Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic by Lauren Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow another great nail biter from Lauren Oliver. Panic is a game that takes place and involves secret judges, a series of dares, and a group of contestants that get smaller as the challenges get more serious and very, very scary. I liked Heather and Bishop and grew to like Dodge. Heather comes from a very dysfunctional family - a mom who drinks and parties and doesn't love Heather and her little sister, Lily. Bishop and Heather and Nat have been best friends forever. Dodge has a sister who was paralyzed as a result of Panic years before and he is out for revenge. Oliver's portrayal of these teens, what makes them tick, what scares them, and why they do what they do was pitch perfect. The book was scary, exciting, and all about teens who are graduated and spend a summer seeing if they can win the $67,000 purse in the game of Panic. The police are after anyone involved and will jail them, so everyone is very, very careful with how they act around adults and family members. Who will win and at what cost? Read Panic, you won't be able to put it down, I couldn't!!!

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Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly

Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I want to thank NetGalley and Disney Book Group for the ebook, Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly. This is an engrossing novel about Princess Serafina, a mermaid, about to be betrothed to Prince Mahdi, in a Dokimi ceremony. Sera must be perfect in the Dokimi, and declared a true Daughter of Merrow, or be killed. On this fateful day, Sera finds out from her mother, Isabella (The Ruler of Miromara) there have been raids carried out by unknowns villains in the mer kingdom for over a year where entire villages have vanished. Sera’s mother stresses how important this alliance with Mahdi’s kingdom is to ensure their survival and might. As the Dokimi proceeds, Miromara is attacked and Sera’s mother is poisoned by an arrow and her father is killed. Sera and Princess Neela (her best friend) must flee with protectors. When they meet up with the River Witch, Baba Vraja, she tells the two princesses that there is an ancient evil monster, Abbadon who is going to destroy all the Mer kingdoms. Both Sera and Neela have been having these same bad dreams of terror and ruin being brought to bear on their families and kingdoms. Baba Vraja tells Serafina she is the chosen one who must find the five other brave mermaids and form an unbreakable bond to save their kingdoms. Can Sera and the five princesses keep hope alive and stop the destruction of their Mer nations? Jennifer Donnelly uses beautiful words and language to evoke the magic of the undersea worlds and their memorable characters. Readers will keep turning the pages as the tension mounts for the mermaids and you will root for their victory in the deep blue oceans. This will be enjoyed by middle school/junior high readers.

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Going Over by Beth Kephart

Going Over by Beth Kephart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you so much to my Goodreads group, YA Reads for Teachers (And Any Other Adults, Chronicle Books, and Beth Kephart for this advance reader's copy, what a great read! I read Small Damages by Beth Kephart Small Damagesand fell in love with Kephart's word usage and wonderfully drawn characters. I felt the same way reading this book. I was completely immersed in Ada and Stefan's lives in the separate cities of East and West Berlin in the 1980s. The isolation and heartache that the Berlin Wall caused to families, friends, and communities is palpable in this tale of love, family, and sacrifice. We learn in alternating chapters from Ada (her chapters are titled SO36) and Stefan (his chapters are titled Friedrichshain)what life was like before and after the Berlin Wall divided their life and worlds. Spunky, cocky Ada lives with her mother (Mutti)and grandmother (Omi)in "155 kilometers of wrong," but in the freedom of West Berlin. Their freedom consists of eking out a spare existence in a squatter's commune. By day, pink haired Ada goes to school, works at a day care center (catering to Turkish immigrants)and by night, daring to paint a graffiti wall of heroes. Independent Ada dodges guards with rifles in towers and works by flashlight daring to create this wall. Stefan lives with his Grossmutter (grandmother) in East Berlin where he does not go to school, is dictated to become a plumber and yearns to be with Ada and "her love brighter than color." Where kind, sweet Stefan is full of what ifs about escaping, Ada is confident with her many newspaper stories of those who risked danger and found freedom over The Wall. Will Stefan take the risk for Ada? Going Over is so much more than a love story- I also loved Savas, Arabelle's pregnancy, Mutti, Omi and Grossmutter's lives since the War and The Wall. You will ache for these characters. Beth Kephart's words of beauty, fear, and hope make this a very special book - enjoy and dare to hope!


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Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd

Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design by Chip Kidd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, Chip Kidd has written, designed, and illustrated the BEST book for graphic design for kids; I recommend everyone read this book----they will love it. What did I learn? I had no idea Chip Kidd was involved in sooo many books, book covers (like Jurassic Park and all the covers on pages 10-12, 68-69, p. 112-115). In each of the six chapters, Kidd goes into detail about What is Graphic Design?, Form, Typography, Content, Concept and 10 Design Projects. I really liked the Chapter 4 Concept on Illusion (p. 109) where Kidd, G. Spear and Augusten Burroughs "goofed on the title, Side Effects, by addig a sixth finger to the hand (mine)." I loved how Chip Kidd shared what the title of this book Go means, p. 117. I think it would be fun for kids to jump in and try the 10 design projects and post it on gothebook.com
Loved this book!!!

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Saints by Gene Luen Yang

Saints by Gene Luen Yang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this as part of the 2014 Hub Challenge, and I enjoyed Four Girl (Vibiana) as much as I enjoyed Bao. She was a strong character because she had to be in her family. Four Girl seeks help and strength from Joan of Arc and Dr. Won and his wife and Father Bey as she converts to Christianity. As a Christian, Vibiana cares for children in the orphanage and begins to prepare to fight like Joan in order to fight against those who do not support Christianity. Like Bao in Boxers, will Vibiana survive?

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Boxers by Gene Luen Yang

Boxers by Gene Luen Yang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this as part of the 2014 Hub Challenge and what a great graphic novel exploring the China of 1898 when the peasants were besieged by the foreign missionaries and soldiers. It was wonderful to see Bao's love of life, the gods and their involvement in his daily life and culture. My favorite character had to be Red Lantern; he had an impressive air about him that helped Bao mature and lead The Big Sword Society which later becomes The Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fist. But Bao as he succeeds he continues to have doubts and conflicts with his mission. What will his future hold?

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We Are The Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this wonderful, sorrowful look at how quickly two sisters lives will be challenged when one has a secret. Nell is beginning her freshman year in high school and she can’t wait. Her much loved older sister is now a junior, and Nell follows in her footsteps making the soccer team and reveling in her older sister’s glow. Nell tells We Are the Goldens in her voice like she is confiding to her sister, or writing her a long, long letter to be read later; then Layla will really understand all that Nell has been thinking and feeling about her older sister’s distance and silences. Thankfully, Nell is a strong, likable girl with a best friend in Felix de la Cruz with whom she shares “most” of her life ups and downs. It is early on in the school year when Layla doesn’t go to parties (like she used to) and has Nell take part in her lies providing the tension, misgivings, and sadness throughout Nell’s days and nights. When it is revealed that her beautiful older sister is involved with the young, handsome art teacher, Mr. B, Nell really begins to struggle with her loyalty to her sister and this relationship that means the world to Layla. Even though their parents are divorced, Nell and Layla spend time with both parents and their parents are supportive and involved with their daughters. It is when Layla wiggles out of a time honored trip with their mom and grandmother due to “homework” that Nell really has a problem with her sister’s decisions, feelings for Mr. B, and swearing Nell to secrecy about their relationship. I ached for Nell and the loss of her sister’s support and friendship. As the book unfolds and Nell wrestles with loyalty to Layla or exposing her sister, the tension becomes many layered. Nell wants to be Nellaya (one with Layla) with her sister again; what will she do to make their bond whole again? For a riveting, true read, We Are the Goldens provides a commentary on what it means to be loyal to family, sisters, and secrets. I love Dana Reinhart’s books and this is another one of my favorites.

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Scowler by Daniel Kraus

Scowler by Daniel Kraus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow, there is something so twisted but absorbing in Daniel Kraus' books. I still think about Rotters and last night I couldn't get back to sleep thinking about Ry, his mom, and little sister, Sarah as Marvin Burke (dad and father) terrorizes his family after escaping from prison. But that is just one small part of this horror story extraordinaire. A meteorite has landed in their yard and Ry needs to call upon his three childhood toys to help him save his family from the sick, twisted, maniac that is his father. I couldn't stop checking the cover as I read the book and the title, Scowler, is Ry's bloodthirsty toy (his doctor says Scowler is really his father)and he is an unbelievable adversary for Ry while the other 2 toys, Mr. Furrington and Jesus Christ are much more normal, caring, and likable. I read this as part of The Hub Challenge and boy am I glad I did, I just didn't like the crazy, scary thoughts keeping me awake:)

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No Place by Todd Strasser

No Place by Todd Strasser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Todd Strasser's book are awesome and No Place will resonate with teens who have unending horrendous daily problems due to parents losing their jobs and then their homes. I really liked Dan who begins the book as a popular jock dating the most popular girl, playing baseball and thinking about college plans. Pretty quickly Dan's life spirals out of control when his parents who have been unemployed for 5 years inform him they have lost their home and are moving into Dignityville. Dignityville is a tent city that houses many who are struggling with homelessness and unemployment. There are residents in the town who see this tent city as a blight on their neighborhood and want it gone permanently. Dan is a solid teen who wants to get a scholarship to college and now finds himself embarrassed and increasingly angry. His life with his parents has always been loving but deep inside, Dan begins to wonder why they have not found jobs and are they really trying hard to find employment? It is a difficult journey for Dan but he has supporters and people like Aubrey, Meg, and Noah who help him keep his perspective and build a future that he can hopefully attain. Another ripped from the headlines books that will really speak to teens and parents.

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Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

Torn Away by Jennifer Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and LittleBrown Books for Young Readers! What a riveting and engrossing book about family, finding yourself, and daring to believe after a tornado rips your life apart. Jennifer Brown’s description of the tornado as it affects Jersey Cameron’s life is so riveting. Jersey is a teen who unequivocally loves her mom, tolerates her stepfather, and finds her little sister very annoying. But all that changes when a tornado takes away her home, her mother, and little sister. As Jersey tries to understand why her mother is gone and her little sister, Marin, will never bug her to dance the East Coast Swing together ever again, her stepfather sends her to live with her father, Clay’s family, where she is unwelcome, taunted, and lives on the back porch. What crushes her even more is that Jersey is beginning to learn things about her mother; things she never told her, and things she kept from her. When she can no longer tolerate Clay’s family, she runs. Imagine her surprise when she learns her mother’s parents exist and bring Jersey to live with them. How will Jersey make this transition? Jennifer Brown does a great job building the tension, anger, and abandonment that Jersey constantly feels and while you root for Jersey building a lasting relationship with Grandpa Barry and Grandma Patty; it is the way Jersey hangs tough and does not give up on her hopes that will bring tears to your eyes and a warm place in your heart for her wonderful, simple, loving grandparents.

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