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Three of Diamonds is a very funny, fast-paced collection of short stories. The two protagonists are Herbert Simple, a.k.a Tim Diamond and his brother, Nick. Tim is a private detective and Nick is his more intelligent sidekick. Tim is also billed as "the world's worst private detective," but somehow he manages to catch the criminals. These stories are very easy to read, and are written at a fast pace. The puns and deadpan humor are right on the level of junior high kids. Many of these titles of the stories are plays on famous mysteries, such as "The French Confection," as opposed to "The French Connection." "The Blurred Man," as opposed to "The Invisible Man," and "I Know What You Did Last Wednesday," as opposed to "I Know What You Did Last Summer." This last one is more synonymous with Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None." Some of today's younger teens may not be as familiar with these titles. All of the stories often refer back to previous adventures in which the Diamond brothers have been involved, however, you don't have to read the previous stories in order to understand these stories. Nick, the 13 year old brother of Tim, has often found himself kidnapped, drugged, shot at, and burglarized all in the name of justice. It's a tough life, but Nick is often is able to keep a good head on his shoulders. Tim can too, at times, however he really is a very inept detective. I would like to advise that there is a scene in "The French Confection," in which both boys are drugged, and Nick, especially, undergoes a very serious hallucination episode. Some readers may be a little uneasy or squeamish at this part of the story, however, Nick does come out of it okay. This would be a great book for reading this summer in connection with our Young Adult Summer Reading Club, "YNK @ Your Library." A fun, tongue-in-cheek mystery for young adults. This book would be most enjoyed by kids in Grades 5-8. 
When the war is finally over, Gabrielle and her brother, Tristan, must return home to Chenier with the news of their father's death, the death of the king. Gabrielle is the Bonemender, part-human and part-elf. She has brought one of her patients (Derkh) home, though he is from enemy lines. Two stories evolve in the novel as Tristan must protect Rosalie and her family from the evil LeBarque. LeBarque will stop at nothing to have Rosalie to himself. Gabrielle, Derkh, and Feolan (the elf) embark on the journey back to Feolan's village. When Derkh disappears, he puts not only his life, but Gabrielle's life in danger. Gabrielle must remember the Bonemender's Oath, lest she not give up on healing herself. This book is fast paced, with its chapter style and adventurous content. This book is recommended for grades 6 and up. 
Heartbreaking and disturbing, Skinny, by Ibi Kaslik is an honest portrayal of the horrific impact of anorexia on one’s life and family. The bond between sisters can never be broken. It is a sacred and fragile bond that can be torn, ripped, and trampled on. As Giselle fights anorexia, her younger sister Holly fights it too. Watching her sister deteriorate, Holly must find balance in her own life. While well written, this honest and painful portrayal of anorexia is suited for only the most mature readers. 
An asteroid is scheduled to hit the moon and 16-year-old Miranda plans to watch outside with her family and neighbors. With lawn furniture and chocolate chip cookies in tow, they watch through a telescope as something unexpected occurs. The moon is knocked out of its orbit into one much closer to earth, and immediately everyone knows something is terribly wrong. There are no effects in their Pennsylvania suburb right away, but around the world millions of people are dying from the tsunamis created by the moon's gravitational pull. Cable and internet soon goes out and telephones are unrealiable. Earthquakes occur all over the world. Told through Miranda's diary, the reader follows Miranda's family as conditions continue to worsen. Looting begins. Volcanoes around the world begin to erupt, causing the air to become ashy. Without sunlight, the temperature quickly drops to freezing temperatures even in the summer. Extreme weather changes develop and widespread disease spreads. As frightening as it is, the family sticks together and goes into survival mode. This page-turner is very realistic and might be compared to How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff. The reader will not know whether or not Miranda and her family survive until the very last page. This will appeal to teens in grades 8-12 who enjoy science fiction or adventure and survival stories. 
Adventure, intrigue, even romance is packed into this story as it sequels the book, Holes, a Newberry Award winning book. Sixteen-year-old Theodore Johnson, a.k.a. Armpit, has been back home in Austin, Texas for two years since his time at Camp Green Lake. Armpit has goals to put his life in order by taking "small steps." A true friend and neighbor girl with disabilities, Ginny, encourages Armpit. Armpit is an accepting friend to Ginny. Armpit gets involved with a get-rich-quick scheme that does not work out positively. However, Armpit does meet famous teen singer, Kaira DeLeon and a relationship starts to blossom. Armpit ends up saving Kaira's life from an attempted attack by an unlikely character in the story. Read Small Steps and see how Armpit and Kaira are seeking their destiny by taking "small steps." This book is suitable for people in grades 6-10. Small Steps was given the Schneider Family Book Award. 
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