Imagine that your excellent language skills lead to a Secret Agent position behind enemy lines during World War II.  What are the risks, the thrills, the challenges?  How are Secret Agents trained and prepared?  What special equipment and tools will you need?  What will your mission be like?  Will you succeed and live to tell about it?  What if you are captured?  All this and more is covered in this exciting and interesting non-fiction book.  The illustrations are cartoon-style and the pages are full of facts presented in an easy to read format.   Accelerated Reader level 4.2, 1 point.

If you’ve ever been curious about the reality of climbing Mount Everest, this book will provide lots of information in an engaging and entertaining format.  Every page is busy, filled with cartoon style illustrations, text boxes and bubbles.  Although busy, the information is easy to follow.  The Everest climbing experience is told from the early attempts to summit, ending with the story of the first officially recognized  successful summit in 1953 by Hillary and Tenzing.  There is a glossary and index.  Accelerated Reader level 5.3, points .5.  This series provides interesting information about different experiences, jobs and famous people from history.

This series is an engaging way to be introduced to interesting jobs throughout history.  This book focuses on what life is like building cathedrals.  Written with a sense of humor, comical graphic novel-style illustrations, and lots of text boxes and bubbles, readers will follow a young apprentice mason as he becomes a Master.  All the hazards and challenges of building a cathedral are described.  The layout of the pages is busy but not difficult to follow.   There is a glossary and index.  Accelerated Reader test level is 4.7 and is worth .5 points.

This book is well written and well organized. It begins with an introduction explaining ‘freeganism’, then the following ten chapters explore different aspects of consumer culture from different perspectives. A different author, explaining their views of consumerism’s pros and cons, writes each chapter.

The writing is informative and concise. The widely differing perspectives give the total book a balanced view. The reader can explore contradicting concepts and make their own decisions.

Short biographies of each author are given at the beginning of each chapter. There are charts, an index, bibliography, and an appendix giving statistics to back up each chapter’s claims. A final chapter, “What You Should Do About Consumer Culture” gives a clear summary of how teens should evaluate the advertisements they are bombarded with.

With college tuition and fees at an all time high, and continuing to rise dramatically each year, 1001 Ways to Pay for College serves as a very useful reference for students, parents, and school counselors.  The authors, Gen and Kelly Tanabe, have written numerous guidebooks on funding college, including books on scholorships and how to write scholarship essays.  The fifth edition of 1001 Ways to Pay for College has been updated to include new options and changes in the tax codes.

There are 22 chapters that cover undergraduate, part-time, adults returning to college, military, and graduate school options. There are chapters on financial aid, scholarships, tuition savings plans, tax breaks for students, grants, internships and part time jobs, loans and loan forgiveness. Other chapters provide warnings against financial aid scams, ways to live more frugally while at college, and even options for colleges that provide free tuition.

Some of the 1001 essays are brief and leave the reader wishing for more details, but other essays are lengthy and provide details, including information on various states’ tuition savings plans.

This guidebook is relatively inexpensive with used or discount copies available. It would be worth continuing to purchase future revised editions to keep as up to date as possible on changes in tax laws, student loan interest rates, government opportunities for loan forgiveness, etc.

Express Makeup is devotes itself  to professional models / extreme runway looks that few girls or women could ever wear in real life.  The instructions are minimal, assuming that the reader already knows the techniques and best brands that are found in Morris’ first book titled Makeup: The Ultimate Guide.

This book is of minimal value as a stand alone source due to the extreme runway looks featured in it, and because the styles featured are ‘express’, assuming the reader knows the basics the author is referring to.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick is a face-paced, action-packed thriller filled with car chases, thugs, graphic killing scenes, exploding buildings, sexual tension, and a random bear fight, and is so intriguing that the book is hard to put down.

There are plenty of holes in the plot, but for youth readers looking for an engaging read, this novel is perfect.

The plot involves Perry Stormaire, a normal high school senior who is busy applying to colleges and rehearsing with his band. His life dramatically shifts when his parents pressure him into taking Gobi, the Lithuanian exchange student who’s been living with his family, to the prom.  The night of prom, Perry learns firsthand that Gobi is actually a highly trained killer, on a determined mission to avenge her sister’s death. Perry goes on a wild ride through the streets of New York City as Gobi commandeers the Jaguar his father lent him for the prom in order to take out her targets. Perry ends up with some terrific material for his college application essays.

A nice touch was having each chapter open with a college application question which the chapter then proceeded to answer in a roundabout way, and these play into the climatic ending.

The Student Athlete’s Guide to Getting Recruited is the definitive guide for all high school students that dream of playing college sports. This guide is very useful to both female and male student athletes and their parents, and addresses how to get recruited by top colleges and universities. Additionally, it offers vital tips on how to excel academically in both high school and college to ensure a successful career as a student-athlete, and dispels a multitude of myths about how athletic scholarships are awarded and who gets them.

This guidebook offers information provided by a range of high school and college counselors, athletic trainers, and successful college sports coaches from private and public college universities. Each chapter uses student athletes as case studies and walks the reader through their experiences with scholarships and financial aid, recruiting rules, recruiting practices, college interviews and visitations, sports training and healthy lifestyles, transitioning from high school to college, and the rigors and realities of being a student athlete.

The guidebook provides tips for understanding the complicated NCAA recruiting rules and information on what colleges really want from athletes in their programs.

The appendix includes athletic, financial and educational resource and college coaches’ websites.

iBoy, the most recent novel by British novelist Kevin Brooks, is a high tech, action packed, violence laced story of a boy who, through an injury received through an act of violence by a youth gang, has pieces of an iPhone embedded in his head.

Throughout the book, the hero used the technological features of the phone within his brain to try to hunt down and seek revenge on the gang members who not only injured him but also raped his girlfriend.

The graphic violence in the novel will be hard for many readers to take and, unfortunately, the gang actions are based on recent true-life incidents in England.

Kevin Brooks’ novels appeal to young adults who enjoy action – adventures and iBoy likely will be as well received as its predecessors.

Evercrossed is a sequel to the popular teen love story Kissed by an Angel series. Fourth in the series, Evercrossed continues the story of teen sweethearts Ivy and Tristan. Tristan has been killed in a car accident and a year later Ivy has moved on with a new boyfriend Will. Ivy then is seriously injured in a car accident and as she hangs between life and death, she meets her soulmate Tristan and they share one heartbreaking kiss. The kiss, however, brings Ivy back to life. Tristan, as an angel, is prohibited from interfering with matters of life and death and therefore falls from heaven. As a fallen angel in a stranger’s body on earth, Tristan must find his way to Ivy.

Although this book is part of a series, there is enough background information provided to the reader to make it a stand alone read.  Evercrossed has mystery, romance (although some readers may find some dialog a bit sappy), and an engaging plot.

Genocide, a termed coined after the Holocaust’s scope of horror and destruction left world leaders without sufficient vocabulary to describe it, comes from the Greek word ‘genos’ (race or tribe) and the Latin word ‘cide’ (kill), and defines the deliberate annihilation of a race of people. Considered one of the four large-scale genocides of the 20^th century (the Holocaust in Germany, Pol Pot’s regime in Cambodia, and the slaughter of Armenians / Greeks by the Turks), the Rwanda massacre resulted in the murders of approximately 800,000 with a three-month time.

Dan Hardo’s The Rwandan Genocide explains in concise detail how such atrocities could happen. Hardo reviews the historical context of colonialism and explains how the Belgians worked with the Catholic Church to reinforce and exploit the social differences between tribes that sowed the seeds of future hatred between them. Hardo uses interviews with foreign war correspondents to show the reader that beneath the surface of this genocide, there was not a simple issue of tribal hatreds but a complex web of politics, economics, history, psychology and a struggle for identity among the peoples. Hardo presents numerous eyewitness accounts to explain how the United Nations organization hindered the UN peacekeeping forces within Rwanda from stopping the slaughter, how the death squads were recruited and trained, and how radio broadcasts were used to spread propaganda and incite murder.

Hardo also describes how other countries (US, Italy, France) used their troops to evacuate their own citizens but did not commit troops to help Belgium maintain order after ten Belgium troops were brutally murdered. The US and others later admitted that they should have done more to stop the mass murders. Hardo notes that surveys determined that if these governments had used the term ‘genocide’ in the debate of whether or not to commit troops, a majority of their citizens would have supported military action.

Hardo ends the book with an account of how Rwanda has rebuilt itself in the sixteen years since the genocide, how the country has desegregated itself, and sought justice for the ringleaders of the movement.  Interestingly, justice often came in the form of restitution such as working on a victim’s land.

The Rwandan Genocide is a disturbing read with graphic descriptions of slaughter of men, women (including pregnant women), children and even infants. There are color photographs of the victims, as well as photos of the death squads, the military, political figures, and of the country’s natural beauty and wildlife.

As a book in a series on world history, The Rwandan Genocide includes maps, timelines, and an annotated bibliography and defines vocabulary words within the text itself.

The pictures in this book are great.  The sister is a “know-it-all”.  That left the story a bit flat I think.  The pictures are the best part of this story.

Young dragon livers will enjoy that part of the book.

This is a great book to help children interested in writing books.  It walks them through the entire process, from illistrations, to creating a story, to binding the finished product.

Creative writers with an interest in art would also enjoy this book.

This is a story about two teenage boys from different military sides of the Crusades.  Salim is an Islamic boy who is an apprentice to a Jewish doctor.  Together they are recruited by the Sultan Saladin for the war effort.  Adam, the other boy, is a peasant raised to squire from England.  His lord was one of the first to arrive on Holy soil.  Both armies have occupied the area around the city of Acre and are attempting to wait the other out of food.  Salim and Adam do meet each other and find that they could be friends.  The boys discover that their prejudices are unfounded.  Their bond solidifies and they work together to help each others families.

In the story, the characters are relatable and the internal conflicts they have can be found even in today’s world.  The author’s writing style is conversational which allows the reader to connect to the characters more.  The message in this historical fiction novel is clear:  Prejudices have no foundation.  Get to know someone before you judge them.

— Michael S.

In this science fiction novel, a  young boy named Rigg and his Father live alone in the wilderness as trappers.  His Father is constantly training and teaching him everything from different speech styles to math. When his Father suddenly dies, Rigg is faced with discovering the truth behind his Power.  In the village, Rigg meets another boy with a Power; they discover that their Power together allows Rigg to see people from different times.  So begins Rigg’s journey to discover his past.

This book forces the reader to be constantly thinking about what could happen next in the complicated plot.  Voracious science fiction fans will not be able to put this book down.  The author’s writing is very descriptive and well-paced.  The narrators of the story reveal sides of different worlds; always keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.  This adventure time travel novel is guaranteed thrills!

— Michael S.

An excellent resource for any health class,  “Junk Food” editor Ronald D. Lankford calls on guest authors, experts in the field, to write entries throughout the book.  Filled with up-to-date (2011) statistics, the author cautions the reader that many junk food companies know that the “best way to sell junk food is to make them appear healthier.”  Using techniques such as posting false health claims on packaging (“Zero Trans Fat” or “Contains Whole Wheat”) distracting the consumer from other unhealthy ingredients in the product, many companies trick the public into thinking they’re making smart choices.

Trying to deliver the truth to the reader, “Junk Food” offers some political solutions, such as taxing junk food to help pay for the increasing health care costs.  High blood pressure, kidney stones, heart stress, and obesity are all believed to be side effects of America’s addiction to junk food.

Again, this is a great resource to try to educate young people about making healthy food choices.  The book’s thorough data would make it a great resource for a report.  An “Organization to Contact,” complete with annotated bibliographies, is included at the back.

Written by real-life twins, Times Squared is a fun book for young middle school girls.  The story line was not predictable and kept my interest throughout, wondering what would happen next.

The main characters are twins, Emma and Payton, who experience many awkward moments tweens can identify  with.  Math nerds and fashionistas are represented, first as separate groups and then joining forces to protect their school’s pride and dignity.  Along the way, the girls also gained dignity and pride in themselves.

The cover art reflects the innocence of the seventh grade students and situations.  There were no mean girls or sexual inferences in this easy to follow book.  After finishing the book, I felt uplifted and satisfied knowing there are still light-hearted and relevant books written for middle school readers.  I think this book would be great for fourth through seventh grade girls.

(By Jamie Kenny)

Amber was switched at birth.  Her biological mom writes her letters begging her to reply and promises her the world.  Amber takes a day for herself at the beach to avoid thinking about the custody her biological mom was given.  She meets Cade, who is also on his own personal getaway.  The two teens confide in one another and by the end of the day romance sparks between them.

Using flashbacks throughout the story, the author slowly weaves the tale of Amber’s past and present.  The author uses verse format to depict the emotional journey of the main character.  Readers who enjoy a heartwarming story will be guaranteed a good read.

— Tyler Z.

Eighteen-year-old Lexi unconsciously drowned Steven, the boy she loved, on her 16th birthday.   Later she realizes that her overwhelming urge to swim and sing is part of her  genetic heritage as a Siren; a  murderous muse of the sea.  Lexi’s task is to keep her secret safe along with her friends whether it means being an outcast or not.

In this satisfying fantasy novel, the author uses Lexi’s seclusion as a tool to show emotional distress in relationships among her peers; a common stress in teenagers’ lives.  Readers will be emotionally absorbed by Lexi’s story.  There is romance and regret throughout the pages, compelling the reader forward.  The message in this book is clear:  Lying is not the way to go and honesty is the key to simplicity.

— Tyler Z.

Book 3 of the Norumbegan Quartet, “Gut and Bone” is a mystery/sci fi puzzling the reader as to who to trust.  This “just in the knick of time” adventure continues the story of Brian and Gregory, who enter an alien body in the name of avoiding an alien attack on earth.  This book, for science fiction lovers only, is written at a fast pace with a little gore thrown in for good measure.

In a small town of Montana, where the total number of kids in the high school is twelve, it is more than scary when one girl, Tiffany, goes missing.  The next fall, Nico follows suit.  He was Kendall’s lifetime small town boyfriend, the one who understood her quirky ODC– her best friend in the world.  It’s too much for Kendall to handle–that and losing her school soccer team for lack of players when Nico disappears.  Connected by a love for soccer, Kendall has a rough road to friendship with Jacian, a good foil to showcase both of their strong and determined personalities.  A romance wants to bloom but Kendall can’t let that come out until she knows what happened to Nico.  That’s when the voices start.  Using some suspense and mystery, a reader can sense that Kendall might be next.  But the premise of how she, like the others, could die is so far fetched that readers might be let down in the end.  The soccer terminology is fun for fans of the sport.  While the characters are high school aged, this might find more respect from a middle school aged audience.

With the ease of finding information about people online, at what point does a little snooping become stalking?  When the love of your young life dumps you and you find out who the new girlfriend is, wouldn’t you want to look her up online?  Would you want to see her in person?  Carly did.  Natural curiosity combined with the need to bring closure to a heart-wrenching break-up brings the reader on an adventure in Part 1 of Stalker Girl.  Carly innocently believes that just seeing the new girl will help her understand and move on from the relationship.  But Taylor is different, and Carly needs to see more.  In Part 2, the reader hits rewind and gets to learn of how Carly and Brian met.  Carly is just a normal teen with the dysfunctional family we all have. Brian is the super sweet guitar playing friend who quickly becomes more than a friend in a summer romance.  But when school begins and Brian’s band takes more of his time, Carly’s too clingy for Brian.  Enter part 3 where Carly is now being questioned by not only her parents but a defense lawyer.  How did it go from quiet observations to a threatened lawsuit?   What else could Carly have done?  Readers will feel for Carly and see the knot she ties around herself.  A steadily paced narrative that with the right sales pitch will have interest to most teen girls.

Here is the epitome of summer camp life from beginning to end from the point -of-view of a young camper. This experience is presented with the beginning bus ride to camp, the description of the cabin and its bunks, the mess hall/food, mosquitoes (title) , mail call, laundry, the camp talent show, arts & crafts, water sports, limbo, campfire, bathing/showering ( or lack there of), and ending with the letter home.

Each experience is hilariously and rhythmically phrased for singing to one of the following  well-known melodies:

Yankee Doodle, Battle Hymn of the Republic, Skip to My Lou, My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, On Top of Old Smoky, Mexican Hat Dance, Take Me out to the Ball Game, Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Itsy Bitsy Spider, B-I-N-G-O, Rock-a-bye Baby, Pop Goes the Weasel, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Do Your Ears Hang Low?

So tune up your vocal cords and guitar or piano to have fun with the misadventures of this little camper.

This travel guide to the Silk Road takes you back to an era when camels and yaks trudged along the road bearing burdens of exotic luxuries such as Chinese silks bound for Europe, and European glass on its way to China.  Other goods among the array included trade staples like tea and salt.

 Directions for projects–from how to tie a Gordian Knot to how to make Central Asian Lagman Noodles, are also part of the useful knowledge in this book.   “Words to Know,”  in highlighted text boxes, and maps and illustrations help to make each subject easy to understand.

History, ecology, food, storytelling, and the evolution of the road over the years are covered.  The index, web sites, and glossary of books on the subject invite readers to further explore this trade route that brought goods, culture, and conquest as well to the countries it passed through.

In Book Speak, Salas has written a collection of  poems all about books; from their ‘feelings’ about being checked out or not checked out, going on an adventure with the reader, life on a shelf, which part of the book they are, the characters within them, and so on.  The poems range from thoughtful, funny, simple and complex, but all are totally interesting.  The illustrations, all done by one artist, are combinations of mixed media.  The art reflects the voice of the poem and is an integral part of the poem.  I couldn’t wait to turn the page to see what would be next.  In fact, this book has inspired me for poetry month in April, in which I plan to use it to introduce poetry to my students.  I hope they will feel inspired to write and illustrate in a manner as unique as this book.