The Keepers' Tattoo

The Keepers' Tattoo by Gill Arbuthnott

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I enjoyed this story of Nyssa and her battle against Alaric, the White Wolf. The action begins almost immediately, as The Shadowmen storm into town, seeking the girl with a special tattoo. As she seeks refuge with her uncle, Nyssa realizes that she has a twin brother who is being held as a slave in the White Wolf's palace. This book was never boring, and I liked the two female characters, who were brave and true to the end.



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The Remarkable Rough-Riding life of Theodore Roosevelt

The Remarkable Rough-Riding Life of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Empire America by Cheryl Harness

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A really good, well-done biography of Theodore Roosevelt. This was never boring, the illustrations were good, and it included a fascinating timeline on each page. My son's one complaint was that the timeline was a little behind the story, so we had to backtrack once in a while as we were reading this together. Absolutely age-appropriate for middle-schoolers, and equally entertaining and informative for older readers (like me!). I think Teddy is now my 3rd favorite president.



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Uprising

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I have always been interested in the tragedy of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Now I have read a book that is written for young people which clearly explains the situation, the time period, and brings it all to life. This is a terrific book, describing New York City from 1909-1911, just 100 years ago, but very different from New York today. The author tells this tale from the viewpoint of three young women, a Jewish immigrant, an Italian immigrant, and a rich American girl. The friendship that is formed between this trio tugs at your heart, but Margaret Peterson Haddix never softens the ugliness of poverty and tragedy. This is a good read, and a great book for teaching about unions, early immigrants to our country, and working conditions during the early part of the 20th century.



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The Book of One Hundred Truths

The Book of One Hundred Truths by Julie Schumacher

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Thea is a liar, and so, when she is sent to her grandparents for the summer, her mom gives her a notebook and asks her to write one truth a day. Well, it turns out that Thea wasn't always a liar, but something happened between her and her best friend, and now she is finding it difficult to deal with people.

I picked this book because the setting is the Jersey shore, and it reminded me of my childhood, spending vacations in Seaside Park.

This book has very real characters, and I liked Thea. A good choice for 6th and 7th grade girls.



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Jim Thorpe Original All-American

Jim Thorpe, Original All-American by Joseph Bruchac

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


What a great book! If you're in to football, Native Americans, history, or just a terrific read about a remarkable real person, this is the book for you. I learned a lot about the early beginnings of football, and all about Pop Warner. I learned about the incredible life of a remarkable all-American, who was not even considered an American citizen, and whose people were not allowed to vote!

The author, Joseph Bruchac is a Native American himself, and he thoroughly researched the life of this young man who even had his Olympic medals taken away. I'm so glad I decided to read this.



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Habibi

Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is an interesting story for those young people,(especially girls) who may be interested in Jewish-Arab relationships, or for those simply interested in what life is like today in Israel. The main character, Liyana, has the difficult task of learning a new language and making a new life for herself as she starts school in Israel. She is of Arab heritage, and of course, falls for a Jewish boy.

The author, Naomi Shihab Nye, uses some beautifully written prose to let us see Liyana's world of different cultures and values, set against the backdrop of Jerusalem.



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Sources of Light

Sources of Light by Margaret McMullan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is a YALSA (Best Fiction for Young Adults) winner for 2011. It is a very good story of a young teen and her mom, living in Jackson, Mississippi in 1963. Samantha learns about the power of photography, and the importance of standing up for what you believe. Sam sees the unjust treatment of the Black people in Jackson, and becomes an eyewitness to the beginning of voter registration and the Civil Rights movement. Along with a love interest, this is an eye-opening story for young people, with a message of courage and compassion thrown in for good measure.



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Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is an interesting crime novel told through the eyes of an 11 year-old boy who seems to be quite amazing. His parents are both lawyers, and he is a brilliant student, so Theodore is not your typical middle school student. A big trial is about to begin in his town, and Theodore just happens to get involved in this murder mystery, of course.



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A Long Walk to Water

A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story by Linda Sue Park

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a very moving story of a courageous and determined young man from Sudan. He is actually one of the "Lost Boys", who was forced to walk across Sudan into Ethiopia when soldiers attacked his village. After months in a refugee camp, the Ethiopians kicked them out, and he led a group of boys to Kenya. It's almost to difficult for us to comprehend the chaos going on in this part of the world, but through all of this, Salva never gives up hope of making a better life for himself. For some reason, he is chosen to come to America to live with an adoptive family in Rochester, N.Y. Not one to sit back,this special young man is determined to do some good back in Sudan.

A heart-lifting, remarkable story based on Salva's real life, this is an excellent introduction to help middle-schoolers understand some of the problems going on in parts of Africa, and how people can make a difference.



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Swallowing Stones

Swallowing Stones by Joyce McDonald

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


YA--great story, with lots of room for discussion when sharing it with students. I met this author a few years ago, and she told the audience that her stories are based on real incidents that have happened in our Garden State.

This is a story about chance, owning-up to your actions, and how lies can spin out of control.



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Nevermore

Nevermore: A Photobiography of Edgar Allan Poe by Karen Lange

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a wonderful biography about Poe, with excellent photos and sources. I discovered Poe when I was in 7th grade, and read most of his short stories which I found chilling and very creepy. But, I especially loved his poem, Annabel Lee. I must have read that poem a thousand times, and can still recite much of it by heart. His death is still a mystery--too bad there was no CSI teams back then. He is considered the father of detective fiction.

A sad, tragic, too-short life, but this book is a great introduction for any middle school student.



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Almost Astronauts

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I always marvel when I read about a piece of history that I was totally unaware of as I was growing up. This book is a fantastic account of women who fought to be part of NASA's astronaut program in the early 1960's. I never realized how much of our male culture felt that women could never have "The Right Stuff". A great book with lots of terrific photos, and the text is just right for advanced middle school readers, and certainly high school students. This is an inspiring story for young women and girls, and boys will find reading about the endurance tests really interesting, too.



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When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I liked this simple story very much. It is written in a clear, insightful way, really getting into the mind of a young girl dealing with life in New York City, friends, school, and staying safe as she treks back and forth to school. I loved the connection with "A Wrinkle in Time", and the ending was quite surprising.



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Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Wow, what a story! Suzanne Collins has completed a trilogy that is pretty amazing. Her story of Katniss Everdeen will haunt me for a long time. This last book is heart-wrenching and grim, but still leaves the reader with a faint glimmer of hope. What an incredible imagination. The series is nonstop action from the first book to the last.



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Olive's Ocean

Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I read this short novel called Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes a while ago. It is a simple story about a few summer days in 12 year-old Martha's life. The title refers to a girl Martha hardly knew, but one summer day Olive's mom visits Martha and gives her a journal that belonged to her daughter. Olive died in a bicycle accident. This whole incident changes Martha. It was simply written, and part of the story takes place on Cape Cod, one of my favorite places.

Check it out--it's in our library.



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The Sacrifice

The Sacrifice by Diane Matcheck




During a very warm 4th of July summer afternoon, I finished an interesting book called The Sacrifice by Diane Matcheak. This book had been hanging around my office for over a year, and I finally cataloged it and decided to read it. I love books about the Native American experience, and so this was right up my alley.



The Indian girl has no name at the beginning of the story. She is considered an outcast among her people, because her mother is dead, her twin brother was killed in a raid, and her father, who was once a great warrior, is no longer important among his people. The girl has trained herself to become a great warrior, and wants to prove herself in her village.



The setting is out west in Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska. Her people are Apsaalooka, or Crow, and although most girls did not become warriors, it was not forbidden to do so.



The ending was so exciting, I could not stop reading it until I was done. I heartily recommend this book--really--give it a chance!



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Rikers High

Rikers High by Paul Volponi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was a revealing tale of what it's like to be a young man behind bars.

The author, Paul Volponi knows of what he writes, because he was a teacher of incarcerated teens.

The language and action are authentic, the violence ever-present. The reader is allowed to get inside Martin's head, as he goes to court, then only to find himself back on Riker's Island, disappointed, but willing to do anything to get "home".



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Ruined

Ruined: A Ghost Story by Paula Morris

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A good ghost story, set in one of my favorite cities, New Orleans. Rebecca's dad is going to China for a year, and so she must stay with an aunt in New Orleans for an entire school year. She is a New York City girl, and she can't get the hang of all the "family" traditions in New Orleans. When she meets the ghost of a murdered 16 year-old black girl, who was killed over 150 years ago, Rebecca realizes that the snobby rich girls in her school are hiding an old family secret, which includes a curse that still seems to be lurking on some of the old families.



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American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a graphic novel, but not for kids. It was really funny and very cleverly done. American Born Chinese is actually three stories: the first is about Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, almost a racist stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny’s life with his yearly visits. Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable. There is now a sequel, which I would like to read.



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Escape Under the Forever Sky

Escape Under the Forever Sky by Eve Yohalem

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Lucy's mom is the American ambassador to Ethiopia. Lucy loves adventure, animals and nature, and so this situation sounds perfect. Well, it would be, but Lucy's mom is super strict, and will not allow her to do anything except go to school. Well, being a 13 year-old, she finds a way to get around her mother's orders, and ends up in a life-threatening predicament.
This is a good adventure, with lots of Ethiopian culture thrown in. It's a fast read, that both boys and girls should enjoy.

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