Cormier's: Heroes

Cormier offers a riveting, tightly woven, psycho-drama for our mature readers in Heroes. A young Silver Star-veteran of World War II returns to his home town with almost everything but his face. Realizing he can not recapture what he has lost, he embarks on his final mission to kill the man who took it all away from him.

Avi's: The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail ( and an Even Smaller Ant)

If this book is not adorable and charming it truly ought to be. A small snail, Avon, and his new ant buddy, Edward, contemplate the significance of a range of things including beginnings, middles, and endings (not necessarily in that order) and, more importantly, friendship as the two embark on a lifelong and life-changing adventure only to end up in the very best place to end: the beginning. Think: Mamet's George and Emil meet Lobel's Frog and Toad, but don't think too hard.

Anderson's: Fever: 1793

There is nothing more horrific than that which has actually happened. Laurie Halse Anderson relates the details of Philadelphia's yellow fever plague of 1793 through the eyes of a fictional teenager Matilda Cook who is forced to grow up before her time in her novel Fever: 1793. The blood-sucking villain she faces is more terrifying than any fictional vampire or werewolf. Her villain actually exists to this day and made a ghost town out of the largest city in the United States. Is it possible for this villain, or another one like it to strike the United States again? Do we know enough to protect ourselves, not only from the villain itself but from what follows after such a disaster? Matilda finds the courage to defend her family and home from robbers and murderers. This novel may cause today's teenagers to question what they are prepared to do in the face of extreme and sudden adversity.

Avi's: Crispin: At the Edge of the World

Picking up on the same day where The Cross of Lead ended, At the Edge of the World has Bear and Crispin running from their enemies determined to find a place where they can live in peace. Along the way a new member is added to their small family. Avi is able to build some suspense in this volume of the series; however, very little, if any, mystery is present. The once jovial and endearing Bear is either unconscious, melancholic, or privately introspective throughout causing a loss of some of the original appeal. All in all this edition seems merely like an addition and not its own fully realized novel.

McCormick's: Sold

McCormick's Sold is a gripping tribute to the millions of children who have been sold into the sex-slave trade throughout the world. This heart-wrenching tale pulls readers into a wretched world where young girls are sold by their families, tortured for years, and then tossed away into the filthy gutters of Calcutta. A poetic and entrancing voice leads us on a journey from hopefulness to despair and misery where each daily survival is a triumph of spirit over circumstance. This truly remarkable work, funded through a fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts will likely make our more sophisticated teen readers thankful for everything they have in their lives.

McKinley's: Spindle's End

This nap inducing retelling of the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty takes us through 21 long years of the well-known cursed princess' life. The original, very simple, tale is drawn out here with long explanations of repeated foreshadowings and roundabout recollections in very long convoluted paragraphs filled with never-ending sentences. Lengthy chapters sprinkled with uncommon words seem to end randomly at times. Characters are often plagued by foggy memories and extended dreamlike experiences sometimes clouding what little action there is. For those who like magic, McKinley's Spindle's End certainly is crammed with it, but "magic can't do everything." It did however help McKinley give us an uncommon but expected ending to the classic tale.

Vande Velde's: All Hallows' Eve: 13 Stories

If not exactly scary, these 13 short offerings by award winning young adult writer Vivian Vande Velde are at least fun and always well written as one would expect from this writer. Some blood, a bit of violence, a few surprises are all there in this Halloween bowl of treats along with some predictable but enjoyable endings. Definitely written with the young teen set in mind.

13

James Howe presents a collection of 13 writings on being 13 by 13 authors/writing teams of teen fiction, perhaps for anyone who is 13, is almost 13, or was ever fortunate or unfortunate enough to have been 13 in 13: Thirteen Stories that Capture the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen. This brilliant requiem for childhood may cause a bit of laughter and misty eyes as poignant moments are shared in quality prose and one short poem on a wide array of themes and styles. Each author shares brief recollections of turning 13 at the end of their piece. Particularly notable in style and substance is Howe's own offering about a bar mitzvah which suddenly goes wonderfully and meaningfully awry.

Martin's: The Doll People

Auntie Sarah doll has been missing for 45 years so it's about time that the other dolls set out to find her and bring her home. This title is obviously intended for a young, immature, or unquestioning audience. Sophisticated readers will probably be put off by the inconsistencies which arise from trying to create circumstances where living dolls can believably inhabit a human world. There seem to be a lot of rules about being a living doll which are never really made clear to the reader. A few funny moments occur when the indestructable modern dolls are compared with the century old victorian style dolls but they do not outweigh the creep factor when Martin unsuccessfully climbs out of her human head to write from a doll's perspective.

Selznick's: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Part novel, part storyboard, part picture book, Brian Selznick creates an historical fiction page-turner in The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a survival story of a resourceful youth named Hugo who lives hidden in the walls of a French train station. Engaging, suspenseful, and a quick read, the story takes readers back to 19th century France at the time of the Paris World Exposition. The marvelous mechanical inventions of the time which become the centerpiece of the story are no less a wonder more than a century later. The reader will no doubt want to learn more, after the very clever ending, about many of the things mentioned in the story. This endeavor will be facilitated by the author's notes included in acknowledgements and credits.

Gaiman's: The Wolves in the Walls

Picture books just don't look like they used to. Neil Gaiman writes a nightmarish tale of wolves coming from the walls of Lucy's family's home. Lucy knows and warns, but her family denies and ignores until it is too late. Will the family stay to fight or run in fear? McKean's paint/drawing embellished photo collages help set the foreboding tone. This off-the-wall story wouldn't be complete without a surprise visit from the Queen of Melanesia to assist with the gardening. When it comes right down to it, this story is about facing fears and an important pig puppet. Gaiman may also be having a little fun with the idea of urban legends.

Carman's: Skeleton Creek and Ghost in the Machine

DO NOT READ THESE BOOKS without making sure to watch the accompanying videos. A brilliant multi-media concept. Ryan McCray is a teen keeping a journal of his and his friend Sarah Fincher's investigation into mysteries surrounding an old mining dredge in their hometown. At various points in the story, the reader is directed to Sarah's website to view video footage of Sarah's part in the investigation as the story progresses. The investigation starts to uncover things Ryan may not want to know about his own family, perhaps his whole town. The kids don't know who they can trust. Carman stops the action mid story so the first book by itself may leave readers unsatisfied. The second book brings the mystery to a conclusion with one thing left for Sarah to investigate and to leave Ryan nervous about. Video footage may be too intense for younger readers to watch alone.

Hale's: Rapunzel's Revenge

Shannon and Dean Hale turn Rapunzel, damsel in distress, into Rapunzel, action hero with illustrator Nathan Hale. Presented in graphic novel format, Rapunzel teams with Jack of beanstock fame to take down the evil witch who destroyed the land of Gothel's Reach. This volume told in four parts is packed with action and adventure, just enough backstory, and high quality full color comic book style illustrations.

Fairy Tales Revisited

Diane Stanley writes a sequel to Rumpelstiltskin in Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter. The miller's daughter is now married to Rumpelstiltskin and has a wise daughter. The king is back to his greedy ways and his kingdom is impoverished. The daughter takes him on and tricks him into giving away his gold. Some very nice details in the illustrations including some clever and comical homages to many master painters. Readers will likely find that more was removed from the original tale than was actually added here, including much of the charm.

Virginia Hamilton relates a West Indian version of the little gold spinning man in The Girl Who Spun Gold. Told in simplified colloquial speech patterns of the West Indies this tale too has a greedy king and rich detailed illustrations with shiny gold accents by Leo and Diane Dillon. The patterns in the woven cloth are beautiful and the angry little man explodes in an extravagant display in the end.

An illustrator/writer Kevin O'Malley teams up with two more illustrators, Carol Heyer (princess illustrations) and Scott Goto (motorcycle dude illustrations), to create Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude. With this battle of the sexes, 3rd grade style, the story of a pony loving Barbie-esque Princess Tenderheart is introduced by a little girl. It seems a giant is stealing away her ponies making the poor princess distraught. The story turns from pink and lavender melodrama to black and orange action adventure when voiced by her little boy partner. And in if-you-can't-beat-'em-join-'em spirit the story goes from wacky to over the top volcano-exploding silly...the end. But wait, there's more...

Napoli's: The Prince of the Pond

Donna Jo Napoli has created more than a fairy tale revisitation in The Prince of the Pond; she may have created a whole science lesson on frogs and pond life. I definitely learned a few things about frogs I did not know before. The Frog Prince in this version needs to be taught the ways of a frog through the voice of a female frog friend. It is very easy to separate factual elements from fiction and will inevitably lead to discussions of such as well as issues brought up in the story: life cycle, food web, survival, fertilization. This is definitely a good choice for 2nd and 3rd grade read-alouds.

Shusterman's: Dread Locks

The first and probably the best of Neal Shusterman's darkfusion series, Dread Locks marries the story Goldilocks with a familiar mythical tale. This story provides at least one worth while shock, while some of the fun was actually pre-guessing which story Shusterman was going to choose for the supernatural element. The familiar opposites motif (too hot, too cold; too hard, too soft) is repeated playfully throughout the story of main character Parker (baby) Baer told in the first person voice. Of the three books in the series, this one feels the most natural and organic in composition while the other two tale pairings seem a bit overly contrived. A lack of development in some of the secondary characters leads the reader to care not too much about their eventual fate conspicuously detracting from the plot. Although the story revolves around teenagers of privilege, the theme of teenage boredom is explored in detail and probably made accessible to a wider range of readers.

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Napoli's: Zel

In her re-imagining of the fairy tale Rapunzel, Donna Jo Napoli stays true to the Grimm's version. She expands the story by developing in greater detail the characters of the prince, Rapunzel, and the witch (stepmother). She also explores themes of loneliness, love, obsession, rejection, and sacrifice. The only departure Napoli takes from the original here is that the prince meets Rapunzel before she is imprisoned in the tower. This allows for the witch's and the prince's obsession with Rapunzel to be juxtaposed throughout the story. She also explains the origins of the witch's power and the reason for Rapunzel's rapid hair growth. Should be fairly satisfying for those who appreciate novel-length fairy tales.

Vande Velde's: The Rumpelstiltskin Problem

For fans of the fairytale rewrite, there is a buffet here from the world of Rumpelstiltskin. Vivian Vande Velde offers six versions of the troll's tale, including one version without any mention of the troll at all, in an attempt to reconcile problems or questions she was left with from the original version. All six versions are different (some opening a few holes of their own), each with different main characters (sometimes the troll, the king, the miller, or the daughter) but each with its own satisfying conclusion. A fun light read.

Gehrman's: Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty

I was not looking forward to reading this novel as I was put off by the bright pink cover with swirls, polka-dots, and a heart. I was sure it would be filled with teen girl dialogue referring to all sorts of things of which I had no interest. It turns out I was partially correct. The story is told through diary entries of a teen girl who often talks about clothes, friends, and boys. However, the style of writing is such that this intelligent teenager captivates the reader drawing them quickly into the teenage intrigue. A quarter of the way through the story I realized that this was a Shakeperean homage or rewrite of which play I did not know until the main character's revealed their real names. Jody Gehrman updates one of Shakespeare's funniest plots with colorful, intelligent, intentionally stereotypical teens and parents. The dialogue and plot are both witty and engaging. I found myself concerned less with the things Gehrman's character's were saying than how they were saying them. Note: this title is not in CLC's library. This book has a well received sequel which is a retelling of another favorite classic. Click here to watch a book trailer.

Draper's: Romiette and Julio

The developing romance and lives of two teens of differing socio-economic backgrounds are threatened by a local gang. There is not much in the way of Shakesperean style or element here except for perhaps the main character's names: Romiette Capelle, an African American teen from Cincinnati and Julio Montague, an hispanic teen from Corpus Cristi. This book may be enjoyed by the teen reader glossing over references to car phones, cellular phones, and chatrooms. The two main characters and their supporting sidekicks are written charmingly enough and seem to have more sense than their respective sets of parents. The parents, though their dialogue at times is somewhat telling and awkward, actually experience more change than their children. The ditzy co-anchor subplot dialogue tends to be insulting rather than providing the comic relief as it was probably intended. Note: this title is not in CLC's library.

Flinn's: Beastly

Alex Flinn updates the Beauty and the Beast tale in her novel Beastly. Told in first person from the perspective of Kyle, the teenaged beast living in modern day Manhattan, this version is replete with spoiled not-so-intelligent vindictive teenagers attending private school, high school parties lacking any adult supervision, and magic. Flinn gives her main characters typical teen novel neglectful parents, one, an abusive father addicted to drugs. The present day setting for this version may help to catch the reluctant teen reader's attention. Flinn matter-of-factly inserts a few recognizable minor characters into a chatroom subplot: a frog, a mermaid, a grizzly bear, Snow White ("not that Snow White" (?)), and Rose Red (not that Rose Red?). The chatroom conversations work somewhat as book part interludes despite my biggest nagging question concerning how a mermaid is able to type on a computer. Once I had just decided to let it go, the chatroom characters start questioning each other's access to the internet. The mermaid had conveniently left the chat before that conversation. In an author's note, Flinn ironically goes on to describe her motivation for rewriting fairy tales as the need to resolve "inconsistencies in the traditional tales." Note: this title is not in CLC's library.

Shusterman's: Red Rider's Hood

Grandma stockpiles hunting weapons loaded with silver ammunition. A mysterious slayer comes to town on a black Harley. Red Rider infiltrates a gang of teenage troublemakers known as the wolves. The wolves hunt monthly on the full moon, so does Grandma. In this second less engaging book of the darkfusion series, Shusterman combines the fairytale Red Riding Hood and a couple of legendary monster types now traveling in gangs. Shusterman is able to build some suspense in Red's feeling's of envy as he travels among the "Wolves" and is accepted by their leader. The allusions made to the original fairytale all but slap the reader in the face in highly corny delivery. The main character now has to be male because werewolves cannot be female?

Hale's: Goose Girl

I love this book. Intrigue, murder, romance and humor combine here with a touch of magic to retell Grimm's story of the same name. Shannon Hale builds a world with gentle language and dialogue which is convincingly old world at least enough for the purposes here. With a somewhat slow beginning Hale gradually pulls her readers through the Crown Princess's joys and miseries showing how happiness can be found in life's simple gifts. A diverse cast of well-developed primary and secondary characters work their way in and out of the princess's life learning lessons about prejudice, courage, and loyalty. An uplifting, feel-good read.

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Shusterman's: Duckling Ugly

In a highly non-formulaic plot, Neal Shusterman gives a face-lift to an old story. In his darkfusion series, Shusterman combines old tales with myths and legends. Ponce de Leon's fountain of youth merges with Anderson's Ugly Duckling to create a dark tale of appearances and retribution. Devastating beauty and ugly so powerful it shatters mirrors at a glance battle each other to a satisfying end. This quick read with entertaining characters teaches readers that there is a cost to playing the retribution game even when you win.

Fleischman's: The Whipping boy

Sid Fleischman writes a very quick read: The Whipping Boy. It is surprising this simple book received as much attention as it did, winning the Newbury Medal in 1987. With foretelling titled chapters reminiscent of Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, this book also tells the story of two unlikely travel companions: a runaway prince and a son of a rat trapping pauper turned servant/whipping boy. Along the road, the two encounter a gypsy girl, a dancing bear, a sight-impaired potato salesman, and a couple of bumbling thieves. The thieves conspire to ransom the prince who escapes with the help of the servant and the chase is on. Several great holes in the historical premise of the story greatly diminish its impact. Whipping boys were usually of high birth themselves, raised with the prince so a bond was formed, and were not punished in the King's presence, thereby defeating the purpose of having a whipping boy. So, the reader is left with a spoiled brat prince, jeopardizing someone else's life at his whim, learning a lesson and making a friend in the end. All in all, with its historical inaccuracies and annoying repetitious exclamations, not quite worth the space it takes on the library shelf.

McKinley's: Beauty

A first person account of the tale of Beauty and the Beast from the perspective of the muddy hazel eyes of the title character Beauty. In other retellings, this tale is about the transformation of Beast; this take focuses on the physical, emotional, and mental changes of Beauty as she grows to love Beast. Gentle, kind, and noble fully-developed characters populate Robin Mckinley's graceful world. McKinley delicately weaves magic into the story effortlessly with such aplomb that it seems almost a part of the natural world. She is deftly able to build and release tension as well as provide a few laugh out loud moments from Beauty's two enchanted chamber maids. I look forward to reading other titles from this author.

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Faces of America

Allen Say writes an interesting tale of the importance of appearances, self-identity, and perseverance. An engaging biography of Bong Way (Billy) Wong who, fighting the odds through more than persistence, becomes the first Chinese Bullfighter, El Chino. An engaging story with unexpected turns to surprise reluctant readers perhaps facing their own odds. It reads like a faerie tale with the magic of ingenuity, self-image and self-realization. The pictures have a very still and peaceful almost antique photograph-like quality. They match the steady perseverance of Billy Wong following his dreams.

A tattered child's coat in the Ellis Island Immigration Museum inspires Elvira Woodruff to write this story of a childhood friendship between a story teller and an illustrator in Memory Coat. Themes of loss, family, and anti-Semitism culminate in a dramatic conclusion where wit overcomes an obstacle to keep family together. Michael Dooling recreates the mood of historical photographs for the oil painting illustrations.

Pre-World War II street vendor shouts in Charleston, South Carolina are the basis for a child describing the music she hears of her hometown in Carolina Shout!. From the early morning raindrops on the tin roof to the evening sad song of the Charcoal Man a girl finds music everywhere and in everything. Award winning author Alan Schroeder and award winning illustrator Bernie Fuchs join forces to create this lighthearted remembrance of a time when our lives sounded so different. This was a time of frogs croaking and street vendors shouting. The oils on canvas capture warmth and action as the sounds are captured in song and onomatopoeic verse.

Paulsen's: Sisters

Paulsen begins to create a set of portraits of two teenage girls. The comparison of two girls surviving their beauty and youth is incomplete and fairly unsatisfying. Paulsen chooses a cheerleader and a child prostitute, similar only in age and beauty apparantly, to draw his comparison. The misleading title pretends to make more of a connection between the two girls than actually exists. Paulsen does not write deeply enough about either girl, or build enough tension to end his story in the abrupt manner in which it is ended. This story reads more like a story starter. A point is made but ever so slight and hardly worth the telling. Arguably, the abrupt ending is meant to be an exclamation point. The reader may be left to wonder why these stereotypes needed an exclamation point when they probably deserved more of a story.

Paulsen's: The Tent

A teen boy and his father embark on a life altering trek across the hot, flat Texas landscape one summer. They discover a way to use an old army tent for making total strangers give them large portions of their money. After becoming rich, they find out the high cost of wealth. Paulsen's predictable "parable for one sitting" uses simple characters talking in simple dialog to tell a simple tale with a profound and important lesson.

Cousins': Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia

Perhaps because so much is known about Benjamin Franklin through his prolific writings that Margaret Cousins' is able to give such an authentic portrait of this important American. In very accessible language, the text seems to be written at a 4th grade level, but would be appropriate up through middle grades especially for struggling readers. The chapters of the book are organized somewhat by different aspects of Franklin's life: school boy, inventor, statesman, etc. The book also includes an index for quick research reference and a list of accomplishments.

Avi's: Crispin: The Cross of Lead

From the day I finished reading the Newbery Medal winning Crispin: The Cross of Lead I've reached for it every time I've led genre discussions in our library. Not only is this book a very good example of historical fiction, it's a very good book. A highly enjoyable action adventure from Avi who seems to know this time period well and knows how to make it accessible for the middle school reader. The story follows a recently orphaned thirteen year old peasant in 14th century england. After news of his Lord's death, Crispin is suddenly the center of attention and thrust into a series of dangerous events which force him to flee the only home he's ever known. He carries around his neck the answer to his mysterious past and the cause of all his misfortunes. He later meets his mentor in the form of a great mountain of a man called Bear. The two cross the country making friends and facing deadly enemies. I look forward to reading the other books in this trilogy.

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Paulsen's: Hatchet

A story of a young teen learning to survive his parent's divorce quickly turns into a story of true wilderness survival for the boy and his one tool, a gift from his mother, a Hatchet. Gary Paulsen's Newbery Honor Book bumps along clumsily, in and out of a what passes as a teen voice back and forth between first and third person. What will capture the reader are the passages of problem solving and near disaster-avoiding adventure. Run-ins with wild life, trial and error lessons in the search for basic necessities, and face-to-face interaction with the force of nature are enough to make this a satisfying quick-read. Oh yeah, and a plane crashes. Although Paulsen's main character learns completely on his own, he is not quite as engaging as Jean Craighead George's Sam Gribley.

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3 Picture Books for Older Readers

Paul Fleischman's: Weslandia fuses 6th grade social science concepts with some fantasy to create a young gifted outcast's utopia named for its main character Wesley. Wesley's parents would even stoop to bribery to get their son to be more like the cookie cutter-type children of the very repetitively styled suburban neighborhood in which they reside. Wesley has other plans after learning about civilizations in school, including creating his own civilization complete with staple crop, counting and lettering systems, and clothing. Wesley's summer project gently shows the reader how being different could be an asset while Kevin Hawkes' colorful acrylic illustrations offer many supporting details.

Patricia Polacco writes an autobiographical piece: Thank you, Mr. Faulker. Her story relates the tragedy of Trisha experiencing what so many children have experienced in our educational system. Trisha has the fortune of being assigned to Mr. Faulker who recognizes her problem and finds the help she needs. Polacco's illustrations help to convey the joy and angst of Trisha's childhood experiences. Any teacher who has spent any decent amount of time in a crowded classroom may find it difficult not to shed a tear while reading this simple, endearing story.

Some authors are able to paint with words in a way that sends the reader into a story. The economy of language necessary for a well-told picture book is so artfully employed by Kim L. Siegelson's: In the Time of the Drums. Siegelson's text has a rhythm like the drums of the African homeland and could stand alone without illustration, but the reader will be glad they don't. Brian Pinkney's illustrations tell the magical legend of the Ibo people all by themselves as if they don't need the words. The scratchboard paintings have a movement and rhythm all their own.

Joe Craig's: Jimmy Coates: Target

A few weak plot points and references to the first volume won't keep young teen readers new to this series from enjoying Joe Craig's Jimmy Coates: Target. The young adult title keeps up the action from chapter to chapter as a part human teen part robot assassin tries to evade his own government agents from killing him while trying to save his family and friends at the same time. The multi-talented, multi-lingual, super strong, super fast, computer cross-breed races across two countries in a not too distant future while struggling with his identity and secrets from his past. Craig is able to build tension and suspense without a barrage of expletives and minimal blood spatter delivering a safe yet fun teen action thriller appropriate for 5th grade and up. Enough of the story lines are completed for a satisfying ending while still leaving much open for at least another volume.

Another review

Avi's: The Book without Words

I chose this book to read for two reasons: the title intrigued me, and Avi is a Newbery Medal winning author. There weren't a great many words in the story, but perhaps more than one might expect with a book of such a title. None of the words were very difficult to read but then none of the words were very interesting either. This book might prove that not every piece an awarding winning author writes is of award winning quality. Very little happens in the first 100 pages (of the 200 page edition) to the handful of characters in the story. Very shallow characters in a somewhat claustrophobic setting in an ultimately predictable plot gave this reader not much to recommend in this book except a quick easy read. A race is on to read a book of magic which can only be read by those with green eyes. A group of green-eyed children try to decipher the contents of the book for different reasons before an evil wizard completes a series of spells making him immortal by taking the life of his innocent young assistant.

Another review

Angelou's: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I decided to read Maya Angelou's autobiographical I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings after reports on a listserv of its being challenged in two Orange County high school districts. I was struct by Angelou's brutal honesty told in such an innocent voice. Her love and connection to her brother compelled me through the beginning chapters. Her guilt over her rape and the events leading to it she was able to make both understandable and shocking in the same innocent voice. The racial prejudices she experiences, learns, overcomes, and feels herself are described in unabashed manner to allow the reader a clear understanding of what it meant to grow up in a small Alabama town and then be transplanted to an urban setting as a teen. Probably not the best choice for most tweens, but definitely a popular choice for some of our library's more mature middle school readers.

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