Order of Darkness: Stormbringers by Philippa Gergory - OPTIONAL

Gregory, Philippa  Order of Darkness: Stormbringers, 327 pgs.  Simon Pulse, 2013.  $17.99  Content: Language: PG (2 swears); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG.  

In this second book in the Order of Darkness series, Luca is still looking for signs of the end of days, so when he comes upon a child crusade led by a self-proclaimed prophet, Johann, he stops to investigate.  Johann is leading the children to Jerusalem and promises that they will be rewarded for their journey by God, but when he leads the children into the ocean after it seemingly parts for him, bad things happen that Luca can’t explain.  

The characters in this book are great, Luca and Isolde as well as their servants Ishraq and Freize, they make you care for them and their hearts desires.  The overall idea of investigating the End of Days is interesting, but sometimes the debates in theology go on and on slowing the whole story line down.  I also had a hard time with this book because it’s obvious that the big unexplained even is a tsunami, but Luca keeps trying to find a religious explanation for it, so it was frustrating as the reader.  Overall, it’s not a bad series, it is just slow at times.  

MS, HS-OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Engines of the Broken World by Jason Vanhee--OPTIONAL

Vanhee, Jason Engines of the Broken World, 262 pgs. Henry Holt and Company, 2013. $16.99. Language: PG-13 (34 swears 0 “F”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG-13

Merciful Truth and her brother Gospel’s mother is dead. They want to give her the proper burial she deserves, but the snow and cold won’t allow them to break the ground and dig a grave. The Minister who guides them through animal form disapproves of their actions and makes them feel guilty for their choice. The siblings vow to lay their mother to rest as soon as the storm ceases, but in the meantime, put her under the table in the cold of the kitchen. Merciful does her best to justify her actions to the Minister and even begins to feel less guilty until she hears the lullaby begin. How is it possible that she is hearing her mother singing when Merciful knows her mother is dead?

What begins promisingly as a creepy story of the dead rising again quickly devolves into a confused plot about parallel universes, the end of the world, God and his plan, and a hazy battle between good and evil. As the supernatural genre of young adult literature persists, many authors attempt a new take on a tired idea. This story makes such an attempt and is ambitious in its scope, but fails to create a book that feels complete or comprehensible. The ending is abrupt and unsatisfying as the reader is left with many unanswered questions.

MS,HS—OPTIONAL. AEB

 

Flight of the Honey Bee by Raymond Huber- ESSENTIAL

Huber, Raymond Flight of the Honey Bee.  Illustrated by Brian Lovelock. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2013. $16.99. This story is about a little honeybee who has the job in the colony to be one of the scouts. Scouts job in the hive is very important because she must find the flowers that provide the nectar to make honey. The honey bee is also one of the most important creatures on earth because it moves pollen from one plant to another helping produce seeds and fruits. I learned many things about honeybees while reading this book.  I liked the illustration because they were very realistic.  On each page the author not only told the story of Scout but also included informative facts which I found not only helpful, but interesting.  I think this book would be a great book to have in every classroom.  EL (K-3). EL.  ESSENTIAL.  Student Reviewer: JL- age 11.

The End (Almost) by Jim Benton-NOT RECOMMENDED

Benton, Jim The End (Almost). PICTURE BOOK. Scholastic, 2014. $16.99.  Donut the bear loves to read. When this particularly short story ends, Donut is not ready.  He tries every way possible to continue the story even though the reader is out of pages and the story is really over. Donut even tries to hide behind a sign that says, “You Can’t See Me”  hoping that the reader will continue. Finally the reader asks if Donut would like the story read a second time. Not surprising, the second reading is equally short.  The illustrations are clever and created by New York Times bestselling author Jim Benton.  The story has the potential of being a great one, but this book missed the mark for us.  The idea that children love story time and don’t want favorite books to end is creative.  I can’t put my finger on why, but when the book ended, we looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders and moved on to another book.  We simply didn’t feel like the author succeeded in reaching his initial goal or idea.  Pre-K.  EL (K-3).  NOT RECOMMENED. Reviewer: SL.

Twenty-six Pirates: An Alphabet Book by Dave Horowitz- ESSENTIAL

Horowitz, Dave Twenty-six Pirates: An Alphabet Book. PICTURE BOOK.  Penguin Young Readers Group, 2013. $16.99. 

From A to Z this Alphabet book is packed with adorable, funny, quirky pirates who help little ones explore and learn the alphabet.  “Pirate Juan wants his mom.  Pirate Doug needs a hug.  Pirate Yul’s a dancin’ fool.”  

We loved the rhymes.  We loved the creative and unique illustrations that depict each letter of the alphabet perfectly.  Teachers could use this book idea to create their own classroom pirate ABC book using names of their students and or teaching rhyming words.  This is a must for every classroom as well as for anyone with preschool age children. 

Pre-K.  EL (K-3). ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: SL

Swimmy by Leo Lionni-ESSENTIAL

Lionni, Leo Swimmy: 50^th Anniversary Edition. PICTURE BOOK.  Random House Children’s Books, 2013. $17.99. This book is about a little fish named, Swimmy. He lived in a school of fish.  He was very happy until one day a big tuna fish ate his entire family.  Swimmy was all alone and sad.  He was also frightened.  Swimmy needed a plan to protect him. He searched for a very long time but eventually came up with a great idea.  Read this award winning book to find out how Swimmy’s imagination literally saved his life.  I loved the illustrations in this timeless book.  I loved how this book taught you to keep on persevering in tough situations and have a good imagination in the face of trials.  I liked the free poster included in this edition and the caption that says, “Celebrating 50 Years of Being Unique.”  Pre-K.  EL (K-3). EL.  ESSENTIAL. Student reviewer: JL- age 11. 

When Charley Met Grampa-OPTIONAL

Hest, Amy When Charley Met Grampa.  Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. PICTURE BOOK.  Candlewick Press, 2013. $15.99. This book is about a little boy named Henry who gets a new dog.  The dog’s name is Charley.  Henry’s Grampa (yes, it’s spelled ‘Grampa’) comes for a visit but isn’t sure if he is fond of dogs.  Grampa’s cap is caught in a gust of wind and carried away.  Charley knows what to do and immediately runs after the cap.  Grampa is now a fan of Charley!  I liked the detailed illustrations of this book.  The pictures were kid friendly and told a lot of the story by their incredible detail and fun colors.  The story was very sweet and tender.  The only thing I didn't like was that the story was a little slow and didn't really keep my attention. Pre-K.  EL (K-3).  OPTIONAL. Student Reviewer: JL- age 11.

The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell - ADVISABLE

Mitchell, Saundra  The Springsweet, 275 pgs.  Harcourt, 2012.  $16.99  Content: Language: PG (5 swears); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG.  

Zora can’t get over the death of her fiancé Thomas, so she decides to go west and leave Boston behind.  In Oklahoma she lives with her young widowed aunt and helps care for her little cousin.  What Zora doesn’t expect to find in Oklahoma is Emerson, a young and irritating man who makes her feel things she hasn’t felt since Thomas died.  While Zora is trying to figure out her feelings for Emerson, and another love-interest, she learns that she can sense water and tries to help people find water sources on their land, but helping people doesn’t always work in her favor.  

This is a fast engaging story about a young girl in the wilds of the west.  She is trying to deal with heartache and new love while finding her purpose with her talents.  This book is better written than the first book in this series, The Vespertine, and the main characters strength make her a great protagonist.  Although the characters are seventeen, the content is clean enough for middle school.  

MS, HS-ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson. 

Being Henry David by Cal Armistead - ADVISABLE

Armistead, Cal  Being Henry David, 304 pgs.  Albert Whitman and Company, 2013.  $16.99 

Content: Language: R (90 swears; 3 “F”); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG-13.  

A seventeen year old boy wakes up in a train station not knowing his own name.  He is holding Walden and decides to name himself Henry David, or “Hank”.  Hank is found by Jack and Jack’s sister, Nessa, and they both live on the street working for a scary man named Magpie, who deals drugs.  Hank runs away from Jack and the Magpie situation to Walden Pond, where he meets and falls for a girl, and finds a guy named Thomas who helps him learn who he is.  

I really enjoyed this book.  The main character’s past unfolds a piece at a time, while his current life is interesting as well.  The story moves quickly and the tragedy that causes Hank’s memory loss is slowly revealed, yet completely explained.  This is a good book for boys with a strong main character who learns to face hardship.  There are drugs and a few fights.  

HS-ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.   

Unhinged by A.G. Howard - ADVISABLE

Howard, A.G. Unhinged, 387 p. Abrams, 2014.  $18.  

Violence: PG (lots of fighting and danger, not extremely graphic or bloody); Mature Content: G; Language: G. 

Even though Alyssa was crowned Queen of Wonderland, she has left the kingdom in the hands of Grenadine and Ivory so that she can go back home and spend her senior year pretending that Wonderland doesn’t even exist.  However, Morpheus, Red and Sister Two have very different plans for Alyssa.  They are more than happy to haunt her dreams and prepare for battle.  Red wants Alyssa’s body for her own so that she can rule Wonderland.  Sister Two wants Jeb, Alyssa’s boyfriend as payment for perceived wrongs.  Morpheus wants Alyssa’s heart and soul for his own.  All of three of htem have no problem bringing Wonderland to Alyssa’s world, even in sight of everyone she loves and hates. 

This book falls prey to second in the series syndrome – all set up for what is really going to be the action in book number three.  I wasn’t happy watching Alyssa dither cluelessly and childishly for more than 200 pages before things really started to happen.  I don’t feel a need to choose between Jeb and Morpheus – there’s another major male character whose history and fate intrigues me much more.  Instead of the book being about Wonderland and Alice versus the Red Queen, it is really about the love triangle; I wish authors would stop making every book a love story and write the real story instead, letting the romance be a secondary part of the narrative.  I will cross my fingers and hope for great things in book three, Splintered was so awesome.  The purple text was a very nice touch, though.  

MS, HS – ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher.

Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst - OPTIONAL

Durst, Sarah Beth Conjured, 358 p. Walker (Bloomsbury), 2014.  $18.  

Language: PG ( 8 swears, 0 ‘f’); Violence: G (deaths are mentioned, but never described); Mature Content: G.  

Eve has amnesia.  Worst of all, she still loses hours, day, even weeks.  She does remember Malcolm, who seems to be watching over her, and “Aunt” Nikki, who seems to hate her.  She also begins to remember Zach, the cute boy who works at the library with her.  Yes, Eve is in Witness Protection, but the circumstances surrounding the crimes she was witness to are more bizarre than she can imagine, and seem to involve magic.  

While on the surface this seems like it may be a light fantasy book, it is instead for only your very best readers.  It is a well-crafted tale that slowly unveils each detail – you start out as bewildered as Eve, but as she learns, you learn.  There is no omniscient narrator here.  For your students who will pay attention, this will be a treasure.  

MS, HS – OPTIONAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Rise of the Arcane Fire by Kristin Bailey - ADVISABLE

Bailey, Kristin Rise of the Arcane Fire (The Secret Order #2), 453 p. Simon Pulse, 2014.  $18.  

Language: PG (6 swears, 0 ‘f’); Violence: PG (dangerous, not graphic); Mature Content: G.  

While the immediate danger for Meg and Will is over, there is still lots of learning and growing to do.  Meg has been accepted as the first-ever female Amusementist, but she first has to survive the scorn of the male students in her classes.  Will has decided to head to Scotland to work in the Foundry, where the Amusementists’ creations are machined.  As Meg tries to keep for ache for Will at bay by diving into her studies, she uncovers all kinds of secrets – secrets of the heart, but also secrets that someone is willing to sabotage and kill to protect.  

More great steampunk action.  A small bit romantic, but I like that it is not the point of the plot or the action.  

MS, HS – ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Deep in the Sahara by Kelly Cunnane and Hoda Hadadi -- PUBLIC

Cunnane, Kelly and Hoda Hadadi Deep in the Sahara. Schwartz & Wade, 2013. $17.99. Content: G.

Lalla cannot wait until she is old enough to wear the traditional malafa that the other women in the Muslim country of Mauritania wear. Malafas are beautiful, after all, and they help women look exotic and grown up. But when her mother answers the call to prayer, Lalla learns what a malafa truly stands for: faith. Then and only then is she ready for one.

I love this book. The illustrations are beautiful, and the lyrical text is a delight to read aloud. The book's poetic devices -- especially the frequent use of onomatopoeia -- beg to be shared with a class. Lalla's frustration with not being old enough for something the big girls get makes this book very accessible, while the introduction to another culture adds interest and educational layers to the story. In schools where faith-based books work, this would be a very nice addition. Otherwise, it would be an essential purchase for a public library collection.

EL -- PUBLIC. Reviewer: Caryn

Marion Takes a Break by Callie Barkley -- ADVISABLE

Barkley, Callie Marion Takes a Break (Critter Club #4), 112 pgs. Little Simon, 2013. $15.99. Content: G.

Marion spends her days rushing from activity to activity -- and excelling in each one she attempts. But when she sprains her ankle, this self-sufficient girl has to rely on her friends for help, while also making peace with her new, less-hectic pace.

As a character, Marion is fun and engaging, and the story itself is very accessible for young readers, with large type, short chapters, and plenty of lively illustrations. Many students in today's fast-paced culture will appreciate Marion's frustration when she has to dial things back a bit, while animal lovers will likely enjoy the kittens and horses that feature strongly in the story. Lessons on working together and finding ways to make a difference round out the story nicely, while not hitting the reader over the head with obvious morals. While this is the fourth in a series, it stands alone nicely.

EL -- ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Caryn

Lulu and the Cat in the Bag by Hilary McKay -- OPTIONAL

McKay, Hilary Lulu and the Cat in the Bag, 84 pgs. Albert Whitman & Company, 2011. $13.99. Content: G.

When Lulu's parents go out of town, her animal-hating grandmother Nan comes to stay with her. The only problem? Lulu's family owns a variety of very vocal, very rambunctious pets. But when a stray cat shows up on Lulu's doorstep, Nan may begin to see the value in pets after all.

With only four chapters spread over 84 pages, and very few pictures to break up the text, this book feels very dense for young readers. The plot itself is quite sparse, and much of the story consists of Nan whining about Lulu's pets, while Lulu argues back about how great they are, and the pets make a ruckus in the background. Rinse and repeat multiple times throughout the book. Nan's sudden change of heart where pets are concerned is quite predictable as well. Fans of other books in the Lulu series may enjoy this one, but otherwise I think it can be skipped.

EL -- OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Caryn

The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr - OPTIONAL

Zarr, Sara The Lucy Variations, 304 pgs.  Little, Brown, and Company, 2013.  $18.00  Content: Language: PG-13 (19 swears); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: G.  

Lucy is a piano prodigy that quits her intense piano performing upon the death of her grandmother.  Feeling pressured from her mother and grandfather to be the best made her feel like she was missing out on real life.  After eight months of not touching the piano, her little brother’s piano teacher, Will, convinces her to play for herself.  Lucy rediscovers who she is and what she loves with the help and promptings of Will.  

This is a great book about living for what we love and keeping perspective and balance in life.  Lucy is a strong character that is trying to do what is right, but also trying to find happiness.  My only issue with this book is the flirting between Will (a 30yo married man) and 16yo Lucy was inappropriate and manipulative and although their relationship is what helped Lucy find herself, it was too much and moved the book to optional instead of essential.  

MS, HS-OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root by Christopher Pennell--ADVISIBLE

Pennell, Christopher The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root, illustrated by Rebecca Bond. 262 pgs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013. $16.99. Language: G; Violence: G; Mature Content: G.

Carly Bean Bitters has a unique condition; she cannot sleep at night. During the day while others attend school, go to work, and live in the sunlight, Carly snoozes away oblivious. But at night, when the rest of the world sleeps, she becomes a witness to the magic that occurs in the moonlight. The moonlit world is a place where mice play music on rooftops and fly on the wind. Soon Carly makes friends with the mice and learns of the legend of the Whistle Root trees. Things begin to change when a wicked creature comes to life in the woods and sets about creating havoc.  Carly must understand her place in the legend and believe that she can stop the fiendish monster before all is lost.

Young readers will enjoy this book that is filled with magic and wonder. It is a nice tale of friendship and being able to overcome a crisis by believing in yourself and trusting in others. The illustrations that are sprinkled through the book are charming and add to the story. The only drawback is, while the plot is original and creative, the book falls short of creating a truly magical experience.

EL—ADVISIBLE. AEB

Fragile Spirits by Mary Lindsey - OPTIONAL

Lindsey, Mary Fragile Spirits, 308 p. Philomel, 2014.  $18.  Language: PG-13 (40 swears, 0 ‘f’); Violence: PG-13 (blood, deaths); Mature Content: PG-13 (possession).  

Paul feels that he is more than ready to become a real Protector, ready to guard a Speaker, one who hears the dead and helps or forces them to move on.  When he meets his Speaker, however, he realizes he may be out of his depth.  Vivienne is a first cycle Speaker (Speakers and their Protectors are reborn in an almost eternal cycle), has a load of baggage about the Intercessor Council, and will lash out in any way in order to protect her privacy and keep Paul away.  Her problems, Paul’s problems and a generations old Malevolent, however, will cause many bonds to be strained and more than one may die before peace is found.  

Interesting, intense and very, very engaging.  The demonology  and the sheer wickedness of the Malevolents makes this for a more mature audience.  

HS – OPTIONAL.  Cindy, Library Teacher

Mouseheart by Lisa Fiedler - ADVISABLE

Fiedler, Lisa Mouseheart, 299 p. Simon and Schuster, 2014.  $16.  Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (about the safe as the Redwall series).  

Hopper and his siblings are safe in their cage at the pet shop, but when he realizes they are about to be sold for snake food, they escape – straight into Brooklyn and immediately separated from each other.  Hopper finds himself deep in the bowels of the city, rescued by a rat, Zucker, and into the midst of intrigue and controversy.  Innocent Hopper wants to believe the story the king of the rats has told him, but Zucker is trying to tell Hopper something different – a secret pact exists between the rats and the cats with the mice as the sacrifice.  

For those students who enjoy heroic animal tales (The Warriors series, etc), this is another great offering.  Full of danger and excitement and great characters.  

EL - ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher

The Freedom Maze by Delia Sherman - ADVISABLE

Sherman, Delia The Freedom Maze, 253 p. Candlewick, 2014.  $7.  Mature Content: G; Language: G; Violence: PG (mentions of master/slave violence).  

Sophie is so angry that her mother is forcing her to spend the summer at her grandmother’s.  Her grandmother may still reminisce about the old life on the plantation, but only two old people are left in a run down house on the edge of the bayou.  When she investigates the old maze, however, a mischievous spirit draws her back through time.  And with her tanned skin, she is mistaken for a slave – a family member, yes – born on the wrong side of the sheets.  Sophie spends her days toiling in the Big House, but is sent to the fields after she angers her masters.  The spirit won’t send her back, because it says that Sophie has some thing very important to do.  As the months continue on, Sophie’s old life seems more like an old dream.  

Though this book involves time travel, it is a solid work of historic fiction.  I will definitely include it on my list for our American History classes as an option for their novel project.  

MS – ADVISABLE.  Cindy, Library Teacher