Grades 5 & Up

Gr 5 Up–Anatopsis, daughter of Queen Solomon, the chairwoman of Amalgamated Witchcraft Corporation, is a witch and an immortal. She wants to use her magical talents to become a knight-errant like her father, instead of following in her mother’s footsteps. In preparation for her Bacchanalian examinations, which come on her 14th birthday, two new figures enter her life–Mr. Pound, who has tutored generations of Ana’s family, and Prince Barnaby Georges, the son of King Georges, the Queen’s main competitor. Ana soon becomes aware of mysteries connected to Mr. Pound and his search for the Os Divinitas, a wishbone-shaped magical artifact, and the answer to a mysterious riddle. As Ana, Barnaby, and her human companion, Clarissa, try to understand Mr. Pound’s quest, they travel through slums, factories, and dungeons, learning about the inequities in the immortal and mortal worlds. Ana comes to understand both her own power and the world around her, leading her to make a choice that will affect the future. Characters are clearly drawn, with their own roles to play in the story’s development. Readers will laugh–and maybe even cry–along with Anatopsis, while learning along with her about wishes and what it means to be human. A smooth progression from beginning to startling conclusion will draw even reluctant readers into this unusual fantasy and its fully realized world.–Beth L. Meister, Pleasant View Elementary School, Franklin, WI

Gr 8 Up–It’s “payback time!” and Adrienne and Liz, the nannies from Confessions of a Teen Nanny (HarperCollins, 2005), are back with an agenda. (Those who missed the first book are quickly brought up to speed in this installment.) Wicked Cameron, the beautiful, conniving, socialite half-sister of Emma, Adrienne’s charge, has stolen Adrienne’s boyfriend. While she schemes to win him back, her friend Liz, who works for a psychiatrist who treats her children like research subjects, has attracted the attention of one of society’s spoiled, pampered, handsome, yet fickle drones. Is he just “slumming” with Liz while he wines and dines other girls? The teens are granted the perfect opportunity to settle some scores, and their plans fall neatly into place. Fast-paced and entertaining, the antics of these nannies are a lighter alternative to Cecily von Ziegesar’s “Gossip Girl” series or Zoey Dean’s “A-List” series (both Little, Brown). The usual filler is present–drugs, drinking, absentee parents, and allusions to sex–but is not overly glamorized. The ending clearly indicates that another book is forthcoming.–Erin Senig, Bronxville Public Library, NY

Gr 4-7–This second volume in the series, inspired by Wild Planet Toys’ “Spy Gear” electronic products, reads as though it’s a scene-by-scene description of a TV series on Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel. Team Spy Gear is a squad of four 11- to 14-year-olds who together have the skills of an inventor, a superb tech-head, a master videogame player, and a gymnast. When they discover that children who avidly play a cool new electronic game suddenly begin to exhibit strange behavior (such as helping adults keep the school spotless), they know that something’s up, and soon find a suspicious link between the game and the literary classic Beowulf. None of the characters is vivid or interesting, and the plot is a silly excuse to show off the team’s high-tech gadgetry, although some of the jokes are pretty good. Unless the first book is hot among the kids you serve, give this one a pass.–Walter Minkel, New York Public Library

Gr 8 Up–Darcy Miller is a softball star frustrated with her less-than-stellar high school team. Wanting to make better use of her talents, she tries to convince the principal that she could take the boys’ baseball team to the championships if only she were given the chance. However, Mr. Basset is less than thrilled with the idea until his son, Brandon, Darcy’s long-term crush, tells him that Darcy is a lesbian. She plays along with the ruse, showing little concern for the consequences that pretending to be gay could have on her social life. Why being a lesbian makes one eligible to play boys’ baseball is not addressed. In exchange for getting the opportunity to try out, the principal forces Darcy to join the Gay Straight Alliance. At this point the plot becomes even more preposterous. The GSA president, Josh, is Darcy’s ex-best friend and fellow admirer of Brandon. When Josh gets wind of Darcy’s plan to be a “closeted straight,” he vows to expose her, but not before teaching her a poorly executed lesson on tolerance. The anticlimactic resolution to this Shakespearean-farce-gone-bland ends with Brandon saving the day and getting the girl, while Darcy becomes captain of the baseball team, with no repercussions for her actions. Flat characterizations, dated slang, and wholly unbelievable scenarios prevent this novel from being anything close to a homerun.–Michelle Roberts, Merrick Library, NY

Gr 4-7–A surrealistic and nutty mystery set in an “average” community in Suburbia, USA. Dwayne Ruggles is a short, round seventh-grader who discovers that by rubbing an old-fashioned phonograph needle attached to a Victrola horn (don’t ask) in the grooves of his jeans, he can hear a secret message. Then he rubs it in the ripples of potato chips and hears another message. It sounds as though someone is begging for help–but who could it be? And where are they? When his friend Kevin joins him, they soon learn that both the jeans and chips came from the nearby factories owned by Howard Thigpen, a megalomaniacal multimillionaire. Dwayne, Kevin, and fellow student Emily Holmes decide that Thigpen must be holding hostages in his heavily secured factory complex, and that it’s up to them to rescue the captives. Kids will laugh their way through the ridiculous situations the three find themselves in. With its crazy deadpan humor, the novel is a hoot, and one of the best candidates for booktalking to come along in a long while.–Walter Minkel, New York Public Library

Gr 6-9–Australian eighth-grader Belinda is in for a very rough time. First, her best friend, Janey, dumps her for a supposedly cool, more mature girl. Janey’s new crowd dresses provocatively, smokes pot, and is downright mean. As if the situation weren’t difficult enough, Bindy’s father begins to date Janey’s mother, and, from this point on, things only get nastier between the two ex-friends. In addition, Bindy’s relationship with her own mother is strained. Brugman’s novel is filled with moments of grief, embarrassment, and humiliation. These experiences mirror those of anyone who has ever felt left out, been bullied, or had to cope with the difficulties of a new family life. But Bindy does have supporters, including her father, her brother, and two new friends. It is these people, and her own realizations about who she is and where she belongs, that allow for her growth and amazing, if not somewhat slightly unrealistic, benevolence at the end of the book. Through straightforward, easily accessible writing, Brugman perfectly captures early teen life and the harsh politics that accompany it.–Tracy Karbel, Glenside Public Library District, Glendale Heights, IL

Gr 8 Up–Libby is cool to the max. However, she’s bored with having all new clothes, her own car, and the freedom to go wherever she wants. She begins to question all of her self-indulgent and shallow friends, the drinking parties (with the parents’ permission) and smoking pot, and the free sex that goes on without any love or commitment. When she signs up to become an intern at the Los Angeles Zoo, she meets some of the “uncool” kids and sees their strengths and begins to change. While some of this seems contrived and Libby’s transformation is a bit facile, the book follows several recent movies that teens are watching. Cool will draw even reluctant readers, and the satisfying ending wraps up all the loose ends. Castellucci clearly knows what goes on in the lives of many teens. This novel should be as popular as her Boy Proof (Candlewick, 2005).–Gail E. Wellman, East Middle School, Binghamton, NY

Gr 6 Up–In the final installment of this trilogy, Calwyn, who once had several of the nine singing magic powers (called chantments), has lost all of her extraordinary gifts. Bitterly, she returns to Antaris with hopes of recuperation, but instead finds that a number of the chanters have been affected with a deadly “snow-sickness.” Entrusted by the dying high priestess with knowledge of a wheel that contains the tenth power to heal the world, Calwyn sets out with her companions to track down Samis, a wicked sorcerer whom she had believed was dead, and wrest from him the missing half of the wheel. On her perilous journey, she discovers a long-lost relative, delves deeper into the conflicted relationship with her chanter friend Darrow, and discovers new gifts that lead her reluctantly toward her destiny as the Singer of All Songs. As in the other two books, the detailed descriptions of the settings and the natures of the various chantments are what give the story the richness of elaborate tapestries. There are many characters to keep track of, and while Calwyn’s friendship with the healer Halasaa has become more fleshed out, her romance with Darrow doesn’t have the intense chemistry demanded of the narrative, and her later relationship with Samis strains credulity. However, there is much to enjoy and ponder in a trilogy that strives to ask hard, thoughtful questions, even if it can’t always answer them.–Farida S. Dowler, Mercer Island Library, WA

Gr 8 Up–Cook continues with the characters she introduced in So Lyrical (NAL, 2005). Trace is on her way to meet her mysterious biological father, who has some glitzy job in L.A. that he is unwilling to divulge on the phone. Accompanying her is her boyfriend, with whom things are starting to go sour. When Trace finds out that her father is the producer/creator of teen sensation Kandy Kane, all of her punk roots rebel against the idea of associating with the pop princess. While the chick-lit genre has given readers a plethora of fun books, this one falls short. Trace is self-absorbed and overdrawn, the plot is predictable, and the ending wraps up way too neatly (especially considering all of the horrible things Trace does to her friends during the book). That said, the novel is part of a genre that attracts teen girls and will be enjoyed by a few undiscriminating readers.–Rainey Wyatt, Louisville Free Public Library, KY

Gr 6-9–In the vein of The Giver and Brave New World, and told through lyrical language that creates electrifying sounds and visuals, this book uncovers the problems in a puppet-mastered utopia. As a 15-year-old in Noveskina, Miri is about to go through the Masking ritual that will bond her to her age-mates. According to the rules of her society, everyone must have a talent to be Masked, and, when hers is not revealed, she is relegated to being a servant for the rest of her life. Instead, Miri decides to run from the Masker and her fate, and discovers the Secret Valley, where people are not restrained by the politeness and creepy accord of Noveskina. She also discovers the sinister secret behind her world. However, it is Miri’s choice to fight everything she has known that has the most powerful impact. While the story ends a little too neatly, it is definitely a page-turner that will keep readers captivated from the start. Recommend it to teen girls struggling with their identity and teachers looking for a fresh glimpse of a society in which free will has been removed.–Rainey Wyatt, Louisville Free Public Library, KY

Gr 7-9–Not to be confused with Virgil’s or Gide’s, this shepherd boy is a goat-leg misfit, a scapegoat, and an outcast rejected by his mother. He finds an unlikely surrogate in Medusa when he rescues her (immune to her glance) from a freak show. With her newborn baby and two immortal (and bizarre) Gorgon sisters, they form an odd family, underscoring the theme of maternal love and acceptance. A hero needs a quest, so Corydon and a handful of monsters (Sphinx, Minotaur, Lamia, et al) are pitted against Perseus and a ragtag loser-army. It’s difficult to work up alarm, since Medusa can petrify unlimited numbers, but Perseus gets help from Zeus (a despicable character here) and beheads her. The best scenes are those in the underworld: pace and imagination pick up in these Dante-esque episodes. Otherwise, the occasional glances at social satire, the number of two-dimensional characters, some obscure poetic references, difficult diction (“bonhomiously”), and lack of focus work against this first novel.–Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George’s School, Newport, RI

Gr 7-10–Drawing from the ancient Celtic tale of Taliesin and Ceridwen, Fisher crafts a complex and frightening story of family love and jealousy. Rob, an artist of some considerable talent, sees his family disintegrating as his younger sister lies in a coma. Looking for an outlet for both his time and talent, he takes a job with a local archaeological dig near his home in Avebury, England, where a new and mysterious henge has been discovered. Having spent his life surrounded by the mythology of stone circles, Rob initially pays little attention to the bizarre events that surround the dig until he realizes that this new revelation and the mystifying people attracted to it are somehow related to his sister. The novel plays out in a terrifying race against time and primordial evil to free Chloe from the grip of a malevolent force of her own making. While steeped in early myth and fantasy, this is an exploration of the responsibility of families to speak honestly to one another. The venerable tale meshes with Rob and Chloe’s interactions, and readers unfamiliar with the old story will nevertheless be swept up in the mystery and dark magic. Changing perspectives make this a challenging read, but one that is ultimately very satisfying.–Sharon Grover, Arlington County Department of Libraries, VA

Gr 7-9–Zed has never felt part of the Fitztalbot family and finds it difficult to live up to their expectations. Feeling responsible for an accident that leaves his much-admired older sister in a coma, he is banished by his stepfather to the house of his recently deceased paternal grandmother. Zed’s background on his father’s side is a mystery to him, but he does have fond memories of spending his childhood in this house and is now cared for by a reclusive uncle. His search for meaning and redemption takes him on journeys around the countryside and involves confrontation with a strange magician who comes to represent the embodiment of an obscure legend about a “Red Judge.” Zed finds answers to his perplexing past that give him new resolve to live life on his own terms. The elements of this story, part teen problem novel, part dream, part survival tale, part legend, are confusing and make it hard to relate to the protagonist. The climax in the Red Judge’s “court” is more nightmare than dream. The fantasies by Jenny Nimmo and Susan Cooper make better use of darkly mysterious Welsh folklore while interweaving those traditions with the lives of modern young people.–Connie C. Rockman, Stratford Library Association, CT

Gr 6-8–Loosely based on actual events, this dramatic story of escape from the Warsaw Ghetto offers insight into the will to survive. After her mother is killed by the Nazis and the ghetto is evacuated, Halina Rudowski escapes through an underground tunnel to the forest with the help of her mother’s boyfriend. Though she has resented Georg in the past, she eventually realizes that he cares for her as a father would. She hides with a group of Jews living in underground bunkers. Strengthened by the knowledge that her mother would have wanted her to survive, the 13-year-old turns from her despair and perseveres despite unbearable obstacles. Halina is embarrassed into bravery by the courage of her friend Batya as the two girls join a group trying to find food for the encampment. Later she risks her life to save Batya. She develops a crush on a boy who is working for the resistance. In Halina, Friedman has created a reluctant heroine who is also a believable adolescent. Readers will be pulled into this story that combines adventure, mystery, and the resilience of human nature, also found in Uri Orlev’s Run, Boy, Run (Houghton, 2003).–Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ

Gr 6-9–Coraline fans too young for “The Sandman” series (DC Comics) form the most likely audience for this novella of the film MirrorMask. A fitful dream the night before her mother’s surgery takes 15-year-old Helena to a world split into light and darkness. The queen of the White City is ill, and only the stolen MirrorMask can save her and her kingdom. As Helena’s quest to find the Charm wears on, she realizes that she might not be dreaming after all. McKean’s stark but lively pen-and-ink drawings perfectly reflect the narrative’s sinister humor. The images from the film, however, are drab and unclear. While entertaining, this scant story is less developed than Gaiman’s other work and, being a movie tie-in, threatens to join the growing pile of pop-culture ephemera all too soon.–Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Gr 9 Up–When Anwell was seven, he caused the death of his developmentally disabled older brother. Several years later, he meets a boy his age, a wild child named Finnigan, and the two forge an unorthodox yet formidable bond. As this psychological thriller gracefully unfolds, Anwell–who now calls himself Gabriel, in reference to the archangel–and Finnigan take turns narrating an array of possible facts, probable lies, and half-truths. That Anwell/Gabriel’s parents are cold and repressive is probably true. That Finnigan ever intended to keep his promise to be Gabriel’s friend is patently false. Through the years of the boys’ adolescence, their small Australian town is plagued by arson. Anwell’s father gathers a vigilante troop to ward away the firebug while his son curries favor with the local cop by telling him when and where the vigilantes are headed. The boys share a hound named Surrender; he is a thief and marauder, not unlike at least one of his owners. As this stew of unhappiness, mischief, and outright criminality unwinds–apparently while young Gabriel lies on his deathbed–readers come to realize that he is schizophrenic. Whether his avenging efforts truly come to murder, in the form of patricide, isn’t crystal clear. But it doesn’t need to be: the plot is relentless, just as Finnigan’s efforts to torture Gabriel and Gabriel’s efforts to quell Finnigan appear to be in the end.–Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Gr 7-10–In the 1950s, Rob Garrett, 15, leaves Virginia for a prestigious Connecticut boarding school. His dentist father and schoolteacher mother are proud of their son’s academic record and potential but anxious because he is the first African American to attend Draper. Rob quickly learns that bigotry takes many forms. He befriends Vinnie, whose acne, New York-Italian background, and vulnerability make him a target among the elitist students. On a weekend visit to a cousin who lives in Harlem, Rob unwittingly encounters Malcolm X and his followers and discovers a hostile, separatist attitude that disparages association with whites and Jews. When Rob learns that a lunch counter sit-in is planned in his hometown, he joins the protest, but then returns to Draper to pursue his dream of success. Although he is not in the activist trenches of the Civil Rights movement, his story sheds light on the social dilemmas that confronted privileged African Americans at the time. Wary but remarkably focused, Rob espouses the need to represent his race well and to make a difference. He is a well-spoken, reflective observer who empathizes with the pain of others but remains relatively unscathed. While maintaining honor-roll status, he contemplates the rise and fall of Joe Louis, is intrigued by the Harlem culture, and ponders the explosive rage of Minister Malcolm. The strong cast of characters, steady progression of events, realistic dialogue, historical facts, touch of romance, and coming-of-age awareness and reflection will appeal to readers.–Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, NC

Gr 7-10–Instead of the fresh start she had planned for her new life in L.A.–new stepfather, new home, new high school–10th-grader Kaitlyn O’Connor runs into hostile classmates and has difficulty adapting to a privileged lifestyle and challenging academics. The only time she feels confident is when she’s onstage, and the cute boy who acts opposite her is a big bonus. Katie tries to balance the demands on her time–schoolwork, extracurricular activities, preparations for her mother’s upcoming wedding, and socializing–but she finds herself becoming more and more stressed, and she has nightmares. Her relationship with David blossoms into romance, but she freezes when they agree to become intimate. Slowly Katie starts working through her dreams and eventually realizes that her deceased father had abused her as a child. What’s almost as bad is the fact that initially her mother refuses to believe her. Gradually, however, Katie and her family start working together to make sense of the past. Especially in this era of increasing numbers of “blended” families, teen girls will strongly relate to the protagonist’s feelings. Hurwin has created believable characters with depth and a plot that is well-paced. Strong writing sets this title above the rest.–Susan Riley, Mount Kisco Public Library, NY

Gr 7 Up–In this expansive, adventurous sequel to Long Night Dance and Dark Heart (both S & S, 2005), James continues the story of Kat, daughter of a scandalously mixed marriage who has been raised among the Leaguemen, her father’s repressive, male-dominated merchant society. Kat fell in love with Nall, an outcast Rig, or seal/man, whom she called from the sea by singing an ancient song. She left him in the happy, improvident village of Downshore and went to live with her mother’s Hill people. In this story, Kat goes back to Nall and discovers that Leaguemen have been using terror to dominate their neighbors. Hoping to find a way to transcend the escalating conflict and bring peace, the young people head out to sea in a tiny boat. Nall intends to go beyond where his half-seal kin eke out a meager living on tiny offshore islands to listen at the Gate, a sacred place in the sea “where one can hear the world coming into being.” This mythic quest reverberates like the thundering sea with reconciliation of opposites: sea and earth, seal and bear, silence and sound, male and female, Rig and Leagueman, hatred and understanding. Kat’s shifting, often conflicting emotions anchor this epic saga of the human heart. Once the summary of past events is over, the unfolding adventure makes compelling reading. Far more ambitious than its predecessors, at once more philosophical and sensual, and written with a sure poetic hand, this title redraws the pattern of the classic hero’s quest.–Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams

Gr 8 Up–Benji moves in with his emotionally distant father and well-meaning stepmother, Janet, to escape his alcoholic mother’s boyfriend’s sexual abuse. Unfortunately, he can’t escape his demons. He spends his days at his Oregon high school scribbling his misery in notebooks and getting stoned with other misfits. His only hopeful thoughts are of Lacie, the troubled girl he left behind. These feelings become conflicted when he is attracted to Rianna, a popular girl from a poor family who works hard to achieve the goals set by her parents. Benji’s inner turmoil, though authentic to his situation, grows tiresome, and the plot becomes mired in overwritten self-flagellation. James’s female characters shine; Rianna and Lacie are both sharply drawn in relatively few strokes. Earnest, levelheaded Janet is the unlikely heroine, and her gentle absolution when Benji confesses his abuse defies centuries of stepmother stereotyping. This poignant climactic scene is masterfully written and points the story smoothly to its satisfying, uplifting conclusion. Unfortunately, the narrative’s lulling pace and somber mood may put teens off before they reach these triumphant last pages. Though less subtle than Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson’s Target (Millbrook, 2003), James’s portrait of male post-rape depression is heartbreaking and believable.–Johanna Lewis, New York Public Library

Gr 9 Up–Evan, 17, doesn’t think much of his creaky, fixer-upper new home. His mom seems to be spending more time on it than she does at work or with his five-year-old sister. In addition to the three of them, the rickety house is inhabited by the ghost of Cora, a teen who lived there nearly 100 years earlier, and whose effervescent, whispery poetry makes up much of the novel’s text. Most of her thoughts are about Evan, how beautiful he is and how much he reminds her of a past lover. Her words are hauntingly erotic as she admires him from a distance, in his bedroom, in the bathroom while he showers. He is intrigued by her story, especially when he examines a box of her family’s files and photographs found hidden in the walls of the house. She begins to appear in his dreams, causing him to question whether he truly loves his girlfriend, Carrie, with whom he’s had an intimate relationship for over a year. Jenkins’s novel is subtly eerie–a razor-sharp plot enfolded in a bed of feathery down, and a coming-of-age story about two teenagers–one dead, one alive–who learn that the lines between love and sex are much more blurred than they could have ever imagined.–Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library

Gr 4-6–In Blackwater Creek, set in 1849, Hungarian immigrant Erika Nagy uses her skills with horses to pay off her family’s rent debt. While she works for rancher Hart Latham, her brother and father search for gold in California. When an injured horse runs away, Erika tracks her down and, in the process, finds a gold claim her family can work so they can buy their own farm. All she has to do is protect it from Latham. In Lifetime, Jacquetta May Logan rescues some of her family’s Morgan horses from being sent to war by the Yankee soldiers who turn her family home into a hospital. Her encounters with an enslaved brother and sister, Peace and Witness, who carry out the plan to hide the horses, and a Union soldier help her to see the goodness in people and start to question her views on slavery. Both of these adventure/horse stories rely heavily on their strong female protagonists to move the action along, and both have events that work out a little too neatly. Jacquetta’s sudden realization that slavery affects people’s lives seems forced, and Erika finding the filly on land that contains gold nuggets don’t quite ring true, but girls who love horses won’t care. Give these books to readers who are horse crazy and tired of Bonnie Bryant’s “Saddle Club” series (Random).–Lisa Prolman, Greenfield Public Library, MA

Gr 5-8–This sequel to The Akhenaten Adventure (Scholastic, 2005) stands completely on its own. John and Philippa Gaunt, 12-year-old twins, are descended from a long line of djinn and have magical powers. Philippa has been practicing a dice game of particular interest to their kind, and meets the Blue Djinn of Babylon when she is accused of cheating in the annual tournament. Unfortunately, she is wrongly convicted, and John finds out that someone has stolen the Solomon Grimoire, which contains incantations that give the user limitless power over all djinn. In order to convince the Blue Djinn of her innocence, and to protect everyone from misuse of the Grimoire, the twins set off for Istanbul to recover the book. What neither one knows is that they have been set up and are walking into a trap. Once it is sprung, it will take all of John’s strength and intelligence to save Philippa; and she will need all of her cunning to survive. This wild ride has suspense and action, exotic locations, magic, and evil villains–all of the elements necessary for a good fantasy adventure. While some of the characters are two-dimensional, and some of the plot is a tad predictable, the main characters are totally believable in all their faults. Readers will also enjoy the original concept–that of the djinn society hidden among us. Give this book to readers looking for something different, maybe as an alternative to Jonathan Stroud’s “Bartimaeus” trilogy (Hyperion).–Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ

Gr 5-9–Laura Hame and her cousin Rose, 14, live in a recognizable early-20th-century society, realistically portrayed but for one thing: “the Place,” discovered about 20 years earlier by Laura’s father. It lies outside geographical boundaries, and only select people are able to enter and experience dreams there. These dreamhunters then “perform” their received dreams for large theater audiences, and those in attendance go to sleep and experience them. At the time of this story, dreams have become big business and are embroiled in issues of social control (especially the control of prisoners) and power politics. When Laura’s father disappears, the girl takes enormous risks first to try to find him, and then to complete his mission. While the author leaves tantalizing clues throughout the novel, the plot moves slowly at first. However, patient readers will find themselves rewarded by the riveting action in the final third of the book. Relationships between the characters, especially Laura and Rose, are given center stage, but their interaction flags in the middle of the book. Particularly touching is the relationship between Laura and a golem-type creature sculpted out of sand in the magical world of the Place. Dry, unchanging, with nothing either fully living or dead, no wind or sounds, it is eerily suffused with atmosphere and powerfully portrayed. This novel, the first of a “duet” of books, concludes neither with a cliffhanger nor at “the end,” but in the middle of the action. It will appeal to lovers of fantasy set in the real world, who will eagerly await the resolution in the second volume.–Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City

Gr 6-9–Ivy has been a victim of relentless bullying for years. Nicknamed “Poison Ivy” by Ann, Benita, and Sophie in fourth grade, she can hardly remember what it was like to be just plain Ivy. When earnest Ms. Gold, the middle school American government teacher, finds a depressing poem written by Ivy, she decides to put “The Evil Three” on trial for bullying. She is hoping to create a perfect learning experience to illustrate the American judicial system to the class–and possibly to teach the three girls a lesson. What Ms. Gold does not count on, however, is the power of popular kids and the resulting political leverage. Students are assigned roles: counsel for the plaintiff, process server, judge, jury, etc. The action is related through the multiple voices of the major figures in the mock trial proceedings, and readers see many personalities emerge in the alternate chapters. Of particular interest is the relationship among “The Evil Three.” Ann, the leader, clearly enjoys the status that Benita and Sophie give her in their roles as bystanders in the bullying process. Realistic dialogue and fast-paced action will hold interest, and the final verdict is unsettling, but not unexpected. This book will be useful for class discussions along with Koss’s The Girls (Dial, 2000), another realistic and equally effective look at the agonizing bullying of a classmate.–Jennifer Ralston, Harford County Public Library, Belcamp, MD

Gr 4-6–This sequel to Leon and the Spitting Image (HarperCollins, 2003) offers the same laughs and preponderance of plot points involving saliva. Here, Leon Zeisel, potato-chip collector extraordinaire, works hard to create a voodoo doll powered by spit that will give school bully Lumpkin a “turbowedgie.” In the meantime, an invigorating and unorthodox new science teacher gets his class involved in a semester of studying Leon’s beloved snack, and the fifth grader enters the Chipapalooza, a potato-chip trivia and taste-test competition. Leon’s friends Lily-Matisse and P.W. continue to be his abettors, and he still lives in his mother’s hotel with an extended family of employees and often-bizarre animals traipsing through the hallways. Playful drawings throughout, including presidential portrait chips on the endpapers, add greatly to the fun. Kids will enjoy this rollicking comedy.–B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Library, Sag Harbor, NY

Gr 5-8–Three years after the events of Troll Fell (HarperCollins, 2004), orphan Peer Ulfsson is living happily with his new family but is haunted by the memory of his two cruel uncles. Although they are now serving the trolls in the troll kingdom, Peer feels he has not seen the last of them. When their mill starts running again, seemingly of its own accord, Peer is alarmed, but determined never again to let anyone terrorize him. Even without the “haunted” mill, life is complicated–Kersten, the wife of his good friend Bjorn, has run off into the sea, leaving behind her baby with webbed fingers, and Peer suspects that she was a seal-maiden. Also, Peer’s feelings for his friend Hilde have developed from brotherly affection to something more. The narrative is tightly woven and more intense than that of its predecessor, and despite the presence of selkies, household fairies, and uncanny babies, the drama is centered around human struggles. In the tradition of Scandinavian myth and folklore, the conclusion is poignant and true, with enough open-endedness for another sequel.–Farida S. Dowler, Mercer Island Library, WA

Gr 5-8–Set in the Wild West, Fearless tells the story of Billy, 15, who is on a quest to find the father he has never known. Misunderstood at home, he leaves Saint Joe, MO, after learning vital information about his past. He is swindled by two enterprising strangers; after they help themselves to his money, Billy is compelled to join them as they hook up with teamsters transporting supplies by oxen over the dangerous trail to Virginia City, Montana Territory. Along the way, mysterious Frenchy hires on and teaches Billy about oxen and life. Hard work makes the teen grow from a boy into a man. Readers witness him climbing a sheer rock face in search of a horse and driving oxen along narrow mountain passes and through rushing rivers. While he is a keen, thoughtful observer of his companions, Billy is also a young man of action. He finds his own way in a world with few rules and no one to trust but himself. Danger, adventure, and survival combine to make this a richly detailed story. By the end, the teen has not reached his intended destination, leaving readers to wonder whether a sequel is forthcoming. If not always fearless, Billy is certainly courageous. Boys, especially, will enjoy this book.–Christina Stenson-Carey, Albany Public Library, NY

Gr 8 Up–A Crack in the Line (HarperCollins, 2004), the first book in this trilogy, introduced Alaric and Naia Underwood, 16-year-olds who share the same surname, birthday, and residence as well as similar physical characteristics, yet live in separate, distinct, parallel realities. They were unaware of one another’s existence until they passed through a portal and began living the other’s life. This second title finds the teens still caught in the wrong realities, but they now are repeatedly transported to yet another reality in the mid-1940s, when their family home is inhabited by the Underwoods of two generations past. In this reality, they witness their grandfather and his siblings as children, and Alaric is presented with the opportunity to prevent his great-uncle’s untimely death. The “small eternities” are closed segments of time in history that continue on forever, unchanging. Throughout the book, Alaric, Naia, and the mysterious vagrant Aldous make numerous forays into an assortment of small eternities, each time witnessing an alternative reality. In a similar vein of William Sleator’s The Last Universe (Abrams, 2005), this thought-provoking novel explores the uncertainty of destiny and chance and its impact upon people’s lives. The myriad realities result in a somewhat convoluted story line, and readers may find themselves flipping back through the pages in order to clarify details or events. However, the payoff is well worth the effort in this complex story of metaphysics and fate.–Debbie Lewis O’Donnell, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL

Gr 8 Up–Gretchen Yee, 16, feels painfully ordinary in a school where everyone is an overachiever. Teachers at The Manhattan School for Art and Music don’t appreciate her artistic skill, and she feels like she doesn’t fit in with the students. She longs to understand what others think of her, and her wish to be a fly on the wall of the boys’ locker room comes true. She spends a week there observing her classmates, learning and seeing more than she ever expected. In addition to humorously discovering the mysteries of male anatomy, the teen sees the casual cruelty of her ex-boyfriend, and that her best friend sacrifices her own happiness to keep from upsetting her. She also discovers that there are boys who like her and some who are hiding painful secrets. With this knowledge, Gretchen gains confidence, which ultimately allows her to be a better person. When the insect character emerges, Lockhart’s writing style moves from prose to near poetry as she weaves in and out of Gretchen’s mind. This technique allows readers to know what the protagonist is thinking, keeps the pace of the quickly moving story, and suspends disbelief with the very absurd concept. Although containing some strong language and mature situations, this novel is a good choice for teens who are unsure of their place in the world, including reluctant readers.–Stephanie L. Petruso, Anne Arundel County Public Library, Odenton, MD

Gr 5-9–Mary Devon, named for her great-aunt Mary, has gone to rural Canada with her mother to help her grandfather Humphrey, who has broken his leg. She soon discovers a dog whistle that she feels mysteriously compelled to use. When she blows it, she is transported back in time to Humphrey’s childhood days on the family’s homestead and is suddenly Mary, Humphrey’s sister. She comes to love her family (whom she has never had the chance to know) but also becomes aware of deep secrets that have filtered down into the present. She must figure out a way to deal with them and bring her grandfather the peace he so desperately wants. Perhaps a little contrived, The Whistle nonetheless has an evocative sense of place. Lupini does an excellent job of crafting believable, three-dimensional characters whom middle-school girls will especially come to care for. The bittersweet ending is appropriate for the story and will raise important questions for readers about truth and making tough choices.–Melissa Moore, Union University Library, Jackson, TN

Gr 9 Up–Thyme, 17, is stressed. She is trying to keep her grades up and maintain her status in “The Twenty,” a nickname for a group of overachieving, “good-school-bound” juniors. She steals a bottle of Ritalin from her friend Will, thinking it will improve her study habits. An A on a history exam confirms it. Soon, she becomes adept at stealing pills from purses and medicine cabinets, and begins to deal with other students. She even keeps a spreadsheet of classmates’ problems and pill preferences and who has merchandise she can buy or trade. At the same time, she begins a relationship with Will, continues in the National Honor Society, studies for her SATs, and applies to college. Following the overdose/suicide of a fellow honor student, Thyme finally decides to quit. Her recovery is a little too easy, but the descriptions of addiction and the stresses that cause it are accurate. Thyme observes the emptiness and materialism of the adults’ lives around her and their abuse of prescription medication, including her father. Given the situations and characters, the abundant use of graphic language is realistic. This quick read may warn some teens of the dangers of drugs.–Debbie Stewart Hoskins, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI

Gr 9-11–Best friends Angela, Maddie, and Zoe are back for their junior year in this sequel to ttyl (Abrams, 2004), also written entirely in text-message format. Zoe has recently started working with Angela’s former crush, Doug, at Kidding Around, a daycare. Zoe is not sure how to tell her that she likes Doug, and just when she gets up the courage, Angela drops the bomb that her family is moving to California. Maddie is in love with Clive, who doesn’t mind spending time with her and even occasionally making out, but he’s in love with someone else. He is witty and charming and DEEP. He is also a pothead. In her efforts to keep him interested, Maddie begins smoking pot. As her friends put up protests, she gets defensive and tension ensues. Angela attempts to make new friends, but misses her old ones fiercely. She also misses having a romantic interest. As a result, on New Year’s Eve, she drunk dials Doug. He breaks the news that he is now with Zoe, which exacerbates her loneliness and feelings of isolation. Confrontations result but the three friends resolve their differences. This is definitive chick-lit, a comfortable read that explores sexuality, drugs, depression, and learning about oneself. Myracle does an excellent job of developing the characters and a plot that is easy to get into and fun to follow.–Emily Garrett, Naaman Forest High School, Garland, TX

Gr 7-10–When her Chinese-American parents move to an affluent suburb of Seattle, 15-year-old Sue Hua, a viola player, joins the school orchestra in hopes of finding a niche among her mostly white classmates. Although Sue wants them to consider her an American, she is frustrated that many think all Asians are members of a single ethnic group, without distinct cultural differences. She is attracted to Andy Suzuki, a talented violinist with disarming friendliness and concern, but she is wary of his Japanese ancestry. Her grandmother survived the Japanese invasion of China during World War II and has frightening memories of her abusive oppressors. Conversely, Andy’s father dislikes the Chinese because he was treated disrespectfully on a business trip to Beijing. When the orchestra makes a trip to Tokyo, the teens must adjust to their host families and confront issues of heritage, bigotry, and stereotypes. These are mature, sensitive teenagers whose mutual attraction fortifies them to question and move beyond the historical prejudice of their families. And yet, they respect their separate backgrounds and want their parents’ approval. Although occasionally didactic, this story tackles issues of assimilation into American society, preserving and respecting different cultures, and accepting the past. The theme of cultural vs. personal identity drives the plot, provides the conflict, and defines the characters. Sue and Andy experience believable adolescent bouts of insecurity, anticipation, jealousy, and affection as their mutual understanding grows. A story that is current, relevant, and upbeat.–Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, NC

Gr 8 Up–Laura, Jace, and Chloe were best friends growing up, but once high school hit, they grew apart and found new (very different) friends. Now they’re juniors, and Laura has decided that nothing would be better than to go to the prom with her two oldest friends. A flurry of planning ensues. Freaky Chloe doesn’t have a date or a dress, and isn’t sure she wants either–after all, the only thing freakier than Chloe is Chloe in a dress with a blind date. Laura is determined to find her an “appropriate” date. Jace the jock wants to go with the cute new tennis star, but has a difficult time asking him. And Laura is so caught up in planning the perfect evening that she ignores the fact that her relationship with her boyfriend, with whom she “had had sex over a hundred times” in their 14 months together, is falling apart. Of course, all works out in the end. This is a fun read with decently drawn characters, some serious issues, a fair amount of teenage drinking, and a satisfying ending. Most high school girls will be able to identify with at least one of the main characters. A good addition where chick-lit is popular.–Morgan Johnson-Doyle, Sierra High School, Colorado Springs, CO

Gr 6-8–The week just gets longer for Arthur Penhaligon in this fourth book in the series. After Drowned Wednesday’s submission of the Will and her subsequent death, he is tricked into joining Sir Thursday’s army as they fight a large group of Nithlings in a shifting maze. To complicate matters, Arthur must serve as one of the Piper’s children, unable to use his powers as the Heir of the Will. Back on Earth, a Nithlin, disguised as Arthur, is infecting mortals with a plague that controls their minds. Old characters return, including Suzy and Leaf, to help Arthur in the fight against Thursday and his denizens of The House. Nix’s new addition to the series is a good continuation of the story, covering two plots at once, with each chapter providing cliff-hangers. While the events move a little slower than in previous installments, there is satisfaction in the resolution, and, of course, a lead-in into the next addition, Lady Friday. Reluctant or “hard to fit” readers will find this series enjoyable, as Nix is able to create vivid pictures in the minds of his readers. Fans of the fantasy genre will appreciate these books for their strong continuity, believable characters, and edge-of-your-seat-action. This offering complements the series’ well-established structure.–Richard J. Snyder, Inglewood Junior High School, Sammamish, WA

Gr 6-10–Written as the diary of Shakespeare’s eldest child, this story gives a human face to the Elizabethan genius who changed the course of theatrical history. Rich with details about 16th-century home life in Stratford and theatrical conditions in London, the novel relates the story both of Susanna’s feisty determination to be more than a common country maid and of the development of her relationship with Dr. John Hall, the man she eventually marries. Susanna’s actual epitaph, which states that she was “witty above her sexe,” forms the basis of this fictional account. Bored with her simple life, Susanna yearns for adventure and dreams of seeing The Parrot’s King, a play that she has written, performed at her father’s theatre. While on a visit to London, she persuades the Globe’s clown to allow her and her timid sister, Judith, to present her play as a prologue to her father’s premiere of Hamlet. This puts her in great danger when the crowd turns on her play’s antimonarchial sentiments. Standard biographical facts are carefully woven into Susanna’s entries, dating from March 2, 1597 to January 1, 1598, and the text is filled with references from Shakespeare’s plays. However, this “journal” focuses on the personal side of the Bard’s life. A good deal of emphasis is placed on the possibility that Shakespeare and his family were Roman Catholics. This circumstance adds tension, intrigue, and a political dimension to the story. The book’s well-written prose will serve as an excellent introduction to Shakespeare, with its historical details providing a good background of Elizabethan society. Its real strength, however, is that of Susanna’s forceful character, enabling readers to make a personal connection with a classic writer.–Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI

Gr 7 Up–Simone, 16, has always known she was adopted but has never had any real desire to meet her birth mother despite the fact that she knows her parents keep in touch. Her family is perfect the way it is, thank you. Sure, she looks different and has different talents from her parents and younger brother, but that has never mattered. That all changes when Rivka calls and wants to meet her. What had begun as a normal school year changes as Simone must come to terms with who she is and how she fits into both families. When she then learns that Rivka is dying, it becomes a year that challenges her belief in God, a belief she did not know she had. It becomes a year that strains the bonds of friendships and family ties, both old and new. It becomes a year of her first boyfriend, and a year in an impossible life. Reinhardt’s first novel is superbly crafted and has compelling and strong characters. It asks the big questions, about love, about faith, about what it means to be a daughter. It also has strong subplots that deal with friendship; with boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, both good and bad; with standing up for what one believes is right; and with struggling to keep up with academics and fit in at school when things seem to be falling apart on a personal level. The novel deals with big issues without being preachy or sappy. It is a great read.–Janet Hilbun, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX

Gr 7 Up–Broken into its components, this book promises a great mystery: a teenaged heroine with tragic buried memories beginning to resurface; a cold, windswept winter in a colorless English seaside town; a pushy, witchlike busybody mysteriously murdered; a cute guy next door; and two warmly lovable younger siblings for comic relief. Unfortunately, the author has difficulty balancing the plot, the necessary explanations of background, a mysterious tone, and her narrator’s character. “I have a memory problem,” Juliana confesses, but it takes another 58 pages of meeting new characters and having “strange, weird feelings” before she finally tells readers what the problem is and muses upon why she has it. The wonderfully visceral setting and intriguing cast of characters almost make up for the baffling narrator, but ultimately the link between the two simultaneous mysteries proves tenuous, and the identity of the murderer no mystery at all.–Rhona Campbell, Washington DC Public Library

Gr 5-8–In this third adventure, a group of English teens known as the Cannoniers is investigating the death of a local drunk. What they discover is an underground attempt at creating mutant soldiers, led by the evil Miss Gibson and her sidekick, Lawson. These “ghost soldiers” are actually humans whom Gibson has injected with a serum that turns them into metallic, non-feeling fighters. It is up to the Cannoniers to stop the soldiers from taking over the country. It is easy to root for these teens as they save the day. While the main story takes place in pre-World War II London, it is related through the pages of the present-day, mysterious diary of Art, who is somehow connected to the Cannoniers and able to solve the mystery along with them.–Carly B. Wiskoff, Sayville Library, NY

Gr 7-9–Sunnie Sundstrom idolizes late-night TV host Johnny Carson and daydreams about making a film from her own screenplay and appearing as a successful and glamorous guest on his show. Real life, though, is very different: it’s 1978, and she’s an overweight 13-year-old who lives in Wauwatosa, WI, with her somewhat dysfunctional family. A bright spot is her beloved grandmother, who supports her dreams of success. But when Grannie suddenly dies and Sunnie is sent to weight-loss camp in Minnesota, her rebellious streak emerges, and she’s not long for camp. She doesn’t go home afterward, though, and the book’s conclusion brings her dream to life in a slightly different way than she had expected. While Sunnie is a sympathetic character, this book lacks the economy and coherence of good fiction. It introduces too many characters too quickly, the plot sometimes seems rambling, and there are loads of details that today’s readers probably won’t care about. People don’t lean against cars, they lean against Gremlins; plots of soap operas are described and passages from dated risqué romance novels are read aloud and giggled over. Even adults who lived through the late 1970s won’t feel any resonance with a name like Kristy McNichol anymore.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL

Gr 6-8–When straight-A student Alice, 15 and the middle child in a family of five, gets a C+ for misinterpreting Pride and Prejudice as a tragedy (based on the plight of middle-child Mary Bennett), her teacher allows her to redo the paper over Christmas break. As Alice rereads the book, she begins to see Mary and herself more clearly and starts to make some much-needed changes to her paper and her life. Sachs summarizes Pride and Prejudice for an audience who wouldn’t be familiar with it by having Alice imagine herself and her new boyfriend in key scenes. This creates some awkwardness as the device repeatedly disturbs the flow of the main story. Stilted dialogue and pedestrian prose make it seem that the characters are going through the motions, never really coming to life.–Adrienne Furness, Webster Public Library, NY

Gr 9 Up–Best friends Julia and Ashleigh, both avid Jane Austen fans, are looking for a little romance, but Julia’s approach is much more conservative than Ashleigh’s. Ashleigh’s latest craze involves crashing the fall dance at the local boys’ prep school in search of men and, perhaps, her Mr. Darcy. Julia, who’s not sure about this idea, reluctantly goes with her. There they are befriended by two boys, one of whom happens to be the Mysterious Stranger Julia had previously spotted in the mall. The four teens establish a friendship, and, for the first time, Julia feels the crush of friendship guilt: she longs to get to know the Mysterious Stranger, but Ashleigh has proclaimed feelings for him first. This frustration is exacerbated when the girls receive parts in the boys’ school play and the four see one another almost every day. Julia begins to receive small gifts and love notes, but cannot allow herself to believe they could be from the boy she wishes had sent them. Add to that another suitor for Julia and she is completely confused about love in the 10th grade. She has a cool head on her shoulders, however, and pulls through without melodrama and experiences her satisfying first (and second) kiss. A charming romantic comedy.–Karen Hoth, Marathon Middle/High School, FL

Gr 9 Up–Jenna Solitaire, 19, has just lost her grandfather, the last member of her family. As she goes through his belongings in the attic, she comes across her grandmother’s trunk, which contains a planchette and a wooden board decorated with strange symbols. As the disk moves around the board, a voice whispers in Jenna’s ear, unlocking secrets from the past. Jenna becomes the Keeper of the Board, a role handed down through generations of Solitare women. So begins her adventure, one that will take her into a dangerous and strange world of power and greed. The board unleashes destructive winds and killer storms. Left in the wrong hands, its force can obliterate much of the Earth, and Jenna must protect it from those who will pay any price or use any means to gain ownership. The only people she can trust are Father Andrew, who has known her since childhood; Tom, her best friend since elementary school; and his girlfriend, Kristen. They are joined by the mysterious Simon Monk, whose past remains shrouded, but who has connections with Father Andrew and the Vatican. This compelling fantasy ends with a definite expectation of a sequel.–June H. Keuhn, Corning East High School, NY

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