Grigson, Natalie. THE FANTASTIC FABLE OF PETER ABLE

Grigson, Natalie.  
THE FANTASTIC FABLE OF PETER ABLE
Kindle Press, 2015
IL YA

Peter is a boy wizard.  He is the hero of his own series of books. He lives in the land of Fiction and he is dependent on his Real World Author to keep him going.  But now the author has decided to end the series. Peter is now free of plotlines and can do what he wants. He is even free to appear in other books.  But what is freedom?  Will Peter be able to find a life without a plot line?

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/4pd5oQympj2Wm

Dowd, Siobhan. THE PAVEE AND THE BUFFER GIRL

Dowd, Siobhan.
THE PAVEE AND THE BUFFER GIRL
Edinburgh : The Bucket List, 2017
IL YA

ISBN 018172832

Jim and his family are Travellers living in Ireland.  Jim doesn't want to go to school where the kids call him a tinker or dirty gyp or worse.  But the law is the law and the Irish government has dictated that the Travellers must send their children to school.  Now Jim has to spend time with the buffers or settled children.  And he knows the taunts and beatings will begin.  What he doesn't expect is that there is one buffer girl who is kind to him.  Is that enough to get him through this?

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/ksD2snIVjo1yb

Cass, Kiera. THE SIREN

Cass, Kiera.  
THE SIREN

HarperTeen, 2016
IL YA
ISBN 0062391992

Even though it has been 80 years, Kahlen still has trouble living the life of a siren.  She loves the ocean and her sister sirens, but she just can't stand their mission.  They sing and cause disasters at sea.  Each time the ocean tells them to sing, Kahlen dreads their mission.  In between singings, they live very nice lives. The only stipulation is that they can't talk to humans.  Their voices cause humans to drown so they live lives as mutes.  And they have no human friends.  When Kahlen meets a wonderful young man, she knows she can't be involved with him. But there is just something about him that keeps her coming back.Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/1FUJDXWWchWA1

Castroman, Nicole. BLACKSOULS

Castroman, Nicole.  

BLACKSOULS
New York : Simon Pulse, 2017

IL YA
ISBN 1481491059

In the second volume of the series, we find Anne and Teach each crossing the ocean to Nassau on separate ships.  Neither of them have an easy passage.  Anne is on a ship where the crew is as dangerous as the voyage.  Fortunately, another passenger keeps her safe.  Teach's ship is attacked by pirates and the captain is totally unable to deal with the situation.  This leads Teach to mutiny to save the ship.  This leads to all sorts of problems when they get to Nassau.  As much as Anne and Teach want to be together and make a new life in Nassau, things are getting worse.

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/hxig1fqF7YzeR

Leveen, Tom. SHACKLED

Leveen, Tom.  
SHACKLED
New York : Simon Pulse, 2015
IL YA
ISBN 1481422499
Pelly struggles with mood swings and anxiety. She has trouble being in public and has tried for years to overcome her issues.  They stem back to six years ago when she and her best friend were little.  They were playing a game of hide and seek in a department store. And Tara disappeared.  Pelly blames herself and has been trying to cope ever since.  She now works part time in a coffee shop and takes classes online.  When she thinks she sees Tara at the shop, her world starts spinning.  No one believes her that it was Tara.  After all, everyone assumes she died years ago.  As Pelly continues to investigate, she is joined by another employee of the coffee shop.  This girl really couldn't have been Tara, could it?



Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/h07vQ9VJgnqL0

Jones, Tayari. LEAVING ATLANTA

Jones, Tayari. 
LEAVING ATLANTA   
New York : Warner Books, 2002
IL YA
ISBN 0446528307

Three children growing up in Atlanta in 1979 find their world complicated by unimaginable events.  We meet LaTasha.  Social dynamics are changing and girls she thought were her friends are treating her badly.  When Jashante shows some interest in her, she is really torn about what is going on.  Then there is Rodney, too weird to have any friends. He is the brunt of jokes and is usually seen by himself reading.  The last part of the story is told by Octavia -- too black and too outspoken. She tries to be nice to other students but she still finds herself sitting alone in the lunchroom while kids call her names.  All the kids are also going through issues at home.  When the child murders begin, the kids' lives get even harder.

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/uzQ2V2oVTus8b

Atkins, Jeanne. STONE MIRRORS : THE SCULPTURE AND SILENCE OF EDMONIA LEWIS

Atkins, Jeanne.  STONE MIRRORS : THE SCULPTURE AND SILENCE OF EDMONIA LEWIS
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 1481459058

This is a fictional account of sculptor Edmonia Lewis.  Lewis was the daughter of an Ojibwe woman and an African Haitian man.  Her father left before she was born and her mother passed away when she was young.  Lewis studied at Oberlin but was asked to leave after being falsely accused of poisoning and theft.  She moved to Boston and was able to get some work creating busts of famous Civil War heroes.  The world really opened for her when she received a commission to create a marble statue of Abraham Lincoln.  Lewis was able to move to Italy and began working in marble.  Although not much is known about Lewis, Atkins uses verse to tell the story of what we do know.

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/WuabWKYtDhJHI