The Planet Thieves

Krokos, Dan. The Planet Thieves.
21 May 2013, Starscape.

Mason lives on the USS Egypt with his sister Susan as an ESC Cadet after the death of his parents. When Tremists (an alien race hostile to humans) attack the ship, the captain is killed, his sister is taken hostage, and Commander Lockwood is so gravely injured that he puts Mason in charge. Tom, the captain's son, is a bit put out, but knows that the cadets must take back the ship if there is any hope of defeating the Tremists. They have been fighting with the ESC over the habitable planet Nori-Blue. When they board the Egypt, their goal is to steal a large "gate" which collapses space and makes travel faster. Once they get the gate, they use it to transport Earth nearer to their planet! Mason realizes that his friend Merrin is actually a Tremist when the Tremist King insists that she's his daughter... and after he sees under the Tremist uniform and realizes that Merrin's violet colored hair and eyes do make her look just like them. A hostage exchange (Susan for Merrin) is arranged, to be conducted on the neutral planet of Nori-Blue. Once there, the cadets realize that Nori-Blue, thought to be uninhabited, is not. Secrets about the past of both the humans and Tremists are revealed. The ending is full of lots of twists, and I don't want to ruin the suspense!
Strengths: This is classic, action-packed science fiction. Travel around in space, deal with hostile aliens, travel to new planets where there are even more dangers, figure out that the aliens are not that different from us. Have cool weapons, used judiciously, and add children in charge-- awesome! There is even a jet pack at one point. Still not understanding how it's 2013, phones can send pictures, and I STILL don't have a jet pack!
Weaknesses: Hmmm... can't think of much. Of course it stretches credulity to have the cadets in charge of the ship, but when everyone else is captured or disabled, what can you do?



If you want more recommendations on great books for boys, head on over to Boys Rule Boys Read!  Iron Guy Carl is a fantastic public librarian, not to mention a big Rick Riordan fan, and does great work with getting books to boys. One of his former coworkers, Library Ninja Bill, has a blog as well, Boys Rock, Boys Read!!! If one or the other of them happens to have an interview with a certain middle grade librarian who doesn't have a cool blog name, I mention it only for shameless self promotion!

MMGM-- Civil Rights

Williams-Garcia, Rita. P.S. Be Eleven
21 May 2013, Amistad Press
E ARC from Netgallet.com

Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern have just returned to Brooklyn after One Crazy Summer with their mother in California. Delphine especially has a new found awareness of social issues, but the world is still the same to Pa and Big Ma. Things are changing-- Uncle Darnell is back from Vietnam but is not his old self. Pa has a girlfriend who is not like Big Ma, but not like Delphine's mother, either. Delphine feels that things are slowly changing for black Americans in Brooklyn, but they are changing much more slowly. She writes letters to her mother asking about her life as well as the world around her, and her mother generally replies cryptically, and ends with "P.S. Be Eleven". This story can stand alone, but is a nice follow up of these sisters.
Strengths: If I had any doubts about Williams-Garcia's age, this certainly answered it. The details of every day life were exquisite, from Mr. Bubble to a school movie about marijuana starring Sonny Bono. Even in a time of great social change, there are still grandmothers who want granddaughters to wear dowdy clothing, and every day life to be lived.
Weaknesses: This didn't have the emotional impact or the historical significance that the first book had for me. It reminded me, oddly, of the All-of-a-Kind-Family books. Pleasant, but not earth-shaking.

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts. Both sites have lots of links to reviews about books that are great for the 4th through 8th grader. It's also Nonfiction Monday, hosted this week at Pirogies and Gyoza.

 
Stone, Tanya Lee. Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles.
22 January 2013, Candlewick Press

I've had several of my students ask for books about the Tuskegee Airmen, so this was eagerly snatched up by students who are interested in Civil Rights, and also those who like to read about WWII. This has a good narrative style, plenty of pictures, and was very informative. My only complaint is that students tend to balk at nonfiction of this length.  Great for a lot of Common Core pairings!






Tuck, Pamela M. As Fast As Words Could Fly
1 April 2013, Lee and Low Books
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Mason, who is growing up in North Carolina in the 1960s, helps his father by writing letters for a Civil Rights group. To thank him, the group gives him a typewriter. Mason and his brothers are enrolled by their father in a nearby all-white school because their father says that someone must start making things different. The boys experience plenty of prejudice, but Mason excels, especially in his typing class. He also works in the school library. Eventually, he gets to represent the school in a typing contest. Based on the experiences of the author's father.

I was hoping that this was a novel, because it has a lot of potential. It is a picture book, and the illustrations are quite nice. I am half tempted to buy a copy for my middle school library, but picture books don't get much use. If we had a unit on Civil Rights, I would consider it.

How to Rock Break-Ups and Make-Ups

Haston, Meg. How to Rock Break-Ups and Make-Ups
25 September 2012, Poppy

Kacey is back in the band Gravity and hopeful that Zander might like her now that Molly has broken up with him, but Molly doesn't want anyone else dating him! Zander's friend Stevie arrives from Seattle, and she is so fabulous that Kacey is worried, and also really peeved that Stevie's father is dating her mother and making her go all googly-eyed. There's a dance being planned that Kacey gets Gravity a gig at, a school trip to the Shedd Aquarium, and also a big class election that Paige is running in. At the aquarium, Kacey gets Stevie in trouble for writing graffitti on the glass (Kacey and her friends did it), but when things get serious between their parents, the girls try to work together to break them up.Kace4y breaks into her mother's e mail and offers (as her mother) to interview rock star Levi if he will play at Kacey's school dance because Paige is dying of an awful disease. The star falls for this, so her mother has to miss a hot air balloon trip with Stevie's father, which makes him angry. In the end, Paige forgives Kacey for humiliating her in front of all of Chicago (and Paige wins the election); Kacey dates Zander; her mom dates Stevie's dad; everyone lives Happily Ever After.
Strengths: Quick, fluffy read for girls who like Lisi Harrison's Clique series. There is also a television series based on the first book.
Weaknesses: Didn't personally like, because it was somewhat ridiculous. The fashions alone were absurd (page 70 "In a sleek black moto jacket, low-slung army-green cargos rolled up at the ankle, and round-toed rose-gold snakeskin pumps... her moto jacket lifted, revealing a momentary flash of belly ring." Seriously? Who sends a seventh grader to school looking like this?), and the whole idea of a school election or kids' band playing at a school dance makes me wonder what planet the middle school was on. That said, I would no doubt have adored this when I was in seventh grade!

DeVillers, Julia and Roy, Jennifer. Triple Trouble.
1 January 2013, Aladdin 

Emma and Payton are back for their fifth adventure. Read and enjoyed; again, would have loved in middle school. I got a little confused that the triplets that play a large role in the book were NOT on the cover. As for realism-- we have two sets of triplets in our school right now! Definitely a fun series for girls who like realistic fiction.

From the Publisher:
Emma and Payton are home from Hollywood, but the drama continues: Not only is the Homecoming Dance coming up fast, but there’s someone new in school! Three someones, actually: triplets. Oliver, Dexter, and Asher look exactly the same, dress exactly the same, and—worse—have exactly the same superior attitude.

When the triplets mention they’re participating in a regional Twins & SuperTwins Festival that has a Tweens Division and twin-related contests, Payton and Emma are instantly interested. Emma’s been suffering from competition withdrawal ever since Jazmine James managed to get her disqualified from the upcoming science fair, so she’s got her game face on. And once Payton convinces Mrs. Burkle that the festival is perfect for a VOGScast field trip, the whole gang takes a road trip and the games really get going. But attempts to take down the triplets threaten to land everyone in hot water. Can Emma and Payton switch their way out of trouble, or are they stuck in a multiples mess? 

Saturday Morning Cartoons-- Cardboard

TenNapel, Doug. Cardboard.
1 August 2012, Graphix

Cam's father Mike is out of work and out of money, and all he can bring back home for Cam's birthday is a cardboard box. It's not just any box, however-- the weird guy who sold it to the father says there are two rules to it. They can't ask for more cardboard, and they have to bring all of the scraps back. The two soon find out why. A boxer that they make out of the cardboard comes to life, and they let it mow their yard, bringing it to the attention of creepy bully neighbor boy Marcus. He steals the cardboard machine Mike and Cam have made to manufacture more cardboard, and when his parents are out of town, Marcus goes crazy making more cardboard creatures... who of course, start taking over his house and imperiling the neighborhood. Adding to their problems is the fact that Cam's mother has passed away, and Mike refuses to acknowledge that the nice woman next door might be interested in him. Can Cam and Mike stop the Cardboard-pocalypse?
Strengths: Strong story, and the text and illustrations work well together. This is the difference between quality graphic novels that are conceived as a whole and graphic novel versions of things cobbled together. Glad I picked this one up in a Scholastic order.
Weaknesses: The side story with the father's unemployment and the neighbor lady is pretty intense, and my readers of graphic novels will probably not care that much. Still, makes it interesting on several levels.

Guy Friday-- Homeroom Headhunters

First of all, you need to adjust your set. This book is NOT realistic fiction. If you start reading thinking it is, it will just give you a headache.  Think fantasy with no real fantastical elements. Okay? Here we go.

Chapman, Clay McLeod. Homeroom Headhunters. (The Tribe #1)
7 May 2013, Hyperion Books
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Spencer is one of those kids who just can't hold it together. He didn't MEAN to set fire to his last school; it just happened. His mom wants him not to "rock the boat" at his new school, but of course he irritates the swirly-giving bully on the very first day. Oddly, though, every time Spencer finds himself in a dire situation, he sees someone peek out from the ceiling tiles to aid him, whether it's dropping an extra asthma inhaler or shooting spit balls at an enemy. At first, he thinks he's losing it, but eventually he finds out the truth-- there are six former students from his middle school who fit in so badly that they decided to disappear and live at the school, performing small acts of vandalism for fun and to make a statement against the sort of students who gave them a hard time. Spencer isn't sure he wants to join them, although he is drawn to the only girl in the group, Sully, but he is having such a hard time that he may have no choice. Aside from dealing with the school bully, who does things like attempting to make him eat a urinal cake, he is blamed for everything that the tribe does around the school, such as strapping the bully to a wheelie chair wearing only girls' underwear and wheeling him into the girls' locker room. The tribe escalates their behavior, and soon there is a brouhaha at the school Christmas assembly that involves advanced food poisoning evidenced by flatulence, vomiting, and diarrhea. Spencer again gets blamed, so has a choice to make. Will he go live with his father, or run away and join the tribe?
Strengths: This is a more extreme version of The Fourth Stall. It's gross, over-the-top, and involves middle school humor liked referring to the ASSistant principal, torturing people by putting staple removers into their noses, and staging an epic food fight. Maybe the quotes from Lord of the Flies will entice students to read that. This is the first book in a trilogy.
Weaknesses: *Sigh*. It helps me to think of this as R.L. Stine-ish. Obviously, a community isn't going to have six missing children from one school. They aren't going to live in the building unnoticed. It's fantasy. I guess it's good to know that I haven't completely become a 12-year-old boy. I did  not personally enjoy this one, but its appeal to students is undeniable.

Lee, Jenny. Elvis and the Underdogs. 
14 May Balzer and Bray
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Have to admit that I loved the cover of this so much that I rather ignored the description of it. I think that this was just too young for my students. Fantasy is okay, but a talking dog suddenly inserted into a book about a medically fragile boy is not going to appeal to them. Somewhat humorous, this had some things going for it, so take a look. I, however, will pass.

From the Publisher:
"Benji Wendell Barnsworth is a small ten-year-old boy with a big personality. Born premature, Benji is sickly, accident prone, and at the hospital so often he even has his own punch card. That is, until the day Benji wakes up from a particularly bad spell. Concerned for Benji's health, the doctor offers him two options: wear the world's ugliest padded helmet or get a therapy dog. Benji chooses the dog, of course.

But when a massive crate arrives at Benji's house, out walks a two-hundred-pound Newfoundland. And that isn't even the strangest thing about the dog. He announces that his name is Parker Elvis Pembroke IV. That's right, this dog can talk! And boy, is he bossy.

Having a bossy dog can come in handy, though. Elvis brings out the dog lover in the most surprising people and shows Benji that making new friends may not be as scary as he once thought."

Library Blather:  Everyone familiar with Anne Taintor? You absolutely should be. If she had a library line, it would be awesome.

I didn't just dream that my library was clean. I worked 15 extra hours a week for 36 weeks, and it is! Well, it will be by next Friday. I also have finished inventory, have book orders assembled for next year, and have only 50 overdue books (down to less the five by the time students leave... or else!). The collection is beautiful, the equipment is in order (if a little dusty), and I have a volunteer in today to process 80 new nonfiction titles.

So why do I feel guilty that the library is closed and I want to work on lessons for teachers that coordinate with the Common Core? Any time I am sitting down at the computer not working with students, I feel guilty, even if I am able to sit at the computer because I was using Ajax on the back counter at 4:45 a.m.

But the library is so PRETTY now. I'll just have to get over it!

School Spirits

Hawkins, Rachel. School Spirits.
14 May 2013, Disney-Hyperion
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Izzy has always been homeschooled because of her mother's job-- fighting vampires, witches and ghost! Izzy does some of this, too, but her mother is constantly worried about her, especially since her sister Finn disappeared a year ago. Her mother has been following leads that a hedge witch has been uncovering, and one of these leads takes them to a new town, where Izzy has to go to high school in order to investigate a haunting there. It's hard to fit in, but she makes friends with Romy, who has started a paranormal investigative group in the school, and Dex, who is very attractive to Izzy even though she suspects that he has some magic in him. Romy's group has also been looking into the haunting of the school, and Izzy begins to realize that the spirit in question is Mary Evans, a young girl who got in trouble by one of the teachers and then died. Her ghost has been summoned by someone, and until she figures out by whom, Izzy is not able to banish her. Guided by her mother, as well as the 600 year old family wizard who is trapped in a mirror, Izzy tries to navigate the minefield of high school social interaction while working desperately to save her friends, and herself, from the ghost.
Strengths: The first chapter starts with Izzy fighting off a vampire, and I only continued reading because I was waiting around for a high school band contest. I didn't want to read about vampire hunters. But somehow, Hawkins' writing is such that I kept reading and enjoyed it. Izzy's entry into high school society was realistic, and even the ghosts and magic made sense. There was a twist at the end that I didn't quite see coming. This looks to be a series. Love how the cover is similar to the Hex Hall ones.
Weaknesses: Not sure where a sequel will go-- the story wrapped up fairly well. I also didn't completely buy that Izzy was so entirely clueless about life in school, although I did once have a friend who had never been to a McDonald's until she went to one on an orchestra trip, so it could happen!

World Wednesday--Transcendence

Harmonic convergence of Career Day (running through the halls with extension cords) and beginning of inventory has me feeling a bit weary. At least I no longer have to put the shelf list card file on a cart and check each book against the paper record! Or wear a gym suit ever, ever again! (Sometimes I just have to chant something for which I am grateful to get through the day! Hooray for flush toilets!)

There are still 149 overdue books, but hopefully a lot will come back today. A number of things seem to be lost, but I won't know until inventory is done. I am feeling very good about the general state of the collection. Once I get inventory done, it's off to add about 80 new nonfiction books that I got at a clearance sale at Reading Warehouse. Short biographies and history books for $2.50 each? The publication dates are older, so I didn't buy anything that was time sensitive, but with Common Core looming, it was a great deal!

Omololu, C.J. Transcendence (Transcendence #1)
5 June 2012, Walker Children's

Cole is visiting the Tower of London when she is overcome by a weird vision from the past and feels faint. Her sister Kat is concerned enough that she accepts the invitation to tea by Griffon and his friend... it doesn't hurt that both boys are hot! Cole is intrigued by Griffon, but doesn't get his contact information, so is surprised when Kat finds out that he lives not far from them in San Francisco. Griffon sheds some light on the faintness and visions that Cole is experiencing-- she is Ahket, someone who has been reincarnated and can remember her past lives. He and his mother are as well, and they try to help Cole come to terms with this. Cole is an excellent cello player, and one of the women to whom she gives lessons is exuding a weird vibe. Veronique seems troubled, and when two serious accidents happen to Cole in her presence, Griffon becomes very concerned. It seems that in a past life, Veronique was a cellist whose place in an orchestra was taken by Cole's past persona, and Cole and Griffon try to research want happened before Veronique goes after Cole again. But reincarnation is tricky, and Cole and Griffon run into more problems than they expected. Intuition comes out in June!
Strengths: Very strong sense of place, both when Cole is in London and in San Francisco. I love that the library was used to consult old newspapers about the hundred year old mystery. The concept of Ahket was firmly developed and made sense. Loved that Griffon was biracial and portrayed as such on the cover, but it was just one facet of his character. Just what we're looking for-- all readers able to see themselves on the covers of books. I don't buy a lot of paranormal romance books, but I'm glad to have this series!
Weaknesses: Picked this up at a Book Look;  wish I had known about it sooner. I guess I need to read more of the Young Adult, girly blogs.

Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters

Weyn, Suzanne. Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters.
1 January 2013, Scholastic

Victor Frankenstein had twin daughters whom he abandoned at their birth to keep them safe from the monster that was stalking him and murdering his closest friends. They were raised by a grandfather in Germany, but when Giselle and Ingrid receive news that their father has left them a legacy, they leave Germany and head off to the Castle Frankenstein on a windswept Orkney isle with their uncle. There, the two determine that they will renovate the castle and stay there. Gisele is the more fashionable of the two and starts the renovations. She has been thwarted in love by Johann, but when he appears and is now interested in her because of her new found title and money, she realizes she no longer loves him. Ingrid is scientifically minded, and curious to read all of her father's notebooks. She has a friend, Anthony, in medical school, and tags along to some of his classes, disguised as a boy, since women could not become doctors in 1815. Even though Anthony cares for her and would be a great match, she is drawn to a reclusive and injured neighbor, Walter Hammersmith. When she finds out that his war wounds have necessitated the amputation of his leg, and that a neurological disease further threatens his well-being, she delves into her father's notebooks and tries to effect a cure. The stalking and murders that plagued their father start to affect their lives as well-- what is the evil that lurks in the Castle Frankenstein, and can the girls stop it before more lives are lost?
Strengths: Wasn't sure about this one, but it was rather intriguing and fun to read. This is a plausible continuation of the Frankenstein story with a lot of the science of the times, and Weyn does a good job tying in lots of information from that era as well as characters tangential to the Frankenstein story. Good creepy cover, too. Students who want to read Shelley's Frankenstein but only get two pages in before giving up will find this a better place to start.
Weaknesses: I had trouble believing that Ingrid would prefer the moody and reclusive Walter over Anthony, but her romance with him was essential to the story.

Hautman, Pete. The Cydonian Pyramid (Klaatu Diskos #2)
14 May 2013, Candlewick.

Well, this is a good title for Charlotte's Library's Time Slip Tuesday. However, it made my brain hurt. I think it was the Amish/Kabbalah connection to quantum information science. What? I read it, but really don't know what happened. Had a little more luck understanding the first book in the series, The Obsidian Blade. I will buy this, since it is a trilogy that will appeal to my hard core science fiction fans, but I just didn't follow it very well.  Here's a synopsis from Goodreads:

"More than half a millennium in the future, in the shadow of the looming Cydonian Pyramid, a pampered girl named Lah Lia has been raised for one purpose: to be sacrificed through one of the mysterious diskos that hover over the pyramid’s top. But just as she is about to be killed, a strange boy appears from the diskos, providing a cover of chaos that allows her to escape and launching her on a time-spinning journey in which her fate is irreversibly linked to his. In this second volume of the Klaatu Diskos trilogy, Tucker Feye and Lah Lia each hurtle through time, relating their stories in alternating viewpoints that converge at crucial moments. Fans of the first adventure will be intrigued by the chance to see the world through Lah Lia’s eyes — no matter how disturbing the vision might be."

Middle Grade Monday-- Cheerleaders

What's better than Christmas or any other holiday? The annual MotherReader 48 Hour Book Challenge!! It's coming up June 7-9, so mark your calendars. If you've participated in the past, you know that it's a great excuse to put the TBR pile in order, tell your friends and relatives that you will be working hard, and read for two entire days! If you need to do other stuff, you can, but if you chose to eschew sleep, basic personal hygiene and all interpersonal interactions, that's fine too.

It's also a giant blogger party; for every five hours spent reading, you can count one hour of social networking time. You can visit blogs, tweet, make Pinterest lists-- whatever makes you happy.

Since the essence of the 48 Hour Book Challenge is to make readers happy, I'm very grateful to MotherReader (aka Pam) for letting us know ahead of time that she wasn't feeling the challenge this year, and for agreeing to let me host! It's like I was suddenly allowed to be Santa Claus!  Abby the Librarian has graciously agreed to help out if I need it.

I'm working on getting prizes, putting together the rules, having some fun. After my year supervising an enormous study hall, much more FUN needs to be had. So mark your calendars, tell all of your friends, and get ready to PARTY.

Um, I mean READ!
*******************************************************************************
Even though cheerleaders often seem to me to be the Anti-Librarian (I was traumatized in middle school), the best librarians are cheerREADERS. Here are some enthusiastic titles!


Brauner, Barbara and Mattson, James Iver. Illustrations by  Abigail Halpin
Oh My Godmother: The Glitter Trap.
14 May 2013, Hyperion Books
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Lacey Ungar-Ware (what were her parents thinking?) has enough embarrassment in her life without running into a glittered poster and becoming covered with the stuff. Her parents run a restaurant called The Hungry Moose; Paige Harrington, new girl turned popular cheerleader calls her "underwear girl", and she doesn't think that cute Scott will ever look her way. When a fairy godmother, Katarina, meant to grant Paige's wish gets stuck in her hair and almost digested by her cat, Lacey has to find a way to help make Paige's wish come true, or none of Lacey's ever will. Since she is hoping to be made a student intern at the zoo, she takes lessons from the fair godmother and shows a little bit of magic. Paige wants to be the start of the school play, Cinderella, but her voice is horrible. A lot of work goes in to making Paige's wish come true, and in the process, Lacey realizes that Paige is a nice person whose life has been difficult.
Strengths: Girls like to read about embarrassing things happening to people, and since most of these things involve magic, they are even funnier and less threatening (Lacey gets followed by flocks of pigeons and pooped on at one point!). Lacey thinks Paige is a stereotypical cheerleader, but once she understands Paige's life, realizes that she's not. This was rather fun, and the cute illustrations are a nice touch.
Weaknesses: I wasn't completely convinced that Lacey would be able to do magic, and naming a main character Lacey Ungar-Ware-- there is a special level of Hell reserved for authors who do this! I did really like the book, though-- just wish that weren't the character's name!

Hunt, Sarah R. You've You've Got Spirit!: Cheers, Chants, Tips, and Tricks Every Cheerleader Needs to Know. Illustrations by Lisa Perrett
1 April 2013, Millbrook Press

If you can only buy one new cheerleading book this year for elementary or middle school, this would be a good choice. It covers all sorts of facets of cheer, from outfits and accessories to fitness to specific moves and cheers. There are even related craft projects described. The interior illustrations showing how the different moves are done are very cute. I liked that it wasn't all done in pink-- lots of blues, greens and oranges make this attractive.

Three million cheerleaders in the U.S.? Well, they certainly outnumber librarians, don't they? (There are about 148,895 librarians in the U.S., according to the ALA.)


It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts. Both sites have lots of links to reviews about books that are great for the 4th through 8th grader. It's also Nonfiction Monday at Instantly Interruptible.

Cold Fury

Goeglein, T.M. Cold Fury (Cold Fury #1)
24 July 2012,  Putnam Juvenile

Sara Jane Rispoli has a fairly calm life in Chicago-- her father and grandfather have a bakery, she goes to a private school, boxes, and is in a movie club with a couple of good friends. All that changes when she comes home from a school dance to find her family missing, the house covered in blood, and someone who wants to attack her as well. She gets further drawn into the family's mysteries, and finds that her grandfather was more than a baker-- he was a huge part of the Outfit, an underworld group that controlled alcohol sales during Prohibition. Her family's bakery was a front for moving huge quantities of molasses to bootleggers, and her grandfather didn't object to being in "the business", but her father wanted to keep it from Sarah Jane and her brother, and try to get out of it. Sara Jane finds a notebook and a case filled with emergency supplies that her father left her, and is able to trust a few people with her secrets. She meets others in the Outfit and starts to realize that if she wants to get her family back, she may have to take her father's place in the organization.
Strengths: For some reason, students are still enthralled with information about the Mafia, and this certainly fulfills that desire. Lots of dirty dealing and vicious thug types as well as the stereotype shattering grandfather. For some reason, this was like reading an Adriana Trigiani book written by Anthony Horowitz. I was really surprised as how much I liked it.
Weaknesses: I understand why the main character is a girl, but I wish that it had been a boy. This was a little more violent than the spy books my female readers like.


I'm looking forward to the sequel, which comes out 13 August 2013!

Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked

Krosoczka. Jarrett J. Platypus Police Squad
7 May 2013, Walden Pond Press 
ARC provided by publisher; full illustrations not seen.

Rick Zengo is excited about his new job with the Platypus Police Squad, especially since his grandfather was a legendary member. He gets paired with the seasoned O'Malley, who is less than thrilled with his partners exuberance. The two get thrown right into an investigation when a local teacher, Professor Hopkins, goes missing and is believed to be involved in the burgeoning illegal synthetic fish supply that is ruining Kalamazoo City. Circumstances tie the disappearance to some of the businesses of Frank Pandini, Jr., whose father was behind much of the crime in the city, but who is trying to be a model member of society. Students at the school become suspect as well, including the boyfriend of O'Malley's daughter. The investigation does not go smoothly, mainly due to Zengo's ignorance of protocol, but the detectives refuse to give up until their city is safe. Pandini's enterprises may look to be on the up-and-up... but are they? A second book is sure to follow.
Strengths: Evil criminals, boomerangs, clubs for teens that serve root beer floats, a film noir cum CSI vibe, as well as copious illustrations-- what's not to love? Zengo is somewhat goofy but charming, O'Mally reminded me of Barney Miller, and while some reviews of this I have read thought there were a lot of detective cliches in this, it's all going to be new for the target demographic.
Weaknesses: This will be wildly popular with 4th and 5th graders, but might have narrower appeal in the 6th through 8th grade range. I was slightly confused as to the mix of creatures-- kangaroos, pandas, platypi, frogs as big as platypi, foxes and koalas? In Michigan? Okay, so Kalamazoo City is not set in Michigan, but I can't think of any other Kalamazoos. I can attribute most of this to me deep rooted dislike of talking animals in books!

Guy Friday-- Paper Boy

Vawter, Vince. Paperboy.
14 May 2013, Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ARC from Publisher

Typing is a whole lot easy than speaking when you have a stutter, so that's how our protagonist chooses to tell his tale. When his friend Rat has to spend the summer at his grandparents' farm, it's easy enough for the boy to deliver the newspapers on his friend's route, but somewhat more difficult to knock on doors, introduce himself, and collect the 95 cents per week. In 1959 Memphis, there are a lot of interesting characters. At home, there are his busy parents, as well as Mam, his African American nanny. On his route, there's the drunken and troubled Mrs. Worthington, a boy who watches television with the sound off, and Mr. Spiro, who is the first person to talk to the boy about his stutter and to help him make some sense out of his life. Add to this mix some trouble with a local handyman, Ara T, the discovery that his father might not be his father, and a growing knowledge of the inequities in Civil Rights for Mam, and the summer of the paper route becomes on of personal revelation and growth.
Strengths: This was beautifully written and palpably sad. The main character (whose name is not said until the very end of the book because of the difficulties he has pronouncing it) is the most ALONE character I think I have ever encountered. His parents are rarely around, his only friend is out of town, and the only people he can turn to for company are adults with various problems of their own. I figured that this was a largely autobiographical book, so I was glad to read the author's notes at the end describing how well his life has gone. I can't think of another book with a main character who stutters. Information is included about that as well.
Weaknesses: There is not a lot of action, so even though the main character is 11, it has the introspective feel of a book for older readers. Oddly, I was very distracted by the paragraph style. The paragraphs are not indented, but rather have an extra line between the paragraphs. I think this bothered me because the boy talks about typing his memoirs, and I don't think this style of formatting came into widespread use until word processors. I would have set the book in Courier rather than Goudy font. (I will be the only person this bothers, but I love my 1958 Smith-Corona and used it a lot when I was eleven!)

Join the Blog Tour at the following sites:

May 7^th: Teach Mentor Texts

May 8^th: Random Acts of Reading

May 9^th: Teach Mentor Texts

May 10^th: Ms. Yingling Reads

May 13^th: The Children’s Book Review

May 14^th: Nerdy Book Club 


There is a book trailer available at 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H_WxXIIQao.

Edgier Books for Boys

Cousins, Dave. 15 Days Without a Head
9 May 2013, Flux (paperback)
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Laurence is used to taking care of his young brother, Jay, since his mother is usually drunk and has limited patience generally dealing with life, much less children specifically dealing with children. Laurence can get Jay to the caregivers and school, make sure he is fed, and occasionally goes to his mother's job cleaning offices to do her work, if she is too hungover to get out of bed. But when his mother doesn't come home from work one night, he finds it increasingly hard to take care of Jay. Laurence is also a contestant on a radio trivia show, and is very close to winning the grand prize, which he hopes will make his mother happier, since it is a vacation to a luxury resort. Things go from bad to worse when Jay floods a neighbor's apartment and it looks like children's services might get involved. When Laurence thinks he sees his mother at a concert, he tries to hunt her down with the help of Mina, a girl from his school who is very supportive even when she finds out how bad Laurence's life is. Even if he can find his mother, will life ever return to normal?
Strengths: Like all really good problem novels, this book drew me in and mesmerized me with the details. My students love problem novels; it's a developmental stage, I think, where they like to read about the lives of other people who are worse off than they are. I really liked the characters, the realistic way problems were handled, and very much appreciated that the book was gritty but didn't include language or situations that would make it inappropriate for younger readers.
Weaknesses: Very British, which might turn off some readers. The radio quiz show might be especially confusing. Also, only in paperback. I'll have to see if a prebind is available.

Tharp, Tim. Mojo
9 April 2013, Knopf Books for Young Readers
Copy from YA Books Central and reviewed there. 

Dylan doesn't go to the best school, but he is still surprised and dismayed to find the body of a school mate, Hector Maldonado, in a dumpster where he is hiding from bullies. When a local girl from a swankier school, Ashton Browning,  goes missing, Dylan thinks the two events might be connected, and decides to investigate. The promise of a cash reward that he needs in order to buy a car doesn't hurt. Dylan and his friend Audrey get drawn into the world of the swanky school, especially the activity at a club called "Gangland" that some of the other students are running. A life of ease and privilege can quickly go wrong, and Dylan puts himself and his friend in danger when the investigation takes an unusual turn.
Strengths: This kept me on the edge of my seat... I kept waiting for something inappropriate to be said, but nothing ever came up. Dylan is a good kid, the murder was not gruesome, but students do want murder mysteries, and this one walked the line between what kids want and what I think is appropriate beautifully. The cover is great, too. Excited about this one.
Weaknesses: I've read a lot of negative reviews about this one, but I don't share the opinions. I thought Dylan was a fairly intriguing main character with good motivations, the mystery had a bit of a twist, and in general, this is something that will be popular. The only thing I didn't understand was why Dylan lived in such a bad neighborhood if his parents were a teacher and a nurse!

World Wednesday-- Loki's Wolves

Armstrong, K.L. and Marr, M.A. Loki's Wolves (The Blackwell Pages #1)
7 May 2013, Atom
ARC from Baker and Taylor

Matt Thorsen finds it hard to be the son of of a policeman and the smaller brother in his family. He can never make everyone happy, and when he sees Fen and his cousin Laura trying to steal a shield from the model Viking ship in the town square, he knows his father would want him to do something about it, but NOT get in a fight. Despite that, he accidentally uses the power of the amulet he has, Thor's Hammer, and throws Fen to the ground. Fen is desperate to get the shield so that he can pay his dues to the wolvenkind so they leave him alone. When the town has a big yearly meeting and festival, Matt finds out more about his family's background. He knew vaguely why he had the amulet, and that he didn't harness his power well, but now it turns out that he is the descendant of Thor who is chosen to fulfill the prophecy and prevent Ragnarok! He'll have to wrestle a giant serpent, but he overhears his grandfather saying that he thinks Matt will not survive. Desperate to find out the best way to proceed, Matt hunts down the Norns and gets some information-- he needs to find the other descendants of the gods to team up. Fen is descended from Loki, but in order to find the descendents of Freya and Freyr, they have to travel to Mt. Rushmore and end up fighting trolls! Odin's girlfriend shows up to help, and the group meets Baldwin, descendent of Baldur. The Valkyries tell them that they have to retrieve Mjolnir, Thor's sword, but Matt doesn't have the first idea about where to find this. The group has to band together to figure out how to save the world... and themselves!
Strengths: There's not a lot on Norse mythology, and I liked how this was set in South Dakota in a Norwegian community. Plenty of action and fighting, and I was able to tell the characters apart, which was no mean feat, since this was fantasy and there were a number of them to differentiate. The mythology is worked in nicely.
Weaknesses: This was technically very good, but something about it fell flat for me. Matt didn't have much of a personality, and the traveling bogged down a bit. I couldn't help but compare it to Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief series-- Percy Jackson always managed to travel around magically, and Matt could have used this. Maybe this will be worked out in the sequel.

And look what was released yesterday!!! I didn't manage to get a copy, so when my summer orders come in, I'll have to make sure I read this first. One little boy who just finished the first two books said to me "Those are the longest books I have read in my whole life!"

I'm going to try to convince the PTO to give me part of their generous funding in book store gift cards so I can buy some special books right when they come out. Did I mention that I have, um, five of the first book in my library?

Greenwald, Tommy. Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Summer Vacation.
7 May 2013, Roaring Brook Press

And WHY does it seem so hard to start inventory before all the books are due? I have biographies set up. We'll see how that goes today, not that I have deaccessioned a 1992 copy of a Madonna biography. *Sigh*

Storming the Castle-- Character Interview!

The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle Giveaway

All readers of this blog have exclusive access to a special giveaway for THE HERO’S GUIDE TO STORMING THE CASTLE. You will need this SECRET CODE to enter: PRINCE CHARMING. Click here to enter.(This is through Facebook. Sorry. Can't log in here at school to figure out where to enter said secret code!)

WHAT YOU WIN: If you are one of the first three people to enter the giveaway TODAY, you will receive a signed copy of The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle. EVERYONE who enters the giveaway from 5/6 to 5/26 is eligible to win a $200 gift card to the bookstore of his or her choice.

Healy, Christopher. The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle.
30 April 2013, Walden Pond Press
Copy received from the publisher.

The League of Princes is back after the events of The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom,  and this time the crisis is more severe-- Liam is being forced to marry the evil Sleeping Beauty, Briar! Frederic, who is engaged to Ella but knows that Ella rather prefers Liam, feels bad for his friend, but also a little relieved. He is still afraid of most things, even after finding out that his mother was quite the adventuress. Gustav is still looking for a fight, and eager to get away from his 16 older brothers, so when Frederic feels he should help Liam escape, the two take off for Avondell. They are not able to stop the wedding, and once it is over, Briar unleashes even more avaricious requests-- she wants Liam to go to Deeb Rauber's castle and retrieve the sword of Erinthia that has a hilt set wtih orange jade. He agrees, but only because she has locked his friends in the dungeon and agrees to release them for the quest. Joined by Snow and Duncan, as well as various trolls and others they meet on the way, (such as Little Taylor, who has ninja sewing skills!) the bumbling group makes their way to Rauber's. The now 11-year-old bandit is being rude to people as usual, but trying to form alliances with people like the war lord Wrathgar, which doesn't make getting into the loot room any easier. Luckily, the princes and their companions make enough of a ruckus that they might be able to retrieve the sword. But will they escape? And if they make it back home, will the bards get any of the story right?
Strengths: I especially like the language and tone in this series, as well as the characters. There are a ton of medievalish, fairy tale fantasies out there, but the Princes Charming set this one apart. I am easily irked by weird character names, but Healy has a fine touch with these, and I giggled at the names instead of being annoyed. Frederic, Gustav and Duncan are over-the-top in their weirdness, but again, never managed to annoy me, and Frederic does grow a bit. I liked Liam's insecurity, the strong female characters, and the shifting relationships in the large group. These books are just a fun romp.
Weaknesses: The ending felt a bit weak, but clearly sets up another book.

We are pleased to welcome (with reservations!)The Gray Phantom!
(If you want an interview with me, you have to head over to Project Mayhem today!)

The Gray Phantom

Occupation: Thief, vandal, murderer

Affiliation: None

Kingdom of Origin: Unknown

Current Residence: Unknown (though he mostly terrorizes the town of Flargstagg in Sturmhagen)

Parents/Family: Unknown

Known Allies: None

Longtime Foe: The forces of law and justice

Likes: Is there anything that a man like the Phantom can truly enjoy?

Dislikes: Peace, joy, light

Signature Move: The De-Kidneyer

Quote: “You have seen the Gray Phantom. Now you die.”

Little Known Fact: There are no widely known facts about the Gray Phantom

Catch the blog tour at the following sites!

Monday, May 6th - Cari Blogs hosts Prince Liam
Tuesday, May 7th - Ms Yingling Reads hosts The Gray Phantom
Wednesday, May 8th -Bookalicious hosts Rapunzel
Thursday, May 9th - Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia hosts Deeb Rauber
Friday, May 10th - Kid Lit Frenzy hosts Prince Frederic
Saturday, May 11th - The Write Path hosts Cap'n Gabberman
Sunday, May 12th - Flashlight Reader hosts Mister Troll
Monday, May 13th - Mundie Kids hosts Snow White
Tuesday, May 14th - Candace's Book Blog hosts Ella
Wednesday, May 15th - Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers hosts Little Taylor
Thursday, May 16th - Novel Novice hosts Ruffian the Blue
Friday, May 17th - The Hiding Spot hosts Lord Rundark
Saturday, May 18th - Mod Podge Books hosts Lila
Sunday, May 19th - Poisoned Rationality hosts Wrathgar
Monday, May 20th - Buried in Books hosts Vero
Tuesday, May 21st - Small Review hosts Frank
Wednesday, May 22nd - Book Rat hosts Briar Rose
Thursday, May 23rd - Alison's Book Marks hosts Prince Gustav
Friday, May 24th - There's a Book hosts Prince Duncan
Saturday May 25th - Bunbury in the Stacks hosts Madu
Sunday, May 26th - A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust hosts Stanislav Flimsham 

Middle Grade Monday-- My Summer of Pink and Green

 It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts. Both sites have lots of links to reviews about books that are great for the 4th through 8th grader. It's also Nonfiction Monday, hosted this week at Booktalking. And if you can do one more Meme (I think I'll just start calling this Meme Monday!), head over to the Middle Grade May check in at Deb Marshall's blog! Whew!

Greenwald, Lisa. My Summer of Pink and Green
7 May 2013, Amulet Books

Lucy is back, and looking forward to spending the summer helping her mother and grandmother open the spa for which Lucy helped get a grant. Her sister Claudia is home from college, but has brought home Bean, her boyfriend, ostensibly to help with the spa. The main investor has brought his daughter, Bevin, from New York, and Anais, the spa consultant, is helping too. This doesn't leave much room for Lucy, and she feels unneeded. It doesn't help that her father may not be able to make it back to the US for his regular visit. Her friends, too, are being difficult. Is Yamir really her boyfriend? Is Sunny mad at her? Lucy tries to have a positive attitude and realize that whining doesn't help, only her own efforts can, but it's hard when so much is going on.
Strengths: I adored My Life in Pink and Green, and Greenwald titles are very popular with my students. Definitely will buy this one.
Weaknesses: Lucy seemed to whine more in this book, but it's a small quibble!

The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle Giveaway

All readers of this blog have exclusive access to a special giveaway for THE HERO’S GUIDE TO STORMING THE CASTLE. You will need this SECRET CODE to enter: PRINCE CHARMING. Click here to enter.

WHAT YOU WIN: If you are one of the first three people to enter the giveaway TODAY, you will receive a signed copy of The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle. EVERYONE who enters the giveaway from 5/6 to 5/26 is eligible to win a $200 gift card to the bookstore of his or her choice. 

Monday, May 6th - Cari Blogs hosts Prince Liam
Tuesday, May 7th - Ms Yingling Reads hosts The Gray Phantom
Wednesday, May 8th -Bookalicious hosts Rapunzel
Thursday, May 9th - Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia hosts Deeb Rauber
Friday, May 10th - Kid Lit Frenzy hosts Prince Frederic
Saturday, May 11th - The Write Path hosts Cap'n Gabberman
Sunday, May 12th - Flashlight Reader hosts Mister Troll
Monday, May 13th - Mundie Kids hosts Snow White
Tuesday, May 14th - Candace's Book Blog hosts Ella
Wednesday, May 15th - Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers hosts Little Taylor
Thursday, May 16th - Novel Novice hosts Ruffian the Blue
Friday, May 17th - The Hiding Spot hosts Lord Rundark
Saturday, May 18th - Mod Podge Books hosts Lila
Sunday, May 19th - Poisoned Rationality hosts Wrathgar
Monday, May 20th - Buried in Books hosts Vero
Tuesday, May 21st - Small Review hosts Frank
Wednesday, May 22nd - Book Rat hosts Briar Rose
Thursday, May 23rd - Alison's Book Marks hosts Prince Gustav
Friday, May 24th - There's a Book hosts Prince Duncan
Saturday May 25th - Bunbury in the Stacks hosts Madu
Sunday, May 26th - A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust hosts Stanislav Flimsham