Virals by Kathy Reichs (2010)

Plot Summary: When 14 year old Tory Brennan loses her mother in an accident, she is sent to live with a father who just found out that she existed. Out in the middle of nowhere on Morris Island, NC, Tory lives with her dad, Kit, who is a marine biologist and works on Loggerhead, a local island. Tory's only close friends, Ben, Shelton and Hi, are always up for an adventure out to Loggerhead. Loggerhead is an island that contains not only monkeys, but science labs where both Toni & Shelton's parents work. They know that there are only certain areas on Loggerhead that they are permitted for security reasons, but they like to sneak around and checkup on the family of dogs/wolves that reside on the island. Tory is especially attached to this pack since she saved one of the pups who was trapped in a drain. She even named him "Coop." There are four of them, the father who is 100% wolf, the mother who is a dog, and their two pups who are now part dog/part wolf.

The last few times they were on the island, they only saw 3 of the dogs. And now, they know that every night the three are howling up by the gate of the lab. Apparently, Coop hasn't been seen in several weeks and nobody knows what has happened to him. Tory and the boys decide to break into the lab over the weekend to find out what is going on after they become suspicious of the doctor that runs the entire Loggerhead lab. They accomplish their break-in and find Coop in a cage with some kind of tubes attached to him. There is a sign on his cage indicating that he has a type of parvovirus. Tory insists on them stealing the dog since parvovirus isn't contagious to humans......or so they believe. They form a plan to hide and take care of Coop and nurse him back to health. But when Tory starts experiencing symptoms of what she thinks is the flu and the others have similar symptoms, they discover that they have gotten involved in a situation that is much bigger than they expected, involving a long missing girl and murder.

Genre: Science Fiction/Mystery

Subject/Themes: Viruses, animal experimentation

Reviews: Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Kirkus

Age Group: Ages 12 and up

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (2010)

Plot Summary:  Incarceron is a prison so large that it contains many cities, forests, and cells.  It started out as an experiment, then continued as a place of desperation, survival,and suffering.   Nobody can escape from it, although many have tried.  The prison recycles and reuses everything within its walls.  Finn, a seventeen year old boy, is sure that he is from "Outside."  Most were born in the prison, but Finn has flashes of memories that convince him otherwise.  How can he escape a prison that is always watching and listening?  The red eyes are everywhere, ready to punish if necessary.  There are stories of one who did escape, and Finn and his friends decide to go on a journey to conquer Incarceron. 

The outside world believes that the prison is a Utopia, and that the people within are living a perfect existence.  They are unaware of the horrors within. When Finn finds a key, he is sure that this will lead them to a way out.  When he starts hearing voices through the key, he realizes that the key is a vehicle of communication to the outside world.   It is through this key that Finn meets Claudia, the daughter of the warden of Incarceron, who has lived a very sheltered and controlled life.  Claudia questions everything around her and doesn't trust her father.  She is a very confident and strong young woman and she becomes determined to help Finn and his friends escape.  A sequel must be in the works, since there are many questions and mysteries that go unanswered and unsolved.  Science Fiction and Fantasy fans alike will love this story.

Awards & Reviews: *Starred Review* in Booklist, Great reviews in School Library Journal and Voice of Youth Advocates.

Genre:  Fantasy

Subjects/Themes:  Prison, crime, technology

Age Group: Grade 7 and Up.

High Interest Annotation:  This story is a constant adventure of suspense.  Readers will be hooked after the first few pages.

Benjamin Franklinstein Lives! (2010) By Matthew McElligott and Larry Tuxbury

Plot Summary:  Fifth grader Victor Godwin lives with his mom in a multi-family house.  Recently, their elderly tenant died, leaving an apartment open.  Victor and his mom are in need of a new tenant in order to pay the mortgage, so Victor creates a very in depth checklist for his mom to utilize when interviewing potential tenants.  Victor spends most of his time thinking about science.  Victor is totally obsessed with science and creating science experiments.  For months he has been preparing for the upcoming science fair. He has very carefully studied who wins and why, in order to create the perfect volcano for the judges.  Victor also has a talent for fixing and creating things-his own inventions.  One day, while he is home alone and working on his science experiment, he hears a very loud boom, sees a bright flash, and realizes that the house lights are flickering.  But when he looks outside, the sky is clear.  What is going on?  Lightning and thunder with sunny skies?  Victor goes outside to investigate and realizes that there is an odd looking metal rod that runs up the side of the building that he never noticed before.  When he puts his hand to it, it's hot.  Thinking how strange it is, Victor sees that it's getting dark out so he will have to check it out the next day. 

Interestingly enough, the next day a man arrives at the door wanting to rent the apartment.  Victor awakens and hears his mom welcoming a man to their home.  He races down the stairs to see what is going on and sees a disheveled elderly man, who looks and is dressed just like Benjamin Franklin!  He is introduced to him, and when they shake hands, Victor gets a shock....an electrical shock!  The man, named Frank Benjamin, explains it as static electricity.  Victor tells his mom that he doesn't think it's a good idea to rent to someone so strange, what about the checklist?  She tells him that Mr. Benjamin seems nice enough, and paid a full year's rent in advance with gold coins!  They need the money.  The next day, while Victor's mom is at work, he is home working on his science project.  He keeps hearing loud banging noises and goes downstairs to complain to Mr. Benjamin.  Victor finds the apartment door open and lets himself in.  As he wanders around to find their tenant, he finds a secret opening in the wall. As he enters the opening, a dank, musty smell wafts up from down below-it's a secret basement!  The noise continues, and Victor knows that Mr. Benjamin is up to something and is down below.  He begins his descent.......  What will happen?  Is this tenant a madman?  You must read this book to find out. 

Genre: Science Fiction

Subjects/Themes:  Science, experiments, electricity, Prometheus

Reviews:  Booklist, School Library Journal

Age Group:  Grades 4-6

High Interest Annotation:  This book is a great choice for those readers that enjoy the mysteries of science......great pictures are included as well!

Gifted, Book 5: Now You See Me by Marilyn Kaye (2010)

Plot Summary:  Tracey has a gift.  She can make herself invisible.  Unfortunately, she is not able to control it.  That is one of the reasons that Tracey, as well as several other students, are in a "gifted" class together at their high school.  Sadly, there are people in this world who would use these kids' gifts as a way of exploiting them and to make money.  Madame, their gifted teacher, is there to protect them and to teach them the importance of learning to control their gifts as well as keep them hidden from others.  The teacher and the class are beginning to expect that there is a spy amongst them, and Tracey thinks it's Amanda. 

Tracey's best friend Jenna notices that the principal, Mr. Jackson, seems to be acting strangely so she suspects he is the spy.  But when a knife mysteriously shows up in Jenna's locker during an investigation by Mr. Jackson, Jenna is sent back to Harmony House, a place for troubled teens because she has a prior record and nobody knows that she suspected Mr. Jackson.  Tracey continues to try to find clues to help protect her classmates as well as to try to get Jenna out of Harmony House.  Could Charles be the spy?  Or is it really Amanda?  Tracey must try to control her gift in order to find out the truth.

Genre:  Fantasy

Subjects/ Themes:  Supernatural gifts, high school, halfway houses, troubled teens

Age Group:  Young Adult

Series: 
1.  Out of Sight, Out of Mind
2.  Better Late Than Never
3.  Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
4.  Finders Keepers
5.  Now You See Me


High Interest Annotation: Great series exploring the supernatural powers and conflicts of teens.  Easy read and interesting storylines.