July 25th 2008
Who would like this book? Basketball players and coaches! I think that Kidsports might want to hand out copies to both parents and kids.
Why? Basketball players are selected every year from Danny’s school for the 7th grade elite “Travel Team.” This year, Mr. Ross has decided that the team needs height; Danny is short,so he doesn’t make the team even though he’s one of the best and most dedicated players. Getting cut is especially rough on Danny because his absentee father (Richie Walker) was a basketball legend in his time, before a car accident and alcoholism took its toll. Danny’s disappointment over not making Travel Team becomes the catalyst for Richie to step up with true spirit. The relationships between Danny and the other basketball players, Danny and his IM friend, Danny and his dad, and Richie Walker and Mr. Ross (longtime rivals) have enough surprises and humor to fill the plot. I was with Danny all the way and even cried at the end, nostalgic for my oldest son’s basketball-playing days. Warning: the dads don’t come off so great through most of the book.
The details: 288 p. 2004
July 25th 2008
Who would like this book? Anyone who has read and appreciates Twilight and New Moon will definitely want to read Eclipse (and Breaking Dawn in a few days!)
Why? Things get abnormally dark in an eclipse, and that’s what happens in this Eclipse. In Forks, Bella is back on track with the love of her life, Edward, a conscientious vampire. She’s also trying to keep Charlie, her dad, happy and well-fed. She cannot keep Charlie entirely happy, though, since she is limited from visiting Jacob, her old friend who has become a werewolf. Things get dark when unexplained murders begin to multiply in Seattle: new, unrestrained vampires are on the loose. Why? What can Edward’s family do? Is Bella safe? Meyer makes the most of the enmity between Edward and Jacob as she brings about a resolution to these questions. It’s another fast-moving plot with some surprises from the characters and a few welcome splashes of humor.
The details: 640 p. 2007
July 25th 2008
Who would like this book? Older teens who are looking for a brutal murder mystery interwoven with gypsy magic.
Why? Ruben and Cole, brothers who live with their mom in London, seek the man who raped and murdered Rachel, their older sister, on the English moor. The two brothers are in stark contrast to each other. Ruben, the narrator, is sensitive and has the psychic gypsy gift of second sight. Cole takes after their gypsy father, who is in prison for manslaughter, having killed a man in a fight. They travel to Dartmoor, the place of the murder, and encounter a variety of unsavory characters – and one captivating gypsy girl – as they try to uncover what happened to their sister. Their fierce love for her and for each other saves this book. I had trouble with the brutality, but I have to say that Brooks describes it well. If you’re squeamish, stay away from Road of the Dead. Lots of older teens must like its mystery and fighting; it’s a YRCA nominee in the senior division this year.
The details: 352 p. 2006
July 10th 2008
Who would like this book? Check out this YouTube trailer for Found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5BC3hKlon8. Have you read other books by Margaret Peterson Haddix. such as the Shadow Children series that starts with Among the Hidden? If you like those books, don’t miss Found, book 1 in her new series, The Missing.
Why? Found starts with a mystery: an airline employee is mystified when an unscheduled plane lands carrying 36 babies and no crew. Next, we meet Jonah, a happy 13-year-old kid who has always know that he’s adopted. This fact has never bothered him until he begins to get unsettling letters. The first one tells him that he is “one of the missing.” When he finds that a new friend, Chip, also adopted, is also receiving the letters, he tells his sister Katherine, and the three of them embark on a nail-biting adventure as they attempt to unravel the mystery. Warning: the results point directly to a sequel. In this case, that’s a good thing because Haddix is such a good writer and she is also prolific. We should not have to wait too long!
The details: 314 p. 2008 Submitted by Samrarian
A Battle of the Books 2009-2010 selection
July 10th 2008
Who would like this book? Lovers of fantasy, quirky families, griffins, and Chrestomanci (enchanters with nine lives) will not want to miss this book.
Why? The Pinhoe Egg is both a 2009 Battle of the Book selection and a YRCA 2009 nomine. Of course, I had to read it and am very happy for the discovery of the latest book (2006) in a series that Diana Wynne Jones started in 1977. I just ordered five of the books that come before The Pinhoe Egg: Charmed Life, The Lives of Christopher Chant, Conrad’s Fate, The Magicians of Caprona, Witch Week, and Conrad’s Fate. Though The Pinhoe Egg stands on its own, I suggest that you first read Charmed Life (and the others if you have time). The Pinhoe Egg is set soon after Charmed Life, according to Dianna Wynne Jones’ website. Gammer Pinhoe, the matriarch of the Pinhoe clan who live in the magical Ulverscote, has a bone to pick with the neighboring clan, the Farleighs. Her granddaughter Marianne, a powerful witch who lacks confidence, has her hands full attempting to keep the peace among her neighbors, keep track of her cat Nutcase, and discovering the mystery in the enchanted wood with her neighbor Cat, a young and engaging enchanter with nine lives (yes, a Chrestomanci). Lots of colorful characters and plot threads makes this book an entertaining and fun read. Fantasy is not my favorite right now, but it got me, especially when the egg hatches.
The details: 468 p. 2006
July 9th 2008
Who would like this book? If you like softball or have an interest in the impact of World War II in rural Oregon (specifically, prejudice against the Japanese), definitely read this book.
Why? In the spring of 1949, two sixth-grade girls’ softball teams are to compete in the 50th annual “Bat 6.” The traditional annual game pits the team from Bear Creek Ridge Grade School against the team from Barlow Road Grade School. Bear Creek’s star player, Aki Mikami, has just returned to the community with her family after their internment in the Japanese camps during World War II. Shazaam, the star of the Barlow Road team, is also new to the community. She is as sullen and disturbed as Aki is cheerful and polite, and we find that Shazaam’s father, a ne’er-do-well by some accounts, was killed in the Pearl Harbor bombing. Virginia Euwer Wolff relates this background and the subsequent action through the 21 voices of the girls on the teams. Though these multiple voices can sometimes be confusing (I kept flipping back to the team rosters as I started reading), they fall into place once the story takes center stage. The multiple voices would be great as a read-aloud, and also as a good focus for writers to discuss their craft as it pertains to point of view and a character’s voice. The novel is also great for discussion of issues; prejudice, friendship, and responsibility are fruitfully explored in this historical novel. It had special meaning to me because I grew up in Portland not far from these communities. When I was in 3rd grade, my best friend was Japanese. It was not until many years later that I discovered that her family had been interned during WWII. By the early 1960s, everyone had seemed to agree to pretend that the internment had never happened. I’m thankful for books such as this one to bring the issue to our consciousness for discussion and reflection to insure that it does not happen again.
The details: 228 p. 1998
July 9th 2008
Who would like this book? If you like disaster movies, try this novel. If you are curious about how to maintain some kind of life as the world seems to fall apart around you, read this book.
Why? Miranda, 16, keeps a journal. Her entires start off predictable, with a description of the excitement about watching a meteor hit the moon. Once the meteor actually connects with the moon, knocking it closer to the Earth, her entries become a captivating and disturbing story of survival. Pfeffer effectively uses Miranda’s voice to make the disaster real in both its magnitude and the very personal consequences in the life of a teenager. The focus that Pfeffer maintains strengthens the emotional impact: no groceries in the store, no electricity, little sunlight. All the external trappings of life are stripped away: How will Miranda and her family survive? What will she learn? This book has stayed with me. I’m contemplating the contents of the pantry, wondering how long the food will last if disaster struck. Life As We Knew It is a YRCA nominee in the Senior Division. I’m not surprised that it’s a YRCA nominee, but I think that it fits better in the Junior Division. Actually, it’s a good book for both the middle and high school level.
The details: 352 p. 2006
July 9th 2008
Who would like this book? Questions: What happens after a culture is destroyed? How do the surviving people live? Gathering Blue explores these questions with an engaging character, Kira.
Why? Kira, a young orphan with a deformed leg, lives in a community that is full of superstitions, rituals, and an entrenched authority. Her mother’s death puts her own life in danger, but she is saved by her talent for embroidery. This talent leads her into another kind of danger, as she is charged with restoring the ceremonial robe of the Singer, the community’s prophetic voice. Her adventures and growing awareness are her way of “gathering blue,” gaining a new perspective. Lowry is a master of plot and characters in this companion volume to The Giver. I loved the many questions that Lowry raises about culture, power, and transformation.
The details: 215 p. 2000
July 9th 2008
Who would like this book? Mature teen readers who like the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer will like Blood and Chocolate, but be aware that the suggested age group is grade 9 and up because of violence, some language, and sexual allusions.
Why? Vivian, a beautiful 16-year-old werewolf, is restless after her extended family had to move after a fire that resulted in her father’s death. The fire had been the work of vigilantes who did not appreciate having werewolves in their neighborhood. Vivian is struggling with her werewolf family and wants to connect with humans, especially when she eyes Aiden, a sensitive young man who has written a poem that accompanies her painting. Their relationship, the jealousies amongst both the human group (”the amoebas”) and the members of her wolf pack, and the dangerous need for love and acceptance keep up the suspense in this story. I expected to get bored by Vivian, but Klaus gives her enough complexity and good traits that I was really pulling for her in the end. Klaus is a children’s librarian by day, and it makes me wonder what age group she recommends read this book. The reviews seem spot-on when they suggest grades 9 and up. We don’t have it at Cal Young.
The details: 288 p. 1997