Horton Halfpott

Horton Halfpott, or, The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor, or, The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset
by Tom Angleberger
This book begins, "There are so many exciting things in this book."  I disagree.  It should have said that there are so many hysterical things in this book.  You may recognize Angleberger's Origami Yoda books and his quirky sense of humor.  This book stands on its own, and it would be difficult to find others like it.  From the title to the last page it is a farcical game of words.  You will find an endless supply of characters to laugh at/with.  My favorites include the shipless pirates and the pompous, professional, private investigator, Portnoy St. Pomfrey.  Root for the hapless Horton as he struggles to unravel the mysteries of M'Lady's corset, Napoleon's head, and the missing Lump.  The icing on this cake - the book's cover glows in the dark. 

Recommended for grades 3-8
Reviewed by Koren Power 

Second Fiddle

by Rosanne Parry
"If we had known it would eventually involve the KGB, the French National Police, and the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, we would have left that body in the river and called the Polizei like any normal German citizen; but we were Americans and addicted to solving other people's problems, so naturally, we got involved."   That's how this page-turner by Rosanne Parry starts.  The year is 1990. The place is West Berlin, Germany.  The Berlin Wall has just come down, and the communist East is newly opened to the West. Violinist Jody and her friends Giselle and Vivian are preparing for their performance in a classical music contest in Paris.  The girls all live on the American military base in West Berlin, but will soon be parting ways; Jody and Giselle's families are moving back to the States.  The contest in Paris is to be their last adventure together as a trio.  One day on the way home from their private lesson, the girls decide to cross over Checkpoint Charlie to get some gelato from a shop on the East side of the Brandenburg Gate.  On their way back home, they see two Communist Russian soldiers beating another soldier and then dumping him into the river, leaving him for dead.  The girls run to his rescue, treat his wounds, and over the next couple of days cross back and forth from West to East Berlin to care for the wounded soldier.  Arvo turns out to be not Russian, but Estonian (which is why the Russians tried to kill him).   He fears for his life, and begs the girls to help him escape to the West.  What follows is a nail-biting adventure as the girls smuggle a wounded man across international borders to help him defect to the West.  Along the way they meet an odd assortment of characters including gypsies, artists, and a motley group of free spirits who live in the famous American bookshop in Paris, Shakespeare and Company.   They must evade spies, the KGB, and the police before the story is over. This book is a great adventure story that gives a very realistic look at both Germany and Paris of 1990.  I highly recommend reading this book. 

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Alexa Newman 

Hurricane Dancers

by Margarita Engle
Quebrado, "the broken one," was taken as a child from his home when he was very young because he can speak Spanish like his father and the language of the Taino Indians like his mother - a valuable skill on the islands and waters of the Caribbean Sea in the 1500s.  Traded from ship to ship like a slave, Quebrado ends up on the ship of Bernardino de Talavera, a ruthless pirate who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people.  Also on the ship is Alonso de Ojeda, Talavera's prisoner, who is a brutal conquistador.  When a hurricane sinks the ship and most of the people aboard, Quebrado escapes to safety on the island of (what is now) Cuba and befriends the native people.  When Talavera and Ojedo also show up on the island, Quebrado, able to speak to his former captors and his new people, has a chance for payback as he must help decide the fate of the cruel men.

Written in verse and told from the points of view of Quebrado, Talavera, Ojedo, and two of the native people, this historical fiction story based on true characters is suspenseful, imaginative, and moving.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Sara Murray

War Horse

by Michael Morpurgo
This is the story of friendship and war, told through the eyes of a horse. Joey is a beautiful horse living his days on an English farm with his kind and gentle master, Albert. Albert may only be a boy, but to Joey he is the truest friend and best master a horse could have. But when World War I breaks out, and Albert's father finds himself in financial trouble, Joey is sold to the army. Used to farm work and Albert's gentle touch, Joey must be trained instead to endure the gunfire, explosions, and confusion of war. Forced to ride into battles, pull heavy artillery through deep mud, and carry the wounded, Joey learns the truth about war and sees the good and bad on both sides. He is brave, and he is strong, but always Joey thinks of his beloved Albert. Is it possible that Joey will survive this war and return home to England? Can he even hope to see his Albert again? Now a Tony Award-winning play and soon to be a motion picture this is a story for horse lovers, history lovers, or anyone who has known the love and friendship of an animal.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Tara Olson

The Luck of the Buttons

by Anne Ylvisaker
Tugs Esther Button isn't like the other kids in her small Iowa town in 1929.  The most obvious difference is her name but there is also her family to consider.  Tugs comes from a long line of unlucky Buttons; a family convinced that they will never catch a break, never win, never become more than their name.  Things start to change for Tugs, though, when she enters and wins the Independence Day three-legged race with her popular schoolmate, Aggie Millhouse.  That very same day, she wins an essay contest and a raffle for a new camera.  Tugs can't help but feel that maybe, just maybe, her luck has changed.  Now all she has to do is figure out how to use her new confidence to prove that the charming but shady newcomer in town is really a criminal con-man determined to take the townsfolk for all they've got.  Can Tugs convince herself, her family, and the town of Goodhue, that Buttons really are good for something?  Read this charming and fun novel to find out!

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Tara Olson

Woods Runner

by Gary Paulsen
History is boring, right? It's just a bunch of old guys in wigs signing documents. Not so in this short but action packed novel of the Revolutionary War. The year is 1776 and thirteen-year-old Samuel is content with his life in the Pennsylvania wilderness with his mother and father. Things aren't always easy for them but Samuel knows and loves the wild forest that surrounds them and is skilled at hunting and providing meat for his family. But everything changes the day he returns from the woods to find his settlement in ruins; the buildings on fire and all of the settlers gone. He finds many of his friends and neighbors dead but other, including his mother and father, seem to have been taken prisoner. Using the skills he has honed in the woods, Samuel begins the desperate search to find them and save them from the British soldiers responsible for the attack. His journey takes him miles and miles from home, through dense woods and across enemy territory, and forces him to rely on the kindness of strangers. Through it all Samuel remains focused on one thing; saving his parents. Although this is a work of fiction, the author provides short descriptions throughout the book about the reality of the war for American independence. If you like action and adventure with your history you will enjoy this book.

Recommended for grades 4-7
Reviewed by Tara Olson

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

by Lauren Tarshis
The year is 1912. George Calder is a ten-year-old boy with a reputation for getting into his share of mischief. His latest escapade is running into a woman while sliding down the Grand Staircase of one of the most luxurious ocean liners in the world, the R.M.S Titanic. George is traveling first-class with his eight-year-old sister, Phoebe, and his widowed Aunt Daisy. They are on their way to New York City, and he feels very lucky to be on board this "floating palace", rubbing elbows among the rich and famous. He promises his aunt that he will no longer cause trouble on the last two days of the journey. But curiosity gets the better of him when he hears a rumor that there is a mummy in the storage area of the great ship. Of course, he wants to find the mummy and peek inside the crypt! After his sister and aunt fall asleep, George creeps deep down to the bottom of the ship, locates the storage crate, and is just about to take a peek, when he hears a tremendous rumbling noise that rocks the entire ship and causes him to race back up the stairs. Here he learns, along with the 2,200 other passengers on board the Titanic, the source of the clamor. The Titanic has struck an iceberg, and she is gravely wounded. The ship is sinking, and there are not enough lifeboats for all the passengers. But where is Phoebe? To his horror, George and Aunt Daisy realize that Phoebe must have followed George when he snuck out - and now she is missing among the masses of hysterical people crowding the ship. Will George be able to find his sister in time - or will she go down with the Titanic? Tarshis blends fact and fiction as she weaves a fast-paced adventure with fictional characters, intermixed with real-life people and events of the Titanic sinking. For Titanic buffs, as well as those interested in adventure and survival stories. Includes several pages of intriguing facts about the Titanic. The latest installment of the "I Survived" Series.

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Rozanne Porter

All the Broken Pieces

by Ann Burg
This is the story of Matt, the son of an American soldier and a Vietnamese woman, born during the Vietnam War. Adopted into a loving family after being airlifted out of Vietnam in the midst of the fighting, Matt is trying to adjust to his new American life.  He takes piano lessons and has just become the star pitcher on his school's baseball team.  But Matt is plagued by memories from his past and guilt over what happened to his brother in Vietnam.  Further complicating his struggles are the conflicting messages he receives from the community around him; love and support from his family, hatred from some of those who lost sons, and sadness and confusion from the veterans who survived.  It is through the love and influence of strong characters in his life, though, that Matt is finally able to reveal the horrors of his past and begin the process of healing and acceptance.  Written in verse this novel has a simplicity about it that makes the truth of Matt's feelings and experiences all the more convincing.  This is a powerful story.

Recommended for grades 5-9
Reviewed by Tara Olson

The Trouble With May Amelia

by Jennifer Holm
May Amelia is back, in this sequel to the Newbery Honor book Our Only May Amelia. May Amelia is still struggling to get her father's approval and survive in a household of seven brothers. Some of the "trouble" with May Amelia is that she acts before she thinks, which gets her into scrapes. She finally gets a chance to prove her worth to her father, but this ends up getting her into even more trouble. May Amelia needs to call upon her sisu (determination) to prove to her family that a girl is as worthy as a boy. At times funny and at times sad, it is a harsh and realistic look at the hard life of a poor Finnish farm in the early 1900's. Although not quite as engaging as the first book, May Amelia still has enough zip and sisu to make this a unique and enjoyable read.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Alicia Parmele

A Long Walk to Water

by Linda Sue Park
Based on a true story, this book relays the moving experiences of Salva Dut; one of thousands of boys orphaned by the fighting in the country of Sudan in Africa during the 1980s and 90s. Known as the 'Lost Boys,' these young men walked through some of the worst conditions on Earth in order to find safe haven in the neighboring countries of Ethiopia and Kenya. On the day the fighting comes to the village where he goes to school, Salva is told by his teacher to run and not look back. Not knowing if he'll ever see his family again, Salva does as he's told and runs, eventually joining a group of other displaced Sudanese fleeing the war. With no food, almost no water, and only the flimsy clothes on his back Salva begins the grueling task of crossing the Nile in a man-made boat, then walking for three days across the desert until finally finding sanctuary in a filthy, overcrowded refugee camp where he will stay for years. But this book is more than the story of Salva's survival. It is also the story of Nya, a young African girl living in modern-day Sudan, who must walk for miles and miles each and every day to gather water for her family. For eight hours everyday she walks to and from the nearest pond just so her family can have water to drink and cook with, even if the water is brown with mud and even if it is known to cause illness. As horrible as the lives of Nya and Salva may sound to us, though, the story of how their fates eventually collide is so full of inspiration and redemption that you will not finish it feeling sad but full of hope. A highly recommended read!

Recommended for grades 6-9
Reviewed by Tara Olson

The Boy Who Dared

by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
In this fictionalized account of the life of Helmuth Hubener, the narrative begins on  October 27th, 1942, the 264th day of Helmuth's imprisonment on death row. Through flashbacks we learn of the young Helmuth and the emergence of Adolf Hitler and the hope he gives to the German people. Helmuth like most other youths join the Hitler Youth program. Helmuth, raised a Mormon, starts to question the propaganda he is hearing, with what he sees. When he grows more and more suspicious of the propaganda, the short wave radio his brother leaves behind, enables him to listen to illegal BBC reports.  Helmuth begins to develop a newsletter with information he gets from the reports he listens to late at night. Helmuth is able to get two of his friends to help him with the flyers .Eventually Helmuth and his friends are arrested, tortured and beaten. As Helmuth waits for his execution date, he remembers, his Mutti, (mother) and his half brothers Hans and Gerhard.  We learn what a brave and courageous young man Helmuth was, and how he spoke out for the truth, despite the consequences. The authors note at the end of the book, gives background on her research and photographs.

Recommended for grades 6-10
Reviewed by Alice Woertendyke

The Dreamer

by Pam Munoz Ryan
Neftali knows what it is to be different. He is not strong like his older brother. He is not cheerful like his little sister. He doesn't like sports like the other boys at his school. No, Neftali is a dreamer. He is a boy who gets lost in observing the natural world around him, a boy who is absorbed in listening to the sounds that surround him every day, a boy who thrills to the fire for justice he sees in his newspaper-writing Uncle Orlando's verbal fights for the oppressed. Yes, Neftali knows what it is to be different - but Neftali's father - Neftali's father does not know what it is to be different and does not, will not, understand. Neftali dreads his father's footsteps and the dissatisfaction that always follows: "Do you want to be a skinny weakling forever and amount to nothing?" Every time Neftali's father tries to stamp out Neftali's hopes and dreams there is that chance that they will be gone forever. Every time Neftali has to find the courage and inner strength to be true to himself - sometimes with more success than others - but Neftali keeps trying, keeps working to figure out who he really is instead of just being what his father wants him to be and in the end, Neftali finds that who he is, is someone truly amazing.

The Dreamer is the fictionalized retelling of famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda's childhood. Written in green ink, just as Neruda wrote his poetry, Pam Munoz Ryan's text is rich with details and imagery of the natural world that Neruda loved and Peter Sis's soft, pointallistic illustrations offer the perfect complement to this quiet coming-of-age tale.

Winner of the 2011 Pura Belpre Author Award

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Just in Time, Abraham Lincoln

by Patricia Polacco
Michael and Derek are on their way to Harper's Ferry with their Grandmother. When they arrive they meet the mysterious Mr. Portufoy. Their grandmother tells them he has an extensive collection of Civil war uniforms, rifles and a display of the photographs of Matthew Brady. Once at the museum the boys are allowed to put on Yankee uniforms and are told they may participate in a game in Antietam just after a battle has taken place. Derek comments that he has a video game about the battle of Gettysburg, and Mr. Portufoy asks if they would like to play something better than a video game. They are not sure if they want to play when they learn they will not have guns or swords, but they decide to play. They will go through a door, and will be in the year 1862 right after the battle of Antietam. They must tell no one who they really are, or anything about their modern life. Mr. Portufoy gives them a pocket watch with a chime and admonishes them to hurry when they hear the chime, because they will have one hour to get back to the door. The game is starting, come along for their journey.

Recommended for grades 3-5
Reviewed by Alice Woertendyke

The Wonder of Charlie Anne

by Kimberly Newton Fusco
What do you do to get by in the hard-times? Hard-times will always come. The 1930s following President Roosevelt's New Deal was a very difficult time for this poor farming community in Massachusetts. Families were torn apart as fathers and brothers left to find work. Illness hit those who were left at home. Schools closed. Food was scarce. Though this book is set in the time of the Great Depression, its story is timeless. Charlie Anne knew all about hard-times - doing without, loosing someone you love, getting bullied - things that have happened to many people in the 1930s, 2010s and every year through history. This is story of courage, family and friendship.

Recommended for grades 4-7
Reviewed by Koren Power

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall

by Mary Downing Hahn
Twelve-year-old Florence Crutchfield can't believe it. After seven years at Miss Medleycoate's Home for Orphan Girls her great uncle has found her and wants her to come live with him at Crutchfield Hall. Florence is excited to be leaving the joyless orphanage where she was always hungry but she is nervous about leaving London and living with a man she's never met. Making her even more anxious is the knowledge that she will also be living with a cousin she didn't know she had, a boy named James. Unfortunately Florence's arrival at Crutchfield Hall does not put her mind at ease. Her Aunt Eugenie, who also lives at the manor, takes an instant dislike to Florence and wants her sent away. Then she learns that James is sickly and isn't allowed visitors. But the element that is most distressing to Florence is the eerie sensation that whatever she does and wherever she goes she is being watched. And it turns out that she is. The ghost of James's sister Sophia, who died suddenly less than a year earlier, follows Florence through the halls as an icy presence, teasing her, laughing at her, and eventually revealing just how sinister a spirit she is. Although no one believes her, Florence knows that Sophia is not truly gone. She is very real and she intends on making James pay for her death with his life. Florence must try her hardest to overcome the malevolent influence of Sophia if she is going to save her cousin in this chilling tale perfect for a dark and stormy night.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Tara Olson

Missing in Action

by Dean Hughes
Jay Thacker and his mother have gone to stay with her parents in the small town of Delta, Utah. His Navajo father is Missing in Action after his ship sank in the Pacific Ocean. Jay still believes his prayers will be answered and his Dad will return when WWII ends. Jay remembers only good things about his father, but his mother doesn't seem to share the same memories. Once he is in Delta, Jay strikes up a friendship with some boys that he begins to play baseball with. Jay feels the prejudices that people have against Indians and his new friends call him "Chief" even though he tells them he doesn't like that. When his grandfather asks him to help on his farm, Jay is confronted with his own prejudices as he must work with a Japanese-American boy named Ken from the nearby Topaz internment camp. Jay is confused about his feelings about Ken who many refer to as a "Jap." As they work, Ken, who is a great ball player, coaches Jay in baseball and wants Jay's team to play his team out at Topaz. Jay must face his own prejudices and memories of his father before he can find his place in Delta

Recommended for Grades 5-7
Reviewed by Alice Woertendyke

No Moon

by Irene Watts
Although the heroine in this novel does go on the ill-fated first voyage aboard the Titanic, this is not a novel solely about that tragedy. Rather, it is the story of a young girl at the turn of the century that must face her most terrifying fear in order to keep her job as a nanny to a wealthy family. Fourteen-year-old Louisa Gardener is one of the lucky girls in early nineteenth century London to have landed a good job as a nursemaid with a wealthy family. She is paid well, treated with respect, and suffers only mild frustration at the hands of Nanny Macintosh, the harsh and authoritarian woman to whom Louisa answers. Louisa likes her job and feels good about how things are going for her until the day her employers announce that she will be accompanying them on their voyage to America aboard the Titanic. Louisa has been terrified of the ocean ever since she was a child and her brother drowned. She can't imagine spending over a week in the middle of the ocean, even if it is aboard the finest ship ever built. But Louisa only has two options; go on the voyage to America or leave what might be the best opportunity she will ever have. Louisa makes the decision to accompany the family on their journey and her life will never be the same. The rest of the story is about Louisa's journey aboard the ill-fated ship. Her descriptions of the luxurious ship and chilling details about its final hours are based on the actual events of the disaster in which 1500 people lost their lives. This a quick read recommended for anyone interested in history and the Titanic.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Tara Olson

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg

by Rodman Philbrick
This Civil War historical fiction takes place in the northeastern United States.

The title character is a scrappy back-woods orphan boy. His villainous guardian Uncle Squint illegally enlists Homer's older brother Harold, who is only seventeen years old, into the Union Army.

Homer runs away from home to rescue his older brother. He travels around in his search in various ways, such as by train, steam-ship, and even hot-air balloon.

Along the way, he runs into scalawags such as Stink and Smelt. Homer has adventures playing a pig-boy in a travelling circus, and also experiences the Underground Railroad.

Homer gets into and out of a lot of trouble with his habit of stretching the truth. The exciting story from rural Maine to the Battle of Gettysburg concludes with six pages of Civil War glossary and slang.

Newbery Honor 2010

Recommended for grades 3-6
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

Wishing for Tomorrow

Wishing for Tomorrow: the Sequel to A Little Princess
by Hilary McKay
This is the story of what happens after Sara Crewe leaves Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies. Sara has her happily ever after; the rest of the girls are adjusting to life without Sara. Sara's leaving is the first of many changes for the girls and their teachers. It is especially hard for Ermengarde, her best friend. Ermie feels lost without her, and writes long letters sharing the daily ups and downs of the schoolgirls, pondering Miss Minchin's mysterious condition, and admiring the moxie of the new maid Alice (from Epping). Ermangarde tells of the new neighbors, Miss Amelia's thwarted courtship, Lottie's escapades, Melchisedec the rat, and Lavinia's studies. The girls who were background characters in the original Victorian book by Frances Hodgson Burnett are vividly brought to life in this charming sequel. This book is funny, heart-warming, sweet, and a little bit sassy. A must read.

Recommended for grades 3 and up
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

When You Reach Me

by Rebecca Stead
Winner of the 2010 Newbery Award, When You Reach Me is both an engaging and unusual novel that is a multi-layered combination of mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and even historical fiction, with humorous references to what life was like in 1978 - minus cell phones and video games. If this assortment of genres were not enough, When You Reach Me also touches on the theme of sacrificing oneself for the benefit of others. The story begins with a mysterious event right off the bat. Miranda, a twelve-year-old who lives in New York City, is walking home with her best friend Sal, when, out of the blue, an eccentric classmate of theirs walks up to Sal. Without a word, Sal gets punched in the stomach and crumples over in pain. Immediately after this embarrassing episode, Sal all but completely cuts Miranda out of his life. Dealing with this blow, as well as helping her mother prepare to be a contestant on the 1970s television game show, "The 20,000 Pyramid," Miranda tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space. These notes are as cryptic as they are frightening. The first one reads, "I am coming to save your friend's life and my own." More notes and bizarre events follow until Miranda finally realizes what has been happening and why the tragic event that occurs was necessary, and is greatly moved by it. For those who allow themselves to be pulled into the plot, the reward of finishing this book will be a worthwhile endeavor that leaves the reader thinking about these memorable characters long after the book is set down.

Recommended for grades 6 and up
Reviewed by Rozanne Porter

Blessing's Bead

By Debbie Dahl Edwardson
This is the story of two Inupiaq girls, Nutaaq and Blessing, who are separated by seventy years. In 1917, Nutaaq joins her family on a trading trip from their small island home off the coast of Alaska to the mainland. The trip heralds changes for her family and her people - modern ways are beginning to infiltrate their traditional Native American lifestyle. The biggest change for Nutaaq, however, is when her older sister marries a prosperous Inupiaq trader from Siberia and returns with him to his homeland. All she has left of her sister is a cobalt blue bead, and the promise that she will return to visit the family when she has enough beads for them all. In 1989, when her mother's addiction grows out of control, Blessing (whose Inupiaq name is also Nutaaq) is forced to move from her Anchorage home to her grandmother's village in northern Alaska. She feels like an outsider there - different from the other Inupiaq girls who grew up there. She finds a special bead in her grandmother's sewing kit and takes it without telling anyone. From that point on her life begins to change, just as her namesake's did over seventy years earlier. This book is an interesting look into the world of Native Americans of Alaska.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Alexa Newman

Comfort

by Joyce Moyer Hostetter
For those students looking for good World War II historical fiction, only from the interesting perspective of a small town in North Carolina, look no further. This sequel to the novel Blue finds fourteen-year-old Ann Fay Honeycutt recovering from polio, while adjusting to life without her four-year-old brother, who sadly loses his battle with this frightening illness. In addition, Ann Fay is welcoming home her beloved "Daddy" who is just returning from fighting in the war. Unfortunately, as a result of being shell shocked and flooded with terrible memories of what he saw while fighting on the front lines, her father is greatly changed. While trying to adjust to her new life on crutches, including dealing with the pain of returning to school a year behind her classmates because of her hospitalization, she believes she must continue to be the "man" of the family. This is because her father no longer seems capable of filling this role. Happily, Ann Fay receives a golden opportunity to rehabilitate at the FDR Warm Springs Foundation. Franklin Delano Roosevelt is not only the President of the United States, but her inspiration, and she is excited about the possibility of running into him. But how can she leave her family in North Carolina to take care of herself in Georgia? With an unstable, out of work father, a grieving mother, twin sisters and a new baby on the way, Ann Fay must find the courage to heal herself first. Upon arriving at Warm Springs, she soon learns how quickly a person can heal when surrounded by warmth, understanding, and support. Surrounded by people who share her struggles, Ann Fay is thriving in her new home. However, something happens to her parents which causes her to leave the friends she has come to love in order to rescue her family once again. Will she be able to succeed this time? Or will she learn that it's alright to ask for help when it is needed, even if the aid comes from an unlikely person? Through Ann Fay's moving, at times humorous narration, readers will feel close to her and family, and will be rooting her on as she strives to regain her strength and mobility, as well as rally back from the overwhelming pain and loss around her.

Recommended for grades 6-12
Reviewed by Rozanne Porter

A Season of Gifts

by Richard Peck
How does she do it? It has been several years since we first heard of Grandma Dowdel in A Long Way from Chicago and A Year Down Yonder. She is now about 90 years old and has not lost any of her spunk. For those of us who laughed out loud when the local bullies tried to take out Granny's outhouse in the previous books, the privy scene in this new book will bring tears to your eyes and send you running for the washroom. Granny still lives in the last house at the end of a small Illinois town, and though she "doesn’t do neighboring," she has a handle on all of the local characters and makes sure they all get what they have coming - whether they like it or not. In the 1950's, with her grandchildren now grown, this title has introduced a new set of youngsters from the recently arrived preacher's family, but there is a brief appearance of Granny's great-grandson as a part of one of Granny's matchmaking schemes. Thank you, Mr. Peck, for writing this timeless character. Grab this book whenever you need a laugh. Pick up the last two titles if you have not read them. Even consider the audio version for those long family car rides over winter break. Enjoy.

Recommended for grades 6-8
Reviewed by Koren Power

Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone

The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival:
Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone
by Dene Low
Cutie, cute, and fun - in merry-ole England, a sixteen year-old girl's coming-out party becomes, rather than her desired introduction into London society, the beginning of the end of Mother England and the downfall of the Panamanian Revolution. Petronella Arbuthnot's reputation will forever be shadowed by her social event that was the scene of a political kidnapping and the place where her uncle, Augustus, choked down a tropical beetle - giving him a bug-eating obsession that sends him to leap onto the support pole that brings down the entire pavilion atop all of the fashionable guests. Amongst this chaos is a regency, budding romance with the brother of her childhood bosom friend and Victorian charm that is perfectly laced with witty humor. This is a book that will make you smile.

Recommended for grades 6-10
Reviewed by Koren Power

Someone Named Eva

by Joan Wolf
Eleven-year-old Milada is a typical girl growing up in Czechoslovakia during the Second World War. She spends summer days dreaming with her best friend and is teased by her older brother and even though the war has made life hard for the people in her small town of Lidice, she is happy. But everything changes one night when German soldiers arrive to terrorize the townspeople. Milada is taken from her family to Poland where she is to be retrained as a German citizen and adopted into a new German family. She is chosen because she looks like Hitler's ideal: blonde, blue-eyed, and fair skinned. At the training camp she is given new clothes and a new name, Eva. She is taught the German customs and language and is told that she can never again speak her native language. Eva tries to hold on to her memories and identity but soon the pressure of her teachers and the German government is too much and she is left wondering if she will ever see her real family again. This is a moving and powerful story based on a true story about children who were stolen from their families during the war.

Recommended for grades 4-7
Reviewed by Tara Olson

The Circus Ship

by Chris VanDusen
"I don’t want to read that." Can't find a book that will satisfy all your children? Here is a good option. This title is meant to be read aloud. The rhythm will hold the interest of young children and the story will hold the attention of children in grade school. It is based on a fascinating but little known historical event. In 1836, the Royal Tar was sailing off the coast of Maine with a full circus on board when it caught fire. Locals from the nearby islands reported seeing exotic animals for many years after the wreck. Young readers will delight in all of the detail put into each illustration. Like VanDusen's If I Built a Car, the quality of this read aloud stands out amongst similar picturebooks.

Recommended for ages 3-9
Reviewed by Koren Power

Crows and Cards

by Joseph Helgerson
Back in 1849, at the tender age of 12 years old, Zebulon "Zeb" Crabtree is packed up by his mother and father and sent on a big side-wheeler* down the river to St. Louis to be an apprentice tanner with his Great-Uncle Seth.  On the way, however, Zeb meets up with Chilly Larpenteur, a successful riverboat gambler who cheats rich folks out of their money so that he can pass it on to an orphan charity (and keep a bit for himself).  With stars in his eyes, Zeb decides to sign on as Chilly's apprentice instead.  After landing in St. Louis, Zeb moves in with Chilly and gets the job of hiding on a patry shelf to see the hands of card players.  When he learns that everything is not quite as it seems, Zeb is in quite a fix*.  When the visions of a local Indian chief remind Zeb of his ma and pa back in Stavely's Landing, he decides that the Brotherhood of Gamblers might not be the place he wants to call home.  Using Chilly's superstition of crows, Zeb finds the gumption* to hatch a plan to save his conscience and soul, and give Chilly his just deserts*.

*In a full "Dictionarium Americannicum" at the back, you can learn the definitions of all kinds of words used during Zeb's time, like "side-wheeler" and "gumption."  If you enjoy reading about riverboat gamblers and the frontier, check out the Further Reading section at the back of the book.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Sara Murray

Kaleidoscope Eyes

By Jennifer Bryant
It is the summer of 1968. Lyza has worn out her black dress attending the funerals of those lost in Vietnam, but it is the loss of her grandfather that marks the beginning of her new life and an unbelievable adventure. While cleaning her grandfather's house after his death, Lyza finds a folder with her name on it and a key that will help unlock clues to William Kidd's lost treasure – buried in the 1690's somewhere along the east coast of North America and never found.< Throughout the summer, Lyza searches for the pirate's treasure and for her place in her newly fractured family. Written in free verse, this book offers a great feel for the days of Janis Joplin, peace protests, desegregation and the draft. When I finished this book, I found myself wishing that the summer did not have to end.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Koren Power

The Birchbark House

by Louise Erdrich
The Birchbark House takes us through a year in the life of 8-year-old Omakayas of the Ojibwa, or Anishinabe. It's 1847 and, while the chimookomanug (white men) are there on the outskirts of life, Omakayas' family has been able to keep their home and way of life - despite much talk of possibly moving west. The family lives in tune with the seasons and nature, particularly Omakayas who seems to have a special connection to animals. Just like most little girls, Omakayas finds her little brother annoying, worships and envies her older sister, and adores the baby. Summer and fall follow along like every year with chores and celebrations, but it is during the long, hard winter that tragedy strikes and Omakayas will have to learn whether or not she has the strength to save her family - and if she has the strength to save herself.  If you like the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, read The Birchbark House, and its sequels The Game of Silence and The Porcupine Year, for a glimpse of how just one Native American family of the same time period might have lived.

Recommended for grades 3-8
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Shooting the Moon

by Frances O'Roark Dowell
In the beginning of this slice-of-life novel, 12-year-old Jamie Dexter tells how she is actually excited that her older brother TJ is going to Vietnam. Volunteering at her local military recreation center, she plays marathon games of gin rummy with the head of the place, Private Hollister. In addition, she meets other soldiers stationed by her Texas town by helping them develop camera film. Jamie gets a special connection with her brother TJ by processing the film he sends her from the war by herself.

This down-to-earth story also chronicles the relationship Jamie has with "The Colonel," or what she calls her father. His life has been for the military. Read how the Vietnam War affects their humble Texas town and the going-on-thirteen narrator.

Recommended for grades 3-7
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

Al Capone Does My Shirts

by Gennifer Choldenko
The year is 1935. The place is Alcatraz Island--an island that just happens to be a prison housing some of the country's worst criminals. So what's twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan doing there? Moose's father has just started a new job at the prison and his family has to live there. In fact, Moose is just one of 24 children who live on the island because their parents work there. But that doesn't exactly make him happy about it. First of all there's the fact that he's moved away from his friends. Then there are prisoners to consider. His first night on the island Moose sleeps with his shoes on and a baseball bat under the covers, and that's before he's even heard about Al Capone. But the hardest part for Moose isn't the adjustment to a new home. It's dealing with his sister Natalie and her "condition," known as Autism, which causes the most stress and exhaustion for his family. If she isn't able to get into the Esther P. Marinoff School for special children it will push his mother to the breaking point and may even get his father fired. When it seems that there is no other option, Moose reaches out to his last hope, a prisoner named Onion 105. What, if anything, can a prisoner behind the walls of Alcatraz do for him? Moose doesn't know for sure, but he is willing to take a chance. Watch for the sequel, Al Capone Shines My Shoes, coming this September to a library near you!

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Tara Olson

Summer's End

by Audrey Couloumbis
Grace is upset when her brother Collin ruins her 13th birthday. Her brother is against the war in Vietnam and has gone to a sit-in and burned his draft card. Her father (Collin's stepdad), a Korean War Veteran, has put Collins' things out on the porch. Collin leaves home and stays with friends but eventually leaves for Canada. Grace, tired of hearing her mom and dad argue, leaves for Grandmothers farm, where her large family is gathered to help build a home for Uncle Milford and his bride. While there, Grace finds she can't escape the war and her mixed feelings about Collin and the decision he has made. Her cousin Theo's brother has left for Canada to avoid the draft, and Cousin Dolly's brother Willie is in Vietnam, as is an Uncle who is missing in action. While on the farm Dolly tries to sort out her feelings about Collin and his decision, which has caused a rift in her family. A tragedy at the farm reminds Grace and the rest of the family, that "when you fall, family is there to catch you."

Recommended for grades 6-9
Reviewed by Alice Woertendyke

Out of the Dust

by Karen Hesse
Dust. It's 1934 in Oklahoma and dust is everywhere. Billie Jo can't escape it. Dust is out in the fields killing the crops. Dust is in the house covering the floors, covering the table, covering the piano. Dust is in the food; regular milk looks like chocolate milk, everything seems to have pepper on it, but it's not pepper, it's dust. And ever since the accident that took so much away from Billie Jo, the dust is inside her too. All she wants is out. Out of the dust. Maybe the poems that she writes will help, but how can you escape something inside you? Using free-verse poetry, Karen Hesse tells the unforgettable story of two years in Billie Jo's life and how she finds her way out of the dust.

Recommended for grades 5-10
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

The Musician's Daughter

by Susanne Dunlap
Fifteen-year-old Theresa has just received the worst news of her life: her father, a musician in Haydn's orchestra in 18th century Vienna, is dead and his most valuable possession, his violin, is missing. Theresa is sure that her father has been the victim of foul play, and despite her mother's determination that their next step must be to marry Theresa off, Theresa starts unraveling the mystery as best she can. But as Theresa investigates she learns some unsettling facts about her father and his involvement with a camp of Gypsies and she finds herself drawn into more and more dangerous situations. She also finds herself employed by Haydn as a music scribe; Haydn's failing vision makes it impossible for him to record the music in his head accurately, Theresa has the musical training from her father that qualifies her for the job, and Haydn knows her family needs the money. Caught up in a whirl of intrigue and court politics that expands to include members of Theresa's family and even Haydn himself, Theresa must find a way to keep everyone safe. If she's lucky, maybe she'll also find a little romance along the way and, more importantly, maybe she'll find the strength to determine her own path rather than following the one set out by her mother.

Recommended for grades 6-9
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman?

by Eleanor Updale
Prisoner 493 has been given a second chance at life. The fall he took on the night he was caught by police should have been the end of him, but it wasn't. Instead, he became an experiment of Dr. Farcett, a brilliant young surgeon in Victorian England. His recovery is a painful one but the prisoner, now called "Montmorency," gains priceless knowledge during his time spent with the doctor and other members of the Scientific Society. He learns all about the new sewer system being built beneath London and before long has hatched an underhanded plan for when he returns to society. Upon his release from prison, Montmorency puts his plan into action. By day he is the well-dressed and sophisticated Montmorency. By night he is Scarper, the foul-smelling thief who uses the sewer system to go about London stealing from homes and businesses. With Scarper working at night Montmorency is able to maintain the appearance of a wealthy Londoner without anyone suspecting otherwise. But how long can he keep up the ruse? How long until someone recognizes him? This is a fast-moving story full of shady characters, close calls and good laughs.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Tara Olson

Night Running

Night Running: How James Escaped With the Help of His Faithful Dog
by Elisa Lynn Carbone
James, a young slave on a Virginia farm, decides to run to freedom. He admonishes his spirited, noisy dog Zeus to stay behind, fearing the dog will make his escape more difficult. The dog follows him and will not be turned back. Many dangers confront James and eventually he is glad that Zeus helped him on this dangerous trip. Although James' journey involves some close calls, the eventual flight to freedom will inspire all who read it. Based on the true life story of James Smith who escaped in 1838 from his master's farm.

Recommended for grades 3 and up
Reviewed by Alice Woertendyke

Red Moon at Sharpsburg

by Rosemary Wells
For India Moody growing up has just gotten a lot harder. Money is scarce, the country is at war, her school has closed and soon her father will leave to serve as an ambulance driver at the battlefield. India is given an opportunity not many young women would have been given in that era; she is to be tutored by Emory Trimble, a young neighbor home from university. Although his body is weak, Emory's mind is strong and he introduces India to science and medicine and other subjects thought too difficult for women to understand. As the years pass India flourishes and is soon dreaming of going to college herself. But college for women in the 1800's is almost unheard of. The cost alone is more than India can fathom and there is more at play than just money. The war is taking a horrible physical and emotional toll on her parents and soon Emory himself is planning on going to the battlefield as a doctor. With all of India's loved one scattered across the war-torn country is there any chance she can persevere and fulfill the dreams she holds in her heart? While this story is sad and even heart-breaking at times it is ultimately a story of hope in times of hopelessness.

Recommended for grades 6-8
Reviewed by Tara Olson

The Seance

by Iain Lawrence
Mystery, mediums, murder and magic. In 1926, Harry Houdini arrives in the city to display his new Burmese Torture Tank and to expose the tricks of some fake mediums. The illusions become all too real when a dead body is found floating in the tank. Afterwards, rather than communicating with the dead, seances become deadly, and Houdini must perform a real death defying escape. Scooter King, who works with his mother in the seance business, must use what he already knows about trickery and learn some Houdini secrets to discover who the murderer is before he gets arrested for the crimes or becomes one of the victims.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Koren Power

The Dragonfly Pool

By Eva Ibbotson
What starts out as a painful journey away from her father and two aunts becomes a life-shaping experience for eleven-year-old Tally. The year is 1939 and Tally is sent to the English countryside to attend a prestigious boarding school. War with Hitler has become almost certain and Tally's father wants her as far away from London as possible. But her new school, Delderton, is not like the boarding schools Tally has read about. Instead, it is a progressive school focused on creativity and expression. Tally soon makes friends with her quirky classmates and they find themselves on an exciting journey to a small country called Bergania. In Bergania they befriend the young prince Karil, who has lived a lonely life hidden away in the castle. When Karil's father is assassinated leaving him alone and in danger of being kidnapped by the Nazis Tally and her friends jump into action. They help Karil escape his country but danger, it seems, is never far away. Back in England the friends struggle both to maintain contact with Karil, who is forced to live with cruel relatives he has never known, and also to deal with their own feelings about the war and the changing world around them. This is a story of the power of friendship when it seems all else is lost.

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Tara Olson

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos

by R. L. LaFevers
Twelve-year-old Theodosia Throckmorton has a special talent - she can tell if an Egyptian artifact carries a curse just by looking at it and can usually remove the curse with one of her many homemade and found remedies before the curse causes any damage.  This skill is particularly helpful as her parents are curators of the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London.  When her mother, an Egyptologist, finds and brings home the highly valuable but strongly cursed Heart of Egypt, a scarab amulet used by the pharaohs, Theo realizes she must somehow take it back to its rightful tomb in Egypt before it causes chaos in London, where she lives.  However, when the amulet goes missing, Theo's detective trail leads to two groups: one trying to protect the world from ancient Egyptian magic and the other trying to use the power of the amulet to weaken and conquer England. 

Filled with Ancient Egyptian history and resourceful Theo's adventures, this first book in a series provides equal humor, mystery, history, and adventure.

Recommended for grades 3-8
Reviewed by Sara Murray

Chains

by Laurie Halse Anderson
How many times can one person be betrayed? Within the pages of Chains, Isabel finds out. It is 1776 and the American people have begun their long fight for freedom just as Isabel begins the fight for hers - for Isabel is a slave. Meant to be freed on the death of her Rhode Island owner, Isabel and her epileptic younger sister Ruth are instead unscrupulously sold by their previous owner's nephew to Loyalists, the Locktons from New York. At first, Isabel thinks they'll be able to get by with the Locktons by working hard, but soon her nightmare begins as she learns Mrs. Lockton is both petty and vicious. When Ruth's epilepsy is revealed to a horrified Mrs. Lockton, Isabel knows that she must find a way to freedom before Ruth is sold away from her. But who can Isabel turn to when those who fight for freedom uphold slavery? A sequel is in the works and fans of historical fiction won't want to wait to find out what happens next to Isabel in this look at the American Revolution from a brand new point of view.

Recommended for grades 6 and up
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Elijah of Buxton

by Christopher Paul Curtis
It's 1860 and Elijah is the first free-born child in the settlement of Buxton, Canada and as such you would think he'd get a little respect! Instead everyone tells him how fragile he is and boy do they love to tell the story of how he threw up on Mr. Frederick Douglass even though Elijah was just a baby when it happened. Elijah enjoys his life - he has a best friend, Cooter, to get in trouble with, he gets to go rock fishing on his favorite mule, Old Flapjack, and he gets to work with Mr. Leroy helping to clear a neighbor's land. Now that he's almost 12, Elijah thinks it's about time people realize he's pretty much grown up even if some things are still pretty confusing. For one thing, his Ma tells him he "has to respect what growned folks say" one minute and the next she's telling him "not to believe some of the things growned folks tell" you. How's a boy to know which things are which? As the year goes on and Elijah learns more about the world outside of Buxton - especially about slavery, he starts to see that being grown up is much more complicated than he thought.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker

Climbing the Stairs

by Padma Venkatraman
This book serves as a reminder that even in the midst of horrifyingly violent times that engulf the world there is still a place for life - a small corner for peace. It is World War II in British occupied India. As Hitler moves across Europe and the Japanese edge towards Madras, Gandhi reminds India that killing is wrong. Vidya, a fifteen year old girl, and her father, a doctor, find themselves in the middle of a non-violent protest march. It is the first time the war has come close to Vidya. It is also the event that changes her life forever. This is an historical novel, a romance, a coming of age story, a book about loss and healing and finding your own way to live.

Recommended for grades 6 and up
Reviewed by Koren Power

The Boys of San Joaquin

by D. James Smith
An easy read that also gives you a lot to think about and especially a lot to laugh about, this book had me running to check out its sequel. It is summer in a small town in California in 1951. Life is very matter-of-fact when it is explained from Paolo's point of view, but this small town life is really anything but simple. Paolo's huge family includes his nine brothers and sisters, a cousin who is deaf and brilliant, an Italian grandfather whose grasp of "English" may cause him to call you laddie one day and mijo the next, a goat who likes to eat people's clothes while they are still wearing them, a pet crow, and Rufus, a great dumb dog described as a "Mack truck with nobody driving." Rufus starts the adventure is this book by coming home with a half-chewed twenty dollar bill in his mouth. Paolo reasons that there must be more where it came from. While trying to solve this money mystery, we follow Paolo through many of life's firsts – his first dance, his first time driving (and crashing), etc. I can't wait to see what happens in the third adventure coming out in September.

Recommended for grades 5-9
Reviewed by Koren Power

Listening for Lions

by Gloria Whelan
Thirteen-year-old Rachel Sheridan is perfectly content living in British East Africa as the daughter of missionaries.  Her mother teaches the local children, and her father is a doctor at the mission hospital, where Rachel often gets to help.  When influenza sweeps the region and both of her parents die, Rachel is left an orphan.  Her cruel neighbors, the Pritchards, who lost their only daugher Valerie to influenza, take Rachel in as their own child, but only so she can go to London and pose as their daughter in order to earn an inheritance from her rich "grandfather."  She spends much of her time telling the grandfather stories of her life in Africa and finding rare birds in his garden, and also develops an affection for him.  Finding it difficult to live a lie, but also not wanting to disappoint her frail, sick grandfather, Rachel is torn between telling the truth and keeping things as they are.  When the mean Pritchards come to visit, Rachel knows she has to be true to herself if she will ever find her way back to happiness and Africa.

Recommended for grades 5-9
Reviewed by Sara Murray

Keeping Corner

by Kashmira Sheth
In India in 1918, twelve-year-old Leela lives happily with her parents while awaiting her upcoming anu, the ceremony that will allow her to go live with her husband, who she married at age 9, and his family.  When her husband suddenly dies of a snakebite, Leela's world is turned upside down.  Because she is brahman, the highest caste, she must give up all of her gold jewely and pretty saris and instead wear dull brown, shave her head, and stay indoors, or keep corner, for an entire year, as widows are perceived as very bad luck.  While keeping corner, Leela's tutor and brother, both followers of Ghandi and his advocacy for social change, encourage her to discover her own new self and challenge the traditions that will allow her to do very little with her life as a widow.  Sheth's rich descriptions make you feel as though you are in India and can feel the monsoon rain and smell the night jasmine.

Recommended for grades 6-12
Reviewed by Sara Murray

Good Masters, Sweet Ladies

Good Masters, Sweet Ladies: Voices from a Medieval Village
by Laura Amy Schlitz
Imagine living in a grim time. Death often came early in the middle ages, and even their time on earth was brutish.

Schlitz presents a raw picture of being a child during medieval times. Using over twenty carefully-researched, distinct voices, the text showcases a varied and interesting world. Meet realistic people from all walks of life, including Jack, the half-wit; Simon, the knight's son; and Pask, the runaway. Find out what a "sniggler" does, while poring over this meticulously illuminated volume.

Even though the book is on the slimmer side, it is very funny and entertaining. Each medieval character breathes authenticity like an annoying class clown in the back of your classroom. This title definitely deserved it when it received the Newbery Award.

Also includes descriptive sidebar notes, little backgrounds, and an extensive bibliography.

Recommended for grades 4-8
Reviewed by Joe Drinka

Crooked River

by Shelley Pearsall
The year is 1812 in Ohio. A young Chippewa Indian has been accused of killing a white trapper. He is brought to the cabin of the Carver family to await trial. While there he is kept in the loft in shackles and chains, and it is the job of Rebecca and her sister to bring him food and water. They are terrified by his presence in the loft. Indian John (as he is called) starts to leave small tokens of thanks for Rebecca when she brings food. She begins to see Indian John as a human being and not a savage, and her fear lessens.

Although everyone else is convinced that Indian John is guilty, Rebecca begins to have doubts. When she meets the young lawyer, who is going to defend him, and hears how he expects to clear him, she is confused. He expects a fair trail for John, but what Rebecca hears from everyone else, is that the trial is a formality, and he will hang. Can Indian John get a fair trial from people who think of him as a savage, and how will Rebecca feel when the verdict is announced? Told in two voices, that of Rebecca and Indian John (Amik).

Recommended for grades 5-8
Reviewed by Alice Woertendyke

Blood Red Horse

by K. M. Grant
The first in a trilogy, Blood Red Horse tells the story of two brothers, one orphaned heiress and a blood red horse called Hosanna. Will and Gavin De Granville are young brothers soon to leave the comfort of their English home for the Holy Land to fight for King Richard in the Crusades. Although they are both brave neither is prepared for what they will experience in battle; death, disease, sweltering heat and more than anything else, homesickness. Things at home, however, are not as well as the brothers may think. Ellie, Will's friend and Gavin's betrothed, is struggling to maintain control of her own life amidst the rumors, betrayal and lies threatening to ruin her. Thousands of miles apart, the three are kept together in spirit by one thing; the valiant and beautiful Hosanna, who will sustain their hope even in the worst of times. A perfect blend of history and adventure with the wonderful story of a horse to top it all off!

Recommended for grades 6-9
Reviewed by Tara Olson

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 grades 6 and up
Reviewed by Jennifer Baker