The Scorpio Races by Stiefvater (2011 Printz Honor Medal winner)

Different cover from one
in the LTC

This is one of those stories that suck you in slowly. You might not even be sure you like it but you have to know what is going to happen next. In the end, you are totally caught up in the world of the island of Thisby and the annual Scorpio Races.

Puck Connolly, first female to ever enter the races, has to race to keep her home. Sean Kendrick, four time winner and talented horse trainer, has to race to keep the horse that gives him purpose. So is this some horse/race story set in the north Atlantic? Not exactly since the horses in the races are mythical Capall Uisce (pronounced CAPple ISHka). They come out of the sea looking like huge race horses only they eat flesh and are almost impossible to train. If you can race one they are the finest mounts in the world, just don't get eaten while you try. 

If you let the lyrical, rich prose carry you along, the island, the people and the horses will come vividly to life. The story is about family, bonds, purpose, loyalty and ultimately love. If you are a horse person (such as myself) you will be moved by the land and water equines in the story. You might need a tissue. Also, please be warned that the film rights have been purchased so the movie is in the planning stages.

Jordan Sonnenblick visits with our junior high!!

Jordan Sonnenblick, internationally acclaimed young adult author, visited with our junior high students this past week. Many of his books have been reviewed here at lebrisary such as Notes from the Midnight Driver; After Ever After and Curveball. His live visit with our students was as great as his books. He was well worth the wait! For a brief report on his visit go to http://bit.ly/JordanSonnenblickvisit on our school website. I invite our readers to search his name here at lebrisary for the reviews of some of his excellent work in the modern realism genre.

Ally Condie wraps up her series with "Reached"!

Reached is Part III of Ally Condie's Matched Trilogy. Cassia, Xander and Ky have grown up a great deal in the last two books. The final installment brings the three matched friends together again in a race against time. The Society has collapsed, a victim of their own controls and the inside work of the Rebellion. The plague originally engineered to eliminate "Aberrations" and "Anomalies", perceived enemies of the Society's stability, has now out-stripped medical resources and is killing at an alarming rate. The Rebellion led by an appointed "Pilot" as leader is trying to take over by delivering life saving serum to all sectors of the population. Cassia, Ky and Xander are part of the Rebellion trying to save lives and find a true cure. Cassia as a data analyst, Xander as a medic and Ky as a skilled pilot. Friends and family, loyalties and betrayals mark this complex but satisfying end to the series. There are no easy answers for the three young protagonists but their will to live and love drives them forward.  A very strong addition to the popular dystopian novels genre, readers of Matched and Crossed will be entertained by the action and challenged to think about society, community and family.

Gordon Korman does it again with "Ungifted"

Donovan Curtis is the likable cut-up of his junior high school. Only problem is that trouble seems to find him wherever he goes. Detention is his home away from home. When a seemingly simple whack on the school statue of Atlas holding up the world ends up destroying the better part of the gym, it looks like the end may be near for Donovan. But instead of the expected expulsion, Donovan's family receives notice that he has been admitted to the district's school for the gifted The Academy of Scholastic Distinction. Pretty much a straight C kind of a guy, Donovan realizes that some sort of bureaucratic mix-up has taken place. He decides to go with this odd turn of events. The ASD may be the just the place to hide out while tempers cool. Donovan may not be gifted in the conventional way but it turns out that he does have some unique talents that his new classmates do not. The story is told from various characters' points of view.   Donovan, his parents, his married older sister, his brother-in-law's dog, the superintendent of the district, his old pals at the junior high, his new gifted classmates and the Robotics Club's competition robot are all changed in this hilarious, non-stop romp. You will never think of "gifted" in quite the same way.

3 More Caudill nominees

Newbery winner Lynne Rae Perkins (Criss Cross 2006) delivers laughs and thrills in this four way adventure story that all starts when teenager Ry makes the mistake of getting off a train in the middle of nowhere and getting left behind.  Ry, his grandfather, Ry's two dogs and his parents are all in different places when one thing after another goes wrong keeping them completely out of reach of each other. It's mostly Ry's story but all the threads keep moving as the story progresses. Rich visual language, Ry's humorous internal monologues, unusual and fully realized secondary characters will zip you along. Don't miss some wonderful graphic details both small and large. And also the Extras chapter at the end that tells about the dogs adventure told from their point of view. If you're a dog person you'll totally get it! All in all a great YA selection for boys or girls, As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth.

Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai based this modern historical fiction on her husband's experiences as a young boy fleeing war torn Afghanistan in 1979.  Fadi, in middle school in Fremont, California is thousands of miles away from all he has ever known. His family, once successful people before the Taliban take over of Russian occupied Afghanistan, are trying to cope. Fadi is beyond guilt ridden because he blames himself for the fact that his little sister got separated from the family during their escape and got left behind. Fadi discovers a love of photography which not only gains him some new friends but maybe a way to find his missing sister. Here's a chance to better understand some difficult topics such as terrorism and 911 and the effect on people experiencing it from the other side of the United States.  Pair this outstanding story with Inside Out and Back Again or Trash (both Caudill nominees) for a deep new cultures experience.

Jennifer Holm takes you back in time to a place many of you have visited: The Florida Keys. But this is the Keys of 1935 and the US is fully in the Depression. Many people are struggling to make ends meet. Eleven year old Turtle is sent by her single mom to live with relatives in Key West. Spunky and resilient Turtle is determined to make the best of her situation even if does include a load of boy cousins, some strange neighbors, different kinds of foods and even treasure. The story is told by Turtle. Her voice rings true. You will feel how she feels and experience this wondrous place along with her. A Newbery Honor winner in 2010, this historical fiction adventure was inspired by the author's great grandmother. Do not miss reading the author's note at the end full of wonderful period photographs of places and people from the book.

Here's a Caudill nominee for the girls

Evyn Linney tells the story of about 6 months in her 8th grade life that change everything for her. It all starts out with a bang when her widowed dad informs her and her high school brother that he is getting married and that they are all moving from Maine to Boston.  And in case that wasn't enough the new wife is a divorced mother of six children. So new family, new school, new city - it's all too much for sharp witted Evyn.  Evyn tries to "bounce" with all this by talking to her deceased mom for comfort but even that old source of comfort doesn't cover this many changes on her landscape. Evyn's authentic view and voice will carry you along at a fast clip to find out where she will finally land in this excellent realistic fiction novel.

3 More Caudill nominees

 One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia is set in Oakland, California during the summer of 1968. Three sisters are sent by their dad and grandmother to meet their mother, a woman who 11 year old Delphine, the eldest, just barely remembers. Any hopes for a syrupy reunion are quickly dashed by the cold reception they receive from Cecile, poet and activist. Delphine puts her little sisters first and takes charge as best she can. Their month will include daily breakfast and day camp at the local Black Panther community center, an exciting excursion to San Francisco and trying to decipher the strange behavior of this distant woman who is their mother. Multi award winner, this book is full of great characters set during a tumultuous time in our history.  A top pick for any reader.

Trash by Andy Mulligan is the story of three very poor friends struggling to survive in a third world country. They are trash pickers by trade, a life clinging to a thread of hope that you might find something valuable thrown away by the luckier members of the society. Well, one day Raphael and Gardo do and their whole world changes.  Told in alternating first person chapters, different people touched by this discovery tell their part in this mystery-adventure involving thievery, deceit, love of family, true friendship and millions of dollars. Be sure to read all the way to the end including the author's note on "Book-Codes."

13 year old Jason Blake tells you his story in Anything But Typical by Nora Baskin. Jason is a gifted writer, a keen observer of human behavior and severely autistic.  You may have read about autism; you may know someone who is autistic; you may have discussed autism in class.  Let Jason tell you what it's really like. Through his narrative you will experience his daily challenges with things we take for granted. You will begin to understand his frustrations, his limitations with time, space and perception.  If you read carefully, you will begin to see and understand the world through his eyes. Be prepared to better understand autism but also fitting in. A powerful story for any reader.

Part II - Insurgent (Divergent Trilogy) by Veronica Roth

Readers who chewed through Divergent will not be disappointed by this sequel. Tris and Four's (Tobias) story picks up where the last one ended with the aftermath of the deadly simulation attack still set in dystopian Chicago.  Plenty of action both physical and emotional develops with all the characters as members of the five factions trade secrets, intelligence, power structure and lives to meet their own goals. Twist, turns and blurred lines of loyalty and trust make it hard to predict what will happen next. Insurgent is a very well written, intelligent thriller filled with fierce but believable young people caught up in the collapse of their society. Which "Faction" do you see yourself defending? Or are you part of the "Factionless"?!
NB: Part III is due out in Fall 2013 and is as yet unnamed.

Jordan Sonnenblick's latest AND he's coming to school in March!!

Jordan Sonnenblick hits all the right notes yet again in this modern story of friendship, baseball, photography and family. Freshman year of high school will not be going as planned for Peter Friedman. The dream of being a star pitcher is gone. His friend AJ won't believe it while his mom and dad don't believe anything is wrong with Peter's grandfather, a gifted professional photographer showing signs of Alzheimers.  Photography is Peter's second passion and as the school year begins, turns into a major focus with the help of a bright and talented girl classmate in his photography class. As the year unfolds, Peter is forced to deal with his changing self-image the closer baseball season gets and his rapidly changing Grampa. If you enjoyed any of Sonnenblick's other titles then you will not want to miss Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip, another modern day gem!

Bluefish by Pat Schmatz - What if you couldn't read?

What would it be like to not be able to read while attending regular 7th grade as the "new" kid? That's Travis' reality when he and his grandfather move suddenly from their country house to a small home in town. Travis is quiet, smart, empathetic and mad. A small act of kindness on his first day brings Velveeta into his orbit.  She is loud, dramatic, out spoken and mad too. How these two unlikely young people become friends and help each other through some tough secrets makes for a compelling read. Set mostly at school several well drawn secondary characters such as Travis' grandfather, Mr. McQueen the English teacher and Bradley, a fellow student often the target of bullies all add depth and detail to this story of trust and opportunity. Don't let the quiet cover turn you away. Bluefish by Pat Schmatz is a small gem.

2012 Newbery Winner really delivers!

Jack Gantos (of Rotten Ralph and Joey Pigza fame) wins the 2012 Newbery with this laugh out loud semi-biographical account.  The story opens in June 1962 with 12 year old Jack Gantos getting grounded "for life" for accidentally firing his dad's WW II Japanese rifle that he did not know was loaded. Jack will only escape his home prison to help his elderly neighbor: feisty, smart Miss Volkers.  The elderly original inhabitants of Norvelt, PA are dying and Miss Volkers is not only the town coroner but also the obituary writer for the town newspaper. Miss Volker does not write the average obit. She needs Jack to do the typing and delivery including the driving of her car (did I mention he is only 12?). But strange things are happening in Norvelt. They include the funeral director, a Hell's Angels' curse, Jack's friend Bunny, Girl Scout cookies, Eleanor Roosevelt, an old guy on a tricycle and maybe murder! You will gain some real perspective on how history might be the past, present and future all at the same time. Get ready to enjoy this excellent author's well deserved win. If you like this one your LTC has most of his novels in the fiction section. Jon Scieszka and Dave Barry love this book - two authors who know humor and great writing when they read it.

Crossed - #2 of Matched by Ally Condie

For all the Hunger Games fans out there, here is another excellent dystopian society series full of well realized characters and thought provoking action. If Matched set the stage for Cassia, Ky and Xander, Crossed is a strong, compelling second act.  Told in alternating chapters from the point of view of Cassia and Ky, the story traces their attempts to reconnect since leaving the Society. Readers anxious for answers will get some but not others. The Carving and the Outer Provinces are finally reached. New characters enter the story pulling the action in surprising and unexpected ways.  The Rising, or Rebellion, has new light shed on it forcing the reader to question how and why individuals make the decisions they make. Well written, fast action in some spots, lyrical and slower in others, the pace mirrors the young protagonists struggling with their mixed emotions about their world and their places in it. The final installment, Reached, is tentatively due out in November. Be sure to visit the author's website at http://www.allysoncondie.com for a peak at the excellent cover for Reached as well as some interesting insights about the colors and titles of the cover art. Yes a books' cover does make a difference!

If you liked Hunger Games try Divergent!

Set in post apocalyptic Chicago, society in and around the city has been segregated into 5 factions. Each faction delivers important structure and resources to the city inhabitants. Beatrice Prior, like all 16 year olds, will need to choose the faction she plans on staying with her entire life based on the results of a grueling virtual test. Usually the test results are clear and make the choice relatively easy, unless you are "divergent"! This revelation, a dark secret that Beatrice is told to never mention to anyone for fear for her and her family's lives, drives her decision to leave her family's faction and join a seemingly opposite one. You will experience heart stopping, risk taking action set in Chicago full of intrigue, romance, betrayal, battles virtual and real - your typical teenage day, right? What faction would you choose?
And, of course it's a trilogy. "Insurgent" is slated for Spring 2012. Veronica Roth, the 22 year old author, wrote this book while a senior at Northwestern! She majored in English. A great choice for northshore readers.
And, the movie rights have been signed, too!

Guest reviewer Ella H is back with a graphic novel!

From 35,000 feet our guest reviewer lets us know about this new graphic novel in the LTC:

I wanted to let you know that I just finished Ghostopolis. I'm on the 9 hour flight to Ohau so I have plenty of spare time. It is a pretty fast read but I still liked it a lot. The book is about a boy named Garth who is zapped back to the afterlife when a ghost hunter named Frank Gallows sends a skeleton horse back. This happens because Garth is trapped under the horse's rib cage. In the afterlife Garth meets his grandfather and they travel through the world of Ghostopolis in search of a way for Garth to get back home. This is just the beginning though. Soon after Garth disappears a rescue team is sent after him and Frank and his ex, who is a ghost, named Claire also go to rescue him. The novel is full of action and adventure, and is sure to keep the reader turning pages.