Far World: Air Keep -- J. Scott Savage

The adventure continues…

It’s been six months since Marcus and Kyja obtained the help of the land and water elementals. But before they can get help from the mysterious air elementals they have to figure out how to open a box with no key.

Together, Marcus and Kyja travel into the Is, the Was, the Will Be, and the Never Was as they try to open the box, save their city, free Land Keep and Water Keep from water and land elementals who have joined the Dark Circle. Marcus still has to find a way to change the future, and save Kyja’s life, but there’s a catch; any changes they make in the Abyss of Time may destroy the doorway, trapping them forever…

Even with his physical disability, Marcus is able to accomplish great things. It is a story of determination and friendship, and of having the courage to make those hard decisions.

Another brilliant addition to the Far World saga. Although J. Scott Savage is in my critique group, I really had only previewed a few early chapters in this episode, so reading the book was an exciting adventure for me, filled with surprises, twists & turns, familiar characters, as well as new ones, and an ending that made me yearn to read Fire Keep right away. (In other words, get busy writing, Jeff!)

I have loved the Far World series from the very beginning. Kyja is a wonderful role model. She truly cares about people and would give her life to protect another. The frightening part of this trait is that in Air Keep, if Marcus’s visions of the future are right, she might just be called upon to do that very thing. Despite his fears and the limitations of his disabilities, Marcus will do everything he can to protect his best friend and maintain her trust.

Because I have used Far World: Water Keep as one of my key literature studies with my English classes, and because these students went on to read Land Keep on their own, there was much excitement at the release of Air Keep throughout my school. I arranged for a school-wide assembly by the author, which was very well received by students and faculty alike. I would highly recommend both the book series and the assembly for grades 4-9.

And, by the way, I was so excited to see the return of the ishkabiddle. I’ve love the fur-ball almost as much as I love saying its name!  

 

Wednesdays in the Tower -- Jessica Day George

A castle that is constantly rearranging itself, and a young royal family sworn to protect it . . . Celie, Rolf, and their beloved Castle Glower are back in this exciting sequel.

Strange things are afoot in Castle Glower: new rooms, corridors, and even stables keep arriving, even when they aren't needed. Celie's brother Bran, the new Royal Wizard, has his hands full cataloguing an entire storeroom full of exotic and highly dangerous weapons, while Celie has her hands full . . . raising the creature that hatches from a giant egg she finds! Will they be able to find out what's making the Castle behave this way in time?


An absolutely delightful sequel to Tuesdays at the Castle. I felt I knew the characters better this time, and I was more familiar with the castle's quirks, which made the story easier for me to follow. I bought two copies for the junior high school library and had a half dozen students read it before the library closed for the school year. All of them loved the book as much as I did.

This series would be an excellent addition to literature circles or read aloud to the class for grades 1 through 7, or I highly recommend the book as a welcomed gift for wither boys or girls in the same age range. 

The book opened in the New York Times Bestseller list. Bravo, Jessica!

Only one thing to note, I'm not looking forward to waiting an entire year before I know what happens on Thursday!

Clockwork Angel -- Cassandra Clare

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all. 


Deliciously gruesome steam punk, not for the feint of heart. I could hardly devour this one fast enough to satisfy my curiosity. Happy that book two is already sitting on my to be read pile. It's no wonder the students and teachers have made it hard to keep this one on the shelves.

Some content is graphic, and I would not recommend this to anyone younger than 9th grade.

Cragbridge Hall: The Inventor's Secret -- Chad Morris

Abby and Derick have been accepted to the most prestigious secondary school in the world: Cragbridge Hall. Due to the inventions of their grandfather, Oscar Cragbridge, they will be able to experience history in 3D, use their minds to literally project visual interpretations of classic literature, and become animal avatars for zoology. But when their grandfather and parents go missing, Abby and Derick must follow clues Oscar left for them that will reveal a dangerous secret. Along the way, they discover there is much more to one of their grandfather's inventions than anyone has ever dreamed. Saving their family will take all of Derick's mind and Abby's heart as they come face to face with a crazed scientist who desperately seeks to change the past. If they fail, the world past and future will never be the same.

Shadow Mountain has brought us what appears to be another delightful, and popular fantasy series for young readers. In the vein of Margaret Peterson Haddix's Missing series, The Infinity Ring series under the tutelage of creator and author James Dashner, and a dash of the 39 Clues series tossed in for good measure, Morris's novel takes us to the delightful possibility of time travel in an incredible school, unlike any in existence, and teaches a bit of history along the way.

Although some of the history was obscure and likely not familiar to the majority of young readers, they will immediately recognize, and experience the suspense, of the sinking of the Titanic. A little more development about Ernest Shackleton, Hugh Glass and John Colter, and the complete omission of the reference to Joseph Smith would have improved the historical aspects of the novel. The paragraph about Smith was confusing, causing me to reread three times and still not understanding why such an obscure event to the non-Mormon world was even included, other than to serve as an all-too-obvious head-nod to the local community of readers.

With that one exception, I loved the book and will recommend it to my junior-high students. The addition of discussion questions lends the book to small group study, such as literature circles.     


 

2012 My Best Books List

Those who know me well, know I read a TON of books every year. This year the official total was 127 of published novels, with somewhere around an additional 20 manuscripts that I edited for clients. That's a lot of books!

In past years, I've taught English classes and I was able to build a list of my students' favorite books, but since I'm in the library, I only know the books my patrons have most enjoyed, and which ones have been most popular.

I thought I would give you a list of the books I most enjoyed, and therefore those I most often recommend. Some are for teens, others for adult readers. You may agree; you may not, but I hope this list will at least get you thinking about the books you read in 2012, and what reading goals you plan to set for 2013.

Here's my list in the order I read them. Now, everybody READ!

1. The Death Cure -- James Dashner
2. The Last Lecture -- Randy Pauch
3. Icefall -- Matthew Kirby
4. The Newport Ladies Book Club: Olivia -- Julie Wright
5. Shifting -- Bethany Wiggins
6. Bloodborne -- Gregg Luke
7. Sean Griswald's Head -- Lindsey Leavitt
8. With a Name Like Love -- Tess Hilmo
9. Girls Don't Fly -- Kristen Chandler
10. 43 Old Cememtary Road: Dying to Meet You -- Kate Kliss
11. Pie -- Sarah Weeks
12. How I Sold a Million eBooks in 5 Months -- John Locke
13. The Wedding Letters -- Jason F. Wright
14. Decision Points - George W. Bush
15. No Apology - Mitt Romney
16. How Do You Kill 11 Million People -- Andy Andrews
17. The Future of Us -- Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
18. Ripple -- Mandy Hubbard
19. Friends and Foes -- Sarah M. Eden
20. Banana Split -- Josi Kilpack
21. Both of Us -- Ryan O'Neal
22. Infinity Ring: A Mutiny in Time -- James Dashner
23. The Harbinger -- Jonathan Cahn
24. Of Grace and Chocolate -- Krista Jensen
25. Savvy -- Ingrid Law
26. Michael Vey: Rise of the Elgen -- Richard Paul Evans
27. Lincoln's Last Days -- Bill O'Reilley
28. Almost Home -- Joan Bauer
29. Potterwookie -- Obert Skye
30. The Missing: Caught -- Margaret Haddix Peterson
31.  Heart of the Ocean -- Heather B. Moore
32. Princess Academy: The Palace of Stone -- Shannon Hale
33. The False Prince -- Jennifer Nielsen
34. Third Time's a Charm -- Heather B. Moore
35. A Winter's Dream -- Richard Paul Evans

With a Name Like Love - Tess Hilmo

When Ollie’s daddy, the Reverend Everlasting Love, pulls their travel trailer into Binder, Arkansas, to lead a three-day revival, Ollie knows that this town will be like all the others her daddy drags them through—it is exactly the kind of thing Ollie has come to expect. But on their first day, Ollie meets Jimmy Koppel, whose mother is in jail for murdering his father. Jimmy insists that his mother is innocent and Ollie believes him. Still, even if Ollie convinces her daddy to break his three-day rule and stay longer, how can two thirteen-year-olds free a woman who has signed a confession?

Ollie’s longing for a friend and her daddy’s penchant for searching out lost souls prove to be a formidable force in this tiny community, where everyone seems bent of judging and jailing without a trial.

Winner of two Whitney Awards, and a finalist for the Utah Beehive Award, With a Name Like Love has already proven itself to be a winner among adult readers, and children will appreciate the honest look at how far one must go when they have faith in a friend.

Part mystery, part realistic fiction, the novel, which is appropriate for middle readers and young adults, is an excellent demonstration of giving characters a unique and compelling voice. Hilmo’s word choice adds flavor to both the character of a traveling preacher and his family and the people of Arkansas. As Ollie works to solve the mystery that surrounds the murder of Jimmy’s father, and the supposed-confession of his mother, readers can apply supporting details to solve the case on their own, keeping in line with the Common Core Standards.

Reminiscent of Carl Lynch William’s Christmas in Heaven in theme and story, the two novels discussed together would prove an excellent source for the investigation of voice.

Highly Recommend.

The Kindling - Braden Bell

Home work? Of course. Crushes? Sure. But who knew seventh grade included superpowers?

All thirteen-year-old Conner Dell wants is to pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn't mean to set anyone's gym shorts on fire, or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Conner's normal teenage life is about to go up in flames!

One “dark and stormy night,” Conner, his twin sister, Lexa, and her friend Melanie are studying at home, and all is well, despite the storm. Until Melanie opens the front door. 

Waiting in the street is danger, and they all three sense it. The lights go out, the dogs bark furiously, then mysteriously stop, and a lone man, dressed in black, is standing in the street. A coincidence? A scene right out of a scary movie? 

Perhaps it's all innocent enough, until the same man is spotted near their school. Who is this guy, and what does he have to do with magi, kindling, and the Dark Force? 

Bell weaves magic and telepathy into what most would consider the mundane world of middle school in this easy-to-read novel. Although at times as an adult reader, I felt the world-building needed to be a little stronger, and occasionally the telepathic talk was confusing, the book was enjoyable and has received great reviews from my students who are curious about what will happen next in the lives of Conner and Lexa. 

Years of teaching middle school students has helped the author target the voice he gives to the characters, as well as the emotions they experience at discovering their lives are now special and in danger. The Kindling   could serve as a gateway for young readers interested in moving from juvenile books which average 100 pages, toward heftier novels such as Harry Potter, helping readers build their skills in text complexity. 

Recommend for grades 5-8, depending on the student's independent reading skills.