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The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey

Published May 22, 2009 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  13 and up

# of Pages:  339 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

Alfred Kropp is a big, awkward kid whose father ran off when he was little and his mom recently died of Cancer.  He is living with his Uncle Farrell, who works as a night security guard for a big business.  Uncle Farrell is always trying to encourage Alfred to try new things and push himself harder so that Alfred can be more successful than he is when he grows up.   When his uncle  asks Alfred to help him with an opportunity that has come his way Alfred hesitates.  He feels there is something shady about the person offering his uncle so much money just to steal a sword that the man claims was stolen from him first.  His uncle threatens him with foster care, so he agrees to go along for the theft.  Things do not go as planned, however, and Alfred feels he is responsible for allowing a dangerous weapon get into the wrong hands.  As he begins his adventure to retrieve the item before it can destroy the world, he wonders if it is an accident that he became involved in the first place or if he is somehow connected to that magical sword.

This adventure story is full of mystery, suspense, and action.  Kropp’s discovery of his true identity and his involvement in a plot to take over the world is interesting and exciting.  The characters Kropp meets along the way are colorful and it is difficult to tell at times who is good and who is out to get him.  His personality fits that of an awkward teen who has become involved in an unexpected adventure.  Fans of the Percy Jackson series will be fans of this one as well, although there are fewer mythology references.

Kipling’s Choice by Geert Spillebeen

Published May 18, 2009 Award Winners , Historical Fiction , RAC 2 Comments
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Genre:  Historical fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  150

RAC:  Yes

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

This fiction story is based on the true events of the famous Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling’s son, John.  Rudyard had always wanted to serve his country in the armed forces and was disqualified due to physical limitations.  From a young age, he groomed John to want to be a soldier as well, but John had weak eyes.  Rudyard used all of his influence to get John into the army as an officer, which John appreciated.  When John goes to his first battle, however, he realizes that it is a little different than he imagined and he wishes he could just go home and play the rich son again.

The format of the story is interesting because it flashes from John in his first battle back to all the memories of him growing up.  As a child John loved to play with the expensive toys his father gave him, but he often played recklessly and Rudyard encouraged it as typical boy behavior.  In the flashbacks it becomes apparent how important it was to Rudyard for his son to fight for his country like he couldn’t.  He fails to see the possible dangers and never truly believes anything could possibly happen to his son.  Although this story is very interesting, it will be difficult to get young adults to read it.  Many young adults do not like to read historical fiction type topics, but students who like reading about war will enjoy this title.

Invisible by Pete Hautman

Published May 15, 2009 Award Winners , RAC , Realistic Fiction 2 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  149 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Award Winner:  Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

Doug Hanson is the social outcast of the school.  He has trouble interacting with people, he spies on the prettiest girl in school, and he spends all his time building a train set in his basement.  His parents make him go to counseling even though he doesn’t think he needs it.  The most important thing to him in life is his best friend, Andy, who lives next door.  Doug admits that they have gotten into trouble together in the past, but he doesn’t like to think of those times.  Doug sees Andy as everything he is not.  He plays sports, has lots of friends, and even performs in school plays while Doug fails to interact at school at all.  Doug begins to realize that people including his teachers, parents, and therapist are deeply worried about him.  The question is whether they have a right to be.

There is an aspect of this story that is not immediately apparent, but becomes so fairly quickly.  Most readers will be able to pick up on it early on in the book, which may or may not entice them to keep reading.  It is unclear if this plot element is supposed to be apparent to the reader early on or it if it supposed to be a surprise at the end.  Either way, it is a plot development that has been used quite a big in movies and television.  The character development is strong in this book, but some of their motives seem confusing.  For example, if Doug’s parents are so concerned about his behavior why don’t they try to do more to help him before it is too late?  Readers who liked Laurie Halse Anderson’s Twisted will like this title as well.

We Beat the Street by The Three Doctors

Published May 12, 2009 Award Winners , Nonfiction 16 Comments
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Genre:  Nonfiction

Age Level:  12 and up

# of Pages:  183

RAC Book: Yes

Awards:  Iowa Teen Award Winner 2009-2010

This true story follows three young men as they grow up in tough neighborhoods and through sheer luck manage to escape big trouble with the law.  They find themselves at an informational meeting about a program that helps inner city kids become doctors.  The three make a pact to see it through to the end.  There are many times when one or another wants to quit and the other two have to remind him of why he wants to be a doctor.   The story tells of some of the trouble these boys got into as young kids and why it is so difficult to even go to college from where they come from.

This story does try to tell the story as accurately as possible.  The neighborhood friends and scrapes with the law are all mentioned in vivid detail, but in each instance they somehow manage to escape unscathed.  There are many young men out there who are not so lucky.  The pact was a good way to keep each other motivated and it is unlikely that all three would have succeeded without the other two.  Readers who liked Hole in My Life will like this one, but the writing is not as sophisticated as that one and often details are glossed over in order to move the story along faster.  An interesting story for those who like nonfiction.

Side Effects by Amy Goldman Koss

Published May 8, 2009 Award Winners , RAC , Realistic Fiction 5 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  143 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Award:  Iowa Teen Award Winner 2009-2010

Izzy is a fifteen year old girl telling the story about when she was diagnosed with Lymphoma and how her life changed because of it.  This is a story about a girl who survived Cancer, but that does not mean it was easy.  Izzy had to struggle with terrible side effects from the Chemo, being treated differently at school, and even watching her family suffer as they watched her become weaker.  Izzy was surprised at how different people reacted to the news that she had Cancer.  Some people believed she must have done something bad in a past life, others kept telling stories of people they knew who had Cancer and died, and still others left her alone because they did not know what to say.  She missed the days when all she worried about was school and tests, but Izzy makes it very clear that her story is important because not all people die from Cancer.

This is an honest story about a young person with Cancer.  It depicts the many difficult aspects of having Cancer, both physical and mental.  Amy Goldman Koss wanted a book out there that did not end with a person dying because there are too many books and movies that end that way.  She wanted a book about a person who fought it and lived.  The reactions of Izzy’s friends and family were also interesting and might help any young people who know someone who is very sick.  It can be difficult to know how to react in a situation like this.  An interesting and quick read.

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

Published May 5, 2009 Award Winners , Poetry , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Poetry

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  530 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Awards: Iowa High School Award Winner 2009-2010

This story is told in poetry form and follows a young girl named Pattyn whose strict family belongs to the Church of Latter Day Saints.  She is the oldest of six girls and her father does not hide the fact that he would prefer boys.  He often drinks and then hits Pattyn’s mother and the other members of the congregation look away.  As Pattyn begins to think about boys, love, and women’s roles in life she begins to question everything her family stands for.  After some mishaps at school she is sent to live with her aunt who opens her eyes to a different way of life.  Will she ever be able to break free of her family?  Will she ever be able to protect herself from her father’s wrath?

This story depicts a very dysfunctional family through the eyes of the oldest teenager daughter.  She struggles with finding right and wrong and wonders if she is wrong to want a better life than what her mother has.  The time she spends with her Aunt is refreshing as Pattyn begins to learn and grow in a bigger world than the one her family has shown her.  Her summer romance with Ethan shows her what a good relationship is like with open communication and mutual respect.  The story ends ambiguously and many readers will wonder what actually happens to Pattyn.  The ending reminds readers that sometimes there is no happy ending for the characters you have come to care about.  This is a serious book that discusses serious issues.  Fans of A Child Called It or The Rules of Survival will find this interesting.  Those looking for a lighthearted romance need to keep looking.

Fade to Black by Alex Flinn

Published April 29, 2009 Award Winners , Realistic Fiction 1 Comment

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  184

RAC Book:  Yes

Awards:  Iowa High School Award Winner 2009-2010

This book follows three different perspectives:  Alex, Clinton, and Daria.  Alex is a new student in a small town school where everyone knows he is HIV positive.  At the beginning of the story he is attacked in his car by a baseball bat.  The attacker breaks the windshield so that he is cut by the glass.  Daria, a student with Down Syndrome, is the only witness and believes the assailant to be Clinton Cole.  Clinton has made it known that he is afraid of catching AIDS and wants Alex to leave the school, but swears he did not do this crime.   Did Clinton do this and if he did not will he be punished anyway?

The three perspectives in this book help the reader to understand where each character is coming from.  As the three perspectives follow the events after the attack it becomes clear that Alex and Clinton both have many issues they are dealing with at home and at school.  Some of the issues they deal with at school are fear, guilt, and a desire to fit in and be “normal.”   At home they find that they want to please their parents without allowing them too much control over their lives.  This book emphasizes how difficult it is to be a teenager and be different in any way.  Teenagers are always wondering what if their friends are real friends and would stand by them during difficult times and these three people are disappointed by what they find.  This would be a great story for any high school student to read because it helps them think about situations from other people’s perspectives.  It also helps them realize that everyone feels self conscious about something and that people are more aware of what people say about them than those who say mean things realize.  Also recommended are Alex Flinn’s Books Breathing Underwater and Diva.

Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

Published June 13, 2008 Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  12 and up

# of Pages:  635 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

In this sequel to Inkheart, Meggie is living with her aunt Elinor, her father Mo, her mother Resa, and the reader Darius.  Meggie desperately wants to visit the Inkworld where her mother lived for so many years.  She has heard about the magical creatures and interesting characters and landscape and desperately wants to go, but she knows her father would be upset.  Mo doesn’t even like talking about that place.

Meanwhile, Dustfinger has found someone who claims to be able to read people into books.  He wants to go back along with Farid, but in the end only Dustfinger goes.  Farid finds out it was a trick set up by Basta, the villain who got away in the first book.  Now Farid sets out to find Meggie in order for her to read him into the story to reunite with Dustfinger.  When Meggie hears his proposition she decides to write herself into the story as well.  This is just the beginning of an ever evolving story.

This story takes place mainly in the magical world depicted in the book Inkheart, unlike the first book that took place in the real world.  Many new characters are introduced and familiar characters change and evolve.  The twists and turns of the story make sense and instill a fun sense of adventure and a hint of fairy tale aspects.  The book was long and despite that the ending seemed rushed.  It is clearly set up for another book to follow this one.  If that was the intention all along Funke should have cut off this story a little sooner.  It seems like she had a hard time deciding where to end this one and begin the next one.  Those who liked the first one will probably like this one even more because this new world is fun and exciting.

 

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Published May 27, 2008 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , Mythology , RAC 10 Comments
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Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 375

RAC Book: Yes

2008 Iowa Teen Award Winner

Percy Jackson has had lots of trouble in his life due to circumstances that seem to be out of his control. After getting kicked out of yet another school, Percy goes home expecting to upset his mom and unfortunate stepfather “smelly Gabe.” Instead, his mom surprises him with a camping trip. On the way she tells him he will probably have to go to a special summer camp where he can be protected. Percy doesn’t understand why he needs protection, but then remembers the numerous occasions in which strange creatures have tried to harm him.

At camp Half Blood Percy learns that his father was a god, but no one knows which. He is believed to have stolen something very valuable from Mt. Olympus and several people are trying to get it back. Percy’s life is in danger and he must go on a quest to save not only himself but the whole planet because if his quest fails the gods will declare war on each other and the entire world will be in jeopardy.

The mythology characters and elements woven through this story made it a fun read. If students do not know a lot about different gods and mythology characters they may not pick up on details as fast as others, but each character and his or her role in the mythology stories are explained well and integrated into this modern story. There is a lot of action and adventure as Percy tries to complete his quest which makes the story move quickly. This was a very successful modern day hero quest. Students who like super hero type stories or stories like Alfred Kropp will enjoy this well-written adventure.

Firestorm by David Klass

Published May 22, 2008 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 12 Comments
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Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 289 p.

RAC Book: Yes

2008 Iowa Teen Award Winner

Jack lives with his parents in a normal town, where he excels in football and other sports as well as academics. For Jack life comes pretty easy, which is why he can never understand why his parents never want him to shine like he knows he can. They are always encouraging him to let others win and try to blend in more. One night after a particularly great football performance, he notices a strange man following him. When he tells his parents his dad immediately takes him as far away as he can while explaining that they are not his real parents. He does not tell him why they have lied to him all these years or who his real parents are before they are ambushed and Jack is forced to flee for his life.

As Jack tries to figure out why he is special and what his task is, he comes across many different types of characters. Some are more helpful than others at helping him find his destiny. He soon learns that he was sent back from the future in order to stop the world from making terrible environmental mistakes that humans will pay for dearly in the future. Those who come to help him tell him he must find the firestorm in order to preserve the earth from the evils of humans, but he has no idea what firestorm is and no matter how hard he tries there is always someone trying to hurt him.

The idea of a young man being chosen for something great without him knowing it has been used many times in young adult books, but the idea of Jack having to save the world from humans destroying it through different types of pollution is a new twist. Obviously, it’s hard to understand how he can possibly save the world from all humans, but it is obvious that this is one of a trilogy so he will have many battles to fight in order to save the earth. There is a lot of action and fighting sequences that fans of action movies will enjoy. Most of the story is well-described, but the ending happens pretty fast so readers will have to read very closely in order to find out how everything is resolved for the time being. The ending is a little unsatisfying, but part of that is probably due to the fact that there are two more in the series.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Published May 20, 2008 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 12 and up

# of Pages: 422 p.

RAC Book: Yes

Iowa High School Award Winner 2008

Max is one of many human experiments from a place called the School. Her and five others escaped four years ago and have been living alone ever since. There was a “white coat” named Jeb who helped them to escape, but has been missing for two years and they all think he is dead. The six kids are 98% human and 2% bird. In other words, they can fly which makes it difficult to blend into regular society. At the beginning of this story, the youngest, Angel, is kidnapped by men who have been genetically altered to be part-wolf. The remaining five kids must decide how to go back to the place that abused them and still gives them nightmares in order to save one of their own.

James Patterson is a very good storyteller. Although, this book is not what his fans usually expect it is well-written with a lot of action and exciting twists in the story. The journey Max has to take to protect the other five kids is difficult and exciting at the same time. They all have a chance to see things they could never have imagined in the past, but at the same time they are chased everywhere they go. Young fantasy readers will love the unique characteristics of the mutant characters as well as trying to figure out why the School suddenly wants them back after four years. A good fantasy read.

Rebel Angels by Libba Bray

Published May 15, 2008 Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre: Fantasy

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 548 p.

RAC Book: Yes

Iowa High School 2008 Award Winner

Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are living in the year 1895 struggling with their families, boarding school, and of course the magical realms they discovered in A Great and Terrible Beauty. Gemma is responsible for the magic she released at that time and must find a way to bind it all together so that not just anyone can abuse the magic. Gemma knows she will need help along the way, but it is unclear who she can trust. Miss McCleethy, their new art teacher, seems very interested in Gemma and her secrets, but Gemma is not sure if she can trust her. Miss Moore, the teacher Gemma got fired in the last book, surfaces again and Gemma wonders if she is the one who is supposed to guide her into the realms. Finally, Pippa, the girls’ former friend and schoolmate is now trapped in the realms and seems to be the same, but Gemma is not so sure she has not been corrupted.

In addition to all of their worrying about the magical realms, there are other issues at hand as well including Gemma’s father’s addiction to opium, a prospective suitor, and Ann’s lack of family during the holidays. Bray does a nice job of balancing life in the late 19th century with the fantasy world they often visit. The problems of both worlds seem equally alarming and disastrous. Bray moves the story into a much more exciting path than the previous book as Gemma, Felicity, and Ann try to control the magic they set free in that book. The characters, both secondary and primary, develop a lot more in this book so that the reader can understand more about their backgrounds and motivations throughout the story. A page turner for fantasy readers, much more compelling than the first book.

Blood Red Horse by K.M. Grant

Published May 8, 2008 Award Winners , Historical Fiction , RAC 16 Comments
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Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Level: 14 and up

# of Pages: 277 p.

RAC Book: yes

Iowa Teen Award 2008

In the year 1185, when the book begins, in England there are two brothers and a little girl who all live together in a castle. The two brothers, Will and Gavin, quarrel a lot as Gavin always tries to belittle Will in front of others. Ellie lost her parents at a young age and came to live with them until she is old enough to marry. She and Will get along really well, even though it is understood that someday she will marry Gavin. When Will gets old enough he is sent to go pick out a big war horse, but he finds a red horse that he falls in love with. Even though everyone makes fun of him he works tirelessly to groom and train the red horse, Hosanna, until everyone becomes enchanted with him.

When Will and Gavin are summonsed with their father to go to the king in order to fight in the Crusades, they leave Ellie and a few others in charge of the castle. The war is much more difficult than either of the boys could have imagined and the tension between them is often fierce. Both begin to wonder if they will ever return home. Hosanna manages to keep Will hopeful in times of great sadness. Meanwhile, Ellie is having problems of her own back home.

The first in this trilogy moves at a leisurely pace despite the many things that happen in it. The brothers change and grow a lot on their journey and become very different men than they had previously planned on becoming. The war is also told from the eyes of the Muslims, which provides an interesting way to humanize the other side. The author makes it very clear what the motives for both sides are and why it is near impossible for either side to give up. Hosanna is the tie between everyone in the story. The red horse seems to inspire great things and loyalty where there previously was no hope. A good story for those who like reading about war and life during this time period.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Published October 5, 2007 Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  14 and up

# of pages: 497

Award Winner:  2007 Iowa High School Award

Sequel:  New Moon and Eclipse

RAC Book:  Yes

Bella has come to Forks, Washington to live with her father.  She does not have trouble making friends at her new school, but she becomes especially interested in the Cullen family.  The Cullen’s adopted five children, who are now all going to the same high school.  Bella notices that they are beautiful and never seem to eat.  When she becomes Edward Cullen’s lab partner she notices he appears to hate her, but she later learns that he actually really likes her which is problematic since he is a vampire.  The Cullens are all vampires, but none of them practice and choose instead to feed on animals to survive.

As Bella finds herself drawn to Edward she discovers that he always seems to be right there whenever she needs help getting out of bad situations and wants to genuinely protect her.  Her new friend, Jacob, from the nearby Native American reservation does not fear Edward but his people do not trust vampires and are not allowed on Native American property.

One day another group of vampires comes through town and becomes obsessed with getting Bella, which leads to a very dramatic and exciting ending.  Although this book is about vampires it is not gory or scary.  The story draws readers in until they have to find out what happens to Bella and Edward.  Students love this series and are hungry for more.  Highly recommended.

 

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