47. Maniac Magee

Maniac Magee
By Jerry Spinelli
Little, Brown, 1990
Narrated by S. Epatha Merkerson

Genre
Realistic Fiction

Awards

•  Newbery Medal (1991)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (1992)

Review
Orphaned at a young age, Jeffery Magee was sent to live with an aunt and uncle who hated each other so much they had two of everything so they didn't have to share or talk.  Jeffery couldn't stand it, so he ran away and just kept running until he reached a town separated, east and west, blacks and whites.  But, for a while, Jeffery didn't understand why people were called white or black because he saw a rainbow of different colors, until he finally understood and he left the black family he had come to live with because he was white and they were being harassed.  A wonderful story about how one boy, through running, untying knots, and being friendly, made great strides, with the help of parents on both sides, in breaking down the racial barriers of a town that began revering him as Maniac Magee, and learning what it might be like to accept having a family again.

Opinion
This book was a fabulous example of how racial lines can be drawn, even by children when they've never visited the home of someone from the other race.  The author did a great job of showing the lives of all the characters and the changes in their attitude the more they got to know Jeffery.  The suggestion that Jeffery didn't want to be part of a family because he was afraid he would hurt them (like he lost his parents, a guardian he found working at a zoo died, and his family in the black neighborhood was being harassed) seemed underdeveloped and then forced on the reader, even though it made sense for the character to feel this way.

Ideas
A great story to add to any display or curriculum about race relations.  Also something most children can relate to on some level, not feeling like they belong in a specific group of people.

43. Hatchet

Hatchet
By Gary Paulsen
First Aladdin Paperbacks, 1987
Narrated by Peter Coyote

Genre
Survival Fiction

Awards

• Newbery Award (1988)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (1989)

Review
This classic story of survival finds Brian on a plane flying over the Canadian wilderness to visit his father after his parents' divorce.  The pilot suffers a heart attack during flight and the plane crashes, leaving Brian to fend for himself in an uninhabited forest with nothing but the hatchet his mother had given him before he left.  Brian survives many struggles, not the least of which is finding the motivation to keep living and trying to survive after he realizes he missed the first, and likely only, rescue plane to fly near his camp area.  A distressing tale about a boy alone in the woods is also extremely inspiring to young readers, showing the intensity of the human will to survive.

Opinion
This book was much more captivating than I thought it would be.  Peter Coyote did a great job narrating, bringing life to the scenery and Brian's emotions.  The book was repetitive at places; at first I found this annoying and it stood out to me more in audio form than if I had read it, but then it seemed to fall into a pattern, representing the thought patterns Brian was developing to survive.  There are some dark times in the book, like when Brian tries to cut his wrists in despair after missing the rescue plane, but this is quickly followed by a "new" Brian, resolute and determined to survive, pulling away from the darkness that he briefly explored.

Ideas
Great book for reluctant readers, especially young boys as they can identify with the main character.  Though it seems more intended for late elementary or middle school children, high school aged students can also enjoy this book, especially if they are behind in their reading level or for nostalgia's sake.

41. Lost and Found

Lost and Found
By Shaun Tan (mostly)
Arthur A. Levine Books, 2011

Genre
Picture Book

Awards

• Ditmar Award: Best Artwork - The Lost Thing (2011)

Review

This book combines three stories: The Red Tree, The Lost Thing, and The Rabbits.  All three were illustrated by Shaun Tan, but The Rabbits is written by John Marsden.  All of these stories are poignant reminders of times when we feel alone, out of place, or uncertain about where we belong and what our futures might look like.  All are memorably illustrated with beautiful use of color, some pages continuing the stories with just pictures.  Definitely intended for older tweens and teens, this book can still be appreciated by younger readers to an extent, though some words may be too difficult.

Opinion
The first story really hit me; it is a great description of feeling lost in the thralls of depression, mostly expressed through the art, which is sometimes the only way to express feelings like that.  The story of The Lost Thing was also moving, reminding me of how we categorize people and how we often stop seeing things that appear out of place, because we are too busy with something else to help.

Ideas

This is a good example of a picture book intended for an older audience and can be displayed as such.  It's a great way to show older tween and teen readers that if they see books that look like children's picture books, that's not always who they are intended for. 

39. Esperanza Rising

Esperanza Rising
By Pam Muñzo Ryan
Narrated by Trini Alvarado
Scholastic, 2000

Genre
Historical Fiction

Awards

• Jane Addams Children's Book Awards for Book for Older Children (2000)
• Publisher's Weekly: Best Book (2000)
• Publisher's Weekly Starred Review (2000)
• Pura Belpré Award: Narrative (2002)

Review
Esperanza's life is about to change.  She has always been the daughter of a wealthy father who owned a lot of land on his Mexican ranch; she was used to having servants, pretty dresses, and porcelain dolls.  But when her father is killed, she and her mother are forced to run to the US to escape her corrupt uncles who now own the farm.  Here, Esperanza learns to work and to appreciate life around her for what it is, not what she has.  This is a beautiful story of a girl coming to terms with who she is and adjusting to new circumstances, doing what she must do in the face of adversity.  This story is set during the Mexican Repatriation in the US and not long after the Mexican Revolution.  A powerful story that speaks to readers about coming to terms with hardships beyond personal control and rising above them.

Opinion
This is a great story and can be inspiring to readers, especially those who can identify with the main characters due to heritage, personal loss, or other similarities.  Esperanza is a wonderful heroine that girls can look up to as a strong female role model.  I think this book is good for more advanced readers in later elementary school or the average middle school reader.

Ideas
Great for many different kinds of displays: historical fiction, Mexican-American history, multicultural history, etc.  This book would also be good for a unit on multicultural literature.

38. Frankenstein Takes the Cake

Frankenstein Takes the Cake
By Adam Rex
Harcourt Children's Books, 2008

Genre
Poetry

Awards

• Publisher's Weekly Starred Review (2008)

Review
Set up almost like a magazine with adds for Tofillager (villager shaped tofu for the vegetarian werewolf) and special buckets to help witches melt and look scarier, in addition to various sections about Edgar Allan Poe and the Headless Horseman, this hilarious poetry book will keep readers entertained for multiple readings.  Frankenstein also makes an appearance a few times to meet his fiance's parents, to help plan their wedding, and to actually attend his wedding (which turns into a disaster when a vampire is served garlic bread.  The various types of illustrations, some black and white, some colorful, some simulating photographs, and more, add variety and bring extra humor to the already humorous poems.

Opinions
This book was very funny and I can see tweens loving these poems about historically scary creatures now cast in a comical light.

Ideas
This book is great for a humorous book display, a Halloween arrangement, or just a book to read to a class to make them laugh.

37. A Wreath for Emmett Till

A Wreath for Emmett Till
By Marilyn Nelson
Illustrated by Philippe Lardy
HMH Books for Young Readers, 2009

Genre
Poetry

Awards

• Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book (2005)

Review
This is a well-written heroic crown of sonnets, beautifully illustrated to represent the feelings elicited by the horrible murder of fourteen-year old Emmett Till in 1955.  Though packaged like a children's picture book, this book is much more intense and dark and more appropriate for older middle grade students or high school students.  Many of the poems are from the perspective of the poet reviewing the lynching and Emmett himself, but a few are from other perspectives like that of the tree where he was hung or that of his mother.  Nelson skillfully weaves this wreath in memory of an event that haunts her from her childhood.

Opinion
This book unfortunately looks like a picture book, which means many older children may have qualms about picking it up, but it is certainly not meant for children.  The artwork is beautiful and I loved how she incorporated the language of flowers, making a wreath of poems and a symbolic wreath of flowers.  The back of the book contains a description of the events that spurred this book, and as someone unaware of this event, I wish this description was at the front.  There is also an explanation of the imagery and literary references in each sonnet that I found very useful.  I think this book deserves many readings to get the true meanings, as some of the poems may be too "intellectual" to draw out their intended emotions in the first read.

Ideas
A great book for Black History Month it shows an event that "helped spark the civil rights movement of the late 1950s and 1960s".  This is a good example of a heroic crown of sonnets, what I can only imagine to be a very difficult form of poetry to compose, and could be a challenging project for students to examine.

36. Riding Freedom

Riding Freedom
By Pam Muñoz Ryan
Scholastic Paperbacks, 1999
Narrated by Melissa Hughes

Genre
Historical Fiction

Awards 

• Teacher's Choice Award (1999)

• WILLA Award: Best Young Adult Novel (1999)
• Arizona Young Reader's Award (1999-2000)
• California Young Reader Medal: Intermediate Reader (2000)

Review
After Charlotte banned from the stables because her riding makes the boys look bad and her only friend in the orphanage is being adopted, she decides to run away.  She escapes with the help of her friend and the stable hand, disguised as a boy.  She finds work in a stable with coach horses where she is a stable hand, and eventually coach driver, until she decides to move to California during the gold rush to find land where she can finally get her own ranch.  This is a wonderful story about "Charlie", a coach driver that was a woman disguised as a man until the day she died.  An inspiring story for young girls about chasing your dreams no matter what it takes, this story touches on the history of the woman's suffrage movement and talks about what it was like to be a girl in those times.  Melissa Hughes does a great job narrating, bringing Charlotte's story to life for the listener.

Opinion
This is an inspiring story about this girl who went against all odds to achieve what she did.  The author explains that though Charlotte was real, and most of the characters and history was accurate, some of the timelines were changed to coincide with historical events the way the author wanted.  I think this is a great book for horse lovers and for girls, who will find strength in Charlotte's spirit and resilience.

Ideas
Great for a display about historical woman, woman's suffrage, horses, or people who are not who they appear to be.

31. Technically, It's Not My Fault

Technically, It's Not My Fault
By John Grandits
Clarion Books, 2004

Genre
Humor, Poetry

Awards

• ALA Notable Book for Children (2005)
• ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers (2005)
• Book Sense Top Ten Poetry List (2005)
• CCBC Choice (2005)
• NCTE Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts (2005)
• Young Hoosier (IN) Book Award Nominee (2006-2007)

Review
This is a fun book of concrete poetry, poetry written to form a picture or to otherwise convey some meaning of the poem.  All the poems follow Robert through events like skateboarding and playing baseball, tormenting his sister by flushing the toilet while she is in the shower, or thinking about the perfect roller coaster or the life of a fart.  These poems are told well with their words and the pictures  they make in red and black ink with crazy font types really add to the entertainment they provide!  Middle grade children and even early high school students will love this book because of its quirky nature.

Opinion
With a funny story on the cover to start everything off, Grandits has written a truly entertaining book of poetry that even those who "hate" poems will find themselves enjoying.

Ideas
A great book for reluctant poetry readers.  A good challenge would be for readers to create their own concrete poem.

30. Amulet: The Stonekeeper

Amulet: The Stonekeeper
By Kazu Kibuishi
Scholastic, 2008

Awards

• YALSA Best Books for Young Adults (2009)
• Rhode Island Children's Book Award (2010)
• Library Journal's Graphic Novels for Reluctant Readers (2010)
• Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award: Junior Division (2011)
• Oregon Library Association Reader's Choice Award: Junior Division (2011)
• #4 on Goodreads "Best Graphic Novels for Children" (2013)

Genre
Adventure, Low Fantasy,  Steampunk

Review
After their father dies in a car crash, Emily, Navin, and their mother move from the city to a family home "in the middle of nowhere" that their mother inherited from her grandfather, Silas Charnon.  After moving in, the family discovered Silas's workshop where he built what he called puzzles, but were really game machines of some kind.  Here Emily finds an amulet that was hidden in his workbench.  During the night, the family hears noises coming from the basement and go to investigate.  Their mother is abducted by some kind of monster and taken through an opening in the wall into a strange land; and the children soon chase after her, trying to save her.  The amulet springs to life and attacks the monster.  The children aren't able to save their mother at that time, but the amulet speaks to them, instructing them to find their great-grandfather's home in this land, called Alledia.  After finding Silas, he tells Emily he intended the amulet to be hers and that she take over his role of controlling the amulet and gaining power to rule in Alledia.  The children then set out with robots made by Silas to find their mother and cure her from the poisonous monster.  The colorful drawings and cute, quirky robot characters are entertaining and make the reader hope for the children to succeed on their mission.

Opinion

A book that engages the readers from the beginning, this is a great book for tweens.  The story makes the reader want to continue the series, because it leaves many questions unanswered at the end of the first book, but they seem answerable in books to come.

Ideas

There is a small steampunk theme in this book with the machinery built by the children's great-grandfather and the robots, but I am unsure if that theme extends through the series.  This may be a good book for a steampunk display or just to engage reluctant readers in an easy to follow adventure.

29. Lincoln's Grave Robbers

Lincoln's Grave Robbers
By Steve Sheinkin
Scholastic Press, 2013
Narrated by Will Patton

Genre
Non-fiction

Review
An exciting telling of how President Lincoln's body was almost stolen by grave robbers in a plot to force the government to release a notorious and talented engraver and counterfeiter.  Sheinkin touches on a brief history of the creation of the Secret Service, which was created to investigate and stop counterfeiting, in addition to covering a small part of the trouble with the election results in November 1876 between Samuel J. Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes, but he mainly focuses on the trouble counterfeit money was causing in the country.  Once the most talented engraver, Ben Boyd, was captured, counterfeit money was much harder to find to the joy of honest citizens and the Secret Service, but to the frustration of those who made their living off illegally distributing it like members of Boyd's counterfeiting ring who were having trouble surviving after his arrest.  They planned to rob the Springfield tomb that held Lincoln's body and ransom the body back to the government in exchange for Boyd's release and $200,000.  The story is told almost like a mystery or detective story, focusing around the Secret Service agent investigating the ring and the informer that had been placed in the ring.  An exciting narration given by Will Patton makes this little known part of history come to life in the listener's imagination as Sheinkin recounts the events of the planning and execution of the plot.  With bonus features like a glossary of terms and a short story about the history of body snatching in the medical profession, this book is full of interesting historical facts sure to grab the attention of tween readers.

Opinion
I loved listening to this book.  The narrator reminded me of the voice you might hear at the beginning of old private detective shows, where the camera pans into an office that says Private Investigator with a gumshoe behind the desk in a trench coat.  I had never heard of this event and felt like the book was very informative and well put into context of the times with information about the secret service and the big election happening at the same time.

Ideas
I think this is a great book for a display or study on little known facts, American history, or Presidential history.

28. Witches! The Absolutely True Story of Disaster in Salem

Witches! The Absolutely True Story of Disaster in Salem
By Rosalyn Scmanzer
National Geographic Children's Books, 2011
Narrated by Jessica Almasy

Genre
Non-fiction

Awards

• Society of Illustrators Gold medal for Best Illustrated Children's Book (2011)
• A Junior Library Guild Selection (Fall 2011)
• NY Public Library's 25 Best Nonfiction Titles (2011)
• #8 on Fuse list of 100 Magnificent Children's Books (2011)
• Kid Lit Frenzy top 5 Middle Grade Picks (2011)
• School Library Journal Starred Review and Best Book of the Year (2011)
• Included in Communication Arts Magazine's Annual Illustration Issue (May/June 2012)
• Robert F. Sibert Honor Award as one of the year's 5 most distinguished informational books for children (2012)
• NCSS/CBS Notable Social Studies Trade Book (2012)
• ALA Notable Children's Book

Review

A well-written history of the famous Salem Witch Trials that started in 1692 after two young girls, the daughter and niece of the town preacher, began suffering from odd symptoms (writhing and twisting in impossible directions, speaking strangely with nonsensical terms, and choking) and were diagnosed as being bewitched!  The girls were urged by their caretakers to finger the people whose spirits were harming them.  The girls fingered their family's longtime slave and two other village women, a beggar woman and an elderly ill woman who hadn't been to church in years.  Soon after this event, some of the girls' friends began experiencing similar symptoms and brought on the mass hysteria that lead to numerous people being accused and jailed for witchcraft, 20 people being killed, and ruined hundreds of lives.  Many people accused their own family members to avoid being accused themselves.  The courthouses were the stage where those claiming to be afflicted by the witches performed mimics of the accused person's gestures, pricked themselves with pins, bit themselves, and made shocking accusations about their own neighbors being in league with the devil.  Scmanzer covers this topic well, going into the poorly run trials where many were condemned based solely on spectral evidence and corrupt officials stole the assets of the accused for themselves before the person was even tried, rather than following the law and turning their assets over to the crown after they were condemned.

Opinion

A good synopsis of terrible historical events, this book gives an idea of the daily fright townsfolk must have experience during this time where anyone could be accused as a witch and would likely end up in prison, owing money for their "room and board" and their "rented" shackles, if they weren't condemned to die.  Scmanzer did a good job of writing to her target audience, upper elementary school, and even explained in her note at the end of the book that she paraphrased many of the quotes she used as they were more lengthy and written in more difficult, archaic English.  The narrator, Almasy, did a decent job of keeping the listener engaged in the audiobook, though I found her voice to get shrill and annoying at times.  Unfortunately, I did not have a physical copy and could not view the award winning illustrations, but the few that I've seen online are quite unique black & white art accented with red that seem to perfectly illustrate many of the occurrences.

Ideas

Great book for a middle-grade non-fiction reader and would be useful if writing a report.  The descriptions of the trials also gives a good look at the way religion was viewed in this time period and location, as well as how the legal system worked.

26. Dying to Cross

Dying to Cross
By Jorge Ramos
HarperCollins Publishers, 2006
Narrated by Jonathan Davis

Genre
Non-fiction

Awards
None Known

Review
Written by Jorge Ramos, a celebrated and popular Mexican journalist, this book tells the tragic story of over 70 immigrants from Mexico and various Central American countries who attempted to cross the Mexican-American border illegally on May 13, 2003.  These desperate people traveled a variety of ways and paid a few thousand dollars each to get from their homes to safe houses in Harlingen, TX, from which they were told they would be delivered to Huston, TX.  Based on the accounts of various immigrants, it seems the travelers were told different things by their coyotes (the people paid to bring them across the border) about what their accommodations and traveling methods would be, but in reality, they all ended up in a truck trailer for the last leg of their journey from Harlingen to Huston.  Although this truck had a refrigeration unit, the driver never turned it on, causing 17 people to die in the truck and 2 more later in the hospital.  Ramos' story tells about some of the lives of the immigrants before the tragedy and covers part of the trials after many coyotes, including the suspected ring-leader, were arrested.

Opinion
This was an extremely repetitive book and the author covered almost the entire story in the first chapter.  He reiterates facts like the temperature or that a young boy died in the truck and harps on "if only" ideas.  He briefly touches on the idea that both the countries Mexico and America are partially responsible for this tragedy due to poor immigration policy despite stating at the beginning of his book that he was simply trying to give the accounts of some of the surviving immigrants and some of those who died, not trying to make a political statement or legal overview.  This is a poorly written book, though the story it tells is heartbreaking and deserves to be told in a better way.

Ideas
I am not familiar with techniques used in journalism, but I feel like this may be an example of a journalist outreaching the bounds of what he is used to.   This could be used in a journalism or literature class to show how not to write an account of events.  It could also be used to discuss with tweens the problems that illegal immigration create for those attempting to travel in such a fashion, because although it is a poorly written book, it is a book that, in terms of reading level, would be appropriate for tweens to read.

25. Bone, Book 8: Treasure Hunters

Bone, Book 8: Treasure Hunters
By Jeff Smith
Scholastic, Inc., 2008

Genre
Graphic Novel, High Fantasy, Humor

Awards
None known for individual book; the series has received many awards and nominations.

Review
Fone Bone, along with his cousins Phoney Bone and Smiley (with a hidden baby rat creature), are traveling with a queen and Princess Thorn in disguise to get into the city of Atheia.  Many people are trying to take refuge in the city because ghost circles have begun swarming the surrounding towns and desert, forcing evacuations.  Upon entering the city, the group learns that the leaders of Atheia have banned worship of the dragons and demand that only Ven is worshiped, such a change from their old beliefs where people believed that the dragons created the earth, were responsible for life and death, and taught Ven, the first human queen everything she knew.  Guards were ordered to demolish any dragon shrines seen and to capture any dragon worshipers to be burned at the stake.  While the others are hiding and trying to find out more information about those loyal to the dragons and some secret group the queen is part of, and try to figure out how to restore balance between their world and the dream world, Phoney Bone is concerned with finding treasure somewhere in the city while Smiley frequently visits and plays with their smuggled baby rat creature.  All may be lost when Princess Thorn is captured along with the Bone cousins and the queen sees and approaching enemy army of Pawans and rat creatures.  The army belongs to the queen's sister, Briar, who is working to tip the balance toward the dream world, and her master, The Locust.

Opinion
I was lost for this entire book.  I don't think the books in this series, or at least this one in particular, can stand on their own.  The characters are not "reintroduced" in anyway and the plot seems to continue strait from the last book.  This was odd for me having read comic books previously that, though they are a number in a series, don't necessarily depend on their predecessors to tell their story.  The humor in this book is likely appropriate for tweens familiar with the series, but was mostly lost on me.  The artwork is interesting; the humans are fairly realistically drawn and reminded me of how people were drawn in Avatar, the Last Air Bender.  This, contrasting with the more cartoonish drawings of the Bone cousins, the giant bees and the rat creatures made for an amusing idea of what the world of this comic is like.

Ideas
If the first book in the series is available, I feel like it may be a good way to introduce tweens to a graphic novel if they've never read one.  The lively colors, glossy pages, and pressing adventure story will likely keep them entertained.  However, I would recommend suggesting something else if the first book is unavailable as they may be as lost in the story as I was and get discouraged.

24. Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute
By Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Random House Children's Books, 2009

Genre
Adventure, Graphic Novel, Humor

Awards

• Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers" Winner (2009)
• IRA Children's Choices: Young Readers (2010)
• Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices Winner (2010)
• New York Stated Charlotte Award Nominee (2012)

Review
A group of three students, The Breakfast Bunch, discuss with each other what their lunch lady does outside of work.  Mostly they speculate that she has a lot of cats, but one of them jokingly suggests she's a secret agent! If only he knew how close the truth he was.  The lunch lady has a secret lair in the "boiler room", concealed by a large sliding fridge in the school kitchen.  Here she tests out new gadgets made by her assistant lunch lady, like the Spatu-copter (a helicopter spatula), Chicken Nugget Bombs, and Fish Stick Nunchucks, and monitors classrooms on her her huge monitor with secret cameras (Milk-cams).  In this first installment in the Lunch Lady series, she battles evil robots lead by a cyborg substitute teacher.  All these mechanical villains were created by a disliked science teacher to send away the most liked teachers in the school and replace them with cyborg substitutes that made the students do so much extra work, they would all end up liking the science teacher the best, and vote to give him the Best Teacher of the Year award.  When the Lunch Lady learns that there is something fishy going on with the new sub, she follows him after school (with the Breakfast Bunch following her to see what she really did after school was over).  Here the Lunch Lady and the children are surrounded by the robot army, but are saved by the Lunch Lady's food-weapons and one of the children's science projects.  The book ends with a cliff hanger, promising more food fights in the future.

Opinion
This is a funny little story that may have students thinking about what their teachers, school janitors, or bus drivers do after work! The story incorporates a school figure that students probably don't think about too often.  The author had very creative ways to incorporate school lunch food into funny weapons and used Batman's Batcave from the cartoons as a heavy influence on the Lunch Lady's lair, making it easily recognizable to comic book and cartoon fans.

Ideas
Having readers write a short story or draw out their own short comic strip may be a fun project.  There is also a secondary story involving a boy in the Breakfast Bunch being bullied, but learning to stand up for himself.  Despite it being a secondary element, it could still have an impact on students concerned with bullying.

23. Inkspell

Inkspell
By Cornelia Funke
Scholastic Inc., 2005
Narrated by Brendan Fraser

Genre
Low-Fantasy

Awards

• Best Sense Book of the Year: Children's Literature (2006)

Review

Meggie and Dustfinger's apprentence, Farid travel into the book Inkheart to find Dustfinger and warn him that Basta, a villainous man who loves to use knives and hates Dustfinger, had returned to Inkheart not long after Dustfinger himself.  A few days after Meggie disappeared into the book, her parents, Mo and Risa, were still heart-broken and thinking they've lost her forever.  They walk into their house only to find more old enemies that came from the pages of Inkheart.  Basta (who hadn’t returned yet), Mortola, and Orpheus had broken in, looking for Mo, Risa, and Meggie to exact revenge on for killing their old leader (also Mortola's son), Capricorn.  When Meggie is nowhere to be found, Mortola has Orpheus read all of them back into Inkheart where Mortola promptly shoots Mo with a gun brought with them from Mo's world.  Meanwhile, after warning Dustfinger, Meggie searches for the book's author, Fenolgio, who had come to live in the book himself, but soon discovers her parents were captured and are in the book and Mo is gravely wounded.  The rest of the story finds the small family trying to finally be reunited outside of captivity, and follows Farid as he tries to keep Dustfinger alive.  Fenolgio tries along the way to write beautiful words for Meggie to read and help him "fix" his story, but everything seemed to turn against his intentions, like a wish made to a genie that wasn't specific enough.  Funke did a wonderful job of trying to include readers whose first experience of the Inkworld is Inkspell by including character synopses at the beginning.  There is also a map for readers to follow the characters as they travel the vast and magical Inkworld, and small illustrations scattered throughout the book, presenting the characters and making the book itself seem as magical as the words in it.

Opinion

This is a great continuation to Inkheart, the first book in the series, but it can't quite stand on its own.  Many events are referenced from the first book, and not all of them are explained enough for those new to the series to be fully aware of the whole story.  A fairly easy read despite its thickness, Inkspell would be a great option for tweens who enjoy the adventure and magic often found in fantasy.

Ideas

Since this book was originally written in German and translated, this may be a good book for a display about popular books originating for foreign countries.  Many of the descriptions in the books are detailed enough to suggest that readers choose their favorite scene and attempt to illustrate it, like an illuminator would do in the book.

22. Cinder

Cinder
By Marissa Meyer
Feiwel and Friends, 2012

Genre
Sci-fi

Awards

• ABC New Voices Title (2012)
• YALSA Teen's Top Ten (2012)
• Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens (2013)
• IRA Young Adult Choices (2013)
• Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year (2013)
• Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Awards: Master List (2013-2014)
• Abraham Lincoln Award Illinois' High School Readers' Choice Awards: Master's List (2014)
• NYSRA Charlotte Award High School Winner (2014)
• Indian Young Hoosier Award Middle Grade Nominee (2014-2015)
• MASL Readers Awards Nominee (2014-2015)
• Nebraska Golden Sower Award Young Adult Nominee (2014-2015)
• VSBA Middle School Nominee (2014-2015)
• Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award Nominee (2015)
• Oklahoma Sequoyah Young Adult Book Award Nominee (2015)

Review

A Cinderella story with a new twist: Cinder is a cyborg mechanic and is the property of her step-mother since her adoptive father died after rescuing her from the hovercraft accident she was disfigured in.  Prince Kai suddenly appears at her mechanic market stall once day requesting she fix his android.  Unfortunately, the plague that has been brushing the outskirts of town has begun to make its way inside the city, infecting Cinder's step-sister and the Emperor himself.  Cinder is "volunteered" as a test subject for vaccines to help with the epidemic where the doctor testing her teaches her much about her past and finds her immune to the illness.  Cinder continues to see Prince Kai, causing them both to develop feelings for one another.  Kai discusses with Cinder a looming threat of war from the Lunars (inhabitants that live on the moon and have special abilities resembling mind control).  Cinder discovers that the Prince's android holds secrets about a possibly surviving heir to the Lunar throne who has been thought dead!  If she is restored to the throne, Kai's concerns about war and possible marriage to the tyrannical Lunar queen could be put to rest.  On the night of a ball thrown by Prince Kai, with the Lunar Queen present, Cinder must make the difficult decision of escaping her terrible stepmother forever and never seeing Kai again, or warning him of impending danger and lose her only chance of escape.  This thrilling and unique retelling of Cinderella will keep readers engaged, always on the edge of their seats to see what will happen next.

Opinion
A very detailed, thought-out story with a rich setting and back story.  Cinder is a well fleshed out, believable character, with a sarcastic and mysterious side, but some of the other characters are a little flat, including Prince Kai.  Though he is a likable character, there is not much to him.  Some parts of the story seem to have been started and then stopped without much resolution leaving the reader unsure if that minor story line is cut short or may be continued in the next book.  Overall, this is a great sci-fi telling of Cinderella that is appropriate for middle grade through high school.

Ideas
Great for a display of modern fairy tale retellings.

21. Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep

Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep
By Carson Levine
Illustrated by Mark Elliott
HarperCollins, 1999

Genre
Fractured Fairy Tale, Humor

Awards
None Known

Review

Princess Sonora was blessed by a fairy to be 10x as smart as anyone in the world! But she was also cursed to fall asleep for 100 years when she pricked herself on a spinning needle.  Sonora decided that since she'd be sleeping so long later, there was no need for sleep now and spent her time reading all the books in the royal libraries.  She found answers to all the questions she could think of (and made sure she told everyone about them) and made more efficient ways for the servants to do their chores, but everyone just found her to be annoying.  Sonora's parents had found a prince for her to marry, but he was boring! Sonora decided that after his visit, she would prick herself by choice with a spindle hidden in her closet so she could fall asleep and avoid the marriage all together.  This plan didn't work and Sonora accidentally pricks herself while the prince is still in the castle, so he fell asleep along with Sonora and the rest of the castle.  An astonished shepherd saw the castle become covered in a wall of thorns.  Eventually, Prince Christopher, a descendant of Prince Melvin XX and had always been curious about everything, decided to investigate the “missing” kingdom.  He found Sonora asleep, covered in cobwebs.  After much debate of what to do, he decided to kiss her.  Naturally, Sonora woke up.  So happy to have found someone who can answer his questions, and happy she had found someone who wanted to hear her answers, the couple decided to get married.  This short but humorous retelling of Sleeping Beauty will make readers chuckle at the “intelligence” of Sonora and the reactions of other characters. There are illustrations every few chapters that add to the story and show significant occurrences.

Opinion
A very amusing retelling that younger tweens will like just for the blatant humor and older readers will enjoy for the way it makes fun of predictable fairy tale characters.

Ideas
This book is a great example of a fractured fairy tale and is a good way to introduce this genre to tweens, either in the classroom or at the library with a display.

20. The Dark is Rising

The Dark is Rising: Book 2 of the Dark is Rising Sequence
By Susan Cooper
Random House Children's Books, 1973
Narrated by Alex Jennings

Genre
Adventure, Low-Fantasy

Awards

• Newbery Honor (1974)
• Named one of the "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children" by the National Education Association (2007)
• Named one of the "Top 100 Chapter Books" of all time by School Library Journal (2012)

Review

Will Stanton prepares for his Midwinter birthday, but can’t shake the feeling something is wrong.  Animals are reacting aggressively toward him and he is given a strange metal symbol as a birthday present by a long-time family friend, Farmer Dawson.  Soon Will discovers he was the last Old One, an ancient and powerful being, to be born and he came into the fullness of his powers on his 11th birthday.  Will travels through time with other Old Ones "…for all times co-exist, and the future can sometimes affect the past, even though the past is a road that leads to the future . . . But men cannot understand this.”  He is told by another Old One that he is the Sign Seeker, and that he already had one of them, the item Farmer Dawson had given him.  There are six Signs that must be gathered to help fight off the Dark, dark forces that were trying to control the world.  Will, along with the light (the Old Ones and others) fight constantly to keep the Dark at bay.  The Dark had some influence on the world and were the ones causing the snow, which Will soon discovers, is at risk of killing people in his village.  Will learns to control his powers and the Signs to fend off the Dark a while longer and keep his family safe from something they don't know is happening.   Will visits with other Old Ones in different times to learn more about who he is and how he can help fight the Dark.  A captivating book that shows a young boy coping with his new situation that can sometimes be seen as a gift and at other times be seen as a burden.

Opinion

I didn't know this was the second book in a series until looking more closely at the cover.  The author did a wonderful job of making the book stand alone, but now that I know it is part of a larger series, I certainly want to read the first book, and all the rest!  The setting changes frequently and I wasn't always sure "when" the book was, but I was swept up in the story nonetheless.  There is mention of British folklore in this book, and I'm sure I would find it all that more entertaining if I was familiar with the basics of the original folk characters, like Heren the Hunter.

Ideas

A great book for reluctant readers since it is part of a series they can keep going with if they enjoy this one, but the book also stands alone well, allowing readers who may be unsure about fantasy to try new things.

16. When You Are Happy

When You Are Happy
By Eileen Spinelli
Illustrated by Geraldo Valério
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2006

Genre
Poetry, Picture Book

Awards
None Known

Review
This book follow a child through all the feelings she might have, with presumably a parent or loved one speaking to her about how they will always cheer her up when she is sad, care for her when she is sick, finder her when she is lost, and laugh with her when she is happy.  The wonderful illustrations show the girl and her family members, as well as a doll (who also has a doll of its own!).  They beautifully depict the words of the poem and are spread over one or two pages for each section of the poem.  Spinelli's warm poem mixed with Valério unique illustrations provide a comforting feeling to the reader throughout the book that lasts long after closing the cover.

Opinion
I loved this book! I wanted to purchase a copy for myself because of how cute it was and the warm, fuzzy feeling you had when you were done reading it.  The copy I had checked out from the library showed it was "much loved" and heavily read.  I think this could be one of those books that is a "comfort" book that younger children keep as they grow up to just read and reread.

Ideas
A great poetry book, definitely geared toward the younger end of tweens or younger, but with more words per page than some picture books I've seen.  The repetition makes it easy to read with a "When you are... I will..." pattern for much of the poem.  Much of the imagery in Spinelli's poem can be enjoyed by older readers as well (like "When you are cold, I will weave you a blanket from leftover sun."), but they may feel the book is childish with the type of illustrations done by Valério.

15. Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror
By Marilyn Singer
Illustrated by Josée Masse
Dutton Children's Books, 2010

Genre
Poetry, Picture Book

Awards

• Goodreads Choice Nominee for Picture Book (2010)
• Cybils Award in Poetry (2010)
• Horn Book Fanfare Best Poetry Book list (2010)
• Betsy Bird's 100 Magnificent Children's Books of 2010
• Publisher's Weekly Best Children's Books of 2010
• Booklist Editor's Choice list (2010)
• Washington Post's Top 15 Books of 2010
• NCBLA - Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts (2011)
• ALA Notable (2011)
• Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee (2011-2012)
• Flicker Tale Children's Book Award Nominee for Picture Book (2012)
• Land of Enchantment Picture Book Award (2012)

Review
A beautifully illustrated picture book of poems that can be read up to down, or down to up! Author Marilyn Singer writes poems about fairy tales that can be reversed, showing a completely different poem.  While made in the form of a picture book, older audiences will enjoy her poetic style as well as younger children.  Singer even challenges her readers at the end of the book to make up their own reversible poem.  The illustrations are colorful and eye-catching, also showing both sides of the story that is told by the two poems opposite the picture.

Opinion
This book is skillfully written, though the poems aren't as amusing as I thought they would be.  I feel like this poem style is limiting with the choice of vocabulary as the sentences have to work both backwards and forwards, even though the punctuation can be moved around, but the poems are still vague and sometimes difficult to understand, like they were just words and ideas from a specific fairy tale put into a poem, hoping to flow well, but not succeeding (like the poem entitled Mirror Mirror).  However, some of them were very enjoyable with The Doubtful Duckling, Bears in the News, and Have Another Chocolate being my favorites because of their clever way of telling both sides in a way that didn't necessitate having a picture to know what was going on.

Ideas
The author challenges her readers to try their hand at making their own poems like this.  This would be a fun activity for most of the ages in the tween group, letting them use this book as an example.