A Tale of Two Castles

by Gail Carson Levine
Elodie leaves home and journeys to the city of Two Castles in the hopes of getting an apprenticeship to be a mansioner (actor). Without money to buy an acting apprenticeship, she accepts an apprenticeship to the town dragon. Soon, she is involved in the mystery and intrigue of Two Castles. Who is plotting against the king and the ogre? Who can Elodie trust? Elodie uses observation, logic and her dramatic skills to figure out the mystery. The end of the book leaves an opening for more adventures with Elodie and her friends. A fairytale full of thieving cats, suspicious people, an ogre and a dragon. 

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Alicia Parmele 

The Knight's Tale series

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great
The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short
The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True
by Gerald Morris
Oh, to be a knight in the days of King Arthur's Court! You could be as great as Sir Lancelot  - with armor so shiny you could see your reflection! You could be as wise as Sir Givret, even if you're short! You could be undefeated like Sir Gawain and always keep your word! Of course, when you're the greatest knight in the realm, like Lancelot, or undefeated, like Sir Gawain, other knights are always challenging you everywhere you go, which can be a tad inconvenient. If you're wise like Sir Givret, you might find yourself always helping less wise friends out of trouble, which can be a tricky thing. And what if always keeping your word means you must fight a friend to defend the honor of your king? Being a knight can be great, but it's not always easy! No matter if being a knight is good or bad, with Gerald Morris telling the tales, you can bet they will be funny. Try this series perfect for those just discovering chapter books for the first time and see if you can keep the laughter in! 

Recommended for grades 2-4
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker 

The Flint Heart

by Katherine Paterson
Once upon a time, a long time ago, a magical heart was carved out of flint.  But this flint heart was not magical in a good way; it was magical in a bad way, making its wearer cruel and greedy and unfeeling.  When this story begins the flint heart has been forgotten about, hidden for thousands of years in an ancient grave.  It is found quite by accident by a kindly farmer, named Billy Jago, who turns instantly into an unkind and abusive bully upon picking up the heart.  Lucky for Billy, two of his children, Charles and Unity, are determined to find out why their father has changed and what they can do to change him back.  To do this, they decide to visit the Pixies.  With the help of the Pixies, and other magical beings, Charles and Unity are able to free their father from the power of the flint heart.  The story doesn't end here, though, because soon another creature has found the flint heart and turned into an ill-tempered beast.  It is up to Charles, Unity, and the magical creatures they meet to get rid of the flint heart, once and for all.  This charming fantasy is a rewritten version of a book written one hundred years ago by the author Eden Phillpott.  A lovely and fun read complete with illustrations.

Recommended for grades 3-5
Reviewed by Tara Olson 

The Eyes of the Unicorn

by Teresa Bateman
A visiting minstrel's song of the fabled unicorn causes the Duke and the nobles of the castle to plan how they will capture and kill the unicorn for his horn and hide. The minstrel's words, "few men will dare to look into a unicorn's eyes" only increases the boasting of the men as they prepare for the hunt. Tanisa, a serving girl, is told to go along with the men on the hunt, to serve them luncheon. She and Chris, the Duke's son, were friends when they were young, but now Chris has become hard and unfeeling. He wants only to impress his father, and is intent on killing the Unicorn. After preparing for the luncheon, Tanisa falls asleep under a tree and awakens to find the Unicorn by her side. She looks into his eyes and sees such peace and love that she wants nothing more than to gaze into his eyes forever. Chris comes upon Tanisa and the unicorn and is still bent on killing him. What happens will change his and Tanisa's life. This is a great read aloud for parents and teachers of children in grades 3-5.

Recommended for grades 3-5
Reviewed by Alice Woertendyke

Young Fredle

by Cynthis Voigt
This story is told from the point-of-view of a young boy-mouse. Amongst all the other kitchen-mice, Fredle has a lot of questions about the world. He asks so many of them, he drives Grandfather and his cousin Axle crazy. Then, because Fredle is not caring for his own safety, he ends up outside, on his own. Finally, he learns much about his world by experiencing it himself. Through all of his adventures, Fredle meets different types of mice from other parts of the farm-house and farm. He must always be on the look-out for predators such as cats, and even escapes from being captured by a gang of raccoons. Does Fredle really want to return to his little world as a kitchen-mouse? Or has his sighting of the wandering moon taught him to never look back?

Recommended for grades 3-5
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

by Grace Lin
Minli lives with her parents under the shadow of Fruitless Mountain. Minli loves the stories her father tells of dragons, Never-Ending Mountain, and the Old Man of the Moon. They are poor, and can barely survive day to day, so when Minli spends her family's only coin on a goldfish, her mother is sure disaster is soon to follow. Minli decides to set out to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask for help with her family's fortune. Along the way she meets all sorts of characters straight out of her father's tales: a talking fish, a dragon, a tiger, a boy with a buffalo, a king and a set of twins.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is about a girl on a quest - but it is set up in a group of smaller stories that are all interconnected and create one breathtaking story. This book is one of my favorite reads of the past several years. It is a magical story, with great illustrations, and looks at a style of tale that is refreshingly different.

Recommended for grades 3-8
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

by Tom Angleberger
This is a story with a lot of boy appeal.

At McQuarrie Middle School, many sixth graders, such as Tommy, have been fascinated by Origami Yoda. Like, does he really know things? Can he see the future? Does he use the Force? First of all, Dwight, who keeps Origami Yoda on his finger, is really weird. How can it be that such an odd guy can be the holder of such a wise figure? Written in what appears to be an old journal with wrinkly pages, the story is told by many viewpoints, like a case study. Many of the anecdotes take place during lunch-time in the school cafeteria.

All the little doodles and writings in the margins were very clever, as were the directions in the back on how to make your very own Origami Yoda. A fun read, and may the force be with you!

Recommended for grades 4-7
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

Paranormalcy

by Kiersten White
Even though Evie works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she has always considered herself normal. Just because she's the only one who can see through a paranormal's glamour, doesn't make her weird, or does it? Evie's world is turned upside down as someone starts hunting and killing paranormals. To further complicate matters an irresistible faerie who won't take no for an answer is pursuing her and she's falling for a cute shapeshifter. This is a quick paced, fun romp into the fantasy world. Girls who like light fantasy with a little romance should pick this up.

Recommended for grades 7-9
Reviewed by Alicia Parmele

Beyond the Deepwoods

by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
Book 1 of The Edge Chronicles
This is first in the series, an imaginative tale of Twig's adventures.  Detailed drawings throughout the book help the reader picture the Edge world.

The story begins with Twig living his life in the dark and perilous Deepwoods.  He looks completely different from his woodtroll parents.

Twig goes off to seek his fortune, where it seems all the Deepwoods plants and animals animatedly feed off of each other.  His experiences range from going to a Gyle Goblin Colony, and befriending both a Banderbear and a Trog.  Twig has a face-to-face encounter with the Gloamglozer, and is intrigued by a crew of Sky Pirates.

Learn what happens when Twig faces his past, in the Edge Chronicles.

Recommended for grades 5-9
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

A Tale Dark and Grimm

by Adam Gidwitz
Most everyone has heard the story of Hansel and Gretel.  You know, the one where they walk into the forest away from their evil parents, try to eat a witch's house, and narrowly avoid her oven.  Well, that's really only part of the story, and it's not even the beginning.  In this dark and grim tale, we follow Hansel and Gretel on all their adventures - from being born to the well-meaning king and queen to outsmarting the devil to meeting the moon (who likes to eat children) to coming eye to golden eye with a giant dragon (who also likes to eat children).  This isn't the Hansel and Gretel story you heard as a little kid, and it's not for the feint of heart.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Sara Murray

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Ridiculous but entertaining, or maybe ridiculously entertaining, this book certainly is what the title claims it to be. For those of you who are not satisfied with the "Happily Ever After," sappy sweet, and pretty princess endings, this is the tale for you. Blood and gore pour through the pages of this retelling of the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale. As if the original was not gruesome enough - you remember, someone gets baked in an oven - this version gets mixed up with other Grimm tales to include beheadings, dismemberments, humans being hunted, and a trip to hell itself. How can so many terrible things happen to two innocent children? Read this and find out.

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Koren Power

Fablehaven

by Brandon Mull
Siblings Kendra and Seth aren't happy about staying with a grandfather they barely know while their parents are on a cruise.  But when they arrive at his house they are told that they can do whatever they want while they stay.  As long as they stay out of the woods.

If only rules weren't so easy to break.  Once their grandpa figures out that both Kendra and Seth have broken the rule, he confesses what neither one of them would ever have guessed; the woods are a sanctuary for nearly extinct magical creatures and he is the caretaker.  The sanctuary is called Fablehaven and it houses hundreds of creatures, from trolls and witches to imps and fairies.  Kendra and Seth are so excited to know more about Fablehaven that they don't heed Grandpa's advice about the dangers of the creatures in the forest, accidentally unleashing some powerful forces of evil.  When Grandpa is kidnapped by these evil forces, it is up to Kendra and Seth to save Fablehaven and prevent the escape of all the magical creatures.  This is a funny, adventure-filled fantasy story and the first in a series.

The Amaranth Enchantment

by Julie Berry
Once upon a time...
Lucinda had a wonderful life; parents who adored her, wealth, privilege, all the fine things of which a girl dreams.

Now...
That's all gone - Lucinda's parents are dead and she lives working as an unpaid drudge for her kind, goldsmith uncle and the mean greedy wife he doesn't dare to defy. Then things get worse than Lucinda could have ever imagined - following the death of her uncle, Lucinda's aunt accuses her of the theft of a precious stone left in the shop by Beryl, the Amaranth Witch (Falsely! It was that street scamp Peter!) and kicks Lucinda out onto the streets. Lucinda will have to use all her wits to retrieve the stone from Peter, but distractions abound, particularly in the forms of charming Prince Gregor and one stubborn goat named Dog. As Lucinda searches for Peter and the stone, she discovers that not all is precisely as it seems, but can she learn the truth in time or will disaster strike?

Although it is an original story, The Amaranth Enchantment has all the hallmarks of the best fairy tales - an orphan, a fairy godmother, a prince, hidden identities, a masked ball, and of course, lots of magic and romance!

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

The Red Pyramid

by Rick Riordan
Gods of Olympus can take a well-deserved break - the gods of Egypt are back in play. Brother and sister Carter and Sadie Kane have been living apart since their mother's mysterious death six years ago: Sadie with their grandparents in London, Carter traveling with their dad. The siblings tell their story in alternating chapters. It begins in London on Christmas Eve when their Egyptologist father takes them to visit the British Museum and blows up the Rosetta Stone, releases an Egyptian god, and disappears in the process. The twins are soon scrambling for their lives, magically whisked away to New York by an unknown uncle. Carter and Sadie learn that the gods of ancient Egypt are still alive and moving through our world, and that their family has deep ties to the gods. They quickly learn they both have magical powers and that they must use them to battle the god Set, who wants to destroy the world. This is a fast-paced adventure, full of historical and well as mythological facts, and many fun and interesting characters. This book is a must-read for Percy Jackson fans; it is another home-run for kids who like witty, adventurous, and often funny fantasies.

Recommended for grades 3-8
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Toys Go Out

by Emily Jenkins
Six stories plus three friends plus one little girl the friends all love, add up to a charming story just right for readers ready to move up to chapter books. StingRay has been around the longest and the other toys all look up to her. After all, she knows so much more than they do - like what it means to be a grown-up: "You're not a grown-up until you're at least eight…[then] you can drive a limousine, and brush your teeth without being reminded, and you can read all the words in the dictionary, no matter how long." Lumphy is a little buffalo who tries to be tough like a buffalo should be, but really, how could anyone face the terror of the washing machine? And Plastic is... well, Plastic isn't actually quite sure what she is, but she'll do whatever she can to find out. Jenkins packs plenty of gentle humor into her imagined secret life for these toys. As a bonus, since each chapter is a self-contained story, this is a perfect read-aloud for a class or at bedtime. Follow StingRay, Lumphy and Plastic on even more adventures by checking out the sequel, Toy Dance Party!

Recommended for grades 1-4 or younger if read aloud
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Highway Cats

by Janet Taylor Lisle
The highway cats are a mean, scraggly, tough bunch. You know these cats are bad when they respond to a box of kittens being left beside the highway by betting on which ones, if any, will make it across the busy roadway without being splatted by a truck. Strangely enough, all three kittens make it across the road and a rumor starts that they're miracle kittens. Soon, even stranger things are happening. Under the kittens' influence, the highway cats actually start cleaning up themselves and their language. Khalia Koo, their leader and the toughest of them all, appears to be softening to the kittens. Old Shredder sees something special in the kittens and something like a soft glow surrounding them. Could the kittens actually be magic? Or even a real live miracle? The highway cats could certainly use a miracle because the mayor has his eye on their little scrap of land. But what can three little kittens and a ragtag band of cats do against the might and power of city hall, not to mention construction workers and their huge machines? Turns out, there may be more power in these three little kittens than the highway cats ever imagined, but will it be enough to save the day? Read and find out!

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

100 Cupboards

by N. D. Wilson
When Henry York's parents go missing while on an adventure, Henry is sent to live with his Aunt Dotty and Uncle Frank in Henry, Kansas, a town so small it is hardly longer than the bus he rides in on.  He is welcomed by his three cousins - Penny, Henrietta, and Anastasia - and given a tour of the house. As Henry is shown to his room up in the attic, they pass the door to Grandfather's bedroom - a door which has been mysteriously and tightly locked for a long time.  Just as he is settling into his bed at night, Henry starts to hear banging on his bedroom wall and wakes to find plaster flakes on his pajamas.  When he looks up, he can see two curious knobs sticking through the wall.  One is slowly turning.

Henry and Henrietta work together to scrape all of the plaster away from the wall and uncover 99 cupboards.  Through one comes a yellow light.  Through another Henry can feel the damp earth.  Through a third comes a cold and unsettling wind.  Together the two children realize that these are not just compartments in the wall, but entrances to other times and places.  In one of the cupboards is a key - the missing key to Grandfather's bedroom - a key that will not only unlock the room, but mysteries and adventure beyond anything they could have imagined.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Sara Murray

Dark Life

by Kat Falls
Get ready to read about adventure in the wild, wild, umm... Ocean? Yep, that's right, pardner. Global warming has made land so scarce on Earth that people are now homesteading on the ocean floor. Fifteen-year-old Ty was the first child born in the deep ocean after the Subsea Homestead Act was passed. Citizens willing to stake a claim and work it for five years will own the hundred acre sea farms free and clear. That's what Ty wants to do when he reaches eighteen. Ty, his family, and their neighbors raise crops of plankton and kelp, and livestock including fish, cows and chickens (which live in undersea barns). Just like pioneers of old, they are carving out a home in a harsh environment, have limited access to supplies, and have to deal with rustlers and outlaws.

Enter Gemma, a Topsider girl, who comes down in search of her missing prospector brother. Gemma is annoying, nosy, talkative and amazingly astute. She notices that the ocean-born kids seem to have rather unusual talents and wonders if they are examples of the rumored Dark Gifts - special abilities that are whispered about Topside.

Moments after meeting, the two teens find evidence of a violent crime, and then, within hours, witness a neighbor's homestead being attacked by outlaws. The teens are caught up in the race to catch the outlaws and save the undersea settlement from political machinations on the Topside.

This is an original, fun read that twists several genres into something new. It is a mixture of western and science fiction, with a sprinkling of fantasy thrown in for good measure.

Recommended for grades 5 and up
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

The Night Fairy

by Laura Amy Schlitz and illustrated by Angela Barrett
Flory is a night fairy whose world changes in an instant, when a bat bites off her wings and she is no longer able to fly. Stuck in a "giant's" garden with her very life in danger, Flory must come up with a survival plan. She finds a new home in a wren house, and begins collecting seeds and fruits during the daytime when it is safer to be outside. Without wings, the little fairy sets her sights on a hummingbird as her new means of transportation. In her attempts to win over the fierce little bird Flory faces many obstacles, including a stubborn squirrel, a praying mantis, and a scary spider. Sweet illustrations add to the appeal of this book.

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Watersmeet

by Ellen Jensen Abbott
Abisina is an outcast in her village of Vranille, because she has dark hair and no father. Only blue-eyed, blonde haired children are acceptable in her world. She would have been cast out as a baby if not for her mother being the village healer. An evil leader named Charach comes to her village and starts a riot, killing many of the outcasts and Abisina's mother. Abisina is thrust alone into the wilderness, her only possession a necklace from her father and the directions to find him at Watersmeet. Abisina battles through the prejudice she has been taught her whole life about all the other creatures in the world. To her, dwarves, centaurs, and fauns are strange, ugly things to be feared and hated. Abisina is surprised to find an ally and friend in a dwarf named Haret. They travel together to the unknown Watersmeet, where Abisina hopes to find a place where she will be accepted and can finally call home. Her only stopping block is getting past her own prejudices and fears. In the form of an intricate fantasy world, this book explores how we judge and fear anyone who is different from us.

Recommended for grades 7-10
Reviewed by Alicia Parmele

The Alchemyst

by Michael Scott
If you like action, adventure and magic, this is the book for you! When 15-year-old twins Josh and Sophie get summer jobs across the street from each other in their San Francisco neighborhood, they are expecting to have a rather mundane summer selling books and serving coffee. Boy, were they ever wrong. Josh's boss, Nick Fleming, is in reality none other than the immortal Nicholas Flamel, the world's most famous alchemist. Josh and Sophie are quickly caught up in the fight between immortals, gods, and evil beings called the Dark Elders. Dr. John Dee, originally advisor to Queen Elizabeth I and now an immortal, is working for the Dark Elders. He has been tracking Nick and his wife Perenelle for centuries, in pursuit of a book called the Codex (The book of Abraham the Mage). It contains many secrets, including the formula for immortality. When Dee finds the bookstore, Nick and the teens escape, barely. They are swept up in action that involves magical creatures, mythical beings, gods from all corners of the earth, and a dizzying array of immortals. The magical battles fly fast and furious, and the characters are transported around the globe and into other realms at an alarming rate. Soon, the twins begin to show signs of having powers of their own, and the plot thickens.

This book is a first-rate read. Once you start this series, you will not want to stop!

This is book one in the series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. Other titles are The Magician, The Sorceress, and The Necromancer.

Recommended for grades 5 and up
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Bone: Out from Boneville

by Jeff Smith
Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone may be cousins but they couldn't be three more different people. Phoney Bone's the crafty one with the get-rich schemes that always lead to trouble - like getting run out of Boneville and getting lost in the desert wilderness. Smiley Bone's the not-so-bright one, happy to help his cousins in any way possible, but short on ideas of his own. Fone Bone's the one who gets everybody out of trouble, but even he doesn't know where they are now. Things are not looking good and when the horde of locusts comes through, they're looking even worse because now the three Bone cousins have been separated and Fone is on his own. All he has is the strange map that Smiley found that leads him to a valley where things get stranger and stranger. First, a dragon appears and disappears in the middle of the night. Then, Fone meets two bugs - one tiny, one giant; one friendly, one a little less so. Fone doesn't really hit rock bottom though until he meets the stupid, stupid rat creatures that seem to be out to capture and eat him. Then Thorn arrives and things start looking up because Thorn is a beautiful girl who brings Fone home to meet Gran'ma Ben who can help him get back to Boneville, once he's found his cousins of course. It turns out this is just the beginning of Fone Bone's adventures though - something very mysterious is happening in the valley and the Bone cousins and Thorn seem to be caught smack dab in the middle of it. The Bone series continues in eight more volumes and once you read this first volume, you won't want to wait to read the rest!

Recommended for grades 3 and up
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

First Test

by Tamora Pierce
All 10-year-old Keladry wants is to be a knight, someone who can protect those who can't protect themselves. According to the proclamation issued by King Jonathon of Tortall 10 years ago, Kel has every right to try for her shield even if no other girls have stepped forward before now. Kel should be able to go through the four years of page training and schooling just like the boys. She should be able to become a squire and serve a knight for four more years. She should be able to earn her knighthood like everyone else, but Lord Wyldon, the page training master, has other ideas. "Girls are fragile, more emotional, easier to frighten. They are not as strong in their arms and shoulders as men. They tire easily. This girl would get any warriors who serve with her killed on some dark night." That's what Wyldon thinks and the only way he will accept Kel is on a one-year probationary period - if she does anything wrong, fails at anything, she's out. No boy has ever had to have a probation year; it's just not fair, but Kel accepts the deal knowing the task she's set for herself may be impossible: change Wyldon's mind and prove she's meant to be a knight. Wyldon is far from the only problem Kel faces: the training is grueling, immortal and magical creatures haunt Tortall's lands, and the other pages don't appreciate having a girl set in their midst. Kel may not have magic like Alanna, the only current Lady Knight, but all of Tortall will soon learn that Kel is not about to back down from this challenge. Kel will do whatever it takes to prove she's just as good as any boy and she will become a knight. Follow Kel's story in the rest of the Protector of the Small Quartet: Page, Squire, and Lady Knight. For more on Tortall, check out Alanna's story in the Song of the Lioness Quartet. Read them all before author Tamora Pierce comes to visit the Eastgate Branch, March 10th!

Recommended for grades 4-10
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Powerless

by Matthew Cody
Daniel is totally not looking forward to moving to Noble's Green - The Safest Town on Earth - so he and his family can live with his elderly grandmother.  However, once he gets there, he meets Mollie and Rohan, an girl and a boy who live on his block, and realizes that there is something rather strange about the kids in Noble's Green.  Soon Daniel learns that they all have powers - one can fly, one can turn invisible, one has super senses, and one can control electricity.  These powers are kept secret from the adults in town, but the kids have long been using them to keep everyone safe.  But they can't keep the townspeople safe forever.  For some unknown reason, the moment each of these secret superheroes turns 13, their powers and any memory associated with having them are lost forever.  Being without a power himself, Daniel is determined to use good old-fashioned detective work to learn what is happening to his friends and see if he, powerless and regular, can save them.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Sara Murray

Catching Fire

by Suzanne Collins
This is an amazing, nail-biting, edge of your chair book. After outwitting the Gamemakers in the Panem capitol, by engineering a way for both of them to win and survive the Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta are now starting on their mandatory Victory Tour of the twelve districts. The two teens soon discover that their desperate attempt at survival had far-reaching effects: they have inspired an uprising. Their promised life of wealth and comfort turns out to be short lived. For the 75th Hunger Games, each district must send back two of its victors to compete. Katniss and Peeta find themselves back in the arena, this time not only fighting for their own survival, but for that of the rebellion. This sequel is even better than the original, and that is saying something.

Recommended for grades 5 and up
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Odd and the Frost Giants

by Neil Gaiman
This book is a fun introduction to Asgard, the land of the Norse gods. Twelve-year-old Odd is not the luckiest boy in his village; in fact most of the neighbors think he is quite odd. His father was killed during a sea raid and he crippled himself in a tree chopping accident three weeks later. When Odd doesn't fit in with his mother's new husband and family, he retreats to his father's cabin in the woods. He soon encounters a fox, who leads him to a trapped bear, and an eagle. He soon discovers they are the Norse gods Loki, Thor, and Odin, and have been transformed into animals by a frost giant. Odd decides to help them reclaim Asgard from the frost giants, so they set off over the rainbow bridge. What follows is an interesting tale of how a small boy defeats a mighty foe, using his wits.

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children

by Keith McGowan
Genius brother and sister Sol and Connie Blink notice odd things about their new town. This includes the old woman who lives next door, Mrs. Fay Holaderry, and her dog J. Swift, who carries a very weird looking bone. Among the difficult things the children must adjust to are the fact that their new stepmother made them get rid of their beloved cat; there are no other children living on their street; and their dad abandons them on the other side of town. Thanks to excerpts from her diary readers know from the first sentence that Mrs. Holaderry is actually a child-eating witch. Sol and Connie figure it out soon enough when they steal her diary and read it. Thus begins the battle of wits between two smart children and a crafty old witch. A delicious update of an old tale.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Thirteenth Child

By Patricia C. Wrede
Everyone knows that a double-seven - a seventh son of a seventh son - is destined for great things, just like everyone knows that a thirteenth child is bad luck and bound to turn evil. Eff and Lan are twins and while Lan is fawned over for being a double-seven, Eff is looked on with great suspicion because she is indeed a thirteenth child - until the entire family moves to the frontier. In this less settled and more open-minded place, slowly, but surely, Eff learns that there may be more to her life and future than she's always believed. Patricia Wrede has created a fascinating world that feels familiar, but isn't quite like ours. Once you’re drawn into Eff's world, you won't want to leave!

Recommended for grades 6 and up
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

The Twilight Prisoner

by Katherine Marsh
Jack once again visits the Underworld, this time with his friends from the Chapman School Latin Club. Although he is living, Jack has the ability to see ghosts and navigate the ghostly world as if he is one. Cora and Austin join Jack exploring the tunnels below Columbia University, when they accidentally cross over to the Underworld. They are met by Jack's ghost friend, Euri, who helps them in their race to evade the guards, Cerberus the three-headed dog, and the plotting of the evil journalist Colonel Mann to rejoin the living. This sequel to the Edgar Award winning The Night Tourist is a must-read for Percy Jackson fans.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Catmagic

by Holly Webb
Lottie Grace is miserable when her mum goes to work in Paris. She is sent to live with her Uncle Jack and her cousin Danny at their pet shop. The only thing that makes it tolerable is that she can play and talk to the animals. From her first day there, Lottie notices little things that don't seem quite right. Some of the mice look pink. She breaks up a fight between some of the other mice. Sofie the dog drinks coffee. And Lottie can swear that it feels like they are all watching her.

Then it happens. After Danny rescues Lottie from some bullies, Sofie tells him all about it. In front of Lottie. And she can hear Sofie talking. That's when she discovers that the shop and all the animals in it are magical. Lottie's summer just became a whole lot more exciting. Read the rest of this book to find out all about Lottie and the magical animals in Grace's Pet Shop.

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

The Goblin Baby

by Berlie Doherty
At first, Tam is unhappy when his baby sister is born. She cries all the time. But, he soon comes to love her, and he names her Blue. One strange night, when the stars turn to sparkly sapphires, Tam hears Blue crying. But, by the time he gets to her, a strange baby has taken Blue's place in the crib. Fairies have taken Blue back to the fairy kingdom and left a goblin changeling in her place. With his grandfather's help, Tam braves the Green Passage and ventures into the fairy kingdom to rescue his baby sister and return the goblin baby.

Recommended for grades 2-4
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

The Dragon of Trelian

by Michelle Knudsen
Calen is lonely mage's apprentice with no friends, no family and no apparent talent for magic. Princess Meglynne is isolated by a secret that she can't share with anyone. The two meet one day and instantly recognize in each other a person they can trust as a friend. Princess Meg shares her secret with Calen, she is raising a baby dragon and has become linked with him. Through their friendship, Calen discovers his magical talent and uses it to help his friend. They uncover a murder plot and must work together, combining their strength, wits and bravery to defeat a much stronger foe and save the life of Meg's sister. This is a fun fast paced fantasy that will keep you turning the pages from beginning to end. This is the first book in a series, so look for more adventures with these characters.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Alicia Parmele

Fortune's Magic Farm

by Suzanne Selfors
Okay, here's the scoop: Isabelle is left on a doorstep as a baby and is found by Grandma Maxine. They live in the totally dreary town of Runny Cove, where it always rains, every person works for the Magnificently Supreme Umbrella Factory but no one owns an umbrella, every one coughs and has patches of mold on their puckered skin. But Isabelle, she is different, and she knows it deep down inside. That's what keeps her going when the awful owner of her boarding house, Mama Lu, bullies the residents every night and feeds them only cabbage soup. Isabelle does have a special talent, she can grow mushrooms between her toes and lichen in her hair. Her room is covered in a carpet of moss, and the walls are covered in ivy. But her life is achingly dull until she is given a special apple by an elephant seal. That apple is a key to her secret, real life.

Isabelle is a tender. The last tender, in fact. She learns that tenders take care of a special garden called Fortune's Farm – where magic is grown. Isabelle is the last of the Fortunes. She is taken back to the family farm by Sage, a keeper, and her Uncle Walnut. Her grandpa is the head tender. The farm is in disrepair and failing. She has to make a promise to keep the farm's secrets before she can enter. Once there, Isabelle transforms. Her eyes and hair turn green, her skin turns pink. She makes friends with a marmot named Rocky, she makes up funny songs, and she discovers she can talk to the trees.

Once Isabelle and the Farm are doing better, she then goes back to Runny Cove, determined to save her friends.

Recommended for grades 3-7
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

The Demigod Files

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Demigod Files
by Rick Riordan
Are you waiting to read the last book in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series?  If you want to make your wait more bearable or just learn more about Percy and the other campers, pick up The Demigod Files!  Read three more of Percy's exciting adventures in which he helps Clarisse find a stolen chariot, rebuilds Hephaestus's bronze dragon to save Beckendorf, and travels the Underworld with Thalia and Nico to find the lost Sword of Hades.  Get some insight into the Stolls, Clarisse, Annabeth, Grover, and Percy in one-on-one interviews.  See what kinds of things Annabeth packs into her camp trunk.  And check out a map of Camp Half-Blood.  Still haven't gotten enough?  Take a sneak peek at The Last Olympian!

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Sara Murray

Need

by Carrie Jones
Loved Twilight and don't know what to read next?  Try Need.  Zara's mom has sent her to Maine.  Since Zara's step-dad died, she just hasn't been the same injustice fighting, phobia collecting girl and her mom hopes that the cold Maine weather and Zara's no-nonsense grandmother are what will snap Zara out of her depression.  While Zara hates the cold weather, she does start to make new friends at school and things are looking up - until the tall, dark-haired man reappears.  Zara saw him for the first time the day her step-dad died and now he seems to have followed her to Maine, but what does he want?  Why is he following her?  And what is the weird, gold dust she keeps finding?  Soon Zara finds that the answers are stranger than she ever imagined and a whole world of supernatural beings exists right alongside our own. But that's not the scariest thing - sure it's freaky to discover the people around you aren't human, but what's even worse is what Zara's starting to wonder – what if I'm not human either?

Recommended for grades 7-10
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Prince of Underwhere

by Bruce Hale
A read-alike for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, this half comic, half novel, is totally hilarious!

Zeke, his twin sister Stephanie, and their neighbor Hector discover this strange world called Underwhere. Action-thrusting, the trio fights mutant dinosaurs and zombies. Zeke becomes the prince liberating a midget-race people that wear underwear on the outside of their clothes.

Then they must not only deal with devious spies, but also an evil, smelly superstar rapper, and the sarcastically-talking cat that is on their side.

Read this crazy caper, and see how passing gas can be the bomb of a war-device. Find out if Zeke completes his science project, or if he out-wits the class bully. Kids that revel in potty humor of the most disgusting stench will bask in the odor of the methane of this story.

Recommended for grades 2-6
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman
For those ghost lovers and Harry Potter fans, this spooky and suspenseful novel is based on Rudyard Kipling’s classic, The Jungle Book. The story begins in a frightening way, as a family is killed by a menacing stranger named Jack. However, the youngest child of the family, a toddler, fortuitously escapes the fate of the rest of his family by literally toddling out the front door while Jack is in another room. He crawls to a nearby graveyard, and gets discovered by two long-time inhabitants of the cemetery. Not knowing his true identity, the orphaned boy is renamed Nobody - Bod for short. Over the years, he is lovingly raised by the kind, eccentric ghosts in the cemetery until the day comes where he must return to "his own kind." In the meantime, Bod, whose life skills are suited more toward the dead than the living, must learn to go to school with his peers and learn things that only the living can teach. But there is great danger in taking this step. Surprisingly, Jack has not forgotten about him over time. He is still looking for Bod. He came to do a job that tragic evening long ago, and it has yet to be completed. He needs to finish what he started. Why does Jack need to destroy Bod? Can Bod's ghostly family protect him from the cruel world by continuing to isolate him? Will Bod ever have a home other than the cemetery? Gaiman writes a suspenseful yarn, at times funny, other times touching, that will leave readers wanting to turn the pages to find out who Jack is, as well as what becomes of Bod and his ethereal family.

Winner of the 2009 Newbery Medal

Recommended for grades 5 and up
Reviewed by Rozanne Porter

The New Policeman

by Kate Thompson
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day? You will want to grab this one or take the sound recording and listen with your family. If you have heard the tales of fairies and switching babies in their cradles, people being taken to T'ir na n'Og, pukas and other magical beings found throughout Ireland, this present day tale will pull you in. J.J. Liddy's family has close ties to the fairy world. In this title, J.J. and the mysterious new "policeman" must discover the leak between the two worlds before life as we know it is altered forever. Time (as well as all of the missing laundry socks) is invading the land of eternal youth as fairy magic and music are slipping into our land. Musical scores are included at the end of each chapter and are played for you on the sound recording. You may also want to check out the second title by this author, The Last of the High Kings. Happy March!

Recommended for grades 4-9
Reviewed by Koren Power

A Curse Dark as Gold

by Elizabeth C. Bunce
When her father dies, Charlotte Miller knows that his responsibilities have fallen to her - for her younger sister Rosie, for the family mill, for the town of Stirwaters and for its inhabitants whose livelihoods depend on the mill. Charlotte's path won't be an easy one despite the support of the people surrounding her, for there are whispers: whispers of a curse that has haunted both the mill and the Miller family throughout the ages. Set at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and filled with details of the woolen industry, A Curse Dark as Gold may appeal to fans of historical fiction as well as those who love fantasies with detailed, engrossing worlds. While the first two-thirds of the novel is leisurely paced, Bunce sets an eerie, forbidding mood that hangs over the whole and the frantic final third races to the resolution as Charlotte struggles to protect all those she loves. In this reimagining of Rumpelstiltskin, Bunce reveals the answer to the terrible question: "How could a mother bargain away her child?"

Recommended for grades 7 and up
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Rowan of Rin

by Emily Rodda
Rin is facing catastrophe - the river that runs through their village has gone dry, which means no water for the bukshah, the herd animals the villagers depend on. The river comes from the mountain, so the problem must be up there, but although many have ventured up the mountain, none have ever returned and all fear the dragon rumored to live at the top. Small Rowan, keeper of the bukshah and least of the villagers, through a strange series of events, becomes one of the seven who will attempt to unblock the river. Their only help in their task: poetic riddles and a map from the strange wise woman Sheba. Rowan fears they will be unable to figure out the riddles in time and more, he fears the future Sheba's words may reveal:
Seven hearts the journey make.
Seven ways the heart will break.
Short, but packed surprisingly full of discussion-worthy topics, Rowan of Rin is the first of five books about Rowan, the smallest and most timid resident of the town of Rin.

Other books in this series:
Rowan and the Travelers
Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal
Rowan and the Zebak
Rowan and the Ice Creepers

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Rapunzel's Revenge

by Shannon and Dean Hale
You may think you know the story of Rapunzel, but you've never heard or seen it this way before. Rapunzel spends her early childhood as a pampered, but lonely, princess with her only friends being the guards of Mother Gothel's luxurious, high-walled compound. It's Rapunzel's curiosity about the world outside that lands her in a tree in a swamp with abundant growth magic that transfers itself to her hair as well. As the years pass, Rapunzel grows evermore frustrated and bored – you would be too if hair-inspired activities like jumping rope and lasso practice were your only entertainment possibilities. When Rapunzel finally escapes (forget the prince - she gets herself out), she's determined to wrest control of the land from Mother Gothel and to rescue her true mother from back-breaking work in the mines. As Rapunzel explores the outside world she gains an ally in Jack (yes, that Jack) and discovers that all her hair works mighty fine as both lasso and whip! It's a long, obstacle-filled road back to Mother Gothel's compound and Rapunzel's going to need all her courage and wits just to make it there. The Old West twist to the cartoon-like illustrations and story adds to the fun, and don't forget to keep an eye out for the many other fairy tale characters Rapunzel encounters on her journey of justice! Fantasy, adventure, humor, even a hint of romance - Rapunzel's Revenge has something for everyone and since it's a graphic novel, it's a quick read too!

Recommended for grades 4 and up
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Palace of Mirrors

by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Cecilia spends her days as a common peasant girl, doing chores and fishing with her friend Harper. But at night she studies for the time when she will come out of hiding and take her place as princess of Suala. A commoner, Desmia resides as a decoy princess in the palace. Cecilia must wait until the evil forces that killed her parents are vanquished before she can take her place as princess. Cecilia is tired of waiting and not getting to experience the luxury of being a princess and living in the Palace of Mirrors. Along with her friend Harper, she sets off to the capital to takeover her rightful place as the true princess. Desmia however believes a different story and knows that she is the true princess of Suala. Everything is not as it seems in the Palace of Mirrors and just who is right about being the true princess. This is a quick read with enough of a twist to make it interesting. Fans of "Just Ella" should definitely read this one.

Recommended for grades 4-7
Reviewed by Alicia Parmele

Inkdeath

by Cornelia Funke
This is the last and by far the goriest book in Funke's Inkheart trilogy. As the title suggests, death looms over the pages of this dark end of the story. In fact, Death, herself, makes an appearance in one of the later chapters to remind us that she is waiting at the end of every story. If you started with Inkheart a few years ago, do not worry. There is an A to Z list of people and places if you need a refresh. The list will really come in handy, because unlike the first book - which was told mainly from one point of view - this one flows from character to character to encompass several points of view. In other books, this flip-flop may be confusing. However, Funke is such an amazing storyteller and you are pulled so deep into her world that hearing the multiple voices is as natural as having conversations with different people in everyday life. It is sad to have the story end, but this author has given so much life to the Inkworld that it seems that it is destined to live on.

Recommended for grades 8 and up
Reviewed by Koren Power

Savvy

by Ingrid Law
Mibs Beaumont is turning 13 in just two days and when she does, her life will change forever. Not only will she be a teenager, but her savvy will hit and the Beaumonts have seen some whoppers: 19 year old Rocket leaks electricity and 14 year old Fish controls the weather - well, sort of. Mibs can't wait to see what her savvy will be, although she's plenty nervous too - when Fish got his savvy he caused a hurricane and the whole family had to move! Then disaster strikes: Poppa Beaumont (no savvy - he married into the family) is in a horrific car accident and lies in a coma miles away in Salinas. Now all Mibs wants is a savvy that will help her Poppa be OK, and when she wakes up on her 13th birthday, she gets the perfect savvy - or so she thinks. Now all she has to do is get to Poppa, and there's the pink Bible Supply Bus heading to Salinas......

Quick as a blink, Mibs in on that bus with two brothers and the preacher's two kids. When the bus turns the wrong way, though, the adventure really begins.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

The Underneath

by Kathi Appelt; illustrated by David Small
A pregnant calico cat abandoned in the bayou. An old hound dog chained to a slowly decaying house. The Alligator King, grown as big as a monster over the many years, and the terrible, scarred man who chases him - Gar-Face.

With lyrical language, Appelt brings these characters together as events are inexorably set in motion by the birth of two kittens – Puck and Sabine. Twined through the story of how a hound dog, a calico cat and her kittens become a family are two other stories: the story of how the evil Gar-Face came to this place in the bayou and an older story yet of an ancient creature - part human, part snake - of how her family betrayed her and of how she waits for revenge.

Short chapters make this a quick read, but be prepared – Gar-Face is truly evil.The Underneath is a powerful portrait of how devastating loss can be and how love can redeem and give meaning to a life.

Recommended for grades 5 and up
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Playing With Fire

Skulduggery Pleasant - Book 2
by Derek Landy
Apprentice wizard Valkyrie Cain (known in her mundane life as 13-year-old Stephanie Edgley) is back; fighting the forces of evil with her mentor, the skeleton detective Skulduggery Pleasant. Aided by friends Tanith Low and China Sorrows, they battle the evil Baron Vengeous who has escaped prison. Vengeous and his minions set out to resurrect a monster assembled from the most fearsome beasts of legend, which will call its masters the Faceless Ones to destroy the world. This is a super book, with a strong girl as the main character. Don't miss this fun, action-packed sequel to Skulduggery Pleasant. This series manages to mix elements of fantasy, action and humor into something unique that is a hybrid of all three.

Recommended for grades 3 and up
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Princess Ben

Princess Ben: Being a Wholly Truthful Account of Her Various Discoveries and Misadventures, Recounted to the Best of Her Recollection, in Four Parts
by Katherine Gilbert Murdock
The subtitle really does explain this book. Princess Benevolence of Montagne, or Ben, as she prefers to be calls, is a bit rough around the edges. Ben is plump, messy, and doesn’t enjoy her lessons. She really isn’t a typical princess. When her parents and her uncle the king are killed by assassins she is left to the mercy of Queen Sophia, whom she extremely dislikes. Sophia puts Ben on a diet, forces her to study dance, embroidery, polite conversation, and dress like a lady. To make things worse, Ben is forced to attend a ball to look for a prospective suitor. To top things off, the neighboring kingdom Drachensbett is threatening to invade so finding a suitable match has become Queen Sophia’s top priority. Not enjoying the prim, fussy lifestyle, Ben fights back and is punished by being locked in a bare tower room every night. One night she literally stumbles into a secret passage to the Wizard’s Tower, where she finds a book of spells and her magical birthright. But will she have found it in time to save Montange?

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Bewitching Season

by Marissa Doyle
Penelope and Persephone are twin girls about to begin their first season in London. While Pen can barely contain her excitement, Persy would much rather stay home and continue to study magic. When their governess and magic tutor, Miss Allardyce, mysteriously disappears, the twins quickly discover that their position as young ladies in society keeps them from being able to search for her. Soon their younger brother Charles, Chucklehead to his sisters, and their neighbor Lochinvar, who turns Persy into a stammering fool, have joined forces with the twins. As the search continues, the twins discover that Miss Allardyce has been kidnapped as part of a magical plot against the Princess Victoria and it is up to them to save the day. A delightful romp, Bewitching Season combines historical fiction, fantasy, romance and mystery into one delectable whole.

Recommended for grades 6 and up
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

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 grades 2-5
Reviewed by Alexa Newman