The Hound of Rowan

The Hound of Rowan is the first book in a new series called Tapestry by Henry H. Neff. I had a tough time reading this book. I actually started it several months ago and put it down, only to pick it up again when I finished all of the other Truman nominees. It's not a bad story--in fact I think many readers will enjoy it. I think the main problem that I had with this book was that it too closely resembled the Harry Potter design. Basically--the book is about a young boy who doesn't know he has magical powers until he is invited to a boarding school where he joins in the fight against the dark powers who are trying to rise again.... Sounds familiar huh? Again, the book itself is an interesting story--I just couldn't help comparing it to the vastly superior Potter stories.

Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem by Autumn Cornwell is one of those books that I would have loved as a teenage girl. This coming of age story is mystery, adventure, and romance all in one great read! Vassar is a young girl who likes to plan her life down to the exact moment. Chaos enters her life in the form of her grandmother who blackmails her parents into sending her to Southeast Asia for a visit. Vassar is soon forced to live her life in the moment as her artist-grandmother drags her across the Asian continent in search of material for her latest project. Along the way, she learns a family secret that turns her world upside down. This is an AWESOME book :)

Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam

I just finished Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata. THIS IS AN AWESOME BOOK!!! Animal stories are not usually among my favorites, but this is the best dog story I've read since Shiloh. Cracker is a bomb, trap, and enemy sniffing dog in the Vietnam War. Although this book is fiction, it is based on historical facts and interviews with Vietnam veterans who handled dogs such as Cracker. The reader gets to hear this story from Cracker's view, as well as from her handler's (Rick Hanski) view. This was a great read and I recommend it for everyone.

Into the Wild

Into the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst is another Truman Reader's Award nominee for the 2009-2010 school year. Julie Marchen's mother is Rapunzel, who along with other fairy tale characters escaped into our world many years ago. Now the "wild" has recaptured its characters and Julie sets off into the wild to save her mom. This story is filled with clever references to many different fairy tales. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this fantasy story, but it was surprisingly good.

First Light

I just finished another book on this year's Truman list. First Light by Rebecca Stead was FANTASTIC!! It's a story that kept me guessing all the way through. The story is told from two different viewpoints and goes back and forth between them. Peter is a boy who travels to Greenland with his scientist parents on a research expedition. Thea is a young girl who lives in a mysterious underground world surrounded by ice. This book is the story of how these two characters share a mysterious secret and what happens when they discover it. I really enjoyed this book. If you liked City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau--you'll LOVE this one. Check out the author's website for the book at http://www.firstlightbook.com/

Games

Games by Carol Gorman is a story that I want all of my male students to read. Girls will enjoy it also, but I really want to encourage the boys to read it. It's not very often that I will single a book out to recommend it to a particular gender, but this is definitely one that will appeal to the boys. It is a story about two rivals, Mick Sullivan and Boot Quinn. After two fights in the first week of their 8th grade year, the new principal forces them to spend an hour and a half each day in a room together playing games. The boys find themselves in competitions outside of the room also--they both like the same girl and they both like the attention from their classmates. What happens inside the room and out makes for a truly enjoyable story.

Zen and the Art of Faking It

Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick is a book about an 8th grade boy named San Lee who has been to a lot of different schools. This time he wants everything to be different so he decides to convince people he is a Zen master, especially the girl he can't stop thinking about. Does he get the girl? Read this funny story and find out?

The House of Power

Even though summer has arrived, I am still reading! I just finished The House of Power by Patrick Carman, which is on this year's Truman list. I don't want to give too much of the story away, so I'll just give a general summary. This is a futuristic science fiction story about a world created by a mad scientist. It is built on three terraced levels. The highlands are on the highest level--this is where the privileged live. The middle level is referred to as Tabletop, which is where Edgar, the main character of the story, lives. Edgar is an orphan who works in the fig groves. The lowest level is called the flatlands, which is occupied by creatures called cleaners who were created to eat anything that gets in their way. During his explorations of the cliffs surrounding Tabletop, Edgar discovers a book that contains secrets about Atherton. Since he can't read, he makes the decision to climb to the Highlands in search of someone who can read the book to him. Edgar soon realizes that Atherton is sinking toward the flatlands....and so the adventures continue. This is a good book. It is actually the first in a series of three. The second book is called Rivers of Fire and the third book is called The Dark Planet. The library has book #2 and #3 is on order. You will definitely want to read all three.

General Comments

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Shark Girl

I just finished Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham. This was a great book about a teenage girl who has her arm bitten off by a shark and the struggles she faces because of how it changes her life. The story is told in free-form and encompasses letters, diary entries and narrative. It was a very quick read--in part because of how it is written and also because it was a GREAT story. This is the second story in a row that I read about an amputee, but they are actually very different from each other.