Young Adult Books

Grabenstein, Chris. Riley Mack Stirs Up More Trouble9 April 2013, HarperCollins Riley and his friends get involved in an evil scheme by Sara Paxton to ruin Briana's chances for a scholarship at a talent show, but this leads them into an even deeper problem-- the fish in a pond near the country club and Sara's house are dying, and they need to find out why. The country club's golf course has recently been renovated, and they find bags of pancake mix that is tainted with nitrogen buried under the course. The mix is manufactured by Sara's father's company, which has been selling the mix to the US military. Could this be what is making the men in Riley's father's unit in Afghanistan sick? The group of "troublemakers" comes together to help Briana win the scholarship and also to solve the problem with the dying fish.Strengths: This book does a good job of taking a realistic setting and involving the children in situations that are only slightly out of the ordinary. There's good use of stinking fish, some chases, and a nice "underdog-saving-the-day" feeling. Nice environmental tie in as well. Weaknesses: In real life, Mr. Paxton would probably go to jail for a really long time-- this is serious stuff, and I would have liked the ending to have wrapped things up a bit more.Yolen, Jane and Stemple, Adam. B.U.G. (Big Ugly Guy)23 March 2013, Dutton JuvenileLove Yolen, but absolutely could not do yet ANOTHER book where bullies put a kid's head in the toilet. Fifteen years of teaching and I have NEVER seen it. Might be of interest in an area where there is a larger Jewish population, and the book is not without its charm, but the bullying details were so unrealistic that I just could not go on.From Goodreads: "Sammy Greenberg would rather talk back to The Boyz--a gang of bullies at his school--and get his head stuck in the toilet than constantly be afraid. But when his friend Skink gets beaten up so badly that he has to go to the hospital, Sammy thinks he may be in over his head. He decides to build a golem--a mythical protector from Jewish folklore, made of clay and animated by the ineffable name of God. But this monster doesn't just protect him and Skink from The Boyz, he is also a great drummer for their rock-jazz-klezmer fusion band! But golems come with warnings. They will protect you until they don't."I'm sure this will get a lot of good reviews, but I just didn't see it working for my school.

Behold, Here's Poison. Georgette Heyer. 1936/2009. Sourcebooks. 330 pages.I definitely LOVED this mystery by Georgette Heyer. Gregory Matthews has been poisoned. At first, the family assumed his death was of natural causes, but one insistent aunt sees differently. The aunt's instincts proved correct: he was poisoned by nicotine! Inspector Hannasyde and Inspector Hemingway are assigned the case. I have come to appreciate Inspector Hannasyde very much! (I also LOVED seeing Giles Carrington again!)The entire family is on the list of suspects. And to be honest, the family is that dysfunctional so it would make sense that the suspect list would be a long one.I enjoyed this one for the characters. (I loved Stella, and Randall definitely grew on me!!!) I found this one oh-so-satisfying. © 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book ReviewsIf you're reading this on a site (other than Becky's Book Reviews or Becky's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Ribbit. Rodrigo. Folgueira. Illustrated by Poly Bernatene. 2013. Random House. 32 pages. Once upon a time there was a pond that was home to a family of frogs. It was their pond. And they were very happy living there. But one morning they discovered a surprise visitor...I enjoyed Ribbit! I loved the illustrations of this adorable pig. This is the 'surprise visitor' who decided to visit the pond and make some new friends. The frogs didn't quite understand why the pig was there. They were very suspicious and extremely hesitant...at least at first. Really liked the ending of this one--with the pig up in the tree making new friends!Text: 3 out of 5Illustrations: 3 out of 5Total: 6 out of 10Toys in Space. Mini Grey. 2013. Random House. 32 pages.That summer night, for the first time, the toys were left outside. The sun went down, the sky grew dark, and, for the very first time...the toys saw THIS. Everyone was quiet for a while. Toys in Space is silly and creative. I'm not sure if it would work for a group read-aloud, it was quite text-heavy. But I think it would definitely work as a read-aloud for parents to read to their own children. (They might want to read it first, however. I didn't like some of the language in this one: dang, stupid, ninny, etc. But every person has a comfort level of course! So what works for one might not work for another.) Text: 2 out of 5Illustrations: 3 out of 5Total: 5 out of 10Good Night, Sleep Tight. Mem Fox. Illustrated by Judy Horacek. 2013. Scholastic. 32 pages. One Friday night, Bonnie and Ben were being looked after by their favorite babysitter. Skinny Doug leaned against their bedroom door and said: "Good night, sleep tight.Hope the fleas don't bite!If they do,squeeze 'em tightand they won't biteanother night!"I enjoy the premise of this one. A babysitter telling nursery rhymes to two children as he tries to put them to bed at night. (I'm not sure he was trying too hard at the beginning!) After each rhyme he says: "I'll tell you another I heard from my mother..." I appreciated the fact that it wasn't a book about a babysitter reading these rhymes to the two kids. I liked the fact that these were rhymes that had stayed with him and were a part of his life, his memory. The book celebrates imagination, language, and childhood itself perhaps. Text: 4 out of 5Illustrations: 2 out of 5Total: 6 out of 10 The Story of Peppa Pig. Scholastic. 2013. 32 pages. Once upon a time, there was a lovable, slightly bossy little piggy named Peppa. Grunt! Grunt! More than anything in the whole wide world, Peppa loved jumping up and down in muddy puddles. If you or your little one LOVES Peppa Pig, then this one is one to consider. I do love Peppa Pig. I love Peppa's whole family. The show is just so much fun: the music, the characters, the silly stories. The book isn't quite as much fun as the show itself, but it captures some of the magic. Text: 3 out of 5Illustrations: 3 out of 5Total: 6 out of 10 Snippet the Early Riser. Bethanie Deeney Murguia. 2013. Random House. 40 pages. In many ways, Snippet was an ordinary snail. He drew on the sidewalk. He made leaf sculptures. He played soccer. He especially adored piggyback rides. At bedtime, he would snuggle inside his shell and fall fast asleep. But while his family loved to snooze all morning, Snippet did not. Snippet loves to wake up early. His father, mother, and sister DO NOT like to wake up early. Snippet does everything he can think of to make them wake up. He really wants to play! But still, his family stays asleep. Other insects offer advice on how to best wake them up, but it is the caterpillar's advice that works--at least this one morning! Snippet is a lovable character. Very charming! And I definitely enjoyed the illustrations! Text: 5 out of 5Illustrations: 4 out of 5Total: 9 out of 10 © 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book ReviewsIf you're reading this on a site (other than Becky's Book Reviews or Becky's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and i

EW LinkIt seems we all have to keep an eye out for the next Entertainment Weekly magazine, because Divergent is going to be front and center! I have all the ones they put out on The Hunger Games (and look how THAT movie turned out, sublime!) and now I have to collect the Divergent ones as well. The magazine is going to be out this Friday, June 21st. Just in time for the weekend, so you can take some time off, drink a cup of coffee, and read this baby! I will read it and post some highlights as well ;)PS; I 100% support the casting of Theo James. Would you look at that MAN!? He is, wow, no words. He is Four. I also really like Shailene, she seems to be a good actress plus she is making so many good YA movies this year (The Fault in our Stars, Divergent). The whole cast is legendary.

4 yummy, soft ginger cookies.Cover Love: It's okay. I don't love it but I also don't hate it.Why I Wanted to Read This:I just adore Elizabeth Eulberg. She writes good contemporary girl power novels. Here's the synopsis for this one:Don't mess with a girl with a great personality!Everybody loves Lexi. She's popular, smart, funny...but she's never been one of those girls, the pretty ones who get all the attention from guys. And on top of that, her seven-year-old sister, Mackenzie, is a terror in a tiara, and part of a pageant scene where she gets praised for her beauty (with the help of fake hair and tons of makeup).Lexi's sick of it. She's sick of being the girl who hears about kisses instead of getting them. She's sick of being ignored by her longtime crush, Logan. She's sick of being taken for granted by her pageant-obsessed mom. And she's sick of having all her family's money wasted on a phony pursuit of perfection.The time has come for Lexi to step out from the sidelines. Girls without great personalities aren't going to know what hit them. Because Lexi's going to play the beauty game - and she's in it to win it.Romance?: Yes! But it's not the main plot point.My Thoughts:Lexi was awesome. She was smart and self-aware, even though she didn't have a lot of confidence in her looks. She gives some awesome speeches in the end of this book, cutting down a mean girl like anyone who was tormented by a mean girl always wishes they did! It was just refreshing by the end to see her stand up for herself and let all those great thoughts she was having come out!Lexi's poor mom, she was the hardest character to read in this book. I just wanted to shake her and make her see what she was doing to her daughters. She is so mired in her own sadness and disappointment--living through Mackenzie is the only way she feels important. It made me very sad for her as well.However, I cried and cried for Lexi when her mother did what she did to her. What an awful, awful thing. I really hope their mother takes a long look at what she has let her life become and makes some good changes. I was also glad that Mackenzie became a little bit more than just a one note pageant girl.Lexi's friends are awesome, Benny and Cam. They supported Lexi and helped her through her time of self discovery. I liked that even though Lexi changed how she looked, it was more of just amping up what was already there. And she discovered that it is okay to look frumpy but it is also okay to primp. I really, really hope Taylor gives her another chance.And the speeches Lexi makes! She is a sharp high schooler. In real life it probably wouldn't be this way, but she tells off a mean girl like you wish you could've in high school, and helps Mackenzie (hopefully) make changes in her life.To Sum Up: Going to buy this one for my library! Girl power!!

Source: Received a copy of the book from the author for an honest review. Publisher: FinnStar Publishing Release Date: Already released. Number of Pages: 268 (Paperback) Description from Goodreads: For seventeen-year-old serial womanizer Fletch Colson, life is a game and if he plays by the rules, he’ll win it all: his dream college, his parents’ money, and a hot (if a little vapid) girl on his arm. Really, it couldn’t be easier. All he has to do is get good grades, live a privileged boarding school life, and try not to mess up too much. However, when he accepts the seemingly impossible bet to change his ways and be “just friends” with smart, beautiful, tempting Ellie Jacobs – a girl who seems hell bent on confusing him - Fletch’s whole world is turned upside down. Suddenly, what seemed simple and clear, no longer feels right and Fletch must decide if winning it all is worth losing a piece of himself.CRUSHED is a New Adult book. It has profanity and sexual situations, and is intended for ages 16+. I have to admit, most of the books that I read have female protagonists, so whenever I read a book with a male protagonists, I find it a little refreshing...especially when I enjoy the character, and I absolutely adored Fletch! :D Fletch is a ladies man and he really has no problem with that, and sometimes that kind of persona can be a bit off-putting with male narrators, but for Fletch--it worked! It worked because Fletch was so forthright and honest, and while he did hook up with a lot of girls, it wasn't all he wanted and it wasn't all he thought about either. I loved that Fletch was so confident, but also vulnerable at the same time. I also loved seeing him become friends with Ellie. It allowed him to become an even better character, and it gave him a way to look introspectively into his own life and decide on what he wanted to be like in his future. I thought that Crushed was an amazing story. It was funny, and the characters were fantastic. Fletch is easily one of my favourite male narrators of all time; I loved his friends, especially Ellie. I loved seeing Fletch grow up, and I adored seeing his perspective on his budding friendship with Ellie. Overall, I just loved everything! Crushed was a wonderful story, an incredibly enjoyable read, and I fully recommend it! I especially think you'll enjoy this one if you like male narrators, and if you like when your narrators are flawed, but also willing to learn and grow. :) What do you think? Does Crushed sound like your type of story?

Matilda is turning 25 this year! Kind of unbelievable, right? How can it already be 25 years since this wonderfully witty, intelligent five-year-old sprang onto the literary scene, inspiring all of us to read more and fight the man with our powers of telekinesis (Er, or just wish we had powers of telekinesis)? We’re celebrating this milestone with an epic 25-stop blog tour! Follow along to find out how your favorite bloggers feel about Matilda, and for a chance to win a Matilda prize pack at each and every stop!This quote says it all: “Matilda said, ‘I would like a really good one that grown-ups read. A famous one. I don’t know any names.’Mrs. Phelps looked along the shelves, taking her time. She didn’t quite know what to bring out. How, she asked herself, does one choose a famous grown-up book for a four-year-old girl? Her first thought was to pick a young teenager’s romance of the kind that is written for fifteen-year-old schoolgirls, but for some reason she found herself walking past that particular shelf.‘Try this,’ she said at last, ‘It’s very famous and very good. If it’s too long for you, just let me know and I’ll find something shorter and a bit easier.’‘Great Expectations,’ Matilda read, ‘by Charles Dickens. I’d love to try it.’I must be mad, Mrs. Phelps told herself, but to Matilda she said, ‘Of course you may try it.’ –p.15, MatildaThat’s the key, isn’t it? Teachers and librarians foster a love of books in students by introducing them to new books and helping them stretch their limits. Every Wednesday, hear from teachers and librarians on the Matilda 25th Anniversary tour about how they have interacted with kids and books, just like Mrs. Phelps helped Matilda! When I was in fourth grade, my class read James and the Giant Peach. I loved the book so much, that I wrote a letter to the author, Roald Dahl, not knowing he had passed away. The publisher ended up sending me a box of Roald Dahl goodies-stickers, posters, and a mobile of his characters! It meant so much to me as a reader that they would take time to answer a young girls fan letter.That's one thing I love about being a librarian. It it my job to help kids find the most perfect book-and often times that includes books by Roald Dahl. His creativity and wit is still as popular as ever. When readers come into the library looking for something funny and smart, I always take them over to the D's and introduce them to this author. It makes my job even better when I get to match readers with books they will love, and I get to do that wit Matilda. Books like Matilda have lasted 25 years because they hold an endless appeal-which makes it easy for me to suggest that book to a reader. I know they're in for a treat when they pick it up and enter Matilda's world! And I love being one of the gatekeepers who have helped them discover what great books are out there. When they come back with a smile on their face and tell me how much they loved a book I've given them, it makes my job all worth it.I'm so excited to be able to share Matilda with you! Thanks to Penguin books and Matilda the Musical, one lucky winner will win a Matilda prize pack: a paperback copy of Matilda , one copy of the Matilda Broadway soundtrack, and a Matilda the Musical Broadway poster!To enter, leave a comment below telling me what book a librarian or teacher helped introduce you to as a child. Contest open to US addresses only, ages 13+, ends June 26.Did you know Matilda is now a Tony Award-nominated Broadway Musical? The show opened in April and has already been nominated for 12 Tony Awards, including Best Musical! Since not everyone can go to New York City to see the show in person, Penguin Teen is bringing the show to you with a Matilda the Musical prize pack giveaway! Enter to win a copy of the Matilda the Musical soundtrack, a Matilda the Musical poster, and a paperback copy of Matilda by Roald Dahl! You can buy tickets, see pictures, and listen to music from Matilda the Musical on their website: h

On Sunday, I attended the CT stop at RJ Julia's and it was a blast! Lots of laughter and lots of talking. Here's some notes on the tour. Sorry - the pictures I took came out terrible. Emmy Laybourne:Can't stop smiling when describing her book about death and destruction. Blood type determines course of action. Intruders. Trying to escape to a evacuation site. Put aside issues (drama/romance) to find a way to survive. The storefront came from Target (because she's there a lot with her kids). Inspired by an article on blood types in Asian countries where blood determines your personality (kinda like horoscopes)On Writing: She tries to write 5-8 pages a day - following a system. Inviting her characters each day to come chat with her, so she had to be there to to listen to them. Last thing she does each day is to read ahead on the outline to get her mental prepared for the next day.Details outlines and send publishers and then starts to write the book when agreed but still surprised by the HOWsNext book (after the last book in the trilogy) will be a fantasyJessica Brody: Wanted to try something different - a scifi suspense. Blank slate for her character that's inspired by Bourne. It's about a girl who wakes up in the middle of a plane crash wreckage (there's a hidden significance to Flight 121) - unharmed except for the loss of her memories. She has no idea who she is - and no one else seems to either. The sequel will be out in February. When Writing: She only drinks coffee when she writes and she uses the computer without battery so she must finish writing before it dies. She follows a screenwriting writing technique where she has 15 plot points figured out and starts with those. If something changes (often happens), she replots from that change before starting to write again. Inspirations: Any book that was done well as you knew you couldn't write it is inspiring, Sophie Kinsella, and Christopher PikeShe didn't expect to like twitter - but treats it like a game. How can I say something significant in 140 characters or less!Anna Banks: Mermaids! Merman prince searching for a girl who can communicate with fish. This girls seems to have the Gift of Poseidon, but she doesn't know why she has this rare gift.. He tries to help her figure out who she is, knowing that if she's the girl he thinks she might be - she will have to marry his older brother. On Writing: Recently quit job and realized that in order to focus, she must actually get dressed and leave the house. She doesn't rely on outlines because she without them. She started reading romances at the age of nine and every book she writes will always have kissy scenes and a love story. Gennifer Albin: All the names in book have double meanings and she tried to make them easy to pronounce. Space and time can be seen manipulated and changed by young girls. Adelice has that gift, but her parents have been training her to hide it. They don't want her using her power, but they haven't told her why. On the day of her testing, something goes wrong and Adelice life changes.On Writing: Used to be creature of habit, but since having kids, she has learned to write anywhere. She completed the first draft of Crewl in November for Nanowrimo. However, when she tried to write the next book in the same manner, she found that it really needed an outline. Each book needs something a little bit different in terms of planning.Would love to meet J.K. Rowling - who inspired her greatly.Leigh Bardugo: Her Fantasy novels were inspired by czar Russia. Where Darkness comes with monsters. Alina is the orphan underdog. She a huge fantasy fan. Most fantasy worlds take after Medieval Europe (mainly England) and she wanted to change that - so she made her world Russian. On Writing: For her first draft, she needs noise, but in revising she using her computer without the internet so she won't be distracted. She sometimes skips ahead in the book to avoid writer's block. Inspirations: Dune, Wrinkle in time, and Geo

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine where bloggers feature upcoming book releases that they're looking forward to. This week I'm eagerly anticipating... Leap of Faithby Jamie Blair Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Release Date: September 3, 2013 Synopsis (from Goodreads): Can true love be built on lies? A teen on the run seeks relief and redemption in this gripping, romantic read. Leah Kurtz has finally found a place to call home, a town where she and baby Addy can live in peace, far from the drug-infested place she grew up. Chris is one of the best parts of her new life, the only person who’s ever made her feel safe. And now that she’s found him, there’s no way she can tell the truth: Her real name is Faith, not Leah. She’s seventeen, not nineteen. And the baby isn’t hers—Faith kidnapped her. Faith’s history catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions and Chris’s aunt spots her picture in the newspaper. She knows it’s time to run again, but if Faith leaves, she’ll lose Chris. If Chris is in love with a lie, though, did Faith ever really have him in the first place? I love a good contemporary, and this one sounds incredibly intriguing!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine spotlighting upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating. Release Date: December 3, 2013Publisher: RazorbillAdd to GoodreadsSummary (from Goodreads): Love, power, and magic collide with war in the second book of the Falling Kingdoms seriesAuranos has fallen and the three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now united as one country called Mytica. But still, magic beckons, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the world...When the evil King Gaius announces that a road is to be built into the Forbidden Mountains, formally linking all of Mytica together, he sets off a chain of events that will forever change the face of this land, forcing Cleo the dethroned princess, Magnus the reluctant heir, Lucia the haunted sorceress, and Jonas the desperate rebel to take steps they never could have imagined.As soon as I finished reading Falling Kingdoms, I was already desperately awaiting the release of the second book in the series. It was an awesome, fast-paced introduction to a fantastical world filled with magic and dark forces, and I couldn't wait to delve right back into it with Rebel Spring. I'm sure Morgan Rhodes will push the central characters—Cleo, Jonas, Magnus, and Lucia—further than they've ever been pushed before, and more pain and heartache will be in their futures before anything can get better. Everyone will be struggling to place themselves in a position of power in Rebel Spring, but who will succeed?