|
 FICTION  Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge, Macmillan Children's Books, 2006. Taught to read by her scholar father, orphaned book lover Mosca Mye is an anomaly in a culture where literature is highly suspect and tightly controlled. She doesn't know it yet, but this gift will change her life. Through rich, colorful language and a sure sense of plot and pacing, Hardinge creates a distinctly imaginative world full of engaging characters, robust humor, and true suspense. Grades 6 & up.  Larklight by Philip Reeve, Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, 2006. Arthur Mumsby and his sister Myrtle live with their father in a huge and rambling house called Larklight…that just happens to be traveling through outer space. This fantastically original Victorian tale set in the outer reaches of the imagination rivals the likes of Jules Verne. Readers will be riveted by exciting plot twists and turns as the heroes face death-defying adventures and narrow escapes, all at a frenetic pace. Grades 6 & up.  Fairest by Gail Carson Levine, HarperCollins, 2006. In a world in which elegance, beauty, and singing ability are revered, Aza is bulky, awkward, and homely. Her saving grace is her ability to sing. In this spellbinding tale filled with humor, adventure, romance, and song, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine invites you to join Aza as she discovers her own strength of character and how exquisite she truly is. Grades 7 & up.  Kiki Strike by Kirsten Miller, Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, 2006. Ananka wakes one morning and finds that the park across the street has become a sinkhole. Exploration leads her to the mysterious Kiki Strike and a sinister series of tunnels under Manhattan known as the Shadow City. This novel will attract both male and female readers, especially since many chapters conclude with perspectives on such universally appealing topics as "How to Be a Master of Disguise" and "How to Foil a Kidnapping." Grades 7 & up.  Miracle on 49th Street by Mike Lupica, Philomel, 2006. Josh Cameron has it all: a World Championship ring with the Boston Celtics, an MVP award, a clean-cut image, and the adoration of millions. What he doesn't have is family. Until the day 12-year-old Molly Parker confronts him in a parking lot and claims to be his daughter. But this isn't just any 12-year-old. Mr. World Champion has finally met his match. Young readers will enjoy the look inside Josh's sports-superstar world. Ostensibly sports fiction, this story will attract a wide range of readers. Grades 7 & up.  Samurai Shortstop by Alan M. Gratz, Dial 2006. Growing up in Tokyo in the 1890s, after the emperor outlawed the samurai tradition, Toyo was not trained in the old disciplines. He must find his own path between the old ways and the new ones, which are symbolized for Toyo by the sport he loves: baseball. Fascinating, suspenseful, and intense, this sports story is about one boy's struggle to bridge two ways of life. Grades 7 & up.  Rash by Pete Hautman, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2006. In the year 2076, verbal abuse, obesity, and dangerous activities are against the law. The penalty for breaking any of the rules is a lengthy prison term. When Bo Marsten is sentenced to a prison term, he is recruited to play the illegal sport of football, leading him to question his culture's basic assumptions. Readers will experience a satirical look at an antiseptic future in this darkly comic mystery/adventure. Grades 9 & up.  The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party, by M.T. Anderson, Candlewick, 2006. In this eye-opening, Revolution-era novel, a boy and his mother are the only persons in their household assigned names. As the boy's regal mother entertains the house scholars with her beauty and wit, young Octavian begins to question the purpose behind his guardians' fanatical experiments - and his own chilling role in them. This powerful novel will resonate with contemporary readers. The fluctuations between satire and somber realism, gothic fantasy and factual history will jar and disturb, creating a mood that echoes Octavian's unsettled time as well as our own. Grades 9 & Up.  Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul: The Real Deal Challenges: Stories about Disses, Losses, Messes, Stresses & More by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Deborah Reber, HCI Teens, 2006. What's teen life without problems and worries? Teens will find validation, comfort, and answers in this hip new book. Whether it's bratty brothers, befuddled parents, unfair teachers, sky-high expectations or more serious problems like divorce, illness or death, teens want and need to hear that their experiences are not uniquely horrible and that life is going to be all right. Grades 7 & Up.  The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World by Andrew Revkin, Kingfisher, 2006. Revkin, a New York Times reporter, relates his journey to the top of the world in the company of scientists studying climate changes. The informative chapters weave together accounts of his experiences and observations with details about the environment, its exploration, and scientific concepts. Told in the context of an adventure story, this wonderfully written narrative will pull youngsters into the book and hold them there willingly until the last page. Grades 7 & up. |