Wrapped

Wrapped
by Jennifer Bradbury
320 pages
Middle-High School

Agnes Wilkins, from London, is really not looking forward toward her Presentation. Instead of being interested in dresses and curls, she wants to discover Egyptian artifacts and travel the world.  While looking forward to being a little more independent, she's not sure if she is ready to marry, especially to the very promising bachelor.  After receiving not just an invitation to his mummy unwrapping, but place of honor as on of the first to slice at the bandages, she is feeling the pressure of his attention.

Then things start happening at the mummy party.  As Agnes is unwrapping the mummy, she finds something interesting: an artifact with a hidden note.  But when the host admits to a mistake and asks for all artifacts to be returned, she tucks it into her bodice, hiding it and taking it home.

This simple act envelops Agnes in intrigue, history and politics.  From secret messages sent from Napoleon's army to spies hiding in London to mythical artifacts with rumored powers, Agnes is drawn into the middle of it.  Can she decode the message in time to save the world from being conquered?

First of all, I like that the author put a note in the back about the "historical accuracy" of the book.  While most of the book had roots in history, Bradbury took liberties with certain things.  She mixed trends or events several time periods together, because it works for the story.  With a book like this, that historical accuracy doesn't matter, I'm fine with it.  In fact, as long as the book doesn't claim to be fact, I'm fine with authors changing or rearranging history to suit their needs.  Makes life fun!

Anyways, I enjoyed this book, and had fun with it.  I liked the Victorian London setting, the supernatural bend, plus the strong willed woman element.  Made for a fun story, interesting scenarios, and fun times.  This would be a great step before Jane Austen, or other romances or Victorian based novels. Another good stepping stone book would be A Spy in the House by Y. S. Lee.

Although I enjoyed this book, there were a few things that could have been improved.  Agnes, while different than the "normal" girl of the age, was still a little flat and didn't really change very much.  A fun little story, but not necessarily tons of depth.

Overall, fun book if you just want something light and not completely historically accurate.  I enjoyed it a lot, and would be a good stepping stone between levels.  Another book with a tie to mythology, this time Egyptian.  Good book, I liked it a lot!

Ungifted

Ungifted
by Gordon Korman
288 pages
Late elementary+


Donovan Curtis isn't really a bad kid, he just lacks impulse control.  When that impulse is to whack a bronze statue of Atlas on the backside, which causes the globe on his shoulders to come of and roll into the gym during a basketball game, it cause him lots of trouble.  Especially with the superintendent standing right there.  After going to his office and getting his name written down, Donovan expects the worst: the dreaded call to his parents.  When that never comes, Donovan wonders what happened.

Then the completely unexpected happens: instead of getting reprimanded for what he did, Donovan is getting promoted.  His parents received in the mail a letter stating that because of his excellent test scores, he has been invited to attend the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, the school for the super smart kids.  Donovan figures this is a great place to hide from the superintendent until he remembers to punish him.

At this school, Donovan couldn't be more out of place.  While other kids are acing calculus, everything said in class is going way over his head.  His only redeeming feature: he's normal.  He quickly names the school robot (Tin Man), makes the robotics team a true team, and introduces the smart kids to YouTube.  Making their days better, he seems to fit in, even without the smarts.

But can he stay there forever? His teachers are quickly realizing he's not gifted, the superintendent is still looking for him, and now his pregnant sister is moving back home.  On top of all of this, he's got to take care of her spastic dog that doesn't like anyone but him.  How long can he keep hiding, and keep his random impulses under control?

This book made me laugh so much.  The visual of a kid whacking Atlas' backside with a tree branch, and watching, horrified, as it rolls into the school gym was priceless.  He is continually defying expectations and norms.  Quirky kid, who just doesn't want to be yelled at.

I liked how the point of view switched between people.  It always came back to Donovan, but you got a great look at how frustrated the superintendent is when he loses Donovan's name, and how his new teacher really likes him and values what he is doing for the class, but wonders why this kid was chosen for the gifted school.  Makes you realize the other characters in the book aren't necessarily oblivious to what is happening, and gives their perspective on the story as well.  While in other books, I have seen this distract from the story line, it really worked out well in this instant.

Another thing I really liked was how the characters could grow while staying true to themselves.  Donovan changed his perspective on some things, grew out of some childish tendencies, but at the end is still struggling with his impulse control (great scene!  Robot showdown!).  He is still himself, but an improved version of himself.

Overall, really good book.  The characters were fun, the story was great, and had meaning without being preachy or trite.  Lots of humor, and both girls and boys should enjoy it.  Have fun reading it!
 

Poems I Wrote When No One Was Looking

Poems I Wrote When No One Was Looking
by Alan Katz
drawings by Edward Koren
160 pages
Elementary+

This collection of poems reminded me a lot of Shel Silverstein.  Same type of humor and lots of play on words.  It also has little illustrations that go with each poem!  Very fun!

Not a lot to write about, though!  Good book!  If kids like humor, they'll like this! Super fun book, I'll recommend it to kids, definitely!

 This was one of my favorites.  Enjoy!

"What a Gas!" (from Poems I Wrote When No One Was Looking) by Alan Katz

My two brothers,
Mom and Dad, and I
went to the Museum of Fine Arts.
We had spicy food right before we arrived-
now it's the Museum of Five Farts.

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Out Stars
by John Green
336 pages
High School+

Hazel has cancer.  Even though it is in remission, she knows that one day, sooner than she would like, it will kill her.  It's hard to try and live a busy and satisfying life when you can't breath well and you know you're going to die anyways.  While Hazel tries to live life, and be happy, she feels cynical and weighed down a lot of the time.  She even doesn't like going to her cancer support group- too dreary and disheartening to hear the list of dead people 3 times longer than the list of those still alive.

One night, her mom all but forces her to go to support group, to get out of the house and go do something.  She gets there, sees a couple old friends, and also meets a new guy, Augustus Waters. Gus is different, even though he too is a survivor.  He smiles, he grins, and draws Hazel to him, not just for his looks, but for his charisma.  Soon, they are hanging out together, going on picnics together, and even sharing their favorite books.  When Hazel makes Gus read "An Imperial Affliction" about a girl with cancer, he is hooked.  He reads it in a night, and, just like Hazel, can't stand not knowing what happens.  The book ended mid-sentence!  Both of them write the author to see if he is writing a sequel, or would even just tell them what happens to the characters.

Together, they start an adventure.  Hazel lives life, finally, while helping Gus live his as well.  They support friends through breakups, pester an author, and manage their cancer symptoms.  What good is living with cancer if you can't live? 

Oh my goodness, I cried!  I loved this book, not just for its witty banter, not only for the great characters and realistic setting, but because it made me cry.  I got so emotionally tied to Hazel and Gus that when they hurt, I hurt too.  My heart ached for their trials. Hint- have lots of tissues on hand toward the end.  This was a fantastic book!

I'm usually not into realistic fiction (check out how many fantasy books I have on here), usually because it doesn't seem to do much.  There's not adventure or the characters just sit around and talk about each other behind their backs.  But in the book, Hazel and Gus were doing things.  They went places around town, obsessed about their favorite book, comforted another friend in need, and more.  They don't just sit around, the do things!  And not normal everyday things.  I do enough "normal" things, I don't particularly want to read about them.  But this book had a great blend of normal, so I would identify with the characters, and the unusual, to keep my interest. 

Several themes in this book that could be discussed, almost too many to list.  Life and death is huge.  Both Hazel and Gus know that at some point soon, they will die.  This changes their outlook on life, and causes them to evaluate what "living" means to them.  What would you change in your life if you knew you might not be around the next month? 

Another theme is love, what it means to a person, how it affects their actions, and how it changes lives.  Knowing what the future holds, or knowing how things will end is another emphasized theme.  Hazel and Gus do some fairly extreme things to try to figure out what happens to characters in a book.  This reflects their desire to know how their own stories end: what happens to their families and friends after they die, will people remember them or be hurt by their death.  Knowledge is powerful in this book.

Overall, AMAZING book.  I will recommend to any teen, regardless of gender or what type of book they usually read.  I would keep it to high school teens for a couple reasons.  One, subject matter- so heavy and thought provoking.  I don't know that middle school kids would have the maturity to be interested in this book.  Second, a small sexual scene.  Nothing big, nothing explicit, but it's there.  Younger kids probably know more than what this book holds, but just for safety's sake, keep it more to high school or older.

Read this book!  It is amazing and I loved it!

Inside Out and Back Again

Inside Out & Back Again
by Thanhha Lai
262 pages
Elementary School+

Ha only knows her life in Saigon, trouble though it may be.  She loves her mother and brothers, misses her father, and anxiously waits for her mango tree to bear it's fruit.  While not perfect, the only thing Ha has to wish for on her birthday is for her father to come home from the army so Mother would be happy again.

But the faraway war slowly grows closer.  Her uncle urges her mother to leave while they can, but she keeps waiting until she hears from Ha's father.  When Saigon falls, they are forced to leave with thousands of other refugees.  Ha's family board a boat bound for America, the land of hope.

Follow Ha and her family as they cross an ocean, leaving behind everything they know for a strange place called Alabama.  They must learn to eat fried chicken, not fresh, and also learn how to fit in with people that don't understand her language.  After being mocked for everything from her name to her hair, Ha is ready to return to Saigon, but that might be one wish that can never come true.

Written in poetry, this story is moving, touching and speaks to the heart of many girls.  While not all girls have to cross an ocean and flee war, they can understand Ha's frustration in school.  Kids will identify with her struggles to fit in and find friends among strangers.

Another strong theme in this book is finding strength within your family.  Ha is constantly turning to her brothers and mother, both to help them and to find refuge from the strange world around her.  It is together that they make it, not as individuals.

This is a quick, easy read with lots of white space, due to the poetry format.  While it doesn't rhyme, it still flows very well.  Ha is a strong, growing character that many children, especially those in a new surrounding, will identify with.  Good book, will definitely recommend it a lot!

Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

By Steve Sheinkin

272 pages

Middle School+

Part of the YALSA Best of the Best 2013 Challenge!

Meet Robert Oppenheimer-physicist, nerd, and loyal American.  Or is he?  This book follows Oppenheimer and others as they set out to create one of the strongest weapons the world has ever seen- the atomic bomb.  

This book is full of spies, intrigue, and history.  While the basic physics of how the bombs work is explained, it doesn't go deep into, something for which I was very grateful! If you like history, war, spies, or science, this is the book for you!

I actually enjoyed this a lot.  If you have seen from some of my other posts, I'm not a history buff, and don't often care to read tons of historic novels, especially non-fiction ones.  But, I am finding that I like teen targeted non-fiction much better than text books or adult focused books.  This book reminded me of Truce by Jim Murphy, another non-fiction book.  That one is shorted, but the flow was similar.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was getting to get to know some of the people involved in the process and how they felt about things.  That insight made the event a lot more realistic and approachable for me.  By knowing some of the people involved, it helped me relate more, and understand better motivations and why they did what they did.  

Another thing I appreciated in the book was organization.  Events followed, for the most part, in sequential order so it was easier to follow.  While there were several people involved, the author used clues to help remind us the role each person was playing.  The narration progressed logically, and helped show how events tied together. This book helped me understand not just about the creation of the atomic bomb, but also how it was influencing the war, how the idea came about, how it was developed and deployed, as well as the results of its use.  I understand more about history because I read this book.

Overall, this was a pretty good book.  I liked the story telling pace and order: it kept various events in sequence so it was easy to see cause and effect.  It gave background on individuals, plus tied their lives into the story as a whole.  While the ending is kind of sad and sobering, it fits since that is how they all felt.  I will recommend this, definitely!

Zita the Spacegirl

Zita the Spacegirl
by Ben Hatke
192 pages
Late Elementary+

Zita and her friend Joseph are just playing when they find a meteorite in the bottom of a crater.  Inside the meteorite, they find something that looks like a switch.  Playing around, Zita presses the button, not expecting anything to happen.  When a portal opens, and Joseph is stolen through it, Zita has no choice but to follow through to try and save Joseph.

On the other side of the portal, Zita is in a different universe. She is in the middle of a city that is weird and strange.  All around her are creatures and machines completely unfamiliar to her.  How is she going to find her friend all alone in the middle of this strange city?

This was totally awesome!  I loved it!  Not only was the story line engaging and intriguing, the artwork is beautiful and vibrant.  Something that I look for in a graphic novel is fun artwork that tells the story as much as the words do.  When you can find just as much story telling in the artwork as you do the words, that makes a great graphic novel!

Also, the story line is very intriguing and sets up great possibilities for future books.  I know there is another one at least, and I'm certainly looking forward to reading it!  The way the story is told really helps the reader identify and sympathize with the characters in many different situations.  The story line is engaging, and I really wanted to find out how Zita would save the day!

Another thing I really loved is how Zita managed to develop relationships with multiple people/species/animals in this strange new land.  And she does it through being herself, not some artificial person.  Through her kindness and adventurous spirit, she finds lots of new friends to help her on her journey.  This is a great book about friendship and sacrifices made for friends.

Overall, great book, great pictures, great story!  I will recommend this as much as Amulet, or regular fiction books as well.  Boys and girls will enjoy this, and I will start recommending to late elementary kids. Lots of fun!

False Prince

False Prince
Jennifer A. Nielsen
352 pages
Late Elementary+

Sage is an orphan, stealing food on the street and pennies from pockets.  When he is bought from his orphanage by a nobleman and taken away from all he knows, everything changes. With two other boys, he is taken to a remote mansion and the lessons begin. Instead of his biggest care being where his next meal will come from, it's figuring out what this nobleman wants and how he can escape from him. 

Sage quickly figures out that he has not been taken to be a servant, but to imitate a missing prince whom everyone assumes is dead.  With the recent death of the rest of the royal family, this noble has the plot to be the master behind a puppet prince.  But first, the noble must teach Sage or the others to become the prince. 

Sage does not like this at all.  He wants to return to his previous life, and ignore all the politics.  But when failure means death, he must succeed.  While managing to rebel at every step, Sage still becomes the favored boy to play the prince.  But the more he discovers about this plot, the less he likes it and the nobleman. 

This was a great book!  It's been on my "to read" list for a while, and now that I finally got into it, wow!  While I predicted a little of what happened, there was a lot of "oh my goodness" moments as well.  The plot has a great balance of current events, foreshadowing and action.  Very fast paced and hard to put down.

One big issue brought up: telling the truth versus lying.  Lots of people lie in this book for various reasons.   Some excuse their lies away, so are embarrassed by them, while others hide their lies.  Very few people really take responsibility for their lies.  This looks like this is the first of a series and I can see some of these lies coming back to haunt not only the villains of the story but also the hero.

Overall, I will definitely recommend this book to a lot of people.  Will definitely appeal to boys and girls, and I am very interested to see how this is evolved into a series. I would probably start around 6th grade, mostly because of violence.  No bad language or anything else like that.

Icefall

Icefall
by Matthew J. Kirby
336 pages
Middle School+

Solveig is the second daughter to a king, and not even the pretty daughter.  She constantly lives in the shadow of her beautiful sister and her younger brother, the crown prince.  Sent to hide from the war in a remote steading, she and a few others are set to survive all winter.

Then the trouble starts to happen.  More soldiers show up, with food thankfully.  The cows get eaten by wolves, and the remaining meat gets poisoned.  A traitor lies in their midst.  Solveig must figure out who it is before spring comes and war finds them.

Icefall was alright, but not spectacular.  Solveig is likable, the telling realistic, but the book just doesn't flow quick enough.  The read waits the entire book for the scene on the cover, and that is short and almost too convenient. 

If you like Norse mythology, this might be a good read.  The myths and the story telling aspect is good, but the plot feels like it was pulled out too long.  An okay book, but not necessarily one I would recommend to lots of people.

Cinder

Cinder

by Marissa Meyer

400 pages

Middle School +

Cinder lives a boring life.  She works in her little mechanic shop, pays whatever she makes to her step-mother, and also has to do the chores at home. The world is being ravaged by an incurable plague and everyone is scared.  She is in a rut and dreams of getting out.  On top of all of that, she has to hide her secret from everyone: she is a cyborg, part-machine, and part-human.

One day, as she is in her mechanic shop, a hooded stranger comes to her booth.  He asks her to fix a droid for him, and it is imperative that it he gets the information from this droid's memory.  As they talk, Cinder recognizes him as Prince Kai, the unmarried heir to the throne.  He enjoys talking to her, and eventually asks her to a ball.  Throughout all of this, her sister catches the plague, Cinder is sold to research, and the Lunar Queen decides to visit Earth.  Cinder must deal with Prince Kai, avoid the Lunar Queen and try to find a cure the plague that threatens to destroy the world.

I had two reactions to this book. First- what a fun idea!  A Cyborg Cinderella!  The action was fast and the story creative even though it is based on a well-known fairy tale.  This book kept me enthralled from the very beginning.

Second reaction: I wish Cinder wouldn't have been so down on herself.  She is constantly demeaning herself, and wishing she was something else.  She never has a good opinion of herself.  Girls get enough of that already, I don't know if they really need to read about it.  On the other hand, it can also make her more approachable as a character, that she has the same feelings that teens do.  While I really enjoyed the book, this was a minor drawback.

Overall, I will still recommend the book.  I think teens will really enjoy the story telling, plus the originality of the idea. Retold fairy tales are huge, and this is a great example of an original twist.  There is a sequel coming soon (February 2013) that I can't wait to read.  Fun book great idea, and lots of twists and turns!

The Scoprio Races

The Scorpio Races
by  Maggie Stiefvater
407 pages
Early High School and older

On the island of Thisby lives the capaill uisce, vicious horses that rise up from the sea.  If you can catch them, and survive, you can run in the Scorpio Races.

Sean Kendrick is a four time winner of the Scorpio Races, one of the best riders on the island, and together with his stallion Corr, trying to win his freedom.  His no nonsense approach to life helps keep the capail uisce in order.  When a girl enters into the races for the first time ever, his world shifts.

Kate Connolly, better known as Puck, is an orphan trying to eek out a living  on the harsh island of Thisby.  She lives with her two brothers, takes care of the house, but her true love is her horse.  When her older brother says he is leaving, her world starts falling apart.  She decides to enter the Scorpio races to earn the money to make her brother stay. Not only is she the first girl to enter the races, she registers her island pony, not a capaill uisce in the race.  Inciting ridicule, prejudice, and scorn, she trains herself and the pony to run in the race.

As they train against each other, they get to know each other better.  Sean is concerned for her safety on the beach during the race with the vicious water horses running beside her.  Puck just wants to try to win, but her life keeps getting more and more complicated.  Puck and Sean both need to win, but there is only one winner of the Scorpio Races.

This story is about relationships: Sean and Puck, Sean and his capaill uisce, Puck and her pony, and even family relationships. Puck's life is falling apart, and she needs to find something help her cope with it. Sean needs to find his path to manhood and freedom.  The fantasy takes a back seat to the personal matters and issues in the book.

This was slightly different book, but very enjoyable.  The story telling flips between Puck and Sean, giving the two perspectives to tell both their stories.  I liked having the different stories so that we understand every one's motivations.  A lot of the time I read books for the fantasy and the magic; this book I read to find out who won the race and what they did after that.

While this is not a book I will give out to everyone, it's definitely a great read.  I would hand it to both girls and boys, since the perspective switches between the two. I would recommend to early high school aged, mostly because I'm not sure that middle school kids would be interested in the issues in the book. Also, there are some slightly violent scenes.

Great book, if you can find the right crowd for it. I enjoyed it a lot!

Tuesdays at the Castle

Tuesdays at the Castle
by Jessica Day George

Princess Celie lives in Castle Glower, a magical castle that continuously adds rooms, passageways and towers.  No one quite understands why or how the castle does it, but Celie tries to map out all the changes as they happen.  Things are always mysteriously appearing and disappearing, depending on if the castle likes you or not!

 Then Celie's parents, the king and queen, disappear.  The councilors want to be names "regents" for Celie's older brother, and foreign princes and invading the castle.  Celie and her older siblings are held prisoners in their own castle!  How can Celie help them when she is trapped in a tower with no way out?

I loved this book!  It was lots of fun to read, and the action was very fast paced.  I had a hard time putting it down.  The plot lines are fairly straight forward, but has enough twists and fun moments that it was really engrossing.

Celie was vibrant and very exciting to read about.  The reader has great insight into her emotions, and her personality keeps the book moving so well.  Had fun getting to know her, and seeing her foils in her siblings.

This book is great for late elementary and middle school readers.  Most definitely more for the girls, and lots of fun!