PA
Not-Ready-For-Newbery Recommended Fiction Titles 2001
Alphin, Elaine Marie.
Ghost Soldier. New
York: Holt, 2001. 0-8050-6158-4. 216p. $16.95.
Gr 5-8. An entertaining blend of paranormal and historical fiction, the
story begins when Alexander Raskin and his dad make a trip to North Carolina for
a visit with his father’s girlfriend. Though
he hasn’t seen ghosts since the day his mother left them three years ago, now
the ghost of a young Rebel soldier attaches himself to Alexander, and they begin
a search to discover the fate of soldier’s family.
The historical research and Alex’s efforts to thwart his father’s
romance come together in an interesting resolution to the mystery of the
Rebel’s missing family.
Candy
Blessing
Atkins,
Jeannine. Becoming Little Women.
New York: G.P. Putnam, 2001. 0-399-23619-8.
202p.
$16.99. Gr. 4-7.
A novel of Louisa May Alcott, that tells the story of the family leaving
Boston to live on a farm they name Fruitlands when Louisa May is about 11 years
old. Mr. Alcott brings the family
to Fruitlands to practice his Utopian view of life in a community he calls the
“Newness”. He hopes to persuade
others to join their community, whose members are strict vegetarians, wear linen
clothes to avoid wearing cotton from slave labor, and everyone shares work and
even shares in the disciplining of the children. Louisa May and her family experience great struggles in this
tough environment, but Louis May survives because of her strong nature and
belief in her father. This is a
well-researched novel based on journals, biographies, and letters, etc. Historical
Fiction, Fictional Biography
Susan Krenicky
Banks,
Jacqueline Turner. A Day
for Vincent Chin and Me. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. 0-618-13199-X.
119 p. $15.00. Gr. 4-6. Tommy,
one of the few Japanese living in Kentucky, is best friends with a group of
racially mixed sixth graders. He
feels pretty secure until his mother (a survivor of a Japanese Internment Camp)
becomes involved in organizing a rally in memory of Vincent Chin, an Asian
American murdered in Detroit in 1982. He was murdered because, thinking he was
Japanese, they blame him for the declining sales of cars and unemployment in the
auto industry. Because of the rally, some members of their community spray paint
Tommy’s house with the letters KKK. Tommy
is upset because he has always tried to fit in and not draw attention to his
Japanese heritage. In the meantime, Tommy witnesses a speeding car almost hit a
deaf child in his neighborhood. When Tommy organizes his friends to place a speed bump on the
street to slow down the cars, he realizes that it is okay to support what is
right and he resolves his conflict with his mother. Civil Rights Fiction
Susan
Krenicky
Barron, T.A. Tree
Girl. New York: Philomel Books,
2001. 0-399-23457-8. 138p. $14.99.
Gr 4-7. Young Rowanna (Anna) cannot remember her mother, but she
knows where Master Mellwyn found her in the branches of the tall willow tree
on the other side of the forest. Ever since that day, Anna has had an
uncontrollable desire to discover her roots. She climbs the fir tree near her
cottage by the sea to see the willow, and one day, she disobeys the master and
ventures into the forest, where she befriends a bear. The bear, a tree sprite in
disguise, assists Anna in her journey through the forest to the willow tree, and
they arrive on High Hallow Eve, the most magical night in the forest. Anna is
pursued and captured by Master Mellwyn, who returns home to the cottage with
Anna. When he suffers an accident, and is nursed back to health by Anna, she
discovers the truth of how she came to be with the master, and sees herself as
she really is, not as Mellwyn sees her. A happy ending for everyone but Mellwyn.
Fantasy
Rosanne Zajko
Baskin, Nora
Raleigh. What Every Girl (except
me) Knows. Boston: Little,
Brown and Company,
2001. 0-316-07021-1. 213p.
$16.95. Gr. 6-10.
Gabby has questions about life, puberty, her mother's
death, that need to be answered. She
keeps journals and makes lists of what she needs to know to be a
"woman". Gabby's father
and brother aren't very helpful. Gabby blames herself for her mother's suicide
and eventually takes a trip to New York City to find out the truth.
Karen Reese, Sandy Run Middle School Sub
Bennett, James W.
Plunking Reggie Jackson. New
York: Simon and Shuster, 2001.
0-689-83137-4 204p. $16.
Gr. 8-12.
Coley Burke is a baseball star of his high school and he is looking forward
to a pro career or at least a college scholarship.
He makes a series of poor choices and finds himself ineligible because of
poor grades and with a girlfriend who insists she is pregnant.
Coley’s father criticizes every detail of his pitching and reminds him
of his older brother’s successes in baseball.
Sadly, the older brother is dead and the family is having difficulty with
Patrick’s death. The book has it
all—a pressuring dad, a sports injury, a wise coach and the rush toward a
championship. It also has sex and a
hot relationship with Coley’s girlfriend thinking she might be pregnant. Coley must make mature decisions about his future.
The baseball story will attract readers but the rest of the book reads
like a soap opera! Baseball fiction
Peg Kleppinger
Bernson, Linda. Picture
Perfect. Lunchbox Press, 2001.
0-9678285-1-1. 121p. $3.95 pb. Gr
7-12. Cassie Talbert, promising high school art student, is working
frantically to finish a painting that she hopes will win the $5000 first prize
in the spring art show. Not only will winning help her to gain the recognition
necessary to ensure acceptance into a good art college, but the money will do
much to alleviate financial pressures at home, the result of her father's
faltering business. Her project is going well until she is distracted by
feelings of jealousy and the realization that her best friend, Justin, means
more to her than simply friendship. This first book in a new paperback series,
Seasons, offers light reading that deals with teen issues without being flippant
or didactic. Picture Perfect will be a high interest addition to
paperback collections. Readers may access updates about the series at
www.lunchboxpress.com. Realistic
Fiction.
Elizabeth McChesney
Blight, Edward. A Time to Choose. Pacific Grove,
CA : Park Place Publications, 2001.
1-877809-87-X 312p.
$15.95 Gr. 9-adult.
During World War II 120,000 Japanese
Americans were interned in relocation camps. Blight tells the eloquent story of two families one
interned and one stranded in Japan during the war.
From the desolation of Japan, the relocation camps to the Japanese
Americans fighting in France and Italy, Blight weaves this inspiring account of
the human spirit. Multicultural
Pat Naismith
Bock, Dennis. The Ash Garden: A Novel. New York: Knopf, 2001.
0-375-41302-2. 281p. $23.00. Grades 10+.
Documentary filmmaker
Emiko Amai, a woman who as a six-year-old was scarred in the fallout from the
atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, becomes involved in the lives of German
scientist Anton Boll, a principal in the Manhattan Project, and his wife Sophie
who is half-Jewish. The book explores the consequences of the bomb by
three people directly affected by it. A lot of rich history is included,
but the focus is on the human stories of the intersecting lives of Emiko, Anton
and Sophie and the legacy of the devastation. This story is so powerful!
Highly recommended for mature readers in high school. Candy Blessing
Block, Francesca Lia. Echo.
New York:HarperCollins, 2001. 0-06-028128-6.
215p. $14.95. Gr. 8-12.
Echo is the daughter of a beautiful woman and a distant artistic father who
are so involved with each other they cannot see the struggle their daughter is
going through to find her true self. Echo
struggles with depression, anorexia and lack of self worth.
The story is told both from Echo’s point of view and how others see
her. Students who liked Block’s other novel will enjoy this one.
Problem novel Donna
Darmofal
Bonners, Susan. Above and Beyond. New
York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2001. 0-374-30018-6.151p. $16. Gr. 5-7. Research
for a school project brings Jerry to the surprising truth about his hero cousin,
and his friend Danny's misguided uncle. Jerry gradually sees past Danny's class
clown exterior and helps him learn to respect himself and his family. Adventure
Michelle Stone
Bradbury, Ray. From the Dust Returned. New
York: William Morrow, 2001. 0-380-97382-0.
224
p. $23.00. Gr. 8- Adult. Ray
Bradbury’s From the Dust Returned is the latest in his long and celebrated body
of writings. From Cecy, a beautiful girl who can enter the mind of any living
thing on earth, to Uncle Einar, a gigantic winged man who flies only at night,
the Elliot family is filled with so many strange creatures that one might assume
it would be scary, however it is funny and often poignant, and occasionally
both. In the end, Bradbury’s exploration of the strange and wonderful
family leaves us with more of an apprection for our own lives and how we live
them. Family. Science Fantasy.
Student from The
Haverford School.
Brashares, Ann. The
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. New York: Delacorte Press, 2001.
0-385-72933-2. 294 p. $14.95 Gr.
9-12. This contemporary novel
deals with the special relationship among four teen-aged best friends, Tibby,
Carmen, Lena and Bridgett. When the
four girls must part for the summer, they vow to keep in close contact with one
another. A pair of worn jeans,
bought at a local thrift shop, is the vehicle to keep them connected. It is agreed that each one will take her turn wearing the
jeans, passing them onto the next with an explanation of where those pants have
been and what events transpired. Although
Tibby stays home to work, Carmen visits her father in Charleston, Lena goes to
Greece and Bridgett travels to a soccer camp in California, they are always
there for one another. Each one of
these girls has a story to tell and by the end of the novel, it is apparent that
each one has had experiences that will change them forever.
This is a true "girlfriend" story," one that teen girls
will especially enjoy. Friendship
Joanie Marstiller
Brashares,
Ann. The Sisterhood of the
Traveling Pants. New York:
Delacorte Press, 2001.
0-385-72933-2. 294p. $14.95.
Gr 6-10.At l5 years old, a group of four girls spend their first
summer apart. It's a life altering summer for each of them.
Tibby's new friend teaches her patience and acceptance.
Shy Lena finds a boy she can trust and open up to.
Carmen learns to express to her anger and is able to move on with her
life. Bee's impulsiveness and
beauty lead her into her to experiences she's not ready for.
The girls take care of and support each other as they share a pair of
"magical" pants for the summer. Realistic
Michelle Stone
Bujold, Lois McMaster. The Curse
of Chalion. Eos, 2001.
0-380-97901-2. 442p.
$25.00. Gr 10+.
Cazaril, former courtier and soldier, survived a betrayal that sent him to a
position of slavery aboard an enemy galley. Both physically and emotionally
spent at the time of his escape, Cazaril seeks only a quiet haven in which to
recover and live out the rest of his life. At thirty-five years of age he is but
a broken man. Unbelievably, Cazaril is named secretary-tutor to the Royesse
Iselle in the royal household where he served as a page in his youth. It is
within his duties as secretary-tutor that Cazaril must face the intrigue, deceit
and treachery that threaten the royal court of Chalion. Rich in detail and
subtle twists of plot, The Curse of Chalion is an adventure of
epic proportions, a veritable page-turner.
Fantasy
Elizabeth
McChesney
Carbone, Elisa. Storm Warriors. NY: Knopf, 2001. 0-375-80664-4. 168p.
$16.95. Gr. 5-8.
When Nathan, his father and grandfather move to Pea Island, North
Carolina, where there is no Klan activity, they become acquainted with the brave
men of the Pea Island Life-Saving Station. Nathan dreams of joining the ranks of these black surfmen as
he participates in some of their practices, helps in a rescue and learns all the
rules of the station. Based on real rescues performed by these African-America
storm warriors along the Outer Banks, this story belongs in your Multi-cultural
and Black History collections.
Sandra Krieg
Card, Orson Scott. Shadow
of the Hegemon. New York : Tor, 2000. 0-312-87651-3.
365p. $25.95. Gr. 7-adult.
Sequel to Ender’s
Shadow, this novel parallels Speaker for the Dead of the Ender Quartet.
The super-intelligent students from the defunct Battle School are being
systematically kidnapped, and Bean is certain who’s behind it his old
rival Achilles. Unable to fight
Achilles alone, Bean is forced to team up with the most unlikely of allies,
Ender’s brother, Peter. Second in
a new quartet, this one will create a demand for all of the other Ender books. Science
Fiction
Pat Naismith
Card,
Orson Scott. Shadow of the Hegemon. New
York : Tor, 2000. 0-312-87651-3 365
p. $25.95 Gr.
7-adult
This book was a thrilling read from beginning to end.
It did not require a lot of character development since the characters
were mostly developed in Ender’s
Shadow, and this book only concentrated on a small period for the
main part. The story began with a
kidnapping and ended with diplomacy after a swift war.
I found it intriguing to read what the author thought the world would be
like after a few centuries. When I first read this novel, I thought that Card
had selected the countries that would become world powers in a very strange way.
Yet, the more I thought about it, the more it fit into the current
situation of the world. Card also
did a great job of sticking to the characters nothing the characters said or
did seemed out of character. This
is very hard to find in novels. The
book gave me a different perspective on the future and the situation of the
world. I suggest this novel to
anyone. Think about every event and why Orson Scott Card chose it as the most
likely event that would take place.
Student from Springfield High School (Delco)
Cart, Michael.
Sex and Love. Nre
York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. 0-6898-3203-6. 256p.
$18.00. Gr. 9+.
This is not your ordinary collection of shelf-sitting short stories. Cart
collects “ten stories of truth,” stories that take a frank and varied look
at the first passions, miseries, and the glory of young love. Included in this
anthology is Joan Bauer's funny tale of chastity and Michael Lowenthal's erotic,
but disastrous story of a first gay experience. My personal favorite is Louise
Hawes’ poignant tale of an abortion that triggered an emotional epiphany.
Other notable contributors include Garth Nix, Sonya Sones, Laurie Halse
Anderson, and Chris Lynch. This
unflinching and honest look at the broad realm of teenage love and sexuality
should be very popular. Short
Stories
Joyce Valenza
Chandler, Elizabeth.
Dark Secrets Don’t Tell.
New York: Archway Paperback, 2001.
0-7434-0029-1 199p. $4.99.
Gr. 8-12.
Lauren has been away from Wisteria for seven years and finally returns home
to face the place where her mother was mysteriously drowned.
She is confronted with a family in chaos.
Aunt Jule, her godmother, is still not acting responsibly; her daughter,
Holly, is trying to keep the family running and Nora is just a strange child who
seems to be haunted. Lauren wants
to help the family but isn’t quite sure how to react to the fear she feels
while there. After a series of
mysterious events, Lauren realizes that someone wants her dead.
Who is it? This will keep the reader turning the pages as Lauren
considers the possibility of poltergeists or family members wanting her dead. Mystery Peg
Kleppinger
Choldenko, Gennifer. Notes From
a Liar and Her Dog. New York: G.P.
Putnam’s Sons, 2001.
0-399-23591-4. 216p. $16.99. Gr. 5-7.
Antonia, who prefers to be called Ant, lives in a fantasy world. Feeling
invisible in her family, she constructs a world where she is waiting for her
“real” parents to find her and her dog and rescue them. Ant believes this so
strongly that she tells her teachers that she is adopted. Ant has a problem
telling the truth and her art teacher, Just Carol, attempts to help Ant. But,
Ant’s lies have disastrous consequences for Just Carol. Ant is a feisty girl
with a strong personality, and it is hard to see how her parents overlook her,
but sibling rivalry between Ant and her sisters contributes to the conflict.
Ant’s one truthful conversation with her mother, and her father’s
realization that he, too, avoids the truth are the breakthroughs this observant
adolescent needs to find her place in her family. Realistic fiction
Rosanne Zajko
Clements, Andrew. The
School Story. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. 0-689-82594-3. 196p.
$16.00. Gr. 4-7.
Natalie, a twelve year old gifted writer, whose mother is an editor at a
Children’s book publisher in New York City, learns that the publisher is
interested in stories about school. Natalie decides to write that story but it
isn’t until her feisty friend Zoe reads the book that she believes it could be
published. Zoe plots a scheme to
see that the book gets published by establishing pseudonyms for Natalie and
herself and enlisting the help of their English teacher to set up an agency for
the writer. The story is about
school but also about a girl and her father that serves as an outlet for Natalie
to express her grief over the sudden death of her father in a car accident.
The story is funny, touching and thoroughly enjoyable. Realistic
Fiction Susan Krenicky
Coles, William. Compass in the Blood. New York:
Atheneum, 2001.
0-689-83181-1. 263p. $ 16.
Gr. 7-adult.
Dee Armstrong, who in high school wrote a research paper on the famous
Pittsburgh prison escape of 1902 facilitated by the jailor’s wife, continues
her search for the truth about Kate Soffel in college. She is, however, caught
between two other interested parties, a female TV journalist who did a
documen-tary on Kate and Kate’s great grand nephew who wants to clear his
relative’s name. Follow Dee in her search of Pittsburgh cemeteries for
Kate’s elusive grave and diary while she also tries to discover the reason for
the hatred between the journalist and descendant. Readers of all ages can enjoy
the two mysteries, one current and one historical, both of which reveal that
reality and truth may not be what they first appear to be. Mystery -
Historical
Eleanor Howe
Collier,
James Lincoln. Chipper. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish, 2001. 0-7614-5084-X.
207p. $14.95. Gr. 5-8. Twelve year-old orphan Chipper is living on the
streets in 1895 as a member of the Midnight Rats gang. After a failed burglary
attempt, he is taken under the wing of Patcher, a con man. It seems that Chipper
resembles the dead brother of a wealthy New York socialite. It seems that the brother had told his sister that he had a
son, and there lays the tale. This story has adventure, loyalty issues, and a
thoughtful, well-developed character in Chipper. Orphans,
Relationships, Adventure, Loyalty
Sandra Krieg
Collins,
Pat Lowery. Just Imagine. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2001. 0-618-05603-3
$15.00. Gr 5-9. For those students who like to read about the super
natural they will enjoy reading Just Imagine. The main character,
Mary Frances uses her gift of out-of-body experiences to escape from the
everyday hardships of the depression and a family that is split by what the
mother wants and reality. The story is told in the first person, which adds to
the charm of the story. Family
Margaret Goodlin
Cormier,
Robert. The Rag and Bone Shop. Delacorte, 2001. 0-385-72962-6. 154p.
$15.95. Gr 7-10.
A young girl is murdered in a quiet neighborhood, and the police call in a
professional to interrogate the last person to see her alive: her neighbor and
friend, Jason Dorrant. When Jason
is first questioned, it seems innocent enough. Soon, however, Trent, the
interrogator, begins to ask personal questions, and Jason becomes suspicious.
Since Trent is known for always getting a confession, he feels the
pressure to succeed in this case, even though he is convinced of Jason's
innocence. Published posthumously, this book takes its title from a Yeats poem
called "The Circus Animals' Desertion." This is a disturbing novel,
typically Cormierian, which should appeal to older students and create
discussion about its strong theme of good and evil. Psychological Fiction
Pat
Bender
Cormier, Robert. The
Rag and Bone Shop. New York : Delacorte, 2001.
0-385-72962-6 128
p.
$15.95
Gr. 5-12
Trent is an interrogator he always gets a confession when he delves
into "the foul rag-and-bone shop of the heart," (from the Yeats poem).
This new assignment may make his career.
All he has to do is get a 12-year-old boy to confess he murdered his
neighbor, a 7-year-old girl. Problem
is Jason is innocent, and Trent realizes it.
Brilliant, taut prose, a troubling ending and a gripping plot create a
book you can’t and won’t put down. A
pitty that it was Cormier’s last. Mystery/Drama
Pat Naismith
Crisp, Marty. Private
Captain. New York: Philomel, 2001. 293p. $18.00 Gr. 5-8.
This is a well-told story of the Battle of Gettysburg through the eyes of
twelve-year-old Ben. Ben and his
dog, Captain, are searching for his older brother who is missing from the Union
Army. In his quest he meets with
soldiers from both sides. Crisp
develops the humanness in all her characters.
Neither side is vilified but treated with respect. Crisp does not spare
the details, gets in the essential elements and drama of war, without
sensationalizing the situation. This book will be useful as a tie in to Pennsylvania and
Civil War history. Historical
Fiction
Jeannie Bellavance
Crisp, Marty. Private
Captain. New York: Philomel, 2001. 293p. $18.00 Gr. 5-8.
Just before the
battle of Gettysburg, Ben Reynolds is searching for his brother Rueben, a
captain in the 106th Pennsylvania Volunteers Company. Their father has died and Ben decided to find his brother to
tell him. Danny, his obnoxious cousin, joins up with Ben. As they meet many different types of people including the
Confederates, they begin to realize the importance of each other and realize
that the Confederates are not really evil and the enemy, but are real human
beings, too. I thought it was a great book.
It was funny and interesting at the same time. There was just the right amount of history thrown in to give
credence to the story. I think both
boys and girls will enjoy this book. I know I did.
Historical
Fiction
Student from Gwynedd-Mercy Academy
Cronin, Thomas W. As
It Is On Mars. Altona,
Manitoba: Tharsis Books, 2001. 0-9687502-0-6.
438p. $24.95. YA-adult.
Set in 2038,this is an excellent “hard science” novel
showing outstanding research and providing a hard look at political realities as
well. Following a catastrophe, a
Japanese Zen Master and two Americans on Mars are forced into thinking outside
the box about every aspect of their existence.
Part of two different missions, located far apart, sent by cultures with
different values, each mission is doomed to death for different reasons.
The politics of earth and an unexpected event play into this fascinating
scenario. Great hard science
fiction with such compelling characters, cultural and ethical components
doesn’t come along that often. Buy this book for any high school library! Science
Fiction
Pam Kavanaugh
Crutcher, Chris. Whale
Talk. NY: HarperCollins, 2001. 0-688-18019-1. 220p. $15.95. Gr. 8-12.
T. J. Jones, the bi-racial narrator, didn't set out to turn the jock
culture at his school on its ear; he just didn't want to play a sport. But Mike
Balfour, the racist football player, bullies special ed. student Chris for
wearing the football letter jacket of his dead brother.
T.J. is offered the chance to put together a swim team of interesting
characters who in the normal course of high school sports would never have the
chance to earn that highly coveted sports letter.
With humor and an astute understanding of the high school culture, Chris
Crutcher once again takes an unlikely leader and a group of misfits and turns
them into the guys you'd want to hang out with in high school. Swimming,
Relationships, High schools, Adoption.
Sandra Krieg
Cummings, Priscilla. A Face First. New York:
Dutton, 2001. 0-525-46522-7. 195p. $16.99.
Gr. 7-12.
Kelley Brennan is in the hospital recovering from the severe burns she
received in an auto accident with a truck, and her reaction to injury and
disfigurement is a role model for all ages. The medical treatments are gruesome
but the nurses, family, and friends are supportive. Looking in the mirror brings
her face-to-face with the realty of her injuries and a society that is focused
on physical appearance. Kelley goes through pain, anger, depression, and
withdrawal before she finally achieves self-acceptance and a desire to make life
as full and happy as possible. Fine writing makes this an enjoyable reading
experience.
Eleanor Howe
Dams, Jeanne M.
Green Grow the Victims: A Hilda
Johansson Mystery. New York: Walker,
2001. 0-8027-3355-7.
210p. $23.95. Gr. 8-12.
A murder mystery set in South Bend, Indiana, has a detective who is also a
housekeeper in the Studebaker Mansion. Hilda Johansson is an immigrant who works long hours hoping
to bring the rest of her family to the United States. It is interesting to read about the conflict between the
immigrants and the Americans who had arrived at an earlier time.
Hilda is called on to help an Irish politician who is being accused of
murdering a political opponent. As
someone who spent twelve years living in the South Bend area, it was interesting
to read about the immigrant history of South Bend. The writer includes a history
lesson with her murder mystery. Mystery
Peg Kleppinger
Delaney, Mark. The Protester’s Song.
Atlanta:Peachtree, 2001. 1-56145-244-0. 214p. $5.95.
Gr. 7-10.
This is the fifth book in the Misfits, Inc. series. Four high school students, Peter, Jake, Byte and Mattie help
solve a 30-year-old mystery and save the school librarian’s job.
The story starts in 1970 with a protest concert against the Vietnam War
at Trenton State (Kent State). Josh
Quinn loses a leg in a car bombing. Thirty
years later Josh, Byte’s uncle thinks he recognizes the musician who may have
planted the bomb. The Misfits are
intrigued and start to follow up on leads.
But so do the FBI and some former National Guard members who are trying
to keep a secret. A fast paced,
action packed mystery that will keep readers guessing, the book also offers a
little bit of history as the kids find out more about the Vietnam era. The
Misfits are anti-heroes but not necessarily nerds.
They are individuals. Librarians
will like the stand against censorship and the students’ research skills.Mystery
Jeannie Bellavance
Doss,
James. Grandmother Spider. New York: William Morrow, 2001. 0-380-97722-2.
293p.
$23.00. Gr. 10-12. This very excellent mystery has readers on the edge of
their seats trying to determine whether or not the "spider-like"
creature, which has caused two disappearances and several deaths, is real or a
supernatural phenomenon. Ute police chief, Charlie Moon, teams up with his
friend and colleague Scott Parris to find out why two men mysteriously disappear
and then re-appear in bizarre circum-stances and why a third is found murdered
in a very unusual way. Charlie's Aunt Daisy, a shaman of her tribe, believes
that this creature is a true appearance of the supernatural, and convinces her
very impressionable young niece, Sarah, who lives with her, that the creature's
appearance is her, Sarah's, fault for killing a spider. As the death toll
mounts, and the lies and intrigues become more and more complex, Charlie and his
friend must work quickly to prevent more deaths. The satisfying ending to this
story will please and surprise even experienced mystery buffs. Mystery
Nancy Chrismer
Downing,
Wick. Leonardo's Hand. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Co., 2001. 0-618-07893-2. 201p. $15.00.
Grades 6-10.
Nard is an orphan boy with a turbulent past, including
being born without a left hand. After
being placed with a family on a small pig farm, Nard finally seemed to be enjoying
life, despite some of his vandalizing neighbors.
Things really pick up in this story when a disembodied left hand comes
and writes a backward message. It
turns out that this hand belongs to the late Leonardo da Vinci, who had made
a wish before his death to be reincarnated in someone else.
Nard even named his new hand Vinci.
Many exciting adventures follow involving this very talented, new-found
hand. I really enjoyed this book.
The idea that Leonardo da Vinci's hand could wait 500 years to be joined
to another body is definitely a new theme for me! It is a very different and creative idea.
Fantasy Student from Franklin
Regional Middle School
Eisner, Michael Alexander. The Crusader: A Novel.
New York: Doubleday, 2001. 0-385-50281-8.
319p. $24.95. Gr.
10-adult. Brother Lucas, an ambitious monk, is assigned to exorcise
demons from Francisco de Montcada, a knight who has returned from the Crusades
possessed by the devil (suffering from depression and battle fatigue). Using
patience rather than the usual brute force to achieve exorcism, Lucas records
Francisco’s confession once he begins to talk. It is a tale of not only the
rigors of spiritual and physical training, battle, success, and defeat on the
Crusade but also romance, honesty, loyalty, villainy, and betrayal. Accurate
historical, cultural, and geographical settings (including the famous castle
Krak des Chevaliers) enhance the suspense that culminates with a power struggle
between the church, state, and nobility in Spain. The author’s writing truly
brings history, adventure, and human character alive while remaining true
to the medieval mind and soul.
Eleanor Howe
Elliott, Stephen.
A Life Without Consequences. San
Francisco: MacAdam/Cage, 2001.
0-9673701-7-5 186p. $25.
Gr. 10-adult
. This novel is based on the author’s own experiences as a runaway
at the age of 13. He spent a year
of his life living on the roof of a convenience store on Chicago’s north side.
He was made a ward of the court and then lived in a series of large and
small group homes and institutional learning centers.
Prior to becoming a writer, he worked as a stripper, cabdriver, bartender
and marketing executive. He was
awarded the 2001 Stegner Fellowship from Stanford University as an emerging
writer in fiction and poetry. The
story is a horrifying one to read as he traces the life of Paul, a boy with a
violent father who brutalizes him until he flees.
Despite the hardship that he faces during his early teen years, he begins
to take charge of his life at 16. He
attends a public high school where is finally able to begin to step out of his
perilous life. The book is called semi- autobiographical and Paul’s
experiences showcase the problems our society faces with abandoned and
brutalized children. Homeless
Teenagers
Peg Kleppinger
Ellis, Deborah.
The Breadwinner.
Toronto: Groundwood Books, 2000. (published
in USA
2001.) 0-88899-419-2. 170p. $15.95.
Gr. 5-8. This timely
novel, set in Afghanistan in the mid 1990's, vividly describes the harsh
realities of life in this war-torn, struggling part of the world.
The protagonist, eleven-year old Parvana, must disguise herself as a boy
so that she may go out onto the streets and earn enough money to feed her
family. This situation came about
only after the Taliban arrested her father for the crime of having been educated
in a foreign country. Each day
brings on new challenges, as Parvana tries to keep her true identity a secret,
since females are strictly forbidden to leave their homes without a male escort.
The story of Parvana and her family provides a true educational, as well
as emotional, experience as to life under the Taliban.
Historical Fiction
Joanie Marstiller
Erickson, John W. Moonshiner’s Gold. New York:
Philomel, 2001. 0-670-03502-5.
199p. $15.99.
Gr. 6-10.
Riding home on his horse during Prohibition, Riley Dawson finds strangers in
a nearby canyon and then a bag of gold in the schoolhouse stove. His newly
fatherless family learns they will be evicted from their remote Texas ranch. To
help the family in their time of need, Grampy Dawson transforms himself from a
restless roaming, but humorous, ne’er-do-well into the real hero of the story,
a courageous and witty fiddle-playing participant in the plan to catch the
crooks who control the local town and its officers of the law. This well-written
mystery with a variety of colorful characters in an accurate historical setting
should appeal to even reluctant readers. Mystery- Historical
Eleanor Howe
Ermelino, Louisa.
The Black Madonna. New
York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. 0684871661.
252p.
$23 Gr. 10-12.
This novel is set in New York’s Little Italy from the 1940s to the
1960s and reads more like a series of short stories all connected to a
neighborhood. In one story, Nick is seriously injured swinging between two
buildings, and his mother fiercely protects him while trying to find money to
help him recover. He regains the
ability to walk on the day of the funeral of his long lost father who had
abandoned the family years ago. His
mother tracked down his father to demand that he return to help his son, only to
have him die before they could meet. In
another story, Antoinette prays to the Black Madonna for a son after five
daughters and Jumbo is born—so named because he weighed in at 23 lbs!
All three women pray to the Black Madonna, a famous statue in Viggiano,
Italy that helps them in times of need. The
stories all explore the relationships between mothers and sons.
The stories sketch an interesting look back at Little Italy when faith
played a very important part in everyday life. Italian
American Families
Peg Kleppinger
Esquivel, Laura.
Swift as Desire:A Novel. New York:Crown Publishers,2001.
0-609-60870-3.
207p. $22.00.
Gr. 10+
. A sad but beautifully written story of Jubilo, a telegraph operator
who rewrites messages to help people. Unfortunately,
he does not do the same in his personal life.
Now he is on his deathbed, taken care of by his daughter, Lluvia.
He has Parkinson’s disease and cannot speak so Lluvia buys a telegraph
and now he can reveal the secrets that have torn his marriage apart. Like her previous novels, there is a lot of cultural history.
Highly recommend for AP Spanish classes.
Donna Darmofal
Ferris, Jean. Of
Sound Mind. Farrar, 2001.
0-374-35580-0 $16.00. 215
p. Grades 6-10
. High school senior Theo literally has his hands full in this
delightful and poignant coming-of-age story.
Caught between two worlds, as the only “hearie” in a deaf family,
Theo is responsible for translating the world to his parents and younger
brother, and is particularly exploited by the demands of his sculptor diva-type
mother. He finds a comrade, as well
as romance and challenge in purple-haired new student Ivy, the hearing child of
a deaf father. Theo learns he has
the power to change his fate after his father’s stroke. Will he be able to leave his family in Philadelphia to pursue
math at MIT? A great read that
explores teen themes of growth, identity and responsibility and allows us a peek
into deaf culture. When reading the novel, the reader is able to distinguish
what is being signed in bold print. This
is a superb novel and is highly recommended to all libraries.
(Set in Philadelphia.) Disabilities, Multicultural
Joyce Valenza & Peg Kleppinger
Fleischman, Paul. Seek.
Chicago: Cricket Books, 2001. 0-8126-4900-1. 176p. $16.95. Gr. 7+
. In his autobiography for his senior project, Rob writes that his
life has been filled with voices. Radio has played an important part in Rob’s
life as he nightly searched the airwaves for his father, a disc jockey, who left
when Rob was born. Through the many
monologues, the reader is introduced to the storyteller grandmother, the union
activist professor grandfather, the Spanish teacher mother, the mother’s
boyfriend and Rob’s friends. The
narration will ring true with the readers as they relate to these well defined
characters. Fleischman includes
directions for performing Seek as
Reader’s Theater.
Contemporary Realistic, Radio, Fathers and Sons, Family Relationships
Sandra Krieg
Fletcher, Susan.
Walk Across the Sea.
New York:Athenium books for Young Readers, 2001.
0-689-84133-7. 214p. $16.00. Gr.
5-9. The time of the story is
1886. Eliza’s father is the lighthouse keeper in this coastal city in
California. Eliza loves living on the island and in the lighthouse.
One day, Eliza sees a Chinese boy sitting on the rocks that connect the
island with the city. Eliza is aware of the prejudice that the people of this
coastal city have against the Celestials (Chinese).
Her encounters with this boy are not consistent with what she has been
told about the Chinese people. Eliza
is learning to form her own opinions, often opinions that do not agree with her
father’s convictions. A series of events conspire to change the lives of Eliza
and her family. What price is Eliza
willing to pay for moral integrity? Historical
Fiction Constance Roupp
Fletcher, Susan. Walk
Across the Sea. New York: Atheneum, 2001. 0-689-84133-7. 214p. $16.00.
Gr. 6-10.
“ ‘Heathen things,’ Papa called them…I was forbidden to even speak
to a Chinaman.” Eliza Jane Mc
Cully finds it difficult to obey her father after a Wah Chung enters her life.
Prejudice divides a community and families in Crescent City, California
in 1886. People fear the
strangeness of the Chinese culture and are angered when Chinese workers are
hired because they will work for lower wages. Eliza had many worries.
Her mother has miscarried; her father may lose his job as the lighthouse
keeper; she loses her faith in God; she questions her father’s rather
righteous belief about the Chinese. Fletcher combines all these in a captivating
story. Historical Fiction
Jeannie Bellavance
Flinn, Alex. Breathing
Underwater. New York: Harper
Collins, 2001. 0-06-029198-2. 263p.
$12.76.
Gr. 10-12.
This story is about a boy named Nick, who, above all
things, loves his ex-girlfriend, Caitlin. He
is
one of the most popular kids at school, but no one
knows the “real” Nick. Nick has
a very
disturbing life at home, which causes him to take out his anger on Caitlin.
The two are very much
in love, until Nick makes the biggest mistake of his
life. Breathing Underwater
is a very fast-paced, heart wrenching story, about love, heartache,
and teenage life. This book is
suitable for anyone who enjoys realistic stories.
There are few instances of foul language and compromising situations.
Realistic love story
Palisades High School Student
Fogelin, Adrian.
Anna Casey’s Place in the World.
Atlanta: Peachtree, 2001. 1-56145-249-1.
207p. $14.95. Gr. 6-8.
Anna Casey hasn’t had it easy. Her parents were killed in an accident and since that tragedy
she has moved several times among relatives until there are no relatives left to
care for her. She becomes a foster
child to and is sent to live with Anita Dupree, a matchmaker for lonely hearts.
Anna and Eb, another foster child, settle in with Anita and get to know
the small town where she lives. They
meet a cast of characters while adjusting to yet another home. They meet the
local environmentalist, a Vietnam vet who hasn’t been able to adjust to life
after the war and several children. While
Eb wants to return to his mother who has yet to act responsibly, Anna wants to
make her home here. As the story
unfolds, Anna finally begins to feel that she belongs. Anna is one of the most
positive young characters in teen fiction.
Foster care fiction
Peg
Kleppinger
Fogelin, Adrian. Crossing
Jordan. Atlanta: Peachtree,
2001. 1-56145-215-7.
140p. $14.95.
Gr. 5-7. A promising
first novel that addresses bigotry and prejudice in Tallahassee.
When Cassie’s father finds out that a black family is moving next door,
he erects a fence around his house. Despite the fence, and against the wishes of
both their parents, Cassie and her new neighbor Jemmie become friends, bound
together by their mutual enjoyment of Jane Eyre and their love of running track.
As they challenge each other on and off the track, they learn what separates
their families. While the premise of the story is believable, at times Fogelin
is heavy handed with the motives behind the prejudices of Jemmie’s mother and
Cassie’s father, and the event that unites the two families is predictable.
Despite this, the development of the girl’s friendship is on target, and girls
who read this book may want to read Jane Eyre next. Realistic Fiction
Rosanne
Zajko
Gallo, Donald, R., ed. On the Fringe. New York:
Dial, 2001. 0-8037-2656-2. 224p. $17.99.
Gr. 10-adult.
Eleven young adult authors, including Joan Bauer and Chris Crutcher,
contributed stories to this collection about high school students. The frank
portrayals of the bullying, ridicule, and verbal harassment dumped by the
in-crowd on the out-crowd demonstrate that anger and resentment accumulate,
whether expressed openly or not, and may culminate in acts of violence and
verbal or written rage. Dedicated to both the bullies and their victims, the
collection presents a picture of our high school culture that the Columbine
massacre opened for others to see and write about. Following the stories are resources, books, help lines, and
websites.
Short Stories
Eleanor Howe
Gallo, Donald R.,ed.
On The Fringe. NY: Dial Books,
2001. 0-8037-2656-2. 226p. $17.99. Gr. 9+. This collection of short
stories centers around those of us who don’t fit the mold of the typical high
school student. These stories are
about the oddball, the misfit, and those that follow a different drummer. Chris Crutcher writes about Gene who is too poor to dress in
the appropriate colors for each holiday and the teacher that torments him.
In Ron Koertge’s “Geeks Bearing Gifts,” Renee, of the in-crowd,
decides to interview the left-outs for a newspaper article.
As one would expect, the athletes and other cool kids are not presented
in a positive light. However, these
stories are meant to make the reader aware of these students and their plight. Share this with the school counselors. High
Schools, Belonging, Outcasts
Sandra Krieg
Gauthier Gail. The
Hero of Fort Ticonderoga. New
York: G.P. Putnam, 2001. 0-399-23559-0. 231p.
$16.99 Gr. 5-8. Set in rural Vermont in 1966, this novel introduces spunky
Therese LeClerc, a sixth grade student of French Canadian descent.
Theresa (Tessy) is a “C” student and not very interested in school
and is even disappointed when she draws Ethan Allen as the subject of her oral
report when her substitute teacher breaks the tradition of assigning the topic
to the best student in the class. Tessy
initially gives an incomplete but interesting and irreverent report on Ethan
Allen. She must continue to redo
the report over a period of time and even presents one on the class field trip
to Ft. Ticonderoga. Tessy is unsure
of herself, uncomfortable with her family and outside the clique of her
classmates. In the process of doing
the report Tessy proves herself and learns what is truly important in life. Historical
Fiction
Susan Krenicky
Gauthier,
Gail. The Hero of Fort Ticonderoga. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons,
2001. 0-399-23559-0. 231p. $16.99.
The cover is less inviting than it should be, but Gail Gauthier’s story of
Therese (Tessie) LeClerc’s struggle to grow up, find acceptance in her
community and to accept her rural, seemingly ignorant farmer father are
compelling. Stodgy and strict Mrs. Ford has made it known that only the best
student in 6th grade would get to do the report on Ethan Allen, the hero of Fort
Ticonderoga. Tessie has neither
hope nor desire to do it, but through an act of fate and a creative substitute
teacher, she is chosen. What
follows is a real change in attitude not only for Tessie but also for the
students in her class. Begrudgingly she gives a rather flip report on Allen,
highlighting his irreverent qualities. Urged on by the new teacher, she gets
caught up into the real story of history and delivers a serialized version of
Ethan Allen’s career. Her classmates clamor for more. Gauthier subtly makes a
number of points about how exciting history really can be, about family
relationships, and about friendship. Tessie
is definitely the underdog and the reader will root for her. Family Relations
Jeannie Bellavance
Gavin,
Jamila. Coram Boy. New York:Farrar Straus, 2001. 0-374-31544-2. 237p.
$19.00. Gr.7-9.
Set in 18th century England, Otis Gardner is a peddler who actually
makes his money in the trade of unwanted children.
He tells the mothers that he is taking the children to the Coram
Hospital, a home for abandoned children. Instead,
he abandons the children, buries them or sells them into slavery. His own
son, Meshak, is very slow, but deeply troubled by what he sees happening to
these children. The story develops
around an aristocratic family whose son, Alexander, has trained in music at the
local cathedral and wants to pursue a career in music but his father refuses.
Alexander runs away to pursue his dream unknowingly leaving behind a
young woman pregnant with his child. She is told her child has died in
childbirth, but instead the child had been given to Otis Gardner.
Meshak saves the child from death and takes the child to Coram Hospital.
Each character only knows pieces of the story and only a few know of the
existence of the child. There is
death, love, betrayal and high drama in this historical fiction tale for young
adults. Historical Fiction
Susan Krenicky
Ghent, Natali. Piper.
Custer, Washington: Orca, 2000.
1-55143-167-X. 176p. $6.95.
Gr. 4-9. Uprooted after
the death of her father, Wesley pleads with her aunt for the life of the runt,
after watching the birth of a litter of Australian shepherd puppies.
These are working dogs, on a working farm, and the runt, called Piper,
must learn to pull her weight, or be sold as a pet.
Hard work pays off for Wesley and Piper, but a coyote attack could change
everything. Animal Fiction
Pam Kavanaugh
Ghosh.
Amitav. The Glass Palace.
New York: Random House,2001. 0-375-50148-7. 474p. $23.95. Gr.
10+
. This is a wonderful tale that spans more than a century.
Set in India it tells the tale of the colonization of Burma and the exile
of the Royal Family. It is also the
love story of a young Indian boy and his love for a servant of the queen.
Students studying this country will benefit from this tale. Historical
fiction Donna Darmofal
Gilmore, Rachna. A
Group of One. New York: Henry
Holt and Company, 2001. 0-8050-6475-3.
184p. $16.95. Gr.
6-12.
Canadian-born Tara resents the attitude of some of her peers and teachers.
She is Canadian, not Indian, has never lived in India, speaks English as
a first language, and doesn’t particularly care about her family history. Then her Grandmother, Naniji, arrives for a visit.
Naniji fought with Gandhi in the Indian Independence Movement.
Proud and strong at 70, she is horrified that her grandchildren know so
little about their heritage. Resistant
at first, the full story of her grandmother’s past, and the reasons for
involvement in the movement shock Tara, and compel her to share this history
that has never been part of her curriculum.
Being a “regular Canadian” takes on new meaning for those who hear
her report. Multicultural/Family
Pam Kavanaugh
Goobie, Beth. Before
Wings. Custer, WA:Orca Book Publishers, 2000. 1-55143-161-0. 203p.
$16.95. Gr. 8-12.
Two years prior to the start of the story, 15-year-old Adrien had a brain
aneurysm and almost died. Since
then, her life has been a waiting game, waiting for “the big one” that will
end her life. Adrien has come to
Camp Lakeshore, in Canada, for the summer.
The camp is owned and operated by her aunt, and both the camp and her
aunt seem to have a mysterious secret. At
the camp, Adrien meets Paul, who is said to have a sixth sense and who has been
dreaming of his own death. Since
her arrival, Adrien has seen the spirits and ghosts of five girls who had been
at the camp when her aunt was a counselor.
These elements mix together to create a story that has a poetic, lyric
style and a compelling tale to tell. Supernatural/ghost
stories Constance
Roupp
Graff, Nancy Price. A Long Way Home.
New York: Clarion Books, 2001. 0-618-12042-4. 199p.
$15.00. Gr. 5-8.
Twelve-year-old Riley is not happy with his
new home, his mother’s new boyfriend, Sam, who refused to fight in Vietnam and
his lack of friends in Sharon,Vermont. Sam
encourages Riley’s interest in the
Civil War, where on a class trip to Gettysburg, he discovers a family secret. He learns courage
manifests itself in
different ways. Good read that can
lead to discussion on different topics.
Problem Novel
Donna Darmofal
A Long Way From Home
is a cleverly crafted novel. I would not recommend it to senior high students
but I would rather expose 7th and
8th grade to this interesting story. The
author has concocted a story using the interesting facts of the Civil War.
In this far away tale a young boy discovers heroism and honor from the
history of our proud nation.
Student from. Scranton Prep
School
Griffin, Peni R. The
Ghost Sitter. New York.
Dutton’s Children’s Books, 2001. 0-525-46676-2.
131p. $14.99. Gr. 5-7. If
ghost stories are traditionally scary and hair raising, this one breaks the
mold. A tragic accident has taken
the life of 10 year old Susie shortly after World War II, but Susie doesn’t
realize she’s dead. She also doesn’t realize she’s a ghost. But, she’s a
non-threatening ghost, and what’s even better, she’s a great babysitter who
can be seen only by the youngest children whose families move into her old
house. When Charlotte and her
family move into Susie’s house 50 years after the accident, Charlotte and her
friend Shannon conjure up the invisible playmate of Charlotte’s baby brother.
In an investigative process that would make any librarian proud, Charlotte and
Shannon begin piecing clues together in an effort to send Susie to her eternal
rest. Although the loose ends are neatly tied up, Susie’s perspective on her
predicament is unique, haunting and poignant. Suspense. Rosanne
Zajko
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Among the Impostors. NY: Simon & Schuster, 2001. 0-689-83904-9.
176p. $16. Gr. 6-9. Set in the future, where it is illegal to have more than
two children because of limited food and resources, Luke Garner, a secret third
child, is sent to boarding school to hide him from the Population Police.
Once at Hendricks, Luke is subjected to hazing by his roommate and
ignored or yelled at by his teachers. Luke,
registered as Lee Grant, discovers that one of the boys is a spy for the
Population Police. How much has this spy learned about Luke?
Does Luke manage to thwart the spy plans? Your students will eagerly read
this to find out. Furturistic,
Interpersonal relationships, Boarding
School.
Sandra Krieg
Haddix,
Margaret Peterson. Takeoffs and
Landings. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2001.
0-689-83299-0. 208p. $16.00 Gr. 6-9. Confident and popular Lori and her
dumpy, insecure older brother Chuck unenthusiastically accompany their mother on
a business trip. Mom, a
motivational speaker who is always telling her audiences not to rush life, but
to take time to notice details before it is too late, doesn’t appear to be
heeding her own words. The kids feel that Mom is on the fast track and has
abandoned them for the more glamorous life. Spending time together on the trip
finally brings things to a head. Their dad died in an accident eight years
before and no one had truly come to grips with their feelings.
The story probes into family dynamics and honesty. Haddix makes these
concerns more accessible by letting Lori and Chuck each give their side of the
story. There are occasional
interjections from Mom’s point of view as well, which adds to the integrity of
the story. This book would be well directed to students with those concerns, but
even the general reader will come away with insight. Family Relations
Jeannie Bellavance
Hansen, Joyce. One
True Friend. New York: Clarion
Books, 2001. 0-395-84983-7. 154p.
$14.00. Gr. 6-10. Amir and Doris discover the true meaning of family
as they correspond over a 5-month period. After
the death of his parents, 14 year old Amir is sent from home to home until he
locates and moves in with his youngest brother and his foster parents. His
ultimate goal is to reunite his brothers and sisters and live with his aunt and
uncle. His challenge is to find
them. Doris faces the difficulty of
betraying a friend to save her from drugs.
Through their letters, Amir and Doris help each other make wise decisions
and understand what they really want from life.
Michelle Stone
Harrar, George.
Parents Wanted. Canada:
Milkweed Editions, 2001. 1-57131-633-7. 239p.
$17.95.
Gr.
5-7.
Twelve-year-old Andy Fleck has lived in more foster
homes that he cares to remember. He
suffers from ADD and has difficulty adapting to new situations.
The Sizeracy's are a loving couple, eager to have Andy come live with
them. Will Andy be able to trust
them? Do the Sizeracy's have enough
love and patience to help a boy as needy and obstinate as Andy? This book is
well written and the plot moves along quickly.
Judy High,
Arcadia University
Harrison, Michael.
Facing the Dark. Holiday
House, 1999. 0-823401491-4. 129p.
$15.95.
Gr. 5-9. Told in a voice that
alternates between the daughter of the victim and the son of the accused, Facing
the Dark draws the reader into a tense novel of deception. On the surface it
appears that Charley's (Charlotte's) father has been murdered as the result of
road rage. The most obvious clues point to Simon's father as perpetrator of the
crime. It has also been suggested that Simon's father, owner of a cab company,
has committed the murder in an attempt at a hostile takeover of his rival's
company. Neither Charley nor Simon believes that the police have gathered all of
the evidence. Charley has a different suspect in mind, while Simon has witnessed
important evidence deliberately being destroyed-evidence that could possibly
clear his father. After several awkward encounters, Charley and Simon decide to
join forces to clear Simon's father and bring the real criminal to justice.
British vocabulary, reflective of the setting, may require some
explanation. Mystery and
Detective Elizabeth McChesney
Hautman, Pete. Hole
in the Sky. New
York : Simon & Schuster, 2001. 0-689-83118-8. 179p. $16.00. Gr. 9-12
. A new twist of post-apocalypse science fiction.
A deadly form of the flu has wiped out 90% of Earth’s population.
Those who survive live in isolated areas, fearful of strangers and
infection. A small percentage have
survived the disease, but these Survivors all bear the some mental or physical
disability. The remnants of
Ceej’s family and friends try to hold out against the Survivors who seem bent
on destroying them. A fast,
compelling read. Science Fiction
Pat Naismith
Hauptman, Pete. Hole in the Sky. New York:
Simon & Schuster, 2001.0-689-83118-8. 179p. $16.00. Gr.
7-12.
In the year 2028, the virulent Grunseth’s Flu
devastates most of the world’s population save for a few “lucky”
Survivors. With only the
transcendent Grand Canyon as a guide, Ceej Kane experiences both a physical
trial and a spiritual calling as he traverses the eerie landscape with his
friend Tom in search of his missing uncle and sister.
Along the way, Ceej meets a young Hopi girl who lures him toward a
sarcred place free of disease and full of hope. Have the Kinka, a cult of Survivors who seek to infect
others, captured Ceej’s uncle and sister?
Science fiction, Dystopia, New Age
Laura Brooks, Drexel Intern.
Herman, John. Labyrinth. New York: Philomel, 2001.
0-399-23571-X. 188p. $17.99.
Gr 9-12.
Unhappy at home after the death of his father, Gregory begins hanging out
with Jed, a delinquent who plans to leave town on his motorcycle with his girl
Virginia, to whom Gregory is also attracted. Gregory tells Jed about his strange
dreams and then agrees to steal money and guns to get the trip started.
Alternating with this story is the tale of Gregor, one of the Golden Ten teens
selected every 10 years to go to a neighboring country. Although his mother
denies the honor and strongly opposes the trip, Gregor joins the other nine on
the ship. The two stories are eerily similar yet different and spiral closer
together in two action-packed adventures that end in confrontation with the
monster in the labyrinth. This cleverly constructed easy-to-read page-turner can
be enjoyed on three levels: action, psyche, and adaptation of the
Minotaur myth.
Eleanor Howe
Hesse, Karen. Witness. New York: Scholastic
Press, 2001. 161p. $16.95. 0-439-27199-1. Gr. 8+.
Witness provides a look into prejudice and hate in a small
Vermont town through the eyes of various residents. The unique format of the book provides some interest to the
reader but can be hard to follow due to the variety of characters and the varying
frequency of their appearances. In
addition, characters lack strong characterization within the monologues.
Some events in the book are clouded with ambiguity and lack the graphic
details needed to properly portray the horror of hate.
This lace of detail along with inadequate characterization leave the
reader emotionally removed from the story and its characters.
Student
from Springfield Twp High School, Mont. Co.
Hill, Pamela Smith. The Last Grail Keeper. New
York: Holiday House, 2001. 0-8234-15740.
223p. $17.95. Gr. 6-10.
Arthurian legend combines with time travel, as Morgan le Fey seeks the help
of 16-year-old Felicity Jones in an effort to keep the Holy Grail out of the
hands of evil people who intend to exploit it. Felicity has accompanied her
mother, renowned medieval studies scholar Dr. Vanessa Jones, to Glastonbury Tor,
formerly known as Avalon. Felicity is more intent on studying for her driver’s
license, in spite of the flashes of ESP that she does not believe are real. When
Morgan makes a dramatic entry into Felicity’s life, Felicity begins to
understand that what she thinks is ESP may be something more significant and
powerful. Through Morgan, Felicity comes to understand that not only is she
descended from the Grail Keepers, whose mission is to preserve the Holy Grail
throughout time, but that she is the chosen Grail Keeper of the present time.
Her mission is to keep the dastardly 20th century version of
Mordred from destroying the newly discovered Grail. A knowledge of Arthurian
legend is not essential, as the time travel, the struggle of good versus evil,
and Felicity’s conversa-tional tone and reactions to situations combine to
produce fast paced page turner. Fantasy
Rosanne Zajko
Hobbs, Valerie.
Tender. New York: Frances
Foster Books, 2001. 0-374-37397-3.
245p. $18.00.
Gr. 7-10. Fifteen year old Liv
is a typical non-conformist New York City teen from black makeup to black
leather. When her grandmother/caregiver suddenly dies, Liv is sent to California
to live with her estranged father. She learns to work through her anger and
grief while adjusting to her new life. Don't let the title scare away the boys,
it refers to the job of 'tending' to a diver.
Michelle Stone
Horsley, Kate. Confessions of a Pagan Nun: A Novel. Boston:
Shambhala, 2001. 1-57062-719-3.
191p. $19.95. Gr. 10-adult.
Gynneve, a former druid and unbaptized nun at the St. Brigid convent in
Ireland, writes her memoirs as she transcribes the classics and prepares to meet
an uncertain fate at the hands of a zealous monk. On one level the novel is a
depiction of Ireland when Christianity replaced the druids and Gwynneve’s
adjustment to a changing world; on a deeper level, it is also her search for
wisdom and understanding of human life and suffering and her journey into and
beyond rigid beliefs. Her values settle on kindness and love for mate and
parents. This is a very well-written unusual novel for the reflective reader who
enjoys historical fiction.
Eleanor Howe
Horvath, Polly.
Everything on a Waffle. New
York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2001. 0-374-32236-8.149p. $16. Gr. 6-8.
Newbery honor book, 2002. Orphaned at 11 years old, Primrose
has a lot to deal with. Everyone thinks she is in denial about her parents' death,
but she knows they are simply stranded on a deserted island.
She moves from the babysitter's to her uncle's and finally to a foster
home while maintaining her faith in her parents eventual return, and her
sometimes disturbing honesty. Through
it all, she has a friend in the owner of a restaurant that serves
"everything on a waffle". Everyone
but Primrose is shocked when her parents return.
Each chapter closes with an interesting recipe.
This is a quick moving adventure about hope.
Adventure
Michelle Stone
Houston, James D.
Snow Mountain Passage: A Novel.
New York: Knopf, 2001. 0-375-41103-8.
317p. $24.
This novel is about the Donner Party as told through the eyes of James Reed
and his daughter Patty. They were
exiled from the party after he accidentally killed one of its members.
He managed to make it over the Sierras, but others did not. Along with
more than 80 stranded emigrants, they erected crude cabins below the summit and
settled in for a long winter of hunger, cold, madness and cannibalism.
The story is told through his daughter Patty’s eyes and from the
perspective of James Reed who attempts to rescue the stranded people.
The story uses trail notes by his daughter Patty that were written when
she was in her seventies. This is a
very well-written historical novel
that will capture the interest of readers. Donner
Party Peg Kleppinger
Howland, Ethan. The
Lobster War. Chicago: Cricket Books, 2001. 0-8126-2800-4. 146p. $15.95.
Gr. 5-9.
Set on the coast of Maine, two brothers face the future after their father
dies. Dain wants to be a lobster fisherman and his mother hopes
that he will go to college and leave fishing.
Eddie is a high school dropout who seems destined to make poor choices.
Their relationship with their mother is fractured by her demand that Dain
go to college and her poor relationship with her eldest son. The reader will be
captured by the description of the sea, lobster fishing and the danger the young
protagonist faces in a dramatic sea rescue.
Dain is faced with many choices about his future that he gradually sorts
them out in this novel. Young Adult Fiction
Peg Kleppinger
Ibbotson, Eva. Dial-a-Ghost.
New York: Dutton, 2001. 0-525-46693-2.
256p. $15.99. Gr. 5-8. Where do ghosts go to find places to haunt when
they’ve been displaced, why to the Dial-a-Ghost Agency.
And if you need a place haunted just come by and speak to Miss Pringle
and Miss Mannnering, who will find the perfect ghost for you.
This worked well until the Snodde-Brittles show up looking for a horrible
ghost to haunt their manor…the only problem is that the manor really belongs
to their young nephew and he is afraid of loud, strange noises.
The reader will be caught up in the series of strange and humorous
mishaps that make up this tale.
Fantasy, Ghosts.
Sandra Krieg
Jacques,
Brian. Castaways
of the Flying Dutchman. New
York: Philomel Books, 2001.
0399236015. 32 p. $22.95.
Gr.
6-10.
This book is about a boy named Neb and his talking
dog, Den, who are the only survivors of the famous Flying Dutchman.
After the shipwreck, an angel gives them the gift of never aging or dying.
He goes throughout history helping people in need until he hears the
sound of a bell, which means he must move on.
In 1896, he goes to a little English town called Chapelvale, and is pulled
into a mystery which could save the town from being destroyed.
This is a very enjoyable book to read.
Jacques’ writing is easy to follow.
His colorful writing creates vivid images and allows us to understand
the characters. The absorbing plot
takes us through a treasure hunt filled with riddles and non-violent confrontations
with a local gang. The characters are unique and interesting.
It is suspenseful and keeps you interested from the adventure-filled
beginning to the satisfying end. I
think that people of all ages should read this book.
Fantasy.
Student
from, Franklin Regional Middle School
Jenkins, A.M. Damage.
New York: Harper Collins, 2001.