November 30th 2009
Review by Trace
Who would like this book? Kids 6th grade and up looking for a suspenseful adventure about mountain climbing.
Why? Rudi Matt, a sixteen year old boy, loves mountain climbing. He only has one problem: his mom hates it. Why? This is simple. Rudi’s dad Josef died trying to climb the infamous mountain, the Citadel. In Rudi’s town, Kurtal, almost all of the men become mountain guides, but Rudi is stuck inside washing dishes for a local hotel. Soon Rudi saves a famous climber, Captain Winter, from certain death. As a reward, he gets to climb a mountain with his uncle and Captain Winter. On the mountain, Rudi screws up big time and almost kills his uncle. His mountain climbing career seems as if it is coming to an end when he sneaks out of his house and joins Captain Winter and Emil Saxo to attempt what his father could not, climb the Citadel. Will Rudi make it to the top? Read this book to find out.
The details: 285 p. Originally published 1954 Submitted by Trace
Not currently at Cal Young. It’s on the “to order” list.
November 30th 2009
Who would like this book? Girls, ages 12 and above, who are looking for a moving story about an unlikely friendship between a younger teen helping out a single teen-aged mother of two.
Why? LaVaughn, 14 and needing to save money for college, has always gotten a lot of encouragement from her single mom to “hold on.” When she gets a job as a babysitter for 17-year-old Jolly, she finds a different reality. Jolly has lived in a refrigerator box, and the one solid person in her life for a brief time died. Alone with two babies, Jilly and Jeremy, Jolly does not have the skills or the vision to “hold on” and find a better way of life. LaVaughn’s struggles to help Jolly change her situation bring this story straight into the heart. Through friendship with Jolly and love for Jilly and Jeremy, LaVaughn makes things happen. Written in free verse, the voices of LaVaughn, Jolly, and LaVaughn’s mother come through with honesty and authenticity. LaVaughn seems to have very little to her life except school and babysitting. A sequel, True Believer, was published in 2001. The conclusion, This Full House, just came out in 2009, prompting me to return to this first book about LaVaughn. I read it years ago and am impressed with how well it stands up. It makes me look forward to the next two stories about LaVaughn’s high school years. I hope that they create a fuller picture of her life.
The details: 200 p. 1993 Submitted by Samrarian
November 30th 2009
Who would like this book? Football fans or readers interested in real-life high school situations and the demands of friendship.
Why? Marcus, new to town and desperate to be a part of the high school’s winning football team, spends his summer days practicing alone in a park. One day, an athletic, exuberant, middle-aged man named Charlie joins Marcus and the two begin regular intense, highly physical practice sessions. Marcus wonders why Charlie insists on calling him “Mac,” why he shows up at random times, and why he takes anything he wants from stores and walks away without paying. As Marcus settles into the high school routine, earning a place on the football team and the attentions of the head cheerleader, he clashes repeatedly with the team’s quarterback, Troy Popovich. Korman weaves the stories of Marcus (”Mac”), Charlie, Troy, and their families into a riveting climax that uses the game of football to convey the love of family, the honor of friendship, the power of fear, and the dignity of self-worth. This book surprised me. I never dreamed that a book about football would keep me up late into the night, but Pop did exactly that. I couldn’t put it down until I found out how it ended, and then I thought a lot about the ending and the characters. It’s a worthwhile read.
The details: 272 p. 2009 Submitted by Samrarian
November 23rd 2009
Submitted by Michael R.
Who would like this book? Many younger teens would like this book mostly because of the childish jokes and the spirit that possesss Freddie is a Jewish child. It also has large print.
Why? The Entertainer and the Dybbuk is a very good story about a second rate ventriloquist that becomes possessed by a dybbuk that helps him become a better ventriloquist. A dybbuk is a Jewish kid that becomes a spirit because they need to have peace in their heart. Most dyybuks need to do one more thing, like avenge a sister or themselves. The dybbuk and Freddie (the ventriloquist) have many disagreements but in the end they work it out.
The details: 175 p. 2007 Review by Michael R.
November 22nd 2009
Who would like this book? Readers grades 6 and up looking for a good mystery with kids up against an evil adult.
Why? In If the Witness Lied, four siblings have lost first their mother to cancer and then their father to a freak accident involving the brake of his Jeep. Their mother died after refusing chemotherapy treatment, choosing instead to carry her fourth child to term. This baby, Tris, lives. A couple of years later, Tris caused his father’s death by releasing the Jeep’s brake while his father is under the wheel. The three older siblings not only have to wrestle with these deaths, but they have to navigate their greedy Aunt Cheryl, who has plans to turn their family tragedy into a television reality show. Though the essential question of the title is answered early in the book, it doesn’t take away from the tension. The relationships of the siblings Jack, Madison, and Smithy and their efforts to set things right kept me turning the pages until I finished.
The details: 213 p. 2009 Review by Samrarian
November 21st 2009
Review by Ashley
Who would like this book? For anyone who enjoys futuristic settings, fantasy and other books by this author, this is a must read!
Why? Though this book does not exactly take place in the future, it is all about it. Children are found in an abandoned plane that, according to one character, appeared out of thin air. They are transported all over the country and one boy is on their case. He’s found many survivors and when they all end up in his town, he freaks! No one knows why for sure and the details are sketchy. What will happen to these poor kids and what will they do when they are trapped inside a cave, both options in front of them stinking!
This is a real thriller that will keep you up late trying to find out what happens next.
The details: 314 p. 2008 Submitted by Ashley
November 21st 2009
Review by Madison B.
Who would like this book? Probably girls ages 7 through 13.
Why? I liked this book because it was fun to read, and I never got bored with it. Kit and another kid in class were being mean to each other, and fighting, so kit had to take her class’s Thanksgiving basket to the soup kitchen. She saw someone there she would not want to see. Read to find out who that someone is.
The details: 61 p. An American Girls Book Submitted by Madison B
Not currently available at Cal Young
November 15th 2009
Who would lke this book? 6th graders who like the mysteries of Ancient Egypt and the spookiness of creepy museums at night.
Why? It’s 1906 in London and Theo Throckmorton, the 11-year-old daughter of archeologists and curators of the Museum of Legends and Antiquities, has her hands full. Theo is uniquely gifted in that she senses the evil curses inscribed into the ancient artifacts that her parents naively bring to London from the ancient tombs in Egypt. Theo does everything she can to protect her parents and herself, studying ancient texts to learn how to ward off the dark magic. Her parents’ work keeps them constantly busy, an extreme frustration to Theo, and they do not recognize her talents. When her mother arrives from her most recent expedition with a priceless Egyptian artifact, Theo plunges into an intriguing adventure full of mystery, suspense, and captivating details about Ancient Egypt. The power of this particular Egyptian artifact weilds influence over international affairs, so the stakes are high for Theo and the two secret societies that are vying for control over the artifact. I had a great time reading this book, which felt like an Indianna Jones ride to me.
The details: 343 p. 2007 Review by Samrarian
November 11th 2009
Review by Scott
Who would like this book? People who would like this book would be the kind that enjoy short stories and good literature.
Why? In the beginning, there is a poor old man who has not caught any fish for many days. In the middle, he sets out to sea for a few days. He has lots of adventures!
The details: 140 p. 1952 Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 Submitted by Scott
Coming soon to the Cal Young Library; it’s on the to-be-ordered list. ~ Sam
November 11th 2009
Who would like this book? Readers, grade 8 and up, interested in Asperger’s Syndrome, music, law firms, or justice, OR are looking for a great story told from a unique point of view.
Why? Marcelo Sandoval, a seventeen-year-old on the high end of the autism spectrum, comes of age in this insightful, moving novel by Francisco S. Stork. Stork’s first person narration provides a clear window into Marcelo’s character; readers share in his thinking process, his unique observations, his intense struggles, and his marvelous range of reactions to people and events in the “real world.” The book starts with Marcelo’s excitement about his perfect summer jub caring for the ponies at his beloved private school. Then, his father, a high-powered attorney, demands that Marcelo work at his law firm for the summer so that he can experience the “real world.” The people that Marcelo meets at the law firm and the disturbing, difficult situations that he encounters form a riveting, moving story that kept me turning pages well into the night and brought me to tears at the end.
(Be aware that Marcelo’s narration does not censor the ugly, sexist comments of Wendell, the son of his father’s law partner.)
312 p. 2009 Review by Samrarian;
My longer review of this book for the Register-Guard is available in the library.