A Hare in the Elephant's Trunk
Out of the books I’ve read about the Lost Boys, Jan Coates’ A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk just may be the most vivid and riveting one I’ve read. I very much appreciated the depths in which the author goes into giving us a portrait of not just the main character (Jacob), but also of his companions throughout this amazing journey. Because of this, readers are able to get an incredibly detailed look at the affects of war and conflict on innocent children.
The Hare in the Elephant is a must-read for both teens and adults. If we truly want a better world for all, stories such as this need to be read and shared with those around us.
An Accidental Adventure series (We Are Not Eaten By Yaks / We Dine With Cannibals)
This series is simply a tremendous amount of fun. The Navel twins are not the typical characters you often see in tween adventure books as they are extremely reluctant adventurers to say the least. They are the envy of their classmates as they have traveled from one exotic locale to another with their world-famous Explorer Club member parents, meanwhile only hoping to catch their next favorite episodes on television.
Parents and teachers will love this series as it provides further learning opportunities to find out more about some of the exotic locations and myths and legends surrounding the Navel twins adventures. In fact, you can visit C. Alexander London’s website and check out some information about Tibet and the Amazon (the settings for each of the stories).
Ashfall
I must say I was enthralled and very impressed by Mike Mullin’s first novel. One of the things which most impressed me was how the book’s story had a factual and scientific basis. There is a supervolcano underneath Yellowstone National Park which could quite possibly be due for an eruption at any time. This aspect of scientific reality made this book mesmerizing. I kept thinking while I read it that this is something which can really happen and it was frightening to think about. At the conclusion of the book, Mike has a section about the supervolcano underneath Yellowstone which is a must read and excellent companion to the book.
Add Mike Mullin to the list of authors who have kept me up way too late reading their novels. Readers will want to keep turning Ashfall‘s pages to find out if Alex and Darla make it to their destination.
Beyond Lucky
Beyond Lucky isn’t your typical middle reader sports novel. Like other novels in this genre, you aren’t going to easily predict the outcome either. While the on-the-field action is fun and exciting, this novel is truly driven by riveting plots and story lines. The development of the main characters is really well done, and readers will feel good about how Ari grows by the end of the story.
This is a must-read in my opinion and you don’t need to be a soccer fan to enjoy this book. I highly recommend sharing this book with a middle reader in your life. In the meantime, check out Sarah Aronson’s website and blog for more about her books and writer’s workshops.
Catcher, Caught
Catcher, Caught tells the story of Daniel Solstice Landon, a 15-year-old high school student diagnosed with leukemia, as he struggles to find his place in the world while staring down his own mortality in the wake of a recent leukemia diagnosis. A reading of Catcher in the Rye, causes Daniel to question the intentions and authority of those around him. Tired of his cramped surroundings and hippie parents’ alternative approaches to his treatment, he follows the footsteps of Holden Caulfield to New York City in search of the same eternal truths, only to discover the importance of home when death looms.
I first read Catcher in the Rye back in high school over 20 years ago. Reading Catcher, Caught has made me want to pick it up again for a fresh look.
Guys Read (Thriller)
This is the second installment in Jon Scieszka’s Guys Read Library. If you’ve read volume one, Guys Read: Funny Business, you already know what you’re in store for: ten stories from young readers’ favorite writers. In Guys Read: Thriller, you’ll find a teenage terrorist, the world’s worst private detective, a roomful of snakes, and more, from the likes of M.T. Anderson, Patrick Carman, Gennifer Choldenko, Matt de la Pena, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Bruce Hale, Anthony Horowitz, Jarrett Krosoczka, Walter Dean Myers, and James Patterson, not to mention illustrations from Brett Helquist.
This latest book in the Guys Read series is an incredibly entertaining anthology. I was really impressed with the diversity of the stories in this volume. The stories differ in style, location, ethnicity and moods. There’s a lot of variety in this collection and definitely something for every middle reader.
Juniper Berry
Besides having a suspenseful and terrific storyline, albeit a little on the dark side, M.P Kozlowsky’s portrayal of Juniper Berry makes this a must-read in my opinion. Juniper is a uniquely smart and strong character. I couldn’t exactly put my finger on it while reading it, but after thinking about it for awhile, I was definitely drawn to Juniper’s character because of her self-confidence. Maybe it’s even more than that. There was almost a sense to Juniper that she knew herself (meaning she knew her positive qualities and knew her skills and talents and felt good about who she was), and despite being tempted in so many directions to believe otherwise, she stayed true to that. I just loved seeing a strong female character show this kind of self-awareness and quality, especially in a book geared towards 9-12 year olds. Add Juniper Berry to your home and school library. It is a great read and I highly recommend it for dads and daughters.
NERDS series (Book 1, Book 2, Book 3)
These books are so much fun! Michael Buckley has really set the bar high here by creating an engaging, clever and action-packed series for middle readers. Both girls and boys will enjoy reading about the James Bond-style gadgets and Transformer-like abilities (called “upgrades”) each member of the NERDS possesses. Each book is also filled with cool lessons on spy tools such as how to make invisible ink and secret code making and breaking. All of the books also feature excellent examples of teamwork (both good and bad); lots of geography and science-related references; and really well-done graphic illustrations which highlight each of the NERDS. This series has gotten better with each book and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes
I was amazed to learn that Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is Jonathan Auxier’s first book. It’s an absolutely fantastic and imaginative adventure story full of fantasy, mystery, suspense and lots of surprises sure to captivate middle readers.
I really enjoyed Auxier’s use of the 3rd person for his narrative, which will remind adult readers of Charles Dickens, Roald Dahl and C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series. I was thoroughly entertained by the witty narrator and the pacing of the story is just perfect.
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is perfect for a read-aloud and there’s so much in this story that will excite young readers, I think it would be a terrific book club choice as well.
The Apothecary
This is a very unique story and I really enjoyed the historical aspects of the Red Scare and the Cold War combined with the elements of magic and fantasy. While the magic, fantasy, mystery and intrigue of the plot will be what draws teen readers to this book, I loved the historical and political aspects included in the novel.
The novel is a quick read. I breezed through it over a weekend. This is Meloy’s first crack at writing for teens and I was impressed with her effort. There was great balance in the story. Even while there was an underlying tension in the story where the main characters were struggling to save the apothecary and solve the mystery, there were also light moments of humor thrown in to keep readers wanting more.
The Downside of Being Up
This is a really well written book and extremely hilarious. And in hilarious, I mean that it’s laugh out loud hilarious. I read it in one sitting during my daughter’s nap-time one afternoon. It’s a quick and fun read that is will truly engage teen readers. The situations in which 13-year-old Bobby Connor finds himself are just too funny. From being expelled from school for “Flaunting his erection” to then being forced to undergo Correctional Erectional Therapy with the school counselor, Bobby also has to deal with parents who are a bit too concerned what the neighbors will think when they learn of Bobby’s “problems” at school.
All in all, an excellent read from an author I had never had the opportunity to read before. I’ve become a fan though and hope to read more from Alan Lawrence Stomer soon.
