2008 Thumbs Up! Award

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

2008-03-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

Arnold Spirit, aka Junior, is a smart, nerdy 14 year old who must straddle two worlds when he transfers to a rich, white high school in a suburb near the poverty-crippled reservation he grew up on. At once hilarious and heartbreaking, Junior finds friends and even love in his new surroundings, even as his family seems to be falling apart.

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

2008-03-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

Outsider Tyler Miller has spent the summer on probation performing community service. When he returns for his senior year in high school with a new buff body he gets noticed by the beautiful and popular Bethany Milbury. But when he rejects Bethany and then appears the likely suspect for a crime, he begins to implode under everyone's accusations and hostility as he tries to clear his name.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

2008-03-12T15:54:00.001-07:00

In this psychological thriller, a teenage boy, clay Jenson, receives a package in the mail from a classmate, Hannah, who recently committed suicide. The package contains cassette tapes with Hannah's voice detailing the reasons she killed herself -- and Clay is one of the 13 reasons.

Don't Call Me Ishmael by Michael Gerard Bauer

2008-03-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

Ishmael LeSeur is certain his life is over when Barry Bagsley, 9th grade class Neanderthal, decides he has a funny name. But the winds of fortune change when the tiny, odd, but brilliant James Scobie not only declares war on Bagsley, but forces Ishmael to join the new, hilariously awful school debate team.

Beauty Shop for Rent: ...fully equipped, inquire within by Laura Bowers

2008-03-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

Abby Garner, 15, is determined to be a millionaire by age 35. She lives with her great-grandmother, who runs an old fashioned beauty parlor that is currently for rent. The new owner, a sophisticated woman of the world, updates the parlor and turns it into a day spa, which causes chaos and resentment.

Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

2008-03-12T15:44:00.000-07:00

Against the backdrop of a school-wide controversy, Mena, ostracized by her old friends and kicked out of her church, learns to think for herself and challenge her beliefs with the help of her lab partner, Casey, his super-smart sister, Kayla, and an army of adorable puppies.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

2008-03-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

Dashti, a royal maid, finds on her first day on the job that she and Lady Saren are to be locked in a tower for seven years. After she discovers that her lady is mentally fragile and has been terrified by something that happened in her past, Dashti uses her wits to fight for their very survival.

The One Where the Kid Nearly Jumps to His Death and Lands in California by Mary Hershey

2008-03-12T15:41:00.001-07:00

Alastair, 15 and also known as "Stump," is forced to spend the summer in California with his father and stepmother. Alastair has been angry with his father since a ski trip they went on when he was 8, during which he jumped off the ski lift, resulting in a broken leg that led to amputation. Alastair meets a girl and to impress her he enteres a triathlon, but still needs to learn how to swim!

Kissing the Bee by Kathe Koja

2008-03-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

Avra is counting the days until the end of high school. That's when this undisputed "queen bee" will be leaving town with her boyfriend, Emil, and leaving her best friend Dana behind to deal with the fallout. Or so she thinks...

Schooled by Gordon Korman

2008-03-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

When Capricorn Anderson's hippy grandmother lands in the hospital, he is forced to temporarily relocate from their commune to a foster home and to attend the public school. He doesn't have a clue about popular culture, which in turns makes him a perfect target and an unlikely hero.

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

2008-03-12T15:37:00.000-07:00

On her first night at her inherited estate, 12-year-old Stephanie is mysteriously attacked. Luckily, the living, wisecracking skeleton named Skulduggery Pleasant comes to her rescue. Stephanie is thrown into Skulduggery's world of trolls, vampires, and strange creatures as the duo tries to stop Nefarian Serpine from finding a powerful scepter and taking over the world.

Tamar by Mal Peet

2008-03-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

When 15-year-old Tamar inherits a box from her grandfather filled with clues and coded messages, she decides to find out what secrets caused her family to shatter and her father to disappear. The narrative shifts between Tamar's story and that of her namesake grandfather as he and his fellow WWII spy and resistance fighter friend Dart land in Holland, determined to both help win an impossible fight and win the hand of the same woman.

Red Glass by Laura Resau

2008-03-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

When her family decides to adopt Pablo, an orphaned Mexican immigrant, Sophie embarks on a journey to Oaxaca to meet Pablo's extended family and get the adoption papers signed. The journey turns into one of self discovery as Sophie faces her lifelong anxieties and falls in love with Angel, a refugee from the Guatemalan Civil War.

Freak Show by James St. James

2008-03-12T15:29:00.000-07:00

When Billy Bloom's mother just can't handle him anymore, he's abruptly transplanted to live with his father in Florida. The students at his new backwater school don't have a clue what to make of this over-the-top drag queen diva. Despite the brutality of his classmates, Billy takes a stand and finds himself in this alternately heartbreaking and hilarious glamathon.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

2008-03-12T15:28:00.001-07:00

In the era of the Vietnam War, seventh grader Holling Hoodhood spends Wednesday afternons with his teacher Mrs. Baker while the rest of his classmates attend religious education classes. Though Holling is sure that his teacher hates him, she helps him to broaden hsi views of what life could be like.

My Mother the Cheerleader by Robert Sharenow

2008-03-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

It is 1960 and Louise's mother dresses up every day to go to the local elementary school and heckle Ruby Bridges as she bravely becomes the symbol for racial integration in the 9th ward of New Orleans. Louise and her mom eventually learn tolerance in this beautifully told story.

Safe by Susan Shaw

2008-03-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

On the last day of seventh grade, Tracy is raped. Her turmoil that ensues is the loss of feeling safe through memories of her mother, the loss of being able to leave her home, to interact with her supportive friends, to find resolve in immediate therapy. Through music and courage Tracy fights her way back to "normalcy" and a feeling of being "safe."

General Winston's Daughter by Sharon Shinn

2008-03-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

Averie Winston travels to a new land to be reunited with her father and fiance who are in the military. Upon her arrival, Averie immerses herself in the culture, falls in love with someone else, and a final act of betrayal will surprise readers beyond measure.

Peak by Roland Smith

2008-03-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

On a high-altitude adventure, teenager Peak Marcello attempts to become the youngest person to make it to the top of Mount Everest under his father's guidance. As he makes the journey, he learns a lot about himself and his estranged father.

Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick

2008-03-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

8th grader San Lee is in a unique position to reinvent himself at yet another new school, and the persona he chooses this time is Zen master. While trying to convince everyone else that he's genuine, he nabs the pretty girl and makes positive changes in his life.

Top 20 List (to tide us over)

2008-02-12T12:56:00.001-08:00

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Don't Call Me Ishmael by Michael Gerard Bauer

Beauty Shop for Rent: ...fully equipped, inquire within by Laura Bowers

Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

The One Where the Kid Nearly Jumps to His Death and Lands in California by Mary Hershey

Kissing the Bee by Kathe Koja

Schooled by Gordon Korman

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

Tamar by Mal Peet

Red Glass by Laura Resau

Freak Show by James St. James

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

My Mother the Cheerleader by Robert Sharenow

Safe by Susan Shaw

General Winston's Daughter by Sharon Shinn

Peak by Roland Smith

Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick

Love Meg by C Leigh Purtill

2008-02-02T22:30:00.001-08:00

From the jacket cover:
Fifteen-year-old Meg Shanley knows two things: first, her older sister Lucie is the only family she has. Second, Lucie will uproot her to a new town and a new school at least once a year. This time, it's Hollywood.

Alone and lonely in LA, Meg settles into a familiar routine. She scopes out New Friend candidates and determines the shortest distance between home, school and Starbucks.

Then Meg discovers a secret that turns her whole world upside down. She has a family she never knew about--an uncle and a grandmother--in Queens, New York.

Meg is convinced she can have the dream life she's always wanted. She defies Lucie and flies to Queens.

---

Love Meg is more than just a beach read (or Nicholas Sparks alike) that the cover seems to depict. Meg is raising herself in the ebb and flow of her older sister's love and neglect. Meg writes letters to Jennifer Aniston as her source of comfort, advice and friendship. That nearly stopped me from getting through chapter one... So the book rises above the cover and Meg's Friends obsession, but not TU caliber.

NAY

(ok maybe the Sparks and Friends comments are snarky, but literary snarky)

The Innocent's Story by Nicky Singer

2008-02-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

Cassina and her younger sister die in an explosion when a train station is bombed. Afterwards, Cassina becomes a "para-spirit" and rides around in people's brains by oozing up their noses.

Yes, you read that right.

No, I'm not joking.

Yes, I'm giving it a big fat NAY.

Farseed by Pamela Sargent

2008-02-01T18:04:00.000-08:00

Apparently this book is a sequel to something the author wrote 20 years ago. I couldn't even make it through the prologue, I was so confused. I think that it was an attempt to recap what happened in the other book, but it was just bizarre and nonsensical. NAY.

Dragons from the Sea by Judson Roberts

2008-02-01T11:33:00.000-08:00

Summary copied from the Library Network catalog because my brain has the consistency of milkshake today:

Fifteen-year-old Halfdan's skills as an archer and a blacksmith win him a position on the crew of a Viking ship in 845 A.D., but as war breaks out in western Frankia he becomes a scout, searching for the Frankish army--and taking captive a young woman who is preparing to be a nun.

Though it didn't blatantly suffer for being a sequel, I did feel it would have made more sense if I'd read the first one. Not a bad read, but not an award winner either. NAY.

Defect by Will Weaver

2008-01-27T17:12:00.001-08:00

Okay, I'm tired, so I'm copying and pasting from Amazon:

David's odd appearance makes him a target for bullies, but what sets him apart most is his secret: he can fly. After persistent hazing, he is moved to an alternative school, where he meets Cheetah, a girl with epilepsy. David and Cheetah, both medical anomalies and social outcasts, begin a strong friendship and, eventually, a romance. When David's flying is observed in public, everyone wants a piece of him—doctors, religious fanatics, the press. With the steadfast support of Cheetah and his compassionate and loving foster parents, David must decide whether to undergo corrective surgeries to remove his collapsible wings, giving him a more "handsome" appearance. The eerie cover and enticing premise will draw readers in for a big payoff. David struggles with his ability: Is it a gift or a curse? Will he be different if he looks different? Does God have a plan for him? Teens struggling with social stigmatization and medical issues will find a champion in David.

A quick read, and would make for interesting discussion material, but not award-worthy. NAY from me.

Crush: Love Poems by Kwame Alexander

2008-01-27T17:07:00.000-08:00

Oh. Dear. God. This was like every bad open mic I've ever been to all rolled into one painful experience. It hurts that this book has been published and that people have given this dreck good reviews. I can't say NAY loudly enough.

Darkwing by Kenneth Oppel

2008-01-27T06:13:00.001-08:00

Oppel presents an anthropomorphic evolution experience of two mammal species during the twilight of dinosaurs. Dusk is a chiropter (early bat) newborn who defies his colony by flying not just gliding.

Intelligent design followers will not like the evolution elements in this book, but there could be some debate about the source of the voice Dusk hears in his visions (hallucinations ?).

I've read 175 pages and can see an audience for the book, but don't think it is TU caliber. NAY

Hero by Perry Moore

2008-01-26T16:13:00.001-08:00

Who is that masked man? In this story there's a mix of admiration and embarrassment when family members belong to The League. Thom's father is frequently recognized and shunned as a disgraced superhero. Thom keeps his emerging superpowers and sexual identity concealed from his single-parent father. They grow increasingly apart when the world needs more superheroes.

Please read for discussion! It is a fun romp in some places, has quirky, lovable and not so lovable characters. Some superheroes are out to save the world, others are looking for celebrity. The ego stuff reads straight out of comic books of yore (so it sticks with the genre, but is it literary enuff?). Hooray for an ordinary, gay, teen (and superhero) who has to deal with a homophobic father and without the support of many friends.

Is it top 20 fare? not 10, but maybe 20. MAYBE

Powers by Ursula LeGuin

2008-01-26T08:42:00.000-08:00

I'm over 100 pages in, not much has happened and I'm having a hard time keeping all of the characters straight - there seems to be an abundance of them. So I'm giving up and calling it a NAY.

Cassandra's Sister by Veronica Bennett

2008-01-26T08:15:00.000-08:00

Bennett writes in a style similar to Jane Austen, imagining what her late teen and 20s would have been like. The characters speak with reserve according to social decorum and frequently on the topic of marriage. I am a Jane Austen fan, and the book was enjoyable, but I wasn't particularly moved or absorbed by the story or the writing. Jane's tale is a little sad and I am slightly curious how much of Bennett's imagination of Cass and Jenny were based on research (she briefly touches on this in the epilogue). Bennett notes that Cass destroyed as many of her sister's letters as she could find upon Jane's death "in the hope of keeping private details secret".

The parallels in Jane's life that appeared in her stories are interesting, this layer in the tale would pass by a non-Jane Austen reader (or at least movie watcher) diminishing the effect of Cassandra's Sister. The historical fiction component includes bits from the French Revolution, war with Bonaparte, commonplace of military careers, societal rules governing relationships and women's roles, as well as a brief mention of Britain in the West Indies.

NAY for Thumbs Up

Spud by John van de Ruit

2008-01-26T07:25:00.001-08:00

Chronicles the life of a young teen during his first year at boarding school; takes place in Africa in 1990 - apartheid is ending; a lot of hazing of the first years at the school. NAY for me. I didn't feel the storyline had enough structure; characters were flat.
Every review (there are 8) on amazon has loved it & given it 5 stars - so maybe I'm way off here. Anxious to hear what others think.

here's description from amazon:
It’s 1990. Apartheid is crumbling. Nelson Mandela has just been released from prison. And Spud Milton—thirteen-year-old, prepubescent choirboy extraordinaire—is about to start his first year at an elite boys-only boarding school in South Africa. Cursed with embarrassingly dysfunctional parents, a senile granny named Wombat, and a wild obsession for Julia Roberts, Spud has his hands full trying to adapt to his new home.

Armed with only his wits and his diary, Spud takes readers of all ages on a rowdy boarding school romp full of illegal midnight swims, raging hormones, and catastrophic holidays that will leave the entire family in total hysterics and thirsty for more.

Winner of South Africa’s Booksellers’ Choice Award 2006

Bad Tickets by Kathleen O'Dell

2008-01-26T07:05:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed this book. Takes place in the sixties - a coming of age / identity story. It wasn't very predictable, it was realistic (although that's easy for me to say, not having been around in the 60's). YAY.

From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up—It's almost summer in 1967 in Oregon, and Mary Margaret Hallinan, age 16, eagerly anticipates the end of the school year. The formerly good Catholic girl has changed since Jane Stephens arrived at Sacred Heart Academy after trying to run away with a boy. Mary Margaret strives to avoid her mother's unhappy life (five children, a miserable husband, and piles of laundry) and goes against her better instincts to follow Jane's overly confident lead. Their escapades move beyond escaping school at lunch and into smoking pot at the home of some college boys. Jane encourages Mary Margaret to find a "good ticket" among the guys at The Rainbow House. Anxious to find her own ticket, Jane is blind to the truth that the guy she wants doesn't want her, while Mary Margaret finally ignores Jane's opinion and makes her move on Mitchell, her longtime crush from school. With a style reminiscent of Deb Caletti and Sarah Dessen, O'Dell shows readers how Mary Margaret learns some truths about herself, her mother, her former best friend, Jane, and what it means to have a good ticket. Older teens will enjoy and relate to this humorous and engaging story with just a bit of spirituality.—Sarah Krygier, Solano County Library, Fairfield, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* Mary Margaret Hallinan is a good Catholic girl until she meets Jane. Jane is a risk-taker, someone who instructs Mary Margaret to say yes to life. In this case, yes means heading into Portland to partake of the hippie lifestyle, complete with plenty of marijuana. With insight and humor, O'Dell gives the good-girl-bad-girl story new depth. Everything is done well. The 1967 setting is freshly evoked, even as it shows that time hasn't changed the way friendships twist and turn. Equally interesting is O'Dell's take on romance. Mary Margaret finally turns her longtime crush, Mitch, into a boyfriend, though Jane thinks Mitch is a "bad ticket," someone who will lead Mary Margaret nowhere. Mary Margaret knows a lot about going nowhere. Her mother married her genial father when she became pregnant, and now, five children later, she fights with her daughter and tries to make the best of her diaper-filled life. Thanks in part to Jane's helping her see life differently, but mostly because of own her strength of character, Mary Margaret is able to shape her romance with Mitch into a relationship of equals. The schoolgirl in the mini skirt on the cover may attract readers, but the picture doesn't do justice to the strong female characters inside.

November Blues by Sharon Draper

2008-01-24T14:13:00.000-08:00

Sixteen-year-old November's boyfriend died as a result of hazing when he was attempting to join a school club. Two months after his death November finds out that she is pregnant. This book provides a very realistic look at teenage pregnancy and all that teenage girls go through (i.e. their feelings of how their life will change forever, the reactions of parents and friends, sickness and what their bodies go through, etc). I guess I do think this was a good book, but at times it felt a bit too contrived for me. This book was a CSK Honor book this year. I also forgot to mention that it's a sequel to THE BATTLE OF JERICHO. Right now, my vote is NAY. I would love to hear what others think about this one.

Night of the Howling Dogs by Graham Salisbury

2008-01-24T09:09:00.000-08:00

This is a fictional account of what happened to a Boy Scout troop that was caught out on a Hawiian volcano when an earthquake and tsunami hit in 1975. I have a hard time seeing the appeal of this book for anyone over the age of 12 and found the writing to be standard, but unremarkable. Most of the character descriptions made me what to shout "SHOW me, don't TELL me". Not a bad book for a younger audience than ours, but not TU worthy.

Nay

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

2008-01-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

Here's what PW said:

Publishers Weekly Review
With a quote from The Age of Innocence as an epigraph and an enthusiastic blurb from the creator of Gossip Girl on its back cover, this lavishly produced debut makes no secret of its twin influences. The story opens in 1899 with the funeral of Elizabeth Holland, a well-bred beauty said to have plunged to her death in the Hudson River. The narrative then travels back several weeks, tracing the relationships and events that have led to the somber assembly. This tangled web includes not one but two sets of star-crossed lovers; an upstairs/downstairs romance; a scheming social climber; a bitter servant girl; and oodles of money, all set in a Edith Wharton via Hollywood vision of Old New York. The dialogue has its clunky moments, and the plot twist that drives the tale is telegraphed from the very start, but readers caught up in the fancy dress intrigue are unlikely to mind much: it's all part of the dishy fun. Needless to say, the ending paves the way for at least one sequel. Ages 14-up. (Dec.)

Sort of like General Hospital winning an Oscar......

Nope, no way, nay

Every Crooked Pot by Renee Rosen

2008-01-23T00:05:00.000-08:00

Nina has hemangioma. Children taunt her with Big Eye Little Eye and bark at her like a dog. Her best friend, Patty, even overweight, has boyfriends and Nina doesn't. Her father loves his family in his overbearing and controlling way.

About half way through I was ready for Nina to break out of her poor me cycle and have major events happen in her life. Rosen has written a solid novel, but I wonder if adults might relate to it better than teens. If it had been a movie, Nina would have been narrating it as a flashback with adult wisdom, experience and the mellowing of years. The last page has a revealing realization for Nina as she is reflecting on her childhood "It seemed there was a gap between memory and reality, and that made me sad". This felt like a coming of age tale in retrospective.

I liked the aspects of Jewish culture that didn't feel added on or kitched up. It felt like a natural component to the family and the way they spoke to each other and some perspectives/philosophies of the world.

Rosen has hemangioma too, but her website assures readers that the book is a work of fiction. (she included a photo of the "original crooked pots" below) The authenticity of much of the story felt strong and sure. Good for a different audience. NAY

before, after, and somebody in between by jeannine garsee

2008-01-21T21:59:00.000-08:00

Please read this for more input/discussion. Could be a top 20 contender.
I would place this higher than many "problem" novels on the TU scale. Better than The Year of My Miraculous Reappearance, but with similar themes, drunken mother, young teen fending for herself, adults not coming through, adults who do come through for Martha, poverty, a struggle for survival, (misplaced?) loyalty to neglecting parent.

Sometimes Martha won't let herself follow her passion of playing the cello. She fights against and at the same time internalizes her mother's messages of worthlessness and hopelessness.

Martha's transformation has some echoes akin to Twisted. It is a tough book, not a light read, but certainly a high "B" list contender for the top 20.

A few things niggled in my brain - is a cello light enough for a 14 year old to lug with her backpack 30 blocks ti school? So I looked it up. A weighs roughly 5 pounds + case (7-15 pounds). So not super heavy, but bulky. Some people won't walk 1/4 mile, so 30 blocks to a suburbanite/small town person seems a far distance even without the weight and bulk of a cello in a case.

Jerome's transformation at the end seemed really abrupt, but I suppose that was Martha's experience of it, so we had the same experience. I didn't see how he abandoned her like she felt from that brief interchange.

I was angry/irritated with Martha covering for her mom and Wayne and some of the ugly things that went on, but the Alanon meetings identified and addressed that behavior as "normal" and gave some alternatives to break the destructive cycle. I was glad Garsee had Martha start taking matters into her own hands (sort of round-a-bout)

A child's craving for attention, love, survival, reactions from fear, and the power of reaching out to someone else make this a powerful debut novel.
YAY

Avenger by Andy McNab & Robert Rigby

2008-01-21T11:55:00.000-08:00

This is book #3 in a series where teenagers are working as secret agents to save the world. I don't feel it's award worthy - NAY.

Blood Brothers by S. A. Harazin

2008-01-21T07:26:00.001-08:00

This is a story of two best friends who are very different. Joey has it all - a family, good looks, friends, money, intelligence and is on his was to Duke. Clay's mom died when he was born, his dad isn't around much, he has low self-esteem, has to work at the hospital to help pay family bills, has no real friends (other than Joey). Their big plan is to take a bike trip cross-country. Clay doesn't have the money and then Joey makes a life-altering mistake - he smokes "weed mixed with PCP and other". Clay finds him out-of-control in the shed and there is a struggle - Joey ends up in the hospital in a coma. The book is about responsibility - who is responsible for Joey being in the hospital, about choices - why teens go to parties, how they choose "friends" and when to tell the truth about yourself and others. The hospital scenes are real, from everyday stuff to tragedies. The characters are real. It is fast-paced and would appeal to both boys and girls. I give it a YAY.

Indie Girl by Kavita Daswani

2008-01-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

This is a delightful book about a teenage American born Indian girl. Her parents have"traditional" hopes for her, including college and a summer of service in India. She was to be a part of the fashion world. She has applied for an internship at "Celebrity Style" but instead ends up the babysitter for the publisher. Throughout the story she learns some hard lessons about racism, nepotism and the realities of the celebrity lifestyle. The book reveals some insight into the world of journalism, life as an Indian teen trying to honor the traditions and culture of her background and how some plans that don't go as planned, turn out for the best.

This is a wonderful read. I would buy it for my girls. Not sure it is an award winner. So, for now I give it a Maybe.

The Pilgrims of Rayne (Pendragon) by D. J. MacHale

2008-01-20T09:46:00.001-08:00

I like to think an author knows his own work. In the preface, MacHale advises the reader twice to start at book one in the series (and presumably read two through seven too) before reading book eight. Then he has the main character say the same thing again on page 4.

I stopped reading at the third warning to read the other books in the series. I am going to take MacHale's word for it - that #8 doesn't stand alone and vote NAY just for that reason.

Lobster Land by Susan Carlton

2008-01-20T08:55:00.000-08:00

Charlotte lives off the coast of Maine with her family whose members are named after Charlotte's web. Her boyfriend is Noah who she has known forever. She has secretly applied to boarding schools to escape the island. The story takes place over the course of one week. Her voice is very funny and refreshing but a totally forgettable story. It was very hiliarious in parts but not award worthy but would have in my collection. Nay

The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous by Suzanne Crowley

2008-01-19T17:28:00.000-08:00

Merilee leads a Very Ordered Existence. V.O.E., for short.

Her schedule (which must not be altered) includes, among other entries:

School (horrendous)
Litter patrol (30 minutes daily)
Lunch (PB&J and a pickle)
Bottle return (Friday only at the Piggly Wiggly)
Dame Fiona’s meditation show (Saturday only, 6:00 AM)

The V.O.E. is all about precision.

Merilee does not have time for Biswick O’Connor.

Merilee does not have time for Miss Veraleen Holliday.

He with his annoying factoids and runny nose. She with her shining white shoes as big as sailboats. Both of them strangers who, like the hot desert wind that brings only bad news, blow into town and change everything.
(jacket flap description)

Merilee collects secrets. She learns them through observation and giving people purple Tootise Pops. She doesn't share the secrets. Even when it might help.

Merilee reminds me of Christopher in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Her family and friends have some pretty big issues in their lives. I couldn't quite figure out her dad who seemed absent even when he was in the room, but Uncle Dal and Grandma Birdy play key roles in her life with their own pasts and struggles.

The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous is not a light read, although it has some humorous moments. I struggled in the first third of the book to relate to Merilee, but by the last third I was pulled along by the story and wanted to know how it ended. Merilee observes people keenly, and sometimes hesitates to practice her keen insight in action or words.

I conflicted about this one. Sometimes Merilee's rhythm doesn't seem consistent with her VOE, but that can also move the story along. The vibrant and eccentric characters in Jumbo, TX add texture as well as noise.
I think I've given YAYs to lesser books (although I didn't know it at the time). I am going with a MAYBE for the top 20.

The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

2008-01-19T15:33:00.000-08:00

While this was a good magic-based adventure, I don't think it stands up to our criteria. It is a companion book to The Warrior Heir, but quite a bit of the world building appears to have taken place. I wasn't lost, just felt that it was a continuation. And the ending certainly implies that another episode is coming along. The writing is fast-paced and enjoyable, but I didn't feel much of a connection to any of the characters. It will date itself with the use of current technology. If it had been earlier in the year, I might have considered this as a Maybe, but after reading others, I'm going with a Nay.

Sherman Alexie Video

2008-01-19T11:59:00.000-08:00

For your viewing pleasure. :)

Last Dance at the Frosty Queen by Richard Uhlig

2008-01-18T22:45:00.001-08:00

Arty can't wait to blow the popsicle stand that is his hometown. He has a plan of escape after graduation and just needs to collect his back pay from his work on Doggie Joggie outfits - an over anticipated wonder that would put Harker City on the map to launch his liberation. Set in 1988 there are amusing pop culture references and the witty names for his vehicle are fun.

I thought Last Dance at the Frosty Queen was going to be a male version of Beauty Shop for Rent: . . . fully equipped, inquire within by Laura Bowers and it missed the mark broadly. Arty and his family and community reminded more of the pathetic Going Nowhere Faster with passiveness, aggressiveness and sex thrown in. I didn't find much convincing character development and
the ending was convenient and pat.
NAY

Kissing the Bee by Kathe Koja

2008-01-17T12:46:00.000-08:00

This slender book tells such a basic story: teenaged love triangle. But Koja tells it so simply and so beautifully. A lovely little surprise of a book, and a definite YAY from me.

Long May She Reign by Ellen Emerson White

2008-01-17T12:41:00.000-08:00

Meg Powers is the teenaged daughter of the President of the United States. Apparently this is the third book about Meg, and when the book opens, she is recovering from being kidnapped and left for dead by terrorists. The book does a decent job of catching the reader up, but the author has a quirky writing style that I think is supposed to make the reader feel like we're thinking right along with Meg, but instead left me wondering where the heck the verbs are and whether those sentence fragments were supposed to mean something. A definite NAY. I think the only thing it has going for it is that the President is Meg's mom, not her dad.

The Penalty by Mal Peet

2008-01-16T20:53:00.000-08:00

This companion novel to Keeper (2005) picks up the story of South American sports journalist Paul Faustino, who is drawn into a wild, esoteric mystery after a young soccer prodigy disappears. Peet's experimental narrative leaps between Faustino's contemporary viewpoint and the historical voice of an African man who survived the Middle Passage and the graphic brutality of slave life. Engberg, Gillian (from Amazon.com)

Peet writes well and Penalty stands on its own (I haven't read Keeper, but didn't feel like I was missing out although my understanding might be deeper for having done so). I wanted Penalty to be more rooted in historical fact like Tamar. Penalty was gripping and jumping from slavery to present day gave deeper meaning to the legacies of voodoo/Veneration and slavery/social power. Peet explicitly writes in the author's note at the end of the book that the story is set in his own imagined country, often assumed to be Brazil. His details of slavery don't match some of what I've learned about that part of the slave route - he writes about a slave "hospital" where people recovered from the arduous ocean journey in the slave ships and were fattened up for sale. My understanding is that people were treated as even more expendable commodities in Brazil/South America than in North America because it was the closer port, cheaper shipping costs, and harsher climate for longevity. Slaves were only expected to live 1-2 years (from what I remember Ray Kamalay lecturing on).

Between Tamar and Penalty, Tamar is far superior. I was more invested in the characters and felt greater historical authenticity (as Peet intended, so that's my preference not his failing). The cultural details were interesting, but I couldn't tell if Peet was conveying real vs. imagined details. Penalty doesn't have topics I would naturally seek out, so I wanted to gain something for the effort of reading about voodoo and slavery. For a created religion, I wanted more information from Peet about the spirits and the pull they had over people and the sacrifices/practices. A very good book, with YA and adult appeal, especially for those with an interest in the occult. Not a TU top 20. NAY

The Thief Queen's Daughter by Elizabeth Haydon

2008-01-15T18:09:00.000-08:00

This is the second novel in the Ven Polypheme series. It doesn't stand alone, and it should be in the Juvenile section. Nay.

Useful Fools by C. A. Schmidt

2008-01-15T06:56:00.001-08:00

I couldn't really get into this one. NAY for me.

Red Glass by Laura Resau

2008-01-15T06:05:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed this book. Sophie and her family become the guardians of Pablo, a 6-year-old whose parents perished trying to cross from Mexico into Arizona. When the family decides to adopt Pablo, Sophie embarks on a journey to Oaxaca to meet Pablo's extended family and get the adoption papers signed. Her tripmates include her great-aunt Dika (a refugee from the Bosnian war) and Mr. Lorenzo and son, Angel (refugees from la violencia in Guatemala). The journey turns into one of self discovery as Sophie faces her lifelong anxieties and falls in love with Angel.

I thought Resau's language was lyrical and her character development was nuanced and interesting. While there could have been a little more editing, this is still a gem of a book. I really would like to see this one get some more attention. Yay.

Tin Angel by Shannon Cowan

2008-01-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

Tin Angel by Shannon Cowan

Although this book is well written, I don't think it meets the criteria to be a Thumbs Up! winner. This is the story of Ronalda, a 14 year old possible murderer, and her depiction of the events leading to the death of the family's benefactor. This title reminds me quite a bit of Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy, which has more character development than this title. I give it a NAY.

Don't Call Me Ishmael by Michael Gerard Bauer

2008-01-13T20:19:00.000-08:00

I read this book without any expectations. I spent the whole weekend watching football playoffs and reading and was sort of disappointed in the books I read. I hadn't read anything or reviews about this book and I LOVED IT!!!! Oh my gosh, there a few priceless scenes that should get academy awards if they awarded them to teen literature scenes. Where has this author been my whole life? In Australia.

This book is about bullying (I know you are thinking, been there done that in teen lit) but this is just so refreshingly different that...could I be speechless. Well, I won't even give a plot in order to not give anything away. Please read this book by next meeting, can't wait to hear others opinions! A thousand YAY's for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anything but Ordinary by Valerie Hobbs

2008-01-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

I absolutely loved this book.
From the moment their romance begins in eighth grade, Winifred and Bernie are individualists. They pride themselves on being different, and have each other for support through the tough years of high school. So when they consider college, they send off for the same catalogs, promising never to separate.
But Bernie’s mother dies and Bernie more or less drops out of school, becoming an ordinary guy working away in a tire shop, while Winifred goes about as far from New Jersey as a girl can go: the University of California at Santa Barbara. College is a culture shock to Winifred, but her three savvy roommates teach her how to fit in. By the time Bernie catches up with her again, Winifred has become, well . . . ordinary. Can they rediscover their true selves – and true love?
The story is told from alternating viewpoints and readers are left wondering right up to the end what will become of their friendship. I found this to be a realistic story with believable characters. I think it will appeal to both boy and girl teens. YAY!

Derby Girl by Shauna Cross

2008-01-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

Bliss is your average dying-to-be-punk teen in a hick town in Texas, who spends her days shoplifting at Wal-Mart with her Arab-American BFF Pash, and loathing her beauty pageant-crazy mom. But Bliss finds a new reason for existence when Pash gets a car: roller derby. On their first illegal foray into Austin to see The Lone Star Derby Girls, Bliss is recruited to join the team. There are moments of awesome in the book, but the constant quirky dialog can be a bit waring, and the outcome is all very predicable. Not a bad book, but not an award-winner. NAY.

This is What I Did by Ann Dee Ellis

2008-01-12T17:59:00.001-08:00

This is a book for reluctant readers who want a quick read but with a lot of psychological suspense that keeps you reading just to find out what happened. This unique book, sort of told in verse, is about a boy named Logan who witnessed something dramatic last year that caused his family to move. Many rumors surround Logan at his new school and nobody really knows what happened to Logan and his best friend Zyler. This book will have widespread appeal, the plot moves swiftly, but honestly, I can't decide if I really loved it, liked it, or just thought what the ???? No closure at the end. I say Maybe. Interested to see what others say.

In Search of Mockingbird by Loretta Ellsworth

2008-01-12T17:02:00.000-08:00

Erin is about to turn 16. She lives in a house with her dad and two brothers. Her dad announces he is getting married and Erin wants no part of a "new mom. " Instead she desperately wants a connection with her late mom, a mom she has no real memory of because her dad never talks about her. The only thing she knows is that her mom loved Harper Lee and Erin has read To Kill a Mockingbird over and over. She decides to run away from St. Paul, Minnesota to Monroeville, Alabama in search of Harper Lee. Her only available transportation is a Greyhound bus. Erin meets a variety of interesting characters along her journey, including large, redheaded, twentysomething Epp Gobarth, who listens and, out of concern, joins her on her mission. Nice story, and Erin's character does grow-some. It does have a predictable ending. I give it a MAYBE.

The Miner's Daughter by Gretchen Laskas

2008-01-12T16:35:00.000-08:00

This is a story about a Willa Lowell and her family during the depression. They live in a mining town that is dying. The black dust from the coal is everywhere. Families struggle to find food. Clothes are threadbare. Older children, including Willa have had to leave school to help their families survive. Yet even in these conditions, it is a story of strong family love and support. Hope arrives for Willa, who dreams of a better life, in the character of Miss Grace. She moves in and brings with her the world of books and a desire to help Willa learn about the world outside Riley Mines and what it had to offer. Willa's family is offered a chance to escape the mines and move to a better place. Willa is excited until she discovers that there is a price and that she will have to leave people behind that mean a great deal to her. It is a story of love and courage and hope. I give it a YAY with a reservation that I am not sure how wide spread the reader appeal will be.

Safe by Susan Shaw

2008-01-12T16:19:00.000-08:00

This is the story of a girl who has just finished the 7th grade. She lost her mother at a very young age and on the last day of 7th grade she loses innocence and herself - she is raped, beaten and dumped for dead. The story takes the reader through the summer and her initial shock and denial of what has happened. Tracy and her father must deal with the police, their own feelings and the reactions of others. Tracy rejects therapy and her best friends efforts to help her through her fears. Tracy returns to school in the fall and spends the year of finding a place to escape - her piano lessons and then through the music and the determination of her father and friends, a way to grieve and begin to return to normalcy. I found this to be a very powerful book. It is sensitive in its telling and realistic in the stages of grief and recovery. I give this a big YAY.

Kiss and Blog by Alyson Noel

2008-01-12T14:57:00.000-08:00

I'd already guessed by the title that this book would have timeliness issues, then she throws in a Nicole Ritchie reference in the first chapter among other Gossip Girly lingo. Moreover, it's a glorified beach read: geeky girl loses BFF to popular crowd, starts mean anonymous blog under the name Eleanor Rigby (because her mom is a hippie and she grew up with the song) to out her ex-BFF's secrets to the world, falls in love, discovers that she doesn't feel better having destroyed ex-BFF (code named PP for Princess Pink) and renounces blog. I'd humbly offer that no one else uses up their time with this for TU. NOT award caliber. NAY

Fight Game by Kate Wild

2008-01-12T13:18:00.000-08:00

A Gypsy teen named Freedom gets caught up in an underground fighting world complete with arch villain, zombie-like fighters, and beautiful women. It reads like a Brit noir thriller, and I'm really enjoying it. Probably not award worthy, but a fun read I would recommend to Artemis Fowl lovers. Freedom's not a genius, but he's strong, smart, and he's fun to root for. NAY.

Little (Grrl) Lost by Charles de Lint

2008-01-12T07:06:00.001-08:00

Truthfully I was hoping someone had already started this posting. I'll be honest and report that I stopped reading at page 100. The writing seemed juvenile, the premise of the Littles wasn't convincing, and the characters were cardboard-y. I was expecting much more edge and grit judging by the cover (ahem).

Both Voya and Booklist cite this book as a gateway to de Lint's Newford series, but the readership likely to be engaged by Little (Grrl) Lost seems quite young. I kept remembering Mary Norton's Borrowers from my fourth grade real aloud circle and wondered what de Lint's rules were and what their game was.

We are all trying to get through our lot in preparation for selecting the top 20, so the pressure is on to slog through. I can't see this making it, but I am prepared to read on should another reader contradict my possibly premature assessment.
NAY

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

2008-01-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

This book is beautiful, well-written, and probably a classic. However, I'm not sure it stands alone. It is very much the conclusion of the trilogy and much of the world building and relationship building has already happened. Nay for TU, great for collections.

Runner by Robert Newton

2008-01-10T16:30:00.000-08:00

Australia, 1919

Charlie Feehan is living in poverty with his widowed mum and baby brother. He gets a job running for Squizzy (real life Aussie mobster), and life gets better, then worse, then he makes it on his own. Not a bad book, but not award worthy.

Nay

M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman

2008-01-10T10:55:00.001-08:00

I listened to the audio version of this collection of "magical" stories that came from other previously published works of Gaiman's. They were not anything spectacular and at times I found my attention drifting, so that alone would lead me to give it a NAY.

Cover-Up Mystery at the Super Bowl - Feinstein

2008-01-10T10:32:00.000-08:00

Good , quick novel for the boys. I can't see a lot of girls willing picking this one up.

Teen reporters Steve Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson uncover a plot with the Super Bowl.

They know that the entire offensive line of the California Dreams have failed their doping tests and that the Dreams' owner is trying to cover up the test results. These two teens are sitting on the biggest sports scandal of the decade. What they don't know -yet - is how to prove it.

Sort of far fetched to think two teen reporters would come across such scandals but .....I guess you must remeber it is fiction.

I give it a Maybe because I don't feel it has both girl and boy appeal. The audio edition was well done.

Before I Die - Jenny Downham

2008-01-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

Okay this book was your typical teen dying, sad, depressing, and totally predicitable. Maybe it is just because I am older and try not to read things that make this world even more depressing than it is, but this book was not that good. The main character was the only character I felt was more than one dimension. I give it a Nay, but I am sure that all the teenage girls who love this type of book will eat it up.

Saints of Augustine by P. E. Ryan

2008-01-08T19:29:00.001-08:00

Sam "broke up" with his best friend, Charlie, without telling him why. Then they each spent a difficult year without a best friend. Death, divorce, substance abuse, homophobia, sexual identity, self-reliance and trust fill out this memorable book.
Quick read and hopefully of interest to boys. Second tier YAY. (which means I doubt it will get to top 20 - I am anticipating more great reads from the other groups...)

Lessons From a Dead Girl by Jo Knowles

2008-01-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

I just felt this was too heavy. NAY for me.

Undercover by Beth Kephart

2008-01-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

Elisa is used to flying under the radar, at school and at home. She uses her perceptiveness to make poetic observations about life and creates a semi-side job as a writer of love letters for boys looking to woo girls. Things change her tenth grade year when she falls for one of the letter customers, her dad leaves the family, and she teaches herself to ice skate. Plus, her brilliant English teacher has them reading Cyrano de Bergerac, with Elisa making obvious identifications with the play. The book leads to a climax where Elisa is poised to compete in a skating contest, she has asked her father to come home, and the girlfriend of her crush is seeking revenge.

It was a decent book, but not award-worthy. Nay

First Shot by Walter Sorrells

2008-01-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

David Crandall attends a prestigious prep school in Maine, as have generations of his well known ancestors. His mother was murdered two years ago on the campus and the killer was never found. David starts to suspect that his father, who is also the headmaster, may have killed her. Pretty decent mystery/adventure concept, but Sorrells totally fails to deliver. The first third of the novel was gripping, the rest fell back on cliched mystery ploys, a strange time lapse, and completely unbelievable wrap up. Nay with rolling eyes.

Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick

2008-01-06T18:33:00.000-08:00

San Lee is new in school -- again. His dad's less than respectable choices have dragged San and his mom all over the country, and now San has to decide who he wants to be all over again at a new school. Through the double coincidence of being a) the only Asian kid in schoool and b) the only student to have already covered Asian religion at his previous school, San accidentally stumbles into being pegged as some sort of Zen Master -- and then has to frantically learn as much as he can about Zen Buddhism to make his new persona fly.

Of course, San is doing this to impress a girl, and of course his ruse gains more and more momentum until, of course, he gets busted being a big phony. But somewhere along the way, despite being convinced he's nothing but a fake and a liar, we get to watch San learning about Zen and developing his own unique philosophy.

Once again Sonnenblick is funny and delightful to read, and it's nice to know that some readers might come away from this book with an interest in Buddhism. A MAYBE for now; I'm very curious to see what others think.

Sight by Adrienne Vrettos

2008-01-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

Dylan Driscoll is a teen psychic who sees visions of children who have been kidnapped (usually just before they die). She's had these "visions" since she was five, and has never told any of her friends, until her friend's little sister disappears and she must face who she really is.

This book has a pretty awesome concept, but took WAAAAAAAAAAAY too long to get to the point. The action didn't really start until about 50 pages from the end. I'm actually amazed that I finished it. Big NAY from me.

The Restless Dead: Ten Original Stories of the Supernatural Edited by Deborah Noyes

2008-01-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

Just as the subtitle states, this book is made up of 10 short stories by 10 different "teen" authors. I definitely enjoyed some of the stories better than other, such as "Kissing Dead Boys" by Annette Curtis Klause and "Bad Things" by Libba Bray. I thought the first story, by Kelly Link, was horrible and I almost out the book down right then and there. I didn't find these stories to be all that "spine-tingling" like the book jacket says though. And the teens in my library must agree because it has hardly circulated. I have to say NAY on this one, it just doesn't hold a candle to some of the other titles I have read.

Miracle Wimp by Erik P. Kraft

2008-01-04T11:39:00.001-08:00

Miracle Wimp is a very snarky commentary on the life of Tom Mayo by the character himself in which he details his trials and tribulations of high school- from wood shop and bullies to dating and driving. This book would be great for boys, especially reluctant readers. I enjoyed the originality of it, but don't think it held much literary merit. I have to give it a NAY for Thumbs Up! consideration.

Someday this pain will be useful to you by Peter Cameron

2008-01-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

I will start off by saying that I have been searching for queer novels a lot lately, after I discovered by library's collection of teen lit for questioning teenage boys was non-existent. So I was pleasantly surprised to find a nice fresh crop of such books in 2007, and this one is currently at the top of my list because its not focused on coming out, its all about being a lonely, smart, sad teenager who makes bad decisions that won't ruin life, but certainly complicate it.

Most of the time books that take place in New York just bug the hell out of me, but this one doesn't drop names every three paragraphs, or talk about how amazing New York is, so I didn't find myself skimming. The language is wonderful. I really enjoyed the sections where James talks to his shrink, or describes the trash cans in his mother's art gallery. It made me laugh in a quiet way. Yay.

Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock

2008-01-03T06:27:00.000-08:00

In this first book in The Boy Sherlock Holmes series, a woman is found stabbed to death on the street in London. A teenaged Sherlock Holmes is drawn to the scene and becomes a suspect in the murder. The author creates a background for Holmes describing how he came by his scientific knowledge, powers of observation and street smarts. You can almost feel the grunginess of the London street scenes. This well paced, exciting murder mystery gets a YES from me.

Almost Home by Jessica Blank

2008-01-02T17:08:00.000-08:00

Holy cats, can this woman write! The prose was jaw-droppingly good, sheer poetry in every other line, the kind of writing that you don't typically see "wasted" on teen lit. And I'm sure it's got teen appeal -- it's the story of several runaways in the streets of L.A., and is told in several chapterless chunks, each one told in the distinctively different voice of each of the characters. It is mean and gritty and harsh and chillingly candid (I cringed at the 12-year-old who ends up strung out and stuck doing porn). But it is beautiful and real and addresses an important issue, complete with a list of resources for runaways in the back of the book. A must and a big YAY for me.

Baby by Joseph Monnninger

2008-01-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know you can't judge a book by its cover, but I was really braced to be underwhelmed by this book. The cover art is drab, and the blurb on the flap reads like a sixth-grader's C- book report. So, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found inside. Baby is a troubled foster kid who goes to live with a couple in the woods of New Hampshire where she learns how to dogsled. Of course she runs away with her loser boyfriend, and of course she sees the error of her ways, and of course she comes back and lives with her new foster family, and of course she discovers an affinity for the dogs and racing. No surprises there. The surprise is Monninger's writing style -- he races dogs himself, and you can see his love for the sport in every line. When he's writing about the racing, it's pure poetry. Not enough for anything but a NAY here, but if he were to stick to writing about what he loves, I would snatch up a nonfiction account of dogsledding from him in a heartbeat.

Origins by Kate Thompson

2008-01-02T16:55:00.000-08:00

It appears that this series was released in England a few years ago and is just now getting published in the U.S. following Thompson's success with The New Policeman. From what I could gather, it takes place sometime in the future when there are genetically altered animal/human combos. The narrative switches back and forth between a storyline about re-emerging conflict between Cats and Dogs, and the diary of a human boy who has obviously been off having two previous books' worth of adventures chasing after yeti and now hangs out in some underground lab in Scotland with scientists and a frog person. Yeah. That confusing. Probably interesting if you've read the first two worth having in the collection, but a NAY here.

The sweet, terrible, glorious year I truly, completely lost it by Lisa Shanahan

2008-01-02T14:34:00.001-08:00

This was a nice YA debut, but not award-worthy in my opinion. Gemma was a funny, sweet character, but the story vacilated between goofy Australian-YA and issue novel in an unconvincing manner. I think she was going for a Looking for Celia kind of feel and missed. I will look forward to her other books, but nay for '07.

Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley

2007-12-31T08:06:00.000-08:00

I love teen fantasy and was really hoping this book would be great, but I've found I can't even get through it. The problem is that Jake, the teen narrator, is telling the story of what already happened to him when he went on an overnight camping trip in his father's nature preserve and discovered a dying dragon. He rescued her baby dragon which of course imprinted on him as the mother. I love the premise for this story, but Jake is soooo long winded in telling it. He repeats himself over and over. I can just hear some of my teen boys who should love this story crying out "but nothing happens!" It just goes on and on and on. Nay!

Betwixt by Tara Bray Smith

2007-12-29T11:34:00.001-08:00

Betwixt intertwines a complex maze of dust, fey, other world connectedness, teenage angst, and characters who know themselves yet are scared of their own strengths and power. Mystery, relationships, independence, love and fear spin throughout the story. The writing is well crafted. The characters' responses and intuitions, consequences and narrative lead the reader into the unveiling truths and evolving roles and power shared by the main three characters. Intentions and motivations are not always clear and the story feels deliberately unresolved.

I would offer the book to teens who enjoy a complex story and who aren't looking for a feel good book. Great cover. It is a strong debut YA novel, but not really possessing a timeless quality for Thumbs Up.

NAY

Head Case by Sarah Aronson

2007-12-29T07:58:00.000-08:00

This book is about a head, well, Frank's head that is. He was the cause of a terrible accident that killed a man and his girlfriend and left him paralyzed from the neck down. He was drinking so many people think he should be in jail instead of at home. I really thought this book was terrible. No character development to speak of. It is a quick read. There is a website where people post their opinions about Frank and why he should be in jail. One anymous poster supports him and that is sort of a mystery throughout. Nay x's 1000!

Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell

2007-12-29T07:42:00.000-08:00

Vassar Spore's Dad is a Efficiency Expert and her Mom is a Life Coach and they want Vassar to go to...yes, you guessed it Vassar. Vassar (the girl) has her life planned out years in advance and nothing will mess it up, until her Grandma blackmails her parents to send Vassar to Asia to help her during the summer. Vassar hates the idea, but of course, begins to live more on-the-edge like her artistic and flighty Grandma. The characters are really unlikeable and exaggerated, so NAY for me.

General Winston's Daughter by Sharon Shinn

2007-12-29T07:26:00.000-08:00

This is a huge YAY for me. Averie travels to the wild land of Chiarrin to be near her father, General Winston, and her fiance Morgan, who is moving up the ranks in their military. Unlike most of her people, Averie wants to immerse herself in this new culture and befriends a Chiarrin girl who becomes her maid. Averie is a smart girl, except she has been extremely sheltered and now she realizes how different the world is that she thought. Different perspectives on imperialism are show through the Averie's family, the Chiarrin maid and Lieutenant Ket Du'kai, a handsome (of course) man whose own land was overtaken by a larger nation. The different lands are extremely well-done by Shinn and I was totally lost in this novel that is really a romance, but could also appeal to some fantasy fans. YAY.

Something Rotten by Alan Gratz

2007-12-26T15:50:00.001-08:00

NAY. I won't bore you with too many details, but Horatio, our narrator, is a wise-cracking, supposedly smart kid who finds himself in the midst of a thoroughly predictable caper taking place in the fictional paper mill empire of Denmark, Tennessee. The Prince family's patriarch is dead, and uncle Claude married sexy Trudy, the widow, and Hamilton deals with seeing his father's last message to him on a security camera by getting drunk and dumping his girlfriend, Olivia, who is an environmental activist concerned about the toxic waste being dumped by the plant into the Copenhagen river.

The language isn't realistic, the characters are flat, and there isn't a plot twist in sight. This one might entertain someone who just read Hamlet.. if they like picking up on parodied names, and getting the little "jokes" sprinkled through the story.

T.W.O.C. by Graham Joyce

2007-12-26T12:11:00.000-08:00

Matt and his older brother Jake used to steal cars together. Now after Jake dies in a car accident that Matt was involved in, Matt is haunted by Jake's ghost. He continues to steal cars and gets sent away to a rehab camp where he, of course, unites in an unlikely friendship with the only two other campers there. They strike out together and Matt finally gets closure on the accident and figures out exactly what happened that night.

I liked it better than I thought I would, but it's a NAY. Keep it around for guys who like cars? FYI: it's filled with an awful lot of British slang.

Time of the Eagle by Sherryl Jordan

2007-12-26T12:03:00.000-08:00

Avala is the daughter of two healers from two very different societies. She grows up in her mother's nomadic tribe and eventually leaves to fulfill her destiny of uniting four tribes in an uprising against the evil emperor. It was a good enough read, and didn't suffer for being a sequel, but it's no award-winner. NAY, but keep it around to give to the readers who liked Clan of the Cavebear and that sort of thing.

Zane's Trace by Allan Wolf

2007-12-26T10:18:00.000-08:00

Zane Guesswind has a tough life: a family riven by mental illness, substance abuse and suicide, plus his own epilepsy and grief. To exorcise his demons, Zane writes obsessively with permanent markers on his bedroom walls and later on the dashboard of the 1969 Barracuda he commandeers and drives to Zanesville, Ohio. There he plans to shoot himself at his mother's graveside with the heirloom pistol she used to kill herself. En route, he meets the intriguing Libba and assorted characters who each hold a piece of the puzzle that is Zane. (From Amazon.com)
This book was confusing and hard to follow, but painted a good image of how mental illness can effect those both directly and indirectly involved. I thought that there was a lot of stream-of-consciousness writing to it. It did not appeal to me and has hardly been checked out at my library, so it must not appeal to many teens either. I give it a NAY.

Slam by Nick Hornby

2007-12-26T09:45:00.000-08:00

Boy: 16, likes to skate, skateboard that is. Worships Tony Hawk, even has a poster in his room that he talks to, but no, he's not a mental case. Then, his girlfriend gets pregnant and wants to keep the baby. That is basically the novel, he has flash forwards to what his future will be. A good book, that teen boys will probably enjoy, but overall, I say Nay.

In the Name of God by Paula Jolin

2007-12-26T09:22:00.000-08:00

Nadia is a Syrian teen who always wanted to live a devout Muslim life, but gradually gets drawn into her cousin's more radical thinking until by the end of the book she is ready to be a suicide bomber. I won't spoil the ending, and there's a lot of other stuff going on with family dynamics and a surprise twist about who has ratted out whom to the authorities and why. An intriguing point of view that we don't usually get to hear much about, but it wasn't particularly well-written, so I gave it a NAY. I'm very curious to see what others think of this one, though.

How Ya Like Me Now by Brendan Halpin

2007-12-26T09:19:00.000-08:00

After Eddie's dad dies, his mom descends into drug addiction, but he managed to keep the household going until his mom loses everything and ends up in rehab. This sends Eddie to live with his aunt and uncle in Boston, where he attends a challenging alternative high school in the inner city where he and his cousin are two of the only white kids.

And.... that's about it. It doesn't seem like anything really happens, or Eddie or his cousin change too much. His mom inevitably gets out of rehab and gets back in touch and everything ends up predictably. NAY.

The Whole Sky Full of Stars by Rene Saldana

2007-12-26T07:23:00.000-08:00

Barry and Alby have been best friends since kindergarten, and now Alby is in trouble with loan sharks but doesn't feel he can tell Barry about it. He does, however, feel he can exploit Barry's boxing talent by conning him into fighting in a cage match and acting as his manager so they can split the money.

Even though this is a super skinny book and a quick read, it didn't hold my interest enough to finish it. The two main characters are so broadly drawn -- Alby's a weasel, Barry's a ridiculously stand-up guy trying to help his mom since his dad died -- that it wasn't worth the time. NAY.

Fire From the Rock

2007-12-25T21:34:00.000-08:00

Sylvia Patterson is shocked and confused when she is asked to be one of the first black students to attend Central High School, which is scheduled to be integrated in September 1957, whether the citizens or governor of Arkansas like it or not. Before Sylvia makes her final decision, smoldering racial tension in the town ignites into flame. When the smoke clears, she sees clearly that nothing is going to stop the change from coming. It is up to her generation to make it happen, in as many different ways as there are colors in the world.
I do think this is a good book, but there is something about it that is preventing me from giving it an enthusiastic yay. Draper addresses many issues in this book such as segregation/integration, racial hatred towards both Black and Jewish people, friendship between a Black teen and a Jewish teen, non-violent father and militant son, first love, and making tough decisions and she created a main character who is strong and likeable. My main problem is that I think some of the situations in this book seem a little unbelievable to me (like the fire for instance). I can't wait to hear how others feel about this one. For now, I give it a MAYBE.

Taken by Edward Bloor

2007-12-23T07:34:00.000-08:00

Bloor takes on lots of social issues here in a story about a kidnapped teen. As the disparity between the rich and poor grow, kidnappings in the year 2035 become commonplace. Despite strong security, Charity wakes to find herself in an ambulance with some strange captors. Bloor creates a very exciting tale, though some plot elements were just too simple and the social commentary just didn't quite ring true to me. Decent read but a NAY.

Angel Isle by Peter Dickinson

2007-12-21T17:08:00.000-08:00

This is a sequel to The Ropemaker, but takes place 20 generations later. Saranja returns to her decimated homeland after some type of magical catastrophe. There she realizes that the epic tales from her childhood are true, and that she, along with cousin Maja and a young man named Ribek, must seek out The Ropemaker to reign in the people performing bad magic.

I found this book to be long, tedious, and boring. I didn't care about any of the characters, didn't like the references to the magical Ropemaker and his clan of magicians (made little sense without the original), and I really don't see the teen appeal. Nay.

Leap of Faith by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

2007-12-20T15:43:00.000-08:00

Abigail is kicked out of school for stabbing a bully. No one listens to her side of the story and it happens that the bully is the principal's son. She is sent to a Catholic school and though she is told she doesn't have to become Catholic, she decides to in order to anger her parents who never listen to her. By the end, she really does believe in God, forgiveness and redemption. I think it was a bit heavy handed. I give it a nay.