High School Pick

Freefall
by Mindi Scott
Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster), 2010
315 pages

Seth McCoy has an abundance of problems: a mother who isn't at all a mother or authority figure, a brother full of anger, bandmembers who argue all the time, and a ton of guilt and self-hatred for letting his best friend die last summer. Not only that, he's mad at childhood friend Kendall and he's trying to win the favor of a new girl Rosetta who has troubles of her own.

It's amazing how close the edge can be in a freefall. Seth's brother Jared feels betrayed when Seth quits the band in favor of school. Seth finally decides to straighten up and fly right, returning to school and taking extra classes in order to graduate on time. He confronts his own stage fright and joins a new band. Rosetta and Kendall help him see that it was not his fault that Isaac died. Able to grieve and move on, Seth is a victor.

A coming of age novel for the 21st century. Dirty, gripping, and raw, but finally equally uplifting and soaring. Mindi Scott scores with this novel.

Highly recommended grades 9-12.
Not for middle school readers: sex, violence, drugs, alcohol, parties, and language

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher but did not receive any financial compensation for my review of blogpost.

Magical Pick

The Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas
Simon & Shuster (Aladdin), 2010.
281 pages





The Wish Stealers is a treasure of magic, wishes, and lucky Indian head pennies. However, some pennies can be unlucky, as Griffin Penshine soon finds out. After meeting a very old lady in an antiques shop, Griffin becomes the new caretaker of a box of "lucky" pennies. The lady warns Griffin that the pennies are wishes stolen from people years before, and that the holder of the wishes must return them to their rightful owner or be forever cursed. If Griffin tells anyone about the unlucky box, she will never have any of her wishes come true again. And, she can't throw away the pennies or the box.

Griffin only wishes for a few things: she wants to be the best bass guitar player in history. She wishes her grandmother's health will improve, and that her mother will deliver a healthy baby. But a wish stealer's good wishes never come true--only her bad wishes happen.

How will Griffin outsmart the curse of the pennies? And how can she, a sixth grader, achieve the hardest penny of all: World Peace? The Wish Stealers is a fun read with real humor and whimsy. Half mystery, half comedy, this novel is sure to delight girls ages 9-13. Readers of the Ramona series will like Griffin Penshine. Recommended for collections--grades 4-7.

FTC Disclaimer: This book and others were sent to me to review by another blogger who receives MANY books from publishers. The book was at no cost to me. This review is in no way influenced by this fact.