Scat by Carl Hiaasen

This is the latest book from Carl Hiaasen, author of Hoot and Flush. It's another environmental, fun mystery with great characters who have to go through some difficult times to save a species of endangered wildlife, in this case, the Florida Panther. There are some bad guys (oil company executives), some good guys (the main character Nick, his best friend Marta), and some people who seem like bad guys that aren't (Mrs. Starch, the dreaded biology teacher; Smoke, the juvenile delinquent). If you liked Hiaasen's other books, you're sure to enjoy this one, too. Review by Stacy Church

Fiendish Deeds by P.J. Bracegirdle

This first book in The Joy of Spooking series introduces the very original and very strange character of Joy Wells. Wise beyond her twelve years, Joy enjoys dressing in the vintage clothes of dead people, sneaking into graveyards and other haunted places in the middle of the night, and reading scary stories, especially those written by the mysteriously vanished author E.A. Peugeot. Joy lives in a dying town called Spooking, but since there is no school she and her brother are forced to go to school in the neighboring city of Darlington, where they are taunted daily and called “Spookies.” Joy is angered when she learns that Darlington plans to build a water park over a bog in Spooking. She became interested in the bog after reading one of E.A. Peugeot’s stories, “The Bawl of the Bog Fiend.” She wonders, was Peugeot onto something? Is there really a bog fiend, and did it have something to do with Peugeot’s disappearance? I like the character of Joy – she’s funny, smart, and doesn’t care what people think of her. The writing style is humorous in a dry-wit kind of way, and the villain of the story is realistically creepy. However, I don’t know how it will do as a series. I enjoyed reading it, but the ending didn’t leave me dying to know what happens next. If you’re in the mood for an environmental mystery with quirky characters, then check out this book. Review by Katie Corrigan

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had by Kristin Levine

When I first started reading this book, I thought it was set in the 1950's, a time during which there was rampant racial discrimination, and which has been written about extensively, so I was surprised when I realized that the setting for the book is much earlier -- 1917. The author drew on her grandfather's experiences growing up in Moundville, Alabama, gleaned from pages typed by her grandmother and given to each of their grandchildren. In the book, 12-year-old Dit has been waiting for the new postmaster to arrive because he heard that the family has a son his age. Instead, when the train arrives, the first person off is a young African American girl, followed closely by her mother, then her father, who "was just as black as the rest of them." The town is aghast, and so is Dit, but not for the same reason. His dreams of having a new best friend to go fishing with, play baseball with, and go hunting with are ruined. This is the story of an unlikely friendship between a white boy and a black girl, both about two steps away from adolescence, during a time in history when relations between the races were anything but casual. Dit has a true, original voice, which you see from the very beginning of the book. "I've been wrong before. Oh, heck, if I'm being real honest, I've been wrong a lot. But I ain't never been so wrong as I was about Emma Walker. When she first came to town, I thought she was the worst piece of bad luck I'd had since falling in the outhouse on my birthday." Review by Stacy Church

Itch by Michelle D. Kwasney

This is one of those heartfelt, personal stories that leave you feeling sad when you've finished the book -- not because the ending is sad (it isn't) but because you won't get to read about the characters anymore. The main character, Delores (called Itch after a bad case of poison ivy), has lived with her grandparents since her mother ran off. When Gramps dies suddenly of a heart attack, Gram decides that she can't stand to live in Florida anymore, where everything reminds her of him, and she takes Itch with her to live in a trailer park in Ohio, to be close to their cousin Effie. Itch really misses Gramps, who gave her lots of advice, such as, "Life is like a recipe. If you got two basic ingredeients --one, somebody to care about, who cares about you in return, and, two, a place to call home, no matter how humble --you'll be good to go." Itch finds plenty of reason to think back on things her Gramps told her, when she sees signs that her new friend, Wendy, is being beaten by her mother. Of course, Itch has to decide which is most important: to try to help Wendy somehow, or to keep her secret. Itch is also crazy about words, and at the end of the book is a list of her favorite ones, which includes enigma, persnickety, and talisman. Review by Stacy Church

One Small Step by P.B. Kerr

It's 1969 and 13-year-old Scott is living a normal life, except for the fact that his dad is a flight instructor for the Air Force, and has started letting Scott take control when they're up in the air - completely against Air Force regulations. When there's an accident and Scott's dad is knocked unconscious, Scott does such an amazing job flying and landing the plane that NASA comes to his house and tries to recruit him for the next test flight to the moon. It sound far-fetched when you outline the plot, but it's so well written that it seems believable while you're reading it. One of the many problems is that Scott's mother is completely opposed to his flying at all, and they have to concoct a cover story for her and for his school. There's lots of technical information about flying and space flight to satisfy those of you who are interested in that kind of thing, but not too much for those of us who aren't so interested. There are some pretty funny parts, like when they ask their astronaut instructor how they deal with "waste management" in space. This is definitely a good read. Review by Stacy Church

The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman

Global warming has caused the polar ice caps to melt and sea levels to rise; consequently, much of the Earth’s land has disappeared, leaving only high-lying islands. A corporation run by a woman known as Earth Mother now rules all of the islands. Honor and her family have moved to Island 365, and from the outset it looks like they’ll have a hard time fitting in. First of all, Honor’s name is all wrong. Everyone born in her year has a name that begins with H, but Honor’s name has a silent H and is therefore all wrong. Honor’s family also sings songs (forbidden), stays out past curfew (a serious offense), and worst of all, has a second child. Honor grows more and more embarrassed by her family’s disrespect of the rules, but her embarrassment turns to concern when she finds out what happens to people who do not fit in. This book is similar to other futuristic children’s books, like the City of Ember books and the Shadow Children series. If you liked those books then you’ll probably like this one; however, it’s not a standout. I liked how some of Earth Mother’s rules were similar to the rules of the former Chinese ruler Mao Zedong, like how all people had to hang a picture of her in their house and have a book of her sayings. It is truly frightening how Earth Mother and the people who work for her are able to control the population. Review by Katie Corrigan

Piggy by Mireille Geus

This is a very disturbing book. It's the story of a girl who is content to lean against a lamppost and watch the neighborhood boys play ball in the street, until one day, on the opposite side of the street, there's another girl leaning against a lamppost, watching the kids, just like she is doing. The story pretty much goes downhill from there. The first girl, Lizzie (who calls herself Dizzy because of the dizzy spells she suffers), tells the story, and it's somewhat disjointed as it jumps back and forth in time between the aftermath of the terrible thing that happened, and the story she is telling to a nice policewoman about the terrible thing that happened, and the time when the terrible thing actually happened. See what I mean? Lizzie tells the story firsthand, but I'm not sure I really got a sense of her as a round, complete character. She is very detached, but I guess that is the point, and the bully character, Piggy, is very emotional. There is a strong sense of foreboding throughout the book, but little explanation of what is actually different about Lizzie. This is a quick read, but it will be a while before I stop thinking about it. Review by Stacy Church

My So-Called Family by Courtney Sheinmel

I really enjoyed this book. It deals with an unusual topic: having a father who is just a sperm donor. Leah told everyone that her father lived in Europe until she was in the fourth grade and her mother told a new friend the truth about her parentage, and the friend told her daughter, who was a friend of Leah's. That's when she gained the nickname "Science Experiment." So when her mother and stepfather tell her that they're moving to a new city to live, Leah realizes it's the perfect opportunity for a fresh start. The new school is good, she makes friends right away, and her new friends even like having her little brother, Charlie, around. Leah is an interesting character, because even though she seems so independent, her desire for people to like her and not find out the truth about her background makes her willing to go along with her friends plans even when it gets her in big trouble with her parents. She also finds herself drawn to a website she discovered: Lyon's Sibling Registry. It's a website that connects the children of sperm donors from the Lyon's Sperm Bank. She uses her mom's credit card to join, and learns about a girl who has the same father. In secret, Leah becomes friends with her and even goes to visit her without her parents knowing. I'm not sure how believable the story is, but it doesn't really matter. I like the resolution: Leah finds out that her parents and her new friends are a lot more accepting and understanding than she thought they would be. Review by Stacy Church

How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found by Sara Nickerson

Sixth-grader Margaret's life has gone downhill since her father's death. Her mother spends entire days lying on the couch in front of the TV, her younger sister is obsessed with "The Hardest Jigsaw Ever Made," which she takes with her everywhere, and their "Family Fun Day" involves going to the laundramat and the grocery store. So the girls know something is up when their mother loads them into their pick-up truck one Sunday, drives them a long way to a broken-down mansion at the end of a lonely road, and then plants a "For Sale" sign on the lawn. Boyd lives next door to the mansion and is obsessed with a series of hand-drawn comic books by an author named Ratt. He finds the comics at the local library which isn't really a library at all: there's no catalog, all the books are hand-written, and there are no patrons except for Boyd, who comes every day to get the latest Ratt comic, which will have shown up on the doorstep during the night. This is one of only two books that I know of that incorporate graphic novel sections into the text. The other is The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, published in 2007. Margaret goes into the mansion when her mother isn't paying attention, and finds an unopened package addressed to her mother. It's marked Return to Sender, and Margaret takes it. When she opens it later, she finds a comic book, a swimming medal and a key to the old house. Margaret's father drowned, so when she finds out the championship swimming medal was his, she knows she has to find out what really happened to him. How could he have drowned if he was a championship swimmer? There are other mysteries, too. Who is in the old mansion and what is he trying to tell Boyd and Margaret? Is he trying to kill them or help them? He chases them out of the house, along with some growling, hairy monster they never really catch sight of, but he also leaves them pages from comics that chronicle whatever has just happened or is about to happen. This is a creepy mystery with lots of suspense. For more about this book, visit http://westwoodyoungadultbookclub.blogspot.com/ Review by Stacy Church

Well Witched by Frances Hardinge

If you like your creepy books with a dose of reality, then this book is for you! Ryan, Josh and Chelle are hanging out in town one summer day, when they realize that they don’t have enough money to catch the bus home. Josh, the unspoken leader of the group, comes up with the idea of taking the money from a nearby wishing well. Big mistake. Over the next few days, strange changes happen to them – electrical devices go haywire around Josh, Chelle starts spouting out thoughts and words that aren’t her own, and Ryan develops warts on his hands that have…eyelashes. Soon they discover why these changes are happening, and how it’s connected to the money they stole from the well and the spirit that lives there. This is an original paranormal story that pulls you in right from the start. What I like best about Well Witched are the characters, and their growth throughout the book. The author really understands what it’s like among three kids that are friends - how Ryan and Chelle always feel a little odd together when Josh isn’t around, and how the person with more confidence than the others is the unspoken leader. But the dynamics of the kids’ relationship takes a twisty and unexpected turn by the end of the story. The book also addresses family conflict, abuse of power, and if we really want what we wish for. Review by Katie Corrigan

Triskellion by Will Peterson

This is the best fantasy book I have read in quite a while, and I'm so happy that it's the first volume of a trilogy! The second book is due out in May: Triskellion 2, The Burning. Twins Rachel and Alex are being sent to spend the summer with their grandmother in England, who they've barely met before. Their parents are going through a horrible, messy divorce, and their mother wants them to be out of the way for a while. They travel alone for the first time, and as soon as they arrive in the village of Triskellion they know something strange is up. There's no one around, and then when they do meet someone, it's a pair of brothers who beat Alex up! Things don't improve much -- they go exploring in the woods, climb up into a tree fort and witness the savage beating of the brothers who tormented Alex, seemingly as payback for their bad behavior. The men doing the beating are dressed up in strange costumes with blackened faces! The story seems to revolve around a chalk diagram in a field in the shape of a triskellion, or three-pointed blade. There are a number of evil-seeming characters who do their best to make the twins feel unwelcome, clearly warning them off about something. They are befriended by a strange boy named Gabriel, who can join the twins in their telepathic communications with each other, and he seems to be hated or feared by the people in the town. There's plenty of mystery, intrigue, fighting, and attempted murder (the twins' friend, the beekeeper, is locked in his shed by the band of Green Men, and the shed set on fire!). There are a lot of references to folk lore and mythology, which you can research if you want to, but the story makes sense (well sort of) anyway. I'm glad there will be a sequel, not only so that I can read more of their adventure, but also hopefully some of the more vague parts of the story will become clearer. Review by Stacy Church

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt

I feel that I should like this book – the reviews have been great, and it won a Newbery honor and a National Book Award. But I quite frankly did not like this book. First of all, the cover is very deceiving. Looking at the illustration of the sad-eyed hound dog and his two kitten companions, you’d think it would be the cute story of an unlikely animal family. While that is part of the story, the rest of the story is dark and depressing. The pregnant calico cat has been abandoned, driven out to the woods and left there by her owners. She finds the dog, Ranger, chained to the porch of a run down house. Ranger’s owner physically and emotionally abuses him, as he himself was abused as a child. There’s also a subplot about a thousand year old snake trapped in a jar that I’m just not even going to get into. The book jacket states that this is a “tale about the power of love.” More like a tale about child and animal abuse, abandonment, alcoholism, deceit and death. Most of the reviews praise the authors writing style, but I found it repetitive and boring. I felt impatient while I was reading it, like I was just waiting for it to be over. Perhaps children who like sad animal stories will like this tale, although it’s certainly not one that I would recommend. I think that the main audience for this book is adults who are interested in children’s literature. In fact, I did not find one review that was written by a child or young adult, which I think is telling. Review by Katie Corrigan

Beowulf by Stefan Petrucha with artwork by Kody Chamberlain

Beowulf is the first epic work written in English. It was written more than 1,000 years ago in verse, but in this retelling the text is in modern English. What makes Beowulf an epic poem is that "the main character is a hero who travels great distances to prove his strength at impossible odds against supernatural demons and beasts" (Wikipedia). In this case, Beowulf must defeat the monster Grendel, who has been terrifying the land for more than a dozen years. Not only that, if he succeeds in defeating Grendel, he has to face Grendel's mother, an even more terrible monster. I love the artwork in this version. It's beautiful and dark, but make no mistake about it, it is a bloody story. Even though the story is told in modern prose, the words retain the sense of poetry of other versions. For another graphic novel version of Beowulf, older readers should check out Gareth Hinds's version in the Young Adult dept. Review by Stacy Church

Bringing the Boy Home by N.A. Nelson

The cover was the first thing that made me want to read this book, with the scary-looking yellow eyes of a crocodile staring out at me (I later discovered that this crocodile is actually called a caiman, which is just as terrifying and dangerous), but it was the story that kept me reading. This book is about 2 boys from seemingly different worlds who have something magical in common. Luka has never been out of his hidden rain forest village and has suffered the humiliation of not completing his soche seche tente, a test of manhood. Tirio, with his disabled foot, was sent out of his hidden rain forest village in a death canoe when he was just a small boy -just a small boy alone to face the terrible caimans and other jungle predators! But Tirio is lucky; he is found by an American scientist named Sara, who has taken Tirio to live with her in California. As each boy nears his 13th birthday, their lives begin to magically and mysteriously change and collide. Review by Loretta Eysie

A River of Words by Jennifer Bryant

Yes, I know, some people will say this is a picture book and so doesn't belong on this blog, but it's a wonderful book, and it's about one of my favorite poets, William Carlos Williams. The book was just named a 2009 Caldecott Honors book for Melissa Sweet's collage-style artwork, which incorporates the text of many of Williams's poems. I have always thought Williams's poetry is well suited for children (check out the Poetry for Young People series book William Carlos Williams) and this book is sure to provoke new interest in his work. I never knew that he was a doctor! His poetry is so appealing, I just assumed that he was a full-time poet. It's certainly inspiring to learn that someone can be so accomplished as a writer when it's not even their full-time job. It's also funny to read about such a distinguished poet being called "Willy!" This book clearly satisfies the Caldecott requirement of being "distinguished." In the back of the book are a timeline of Williams's life, publications, and world events, and also notes by the Author and Illustrator which let the readers in on how the book came about. Review by Stacy Church

Savvy by Ingrid Law

What is a savvy anyway? In Mibs’ family, a savvy is a special gift you get when you turn 13, and Mibs will be 13 soon. It isn’t a gift like a computer, or a bicycle or a cell phone; it is more like a gift you should get when you live in the middle of nowhere, away from water and electricity and people. Mibs is really looking forward to her birthday to find out what her savvy will be, but she is a bit frightened too. She has good reason for fear -- her brother Rocket’s savvy has to do with electricity, and her brother Fish’s savvy can cause hurricanes, and they can both cause destruction. But before Mibs’ birthday arrives, a terrible truck accident leaves her papa unconscious and in critical condition in a hospital far from home. When Mibs finally discovers her savvy, she knows that she must get to that hospital and use her abilities to save her father. Review by Loretta Eysie

Cyberia by Chris Lynch

Just like most kids, Zane is sick of being watched, listened to, traced, and monitored, but in this story set in a future world, his room even knows when he will need to use the bathroom! With all that technology in his life, Zane is not thrilled when he gets a super new gizmo from his dad called a Gizzard. His dad thinks that this gift is the best ever and that it will let them talk to each other just by thinking about it! Zack is speechless at this news, but his dad will be speechless when he finds out what chaos this device will cause -- it enables Zack to talk to animals - and the animals aren’t happy! Review by Loretta Eysie

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I loved this book! I thought from the title that the book would be spooky and creepy, but it's far from it. That being said, the book does begin with the murder of a family, and the only survivor is a baby who crawls out of the house after the murder and wanders into a graveyard. The ghosts in the graveyard decide to raise the boy, and they name him Nobody Owens. While "Bod" is growing up, his family and teachers are ghosts from different time periods who have great, quirky personalities. Throughout the book the mystery remains of who killed Bod's real parents, and the murderer is out there looking for Bod. Review by Joyce Levine.

This book was recently awarded this year's Newbery Medal.

Emperors of the Ice by Richard Farr

So you think this winter has been cold and snowy? Try sleeping out in a tent in -77º F temperatures, which is what Apsley Cherry-Garrard did on his trip to Antartica in 1910. At only 23 years old, Cherry was chosen to join Captain Robert F. Scott’s expedition to Antartica to carry out scientific experiments, and hopefully plant the British flag at the South Pole. He was given the title of assistant zoologist, and one of his missions was to collect the eggs of the emperor penguin for study. During the entire three year expedition, Cherry and the rest of Scott’s men experienced a fierce storm that almost capsized their ship, painful frostbite, killer whale attacks, plunges into crevasses the size of cathedrals and, tragically, the deaths of five of the men. This is a true story, but since the author writes in the first person using Cherry’s voice, it is actually a work of fiction. The author researched for the book by reading Cherry’s first person account of the expedition titled The Worst Journey in the World, and also many of the personal diaries that the other men kept. So even though this book is fiction, it reads like a non-fiction book, complete with amazing photographs and footnotes. If you like exciting adventure and survival stories, this is the book for you. Review by Katie Corrigan

Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls

The book is made up of a mixture of lists, questions, drawings and journal entries written by 11-year-old Sam who is dying of leukemia. Sam has already lived through 2 bouts of leukemia, and now that the disease has come back, he doesn't want to go through any more treatments. His friend Felix, who is also terminally ill, goes to school at home with Sam 3 days a week. They are taught by an unflappable tutor, Mrs. Willis, who tolerates Felix's avoidance of work (and keeps him interested by doing experiments where things get blown up), and encourages Sam in his quest to find the answers to his questions, both about life, and about death (Questions Nobody Answers No. 8 Will the world still be there when I am gone?). Mrs. Willis tries to get the boys to write journals, and Sam takes the assignment to heart, using the journal to record not only what's going on with him personally, but also information on topics that he is researching, like what rituals other cultures perform when someone dies. One of the lists is of things Sam wants to do before he dies, and of course, one list is "Ways to Live Forever." The book manages to be quite funny (the conversations between Sam and Felix are great) and even though it's sad, it never made me cry. I think part of why it wasn't so hard to read is that you know from the beginning what is going to happen. Felix insists that Sam include a place in his journal to be filled out after he has died:

"1. Sam's death was:

a. Peaceful.

b. Horrible and agonizingly painful.

c. Kind of in the middle.

d. We don't know --we were at the chip shop.

e. Other; please specify."

Review by Stacy Church

Knucklehead: Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories about Growing Up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka

This is a hilarious autobiography that follows in the footsteps of some other wonderful quirky memoirs, like Oddballs by William Sleator, and Gary Paulsen's Guts: The True Stories behind Hatchet and the Brian Books and also How Angel Peterson Got His Name. The book is full of pictures of the Scieszka family -- five boys, Dad (a school principal), and Mom (a nurse). Having grown up in the fifites, the context of a lot of the stories was very familiar to me, although my brother and I never got up to quite the sort of hijinks that Jon and his brothers did. It's a good thing their mom was a nurse, because they needed a fair amount of patching up. Each chapter is only a few pages long and each chapter retells some wild story, which often resulted in damage to property or one of the brothers themselves. There's also a quite funny story about learning to read from the Dick and Jane books, the same ones we used in my first grade class. Jon couldn't understand why the people in the book talked funny, "Look. Look. See the dog. That is a dog," and also why they were always neat and didn't engage in the kind of activities his family did --wrestling, tree-climbing, bike-smashing. I highly recommend this book, and if you like it, definitely try the Sleator and Paulsen books. Review by Stacy Church

One False Note: The 39 Clues, Book 2 by Gordon Korman

In Book 2 of the 39 Clues series, Amy and Dan's adventure takes them to Austria, the birthplace of Mozart. As in the first book, it is a race to find the clues before their crazy and aggressive relatives, but sometimes they're not so lucky, and things get dangerous. Amy and Dan are clever, and their resourcefulness gets them out of a few sticky situations. They're accompanied by their babysitter, Nellie, whose knowledge of languages and gutsy personality prove to be a great help. I enjoyed this book, and look forward to book 3, which is due out in March. Review by Joyce Levine

Nightmare at the Book Fair by Dan Gutman

Trip Dinkleman just wants to make it to lacrosse tryouts on time, so he isn't thrilled when a PTA mom asks him to help her move some boxes of books for the book fair. When a book hits him on the head while he's reaching for a box on a high shelf, it's just the beginning of Trip's adventures through time and space. He wakes up and finds himself in what turns out to be only the first of many weird places. Trip isn't sure whether what's happening is real or just a crazy dream, but whatever it is, it isn't long before he's ready to go home! Review by Joyce Levine

Hurricane by Terry Trueman

This book is a fictional accounting of the devestation caused to one small town in Honduras in 1998 by Hurricane Mitch. Jose wakes up the morning after a terrible storm to find that every house in his village, except his own and one other, is gone, completely buried under mud. His father, sister, and older brother were away from home when the storm struck and haven't returned, and his dog ran off during the storm. 13-year-old Jose has to overcome his own fears and help find food, dig up dead bodies, and finally go on a journey to find medical help for his younger brother. I love the way the book conveys how unreal it must have seemed for Jose to wake up and find his whole village gone. The people who are left really pull together to make the best of things, and Jose's knowledge of English makes him an important helper for the military who finally come to help. The author, who has written some of my favorite young adult books, including Stuck in Neutral, adds a note at the end of the book detailing the effects of the hurricane on Honduras. Review by Stacy Church

Little Audrey by Ruth White

Five things you should know about this book:

1. The Audrey of the title is the author Ruth White’s older sister. The book is told from her point-of-view when she was 11 years old in 1948.

2. The story takes place in a coal mining camp in Virginia. Audrey lives there with her parents and three sisters. Audrey had four sisters, but baby Betty Gail died when she was only seven months old.

3. There is no running water in their house. Oftentimes they don’t have enough to eat because their father spends his paycheck on alcohol. It’s not uncommon for him to be gone all weekend on a drinking binge.

4. From pg. 99: “I think of Daddy walking to work in the rain…Crawling around the dark with his carbide lantern strapped to his helmet. Digging coal out of the bitter black earth all day long…And this great rush of pity nearabout swallows me. Oh, Daddy, I’m so sorry you have to work in that place, in the dark, in the cold. I wisht I could go to you and hug your neck, and tell you how much I love you.”

5. When I finished this book, I put it down. I thought about it for a little bit. And then I cried for really a long time.

Review by Katie Corrigan

Schooled by Gordon Korman

Schooled by Gordon Korman is a fascinating story that touches on several themes, including bullying and staying true to your beliefs. I enjoyed reading about the main character’s transformation from a socially clueless hippie to a well-liked middle schooler because he succeeds at making friends without changing his own values. Capricorn Anderson is a 14-year-old boy who has been raised by his grandmother, Rain, on a farm commune. She home schools him and has sheltered him from the outside world. Cap has never used money, watched TV, had friends or gone shopping. When Rain falls and is hospitalized, Cap is sent to live with a social worker and her teenage daughter who hates him. He must attend a local middle school and figure out how to manage in this new, unfamiliar, unkind world. Other students try to make his life miserable in many creative ways, and Cap’s way of handling the middle school culture and politics is impressive. The story is at times funny and touching, and sometimes frustrating. The ending started to feel a little corny and unrealistic, but I still highly recommend this book. It will most likely appeal to kids who are entering or are already in middle school. Most everyone can relate to the pressures of wanting to fit in, and the difficulties that go along with it, and everyone can learn a valuable lesson from Cap Anderson! Review by Hildi Arnold. For another review of Schooled, see February 14, 2008

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass

A total eclipse of the sun is a rare occurrence, and when it does happen, it has to be seen from a very special place to get the full effect of the phenomenon. In Every Soul a Star, the special place to see the total eclipse is the Moon Shadow Campground, in the Middle of America, in the middle of nowhere. Of the thousands of people traveling toward the Moon Shadow Campground to view the event, there are three young teens whose universes are about to change as dramatically as the sky! First there is Ally. She loves her life at the campground. With her parents and younger brother Kenny, they have built a wonderful world full of astronomy, adventure and Unusuals. Next there is Bree. Bree loves her life full of make-up, popularity, fashion and cliques. She hates the idea of camping and hates her parents even more for making her move permanently to the campground, just so they can do research. Lastly there is Jack. Jack always says that “his father has no head!” Jack lives with his mom, SD3 (stepdad 3) and older brother, Mike. Jack hates his life. He has friend problems, weight problems and lots of school problems. When he gets the unusual opportunity to travel to the Moon Shadow Campground for the eclipse with a group led by his science teacher (the other option is to go to summer school), Jack reluctantly agrees to join the expedition. Ally, Bree and Jack are nothing alike and could never be friends…or could they? Review by Loretta Eysie

Masterpiece by Elise Broach

I picked up this book because I had just finished Elise Broach’s other book, Shakespeare’s Secret, and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed this book just as much, if not more, although it’s quite different from Shakespeare’s Secret. This story is about Marvin, a beetle who lives in the apartment of a boy named James in New York City. James is a quiet boy, kind of overwhelmed by his career-driven mother and step-father, and his artist father. Marvin is an adventurous beetle, who loves to explore James’ apartment and swim in his pool, a bottle cap filled with water. One day while exploring, he discovers a pen-and-ink set in James' room. He dips his front legs in the open ink, and starts to draw the scene that he sees out the window. The picture Marvin creates is beautiful, but James’ family thinks that he was the one who drew it. James discovers Marvin’s talent, and they even figure out how to communicate with each other. Their friendship grows as they become involved with helping to solve an art theft at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and during the adventure they both learn the value of honesty.

This is an adorable book. The friendship between James and Marvin is one of the most touching ones I’ve ever read about. Kelly Murphy’s illustrations of Marvin and the pictures he creates are one of my favorite parts of this book. If you like mysteries about art like Chasing Vermeer and the sequels, or books about animals, you’ll love Masterpiece! Review by Katie Corrigan

Maze of Bones ( The 39 Clues Series #1) by Rick Riordan

Maze of Bones is the first in a series of 10 books, complete with cards and an online game where players can win prizes. The story begins with the reading of Grace Cahill's will. She gives her beneficiaries 2 choices: either take the first of 39 clues that will lead to the source of the Cahill family's power, or take one million dollars and walk away. Most of Grace's unusual family accept the challenge. The family is made up of several strong personalities from around the world, as well as the 2 main characters, Dan and Amy, who seem to be the only ones who really loved their grandmother and spent any time with her. The other relatives seem to think Grace disclosed some secrets to Amy and Dan, and so, they either want to kill them, or follow them as they search out clues. The book is fast-paced, and filled with history and puzzles. The second book, by Gordon Korman, is due out December 2. Review by Joyce Levine

The Leanin' Dog by K.A. Nuzum

Fear keeps Dessa Dean tied to her home, a cabin in the snowy woods. It is 4 days before Christmas and she tries very hard to step off her front porch to meet her father who is coming home from a day of hunting and trapping. She wants to welcome him home and show him that she is ok now, but she is not ok. Try as she might, Dessa Dean's legs don't obey her any more. With an iron will she can make it to the edge of the porch, but no further. If she manages to kick one foot over the edge, her frostbitten ears begin to ache again, filling her from head to toe with the dreaded "losing-Mama ache." In the next moment, the world starts to spin and it comes crashing in on her. With a scream, she bolts and runs back into the safety of the cabin. It is always the same, day after day. Dessa Dean is so ashamed of herself for breaking down in front of her father. He just looks at her, not saying a word. How she longs for a smile on his face, a proud look, or a kind word.

One afternoon there is a scratching at the door. At first Dessa Dean is scared, then she is curious. She pushes against the door, which seems stuck. Finally she pushes it open and trips and falls on top of an injured dog. Her joy of meeting a dog in these snowy woodlands is short-lived --the dog takes off and hobbles out of sight. With all her heart, Dessa Dean tries many different ways to encourage the dog to come back: leaving the door to the cabin open, cooking some meat and placing it on the porch, and calling to the dog again and again. Several times she tries to get off the porch to follow the dog's footprints, but each time it is the same: her frostbitten ears begin the "aching process," which culminates in the world spinning and caving in on her.

The dog, however, does come back, and Dessa Dean starts an elaborate and creative taming and training program. Initially her father is upset about the arrival of the dog and having another mouth to feed during these lean winter days, but then he realizes that the injured dog is a blessing for Dessa Dean. They each need healing, and they find a way to help each other. The Leanin' Dog draws to a close on Christmas Day, with a beautiful description of an outdoor celebration where gifts are freely given and gratefully received. The newly formed family --a father, a daughter and a dog --is ready to begin a new life together.

This is a beautifully written story of a young girl growing up alone in a cabin surrounded by snowy woods. Her father expects her to take care of herself and the cabin as he tries to find food for them by hunting and trapping. He can't help her deal with the loss of her mother. When "Leanin' Dog" arrives, she is the one who can reach Dessa Dean's heart and help her heal again. Review by Trudy Walsh

I Wanna Be Your Shoebox by Cristina Garcia

I had a little trouble at first with the format of this book --the chapters telling Yumi's present day story are interspersed with her grandfather Saul's narrative telling the story of his life. Saul is dying of cancer, and Yumi has asked him to tell her all about his past, something he has never talked much about before. His voice is so different from Yumi's that I found it a little jarring at first. Yumi comes from a mixed race background: her mother is Cuban, her father's parents are Japanese and Jewish, and that makes for a pretty interesting mix! Her parents are divorced and she divides her time between both of their houses, and her grandparents Saul and Hiroko's. At the beginning of the book, Yumi is pretty happy, but her happiness is soon threatened by Saul's diagnosis of cancer, and the news that her school can no longer fund the orchestra in which Yumi plays the clarinet. She takes music very seriously and the prospect of having no orchestra is devastating. Yumi is resourceful though: she convinces the rest of the kids in the orchestra that they can raise enough money to fund the rest of the year by giving a concert of punk music. There's tension in the book also because Yumi's mother has a boyfriend that Yumi doesn't like (of course Yumi eventually realizes that he's not such a bad guy) and there's a boy that Yumi thinks she likes (although she changes her mind by the end). I love a book with a good, triumphant ending, and I Wanna Be Your Shoebox certainly has one. Review by Stacy Church

How It Was with Dooms: A True Story from Africa by Xan Hopcraft and Carol Cawthra Hopcraft

This is the most amazing book! If you are an animal lover and have ever wished you could live with wild animals, you have to read this. The book is told first person by Xan, who wasn't born yet when Dooms came to his parent's ranch in Kenya as a 3 or 4- week-old orphaned cheetah. The book is full of amazing pictures taken by Xan's mother. In fact, I love looking at the pictures so much that I'm going to buy a copy for myself. There has been some criticism of the book as glorifying the idea of keeping a wild animal as a pet, but I did some research and found an article giving the background of the book and an interview with Carol Hopcraft. Xan's father is a second-generation Kenyan who, with his wife Carol, owns a ranch where he researches and teaches sustainable farming. It's not really accurate to call Dooms a pet, because he was allowed to come and go as he liked; it's just that he never left. The book tells a beautiful and moving story of an unlikely friendship. I kept wondering how a parent could ever trust a wild animal so completely as to let their infant climb over its tail, or to lie back resting on it like I did with our dogs when I was growing up. The end is sad, of course, but it's what always has to happen when we love an animal that doesn't live as long as we do, and in the story it's handled beautifully. Review by Stacy Church

Stravaganza: City of Secrets by Mary Hoffman

I was so excited to see that the fourth book in the Stravaganza series had arrived! I loved the first two books, and liked the third one. It's one of my favorite fantasy series --it's everything I love in a good fantasy: two parallel worlds and characters that travel back and forth between them, living totally separate lives in each one; great characters; and a complicated but understandable plot which reads like historical fiction even though it's clearly fantasy. I don't know what's up with this fourth book, but I can't get through it! I've read half and I've pretty much decided not to finish it, but the thing that has me confused is that other reviewers are loving it. To me, it's poorly written, and the author has to spend so much time making sure the readers understand the complicated plot history of the other 3 books that she can't seem to develop the characters or the new plot. Review by Stacy Church

An Apology

Please accept our apologies that it has been so long since our last book review post. We've been doing a lot of work on our blogs and on creating new blogs, and in the process have neglected the posting! We promise to do better.

Diamond Willow by Helen Frost

Two things attracted me to this book: its title and its cover. Diamond Willow --what kind of willow could that be? I imagined a sparkling willow tree. The author explains that Diamond Willow is no special type of willow tree. The diamonds appear on willow branches when the bark is stripped away. The diamonds form on the areas where a branch has been injured or fallen off. The dark center in each diamond is the scar of the missing branch. These beautiful, natural willow diamonds with their dark centers inspired Helen Frost to write her book in the form of diamond-shaped poems, with a hidden message printed in darker ink at the center of each one.

As for the intriguing cover art, we see mysterious blues swirling around the profiles of a young person and either a wolf or a dog. The human and the animal are facing each other, smiling, and looking intensely into each other's eyes. They are drawn to each other, forming a strong bond. I wanted to find out more about their relationship and what drew them together.

This is the story of 12-year-old Willow, who grows up in Alaska. She begs her parents to let her take the dog team to visit her grandparents. Finally the parents decide that Willow is old enough to manage the sled dogs by herself. Willow takes off enthusiastically with the dogs. In her exuberance, she races the dogs and lets them fly across the arctic landscape. But then she makes a mistake, and disaster strikes. Her favorite dog is badly injured. How Willow shows great strength and fortitude in fighting for her dog's life is beautifully told in diamond-shaped poetry. Willow also grows into her Athabascan heritage by becoming aware of and honoring the spirit world that surrounds her. Review by Trudy Walsh

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale

I love re-tellings of fairy tales, and when I saw the cover of this graphic novel, I had to read it - what could be better than a braid-whipping Rapunzel decked out like a cowgirl? The story begins with Rapunzel living in a beautiful villa with the woman she always thought was her mother. The villa is surrounded by a towering wall, and Rapunzel has never seen what is on the other side. Her only companions are the guards of the villa, who befriend her and entertain her by teaching her how to throw a lasso. On her twelfth birthday, she decides she must see what’s on the other side, and uses her lasso trick to get over the wall. What follows are the events that lead to her finding out the truth about her mother, and seeking out her revenge. Shannon Hale, the author of Princess Academy and The Book of a Thousand Days, created this graphic novel with her husband Dean, with illustrations by Nathan Hale (no relation). Hale is known for having strong female protagonists in her stories, and this Rapunzel does not disappoint. I’m praying that Hale writes more graphic novel fairy tale re-tellings, because this one is a gem! Review by Katie Corrigan

Brian's Hunt by Gary Paulsen

Since I'm a big Gary Paulsen fan, (I really enjoyed Hatchett), I was happy to come across another story about Brian in the wilderness. This one didn't disappoint. Brian is a great character who battles whatever nature throws his way. In this book he finds a wounded dog, which, using his natural instincts, he nurses back to health with only his limited supplies. Together Brian and the dog wage a really battle against nature. Review by Joyce Levine

Lost and Found by Andrew Clements

Ray and Jay are identical twins. Their family has moved many times, but since the twins are "best friends" moving around doesn't bother them much. They like to play the usual twin tricks on people who can't tell them apart. When Jay enters sixth grade at another new school, he starts to wonder what life would be like as a single person instead of a twin. By coincidence, there is no student folder for his brother, Ray, who has stayed at home sick. Jay does not mention his twin brother at homeroom when attendance is taken. He enjoys the day just being himself, talking to some of the boys and smiling at a beautiful girl. On his way home from school, Jay hatches a plan. Will Ray go along with it? How Jay and Ray scheme and plot to take turns going to school and to appear as a single person is very funny and entertaining. Review by Trudy Walsh

The Buddha's Diamonds by Carolyn Marsden & Thay Phap Niem

Tinh, a young Vietnamese boy, knows that he is finally old enough to help his father support the family. He is honored and proud when his father invites him to go fishing every day in their new golden bamboo boat. It is hard work but Tinh seldom thinks of the playmates he's left behind. He wants to become as good a fisherman as his father. One day, when a storm approaches, Tinh is given the task of securing the family boat. Tinh is not very big -- he struggles with all his might to pull their boat to safety. Then, with a roar, a powerful tsunami-like wave rolls toward the beach. Tinh panics and runs for his life. When the floodwaters recede, the destruction and devestation left behind are enormous. The family boat is buried under tons of sand and Tinh struggles with the guilt of having let his family down. Will his father ever trust him again? This is the story of young Tinh growing up in Vietnam after the war, taking responsibility for his action and trying hard to prove to himself and his family that he is a man. The Buddha's "diamonds" are not the ordinary, earthly crystals and gemstones we know by that name. You can discover a new kind of "diamonds" by reading this special book. Review by Trudy Walsh

Dovey Coe by Frances O'Roark Dowell

This book has one of the best beginnings I've ever read in a book: "My name is Dovey Coe and I reckon it don't matter if you like me or not. I'm here to lay the record straight, to let you know them folks saying I done a terrible thing are liars. I aim to prove it, too. I hated Parnell Caraway as much as the next person, but I didn't kill him." Wow. I don't usually like books written in dialect, but Dovey Coe's character is so strong and true to life that I forgot all about it. The story begins with Dovey Coe already accused of murder. She just has to fill the reader in on the back story. It's 1928 and the Coe family lives in the mountains of North Carolina, in the small town of Indian Creek. They own their own land, and they are one of the only families in town who aren't beholden to the richest family in town, the Caraways. At the begining of the book, Dovey sees everything in black and white, sees herself as the protector of her older brother Amos, who is deaf. But in the end she learns that things aren't so clear cut, and maybe she needs Amos more than he needs her. Her older sister Caroline has long planned to escape small town life by going to college and becoming a teacher. Parnell is determined to get her to stay and marry him instead. Exactly how things go from there to Dovey Coe regaining consciousness and finding herself alone with Parnell's dead body is a masterful feat of storytelling on the author's part. Some of the best scenes in the book come in the courtroom, where Dovey has to trust her fate to a city lawyer, who she says, "...could string words together and make them shine like lights around a Christmas tree." Even though you think you know where the story is headed, the ending is shocking. This is one of my favorite books of all time. Review by Stacy Church

Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell

I was hooked on this book from the very first sentence, "The day after my brother left for Vietnam, me and Private Hollister played thirty-seven hands of gin rummy, and I won twenty-one." Jamie Dexter is a card shark, and an army brat. She and her brother TJ grew up in the army. Their father, who they call the Colonel, liked to say, "The army way is the right way," and they believed it. Jamie tells her own story, and she lets you know right off the bat how confident she is, but you can hear a hint of how much she will come to learn during the course of the story. "I was six months away from turning thirteen and I thought I knew everything." I read this book in one sitting, and I was continually amazed by how wonderful the writing is. For instance: "We were stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, a flat piece of real estate that threatened to burst into flames every afternoon from June through September." It's the summer of 1969, and TJ enlists in the Medical Corps instead of going to college like his family had planned. Jamie doesn't understand why her father isn't happy --she and TJ have always believed that going to war is the greatest thing possible. She thinks it must be her mother who is putting pressure on the Colonel to get TJ to stay home. She asks TJ to write her letters, but instead he sends her rolls of black and white film, and tells her to develop it herself at the rec center. Jamie started volunteering at the rec center just before her brother left, and has struck up a friendship with Private Hollister. He introduces her to another soldier who teaches her how to work in the darkroom. At first, TJ's pictures are of the landscape and some of the nurses he works with. But with each roll of film he sends her, the images become more disturbing, and she is reluctant to develop them. He also shoots pictures of the moon, his favorite subject. Things come to a head when Jamie finds out that her friend Private Hollister may be sent to Vietnam, where his brother was already killed. This story is about the war in Vietnam, but mostly it's about a family and a girl growing up in a difficult time. Review by Stacy Church

Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Princess Ben is not your typical princess. First of all, her name isn’t pretty and feminine – it’s Ben, short for Benevolence. Secondly, she is chubby and graceless. And her life is far from perfect, especially after her parents and her uncle, the king, die on the same day. It is assumed that they were killed by the neighboring Drachensbetts, long the enemy of Ben’s people. Ben goes to live with her widowed aunt, Sophia, who is now serving as the Queen until Ben is old enough to assume the throne. Ben soothes her grief with food and sullenness, causing her aunt to keep her in a tower room until she learns to behave. But this punishment turns into freedom when Ben discovers there is something very special about this room, and the castle as well. The story is told from a future Ben’s point-of-view, as she attempts to set the story straight on the events that made her famous. The voice is authentic and old-fashioned, and beautifully written. All of the major characters are complex and well-drawn – we see the spoiled as well as the mature Ben, the aunt who is both cruel and caring, and the Drachensbett rulers who are both enemy and friend. This book has garnered rave reviews, and will be on many people’s short list for a Newbery honor. Review by Katie Corrigan

Rits by Mariken Jongman

For Rits's 13th birthday his parents gave him a writing journal and pen and a video camera --that way he could still choose what he wanted to be, a writer or a filmmaker. That's one of the funny things about Rits: whenever he finds out about a type of career, he starts to think that maybe he'll become that, too. For instance, when he meets his new friend Rita's dad, who's done lots of different thinks like sailing the ocean, working in a cafe and working on the scrap heap, he thinks the scrap heap is especially appealing because "you get a torch and you have to wear goggles, and then you get to burn big hunks of metal to pieces." This book, which is translated from the Dutch, is written in diary format as Rits records his thoughts and things that happen to him during the summer he has to live with his Uncle Corry. It takes a while to find out where Rits's parents are, and it takes most of the book for Rits to find things that he likes about Uncle Corry. I found Rits to be a very appealing character --he's funny and sad, and even though he tries to make the best of things, he often feels like he's suffering from "sagging brain," a condition he tries to research at the library. Rits's parents have let him down, but other people step up to help him, and things turn out pretty well in the end. Review by Stacy Church

Paint the Wind by Pam Munoz Ryan

Here is a wonderful horse story in the tradition of Marguerite Henry's Misty and Walter Farley's Black Stallion series. In alternate chapters we meet Artemisia, a wild mustang who is very protective of her new foal, and Maya, who lives with her overly strict and controlling grandmother. After her grandmother dies, Maya is sent to Wyoming to live with her grandfather on a horse farm. To Maya's surprise and delight, she takes to the horses easily and quickly learns to ride. Maya discovers that she is very much like her mother,who, before she was killed in a car crash along with her father, loved horses. One day when Maya is far away from the family's summer camp, disaster strikes, and Maya is seriously injured in an earthquake. Artemisia is caught in the same valley. As Maya begins to communicate with Artemisia, both child and horse realize that they need each other to survive. They learn to trust each other as they overcome many obstacles on their way out of the devestated valley. Paint the Wind will take you on an amazing journey and an exhilarating "wild ride." Review by Trudy Walsh

The Truth about My Bat Mitzvah by Nora Raleigh Baskin

When Caroline's grandmother dies, her grandfather gives her a beautiful piece of Nana's jewelry, a lovely golden chain with delicate little circles perfectly linked together. As Grandfather lets the sparkling chain slowly drop into Caroline's open palms, she is surprised to realize that there is a Star of David at the end of the golden necklace. Two elongated, intertwined triangles, contrasted in light and dark gold, form the six-pointed Star of David, a symbol of her nana's Jewish faith. Caroline has never thought much about religion. Her mother has never brought her to a synagogue, where she worshipped as a child, nor has her father ever brought her to a church, where he grew up worshipping. Now Caroline is confronted with her Jewish heritage. Is she really Jewish? What does that mean for her? Her best friend Rachel is preparing to become a bat mitzvah and asks Caroline to help her plan an elaborate party to celebrate. Secretly, Caroline wishes to become a bat mitzvah and have a big party, too. Does she have a right to it? And what would she have to do for it? As Caroline explores her multicultural family background to help her understand who she really is, she makes some wonderful discoveries about her Jewish heritage. To her amazement, she also meets some new family members. The Truth about My Bat Mitzvah is a beautifully written story about a young girl, who in the process of discovering her Christian-Jewish roots, finds herself. Review by Trudy Walsh

The Titanic: An Interactive History Adventure by Bob Temple

I was so excited to read this choose-your-own adventure book about the Titanic. The Titanic tragedy is fascinating, and choose-your-own adventure books are always fun; unfortunately, this book is not that fascinating or fun. It only has 35 choices and 15 endings, which is kind of skimpy for a choose-your-own book. The information on the Titanic is interesting, but it left me wanting more facts and pictures. To get more out of this book, check it out with Robert Ballard's Exploring the Titanic or any of the other Titanic books with the call number 910.4. Review by Katie Corrigan

Blue Like Friday by Siobhan Parkinson

This may be my favorite children's book I've read all year. It's funny, really funny, and sad (my favorite combination), and the characters are great. On top of that, there's a mystery that the kids solve themselves. What could be better. It's told first person by Olivia, whose best friend is Hal. Hal is an unusual person (among other things, he has synesthesia--you'll have to look that up). Olivia spends a fair amount of time explaining Hal to the reader, and she has quite a funny way of telling things. Here's Olivia talking about her brother: "Let's face it, Larry is not one of nature's rebels. But my parents don't believe this. They believe all that stuff they read in the papers about Teenage Drinking. Larry is not exactly what you would call a typical teenager. I probably will be, when I get to that age. I will most likely be a total handful, get studs everywhere, wear the most way-out things, listen to really objectionable music. I will drive my parents up the walls. They've had it easy with Larry. They won't know what hit them. I am looking forward to it." So I guess the thing that I love the most about this book is that since the story is told from Olivia's point of view, you get her commentary on everything along with it. And as I said, Olivia is really funny. Review by Stacy Church

The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy

I really enjoyed reading this book, even though I wasn't sure what to expect from the title. In this case, "wild girls" means girls who live in the wild (sort of), not girls who misbehave in a wild way, although Fox, who calls herself the Queen of the Foxes, probably thinks of herself in that way, too. Joan, who is 12, moves to California with her family, and no one except her father is very happy about it. Her new house doesn't have a nice shady yard like her old house in Connecticut - no flowers, no swing hanging from a mulberry tree. When Joan goes exploring her first afternoon in California, she follows a path through the woods. It winds along a creek, and ends up in a small clearing furnished with an easy chair and shelves filled with dishes, food and toys. Before Joan can start to look around, a girl about her age yells at her to get off her property. Of course, this turns out to be Fox (whose real name is Sarah). And, predictably enough, they grow to be best friends--outside of school, that is. Later in the story, Fox and Joan (who has taken on the name Newt) write a short story together that wins a writing contest. This allows them to take a summer writing class from a real writer, on the campus of a nearby college. The class basically saves Sarah, helping her to understand her cold, demanding father better, and to find a way to be more comfortable with herself. Review by Stacy Church

Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine

In 1972 Ling is living a carefree life in Wuhan City in central China. Her parents are both doctors working at the local hospital. Ling's father is a famous surgeon, trained in Western medicine. Ling's mother practices the healing arts of ancient China, using many special herbs. Then, overnight, everything changes. Under Mao's leadership the Cultural Revolution sweeps across China. Comrade Li, one of Mao's officers, takes a section of Ling's parents' apartment for himself, and starts to spy on them. He demands that they share their food with him, claiming more and more for himself. In a short time, Comrade Li becomes so powerful that he has the people living in the hospital's apartment complex shaking with fear every time they see him. Then Ling's father disappears, along with other doctors from the hospital. Ling worries about whether she will ever see him again, and if her mother will disappear, too. How Ling and her mother survive and triumph over the hard times during the Cultural Revolution is beautifully described in Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine. Review by Trudy Walsh