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Shaw, Susan. TUNNEL VISION New York : Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2011 IL YA ISBN 1442408391 Just an ordinary day. Liza is on her way home. When she gets to the tunnel, there are a few men standing in there. She has to force her way through them but doesn't think much about it. On the other side of the tunnel, Liza sees her mother in the yard and she is coming towards her. What is going on? Her mother shouts something and tackles Liza. What the heck? Why is mom acting so strange? What was she yelling about? And why isn't she getting up? When Liza finally looks at her mother, she realizes that she has been shot. Only hours after her death, another attempt is made on Liza's life. Who could want her dead? She's nobody. But now she and her father are put into witness protection and made to leave immediately. They have new names and new lives. But that doesn't mean Liza is safe.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Book of the day 12/10/2014
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Book of the day 12/09/2014
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Sedgwick, Marcus. SHE IS NOT INVISIBLE
Sedgwick, Marcus. SHE IS NOT INVISIBLE New York : Roaring Brook Press, 2014 IL YA ISBN 1596438010 This may just be one of the stupidest things she has ever done. And she is dragging her little brother into it as well. But she can't go without him. She needs him. And she is convinced that this is the only way she can find her father. She has gotten an email from someone in New York saying he found her father's notebook. What is her father doing in New York? He said he was going to Austria. Her mother is not concerned but Laureth just knows something is wrong and she is determined to find out what. So after her mother leaves for a weekend away, Laureth packs up some clothes, grabs her 7-year-old brother, takes out some money from her mother's ATM and heads off to Heathrow Airport to go to America. It would be hard enough for any 16-year-old to pull this off. But Laureth is blind and relies on her brother to get her around. Can they pull this off? What will they find if they do? Can it all be a huge coincidence?
Monday, December 8, 2014
Book of the day 12/08/2014
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Roth, Veronica. ALLEGIANT New York : Katherine Tegen Books, 2013 IL YA ISBN 006202406X In the final book of the Divergent trilogy, we find Tris and Tobias on trial as traitors. They are able to escape the city and join a group in the outskirts of Chicago. Here they learn about how the factions came to be and why this experiment went so wrong. Finding out about genetically altered people and how they fit into the equation is very upsetting to both Tris and Tobias. While Tris is determined to try to make things right, Tobias is devastated by learning his genetic makeup.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Book of the day 12/06/2014
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Rosoff, Meg. PICTURE ME GONE New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0399257659 Mila has a unique ability to read people. She can sense emotions and can tell what is going on in a room. Her father is pretty clueless when it comes to reading people. The two set off for America to visit his father's best friend Matthew. But Matthew isn't there. He has left his home, his wife and his infant son and has vanished. Mila and her father set off on a quest to find Matthew and bring him home. Will Mila be able to help Matthew find his way back?
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Book of the day 11/18/2014
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Lu, Marie. CHAMPION New York : G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0399256776 June and Day are back but they are not together. June is working with the Republic. She is now the Princeps Elect. Meanwhile, Day is working with the military and is stationed far from June. Day's brother Eden is with him and healing from the plague. When a new strain of plague breaks out, the Republic asks that Eden be turned over for testing to come up with a cure for the plague. Day will never agree to letting Eden be experimented on again. But June pleads with Day to help save the Republic. The Colonies are blaming the Republic for the outbreak and have threatened war unless a cure is found and given to the Colonies. Once again, June and Day must choose country over their own love.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Book of the day 11/16/2014
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Chapman, Elsie. DIVIDED New York : Random House, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0449812952 West Grayer has survived and is now a citizen. She has successfully defeated her Alternate and she is ready to move on. No longer will she have to work as a striker killing other people's alts. But just when things are starting to look up, she is dragged back into it. This time it is by the Board. She is told if she just does three more missions, they will ensure that any children she has will not have an alt. And her striker marks will be removed. She agrees. She is told that the targets are the alts of the children of Board members. She doesn't want to kill anymore but it is just too tempting a reward. When she finds her first target, her resolve may just falter. Will she be able to do this last assignment?
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Book of the day 10/25/2014
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MacHale, D. J. STORM New York : Razorbill, 2014 IL YA ISBN 1595146679 Tucker and his friends have been held prisoner on Pemberwick Island off the coast of Maine. A group of Navy military personnel, known as SYLO are holding the islanders captive. The teens have successfully escaped and are determined to tell the world what SYLO is doing. But things are not going to happen the way they plan. When the arrive in Portland, they find that a major battle has occurred few people are left. They meet up with a couple of survivors and hear a message on the radio that tells them to head for Nevada. The kids are not sure what to do now. Is there anything left of the eastern seaboard? Or even the world? They decide to head to Boston to see what is going on. What they find is that it is not always easy to figure out who the "good guys" are. The second book of the SYLO trilogy keeps us in suspense and unsure what is going on.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Book of the day 10/24/2014
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MacHale, D. J. SYLO New York : Razorbill, 2013 IL YA ISBN 1595146652 It was just a typical night on Pemberwick Island off the coast of Maine. Tucker was occupying the bench at the football game as usual. It all began to change when the star player just keeled over and died. Just like that. How could a perfectly normal athlete just die? As Tucker and his friend Quinn try to figure it out, they witness an explosion in the sky. And military people parachuting onto the island. This can't be happening. Special forces from the Navy have now occupied the island and everyone is cut off from the rest of the world. When people try to leave, they are dealt with harshly -- and permanently. To make this all even harder to understand, Tucker learns that his parents are working for SYLO. Why would his parents be working for the enemy. The kids feel their only hope is to escape the island and let the rest of the world know what is going on.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Book of the day 09/25/2014
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Laybourne, Emmy. MONUMENT 14 : SAVAGE DRIFT
Laybourne, Emmy. MONUMENT 14 : SAVAGE DRIFT New York : Feiwel and Friends, 2014 IL YA ISBN 1250036429 In the final volume of the Monument 14 series, we find the kids living in a refugee camp. At least most of them are still together. Alex writes an article that gets published and now they are sure that their parents will find them. But he inadvertently puts Astrid in terrible danger. You see, there are some government officials who are taking pregnant women who have been exposed and running tests on them. Dean and Astrid are trying to keep her exposure secret but now the whole world knows. Dean, Astrid, Niko and Jake flee the camp to keep her safe. Niko has learned that Josie is alive and being held in another camp so the teens decide to rescue her as well. Join the teens as they run for their lives -- again.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Book of the day 09/24/2014
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Laybourne, Emmy. MONUMENT 14 : SKY ON FIRE
Laybourne, Emmy. MONUMENT 14 : SKY ON FIRE New York : Feiwel and Friends, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0312569041 The second book in the Monument series finds the children going their separate ways trying to figure out how to survive the disaster. Several of the children have taken the school bus and set off for Denver airport. Rumors have spread that there is help at the airport and that anyone who gets there will be evacuated. The children who turn into monsters with exposure to the chemicals decide to stay at the store so they won't accidentally hurt the others. This means that Dean and Alex are taking separate paths. Alex is on the bus and we learn about their trip through him. Dean must stay at the store with Astrid and some of the children. Both groups must fight for survival as they are attacked by outsiders and become discouraged about their ability to continue. Their only hope is that the bus will get the kids to Denver in time.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Book of the day 08/12/2014
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Hale, Shannon. DANGEROUS New York : Bloomsbury, 2014 IL YA ISBN 1599901684 Maisie has always been homeschooled and has not had the opportunity to be around other children. She hears about an opportunity to attend Space Camp and she just has to apply. Of course she probably won't get in. How many one-armed astronauts are there? But she does get in and gets a full scholarship. Some of the kids make fun of her disability but she is really enjoying all that she is learning. When she gets the opportunity to actually go into space, it is a dream come true. Or is it the beginning of a nightmare?
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Book of the day 08/10/2014
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Giles, Gail. GIRLS LIKE US New York : Candlewick, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0763662674 Graduating from high school is a major event. It is life changing. For Quincy and Biddy, it is really a major step. Both girls are in the school's special education program. The girls both struggle with learning. Their teacher has arranged for them to move into their own apartment in the home of a older woman who needs some help around the house. Biddy is very excited but Quincy is not so sure about this. The girls don't really know each other and this may be a bad idea. Biddy is very upbeat and takes to the arrangement right away. She loves cleaning the house and puts all she has into making this all work. Quincy doesn't like people much and she is angry at the world. She will do her job at the local bakery but she refuses to think this is a good thing. Is there any way that these girls can bond?
Friday, August 1, 2014
Book of the day 08/01/2014
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Farmer, Nancy. THE LORD OF OPIUM
Farmer, Nancy. THE LORD OF OPIUM New York : Antheneum Books for Young Readers, 2013 IL YA ISBN 1442482540 This is a long-awaited sequel to Farmer's 2002 novel, House of the Scorpion. In the first book, we met Matteo Alacran who was created to be an organ donor for the drug lord El Patron. Many powerful drug lords have had clones created to act as spare parts. El Patron had lived over 140 years by using these clones. But Matt was different. El Patron had not had his brain destroyed and had given him an education. But Matt escaped Opium and survived the purge of El Patron's empire. Now Matt has been declared a person and is the new El Patron. He is in charge of the entire drug empire and all that goes with it. But Matt has other ideas of what he wants his country to be. He wants to stop raising opium and start raising crops. He believes that the country can be self sustaining and not rely on the drug trade. There are many obstacles in his way.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Book of the day 07/31/2014
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De la Cruz, Melissa. FROZEN New York : G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0399257543 It has been over a century since everything changed. The earth is now a frozen planet with a few pockets of civilization. Life is New Vegas is still centered around gambling and hedonism. The casinos are alive 24 hours a day. Natasha Kestal is a blackjack dealer who desparately wants out of this town. She hears a voice in her head that tells her she needs to find the Blue. Most people don't believe the Blue even exists. The Blue is supposed to be a place where the sun shines and the waters are blue. Nat hires a crew of mercenaries to take her out of the city. She has a locket that supposedly shows the way to the Blue and she is determined to get there. But she can't tell the crew where she is really going. The trip is long and filled with danger. What awaits Nat on her journey?
Monday, July 28, 2014
Book of the day 07/28/2014
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Charbonneau, Joelle. INDEPENDENT STUDY
Charbonneau, Joelle. INDEPENDENT STUDY New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014 IL YA ISBN 0547959206 Having survived the Testing, Cia and Tomas are now ready to enter the University and find out what lies ahead of them. Not all the students survived and some have been redirected. When the assignments come down, Cia finds herself studying for government leadership. This is certainly nothing she would ever choose. And Tomas is assigned elsewhere. The Induction test is not an easy one and more students fail and are redirected. Cia learns that things are not as they seem and she is determined to uncover what is really going on at the University.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Book of the day 07/27/2014
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Charbonneau, Joelle. THE TESTING
Charbonneau, Joelle. THE TESTING New York : Houghton Mifflin, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0547959108 Sixteen year old Malencia Vale is looking forward to what lies ahead. She is hoping to be chosen for the Testing but no Five Lakes Colony student has been chosen in many years. The Testing is the only way to get into the University and work to revitalize the post-war world. He own father was chosen years ago but he doesn't remember much about what it was like. It seems that those who go through the Testing are given something to suppress their memories of what goes on. Against the odds, there are several students from Five Lakes that are chosen and Cia is one of them. Cia's father is not happy and he shares his vague memories with her in the hope that it will keep her safe. You see, the Testing is not anything like you will do to get into college. In addition to rigorous pencil and paper test, the children will have to survive the grueling physical tests. How many will survive?
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Book of the day 07/26/2014
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Chapman, Elsie. DUALED New York : Random House, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0375970932 In this futuristic take on society, the inhabitants of the gated community have to become killers. Every child in the city has an alt -- a clone who is raised by another family in a different part of town. Sometime between the age of 10 and 20, every child is notified that it is time to kill or be killed. Only one of the alts will survive to become a citizen. Some of the wealthier families can hire strikers. These are paid assassins who will kill the alt. This is totally illegal but it still happens. West Grayer is 15 years old and the only one of her family left. She hires herself out as a striker to gain experience hoping that when her time comes, she will be the one who survives. When her time finally arrives, she begins to wonder if she is the one to survive, or should her alt be the one who deserves a life.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Book of the day 07/25/2014
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Busby, Cylin. BLINK ONCE West had it all. He was popular, had a great girlfriend and his whole life ahead of him. Until the accident. Now he is strapped in a hospital bed unable to move. He slips in and out of consciousness and is very confused about what is happening to him. His mom visits him everyday but his friends don't tend to come to see him much. They only person who really talks to him is Olivia. She is also a patient and is in the room next door. She is the one who explains to him what is going on. She sneaks into his room after hours and she talks for hours. Well, West can't talk. His is totally paralyzed. Olivia tells him to blink once for yes and twice for no. It's hard to carry on a conversation like this but there is something about Olivia that makes West just want to be with her. As the days turn into weeks, West finds himself falling in love with Olivia. Not much of romance when you can't move and your only way to talk to the girl is to blink. Can they make this work?
Monday, July 21, 2014
Book of the day 07/21/2014
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Armistead, Cal. BEING HENRY DAVID
Armistead, Cal. BEING HENRY DAVID New York : Albert Whitman, 2013 IL YA ISBN 080750615X He wakes up in Penn Station not knowing who he is or how he got there. All he knows is that he is carrying a copy of Thoreau's Walden. He decides that he can't tell anyone that he is lost. After all, he doesn't know what is going on. When asked his name, he looks at the book and adopts the name Henry David. Now he is running from drug dealers and the police. The only place he thinks he may be safe is Walden Pond in Massachusetts. So off he goes to try to discover who he is and why he is alone in a strange city.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Book of the day 07/19/2014
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Zhang, Kat. WHAT'S LEFT OF ME New York : Harper, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0062114875 In a world where everyone is born with two souls, Addie and Eva are different. As a child grows, the dominant soul takes over and the weaker soul fades away into nothing. Despite being weaker, Eva is still hanging on. While she can no longer move or communicate with anyone but Addie, she's still alive. But in America, keeping both souls, being a hybrid is illegal. When the girls find a possible way to let Eva reemerge, they risk imprisonment or worse. But to speak, move, smile again, Eva is willing to do whatever it takes... (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Friday, July 18, 2014
Book of the day 07/18/2014
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Everything is ending for Red O'Sullivan. His brother is dead, his town is dying, and his class will be the last to graduate from their school before it's closed down. The only thing that keeps him and the remaining residents going is the high school football team, the Muckers. They haven't won state since Red's brother was quarterback and with more people leaving and fewer resources available, it would take a miracle to repeat that title. But the entire town is counting on them, and the Muckers won't go down without a fight. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
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Vance, Alexander. HEARTBREAK MESSENGER
Breakups can be messy. That's why Quentin's break-up service is so popular. For a small fee, Quentin will inform your significant other that they are now an "ex". For a little more, he'll even soften the blow with flowers or chocolates. Quentin is doing well (despite the occasional violent responses to his messages) and happy to help his mother, who seems like she could use the money. But when his best friend is the next on his list of soon-to-be exes, Quentin realizes there's more to his heartbreak business than he thought. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Book of the day 07/06/2014
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The KDH virus is fatal to all, but the young and strong can come back as Reboots -- strong, deadly and not quite human. Wren 178 was dead for a record 178 minutes making her the strongest of the Reboots and giving her first pick of the new Reboots she trains. Something draws her to Callum 22, despite his near-human nature. But when his kindness results in an execution order for him, will Wren risk it all to save him? (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Friday, June 20, 2014
Book of the day 06/20/2014
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Shulman, Polly. THE GRIMM LEGACY
Shulman, Polly. THE GRIMM LEGACY New York : Putnam's , IL 5-8, RL 4.0 ISBN 0399250964 Elizabeth has the best after school job EVER. Failing to connect at school or with her new step-family, Elizabeth finds her place as a page at the New York Circulating Material Repository -- a library for rare and historical items. There she discovers the Grimm Collection, a secret room full of fairy tale items -- including the talking mirror from Snow White. When the items (and fellow pages) start disappearing, Elizabeth must find out who's behind it, before she becomes a suspect -- or a victim. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Book of the day 06/18/2014
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Rhodes, Morgan. FALLING KINGDOMS
As war builds among their three kingdoms, four youths find themsleves on intertwining and unexpected paths. Magic is long gone from the land, but a prophecy tells of a powerful sorceress and legend tells of an ancient ring that can control the supernatural Kindred. When the princesses of rival kingdoms bring both tales to pass, they, along with a prince and the son of a slain merchant find their lives torn apart, and their fates unclear. Only one thing is certain -- kingdoms will fall. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Book of the day 06/17/2014
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Price, Lissa. STARTERS New York : Delacorte, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0385742371 The Spore Wars have killed everyone between the ages of 20 and 60. Callie is left trying to care for her sick younger brother, but while they struggle to survive, wealthy senior, or "Enders" and their grandchildren continue their lavish lifestyles. Desperate for money, Callie signs up with a secret business that allows Enders to "rent" the bodies of teens and experience youth again. When Callie wakes up in the middle of a session, she's immersed in her renter's life ... and soon find out their plans are decidedly darker than she signed up for. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Monday, June 16, 2014
Book of the day 06/16/2014
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Lunetta, Dimitria. IN THE AFTER
Fourteen-year-old Amy is your typical teen, until THEY came. When ravenous aliens attack the Earth, Amy's world is destroyed. Surviving by wits and luck, Amy and Baby, a toddler she rescues, are finally saved after years of hiding. But the city of New Hope is not the safe haven it appears, and Amy and Baby may be in more danger now than on their own. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Book of the day 06/11/2014
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Yanek Gruener was only 10 years old when the Nazis took over his hometown of Krakow. Forced into the Jewish ghetto, Yanek soon loses all he has loved and known. Alone, Yanek is finally taken by the Nazis, tattooed with the number B-3087, and sent to the first of 10 concentration camps he will suffer through ... and survive. The book is co-written by Yanek himself (now Jack), and his wife, based on their experiences. (Isinglass Teen Award Committee, 2015)
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Book of the day 05/11/2014
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Imagine flying to another country to spend the summer with your mother who just happens to live with a group of Bonobos or pigmy Chimpanzees. Sophie plans to spend the summer in the Bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Instead, Sophie finds herself falling in love with a baby chimp named Otto. When the president of the Republic of the Congo is assassinated, she finds herself running for her life. Sophie spends the summer hiding from soldiers with the group of Bonobos while raising and protecting Otto. -Peg Bruch, Bangor Area High School. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Book of the day 05/10/2014
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Riggs, Ransom. MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN
Riggs, Ransom. MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN quirk books, 2011 Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, always told him stories about the mysterious orphanage where he grew up and the peculiar children who lived there. There were stories about an invisible boy, a girl who could hold fire in her bare hands, a boy who could single-handedly lift a boulder, and a levitating girl who had to wear special shoes just to keep her from floating away. A wise old “bird” named Miss Peregrine looked after them all. Jacob always thought the stories were too weird to be true. But after Abraham dies under strange and sinister circumstances, Jacob discovers some old photographs and letters that seem to match up with his grandfather’s tall tales. With his father, he travels halfway around the world to try and find the orphanage and tell his grandfather’s childhood friends how he died. But when he finally finds the house, it is in ruins – and has been since World War II. Or has it? Where are Miss Peregrine and the peculiar children? Were they ever even real? How did Abraham really die … and is Jacob going to be next? This is a spooky, magical page-turner that includes lots of real photographs discovered by the author. You will not be able to put it down, so pick it up today! Amy V. Pickett, Ridley High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Book of the day 04/27/2014
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Mullen, Mike. ASHFALL New York : Tanglewood, 2011 IL YA ISBN 1933718552 The first of a series, Ashfall is a post apocalyptic tale set in present times. A super volcano under Yellowstone Park erupts, and the catastrophic explosions are felt for hundreds of miles. Alex, left on his own for the weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa, is almost killed in the decimation of his house, and he quickly realizes that life as he knew it is gone forever. In the midst of the panic and chaos surrounding him, he decides to head to Illinois to reunite with his family. As he struggles cross-country through heavy, drifting ash, he faces starvation, abandoned homesteads, violent strangers, and unexpected love. What will he find at the end of his journey? How can he keep going amid the death and destruction surrounding him? You will not be able to put down this gripping, sometimes grim, page-turner of a novel. Winnie Host, Penncrest High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Book of the day 04/23/2014
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Meyer, Marissa. CINDER Feiwel and Friends, 2012 Cinder is a sixteen-year-old cyborg; human, but she’s been reconfigured with some mechanical parts. It’s a hard life. Cyborgs are considered second class citizens in society and Cinder is also mistreated at home. She lives with her nasty step-mother and step-sisters. Taking her name into account, I bet you’re sensing a familiar story here. And you’re right. This is a science fiction mash-up of the classic Cinderella tale, but it’s unique; set in futuristic China with some exciting added action. Of course, like the original, there’s romance with an uber-charming prince. But this isn’t a flat retelling. The connection between Cinder and Prince Kai is more than love at first sight and it’s fun watching it develop. The characters aren’t stereotypes. Cinder’s a good mix: feisty, mechanical and tough. There are no mice or fairy godmothers to help out. Cinder’s a take charge gal determined to solve her own problems, although she does get a bit of help from a droid and the prince. Anyone could use help since the problems facing Cinder, and all of New Beijing for that matter, are monumental. There’s a deadly plague, and the threat of an invasion from a civilization hell bent on taking over Earth. This is a fresh look at a timeless tale. There’s only one drawback; it’s part of a trilogy so you’ll need to keep reading for the final resolution. Patricia McClune, Conestoga Valley High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Book of the day 04/22/2014
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Levithan, David. EVERY DAY New York : Knopf, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0375971114 “Every day I am someone else … It has always been like this.” Every morning, A wakes up in a different body: a boy or girl, rich or poor, healthy or sick. He can access facts about the person’s life to guide him through the day, but every night he leaves it all behind to start over again the next morning. After 16 years he’s gotten used to this existence, and he’s learned not to get too attached to anyone or anything. But on Day 5994, everything changes. A wakes up in the body of a boy named Justin, and he spends the day with Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. Suddenly, letting go at the end of the day isn’t so easy. A wants to be with Rhiannon the next day, and the next, and every day after that. He starts taking risks to see Rhiannon again, though every time he looks like a stranger to her. He wants to explain everything, but would she ever believe him, or be able to love him back? Is A the only one in the world who lives this way? If he could change his life, would he … or should he? Open Every Day and you will get caught up in this one-of-a-kind novel by David Levithan from the very first page! Amy V. Pickett, Ridley High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Monday, April 21, 2014
Book of the day 04/21/2014
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Laban, Elizabeth. THE TRAGEDY PAPER
Laban, Elizabeth. THE TRAGEDY PAPER New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2013 IL YA ISBN 0375970401 The Tragedy Paper is the title of the book and also the name of a huge assignment that every student at the prestigious Irving School must write in order to pass senior English. They all know the assignment is coming and it’s stressful. Like the tragedy paper, there are other traditions at the Irving School. It’s a boarding school steeped in traditions, including one that involves graduating seniors leaving a “treasure” for the next student to get his or her room. On the first day of fall semester the new seniors are excited to see what was left for them. Was it a favorite book with a list of tips for passing English, a check for $500 (someone actually got that one year!) or something generic like a bag of M&Ms? Duncan finds a note and a stack of CDs narrated by and left for him by Tim MacBeth. Tim was a loner who only came to Irving for the last semester of his senior year. Duncan already knows what happened to Tim last year and it wasn’t good. But he doesn’t know the whole story. It’s important for Tim to recount it and for Duncan to hear it. This is an interwoven story of friendship and first love, and of peer pressure and the magnitude of certain choices. Patricia McClune, Conestoga Valley High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Book of the day 03/26/2014
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Kokie, E. M. PERSONAL EFFECTS Somerville, MA : Candlewick, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0763655279 Matt Foster is angry—belligerent at school, alienated from his bullying father—and grieving for his big brother T. J., who never came back from the Iraq war. All he wants is for people to leave him alone and to have some of T. J.’s personal effects, something to remember him by. So when big boxes arrive from the military, he is determined to open them up, even though his father has warned him not to go anywhere near them. The letters Matt finds inside reveal a secret life that T.J. led before he died that Matt had never even dreamed of. Matt takes off on a road trip to find the letter writer, even though he knows his father will be furious. What will he find? Will this letter writer even want to meet him? Will what he discovers change his life forever? (Winnie Host, Penncrest High School) (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Book of the day 03/16/2014
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Hillenbrand, Laura. UNBROKEN : A WORLD WAR II STORY OF SURVIVAL, RESILIENCE, AND REDEMPTION
Hillenbrand, Laura. UNBROKEN : A WORLD WAR II STORY OF SURVIVAL, RESILIENCE, AND REDEMPTION New York : Random Hosue, 2010 IL AD ISBN 1400064163 This is the extraordinary true story of Louis Zamperini, 1936 Olympic runner and World War II bombardier, who was shot down over the Pacific Ocean flying a mission and didn’t make it home for twenty- seven months. Adrift on a raft, starving, thirsty, and weakened for 47 days he survived only to fall into the hands of the Japanese who imprisoned him for the next two years. Louis suffered physical and mental torture, hunger, extreme cold, illness, and crushing work loads which almost broke him—and yet he survived. Read this, and be inspired by a war hero who was forced to the very limits of human endurance. Winnie Host, Penncrest High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Book of the day 03/13/2014
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Fine, Chelsea. SOPHIE AND CARTER
Fine, Chelsea. SOPHIE AND CARTER New York : Acacia Publishing, 2013 IL YA ISBN 1935089447 Have you ever felt like you are just trying to survive high school? Neighbors and best friends, Sophie and Carter are working hard to do just that. They do not dream about cars, proms, and graduation. Instead, they struggle to meet their very adult responsibilities and still attend high school. Both Carter and Sophie struggle to keep their families together while caring for troubled mothers and siblings. The only thing they have to look forward to is the evenings they spend together on Sophie’s front porch swing. -Peg Bruch, Bangor Area High School. (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Book of the day 03/12/2014
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Calame, Don. CALL THE SHOTS Somerville, MA : Candlewick Press, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0763655562 “It’s my best idea yet!” Coming from Coop, this can only mean trouble. Whether it’s a plot to see a naked girl or to play in the Battle of the Bands, Coop’s schemes usually end in headache and heartbreak for his best friends Matt and Sean. His newest plan is to get rich quick by making the next big low-budget horror film. Sean laughs it off until his parents drop a bombshell: his mother is pregnant, and when the baby arrives, Sean will have to share a room with his twin sister and “Queen of Darkness,” Kathy. Suddenly, Sean could really use some extra cash to help pay for an addition on the house, and winning $30,000 in a film contest doesn’t seem so crazy. Luckily they have a killer concept for Zonkey!, featuring a plague of half-man, half-monkey zombie-vampire hybrids. Things start falling into place when Sean talks his Uncle Doug into financing the project. His new girlfriend, Evelyn, has access to some slick video equipment. Kathy’s best friend, Nessa, volunteers to help Sean out with the script. Maybe best of all, Sean gets to cast his drama class crush as the lead actress. But things get complicated when Uncle Doug demands creative control … Evelyn insists on taking over the lead part, revealing a serious jealous streak in the process … and Sean starts to wonder if Nessa actually likes him, or if she and Kathy are just up to a scheme of their own. Will Sean straighten out his love life, secure his own room, and finish the movie on time? Read the hilarious, totally fun Call the Shots to find out! (Amy V. Pickett, Ridley High School) (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Book of the day 03/08/2014
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Bruchac, Joseph. WOLF MARK New York : Tu Books, 2011 IL YA ISBN 160060661X Luke’s dad taught him a lot of things including outdoor survival skills, of course; after all they’re descendants of a Native American Indian tribe. But Luke’s dad also taught him martial arts including four different ways to disarm an unsuspecting enemy. Luke and his dad live alone in a ram shackled trailer in the middle of nowhere. They stay under the radar and Luke doesn’t ask too many questions. He knows his dad is former black ops, and that it left him emotionally scarred. They don’t have neighbors or family to rely on, so when Dad is kidnapped it’s up to Luke to find him. This story rips into a high-octane action adventure as Luke uses every skill in his arsenal to outwit evil villains, the Russian mafia and an unscrupulous scientist to rescue his dad. Along the way he uncovers the family’s dark secret. One look at the cover and it’s not likely giving anything away to say the story includes werewolves. But not the European werewolves you probably imagine. Luke and his dad are skin walkers…shape changers. Is that a blessing or a curse? You’ll need to read Wolf Mark to find out. Patricia McClune, Conestoga Valley High School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Friday, March 7, 2014
Book of the day 03/07/2014
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Bodeen, S. A. THE RAFT New York : Feiwel and Friends, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0312650108 Robie peeked over the edge of the raft, water everywhere. It wasn’t a dream, it was a real nightmare. It was her normal flight from Honolulu to her home on the island. It was the same cargo plane, the same pilot, just a new co-pilot. But something had gone terribly wrong. There was a crash in the ocean. With the pilot dead and the co-pilot unconscious, she struggles to survive on a leaky raft with no supplies but a bag of Skittles. Robie just hoped that help would come in time. Marti Trzepacz, Strath Haven Middle School (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Book of the day 03/05/2014
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Bardugo, Leigh. SHADOW AND BONE
Bardugo, Leigh. SHADOW AND BONE New York : Henry Holt, 2012 IL YA ISBN 0805094598 Ravka, a land constantly at war with its neighbors, is divided in two by the “Unsea,” an almost impenetrable swath of darkness infested with flesh-eating monsters called volcra. Alina Starkov, an orphan of the Border Wars, has spent most of her life in an orphanage along with her best friend and secret crush, Mal. In Ravka, Grisha Examiners test every child for magical abilities. When neither Alina nor Mal shows any talent for magic, they are assigned to the less glamorous tasks of map-making and tracking. But on their first crossing through the Unsea, they are attacked by volcra. Mal is nearly killed and Alina’s magic finally reveals itself: she is a Sun-Summoner, the only one who can bring light into the Unsea and reunite all of Ravka. She’s quickly whisked away into the glamorous world of the Grisha elite and their mysterious leader, the Darkling. As Alina struggles to adapt to a world of rigorous training and royal gossip, she falls under the Darkling’s seductive spell even though Mal is never far from her mind. But when a dark secret is revealed, she realizes that she might be even more important to Ravka than she ever could have imagined – and in more danger. This intense, action-packed, romantic high fantasy is the first in a trilogy, and a movie is already in development. Read it ASAP! (Amy V. Pickett, Ridley High School) (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award nominee, 2014)