Eyes of the Storm (Bone, Book 3)

Book: Eyes of the Storm (Bone, Book 3)
Author: Jeff Smith
Audience: Grades 4-7
In a Nutshell: Bones and humans (and a dragon) against a returning evil

This excellent graphic novel series continues with Bone, Thorn, Grandma, Phoney, Smiley, and the rest of the people (and bones) in the Valley preparing to fight the big bad evil that's coming in the form of rat creatures and some creepy hooded figure who serves the ancient, powerful, hive-minded Locusts. Ooooo...

The Last Days

Book: The Last Days
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Audience: Teen
In a Nutshell: supernatural rock summons giant evil worms

In this sequel to Peeps, when strangers Moz and Pearl save a precious Stratocaster guitar from a fall out a window, it's the birth of their rock band. Along with Zahler on bass, Alana Ray on drums (make that paint buckets), and somewhat functional peep Minerva on vocals, they make otherworldly music with Minerva's ancient, inhuman lyrics that draws peeps (vampires) like, well, like vampires to a blood bank. Eventually the higher purpose of their music becomes clear as they team up with Cal, Lace, and the rest of the Night Guard from Peeps, who finally show up about two-thirds of the way through the book, and stage a series of outdoor concerts that draw out both the worms and the peeps to fight them.

The majority of the book is heavily descriptive of the formation of the band and the music they learn to make together. It's interesting reading if you're into music, but I've gotta say I was glad to see Cal and Co. finally show up and get the plot moving. It all wrapped up pretty neatly and quickly, seeing as how the music part took up so much real estate, but vampire fans, fans of Peeps , and rock-band-minded readers will probably like it.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party

Book: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation; Volume 1: The Pox Party
Author: M.T. Anderson
Audience: Teen
In a Nutshell: a young boy is a slave, an experiment, then a rebel fighter in revoluntionary America

Like I've said before, I looove M.T. Anderson. And here he's written another very original, distinctive, disturbing book that sticks in your mind a long time after the last page turns, whether you want it there or not. And he won the National Book Award for it, so bravo! That said, this is not an easy read. It's written in impressively accurate 18th-century-style English, and it's long. Octavian and his mother, Casseopeia, are African slaves owned by a group of radical scientists and scholars called the Novanglian College of Lucidity. In the sober city of Boston, they live in opulence and are treated as exotic royalty, but Octavian must weigh his food and feces. When their fortunes shift and a harsh new benefactor takes control, the experiment of Octavian and his mother takes a dark turn: scientific proof of the inferiority of the African races. I won't give away the details, but some horrible things happen, and Octavian's personal account goes silent. The story picks up in secondary sources and through the letters of a revolutionary soldier as Octavian ends up with the man's unit. The history depicted is slightly alternative, but similar enough to the history books to make readers take a good hard look at what they think they know about the American Revolution.

The book is chock full of themes of human rights, freedom, friendship, and the fuzziness of right and wrong, good and bad in the American Revolution-- and by extension, the whole American experience? Or any world-changing conflict? Let's say yes. After all, that's the sort of thing they hand out National Book Awards for.

Part Two is coming (sometime) and even though I generally have little to no interest in revolutionary fiction, I can't wait.

The House Next Door

Book: The House Next Door
Author: Richie Tankersley Cusick
Audience: Teen
In a Nutshell: ghostly gothic love and tragedy

Emma has a funny feeling about the old abandoned house next door, but when her twin brother dares her to spend the night there alone, she can't back down. The dream she has is vivid and frightening: she's wearing old-fashioned clothes, and she is trying to run away with the man she loves. But the there's blood and a fire, something tragic is happening, and Emma wakes up in the present day. Except she's not quite alone: there's a constant presence she's sure isn't her imagination, and she woke up wearing a ring. It's the same ring that her true love gave her in the dream.

Fans of supernatural romance shouldn't miss this one. It's got tragic ghostly (and handsome) boys, haunted houses, danger, psychic connections...all the elements you've come to enjoy in this kind of book.

Romiette and Julio

Book: Romiette and Julio
Author: Sharon Draper
Audience: Teen
In a Nutshell: Romeo and Juliet with a modern interracial twist

Romiette is a black high school student in Cincinatti. Her best friend, Destiny, claims to have strong psychic abilities and swears that Romi will soon meet her soul mate- not that any of the boys at school really interest Romi. Then one evening in a chatroom, she logs on as afroqueen and meets spanishlover, and they really hit it off. Turns out they go to the same school.
Julio is a Latino boy who just moved to town from Texas. He hates everything about Ohio, except the amazing girl he just met. It's love at first sight for Romi and Julio. They would be floating on Cloud 9 if it weren't for the gangs at school, who don't approve of a Hispanic boy and black girl dating. Even their loving parents, who have their own racial baggage, don't accept the relationship right away. Conflict and near tragedy ensue, but love and understanding win out in the end.

I thought it was a likable, readable story, but a little uneven in quality. The dialogue is sometimes very authentic, and other times very forced. I mean, what teenager uses appositives in everyday speech? But most readers won't care about this. The romance, likable characters, the online element, and a good (if slightly overstated) message are all appealing.

Hush

Book: Hush
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Audience: Grades 4-9 or so
In a Nutshell: girl loses her friends, her home, and her name when her family enters the federal witness protection program

Her name used to be Toswiah. She loved her life in Denver, and her father loved his life as a cop. He was one of the only African-Americans on the force, but that didn't seem to matter. Then he witnessed two fellow cops killing a black boy. He testified against them, and life got hard for the whole family. Then it got dangerous. So in the middle of the night, they packed up a few small bags and moved to who-knows-where across the country. Now Toswiah's name is Evie, her sister is angry, her mother has become religious with the Jehovah's Witnesses, and her father just stares out the window all day. They may still be alive, but life as she knew it is over.


It's a lovely story, bittersweet and cautiously optimistic in the end. A pretty quick read, too.

Specials

Book: Specials (Book 3 of the Uglies trilogy)
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Audience: Teen
In a Nutshell: bio-engineered superteens overcome their brainwashing and save the world

Oh, how I love Scott Westerfeld's books. And oh, how I love it when authors finish strong on a good trilogy. I can now rest easy at night knowing that I can recommend Uglies and Pretties without fear of readers getting shafted by Book 3. Not that I've been losing whole lot of sleep over this, but you get the idea.

When we last left Tally Youngblood, she had been caught by the Specials, led by her former best friend, Shay. Since then, she's had the "special" surgery herself, where they enhanced her strength, speed, senses, and more, basically turning her into a predatory super-human who comes across as scary to normal pretties for primal reasons they are only vaguely aware of.

Tally loves her new body, her new tight relationship with the other Specials, and loves the new feelings of power and superiority that come with it. Their latest assignment is to figure out where the rebel New Smoke camp has moved to, and report back. But they run into more resistance from the Smokies than they expected, and Tally and Shay are caught in a swirl of right and wrong and power and greed, and it's up to them to use their gifts to chose a side and fight for it. Hundreds of years of peace between the cities hangs in the balance. There's also David and Zane to consider. David, the Smoky whom both Tally and Shay have loved when they were young and foolish and now just resent; and Zane, Tally's boyfriend whose brain got fried in the last book trying to become permanently "bubbly" and lucid, free from the brain lesions that keep the population docile. Tally thought he was dead, but surprise! He's not.

I've really tried to keep this blurb short and simple, but after three books of build-up that's no easy task. There's so much action, adventure, survival, gore, intriguing social commentary, love and life and death and stuff blowing up. Just trust me: good books. Very good books. Read the very good books.

The White Ram: A Story of Abraham and Isaac

Book: The White Ram: A Story of Abraham and Isaac
Author & Illustrator: Mordecai Gerstein
Audience: Grades K-3
In a Nutshell: A traditional Jewish story of Abraham and Isaac- from the ram's point of view

In Scripture, we first meet the white ram when Abraham is about to follow God's command to sacrifice his son, Isaac. God stops Abraham and tells him there is a ram caught in the bushes that he should sacrifice instead. In this picture book, we see the other side of the story, where God creates the ram and tells it to wait, because there is a special purpose for it to fulfill. When the time comes, the ram must pass the Enemy in many disguises as the Enemy tries to convince, trick, or bully the ram into not following through. In the end, it willingly sacrifices itself to obey God and save Isaac's life. A nice retelling of a traditional (though not scriptural) story, and the artwork is energetic with lots to look at on each page.

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Book: Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom
Author: Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Audience: Grades 2-4 or so
In a Nutshell: Harriet Tubman listens to God and finds freedom for herself and many others

The illustrator of Ellington Was Not a Street and the author of several black history titles offers up a gorgeous depiction of Tubman, her faith, and the part it played in her escape from slavery and the leadership in the Underground Railroad that followed. The word that comes to mind is transcendent. A beautiful and memorable book.

A History of the World in 6 Glasses

Book: A History of the World in 6 Glasses
Author: Tom Standage
Audience: High School and Adult
In a Nutshell: beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea and Coca-Cola explain everything

Beer was portable wealth in ancient Egypt; Coke represents-- and pioneered-- current globalization trends. In between, lots of other stuff was either influenced or reflected by various major beverages. Very interesting angle on world history with lots of tasty factoids to wet your whistle.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You

Book: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You
Author: Ally Carter
Audience: Teen
In a Nutshell: James Bond boarding school for girls

They speak 14 languages, but they don't know how to talk to boys. They are students at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. Most of the world thinks it's a hoity-toity boarding school for rich girls. In reality, it's a spy school. They have all the high-tech gadgets, they can blend and infiltrate anywhere, hack any database, mix deadly poison. But mingling in the real world? Not so easy. Since her mom is the headmistress, Cammie Morgan gets out even less than the other students. But on a pratice mission in town, she meets Josh. He's normal, cute, and he noticed her. But he can't find out she goes to the snob school, and he definitely can't find out she' s a spy in training. Good thing Cammie and her friends are experts at covert operations.

There's nothing too heavy here, but I liked it. Light and fun, and there's a sequel in the works.

Endymion Spring

Book: Endymion Spring
Author: Matthew Skelton
Audience: Teen
In a Nutshell: book finds boy. book bites boy. boy must solve book's mysteries and guard its ancient secrets from nasty scholars at Oxford.

Blake Winters and his little sister, Duck, are spending the year with their mother at Oxford. She spends all day in the library researching, so Blake and Duck are stuck there, too. One day, a book bites Blake. No, really- it's got fangs and everything. The book is really, really old, and the cover says only Endymion Spring, whatever that means. When Blake opens it, there are a lot of blank pages and one very mysterious riddle, and he's the only one who can see it. The book is powerful, it seems to have a life of its own, and there' s something it wants from Blake.

The other storyline in the book begins 500 years ago in Germany, where a young printer's assistant named Endymion works with Johann Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press. A very sketchy character named Fust shows up with a very creepy, carved chest that practically screams "I'M EVIL!!", and Endymion finds magic, mystery, and danger within.

This book got oodles of hype before it was published, and it is a good read- if you like books about libraries, books, and mysteries with a dark and sinister historical twist. A bit of a Da Vinci Code angle, if you like sort of thing. But does this story have the crazy blockbuster appeal of Da Vinci? No, not really. But it's a decent readalike for teen DVC fans.

The Oaken Throne

Book: The Oaken Throne (Book Two of The Deptford Histories)
Author: Robin Jarvis
Audience: Grades 4-6
In a Nutshell: two young enemies, a bat and a squirrel, team up to fight evil and destruction. I think.

I'll be straight with you: I couldn't do it. I couldn't keep reading this book. I was supposed to read it for a review group, but I just can't. It's an animal fantasy, and I like those. The author is well-reviewed and respected and all that, and I'm sure plenty of people get into his books. It's got similar appeal to Redwall, but with a much higher creep factor, which would be a selling point for fans of creep. It just seems overdone to me- overwritten and overdramatic. Here's an example of dialogue as Morwenna the "treacherous handmaiden" squirrel poisons her kindly mistress: "'Now you have drunk from the cup of my ambition,' she spat venomously. 'To me it seems sweet, but I fear you have not found it so. '" Maybe it's just me, but I can't get into that. It's rodent fantasy with Shakespearean hack tendencies, complete with thou's and thee's thrown in for flavor. The time period is medieval, but it still doesn't work for me, like the author is trying too hard to make squirrels seem truly threatening.

I'm not even going to get into the plot, because I have no idea what happens past page 63. I read the entire Deptford Mice Trilogy thinking I would start liking it more eventually, but I never really did. Now here's the prequel trilogy, and this is as far as I go. They're not badly written, I just...can't. Sorry.

Cinderella (as if you didn't already know the story)

Book: Cinderella (as if you didn't already know the story)
Author: Barbara Ensor
Audience: Grades 3-6
In a Nutshell: Cinderella with funky silhouette illustrations

The title of the book pretty much says it all. This is Cinderella, as if you didn't already know the story. Not really any deviations from the norm here. The time period is sort of a cross between Once Upon a Time and modern day; Cinderella has both a royal ball and homework to contend with. Cinderella's letters to her dead mother are reproduced in her own handwriting, and there are lots of silhouette-style illustrations throughout. Our heroine has a spunky voice, and there are memorable writing gems and quirky, non-traditional details added here and there, but overall it didn't make a huge impression on me. It's pretty much...Cinderella. So if you're looking for a Cinderella story, this will definitely fit the bill. And all the illustrations and letters make it a superquick read.

The Hero and the Crown

Book: The Hero and the Crown
Author: Robin McKinley
Audience: Teen
In a Nutshell: clumsy, black-sheep princess turns out to be Dragon-slaying, world-saving princess

Aerin may be the only child of the king of Damar, but it hasn't won her a big fan following so far. For years, people in and out of the royal court have whispered stories of how her witch mother used magic to ensnare the king in marriage and get an heir on the throne, and how she died of disappointment when her child was born a girl.

Aerin longs to do something of use for her father and the kingdom, so with the help of her cousin, Tor, she secretly learns to use a sword, and she becomes Aerin Dragon-Killer. Dark powers are stirring in the north, and though smaller than their legendary counterparts, small dragons are becoming a dangerous nuisance in the villages. But rumors exist in her father's books that one of the great dragons may still be alive, dormant and waiting to rise again and cause fiery mayhem. And there is still another problem to consider: the common source of the dragons, the rebellious spirit in the northern lords, and more ominous signs of dark times to come. She may have been belittled by people all her life, but Aerin's country needs her now for the gifts she never imagined she had.

A classic high fantasy; dragon-slaying and magic destiny-discovering adventure at its best. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it. And if you want more there's also The Blue Sword, written two years before this one but set much later in the history of Damar.

Dairy Queen

Book: Dairy Queen
Author: Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Audience: Teen
In a Nutshell: your basic "girl runs farm, girl joins football team, girl falls for rival quarterback" story

D.J. Schwenk's two older brothers were high school football stars. D.J. is athletic, too, but now that her dad's recuperating from surgery, she's more or less been running her family's dairy farm. No more basketball, no more volleyball, and barely any time to hang out with her best friend, or do anything fun for that matter. From all those years of helping her brothers with workout drills, D.J. knows her way around a set of calisthenics. So when a family friend (and coach of the rival football team) asks her to train his quarterback over the summer, D.J. doesn't know exactly why she does it, but she agrees. Said quartback's name is Brian Nelson. He's got talent, he's got looks, but he's also a big whiner who blames other people for all his mistakes and isn't a fan of hard work. But he's not about to get shown up by a girl, so let the training begin.

Brian's actually not a bad guy, which complicates D.J.'s life when they're spending almost every day together. More complications ensue when she decides that what she really wants is the last thing anyone expects: to join the football team. A worthy addition to teen girl power lit. D.J. is funny, honorable, and heroic, in a rural-Wisconsin-meets-Title-9 sort of a way. Language and content is definitely on the high school side of the spectrum, but nothing all that edgy.

The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen

Book: The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen (Book Two of M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales)
Author: M. T. Anderson
Audience: Grades 4-6
In a Nutshell: makes fun of mystery series books, and has a crazy fun time doing it

I love M. T. Anderson. Loooove him. No, we're not related, despite sharing a last name. Everything he's ever written rocks. Sometimes (make that usually) it's disturbing in some way, but so well done. The guy is twisted, but boy, can he write. Just try to say the title of this book out loud and not want to read it. Some readers may not know what linoleum or lederhosen mean, but it still sounds fantastic. The Thrilling Tales series features a trio of heroes: Katie Mulligan, Jasper Dash, and Lilly Gefelty. Katie is the star of a creepy mystery book series- think Goosebumps. The "Jasper Dash, Boy Technonaut" books were big in the 1940's, when fearless, brave and courteous Jasper fought bad guys with his crazy "futuristic" inventions, such as the Gyroscopic Sky Suite. Lilly doesn't have a book series. She doesn't realize yet that her life is not boring, so she's happy to hide in her famous friends' shadows. In the first book, the three friends saved the world from whales on stilts (hence the title: Whales on Stilts!) In this second tale, the trio try to take a vacation from mystery and the forces of evil, but no luck. They go to a mountain hideaway called the Moose Tongue Lodge and Resort, where Jasper has a coupon for free dinner. It turns out that the coupons were a fake, and many other mystery series stars were lured there by the same bogus coupon. No sooner have the guests realized the hoax then they get word that the adorable Hooper Quints have been kidnapped, and they all set out to solve the mystery. All except Katie, who really wants a vacation. But how long can she ignore a good mystery? And why is one guest always letting out bloodcurdling screams? And will Jasper survive his encounter with immunoglobulin E? The book is weird and quirky enough to appeal to readers who like weird, quirky books; if they are familiar with some of the books being panned, it gets even better. Goosebumps, The Bobbsey Twins, and any given old-fashioned horse books are just a few of the targets of Anderson's (fond) satire.

The next book in this thrilling series? The teaser in the back begins like this:

It is a land of wonders...

It is a land of mystery...

It is a land that time forgot

(or chose specifically not to remember)

It is called... DELAWARE!

How can you not love that?

I haven't gathered enough data to know if actual kids find these books as hilarious as I do, but oh well.

School's Out-- Forever

Book: School's Out- Forever (Book 2 of Maximum Ride)
Author: James Patterson
Audience: Teen
In a Nutshell: kids with wings hide from crazy scientists and look for their parents

The first book was action-packed and interesting, and this one pretty much is, too. To be honest, I read this a while ago and now I'm trying to catch up on my Barker posts. Max and the other genetically-engineering flying children continue their quest for truth, parents, and blowing stuff up. Lots of action, twists, turns, betrayals, but not a whole lot accomplished in the end. But there's a third exciting installment due out in May, so stay tuned. Maybe book three will be more revealing.

The Prophet of Yonwood

Book: The Prophet of Yonwood
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Audience: Grades 4-8
In a Nutshell: find a home, fall in love, help the world

Nickie's great-grandfather just died, leaving the family's huge old mansion in the small town of Yonwood, North Carolina, to her mom and aunt. The house is so old it has a name: Greenhaven. Nickie's aunt, Crystal, just wants to clean it up and sell it as soon as possible, and Nickie comes along to help. She also has three goals of her own: 1. To convince her aunt not to sell Greenhaven so that she and her mom and dad can live there, out of the dangerous city; 2. To fall madly, passionately in love- not forever, just for now, to see what it's like; 3. To do something helpful for the world. She sees her chance to do #3 when she hears about the Prophet. Several months back, a woman in town had a fiery, frightening vision of the future, and now she's half-delirious in bed, muttering confusing things that a few prominent town members (like Mrs. Beeson) interpret and pass on as God's will to the rest of the people. With the President on television nearly every day warning of an imminent war with the extremist "Phalanx Nations," people are all too willing to believe a vision of fiery doom, and they do whatever Mrs. Beeson tells them to do in the hopes that they can prevent the coming disaster and destruction. Nickie tries to help Mrs. Beeson do good by reporting people who might have evil tendencies, but she soon realizes that it's not as easy as judging appearances and first impressions to decide who's good and who's eeevil. To mix things up, throw in a cute stray dog (good?), a new friend who loves snakes (evil?), a mysterious white-clad "terrorist" wandering the woods, and a secret message hidden in postcards from her father. Nickie reaches all three goals, but not how or when she expected.

This book was disappointing; all the more so because I love the first book, The City of Ember, and the sequel, The People of Sparks. Prophet is presented as the Third Book of Ember, prequel-style, but the connection is pretty slim. The author threw in a lot of wrap-up and tie-in facts in the final chapter, almost like she hit her page quota and resorted to summary. The story quickly gets bogged down in message and metaphor, mostly related to the current state of the post-9/11 world. Not that war, fear, safety vs. freedom, and questions of religion and who really knows God's will aren't perfectly good topics to tackle, but the approach here gets too heavy-handed. It hampered my attempt to enjoy the story and characters apart from The Lesson To Be Learned. I don't like being hampered.

Foundation

Book: Foundation
Author: Isaac Asimov
Audience: High School to Adult
In a Nutshell: they're saving humanity, but they have no idea how

Sometimes I feel like a big slacker of a sci-fi fan, because there are a lot of classic novels I've never read. This was one of them. Here's the deal: Hari Seldon is the galaxy's greatest psychohistorian, meaning he can predict major events and risings and fallings of civilization based on what he knows of history, sociology, and statistics. That's right, math. Don't bother looking up "psychohistory", because the author made it up. Leave it to Asimov to imagine a universe where a math geek will save us all. That's what Seldon set out to do: through his science he sees that the gi-normous and all-powerful Galactic Empire will soon collapse, plunging the human race into 30,000 years of primitive dark ages before we recover. Seldon believes he can reduce that dark time to a mere 1,000 years. How? By setting up the Encyclopedia Foundation on a little planet on the edge of nowheresville, galactically speaking. The job of the Foundation members is to create a massive encyclopedia containing the sum of human knowledge so that it won't be lost in the dark time to come. A nice idea, but will that really eliminate 29,000 years of suffering? No, not really. Turns out old Hari Seldon had a lot more planned than just a 1,000-volume leather-bound set. The tricky part is, Seldon purposely didn't tell anyone else what chain of events would begin after the Foundation was created. So the people of the Foundation planet have no idea what they're really doing, or how it might save humanity.

The premise is very interesting, and I enjoyed the book for a while. But honestly, I got a little impatient toward the end. Like Asimov himself mentions in the foreward, the book is all ideas and talk, talk, talk. Big, exciting things do happen, but they're always "off-camera", so to speak. Only once that I remember was the point of view actually in the action. Maybe I've just been reading too many action-heavy YA books (is that even possible?!), but after a while I wanted to see the action for myself, not just hear someone talk about what just happened, or was still happening, or was about to happen. Anyway, I'm glad I read it, but I don't think I'll check out the rest of the series quite yet.