Please enable JavaScript
All Books | Page 346 | LitPick Book Reviews
All Books
A Summer To Die
Lois Lowry
Synopsis: Meg isn't thrilled when she gets stuck sharing a bedroom with her older sister Molly. The two of them couldn't be more different, and it's hard for Meg to hide her resentment of Molly's beauty and easy popularity. But now that the family has moved to a small house in the country, Meg has a lot to accept.

Just as the sisters begin to adjust to their new home, Meg feels that Molly is starting up again by being a real nuisance. But Molly's constant grouchiness, changing appearance, and other complaints are not just part of a new mood. And the day Molly is rushed to the hospital, Meg has to accept that there is something terribly wrong with her sister. That's the day Meg's world changes forever. Is it too late for Meg to show what she really feels?


From the Paperback edition.
Publication Date: 04/24/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star
Brandon Dorman, Brandon Mull
Synopsis: For centuries mystical creatures of all description were gathered into a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite.

Kendra and her brother, Seth, have no idea that their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws keep relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken -- Seth is a bit too curious and reckless for his own good -- powerful forces of evil are unleashed, and Kendra and her brother face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save their family, Fablehaven, and perhaps even the world, Kendra and Seth must find the courage to do what they fear most.
Publication Date: 04/24/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
Titans of Chaos
John C. Wright
Synopsis: Titans of Chaos completes John Wright's The Chronicles of Chaos. Launched in Orphans of Chaos--a Nebula Award Nominee for best novel in 2006, and a Locus Year's Best Novel pick for 2005--and continued in Fugitives of Chaos, the trilogy is about five orphans raised in a strict British boarding school who discovered that they are not human. The students have been kidnapped, robbed of their powers, and raised in ignorance by super-beings. The five have made incredible discoveries about themselves. Amelia is apparently a fourth-dimensional being; Victor is a synthetic man who can control the molecular arrangement of matter; Vanity can find secret passageways through solid walls; Colin is a psychic; Quentin is a warlock. Each power comes from a different paradigm or view of the universe. They have learned to control their strange abilities and have escaped into our world: now their true battle for survival begins. The Chronicles of Chaos is si
Publication Date: 04/17/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fantasy
How Ya Like Me Now
Brendan Halpin
Synopsis:

Since his dad died, Eddie's mom has spent all her time getting high on OxyContin, leaving Eddie to take care of himself. When Eddie's mom goes into rehab and his aunt and uncle take him away to Boston, everything changes. His new school, which he attends with his cousin Alex, is experimental: there's a CEO instead of a principal, classes are held in an office building, and the students, all sporting business-casual looks, are the only urban kids Eddie has ever seen outside of a rap video. As for Alex, it's bad enough that he has to share his bedroom with Eddie, but his parents are on his case about including his quiet cousin in his social life as well. Alex wants to do the right thing, but between talking to girls, playing video games, thinking about girls, laughing with his friends, and looking at girls, when is he supposed to find time to help Eddie and "work up to his potential" in school?

Two boys find that they have a lot to learn from each other in this touching, funny novel about finding your place and looking out for your friends.

Publication Date: 04/17/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Humor
Finding Stinko
Michael de Guzman
Synopsis: Newboy hasn’t spoken in three years. One morning he opened his mouth and nothing came out. He doesn’t know why he stopped talking, but what he does know is that he’s through with the state child-care system. In twelve years he’s lived in eleven foster homes, and the Knoxes are the worst of the bunch. Now, with no voice, no family, and no exact plan, Newboy is running away for good. Living on the streets means danger and excitement around every corner, but the one thing Newboy never expected to find is a companion in the form of an old ventriloquist dummy lying in a Dumpster – a puppet with no hands, backward feet, and a chunk of its nose missing. Amazingly, this beat-up doll whom he dubs “Stinko” possesses a kind of magic that helps Newboy rediscover his ability to communicate.
 
This is a fast-paced adventure about a runaway kid figuring out not just what he’s searching for but also what he has to say. Finding Stinko is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Publication Date: 04/17/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Hear Us Out
Nancy Garden
Synopsis: What was it like being young and gay during the closeted 1950s, the exuberant beginnings of the modern gay rights movement in the 1970s, or the frightening outbreak of HIV and AIDS in the 1980s? In this unique history, Nancy Garden uses both fact and fiction to explore just what it has meant to be young and gay in America during the last fifty years. For each decade from the 1950s on, she discusses in an essay the social and political events that shaped the lives of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people during that era. Then, in two short stories, she explores the emotional experiences of young gay people coming of age during those times, giving vivid insight into what it really felt like.
 
Hear Us Out! is a comprehensive and rich account of gay life, both public and private, from one of the pioneers of young adult lesbian and gay literature.
Publication Date: 04/17/07
Age Level: Mature Young Adult
Genre: Nonfiction
68 Knots
Michael Robert Evans
Synopsis: This edgy novel about a diverse group of teens who commandeer a sailboat and support themselves by pirating during one summer full of adventure and discovery, is also a subtle yet powerful novel of awakening, of coming to grips individually with the issues they face as they are on the cusp of adulthood. Written with restraint and authenticity, this powerful debut will appeal to older YA readers.
Publication Date: 04/15/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
Amanda Noble: Zookeeper Extraordinaire
Synopsis: For Amanda Noble, living in a zoo is cool. But it seems the zoo houses more than boas, lions, and exotic birds, and she finds herself working alongside a murder suspect and an inept gangster--just another day at Nobles Ark.
Publication Date: 04/13/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction
Rise of the Golden Cobra
Henry Aubin, Stephen Taylor
Synopsis:

A young scribe with revenge on his mind. A pharaoh's war for the honor of Egypt. An action-packed tale from ancient history.

During a picnic overlooking the Nile, 14-year-old scribe Nebi spots the riders first. Led by the treacherous Count Nimlot, the raiding party slaughters Nebi's master, the region's head of police. Although wounded, Nebi -- knowing that the pharaoh's northern territory is no longer secure -- escapes as the only living witness.

Nebi is quickly catapulted into events that will change history. Set in 728 B.C., Rise of the Golden Cobra surrounds the actual reign of Pharaoh Piankhy, the brilliant and compassionate leader whose astonishing campaign united ancient Egypt.

Nebi's adventures take him to the court of Piankhy himself, to friendship with feisty Prince Shebitku, and to war. Fierce battles culminate in the siege of Memphis, where Nebi finally confronts Nimlot and his own desire for revenge. Well-served by the pharaoh's honorable example, Nebi finds release in letting Nimlot live. Meanwhile, Piankhy's victory unites North and South Egypt, making him the one true pharaoh entitled to wear the golden cobra crown.

Bursting with action and political intrigue, and rich in historical detail and dramatic illustrations, Rise of the Golden Cobra is an epic adventure for the ages.

Publication Date: 04/13/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
From Boneshakers to Choppers
Synopsis:

The fastest book on two wheels explores the timeless appeal of the motorcycle.

In 1885, two German inventors strapped a motor to a bicycle, and the world's first motorcycle was born. Riders have been hooked ever since.

Climb aboard From Boneshakers to Choppers and discover how these two-wheeled wonders spawned subcultures that continue to flourish today. From early endurance contests that catapulted Harley-Davidson to fame to pulp novels featuring rugged biker heroes, you'll witness the burgeoning motorcycle image of the early 20th century.

Move on to wartime when the military pushed the motorcycle's portability by designing collapsible motorbikes to drop -- by parachute -- behind enemy lines. Then follow the motorcycle through the definitive postwar years: the birth of the Hell's Angels, the ultimate cool of biker Marion Brando in The Wild One, and the scooter-as-fashion craze of the mods. You'll also discover the world of adventurous female bikers, take to the tracks of stunt riders, and hit the road with cross-continent racers.

Brimming with an amazing collection of archival and contemporary photographs, From From Boneshakers to Choppers will take you on an unforgettable ride.

Publication Date: 04/13/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Educational
The Big Book of Pop Culture
Marc Ngui, Hal Niedzviecki
Synopsis:

It's culture creation made easy by a master of the independent art scene.

Join indie-guru Hal Niedzviecki on a how-to journey through the world of pop culture. In his upbeat, spirited style, Niedzviecki first provides a quick history of entertainment -- from its origins through to the present day, when corporate powers largely determine what we read, hear and watch.

Niedzviecki then shows how to reclaim cultural expression by encouraging everyone to use the tools of modern media: print (self-publishing zines, comics and books), video (making movies and shows), CD (creating original music) and the indie-paradise of the Internet (websites, blogs, video games). Quick and easy do-in-a-day project ideas are included, so emerging artists will feel ready to tackle more ambitious works.

Punctuated by inspiring interviews with young creators, engaging sidebars, and zine-style graphics that capture the spirit of the indie movement, The Big Book of Pop Culture is an empowering guide to original artistic expression.

Publication Date: 04/13/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Educational
The Dream of the Stone
Christina Askounis
Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Sarah discovers that her brilliant older brother's top-secret research for the Institute involves interstellar travel and a threat to a planet millions of light-years away. Simultaneous.
Publication Date: 04/10/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Adventure
A Swift Pure Cry
Siobhan Dowd
Synopsis: Ireland 1984.

After Shell's mother dies, her obsessively religious father descends into alcoholic mourning and Shell is left to care for her younger brother and sister. Her only release from the harshness of everyday life comes from her budding spiritual friendship with a naive young priest, and most importantly, her developing relationship with childhood friend, Declan, who is charming, eloquent, and persuasive. But when Declan suddenly leaves Ireland to seek his fortune in America, Shell finds herself pregnant and the center of a scandal that rocks the small community in which she lives, with repercussions across the whole country. The lives of those immediately around her will never be the same again.

This is a story of love and loss, religious belief and spirituality—it will move the hearts of any who read it.
Publication Date: 04/10/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Competition's A Witch
Kelly McClymer
Synopsis: Prudence Stewart is finally starting to get her witch on. It's been a month since her parents decided to give their magic-deficient daughter a crash course in enchantment by enrolling her in Agatha's Day School for Witches. And sure, Pru's still stuck in Magic for Dummies -- but at least she made the cheerleading squad.

Now Prudence has a bigger problem...she walks, talks, and cheers like a mortal. And she's deathly afraid the other witches will catch on. So she vows to give up her old earthly ways: no cell phone, no car, and above all, no dating mortal boys.

There's just one hitch to the sitch: Angelo, the megacute mortal-next-door. When he and Prudence meet, sparks fly -- no magic necessary. And breaking Angelo's spell turns out to be the hardest trick of all.
Publication Date: 04/10/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Chick Lit
Starcrossed
Mark Schreiber
Synopsis:

A 2008 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list nominee! 

How can Christy Marlowe―an impulsive, wise-cracking horoscope-junkie―be in love with Ben, a well-mannered college freshman who prefers astronomy over astrology?

Their fateful first meeting takes place at a plastic surgeon’s office, where both hope to erase painful memories along with unwanted tattoos. Is it a bad omen that Ben has the same name as Christy’s ex-boyfriend, a drug-pedaling punk in juvie for murder? It’s hard for Christy to care when Ben sends her heart "racing through galaxies of bliss." Just as Ben is worried about Christy’s obsessed ex who’s back on the streets, Christy is troubled by the sadness lurking in Ben’s ice-blue eyes.

Burying the past isn’t easy and this comedy of love turns upside down when Christy and Ben become ensnared in their own lies. Starcrossed or starmates, can they forgo Romeo and Juliet’s tragic fate and find their way back to truth and trust?

Publication Date: 04/08/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Romance
Quantum Prophesy: The Awakening
Synopsis: When Danny and Colin begin to experience superhero powers, they come to learn from their parents that the entire generation of superhumans were not destroyed in the great battle ten years ago and now must come to terms with their ancestry as well as the reality that others may want to destroy them because of it.
Publication Date: 04/05/07
Age Level: 12 and up
Genre: Fiction

Pages



RECENT BOOK REVIEWS