Scranton Reads!

A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

2011-11-28T10:03:00.005-05:00

"Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss."

Locked away in a forgotten sub-basement is a stasis tube, capable of preserving a human being in a chemically induced slumber. Awoken by Bren, Rose finds herself alone in a world that has changed during the years she slept.

Rose's parents are gone; the love her life, Zavier, is gone; and the world has suffered through the Dark Times that killed millions. She is also the heir to an interplanetary fortune. Placed in the care of impersonal guardians, she clings to Bren as her savior as she struggles to understand this new world. She also tries to understand why this happened to her. Slowly we begin to see her parents in a different light - not as Rose's protectors from danger - but as Rose's prison guards. We also meet Otto, a genetically altered human who can understand Rose in a way no one else can. And then, something evil comes after Rose to threaten her life again.

A Long, Long Sleep is science fiction but it is also very much a thriller and a romance story. And, it is deliciously creepy as we slowly come to understand everything that threatens Rose.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

2011-09-05T13:18:00.004-04:00

"It has been sixty-four years since the president and the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since the scientists perfected a cure. Everyone else in my family has had the procedure already. My older sister, Rachel, has been disease free for nine years now. She’s been safe from love for so long, she says she can’t even remember its symptoms. I’m scheduled to have my procedure in exactly ninety-five days, on September 3. My birthday."

When Lena turns eighteen-years-old she will have an operation that will cure her of love. But then the completely unexpected happens; she falls in love with a boy named Alex. Desperately worried that she will end up like her mother, who took her own life after falling in love, Lena doesn't know what to do. Faced with the unthinkable, she begins to struggle between the beliefs of her society and what her heart is beginning to tell her. How can she turn her back on the safety and security of all she knows? How much courage would that demand?

The world of Delirium is compelling and frightening. Would you choose to be free of the pain of love - or not?

Read the beginning of Delirium here.

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

2011-07-21T12:49:00.002-04:00

Oh my. Romance, mystery, ghosts and time travel.

Hourglass sweeps you up into its world where seventeen-year-old Emerson sees ghosts everywhere. Her brother and sister-in-law try to help but life is just hard to live after the sudden and tragic deaths of her parents. Desperate to try anything to give her relief, Emerson's brother hires the mysterious Michael from the equally mysterious agency called Hourglass.

When Emerson and Michael touch - there is electricity. Literally. Lights blow out and they understand that there is definitely something between them. And Michael sees the ghosts too . . .

But they are not really ghosts, as Emerson discovers, they are rips in the fabric of time and she and Michael have the ability to travel through these rips. Emerson comes to questions everything about her life as she is drawn more and more towards Michael.

How far will she go? Would she risk everything to save a life? Once disturbed, can time be restored?

I can't wait for the next book in the Hourglass series. Meanwhile, I may just hang out at the place where Emerson and her friend Lily work - Murphy's Law Coffee. Maybe I'll enjoy Em's favorite - a Cubano.

Brain Jack by Brian Falkner

2011-07-19T10:36:00.002-04:00

Sam is a hacker - a really really good hacker who brings down the entire Internet for three days. It's really all part of an elaborate con so that he can get his hands of a new neuro-headset that plugs the wearer right into the virtual world. This little prank catches the attention of other super hackers who invite him to a cyber party. There he meets Vienna and Dodger and takes on their challenge to hack the White House.

The government is not thrilled by that escapade and Sam ends up in federal prison. The government is very serious about cyber-terrorism, especially since terrorists blew up Las Vegas with a nuclear bomb. This is not quite our America. Eventually Sam finds himself fighting cyber crime with some unusual associates. Things become very life-or-death serious.

Do the neuro-headsets allow a person's mind and consciousness to be controlled? Are you playing a game or is it reality? Who will protect us? The possibilities of Brain Jack seem quite possible as we continue to pursue virtual lives.

Brain Jack is an action-packed thriller, full of realistic possibilities. You can read the first chapter here. Hang on - it's a wild ride!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

2011-07-13T14:16:00.003-04:00

The best word to describe The Maze Runner is intense.

Thomas doesn't know who he is. Or why he's here. Or even what here is. He wakes up in a metal box and feels it moving upwards. At his journey's end, the doors open and he finds himself surrounded by other boys in a strange and frightening place they call the Glade. Outside of the Glade is the Maze - a huge place filled with dangers. Everyday the boys who work as maze runners try to find the end, running as hard as they can during the daylight hours. For two years they have searched without success. Every night the doors to the maze close and the boys sleep safe from most of the dangers.

But then - everything changes. The first girl arrives and she has a message for them. From that moment on, the intensity builds and the boys find themselves in a fight for their lives as they try to solve the maze.

The Maze Runner is full of action and mystery. Who put the boys here? Why? How can they get out? What is on the outside? This story is gripping and I can't wait to read the sequels, The Scorch Trials and upcoming finale The Death Cure.

Listen to the first chapter of The Maze Runner:

Phantoms in the Snow by Kathleen Benner Duble

2011-07-06T14:50:00.001-04:00

During World War II, the American Army formed its first ski division. Most of the soldiers were very young. Some were already skiers while others had never been on snow before. The U. S. Army knew it would need trained alpine soldiers when they fought the Germans in the mountainous regions of Europe. These skiers were brave soldiers; in fact, their Tenth Mountain Division suffered some of the highest casualty rates during the war. Phantom in the Snow is based on their real life stories.

In 1944, fifteen-year-old Noah was orphaned and sent to live with his only known relative. His uncle, James Shelley, was an alpine soldier training at Camp Hale, Colorado. In order to give Noah a place to live, his uncle told the Army that his nephew was sixteen-years-old and gave him legal permission to enlist. Noah had grown up on a Texas ranch where it never snowed and his parents were pacifists who did not believe in war or violence. Noah finds himself at odds with his family values, as he begins his dangerous alpine training of skiing, shooting and mountain climbing.

Eventually Noah is shipped to Italy with his division and comes face-to-face with the reality of war. This book is both an excellent story of a boy finding his own courage and the story of a little known part of World War II.

Click here to listen to the story of the real Phantoms during World War II. After the war, many of the Phantoms went back to Colorado and the mountains and became ski instructors, Olympic ski coaches, and founded many of our famous ski resorts. Today, you can also ski on the old trail systems the Phantoms used in their training.

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

2011-07-05T14:14:00.002-04:00

What would you do if the you lost the one thing that mattered most?

Sixteen-year-old Jessica is a runner. She loves to run. She loves being part of her high school track team. And then one terrible day, as the team returns from an away track meet, a truck hits their school bus. One teammate dies. Jessica survives but her lower leg does not.

This book is an unflinching and deeply realistic portrait of a very determined girl. The reader follows Jessica's journey from her hospital bed, to physical therapy, to coming home and then back to school. Everyone has to re-adjust - her parents, her sister, her friends, her teachers, the other kids at school that she really doesn't know, and her coach who feels responsible but wants to help. Jessica has to learn to care for her leg and how to adapt to her artificial one.

Jessica is not some superhuman - she gets angry and depressed and embarrassed - but she's not a quitter. Her competitive spirit eventually keeps her going. Along the way she learns a lot about herself, her true friends, and some people she didn't know well. And she finds a way to back to her dream of running like the wind.

The Running Dream is an excellent and inspirational book. You will meet characters who seem very real. The problems they face are real as well - no medical insurance, lawsuits, and the expense of a good prosthesis or artificial leg. Along the way you may shed a tear or two, but I promise you, the last tears will be tears of joy.

Geek Fantasy Novel by E. Archer

2011-07-05T13:41:00.003-04:00

The moral of this story is be careful what you wish for. Very careful.

Ralph is a gamer, a computer programer and a self-proclaimed geek. His family is a bit weird but very tolerant of his interests. They only have one, very important rule - "Ralph must never , ever, make a wish. Not under any circumstances whatsoever." You see, Ralph's family is actually very weird. Back in Britain, Ralph's family is royalty. More accurately, they are magical royalty. In the past, making wishes has turned out very badly for members of the family since, well, most wishes don't really take into consideration all the side effects and results of the actual wish.

So when Ralph receives an invitation to spend the summer with his British relatives, his parents forbid it. Ralph decides to go anyway and he soon finds himself caught up in the wishes of others.

If you like the way Lemony Snicket uses his narrator to tell the story and all the witty humor of A Series of Unfortunate Events, then you will certainly like Geek Fantasy Novel. Geek Fantasy Novel has equally unreliable narrators - two of them in fact! If you like to read stories based on fairy tales and you don't mind them being a little Grimm-ly realistic, then this is your book as well.

Oh and be quite careful - the bunny rabbits can explode.

Virals by Kathy Reichs

2011-06-30T09:03:00.004-04:00

Fourteen-year-old Tory Brennan is the niece of Temperance Brennan, the world famous forensic anthropologist found in the novels of Kathy Reichs and featured in the TV show Bones. Tory is a lot like her aunt. She's really smart, gutsy and does what she thinks is right. And she tells people just what she thinks! She also loves science and using it in the real world to discover things.

Tory lives with her dad in an unusual place. Morris Island is close to Charlestown, S.C., where Tory and her friends go to school, but is is also very isolated. To live on Morris Island, your family has to be part of the research team on nearby Loggerhead Island. Tory and her best guy friends - Hi, Ben and Shelton - stumble upon two deadly secrets on Loggerhead Island. Soon they are caught up in very real and very dangerous, life-or-death situations. One of the things they discover, a wolf-dog pup infected with a genetically altered parvo virus, changes them and they become the Virals - humans with heightened senses and canine-quick reflexes.

Tory and her friends are great characters. I love their sense of humor and their friendship. They become a special family - a true pack united by their new superpowers. This is the first book is a great action-packed, contemporary series. Jump on in if you like the idea of super abilities, scientific or forensic mysteries to solve and true action adventure, fast-paced stories.

If you would like to experience the the characters' sensory abilities click here to visit the interactive website for Virals, and visit the locations featured in the stories. Follow the characters' text messages and experience the story for yourself. This website features some great digital storytelling features.

Click here to read an exciting excerpt from Virals.

The Dark Zone by Dom Testa

2011-06-27T11:04:00.002-04:00

"Life on Earth is over - and only 251 teens sent into space can save mankind."

Earth was doomed when the tail of a comet swept through the atmosphere, sparking a new virus that struck the adult population. In their dying days, scientists and engineers determined to give humanity a chance by building a ship to make the journey to a new world. The crew that ran this ship would need to be young enough to survive the very long journey, yet trained to carry out all the needed jobs and responsibilities. Two-hundred and fifty-one highly intelligent and gifted teens were located and quickly educated for this desperate mission.

The Dark Zone is book 4 in the Galahad series. Not only does the Galahad's crew face dangers from space, they battle a mysterious threat from within. Conflicts and romance both develop in the crew.

Galahad's Council runs the ship and they are intriguing and attractive characters. Triana Martell is the leader, Gap Lee heads engineering, Bon Hartsfield oversees the food domes, Channy Oakland runs Activities and Nutrition, and Lita Marques is their Medical Doctor. They have the assistance of almost sentient or intelligent computer system nicked Roc. I enjoy reading stories about multi-generational spaceships because I really think that's what real spaceflight to other planets will be like - very long journeys to travel the vast distances of space crewed by people who will view the ship as their long-term home.

The Galahad series is good space opera - interesting and strong characters involved in a long and dramatic story. You can find out more about the characters and the science behind the stories by clicking here.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

2011-06-25T13:02:00.005-04:00

Ruby Red is time travel and a mystery; humor and a bit of a love story - all rolled up in one book.

Sixteen-year-old Gwen thinks of herself as a gawky and unsophisticated British schoolgirl. Granted her family is strange - OK, really strange - with all their talk of time travel and secret societies and magical abilities. And then there is the fact, Gwen does see ghosts and she can talk to them. But otherwise, her life is perfectly normal - she and her friends flirt with guys and talk endlessly on their cellphones.

That is until the day Gwen finds herself slightly dizzy and - zap - ends up in the past. Finding yourself suddenly in the past can be awkward (especially when you aren't dressed appropriately) and even somewhat dangerous. Suddenly, Gwen finds herself right in the middle of that secret time traveling society and all their archaic rules that she had tried so hard to ignore all her life. She is dressed in period clothes and sent on missions back in time to retrieve something important the society needs. Gwen discovers that she is actually the long-awaited Ruby and part of 12 important pieces in a centuries old conspiracy. Fortunately she spends much of her time with eighteen-year-old Gideon, who is trained for this sort of time-traveling work. Gideon believes completely in their mission but Gwen finds herself less certain as she begins to hear a different story from relatives in the past.

And did I mention the ghosts?

Ruby Red is already a bestselling book in Europe, along with its sequels Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green. Jump on in and you'll find yourself "transported" back in time!

Click here to hear an audio excerpt of Ruby Red.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

2011-06-23T09:23:00.004-04:00

First - cool cover. Really cool cover. That's the Chicago skyline down there looking like something strange has happened to the lake. And it has.

Veronica Roth is a young, first-time author and she has batted a home run novel right out of the park!

Something terrible has obviously happened to this future Chicago. The surviving population has divided itself into factions or groups, each with a role to place in their society based on the virtue they hold as the most important: Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Together they create a balanced, peaceful society.

Once a year the day comes when all sixteen-year-olds must choose the faction they will live and work with. Most tend to choose the faction they grew up in, but they do have a choice. Beatrice Prior makes a surprising choice on her choosing day - leaving Abregnation and its peaceful lifestyle and her loving family for the reckless and violent Dauntless. Her initiation into Dauntless quickly becomes life-threatening as she discovers just how violent Dauntless has become.

She struggles with her decision and discovers a threat to the balanced peace of society. And then there is Four, a boy she begins to fall in love with. But most of all, she learns more about the Divergent - those without a faction and without a home.

Hang on - this is a wild ride.

Invasion; a C.H.A.O.S. Novel by Jon S. Lewis

2011-06-23T08:29:00.004-04:00

What if the Phantom Flyer hero from the comic books was real? Or that aliens have been invading Earth since World War II? And that the agents from CHAOS battle them to this day?

Yeah, right. That was Colt McAlister's first reaction too. And then, strange things began to happen . . .

Sixteen-year-old Colt is suddenly faced with the tragic deaths of his parents and uprooted to Arizona to live with his grandfather, who does resemble the Phantom Flyer if you squint hard. He has the support of an old friend, Dani, and a new one named Oz, who seems strangely familiar. . . Colt doesn't quite believe that his parents deaths were an accident, especially when he is contacted by someone who confirms his suspicions. In a matter of days, Colt is fighting aliens and riding a flying motorcycle.

This action-filled novel Invasion is for you if you enjoy comic book heroes, movies like I am Number Four or TV shows like Fringe or The X-Files. Read it quick - the second novel in the CHAOS series is coming out soon! Author Jon S. Lewis is also the co-writer of the Grey Griffins and Clockwork series, both fantasy adventures.

Click here to download the first chapter of Invasion.

100 Cupboards

2009-04-27T13:49:00.004-04:00

Poor Henry. His globe-trotting parents disappear and he is shipped off to an aunt and uncle he has not seen since he was four-years-old. He arrives in a very small town in Kansas and moves into a dusty attic bedroom on a farm. And then there are the annoying girl cousins.

Soon things take a turn away from boring into terrifying. Something is trying to break out of the wall into his room. Soon Henry discovers a huge wall of oddly shaped cupboard doors hidden behind a plaster wall. And there are things and worlds to be discovered when you go through the doors!

This story also tugs at your heart. Henry truly doesn't know who he really is or where he came from, although he does know that the people who have cared for him as his parents really don't care about him. He finds a new loving family with his aunt and uncle but then it is ripped away from him. I was so concerned for Henry that I had to immediately read the sequel by N. D. Wilson called Dandelion Fire.

Jolted; Newton Starker's Rules for Survival

2009-04-27T13:26:00.003-04:00

The Jeremy Potts Academy for Higher Learning and Survival is located in Moosejaw, Canada. The students wear traditional Scottish kilts and take some really unusual and dangerous classes. Newton Goddard Starker believes that this is the perfect school for him. After all, for hundreds of years every member of his mother's family has been killed by lightening.

Newton is raised in a very protective environment (and one that does not attract lightening) so it is natural that he finds himself something of an outsider. Following his mother's death (zapped, of course), Newton is determined to succeed and survive at his new school. Jeremy sets out to overcome his fears and deal with his sadness. Along the way he makes some real friends and acquires an adorable and strangely intelligent, truffle-hunting pig named Josephine.

Hang on! This is a fast-paced and funny ride with lots of unusual characters. I really hope the author, Arthur Slade, brings Newton back for Year Two.

Tennyson by Lesley M Blume

2009-03-03T13:25:00.006-05:00

Tennyson and Hattie Fontaine live with their parents in a falling down shack of a house hidden deep in the woods near the Mississippi River. In 1932, the country is mired in the Depression, but Tennyson and Hattie live an unconventional and happy life. They don't attend school but their parents, who are writers, teach them at home. Then, one day, their mother disappears. Their father sets off to find her, but first he leaves the girls with his old, eccentric Aunt Henrietta who lives in the ruins of their old plantation house named Aigreoux. Aigreoux almost exists in the deep past, surrounded by trees hung with Spanish moss.

Tennyson begins to discover the secrets the house holds - secrets that reveal the lives of the family members who lived at Aigreoux before them, including the family slaves. Tennyson also comes up with a plan to earn the money the family needs to save the house.

Lesley Blume has captured the sights and smells of an old plantation house. Ghosts are almost visible has Tennyson pokes at the past life of the house and its inhabitants. Tennyson herself is a talented writer, recording the stories found at Aigreoux. The result is a story which at times seems both poetic and hypnotic.

Cabinet of Wonders; The Kronos Chronicles Book 1

2009-03-03T12:56:00.003-05:00

Twelve-year-old Petra lives in a fantastical version of Sixteenth Century Boehmia, with magicians, peasants, gypsies and metallic robot inventions. Petra's father is a gifted metalworker who built her a special tin spider, Astrophil, as a companion and friend. He also built a powerful magical clock for the Prince. The Prince fears her father's abilities so he removes his eyes. Petra is determined to find the missing eyes so she secures a job in the palace as a maid. The eyes are hidden in the Prince's Cabinet of Wonders along with many other fantastical items. At the palace, Petra has to deal with the Prince's relatives, spy magicians, and dangerous gypsies. Fortuantely she finds new friends and allies to assist her.

The author, Marie Rutkoski, has created an amazing and fantastical world. Although there is a satisfying conclusion to this story, you will want to read the next book in this series to discover more of Petra's adventures. As you read, keep track of all the characters you meet through the book's cover art. If you liked Harry Potter or the Golden Compass, this may be the book for you!

The Christopher Killer

2008-10-30T12:15:00.003-04:00

Seventeen-year-old Cameryn Mahooney wants to be a forensic pathologist. She has an advantage - her father is the coroner of in Silverton, Colorado. Despite her grandmother's complaints that she is too young to be witnessing a crime scene, Cameryn convinces her dad that she should be his assistant. What she doesn't expect is that one of the first victims she sees will be a friend of hers.

The Christopher Killer is the first book in a series of forensic mysteries by Alane Ferguson. They read like an episode of the television show CSI. Don't pick on up if you have a weak stomach!

Vampire High

2008-10-30T12:05:00.003-04:00

Cody Elliot made lots of mistakes at his old high school, so his parents sent him to this one. Vlad Dracul, that is. Cody soon learns that most of the students here are real vampires. They wouldn't normally associate with humans but there is that pesky state rule about mandatory water sports. Water and vampires don't mix. So all Cody has to do now is play on the water polo team and he's got it made. He doesn't even need to study or do his homework! Cody just can't seem to follow the rules and he begins to make a waves at his new school - and not just in the pool.

Vampire High by Douglas Rees is a funny book, but it also make some very interesting observations about high school and teenages.

White House Rules

2008-10-30T10:55:00.003-04:00

White House Rules by Mitali Perkins is the second book in the First Daughter series. In the first fast and funny book, sixteen-year-old Sameera had to deal with her father's campaign for President of the United States. She also had to decide whether to hide behind a fake front or just be her true self.

In White House Rules, Sameera is exploring her new house - the White House! Sameera enjoys the perks that come with being the President's daughter and she still likes blogging to other teens. But, she also longs to break out of the bubble she lives in now.

Sameera is a great character - she is smart and funny. If you have wondered what it might be like to be the President's daughter - this is the book for you.

Gone by Michael Grant

2008-09-30T19:35:00.003-04:00

Gone.

All the adults disappear in a blink of an eye; leaving only teens, children and babies. No one older than fourteen survives. The area around the town of Perdido Beach, California seems cut off from help; no phones or Internet. The responsible kids find themselves trying to care for the small children.

As the food disappears, bullies and thugs appear. Then divisions appear - the townies and the rich kids from the boarding school. A battle for power begins to develop.

More terrifying things begin to happen. Many animals and some of the kids start displaying strange powers - and the bullies don't use their powers for good.

Gone is a real page-turner. I couldn't put it down. Although the ending is satisfactory, you will want to find out what happens next to Sam and Astrid and the rest of kids in Perdido Beach.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

2008-09-30T19:10:00.004-04:00

How far would you go to save someone you love?

This is the question at the heart of the new novel by Mary E. Pearson. Jenna Fox awakes from a coma and doesn't remember her name or her parents. Or the strange house they are living in. But she does remember loads of facts about historical events or famous books. What is going on?

Slowly Jenna begins to realize that her parents are keeping some very important information from her. As she begins to discover this information she becomes increasingly shocked and frightened.

This science fiction novel takes place in a hear future where biotechnology forces us to think about what it means to be human. How far would you go to save someone you love? The Adoration of Jenna Fox is chilling and powerful.

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd

2008-07-25T09:48:00.003-04:00

The London Eye is the name of the huge observation wheel on the banks of the Thames River in London. The London Eye is not really a Ferris Wheel but a unique structure. Eight hundred people can ride in the thirty-two capsules as they make their slow thirty minute circuit up and around. Londoners call this experience "flying the wheel." The Eye is a fascinating location for a puzzling mystery!

The main character, Ted, is also unique. As his parents say, his brain runs on its own operating system. Ted and his sister Kat take their visiting cousin Salim to ride The Eye. They watch him get on, but he doesn't get off! It seems an impossible mystery. How did he disappear?

Ted and Kat come up with thier own list of theories but their parents and the authorities don't really want to listen to them. When Salim remains missing, Ted and Kat decide that they have to investigate. This is a terrific mystery for people who like puzzles.

Sky Village, Book One of the Kaimira by Monk and Nigel Ashland

2008-07-16T13:43:00.004-04:00

The Sky Village is the first book in a new series called Kaimira. Monk Ashland is the pseudonym for Chris Rettstatt, who has spent many years involved with young people, technology and storytelling. I had the opportunity to interview Chris as part of the blog tour for his new book.

Chris, I must admit that I am completely entranced by the idea of the sky village and the lives of the people who live there. Can you tell us something about how the idea originated? Will we see more of the sky village in future books of the series?

I was sitting outside thinking about Mei's journey across a futuristic China. I looked up at the clouds, and the idea struck me, I'd always loved the idea of boat villages, and the thought of a similar community in the sky was just too interesting. Originally it was just a detail, something Mei saw along her journey, but the idea really hooked me, and I decided Mei should travel in the Sky Village. From there, it just kept growing until it basically took over the whole book.

You've described these stories as fantasy. They certainly are in the tradition of the fully realized works of fantasy. Yet to me, they seem much seem like science fiction as well. Do you see a difference between fantasy and science fiction?

Because of the subject matter of Kaimira, I sometimes think of it as a hybrid of science and mythology. The science has reached a level where the rules as we know them have vanished, and those who control it reach back into the deep past for meaning and structure. I wanted the style to reflect that, so while it's decidedly science fiction (as evidenced by the number of books I read on nanotechnology), I wrote it to feel and read more like a fantasy.

Apocalyptic science fiction seems to be growing in popularity again. Some observers believe this relates to real and perceived threats to our world. Does the Kaimira series spring from your contemporary concerns? Are there issues you believe young people should be concerned about today?

There are the age-old themes of man versus science and science versus nature, and I wanted to put a spin on it, with the three factions battling but none of them presented as simply good or evil. But there are other themes at work, too, based on more contemporary concerns. We live in a culture of conflict, where self-perpetuating animosity continually undermines attempts at peace. And despite the rhetoric, it's hardly ever a matter of good versus evil. Each of us is as capable of being a villain as he is a hero. And the only thing that stands between the two is a string of brave choices.

You've written about fan fiction and its great popularity on the Inernet. Much fan fiction is inspired by works of fantasy and science fiction, from Star Trek to Buffy to Harry Potter. While some people see fan fiction as an exciting creative outlet, authors can be unsettled or even threatened by it. How would you respond to fan fiction set in the world you are creating?

One of the reasons I made Kaimira so large, spanning five generations and five continents, was to create room for readers to dive in and tell their own stories. Fan fiction, even when it takes forms that might be disconcerting to the author, is an extreme form of flattery. Any author shoud feel lucky to inspire their readers to write.

As I told Chris Rettstatt, I was captivated by the idea of the sky village itself and I often found myself turned back to the two-page illustration of all those hot air balloons and the people sliding between them on ropes hundreds of feet above the earth. The story itself alternates between Mei in the sky village and Rom in the scary underground world beneath Las Vegas, where he battles mechanical beast demons in a life or death game. While I found myself identifying with Mei, I can see how other readers will find themselves absorbed by Rom's struggles. Mei and Ron are linked together by a marvelous journal which allows them to communicate with each other. They are also linked by the kaimira gene, which they both possess.

Like many complex imaginary worlds found in fantasy and science fiction, The Sky Village has a detailed backstory. The authors have created a code or language, folktales that reveal truths, and other artifacts. Some can be found in the back of the book, while others can be found on the book's website www.kaimiracode.com

Join in the fun found in this new series. It promises to be an exciting trip!

Go Big or Go Home by Will Hobbs

2008-07-16T09:23:00.003-04:00

Will Hobbs is certainly one of our favorite authors of good outdoor adventure books. Go Big or Go Home is his newest book and it will appeal to fans of extreme sports as well. Cousins Brady and Quinn are enjoying another summer filled with mountain biking, caving and fishing when something new comes crashing in. And it really crashes in!

Brady had crawled out his bedroom window to watch the Perseid meteor shower when an ear-shattering explosion filled the night and a flaming meteor crashed into his house and right through his bed. Underneath the wreckage Brady found the culprit - a fist-sized meteorite.

Possession of this meteorite sends Brady and Quinn off on more adventures, especially as something seriously dangerous begins to overtake their lives. Eventually the boys discover that the meteorite has brought a threat to Earth.

Go Big or Go Home is a fast, exciting read. I know you will enjoy it.

Sky Horizon by David Brin

2008-07-14T08:33:00.006-04:00

David Brin is a very famous science fiction author and I was surprised and delighted to see his first book for young adults. Colony High Book One:Sky Horizon is a short book and that is a good thing since you definitely don't want to stop reading it once you've started! It is also thought provoking and at times laugh out loud funny.

Sky Horizon begins - yup - with a stranded alien, just like a movie cliche. But this time the techie teens (or Math Club geeks as the jocks refer to them) are trying to keep him or it safe from the government. They have definitely watched too many episodes of the X Files. The jocks stage a kidnapping - or alien-napping - hoping to make big money on selling the alien to Hollywood but the result truly endangers the alien's life. Fortunately, high school junior Mark Bamford, calls the only people who can help - serious scientists.

Now in safe, knowledgable hands and with people who learn to communicate with it, the alien is able to contact his people. All of Earth awaits their arrival, especially since the alien has promised them that the planet will be rewarded for their assistance in his rescue. Everyone on Earth wonders what marvelous new science and technology will come their way. The 24-hour cable TV channels talk endlessly about what it means to discover life in the universe. Religious and policical leaders worry about the outcome as well. Meanwhile, life gets back to normal at Mark's high school. Until the day the alien ship arrives . . .

I can't give away the ending to this book; it's just too surprising and too funny, both at the same time! When you pick up our copy at school, be sure to feel the inside front cover - it feels like alien skin!

Found by Margaret Haddix

2008-05-30T19:22:00.005-04:00

Margaret Haddix wrote a very popular series that began with a book called Among the Hidden. This new book, Found, is the first book in her new series called The Missing. And it is quite a thriller!

Thirteen years ago a very mysterious event occurred at an airport. Suddenly, a jet plane materialized at a gateway. Aboard the plane there were only thirty-six babies. No crew. No adults. This bizarre occurrence was covered-up by the government, which secretly placed the babies in adoptive homes. The adoptive parents did not know that there was anything unusual about their new children.

Jonah was one of these adopted children. Now a seventh grader, Jonah began receiving strange messages in the mail. The first one read - You are one of the missing. The second one was more threatening - Beware! They're coming back to get you. Jonah's friend Chip, who didn't know he was adopted, also receives the messages. Chip, Jonah, and Jonah's sister Katherine decide to investigate and they locate more thirteen-year-old adopted children right in their area. Events soon turn terrifying.

This is a great beginning to a new series and I can't wait to find out what happens to these three characters.

Getting Air

2007-12-17T07:04:00.000-05:00

Dan Gutman is a new author to me and I am happy I read this book. Getting Air is an accessible novel for middle school students.

Three twelve-year-old skate boarding friends thwart a terrorist attack while on a flight to the X Games in California. They survive the ensuing crash with a few others and the adventure really starts.

How these skaters cope with the tragedy and challenges they face make a great story of friendship and personal strength. While the plot is a little implausible from time to time, it helps keep the story from wallowing in sorrow, as an adult novel probably would have. I know if I am in the same situation, the tool I would want with me is a titanium skateboard! A great survival story read for those who need a manageable book.

On the Wings of Heroes

2007-12-16T20:29:00.000-05:00

Richard Peck has written some great books, but On the Wings of Heroes is one of his best.

This wonderful historical novel is the story of a boy and his family during WWII. It is also the story of a small town and its denizens, who carry hurts from this war, as well as WWI and even the Civil War.

Each chapter the author freshens the paint on his brush and recreates very probable pieces of the life of a small town family living in Western Indiana during the years 1940-1946. Be ready to belly laugh and bawl because this author's writing leaves you defenseless. Be amazed at the similarities between our Department of Homeland Security and their Office of Civil Defense and learn what our recent relatives (my grandparents and parents) experienced. The sacrifices made by this generation of Americans are legendary and become very salient through Richard Peck's humor and drama.

This is a priceless read about the "greatest generation" for adults as well as middle school students.

Fat Kid Rules the World

2007-12-16T20:07:00.000-05:00

Fat Kid Rules the World is an award winning novel by K. L. Going and is for mature readers, eighth grade and up.

Troy, the protagonist, is a very overweight, intelligent 17-year-old, punk-rock loving, New York guy who is so depressed, he has just about slid right out of his life. He is yanked back in by Curt McCrae, a genius guitarist, and at 18 -ears-old, already a legend in the Village's punk rock scene.

This is a timely book about: grief and joy, loneliness and friendship, despair and hope, playing an instrument and playing MUSIC. Both characters fight some serious personal demons in this book. The language and action accurately reflect these struggles.

Curt seeks out Troy to groom him into a drummer and starts a chain of life saving that left me feeling uplifted - helium filled to the max!

This is an absolutely astounding book!

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

2007-12-13T10:18:00.000-05:00

The story opens after Naomi has fallen down the stairs in front of her school and hit her head. When she awakens she doesn't remember anything that has happened for the last four years. She doesn't remember her best friend Will, her boyfriend Ace ( a star tennis player), her parents' divorce or that she's the co-editor of the school yearbook. She thinks a lot about James, the elusive boy who came to her rescue after her accident. You'll enjoy reading how she copes with her memory loss, its' eventual return and what she learns along the way about love and friendship.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

2007-12-13T09:52:00.000-05:00

It's 1967, in the middle of the Vietnam war. Holling Hoodhood is part of a seventh grade class where he is the only Presbyterian. All the Catholic kids and the Jewish kids are released from school on Wednesday afternoons to attend religious education classes. Since he is the only one not attending these classes, he must stay at school with Mrs. Baker, who has him read and discuss Shakespeare! Holling learns about life from Shakespeare, Mrs. Baker, his friends and family. The cast of characters is realistic and hilarious. The backdrop of the 60's is true to life, but the emotions and changes Holling goes through in this coming of age story are universal.

Schooled by Gordon Korman

2007-12-13T09:16:00.000-05:00

This is another funny novel by the author of No More Dead Dogs. Capricorn Anderson has been homeschooled all his life by his hippie grandmother. When she is hospitalized, he moves in with a guidance counselor and enrolls at Claverage Middle School (also known as C Average). He dresses like a refugee from the 60's and know nothing of "appropriate" school behavior. Other kids tease him mercilessly, yet he seems oblivious to it. Despite the obstacles he faces, Cap sticks to his beliefs. Completely unintentionally , he changes C Average forever.

Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley

2007-12-06T15:24:00.000-05:00

If you haven't noticed by now - I love science fiction and fantasy. Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley sounds like it should be a fantasy book, but it's not!

Dragonhaven takes place in an alternate reality to our world. In this world, there are real live dragons! Dragonhaven itself is a huge wilderness preserve in the United States, called Smokehill National Park. Jake Mendoza has grown up here, since both of his parents are dragon scientists and researchers.

Jake rescues a dragon egg, which is strictly forbidden by the dragon protection laws. When it hatches, the baby dragon imprints on Jake and thinks he is its mother. Jake finds out that it is exhausting work to care for a baby dragon - especially when it begins to shoot fire!

The story is action-filled, as Jake struggles to keep his young charge safe from people who would take her away and Jake's father fights against the forces who would like to develop the park. Along the way, Jake learns to communicate with the adult dragons and becomes quite a dragon researcher himself.

I really love an author who creates a new world for readers to visit. Everything about this story becomes believable. And I really wish I could visit Dragonhaven as well.

Peak by Ronald Smith

2007-12-06T15:13:00.000-05:00

Peak is my favorite adventure book of the year! You have to love the main character, 14-year-old Peak Marcello. His parents are professional mountain climbers. As Peak says, "It could have been worse. My parents could have named me Glacier, or Abyss, or Crampon."

Peak gets in big trouble for attempting to climb a skyscraper in New York City, where he is living with his mother and stepfather. So he gets sent off to Tibet, to join his father who leads groups of wealthy people up Mt. Everest. Climbing Mt. Everest is a dangerous pursuit but Peak's father wants to become famous by helping his son become the youngest person to climb the mountain.

Besides the physical danger, Peak sees the selfish behavior of some climbers, who will ignore a person who needs help,in their zeal to climb the mountain. Peak also meets a Sherpa boy his age and learns about their lives on the mountain. As Peak tries to fulfill his father's goal, he also begins to discover things about himself.

Peak, the book, is a thrilling adventure story and a personal story of self-discovery. You won't be disappointed by this book. If you like Peak, try the other action and adventure stories by the author Roland Smith

Everlost

2007-11-07T13:32:00.001-05:00

Neal Shusterman is a new author to me and I am so glad to have found him! Everlost is an epic tale of what happens to two kids when they are sidetracked on their way to "heaven".

Nick and Allie are killed in a car accident, and "don't get to where they are going". They end up in Everlost with quite a few others who "missed the boat", so to speak.

The author creates a plausible world with its own rules. This world is kind of an overlay on our own world where places with strong emotions still exist for those in Everlost. The World Trade Center is one of these places and the authors description of this place as twin brothers rising from the city is very moving, and helps incorporate this horrible event in recent history into our national identity in a subtle and tactful manner.

Nick and Allie have much to do before they "get to where they are going". Their path is peppered with heart stopping adventure and fantastic humor. This is a great book by a wonderful author. Check it out!

Keeper

2007-11-07T13:15:00.000-05:00

I am so happy to have read a book about sports that knocked me off my feet. Keeper, by Mal Peet, is the book and what a great read it is! Boys and girls would like this suspenseful story of the making of a world class goalie, El Gato, the cat. El Gato starts this story as a clumsy boy and is turned into a KEEPER by a very interesting coach.

The setting for this book is the Amazon Rain Forest. The characters are people whose job it is to log the rain forest and whose future is bleak, except for the prospect of professional soccer. Even though I do not play soccer, the descriptions of the games played are wonderful and I found myself wanting to join a team. Try this book out!

Terrier by Tamora Pierce

2007-02-19T06:28:00.000-05:00

Terrier is the first book in the new Beka Cooper series. This book is set 200 years before the Alanna series, in Tortall, a fantasy world with a lot in common with medieval societies. Like then, characters in this world grow up quick and the protagonist, Beka, is setting out on her career, a guardswoman, in her early teens. The guards function as a police force and are called dogs. Their trainees are called puppies.

This book mixes so many things I enjoy: medieval times, mystery, and fantasy. Put all this together with a female hero who is a real "terrier" and you get a great start to a fresh take on Tamora Pierce's fantasy world. Beka is a puppy in one of the toughest parts of the city and is fortunate to be paired with two excellent dogs. She had the misfortune of growing up in this "cesspool", but because of her connection to the people there and a talent she has for communicating with the dead, she unearths two horrible crime waves.

This book has a lengthy cast of characters and slang to learn from this world, both of which are explained in an appendix in the back of the book. A 2007 ALA Book for Young Adults, this book will hook you in and you'll be tugging at the leash for more of Beka's story.

Enthusiasm

2007-02-14T13:00:00.000-05:00

Julie and Ashleigh are best friends. Some of us have a friend like Ashleigh. She discovers one new passion after another and throws herself completely into these new "enthusiasms" as Julie calls them. Usually, Julie just hangs on and endures the latest obsession but this time Ashleigh has discovered Pride and Prejudice - which is Julie's all-time favorite book. As usual, Ashleigh goes overboard in her enthusiasm and soon she is dressing and talking like a character from the novel. Even worse, she is madly in search of her own "true love" and convinces Julie to crash the fall dance at a local prep school for boys. Dating mishaps, awkward incidents, comic confusion, and romance soon follow.

Enthusiasm is Polly Schulman's first novel. I loved it! It is wonderfully written, witty, and funny. It's not necessary to have read Pride and Prejudice or seen the movie, but it does make it all more fun.

Montmorency - The Series by Eleanor Updale

2007-01-27T07:08:00.000-05:00

The Montmorency series is historical fiction set in Victorian England beginning around 1880. The series will soon have four books, the latest of which is already out in Britain. The books have won many awards and once you start reading them, you will understand why. These are books for readers who like suspense and mystery, and like to think about what they read. They are similar to Sherlock Holmes stories in tone and setting.

Montmorency: Liar, Thief, Gentleman

What a fantastic start to a wonderfully entertaining and thought provoking series! Montmorency (we never know his real name, or his entire history) is introduced as prisoner number 148. He has been seriously injured in an accident which resulted in his arrest. He is a patient of a Dr. Farcett, a young surgeon who has volunteered to save Montmorency's life in exchange for the knowledge gained from treating his vast injuries.

As Montmorency gradually recovers, he is taken on lectures so that Dr. Farcett can show off his skill. Montmorency uses these seminars and the other speakers there as a sort of college education and becomes aware and knowledgable of more than his world of prison and thievery. One of his cell mates teaches him the art of imitating other people's mannerisms so by the time he is released, he has the tools to act like a new man, a gentleman.

What he decides to do with his new chance at life raises all sorts of interesting questions about what makes us who we are. These questions are not always easily answered by the reader, or by Montmorency himself.

Montmorency is an intriguing and likeable protagonist. You will enjoy the developement of his new personna, and wonder about his utilization of his old self. A very suspenseful story!

Montmorency on the Rocks

The second book in the series begins five years after the first book ends. It is well worth reading these books in order. Eleanor Updike's characters are complicated with many intricacies and each book in the series reveals more about them. What makes us who we are is, again, a central theme. We are ourselves not only because of our positive attributes, but also because of our faults and weaknesses.

In this book, Montmorency has been troubled by a moral challenge presented in the first book. He deals with this by developing a nasty drug habit, picked up while traveling in Turkey with his friend, George Fox-Selwyn, whom we meet in the first book. The pair works for the British government in a delicate capacity and Montmorency's addiction has progressed to the point of placing their positions and lives in peril.

Meanwhile, Dr. Farcett, the physician who saved Montmorency's life, has reached a crisis of his own. He has realized much of the medicine he has been practicing has been a way to achieve prestige, status, and fame, rather than having the single intent of helping people. After losing a patient on a very public stage, he has vowed to quit his profession.

George, a great friend to both, takes them to the country to recover. Once there, former patient and doctor meet again and help each oter out of their troubles. Both are presented new mysteries to solve, and continuously confront their individual weaknesses as they strive to rise to the challenges they face.

This book takes place in the city of London and on a small remote island. You will meet new, resourceful, and unique characters that you will want to read more about...

Montmorency and the Assassins

This book takes place more than ten years after the second book in the series. It covers a two year span from 1898 to 1900. Of course, once again, questions abou indentity play a major role, but this book has something more. It incorporates questions about inherited wealth and class divison, issues our society faces today. In addition, Montmorency and George must battle a tide of terrorism sweeping across Europe.

The setting of this book broadens to include Italy and the United States. George's nephew, Frank, beocmes involved in political upheaval in Italy during a vacation. The social problems fueling this unrest are the division between those who live a life of privilege and those who work to support the lifestyle of these people. Frank belongs to the ranks of the former, but sympathizes with the ranks of the later. Where does his loyalty lie?

Those that feel down trodden in Italian society plot anarchy and terroist attacks. George, Frank, Dr. Farcett, and Montmorency unravel ploots and try to prevent terrorists from carrying out their deeds. They also battle with their personal demons and unresolved issures from their pasts.

This is an intersting book for mature readers who are interested in history, political issues and causes of violence. There is much to ponder in this book, and it is not a light read. It is well work the effort because in March '07, Montmorency's Revenge will be released in the States. You'll want to be ready!

Historical Fiction

London Calling by Edward Bloor

2007-01-08T13:40:00.000-05:00

Martin hates being a student at All Souls Prep School, but he has a family history to uphold. He manages to get put on independent study status and the learning really begins.

He gets a message and a gift from his grandmother just before she dies that sends him on a time traveling journey and gives him a mystery to solve. As he bounces back and forth between present day New Jersey and World War II England, he gets clues to uncovering secrets that had persisted over fifty years. At the same time, he is able to help a friend that he meets along the way.

London Calling combines a solving a present day mystery (by using Internet research) and the history of World War II. It's an interesting read that spans the years.

Life As We Knew It

2007-01-03T12:17:00.000-05:00

The whole world can change in an instant and this is exactly what happens in Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Sure, the astronomers knew a large meteor was going to hit the moon. The newscasters were talking about it and the teachers at Miranda's school were going on and on about meteors - but no one really thought it would really matter to people here on Earth.

Unfortunately the meteor strike changes the moon's orbit, bringing it closer to Earth. This causes massive tidal waves, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Coastal cities around the world are destroyed. Destruction is massive and even though Miranda, her brothers, and her mother live in rural Pennsylvania, soon there is no electricity, no cell phone communication, no broadcast television, no gasoline, and eventually - no food in the stores. And then winter comes. . .

This is a survival story. Sixteen-year old Miranda and her family have to work together in order to live. Things become very grim and even dangerous. I really liked this story - especially how Miranda and her family come to re-evaluate what they believe is important in their lives. This story will also make you think - this is all possible and most of us are not prepared to take care of ourselves.

There was only one tiny error in this book, but it bugged me. If you find it, let me know and I'll offer you a small reward!

The Return of the Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruhacs

2006-12-25T07:47:00.000-05:00

Whoa! I thought we were done with this creepy character, but...he's back! Will Molly be brave enough to battle this monster again? Native American folklore is a basis for this story about a relentless villan. Absolutely read The Skeleton Man first, but not alone and not in the dark! Side effects that may occur from delving in to this pair of tales: fear of the forest, fear of snowstorms, fear of dreaming, fear of Halloween, fear of costume parties, fear of large old hotels.... Enjoy!

Chronicles of Ancient Darkness: The Series - Michelle Paver

2006-12-17T08:04:00.000-05:00

Wolf Brother

I chose this book because there was a person running with a dog on the cover. Some of you know I have this little thing about dogs. I was not disapointed - "Wolf" was a great partner to the protagonist, Torak. This intriguing story takes place in the stone age, in an primordial forest and a glacier. What a unique setting! The author researched this novel by trekking in the northern forests of Finland and Lapland. If you like the outdoors, hunting and hiking this book will appeal to you. Torak, as people were during this time in history, is a hunter-gatherer, raised by his father apart from all other clans. His father has told him nothing of his history, or why they live apart from others before he leaves Torak to fend for himself. His story is revealed as this adventure unfolds, and what a story it is - a great quest driven mystery. An aspect of this book I loved, the icing on the cake, is that we hear parts of the story from Wolf, in his own voice. Practice your howls!

Spirit Walker

Torak is staying with the Raven clan and grieving the loss of a good friend when the clan falls victim to what appears to be a plague. He feels responsible for finding a cure and his travels take him to the Seal Clan, the people of his mother's family. This is a fast paced, driven story that uncovers important aspects of Torak's family and past. Lucky for us, it sets up the third book in the series, hot off the presses in February 2007. The setting and characters in this series are refreshing. The behaviors of animals and wilderness survival are well researched by the author. The spiritual beliefs of the characters are new and different given their prehistoric nature and the speculation that comes along with trying to complete the picture of how people explained their existence and the problem of evil in the world so very long ago.

Soul Eater

As you can tell from the title, this book gets a bit spiritual, in an ancient sort of way. Wolf has been kidnapped by the Soul Eaters, mages who have turned evil. Torak leaves to find him, and lucky for him, Renn is close behind. Constantly jumping from one dangerous situation to another, the story reminds my of the Indiana Jones movies in terms of constant action and suspense. The problem of conquering one's personal demons and the intense bonds between friends are themes of this book. Some of the most intense action is described by Wolf, who happens to be the only one of the main characters who can see in the dark of the cave they are trapped in. Torak continues his perilous personal journey, but he does so with the support of friends and family. I can't wait for book four!

Pendragon: The series

2006-12-15T11:05:00.000-05:00

I was attracted to this series by D.J. MacHale, because of the title - Pendragon is the last name of King Arthur's father - of knights of the round table fame. Boy, oh boy, am I glad that book caught my eye!

The protagonist is Bobby Pendragon, a 14 year old boy, who at the start of the first book in the series, Merchant of Death, is about to play a basketball game and has just recieved his first kiss! His favorite person, Uncle Press, shows up and asks for his help. He sweeps Bobby off to his first flume ride and to another world altogether. Bobby loses his old life, but gains a new one, filled with danger and responsibility. He has discovered that he is not a typical person, he is a Traveler, one whose life's work is to save the conglomeration of worlds known as Halla, from the "dark side", represented by a character named St. Dane.

There are ten worlds in Halla. St. Dane is trying to bring each one to a point of chaos. Bobby's job is to stop him.

In each of the books, Bobby meets a new traveller and is confronted by new and interesting problems in the different worlds he is trying to save.

As the series progresses, two friends from his old life become increasingly involved in his fight to save Halla, and increasingly at risk from St. Dane. This adds to the suspense inherent in the story line.

All of these books are action packed and I am hardly able to put them down once I start. After I finished #6, The Rivers of Zadaa, my heart was thumping!

Read these books in order - it helps keep the suspense at the maximum level - yahoo!!!!!

Book 1: Merchant of Death - the adventure starts
Book 2: The Lost City of Faar - a great new traveller and world - Hobey Ho!
Book 3: The Never War - a great take on WWII
Book 4: The Reality Bug - people would rather imagine life than live it for real
Book 5: Black Water - fascinating characters in this book - want to ride a zen-zen?
Book 6: The Lost Rivers of Zadaa - Loor is my hero
Book 7: The Quillan Games - I am now afraid of clowns

Each story takes a problem we have in our world and tosses it into the future. It gives the reader a picture of what things may be in our own world if we don't tend to our current social and environmental problems. However, you get these lessons couched in such exciting action, that you pick the thoughtful stuff up without batting an eye.

I can't recommend these enough. They are lengthy, but they sure will keep your attention. Enjoy!

Gifted by Beth Evangelista

2006-12-11T09:38:00.000-05:00

George Clark is a gifted eighth grader, but he doesn't get along very well with his fellow students, especially the Bruise Brothers. The entire eighth grade is going to camp for a week and George is assigned to the same cabin as these guys! His father (who also happens to be the school principal) says he has to go. Will he survive the trip? Will he learn to "get along"?

Gifted is a comical look at George's attempts to fit in with the crowd and hang on to his uniqueness.

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

2006-12-05T13:29:00.000-05:00

Wow! This is the best new fantasy book I've read lately.

The author, Frank Beddor, begins with the story of Alice in Wonderland. As he explains, the author of Alice got it all wrong. Wonderland is a real place and Princess Alyss Heart is the heir to the throne. After an uprising by her evil Aunt Redd, Alyss flees to our world. Eventually, her protectors, Hatter Madigan and Dodge Anders, rescue her and return her to Wonderland where she leads her army of Alyssians against Redd.

This is a wonderfully inventive novel, the first in a planned trilogy. All of the characters from the original Alice are here - but they are much more complicated individuals in this Wonderland. Hatter Madigan (the Mad Hatter) is a highly skilled bodyguard with deadly weapons in his hat. The White Rabbit is Alyss' tutor. Jack of Diamonds is a self-centered brat. And the Card soldiers are amazing - don't miss the first few pages that show how they unfold themselves from playing cards to scary warriors!

Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams

2006-12-01T14:13:00.000-05:00

Thirteen-year old Ingrid Levin-Hill lives in Echo Falls, where she juggles soccer, play practice, and middle school. Her acting skills come in handy when she becomes involved in the murder investigation of Cracked-Up Katie, a local eccentric. Ingrid, who is playing the role of Alice in Alice in Wonderland, begins to identify with her character who fell down the rabbit hole - especially as things become curiouser and curiouser.

This is a very realistic mystery, with very believable characters. Ingrid is smart, stubborn, and funny. Behind the Curtain is the second book in this series.

Rash by Pete Hautman

2006-12-01T10:28:00.000-05:00

The year is 2076. In the United Safer States of America, it's illegal to do anything dangerous. Helmets are required for walking and most sports are outlawed or changed radically to make them safer. The penalty for breaking any safety rule is a long prison term in one of the privatized jails, such as McDonald's Rehabilitation and Manufacturing Corporation in the Canadian tundra. Sixteen-year old Bo has problems controlling his anger and when he is charged with spreading a rash throughout his school he is sentenced to McDonald's where he works making frozen pizza (french fries are now illegal.) Because he is a good athlete, the demented warden makes him join the Goldshirts - an illegal football team. The McDonald's Goldshirts are practicing to play the Coke Redshirts. If Bo manages to survive the football games (played without any protective equipment) and the hungry polar bears that patrol outside the prison, he might just learn something about himself.

Rash is very funny, full of sports action, and thought provoking. Would we really want to live in a world that has decided it is better to be safe than free?

Saffy's Angel by Hilary McKay

2006-12-01T10:16:00.000-05:00

There are four children in the Casson family - Cadmium, Saffron, Indigo, and Rose. Yes, they are all named for colors of paint. Both of their parents, Eve and Bill, are artists and they certainly live a very unconventional life, which means that the house is messy, everyone is creative, and sometimes there is no dinner. They are a happy family though, at least that is what Saffy thought until she discovered that she was really adopted. Her real mother was Eve's twin sister, who died in an accident. Saffy discovers a clue to her past when she inherits a small stone statue of an angel/ the answer lies in Siena, Italy. Saffy soon begins to plot to get there.

I love the Casson family - they are funny, smart, and slightly offbeat. You can read more about them in Indigo's Star, Permanent Rose, and Caddy Ever After.

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

2006-11-30T09:53:00.000-05:00

In 1917, Hattie, 16-years-old and living with relatives after her parents' death, receives a letter letting her know that an uncle has died leaving her his 'stake' in distant Montana. Hattie takes her cat and her courage to the vast Montana prairies. She soon meets a strange but helpful group of fellow 'stakers' building new lives in the frontier. Hattie fights anti-German prejudice, sexism, World War I shortages, and the rugged Montana landscape as she attempts to meet the requirements of the land grants. Along the way Hattie maintains a correspondence with Charlie, fighting the Huns in France, and her uncle back in Iowa. A great historial fiction title with an unforgettable character!

First Boy by Gary Schmidt

2006-11-30T09:29:00.000-05:00

Cooper Jewett is fourteen years old and he is an orphan. He used to live happily with his beloved grandfather on their dairy farm in New Hampshire. He used to be concerned about his cross-country team and surviving as a freshman in high school. Suddenly, strange and somewhat frightening things are beginning to happen. Black cars driven by men in suits and sunglasses are all around town and some are following Cooper wherever he goes. The President of the United States wants to talk to him. His house is ransacked. His barn is burned to the ground. The sheriff is making threats. Someone is out to get him and someone is trying to use him. Who is he really?

First Boy is a thriller, with a dash of politics and danger. It also takes place on a farm, which I really enjoyed. The author, Gary Schmidt, lives in Michigan and works as a professor at Calvin College. He also wrote Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, which is a Newbery Honor book.