April Henry's new book is a necessary book for thriller lovers.

There is suspense, a mystery and like-able characters.

Told in multiple perspectives, The Night She Disappeared chronicles the disappearance of Kayla from the perspectives of the kidnapper, the victim and Kayla's friends.

Full of action, this is one that will appeal to reluctant readers. Perfect for a public library. 






ARC provided by Netgalley. 

Infinity Ring: A Mutiny in Time

I picked up this book at BEA knowing nothing about it, other than it was written by James Dashner (The Maze Runner Series). I'm glad I did.

Best-friends, Dak and Sera are both brilliant. Dak is a history buff and Sera knows more about science than most college professors. They live in a world similar to ours, but overseen by an organization known as SQ, whom everyone appears to fear. So yes, there are dystopian themes.

Sera helps Dak's parents complete a time machine known as he Infinity Ring, a project that has kept them on the radar of the Hystorians. This group had existed for centuries to fight the SQ and prepare to fix the time rifts that have allowed the SQ so much power. Dak and Sera are instantly initiated and sent back in time to fix the Great Breaks starting in Spain, 1492.

This fast paced middle grade novel is headed along the path of the 39 Clues series--rapidly printed action adventure books written in turn by different authors. The Infinity Ring series has a great line up of authors including, Carrie Ryan, Lisa McMann, Matt de la Pena, Matthew Kirby, and Jennifer Nielsen. All seven books a scheduled to be published by March of 2014.

I'm excited for the rest of the books in this series. It has a lot of Pontiac, and I love anything where the main character is a super history book. The plot is engaging and this will be a perfect fit for rapid and avid readers alike.

The Lover's Dictionary

I love this book.


I love that the story was told successfully out of order.
I love when it repeated and honed in on different parts of the same event, adding just a little bit more information each time.
I love that I actually had to look up some of the words.
I love that I could see myself and my relationship in some of the definitions--it made it do much more real. I believe that this covered so many emotions and scenarios, others will experience this too.
I love the gender ambiguity of the main characters and how they were only known as "I" and "you".
I love the cover.

This was an intriguing, unique concept, masterfully accomplished. A beautiful love story, heartwarming even at its most depressing. This was a joy to read and can not only be read once.

Tessa Masterson Will Go to Prom by Brendan Halpin and Emily Franklin

I forget where I first saw the review for this book, but when I found it on Netgalley, I jumped. And then when I realized it was by the same authors as Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance and was told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Tessa and Luke, I was sure this would be another entertaining but predictable book. But I severely underestimated the authors. 

Tessa and Luke had been best friends for years. But, it wasn't until Luke asked Tessa to prom that she admitted to being a lesbian. So when Tessa bought a tux to take her girlfriend to prom, and Luke makes a misconstrued comment out of hurt to the school newspaper, Halpin and Franklin recreate the story of Constance McMillan.
The story was in the news a year or two ago--the school canceled prom rather than let two girls attend prom together, or encroach upon their first amendment right to do so.

Tessa Masterson Will Go To Prom is a wonderful, entertaining, and hopeful story about friendship. This book is sure to be a hit.

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral

A delightful format for a graphic novel, Chopsticks
is told through photographs, drawings and images of the sort usually found in an art book.

This book begins with the disappeared of piano prodigy Glory and then jumps 18 months into the past to the beginning of her love story. The images are chosen well, thy truly allow the reader to feel the emotions of Glory and her boyfriend Frank as the struggle through the obstacles In their daily life and seek their only refuge-- each other. Theirs is a sweet and beautiful story, interspersed with pain and desperation. The emotions are raw and well-developed and certainly relatable.



The ending was the tiniest bit weak-- but not so far as to lessen my overall opinion of this book. A necessity for public libraries and anyone studying story through art.

It is my new obsession.

Ye Yucky Middle Ages

I ordered these two books from my library (thankfully in paperback) for the Teen Zone. There seem to be few reviews out on the Ye Yucky Middle Ages series, but I found one that said these books were for grades 5-8 and other that said grades 7-9. I figured they would be on the low end and entertain some of the six and seventh graders. But, I am a want-to-be Medievalist (that's what my undergraduate was) and I thought they looked fun and worth a try. 

I read through both of them, they do have some interesting information, but they are very much an introduction to the Middle Ages for someone who has barely heard of them, has never been to a Ren Faire, but does enjoy history. I think some sixth graders would like them, but I would give them out two fourth graders as well. They are entertaining, a bit silly and would be perfect non-fiction for the right kids. I send them down to the Children's room, where I am sure they will be checked out many times.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

This was the audio book I listed to while making Banana Nut Caramel Brownies.

Lennie has just lost her sister, has never met her mother and doesn't even know who her father is. She is being raised by her Grandma and Uncle Big (the town lady's man). This is the story of how she begins to live again, how her family heals and how she finds love. It is a love story after all.

I wouldn't often associate the phrase "wordsmith" with lyrical prose rather than witty turns of phrase, but I was really impressed with the phrasing. You should read it just for that, if for no other reason. Or listen to it, I did.

Chomp by Carl Haaisen

I loved this book. Of course, I also love Carl Hiaasen--his adult books and his youth books. This is by far my favorite of his books for Middle Graders. Hiaasen pokes fun at convention, he often uses crude expressions (the language is considerable cleaned up when he is not writing for adults) and no matter the plot, his message is two fold, his love of Florida and his desire to protect that region. Chomp is no exception.

Part mockery of survivalist shows (although, all I could picture was a more egotistical and less knowledgeable Steve Erwin), this is the story of Wahoo who wants to help his family. His Dad's been out of work and his mom's had to take a job out of the country. So when an opportunity presents itself for the Wahoo and his Dad to wrangle the animals of the Everglades on "Expedition Survival" they jump at the opportunity. Wahoo's dad doesn't have any patience for the famous but oblivious Derek Badger who will do anything for ratings. Add his friend Tuna, and you have a rollicking adventure with an assortment of comic and slightly flawed characters.

This one is going to fly off the shelves, I can't wait until it is officially published (expected March 27th) so that I can start pushing it into the hands of the Teens at the library.


ARC provided by Netgalley

Wheels of Change by Sue Macy

Wheels of Change: How Women Road the Bicycle to Freedom (with a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) by Sue Macy is a wonderfully informative book about the bicycle, the sport of cycling and the women who paved the way for future generations. Everything from changes in fashion, to women's presence outside of the home and in sporting events in the latter half of the 1800's is covered. 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, and that was a hard decision. In terms of layout, images and overall appeal I would give this book 6 or 10 stars out of 5. Each page is appealing, eye catching and certainly not intimidating, even for reluctant readers. The illustrations were poignant, relevant and well worth discussion, even without the text. 

Content wise, I gave it only 4 stars, not because it wasn't interesting, informative or unique in thesis, but because I wanted more. At 91 pages, this book really could have been more. After reading the Forward, and learning about girls in Africa, who because of a bicycle can now attend school, I dove into this books and was disappointed it ended in around 1900. What happened next?

A necessity for school libraries, deserving of a place in the classroom, beautiful and intriguing enough for public libraries. 

And in case I didn't mention it, this book is nominated for the 2012 YALSA Award for Excellence in Non-Fiction for Young Adults.