No More Gossip!

This week's letter come from T.lo

Hey there Mrs. Librarian Lady!

My sister only reads "gossip" books such as the Beacon Street Girls and Lauren Myracle's books. I have encouraged her to read other books (SotINF, Eragon, Funke) but she refuses to read them.
Are there any books to prepare or segue her into middle school books from her current interests?

Hey T.lo!!

Thanks so much for writing to me! It is really nice of you to want to help your sister to read more interesting and complex books. The only thing I might say is that if she really enjoys reading “gossip” books, she may not be interested in reading other genres like fantasy, sci-fi, or horror. Some advice I might give your sister is to try reading some realistic fiction that deals with real life issues that are sort of like the “gossip” books. She could start with some that are easy to read and then move on to more complex books later. Here are a few of my favorite realistic books for tweens.

Happy reading to you!

Mrs. Librarian Lady

Messed Up by Janet Nichols Lynch (Holiday House, 2009)

R.D. is stuck in limbo in the San Joaquin Valley school system. He's repeating 8th grade again and is sick of seeing the same old stuff day after day, and being Mexican and Cheyenne doesn’t help either. Living in a gangland, he’s neutral, but there are those who wear red or blue and fight for no reason at all. R.D. lives with his grandmother's boyfriend Earl, who takes really good care of him while Grandma is off with her new boyfriend and his mom is in the State Pen. One thing is for sure, R.D. has got a great heart. He does do some messed up things, but he is just trying to get by in life and some how, some way, R.D. knows he will do great things. He figures out how to take care of himself, feed himself, and make money. R.D. is a great main character who brings to light the difficulties of growing up in hard times and in diverse communities. He also ends up making some great friends and deep connections. R.D. is a great example of a teen overcoming adversity. Even more inspiring is that Lynch ascends R.D. to reach the highest heights.

**ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers 2010

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2010).

13 year-old girl Kyra lives in a community of polygamists. She doesn’t know any other way of life, but she begins to learn that she lives a very different life than others outside her community. She has one dad, three mothers and twenty siblings. However, one day the head of their community called The Prophet comes to their house to speak to her dad. In a very distressful meeting Kyra finds out that she is to be married to her sixty year-old uncle. He already has six wives and she will be the seventh. Kyra is frantic and will do anything to not marry her uncle. Through Kyra’s rebellion it becomes clear that the community she lives in has a lot of secrets and a lot of control over their people. Kyra’s decisions evoke dire consequences and she is treated brutally, which paints quite a graphic picture of the Prophet and her community. Williams provides a bittersweet ending that shows that Kyra has been removed from the community and is safe, but the price she has to pay is quite dear. The Chosen One offers an intense view of polygamy and life in a closed community.

**ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2010

Haters by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez (Hachette Audio, 2006)

Review: Pasquale Rumalda Quintana de Archuleta goes by just Paski. She’s content to live in Taos, New Mexico until her father makes her move to Southern California because his comic novels are going Hollywood. Paski's dad sees this as an amazing opportunity and Paski sees this as an end to her life. The kids at her new school come from wealthy families, drive expensive cars, drink and party like adults, and the Haters rules the school. Sticking to her strong Hispanic background Paski shows teens how to survive by being true to themselves and still making the best of situations over which they have little control.

This was a very enjoyable book. Paski is a bright and cheery character with a strong voice and will of her own. The father is somewhat annoying as he drifted from being too distant to being too clingy. Paski’s Hispanic grandmother is one of the best characters in the story as she was always giving out great advice and telling Paski to stay strong. The story also offered perfect examples of what cliques are like and how teens can deal with them.

You can also read this article on Examiner.com: No More Gossip! - San Francisco young adult fiction | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/young-adult-fiction-in-san-francisco/no-more-gossip#ixzz1DiwJd9mO

Crazyyy for Carrie Bradshaw

This week’s letter comes from ScribbleDitz

Dear Mrs. Librarian Lady,

I really like the show Sex and the City but I never get to watch it on T.V. and my mom doesn’t really like me watching it either. I like the show a lot and I really want to know more about the character Carrie Bradshaw. I want to be a writer and I was wondering how Carrie started her writing career and got a job writing for the New York Star.

Thanks!

ScribbleDitz



Hello ScribbleDitz!

I think that’s great that you like to write and have the goal of becoming a writer. That is very cool indeed! I haven’t seen many episodes of Sex and the City myself, but I do know that Carrie Bradshaw is a writer for the New York Star and she writes a column every week about something that is happening to her and her friends. That sounds like a very fun job to have! I have recently read the book "The Carrie Diaries" by Candace Bushnell and I think you will find it just as fascinating as I did because it tells the background story of a much younger Carrie Bradshaw before she ever lived in New York. You should read this book because I know you will love it!

Many happy readings,

Mrs. Librarian Lady

The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell (Harper Audio, 2010)

Review: 17 year-old Carrie Bradshaw is quite a little spitfire. It’s the early 1980’s and she’s about to embark on her last year in high school and is trying to get into a summer writing program in New York. Times at Castlebury High are not always fun for Carrie, but she has a group of tight knit friends that keep her from going crazy. She finally lands the guy of her dreams, the ever gorgeous Sebastian Kydd only to lose him to her best friend Lalli because as Sebastian puts it, “she nicer to me.” Carrie seems to grow wings through her misery and starts to write about things that have a deep meaning not only to herself, but also for many others in her school. Struggling to grow up after her mother passed away when she was twelve, and dealing with obvious betrayal from boyfriends and best friends makes Carrie realize that there’s a great big world out there and she wants to not only live it, she wants to experience it in every kind of way. Bushnell creates the most believable characters in this coming of age tale that rushes at you with full force. Castlebury’s small town feeling is a great contrast with New York City’s hustle and bustle and Carrie’s determination to get there shines brightly on the pages of this glorious novel.

I really couldn’t get enough of young Carrie Bradshaw. I was never a big fan of the series Sex in the City, but I have to say that I enjoyed Candace Bushnell’s writing in this book. Carrie was sassy, fun and very smart. I liked that about her and wanted to keep reading to find out what she was going to do next. Also, Carrie seemed to always have good luck wherever she went and whatever she did. Even if her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend, she still came out on top. Yay Carrie!

This would be an excellent book for a girl’s book club. It is set in the early 1980’s which seems to be coming back in style lately. I also think that teen girls can relate to Carrie because she is a young adult going through exactly the same thing that teenage girls are going through right now in 2011.


This letter is also featured on Examiner.com: Crazyyy for Carrie Bradshaw - San Francisco young adult fiction | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/young-adult-fiction-in-san-francisco/crazyyy-for-carrie-bradshaw#ixzz1D78ypecO

All Worked Up

This week's letter comes frim SmokeyRat

Hi Mrs. Librarian Lady,

I am really worried right now because my teacher just assigned a book report and I have to get a biography and read it. I have no idea who I want to read about and when I go to the library I get lost in all of those books. Can you please help me I think I am going to be in big trouble if I can't come up with something very soon.

Hi SmokeyRat,

Never fear, I always have a few book ideas up my sleeve. If you aren't sure who you would like to do a book report on I can give you a few ideas. Pick someone who you are interested in and that you think will be good to write about. I always like Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Jesse James and Elvis. They all have very interesting facts about their lives and some great pictures too. You should check out the high school picture of Barack Obama it's great!

Good luck and keep on reading!

Mrs. Librarian Lady

Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman (Henry Holt Books, 2009)

Honors: YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults 2010 Winner

Review: This biography covers the life of Charles Darwin whose revolutionary theory of evolution came to light in 1859 with his published manuscript The Origin of Species. His theory has been debatable by many and even today continues between the scientific world and religious affiliations. Charles and Emma shows that even in his personal life, Darwin had issues with conflict and unresolved issues with his marriage. The two might have even been considered to have been polar opposites with his scientific theories and her forced religious beliefs. This book gives a stimulating account of how Darwin dealt with his work and his personal life.

I was very interested to read this biography considering the long standing debate of Darwinism. The book was well written, organized and interesting. I never knew that Darwin struggled with many personal issues in his marriage. The book gave quite an engaging look into the historical background of his life and work.

The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum by Candace Fleming (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2009)

Honors: YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults 2010 Finalist

Review: P.T. Barnum was a master at creating the most amazing and interesting circus sideshows. This biography traces his career from the beginning of his start up in Connecticut and follows him as he becomes the most famous circus presenter in history. Done in a photo memorabilia layout with text on the sides the book has an old fashioned feeling and is highly engaging and readable. This in depth look at Barnum also offers deep insight on how undeniably interesting the 19th century entertainment world really was.

This is a really interesting and amazing book. It is full of pictures and the life story of Barnum is captivating. I never knew that there was a miniature man only 39 inches tall and that there is a Barnum museum in Connecticut.

Pictures Tell the Story

This week's letter come from Trippin6

Hey there Mrs. Librarian Lady how are you doing?

I don't read a lot of books because I always feel like I have such a hard time choosing one that I will like. And then there usually seems to be too many pages and I get frustrated and put it down. The other day I saw someone with a cool book that looked like a comic book. They told me it was called a graphic novel. I think I would like to try reading one but I have no idea which is a good one. I know you read a lot of books and thought you might be able to help me with my problem. Do you know of any good graphic novels I might like?

Trippin6

Hi there Trippin6!

You have come to the right place to find a good graphic novel. I have been working on reading more graphic novels lately because they are so popular and really very cool too. Depending on what kind of story you like most graphic novels are not too long and are easily read in one day. If you are into anime or manga you can also find many Japanese graphic novels like Naruto, Inu Yasha, and others at your local library. Here are two graphic novels that I have read recently that I think you might like. I will post a few more later this week too!

Thanks for writing me and happy reading to you!

Mrs. Librarian Lady


Scott Pilgrim: Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni Press, 2004)
Honors: Harvey Award Winner, 2007 (Humor), Graphic Album – Original, 2008, Independent Comic of the Year, 2006
Review: Scott Pilgrim has got the best life ever. He seems to have a charmed life. He’s got cool friends, a rockin band, a sympathetic roommate and even a much younger girlfriend named Knives Chau. One day when Scott sees Ramona Flowers in the library his world gets rocked and from that moment on he only has eyes for her. He thinks of ways to get Ramona to run into him and when they finally hang out she isn’t really that interested in him. It isn’t until she sees him playing with his band that she knows he’s really cool. All along Scott keeps getting these hilarious emails and notes from some guy named Matthew Patel who is trying to challenge him to a fight. O’Malley has created a very likeable character that really can do no wrong. This is the first volume of Scott’s adventures which turns out to be his first triumph against the first of Ramona’s seven evil ex-boyfriends. The graphics are uniquely stylish that convey characters with big eyes and excellent expressions. The graphics also capture the essence of young adults in their natural element with a bit of steam punk and rock and roll.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book, but it turned out to be great. I really liked the relaxed feeling of Scott’s world and how everything seems to turn out well for him. Even if he has 7 evil ex’s to fight and Knives wants to kill him he is still relaxed and as cool as a cucumber. That is pretty funny stuff.

Pinocchio Vampire Slayer Volume 1 by Vane Jensen & Dusty Higgins (SLG Publishing, 2009)
Honors: ALA Great Graphic Novels for Teens, 2010
Review: This is not your good old Disney Pinocchio story, no it’s the edgy vampire hunting one. Pinocchio lives in a town filled with vampires and it is his job to get rid of them. He takes his job seriously, but suddenly his father Gepetto is taken by the vampires. Pinocchio loses it and goes on an all out war against vampires. This graphic novel is deep, dark, and dreary in colors, but the intensity of Pinocchio and his ability to be invincible against vampires is incredibly likeable. Full of humor and excitement this novel is sure to boost the career of a new vampire slaying hero.

I think this book is pretty cool and hilarious at the same time. The basic concept of taking a cute little puppet person like Pinocchio and turning him into a vampire slayer cracks me up. He is pretty cool in this role though. I like the fact that he is killing vampires with his wooden nose and that he has to lie in order to get his nose longer. A great twist on the classic tale.

Fairytales, Romance & Boys

Today's letter comes from Pity Princezz

Hi there Mrs. Librarian Lady!

I love a good romance book that has a fun plot with lots of cute boys in the mix! Sometimes I go for the Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot when I am looking for a book in the library but I would like to try something new in 2011. Do you know of a few good books that have romance, cute boys and are fairy tale like?

your friend,

Pity Princezz


Hello Hello Pity Princezz!

Well you know most of us girls just love a good romance and of course there has to be cute boys involved. I really love Meg Cabot too, she has so many great books and one of my favorite happens to be Avalon High which has just been made into a television show on the Disney Channel. If you are looking for some new books to read in 2011 I have a couple that I think you might just fall in love with. They are full of magic, romance and are definitely fairy tale worthy. Hope you like them as much as I do!

Happy Magical Reading!!

Mrs. Librarian Lady

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison (Walker & Company, 2009)

Review: Not having a date for the prom can be a grim experience! After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah Delano wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrissy (Chrysanthemum) Everstar: Savannah’s gum-chewing, cell phone–carrying, pink haired, sun glass wearing Fair Godmother. The funny thing is she's only a Fair Godmother because she wasn't a very good student, only a fair one. When Savannah wishes that she could have a real princely guy take her to the prom, Chrissy sends her back to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. Then when Savannah says she wants to find a princely guy in her own time, Chrissy sends Tristan, a boy in Savannah’s class, back to the Middle Ages to turn him into a prince. Savannah feels horrible about Tristan being sent back to the Middle Ages so she goes back to help him get back home to their time. Great laughs are in store after she kisses the Black Knight, runs from a maniac goat, and beats up some robbers. Finally Savannah and Tristan must team up to defeat a troll, a dragon, and the mysterious Black Knight. A trip through time to experience life as a medieval fairy tale character is a great twist especially when it's mixed with romance and comedy.

This story is a nice twist on the old Cinderella/Fairy Godmother tale. It offers up new ideas by adding into the mixture the element of time travel. With time the travel addition, the reader is able to imagine what a real Cinderella or Snow White would have had to live like. This additive is very delightful and makes this book an extremely fun read. The ditzy Fairy Godmother is really funny and adds quite a bit of humor into the storyline.

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2010)

Review: Elizabeth Rue gave up her shoes and has a real nose for magic. If that doesn't rhyme that's ok because there's plenty more rhymes in this magical mystery. Elizabeth is not so popular and mostly keeps to herself until her social studies professor recommends her as a page at the New York Circulating Material Repository downtown that let's borrowers check out magical objects for a short loan period. She is interested in the Grimm collection, which houses all of the magical objects that we've heard about in fairy tales. There is a dark side to working in the repository because there is a gigantic bird kidnapping pages and someone is stealing the magic from the objects in the Grimm collection. Elizabeth loves working at the repository and she gets to be very close to the gorgeous Marc Merritt, but at the same time take insults from Snow White's stepmother's mirror, which is truly not big on compliments. She has no idea who to trust and who is on her side like the elusive Aaron who just happens to show up unexpectedly almost all the time. And the cool things is that she has a real sense of smell that leads her to the magical objects she needs to help her save her friends. Shulman creates a magical world that is a step beyond the mundane and keeps the magic fresh by adding friendship, kindness, and love.

I absolutely love fairy tales and this book brought many of my favorite ones to life. I enjoyed reading this book, it keep you captivated all the way through. Elizabeth’s adventures are fun and captivating. Her friendship with Anjali, Marc, and Jaya is really nice and her uncertainty of Aaron offers an intense romance between the two. After reading this book I really wished there was such a thing as a magical material repository!

Unwind to the Future

In response to Jedi Bum's request for some action packed science fiction books I am posting a list of really cool futuristic sci fi novels that I have read. I think that anyone who enjoys reading interesting and intriguing books will enjoy these on my list.

Happy Reading to all of you out there!!

Mrs. Librarian Lady


If You Liked Unwind You Will Want To Read These:


Feed by M.T. Anderson

Titus never asks about his world, he is complacent in that the corporations control all streams of information, and of course he knows that kids learn to use the feed more efficiently in school where they are taught everything they need to know. But everything changes when he meets Violet and he travels to the moon for spring break and finds out someone might be hacking into everyone’s feeds.

The Diary of Pelly D. by L.J. Adlington

In a futuristic world, Tony V. finds an old diary in the ruins of City 5 he pockets it and begins to read. He reads about Pelly D. who was a normal girl, but later on becomes outcast of society for being Galrezi. Tony V. learns in a flash how Pelly’s beautiful life fades into sheer nothingness as she is treated horribly and moved to the slums.

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen

Eli has spent six years living in an underground bomb shelter since the nuclear war. The living conditions are stressful, the food supply is quickly declining, and his father is becoming increasingly irrational. Will Eli survive nine more years underground, or will he discover the shocking truth of his own fathers’ twisted plan?

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Ender Wiggin is a third, which means his parents were allowed to have him as a means to recruiting him in the military to fight the Bugger wars. Ender enters the academy at age six and is a captain by age twelve. He knows no other life, as he is programmed to kill the enemy no matter if it means killing all of the humanity within his self.

The Roar by Emma Clayton

Mika lives in a world where animals have the plague and are menacingly rabid. The government controls the population and people live in cramped slums with high walls in London. Mika believes his sister Ellie is still alive after she has been kidnapped and it’s up to him to break free from the mind control drugs, poisonous molds he’s being fed, and the hideous shock collars punishments he has endured in order to save his sister.

Maze Runner by James Dashner

Thomas has to learn how to survive in a strange new place where everything seems completely surreal. Somehow he must find a way to escape this creepy enclosed place that houses scary figures called the Grievers. There may be hope after all when he finds a comatose girl with a strange note.

Rash by Pete Hautman

16 year old Bo Marsten lives in a very different U.S.A. in 2076 where there are rules for just about anything you can think of. After he accidentally spreads a rash around at school, he is punished and sent to a penal colony. There, he plays football which is a very violent game, and it might just cost him his life.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Jonah lives in an ideal world with an ideal house, perfect weather, no crime and no one is ever sick. When he turns twelve, he begins to question the reasons why everything in his world is so perfectly controlled. He may have to make alternative choices in order to gain control of his own life.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson

Jenna Fox seems like a normal teenager, so why do her parents treat her like she’s a china doll that could break at any moment? She also has strange dreams and memories like she used to be someone else. What Jenna discovers about herself could change all of mankind.

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

High school sophomore Miranda and her family are not worried about the latest news of a meteor that is headed straight toward the moon. However, afterwards the world has changed and the earth is reacting wildly with tsunamis and volcanoes erupting everywhere, plus there is suddenly a food and gas shortage. Life becomes a struggle just to stay alive, and at almost the point of starvation, Miranda does not know what the future holds for her.

Intense Sci Fi Action Rulezzz

Today’s letter comes from Jedi Bum

Hi Mrs. Librarian Lady,

I was thinking that I wanted to get a really good book this week but I really don’t know what to read. I like lots of different kinds of books and I think Science Fiction is really cool. I also like a lot of action and would like the main character to be a guy. Have you read any good books lately that sound like that? I hope you had a good New Year.

Thanks,

Jedi Bum


Hi There Jedi Bum! I have to say that your letter has got me thinking about some really good books that I have read recently. One that comes to mind is an action packed Sci Fi thriller called Unwind by Neil Shusterman. Unwind is an amazing story about a brave young man named Connor who literally has to go on the run and fight for his right to live. His world is a futuristic world that takes place after a Second Civil War, which happened between the pro-choice and pro-life forces in the United States. After the war the government came up with a declaration that allows parents to unwind their unwanted or difficult kids between the ages of thirteen and eighteen. Being an unwind means that their bodies are surgically taken apart and all the organs and tissue are used in other people. According to the law, the kids aren’t considered dead, they’re “living in a divided state.”

When Connor finds out that his parents have signed his unwind papers, he flees his home to find a safe place away from all of the horror. Setting out, he meets Risa who is an accomplished pianist that is scheduled to be unwound, and Lev who is a Tithe, a special token to the church so to speak. The three all have something to learn from each other and an incredible journey to unravel. The book follows these three across the United States as they travel together, split up, and meet again when their destinies cross in a Harvest Camp where they are slated to finally be unwound.

Shusterman has created an intense and realistic future world that will totally give you goose bumps. I guarantee that you'll be looking over your shoulder for several days after reading this book!

Happy Reading to you!!


Mrs. Librarian Lady

P.S. Jedi Bum, your letter has given me an idea. If you like Unwind then you will love reading more books just like it. So I will be posting book reviews all week with ideas for books that you can read after you read Unwind.

Vampire Lovers Unite!

Today's letter comes from Vampyre Lvr

Hey there Mrs. Librarian Lady! I really loved the Twilight series and have read and re-read them over lots of times. I'm starting to get a little bored with that and I want to read something new that has vampires and a couple in love like Edward and Bella in it. Can you help me find something good to read that I can sink my teeth into?

Signed, Vampyre Lvr

Hi Vamp Lvr! I'm so glad that you love the Twilight series, I love it quite a bit too! I think that vampires are really cool especially when they sparkle like the ones in Forks, Washington :) If you are looking for a good book try taking a bite out of this one!

Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde (Magic Carpet Books, 2005)

High school student Kerry has a soft spot for underlings in need of help and just her luck, the one that she feels sorry for happens to be a vampire. After she saves the really good looking Ethan she finds out that he actually is a vampire but it's too late because her family is kidnapped and she has to join forces with Ethan. She is on a mission to unravel the mystery of their disappearance and find out who is wrecking havoc on her town.

This book is full of excitement and adventure and in the end you might just have a little soft spot for Ethan as well. There are definite similarities to the Bella and Edward relationship except that Ethan is much more mysterious and maybe a little hotter looking :O Vampire lovers will adore this fast-paced mystery novel and it will definitely leave them wanting more.

Happy Reading to you!!

Mrs. Librarian Lady

Secret Secret I have a Secret

Hey there Mrs. Librarian Lady this is from one of your readers. My name is L2theL and I like to read fantasy books. Can you tell me if there are any good books out there that are about dragons? I also really like books that are filled with action so I was wondering if you have read anything that you really like.

Hello L2theL!

You have come to the right place. I have a book in mind that I think you will really like. Read this review I wrote and then if it sounds like something you might like go down to the library and check it out! Thanks so much for writing me.

Keep up the good reading!

Mrs. Librarian Lady :)


Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman (Penguin/Viking, 2008).

Eon has been through a series of bad events. His leg is mangled and he has many deep dark secrets. Eon’s master Brannon has been training him as an apprentice Dragoneye. When Eon tries out he finds he has much more power than anyone ever knew. Dragoneyes are the lucky twelve chosen to be the human link to the dragons of magic. Each year, the ascendant dragon chooses a new apprentice to be trained in this magic. The Dragoneye holds the power to keep the well being of the Empire. As Eon ascends into a royal state of court, he tries to hold on to his secret. However, when the evil Lord Ido seeks to destroy Eon things get pretty dangerous. Eon must turn to his new friends he has made to help him stay alive. With his secret dangling in the wind, his and their lives are all at stake. Fast-paced and full of exciting surprises, Goodman has gone beyond the normal fantasy book, as Eon’s world does not exist yet has many similarities of the world we know. Eon evokes the idea that the power of one’s own self worth can actually help them achieve a winning hand.

**ALA 2010 Best Books for Young Adults

Shazaaaaam!

This week's review is a good one! Anyone interested in the fantasy world that James Patterson has conjured up tune in for this book. It's a series too so the sequel should be coming out really soon.

Witch & Wizard by James Patterson

Teenage siblings Wisty and Wit Allgood never in their entire lives thought that they would be in such great danger. Unfortunately, the world has turned against anyone who shows any signs of having witch like qualities. Teens are disappearing left and right and Wisty and Wit and their parents are roused up in the middle of the night and berated for being a family of witches. At this point, the two need to think fast if they are going to survive the night. All rights have been taken away by the head regime, which no one really knows how they can do the unthinkable things they are doing. Patterson is at is again providing intense and exciting adventures very much like that of Maximum Ride and her winged counterparts. Wit and Wisty are an amazing brother and sister team and with their combined powers maybe they will be able to fight the New Order and bring back some kind of peace in the world. Patterson is sure to give readers more as the end of the book tells us “TO BE CONTINUED.”

Conjure up some spells

This week's review has quite a few twists and turns for those who like a good fantasy novel that has mystery and spell casting!

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Sophie Mercer discovered that she is a witch mostly by accident. She has been kicked out of several schools for spells gone awry, and is about to be in big trouble with the witch council if she doesn’t get a handle on her magic spells. Her mother who is a non- witch decides to send her to Hex Hall where she can be polished up into a good little witch. The only thing that gets better is her love life and that is probably somewhat questionable because the guy she likes might a mysterious creature out to get her. Her new roommate is a creepy vampire and there is some kind of scary mystery on girls that are being killed at the school. All of this, and a ghost who is calling Sophie into the night to train her, brings forth the truth that will scare all kinds of ghost lovers. Those who are especially faint at heart should beware! Hawkins has written divine characters and an interesting plot that will keep all readers highly engaged. The sequel to Hex Hall called Demonglass will be released in March 2011.

Monster High

This review is for those who are fun at heart and can smile at the things that make themselves unique human beings. Well, maybe some of the characters in this story are not quite humans. But, this story will definitely make you smile!

Melody Carver is no stranger to being an outcast because she used to be considered homely and ugly at her old school in California. Hopefully her new nose job will help her at her new school in Salem Oregon. On the flip side, being green and a descendant of Frankenstein makes Frankie Stein have to seriously hide her differentness in order to avoid angry mobs that want to kill her. Both of these girls are striving to fit in with their new surroundings without giving away their deep-seated fears. Both Melody and Frankie try to make friends, but they still feel left out. Frankie has to deal with her family not wanting her to come out of the closet about her monster origins. After a wild night at the homecoming dance everyone will have to re-evaluate who’s hot and who’s not in this adorable tale. Harrison hits the mark by mixing monsters, ghouls, and freaks with the age- old problem of teenagers trying to fit in. The message is clear that whoever or whatever you are, it’s best to just be yourself no matter what

Write a Little Play, Have a Little Fun, Get Down Tiny!

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is kind of a wild ride for anyone who reads this book. Told in two different voices, by two different characters both named Will Grayson. One thing is for sure, the whole story focuses around the biggest person of all Tiny Cooper. Tiny is such a fun spontaneous, and joyous young man and both Will Grayson’s find him so irresistible. The first Will Grayson is Tiny’s best friend and confidant, the other is his love interest. By a strange chance meeting the first Will Grayson meets the other in a seedy porn shop called Frenchie’s. This chance meeting alters both of their lives forever. Add to the mix, Tiny’s amazing and genius life story musical that is written, directed, and produced by none other than Tiny himself. Will Grayson, Will Grayson is an inspirational tale that is creatively written, seductively cool, and so uncontrollably witty you’ll find yourself laughing out loud.

Mysterious Bites

Kerry has a soft spot for underlings in need of help and it's just her luck that the one that she feels sorry for happens to be a vampire. After she saves the really good looking Ethan she finds out that he actually is a vampire but it's too late because something awful has happened to her family and she has to join forces with Ethan to find her way back to her family and back to the life that she had before the vampire slayers started wrecking havoc in her town. This book is full of excitement and adventure and in the end you might have a little soft spot for Ethan as well. There are definite similarities to the Bella and Edward's relationship except that Ethan is much more mysterious and a little more vampy too. Vampire lovers will adore this fast-paced novel that will absolutley leave them wanting more.

Katniss Kicks It

In a futuristic world, food has become scarce and those who want to eat will pay dearly for it. 14 year-old Katniss Everdeen has been hungry all her life and has forced herself to learn how to be a skilled hunter and forager for food. She has hardened herself to the world and only fears for her younger sister and mother's safety. In order to save her sister, Kantniss steps in her as her replacement in the violent and sadistic Hunger Games in which teens are subjected to fight to the death as entertainment for the world. Katniss has the desire and the will to win, but there will be other obstacles in her way that she never even considered. She will have to out think everyone and trust no one as she fights and puts on the show of her life. Collins has created a world that is enigmatic and horrific at the same time. If has flairs of American Idol and American Gladiator and is utterly captivating. Hunger Games fans can continue to ride the wave of survival with Katniss in Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

The Grimm Legacy

The Grimm Legacy

Elizabeth Rue gave up her shoes and has a real nose for magic. If that doesn't rhyme that's ok because there's plenty more rhymes in this magical mystery. Elizabeth is not so popular and mostly keeps to herself until her social studies professor recommends her as a page at the New York Circulating Material Repository downtown that let's borrowers check out magical objects for a short loan period. She is interested in the Grimm collection, which houses all of the magical objects that we've heard about in fairy tales. There is a dark side to working in the repository because there is a gigantic bird kidnapping pages and someone is stealing the magic from the objects in the Grimm collection. Elizabeth and her friends must find out who is behind the thefts and at the same time take insults from Snow White's stepmother's mirror, which is truly not big on compliments. She has no idea who to trust and who is on her side, but she does have a sense of smell and that can lead her to the magical objects she needs to help her find out the truth. Shulman creates a magical world that is a step beyond the mundane and keeps the magic fresh by adding friendship, kindness, and love.

The Soreceress Fights Back!

In this third book of Michael Scott’s series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Josh, Sophie and Nicholas Flamel are on the run again. This time they are in London and they are ready for a fight. John Dee is up to his same old tricks trying to catch the twins, but this time he doesn’t know what he’s up against. They are picked up and guarded by Palamedes the Saracen Knight who is indeed a true ally. Meanwhile, back on Alcatraz Perenelle is making headway with her ancient and giant spider friend on her side now. Flamel runs into an old adversary who just happens to be the incredibly famous William Shakespeare. The two make amends and Shakespeare turns out to be an outstanding ally.

The twins and Flamel are holed up at an old junkyard trying to contact Perenelle on Alcatraz. They finally get through with an old scrying trick that Shakespeare helps with. Perenelle is in grave danger and about to be eaten by some very ugly creatures. So Flamel, Josh and Sophie all send their aura power to her – all at one time! Perenelle is not so thankful because this alerts the Sphinx to her whereabouts. And she really doesn’t want that kind of company at all. What’s amazing is that all of that aura power makes Perenelle stronger than ever and she is able to defeat the Sphinx at least for a while.

Over in France, Machiavelli is making plans to go to Alcatraz to finally finish off Perenelle. He’s hired Billy the Kid to watch her from afar and to fill him in on anything that is essential to know. What Billy doesn’t know is that after Perenelle defeated the Morrigan, she actually died and her two other sister Macha and Badb were able to become free from her grasp- even though they are all in the same body. Perenelle was able to strike a deal with the two and they became her allies too.

Back in London again there is real horror on the loose. This really ancient and old creepy guy by the name of Cernunnos is out to get the twins and Flamel. He also very angry and wants his sword Clarent back. Dee thinks this is great and wants to join in on the party. But Sophie lights a big fire and Cernunnos is stopped but not killed. And of course, there is always a getaway car and the gang always gets away! They are headed to find the King called Gilgamesh and then to Stonehenge.

To wrap this all up, Gilgamesh is crazy, but he gives the twins the power of water. Flamel is aging rapidly and running out of steam, Cernunnos comes back and tries to get Clarent but he doesn’t get it, Dee does! He puts Clarent and Excalibur together and got a new sword. Perenelle gets of the Rock, and the twins and Flamel make it to Stonehenge and then back to San Francisco. Wow that’s a lot of moving and grooving! Michael Scott has a talent for weaving a great story and with all of the dynamic characters this one keeps your attention. It’s nice to read about the familiar places such as Alcatraz and Mt. Tamalpais. In the end, the twins have gone home, but what will happen next, you just never know? Could Dee come back to haunt them with Clarent in hand? Or maybe he’ll be able to lure Josh away with his new sword. Dee has a plan and he’s not giving up until he has succeeded and the dark elders have taken over the world. Find out in the next book The Necromancer, which just came out on May 25, 2010.

Books will come and books will go

Right now I'm reading The Sorceress by Michael Scott. It's the third book in the series the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. So far it's been pretty good, but the first book still has my vote for #1. I also have plans to read Max by James Patterson this week, but have not been able to thus far. I just finished some really great books that I want to write reviews about.

I've become a huge Jodi Picoult fan and my #1 fave book by her is House Rules. I think my second fave is the Tenth Circle. I recently read two books by Sara Zarr and thought her writing was really fantastic. Sweethearts captivated me and I found myself not wanting the book to end. Once Was Lost was again captivating but not as amazing as Sweethearts. Zarr has other books that I definitely want to read and I think she is up and coming as an author and will rock the teen reader world.

I also finished The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Calletti and was actually pretty surprised by the unfolding of this tale. I thought it was going to be a lot of fluff and really the book had a lot of depth to it. The main character Quinn was really a breath of fresh air for me since a lot of characters in teen books are either really shallow or under described. I liked the myriad of women that voiced their stories on the men they had known in their lives and how that affected them throughout their lives and in their current relationships. What was interesting is that all these women could be traced back to Quinn's father, who was the catalyst for the journey in this book. I loved it!

I also read Big Girl by Danielle Steele which is not my usual reading material, but I found it to be a pretty good read. Victoria in the story had always been a big girl and she was treated cruelly by her parents because of it. She had a younger sister who was perfect in every way and that always made her feel like such a loser. The story follows Victoria on a journey of discovering who she is deep down inside and not for what she looks like on the outside. She becomes a high school teacher who is caring and dedicated to her students. Eventually she find love and changes the tides of the emotional abuse she received from her parents as a child. Nice book, not much depth, but a good read for sure.

Ok, let's see what else is on my horizon of reading. Oh yes, I'm about to start Catching Fire the sequel to the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and I've need to go pick up Poor Little Bitch Girl by Jackie Collins and a brand new book by Sarah Dessen called Lock and Key. I'm so busy with books I can't believe it!!

What's Happening!!

HaHa it's kind of funny I tend to post a lot of book reviews in January and June! This must mean that the rest of the year I am very very busy. I've read some really great books lately and I plan to write about them all. I also have taken an interest in realistic fiction and would like to continue to read more that strike home with issues that teens are dealing with. An interesting books club that I was hosting from January to May was called the who's that Lady book club and it was all girls. The topics were very much real life issues and I think that those issues should never be ignored. My new favorite author is Jodi Picoult. I love her stories and her writing, she is one talented lady!

Messed Up

Messed Up by Janet Nichols Lynch

We meet the adorable R.D. who happens to be stuck in limbo in the San Joaquin Valley school system. He's repeating 8th grade again and he is sick of seeing the same old crap day after day. Those who wear red and blue find ways to hide it under their clothes and they fight each other for no reason at all. On the first day of school R.D. gets suspended for helping a teacher break up a fight. One tiny girl is getting her rear kicked by a much bigger girl and R.D. feels bad for the little girl. He later regrets helping her because now she thinks that he is her man. In the meantime, R.D. is living with his grandmother's boyfriend Earl who takes really good care of him, but Grandma is off doing the town with her new boyfriend Hairy. Also, to make matters worse his mom is in the State Pen. Then things get much worse than having a mom in prison. Earl up and dies on R.D. and he's afraid to let anyone know because he knows he will end up in an orphanage and who will want to adopt him? He's part Mexican and part Cheyenne and he thinks that's quite a mixture. I love this story because this kid has got a great heart. He does some messed up things, but he is just trying to get by in life and some how- some way- you just feel like this guy will do great things. He figures out how to take care of himself, feed himself, make money and he also takes care of Earl's burial in a kind and loving way that not even Earl's sister would do for him. R.D. is one heck of a great main character and I think that the author really brings to light the difficulties of growing up in hard times and in diverse communities. He also ends up making some great friends and deep connections that will last beyond this book. I really enjoyed the end of the book and wished that it would not end and that I could go on hearing about how R.D. is doing from time to time. R.D. reminds me of many of the kids that I work with in my library and I know that if you give a kid a chance they will overcome their adversities. I love that the author allowed R.D. to achieve his highest heights!

The Summoning

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

This book is a nice twist on the girl meets ghost and freaks out story. Our heroine is Chloe Saunders who at first has no idea that she has the power to see ghosts and to make contact with them. After a surprise visit from a burned up custodian ghost at her school she has fit and flips out. She can't figure out why this scary dude is chasing her. When she fights to get away from the teachers and principal, she is taken out in a straight jacket and sent to the hospital. Poor Chloe, the doctors think that she is crazy and she herself isn't quite sure if she is or not. She is sent to a home for mentally ill teens called Lyle House and it's there that she realizes that there are other kids that have special abilities too. She really likes Liz, but Liz can't control her special power and she is taken away. Suddenly, Chloe starts to see Liz in ghost form and she is very alarmed. Simon is the cute guy that has a unique power that is usually undetected by others. Derek is the huge neanderthal dude that has everyone wondering if he can control his temper and he is eating all the time. Tori is of course the nasty nemesis of Chloe, although she doesn't really know that Tori has a power and we don't find out what that power is in this book. I hope the sequel will prove to be as exciting and as interesting as this first book in the Darkest Powers series by Armstrong.

The characters are great in this book and Chloe has a strong personality that the reader can really fall in love with. She is caring, sweet and strong willed. Derek is very likable even though you feel like he might be a bad guy you can't help but feel that he has strong feelings for Chloe. As you learn more about the supernaturals you find that each one has a unique power. Chloe seems to have one of the strongest powers as she can summon the dead which as Derek says is called a necromancer. It was Garth Nix's Sabriel that first got my attention with necromancers being in the spotlight. Sabriel was able to go into the world of the dead and fight them off. Chloe is able to talk to the dead. She has to be very careful because she can actually bring them into our world.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes a good story that revolves around mystery and intrigue and yes especially if you like ghosts and creepy things that go bump in the night. Watch out for the click clack click clack!

Bad Girls Don't Die

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Allright! Cue the creepy eerie ghost music right now. This book rocks the house with it's creepy haunted house, scary deaths, brakes being cut, possessed little sister, and main heroine with hot pink hair! I didn't quite know what to expect with this one but I was really pleased by the end. The story starts out with Alexis who is kind of wannabe bad girl. She is trying to not get hurt by the preps at school so she's striking out and becoming the bad girl before they can even say anything bad about her. She is cutting class and has dyed her hair bright pink all in the efforts of showing the school that no one tells her what to do. Meanwhile, back at home she has parents that don't pay any attention to her. Mom is a workaholic and Dad watches sports on t.v. to block out that his wife is always at work. She has a little sister named Kelsey who really annoys everyone with her whining and sensitivity and she's totally obsessed with dolls and wow is that creepy. So one night Kelsey is wigging out about Mom's lack of mothering and Alexis tries to comfort her but instead she is taken over by this weird story that she starts telling Kelsey and she has no idea where this is coming from. The story goes on and on and mentions all kinds of people and it takes place at the house they live in and then bam! the girl in the story dies. Ok, so anyway not too long later Kelsey starts acting absolutely whackadoo and the next morning Dad almost dies because the brakes in the car have been cut. Come to find out later... Kelsey is being possessed by a super evil ghost that lives in the house. I like this book because there is a lot of depth to the characters and as you get to know Alexis you find that she is a very strong girl and she can and will do anything to fight off this evil spirit. She also bonds with one of the cheerleaders who she hated before and this is all because of a common bond that they have which you find out about later in the story. And, Alexis finds that she gets along really well with a boy that runs into her head with a door. For some reason she has been trying to fight off forming friendships with people and now it seems that she has to trust others in order to get rid of the evil spirit. I really recommend this book because it is a suspenseful mystery and an awesomely creepy ghost story.

The Chosen One

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

Oh wow this one is intense. The book takes you on a journey through the eyes of a 13 year old girl named Kyra who lives in a community of polygamists. Now she of course doesn't really know any other way of life. But through the course of the book she starts to learn that she lives a very different life than others on the outside. Her life is pretty fine with one dad, 3 mothers and 20 siblings. However, one day the head of their community, he's called The Prophet comes to their house to speak to her dad. In a very distressful meeting Kyra finds out that she is to be married to her 60 year old uncle. He already has 6 wives and she will be the 7th. That's when the story heats up and we find out that Kyra will do anything she can to not marry her uncle. She also has a love interest in a boy close to her own age named Joshua and he wants to try to talk The Prophet out of marrying Kyra off. Things do not turn out well for the two young people and they are both beaten badly. That's when you find out that the community they live in has a lot of secrets and a lot of control over their people. It's all a very sad story when Kyra decides to run away she can't even do that because they catch her and bring her back. It has been said that if you try to run away they might even kill you. The story has a bitterweet ending that does show you that Kyra has been saved but the price she has to pay is very very dear. I recommend this book because it is not only shocking but very intense to find out that people actually do live in this kind of setting and practice the same beliefs. I would have to say that this book definitely opened my eyes to different ways of living.

The Comet's Curse

The Comet's Curse by Dom Testa

I was very excited to read this book. It has a lot going for it. The scenario is that a terrible and deadly comet that makes anyone over the age of 18 get very sick and eventually die. So that's it, the end of the world is near. The book flashes back and forward from the present to the past so we can get an idea of how things got to be the way they are. We find out that a man decided that he was not going to let the human race die out and created what they called the Galahad. 251 teenagers were selected and trained for two years in preparation for a five year journey to a distant planet on the Galahad, which was made special for the voyage. The teens have to be very responsible, actually as responsible as aduts because they are in charge and not one of them is older than sixteen.

This is a very good story and it reminds me a lot of Star Trek and The Next Generation. The reader is pulled in emotionally by the characters and how they have had either a loss in their lives or how they are cut off from everyone. The five main chaaracters called the Council are specially appealing, their dialogue is hip and sounds authentic, and we get to share their very realistic emotional responses to this life and death situation - having to leave their home, parents, etc. and find ways to cope with the huge responsibilities they must take on.

Eon Dragoneye Reborn

Eon Dragoneye Reborn by Allison Goodman


The lead character in the book is 12 year-old Eon who has had some serious setbacks, his leg is mangled, and he has many deep dark secrets that he is holding on to. However, all might not appear as it seems once you get step into Eon's world. Eon’s master Brannon has trained him well to become an apprentice Dragoneye. When Eon tries out he finds he has much more power than anyone ever thought he had. Dragoneyes are the lucky 12 chosen to be the human link to the dragons of magic or Hua that are represented in the twelve year cycle of power beginning with Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Each year, the ascendant dragon chooses a new apprentice to be trained in this magic. The magic of the dragons is a power used to keep monsoons at bay, minimize earthquakes and keep the well being of the Empire. As Eon ascends into a royal state of court, he tries to hold on to his secret. However, when the evil Lord Ido seeks to destroy Eon things get pretty dangerous. Eon must turn to his new friends he has made to help him stay alive. With his secret dangling in the wind his and their lives are all at stake. This book takes you on an exciting journey through the world that Eon lives in and shows you how the power of one’s own self worth can actually help you achieve a winning hand.

The setting is quite mystical and has you visualizing colorful auras of Chinese dragons and 12 tweens trying to harness the power of these mystical beings. This book is fast-paced and full of exciting surprises. Eon goes beyond the normal fantasy book because it encompasses so much more in a world that does not exist yet has many similarities of the world we know. It starts out with Eon as a boy who is hiding a secret and a lame leg and transcends to an epic saga of a girl who finally realizes that she must stop hiding her true identity to prevail and that takes more courage than she ever knew she had.

Wintergirls

I'm back!! I read a lot of books over the winter break and I have been inspired to start reading again on a weekly basis.


Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

This is an amazing book. The writing is excellent and the story is extremely gripping. Basically you'll be on the edge of your seat while reading this book. It is the story of Lia who is a senior in high school. Lia suffers terribly from anorexia and she hurts herself by cutting. She has already been in the hospital for her sickness and she is under careful watch by her dad and step-mom. She has to be weighed everyday and she has to try to stay at a healthy weight. Lia has visions of weighing less than 80 pounds and she sneaks around at night doing exercises and starves herself. She has no idea that she is hurting herself to the point of nearly dying. Meanwhile, we find out that Lia's best friend Cassie has died mysteriously and everyone including Lia is wondering what really happened. Lia goes back to the place where Cassie died, which actually spurs her to start to go into a backward spiral. Can Lia turn her life around? It will take more than just hope and wishes. She will have to make the choice herself and build up all the trust that she has lost from her family.

I highly recommend this book as it touches on a very serious and disturbing disorder that is now not only related to young women, as is reaching out and affecting young men as well.

Long time no blog

Wow, I can't believe I haven't been on since January. So much has been happening I can't quite believe it myself. I start a MLIS program in January and it basically took up all my time. Work has been very busy for the last two months and I haven't had much time to do any reading really. We had a book fair in May and I was able to read a few good books during that week. One of the books that I highly recommend is a novel called The Godmother. I was entrance with this book and I think that it's a really good read. I am currently reading The Ghost Huntress by Marley Gibson and this is really good as well. It's a modern day girl can hear ghosts story that's got all the chills and thrills like The Sixth Sense. I am going to be off of work for the summer and I will be reading a box of books that I received from a bookstore. I look forward to posting their reviews!

Looking Beyond Fantasy

I had a student ask me the other day to recommend a book for him to read. I asked him what subjects he liked and he said he didn’t know. I asked what other books he had read that he liked and again he didn’t know. I knew that I was going to be digging deep on this one and trying to figure out the just right book for this guy. He finally decided that he liked fantasy and proceeded to ask me if I knew what the book about “dust” was called. Immediately my brain was searching for a book about dust – hmmm let’s see is it "The Golden Compass"? The student was astonished. He asked me how did I figure that out just by me saying “dust”? Well, I have read the book and love it very much and I know that Lyra is a journey in search of dust. When I read the book a few years ago I was amazed by the cosmic references to dust and how it related so much with my master’s degree in Consciousness Studies which was all about the “dust”. But to my dismay the student did not want to read "The Golden Compass".

So, the search was on again. We talked about "The Alchemyst" by Michael Scott and "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman and even "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan but none of these tickled his fancy. It was in a desperate moment that the student asked me, “What is your favorite book?” I knew I better search my mental favorite book list and think about this very carefully. Taking in the statistics, 8th grade student, looking for book probably with action and adventure and then it hit me! One of my favorite books is "Ender’s Game" by Orson Scott Card would you like to take a look at it? As the student read the back of the book I heard him saying oh aliens and oh this looks good. And then I told him the best thing of all is that it has an ending that will jump out and grab you. You will be totally surprised at the outcome. He looked inside the book and saw the chapter Thirds and had a very quizzical look on his face. I said you have to read about the thirds it’s so cool. And that was that. He was hooked on the book and I can’t wait to hear back from him to see his reactions on one of my all time favorite book.

The great thing about science fiction is that it can really captivate the fantasy lover as well. There are so many great elements in science fiction that you don’t see in fantasy. Some of the main elements are technology and invention, which are weaved into the story and it may be set in the future or the past, and includes all time travel. The cool thing about science fiction is that it can be set on other planets, dimensions, and can include catastrophes or natural or manmade disasters. I believe the main point of this genre is to allow the reader to draw conclusions on the characters and how the scientific possibilities affect their fictitious world. Also, the interesting factor in science fiction is that it introduces ideas that are wild and out there that can include the past or present.

The difference between science fiction and fantasy is that the latter is a world that does not exist in our reality. In other words, it is a place that is made up and is imaginary and its existence will never be possible. A few ideas that go hand in hand with science fiction are the point of disconnection from our life which is considered mainly normal and in the science fiction world we would say that way of life is not normal such as robots or machines coming alive or travelling through time and getting stuck in Dracula’s castle. The other point in science fiction that makes it stand out from the other genres is the understanding that as the whole planet Earth is connected as a race, we are also constantly moving forward with technology and really this advancement has progress massively over the last ten years. We are also always trying to find ways to move forward in finding cures to diseases and making ourselves live longer and this plays into a lot of ideas for many new science fiction books such as, Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary Pearson and "Double Identity" by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Now, I just want to say that I am a big fan of the fantasy genre and it seems to be the area that I enjoy reading the most. However, I feel that science fiction offers an interesting alternative to fantasy and gives the readers much satisfaction in knowing that there is something else out there. Cue the weird space odyssey music - ooh eee ooh.

Love & Vampires

In "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer, our beloved Bella finally is forced to make the most ultimate and final choice in her life. She and Edward are married in old world style with the help of her true friend Alice. While Bella and Edward are honeymooning Bella begins to feel very ill and their trip is cut short when she feels that there is something growing inside of her. The tension of the story grows as the little "nudge" grows larger and larger itself. The chain of events from this point on lead up to the most amazing transformation I have ever seen in a character. Let’s just say that Bella becomes the main focus of the story and her drive to protect not only Edward and her family but any other vampires that support her family is truly incredible. I have to say that I have heard and read negative reviews of this book and I do not agree with those reviews. I think that "Twilight" fans will find all that they have been waiting for in this final installment of the series. There is a complete and solid ending and everyone in this story does end up happy and that's what I had really wanted for all these wonderful characters that Stephenie Meyer has created. Will Bella’s dream of spending an eternal life with Edward finally come true? I can’t tell you that! It’s up to you to read this book to draw the conclusions yourself. With a mighty bit of blood and ewww the story really lends itself to the true nature of what being a vampire must really be like. This book leaves me thinking that for the vampire the blood is the most motivating goal and that love is the unending desire to protect those you love.

He Aint Just Nobody

"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman is one of the most refreshing books I have read in a long time. We begin with an eerie story about how a horrible man murders a family quietly sleeping in their home. However, the man can’t seem to find the baby who has mysteriously slipped out of the house and into the graveyard across the street. When the baby is found by a pair of old married ghosts in the graveyard they decide to raise him and call him Nobody Owens. Now, he must stay in the graveyard because the terrible man named Jack is the one that killed his whole family and he is still after him. At any time he could strike terror in the graveyard. As Nobody grows up he begins to refer to himself as "Bod". Bod has a good time at the graveyard and makes many ghostly friends. He also makes friends with Scarlet who happens to be the exact same age as he is. Sadly, though Scarlet thinks that Bod is a ghost and her parents make her move far away. As time goes on, Bod grows into a strapping young boy and must face his worst and greatest fear, the man called Jack. He is prone to going on many interesting and ridiculous journeys that always bring him straight back to the graveyard. Will Bod ever get out of the graveyard and live a normal life? This book is a fun and intriguing tale that will definitely have you rooting for Nobody Owens.

Get the Doll Rolling

Decapitated doll heads and aliens are the focus in "Carlos Is Gonna Get It" by Kevin Emerson. Trina and her friend Sara are really tired of Carlos and his strange antics. It seems like 6th grade couldn’t get any worse except that it can when Carlos has one of his “Day After” episodes. Trina can usually tell when it’s going to happen right away. Carlos comes into class late and then he starts to fall all over the floor and on top of his classmates.

The problem is not that Carlos is so clumsy; no it’s that Carlos says he is visited by aliens at night. This makes the class think he’s so weird that no one wants him near them.

Tired of all of the alien talk and crazy outburst, Trina and her friends begin to hatch a plan that they think will teach Carlos a lesson. The plan is to teach Carlos a lesson that he will never forget.

Unfortunately, as the plan is being mapped out Trina and Carlos get hooked up as science partners. They are assigned to do an oral presentation on any subject they like. Trina’s reaction to finding out that Carlos is her partner is not a pretty one. She is really upset. Her friends think this is perfect because Trina can learn more about Carlos so they can execute their plan.

When Trina visits Carlos at home she sees that his home life is not so great. He has a little sister who bites the heads off of dolls and a teenage cousin who babysits them while his mom works. Trina starts to feel sorry for Carlos and that means that she really starts to question the need to continue with the plan.

After a lot of hard work, Trina and Carlos are ready for their presentation. Carlos has drawn some great pictures and is prepared for his part of the talk but something goes drastically wrong and Carlos has a meltdown right there in class in front of everyone. Trina is humiliated and vows never to speak to him again and she immediately thinks to herself – the plan is on!

Taking into consideration the difficulties that young adults face in middle school and the challenges of fitting in this book covers a lot of emotions that many people can relate to. The issues that Trina is faced with and the decision that she makes will decide her fate as well. Can she live with the consequences that the plan leaves her with? Can Carlos help himself for things he says and does? Read this book to find out and watch out for aliens and flying doll heads!

If He Looks Guilty Is He Guilty?

"Falling From Grace" by Jane Godwin in an amazing mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat right from the start. Sisters Grace and Annie are trying to help a dying penguin on the beach at Point Nepean in Australia. Grace and Annie are 11 months apart and for one month out of the year they are the same age so at the time they are both 12. On the other side of the beach 14 year old Kip is dealing with his own issues, his thoughts, his feelings on being a teenager, and then there is this strange man that appears from nowhere. The man says his name is Ted and he’s bleeding and in need of help.

These young people’s stories collide when Kip finds a backpack in the water with a ringing cell phone. Kip drastically changes the course of his destiny when he answers the phone and hears the panicked voice of Grace and Annie’s father on the other end. Back at the point, Annie has lost Grace, there is a heavy mist and Grace has fallen through the sand on a cliff. Annie panics as well and runs home to find her father.

Kip’s life becomes a whirlwind of secrets, lies, and grunge rock. After the police begin to interrogate him, he begins to look very guilty in the eyes of everyone including his own parents. The police have been searching for days for Grace, but they have not found her. There were only a few clues, her pants were found on the beach with blood stains and her backpack that Kip said he found.

Finally, Kip has had it with all eyes focused on him and decides to try to find Grace himself. It would be a miracle if Grace was alive. Told in the perspective of mainly Annie and Kip, this book is riveting. It rocks you to the core and is sure to have you wondering – did Kip really do it???

Protons Do Die

In "Smiles To Go" by Jerry Spinelli,
Will has so much going
for him
He is a chess champ,
skateboarder,
monopoly lover,
stargazer,
proton thinker,
He even contemplates
his existence in the
Universe
So why does he
Find it so hard
To deal with
His
Little
SISTER!

Vlad Might Be Glad

In "The Book of Time" by Guillaume Prevost, Sam is on a mission to find his father who’s been missing for 10 days. Searching through his father’s things, Sam finds an old book, a strange statue, and an ancient coin with a hole in it. After he inserts the coin in the statue he is transported through time to a place called Iona during Medieval times. Trying to escape Vikings he lands in France during World War I, then in ancient Egypt. After he returns, Sam realizes that his father must be stuck in the past and as he looks at the old book he sees on every single page the castle of Vlad Tepes a.k.a. Dracula. The book is very captivating and readers will be scrambling for the second book of the planned trilogy.

Tricky Tricky That's Not Nice

In "Runemarks" by Joanne Harris, it’s been five hundred year since the gods fought at Ragnarok which was an epic war between the Norse gods. A new group called the Order took over and has put everything back into place, but the only thing it’s their view of what is wrong and what is right so basically it's their way or the highway. Maddy Smith was born with a copper mark on her hand which makes her an outcast or a witch you might say. When she meets a friend whom she calls One Eye, she asks him to teach her about the gods and her mark which is called a runemark. After several years of teachings and conversations Maddy is faced with a dilemma. One Eye wants Maddy to open Red Horse Hill and descend into World Below to retrieve something called the Whisperer. He tells her if she fails, it is likely to be another Ragnarok. Hesitantly she decides to go on her quest. Her first meeting is with a intensely nervous goblin named Sugar-and-Sack. He rants about how the General is going to be so mad that she is down there and that she needs to get out fast. Maddy ignores the terrified goblin and continues on her way. Further on she meets a strange boy with fiery red hair. The boy seems to trick her into giving up her plan to find the Whisperer. Well, trick is the perfect word for this character because in reality he is no other than the Norse god Loki. Loki and Maddy seem to have very much in common and as time goes on you will find that there is a long lost secret that binds not only Loki and Maddy, but One Eye as well. Will Maddy have what it takes to stop a return Ragnarok and will she find out her true calling? This book is an epic tale that delves into the heart of Norse mythology with excellent characters such as Loki the trickster, Hel of the Underworld and Odin the General. A true believer of mythology will really wrap their minds around this one.

Rain brings new beginnings

My oh my, I just finished The Day of Tears today and I must say it was quite wonderful. The book was written in diaglogue and was a touching story of many different individuals that were slaves. The people in the story were such strong personalities and I found myself becoming very emotional in many different parts of the book. One of the parts that touched me the most is one a young girl named Emma was sold to a woman who lived in Kentucky and she was not allowed to say goodbye to her mother and for the rest of her life she never saw her mother or father again. I highly recommend this book to young adults to read. It is a wonderful display of literature and I wouldn't be surprised if it won the California Young Reader Medal.

The new job is going really well. I will be doing my first booktalk tomorrow and I am excited and a bit nervous as I always am when embarking on new challenges. The theme I am presenting is love, so it should be fun for the students. I am also doing more booktalks next week on historical fiction and biographies/autobiographies.

Got to be real

In Rules, by Cynthia Lord, Catherine is a twelve year old girl who thinks that she must have rules for her brother David who has autism so he will not embarrass her in front of people. This story has so many heart- tugging moments such as when she strikes up a friendship with a boy who can’t talk and volunteers to write picture cards with words for his communication book. Catherine is a deep and thoughtful girl who learns a lot from her new friend Jason. Read this book to find out if Catherine will rewrite her rules or completely throw them out to start a new way of thinking and living all together.

King Arthur is the bomb diggity

Jane Yolen’s Sword of the Rightful King is an imaginative reinvention of the old legend of King Arthur. The book includes familiar character such as Arthur, Merlin, Morgause, and Gawaine. There are also elements of the traditional story, which include the trusty sword in the stone Caliburn and Thomas Malory’s wonderful phrase "He so pulleth the sword from the stone" is mentioned as well. Yolen manages to revise this legend and turn it into an original that works for a younger audience without any silliness or modern day slang. Read this book and you will experience a bit of magic, treachery, and romance, and you will also find out who pulls the sword from the stone this time.

Dreams are Fierce

In Gossamer by Lois Lowry, Littlest One creeps around in the middle of the night practicing dream-giving on an elderly woman and her sleeping dog. Toby is training to be a dream-giver, which is someone who gathers shreds of memories and gives them back as dreams. Then the elderly woman takes in a foster child who is an eight-year old boy named John. Littlest One now has to take on a great challenge, she must try to help John with his bad dreams. This book is an interesting fantasy that offers a clever view on how dreams can help us heal. This book can help us all to open up to our dreams, and not be afraid of our nightmares.

Catcher in the Fly

King Dork by Frank Portman is a fun and crazy story about a young man named Tom Henderson who doesn’t even go by his real name. He was nicknamed Chi Mo in the 7th grade and no one calls him anything else. Tom happens to find his recently deceased dad’s copy of the Catcher in the Rye and his life begins to change. He thinks that he sees little tips and signs of long forgotten code that maybe his dad left for someone to figure out. Tom discovers lots of exciting things like how much fun making out with a girl is and also how to play a guitar and rock with a band even if they are losers. Finally, in the end Tom accidentally becomes a hero. Read ths book to find how he becomes a hero and to find out if gets the mystery girl he’s been dreaming of.

From Riches to Rags

Esperanza Rising is about a young girl named Esperanza that was born into a privileged family. Esperanza lives a fine life with beautiful clothes and dolls on a ranch that has gorgeous roses on it. In the beginning of the story she and her family seem to have a close relationship, all intertwined within each other. Her father Sixto is portrayed as a kind man that looks out for his family and loves his homeland. Her mother Ramona is portrayed as a dignified woman that likes to cook and throw parties. There is also Abuelita the grandmother who is portrayed as all knowing and she totally adores Esperanza.

Esperanza’s parents are extremely giving to Alfonso and Hortensia the couple that works for them. There is a relationship there that is deeper than it looks. Alfonso and Hortensia are deeply devoted to Esperanza and her parents. Their son Miguel is also very connected to Esperanza, for even at a young age she said she was going to marry him. Pam Munoz Ryan gives us a feeling of contentment and love that this family and extended family share on the Rancho de las Rosas.

The way this book begins you would think of it as a fairytale world for a girl and her family that seems as if it will never end. Then, after her father is tragically killed Esperanza has to totally redefine her entire life as she loses everything that she has ever known. When her uncles show up they are mean, soulless creatures that only want to take over her land and take her mother as well. These men are depicted as ruthless and cruel and they will not stop at anything to get what they want. They even burn down Esperanza’s house and threaten to send her away to boarding school. The uncles’ behavior is completely oppressive and in the beginning of the story they have total control over Ramona and Esperanza.

Esperanza’s mother must come up with a plan to escape from the tyranny of the uncles. With the help of Alfonso and Hortensia, Ramona and Esperanza are able to sneak out of Aguacalientes and off to California to live and to work with Alfonso’s cousin Juan. However, they must leave Abuelita behind because she been hurt and can’t travel. When they arrive in California and see how the Mexican families live it is very surprising. They living conditions are poor and there are absolutely no amenities like Esperanza had at home. She and her mother have to share a bed and they live in a little cabin. Her family has now changed and Esperanza, Ramona, Hortensia, Alfonso, Miguel, as well as Juan, Josefina, Isabel, and the babies are all one big family. They are all concerned about one thing and that is doing whatever it takes to keep the family with a roof over their heads and food on the table.

Esperanza is not willing to admit that she is no longer rich. She continues to hang on to the doll that her father gave her and she thinks that she will be able to go back to her old life very soon. When she finds out that she has to take care two babies and sweep a platform while the adults go to work she has a meeting with reality. She has never had to take care of anybody, not even her own self. Ramona must also go to work with Hortensia and the other women. The women in the story go to pack fruits in the sheds and the men pick the fruit in the fields. Miguel must also look for work with the railroad and even though he is a skilled mechanic he is passed by for good jobs because of his ethnicity.

The main character of this story is definitely Esperanza and the main emphasis is how she deals with her plight of being rich and becoming penniless. To add to her pain, her mother becomes very ill after a big dust storm hits the area. Ramona becomes weak and depressed and she must be hospitalized. Here is where we see Esperanza step up and take on the role of responsibility for herself and her mother. Her motivation is that she will work with the women make money so she can bring Abuelita to California to help her mother get better.

Through working and achieving a sense of her own self, Esperanza begins to see the world in a realistic view. She can see that justice is not always given, but that each person can make a difference in his or her own way. I believe that Esperanza accomplishes more than she ever dreamed of. Yes, she may miss her old life but she has built a new one and that one includes her being able to be with Miguel on a level of equality which she would have never had before back in Aguacalientes.

This story is very inspiring and also wonderfully written. Esperanza is a great role model and I think children could identify with her and want to overcome obstacles as she did. When reading the book children might feel sad or sorry for her because so many awful things happen to her. However the bad things that did happen like the death of her father, being driven out of her homeland, leaving Abuelita behind, her mother’s illness, working in the sheds, being looked down upon by others are all experiences that help Esperanza to grow and learn about herself.

Pam Munoz Ryan wrote this book from stories she had heard about the life of her own grandmother when she was a young girl. She mentioned in the Author’s Note that her grandmother had told about when she grew up in Mexico and how she had been rich and then had to move to California to work on a farm camp. Esperanza’s story is fictional, but Ms. Ryan took some of the names and places from her grandmother’s childhood. The main point is that the author is familiar with this time period called the “Mexican Repatriation” and wanted to write about it because there is not much literature that focuses on Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. This story had a very balanced approach because it told of how some families immigrated to the U.S. and how they lived in camps and worked in the fields.
Esperanza Rising was published in 2000. Ms. Ryan did a wonderful job relating the way that a young woman would have to acclimate from living a privileged life to having to start life all over again. She did not use any loaded words and I think she portrayed the Mexican culture in an extremely dignified and elegant way. The way that she portrayed the strength of the characters and their love for one another was really intense. I also thought that there was a great intensity with many of the thoughtful things that the characters did like when Alfonso and Miguel replanted the roses outside the cabin in California. That was such a sweet and touching thing to do. When Miguel secretly took off to Mexico to get Abuelita and bring her back to California I knew that there was a bond between he and Esperanza that could never be broken no matter what. These were acts of love that really spoke to me in this story.

I can see your aura

Move over Mean Girls there's a newer and better story in town! I just finished reading the book Golden by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. This book is really fantastic. The story begins with a girl named Lissy James who's mother and grandmother have what they call the Sight. The Sight comes in different form and Lissy's happens to be that she can see people’s auras. She sees different shades of colors like purple, green, blue, and the worst and evilest of all an aura with no color at all. Lissy has to move from California to Oklahoma and start a new life with her family and when she arrives in town she meets the girls who call themselves Golden and believe me, they make the girls in the movie Mean Girls look like pussycats! On the first day of school, Lissy realizes that her aura power is becoming stronger and she now has the power to make auras connect. Another problem for Lissy is that when she sees her math teacher she sees that awful colorless aura she call garn. His aura is so evil that it makes her sick to her stomach. What could have made his aura so awful? And, are there forces of evil at work at her new school? This is a really intriguing book with powerful images of extra sensory perception and other magical qualities that might just jump out and grab you. I think you might want to add this book to your Spring reading list!

Take a bite out of this one!

Vampire High by Douglas Rees is a nominee for the California Young Readers Award.
In this story, Cody Elliot is a self-destructive flunk out who is quickly on his way to becoming a high school drop out. His Father is sick and tired of his smart mouth and ridiculous tactics and gives him the choice of going to Our Lady of Perpetual Homework or Vlad Dracul Magnet School. Cody decides to go Vlad Dracul because the idea of perpetual homework just does not sit well with him. Maybe he should have thought his decision over a little better. What ever do you think the Dracul stands for? Cody finds out quickly that the students at Vlad Dracul are definitely not the same as he is. Slowly, he realizes that his fellow classmates are vampires and that his view of vampires was not quite correct. Cody makes friends with Justin and Ileana who have been long time childhood friends. Quirky and silly at times, this book has the essence of a hero that just didn’t know that he was until he puts forth the effort to succeed. Highlighted in the story are the drunken swim coach, the belligerent headmaster, the annoying bully vampire, and the mysterious wolf that follows Cody around campus. Read this book and find out how Cody saves the swim team from disaster and puts Vlad Dracul on the map!

The Fair Ones

In legends and folk lore, fairies are magical beings who can sometimes be seen by humans, they can be friendly, and quite often they behave impishly. The name fairies means the fair ones and they hail mainly from England and Ireland. Presently you can find a lot of fairies in children’s literature because they are a great source of fun and are very imaginative. Authors can place fairies in different worlds with numerous amounts of magical powers and powerful lessons that can be learned from fairies. One author brought fairies into New York City and had them peddling fairy drugs. However, that was not always so. Fairies in the past were feared as dangerous and powerful beings who could often be very cruel.

Morgan LeFay was known to be a cruel and malicious fairy. She was the half sister of King Arthur and she was said to have sought after him for most of his life. She lay in wait for him and stole Excalibur and changed herself into a rock so he couldn’t find her. She tried many times to kill her own half brother. In the end, it was said that she took Arthur away to Avalon after their son Mordred mortally wounded him in battle.

It was said that fairies would also carry off babies and leave their own sick babies in their place. The sick fairy child is called a changeling. The strange thing is that the changeling did not look like a human child so the parents knew right away that something was wrong.It is thought that the fairies lived in our world and were hidden under rocks or in streams nearby. They had tricks too such as when they danced in a circle if a human joined in they would never be able to break the circle and they could never stop dancing.

Different fairies have different powers. Some like Morgan Le Fay have what is called foresight, which means they can see into the future. Some can grant wishes and worst of all some send out curses for any reason they feel suits them. There have been stories in Ireland about fairies that appear and ask for food. If they are denied then they will curse the person for life. Fairies are also interconnected with the names little people, elves, gnomes, leprechauns, and witches.

Fairies have been around for many hundreds of years in some form or another. The idea of fairies was made popular in Europe in the Dark Ages and was used to describe fairy women lovers that appeared in the night, similar beings have existed in both folklore and written literature for thousands of years. This is the time that Sir Thomas Malory wrote his Le Morte De Arthur in which he featured Morgan LeFay as the fairy witch that enticed King Arthur and his knight. Today in England, Ireland, and Scotland they stand true to their fairy ties and keep the fairy legends in mind as they are never sure who might be lurking nearby in a cave or a bog.

Gods & Goddesses

Today is a dark and stormy day! I am reminded that the Greek gods and goddesses are a source of infinite wisdom. With that in mind I would like to recommend the book Greece, Rome, Monsters by John Harris. In this great book, twenty mythical monsters are featured along with a supporting cast of gods, goddesses, heroes, and heroines. The book begins with a warning telling you that you are about to embark into the land of creepy creatures. There is the Basilisk, if you see him run for your life! Keep away from the Cyclops, he’s a very big and very mean guy. You’ll not want to look at Medusa because there’s that poor option of turning to stone. The book does offer a few nice creatures such as, Pegasus the beautiful white horse with wings, and the fiery Phoenix who is reborn out of the ashes over and over again. Calef Brown’s artwork is fun and playful with shades of sour-apple green, turquoise blue and terracotta orange.

Of course, this brings on a surge of memories of The Lightening Thief featuring the notorious and wonderous Percy Jackson. Our hero, as A.D.D. as he is , is always finding a ways to get nasty creatures to chase after him. Percy soon finds out that his life as he knew it is not really the truth. He has been cloistered away from the world of gods and goddesses in which he really should be involved with since he is related to one of the most famous gods of all. As Percy learning how to deal with his new half godliness, he decides to go on a quest to find out who has stolen Zues' lightening rod. The book is excellent and full of great surprises. You'll want to read this one just to catch up on your Greek Mythology!

Pumpkin Queen Girl

I know that October has passed and we have long moved on from Halloween, however I recently I had the extreme pleasure of reading this sweet book. I think it is a definite keeper and could be quite special for any pumpkin lover. I love the fall and I wish I could have pumpkins all year round.To honor her Mother who passed away when she was six, eleven year old Mildred is determined to win the Circleville, Ohio, Pumpkin Show in Me and the Pumpkin Queen by Marlane Kennedy. Unfortunately, something awful always happens to her pumpkins and they turn to mush. Mildred´s obsession with pumpkins alarms her Aunt Arlene so she tries to get Mildred interested in clothes instead of pumpkins. Will Mildred´s dream of growing a prize-winning pumpkin ever come true? This book is a sweet coming-of-age story that also introduces readers to pumpkin growing competitions. As Mildred finds out, it requires much more than luck to produce a thousand pound champion! If you are interested in this topic, take a look at the website featured in the book www.pumpkinshow.com.

Hope this makes you hungry!

My other hope is to start evaluating magical characters in children's literature. This evaluation is going to be called "Magical dudes and chicks in children's literature" and will focus on any character that has magical abilities. This will also include telekinetic and spiritual powers as well. We shall see how this goes! Here is a review I just wrote for work and I hope it makes you hungry and want to read this book as well!

In "The Perfect Hamburger and other Delicious Stories" by Alexander McCall Smith, you get three hilariously cooked up tales all in one book. First, in The Perfect Hamburger, Joe's favorite hamburger joint is going to go out of business unless he can figure out the ingredients for the perfect hamburger. Will he get it right before it's too late? Second, in "The Spaghetti Tangle", John and Nicky would love to eat spaghetti all day long, but instead they get vegetarian dishes. To get a decent meal they enter a recipe contest. When they win a visit to Mr. Pipelli’s spaghetti factory they are thrilled! You'll never guess what happens when they come face to face with the spaghetti spinner! And third, in "The Doughnut Ring", Jim tries to help Mr. Pride by coming up with a fundraiser to sell doughnuts. He decides to send out tons of emails asking for donations. This seems to work, but it soon gets out of control and Jim finds himself practically covered in doughnuts! Will he be able to sell all of his yummy treats, or will he be stuck with the sticky goods forever?

This is the place!

This is the place, this is where it all happens! I am so excited to be writing on my blog again. It has been a long time and I have so much to tell. I have gone on a journey that has exceeded all possibilities. Tomorrow I start a new job that has been a dream of mine for quite a while. I am going to be working in a middle school library. I will be surrounded by young adult books which is so fantastic.

I am hoping for lots of luck on my new adventure, but I'm pretty sure I won't need it!