How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier

Jenn's Pick!

In New Avalon, most people have invisible fairies that provide them with some handy talent or skill. There are loose change fairies, which help their people find loose change. Her friend has a shopping fairy that helps people find great outfits (that are always on sale!) Charlie hates her fairy. She has a parking fairy. She's 14, she can't drive, but people always want her to ride along, so they get good parking spots. She's trying to drive her fairy away by never riding in cars or buses. She hopes if she can get rid of the parking fairy she'll get a new, better fairy. Avoiding cars is causing her some trouble. She keeps getting demerits for being late. Then, her arch-nemesis Fiorenze, who has a fairy that makes every boy her age fall in love with her, decides to help Charlie ditch her fairy. Why would Fiorenze be an expert? Who could possibly want to rid themselves of such a perfect fairy?

Graceling by Kristin Cashore was a fun adventuresome read. In the story are individuals with special abilities. They live in a country divided by seven kingdoms set in medieval times. Graced individuals are easy to identify; though one might not know their particular inborn skill. The skills can be useful or useless and run the gamut from climbing trees to weather forecasting. Kings acquire useful graced individuals for their courts to do their bidding. In this story, one King possesses the ultimate politician grace unbeknown to those around him. Unfortunately, he seems bent on taking over the entire land. He's eventually found out. Lady Katsa, an ultimate killing machine from one of the other courts confronts the evil king and nearly succumbs to his lies.

Kin : The Good Neighbors by Holly Black

Jenn's Pick!

Rue Silver's mother has disappeared, and her father has been arrested, suspected of killing both Rue's mother and another college age girl. As Rue attempts to get to the bottom of these mysteries, she learns that her mother was a faerie. Rue is half-faerie. Her mother has disappeared because of a broken promise and if Rue has any hope of getting her back she'll have to go to the faerie world. She must face her own identity and her true family and deal with a fate darker than she expected.

Emperors of the Ice by Richard Farr is a story within a story of the ill-fated Robert F. Scott expedition to the South Pole 1910-1912. It tells of gathering penguin eggs and other adventures in the face of gale force winds and extremely cold temperatures. The bounds of human endurance seem incredible. The fictionalized slant to very real accounts made for an authentic convincing read. Those early explorers were tough. It is told from the point of view of Apsley Cherry-Garrard. He was a wealthy Oxford graduate who showed real optimism in the face of adversity and seemed willing to take on any challenge. Inwardly, however, he was conflicted.

After the ordeal, Cherry (his nickname) wrote a memoir entitled, The Worst Journey in the World which may be downloaded at http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/14363 .

Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg is about a popular, talented senior high school quarterback in Southern California. Bobby realizes that he is gay and comes out of the closet sooner than he intends. Bobby’s story is about being honest with yourself – It is about breaking barriers. As Finch, a high school reporter who covertly records and publishes an interview in which the quarterback admits to being gay later says:”Bobby, everyone likes you. You think being gay will stop people …” Bobby gets the better of Finch in fine style. More than that, the story is about the reactions by everyone in Bobby's social sphere including his parents. I liked near the end when a news reporter asked Bobby how it felt to be an openly gay quarterback leading his team to the championship."I don't know, [Bobby replied] kinda like being an openly straight quarterback but with more media attention on me..."

Right Behind You by Gail Giles - 

Great book featuring a teenager who set a boy on fire causing his death. The teenager has just been released from a detention facility to the care of his father. Coming to grips with the past and hope for a brighter future are the focal points of this fine story.

Bog Child by Siobhan Down was a page turner, although a few of the Irish expressions slowed me down a bit. I knew next to nothing about the politics of Ireland especially in 1981 when this story is set. I got more of a grasp of the ordinariness of people involved in political conflicts by reading this book. I could easily imagine the characters involved. 16 year-old Fergus McCann is an athlete and a student. He finds the body of a girl in a peat bog – she’s met a violent end. Fergus dreams about her. Themes involving the final days of the AD 80 bog child Mel become intertwined with those of Fergus who becomes involved with the resistance. From the fly leaf, the story involves, “sacrifices made in the name of peace, and the unflinching strength of the human spirit.”

Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas. Antonia Lucia Labella is a 15 year-old Italian-American student at a Catholic high school. Two things occupy much of Antonia’s thoughts – boys and sainthood. I especially liked Antonia’s choice-making as her expectations mature.

Her father’s death at age seven coupled with his words,” you are the saint of my heart’ has prompted Antonia to routinely write the Vatican; not only making suggestions for new patron saints but to be considered for sainthood herself. Antonia’s aspirations make for a genuinely funny story. Her first kiss is really special – loads of warmth and authenticity throughout. I listened to the audio version. The library also has the print version -

Cheater by Michael Laser explores the validity of dishonesty to achieve an objective. Super smart high school junior Karl Petrofsky becomes involved with a ring of students who use quite a bit of technology to cheat on classroom tests. One of the ringleaders Blaine tells Karl that “school’s purpose…is to sort us out…if it were really about learning, then grades wouldn’t matter.” Lizette, Karl’s real friend, tells him that “cheating doesn’t help anybody…it’s a matter of pride.” Ethical considerations come into play. Good entertaining read that questions right and wrong.

MIDNIGHT TWINS BY JACQUELYN MITCHARD

Fast paced light story about identical twins who are mirror images of each other. Meredith and Mallory Brynn change as they become teenagers. Mallory is able to foretell future calamities and Meredith sees outcomes of what has happened. It got a bit confusing in spots. I’d have made them fifteen instead of thirteen. Anyway, all comes out right in the end – very predictable. There are two more books in this planned trilogy. The last book I read by Jacquelyn Mitchard, All we know of Heaven was ever so much more gripping and had more depth of character. Saying that, however, I would still read the next two books in the series.

The Story of Forgetting by Stefan Merrill Block

The chapters alternate between two families in different states. A member in each family is closely related, though you don’t know who at first. I liked the development of the characters. They come across as very human in dealing with the impact of there situation.

The theme is an aberrant genetic link that binds the two main characters. They both have a common ancestor who suffered from an early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. From the novel I saw how people with memory loss probably cope. I felt the stress put on the families. It was a good optimistic turn to have one family meeting the remains of the other at the end. You can read about the novel and its origins at stefanmerrillblock.com. If you want to learn more about Alzheimer’s visit the website at www.alz.org.

Sunrise over Fallujah, by Walter Dean Myers

Jenn's Pick!

Robin Perry, who becomes known as "Birdy," disobeys his father's wishes and leaves Harlem for the war in Iraq, rather than heading to college. The story follows Birdy and the rest of his Civilian Affairs unit through the first half of 2003, when many thought the war would be over quickly. As part of the Civilian Affairs, or CA, Birdy and his unit are supposed to be making connections with the Iraqi people, offering protection and first aid, seeking intelligence, and generally putting a friendly face on the American presence in Iraq. As the story progresses, the unit is involved in more and more combat, and it's increasingly difficult to tell friend from foe, or to imagine a speedy end to the conflict. Birdy writes home to his parents, and to "Uncle Richie," who is the main character in Meyer's award winning novel about Vietnam, "Fallen Angels."

Woolvs in the Sitee

Jenn's Pick!

A graphic novel story of a boy living, seemingly, in a post-apocalyptic world. We don't know much about him, except that his family is gone, he lives in the basement of his building, alone except for his neighbor upstairs, Missus Radinski. Things may have been bad for quite awhile, as the narrator spells entirely phonetically, as though he's never been to school. He is terrified of the "woolvs," though as the reader, we're never given to know what the "woolvs" are. A short, haunting story, with beautifully dark illustrations, that leave the reader to interpret what happens to the characters after the book closes.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Jenn's Pick!

Aislinn can see faeries but has spent her whole life pretending they are invisible. Her grandmother, who can also see them, has taught her the only way to avoid the capricious nature of the faeries is to never, never draw their attention. Which is all well and good until faeries, from the royal court, no less, start following Aislinn. She has been chosen by the Summer King, and from that instant, is no longer entirely mortal. She can become one of the immortal Summer Girls, free and easy. She may choose to take the test ordained by the Summer King and Winter Queen. If she passes, she becomes the Summer Queen, immortal and saves both faerie and human-kind from destruction. If she fails, she will be trapped helping the Summer King until he can find the next potential Queen. The only thing that's not an option is remaining human, with her Grams and her best friend turned maybe-boyfriend. Unless she can outsmart the faerie folk.

And Sometimes Why by Rebecca Johnson. The younger teen daughter in an upper middle class family of four experiences an accident that affects each member differently. A TV game-show celebrity’s life takes an unexpected downturn. Into the mix too are several other characters struggling with the hand they’ve been dealt. The life paths of the different characters cross in this well written thought provoking page-turner. I enjoyed the story; It really affirmed how attitude in the wake of things happening to us can really affect our future.

Slam! by Nick Hornby

Jenn's Pick!

This is the first thing I've read by Nick Hornby, even though he's got some classics that come highly recommended (like ("About A Boy," and "High Fidelity".) But I'm a believer, I'll read the others. This was one of those books where I didn't know much about the plot when I picked it up. In fact, what I did know was that the book was about a guy, Sam, who is a skater (skate boarder, not ice skater, which he makes clear early on in the book for anyone who might be confused.) I also knew that Sam frequently sought advice from the poster of Tony Hawk hung on his bedroom wall. So there were some surprises in this story for me. (If you want to have the same experience, you should probably stop reading this post.)

Turns out, that in addition to being a skater who seeks advice from a Tony Hawk poster, Sam is also a teenage dad. He's got a new girlfriend, and well, she ends up pregnant. What I liked about it though was the story became much more than a typical teenage cautionary tale. The characters, Sam and his girlfriend Alicia, their parents, the other skaters a the local skate park, they all seemed like people I might know or hang out with. They were really real. Sure, there was just the smallest bit of time travel in this story, but that didn't detract from the realness of it.

I took the combination approach to this story, listening to it as an audio book (love those British accents!) for most of the story, then finishing it off by reading the book.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Jenn's Pick!

First part -- Spoiler Free : Last Saturday was a big day for those of us following the story of Bella the human, her vampire boyfriend Edward, and her werewolf best friend / perhaps potential love interest Jacob. Breaking Dawn was finally here!! If you've got a request on Breaking Dawn here at LGPL, you might want to give a "thank you" to super-library-employee and Stephenie Meyer Fan Carol, who got up early last Saturday, on her day off, went to Costco, and brought us two more copies of the book. She's a hero. For those who haven't read any of the Twilight series, you'll want to do that before reading Breaking Dawn. For those who plan to read Breaking Dawn, but haven't yet, I'll say that it does a good job of wrapping up the story Meyer has been telling us for a few years now. That's all I'm going to say. You should stop reading this review and put yourself on the list for either the book or the audio CD.

Second Part -- Full of Spoilers. Really. Don't read this if you're not done with the book.

I don't know about you, but I was extremely pleased with the way this book turned out. I've heard some folks are unhappy with the tidy happy ending, or that they're upset that Edward and Bella had a kid so soon, and, sure, I get that. But I still liked this book a lot. I read it faster than I read Harry Potter last summer. Then I started it over again right away.

So, Bella and Edward get married, in a lovely Alice-planned wedding. Jacob shows up, that was nice of him wasn't it? We knew he'd be there. I like Seth in this book, he's a good guy. Bella lets slip that she and Edward are going to have sex before she become a vampire, and Jacob becomes furious. We have to question Bella's judgment in sharing this info, but it's good for one last classic Jacob-Edward standoff, isn't it. Bella and Edward leave for their honeymoon on a secluded island owned (of course) by the Cullen family. The new Mr. and Mrs. Cullen have their honeymoon, and low and behold, Bella ends up pregnant. Not just pregnant, but pregnant with something that's growing at an alarming rate. Here come the first two big surprises of the book. 1) Bella turns to Rosemarie for help. Nice. and 2) The middle section of the book is told from Jacob's point of view. Really good call, Stephenie.

Bella's not doing so well, and Jacob can't stay away. There's friction in the pack, when Sam feels he should protect his people by destroying the child Bella's carrying, and most likely Bella in the process. Vampire babies = extremely bad, we learn. It makes sense, they don't have the ability to control themselves, or hide fact that they're vampires, so chaos ensues. Jacob leaves the pack to defend Bella, the baby, and the Cullens. He disobeys a direct order from Sam by finally stepping up to the Alpha plate, and he becomes a pack of one. Briefly. Until both Seth and Leah join him. Sam decides to hold off on destroying the truce, the baby, Bella, and the Cullens, but things are still pretty tense. Bella's all set to die for the baby if she has to, but figures as long as she can keep her heart beating until the baby is delivered, Edward can make her a vampire at the last minute and all will be well. And, essentially, this is what happens. In a gory birth scene, Edward delivers the half-and-half baby, while Jacob performs CPR to keep Bella's heart beating. It's a close call, but Edward injects vampire venom straight into her heart right after the baby is born. Jacob leaves the room thinking Bella has died, and briefly contemplates killing the baby who killed Bells. But, in another great moment in the book, instead, as soon as he sees the babies eyes, he imprints, and is committed to the new little Renesmee for life.

We all saw this coming, right? I've never understood what Team Jacob folks thought would happen when Jacob inevitably imprinted on someone other than Bella. If she'd chosen him, she would have been crushed. Sure, I thought at some points in Eclipse that Stephenie might take us down that road, but I never in my wildest dreams thought that Jacob wouldn't imprint on someone at some point. That it was Bella and Edward's daughter just made things tidy. Some would say "too tidy," but I liked it. This also straightened out the mess with the packs, because it's totally forbidden to harm the object of another wolf's imprinting, you know, for obvious reasons.

Then came my absolute favorite part of the book. Bella as a vampire. Haven't you been wanting to know what it's like to be a vampire? I have been, for three and a half books now! I was going to feel really cheated if somehow Bella ended this book as a human. Luckily Stephenie delivered again, and we got to see all the creek jumping, Emmett arm-wrestling, mountain-lion eating we've been craving. Awesome. I also really enjoyed Bella finding out that Jacob had imprinted on Renesmee, and that he'd done something about that horrible name. It's clever, but really? Not that great a name. And in another unexpected pleasant turn of events, Jacob clued Charlie in, just the right amount, so he can still visit Bella and his new granddaughter. Yes, some people think this was just a little too easy, but again, I liked it!! I refuse to be swayed.

Those were my favorite parts of the story, but for the sake of thoroughness, let's just cover what else happens. Now that werewolves aren't a threat to Renesmee, of course, we've got to bring the Volturi back. Turns out they want an excuse, any excuse, to bring the Cullens down, and they think they've got a good one in the shape of a cute new baby vampire. Since real baby vampires are so destructive, they've been banned, and word gets to the Volturi that the Cullens have created one, thus violating vampire law. Of course we all know that Renesmee isn't a full vampire, she's a Cullen! So she's a nice vampire, but the message gets muddled and the Volturi are set to attack. The Cullens muster the troops, gathering every vampire they can from around the globe to "witness" the showdown with the Volturi. They figure if they can just explain that Renesmee is good, all will be well. But, we all know how the Volturi fight. If Jane and Alec have their way, there will be no time for explanations. Alice and Jasper take off, and most people think it's because Alice has foreseen the Cullen's downfall, and so the mood is generally dour. I think most of us readers never doubted Alice for a second, right? We knew she was coming back. Bella plans for the worst, and gets ready to send Renesmee off into the world with Jacob, while she and Edward stay behind to fight and die. Fortunately, though, it turns out that Bella does have an amazing talent. The same knack that keeps Edward, Aro, Jane and Alec out of her brain can be turned into a shield. So when the Volturi try to attack, it's Bella who keeps everyone safe. Ta-da! Happy ending. Not bad, huh? More than 750 pages in just under six paragraphs.

What did you think? Too easy? Are you devastated that it's over? Do you think Stephenie will write more of the story from Renesmee and Jacob's point of view? Or are you just holding on for the Twilight-from-Edward's perspective? Were you a little disappointed that Bella's talent is "shielding?" Are you as perplexed as I am that suddenly "Jasper" has become "Jazz?" Really? Are we going to start calling Edward "Eddie" next? Did anyone go to the midnight release parties?

Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

Jenn's Pick!

If you need one last great summer read before fall hits, check out Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway. Audrey breaks up with her boyfriend Evan, who happens to be the lead singer for a band that's really not going anywhere. Evan writes a song about their breakup, "Audrey, Wait!" that becomes a smash hit. Pretty soon, paparazzi are following Audrey everywhere, and her reputation is, well, shall we say, tarnished? She's just trying to get past Evan, and perhaps spend some time with her shy, rule obsessed coworker at the Scooper Dooper. Things get out of hand.

This book was funny, clever, and sweet. I enjoyed Audrey's relationships with her parents, and her best friend and her enormous cat, Bendomolena.

If you read "Audrey, Wait" and you like it because it's the insider scoop on someone who's famous but doesn't want to be famous, you should try "Amazing Grace," by Megan Shull.




If you read "Audrey, Wait" and like it for all the great music, try "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist," by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. We don't seem to have this book at the moment, but we'll get a copy.

Madapple by Christina Meldrum – Off the beaten path coming of age story involving an odd young woman and a trial involving multiple murders. Aslaug Hellig has been raised and home schooled in isolation by her Danish mother Maren. She grows remarkably knowledgeable about the natural world and literature. She has only the views of her mother about the outside world. Her mother dies of cancer. A neighbor witnesses Aslaug digging a grave for the body in her back yard and notifies the police. “They’ve charged me with what they call abuse of a corpse. To clean Mother, bury her, bless her, was to abuse her, they tell me. And now they are cutting her up.” Aslaug flees to a nearby town to live with her aunt Sara and two cousins Susanne (called Sanne) and Rune. Aslaug becomes pregnant – but because of her state of mind doesn’t realize who the father is. Sara and Sanne are later found dead inside their burned church. At the trial, the prosecution tries to link Aslaug with the Jimson weed (madapple) found in their bodies and Maren’s, as well as the fire. The defense team point to reasons for Aslaug’s behavior. The alternating “trial” chapters are realistic.

More at play here are Aslaug’s sense of reality clashing with societal norms.
This very well written page turner is awash with literary and religious allusions; It even includes a bibliography.

Excellent read! I found the book to be above the fray in young adult literature.

Ghost of Spirit Bear – Ben Mikaelsen. Seventeen year-old Cole Matthews is back at his old high school and uses newly learned skills to affect change. Cole is a violent teen who responded positively to a year on a remote Alaskan island to learn other ways of dealing with problems. He returns to his Minnesotan high school and actually utilizes his newly found coping skills. Attendant to achieving positive outcomes, Cole discovers leadership qualities within himself instrumental to producing major reform changes at his high school.

This short problem solving novel aimed at young teens showed positive ways of dealing with anger producing situations - thanks to the Tlinglit ways taught by his probation officer, Garvey who recommended Cole to the Island. I liked the story not so much for the plot but rather the messages it conveyed. “…he (Cole) learned to focus on the good. A good day wasn’t a day without clouds but rather a day where one focused on finding the sunlight behind the clouds.”

I Heart You, You Haunt Me, by Lisa Schroeder -

Ava and Jackson are happily in love...until Jackson is killed and Ava, heartbroken, is left to deal with her guilt and grief. Even though Jackson is dead, he comes back to Ava as a ghost, unable to move on until Ava lets go of her guilt.

Written in verses, this book is sure to haunt you with its unusual story and leave you in tears at the end.

Shawna

the nature of jade by Deb Caletti is the story of a 17 year-old over achiever. Jade has suffered for several years from Panic Disorder. Watching webcams of the local zoo’s animals, especially the elephants are calming for her. On successive afternoons she watches a boy not much older than herself appear at the elephant section with an infant. Jade becomes a volunteer at the zoo; meets Sebastian and her life changes.

Good read. Interesting were the insights into animal behavior. I liked the way the plot developed – inspiring Jade to find a real truth. Deb Caletti has other fine books out as well. Visit her website. See what other Deb Caletti books we have here at the library.

All we know of heaven by Jacquelyn Mitchard is about best friends involved in a horrendous auto accident involving a Toyota and a truck on an icy road. One of the teenagers survives.

Because of their condition, Maureen is mistaken for Bridget – they are very similar in physical stature. Family and friends prepare for the situation, Burial services are held for Maureen. Then when positive identification is made, all sorts of emotions come into play. Seeing the characters readapting to the change of circumstances was gripping. I was right there for Maureen to make it through her physical, emotional, and interpersonal travails. The author states in her acknowledgements that “Although at least two separate and heart-wrenching cases of mistaken identity after a motor vehicle accident have really happened over the past decade, there is no intentional similarity to the experiences of any actual family or individual.” That said, you would be hard pressed to say that this story sounded fabricated in any way.

the dead & the gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer is a companion piece to Life As We Knew It. The premise of both is that an asteroid has thrown the moon into an orbit closer to the Earth.

In the dead & the gone, the main focus is on a devoutly Catholic Puerto Rican Family in New York City. Seventeen year old Alex takes on the responsibility of two siblings.

I thought it was very well played out – The characters run through a gamut of honest emotions trying to deal with the life changing world events. I liked how the characters struggled with rules and order to keep living. Father Mulrooney’s words of, “As the world collapses around us, it is learning and culture that will prevent us from becoming barbarians.” At another point in the story Father Mulrooney points out, “These are the worst of times…rules are needed even more now. Without them there is anarchy.” Great stuff, and another perspective about life after the asteroid hits.

this lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Jenn's Pick!

I've been meaning to read something by Sarah Dessen for awhile now, since her books are a) never on the shelf and b) always have pretty covers. When I saw a copy of "this lullaby" on the Friends of the Library Book Sale shelves, I figured that was as clear a sign as I was going to get. I liked this lullaby a lot. I liked cranky Remy, who was so busy planning her mother's fifth wedding and breaking up with the latest in a long string of boyfriends that she had no time or interest when goofy Dexter walked up to her and announced they had chemistry. I liked how Remy was always Remy, how she didn't end up getting gushy, how she was mad at herself for buying Dexter silverware. I liked her girlfriends, and how she tells Perfect Paul (another boyfriend) that no, there's no way they can hang out on Girl's Night, that only losers ditch their girl friends for a guy on Girls Night. All in all, I'll read more of Sarah Dessen. Which should I read next? Suggestions as comments greatly appreciated.

The Host, by Stephenie Meyer

Jenn's Pick!

Stephenie Meyer's first Adult novel is a good snack in between the courses of the gigantic meal that is the Twilight Saga--something to tide us all over. Stephanie's calling this story "sci-fi for people who don't like sci-fi." We tested that at the library, giving it to Diane, who really, really, *really* doesn't like sci-fi. And she liked this!

The general idea is that a bunch of aliens, called Souls, have invaded Earth and taken up residence inside human beings. Aside from the fact that the human's consciousnesses (if that's a word) have been consumed, things are pretty good. There's no more violence, people don't need money, and though it's not mentioned specifically, I'm sure the Souls took care of the global warming situation too. The story centers on a Soul named Wanderer, who's a bit of a legend among her people, known for her extensive travels and lives on different planets. She takes up residence in the body of a woman named Melanie. Things get interesting when Melanie doesn't just fade away like she's supposed to do. She's there with Wanderer, and she tries to gain her sympathies by sharing stories of her brother Jamie and her boyfriend Jared.

Definitely worth a read, though this one is a bit of a slow starter. By page 300, though, you'll have that familiar Stephenie Meyer "what was my life like before this book?" feeling.

We've got this title on audio if you prefer, or you'll find this in the new book section upstairs (since it's an adult title.) If you haven't had a chance to check out our new Bestseller Collection, now's the time, since we have an additional copy of The Host there as well. The Bestseller Collection is with the New Books, and it's full of titles that are in high demand. They circulate for one week, and you can't put them on hold, so you just have to see what's in stock when you get here.

How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt – This story is about life changing experiences learned
from a teen volunteer program.

Missing the stepmother with whom she was so close,
Harper Evans from Los Angeles joins a tornado relief group meeting in ravaged Bailey, Tennessee.
Through helping others, Harper forms a more positive view of life.
There’s lots to propel this story, including upbeat writing and a well drawn main character.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson is about a seventeen year-old girl who by most accounts should be dead. Jenna's parents didn't want to lose their daughter whose life was extensively documented. As a teenager Jenna fought for her own identity. Then came the fiery crash. Her talented father’s bio-engineering lab of skilled scientists brought Jenna back. Bio-genetics clearly crossed legal boundries in this instance. Set in the not too distant future this story focuses on science and life. Reconstructed Jenna seeks and finds an important something not recognized in her old life. The bio-engineering and ethical considerations moved right along with the story. Jenna's final decision at the end was in keeping with her second chance on life. A main aspect was incredible. However, because of the good writing and the questions raised, it was pretty easy to suspend disbelief.

Braless in Wonderland by Debbie Reed Fischer - This was a delight to read. It presents a realistic view of what it's like to be a teen model in Miami. The characters and storyline felt authentic.

Allee Rosen is an honors program high school senior. She is spotted by modeling scouts while confronting her physically attractive sister auditioning for a spot.

Allee is chosen instead of her sister. Allee at first considers this detour into modeling as a way to break out of her small town and obtain money for college.

From commercial modeling, Allee finds much more than her initial goals.

Dramarama by E. Lockhart

Jenn's Pick!

This is a light, fluffy sort of read--the story of two friends friends who set off to drama camp thinking it will change their lives and get them out of their humdrum town. The plan works for Desi, but not so much for Sayde.

I wasn't a Drama Person, in my teen years. I was just barely cool enough to be a part time Band Person, if you see what I'm saying. So I can't really speak to the Drama Camp experience in this book, whether it's realistic or overdone or just plain weird. It was believable enough for me to finish the book.

I've read some folks that were unhappy with the ending of this book. They thought Sayde gave up everything that made her unique and sparkly and fantastic. At the end of the book, I was pretty pleased with Sayde. I thought she was coming to grips with how friendships change over time, and how even your dreams of the future change over time, and she was learning about what kind of fantastic she'd be next. Could go either way. If you've read this one, chime in and tell me what you think. Did Sayde change for the better, or for the worse?

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Jenn's Pick!

Did you read Tangerine by Edward Bloor? If you didn't, you probably should. If you did read it, and you liked it, try this book. I was reading Part-Time Indian, thinking, "You know, the main character in this book reminds me a lot of Paul from Tangerine." I turned the page, kept reading, and on the very next page Junior, the main character of Part-Time Indian said that Tangerine was his favorite book! I was excited about this for two reasons. 1) Obviously, I'm psychic. and 2) I like it when authors call out to each other like that. Probably, Sherman Alexi liked Tangerine, or at least, he's read it, and he's sort of giving Edward Bloor a high-five by making it Junior's favorite book.

Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a good read, about a kid stuck in between two worlds that just don't mesh. It's really sad in places, gut wrenchingly sad (the kid's dog dies before the end of the first chapter, kind of sad.) It's also a strange kind of hopeful, too. Not the kind of hopeful that makes you think "Yeah. Right." The kind of hopeful you could sort of imagine yourself feeling in the same situations. A grim but realistic hopeful, if you see what I mean.

It's also got some great illustrations, that remind me a bit of Diary of a Wimpy Kid

This book was a National Book Award Winner, and though I don't always agree with the way these things are handed out, in this case, it's perfectly clear. We've got this one in the Kids Room, so while you're over there, you can also grab Tangerine.

As a side note, I've tried some of Bloor's other books, and haven't been wild about them. Anyone got a favorite Bloor, other than Tangerine that I should try? Leave us a comment and tell us about it.

A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce - A spiffed-up retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin story – The setting for this tale is a woolen mill in a small village in 18^th Century England. To get out of debt, Charlotte and her sister Rosie enlist the help of a mysterious person. The author presents us with a real sense for those superstitious times with a bit of magic thrown in. I liked the way the story was resolved – It made sense.

Fight Game by Kate Wild – This is a fast paced read. The setting is England – British references abound.

Freedom Smith, dismissed by many as “trailer trash”, has inherited a super power fight gene from his great, great, great grandpa.

The condition has caused him much grief; since he is basically a good kid, yet is continually in trouble with the police. Through a twist of fate,

Freedom becomes involved with a secretive police unit to infiltrate an illegal fight club. The ending left me wanting a sequel.

Sisters in Sanity by Gayle Forman – 16 year old Brit Hemphill is sent to rough disciplined Red Rock Academy.

She finds all is not what it seems and launches a fight to close the facility located in a remote section of Utah.

I liked the interplay of the characters; The actual realizations of root problems and finding real solutions which

were at odds with those of the staff. I cared about the main characters; it was a page turner that kept me wondering

what would happen next.

Good Enough by Paula Yoo - Well told story about Korean-American first generation Patti Yoon, a high school senior. Patti is an exceptionally bright student. Patti strives to achieve her parents’ expectations to be accepted by YaleHarvardPrinceton. Patti also is an exceptional violinist who learns a lot from a new trumpet player in the orchestra. I liked the way the relationship was handled. There’s a warm humor to the book that I really appreciated. The story is about achievement, love, success, happiness. It includes recipes for life and Spam (the canned lunchmeat).

I'll ask you three times, are you ok? : tales of driving and being driven

Jenn's Pick!

I have a friend who has struck up a friendship with a guy who called her from India one night to try to sell her a satellite dish. My friend isn't particularly interested in satellite dishes (she doesn't have a TV,) but she's one of those people, I'm sure you know them too, who can just connect with anyone, under any circumstances. That's what this book is about, even though it claims to be about "tales of driving and being driven." True, all the stories take place while the author is driving her own car or riding in a taxi, but mostly, it's about how she tries to learn a little something about the world from everyone who crosses her path. Each chapter is its own new story, and I'd suggest taking this one slowly, because all the stories do start to sound alike if you try and read it straight through.

The weakest part of this book is the title, which makes it sound a little like a self-help title. It's explained in the first story, but still, I think Naomi Shihab Nye could have come up with something better. Otherwise, it's worth a read.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Jenn's Pick!

Get yourself ready for earth day with this great (true) story about a family living for one year eating only food grown locally. I'm a huge fan of Barbara Kingsolver, ("Prodigal Summer," and "Animal Dreams" are my favorites, but I've read them all,) and this was fun because it was written by her whole family. Her oldest daughter, in her first year at college, wrote essays about the experience, and the younger daughter saved up for a horse selling eggs from her chickens. This book will change the way you think about your food. I've given up bananas and started checking my milk to see where it came from. It's also somehow extremely entertaining.

We have this title in several formats. Book, audiobook, and the MP3 audiobook. I checked out the MP3 version; its read by the authors.

Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher - Happy page turner I wished I had read immediately after the most serious yet immensely readable Hush - An Irish Princess Tale. Gallagher's story is about first crush and realistic expectations. I enjoyed it because of the realistic characters and situations. Alice and Jewel have been friends for many years - Alice takes a liking for popular Simon causing her to re-evaluate her relationship with Julian(Jewel).

Snow Falling in Spring by Moying Li - Movingly portrays the author's involvement in the failed plans of the Government after World War II. In one such failing - She and her brother as children helped in Chairman Mao's declared war on sparrows - their eradication however caused a worse insect problem which in turn caused destruction of crops. The famine and drought that ensued caused millions of people to die. Moying Li tells us about the destruction of books and arresting of educators. Moying Li continued to educate herself forming a secret reading club. The Government goes through changes. The Cultural Revolution officially ends in 1976 and Moying Li takes advantage by entering Language School. Because so many educators have either been killed or ousted she is offered a promotion to "teacher.' Moying Li however, opts to become one of the first students since 1949 to study in America.

Wednesday April 2nd 3:30-4:30 pm

Kenny Blackwell and Dorian Michael will be at our Teen Cafe Wednesday April 2nd from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. Come listen to them!!
Free food and drinks!

Posh by Lucy Jackson - This story presents sketches of very different people who attend an upscale Manhattan School. The character studies and relationships are spot on. It doesn't matter how much money you have - Same problems remain. Good Read.

She's So Money by Cherry Cheva

This was a rather fun mindless affair and especially welcome after just spending months in medieval Europe with an enslaved Irish Princess. Camden King works very hard in school and at the family's Thai restaurant. Complications arise - She needs $10,000 to make things right - then another $5,000. A rich self absorbed handsome twit becomes her guy - Happy fast read.

TEEN TECH WEEK MARCH 3-7 2008

Los Gatos Public Library - Most Popular Student Databases

25 self-directed tech activities for teens

Big Fat Manifesto by Susan Vaught

Jamie Carcaterra is fat. She is a senior and writes a regular column for her school newspaper where she delves into overweight issues. A relationship changing event causes Jamie to re-examine her views on acceptance, love and self-image.

Three things I liked most about the story: Jamie's character is totally believable; there is a sense of optimism and humor, and Jamie sees herself more clearly as a result of the story.

Missing Girl - Norma Fox Mazer

One of five sisters is imprisoned by a pederast.

That’s the basic plot – Much of the story sets the stage. The sisters are: Beauty, Mim, Stevie (Faithful), Fancy and Autumn.

Each day this particular man watches, selects and fantasizes as the group passes by him.

Congratulating himself on not abducting his choice at a chance meeting, the man appears content to fantasize.

I liked the plot development from the perspective of each sister as well as the lonely man/stalker/pederast.

The ending was faithful to the characters in the story.

Week of February 10, 2008

Wonton Soup James Stokoe is a graphic novel. This first volume of a presumed series features Johnny Boyo, one of the premiere chefs in the galaxy who's currently in charge of a space delivery truck.
We spend time in Johnny's world travelling through space. As the story progresses, Johnny returns to his home planet and visits his old cooking school. The result is a cook-off ala Iron Chef of the Universe.
The book is comprised of many wildly adventurous humor-ladened chapters, that, for me were better to sample in small servings.
I enjoyed the storyline and Stokoe's artwork. He has quite an imagination.



Sight by Adrienne Maria Vrettos - 15 year-old Dylan has a secret she withholds from all her friends. Her mother, the sheriff and lead deputy in this small town of Pine Mountain (Paradise) know that Dylan has the psychic ability to see recently dead abducted children. She has helped the police solve eight abductions as the book begins. The first thing that struck me was that there sure were a lot of abductions for a small town area. But the strain in credulity is made up by the good writing.
Dylan is particularly haunted by her first vision - the death of a five-year-old classmate named Clarence. A new girl, Cate, moves to town with her father. With Cate, the tragedy of Clarence is finally resolved.