MARCH 31, 2009
Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli
Will Tuppence is a 9th grade boy who enjoys Monopoly, chess, skateboarding, and astronomy. He has two best friends, Mi-Su and B. T. Will also has his 5 year old sister, Tabby, who is a constant thorn in Will’s side. Yes, Will is rather typical, except that he is constantly worried about his non-existence.
When he was 5, Will learned about protons. Protons are atoms that are indestructible. Then, one day, PD1 (proton death, day 1), Will learns that a proton has died. This is inconceivable to him, that this thing could die. Did that mean he only had a matter of days, weeks, years? What is life for?
The threat of everything being gone really worries Will. It doesn’t seem to both Mi-Sue or B.T. They just keep on living and enjoying life. Of course, Will does have some hopeful moments, such as when he and Mi-Su kiss under the stars, or dreaming about going down Death Hill on Black Viper (Will’s skateboard).
Will continues in his end of the world funk, until something happens. At his chess tournament, Will is interrupted in his competition by a sad turn of events. This event helps him to appreciate his sister, Tabby, and to realize what a wonderful life he really does have. Will learns to embrace life with all of it’s ups and downs and learns to live in the present.
This is a very humorous and poignant story about a young boy’s discoveries. Well-written, and recommended for students in grades 6-10.
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MARCH 31, 2009
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
It’s 1939 in Warsaw. A young orphan boy lives on the streets, skilled at stealing what he needs. He doesn’t have a name—though he thinks it might be “Stopthief.” An older boy, Uri, takes him under his wing, and gives him the name Misha. There is much Misha doesn’t understand. He’s enamored by a parade of Nazi soldiers with their shiny boots, and wants to grow up to be one. And when a young Jewish girl named Janina invites him to her birthday party, he’s shocked to see the lit birthday candles. To save the cake from being burnt, he runs out of the house with it. When the Nazis begin to move the Jews to the Warsaw ghetto, Misha watches as high walls topped with barbed wire and broken glass are built. The Jews aren’t allowed to leave, and Misha is trapped inside, too. He begins to see that the Nazis and their shiny boots aren’t to be admired, but are a source of evil. Milkweed is a captivating, compassionate novel about the loss of innocence.
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MARCH 31, 2009
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
If you suddenly lost your memory, would you choose your same boyfriend, your same best friend, your same hobbies and clubs? Would you continue the same battles and make the same choices? When Naomi loses her memories from the last four years following a fall down the school steps while trying to catch the new and very expensive camera her Yearbook club has just purchased, this is what she's up against. She isn't sure why she is dating the handsome tennis team captain except that they both played tennis. She isn't sure she even likes tennis now. She doesn't know why she wanted to drop photography class since she's enjoying it so much. Why did she want to spend so much time doing Yearbook? Weren't all yearbooks basically the same anyway? And if she was supposedly not speaking with her mother, why did she want to see her so much? Written by the same author of Elsewhere, this story will make you question your choices and wish maybe you could go back and do things differently, even if the outcome is the same. Recommended for teens ages 13 and up.
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MARCH 26, 2009
The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy
Joan has never had a friend like Fox before. It’s the early 1970s, and Joan has just moved to California from Connecticut. She’s used to following rules, living a suburban lifestyle, and being a Girl Scout. But with Fox, she plays in the woods, catches newts, and paints her face with clay. Their adventures move out of the woods when the two twelve-year-olds write a story together and are selected for a summer writing workshop in Berkeley. From Verla Volante, a spirited young writer, they learn that writing is about asking fearless questions. The search for truth serves them well in their lives, too, whether they are dealing with troubled and uncertain situations with their parents, or learning to be true to themselves. This is an empowering and meaningful book for tween girls, particularly if they like to write. Ages 10 and up.
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MARCH 25, 2009
Maverick Mania by Sigmund Brouwer
The Mavericks hope to win the big soccer tournament but their best player, Caleb, has mysteriously disappeared. Matt sets out to solve the mystery with the help of his parents and his friend Steve. When the turn of events becomes nearly fatal for Steve and Caleb, Matt saves them and solves the mystery. With their star player back, the team goes on to win the soccer tournament. Readers who enjoy sports in grades four and up will enjoy this book.
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MARCH 19, 2009
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
I adored this 2009 Printz Honor Award winner. Slightly geeky 15-year-old Frankie attends the exclusive Alabaster Preparatory Academy, a school filled with brilliant students and those from families of old money. She's heard about the Loyal Order of the Bassett Hounds from her father who was a member of the secret society in his prep days, which he speaks of as the best days of his life. As Frankie returns to her sophomore year, a bit taller and much more curvaceous, she acquires a hunky new boyfriend and his pack of friends. But Frankie discovers that she is not capable of being just arm candy. After noticing the sudden disappearances of her love, Frankie decides to follow him, discovering that he is new generation Basset. The Loyal Order is attributed to have performed outstanding pranks and mal-doings including the Library Lady, the Doggies in the Window, and the abduction of the Guppy, among others, causing much notice from the student body and Administration. Knowing that a girl would never be allowed to join the Old Boy's club, Frankie goes to great pains to prove her worth to a bunch of boys who never know her and don't really care to. This is a complex story with lots of social commentary, a high vocabulary and lots of wordplay. Highly recommended for teens in grades 10 and up.
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MARCH 11, 2009
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Bella must confront her own conflicting emotions as she discovers she loves both Edward and Jacob, and must ultimately choose between the two, who by their very natures, are arch enemies in this third book of the Twilight saga. Victoria is back to avenge the death of her mate and has created an army of new vampires to help her. The new vampires are striking terror into the residents of Seattle, Washington, where strange disappearances and deaths keep occurring. The Cullen clan knows they need help to keep Bella and the rest of the humans in Forks, Washington safe when Victoria and her army execute their plan for revenge. When the nearest vampire clan refuses to help stop Victoria, Jacob makes a proposal that saves the day. Jacob and his werewolf pack offer to partner with the Cullen vampire clan to keep Bella safe and destroy Victoria and her army of new vampires. An action packed battle ensues and the vampire-werewolf alliance is victorious over Victoria and her army, but Jacob is seriously injured. Bella must tell Jacob what is on her heart and hopes it is not too late! Read Eclipse to find out if Jacob survives and who Bella will ultimately choose.
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MARCH 9, 2009
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
After the encouragement from a teacher for 14-year-old Arnold Spirit, or "Junior", to take his hope and leave the reservation to go find someplace that has hope, he transfers to the white school 22 miles away. Still living on the reservation outside Spokane he is considered a traitor, and attending school where the only other Indian is the mascot, he is considered a curiosity. Junior's best friend feels betrayed and will no longer speak to him. Rowdy was the only one who didn't beat him up on the reservation and had taken it upon himself to be Junior's protector. At the new school, Junior makes new friends only due to his persistance and eventually even becomes a starter on the varsity basketball team where he feels like a star. That is, until he must play against Rowdy and the rest of the reservation team. Despite the heartache, the poverty, the deaths, the alcoholism, and the hopelessness of the Indians on the reservation, this book is funny. Filled with cartoons Junior draws to punctuate his story, Junior has a unique way of surviving the traumatic and comes out at the end with some new insight. Best suited for teens in grades 9 and above. Adults will also enjoy this. It's very easy-to-read and the cartoons are a great bonus. I highly recommend this one.
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MARCH 2, 2009
The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
Roman Catholics are famous for studying the lives of the saints. There is a saint for just about everything. For 15 year old Antonia, saints are not just for schoolwork, they are an obsession. Antonia loves reading about the saints, and prays to them on a daily, if not hourly, basis. If she needs help with gym class, she prays to St. Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes, if she needs help with her hair, she prays to Mary Magdalen, the patron saint of hair stylists, and if it is for a hopeless cause, she prays to St. Jude. Antonia petitions the Vatican that she should become the world’s first living saint. She would like to become the Patron Saint of Figs and Fig Trees. Her family has fig trees, and being a saint would help in the winterizing of the trees. Secondly, Antonia would like to be the Patron Saint of the First Kiss and Kissing. Antonia has never been kissed and dreams of Andy Rotellini as the one to give her that first kiss. Also on the scene is Michael, who is her friend, and is he just a friend? Will she receive her kiss? Who will it be? Read the book to find out! This book received starred reviews in School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist. An entertaining read that will appeal mainly to Catholic school girls in grades 7-10.
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