Tag Archives: Science Fiction

YA – The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

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Collins, Suzanne. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Scholastic Press, 2020.  978-1-338-63517-1. $24.99. 528 p. Grades 9-12.

The much-anticipated prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy begins 64 years before Katniss Everdeen enters the arena to fight for her life. The Hunger Games are only ten years old and are not yet the spectacle they go on to become. Coriolanus Snow, future president of Panem, along with his cousin and grandmother, have sold almost all of their possessions after the war drains their finances. The Snow name is synonymous with wealth, and they struggle to maintain a wealthy facade. The Snow family motto demands it: snow lands on top. Head gamemaker Dr. Gaul pairs each tribute with a Capitol Academy mentor. Coriolanus is paired with District 12’s Lucy Gray Baird, who immediately becomes a fan favorite due to her songbird voice. Coriolanus falls for her and, upon seeing the horrific conditions where the tributes are kept before the games, arranges for her to have food and medical care, a precursor to tribute treatment in the later books. But he still has strong loyalty to the Capitol. This is much different from his peer, Sejanus. He views The Hunger Games as unjust, and at times, Coriolanus sees his point. As his love for Lucy Gray deepens, he is conflicted. He believes in her but also in the Capitol. Most of all, he believes he needs to make something of himself in order to keep proving that snow always indeed lands on top.

Thoughts: Readers will want to simultaneously empathize and loathe Coriolanus. He wants to make the right decisions, but there are already glimpses of what he will become in later books. Fans of The Hunger Games will love discovering the origins of the trilogy’s most important symbols, such as the mockingjay and Victors’ Village. For those who have never read The Hunger Games, it serves as a good start. Similar to its predecessors’, the book does have a fair amount of blood and violence and is better suited for high school readers who are sure to enjoy this action-packed origin story.

Dystopian Fiction     Danielle Corrao, Ephrata Area SD

YA – Infinity Son; All Your Twisted Secrets; The Kingdom of Back; The Between; The Upside of Falling; This is My Brain in Love

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Silvera, Adam. Infinity Son. HarperTeen, 2020. 978-0-062-98378-7. 353 p. $18.99. Grades 7-12.

Twin brothers Emil and Brighton grew up idolizing Spell Walkers, the Celestials who use their powers to maintain order. But now that they’re turning 18, Emil thinks his brother needs to put the hero-worship aside and face the future realistically. But Brighton thrives on subscribers and likes on his Celestials of New York YouTube channel, and he wants fame so bad he can taste it. When the pair are attacked by a Spector, one who drank Celestial blood to acquire powers, mild mannered Emil erupts in rare Phoenix Fire, to his amazement and Brighton’s cold envy. The family is brought to a Spell Walker compound for protection, and Emil is convinced to join the unit, even though he is an introverted pacifist who isn’t sure the Spell Walkers always use their powers for good. As Emil reluctantly assists in missions, Brighton becomes the team’s public relations director, while his jealousy of his brother, and his disgust with Emil’s pacifism, continue to degrade the one invincible bond between them. Silvera adds another dimension to the superhero genre with his action-packed book. Emil’s reluctance to be a hero contrasts sharply with Brighton’s driven need for fame and power. The Celestials are morally ambiguous, even though they believe their actions are done for the greater good. There are no clear heroes and villains here, and Emil illustrates the danger of having powers others desire. Several big reveals later in the book set the stage for an eagerly awaited sequel.

THOUGHTS: Well developed characters paired with action and suspense make this book a winner. Hand this to fans of Marissa Meyer’s Renegades series or other superhero readers.

Science Fiction          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Urban, Diana. All Your Twisted Secrets. HarperTeen, 2020. 978-0-062-90821-6. 390 p. $17.99. Grades 8+.

The beginning of the book starts off so tritely: six stereotypical high school students are notified they have won a prestigious scholarship. The music nerd, the jock, the alpha cheerleader, the stoner, the valedictorian, and the genius loner all show up at the restaurant for the dinner/scholarship presentation, only to find out something is horribly wrong. Then the addictive wild ride begins. Narrated by Amber, the music nerd, the six find themselves locked in a basement dining room, with a ticking bomb, a loaded hypodermic needle, and a note that warns the students that within an hour, one of them must be killed with the poison loaded hypodermic, or the bomb will explode and they all will die. Flashbacks fill in the back story, as the minutes tick down and the frantic teens turn on each other in order to survive. As the plot unfolds, the relationships between the six are uncovered, and true feelings ruthlessly rise to the surface. Subtly woven throughout is the backstory of Amber’s brilliant older sister who committed suicide due to cyberbulling.The suspense is top notch, and you cannot put the book down until its shocking, gut wrenching conclusion.

THOUGHTS: This cross between Karen McManus’ One of Us is Lying and We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is sure to fly off the shelf. The ending scarred me for weeks.

Mystery          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Lu, Marie. The Kingdom of Back. Putnam, 2020. 978-1-524-73901-0. 313 p. $18.99. Grade. 7-12.

Once upon a time there was an extraordinarily talented pianist who was also a gifted composer, by the name of Mozart. Nannerl Mozart. The older sister of the Mozart still adored the world over, Nannerl knows from a young age that, as a woman, her moment in the spotlight will be fleeting. Her father constantly tells her so. He values her musical ability as a means to earn money and recognition for the family, but once she reaches marriageable age, her public performances will end. As for her compositions, well, don’t be ridiculous. Women don’t compose. Lu takes the bare bones of what is known about Mozart’s sister, and weaves an enchanting historical fantasy that pulses with the frustrations Nannerl must have felt being a gifted woman in a society who had no need of such a person. As the siblings toured Europe, performing for royalty and earning the fame and fortune their father desired, they amused themselves by inventing the kingdom of Back. It is this magical realm that drives Lu’s story. In the kingdom, Nannerl is offered the opportunity of lasting fame, to have her name and her music remembered through the ages, but it may be a bargain too costly to make. Lu skillfully crafts the loving relationship between the siblings, and how Nannerl chafes under her father’s restrictions. She tantalizingly creates a scenario where young Mozart is influenced by Nannerl’s compositions, seeks her help with his own compositions, and even has her compositions published under his own name, all the more intriguing  because the world will never know how much Nannerl truly did influence her brother. This unique blend of fact and fantasy creates a world the reader will remember, as well as brings to light a talented woman too long lost to history.

THOUGHTS: This gorgeously written, uniquely plotted book may take some booktalking, but readers will be enthralled once they read a few pages.

Fantasy (Historical)           Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Hofmeyr, David. The Between. Delacorte, 2020. 978-0-385-74475-1. 376 p. $17.99. Grades 7+.

One moment Ana Moon is a normal high school girl, sneaking out to meet her best friend, Bea. The next, the train they’re riding on freezes in place and time, and a monstrous creature snatches Bea and takes off. When a shocked Ana makes it back to her dad’s flat, everything has changed. Dad is different; the flat is slightly different; and, most disturbingly, when Ana calls Bea, she is told that Bea died a year ago. By the time Malik, a cute guy Ana had been flirting with on the train, shows up at her bedroom window in the middle of the night, it barely registers as odd. Malik explains to Ana that she is no longer in the world she knows. She is a Pathfinder who can fall between the seven worlds. Bea has been taken by a reaper, and Ana must trust Malik, a fellow Pathfinder, if she hopes to find Bea. Ana enters a society she can barely comprehend, joining Malik’s clan and working with him and his team. As Ana is indoctrinated into her new reality, it becomes evident that she is not just a new Pathfinder, but perhaps the one Pathfinder who is the key to the mystical Seventh Gate. She may be the one to stop the war between the Pathfinders and the brutal Order. Hofmeyr compacts what might have been a seven volume series into one energetic, action packed story. Ana is a dynamic heroine, who plausibly grows into her new role while traversing continuously shifting ground. Her single minded goal of rescuing Bea, is never forgotten, and is a rare display of a literary friendship that is not overshadowed by romance. While there is an attraction between Malik and Ana, Bea remains her focus.

THOUGHTS: This book has it all: action, friendship, romance, betrayal. It should find a home with Sci Fi readers as well as action/adventure fans who appreciate a few battle scenes in their books.

Science Fiction          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Light, Alex. The Upside of Falling. Harperteen, 2020. 978-0-062-91805-5. 279 p. $17.99. Grades 8+.

Reclusive, bookish Becca flat out does not believe in true love. Not after her parents’ messy, painful divorce. But, aggravated by her former best friend’s taunting about Becca’s lack of a lovelife, Becca spontaneously declares she is in a relationship. This might have fallen flat seconds after it came out of her mouth had not high school hunk Brett Wells come over, thrown his arm around her and confirmed that they are secretly dating. It turns out he is in need of a girlfriend to satisfy his good-old-boy father. So begins a relationship born of mutual convenience, that turns into a needed friendship for both of them. And could it even end up in love? This Wattpad romance doesn’t cover any new territory, but it is light, sweet, fun, and just the sort of addictive story that will be devoured by dedicated romance readers. Sadly, 10 pages from the end, the book loses continuity. While young readers most likely will not notice or care, it reveals the need for an editor’s hand.

THOUGHTS:  I adored this book for 269 pages. Then the characters acknowledge their love by immediately having (off page) sex, despite the fact that Brett’s mother had him when she was 17, and his father repeatedly discusses how he had to give up on his college plans and football future to stay home and help raise Brett. (And despite the fact that a few weeks ago Becca had never even kissed a boy.) This likely will not bother most readers, who will thoroughly enjoy the dreamy romance.  

Romance          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Gregorio, I. W. This is My Brain in Love. Little, Brown, 2020. 978-0-316-42382-3. 367 p. $17.99. Grades 7-12. 

Jocelyn is stunned when her father announces that the family’s restaurant, A-Plus Chinese Garden, is floundering and he may move the family back to New York City from Utica, NY. Will is crushed when he fails to garner a plum editorial position on the school newspaper. Jocelyn convinces her father to hire a social media consultant to improve the restaurant’s visibility. Will finds himself needing a summer job. Jocelyn hires Will. The pair bring a boatload of baggage to the table from the start. Will, of mixed Nigerian and American heritage, filters the world through the lens of an African American male teenager, and suffers with anxiety. Jocelyn is almost crippled by her family’s emotionally reticent Asian culture. The pair click and begin dragging the restaurant into the digital era. Not unexpectedly, sparks fly, only to meet the disapproval of Jocelyn’s strict, racially prejudiced parents. But what seems like a trope-fulfilling romance veers off into a thoughtful exploration of mental health when Jocelyn’s erratic mood swings begin to trigger Will’s anxiety. Will, who has been in therapy for years, notices that Jocelyn may have some undiagnosed issues herself, but knows broaching the topic could cause a rift in their nascent relationship. As Jocelyn struggles to confront her depression, she finds an unexpected ally in her mother, who reveals she has been taking depression medication for years. Told from the alternating perspectives of Will and Jocelyn, the story maintains its relationship-cute vibe while honestly exploring mental health issues in teens, including the pros and cons of taking medication. A subplot involving Will tutoring Jocelyn’s younger brother, who clearly suffers from ADHD, as well as a reference to a friend with autism, may feel like a few issues too many  but does not detract from the story and might pique recognition in a reader.

THOUGHTS:  This book is a winner. An adorable romance exploring racial issues as well as mental health topics, it should fly off the shelf. Purchase multiple copies.

Romance          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Elem. – My Fourth of July; Ancient Aliens; Goodbye, Friend;

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Spinelli, Jerry. My Fourth of July. Neal Porter Books, 2019. 978-0-823-44288-1. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3

My Fourth of July follows an unnamed boy as his family and town get ready for Fourth of July. The activities include a parade, food, fireworks, as well as a town baseball game. The book has a small town America feel to it, with both the story as well as the illustrations done by Larry Day. The dreamy quality to the illustrations adds to the feel of the story and makes the story come alive as you are reading. The plot has a dreamy quality as well, and added with the illustrations, it all comes together to create a book that feels timeless.

THOUGHTS: This book is lovely and would be a wonderful addition to any picture book collection. The illustrations are beautiful, and students will enjoy discovering all the extra items that are included in each illustration.

Picture Book          Mary Hyson, Lehigh Valley Charter Academy

Science Fact or Science Fiction? Checkerboard Library, 2019. $20.00 ea. $120.00 set of 6. 32 p. Grade 4 and up.

Borgot-Spaniol, Megan. Cryptozoology: Can Unexplained Creatures Be Real? 978-1-532-11539-4.
—. ESP: Does a Sixth Sense Exist? 978-1-532-11540-0
—. Time-Travel: Is Visiting the Past and Future Possible? 978-1-532-11541-7
—. UFOs: Are Alien Aircraft Overhead?
Felix, Rebecca. Artificial Intelligence: Could Computers Take over? 978-1-532-11538-7
Thomas, Rachel L. Ancient Aliens: Did Historic Contact Happen?  978-1-532-11537-0

This review is for Ancient Aliens: Did Historic Contact Happen? The book talks all about aliens, different pieces of aliens such as UFOs, artificial intelligence, and more. Each book in the Science Fact or Science Fiction? series contains a table of contents, timeline, glossary, index, as well as some extra resources at the end of each book. The book contains nonfiction textual elements with high interest topics, so this would be a good series to introduce those elements to students. If you have students who are interested in aliens and unexplained phenomenon, this would be a great series to give them.

THOUGHTS: This would be a good series for students to use if they are doing research about aliens or any of the topics contained in the series.

001.942 Ancient Aliens                Mary Hyson, Lehigh Valley Charter Academy

Doerrfeld, Cori. Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! Dial Books for Young Readers, 2019. 978-0-525-55423-3. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades PreK-1.

Saying goodbye can be very hard, but every goodbye leads to a hello. Charlie is new at school and soon meets a friend who had been lonely from goodbyes.  Now, together, the friends say goodbye to seasons and hello to fun games.  Goodbye to daytime fun in the sun and hello to stars. Goodbye to pets and hello to memories. Goodbye to spectating and hello to joining. Together the friends realize all of the easy goodbyes and fun hellos they experience together. But, when one friend must move, goodbyes become harder until a new family moves in leading to a new “Hello.”

THOUGHTS: Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! is an excellent picture book exploring how things change in our lives. It helps readers understand that for every goodbye is a hello. It supports positive interactions and positive self-image. This is a wonderful resource for classrooms, libraries, and families.

Picture Book        Erin Bechdel, Beaver Area SD

MG – Maybe He Just Likes You; Good Enough; Klawde; Viewpoints on the Sinking of the Titanic; The Okay Witch; Over the Moon; Other Words for Home; Last Meeting of the Gorilla Club; Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky; The Story Web; Dragon Pearl

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Dee, Barbara. Maybe He Just Likes You. Aladdin, 2019. 978-1-534-43237-6. 283 p. $17.99. Grades 4-8.

When do you decide enough is enough? Seventh grade Mila is excited to celebrate her friend Omi’s birthday after lunch with a thoughtful gift and a group hug with her other friends Max and Zara. This moment between friends is perfect – that is until the basketball boys come over and hug them too, lingering on Mila. This small moment makes Mila uncomfortable, and it doesn’t stop there. The boys find ways to bump into Mila, make comments, and invade her personal space. Afraid to tell her mom, the principal (who is also the boys basketball coach), or her guidance counselor, Mila’s emotions spiral out of control. Mila tries to tell her friends what is going on, but they shrug it off, saying that’s just how boys are. But when a friend comes to Mila with information about a “scorecard” and another friend steps forward and says it happened to her too, Mila finds the strength to speak up for herself and stop the unwanted attention.

THOUGHTS: This middle grade novel does a perfect job of exploring the #metoo movement and how harassment and innocent “jokes” can end up affecting others. The story will bring you all the feels – joy, anger, shock – and leave you feeling like you may know someone this book is perfect for. The book also explores different relationships between characters and the strength a person has to stand up for themselves.

Realistic Fiction          Jillian Gasper, Northwestern Lehigh SD

Petro-Roy, Jen. Good Enough. Feiwel and Friends, 2019. 978-1-250-12351-0. 261 p. $16.99. Grades 7-9.

Twelve year old Riley doesn’t think she’s good enough, fast enough, talented enough…the list goes on and on. Tired of being compared to her “golden” younger sister Julia, Riley starts running excessively, skipping meals, and having a bad attitude. And it gets worse! At school she is being picked on for what she looks like and how she eats, which leads Riley down the path to an eating disorder. Riley’s parents decide she needs to be hospitalized in order to find the path to recovery. The story is presented as a journal of Riley’s experiences while hospitalized – her struggle with anxiety, food issues, and her parents’ constant judging and disappointment. The program requires strict meal planning, therapy sessions, group activities, and even counting out loud while you go to the bathroom. Riley meets several girls in the program all while dealing with the loss of her best friend and discovers that she is more than the voice in her head telling her she’s “not enough.” Will Riley’s parents accept her for who she is and not just as someone with a problem? Does Riley have the power to be in control of herself? A must read!

THOUGHTS: Perfection. Petro-Roy does a fantastic job of approaching a delicate subject as she is someone who battled an eating disorder. The journal style of writing allows readers to feel as if they are taking the journey with Riley day by day and makes for a fast read. The story deals with so much more than recovering from an eating disorder and allows readers to see that we all have flaws that make us who we are.

Realistic Fiction         Jillian Gasper, Northwestern Lehigh SD

Marciano, Johnny, & Emily Chenoweth. Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat: The Spacedog Cometh. Book 3. Penguin Workshop, 2019. 978-1-524-78724-0. $14.99. Grades 4-8.

The third epic adventure of Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat! As Klawde continues to plot his return to his home planet and take over from the tiny evil kitten who has taken command, he is unaware that there are others looking for him: the most loyal beasts of all…dogs! Barx has been given the mission to capture and return Klawde to his home plant to pay dues for blowing up one of their most amazing plants! As Barx travels to Earth, he realizes just how wonderful it is, especially Klawde’s master Raj. While the animals fight and attempt their vengeful missions, Raj is suffering with his own problems. His parents are out of town for a few weeks for a conference vacation, so his Ajji, grandmother, is staying with him. All she cooks is weird, un-American food and decides to throw him a birthday party. How will Raj deal with Ajji, as well as dealing with Klade being…Klawde!

THOUGHTS: I was so excited to see the third book to this hilarious series! The addition of the dog characters brought forth more excitement and perspective to the “dog vs. cat” personality stereotypes. A great third book for the Klawde lovers!

Adventure/Action/Fantasy          Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

Russo, Kristin J. Viewpoints on the Sinking of the Titanic. Orchard Books, 2019. 978-1-228-18736-6. 48 p. $25.95. Grades 5-8.

In a subseries of Part of the Perspectives Library, Viewpoints and Perspectives takes a look at how various people may have different views about some of the most known events in history. In Viewpoints on the Sinking of the Titanic readers get a look inside the Titanic through the eyes of three very different passengers. Using first person stories inset with facts about the ship and a timeline of the events, this title takes readers through what the sinking of the Titanic was like for a first, second, and third class passenger. This book is a nice mixture of pictures and stories, allowing for students not to be overwhelmed by the amount of text to read. With a mixture of historical black and white, recreated color, and pencil drawings readers get a look back in time. The simplicity of the pages and clear nonfiction text structure lends this book to be a great introduction to text structures including table of context, index, timeline, and captions. The book includes ideas for teachers in the sidebars to help lead research or a lesson on the Titanic.  

THOUGHTS: The unique look into different classes on the Titanic would allow students to see how classes were separated and the prejudice against the lower classes even while evacuating the boat. A book like this could, and others in this series, be used in middle schools to see how prejudices have changed throughout history.

910.9 History, general          Arryn Cumpston, Crawford Central SD

Steinkellner, Emma. The Okay Witch. Aladdin, 2019. 978-1-534-43146-1. 271 p. $20.99. Grades 4-8.

Moth believes she is a typical Halloween loving teenager, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. After studying the history surrounding Founder’s Bluff and the persecution of witches, Moth suddenly discovers that she may have special “powers.” After an incident with the school bullies and a talking cat at home, Moth confronts her mother for the truth. Yes, Moth is from a long line of witches, and with her mother’s diary and her new found powers, she is about to discover the truth. The witches of Founder’s Bluff were real…and they are still alive. Moth learns to navigate middle school (including a new boy who keeps bumping into her), harness her powers against her mother’s wishes, and meet her very ancient grandma. Travel with Moth through past and present as she discovers her heritage and becomes an “okay” witch.

THOUGHTS: This debut graphic novel will delight middle schoolers as Moth discovers who she truly is. The illustrations are whimsical and eye-catching, while the story just flows across the frames through a series of chapters. Graphic novel readers will want to pick this novel up, especially if they enjoy the element of magic.

Graphic Novel            Jillian Gasper, Northwestern Lehigh SD

Lloyd, Natalie. Over the Moon. Scholastic Press, 2019. 978-1-338-11849-0. 291 p. $14.95. Gr. 4-8.

The Dust has taken away the light from the stars in Coal Top, made the villagers feel hopeless, and forced children to work for measly wages. Mallie cleans the home of a well to do family in the “Down Below.” The work is hard and does not pay enough to help protect her brother from being taken by the Guardians and sent to the mines to work. When a mysterious flyer appears and offers an opportunity for orphan boys to earn riches, Mallie knows this is her chance to save her family. Mallie quickly discovers that the task is to tame and ride a Starbird into the Dust above in order to retrieve gold dust. Up for the challenge, she doesn’t back down and struggles with her disability as well as the others who wish she wasn’t there. With the help of her friend Adam, and her loyal Starbird Leo, Mallie finds she can be successful. But when she discovers the leader, Mortimer, is up to something dark and sinister, Mallie decides she must expose the truth. Risking her life and her family’s, Mallie races against the Dust and Mortimer to prove that the stars really do exist.

THOUGHTS: You can’t help but cheer for Mallie as she struggles to protect her family, discover the truth, and overcome obstacle after obstacle. The characters are well developed and the whimsy of flying horses and dust puppets make the story come to life. Fans of Lloyd will not be disappointed with this title that pulls at your heart strings and reminds you to shoot for the stars.

Science Fiction            Jillian Gasper, Northwestern Lehigh SD

Warga, Jasmine. Other Words for Home. Balzer and Bray, 2019. 978-0-062-74780-8. $16.99. 352 p. Grades. 4-8.

Jude, young immigrant from Syria adjusts to her new life in Ohio. She had to flee with her pregnant mother, leaving behind her father and older brother. There is so much change living with her uncle, aunt, and cousin who is in the same grade. Although her aunt and uncle are accommodating, her cousin Sarah is a bit jealous of the attention and practically ignores Jude at school. School is a challenge. She thought her English was good in Syria, but in the United States pace of life is so much faster, including the language! Life is definitely not like the American movies she used to watch with her friends. Jude is a resilient girl. She makes friends with others in ESL (English as a Second Language) and meets Layla who is also Muslim. She wants to fit in, and one of her real motivations is the musical. She works really hard to try out, perfecting her English and learning about drama. This annoys Sarah and her friends who Jude thinks of as “SarahMinaHarperStone” (They seem to lack individuality.). Jude is concerned for Amal, her new baby sister. Amal, whose name means Hope, will be an American, not an immigrant. Jude realizes that home is where the people you love and those who love you are. It is where you feel you belong, and Jude works very hard to create a place for herself.

THOUGHTS: Jude voices very real concerns about fitting in, prejudices against Muslims, and the safety of her father and older brother who are still in Syria. The reaction to a bombing in the Middle East and subsequent vandalism of Layla’s family property is both upsetting to the community and an opportunity to bond. Warga’s use of verse to tell the story makes it accessible and poignant as the succinct wording and rhythm evoke emotions and meaning.

Realistic Fiction          Jeannie Bellavance, Retired

Nicherson, Sara. Last Meeting of the Gorilla Club. Dutton Children’s Books, 2019. 978-1-101-99442-9. 240 p. $17.99. Grades 3-7.

Josh is starting fifth grade at a new school, a fresh start, where no one knows of Josh’s multiple invisible friends. Only Josh’s friends are not imaginary; they just can’t be seen by anyone else. But the friends are all gone, buried at his old house. Until Big Brother shows up again on Josh’s first day of school. Big Brother dispenses advice, comfort, and companionship. But Josh is not the only student in his class with an awkward friend. Lucas has an invisible friend, Maxie, and Josh can see her too. While Big Brother gently guides and encourages Josh to be brave and try new experiences, Maxie seems a bit more malevolent. When she engineers a meeting between the two boys, she may be dangerously replaying her sad history. But Lucas and Josh discover real friends are powerful also.

THOUGHTS: A unique look at processing death and maturing. Readers who feel they see the world differently than those around them will definitely relate to Josh and Lucas.

Fantasy          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Mbalia, Kwame. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. Rick Riordan Presents, 2019. 978-1-368-03993-2. 482 p. $17.99. Grades 3-7.

Tristan is having a difficult time recovering from the school bus accident that left his best friend Eddie dead. Frustrated, his mother sends him to spend some time with his grandparents down south in Alabama. Grandma warns Tristan to stay away from the bottle tree, a traditional structure to capture haints, or spirits, at the edge of the forest. Tristan would have gladly done so, but that night he is awoken by a small, sticky figure sneaking in his room. Gum Baby has come to steal Eddie’s journal, and Tristan chases her into the forest, attempting to reclaim his cherished memento. When Tristan punches the bottle tree in frustration, he inadvertently creates a hole in the sky and is pulled into another world, where the stories his grandma used to tell him and Eddie come alive. Another mythology/folklore based adventure from Rick Riordan’s imprint, Tristan Strong brings alive the tales of the deep south, featuring Brer Rabbit, John Henry and, of course, Tristan’s reluctant sidekick Gum Baby. Tristan is sent on a quest to find the trickster god, Anansi, who can weave the sky back together. While Tristan is convinced he cannot save anyone (he broods that he failed to save Eddie), he discovers heroes do not necessarily have to be strong, or even brave, and he is more than capable of saving the world of his new friends from destruction.

THOUGHTS: This lightning fast, rollicking tale will win many fans, as well as introduce them to Black American folklore. Tristan and Gum Baby are a new dynamic duo that provide constant laughs as they attempt to save the day.

Fantasy (Mythology)          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Blakemore, Megan Frazer. The Story Web. Bloomsbury, 2019. 978-1-681-19525-4. 321 p. $16.99. Grades 4-7. 

When Alice was little, her magical father would regale her with wondrous stories. But now Alice’s world is broken in so many ways. She no longer socializes with friends, she quit her ice hockey team, and even nature seems out of whack, with forest creatures making their way into town. She believes everything stems back to that something she did that made her father go away. But Alice can no longer maintain her invisible persona. The animals know; Alice’s classmate, frequently bullied Melanie, knows; and her best friend, Lewis, knows. The story web, a fragile creation of spiders, spun to record the stories of man, is broken. If it is not fixed soon, the world will be in peril. Alice’s father had explained the story web to her when she was young, and now Alice must look past her grief and fear to work with Melanie, Lewis, and many caring individuals, to repair it. But when the stories Alice remembers from her father don’t rebuild the web, the children realize they must find their own stories, as painful as they may be. The plot unfolds at a leisurely pace, through various viewpoints, including several animals. Much like spinning a web, individual threads eventually weave together in a breathtaking finale. The storyline of Alice’s father, who is eventually revealed to be suffering from PTSD, also takes time to uncover, and is never explained directly, but rather through oblique comments, reminiscences, and finally a conversation between Alice and her father.

THOUGHTS:  While the climax is riveting, it will take a patient reader to navigate to that point. Hand this lovely, heartwarming story to a reader who enjoys the journey as well as the destination.  

Fantasy          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Lee, Yoon Ha. Dragon Pearl. Rick Riordan Presents, 2019. 978-1-368-01335-2. 320 p. $16.99. Grades 5-8.

Yoon Ha Lee’s Dragon Pearl, one of the first titles published under the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, will delight young readers who like their fantasy informed by the trappings and tropes of science fiction. Lee imagines a world—a thousand worlds, actually—inspired by Korean mythology, and then sends it – them – spinning off into outer space. The young protagonist, Min, is a shape-shifting fox disguised as a human to avoid the persecution her species has long suffered. When her brother disappears, she sets off in search of him, planet-hopping through the universe on a grand and dangerous adventure. The plot moves at a breathless, breakneck pace as Min pilots a rocket ship and has run-ins with ghosts, dragons, and pirates.  

THOUGHTS: A top-notch #own voices entry in the sci-fi/fantasy genre that subtly addresses issues of identity and acceptance.  Highly recommended for middle schools.

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Fiction          Maggie Bokelman, Cumberland Valley SD

YA – Crying Laughing; Finale; Call Down the Hawk; Supernova; If I’m Being Honest

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Rubin, Lance. Crying Laughing. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2019. 978-0-525-64467-5. 336 p. $17.99 Grades 7-10.

After a disastrous attempt at stand-up at her own bat mitzvah, Winnie Friedman retired from comedy. But with a little encouragement from her best friend Leili, and cute junior Evan, she steps out of her comfort zone and joins her high school’s Improv Troupe. Winnie enjoys both developing her comedy chops and the attention from Evan, but at home her father’s increasing clumsiness is diagnosed as something much more serious: ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Although Winnie’s tight-knit family unit is unexpectedly vulnerable, her social status is on the rise: getting laughs at Improv, killing it on the morning announcements, and boys sitting at her lunch table. When her dad falls at the supermarket, fellow Improv member Fletcher is clued in to her family secret and friendship – or romance? – may bloom where she least expects it. Lance Rubin (author of Denton Little’s Deathdate, former member of the Upright Citizens Brigade, and obvious proud comedy nerd) excels at mining the tragic for comedic gold. He’s equally adept at depicting life’s most cringe-worthy moments with a gentle touch.

THOUGHTS: Crying Laughing (which, yes, will have readers doing both) is a fantastic ode to pushing beyond your perceived limits while knowing that the people who love you most will provide a soft place to land. Don’t skip over the Acknowledgments, where Rubin talks about his personal connection with ALS. 

Realistic Fiction          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

Garber, Stephanie. Finale. Flatiron Books, 2019. 978-1-250-15766-9. 470 p. $19.99. Grades 7-12. 

According to the first page of Finale, every story has four parts: the beginning, the middle, the almost-ending, and the true ending. Legendary was the almost-ending, and Finale, perhaps, is the true-ending to the Caraval series. Donatella gained her ultimate prize for winning Caraval – her mother was returned to her. However, she is still comatose, and Tella has no idea how to wake her. Her sister, Scarlett, has met her true love — or has she? Finale is about how the end is never the end. When the girls lose their mother shortly after she awakens, Tella vows revenge on the Fates, particularly Fallen Star. The newly freed fates are wreaking havoc, and terrorizing the countryside, but the journey to recapture them will cruelly test the sisters, requiring choices and sacrifices beyond their imagination.

THOUGHTS: Fans of the series will clamor for the final volume, but new readers will need to start with Caraval; Garber provides no back story here. 

Fantasy          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Stiefvater, Maggie. Call Down the Hawk. Scholastic, 2019. 978-1-338-18832-5. 468 p. $19.99. Grades 8+.

The exquisite agony of reading a Maggie Stiefvater book: Do you put the pedal to the metal in a crazy race to the finish because the story is so darn intriguing? Or do you crawl along on the side road, knowing the journey is at least as rewarding as the destination? For Call Down the Hawk, I recommend the latter. Stiefvater’s new Dreamer Trilogy expands the world of Ronan Lynch, one of the Raven Boys from her The Raven Cycle series. Ronan can pull objects and people out of his dreams, and in Call Down the Hawk we learn there is a shadow network of dreamers – those who dream, those who hunt dreamers, and those who see the End of the World. The loose premise of CDTH follows Hennessy, a young woman who dreams copies of herself; Carmen Farooq-Lane, a hunter of dreamers trying to atone for the evil her dreamer brother caused; and Visionaries, those who identify and locate dreamers. While The Dreamers Trilogy is meant to be a standalone series, readers of The Raven Cycle will have a much richer experience with Call Down the Hawk. Ronan’s brothers, bit players in The Raven Cycle, become fascinating individuals in their own right now, as story threads weave together into an unnerving tapestry. And the reader knows that if you pull on the wrong thread, every thing, every dream, every life will unravel.

THOUGHTS:  A first purchase where fantasy is popular and ethereal writing is appreciated. 

Fantasy          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Meyer, Marissa. Supernova. Feiwel and Friends, 2019. 978-1-250-07838-4. 549 p. $19.99. Grades 7-12. 

Meyer pulls off a unique feat with Supernova. The third book in the Renegades trilogy may be the best one. The story picks up hours after the end of Arch Enemies, as Anarchist Nova attempts to return to her undercover role as a Renegade superhero. Now that her uncle, the infamous Ace Anarchy, has been captured, she needs to devise a plan to release him from prison and finally start the Anarchist rebellion. But, as Nova is learning, nothing is black and white when it comes to Prodigies; some use their power for good, and others for evil, and the dividing line isn’t always Renegades vs Anarchists. As she attempts to embed herself further in the Renegade organization, she finds many of the individuals to be good and kind, while her erstwhile family of Anarchists can shock her with their enthusiasm for destruction and mayhem. Meanwhile, Adrian (aka Sketch) is trying to keep his identity as Sentinel secret. When the final battle between Renegades and Anarchists begins, who will be the heroes, and who will be the villains?

THOUGHTS: Chock full of character development as well as an action filled plot, Supernova is a perfectly breathtaking conclusion (or is it??) to this brilliant series. 

Science Fiction          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Wibberley, Emily, and Austin Siegemund-Broka. If I’m Being Honest. Viking, 2019. 978-0-451-48109-2. $17.99. 359 p. Grades 9 and up. 

Cameron Bright is one of the most popular girls in her Los Angeles prep school. She is beautiful, smart, driven, and brutally honest. She has to be in order to make the future she’s been planning for her entire life happen – a future on the opposite coast, finally spending time with her father, attending school in Philadelphia, and working to follow in his footsteps as a successful financier. However, her senior year of high school is not off to a great start. Her mother, a washed-up actress, avoids getting a job, content to live off of support from Cameron’s father, and her plan to solidify her crush Andrew as her boyfriend goes awry at a party when he witnesses her brutal honesty rear its ugly head. While reading The Taming of the Shrew in English class, Cameron comes to realize that while she finds her honesty a virtue, society views it as a vice, so she sets out to tame herself in order to at least make amends with Andrew and win back his affections. For all her list-making and planning, Cameron’s quest to tame herself takes her places she never could have imagined including an incredibly nerdy book store, a video game development competition, a live screening of Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the arms of a lovable group of nerds including Brendan, a boy whose life she ruined in middle school by giving him a horrible nickname.

THOUGHTS: With other contemporary Shrew remakes like the film 10 Things I Hate About You to live up to, this retelling doesn’t disappoint and manages to hold its own. The family dynamic is very different – both parents are present, and their complicated relationship makes for its own strong subplot; plus,there is no Bianca/sister character. Still, it captures the essence of Shakespeare’s original themes: perceptions of women’s behavior and motivation for making changes in our lives. This novel could work well as an independent read or enrichment activity after reading the original play, or as a companion to the play in order for students to analyze how society’s views on women and feminism have changed over the centuries. 

Realistic Fiction          Sarah Strouse, Nazareth Area SD

MG – Dream within a Dream; My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich; Child of the Dream; Best Friends

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MacLachlan, Patricia. Dream within a Dream. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2019. 978-1-534-42959-8. 119 p. $16.99. Grades 4-7.

Thirteen year old Louisiana and her ten year old brother Theo are spending the summer on Deer Island with their grandparents. Louisa, who loves to write, would rather be with her parents on their latest bird watching expedition, but her brother wants to stay on the island forever and read books. Grandfather Jake is losing his vision and is trying to etch faces into his memory before he loses it completely. Louisa meets other inhabitants of the island, including 14 year old George and his family. She experiences her first kiss with George, and the theme of romantic love is peppered throughout the story. George’s parents say that romance helped pass the time during a severe storm, Louisa’s grandparents enjoy slow dancing without music, and George touches his fingers to Louisa’s lips and dances close to her in the water. The plot deals more with feelings than events. The only real conflict in the story occurs when the parents return to the island intending to take their children on the next expedition. The parents are surprised and somewhat saddened to learn that the siblings want to stay on the island with their grandparents.

THOUGHTS: Hand this one to readers who prefer relationship books without much plot development and to fans of MacLachlan’s other books.

Realistic Fiction          Denise Medwick, Retired, West Allegheny SD

Zoboi, Izi. My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich. Dutton, 2019. 978-0-399-18735-3. 250 p. $16.99  Grades 4-8.

Ibi Zoboi’s (American Street) historical fiction middle grade novel with a sci-fi vibe features Ebony-Grace Norfleet Freeman, or, as she likes to call herself, E-Grace Starfleet. Ebony-Grace hails from Huntsville Alabama, where she lives with her mother and, up until recently, her beloved grandfather, one of the first Black engineers at NASA. When trouble brews, Ebony-Grace is sent to Harlem for what is supposed to be a few weeks with her father. Southern girl Ebony-Grace does not take to the hustle and bustle of New York City, which she calls “No-Joke City.” Harlem in 1984 is a vibrant place, but Ebony-Grace finds hip-hop, breakdancing, and double-dutch more unfamiliar and alien than outer space. As weeks drag into an entire summer, she retreats into an imaginative world fed by her love of Star Trek, Star Wars, and NASA. The girls in the neighborhood think she is crazy: they tell her she has no “Flava,” and nickname her “ice cream sandwich.” Ebony-Grace never completely assimilates, but more importantly, she starts to appreciate people and perspectives different from her own. The story, setting, themes, and characters are all unique and compelling, but the narrative thread is often difficult to follow. There is a thin line between the bizarre stories going on in Ebony-Grace’s head and the actual goings-on of 126th St. in Harlem that results in an overarching sense of hyperreality. Some cartoon panels illustrating Ebony-Grace’s fantasies are included throughout.

THOUGHTS: A fascinating but flawed book. Many readers are likely to find My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich too frustrating to finish (even if the awesome cover draws them in), but the book may find an appreciative audience among young teens and tweens who love Star Trek and Star Wars, and, like Ebony-Grace, sometimes feel like aliens in the real world. A possible purchase for middle school libraries where science fiction is popular. 

Historical Fiction          Maggie Bokelman, Cumberland Valley SD

Ebony-Grace’s world knows no bounds. Her beloved grandfather, a pioneering black engineer with NASA, has shared his love of space with her and encouraged her dreams.  Her imagination has conjured up a universe populated with villains and heroes where she and her grandfather battle evil so good can triumph. When a hushed up crisis with her grandfather erupts, Ebony Grace is sent to New York City to spend time with her father. Harlem of 1984 is a whole different galaxy from Huntsville, Alabama. The Harlem girls are doing double-dutch, playing in the fire hydrants, rapping and breakdancing. Her New York friend, Bianca, no longer wants to act out make believe space missions, telling Ebony-Grace to grow up. Ebony longs to go home, and to talk to her granddaddy, but she is continuously redirected from contact with him. The truth of her grandfather’s trouble is needlessly mystified. There are hints of a possible scandal, amplified when Ebony learns he no longer works at NASA. Only at the end of the book does the reader discover the truth, that he is dying in the hospital. Throughout her Harlem summer, Ebony tries to balance her true self with the kids in Harlem, locking away her “imagination place,” as she attempts to figure out how to be part of a very different crew. Near the end of the book Ebony makes a friend who shares her passion for space and returns to Huntsville more knowledgeable about dealing with alien life forms in their home environment, and a more mature understanding of her imagination and dreams. 

THOUGHTS: Ebony Grace is a spunky protagonist whose lively imagination shines. Readers will identify with Ebony not knowing how to fit in and will root for her to follow her dreams. 

Realistic Fiction          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich follows Ebony-Grace who lives in Alabama in 1984. When the book opens, she is headed to New York City to spend the summer with her father which she is not happy about. Ebony-Grace and her grandfather share a love of space and Star Trek, and she feels like an alien coming to New York City. This place is nothing like her hometown, and she misses her family and her grandfather especially. Ebony-Grace struggles to make friends and fit into the new life that she is forced into. It is never stated that Ebony-Grace has a disability, but there is something going on as you read through the novel. There is also something going on with her grandfather, but that is never directly addressed or even dealt with. The book mainly focuses on Ebony-Grace trying to make friends and trying to fit into New York City.

THOUGHTS: I have read the other two books published by Ibi Zoboi (Pride and American Street) and those were geared for Young Adult audiences; meanwhile, this book is clearly for middle grade readers. The main character feels like she has some form of autism, or Aspergers, but there is nothing stated within the book. The main character is extremely well created and thought out; her friendships and problems with getting friends feels realistic and true to life. I really enjoyed this book and hope that Ibi Zoboi writes more middle grade.

Realistic Fiction          Mary Hyson, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

Robinson, Sharon. Child of the Dream: A Memoir of 1963. Scholastic Press, 2019. 978-1-338-33113-4. 240 p., $16.99. Grades 4-7.

Sharon Robinson tells of her coming awareness of the civil rights movement in the 1960’s when she is thirteen. After his retirement from baseball her famous father, Jackie Robinson, is active in the civil rights movement, but has sheltered his children from the harsher realities. They live very comfortably outside of New York City in mostly white suburban Stamford, Connecticut. Although her parents have their children join Jack and Jill of America, an organization which is dedicated to leadership development in young African Americans, the children feel isolated as there are few African Americans in town. When she hears the speech by George Wallace, declaring “segregation now, segregation, tomorrow, segregation forever,” Sharon begins to wonder where her place is in this struggle. Her parents realize that they need to expose their children to more. During 1963 the Robinsons host fundraisers at their home to help support the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and attend the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Shortly after this triumphant summer of activism, the four young girls were killed when a bomb blew up at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Sharon and her family were overcome with sadness but found strength to carry on.

THOUGHTS: This is a well-rounded story in that Sharon blends her activism with other teenaged concerns such as the first dances, boys, riding her horse, and getting along with her brothers. The importance of this book shows that even though she has lived a privileged life, she wants and needs to be connected with the people who are still struggling for equal rights.

973.92, 92, Autobiography, Memoir, Civil Rights         Jeannie Bellavance, Retired

Hale, Shannon. Best Friends. Roaring Brook Press (First Second). 2019. 978-1-250-31745-2. 239 p. $21.99. Grades 4-7.

Shannon’s looking forward to 6th grade and is thrilled that she has become one of the popular girls but learns that navigating the social tract can be very tricky.  Today’s cool songs and TV shows can be out-of-date by tomorrow. She finds that there are traps and petty power plays as the “rules” change seemingly arbitrarily.  Shannon gets upset when her friends try to trick her, or she realizes that she is falling into some of the same habits as the “mean” girls. Shannon begins to question her so called friendships as she starts to decide what she wants. Does she really want to be nasty and hurt others? To help herself cope with different situations, Shannon is writing a fantasy about Alexandra a lonely rich girl who is going through some of the same issues. Shannon also struggles with her teacher who accuses her of not paying attention. It is another teacher who recognizes Shannon’s skills, boosting her confidence. When it is time to select courses for seventh grade, Shannon has the self-understanding and courage to choose what she wants, her own direction.

THOUGHTS: Sixth grade can be a time of growth, but it can also be very stressful as preadolescent girls (and boys) try to discover who they are. At one point being part of a group is important, but does it come at a cost? Through her own experience Shannon Hale offers insight and guidance.  

Graphic Novel          Jeannie Bellavance, Retired

YA – The Virtue of Sin; The Prom; There’s Something About Sweetie; The Starlight Claim; Rules for Vanishing; The Toll; The Speed of Falling Objects

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Schuren, Shannon. The Virtue of Sin. Philomel Books, 2019. 978-0-525-51654-5. 420 p. $17.99. Grades 8 and up. 

Girls and boys don’t get to speak to one another – not in this community, not until they’re married. But, as usual, youth finds a way. When it is time for a Matrimony for all those of age, Miriam is sure that she knows who will choose her. The night, however, doesn’t go as planned, leaving Miriam to question everything she’s ever known. Married to an outsider who she doesn’t love (and who apparently doesn’t believe) Miriam is faced with a choice: comply and become the docile wife of someone she doesn’t want or face the reality that Daniel, their voice of God, may not be all that he claims to be. As the world begins to shift around her, Miriam begins to find her own path in a life that has always been dictated for her.

THOUGHTS: Miriam’s story is a powerful depiction of the control that people can hold over others and the determination it takes to let yourself be free. 

Realistic Fiction          Samantha Helwig, Dover Area SD

 

Mitchell, Saundra. The Prom. Viking, 2019. 978-1-984-83752-3. 212 p. $17.99. Grades 7 and up.

All Emma can dream of is dancing with her girlfriend at prom. One special, magical night where the two of them can not only be seen in public but be normal. However, that’s entirely too much for Edgewater, Indiana to handle. When the PTA finds out that someone different wants to disrupt their perfect prom, crisis mode ensues. Emma, a cover artist on YouTube, makes headlines nationwide after taking the PTA (and their new exclusive rules) to task in her latest video. Before she knows it, big names are stepping to her side while her town turns its back, and Emma is left in one big, complicated situation when all she wanted was something so simple.

THOUGHTS: Based on the hit Broadway musical, this heart-wrenching description of the challenges LGBTQIA+ youth face is all too real. From the bullies and the isolation to the unexpected support and acceptance, readers will feel every step of the way as they follow Emma along her journey. 

Realistic Fiction          Samantha Helwig, Dover Area SD

Menon, Sandhya. There’s Something About Sweetie. Simon Pulse, 2019. 978-1-534-41678-9. 376 p. $18.99. Grades 7 and up. 

Sweetie Nair is phenomenal. She’s sweet and kind, a star athlete, a model daughter with a perfect life and, oh yeah, she’s fat. Growing up fat in an Indian-American household hasn’t been simple for Sweetie; her mom is constantly trying to get her to lose weight so she can have an easy life, and society always has something to say about the way she looks. When Sweetie is offered the opportunity to date the ultra-attractive Ashish Patel, a star basketball player and ladies’ man, she learns the truth about just how far her mother’s prejudices go. Not to be deterred, Sweetie decides to take matters into her own hands: it’s time to show the world just who she really is.

THOUGHTS: Set in the same world, this companion novel will fill the When Dimple Met Rishi sized hole in your heart. 

Realistic Fiction          Samantha Helwig, Dover Area SD

 

Wynne-Jones, Tim. The Starlight Claim. Candlewick Press, 2019. 978-1-536-20264-9. 240 p. $17.99. Grades 8 and up. 

Nate Crow has grown up spending summers at his family’s isolated cabin on the lake learning how to respect nature and the elements. Joined by his friends Dodge and Paul, the boys lived idyllic childhoods enjoying their surroundings in the fair weather. But come fall, it’s time to secure the cabin and head for sturdier lodging. It’s possible to winter in the cabin, sure, but life is as hard as the snow is deep and with only one train in or out of the area the isolation could be deadly. When Dodge goes missing and is presumed dead after a winter excursion to his cabin, Nate is haunted by dreams of his former best friend. He knows he needs to do everything he can to ensure that Dodge is not still out there, alive but hurt. Nate makes the arduous hike to the cabin, only to find that the isolated cabin isn’t deserted after all. Miles away from anyone who could help, with limited supplies and a blizzard moving in, Nate must figure out how to survive.

THOUGHTS: The Starlight Claim is a thrilling survival story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. This book has a bit of everything and will appeal to anyone interested in the outdoors, life or death survival, and jail breaks. 

Action/Adventure        Samantha Helwig, Dover Area SD

Marshall, Kate Alice. Rules for Vanishing. Viking, 2019. 978-1-984-83701-1. 402 p. $18.99. Grades 9-12. 

The tale of Lucy Gallows has lived on in Briar Glen for generations. Legend has it that once a year a road will appear in the woods, and the ghost of Lucy Gallows will appear. Those who follow the road are supposedly granted a wish. Sara’s sister Becca disappeared one year ago right around the time the road should have appeared. When Sara finds a journal of Becca’s with clues to the road, she knows where Becca went and is determined to go after her. Despite having resolved to go alone, former friends rally to join Sara on her journey, none of them knowing the challenges, dangers, and sacrifices that lay ahead- after all, the road doesn’t want them to leave.

THOUGHTS: While the story was more gory than I usually like to see, I appreciated that the plot line was original. The road was lined with challenges both fantastic and psychological with horror elements that truly made it a gripping and haunting tale. 

Horror Fiction         Samantha Helwig, Dover Area SD

 

Shusterman, Neal. The Toll. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2019. 978-1-481-49706-0. 625 p. $19.99. Grades 7+.

Good and evil forces are aligned to fight for the fate of human and scythekind in this gripping and satisfying conclusion to the highly popular Arc of a Scythe series. Even in a perfect word designed by an advanced AI to solve all of humanity’s problems, the foibles and weakness of humans derail the best laid plans. The power within the worldwide Scythedom is being consolidated under the self-serving control of Scythe Goddard and the ugly realities of bigotry, fear mongering, and political intrigues are on display. Our favorite characters seem helpless, the honorable Scythe Faraday has retreated in despair to an atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Citra and Rowan are found in the wreckage after the Endura disaster and are now hunted by Goddard’s minions. Also on Goddard’s hitlist is Greyson Tolliver, the sole person to whom the Thunderhead speaks and the spiritual leader to the Tonists. The Thunderhead, by its own law, cannot intervene in the affairs of the Scythedom. But can a small group of thoughtful, committed, major characters change the fate of the world? Overall, an engaging and thought-provoking read.

THOUGHTS: Highly recommended for Grades 7+. This book already has a long waiting list for fans of this top notch dystopian sci-fi series; our library purchased two additional copies to meet demand. Interest in the series should continue as a motion picture is in the works.

Science Fiction          Nancy Summers Abington SD

Fischer Richardson, Nancy. The Speed of Falling Objects. Harlequin/Inkyard Press, 2019. 978-1-335-92824-5. 336 p. $18.00. Grades 9 and up.

Danny is not like her absentee father in any way. He’s the in-your-face TV personality “Cougar,” a world-famous survivalist that is always flying off to exotic locations with celebrities to show the television audience how to survive in whatever dangerous situation unfolds. Danny’s given name is actually Danger Danielle Warren, but because that’s the opposite of her careful, quiet personality and because her father, who left her and her mom when he struck it rich with his television show, is the one who christened her with that name, she goes by Danny instead. She’s certain that her father is disappointed in her because she isn’t daring and athletic like him, and she suspects she is also the cause of her mom’s bitterness toward her dad. Danny’s caution stems from her struggles with her balance and perception due to a childhood accident that caused her to lose an eye. When Danny is just about to turn seventeen, and after years of neglect, Cougar reaches out to her for the chance of a lifetime to go to the Amazon Rainforest with him and one of the most popular heartthrobs in the world for an adventure. She jumps at the chance to prove her worth even though her mother is against it. The book takes a dark turn when there is a plane crash, and Danny is confronted with the truth of her father and a family secret and her need to summon her own survival skills to try and make it out of the jungle alive.

THOUGHTS: Although the characters and events were a bit contrived, it made the story possible, so I can forgive them. This book will appeal to some of my students who will enjoy the survival aspect. Fair warning that many people die while trying to survive the plane crash and rainforest, and there is romance.

Action/Adventure          Bridget Fox, Central Bucks SD

MG – Pumpkinheads; Stepsister; My Body My Choice; Wrecking Ball; Where the Heart Is; The Strangers

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Rowell, Rainbow. Pumpkinheads. First Second, 2019. 978-1-250-31285-3. 208 p. $17.99. Grades 6+.

In this charming graphic novel, perennial pumpkin patch workers and best friends Josiah and Deja realize it is their very last shift to work at their beloved fall festival before they head off to college. And though Josie is wallowing a bit about leaving a place, a time, and friends that he truly loves, Deja won’t let him spend their last night at work in a funk. And so she plans an adventurous evening for the two of them to explore all the sights and sounds at the fair, but most especially for Josie to finally talk to his cute crush at the Fudge Shoppe.  

THOUGHTS: The colorful and engaging illustrations by Faith Erin Hill and a sweet story of friendship and positivity by teen favorite Rainbow Rowell, make this title a quick and easy read that is sure to be a hit. 

Graphic Novel          Nancy Summers, Abington SD

 

Donnelly, Jennifer.  Stepsister. Scholastic Press, 2019. 978-1-338-26846-1. 341 p. $17.99. Grades 6+. 

In this fantastic retelling of the Cinderella story, the focus in on the stepsister Isabelle, after she and Tavi mutilate their feet in their doomed effort to fit into the glass slipper and win the prince. Now the two girls and their failing mother are alone, derided by the townfolk, marked as outcasts, and struggling to eke out an existence in the countryside. Ella is long gone with her prince, and Isabelle is trying to put the pieces of her life back together. However, Chance and Fate have a wager on Isabelle’s future and her very soul. Can she find redemption and regain the precious pieces of herself that she lost, or is she doomed to a life of jealousy, regret, and bitterness? 

THOUGHTS: A clever and intriguing tale that brings the favorite fairytale full circle. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy of fairytale retellings.

Fantasy Fiction (Fairytales)           Nancy Summers, Abington SD   

 

Stevenson, Robin. My Body My Choice: The Fight for Abortion Rights. Orca Issues, 2019. 978-1-459-81712-8. 175 p.  $19.95. Grades 7+.

Written as a response to declining access to abortion and birth control for women in the United States and across the world, this well-researched and well-written book provides readers with solid information on the history of abortion, the medical procedures available, the societal impacts of unplanned pregnancies, the history of the reproductive rights movement, the laws surrounding the issue and the anti-abortion movement. The book includes sidebars highlighting quotes from established and up-and-coming activists and color photos of protests and marches from around the world. 

THOUGHTS: A solid reference choice for secondary grades with up-to-date information, pages of citations and references, a glossary, and index.  

362.19 Social Welfare Problems and Services          Nancy Summers, Abington SD

 

Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball. Amulet, 201. 978-1-419-73903-3. 217 p. $14.99. Grades 4-8.

When Greg’s great aunt dies, the Heffley family feels pretty bad when they show up for her funeral and realize (too late, of course) that it’s the wrong funeral…especially when they learn that she’s left them a large inheritance! Everybody lobbies for his favorite way to spend the money, but Greg’s mom says that they’re putting an addition on they house. In typical Greg Heffley fashion, hilarity ensues when Greg attempts to get involved in the renovations, and every aspect of the project goes sideways. It turns out that there is a clerical error with the building permits, and Greg’s family has wasted their money on construction that can’t continue. Mom’s solution? It’s time to move to a bigger, nicer house across town and time to sell the Heffley home to a new family. With meatball subs falling into concrete buckets, hot tubs swinging from cranes, mice families running amok, and Greg’s failed attempts at gutter cleaning, this Wimpy Kid book is the funniest addition to the series in the last few years. Greg’s fear of make-believe monster “The Grout” will have you and your students laughing out loud.

THOUGHTS: Kinney is back on point with this Wimpy Kid book, a winner for avid fans and kids just starting the series.

Realistic/Humorous Fiction           Lindsey Long, Lower Dauphin SD

Knowles, Jo. Where the Heart Is. Candlewick Press, 2019. 978-1-536-20003-4. 292 p. $16.99. Grades 5-9.

This absorbing coming of age story explores friendship, love, and identity as well as family financial problems. Thirteen-year-old Rachel has so much on her plate. Micah, who has always been a faithful constant friend, would like their relationship to deepen. Rachel realizes that she doesn’t want this. Her parents’ financial difficulties bring tension as they lose their house and must move to an apartment. She is embarrassed that her mother must buy clothing from the thrift store. She feels awkward at parties that the new trendier girls give. There is stress from her summer job feeding the animals next door when she realizes that Lucy, the ornery pig is destined to be slaughtered for food.  Rachel is angry but introspective. Change and uncertainty about her future plague Rachel, but Knowles tempers these fears with strong family support and Micah’s friendship. The pace of the book calms down in the last chapter as Rachel realizes that for now, her family being together is more important than the house she lived in. They are beginning a new chapter in their lives. The future may not be certain, but she sees that there is hope. Jo Knowles writes with sensitivity as a young girl begins to understand her sexuality along with the anxiety of loss.  

THOUGHTS: I especially appreciated how Knowles portrays the parents and their problems. They may be angry at their circumstances, but they always consider what is best Rachel and her sister and try to make it happen. Hopefully readers who may be going through trying times will get a better understanding of adults feel when they are going through major losses.

Realistic Fiction          Jeannie Bellavance, Retired

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Greystone Secrets #1: The Strangers. Harper Collins, 2019. 978-0-062-83837-7. 405 p. $17.99. Grades 3-7.

In this dystopian middle school novel Margaret Peterson Haddix introduces the Greystone Family, Mom, Chess, Emma, and Finn who live in a quiet suburb, by choice. The mystery starts as three other children are kidnapped. Mom is in a panic. These three kids are identical to the Greystone children in looks, ages, and names. Mom leaves suddenly after telling the children that they will always have each other.  The story continues as each child sees the events from his/her unique point of view. Chess, a quiet, gangly sixth grader, remembers when his father died and how his mother uprooted the family. He feels a deep responsibility to take care of his siblings. Emma, a fourth grader, loves math. She tries to put order in everything by seeing the mathematical connection and patterns. Finn, an exuberant second grader, loves to talk and to discover new words. These individual narrations allow readers to see characters grow into stronger, more mature persons. The Greystones form an unlikely friendship with Natalie, the daughter of the woman who is watching them during Mom’s absence.  Natalie and the Greystones begin to explore Mom’s basement office to find clues. When they discover a secret passage, the story takes off into an alternate world. It looks like home, even with the same people, but it is a world of cruelty, mind, and sensory control. The citizens live in abject terror. The plot has many twists involving codes and cyphers, a resistance movement, and a search for truth. The “end” leaves the reader hanging. There will be sequels! Greystone Secrets #2, The Deceivers is coming out in April 2020.

THOUGHTS: In addition to being a page turner, this book shows clear strong family ties and teamwork. This reminded me of The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins and also some of the science fiction by William Sleator.  

Science Fiction          Jeannie Bellavance, Retired

YA – Michigan vs. The Boys; Fear of Missing Out; Soul of Stars

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Allen, Carrie S. Michigan vs. The Boys. KCP Loft, 2019. 978-1-525-30276-3. 304 p. $17.99. Grades 9-12.

Michigan Manning is about to have the senior year she’s always dreamed of, having been selected as Assistant Captain for her hockey team with her best friend taking the big C. But nothing gold can stay, and shortly after receiving their patches the team is defunded. Without the team, Michigan won’t be able to get a scholarship to college and is rightfully devastated. That is until someone has an idea; why not play for the boys’ team? Knowing how much work she’ll have to do, Michigan tries out for the team, landing a ranking in the top five players. The problem? The boys aren’t happy with it. As she strives to maintain her spot and hopefully play well enough to earn a scholarship, Michigan faces challenges and abuse she never expected and events take a turn she never could have imagined.

THOUGHTS: This was one of the most powerful, motivating sports stories I’ve ever read. This is a story for anyone who has ever had to be strong, who has ever tried to blaze a trail, or who has ever had to speak out. Michigan’s story will inspire readers to take charge and take what’s theirs.

Realistic Fiction, Sports         Samantha Helwig, Dover Area SD

McGovern, Kate. Fear of Missing Out. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2019. 978-0-374-30547-5.  312 p. $17.99. Grades 7-12.

Astrid was the girl who survived brain cancer, until it came back. Astrid’s mom is frantically researching treatment options, and lobbying to get her into a new drug trial, but Astrid faces facts. Astrid believes in science, and she knows the odds for her survival are not good. But no one else, her mom; her younger brother; her best friend, Chloe; and her boyfriend, Mohit, is willing to give her up so easily. When Astrid attends a medical symposium, however, she is intrigued by a presentation on cryopreservation. In order to scientifically research the concept of freezing her body, she convinces Chloe and Mohit to go on a cross-country road trip to the cryopreservation facility. Chloe starts a fundraising Vlog and Astrid chronicles the trip and their detours to kitschy tourist attractions. As the trip progresses Astrid, reading her body, knows her time is limited. McGovern presents a raw look at cancer, and the emotional toll it takes on the patient, as well as those who love her. There are times when Chloe and Mohit lash out at Astrid, not understanding why she seems ready to let go. Mohit states, “I don’t feel sorry for you… I feel sorry for me. And Chloe. We’re the ones left behind.” Eventually, Astrid takes control of what is left of her life and decides how she wants to die. This is not a heroic look at cancer, but 300 pages of honest emotion from all involved.

THOUGHTS: Hand this book out with a pack of tissues. It is a beautiful, soul wrenching read. Even though you know how it’s going to end, it still hurts.

Realistic Fiction          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Poston, Ashley. Soul of Stars. Balzar and Bray, 2019. 978-0-062-84733-1. 424 p. $17.99. Grades 7-12.

The sequel to Heart of Iron continues the sprawling space saga without missing a beat. Six months after escaping the HIVE-instigated battle for the Ironblood crown, Anna and her cobbled together family on the spaceship Dossier are trying to find the mythical Great Dark, the evil that is overtaking the universe. She is bereft by the betrayal of Di, her Metal best friend, but still believes his original core is intact. A search for the rumored individual who brought a Metal back from the HIVE goes dangerously wrong, and Anna and the crew find themselves on a chase across galaxies to find an object, the heart, that will allow The Dark to assume complete control. However, Anna learns that destroying the heart will also destroy all the HIVE’d Metals, and she faces an unbearable choice. The pace rarely slows down, but not at the cost of character development. Each of our favorite characters, human and Metal, from Heart of Iron plays an integral part in the story as secrets are uncovered and identities revealed, for a satisfying conclusion to the story.

THOUGHTS: Purchase the book for fans of Heart of Iron, but also use it as an opportunity to reintroduce the series to fans of Star Wars. 

Science Fiction          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

MG – The Owls Have Come to Take us Away; Safe Harbour; Cold Grab; Tin

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Smith, Ronald L.  The Owls Have Come to Take us Away. Clarion Books, 2019. 978-1-328-84160-5. 215 p. $16.99. Grades 6 and up.

Written in the matter-of-fact tone of Gary D. Schmidt’s Orbiting Jupiter, but with the insidious, surreality of Kenneth Oppel’s The Nest, Ronald L. Smith’s latest offering is a strange blend of science fiction and heart-wrenching realism. Simon, our narrator, is a twelve-year-old boy whose favorite pastimes are playing EverCraft, reading fantasy and science fiction books (especially about aliens, or “Grays” as Simon calls them), and writing his own fantasy novel entitled Max Hollyoak and the Tree of Everwyn, chapters of which are interspersed throughout the book. He and his family live on an Airforce base in Maryland, one of several he’s lived on over the years. Given his nomadic lifestyle, Simon struggles with his social life. He is bullied at school, partially because of skin color (his mother is black, his father is white), and partially because of his hobbies and interests, and his only friend, Tony, is away in Mexico for part of the summer, leaving him lonelier and more isolated than usual. When his parents force him to go camping, Simon experiences a terrifying and traumatic event out in the woods: he has an encounter with a Gray. His proof? There is a small scoop in his stomach, and he can feel something hard (an implant?) underneath his skin. Although Simon tries to keep this a secret, eventually he confesses to his parents, who, understandably concerned, send him to a psychiatrist. Simon does find unwavering support from Tony, and, surprisingly, from his older brother’s girlfriend, Miranda. She introduces Simon to her father, an avid believer, who holds regular meetings with other true believers, all of whom have had their own alien encounters. As the novel progresses, the tone becomes increasingly urgent and ominous, as Simon’s predicament grows steadily more bizarre and fantastic. Like Simon, the reader will be left wondering what is actually going on – is this an elaborate fabrication from the mind of a wildly imaginative young boy, or is Simon truly experiencing alien encounters? Smith skillfully navigates the ingrained skepticism of the adults in Simon’s world, with the inherent belief of children in otherworldly realms of possibility. The ending of this book will come as a shock to some, and a vindication to others.

THOUGHTS: Hand this book to any middle grade reader who claims they don’t like science fiction – after reading The Owls Have Come to Take us Away, they will be sci-fi converts.

Science Fiction          Lauren Friedman-Way, The Baldwin School

Kilbourne, Christina. Safe Harbour. Dundurn, 2019. 978-1-459-74518-6. 264 p. $12.99. Grades 6-9.

Fourteen and alone in a new city would be hard enough. Harbour, however, is alone in a new country. Her dad sent her to Canada from her home state of Florida with the promise to sail their boat up and meet her. Harbour isn’t worried though; she has her dog, Tuff Stuff, her credit card for essentials, and emergency cash, along with her cell phone to keep in touch with her dad. They are camping in a ravine with plenty of coverage not to be seen or bothered. Harbour soon makes friends with Lanie who is another homeless girl who has plenty of street smarts and loads of compassion for Harbour’s unique situation. Life is good until her credit card is declined, and winter is quickly approaching. Even with sleeping bags rated for negative twenty degrees Celsius, Harbour isn’t ready for what winter brings. Lanie and Harbour grow closer as Lanie helps prepare Harbour for winter and the possibility that her dad will never come.  Harbour starts sharing some stories about her dad, which is the first glimpse into a bigger problem. Harbour is convinced that there is a plot to blow up all the cities in the United States and that she has to keep Tough Stuff safe because her dad put a chip under his skin that has proof of this conspiracy. As we follow Lanie, Harbour, and Tough Stuff through the story, readers start to feel that there is more to her dad than Harbour knows and that maybe he knew he wouldn’t make it. The question is why send her to Canada and why instruct her to camp in that specific ravine. Harbour’s father loved her. Even when he was struggling with his schizophrenia, he had a plan to keep his daughter safe and put her where she needed to be. Harbour and Lanie are great characters that show friendship in a very raw way. Lanie sticks by Harbour though floods, panic attacks, and a lost dog to finally help her find a happy ending.

THOUGHTS: This book would be great for middle grade lit circles as it gives a lot of openings for discussion of what makes a good friend as well as mental health.     

Realistic Fiction           Arryn Cumpston, Crawford Central SD

Barwin, Steven. Cold Grab. Lorimer, 2019. 978-1-459-41379-5. 194 p. $8.99. Grades 6-9.

While originally published in Canada in 2018 Cold Grab will be published for the first time in the United States in 2019. Angelo, a sixteen year old boy from the Philippines, has been forced to move to Canada live with his mom. His mom moved to Canada when Angelo was young to make a better life for him. The problem is that Angelo didn’t want to leave Paolo, his grandfather and their fishing boats. Angelo is slow to adjust to life in a new country, but he does quickly become friends with Marcus. Marcus introduces him to other Filipino students with whom he hangs out. Angelo soon becomes concerned with if these are the right friends for him when they take him on his first “mission” to steal from people at Easton Center. Angelo is soon too caught up in all the money that he is making by being a part of the gang. Soon it is Angelo’s turn, but is he ready? Angelo’s thieving ways continue until he is caught between a rock and a hard place. Angelo stole a Mario Lemieux rookie card from Yvonne’s employer. The “Queen” with no proof fires Yvonne because of the theft and presses charges against Angelo, though there is no proof of his actions. Can Angelo trust his friends to stick up for him when times get tough, or does he learn the hard way that some people are only out for themselves.

THOUGHTS: This book is a great look into what life may be like for students coming to a new country and trying to figure out a new country. Angelo has a lot of normal sixteen year old emotions of anger and frustration with parents, along with the confusion and loneliness of being in a new place.  This would be a great book for students who enjoy realistic fiction books with a believable plot.

Realistic Fiction          Arryn Cumpston, Crawford Central SD

Kenny, Pádraig. Tin. Chicken House, 2019. 278 p. $16.99. 978-1-338-27755-5. Grades 5-8. 

What does it mean to be human? What makes memories stay? What makes memories so important in the present? Christopher is the only “proper” human amid the mechanicals built by Mr. Absalom, his boss. Mechanicals are legal but only child-size and largely for servant functions; strong regulations are enforced by the Agency.  Christopher treats the mechanicals well, even when he, too, is treated badly by Absalom. Jack, Round Rob, Gripper, and their repairer Estelle all wish for better-made bodies, which Mr. Absalom promises will happen if he’s able to make a sale. But times are difficult in this mechanical world, and that never happens. Then an accident reveals that Christopher is not fully human, and the Agency swoops in to remove him from Absalom. Suddenly, Christopher is alone, facing piercing questions from engineer Blake, realizing he’s been living a life based on “patched” (added) memories, but he’s exceptionally important to Blake. Why? Jack, Round Rob, Gripper, and Estelle set out to get Christopher back, and in the process locate Cormier, the finest engineer ever to make mechanicals. Blake is determined to restore his engineer father’s dream of powerful mechanicals to defend Britain, and he pushes Cormier to reveal his secrets. The men struggle once more to fight for deeply-felt morals and a chance to vindicate or resurrect family. 

THOUGHTS: Kenny creates a harsh alternative post-WWI history where humanity’s advances leave empty mechanicals–and humans–in their wake. Not all nuances of mechanicals (emotions, souls, etc.) are unraveled, but Kenny presents a sufficient history as a backdrop for a story that allows for deeper questions of morality and humanity. Ideal for deeper-thinking fantasy and science fiction readers who love robotics, the focus here is on friendship and humanity.

Science Fiction          Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD