Sharks: Challengers of the Deep by Mary M. Cerullo (1993)

Summary:  This comprehensive book on sharks focuses on dispensing with the myths that have been created about these ominous and forbidding creatures.  This high interest book contains many facts about different types of sharks-their physical abilities, behavior, eating habits, and birth just to name a few of the topics that are covered.  It also explains why it is believed that most sharks attack.  The various color photographs within the book help to provide knowledge about these elusive "fish."

Genre:  Non-fiction

Subjects/Themes:  Sharks, shark attacks, survival

Reviews:  School Library Journal and Booklist

Age Group:  Grades 5-9

Fairest by Gail Carson Levin (2006)

Plot Summary:  Aza was left on her now parents' doorstep when she was only a baby. Abandoned, she was taken in by them and loved as one of their own, along with their three other children.  Owners of the Featherbed inn, Aza's parents raised her to be a sweet and kind girl, despite the fact that in their village of Ayortha, she is considered homely.  Because she is so unattractive looking with her large boned body and pale skin, Aza keeps to herself, hidden away within the inn.  She is quite helpful to her parents by doing some maid duties for their guests, and Aza has been blessed with a beautiful singing voice. All of the people of Ayortha can sing, but Aza's voice is the best of all.  Since Aza spends most of her time singing while she is working, she was excited to discover one day that she has a peculiar talent-a talent of being able to "throw" her voice.  She begins to practice it again and again, calling it "illusing." 

Aza also finds that she can not only make her voice sound like it is coming from another direction, but she can also make it sound like specific people.  Aza keeps her gift a secret, not wanting to draw attention to herself. 

When a duchess arrives at the inn in preparation for attending the King's wedding, her attendant becomes ill and she requests that Aza takes her place as her traveling companion.  Aza doesn't want to go, but she doesn't really have a choice, and is sent to attend the wedding with the duchess. 

While at the castle,  Aza is practicing her illusing out the in the courtyard thinking that she was alone.  When she finished, she heard clapping, turned around, and realized that she had been watched by the Queen!  The queen's discovery of her gift is disastrous, since she wants to use it for her own dirty deeds.  This discovery is just the beginning of the journey that Aza must complete in order to recognize her own worth and to realize that she needs to look deeper into herself in order to find her beauty.

Genre:  Fantasy

Subjects/Themes: Beauty, singing, fairy tales

Reviews:  *Starred Review* in Booklist, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, Kirkus, Horn Book Guide

Age Group:  Grades 6 and up

High Interest Annotation:  A great fairy tale story that will appeal to tween readers who enjoy royal stories.  For those who are fans of Ella Enchanted, this story is set within the same world.  There is also a third novel by the author, Ever.

Valentine Princess: A Princess Diaries Book by Meg Cabot (2006)

Plot Summary: At the end of the school year, right before Mia leaves to spend her summer in Genovia, she finds one of her old journals and decides to bring it to read on the plane.  The story takes readers back to Mia's first Valentine's Day with her boyfriend Michael.  Michael is strongly opposed to "exploitative commercialization," so Mia fears that she will be spending Valentine's Day alone.  She could always go to hang out with her friends who are boyfriendless and are planning to have an Audrey Hepburn movie marathon.  Mia decides that whether or not Michael will celebrate, she will still make him a valentine.  When even Lilly's boyfriend comes through with a beautiful gift, Mia wonders what Michael will do.  Will he get her flowers?  Candy?  Or just ignore the day altogether?  This sweet and funny story will keep readers of this series coming back for more. 

 

Genre:  Realistic Fiction



Subjects/Themes: Valentine's Day, princesses, commercialization

Series:

1.  Princess Lessons

2.  Project Princess

3.  Perfect Princess

4.  The Princess Present

5.  Holiday Princess

6.  Sweet Sixteen Princess

7.  Valentine Princess

Age Group:  Ages 10 and up

Warriors: The Lost Warrior by Erin Hunter (2007)

Plot Summary:  Graystripe, a Thunderclan warrior, rushes in to save members of his clan who are being taken away by animal control.  The forest, which was their home, is being developed so they are removing all of the cats.  Graystripe succeeds in rescuing many of this clan members from capture, however, he ends up being captured himself. 

Graystripe finds himself being adopted as a house pet and finds himself with a family who treats him very well.  But Graystripe is not a "kitty-pet" and becomes saddened to think of what his future will be as a pet.  Graystripe is a strong warrior who hunts and feeds on creatures, not canned cat food!  He finds himself losing many of the instincts that he has developed as a wild cat and great warrior.  Trying to get out of the house without being caught by his owners is almost impossible.  But one day Graystripe finally succeeds and finds himself a friend, Millie, who seems to want to help him find his way home back through the forest to his family and clan.  Will Graystripe find his way back?  Or he is destined to remain lost and lonely?  Their journey has just begun......

Subject/Themes:  Clans, pets, wild cats

Format:  Graphic Novel

Genre:  Fantasy/Action

Reviews:  School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly

Series:  #2  Warriors:  Warrior's Refuge

                 #3  Warriors:  Warrior's Return

Age Group:  Ages 9 and up

The Cruisers by Walter Dean Myers (2010)

Plot Summary:  Zander and his friends, Kambui, LaShonda & Bobbi,  attend DaVinci Academy, a gifted school in Harlem.  The have created their own school newspaper as a way of speaking out and expressing themselves about subjects they feel are important.  They call it The Cruiser.  Their placement at the school is threatened, however, when the vice principal recognizes that they are smart but are underachievers.  Mr. Culpepper tells them that if they don't show improvement, they are going to be kicked out of the school.  He proposes a way for them to redeem themselves.  In the midst of a project about the Civil War, he wants the cruisers to act as peacemakers to try to prevent the Union and Confederate armies from going to war.  They are in charge of trying to prevent the war from happening and getting the two sides to listen to each other.

When the Confederacy starts to spout pro-slavery ideals to the student population, the situation becomes tense and angry.  Although the Cruisers have been designated as peacemakers, they are finding it difficult to keep the situation from getting physical, since they themselves think about fighting the Confederates because of their support of slavery.  It is during this time that Zander's cooler head prevails, and he convinces his group that there are better ways to handle this-through their newspaper, and by arranging a quiet protest.  Good story about handling conflicts while learning about a crucial time in American history.  This is said to be Book 1 of the series.

Subjects/Themes:  Civil War, peacemaking, slavery, Freedom of Speech, newspapers

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Reviews:  Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, & *Starred Review* in Booklist

Age Group:  Grades 5-8

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening (Book One) (2009) by L.J. Smith

Plot Summary:  Elena Gilbert is a beautiful and popular high school student.  She has many friends, and even more admirers.  When she meets a new guy at school, Stefan, she feels an attraction to him that is like no other that she has felt before.  Elena gets to know Stefan, but it's not long before he reveals himself to her as a vampire.  Elena reacts with shock and stays away from Stefan, but not for long.  He wants to live a normal life (aside from being a vampire) and Elena knows that Stefan would never hurt her. 

Just when she thinks that they have settled into a relationship, his brother Damon appears.  Damon is also a vampire, but is completely the opposite of Stefan-he seems to have no regard for human life and has no problem with feeding off of people that he has compelled.  Elena is disgusted and frightened by Damon, but knows that Stefan will make sure that everything is alright.  Damon's arrival and behavior triggers many negative responses from the community, and problems arise.  Can Elena stay with Stefan despite the interference of his soulless brother?  Or is it just too dangerous and is she risking her life?  This series explores the complicated world of the supernatural.

Subjects/Themes:  vampires, brothers, teenagers

Genre:  Fantasy

Age Group:  Ages 12 and up

High Interest Annotation:  Definitely a good series for the lovers of vampire fiction.  The books are much better and less mature than the current tv series.  The books explore more of the supernatural aspect of vampirism and witchcraft, and less of day to day life as high school students like the show does. 

Sports Illustrated for Kids

Summary of Contents:  Obviously, a magazine all about sports for kids.  Each issue comes with a page of nine sportscards for a variety of sports, such as soccer, basketball, football, baseball, tennis, track, hockey, swimming, and even skateboarding.  The first half of the magazine has articles written specifically for the magazine, and monthly features that with many different ttitles such as  Superstars of the Month, Tips from the Pros, Monthly birthdays, Reader Polls, etc.  The second half of the magazine contains articles that are directly from the pages of Sports Illustrated.  The monthly comic page, Buzz Beamer, is sure to make tweens laugh.  The character is always up to something.

Format:  Magazine

Subjects/Themes:  Sports

Issues: Published monthly

Age Group:  Ages 8-14

High Interest Annotation:  A great way to get kids who are interested in sports to read!  The articles cover so many different sports that readers are bound to find something of interest.