SHARKS, PIRATES, AND DEATH!

Fidelia Quail and her family were on their last outing at sea before winter and the beginning of the Undertow, when her parents perished in a storm. Deep in a depressive state over the loss of her family, Fidelia's aunt Julia wants to move to the mainland, but Fidelia doesn't want to move away from Aborley Bay and all she knows and loves.  

But when she is kidnapped by the notorious pirate Merrick the Monstrous, Fidelia is forced to use her knowledge of sharks and her skill in invention to find his most prized treasure. Pursued by Her Majesty's Naval Admiral, Merrick presses Fidelia to finish her underwater breathing invention before time runs out. Will Fidelia ever be able to just go back home to her Aunt Julia? 

Race to the Bottom of the Sea by Lindsay Eager is a thrilling novel about an eleven-year-old's love of sharks, the sea, and her family, told both in the past and in the present.

Ideal for readers in 5th through 8th grades.

CREEPY AND TWISTED

Tabitha, an unwanted child of two very selfish parents, is about to be left at the doorstep of the local orphanage, when she and five other children are  invited to a spend the weekend at the mansion of a wealthy but reclusive countess.  Strange things begin to happen as soon as they arrive.  The maid dies right at the dinner table and the children begin to dissappear one by one.

Tabitha sets out to investigate the secrets she's sure is hiding in the mansion and with the seemingly more and more unstable countess.  Nooks and Crannies by Jessica Lawson is a Dahlish gothic novel set in some nebulous Dickensian time period.  It's a perfect read for those looking for something different to read.

For readers in 4th-6th grades.  

WHY DO THE SPOOKIEST THINGS HAPPEN AT NIGHT?

A review by Theresa from the Children's Room: 

It wouldn’t be Halloween without at least one spooky book on the list and The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier is one that is not to be missed. It has all the required ingredients for a scary story, an old crone telling innocent orphan children a warning tale; a dark and forbidding house where the appearance of the occupants is rapidly changing; sinister characters and lots of suspense. 

This story is told by two Irish orphans who after being hired as servants arrive at the aforementioned house which needs to be mentioned, has been built practically on top of a very old, very large and diseased looking tree, is actually one of the main characters in this story. Undaunted by this very dark scene Molly and her brother Kip enter the house to meet their employers, the four Windsors, and begin their spine-chilling adventure. Want to come along? Just remember, it’s only a story in a book. 

For readers in grades 5-8

IS THIS OUR WORLD’S FUTURE?

The year is not certain but the story is set in the future where the world has become a very different one than ours. It is hot, very hot and has been that way as long as Devin can remember. He is one of the lucky ones as he and his grandfather live on a farm in a hidden idyllic oasis. While they had to work hard to keep up with the chores, life was good for them. When the grandfather suddenly dies, Devin must leave the safety of the hidden valley to find help to keep the farm going. What he finds instead is a nightmare of a society where children are left to their own devices and everyone has to lie, steal and cheat to survive. After a chance encounter with an older boy named Kit, the opportunity to escape the dark reality of the city to what sounds like paradise is offer him and he readily accepts. 

Devin soon finds out that Paradise is not all that it was promised to be in Tania Unsworth’s, The One Safe Place a thrilling adventure story for readers in grades 5-8.

SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND

World War II home front and magical realism seem like an unlikely pairing, but they work together beautifully in Beholding Bee by Kimberly Newton Fusco.

 While World War II is waging overseas, eleven-year-old Bee is fighting a war of her own. Orphaned at a young age, Bee works at the hot dog stand of a traveling carnival. She lives in the back of a hauling truck with Pauline, a young woman who works at the carnival and is the only person looking out for Bee. But, what makes Bee stand out is the “diamond” on her cheek. Born with a large birthmark covering one side of her face, Bee tries her best to be happy despite the cruel stares and taunts she endures on a daily basis. But, at least she has Pauline, who Bee knows will always protect her from the world. There is also the strange, yet comforting presence of the lady in the orange flappy hat, who it seems only Bee can see and who only shows up on days that have been particularly difficult.

When Pauline is sent to work for another carnival, Bee is left truly alone and must face the harsh realities of the world.  Accompanied by her dog, Peabody, and the baby pig she smuggles out of the carnival, Bee digs deep within herself to summon strength and courage she didn’t know she possessed. Her journey of self-discovery and renewal is inspiring as Bee carves out a new life for herself and learns that she is not the only one who has faced hardship in their life.

Beholding Bee is an unusual and unexpected story. The cover art looks like a contemporary novel, but after a few chapters it’s clear that this is historical fiction that reads like a fairy tale. The stark realities of this country during the 1940s are apparent; polio, rationing, families broken apart by the war, and the treatment of children with special needs are all woven into the story. But, like any good fairy tale, there are bright points and moments of whimsy. Throughout it all, the character of Bee sparkles as she learns who she is and what she is capable of.

Recommended for 4th grade and up.

A DELICIOUS CAKE TALENT

Everyone has a talent.   Cady's talent is figuring out what kind of cake is right for a person.  Orphaned for what seems like forever, Cady is the only one left at the orphanage until an accident leads her to a special building, an old peanut butter factory, where one person is searching for her talent, another steals talents but where everyone seems to be tangled together somehow.  In this fantastical tale by Lisa Graff, A Tangle of Knots,  the knots become untangled as Cady finds the family she is meant to be with.  
The book includes recipes for each person's special cake.  I haven't any of them yet, but you can check out the book and try one out...maybe Miss Mallory's Peach Cake or something more unusual like Zane's Garlic Cake. 

For readers in 4th-6th grade.  

WHAT'S A DRAGONSLAYER?

Exactly!  A dragonslayer has not been seen for many years.  Now, the last dragon in the Ununited Kingdom is dying.  Mayhaps all magic along with it.  Orphan, Jennifer Strange, manager of wizards and all things magical at the Kazam Mystical Arts Management is treading water and keeping things together, barely, while her boss is "away".  Come to find out, she is the last dragonslayer and the previous dragonslayer has been waiting for her for a long, long time.  With no time spare, she gets a crash course as an apprentice in the history of dragons and people, and dragonslayers and of course the dragonstation.  She's had the quickest apprenticeship ever.

But now with the imminent death of the dragon, everyone, from kings to land developers, are vying for the last of the open space of Dragonland.  Jasper Fforde's first book for children, The Last Dragonslayer, is a great fantasy that takes a while to set up but ends in a fantastically unexpected way. 

For readers in 6th-8th.  

LONG LOST PRINCE

Conner, a nobleman of the court, adopts four orphan boys on his quest to find the one who will take on the role of Carthya’s long lost prince.  With the death of the King, the county is divided and civil war is imminent.  Conner has little time to train these boys and ultimately select the one who will take the identity of the prince. But in order for his plan to succeed, the boy Conner selects has to convince the county the twenty regions that he is their resurrected prince.

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, is book one of the thrilling Ascendance Trilogy.  This book is a page turner; I would recommend it for students who enjoy suspense and survival.  Following the story with Sage, one of the orphan boys and narrator, readers get to experience what it was like for the boys to compete for their lives.  Readers will also enjoy the unexpected turns this story takes. 

For readers in grades 4-8.

 

WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES ANOTHER WILL OPEN

Change can sometimes be a good thing, but other times, not so great.  For Elise, starting middle school brought on many challenges. When she started school her locker mate bulled her for being “babyish”.  She found herself distancing herself from her best friend.  In addition, she had to learn to share her home with her Aunt’s sister and baby.  This was all too much for Elise to handle.  However, after her 12^th birthday, things began to look up for her.  She started discovering some mysterious keys her late-father left for her to find and each key opened a door to a room.  As she unlocked each room, she began to find herself.   With the help of her friends and family, Elise learned about her past, overcame her present challenges and began to look forward to her future. 

Eight Keys by Suzanne La Fleur is a great story about a girl coming of age.   For 4^th grade and older.

BUDDING BOY BUD

This is a story about Bud, NOT Buddy. His mother insisted that he tell everyone to call him Bud. It's been four years since Bud's mom died, and he's bounced from orphanage to foster home and back again. His latest foster family is awful! He narrowly escapes her clutches and runs away to search for his father. Bud has his suitcase full of mementoes, which also serve as clues to where Bud's father may live. An adventurous journey ensues, taking Bud through many aspects of society during the late 1930s. Bud finds the man he is looking for, but he is really surprised to learn who that man really is! BUD, NOT BUDDY by Christopher Paul Curtis takes place many years ago, but everything that happens to Bud could happen to you too. Grades 4 and up.

JULY 2012

A NEW TRILOGY FOR FANTASY READERS

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens 

There’s a reason this book is popular. The writing is pitch-perfect and sweeps readers in immediately. “The Emerald Atlas” is the first in Stephen’s trilogy, “Books of Beginning.” It follows three orphans whose parent’s mysterious disappearance lands them in a string of orphanages. Ten years later, the children are adopted by Dr. Pym and move to a spooky, childless town. After some exploring, they discover a magic book that allows travel through time. Ultimately, they discover how the book connects to a prophecy, an evil witch, and their parents.

Fantasy buffs will notice similarities to Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia. But they won’t mind – the pacing, plot, and humor will keep them eagerly turning pages. Don’t expect something wholly original but do expect to be satisfied. 

A solid Harry Potter read-alike. For grades 4 – 7.

A HOB IN THE ABBEY

After finding a hob (hobgoblin) trapped and injured in the woods, Will, take it back to Crowfield Abbey to heal. And so begins the strange events and visitors to the Abbey. It all harkens back to something that happens many many years ago waiting to be unearthed.

The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh is an fantasy suspense thriller set during the end of the Middle Ages when people had their faith, believing in the good, the evil and the fantastical. For readers in 6th-8th grade.

LOIS LOWRY STRIKES AGAIN!

I am beginning to think that Lois Lowry can write about anything. Author of award winning books like Number the Stars and The Giver, not to mention the Anastasia Krupnik series among other greats, she's managed to pen a fabulous story for the "dark comedy" genre that will remind you of Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket! THE WILLOUGHBYS is an atypical story about a miserable family with misearble parents who decide they don't like their kids anymore, hire a nanny and leave town. The oldest boy is the bossiest kid you'll ever meet, the twins have the exact same name but alternate days they can wear the one sweater they own, and the only girl is really the smartest but is too shy to say anything. Down the street lives a miserable candy bar inventor who lost his family. But the two families intertwine in very strange ways, and make for a delightful tale. For grades 4 and up.

A NEW AND IMPROVED MAGICAL ORPHAN!

He lives in an orphanage. He doesn't have a scar, but he does have a strange spiral birthmark on the bottom of his foot. He thinks his name is Ernie Banks, but it's not. He doesn't have a magic wand, but he does have a mysterious crystal acorn that's hung on his neck ever since the mean orphanage mother found him on the doorstep. There's a history to his life that he doesn't even know about. Not until he happens to get sent to a farm for a few weeks in summer, and strange coincidences intermix with crazy monsters, small elf-like creatures, and the first humans to ever show Ernie what it feels like to be loved. PUDDLEJUMPERS by Mark Jean & Christopher C. Carlson is a great story about what one boy does to save an entire species without even knowing it. For 6th grade and up.

TO RESCUE A PRINCE

Cornelius the wizard, Gurkintrude the fey, Hans the giant, and Odge the Hag are in charge of rescuing the prince from the human world on the other side of the Gump. That is THE SECRET OF PLATFORM 13, also the title of this book by Eva Ibbotson. Nine years earlier, the last time the Gump passageway between the worlds was open, the prince was kidnapped by an evil woman named Mrs. Trottle. The King and Queen have longed for the return of their only child, and send the crew of four from the Island, an almost mythical place hidden to most humans by a thick mist. But the nine-year-old boy, Raymond, turns out to be a lot less like a prince than they would've hoped, and some strange events change the lives of more than one boy by the end of the book! For 4th grade and older.