Curriculum Laboratory
Best Read-Aloud Books Gr. 6 to 8
For further assistance in using any of the resources in the Lab, please ask at the Curriculum Lab Information Services Desk
In 2013, the browsing collection of these titles will be found at the beginning of our Fiction Collection. The lists and the collection make an excellent place to start, if you are looking for
well reviewed titles to share with your students. Read-aloud books are also great for independent reading choices, as can be seen from the reviews. As these titles are ordered and received
into the collection, you will also be able to browse these titles in the catalogue by searching for “read aloud books” or “bestread.” You can also add your favourite subject to your search to
find great read-alouds for the classroom curriculum. The grade level recommendations are to be considered an approximation. You be the judge if your students would like a title in your
particular grade. Note: “EC” level on any of the titles indicates it as a read aloud suitable for preschool children. The read-aloud level is usually lower than the independent reading level, so
also pay attention to the reading level in the reviews, if the title is to be read independently by children.. Many of these titles are also found in the main Curriculum Laboratory collection, so
check the library catalogue.
These Read Aloud Lists were consulted:
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Read Aloud America, found at: http://www.readaloudamerica.org/
Great Books To Read Aloud, found at: http://www.randomhousesites.co.uk/childrens/GreatBookstoReadAloud/Great%20Books.pdf
The Treasury of Read-Alouds by Jim Trelease, found at: http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/rah-treasury-intro.html
E.B. White Read Aloud Awards
The Alberta Read Aloud Registry
EPL Books To Read Aloud, Good Read Alouds For The Family, NYPL Great Books For PreK To Read Aloud, from Lethbridge Public Library’s Bibliocommons lists.
The reviews are quoted from Books In Print Online, used under the Fair Dealing clause for research and reviewing purposes.
Helpful brochures: (found at http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/brochures.html)
• Why Read Aloud to Children?
• Thirty DO's to Remember When Reading Aloud
• A Dozen DON'Ts to Remember When Reading Aloud
Genres Information:
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For information on genres, including definitions, favourite authors and titles, and links to more best books lists, see our handout at: http://www.uleth.ca/education/sites/education/
files/genres.pdf
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Bibliographic
Information:
Review:
Abrahams, Peter
Into the dark
2008
School Library Journal: Gr 5-8-The third installment (Laura Geringer Books, 2008) in Peter Abraham's Echo Falls Mystery series is a bit slow to start, but
soon develops into a riveting story that will have listeners guessing until the end. Ingrid, a 13-year-old amateur sleuth, discovers a body on her grandfather's
farm while she is out snowshoeing with a friend. Her grandfather is arrested and charged with the murder, and Ingrid sets out to clear his name, even though
the evidence is stacked against him. Julie Dretzin's clear and flowing narration remains calm even at the height of tension when Ingrid is locked in a closet,
and her deep, smooth voice makes for easy listening. Those new to the series may be a bit confused about the grandfather's unusual relations with the
community, but that should only entice them to the earlier, equally engrossing novels in which these problems are more fully explained.-Karen T. Bilton,
Mary Jacobs Memorial Library, Rocky Hill, NJ
Applet, Kathi
David Small
(Illustrator)
The underneath
2012
School Library Journal: Gr 4-8-Appelt brings Southern Gothic to the middle grade set. Three separate but eventually entwined stories are told piecemeal.
There is the tale of an abandoned, pregnant calico cat who finds shelter and friendship with the bloodhound, Ranger. He is the abused and neglected pet of
Gar Face, a broken-jawed recluse who lives in the Texas bayou, where he fled 25 years previously to escape an abusive father. And finally there is the story
of Grandmother Moccasin, a shape-shifting water snake who has lain dormant in a jar for a thousand years, buried beneath a loblolly pine tree. The threads
are brought together when Puck, one of the newborn kittens, breaks the rule of straying from the safety of The Underneath, the sliver of space beneath Gar
Face's porch where Ranger is chained and the cats live. The pace of this book is meandering, and there is a clear effort by the dominant third-person narrator
to create a lyrical, ancient tone. However, the constant shift of focus from one story line to the next is distracting and often leads to lost threads. Small's
black-and-white illustrations add a certain languid moodiness to the text. Themes of betrayal, hope, and love are reflected in the three stories, but this is a
leisurely, often discouraging journey to what is ultimately an appropriate ending.-Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA
Bathurst, Bella
The wreckers: A story
of killing seas and
plundered
shipwrecks, for the
18th-Century to the
present day
2005
Bella Bathurst's first book, the acclaimed The Lighthouse Stevensons,told the story of Scottish lighthouse construction by the ancestors of Robert Louis
Stevenson. Now she returns to the sea to search out the darker side of those lights, detailing the secret history of shipwrecks and the predatory scavengers who
live off the spoils. Even today, Britain's coastline remains a dangerous place. An island soaked by four separate seas, with shifting sand banks to the east,
veiled reefs to the west, powerful currents above, and the world's busiest shipping channel below, the country's offshore waters are strewn with shipwrecks.
For villagers scratching out an existence along Britain's shores, those wrecks have been more than simply an act of God; in many cases, they have been the
difference between living well and just getting by. Though Daphne Du Maurier made Cornwall Britain's most notorious region for wrecking, many other
coastal communities regarded the "sea's bounty" as an impromptu way of providing themselves with everything from grapefruits to grand pianos. Some
plunderers were held to be so skilled that they could strip a ship from stem to stern before the Coast Guard had even left port, some were rumored to lure ships
onto the rocks with false lights, and some simply waited for winter gales to do their work. From all around Britain, Bathurst has uncovered the hidden history
of ships and shipwreck victims, from shoreline orgies so Dionysian that few participants survived the morning to humble homes fitted with silver candelabra,
from coastlines rigged like stage sets to villages where everyone owns identical tennis shoes. Spanning three hundred years of history, The Wreckers examines
the myths, the realities, and the superstitions of shipwrecks and uncovers the darker side of life on Britain's shores.
Bedard, Michael
A darker magic
1987
Booklist: Gr. 6-8. Miss Potts, Emily's schoolteacher, was terrified when she was a child by a strange magic show that seemed too horrible to be an illusion.
Now Emily has found a poster announcing exactly the same show once again starring Professor Mephisto. Even the date August 8 is the same, though Miss
Potts saw her show back in 1936. At the same time, unbeknownst to Emily and Miss Potts, another student, Craig Chandler, is falling under the spell of a
mysterious boy named Scott who has his own role in the magic show. Bedard weaves these threads together into a credible mystery/fantasy, though his florid,
on occasion confusing, writing style demands a good reader. Still, those who enjoy a taste of the occult will find themselves drawn in, their attentions held
right to the end.
2
Bibliographic
Information:
Review:
Bedard, Michael
Redwork
1990
Booklist: Gr.7-10. There is something about the hideous old house that attracts Cass, so he is glad when his mother decides to rent its vacant second floor
apartment. The place is good enough and certainly cheap, but their landlord, the reclusive Mr. Magus, is another matter. So frightened of him are neighborhood
children that they pay Sid, a local teenage thug, to protect them. Cass thinks Sid is despicable for cheating the kids (and for harassing the old man), but he
agrees that Magus' behavior is strange. Even stranger is what Cass finds in his bedroom closet--a picture of a snake swallowing its own tail. Bedard spins an
eerie web, combining the mystery surrounding Magus with the tensions of Cass' everyday existence. But when Cass and his friend Maddy discover the truth
about the old man, the plot slows, and while Bedard has done a fine job of making Sid a frightening presence in Cass' life, he leaves the boys' relationship
unresolved. The author promises more than he finally delivers here, but he supplies plenty of tension all the same. His characters are well drawn, too, and the
combination of magic and real-life evil, on which everything turns, is a tantalizing lure that many teenagers won't be able to pass up. ~--Stephanie Zvirin
Brooks, Martha
Being with Henry
1999
Books in Canada: Laker Wyatt is nearly seventeen and doesnt have any place to go. His somewhat hapless and irresponsible mother, Audrey, has kicked him
out after a particularly nasty altercation with his stepfather, Rick, has escalated from verbal cockfighting to physical violence. From Lakers perspective, Rick
the Prick has forced himself between mother and son, and Audrey has betrayed and abandoned him. He hops a bus and ends up in Bemidji, Minnesota, without
a dime, living on the streets, until he is rescued by eighty-three-year-old Henry Olsen, who offers him a job, food, shelter, and, in time, his extraordinary
friendship. Henry might be willing to open his home and his heart to Laker but there is a price: Henrys family. His overprotective, interfering daughter makes
it quite clear she doesnt like Laker staying with her father, while her daughter sees Laker as a threat to her comfortable relationship with her grandfather. Laker
has mixed feelings about being with Henry: he is grateful for Henrys generosity, but he also wants to be independent as soon as possible. Being with Henry is
quite simply an extraordinary novel. That will certainly come as no surprise to fans of award-winning novelist Martha Brooks; her last novel, Bone Dance,
won the 1998 Ruth Schwartz Award and the Canadian Library Associations Young Adult Book Award. Brooks first introduced readers to Laker and Henry in
the short story, The Kindness of Strangers, which appears in her 1994 collection, Travelling On into the Light. From the germ of this short story, shes built a
densely rich novel that is not only profoundly moving, but is written with delicate grace and a subtle sense of humour. Brooks adroitly weaves us into the
complex lives of her characters, but she leaves plenty of room for imagination. Shes not the kind of writer who feels the need to tell all. Indeed, part of what
makes Being with Henry so striking is what Brooks leaves unsaid. As you delve deeper into the novel, you realize that you have bits and pieces of stories. Its
with a stunning series of deft and delicate brushstrokes that Brooks draws you into the novels world, leaving you breathless. Being with Henry explores much
territory. Parenting, the nature of friendships, aging, the nuclear family, marriage, first love, artistic expression and the power of wordsall are handled with
sensitivity, insight, and amazing integrity.
Choldenko, Gennifer
Al Capone does my
shirts
2004
Publishers Weekly: Set on Alcatraz Island in 1935, Choldenko's (Notes from a Liar and Her Dog) exceptionally atmospheric novel has equally unusual
characters and plot lines. Twelve-year-old narrator Moose Flanagan has just moved to the island, where his father has been hired as an electrician and guard.
At first Moose is spooked at being in such close proximity to the nation's most notorious criminals, and he doesn't know what to make of the all-powerful
warden's bossy daughter, Piper, who flouts her father's rule about talking about the convicts ("You say [Al Capone's] name and hordes of reporters come
crawling out of the woodwork ready to write stories full of foolish lies," the warden explains). At school, on the mainland, Piper hatches a scheme to make
money from classmates ("Once in a lifetime opportunity! Get your clothes laundered by Al Capone and other world-famous public enemies!... Only costs 5
cents") and forces Moose to help her. Moose has reasons for staying on Piper's good side: his older sister, Natalie, has what would now be called autism, and
Moose worries that her behavior will land the family in trouble with the warden. (Natalie's condition is so poorly understood that an expert tells her desperate
mother, "An interesting case... you should consider donating her brain to science when she dies.") Choldenko captures the tense, nuanced family dynamics
touched off by Natalie's disability as skillfully as she handles the mystique of Alcatraz and the exchanges between Moose and his friends. Fast-paced and
memorable. Ages 10-up.
3
Bibliographic
Information:
Review:
Clements, Andrew
Things hoped for
2006
School Library Journal: Gr 4-8-Jennifer Roy's partially fictionalized retelling (Marshall Cavendish, 2006) of her Aunt Syvia's life in 1939 Poland recounts the
true experiences of a 4-year-old child who is forced into a well-guarded ghetto with nearly 300,000 Lodz Jews who lived in fear, poverty, and starvation.
Many years after the end of WWII, Syvia Perlmutter was able to share with her niece the terrible story of the family's ordeal during the Holocaust. In free
verse form, Roy writes from the perspective of a child from 1930 to 1945, bringing to life what it was like to live in the Jewish ghetto. Of all those
incarcerated in Lodz, only 12 children and 800 adults survived the war. Christina Moore does a brilliant job as narrator, perfectly voicing Syvia, her father,
and all the other people. From just listening to the audiobook, it is not apparent that the book is written in free verse. A must for all Holocaust collections.-B.
Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Library, Sag Harbor, NY
Clements, Andrew
Things not seen
2002
School Library Journal: Gr 6 Up-"-I turn on the bathroom light and wipe the fog off the mirror to comb my hair.-I'm not there. That's what I'm saying. I'm.
Not. There." Thus starts the adventure of Bobby Phillips, who wakes up one morning to find that somehow he has turned invisible. The 15-year-old and his
parents live with the worry of what happens if they can't figure out how to reverse his condition. With a nod in the direction of H. G. Wells's Invisible Man,
Clements allows readers to speculate what it would be like to be invisible. As they see Bobby deal with his situation, they also experience his fears of being
alone, unable to talk to his friends, or to tell anyone for fear of the consequences. He reaches out to a blind girl, Alicia Van Dorn, and together they begin to
fight back as best as they can. The quest for visibility becomes even more frantic when the school officials and the local police decide that Bobby is the
victim of foul play. The threat of having his parents thrown in jail for his own murder makes the teen even more desperate to find out what happened to him.
Clements's story is full of life; it's poignant, funny, scary, and seemingly all too possible. The author successfully blends reality with fantasy in a tale that
keeps his audience in suspense until the very end.-Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ
Colfer, Eoin
Half-moon
investigations
2006
Booklist: Gr. 4-6. Colfer's newest offering has all the earmarks of another multibook endeavor, but one that is very different from his hugely popular Artemis
Fowl series. This time his protagonist is short, nerdy, 12-year-old Fletcher Moon, youngest P.I. on the planet (certainly the youngest in his small Irish
hometown), with a much-prized badge from a correspondence school to prove it. When popular, 10-year-old April Devereux retains him to find dirt on the
school's most notorious disruptors, the Sharkey brothers, Half Moon can't resist. It isn't long, however, before Fletcher realizes that the Sharkeys aren't the
problem and that his best option to get to the bottom of things (including a surprisingly vicious beating that lands him in the hospital) and smooth out the mess
his ham-fisted investigation has produced is to team up with a Sharkey. The private-eye lingo has a great, comical grade-school snap, and even if Half Moon's
investigative endeavors are more preposterous than mysterious, the kid's goofy charm and stubborn dedication to crime solving will win him a hefty,
enthusiastic following. --Stephanie Zvirin
Conly, Jane Leslie
Crazy lady!
1993
Horn Book Magazine: Vernon and his friends discover that as seventh graders they are too old to play games with kids on the block and too young to go to
work. With nothing better to do, they hang around the street. But Vernon gets a job helping out Maxine, the neighborhood 'crazy lady,' and her mentally
retarded son. Vernon's instinctive ability to connect with the boy has an authentic ring to it, as does the narrative's first-person voice and its description of the
dilapidated, but cohesive, urban neighborhood.
4
Bibliographic
Information:
Review:
Curtis, Christopher
Paul
Elijah of Buxton
2007
School Library Journal: Gr 4-8-Eleven-year-old Elijah Freeman has two claims to fame: he was the first free black to have been born in Buxton, an actual
settlement in Canada established in 1849 by the abolitionist Reverend William King; and, during his infancy, he threw up all over the visiting Frederick
Douglass. Elijah is an engaging protagonist, and whether he is completing his chores or lamenting his Latin studies or experiencing his first traveling
carnival, his descriptions are full of charm and wonder. Although his colloquial language may prove challenging for some readers, it brings an authenticity
and richness to the story that is well worth the extra effort that it might require. While some of the neighbors believe Elijah to be rather simple, and even his
mother tends to overprotect her "fra-gile" boy, his true character shines out when a disaster occurs in the close community. Elijah's neighbor, Mr. Leroy, has
been saving money for years to buy freedom for his wife and children who are still in the U.S. When this money is stolen, Elijah blames himself for
inadvertently helping the thief and, risking capture by slave catchers, crosses the border into Detroit to get it back. His guileless recounting of the people he
meets and the horrors he sees will allow readers to understand the dangers of the Underground Railroad without being overwhelmed by them. Elijah's
decisions along the way are not easy ones, but ultimately lead to a satisfying conclusion. Curtis's talent for dealing with painful periods of history with grace
and sensitivity is as strong as ever.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Doyle, Brian
Up to low
1992
Winner of the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Award Young Tommy and Baby Bridget, the girl with the trillium-shaped eyes, discover that
living, healing and dying are not always what they seem. And they make that discovery with the help of a wonderful cast of characters, including Crazy
Mickey, Frank and the Hummer. Award-winning author Brian Doyle spent the summers of his boyhood in the Gatineau Hills, the setting forUp to Low.
DuPrau, Jeanne
City of ember
2003
Booklist: Gr. 5-7. Ember, a 241-year-old, ruined domed city surrounded by a dark unknown, was built to ensure that humans would continue to exist on
Earth, and the instructions for getting out have been lost and forgotten. On Assignment Day, 12-year-olds leave school and receive their lifetime job
assignments. Lina Mayfleet becomes a messenger, and her friend Doon Harrow ends up in the Pipeworks beneath the city, where the failing electric generator
has been ineffectually patched together. Both Lina and Doon are convinced that their survival means finding a way out of the city, and after Lina discovers
pieces of the instructions, she and Doon work together to interpret the fragmented document. Life in this postholocaust city is well limned--the frequent
blackouts, the food shortage, the public panic, the search for answers, and the actions of the powerful, who are taking selfish advantage of the situation.
Readers will relate to Lina and Doon's resourcefulness and courage in the face of ominous odds. --Sally Estes
Ellis, Sarah
Back of beyond:
stories of the
supernatural
1996
Booklist: Gr. 6-10. The dozen stories in Ellis' collection will remind readers of William Sleator's best work. They begin firmly anchored in real-world
problems, which are always resolved by the stories' end. Somewhere in the middle, however, they slip neatly off into another dimension, where time is skewed
and even Mr. Potato Head can be a savior. Ordinary objects and problems become extraordinary: a superhero doll is an agent of healing in "Fix"; an Internet
chat room encounter saves a life in "Net"; a long-lost gift resurfaces in "Knife"; and mystical, riddle-telling campers help a girl edging toward death in
"Visitors." The stories are consistently well written, and Ellis seems to have had a wonderful time creating 12 intriguing, completely different views of the
supernatural--from the playfully weird to the truly eerie. The attractive jacket will immediately capture browsers; its striking cover photo glows with an
unearthly green light that perfectly matches the tone of the stories. From beginning to end, this is a top-notch collection that will delight readers. --Chris
Sherman
Fleischman, Sid
Humbug mountain
1978
Welcome to Humbug Mountain. Little did Wiley, the son of a traveling newspaperman, imagine that the search for his grandfather would lead him into the
hands of those nasty villains of the West--Shagnasty John and the Fool Killer. Using their newspaper,The Humbug Mountain Hoorah,Wiley and his sister and
mother go about outwitting the outlaws in their scheme to ambush Grandfather's new boat and its cargo of gold.
5
Bibliographic
Information:
Review:
Fletcher, Ralph
Flying solo
1998
Booklist: Gr. 5-8. What happens when a sixth-grade class is left unsupervised for a whole day? One might imagine that anything but learning would occur. But
when a class usually led by a gifted teacher is left to its own devices, something unusual happens: when the substitute teacher fails to show, the children in Mr.
Fabiano's class decide to run the day according to the strict but enjoyable routine ingrained in them by their creative, beloved teacher. Rest assured Fletcher's
characters aren't goody-goodies. Rather, they are coconspirators as a countdown clock builds the tension: Will they make it through the day without being
found out? As they go through their rote exercises, the kids gain self-assurance and self-reliance. They also come to terms with their feelings of guilt, grief, and
sorrow about a classmate who died six months earlier. Fletcher expertly balances a wide variety of emotions, giving readers a story that is by turns sad,
poignant, and funny, and, little by little, realistic portraits of the complicated kids emerge. There's no Lord of the Flies anarchy in this thoughtful, absorbing
novel, which has a story that will linger long after the book is closed. --Kathleen Squires
Gaiman, Neil
The graveyard book
2008
Voice of Youth Advocates: An assassin creeps upstairs to murder the only survivor of a slaughtered family. But the baby boy is gone. Innocently he has
climbed from his crib, bottom-bumped downstairs, and headed outside, before toddling into a nearby graveyard. There ghostly Mrs. Owens, who has always
longed for a child, realizes his danger and determines to adopt him. A lively debate erupts among the graveyard ghosts. Mrs. Owens finally gets her way after
Silas, a mysterious visitor in the graveyard, volunteers to be his guardian and to bring him food. The baby, formally named Nobody Owens, is voted the
freedom of the graveyard and there he thrives, loved and cared for. The freedom of the graveyard bestows ghostly talents, and Bod is taught useful skills like
Fading and Haunting. But beyond his safe home there is danger. Bod stumbles into frightening adventures in this world and another, and Silas faces death
fighting an ancient Fraternal Order determined to kill the boy. Gaiman writes with charm and humor, and again he has a real winner. Readers quickly begin
to care about Bod and the graveyard residents. Bod's encounter with the ghouls is brilliantly inventive. Miss Lupsecu, his substitute guardian while Silas is
away, is dry-as-dust strict, a bad cook, and a friend to the death. The conclusion is satisfying, but it leaves room for a sequel. Everyone who reads this book
will hope fervently that the very busy author gets around to writing one soon.-Rayna Patton.
Gardner, Graham
Inventing Elliot
2003
School Library Journal: Gr 7-9-Teased by bullies in his old school, Elliot is determined to reinvent himself at his new high school by donning a cool,
unflappable exterior. Ironically, the 14-year-old's aloofness earns the interest of an elite group of bullies, known as the Guardians, whose members target
school losers for punishment in cruel and ritualistic ways. In this psychological drama, the outwardly congenial Guardian leaders, who are never seen "in the
company of actual violence," recruit Elliot using control tactics adopted from their favorite book, George Orwell's 1984. With no way out, he passes the
initiation test that requires him to choose a punisher and a victim. Elliot's outward voice alternates with an inner voice written in italics, depicting a battle of
sensibilities. Two valuable but tentative friendships disintegrate as Elliot becomes more Guardianlike, and the struggles with his conscience intensify. In an
emotion-packed ending, the teen realizes that the strength he had in choosing not to be a victim is the same strength he needs to uncloak the Guardians. Elliot
is an appealing protagonist, and his need to fit in will strike a chord with most readers.-Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY
Halvorson, Marilyn
Cowboys don’t cry
1984
Shane Morgan's father has just inherited a small ranch. After years of following the rodeo circuit, Shane can now look forward to having a real home. What
will it take before he and his father can make this new life work?
Hamilton, Virginia
The planet of Junior
Brown
1988
A Newbery Honor Book. "Two black eighth-grade boys in New York--one a neurotic, obese, musical prodigy, the other a homeless, tough-minded child of the
streets--are the protagonists in an extraordinary story of heroism and survival and the interdependence of human beings".--ALA Notable Children's Books
Committee.Ages 8-12.
6
Bibliographic
Information:
Review:
Harrison, Troon
A bushel of light
2000
School Library Journal: Gr 5-8-Maggie Curnow is haunted by the memory of being separated from her twin sister, Thomasina. Told in first person, this novel
set in Canada in the early 1900s begins with Maggie's reflections on her life. Born in coastal England, she and her sister were sent to relatives after both
parents died. An aunt sent her away to an orphanage at age eight. Then she worked on Matthew Howard's farm. Now 14, Maggie is eligible to earn wages.
She hopes the money will buy her freedom to look for her sister, but her plans are shattered when she discovers that her meager income will be kept for her
until her 21st birthday. She decides to run away, but is held back by another obstacle, her responsibilities for four-year-old Lizzy Howard, whose mother is
dysfunctional. With unwavering determination, the teen finds a way to take care of Lizzy and to look for her sister. Through Harrison's vivid descriptions,
readers will feel they are joining Maggie on her journey. The authentic dialogue adds to the richness of the story. Even when she is reunited with her sister,
interest in what will happen to them next continues. Include A Bushel of Light in your next booktalk about heroines.-Linda L. Plevak, Saint Mary's Hall, San
Antonio, TX
Hiaasen, Carl
Flush
2005
School Library Journal: Gr 5-8-Noah and his sister, Abbey, are more understanding of their volatile dad's latest arrest than their mother, who begins talking of
divorce. Dad sank the Coral Queen, a casino boat on a Florida Key because, he alleges, its owner, Dusty Muleman, has been illegally dumping raw sewage
into the local waters. Soon enough the kids begin trying to gather proof that will vindicate their father and put the casino out of business. The colorful cast
includes a drunken lout named Lice who disappears before he can be persuaded to testify against Dusty, his former boss. His rough-around-the-edges
girlfriend, Shelly, comes through, though, helping the siblings dump dye in the boat's holding tanks, which finally brings the matter to court. Dusty's son,
Jasper, is a chip off the old block, threatening and beating Noah on several occasions until he and, later, Abbey are rescued by a mysterious stranger who
turns out to be their grandfather, long ago thought to have died in South America, probably while involved in drug smuggling. As the tale ends, he's back to
Colombia to settle old scores. The plot would practically disappear if any one of the major characters had a cell phone, but the environmental story is front
and center and readers will be hooked as the good guys try to do the right thing. This quick-reading, fun, family adventure harkens back to the Hardy Boys in
its simplicity and quirky characters.-Joel Shoemaker, Southeast Junior High School, Iowa City, IA
Horowitz, Anthony
Raven’s Gate
2006
Voice of Youth Advocates: In the first installment of his new Gatekeepers series, Horowitz moves from the action-thriller genre in his Alex Rider series to
action-supernatural. Matt is a fourteen-year-old orphan in trouble with the law, and the magistrate who hears his case decides to enter him into a special
project that sends juvenile offenders to live in the country with foster parents. Almost immediately Matt wishes that he had been sent to a perfectly normal
juvenile detention center. Something is very odd about the village of Lesser Malling. Roads lead nowhere, a dead cat reappears alive and well, voices whisper
at night, and something is going on in the woods. It gradually becomes clear that a great battle between good and evil is brewing, and Matt is wanted by both
sides, although for different reasons. Horowitz does a great job of ratcheting up the tension and building to an exciting climax at the site of an ancient gate
between worlds. His writing is fast paced and entertaining, despite occasional inconsistencies and abrupt changes in point of view, sometimes even within the
same paragraph. Younger teens who like an exciting adventure mixed with supernatural horror will thrill to Matt's story and look forward to the next
installment.-Sarah Flowers.
Ibbotson, Eva
Journey to the river
sea
2002
Publishers Weekly: Ibbotson (Island of the Aunts) offers another larger-than-life adventure featuring lovable heroes and heroines, nasty villains, much hilarity
and a deliciously gnarled plot. In 1910, Maia, an English orphan, accompanied by her newly appointed governess, Miss Minton, sets off to Brazil to live with
distant cousins. She dreams of exploring the banks of the Amazon and viewing exotic wildlife, but her self-serving cousins and their spoiled twin daughters
despise the outdoorsDalmost as much as they despise Maia. The heroine feels like a prisoner, forced to live inside the "dark clinical green" walls of her
relatives' bungalow. Her life would be dismal indeed, if she didn't sneak out every once in a while to meet up with two other orphans with whom she has
crossed paths: Clovis, a traveling actor, who longs to return to England, and Finn, a rich heir, who would rather live with the "Indians" than be sent to the
British estate where his grandfather eagerly awaits his arrival. Suspense steadily rises as all three of the children attempt to escape their undesired fates.
Thanks to a series of surprising coincidences and strokes of good luck, the orphans manage to change their destinies. Although the book's dnouement drags
on a bit long, readers will come away with the satisfaction of knowing that the good guys are amply rewarded with bright futures and the bad guys get their
just deserts. Ages 10-up.
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Bibliographic
Information:
Review:
Johnston, Julie
The only outcast
1998
School Library Journal: Gr 7 Up-A coming-of-age story set in Canada in 1904. The eldest of four siblings, Fred Dickinson, 16, is a disappointment to his
demanding, often cruel father. The teen is shy, introspective, and small for his age, and has a severe stutter; all of these factors contribute to his self-doubts. In
addition, he still grieves over the sudden death of his mother a few years before. Fortunately, Fred does have the love and respect of his two younger brothers
and his sister. When the youngsters go off to spend six weeks at their grandparents' summer cottage, it proves to be a turning point in Fred's life. He falls in
love for the first time and finally feels a real sense of who he is. In the outdoors, he realizes how he wants to live his life. Of course, his father understands
nothing. He expects his son to be sensible and take the job he has arranged for him in the city. Father and son never entirely resolve their conflicts, but they do
eventually come to an understanding. Fred grows considerably over the summer and faces the future with a new sense of optimism. Johnston's characters are
fully drawn, vivid, and always believable. The author incorporates enough adventure and humor to keep the plot moving and creates a strong sense of time and
place. As adolescent fiction goes, this novel is relatively quiet and gentle. Yet, readers who are embroiled in their own conflicts with family and self will
appreciate it.-Edward Sullivan, New York Public Library
Kadohata, Cynthia
Cracker!: The best
dog in Vietnam
Voice of Youth Advocates: When Willie's family is compelled to move to a Chicago apartment where dogs are not allowed, the heartbroken eleven-year-old
must give up his young German shepherd, Cracker. It is the 1960s, and the U.S. Army is looking for German shepherds and Labs to be trained for military
service in Vietnam. At Fort Benning, Cracker is paired with handler trainee Rick Hanski, who enlisted in the Army straight out of high school, seeking more
excitement than he expects to find in his family's hardware store in his small Minnesota hometown. Although Cracker never forgets Willie, she eventually
bonds with Rick to form an effective team in an IPSD (Infantry Platoon Scout Dog) unit bound for Vietnam. There Rick and Cracker take point on dangerous
jungle missions in which Cracker finds plenty of opportunities to locate deadly Viet Cong booby traps and sniff out enemy ambushes. The story is told from
several points of view, human and canine. Scenes contrasting Cracker's feelings and reactions with those of the people around her are especially effective.
Kadohata is best known for conveying the Japanese American experience through young female narrators in Newbery Medalist Kira-Kira (Atheneum/S & S,
2004/VOYA August 2004), and Weedflower (2006/VOYA February 2006). Here she chronicles a different sort of collision between Asian and American
cultures, centering on a canine who loyally serves her handler, oblivious to the politics of the Vietnam conflict. She creates a good story for dog lovers and
military buffs, including photos and factual information about the use of dogs in the Vietnam War.-Walter Hogan.
Kadohata, Cynthia
Weedflower
2006
Publishers Weekly: Set in America immediately before the attack on Pearl Harbor, this insightful novel by the Newbery-winning author of Kira-Kira traces
the experiences of a Japanese-American girl and her family. Sixth-grader Sumiko, the only Asian student in her class, has always felt like an outcast. Early
on, a heartbreaking scene foreshadows events to come, when Sumiko arrives at a classmate's birthday party and is told by the hostess to wait outside on the
porch, and is then sent away. The girl's feelings of isolation turn to fear after the United States declares war on Japan. First, government officials take away
Sumiko's uncle and grandfather. Then her aunt must sell their California flower farm; they are transported to a makeshift camp and later to a NativeAmerican reservation in Poston, Ariz. Living like a prisoner in the desert, Sumiko nearly succumbs to what her grandfather termed "ultimate boredom" ("that
mean close to lose mind," he explains). But Sumiko finds hope and a form of salvation as a beautiful garden she creates and a friendship with a Native
American boy, Frank, both begin to blossom. The contrast between the Native Americans' plight and that of the interned may enlighten many readers ("They
take our land and put you on it. They give you electricity," snaps Frank). Kadohata clearly and eloquently conveys her heroine's mixture of shame, anger and
courage. Readers will be inspired by Sumiko's determination to survive and flourish in a harsh, unjust environment. Ages 11-up.
Kerr, P.B.
The day of the djinn
warriors
2008
From the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author P. B. Kerr comes the fourth volume in this exceptional, imaginative adventure series about a brother and
sister who discover they are djinns. Djinn twins John and Philippa are off on another whirlwind adventure that takes them around the globe and into unknown
worlds. And it's a race against time as they attempt to rescue their mother from her fate as the Blue Djinn of Babylon. An aging curse has been placed on their
father, and if the twins are gone too long, he'll rapidly become an old man. Meanwhile, museums all over the world are reporting robberies of valuable jade
from their collections, as well as bizarre hauntings.
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Kerr, P.B.
Ther grave robbers of
Genghis Khan
2011
The final installment of P. B. Kerr's magical Children of the Lamp series! Djinn twins John and Philippa are off on another enchanting and dangerous
adventure in this last book in the bestselling Children of the Lamp series. As volcanoes begin erupting all over the world, spilling golden lava, the twins must
go on a hunt for the wicked character who has robbed the grave of the great Genghis Khan. Can the twins stop this latest disaster before the world is
overwhelmed? Join John and Philippa, Uncle Nimrod, and Groanin as they fight to defeat an evil more determined than any they've ever faced before...
Key, Watt
Alabama moon
2006
Booklist: This excellent novel of survival and adventure begins with the death of young Moon's father, an antigovernment radical who has been living off the
land in rural Alabama with Moon for years. Moon has never known any truth but his dad's, and so he tries to continue his father's lifestyle. Unfortunately,
Moon quickly finds himself in the claws of civilization, as personified by a sadistic cop. After a brief stint in jail (a lifetime of hunting and gathering leaves
Moon hilariously pleased with the prison food), Moon again lights out for the territories, only to be recaptured and end up in reform school. Of course, no
reform school is gonna keep Moon in check. Key's first novel is populated with memorable characters--such as Moon's reform-school buddy's dad, whose life
is devoted to drinking and shooting machine guns--and studded with utterly authentic details about rural Alabama and survivalism. Stylistically, the book is
perfectly paced, and Moon's narration is thoroughly believable. A terrific choice for reluctant readers and also for fans of Gary Paulsen's Brian novels. --Ilene
Cooper
Klages, Ellen
The green glass sea
2006
Horn Book Magazine: (Intermediate, Middle School) Dewey, ten, embarks alone on a mysterious train trip from her grandmother's home in St. Louis to New
Mexico, where she will rejoin her often-absent mathematician father. It's 1943, and Dewey's dad is working at Los Alamos-""the Hill""-with hundreds of
other scientists and their families. Klages evokes both the big-sky landscape of the Southwest and a community where ""everything is secret"" with inviting
ease and the right details, focusing particularly on the society of the children who live there. Dewey seems comfortable with her own oddness (she's small for
her age, slightly lame, and loves inventing mechanical gizmos) and serves as something of an example to another girl, Suze, who has been trying desperately
to fit in. Their burgeoning friendship sees them through bouts of taunting, their parents' ceaseless attention to ""the gadget,"" personal tragedy, and of course
the test detonation early on July 16, 1945, which the two girls watch from a mesa two hundred miles away: ""Dewey could see the colors and patterns of
blankets and shirts that had been indistinct grays a second before, as if it were instantly morning, as if the sun had risen in the south, just this once."" Cameo
appearances are made by such famous names as Richard Feynman (he helps Dewey build a radio) and Robert Oppenheimer, but the story, an intense but
accessible page-turner, firmly belongs to the girls and their families; history and story are drawn together with confidence.
Larson, Kirby
Hattie Big Sky
2006
Booklist: In this engaging historical novel set in 1918, 16-year-old orphan Hattie Brooks leaves Iowa and travels to a Montana homestead inherited from her
uncle. In the beautiful but harsh setting, she has less than a year to fence and cultivate the land in order to keep it. Neighbors who welcome Hattie help heal the
hurt she has suffered from years of feeling unwanted. Chapters open with short articles that Hattie writes for an Iowa newspaper or her lively letters to a friend
and possible beau who is in the military in France. The authentic first-person narrative, full of hope and anxiety, effectively portrays Hattie's struggles as a
young woman with limited options, a homesteader facing terrible odds, and a loyal citizen confused about the war and the local anti-German bias that
endangers her new friends. Larson, whose great-grandmother homesteaded alone in Montana, read dozens of homesteaders' journals and based scenes in the
book on real events. Writing in figurative language that draws on nature and domestic detail to infuse her story with the sounds, smells, and sights of the
prairie, she creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters. --Kathleen Odean
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Lawrence, Iain
Ghost boy
2000
Quill & Quire: Life hasn't been easy for 14 year-old Harold Kline. He's spent his childhood being victimized by schoolyard toughs because he's an albino with
plaster-white skin, snowy white hair, and thick glasses with black lenses to protect his eyes from the sun. It's 1947 and Harold is still reeling from the wartime
deaths of his father and older brother and his mother's remarriage to a weedy small-town banker he can't stand. When the travelling circus stops in Liberty and
Harold meets tiny Princess Minikin and Samuel the Living Fossil, he decides to run away and join the circus. But despite developing close friendships with the
performers as well as coming up with a sensational new act for the circus elephants, Harold feels he still doesn't quite fit in. Ghost Boy is a dramatic departure
in both theme and setting from Lawrence's first two rollicking high-seas adventure novels for young readers, the 1999 Geoffrey Bilson Award-winning The
Wreckers and its sequel, The Smugglers. And perhaps that very difference is what makes Ghost Boy such a startling and rewarding novel. This is an extremely
accomplished and thoughtful exploration of what it means to be different. Lawrence makes readers truly feel the scope of Harold's dilemma as an outsider,
which is what ultimately makes this novel so powerful. Ghost Boy is set in the past but it deals with contemporary issues through the stories of other outsiders
like Gypsy Magda, victim of the Nazi extermination of the Roma, and Thunder Wakes Him's tales of the decimation of the First Nations by the U.S. army.
While these serious themes are at the heart of the novel, Ghost Boy is also full of great humour, especially in depicting Harold's trials in teaching his
pachyderm pals to play baseball. Like Monica Hughes's The Keeper of the Isis Light and Marthe Jocelyn's Earthly Astonishments, Ghost Boy is a great read
that's profoundly affecting.
Lord, Cynthia
Rules
2006
Publishers Weekly: The appealing, credible narrator at the heart of Lord's debut novel will draw in readers, as she struggles to find order and balance in her
life. Her parents place 12-year-old Catherine in charge of her younger autistic brother more often than she would like. Taking solace in art, the girl fills the
back of her sketchbook with rules she has established for David, "so if my someday-he'll-wake-up-a-regular-brother wish doesn't ever come true, at least
he'll know how the world works, and I won't have to keep explaining things." Sorely missing her best friend, who is away for the summer, and realizing that
the girl who has just moved in next door is not a kindred spirit, Catherine devises some of her own self-protective rules ("When you want to get out of
answering something, distract the questioner with another question"). In the able hands of the author, mother of an autistic child, Catherine's emotions come
across as entirely convincing, especially her alternating devotion to and resentment of David, and her guilt at her impatience with him. Through her artwork,
the heroine gradually opens up to Jason, a wheelchair-bound peer who can communicate only by pointing to words on cards. As she creates new cards that
expand Jason's ability to express his feelings, their growing friendship enables Catherine to do the same. A rewarding story that may well inspire readers to
think about others' points of view. Ages 9-12. (Apr.)
Marcantonio, Patricia
Santos
Red Ridin’ in the
hood: And other
cuentos
Horn Book Magazine: (Intermediate, Middle School) Translate a batch of familiar stories to the American Southwest, spice them with its wildlife plus a
sprinkle of Spanish, and stir in some contemporary mores and concerns; add dollops of humor, and season with wisdom and compassion. Yield: eleven tales
distinguished by unusually rich humanity and details. Settings range from the desert to the urban hood where ""Roja"" is picked up on Forest Street by
""Lobo"" in ""a glossy brown low-rider Chevy with licks of flame painted on the hood,"" salsa blaring. The unfazed Roja and her abuelita deliver Lobo to
the cops (""take my nightgown off that wolf. He's getting hair all over it"") and get to keep Lobo's fine car in return. Gabriela (Gretel), too, is notably feisty:
she tempts the wicked viejita with a spicy recipe for boy, urges her to make the fire hotter, then -- oven door sealed -- prays for forgiveness with a faith as
natural as breathing. ""Blanca Nieves"" is rescued by seven ""vaqueritos"" (little cowboys), while the ""Piper of Harmon+a"" lures hordes of lizards into a
desert chasm. In ""Belleza y La Bestia,"" the offstage conflict between Emperor Maximilian and revolutionary leader Ju+rez deepens the plot, while ""The
Three Chicharrones"" (pork rinds, says the useful glossary) outwit lupine real estate chicanery, then partner to build sturdy ""Residencias
Chicharrones...homes for those just starting out in life."" Nicely enhanced by Brazilian illustrator Alarc+o's satirical, vividly detailed full-page drawings, this
is a delightful debut. (c) Copyright 2010.
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McNaughton, Janet
The secret under my
skin
2005
hool Library Journal: Gr 7 Up-Set in 2368, this dystopian novel offers a glimpse of a potential future for our world. Blay lives in a work camp for homeless
children, where they dig through a garbage dump to retrieve valuable items such as paper. There is not much technology left after the recent technocaust,
when scientists were blamed for environmental disasters and taken to concentration camps. Due to her love of reading, Blay is chosen to help Marella, the
new bio-indicator, with her studies. In the past, these individuals, whose bodies react to poisons in the environment, served as warning mechanisms for
others, but now, as the Earth heals and the danger lessens, they are expected to collect and interpret scientific data. As she helps Marella pass a series of tests,
Blay discovers that she has a natural talent for science. As she starts to live a more normal life, she realizes how misled she has been by the people in charge
of her society. Her knowledge grows along with that of readers', building suspense and making the resolution more satisfying. Blay is a vividly rendered
narrator who exposes her own emotional vulnerability, which enhances her heroism. The setting and culture of the book are equally vividly rendered, offering
a depth that allows readers to believe fully in its premise. The writing is clear and crisp, evoking a magic that enchants. All of these elements make this one
of the top science fiction novels in recent years.-Tasha Saecker, Caestecker Public Library, Green Lake, WI
Messner, Kate
The brilliant fall of
Gianna Z.
2009
School Library Journal: Gr 5-8-Seventh-grader Gianna Zales loves art and cross-country running. She is not so crazy about research projects or anything
involving time-management skills, and has somehow gotten to within a week of the due date of a huge science assignment with no work to show. But how
hard can it be to find and catalog 25 different varieties of leaves-especially in Vermont, where Robert Frost was inspired to write "Birches" and countless
other poems about nature. However, family obligations keep interfering. Her father runs the town's funeral home, but even a close proximity to death can't
prepare her for her own grandmother's decline. Suddenly, Nonna is forgetting everything. Also, Coach Napper has told Gianna that she must bring her
science grade up to participate in sectionals, and beautiful, arrogant Bianca would love to take her place as the team's star runner. Gianna's mother means
well, but is struggling with Nonna's failing health. Youngsters will find much to relate to in this likable protagonist's struggle to balance family and academic
commitments. While it is no surprise when it all comes together in the end, plot twists keep readers engaged, and Messner's warm and humorous tone will
capture even reluctant readers.-Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Oppel, Kenneth
Airborn
2004
Horn Book Magazine: (Middle School, High School) In a breathtaking opening sequence, cabin boy Matt Cruse on the airship Aurora spies a hot-air balloon
slowly sinking in the night sky, its pilot unconscious in the gondola. Within minutes Matt is harnessed and swinging four hundred feet above the ocean for a
daring midair rescue. Though Matt saves balloonist Benjamin Molloy, the elderly man dies the following day after mumbling some cryptic words about
""beautiful creatures."" A year later, Molloy's granddaughter Kate travels on the Aurora hoping to learn more about the strange winged mammals the
balloonist wrote about in his journal. ""Cloud cats""--magnificent creatures that live solely in the air--are among several fanciful elements in this novel,
which is set in an alternate Edwardian-styled past that's both familiar (wireless radios, Lumiere projectors) and exotic (giant ""hydrium""-filled airships
traverse the ""Pacificus"" and ""Atlanticus"" oceans). Matt is a wonderfully enthusiastic narrator whose passion for flight is evident on every page, and he's
well matched by the strong-willed, intellectually curious Kate. Their adventures in this fast-paced, buoyant novel have a sweeping, cinematic feel as pirates
attack the Aurora, the vessel is shipwrecked, and Matt and Kate escape imprisonment just in time to dispatch the bad guys, save the Aurora and its
passengers, and, of course, fall in love.
Oppel, Kenneth
Darkwing
2007
Booklist: *Starred Review* Senior patrol leader of his Hilo, Hawaii, scout troop, eighth-grader Dylan looks forward to camping on the coast in the shadow of
a volcano. But when he hears that Louie, a tough, troubled kid, will be joining the scouts on the trip, Dylan remembers when their paths crossed once before,
and his anticipation turns to dread. Dylan's sense of foreboding is justified tenfold. After a difficult trek to their campsite, an earthquake jolts the ground and
shakes boulders down from the cliff. Then a tsunami engulfs the area. Even in the midst of disaster, Dylan finds that support can come from unexpected
directions. A strong sense of place informs the plot as well as the setting of this convincing story. In an unusually compelling author's note, Salisbury writes
of camping on the site of the 1975 natural disaster at Halape with his cousin, who lived through it as a Boy Scout. Inspired by that earthquake and tsunami, this
vivid adventure soon strips away every vestige of normality, leaving characters dependent on their wits, their skills, and the mysterious spirits of land and sea
for their survival. Salisbury weaves Hawaiian legend into the modern-day narrative to create a haunting, unusual novel that will practically booktalk itself.-Phelan, Carolyn
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Oppel, Kenneth
Dusk
2008
Horn Book Magazine: (Intermediate, Middle School) Natural selection bumps up against established social hierarchies in this bat prehistory (set sixty-five
million years ago) that anticipates Oppel's Silverwing (rev. 11/97) and its companions. Newborn Dusk looks different from all the other chiropters in the
colony: his hind legs are weak, and his chest is superdeveloped; his ears are exceptionally large, and his ""sails"" look just plain weird. Unlike the rest of the
colony, climbing trees and gliding down from them is a struggle for him, but -- he can fly. This talent brings him no end of trouble, but it becomes more and
more of an asset in a world where the saurians have been eradicated and the newly liberated mammals realize that predation is the way of the future. Oppel
braids Dusk's narrative with that of Carnassial, a felid who has learned the forbidden pleasures of flesh (eating it, that is). Dusk's world may be vastly
different from today's, but the social interactions are depressingly familiar: principles yield to the necessity of survival; those who deviate from the norm are
cast out. Danger heaps upon danger as Dusk must lead his ever-diminishing chiropter colony to some semblance of refuge. There is little subtlety here, but so
much outsized prehistoric action that readers will be happily swept along for the ride.
Oppel, Kenneth
Firewing
2003
Quill & Quire: Firewing is a first-rate sequel to Ken Oppel's earlier award-winning novels, Silverwing and Sunwing. With a spring-tight plot, it propels the
reader through exciting, chilling, and deliciously satisfying adventure. Oppel has created a new cast of bats, Griffin and Luna, to join the old favourites, Shade
Silverwing and Marina Brightwing, and has developed Griffin as a character markedly different from Griffin's father, Shade. Oppel has also created a unique
Underworld, drawn in part from classical mythology, but distinctly his own. What makes the Underworld especially interesting is that instead of just one
version of a bat-afterlife, Oppel portrays several different versions of the notion of life-after-death. Griffin Silverwing meets real trouble when he gets sucked
into the Underworld of the God of the Dead, Cama Zotz, during an earthquake. It doesn't help that he's the son of bat hero Shade and Marina; in the
Underworld, he's a helpless newborn who's going to die if he can't find a way back to the surface. While Griffin searches for a way out, his father, Shade,
journeys into the Underworld determined to rescue his son. Meanwhile, Shade's arch-enemy, Goth, desperately trying to regain the favour of Cama Zotz, is
sent to kill Griffin and raise Zotz from the dead. Goth has Zotz's help in tracking Griffin down but Shade will do almost anything, even sacrifice his own life,
to see that his son survives. Firewing is sure to delight fans of the previous books. They'll overlook the book's too-sentimental final scene and will be pleased
that this story clearly sets up a sequel. Jeffrey Canton Canton
Oppel, Kenneth
Silverwing
1997
School Library Journal: Gr 4-6The plot of this book sounds like the perfect adventure for a noble hero: a dangerous journey with a cryptic map and a trusty
companion. But here's the catch: the hero is an undersized bat. Shade, a newborn Silverwing, is separated from his colony during their winter migrations. With
the help of an exiled Brightwing, he must find his colony and save them from marauding cannibal bats imported from the tropics. In an author's note, Oppel
writes that he "liked the challenge of taking animals that many might consider `ugly' or `scary' and fashioning them into interesting, appealing characters"; he
has done just that with Shade and his comrades. While these characters are not particularly well rounded, readers will sympathize with the young bat's
sometimes foolhardy efforts to prove that he's more than the colony runt, and the villainsfire-carrying owls and six-foot, flesh-eating batswill keep even
reluctant readers engaged. However, the greatest strengths of this story lie in its fast-paced, cliff-hanging action and its setting within the hollow trees and bell
towers of the bats' monochromatic nighttime world. Recommend this one to fans of Avi's Poppy (Orchard, 1995); they won't be disappointed.Beth Wright,
Edythe Dyer Community Library, Hampden, ME
Oppel, Kenneth
Skybreaker
2005
School Library Journal: Gr 6-10-Oppel does it again! This action-packed sequel to Airborn (HarperCollins, 2004) starts with a bang and doesn't let up until
the satisfying ending. Matt Cruse, now a student at the Airship Academy, finds himself training as a navigator aboard a worn out, tumbledown cargo airship
piloted by a reckless captain. Flying through a typhoon at dangerously high altitudes, they see a ghost ship that set out 40 years before and was never seen
again. The captain risks his life, the crew, and his ship as he tries to reach the Hyperion to claim the fortune in gold that's rumored to be aboard. His attempt
fails after the crew is stricken with altitude sickness. Only Matt remembers the coordinates of where Hyperion was last seen. This knowledge plunges him
and Kate, now a pilot in training herself, into a breakneck race against a pirate intent on getting to the riches. They find themselves aboard a new type of
pressurized ship called Skybreaker piloted by Hal, a wealthy and dashing captain with designs on Kate. What they discover aboard Hyperion is a more
fabulous treasure than any of them could have imagined. That is, if they survive to tell anyone about it. This worthy companion to Airborn maintains its
roller-coaster thrills in true swashbuckling style.-Sharon Rawlins, Piscataway Public Library, NJ
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Oppel, Kenneth
Sunwing
2000
Horn Book Magazine: (Intermediate) In this sequel to Silverwing (rev. 11/97), Shade, the young bat hero of the previous title, sets off on a quest to find his
missing father, Cassiel, which endangers all of the bats of the Silverwing colony. Shade and the small contingent of bats that agree to accompany him on his
journey discover a vast building filled with lush vegetation and thousands of bats-a veritable paradise, except for the fact that the portals they enter through
will not allow them to leave. Most of the residents accept their fate as the fulfillment of the legendary promise of the goddess Nocturna-that bats will one day
be able to fly safely in daylight without fear of their enemies, the owls. But Shade's doubts are soon proven true when he and many other bats are caught,
tagged with heavy metal disks, and loaded into crates and onto a plane, which takes them south and drops them over the jungle as living, guided bombs.
Shade's willful nature, which often leads him into trouble, saves him this time, and he joins forces with a few other survivors to battle huge vampire bats, led
by Shade's old enemy, Goth. Shade's past dealings with the owls, bats, and even rats all come into play in the dramatic climax. As in Brian Jacques's popular
Redwall series, the intertwining story lines, evil villain, and intense action will keep young readers enthralled, but Shade is a more complex character than
most Redwallian heroes. Gifted with special abilities and wise beyond his years, he is still too young and impetuous to be a consistent leader. The other bat
characters are also well drawn, particularly Shade's female sidekick, Marina, and even the sinister jungle bat-horrible as he is-has a strong reason for his
villainy. Shade's dangerous adventures make a memorable impact. anne st. john
Paulsen, Gary
Curse of the ruins
1998
Katie, Sam, and their cousin Shala can't wait to get to San Marcos, New Mexico. There they are meeting Katie and Sam's dad, an anthropologist who's
studying the ruins of the ancient cliff dwellers at El Debajo. But Dr. Crockett isn't there to meet them at the airport. Does Dr. Crockett have enemies who might
have kidnapped him? Or is there really a curse on the ruins of El Dejabo?
Prineas, Sarah
The magic thief
2008
Voice of Youth Advocates: One fateful evening, Conn attempts to pick the pocket of an old man wandering the streets of Wellmet. Conn discovers that he has
removed a locus magicalicus, the magical stone of a wizard. Such stones and wizards are common enough in Wellmet; however, this wizard is not ordinary:
Nevery has been banished from Wellmet and is most likely not welcome in returning. He is shocked to see that Conn can hold the stone with no ill effect. No
one else is supposed to be able to handle another wizard's magical stone without dire consequences. Conn ends up in the employ of Nevery. Together they set
out to investigate what is happening to the magic in Wellmet. It is a mystery accompanied by danger, intrigue, and betrayal. This first book in a projected
series will appeal to readers who appreciate Jonathan Stroud and J. K. Rowling. Short chapters are interspersed with pages from Nevery's journal, allowing
readers a glimpse at two different points of view. An eccentric cast of characters, sure to figure more prominently in other series books yet to come, are
introduced and explained sufficiently here. The giant bodyguard, Benet, who also likes to cook and knit, illustrates the blend of the comic and darker
elements of this novel. A bit of Dickensian play with character names might elude less able readers, but the device is also indicative of the more subtle layer
of story underneath the main plot line. One drawback is the cover and interior art that suggest a younger intended audience. -Teri S. Lesesne.
Pullman, Philip
The ruby in the
smoke
2004
School Library Journal: Gr 7 Up A rip-roaring good adventure story filled with cutthroat villains, dastardly deeds, sleezy opium dens, filthy London slums, and
a delightful 16-year-old heroine. Sally, orphaned when her father dies at sea, becomes ensconsed in mystery and treachery when she learns that a legendary
ruby is rightfully hers. With the help of two friends, she sidesteps several attempts on her life, helps rescue a young girl from the clutches of a ruthless
blackmailer, and finds the hidden fortune that her father had left her. There are twists and turns at every moment, with new characters constantly entering and
old ones exiting (not by their own choice). Descriptions are vivid, colorful, and fully realized. Subtle innuendos enhance character development, and the
understated humor keeps readers from taking the story too seriously. There are a few lapses in plotting and several contrivances, but these are minor flaws in a
story that pulls together to become a rousing tale of murder and adventure in London in 1872. It's a book for sophisticated readers because of the variety of
motivations and schemes as well as the shifts in setting within chapters, and one that's not for the timid because of the many murders. Trev Jones
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Riordon, Rick
The battle of the
labyrinth, book 4
2008
School Library Journal: Gr 5-9-The fourth book (Hyperion, 2008) in the series by Rick Riordan starts with a bang and rarely lets up until the end. Percy, son
of Poseidon, must help his friends Grover and Annabeth complete quests that may influence whether the forces of evil triumph and Olympus is brought
down. When they meet at Camp Half-Blood, they learn that a former classmate has turned evil. The Labyrinth has suddenly revealed an entrance near Camp
Half-Blood, indicating that the camp is vulnerable to an attack by the evil Lord Kronos. Percy and his cohorts must try to find support for their compatriots
by taking a dangerous trip through the ever-changing Labyrinth, a sprawling underground world. Jesse Bernstein does a good job voicing Percy and his
Cyclops half-brother and successfully conveys Annabeth's emotions. He attempts a number of different accents for the gods, demigods, and mortals in the
story with varying levels of success. Bernstein sets a good pace that reflects the non-stop action and peril in the story. Fans of the series will enjoy this
installment and eagerly await the next volume.-B. Allison Gray, Palmdale City Library, CA
Riordon, Rick
The last Olympian
2009
Booklist: *Starred Review* The week before his sixteenth birthday, a driver's license is the last thing on Percy's mind. After all, an impossibly huge and
powerful giant is wreaking destruction across the Midwest as he strides toward New York City, which will soon be attacked by an army of Titans and assorted
monsters bent on destroying Mount Olympus (secret access point: the Empire State Building). Percy and his demigod friends soon engage their enemies in an
epic battle that will determine the fate of humanity as well as the gods. The novel's winning combination of high-voltage adventure and crackling wit is
balanced with scenes in which human needs, fears, and ethical choices take center stage. Series fans will enjoy the reappearance of many characters from the
previous books, while the references to their back stories will keep other readers on track. Riordan's imagination soars in the climactic battle scenes, which
feature many Manhattan landmarks, yet he manages to bring the whole series to a satisfying close in the down-to-earth conclusion. Though this is the fifth and
final volume of the enormously popular Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the emergence of a new prophecy and the promise of new demigods hint that
the adventures will continue.--Phelan, Carolyn
Riordon, Rick
The titan’s curse
2007
Voice of Youth Advocates: Percy Jackson is loyal, humble, and defends his friends. What's not to like? It seems, however, that the evil Dr. Thorn wants Percy,
the son of Poseidon, dead. Percy, Thalia (daughter of Zeus), and Annabeth are summoned by Grover to creepy Westover Hall where the satyr has located two
new half-bloods. It is a setup. Dr. Thorn mocks the heroes and then boldly kidnaps Annabeth. The despicable act launches Percy and company on a crosscountry rescue mission, allowing the author to work in classic myths, gods, and creatures. Action comes fast and furious here and only lets up when the
characters pause to plan their next move. Several persons are repeated from the previous books, such as the wine-soaked Dionysus and Chiron, Camp HalfBlood's activity director. Key new arrivals are Artemis and her unit of hardened archers. These tough girls do not play around and conduct themselves as a
deadly special-forces platoon-and it is a good thing, too. Artemis's warriors protect Percy's crew from a death squad of deranged skeletal soldiers as they
zoom across the American West to save Annabeth. The screenplay-like story line and almost over-the-top action might alienate literary purists, but this
reviewer is betting that teens will be thrilled by the wicked pace. Especially gripping is a brawl through the gods' junkyard with seventy-foot-tall Talos, a
scene hinting of a manga title's mecha battle. Mixing humor with fantasy and rousing swordplay, this installment in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians
series is a hero's epic quest reminiscent of cyberpunk science fiction or addictive videogames. Librarians should lock and load for requests.-Rollie Welch.
Roy, Rozines Jennifer
Yellow star
2006
School Library Journal: Gr 4-8-Jennifer Roy's partially fictionalized retelling (Marshall Cavendish, 2006) of her Aunt Syvia's life in 1939 Poland recounts the
true experiences of a 4-year-old child who is forced into a well-guarded ghetto with nearly 300,000 Lodz Jews who lived in fear, poverty, and starvation.
Many years after the end of WWII, Syvia Perlmutter was able to share with her niece the terrible story of the family's ordeal during the Holocaust. In free
verse form, Roy writes from the perspective of a child from 1930 to 1945, bringing to life what it was like to live in the Jewish ghetto. Of all those
incarcerated in Lodz, only 12 children and 800 adults survived the war. Christina Moore does a brilliant job as narrator, perfectly voicing Syvia, her father,
and all the other people. From just listening to the audiobook, it is not apparent that the book is written in free verse. A must for all Holocaust collections.-B.
Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Library, Sag Harbor, NY
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Sachar, Louis
Holes
2008
Booklist: Gr. 6-9. Middle-schooler Stanley Yelnats is only the latest in a long line of Yelnats to encounter bad luck, but Stanley's serving of the family curse is
a doozie. Wrongfully convicted of stealing a baseball star's sneakers, Stanley is sentenced to six months in a juvenile-detention center, Camp Green Lake.
"There is no lake at Camp Green Lake," where Stanley and his fellow campers (imagine the cast from your favorite prison movie, kid version) must dig one
five-by-five hole in the dry lake bed every day, ostensibly building character but actually aiding the sicko warden in her search for buried treasure. Sachar's
novel mixes comedy, hard-hitting realistic drama, and outrageous fable in a combination that is, at best, unsettling. The comic elements, especially the banter
between the boys (part scared teens, part Cool Hand Luke wanna-bes) work well, and the adventure story surrounding Stanley's rescue of his black friend
Zero, who attempts to escape, provides both high drama and moving human emotion. But the ending, in which realism gives way to fable, while undeniably
clever, seems to belong in another book entirely, dulling the impact of all that has gone before. These mismatched parts don't add up to a coherent whole, but
they do deliver a fair share of entertaining and sometimes compelling moments. --Bill Ott
Spinelli, Jerry
Loser
2002
School Library Journal: Gr 4-6-Donald Zinkoff is a kid everyone will recognize-the one with the stupid laugh who cracks up over nothing, the klutz who trips
over his own feet, the overly exuberant student who always raises his hand but never has the right answers. Following him from first grade to middle school,
the story is not so much about how the boy changes, but rather how his classmates' perceptions of him evolve over the years. In first and second grades, his
eccentricities and lack of coordination are accepted, but in third grade Zinkoff is "discovered." His classmates turn their critical eyes to him and brand him a
loser. From then on, he endures the fate of so many outcasts-the last to be picked for the team, a favorite prey of bullies, and the butt of cruel comments from
classmates. Despite his clumsiness and occasionally poor social skills, Zinkoff is a caring, sensitive boy with loving and supportive parents. He is
remarkably good-natured about all the ostracizing and taunting, but his response is genuine. It is not navet or obliviousness that gives Zinkoff his resilient
spirit-he's a kid too busy being himself to worry about what other people think of him. Although perhaps not as funny as Jack Gantos's little hellion, Joey
Pigza, Zinkoff is a flawed but tough kid with an unshakable optimism that readers will find endearing. "Losers" in schools everywhere will find great comfort
in this story, and the kids who would so casually brand their classmates should read it, too.-Edward Sullivan, White Pine School, TN
Stewart, Trenton Lee
The mysterious
Benedict Society
2007
School Library Journal: Gr 4-8-A newspaper ad reads, "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Many youngsters respond but only four are
chosen, among them 11-year-old Reynie Muldoon who can't figure out what he has in common with his three companions. Talkative Kate carries around a
bucket filled with odds and ends and can wiggle her way into or out of any situation. Sticky is a voracious reader who remembers everything. Tiny Constance
is smart as a whip but cranky and stubborn. The one thing they have in common is they are all without parents either by circumstance or by choice. When
kindly Mr. Benedict recruits the youngsters to go undercover on a dangerous mission, they are confident that they are up to the challenge. Their goal is to
infiltrate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, a school for gifted children, whose founder is sending hidden messages and hypnotizing the world
population to bend to his wishes. Alone, each child is helpless, but as a team, they manage to overcome evil and save the day. First-time novelist Trenton Lee
Stewart has infused his novel (Little Brown, 2007) with strong characters and an exciting plot. Del Roy's husky, grandfatherly voice works perfectly with the
third person narration. Although the story is long, each short chapter ends in an exciting cliff-hanger that is sure to keep kids listening. Count on this clever,
well-written title to make an appearance on both state reading lists and best books lists.-Tricia Melgaard, Centennial Middle School, Broken Arrow, OK
Trembath, Don
The Tuesday Cafe
Booklist: Gr. 7-10. Harper Winslow got into writing accidentally after taking an offbeat writing class to help with an essay he had to write ("How I Plan to
Turn My Life Around"), a 2,000-word composition mandated by the local judge as a sentence for the teen's misdemeanor. But that was last year, as some
readers may recall from Trembath's popular first novel, The Tuesday Cafe (1996). Now we're back with a rehabilitated Harper, who, if not exactly a star
student or Mr. Popularity, is so quick-witted and engagingly honest about his life that it's hard to put down this latest misadventure. Harper turns his boring
reporting assignments for the school newspaper into a scathing, anonymous column about school life, and it becomes a big hit. Writing as Alfred in one of his
"A Fly on the Wall" pieces, Harper enrages the bully boyfriend of lovely Veronica MacLeish. Then he gets ensnared in having to reveal who Alfred is so the
bully can demolish him. Expect a complicated plan to protect the sharp-tongued columnist's identity and a searingly honest look at life through adolescent
eyes. --Anne O'Malley
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Velde, Vivian Vande
Tales from the
Brothers Grimm and
the Sisters Weird
1997
School Library Journal: Gr 4-8A different take on traditional icons of virtue and evil. In the course of retelling some popular fairy tales, Vande Velde
challenges readers' notions of good, bad, and ugly by examining the stock characters' motivations and often recasting them in a different light. Needless to say,
these role reversals affect very different outcomes to the familiar, if slightly fractured, story lines. For example, kindhearted Rumpelstiltzkin wins the heroine
away from the vain, self-important king, and the Frog Prince, once restored to his princely stature, rejects the haughty princess and goes home to the goose
girl. To say nothing of the demonic twins Hansel and Gretel, who have done in one mother and are ready to take on another. Modern references and
sensibilities, such as those in the ``And Now a Word from Our Sponsor'' and ``PG-13,'' add to the humor (often the gallows variety). Entertaining and
provocative, these selections make good read-alouds and can be used to spark discussion or creative writing exercises.Luann Toth, School Library Journal
Walters, Eric
Trapped in ice
1997
Quill & Quire: An adventure story, Trapped in Ice is a fictionalized account of a real 1913 Canadian Arctic expedition that included a 13-year-old girl, Helen,
her younger brother, and their seamstress mother. The expedition ran into trouble from the beginning. Abandoned by their leader and frozen in the ice, their
ship, the Karluk, drifted away from land. When the ship was eventually crushed, the crew had to make an arduous journey across moving ice to land to await
rescue. The ship's captain, Robert Bartlett, the only one with Arctic experience, made an epic sled journey to Siberia to get help. This is a good story with a
strong central character who grows as the plot progresses. The relationship between Bartlett and Helen develops believably and the captain is well drawn
despite a Newfoundland accent that is strained at times. Helen's brother is less well defined and often appears too young for his 11 years. Many details of
Arctic life ring true. For example, Helen has to thaw her bottle of ink over a candle before she can write in her diary, and her encounter with a polar bear is
genuinely exciting. Unfortunately, Eric Walters has changed much of the historical reality in the service of his plot. The real Helen was part of an Inuit family
whose hunting expertise helped keep the crew alive while Bartlett went for help. The journey over the ice after the Karluk sank was extremely harsh, with
many of the party suffering from frostbite and several of them dying. A dreamy southern girl such as the fictional Helen would not have fared well. It is
understandable that Walters has softened some of the harshness of the real expedition to make Helen's adventures stand out, but it's a shame he hasn't captured
more of the spirit of what the real adventure must have been like. It weakens an otherwise strong story's value as a historical resource. by John Wilson
Whelan, Gloria
Listening for lions
2005
Voice of Youth Advocates: Readers who became Whelan fans after discovering Homeless Bird (HarperCollins, 2000/VOYA February 2001) will not be
disappointed in this novel, although they should be forewarned not to expect the same kind of story. Whereas Whelan's National Book Award-winning title
defies readers to put it down, this new novel is a story that will be taken more slowly as it unfolds and chronicles the unusual circumstances of Rachel
Sheridan, the thirteen-year-old protagonist. Set in British East Africa in the year 1919, the tale follows the events of young Rachel's life from the moment she
loses her missionary doctor parents to influenza, to her kidnapping by another couple who need her to replace their own young daughter fallen by the same
illness, to Rachel's graduation from medical school and return to Africa. She hopes to reopen the hospital long since shut down by her parents' untimely
deaths. Rachel's adventures are not the kind that invite the reader to speed through her story. Rather they encourage steady contemplations of the various
tragedies, deceptions, and rewards that come her way. Listening for Lions is a quiet story that roars in its ability to help readers make sense of hardships that
befall humankind. It speaks softly but leaves a lasting impression of strength of character and the wisdom of following one's dreams. It will have lasting
appeal and a ready audience.-Elaine J. O'Quinn.
Winerip, Michael
Adam Canfield of the
Slash
2005
Publishers Weekly: "Between laughs, readers will also be prompted to think-about what constitutes truth, how the media massages it, the importance of
ethics, fairness and getting the facts right," wrote PW about this story about two editors of a middle-school newspaper who uncover some shocking secrets
about their principal. Ages 8-12.
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Winterson, Jeanette
Tanglewreck
2006
Booklist: Time has become unpredictable; "time tornadoes" are picking up school buses and depositing wooly mammoths on the banks of the Thames. Elevenyear-old Silver lives in a sprawling manse, Tanglewreck, with her greedy guardian. One day evil Abel Darkwater visits Tanglewreck in search of a timekeeper
that he insists belonged to Silver's father, who, with his wife and other daughter, has disappeared. Silver has no idea what he's talking about, but\b \b0
Darkwater isn't convinced. He imprisons her in his clock-filled London home, where he plans to keep her until she tells him what he wants to know. She's
rescued by Gabriel, a strange boy from a clan that has made its home beneath London for more than a century. Together, Silver and Gabriel search for the
timekeeper and foil the villain. Winterson seamlessly combines rousing adventure with time warps, quantum physics, and a few wonderfully hapless flunkies.
Her clever science will draw fans of Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, 0 and her dastardly villains and resourceful youngsters will remind readers of
Lemony Snicket's books about the hapless Baudelaires. --Diana Herald
Wright, Nancy Means
The pea soup
poisonings
2006
To get into her brother’s Northern Spy Club, Zoe Elwood must walk a narrow beam over rusted farm machinery, and then solve a crime. Her chance comes
when Alice’s grandmother expires after eating a bowl of pea soup. Kelby gives Zoe just five days to solve the crime. Can she do it? (ages 9-12) Winner of an
Agatha award for Best Children’s/Young Adult Novel
Yolen, Jane
Sword of the rightful
king: A novel of King
Arthur
2004
The newly crowned King Arthur has yet to win the support of the people. Merlin must do something before the king is betrayed, or murdered, or--worst of all-gets married. So Merlin creates a trick: a sword magically placed into a slab of rock that only Arthur can withdraw. Then he lets it be known that whosoever
removes the blade will rule all of England, and invites any man who would dare, to try to pull out the sword. But then someone else pulls the sword out
first. . . .
School Library Journal: Gr 4-9-With characteristic intelligence, exquisite images, and a breathtaking design, Selznick shatters conventions related to the art
of bookmaking in this magical mystery set in 1930s Paris. He employs wordless sequential pictures and distinct pages of text to let the cinematic story
unfold, and the artwork, rendered in pencil and bordered in black, contains elements of a flip book, a graphic novel, and film. It opens with a small square
depicting a full moon centered on a black spread. As readers flip the pages, the image grows and the moon recedes. A boy on the run slips through a grate to
take refuge inside the walls of a train station-home for this orphaned, apprentice clock keeper. As Hugo seeks to accomplish his mission, his life intersects
with a cantankerous toyshop owner and a feisty girl who won't be ignored. Each character possesses secrets and something of great value to the other. With
deft foreshadowing, sensitively wrought characters, and heart-pounding suspense, the author engineers the elements of his complex plot: speeding trains,
clocks, footsteps, dreams, and movies-especially those by Georges Melies, the French pioneer of science-fiction cinema. Movie stills are cleverly
interspersed. Selznick's art ranges from evocative, shadowy spreads of Parisian streets to penetrating character close-ups. Leaving much to ponder about loss,
time, family, and the creative impulse, the book closes with a waning moon, a diminishing square, and informative credits. This is a masterful narrative that
readers can literally manipulate.-Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library
Prepared by: Bill Glaister and Beth Cormier December 2012.
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