“It’s a Mall World After All” by Janette Rallison

“It’s a Mall World After All” by Janette Rallison is a humorous novel about a teenage girl and how her job at the local mall ends up changing her life.

Charlotte works in a department store at the local mall.  She sprays customers with free perfume samples and tries to get them to buy the latest popular perfume.  It’s not exactly a glamorous job, but it is a way to make money.  In addition, her spot right near the department store door is a great lookout point to watch for cute boys. But then one day Charlotte sees her best friend’s boyfriend Bryant flirting with a another girl.

Charlotte is sure that Bryant is cheating on her friend Brianna.  But when Charlotte breaks the news to Brianna there is an unexpected result.  Brianna seems willing trust Bryant and his friend Colton over Charlotte’s testimony!

Brianna seems to think that Charlotte is just being vengeful and trying to break up Bryant’s relationship with Brianna.  Many of the other girls and boys at Charlotte’s school think that Charlotte is stuck-up, and for good reason.  Charlotte seems to have held a grudge against all the boys at her school.

Years ago they teased her with spiders and called her Charlotte the spider after reading Charlotte’s Web.  Ever since Charlotte has held them in derision, even though most of the boys don’t even remember the teasing.

Bryant’s friend Colton tells Charlotte that Bryant would never cheat on Brianna.  He assures Charlotte that Bryant had a good reason for talking to that girl at the mall.  But Charlotte still thinks that something sounds fishy.  But is is just her own paranoid thoughts or is something going on?

“It’s a Mall World After All” is a fairly decent book, although it does have a few flaws.  First of all the title is rather corny, and not completely relevant as malls don’t play a particularly important role in most of the story.

In addition the back and forth interactions of Charlotte and her friends get frustrating after a while.  Although it is obvious that Charlotte likes Colton and that Colton is interested in Charlotte they seem to spend most of their time irritated at each other.  Even Charlotte’s attitude, with a giant chip on her shoulder, and an apparent lifelong grudge toward Bryant because he left a spider in her desk years ago, is ridiculous.  It reaches a point where the reader just wants to reach in through the pages of the book, slap Charlotte upside the head and tell her “Get over yourself!”

“It’s a Mall World After All” by Janette Rallison is a decent book, and well-written despite the slightly frustrating plot everything turns out satisfying in the end.  It will appeal to teenage readers interested in a realistic fiction romance story.

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“Zen and the Art of Faking It” by Jordan Sonnenblick

“Zen and the Art of Faking It” by Jordan Sonnenblick is a realistic fiction novel about a boy who invents a better personality for himself so that he can be popular at his new school.

San Lee has a lot of experience with blending in.  His family moves quite regularly, and at each school San Lee gets a chance to build a new identity so that he can blend in with the pack.  In California he was a skater.  In Houston he was a rich preppy kid.  In Germany he was a pretend-jock.  But now San Lee is in a new place: a small town in Pennsylvania.  And he is also facing a new situation: his family is no longer rich.  His father is now in jail, busted for embezzling funds and cheating people in numerous states.

Now San Lee no longer has the funds to outfit himself in cool clothes and join one of the traditional school packs.  The government took everything his family owned and they are still in debt while they pay off what San Lee’s father stole.  San Lee doesn’t even have any sneakers, just a pair of sandals.  And in the cold winter air of Pennsylvania going without sandals or a coat isn’t exactly comfortable.  But even worse than that, it also means that San Lee can’t fit in to any of the other’s children’s groups.

So when San Lee inadvertently acquires the nickname Buddha Boy he decides to run with it.  If he can’t fit in then he better do his best to stick out.  San Lee decides to use his Asian genetics, his sketchy knowledge of Zen Buddhism, and a good bit of shear luck to carve out a custom place for himself.

Little does San Lee know just how far things will go.  Before long he has attracted Woody, a charming girl with long hair, alluring gray eyes and a love for playing guitar.  When San Lee and Woody are assigned to work together on a class project on world religion it seems natural to Woody that they cover Zen Buddhism.  Of course, this prompts San Lee to do a lot of unintended research to maintain his “religious” appearance.

Before long San Lee will have to overcome his life long fear of bugs to prove that he accepts the Zen monk’s policy of respecting all animals, even insects.  And he will also start “meditating” each morning on the cold rock just out front of the middle school.

But things get worse.  The local basketball team adopts San Lee as their unofficial mascot after a group of middle school teens become convinced that San Lee might be a reincarnated mystic, perhaps Buddha himself.  San Lee is starting to think things have gone too far, especially since Zen Buddhism means that he must repudiate “earthly desires”, and that means he can’t date Woody, who he has a secret crush on.

Jordan Sonnenblick has created a humorous and charming novel.  “Zen and the Art of Faking It” is fun to read, while at the same time teaching important lessons about honesty.  The plot has a perfect ending which stresses the importance of telling the truth, especially to a girl that you love.

But educational aspect aside, “Zen and the Art of Faking It” is a great, recreational read.  I’m sure that San Lee’s escapades will be enjoyed by many readers.

I definitely recommend “Zen and the Art of Faking It” by Jordan Sonnenblick to all middle grade and older teen readers.

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“The Fruit Bowl Project” by Sarah Durkee

“The Fruit Bowl Project” by Sarah Durkee is an unusual book about a class writing project motivated by a famous rock star.

When the kids in Ms. Vallis’ eighth grade writer’s workshop learn that rock superstar Nick Thompson is come to speak with them they are thrilled. Suddenly writing seems a lot more exciting.

When the day finally comes and Nick Thompson actually walks in the classroom door it seems too good to be true. Of course the kids have a lot of questions about Nick’s music career and other subjects, and Nick answers them. But then he guides the kids back to the subject at hand: writing.

According to Nick Thompson the songs he writes are like a bowl of fruit. Just like a million artists could all paint that bowl of fruit from a different perspective, even a simple subject can be covered in an infinite number of ways through the power of writing.

Nick challenges the class to write a story in any style that they want. The plot is simple: a boy drops his pencil while taking a test in school. As he picks up the pencil he bumps a girl’s arm and the girl is very angry at him because he joggled her arm. The girl accuses the boy of dropping his pencil so that he could bend over and cheat by looking at her test. Later that day the boy tells his friend a joke that is so funny it makes him spew milk out of his nose all over his lunch. Both boys throw away their lunches.

The plot seems boring and totally simple. The children are incredulous. Is this the best that Nick Thompson can come up with? But then Nick Thompson tells them the point of the project. You can make any subject interesting. You just have to choose a unique perspective, just like the artists that are all painting an image of the same bowl of fruit but from different angles.

So the children of Ms. Vallis’ class embark on the Fruit Bowl Project, a project that will have exciting and fantastic results.

I really enjoyed “The Fruit Bowl Project” by Sarah Durkee. The book’s introduction is fairly short. Readers don’t get much of a chance to meet and bond with the characters. However, in the large view the point of “The Fruit Bowl Project” is not the characters, the students who will be the writers. Rather the focus is on their written work.

More than half of “The Fruit Bowl Project” is devoted to the finished product: a volume of forty-nine different pieces written about the same event. Among the eclectic results are raps, poems, sonnets, monologues, screen plays and musicals, newspaper articles, fairy tales, interviews, cross-examinations and horror stories.

Sarah Durkee must have had fun writing “The Fruit Bowl Project” and it comes through in her writing. The idea of portraying one simple event in so many different ways is simply genius and very inspiring as well.

I highly recommend that all young readers or aspiring writers experience “The Fruit Bowl Project” by Sarah Durkee.

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"Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

“Hattie Big Sky,” by Kirby Larson is a Newberry Honor Award winning historical fiction novel about a sixteen-year-old girl who moves to Montana by herself to live on a land claim and prove it.

Hattie Brooks was orphaned at a young age, and as a result she has spent most of her life being shuttled from relative to relative. Her relatives view her as an annoyance, especially her aunt, who wants her to work as a maid.

When one of Hattie’s Uncles dies he leaves her his land claim, 320 acres of land in Montana. There is only one problem, this land is way out in the middle of nowhere, miles from the nearest town. In addition, the land won’t really belong to Hattie unless she can meet the country’s requirements, which involve fencing off a large portion of it and cultivating at least forty acres of the land.

Hattie is determined to be able to live on her own, though, so she leaves her aunt behind and sets off for Montana, sure that she will be a success as a farmer. When Hattie arrives she begins the hard work that will be required before the land is hers. The harsh Montana weather, a mean spirited cow, and her bad cooking are all obstacles to be dealt with. At the same time Hattie must worry about her friend Charlie, who is fighting against the Germans in France.

But Hattie has the help of caring friends, Perilee Mueller and her German husband. During Hattie’s first few weeks in Montana the Mueller family helps Hattie with sound advice and caring concern. All too soon, though, Hattie finds herself helping the Muellers.

With World War I at its peak many of the people in Hattie’s small rural community hate all Germans, including the Mueller family. Hattie must walk a very fine line to support and defend her friends, the Muellers, while at the same time keeping the local “Council of Defense” from thinking that she is not a “loyal” American because of her friendship with the Muellers.

In the end, when disaster strikes, Hattie will discover the full meaning and scope of friendship, while at the same time never losing hope in the possibilities around her.

“Hattie Big Sky” is a great novel, with all the ingredients needed to make it interesting. The main character Hattie is strong and capable, and her zeal and determination make “Hattie Big Sky” an inspiring story. Interestingly the story is based on the life of author Kirby Larson’s great-grandmother, who really did homestead by herself in eastern Montana.

The historical aspects of the plot are very believable, making it interesting to read about life on a homestead during the first world war. I feel that “Hattie Big Sky” is a great book for all young readers to enjoy.

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“Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree,” by Lauren Tarshis

“Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree,” by Lauren Tarshis is a touching story about an intelligent young girl who decides to start helping her schoolmates by solving their social problems.

Emma-Jean is an unusual girl known for being highly logical. This sets her apart from her fellow schoolmates because she usually doesn’t understand their jokes and queer social customs. Emma-Jean spends her time alone, studying trees, the Hindi language, and other important undertakings.

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Review of "Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree," by Lauren Tarshis

“The Treasure of Savage Island,” by Lenore Hart

“The Treasure of Savage Island,” by Lenore Hart is an adventure story that includes a runaway slave, pirates and buried treasure.

Molly Savage lives with her father in an inn that the Savage family used to own. But her father gambled it away and now it is owned by a cruel woman who works Molly and her father like servants. Rafe is a young boy who ran away from the plantation where he was a slave. For Rafe staying hidden is a necessity, because if he is discovered slave catchers will take him right back to his former life. When Molly discovers Rafe she decides to keep help hide and feed him.

Molly and Rafe will have to work together when looting pirates attack. They're after a legendary treasure supposedly hidden near the inn where Molly and her father now live. Can Molly and Rafe survive the pirate attack, or perhaps even better, find the treasure for themselves?

“The Treasure of Savage Island” isn't exactly a masterpiece of writing. The combination of pirate themes and an escaped slave is unique but the storyline is lacking a certain amount of believability. Most of the characters are slightly cliché, and their interactions are almost routine. To summarize “The Treasure of Savage Island” is an average book, but it lacks that special zest that I like to see in the books I read.

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“The Ice Cream Con,” by Jimmy Docherty

“The Ice Cream Con,” by Jimmy Docherty is the story of a boy who decides to do something about the crime in his neighborhood.

When Jake gets mugged and loses all of his grandmother's food money for the week, he decides that he needs to do something about that crime that is running rampant in his housing project. Jake and his friends invent an imaginary gangster that they name Big Baresi. By starting rumors and placing stickers that say “I'm watching you. - Baresi” Jake and his friends manage to convince others that this crook is real. Soon though, the situation snowballs out of control when two local gangs enter the scene and a stash of stolen diamonds surfaces. Will Jake be able to keep up the deception of will he end up in trouble for the crimes of an imaginary crook?

“The Ice Cream Con” is a simply ridiculous book. Jimmy Docherty was obviously aiming for humor with this junior read but the result is just foolish. The escapades of Jake and his friends are terribly over played and completely unbelievable. In the end “The Ice Cream Con” comes across as idealizing a life of crime. I would not recommend this book to any reader.

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“If You Come Softly,” by Jacqueline Woodson

“If You Come Softly,” by Jacqueline Woodson is the story of romance between a Jewish girl and a black boy.

The two main characters are Jeremiah, a teenage boy attending a fancy prep school in Manhattan. Although he is one of the few black boys there he still feels relatively comfortable being who he his. Jeremiah's greatest worries are about his rich parents who have separated and just can't seem to get along. But Jeremiah's life is due to change when he meets Ellie.

Ellie is a Jewish girl who has her own family problems. She lives with her mother, who has twice abandoned her, so she doesn't really trust her. So when Ellie meets Jeremiah she choses to not tell her mother about him, in part just because she is shy, but to a large extent because she is afraid of what her response will be to the news that Jeremiah and her are romantically attached.

I felt that Jacqueline Woodson did a remarkably good job of approaching this rather delicate subject with careful balance, but also vivid clarity. “If You Come Softly,” has very well designed characters that the reader can commiserate with, no matter what race or color they are.

“If You Come Softly” is about how Ellie and Jeremiah must cope with other people's reactions to their relationship. Though it is not the best book I've ever read, it has a rather unique plot that not many other authors have dared to tackle.

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“Red Cap,” by G. Clifton Wisler

“Red Cap,” by G. Clifton Wisler is a historical fiction novel based on the life of a boy who lived during the American Civil War.

At the age of thirteen Ransom left home against his family's wishes to join the Civil War. At first the Union Army wouldn't accept him, but after lying about his age Ransom was finally accepted into the army as a drummer boy.

“Red Cap” does a good job of showing the reasons why most young boys left home to join the Civil War. Most of the youngsters around Ransom joined the army just to get away from home or to be with their friends. None of them are prepared for the reality of war.

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Review of "Red Cap" by G. Clifton Wisler

“Diamonds in the Shadow,” by Caroline B. Cooney

“Diamonds in the Shadow,” by Caroline B. Cooney is a young adult novel about an American family who takes in a group of African refugees with a dangerous secret past.

Jared Finch is not in the least bit thrilled about his parent's plan to sponsor four African refugees, a mother and father and two children. The way Jared sees it, if his parents and their church committee want to go to all that work they can do so, but he doesn't have to help. To make matters worse, the apartment that the committee had planned to house the refugees in fell through, so now the refugees will be living with Jared and his family until they can find other accommodations.

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Review of "Diamonds in the Shadow" by Caroline B. Cooney

“Elijah of Buxton,” by Christopher Paul Curtis

“Elijah of Buxton,” by Christopher Paul Curtis is a Newberry Honor Award novel about a young boy living in a historic Canadian community for runaway slaves.

Eleven-year-old Elijah was the first child born in Buxton, Canada, a small settlement formed by runaway slaves who escaped over the border. Elijah is viewed by some as a symbol of the newfound freedom available in Buxton. At the same time, though, Elijah feels a little letdown about the fact that one of the community's favorite anecdotes is about Elijah as a baby throwing up on Fredrick Douglass, the famous escaped slave and Abolitionist orator.

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Book Review of "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

“Finding Miracles,” by Julia Alvarez

“Finding Miracles,” by Julia Alvarez is a novel about a teenage girl who must accept her history as an adopted orphan from a third world country.

Milly Kaufman does her best to be a normal American teenager, but she feels haunted by her past. In her parent's bedroom is The Box, a mahogany chest in which the truth of Milly's past is stored. Milly, however, is afraid of her past, so she has never opened The Box, and she tries to forget that she was adopted by her parents when they were working for the Peace Corps in a third world country. Her parents never nag her to open The Box, because they know that when Milly is ready she will do so.

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Review of "Finding Miracles" by Julia Alvarez

“The Great Wide Sea” by M. H. Herlong

“The Great Wide Sea” by M. H. Herlong is an epic survival story about three children lost at sea in a forty foot sailboat.

Two months after a tragic accident that killed his mother, Ben and his family are still recovering. But then Ben's father suddenly announces that he has sold the house so that they can depart on a one year sailing trip through the Florida Keys. Ben and his two younger brothers Dylan and Gerry do not want to go, but they have little choice, because their father has already made the decision.

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Review of "The Great Wide Sea" by M. H. Herlong

“Guardian,” by Julius Lester

“Guardian,” by Julius Lester is a moving short novel about a young white boy who witnesses a shocking lynching that tears apart his family and his trust.

Fourteen-year-old Ansel Anderson lives in Davis, a small town deep in the Southern United States. In 1946 racism and hatred still run strong, but Ansel himself doesn't understand why his Dad and other grownups seem to hate black people. Ansel and his young black friend Willie are like brothers and enjoy going fishing in the afternoons when Ansel's Dad lets them off from working at the family store. But Ansel's father Bert doesn't approve of his son's friendship in the least.

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Review of "Guardian" by Julius Lester

“Hard Hit,” by Ann Turner

“Hard Hit,” by Ann Turner is a brief poetic exploration about a boy who loses his father to cancer.

Throughout “Hard Hit” Ann Turner writes in a rather distinctive style. Almost all her sentences are written on the right hand pages in lines that are four or less words long. Only in a few places does she use the left hand pages, and only to make certain key phrases stand out.

The main character is young Mark Warren. Compared with many other children, Mark Warren has a great life. He's a star pitcher for his high school baseball team, he has a great family with two parents, and Diane, the pretty girl in his class, seems to be on her way to becoming his girlfriend.

But then Mark's father is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. This news completely changes the focus of Mark's life. Mark is willing to try anything, praying to God, even not fighting with his sister, if only his father will survive.

Then Mark decides that if he can pitch a no-hitter baseball game for his father than his father will get well. Mark works out his frustrations by practicing pitching all day while Diane and Mark's best friend Eddie help him fine tune his skills.

Mark works hard to pitch a no-hitter game but he can't seem to do it. For a while it seems that he won't have to. The chemotherapy that has been making his father so sick seems to have done the trick. CAT scans show that the tumor has shrunk and Mark's father regains some of his energy.

But then Mark's father has a relapse and the cancer returns, worse then ever. Mark is more determined than ever to pitch a no-hitter for his father, but will it make any difference in the end?

“Hard Hit” is a very touching book, even if its style is a little bit sparse. However, Ann Turner's words are honest and pure and their style is sure to appeal to anyone suffering from the loss of a close relative. “Hard Hit” is obviously designed specifically for that purpose, with addresses and contact information in the back for such organization as The National Center for Grieving Children and Families, and The American Cancer Society.

“Hard Hit” is a beautifully written book that many young readers can benefit greatly from.

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“Exodus,” by Julie Bertagna

“Exodus,” by Julie Bertagna is an amazing science fiction novel about a future in which global warming has resulted in rising sea levels that have covered most of the world in water.

Wing is an isolated island in the Northern Sea. Each year the seas rise a little farther, forcing the people of Wing to move upland. And each year the winter storms hit Wing even harder. For fifteen-year-old Mara the storms are frightening, and she is convinced that there must be some way to escape the situation.

In her spare time Mara uses the Weave, an ancient virtual reality system, to search for information about what Earth was once like and what happened to the rest of the world. Most modern technology no longer works, but pieces of the Weave still operate, and Mara is able to tap into it. The Weave once bustled with human avatars, but now it is empty, and all that is left are representations of the disturbing wreckage of Earth’s civilization, interrupted at its very peak by world disaster. The Weave is full of frightening calls for help, and last minute news reports about worldwide flooding.

But deep in the Weave Mara finds clues that lead her to believe that just before the world flooded a series of elevated cities were built on huge platforms above the water. These cities were called New World cities, and in pictures they appear beautiful, with intricate platforms and tubes. Mara dreams about finding one of these cities and leading the people of her island to live there.

Finally Mara uncovers clues that reveal the location of a New World city called New Mungo. Excited, she uncovers her ultimate plan to the people of Wing. They should sail South, leaving Wing behind, and become a part of New Mungo.

After some deliberation the people of Wing decide to leave their island. Really they have no choice. The sea is rising so rapidly that they may not be able to survive another winter without being washed out to sea by rising floodwaters.

So the people of Wing set out for the New World city. Upon arriving at New Mungo, though, they find themselves locked out. New Mungo is a giant elevated city and its residents have little concern for any others who may have the misfortune to not have an elevated city of their own. The thousands of refugees that live below New Mungo have nowhere else to go, and now the people of Wing have no choice but to join them. The squalid conditions of the refugee camp cause sickness and anger. Even the danger of Wing would be preferable.

But Mara is still determined to save her people. If she could just find some way past New Mungo’s defenses then perhaps she could find a way to save not only the people of Wing, but the other suffering refugees as well.

“Exodus” is an amazing story in all respects. Author Julie Bertagna has envisioned a stunning world, reminiscent in some ways of “The Other Side of the Island.” In a world engulfed with water there is limited interchange of ideas, and as a result each group of isolated people develops their own dramatically different culture.

This makes for some very interesting characters. All of the main players in “Exodus” are well designed, with their strong and weak points to balance them out. I will be especially interested in seeing how “Exodus” develops as a series. The book ends with plenty of room for further developments, and I’m sure that a sequel will come soon.

I definitely recommend “Exodus” as one of the most interesting utopian/dystopian novels I’ve read.

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