Fiction

BALLIETT, Blue. The Calder Game. illus. by Brett Helquist. 400p. Scholastic. 2008. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-439-85207-4. LC 2007031385.

5 CDs. 6:17 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library/Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape. 2008. ISBN 978-0-7393-6802-2. $45.

Gr 5-8– This engaging art mystery revolves around the work of Alexander Calder and a maze in a remote village in England. When one of the artist’s sculptures entitled the Minotaur and a boy named Calder disappear on the same night, Calder’s friends Petra and Tommy fly to England to help his dad and the police find the youngster. A suspenseful, multilayered novel with plenty of twists and colorful surprises. B A

BEATY, Andrea. Cicada Summer. 167p. CIP. Abrams/Amulet. 2008. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-0-8109-9472-0. LC 2007022266.

Gr 4-6–This evocative novel set in a tiny rural Illinois town focuses on 12-year-old Lily, who hasn’t spoken since the death of her beloved older brother two years earlier. The general-store owner’s grandniece arrives from Chicago and sets events into motion that will cause both girls’ secrets to be revealed and their lives to change. A well-crafted and atmospheric read. B

DOWELL, Frances O’Roark. Shooting the Moon. 163p. CIP. S & S/Atheneum. 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-2690-0. LC 2006100347.

Gr 5-8–Jamie Dexter’s Army family has lived and breathed the military for all of her 12 years, so she is floored when her dad, the Colonel, tries to subvert her 18-year-old brother’s enlistment in the Medical Corps in Vietnam. She learns to develop the rolls of film that TJ sends home from the front, and in the process, changes her views about the war and her family. A poignant and sharply developed story set in the summer of 1969. B

FROST, Helen. Diamond Willow. 111p. CIP. Farrar/Frances Foster Bks. 2008. Tr $16. ISBN 978-0-374-31776-8. LC 2006037438.

Gr 5-8–An engrossing adventure story told in diamond-shaped poems, each with an internal message. At 12, Willow is a part-Athabascan girl who is more at home with her family’s sled dogs than with her peers. She attempts a solo run to visit her grandparents and, in the process, must draw on her inner strengths and ancestral voices to survive. A story of family and community, love and resilience. B

GOLDING, Julia. The Diamond of Drury Lane. 432p. (Cat Royal Quartet, Bk. #1). CIP. Roaring Brook. 2008. RTE $12.50. ISBN 978-1-59643-351-9. LC 2007023604.

Gr 6-8–This action-packed romp features a hidden gem, the teeming streets of 1790s’ London, and a vivacious, young heroine who lives and works in the theater. Cat and her friends navigate their world like intrepid explorers, dealing with street gangs and political intrigue, with confidence and panache. Colorful, captivating prose makes this an exciting read. B

HARDINGE, Frances. Well Witched. 390p. CIP. HarperCollins. 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-088038-5; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-088039-2. LC 2007020877.

Gr 4-7–When three young people steal some coins from an old run-down wishing well, they find themselves in debt to a witch. She grants them special powers and makes clear that she expects them to fulfill the wishes of all of those who toss coins in the well. What starts off as a sweet assignment suddenly turns sinister. A thoughtful and sharp look at power and perception. B

JINKS, Catherine. Genius Squad. 448p. CIP. Harcourt. 2008. Tr $17. ISBN 978-0-15-205985-9. LC 2007030373.

Gr 6-9–In this sequel to Evil Genius (Harcourt, 2007), Cadel Piggott joins a group of young computer geeks working on a secret and highly dangerous project. The biggest threat seems to be Cadel’s father who continues to wield his threatening influence from prison. The breathless plotting and high-tech shenanigans of the first book take a backseat to character development as the teen protagonist and his friends fight the good fight. B

KNUDSON, Mike & Steve Wilkinson. Raymond and Graham Rule the School. illus. by Stacy Curtis. 136p. CIP. Viking. 2008. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-0-670-01101-8. LC 2007033350.

Gr 3-5–Two friends heading into fourth grade expecting the best year ever find that they’re in for a few surprises. This title, illustrated with black-and-white cartoons, sparkles with enjoyably exaggerated situations and over-the-edge humor. B

LEVINE, Gail Carson. Ever. 244p. CIP. HarperCollins. 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-122962-6; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-122963-3. LC 2007032289.

Gr 5-9–A whirlwind romance between a beautiful human weaver and the Akkan god of the winds? It’s a whole lot more complicated than it might initially seem. In this rich and rewarding fantasy told in two voices, Levine delves into the characters’ seemingly irreconcilable religious and cultural differences and deftly tackles issues of life and death, immortality and the afterlife. B

MCKAY, Hilary. Forever Rose. 304p. S & S/Margaret K. McElderry Bks. 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-5486-6. LC number unavailable.

Gr 5-7-Eleven-year-old Rose, the youngest in the Casson clan, feels that she’s been deserted by her often-flaky parents and her all-but-absent siblings. She and her friends hatch a couple of schemes that don’t turn out as planned but they do capture the attention of her family members and help them come to terms with their errant behavior. A warm and humorous wrap-up to a beloved series. B

MURDOCK, Catherine Gilbert. Princess Ben: Being a Wholly Truthful Account of Her Various Discoveries and Misadventures, Recounted to the Best of Her Recollection, in Four Parts. 344p. CIP. Houghton. 2008. Tr $16. ISBN 978-0-618-95971-6. LC 2007034300.

Gr 6-10–When her parents and uncle are attacked and presumed dead, 15-year-old Princess Benevolence is rudely thrust into the spotlight and is reluctantly groomed to rule. Her chance discovery of magic within the castle’s walls helps to boost her confidence and, with her adventures outside and within the royal abode, she proves her mettle as a strong and capable leader. An action-packed fantasy laced with humor and magic. B

SPINELLI, Jerry. Smiles to Go. 256p. HarperCollins/Joanna Cotler Bks. 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-028133-5; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-028134-2. LC number unavailable.

Gr 6-10–Science-buff Will Tuppence’s world is rocked he learns that the first instance of proton decay has been recorded, causing him to question the permanence of anything in the universe. His friends and family try to reassure him, but it’s his annoyingly precocious little sister who is ultimately responsible for reminding him what is really important. A warm and tender coming-of-age novel, told with wit and wisdom. B

THOMPSON, Kate. The Last of the High Kings. 368p. bibliog. glossary. HarperCollins/Greenwillow. 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-117595-4; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-117596-1. LC number unavailable.

Gr 7-10–This sequel to The New Policeman (HarperCollins, 2007) has an adult J.J. Liddy struggling to support his family as a musician and instrument maker. He uses wood that he acquired during his stay in Tír na n’Óg, the land of the fairy folk, and ends up going back when his daughter, Jenny, learns that she is in fact a fairy child. A tender tale of a girl’s search for identity chock-full of púkas, fairies, and monsters. B

WEEKS, Sarah. Oggie Cooder. 128p. Scholastic. 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-439-92791-8. LC number unavailable.

Gr 3-5-A “quirky” fourth grader with a special talent for “charving” (think: chewing and carving) the shapes of the 50 states, becomes the focus of the attention of Donnica Perfecto, an obnoxious classmate who is desperate to be famous. Share this entertaining read-aloud with your students and ask about their unusual skills. B

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (unabr.). 2 cassettes or 2 CDs. 2 hrs. Recorded Books (recordedbooks.com). 2008. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4281-8192-2: $33.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4281-8197-7: $25.75.

Gr 5-8–Greg Heffly’s mother insists that he keep a diary and record his thoughts and feelings. What follows is an account of the ups and downs of middle school life through the boy’s eyes. Jeff Kinney’s novel (Amulet, 2007) has been available online (funbrain.com) as a Web comic for several years; the book includes additional episodes. Ramón de Ocampo does a fine job of interpreting Greg’s voice, but be sure to pair the audiobook with the print version for its hilarious cartoon illustrations and handwritten text. A

Eleven (unabr). 3 CDs. 3:20 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape (library.booksontape.com). 2008. ISBN 978-0-7393-6282-2. $45.

Gr 5-7–Sam finds a newspaper clipping with a picture of himself when he was much younger with the word “missing.” He knows he must read what’s on the paper, but the article leads to more questions and Sam isn’t sure he wants to know the answers. Narrator Stacie Snell does an excellent job of providing a distinct voice for each character in Patricia Reilly Giff’s not-to-be-missed novel (Wendy Lamb, 2008). A

Elijah of Buxton (unabr.) 8 CDs. 8:58 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape (library.booksontape.com). 2008. ISBN 978-0-7393-6415-4. $55.

Gr 4-8–Eleven-year-old Elijah is the first child born into freedom in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway and freed slaves, in Christopher Paul Curtis’s Newbery Honor book (Scholastic, 2007). When money that Elijah’s family friend has been saving to send to America to buy his family’s freedom is stolen, the boy crosses the U.S. border on a dangerous mission to help recover it. Mirron Willis varies his rich, textured voice to make each character memorable. A

Fairest (unabr.). 8 CDs. 8:15 hrs. Full Cast Audio (fullcastaudio.com). 2007. ISBN 978-1-934180-13-6. $55.

Gr 4-8–In Gail Carson Levine’s adventure/fantasy (HarperCollins, 2006), Aza, the daughter of an innkeeper, goes to the castle to attend the king’s marriage to a beautiful princess. She is considered so ugly that she feels compelled to hold her hand in front of her face. But Aza has a perfect voice, an asset in a kingdom where music is considered the finest form of communication. The new queen has no singing talent and convinces Aza, who can throw her voice, to help her deceive the court. The full-cast narration is excellent. A

I Am Not Joey Pigza (unabr.). 4 CDs. 4:47 hrs. Prod. by Listening Library. Dist. by Listening Library/Books on Tape (library.booksontape.com). 2007. ISBN 978-0-7393-6147-4. $38.

Gr 5-7–Joey Pigza’s life turns upside down when his father returns to the family with lottery winnings and a new name, claiming to be a changed man. In a series of humorous and poignant moments, the boy struggles with his new identity as Freddy Heinz, while trying to forgive his father in Jack Gantos’s story (Farrar, 2007), narrated by the author. A

The Land of the Silver Apples (unabr.). 11 cassettes or 11 CDs. 13:30 hrs. Recorded Books (recordedbooks.com). 2007. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4281-6646-2: $88.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4281-7103-9: $108.75.

Gr 5-9–In this sequel (2007) to Nancy Farmer’s The Sea of Trolls (2004, both Atheneum), 13-year-old Jack sets off to rescue his sister, Lucy, a changeling who has been kidnapped by the Lady of the Lake. As he travels through a land where time stands still, he discovers that his real sister is living with hobgoblins. Accompanied by a former slave, a priest, and an assortment of elves, knuckers, and kelpies, he sets out to rescue her. Gerard Doyle narrates this story filled with myth and magic. A

The Night Tourist (unabr.). 4 CDs. 4:46 hrs. Scholastic Audiobooks (store.scholastic.com). 2007. ISBN 0-545-02465-X. $29.95.

Gr 5-9–Jack Perdue, a ninth-grade prodigy, lives with his father on the Yale campus, where he buries himself in classical literature. When an accident leaves the youth with a head injury, his father sends him to a doctor in New York City. In Grand Central Station, Jack takes a tour and meets a girl named Euri who suggests that he visit the underground station. So begins the adventure into an underworld of ghosts as he searches for his mother and learns about her mysterious life and death. Actor Andrew Rannels provides a realistic voice for each character in Katherine Marsh’s fantasy (Hyperion, 2007). A

Powers (unabr.). 13 cassettes or 12 CDs. 14 hrs. Recorded Books (recordedbooks.com). 2007. cassette, ISBN 978-4281-7256-2: $88.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4281-7261-6: $108.75.

Gr 5-8–In the third book (Harcourt, 2007) in Ursula K. Le Guin’s “Annals of the Western Shore” series, Gavir and his older sister are loyal slaves who trust their masters. Gavir’s unusual gift allows him to “remember” the future. When his sister is raped and killed, the boy’s life is shattered and he flees Etra. Narrator Andy Paris convincingly delivers all the characters’ voices with superb pacing. A

Tunnels (unabr.). 12 cassettes or 12 CDs. 13:30 hrs. Recorded Books (recordedbooks.com). 2007. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4281-8182-3: $97.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4281-8187-8: $108.75.

Gr 5-9–Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams’s fantasy (Chicken House, 2007) is an exciting story about two boys who are captured by a barbaric class of scythe-toting soldiers beneath modern London. Narrator Steven Crossley’s dramatic presentation offers a seamless transition between the characters’ voices. A