The True Story of Jack & the Beanstalk by Shurtliff - ADVISABLE

Shurtliff, Liesl Jack The True Story of Jack & the Beanstalk, 292 pages.  Alfred A, Knopf, 2015. $16.99.  Language:  G(0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.

This book is about a young boy named Jack.  Jack's pa is taken by giants when they come to his land from above.   Jack being the brave boy he is. goes after. Using giant beans he is able to climb a bean stalk to the world above. The giant world is in extreme famine, and nothing will grow. There he is confronted by chickens the size of his house, pixies with venomous bites, and greedy giants.  When his sister joins him things get even more wild as they join together on a quest to find their father, and prevent the giants from stealing from them.

I really liked how fun and engaging this book was.  There was never a dull moment.  Shurtliff really has a way of making her readers feel anxious while still keeping the story fun and exciting.  The book really had some interesting views on greed and what it can do to people.  I liked how it didn't paint all the giants as bad guys.   At the beginning of the book Jack thought all giants were bad.  As he met more and more giants he realized that there are many good giants and that we shouldn't judge someone based on their size.  I liked this book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good, adventurous read.

EL, MS-ADVISABLE. KSC, 14 sjpl

Stone in the Sky (Sequel to Tin Star) by Cecil Castellucci –OPTIONAL

Castellucci, Cecil Stone in the Sky (Sequel to Tin Star) 320 pgs, Roaring Brook Press; 2015. $17.99 Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG Violence: PG

Tula has done well for herself alone on the space station by an empty planet. But her past choices are catching up with her and she is going to have to face them, including the dreaded Brother Blue, who destroyed her family. When the planet below the station blooms to life, Tula’s life takes an unexpected turn. She is also torn between romantic interests. Will she be able to survive Brother Blue and his crusade to eradicate her?

I found this one much more enjoyable than the first book, there was finally a change of scenery and was much less claustrophobic. I didn’t feel any closer to the main character and she seemed very detached from the men in her life though the pull between the two seemed to be important. The story has many twists and turns and it felt very long at times. I got a bit lost in all the political snafus involving the status of earth. Due to its complexity this book isn’t quite right for middle school. I am a big fan of sci-fi, but this just isn’t my favorite.

HS- OPTIONAL  Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Running out of Night by Sharon Lovejoy –OPTIONAL

Lovejoy, Sharon Running out of Night 304 pgs, Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2015. $16.99 Content: Language: PG (3 swears); Mature Content: G Violence: PG

When a mistreated girl runs away with an escaped slave girl, they are risking their lives in their run for freedom. They are chased by the girls father and brothers as well as many marauding slave catchers. Every time they find a mote of safety, it comes crashing down. With the help of Quakers and even other escaping slaves, they are able to keep their hopes up and continue, forging an unforgettable friendship.

I wanted to like this story, what library doesn’t love great historical fiction? I honestly think some readers may find it offensive to compare a bad home life of a white girl to the unending misery of the life of a slave girl. The story seems very long, and though the twists and turns add interest, they would a ton of hurdles for young readers. It’s a bit of a long read for an educator to use as a read-aloud, though the Quaker component of the underground railroad is interesting. Might work best for a middle school library, due to the violence level. 

MS  –OPTIONAL  Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

The Sculptor by Scott McCloud –NOT RECOMMENDED

McCloud, Scott A Change of Lace (Sew Zoey #9) 496  pgs, First Second, 2015. $6.99 Content: Language: PG13 (12 swears); Mature Content: PG13 Violence: G GRAPHIC NOVEL

David is an unmotivated artist who is down in the dumps and out of money. When he makes a Faustian deal with a man who looks like his long dead uncle, David is given the ability to create by magic. Yet his difficulties continue, and despite how pathetic he is, a girl falls in love with him. As his time on earth rolls to a close, David finds a creative outlet worth his talents and his life takes a profound and tragic turn.

I honestly hated reading about this limp pathetic man. It reminds me of every unmotivated, pathetic, blame the world boyfriend I had as a young adult. Maybe todays youth would relate, but it’s a long long book to read and I think that even a relatable young man may be sick of looking in the mirror by that time. I didn’t enjoy the illustrations and found them gray, grim and dull.

HS  – NO Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Build a Boyfriend by Kiki Jones –GIFT

Jones, Kiki Build a Boyfriend 26 pgs, Price Stern Sloa; 2015. $9.99  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G Violence: G

This book features changeable pages that cutS a plethora of cute teenage boys into thirds: hair, eyes/nose, and mouth. Readers can flip the pages to create 1,728 different combintations in order to find their perfect boyfriend. On the reverse side of each part, there is a little tidbit, like mischievous eyes, or a smile that features “luscious lips that whisper secrets in my ear”.

I think this is a great book for a gift for a pre-teen, they would spend hours pouring over this, probably taking it very seriously. Teens would think it was hilarious and probably enjoy making some silly combos. But I think it is not appropriate for a school library, nor would it hold up well for checkout in a public library. (though the teen area might have a table this would be fun to feature without checkout).

MS, HS  – GIFT Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Remember by Eileen Cook - OPTIONAL

Cook, Eileen Remember, 312 pgs. Simon Pulse, 2015. $17.99 Language: PG-13  (1 "f" word, other swears); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G

Harper just had a tragic experience, leaving her depressed and unhappy. Her dad owns a company called Memtex; it helps adults erase the bad memories in their life. With the help of her boyfriend Josh, an intern at Memtex, and her best friend, Win, she sneaks in and has the procedure without her dad's permission. She doesn't feel sad anymore but starts to develop symptoms, like hallucinations of a strange yet familiar women. Together with Neil, a protester who says he needs answers from Memtex, she finds shocking news that makes her question her father.

I like how the author kept things exciting throughout the book. For example, the events in the story started to cool down and you got less interested, she would sneak in a twisted surprise and you just couldn't put it down. It was hard to stop reading because you wanted to know what happened next. I didn't like that it had a lot of swear words but it was still a really thrilling book.

MS - OPTIONAL. Student Reviewer: LM, 15 sjpl

The Body in the Woods by April Henry - ADVISABLE

Henry, April The Body in the Woods, 263 Pages.  $16.99.  Content: PG-13 (violence, murder).

Three students, Alexis, Ruby , and Nick, are on a search and rescue mission in the forest. While trying to find an autistic boy they find a dead body instead. This dead body leases to a murder mystery and eventually a hunt down for a serial killer.

 April Henry really knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat. She really knows her stuff and gives you good information. April Henry also threw in a absolutely wonderful twist in the end of the book! Who would have known.

MS, HS – ADVISABLE.  Student Reviewer: CW sjpl

Coda by Emma Trevayne - NO

Trevayne, Emma Coda, 311 pgs. Running Press, 2013. Language - R (74 swears, 68 "f"), Sexual Content - PG-13; Violence - PG-13; 

In this future New York City it is illegal not to do drugs. Everyone is addicted to drugs the government encodes into music that tell your brain it's high. But Anthem refuses to let his little brother and sister become addicted and controlled like he is. It is time to fight drug high with natural high, music with music, and power with freedom. In this book, Anthem fights himself as much as he fights those oppressing him. It is easy to hate and complain without doing anything, it's hard to take action and do something about it. As Anthem takes his followers and readers with him to make his world a better place, he is forced to ask himself (and we ask ourselves) if a revolution will exchange one evil for another of if he will rise above the enemy's tyranny and truly usher in an age of choice. 

Agency is worth fighting for, but one has to allow everyone to use it or else choice and freedom are just illusions. It is this aspect of the book that kept me turning pages and prevented me from putting it down. I absolutely loved this premise and the direction that Trevayne took it in. However, I cringed at the amount of swearing. If you want to slog through the vulgarity, this really is a phenomenal book. 

HS - NO. Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen.

Pulled Under by Michelle Dalton - ADVISABLE

Dalton, Michelle Sixteenth Summer: Pulled Under, 250 pgs. Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), 2014. Language - PG (16 swears, 0 "f"), Sexual Content - PG; Violence - G; 

Summer at Pearl Beach is as much about the locals as it is about the tourists, the difference is that locals have more fun. This summer, Local-Izzy does her best to transform Tourist-Ben into Local-Ben. However, the end of the summer is looming and it's time for Izzy to either go big taking risks or go home as shy and insecure as she always has been. 

I loved reading this book so much. Izzy's story is more than just a summer fling, it's about becoming the great person you don't yet know you are and fighting for the things that matter to you. Don't give up because it's easy--when something is easier said than done, it's worth the effort. And--bonus--this book had me literally laughing out loud on more than one occasion. Dalton is very witty and captures real life awkwardness very accurately. 

HS - ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen