Ender's Game

by Orson Scott Card

Ender is a third--a third child--only born so that he can be used for whatever purpose the government sees fit. They've chosen Ender, as a very young boy, to attend battle school. There has been a global war with the Buggers, an alien race that the average human knows very little about. The powers that be fear another invasion, and are grooming children to defend humanity against this eventuality. Ender leaves behind on earth a beloved sister, Valentine, and a despised, and sociopathic, brother, Peter. As Ender trains to defeat the Buggers, Valentine and Peter plot to turn the government on its head by creating false identities on what basically amounts to internet forums. (This book was written in 1986, and what Card gets right about what the "future" looks like is really quite extraordinary.)

I found all three of these characters to be exquisitely drawn, and even the minor characters like Graff are so fully fleshed out that you can't help but care about them. There are twists and turns and aha moments galore, and when I wasn't with this book, I was thinking about it.

Ender's Game is now one of my favorite books ever.

Gracefully Grayson

by Ami Polonsky

For as long as Grayson can remember, he has wanted to be a girl. He doesn't share his secret with anyone--not his aunt and uncle, whom he has lived with since the death of his parents, and definitely not his two male cousins. His depression is palpable until he leaps on an opportunity to try out for the school play. He makes a bold decision--one that just might help him come to terms with who he is, but it won't be easy, and will come at a price.

The interesting thing about this book is that Grayson himself can't even really articulate how he feels. It brings to light the confusion and isolation that these kids must certainly struggle with as they try to align their emotions with their realities.

This book isn't perfect. Some of the minor characters sort of blend together, and at times it was TOO sad. I felt like my heartstrings were being purposefully tugged, and had to put the book down a few times to take a break from the darkness. But there is light in Grayson's story, too, and it's worth the journey to get there.

Forget Me

by K.A. Harrington

Morgan's boyfriend Flynn Parkman got hit by a car, while she watched, and now he's dead. A few months later, she decides to put a photo of him on FriendShare (a fictional Facebook), as a tribute, and it asks if she wants to tag him as Evan Murphy. When she looks closer at the picture of Evan, she's horrified to see that Evan looks exactly like Flynn. Questions begin to arise in her mind--how well did she really know Flynn, and could he actually still be alive? Her search for answers leads her through an exciting and dangerous chain of events, with twists and turns galore. This book was fun, fun, fun! Great characters, a mystery you won't figure out, and a fast read. I think you all will love it!

Jackaby

by William Ritter

It's 1892 when Abigail Rook lands on the shores of New England after running away from her London home, seeking adventure. By chance, she encounters Mr. R.F. Jackaby, a Sherlock Holmes-ish type character who somehow knows exactly where she has recently traveled. He tells her, very matter of factly, that he knows because of the spirits and imps who have attached themselves to her. She thinks he's crazy, but soon encounters him again when responding to an ad for employment. She's just desperate and curious enough to decide to go to work for him. Turns out he's a sort of rogue detective who uses his psychic ability to see what other people can't to solve crimes. (Much to the chagrin of the police in town.) Together they begin to investigate a series of grisly murders, but it's hard to catch a killer when he's not even human! If you're looking for something to read after The Screaming Staircase, give Jackaby a try!

The Crossover

by Kwame Alexander

Twins Josh and JB are basketball stars in their last year of middle school. We hear the story through Josh's point of view. He's got a couple of things he's worried about. 1.) Winning the basketball championship. 2.) His brother has a girlfriend, and is totally wrapped up in her. 3.) Josh does not have a girlfriend and is kinda jealous. The star of this book isn't really the plot, though. It's the verse. You could read this book in an hour, since it's in poetry form, and the poetry is fun, accessible, and real.

UPDATE! This book just won the Newbery Medal!

The Infinite Sea

by Rick Yancey

There is a lot going on in this book, and at first it was hard to follow all the perspective changes. But once you accept that you're not really hearing much of Cassie's voice anymore, it gets a little easier.

Now the aliens have gone as low as they can go, and the ramifications are even more unthinkable than they were before. While we get to see what's going on with Cassie, Ben, Evan, etc., this story is really Ringer's to tell. With twists and turns and over-the-top drama on every page, I have no complaints about the plot, or where Yancey takes the story. The ending is definitely crazy enough to make me want to read another book in the series. I just wish it had been paced a little better--everything happened way too crazy fast, making it harder for me to connect with the characters. But still, super fun and a must read if you loved the first.

Turtle in Paradise

by Jennifer L. Holm

Turtle's life with her single mom in 1930's New Jersey is shattered when her mother's employer decides she can't have a housekeeper with a kid. Jobs are, of course, hard to come by during this time, so Sadie Bell has no choice other than to send Turtle to live with her estranged sister in Key West. When Turtle arrives on her aunt's doorstep, she finds a frazzled, surprised, woman and a whole bunch of boy cousins she never knew she had. There's a lot packed into this tiny little book, from treasure hunting to diaper rash remedies. It's hilarious and heart-wrenching all at once, with an ending that took my breath away. This book could so easily have been over the top cheesy, but Ms. Holm skillfully took her time pulling the story together, and made something really beautiful. I just loved it.

And if you're the kind of person who skips author's notes, don't skip this one. The author's personal connection to the island, and her description of the historical context of the book were fascinating. I've been to Key West once for only a day, and now I really want to go again armed with my new knowledge!