Pass the Book

I try to keep my own voice off of this Blog, as the purpose of this blog is to review YA Books. I try not to express my own opinions about what I read, and what I personally feel about the book.

Having said that, I am about to break that rule. I was visiting the Howard County, Maryland Libraries today and I became aware of an awesome program that they have begun for their teens called "Pass The Book". I am so intrigued by the idea, I have to share it with you. The possibilities for discussion are endless. The ability to tie in a classroom assignment with the public library web page... from Geography tie ins to statistics, this is an idea that could be utilized across the curriculum by teachers. The programming possibilities for a librarian are only limited by the imagination.

Here is the information about their program, direct from their Winter 2010 Programming Guide:

"Look for specially marked copies of The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld. Read the book. Register the book's number at hclibrary.org. Pass the book to another friend. Return to the web site throughout the year to track where the books traveled, and participate in online book discussions."

The link to the Howard County Website is below. Check it out!

Pass The Book

Howard County Library

Just Another Hero

Draper, Sharon M. Just Another Hero. 2009. Simon & Schuster. New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 978-1-4169-0700-8. Hardcover, $16.99.

Annotation:
This is the startling conclusion to the books The Battle of Jericho and November Blues.

Fall of Senior Year has begun for Kofi, Jericho, November Arielle, and Dana. The students find themselves wrapped up in their classes and college applications.
In the middle of everything, a student shows up in Chemistry class with a gun, demanding that his voice be heard.

Book Talk:
"So what makes a hero, and who is the hero of the day?" (page 280).

Fall has begun, and Jericho, November, and Arielle find themselves in their Senior Year of High School. With the tragedy of Josh's death behind them, November has returned to school after the birth of her baby and the students are now applying to colleges and looking forward to all that life has to offer them.

Not all is going well in the world of Douglas High School. Koffi is still suffering from the trauma of the night Josh died, and has become addicte to pain killers. Eddie has returned to school from his stint in Juvie for the part he played in Josh's death, and Arielle is reeling from the nightmare of her home life. Crazy Jack is still clanging his cymbals wherever he goes, but he seems to be searching for bigger and louder ways to make people pay attention to him. Osrick is being bullied unmercifully, and he has vowed revenge on those who have wronged him.

In the midst of all this, the school is suffering from a spate of false fire alarms.

Have the alarms been set off just to annoy the students and teachers, or is there something more sinister behind the rise in false alarms?

As the students face the most frightening moment of their lives, we find the answer to the question: "So, what makes a hero, and who is the hero of the day?"


Author Web Site: sharon draper

Syren - Book Five of the Septimus Heap Series

Sage, Angie. Syren. 2009. Harper Collins, New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 978-0-06-008210-5. Hardback $17.95.

Annotation:
In this fifth book of the Septimus Heap Series, Septimus is stranded on a beautiful desert island with his wounded dragon, Spit Fyre. Septimus meets a young girl named Syrah...a girl he knew 500 years in the past. As Septimus struggles to unravel the mysteries surrounding Syrah, Lucy Gringe finds herself swept into Septimus' adventures as she attempts to escape the Port Witch Coven with Wolf Boy. Septimus, Lucy, and Syrah, Wolf Boy, and Jenna all end up on the same beautiful island in a race against time to save the palace from the machinations of the evil Tertius Fume and his minions.

Book Talk:
Septimus has just been named the Senior Apprentice to the Extraordinary Wizard. As hsi first duty, he is returning to the city across the sea to retrieve Jenna and Beetle and bring them safely home.

So, what does the Port Witch Coven, a mysterious cargo in the hold of a ship, and a lighthouse that looks like a cat, a Syren, and a mysterious girl named Syrah have to do with the safe return of Septimus and Jenna to the castle? Everything.

Septimus, Jenna, Beetle, and the dragon Spit Fyre find themselves stranded on a beautiful island with the mysterious cat shaped light house. The future of the kingdom will be determined by the actions of everyone on the island.

Can the Senior Apprentice save the kingdom and the castle with nothing more than his quick thinking? Find out in Syren...Book Five of the Septimus Heap Series.

Author Website: Angie Sage

Fearless

Woodruff, Elvira. Fearless. 2007. Scholastic, New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 978-0-439-67703-5. Hardback,$16.99.

Annotation:
The year is 1703. Digory Beale gets word that his father's ship has gone down off the coast of England. He is sent off to find word of his father. If his father has died in the wreck Digory is told he can never return home. As Digory sets off across England, he is befriended by Henry Winstanley, the Jester of Littlebury".
When the largest storm in the history of England threatens the Lighthouse that Winstanley built, Digory and his master set out in a race against time to fix the lighthouse.

Book Talk:
Courage. There are many kinds of courage in this world. When Eleven year old Digory Beale is sent off alone, across England to find word of his father, he discovers the many faces of courage.

Beset by press gangs for Her Majesty's Navy, captured by Highway Men, and forced to face his deepest fears, Digory learns to rise above the situation in front of him and hold true to himself.

Digory is rescued from the gallows by Henry Winstanley, a gadgeteer, inventor, and builder of the Lighthouse of Eddystone Reef. While living with Winstanley, Digory learns to read and draw. Digory is amazed at the gadgets his Master has built, including the first ever roller coaster in the world.

But, when a giant cyclone threatens the Lighthouse on Eddystone Reef, Digory is forced to face his deepest fear- to cross the sea in rough, choppy seas in order to repair the lighthouse.

Based upon the true story of Henry Winstanley, the Jester of Littlesbury, this story will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

The Magician's Elephant

DiCamillo, Kate. The Magician's Elephant. 2009. Candlewick Press, Somerville, Mass.

ISBN 13: 978-0-7636-4410-9. Hardback, $16.99.

Book Awards:
School Library Journal Starred Review, Aug. 2009.
Booklist Starred review, July 2009.
Library Media Connection, Starred Review Nov. 2009.
Kirkus Starred Review, Aug. 2009.

Annotation:
When Peter discovers the fortune tellers tent in the middle of the city, he seeks the answer to the deepest question of his heart. Does his sister still live? The fortune teller's answer to Peter: "Follow the elephant" is just as confusing to Peter as all of the years of uncertainty have been. But the unforgettable chain of events that follows the answer sets up a magical trail that leads a child on the trail of answers.

Book Talk:
"What if?"
What if...you could find a sister you thought had died when she was born?
What if...you could make an elephant appear out of nowhere and crash through the ceiling of the opera house.
What if...the elephant holds the answers to the deepest questions of your heart?
What if...you believe in yourself enough to change the world?
What if...you find out that what you thought was true was actually a lie?

For, how will the world change if we do not question it?

Author's Web Site:
Kate DiCamillo 

Here Lies Arthur

Reeve, Philip. Here Lies Arthur. 2007. Scholastic Press. New York, NY.

Book Awards:
2007- shorlist for Booklist Teenage Prize
2008 - Carnegie Medal

Annotation:
A retelling of the King Arthur legends. Gwyna is a girl who becomes a boy at the hands of Merlin. As a result, Gwyna is accpeted into the pack of boys who surround King Arthur and follow him into battles.

Book Talk:
King Arthur was a legend in his own time. Surrounded by the myths of the Magic Sword from the Lady of the Lake, and supported by the magic of Merlin, the legends of Arthur's rise to power exist to this very day. It makes you wonder what the story behind the stories could be. Is it possible that the legends don't catch the truth of what happened in Camelot?

Meet Gwyna. She is a young girl who is forced to leave her home on King Ban's lands when Arhtur's army attacks. Gwyna has fled from Arhtur's armies, only to be found hiding in the river by Merlin. Merlin takes pity on Gwyna, and takes her in. He gives her food and shelter for the night.

As we join the story, Merlin (Myrddin) has joined up with Arthur's brother, Cei.

"We meet at the river, then?" I heard the rider shout.

"The pool above the ford," called Myrddin, one hand up, waving, as the rider went away between the trees. "Where the waterfall is."

As the hoofbeats faded, he turned and saw me watching. He came toward me smiling, and I was still so little used to being smiled at that I just stood there basking in it till he reached me. e took me by one arm and pushed me back inside. "There is work to be done, Gwyna."

I looked at the dark loaves of dung his horse had dropped on the floor. I wondered if he ewanted it cleaned up.

"Didn't I say you'd help me help the Bear?" he said.

Arhtur needs a sign. There's an Irishman who rules those wet moors that rise up south of here. He's Ban's man, and if he chooses to avenge his overlord, it will be a hard strife and a waste of good men. Better for everyone if he can just welcome Arthur as his lord in Ban's place. Arthur could use an ally here in the west. I've spoken with the Irishman, and he's agreeable. But his people won't trust a man who carries the sign of Christ on his shield. The ways of the new God lie thin in those hills of his, like the first snow. Just a pretty coverlet. Dig a little and you soon find old ways and old gods underneath......."

So the old gods are going to make Arthur a present" Myrddin went on, fumbling among the furs and cloths behind his saddle. "A sign to show they are on Arthur's side."

"What sort of sign" I asked, afraid.

"I'll show you."

His quick hands undid the fastenings on a long bundle of oilcloth. Something golden caught the light. A sword hilt. I'd not seen many swords, but I knew enough to know this one was special. The pommel and the crosspiece were red-gold, inlaid with swirls and curls of paler metal. The hilt was twisted around with silver wire. The blade shone like water in the folds of the cloth....

"And maybe some god is watching over us, " he said. "Someone sent you to me, that's for sure. I had planned to have the Bear row out adn find teh sword on a ledge beneath that little waterfall, hid among the rushes there like Moses in his basket. Spin a story afterward to explain it. But now I have a better notion. And now I have you, my little fish."

And so begins the saga of Excalibur. And the presentation of Excalibur to Arthur. And thus begins the magic reign of King Arthur, with Merlin by his side.

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn

Goodman, Alison. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn. Viking. 2008. New York, NY.

ISBN 13:30508000107298. Hardcover $19.99

Book Awards:
2008 Best Fantasy Novel: Aurealis Award Winner
2008 Honour Book: James Triptree Jr. Award
2009 Notable Book: CBCA Award
2009 Shortlisted: NSW Premeir's Literary Award, Ethel Turner Prize
2009 Parent's Choice Award

Book Talk:
"From the Primer Scrolls of Jion Tzu:
No one knows how the first Dragoneyes made their dangerous bargain with the twelve engergy dragons of good fortune. The few scrolls and poems that have survived the centuries start the story well after the deal was struck between man and spirit beast to protect our land. It is rumored, however, that a black folio still exists that tells of the violent beginning and predicts a catastrophic end to the ancient alliance....
Only those boys who can see an energy dragon can hope to be a Dragoneye candidate. It is a rare gift to be able to see the dragon of your birth year, and even rarer to be able to see any of the other dragons. Every New Year, twelve boys, born 12 years before. face the ascending dragon and pray that their gift is enough for the beast. One of them is chosen and in that moment of union - and only for that moment - all men can see the dragon in all his glory.
Women have no place in the world of dragon magic. It is said that they bring corruption to the art and do not have the physical strength or depth of character needed to commune with an energy dragon. It is also thought that the female eye, too practiced in gazing at itself cannot see the truth of the energy world." (Dragoneye Reborn, pages 1-2)

Eon is a candidate hoping to be chosen as the next Dragoneye by the Rat Dragon. Not only does Eon have the ability to see into the spirit world, Eon has the very rare ability to see all of the dragons that exist in the spirit world. Eon is one of the twelve chosen candidates to present themselves to the Rat Dragon in the great ceremonies. He is the last hope of his Master. His Master has trained two other candidates since he stepped down as the Dragoneye. The other two candidates failed to be chosen, and Master's fortunes have declined as a result. Eon was found working in the salt mines by his Master. Since that time, Eon has trained relentlessly for the position of Dragoneye. If Eon is not chosen as the next Dragoneye, he will be sold into slavery.

Eon's ascendancy to the Dragoneye position is not guaranteed. In spite of Eon's great gifts, he is considered untouchable. His hip was broken and repaired badly several years ago. He walks with a limp, and is considered a cripple. Many feel that he should not even have been chosen to train as one of the twelve.

But, Eon has an even darker secret than his bad hip. Eon is actually Eona. Master found Eona in the salt mines. She was a girl with marvelous gifts of power and spirit, and the ability to see all of the dragons. She truly has a chance to become the next Dragoneye. If anyone discovers Eona's secret, she will be killed instantly for her deceptions and for daring to tread onto the sacred grounds.

Eon's life is filled with twist, turns, and deviousness. The Emporer's brother is lusting after the throne. Lord Ido, the current Rat Dragoneye is conniving to gain full control of the Dragoneye Council. And Eona finds herself treading the treacherous, dangerous waters of conspiracy and betrayal.

How will the Dragoneye Council survive? And what will be the fate of the Cloud Kingdom?

Author Website: www.alisongoodman.com.au

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X

Patterson, James and Michael Ledwidge. The Dangerous Days of Daniel X. Little and Brown, 2008.
New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 9780316002929. Hardcover,$19.99.

Annotation:
Daniel X is a 13 year old alien hunter. He uses the book of outlaws left to him by his dead parents to track down aliens intent on destroying all human life on Earth.

Book Talk:
Daniel X was just four years old when his parents were brutally murdered by an alien who was intent on stealing the book of alien outlaws from his parents. From that time, Daniel has taken over their role as alien hunters. Using the book as a guide, Daniel hunts down aliens all over Earth, hoping to one day track down and kill the alien who killed his parents.

Daniel has a lead on the alien who destroyed his parents - or does the alien have a lead on Daniel?


Author Website: http://www.jamespatterson.com/index.html

Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop

Allison, Jennifer. Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop. Dutton Children's Books, 2009. New York, NY.

ISBN-13: 978-0525479802. Hardcover, $16.99.


Annotation:
In this fourth Gilda Joyce book, Gilda swings an internship at the International Spy Museum in Washington,D.C. Gilda leaves home for the summer to work in the Spy Museum and learn how to become a better spy. Gilda quickly discovers that there are more mysteries surrounding some recent acquisitions from the former Soviet Union.

Book Talk:
Gilda Joyce is a psychic investigator. In order to become more experienced, she gets a summer internship at the Spy Museum in Washington, DC. Living on her own in Washington, Gilda enjoys dressing up as a spy in her wild disguises that she has brought with her from home.

Suddenly, Gilda notices that there are mysteries everywhere she looks. The lights in the bedroom across from her flash on and off at night. The woman in the apartment across from her spends hours staring through her window at Gilda. And then,the museum acquires a lipstick gun and a camera jewelry pin that was used by spies in the former Soviet Union.

That is when things start to get weird. Gilda begins getting psychic messages and dreams about the lipstick gun,the pin, and the grave of Abraham Lincoln. Gilda suddenly finds herself in the middle of an operation that involves National Security, with clues that only Gilda can unravel.

Will Gilda solve the puzzle in time?


Author Website: http://www.gildajoyce.com/

Streams of Babel by Carol Plum Ucci

Ucci, Carol Plum. Streams of Babel. Harcourt Children's Books, 20008. New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 978-0152165567. Hard Cover, $17.00.

Book Awards:
2010 Maryland Black Eyed Susan Award Nominee
2008 *starred review, Kirkus*


Annotation:
Set in 2002, in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, Cora Holman's mom dies of a brain anuerysm. Hours later, her neighbor's mother also dies of an anuerysm. Meanwhile, a young computer hacker in Pakistan finds a chilling message from a shadowy group warning that many will "drink in December and die like Mangy dogs in April". The Federal Government works together with the young hacker against the clock, trying to discover if the events are related.

Book Talk:
Just months after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, Cora Holman's mother dies of a brain anueryism. Hours later, Owen Eberman's mother also dies of a brain anuerysm. Owen, Cora, and other friends who live on their street all come down with the same mysterious flu-like symptoms.

Meanwhile, a world away in Pakistan, 16 year old Shahzad is helping the CIA crack internet chatter and traffic from suspected terrorist networks. Shahzad is chilled to the bone when he intercepts traffic that reads "They will drink in December and die like mangy dogs in April." Frantic, Shahzad works to find out what it is that people will be drinking, and the location of Colony One. Shahzad is frantic that many people will die, and he is the only one who has the ability to help these people before it is too late.

As the USIC becomes involved in the seemingly unrelated deaths and illnesses, Shahzad finds himself brought to America in order to intercept the terrorist traffic at it's source. Can all of the players find the cause of the illnesses before there are more deaths?

Author Website: http://www.carolplumucci.com/

Into the volcano by Don Wood

Wood, Don. Into the Volcano. Blue Sky Press, 2008. New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 978-0-439-72671-9. Hard Cover, $18.99.

Book Awards:
2009- Best Books for Young Adults
2008- booklist Editor's Choice: Books for Youth
2009- Top Ten Graphic Novels for Youth

Annotation:
Brothers Sumo and Duffy are swept away onto a mysterious island, where they meet up with their mysterious Aunt and Cousin. They find themselves in the middle of a quest to find someone or something under the volcano before time runs out.

Book Talk:
What do two middle schoolers, a mysterious aunt, a cousin named Come-And-Go, and a beautiful woman have to do with an active volcano?

Quite a lot, actually. Sumo and Duffy are taken from their private school by their mysterious cousin, Come-And-Go. They travel to a beautiful island in the tropics, where they meet up with their mysterious aunt and befriend the beautiful Paulina.

While sitting at breakfast, the boys discover that they are to go on an adventure with Come And Go and Paulina. When the volcano begins to erupt, the adventure is moved up and the boys find themselves traveling into the heart of the active volcano with Come And Go and Paulina.

What is everyone searching for? Find out as you travel Into The Volcano.

Author Web Site: www.audreywood.com

Skim: A Graphic Novel

Tamaki, Mariko. Skim. Groundwood Books, 2008. Toronto, Ontario.

ISBN 13: 978-0-88899-753-1. Hard Cover, $18.95.

Book Awards:
2009- Nominee, Doug Wright Award
2009- Nominee, YALSA, Great Graphic Novels for Teens
2008- Outstanding Graphic Novel
2008- Finalist- Governor General's Awards
2009- Nominee- Eisner Awards

Annotation:
"Skim" is Kimberly Keiko Cameron. She wants to be a gothic witch, who doesn't seem to fit in anywhere at school. After a boy at school kills himself, Skim finds herself falling into a deep depression.

Book Talk:
Falling in love is never easy. For Skim, falling in love is harder than it should be. She and her drama teacher, Mrs. Archer, find themselves in a forbidden romance.

When one of the boys at school kills himself, Skim finds herself slipping into a deep depression. When Mrs. Archer ends their relationship, her depression deepens.

When the popular girls at school begin a "Celebrate Life" club to keep any more teens from committing suicide, they take Skim on as a special project. They see her and her gothic ways as a potential for suicide.

Just as things seem to be at their lowest point, Skim finds an unlikely friend and ally amongst the popular crowd of kids.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

George, Jessica Day. Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow. 2008. Bloomsbury. New York, NY.

ISBN 13:9781599901091. Hard Cover, $16.95.

Book Awards:
2008 Whitney Award Nominee
2009 ALA Best Books for Young Adults
2009 Thumbs Up Book Award
2010 Nominee, Beehive Award

Annotation:
A young girl must travel east of the sun and west of the moon in order to rescue her enchanted prince from the evil enchantress.

Book Talk:
Pika is the ninth child in her family. Her parents were so disappointed that she was born a girl and not a boy that they refuse to name her, and leave her with the name Pika- which means girl in Norse. It seems that Pika will forever be the leftover child with no name.

And then, one magical day, Pika rescues the white reindeer from a thicket and the hunters. The reindeer grants her a wish- for a name. But after the magical visit with the reindeer, Pika discovers that she has the ability to talk to the animals. She becomes sought after by all and sundry because of her wonderful way with the animals.

Several years later, Pika is approached by an ice bear, who asks her to come and live with him for a year and a day. Pika agrees to come with the bear, if she can bring her beloved wolf with her.

Pika arrives at the home of the ice bear- an ice palace deep in the North. As she explores the castle, and is introduced to the fascinating creatures who live within she decides that the ice bear must be under an enchantment of some kind. As Pika struggles to discover the nature of the curse, she ends up breaking the agreement and her ice bear is carried away to the home of the enchantress. Can Pika find the mysterious place where her ice bear has been hidden away- East of the Sun and West of the Moon before time runs out?

Author Web Site: www.jessicadaygeorge.com

Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt De La Pina

De La Pina, Matt. Mexican WhiteBoy. 2008. Random House, New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 978-0-385-73310-6. Hardcover, $15.99.

Book Awards:
2008- Button Blue Ribbon Book
2009- LatinoStories.com Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch (and Read)
2009 Notable Books for a Global Society list
Mexican WhiteBoy chosen as a YALSA-ALA Top Ten Book of the year.

Annotation-Danny is a half white, half mexican child. He spends his summer in San Diego, with his Mexican cousins. Here he learns who he really is, and how to get a grip on himself and live up to his potential.

Book Talk:
"Danny loves to play baseball. It is his passion, it is something he loves to do because he did it with his father. He's good, too. He can throw a 95 mile an hour pitch, and he can hit a ball clear into tomorrow. The problem is that ever since his father left, Danny can't throw consistently when it counts. Because of this, Danny did not make the baseball team at his fancy prep school.

Danny has another problem. He is half white, and half hispanic. He doesn't know exactly who he is. Since his father left, he's not sure of anything.

When his mother announces that she has a new boyfriend, and that they are all going to move to San Francisco and move in with the boyfriend, Danny knows one thing for certain. He is not going to move into the boy friends' house.

Danny decides to spend the summer with his father's Mexican family in San Diego. He is hoping that he can save enough money while he is there so that he can join his father in Mexico at the end of the summer.

When we join the story, Danny and his favorite cousin, Sophia, have joined the action on the cul-de-sac. Sophia has introduced Danny to her friends, and a baseball game is in progress in the middle of the street. Sophia knows how much Danny loves to play ball, so she walks him over to the boys who are playing, and Danny is up at bat:

Danny waits on this one. Makes out white seams in a sea of yellow felt. Spinning through the air like a softball. Like a beach ball. Like a big spinning globe, the planet Earth. He locks in. Shifts his weight quick and turns on the pitch, drives the barrel through the zone.

Crushes it.

A muted gunshot sound carries across the lawn as the ball explodes off Danny's bat. Everybody looks up as the tennis ball soars above their heads, a tiny dot in the bright blue sky. A distant commuter plane. A drifting bird. One of the hawks his Dad used to stop and point out whenever they walked through the canyon.

The ball clears not only the Rodriguez roof but the roof of the house behind the Rodriguez house, too. It ends up on another street altogether, at a different address......

Secretly though, it makes him feel alive to crush something with a bat."

Join Danny as he struggles to find who he is, how to fit in with his family, and as he learns to play baseball on his terms in Mexican WhiteBoy by Matt de La Pina.

Author Web Site: http://mattdelapena.com/

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Pon, Cindy. Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia. Green Willow Books. 2009. New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 978-0-06-173021-4. Hard Cover, $17.99

Book Awards:
2009, Top Ten Fantasy for Youth, Booklist
*Starred Review*, Booklist

Annotation:
Ai Ling sets out on a journey to find her father. Months ago, he left to visit the palace on business, but has not been heard from since. Armed only with the beautiful pendant her father gave her, she sets out to find her father.

Book Talk:
Ai Ling's father has disappeared. He left to journey to the palace on business, and he has not been seen or heard from for months. Ai Ling and her mother are waiting patiently for him at home when she is suddenly faced the prospect of an unwanted marriage to pay off an unknown debt. Armed only with the beautiful jade pendant that her father gave her, she sets out to find her father.

Soon, Ai Ling finds herself chased by things. Dark things that are chasing her and trying to kill her.

Chen Yong is searching for his birth parents. He knows to begin with a Mr. Tan, and that Mr. Tan will have more information for him. He rescues Ai Ling from one of the dark things attempting to drag her under the lake, and they agree to travel together for a while.

As they travel together, Ai Ling discovers that she has powerful talents of her own which are just as deadly and powerful as any martial art.

Join Ai Ling and Chen Yong as they journey across the Kingdom of Xia in search of Ai Ling's father and Chen Yong's past.

Author Web Site: www.cindypon.com

Red Moon At Sharpsburg by Rosemay Wells

Wells, Rosemary. Red Moon At Sharpsburg. Viking, 2007. New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 978-0-670-03838-7. Hard Cover, $16.99.

Annotation:
Set in the Shenanndoah Valley during the Civil War. India Moody tells the story of coming of age during the Civil War.

Book Talk:
It is the year 1861. It is the year that everyone and everything changes forever.

India Moody is 12 years old. She lives in the Shennandoah Valley of Virginia. She has been sent to Emory Trimble for tutoring in the scriptures and handwriting. Emory is a scientist, and India quickly discovers a fascination with the world of chemistry and how things work. Emory encourages India to learn as much of the unwomanly world of science as she can.

War breaks out between the South and the North, and the Shennanhoah Valley lies in the heart of the battle. The idyllic valley in the middle of the mountains is where many skirmishes and battles of the Civil War take place.

India's father enlists in the Confederate Army. He is determined to work with the horses, and drive ambulances. Emory Trimble enlists in the Confederate Army. He is determined to take his knowledge of science and help out the soldiers by using some radical new science - he is going to boil his instruments before he uses them, and he is going to sterilize wounds before he sews them shut. And India's best friend, Julia Pardoe writes of a college in Ohio- Oberlin College- that will allow women to enroll and study. They have a scholarship program which will allow poor students to work off their tuition as they study.

But everything changes forever one night, under the Red Moon Over Sharpsburg.

Author Web Site: www.rosemarywells.com

Snow Falling in Spring by Moying Li

Li, Moying. Snow Falling in Spring. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2008. New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 978-374-39922-1. Hard Cover, $16.00.

Book Awards:
*Starred Review*, Booklist
*Starred Review*, Publisher's Weekly
IRA Children's Book Award, 2009
Bank Street Best children's Book of the Year, 2009.
CCBC Choice (University of Wisconsin)
NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, 2009
Massachussetts Book Award- Massachusetts Book Award in Nonfiction, , 2009
Scholastic, Best Memoir, 2008.

Annotation:
The story of a young child growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution.

Book Talk:
"Most people can not remember when their childhood ended. I, on the other hand, have a crystal clear memory of that moment. It happened on night, in the summer of 1966, when my elementary school headmaster hanged himself. I was twelve years old." page 42.

In a gripping tale, Miyong Li tells the tale of her loving family and life in China before the Cultural Revolution began. As the Red Guards begin to take over the universities and the schools, her life, and the life of everyone around her is turned upside down. Schools are closed. Intellectuals are imprisoned. Books are burned. Teachers are denounced and beaten, or worse.

This fascinating story tells the tale of how she and her family manage to struggle through one of the darkest and most uncertain periods in modern history.

Author Web Site: http://moyingli.com/

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Cashore, Kristin. Graceling. Harcourt, Inc. 2008. New York, NY.

ISBN 13:978-0-15-206396-2. Hardback, $17.00.

Book Awards:
2009 Amelia Bloomer list (recommended feminist literature for birth- age 18.
2008 Recommended Reading List, Locus Magazine
*Starred Review*, Kirkus Magazine
*Starred Review*, Publishers Weekly
*Starred Review*, School Library Journal
An Indies Choice Book Award Honor Book in the category of Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
A Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2008

Annotation:
Kasta is a young woman living in the seven kingdoms who has been graced with a special talent. She has the grace of killing. Her king uses this grace to his advantage throughout the kingdom. Eventually, Kasta tires of being the evil killing tool of her king and begins to rebel against him. When Kasta meets Po, she finally finds a friend, who is graced with a skill equal to hers. Together, they unravel a plot which has the potential to unravel all of the kingdoms.

Book Talk:
Kasta was born with the grace of killing. Her king sends her out to enforce his will whenever anyone dares to go against his wishes.

As Kasta begins to tire of the killing and maiming that she must do, she forms the council. The council is a group of people who are united to do what is right. They fight injustice and attempt to make life easier for the residents of the kingdoms.

The council has received word that the grandfather of King Leinid has been kidnapped and is being held in the castle of King Murgon. The council undertakes the task of stealing the grandfather out of the castle of King Murgon in the middle of the night, leaving no witnesses to their deed. Kasta has been charged with safely retreiving the grandfather from the dungeons, and bringing him back to the horses on the outside of the castle walls. Kasta unarms and knocks out all of the guards around the dungeons. After safely rescuing the grandfather, she begins the final, most dangerous part of the trek back to the safety of the horses.

As she neared the garden, "she was astonished when a man stepped out of the darkness and grabbed her from behind. He wrapped his arm around her chest and held a knife to her throat. He started to speak, but in an instant she had deadened his arm, wrenched the knife from his hand, and thrown the blade to the ground. She flung him forward, over her shoulders.

He landed on his feet.

Her mind raced. He was Graced, a fighter. That much was clear. And unless he had no feeling in the hand that had raked her chest, he knew she was a woman.

He turned back to face her, They eyed each other, warily, each no more than a shadow to the other. He spoke.

"I've heard of a lady with this particular Grace." His voice was gravelly and deep. There was a lilt to his words; it was not an accent she knew. She must learn who he was, so that she could know what to do with him.

"I can't think what that lady would be doing so far from home, running through the courtyard of King Murgon at midnight," he said. He shifted slightly, placed himself between her and the wall. He was taller than she was, and smooth in his movements, like a cat. Deceptively calm, ready to spring. A torch on the path nearby caught the glimmer of small gold hoops in his ears. And his face was unbearded, like a Lienid.

She shifted and swayed, her body ready, like his. She didn't have much time to decide. He knew who she was. But if he was Lienid, she didn't want to kill him." (pages 12-13)

What Kasta decides to do next will affect the future of all seven kingdoms. The kidnapping of the Leinid grandfather exposes a secret so terrible, so horrifying that it has the potential to destroy all seven kingdoms.


Author Website: http://kristincashore.blogspot.com/

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd

Dowd, Siobhan. The London Eye Mystery. Random House Books, 2007. New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 978-0-375-84976-3. Hardback, $15.99

Book Awards:
2007 NASEN and TES Special Educational Needs Children's Book Award.
2008 Red House Children's Book Award Nominee
2008 Booklist Top 10 Crime Fiction for Youth
2009 Booklist Best Books for Young Adults
2008 Booklist Editor's Choice
2009 Booklist Notable Children's Books

Annotation:
When Salim disappears while riding the London Eye, it is up to his cousins, Ted and Kat to solve the mystery and find Salim.

Book Talk:
The London Eye is a giant ferris wheel located in the middle of London. It takes 30 minutes to travel once around the loop.

Ted and Kat take their cousin Salim up on the London Eye for a ride the day before Salim is to leave for London with his Mother. Ted and Kat watch as Salim boards his car, and then watch it go around, and then stand astounded as they watch people come out of the car- but no Salim. Stunned, Ted and Kat call the police and the massive search for Salim begins.

As chaos reigns in the house, Kat and Ted piece together small pieces of information, looking for clues to Salim's whereabouts.

Can Salim be found in time? Find out in The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd.


Author's Web Site: http://www.siobhandowdtrust.com/

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

George, Jessica Day. Princess of the Midnight Ball. Bloomsbury, 2009. New York, NY.

ISBN-13: 978-1-59990-322-4. Hardback, $16.99.

Book Awards:
Best Books for Young Adults nominee, (YALSA), 2009.

Annotation:
In this update of the classic fairy tale, Queen Maude has made a deal with Lord Under Stone. In exchange for children, and an end to the war which is ravaging her country, she is to go down to the kingdom under stone every third night and dance at the ball held by Lord Understone. When Queen Maude dies part way through her contracted dance time, her children are forced to complete her contracted dance time with Lord Under Stone. Knitting patterns for items made by Galen in the book are included.

Book Talk:
Galen is back from the war. His father was killed in the war, and his mother died soon after. Galen goes to live with his aunt and uncle, who live near the palace. His uncle is the head gardener for the king.

While serving as the gardener, Galen hears of the mystery surrounding the princesses. Every night, they are locked into their rooms. Every morning, when the doors are unlocked, the princess's dancing shoes have been worn clean through and must be replaced. The mystery has the entire kingdom whispering about the habits of the young princesses.

When we join the story, Galen finds himself intrigued with the mystery surrounding the dancing shoes. Princess Rose has been very ill, and is unable to get out of bed for several days in a row. Galen is working in the garden when the wind begins to blow and whine. The old gardener, Walter attempts to lock all of the gardeners into the tool shed, but Galen escapes the shed to find out what is going on outside.

"Galen!" the older man came stumping around the corner. "Stay inside!"

"No, tell me what is happening!"

It was dark, and Galen could barely make out Galen's head shake. "No time! Take this!" And he pressed a switch into Galen's hands. "Rowan, best I can do in a pinch."

"For what, the storm?"

The wind was tearing through the gardens, and Galen thought with despair of how many leaves he would have to dredge out of the swan fountain in the morning. Strangely, it didn't smell of rain or snow, both of which were possible at this time of year, but of mold and stone.

"There is no storm" Walter said evenly. "Do you know where the windows of the princesses' sitting room are?"

"The South side? Overlooking the hedge maze?" That he knew this so readily made Galen blush. He hadn't been trying to peep at the princesses, but he'd seen them at those windows more often than at any of the others.

"That's right! Come quickly!"

Walter moved off at a greater speed than Galen would have thought that a man with a false leg could go. Galen was soon trotting to keep up as the wind buffeted them. They skirted wide around the maze and came upon the smooth lawn on the south side of the palace.

The windows were all ablaze, and Galen could see anxious faces peering out: servants curious about the sudden wind. The princesses' sitting room was on the third floor, and Galen thought he saw movement there.

But then his attention was caught by a sound that sliced through the wind. A hollow howling sound that was no dog that Galen had ever heard. Strange, creeping shapes were coming out of the hedge maze, from behind a fountain shaped like a mermaid, and around the corner of the palace. They were like tall men, stooped over.
"Hay, hallo there" Galen called, his words carried off by the wind. "Hey!"
"Galen!" Walter shouted.

ONe of the figures lunged at Galen. He brought up his switch just in time and lashed his attacker across the face with it. A surprisingly human cry followed, and the hunched figure fell back. Now more creatures were coming at them, and Galen and Walter whipped at them as best they could.

"Stop there!" with a surge of panic, Galen saw that one of the figures had gone around them and was attempting to climb the ivy on the palace wall. It grew all the way to the princess's windows, and though it would not hold a grown man's weight, these...beings...were slender and seemed almost insubstantial. "I said stop!" Galen rushed after the figure, switching it across the back.
Above them, a window flew open. (pages 61-62)

What do these creatures have to do with the princesses' midnight ball?

Author Website: www.jessicadaygeorge.com

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Riordan, Rick. The Last Olympian. Disney Hyperion. 2009. New York, NY.


ISBN 13: 978-142310147-5. Hardback, $17.99.

Book Awards:
*Starred Review* Kirkus
*Starred Review* Booklist
#1 New York Times Bestseller
#1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller
#1 Los Angeles Times Bestseller

Annotation:
Percy Jackson is back in this conclusion to the Olympians series. Percy and his friends work against time to stop the Titans from their quest to overthrow Olympus.

Booktalk:
A half-blood child of the eldest gods,
Shall reach sixteen against all odds.
And see the world in endless sleep,
The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap.
A single choice shall end his days.
Olympus to preserve or raze. (pg 55)

Against all odds, Percy Jackson is about to turn sixteen years old. The Titans are advancing on New York City. Their goal is to destroy Mount Olympus and throw down the Gods and install themselves as the new lords of Olympus.

Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Clarrise struggle to stop the advance of the Titans. Ferocious battles are fought between the Titans and the campers, but the inevitable choice is coming closer and closer. What will Percy choose to do?

Will Percy choose the path that will end his life, but save Olympus?

Author Website: www.rickriordan.com

November Blues by Sharon Draper

Draper, Sharon M. November Blues. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2007. New York, NY.
ISBN 13: 978-1416906995. Hard Cover, $16.99.

Book Awards:
Coretta Scott King Award Honor Book
NYPL “Books for the Teen Age”
2008 Winner, African American Literary Awards Show

Annotation:
November Nelson is a senior in high school. Everything is going right for her; she is looking at getting into college and scholarships are being offered. Then comes the day when November finds out that her dead boyfriend left her more than just memories. How is she going to tell her mother? What will she decide to do?

Book Talk:

Josh Prescott died two months ago in a fraternity prank. He left behind his girlfriend, November, and his best friend and cousin, Jericho. The emotional toll on both teens has been tremendous.
Jericho has given up playing his horn and everything else that he enjoyed before Josh died. He’s gone out for football. Week after week, he hits the football field hard, hoping that the pain of football will take away the pain of missing Josh.
Much to her horror, November discovers that she is pregnant. She is on the fast track to go to college, accepting scholarships and signed up for college tours with her mom. She is now facing the hardest decisions of her life.
As we join the story, November has gone to Jericho’s house to pick up some homework. She is looking at a picture of Josh on Jericho’s desk…
“I can’t believe all the little molecules that made up Josh have simply disappeared, like…” He paused, searching for an analogy. “Like kids’ soap bubbles when they pop. Just gone. I never did like science,” he added, suddenly kicking his pillow with fury. They both watched it sail through the air and land on a pile of dirty clothes.
Then November said quietly, “not all of Josh’s atoms are gone, Jericho.”
“Huh?”
“Maybe a little piece of Josh will stick around for a while.”
“You talkin’ crazy,” Jericho said.
She leaned forward, “ I got something to tell you.”
“About chemistry class?”
“More about biology.”
“I’m not followin’. We don’t even take biology this year.”
November took a deep breath. “I’m going to have a baby, Jericho. Josh’s baby.”
Jericho inhaled sharply, as if he’d been punched in the gut, then fell back on the bed. “Are you sure?”
“How come every movie I see, that’s always the first question dudes ask? Like I’d come over here and tell you this unless I was absolutely, positively sure.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just…that’s the last thing I’d expect you to say.” He paused, his head swimming. “I would have been less surprised if you had said you were running away to join the circus!”……..
November stood up suddenly and ran out of Jericho’s room to the bathroom across the hall. She didn’t have time to close the door, and her vomiting echoed in the hallway. Jericho headed for the door in alarm.
When she walked out of the bathroom a few minutes later, she looked pale and unsteady. “Are you sure you want to help?” she asked, a wan grin on her face.
“I’m with you all the way,” he answered, and wondered what that really meant.” Pgs. 66-69


Author website: www.sharondraper.com

Larry and the Meaning of Life by Janet Tashjian

Tashjian, Janet. Larry and the Meaning of Life. Henry Holt and Company, 2008. New York, NY.
ISBN 13: 978-0-8050-7735-3. Hard Cover, $16.95.

Annotation:
Josh Swenson is a young boy who has lost his motivation to change the world and now has trouble motivating himself to get up off the couch. Once he hooks up with the mystical guru Gus, Josh finds not only his motivation, he finds the meaning of life.

Book Talk:
What is the meaning of life? After an exhausting run for president and a wild goose chase across the country to find an old girlfriend named Janine, Josh comes home and finds himself unmotivated. He spends his days on the couch, in front of the television, wondering about the meaning of life.
Then, Josh hooks up with a wacky guru named Gus at Walden Pond. Josh’s life is about to take a turn towards the weird. Josh’s old girlfriend Janine appears as one of Gus’ disciples. Add in some land mines, paint by number sets, a kidney donation, and a wild tourist running around with a video camera and Josh finds that he isn’t sure about his own reality anymore, much less the meaning of life. Is Gus a charlatan, or is he a great guru who is going to help Josh discover the meaning of life?

Author Web Site: www.janettashjian.com

The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante

Galante, Cecilia. The Patron Saint of Butterflies. Bloomsbury USA. 2008. New York, New York.
ISBN 13: 978-1-9990-249-4. Hardback, $16.99

Awards:
Oprah’s Kids Reading List
2008 Book Sense Pick
2009 Thumbs Up Book Award from the Michigan Library Association
Nominee, 2008 border’s Original Voices Book Awards
Rhode Island Teen Book Award

Annotation:
Agnes and Honey are two young girls growing up inside of a religious commune. When Nana Pete takes the girls away from the commune, the girls struggle to adapt to life on the outside.

Book Talk:“When everything you’ve ever known turns out to be a lie, how do you find the truth?”
Agnes and Honey are two young friends growing up in a religious commune in Connecticut, under the spiritual guidance of Emmanuel. The girls live a plain life, with no choices, and in constant fear of having to visit the Room of Requirement.
Then one day, Nana Pete comes to visit Agnes. When Agnes’ brother Benny gets his hand caught in the front door and loses two of his fingers. Emmanuel decides that he can heal Benny himself and sews Benny’s fingers back on his hand.
Appalled at the turn of events, Nana Pete snatches Benny, Agnes, and Honey and flees the commune in the middle of the night. As the web of lies that surrounded their life in the commune begins to unravel, the girls are left wondering: is there is a place that will be safe, and where no one will ever hurt them again?

Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim

Karim, Sheba. Skunk Girl. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2009. New York, NY
ISBN 13: 978-374-37011-4. Hardback, $16.95.

Annotation:
Nina Kahn is a young Afghani American struggling to adapt to life as an American Teenager while still honoring her strict Afghani cultural standards.

Book Talk:
Afghani-American teenagers struggle to find a balance between their cultures. The Afghani side strives to excel in school, remain pure, and honor their parents. The American side wants to go to parties, have dates with boys, and wear the latest fashions. Find out how Nina Kahn navigates the twists and turn of her life in Skunk Girl.

Author Web Site: http://shebakarim.com/

Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers

Myers, Walter Dean. Sunrise Over Fallujah. Scholastic Books, 2008. New York, NY.
ISBN 13: 978-0-439-91624-0, Hard Cover, $17.99.

Book Awards:
Publisher’s Weekly *Starred Review*
Kirkus Reviews *Starred Review*
School Library Journal *Starred Review*
Horn Book *Starred Review*

Annotation:
The Civilian Affairs Unit has been assigned to be one of the first units into Iraq. Robin “Birdy” Perry tells the story of the Civilian Affairs Unit in the months after the invasion of Iraq, and the capture of Baghdad.

Book Talk:
The time is 2003, and Birdy Perry is a new Army recruit. His company has been sent to Kuwait to be among the first troops into Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The troops invade the capital, Baghdad very quickly, and everyone declares the war to be over.
But if the war is over, why are soldiers still dying? Why are the Iraqis so hostile to the Americans who saved them from Saddam Hussein? Is winning the war the same as surviving the war?
In a country filled with stark contrasts, in a war filled with questions, sometimes you just need to stop and watch the Sunrise Over Fallujah.

Author Website: www.walterdeanmyers.net

Notes From the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonenblick

Sonnenblick, Jordan. Notes From the Midnight Driver. Scholastic, Inc. 2006. New York, NY.
ISBN 13: 978-0-439-75781-2. Softcover, $6.99.

Book Awards:
Association of Jewish Libraries Notable Books
South Carolina Young Adult Book Award Nominee (2008-2009)
Texas Lone Star Book (2007-2008)
ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2008)

Annotation:
Alex Gregory kills a lawn gnome while driving drunk, and then is arrested by the police. As his punishment, the judge sentences him to do community service in a nursing home.

Book Talk:
Alex Gregory is angry. His parents have recently divorced, and his Dad has moved out of the house and in with Alex’s old third grade teacher. Alex’s mom has gone out on her first date with a new guy. So, Alex decides that he is going to take matters into his own hands, and let his Dad know exactly how angry he is about everything that has happened to their family. So, Alex drinks all of the alcohol that his Mom keeps in her house, takes her car keys, and attempts to drive over to his Dad’s house. Before he makes it to his Dad, Alex is involved in an accident which involves the untimely demise of Mrs. Wilson’s new lawn gnome and his mother’s car.
As a result of his midnight drive, Alex is sentenced to do community service with a crotchety old man in the nursing home. Every other week, Alex writes a note to the judge who sentenced him to do the community service. Alex and his crotchety old man, the judge, and Alex’s parents grow up and take responsibilities for their actions, which are detailed in the Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick.

Author website:
www.jordansonnenblick.com

Inside Out by Terry Trueman

Trueman, Terry. Inside Out. Harper Collins, 2003. New York, NY.

ISBN 13: 9780064473767. Paperback.

Awards:
2006 IRA Teacher’s Choice, YA
2006 Kentucky Bluegrass Master List
Atlanta Parent Top Ten Teen Reads
2004 Best Book for Young Adults
VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers 2003

Annotation:
Zach, a 16 year old boy is caught in the middle of a hold up at a coffee shop when things go terribly wrong.

Book Talk:
The voices echo in his head: “Wasteoid. Loser. Time to die. Die. Die. Die.”
Zach hears these voices inside his head all of the time. He has schizophrenia, and as long as he takes his medication on time, he can ignore the voices. One day he is caught in the middle of a hold up at the coffee shop and is taken as a hostage. As the time ticks by, the voices in Zach’s head speak louder and louder, threatening Zach with death. Their captors are nervous teenagers, desperate to do whatever it takes to get out alive.
Will Zach be able to survive the dangers inside his head, as well as those outside? Find out in Inside Out by Terry Trueman.

Author Website: www.terrytrueman.com

Scat by Carl Hiaasen

Hiaasen, Carl. Scat. Knopf. 2009. New York, NY.
ISBN 978-0-375-83486-8. Hardcover, $16.99.

Awards:
Starred Review, School Library Journal, Jan. 2009.
2009- Kid’s Indie Next List- “Inspired Recommendations for kids from Indie Booksellers”
2009- Skipping Stone Honor Award

Annotation
Mrs. Starch disappears on a field trip to the Black Vine Swamp. The school says that she has had a family emergency and will be out of town for a while. Nick and Marta work to find out the truth about what happened to Mrs. Starch.

Booktalk:
Nick and Marta have the misfortune to have Mrs. Starch for Biology this year at school. She is the meanest, toughest teacher at Truman High School. She picks mercilessly on any student in her class who does not quickly volunteer an answer to her questions.
As we join the story, the children are roaming through the Black Vine Swamp with their groups when they hear a loud, piercing shriek, and then begin to smell smoke. The students follow their teachers back to the boardwalk….
“After assembling at the boardwalk the three teams merged to form a long, single line. At the very end of it was Mrs. Starch, who burped the air horn to make the students turn around and pay attention.
“Listen up people!” she said. “A small wildfire has sprung up on the far edge of the swamp – Pretty common for this time of year. It’ll probably burn out when it reaches the Cypress muck, but there’s no sense taking any chances. That’s why we’re cutting short our field trip and heading back to school. Straight back to school.”
Marta groaned and leaned against Nick. “What if she makes us go to her class? I’m going to be sick again, all over the place.”
“Pray for a flat tire on the way home,” Nick said.
He was disappointed because he’d hoped for another opportunity to see a panther, or whatever it was that had darted into the cypress shadows. However, a wildfire was nothing to fool with. If a strong wind kicked up, the blaze would race across the land faster than any human could possibly run.
“Please stay in line behind Mr. Neal and Miss Moffitt,” Mrs. Starch said. “I’ll be coming along in a minute – Libby dropped her medicine, so I’m going back to find it.” She clapped so loudly that it sounded like a paper bag popping. “Now get your fannies in gear! Move!”
At the time, nobody questioned Mrs. Starch’s decision to go back. Libby Marshall had frequent asthma attacks, and she always carried an inhaler. The haze from the fire would make it harder to her to breathe.
“Quickly and quietly,” urged Miss Moffitt as the kids began streaming towards the bus.
Nick was walking behind Marta, who was behind Graham, who was behind Mickey Maris, who was behind Rachel, who was behind Hector, the star of the soccer team. The students were in such a rush that they were stepping on each other’s heels. Nick lost one of his sneakers when he was overrun by the next boy in line, an algebra ace named Gene, who stepped around him and kept going.
When Nick knelt to retrieve his shoe, he glanced back down the curving boardwalk just in time to see Mrs. Starch, in her straw hat and dragonfly glasses, marching alone into the smoky swamp.
He had no idea she wouldn’t be coming out.” Pgs. 35-36

author website: www.carlhiaasen.com

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Pfeffer, Susan Beth. Life As We Knew It. Harcourt Books, 2008. Orlando, Fl.
ISBN 13: 978-0-15-206587-8. Soft Cover, $6.95.

Book Awards:
2009 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book, 2007
Booklist Editor's Choice: Books for Youth - Older Readers Category, 2006
Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices
Junior Library Guild Premier Selection , 2006
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2007

Annotation:
16 year old Miranda tells the story of life on Earth after a Meteor hits the moon and moves the Earth out of it’s orbit and closer to the Earth.

Booktalk:

When you are a teenager, life can be tricky. How to fit in at school? What clothes to wear? Will I get my driver’s license this summer?

But for 16 year old Miranda, life is about to get trickier than ever. One May night, a meteor hits the moon. It’s an unusual hit, because the meteor is large, and it will be traveling a trajectory that will make the hit visible to the naked eye. As Miranda’s family stands outside to watch the hit on the moon, the unthinkable happens. The meteor hits the moon hard enough that the moon moves closer to the Earth. So close, that it looks as if it will crash into the moon.

The moon controls the tides, and the weather. And so many more things. The electricity goes out and never comes back on. The weather is odd. And then, the volcanoes start to erupt. Life becomes a battle for survival, but all Miranda wants is to get back to Life As We Knew It.

Author Website:http://susanbethpfeffer.blogspot.com/

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. 1984. Vintage Books, New York, NY.
ISBN: 0-679-73477-5. Paperback $9.95

Awards:
YALSA Outstanding Books for the College Bound--1999
Before Columbus Foundation's American Book Award--1985
2009 One Book, One Chicago Selection
2008 American Book Award

Annotation:
Esperanza shares the story of growing up in a house in the middle of the inner city. Bold, rich neighborhood characters are introduced throughout the story.

Book Talk:
The Book Whisper:
As Esperanza rebels against the life in the house on Mango Street, she finds that she wants to get out so that she can come back for those who can’t. Find out why in “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros.

Version 2:“I had to have a house. A real house. One I could point to- but this isn’t it. The house on Mango Street isn’t it. For the time being, Mama says. Temporary, Papa says.” Pg. 5
Esperanza introduces us to the rich, bold characters that live on Mango Street. Throughout the story, Esperanza rebels against a life on Mango Street, determined to move away from the life she knows and the low expectations that the world has for her. Will she ever leave the temporary “House on Mango Street?”

Author website: www.sandracisneros.com

Rapunzel's Revenge

Hale, Shannon and Dean. 2008. Rapunzel’s Revenge. Bloomsbury, USA. New York, NY.

ISBN 13:978-159990-07-4. Hardcover, $18.99.

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Annotation:
An alternative telling of the Rapunzel story. Tells the story of what happened after Rapunzel escaped from her tower.

Book Talk:
Have you ever wondered what happened after Rapunzel escaped from her tower? Who put Rapunzel in that tower anyway? And why? Find out the answer to these and other burning questions in Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale.

Author Website: http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

Brashares, Ann. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. 2001. Dell-Laurel Leaf Publishers. New York, New York.

ISBN 13: 978-0553494792. Softcover, $9.99.

Book Awards:
2002 ALA Best Books for Young Adults
2004 Indiana Young Hoosier Award
2003 Iowa Children’s Choice Award
2002 Maryland Black Eyed Susan Award
2003 Missouri Gateway Reader’s Award
2004 New Jersey Garden State Book Award
2002 Rhode Island Children’s Book Award
2003 Washington Evergreen Book Award
2004 Pacific Northwest Young Reader’s Choice Award
2005 Arizona Young Reader’s Award
2004 Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award

Annotation:
Four friends spend their first summer apart from each other. Through the summer, they send a pair of blue jeans back and forth to each other so that the pants will be their common denominator.

Booktalk:“Magic comes in many forms. Tonight it comes to us in a pair of pants. I hereby propose that these Pants belong to us equally, that they will travel to all of the places we’re going, and they will keep us together when we are apart.” Pg. 23.
And thus began the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Four girls travel to separate corners of the world one summer, bound together by one mythical, magical pair of pants. Find out how The Pants changed their lives in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares.

Author Website:
www.annbrashares.net

Rooftop by Paul Volponi

Book Awards:
ALA Best Book Young Adult
ALA Quick Pick
New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

Annotation:
Clayton and Addison are cousins who have ended up together in Rehab. Clayton struggles to live a clean life and do the right thing after Addison is shot and killed.

Book Talk:
Daytop is a rehab school for kids who’ve been caught up dealing or using drugs. Cousins Clayton and Addison find themselves together at Daytop after being separated for years because of a family feud. The boys spend their time at Daytop learning to avoid the lure of the streets, finish their GED’s, and live a clean life.
But, the lure of the streets and easy money keeps calling to Addison. Nights find him dealing drugs on street corners. Addison is in debt to his supplier for $400. As we join the story, we find him shooting dice in the laundry room with other boys, attempting to make back some of the money he owes.
Addison “was starting to risk more on each roll. Addison and Clorox split the next few pots. Then Clorox wanted to put $100 at one shot, and Addison didn’t want to back down.
Clorox rolled first, and rolled a 2 – 2 – 5.
“Go on, beat that!” sneered Clorox.
The twos cancelled each other out, so Addison had to beat the five, or roll a Cee-Lo or trips to win. The dice rattled inside Addison’s right hand. And he shook them so hard the sweat flew off his wrist onto the table.
“I paid the cost to be the boss!” Yelled Addison, letting them go.
“It came out 4 – 4 – 6. Addison won!”
But a huge black paw slapped the table, and the dice went flying. It was Officer Henry, with the two white rookies standing behind him.” (Page 55)
How will Addison pay the debt to his dealer? Will the boys ever be able to clean up their lives and move past where they are? Find out in Rooftop, by Paul Valponi.

Author Website:http://www.paulvolponibooks.com/

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Paolini, Christopher. Eragon. 2003. Knopf. Random House. New York, New York.
ISBN: 978-0-375-82669-6. Paperback, $10.95.


Awards:
2005- Colorado blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award
2004- Wyoming Soaring Eagle Book Award
2004- Pennsylvania Young REaders Choice Award
2006- Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
2005- Tenessee Volunteer State Book Award
2005- Colorado Children's Book Award
2004- Book Sense Book of the Year
20050 Rhode Island Teen Book Award

Annotation:
Eragon is a farm boy who finds a dragon egg deep in the woods. Against all the laws of the kingdom, Eragon keeps the egg and raises the dragon hatchling. The king sends out all of his forces to capture Eragon and his dragon and bring them under his control.

Book Talk:
For many long years, there have been whispered tales of Dragon Riders. At one time, Dragon Riders ruled the land. It was said that a dragon and a man were linked together forever. Tales tell of the evil king, Galbatorix. He was a Dragon Rider, and he and 13 other riders revolted, killed the other riders and their dragons. Since that time, Galbatorix has ruled the land unopposed by anyone. No dragons have been seen in over 100 years.

Now, there are new tales being whispered in the land: Tales of a young man named Eragon, and his dragon, Saphira. Tales of how Eragon found a mysterious rock in the mountains that hatched a dragon. Tales of a long thought dead rider, Brom, alive and traveling with Eragon and the dragon. It is whispered that the young man can use magic, and is a strong and cunning fighter.

The fate of the entire country now lies in Eragons’ hands. Will he become a Dragon Rider? Will he join forces with the king? Or will he find the resistance and join forces with those who dare to stand against the king? Find out in Eragon, written by Christopher Paolini.

Author Web Site: www.alagaesia.com

The God Box by Alex Sanchez

Sanchex, Alex. The God Box.
ISBN 13:978-1416909002. Soft cover $8.99.


Annotation:
Paul is a high school student struggling with his sexual identity. When Manuel, an openly gay student moves into town, Paul finds himself challenged to accept who he is.

Book Talk:
The God Box is a small wooden box. Write your concerns on a piece of paper, slip your concerns into the box, and turn your troubles over to God. Given enough time, you will find that your prayers have been answered. Paul has used his God Box for many years now. Into the box go concerns about tests, prayers for family members, and for friends. When the God Box gets full, Paul will go through the box and realize how his prayers have been answered.

And then, Manuel transfers into school.

Manuel is an openly Gay student. He challenges perceptions. He challenges the Bible. He helps to begin a Gay Straight Alliance in school. And he challenges Paul. Paul finds himself drawn to Manuel in a way that he has never been drawn to anyone before. As Paul struggles with his identity, Gay Hate incidents in the High School escalate until one horrific incident causes everyone to rethink the status quo.

Will Paul be able to find peace within himself? Find out in The God Box, by Lambda Award Winning author Alex Sanchez.



Author Website: www.alexsanchez.com

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

The Chocolate War. Robert Cromier. 1974. Laurel Leaf Books. New York.
ISBN-13: 9780440944591. Paperback $7.50.

Book Awards:
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Kirkus Reviews Choice
A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year

Annotation:
At Trinity High School, the Vigils are the unspoken force behind all that happens at school; both the good and the bad. Jerry Renault decides to take a stand against the Vigils when he refuses to participate in the fall chocolate sale.

Book Talk:“Do I dare disturb the universe?” This question is on the poster in the back of Jerry Renault’s locker. Jerry is a freshman, a quarterback on the freshman football team, and struggling to fit in at Trinity High School. The Vigils are an unspoken, unacknowledged force which dictates what will happen in the school. From pranks to outright acts of disobedience, the Vigils control it all. No one has ever dared to go against the will of the Vigils.
This year, the school has taken on a challenge with the chocolate sale. Brother Leon is asking every student to sell 50 boxes of candy, and he enlists the help of the Vigils to enforce the 50- box quota.
What happens when Jerry defies the school and the Vigils and refuses to sell any candy at all will answer the question “What happens when the universe is disturbed?”

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

Spinelli, Jerry. 2003. Milkweed. Random House, Inc. ISBN 9780375813740. $15.99. Hardcover.

Awards:
*ALA Best Books for Young Adults-2004
*Carolyn W. Field Award-2004
*Texas TAYSHAS High School Reading List-2004
*Golden Kite Award for Fiction-2004

Annotation:
Misha is a homeless child roaming the streets of Warsaw, stealing food in order to survive. When the Nazis arrive in Poland, Misha struggles to survive under the new rulers who attempt to destroy everyone that is not just like them.

Book Talk:
Orphaned for as long as he can remember, and living on the streets of Warsaw, Poland life is a constant battle for survival for eight year old Misha. When the Nazis invade Poland, life for the street children of Warsaw becomes even more difficult. As life lurches on under the Nazis, a strange new order begins to take shape. The Jewish people are herded up and sent to live in the ghetto – a small, walled off neighborhood where food, clothing, jobs and housing are short. Misha and the other street boys soon find themselves herded into the ghetto where they have even less food than they did before.

One day, after Misha finds himself so hungry he is eating rats, he decides to find a solution to the problem:

“The next day I began walking along the wall. Until then, I had not thought much about the other side. Now I thought: There’s food over there. More than rats. The gates in the wall were guarded by Jackboots and Flops.

The wall was much too high to climb over, and even if I could get to the top, there was a thicket of barbed wire and broken glass. All that day I walked and looked, walked and looked. At last I saw something. It was not far from the uniform factory. There was a break in the bricks. It was low enough for me to reach. It was two bricks wide. I didn’t know it then, but it was a drain hole of some sort. It would never occur to them that anyone could squeeze through a space two bricks wide.

I left and came back after dark. I was through the hold in a second. I stood on the other side.”
(pg. 87)

Can Misha outwit, outlast, and outplay the Nazis? Find out in Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli.

Author Website: www.jerryspinelli.com

I Am Scout, The Biography of Harper Lee, by Charles J. Shields

Shields, Charles J. I am Scout, the Biography of Harper Lee. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 2008.(ISBN 0-8050-8334-0; $18.95 US, Hardcover)


*Winner of the 2007 Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance for Best Nonfiction Book
*Quill Award Nominee for Biography
*Junior Literary Guild selection
*2009 Best book for Young Adults—ALA


I am familiar with To Kill a Mockingbird. We read it in high school, and I loved the book then. I was not familiar at all with the world of Harper Lee, as she has been a notorious recluse for many years now. The little I knew about her is that she modeled her character, Atticus Finch, after her father.
The Biography was fascinating. I never knew that Truman Capote and Nelle (Harper) Lee were next door neighbors growing up. It does make you wonder what kind of influence the two had upon each other. I did find myself fascinated by Nelle Lee. She was a maverick in her own time. Unconcerned with what conventional wisdom said a woman should be and do, she made her own unconventional way through the world. She was a smart woman, unconcerned with make-up or fashion. She lasted for a year at her Huntingdon College, and then transferred to the University of Alabama. She wrote for both the Crimson White and the Rammer Jammer, the two newspaper publications published at Alabama. In her Junior year, she not only became the Editor in Chief of Rammer Jammer (the campus humor magazine), she began studying Law. Eventually, Nelle dropped out of school one semester before graduating to go to New York. The book then goes on to chronicle the work Nelle put into creating To Kill a Mockingbird, and the movie version of the book. Projects that Nelle has worked on since finishing Mockingbird are explored.

I think I was inspired the most by the story of Nelle’s sister, Alice. Alice was the first person in the family to go to college. She left college after a year, and came home to help her father run his various businesses and raise her younger brothers and sisters. After seven years raising her younger siblings, she went to work for the Social Security Administration, and began to rise in the ranks of that fledgling bureaucracy. Her father eventually convinced her to come back home and work in his law firm. She took graduate courses at night, became a lawyer, and began practicing law in her family business. Alice broke many of the barriers that women faced who wanted to pursue a career – a profession. Alice, who was significantly older than Nelle, became Nelle’s role model in life.
This would be an awesome book for teens because it does explore decisions that she made in her young adult years- where to go to college, studying law as a Junior in college, and leaving college early to go make her way in New York City – and how these decisions directly impacted her career, and her writing. It shows that it is okay to be different, and stand apart from the crowd. Both Nelle, and her sister, Alice were mavericks who went against the crowd. They experienced great success in their careers.

Would I have this title in my YA collection at my library? Yes. Harper Lee has written one of the most influential works of fiction of the latter half of the 20th century. Students are required to read To Kill A Mockingbird in school. Harper Lee has been a recluse for most of her adult life. To have any additional information at all about her life is a gem beyond measure.

Author Website:
http://www.charlesjshields.com/content/index.asp

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders. Puffin Press. 1997. (ISBN: 9780140385724; $9.99 U.S.; Paperback)


*New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List, 1967
*Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book, 1967
*Media and Methods Maxi Award, 1975
*American Library Association Best Young Adults Books, 1975
*Massachusetts Children's Book Award, 1979

a) What does the title mean?

"The Outsiders" refers to the place in society that Pony, Soda, Darry, and their friends occupy in society. They are the outsiders- the group that doesn't fit in with the other groups. They are at the bottom of the social pecking order, and they do not fit in with any of the other groups.

There are core groups in most high schools- the Jocks, the Nerds, the Freaks, etc. My daughter (age 12) calls that "TOP" social group "The Girlie Girls", or if she's had a really bad day "The A-------". In this book, that "TOP" social group is called "Soc". They are the group that perceives themselves to be the best of the best. They have the money, the brains, and the attitude that they are the best.

The Outsiders in this group are called the Greasers. They are the group of kids that have very little, and struggle for everything that they do have. Hard breaks and hard times seem to follow these kids, making a life that is already difficult even harder for them. They live on the bad side of town, have very little money, and don't wear designer clothes. They take pride in their attitude, their gangs, and the grease they put into their long hair in order to define themselves. This group perceives themselves to be less than everyone else, and this leads to their attitude - the attitude that invites trouble and the wrong kind of attention.


b) What does it mean to "stay golden?"

The original "golden" line took place between Pony and Johnny when they were hiding out in the church, and Pony quotes the poem by Robert Frost (on pages 85-86). The boys had been watching the sunrise behind the church. For the first time in the story, you see the true depth of Pony's character. He quotes a poem he read by Frost. Pony sees life beyond the limitations of the "Greaser" label. He has a certain innocence about him. He will stand up for himself against the Soc's, but he does not go looking for a fight. He doesn't carry a weapon to defend himself. He is an anomoly in the world in which he lives.

The "golden" tag comes back again at the end of the book, when Pony finds the letter from Johnny in the book Gone With the Wind.. "I've been thinking about it, and that poem, that guy that wrote it, he meant you're gold when you're a kid, like green. When you're a kid, everything's new, dawn. It's just when you get used to everything that it's day. Like the way you dig sunsets, Pony. That's gold. Keep that way, it's a good way to be." (The Outsiders, pp 186-187).

What struck me at this point were some of the behaviors we had been seeing out of Pony since Johnny's death. He broke a bottle to fight with some Socs at lunch. He stopped caring about his grades, and he was failing all of his classes. He had started to get a hard look in his eyes. The letter from Johnny seemed to remind Pony of who he was, and what he wanted to be.

I believe that to "stay golden" means to hold on to Childhood innocence and enthusiasm, and HOPE. Pony sees possibilities in the world. He reads, and wants to expand his horizons. As a result of his experiences after the death of Bob, Pony realizes that everyone has problems, life is tough all over, and there really isn't that much that separates Soc from Greaser.

Author Web Site:
http://www.sehinton.com/

Beowulf

Hinds, Gareth. Beowulf. Cambridge, Mass: Candlewick Press, 1999. (ISBN:978-0-7636-3022-5; $21.99 US; Hardover)


I had been familiar with Beowulf as a teenager. I was forced to read it as part of our instruction in the classics in tenth grade. I hated the story, with a passion. It was a difficult to read translation, written in old English. We were forced to parse it, dice it, and slice it in every way imagineable, as well as to compare it to another great epic we had read- The Odyssey, by Homer. I ranked Beowulf right down at the bottom of my list of things to read EVER again in my life, along with The Brothers Karamazov.

Imagine the revulsion in my mind when I saw this book on the list of titles we were to read for class. "OMG, it's going to be 10th grade english all over again...." BUT- we had been assigned the Graphic Novel version of Beowulf. Hmmm...I was excited. I love Graphic Novels, and the thought of reading Beowulf in this format intrigued me enough to get me past the mental shudder that usually accompanies that name.

What did I love about the book? The vivid pictures bring the story to life. Where I found the language confusing when I was a teenager, I found the pictures provided the "context clues" that I needed to fill in the blanks. "The author and editors had prepared a new translation, based upon the translation by A.J. Church." (from the foreword.) This change, to me, made the poem much easier to follow and appreciate. I have read the book several times through now. The pictures drew me in to the story, and I found myself drawing my own parallels- if anything, I was reminded of the stories that Tolkien wrote in the Lord of the Rings as the history of the land, the elves, and the first wars against Mordor. (I have been interested enough to pull out my Tolkien and compare the styles.) I truly wish that Beowulf had existed in graphic novel format 20 odd years ago when I was a teenager. It wouldn't have been on my hate list for so long!

I think this story is a classic because it embodies timeless elements. The struggle against an ancient, evil foe. The cause of right vs. wrong. A brave, strong hero who saves his people and fearlessly leads them.

An interesting note here- reading it as an adult who has experience in Storytelling to large groups of people, I noticed the rhythm of the story itself. That is the rythm, the circular telling pattern that would make the story easier to memorize and tell orally. The fact that the poem itself would be easy to memorize would make it an easy one to be told over and over again- and enable the story to survive the oral tradition until it could be written down.

The elements that speak to teenagers today- (in my opinion)- the battle between right and wrong. The super hero figure who comes and helps to solve the problems. (oh- and according to the 12 year old girls who were at my house doing homework last night- Beowulf looks "HOT" in the drawings) I believe that the most endearing element to teenagers today is that this book is drawn from History. The characters were able to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and thrive. Sometimes, in today's world, I think the teens need to see that others have survived terrible odds.

Authors Website:
http://www.garethhinds.com/