If the Witness Lied and Perpetual Check

FIC Cooney, Caroline B. If the Witness Lied, 213 pgs. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2009. RATING : Language – PG.
Jack’s been the good brother. He’s the one who has stayed home with his younger brother, Tris, and Aunt Cheryl. Smithy, at 14, applied by herself to boarding school in another state and got accepted. Madison ran away to her godparents. Neither sister has been home for more than a couple of days in a year. However, with the passing of the anniversary of their Dad’s birthday and death, the sisters both feel prompted to come home, arriving on the same day Jack learns about his aunt’s plan to sell Tris’s story to TV. Their family has already had unwanted media attention three times : once when their mom refused chemotherapy for her liver cancer because she was pregnant with Tris; again when she died within a month of Tris’s birth; and lastly, a year earlier, when their dad died after Tris accidentally released the parking brake and the jeep ran him over. Jack knows any renewed media interest will brand Tris as that kid who killed both his parents, permanently removing any chance of even having a semblance of a normal childhood. With the help of Jack’s neighbor Diana and armed with memories of their parents’ love and courage, the siblings overcome misunderstandings among themselves and willful deceptions by Cheryl to become a family again.

This is a touchingly sweet and simple story of courage, family love, and starting over. The children’s memories of their parents’ love and example resonated with me. I also was moved by their struggles to forgive themselves and each other for their choices since their dad’s death, and their tentative overtures toward faith in God despite everything that’s happened to them. I can overlook the coincidence of both sisters coming home on the very day Cheryl secures a TV contract because of how much I think Cooney was right on with the rest of the story.
MS – ADVISABLE.


FIC Wallace, Rich. Perpetual Check, 112 pgs. Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. RATING : Language – PG13 (about 45 swear words, no f-).
This book covers the action of just one night and the following day, but it is a pivotal day in the relationship of two brothers. Randy, a freshman, has recently surpassed Zeke on the chess team as their leading player. He was seeded fifth for the tournament while his brother was not seeded. However, they have both made it to the final 16 and have been given free rooms for the night. When Zeke leaves his hotel key in the room and is out past curfew, he is forced to knock on Randy’s door and crash there. Zeke doesn’t get Randy’s humor and finds his tendency to make up words annoying. He has found it easy to follow his dad’s lead and not treat Randy well since he is also secretly intimidated by his brother's natural athletic abilities, intellect, success at getting a girlfriend, and ease in his own skin. In other words, he has a serious case of sibling rivalry. But this night, away from their dad, they have a conversation as any two not-very-close brothers might who are both competing in the same tournament, playing a game they both love, and meeting the same people. As the older brother extends this hand of friendship, the younger brother happily accepts. By the end of the tournament, they finally are able to connect to each other as brothers instead of as their father’s sons.

I liked this story. It is a very fast read at only 112 pages, but I was pulled right into this sibling rivalry. I enjoyed watching the scenes at the chess tournament and listening to their dialogue as Zeke tried to relate to Randy honestly, discarding his preconceived notions about his brother and seeing his dad for the bully he was. I also was intrigued by the ins and outs of playing chess competitively. Since I am so unable to do so, it was informative to learn a little about it.
MS – ADVISABLE.

Death by Denim

FIC Gerber, Linda. Death by Denim (Death By series, bk. 3), 211 pgs. Sleuth Speak (Penguin Group), 2009. RATING : Language & Violence – PG (couple of swear words; mild brutality).
Aphra never has a day when she forgets about The Mole and his minions who would like nothing better than to find her and Seth and take their revenge. She keeps a low profile, has no friends and no contact with Seth, and chants repeatedly the mantras her mom has taught her to help her stay safe. Still, when she realizes a man is trailing her one day, Aphra is sent into an icy panic. She and her mom avoid home, dodge the Marlboro Man, and make a call to the Agency. Thus are they suddenly on the run again, and forced to once more trust the Agency.

Not having read the first two books, I missed the set-up for Aphra and Seth’s relationship, and the initial confrontations between them and The Mole. However, this book gave me enough background information to follow the plot without trouble, and the intrigue was fun spy fare.
MS – ESSENTIAL. HS – OPTIONAL (ninth & tenth graders).

Why I Fight and Dull Boy

FIC Oaks, J. Adams. Why I Fight, 228 pgs. Richard Jackson Book (Atheneum Books for Young Readers), 2009. RATINGS : Language – PG13 (mostly contains innocuous substitutes for swear words, until the very end). Sexual Content & Violence – PG.
Set in an unnamed area, this book contains Wyatt’s narrative of his life as told to you, the reader, someone he has met on the bus at the very end of the story. The language is full of colloquialisms and grammatical errors, at times making it difficult to understand or to get into a rhythm as you read along, but which makes the story very immediate and personal. Wyatt has not had love or acceptance from his parents, and when his uncle Spade offers to take him away, he doesn’t hesitate. For a long time, he reveres Spade. However, Spade isn’t much better of a role model, moving from girlfriend to girlfriend and using everyone he knows to get what he wants. When Wyatt grows into a very large 14-year-old and punches out a pig at a pig-catching contest, Spade sees a chance to make money and has Wyatt fight bare-knuckled on a betting circuit.

Wyatt doesn’t have an education, hasn’t had positive role models, can’t articulate his needs and wants, and has only felt successful when beating up someone. He chokes his only friend from his entire teen years; he doesn’t even get a backward glance from Spade who drops him off at his parents’ house after six years of virtually no contact; and he punches out his dad on the first day of stress. Nevertheless, I am determined to remain hopeful that Wyatt will find his way in the world, that he will be able to follow his naturally tender heart and actually become a gentle, content adult. This story makes me care about him and want him to succeed. Unfortunately, the odds are working against him.
MS, HS – ADVISABLE.


FIC Cross, Sarah. Dull Boy, 308 pgs. Dutton Books (Penguin Group), 2009. RATING : Language – PG13 (over a hundred swear words, no f- word).
We meet Avery Pirzwick as he is trying to counteract all the inadvertent trouble he’s been getting into because of his powers – busting his neighbor’s car door, breaking his wrestling opponent’s arm, lying to his friends to keep his powers hidden. He ends up losing these friends, getting caught in the middle of an apparent attempted robbery, and being sent to an alternative school for troubled youth. Though he feels completely isolated and misunderstood because of his powers, others have taken an interest in him exactly because of them. Cherchette Morozov, an adult who can make ice grow as if it’s alive, is the first person with powers he becomes aware of. She contacts him during a fake robbery and promises him sanctuary away from the world. Though he is tempted by her offer, leaving his parents without a word seems a bit extreme. As he is considering what he should do, he starts his new school and meets Darla Carmine and Catherine Drake, two girls he’d noticed before at a diner. Darla wants Avery and Catherine to join their group, but Catherine resists getting close to anyone and Avery doesn’t know whom to trust. Each of these teens has unique powers, too: Darla’s a genius, Catherine has abilities like a cat, Nicholas’s chest opens into a vortex, Sophie can stick to surfaces, and Jacques can freeze things, like his mom. When Nicholas decides to run away with Cherchette, Avery and his new friends finally realize they must work together to save their friend.

The story moves at a good clip and may be enjoyed by readers who like X-Men. However, the plot and Avery’s internal conflicts are pretty predictable, and the connection between the villain and the main characters is left largely undeveloped. The language will keep this title out of my middle school.
MS – OPTIONAL.

2008-2009 Reading List

Here is the list of books I've read during the 2008-2009 school year. They are sorted by call number. Included are the review dates.

1. 289.3 Eyring, Mormon Scientist (reviewed Mar 23, 2009)
2. 305.23 Naidoo, Making It Home (reviewed Oct 6, 2008)
3. 305.235 O’Brien, Afghan Dreams (reviewed Mar 9, 2009)
4. 333.72 Lasky, John Muir (reviewed Jan 29, 2009)
5. 523.8 Jackson, Mysterious Universe (reviewed May 18, 2009)
6. 590 Turner, Life in the Wild (reviewed May 18, 2009)
7. 591.77 McLimans, Gone Fishing (reviewed Feb 4, 2009)
8. 612.8 Fleischman, Phineas Gage (reviewed Jan 29, 2009)
9. 629.45 Thimmesh, Team Moon (reviewed Oct 6, 2008)
10. 741.5 Russell, Coraline (based on novel by Neil Gaiman) (reviewed Oct 20, 2008)
11. 741.5 Yang, American Born Chinese (reviewed Jan 29, 2009)
12. 808.83 Tan, Tales from Outer Suburbia (reviewed Apr 30, 2009)
13. 811.54 Pretlutsky, Pizza Pigs and Poetry (reviewed May 18, 2009)
14. 939 Woods, Seven Wonders of the Ancient Middle East (reviewed May 18, 2009)
15. 956.95 Barakat, Tasting the Sky (reviewed Nov 26, 2008)
16. FIC Anderson, Pox Party (reviewed Mar 9, 2009)
17. FIC Bennett, Cassandra’s Sister (reviewed Oct 20, 2008)
18. FIC Berry, The Amaranth Enchantment (reviewed Jun 24, 2009)
19. FIC Bloor, Tangerine (reviewed Feb 10, 2009)
20. FIC Bodeen, The Compound (reviewed May 18, 2009)
21. FIC Booraem, The Unnameables (reviewed May 18, 2009)
22. FIC Bradley, Hot Lunch (reviewed Oct 30, 2008)
23. FIC Bray, Rebel Angels (reviewed Dec 18, 2008)
24. FIC Cannon, Loser’s Guide to Life and Love (reviewed Feb 21, 2009)
25. FIC Carroll, Awakening (reviewed Apr 30, 2009)
26. FIC Cashore, Graceling (reviewed Apr 30, 2009)
27. FIC Colfer, Airman (reviewed Nov 26, 2008)
28. FIC Collins, Hunger Games (reviewed Oct 6, 2008)
29. FIC Cooney, Enter Three Witches (reviewed Jan 29, 2009)
30. FIC Cornwell, Carpe Diem (reviewed Dec 18, 2008)
31. FIC Crane, Skin Deep (reviewed Mar 23, 2009)
32. FIC Downing, Trials of Kate Hope (reviewed Nov 26, 2008)
33. FIC DuPrau, City of Ember (reviewed Oct 30, 2008)
34. FIC George, Looks (reviewed Dec 18, 2008)
35. FIC Grantz, Something Rotten (reviewed Sep 29, 2008)
36. FIC Halpern, Dormia (reviewed Jun 24, 2009)
37. FIC Harper, Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney (reviewed Nov 26, 2008)
38. FIC Hesse, Aleutian Sparrow (reviewed Jan 29, 2009)
39. FIC Kilbourne, Dear Jo (reviewed Oct 30, 2008)
40. FIC Koertge, Shakespeare Bats Cleanup (reviewed Apr 21, 2009)
41. FIC Korman, Schooled (reviewed Nov 26, 2008)
42. FIC Kostick, Epic (reviewed Spe 29, 2008)
43. FIC Kostick, Saga (reviewed Dec 18, 2008)
44. FIC Law, Savvy (reviewed Nov 3, 2008)
45. FIC Lockhart, Disreputalbe History of Frankie Landau-Banks (reviewed Mar 23, 2009)
46. FIC Lord, Rules (reviewed Dec 18, 2008)
47. FIC Lowery, Hidden Voices (reviewed May 18, 2009)
48. FIC Mahy, Maddigan’s Fantasia (reviewed Feb 10, 2009)
49. FIC Malley, The Declaration (reviewed Jun 24, 2009)
50. FIC Marr, Wicked Lovely (reviewed Dec 18, 2008)
51. FIC Marsh, Night Tourist (reviewed oct 20, 2008)
52. FIC Miller, Kiki Strike : Inside the Shadow City (reviewed Nov 26, 2008)
53. FIC Peck, River Between Us (reviewed Jan 29, 2009)
54. FIC Pfeffer, The Dead and the Gone (reviewed Sep 12, 2008)
55. FIC Reeve, Here Lies Arthur (reviewed Oct 20, 2008)
56. FIC Reeve, Mortal Engines (reviewed Feb 4, 2009)
57. FIC Resau, Red Glass (reviewed Sep 12, 2008)
58. FIC Rex, True Meaning of Smekday (reviewed Dec 18, 2009)
59. FIC Sage, Magyk (reviewed Feb 10, 2009)
60. FIC Shusterman, Everlost (reviewed Apr 21, 2009)
61. FIC Sonnenblick, Zen and the Art of Faking It (reviewed Oct 30, 2008)
62. FIC Spinelli, Smiles to Go (reviewed Jan 29, 2009)
63. FIC Stahler, Doppelganger (reviewed Oct 20, 2008)
64. FIC Stewart, Mysterious Benedict Society (reviewed Apr 21, 2009)
65. FIC Tocci, Stone Voice Rising (reviewed May 18, 2009)
66. FIC Zimmer, Reaching for Sun (reviewed Dec 18, 2009)