The Glitch in Sleep

The Glitch in Sleep (The Seems: Book 1)
by John Hulme and Michael Wexler

Becker Drane is like any ordinary twelve-year-old boy, except for one important fact: he is a Fixer.

This book is set in a universe that is split between the World and "the Seems," a parallel universe that runs everything in the World. When something major goes wrong, such as with the Weather or Time, a Fixer is paged. They are specialist members of an elite corps, who get the job done when no one else could.

Becker has many fixing adventures, along with another fixer Casey Lake, a twenty-something girl that a lot of guys have a crush on, and Simly, Becker's "Briefer" (assistant).

Come along on a romp through the "Stream of Consciousness" to the Seems, and see how our crack team handles the world-wide disturbance in Sleep.

Also includes extensive Glossary of Terms and Tools of the Trade.

Recommended for grades 4-9
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

Mother, You're the Best! (but Sister, You're a Pest!)

Mother, You're the Best! (but Sister, You're a Pest!)
by Diane deGroat

Second grader Gilbert is looking forward to pampering his mother on Mother's Day. After finishing a hand-made card for his mother, his classmates fill him in on all the neat presents and activities that they're planning for their mothers. While they were all good ideas, Gilbert decides he wants to do come up with his own plans. Come the big day, his designs quickly go awry as breakfast in bed turns into watching his mother eat burnt toast and spilled orange juice! To add insult to injury, his pesky baby sister Lola gets to share Mom's lap while Gilbert goes to clean up the mess he made. As a ruse to get Lola off Mom's lap, Gilbert coaxes her into walking to the store with him to buy Mom a present. His day is just getting worse when his "present" melts all the way home! After more misadventures, Gilbert gets discouraged because he feels that nothing has gone right, and more importantly, he has done nothing special for his mother. But does his mother feel this way? Fans of the Gilbert series will enjoy this warm, funny book about a child who wants to please his mother, and surprisingly ends up doing so - despite everything that goes wrong!

Reccomended for grades 1-3
Reviewed by Rozanne Porter

Clementine

Clementine
by Sara Pennypacker

This book made me laugh and laugh and snort and then laugh again. Clementine is a spunky, sweet third grader who is often misunderstood by the grown-ups in her life. Her teachers tell her she needs to pay better attention. They fail to notice that she is paying attention – just to the things that she thinks are actually interesting, like the janitor kissing the lunch lady in the parking lot or looking for ceiling snakes in the principals office.

She is also continually getting herself into problems. For example, she was only trying to help her friend Margaret when the glue got stuck in her super pretty long hair. And Clementine was really, really trying to help when she brought over the permanent marker (Flaming Sunset was the shade) to help color the missing curls back in. When that gets them in even more hot water, Clementine decides to cut her own hair as an act of solidarity, and then have Margaret help her dye it green. The grown-ups are just exasperated with Clementine. If you like to laugh, this is the book for you. You can read about Clementine’s further adventures in The Talented Clementine and Clementine’s Letter.

Recommended for grades 1-5
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Catwings

Catwings
by Ursula LeGuin, illustrated by S. D. Schindler

This is the story of four little kittens who were born in a run down alley in a dangerous neighborhood. These are no ordinary kittens, however. These special kittens were born with wings. Their mother, Mrs. Jane Tabby, realized they were given wings in order to escape to a safer place. When the little cats begin to fly, Mrs. Tabby sends them out into the world. The four felines begin a journey that takes them past churches and factories, fields and farms until they find a nice little forest. They begin to fend for themselves; flying all over catching dinner, playing games, and teasing birds. That is, until they encounter a fierce owl. You can read about the rest of their adventure in this first book of the Catwings series by Ursula Le Guin. Animal lovers should enjoy these tales of winged kittens. The illustrations by S.D. Schindler are very soft and sweet. This is also a great choice for a read aloud book.

Recommended for readers in grades 2-5
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Hattie Big Sky

Hattie Big Sky
by Kirby Larson

An orphan from the age of five, Hattie is tired of being passed from relative to relative, of being "Hattie Here-and-There" and belonging nowhere. When an estranged uncle leaves his Montana homestead to Hattie, she leaps at the chance for a home of her own even though she knows nothing of homesteading. With her cat, help from kindly neighbors, and lots of determination, Hattie sets out to conquer the land, the weather, and the harsh prairie lifestyle. Incidents both ridiculous and devastating illustrate the enormous odds that Hattie must overcome, but the Montana environment isn't the only challenge Hattie is facing. World War I has begun and Hattie battles fear for her friend Charlie, who is overseas, and prejudice on the homefront. Many of the questions Hattie tries to answer, such as how to be a patriotic American, are questions we are still trying to answer today. Filled with humor, historical details, and thought-provoking moral dilemmas, Hattie Big Sky will appeal to fans of historical fiction, adventure, and coming-of-age stories.

Recommended for readers in grades 6 and up
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs

The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs
by Betty Birney

Farm life in the 1920's isn't too exciting for Eben McAllister until his grade school teacher gives him a book about the Seven Wonders of the World.  That's when he starts itching to leave tiny Sassafras Springs, Missouri, and see all the wonderful things around the world, even if it's just the mountains of Colorado while visiting relatives.  Traveling isn't easy, and it costs money, but Eben and his dad strike a deal - if Eben can find seven wonders in Sassafras Springs in seven days, he can take the train to Colorado.  Unsure that he can discover that many true wonders in his small town, especially in only one week, Eben sets off to talk to as many folks as he can find and is delighted - and surprised - by what he finds so close to home.

Recommended for readers in grades 4-8
Reviewed by Sara Murray

Such a Prince

Such a Prince
by Dan Bar-el

Princess Vera is ill, and Libby Gaborchik, an unlikely fairy has diagnosed that she is love starved. The man who brings her three perfect peaches will cure her and win her hand in marriage. Three brothers all vie to win her hand, but it is Marvin the skinny, good son who brings Princess Vera three perfect peaches. But the king does not like his looks and says he must prove his worthiness. 100 rabbits are involved and an impossible test. Will Marvin win the hand of Princess Vera, and will Libby Gaborchik help him? Parents and children ages 4 and up will enjoy this rollicking good twist on a fairy tale.

Recommended for ages 5-8
Reviewed by Alice Woertendyke

The Last Book in the Universe

The Last Book in the Universe
by Rodman Philbrick

Spaz is walking down "the Pipe," a concrete artery in "the Urb."  He lives in a world both futuristic and ancient, where people use mind probes for entertainment, but rarely have running water.  There are not any trees or grass in this gray place, either.

Fourteen-year-old Spaz is a boy making a living from stealing, but when he runs into Ryter, a gummy (old person), their lives change.  Joining their rag-tag band are the young Little Face, and the proov (genetically improved) girl Lanaya, with sky colored eyes and hair like sunlight.

What exactly is the last book in the universe?  Will Little Face ever get enough Choxbars?  Will these unique characters survive the attack of the Monkey Boys?  Is there really a place called Eden in their land?

Read this fast-paced, action-driven book, and go for an awesome ride.

Recommended for readers in grades 6-9
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

Dear Jo

Dear Jo: The Story of Losing Leah and Searching for Hope
by Christina Kilgoure

Twelve-year-old Maxine and her best friend Leah make a game of chatting with boys online. Of course, it is even more fun to lie about their ages, and flirt with these anonymous potential boyfriends. Not sensing any danger as they gradually reveal more details about themselves, their visits to their favorite web site eventually becomes more than just a way to pass the time. Furthermore, Leah has abruptly become more secretive with Maxine about her correspondence with "Muscleboy." They no longer sit at the computer together, giggling over the messages they jointly decide to send. Instead, Leah now "visits" with the allegedly fourteen-year-old Muscleboy in secret. Leah also becomes more withdrawn and preoccupied around Maxine and her other girlfriends. Clearly something is on her mind, but she is no longer sharing. Then Leah disappears, leaving behind e-mails that suggest she decided to meet Muscleboy in person. After speaking with the police, Max realizes, to her horror, that they were not the only ones telling lies online. Leah appears to have been abducted by someone she met on the internet. Written in the form of daily journal entries, Maxine shares with the reader the anguish she feels of losing her best friend, the worry she has that Leah might have met up with a dangerous sexual predator, and the guilt she feels for not clueing her parents in on what she was doing until after Leah made what could end up being a tragic mistake. Will Leah come home safely? How can Maxine move on in her life if Leah never returns? This book is a real page-turner, as well as a cautionary tale for all kids who visit chat rooms on the internet. Also included in the back of the book are internet safety tips for children, as well as a section for parents that includes the danger signals to look for when your child uses the internet.

Recommended for readers in grades 5-9
Reviewed by Rozanne Porter

Bobbie Dazzler

Bobbie Dazzler
by Margaret Wild
illustrated by Janine Dawson

Jump, skip and bounce to the shelves to find this "dazzler." Poor Bobbie, the red-necked wallaby, can do many amazing things, but what she really wants to be able to do is the splits. Her friends try to tell her that it is OK. "Never mind," they say, but Bobbie really does mind. She minds a lot. Whirl and twirl through the Australian landscape with these marvelous marsupials as Bobbie tries and tries again. Will she ever be able to do the splits? Keep trying, Bobbie. Don’t give up.

Recommended for ages 2-7
Reviewed by Koren Power