Teen Scene

Spenser is a detective in this author's adult private-eye series, but in this book he recounts several stories to his wife from his childhood between the ages of 12 and 14. In one story he rescues his friend Jeannie from her abusive father who has kidnapped her and taken her down river to a remote island. In another, he aids a Mexican boy bullied by a group of Anglos in a growing Mexican-American gang war. These coming-of-age stories are suspenseful and will keep the interest of readers, but the real strength is how Spenser's father and two uncles raise him, teaching him valuable life-lessons about protecting and making decisions for himself while offering their unconditional love and acceptance. While teens will probably not realize that Spenser is a character in adult detective fiction, it might inspire them to follow his story. Suitable for ages 12 and up, and adults.

Slagar the Cruel has finally come! The masked fox, along with his marauding band of ragtag vermin, has finally arrived in Mossflower country. The peaceful animals of Redwall face a new challenge as they face loss of their precious babes to the scrounging vermin. Slagar, under the guise of Luna Stellis, a mysterious magical performer, infiltrates the Abbey and drugs the Abbeybeasts to sleep. While they are in a drunken stupor, Slagar makes away with Mattimeo, a youthful mouse, and several other youngsters. Matthias, Basil Hare, and Jess Squirrel (who have already achieved fame in the original Redwall novel) embark on a quest to recover their lost young ones before they are delivered to the underground dominion of Malkariss, a devilish deformed polecat, as menial slaves. Meanwhile, at the Abbey, anxious Redwallers face another sort of problem when they are introduced to the conquistador-style General Ironbeak, a military crow in search of plunder, and the rest of his flock of birds. The story incorporates frequent shifts of focus, switching back and forth between the happenings at Redwall and Slagar's horde. The novel, the immediate sequel of the seminal Redwall, is in vintage Jacques style, with abundant descriptions of mouthwatering food and drink, details of awe-inspiring battle, and bone chillingly evil villains. An eminently appropriate book for avid readers ages 10 and up.

 The second book in the Artemis Fowl series, The Arctic Incident details the exploits of Artemis Fowl II, the youthful and Irish Napoleon of Crime, Butler, his stolid bodyguard, and his reluctantly helpful fairy cronies, Captain Holly Short, Commander Julius Root, Foaly the tech-savvy centaur, and the lovable dwarf and criminal delinquent, Mulch Diggums, as they try to restore order to the subterranean Fairy world, and Artemis' family affairs. When Artemis receives a tape concerning the fate of his mysteriously vanished father , Artemis Fowl I (rumored to be abducted by the Russian Mafia), he turns to the Fairies for help. The Fairies, however, have their own problems underground: a dastardly plot to take over the Fairy world termed the "Bwa Kell" rebellion. In a last ditch attempt to avoid anarchy, the Fairies finally resort to Artemis' genius. If Artemis will help suppress the rebellion underground, the Fairies decide to help Artemis recover his lost father. The remainder of the novel is a thrilling sequence of encounters with Mafia men, fire spitting goblins, and a twisted pixie, Opal Koboi (featured prominently in the fourth book, as well). This novel is a must read for readers of fantasy and Harry Potter-like novels. Recommended for ages 10 and up. 

This novel is the third in the universally acclaimed Artemis Fowl series by Irish writer, Eoin Colfer. The recurring criminal mastermind and boy genius, Artemis is back in, yet again, the middle of an exciting, suspenseful, and action packed adventure. In this particular novel, Artemis constructs a supercomputer out of purloined fairy technology. The C Cube, as it is called, can decipher any information in the universe: it checks your blood pressure, plays ancient videocassettes, and also, to say the least, can hack into any computer on the face of the earth. Artemis is in the midst of securing a business deal regarding this computer with bent Chicagoan executive, Jon Spiro, when he is attacked by assassins employed by Spiro and robbed of the Cube.The assassins kill someone very close to Artemis, and Artemis must turn to the fairies for help in reviving this person and in recovering the stolen piece of technology, as the fairies are in mortal danger of detection by the stolen computer's fairy components. Artemis's hilarious and resourceful friends, Holly, the elfin LEPrecon operative, Mulch Diggums, the flatulent dwarf, and Foaly, the centaur genius, are back in this novel. Julie, Butler's black belt sister, also figures prominently. Due to its length, this novel, like all of the novels in the series, is appropriate for ages 10.

The first book of the Inheritance Trilogy (or, now, because of the addition of a fourth book, Cycle) recounts the beginning of the exploits of its namesake and the protagonist, Eragon. A fifteen year old boy, Eragon lives in the rustic surroundings of Palencar Valley and its associated town, Carvahall. He is off on a hunt, one day, when he finds a blue stone, perfectly crafted and tinged with white crystal, in the mountainous, mystical area of The Spine. He is enamored by the stone's beauty and, despite his trying to sell it repeatedly, he finally decides to keep it. The stone soon begins to exhibit rather unusual behavior, and it eventually unlocks the gateway to a fantastic magical adventure, saturated with staples such as elves, dwarves, legendary swords, and, to be sure, dragons. Eragon, and his magical friends, embark on a quest to dethrone the twisted sorcerer-king Galbatorix, and his black dragon, Shruikan, over the remaining course of the novel. The novel's enchanting plot, conjured by Paolini when he was fifteen years old, is said  to be autobiographical, and, therefore, incorporates Eragon's growth as a key element, making this an excellent novel for youthful readers. The length of the novel, and its rather flowery language, probably confine it to readers above the age of 12.

Sebastian Darke, son of a human father and an elvish mother, travels to the kingdom of Keladon in hopes to get a job as court jester. His late father, the Prince of Fools, was a great jester. But Sebastian is probably the worst joke-teller around. Accompanied by Max, a talking but usually complaining family buffalope, they meet a tiny but powerful warrior called Cornelius who is also headed to Keladon to try to take his place in the royal Crimson Cloak. The pair, along with the buffalope, travel together and soon become involved in an attack where they inadvertently save Princess Kerin, niece to King Septimus. Escorting her home to her kingdom, where the king appears happy to have his niece returned safely, is the misfortune for Sebastian, Cornelius, and the buffalope. This is an extremely humorous and entertaining fantasy that will appeal to readers ages 10 and up, but also to younger readers as a read-aloud. For Harry Potter fans and those who enjoy adventure stories with lots of fight scenes and action and a little bit of love thrown in, this is a delight. This is also a great book on CD to listen to. Highly recommended.

This non-fiction book is based on the adult bestseller "Manhunt", which documents the twelve-day chase and eventual capture of Abraham Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and his conspirators. Accompanied by photos of the relevent people and locations, maps, newspaper clippings, and illustrated magazine depictions of the events, this makes an attractive package for readers in grades 6 and up. Filled with a detailed account prior to the shooting though the aftermath of hangings and inprisonment of those guilty, facsinating information not included in history books is revealed. Although I enjoyed the book and learned a lot, I felt that some of the narrative was confusing in relation to time and place, perhaps due to the shortening of the orginal text to make it readable for a younger audience. It was difficult to keep the cast of characters straight at times. Nevertheless, this will surely be enjoyed by those who enjoy history or true crime stories.

This has become a favorite book of mine, and if you enjoy fairy tales involving a love story told by a terrific storyteller, you'll definitely want to check this one out. Based on "Maid Maleen", as recorded by the Grimms Brothers, this story is set in a Mongolian-type land of make-believe known as the Eight Realms. Lady Sarin of Titor's Garden has been promised to Lord Khasar of Thoughts of Under, but she and Khan Tegus of Song of Evela have been secretly writing letters to each other since they were children resulting in her refusal to marry the man her father has chosen. In a rage, Lady Sarin's father sentences her and her maid Dashti to seven years in a bricked-in tower to break her spirit. Food enough for seven years is quickly depleted by rats, and between the raging hot summers and freezing cold winters, survival by the two girls is recorded in a journal or 'Book of a Thousand Days' by Dashti, a mucker girl from the steppes who has given her oath to serve and protect Lady Sarin. How she manages that is the adventure and heart of the story. Winner of numerous awards, honors, and best book lists, this book will appeal to girls ages 10 and up, to those who enjoy romances, and probably even lovers of the "Twilight" series. I couldn't put this one down.

Far more than the traditional "horse story." The Snow Pony is a well-written coming-of-age tale.  It is set in the Australian high country on a cattle ranch owned by the Riley family - Jack (a fourth generation cattleman), Rita ( a trainer of show ponies) and their children - 14 year-old Dusty and her younger brother, Stewie.  To Dusty's delight, Jack manages to bring a wild pony down from the mountains, but she will only allow Dusty to ride her.  Luckily the girl's prowess in the competitive show ring earns money which permits the family to struggle along as they are three years into a severe drought.  But depending upon his daughter's winnings drives the once proudly independent Jack to drink (literally).  After months of verbal abuse and self-destructive behavior, Jack becomes determined to kick the liquor habit.  Then he, Dusty and Stewie head up into the high country to bring down the cattle for the winter.  Once there, unexpectedly rough weather and an unfortunate accident present challenges to both Dusty and the Snow Pony.  Throughout the book, even though at times the Australian colloquialisms abound, the beautifully described setting and vividly developed characters enfold the reader in a unique offering which will appeal to young adults ages 12 - 18.

If you have enjoyed the Newbery winner A Year Down Yonder or the Newbery Honor book A Long Way from Chicago, you will undoubtedly remember the amazing Grandma Dowdel.  But even if you are not acquainted with those two enjoyable Peck novels, A Season of Gifts will brighten your day.  Set in the late fifties, a twelve-year-old boy, Bob Barnhart, and his family have recently moved into the house next door to Mrs. Dowdel's home.  Bob's disdain for the town isn't lessened when the local bullies string him up naked in her privy.  From that low point, Bob and the other members of his family are surreptitiously aided by Mrs. Dowdel as each one overcomes challenges peculiar to what Bob calls a "podunk" town.  As always, Richard Peck develops each character so aptly that the reader is drawn into the hilarious, skillfullly constructed plot.  Recommended for grades 5 - 8, this would also be an enjoyable read-aloud for family or classroom.

Patrick Jamieson moved to Hawaii with his family when he was 11, and experienced his first manic period.  At the time, his family didn’t understand what was causing his high energy and need for so little sleep, and attributed it to the move. After more episodes of both mania and depression, he was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 15. This nonfiction book, part personal memoir, part helpful information, is written for teens experiencing bipolar symptoms, but it is also an engaging and informative read for anyone who wants to better understand the disease. Jamieson writes with honesty and humor about his struggles and the realities of the disease, but the overall focus is hope. While this diagnosis likely means a lifetime of drugs and doctors, it doesn’t mean that life can’t be lived well and happily. Jamieson is a prime example of this.

Sixteen-year-old Poe’s mom has always been more interested in being a doctor than in being a mother to Poe, and Poe has never met her father. When her mother decides to spend a year doing medical work in South America, she ships Poe off to her father. He’s a tidy, undemonstrative high school guidance counselor who spends his free time cleaning grout with a toothbrush. Poe, with her punk clothes and rebellious attitude, doesn’t fit well with her father or the manicured, suburban town where he lives. However, she’s a talented singer, and her father convinces her to join the award-winning school choir. She also makes friends with two boys, Velveeta and Theo Dore. Velveeta is the focus of bullying by the “popular kids,” due to his awkward ways and looks. Theo is the mayor’s son and a rebel like Poe. When Poe witnesses a particularly humiliating bullying of Velveeta, and finds out that it’s related to a girl in the choir, she throws herself into the situation, determined to expose the social strata of the school and how the faculty reinforces it. In the midst of the confusion and violence that follows, Poe learns some hard lessons about how to deal with authority and how to create meaningful change. While some of the situations in this book feel a bit contrived, the characters are well-developed and interesting. I found it a compelling read. Some violent content. Recommended for ages 12 and up.

Artemis Fowl is by no means an ordinary 12 year old criminal mastermind. He is the heir to a billion dollar fortune, the scion of a notorious Irish family with Mafia connections, and the only human to ever infiltrate the existence of a parallel, subterranean world of fairies! Joined by his trusty manservant and bodyguard, the giant Butler, Artemis uses a series of technological gadgets to capture a fairy, Holly Short, and hold her ransom for fairy gold. In retaliation, the fairy world deploys a corps of highly trained fairy operatives, a kleptomaniac dwarf, and a centaur genius (the irrepressible Foaly) with directions to attack the Fowl family seat, the Fowl Manor, and recover Holly. As the power hungry and rather ruthless Artemis interacts with the wide variety of his visitors, his personality seems to become slightly more human, a trend elaborated on in the following books of the award-winning series. Colfer uses colorful language to make this fantastic account of a teenager’s quest for power and wealth come to life. The rapidly progressing action, Artemis’ dynamic character, and the humor in Colfer’s writing combine to form a swashbuckling adventure sure to appeal to fans of Harry Potter, Eragon, and other fantasy novels with young protagonists. Finally, this novel, along with the rest of the Artemis Fowl series, is best suited for ages 10 and up.

Susan Eloise Hinton was a mere fifteen years old when she began writing this powerful novel exploring the jealousy, loyalty, and class conflict. The protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis, is a lower class boy in a society filled with class conflict. Ponyboy, along with his brothers Darry and Sodapop, his fellow gang members, Two-Bit Matthews, Johnny, and Dallas Winston, the most hardened criminal of them all, often indulge in petty crimes, and belong to the poor, hard-bitten segment of society known as the “Greasers.” They are continually attacked by the highbrow Socs, the upper-class teens of the city. Although they are dressed up in expensive clothes and drive exotic cars, Hinton seems to say that the Socs are much more cruel and criminal. After Johnny and Ponyboy are attacked by a group of Socs, an accident occurs, causing Ponyboy and Johnny to flee the city. The rest of the novel explores the deeper emotions and psychology of the Greasers and the Socs, and concludes that status does not guarantee happiness. Due to the slight gore and maturity of subject matter, the novel is best geared towards an audience of 11 years of age.

Nathaniel is a British boy existing in a society governed solely by magicians. After his parents abandoned him to the British government, in exchange for some money, Nathaniel is apprenticed to a minor magician and government official, Arthur Underwood. When a powerful and sadistic minister, Simon Lovelace, ruthlessly chastises Nathaniel for a magical prank at a dinner party, Nathaniel conceives a long-lasting grudge and commits himself to becoming a powerful sorcerer, unbeknownst to his weak and unfeeling master. Nathaniel ponders countless tomes of lore and finally summons a devious djinni, or spirit, Bartimaeus, and orders him to foil Lovelace’s plan to supplant the British government using the legendary Amulet of Samarkand. Nathaniel and his djinni servant proceed to accomplish this goal in a series of humorous and action packed encounters. Stroud’s novel is chockfull of wittiness and slapstick humor. The liberal use of hilarious footnotes by the novel’s cheeky narrator, the spirit Bartimaeus himself, serve to further enliven the already captivating plot of the novel. The alternate history Stroud creates (for example, Bartimaeus is supposed to have known the Egyptian queen Nefertiti), also adds to the charm and flow of the book. The novel’s subject matter is appropriate for all ages, though its length probably confines it to the 10 range.

In the faraway land of Redwall, where mice, otters, and squirrels live together in harmony, trouble is brewing! The evil ferret warlord, Swartt, has sworn revenge on the former badger slave who smashed his famed Sixclaw, Sunflash the Mace. Sunflash, after escaping the confines of his horrible captivity, befriends the kestrel Skarlath and the two embark on an epic quest through the land, battling evil vermin such as foxes, ferrets, stoats, and weasels (the foes in the Redwall saga), and rescuing their innocent victims. Swartt, however, is always in hot pursuit and eventually reaches the vicinity of the peaceful Abbey of Redwall where he is repulsed by a heroic contingent of otters and squirrels. Swartt’s infant son is abandoned on the field of battle and is rescued by Abbey animals, who name him “Veil,” due to the mystery of his origin. The question of Veil’s good or evil nature is elaborated on for the rest of the novel.As one of the novels in the famed Redwall series, The Outcast of Redwall is embellished with detailed descriptions of awe-inspiring adventure, fantastic food, and bloody battles. The novel, due to its length, should appeal most to ages 10 and up.

Kyna has a crippling fear of the water due to a horrible storm that took the lives of her family while sailing. Saved by Mem and Pep, who eventually adopt her, she is taking "water steps" to overcome her fear that includes baths, puddles, and even drinking water. Water has a burning sensation to her, but not to Mem and Pep who love being in the water. They take her to Lake Champlain for the summer where they can frolick. Kyna cannot stand to even look at the lake, but eventually brings herself to build a treehouse in the woods that overlooks it, thinking she will spend her time trying to photograph an owl in flight that she may enter into a county contest. Meanwhile, she makes friends with Tylo, who believes he's seen silkies in the lake. Kyno agrees to help him capture a photo of the creatures about which Kyna's Irish parents have told her stories, and in the process takes her biggest water step of all. The beautifully written novel will appeal to readers in grades 5 and up who enjoy a little mystery and magic to spice up their stories. Some shrewd readers may figure out the secret of Lake Champlain before it is revealed, but that won't spoil the journey Kyna takes as she tries again and again to overcome her fear of water. Children with their own fears, whatever they may be, will identify with Kyna's struggle and pain. This book is destined to win some awards for its literary qualities. Highly recommended.