ALAN Online

Matisse Osgood has just moved from New York City to rural Prague, New York, with her family. She is the new girl in the high school in a small town and has a family secret she does not want anyone to know. She does not want to be in Prague and feels that her life will never feel normal again. Her father can no longer work as a sculptor, and her mother is not painting anymore. This story is full of high school angst. Matisse is trying to deal with making friends, finding a boyfriend and a family secret. 

The story keeps the reader glued to find out whether the crazy goose will finally get Matisse and how will she deal with leaving the big city for a small town. The issues that Matisse, her mother, and father deal with as a result of his Parkinson’s disease will connect with readers who have family members in similar situations. The interactions between the teenagers in the story are real life. The ending may even bring a few tears.

Reviewed by Ann Wolf, Boca Raton, FL

Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: The New Girl by Meg Cabot
Scholastic Press, 2008, 240 pp., $15.99
Fiction/Fitting In/Bullies
ISBN: 978-0-545-04049-5

Being the new girl isn’t easy, and for Allie Finkle, it means a whole new list of rules to record in her rule book. “Rule #1: You have to wear something good so people will think you are nice.” Allie understands that Rule # 1 is all about fitting in, but her clothes, along with everything else, is still packed in boxes. Choosing a skirt and jeans (because you never know what may happen), Allie heads off for what she hopes to be a great first day at Pine Heights Elementary. Instead, her little brother insists on wearing a pirate costume, her parents insist on walking her to the school, and Rosemary, the bully, already hates her—not exactly the day she hopes for. At least she’ll be getting that new kitten, or will she?

As Allie tries to fit in, things keep getting in her way, especially Rosemary, until an unlikely advisor gives her the best advice ever and things suddenly make sense. Meg Cabot tells the story of being the new girl with voice of a fourth grader, and she is successful in doing so. Allie sounds and acts like every fourth grade girl I have ever met, and her life is a continuous lesson of how to fit in. Luckily, she has her rules and some good advice to make her way through the days of being the “new girl”.

Reviewed by Frankie Huff, Orlando, FL

Along Came Spider by James Preller
Scholastic, 2008, 144 pp., $15.99
Social Issues/Friendship
ISBN: 0-545-03299-7

Robert Stevens, a.k.a. Spider Stevens, is an ordinary fifth grader trying to fit in with the “cool” kids. Spider’s neighbor and childhood friend, Trey Cooper, is anything but normal and starts to really embarrass Spider and put a damper on his style. Spider decides to keep his distance at school from Trey—it is about time Trey made some new friends—and explains the situation as Trey being a stool and friends being the legs that support him. Spider cannot be Trey’s only friend. Insecure with his decision, Spider struggles with conflicting emotions. This separation from Trey allows Spider to join up with some popular boys and to create a basketball team for the upcoming “Hoops for Hearts” school fundraiser. Spider finally is drafted into the “A” team and can now leave Trey, who is horrible at basketball, alone with his “odd” self. 

Trey Cooper doesn’t consider himself normal—and frankly doesn’t care to be. People don’t interest him very much. Instead, Trey is interested in carpentry, bird watching, and being lost in his strange thoughts. His best friend, Spider (or his “part-time” best friend), has made it clear that he can only socialize with him outside of school. This is fine with Trey—as he has always known that he is different—yet he is troubled by the task of actually trying to make some new friends at school. Trey is amazed to make these new friends with the most unlikely people—the librarian, Ms. Lobel, and the new girl, Ava Bright. Will Trey teach Spider that popularity isn’t everything? Or will Spider show Trey he can have other friends besides him? 

James Preller delves into the hostile and confusing world of adolescence and illuminates how yearning for acceptance and popularity can sometimes strain a friendship. This exposé on the complicated social dynamics of school is a fascinating joy to read with excellent readability and flow! 

Reviewed by Ignacio Guerra, Marietta, GA

Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle
Henry Holt and Company, 2008, 346 pp., $16.95
Adolescent Romance/Magic
ISBN: 10-0:8050-8251-4

Twins Penelope and Persephone Leland are almost eighteen years old and ready to come out in society. It is 1837 London and the girls are expected to secure suitable husbands. Although they look identical, their view on their upcoming entrance into society is vastly different. Pen is looking forward to all the dress fittings and social occasions, but Percy would rather stay at home and continue her studies with their governess, Miss Allardyce. 

Miss Allardyce (Ally) is no ordinary governess; she is a witch and has been secretly teaching the twins the magic arts. Ally is kidnapped by a powerful wizard who wants to force her to use her magic to help take over power from young Princess Victoria. Can the twins navigate the opulent balls, parties and distraction of attentive suitors that keep their calendar full while trying to rescue Ally without revealing the secret that they, too, are witches?

The story is well-written, full of intrigue and excitement as the twins travel through mansions and royal palaces in 19^th century London. For those who like magic spells and romance, then Bewitching Season will more than satisfy.

Reviewed by Jeff Terrell, Marietta, GA

Carlos Is Gonna Get It by Kevin Emerson
Arthur A. Levine Books, 2008, 288 pp., $16.99
Adolescence/ Social Situations
ISBN: 0-439-93525-3

Nearing the end of seventh grade, Trina and her friends look forward to the upcoming overnight trip. Except, this year, Carlos—a skinny kid who doesn’t fit in with his classmates—will also be going on the trip. No one can tolerate Carlos because he behaves differently than everyone else, especially on his “Day Afters,” days that he scratches himself, falls off his seat, and speaks in a strange voice. Not understanding that Carlos suffers from a mental disorder, the students constantly make fun of him. While hanging out at their hideout nicknamed “The Tubs,” Trina and her friends plan a trick to get back at Carlos for his strange behavior.

Designated as an undercover agent, Trina seeks to know more about Carlos and his obsession with aliens in order to set up the trick. While working with Carlos on a science project, Trina begins to see a different side of him and realizes that he is a real person with feelings, not just someone to make fun of. Torn between her desire to fit in with her friends and her friendship with Carlos, Trina must make a decision about whether or not to go through with the plan.

As an authentic portrayal of the ups and downs of adolescent friendship, the book describes the dangerous effects of peer pressure. Emerson’s descriptive first-person narrative gives readers an opportunity to directly view Trina’s struggle between following her friends’ wishes and facing her guilty conscience. Readers will eagerly be drawn through the fast-paced narrative to the resolution to find out what decision Trina actually makes.

Reviewed by Amy Lavin, West Jordan, UT

Crossing to Paradise by Kevin Crossley-Holland
Scholastic, 2008, 400 pp., $17.99
Historical Fiction/Adventure/Religion
ISBN: 0-545-05866-X

Gatty, an orphaned field girl finds solace among the farm animals at the Manor of Caldicot. Her life is simple; she cannot read or write, but she has a deep connection to her faith. She often uses her beautiful voice to sing homage to God. Although her beloved cow Hopeless is her only possession, the Lord, Lady, and head priest of Caldicot keenly recognize her gifts of song and hard work. 

As a result, when Lady Helen of Caldicot visits her widowed cousin, Lady Gwyneth of Ewloe, she finds Gatty the opportunity of a lifetime. Lady Gwyneth plans a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and requests Gatty as a second chamber-servant. She believes Gatty’s singing will keep the pilgrims from danger. Although flattered, Gatty has little understanding of the journey’s complexity. She is torn between Caldicot, the only place she has ever known, and the excitement of the unknown ahead. 

As the pilgrimage begins, we realize that Gatty’s gifts do not outweigh her clumsiness, naiveté, and fearlessness. She is constantly involved in a hilarious or harrowing adventure. In the first part of the pilgrimage, we believe Gatty will only live up to the name of her sole possession: Hopeless. 

Yet, with every journey comes transformation. Gatty finds the strength and courage to deal with even the most difficult events of the pilgrimage flawlessly. Her transparent desire to accept and treat all life with the utmost respect guides her through to the end. 

Crossley-Holland presents us with an adventure that satisfies an interest in religious pilgrimages of the Middle Ages. Through Gatty’s story, readers witness the adaptability and courage of the human spirit and gain a better understanding of how these qualities served pilgrims. 

Reviewed by Sally Lamping, Dayton, OH

Cyberia by Chris Lynch
Scholastic, 2008, 160 pp., $16.99
Science Fiction/Adventure/Technology
ISBN-13: 978-0-545-02793-9

The time is the future, and our teenage protagonist Zane lives a life of complete technological luxury. Everything in his world is completely wired; in fact, his bedroom is the ultimate virtual experience. Even his pet dog is wired.

In Zane’s futuristic world, microchips rule. And all is idyllic until young Zane learns that his animals embedded with microchips have a life of their own. Yes, his animals can talk to him, but Zane soon learns that the animals are not saying what the microchips are translating. They are speaking ‘their mind.’

Not wanting to be programmed, his animals want to enlist Zane to help fight back and ensure their freedom. Zane must confront a universe that he has never known— one not governed by certainty and computers, but possibilities and human desire. 

Award-winning author Chris Lynch takes readers on a fast-paced, nonstop adventure through a world where technology takes on life of its own; a place where one cyber-kinetic kid takes on the world by proving he can be an animal’s best friend. 

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kaplan, Orlando, FL

Escape the Mask (The Grassland Trilogy, Book One) by David Ward
Amulet Books, 2008, 224 pp., $15.95
Adolescence/Adventure /Fantasy
ISBN: 978-0-8109-9477-5

“There was fear coming from the Onesies’ cages. With each new outbreak of moaning it blew across my bare skin like a chill wind from the lower caves,” thus begins Escape the Mask, book one of the Grassland Trilogy. Told through the voice of Coriko, this high fantasy story takes us on a fast-paced, action-packed journey into the violent and fear-ridden lives of children who are enslaved by the silent cruel beings in masks—the Spears. Everyday, the children, kidnapped from various lands and speaking many different languages, must collect baskets of shards to survive. 

When Coriko, along with his cellmate, kindhearted Pippa, meets Tia and Bram, things begin to change in Grassland. The ‘Outside’ has waged war on the Spears and the children embark on a journey to freedom along with Thief and Feelah. Do these six children manage to escape? What is Grassland? Who are the Spears? And what happens to all the children? Believable and courageous, the characters in this story bring up issues of slavery, freedom, child labor and more. 

Reviewed by Ambika Gopal, West Covina, CA

 

Everything Beautiful in the World
Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2008, 203 pp., $16.95
Family Life/Sexuality
ISBN: 978-0-374-32238-0

Edna is seventeen and her world is falling apart. Her mother has terminal cancer, she and her father rarely speak, she is now seeing a psychiatrist, and she is constantly plagued with the mystery surrounding her older brother’s death. Edna’s fears of seeing her mother in the hospital make her so physically ill that she refuses to visit her, let alone speak to her. It seems like nothing good will ever happen to Edna, that is, until she falls in love with Mr. Howland. The only problem is that Mr. Howland is her fourth period ceramics teacher who also happens to be married and fifteen years older. Their love beings innocently, with a few kisses and lunch together. Eventually their secret meetings and flirting spiral out of control into a full love affair. No one has ever made her feel like Mr. Howland does, and she is not about to let the only good thing in her life be taken away. Edna goes to great lengths to protect their love, even using her mother’s cancer as a free pass to sneak off and see Mr. Howland during school hours. But what happens when her teachers and classmates begin to suspect their secret? How far will Edna go to keep their romance under the radar? 

Set in the 1980s, immediately following the end of the disco era, this heartbreaking coming-of-age novel tells the story of life as an adolescent and the tough choices that come along with it. Powerful and engaging, Edna struggles to learn about herself, love, moving on, and what it means to be scared of the unknown. 

Reviewed by Lindsay Williams, Dayton, OH

Girl, Hero by Carrie Jones
Flux, 2008, 312 pp., $16.95
ISBN: 978-0-7387-1051-8

Liliana’s story is more than teenage angst. It is raw and real, the type of reality a high school freshman can never be ready for. Jones takes the classic coming-of-age storyline into uncharted territory by lassoing Liliana’s quest for self-discovery with a potentially gay father, a painfully self-destructive mother, and an embarrassingly odd obsession with John Wayne. As Lili struggles to feel comfortable in her own boots, she writes letters to Mr. Wayne, seeking guidance she cannot get from anyone, including her lifelong friend Nicole. Too busy concocting the not-so-perfect recipe for popularity, Nicole loses her identity and Lili loses her best friend. Now, Liliana must face her mother’s new intimidating, alcoholic boyfriend in a high-noon show down. Lili’s only hope is the hero within her and a new group of characters that help her find that hero.

Readers will find secret comfort in Liliana’s so-absurd-it-must-be-true story, noticing specks of their own lives scattered here and there, specks they do not want anyone to know about, specks that make them who they are. Liliana’s story will empower readers, reminding them of their ability to overcome anything, as long as they first tip their hat and whisper “saddle up.” 

Reviewed by Malorie Barrett, Dallas, GA

The Gypsy Crown by Kate Forsyth
Hyperion Books for Children, 2008, 386 pp., $16.99
Historical Fiction
ISBN: 978-14231-0494-0

When thirteen-year-old Emilia Finch and her family attempt to earn some extra money entertaining the masses during market day, they learn the true extent of the Puritan laws forbidding such action. While her family sits in jail awaiting a death sentence, Emilia and her cousin Luka manage to escape and race against time to free their family. Emilia, believing the gypsy legend of the charms told to her by her grandmother, embarks to bring together the five charms that once formed a single chain. Emilia believes that once she has all of the charms together, the magic will somehow free her family. Her cousin Luka, however, is much more skeptical and feels that the only way to free the family is through the help and support of other gypsy clans. Together the two children and their menagerie traverse much of England, while managing to escape numerous encounters with danger in the form of Puritan clergy, government officials, Royalist spies, and natural disasters. This exciting and suspenseful novel is a lesson in history and also a great read!

Reviewed by Maria Cahill, Johnson City, TN

 

Hummingbird by Kimberly Greene Angle
Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2008, 243 pp., $16.95
Farm Life/Grief/Loss
ISBN: 0-374-33376-9

There’s certainly something in this story that the reader won’t take for granted, and that is the precocious and hilarious March Anne Tanner. The adolescent narrator is a feisty redhead who is searching for something, though she doesn’t know what. She’s looking for answers in all places, including her group of girlfriends nicknamed the Pseudonymphs, her father, and stories of the past from her grandmother, Grenna. It is life as usual until Grenna has a heart attack, and March Anne’s life stops. But, time marches on, and summer rolls into fall as March Anne realizes she has too many questions for her quickly deteriorating Grenna. 

This is a story about the small joys of faith, family, and friendship. March Anne is a sweet girl you’ll want to invite in for sweet tea and rhubarb pie, and she’ll surely please you by telling you tales of the Dreamliner, and the two hummingbirds who called it home. So put on your best southern accent, and enjoy the adventure.

Reviewed by Jamie Williams, Acworth, GA

 

The Humming of Numbers by Joni Sensel
Henry Holt and Company, 2008, 243 pp., $16.95
Religion/Witchcraft
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8327-9

Monastic novice Aiden O’Kirin has a secret: he hears numbers vibrating from those around him. When Lana, the illegitimate daughter of Lord Donagh, enters the monastery as a servant, Aiden hears something he has never heard before—the number eleven. He fights his fascination for her, knowing that a relationship with her might jeopardize his dream of painting illuminated Biblical texts. The abbot, however, assigns Aiden as her caretaker to prove his commitment to the church. On revealing his peculiar talent to her, Aiden discovers that Lana, too, has a mystic connection—to trees. But is she a witch? Tempted by Lana’s attention, he fights his feelings for her, avoiding being alone with her, until Vikings attack the monastery, leaving Aiden and Lana alone in the forest. Lana finds a place for them to hide until they work out a plan to defeat the raiders, who have kidnapped Lord Donagh’s heir. There, their attraction intensifies. Can Aiden be true to both his faith as well as his feelings?

Joni Sensel’s compelling and powerfully written novel raises several questions suitable for classroom discussion: Can someone overcome temptation? What is the difference between knowledge of nature and witchcraft? Are witchcraft and Christian faith mutually exclusive? When is retaliation appropriate for a person of faith? Is premarital sex acceptable in a committed relationship? Outside the classroom, however, this novel might just inspire readers to research this historical era on their own.

Reviewed by Wendy Cope, Kennesaw, GA

 

The Hunt for the Seventh by Christine Morton-Shaw
Harper Collins, 2008, 228 pp., $16.99
Suspense/Ghost Stories
ISBN: 978-0-06-072822-9

Jim Brown and his sister Sal are the new children on the Minerva estate. Following the recent unexpected death of their mother, Jim’s father takes a job as the head gardener on the estate in hopes that this will lead to a new beginning for his family. The master of the manor, Lord Louis Minerva III, receives the children with a warning that they are not to explore and investigate the grounds while showing them the several cameras that are monitoring the estate. However, boredom sets in and Jim begins to inquire about the history of the Minerva family and the massive property from Mrs. Benson, the head cook, and the townspeople of Minerva. 

Jim learns about how six of the Minerva children have died as a result of accidents taking place on the grounds around the summer solstice. Jim begins to see ghostly images and clues relating to the deaths. With the help of Henry “Einstein” Minerva—an autistic boy who is the only surviving child on the Minerva estate, his sister and a few townspeople, Jim must battle the watchful eye of Lord Minerva, the pestering of his little sister and the effects of losing his mother while searching for the truth behind the mysteries of this large estate in this small British village.

This is a well-written story that fans of ghost stories, suspense and mystery will love. The dialogue and the moody descriptions of the estate captivate and draw the reader into the life of a young boy, who seeks the truth against the wishes of his family. The suspense and creepy illusion that Morton-Shaw has created is horrifically beautiful as well as compelling. 

Reviewed by Ray Engle, Dayton, OH

 

Jack: Secret Histories by F. Paul Wilson
TOR, 2008, 304 pp., $15.95
Fiction/Mystery
ISBN: 0-7653-1854-7

A teenage boy named Jack and his two friends, Eddie and Weezy, encounter a dead body on one of their bike rides through the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Was it a ritual murder? What is the significance of the black box and pyramid? Is there a secret society in their small town? Are other deaths related? Armed only with courage and unusual knowledge, these three teens set out to discover the truth about The Lodge and the local deaths. Throw in some unique characters and some more acquaintances and happenings get stranger and stranger. Everyone has a history and everyone has secrets, but how important are the secret histories in our lives? Jack, Weezy, and Eddie are able to find answers to their questions even though they find themselves in some unusual predicaments. In this fast-paced young adult novel full of unique and interesting characters, Jack finds his passion and talent for repairing situations. 

Reviewed by Jennifer Dixon, Woodstock, GA

 

The Kingdom Keepers: The Rise of Chernabog by Ridley Pearson
Disney Editions, 2008, 377 pp., $17.99
Fantasy
ISBN: 978-1-4231-0365-3

The Kingdom Keepers: The Rise of Chernabog incorporates an action-packed fantasy story at one of our most favorite places: Disney World. This sequel, written by Ridley Pearson, is set in the Animal Kingdom Theme Park where Finn and a group of four teenagers set out to save Disney World from being taken over for a second time by Maleficent, the evil sorceress from Sleeping Beauty. However, Finn and his friends have something in common; they are DHIs – Disney Host Interactives. Being DHIs gives these kids the ability to crossover into their holographic forms which allows them after- hours access to the park. Before falling asleep, the group must save Jez (who has the ability to dream the future), crash a computer server, and prevent Maleficent from taking over this wonderful place. 

Woven throughout this action-filled plot are underlying themes of friendship, courage, and leadership. Pearson’s wild behind the scenes ride through the various attractions of Animal Kingdom is sure to be the next book on the “must read” list of any Disney enthusiast.

Reviewed by Sarah Edelman, Holly Springs, GA

The Lab by Jack Heath
Scholastic, 2008, 312 pp., $17.99
Action Adventure
ISBN-10: 0-545-06860-6 

Jack Heath’s The Lab is a fast-paced thriller set in a new age where humans and the environment have clashed. At age sixteen, Agent Six of Hearts is an engineered superhuman. He has the best attributes found within the earth’s life systems, and his origins are a secret he is desperate to conceal. Life is a gamble that hasn’t paid off for the human race. Society is enclosed in a polluted fortress with no outside access. Business interests and money determine life and death. Six works with the vigilante group, the Deck, in order to uncover corruption and maintain a sense of order. Agent Six is covertly searching for the lab that created him in order to eliminate their plans to subdue the human race. Encountering the sinister scientists who created Six leads to surprising twists that explore what really shapes the human soul, the body and its experiences. Alien in body but not in soul, Six completes his missions with little collateral damage.

Reviewed by Sandy Fisher, Hiram, GA

The Lucky Ones by Stephanie Greene
Greenwillow Books, 2008, 288 pp., $16.99
Coming-of-Age/Family Relationships
ISBN: 978-0-06-156586-1

Greene’s bildungsroman of a twelve-year-old protagonist, Cecile, takes place at the idyllic setting on Gull Island. It is there at her grandfather’s house, she grapples with issues that are common to most adolescents growing up. She struggles with sibling rivalry that rages between herself and her fourteen-year-old sister, Natalie. Cecile disapproves of her sister’s relationship with a boyfriend she meets on vacation. She gradually comes to terms with the instability of her parents’ relationship as they argue about whether or not her older brother should have worked over the summer. As a developing young woman, she agonizes over her own identity and worries about boys, getting a bra, making friends, and finding a place within her family. 

Spunky and perceptive, Cecile questions why her sister is obsessed with her boyfriend and seems to forfeit her autonomy in order to please him. Her relationship with the house maid, Sheba, provides a vehicle for Cecile to discuss and work out some of the obstacles encountered during her summer. Cecile isolates herself from her mother by challenging traditional notions of young womanhood such as makeup, dressing pretty, and impressing boys. She makes a friend (Jenny) at the island who serves as a foil for Cecile. Conversely, Jenny is very interested in learning to flirt with boys and being ladylike. By the end of the summer, Cecile resolves some of her issues and begins to feel more comfortable in her own skin.

Any young girl would enjoy reading this story about growing up and discovering one’s identity. While it’s simplistic and innocent, The Lucky Ones is also realistic, and Cecile is a character that young readers can relate to and enjoy.

Reviewed by Joellen Maples, Knoxville, TN

The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2008, 274 pp., $16.95
Coming-of-Age/Religion/Sexuality
ISBM: 0-374-36087-1

Antonia Lucia Labella has many worries. As a fourteen-year-old Catholic girl in Providence, Rhode Island, she worries that her first kiss will never happen and worries about the Vatican denying her numerous requests to become history’s only living saint. Along with her best friend, Maria, Antonia keeps her Saint Diary nearby and plots monthly requests to the Vatican for different possibilities of sainthood: the Patron Saint of Figs and Fig Trees and the Patron Saint of the First Kiss. 

Donna Freitas’ lighthearted look at one adolescent’s journey through school, boys, and her religion is a slice of slightly irreligious, yet redemptive Catholic culture. 

Reviewed by Susan Wegmann, Okeechobee, FL

 

The Smell of Old Lady Perfume by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez
Cinco Puntos Press, 2008, 250 pp., $15.95
Family Life/Schools/Death
ISBN: 978-1-933693-18-7

On Chela Gonzalez’s first day of sixth grade—her first year not to be in the bilingual class, her first year to be without the class “mean girl,” her first year to have a chance at being a popular girl in the class— her dad has a stroke, and everything changes. Her father, the parent who has always made life interesting for Chela and her siblings, is now unable to work outside the home. Her mother must take a job to support the family. Chela begins school a week late only to find that her best friend since kindergarten has been taken into the class mean girls’ circle (no, she didn’t leave for private school as was rumored). She is no longer allowed to be Chela’s friend. While there is progress in her dad’s health and school does become bearable for several reasons, the book does not end without sorrow. 

While Spanish words are interspersed with English, there are not so many that the book is difficult to read for a non-Spanish speaking person but just enough to actualize the Hispanic culture in Chela’s home life and the circumstances of a bilingual student in an English-speaking school environment. 

Reviewed by Kandy Smith, Carthage, TN

 

Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers    
Scholastic, 2008, 304 pp., $17.99
War/Iraq/Coming-of-Age

Wanting to help his country following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Robin Perry joins the Army against his father’s wishes and is deployed to Iraq. His mission is to “spread democracy” and transplant American culture following major combat operations. Events don’t turn out as expected, and Perry soon finds himself amidst an asymmetric guerilla war. Isolated and fearing for his life, he begins questioning the purpose of the war, despite his unit’s exceptional field performance. Tasked with rebuilding the Iraqi infrastructure and undertaking specialized missions such as search and rescue of lost children to “put a nice face on the war,” Perry and his comrades ask such provoking questions as “How do you kill somebody then talk about how sorry you are?”

Myers offers a snapshot of Operation Iraqi Freedom from the perspective of ‘boots on the ground.’ Though he takes a few well aimed jabs at the war’s management, he leaves the big normative questions—i.e., “Should we be there?”—to the reader’s discretion and focuses on the emotional tug-of-war experienced by the soldiers. Through the eyes of Robin “Birdy” Perry, he humanizes the Iraqis.

Reviewed by R. Taylor Cole, Kennesaw, GA

 

Things That Are by Andrew Clements
Philomel Books, 2008, 167 pp., $16.99
Fiction
ISBN: 978-0-399-24691-3

Things That Are gives readers a look into Alicia’s world—a world without sight. Clements blends reality with fantasy as Alicia struggles to figure out where she stands with her friend Bobby, a boy with problems of his own and William, a stranger who is drawn to both Alicia and Bobby in the midst of his own search to heal himself. Bobby and Alicia’s relationship is special, yet believable to readers, and Alicia’s need to develop independence from her parents while still coming to realistic terms with her disability will be familiar to many young readers. Alicia’s guide dog, Gertie, is not just an animal accessory; instead she plays a vital role as a character who serves as a force guiding the development of other characters. The end of the book leaves readers with a sense that Alicia will be able to grow personally, even though she stands at the threshold to her future with even more uncertainty than she seemed to be facing at the beginning of the book. Things That Are is a book about the prospect that, even with inevitable restrictions, there is hope for all. 

Reviewed by Mary Rice, Springville, UT

 

Time Bomb by Nigel Hinton
Tricycle Press, 2005, 284 pp., $7.95
Coming-of -Age/War/Historical Fiction
ISBN: 1-58246-237-2

In 1949 post-war London, life isn’t easy. Food is rationed; the streets are filled with rioters; and anxiety about England’s future rules the day. For Eddie, Andrew, Manny, and Bob, four 12-year-old boys, life is all about survival. As they prepare for summer holidays upon matriculation from primary school, they discover something that would change their lives forever: an unexploded bomb. Eddie, the ring leader, decides they should keep the bomb secret, to the other boys’ timid dismay. However, as each becomes exposed to the more harsh realities of life, they begin to cling to the bomb as a secret source of strength. This decision has terrible repercussions.

Hinton’s novel is about bitterness, friendship, regret, and forgiveness. His narrative is both historically informative and universally relevant for anyone learning to struggle with difficulties beyond his/her control. I was most struck by how Hinton captured the energy and resiliency of youth. His characters are realistic and believable. Andrew, our narrator, unveils the story with a consistent viewpoint and captures the readers’ hearts.

The novel uses dialect associated with south London and might be difficult for American readers to understand. However, the author has included a glossary of terms in the back. 

Reviewed by Missie Stugart, Columbus, GA