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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.

Hot Lunch by Alex Bradley

Published April 17, 2008 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance , Site Meter 3 Comments
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Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Level: 14 and up

# of pages: 276

RAC Book: Yes

Molly is a somewhat sullen teenager who makes it her mission in life to keep others as far away from her as possible. When she is paired up with a new girl on a school project she does her best to push the girl away until they each decide to do their own project. Since this was not the assignment they get poor grades and get into a big fight in the lunchroom. This leads to a punishment of serving lunches for two weeks. Unfortunately, they fail to improve their behavior and in a bizarre turn of events end up having to run the entire lunchroom until the students vote for five days in a row that their food is better than the previous lunch lady’s.

While there are several reasons why I believe something like this would never happen in a high school, it was a very funny concept. The two main characters, Molly and Cassie, represent a group of high school students who don’t feel they belong anywhere. Cassie uses this fact as incentive to try harder to fit in, while Molly decides to actually try not to fit in. Together they learn a lot about the groups that make up high school while at the same time learning about leadership, nutrition, cooking, and friendship. This incredibly funny book questions some of the processes that have remained unchanged in schools for so long when better options have come along. Students will enjoy the humor and might look at food and nutrition differently after reading this book.

Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick

Published March 11, 2008 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre: Realistic Fiction

# of Pages:  264

Age Level:  13 and up

RAC Book:  Yes

San Lee has been the new student on many occasions since his family has moved so much.  With each new school San would try to create a new image or persona in order to survive, since he is a geeky Asian kid who frequently gets picked on.  This time things are a little different because San is now alone with his mother and he is angry with his father for their current situation. 

On his first day of school he meets a young lady who calls herself Woody and plays the guitar at lunchtime for money.  He decides he wants to get close to her because she seems like someone who could appreciate different and unique people.  In his history class they begin talking about Zen Buddhism and before he knows it he has led the class to believe that he has practiced this religion for years.  It definitely makes him unique and original, but can he keep it up without hurting his new friends and his mother? 

This story uses Zen Buddhism to illustrate how life in most situations, but especially high school, could be improved if people really thought about their actions and words.  By using Zen, San basically creates a new way to remind students of how to treat each other and live life to the fullest.  Unfortunately, San’s failure to be honest with Woody about his past and true ambitions leads him into trouble.  Once again, Sonnenblick has created a realistic high school character who can be selfish and self-serving, while also showing the ability for c0mpassion and friendship.  The supporting characters are rich and developed to make the story engaging and even a little inspiring.

Black and White by Paul Volponi

Published February 21, 2008 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Sports 38 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction/Sports

Age Level:  14 and up

# of pages:  185 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Eddie and Marcus have been best friends for so long that no one even qusetions the fact that Eddie is white and Marcus is black.  In fact, since they are a dynamic duo on the basketball court they actually have the nickname “black and white.”  Unfortunately, they get the idea to hold people up in order to get extra cash and a man accidentally gets shot.  As the cops slowly start to put the pieces together they need to decide just what it means to be a good friend.  Does it mean taking the blame together or keeping your mouth shut and letting your friend walk away free?

This story discusses the differences in how African American and Caucasion people are treated in the court system.  This story is based on interviews conducted by the author with people who have been caught in similar situations.  Students will like this story because it discusses friendship as well as choices.  At our school we stress how important it is for students to be aware of the choices they make because each one can change the course of your life. 

Hard Ball by Will Weaver

Published February 7, 2008 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Sports 3 Comments
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Genre:  Sports Fiction

Age Level:  12 and up

# of Pages:  240 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Billy Baggs has been enemies with King Kenwood ever since he can remember.  They are both strong baseball players, but Billy lives on a farm far out of town and King lives in town in a big house.  Their fathers have clashed for many years and they both have a crush on the same girl.  There are numerous reasons why they have failed to see eye to eye over the years. 

Right before they begin high school they get into a big fight and their baseball coach says they have to spend one entire week together or else he won’t let them on the team.  When King stays on the farm he pitches in and helps with the chores.  He begins to see how difficult life is for a kid on a farm.  He has to get up early and do chores before getting on an hour long bus ride to school.  He does it all with minimal complaining, however. 

When Billy stays in town he sees that life isn’t as easy for King as he thought.  His mother drinks and his father works long hours, so King is responsible for making all the meals in the house and cleaning.  Also, his father puts a lot of pressure on him to work out and practice baseball in the hopes of getting a scholarship someday.

Both boys end up finding that they need to understand more about where the other one is coming from before passing judgment.  They also learn how to work together in order to improve their current situations before they both crack under all the responsibilities heaped upon them.  A good book about sports and high school.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Published January 29, 2008 RAC , Realistic Fiction 24 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of pages:  371

RAC Book:  Yes

Annabel Greene is beginning her senior year with a sense of dread.  She is afraid that no one will talk to her and she will have no friends, which is exactly what ends up happening.  She eats her lunch alone and the school outcast is the only one who will even come near her.  Her former best friend has now turned everyone in the school against her based on something that happened early in the summer that is not revealed for a long time.

Annabel has two older sisters, one who is currently taking classes in New York, and one who is at home recuperating from an eating disorder.  At one time all of these girls worked as models, but now Annabel is the only one who still does it.  As she realizes she would like to end her modeling career, she also realizes that this will be yet another thing she keeps inside and doesn’t tell anyone.  Annabel does not like to upset people or disappoint anyone, so therefore never tells anyone what she truly thinks or feels.

Owen is the outcast who sits with her at lunch and eventually they begin talking.  He has a radio show in which he plays very untraditional music.  He demands honesty at all times and Annabel begins to think he might be someone she could really confide in.  The question is whether or not she will let herself actually tell anyone about what happened on that fateful summer day that forever changed her life.  This story is well written and will be a favorite with many teenagers.  This book encourages teenagers to take control of their lives in order to plan what they want to do in the future instead of what their parents’ plan for them.  In today’s society it can be difficult to break away from a parent’s protective guidance.  Recommended.

 

Knights of the Hill Country by Tim Tharp

Published January 24, 2008 RAC , Sports 8 Comments
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Genre:  Sports

Age Level:  14 and up

# of pages:  233 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

This football story takes place in Kennisaw, Oklahoma where football is the most important thing on earth.  Hampton Green, the star of the team, is trying to lead the team to the fifth straight undefeated season.  This has only been done once before and those men are still revered in the area.  Hampton’s best friend, Blaine, wants the undefeated season worse than anyone.  Blaine used to be a very powerful player as well, but sustained a knee injury during the previous season.  He tries to pretend he is still the same player, but anyone can see that he is not performing where he used to.

As the team inches closer to the end of the season Hampton starts to notice for the first time that not everyone always agrees with what Blaine says.  Ever since Hampton moved to Kennisaw in junior high and Blaine accepted him as his friend, he has listened to everything Blaine said and accepted it as fact.  Since Hampton’s father left him and his mom and she fell apart, Hampton looked to Blaine and his dad for male advice.  Now it seems that Blaine is getting defensive with his words and aggressive with his fists and it’s always Hampton who has to bail him out of tough situations.

Hampton also meets a girl, Sara, who is not interested in football, but in what Hampton has to say.  He really enjoys talking to her until Blaine insists she isn’t good enough and forces him to stay away from her.  Hampton must come to decide if he should stand by Blaine because they have been best friends for so long, or if he should start thinking for himself and decide what he wants to do with his life besides football.  Sports fans will enjoy this book and athletes will be able to relate to the difficult issues that come with having young athletes put so much stress on themselves.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Published January 22, 2008 RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Romance

Age Level:  12 and up

# of pages:  374 p.

RAC:  Yes

Sixteen-year-old Macy is still trying to cope with not only the loss of her father, but the guilt she felt over the circumstances surrounding his death.  Her older sister has since moved out and gotten married and her mother has thrown herself into her work.  Meanwhile her boyfriend, whom she thinks is so perfect and smart, plans to spend the summer at Brain Camp.  She is supposed to take over his job at the library where his friends are incredibly mean and cold to her.

One fateful night her mother throws a business party and the caterers have some minor mishaps, which makes her mother very unhappy.  Macy is recruited to go check on them and finds them fun and willing to take on challenges.  Delia, the owner, is very pregnant and trying her best to keep things together.  Bert and Wes are brothers who lost their mother to Cancer and only have each other to take care of.  Kristy and Monica are sisters who couldn’t be more opposite as Kristy is friendly and outgoing and Monica only speaks one word at a time.  Macy feels drawn to this crazy group in some way.

When Macy’s boyfriend decides to “take a break” for the summer, she finds herself contacting the catering company for a summer job.  Taking the catering job makes a huge difference to Macy as she tries to deal with her own feelings of grief and those of her mother’s.  At the same time, she grows closer to Wes and wonders if she needs someone who doesn’t make her feel unwanted.

The characters in this book are so believable and captivating that it is hard to put down.  The issues Macy and the others are going through are so real that anyone can connect to them  in some way.  Family, friends, loss, closure, and communication are all themes in this book that help remind us all how important it is to take control of our own lives and not let anyone else do it for us.   Highly recommended.

Anything But Ordinary by Valerie Hobbs

Published January 17, 2008 RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Reading Level:  12 and up

# of pages:  168

RAC Book:  Yes

Winifred and Bernie have been friends since eighth grade.  They were both unique and refused to conform in order to fit in, which is why they got along so well.  They did everything together and planned to go on to college together as well,  but that all changed when Bernie’s mother died of Cancer.  He shut down and barely graduated high school.  He was dealing with his own grief as well as trying to be there for his father as best he could. 

While Winifred tries to help him, she also has to move on and make her own plans.  Bernie seems shocked and hurt when Winifred announces she plans to go to college in California.  After she leaves, Bernie decides to drive down and see her and cannot believe his eyes when he sees that Winifred’s roommates have given her a makeover and now she resembles all of those people they spent so many years trying to avoid.  She spends all of her time worrying about her appearance and not her schoolwork, which then suffers. Bernie is still trying to gain control of his own life, while also trying to figure out how to help Winifred see how she has changed. 

Sometimes a good friend is very important even if you don’t know it.  This is an interesting story about growing up and the changes and choices that go along with it.  It also reminds readers that it is important to remember who you are and what your goals are even as you grow and change.  Finally, any young adult who has lost someone close to them can connect with Bernie who is going such a difficult time in his life.  Without their friendship neither of them would become the adults they had dreamed about becoming their whole lives.  Recommended

 

Demons are Forever by Julie Kenner

Published January 8, 2008 Fantasy , Mystery , RAC Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy/Mystery

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  292

RAC Book:  Yes

Kate Connor has been a demon hunter for a great deal of her life.  Her and her first husband were both demon hunters until they decided to start a family, when they both retired.  Some years later Kate’s husband was mysteriously murdered and she suspected that maybe he had come out of retirement without her knowledge.  Since then she has remarried and had another child, but lately she has been unable to remain retired as demons start infiltrating her safe suburban town.

Kate chooses to tell her daughter, Allie, the truth about what she does and of course Allie wants to become a demon hunter too.  While this causes some stress for Kate her main concern is finding out why there are so many demons around and how she can protect her family from them.  She believes the key to everything might be in her late husband’s possessions that she put into storage, but as she begins to uncover clues she also puts herself and her family into more and more danger.

This humorous tale about a soccer mom who also fights demons on the side has fantasy, mystery, and witty elements that many readers will enjoy.  The story seemed fairly simple at first, but ended up being more complex which makes it a fun ride to the end.  On top of everything else, Kate seems real and flawed in many ways making the story that much more believable.  She is not a superhuman perfect wife and mother who can do it all, which most people can relate to.  Instead, she has to make priorities and hope she is doing the best for her family.  Strongly recommended for those who are fantasy fans.

Right Behind You by Gail Giles

Published December 12, 2007 RAC , Realistic Fiction 1 Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of pages:  292 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Kip murdered a child when he was nine years old and had to spend many years in psychiatric facilities in order to help him come to terms with that.  He was the youngest person in Alaska history to commit such a violent crime. Why did he do it?  Is he capable of doing something like that again? 

While Kip was trying to deal with his own feelings he was shielded from the outside world and was shocked to learn the torture his father had been put through.  Their house has been burned down and he had had to change jobs often.  As Kip prepares to enter the real world again he needs to decide if he can shed his old life and begin again as Wade.   Can anyone really leave their past behind or does it always catch up with you? 

Right Behind You tells the story of a boy trying to deal with the demons from his childhood, while also trying to live his life.  He needs to decide whether or not he deserves to live a normal life when the child he killed cannot.  He needs to decide what made him do it and whether or not he can refrain from such behaviors again.  Can he begin again or is he his own worst enemy?

 

Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco

Published November 7, 2007 RAC , Realistic Fiction 1 Comment
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of pages:  273

RAC Book:  Yes

This real life tale follows a girl who faced heavy bullying from fifth grade on through high school despite being transferred to two new schools in the process.  Her parents hated seeing her as an outcast and tried everything they could think of to help her fit in including buying her designer clothes and taking her to a psychiatrist.  Unfortunately, the solution offerred by the psychiatrist was to put her on medication and have her try harder to fit in socially.  At the crux of all her problems in every school was her insistance on defending those around her who needed it.  Those people ranged from nerds to physically handicapped students. Every community is different and faces difference kinds of bullying, but it is hard as an adult to look at students picking on those who have disabilities. 

 There are instances where Jodee finds people who are willing to be friends with her, but almost always those people are presssured by the mass to back away again.  If things weren’t bad enough, Jodee also has a physical condition that she is unable to remedy until she turns seventeen.  Of course, once this condition is discovered the students make fun of her even more. 

In the end, Jodee attends her high school reunion, which seems unusual considering she hated these people so much she wrote a book about the experience.  She comes to find that several of those people do not remember what they said or did or pretend like they don’t.  Since Jodee is now very successful they all want to congratulate her and be her friend.  Forgiveness is a powerful virtue, but it seemed almost too easy for Jodee to forgive these people after the physical and emotional abuse she experienced that sent her into a depression in high school.  The fact she is able to share this story will be a comfort to those enduring the same thing and possibly a wake up call for those instigating it.  It’s a powerful story that all teenagers should read and discuss.

 

 

 

Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Published November 5, 2007 RAC , Realistic Fiction 3 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  312 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

This story follows three teenage girls as they work in a peach orchard for the spring break and summer before their senior year of high school.  Birdie is the daughter of the orchard owner and the only thing she feels confident in is working the fields.  She feels lonely and abandoned since her mom left and her father’s deepening depression over the divorce and the financial troubles of the orchard do not help.  Leeda is Birdie’s cousin, but comes from a wealthy family in which everything revolves around her older sister.  The more Leeda tries to fit into her own family, the more obvious it is that she was the unwanted second child.  Finally, Murphy was sentenced to work at the orchard for various pranks she has pulled.  Her mother dates a lot of men, which people judge her for and it makes Murphy uncomfortable.

The orchard itself is the center of this story as they try to work and save the peaches from frost, insects, and foreclosure.  Murphy and Leeda are both there against their will, however, and do not become helpful for a long time in the story.  The girls do eventually come together and become good friends, but they are also quick to turn on each other when the opportunity arises.  The end seemed rushed as all the loose ends were tied up neatly, but it would have dragged if it had gone on too much longer.  Fans of the Traveling Pants series will enjoy this book, but it doesn’t have the plot or character development of those books.  Mild recommendation.

Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz

Published November 2, 2007 Fantasy , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Fantasy

Age Level:  14 and up

# of pages:  305

Series:  Blue Bloods

RAC Book:  Yes

In this sequel to The Blue Bloods Schuyler is looking for her grandfather in Italy while the rest of the blue bloods in New York are planning the biggest blue blood gathering of the year.  Mimi Force decides to throw her own masquerade party after the formal party, which causes a lot of trouble since she chooses not to invite everyone.

Once Schuyler finds her grandfather and is rejected by him, she returns to New York only to get very sick.  The doctor thinks her human and vampire genes are fighting each other, but since she is the first half-blood they have no idea how to treat her.  Meanwhile, Bliss is spending a lot of time with a new boy in school that all the girls love, but she can’t stop thinking about Dylan and what happened to him.  A dramatic event shakes up the entire blue blood community and they must all come to the realization that they are no longer safe and something is indeed hunting them.

This sequel asks more questions than it answers, which is not a bad thing.  As we find out more about this group of people (their rules and their past), we also learn that there is so much more we still do not know.  Students who enjoyed the first one will like this one even more as we move on with these characters.  There are a lot of suprising revelations that will make the next book in the series a must read.

Bittersweet Sixteen by Carrie Karasyov and Jill Kargman

Published October 31, 2007 RAC , Realistic Fiction 5 Comments
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Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Level:  14 and up

# of Pages:  230

RAC Book:  Yes

Laura Finnegan is the daughter of two brilliant professors living in New York City.  Despite the fact that her parents are professors, Laura still has to go to her private school on scholarship.  Laura’s best friend, Whitney, is the most beautiful and wealthy girl in school.  Sometimes Laura envies how easy everything is for Whitney, but then realizes that if she had everything so easy she never would have begun designing and sewing her own clothes.

Everything gets thrown into disarray when Sophie, the daughter of a movie producer, comes to their school and Whitney becomes territorial.  Laura manages to play peacemaker and even convinces the two of them to share their sweet sixteen party since they have the same birthday, but eventually they get into a fight over a boy and all bets are off.  Laura eventually gets punished for refusing to take sides.

Karasyov and Kargman do a nice job of depicting the haves and have nots in Manhattan.  Although some of the eventual outcomes seem too easy or perfect, many readers will enjoy the ending.  The feelings of the main character are portrayed in a way that most readers will be able to identify and sympathize with her.  A fun read.

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