Poison by Chris Wooding

2006, New York: Orchard Books.
ISBN: 9780439755719
288 pages

Annotation: A young girl learns that her younger sister is stolen by the Phaeries and she sets off seeking the Lord of the Phaeries, who is occupied by war.

Summary: Poison discovers that her younger sister has been stolen by the phaeries so she does the only thing she can do, she goes in search for the Phaerie Lord. When she finds him, he is in the midst of a conspiracy amongst the demigods to overthrow the powerful Hierophant. Poison and her friends do everything they can to rescue her sister while trying to avoid death and the death of their own people.

Rank: 3 stars-entertaining and interesting for fantasy lovers.

Maximum Ride: Schools Out Forever by James Patterson

2006, Detroit: Thomson Gale.
ISBN: 978078629034
497 pages

Annotation: A girl and her friends are being hunted by evil forces. She realizes that she and the others must save the world using their ability to fly.

Summary: Six genetically altered friends are being pursued by the wolf-hybrid Erasers whom they have escaped. Max, one of the genetically altered, believes that a computer chip has been implanted underneath her skin. The friends trusts a woman and enroll in school but they soon find out she is an FBI agent who betrays them. They must save the world using their unique ability to fly.

Series: This is the second of the Maximum Ride series, read Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson.

Rank: 3.5 Stars

Chinese Handcuffs by Chris Crutcher

2004, New York: HarperTeen.
ISBN: 9780060598396
304 pages

Annotation: A young boy learns to cope after witness his brothers suicide and helping out a friend who is suffering abuse.

Summary: Dillon suffers after witnessing his wayward brother commit suicide. As relief from his struggling emotions Dillon trains for a triathalon. Dillon writes letters to his dead brother telling him about the child that his brother fathered. Dillon also is best friends with the girl's basketball star. Despite her success on the court she is not happy. Dillon discovers that she is being sexually abused by her stepfather. He does his best to help her out while struggling through his own problems of his brothers death and his own family that fell apart.

Rank: 1 Star-There are a lot of serious sensitive issues in this story.

Gym Candy by Carl Deuker

2007, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
ISBN: 9780618777136
313 pages

Annotation: A highschool is determined to not let his father down. He resorts to taking steroids and suffers the side effects.

Summary: Mick Johnson is bound and determined not to fail in football like his father failed in the NFL. After come just short while playing he decides that the vitamin supplements he is taking is not enough so his trainer at the local gym gives him some 'gym candy'-steroids. Mick becomes stronger and better on the field but still suffers many of the side-effects of steroids. He becomes depressed, acne, and irritable. After it is discovered he is taking steroids he attempts suicide, but then worries if he will forever be tempted by the steroids.

Rank: 3 Stars-Good storyline, just not amazing.

Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey

2007, San Diego: Harcourt, Inc.
ISBN: 9780152059262
302 pages

Annotation: A princess born with a dragon claw as one of her fingers must fulfill a 600 year old prophecy that will restore her family to their throne.

Summary: Princess Rosalind has been born with a dragon talon as one of her fingers. This secret is known only by herself and her mother the queen. Rosalind always wears golden gloves to hide the secret while her mother earnestly seeks for a cure. Rosalind shows her claw to a dragon and dragon steals her away to care for some motherless dragons. While there Rosalind learns about the blood that she has and learns of her mother's treachorous act. Rosalind learns what she must do to restore her family back to their rightful throne.

Rank: 3.5 Stars-Great for those dragon lovers.

Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block

1989, New York: Harper & Row.
ISBN: 0060205342
88 pages

Annotation: A young girl seeks her true love and wishes for true love and a happy life with her friends.

Summary: Weetzie Bat lives in a fantasy type world with her friend Dirk. She wishes true love for her and Dirk, who is gay. She loves My Secret Agent Lover Man and they all live in a house together. My Secret Agent Lover Man does not want children so Weetzie makes a baby with Dirk and his boyfriend. She has a baby and they all raise her together. They also adopt an unwanted baby they call Witch Baby.

Rank: 1 Star-Too unreal.

Hush An Irish Princess' Tale by Donna Jo Napoli

2007, New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
ISBN: 9780689861765
308 pages

Annotation: After her brother is attacked, the daughter of an Irish king and her sister flee for their safety but then are kidnapped and held captive.

Summary: The princess of Ireland, Melkorka, lives the life of royalty during the middle ages. As a princess all she wants for her birthday is to go into the shops and shop for brooch for her cape. While they are in the shops her brother is attacked and wounded. Her brother is wounded to where he is too disfigured to be the next king. The kind vows to seek revenge on the people who did this to his son, the future kind of Ireland. Her father send Melkorka and her sister to safety, but on their way they are kidnapped and thrust onto a slave ship. She does everything she can to survive in a world unknown to her. She vows to be slient not giving her captives any sound at all. Her sister manages to escape leaving Melkorka to survive on her own.

Rank: 3.5 Stars-Enjoyable and interesting, based on traditional folk tales.

Red Glass by Laura Resau

2007, New York: Delacorte Press.
ISBN: 9780385734660
275 pages

Annotation: Living an hour from the Mexican border a family takes in a young Mexican immigrant, then teenager of the family takes off on adventure to return him home to Mexico.

Summary: Sophie lives with her mother and stepfather in Arizona, only one hour from the Mexican border. Her stepfather is often called to help with immigrants. One night they get a phone call about a six year old immigrant ,Pablo, at a hospital. The group he was crossing with were all killed and he is the only survivor, nearly dying from dehydration. Sophie and her family bring scared Pablo to their home, know that he must go back to Mexico when his family is found. A year later when the Pablo's family is found, Sophie leaves with her Aunt and two neighbors driving across the border to Pablo's remote village. On the journey she begins to like the teenage neighbor boy that has come along for his own purposes. Sophie discovers she has the strength to do what she needs to do to show her love for her friend and overcome her fear of danger.

Rank: 3.5 Stars-Interesting and entertaining, love story with adventure.

Twlight by Stephenie Meyers

2006, New York: Little Brown Young Readers
ISBN: 9780316015844
544 pages

Annotation: A girl moves in with her father, having to go to a new school and live in a new town. But, she discovers that not everyone is what people assume.

Summary: Seventeen yearl old Bella moves in with her father in a small town in the state of Washington. She tries to adjust and fit in at the highschool when she becomes friends with a good looking, stylish senior Edward. Edward is a vampire, but she learns that he doesn't feed on humans and falls hopelessly in love with him concealing his true identity from those around her. Their relationship becomes complicated and dangerous especially when another type of vampire comes into town-going directly after Bella. Edward does everything he can to save Bella.

Series: Read the rest of the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Rank: 4 Stars-Fun, entertaining love story with a twist.

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

2005, New York: Simon Pulse.
ISBN: 9780689865381
448 pages

Annotation: A teen girl and her friend are uglies, but when they turn sixteen they will become pretties. Her friend leaves so she doesn't have to become a pretty and she goes after her.

Summary: Tally lives in a society where everyone is turned pretty when they turn sixteen. While Tally is an ugly she becomes friends with another ugly, Shay. They have fun doing what uglies do, hoverboarding and pranks. Shay believes that being forced to be a pretty is not the right thing and she tries to convince Tally to run away with her to another society- a much simpler distant society. Tally doesn't want to go but learns that Shay has disappeared and she goes after her, in hopes of finding her and bringing her back. Tally finds Shay living in the other society, Tally befriends a young man in that society and learns the truth.

Series: Read the next books in the series, Extras and Specials by Scott Westerfeld.

Rank: 4 Stars-Makes you think about what pretty really is.

Airman by Eoin Colfer

2008, New York: Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN: 9781423107507
416 pages

Annotation: In the 1890s a young boy studies all aspects of flying and then after becoming imprisoned he must rely on his flying knowledge.

Summary: Connor Broekhart was born in a hot air balloon. He and his family live off of the Irish Coast during the 1890s. He is constantly studying about flying and flying machines. Growing up Connor ran around with the princess, because his father was the King's right hand man. But then his life changes forever because the kind was murdered. Connor finds himself in jail on a small island. The conditions are harsh but he finds solace in drawing flying machine ideas on the walls of his jail cell. He must get out to save the princess and her family and to do that he must fly out.

Rank: 3.5 Stars-

Compound by S.A. Bodeen

2008, New York: Feiwel and Friends.
ISBN: 9780312370152
256 pages

Annotation: A teen boy, living in an underground compound with his family, learns his father is living one big lie after he discovers his twin brother is alive in the outside world.

Summary: Eli, a fifteen year old, has lived with his family in an underground compound his billionaire father built, for the last six years. The father had built the compound to save his family from nuclear warfar. While in the compound Eli does the same thing from day to day, but then Eli discovers that things are happening that should not be happening. The family begins to run out of food in the compound and the animals they do have begin to die. His father begins to take extreme measures to supposedly help the survival of the family. Eli thinks what his father is trying to do is morally and ethically wrong. Eli then discovers a laptop with internet connection. He finds out that his twin brother is alive in the outside world and that there was a nuclear threat.

Rank: 3.5 Stars-Different and intersesting although slightly lacking.

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

2007, New York: Sarah Crichton Books.
ISBN: 9780374105235
226 pages

Annotation: A former boy soldier recounts his experiences before being a soldier and how he became a soldier in his war torn country.

Summary: During the 1990s one of the most violent civil wars was happening, this violence was taking place in Sierra Leone, Africa. Ishmael Beah was a boy who loved his family, loved rap music, and even loved school, although was sometimes known as the mischievous one along with his older brother. Ishmael memorized all the rap lyrics he could hear and treasured his rap cassettes that included some of the most famous rappers from America. As a twelve year old he looked forward to participating in near by talent shows with his friends doing rap and dancing hip-hop. But, on one trip to a talent show in a neighboring village he is swept up into the atrocities of war. Not knowing where his family has ended up, but knowing he can’t go back to his town, he spends months continually running from the rebel forces and the armed forces. He knows if he is found he will be forced to be a soldier. He continually struggles to survive, lacking food and lacking much human contact. He travels by foot with hope that he can make it to somewhere safe. After many tragedies and near starvation and desperation he must become a soldier in the army. As a teenager he is trained to carry and shoot AK-47s. These soldiers became numb to the evil they were committing from cocaine and marijuana that was provided by the army. For several years he lives in these conditions becoming very hateful. Unexpectedly one day an international organization pulls Ishmael from the army and places him in a rehabilitation center in the capitol city. He gets off drugs and strives to learn and understand that none of what he did and what happened is his fault.

Rank: 5 Stars-An interestinig must read for all, although it is very serious and does not avoid any of the realities of war.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

2006, Waterville, Maine: Thorndike Press.
ISBN: 0786283807
350 pages

Annotation: A girl wakes up in on her way to another world, she learns that she has died. She tries to figure out a way to get back to earth.

Summary: Fifteen year old, Liz Hall, wakes up one morning in a strange bed. The bed is on a boat going somewhere, somewhere away from her family. She realizes that everyone, including herself is wearing pajamas. Liz becomes friends with her roommate, Thandi. They both soon realize that they are dead and on their way to a place called Elsewhere. Once they arrive in Elsewhere Liz is met by her grandmother who had died before Liz had a chance to get to know her. Her grandmother is very young and growing younger. Liz learns she is growing younger as well. She struggles with living in Elsewhere despite the friendships she makes, including with someone who once was a famous rock star on earth. Liz discovers she can get back to earth sooner than she thought.

Rank: 3.5 Stars-Interesting and fun perspective on death and what happens.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

2007, New York: David Fickling Books.
ISBN: 9780385751537
216 pages

Annotation: A nine year old boy must leave Berlin with his family because his father has been promoted to be in charge of a concentration camp.

Summary: Bruno along with his older sister and parent, leave his beloved Berlin to live in a boring house at Auschwitz . Bruno doesn't understand why his father must work there and be in charge. From a window in their new house Bruno sees a large fenced in area where a lot of people are wearing what he believes to be striped pajamas. Out of boredom Bruno begins exploring the area by walking along the fence line. He meets a boy, his age, that sits on the other side of the fence. Seeing how hungry and thin the boy is Bruno sneaks him food across the fence. Wanting to help his new friend find his dad, Bruno crawls under the fence and disguises himself in the striped pajamas his friend found for him. Bruno's family does not know of Bruno's friend or that he crosses the fence line.

Rank: 4.5 Stars-A different perspective on the World War II experience.

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix

2007, New York: Simon & Schuster.
ISBN: 9781416911715
330 pages

Annotation: Two young girl immigrants work at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory while working for women's and worker's rights.

Summary: In 1910, Bella, an immigrant from Italy, arrives in America to work and send money back to Italy for her starving family. She finds work at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory working long hours in horrible working conditions. She becomes friends with Yetta, an immigrant from Russia, who has been fighting for worker's rights. Bella learns her family in Italy has died from a serious illness and must worry about her own survival. Bella and Yetta go on strike as the conditions in the factory worsens. Jane, a wealthy young girl, becomes interested in the workers at the factory and goes against her father and begins fighting for the worker's rights as well. While Jane visits the factory a fire starts . . . killing many of the girls.

Rank: 4.5 Stars, very interesting historically and entertaining.

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

2007, New York: Little, Brown & Co.
ISBN: 9780316013680
230 pages

Annotation: A teen boy learns he must leave the reservation to attend an all white high school to make a better life for himself.

Summary: Junior was born on an Indian reservation in Washington state. He was not expected to live when he was born but did to live a life of a lot of teasing and ridicule by the people on the reservation. He opens textbook while in school and sees his mom's name on the front of it. After discovering his mother's name he realizes he must attend the all white high school, off the reservation to get a better education. He attends the high school, as the only Indian, except for the school mascot. He is an excellent student and becomes a basketball star on his all white team. His best friend on the reservation distances himself from Junior not understanding why he had to leave the reservation. Junior learns a lot about himself and a lot about his people.

Rank: 2. 5 Stars, interesting and educational about reservation life, there is language that might be obscene to some.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

1967, New York: Penguin Putnam, Inc.
ISBN: 014038572X
180 pages

Annotation: Three boys struggle to stay together after their parent's death while often struggling with their friends, the Greasers, against the upper class gang-the Socs.

Summary: Ponyboy and his two older brothers live in their own in a small town made up primarily of two teen gangs, the Greasers and the Socs. Ponyboy, who is a Greaser, likes things he isn't supposed to like, such as school and reading. But he goes with the Greaser crowd, who has become a family to him. Ponyboy and the Greasers feel like the outsiders of the town because they are the poor, lower class. He is loyal to his Greaser family until a greaser kills one the Socs in self-defense. Ponyboy begins to doubt that the Greasers are the only ones hurting in the worlds and he doubts the Greasers are really everything int he world.

Rank: 4 Stars-A story that can relate to almost everybody.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

2005, New York: HarperTempest.
ISBN: 9780060541439
321 pages

Annotation: A teenage girl sets off on a journey she is sent on by her artist aunt, who has recently passed away.

Summary: Ginny is sent on a journey by her aunt Peg. Peg left her family to live a wandering artist's life. After Peg's death Ginny receives a letter from her aunt that sends her first to New York City then off to London. She receives thirteen letters from her aunt that she must open in order and follow her aunt's instructions. She must only carry a backpack, no guidebooks, no money and not use electronics or telephones. With these rules Ginny sets off to foreign lands, opening letters from her aunt in specified locations such as Greece, London, Italy, and Scotland. In Ginny's journeys she learns about her aunt's life, makes friends and discovers things about her self that she didn't know about. Her journey ends in London with the discovery of her aunt's much desired paintings.

Rank: 3. 5 Stars-fun, entertaining story, makes you keep reading just to see what happens

Choosing Up Sides by John Ritter

1998, New York: Philomel Books.
ISBN: 0399231854
166 pages

Annotation: During the 1920s a fourteen year old boy deals with his preacher father, baseball and romance.

Summary: During the early days of Prohibition in 1921 Luke Bledsoe is the son of a preacher and discovers that he a talent for throwing left-handed pitches, but his father says that sports and left-handedness are sinful and of the devil. Luke discovers his talent of pitching after moving into a new town. Luke struggles with deciding between loving and respecting his father and his new love for baseball. Although Luke is treated coldly by his father, Luke maintains the respect he has for him despite his disagreement with some of the things he says. Luke comes to realize he has been living a life of pretending he was someone he was not and following the guidance of the bible to be honest, he shares with his father that he is leaving for the north to make his own way. The honest conversation between Luke and his dad is cut short by a horrible accident leaving his father dead, and breaking Luke’s left arm.

Rank: 3 Stars-Good book for familial relationships

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

1997, New York: Scholastic Press.
ISBN: 0590360809
227 pages

Annotation: A fourteen year old girl lives in the Oklahoma dustbowl during the great depression trying to forgive her father and overcome the sorrow she feels for the death of her mother.

Summary: Billie Jo’s mother died from an accident caused by her father, and she must work to forgive him in the midst of the Great Depression while living in the Oklahoma dustbowl. Billie Jo’s dad seems too worn out to really pay attention and show concern to Billie Jo after the death of her mother. Billie Jo thrives on playing the piano, but then in efforts to save her mother from the burning kerosene left in the kitchen she burns her hands and they become disfigured, which causes them to hurt too much to play. While mourning the loss of her mom and her painful hands, everyone is waiting for rain to come, but some give up and leave for greener land.
In hopes of finding a better life, Billie Jo hops a train heading to California. While on this journey she talks with a man who had abandoned his family and she learns that she should be home healing with her father, and that being together will provide the hope they need. She returns home and life begins to look up for both of them with rain, a new wife, and the ability to overcome her painful hands and play the piano again.

Rank: 4 Stars, Very well written and good storyline.

Note: Written in prose format.

Send One Angel Down by Virginia Frances Schwartz

2000, Holiday House: New York.
ISBN: 0823414841
159 pages

Annotation: This is a story of a slave girl, Eliza, fathered by the plantation owner. She is befriended by his daughters but then one of the daughters gets angry with her and sends her to the auction block.

Summary: Abram tells the story of his light skinned cousin, Eliza. Eliza was born five years after him. She is light skinned and has blue eyes, her father being the white plantation owner. Eliza is kept on the plantation because the breeding slaves are allowed to only keep their first born children. Eliza is taken to the master’s house every evening to play with the master’s young children. While she is there, the nanny is careful to teach her how to be a good nanny. But, one of the children gets angry at Eliza and tells her to never come back. Eliza is heartbroken and truly begins to learn the harsh realities of slavery when she is forced to work in the cotton fields, becoming freckled and burned because of her light skin. As the daughter’s of the master grow older, Eliza is seen from the house by one of their suitors. The suitor makes a comment about her light skin and who her father is. This comment eventually forces Eliza to be sent to the auction, but her cousin Abram raises money with the help of an abolitionist to purchase Eliza and set her free. Eliza is purchased and taken to New York City to work for a family there, being free to leave whenever she wants.

Rank: 4 Stars-Story about slavery and the harsh realities.

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

2007, New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
ISBN: 9780061345661
433 pages

Annotation: Two sisters, members of the New York elite social class in 1899, learn that their social status is far from secure and live in a social ring of scandal and deception.

Summary:In 1899, Elizabeth Holland was the perfect young woman living in the most elite social class of Manhattan. Elizabeth’s funeral is held on the day she was supposed to marry the most desired bachelor in Manhattan, Henry Shchoonmaker.
Before the funeral Elizabeth and her sister Diana learn that they are at risk of no longer being in the elite class of New York, forcing an engagement with Henry despite Elizabeth’s love for a servant of their household. Elizabeth keeps this love secret putting the social status of her family ahead of her own desires. An intense love triangle is found between Henry and her sister, Diana. Elizabeth’s bestfriend is in love with Henry, and despite her friendship with Elizabeth is deceptive and sly in attempts to marry Henry for herself. But, before the wedding Elizabeth’s carriage is overturned causing her death. The unexpected death of this socialite causes New York to wonder what really happened.

Series: Read the next book, Rumors: A Luxe Novel by Anna Godbersen

Rank: 4 Stars-entertaining romance set in the historical past.

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson

1941, New York: Thomas Y. Crowell.
ISBN: 0690040784
215 pages

Annotation: A girl grows up at Chesapeake Bay believing she is disliked while everyone else loves her twin sister.

Summary: This story is about a girl named Louise (who is called Wheeze by her sister) and her twin sister Caroline. Louise feels that she is overshadowed by her pretty and talented Caroline. Louise struggles with finding herself and finding the roll that she needs to live while living on Chesapeake Bay during and after the war. She struggles with her inability to do what she wants to do because she is a girl. Due to the world war she is allowed to show that she can excel in a man’s world of crabbing, although she is still jealous of her talented sister Caroline. This jealousy is fed from many experiences and opportunities that is seemed to be given to Caroline. Louise learns many things in this familial struggle and plans on ways to leave the island they live on. At the end of the story we meet Louise living in a valley where she is working as a midwife-seemingly happy and content.

Rank: 4. 5 Stars-The struggles of a girl that many can relate to.

Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

2002, New York: Penguin Books.
ISBN: 0142001740
302 pages

Annotation: Running from an abusive father a girl tries to save the housekeeper who had raised her, from a lynching during the 1960s, while searching for her mother.

Summary: Teenager Lily Owens lives a life with her abusive father while she has the constant memory of the day her mother was killed. Lily is not raised without a mother, her black nanny, Rosaleen, becomes her mother figure. One day outspoken Rosaleen insults members of the town who are very racist. Lilly understands that these insults will lead to the lynching of Rosaleen and Lilly sees this as an opportunity for both of them to escape. They go to a town called Tiburon-seeing the name of the town on the back of picture Lily found in her mother’s things. Once they arrive in Tiburon they are taken in by three black sisters who are in the business of beekeeping. Lily ends up learning more about her mother and what really happened the day she was killed.

Rank: 3. 5 Stars

Sarny A Life Remembered by Gary Paulsen

1997, New York: Delacorte Press.
ISBN: 0385321953
178 pages

Annotation: A young slave girl has a chance to flee her plantation in the last days of the Civil War, in search of her children that were sold away.

Summary: Sarny, who had learned to read as a young slave, is the mother of two children but living on a plantation as a slave she faces the reality that her children are sold away. Sarny is shackled to a wall by her owner, Waller, after he had sold her children, because he knew she would run after them. The owner leaves her on the wall. While she is there soldiers fighting from the north come by and kill Waller and release Sarny from her chains. She soon leaves in search of her children. After finding a paper that tells where her children had been sold, she starts walking towards New Orleans. She is befriended by a wealthy woman, Laura, who hires Sarny for her travels to New Orlean and vows to help her find her children. With the help of Laura, Sarny is able to find her two children. Sarny lives a good life with Laura and eventually gets her own little home with a new husband and two children. Sarny strives to open a school for black children and must over come many challenges, but Laura fully supports her. At the death of Laura, Sarny find out some news that might change her life forever.

Series: Read the first book about Sarny's life in Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen

Rank: 4 Stars-not as great as the first book in the series, but still very good.

Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen

1993, New York: Delacorte Press.
ISBN: 0385308388
92 pages

Annotation: A young girl living on a southern plantation takes the risk to learn reading from a previously escaped slave, who came back to slavery to teach other slaves to read.

Summary: Sarny, a twelve year old slave at the Waller plantation in the 1950s works taking care of the young until she is old enough to work the fields or become a breeder. She first sees Nightjohn when he is brought to the plantation after being purchased. Sarny discovers that Nightjohn wants to trade something for a snippet of tobacco that Sarny uses, while working in the garden by the masters house, to keep bugs away. She learns that what he has to trade is valuable. Nightjohn begins to teach Sarny the alphabet, and she soon learns to read. They both know they are at risk, as well as putting other slaves at risk, if anyone finds out they are learning to read. Nightjohn had once escaped slavery but returned with the intention of teaching other slaves to read. He escapes from the Waller plantation as well, but then comes back in the middle of the night looking for Sarny. He takes her to a school with other slaves, whom all have sneaked away for the night to learn their letters. Nightjohn encourages the slaves to learn and he knows that they will.

Series: Read the next book Sarny by Gary Paulsen

Rank: 5 Stars-a must read for everyone.

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Curtis

1999, New York: Delacorte Press.
ISBN: 0385323069
239 pages

Annotation: An African-American orphan leaves Flint, Michigan to search for his father during the Great Depression.

Summary: Since the death of his mother, Bud Caldwell has been living in an orphanage in Flint, Michigan. Bud does not like the orphanage, despite the fact that he had already been in three foster homes, he learns that he must pack up for yet another home with the Amoses. His new foster home does not end up being a good place for him and he runs away. While running away he finds a friend, “Bugs”, and they both head to Chicago. Bud is left behind in their attempt to hop the train heading that way. He becomes determined to find his real father with the only clue he has, an old flyer of a jazz band that was left in his suitcase by his mother before she died. He uses the flyer to find the man named on the flyer and is convinced that the man on the flyer is his father. The man ends up being Bud’s grandfather.

Rank: 2.5 Stars

Bat 6: A Novel by Virginia Wolff

1998, New York :Scholastic Signature.
ISBN: 0590898000
229 pages

Annotation: The experiences of a group of girls getting ready for their 6th grade softball game in post-war 1949.

Summary: After World War II, in 1949, sixth grade girls in two neighboring towns, are working at getting ready for the traditional sixth grade girls softball game. But, this year is different, this is the fiftieth year anniversary of this game. The various girls share their experiences and viewpoints, all being affected by the war in some way. This year there is a new girl on each team. One girl, Aki, has just returned from living in a Japanese interim camp and the new girl on the other team, Shazam, had been shuffled around because her father was killed in the Pearl Harbor attack and she bluntly dislikes Japanese-Americans. On the day of the important softball games an accident happens and Shazam hurts Aki very badly. She has to stay in bed for months and cannot speak, while Shazam struggles with her many emotional problems. All the girls are very disappointed in not being able to finish the softball game.

Rank: 2.5 Stars, not that interesting, although historical important.

Witness by Karen Hesse

2001, New York: Scholastic, Inc.
ISBN: 0439272009
161 pages

Annotation: During the 1920s members of a town share their stories in how the Ku Klux Klan is making their lives unsafe.

Summary: Witness is a book that shares the story of eleven townspeople in a small town in Vermont in 1924. Each character shares what they see happening in the town as the Ku Klux Klan create havoc amongst whites, blacks and jews. A young black girl, Leonora Sutter begins the novel with her observation that the six year old jewish girl from New York doesn’t mind that Leonora is black. The town constable, the doctor, a farmer, shop owner, restaurant owner and the newspaper editor all express their stories and what they think about the Ku Klux Klan in their town. Some think that the KKK will help with the morals of the town and crack down on crime. The shop owner, Harvey Pettibone, feels that by associating with the Klan business will improve, contrary to his wife, Viola’s, beliefs on the matter. But, the Klan invites gun shots and death threats aimed at both Leonora’s and Esther’s father. The town soon realizes that nothing good can come from the Klan causing that Klan’s application to do business in the town is rejected.

Rank: 4.5 Stars-excellant writing which makes you live in the story.

Notes: Author of Out of the Dust, written in prose format

Ashes of Roses by Mary Jane Auch

2002, New York: Henry Holt and Company.
ISBN: 0805066861
246 pages

Annotation: A sixteen year old Irish faces the realities of America alone with her younger sister, after her other family members must return to Ireland. She forms friendships but still must fight the daily struggle of survival in harsh working conditions in the early nineteen hundreds.

Summary: Rose Nolan and her family from Ireland have just made the trek from Ireland to America. But, once they arrive Rose’s baby brother is denied entry past the port, so her father must take him back to Ireland leaving Rose’s mother and sisters. The Nolan girls make their way to a relative’s home but finds the wife and daughter’s of their relative are not very welcoming. Rose is bound and determined to find work and make way for their family in New York. She finds herself getting into circumstances that are not ideal and her mother decides to head back to Ireland, leaving Rose and her sister. Rose and her younger sister leave their uncle’s home to make it on their own. They are able to rent a small room and become friends with Gussie, who works at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Rose and her sister begin working there and experience a devastating fire at the factory that kills many people all because of deplorable working conditions. Rose’s life has been changed forever.

Rank: 4 Stars-Interesting and entertaining aspect of immigration to the United States and Ellis Island.

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

2000, New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Annotation: During the depression, a fifteen year old lives with her grandmother in Illinois.

Summary: In 1937 the depression has hit the Dowdel family in a hard way forcing them to send their fifteen year old daughter, Mary Alice, to live with Grandma Dowdel. Mary Alice leaves Chicago by train to a small farming town, where her grandma lives. She arrives at the beginning of the school year and has several school experiences, not to her liking while learning to live with her no-nonsense grandma. Surprisingly with the help of her grandma, Mary Alice is able to escape relentless trouble from a girl at school and Grandma Dowdel shines in numerous ways.
Mary Alice becomes interested in a new boy in town, Royce McNabb. When the school year finishes, Mary Alice, realizes she must go back to Chicago so she promises to write Royce. Mary Alice eventually returns to the small town and marries Royce on her grandma’s front porch.

Series: Sequel to A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck.

Awards: A Newberry Award winner, a National Book Award finalist, and on the Best Book for Young Adults list by the American Library Association.

Rank: 3.0 Stars-Good read, just not that different.

Storm Warriors by Elisa Carbone

2001, New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
ISBN: 0375806644
166 pages

Annotation: A Twelve-year-old leaves after his mothers death to go to a life saving station hoping to get on the all-black crew in 1895.

Summary: In the late nineteenth century, Nathan Williams moves with his father and grandfather to a remote island, called Pea Island, after the death of his mother. This island is the Life-Saving Station of an all-black lifesaving team. He mingles with the crew members and learns many lifesaving techniques for saving people from the disasters that happen in the ocean. Nathan also finds interest in the stations small library, learning all he can. After he and his father help rescue a crew that lost their boat in a storm, Nathan becomes even more determined to be on the lifesaving team, despite his father’s discouragement for racial reasons. Nathan is seen as young doctor by those he rescues and is encouraged to become a black doctor to doctor those who need it. He understands what he must do and he and his father start saving for medical school, dollar by dollar.

Rank: 3.5 Stars-Interesting and enlightning.

Jason's Gold by Will Hobbs

1999, New York: Harper Trophy.
ISBN: 0380729148
216 pages

Annotation: A fifteen year old boy makes his way by train and boat towards the Klondike, coming across adventures and simply trying to survive.

Summary: Jason, a fifteen year old, is selling newspapers in New York City in the late 1890s. His paper is selling like crazy, then finally he has a chance to read what it is all about: gold found in the west. He realizes that he too, has the gold fever and makes his way across the United States heading toward Alaska despite the fact he recently had left his brothers in Seattle wanting to prove to them that he could make it on his own. He tries to make it to Seattle quick enough to meet up with his brothers once again. But, they had already left to go find gold. He does everything he can to make it to Alaska, he stows away on a ship, meeting many people on his way. He overcomes close to death experiences to eventually find his brothers.

Rank: 3 Stars

Gabriel's Story by David Durham

2001, New York: Doubleday.
ISBN: 0385498144
292 pages

Annotation: An African-American teenager goes with his mother to Kansas to homestead with his new step-father.

Summary: Gabriel leaves his good home to head west with his mother and younger brother after the death of his father to meet their new step-father in Kansas. Gabriel is not happy with their new situation, living in a sod makeshift, one room house, and plowing the dry hard land day after day. He doesn’t understand how owning land that is dead makes them free. His step-father tells Gabriel that the blessing of being a free man and no longer a slave is the ability to work their own land. Gabriel feels that they are being slaves to the land. Gabriel learns of a man who is hiring that will be heading south. He and a friend, James, gets hired and leaves for a life of higher adventure, more freedom and success. The adventure they set off to have leads them on a journey that becomes more dangerous than the boys anticipated through out Texas, New Mexico and the western expanse. Ashamed, but longing for something, Gabriel makes his ways over territories to return home to his family hoping for forgiveness. While at his family’s homestead, Gabriel gets some unwanted visitors from his past putting himself and his family in danger.

Rank: 2.5 Stars-Interesting storyline but the writing makes it drag.