Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Broken by C.J. Lyons

The front of this page says it is "an intense page-turner." Boy, are they right about that!  I love medical mysteries and this one was fantastic.  All Scarlet wants is to have a normal high school life. Because of a rare medical condition Scarlet has never been to school.  After much negotiation, her dad and step mother agree to let her try high school for a week.  Poor Scarlet lives through teasing, making friends, loosing friends and delving into her own medical history which holds secrets she couldn't even imagine all in this one week.  FANTASTIC READ.  

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Outside In by Sarah Ellis

What an interesting little book.  At first, I didn't know what to make of this book. You jump right into the middle of Lynn's life with her flighty, unreliable mother who has just driven her live in boyfriend away.  It just takes a bit to figure out that that is what is going on, but if you keep reading through the mild confusion you will be well rewarded with a great story about friendship.  Through an odd series of events, Lynn meets Blossom.  Blossom and her "family" live off the grid in an unnamed Canadian city.  I loved the developing story of their friendship and how far a heart felt apology goes in making things right.

Monday, September 21, 2015

The Witch's Guide to Cooking With Children by Keith McGowan

What a cute modern re-telling of Hansel and Gretel. Unlike the original Hansel and Gretel, the witch doesn't just prey on children that get lost in the woods, she depends on parents to bring them to her.  If parents are tired of their whining, misbehaving kids they just bring them to her to eat and problem solved.  Its like Pizza Hut delivery only with children!

Friday, September 18, 2015

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

When I was young the Lincoln Children's Zoo was very different.  I remember there was a bear and this bear lived in what essentially was a big cement pit.  There were a few things in there but nothing like the habitats in zoos today look like.  I always thought that bear looked so sad, and I am sure he was unhappy living in such a sterile environment.  The One and Only Ivan brought this memory back to me because it is Ivan's story.  Ivan is a lowland gorilla living in a "Big Top Mall and Video Arcade." Like the cement pit, Ivan's "domain" is not healthy for him OR his animal friends.  I loved this book and read it in a 11/2 days because I couldn't put it down.  It was inspired by the real Ivan, a gorilla that was rescued from a harsh environment and placed in the Atlanta Zoo.  I think this book will encourage you to think about "big picture" things.  Things like poaching, and zoos, even though they are much improved...is it ok for humans to capture and keep wild animals?  I hope this encourages your curiosity into these bigger topics.

House Arrest by K.A. Holt

Devotion, that is what this incredible book is about; the devotion of a brother towards his very ill younger brother.  I could not put this book down.  Neither could Mrs. Roberts.  We both finished it in about a day.  It is written in verse and I am amazed at how K.A. Holt can spin such a powerful story with so few words.  Timothy is on probation for stealing but is finding it hard to stay out of trouble. His story is told through his journal that his court ordered therapist requires him to keep.  Everyone MUST read this book.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face by Paul Acampora

What a great, quick read.  After Zachary's mom leaves him and his dad, they decide to make a fresh start in a new city.  Their new neighbor, Rachel Spinelli, makes quite an impression.  Rachel is fierce!  "Her superpower is ferociousness." Rachel loves her older, unique brother Teddy and protects him ferociously which sometimes gets her in trouble...well, actually, it gets her in trouble A LOT of the time.  This book was a funny, light look at a pretty heavy subject.  How do you move past such a troubling event as a parent abandoning you or dying (Rachel and Teddy's mother is dead) and come out a stronger person?

Monday, September 14, 2015

Shipwreck Island by S.A. Bodeen

S.A. Bodeen is one of my favorite authors.  She just really knows how to grab a reader's attention and keep it.  Shipwreck Island is great.  I finished it in about a day and know that fans of her other books ("The Compound," "The Gardener," "The Raft") will like this one too.  A honeymoon yacht cruise with her father's new wife and her two sons is not how 12 yr. old Sarah wants to spend her time.  Things go from bad to worse when a terrible storm causes the yacht to crash land on an island.  This island has some freakish animals, strange weather and a creepy, empty house!

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Jackson Pearce has done it again.  I loved her book "The Sisters Red" which was a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and I really enjoyed "Sweetly" which is Pearce's take on the Hansel and Gretal story.  Pearce, however, makes this story her own.  Gretchen is the main character and she lost her twin to a witch in the woods when she was little.  Her brother Ansel has always been "her rock." Now, after having been thrown out by their step mother they are on their own and looking for acceptance and safety in a new place.  I loved the way Pearce makes the "witch in the woods" that Gretchen is so fearful of a dark and sinister being.  Pearce also has a book called "Fathomless" which is a loose take on the Little Mermaid.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Infected by Sophie Littlefield

This book is exciting from page one! I had trouble putting it down. Carina and her boyfriend need to find out how they got infected by a virus, and find a way to get it in the hands of someone who won't turn it into a weapon. There was a twist in this book I didn't see coming and I liked that because it doesn't happen very often. Students will like that the questions will all be tied up by the end of this book, but I can also see where the author may have left herself an opening for another book.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

My Basmati Bat Mitzvah by Paula Freedman

I loved the main character in this book.  Tara Feinstein is dealing with some pretty difficult questions.  (you all know how much I like difficult, thought provoking questions)  She is getting ready for her Bat Mitzvah (the Jewish ceremony that takes place when a girl turns 13...it's called Bar Mitzvah if it is a boy).  Tara is worried that if she has a Bat Mitzvah this will make her somehow Less Indian.  She tries to mesh the two together.  I just loved this book.  Most of us are a mish mash of cultures so we can probably all relate to Tara wanting to celebrate all her cultures.