Circle of Blood by Alane Ferguson

Cameron Mahoney's father is the coroner for a small town in Colorado.  Cameron helps her father out in all aspects of his work from the paperwork to the autopsies.  She frequently becomes embroiled in mysteries and in this third book of the forensic mystery series, Cameron's life becomes even more complicated by the return of her long-lost mother.  Cameron and her mother pick up a young woman hitchhiking and Cameron senses that there is something going on with the girl.  She is definitely hiding something and seems nervous.

Later on, the woman is found dead with a gun in her hand.  Was it a suicide?  Was Cameron's mother involved in some way?  Or is there something sinister happening?

This book is recommended for teens and adults who enjoy mysteries or forensics CSI type shows.   

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Orchards

Orchards by Holly Thompson. Published by Delacorte Press, 2011.

Missed signs of a classmate’s mental anguish. 8^th grade girls labeled as mean. A loss that is forever.

Half-Japanese, half-Jewish American Kana is being sent to Japan after the suicide of a classmate. Although she is bilingual and has met her mother’s family on previous visits, she is unhappy about this sudden plan. She doesn’t want to live with people she barely knows while attending a nearby public school during her summer vacation. Working in the family’s mikan orange orchards will fill any of Kana’s spare time.

Her family isn’t trying to punish her. But she is cut off from her friends, computers and TV. She isn’t even supposed to have her iPod (but she does). The new school is okay but she doesn’t really fit in there and doesn’t make any new friends. Her mother’s family is constantly correcting her manners and posture.

Kana finds the work in the orchards challenging. It is hot and physically demanding but she finds it a good distraction from thinking too much. She has more in common with her family than she expected and is developing good relationships with them. She gains insights about her mother and her grandfather. She knows the high emotional cost of her mother’s decision to leave Japan and move to the United States. Kana also learns about her classmates, her family and herself. Just like her family before her, she loves the rhythm of life working amidst the mikan orchards.

This realistic fiction is recommended for grades 7 and up. 


Visit author Holly Thompson's website 

Paper Covers Rock

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard. Published by Delacorte Press, 2011.

Alex’s life at a boarding school in North Carolina is pretty boring. No girls. Teachers (mostly male) live on campus and eat with the students. There are very few chances to interact with anyone outside of school. Consequently, the boys take any opportunity to have a break in the routine.

One afternoon Alex and a couple of friends named Glenn and Thomas get drunk and decide to go swimming. Thomas doesn’t surface after diving off a rock. After unsuccessfully trying CPR, Glenn stays with Thomas while Alex runs to get help. On the other side of the lake, Miss Dovecott, emerges, but no one can save Thomas.

Alex and Glenn aren’t sure what Miss Dovecott saw, but they know they must hide the evidence of the alcohol or face expulsion. The lie about drinking leads to other lies and many complications. Alex begins to develop feelings for Miss Dovecott. At the same time, he begins to dislike and distrust Glenn. Glenn is a jerk and he blackmails Alex into setting up Miss Dovecott to get fired.

Alex’s poetic side is encouraged by Miss Dovecott and she coaches him with his writing. As he explores famous authors and works to develop his craft, he finds himself reflecting on the truth about what happened that day at the lake.

This realistic, intense novel is recommended for grades 9 and up.

Visit author Jenny Hubbard's website