The Battle of Britain is one book of a 10 book series titled the Essential Library of World War II produced by Abdo.  A very readable book suitable for middle and high school libraries, author Tom Striessguth begins in medias res describing attention grabbing details of midair duels between Britain and German sources for the 1st chapter.  Once hooked, readers are escorted into Chapter 2 with the chronological march of events up to the Battle of Britain, the time period in which Germany’s focus was on bombing Britain from the air.  Students will not only learn about strategies deployed by both sides and weaponry used, but they should be able to glean critical pieces of information from the full page primary source photographs of men, women and the technology of the time.  Additional side bars add further dimensions to the snapshot in history.  What stands out to this reader is how well the author’s focus on the tactical maneuvers made by each side are interwoven with the realities of what life was like for average civilians as well as pilots.  Personalized accounts such as the story of RAF pilot Douglas Bader who was shot down over France, had already lost both of his legs earlier in the war, and was treated to dinner by a German pilot before being sent off to a POW camp.  The only drawback is a lack of maps when specific places are discussed.  For example, most students don’t know the distance between England and France or how close London is/isn’t to the coast.  Still, this individual book is worth ordering if one doesn’t have this battle covered in their collection and this librarian will be looking at the other titles as well.  Recommended.

In the scheme of things, senior Higgs Bosun Bing’s last week at Sally Ride High School ought to be a dream, following his four years as a leader, a winner, a Harvard-bound super-achiever who had never before questioned his lucky life or his family-inspired goals. Instead, it becomes an out-of-control awakening as Higgs realizes, in painfully accelerating circumstances, how little the life he’s led so far has to do with who he really is, what his heart really desires, and what it may cost those around him.

It starts with a hypothetical question from his flighty but popular steady girlfriend. “If I needed a kidney, would you give me yours?” Unable to take the question seriously, he does not answer, and so finds himself vilified by her and her friends in ways that begin to unravel his future plans, his self-confidence and his image in the school. Lisa Yee has skillfully created a loveable central character whose journey towards self-awareness takes him into the company of a challenging Goth girl in an Airstream trailer, a person who is not what she seems. As the final seven days before graduation progress, we follow Higgs as he tries to discover who is making his life miserable in school and why this is happening to him.  And he finds true, clear-eye understanding that he wants to follow a far different career path than dentistry: Something like farming! The book explores themes of family, loss, friendship, peer-pressure, self-deceit, humor, love and self-discovery in a very readable way. Highly recommended.

Stella and Barry explore the idea of taking care of a person in Mini Goss’s Too Hot For Spots.  Barry is still in his pj’s when Stella arrives to play.  Stella says she’ll make him all better and proceeds to tap, squish and make Barry say “ahhh”. This would be the perfect book to accompany a Fisher-Price doctor’s play set as such toys take up a two page spread and Stella plays with all of them while trying to get Barry “all fixed.”  But of course, Stella wants to play the patient too, and her idea of chicken pox leaves both friends covered in red sticker dots.  The bright, warm colors and textures of these knit characters is charming and unique.  The end notes contain a small paragraph explaining their creation.  K-1 students will definitely enjoy its kid humor of tickles and giggles.  Recommended.

Goodnight, Good Dog is nice.  Period.  It is the explanation of a dog who doesn’t want to sleep even though everyone in the rest of the house is.  Finally he settles down and sleeps, dreaming of the things he liked during the past day.  The prose is simple yet slightly monotone. The best page is when the dog recognizes the lullaby rhythm of the title’s repetition as he curls up in him bed.  The illustrations are basically primary and secondary colors.  Such simplicity could only be for the benefit of the youngest of listeners, but this reader wonders if even that will hold their attention.  Not recommended for school libraries.

Aislyn Hollings, Ryan’s central character in this gripping, unusual book, has a serious social disorder, a deep and lifelong terror of speaking in public, of doing anything that draws attention to herself outside her family and small circle of friends. Debilitating as it is, this crippling imbalance has kindled her interest in gene therapy, to which end she’s engaged in research at a genetic engineering company, Nova Genetics, in Tacoma. Her oral presentation about her investigation into DNA and gene therapy in a scholarship competition goes awry due to her disorder, heightening the desperation and causing her to say yes to trying an experimental therapy, CZ88, developed by a professional on the staff of Nova Genetics, works, to Aislyn’s amazement, but the secrecy surrounding the drug and the side effects of the treatment soon expose the deadly consequences not just for Aislyn but for the others to whom this viral experiment has been administered.

The writing is tense and interesting, exploring a subject rarely represented in literature for Young Adults, opening the reader to the burgeoning, controversial world of genetic experimentation. “How much do we allow humans to change themselves and at what price?” asks the writer. What therapies are ‘right’ (like easing the suffering of those with Cystic Fibrosis like Aislyn’s little brother) and the sudden development of traits like instant charisma.

The book, 317 pages long, touches on themes of scientific integrity, responsibility, trust, copycat drugs, viral terror, military uses of bizarre inventions and the quest of a young woman to find a cure. It’s a great read.

Highly recommended!

Reviewer: Holly Gwinn Graham

The first book written by author A.J. Grainger, Captive is sure to leave an impression on young readers as well as old. Readers will quickly be drawn into the plot, written in both the past and present.

Things are not always as they seem for Robyn, the sixteen year old daughter of the British Prime Minister. Especially when the Prime Minister’s best friend owns a large pharmaceutical company that has been targeted by the extremist group AFC. The AFC already has one of its members in jail for the assassination attempt of the Prime Minister himself. Now they want the release of their member! Nothing will get in their way.

Despite the increased security and words of reassurance from the security team, Robyn is taken hostage by the AFC. Her captors tell her she can go home as soon as their demands are met. That was ten days ago and no one has come for her. During her capture she learns the pharmaceutical company her father is associated with was responsible for the death of a 12 year old boy; the younger brother of one her captors. Was the head of Bell –Barkov responsible for the young boy’s death? Did they knowingly skip the vital trial studies and put a drug on the market knowing it was unsafe? Did the Prime Minister, her father, help to cover it up?

While held captive, the young Robyn begins to question her father’s honesty. Could she really take the word of her captors, after all they are Extremist. One of her captors is not like the rest, he is kind to her. He only wants answers and an investigation into his brother’s death. Will the two help each other and will feelings start to arise as often do between captor and captive?

The author does a great job of developing the characters in this story and the well-developed mystery makes this work of fiction a page turner for its readers. Recommended for anyone wanting a quick read.

Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely give readers a firsthand look into what it is like to be black and white growing up in today’s America with police brutality on the rise and racism still at the forefront. Main characters Rashad and Quinn are 2 teenage “American Boys” growing up with different perspectives in the heart of America because of the color of the skin with which they were born. Despite the modern times, racism is alive, and police brutality is increasing, but only towards black youths. All American Boys makes you take a hard look at the racism that still exists today and makes you confront it head on. The authors captured 2 different perspectives with chapters alternating between each boy’s perspective yet the collaboration and editing brilliantly intertwined them beautifully opening my eyes as a reader to a racism that still exists today. Young and old readers alike will be pulled into this story and make them take a look at themselves and ask some serious questions on the problems around racism today in America. I definitely recommend this book.

From the beginning of the book Charlie Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel pursues the mystery of what happened to Charlie. Lena and Audrey are two adult women pursuing a boyfriend who they suspect has staged his own death. The protagonists travel through Europe and Asia in pursuit of Charlies trail. This psychological thriller unfolds the lives of the two women and their relationship with Charlie and each other.

The author takes the reader through many twists and turns in the plot. This is the most enjoyable part of the book. Her descriptive language paints vivid pictures in the imagination of the reader. And she moves the reader through the book using the mind of each character. This literary method works well.

There are discussion in this that are for a mature audience.  This is better suited for a public library than a school library.

The Winter Place by Alexander Yates brings the mythical and reality together in a haunting story about a family who suffers loss and grief and the paths taken to reach happiness. Two young siblings, one with an ability to experience paranormal events, join forces to discovers a family they didn’t know and get clarity about the younger child’s disease. The events and people that come into their lives help to determine the course they take to find answers as well as to find home. The vivid narrator and settings kept my interest as well as introduced me to the mythical events as seen through the eyes of a young man searching for answers and the path that will lead him to discover his past, his present and his future. The book was very interesting and unusual because of the characters introduced in the story. The end is unexpected, but comes full circle for the main characters. The Winter Place by Alexander Yates, is a book that will keep the reader’s interest throughout the story. If you enjoy mystical characters, a story of loss and redemption and finally discovery, this book will give you a great read. There is humor, disbelief, action and a underlying sense of family love and loyalty.

Sieb Posthuma’s Where is Rusty? is a treat for the eyes.  Posthuma’s illustrations are wittily creative and are the prize of the book.  Readers follow Rusty and his family as they enter a busy multi-floored department store to do some shopping.  Both the title and the mother’s guiding foreshadow what’s to come — Rusty wanders off.  Remembering the audience, Rusty doesn’t come across as too scared.  Instead, he’s inventive in how he’ll hide from the patrol watchdogs around the store while still looking for his mother.  The only lacking caveat is that there is no remorse in Rusty.  Instead of an apology when is mom is snuggling with him that evening at home, “…Rusty’s not listening.  He’s worn out and dreaming about the dog-biscuit machine.”  A simple “I’m sorry mom” would have gone miles with this reader.  Because of this, Where is Rusty is an additional purchase instead of recommended.