True (...Sort of) by Katherine Hannigan

Every once in a while there is a character that you, as the reader, 'get' immediately. Unfortunately, nobody else in the boko seems to. Other characters see the outward actions, put their own assumptions on what was behind them, and judge accordingly. And usually wrongly. You want to reach in and grab up that character and wrap your arms around her, comforting her and protecting her from all those condemning adults (and kids) in her fictional world.*

*Note from the turtles: Miss Ami, our typist, is 97 months pregnant and feeling hormonal and maternal, and that may be rubbing off on us just a bit.

At any rate, Hannigan has deftly created just such a character in Delly. Her problems are summed up in this exchange with her younger brother:

Then RB was shouting, "Just quit getting in trouble. Just quit it!"
"I'm not trying to get in trouble!" she shouted back.
RB knew that was true. "What ARE you trying to do?" he asked.
She thought about it. "Have fun. Do something good. Except when I fight."
He said it quiety, so she wouldn't slug him too hard: "Maybe you should try something different."
She didn't smack him. Instead, she rasped, "I don't know how to be...not me."

(pg. 73 HC)

Sometimes it seems the harder you try to improve your character, the more the world seems to conspire against you. Delly wants to "be good", she wants to make her mother proud, she wants to stay out of trouble, but...

Delly is not the only vivid character in the book. With just a few words, we feel we know many of the other characters as if we'd been watching them for years. Hannigan is adept at showing us rather than telling us about someone, whether by their actions, their thoughts, or their conversations. We would love to share an exchange between Delly and her mother as an example, but it might be too much of a spoiler - just nod and agree with us when you get to page 237 of the hardcover!

We loved Ida B (Hannigan's first, bestselling work), and think this one is ten times better. No pressure on the author, but we can't wait to see what comes next!

The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable, by Dan Gutman

HarperCollinsPublishers
978-0-06-1827648
review copy provided by publisher

In eight days, Coke and Pepsi McDonald are going to turn thirteen.
Before then, they'll jump off a cliff, get trapped in the locked basement of their burning school, chased cross-country by murderous lunatics, left for dead in the pit of a sand dune, forced to decipher mysterious coded messages, thrown into a giant vat of SPAM, and visit the world's largest . . . ball of twine!
There's more, but if we told you here, we'd have to kill you.

Gutman is of course the author of popular series such as My Weird School and The Baseball Card Adventures. This is the start of another series that brings the old Spy Kids movies to mind, or perhaps Michael Buckley's NERDS series.

As such, we have to say it's a little formulaic. Most of the 'surprises' were easy to predict, as was the ending. At the same time, we think this will appeal to the middle/upper elementary crowd that like Gutman's other series, those for whom humor and adventure are more important than suspense. There were plenty of phrases and situations to laugh out loud at, from clueless parents to (literal) bathroom humor, to the normal brother-sister sniping. Give this to fans of Buckley, Louis Sachar, or Michael Greenberg.

The Red Umbrella, by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

The Red Umbrella

Christina Diaz Gonzalez

Random House

978-0-375-86190-1

Copy borrowed from our library

In 1961, two years after the Communist revolution, Lucía Álvarez still leads a carefree life, dreaming of parties and her first crush. But when the soldiers come to her sleepy Cuban town, everything begins to change. Freedoms are stripped away. Neighbors disappear. Her friends feel like strangers. And her family is being watched.

As the revolution's impact becomes more oppressive, Lucía's parents make the heart-wrenching decision to send her and her little brother to the United States—on their own.

Suddenly plunked down in Nebraska with well-meaning strangers, Lucía struggles to adapt to a new country, a new language, a new way of life. But what of her old life? Will she ever see her home or her parents again? And if she does, will she still be the same girl?

As we may have mentioned once or six times before, we love historical fiction. We are always excited about books that cover 'holes' like this one. Not only are we unaware of any other books set around "Operation Pedro Pan", we were completely unaware of this mass exodus of children from Cuba in the early 1960's.

We can only imagine the turmoil these parents went through. It is very easy to look at a situation from the outside, with historical hindsight, and say "Yes, they should be willing to send their children away." Quite another thing to be in a horrible situation that you hope will get better, and have to make a decision you will never stop second-guessing. Some parents, in fact, were never able to reunite with their children.

The Red Umbrella begins when the soldiers first arrive in Lucia's town. Her parents are worried, but she is more focused on nail polish and boys, and their sudden restrictions on her movements chafe. The propaganda taught at school does its job at first, and she does not understand her parents' lack of enthusiasm for the revolution...until some real-life occurrences open her eyes, and force her to grow up a bit faster.

The pace of the book changes 2/3 of the way through, when Lucia and her pesty (and very realistic) younger brother are sent to the United States, first to a shelter, and then to a farm home in Nebraska. Quite the culture shock! At first the kindly Mrs. Baxter seems to be one of those clueless, well-meaning people who only manage to make things worse, and the reticent Mr. Baxter does not even seem to want them there. We as readers get to know them slowly, as Lucia and her brother do, and both Baxters prove themselves quite capable of guiding the children through a very difficult time. Loved the scene with the mud!

While we would have liked to see some of the characters (Mr. Baxter, Frankie) fleshed out a bit more, Lucia's is strong and well-written. The changes she goes through in the course of the book are sometimes due to her circumstances, but often just a result of growing up, and all are realistic. All in all an impressive first novel, and we look forward to seeing more from Diaz. We give it a

4 out of 5.

The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman, by Ben H. Winters

The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman

by Ben H. Winters

HarperCollins

978-0-06-196541-8

Review copy provided by publisher

Ms. Finkleman is just our boring old music teacher. Or is she?

It all starts with a Special Project in Mr. Melville's Social Studies class: Solve a mystery in your own life. For seventh grader Bethesda Fielding, one mystery is too tempting to ignore: Ms. Finkleman.


Bethesda is convinced that her mousy Music Fundamentals teacher is hiding a secret life, and she’s determined to find out what it is. But no one is prepared for what she learns. Ms. Finkleman used tobe . . . a rock star? Soon the whole school goes rock crazy, and a giant concert is in the works with none other than timid Ms. Finkleman at the helm!


But the case isn’t quite closed, and the questions continue to swirl forBethesda. Could there be even more to the secret life of Ms. Finkleman than she already revealed? With the help of her rock-obsessed classmate Tenny Boyer, Bethesda won’t stop until she solves the real mystery of Ms. Finkleman once and for all!

Andrew Clements has some competition. Not that Winters' book is derivative, by any means - it's just that he has that same rare ability to portray typical middle school kids simply and realistically, giving us a glimpse into the thoughts and motivations of an age group that usually has adults shaking their heads, wondering if there ARE any thoughts and motivations behind the actions.
He is also funny! We lost track of the number of times we laughed out loud, at passages such as:

"Tenny! Can you try to pay attention?"
"What?"
"I need you to focus, Tenny. To try."
"I am. I totally...wait, what did you say?"

or

"So sorry to bother you, dear. It's just that I slaved away over a hot stove for five to eight minutes, carefully combining all the ingredients as directed by the box. And yet my perfect little child, more precious to me than life itself, won't eat. You hate it. You hate me. I shall stab myself with a salad fork."

Adults who think they are funny usually aren't, but Dad here pulls it off.

One of the things we love about Clements' books, and now about Winters, is that he lets us see adults as human beings with much the same needs and emotions as the kids in the book. Shocking, we know! Nobody is all good or all bad. Everybody grows a little, learns a little. Okay, we kind of guessed the ultimate secret, so the big reveal was bit less dramatic than it could have been, but all in all a thoroughly enjoyable book - and a new name for our "authors to watch" list. We give it a

4 out of 5.

Skulduggery Pleasant: Scepter of the Ancients, by Derek Landy

Meet Skulduggery Pleasant

Ace detective

Snappy dresser

Razor-tongued wit

Crackerjack sorcerer

and walking, talking, fire-throwing skeleton

As well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgely, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old.

These two alone stand in the way of an all-consuming ancient evil.

How fun was that!!! We found ourselves on a long lunch hour without the book we were reading, and picked this up to pass the time. We don't even remember what we were in the middle of reading before, because Skulduggery and Stephanie's banter kept our attention to the end. A couple examples:

Skulduggery switched off the engine and looked at her.
"Okay then, you wait here."
"Yes."
He got out. Two seconds passed...she got out and he looked at her.
"Stephanie, I'm not altogether sure you're respecting my authority."
"Yes, I'm not."
"I see. Okay then."

or:

"I try not to depend on magic these days; I try to get by on what's up here." He tapped his head.
"There's empty space up there."

How have Americans by and large missed this one? Harry Potter fans will love it (but it's not like Harry Potter). Lemony Snicket fans will love it (but it's not like Lemony Snicket). Douglas Adams (but it's not) or Gerald Morris (but not). It's sort of a mix of all those, with the tone of the first Men in Black (but no aliens) thrown in.
 
There are currently five in the series, with the fifth just recently published - unfortunately, only in the UK and Canada so far. Hopefully by the time we catch up it will be available here as well! We read the HarperCollins version we earned from our Scholastic Book Fair last month, which has some extras in the back - make sure you read those, too! In fact, if you aren't sure whether you will like it (as if the word of three turtles shouldn't be enough), just read the short story at the end. If you aren't at least giggling by the time you finish that, put the book down and go out and buy yourself a personality.
 
We give this an enthusiastic
 
5 out of 5

I, Emma Freke, by Elizabeth Atkinson

"I, Emma Freke, am not a freak. Or maybe I am. I just don't know."

What's in a name? I, Emma Freke is a charming search-for-identity story about Emma―the only "normal" member of her quirky family. Her flighty, New Age mom seems to barely have time for a daughter, especially one who annoyingly spoils her mom's youthful façade. Emma's well-meaning grandpa is clueless. And her only friends are the local librarian and a precocious 10-year old adopted by the two old ladies next door.

Smart, shy, and nearly six feet tall, Emma struggles to fit in at school, so she jumps at the opportunity to "home school" until that too turns into another of mom's half-baked ideas.

The real crisis comes when she gets an invitation to The Freke Family Reunion, and her fellow Frekes aren't at all what she expects. While Emma desperately tries to find her niche, she discovers that perhaps it's better to be her own "freak" than someone else's Freke.

Right off the bat, we liked the cover. In retrospect, it doesn't tell you much about the book, but it is eye-catching. It made us feel happy and free, reminding us of lazy summer days basking in the sun by the pond. Well, okay, we were born in a pet store, but you get the point.

 

This is a very sweet story, one that makes you want to laugh and slap someone at the same time. While it is, yes, a teen searching-for-identity story, it doesn't overdo the angst. A couple predictable bits (guy in the bead store, hello), but also a few surprises. Maybe not entirely realistic, but nothing we can't ignore for the sake of the story flow. You won't need to have felt like a "freak" before to identify with Emma, or to enjoy this nice end-of-summer (or any time) read. We give it a

 

4 out of 5.

The Girl Who Could Fly, by Victoria Forester

Well now, that was...
 
Um.
 
It was...
 
Interesting!
 
Yes, definitely interesting.
 
We liked it! We really did! And we think you will really like it, too! But we aren't exactly sure what exactly it ...is!
 
It's a very sweet book. With people who torture animals. (Turtles even!!!)
 
It is not a romance. It is not a vampire novel.
 
It is about very down-to-earth, simple folk. With superpowers.
 
It is realistic. And completely implausible.
 
Oh, just go read it for yourself, will ya'? It's good. We'll just stick with that: and give it a
 
4 out of 5.

Shooting Kabul, by N.H. Senzai

As Americans (reptile or human), it is hard for most of us to identify with having to flee everything we have known in the middle of the night, escaping to a foreign country to begin a completely new life - yet it happens every day. A difficult enough situation, but imagine if, in the last minute chaos of the flight, a child in your family was left behind?

Two themes people (and turtles) anywhere can identify with are loss and hope. How can life possibly continue after such a devastating loss? And yet it does. How long should you hold on to hope before accepting that something isn't going to happen?

Shooting Kabul puts its readers through an emotional wringer, yet we would say it is still suitable for middle schoolers. In fact, we would recommend it as a daily read-aloud for middle or high school classes (something that isn't done nearly as much as it should be at those grade levels). It is timely in its reference to current events, but also timeless in its underlying themes of guilt, family relationships, struggling to make something happen, making use of your talents, and so on.

So much happens in this very powerful first novel! We give it an exhausted

5 out of 5

What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb

Reviewed from ARC provided by publisher.

Fox Street was a dead end. In Mo Wren's opinion, this was only one of many wonderful, distinguishing things about it.


Mo lives on Fox Street with her dad and little sister, the Wild Child. Their house is in the middle of the block—right where a heart would be, if the street were a person. Fox Street has everything: a piano player, a fix-it man, the city's best burrito makers, a woman who cuts Mo's hair just right, not to mention a certain boy who wants to teach her how to skateboard. There's even a mean, spooky old lady, if ringing doorbells and running away, or leaving dead mice in mailboxes, is your idea of fun. Summers are Mo's favorite time, because her best friend, Mercedes, comes to stay.
Most important, though, Fox Street is where all Mo's memories of her mother live. The idea of anything changing on Fox Street is unimaginable—until it isn't.
This is the story of one unforgettable summer—a summer of alarming letters, mysterious errands, and surprising revelations—and how a tuft of bright red fur gives Mo the courage she needs.

We weren't sure about this one at first. Mo is described early on as a girl who "thinks too much", and her thoughts in places are worded more as if from an adult than from a child:

"That was how fast a life could change. The blink of an eye. The turn of a head. Change could come barreling down on you, out of nowhere, without warning, humongous and stupid and unstoppable."

"Every person you pass on the street, or wait behind in line, or see sitting alone on her porch-every one is summoning up the courage for some battle, whether you can see it or not."

In many ways, however, Mo is an adult, having shouldered some of the adult responsibilities in the house since her mother's death. In other ways, she is very much a child, wanting things to stay the same forever, not seeing things that are right on front of her because they aren't what she wants to see. As we read, we quickly got a sense of Mo on that familiar brink between child and adult, a young girl who is very smart in some ways but naive in others. This is the summer when things start to catch up with and balance each other out.
A bit of a slow start, but very enjoyable once you get into it. We would have liked to see some of the characters of the neighborhood fleshed out a bit more - some stop just short of being caricatures. Perhaps a sequel? This is the type of book that might gain more of a following were it part of a good series. The ending is satisfying and realistic, and could be left as is, or could lead the way to more. We give it a

3.5 out of 5.

Retro Tuesday: Blackwater by Eve Bunting

"Thirteen-year-old Brodie Lynch was ready for the perfect summer of adventure along the awesome Blackwater River. That was before everything changed forever. When a harmless prank goes too far, the unthinkable happens. Brodie's lies make him a hero, but inside, his guilt tears at him like the treacherous current of the Blackwater itself, which has become a horrifying reminder of his part in the tragedy. In this gripping new coming-of-age novel, a young boy is faced with a choice between right and wrong and ultimately learns that truth can offer hope in even the darkest moments."

Just a quick blurb on this one. The plot moves quickly - the prank which leads to the death of two classmates happens almost at the beginning, and while Brodie's cousin bends the truth to make Brodie a hero, it is soon evident that someone else saw what really happened. Unfortunately, it was also pretty evident who that person was, so no big shocker at the end.

We liked the realism of the ending, though - no Disney finish for anyone. Lots of fodder for discussion - what would Brodie have done if there wasn't a witness? What might people's reactions have been if the truth had been told from the beginning. It was an accident...but it was still his fault...but he did try to save them...where does he really fall between hero and villain? He did try to correct his cousin's lies at first, how much does that count for? Not the best we've read with this type of storyline, but worth an afternoon read. We give it a

3 out of 5.

Word After Word After Word, by Patricia MacLachlan - reviewed by Miss Ami

"Every school day feels the same for fourth graders Lucy and Henry and Evie and Russell and May. Then Ms. Mirabel comes to their class—bringing magical words and a whole new way of seeing and understanding."

First let me point out that this is definitely NOT a "Retro" Tuesday, as this book is officially being published today. Fans of Patricia MacLachlan (and there are many) will be excited about a new release.

Unfortunately, this one just isn't up to par with "Sarah, Plain and Tall", or "The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt". I liked the premise, but as a former teacher, I had a very hard time believing this entire class of fourth graders remained exceptionally well-behaved for all of this author's visits, turning out poems that were just a little too mature and well-done to be realistic.

Don't get me wrong, I love fourth graders! They are just getting to be smart without getting to be smart, if you know what I mean. Fourth grade is where you would most likely find a few kids who could and would turn out some good, honest writing, but - all of them? And why does it all seem to be poetry, when the original examples given were mostly from stories? Also, while there were crises (a bit formulaic) in different children's lives, there was no clear building to a climax and satisfying resolution.

That is not to say it is without merit. Kids in this age group who already love to write, love to read, and love Patricia MacLachlan, willl melt into this book. With a reasonable suspension of disbelief, it is a very sweet story, quickly read. It's biggest value may be in its insight into MacLachlan's mind. I can see this being given to aspiring young writers, with an encouraging inscription on the inside cover, to be read and reread when the muse fails.

Retro Tuesday: Attolia series continued

         
Continuing the vein of last week's Retro Tuesday, we can't believe we missed this series. Have we had our collective heads under a rock? Well, we are water turtles, so we may have been doing just that. At any rate, we are very glad to have found it now, and sad that we are only 100 or so pages away from finishing the last of the series, A Conspiracy of Kings.
 
When we posted last week, we had just started reading The Queen of Attolia, and we mentioned how very different in tone it was.  The first few chapters were pretty horrific, and we missed the humor of The Thief. Fortunately, as most readers will know, the humor did return, without losing the seriousness of the storyline. What amazed us was (slight spoiler) how we could hate someone so thoroughly at the start of the book, and love and root for her at the end. Of course, Eugenides might wonder the same thing. Excellent, excellent books, and we are now torn between wanting to devour the latest, and wanting to stretch it out to make it last!

Chapter Book Thursday: The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowry, Illustrated by Jules Feiffer

We have mixed feelings about this one, and we have decided it is the author's fault for being who she is. Lois Lowry has long been a name synonymous with good literature that makes you think and feel deeply, and - well - this is not that type of book.
 
It is, however, a very funny and charming story. Princess Patricia Priscilla is about to turn 16, at which point she will have to choose between three suitors, each more repugnant (and improbable) than the last. She decides to try the peasant life for a change, and begins sneaking out every day to attend the village school, under the tutelage of the handsome new young schoolmaster. You can see where this is going, right? Nothing about the story is terribly subtle, and the characters are not at all believable, but it is, as we said, funny and charming. Hand this to girls who like princess stories (or potty jokes), but don't expect them to remember the story a year later.
 
Completely unrelated favorite line: "You always knew exactly where you stood with a rat, and they were edible as well."

Red, White & True Blue Mallory, by Laurie Friedman, reviewed by Freaky

We have several of the Mallory books here at the library, and they have not been terribly popular. Of course, neither has the book we reviewed yesterday, which we loved, so number of check-outs is not necessarily an indicator of quality.

These have all the attributes of, say, Junie B. Jones or Amber Brown which should make them appeal to younger girls, so we are inclined to think it is just lack of name recognition. We are going to start pointing them out to kids who ask for similar books, and see if circulation increases.

For those who are new to the series or who have read every title (more than a dozen) so far: Red, White and True Blue Mallory is written in journal format, which is a very popular venue these days, particularly with reluctant readers. It has more pictures than many of its predecessors, so in those respects it might make a good introduction to the series for someone who needs a little pushing.

The story itself, however, reads like a guidebook, as Mallory's class visits Washington D.C. A very entertaining guidebook, mind you, with tidbits like, "It took almost 30 years to build the Washington Monument (which is even longer than it takes my brother, Max, to finish a book report)", or "There are some very big monkeys at the [National] zoo called orangutans who know how to use a computer. HOW TOTALLY COOL IS THAT?" Mallory's enjoyment of the trip is clouded by her best friend, Mary Ann, paying more attention to a boy than to Mallory. The problem is that the guidebook part takes over the story part - in other words, it reads more like a guidebook with a story included as a way to connect the museums and monuments.

And they visit a LOT of museums and monuments. I think that is the root of the problem: when I read the itinerary at the front of the book, the list of places the class was going in a few short days made me want to crawl into my shell and hide in the mud. (Okay, the idea of traveling anywhere for four days with a class of ten-year-olds does that, but you get the picture.) For a field trip or for a chapter book, that was just too much information to try to cram in. I also - minor quibble - have to question a ten-year-old getting so excited about a loose tooth. Six, yes, ten - not so much.

So, to recap: a good series in general. The format might make it a good first choice, the content might not. Give it to girls in the 8-11 range, or young fans of American history.

April Fool's Day Giveaway and Review: A Nest for Celeste by Henry Cole

The giveaway is not an April Fool's joke, nor is our review of this sweet book:


Cole, the illustrator of books such as "Little Bo" by Julie Andrews, is now trying his hand at authorship. We would have to declare his attempt a success. Celeste is a sweet little mouse looking for a home. She becomes friends with a young man named Joseph, who is apprenticed to James Audubon. Along with the story of her search for a home, we have Joseph's growing reluctance to kill birds just to paint them. This is a quick read, interspersed with wonderful drawings of the characters. We would give this to fans of Charlotte's Web or Avi's Poppy and Rye books.

Harper Collins sent us two review copies, so we are offering the second as a giveaway - and here is where April Fool's Day comes in. To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment with your favorite April Fool's prank, either one you played yourself, one that was played on you, or just one you heard about. What does this have to do with the book? Nothing. We just like stealing ideas from others.

Miss Ami's brother takes the prize so far this year (although the day is still young!) He announced his engagement this morning on his Facebook page. Since he has been dating the same lovely young lady for approximately 87 years, everyone was thrilled...until they realized what day it is. Fortunately, the young lady was in on the joke, or he might be finding himself in a heap of trouble right now!

We will let the staff here vote on their favorite prank, and the winner will receive their own copy of the book. We will keep this contest open until midnight April 8, so you have a full week to poll your friends for good stories. Good luck!

Ashes by Kathryn Lasky, reviewed by Miss Ami

I 'discovered' historical fiction in college, and have been a voracious reader of it ever since. As a result, it is hard to find a part of history I haven't read several novels about already. When I saw this one advertised, I thought "Oh great, yet another WWII book." Being authored by Lasky, however, automatically puts it on my order list.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Lasky does in fact manage to address a period we don't normally see in children's books, and does a fantastic job of it. Ashes describes Hitler's rise to power through the eyes of a young German girl, Gabriella. The political maneuverings and citizens' varying reactions to propaganda are relayed through radio and newspaper announcements and changes at Gabriella's school, as well as conversations with her older sister, her parents, and their friend and neighbor, Albert Einstein, making it completely age appropriate and easy for any reader to understand. (Let me add that I adore Einstein, and any book that gives kids a glimpse into his personality and spirit automatically gains ten points in my esteem).

All of the characters are well drawn, whether based on real people or completely fictional. Gabriella learns some hard lessons when people she idolizes are not who she had built them up to be, and when she herself does things she is immediately ashamed of. The book does not end exactly as you might want it to for all of the characters, which I am grateful for - a book leading up to WWII with a happy ending would be the height of ridiculous.

Great addition to any middle or high school library, and a strong possibility for a class reading assignment. Review copy pulled from our library shelf and read during lunch hours:)

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine, reviewed by Freaky

What a great book...and what a terrible cover! The latter, unfortunately, is the first thing I noticed about the book, and if it weren't for the fact that I ordered this one myself based on the description, I probably would never have picked it up. The story itself should appeal to most upper elementary and middle school students, but the cover design screams Ernest Hemingway - not something that would appeal to most 6th graders (or young turtles, for that matter). I am afraid we are going to have to hard-sell this one.

And sell it we will, because it's a wonderful story. Set in 1917 Alabama, the subjects of racism, true friendship, growing up, being yourself, right and wrong, and parent/child relationships are all dealt with in the simple context of two kids meeting and becoming friends.

"Dit", one of ten kids, feels himself overlooked by his father at times (hard not to when he can't seem to remember your name most times). He is looking forward to the arrival of a new postmaster, who is rumored to have a son his age. He isn't as thrown as some townspeople when the new family turns out to be black, but he is crushed when the son turns out to be a girl - and a timid, prissy one at that.

Despite a rocky start, Dit and Emma become "very best friends," each learning quite a bit from the other - and not just how to throw a ball or enjoy a good book. It doesn't happen quickly, and there are plenty of age-appropriate moments where Dit puts his foot in his mouth without ever realizing he has done it, as well as moments when their racial differences and the attitudes of those around them cause the friendship to stall.

Interesting characters, a quick-moving plot, and chapters that could stand alone as stories keep the reader's attention throughout. We just may see this one on some awards lists atthe end of the year - which we hope will prompt Penguin to rerelease it with a new cover!

NERDS by Michael Buckley, reviewed by Fegan

Jackson Jones is easily the most popular kid in fifth grade. Star football player, good looking and charming - unless you are one of those unfortunate kids with allergies, buck teeth, or a strange habit that makes you just beg for an atomic wedgie. You know, nerds, geeks, spazzes. Nobody can blame a star kid like Jackson for having a little fun with them, right?

The tables are turned, however, when Jackson is outfitted with the braces and headgear from H-E-double-toothpicks, and his social status slides so low his own father can't stand to look at him. Even the nerds won't give him the time of day - and why should they? Not only was he horrible to them before, they are too busy saving the world as a team of top secret, high-tech superspies to really bother with him.

Jackson discovers their secret, however, and is made a part of their team - a decision neither he nor his teammates are happy about. What follows is a lighthearted and engaging adventure with just enough character development to make the grown-ups happy, but plenty of action and humor to keep it fun. I'm already looking forward to the next installment!

Retro Tuesday (on Wednesday - so sue me): Runaway Princess by Kate Coombs

Like Chains, this one isn't old by any means, but it is old enough to have a sequel out (The Runaway Dragon, which you also need to read). In fact, I read this one, which I had somehow missed, because I saw a review of the second and knew I had to read them both.

Definitely a 'girl book' for the most part, although boys who enjoy the Squire's Tale series by Gerald Morris might give this one a try. Meg is the spirited tomboy princess who would rather catch frogs with her friend than learn to curtsy. Her clueless father offers her hand in marriage and half the kingdom to any prince who can accomplish three tasks (all in the name of economic development), and of course Meg disapproves of the plan, and adventures ensue.

We've seen the basic plotline a million times, but Meg is a very likeable heroine with some great lines, and there are enough surprises and humorous bits in the book to make it quite an enjoyable read. Without giving too much away (I hope), I was pleased with her mother's decision, and while certain twists (like that involving a certain prince) may be a bit predictable for the fan of fractured fairy tales, they are not any less enjoyable. Great pleasure read for just about any girl over the age of 8 (I gave it to my mother to read next!)

Book Suggestions for Spirited Girls - Older Readers

This is an even harder list to narrow down, so I am going to cop out on part of it and just give some authors;

Karen Cushman - Strong female characters finding out they are more than the people around them may give them credit for. Mostly set in the middle ages, but don't miss Rodzina, set in the days of the orphan trains. I especially like that one because she is NOT skinny or pretty or smart, and messes up quite a bit. Trina Schart Hyman illustrated manyof her covers, which is just an added bonus!

Gail Carson Levine - Probably best known for Ella Enchanted (a prime example of not judging a book by its movie), she gives a realistic twist to old fairy tales, making the characters more than three-dimensional and making them very easy to relate to, without taking them out of the world of castles and princes.

Nancy Springer - specifically, of course, the Rowan Hood series and the Enola Holmes books. Rowan Hood is the daughter of Robin Hood (unbeknownst to him at first), and upon the death of her mother becomes the unwitting leader of a band of very strong characters with their own strong personalities. Through the series they all learn a lot about love, honor, revenge, and friendship. Enola Holmes is the very intelligent younger sister of Sherlock Holmes, who was not exactly known for his high opinion of the female intellect. When her mother disappears and her brothers want to send her off to a finishing school, she begins a series of adventures, mostly just trying to stay free until she is of legal age, but also longing to have a relationship with her brother - adding a very nice dimension to what would already be highly enjoyable books.

Gerald Morris - While his main characters are usually male, all contain some strong females (as well as some simpering idiots). Any of the books in the Squire's Tale series can stand alone - and who can resist a title like The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf? - but it's best to start from the beginning and read them all.

Now for some specific titles:



Your classic tale of miss prim and proper learning there is more to the world than her sheltered upbringing would have her believe, and that right and wrong aren't always clear. In Avi's masterful hands this classic tale becomes a gripping Newbery Award novel that both boys and girls alike will not be able to put down.



Yes, by the same author as Pippi Longstocking, but Ronia does not have any superhuman strength or chest of gold. She does have a heart of gold, as well as a wild spirit, and entire band of robbers (of which her father is the leader) wrapped around her pinky finger - a good thing, too, since she has more sense than the lot of them! This is exactly how I picture my daughter to be a few years from now, barefoot and ragged and running through the trees. Another great illustration from Trina Schart Hyman.



Unfortunately out of print, and I couldn't find cover art, but used copies available from the usual sources. Maud wants to be a wool merchant, not a lady - but that's not the way things are done, so off to the castle she goes to learn all the important things in life, like needlework and courtly manners. She makes some friends, but a girl with a brain can only take so much lute playing, so she runs away, and...well, then the story really starts! A comfortable tale your young woman will go back to curl up with again and again.



Here's one for your older teen that should drag her away from the Twilight-and-such genre (for a little while, anyway). Vassar is NOT the tiniest bit free spirited when we first meet her, planning every year, day, hour of her life. Then her bohemian grandmother blackmails her parents (what on earth does she have on them, anyway?) into letting her drag Vassar across the world on a crazy, very definitely UNplanned trip. If she survives grandma's lack of forethought (or is it really?) and the disastrous situations they get into, she may learn quite a bit about a number of things, and maybe - just maybe - enjoy herself a little?

Must...stop...now...so many great books, and such a long post already! As always, feel free to add your suggestions! happy shopping!