The Wall and the Wing by Laura Ruby

I think the thing I liked best about this book is that the strange things that characterize the world where the story is set are never really explained: people can fly (well, most people - those who can't are called "leadfeet"); cats are rare and shunned; birds are worshipped. "In a vast and sparkling city, a city at the center of the universe, one little man remembered something big." So the story opens. The man is The Professor, an eccentric man with a head full of long green grass, who wears ladies' snap-front housedresses because he doesn't like clothing, and who takes advice from The Answer Hand, which he bought on eBay. What he's trying to find out has something to do with Gurl, a 12 year old girl who lives at the Hope House for the Homeless and Hopeless. Of course, life at the orphanage is terrible, until Gurl finds a kitten to adopt, and makes friends with a new orphan named Bug. Well, they're not really friends at first, but they team up to escape from the orphanage, and eventually to find out the truth about Gurl. The book is funny, inventive and reminds me in some ways of the Molly Moon books. Review by Stacy Church

Drums Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick

This book is written by a middle school English teacher (but that shouldn't keep you from reading it!), and you can certainly tell that he knows kids that age - the characters and situations they face are true-to-life. I enjoyed the book so much I couldn't put it down. It's very funny, and also tragic. Written in journal form, the book chronicles a year in Steven's life. One morning while he is making oatmeal for his little brother Jeffrey, Jeffrey develops a nosebleed that won't quit. It turns out that he has leukemia. Their mom has to quit her job to take Jeffrey for his treatments, so their family income is cut in half, and Steven is left with just his father (who doesn't communicate very well) a lot of the time. He feels neglected and also guilty for feeling neglected. Meanwhile, he's going through all the normal teenage stuff like having a crush on a girl who doesn't notice him at all. Steven is a talented drummer, the youngest ever selected for the All-City High School Jazz Band, and the book is also full of music. This is a great story of a funny, engaging boy whose family is in crisis. Review by Stacy Church

Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos

I found this book really absorbing. It is the story of a Muslim family that immigrated to the U.S. from Bangladesh prior to 9/11, told first person by 14-year-old Nadira. Her family is close, despite Nadira's jealousy of her seemingly perfect older sister Aisha. Although the family seems well assimilated on the surface, in reality they have a motto, "Go to school. Never let anyone know. Never." Nadira's father decides that things have become too tense for them in the U.S., with other Bangladeshis being deported, so he takes them to Canada to apply for asylum there. Unfortunately, too many other Muslim immigrants are doing the same thing, and Canada turns them away. When they try to reenter the U.S. they are stopped, and the father is put in jail to await a deportation hearing. This is the beginning of the real story - how Nadira has to become the strong one and bring her family back together. Read this not only because it will help you understand the situation of illegal immigrants in the U.S., but also because it's a gripping story. Review by Stacy Church

First Boy by Gary Schmidt

This is the best book I have read in a while! It is suspenseful, has great characters, and is beautifully written ("...the sun was already set and drawing the day down after it.") The main character is Cooper Jewett, a 14 year old boy who lives in New Hampshire with his grandfather. The suspense kicks in right away, as Cooper's best friend Peter notices a black sedan "prowling Main Street like a panther." Peter's grandfather dies very early on in the book, leaving Peter all alone on the dairy farm. He is determined to keep the farm running, which is hard enough: keeping up with the chores, his schoolwork, and cross country. It becomes even more difficult when someone starts sabotaging him and trying to drive him off the farm. Gary Schmidt also wrote the Newbery Honor Book, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, which I definitely want to read. Review by Stacy Church

Sweetgrass Basket by Marlene Carvell

Written in something the book calls "prose poetry" (which I think means it isn't really either one), this book tells the story of two Native American sisters who are taken away from their home and sent to a boarding school far away from their Mohawk reservation after their mother dies. The school is run by a cold, vicious woman, and the sisters suffer terribly. The children at the school are forced to work as slave labor, and are taught only what they will need for their future lives as domestic servants. The book is historically accurate, set around the turn of the century at the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. The story is told in the alternating voices of the two sisters, but they are so similar that I had trouble keeping up with which sister was which. Although one sister fares better than the other, neither is happy. I would have liked the book better if it were written in regular prose - I think it needs more fleshing out with descriptions of the setting and characters - but it still is worth reading. Review by Stacy Church

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

For all of you who read the first two books in this series, your long wait for the final installment (six years!) is finally over! I loved The Thief and The Queen of Attolia, but The King of Attolia is by far my favorite. Eugenides, as you may remember, has married the Queen of Attolia, despite the fact that she cut off his hand when she caught him breaking into her palace one too many times. The people of Attolia and his guards and attendants have no respect for him, but the reader knows from past experience that there is more going on than meets the eye. Never forget that the way Eugenides operates is by playing the fool. The Queen wants Eugenides to act more like a king, but he resists her efforts to make him behave. There's plenty of action, including an assasination attempt that ends with two dead and one mortally wounded. I couldn't put this book down until I finished it, so make sure you have plenty of free time when you start! Review by Stacy Church

Hitler Youth: growing up in Hitler’s Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

In 1926 Hitler and the Third Reich began attracting groups of children to be in a prestigious group called “Hitler Youth.” They enticed these naive children to join with promises of camping trips and parades. Slowly, over the years, the activities became more military: children were taught how to use guns and throw grenades as well as to hate Jews and other people who were not “perfect Germans.” The book answers the question of how the Holocaust happened. In this book you meet twelve people that were in the Hitler youth, and through interviews, pictures and diaries you see how the nation changed over many years. By 1945 there were millions of children in the Hitler Youth, and they were performing actual military duties, as well as wrecking Jewish homes and stores, thinking the victims deserved what they got. This book is very well done and is for older children who can handle this subject matter. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to know more about the Holocaust. Review by Joyce Levine

Bear Dancer by Thelma Hatch Wyss

Elk Girl can ride her pony like the wind. She loves to hunt deer in the Rocky Mountains with her brother, Ouray, a Ute chief. Elk Girl grows up happy and free. Everything changes on the day she is captured, first by the Cheyenne and then by the Arapaho warriors. Elk Girl becomes a slave on the Plains. She is afraid of her captors, but she fears the White Men – the White Enemy – more. When Elk Girl is finally rescued by some White Men who bring her to Camp Collins, a Western outpost, she learns a whole new way of life. Eventually, Elk Girl is able to return home to her tribe. Bear Dancer is based on the true story of a very brave Ute girl named Cutshutchous, which means “Elk Tooth Dress,” who lived in the American West in the late 1800’s. Review by Trudy Walsh

Airball: My Life in Briefs by L.D. Harkrader

The only reason Kirby Nickel wants to join the basketball team is to meet NBA star Brett “McNet” McGrew. Kansas University has announced that they will retire Brett McGrew’s jersey, and that his hometown seventh grade basketball team will be invited to participate in the ceremony. Klutzy Kirby’s chances of making the basketball team are slim, but he has to find a way to succeed since this is his only chance to meet Brett McGrew, who might be his father. It is not easy to be on the seventh grade basketball team. The coach has supplied the team with special “Stealth” uniforms, guaranteed to make the players run faster, jump higher, and perform better. There’s only one problem: for anyone who doesn’t have what it takes to be a good basketball player, the uniforms are invisible. Does their coach expect the team to play in their underwear, or are there really electrical currents flowing around each player, energizing and empowering them through their special “Stealth” uniforms? Airball: My Life in Briefs is a fast-paced, hilarious, fun-filled basketball story with just a touch of mystery for suspense and a surprise ending! Review by Trudy Walsh

Out of Order by Betty Hicks

This is a book about blended families, told in alternating chapters by each of four stepsiblings. The story begins and ends with Lily, a sixth-grader who was once the eldest in her family, but has now dropped in rank to second-youngest, thanks to the addition of her smart, beautiful, and sometimes cruel stepsister V, and 14 yr-old Eric, who dresses in black, reads Hemmingway, and plays Rock-Paper-Scissors with Lily's younger brother Parker. Each of the siblings is struggling to find his or her place in this new family, which is made all the more difficult by a series of false accusations and misunderstandings. A group project to raise enough money to send soccer balls to kids in Iraq brings the family together eventually. I chose this book because it sounded unusual in plot and style, and I was glad that I did. All of the characters are great -- well-written and very real. The story moves along quickly, and there is lots to make you laugh and cry. Review by Jane Malmberg

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

This book is the first in the new Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, about a 12-year boy who finds out that he is the son of the Greek God Poseidon. His mother is human, which makes Percy a demigod, or "half-blood" as the gods refer to such children. Percy has been kicked out of six boarding schools in six years, due to his penchant for causing trouble. He is dyslexic and has ADHD, which, as it turns out, is a sure sign of the child of a Greek deity. As if that isn't bad enough, it seems that Percy is being chased by all kinds of monsters, (the Furies, a minotaur, and Medusa, just to name a few), who are charged with killing him. Someone has stolen Zeus' lightning bolt, and Percy is being framed for the crime. If he isn't able to find the missing bolt and return it to Zeus, it could be the start of a world war between Zeus and Poseidon. Fortunately, his best friend is a satyr, assigned the job of keeping him safe, and they are aided by the daughter of the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena.

This book reminded me of Harry Potter -- it was full of action, adventure, magical beings and creatures, and lots of humor. The Gods themselves are quite funny, and there are lots of references to the original Greek myths. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next book, The Sea of Monsters. Review by Jane Malmberg

Babymouse: Queen of the World! by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

This is such a cute book! It's a graphic novel, with the text by Jennifer Holm (she wrote the Boston Jane historical novels and one of my favorite books, Our Only May Amelia) and the illustrations are by her brother, Matthew. Babymouse is a slightly hyper, very imaginative middle-school-aged mouse who is prone to lengthy fantastical daydreams right in the middle of whatever she's supposed to be doing. The illustrations are entirely in pink, white, black and gray, and the characters are adorable with great expressions. I can't wait to read the second babymouse book, Babymouse: Our Hero. Review by Stacy Church

Ptolemy's Gate by Jonathan Stroud

This is the third book in the Bartimaeus Trilogy, and it is just as good as (or maybe better than) the first two! In this book, it becomes clear just how much the magicians have ruined England with their corrupt, elitist government. Nathaniel, who is now the Information Minister, is so boring and pompous it's hard to remember why I had any sympathy for him in the previous books. Kitty, on the other hand, (who, by the way, is supposed to be dead) reminded me constantly how intelligent and resourceful she is. This conclusion to the trilogy is satisfying - plenty of intrigue and action, and you learn a lot more about Bartimaeus's past and what it's like in the Other Place. Review by Stacy Church

What I Believe by Norma Fox Mazer

This is the latest book by Norma Fox Mazer, the author of many good books for older kids. The story is told in verse of all different kinds and journal entries (I'm not sure if the journal entries are in some free form kind of verse, or are just journal entries) and overall I found the format distracting. The story is really good though. The first page is "Memo to Myself," and the last line kind of sums up Vicki's mission throughout the book, "Try very hard to act normal." Vicki's family goes from living a very middle class life - nice house, good schools, friends - to being poor. Her father gets laid off from his job as an executive, and isn't able to find another job. They have to sell their house, move to an apt. in the city, change schools, and then, the worst thing happens. Vicki goes out to a fast food place with her new friend and sees her father working there. It's a quick read, so even if you don't like the format, it's worth reading. Review by Stacy Church

Introducing Sasha Abramowitz by Sue Halpern

Sasha Marie Curie Abramowitz is a pretty typical eleven year-old. She is an aspiring writer/pastry chef, smart, funny, a good friend, good listener, and when she wants to be, a good talker. As long as that does not include talking about her feelings about her family, particularly her older brother who attends a special boarding school for kids with emotional and behavioral problems. Danny has Tourette's Syndrome, and his relationship with the rest of the family is complicated. Sasha's parents don't talk much to Sasha about Danny, and Sasha would rather do anything than talk to her psychologist Dr. Serkowsky, "the Eraser", as she refers to him. To make matters worse, her best friend Carla has suddenly discovered boys, and now she doesn't seem to have much time for Sasha lately. Then Sasha meets Andrew Hardy, a student at Krieger College where Sasha's parents are both professors and dorm parents, and she thinks that perhaps she finally has a friend to confide in. That is until an unexpected event brings Danny home to spend the summer with his family and Sasha's world threatens to be turned upside down again. This is a wonderful book, full of well-developed and likeable characters, and surprising plot twists and turns. It sheds some light onto the effects of a debilitating neurological disorder on family relationships, without being too technical or preachy. Highly recommended. Review by Jane Malmberg.

Nicky Deuce -- Welcome to the Family by Steven Schirripa and Charles Fleming

It is summer, and Nicholas Boreli II's parents have plans to go on a two-week cruise. Nicholas will attend Camp Wannameka just like every other year. But...the night before he's set to leave, Nicholas' parents get a call on their cell phone. The septic system at the camp has blown up, and camp is cancelled for the summer. The only place left for Nicholas to go is to his grandmother's home in Bensonhurst (Brooklyn), New York. Nicholas has never been to Brooklyn -- Brooklyn is the place his father left, never returned to, and never discussed. Nicholas is not happy about going, but once he gets there he quickly warms up to his grandmother's delicious Italian home cooking, and his uncle Frankie, who makes it his mission to turn Nicholas into a real "goomba" -- a macho, Italian-American man with some street cred. It's not long before Nicholas, now known as Nicky Deuce, meets Tommy and gets involved in all sorts of schemes to make some quick cash, the riskiest of which gets them into some serious hot water. This book is a lot of fun, full of all sorts of characters. I think it would be a great vacation book. Reviewed by Jane Malmberg.

Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time by Lisa Yee

This is a really fun book to read. It's a sequel to Millicent Min, Girl Genius. Stanford is pretty much the opposite of Millicent - he's terrible at school and is really good at basketball. He's a sort of hero at his middle school, because even though he's only going into 7th grade, he's been chosen for the "A" basketball team for the next year. He's going away to a high-powered basketball camp for the summer, too. But everything changes on the last day of school when Stanford finds out he flunked English, and he also finds out that unless he goes summer school he won't move on to 7th grade, and he can't play on any basketball team, not even the "B" team! Stanford's family is having some problems, too. His grandmother has been living with them and it's not working out really well, although Stanford likes it. His parents are fighting all the time; his father never seems to have time for any of them and is never satisfied with Stanford's efforts. Millicent comes back into the story when Stanford's parents arrange for her to tutor him, and of course they despise each other. This book is just as funny as Millicent Min, with lots of misunderstandings and warm-hearted characters. Review by Stacy Church

Lucky Stars by Lucy Frank

This book is told in the alternating voices of two middle schoolers in New York City, both struggling with seemingly overwhelming personal problems. Kira has come to New York to visit her father, a musician who performs in the subways with his two young sons (Kira's half-brothers) since he quit his band. Jake hears Kira sing in the subway when he is cutting class to avoid having to give an oral report, something he does anything to avoid because he has a terrible stutter. Kira has been living with her grandmother in upstate New York, but decides to stay in the city with her father if he will agree to her conditions: no more singing in the subway, and he has to get a real job. The book is a little depressing, but the lives of the characters begin to improve as they become better friends, and by the end things are looking quite hopeful. Review by Stacy Church

A Room With A Zoo by Jules Feiffer

More than anything else in the world, Julie wants a dog. A dog she can love, and who adores her. She is willing to be responsible for her dog. She promises to feed and walk him, but her parents have strict rules. Since they live in a city apartment, Julie has to wait a year and a half till she is old enough to walk the dog by herself in the city streets. Julie's passion for animals takes over her entire life as she begins to fill her room with cages and aquariums. She collects a sick cat, a hamster, a big ugly fish, six smaller fish that start to disappear, a turtle, a strong-minded kitten and an unresponsive hermit crab. As Julie tries to keep up taking care of her animals in one room, disaster strikes and animal chaos ensues. Will Julie ever be able to convince her parents that she can be responsible and take care of a dog -- her very own dog? Julie's hilarious story is told to us in her own convincing words by her author/illustrator father, Jules Feiffer. Review by Trudy Walsh.

Defiance by Valerie Hobbs

Eleven-year-old Toby is looking forward to his summer vacation in the country. He imagines himself hiking and racing his bike down the hill. He also wants to learn to fish out on the lake. Then Toby discovers a new lump on his side. There is no way he will tell his parents, who would just return him straight to the children's hospital for further painful cancer treatments. Then Toby meets a spunky old woman who lives on a nearby farm with her cow, Blossom. Pearl helps Toby discover the beauty of life, and what is really important. As Toby tries to live in the moment and to enjoy this summer to the fullest, he also struggles with some important decisions about his own life and destiny. This is a very moving summer story filled with respect and love for all life. Review by Trudy Walsh.