Archive Page 35

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Published May 21, 2010 Adventure , Award Winners , Fantasy , RAC 2 Comments
Tags: , , , , ,

Genre:  Fantasy

# of Pages:  400

RAC Book:  Yes

2010 Iowa High School Book Award

Jena and her four sisters use a secret portal to sneak into the woods to dance with the magical creatures every full moon.  When Jena’s father gets ill and is sent away to recover, she is left in charge and her cousin Cezar begins to take over.  Cezar believes that women are frail and need to be looked after by men.  As Jena struggles to take care of her sisters, their home, and her father’s business she always has her best friend, Gogu, by her side.  Gogu is a talking frog that only she can hear.  As Cezar becomes frantic trying to control the five sisters, Jena starts to worry that all is not well in the wildwoods either.  Can she protect her sisters and everyone else she cares about from a power hungry dictator?

This fantasy story begins a little slowly as the characters are introduced, but accelerates quickly as the family battles Cezar on a daily basis.  There are some twists and turns along the way, but a few are fairly easy to predict.  The end will leave readers wanting more.  Highly recommended for fantasy lovers.

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Published May 17, 2010 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Uncategorized 1 Comment
Tags: , ,

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  287 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Katarina Bishop is the daughter of a notorious thief, but has decided to get out of the business in order to go to a prestigious boarding school.    When she is kicked out of the school for a crime she did not commit, she finds out that a powerful man has decided to target her father as the culprit for some paintings of his that were stolen.  If she is not able to find and return the missing paintings to him then he will hurt her father.  One way or another she finds herself back in the world of heists and cons.

For those who loved the Gallagher Girls books this will be another winner.  The characters are fun, the plot twists and turns, and there is room for a sequel.  Recommended for those who enjoy heist books or are simply looking for a fun summer read.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Published May 14, 2010 Award Winners , Realistic Fiction 1 Comment
Tags: , , , ,

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  170

RAC Book:  No

2010 Iowa High School Award Winner

“Alice” recounts the story of how she was abducted by a pedophile named Ray and forced to live with him for several years and follow his rules.  For example, Ray starves her so that she will stay little and seem like a little girl.  She considers herself dead inside and wishes he would just kill her and get it over with.  The only reason she never tries to run or tell someone is that he threatens to kill her family if she does.  When Ray suggests they look for a new little girl to live with them Alice agrees because she desperately wants to leave this situation, even if it means he will kill her.  As she starts helping him on his quest she wonders if it is really in her to subject a new child to the horrors she has been through.

This book is very detailed and graphic.  Alice’s life is beyond unimaginable and her spirit has long been crushed.  Despite the fact that there have been stories like this that end happy with a family reunion, there is a sense of hopelessness in Alice’s case like she has given up.  The content of this book is very serious and will bother many students.

Boot Camp by Todd Strasser

Published May 11, 2010 Award Winners , RAC , Realistic Fiction 8 Comments
Tags: , , , ,

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  235 p.

RAC Book: Yes

2010 Iowa High School Award Winner

Garrett is forcibly taken from his home and transported to Lake Harmony, which is a reform school for teens.  His parents basically signed their rights away and give the boot camp the right to use whatever force they feel is necessary in order to steer their child down the “right path.”  Garrett believes that some of the decisions he has made are ones he would make again and that his parents just can’t handle the publicity of having a difficult child.  As he struggles not to succumb to the torture, beatings, and humiliation he comes to the terrible realization that he may never get out unless he bends to their will.  As he looks around he sees those who have thrived in this school and appear brain washed because of it and those who refuse to give in and look beaten down and exhausted.  How can he survive without losing who he is and what he believes in?

Todd Strasser has put the spotlight on these teen bootcamps that are more plentiful in the U.S. than anyone might think.  Parents pay thousands of dollars to have their child straightened out, but often the tactics used by these places are unconstitutional.  These places work by cutting any trust or communication between parents and their children so that no one thinks they have any choices, but to let the school do what it thinks it best.  This is an issue that teens and parents should be aware of and this is a fast paced, exciting story that all teens will love, but especially teen boys.

The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas

Published May 7, 2010 Fantasy , RAC Leave a Comment
Tags: , ,

Genre: Fantasy

# of Pages:  411 p.

Iowa Teen Award Winner 2010-2011

RAC Book:  No

Conn has been living on the streets getting by picking locks and pickpocketing.  One day Conn pickpockets from a powerful wizard named Nevery and he responds by taking Conn as his apprentice.  In order to be a wizard you have to have a powerful stone called a locus magicalicus and Conn is only allowed 30 days to find his  or else he won’t be allowed by the council to remain an apprentice.  Meanwhile, Nevery has been called back to town in order to help resolve the problem of the declining magic supply.  The levels of magic have drastically gone down and no one knows why.  Magic is used in all aspects of this town and the town would die without it.  Somehow, Conn believes he and Nevery must work together to solve the problem of the missing magic.

This is a fun, light-hearted fantasy story with many interesting characters and plot twists.  Many junior high and upper elementary students will love to step into this world.  It would be fun to do with small groups as well.  Anyone who enjoys Harry Potter will find these delightful.

Airman by Eoin Colfer

Published May 3, 2010 Award Winners , Historical Fiction , RAC 1 Comment
Tags: , , ,

Genre: Historical fiction

# of Pages:  412

RAC Book:  Yes

Iowa Teen Award Winner 2010

Conor Broekhart is born in a hot air balloon at the world’s fair in 1878 and he is obsessed with flying forever after.  He grows up on the Saltee Islands off the coast of Ireland where his father heads the king’s security.  King Nicholas is very forward thinking and supportive of science and flying, so he enlists a friend of his to come and tutor Conor and his daughter, Isabella.  Conor greatly enjoys his time with Victor as they practice fencing, scientific experiments, and air exploration.  All of this changes when the King and Victor are assassinated by an evil member of the king’s advisors.  Conor is blamed for the conspiracy against the king and is sent to work underground in diamond mines, but he fails to give up and plans to one day fly again.

This is a very different story than most readers will be used to from this author, but it is adventurous and engaging from the first page.  Conor’s strength, intelligence, and perseverance take a hopeless situation and find some light.  The plot twists are compelling and detailed to keep the story moving and all of the characters are well developed, even if they are not in the story that much.  Anyone would enjoy this read, but it will be especially interesting to teenage boys.

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

Published April 30, 2010 Award Winners , RAC , Realistic Fiction 2 Comments
Tags: , , , ,

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages: 447

2010 Iowa High School Award Winner

RAC Book:  Yes

Shay Bourne is a man on death row for murdering a cop and an eight year old girl.  The girl’s mother, June, was 8 months pregnant at the time of the murders and has since given birth to a baby girl, whom she has named Claire.  Claire is now 11 years old and the execution date for Shay has finally been determined, but it takes a dramatic turn when he sees on the news that Claire needs a heart transplant.  Shay quickly offers his own heart, but this raises many difficult questions.  Can June let her daughter take the heart of the man who killed her husband and daughter?  Will taking the heart of a murderer change her daughter’s personality?  Can she bear to pass on it and lose yet another daughter?

Picoult is a master of finding difficult moral issues and displaying all sides of the issue.  Much like her other stories nothing is ever as it seems, so readers need to read to the end to find out what surprises Picoult has in store.  Fans of Picoult or Diane Chamberlain will enjoy this title because the story and the characters are engaging.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Published April 27, 2010 Adventure , RAC , Science Fiction Leave a Comment
Tags: , , ,

Genre:  Science Fiction

# of Pages:  374 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Thomas wakes up in a metal box and cannot remember anything except his name.  A group of young boys come to help him get out of the box and Thomas finds they are living in a small community surrounded on all sides by a maze.  The first group of boys arrived two years prior and one new boy arrives every month.  They work hard to grow crops and raise animals in order to survive and everyone has a job.  The most powerful members of the community are maze runners and run in the maze everyday trying to find a way out.  There are many dangers in this place, but the worst part for Thomas is knowing that he should know more about their situation, but being unable to remember it.  Only one day after Thomas’s arrival they receive a shocking surprise:  not only do they receive a new member, but she is a girl!  Can Thomas help these boys to escape the dangers of the maze in order to get back to wherever they came from?

Readers who enjoyed the Hunger Games will enjoy this book due to the suspense, action, and mystery.  The characters develop and change according to events that happen in the maze and no one ever seems to know for sure what has happened or will happen, which puts them on level ground with the reader.  Unfortunately, this is the first in a series as many boys will be especially anxious after the ending of this story!

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Published April 22, 2010 Historical Fiction , Mystery , RAC 1 Comment
Tags: , , , ,

Genre:  Mystery/Historical Fiction

# of Pages:  384

RAC Book:  Yes

Flavia de Luce lives in England in the 1950s.  Her mother died when she was a baby and her father is a recluse in their country manor.  She has two older sisters, Daphne and Ophelia, who enjoy tormenting her.  Flavia loves to work in her own chemistry lab and is always asking questions, to the annoyance of her sisters.

One evening she is awakened when she hears someone arguing with her father in his study, but the gardener catches her listening at the door and sends her to bed.  In the morning, Flavia finds a dying man in their garden and calls the police.  Unfortunately, they arrest her father for the murder and Flavia is not completely sure of his innocence since this is the man who was arguing with her father the night before.  Nevertheless, Flavia decides to go after the truth and begins investigating herself.  Can she piece together the facts to find out what happened to the mysterious stranger from the garden?  Can she clear her father’s name?

This story is a fun mystery story with very colorful and interesting characters.  The tone of the book and style of the mystery  is reminiscent of Blue Balliett’s Chasing Vermeer.  There are many details of the story that the reader needs to remember in order to crack the case, which is reminiscent of The Westing Game.  Finally, the main character is captivating, clever, and a strong female character, reminiscent of Down the Rabbit Hole.  The story has all of the ingredients to be a lasting mystery for this age level for many years to come.

The Everafter by Amy Huntley

Published April 19, 2010 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance 1 Comment
Tags: , , , , ,

Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Romance

# of pages:  245 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Madison wakes up in a strange reality she calls “is” because there’s no way to describe it.  She believes she is dead because she can’t feel a body, but she does see objects in the space around her.  If she touches an object she is brought back to her life through a memory of when she lost that item.  She quickly realizes that she does not have memories past the age of 17 and knows she died young, but cannot remember how.  As she tries to navigate through the memories of her life she realizes she is not the only spirit lingering in those memories.  Will she ever be able to talk to anyone from her life?  Will she ever find out how she died?  Can she ever move past this place of “is” to the everafter?

This book was engaging, unique, and interesting.  As Madison moves through the memories of her life the reader cannot help but think about how she will meet her untimely demise.  Despite the fact that the reason behind her death is set up throughout the story, it will be a shock to most readers the way it actually happens.  Madison’s friendships and family relationships are easy to identify with and it’s hard to imagine how they must cope with her death.  Madison, however, believes that everyone dies when they are supposed to go and it’s okay, but she would like to know how it happens.  She feels no regret about how she lived or died.  This is a very interesting read that will leave the reader thinking about life and death long after the final page.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Published April 16, 2010 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
Tags: , , ,

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  405 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

In this gripping novel, Valerie is shocked when her boyfriend, Nick, brings a gun to school and begins shooting students.  She tries to stop him, but ends up getting shot in the leg before he turns the gun on himself.  In the aftermath, a notebook is found at Nick’s house of a list of people the two of them kept whom they hated.  People were put on this list for a variety of reasons, but mainly because they bullied Nick or Valerie or encouraged it in some way.  As Valerie courageously returns to the school for her senior year, she must face the repercussions of Nick’s actions as some people blame her and believe she should be in jail.  Others seem to think she is a hero for trying to stop the shooting and want Valerie to move on, but can she forgive herself for not seeing this coming?

This story forces every reader to think hard about his or her actions.  Everyone knows what it feels like to be picked on in some way and can identify with Nick and Valerie, but at the same time must decide how bullying should be punished.  Also, this book asks us all to think about how bullying can be stopped in schools or if that is even possible.  Valerie’s psychiatrist asks her to look at things for what is there and not what appears to be there.  This is something we should all be a little better at, but unfortunately it is often difficult to see the reasons behind certain behaviors.  Highly recommended.

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

Published April 13, 2010 Fantasy , RAC , Romance Leave a Comment
Tags: , ,

Genre:  Fantasy/Romance

# of Pages:  351 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Jessica is a normal American teenager trying to enjoy her senior year, which seems more difficult when a strange Romanian exchange students comes to stay with her family.  Lucius claims to be a vampire who was betrothed to her when they were babies.  When Jessica turns to her parents for answers she learns that they were asked to raise her so that she would be safe until the pact could be realized.  Despite Lucius’s fervent efforts to convince her to marry him, she finds him repulsive and wants to date the normal high school boy, Jake, instead.  When Lucius starts dating a cheerleader at school Jessica is unprepared for the jealousy she feels.  Is it too late to have Lucius to herself?  Does she really believe in vampires?  Does she think she has what it takes to join this dark world?

This vampire story is very original and engaging.  Readers who like vampire fiction will devour this book and wish for a sequel.  Of all the vampire books available right now, this one has the perfect mix of the fantasy world readers love to escape to and the real world that teenagers can identify with.  The characters and plot are much more substantial than readers might be expecting and will be pleasantly surprised by this title.  Highly recommended for fantasy readers.

The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill Alexander

Published April 6, 2010 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
Tags: , , ,

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  212 pages

RAC Book:  Yes

Austin is a fourteen-year-old girl who lives in Texas with her mom.  Her father died six years earlier in an accident on Christmas Eve, which has left her mother a little traumatized and overprotective.  There is a family of bullies who think they can do anything in the town because they have money.  One in particular likes to criticize Austin at every chance he gets.  As Austin deals with the bullying, she decides that she wants to be the sweetheart of prosper county so that she can ride in the parade and no one could ever make fun of her again.  In order to do this she must raise a chicken to enter in the county fair.  It’s a very long process to raise a chicken and get him ready for the county fair, but Austin believes if she does this it will be the first step toward becoming somebody in this town.  Will she ever feel the courage to stand up for herself?

This heartwarming story follows a girl who has many things to deal with including a mother who has withdrawn from her life, and a terrible bully who thinks he can do anything because his father owns the corrupt mayor.  As she grows up and matures, she begins to see that she is the only one who can really change things for herself.  The characters are well-developed and fun to read about and the plot is so interesting and fast paced that anyone will want to know more about county fairs and raising animals.

Hold Still by Nina LaCour

Published April 2, 2010 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance 1 Comment
Tags: , , ,

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  229

RAC Book:  No

Caitlin is having a difficult time coping with the suicide of her best friend, Ingrid.  Her parents keep trying to help her by creating projects for her and offering her space, but she cannot seem to feel normal again.  When a new girl in school, Dylan, tries to befriend her Caitlin feels guilty for having fun with someone else.  One day, Caitlin discovers Ingrid’s journal under her bed.  Slowly, she reads each entry and learns a lot about Ingrid she never knew.  She feels bad that Ingrid did not feel she could talk to her about her issues and wishes she could have helped, but also realizes she must begin to put her life back together.  She picks up her photography again and begins building a tree house in order to show everyone she is moving on, but not forgetting.

This book does have a few graphic scenes and some raw language, but many students will really identify with it.  The different feelings Caitlin has are portrayed so realistically that any reader feels like he or she has experienced this terrible loss.  Caitlin’s slow progression toward acceptance and healing feels natural and healthy and the people along the way who help her are engaging side characters.  Anyone who enjoyed Thirteen Reasons Why will enjoy this title as well.

How to Steal a Car by Pete Hautman

Published March 29, 2010 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
Tags: ,

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  170 p.

RAC Book: No

Kelleigh Monahan is a teenage girl who happens to see a man drop his keys in a mall parking lot one day.  Instead of telling him and returning the keys, she keeps them.  One day she notices the man’s car a few blocks from her house and decides to take his car for a spin.  She picks up her friend and they go joy riding for awhile before returning it.  When another friend hears of this joy ride he asks her to steal the car of a class bully so that he can get back at him.  Before she knows it, she has acquired a bit of a reputation as a car thief.  When she is faced with the possibility of making some cash by stealing cars she does not immediately dismiss the idea.  Is she prepared to face jail time for this new passion?

Kelleigh does not feel like a fully developed character.  Her motivations are unclear and despite some close calls she still wants to continue in the car theft business.  The end is abrupt and many readers will feel like they were left without a concrete conclusion.  The fun and excitement of being a car thief was explored without too much of the possible negative outcomes.

Archives

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started