The Whispers

by Greg Howard

Oh my goodness. This book. It's funny, sweet, sad, shocking, moving, suspenseful, heart-breaking and heart-warming.

Riley. He's an 11 year old South Carolina southern boy. He loves his dog, his mama, Jesus, being outside, and his grandma's cooking. He also has a major crush on the farm boy down the road, but only his best friend Gary knows about that. Life is pretty good, until his mama goes missing. Riley's world is turned upside down. It doesn't help that his older brother is a real jerk, and since his mama went away, he can't think of the last time his daddy even said his name. He thinks it's his fault his mama is gone, and he's convinced the cops are idiots and it's up to him to bring her home. He remembers a story she used to tell him about creatures called the whispers. If you bring them a tribute, they will give you your heart's desire. Riley thinks if he can just find the right offering, maybe the whispers can help him bring mama home.

The Dogs

by Allan Stratton

Cameron's mom lives in fear that her ex-husband will find them someday and cause them harm. Cameron was so young when they got divorced that he wonders if his mom is over-exaggerating his father's potential for violence. He's not allowed to see him or talk to him, and the older he gets, the more Cameron resents his mom, and the situation. After weeks of seeing a car parked in front of their home, she decides they need to move. Again. She rents an old farm house in the middle of nowhere. Their landlord is the creepy old man who lives one farm over. And then, Cameron begins to see the boy whenever he closes his eyes. Who is this boy in the coonskin cap, and what does he want with Cameron?

I absolutely loved this quiet little thriller! A middle grade mystery with a believable premise, some actual scary moments, and characters readers can connect with? Yes, please!

Hey, Kiddo

by Jarrett Krosoczka

This couldn't have been an easy book to write. Jarrett's childhood is truly tragic on so many levels. The image of him curled up asleep in front of his grandparents' bedroom door because he was afraid was absolutely heartbreaking. As is often the case in situations like this, the "good guys" in the child's life may not be what others would consider to be positive influences. His portrayal of his grandmother, while mostly flattering, also gives an honest depiction of her darker side that sort of explains why this family is what it is. Kroscoczka doesn't seem to pull any punches. It was a hard story for me to read, and as much as I try, I struggle with a graphic format and it dragged a bit at times. But this book isn't for me. It's for the kids (lots of them) who are living this way right now. It's for the ones who might think they don't have a chance to escape their circumstances. And I love that it's a story told in pictures, which might make the message a bit more accessible to some kids.

Thunderhead

by Neal Shusterman

Wow! It's very rare that a sequel measures up to the first in a series, and it almost NEVER surpasses it, but this one most definitely did. So much so that it almost feels like Scythe is truly just a set up so that he could tell this part of the story. I'll steer clear of plot summaries to avoid Scythe spoilers. I'll just say that if you liked Scythe even a little bit, you have to add this one to the list.

Scythe

by Neal Shusterman

In the future, no one dies. Disease has been eliminated, and bodies mangled in accidents can be fixed with a short hospital stay. But there's not enough room for everyone on this planet, so somebody has to go. Enter the Scythes, people trained to kill at random for the good of the world. They are mysterious, feared and respected, almost god-like. When Citra and Rowan are chosen to be a Scythe's apprentice, they are both reluctant to take the job, but know that it would be best for their families. As they learn "the art of taking a life," they also learn that the "perfect" world in which they live is actually far from it. Lots of twists and turns and exciting action make this a winner!

Nemesis

by Brendan Reichs

Every other year, on her birthday, Min is murdered by a man in a black suit. It's always a horrible, painful death, but each time, she wakes up unscathed. She takes crazy pills, goes to therapy, and tries to overcome the fact that no one seems to believe this is really happening to her. But then she realizes that she might not be the only one suffering from this strange experience. As she digs deeper, she begins to uncover long-buried secrets that might get her killed. For real this time.

This is a fast-paced thriller with lots going for it. You'll really want to know what's going on with Black Suit. Min is a fun character--much more believable than a lot of female protagonists in this type of YA fiction these days.

Long Way Down

by Jason Reynolds

Will's brother Shawn has just been murdered. He thinks he knows who did it, so he gets his own gun, steels himself to do what needs to be done (revenge is the rule in his neighborhood), and gets on an elevator. As the car goes down, he's joined by people he once knew. When they were alive. Each visitor clues him in to something he didn't know about his family, his neighborhood, himself.

I'm late to the Jason Reynolds party. I know, I know. And now I know what all the hype is about. Beautifully written text and a compelling story with a timely message. What's not to love?

I listened to this on Overdrive, and Mr. Reynolds himself provides the narration. He has a beautiful voice--I highly recommend the audio version.