An Island of Secrets

Orphans with potential will still be lost in the system. Their potential turns from something good to something that could lead them down a path of crime. When one man develops a network to funnel those delinquent orphans through the system directly to his island, he changes the fate of these children forever. John Dixon's Phoenix Island is a no-nonsense story about who we are inside... and who we are fated to be. 

Carl Freeman lost his parents and became an orphan. Stability is a figment of his imagination as he is bounced from foster family to foster family and state to state. He tries to stay out of trouble and keep to himself, but he has a weakness for bullies. When he sees a bunch of kids going too far, he can't help but step in and do something. Of course the bullies were the sons of very connected people, so boxing champ Carl is deemed the villain in that story. When the judge sends him to Phoenix Island, Carl chooses to see this as an opportunity rather than a punishment. If he keeps his head down and does his time, he will be released with an expunged record by the time he is 18. This is the first big break Carl has ever received and he intends to take it seriously. 

Phoenix Island is nothing like he expected. Sure, there are other delinquents like himself, but the guards are not interested in just making sure everyone follows the rules. They are soldiers. And sadistic. In addition, they have picked some favorites out of the group to act as their long reaching arms into the ranks of the orphans. The boys chosen for that detail are exactly like the kids Carl beat up to get put here. It will be hard enough to keep his head down, but when Carl starts to suspect there is something deeper and darker than just vindictive guards, he struggles with his inner conscience. His weakness has always been that he cared about the people around him. At least that is what the system led him to believe. But in reality? Has it made him stronger than the bullies around him?

Phoenix Island looked like a "boy book" and truly turned out to be a boy book. If it was a movie, a 16 yr old Sylvester Stallone would play Carl. He would wear a dirty white tank top and fatigues and run around the island all sweaty and dirty. I am not criticizing this. Honestly? I watch the Rambo series all the time (more than I care to admit). But there is a particular audience for this kind of story. If you have a reader who loves those violent action flicks (I know I do!) with explosions and bad guys and the lone good guy trying to save the world one innocent life at a time, here be your tale. And it was done pretty well, albeit a little formulaic. I really didn't have to predict much about the layout of the plot because it happened just as you would think it would. Again, that isn't to say I didn't like it, because it was certainly enjoyable, but I would have loved a surprise every now and then. 

The real winner in this story is Carl. He is truly unwavering in his goodness. Carl actually cannot control himself when it comes to protecting the innocent, even when he knows it will totally and completely ruin his life. He is the epitome of unwavering good guy. A little unrealistic, but it makes for an entertaining story! He is the kind of good guy you can't help but root for and hope he pummels the crap out of the bad guys. I have to say, the fact that he is always in trouble for stopping bullying is my favorite part of the story (and the saddest reflection of humanity). Phoenix Island is an entertaining, kind of predictable story that will certainly appeal to those hard-to-reach boys. 

It's Always a Trap

I am sure you all think there is nothing original about a vampire story. Well then, my friends, you haven't taken a chance on Andrew Fukuda and his The Hunt series! These vampires will terrify you and surprise you with each page. It started with The Hunt and it ends with The Trap, but you won't be ready to let go!

Gene, Sissy, David and Epap made it out of the "sanctuary" but they had no idea they were headed to the palace full of vampires. When the train arrives, there are too many kids to fit into the elevator. Those left behind get to know first hand what happens when you don't follow the rules of the Palace. And it is vicious. Those in the elevator fly upwards to a space full of human children just waiting for their time to be called. When the alarm goes off, they have a few short seconds to get into an enclave before the vampires are allowed in. If they are caught outside, their fate is swift but vicious. When the alarm blows, they all make it into Enclaves, but the ruler is clearly interested in Sissy. Then he notices Gene: the boy who masqueraded as a vampire for years and proved them all fools. 

When Gene's enclave goes shooting through the walls, he is sure he is being sent to the ruler's rooms to be devoured, but what he doesn't expect is to be taken to a secret laboratory where he is informed of the true nature of his and Sissy's lives. As the Origin, their blood combined cures the vampire plague, turning any vampire back into a human. But Ashley June, the former human who sacrificed her humanity to save Gene is stopping them from working on a widespread cure. Having survived the scorching trek from the mission, she has called a press conference to tell the city about the Palace's secret stash of Hepers. Now the ruler wants Ashley June gone, but his first assassin wasn't so successful. When Gene learns Epap was sent first, he refuses to stay in the Palace in relative safety. Instead, he and Sissy head to a city full of vampires to save their friend, because friends never leave a man behind. Even if they are the only cure to the plague that took over the world. 

OK. I am NOT going to give you any spoilers, but I have to tell you that the ending of this series will leave you reeling! It is such a shocker but then it isn't, but then it is, and it left me staring at the last page like, "Oh NO you didn't!!" It was ridiculous! I can honestly say this ending was nothing I could have expected. So shocking! I think any kid who read this series would find themselves stunned and searching for their next set of books when they were done because it is Just. That. Good! I don't get surprised often, so when I do, it is flabbergasting! And let me tell you, this book totally caught me unaware. That ending was phenomenal!!

So you should all definitely use this series for any struggle or disinterested readers you come across. It is so novel and new that it will keep any reader hooked right to the last page. I see every boy who ever told me, "I hate all books" finally picking this series up and never putting it down until the end of this final book. This is the series that could make them lifelong readers! And we owe it all to Andrew Fukuda and his brilliant series (and that brilliant ending!). So if you need a new kind of vampire story full of action, suspense, and insanity, Go on The Hunt. You will love every minute of it!

Murder Mystery, Fantasy, and Real Problems all in One!

When a country puts a limit on how many children are allowed per family, what happens to the "extra" kids? And when one gender is preferred over the other, the treatment of the lesser orphans can be horrifying. We have seen this in our own world, but Miriam Forster takes a real issue and places it in a fantasy world where real solutions were created in City of a Thousand Dolls.

Nisha has no past, and even her future is unclear. But she has lived fairly well in the City of a Thousand Dolls since she was found and brought there as a young baby. She can speak with the sacred cats in the city and seems to hear things she shouldn't around the city. As the Matron of the city's eyes and ears, she has a special place in the city, but still, she has no House to call her own. Each house takes the orphan girls left by their families who prefer boys in the world where how many children you have are limited. They take the girls and train them so they may be Reclaimed when they are ready, and returned to society with a House and a life. Without being claimed, they will never be accepted into society. Nisha knows her talents are limited, but she desperately hopes her romance with the second-born prince will lead him to Reclaim her. 

When a girl has died falling from a roof, the entire city is rocked. But when a second girl is found dead by the fountain, the stench of foul play looms over the city. With her mysterious talents and perceptiveness, Nisha offers to quietly investigate the murders for the Matron. What she uncovers, however, is a murderer who specifically targets certain girls, and Nisha hasn't figured out the pattern. But when the murderer goes after her only true friend in the city, the girl who is training to marry the prince and become princess, she knows she will have to take risks in order to prevent another murder. What she didn't realize was that there are even bigger and deeper secrets surrounding her own life. As Nisha digs deeper, she unravels webs of lies she never thought existed, and those lies will change her life forever.

This was such an intriguing book and interesting world, I am almost sad that I think it is a stand-alone. Some of the world-building was too slow for me, and left me struggling to understand the story, but on a whole, this was a really brilliant world Forster created! It really ended in a way where it doesn't seem like there will be another story, but maybe that will change! I really wanted to hear so much more about the city, the world as a whole, the wandering tribes, etc. Especially the cats! It seemed like such a strange side story to have Nisha able to speak to the cats, but the story behind it (which I won't divulge and you have to get to the end for) was SO interesting! And I want MORE!

But Nisha was the real story for the entire book. She was so integral to the mystery surrounding the world, as she belonged but didn't even in a city full of outcasts. I loved the intrigue that surrounded her and in the end, she proved to be such an honorable and amazing young woman. I would love to see more about her as she continues through the world, learning more and more about who she was. It was amazing to see a young woman who had almost no past, present or future still fight to live and fight to protect those she loved. Nisha was the kind of character you want your young women to read about!

This book also delves to the heart of the issue of limiting children to families, as has been the case in China. They have the same problems of infanticide and female orphans China has faced in the rash solution to overpopulation, but the way the City of a Thousand Dolls has chosen to protect those orphan girls is amazing and controversial at the same time. Many are married off or taken as mistress to the highest "bidder", while others become healers and musicians. It isn't a perfect system, but the Matron is doing the best she can for girls who would otherwise never have a future. The idea of sacrificing a few to unhappy lives to save the many comes up more than once, and it is discussion-worthy. I would definitely have a student read this book and research China's practices and consequences when we were done. Sometimes a fantasy world can help you see more about your own world than you thought it could! 

City of Secrets and Lies

How many of us believe what our government, our bosses, or our parents tell us? We tend to believe and trust what people in positions of power tell us without questioning their motives. In Jeanne DuPrau's City of Ember: Books of Ember, Book One, she takes a world of darkness and shows how far a little light can really go. 


Lina Mayfleet has been given her job in the City of Ember. She is to report to Pipeworks, the worst, dirtiest, wettest job in the city of Ember that works underground keeping the city's pipes patched and running. Doon Harrow got the coveted position of Messenger, but he offers to trade Lina for Pipeworks. She is baffled by his choice but won't pass up a chance to be a messenger. Doon is determined to find a way to save Ember, and he thinks the answer might be the generator which is underground. 


The City of Ember is in trouble. The electricity is failing more frequently, the good canned goods are gone, leaving behind the ones people suffer through, and materials are becoming more and more scarce. The reason is the Builders of Ember never intended for the people of Ember to stay this long. They had a plan, complete with an exit route, mapped out, but through greed and selfishness and mishap, the box with the plans has been lost in Lina's house for generations, set to pop open at the appropriate time. When her little sister Poppy finds it and begins to eat it, Lina saves it before it is totally destroyed, but not before Poppy's drool erased some important parts. Lina goes to Doon and together they try to uncover the secrets that lie within the City of Ember. What they don't expect is that not everyone wants to hear about what they have found.


I have known about this series for quite some time, but never got around to reading it. I am really glad I finally did because it is quite phenomenal! It is most certainly a middle reader series, as the writing is very young and in particular, the characters are incredibly naive. There were times when Lina and Doon were reporting misdeeds they had encountered to the very people reaping the benefits (who clearly wouldn't be happy about a couple of kids revealing their thievery) and I was screaming, "No! Don't Do it! ARRGGHHH!" But, as very, very sheltered kids stuck in this little city where the only light is manufactured (and quickly running out), I guess I can see why they were so naive. They have never known anything other than following what their leaders tell them to do (in fact, they don't even know what a boat is). But while that naivete made me a little frustrated at times, it would be perfect for a younger reader, maybe a strong 3rd grader through low-skilled 7th grader who is themselves fairly naive. An older, more worldly student would be annoyed by the kids' lack of skepticism. 


The youngness of this series would make it a perfect addition to any middle reader shelves. All those kids whose parents were worried Hunger Games was too violent while the kids just want to read what is popular, might like this very different, yet very good dystopia. There is also a movie made of the first book! So keep this great story around for your younger readers intrigued by strange places and you will get them hooked, because the end of this book leaves off with the reader dying for more! You won't be able to resist!

A Tragedy Like No Other

You don't have to actually be a parent to know the most terrifying thing is the loss of your child. Whether it be illness or violence or kidnapping, the idea of a losing a child is terrifying to anyone and everyone. In Lisa McMann's Dead to You, the reader experiences the confusing and emotional return of a child who was kidnaped years earlier.

Nine years ago Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just 7 years old. Now he is a 16 year old about to be reunited with his family he has pretty much forgotten. He is terrified about meeting his family again, especially since the woman who took care of him all those years, Ellie, (and abandoned him, causing him to live in an orphanage and become homeless eventually), was someone he truly loved. As he returns, everyone wants to hear about the horrible woman who abducted him and the awful things she did to him, but he really doesn't have any stories like that. He loved Ellie.

But the transition back into the family isn't the worst for Ethan. He has a crush on his childhood best friend and she is very protective of him. He is overwhelmed at first by all the attention, but eventually, he settles into his new life. But Ethan's return is hardest on his younger brother Blake who was just four and in the front yard when Ethan was abducted. Blake is convinced Ethan is not really Ethan, that another boy has come to their home pretending to be Ethan. Ethan's father contemplates a DNA test, but Ethan's mother will not doubt her son. She knows if she asks him to take a DNA test, she will always be the mother who doubted her son. But why can't he remember anything from his life before the abduction? Is he really Ethan? Can the family survive losing another son?

OK. I am gonna put this out there with as few spoiler-ish hints as possible. The ending is one of those, "What the H-E-double hockey sticks just HAPPENED" kind of moments. The last ten pages are the kind of ending that readers want to believe they hate, but really it accomplishes what the author was going for- you are still thinking about it and talking about it for WEEKS after you finished the book! I know a lot of people want a sequel to find out how things were resolved, but I hope McMann leaves this story alone. The ending is unresolved, but that is what makes it so powerful. Uncertainty fills the book, so why not end it with uncertainty too? I know I usually hate unresolved endings, but with this book, I actually love it. I think it makes the book that much better.

The story itself is pretty complex and disturbing. Imagine getting your son back after nine years and then people start to question whether he is the real deal or not. That has to be devastating. The mother is such a wonderful character. She never doubts Ethan. She fights for her son tooth and nail, and I loved her for that. But Blake's character was the most interesting for me. It had to be so hard for him, always the one who was there when Ethan was abducted. Not that they blame him, but that guilt that still surrounds him all his life about BEING there when his brother was taken. Then his suspicions about Ethan and how vehemently he tries to prove this isn't the real Ethan, but how much everyone ignores him, assuming jealousy is the cause. It felt so realistic and terrifying, but sad and heartbreaking. This book is written in simple language (with minor profanity), but the story is quite deep and provocative. It would be perfect for an older, low-skilled student who wants a mature book but needs a lower reading level. It would be perfect for papers, discussions, and "What if" assignments where you could really question the fabric of family, suspicion, and the unresolved ending. I will definitely be keeping this on my shelves for a variety of students. But a warning... if you can't handle unresolved endings, this book is going to tick you off!

A Vampire Book Immortalized

Sometimes they are elegant but ruthless. At times they are shimmery, but murderous. They can act like rabid animals or the most gentle of gentlemen. But they are everywhere. Vampires are in every culture, every literary tradition, every contemporary culture, and certainly all over the young adult genre. So why should you read yet another young adult vampire book? Because The Immortal Rules: Book One of Blood of Eden by Julie Kagawa is a vampire book like you have never seen before!

Allie refuses to become registered and have blood taken twice a month to feed the bloodsuckers who run her city, even if it means getting a food ration. She and the other Unregistereds scavenge for food even though stealing is a crime punishable by more than just death. Out on a food mission beyond the city wall that protects the humans from the rabids (people turned into zombie-like, mindless vampires who live like animals and would rip a human to shreds), Allie finds a food haul in a house that can't be passed up, even if it is risky. She and her crew go back for the food, but the rabids do what they do best, leaving Allie torn apart and dying. When a passing vampire offers her a choice to die from her injuries or die and become an immortal vampire, everything she despises, she chooses life, even if it is a life as the undead. 

After a brief period of lessons and education into the life of a vampire by her sire, Kanin, Allie is forced to flee the only city she has ever known. She doesn't want to hunt or hurt people, but Kanin warned her that denying the Hunger that can only be sated by human blood will slowly devolve Allie into a furious beast with no control over her own body. She can last about two weeks without human blood, but alone in the desert has left her desperate. Luckily the first people she stumbles upon are ruthless raiders, but shortly thereafter, she rescues a little boy who became separated from his traveling group. Allie is uncertain of the group, but she still hasn't lost her human side. She craves the company of others and is willing to fight the urge to feed in order to protect this rag tag group of travelers who are in search of Eden, a land with no vampires and no rabids. But Allie isn't the only predator out there, and she may have assumed a position she can never succeed at. 

Wow. Just Wow. Kagawa created a vampire world like you have never seen before. This post-apocalyptic wasteland combines the desolate PA world with terrifying dystopic societies, and rabid, mindless creatures hunting where you least suspect it. This is an EPIC read that will cut you off from everything you should be doing just so you can plow through the story page by page. Vampires may be old hat for most authors, but Kagawa makes them new and fresh and terrifying again. I loved this story and can NOT wait for the next installment. There is a sense of closure at the end of this story, but it is only a temporary conclusion, with the story open for more of Allie's story. You will be content with the ending but dying for the next book, a perfect conclusion in my opinion!

And Allie is a fantastic main character. She knows what she has to do to survive, but her inability to let go of everything that makes her human is what keeps her going. But her presence in the lives of the ones she wants to protect not only keeps them alive, it also puts them in harms way. This is an inner conflict Allie cannot deny and one that rips her apart. She knows the right thing to do, but she cannot give up her one attachment to her humanity she has left. It is a transformation you will feel right along with Allie from page to page. This is a complex, long novel that would appeal to anyone who likes an exciting story. It is probably best for high school students, but adults would enjoy this vampire tale as well. Kagawa knocked it out of the park with this one!

Cinderella, Cyborgs, and a Plague

My brother-in-law went to see Snow White and the Huntsmen a couple of weeks ago, and when he told us about it, he said it was "predictable". My response was, "It's Snow White you goof! What about that story don't  you know already?!" But then I went to see the movie and was blown away by how innovative and unique it was despite being a fairy tale we can all recite by memory. In fact, it was that experience that made me get over my preconceived notions about Marissa Meyer's Cinder: Book One of the Lunar Chronicles and just read it already. I mean, Cinderella and cyborgs? How much more creative can you get?!


Cinder is a cyborg: a person with machine parts. She has more machine than most cyborgs, but she suffers the same second-class citizen status as every cyborg. In fact, the cyborg draft solidifies their status as "non-humans" to the non-cyborg folk. It allows the government to draft cyborgs against their will to be used as guinea pigs in the race against the plague to find a cure. And no one seems to mind that the cyborgs never return from these tests. But the plague is threatening the very existence of the country... almost as much the Lunars are. Luna is the country that conquered life on the moon, but over generations, the Lunars have developed "powers" or the ability to control electro-magnetic pulses that can alter emotions, feelings, and perceptions. Now their crazy Queen wants to make an alliance with the kingdoms on earth and she isn't afraid to bully or blackmail her way in. 


But Cinder's life is a lot less complicated. Not a lovely life by any means, but less complicated. She goes to work, the money she earns goes to support her stepmother and stepsisters (only one of which is awful), and she tries to hide her cyborg parts as carefully as possible. But when the crowned Prince Kai comes to her booth for help with an android, she is more worried than ever about someone learning of her cyborg parts. When the plague hits too close to home, Cinder is sent to the labs for experiments, but the results are nothing she could ever have dreamed of. Now, she is more than just a cyborg outcast, but her lot in life is no easier. Especially when all she wants is Prince Kai, a desire she won't even allow herself to dream about because there is no way a man in line for the throne who could have any girl he wanted would ever want to love a cyborg... or is there?


OK. Let's get this out in the open. Marissa Meyer is a bloody genius! Who would have ever thought to make Cinderella into a cyborg? And if you think you are going to go into this book to find something predictable, you are totally mistaken! This is an old, well-known story that has been taken, stripped to its bare elements, and transformed into something FANTASTIC! It is Cinderella like you have never seen before, and you will love what Meyer has done to the story. Take the fairy tale element away and this is still a phenomenal story. First, I love the twists on the old story Meyer has created. Cinder's character is every bit as lovely as Cinderella, complete with the same issues and troubles, but her situation is even more dire than before. With the plague and the division of the cyborgs, she couldn't be more of an outcast. Then you have the strong science-fiction element with the androids and Cinder's family's droid Iko who has a personality chip that makes her more person than machine but completely unwanted for it. And the prince? Oh Kai is fantastic. He would even submit himself to the most awful of situations to save and protect his people. It is no wonder everyone loves Kai! I know I did!


This is a great story for any strong middle reader through adult reader. It has a brilliant Science Fiction twist on your tried and true fairy tale, and you will be thrilled to have it on your shelves. Don't let yourself be discouraged by "Cyborg Cinderella" like I was. This story is so much more than that. This is a book that would appeal to a wide range of readers from your SF junkies to your dystopian fans to the average modern lit readers. Trust me. This isn't one to ignore! And with the way the story ended, you will be dying to get ahold of the next three books in the Lunar Chronicles!

Holy Fantasy, Batman!

Did you ever read a book, see the launch of a new gadget, or watch a new movie and think to yourself, "Why didn't I think of that?! It's Brilliant!" That is how I felt after reading Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. It was such a phenomenal fantasy that I am going to take a virtual bow to Bardugo and her brilliance and wonder (not so) silently why I can't write like this!

Alina Starkov is a mapmaker's apprentice, and not a very good one. Before that she was an orphan. The only person who ever mattered to her was her fellow orphan and lifelong friend, Mal, but in the harsh world where the supernatural Shadow Fold has bisected the country of Ravka, nothing is safe. The Shadow Fold is a huge swath of land that has been plunged into darkness by a powerful Grisha. Since then, the Fold is almost impassable and hunted by the terrifying Volcra beasts. The military escorts people across the Fold, but they are no safer than anyone else in the No Man's Land of the Fold. Mal is in the military, but the King has two armies. The first army is made up of your standard soldiers, people willing to die for their country or at least to get a few warm meals before they die. The second army is a class of people unto themselves called Grisha. The Grisha are magical folk who all have gifts that support the King's campaign. They are broken up into three types of Grisha, but one stands along: The Darkling.

The Darkling is the most powerful Grisha in Ravka. When Alina and Mal get to the Fold for their first crossing, the Darkling is there. As they cross, the Grisha move the land boat across the sand and try to protect the skiff, but more volcra than ever appear and attack the group. When Alina and Mal are attacked, something unheard of happens: Alina begins to radiate sunlight. The sunlight repels the volcra, saving the crew, but it also means Alina is a Grisha. When the Darkling hears about her feat, he whisks her off to the castle to be trained. With her power to summon the sun, Alina and the Darkling could rid Ravka of the Shadow Fold together. Unfortunately, there are people out there who don't want to destroy the Shadow Fold and even more who want to destroy Alina. She knows the responsibility her power brings, but that doesn't mean she isn't still just an orphan girl, in love with a boy who may never speak to her again. But will Mal come back to Alina?

Oh holy fantasy, Batman! Shadow and Bone is a fantasy land that will make you want to finish the final page and start all over again immediately. Bardugo created a world that is both terrifying and magical. The characters are complex and deep to the point that you aren't always sure their intentions or motives, but you know you want to learn more about them. And the bad guys? Oh Boy! From the Volcra to the bad Grisha to the incompetent king, this is a story with layers and layers of evil that will make your head spin. But Alina is a great heroine. Caught up in the whirlwind f the Grisha world, she misses the simplicity of her former self but knows she can never go back again. She knows she has a responsibility to use her powers for good, but she is skeptical of those who wish to control her and enslave her. Alina faces insurmountable challenges, but deep within a poor orphan body is a strong woman willing to sacrifice everything for what is right.

And this is only the beginning. The Grisha Trilogy has more to come and after Shadow and Bone you will be more than just anxious for Bardugo to get the next book out there. This is your next big trilogy to watch out for, everyone! It's out there and it is going to be unstoppable! Keep this book on your shelves for all manner of students because it is an accessible fantasy with great characters and an amazing world that will appeal to all kinds of people, young adult to adults. And don't forget to keep a copy for yourselves because this is one you are going to want to reread!

A World Without Pain... Or Love

A world without pain can't be bad, right? But if you don't feel any pain, grief, or loss, how can you truly understand love, passion, or desire? In Lauren Oliver's new trilogy, Delirium, you become a witness to a world where a mandatory surgery "fixes" people to prevent them from contracting a dreaded disease: love.


Lena (short for Magdalena) was named for the first woman to ever be cured of love, mary Magdalene. She suffered all her life because of love and started the movement that create a society free of the disease that will cause you to act impulsively, make you crazy, and will undoubtedly end in death if you contract it. Lena's surgery is only a few short months away, but she is desperate for the big day to be here so she doesn't have to live in fear of the dreaded disease. When she goes for her evaluation, something goes horribly awry and the Invalids (people who aren't cured and live outside the protected communities) or their sympathizers stage a demonstration that sends cows through the evaluation building and ends her interview. Since she found herself answering the questions in a way that would surely cause her to fail, she is almost grateful for the interruption. She saw a boy during the cow stampede and now she can't stop thinking about him. Hopefully she hasn't already caught the disease...


Lena's friend Hana has been toying with the boundaries of what is allowed and what will get you branded a sympathizer. Lena tries to get her friend to stop this dangerous behavior, but still she feels compelled to follow her to a party at an abandoned farm. There Lena experiences more emotion and overwhelming stimulation than she has ever experienced, and she flees almost as soon as she gets there. On her way out, she bumps into the same boy from the evaluation, Alex. As the days pass, she keeps bumping into Alex until she starts spending time with him. After all, he is cured, so it is both legal and safe for her to spend time with him. But when Alex admits to her that he isn't cured and is actually an Invalid, Lena can't believe her ears. She can't ignore her heart, either, and finds herself drawn to Alex and happily suffering from the very disease she was so afraid of just a few short weeks ago. What she doesn't expect is how quick her surgery date is approaching and how far everyone will go to "cure" her of the best feeling she has every experienced in her life: love. But is love enough to keep Lena and Alex together?


In the wide world of dystopias, there are the soft dystopian worlds like in Matched or The Giver where you can see how the world went to hell on a road paved with good intentions. Then there are the hard dystopias like Birthmarked and Forest of Hands and Teeth where the world was corrupted by greed and power. This world is more like the first category, giving the world an almost acceptable premise, but we still realize how it has been twisted and warped to create a society that has taken the protection of its citizens too far. You read the book and can't imagine how the people don't see where everything went wrong, but then you think about everything people get used to and can see how people would hold onto this broken world so fiercely- it is all they know. The idea of cutting out love is so hard to imagine, but what about the elimination of pain or grief. To anyone who has lost a loved one or watched a great love end, it doesn't sound like a bad option, does it?!


That is the beauty of this book. The discussion possibilities are simply endless. I went to the reading Lauren Oliver did at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck this weekend and was absolutely in love with her! She was a really normal, cool lady with lots to talk about, in particular, just how hard it is to write a book! I wish my students had more opportunities to meet the authors of the books they love because it is an experience that nothing can compare to. I would recommend this book for a wide range of students from strong middle readers through to young adults. It is a good clean, not-too-harsh dystopia that will be great for any fan of The Giver. The sequel is out and I have it staring at me right now, but I am going to wait a little while to read it. I want all the ideas from Delirium to ruminate and not be clouded by the second book! And if you get a chance to see Lauren Oliver, make sure you do! She is a cool, cool lady who will reinforce your love of her books (not that you need anything but the books themselves, but it can't hurt!).

Creepy Middle Reader

How dark can a middle reader book go? If you consider the Grimm Brother's fairy tales, they can be awfully grim (yeah, yeah, bad pun attempted!). In fact, I have often bought these classic fairy tales for baby showers, thinking I was doing a nice thing. After reading more and more of them this year, I realize I have been traumatizing all the young children in my family! So when I started reading Liesl and Po, by Lauren Oliver, I was surprised by some of the darkness, but thrilled by the charming story underneath.


Liesl hasn't left the attic since her father's death. Her stepmother makes her stay there to keep her safe. Safe from what, Liesl doesn't know. Will is the orphaned assistant of a mean and nasty alchemist. His only highlight in running the alchemist's errands throughout the middle of the night is seeing the girl in the window of the attic. That girl is Liesl. She doesn't know he is out there, but he can't stop thinking about her. He thinks about her so much that he accidentally takes the wrong box to the Lady Premiere. He is supposed to bring her a box of the darkest and strongest magic the alchemist has every made, the same magic that has taken away the sun for over 1700 days, but instead he grabs the box of Liesl's father's ashes. The box of magic is inadvertently delivered to Liesl's stepmom instead of the ashes. 


When Po, a ghost boy, comes to visit Liesl in the attic, he helps her connect to her father. There she learns her father wants his ashes brought to their old house where her mother is buried so he can finally cross over and be at peace. Po helps Liesl escape the attic so he can get her to the old house. Along the way, a series of mistakes, switches, misunderstandings, and plain old silliness leads to an adventure where Will, Po, and Liesl try to put her father to rest while everyone else in the countryside is out looking for them. What no one knows is that the magic box might be more powerful than any of them could imagine, but love is more powerful.


Some people might disagree, but I think you can have some darkness to a middle reader, especially if there is an ending where everything works out for the better. I think the Grimm's fairy tales are too dark even for my 30 year old self, of course! But this book had just enough dark and just enough softness to balance it out. You want Will and Liesl to make it to their destination, but all the mix-ups and silliness throughout the story keeps you hanging on until the last page thinking, "What could possibly happen NOW?!" I admit the story was a little hard to get into at first, and some key details weren't revealed until 1/3 of the book had passed. That, sadly, might make it too hard for the reader, especially a younger reader, to get into the book, at which point they would miss this exciting little gem!


As a middle reader, there isn't any sexual content, but there is some death and murder and Liesl is certainly abused by her stepmother. Nothing is too graphic or overdone, so the happy coincidences will balance those out fairly well. It is one of those fun stories where the circumstances change just by chance over and over again, helping the main characters out in ways they couldn't possibly know. It is a great way to make the reader feel most connected to the story- they know more than the characters do! I think this is a fun little ghost story, where the ghosts aren't what you should be afraid of!

What if You Were Hunted?

Imagine a world where humans are extinct and only vampires survive. Of course they don't exactly enjoy life without human blood, but they don't have much of a choice. Then imagine being a human who hides in plain sight, a warm blooded person living amongst the very monsters that hunt him. Andrew Fukuda describes that terror so keenly in The Hunt, you won't sleep at night!


Gene is a survivor. His world is surrounded by vampires. He shaves meticulously, is careful about his mannerisms, and is careful to make sure he doesn't sweat or smell like body odor. All these things are what keep him hidden in plain sight- a human (known to the vampires as a heper) amongst ravenous vampires. These vampires aren't the kind who twinkle in the sunlight or lure you in with their beautiful faces and honey-dripped words. These vampires smell one drop of blood miles away and they will rip you apart before you have time to scream. The vampires assume humans are extinct, but when the leader announces a Heper Hunt, all the vampires are drooling at the chance to be in on the hunt (literally- these things drool a lot... nasty). 


Gene assumes his chances to be picked are next to nothing, so he doesn't worry much. he just puts on a good show, lots of drooling, some growling, etc. But when his random lottery number is chosen, he can't really believe he has been picked to hunt and kill other humans. Worse yet, he is whisked off to the Heper Institute to prepare for the hunt without getting a chance to get his necessary tools for hiding his identity- soap, razor, etc. Now he finds himself at the Institute, surrounded by the very vampires that will most likely kill him when they realize who he is without his masking tools. He sees the hepers who are housed in a sunlight triggered dome, their only protection against the vampires who want to rip them apart. When he gets to know them, he finds they aren't the cattle the vampires always made them out to be... they are just like him. So how can he hunt the last of his kind?


Oh boy. This was one serious, heavy, violent, intense story! I was dragged right in from the first page and couldn't stop reading. The world Fukuda described is so terrifying, it gave me nightmares. The idea of this boy out there, all alone, one human amongst all those monsters, is worse than anything I can imagine! The author does an amazing job of describing everything meticulously without getting too dull and drab with too much description. The characterization is very interesting, in particular the way years of living amongst vampires gives Gene a bias against the other humans he meets. But most unique was the description of these particular vampires. The way they laugh (scratching their wrists), the way they are intimate (I won't even describe that one because you have to read it to believe it!), even the way sleep and eat- everything was so innovative. Especially in a genre with so. many. vampires. 


I wouldn't give this to any student who has delicate sensibilities, because it is seriously violent, bloody, and gory. I think it would be a great story to get those older boys, who hate to read and think everything out there is "so uncool", reading (I won't use the word my students use, but you get the picture). In fact, I bet they will scoff at first and then devour the book. There is nothing childish in this story. In fact, I commend Fukuda for not being patronizing to young adults. This is a grown up story, so be aware of that when you give it to someone. That being said, I love the adult feel of the story. I think it is the key to getting an older, reluctant student reading. You need something that is going to make them feel like they are reading something mature while still being accessible in terms of reading level. I definitely plan to keep this book around for my older students. So don't give up on vampire books just yet, because Fukuda has given you a book full of vampires you haven't seen yet... and you will see them again (in your nightmares!). 

Those Bloody Vampires

Vampires have been done. They have been done over and over again. Yet, we still find ourselves drawn to the vampire stories out there (or at least I do!). Maybe it is the vampire allure that helps them capture their victims... we just can't help ourselves! So even though vampires have already been done, K.J. Wignall had the right idea in giving us what we wanted- more vampires in Blood: Book One of Mercian Trilogy.


Will has "survived" the last 700 years by going through the motions. After he was bitten and succumbed to the "sickness", he awoke many years later in a grave. Fortunately, someone had created chambers for him to crawl out of the grave and into. Those chambers have been his home for centuries, and he assumes they will be for all of eternity. Each time he wakes from hibernation (sometimes 10 years, sometimes 100), he needs to feed. Everything this time is normal, but when he finds his victim, a vagrant who won't be missed, something happens. He puts the vagrant in a trance, but the victim says something- when people are in Will's trance, they never talk. The vagrant tells him Lorcan Labriad is waiting for Will. The problem is Will has no idea who Lorcan Labriad is. 


Nothing about this time is the same. After the strange occurrence with the vagrant, he looks at the man's notebook only to find mentions of himself and pictures of a young woman. When Will heads out into the city, he comes across the woman, Eloise. It seems that something is happening that involves Will and Eloise is a part of it. As they try to piece together what is happening, they realize this Lorcan Labraid and anyone who is involved with him is pure evil. Now Will and Eloise, vampire and orphan, must risk everything to get to the bottom of the mystery. But who can they trust?


As vampire stories go, this wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't the best either. There were times when the story seemed to have too many clues and not enough answers and I started to lose interest a little bit. Luckily, being such a short book, it was able to collect itself quickly and get back to the story at hand. Some parts are a little hokey as well, and I found myself wishing Lestat would come by and show everyone what's what! I know this is a trilogy, but I will probably wait for the next book to go on clearance and my book pile to dwindle considerably before I continue with this story.


Since the story is a little juvenile at times, it might be best for the middle readers who are just starting to read young adult stories. It is a quick read and although there is some formal language (remember, Will is 700 years old!), the language is generally accessible. It wouldn't be my "go to" book, but I wouldn't stop anyone from reading it either. My only peeve, I have to say, is the title... Blood? Really? You couldn't come up with anything more creative for a vampire story?!

The One and Only Ivan

Did you ever start a book, not knowing what you were going to think of it, and end up staying awake all night trying to finish it because you just can't imagine putting it down? That was my experience with The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. I know I had to work the next day, but I simply couldn't stop reading.


Ivan is a gorilla. He is the only gorilla at a small zoo located at the Big Top Mall. Even though he doesn't have any gorilla friends, Ivan still has Stella, the old elephant, and Bob, the stray dog, who make him as happy as two friends ever could. He even has the zoo's cleaner George and his daughter Julia to visit him and keep him company. No one is really happy at the Big Top Mall, but they live their lives the best they can under the circumstances. 


When a new baby elephant named Ruby is brought to the zoo, everything changes. Ruby and her sadness make the rest of the residents of the Big Top Mall realize just how sad they really are as well. Everyone becomes protective of Ruby, even when her constant questions drive them crazy. Stella protects Ruby as though Ruby were her own daughter, but when Stella gets sick, she makes Ivan promise he will get Ruby out of the little, miserable zoo and to some place where Ruby can be happy. Ivan is a gentle giant, but he takes his oath seriously, especially when he sees the zoo's owner, Mack, take out the claw stick on Ruby when she refuses to learn Stella's tricks. Ivan needs to save Ruby, but how can a gorilla who hasn't left his small cage in years get her out of the zoo? 


As I first started reading this book and they described the animals in their cages, I almost put it down. I really can't take anything that involves animals hurt or neglected, so it took a lot of will power to keep going (even though the descriptions aren't terribly graphic, they still made me very sad). I am glad I kept going. The story of Ivan and his friends, both human and creature, was so beautiful, it was heartbreaking. I kept reading because Ivan just had to save Ruby. I needed him to save Ruby. She was so innocent and naive, and seeing her in that zoo broke my heart. Ivan was such an interesting character with his gentle nature and his artistic talents (he likes to draw bananas the most, but draws other things too!). When he uses those artistic talents to save Ruby, you will literally find yourself beaming from ear to ear!


This is a beautiful middle reader story told in simple language from Ivan's point of view. He explains gorillas are creatures of few words, so the story is told in short, simple bursts of paragraphs. Since they are so small, it becomes a great book for a beginning reader who can stop and start with great frequency if they need to (if they can bring themselves to). I might give this story to an older, struggling reader because it is such a touching, beautiful story, but I would make sure it wasn't a student who would be insulted by slightly juvenile writing. The story would keep them interested, but the writing is young. If you need a story to read aloud in class or at home with your child, give Ivan and the crew a chance. You won't be sorry you did!

Wonderstruck and Wonderful

With all the attention Brian Selznick is getting with the movie version of Hugo Cabret out in theaters, I imagine his books are going to be flying off the shelves. His combination of beautiful stories and amazing illustrations leaves plowing through the huge tomes and still wanting more once you have finished. In Wonderstruck, Selznick has done it again. He has created a masterpiece.


Ben has lost his mother. He is living with his aunt and uncle, but he can still see the house he shared with his mother. When he wanders over there one night, he find something in his mother's belongings that might be the name and number of the father he never knew. While trying to dial the number, Ben is struck by lightning that puts him in the hospital and leaves him deaf. He runs away from the hospital and goes to New York City to find the man who might be his father.  


Fifty years earlier, Rose runs away to New York City. She is deaf, and it is dangerous for her to travel alone, but she is determined to see her mother, a famous actress. She is rescued by her brother and stays with him in the city. Her life changes when she learns to sign and meets a deaf man who she can't help but fall in love with. Growing up deaf is hard, but the biggest struggle is that people don't think you are capable of being independent. As Rose grows up, gets married, and has a child, she also shows the world that being deaf won't stop you from being happy. When Ben and Rose finally cross paths, they realize there is more that connects them than just being deaf. Their connection is one that will warm even the coldest of hearts.


This was an absolutely beautiful story of two lives, lived so far apart, yet connected through one person. With over 400 pages of incredible illustrations, this book is yet another wonder of the genius that is Brian Selznick. Ben's story is told entirely in text. Rose's story is told entirely in illustrations. No words, just feeling, emotions, and imagination. Then, when the characters come together, the stories are told in a combination of illustrations and text. It is such a beautiful way to tell the two stories. The use of the illustrations for Rose's story makes you actually live through it with her. There is so much power and impact in the delivery of this story, you won't stop thinking about it.


This is a great middle reader story, but would be a great book to use for an emergent older reader. Since  the story is mostly told in images, it would be a great book to give an emergent reader a sense of accomplishment and still practice reading. Like Selznick's first book, this story opens up possibilities for these emergent older readers that no other book could- a book they can read and still be proud of reading. I hope Selznick continues with these stories. They are simply breathtaking. 

The ReInvention of a Picture Book

As a teacher of dyslexic students, I appreciate just how hard it is to find a book for a low-skilled older student. Virtually impossible. You don't want to insult the student, but you don't want to frustrate them with a book that is entirely too difficult. And what about your emergent readers? Older students who are just learning to read. Do you give them picture books and chapter books? What if you had a really beautiful story, full of gorgeous illustrations disguised as usual middle reader book (except much bigger and much heavier)? Brian Selznick created a masterpiece with The Invention of Hugo Cabret, but when he did, I am sure he didn't realize he was creating a bridge for emergent readers into the world of book lovers.

Hugo was orphaned twice. When his father was killed in a fire in his workshop working on a device Hugo wanted him to fix, Hugo was sent to live with his uncle. Hugo's uncle lived in the train station and was responsible for winding all the clocks twice a day. It wasn't the hardest job in the world, but it took a lot of responsibility so the clocks didn't fall behind and break down. When Hugo's uncle disappears, Hugo takes over the clocks and keeps up the ruse his uncle is still there because he has no other place to go.

Unable to cash his uncle's checks, Hugo is forced to steal his food. He only steals out of necessity, except for toys. Hugo can't resist the toy booth run by the old man, but when he is caught stealing a toy mouse, the old man forces him to fix it. He takes Hugo's notebook- the last thing Hugo has from his father that holds the secrets to fixing the device his father died trying to fix for Hugo- the automaton. Hugo salvaged the automaton from the building where his father was killed, but without the notebook, he will never get the figure to work. When the old man sees Hugo's ability to fix the toy, he puts him to work fixing toys in the shop. By day Hugo works in the shop, but night he works on the automaton. It is a busy life, but Hugo just wants his notebook back. When the old man's goddaughter promises to get it back for him, he doesn't realize the secrets they will uncover together. There is more to the old man than Hugo ever realized, but then again, the old man didn't know Hugo was an orphan living in the train station either.

The beauty of this book, besides the pages and pages of beautiful illustrations, was the ability of those illustrations to tell huge parts of the story. An emergent reader must look at a book and be completely overwhelmed by all those words. Pages and pages of words. So what if half the story was told by a series of illustrations that wordlessly told a beautiful story of a sad boy who finds people who care about him? I love this book for many reasons, but the biggest reason is that I can just see a student who is just starting to read being able to successfully wade through this book in all its bulk (500+ pages) and know they have read a book. Imagine the pride that would come from that student?

So I have to say, I think Selznick is a genius. He created a book that is not only beautiful, but one that can appeal to even the most low-skilled students. I think it is an important book for any children's library or classroom, especially for students with learning disabilities. The illustrations can emote with little effort and will provide tons of material for discussions. You can have students write the dialogue or describe the illustrations as an activity. If a student is creative, you can have them illustrate the portions of the book that aren't already illustrated. The opportunities are limitless.

Once is too Often...

When I was in high school, I went to Germany on a school trip. In Germany, we went to Dachau, a concentration camp that has been turned into a memorial/museum. The emotions I felt at Dachau have never left me. The vast camp was completely silent except for the crunch of visitors' feet on the gravel. The pain within those gates was so strong, we couldn't even speak to one another. But more and more, I find my students are finding themselves disconnected from the Holocaust. Sure, they know the mass murder to millions of people is horrendous, but they really can't fathom the fear and agony felt by so many. We read books, we watch movies, but it is hard to grasp the same emotions I felt the moment I stepped foot into Dachau so many years ago. Therefore, as an educator, it becomes very hard to find quality books that will knock my students around emotionally the same way Night by Elie Wiesel did the first time I read it in high school. Once, by Morris Gleitzman knocked me around, and will certainly open the eyes of any jaded student.

It's 1942, and Felix has lived in a Polish Orphanage for 3 years and 8 months since his parents left him there. They are Jewish and owned a bookstore in town, but they made a deal with Mother Minka to hide Felix, but they told him they were just going to take care of some bookstore business and be back. They still haven't returned. So Felix passes the day writing stories about them saving people and being brave in the outside world. When Felix gets a whole carrot in his soup one day, he decides it is a sign from his parents that they are coming to get him. When Mother Minka sadly tells him it isn't a sign, he decides to leave the orphanage to find them. After watching a group of Nazis come to the orphanage and burn Jewish books, he is worried his parents' books are in danger, and he knows he has to go help.

On his way into town, Felix comes across a lot of puzzling situations. First, he tries to hitch a ride on a cattle truck that is full of people, but a soldier on top of the truck shoots at him. He assumes it must have been a mistake and actually feels bad for the soldier who must be upset he accidentally shot at a little kid. Then he goes to his parents' bookstore, but the books are all gone and a local Christian family is living in his house (and threaten to turn him in to the Nazis). Finally he happens upon a farmhouse in flames and discovers a mother and father shot (and all the chickens) and a young girl who is barely alive. He drags her away from the flames and the car coming back to the scene, saving her from whoever did this.

At first Zelda is upset, but then she is just plain difficult, arguing with everything Felix says. When they get caught by Nazi soldiers and taken to the ghetto, it is her determination not to lose Felix, though, that saves them both. When a Nazi soldier tries to separate them, a large Jewish man offers the soldier something in German and he allows the man to take the kids. Barney, the man, takes Felix and Zelda and hides them with the other children he has saved in the ghetto. It is hear that Felix begins to learn the truth about the Nazis and what they are really doing to the Jews. When the ghetto gets emptied, Barney and the kids have no choices but to be packed into the trains with the other Jews. You might think all was lost at this point, but at some point, Felix's luck has to change!

This was such a beautiful little book (150 pgs). I loved Felix so much I just wanted to gather him up and keep him safe. He is so sweet and innocent and just wants to protect his parents. His naivete about the Holocaust was so scary and endearing at the same time, it broke my heart. But something I think kids might relate to is the fact that he is just a kid. He does kid things like protect kids from bullies in the orphanage and make up wild, fanciful stories. Yet, at the same time, he is stuck in this time period that has been written about, talked about and filmed ever since it ended. I think kids can relate to his childish ideas and that alone makes this story more powerful than others. They can imagine how they might feel if they were in the same situation.

The story is very short and perfect for any middle school student, but its beauty lies within the multiple layers that can be pulled back for a wide age range of people. For a middle school student, this story might be a face-value story about a boy in the Holocaust, but for an older student, this can be a way to quickly examine the plagues of war, such as the loss of life and innocence. It gives them a chance to delve deeper into the consequences of war. This is quite simply a beautiful story and as sad as it made me to read it, it also made me hopeful for Felix and for the growth of the young people I work with each and every day.