Neal Shusterman is one of my favorite YA authors, and I have recommended his books to many of my students, from reluctant readers (who devour his Dark Fusion series) to my gifted readers (for whom his novel Unwind is a mind-bending read). Bruiser has been sitting in my pile of books to be read for a while, & I wish I had read it sooner. Wow! I loved it! I will be adding this to my recommendations for students, from the reluctant readers to those who need a challenge, as it is a great story that any student will become engrossed in, and it has Neal’s trademark twists and unexpected turns which will leave the reader thinking long after they have finished the story.
Summary: Tennyson and Bronte are twins living a comfortable, if not exactly happy, life with their parents, college professors whose marriage is in a dull and quiet stasis caused by unforgiven past wrongs and continuing mistakes. When Bronte starts dating the school outcast, a boy named Brewster (called Bruiser by most), Tennyson is determined to split them up. He is convinced that Bruiser is bad news, and he goes to great lengths to try and scare Bruiser away...until he gets to know both Brewster and himself better.
Bronte has always had a soft spot for the abandoned, orphaned, unloved creatures she comes across. Brewster is no exception. She is determined to get past Brewster’s protective shell and truly get to know the boy hiding beneath that untouchable exterior. Tennyson’s initial bullying and interference only increases her determination. There is more to Brewster than anyone else at school realizes…but she is determined to help him make friends and be accepted.
As the twins weave themselves more into Brewster’s life, they discover the reason he stays removed from the world and avoids making friends. When Brewster’s whole world falls apart, how far will Bronte and Tennyson go to help their new friend? Is their help only causing Brewster more pain? And what do you do when you realize that you’ve allowed someone else to take on your burdens – do you keep living the easy life or do you step up and take responsibility?
Told from the perspectives of Tennyson, Bronte and Brewster himself, Bruiser kept me riveted. I couldn’t wait to see how it would end, but also dreaded reaching the end because it would be over. This is a book I will definitely be re-reading!
Themes:
Bullying
Friendship
Love
Selflessness
Responsibility
Age Appropriateness:
12 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: mild
Violence: mild
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Bitter Melon by Cara Chow
Summary: Growing up is hard enough. Growing up to meet the expectations placed on you by an overbearing mother is almost unbearable. Cara Chow’s Bitter Melon expresses this conflict beautifully with a main character who is both likeable and frustrating, just like any teen girl.
Frances has always worked hard to make her mother proud. She knows how hard her mother works to make sure she can attend a good private school and become a doctor some day. Then they can both lead a better life; the kind of life her mother gave up when she chose to raise her daughter alone in American instead of returning to her homeland of China. But no matter how hard she tries, she always seems to fall short.
At the beginning of her senior year, someone makes a mistake on Frances’ schedule, putting her in speech instead of calculus. Although she knows she should switch, she finds that she is good at public speaking and that it gives her a feeling she hasn’t had before; a confidence in herself. Although she still tried to make her mother proud, she also begins to work more toward her own happiness. But is Frances strong enough to choose her own path, even if it will mean standing up to her mother?
This coming-of-age story mixes in a dose of Asian culture to a universal tale of learning to be your own person.
Themes:
Independence
Success
Family
Growing Up
Age Appropriateness:
13 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild
Frances has always worked hard to make her mother proud. She knows how hard her mother works to make sure she can attend a good private school and become a doctor some day. Then they can both lead a better life; the kind of life her mother gave up when she chose to raise her daughter alone in American instead of returning to her homeland of China. But no matter how hard she tries, she always seems to fall short.
At the beginning of her senior year, someone makes a mistake on Frances’ schedule, putting her in speech instead of calculus. Although she knows she should switch, she finds that she is good at public speaking and that it gives her a feeling she hasn’t had before; a confidence in herself. Although she still tried to make her mother proud, she also begins to work more toward her own happiness. But is Frances strong enough to choose her own path, even if it will mean standing up to her mother?
This coming-of-age story mixes in a dose of Asian culture to a universal tale of learning to be your own person.
Themes:
Independence
Success
Family
Growing Up
Age Appropriateness:
13 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Summary: The recent trend in young adult fiction, paranormal romance, is one that has, in some ways, become a little overdone. So it was with minimal expectations that I picked up Paranormalcy by Kiersten White. Wow, was I ever surprised! Paranormalcy is a gripping multi-layered story and I can’t wait to pick up the next book in the series!
Evie has spent most of her life living in and working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, an unusual example of international cooperation that is held together by one thing: the desire to use Evie and her ability to capture and protect paranormal creatures ranging from vampires and werewolves to mermaids (like her best friend). Evie can see through glamours, so no paranormal creature can hide its true nature from her. She sees vampires as the walking corpses they are, for example. And she’s content to live her life this way.
But something is coming after paranormal creatures and they are dying in a way the IPCA cannot explain. And Evie is having strange dreams filled with a prophecy she doesn’t understand. She fears that her abilities may be linked to the deaths, but how could that be? Is she truly the one in the faerie prophecy; the one who bring destruction to all paranormal creatures?
Add to the mix a faerie ex-boyfriend who can’t let go and a mysterious prisoner who is suspected of being part of the plot against the paranormal community and you have a dangerous and confusing love triangle – what is a girl to choose? And can she save the paranormals and have a romance at the same time?
Fun, full of action, and with a hint of romance! If you like Ally Carter mixed with some werewolves and other creatures of the night, you'll like Paranormalcy.
Themes:
Acceptance
Persistence
Courage
Age Appropriateness:
13 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: mild
Nudity/Adult Content: very mild
Violence: moderate
Evie has spent most of her life living in and working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, an unusual example of international cooperation that is held together by one thing: the desire to use Evie and her ability to capture and protect paranormal creatures ranging from vampires and werewolves to mermaids (like her best friend). Evie can see through glamours, so no paranormal creature can hide its true nature from her. She sees vampires as the walking corpses they are, for example. And she’s content to live her life this way.
But something is coming after paranormal creatures and they are dying in a way the IPCA cannot explain. And Evie is having strange dreams filled with a prophecy she doesn’t understand. She fears that her abilities may be linked to the deaths, but how could that be? Is she truly the one in the faerie prophecy; the one who bring destruction to all paranormal creatures?
Add to the mix a faerie ex-boyfriend who can’t let go and a mysterious prisoner who is suspected of being part of the plot against the paranormal community and you have a dangerous and confusing love triangle – what is a girl to choose? And can she save the paranormals and have a romance at the same time?
Fun, full of action, and with a hint of romance! If you like Ally Carter mixed with some werewolves and other creatures of the night, you'll like Paranormalcy.
Themes:
Acceptance
Persistence
Courage
Age Appropriateness:
13 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: mild
Nudity/Adult Content: very mild
Violence: moderate
Friday, December 30, 2011
Payback Time by Carl Deuker
Summary: Payback Time is a sports-centered book that even non-sports fans will enjoy. As with his other books, Carl Deuker has written a novel in which a teenager faces tough choices and comes out on top.
Mitch (short for Michelin Man) True is a reporter for his high school newspaper. Despite not being chosen editor for his senior year, he puts his all into his new assignment – covering sports. As an added bonus, some of his articles even get published in the city newspaper and he gets to have Kimi as his photographer (she would probably never even speak to him otherwise.) When Mitch notices a new player on the team with amazing talent, his curiosity is piqued. When his questions lead to stonewalling, both by the coach and by the player himself, Mitch realizes that he is on to something big. Why is a great player like Angel spending so much time on the bench? Is he an undercover cop looking for drugs on campus? Is he the coach’s secret weapon for winning the state championship? Mitch & Kimi get into much more than they bargained for while trying to solve the mystery.
Mitch is a great character that I could associate with – a teen who is on the fringes in his school; a part but not one that necessarily stands out. His relationship with Kimi and the way it changes within the story is a great way to show how Mitch is taking more control of his life and working hard to be what he wants to be (mainly thin, which is difficult since his mother is a caterer who often brings home desserts for him to try.) The twists within the story kept me turning the pages to see if Mitch would get through the story unscathed and to see how it would all end for Angel.
For sports fans, the descriptions of the action in the football games are well-written, but not so in-depth that a non-sports person (such as myself) felt lost. That is a tough balancing act, but Deuker pulls it off well.
Themes:
Acceptance
Persistence
Making tough choices
Doing what is right
Age Appropriateness:
13 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: mild
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate
Mitch (short for Michelin Man) True is a reporter for his high school newspaper. Despite not being chosen editor for his senior year, he puts his all into his new assignment – covering sports. As an added bonus, some of his articles even get published in the city newspaper and he gets to have Kimi as his photographer (she would probably never even speak to him otherwise.) When Mitch notices a new player on the team with amazing talent, his curiosity is piqued. When his questions lead to stonewalling, both by the coach and by the player himself, Mitch realizes that he is on to something big. Why is a great player like Angel spending so much time on the bench? Is he an undercover cop looking for drugs on campus? Is he the coach’s secret weapon for winning the state championship? Mitch & Kimi get into much more than they bargained for while trying to solve the mystery.
Mitch is a great character that I could associate with – a teen who is on the fringes in his school; a part but not one that necessarily stands out. His relationship with Kimi and the way it changes within the story is a great way to show how Mitch is taking more control of his life and working hard to be what he wants to be (mainly thin, which is difficult since his mother is a caterer who often brings home desserts for him to try.) The twists within the story kept me turning the pages to see if Mitch would get through the story unscathed and to see how it would all end for Angel.
For sports fans, the descriptions of the action in the football games are well-written, but not so in-depth that a non-sports person (such as myself) felt lost. That is a tough balancing act, but Deuker pulls it off well.
Themes:
Acceptance
Persistence
Making tough choices
Doing what is right
Age Appropriateness:
13 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: mild
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate
Strings Attached by Judy Blundell
Summary: Judy Blundell’s Strings Attached is a great combination of mystery, suspense, and romance set in the early 1950’s during the time when gangsters were big news and McCarthyism was in full swing.
Kit is one of the famous Corrigan triplets, raised by her alcoholic father and her strict, seemingly unfeeling Aunt Delia. After a blow-up with her long-time boyfriend, Billy Benedict, Kit moves to the city to try and fulfill her dream of becoming a Broadway star. Although it isn’t easy, it is helping her keep her mind off of Billy and her brother, Jaime, who both joined the Army. Kit’s fortunes take a turn when Billy’s father, Nate, an attorney with rumored ties to a notorious gangster, sets her up with a good job and a nice apartment to live in. All she has to do is help Nate out by letting him know when she hears from Billy.
But Kit soon finds out that there are more strings attached to Nate’s gifts than she realized. Is Nate really involved in murder? Is her Aunt Delia one of his victims? And how will she face Billy, knowing what she does about his father?
I enjoyed Strings Attached more than Blundell's last novel, What I Saw & How I Lied. The plot was solid and had enough twists to keep me guessing without becoming too confusing or unrealistic. I found myself sympathizing with Kit throughout the novel, and hoping that she would achieve the success she was hoping for without Nate's help. A good read for those who like a little suspense mixed in with their romance.
Themes:
Trust
Love
Independence
Age Appropriateness:
13 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: mild
Nudity/Adult Content: mild
Violence: moderate
Kit is one of the famous Corrigan triplets, raised by her alcoholic father and her strict, seemingly unfeeling Aunt Delia. After a blow-up with her long-time boyfriend, Billy Benedict, Kit moves to the city to try and fulfill her dream of becoming a Broadway star. Although it isn’t easy, it is helping her keep her mind off of Billy and her brother, Jaime, who both joined the Army. Kit’s fortunes take a turn when Billy’s father, Nate, an attorney with rumored ties to a notorious gangster, sets her up with a good job and a nice apartment to live in. All she has to do is help Nate out by letting him know when she hears from Billy.
But Kit soon finds out that there are more strings attached to Nate’s gifts than she realized. Is Nate really involved in murder? Is her Aunt Delia one of his victims? And how will she face Billy, knowing what she does about his father?
I enjoyed Strings Attached more than Blundell's last novel, What I Saw & How I Lied. The plot was solid and had enough twists to keep me guessing without becoming too confusing or unrealistic. I found myself sympathizing with Kit throughout the novel, and hoping that she would achieve the success she was hoping for without Nate's help. A good read for those who like a little suspense mixed in with their romance.
Themes:
Trust
Love
Independence
Age Appropriateness:
13 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: mild
Nudity/Adult Content: mild
Violence: moderate
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Summary: I love fantasy novels with strong female characters, and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley definitely fits that description. This Newbery Honor book is an inventive and interesting adventure with characters that are well fleshed out and sympathetic.
Harry Crewe is an orphan who is left in the care of her older brother, Richard, a soldier in the Homeland military. When he brings her to Damar, a desert frontier area, to live with Lady Amelia and Sir Charles, she is relieved and intrigued by this new land, much different from the lushness of Home. Damar is an area held in an uneasy truce with the Free Hillfolk, a secretive group who, it is rumored, have magic that the people of Home do not understand.
Corlath is the king of the Hillfolk. When he comes to the Outlander outpost to seek assistance against in impending attack from the savage armies of the North, he is angered by the response he receives. He is also stunned by his first sight of Harry; his kelar, his magic, tell him that this girl is important. She will become Harimad-Sol, bearer of the Blue Sword which has lain unused for generations.
Harry doesn’t know why Corlath has taken her from her home in the night and brought her out into the desert. But once she begins to understand the ways of the Hillfolk and to feel the pull of her own kelar, she realizes that she is as much a part of the desert as those who have roamed its dunes all their lives. Can she accomplish a seemingly impossible task and save her people, both Hillfolk and Outlander, from the coming army which seeks nothing less than total destruction?
Themes:
Courage
Friendship
Determination
Self-Confidence
Age Appropriateness:
10 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate
Harry Crewe is an orphan who is left in the care of her older brother, Richard, a soldier in the Homeland military. When he brings her to Damar, a desert frontier area, to live with Lady Amelia and Sir Charles, she is relieved and intrigued by this new land, much different from the lushness of Home. Damar is an area held in an uneasy truce with the Free Hillfolk, a secretive group who, it is rumored, have magic that the people of Home do not understand.
Corlath is the king of the Hillfolk. When he comes to the Outlander outpost to seek assistance against in impending attack from the savage armies of the North, he is angered by the response he receives. He is also stunned by his first sight of Harry; his kelar, his magic, tell him that this girl is important. She will become Harimad-Sol, bearer of the Blue Sword which has lain unused for generations.
Harry doesn’t know why Corlath has taken her from her home in the night and brought her out into the desert. But once she begins to understand the ways of the Hillfolk and to feel the pull of her own kelar, she realizes that she is as much a part of the desert as those who have roamed its dunes all their lives. Can she accomplish a seemingly impossible task and save her people, both Hillfolk and Outlander, from the coming army which seeks nothing less than total destruction?
Themes:
Courage
Friendship
Determination
Self-Confidence
Age Appropriateness:
10 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor
This year’s Sunshine State Book list is more action packed than I have seen it in a few years. I’ve been impressed with many of the books this year, but Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor hits a base that I haven’t seen so well-covered since Whisper in the Dark by Bruchac was one of the selections. Killer Pizza is creepy and action packed! It kept me tense and worried about the characters, and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, which is already out!
Summary: When Toby Magill gets a job at the new local pizzeria, Killer Pizza, he sees it as the first step towards his dream of becoming a famous chef. It’s a step away from just watching great chefs on TV to taking over the spatula someday, even if the food he makes at work has names like Mummy Wraps and Creature Double Feature. Little does he know what he and his new coworkers, Strobe and Annabel, have really signed up for!
Killer Pizza is an amazing pizzeria. But it has a more important purpose: behind the scenes, it’s a monster-hunting organization, and Toby, Strobe, and Annabel are the newest recruits in the organization. The trio quickly finds themselves fighting gargoyle-like creatures called Guttata who have settled in their town and are behind a string of missing persons cases.
Annabel and Strobe quickly prove themselves to be able fighters and quick thinkers under pressure. Toby isn’t sure he fits in with the group – he just wants to cook, after all. But can he walk away now that he knows what really lurks in the night?
Themes:
Courage
Friendship
Determination
Age Appropriateness:
11 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate & scary
Summary: When Toby Magill gets a job at the new local pizzeria, Killer Pizza, he sees it as the first step towards his dream of becoming a famous chef. It’s a step away from just watching great chefs on TV to taking over the spatula someday, even if the food he makes at work has names like Mummy Wraps and Creature Double Feature. Little does he know what he and his new coworkers, Strobe and Annabel, have really signed up for!
Killer Pizza is an amazing pizzeria. But it has a more important purpose: behind the scenes, it’s a monster-hunting organization, and Toby, Strobe, and Annabel are the newest recruits in the organization. The trio quickly finds themselves fighting gargoyle-like creatures called Guttata who have settled in their town and are behind a string of missing persons cases.
Annabel and Strobe quickly prove themselves to be able fighters and quick thinkers under pressure. Toby isn’t sure he fits in with the group – he just wants to cook, after all. But can he walk away now that he knows what really lurks in the night?
Themes:
Courage
Friendship
Determination
Age Appropriateness:
11 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate & scary
Jolted: Newton Starker's Rules for Survival by Arthur Slade
Summary: Jolted: Newton Starker’s Rules for Survival is another great book on the Sunshine State list for this school year. It’s a fun read with an interesting main character who, even though his problem is a bit out of the ordinary, readers will be able to associate and sympathize with.
Newton Starker’s family has been dealing with a curse for generations – most of them die after being struck by lightning. His mother is the most recent victim of this family peculiarity, and Newton is determined to beat the odds and not become another tabloid oddity.
In order to boost his odds for survival, he has enrolled at the Jerry Potts Academy for Survival in Moose Jaw, Canada. The school is not your average boarding school. All the students wear kilts and carry knives, classes include culinary arts and survival skills, and the major tests consist of lengthy outdoor camping/survival trips.
Newton plans not only to survive, but to land a spot in the hallowed Hall of Heroes at Jerry Potts Academy. He wants to be the best, and to be remembered for it forever. His biggest competition comes from Violet Quon, a spitfire of a girl who seems determined to make Newton’s life miserable. But Newton Starker has tricks up his sleeve, including an unexpected friend and a pig with an amazing talent.
Big on laughs and on heart, this book had me hooked from the very beginning. Newton’s desire to be the best and beat the odds keeps the story moving at a quick and enjoyable pace.
Themes:
Family
Courage
Achieving vs. Overachieving
Teamwork
Age Appropriateness:
10 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild
Newton Starker’s family has been dealing with a curse for generations – most of them die after being struck by lightning. His mother is the most recent victim of this family peculiarity, and Newton is determined to beat the odds and not become another tabloid oddity.
In order to boost his odds for survival, he has enrolled at the Jerry Potts Academy for Survival in Moose Jaw, Canada. The school is not your average boarding school. All the students wear kilts and carry knives, classes include culinary arts and survival skills, and the major tests consist of lengthy outdoor camping/survival trips.
Newton plans not only to survive, but to land a spot in the hallowed Hall of Heroes at Jerry Potts Academy. He wants to be the best, and to be remembered for it forever. His biggest competition comes from Violet Quon, a spitfire of a girl who seems determined to make Newton’s life miserable. But Newton Starker has tricks up his sleeve, including an unexpected friend and a pig with an amazing talent.
Big on laughs and on heart, this book had me hooked from the very beginning. Newton’s desire to be the best and beat the odds keeps the story moving at a quick and enjoyable pace.
Themes:
Family
Courage
Achieving vs. Overachieving
Teamwork
Age Appropriateness:
10 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Me & Jack by Danette Haworth
Summary: Before you walk past Me & Jack by Danette Haworth, let me just put your mind at ease – the dog on the cover doesn’t die. Because, let’s face it, most dog & boy stories (as Gordon Korman points out in No More Dead Dogs) end with the dog dying. The ending in Me & Jack is, thankfully, dog-death free.
Don’t think that means that this is a happy little story of a boy and his dog. Me & Jack is full of heart-wrenching and frustrating conflicts suffered by characters that I, as a reader, quickly grew attached to and felt very sympathetic toward.
Joshua Reed is an Army brat growing up during the Vietnam War. His father is a recruiter, and his job is taking them to yet another new town with a new start. Josh is excited when he quickly makes a new friend, Ray, and his dad lets him get a dog. Jack, with his oddly glowing ears and understanding eyes is exactly what Josh wants in a dog; loyal, playful, and protective of his boy.
Ray & Josh get along great, but Ray’s cousin, Alan, seems determined to hate Josh and Jack, and does everything he can to make Josh’s life hard. To make matters worse, Jack is being blamed for all sorts of mayhem in the town, from tipped garbage cans to dead livestock, and Josh’s dad is finding many people turning against him because of the rising casualties of the troops serving in Vietnam.
Can Josh & Ray remain friends even though Alan is determined to ruin everything? Will Josh be able to prove that Jack is not the menace that many believe he is or will he be forced to give up his new companion?
Themes:
Family
Fairness
Standing up for those you love
Age Appropriateness:
10 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild
Don’t think that means that this is a happy little story of a boy and his dog. Me & Jack is full of heart-wrenching and frustrating conflicts suffered by characters that I, as a reader, quickly grew attached to and felt very sympathetic toward.
Joshua Reed is an Army brat growing up during the Vietnam War. His father is a recruiter, and his job is taking them to yet another new town with a new start. Josh is excited when he quickly makes a new friend, Ray, and his dad lets him get a dog. Jack, with his oddly glowing ears and understanding eyes is exactly what Josh wants in a dog; loyal, playful, and protective of his boy.
Ray & Josh get along great, but Ray’s cousin, Alan, seems determined to hate Josh and Jack, and does everything he can to make Josh’s life hard. To make matters worse, Jack is being blamed for all sorts of mayhem in the town, from tipped garbage cans to dead livestock, and Josh’s dad is finding many people turning against him because of the rising casualties of the troops serving in Vietnam.
Can Josh & Ray remain friends even though Alan is determined to ruin everything? Will Josh be able to prove that Jack is not the menace that many believe he is or will he be forced to give up his new companion?
Themes:
Family
Fairness
Standing up for those you love
Age Appropriateness:
10 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild
Monday, September 26, 2011
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson is, hands down, my favorite Sunshine State Book of the year. This book is just fun and perfect for middle grades and teen readers! The humor in it is tinged with adolescent sarcasm, and has Lemony Snickett-esque warnings and asides to the reader sprinkled throughout the story. I will definitely being looking for more books from this author, and I hope that the series will continue to be as enjoyable as this first book.
Summary: Alcatraz Smedry has spent his life shuffling from one foster home to another thanks to his uncanny ability to break things. In his latest home, he has just caught fire to the kitchen when some even more shocking and destructive events suddenly take over his life.
Alcatraz escapes a man attempting to kill him and joins forces with a crazy man who claims to be his grandfather in order to claim his inheritance, which he had both received and had stolen in the same day. Alcatraz discovers that he is one in a long, distinguished line of Smedry family members who are Oculators (a job that involves wearing some very powerful glasses) with Talents, and the family business is….well, it’s a little hard to explain.
Basically, the world as you, dear reader, know it is ruled by a vast librarian cult who controls the populace by controlling the information we have access to. Librarian-controlled lands are, appropriately enough, called the Hushlands. The Smedry family, along with other freedom fighters, is working to prevent the librarians from taking over the remaining Free Kingdoms.
Alcatraz’s inheritance, a bag of very special sand that his father has painstakingly collected over the years, must be retrieved from the librarians before they can create lenses with it – for the lenses created could have untold powers! Can Alcatraz, his grandfather, and a few other brave souls infiltrate the library and recover the sands before they can be used against the Free Kingdoms? Are dinosaurs really British? And what is up with the random repetition of “rutabaga?” And how can being late be considered a life-saving talent? Read Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians to find out!
Themes:
Courage
Family
Self-discovery
Age Appropriateness:
10 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate
Summary: Alcatraz Smedry has spent his life shuffling from one foster home to another thanks to his uncanny ability to break things. In his latest home, he has just caught fire to the kitchen when some even more shocking and destructive events suddenly take over his life.
Alcatraz escapes a man attempting to kill him and joins forces with a crazy man who claims to be his grandfather in order to claim his inheritance, which he had both received and had stolen in the same day. Alcatraz discovers that he is one in a long, distinguished line of Smedry family members who are Oculators (a job that involves wearing some very powerful glasses) with Talents, and the family business is….well, it’s a little hard to explain.
Basically, the world as you, dear reader, know it is ruled by a vast librarian cult who controls the populace by controlling the information we have access to. Librarian-controlled lands are, appropriately enough, called the Hushlands. The Smedry family, along with other freedom fighters, is working to prevent the librarians from taking over the remaining Free Kingdoms.
Alcatraz’s inheritance, a bag of very special sand that his father has painstakingly collected over the years, must be retrieved from the librarians before they can create lenses with it – for the lenses created could have untold powers! Can Alcatraz, his grandfather, and a few other brave souls infiltrate the library and recover the sands before they can be used against the Free Kingdoms? Are dinosaurs really British? And what is up with the random repetition of “rutabaga?” And how can being late be considered a life-saving talent? Read Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians to find out!
Themes:
Courage
Family
Self-discovery
Age Appropriateness:
10 and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: moderate
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)