Me, The Missing, and the Dead

by Jenny Valentine

Summary: Lucas' father went missing when he was a little boy. While it's pretty clear to the reader that his dad, wherever he is, is a jerk, Lucas still idolizes him. One day, while sitting in a taxi office, he spies an urn that was abandoned in the back of a cab. It contains the ashes of one Violet Park, and Lucas feels an uncanny connection to her. Through an elaborate plot, he manages to get the urn into his possession, and starts to try to figure out who this woman is, and why her remains were so carelessly discarded. As he works on getting to know Violet, he also begins to find out more and more about his father. The twist ending is truly surprising and believable.

My thoughts: This is a first novel from a British author, so I really enjoyed the characters' very English voices. There is something special about Lucas. He's smart, funny, and his reactions to the puzzling situations he finds himself in are realistically teenager-ish. However, he also shows an uncommon maturity that sort of breaks your heart a little.

Peeled

by Joan Bauer

Summary: Hildy Biddle is a sassy reporter for her high school newspaper, The Core. When a body is found in her small town, the local paper can't seem to get its facts straight. Also, strange things start to happen--eerie messages scrawled on fences and ghostly sightings. The local paper starts to play on the community's fear of the supernatural, and as Hildy uncovers a nasty little plot, she learns a lot about how people are influenced by the press, and how important it is that the truth be revealed.

My thoughts: I think I would have liked this book better if the inside jacket information had been different. I was looking for a ghost story, but instead got a mystery. It's not a bad mystery--it just wasn't what I was looking for. You know, like when you pick up a glass expecting milk, and instead it's full of orange juice? I like orange juice, but the experience is disappointing.

Impossible

by Nancy Werlin

Summary: Lucy Scarborough is an average teenaged girl, except for one thing--she is adopted because her birth mother, Miranda, is completely insane. From time to time Miranda shows up, humming the old folk song "Scarborough Faire" and muttering incoherently. When Lucy, at age 17, finds some pages to Miranda's old diary, she thinks she is reading about the days leading up to her mother's mental collapse. Miranda is writing the diary as a pregnant 17-year old, but suspects that she is under an ancient curse. When Lucy's prom date forces himself on her, she also becomes pregnant at 17. As she continues through the diary, she begins to conclude that the curse is real, and that the only way she can save her baby and herself from the evil Elfin Knight who wants to own her is by completing the tasks listed in the song. The tasks are riddles, and they seem impossible, but she has to try.

My thoughts: I love how Ms. Werlin mixes fantasy with reality in this book. It sort of creates an indescribable genre. Lucy lives in our modern world, but somehow the fact that she has been cursed by an Elfin Knight doesn't seem improbable. This book gets major points for originality. The suspense is taut, because we all know how long a pregnancy lasts, and are keenly aware of exactly how much time Lucy has to solve the curse.

If the video doesn't work, try this link.
http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=73617&title=Impossible

Artichoke's Heart

by Suzanne Supplee

Summary: Back in elementary school, Rosemary wore a puffy green jacket to school one day. Rosemary is a little overweight. Kids can be cruel, and that day she inherited the unfortunate nickname of "Artichoke." As if her classmates' teasing wasn't enough, her mom and her aunt push her to lose weight, even going so far as to buy her a treadmill. Many things happen to Rosemary all at once--she decides to try a crash diet, a boy at school starts to show some interest, she makes a friend who loves to run, and her mom gets cancer. As Rosemary deals with all of these little life surprises, she makes some important and meaningful discoveries about what is important and the person she wants to become.

My thoughts: Great cover, right?! This is definitely one of my top two favorite books of the 08-09 school year. Rosemary is one of the most well-drawn characters I have had the pleasure to meet in a long time. This story could very easily have become trite and cliché, but Ms. Supplee keeps it fresh with unexpected outcomes, hilarious situations, and realistic voices. I rooted for Rosemary all the way, biting my nails the whole time, hoping the best for her. How great is it when a character becomes real to you? Meet Rosemary--you're going to love her.

The Unspoken

by Thomas Fahy

Summary: When cult leader Jacob Crawley's compound burned to the ground, only a few teenagers remained alive. Before his death, Jacob warned the teens that they would each die in the way they feared most. Five years after the fire, one of the teens is found drowned in a field, nowhere near water. One by one, the teens start to die horrifically, just as predicted, and the remaining teens set out to try to outsmart fate.

My thoughts: This book reads just like a horror movie, complete with wanting to scream at characters, "don't go in there!" A gory story, with lots of grisly dead teenagers, a la Friday the 13th. Like most horror movies, the ending was a little disappointing, and this is no great work of literature, but it sure was fun to read! There aren't very many horror novels out there that are truly scary but still reviewed for middle schoolers, so this is a stand-out choice for horror junkies (like me).

Devilish

by Maureen Johnson

Summary: Jane Jarvis attends an all-girl school in Providence, Rhode Island, and when the annual Big-Little (as in sisters) ceremony comes around, she and her best friend Allison are nervous about being chosen as a Big. Allison, who has eaten a very, very, bad cupcake, unfortunately pukes all over herself before she has a chance to be chosen. In what seems at the time like a coincidence, the fashion-forward new girl, Lanalee, adopts Allison as her Big. But Lanalee is no ordinary girl, and when Allison begins to act strangely, Jane must go to extremes to save her friend, who has quite literally sold her soul to the devil in exchange for popularity.


My thoughts: Maureen Johnson is one of my favorite YA authors--she seems like she'd be really fun to hang out with! Her stories are all so different and original, and this is one of her best. I've definitely never read another story like it.

What My Mother Doesn't Know

by Sonya Sones

Summary: Fourteen year old Sophie thinks she's in love with Dylan, her sexy new boyfriend who says all the right things and wears all the right clothes. He's what she's always dreamed of. But there's someone else. Someone not quite so cool, not quite so cute, but when they talk, she feels the connection in her soul. Slowly Sophie falls in love with the guy she can never tell her friends she's falling in love with, and has to make an important choice about what's more important--what others think, or what she feels in her heart. Along this journey, Sophie also deals with familiar issues with friends, family, and school, making this story all the more relatable.

My thoughts: Have you noticed lots of books written in poetry form lately? If you love it, thank Sonya Sones. This is an amazingly realistic portrayal of what it's like to be a teenaged girl. If you're living it now, you'll nod your head and smile. If you're a grown-up teenaged girl, you'll cringe, then nod and smile! What My Mother Doesn't Know is controversial--it often makes the ALA's list of top 100 banned books.

This is What I Did

by Ann Dee Ellis

Summary: Something bad has happened to Logan, but the reader won't find out what until the end of this suspenseful novel. It involves his former best friend Zyler, and we know that Zyler is no longer a part of Logan's life. The incident causes Logan to be the subject of intense bullying, not only by his fellow middle school students, but by younger children, and even adults like his scout leader. While Logan works through his guilt and shame, we get clues that lead up to the revelation of what Logan saw and did that day. The story is told in the increasingly popular format of prose poetry, and includes pictures, notes, emails, and other forms of writing that keep the story moving quickly.

My thoughts: I was dying to know throughout this entire novel what the "incident" was. For most of the book it's not even entirely clear whether or not Zyler is even still alive. You won't be able to put this one down.

Looking for Alaska

by John Green

Summary: She's the girl that every guy wants, and upon first meeting her, every guy thinks she's out of his league. When Miles, whose hobby is memorizing famous last words, meets Alaska Young at his Alabama boarding school, he falls hopelessly in love with her. She makes it clear that she has a boyfriend, but Miles starts to get mixed signals as they grow closer. When tragedy strikes, Miles and his friends have to confront their own choices, and learn that people aren't always what they seem.

My thoughts: Warning: this is a high school book with mature content, and is not in our school library, but I did love it so much I wanted to include it. It's very rare that a book actually makes me cry, but this one had me sobbing. This book is less about plot, and more about dialogue. John Green has a awful lot to say about life in general, and he's a man worth listening to. Looking for Alaska is Gen Y's The Catcher in the Rye. An important read.

Shift

by Jennifer Bradbury

Summary: How well can you really know another person? What if that person is your best friend? When Chris and Win go on a cross country road trip to celebrate high school graduation, they think it will be the trip of a lifetime. As the trip progresses, Win starts to act stranger and stranger. Eventually Win ditches Chris, who finishes the trip alone and assumes his friend went home without him. When Chris arrives at Georgia Tech for his first week at university, he is surprised by threatening visits from the FBI, and is being followed by men paid by Win's father. The books alternates between the aftermath of Win's disappearance to Chris' memories of the bike trip. Eventually the pieces all fit together to tell a suspenseful story of how friendships change and evolve.

My thoughts: You know how teachers always tell you to write what you know? This author has actually made a cross-country bike trip, so her stories of flat tires, patches, and busted chains ring true. I really liked this book.

The Life and Crimes of Bernetta Wallflower

by Lisa Graff

Summary: The unfortunately named Bernetta Wallflower attends a fancy private school, but soon loses her scholarship after being framed in a cheating ring by her supposed best friend Ashley. With the help of Gabe, a boy she is afraid to trust, she tries to earn back her tuition, and make a little pocket money for Gabe, by conning people. Bernetta feels terrible about what she is doing, and does have to make a decision about the kind of person she wants to be, but not before she runs lots of crazy scams!

My thoughts: I love the opening chapter of this book! This is a fun, fast read with a smart plot and lots of twists. Guys, this one is not just for girls!

Finding Daddy

by Louise Plummer

Summary: Mira knows nothing about her father; her mother and grandmother have kept everything about him a secret. As her 16th birthday approaches, her curiosity gets the best of her and she begins to search for this mysterious man. As her search intensifies and she begins to get results, strange and sometimes terrible things begin to happen to Mira and her family. Is it just a coincidence, or could her dad be connected?

My thoughts: This was a very scary book! Guys, dont' be put off by the girl on the cover--there is plenty of murder and mayhem to keep you on the edge of your seat!

Because of Winn-Dixie

by Kate DiCamillo

Summary: When 10 year old Opal moves to a small Florida town with her daddy, the local preacher, she begins to ask questions about the mother she never knew. Her daddy, a kind but quiet man, will tell her only ten things about her mother. She's lonely, but when she finds a scruffy mutt in the local Winn-Dixie grocery store, he leads her to many new friends, and helps Opal learn a lot about herself, her daddy, and life.

My thoughts: A sweet, feel-good story with great Southern dialogue.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

by Ann Brashares

Summary: Carmen, Lena, Tibby, and Bridget are more like sisters than friends, but they couldn't be more different. When a pair of Carmen's thrift store jeans impossibly fit their very different body types perfectly, they decide to incorporate the pants into their summer. As the girls each have separate adventures, the pants link them together in inexplicable and almost magical ways.

My thoughts: This is a great story, but what makes Sisterhood truly special is the writing. Every girl will see herself in at least one of these characters. If you've seen the movie and think you don't need to read the book, think again! I'll be the first to admit it if a movie is better than the book, but this is NOT the case with Sisterhood! Three more books follow this series starter.

Dead Connection

by Charlie Price

Summary: Murray has lots of friends, but none of them are alive. At school, he's a misfit and a loner, but in the local cemetary, he's the most popular guy around. Murray is able to see and talk to the spirits of the people buried there. He's happy with this set-up until the cemetary caretaker's daughter, Pearl, starts to notice his daily converations and sets out to sabotage him. When a cheerleader from their high school disappears, and Murray begins to hear a strange new voice in the cemetary, he and Pearl try to make a connection.

My thoughts: This is an original and unusual story. I wish the author had gone a little deeper into the stories of the dead, but all in all, a pretty engaging read.

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

Summary: Brave Katniss Everdeen volunteers to go to the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death that serves as a reminder to her futuristic society to never again rise up against authority. Only one "tribute" can survive the game, and odds are not with Katniss, who comes from a poor district with little support. To make matters worse, she's paired with the one boy she doesn't think she has the heart to kill. The games are set up like a reality television show; tributes are pampered and turned into stars. The games are brutal, though, and Katniss soon finds herself hiding and fighting with all the physical and mental skills she has. Can Katniss win the game? What would her victory cost?

My thoughts: Wow. This book quickly made its way into my top ten favorite books of all time. It's smart, it's touching, and it's terrifying. This is the first in a planned trilogy, and I'll be first in line at the bookstore!

View an awesome book trailer here!

http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=76322&title=Hunger_Games

Found

by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Summary: Jonah has always known he was adopted. His friend and neighbor, Chip, finds out that he is, too, in a very unsettling way. They are both receiving frightening letters that warn them they are among the "missing." Jonah, his sister, and Chip go on a high-tech adventure to find out who else is among the missing, and how to stop a catastrophe that could change the entire world!

My thoughts: If you're looking for a quick, exciting read, this is the book for you! Found is the first book in a planned trilogy.

The Missing Girl

by Norma Fox Mazer

Summary: Five sisters, all vastly different in looks and personality, take the same route to school every day. Little do they know, they are being watched, by a man with very bad intentions. From day to day he observes the sisters, trying to decide which is his favorite. One day he talks to the girls while they are feeding ducks at the park, and suddenly he is no longer a stranger.

My thoughts: This book was very difficult to put down. The point of view changes with each chapter, speaking sometimes from the viewpoint of the man, and from the view points of each of the five sisters, so you feel like you really get to know each of the characters. Because I felt like I knew her, I felt real fear for this little girl, and was on the edge of my seat the entire read!

Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature

by Robin Brande

Summary: Her best friend hates her, the guy she likes tries to knock her down in the hallway, and her parents have her on restriction from now to eternity. All this, and it's only her first day of high school! Mena must have done something really terrible to deserve all of this, right? Wrong!

My thoughts: This books keeps you guessing about what exactly Mena did to cause herself all of these problems. The answer will surprise you and make you think about your own beliefs, the way you treat other people, and doing the right thing no matter what the cost.