Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World  by Ashley Herring Blake

Ivy is 12 years old (almost 13!), and feeling adrift following the birth of baby twins in the family.  Her friends are just starting to think and talk about boys, but Ivy is starting to think about girls.  Then, Ivy's world literally flies apart:  a tornado flattens her house and leaves her family homeless.  

Ivy is a smart, talented, and creative protagonist who finds more than a little help from friends--new friends and familiar friends.  

This is a beautiful, sweet middle-grade book about Ivy and her family and friends, and their attempts to find their own places in the world.  Highly recommended for readers ages 10 and up.

George

George  by Alex Gino

Fourth-grader George is a girl.  

But when everybody--including her mom, who changed her diapers as a baby--looks at George, they see a boy.  It's a problem for George.  She knows that there are other girls out there in the world like her, but she doesn't know how she will ever join them. 

When her teacher reads Charlotte's Web aloud to the class, George wants more than anything to play the role of Charlotte in the school play, but she isn't even allowed to audition for the part...because she's a boy.

Inspired by the literary character of Charlotte, George and her best friend Kelly take action that will change George's life forever...hopefully, for better.

Publishing this book as a middle-grade story that clearly skews towards a young readership allows it forgiveness for the unrealistically large number of unreasonably reasonable people portrayed in it.   Writers and storytellers know that younger audiences practically require a Very Happy Ending; however, very good writers and storytellers can provide that ending while simultaneously providing the seeds of knowledge about difficulties the characters may face after the last page.  Alex Gino pulls off the trick very nicely.  

George is a sweet book, and readers will rejoice at the end of the story, even though they know that the main character's struggles are not nearly over.

I Kill the Mockingbird

I Kill the Mockingbird  by Paul Acampora

Inspired by Fat Bob the English teacher, eighth graders Lucy, Elena and Michael decide that not nearly enough people read and enjoy Fat Bob's favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird. 

To motivate more people to read the book, the teens make the book...disappear: they mis-shelve copies in bookstores and libraries, and they create a website, a Facebook page, and a Tumblr account to give the appearance of a conspiracy to keep people from reading Mockingbird. 

Soon, bookstores and libraries all over the country are reporting that their copies of the book are missing...and readers all over the country are discovering that they actually do want to spend their summer reading about Scout, Jem, Dill, and the elusive Boo Radley.

If you've ever dreamed of a literary conspiracy, here's your book.  Fast, funny, and full of quotable one-liners that readers will love to share with friends. 

Recommended for ages 14 to adult; two sweet kisses, no cussing, no bloodshed, and no mockingbirds are harmed.

Keeping the Castle

Keeping the Castle  by Patrice Kindl

17-year-old Althea needs to marry for money. 

She knows that the fate of her noble-but-impoverished family as well as the fate of the family castle depends on her ability to make a successful--i.e. a wealthy--marriage match.  At first, Althea is willing to marry anybody who is rich enough to pay the bills and repair the dilapadated ancestral home, but gradually she realizes that she would prefer to marry someone who is not only rich, but also well-bred, well-educated, well-mannered, good-looking, and smart enough to recognize those virtues in Althea herself.

Fans of Jane Austen's literary world will adore Althea and her eccentric family, and astute readers will immediately identify the character she should marry, even when Althea seems impossibly blind to his fine qualities.  This quick, charming book can also be a stepping stone to the world of Regency romance made so popular by Downton Abbey.

No sex or cussing (heavens forbid!); the sweet and funny romances in this story will mostly appeal to gently reared female readers ages 12 to adult. 

The Lucy Variations

 

The Lucy Variations  by Sara Zarr

 

Lucy Beck-Moreau was world-famous as a child prodigy at the piano, but at age 16, minutes before taking the stage at an illustrious competition in Prague, she walked away from the piano.  Her family was furious, but Lucy was adament: she did not want to spend her life competing and performing anymore.

 

Eight months have passed, and the family's attention is now focused  on Lucy's 10-year-old brother Gus, who is preparing for his first major public performance.  Lucy wants to help Gus, but she can't help being intrigued by the new piano teacher: a former prodigy himself, Will is attractive, attentive...and married.

 

Lucy's social development was clearly impaired by her years of grueling practice and performance scheduling, but with the help of a few friends, she's learning to relate to her age-mates.  The characters are well-rounded, the dialogues are terrific, and the relationships (even the inappropriate ones) are compelling.  This is a well-written story of a teen who is beginning to make decisions for herself. 

 

Recommended for ages 13 to adult.  A few kisses, and a bit of underage drinking, but nothing to alarm most readers.

Blud and Magick

Blud and Magick  by Preston Norton

Edwin the Educated, one of the surviving Sages of Hazirrez Tower, is given the responsibility of raising a baby girl created from the ashes of the ultra-evil wizard Remmus Alrad.  He takes her away from the magickal realm of Trivaesia into the mundane world of Oklahoma, calls her his "niece" and pretends to everyone that she is completely normal.  But on the first day in a new school, 14-year-old Darla ("Alrad" spelled backwards--get it?) learns that her teacher isn't really her teacher, that her uncle isn't really her uncle, and that she is...not human at all.

The writing is rife with clichés (a hunchback guarding the castle and a vampire seeking revenge?  Really?) and many of the settings and themes seem copycatted from Harry Potter.   Not recommended for discerning readers, but teens seeking fast-moving paranormal  fiction with minimal originality or character development will enjoy the action and not worry about the lack of depth. 

No sex, no drugs.  Some magickal bloodshed, a potentially deadly virtual-reality game that is a dead ringer for Quiddich, and a dragon.  Sequels are clearly planned, and the sequels will probably include some romancing.

Drama

Drama  by Raina Telgemeier, with color by Gurihiru

Middle-school student Callie loves everything theatric. 

She loves the lights, she loves the music, she loves the audience, she loves the costume vault, and she loves being set designer for the school production of "Moon Over Mississippi." 

Although Callie and her friends focus a lot of attention on the play, there is still plenty of time and energy to devote to the other kind of middle school drama:  the boyfriends, the girlfriends, the getting-togethers and the breakups.

Callie's friendship with the other drama kids is absolutely on-target, and the graphic novel portrayal of life behind the stage is note-perfect.  Racial and sexual diversity is portrayed realistically and with charm; no cussing, no violence (except a bit of social back-stabbing from the leading lady), a few sweet kisses, and a bunch of growing up for almost all the characters.

Highly recommended for drama kids, aspiring drama kids, and retired drama kids, ages 12 to adult. 

Cinder

Cinder  by Marissa Meyer

In this re-told story with a sci-fi twist, Cinder is a teenaged cyborg with two stepsisters and a stepmother who hates the "subhuman" left in her care.  While working as an android mechanic in the public market, Cinder meets up with the charming Prince Kai, who invites her to the fancy ball being held in his honor...but Cinder knows that her stepmother will never allow her to attend.

Fairy tale elements are artfully re-cast, with the story returned to its original Chinese roots;  however, futuristic New Beijing is very different from the ancient city.  The fairy godmother is a household droid with a "defective" personality; the pumpkin coach is an ugly vintage motorcar (one suspects an orange VW Bug!), and the glass slipper is a too-small cyborg foot that doesn't attach securely enough to Cinder's artificial leg.   The plot is relatively predictable, but the ending is a cliff-hanger that will be continued in the second part of the projected 4-volume series.

Recommended for readers who enjoy folktale retellings, romance, and futuristic societies, ages 12 to adult.  No cussing, nekkidness, or excessive violence.  There is (of course!) a kiss.  Pair this with A Long, Long Sleep, which is another retold-in-the-future fairy tale.

Swim the Fly

Swim the Fly  by Don Calame
15-year-old Matt and his buddies Sean and Cooper have a long-standing tradition:  at the beginning of each summer, they set a challenge for themselves.  This year the challenge is to see a real live girl naked.  Magazines don't count, the internet doesn't count, family members don't count.  The boys are absolutely focused on their goal...except when they get distracted by poop, masturbation, and the attractions of the girl's locker room. 

Over-the-top comedy and crazy situations (like the time the boys dress up as girls, or the time they hide in a closet during a party, or the time they try to peek over the top of dressing room) had me literally laughing out loud.  Give this to boys who enjoy Three-Stooges-esque humor and poop jokes.  A sweet romance between Matt and a girl is a surprise to the main character, but savvy readers will see it coming.

Recommended for readers (especially boys) ages 12 to adult.  Underage drinking, mild cussing and *yes* there is a naked woman...but no sex. 

I am J

 

I am J   by Cris Beam

 

J has always felt misunderstood, and no wonder: his parents think he's a lesbian, his best friend Melissa think he's a girl, and his girlfriend Blue is pretty sure he's gay. But J knows that he is a boy, although he was born female.  After doing some Google research, J learns about testosterone shots, and is convinced that taking "T" will fix everything in his life.  But even after seeing a psychologist and starting hormone therapy, J learns that, as much as he loves them, the people in his life are still not perfect.

 

Readers will learn a lot about the lives of transgender teens as J attends a support group, enrolls at a school for transgender teens, and does his best to become a man in a society that isn't quite sure how to define him.  The book is obviously issue-driven;  however, the convincingly multi-ethnic and gender-diverse characters retrieve it from the "Afterschool Special" pile.  Not everyone accepts J as he accepts himself, but there is hope. 

 

Almost squeaky-clean: no cussing, no sex; there is one scene of under-age drinking.  References to body parts are polite.  Sexual tension does not progress beyond a few exchanged kisses. 

 

Recommended for readers in grades 7 to adult.

Bluefish by Pat Schmatz

Travis is a loner at a new school in a new town.  He figures it will be like the old place, except the old place had his dog Rosco and this place doesn't.  To his surprise, the new school has a few things the old one didn't have, including a smart, loud-mouthed girl called Velveeta and a reading teacher who is not going to give up on Travis.

Read this book for the wonderful, complex characters and the complex relationships between each of them...and be ready to cheer in triumph at for at least one of them.

As Travis' grandpa would say, "no sex, no drugs.  Only rock 'n roll."  This book doesn't need any more than that!  Highly recommended for grades 6 and up. 

Five Flavors of Dumb

Five Flavors of Dumb   by Antony John

Piper is a high school senior in Seattle who just might be the best possible manager for the rock band called "Dumb".  After all, Piper is deaf, and can't hear how bad the band sounds.  Besides, since her parents dipped into Piper's college funds to pay for cochlear implants for her baby sister, Piper needs money.

Piper's business savvy is the real key to success for Dumb: she recognizes their strengths, and helps them to strengthen their weaknesses.  However, Piper's savvy stops at "business"; she is remarkably dense when it comes to recognizing that one of the musicians loves her. 

Piper is not a "deaf character"; instead, she is a terrific character with strong opinions, a terrific sense of sarcastic humor (she names her terrible old car the USS Immovable), a deep connection to her family, and a connection to deaf society that may be new territory for many readers.  The Seattle setting is integral to the plot, as Piper and Dumb chase around the city in search of the musical history of rock and roll icons Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain. 

Extra stars are awarded for the author's note acknowledging the definitive biographies of Hendrix and Cobain written by Richmond Beach resident Charles R. Cross.

Highly recommended for readers ages 14 and up.  The narrative contains references to the rock-and-roll drug/alcohol culture, but there is no on-page drug use or sexual situations.  The romance is sweet and satisfying. 

Maybe Never, Maybe Now

Maybe Never, Maybe Now  by Kimberly Joy Peters

Caitlyn has survived an abusive relationship with her former boyfriend Tyler, and is now trying to move on with her life.  She embarks on a semester-long study abroad program in Quebec, immersing herself in the French language and the life of a daughter in a friendly, overcrowded host family.  Also in Quebec is Caitlyn's faithful friend Connor, who wants to be more than a friend.  But how much more?

Caitlyn's reactions to Connor (who is admirably respectful) border sometimes on panic-stricken.  She recognizes that, despite time and therapy, she has not completely recovered from her time with Tyler, and is clearly unready for intimacy. Adding to Caitlyn's angst (there is a lot of angst in this book) is the letter from her long-missing father, who wants Caitlyn back in his life. 

While most professional reviewers liked this book, Caitlyn's angst-y reliance on horoscopes, mood rings, and coin-flipping to make decisions made my teeth itch a bit.  Still, the intended audience will probably lap it up.  The book is second in a series about Caitlyn and her family and friends, but stands alone adequately.  Appropriate for middle-school and high school audiences, especially reluctant readers.

In a Heartbeat

In a Heartbeat  by Loretta Ellsworth

This is the story of two girls. 

16-year-old Eagan, a figure skater bound for the Olympics, is dead after she hits her head on the boards during a competition.  In life, she loved to skate, loved her boyfriend, and loved her parents--even though she frequently fought with her mother.  Now Eagan experiences a series of flashbacks in a "grey between-place". 

Shy 14-year-old Amelia has lived with a failing heart for several years, and knows that in order  to receive a heart transplant, somebody else has to die.  She wants to be normal, but has been so ill for so long that she doesn't know where to begin.  After Eagan's heart is transplanted into Amelia, the girl is able to walk, and even run...and she begins to dream of Eagan's life, to act like Eagan, and even to crave Eagan's favorite purple lollipops.

The concept of "cellular memory" has plenty of anecdotal support, but real research is still pending.  Still, the idea is interesting enough to keep readers turning the pages to see the many ways that Eagan is able to assist Amelia from beyond the grave.  No sex, drugs, or rock and roll, but there are a few tactful scenes of teen snuggling.

Recommended for middle school and high school readers.

The Grimm Legacy

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Elizabeth, the unloved stepchild and new kid in school, has no friends and not much fun in her life until she takes a job as a page at the New York Circulating Material Repository--a lending library for significant objects rather than books. Down in the basement are items collected by the Brothers Grimm as part of their fairy tale research: magic carpets, talking mirrors, dancing slippers, silk purses made from sow ears, and more. But something is wrong with the magic in the items...and Elizabeth's coworkers are the main suspects.

A light mystery in a delightful setting that will charm the socks off of library staff and library lovers. Note that many of the illustrations are correctly cataloged!

No sex or cussing or bloodshed. A little bit of romance and a few kisses, and some magic. Recommended! Readers ages 14 to adult.

The Espressologist

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer

17-year-old barista Jane Turner has a theory: people's personalities are reflected by their coffee drinks, and she keeps a notebook to keep track of her observations to support the theory.

Medium Iced Vanilla Latte
Smart, sweet and gentle. Sometimes soft-spoken but not a doormat. A good friend...

One day it occurs to Jane that a person who drinks a medium iced vanilla latte would be a great romantic match with a person who loves to drink a medium dry cappucino.

Medium Dry Cappuccino
Smart and simple....A little timid and soft-spoken but probably a powerhouse if ever tested. A good friend.

Thus, Jane invents a new "science" (which also happens to be a terrific marketing tool for the coffeeshop where she works): Espressology.

Soon, Jane is busy matching up hopeful singles by comparing their coffee preferences, with remarkable success. But will she ever find a romantic match of her own?

No sex or cussing or bloodshed, but a few kisses and a LOT of caffeine-induced drama. Readers (mostly girls) ages 14 and up will enjoy this cute, funny, frothy book.

This World We Live In

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer
(sequel to Life as We Knew It and The Dead and the Gone)

Nearly a year has passed since the moon was struck by an asteroid and knocked slightly out of a normal orbit. The tides have changed, destroying much of the Eastern Seaboard. The volcanoes have erupted, filling the atmosphere with grey grit that blocks sunlight. The weather continues to worsen: temperatures are dropping, and the rain and snow continue to fall even in summer. Crops are failing, livestock have been slaughtered for food until very few remain, and survivors of the cataclysm scavenge for necessities from the homes and bodies of the dead.

In the third (and possibly final) volume of the series, Miranda and Alex meet for the first time. Alex and his sister Julie have travelled with Miranda's father, stepmother and stepbrother for months, and arrive at Miranda's home weary...and hungry.

The bleak landscape described in the first two books becomes more bleak, but the will to survive has become even more strong as the family struggles to find food and shelter in an uncompromising world. The sudden marriage of Miranda's older brother is a reminder that times have changed--but have times really changed enough to allow Miranda to fall in love?

The story starts slowly, and will be confusing to readers unfamiliar with the first two books. Fans of the series, however, will want an update on the post-moon-change world.

No on-page sex, but there is definitely hanky-panky among the wreckage. No drugs or drinking, though--that stuff got used up early in the catastrophe. Recommended for readers 13 to adult.

Confessions of a Serial Kisser

Confessions of a Serial Kisser by Wendelin Van Draanen

Evangeline has just been keeping her head down since her parents separated. She didn't try out for the vollyball team, she refuses to talk to her dad at all (since the separation was his fault and she will never forgive him!); instead, she concentrates on doing her homework and trying to keep the condo tidy so her mom can relax a little. While sorting through the laundry, Evangeline discovers her mom's secret stash of bodice-ripper romance novels. Intrigued, Evangeline reads one of the books and decides that what she needs most is a fabulous, passionate kiss like the kisses between Delilah and Grayson in The Crimson Kiss.

Evangeline's search for the perfect kiss quickly gets out of hand, and soon she has a reputation as a "serial kisser." Will she ever find passion and happiness?

The pink cover art and chick-lit plot are misleading. This is actually a carefully-crafted, well-told story about a teen's search for identity and love. The unexpected ending was a delight.

Recommended for readers 12 to adult. No cussing or violence, and no sex...but plenty of kisses!

Panama

Panama
by Shelby Hiatt
A 15-year-old unnamed narrator journeys from Dayton Ohio--leaving behind her neighbors Orville and Wilbur Wright--to Panama, where she witnesses the final years of the building of the Panama Canal. In Panama, she falls in love with an older man, a highly-educated member of the Sicilian nobility (who is also a political agitator), and, following an informative visit to the local brothel to ascertain the specifics of birth control available in Panama in 1910, proceeds to have an exotic affair while successfully hiding the relationship from her parents.

Unlikely?

Yes, that's what I thought, too.

Although professional reviews of this book are on the "glowing" side and the writing is quite competent, I felt that the story lacks an audience among teens. It features too many coincidentally-witnessed historical events for lovers of historical fiction, and too much on-page sex to be comfortable in middle school (or even some high school) libraries.

Not a first selection, for public library purchase only.

Fat Cat

Fat Cat : a novel by Robin Brande

Cat's goals: Win the science fair, and beat her former-science-buddy Matt McKinney in the process.

Her topic: The measurable physical changes resulting from returning an overweight American teen to a more primitive lifestyle, including eschewing technology like computers and cell phones, avoiding modern transportation options like cars, busses and bicycles, and eating only simple and unprocessed food.

The result: Formerly fat science geek girl loses weight, gains muscle, stretches her imagination, and learns more about science -- and people -- than she realized could be possible from a single experiment.

Cat's candid narration wryly chronicles the changes in her body and outlook through the experiment. This is not a "get skinny and get the guy" book--it's much more fun than that. Read it for the characters, read it for the relationships, and read it for the poetry. Just read it for the fun of it.

A few hot kisses but no nekkidness, no cussing, and no violence. Recommended for ages 12 to adult.