Girl at Sea

by Maureen Johnson

Summary: Seventeen year old Clio wants nothing more than to spend the summer flirting with, and hopefully dating, the cute guy who works with her at an art store. But her parents ruin all the fun when her mom has to move to Kansas for work for the entire summer, meaning Clio has to live with her dad. He is going on a research cruise in the Mediterranean, and (poor Clio, boo hoo!) has to go with him. The cruise's purpose is a mystery, but involves something ancient and sunken, and her dad's research assistant provides a perfect sparring partner for the bitter and angry Clio. Oh, wait... he's also kind of cute...

My thoughts: Once again: YAY Maureen Johnson! She takes chick lit to a whole new level. For one thing, she's hilarious! (Check out her blog--the link is to the right!) Her books are easy to read, but there's nothing light about them. That's a hard balance, but Johnson does it perfectly every time.

The Tale of Despereaux

by Kate DiCamillo

Summary: Despereaux, the little mouse with the big ears, has done the unthinkable--fallen in love with a human, and a princess, no less! This makes him very unpopular with the other mice, and he ends up in prison with some very unseemly rats. A rat falling in a bowl of soup kills the queen, complicating matters, and Miggery Sow, a peasant girl, strikes a deal with an evil rat because she is so dumb she believes she can take the place of the princess. Many plots blend together and intertwine to create an exciting and unusual adventure!

My thoughts: This is total and complete escape reading! It's so much fun to shake your head at this silly little mouse with his big dreams, while rooting for him at the same time!

Bounce

by Natasha Friend

Summary: Evyn's mother passed away when she was very young, but she's devastated when she learns that her father is remarrying a woman who has six children of her own, and that they are moving in with their new family in another state. At this news, Evyn begins to pull away, having constant conversations with her dead mother. Her mother talks back, and even though Evyn knows it's not real, she still follows her "mother's" advice. Through these "conversations," Evyn learns to deal with her six new siblings, to see her father as a person, and to get to know herself.

My thoughts: While there is nothing really unusual or exciting about this book, it's a sweet story that most teenage girls will find relatable. Natasha Friend is a trusted author who always gives us great stories about growing up girl!

Shark Girl

by Kelly Bingham

Summary: Jane, an artist and a surfer, loses her arm in a shark attack one beautiful day at the beach. Her story is told through newspaper clippings, poetry, journal entries, and letters. Losing her identity as an artist and a surfer in one fell swoop causes Jane to have to re-evaluate her ideas about her goals, her family, her friends--her entire life. Will she allow the attack to fill her with fear, or with strength?

My thoughts: This is a fictional novel, but is based on the real-life story of Bethany Hamilton, the Hawaiian surfer who lost her arm to a shark attack a few years ago. It's a hauntingly beautiful account of what it feels like to have your life turned upside down, and how to find your new self after tragedy.

The Higher Power of Lucky

by Susan Patron

Summary: Lucky lives in a tiny California town, and spends a lot of time eavesdropping on 12-step meetings, where she discovers the idea of finding a "higher power." Her mother is dead, and her father, who doesn't much like the idea of being a father, calls his first wife from France to come care for Lucky. Understandably, Lucky is afraid that all of the adults in her life are going to abandon her. She runs away into the desert in a dust storm hoping to gain attention, but instead learns some things about her family and herself.

My thoughts: I'll be honest. I think the Newbery Committee missed the boat on this one. I found the plot uninteresting, the writing dry, and Lucky kind of got on my nerves.

Everlost

by Neal Shusterman

Summary: Nick and Allie, in separate cars, traveling in separate directions, collide in a terrible head-on accident. Both are killed instantly. They end up in a place called Everlost, where the normal rules don't apply. Stopping too long in one place causes them to sink into the ground, and there may or may not be monsters chasing them... Nick and Allie set out to explore this strange new world, and come upon a whole community of young spirits living in the ghosts of the World Trade Center Twin Towers. Nick is quite content there, but Allie wants to find her earthly family--a desire that leads to great danger and even greater adventure.

My thoughts: This is one of those books that everyone loves but me, so don't take my word for it! I do think it has an original plot and is an interesting story, but I wasn't in love with the ending. I did recently find out, though, that there are two sequels on the way, so maybe those will clear things up.

Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie

by Jordan Sonnenblick

Summary: When Stephen's little brother Jeffrey gets a nose bleed that just won't quit, the diagnosis is grim--leukemia. Watching Stephen's family come to terms with Jeffrey's illness is gut-wrenching, but here's the catch: somehow Sonnenblick manages to make this book hilarious. Jeffrey's cancer is handled realistically and sensitively, but you'll crack up at his "dangerous pie" recipe, and Stephen's sarcastic story-telling style.

My thoughts: I read this book because Jordan Sonnenblick came to our campus for an author visit. I wasn't all that excited about reading it, but once I started, I couldn't put it down. I think I actually cried and laughed all within one chapter!