YA Pick: Long Way Down

Long Way Down
by Jason Reynolds
Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers
2017
320 pages
ISBN: 9781481438254

Gripping and mesmerizing, Long Way Down will INVOLVE readers. Will (William) Holloman recounts the night of his brother's murder and how he will exact revenge on the killer because that's how his neighborhood and his life works. Everyone in his neighborhood knows the rules.

Will knows who shot his brother and knows his brother has a gun. Will grabs that gun and decides to take matters into his own hands. He steps into the elevator to go down to the street. On each floor, Will is met by someone from his past. Each person is along for the ride and each person has been affected by gun violence. Will must listen to each one's powerful story and decide what it means for him.

Told in verse, this is one story that will tug at hearts and make heads hurt. The poetry is sometimes written as a "concrete" poem where the poem is placed on the page to create the effect of an earthquake or one word on a white page. Shawn. Will's dead brother's name. Or one word repeated in the shape of a question mark. The word "right?" These pages are the strongest and most beautiful causing the reader to take a moment to think and admire the art of true poetry and storytelling.

Cover art is thoughtful and effective as the reflection of a boy is shown on the elevator door along with the buttons for each floor.The reader is left wondering what path Will will take, and maybe that's the point of the character's name: Will.

Jason Reynolds is writing some of the most powerful books on the market--the books that must be talked about and it's refreshing. For those kids who like Reynolds, felt they didn't see characters like themselves in books, he is writing their stories. Long Way Down will be a strong contender in prize categories for next year. I expect it to take top state honors and likely be a National Book Award Finalist.

Highly, highly recommended for grade 9 and up.  A must have for all collections. I would place copies in poetry and also in YA Fiction to insure it is read by all its fans.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

YA Pick Things I Should Have Known

Things I Should Have Known *
by Claire LaZabnik
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
2017
311 pages
ISBN: 9780544829695


What a breath of fresh air! Things I Should Have Known is that rare YA novel that stands out among all the dystopian novels, magical realism (?) novels, urban fiction, vampire/zombie/werewolf/witch paranormal novels, and sweet romantic tales. This novel has not only heart but SOUL, strength and brains!

From the outside looking in, Chloe Mitchell has it all. She's blond, pretty, popular, smart and dating the most handsome jock in school. Girls want to be her, boys want to date her. Chloe's sister Ivy is twenty and is on the autism spectrum. The girls' mother is remarried to Ron, a guy Chloe tries to "tolerate." Chloe's mother tries hard at pleasing everyone which quite simply pleases no one.

When Ivy begins to show an interest in finding a boyfriend of her own, Chloe thinks it is a fine idea and even gives Ivy a makeover. Chloe drives Ivy to her date with Ethan, a boy in her class. Ethan's brother David drove him to the date. Chloe sees DAVID and realizes that she is stuck making small talk with him while her sister and Ethan have their date. Chloe knows David from high school and hates him. He is rude and mean to her. He belittles her for dating James. David' s dry wit and sarcasm will win readers over early on.

Stuck together over several dates, Chloe begins to realize how adorable David truly is. He is sensitive, sweet, smart and a great brother to Ethan. Chloe starts to see all of her boyfriend James's shortcomings.

Things I Should Have Known is a sweet book about friendship, romance and sisters. Chloe, David, Ethan and Ivy are characters that readers will fall in love with. LaZebnik handles the subject of autism with grace, wit, and intelligence. It will open readers' eyes and hearts (I hope) to kids and adults like Ivy and Ethan. Cover art is mind blowing! The play on the title words is nothing short of brilliant. Kudos to the marketing design team.

If you read one YA novel this summer, Things I Should Have Known should be that novel!

Highly, highly recommended grade 9-up. Some mature content (heavy petting, innuendo) and mild profanity by today's standards.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.
*I hope I have not offended anyone by using the term autism or autism spectrum. This is an honest and helpful review that I hope shows my love of this book. No offense was intended.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down (book 11)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Double Down (Book 11)

by Jeff Kinney

Amulet

2016

217 pages

ISBN: 9781419723445

Readers young and old  know what makes Greg Heffley endearing and likable, but how do they convey their feelings  to adults who may have never heard of Wimpy Kid books? (Okay, I cannot imagine anyone who has not heard of  Wimpy Kid, but I guess some exist)  They may tell you that he is like every kid who ever came before him. He is funny, sarcastic, sloppy, lazy, intelligent but unchallenged, misunderstood and adorable. In a word, he is like them, the every child, and that is what makes Wimpy Kids books worldwide bestsellers and Jeff Kinney one of the most influential people on the planet!

Book 11 does not disappoint. It is a glimpse into the mind of Greg Heffley, and it is hilarious.  Greg swears he is on some secret reality show where he is the star of the show. In order to keep his audience entertained, he whispers funny asides to the hidden cameras. Later, thinking that aliens from space are so advanced they send houseflies in  as their drones to gather information on human life before deciding to invade. Why they seem to be attracted to dog poop, Greg cannot answer. 

Greg continues to entertain with stories about school and Rowley, his best friend. Greg goes so far as to join the school band, not that he wants to play an instrument or for the pleasure, but just so he can get invited to the hottest middle school party of the year. Talk about over achievement!  Of course on the night of the band recital, Greg somehow manages to get himself locked up in the band room with no way out. Not only that, he splits his pants so that even if he is rescued, there is no way he can appear on stage. 

Jeff Kenney's sense of humor comes through in copy and in hilarious illustrations. There is no stopping Wimpy Kid. Kenney is now on his second world tour visiting all the countries where kids love Greg Heffley. Double Down is currently #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. 

Highly, highly recommended for all ages! 

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Adult Read Pick: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Only Love Can Break Your Heart
by Ed Tarkington
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
2016
307 pages
ISBN: 9781616203825

Available January 5, 2016

Stunning, moody, rare, eccentric, and brimming with Southern gothic-ism and down home charm, Only Love Can Break Your Heart will leave readers stunned, amazed and gasping. Only a few days into January and the best adult read has appeared! You won't want to miss Ed Tarkington's love letter to the 1970's and an "easier" down to earth way of life.

Rocky (Richard) idolizes older brother Paul and reports the beginning of the story through eight year old eyes. It's easy to see why Paul plays a central role in Rocky's life. . Paul is sophisticated, cool, aloof, and sometimes downright dangerous. Rocky explains, " My brother Paul had a reputation around town as a 'bad kid.' This wasn't entirely undeserved..." but he goes on to inform the reader that in larger, more cosmopolitan cities Paul's hijinks wouldn't have raised an eyebrow. Paul's rebellious side was smoking endless packs of cigarettes, throwing back beers, breaking the speed limit, sneaking out at night and running around with other "nefarious" hoodlums. Typical teen boy behavior, but it sends their father, "the Old Man," into a rage at every turn. The "Old Man"  doesn't let it fester; he tends to look the other way when Paul misbehaves. Although not spoken aloud (ever!) there is a deep love between older boy and the Old Man. Paul's mother Ann left for Akron, Ohio, never looking back. The Old Man instructs his boys "never marry a Yankee!"

Ann does  make a brief appearance when she arrives for Paul's high school graduation. After embarrassing herself, her son and family, she returns to Ohio where it's all downhill from there. Paul's first love is beautiful, ethereal Leigh who as the novel progresses becomes more and more damaged. Most of the characters throughout the novel are damaged if not broken (that's life!). Rocky's mom is much younger than the "Old Man," and she married if not for love--for security and money. In those days in a small town, if a woman isn't married by age twenty five, she is considered an old maid--a fate that no girl can endure. The boys both attend a fancy and pricey private school where they can mingle with other wealthy students from "good" homes. There are class lines in Spencerville, and although Rocky's family  lives in a comfortable home and the "Old Man" earns a good living, he came from nothing. His family was dirt poor, therefor the privileged and snooty old wealth shuns him. No matter how successful or rich he becomes, he will never be accepted into their lofty ranks and it eats at him. Seeing a way to make a real "deal," he loses everything.

Twin Peaks (shades of Gone With the Wind meets To Kill a Mockingbird) has been abandoned and haunted for years. When Paul takes Rocky over to explore the old mansion, Paul is shot and the story soars. All the characters are now in place with a bone or two to pick with each other. This one kept me guessing until the ending. Even now, looking back, I have some unanswered questions, and I mean that in the best ways! A great novel really gets to you and bothers you to the bone and that's just what Only Love Can Break Your Heart does.

If you love Southern tradition, Ed Tarkington is your author. I would put him in the ranks of Flannery O'Connor, Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner. Only Love Can Break Your Heart may do just that! Bring your box of Kleenex because you'll need them! I will not likely forget Paul, Rocky or Leigh. The Old Man who is first seen as a grouchy ogre redeems himself and the reader will see the true man when he develops Alzheimer's. In fact, I respected the Old Man after I realized his life story. "Love can make people do terrible things..." is oh, so true!

Poignant yet promising, this is the BEST adult novel I've read in a very long time. It's right up there with my favorite all time novels: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Shadow of the Wind and Life Among Giants.

Highly, highly recommended. Order or grab a copy today. You won't be able to put down this book.
In fact, I finished reading it during the Broncos' game (and I'm a Broncos fanatic), but I couldn't stop reading. I found myself not even listening to the game. I was in Spencerville with Rocky and Paul.

Suitable adult title and recommended for all adult book clubs. Mature content, profanity, murder.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Fairy Tale Pick: The Wild Swans

The Wild Swans
by Jackie Morris
color illustrations
Janetta Otter-Barry Books
2015
173 pages
ISBN: 9781847805362

Simply a stunning children's book! Beautifully imagined illustrations will captivate and are ethereal, lovely, and delicate.

Eliza is a happy young princess whose doting father and loving mother keep her safe in their care and the warmth of their love envelops her. Her eleven older brothers are strong, handsome and brave and love her dearly. Everything is sunshine and roses until her mother dies. Suddenly the castle is quiet and cold, foreboding even. Her father grieves and leaves daily to hunt with his men in the forest.

One day, Eliza's father comes home with a strange catch. Her father has a new bride and Eliza's brothers are not to come home. Eliza misses her brothers almost as much as she misses her dead mother. This new "mother" is not loving and caring. The new queen discovers her husband's sons and turns them all into swans. Eliza sees her brothers take flight and leave one by one. Now she has no one save her mother's favorite giant dog. The dog and Eliza bond, both having lost the lady their so dearly loved. The evil stepmother (now queen) casts Eliza out and poor, doomed Eliza wanders the woods until she finds a Fairy Queen who tells her how to save her brothers and break the spell.

Eliza must endure years of toil and loneliness in order to save her brothers and reunite her family with her father. This retelling of a story by Hans Christian Andersen is inspiring and breathtaking. A crowning achievement for author/illustrator Jackie Morris!

Look for a FREE giveaway on of this book on my blog within the next few days. You could win a free copy!

Highly, highly recommended for any fairy tale fan. A must for all fairy tale collections.

Suitable grade 4-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Picture Book Pick: Believe It or Not, My Brother Has a Monster!

Believe It or Not, My Brother Has a Monster!
by Kenn Nesbitt
Illustrations by David Slonim
Cartwheel Books (Scholastic)
2015
32 pages
ISBN: 9780545650595

Available June 30, 2015

This fun and frolicking tale takes place last Halloween when a boy's older brother finds a monster in the park. All kinds of creepy characters join in the lively romp that takes place when the older brother takes the monster home and hides him in his bedroom. Funny rhymes are spot on and illustrated with fanciful  glee by illustrator David Slonim. Readers will sense the joy that both the writer and illustrator must have experienced while working on this lively picture book. Lizards, rats, bats, spiders, toads, ravens, slugs and cats  soon appear and wreak havoc on the bedroom.

There is so much to love about this children's book. First of all, it rhymes and the rhymes work. The storyline is great and captures Halloween, fright night, monstrous creatures and a younger brother's worship and adoration of his "cool" older sibling. As each creature is added, their count goes up, so this is a rhyming, counting book that is funny, silly, scary and is a Halloween read. That makes it a home run!


Highly, highly recommended. Believe It or Not, My Brother Has a Monster! will become every child's favorite book and fun bedtime read. Kids will be delighted when they realize what kind of monster the brother brought home. And fear not! They won't have nightmares about this monster.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the F & G from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Slam Dunk: The Crossover

The Crossover
by Kwame Alexander
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
2014
237 pages
ISBN: 9780544107717

Praise for The Crossover

Soaring, swift, and strong, The Crossover, a novel told in verse, will appeal to vast majority of readers. Not just a sports book, the novel tells the story of a close-knit family including Mom, the assistant principal and Dad, an ex-basketball prodigy whose career is cut short due to an injury. Twins Josh and Jordan Bell are both basketball stars on their middle school team. The boys are as close as brothers can get and their relationship is even stronger due to the good natured competitive games they play with each other.

Josh Bell, aka Filthy McNasty, loves his dreadlocks. They give him power and he even calls them his "wings." In "Ode to My Hair," Josh says, "If my hair were a tree/I'd climb it./ I'd kneel down beneath/and enshrine it./I'd treat it like gold/then mine it..." Later, after losing a bet to Jordan, he is forced to part with his beloved locks.

The poetry is both tough and punchy yet sometimes sweet and subtle. When a new girl turns Jordan's head in the cafeteria, Josh says, "JB's eyes are ocean wide, his mouth swimming on the floor..." Jordan's concern ends up being well deserved. The brothers disagree when Josh gets jealous but like brothers, it's over before either of them can let it fester.

Change is inevitable. Growing up is tough even in a loving family. The brothers will need each other more than ever to face the future.

The Crossover just won the Newbery Medal, but that's not why I'm recommending this book. I received this book some time ago but discovered it again when trimming down my "To Read" pile. I picked it up and read the book jacket. Once I read the first few pages, I was in love. From this ex-high school English teacher and poetry lover to you, READ this book and share it with READERS. It is a book that calls for reading aloud. Students and kids will love to HEAR this book. Give them that gift.

This would make a fantastic gift for anyone who loves sports and/or basketball. Fans of hip-hop and rap will appreciate the beats. Poetry lovers will also be huge fans. Reluctant readers will devour this in one sitting and will likely want to read it again.

Highly, highly recommended. A MUST HAVE. All grades.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Middle Grades Pick: Rhyme Schemer

Rhyme Schemer
by K.A. Holt
Chronicle Books
2014
162 pages
ISBN: 9781452127002

This charming novel in verse is a great read aloud book; it will resonate with any reader who knows a bully and let's face it: everyone knows at least one bully.

Kevin Jamison is being bullied at home by his older brother. Kevin takes his anxiety and anger out on other kids at school. Everyone thinks Kevin is rich; both his mom and dad are doctors but there's five kids in all: Patrick, Paul, Philip, Petey and Kevin, the youngest and the only "K" name. He feels like a non-person in his family.

Kevin spends a lot of time in Principal Hartwick's office for various pranks and bullying incidents. Kevin thinks in rhymes, poems and rhyme schemes. To get back at the principal Kevin becomes "The Poetry Bandit." He rips pages from old books (from the library, oh, horror!) and circles words on the page to make a poem. He leaves his poetry/art hung up all over the school. The principal is not amused but can't pin it on Kevin (pun intended). Each time Kevin visits the principal's office, he composes an ode to the principal's ugly tie of the day. Each ode is hilarious.

The librarian sees potential in Kevin. She tells him about an open mic night and promises to take him if his parents will agree.

Petey is in a rock band but their band has no name and no song. Kevin keeps coming up with names for the band which he shares in his notebook. Later, Petey realizes Kevin's notebook has some good material for songs for his band.

As Kevin learns to embrace his poetry, he becomes empowered. Once his brother gives him a chance, Kevin shines.

Readers will love Kevin and his poetry antics.

Highly recommended for grade 5-up. Great for anti-bullying programs and class discussions.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Wimpy Kid Pick: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul
Book 9
by Jeff Kinney
Amulet Books
2014
217 pages
ISBN: 9781419711893



The funniest times and most memorable times any family can spend are road trips gone wrong, horrible vacations and tragic yet hilarious  family reunions. No matter how well planned, no matter the amount of hope going into a trip, no matter the careful list making  of the mother or father, everything that can go wrong usually does.

Greg Heffley's problem is that his mother puts her faith in "Family Frolic" magazine, a colorful if untrue portrait of how honky dory every family moment can be if only you follow the Family Frolic way. Greg's mom lives and breathes this magazine and somehow thinks that through magic the Heffleys can become the perfect Family Frolic family. She decides that a well-planned family road trip is just what her family needs to be the ideal American family, one that she aspires to be.

Greg's father decides that his old wreck of a boat--complete with a hole in its hull--should be towed behind them the entire trip. Somehow, again by magic or wishful thinking or both, the boat will be seaworthy. The family stashes all their extra vacation junk in the boat.

Greg's mom decrees that the family should play a game called Alphabet Groceries, a game she read about in, yep, you guessed it, Family Frolic. Each player will say the letter of the alphabet and then something they could buy in the store that begins with that letter. Obviously, the first choice is "A" and "apple." Next, it's Rodrick's turn. He says he can't think of anything that starts with a "B," so he's out. Greg knows that Rodrick is playing dumb--maybe for the first time of his life. Greg later relates a story showing Rodrick's intelligence. When he was supposed to read Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings for a school assignment, Rodrick realizes he'll never read it, so he rents the video "Lords of the Ring," a pro wrestling video! Imagine that book report!

The family has car trouble, hotel trouble, pig trouble, county fair trouble, swimming pool trouble, and road trouble before it's all over. This edition of Wimpy Kid is way more fun than earlier ones. The Long Haul is the real deal--this is the best book of the entire series. Buy this book immediately! Buy this book for any kid of any age. It's a treasure.


Highly, highly recommended for ALL ages!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

The Burn Outs Book Giveaway and Review

 

I have FIVE free copies of The Burn Outs up for grabs! Scroll down for details how to win a free copy of The Burnouts!

my review:

The Burnouts
Quarantine, book 3
by Lex Thomas
Egmont
2014
272 pages
ISBN: 9781606843383

Available July 22, 2014 (date from publisher's website)

The Burnouts takes readers out with a flash, bang, boom! Lightning paced, reeking of madness, sadness, grittiness, and dirt, The Burnouts delivers a TKO.

Brothers Will and David are reunited on the outside of McKinley, but both of them feel the  need to save Lucy who remains inside. There is talk that the government has finally found a cure for the infected and David wants to travel to Minnesota and check it out. Meanwhile, things have deteriorated beyond control inside the high school.

Gangs of kids roam the school looking for food, fights, and drugs. Some will do anything for a quick high: sniff gasoline, markers, paint or whatever they can "cook" up. There is no medicine and no clean water. Kids are dying every day waiting to be evacuated. Only the lucky will survive; only the sly will live to see another day.

Lucy is all alone--she's smart and  savage when she needs to be. Having survived a few battles of her own, she is not ready to face any more strife. When she realizes that both Will and David have entered the school, she is afraid for them all. How will the three of them escape the madness? And how will they remain human?

Book 3 is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. Recommended for high school readers and fans of the trilogy. This book is much edgier than The Hunger Games trilogy. The Burnouts is intended for mature readers--I do NOT recommend it  for middle school readers. Blood, gore, sex, deviant acts, and drug use abound. Although The Burnouts depicts a world gone mad, it is certainly a world that humans can imagine--in our darkest nightmares.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

For your chance to win a free copy:

Post a comment to the blog and please include your first name, city, state and email contact. Deadline for posts is July 21 at noon MST! Winners are chosen randomly by Randomizer. Winners will be notified on July 22 in the afternoon. Winners have 24 hours to respond to my email. Books will ship from New York. Good luck and start posting, Pamela

Series Pick: The Burnouts (Quarantine, book 3)

The Burnouts
Quarantine, book 3
by Lex Thomas
Egmont
2014
272 pages
ISBN: 9781606843383

Available July 22, 2014 (date from publisher's website)

The Burnouts takes readers out with a flash, bang, boom! Lightning paced, reeking of madness, sadness, grittiness, and dirt, The Burnouts delivers a TKO.

Brothers Will and David are reunited on the outside of McKinley, but both of them feel the  need to save Lucy who remains inside. There is talk that the government has finally found a cure for the infected and David wants to travel to Minnesota and check it out. Meanwhile, things have deteriorated beyond control inside the high school.

Gangs of kids roam the school looking for food, fights, and drugs. Some will do anything for a quick high: sniff gasoline, markers, paint or whatever they can "cook" up. There is no medicine and no clean water. Kids are dying every day waiting to be evacuated. Only the lucky will survive; only the sly will live to see another day.

Lucy is all alone--she's smart and  savage when she needs to be. Having survived a few battles of her own, she is not ready to face any more strife. When she realizes that both Will and David have entered the school, she is afraid for them all. How will the three of them escape the madness? And how will they remain human?

Book 3 is not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. Recommended for high school readers and fans of the trilogy. This book is much edgier than The Hunger Games trilogy. The Burnouts is intended for mature readers--I do NOT recommend it  for middle school readers. Blood, gore, sex, deviant acts, and drug use abound. Although The Burnouts depicts a world gone mad, it is certainly a world that humans can imagine--in our darkest nightmares.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Picture Book Pick (But So Much More): Rules of Summer

 

See what the author says about his new picture book!

Rules of Summer
by Shaun Tan
Arthur A. Levine Books
2014
48 pages
ISBN: 97805456519125

Use the new interactive app

Innovative and fun, deep and engrossing, Rules of Summer is one deceptive picture book! Let the art speak for itself like Van Allsburg's The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Readers are encouraged to enter the art and make decisions about the story based on the art and also their own experiences.

The two page spread with text, "Never leave a red sock on the clothesline" shows two young boys cowering behind a fence, a clothesline empty except for said red sock and a large, menacing, red-eyed monster  bunny peering over the fence. The beast is many times their size and the boys  appear to be  hiding from it.

Each spread features art by Tan and offers the opportunity for readers to tell a story for themselves. Rules of Summer is loosely put together featuring two boys, maybe brothers, who have adventures that summer. My favorite rule is,  "Never miss the last day of summer."  The art shows the smaller boy climbing to the top of a long ladder with the older boy offering his hand to help the smaller child up.

Wildly imaginative robots and weird birds make this story fun for young readers. I predict Rules of Summer will be hugely embraced by readers and art critics as well as art and creative writing teachers around the globe.

Highly, highly recommended for the quirky reader in everyone and those who have wild imaginings and dream strange dreams.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

YA Pick: In the Shadows

In the Shadows
Text by Kiersten White
Art and art story by Jim Di Bartolo
original story concept by Jim Di Bartolo
Scholastic Press
2014
384 pages
ISBN:9780545561440

Available April 29, 2014

Transcendent and beguilingly beautiful full color artwork  and gothic (creepy but romantic) story go hand in hand to capture readers and lead them on a mysterious journey. Cora and Minnie are sisters living in their mother's boarding house. Minnie gets excited when she learns new boarders Thomas and Charles will be staying on with them.

Evil lurks up the  road and Minnie  likes to tempt it. What lengths will Minnie  go to in order to have some fun? The closer the four get to answers about an ancient secret, the more danger they are in. What if life never had to end? What if you could live forever? Would you want to?

Readers are in for a treat--the art tells one part of the story and the words tell another part. The YA market just got more exciting! It was exciting for me to hear from the artist and writer at the Texas Library Convention about their new book. In a session of Speed Dating the Authors, Di Bartolo and White sat at our table and discussed In the Shadows and how they came up with the idea and how it came to fruition. The art is sublime and the story masterful.

Highly recommended for every type of reader. Grade 7-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

YA Pick: Midwinter Blood

Midwinterblood
by Marcus Sedgewick
Roaring Brook Press
2013
262 pages

Magical, mysterious, macabre, and mesmerizing, Midwinterblood tells seven stories that are intertwined with the quiet island of Blessed and its strange curse. Powerful and commanding storytelling by Marcus Sedgewick will have readers completely enraptured by his captivating spell.

Journalist Eric Seven travels to a remote Scandinavian island for a story. The islanders, it is said, live forever and never age, but there are not children anywhere. Eric falls for the enigmatic Merle, a woman who seems so familiar, yet he knows he has never seen her before...or has he? Tor, the island's leader, allows Eric to stay and finds a cottage for his use. As Eric explores the island, he is sure he has been there before. Everything is new and strange, yet feels old and familiar. Eric is bone tired and soon dreams haunt his sleep, and a painting hides the secret of the island.

Other stories revolve around the painting and the island. The story of a plane wreck and a pilot. The story of an archeologist who discovers ancient bones from the Viking era. The story of a painter, the story of a vampire, the story of brothers who both loved the same woman, the story of children sired by another, and the story of the island's curse.

Midwinterblood is a beautifully crafted novel that showcases Sedgewick's talent as a storyteller and a magician--he is able to weave separate stories of each individual into the larger story of the island and of lives relived. Love is stronger than the bonds of time and stronger still than the evil curse. The island cannot hold true love prisoner and eventually the right individual will arrive and change the island forever.

Highly, highly recommended grade 7-up. Average readers may struggle with the concept of the seven stories, but good readers will love this novel. Midwinterblood will surely be on everyone's must reads and favorites lists and is likely to be nominated for many state's awards.

Some violence.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Wimpy Kid Pick: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck (book 8)
by Jeff Kinney
Amulet
2013
217 pages

Official Wimpy Kid page

Endearing, innovative and downright laugh out loud funny, the latest book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is a riot! Jeff Kinney keeps getting it right, and Greg Heffley is entertaining and unflappable as the ultimate Wimpy Kid.

Greg is going through a rough time. Best friend Rowley has a new girlfriend and has changed completely. He no longer sits at the "boys' table" but with girlfriend Abigail. Greg feels at loose ends and can't decide what group to join. He realizes he's grasping at straws when he even considers weird kid Fregley as his new BFF. Greg is down on his luck but willing to try anything.

When he finds an old Magic 8 ball under his brother's bed, Greg begins to depend on the 8 ball to make decisions for him. He decides the 8 ball is really good at decision making and even tries to use it to finish his math homework. That's when Greg realizes the 8 ball is limited on giving answers to all questions.

There's so much to love about this book! There's family drama when the extended family comes for a visit for Easter. Greg's mom's cousin Gerald creeps Greg out when he declares, "I used to change your diapers." The ick factor alone would creep out any kid. More family drama is centered around Meemaw's missing wedding ring. Everyone is looking for the missing ring, and soon accusations fly.

One laugh out loud moment comes when Greg refuses to taste  his mother's potato salad. He won't try it because she makes it in the bowl she gives to  them when they have the flu. His mother tells them, "If you have to throw up, do it in here." No potato salad, thanks anyway!

Greg will go to any lengths to pass his classes so he doesn't have to attend summer school. The way he hears it, they turn off the air conditioning in the summer and they don't even use real teachers. Last summer, Greg heard that the janitor was a teacher.

This little gem of a book is sure to appeal to any reluctant reader and to readers of all ages. I found it charming. Readers will laugh out loud at Greg's antics and woes. Thank goodness for Jeff Kinney who speaks to  the wimpy kid in all of us.

Highly, highly recommended for all ages!

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

A Book About Bullying: Runt

Runt
by Nora Raleigh Baskin
Simon & Schuster
2013
208 pages


Shy and guarded Elizabeth becomes a target for bullying from a group of popular girls led by Maggie. Elizabeth's mother runs a boarding kennel in their home, and Elizabeth always has dog hair on her clothes. Everyone teases her about it, but only Maggie claims that Elizabeth smells. Maggie oversteps the bullying boundaries when she posts a fake web profile of "Smelly-Girl" with Elizabeth's picture.

All of the sixth grade class is having trouble with middle school. The boys have to navigate their way through gym class, sports teams, talking to girls and bullying. Matt has a terrible time and he's kicked out of school when he stands up to a bully. The girls have an equally difficult time. Broken friendships, gossip, cruel taunts and jokes hurt all of them.

Runt will resonate with tween readers. Every tween has doubts and fears. They question themselves and their place in the school.

In Runt, Elizabeth spends so much time with dogs that she sees the "pecking order." There's always an alpha dog and the others let that dog be in charge. Sadly, Elizabeth didn't realize that middle school has a pecking order, too.

The adults in this novel are clueless, and the good kids do nothing to stop mean kids from bullying others. While this surely happens frequently in real life situations, as a middle school librarian, I see more and more students sticking up for the weaker ones or refusing to go along with a bully's taunts and teasing. In some cases, I've seen students quit hanging around with a friend who is a bully.

Around the country, districts and schools have adopted anti-bullying campaigns. Students are aware of bullying and are aware that it will not be tolerated, yet we see the news and are saddened by students who take their own lives--many times as a result of bullying.

Books about bullying are important to allow tweens and teens to see that bullying is (an has been) a fact of life (sad, but true) and that they are not alone.

Recommended for tween readers grade 6 and up.


FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Adult Fiction Pick: Daddy's Gone A Hunting

Daddy's Gone A Hunting
by Mary Higgins Clark
Simon & Schuster
2013
338 pages

Suspenseful, powerful, and masterful, Daddy's Gone a Hunting will not disappoint Mary Higgins Clark 's fans. When a powerful fire and explosion destroys their family's antique furniture reproduction plant, sister Hannah is injured and in a coma. Officials know someone set the fire, possibly to recover insurance money that will bail out the failing business. Kate doesn't believe her sister Hannah has anything to do with the explosion, but what on earth was she doing at the factory in the wee hours of the morning? Kate suspects her own father, Doug Connelly. He is dogged in his attempts to save his business and will stop at nothing to save his own name.

As officials tighten the investigaion, the real arsonist is getting jumpy. A cold case of a missing girl is reopened when her body is discovered, further complicating matters. Hannah is starting to come out of the coma and remembering things...things that happened a long time ago, and her memories will blow the case wide open.

As entertaining as Daddy's Gone a Hunting is, it lacks depth of character, at least  for me. I wanted to know more about Kate--other than the fact that she's an up and coming designer and that she loves her sister Hannah, Kate was underdeveloped. The reader never knows Hannah either. It's a real missed opportunity to build the story of their sister bond.

Recommended for fans of crime capers, murder mystery and fans of Mary Higgins Clark.
No sex; no language.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Coming of Age Pick: Sons of the 613

Sons of the 613
by Michael Rubens
Clarion
2012
320 pages

Sons of the 613 is wry, dry, cut with comedic crass, filled with teen sarcasm and snark, and peppered with quick Woody Allen-esque teen angst and funny dialog.

In this coming-of-age novel, Isaac is just weeks away from his bar mitzvah. He has been pretending to learn the Hebrew chants and as the day gets closer, he is nervous to the point of possible mental breakdown. Not only that! His parents have just informed him that they are traveling to Italy and leaving older college age brother Josh in charge. Josh? In charge? That’s like leaving the drug addicts in charge of the pharmacy…or the criminally insane in charge of the institution.

Isaac knows he’s in for big trouble, but he has no idea what is really in store for him. Josh is home a little early from college, and although Isaac knows something is up, he’s not about to ask Josh what happened. Isaac fears Josh, and rightly so. Josh is an undefeated high school wrestler, a huge, beefy MMA fighter, and a street brawler. He doesn’t take any lip from anyone. Isaac has seen Josh go from zero to eighty in a second. When Josh snaps, there is only rage and violence.

Although Josh is a heathen about most things, he knows his Torah inside and out; Josh helps Isaac learn the 613 tenets of the Jewish faith, but he suddenly realizes that it isn’t enough to say to the world, “Today, I am a man.” Josh knows Isaac is a wimp and not a fighter. He worries that Isaac will never be able to stand up for himself, so Josh dreams up “The Quest”—a series of Josh-made events that are supposed to make Isaac a “real” man. It involves crashing a motorcycle, jumping off a cliff, stealing a lawn ornament from a neighbor’s lawn which is patrolled by four ferocious devil dogs, visiting a strip club and talking to semi-naked girls, fighting, standing up to bullies, meeting drug dealers, and visiting bars.

Isaac is upbeat about most of his tasks; he knows Josh will accept no excuses and will probably pound him if he doesn’t do what Josh wants, but when he meets Leslie, Josh’s ex-girlfriend, Isaac falls hopelessly in young love. He’s got it bad, too. The more Isaac moons over Leslie, the harder Josh pushes him. The truth finally comes out about why Josh isn’t at college.

The novel ends the only way it possibly could. Isaac realizes his own worth and becomes a man in the eyes of Jewish tradition. Josh goes forward to bigger and “better” things becoming a hero in the process. Isaac becomes the man that Josh always wished he could be.

This novel is a real tearjerker, but it is also uplifting. It is the story of one boy’s search for what it is to be a “good” man—a man of honor. I loved this book! The family dynamic between the parents and the boys is beyond hilarious. Their mom especially is witty and sarcastic—the kind of funny mom every neighborhood should have.

Highly, highly recommended grade 9-up. Profanity, nudity, adult situations. The publishers recommend age 12-up, but you may get challenged for the drug dealers, strippers, and profanity.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Thriller Pick: Quarantine

Quarantine (book 1)
by Lex Thomas
Egmont
2012
404 pages

Chilling, terrifying, spooky, and grotesque, Quarantine is this summer's must-read! For fans of The Hunger Games and The Forest of Hands and Teeth, this novel will satisfy their appetite for all the things in life worth fighting for.

After an infected student runs into their high school, Mckinley High is quarantined by the government and the military. This is no ordinary quarantine either. The kids are on their own. No one is coming in to study their disease, no one is giving them a vaccine, no one is trying to save them, no one is feeding them, no one is communicating with them, no one is in control--no adult anyway.

It is every student for himself. The only way to survive is alone and hiding out or joining a violent rogue gang. Joining isn't all that easy, either. You have to be chosen to join. If you were a nobody before the quarantine, chances are that no popular group will ask you to join them. The jocks are a close-knit group, and the "Pretties" are the popular pretty girls who are now "safe" as well. Choose the wrong alliance and you're dead.

Food drops are havoc. Students become animals and tear into each other in order to eat. Those who are lucky enough to come away with the spoils have to protect their spoils from marauding gangs who will beat them or kill them for food.

There is no end in sight and no one is coming to save them. Brothers are pitted against brothers in this all out warfare. Alliances are made to be broken, and even the mighty shall fall.

The publisher likens this novel to "Lord of the Flies"--a good comparison--but Quarantine is way grittier and uber-fascinating--it's a study of what might happen if true anarchy entered high school. I read this book in one sitting and couldn't put it down. Co-authors Lex Hrabe and Thomas Voorhies hit the right pitch with this fascinating character study--book one leaves the reader wanting more....MUCH more! I can't wait for book two, and teenagers will be grabbing this series up.


Highly, highly recommended grades 9-up.This is a must-read. Violence, language, sexual references, skinny dipping, sex. NOT suitable for middle school.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

Guest Review: High School Pick: Thou Shalt Not Road Trip

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip
by Anthony John
Dial Books
April 2012
329 pages

Read an excerpt here


Blogger's Note: This review is courtesy of Leslie Rush, my BFF in writing and publishing and all things ya novels. Leslie is a high school teacher and avid reader of ya novels. Enjoy her review, Pamela

Luke Dorsey’s Bible class assignment has gone viral in the publishing world. What started out as a joyful collection of parables for the younger children in his church has become a best-selling book called Hallelujah, and now 16-year-old Luke is scheduled for a whirlwind book tour.

The parables are witty and relevant :

"For there were two brothers. And yea, one was shorter than the other, and weaker. And though he bestowed upon his big brother gifts of kindness and thoughtfulness and love, yet did the taller boy mock him, lamenting, “Why art thou so short? Art thou a leprechaun?” However, Luke worries that the editing and packaging of his thoughts have turned his spiritual chronicle into a commodity he barely recognizes.

After a dazed TV appearance with his pastor, Luke flies to Los Angeles, where he and his brother Matt will rent a car and follow historic Route 66 east to all of Luke’s book signings, until he reaches his home in St. Louis. The first hint that something has gone amiss is when Matt’s girlfriend Alex, and Alex’s sister Fran show up for the road trip. Luke and Fran have a history. They were once best buddies, sharing church and school activities for several years, and Luke has had a raging crush on Fran the whole time.

But something has happened to Fran in the past year---she used to be a peaches-and-cream blond, wearing floaty dresses and soft sweaters--and now she has gone Goth/punk, with purple hair, multiple ear piercings and weird tattoos all over her arms. It’s not just her looks that have changed. Fran seems cynical and defiant; self-destructive behavior is her new normal. Luke can barely stand to see her like this and worries that the road trip will be a nightmare.

In a bright yellow Hummer, armed with Luke’s publicist’s credit card, the foursome sets out on their odyssey across the desert Southwest. Matt’s plan to add some sight-seeing hikes into the schedule makes Luke late to almost every book signing, and the tension between Luke and Fran does not seem to be getting better. Along with the natural wonders along the way, a parade of fans, well-wishers and paparazzi greet Luke at every signing, including the mysterious, beautiful Theresa who shows up at all of them, looking different every time.

Luke‘s feeling of being disconnected from his own book grows stronger at every stop, yet at the same time he seems to be close to solving the riddle of Fran’s complete personality change. A series of embarrassing missteps and misunderstandings seem to put everything he believes in out of reach, and Luke must figure out how to redeem himself and reclaim his life.

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip is witty and authentic in its teen dialogue. There are mild sexual situations, some underage drinking from Fran, and some brief profanity (damn and hell).

Christian students will appreciate the crisis of faith, and Luke’s search for his own identity will resonate with all readers.

Very enjoyable, recommended for ages 12 and up.

FTC required disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Neither Leslie nor I received monetary compensation for this review.