Scorpio Races
by Maggie Stiefvater
Slow moving, but satisfying story that centers around the yearly November Scorpio Race on the mystical island of Thisby. Puck Connelly is the first girl to attempt the race, much to the disapproval of the men on the island. But with her parents killed by the Capaill Uisce, bloodthirsty water horses that want to either drown their riders or eat their flesh, and her older brother moving to the mainland, she desperately needs the winning purse in order to reclaim her family home. 19-year-old Sean Kendrick is a local horse trainer, working for Benjamin Malvern, whose dream it is to own his own stables one day, preferably with his favorite horse Corr. He's won four of the past six races and odds are in his favor to win again. If he can pull it off, he will have enough money to buy Corr outright. With the narration alternating between the perspectives of the unlikely pair, the atmosphere of the island abounds as preparations for the Scorpio Race consume the story, while leaving room for this new relationship to build. This is similar to Hunger Games in terms of there being a deadly competition in which only one person can win, and it is a love story, though the romance is minimal. This will appeal to Young Adult and Adult readers who enjoy a story that takes time to set up in order to become familiar with the characters and the setting, and provides not only a satisfying ending, but an emotional one. It will likely also appeal to fans of mythology to a degree. Highly recommended. This title won a 2012 Odyssey Honor Award for audiobook.
by Maggie Stiefvater
Slow moving, but satisfying story that centers around the yearly November Scorpio Race on the mystical island of Thisby. Puck Connelly is the first girl to attempt the race, much to the disapproval of the men on the island. But with her parents killed by the Capaill Uisce, bloodthirsty water horses that want to either drown their riders or eat their flesh, and her older brother moving to the mainland, she desperately needs the winning purse in order to reclaim her family home. 19-year-old Sean Kendrick is a local horse trainer, working for Benjamin Malvern, whose dream it is to own his own stables one day, preferably with his favorite horse Corr. He's won four of the past six races and odds are in his favor to win again. If he can pull it off, he will have enough money to buy Corr outright. With the narration alternating between the perspectives of the unlikely pair, the atmosphere of the island abounds as preparations for the Scorpio Race consume the story, while leaving room for this new relationship to build. This is similar to Hunger Games in terms of there being a deadly competition in which only one person can win, and it is a love story, though the romance is minimal. This will appeal to Young Adult and Adult readers who enjoy a story that takes time to set up in order to become familiar with the characters and the setting, and provides not only a satisfying ending, but an emotional one. It will likely also appeal to fans of mythology to a degree. Highly recommended. This title won a 2012 Odyssey Honor Award for audiobook.
Bruiser
by Neil Schusterman
16-year-old Brewster feels the physical pain and his body takes on the injuries and sicknesses of people he cares about. Consequently, his uncle Hoyt tries to protect him by keeping him home as much as possible and warning him to keep to himself. But classmate Bronte takes the loner on as a project before she realizes the reason Brewster keeps to himself. And soon he cares for her. Her twin brother Tennyson, who at first tries to bully Brew into staying away from his sister because of his undesirable reputation at school as “most likely to go to jail”, quickly changes his tune and helps protect Brewster once he realizes the truth. But they don’t know the complete truth, and once Tennyson realizes it, he doesn’t want Brewster to leave the house either. This is an engaging and very suspenseful story that will appeal to teens in grades 8-12.
by Neil Schusterman
16-year-old Brewster feels the physical pain and his body takes on the injuries and sicknesses of people he cares about. Consequently, his uncle Hoyt tries to protect him by keeping him home as much as possible and warning him to keep to himself. But classmate Bronte takes the loner on as a project before she realizes the reason Brewster keeps to himself. And soon he cares for her. Her twin brother Tennyson, who at first tries to bully Brew into staying away from his sister because of his undesirable reputation at school as “most likely to go to jail”, quickly changes his tune and helps protect Brewster once he realizes the truth. But they don’t know the complete truth, and once Tennyson realizes it, he doesn’t want Brewster to leave the house either. This is an engaging and very suspenseful story that will appeal to teens in grades 8-12.
We'll Always Have Summer
by Jenny Han
This is the third title in the Summerseries, but can stand alone without too much back story. Belly and Jeremiah go to the same college and are dating, but they’ve known each other their entire lives. Belly thinks that everything is perfect when she learns that Jeremiah slept with another girl during Spring Break while “on break”. Belly is devastated (especially since she hasn't even slept with him), but when Jere proposes a week later in an attempt to win her back, she accepts. Both families are against it, citing their young age, but the wedding is set for only two months away. Following a fight with her mother, Belly moves into the house in Cousins where Jere’s brother Conrad is also staying for the summer. (In previous titles, she and Conrad dated in high school, but he broke up with her and moved to California). Preparations for the wedding move forward with the help of best friend Taylor, but Belly and Conrad begin to reminisce leading to a suspenseful and emotional conclusion. Recommended for girls grades 9 and up. The story will suck the reader in and the twists and turns in the plot will keep her guessing! This will satisfy those who enjoy a good love story.
by Jenny Han
This is the third title in the Summerseries, but can stand alone without too much back story. Belly and Jeremiah go to the same college and are dating, but they’ve known each other their entire lives. Belly thinks that everything is perfect when she learns that Jeremiah slept with another girl during Spring Break while “on break”. Belly is devastated (especially since she hasn't even slept with him), but when Jere proposes a week later in an attempt to win her back, she accepts. Both families are against it, citing their young age, but the wedding is set for only two months away. Following a fight with her mother, Belly moves into the house in Cousins where Jere’s brother Conrad is also staying for the summer. (In previous titles, she and Conrad dated in high school, but he broke up with her and moved to California). Preparations for the wedding move forward with the help of best friend Taylor, but Belly and Conrad begin to reminisce leading to a suspenseful and emotional conclusion. Recommended for girls grades 9 and up. The story will suck the reader in and the twists and turns in the plot will keep her guessing! This will satisfy those who enjoy a good love story.
Nothing
by Janne Teller
"Nothing matters.
I have known that for a long time.
So nothing is worth doing.
I just realized that."
Seventh grader Pierre Anthon declares that nothing matters, leaves class to climb a plum tree and remains there. His classmates cannot convince him to come down, so decide to build a “heap of meaning” in an attempt to prove to him that his statement is not true. In an abandoned sawmill, they begin to collect objects, each child deciding for another what is most important for him to give up. It starts out innocently enough - sunglasses, sandals, books - but quickly becomes more disturbing and grotesque as, in retaliation, the demands escalate - a prayer mat, a hamster, the head of a dog. The last child, after giving up what is most meaningful to him, tattles and the police are called before the heap of meaning can be presented to Pierre Anthon. Have they done it all for nothing? This story is quite horrifying. "I don't know what would have happened if Jon-Johan hadn't told on us." The fact that the children never quit or decide enough is enough is disturbing. You think you've heard the worst of it. You haven't. This is a book that a reader will think about long after it ends. Suitable for mature readers in grades 8 and up. It includes sexual content and is most often compared to Lord of the Flies. This is translated from Danish and won the Danish Cultural Ministry Prize for best children's/youth book of 2001. It also won a 2011 Printz Honor Award and a 2011 Batchelder Honor Award for best translated book.
by Janne Teller
"Nothing matters.
I have known that for a long time.
So nothing is worth doing.
I just realized that."
Seventh grader Pierre Anthon declares that nothing matters, leaves class to climb a plum tree and remains there. His classmates cannot convince him to come down, so decide to build a “heap of meaning” in an attempt to prove to him that his statement is not true. In an abandoned sawmill, they begin to collect objects, each child deciding for another what is most important for him to give up. It starts out innocently enough - sunglasses, sandals, books - but quickly becomes more disturbing and grotesque as, in retaliation, the demands escalate - a prayer mat, a hamster, the head of a dog. The last child, after giving up what is most meaningful to him, tattles and the police are called before the heap of meaning can be presented to Pierre Anthon. Have they done it all for nothing? This story is quite horrifying. "I don't know what would have happened if Jon-Johan hadn't told on us." The fact that the children never quit or decide enough is enough is disturbing. You think you've heard the worst of it. You haven't. This is a book that a reader will think about long after it ends. Suitable for mature readers in grades 8 and up. It includes sexual content and is most often compared to Lord of the Flies. This is translated from Danish and won the Danish Cultural Ministry Prize for best children's/youth book of 2001. It also won a 2011 Printz Honor Award and a 2011 Batchelder Honor Award for best translated book.
The Summer I Learned to Fly
by Shannon McManus
13-year-old Drew “Birdie” has no plans for the summer before she enters 8thgrade other than working in her mother’s cheese shop alongside good looking, surf dude Nick, who works part-time making pasta noodles. She has few friends (her best friend is in Europe for the summer) and no hobbies other than her pet Rat, Hum. But one night, she discovers a boy outside in the alley eating the thrown-away cheese, and her life begins to change. Emmett Crane, she slowly learns, is a runaway, and he has a particular goal to fulfill before he returns home. That summer is when other things start to change for Birdie as well. She discovers her father’s book of lists he created before he died. And she discovers that her mother has begun dating someone in a silver car, and is lying to her about it. She feels utterly betrayed by this since they have always shared everything with each other. In retaliation, she decides to do something without telling her mother...help Emmett. This is a quiet story, without a lot of action, and will appeal to readers in grades 6-8 who appreciate character development. Issues of single parenthood, loss of a parent, homelessness, and becoming more independent are interwoven throughout, and there is also a bit of magic that Emmett introduces to the story.
by Shannon McManus
13-year-old Drew “Birdie” has no plans for the summer before she enters 8thgrade other than working in her mother’s cheese shop alongside good looking, surf dude Nick, who works part-time making pasta noodles. She has few friends (her best friend is in Europe for the summer) and no hobbies other than her pet Rat, Hum. But one night, she discovers a boy outside in the alley eating the thrown-away cheese, and her life begins to change. Emmett Crane, she slowly learns, is a runaway, and he has a particular goal to fulfill before he returns home. That summer is when other things start to change for Birdie as well. She discovers her father’s book of lists he created before he died. And she discovers that her mother has begun dating someone in a silver car, and is lying to her about it. She feels utterly betrayed by this since they have always shared everything with each other. In retaliation, she decides to do something without telling her mother...help Emmett. This is a quiet story, without a lot of action, and will appeal to readers in grades 6-8 who appreciate character development. Issues of single parenthood, loss of a parent, homelessness, and becoming more independent are interwoven throughout, and there is also a bit of magic that Emmett introduces to the story.
Eli the Good
by Silas House
It's 1976 in Kentucky. For ten-year-old Eli Book and his best friend Edie, it is a summer of change. Edie's parents are divorcing and her mother has up and moved to Georgia. It is more complicated for Eli. His Aunt Nell has suddenly and unexplicably left her job in Washington D.C. and moved in with them. Eli adores her and wishes she would stay forever. Around town she's got a reputation as a Vietnam war protestor and is even in a very famous photograph that appears in his history book. This causes a riff between her and Eli's father, Stanton, who is a Vietnam vet. He believes his sister is a traitor, no matter how many times she tries to explain that she did it for him. Eli would like to know more about what his father experienced that has left him with night terrors. They've gotten so bad that he almost strangled his mother Loretta. Eli is a known snoop and secretly reads the letters his father wrote to her from Vietnam, and slowly uncovers the truth. This is a "quiet" story in terms of there not being a lot of action. The reminiscent tone of the book (much like "The Waltons") left me concluding that this book is better suited for older teens and adults, even though the main character is only ten. Mature themes include premarital sex, suicide, and drinking. The location and setting are primary, and the southern accent and coloquialisms are evident. It is full of period details and will appeal to readers interested in the Vietnam era and typical southern life during our country's Bicentenial.
by Silas House
It's 1976 in Kentucky. For ten-year-old Eli Book and his best friend Edie, it is a summer of change. Edie's parents are divorcing and her mother has up and moved to Georgia. It is more complicated for Eli. His Aunt Nell has suddenly and unexplicably left her job in Washington D.C. and moved in with them. Eli adores her and wishes she would stay forever. Around town she's got a reputation as a Vietnam war protestor and is even in a very famous photograph that appears in his history book. This causes a riff between her and Eli's father, Stanton, who is a Vietnam vet. He believes his sister is a traitor, no matter how many times she tries to explain that she did it for him. Eli would like to know more about what his father experienced that has left him with night terrors. They've gotten so bad that he almost strangled his mother Loretta. Eli is a known snoop and secretly reads the letters his father wrote to her from Vietnam, and slowly uncovers the truth. This is a "quiet" story in terms of there not being a lot of action. The reminiscent tone of the book (much like "The Waltons") left me concluding that this book is better suited for older teens and adults, even though the main character is only ten. Mature themes include premarital sex, suicide, and drinking. The location and setting are primary, and the southern accent and coloquialisms are evident. It is full of period details and will appeal to readers interested in the Vietnam era and typical southern life during our country's Bicentenial.
After Ever After
by Jordan Sonnenblick
Eighth-grader Jeffrey is a cancer survivor and has reached his 5-year anniversary in remission. His best friend Tad is also a cancer survivor, but hasn’t reached that all important anniversary yet. They both struggle, which is how they became best friends in the first place. The drug treatments have affected both boys – Jeffrey is left with a lazy foot and some brain damage that gives him a short attention span and some real difficulty understanding math. Tad, meanwhile, is in a wheelchair and takes a growth hormone daily. New girl from California, Lindsey, is not only pretty, but also helps her father edit videos. And she likes Jeffrey. It’s a year of growth for Jeffrey. On the up side, he has a girlfriend and he’s not sick. On the down side, he has to somehow pass the new standardized testing in order to move on to high school, and older brother Steven has seemingly abandoned him by quiting college and running off to play drums in Africa. So, he and Tad make a graduation pact. Tad will tutor Jeffrey in math to ensure that Jeffrey passes the test, which is a long shot. In return, Jeffrey coaches Tad in the workout room so that he may walk across the stage on his own, which may be even longer. The struggle they each face is the heart of this story. Humorous, touching, maybe a few tears, but never morbid or gloomy. The characters are very real - Tad is the sarcastic, bitter kid who doesn't allow anyone to get close to him, except Jeffrey, who really does understand what he's been through; Jeffrey, who thinks he is the cause of troubles at home. This is highly recommended for teens in grades 6-10 who like realistic fiction or who would like to learn a little more about the repercussions of cancer treatments. Although this is a sequel to "Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie", told from Steven's point of view, this book stands alone.
by Jordan Sonnenblick
Eighth-grader Jeffrey is a cancer survivor and has reached his 5-year anniversary in remission. His best friend Tad is also a cancer survivor, but hasn’t reached that all important anniversary yet. They both struggle, which is how they became best friends in the first place. The drug treatments have affected both boys – Jeffrey is left with a lazy foot and some brain damage that gives him a short attention span and some real difficulty understanding math. Tad, meanwhile, is in a wheelchair and takes a growth hormone daily. New girl from California, Lindsey, is not only pretty, but also helps her father edit videos. And she likes Jeffrey. It’s a year of growth for Jeffrey. On the up side, he has a girlfriend and he’s not sick. On the down side, he has to somehow pass the new standardized testing in order to move on to high school, and older brother Steven has seemingly abandoned him by quiting college and running off to play drums in Africa. So, he and Tad make a graduation pact. Tad will tutor Jeffrey in math to ensure that Jeffrey passes the test, which is a long shot. In return, Jeffrey coaches Tad in the workout room so that he may walk across the stage on his own, which may be even longer. The struggle they each face is the heart of this story. Humorous, touching, maybe a few tears, but never morbid or gloomy. The characters are very real - Tad is the sarcastic, bitter kid who doesn't allow anyone to get close to him, except Jeffrey, who really does understand what he's been through; Jeffrey, who thinks he is the cause of troubles at home. This is highly recommended for teens in grades 6-10 who like realistic fiction or who would like to learn a little more about the repercussions of cancer treatments. Although this is a sequel to "Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie", told from Steven's point of view, this book stands alone.
Beauty Queens
by Libba Bray
The contestants competing in the Miss Dream Teen Beauty Pageant are flown to a secluded island to practice before the upcoming pageant. Unfortunately, their plane crashes upon arrival and only a few girls survive. Led by Miss Texas, the girls decide on a plan of action while waiting for rescue. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the girls, the island is not uninhabited. “The Corporation” is set up in a nearby volcano and have clandestine plans to sell arms to the country of Cha Cha, whose leader, Mo Mo B. Cha Cha, is having a love affair with a former Miss Dream Teen and now presidential hopeful, Ladybird Hope (who bears a remarkable resemblance to a certain former governor of Alaska in personality). Also, a ship of pirate actors from the hit show “Captain Bodacious” are shipwrecked and take up the task of surviving (with more than a little help from the girls) while also waiting for rescue. Little do they know that there is no rescue search planned. The Corporation has called off the search since it does not want anyone snooping around the island and possibly uncovering their plans. The entire book pokes fun at reality shows, consumerism and beauty products, and politics, but the isolation from their families also allows the girls to think and feel for themselves, which leads to topics of sex and sexuality, as well as what they really want to do with their lives. This is over-the-top funny and has lots of James Bond elements, in a beauty queen kind-of-way (picture hairspray weapons rather than guns). Commercials promoting such items as the Maxi Pad Pet pop-up throughout adding to the hilarity, as well as reports from the Corporation, and lots of footnotes explaining the products of the made-up beauty supply company. I can definitely see this becoming a movie. Recommended for readers in grades 9-12 who enjoy adventure/survival stories and satire, with a little love thrown into the mix. The story is for mature readers. Content includes foul language, sex, gays, transexuals, drinking, violence, and maybe even poisoning if you consider the local flora and fauna.
by Libba Bray
The contestants competing in the Miss Dream Teen Beauty Pageant are flown to a secluded island to practice before the upcoming pageant. Unfortunately, their plane crashes upon arrival and only a few girls survive. Led by Miss Texas, the girls decide on a plan of action while waiting for rescue. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the girls, the island is not uninhabited. “The Corporation” is set up in a nearby volcano and have clandestine plans to sell arms to the country of Cha Cha, whose leader, Mo Mo B. Cha Cha, is having a love affair with a former Miss Dream Teen and now presidential hopeful, Ladybird Hope (who bears a remarkable resemblance to a certain former governor of Alaska in personality). Also, a ship of pirate actors from the hit show “Captain Bodacious” are shipwrecked and take up the task of surviving (with more than a little help from the girls) while also waiting for rescue. Little do they know that there is no rescue search planned. The Corporation has called off the search since it does not want anyone snooping around the island and possibly uncovering their plans. The entire book pokes fun at reality shows, consumerism and beauty products, and politics, but the isolation from their families also allows the girls to think and feel for themselves, which leads to topics of sex and sexuality, as well as what they really want to do with their lives. This is over-the-top funny and has lots of James Bond elements, in a beauty queen kind-of-way (picture hairspray weapons rather than guns). Commercials promoting such items as the Maxi Pad Pet pop-up throughout adding to the hilarity, as well as reports from the Corporation, and lots of footnotes explaining the products of the made-up beauty supply company. I can definitely see this becoming a movie. Recommended for readers in grades 9-12 who enjoy adventure/survival stories and satire, with a little love thrown into the mix. The story is for mature readers. Content includes foul language, sex, gays, transexuals, drinking, violence, and maybe even poisoning if you consider the local flora and fauna.
Chime
by Franny Billingsley
This is a wonderful mystical romance in which 17-year-old Briony believes she is responsible for her stepmother’s death, as well as causing the damage to her twin sister Rose’s intellect. She has the second sight and can see the Old Ones. She knows the cause of the swamp cough that has been killing so many children, and how to stop it, because she's spoken to the Boggy Mun. She is a witch and will be hanged from the neck until dead if she reveals her secret to anyone. But newly arrived Eldric, whose father wants to drain the swamp, captivates her. After forming the “Bad Boys Club” and spending an evening together on Blackberry night, Briony is tempted to tell him everything. Despite the dark, mysteriousness of the book, it is suprisingly humorous. The characters and the location of Swampsea are quite unique. Rose, in particular, was a great addition, even if a bit unexpected. It is highly recommended for girls in grades 9 and up.
by Franny Billingsley
This is a wonderful mystical romance in which 17-year-old Briony believes she is responsible for her stepmother’s death, as well as causing the damage to her twin sister Rose’s intellect. She has the second sight and can see the Old Ones. She knows the cause of the swamp cough that has been killing so many children, and how to stop it, because she's spoken to the Boggy Mun. She is a witch and will be hanged from the neck until dead if she reveals her secret to anyone. But newly arrived Eldric, whose father wants to drain the swamp, captivates her. After forming the “Bad Boys Club” and spending an evening together on Blackberry night, Briony is tempted to tell him everything. Despite the dark, mysteriousness of the book, it is suprisingly humorous. The characters and the location of Swampsea are quite unique. Rose, in particular, was a great addition, even if a bit unexpected. It is highly recommended for girls in grades 9 and up.
Heart of a Samurai
by Margi Preus
14-year-old Manjiro is stranded with four other Japanese fishermen on an island following a storm. They are rescued by members of a passing American whaling boat, where Manjiro is eager to learn as much as he can from the “barbarians”. The captain offers Manjiro the chance to return to his home in Massachusetts where they might become a sort of family, since the captain has lost his wife and Manjiro has no father. He cannot return home to the country that, in 1841, kills its countrymen who have been infected by demons outside their boundary, and therefore accepts the offer. Besides, Manjiro likes the life of a sailor and wants to see more of the world of which his countrymen have no knowledge. Over the next ten years, Manjiro is schooled at sea navigation, apprenticed as a cooper, and finds a family with the captain and his new wife, all while facing obstacles of discrimination and the desire to one day find a way to safely return home in Japan. This is a wonderful adventure and historical novel for readers in grades 6 and up. It is based on the true life of a young Japanese boy and won the Printz Honor Award in 2011. Also read the biography Shipwrecked! The True Adventues of a Japanese Boy by Rhoda Blumberg for more background information surrounding this story.
by Margi Preus
14-year-old Manjiro is stranded with four other Japanese fishermen on an island following a storm. They are rescued by members of a passing American whaling boat, where Manjiro is eager to learn as much as he can from the “barbarians”. The captain offers Manjiro the chance to return to his home in Massachusetts where they might become a sort of family, since the captain has lost his wife and Manjiro has no father. He cannot return home to the country that, in 1841, kills its countrymen who have been infected by demons outside their boundary, and therefore accepts the offer. Besides, Manjiro likes the life of a sailor and wants to see more of the world of which his countrymen have no knowledge. Over the next ten years, Manjiro is schooled at sea navigation, apprenticed as a cooper, and finds a family with the captain and his new wife, all while facing obstacles of discrimination and the desire to one day find a way to safely return home in Japan. This is a wonderful adventure and historical novel for readers in grades 6 and up. It is based on the true life of a young Japanese boy and won the Printz Honor Award in 2011. Also read the biography Shipwrecked! The True Adventues of a Japanese Boy by Rhoda Blumberg for more background information surrounding this story.
Punkzilla
by Adam Rapp
14-year-old Jamie (Punkzilla to his friends in Portland), is on a cross-country journey to see his dying brother in Memphis. The book is a series of letters he writes to Peter on his way there, and others that he receives from his family back in Cincinnati, and friends. They retrace the steps of how Jamie is sent to military school in Missouri, from which he runs away, and arrives in Portland before racing to reach his brother before he dies of cancer. In letter form, Jamie describes the people he’s met along the way, some bad (like the kids who jumped him at the Greyhound bus station and stole all his money), some good (like Kent, the guy who becomes his driving buddy through a few states), who Jamie describes in such a gritty, brutally honest way. He is also brutally honest about his own behavior and feelings, which are at times muddled because he has run out of his ADD meds. This book won a Printz Honor award in 2010 and is highly recommended for mature readers in grades 9 and up. There is an abundance of alcohol, drugs, theft, sex and profanity, and is not for the prudish, judgemental type. Written in a stream-of-consciousness style, it is captivating.
by Adam Rapp
14-year-old Jamie (Punkzilla to his friends in Portland), is on a cross-country journey to see his dying brother in Memphis. The book is a series of letters he writes to Peter on his way there, and others that he receives from his family back in Cincinnati, and friends. They retrace the steps of how Jamie is sent to military school in Missouri, from which he runs away, and arrives in Portland before racing to reach his brother before he dies of cancer. In letter form, Jamie describes the people he’s met along the way, some bad (like the kids who jumped him at the Greyhound bus station and stole all his money), some good (like Kent, the guy who becomes his driving buddy through a few states), who Jamie describes in such a gritty, brutally honest way. He is also brutally honest about his own behavior and feelings, which are at times muddled because he has run out of his ADD meds. This book won a Printz Honor award in 2010 and is highly recommended for mature readers in grades 9 and up. There is an abundance of alcohol, drugs, theft, sex and profanity, and is not for the prudish, judgemental type. Written in a stream-of-consciousness style, it is captivating.
The Magnolia League
by Katie Crouch
16-year-old Alex is sent to live with her grandmother Lee in Savannah, Georgia following the death of her mother. Her previous life on a communal farm doesn’t prepare her for the lifestyle of the Magnolia League, of which she appears to be a part. Fellow Magnolias Hayes and Madison are supposed to whip her into shape for her debut this Christmas, but Alex’s dreadlocks and lack of grooming, along with her reluctance in general, make that a tall order. Mystical elements are quickly introduced which help explain why her grandmother appears so young and why her friends are so beautiful. After some bitter disappointment during a quick trip back to California in the hopes of “camping out” with boyfriend Reggie, she returns to Savannah ready to accept her new life and possibly her fate. This book will be appealing to girls in grades 8 and above who enjoy magical stories, along with a little romance. The text is full of "southernisms" which place it unmistakably in the south, and the characters feel genuine. It's easy to get caught up in this title, and a sequel is sure to follow.
by Katie Crouch
16-year-old Alex is sent to live with her grandmother Lee in Savannah, Georgia following the death of her mother. Her previous life on a communal farm doesn’t prepare her for the lifestyle of the Magnolia League, of which she appears to be a part. Fellow Magnolias Hayes and Madison are supposed to whip her into shape for her debut this Christmas, but Alex’s dreadlocks and lack of grooming, along with her reluctance in general, make that a tall order. Mystical elements are quickly introduced which help explain why her grandmother appears so young and why her friends are so beautiful. After some bitter disappointment during a quick trip back to California in the hopes of “camping out” with boyfriend Reggie, she returns to Savannah ready to accept her new life and possibly her fate. This book will be appealing to girls in grades 8 and above who enjoy magical stories, along with a little romance. The text is full of "southernisms" which place it unmistakably in the south, and the characters feel genuine. It's easy to get caught up in this title, and a sequel is sure to follow.
How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy
by Crystal Allen
Lamar's brother Xavier is the basketball superstar in town and has lots of trophies to prove it. His weak spot, though, is algebra, and even if the scouts who are coming to watch him play like him, he can't graduate without passing his final exam. Meanwhile, 13-year-old Lamar gets caught up in a bowling hustling scam with a known juvenile delinquent because of his desire to buy a Bubba Sanders bowling ball for the sport in which he excels. The empty spot on the mantel for his own trophy, left by his recently deceased mother, looms over him, especially when his brother keeps teasing him. How can he get a trophy in a sport that gets no respect in his Indiana town of Coffin? As the brother’s rivalry and jealously come to a head, Lamar decides to pull a prank to embarrass his brother. The outcome, however, is so devastating that Lamar is not sure he will ever be able to make it right again.
Despite the serious themes that run throughout, this is a very funny book suitable for readers in grades 5-8. One of the nice things about it is that it's about a typical middle class African American family with good kids and parental role models. A neighborhood of people care about Lamar and his brother and everyone is looking out for them. There's no drugs, no sex, and no profanity, but includes difficult decisions for middle school kids and the consequences for choosing poorly. There's a lot of harmless teasing between Lamar and his best friend Sergio that is laugh out loud funny. And there is the ever present quest for a girlfriend that middle grade boys will relate to. You can practically see Lamar strutting down the bowling alley trying to impress his "girl". Highly recommended.
by Crystal Allen
Lamar's brother Xavier is the basketball superstar in town and has lots of trophies to prove it. His weak spot, though, is algebra, and even if the scouts who are coming to watch him play like him, he can't graduate without passing his final exam. Meanwhile, 13-year-old Lamar gets caught up in a bowling hustling scam with a known juvenile delinquent because of his desire to buy a Bubba Sanders bowling ball for the sport in which he excels. The empty spot on the mantel for his own trophy, left by his recently deceased mother, looms over him, especially when his brother keeps teasing him. How can he get a trophy in a sport that gets no respect in his Indiana town of Coffin? As the brother’s rivalry and jealously come to a head, Lamar decides to pull a prank to embarrass his brother. The outcome, however, is so devastating that Lamar is not sure he will ever be able to make it right again.
Despite the serious themes that run throughout, this is a very funny book suitable for readers in grades 5-8. One of the nice things about it is that it's about a typical middle class African American family with good kids and parental role models. A neighborhood of people care about Lamar and his brother and everyone is looking out for them. There's no drugs, no sex, and no profanity, but includes difficult decisions for middle school kids and the consequences for choosing poorly. There's a lot of harmless teasing between Lamar and his best friend Sergio that is laugh out loud funny. And there is the ever present quest for a girlfriend that middle grade boys will relate to. You can practically see Lamar strutting down the bowling alley trying to impress his "girl". Highly recommended.
Okay for Now
by Gary Schmidt
This is the story of Doug Swieteck, which astute readers will remember from "The Wednesday Wars" as one of Holling's friends who plays ball with Joe Pepitone and Horace Clarke at Yankee Stadium. Set during the Vietnam era, Doug's abusive father accepts a mill job arranged through a dubious friend, which necessitates them to move to "stupid" Marysville. Luckily, Doug is quickly surrounded by townspeople who help anchor him. From patient librarian Mr. Powell, who guides Doug's drawing skills of Audubon birds, to the local deli owner who offers Doug a job as a delivery boy, to Lil, the Deli owner's daughter, who can throw insults back at Doug as well as he gives them, to his father's boss who teaches Doug to play horseshoes, to the local policeman who hires Doug to babysit his young children, to his chemistry teacher who realizes Doug can't read and his English teacher who creatively finds a way to teach him, Doug's feelings slowly change about the town. Doug's voice perfectly depicts a cynical boy going into 8th grade who naively believes what his father tells him.
Schmidt effortlessly introduces the numerous characters so that the reader completely understands them with only a few words. He manages to slip details in that catches the reader off guard and causes an emotional response (for me, without giving anything away, this involves a certain jacket and where it is found toward the end of the book, as well as Doug's father's birthday present for him). My only complaint is the way the ending wraps up so quickly and apparently so easily, but otherwise I completely enjoyed it and highly recommend it to readers in grades 6-10. This is worthy of a Newbery. It's not necessary to have read "The Wednesday Wars" to enjoy this companion book. Although some details are drawn from the first book, "Okay For Now", completely stands on its own.
by Gary Schmidt
This is the story of Doug Swieteck, which astute readers will remember from "The Wednesday Wars" as one of Holling's friends who plays ball with Joe Pepitone and Horace Clarke at Yankee Stadium. Set during the Vietnam era, Doug's abusive father accepts a mill job arranged through a dubious friend, which necessitates them to move to "stupid" Marysville. Luckily, Doug is quickly surrounded by townspeople who help anchor him. From patient librarian Mr. Powell, who guides Doug's drawing skills of Audubon birds, to the local deli owner who offers Doug a job as a delivery boy, to Lil, the Deli owner's daughter, who can throw insults back at Doug as well as he gives them, to his father's boss who teaches Doug to play horseshoes, to the local policeman who hires Doug to babysit his young children, to his chemistry teacher who realizes Doug can't read and his English teacher who creatively finds a way to teach him, Doug's feelings slowly change about the town. Doug's voice perfectly depicts a cynical boy going into 8th grade who naively believes what his father tells him.
Schmidt effortlessly introduces the numerous characters so that the reader completely understands them with only a few words. He manages to slip details in that catches the reader off guard and causes an emotional response (for me, without giving anything away, this involves a certain jacket and where it is found toward the end of the book, as well as Doug's father's birthday present for him). My only complaint is the way the ending wraps up so quickly and apparently so easily, but otherwise I completely enjoyed it and highly recommend it to readers in grades 6-10. This is worthy of a Newbery. It's not necessary to have read "The Wednesday Wars" to enjoy this companion book. Although some details are drawn from the first book, "Okay For Now", completely stands on its own.
Pathfinder
by Orson Scott Card
Earth has sent out a manned spacecraft to travel to another planet, eventually named Garden, to colonize. The craft is going to attempt a maneuver in which it goes through a fold in space to save time, and in the process duplicates itself 19 times that are now 1191 years in the past. This problem is solved by colonizing 19 separate areas on the planet separated by walls that the inhabitants are unable to pass through. The story takes place in one of those areas known as Ramfold, where Rigg and some others find they have special abilities that ultimately lead them to discover their planet’s past and to attempt to go through the wall. The reader is led to believe that another book will follow. There are interesting characters throughout who alternately tell their part of this distopian story as it progresses. Each chapter is preceded by a short dialogue between Ramm and the expendibles on the space ship before the colonization has happened, so that by the end of the book the reader has all the background information that Rigg and his group will eventually learn. Highly recommended for readers in grades 9 and up who enjoy time travel, science fiction, adventure, and alternate universes.
by Orson Scott Card
Earth has sent out a manned spacecraft to travel to another planet, eventually named Garden, to colonize. The craft is going to attempt a maneuver in which it goes through a fold in space to save time, and in the process duplicates itself 19 times that are now 1191 years in the past. This problem is solved by colonizing 19 separate areas on the planet separated by walls that the inhabitants are unable to pass through. The story takes place in one of those areas known as Ramfold, where Rigg and some others find they have special abilities that ultimately lead them to discover their planet’s past and to attempt to go through the wall. The reader is led to believe that another book will follow. There are interesting characters throughout who alternately tell their part of this distopian story as it progresses. Each chapter is preceded by a short dialogue between Ramm and the expendibles on the space ship before the colonization has happened, so that by the end of the book the reader has all the background information that Rigg and his group will eventually learn. Highly recommended for readers in grades 9 and up who enjoy time travel, science fiction, adventure, and alternate universes.
Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance
by Brendan Halpin and Emily Franklin
Teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers have starred on the hit TV show “Jenna and Jonah’s How to Be a Rock Star” for the past 4 years. Also, at their agents’ advice, they have pretended to be in a romantic relationship to please the viewers and secure their show’s success. They’ve got all the moves down for the paparazzi, but secretly they despise each other. When delicate negotiations quickly deteriorate following rumors that Fielding is gay, Charlie and Fielding are sent to Oregon to perform inMuch Ado About Nothing at the Shakespeare festival in an attempt at damage control. While the other actors notice that their lives mirror their roles of Beatrice and Benedick, Charlie and Fielding are oblivious. Told in alternating perspectives, there is more meat to this story than would be first thought, with each questioning their previous work and wondering what the future holds for them.
by Brendan Halpin and Emily Franklin
Teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers have starred on the hit TV show “Jenna and Jonah’s How to Be a Rock Star” for the past 4 years. Also, at their agents’ advice, they have pretended to be in a romantic relationship to please the viewers and secure their show’s success. They’ve got all the moves down for the paparazzi, but secretly they despise each other. When delicate negotiations quickly deteriorate following rumors that Fielding is gay, Charlie and Fielding are sent to Oregon to perform inMuch Ado About Nothing at the Shakespeare festival in an attempt at damage control. While the other actors notice that their lives mirror their roles of Beatrice and Benedick, Charlie and Fielding are oblivious. Told in alternating perspectives, there is more meat to this story than would be first thought, with each questioning their previous work and wondering what the future holds for them.
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland
by Sally M. Walker
This interesting non-fiction title shows the work of forensic anthropologists as they uncover and analyze 17th and 18th century graves in Jamestown and three sites in Maryland (Providence, St. Mary’s City, and Harleigh Knoll) including that of a teenage indentured servant hastily buried in a trash pit, a grouping of prominent colonists laid to rest in lead coffins, and a woman of African heritage who likely toiled as a slave.
The scientists are able to determine, sex, age, cause of death, and approximate how long the person lived in the colonies, as well as differentiate between Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans using knowledge, testing and a little detective work. Historical records are able to fill in a few more answers about these earliest settlers. With many photographs throughout, the book is not intimidating but the reading level is fairly high (AR 9.0). Readers with an interest in history or forensics (and shows like CSI) will enjoy this. It is considered an "exceptional title in Social Studies for intermediate grades".
by Sally M. Walker
This interesting non-fiction title shows the work of forensic anthropologists as they uncover and analyze 17th and 18th century graves in Jamestown and three sites in Maryland (Providence, St. Mary’s City, and Harleigh Knoll) including that of a teenage indentured servant hastily buried in a trash pit, a grouping of prominent colonists laid to rest in lead coffins, and a woman of African heritage who likely toiled as a slave.
The scientists are able to determine, sex, age, cause of death, and approximate how long the person lived in the colonies, as well as differentiate between Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans using knowledge, testing and a little detective work. Historical records are able to fill in a few more answers about these earliest settlers. With many photographs throughout, the book is not intimidating but the reading level is fairly high (AR 9.0). Readers with an interest in history or forensics (and shows like CSI) will enjoy this. It is considered an "exceptional title in Social Studies for intermediate grades".
The Boneshaker
by Kate Milford
13-year-old Natalie Minks has a beautifully restored bicycle she had begged her father to purchase and fix up for her, even though they both know it will be hard-to-control. It is a Chesterlane Eidolon, a bone-shaker…one of those bicycles that rattles your bones when you ride it, no matter how smooth the road. Natalie loves all mechanical things. She loves how the gears fit together to make something run. She is currently working on an automata of a flyer like the Wright Brothers built, but so far it won’t fly. When Dr. Jake’s Limberleg’s Nostrum Fair and Technological Medicine Show arrives in Arcane, Missouri after losing a carriage wheel at their crossroads, Natalie is instructed to take the strange man with flaming red hair to her father to see about repairs. Discovering her flyer, he somehow makes the propellers spin like a fan without even winding it up. Something is very strange about this man and when his show opens the next day she intends to find out if he is a “snake oil salesman” as some in town claim, or something else altogether. This is a story full of strange and scary elements in the generally festive setting of a carnival. It reminded me of “Something Wicked This Way Comes”, a favorite book of mine as a high school freshman, where like this one, the supernatural takes center stage. Readers in grades 8-12 will enjoy this.
by Kate Milford
13-year-old Natalie Minks has a beautifully restored bicycle she had begged her father to purchase and fix up for her, even though they both know it will be hard-to-control. It is a Chesterlane Eidolon, a bone-shaker…one of those bicycles that rattles your bones when you ride it, no matter how smooth the road. Natalie loves all mechanical things. She loves how the gears fit together to make something run. She is currently working on an automata of a flyer like the Wright Brothers built, but so far it won’t fly. When Dr. Jake’s Limberleg’s Nostrum Fair and Technological Medicine Show arrives in Arcane, Missouri after losing a carriage wheel at their crossroads, Natalie is instructed to take the strange man with flaming red hair to her father to see about repairs. Discovering her flyer, he somehow makes the propellers spin like a fan without even winding it up. Something is very strange about this man and when his show opens the next day she intends to find out if he is a “snake oil salesman” as some in town claim, or something else altogether. This is a story full of strange and scary elements in the generally festive setting of a carnival. It reminded me of “Something Wicked This Way Comes”, a favorite book of mine as a high school freshman, where like this one, the supernatural takes center stage. Readers in grades 8-12 will enjoy this.
Monster Blood Tattoo: Lamplighter
by D. M. Cornish
Lamplighter is book 2 in theMonster Blood Tattoo series, which covers Rossamund's time apprenticed as a Lamplighter at Winstermill. Threnody, the stubborn and quick-tempered "wit" (meaning she has had her innards surgically altered) also arrives to apprentice, much to the disapproval of her mother, the Lady Vey. During this period, Rossamund makes friends with the now deformed "Numps", who is "lacking in his intellectuals" since surviving a monster attack. Numps is responsible for growing the blooms that possess bioluminescence used by the lamplighters in the lamps along the roads connecting each town, and like Rossamund, seems to be sympathetic toward some of the monsters.
But evil is lurking in the Manse of Winstermill as the beloved Lamplighter Marshall and his leer Mr. Sebastipole are suddenly called by the Emperor's ministers to the subcapital of Considine for an explanation as to why and how a man-made monster, known as a gudgeon, came inside the walls of Winstermill - a monster that Rossamund barely managed to escape while returning after hours from the bowels of Winstermill. Suddenly, the apprentices are dispatched to their new billets a month early, with Rossamund and Threnody being sent out to the farthest post, Wormstool. Despite its dangerous reputation, Rossamund thinks he might be happy serving here, despite lahzar Europe's repeated requests that he become her Factotum.
An extremely suspenseful ending will have readers wanting to jump right into book 3. Like the first book, this one has wonderful illustrations depicting major characters and a glossary of words specific to this make-believe world. Older readers in grades 6 and up who enjoyed the Harry Potter series will also like this series.
by D. M. Cornish
Lamplighter is book 2 in theMonster Blood Tattoo series, which covers Rossamund's time apprenticed as a Lamplighter at Winstermill. Threnody, the stubborn and quick-tempered "wit" (meaning she has had her innards surgically altered) also arrives to apprentice, much to the disapproval of her mother, the Lady Vey. During this period, Rossamund makes friends with the now deformed "Numps", who is "lacking in his intellectuals" since surviving a monster attack. Numps is responsible for growing the blooms that possess bioluminescence used by the lamplighters in the lamps along the roads connecting each town, and like Rossamund, seems to be sympathetic toward some of the monsters.
But evil is lurking in the Manse of Winstermill as the beloved Lamplighter Marshall and his leer Mr. Sebastipole are suddenly called by the Emperor's ministers to the subcapital of Considine for an explanation as to why and how a man-made monster, known as a gudgeon, came inside the walls of Winstermill - a monster that Rossamund barely managed to escape while returning after hours from the bowels of Winstermill. Suddenly, the apprentices are dispatched to their new billets a month early, with Rossamund and Threnody being sent out to the farthest post, Wormstool. Despite its dangerous reputation, Rossamund thinks he might be happy serving here, despite lahzar Europe's repeated requests that he become her Factotum.
An extremely suspenseful ending will have readers wanting to jump right into book 3. Like the first book, this one has wonderful illustrations depicting major characters and a glossary of words specific to this make-believe world. Older readers in grades 6 and up who enjoyed the Harry Potter series will also like this series.
Monster Blood Tattoo: The Foundling
by D. M. Cornish
The Foundling is book 1 in theMonster Blood Tattoo series, in which Rossamund, a young boy from Madam Opera's Estimable Marine Society for Foundling Boys and Girls, has been assigned to apprentice to become a lamplighter, rather than a seafaring vinegaroon as he had been schooled. This book covers his introduction at the Foundling Home and follows his exciting adventure through his arrival at Winstermill where he will begin his apprenticeship. A completely new environment is introduced, much in the same manner as the Hobbit, or Star Wars. Therefore, a long, but necessary appendix is included in the back of the book for words, terminology, maps, and character names. The illustrations are a wonderful addition since readers know exactly what the author intended for each character to look like. Lots of monsters and different types of people live in the Half-Continent, and these are characterized very well. There is plenty of action, suspense, and monster fighting, so boys who enjoy dragon books will love this. It is also excellent on audio, but as stated above, illustrations really should be seen. At least have the book on hand while listening. Highly recommended for readers in grades 6 and up.
by D. M. Cornish
The Foundling is book 1 in theMonster Blood Tattoo series, in which Rossamund, a young boy from Madam Opera's Estimable Marine Society for Foundling Boys and Girls, has been assigned to apprentice to become a lamplighter, rather than a seafaring vinegaroon as he had been schooled. This book covers his introduction at the Foundling Home and follows his exciting adventure through his arrival at Winstermill where he will begin his apprenticeship. A completely new environment is introduced, much in the same manner as the Hobbit, or Star Wars. Therefore, a long, but necessary appendix is included in the back of the book for words, terminology, maps, and character names. The illustrations are a wonderful addition since readers know exactly what the author intended for each character to look like. Lots of monsters and different types of people live in the Half-Continent, and these are characterized very well. There is plenty of action, suspense, and monster fighting, so boys who enjoy dragon books will love this. It is also excellent on audio, but as stated above, illustrations really should be seen. At least have the book on hand while listening. Highly recommended for readers in grades 6 and up.
The Replacement
by Brenna Yovanoff
Readers know early on that 16-year-old Mackie Doyl is not human. His family knows it and it seems that on some level even his friends know it. But as he says, the people of Gentry tend to ignore what is going on, like the disappearances of some children and the early deaths of others.
There is an unspoken agreement between the town and the creatures who live underground. The "Lady" requires a 7-year ritual of a sacrifice of a young child, who is taken from his home in return for one of the young, ugly sick creatures who soon dies. In return she provides prosperity to the town. The Lady's sister, the "Morrigan" leads another group of creatures who only crave love, attention and adoration from humans. After betraying the Lady once years ago, her group was punished, along with the town, with perpetual rain and a dried-up lake bed.
Mackie is one of the replacements left behind when a baby is taken for one of the sacrifices. As time passes, he becomes increasingly allergic to blood, iron, steel, and consecrated ground. He is weak and his head is spinning. A simple blood drive leaves him helpless. In fact, he is dying. Fortunately, a new friend of his sister's brings him a liquid to drink which revitalizes him just in the nick of time, and soon Mackie is made aware of a secret world underground with dead girls and a little tattooed princess.
This is an unusual dark, rainy, horror-fantasy that includes unconditional love, loyalty, bravery, and commitment to family and friends. There are interesting characters and even a love interest. It is spooky, creepy, though not necessarily scary, and perhaps lacking in suspense considering a child needs to be saved by Friday.
Underage drinking, making out, and high school partying are included, so a recommendation is made for grades 9 and up. This is being made into a movie, so it likely will be popular.
Watch a book trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y9NXB7BqSw
by Brenna Yovanoff
Readers know early on that 16-year-old Mackie Doyl is not human. His family knows it and it seems that on some level even his friends know it. But as he says, the people of Gentry tend to ignore what is going on, like the disappearances of some children and the early deaths of others.
There is an unspoken agreement between the town and the creatures who live underground. The "Lady" requires a 7-year ritual of a sacrifice of a young child, who is taken from his home in return for one of the young, ugly sick creatures who soon dies. In return she provides prosperity to the town. The Lady's sister, the "Morrigan" leads another group of creatures who only crave love, attention and adoration from humans. After betraying the Lady once years ago, her group was punished, along with the town, with perpetual rain and a dried-up lake bed.
Mackie is one of the replacements left behind when a baby is taken for one of the sacrifices. As time passes, he becomes increasingly allergic to blood, iron, steel, and consecrated ground. He is weak and his head is spinning. A simple blood drive leaves him helpless. In fact, he is dying. Fortunately, a new friend of his sister's brings him a liquid to drink which revitalizes him just in the nick of time, and soon Mackie is made aware of a secret world underground with dead girls and a little tattooed princess.
This is an unusual dark, rainy, horror-fantasy that includes unconditional love, loyalty, bravery, and commitment to family and friends. There are interesting characters and even a love interest. It is spooky, creepy, though not necessarily scary, and perhaps lacking in suspense considering a child needs to be saved by Friday.
Underage drinking, making out, and high school partying are included, so a recommendation is made for grades 9 and up. This is being made into a movie, so it likely will be popular.
Watch a book trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y9NXB7BqSw
Alchemy and Meggy Swan
by Karen Cushman
Fans of Matilda Bone and The Midwife's Apprentice will appreciate the author's latest historical fiction novel set in Elizabethan London. Crippled Meggy Swan had lived in the countryside with her sharp-tongued, tavern-running mother and doting grandmother. But after her grandmother's death, her alchemist father calls for his child to join him in order to become his apprentice. That he is disappointed to find his child is a girl is an understatement. With her father preoccupied with attempts to change metals into gold, and to find the elixir for immortality, Meggy abruptly finds herself "wabbling" through dirty London without anyone to help her, and with only her goose for affection. She quickly gains the attention of Roger, a young boy who previously attended her father, though she never speaks nicely to him or treats him well. And her goose is soon abandoned, left to live with others after her father threatens to eat it. But the ending is hopeful when Meggy thwarts a dangerous plot with a bit of ingenuity, and good-fortune comes to Roger and some of her other new-found friends.
The story is infused with London life of the period including bits about the printing process and the life as a player when only men were allowed to act parts in a play. Some of the beliefs that cripples were the product of the Devil or were able to cast spells are also incorporated, and the Olde English dialect is profuse, with Meggy's favorite phrase of, "Ye toads and vipers!". Even songs are included.
I listened to the excellent audio version that won a 2011 Odyssey Award for such, which helped considerably with the dialect. "Kellgren is well-matched to this historical novel about feisty heroine Meggy Swann. Through her ability to sing in character, honk like a goose and capture the voices of a variety of Londoners, Kellgren transports audiences to Meggy’s Elizabethan world."
The content is mostly suitable for upper elementary readers and higher, (a brief tavern scene is somewhat suggestive) but the difficult language and vocabulary can make it tricky to follow. Still, this period story will appeal to readers and listeners searching for a well-rounded story from another time.
by Karen Cushman
Fans of Matilda Bone and The Midwife's Apprentice will appreciate the author's latest historical fiction novel set in Elizabethan London. Crippled Meggy Swan had lived in the countryside with her sharp-tongued, tavern-running mother and doting grandmother. But after her grandmother's death, her alchemist father calls for his child to join him in order to become his apprentice. That he is disappointed to find his child is a girl is an understatement. With her father preoccupied with attempts to change metals into gold, and to find the elixir for immortality, Meggy abruptly finds herself "wabbling" through dirty London without anyone to help her, and with only her goose for affection. She quickly gains the attention of Roger, a young boy who previously attended her father, though she never speaks nicely to him or treats him well. And her goose is soon abandoned, left to live with others after her father threatens to eat it. But the ending is hopeful when Meggy thwarts a dangerous plot with a bit of ingenuity, and good-fortune comes to Roger and some of her other new-found friends.
The story is infused with London life of the period including bits about the printing process and the life as a player when only men were allowed to act parts in a play. Some of the beliefs that cripples were the product of the Devil or were able to cast spells are also incorporated, and the Olde English dialect is profuse, with Meggy's favorite phrase of, "Ye toads and vipers!". Even songs are included.
I listened to the excellent audio version that won a 2011 Odyssey Award for such, which helped considerably with the dialect. "Kellgren is well-matched to this historical novel about feisty heroine Meggy Swann. Through her ability to sing in character, honk like a goose and capture the voices of a variety of Londoners, Kellgren transports audiences to Meggy’s Elizabethan world."
The content is mostly suitable for upper elementary readers and higher, (a brief tavern scene is somewhat suggestive) but the difficult language and vocabulary can make it tricky to follow. Still, this period story will appeal to readers and listeners searching for a well-rounded story from another time.