Klutzhood- Chris McMahen

Arlos is making a move and he doesn’t like it! A small town doesn’t hold a candle to Victoria, and even more horrible, all the kids can talk about is hockey. He makes excuse after excuse as to why he can’t play, but the truth is, he doesn’t even know how to skate. So desperate is he to escape his fate, he allows himself to be initiated into a gang called The Dumpster Dudes, and is commanded by their leader, X, to perform several outlandish escapades. When these are not successful, he is eventually shamed into playing a game of hockey, and lo and behold, he loves the game and isn’t even all that bad at it! Klutzhood is an apt title for an entertaining read.

There are lots of surprises in this story and lots of humour including the kind some of our boys will eat up. It was also refreshing in that the students at the new school were generally welcoming and inclusive. I know many of our authors are currently focussing on the bullying aspect of new situations so it is nice to see a book that highlights some of the good kids.

This is nominated for the Diamond Category (grades 4-6) for the Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Award.

Dear Jo- Christina Kilbourne

Although I reviewed this briefly in another post, Dear Jo has now been nominated for this year’s Snow Willow awards and I wanted to give it a little further attention. This was indeed, a powerful read, and one that will have you on the edge of your seats many times. Although abductions by unknown internet predators is not a common occurrence, it is something our children need to be much more aware of.  Too often, they think they are immune to this possibility and continue to chat on-line with unknowns, and  expect that they can maintain their safety and privacy. Maxine and her best friend, Leah, hide their own identity but are very gullible in their belief that the person they are chatting with is up-front about who he really is. Only when Leah disappears, does Maxine start to feel the impact of their actions, and in a series of heart-rending journal entries, pours out her fears, her guilt and her despair over what might have happened. If you have not yet read it, I won’t spoil it for you by giving away the ending. This is a novel that I expect will be flying off the shelf. I believe this would also be important for parents to read.

Swindle- Gordon Korman

In Swindle, Korman appears to be harking back to his old roots as this reminds me greatly of his ealier Bruno and Boots novels. Griffin is a Man With a Plan and easily ropes his best buddy, Ben, into his escapades. Worrying about his parents’ financial dilemma, he finds an old baseball card in a house slated to be demolished. Even he knows a Babe Ruth card has to be worth something, and when he takes it to the local collector, is offered $120.00 as he is assured the card is not an authentic item. When it come to light that this very card will be a big ticket item at the next auction, Griffin is outraged and decides to take matters into his own hands. Being the Man With a Plan, he recruits a team to steal back what he believes rightfully belongs to him. An amazing plan ensues with enough action  to satisfy all your adventure lovers. One wonders if we might see more of Griffin’s escapades in the years to come and indeed, I just discovered that Zoobreak is the upcoming sequel. Once again, Korman has created an entertaining and accessible middle years’ novel. This is nominated for the 2009 Diamond Willow Awards. Juvie Three , a YA novel, is also nominated for the Snow Willow awards for 2009.

Watch this Gordon Korman You Tube interview.

Eye of the Crow- Shane Peacock

A wonderful combination of mystery and historical fiction, Eye of the Crow takes us to the early years of the one and only Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock’s parents are social outcasts because of their unconventional marriage and Sherlock is determined to better their circumstances. Always with an eye for detail, young Sherlock is mystified by the heinous slaying of a woman in a seedy part of London. Convinced there is more to this crime than is immediately evident, he begins to investigate and becomes embroiled in a series of escapades which eventually culminate in him becoming a prime suspect in the crime. There are more mysteries to come and this will be a fine addition to our mystery genre. As mentioned in a previous blog, this will be a fine companion for the Enola Holmes mysteries by Nancy Springer. One wonders how independent authors have chosen to embark on mysteries so linked by time and characters.

Eye of the Crow is one of the 10 nominated books for the 2009 Snow Willow awards! Don’t miss it!

The Penderwicks- Jeanne Birdsall

This acclaimed novel more than met my expectations. The Penderwicks has been coming up on recommended sites for some time now, and I finally was able to read it. A wonderful mixture of memories for me- Little Women, The Secret Garden, and the more recently acclaimed novel by Kit Pearson, Perfect Gentle Knight. This lovely, old-fashioned romp of a story takes you back to more idyllic times where even though life isn’t perfect, stories are. The 4 Penderwick girls, with their gentle, absent-minded father and loyal family dog, Hound, are on vacation in a cottage on the estate of a rich and pretentious woman. Fortunately, she has a fun-loving son who is only too happy to break free of his restricted life and join them in their many escapades; some planned, others hilariously inopportune. Their antics are many, their loyalty unquestioned, but have they gone too far and have they propelled Jeremy to a life in a military school, which he dreads more than all things? This will be a classic read for boys and girls alike for as early as grade 4 and likely through grade 6 or 7. It will be on my list of recommended reads of the last ten years. I look forward to the second book about these intrepid sisters.

Urchin of the Riding Stars- M.I. McAllister

First in the Mistmantle Chronicles, Urchin of the Riding Stars is a delightful animal fantasy book which would appeal to competent readers from grade four right through to at least grade eight. Reminding me very much of a younger version of the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, this series focuses on life in Mismantle where events have pretty much moved along peacefully for some time. But times are changing, and Lord Husk and Lady Aspen are determined to find a way to depose the king and take over the rule of the kingdom. Framing Captain Crispin for the murder of the king’s young son, and banishing him from the kingdom, seems to be a good start. But they have not accounted for Urchin, an unusual squirrel with an uncertain background, who has arrived in Mistmantle by falling through the stars, fulfilling one of the prophecies. Urchin, loyal, fearless, and trustworthy, along with other of the animal races are able to thwart the evil Husk’s plans. All’s well but with a sequel , you know that only more adventure lies ahead for Urchin and his colleagues.

This was referred to me by a parent at my school, and is indeed, an excellent recommend for your fanatsy lovers. Hopefully, it will lead some of them to Watership Down in future years, one of the best animal fantasy books ever written.

Love, Stargirl- Jerry Spinelli

I think I should wait until sequels are published and then read them in a row because I too often forget the first when reading the second. I knew, though, that I had loved Stargirl, wonderful quirky, independent character that she was. Love, Stargirl picks up where Stargirl left off (don’t you just love the covers?) with Stargirl having moved and is dealing with, it seems to me, two losses.

Her boyfriend has broken up with her and she very much still loves him, so is writing a series of letters which is simply turning into the world’s longest letter. But I think she is also recovering from the loss of herself as well because for Leo, she gave up a part of her uniqueness and now needs to discover how to reclaim herself. Cute little Dootsie, next-door neighbour, helps to draw her back into the real world, along with BettyLou, who cannot leave her home. Home-schooled, or more accurately, self-schooled, Stargirl continually embarks on unique and innovative learning projects. Perry becomes a potential love interest, one who helps Stargirl to see the reality of her relationship with Leo. Every character in this story is finely honed and intricately meshed into a weaving of a master story-teller. Do not miss reading these two novels and put them in the hands of your Young Adult readers. They will not be disappointed.

The Magician- Michael Scott

The Magician, second of The Secrets of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel, is every bit an intriguing read as the first. I frequently read only the first of a series for review and recommendation purposes, but some books draw me in and this is true of this series. In The Alchemyst, the twins become aware of their great powers and, indeed, Sophie’s powers are hastily awakened, while Josh’s lay dormant.

This sequel takes us from California to Paris, where Machiavelli becomes a dominant character along with Dr. Dee. Nicholas and Petrenelle (still imprisoned on Alcatraz) are ageing rapidly without the book of Abraham the Mage, and Josh becomes increasingly frustrated with Sophie’s burgeoning powers and his lack of them. Paris is home to Comte de Saint-Germain who is the one person who can teach Sophie Fire Magic, the second of the elemental magics. But will they be in time? And will Scatty recover from her encounter with the Nidhogg? And will Josh be satisfied with the awakened powers bestowed on him? And will Petrenelle be able to outwit the Sphinx, her gaoler, and regain her power? Well, obviously! This is fantasy! On the other hand, there are enough fantastical creatures in here from mythology, to have you quaking in your boots. The Sorceress, next in the series, will be on my ‘to read’ list as well.