
Review:
It is time for the Prince to choose a bride and it is the turn of
Miri's mining region to supply the lucky girl, so she and other
young ladies of the region must travel to a Princess boarding school
established just for their training, at the end of which the Prince
will choose one exceptional scholar for his bride. The head of the
school, nasty Olana, treats them like backwater hicks and punishes
unfairly and meanly. Miri learns that being smart and clever is
not purely scholastic, but means being able to think around a new
problem and find new options. At the heart of what she is able to
do for herself and the other girls is to use "quarry speech", a
sort of supernatural ability to communicate soundlessly through
mental images of shared memories. This ability comes in handy to
foil the nasty Olana as well as to save themselves from the very
evil bandits who come to cart off the chosen bride- to- be for ransom.
These bandits provide a lot of mean violence like hair-pulling and
threats of beheading as they keep all the girls hostage. We could
do without this part. The story had been a rather unusual and almost
charming tale about a strange and fascinating place where the mining
of linder is the most important part of lives. The tensions between
Mira and Peder, the nice boy at home, and the girls, all wondering
whose life would be transformed, and what would happen to the rest
of them provided enough suspense for most readers. In the end, Mira
learns how to help her people bargain for what their product is
truly worth and make all their lives better. She has become the
Academy Princess, but the Prince gets his childhood sweetheart (who
was posing as one of the region's girls), Olana becomes nicer, and
Mira opens a school in her village for anyone who wants to learn.
We hope those nasty mean bandits never return. They had no use,
anyway.
Sue Carita, Toadstool Bookshop, Milford
Rated: 7.5
Shannon Hale
has rapidly become one of my favorite writers. The language she
uses as well as the originality of her stories captivate me with
each new book. I especially loved The Princess Academy, starting
with the cover which I think perfectly captures the essence of the
story. All the girls of a far flung village are required to attend
training on how to be a princess, due to a prophecy which says that
the prince of the kingdom will marry a girl from this village. Though
the lessons are tedious, the instructor imperious, and the girls
miss their families, they gain knowledge which ultimately helps
the village.
Reviewer: Lisa Dugan, Koen Book Distributors (formerly of)
Rated: 9
The Ranger's
Apprentice, Bk. 1 of Ruins of Gorlan
by J. Flanagan.
Philomel/ Penguin
June, 2005
$15.99
0-399-24454-9
Core audience:
Notable aspects:
Review:
Young Will, an orphan brought up as a ward of the Castle, gets to
be a Ranger's apprentice. He is small for his age, but nimble and
very intelligent. Horace, another orphan ward, is chosen for Battlemaster
School, something Will has always wanted. There he faces hazing
and ridicule, of the same sort he had been dishing up for Will at
the Castle. The tables are turned. After more bullying of Will by
Horace, the latter has a chance to save Horace from his own attackers
and the boys begin a tentative friendship. The more important (?)
, wider plot, involves Morgareth, Lord of Mountains of Rain and
Night, working with the Wargal, a band of monster/men to take back
his kingdom from usurpers. The story is engrossing, Will and Horace
become sympathetic characters that we care about, and the book is
a page-turner. Boys, especially, aged 10-13 will eagerly await the
next volume.
Reviewer: Sue Carita, Toadstool Bookshop, Milford, NH
Rated: 7.5
Ready or
Not
by Meg Cabot
HarperCollins
August, 2005
$15.99
0-06-07245-0
Core audience: 13+
Notable aspects: Characters, plot, teen connection
Review: I don't care. I liked All-American Girl and I especially
enjoyed Ready or Not. Samantha, the girl who saved the life of the
president and then went on to fall in love with his son, is on to
other adventures ? figuring out how to deal with being a slightly
odd-ball teenager, and questioning what exactly she is ready for.
She?s at her best when she let?s her natural instincts take over.
Samantha is hilarious!! Although the content is more mature, this
book will be much appreciated by the slightly older YA crowd.
Reviewer: Carol Stolz, Porter Square Books
Rated: 8
Reviewer Kathy Goddard
Rated: 7
A Really
Nice Prom Mess
by Brian Sloan
Simon & Schuster
June 05
$14.95
0-689-87438-3
Core audience:
Notable Aspects: Humor, authenticity, great voice
Review: Cameron Hayes doesn't want to go to the prom if he can't
go with his boyfriend, Shane. But no way is Shane (captain of the
football team) going to go public with their secret relationship.
So when Shane suggests that they find girls to take as decoy dates,
Cameron agrees. Cameron's date, the beautiful Virginia McKinley,
shows up completely drunk, and she's figured out that Cameron is
gay and is ready to spill the beans to everyone. But this is only
the first of the evening's disasters. When Cameron ends up in a
Russian drug dealer's car, being chased by the police, he thinks
things can't get any worse, but he has no idea that before the night
is out, he'll be competing in Amateur Night at a gay strip club,
getting his heart broken, and meeting the most unlikely knight in
shining armor. This book had me laughing out loud and on the edge
of my seat. I love Cameron's sly sense of humor, and his honesty
about all the internal wrangling going on in his suburban teenager's
heart. I really hope a sequel is in store.
Reviewer: Sara Chaganti, The Bookloft
Rated: 8.5
Rebel Angels
by Libba Bray
Delacorte/Random House
August, 2005
$16.95
0-385-73029-2
Core audience: Teen girls 14 and older who enjoy fantasy and Victorian
settings
Notable aspects: Characters, originality, child-centered
Review:
When Gemma Doyle shattered the runes in A Great and Terrible Beauty,
the companion book to Rebel Angels, she didn't realize that she
was releasing magic into the "realms" for all spirits to use --
good and bad. In Rebel Angels, Gemma and her friends must restore
order to the realms and defeat Circe. Unfortunately she doesn't
know whom she can trust! This is a fast moving suspenseful fantasy
with many twists and turns which will be enjoyed by girls who love
the charm of Victorian life -- high class girl academies, coming-out
balls, courtship and romance, and mystery. The strong heroine who
keeps managing to defy authority and to face danger bravely will
win their hearts. Won't be studied as a great work of literature
but will be loved.
Reviewer: Janet Bibeau, Storybook Cove
Rated: 7.5
Regarding
the Trees
by Kate & Sarah Klise
Harcourt, August, 2005
$15.00
0-15-205163-5
Core audience: ages 9 and up
Notable aspects: environmentalism, trees, gender rivalry, romance
Review: While not as satisfying as Regarding the Sink, Regarding
the Trees is another funny follow-up to the stories that began with
Regarding the Fountain. This time some of the puns are a bit of
a stretch, and there's considerably less mystery to unravel than
in the first two installments. But frankly? I hardly cared. The
Klise books are meant to be fun and
by golly, this one is.
Reviewer: Allison Morris, Wellesley Booksmith
Rated: 7
Replay
by Sharon Creech
Harper
September, 2005
$15.99
0-06-054019-2
Core audience: ages 8-12
Notable Aspects: great asides of main character's fantasies, humor,
child connected
Review:
Kids will really identify with the sibling rivalry and day dreaming.
Leo begins to see his father as a person and his relationship to
him in a new way.
Reviewer: Joyce Miller, Baker Books
Rated: 7
Reviewer Kathy
Goddard
Rated: 7.5
Reviewer: Deb
Sundin, Hearts & Stars Bookshop
Rated: 9
Core audience:
9-12
Notable aspects: Character
Review:
Leo comes from a large family and spends a lot of his time in his
imagination replaying events in such a way that he is the hero and
noticed by everyone. He is also in the school play in which the
director asks the players to imagine the histories of their characters.
This exercise spreads to Leo's looking at his family and thinking
about them when they were younger -- another replay!! Creech writes
so well about the inner life of this child, layering meanings as
she goes. My worry is that kids won't get hooked.
Reviewer: Carol Stolz, Porter Square Books
Rated: 7.5
Return of
the Dragon
by Rebecca Rupp
Candlewick
August, 2005
$15.99
0-7636-2377-6
Core Audience: elementary school
Notable Aspects: imagination, characters, humor, stories within
the story
Review:
Hannah, Zachary and Sarah Emily are delighted when their parents
tell them that they will be returning to Lonely Island, which means
they will visit again with the 3-headed dragon Fafnyr, who is secretly
living in a cave on the island. But shortly after they arrive, they
discover strangers on the island, strangers whom they are afraid
will discover Fafnyr and put the dragon in danger. As in "The Dragon
of the Lonely Island", Fafnyr tells the children stories of its
past experiences, this time with Niko, a boy in ancient Greece,
Gawain and Eleanor in medieval England and Sallie, a slave in Alabama.
Fafnyr is a kind and droll dragon, the villains are just evil and
mysterious enough, the stories take the children to other times
and places and gently teach them lessons, and the book has just
enough suspense for younger readers.
Reviewer: Nancy Felton, Broadside Bookshop
Rated: 8.5
Core audience:
Ages 8-12, both boys and girls, dragon lovers, kids who like gentler
fantasy and summer vacation mystery/adventures (e.g., fans of Edward
Eager, The Boxcar Children, etc.)
Notable Aspects: Humor, interesting setting, important theme, sibling
relationships, dragon!
Review:
One of our favorite charming middle-grade fantasies continues in
this sequel to The Dragon of Lonely Island. In this installment,
siblings Hannah, Zachary, and Sarah Emily return to the island for
another summer visit with their secret friend, the wise old three-headed
dragon, Fafnyr Goldenwings. Danger threatens in the form of a yachting
billionaire whom the children suspect of wanting to capture the
20,000-year-old Fafnyr. While they engage in some low-tech investigating
of the rich "bird watcher," they also enjoy stolen time with Fafnyr,
who entertains them with stories of her adventures in ancient Greece,
Arthurian England, and the antebellum American South. (Who knew
that a dragon had a hand in the Underground Railroad?) All three
mini-stories revolve around ideas of freedom and questions of what
is worth fighting for. A happy ending courtesy of a dragon-ex-machina
solution rounds out this lively, engaging fantasy.
Reviewer: Elizabeth Bluemle, Flying Pig Bookstore
Rated: 8
Revenge
of the Witch (The Last Apprentice Book 1)
by Joseph Delaney
Greenwillow/HarperCollins
September, 2005
$14.99
0-06-076618-2
Core audience: those children ages 10 and older who like scary fantasy
stories
Notable aspects: plot, characters, suspense, movie material
Review: Being the seventh son of a seventh son, Tom is destined
to become a spook. His mother, Mam, has made sure of that. His job
will be to protect farms and villages from ghosts, witches, etc.
The book is scary and suspenseful. (The advertising for it picks
out certain pages to intrigue and scare the reader.) Tom unknowingly
helps a witch escape and then must deal with the consequences. It
was predictable but I can see the movie potential. The book even
includes a friendship (or will it be more) between Tom and a witch,
Alice, who is desperately trying to be a good witch. Is it possible
to deny your training? The "last apprentice" implies that the present
Spook, Old Gregory, will be passing his "business" on to Tom. I'm
sure that more books are in the planning. This adventure does end
and does not leave the reader hanging.
Reviewer: Janet Bibeau, Storybook Cove
Rated: 7
Rosa Sola
by Carmela Martino
Candlewick
September, 2005
$15.99
0-7636-2395-1
Core Audience: Older elementary school girls
Notable Aspects: Characters, sensitivity
Review:
Rosa is the only child of Italian immigrant parents and she desperately
wants a sibling, especially after spending time with her best friend's
baby brother. Her mother does get pregnant after Rosa prays for
a brother, but when tragedy strikes, Rosa must face her feelings
of loss and guilt. This book gives a vivid portrait of Rosa's extended
family, how they each deal with their feelings of loss and what
Rosa learns about and from each of them. It also portrays the role
of religion in a devout Catholic family in a way few contemporary
children's books do.
Reviewer: Nancy Felton, Broadside Bookshop
Rated: 7.5
Ruins of
Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice Book One)
by John Flanagan
Philomel/Penguin
June, 2005
$15.99
0-399-24454-9
Core audience: girls and boys aged 10 and older who enjoy adventure
& spy stories & fantasy
Notable aspects:
Review:
William, an orphan, wants to be chosen for Battle School, but is
small for his fifteen years. Instead, he gets picked to be an apprentice
to Ranger Halt. Rangers are fast, can climb walls and become invisible
to their enemies as a result of their speed and ability to blend
into their surroundings. Because of these abilities rangers act
as scouts and are sent on special missions. Will has the necessary
skills to be a ranger, but he still would rather be a warrior fighting
with swords and shields. I really enjoyed this book because it didn't
just deal with battles, but rather included Will learning to be
a friend, to be brave, to be fair, to work as a member of a team.
Will proves his bravery and his skills as his training is cut short
at the Gathering when he is included in a very dangerous mission
to kill Lord Morgarath's Kalkara (monsters that kill by looking
into their victims eyes). After proving himself Will must make a
difficult decision about his future.
Reviewer: Janet Bibeau, Storybook Cove
Rated: 8.5
The Sacrifice
by Kathleen Benner Duble
McElderry/Simon & Schuster
September, 2005
$15.95
0-689-87650-5
Core audience:
Notable aspects: Plot and characters
Review:
In the summer of 1692, ten year old Abigail Faulkner and her family's
life change forever. Two girls from Salem have said that they have
been tormented by witches and although Salem is where the witch
trials were held families in neighboring towns like Andover, Ma.
were also involved. How this family was affected makes for interesting
reading. Learning that the author based her story and it's characters
on actural family history makes it even more interesting. A new
story to add to the reading for middle school students, when they
are studying about the Salem Witch trial era.
Reviewer: Pat Byrne, BookEnds, Winchester, MA
Rated: 7.5
Sammy Keyes
& the Dead Giveaway
by Wendelin Van Draanen
Knopf/Random House
September, 2005
$15.95,
0-375-82350-6
Core audience: ages 10 +
Notable aspects: plot, characters, humor
Review: Another enjoyable Sammy Keyes mystery. Those that are into
the series will like this one too. The main mystery involves a plan
by the city council to seize property to put in batting cages, a
sports cafe and rec center. Of course, Sammy discovers that one
of the council members is in cahoots with a lawyer who is supposed
to be against the plan. She also starts to wonder what is going
on when threatening notes tied to rocks start being thrown in windows.
While this is going on, Sammy gets into some hot water at school
and has a few run ins with her archenemy, Heather Acosta. Everything
comes to a conclusion on the night of the Farewell Dance. Sammy
does attend the dance with a date as she is wrapping up seventh
grade, but readers will not be too disappointed as Sammy is not
about to leave her trademark high tops behind!
Reviewer: Lisa Fabiano, Hearts & Stars Bookshop, Canton, MA
Rated: 6.5
Sandpiper
by Ellen Wittlinger
Simon & Schuster
July, 2005
$16.95
0-689-86802-2
Core audience: teens 12+, "gritty"
Notable Aspects: troubled teens
Review:
This book gave me the creeps, but I still read the whole thing.
Sandy is a young teen who somehow becomes involved with lots of
boys, for short periods of time that she engages in oral sex with.
Very casual oral sex, lots of it. She develops a new fixation on
a boy who is slightly older, who walks alone, all over town, all
of the town. He clearly has chosen to be alone, and she browbeats
him into a very strained friendship. Although she has caring but
separated parents, she seems convinced that they don't care about
her. They each seem to have a secret that is keeping them from behaving
like normal teens do. In the end, they are able to help each other
move on, but it is pretty odd in places. Interesting, but odd.
Reviewer: Mimi Powell, Baker Books
Rated: 6
Review:
Why does 17-year-old Sandpiper Ragsdale get too intimate with boys
too fast, even when she sort of doesn't like them? Why does a mysterious
teenager dubbed "The Walker" spend his days endlessly treading the
highways and byways of town? Both have secrets and sorrows, some
on the surface (an angry male classmate begins harrassing Sandpiper;
Sandpiper's mother's upcoming remarriage includes the addition of
a new stepsister who is just too nice) and some not (Sandpiper's
womanizing father distances himself from her developing woman's
body). To give away more would spoil some of the novel's revelations.
As always, Wittlinger creates memorable characters who protect their
tender hearts with humor and a slightly jaundiced world's-eye-view,
and handles delicate but real teenage issues with grace and honesty.
Reviewer: Elizabeth Bluemle, Flying Pig Bookstore
Rated: 8.5
Seeing Emily
by Joyce Lee Wong
Amulet/Abrams
November, 2005
$16.95
0-8109-5757-4
Core audience : Tweens
Notable aspects: characters
Review: Seeing Emily is a trite story. It is of a young girl, somewhat
different from her peers, trying to find herself. Not only does
it lack originality (and a consistent plot for that matter), it
is inadequately written in verse in poorly constructed stanzas.
Its rhyme scheme is inconsistent (and completely non existent in
some places) which slows down the pace of the book and makes it
hard to follow in spots. Despite its lack of originality, however,
I do see some angsty preteens relating to its protagonist, her close
knit group of friends and her interest in the new boy at school.
Reviewer: Glynnis Waters, Hearts & Stars Bookshop, Canton, MA
Rated:
The Seven
Wonders of Sassafras Springs
by Betty G. Birney
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster
June, 2005
$16.95
0-689-87136-8
Core audience:
Notable aspects:
Review:
Betty Birney's The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs is a charming
novel set in a small Midwestern town where nothing EVER happens.
Or so thinks Eben McAllister, whose biggest ambition is to leave
his dull farm life and explore the seven wonders of the world. Then
Eben's father gives him a challenge: if Eben can find seven wonders
right in the community of Sassafras Springs, Eben's dad will send
him to visit his distant cousins, all the way in the snow-covered
mountains of Colorado. Eben doubts that he'll stumble across any
great pyramids, Babylonian gardens, or Grecian statues in Sassafras
Springs, but he accepts the challenge anyway - it's not like he
has anything better to do with his summer. Once he begins, however,
Eben soon realizes that there is more to his small town than he
ever imagined. Featuring a great cast of characters and clear, straightforward
writing, this book is the perfect reminder that sometimes the best
adventures are just down the street.
Reviewer: Maggie Filler of Wellesley Booksmith
Rated:
Though I did
trip over one or two anachronisms here, I was willing to overlook
them for the sake of enjoying this wonderfully warm story that truly
captures the essence of lazy, hazy, small-town summer days. Memorable
characters, meaningful moments -- this is a delightful discovery.
Reviewer: Alison Morris, Wellesley Booksmith
Rated: 7.5
Sign of
the Raven
by Julie Hearn
Ginee Seo/Simon & Schuster
October, 2005
$16.95
0-689-85734-9
Core Audience: Ages 12 and up
Notable aspects: Imaginative, involves time travel between present
day London and its 18th century iteration, very informative about
past London. Interesting and poignant relationships between the
twelve year old protagonist and his mother and grandmother
Review: Twelve year old Tom has reluctantly accompanied his mother
(who is determined to be a cancer survivor) on a fence-mending visit
to her mother in London. The house has been in the family for generations
and while exploring the premises, the boy discovers a warp in the
space-time continuum, a sort of river of time, in the basement.
A voice calls to him from the river, urging him to jump. He does,
and finds himself on the same spot but three hundred years in the
past. He has been summoned by Astra, the Changeling Child, in a
"freak show", which is complete with a Giant, a Twisty man and a
Gorilla Woman. As he crosses back and forth over the river of time,
he becomes involved both in trying to help his "freak" friends survive
better in their miserable situation in the past, and to discover
the truth about the secret his family is keeping. Matters in the
past reach a crisis when the Giant dies and body snatchers are plotting
to steal the corpse. Anatomy students need to learn, and the Giant
would be an especially interesting cadaver., The villains are, of
course, thwarted, but Tom is forced to flee through the streets
of old London, and is in danger of never reaching home again. Matters
at home are becoming interesting as well as Tom discovers truths
about his family that are intertwined with the past.
The book is beautifully written, Hearn brings to life the muddy,
brawling, fetid streets of a London that is home to both the Hogarthian
situation surrounding the side show and the Enlightenment. The relationship
between Tom and his mother is engaging as they each come to grips
with life as it is, and what it will take to make it better.
Reviewer: Ann K. Bertone, Buttonwood Books and Toys
Rated: 7
Core audience:
Ages 12 up- Grade 7 up
Notable aspects: Boy travels within a gap of time within his grandmother's
house and resolves family mysteries. Helping to care for his mom
as they deal with mother's cancer in a positive way.
Review: 12 year-old Tom and his cancer-survivor mom visit his grandmother's
home in London. From the very start, he vaguely remembers a gap
and some adventures he had as toddler down in the basement. Next
door is a pub, with a friendly owner, Declan. He hears a voice calling.
As he explores the basement, he discovers only his clothes are visible
to the inhabitants of the 17th century on the other side of the
gap- members of a freak-show, with their bodies sought by graverobbers
and evil anatomy teacher Dr Jeremiah Smith. And who is the evil
His Nibbs? As Tom has his adventure, his mom & grandmother deal
with their relationship. Better in PB, but positive book to sell
to parents & grandparents for the holidays.
Reviewer: Pat Fowler, Village Square BooksellersRated 9
The Silver
Spoon of Solomon Snow
by Kaye Umansky
Candlewick
October, 2005
$14.99
0-7636-2792-5
Core audience: Ages 8-12, both boys and girls, fans of orphan and
journey tales -- a la Lloyd Alexander's The Rope Trick, Joan Aiken's
Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Cornelia Funke's The Thief Lord, Eva
Ibbotson's Journey to the River Sea, and the Lemony Snicket books.
Notable aspects: humor, child-connected
Review: Ten-year-old Solomon Snow discovers his foundling origins
and sets out to find his real parents. It turns out that his adoptive
parents, a well-meaning but poor and dismally dull couple who live
deep in the woods, had sold the fancy clothes and pawned the silver
spoon that arrived with the infant on their doorstep those many
years ago. Once Solly learns of this, he is determined to go to
Town and find his spoon, and, he hopes, his real parents. Prudence,
a bookish neighbor girl who writes stories, insinuates herself into
his plans; she has a mission of her own. Finally, a third and more
burdensome companion attaches herself to the duo: Prodigy is a spoiled
and lisping child "pwodigy" who runs away from the circus. There's
something comfortably familiar about this story; you know what to
expect -- at least in a general way -- almost the moment you start
reading. Ah, you say to yourself, a plucky orphan, a couple of semi-annoying
but useful and humorous sidekicks. A journey to discover parentage,
which will lead to an unexpected but satisfying conclusion. Some
villains and hijinx and scrapes, possibly involving chimney sweeps,
along the way. But though this may sound like an indictment of the
book's originality, it isn't. It just fits nicely into a category
of middle-grade fiction for which I (and many child readers) have
a weak spot. Fun.
Reviewer:
Elizabeth Bluemle, Flying Pig Bookstore
Rated: 8
The Sisters
Grimm
by Michael Buckley
Amulet/Abrams
October, 2005
$14.95
0-8109-5925-9
Core audience: Ages 8-12 - fans of Series of Unfortunate Events
Notable Aspects: characters, setting and imagination
Review:
A little slow to start but a well told tale of the Grimm Family
of Grimm's Fairy Tales. The youngest members of the Grimm family,
sisters Daphne and Sabrina, are sent to live with the grandmother
they never knew they had after their parents mysteriously abandoned
them. The town, Ferryport in New York, is full of "everafters" who
cannot leave because of a deal made by the original Grimm Brothers.
The everafters must stay in Ferryport until the Grimm family is
extinct. At first, the older sister, Sabrina, does not believe that
she has a grandmother and that she in a fairy tale town, but as
she and her sister begin to unravel a mystery of giant proportions
with their grandmother, Relda Grimm, she quickly comes to the conclusion
that this is no ordinary town.
The first book in a series of mysteries, introduces the characters
and setting, and sets up the plot for the next book (ultimately
on a quest to find their parents). Somewhat predictable but interesting
adventures. Characters are likable. May appeal more to girls than
boys because it is about sisters. Saleable in hardcover for the
holidays.
Reviewer: Deb Sundin, Hearts & Stars Bookshop
Rated: 7
Thorn
by Betty Levin
Front Street Press
November, 2005
$16.95
1-932425-46-2
Core Audience: Ages 10+
Review:
In long prehistoric past, a great Wave struck the land of the People
of the Singing Seals. Most of the population died and their homes
destroyed. Now, Thorn (born to a survivor who had been pulled from
the sea by people from another land) is being dropped off at the
Singing Seals land, where a few people have survived and begun anew.
He is left there because he has a crippled leg and the adoptive
people have begun to feel he is bad luck for them.( His sister had
already been drowned in the sea by them. He would probably be next.)
His father felt the Singing Seal People (his ancestors) would take
him and see his hopefully ever-improving leg as an omen that their
tribe's back luck would change. Of course these people are not thrilled
to see him and his leg does not improve. Although Thorn can show
them better ways to craft fishing nets and boats and tool-making,
the people think it "unfitting" that he should teach them these
things. We are wondering, all through the story, what will be his
fate.
In prose enriched by wonderfully figurative language we learn about
the daily lives of these people and how heavily superstition rules
them. In alternating chapters Thorn, and then young Willow, tell
of sometimes hauntingly memorable events. We immediately are reminded
of Morning Girl
by Michael Dorris, another tale of early time told in boy/girl alternating
points of view.
There is much to discuss here in terms of universal themes like
female roles in society, individual differences and mistrust of
them, the journey to find oneself, the need sometimes to let go
of old ways of looking at things (even if it is a sort of religion),and
the idea of human/animal communication.
I was really into the book halfway through, but as the end came
closer I felt a recurring sense of foreboding. How the book will
end is pretty clear to the reader, but not I fear, to poor Willow,
who would have been such a charming and wise companion for Thorn
if he had stayed with these people or taken her with him to start
a new colony elsewhere. .I hated to see the disabled Thorn sail
off into the sunset and the massive waves, but I loved the idea
of his well-crafted little boat and all that it stood for. The image
of his loyal dog trying to paddle through the waves to get to him
will stay around for a while.
Reviewer: Sue Carita, Toadstool Bookshop, Milford, NH
Rated: 7
Totally
Joe
by James Howe
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster
October, 2005
$15.95
978-0689-83957-3
Core audience: Ages 10-14
Notable Aspects: Homosexuality, "coming out", bullying, friendship,
Gay Straight Alliance, family acceptance, humor
Review: The novel is a first person narrative set as a response
to a teacher's assignment to write an alphabetical autobiography.
The student, Joe, is also required to state a Life Lesson at the
end of each section (which he considers just too Oprah). As Joe
informs the reader, he is not just " your average Joe " since he
is gay. Essentially the reader finds the story of a school year
in the life of a boy who has always known that he is gay and is
not ashamed of it, proclaiming his difference with dyed hair and
eccentric clothing and behavior. Joe's best friend and champion
is Addie, the girl who lives next door and is the smartest girl
in the class. Although he has a small circle of friends, they are
on the fringes of student society. He also suffers from the attentions
of the two homophobic school bullies.
The sixth grade becomes very special for Joe, because Colin, one
of the popular "boy-boys" for whom Joe has had a long crush, begins
to show signs of being attracted to Joe. Colin, however, is not
ready for the world to know, so they "date" secretly. Also, at the
instigation of Addie, the school institutes a "No Name Calling Day"
during which Joe finally stands up to the bullies. Before the school
year ends, he also meets another kindred spirit who might even be
boyfriend material later on.
The tone of Joe's narrative, the dialogue between him and his friends
and enemies, his sense of humor, his love for Cher, and his parenthetical
asides for the teacher who is reading the biography ring very true.
Joe is a real kid who happens to be gay. His family seems to be
every gay youngster's dream family as they deal with whatever happens
as a result of Joe's preferences. This is a book that could lead
to a better understanding between gays and straights. Counselors
who deal with gay issues should know and recommend this book; libraries
should have it in a "gender issues" sort of collection; Gay and
Straight Alliances and support groups should have it in their collections
as well. It is a sweet, painful and essentially optimistic little
book.
Reviewer: Ann K. Bertone, Buttonwood Books and Toys
Rated: 5
Core audience:
boys and girls12-14; adult gay community
Notable aspects: authentic voice, humor, gentle spirit, characters,
language, sensitivity, child-connected, strong ending, significant
social issue
Review:
Every so often there's a book that's so much fun to read, it's like
running down a long, grassy slope: you can't stop, and who'd want
to? Totally Joe is one of those delights. Howe has set up a plan
that allows him both freedom and control over his characters and
material, and he appears to have enjoyed the opportunity. Joe, who
tells the story entirely from his own quirky, funny viewpoint, is
12 years old, quite aware that he's gay, and gradually letting it
out into the open - where his family and close friends are completely
unsurprised, but other classmates are anxious, hostile and confused.
Very tentative romance hovers, retreats, hovers anew, and Joe reaches
new levels of self-acceptance. I hope this book reaches the hands
of many gay adults, because it will resonate with them, and they
will want to share it with adolescents, straight and gay, who are
processing questions of sexual identity. For that matter, it should
be required reading for everyone working with adolescents. They
can always use a spare grin.
Reviewer: Carol Chittenden, Eight Cousins
Rated: 9
Twilight
by Stephanie Meyer
Megan Tingley/Time Warner
September, 2005
$17.99
0-316-16017-2
Core Audience: Teenage girls who like realistic fiction, vampire
stories and a good romance.
Notable aspects:
Review:
Bella Swann reluctantly relocates to Forks, Washington to spend
the school year with her father. She hates Forks and its unrelenting
rain and gray and suspects that her year will be as dreary as the
weather. Everything about Forks changes for Bella when she meets
the unbelievably gorgeous Edward Cullen at school. Usually aloof,
Edward is drawn to Bella, almost against his will.
Together Edward and Bella struggle to at once avoid each other,
because Edward knows the relationship is doomed because he's a vampire,
and fight their intense growing attraction to each other. There
is great tension in this book. I couldn't put it down. The writing
is crisp, lyrical and the plot moves forward at a very satisfying
pace. There is a lot of sexuality in this book, but very little
actual sex, so the book could be recommended to younger teens without
a cautionary warning. The ending is oddly vague and that could frustrate
some readers.
Reviewer: Elizabeth Bluemle, Flying Pig Bookstore
Rated: 8.5
Under the
Persimmon Tree
by Suzanne Fisher Staples
Frances Foster Books/FSG
August, 2005
$17.00
0-374-38025-2
Core audience: 11-13
Notable aspects: Plot, characters, setting
Review: Najmah, an 11 or 12 year old Afghan girl is forced to flee
her beloved home when it is destroyed by American bombs in the fall
of 2001. Her father and brother have been taken by the Taliban to
fight and her mother and infant brother have been killed in the
destruction of her home. She travels to safer Pakistan, through
the mountains to a refugee camp, and eventually to the school run
by Nusrat, an American woman turned Muslim who has followed her
Afghan husband back to Afghanistan. The details about life in the
Afghan mountains, in refugee camps and in Peshawar, along with insights
into the Muslim religion , and life under the Taliban are presented
seamlessly as part of this very believable story. This is one of
those books that you just can?t put down! Kids will learn a lot
and do so painlessly. This is a timely and important book.
Reviewer: Carol Stolz, Porter Square Books
Rated: 9.5
Review:
Though I am a great fan of Shabanu and Haveli, and loved the parts
of Under the Persimmon Tree that focused on Najmah, the insertion
of an American emigre was both distracting and, it seemed to me,
unnecessary. I wondered what the editorial discussions had been
that led to that choice.
Reviewer: Carol Chittenden, Eight Cousins
Rated: 6.5
Under a
Stand Still Moon
by Ann Howard Creel
Brown Barn Books
October, 2005
$8.95
0-9746481-8-3
Core audience: Ages 10 and up
Notable aspects: strong unconventional heroine, interesting setting,
imagery, language
Review: Under a Stand Still Moon could easily be this generation's
Island of the Blue Dolphins. It was a real page-turner for me, at
192 pages; I was sorry it was over so soon. It is intriguing historical
fiction, set in the Southwestern United States around 900AD. Echo
is a spirited girl of the Anasazi, born under the Stand Still Moon,
which comes once every eighteen years. She is not content to be
merely a traditional wife and mother until she falls in love with
her oldest friend. But fate intervenes in the form of Echo's timely
rescue of a child, which brings her to the attention of her tribe's
High Priests. She suddenly finds it her duty to forsake her one
love and marry a much older man, the Sun Watcher, who proves to
be kind and gives her the greatest gift of all.... his sacred knowledge
of the sky and the seasons. This knowledge, normally forbidden to
women, becomes crucial when drought strikes the land and the People
lose faith. But the author does not take the easy way out to have
Echo save the day. She must watch as friends die and kin leave the
settlements they have farmed for generations, in search of more
fertile ground. But she is determined to continue watching the sky,
charting the Earth's cycles, and waiting out the bad times, in the
hopes of the benificence of another Stand Still Moon.
Reviewer: Patty Cryan, Mike's Comics, Worcester, MA
Rated: 8
What I Call
Life
by Jill Wolfson
Henry Holt
September, 2005
$16.95
0-8050-7669-7
Core audience: Girls Ages 10 and up
Review:
When eleven-year-old Cal Lavender's mother has "an incident" in
the public library and is taken away to recover, Cal finds herself
at Pumpkin House. Run by the "Knitting Lady" the house is a foster
home to four troubled young girls. Cal thinks she is the only sane
one in the place and she is sure there has been a mistake, that
her mother will be picking her up at any moment. When that does
not happen Cal tries to make herself as useful to this new group
as she has always been to her mother. She organizes and cleans,
creates new routines for the household and records their progress
in her notebook, always assuming she is better and more together
than anyone else. Then the Knitting Lady begins to tell a story,
telling a bit at a time over the weeks Cal is at the home. The story
reveals more than just the woman's history; it seems to include
just what each of them needs.
This is a lovely story. It lets us see into life in a good foster
home, something that literature has seldom allowed. The progress
the girls make seems authentic and nothing is too sentimental or
syrupy. Wolfsen gets the tone just right.
Reviewer Kathy Goddard
Rated: 9
Wrecked
by E. R. Frank
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster
October 2005
$15.95
0-689-87383-2
Core audience: Teens
Notable: Plot, sensitivity, language, authenticity & accuracy
Review:
Anna is the driver of a car in the 'wreck' that kills her brother's
girlfriend and seriously injures her own best friend. Although cleared
of any wrongdoing in the accident, Anna cannot shake the guilt.
As she, her friends and her family work through the grief and guilt
some seek professional therapy but most shy away from what they
see as unnecessary, uncomfortable and ineffective. Anna's experience
with therapy is successful. As she begins to recover she is able
to view those around her with new eyes, to understand and even strengthen
their attempts to reassemble their lives.
Rife with thought-provoking and authentic, if challenging, descriptions
of the emotions and sensations of a very difficult event, this engrossing
story captures readers and drags them along for the ride. Ending
rather abruptly and leaving a host of seemingly loose ends, this
engrossing story is otherwise well told.
Reviewer: Kathy Goddard
Rated: 8
Notable aspects:
characters, sensitivity, information
Review: This book explores the aftermath of a car accident in which
the main character, Anna, is driving one of the cars and her brother's
girlfriend, who was driving the other car, is killed. We see how
Anna's controlling father, ineffectual mother and grieving brother
react to the accident and to Anna's post-traumatic stress. Anna
starts therapy, including EMDR therapy, which helps her deal with
her guilt about the accident as well as her relationships with the
members of her family. The description of the therapy is a bit too
didactic in places. It is a good introduction to EMDR for those
teens who may need it, but I'm not sure those scenes would hold
the interest of others.
Reviewer: Nancy Felton, Broadside Bookshop
Rated: 7.5
Notable Aspects:
teenage drinking (cover mentions partnership with MADD and SADD),
post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of fatal motor vehicle
accident, therapeutic options for the disorder, Eye Movement Desensitization
and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, realistic expectations of results
from therapy.
Review:
The novel is presented in the voice of teenage Anna who was driving
one of the vehicles in an accident in which the other driver, her
brother Jack's girlfriend, was killed. Anna's passenger, her best
friend who was drunk , was severely injured as well. Although Anna
was not responsible for the accident and was not "driving under
the influence", she develops post-traumatic stress disorder and
flashbacks to the accident. The efforts of Anna and her family to
pick up the pieces of life in the face of grief and guilt are well
depicted.
The fabric of the family is strained by the inevitable tension,
awkwardness and suppressed anger as Anna and Jack try to come to
terms with each other and the situation and their parents try to
provide each of them with support. When Anna returns to school,
her friend is still hospitalized and making a slow recovery. Teachers
and friends are also supportive, but how can worries about classes,
boyfriends, proms and College Board exams matter as much as they
used to? Ultimately, Anna must undergo therapy to help her deal
with the flashbacks and panic attacks (she cannot bring herself
to drive a car). The value of therapy, what can be expected of therapy,
and the numerous options available for the given situation are well
presented. The method chosen is unusual, and was delineated in great,
perhaps too much, detail. With the exception of Jack who refuses,
the whole family receives some form of counseling and learns coping
skills.
Although the book is issue oriented, its appeal is not limited to
that issue. The concerns, emotions and interactions of Anna's family
and friends feel real. There is good dialogue and even humor as
this group faces ordinary and extraordinary problems.
Reviewer: Ann K. Bertone, Buttonwood Books and Toys
Rated: 6
Reviewer Kathy
Goddard
Rated: 7.5
You Come
to Yokum
by Carol Otis Hurst
Houghton Mifflin, October, 2005
$15.00
0-618-55122-0
Core audience: Ages 7-11, boys and girls
Strengths: Characters, setting, history, language, authenticity
& accuracy, humor
Review: In the winter of 1920 changes began in the life of Frank
Carlyle, age 11, his parents and his brother Jim. First came the
Model T Ford, which Mr. Carlyle had some trouble getting used to.
Then Mrs. Carlyle was arrested in Washington for her suffragist
activities. But the biggest change of all was the move, with Uncle
Clint and the nervous Aunt Winnie, to run a hunting lodge on Yokum
Pond in the Massachusetts Berkshires. The two families stayed through
the summer and into the fall, managing the place, dealing with lodge
guests, encountering animals, exchanging practical jokes with the
hired hand, and establishing ties in the local community. The humor,
misadventures and history are nicely woven together, and though
the book won't win any prizes for epic plot or original concept,
it's highly satisfying, and will appeal to both boys and girls.
The ending is realistically sobering, but handled gracefully. Teachers
will find the book an excellent vehicle for discussing early 20th
century history, because it touches upon developments in technology,
politics, demographic differences, and the aftermath of World War
I.
Reviewer: Carol Chittenden, Eight Cousins
Rated: 9
Titles Reviewed,
rated below 7
Are We There
Yet
by David Levithan
Rated 5.5, 6.5, 6.5
Dancing
with Elvis
by Lynda Stephenson
Rated: 6.0
Dead on
Town Line
by: Leslie Connor
Rated 5.5
Finding
Lubchenko
by M Simmons
Rated 4
Portraits:
Dancing Through Fire
by Kathryn Lasky
Rated 6.5
Sammy Keyes
& the Dead Giveaway
by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated 6.5
You are
SO Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah!
by Fiona Rosenbloom
Rated: 6
NECBA
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Rating: 10 to 1, with 10 highest
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