F Cashore, Kristin. Graceling, 471 pgs. Harcourt, 2008.
With the Grace of killing, people fear and despise Katsa. She hates it too, and dreads having to do the king’s bidding who uses her to bully people. But she’s found a way to live with herself. With the aid of Giddon, the king’s underlord and spy, and Oll, the king’s captain, she forms the Council, a secret organization devoted to righting injustices with as little harm to others as possible. It’s intriguing to enter this world of seven kingdoms where Graces are used as weapons, and to watch Katsa learn more about herself, her Grace, and how Graces affect relationships and kingdoms. Though I disagree with Katsa’s conclusions about marriage, I found Cashore’s world and Katsa’s adventure completely engrossing.
Language – G. Sexual Content – PG13 (brief depiction of first sexual encounter). Violence – PG13 (brief descriptions of torture and hand-to-hand combat).
MS, HS - ESSENTIAL.
Label : Worldbuilding.


F Carroll, Michael. The Awakening (Quantum Prophecy, bk. 1), 264 pgs. Philomel Books, 2006.
Colin can’t believe how fast Danny moved to saved Brian’s little sister from that school bus. Could he be a superhero, even though everyone says they all disappeared 10 years ago? It would be so cool, he thinks, to be a superhero. But when he starts developing his own superpowers, he realizes that superpowers don’t mean you make good choices or that you know who to trust. This adventure story has some great characters, great action, and great twists.
Language – G. Sexual Content – G. Violence – PG.
EL, MS - ESSENTIAL.
Label : SciFi-Computers & Governments


808.83 Tan, Shaun. Tales from Outer Suburbia, 96 pgs. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2008.
This collection of 15 short stories – some very short, only a paragraph or two long – are combined with illustrations that relate stories about events and characters in a most unusual suburb. There is a water buffalo that offers directions, stick figures whose presence confuses the other residents, an amnesia machine, and a missile in every back yard. Brothers travel to the point where the map ends; a family takes in a foreign exchange student; grandpa relates the events of his wedding day. From curious to thought-provoking, these stories offer interesting reads. Could be used to discuss relationship between text and images, or to practice predictions.
Language – PG. Sexual Content – G. Violence – G.
EL, MS - ADVISABLE.
Labels : Flights of Fantasy.  

Shakespeare Bats Cleanup by Ron Koertge, 2003.
Rating : Liked
LA hook (poetry, diary)
Sports (baseball)
Character development & growth
Overcoming – Death and Grief
Overcoming (sickness)
Careers (writer)
When Kevin must spend several weeks recuperating from mononucleosis, he sneaks a poetry book out of his dad’s home office and practices writing different types of poems. He reflects on his relationships with his dad, especially since his mom has died, and with his teammates and past girl friends. He surprises himself when he continues writing even after he is back playing baseball. It helps him process what’s important and what’s not as he struggles to regain his strength and meets a new girl.

I read this for an upcoming Literature Selection Committee discussion because a teacher would like to use it as a read-aloud. I finished it in an hour or so, and I am not a fast reader. I liked the insights OK. The poetry references sound a bit gimmicky to me, but may help introduce the material without resorting to a textbook.




Everlost by Neal Shusterman, 2006.
Rating : Loved
Fantasy
Death
Adventure
After a fatal car crash, two teens collide into each other while heading toward the light at the end of a tunnel. They knock each other out of the tunnel, and end up in Everlost, a place between life and where they are going. Allie and Nick slowly realize they are dead, and, with the help of another afterlife known as Leif, learn the ways of Everlost enough to try to make their way to their families. They get sidetracked when they encounter Mary Hightower living in the ghost Twin Towers and caring for several children. Though Mary tries to convince them to stay with her, Allie is determined to leave and convinces Leif and Nick to visit the Haunter with her to learn more secrets of Everlost. Their encounter proves disastrous, and Allie must get on the ghost ship Sulphur Queen and confront the monster McGill to save her friends from an eternity inside a pickle barrel.

I reread this book because it is our current selection for our school’s Brown Bag Book Club. What a fun story! Very original and thought-provoking. What makes us us? How would we retain our humanity if all the rules have changed? Great read.




Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, 2007.
Rating : OK
Adventure
Mystery
School story
Science fiction
Friendship
After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. My sister loved this story, but I found it slow moving and couldn’t complete it at this time.