The Year of the Baby

The Year of the Baby is the second book in a series staring Anna Wang. In this book Anna's family adopts a baby from China. When the baby has problems gaining weight and Anna has to come up with a science project. Anna combines the two and uses the scientific method to help out her new sister.

This book teaches a lot of little lessons. These lessons very from the scientific method, to how to deal with small conflicts that come up in a child's everyday life.

I would recommend this book to girls who are new to chapter books in second or third grade (and as a read aloud for younger students).

The Adventures of Shrinkman

The Adventures of Shrinkman by RL Stine follows Danny who follows the adventures of shrinkman.  Then he drinks something called shrinkman cola and then shrinks.  He finds that being small is not as cool as he thought it would be.

This book is very good.  The suspense gets very high keeping the reader interested throughout.  This book has a great twist much like the ones that RL Stine adds to his goosebumps books making this great for fans of the series. 

Appropriateness:  This book is more creepy than scary and contains no adult content.  I would reccomend it for readers 9-14.

Review produced with help from one of my student reviewers.

The Lonely Planet Not For Parents: How to be a World Explorer

The Lonely Planet Not For Parents: How to be a World Explorer is a delightful book with travel tips for kids from the useful to the absurd that kids will love.  This is one of those books that you buy for the child who hates to read that they can't put down.

I recommend this book for readers from 8-14

Velveteen

Velveteen by Daniel Marks is a strange book about a girl named Velveteen.  Velveteen is dead.  She was killed by an evil serial killer whom she continues to torment when she sneaks out of purgatory.  Purgatory is being threatened by horrible storms.

I had major issues with this book and finally gave up not willing to force myself to pick the book up again.  While the writing was good and the descriptions of purgatory original the story was all over the place and confusing.  The book started out with Velveteen haunting her killer (a story which was promising) but then moved into purgatory and then moved through that without much explanation as to what exactly was going on or what the point of Velveteen's story was. 

Appropriateness:  This book has quite a bit of adult content.  The book is very violent and scary (check out the first chapter).  There are discussions of drug use and quite a bit of crude sexual talk.  I would recommend this book to readers 14+

Review copy provided by amazon vine

Hush Little Polar Bear

Hush Little Polar Bear is a sweet book that follows a polar bear on his adventures.  While the story doesn't follow the traditional "Momma's going to buy you" model that you would expect the poetry still fits well with the traditional melody making it easy to sing.  My students loved it.

I recommend this book for kids from 0-6

Hush Little Dragon

Hush Little Dragon by Boni Ashubrn and Kelly Murphy is a delightful version of Hush Little Baby that stars a Dragon instead of a baby.  My students love the original song as well as the stories Hush Little Alien and Hush Little Monster and I'm sure this one will be requested just as much.  They loved that the mother dragon brought the baby dragon villagers to eat.  The poetry fits perfectly with the song making it an easy sing even the first time through.

This book will be enjoyed by kids from 4-8

Spider on the Floor

Spider on the Floor illustrated by True Kelly is one of the books in the Raffi Songs to Read series.  The book beautifully illustrates the song in a way that engages kids and is easy to sing.  Additionally with each additional page the spider web adds a different animal to his web.  I've read this book to my students for years and even though it's a simple song they ask for it over and over again as it's fun to sing and read.

This book is appropriate for kids from 0-8 and works well as a read to self or a sing-a-loud

Losing It

Review by a delightful fifth grader

Losing It by Erin Fry follows Bennett an eighth grader who is overweight.  When Bennett was young his mother died of cancer.  One day when Bennett is watching television his father suffers a major stroke.  Because his father so disabled from the stroke Bennett moves in with his Aunt Laura who decides that he is going to make Bennett healthy. 

This is a fantastic book with lots of excitement and unpredictable things that happen making it difficult to put down.  Bennett's journey to becoming healthier and happier is inspirational for readers. 

Appropriateness:  This book is appropriate for middle grade readers 10-14

My So-Called Death

My So-Called Death by Stacy Jay Follows perky cheerleader Karen.  When Karen falls to her death after being dropped off the top of a cheerleading formation she doesn't stay dead, she wakes back up.  Karen soon finds herself enrolled at the DEAD school for zombie kids.  Unfortunately as soon as she arrives she finds that this school isn't as easy to navigate as the one she left.  Her roommate is creepy, everyone seems to dislike her and her classmates are having their brains stolen.

This is a cute zombie novel that kids will love.  Karen is a spunky zombie girl who is unafraid to be herself even when it's unpopular.  The mythology is crafted in an entertaining way and the mystery has a nice resolution and kept me guessing till the end.  I sped through the book reading it in one sitting.

Appropriateness:  This book has no adult content.  While Karen is in high school her attitude is that of someone younger making this a book that will appeal to a middle grade audience.  The romance isn't a main factor in the book and the mystery is more creepy than scary or excessively violent.  I recommend this book to readers 10-14.

Wild Awake

Wild Awake by Hilary T Smith follows Kiri, an accomplished pianist whose life changes when she's left alone during the summer while her parents go on vacation.  Soon after her parents leave Kiri gets a call from a man who says that he has her dead sister's stuff.  Kiri then rides her bike to the horrible area of town to go and get her stuff and soon learns more about her sister and her life than she ever thought she would.

I had mixed feelings about this book.  While it was interesting and kept moving I felt that the characterization of Kiri just didn't work.  We've got a girl who was perfect and hard working (apparently a prodigy pianist) who does things that a girl like her would do.  Riding her bike alone into a horrible area of town alone, accepting rides from strangers and throwing everything she's worked for out the window.  It was very readable though and I did find myself interested throughout.

Appropriateness:  There was so much pot use in this book that it made me uncomfortable.  She's not just smoking weed when she's at a party but she's smoking frequently alone and even at one point infers that there must be something strange about the guy she likes because he doesn't smoke.  There's also quite a bit of sex and drinking and of course her inability to have any self preservation instincts at all.  I'd recommend this book to readers 14+ and encourage parents to talk about substance use and abuse and good decision making skills.

Review Copy Provided by Amazon Vine

Pretty Girl 13

Pretty Girl 13 begins with Angie finding herself standing in her neighborhood.  When she walks inside she finds that she's been missing for three years that she can't remember.  The story follows Angie slowly recalling her past through her alters (multiple personalities).

This was a terrific book that I could not put down.  I finished it in an afternoon.  Angie's story was engrossing (if not very realistic) and the pacing of the details of Angie's kidnapping were revealed in a way that made me unable to put the book down.  Readers who are looking for something that's realistic or deep won't be satisfied but it's a great quick read.

Appropriateness:  This book deals with  mental illness, sexual abuse and rape along with a bit of underage drinking.  I would recommend it for readers 13+

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Sail Away on my Silver Dream

A great fifth grade review

Sail Away on my Silver Dream by J Guenther follows a boy named David whose mother is very sick with cancer.  When he meets Sharon and learns that her father is an Alcoholic they bond by sailing away on their imaginary boat.

This is a great book that fifth grade reviewer loved.  While this book isn't one that you speed through it never bores readers.  The characters were funny responsible and entertaining even though they were dealing with a lot in their lives.  The problem/solution worked out perfectly making for a satisfying ending.  My reviewers only criticism of the book is that she didn't like the the texture of the cover.

Appropriateness:  The book deals with domestic abuse and has violent situations with Sharon's abusive father.  There is a bit of romance but not enough to turn off readers.  I recommend this book to readers 11-14

Review copy provided by the author.

Mila 2.0

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza begins with Mila finding out that she's not the human teenager that she thought she was.  After finding out that she's an android her life gets crazy.  First she's on the run from those who want to capture her and then she must fight for her own existance from those who want to destroy her.

I wasn't expecting much when I started this book but I really loved it.  It was filled with enough suspense and action to keep me on the edge of my seat.  I appreciated the lack of romantic angst and the theme of what makes you human.  I sped though the book finishing it in a few days.

Appropriateness:  While there is a lot of action movie type violence in this book there is no other adult content.  I would recommend it for readers 13+ but it would be fine for younger readers.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

A Field Guide to Aliens: Intergalactic Worrywarts, Bubblonauts, Sliver-Slurpers, and Other Extraterrestrials

A Field Guide to Aliens: Intergalactic Worrywarts, Bubblonauts, Sliver-Slurpers, and Other Extraterrestrials by Johan Olander is a fantastic illustrated book that gives kids descriptions and pictures of several common aliens.

I gave my daughter this book while she was sitting in a waiting room and she not only devoured it there (not needing anything else to distract her) but read it in the car to me.  This picture book sized field guide is filled with pictures and descriptions with the addition of great difficult vocabulary words.

I would recommend this book to readers 9-12 (and younger advanced readers).  It's a great buy for reluctant readers.

Review Copy Provided by Amazon Vine.

Little Red Hot

Little Red Hot by Eric A. Kimmel is a fantastic retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with a spicy hot twist. This little red loves hot peppers, the hotter the better. When she finds out that grandma is sick she cooks the hottest hot pepper pie to take to her.

I loved this book. It's funny and has a great surprise ending while keeping in the spirit of the original little red story. I would recommend this to readers 5-8.

The Menagerie

The Menagerie by Tui T. Sutherland and Kari Sutherland follows Logan as he discovers a young griffin hiding under his bed.  This griffin leads him to The Menagerie a wonderful place where magical creatures are kept which is run by his new friend Zoe's family.  The two along with another friend Blue must find all the missing griffins to save the Menagerie.

I loved this book.  It's cute and sweet and funny and the world that the Sutherlands have developed is truly magical.  The characters from the individual animals to the kids are all well crafted and have distinct personalities.  I suspect this will be a book to win awards.  I sped through the book and can't wait for the sequel.  This is a book I will purchase for others.

Appropriateness: There is no adult content in this book and no violence or romance (although there is talk of a bit of a crush).  The book will appeal equally to boys and girls ages 8-14 and it will work well as a read aloud to younger students.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

The Center of Everything

The Center of Everything by Linda Urban stars Ruby Pepperdine who is elected anomously by the librarian to be the essay girl.  This creates some big problems.

This is a good book.  The characters do a great job fitting into the story and the setting is very situation.  The plot sometimes switches making it difficult for readers to follow.  However the book does have a great hook making readers want to know what will happen and is interesting enough to keep readers interested although it is not a super fast read and it has a fantastic ending.

Appropriateness:  This book has no adult content and no romance.  It would be enjoyed by 5-7th graders.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine.  Review completed with help from a great fifth grader.

The Voyage of Lucy P Simmons

The Voyage of Lucy P Simmons by Barbara A Mariconda follows Lucy P Simmons through her adventure of living with her uncle and aunt.  Her uncle sends her off to a boarding school and there they find out that her uncle plans to sell the house.  What will happen next and can her "boarding school" teacher save everything with a bit of magic.

This book was terrific.  The characters were amazing and the magical setting is wonderful.  The book was a very fast book that keeps the reader asking for more.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book and it is only a bit scary.  I would reccomend this book to readers 9-13

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine 

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary had a Little Lamb by Isa Trampani is a wonderful folk song book that kids will love.  The book starts with the traditional first verse and then the next verses follow the lamb throughout the farm (and into some trouble) during her day while maintaining the singability of the original story.  My students loved this one and laughed as the lamb got into trouble and even tried to keep up with the song.

This book is appropriate for ages 4-8 and works perfectly as a sing-a-loud

Patalosh: The Time Travelers

Another student review:

Patalosh, The Time Travelers by Z. Altug and Tracy Gensler is a good book about magic, Time Traveling, Portals and more.

This is a fantastic book that was greatly enjoyed by my reviewer.  So much so that he wanted to read the book again before handing it back to me (I told him he could keep it).  It's great and full of futuristic time traveling and great characters with varied abilities and traits.  My reviewer thought it would have been a bit better if they'd explained some of the scientific terms.

Appropriateness:  This book is great for middle grade readers 9-14.  It is creepy and has some fighting but no adult content.

Review Copy Provided by Amazon Vine

Running out of Time

Running out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix follows Jessie who lives in a frontier village in the year 1840.  At least that's what she's grown up believing.  When a massive Diphtheria outbreak hits her village she learns the truth from her mother.  She has been living in a tourist attraction and the year is actually 1996.  She must escape from the village and expose the problems so that she can get help for the sick in her village.

This is a terrific story of a girl leaving everything she's known to get help.  Modern life is a mystery to Jessie and everything is new and scary.  The book is an adventure from beginning to end and I couldn't put it down.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book.  There are a few scary moments but nothing that would terrify older elementary students.  Jessie is a strong girl and a good role model and there is enough action in the story to keep boys engaged.  There is no romantic subplot.  I would recommend this book to readers 10-14.

The Lady With the Alligator Purse

The Lady with the Alligator Purse by Nadine Bernard Westcott is a picture book adaptation of the traditional childrens song.  I have shared this with my students for years.  The pictures are clear enough that they can follow along with the song after hearing it once and they always delight in seeing the lady with the alligator purse who brings Pizza for the sick baby.

I would recommend this book for readers 3-8, it is a perfect sing-a-long book.

Best Friends Forever: A World War II Scrapbook

Best Friends Forever: A World War II Scrapbook tells the story of two girls separated during world war two though a beautiful scrapbook and letters. The pictures are real looking enough that I would touch the pages expecting them to be raised and the friendship between the two girls tells a story of what it was like to be in their positions during the war. I hope the author produces more of these and they become a series.

When I handed this book to a fifth grader (and a boy at that) he didn't want to give it back to me and told me he'd return it at the end of the day after he was finished. I would recommend this book to readers 9-13 and it's a must for elementary and middle school libraries.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Seeds! Seeds! Seeds!

Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! follows Buddy a bear who learns all about seeds after he gets a surprise in the mail from his grandfather. This is a perfect book to go along with a lesson on seeds for preschool-first grades and provides follow on activities that kids or teachers might want to do. The pictures are made from cut paper and add to the story.

Review Copy Provided by Amazon Vine

A Tale of Two Dogs

A Tale of Two Dogs begins with Morgan the sweet and furry puppy coming into Amy's life. However Morgan is very naughty. So do Amy's parents train the dog? NO! They take him to the POUND (they don't even bother to look for an appropriate owner)! Then they bring home another dog. What horrible pet owners, and how horrible for Amy. The book does have a happy ending when the kids get the dog back but I still can't find anything redeeming in the story. If a child was reading it to deal with a pet that had to be given away it sends a bad message as it does for general pet ownership.

Review Copy provided by Amazon Vine

City Dog, Country Dog

City Dog, Country Dog is a delightful retelling of the fable Town Mouse, Country Mouse which is great for comparison/contrast. The author also peppers the book with french phrases (defined on each page) and the dogs are named after two impressionist painters whose works are discussed in the end and "repainted" throughout the story.

I would recommend this book for readers 5-9 and it would be a great gift for elementary art or french teachers.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Racing Against the Odds

Racing Against The Odds is a picture book biography of stock car racer Wendall Scott as he fights prejudice and discrimination to become the best in his sport.

This is a great book that kids will love. The message is great and the subject matter interesting even for reluctant readers. I would recommend this to readers 6-10

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Peep Leap

Peep Leap tells the story of a group of baby ducklings. When it's time for the ducklings to hatch duckling ten is the last to come out of his shell and when it's time for him to jump into the water he's frightened and wants to stay in his warm nest. He finally gets the courage and jumps!

This is a great book for kids who are afraid of making a new start. I would recommend it to readers 2-7

Review Copy Provided by Amazon Vine

Why Kimba Saved the World

Another student review:

Why Kimba saved the world by Meg Welch Dendler follows Kimba who lives as a house cat with her sister Hiro, but she soon finds out that alien-cats are watching her. 

The main characters being cats makes this for a interesting but strange story.  The beginning of the story was very interesting but it dragged at the end making it difficult to finish.  It's not a bad book but it's very strange.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book.  I would reccomend it to third and fourth grade girls.

Sketchy

Sketchy by Olivia Samms follows Bea who has just been released from rehab and is only three months sober.  While in rehab she developed the ability to draw what is in the minds of others.  Because of this she finds herself obsessed with finding the man who raped popular girl Willa.

I really liked this book.  Bea is an interesting girl who struggles with sobriety.  The flashes back to the past show the damage that the drugs did to Bea's life.  The mystery is ever present with a touch of supernatural but is not too extreme.  I sped through the book not wanting to put it down and I've hated everything lately.

Appropriateness:  There is a ton of adult content in this book but it's handled in a way that uses the adult content as a teaching tool.  There is a lot of drug and alcohol use as well as rape being a main plot of the book.  I would recommend this book for teens 14+ and would recommend that parents use it to talk to kids about addiction.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Oh, A-Hunting We Will Go

Oh A-Hunting We Will Go by John Langstaff and Nancy Winslow Parker is a fantastic book based on the classic folk song.  This book works well both for beginning readers and for teachers looking for a sing-a-loud book.  I've been reading this book in my class for years and the kids always love the rhyming pairs and trying to guess what will be next for each animal and catching the rhyme and love singing along. 

This is a book that will be enjoyed by kids from 3-8.

Romance for Teens -- The Runaway Princess

The Runaway Princess by Hester Browne tells the story of Amy, a gardener who unknowingly finds herself in a relationship with a Leo who is part of a royal family.  The relationship turns even more upside down when an unexpected development puts him much closer to the throne than originally expected.  She finds herself going through the ups and downs dealing with the media and Leo's family expectations.

I loved this book.  It's one of those perfect chic-lit romance novels that makes you smile throughout the entire novel.  It felt like a wonderful movie in print.  The heroine was a strong confident woman who was as interested in her career as her romantic life.  I finished this book quickly, unable to put it down.

Appropriateness:  This book is fairly clean for a romance novel.  There is implied sex but nothing the least bit erotic.  I would recommend this book to readers 16+ and it's a perfect romance novel for teens crossing over into adult literature.

Romance for Teens -- Married With Zombies

Married With Zombies by Jessie Peterson follows Sarah and David, a bickering couple on their way to divorce, until the zombie apocalypse.  Sarah and David are on their way to marriage counseling when they notice things seem a little off.  When they enter the office they find that their marriage therapist is eating the couple that has the appointment before theirs.  The two have to figure out how to get out of Seattle to safety and handle all the risks that they find along the way.

This is a terrific book that is full of action and humor.  Sarah and David fight their way through both their relationship and the zombie outbreak in a way that's heartwarming, funny and terrifying.  I couldn't put it down and had to get my hands on the sequels right away.

This is an adult book that teens will enjoy.  While there is a lot of cursing (the F bomb is probably dropped fifteen times in the first chapter) and some sexual banter there are not any sex scenes that may turn off teen readers. 

Soccerland

Soccerland by Beth Choat tells the story of Flora a young soccer player who gets a change to go to the international sports facility and go to a camp where they pick the girls that have a chance to play on the under fifteen US soccer team.  At the camp Flora faces homesickness, difficult social situations, cutthroat competition and a coach that's hard to read.

I almost didn't read this one.  I'm not a fan of books that are put out by minor publishers because the writing and editing is almost always bad.  This book however was terrific and felt very professionally edited.  I loved reading about Flora and the adventures and stresses she had while at camp and couldn't put it down.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book and only a hint of romance.  While this is a sports book it's appeal is broad enough to interest those who aren't obsessed with sports.  I recommend this book to readers 10-15

Review Copy Provided by Amazon Vine

Hippo goes Bananas

Hippo goes Bananas by Marjorie Dennis Murray illustrated by Kevin O'Malley tells the story of a gossiping group of animals who all tell each other about how Hippo is going bananas when he has his tooth ache.

This is a fantastic book that is great for showing young kids how to add to a story (and how gossip works). The kids who I read this book to thought it was very funny and wanted to read it over again.

My Favorite Things

My Favorite Things illustrated by Renee Graff is a great singable version of the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein Classic.  The version is altered a bit to fit the format and this makes it easier to sing.  My students enjoyed singing the sing and the pictures that went along with the lyrics. 

Mooseclumps and other poems

Mooseclumps and Other Poems by Ryan T Bliss is a delightful book of poetry and pictures that kids will love.  The poems are funny and whimsical and varied in length from ones that are a few sentences long to those that are several paragraphs long.  While I usually am not a fan of books produced by small publishers I was enchanted by this one and plan on keeping it as part of my collection.

I reccomend this book to readers 5-10

Review copy provided by author

The Spring Un-Fair

Here's another great kids review

The Spring Un-Fair by Louise Bennett-Rampersaup is the second book in the Secret Knock Club series. This book follows Agnes and her Secret Knock club.  They heard that the spring fair won't have a dunk tank so they try to raise money to get one by having a concert.  Agnes wants to be the lead singer and the other club members will play the insturments.  Will Agnes be able to sing and will her friends be able to play their insturments to raise the money?

This is a very funny book that is filled with words that make it easy for kids to picture what is happening and the funny illustrations really add to the book.  While it's the second book in the series readers won't be confused by missing the first book. 

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book and it's perfect for 2-3 grade students and will work great as a read-aloud.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Escape Theory

Escape Theory by Margaux Froley follows Devon who is working as a peer tutor at her elite boarding school in order to beef up her resume to Stanford.  This job becomes more difficult than she ever expected after Hutch, one of her classmates commits suicide.  Devon is then placed with providing help to his friends and finds herself in the middle of a mystery as to what really happened to Hutch.

This is an interesting mystery that keeps you interested even though it isn't full of action.  The characters are varied and Devon is a good kid who wants to help her classmates without being a tattle tale and the peer councilor job was a good way for the author to explore the mystery..  I didn't rush though this book but I didn't find myself wanting to give it up.

Appropriateness:  There is a LOT of adult content in this book.  You name it, it's in the book.  Drug use and abuse, sex and law breaking although none of it is glamorized it is seen as a normal part of Devon's world.  I would recommend this book for readers 14+

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

The Care and Keeping of You 2

The Care and Keeping of You: The Body book for Older Girls is a great companion to the first in the series.  The book presents a lot of information for girls already in the middle of puberty.  The book covers topics such as how to take care of body hair and dealing with moodyness, tampons, the sorts of things that girls read seventeen magazine for in a way that is less appearance focused.

There is nothing in this book that is inappropriate for younger girls (unless you're the type who thinks it's appropriate to have them unaware of what their body looks like and does) but the content is more applicable for ten and eleven year olds as opposed to those that are eight or nine.

Review copy provided by Amazon Prime 

Indigo Spell

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead is the third book in the Bloodlines series that follows Sydney who is an Alchemist, a member of a group that has sworn to keep the existence of vampires from the rest of the world.  In this book Sydney is slowly coming to accept her ability to wield magic and has started seriously questioning the alchemist organization she grew up with.

Richelle Mead did not disappoint with this book.  Watching Sydney open up and grow has made for a terrific read and the mysteries that are woven through the book and throughout the series are paced well.  While I didn't initially love Sydney the growth she has had as a character has grown on me and I have come to care for her.   I finished the book quickly and was intersted throughout.

Appropriateness:  This series is great for older teens and the crossover audience.  It is heavily romance focused (nothing more than some steamy kissing scenes in this book but I expect more at some point) and Sydney is eighteen years old and living more in a young adult world than a teen one. I recommend books to readers 14+

The Slither Sisters

The Slither Sisters is the second book in the Tales from Lovecraft Middle School by Charles Gilman.  This book continues following Robert and his friends former bully Glen and ghost girl Karina as they try to save the school from the evil monsters that are trying to inhabit it.  In this book the trio follows twin sisters who are actually evil snake monsters in disguise.

This book continues the creepiness of the first book finding the great mix of scary that kids this age need.  I tore through the book exited to know what would happen and enjoying the illustrations and creepy descriptions as the plot moved along.  The author managed to make the world of Lovecraft Middle School even more interesting and the ending was complete with just a hit of what was coming next.

Appropriateness:  This is a fantastic book that older elementary and middle schoolers will love.  It's creepy without being too scary and the covers are cool enough to entice even the most reluctant of readers.  I recommend this series for readers 8-13.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

Going Vintage

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt follows Mallory who decides that she's going to live like she's in the early sixties after breaking up with her long time boyfriend.  Mallory found a to do list in an old notebook while cleaning out her grandmother's attic and is determined to finish all the items on her list. She runs into a lot of bumps while completing her project that lead her to find out secrets about her family.

This is a great book and Mallory's experiment is fun to read about.  I loved Mallory and her sister (and the hunky Oliver) and found myself cheering for her to accomplish her goals throughout the book.  It's so nice to read a book about a girl who decides to move on with her life after a breakup in a positive way instead of looking for revenge or trying to get the offending guy back.  I sped through the book and finished it quickly.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book.  The romance consists of just a few kisses and is not the most important part of the story.  I would recommend this book to readers 13+

The Girl in the Wall

The Girl in the Wall by Daphne Bendis-Grab follows Ariel and Sera two ex-friends that find themselves in a fight for their lives after Sera's party is taken over by armed men.  Sera spends most of her time inside the wall as the armed men try to find her.  The two must work together to find out why the men are there and to save the lives of themselves and the others at the party.

I really enjoyed this book but it wasn't without it's problems.  The two main characters were cliched rich girls and the romances seemed forced.  The ending got to the point where it was comically absurd with it's twists and tragic ending and the "mystery" was super easy to figure out.  However, in spite of all that I did enjoy the book and I think that teen readers would be able to look past the predictable nature of the book and enjoy it for the action and suspense.

Appropriateness:  There is no sex or substance abuse in the book and the romances are fairly tame.  The book is very violent and there are discussions of rape(although no threats of it, it is talked about as a past risk.  I would recommend this book for readers 13+ 

Review Copy provided by Amazon Prime

The Secret Zoo

Another guest post by one of my student reviewers.

The Secret Zoo by Bryan Chick follows Noah when he finds his sister Megan has disappeared.  He goes out to find her and thinks that the Clarksville City Zoo has something to do with her disappearance.  Along with her two best friends they set out on their adventure.  The zoo animals leave clues for Noah and his friends to figure out which leads them to a secret zoo where they face dangerous outcomes.

This was a great book with characters who have distinct personalities.  The secret world is fantastic, filled with every animal imaginable, even some that are thought to be extinct.  The only negative was a twist at the end that doesn't make much sense and came out of nowhere.  However, this is a fantastic book that readers will finish quickly.

Appropriateness:  There is no inappropriate content or romance in this book.  I would recommend it to readers 9-13.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Adventures of South Pole Pig

A great guest post by a fantastic Fifth Grader

The Adventures of a South Pole Pig by Chris Kurtz follows Flora an adventurous piglet who is always looking for something new and exciting.  Since she lives in a pigpen her dreams of adventures can't be pursued.  After one small expedition she finds that her hearts desire is to become a sled-pig like the sled-dogs in her farm.  Will her goal be achieved?  Will she truly be Flora-the-explorer?

This is a fantastic book.  Flora's adventurous, brave and courageous qualities as well as her hard-working spirit and Luna the lazy cat make for great characters.  The farm setting along with the worry that the Flora might end up as food make for a great story.  Kurtz really kept the book alive especially with Flora's energetic personality.

Appropriateness:  This is a book that works well for younger advanced readers as well as a read aloud.  Flora's personality will make this book a hit with the younger set (and this fifth grade reader loved it even though it was for younger students).  There is no inappropriate content or romance.

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Frogged

Frogged by Vivian Vande Velde follows a princess named Imogene.  When she meets a talking frog in the garden she agrees to kiss him so that he will turn back into a prince.  Unfortunately in addition to turning him back into a boy she finds herself transformed into a frog.  This begins her adventure learning to be a frog and becoming part of a theater troupe.  Will she get back to the castle and overcome the spell?

This is a delightful book that kids will love.  It's a great princess story for parents who have princess loving daughters who want them to read stories about princesses that aren't rescued by men (and where there is basically no romantic plot whatsoever).  Isabelle has to figure out how to rescue herself and do so without harming anyone else.  I finished the book quickly and was interested throughout.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content or violence in this story.  I would recommend it to readers 8-12 (it's probably around an fourth grade reading level) and it is interesting enough to work as a read aloud.
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Pushing the Limits

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry follows Echo, a girl who has horrible physical and emotional scars from an incident with her mentally unstable mother and the death of her father, and Noah, a boy living in foster care who desperately wants to gain custody of his little brothers.  This unlikely pair are put together for tutoring by their councilor and find themselves falling in love.

This is one of those tough and heavy contemporary teen novels that involves a lot of heart ache and is very emotional.  While I didn't love it I expect that readers who like more of an emotional impact and enjoy the trauma will enjoy the book. 

Appropriateness:  There is drug use, sex, cursing and violence all in the first few chapters.  That's fairly evident from the cover though and the plot is one that would appeal mostly to older readers.  I recommend this book to readers 14+

Just Ella

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix starts off where the Cinderella story ends.  Ella is living in the palace learning everything that she needs in order to be a princess.  She has nightly chaperoned visits with her prince and spends most of her day learning etiquette and manners.  She's also bored to tears.  She soon decides that she no longer wants to be the princess but finds that leaving the castle and breaking her engagement is not as simple as it seems like it would be.

This is a terrific book that tells the tale of what happens after the happily ever after and that perhaps things aren't as they seem.  We slowly learn the real story of how Ella got to the ball and find out the real reason as to how she came to be the princess.  I loved this book and finished it quickly.  I'd recommend it to fans of fairy tales.

Appropriateness:  There are some unsettling moments in this story that could prove unsettling or disturbing to young readers who think they're in for a light and fluffy story.  There is an attempted rape and a section of the story where the main character has to fear being raped and she is imprisoned in a dungeon with only a hole for a toilet.  It has a great message and Ella is a great character however, the pieces of the plot that clearly point towards the threat of rape (and it's not anything a reader could miss) make this book questionable for younger readers.   I recommend this book to readers 12-15

When You Wish Upon a Star

When You Wish Upon a Star by Ned Washington, Leigh Harline and Eric Puybaret is a beautiful illustrated book of the classic song.  

The book is filled with beautiful illustrations featuring multicultural children from all over the world and my class enjoyed seeing kids who looked like them in the illustrations.  The song is included on a CD sung by Judy Collins and although the song is beautifully performed it was a bit classical for my students who said that they would rather that I sang them the song instead of playing the CD (and normally they're excited to hear CD's because they hear me sing every day). 

This is a book that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages in a classroom format and kids 4-8 who are reading independently.