“Schooled,” by Gordan Korman

“Schooled,” by Gordan Korman is a humorous story about a young hippie in the modern world.

Capricorn Anderson has grown up on a farm commune, home schooled by his grandmother Rain. But when his grandmother falls out of a tree and breaks her hip she has to undergo therapy, and Capricorn can't stay on the commune by himself.

Capricorn has to live with a guidance counselor and her teenage daughter, attend the local high school and learn about the world outside the commune. Capricorn may be an expert on meditation, tie-dying, and tai chi, but he's clueless when it comes to iPods, pizza, and the other important elements of modern life.

“Schooled” made me laugh more than a few times. The main character Capricorn is humorous without being too ridiculous. Also Korman tells the story not only from Capricorn's point of view but also through the words of his classmates and other people around him. The resulting book is a very enjoyable and pleasant piece of entertainment.

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“The Real Question,” by Adrian Fogelin

“The Real Question,” by Adrian Fogelin is a coming-of-age type story about a teenager on a life changing trip.

Straight-A student Fisher Brown feels like he is on the verge of an academic burnout when his next door neighbor Lonny offers him a way out. Lonny's carefree lifestyle appeals to Fisher, so when Lonny offers to take him out of town on a mission to repair a friend's roof, Fisher decides to skip a few days of school to join him.

Little does Fisher know, but this journey will take him hundred's of miles and put him in situations that he never would have considered before. Fisher has to make choices about what really matters, and where his first loyalties lie.

I feel that Adrian Fogelin did a good job writing “The Real Question.” The book's plot is unique, and the characters in the story are quite realistic. “The Real Question” shows events as well as consequences, and that is always something I admire. This interesting story is, in my opinion, definitely worth reading.

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“The Day My Mother Left,” by James Prosek

“The Day My Mother Left,” by James Prosek is a moving novel based on the author's own experience of dealing with his parent's divorce.

The main character is nine-year-old Jeremy, a young artist. Jeremy's mother leaves the family to start a new life with the father of a schoolmate that is Jeremy's worst enemy. As his father deals with depression and his sister spends more and more time away from home, Jeremy finds that he must support himself and find his own way to cope with the loss.

Jeremy turns his focus to art, releasing his personal feelings through redrawing the “Book of Birds,” a collection of avian drawings that his mother took with her when she left. Jeremy's art leads him to form other relationships, and find solace in his nature drawings.

There are two things that I most liked about “The Day My Mother Left.” First, I found James Prosek's voice to be very calm and collected. Jeremy is neither cynical, nor overcome with pain, and as a result I think that this book will really strike a chord with anyone who has lost a parent. Second, I enjoyed the powerful images that fill “The Day My Mother Left.” The cover features colorful songbirds, happy memories from the lost “Book of Birds,” but the inside is full of black and white images of dead birds, with empty eyes, and curled feet. Sometimes these images serve as a contrast with the text, and sometimes as a support, but throughout they add extra depth and emotion to the plot.

“The Day My Mother Left” by James Prosek is a great novel that I highly recommend to all readers.

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