Sam and CY students & staff are reading…

Who would like this book? Fans of skeletons, comic book fighting, and detective work that plays with magic (literally).

Why? Skulduggery Pleasant lives up to his name, even though he is dead. His stubborn, sarcastic skeletal self has a long history that’s catching up to him. He has first saved and then befriended young Stephanie Edgley, a spirited 12-year-old who has just inherited a magical estate from her eccentric uncle. Her restlessness with the normal world of her parents and remaining relatives gives way to dangerous, mysterious adventures as she and Skullduggery set out to find the murderer of her uncle, keep her from being murdered, and save the world from one Nefarian Serpine. The characters and their interactions are fun in a classic “Get Smart” kind of way, and the plot has many surprising turns. I found some of the writing tedious, especially the seemingly endless fight scenes that reminded me of BAM! CRASH! OOF! comic book writing. Maybe that reaction just reflects my age and lack of appreciation for this genre, but I wished for tighter editing and a little less pummeling. Even so, I recommend the book to readers who enjoy black humor and spunky skeletons.

The details: 392 p. 2007

In the setting of People of Sparks it is in modern times in a land called Sparks. Doon Harlow and Linda Mayfleet who brought the people of Ember to the land of Sparks must help the people of Spark before all goes to war.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes breathtaking adventures and astonishing feats.
Submitted by Kenada

   New Moon takes place in Forks, Washington. The main character, Isabella Swan, has been in a heat filled relationship with vampire and former love, Edward Cullen. When Edward starts showing signs that he is lacking interest in their relationship, she starts to get worried. When he leaves her she must fight to forget the man that changed her life. Can she erase the beautiful memories and move on? Or will she be stuck in this pit of darkness forever?
New Moon  is a novel that deals with love , and tragic. This novel is the sequel to Twilight. I highly recommend this book to girls in their teens, not that boys will not enjoy it.
Submitted by Mikayla

The main setting is in Maryland. The main characters are Hero, Mrs. Roth, and Danny. The conflit is that Hero, Danny and Mrs. Roth are trying to find out where the diamond is and who has it
I think this book would appeal to everyone. This book is more about suspence and mystery. I think boys and girls would like the book.

Submitted by Kelly

   The story takes place in Roslyn Washington, 1925. The main characters are Cuss, Skinny, and Perks, along with Matt, Joey, and Philip.  Cuss, living in a fatherless, Croatian immigrant family, struggling to make a living. Cuss, all smart and brave has to decide between staying in school to get a good job or dropping out to help the family keep the house, meanwhile trying to smuggle the most delicious grapes in the whole US.
I would recommend this book to anybody who likes the idea of a boy who cusses in 17 different languages.

Submitted by Daniel M.

   In this book a teenager “Matt” has to go through the troubles of a high school teen going through finding a girlfriend and playing on the varsity football team. He also plays baseball with his friends but he tries so hard to impress his dad that sometimes he screws up. With plenty of juice (steriods), he hopes to become the next NFL all star QB.
The people that would like this book would be teens and people that like football or maybe baseball. There’s a little language but nothing people can’t handle.

Submitted by Jake G.

   Invisible is about two high school kids, Andy Morrow and Douglas Hanson. Douglas built a miniature town named Madham, which  has a lot of trains running through it. Together Andy and Douglas get in trouble with matches and an incident at the Tuttle Place. What is the incident? Read the book to find out.
I would recommend Invisible to older teens who like Pete Hautman.

Submitted by Henry F.

The City of Ember takes place a long way into the future. (I will let you read the book to find out when exactly.) Lina and Doon are two twelve-year-old kids living in Ember. In this book the whole world is dark, but Ember installed lights long ago. You could probably guess that the wiring is starting to fail. The lights flicker and the residents know that the lights will go out, but the question is… When. Doon just needs to find out how to keep the lights on.
I would recommend this book to anyone that likes science fiction about the future that have a major conflict in them. It is almost like a save the world book, so if you like those kind of books then you would probably like it.

Submitted by Chad

Who would like this book? Teens (and adults) who want a funny, moving, significant look into the world of a 7th grader in a small town in New York in 1968.

Why? Holling Hoodhood is the only Presbyterian in his 7th grade class. This fact turns out to be crucial to his Wednesday afternoons, when the Jewish half of the class goes to the Synagogue and the Catholic half goes to Catechism. He has nowhere to go and must stay with his teacher, Mrs. Baker. Though at first Holling is convinced that Mrs. Baker “hates his guts,” especially when she leads him to read some of the plays of William Shakespeare, events prove otherwise. She happens to be married to the son of the owner of Baker Sporting Goods, a connection that leads to a number of happy coincidences. Schmidt manages to present a full, funny, and vibrant sense of life in 1968 through Holling’s experiences at school and at home. He has a great ear for humor – think pink tights, fat rats, and cream puffs – and also nails the intense emotions of this time of upheaval. Using Shakespeare to bring it all together in Holling’s life enriches the ideas and the words. The Wednesday Wars made me think, laugh, cry, and wonder if sentence diagramming will ever make a comeback. A 2008 Newberry Honor Book.
The details: 272 p. 2007      Samrarian
A Battle of the Books 2009-2010 selection

Who would like this book? Teens who are concerned about harassment and bullying related to sexual orientation and want a funny, touching story. The main character, Joe, is a 7th grader and aware that he is gay. Both School Library Journal and Booklist give grades 6-9 as the suggested reading age.

Why? Joe’s story is the result of an assignment in Language Arts: he needs to write an “alphabiography” in which each of the entries (A through Z) starts with something that is significant to Joe. This type of diary is a great vehicle for Joe’s honest, funny, and engaging voice. We meet his family, including his jock brother, his artsy Aunt Pam, and his understanding parents. We meet his friend Colin, who is torn between his social/athletic standing and being true to himself. We meet Kevin, the bully, who bashes Joe for being gay and whose actions are the catalyst for some important changes at their middle school. I thought that the characterization of Kevin’s family was too stereotypical. Other than that ironic weakness, the book is a worthwhile and significant read.
The details: 2005, 189 p.