School Year begins

If anyone is looking for book reviews here, the most current updates will be at my school website.

http://www.sjms.jordan.k12.ut.us/MediaCenter/corner.htm

I may post here on long weekends or holidays!

Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess - ESSENTIAL

As you read my reviews today, you'll notice I seem to have a beef against swearing. And I do, when it feels like the swearing is added to artificially inflate the maturity level of a book. I have defended books with swearing before. Oh well! Let me know if you feel differently!

Wiess, Laura Such a Pretty Girl, 224 p. Simon Schuster

MS, HS-ESSENTIAL

Meredith has been safe for three years, but now her rapist – her own father – is getting out of jail early for good behavior and her mother insists that Meredith welcome him back with open arms. In the few dramatic days following his release, Meredith discovers some unexpected supporters and the strength within her self to survive.

 Very engrossing and a speedy read that will generate lots of word of mouth among students. The book does mention, of course, the rape, without describing it. Meredith also is pretty cozy with her older boyfriend, but again the descriptions are fairly limited. The “F’ word is used once, and other swear words less than half a dozen times.

CINDY

In The Break by Jack Lopez - NO

Lopez, Jack In The Break, 192 p. Little, Brown

NO

Juan and his best friend Jamie spend the best part of their days catching waves at their favorite breaks up and down the shore. When Jamie’s stepfather forces a confrontation, Jamie beats him until he is close to death. With Amber, Jamie’s sister, the pair head to Mexico to find a place for Jamie to hide out. With the help of an old Mexican man, the friends head out to a sheltered island with gorgeous waves and pods of dolphins playing in the surf. Danger lurks right around the corner. 

Part of the blurb on the back of the book calls the author’s writing “lyrical”, and it might be, but it's hard to tell through all of the swearing. Clunky and jarring, the large amount of swear words – totally without purpose – interrupt the reading and spoil the novel.

Prison Ship by Paul Dowswell - ADVISABLE

Dowswell, Paul Prison Ship, 300 p. Bloomsbury

MS - ADVISABLE

Sam Witchall survived the epic battle in Powder Monkey and has a new berth on a new ship. Unfortunately, He raises the ire and suspicion of the ship’s purser and the purser’s son, who frame him and his best friend Richard for cowardice in the midst of battle. The two are sent to Australia for punishment and continue to get themselves into trouble time after time, even though they have good people trying to help them. 

I really enjoyed the descriptions of ship life and colony life, but I got tired of watching the boys continually make horrible mistakes and be saved from their own follies in a deux ex machina fashion. I haven’t read the first title, but if it is the same then I have a hard time being enthusiastic. 

CINDY

Hall Club Meds by Katherine Page - NO

Page, Katherine Hall Club Meds, 166 p. Simon Schuster

NO

Jack, Mary and Sam call themselves and other kids who troop to the nurse’s office each day “Club Med”, as they get the medication they need to survive another day of school. Now they are in high school and Jack’s old tormentor has decided to use Jack as his personal supplier for his drug deals around campus – forcing Jack to turn over half of his medication for each day. Since Jack needs that medication to make it through each school day, he and his friends hit upon a plan to thwart Chuck and assert themselves against the school bullies. 

I have to wonder if someone told the author that the book would never sell unless she included some swearing, so she went back and add a swear word about every other page. I kid you not – that’s just about how often they are. They add absolutely nothing to the narrative and instead feel like great big clunker sin the middle of the story flow. It’s too bad – the story is very goos, but the sheer amount and variety of swear words, with no purpose, make this off limits for public schools. 

Sidewayz Glory by Todd Strasser - ESSENTIAL

Strasser, Todd Sidewayz Glory (Drift X #3) 197 p. Simon Schuster 

MS, HS-ESSENTIAL

Kennin wakes from his horrific crash and finds himself with a badly broken leg and in the hospital, having lost five days in unconsciousness. Even with his cast on, he finds himself pressured on all sides – from Tito, who wants to make up for causing the crash; from Derek, who wants him to race at Mr. Mercado’s new drift track; from Jack, who wants sole control of Kennin’s sister; from Mariel, who still trying to make her boyfriend jealous. On the track and in his life, Kennin is never sure if he will ever regain control of anything. 

Excellent end to the Drift X trilogy. Buy at least two copies of each title, because at least one will be stolen! 

The Taker by J.M. Steele - ADVISABLE

Steele, J.M. The Taker, 350 p. Hyperion

MS, HS – ADVISABLE

Carly must get into Princeton, but she tanks the SAT and only has eight weeks to study for the final retake. Then she receives a text message from “The Taker”, who promises to raise her score at least three hundred points, but she must study and act as if she is working hard on her own. For her tutor she enlists Ronald Gross – the nerdy guy who has lived across the street, and whom she has ignored, forever. Along the way Carly learns about lies and love, test-taking skills and life-skills. 

This is the second SAT fiction book I have read in the last six months and I enjoyed this one the best. A fun, quirky look at the too serious world of the SAT’s that many high school seniors will relate to. 

CINDY

Vanishing Act: Mystery at the U.S. Open by John Feinstein - ADVISABLE

Feinstein, John Vanishing Act: Mystery at the U.S. Open, 256 p. Knopf 

MS - ADVISABLE

Stevie and Susan Carol are covering another major sports event as they pursue their dreams of becoming major sports reporters. This time they are at the U.S. Open of tennis, where a major star disappears as she is approaching the court for her first game. Never kids to turn down a great mystery, the two do their best to expose the truth behind the kidnapping. 

This novel is as engaging as the author’s first, with loads of information about sports reporting, tennis professionals and the seedy world of athlete agents. The action is engaging enough that even if people recognize that there are major flaws in the background logic, they will be willing to forgive because the read was so much fun. 

CINDY

The Plague: My side of the story by Philip Wooderson - OPTIONAL

Wooderson, Philip The Plague: My side of the story, 192 p. Houghton

EL, MS - OPTIONAL

Rachel and Robert’s lives intersect in her father’s shop, where Robert is the apprentice, just as the plague takes hold in 1665 London. Even as the plague devastates London and moves into the villages, someone is trying to ruins Rachel’s father’s cloth business. 

This book is written back to back, with the reader having to flip the book in order to finish. The hype on the inside would have you believe that both sides give different, and possibly conflicting, views of the same action. Instead, one is really only a continuation of the other – and I started reading the wrong one first and knew the end before I had even begun! It really is necessary to read Rachel’s story first. Other than that quirk, the novel is a middle quality read that adds little to the drama around the Black Death. 

CINDY

Firegirl by Tony Abbott - ESSENTIAL

Abbott, Tony Firegirl 145 p. Little, Brown 

EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

Tom is normal sixth grader, with a best friend, a bit car crazy and a secret crush on the prettiest girl in his grade. Then Jennifer, the victim of a horrible fire, comes to his class while she is receiving burn treatments and skin grafts, changing everything Tom thought he knew about himself and his best friend. 

This is a short and powerful novel that should be read aloud to every elementary and middle school student across the nation, followed up by an intense discussion about how to treat people with differences. The unembellished writing drives home the author’s intentions and shows how it is as easy to befriend someone as it is to ridicule them. 

CINDY

Voices by Ursula LeGuin - ADVISABLE

LeGuin, Ursula Voices, 352 p. Harcourt

MS, HS – ADVISABLE

Memer has lived in her city, under the rule of print-phobic usurpers, the Alds, for most of her life. Only she and the Waylord have access to, or even know about, the secret library that was saved from destruction. Now Gry and Orrec, who is a Maker, have arrives in search of this repository. Orrec is destined to stir things up. 

This title is much more accessible than its predecessor, but will be better enjoyed if read second. If you already carry LeGuin, your upper level students will enjoy her new series. 

CINDY

Cobra King of Kathmandu by P.B. Kerr - ADVISABLE

Kerr, P.B. Cobra King of Kathmandu 384 p. Scholastic

EL, MS – ADVISABLE

John, Philippa and their best friend Dybbuk travel to India on the hunt for a murderer – not knowing that they must also save their Uncle Nimrod and breakup the resurrection of an old snake cult, whose leader is bent on capturing djinn for his own nefarious purpose. 

A likable, well-written addition to the series. 

Suddenly Alligator: an adverbial tale by Rick Walton - ADVISABLE

Walton, Rick Suddenly Alligator: an adverbial tale PICTURE BOOK Gibbs Smith 

EL, MS, HS – ADVISABLE

A young boy walks through the swamp in quest of a new pair of socks. Along with other discoveries, he encounters an alligator intent on making the boy his next meal. 

The author places each adverb at the end of the sentence add emphasis, helping younger readers enjoy the lesson. Middle or high school grammar and writing teachers could use this book to show how using a wide variety of adverbs enhances writing MIGHTILY. 

Tree of Life by Peter Sis - OPTIONAL

Sis, Peter Tree of Life PICTURE BOOK Farrar, Straus, Giroux

MS, HS – OPTIONAL

Peter Sis applies his unique illustration style to short, but in-depth look at the life of Charles Darwin. 

Tiny, detailed drawing, along with (tiny, detailed) writing make this book only appropriate for middle school or high school. If a teacher used an opaque projector, their class could be enjoy this look at Darwin. 

John, Paul, George and Ben by Lane Smith - ADVISABLE

Smith, Lane John, Paul, George and Ben PICTURE BOOK Hyperion 

EL, MS, HS – ADVISABLE

A fun, humorous look at the early lives of five (Tom, too) important men in American history. A great true/false section at the end of the narrative elevates this from mere entertainment, to a way to introduce these men to middle or high school students. 

Eva Underground by Dandi Mackall - OPTIONAL

Mackall, Dandi Eva Underground, 256 p. Harcourt

MS, HS – OPTIONAL

Eva’s mother has died and her father has dragged her from her comfortable American life and into the extremely poor and anti-democracy environs of Communist Poland of the 1970’s. While her father tries to nurture a revolution, Eva tries to just survive the harsh, unfamiliar life that she has been thrust into. 

The events of this title are far removed from the students of today. This title might find a home in a large high school library, especially one where a faculty member actually discusses the events. It will need help finding its audience. 

CINDY

Infernal Devices by Philip Reeve - ADVISABLE

Reeve, Philip Infernal Devices , 368 p. HarperCollins

MS, HS - ADVISABLE

20 years after Hester and Tom took refuge on the tiny city of Anchorage, they must set out among the Hungry Cities again. This time they must rescue their daughter, Wren, who has been kidnapped and is in a situation more dangerous than she knows. Pennyroyal, Anita Fang, and Stalker Grike are back, each with an important part in this small family’s destiny. 

Definitely exciting, but for a more mature audience. This title will work best in school’s which already own the first two. I would not buy the series based on the strength of this title. 

Victory by Susan Cooper - ADVISABLE

Cooper, Susan Victory, 208 p. Simon Schuster 

EL, MS - ADVISABLE

Sam has been press-ganged onto Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson’s flag ship before the battle of Trafalgar. Molly has moved with her mother and step family from her beloved London to Connecticut, bringing along a severe case of homesickness. The two young people’s stories come together when Molly finds a piece of Admiral Nelson’s history preserved by Sam between the pages of a book. 

Books about sailing ships and sea battles seem to be doing well in many libraries. If this is the case in your library, then this will be a good addition. 

CINDY

Eats, Shoots, and Leaves by Lynne Truss - ESSENTIAL

Truss, Lynne Eats, Shoots, and Leaves: Why commas really do make a difference, PICTURE BOOK Penguin

EL, MS, HS – ESSENTIAL

A panda walks into a diner, eats a bit, shoots a couple of arrows and then leaves. So begins several pages of misplaced and replaced commas and great illustrations for each convention. The importance of the lowly comma becomes very evident. 

This title was originally published as a non-fiction title that expounds at great length (yes, I have read it). This much shorter, and to the point adaptation, would be an excellent tool at every level of education. You will need a opaque projector or its modern equivalent in order to make the most of this title. 

CINDY

Desperate Journey by Jim Murphy - OPTIONAL

Murphy, Jim Desperate Journey, 272 p. Scholastic

EL, MS - OPTIONAL

Maggie and her family live and work on the Erie Canal. If they don’t get their current load to the city on time, they will probably loose their boat and their livelihood. Along their way, however, their father and uncle are arrested on trumped up charges. Maggie, her mother and her brother must somehow get the boat there on time. 

While the writing and pacing are excellent, the subject matter will probably not draw students to the novel. If you have a teacher who requires an American Historical fiction read, then add this to your collection. Otherwise, you will need to sell this title. 

CINDY