Rush for the Gold by John Feinstein

Rush for the Gold by John Feinstein.  Published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2012.

Stevie and Susan Carol are off on another adventure in this new mystery.  Fans of the teen sleuths will enjoy this newest offering, but the roles are a little different this time.  Stevie is still investigating and reporting, but Susan Carol is swimming competitively.  In fact, she is in the World Championships and she has to concentrate on her races rather than doing any detecting. 

Susan Carol loves swimming and she is even more excited to compete against the top swimmers in the world.  Unfortunately, she is quickly discovering that this level of athletic talent brings many people who want something from the athletes.  There are PR and marketing people who want to sign the athletes as clients.  There are also major companies who want the athletes to endorse products.  This all amounts serious sums of money.

Susan Carol is both excited and overwhelmed by all the attention.  She knows that her family can use the money for college for her and her siblings.  At the same time, she thinks her father is being misled about some of the proposals being presented to him.  She is angry and hurt by his unwillingness to listen to her concerns, particularly since much of the focus of the marketing is about her looks and she doesn’t want to be promoted as a sex symbol. 

Stevie is suspicious.  Is something illegal or at least shady is going on with the marketing and PR people or is this the way things are in the big leagues of professional athlete endorsements?  Even the reps for Susan Carol are unpleasant and are trying to interfere in their relationship. 

John Feinstein again delivers a book that will be popular with both athletes and teens that enjoy a good mystery.  The conflict is a little slow to develop, but it is worth the wait. 

Visit author John Feinstein’s website.

The Lost Crown by Sarah Miler

The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller.  Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011.

Are you familiar with the story of the Russian princess Anastasia?  Probably.  However, much of your knowledge probably comes from movies and children’s stories.  The Lost Crown is both an engrossing story and an excellent addition to the historical fiction genre. 

This is the story of Tsar Nicholas II and his family.  It is told from the perspectives of the four daughters- Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia.  Initially, it may be difficult to separate the multiple narrators, but their personalities become distinct through the development of the novel.

The girls are depicted with different personalities, quirks and dreams.  At the beginning of the novel, they lead lives of privilege with numerous servants, social engagements, elaborate gowns and jewelry.    The turmoil in Russia causes drastic changes in the family’s lives. 

Royalty and other members of the aristocracy become targets of the revolutionaries, so the girls and their parents are moved.  Initially, it’s difficult for them to know if they are being protected or jailed but this becomes clear as their treatment worsens and they become more and more isolated from friends and other family members.  The bewilderment of the girls, who are a little naïve about the politics exploding around them, makes the tragic ending of the story even more affecting. 

Photos, facts in the author’s notes and an extensive bibliography, strengthen this historical fiction.  

Visit author Sarah Miller's website. 

Ashfall by Mike Mullin

Ashfall by Mike Mullin.  Published by Tanglewood Press, 2011. 

No one believed that there could be a global extermination of people similar to what happened to the dinosaurs.  But after a super volcano in Yellowstone Park erupts, life changed for everyone in the United States. 

Alex was home alone for the weekend.  His parents and sister left to visit his uncle after Alex had yet another argument with his mom.  He was enjoying having the house to himself.  No one to boss him around or nag at him- no one to tell him to stop playing video games. 

He ignored the weird rumbling noise.  He felt the house shake a little, but nothing major.  Then the power went out, the floor tilted and the walls started falling down.  Trapped beneath a desk and bookcase, he could smell something burning and knew he had to get out. 

Now,  Alex is trying to survive. No one has power and everyone is afraid.  Alex’s neighbors offer to help him and he goes home with them.  But everyone is terrified when the earthquakes continue along with unceasing, deafening noise.   They all know they can’t count on any help.  There are fires all over the neighborhood and the fire and police departments are overwhelmed.  

Alex realizes he has to try to get to his parents and sister on his uncle’s farm in Iowa.  With ash everywhere, he has to find inner resources and be creative and strong if he’s going to survive.   Along the way, he’ll experience terrible things but also find love.  

Visit author Mike Mullin's website.

The Mermaid’s Mirror by by L. K. Madigan.  Published by Houghton Mifflin, 2011

Lena loves the ocean.  She spends hours walking up and down the beach.  An excellent swimmer, Lena longs to learn to surf.  But after her father nearly drowned several years ago, he has forbidden her to surf.

Lena is turning 16 and has decided what she wants to do- surf!  She has friends who have said they will help her and even loan her the necessary equipment.  Lena feels drawn to the water by a powerful force.  Can she believe her eyes when she sees a woman with a silver tail?

Lena’s father is behaving strangely.  Her mother disappeared (or left) years ago and she left behind a void in the lives of Lena and her father.  Lena is taking dangerous risks in her quest to surf and she knows her father will be furious with her when he finds out. 

This unusual book is a combination of realism, magic, mystery and even romance that will appeal to many teens.  Recommended for grades 8 and up.

Visit L. K. Madigan's website.  

Silence of Murder

The Silence of Murder by Dandi Daley Mackall.  Published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2011

Hope loves her brother, Jeremy.  She knows he is a little different- he hasn’t spoken in twelve years.  He collects empty jars and keeps them all over his room.  He seems to understand what’s going on around him sometimes, but other times completely tunes things out.  He’s really important to Hope, who tries to help him.

Her family life isn’t exactly normal.  Her alcoholic mother can be quite cruel and doesn’t take care of Hope or Jeremy.  She comes home from work and drinks herself into a stupor (on a good day).  Controlling her temper isn’t a priority, so Hope has learned to avoid her mother as much as possible.

The police come to the house and arrest Jeremy.  He’s a suspect in the baseball coach’s murder.  Hope doesn’t believe he would hurt anyone, but there is quite a bit of evidence against him and Jeremy can’t help defend himself.  Who can Hope turn to for help?  She gets some assistance from unexpected new friends.  But she isn’t sure she can trust them.

This murder mystery has numerous twists and unexpected plot developments.  Recommended for grades 9 and up.

Visit Dandi Daley Mackall's website
 

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor. Published by Penguin Group, 2011.

Sunny is almost used to being different. She lives in Nigeria but was born in New York. She looks West African but is an albino with blonde hair, white skin and hazel eyes. She is athletic but can’t go outside to play sports because of her skin. Her classmates and even her brothers make fun of her.

Now, Sunny is learning things about herself that explain some of these contradictions. She has magical abilities and is a “free agent”. Although she is powerful, she hasn’t been educated in the use of magic. She has to quickly learn (she is only twelve years old, but she is behind) shape-shifting, dimensional travel and spell casting.

The tricky thing is, she has to do all this while keeping it a secret from her family and classmates. She now has magical schoolwork to do in addition to her regular work. She has to practice her new skills and she goes with her friends on trips (some of which are pretty dangerous).

This is all very exciting until Sunny and her friends are asked to find a serial killer. A serial killer who has already passed the highest level tests which have increased his power. A serial killer the adult authorities haven’t been able to kill. A magical, powerful killer who may threaten all of their existence!

Recommended for grades 9 and up. 

Visit Nnedi Okorafor's website.

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle. Published by Harper Teen, 2011.

Laurel is busy studying and chatting with her friend on the phone when there is a knock on the front door. She is nervous answering the door because she is home alone. Her family went out for ice cream with the neighbors. She is completely unprepared for the person in her doorway- a police officer. He tells her the devastating news that her entire family was killed in a car accident.

David lives next door and he is the son of the man at the wheel during the accident. David’s mother was killed and his father is in a coma. David and Laurel aren’t friends, but the accident draws them together as they both try to cope with changing relationships with friends, trying to figure out how to continue with their lives, survivor’s guilt and this terrible loss.

An unexpected friendship (and maybe something more) develops between Laurel and Joe, a fellow high school student who works in the family garden. He lost his father to cancer and can relate to Laurel. She is able to talk to him about her confusion and uncertainty and know he can understand. When their relationship begins to become romantic, they both have mixed feelings.

Laurel has well-meaning friends who try to help her and ask her how she is doing, but she doesn’t know what to say. She is glad her grandmother moved in with her, allowing Laurel to finish her school year, but then what? Laurel gets a job at a veterinary office and revels in the anonymity of no one knowing her or anything about her family tragedy. David is struggling even more because he has no family at all to help him. He suddenly goes off on a trip across the country, leaving Laurel to care for his dog.

Laurel and David both have to figure out how to get on with their lives in the aftermath of this tragedy.

Teens who are Sarah Dessen and Laurene McDaniels fans reading and those who are interested in reading about grief will be drawn to this book.  Recommended for grades 9 and up.

Visit Jennifer Castle's website

All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin

All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin. Published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2011.

New York. 2083. Crime. Food rationing. Banned foods. Power grid problems.

Anya is trying to keep her family together. Her grandmother is very ill, so Anya takes care of her. Her mother and father were killed in mob hits (making Anya the unwilling future mob boss) and her older brother suffered brain damage. He thinks he can help Anya but he doesn’t understand the ramifications of his actions and becomes involved in violent situations. She doesn’t want to be involved with the family but keeps getting pulled back into the business.

Her family has several business ventures- all illegal. Mainly, they produce, import and sell contraband- chocolate and caffeine. Her ex-boyfriend eats some of the family black market chocolate and almost dies. Anya doesn’t know if it was an accident or deliberate but she suspects a setup.

The last thing she needs or wants is romance. Anya meets the son of the district attorney and they start flirting. A crime family involved with a law and order family? Anya is determined not to fall in love. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Now, Anya and her family are being investigated by the district attorney (yes, her boyfriend’s father). She must prove her innocence and clear her family name. She also has to keep herself and her family out of trouble. Who has the time for romance? She does!

This dystopian fiction is recommended for grades 8 and up.

Visit Gabrielle Zevin's website

 

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer. Published by Penguin Group, 2011.

Foster and her mother flee Memphis to escape from her mother’s abusive boyfriend Huck. They wind up in Culpepper, living in a motor home. Her mother quickly finds a job. They are determined to make sure Huck can’t find them. He is violent.

Foster loves baking and she finds a local diner owner and convinces him to let her sell cupcakes to his customers. She hopes to have her own show on the Food Network someday. She practices baking and pretends to be in a recording studio. Baking can be a little tricky for Foster because she has trouble reading, but she is very determined.

Foster starts working for Miss Charleena, who was a famous actress and is now hoping to make a comeback. When Miss Charlena discovers Foster’s secret about her reading problems, they make a pact to help one another.

A young boy named Macon wants to be a documentary filmmaker someday. First he has to get a camera and a little experience. He and Foster decide to film people around the town and they get great footage. Their first story is about a home that helps families when they are visiting prisoners.

Many of the residents of Culpepper have big dreams they hope to achieve. Foster is determined to help them all.


This realistic fiction is recommended for grades 8 and up.


Visit Joan Bauer's website

As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott.  Published by Penguin Group, 2011.

Ava wakes up in a room where nothing is familiar. She panics, runs out into the street and faints. The next time she wakes up, she is in a hospital, surrounded by people she doesn’t know. One woman says she is Ava’s mother, but Ava remembers her mother- she was thinner and looked sad and died when Ava was young. The mysterious Clementine says she is there to help, but Ava’s mother seems to be afraid of her.

Ava is released by the hospital to go home with her mother. She has strange dreams of a different life. She grew up in a crèche. Survival was a struggle and she definitely didn’t have fancy clothes or live in a big house. When Ava wakes up, she is confused. Which world is true? Is the one she dreams about somehow real?

School is equally confusing. Ava’s recognizes her friends, but they are different. She senses that Sophy has a hard, power-hungry edge, but no one else seems to notice it. Ava remembers seeing Olivia die, but in this world, she is alive and well.

And who is Morgan? He seems to know Ava well (maybe even love her), but behaves furtively, as if he has something to hide. Ava’s mother calls the police on him and he disappears. Yet, Ava has memories of Morgan from another time or life. She remembers talking to him but he doesn’t belong in this world.

It seems that everyone has secrets. Clementine, Ava’s friends from schoool, Morgan, and even her mother. Every time Ava tries to remember things, she suffers crippling headaches. Through it all, she can’t deny the strong attraction she feels for Morgan. What does he want from her?

Some readers may initially be confused by the changes of scenes/characters, but for those who finish, this is an unusual and interesting book.  Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Visit Elizabeth Scott's website

Hidden by Helen Frost

Hidden by Helen Frost. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011.

Wren and Dara see each other at camp and immediately recognize one another from their previous encounter six years earlier. A man (Darra’s father) stole a car, not realizing that Wren was in the backseat. The man drove the car to his garage and Wren quickly hid from him, instinctively knowing she was in danger. She was terrified, hungry and thirsty and she was trapped in the thief’s garage, unable to tell anyone or get out.

Watching a newscast , Darra realized what must have happened and that Wren may be in the garage somewhere. She decided to try to help Wren and leave out food and water (ostensibly for the cat) along with a blanket. A few days later, the police come to her house to arrest her father and she realizes that Wren somehow escaped. Darra blames Wren for Darra’s father’s arrest.

Neither girl ever said anything to anyone else about what happened. Now, six years have passed and they are both grappling with events from that fateful encounter and with Darra’s father’s imminent release from prison.

This short novel in free verse is told from alternating viewpoints.  Recommended for grades 4 and up. 

Visit Helen Frost's website

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth. Published by HarperCollins Publishers, 2011.

Beatrice has a huge decision to make. Everyone must decide at age 16 which of the five factions they want to join- Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, or Erudite. This decision determines where people live, how they will make a living, and even who they can have as friends. Part of the decision making process is testing. Beatrice is told her test results are atypical. Rather than being identified with a particular faction, the test identified her as divergent. Beatrice is told this is both unusual and dangerous and to keep her test results secret.

On choosing day, her family is stunned when Beatrice joins Dauntless instead of Abnegation, and changes her name to Triss. She thinks she made the right choice during a thrilling and scary ride to her new home- the entire group must jump from a fast moving train. This also forces her to contemplate the alternatives – death or (maybe even worse) life without a faction.

Triss finds her new life challenging. The physical training is grueling and the psychological mind games are often traumatic. The combination of initiation and the expectations of the Dauntless faction create a highly competitive and distrustful environment. No one wants to be thrown out of the faction. At the same time, Triss is learning about herself and takes pride in her new abilities. Along the way, she has made a few friends and has a romance with one of the Dauntless leaders.

Some of the threats Triss and the others face come from the initiation challenges. But then Triss discovers secrets involving people from Dauntless and other factions and even some of the societal leaders. These secrets hide more dangers than Triss could ever imagine. 

This dystopian novel is recommended for grades 9 and up. 

Visit Veronica Roth's blog

A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan. Published by Candlewick Press, 2011.

Rose goes to sleep in a stasis tube, expecting her parents to wake her a short time later. Instead, she wakes to a kiss from a boy she’s never seen before. She feels weak and nauseous and disoriented. She is shocked to find out that she’s been asleep more than 60 years! She realizes that her parents and best friend/boyfriend Xavier have been dead for many years.

It’s difficult for Rose to know whom she can trust. People think she is strange. Reporters follow her everywhere. She begins a new school connected to a very wealthy and powerful company- one she now owns. She doesn’t like school. She is behind on the academics and the other students stare at her and make fun of her. Her only friend is Bren, whose family is connected to the corporation. Her parents have been telling Rose that she is not very smart and she now knows it is true.

As difficult as things are at school, life outside of school is even worse. She tries to hang out with Bren and his friends, but most of them aren’t very receptive . She begins communicating with Otto through messages on the computer (he can’t talk because alien DNA was incorporated into him). She and Otto are both outsiders in this society. Otto can communicate with his mind, but he doesn’t like doing this with Rose as he says he can see an abyss inside her and it scares him.

The situation is pretty bad for Rose and it gets even worse when an assassin comes after her. She even considers going back into her hibernation chamber because she can’t cope with everything. She desperately needs friends and help.

This dystopian novel is recommended for ages 14 and up.

Visit Anna Sheehan's website

Legacy by Molly Cochran

Legacy by Molly Cochran. Published by Simon & Schuster, 2011.

Do you believe in witches? Katy doesn’t. But she is starting to after arriving at her new boarding school.

Things are kind of strange there. People call her by the wrong name. She has numerous enemies but having just arrived, she doesn’t understand how so many people could already dislike and shun her. Katy’s father and his girlfriend seem happy to get rid of Katy by shipping her 1500 miles away. However, her father won’t answer her questions when Katy learns her mother’s family live in town.

Katy settles in to her new school and discovers that there are all sorts of things she never knew. Her father changed his name. Twice! Her mother tried to kill a little boy named Eric and then set herself on fire. People in the town are afraid of Katy and think she is bringing an evil spirit called The Darkness to town.

Katy kind of likes Peter, Eric’s older brother. Sometimes he seems to like her. Other times, he’ll tell her to stay away from him and stay away from Eric. It’s very confusing.

Hattie, the owner of Hattie’s Kitchen hires Katy to work at the restaurant. Katy enjoys it and is learning a lot about herself- she is a witch. With the support of her mother’s family and Hattie, she learns about her abilities. She can move objects. She has visions. She can sense things about people. She can see the results of The Darkness.

Katy’s father’s new wife arrives in town and announces plans to build a new Wonderland. Unfortunately, it will be built on the site of Hattie’s restaurant and a magical meadow. This plan results in even more enmity directed at Katy.

Katy is arguing with her father, working on developing her magical powers and trying to fight The Darkness, all while struggling with her feelings for Peter. She definitely needs help.

This fantasy fiction is recommended for grades 9 and up. 

Visit Molly Cochran's website