Goddess of YA
The goddess speaks
And so it begins again
Deadline
Anytime there is a new book from Chris Crutcher, it is a time for happy dancing. No exception with his latest. Ben Wolf has one year to live and he wants to live it on his own terms. So, he decides to tell no one. Instead, he will take risks and, of course, open himself up to all kinds of hurt. The master storyteller pulls np punches here (not that we would ever expect that to happen). Philosophical, funny, and fabulous!
Twisted
If you are a fan of SPEAK or any other of Laurie Halse Anderson's YA novels, make haste now to the bookstore and pick up a copy of her latest offering, TWISTED. Issues including family relationships, friendships, violence, juvenile justice, guns, and decision-making are all part and parcel of one of the most riveting and intense novels I have read in some time. Tyler is faced with some calamitious situations with little help from the traditional resources of family and community. How can he be expected to make good decisions if everyone just thinks of him as a screw-up? Even when he tries to do the right thing, it seems to backfire. Is there hope for him? Dare he look for some help and some hope on his own? Never one to flinch from the tough stuff, Anderson offers readers a book that reflects their lives in so many ways.
Before I Die
Already published in England, this first novel by a talented newcomer to YA is incredibly daring and rewarding. The title leads one to believe that it wil be yet another death and dying novel. However, Tessa is not your usual sick teen. She is angry, scared, and determined at turns. Her desire is to accomplish some things in the short time she has left in her too-short life. With the help of her best friend and the eventual resigned assistance of her parents and brother, Tessa lives the last weeks of her life full out. I think this title would be interesting paired with DEADLINE by Crutcher. Sure to create some controversy, this is a novel that will be embraced by teens who want truthful representations of life in their books.No surprise here
No one should be surprised to see the final chapter in the saga of Harry Potter is among the best books of 2007. I know I wondered how Rowling could possibly bring all the disparate story lines together and write a satisfying ending to the tale of Harry, Ron, Hermoine, and the other reidents of Hogwarts. No need to worry: Rowling manages to tie up all the loose ends left hanging in previous books and to bring Harry to his destiny. No spoilers here just a BRAVO to the author. I suspect this saga is one we will talk about for many years to come.
The New Policeman
Set in the magical land of leprechauns and fairies and rolling hills of green, THE NEW POLICEMAN combines time travel of sorts, god and goddesses, music, family, love, and betrayal all in one brilliant book. Chapters are short (2-3 pages) and should make this a great choice for reading aloud to middle school classes over a long period of time. However, it might best be enjoyed by those readers who love the magic of Harry Potter combined with the music of Frank Portman with a little sprinkle of mystery a la Joan Lowey Nixon.Beige
If you have not had the pleasure of reading Cecil Castellucci's books before, begin here. But be sure to go back and read her other novels as well. She is one of the new voices in YA. Here is a book to recommend to kids who loved NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST and perhaps even BORN TO ROCK. You can read more about it at my blog. And check out Cecil's newest endeavor, a graphic novel, THE PLAIN JANES from DC's new MINX imprint. You can read an excerpt at the publisher's web site. Check out Cecil's web pages, too: http://www.misscecil.com/index.html
MR. CHICKEE'S MESSY MISSION
If you think you know Christopher Paul Curtis and have not read the Mr. Chickee books, think again. This series featuring the Flint Future Detectives Agency and its sleuths Richelle, Steven and Russell, is a perfect middle grade series. It is funny, yes. It is also smart. Meet Zora Neal Hurston and James Brown. Eat burgers with olives. Dig in and enjoy this warm and woderful series. EGGS
A new novel from Mr. Spinelli is always cause for celebration. Eggs tells of two children and their unlikely friendship. Primrose and David connect at some basic, almost instinctual level. Here are two outcasts who find one another during some desperate times in their lives. Also look for another title from Spinelli later this year, a sequel to STARGIRL! STRAYS
I have been a huge fan of Ron Koertge for years. The lovely and talented Sharon Hancock of Candlewick Press asked if I would write a reader's guide for this new offering. I said "yes" even before I read the book. Glad I did, too. Ted is a stray who joins two other foster children hoping to find a place to belong. This is no simple story about finding family. Koertge embues this story with his strong sense of language and his slightly off-kilter perspective. 7 Days at the Hot Corner
Terry Trueman ventures away from some of his usual territory (or so it seems at the outset) to tell the story of a gifted young baseball player (third base, the hot corner) who is sweating out the results of an HIV test over the course of a week when he is also embroiled in the county playoffs. Can he handle all the stress on and off the field?Dramarama
E. Lockhart is a fresh and welcome voice in the YA field. Do not dismiss her work as chick-lit despite the pink covers that seem to suggest there might be some fluff inside. What is between the pages of her latest offering is more than filling. There is substance as Lockhart examines the lives and loves of some teens in a summer theater program. Would be actors (don't call them actresses: that would peg you as an ignorant outsider) could learn a lot from this funny and warm novel. WORLDWEAVERS
While we are waiting for Harry to make his final appearance, there is plenty of time to read some more fantasies. This one is well worth the while. Thea is the seventh child of two seventh children. So, much is expected of her. However, her attempts at magic fail miserably and her family is ready to throw in the towel. The Wandless Academy is sort of an anti-Hogwarts but it is populated with wonderful characters who do possess abilities, ones that are not immediately obvious. 19 Minutes
Though published as an adult book, the topic of school violence, school shootings, is at the core of Picoult's newest novel. It takes only 19 minutes to do many things, including time enough to murder classmates and wound still more. What can we learn from such seemingly senseless violence? Alternating viewpoints give readers at least a 180 view into the minds and hearts of those involved. Ultimately, the perspective of this novel is more adult than YA. However, older teens, already fans of Picoult's other books, will certainly seek out this one as well.Way Down Deep
This is the summer that Ruby June just might find out the answers to all her questions. How did she come to be in Way Down Deep? Who are her parents? Why did they leave her alone that night? Do they still look for her as she hopes they will come for her? Ruth White has carved this territory out well with her previous novels. Way Down Deep adds another layer to her unique ability to tell a story.LOVE, STARGIRL!
Jerry Spinelli's STARGIRL won readers hearts with the story of Leo and Stargirl. Now, years later, he offers readers another chance to fall in love with Stargirl in this sequel. Written as a long letter to her former (and maybe even future) boyfriend once she has left Mica and tried to begin her life in a new community, one populated with a wide range of eccentric characters, all of whom will be changed by their relationship with this magical young woman.
Field Guide to High School
Funny and all too real. Walsh skewers all of the foibles of high school, especially for those luckless enough to be entering freshmen. The inside dope on clubs, cliques, and so much more is presented in a faux field guide style. Is high school really this frightening? According to my resident 8th grader, it is worse! Right Behind You
Gail Giles sure knows how to get a reader to delve into a book. As she has already so ably demonstrated with PLAYING IN TRAFFIC, SHATTERING GLASS, DEAD GIRLS DON'T WRITE LETTERS, and WHAT HAPPENED TO CASS MCBRIDE, Giles' opening chapters promise a riverting read. That promise is kept throughout the book as readers follow the life of Kip, a young man newly released from an institution for juvenile criminals who are disturbed. Kip committed a heinous crime when he was not even 10 years old. Is he ready to reenter the world outside? Can he keep his past hidden from others? Can he put his life back together and learn to be "normal?" Kip has a tough road ahead of him. However, he has some wonderful people who will help him find his way.THIS IS WHAT I DID
THIS IS WHAT I DID is a compelling tale of the traumatic events that have made Logan move from his old neighborhood and school. Unfortunately, the move has not resolved Logan's trouble with a trio of bullies or with the nightmarish flashbacks to what he saw that fateful evening. Maybe the quirky friendship that is evolving with Laurel (she of the palindrome fascination) will help Logan find a way to tell his therapist about the events that changed his life.
Wednesday Wars
Gary Schmidt won critical accalim for his Newbery and Printz Honor book LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY. Schmidt tackles another historical era in THE WEDNESDAY WARS, one I actually hate to call historical as I was alive all the way back in the 60s. Holling Hoodhood (he of the unfortunate name) is a hapless middle school student who gets attention when he tries to help out and ends up screwing up instead. Fortunately for Holling, he has a fantastic teacher in the form of Mrs. Baker who challenges Holling to think for himself and to know that there is more to Holling than meets the eye. Great good humor, interesting discussions of history, and a story of relationships and friendships make this a wonderful read.