Sparrow Road

by Sheila O'Connor

Raine O'Rourke is surprised when her mother uproots her from her home in Milwaukee and makes her move into an old orphanage called Sparrow Road. The place has been turned into an artists' retreat, and her mom has taken the cook's job there. The rules are strict--no talking during the day is allowed. Raine doesn't know if she's going to survive the silence and boredom. That is, until she discovers the real reason her mother has brought her here. Then everything changes, and Raine has to make one of the most important decisions of her life.

This is a sweet, well-written story, that is more about learning to forgive than anything else.

How to Make a Golem and Terrify People

by Alette J. Willis

Edda, or Mouse to her family, loves her new home, but doesn’t love being the new girl at school. She is small and shy, and frequently bullied by Euan, a boy in her class. The night of her 13^th birthday dinner, she finds her house has been burgled, and her presents unwrapped and stolen. She suspects Euan, but can’t be sure, and timid Edda is suddenly afraid of everything. Then the mysterious Michael Scot comes into her life. He’s odd. He sounds much older than he looks, and lives in tower with a basement full of strange objects. He speaks to a dead toad he keeps in a jar. But he says he can help Edda overcome her fears. He can help her make a golem; a man out of mud that will protect her and her belongings. She agrees, but when everything goes terribly wrong, Edda discovers who her true friends are, and that she doesn’t need a golem to feel strong. Edda’s uncertainties about her own strength of character, and her journey of self-discovery, will resonate with younger teens. Powerful messages come through, such as choosing your friends wisely, and learning to stand up for yourself. Willis skillfully avoids revealing too much about the golem until the end, and readers will race through the pages to find out whether the creature is real, or only in Edda’s imagination.

Fairest of All

by Sarah Mlynowski

When 5^th grader Abby and her little brother Jonah move from Chicago to boring small-town Smithville, they think the exciting part of their lives might be over. Then Jonah discovers a hissing mirror in the basement. After he knocks on it three times, the mirror swallows them both up and spits them out in a fairy tale land called Zamel. They arrive just in time to witness Snow White’s evil stepmother attempting to poison Snow with an apple, just like in the story. They save her from that fate, but soon realize their huge mistake. If Snow doesn’t eat the poisoned apple, the Prince never gets to rescue her, and she never falls in love with him. They have actually ruined Snow White’s happily ever after. Somehow they have to get the Prince’s attention, but it won’t be easy. This is essentially Snow White retold, with enough amusing changes thrown in to keep tweens giggling. Some of the dwarves are girls, one of them is ridiculously handsome, and the magic mirror’s name is Gabrielle. While Snow White is annoyingly vapid, Abby’s conversational narration is witty and charming, and Jonah’s one-liners are snappy and cute. A sweet, light, fun adventure.

Where Things Come Back

by John Corey Whaley

Cullen Witter lives in tiny Lily, Arkansas, where there's not much for the locals to do except speculate about the possible return of an extinct woodpecker to their area. His brother Gabriel is his best friend, and together they make fun of their small town and the ridiculous people in it. Then one day, Gabriel disappears, and Cullen's world is turned upside down. Every few chapters we get a glimpse into another young man's life, Benton Sage. At first, the connection isn't clear, but as the novel goes on, the stories intertwine in surprising and amazing ways.

This is truly a book I couldn't wait to get back to. When I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it. This is Whaley's first book, and I can't wait to see what he does next.