PSLA 

    YA TOP FORTY

FICTION 2003 TITLES

 

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi.  Purple Hibiscus.  Chapel Hill: Algonquin, 2003.  1-56512-387-5.  307p.  $23.95.  Gr. 9+.

Ms. Adichie grew up in Nigeria and her novel is set in the city of Enugu.  Kambili and her brother, Jaja, have been raised in an upper class home with their father, who is an out-of-control religious fanatic.  He terrorizes his family through verbal and physical abuse.  Each day he gives Kambili and Jaja a strict schedule of study and demands that they must be #1 in their classes.  He brutally beats his wife and children if they do not meet his expectations.  Kambili and Jaja are allowed to visit their aunt in a small community where they see how others in Nigeria are living and they quietly begin to rebel against their father’s rules.  They meet their grandfather, aunt and cousins and want to be part of the family and the cultural traditions they have been denied.  This causes much discord in the family, and eventually, their mother after years of abuse and desperation, responds.  The civil unrest in Nigeria also plays an important part in the development of this novel.  Family relationships.                       Peg Kleppinger

 

Albom, Mitch.  Five People You Meet in Heaven.  New York: Hyperion, 2003.  0-7868-6871-6.  198p.  $19.95.  Gr. 9+.                                                           
The author of Tuesdays with Morrie, presents wounded war hero and amusement park repairman, Eddie.  Through Eddie’s death on his 83rd birthday, we travel back to previous birthdays and begin to understand the connections in our own lives, how heaven may provide answers to many the mysteries we face in life.  In Albom’s heaven, five people meet you to illuminate those mysteries through the stories they tell.  Fable/Parable.                      Joyce Valenza

 

Alexie, Sherman. Ten Little Indians.  New York: Grove Press, 2003.  0-8021-1744-9.  243p.  $24.90.  Gr. 9+. 

A lyric and haunting collection of short stories.  The “little Indians” are mostly Spokane, and the majority of tales take place in the Pacific Northwest, but the emotions are universal to all.  Beautiful, sad, and poetic, this collection easily rivals his two previous, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven and The Toughest Indian in the World.  Multicultural.

                                                                                                                                                                Pat Naismith

 

Alphin, Elaine Marie.  Picture Perfect. New York: First Avenue Editions, 2003.  0822505355.  244p. $15.95. Gr. 8-12.

Ian and Teddy are best friends.  Teddy goes missing and, one by one, more people start to disappear and Ian is blamed.  Teddy is looking for his father and many people think they know who it is.  This is an absolutely incredible, powerful book for students who like mystery and suspense.  Fiction/Suspense.                              PHS Student, 2004

 

Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia.  Hawksong. New York : Delacorte Press, 2003.  0-385-73071-3.  243 p.  Gr. 7-10.

The avians and the serpiente have long been enemies.  War is all they have ever known.  Can Danica trust Zane enough to enter into the union that may save both their people?  A spell-binding fantasy.                                                                 Pat Naismith

 

Ayres, Katherine.  Macaroni Boy.  New York: Delacorte Press, 2003.  0-385-73016-0.  182p.  $15.95.  Gr. 7-10.

Based on historical facts from the Great Depression, this story is about Mike, a boy whose family is struggling to make it in the food business in Pittsburgh.  Mike has to deal with many problems: his grandfather is getting forgetful, and sometimes gets into trouble; he is the target of a bully at school who also tries to smear the family's business; he is disturbed by the hoboes that appear near his family's business; and he is upset by the number of dead rats that are suddenly appearing everywhere.  Mike tries to find out why the rats are dying at the same time as he is trying to keep an eye on his grandfather, and avoid Andy Simms, the bully at school. Mike knows that there is a connection between his grandfather's illness and the rats' deaths; by the end of the story, he has traced the problem to the rivers that run through downtown Pittsburgh.  This an accurate and interesting historical novel, and will be even more fascinating to those who know Pittsburgh.  Historical Novel.                 Nancy Chrismer

 

Ayres, Katherine.  Macaroni Boy.  New York: Delacorte Press, 2003.  0-385-73016-0.  182p.  $15.95.  Gr. 5-10.

Pennsylvania author Katherine Ayres has come up with yet another winning novel.  Set in Pittsburgh during the Depression era, this is a story about a young boy named Mike Costa, whose family owns a local food distributing company.   He has to endure being called Macaroni Boy by his archenemy until things get worse and he is next called Rat Boy.  It’s true that there are rats everywhere and people, including his beloved grandfather, are becoming strangely ill.  But it’s not true that Mike or his family have anything to do with it.  Proving this is a challenge and getting to the real truth makes for an exciting, adventurous read.      Joanie Marstiller

 

Bear, Greg.  Darwin's Children.  New York: Ballantine, 2003.  0-345-44835-9.  387p.  $24.95.  Gr. 9+. 

Geneticist Kaye Lang and archeologist Mitch Rafelson have been hiding their daughter, Stella, part of a new breed of children who were born to mothers infected with the SHEVA retrovirus.  When the U.S. government captures Stella, along with a group of other “virus children” it becomes a race against time to save her and the other children who begin dying from a mysterious ailment.  A science fiction thriller sequel to the Nebula Award-winning Darwin's Radio. Science Fiction.           Pat Naismith

 

Bedard, Michael. The Painted Wall: and Other Strange Tales. New York: Tundra Books, 2003.  0-88776-652-8.  109p. $16.95.  Gr. 4-8.

A collection of seventh century Chinese folk and fairy tales adapted into delightful 2-4 page stories that read like fables. Multicultural Story Collection.                            Michelle Stone

 

Bell, Hilari.  Flame.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003.  0-689-85413-7.  343p.  $16.95.  Gr. 6-10. 

Three stories unfold and intertwine in this first installment of the Book of the Sorahb trilogy.  Soraya, escapes being given as a sacrifice to the gods, Jiann struggles to be a warrior, Kavi becomes a reluctant spy.  The strands of these three stories will converge as the Hrum vanquish Farsala, and the subjugated wish for the mythical Sorahb, a warrior who will rescue the Farsala.  Persian myth is interwoven throughout this complex fantasy.  Fantasy.                                                       Pat Naismith

                                                                                                               

 

Benduhn, Tea.  Gravel Queen.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003.  0-689-84994-X.  152p.  $15.95.  Gr. 9-12.

In this coming of age story, Aurin, Kenney, and Fred just want to hang out and have fun during the summer before their senior year.  Their story is told as Aurin sees life--as though seen through the lens of a camera.  When her “camera” focuses on Neila, she realizes that she is attracted to her in ways that she has never felt before and must deal with the emotions that ensue.  This is a respectful treatment friendship, love, and sexual identity.  Realistic Fiction             Elizabeth McChesney

 

Boushell, Mike.  Gridiron Hero.  Unionville, NY: Fireworks Press, 2003.  0-88092-601-5.  157p. $12.00.  Gr. 6-9. 

Bo James is the star player of a football team who trains hard for the upcoming season.  He runs into a few problems but still has a great season.  I liked this book because it was realistic and I was able to imagine what I was reading.  This is a good book for students who are into sports and a good choice for students who like sports but do not like reading as much.                                                 Palisades High School Student

 

Boyle, T.C.  Drop City.  New York: Viking, 2003.  0-670-03172-0.  444p.  $25.95.  Gr. 10-12. 

T.C. Boyle's novel centers around a commune of hippies in 1970 who value free love, brotherhood and sisterhood, and a back to nature lifestyle.  Boyle successfully conveys that their idealism does not always weigh in with reality.  Parallel to the commune storyline is another storyline of Alaskan's who live in the wilderness.  Sess Harder is a lonely young man who meets a woman who chooses to be his wife.  Sess and Pamela get married and begin to endure the hardships of the wilderness together.  Very shortly after they are married, the Drop City commune relocates to Alaska and becomes Pamela and Sess's neighbors.  The two worlds intertwine and similarities and differences become apparent in very interesting ways.  Drop City is a wonderful novel that many students would enjoy.  Although the content of this book is pretty subtle, the jacket cover will attract much commentary.      Fiction                                                                         Karen Hornberger

 

Bradbury, Ray.  Bradbury Stories: 100 of His most Celebrated Tales.  New York: HarperCollins, 2003.  0-06-054242X.  893p.  $29.95.  Gr. 9-12.

This volume is a gem, a must for short story collections and for Bradbury fans.  Ray Bradbury himself chose the stories for this collection, and they truly are some of his best.  The stories range from the mundane to the fantastic, and in each of them, Bradbury demonstrates the complexity of the human condition and showcases the varieties of human emotion.  This collection will definitely leave the reader much to ponder.  Fiction/Short Stories.                                    Nancy Chrismer      

 

Bradshaw, Gillian. Cleopatra's Heir.  New York: Forge, 2002.  0-765-300228-4.  447p.  $25.95.  Gr. 10-12.

In this gripping historical novel, Caesarion, the son of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, survives an assassination attempt that kills all the others in the camp where he was sent by his mother to escape the conflict in Alexandria. Wounded, suffering from epileptic seizures, and lost, Caesarion's life is saved by Ani, a merchant trader who finds him and takes him along on his journey, not knowing his true identity.  Betrayed by his tutor, Caesarion can find no friends, no help, and no support, but he does find many who want to kill him, in an Egypt taken over by the Roman enemies who have caused his mother to commit suicide.  He changes his name to Arion and stays hidden with Ani and his family until he can make decisions about his future. He also falls in love with the trader's daughter, Melanthe, who does not know his true identity. Filled with adventure, betrayal, friendship, romance, and much more, fans of historical novels will like this one.  Historical Fiction.                                                                                Nancy Chrismer

  

Brandis, Marianne.  The Quarter-Pie Window.  New York: Tundra Books, 2003.  0-88776-624-2.  225p.  $9.95. Gr. 5-8.

When Emma’s parents die, she and her brother must go to live and work for an aunt they barely know. The author’s vivid descriptions of country life (Upper Canada, 1830’s) and carefully drawn characters pull the reader into this book, which won the 1986 Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award. Historical Fiction.        Candy Blessing

 

Brandis, Marianne. The Quarter-Pie Window.  New York: Tundra Books, 2003.  0-88776-624-2.  225p.  $9.95.  Gr. 5-8.

Winner of the 1986 Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award and sequel to The Tinderbox.  Set in 1830 Canada, 14-year-old Emma and her little brother, John, go to live with their cold-hearted Aunt after their parents’ death. The children struggle to make a new life, Emma working as a chambermaid in their Aunt’s hotel, and John working in a livery stable.  Historical.                                                                                                                                          Michelle Stone

 

Brashares, Ann. The Second Summer of the Sisterhood.  New York: Delacorte, 2003.  0-385-72934-0.  373p.  $15.95 Gr. 8-12. 

The four friends and one pair of pants are back in this very satisfying sequel to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.  The four friends once again share the magical pants over a summer filled with many changes and emotional growth.  A prologue helps to bring the uninitiated up to date.  One hopes for at least one more summer as good as this one.                  Pat Naismith

 

Bray, Libba. A Great and Terrible Beauty.   New York: Delacorte Press, 2003.  0-385-90161-5.  403p.  $16.95.  Gr. 9-12.

A Great and Terrible Beauty is a lush novel reminiscent of Victorian writing. Gemma is a teenage girl who has mystical powers that are awakened after a family tragedy.  Her powers bring her much fear, as they are associated with an evil, supernatural force.  After leaving India, her home, Gemma befriends a group of girls in her boarding school.  Much of the story details life at Spence Academy, a school for “proper” girls.  Although the girls are receiving a strict Victorian education, their dream lives revolve around their sexual appetites, and knowledge of the “Order,” an ancient group of women with gothic powers.  Gemma learns to embrace her powers while dealing with a creature that wishes to bring pain to the world.  Readers will applaud her triumphs in this coming of age thriller. Supernatural Fiction/Historical Fiction.                                          Ilene Goldis                                                                                                                                       

Bray, Libba.  A Great and Terrible Beauty.  New York: Delacorte Press, 2003.  0-385-73028-4.  403p.  $16.95.   Gr. 9-12. 

This book takes place in 1895 in England.  After her mother’s mysterious death in India, sixteen-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off to an English boarding school whose mission is to prepare girls for marriage to wealthy men.  At first, she is picked on by a group of catty girls, but Gemma possesses magical powers that enable her to turn the tables on them.  Soon, a select group of four begins to leave school in the middle of the night for a cave off-campus where the girls enter into another dimension and where their most fervent wishes are granted.  When tragedy results from their dalliance into forbidden territory, lives are changed forever. This is an excellent page-turner sure to appeal to most teenage girls with its themes of Popularity, Peer-Pressure, The Supernatural, and Romance.                                                             Pat Bender

 

Brennan, Herbie.  Faerie Wars.  New York: Bloomsbury, 2003. 1-58234-810-3.  365p.  $17.95.  Gr. 5-8.
Escaping a sticky family situation, Henry Atherton helps Mr. Fogarty clean up around his house.  He soon discovers Pyrgus Malvae, crown prince of the Faerie realm, who has escaped the Faeries of the Night by traveling to the human world through a trapped lightening-powered portal.  Can Pyrgus get back to the Faerie world before his enemies take over and kill him?  There’s lots of action and intriguing characters for fantasy fans as the two worlds intersect.   Fantasy.                                Joyce Valenza

 

Britain, Kristen.  First Rider's Call.  New York: DAW Books, 2003.  0-7564-0209-3.  639p.  $24.95.  Gr.  9-12.

This exciting and fast-moving fantasy will be eagerly read by fans of Britain's first book, Green Rider, as well as by fantasy fans who like a great deal of action and adventure.  Although it is a sequel to Green Rider, it easily stands alone.  Karigan G'ladheon is one of the king's elite magical messengers who must help to save the kingdom from the ancient evil of Mornhaven the Black, who is threatening the kingdom with death and destruction. She must use all of her talents, magical abilities, as well as her compassion and goodness, because evil is invading the kingdom through a breach in the magical wall, the D'Yer Wall, which has protected the kingdom until now.  Karigan must help to save the Wall and the D'Yer family, the only ones who can repair it, as Mornhaven's dark magic and evil forces work against her and against her king, King Zachary. The story is filled with friendship and treachery, sorrow and joy, success and failure, good ghosts and evil humans, and much more. This is a definite purchase for fantasy fans.  Fantasy.          Nancy Chrismer

 

Brooks, Kevin.  Lucas. New York: Scholastic, 2003.  0-439-45698-3.  423p.  $16.95.  Gr. 8-12.

Caitlin tells of her life when 15-year-old Lucas comes to live on her close-knit island.  Many of the community try to run him out.  They throw rocks, and call him names just because he is different.  When he finally leaves, Caitlin is deeply sorrowed because Lucas is everything she wants to be: honest, brave, and free.  This is a good story about love and hate.  Realistic, Coming-of-age, Prejudice.                                                                                                                                                           Liz T., 8th grade, SRMS

 

Brooks, Martha.  True Confessions of a Heartless Girl.  New York:  Farrar, 2003.  0-374-37806-1.  181p.  $16.00.  Gr. 9+.

17-year-old Noreen is a completely troubled (and pregnant) young woman.  She leaves her current boyfriend, stealing his money and his truck, and finds her way to a rundown café owned by single Mom, Lynda.   Noreen continues to find trouble--feeding the family dog a chicken bone, setting fire to the home she is generously given to use.  In her flashbacks we are exposed to actions caused by severe depression and the rage she feels for her parents.  The small Canadian town around her has its own nightmares, but its love and the power of its community heals.  A moving novel about forgiveness and love with compelling characters stumbling through their own tragedies.  Realistic.                                               Joyce Valenza

 

Brown, Dan.  The Da Vinci Code: A Novel.  NY: Doubleday, 2003.   0-385-51375-5.  454p.  $32.50.  Gr. 10+. 

What do the Mona Lisa and the Holy Grail have in common? Professor Robert Langdon believes everything is interconnected but not necessarily visible, and so it would seem in this novel of suspense and enlightenment. The professor is the prime suspect in the murder of the Curator of the Louvre Museum, a man he has never met.  Trapped in the museum, he cleverly escapes with cryptologist Sophie Neveu who tells him that in France one is guilty until proven innocent.  Thus begins a suspenseful cat-and-mouse tale through Paris, Swiss bank vaults, and old churches in England and Scotland.  Also involved are two secret Christian societies in quest of the Holy Grail.  Most interesting are the tidbits of information about cryptology, symbology, the history of Christianity, feminology, and Da Vinci. There are anagrams to solve and clues to follow.  Short chapters make this easy bedtime reading but you won’t want to turn out the light. This is a real page-turner for suspense and a real eye-opener for ideas. One sex scene may be objectionable for some readers. Highly recommended. Suspense, Secret Societies.                                                                                                                                               Eleanor Howe

 

Brown, Don.  Our Time on the River.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.  0-618-31116-5.  135p.  $15.00.  Gr. 7-10. 

In the midst of the Vietnam War, David, a young college student, feels that it is his duty to support his country and surprises his family by enlisting.  His father is proud, but his mother is panic - stricken.  After David completes his training, he returns home for a few weeks prior to his assignment in Vietnam.  During this time, David is asked by his father to take his younger brother on a canoeing trip down the Susquehanna River.  Due to a significant difference in age, the brothers do not know each other very well and neither is thrilled about their trip.  On the trip, the brothers come to understand and like each other, changing their relationship forever.  This is a wonderful coming of age novel as well as a historical fiction novel.  Don Brown captures and retains the reader from page one until the end.  A quality family story unfolds along with an effective feel for the issues of the era.  Unfortunately, the cover art is not as appealing as other novels, but the size of this novel does make it a perfect choice for reluctant readers.  Historical Fiction.       Karen Hornberger

 

Brubaker Bradley, Kimberly.  For Freedom: the Story of a French Spy.  New York:  Delacorte Press, 2003.  0-385-72961-8.  181p.   $15.95.  Gr. 7-10. 

During World War II, Suzanne David is a young French girl whose life is innocent until the day she and a friend witness a horrifying act of war.  As a result, Suzanne's friend goes into severe depression, but Suzanne herself becomes stronger.  As the war progresses, her community changes and her family endures the hardships together.  Suzanne becomes an opera singer but is soon asked to work as a French spy.  Suzanne accepts and begins to run coded messages secretly.  It is exciting at the beginning but, after years of being a spy, anxiety begins to take hold.  This moving story is the tale of a brave young woman who many students will enjoy reading about.  The publisher claims that this is a true story written as a fiction title; it is a perfect historical fiction pick for middle school and high school students alike!  Fiction.               Karen Hornberger

 

Bruchac, Joseph.  The Warriors.  Plain City, OH: Darby Creek Publishing, 2003.  1-58196-002-6.  117p.  $15.95.  Gr.  5-9.

The cover and the title mark this as a “boy’s book”, but the unexpected contrast in masculine points of view make the main character one with whom girls can identify, too.  Jake is a Native American sixth grader who has grown up playing lacrosse, an important part of the Iroquois spiritual life.  His move to a lacrosse-mad private school in the D.C. area brings him up against racial misunderstandings and conflicting values.  New friends from Pakistan and Ghana enrich the racial and cultural tapestry of the story.  Coming of Age.                               Pam Kavanaugh

 

Bunting, Eve.  The Presence: A Ghost Story.  New York: Clarion Books, 2003.   0-618-26919.  195p.  $15.00.  Gr. 6-10.

Eve Bunting has written another page turning chiller. The Presence, a stranger who lures beautiful young girls to their deaths, has come for Catherine, a vulnerable seventeen year old who was almost killed in an auto accident in which her best friend died. Catherine believes that she may be going crazy, just as she did before. She finally gets the courage to confront the Presence in order to save another girl. In reality, Catherine saves herself.  Suspense/Ghost Stories, Reluctant Readers.                                                                        Ilene Goldis

 

Burt, Guy.  Sophie.  New York: Ballantine, 2003.  (First American Edition).  0-345-44659-3.  218p.  $12.95.  Gr. 9-12.       

In this tale of psychological horror, siblings Matthew and Sophie explore their troubled pasts.   Set in rural England, they grow up with a mentally ill mother and a mostly absent father in nearly complete freedom.  Sophie’s genius allows her to manipulate all the adults in her life.  Perspective shifts, and now 20 years later, with Matthew holding Sophie hostage in a chair in a dark room, he sees exactly who the sister he worshipped really is and who he himself has become.  A cleverly, dark tale with several exciting and creepy twists.  Suspense, Psychological.                                                                   Joyce Valenza

 

Butler, Dori Hillestad.  Sliding into Home.  Atlanta, GA:  Peachtree Publishers, Ltd., 2003.  1-56145-222-X.  215p.  $14.95.  Gr. 5-8.

Joelle is a thirteen-year-old All Star baseball player who moved with her family to Greendale, Iowa, where girls don’t play baseball.  Joelle has the opportunity to play softball, but as she patiently explains to anyone who will listen, softball and baseball are two separate sports, and she is not willing to settle for softball.  Joelle decides to strike out on her own and form a girl’s baseball league.  Her actions make her some surprising friends and enemies and polarize Greendale.  Joelle’s determination is admirable and single-minded, but it seems that her many obstacles conveniently melt away, thus making her establishment of the league seem too easy, too quick and unrealistic.  Despite this, Joelle is a role model for female athletes, and in a way presents a “how-to” manual for girls who want to form a league of their own.  Coming of Age.       Rosanne Zajko

 

Cadnum, Michael.  Ship of Fire.  New York: Viking, 2003.  0-670-89907-0.  197p.  $16.99.  Gr. 7+.

Based on actual events, Michael Cadnum has written the story of Thomas Spyre, a young apprentice surgeon who sailed with Sir Francis Drake.  He was present during Drake’s raid on the Spanish port of Cadiz.  The story of the 1587 attack has hand-to-hand combat and lots of adventure for readers. This fast-paced read will capture the adventure-seeking reader who enjoys historical fiction.   Historical Fiction                                                                                                               Peg Kleppinger

 

Cameron, Ann.  Colibri.  NY: Frances Foster Books; Farrar Strauss Giroux, 2003.  0-374-31519-1.  227p.  $17.00 Gr. 5-8.

Set in Guatemala, Colibri, which means Hummingbird, was kidnapped at the age of four.  Now a twelve-year-old called Rosa, she travels with “Uncle” who, because of a fortune-teller, believes that Colibri will lead him to a treasure.  While he does not physically abuse her, she is forced to beg and steal to support “Uncle.”  In Guatemala City, they visit another fortuneteller and Colibri asks for help in escaping.  The mysticism of the Guatemalan culture is brought to life as Cameron describes Colibri’s life and fading memories of her real family.  Add to your multi-cultural collections.  Guatemala, Kidnapping, Mayas.                                                                                                                                                           Sandra Krieg

 

Card, Orson Scott.  First Meetings in the Enderverse.  New York: TOR, 2003.  0-7653-0873-8.  208p.  Gr. 6+.

This book was somewhat a disappointment when compared to the rest of the ender saga.  But those who have read the rest of the saga would definitely want to read this since it adds to the story of ender by telling the stories first meetings as the title suggest.  This includes how Ender’s parents met as well as where his father not only came from but his first meeting with whom we know as Cornel Graff.  I say this was a disappointment because it felt like it was put together by the publisher just to have something out. Being constructed by some short stores, one of which was the original short story of ender before the novel was ever written.  For someone who has not read the rest of the saga, this is a story that makes little sense but to those who are huge fans of the saga, this is worth reading but be prepared for a disappointment.  Science Fiction.Mudassar M., Springfield High School (Delco)

 

Chen, Da.  Wandering Warrior.  New York: Delacorte, 2003.  0-385-90089-9.  322p.  $15.95.  Gr. 6-9.

Da Chen’s Wandering Warrior is a fictionalized account of the adventures of a young boy destined to be China’s future leader.  Luka is raised by a monk called Atami, with no knowledge of his parents, until the occupying Mogol forces capture the monk. Using kung fu taught by the later, Luka lands himself in prison searching for the monk, and discovers his guardian’s mentor, Gulan, who teaches him the art of Yin Gong. Using his new skills, Luka embarks on a desperate search for his guardian’s prison, even if it means facing his ultimate enemy. Da Chen did a fantastic job of including kung fu in his book, creating interesting characters, and setting the story in a significant historical period.  Kung Fu, Adventure, China.                                                                                                     R.Y. sixth grade, The Haverford School

 

                                                                                                                               

Cisneros, Sandra. Vintage Cisneros.  New York: Knopf Publishing Group, 2004.  1-40003-405-1. 198p.  $9.98 Gr. 9+.

A delicious way to read or reread the words of author, Sandra Cisnerous.  Very few writers are able to capture their cultural heritage the way that is done by this author.  She gives a vivid portrayal of the working class Latino experience. This edition contains excerpts from five novels.  Hispanic Americans-Fiction.                                                                  Ilene Goldis

 

Clarke, Arthur C. and Stephen Baxter.  Time's Eye.  New York: Ballantine, 2004.  0-345-45248-8.  337p.  $26.95.  Gr. 9+. 

The Eyes are everywhere.  To whom do they belong, and why has time been split, creating the not-so-peaceful coexistence of astronauts and UN peacekeepers from 2037, Genghis

Khan, Alexander the Great and Rudyard Kipling and a British Army battalion in the ancient city of Babylon.  An excellent collaboration by two sci-fi greats, with a “Time Odyssey”

sequel to follow.  Does for time what 2001: A Space Odyssey did for space.  Science Fiction.                               Pat Naismith

 

Clarke, Judith.  Starry Nights.  Asheville, NC: Front Street, 2003.  1-886910-82-0.  148p.  $15.95.  Gr. 5-8.

Clarke has deftly written a suspenseful ghost story, keeping the threads separate until nearly the end, when readers piece together the clues and are surprised and moved by what they discover.  Ten-year-old Jess has an older sister, Vida, and older brother, Clem.  Their mother, Sarah, has had an emotional breakdown that has disrupted the family.  The events leading up to Sarah’s emotional breakdown are not fully explained although Vida is angry and guilty and feels responsible for her mother’s condition.  Their father moved the family to a new home in hopes of escaping the bad memories responsible for Sarah’s condition.  But something is not right at the new home and Jess suspects that the home is haunted by a ghost.  Vida’s attempts at contacting the spirit world are unsuccessful, and although the ghost of a young girl has appeared to Jess and Clem, neither discusses the apparition with the others.  The ghost helps the family break down the wall of silence and come to grips with tragedy and grief and to move on in peace with their lives.  Although Sarah’s recovery is too abrupt to be medically believable, in the spirit world anything is possible.   Ghost stories/Interpersonal relationships.                      Rosanne Zajko

    

 Colfer, Eoin.   Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code.  New York: Miramax Books, 2003.  0-7868-1815-8.  309p.  $7.99 Gr. 5-9.

Our favorite teenage criminal, Artemis Fowl, is back plotting and scheming.  Artemis has promised his father, who has returned after five years in prison to stop his criminal acts. Having set his current plan in action before his father’s return, Artemis decides to go through with it before retiring from his life of crime.  Using stolen fairy technology to create a supercomputer called the C Cube, Artemis demonstrates its technology to Jon Spiro, the president of Fission Cubes.  Spiro double crosses Artemis, shoots Butler (Artemis’s bodyguard), and steals the C Cube.  Once again, Fairy Captain Holly Short is called into action to help Artemis out of his dilemma.  Colfer’s fast-paced humorous story is full of well fleshed out characters that will appeal to a wide range of readers.  Adventure, Fairies, Magic.                                                      Sandra Krieg

 

Collins, Pat Lowery.  The Fattening Hut.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.  0-618-30955-1.  186p.  $15.00.  Gr. 9-12.

The fattening hut—where young girls in Helen’s village are sent to gorge on their favorite foods until they are heavy enough to be considered marriageable.  Female circumcism—the horrible secret of what ultimately happens in the fattening hut.  It is knowledge of the truth that causes Helen to flee for her life, with the hope of escaping not only the hut, but also the island community and its superstitious initiation rites.  Compelling, but not graphic.  Realistic Fiction          Elizabeth McChesney

 

Cook, Lorna J.  Departures.  New York: St. Martin’s, 2003.  0-312-32128.  242 p.  $22.95.  Gr. 10+.

At first appearance, the VanderZees seem like a perfect middle class family: four kids, two parents, including an unemployed volunteering mom who is a lapsed artist.  But as the story unfolds through the eyes, hearts, and minds of the two teens, there are cracks beneath the surface, especially from the tumultuous teens themselves.  Suzen, 17 and about to graduate from high school, has no plans for college, is distancing herself from her mother, and is trying to determine her gender orientation.  Evan, 15, dreaming of spending a year in Italy and envisioning himself a hero, is infatuated with the new girl at school who has very loose morals.  The major characters are well developed and while each is likeable, each has flaws.  Both Suzen’s and Evan’s first steps beyond the family are unsuccessful, and their interpretations of their parents turn out to be more dramatic than accurate.  Suzen and Evan are typical teens that bring chaotic feelings to ordinary problems as they try to develop independence and become adults. These teens and their family become one of your own.

Coming of age.                                                                                                                                                                     Eleanor Howe

 

Coonts, Stephen.  Victory.  New York: Forge, 2003.  0312874626.  768p.  $27.95. Gr. 10-12.

This book has 10 different war stories in it, told by different Russian, German, French and American soldiers and pilots during the World Wars.  Each adventurous story relays how the soldiers and pilots accomplished their missions.  I enjoyed this book and the action within it.  People getting killed in order to support their mission, pilots risking their lives to steal the first jet all made the book very entertaining.  The reader should be mature enough to deal with the realities of war and close hand to hand combat.  This is a great book for high school libraries.                                                      Palisades High School Student

 

Creech, Sharon. The Wanderer. Waterville, ME: Thorndike Press, 2003 (Large Print Edition).  0-7862-6186-2.  295p.  $23.95.  Gr. 5-8.

The 2001 Newberry Honor book is available in large print.  13-year-old Sophie sails across the ocean with her uncles and cousins.  On route, she and her cousin Cody record their thoughts and experiences through journal entries.  The trip brings back Sophie’s repressed memories of her parents’ death.  Realistic.                                       Michelle Stone                                                                                                                                                    

Crist-Evans, Craig.  Amaryllis.  Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2003.  0-7636-1863-2.  184p.  $15.99.  Gr. 9+.

A wonderful story that will appeal not only to boys and girls but their parents as well.  To escape an abusive father, eighteen- year-old Frank Staples signs up to fight in the Vietnam War.  Through a series of letters to his younger brother, Jimmy, one can see his despair and slow descent into heroin.  When Frank is declared MIA in action, Jimmy blames his father but soon begins to see the guilt his father is carrying.  Readers will get a true sense of what life was like in this country during this era.  Family.                          Donna Darmofal

 

Cronin, Thomas W.  Give Us This Mars.  Canada: Tharsis Books, 2002.  0-9687502-1-4.  470p.  $25.95.  Gr. 9+.

This timely book chronicles the tale of survivors of a failed mission who end up on Mars and their struggle to survive.  This is a sequel to As It Is On Mars and takes place ten years later.  When the U. S. and E. U. discover their survival, a battle breaks out to rescue them and claim their wealthy resources.  Science fiction buffs and students interested in space travel will find this book exciting and insightful.  Great read.  Science fiction.                                                                    Donna Darmofal

 

Curley, Marianne. The Dark. New York: Bloomsbury, 2003.  1-58234-853-7.  334p.  $16.95.  Gr. 7-12.

Ethan and Isabel risk their lives as members of a specially gifted group called the Named in order to rescue their 600-year-old mentor Arkarian from the Order of Chaos.  Without Arkarian the world will be subject to whatever evils the goddess Lathenia may desire. Every bit as compelling as the first in the series, The Named, it is not necessary to read the first book to enjoy this sequel.  Historical time travel fantasy.                                                                                                   Elizabeth McChesney

 

Deans, Sis Boulos.  Every Day and All the Time.  New York: Holt, 2003.  0-8050-7337.  234p.  $16.95.  Gr. 6-9.

As they drove home from a swim meet, Emily’s father skidded on ice, causing her older brother’s death and leaving her with serious leg injuries. Her mother retreats more deeply into her work, her dad is drinking and unable to write; Emily gives up swimming but attempts to keep up with her ballet, finding a connection to her brother in the basement where she practices.  A realistic look at coping with the loss of a sibling, I recommend this one to middle school girls. Family.          Candy Blessing

 

Deuker, Carl. High Heat.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.  0-618-31117-3.  277p.  $16.00.  Gr. 6-12.

Anger, frustration, and loss mark Shane Hunter’s life after his father commits suicide.  Life is totally different for Shane, who had been a star pitcher at the prestigious Shorelake Academy.  An angry pitch nearly ruins his life again.  What innate values emerge in the face of tragedy?  Shane is a worker.  With the warm support of his new team and coach Shane makes some wiser decisions   Deuker offers sensitive story with strong sports writing that will satisfy many types of readers.  Family life, parental suicide, sports.  

Jeannie Bellavance

 

Dewey, Jennifer Owings.  Minik’s Story.  New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2003.   0-7614-5134-X.  139p.  $15.95.  Gr. 5-10.

Minik, an Inuit girl, is coming-of-age in the late 19th century. The only Dog Children (white people) the Inuit see are occasional Whalers.  When an unwelcome priest comes to live in the tribe, the conflicts begin. The fascinating Inuit culture and history are described throughout the story. Historical, Coming-of–age.                                                             Michelle Stone

 

Dickinson, Peter.  Tears of the Salamander.  NY: Wendy Lamb Books, 2003.  0-385-73098-5.  197p.  $16.95.  Gr. 6+.

When the family bakery burns down, killing all of Alfredo’s family, Alfredo’s happy existence of singing in the church choir and tending the fire of the bakery ovens is brought to an end.  His estranged Uncle Goirgio comes to Tuscany to claim Alfredo and take him back to the family home.  Alfredo comes to see his uncle as an evil man exploiting the tears of the salamander to obtain wealth and power. Giorgio turns the tears into gold and a potion that will allow him to live forever.  However, Goirgio needs Alfredo’s voice to coax the tears from the salamanders.  This fantasy will captivate you with its tale of good and evil.  Magic, Fire, Salamanders, Mount Etna, Orphans, Italy.                                          Sandra Krieg

 

Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee.  The Conch Bearer.  Brookfield, CT:  Roaring Brook Press, 2003.  0-7613-1935-2. 165p.  $16.95.  Gr. 4-8.

Anand’s life changes when his father leaves to find work in another town and loses contact with the family.  Working in a crowded tea stall, Anand shares his tea with a mysterious old man, Abhaydatta, who shows him a mystical and powerful conch shell.  The two team up with a sweeper girl, Nisha, and embark on a perilous journey to return the magical shell to its rightful home in the Himalayas with the Brotherhood of Healers.  They are pursued by the evil Surabhanu, a power-hungry ex-member of the brotherhood.  Anand struggles in his own mind, doubting Abhaydatta's motives and the existence of magic, becomes jealous of Nisha's comfortable relationship with the old man, and occasionally succumbs to Surabhanu's tempting illusions.  Set in India, this will appeal to middle readers who enjoyed the Lord of the Rings.  Leslie Mastronardo                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Donnelly, Jennifer.  A Northern Light. Orlando: Harcourt, 2003.  0-15-216705-6.  389p.  $17.00.  Gr. 8-12.

Mattie’s life in 1906 rural America is very difficult. She’s a hardworking intelligent girl who must decide between college and marriage at a time when few people complete high school.  All the while, Mattie suspects that a young girl, Grace, has been murdered.  Mattie may have the evidence.  Does Mattie honor Grace’s last wish, or come forward?  Facts from the infamous murder case, including Grace Brown’s letters, are used in the book.  Coming-of-age, Historical.         Michelle Stone

 

Douglass, Sara.  Beyond the Hanging Wall.  New York: Tor, 1996.  0-765-30449-X.  348p.  $24.95.  Gr. 9-12.

An excellent fantasy story, this novel centers on the throne of a mythical land called Escator.  Young Prince Maximilian is kidnapped and thrown into a deep mine called the 'Veins' where he labors unrecognized for seventeen years beneath the "hanging wall", the name the prisoners give to the top of the shafts where they are working.  A new king, Cavor, ascends the throne because it is believed throughout the kingdom that Maximilian is dead.  Then Garth Baxtor, a young physician gifted with the healing "Touch", comes with his father for the annual requirement of ministering to prisoners for three weeks, and recognizes Maximilian as the true king. Once more above ground, Garth does everything in his power to find out how to help Maximilian regain his rightful place on the throne.  With the help of Ravenna, a magical young woman of the marshes, Maximilian is rescued but must pass an ordeal to prove his claim to the throne.  The ordeal is set out for him and for Cavor, the present king, by a magical creature, the Manteceros.  Maximilian triumphs, and Cavor, who had helped to plot Maximilian's kidnapping in the first place, is defeated.  Excellent adventure.  Fantasy.             Nancy Chrismer

 

Dowell, Frances O’Roark.  Where I’d Like to Be. New York: Atheneum, 2003.  0-689-84420-4.  232p.  $15.95.  Gr. 5+.

Eleven-year-old Maddie is a Gilly Hopkins sort of orphan who would like to have a home but just doesn’t dare to hope or reach out when offered the chance.  Instead she helps out less fortunate children at the foster home, mothering them and keeps her own spirits up creating a scrapbook of houses where she’d like to live.  A new girl, Murphy, acts as a catalyst and inspires the other children to create their own retreat where they can dare to dream.  They are safe in the fantasy for a while until Murphy leaves and reality sets in again. There is hope, though,  as Maddie begins to trust others.  Each child in this book is a well thought out, unique individual enriching the story.  This book offers insight into the motivation of children as they protect themselves from hurt.  Readers will also ponder the true meaning of family.  Families, home, orphans, friendships.                                            Jeannie Bellavance

 

Downer, Ann.  Hatching Magic.  New York: Atheneum, 2003.  0-6896-3400-4.  242p.  $16.95.  Gr. 6-8.   

Wycca, a thirteenth century wyvern (a small dragon) and mother-to-be, slips through a bolt-hole into present day Boston Massachusetts to find a nest in which to hatch her egg.   If Wycca’s master, Gideon doesn’t find her she could be found and used against him by his evil rival, Kobold.  Gideon follows Wycca through the bolthole and meets up with a present day wizard, Professor Iain Merlin O’Shea of Harvard University.  Together they attempt an ancient “fetching” spell to try to bring Wycca to them.  At the same time Kobold and his demon have come through another bolthole and are also trying to find Wycca.   Meanwhile, Theodora, an 11 year old who is hooked on a popular game called “Wizards and Wyverns” (including movie and breakfast cereal spin-offs), and collecting wyvern cards, finds the card that can also summon Wycca.  In this magical, humorous plot, Wycca becomes addicted to chocolate. Theodora finds Wycca’s hatchling and draws all of the characters to her for a magical finale.  Fantasy, dragons, wizards.                                                                    Susan Krenicky                    

                                                                                                                                                          

DuPrau, Jeanne.  The City of Ember.  New York: Random House, 2003.  0375822739.   270p.  $15.95.  Gr. 7-12.

In the City of Ember, there is no natural light.  Dependent upon an unreliable generator and limited supplies, its inhabitants are becoming uneasy. Twelve-year-olds Lina and Doon have just completed their last year of school and are beginning their assigned jobs.  Noticing that things are not prospering in Ember, they begin investigating and find a secret passage out of the city.  What disastrous event occurred to make the founding fathers enter a world of darkness?  This riveting novel will remind some of The Giver by Lois Lowry.  Adventure, Suspense, Future Societies.                                           Pat Bender

 

Ellis, Deborah.   A Company of Fools. Mass.: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2002.  1-55041-721-5.  191p.  $8.95.  Gr. 5-8.

This is the tale of two boys living in an abbey  in Paris  during the Black Death. Micah and Henri, who are total opposites, but love to sing, entertain people during this horrific time.  Students looking for something a little different and are interested in history will enjoy this book.  Will appeal to both boys and girls.  This book focuses on the true darkness of the middle ages.  Instead of  valiant knights and ladies, a young and innocent choirboy is changed forever by a gypsy with a heavenly voice. This coming of age novel shows the painful and dangerous journey of a young boy seeing the world outside the monastery walls for the first time.  Set at the time of the bubonic plague, this book quickly grabs the attention of its readers with its lyrical words and descriptive scenes.  Historical Fiction.                       Shikha S.-Junior, Scranton Preparatory School

 

Estevis, Anne.  Down Garrapata Road.  Houston: Arte, 2003.  1-55885-397-9.  118p.  $12.95.  Gr. 7+.

This is a collection of short stories set in a small community in southern Texas in the 1940s and 1950s.  The stories follow four Mexican-American families. The short stories bring to life the families and their daily lives.  One can empathize with the young narrators who are trying to bridge their lives between two cultures—Mexico and the United States.  I think students will enjoy these stories and they would make an excellent addition to the multi-cultural curriculum.  The stories are very readable and though written about the 1940s and 1950s, the themes remain true today.  Mexican-Americans.                                                                           Peg Kleppinger

 

Falcone, L.M. The Mysterious Mummer. Towanda, NY: Kids Can Press, 2003.  1-55337-376-6.  192p.  $16.95. Gr. 5-7.

Shipped off to stay with his aunt in Newfoundland, thirteen-year-old Joey is having one very creepy Christmas.  Strange goings on, eerie people appearing out of the fog, and his aunt’s obsession with her dead husband add up to some odd plot twists.  Mystery.                                                                                                  Candy Blessing

 

Fanta Shyer, Marlene.  The Rainbow Kite.  New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2003.  0-7614-5122-6. 205p.  $15.95.  Gr. 7-12. 

The Rainbow Kite tells the story of a brother who is dealing with the fact that his fifteen-year-old brother, Bennett, is gay.  Their parents do not know that Bennett is gay, but are concerned with why he is no longer active in sports or hanging out with his friends in school.  Unfortunately, the one thing that brings Bennett enjoyment as he endures his struggle also brings him great pain.  This title holds the reader's interest and handles a touchy subject very well.  I think most students would read and enjoy this book.                                                                                      Patricia S., Palisades High School Library Staff

 

Farrell, S.L.  Holder of Lightning. (The Cloudmages #1).  New York: DAW Books, 2003.  07564-0131-5.  494p.  $23.95.  Gr. 10-12.

A must read for fantasy fans! This is the start of a series that will be devoured by the same audience who love the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It is the story of Jenna Aoire, a young lady who by chance picks up a stone, called a cloch na thintri, when she is out watching her mother's sheep herd.  The stone not only has magical powers, but turns out to be Lamh Shabhala, the strongest of all the stones, which will awaken all of the other clochs and their powers.  Jenna's life is changed immediately, as the stone is coveted by many others who try to find it and then get rid of Jenna.  The power she holds is not without cost, because the holder of the stone experiences massive pain and scarring during every use. The cloch causes Jenna to lose her family, her friends, and all that was important to her, but she must continue her quest to try to understand and control the power of her cloch since she has been chosen to be First Holder.  Filled with magic, ghosts, ancient legends, intrigue, danger, and mystery in what appears to be ancient Ireland, this book is a must for those who want something else in the Rings genre.  Fantasy.                                                                                                                                   Nancy Chrismer

 

Fforde, Jasper.  Lost in a Good Book: A Thursday Next Novel.  New York: Viking, 2003.  0-6770-03190-9  399p.   $24.95   Gr. 10+.

Thursday Next is a SpecOps officer of the Swindon Literary Detective Office, a literary detective who in a previous Fforde novel, The Eyre Affair, entered Jane Eyre and changed its ending.  In order to rescue her eradicated husband, Thursday now jumps into Beatrix Potter, Austen , and Kafka’s The Trial and takes Miss Havisham as her mentor. Along the way she also authenticates a lost Shakespeare play.  This novel is a suspenseful and fanciful flight of the imagination in multiple time frames—a future society set in the past (1985).  It is filled with word play, literary allusions, and interesting trivia for the literary sophisticate.  New York Times Notable Book of the Year and Dilys Award winner.  Fantasy, Mystery, Humor.                     Eleanor Howe

 

Fleischman, Paul.  Breakout.  Chicago: Cricket/A Marcato Book, 2003.  0-8126-2696-6.  124p.  $15.95.  Gr. 9-12.

This very clever novel about a traffic jam tells in alternate chapters the story of Del, a seventeen-year-old runaway foster child and Del, the twenty-five-year-old adult actor and playwright. The teenage Del, running away from her last foster home, gets into a major traffic jam on the Los Angeles freeway. The adult Del is beginning previews for her play about a major traffic jam. A National Book Award Finalist.    Teenage Girls, Runaways, Foster Children                                                                         Pat Bender

 

Flynn, Michael.  The Wreck of the River of Stars. New York: Tom Doherty, 2003.  0-765-30099-0.  480p.  $27.95.   Gr. 10+.

Author of the Firestar sequence of future history, Flynn now turns to the near future when great sailing ships traverse the solar system.  The River of Stars, once among the most famous of such ships and now the last of its kind, has developed engine failure and her crew tries to avert catastrophe.  Here is the hardship, danger, challenge, and emptiness of space travel.  Science Fiction.                                                                                                                                                               Eleanor Howe

 

Fogelin, Adrian.  Sister Spider Knows All.  Atlanta, GA: Peachtree Publishers, Ltd., 2003.  1-56145-290-4.  209p.  $14.95.  Gr. 6-10.

Twelve-year-old Rox lives in Tallahassee, Florida, with Mimi, her grandmother and John Martin, her college age cousin.  Together, the three of them form a loving and united family and, although Rox feels safe and secure, she longs to find out more about the mother who abandoned her when she was 3 months old.  Her questions to Mimi and John Martin about her mother, Helen, go unanswered.  With the help of John Martin’s new girlfriend, Lucy, Rox discovers a diary written by her mother when she was Rox’s age.  Rox reads the diary and finds answers to some of her questions and also comes face to face with the reality of her mother’s personality.  Interspersed with the diary entries are snippets of Rox’s life, from hiding in the back of the classroom to her extended family at the flea market where she works on the weekends to helping make ends meet.  Lucy’s role in the story is pivotal as she helps Mimi and John Martin fill in the blanks in Helen’s story for Rox.  Lucy also points Rox to the future as Rox makes peace with her past.  Well-developed characters and a desire to know why Helen abandoned Rox keep readers involved until the last page.