Ms. Yockey's bookshelf: all en-US Fri, 27 May 2016 11:55:06 -0700 60 Ms. Yockey's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Divergent (Divergent, #1) 8306857 In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

]]> 487 Veronica Roth 0062024027 Ms. Yockey 4 2012-summer-reading 4.28 2011 Divergent (Divergent, #1)
author: Veronica Roth
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2016/05/27
shelves: 2012-summer-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Spy in the House (The Agency, #1)]]> 9322741 Introducing an exciting new series! Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this diverting mystery trails a feisty heroine as she takes on a precarious secret assignment.

Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners — and an unusual vocation. Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls is a cover for an all-female investigative unit called The Agency, and at seventeen, Mary is about to put her training to the test. Assuming the guise of a lady’s companion, she must infiltrate a rich merchant’s home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the household is full of dangerous deceptions, and there is no one to trust — or is there? Packed with action and suspense, banter and romance, and evoking the gritty backstreets of Victorian London, this breezy mystery debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits while uncovering secrets — including those of her own past.


From the Hardcover edition.]]> 335 Y.S. Lee 076365289X Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, mysteries-2012 3.65 2009 A Spy in the House (The Agency, #1)
author: Y.S. Lee
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/11/11
shelves: to-read, mysteries-2012
review:

]]> Fade to Black 137555 The victim: After his windshield was shattered with a baseball bat, HIV-positive Alex Crusan ducked under the steering wheel. But he knows what he saw. Now he must decide what he wants to tell.

The witness: Daria Bickell never lies. So if she told the police she saw Clinton Cole do it, she must have. But did she really?

The suspect: Clinton was seen in the vicinity of the crime that morning. And sure, he has problems with Alex. But he'd never do something like this. Would he?]]> 184 Alex Flinn 0060568429 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read 3.70 2005 Fade to Black
author: Alex Flinn
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/03/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Bamboo People 7576979 Bang! A side door bursts open. Soldiers pour into the room. They're shouting and waving rifles. I shield my head with my arms. It was a lie! I think, my mind racing.

Girls and boys alike are screaming. The soldiers prod and herd some of us together and push the rest apart as if we're cows or goats. Their leader is a middle—aged man. He's moving slowly, intently, not dashing around like the others.

" Take the boys only, Win Min," I overhear him telling a tall, gangly soldier. "Make them obey."

]]> 272 Mitali Perkins 1580893287 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, caudill-2014 3.94 2010 Bamboo People
author: Mitali Perkins
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/03/02
shelves: to-read, caudill-2014
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty]]> 13591146 128 Tonya Bolden 1419703900 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read 3.96 2013 Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty
author: Tonya Bolden
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/03/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon]]> 13170021
Bomb is a 2012 National Book Awards finalist for Young People's Literature.
Bomb is a 2012 Washington Post Best Kids Books of the Year title.

Bomb is a 2013 Newbery Honor book.]]> 266 Steve Sheinkin 1596434872 Ms. Yockey 0 currently-reading 4.12 2012 Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon
author: Steve Sheinkin
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lincoln's Grave Robbers (Scholastic Focus)]]> 15809629 214 Steve Sheinkin 0545405726 Ms. Yockey 0 currently-reading 3.81 2013 Lincoln's Grave Robbers (Scholastic Focus)
author: Steve Sheinkin
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Growing Up Brave: Expert Strategies for Helping Your Child Overcome Fear, Stress, and Anxiety]]> 13521336
Dr. Donna Pincus, nationally recognized childhood anxiety expert, is here to help. In Growing Up Brave, Dr. Pincus helps parents identify and understand anxiety in their children, outlines effective and convenient parenting techniques for reducing anxiety, and shows parents how to promote bravery for long-term confidence. Perhaps your young child has trouble sleeping or separation anxiety, or your teen suffers from social anxiety or panic attacks--whatever the issue, Growing Up Brave can help.

Using methods based on cognitive behavioral therapy, you will learn to identify your child's fear and anxiety on the spectrum from normal and predictable to what might be cause for concern, to promote a secure attachment with your child in only five minutes a day, tools to foster coping skills in the face of anxiety-producing situations, strategies for reinforcing problem-solving behavior, adaptive parenting styles, and much more. Dr. Pincus includes stories from her practice of children--from preschoolers to teens--who have overcome their fear and anxiety through her step-by-step approach, as well as information on therapy and medication.

Whether your child has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or simply needs help navigating this increasingly stressful world, Growing Up Brave provides an essential toolkit for instilling happiness and confidence for childhood and beyond.]]> 0 Donna B. Pincus 0316200662 Ms. Yockey 4 4.17 2012 Growing Up Brave: Expert Strategies for Helping Your Child Overcome Fear, Stress, and Anxiety
author: Donna B. Pincus
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2013/02/23
date added: 2013/02/23
shelves:
review:

]]> Dodger 13516846 A storm. Rain-lashed city streets. A flash of lightning. A scruffy lad sees a girl leap desperately from a horse-drawn carriage in a vain attempt to escape her captors. Can the lad stand by and let her be caught again? Of course not, because he's...Dodger.

Seventeen-year-old Dodger may be a street urchin, but he gleans a living from London's sewers, and he knows a jewel when he sees one. He's not about to let anything happen to the unknown girl--not even if her fate impacts some of the most powerful people in England.

From Dodger's encounter with the mad barber Sweeney Todd to his meetings with the great writer Charles Dickens and the calculating politician Benjamin Disraeli, history and fantasy intertwine in a breathtaking account of adventure and mystery.

Beloved and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett combines high comedy with deep wisdom in this tale of an unexpected coming-of-age and one remarkable boy's rise in a complex and fascinating world.]]> 360 Terry Pratchett 0062009494 Ms. Yockey 0 3.92 2012 Dodger
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/23
shelves: historical-fiction, adventure, brand-spankin-new-books, currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Close Reading of Informational Texts: Assessment-Driven Instruction in Grades 3-8]]> 15807956 194 Sunday Cummins 1462507816 Ms. Yockey 5 4.07 2012 Close Reading of Informational Texts: Assessment-Driven Instruction in Grades 3-8
author: Sunday Cummins
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2013/02/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis]]> 109802
Ěý
Hunter Scott first learned about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis by watching the movie Jaws when he was just eleven-years-old. This was fifty years after the ship had sunk, throwing more than 1,000 men into shark-infested waters—a long fifty years in which justice still had not been served.
ĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý It was just after midnight on July 30, 1945 when the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. Those who survived the fiery sinking—some injured, many without life jackets—struggled to stay afloat as they waited for rescue. But the United States Navy did not even know they were missing. As time went on, the Navy needed a scapegoat for this disaster. So it court-martialed the captain for “hazarding” his ship. The survivors of the Indianapolis knew that their captain was not to blame. For fifty years they worked to clear his name, even after his untimely death.
But the navy would not budge—not until Hunter entered the picture. His history fair project on the Indianapolis soon became a crusade to restore the captain’s good name and the honor of the men who served under him.


Praise for Left for Dead :

Christopher Award Winner

An ALA-YALSA Best Nonfiction for Young Adults Book

“Compelling, dreadful, and amazing.”— VOYA
Ěý
“This exciting, life-affirming book about war heroics and justice . . . proves without question the impact one student can have on history.”— Booklist

“Well written and well documented … this excellent presentation fills a void in most World War II collections “— School Library Journal
Ěý
“Young readers . . . will no doubt be inspired by the youth’s tenacity—and by the valor of those who served on the Indianapolis .”— The Horn Book]]> 201 Pete Nelson 0385730918 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read 3.82 2002 Left for Dead: A Young Man's Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis
author: Pete Nelson
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2002
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science]]> 1000990
At the time, Phineas Gage seemed to completely recover from his accident. He could walk, talk, work, and travel, but he was changed. Gage "was no longer Gage," said his Vermont doctor, meaning that the old Phineas was dependable and well liked, and the new Phineas was crude and unpredictable.

His case astonished doctors in his day and still fascinates doctors today. What happened and what didn’t happen inside the brain of Phineas Gage will tell you a lot about how your brain works and how you act human.]]> 96 John Fleischman 0618494782 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read 3.64 2009 Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science
author: John Fleischman
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Eggs 169413 224 Jerry Spinelli 0316166464 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, friendship 3.61 2007 Eggs
author: Jerry Spinelli
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/09
shelves: to-read, friendship
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Wringer (Summer Reading Edition)]]> 278264
Sometimes he wished it would come after him, chase him, this thing he did not want to be. But the thing never moved. It merely waited. Waited for him to come to it. In Palmer LaRue's hometown of Waymer, turning ten is the biggest event of a boy's life. It marks the day when a boy is ready to take his place as a wringer at the annual Family Fest. It's an honor and a tradition.

But for Palmer, his tenth birthday is not something to look forward to, but something to dread. Because -- although he can't admit this to anyone -- Palmer does not want to be a wringer. But he can't stop himself from getting older, any more than he can stop tradition.

Then one day, a visitor appears on his windowsill, and Palmer knows that this, more than anything else, is a sign that his time is up. Somehow, he must learn how to stop being afraid and stand up for what he believes in.]]> 240 Jerry Spinelli 0060739487 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, realistic-fiction 3.64 1997 Wringer (Summer Reading Edition)
author: Jerry Spinelli
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.64
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/09
shelves: to-read, realistic-fiction
review:

]]> Stargirl (Stargirl, #1) 22232
Leo Borlock follows the unspoken rule at Mica Area High School: don't stand out--under any circumstances! Then Stargirl arrives at Mica High and everything changes--for Leo and for the entire school. After 15 years of home schooling, Stargirl bursts into tenth grade in an explosion of color and a clatter of ukulele music, enchanting the Mica student body.

But the delicate scales of popularity suddenly shift, and Stargirl is shunned for everything that makes her different. Somewhere in the midst of Stargirl's arrival and rise and fall, normal Leo Borlock has tumbled into love with her.

In a celebration of nonconformity, Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the fleeting, cruel nature of popularity--and the thrill and inspiration of first love.]]> 186 Jerry Spinelli 0439488400 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, school 3.76 2000 Stargirl (Stargirl, #1)
author: Jerry Spinelli
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/09
shelves: to-read, school
review:

]]> Loser 87220 From renowned Newbery-winning author Jerry Spinelli comes a powerful story about how not fitting in just might lead to an incredible life. This classic book is perfect for fans ofĚýGordon KormanĚýand Carl Hiaasen.

Just like other kids, Zinkoff rides his bike, hopes for snow days, and wants to be like his dad when he grows up. But Zinkoff also raises his hand with all the wrong answers, trips over his own feet, and falls down with laughter over a word like "Jabip."

Other kids have their own word to describe him, but Zinkoff is too busy to hear it. He doesn't know he's not like everyone else. And one winter night, Zinkoff's differences show that any name can someday become "hero."

With some of his finest writing to date and great wit and humor, Jerry Spinelli creates a story about a boy's individuality surpassing the need to fit in and the genuine importance of failure. As readers follow Zinkoff from first through sixth grade, it becomes impossible not to identify with and root for him through failures and triumphs.

The perfect classroom read.]]> 218 Jerry Spinelli 0060540745 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, school 3.74 2002 Loser
author: Jerry Spinelli
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2002
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/09
shelves: to-read, school
review:

]]> Hokey Pokey 13642591
Master storyteller Jerry Spinelli has written a dizzingly inventive fable of growing up and letting go, of leaving childhood and its imagination play behind for the more dazzling adventures of adolescence, and of learning to accept not only the sunny part of day, but the unwelcome arrival of night, as well.]]> 304 Jerry Spinelli 0375831983 Ms. Yockey 0 3.33 2013 Hokey Pokey
author: Jerry Spinelli
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/09
shelves: to-read, coming-of-age, brand-spankin-new-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hunters (Brotherband Chronicles, #3)]]> 13589152 403 John Flanagan 0399256210 Ms. Yockey 0 4.43 2012 The Hunters (Brotherband Chronicles, #3)
author: John Flanagan
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2013/02/09
shelves: to-read, adventure, brand-spankin-new-books
review:

]]> The List 10866233
It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.]]> 336 Siobhan Vivian 0545169178 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read 3.40 2012 The List
author: Siobhan Vivian
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.40
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/09/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Lions of Little Rock 11699349
Twelve-year-old Marlee doesn't have many friends until she meets Liz, the new girl at school. Liz is bold and brave, and always knows the right thing to say, especially to Sally, the resident mean girl. Liz even helps Marlee overcome her greatest fear - speaking, which Marlee never does outside her family.

But then Liz is gone, replaced by the rumor that she was a Negro girl passing as white. But Marlee decides that doesn't matter. Liz is her best friend. And to stay friends, Marlee and Liz are willing to take on integration and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.]]> 298 Kristin Levine 039925644X Ms. Yockey 0 to-read 4.24 2012 The Lions of Little Rock
author: Kristin Levine
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/08/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Choke 12972654 A heartfelt novel about the disturbing “choking game” trend—and one girl’s struggle for self-acceptance.

If she could—if her parents would let her—eighth-grader Windy would change everything about herself. She’d get highlights in her hair, a new wardrobe; she’d wear makeup. But nothing ever changes. The mean girls at school are still mean, and Windy’s best friend Elena is still more interested in making up words than talking about boys.

And then one day, Windy gets the change she’s been looking for. New girl Nina—impossibly cool, confident, and not afraid of anyone—starts hanging out with Windy! Nina even wants to be “breath sisters.” Windy isn’t sure what that means, exactly, but she knows she wants to find out. It sounds even better than a BFF.

Windy is right, at first. Being a breath sister gains her a whole new set of friends, girls she feels closer to and cooler with than anyone else. But her inclusion in the new crowd comes at a dangerous price. Windy wants to change everything about her life . . . but is she really willing to give up everything in the process?]]> 240 Diana LĂłpez 0545418224 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, hot-topic-book 3.73 2012 Choke
author: Diana LĂłpez
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/08/12
shelves: to-read, hot-topic-book
review:

]]> Endangered (Ape Quartet #1) 13591678
The Congo is a dangerous place, even for people who are trying to do good.

When one girl has to follow her mother to her sanctuary for bonobos, she's not thrilled to be there. It's her mother's passion, and she'd rather have nothing to do with it. But when revolution breaks out and their sanctuary is attacked, she must rescue the bonobos and hide in the jungle. Together, they will fight to keep safe, to eat, and to survive.

Eliot Schrefer asks readers what safety means, how one sacrifices to help others, and what it means to be human in this new compelling adventure.]]> 272 Eliot Schrefer 0545165768 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, upper-ya, adventure 4.04 2012 Endangered (Ape Quartet #1)
author: Eliot Schrefer
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/08/12
shelves: to-read, upper-ya, adventure
review:

]]> The Dogs of Winter 13586891
Based on a true story!

When Ivan's mother disappears, he's abandoned on the streets of Moscow, with little chance to make it through the harsh winter. But help comes in an unexpected form: Ivan is adopted by a pack of dogs, and the dogs quickly become more than just his street companions: They become his family. Soon Ivan, who used to love reading fairytales, is practically living in one, as he and his pack roam the city and countryside, using their wits to find food and shelter, dodging danger, begging for coins. But Ivan can’t stay hidden from the world of people forever. When help is finally offered to him, will he be able to accept it? Will he even want to?

A heart-pounding tale of survival and a moving look at what makes us human.
]]> 320 Bobbie Pyron 0545399300 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, animal-stories 4.29 2012 The Dogs of Winter
author: Bobbie Pyron
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/08/11
shelves: to-read, animal-stories
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship]]> 13222433 Lincoln: A Photobiography, comes a clear-sighted, carefully researched account of two surprisingly parallel lives and how they intersected at a critical moment in U.S. history. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass were both self-taught, both great readers and believers in the importance of literacy, both men born poor who by their own efforts reached positions of power and prominence—Lincoln as president of the United States and Douglass as the most famous and influential African American of his time. Though their meetings were few and brief, their exchange of ideas helped to end the Civil War, reunite the nation, and abolish slavery. Includes bibliography, source notes, and index.]]> 128 Russell Freedman 0547533888 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, nonfiction June 2012
Ask Ellen

Booklist starred (February 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 11))
Grades 5-9. This handsome book opens in 1863 with a scene in the White House. Frederick Douglass, the well-known writer, editor, speaker, abolitionist, and former slave, is the only black man waiting in the crowded room outside Lincoln’s office in hopes of meeting the president. After backtracking to tell the dramatic story of Douglass’ rise from slave to free man to influential public figure, the discussion shifts to Lincoln, focusing first on his life and later on his conduct of the Civil War and the issue of slavery. Returning to the opening scene, the final chapters consider the men’s different points of view and trace the respectful, increasingly warm relationship between Lincoln and Douglass through the remainder of the war. Freedman writes with clarity, intelligence, and a fine sense of vivid detail. He doesn’t just point out that both these self-educated men had read and studied The Columbian Orator, he also includes the book’s three-page Dialogue between a Master and Slave in the back matter. Also appended are source notes, a selected bibliography, a discussion of historical sites related to Lincoln and Douglass, and a list of credits for the well-chosen illustrations, which include period photos, prints, drawings, paintings, and documents. A well-researched, wonderfully readable book on Lincoln’s brief but telling friendship with Frederick Douglass.

School Library Journal (May 1, 2012)
Gr 5-10-Freedman tells the story of a friendship between two men who shared many characteristics. Lincoln and Douglass were both self-educated, born into poverty, and, through relentless effort and hard work, reached great success. Both men fought for freedom and equality for all Americans, both black and white, as promised in the Declaration of Independence. Divided into 10 chapters, the book offers biographical details for each man, an overview of the Civil War, Lincoln's changing attitude toward African Americans, Douglass's endeavors to create black regiments within the Union army, and descriptions of the men's face-to-face meetings. Captioned black-and-white photographs and reproductions are found on almost every page. An appendix, a selected bibliography, notes, and a list of historic sites complete the volume. Douglass's quotes are largely taken from his three autobiographies, and the Lincoln quotes, while taken from secondary sources, are from definitive and modern standard sources. A first-rate volume for classroom study and general reading.-Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.]]> 4.00 2012 Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship
author: Russell Freedman
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/08/01
shelves: to-read, nonfiction
review:
HMH
June 2012
Ask Ellen

Booklist starred (February 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 11))
Grades 5-9. This handsome book opens in 1863 with a scene in the White House. Frederick Douglass, the well-known writer, editor, speaker, abolitionist, and former slave, is the only black man waiting in the crowded room outside Lincoln’s office in hopes of meeting the president. After backtracking to tell the dramatic story of Douglass’ rise from slave to free man to influential public figure, the discussion shifts to Lincoln, focusing first on his life and later on his conduct of the Civil War and the issue of slavery. Returning to the opening scene, the final chapters consider the men’s different points of view and trace the respectful, increasingly warm relationship between Lincoln and Douglass through the remainder of the war. Freedman writes with clarity, intelligence, and a fine sense of vivid detail. He doesn’t just point out that both these self-educated men had read and studied The Columbian Orator, he also includes the book’s three-page Dialogue between a Master and Slave in the back matter. Also appended are source notes, a selected bibliography, a discussion of historical sites related to Lincoln and Douglass, and a list of credits for the well-chosen illustrations, which include period photos, prints, drawings, paintings, and documents. A well-researched, wonderfully readable book on Lincoln’s brief but telling friendship with Frederick Douglass.

School Library Journal (May 1, 2012)
Gr 5-10-Freedman tells the story of a friendship between two men who shared many characteristics. Lincoln and Douglass were both self-educated, born into poverty, and, through relentless effort and hard work, reached great success. Both men fought for freedom and equality for all Americans, both black and white, as promised in the Declaration of Independence. Divided into 10 chapters, the book offers biographical details for each man, an overview of the Civil War, Lincoln's changing attitude toward African Americans, Douglass's endeavors to create black regiments within the Union army, and descriptions of the men's face-to-face meetings. Captioned black-and-white photographs and reproductions are found on almost every page. An appendix, a selected bibliography, notes, and a list of historic sites complete the volume. Douglass's quotes are largely taken from his three autobiographies, and the Lincoln quotes, while taken from secondary sources, are from definitive and modern standard sources. A first-rate volume for classroom study and general reading.-Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
]]> Every Day (Every Day, #1) 13262783 Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.
There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone A wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.]]> 322 David Levithan 0307931889 Ms. Yockey 5
"After a while, you have to be at peace with the fact that you simply are."

"I have learned to observe, far better than most people observe. I am not blinded by the past or motivated by the future. I focus on the present, because that is where I am destined to live."

"If smart people are parodying it, that's a sure sign that some less smart people are believing it."

"this is what love does: It makes you want to rewrite the world. It makes you want to choose the characters, build
the scenery, guide the plot. The person you love sits across from you, and you want to do everything in your power to make it possible, endlessly possible."

"I run. I am made for running. Because when you run, you could be anyone. You hone yourself into a body, nothing less than a body. You respond as a body, to the body. If you are racing to win, you have no thoughts but the body's thoughts, no goals but the body's goals. You obliterate yourself in the name of speed. You negate yourself in order to make it past the finish line."

"Every person is a possibility. The hopeless romantics feel it most acutely, but even for others, the only way to keep going is to see every person as a possibility...grounded in the things that mean the most...Kindness. Creativity. Engagement in the world. Engagement in the possibilities of the people around him."

]]> 3.91 2012 Every Day (Every Day, #1)
author: David Levithan
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2012/07/05
date added: 2012/07/11
shelves: overcoming-obstacles, outcast-finding-her-his-place, identity
review:
Favorite quotes,

"After a while, you have to be at peace with the fact that you simply are."

"I have learned to observe, far better than most people observe. I am not blinded by the past or motivated by the future. I focus on the present, because that is where I am destined to live."

"If smart people are parodying it, that's a sure sign that some less smart people are believing it."

"this is what love does: It makes you want to rewrite the world. It makes you want to choose the characters, build
the scenery, guide the plot. The person you love sits across from you, and you want to do everything in your power to make it possible, endlessly possible."

"I run. I am made for running. Because when you run, you could be anyone. You hone yourself into a body, nothing less than a body. You respond as a body, to the body. If you are racing to win, you have no thoughts but the body's thoughts, no goals but the body's goals. You obliterate yourself in the name of speed. You negate yourself in order to make it past the finish line."

"Every person is a possibility. The hopeless romantics feel it most acutely, but even for others, the only way to keep going is to see every person as a possibility...grounded in the things that mean the most...Kindness. Creativity. Engagement in the world. Engagement in the possibilities of the people around him."


]]> Seraphina (Seraphina, #1) 12394100 Librarian's note: There is an Alternate Cover Edition for this edition of this book here.

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

In her exquisitely written fantasy debut, Rachel Hartman creates a rich, complex, and utterly original world. Seraphina's tortuous journey to self-acceptance is one readers will remember long after they've turned the final page.]]> 467 Rachel Hartman 0375866566 Ms. Yockey 5 dragon-books
I love novels rich in backstory especially when the writer is able to weave this history as seamlessly into the story as Hartman does here. Seraphina is a companionate and complex character who navigates her inner life as well as her exterior life. I loved the use of the garden for this purpose. While I loved the characters in this story, the plot and action were equally intriguing. I can't wait to share this with students!
]]> 4.02 2012 Seraphina (Seraphina, #1)
author: Rachel Hartman
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2012/07/04
date added: 2012/07/10
shelves: dragon-books
review:


I love novels rich in backstory especially when the writer is able to weave this history as seamlessly into the story as Hartman does here. Seraphina is a companionate and complex character who navigates her inner life as well as her exterior life. I loved the use of the garden for this purpose. While I loved the characters in this story, the plot and action were equally intriguing. I can't wait to share this with students!

]]> <![CDATA[Growing Up Muslim: Understanding the Beliefs and Practices of Islam]]> 13155461
Through this engaging work, readers will gain a better understanding of the everyday aspects of Muslim American life, to dispel many of the misconceptions that still remain and open a dialogue for tolerance and acceptance.]]> 224 Sumbul Ali-Karamali 0385740956 Ms. Yockey 0 nonfiction, currently-reading August 2012
net galley]]> 4.07 2012 Growing Up Muslim: Understanding the Beliefs and Practices of Islam
author: Sumbul Ali-Karamali
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/04
shelves: nonfiction, currently-reading
review:
Random House
August 2012
net galley
]]> Red Heart Tattoo 12969575
Lurlene McDaniel's signature expertise and finesse in dealing with issues of violence, death, and physical as well as emotional trauma in the lives of teens is immediate and heartrending.


From the Hardcover edition.]]> 224 Lurlene McDaniel 038573462X Ms. Yockey 0 currently-reading July 25 2012
Net Galley]]> 3.83 2012 Red Heart Tattoo
author: Lurlene McDaniel
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:
Random House
July 25 2012
Net Galley
]]> The Discovery of Dragons 762783 Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.]]> 32 Graeme Base 0810932377 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.15 1996 The Discovery of Dragons
author: Graeme Base
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Talking to Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #4)]]> 169871 Always be polite to dragons!

That's what Daystar's mother taught him...and it's a very wise lesson--one that might just help him after his mom hands him a magic sword and kicks him out of the house. Especially because his house sits on the edge of the Enchanted Forest and his mother is Queen Cimorene.

But the tricky part is figuring out what he's supposed to do with the magic sword. Where is he supposed to go? And why does everyone he meets seem to know who he is?

It's going to take a particularly hotheaded fire-witch, a very verbose lizard, and a badly behaved baby dragon to help him figure it all out.

And those good manners certainly won't hurt!]]> 255 Patricia C. Wrede 0152046917 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.19 1985 Talking to Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #4)
author: Patricia C. Wrede
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1985
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Calling on Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #3)]]> 169879
Princess Cimorene is now Queen Cimorene ... and she's faced with her first queenly crisis -- the Enchanted Forest is threatened with complete destruction!

Those wizards are back -- and they've become very smart. (Sort of.) They've figured out a way to take over the forest once and for all ... and what they have planned isn't pretty.

With a little help from Kazul the dragon king, Morwen the witch, Telemain the magician, two cats, and a blue, flying donkey-rabbit named -- what else? -- Killer, Cimorene might just be able to stop them.

And some people think that being a queen is easy.]]> 244 Patricia C. Wrede 0152046925 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.18 1993 Calling on Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #3)
author: Patricia C. Wrede
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.18
book published: 1993
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Searching for Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #2)]]> 169875 Kidnap a dragon? How daring!
How stupid

Cimorene, the princess who refuses to be proper, is back--but where is Kazul the dragon? That's what Cimorene is determined to find out.

Luckily--or perhaps not-so-luckily--she's got help: Mendenbar, the not-very-kingly King of the Enchanted Forest, has joined her in her quest. So with the aid of a broken-down magic carpet, a leaky magical sword, and a few buckets of soapy lemon water, they set off across the Enchanted Forest to tackle the dragon-napping and save the King of the Dragons.]]> 242 Patricia C. Wrede 0152045651 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.27 1991 Searching for Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #2)
author: Patricia C. Wrede
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1991
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1)]]> 150739 not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart - and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon - and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for.

Cover illustrator: Peter de Sève]]> 240 Patricia C. Wrede 015204566X Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.16 1990 Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1)
author: Patricia C. Wrede
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1990
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> Dragon's Bait 1318649 131 Vivian Vande Velde 0152007261 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 3.72 1992 Dragon's Bait
author: Vivian Vande Velde
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.72
book published: 1992
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bone, Vol. 4: The Dragonslayer (Bone, #4)]]> 899113 176 Jeff Smith 0439706262 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.17 1996 Bone, Vol. 4: The Dragonslayer (Bone, #4)
author: Jeff Smith
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Knights of the Kitchen Table (Time Warp Trio, #1)]]> 2785252 55 Jon Scieszka 0140346031 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 3.65 1991 Knights of the Kitchen Table (Time Warp Trio, #1)
author: Jon Scieszka
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.65
book published: 1991
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> Syren (Septimus Heap, #5) 6324077 628 Angie Sage 0060882107 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.09 2009 Syren (Septimus Heap, #5)
author: Angie Sage
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle, #4)]]> 7664041 Eragon... It ends with Inheritance.

Not so very long ago, Eragon — Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider — was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chance.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

This is the spellbinding conclusion to Christopher Paolini's worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.

]]> 849 Christopher Paolini 0375856110 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.14 2011 Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle, #4)
author: Christopher Paolini
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle #3)]]> 2248573
It's been only months since Eragon first uttered "brisingr", an ancient language term for fire. Since then, he's not only learned to create magic with words — he's been challenged to his very core. Following the colossal battle against the Empires warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still, there is more adventure at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.

First is Eragon's oath to his cousin, Roran: to help rescue Roran's beloved from King Galbatorix's clutches. But Eragon owes his loyalty to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength — as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices — choices that will take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice.

Eragon is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king?

]]> 748 Christopher Paolini 0375826726 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.10 2008 Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle #3)
author: Christopher Paolini
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Eldest (The Inheritance Cycle, #2)]]> 45978
Darkness falls…despair abounds…evil reigns…

Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in the skills of the Dragon Rider: magic and swordsmanship. Soon he is on the journey of a lifetime, his eyes open to awe-inspring new places and people, his days filled with fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and nothing is what it seems. Before long, Eragon doesn't know whom he can trust.

Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle–one that might put Eragon in even graver danger.

Will the king's dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life. . . .]]> 704 Christopher Paolini 0375840400 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.04 2005 Eldest (The Inheritance Cycle, #2)
author: Christopher Paolini
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle #1)]]> 113436 An alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780375826696 can be found here.

One boy...
One dragon...
A world of adventure.

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.]]> 503 Christopher Paolini 0375826696 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 3.96 2002 Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle #1)
author: Christopher Paolini
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2002
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (Fablehaven, #4)]]> 6948437 Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Danger lurks everywhere at Fablehaven, where someone has released a plague that transforms beings of light into creatures of darkness. In dire need of help, the Sorensons question where to turn, now that long trusted allies have been revealed as potential foes. Kendra embarks on a special mission that only she can attempt because of her new abilities as fairykind, while Seth stays behind and discovers an incredible new talent of his own. The siblings are put to the test as the threat grows both abroad and home at the Fablehaven preserve, and Brandon Mull spins his richest and most thrilling fantasy tale yet in this third title of the popular fantasy series.]]> 537 Brandon Mull 1416990283 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.46 2009 Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (Fablehaven, #4)
author: Brandon Mull
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> The Eyes of the Dragon 18127
Also see: Alternate Cover Editions for this ISBN [ACE]
ACE #1

~]]> 380 Stephen King 0451166582 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 3.86 1984 The Eyes of the Dragon
author: Stephen King
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1984
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> Flight of the Dragon Kyn 3201291 213 Susan Fletcher 0689318804 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.03 1993 Flight of the Dragon Kyn
author: Susan Fletcher
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1993
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Where the Mountain Meets the Moon]]> 5983694
In the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli spends her days working hard in the fields and her nights listening to her father spin fantastic tales about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli's mother, tired of their poor life, chides him for filling her head with nonsense. But Minli believes these enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how her family can change their fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest.

Source: Jacket flap]]> 278 Grace Lin Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 4.31 2009 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
author: Grace Lin
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dragon Rider (Dragon Rider, #1)]]> 100464 527 Cornelia Funke 190444248X Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dragon-books 3.99 1997 Dragon Rider (Dragon Rider, #1)
author: Cornelia Funke
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/07/02
shelves: to-read, dragon-books
review:

]]> Eve & Adam (Eve & Adam, #1) 13493463 And girl created boy…

In the beginning, there was an apple—

And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker’s head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.

Just when Eve thinks she will die—not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.

Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect... won’t he?]]> 291 Michael Grant 0312583516 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Oct 2012
Ask Anne]]> 3.53 2012 Eve & Adam (Eve & Adam, #1)
author: Michael Grant
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Macmillan
Oct 2012
Ask Anne
]]> Safekeeping 13493462
Exhausted; her phone dead; her credit cards worthless: Radley starts walking.]]> 304 Karen Hesse 1250011345 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read sept 2012
Ask Anne]]> 3.55 2012 Safekeeping
author: Karen Hesse
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Macmillan
sept 2012
Ask Anne
]]> <![CDATA[Execution (Escape from Furnace, #5)]]> 13507720 312 Alexander Gordon Smith 0374362246 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Nov 2012
Ask Anne for copies of books 1-4 and her opinion
This is the final and 5th book in the Escape the Furnace series.

Book 1 review:
Booklist (February 1, 2010 (Vol. 106, No. 11))
Grades 6-9. Positing a near-future backlash against teen crime (and teens in general), Smith sets his series opener in a squalid prison for juvenile offenders built deep underground and patrolled by surgically altered supermen with vicious, skinless dogs. Framed (like a suspicious number of his fellow inmates) for a murder he did not commit, Alex is plunged into a desperate struggle for survival amid constant sirens, lurid lighting, nightmares, gang violence, and terrifying encounters with the prison’s scary guardians. Smith establishes a quick pace with an opening chase described in staccato prose, closes with a convoluted but explosive escape for Alex and a handful of allies, and in between crafts a picture of prison life less raw and hideous than what is found in, for instance, Adam Rapp’s Buffalo Tree (1997), but frightening enough to boost reader interest in sequels.

School Library Journal (February 1, 2010)
Gr 7-10-When Alex Sawyer, 15, is sentenced to life in a horrific underground prison for a murder he didn't commit, his nightmare is only beginning. Ever since the Summer of Slaughter, when gangs such as the Skulls and the Fifty-niners went on a murderous rampage, the government has been throwing away the key on juvenile offenders. "New fish" Alex and cellmate Donovan sleep in pitch-black darkness patrolled by furless dogs with silver eyes and "blacksuits" in gas masks. Unpredictable siren wails keep prisoners in check, forcing them to race back to their cells before the bars close-lockdown-or risk being killed. Alex is also "Skull Fodder," at the mercy of inmate gang members, and he realizes how similarly he once bullied kids in his own school. Smith builds a convincing atmosphere of fear and oppression until one day Alex catches a waft of fresh air from an off-limits area near his work zone. He becomes obsessed with the idea of escaping, and the mood shifts with the glimmer of hope that there could be a way out. Once a plot is hatched, readers will be turning pages without pause, and the cliff-hanger ending will have them anticipating the next installment. Most appealing is Smith's flowing writing style, filled with kid-speak, colorful adjectives, and amusing analogies. Fans of James Patterson's "Maximum Ride" and Darren Shan's "The Demonata" series (both Little, Brown) will find this satisfying fare.-Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.]]> 4.29 2011 Execution (Escape from Furnace, #5)
author: Alexander Gordon Smith
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Macmillan
Nov 2012
Ask Anne for copies of books 1-4 and her opinion
This is the final and 5th book in the Escape the Furnace series.

Book 1 review:
Booklist (February 1, 2010 (Vol. 106, No. 11))
Grades 6-9. Positing a near-future backlash against teen crime (and teens in general), Smith sets his series opener in a squalid prison for juvenile offenders built deep underground and patrolled by surgically altered supermen with vicious, skinless dogs. Framed (like a suspicious number of his fellow inmates) for a murder he did not commit, Alex is plunged into a desperate struggle for survival amid constant sirens, lurid lighting, nightmares, gang violence, and terrifying encounters with the prison’s scary guardians. Smith establishes a quick pace with an opening chase described in staccato prose, closes with a convoluted but explosive escape for Alex and a handful of allies, and in between crafts a picture of prison life less raw and hideous than what is found in, for instance, Adam Rapp’s Buffalo Tree (1997), but frightening enough to boost reader interest in sequels.

School Library Journal (February 1, 2010)
Gr 7-10-When Alex Sawyer, 15, is sentenced to life in a horrific underground prison for a murder he didn't commit, his nightmare is only beginning. Ever since the Summer of Slaughter, when gangs such as the Skulls and the Fifty-niners went on a murderous rampage, the government has been throwing away the key on juvenile offenders. "New fish" Alex and cellmate Donovan sleep in pitch-black darkness patrolled by furless dogs with silver eyes and "blacksuits" in gas masks. Unpredictable siren wails keep prisoners in check, forcing them to race back to their cells before the bars close-lockdown-or risk being killed. Alex is also "Skull Fodder," at the mercy of inmate gang members, and he realizes how similarly he once bullied kids in his own school. Smith builds a convincing atmosphere of fear and oppression until one day Alex catches a waft of fresh air from an off-limits area near his work zone. He becomes obsessed with the idea of escaping, and the mood shifts with the glimmer of hope that there could be a way out. Once a plot is hatched, readers will be turning pages without pause, and the cliff-hanger ending will have them anticipating the next installment. Most appealing is Smith's flowing writing style, filled with kid-speak, colorful adjectives, and amusing analogies. Fans of James Patterson's "Maximum Ride" and Darren Shan's "The Demonata" series (both Little, Brown) will find this satisfying fare.-Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
]]> <![CDATA[The Shadow Society (The Shadow Society, #1)]]> 10356760
Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn't thought possible. But Conn's interest in her is confusing. It doesn't line up with the way he first looked at her.

As if she were his enemy.

When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can't rely on anything—not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades' latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever . . .

In this smart, compulsively readable novel, master storyteller Marie Rutkoski has crafted an utterly original world, characters you won't soon forget, and a tale full of intrigue and suspense.]]> 416 Marie Rutkoski 0374349053 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Oct 2012
Ask Anne]]> 3.86 2012 The Shadow Society (The Shadow Society, #1)
author: Marie Rutkoski
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Macmillan
Oct 2012
Ask Anne
]]> Crewel (Crewel World, #1) 11556960 Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: She wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to manipulate the very fabric of reality. But if controlling what people eat, where they live, and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and used her hidden talent for a moment. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her dad’s jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because tonight, they’ll come for her.]]> 368 Gennifer Albin 0374316414 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, dystopian Oct 2012
I can't wait to get a copy of this one from Anne and see if it's middle school appropriate - I hope so!

]]> 3.73 2012 Crewel (Crewel World, #1)
author: Gennifer Albin
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, dystopian
review:
Macmillan
Oct 2012
I can't wait to get a copy of this one from Anne and see if it's middle school appropriate - I hope so!


]]> My Book of Life by Angel 13160329 256 Martine Leavitt 0374351236 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
Ask Anne]]> 3.92 2012 My Book of Life by Angel
author: Martine Leavitt
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
Sept 2012
Ask Anne
]]> <![CDATA[The Warrior's Heart: Becoming a Man of Compassion and Courage]]> 13429685 272 Eric Greitens 0547868529 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, nonfiction Oct 2012
Ask Ellen

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 15, 2012)
Selecting high and low points from his experiences as a child, college student, teacher, refugee-camp worker, amateur boxer, Rhodes scholar, Navy SEAL and worker with disabled vets, Greitens both charts his philosophical evolution and challenges young readers to think about "a better way to walk in the world." Revising extracts from his memoir The Heart and the Fist (2011) and recasting them into a more chronological framework, the author tells a series of adventuresome tales. These are set in locales ranging from Duke University to Oxford, from a low-income boxing club to camps in Rwanda and Croatia, from a group home for street children in Bolivia to a barracks hit by a suicide bomber in Iraq. Prefacing each chapter with a provocative "Choose Your Own Adventure"--style scenario ("What do you do?"), he describes how similar situations ultimately led him to join the military, impelled by a belief that it's better to help and protect others from danger than to provide aid after the fact. What sets his odyssey apart from Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin's I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior (2012) and most other soldier's stories is an unusual ability to spin yarns infused with not only humor and memorable lines (SEAL training's notorious Hell Week was "the best time I never want to have again"), but cogent insights about character and making choices that don't come across as heavy-handed advice. An uncommon (to say the least) coming of age, retraced with well-deserved pride but not self-aggrandizement, and as thought provoking as it is entertaining. (endnotes, bibliography [not seen]) (Memoir. 14-18)]]> 4.07 2012 The Warrior's Heart: Becoming a Man of Compassion and Courage
author: Eric Greitens
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, nonfiction
review:
HMH
Oct 2012
Ask Ellen

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 15, 2012)
Selecting high and low points from his experiences as a child, college student, teacher, refugee-camp worker, amateur boxer, Rhodes scholar, Navy SEAL and worker with disabled vets, Greitens both charts his philosophical evolution and challenges young readers to think about "a better way to walk in the world." Revising extracts from his memoir The Heart and the Fist (2011) and recasting them into a more chronological framework, the author tells a series of adventuresome tales. These are set in locales ranging from Duke University to Oxford, from a low-income boxing club to camps in Rwanda and Croatia, from a group home for street children in Bolivia to a barracks hit by a suicide bomber in Iraq. Prefacing each chapter with a provocative "Choose Your Own Adventure"--style scenario ("What do you do?"), he describes how similar situations ultimately led him to join the military, impelled by a belief that it's better to help and protect others from danger than to provide aid after the fact. What sets his odyssey apart from Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin's I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior (2012) and most other soldier's stories is an unusual ability to spin yarns infused with not only humor and memorable lines (SEAL training's notorious Hell Week was "the best time I never want to have again"), but cogent insights about character and making choices that don't come across as heavy-handed advice. An uncommon (to say the least) coming of age, retraced with well-deserved pride but not self-aggrandizement, and as thought provoking as it is entertaining. (endnotes, bibliography [not seen]) (Memoir. 14-18)
]]> Son (The Giver, #4) 13324841
Son thrusts readers once again into the chilling world of the Newbery Medal winning book, The Giver, as well as Gathering Blue and Messenger where a new hero emerges. In this thrilling series finale, the startling and long-awaited conclusion to Lois Lowry’s epic tale culminates in a final clash between good and evil.]]> 393 Lois Lowry 0547887205 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
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Booklist starred (June 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 19))
Grades 7-10. Fans of The Giver (1993)—and they are legion—will find themselves immediately pulled back into the sterile, ordered world where conformity is the only virtue. The focus here is on 14-year-old Claire, and when readers first see her, she is strapped onto a table, masked, about to give birth. As a Birthmother, Claire’s job is finished once her baby is born, until the next pregnancy. But unusual circumstances, including a cesarean, get Claire moved from the birthing center to the fish hatchery, and someone forgets to give Claire the pills everyone in the community takes—the ones that suppress feelings and individuality. Without that wall, Claire begins to long for her son and finds opportunities to see him. Slowly, readers of the previous titles in the quartet will come to understand that Claire’s baby is not unfamiliar to them. When the boy disappears, Claire decides, against all odds, that she must find him. That brings her to a seaside community where she strengthens body, mind, and spirit to continue her search. One of The Giver’s strengths was the unvarnished writing style that reflected the book’s ordered community. Lowry captures that same feeling again and turns it inside out as Claire moves through two more distinct settings, both haunting in their own right. Though her time at the seaside village may seem long to some readers (and it is—more than 10 years), the vividness of the descriptions—from the hardness of the rock to the roiling of the water—makes up for the length. Lowry is one of those rare writers who can craft stories as meaningful as they are enticing. Once again she provides plenty of weighty matters for readers to think about: What is important in life? What are you willing to trade for your desires? And the conflict that has been going on since stories began: Who is able to conquer evil? Don’t miss our feature, “Another Look at Lois Lowry’s The Giver Quartet.”

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 15, 2012)
In this long-awaited finale to the Giver Quartet, a young mother from a dystopian community searches for her son and sacrifices everything to find him living in a more humane society with characters from The Giver (1993), Gathering Blue (2000) and Messenger (2004). A designated Birthmother, 14-year-old Claire has no contact with her baby Gabe until she surreptitiously bonds with him in the community Nurturing Center. From detailed descriptions of the sterile, emotionally repressed community, it's clear Lowry has returned to the time and place of The Giver, and Claire is Jonas' contemporary. When Jonas flees with Gabe, Claire follows. She later surfaces with amnesia in a remote village beneath a cliff. After living for years with Alys, a childless healer, Claire's memory returns. Intent on finding Gabe, she single-mindedly scales the cliff, encounters the sinister Trademaster and exchanges her youth for his help in finding her child, now living in the same village as middle-aged Jonas and his wife Kira. Elderly and failing, Claire reveals her identity to Gabe, who must use his unique talent to save the village. Written with powerful, moving simplicity, Claire's story stands on its own, but as the final volume in this iconic quartet, it holistically reunites characters, reprises provocative socio-political themes, and offers a transcending message of tolerance and hope. Bravo! (Fiction. 12 & up)
]]> 3.98 2012 Son (The Giver, #4)
author: Lois Lowry
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
Sept 2012
Ask Ellen


Booklist starred (June 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 19))
Grades 7-10. Fans of The Giver (1993)—and they are legion—will find themselves immediately pulled back into the sterile, ordered world where conformity is the only virtue. The focus here is on 14-year-old Claire, and when readers first see her, she is strapped onto a table, masked, about to give birth. As a Birthmother, Claire’s job is finished once her baby is born, until the next pregnancy. But unusual circumstances, including a cesarean, get Claire moved from the birthing center to the fish hatchery, and someone forgets to give Claire the pills everyone in the community takes—the ones that suppress feelings and individuality. Without that wall, Claire begins to long for her son and finds opportunities to see him. Slowly, readers of the previous titles in the quartet will come to understand that Claire’s baby is not unfamiliar to them. When the boy disappears, Claire decides, against all odds, that she must find him. That brings her to a seaside community where she strengthens body, mind, and spirit to continue her search. One of The Giver’s strengths was the unvarnished writing style that reflected the book’s ordered community. Lowry captures that same feeling again and turns it inside out as Claire moves through two more distinct settings, both haunting in their own right. Though her time at the seaside village may seem long to some readers (and it is—more than 10 years), the vividness of the descriptions—from the hardness of the rock to the roiling of the water—makes up for the length. Lowry is one of those rare writers who can craft stories as meaningful as they are enticing. Once again she provides plenty of weighty matters for readers to think about: What is important in life? What are you willing to trade for your desires? And the conflict that has been going on since stories began: Who is able to conquer evil? Don’t miss our feature, “Another Look at Lois Lowry’s The Giver Quartet.”

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 15, 2012)
In this long-awaited finale to the Giver Quartet, a young mother from a dystopian community searches for her son and sacrifices everything to find him living in a more humane society with characters from The Giver (1993), Gathering Blue (2000) and Messenger (2004). A designated Birthmother, 14-year-old Claire has no contact with her baby Gabe until she surreptitiously bonds with him in the community Nurturing Center. From detailed descriptions of the sterile, emotionally repressed community, it's clear Lowry has returned to the time and place of The Giver, and Claire is Jonas' contemporary. When Jonas flees with Gabe, Claire follows. She later surfaces with amnesia in a remote village beneath a cliff. After living for years with Alys, a childless healer, Claire's memory returns. Intent on finding Gabe, she single-mindedly scales the cliff, encounters the sinister Trademaster and exchanges her youth for his help in finding her child, now living in the same village as middle-aged Jonas and his wife Kira. Elderly and failing, Claire reveals her identity to Gabe, who must use his unique talent to save the village. Written with powerful, moving simplicity, Claire's story stands on its own, but as the final volume in this iconic quartet, it holistically reunites characters, reprises provocative socio-political themes, and offers a transcending message of tolerance and hope. Bravo! (Fiction. 12 & up)

]]> <![CDATA[The Broken Lands (The Boneshaker #0.5)]]> 12329486 A crossroads can be a place of great power.

So begins this deliciously spine-tingling prequel to Kate Milford’s The Boneshaker, set in the colorful world of nineteenth-century Coney Island and New York City. Few crossroads compare to the one being formed by the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River, and as the bridge’s construction progresses, forces of unimaginable evil seek to bend that power to their advantage. Only two orphans with unusual skills stand in their way. Can the teenagers Sam, a card sharp, and Jin, a fireworks expert, stop them before it’s too late?

A richly textured, slow-burning thriller about friendship, courage, love, and the age-old fight between good and evil.
]]> 461 Kate Milford 0547739664 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
Ask Ellen

prequel to Boneshakers]]> 4.03 2012 The Broken Lands (The Boneshaker #0.5)
author: Kate Milford
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
Sept 2012
Ask Ellen

prequel to Boneshakers
]]> <![CDATA[What We Become (Those That Wake, #2)]]> 13356651 What We Become combines mind-bending thrills with the hot immediacy of corporate greed. It will leave readers wondering who is really in control…]]> 432 Jesse Karp 0547555008 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Feb 2012
Ask Ellen]]> 3.26 2013 What We Become (Those That Wake, #2)
author: Jesse Karp
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
Feb 2012
Ask Ellen
]]> <![CDATA[The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)]]> 13316328 287 Jasper Fforde 0547738471 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Oct 2012
Ask Ellen]]> 3.87 2010 The Last Dragonslayer (The Last Dragonslayer, #1)
author: Jasper Fforde
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
Oct 2012
Ask Ellen
]]> Will Sparrow's Road 13364211 224 Karen Cushman 0547739621 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Nov 2012
Ask Ellen]]> 3.49 2012 Will Sparrow's Road
author: Karen Cushman
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
Nov 2012
Ask Ellen
]]> <![CDATA[Bushman Lives! (Neddie & Friends, #4)]]> 13429596 Ěý
Is Bushman the gorilla alive? According to the papers, he died a long time ago. Why is he so important to the high school senior and aspiring Great Artist Harold Knishke? It’s a hot summer in 1960s Chicago, and people are on the streets late at night, including the Chicken Man and Molly the dwerg. While reading this hilarious young adult novel (with illustrations by Calef Brown!) teens will ask themselves, “Why am I reading this?” and “Is Harold about to embark on a voyage of great adventure?” He is.]]> 256 Daniel Pinkwater 0547385390 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Oct 2012
Ask Ellen]]> 3.72 2012 Bushman Lives! (Neddie & Friends, #4)
author: Daniel Pinkwater
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
Oct 2012
Ask Ellen
]]> The Twinning Project 13429617 272 Robert Lipsyte 0547645716 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Oct 2012
Ask Ellen]]> 2.96 2012 The Twinning Project
author: Robert Lipsyte
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 2.96
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
Oct 2012
Ask Ellen
]]> What Came from the Stars 13316252 hanorah. As Tommy absorbs the art and language of the Valorim, their enemies target him. When a creature begins ransacking Plymouth in search of the chain, Tommy learns he must protect his family from villains far worse than he's ever imagined.]]> 294 Gary D. Schmidt 0547612133 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
Ask Ellen

]]> 3.35 2012 What Came from the Stars
author: Gary D. Schmidt
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.35
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
Sept 2012
Ask Ellen


]]> <![CDATA[Deadly Pink (Rasmussem Corporation, #3)]]> 12754915 288 Vivian Vande Velde 0547738501 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read July 2012
Ask Ellen

3rd in a series, Heir Apparent and User Friendly

]]> 3.43 2012 Deadly Pink (Rasmussem Corporation, #3)
author: Vivian Vande Velde
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.43
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
July 2012
Ask Ellen

3rd in a series, Heir Apparent and User Friendly


]]> <![CDATA[Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-Ending Search for a Cure]]> 8927826 tuberculosis. After centuries of ineffective treatments, the microorganism that causes
TB was identified, and the cure was thought to be within reach—but drug-resistant
varieties continue to plague and panic the human race. The “biography” of this deadly
germ, an account of the diagnosis, treatment, and “cure” of the disease over time,
and the social history of an illness that could strike anywhere but was most prevalent
among the poor are woven together in an engrossing, carefully researched narrative.
Bibliography, source notes, index.]]> 160 Jim Murphy 0618535748 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, nonfiction July 2012
Ask Ellen

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 1, 2012)
Murphy and Blank chronicle the story of the tuberculosis microorganism, the greatest serial killer of all time. Tuberculosis has been infecting people for millions of years and has killed over a trillion humans. This fascinating tale unfolds as a biography of a germ, an account of the treatment and search for cures, and a social history of the disease. As Murphy treated yellow fever in An American Plague (2003), this volume offers a lively text complemented by excellent, well-placed reproductions of photographs, drawings, flyers, woodcuts, posters and ads. The images include an Edvard Munch painting depicting the death of his 16-year-old sister of tuberculosis, a flyer for a Paul Laurence Dunbar poetry reading with a discussion of how minorities were denied proper medical care, a drawing showing death coming for Irish-born author Laurence Sterne and a photograph of Anne, Emily and Charlotte Bront, all of whom died of tuberculosis. The broad focus of the slim volume allows it to be about many things: medical discovery, technology, art and how people from all walks of life have dealt with a deadly disease that pays no attention to social distinctions. The bibliography is thorough, and even the source notes are illuminating. Who knew the biography of a germ could be so fascinating? (acknowledgments, picture credits, index [not seen]) (Nonfiction. 9-14)]]> 4.06 2012 Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-Ending Search for a Cure
author: Jim Murphy
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, nonfiction
review:
HMH
July 2012
Ask Ellen

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 1, 2012)
Murphy and Blank chronicle the story of the tuberculosis microorganism, the greatest serial killer of all time. Tuberculosis has been infecting people for millions of years and has killed over a trillion humans. This fascinating tale unfolds as a biography of a germ, an account of the treatment and search for cures, and a social history of the disease. As Murphy treated yellow fever in An American Plague (2003), this volume offers a lively text complemented by excellent, well-placed reproductions of photographs, drawings, flyers, woodcuts, posters and ads. The images include an Edvard Munch painting depicting the death of his 16-year-old sister of tuberculosis, a flyer for a Paul Laurence Dunbar poetry reading with a discussion of how minorities were denied proper medical care, a drawing showing death coming for Irish-born author Laurence Sterne and a photograph of Anne, Emily and Charlotte Bront, all of whom died of tuberculosis. The broad focus of the slim volume allows it to be about many things: medical discovery, technology, art and how people from all walks of life have dealt with a deadly disease that pays no attention to social distinctions. The bibliography is thorough, and even the source notes are illuminating. Who knew the biography of a germ could be so fascinating? (acknowledgments, picture credits, index [not seen]) (Nonfiction. 9-14)
]]> <![CDATA[Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World]]> 12284375 ĚýĚýĚýWhile Temple’s doctor recommended a hospital, her mother believed in her. Temple went to school instead.
ĚýĚýĚýToday, Dr. Temple Grandin is a scientist and professor of animal science at Colorado State University. Her world-changing career revolutionized the livestock industry. As an advocate for autism, Temple uses her experience as an example of the unique contributions that autistic people can make.
ĚýĚýĚýThis compelling biography complete with Temple’s personal photos takes us inside her extraordinary mind and opens the door to a broader understanding of autism.
]]> 160 Sy Montgomery 0547443153 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, nonfiction 4.06 2012 Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World
author: Sy Montgomery
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, nonfiction
review:
WE have this in the LMC. Career display??
]]> <![CDATA[The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity (Scientists in the Field)]]> 12713670
This suspenseful page-turner captures the hair-raising human emotions felt during the adventures with two tough rovers.]]> 80 Elizabeth Rusch 054747881X Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, nonfiction June 2012
Ask Ellen

Booklist starred (June 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 19))
Grades 5-8. After briefly discussing the search for life on Mars, Rusch introduces Steven Squyres as a 13-year-old boy watching the Apollo 11 moon landing. Later, while studying geology at Cornell, he came across Viking mission photos that inspired his career as a planetary scientist and astronomy professor. This handsome volume from the Scientists in the Field series spotlights Squyres’ work at NASA as “principal science investigator” for the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. Simultaneously, the text tells the story of landing the rovers Spirit and Opportunity on Mars and using them to gather information and images, some of which suggest the past existence of water on the planet. Wildly successful, the mission has lasted years longer than expected, and one of the rovers is still active. This well-designed volume offers insights into the scientist’s work as well as a very informative account of the mission. Quotes are used very effectively, both in the text and as dramatic headlines superimposed on photos. Sidebars fill in details on topics such as the communication with the rovers and names of physical features on Mars. Well documented and fully illustrated with many colorful photos and digital images, this is a book that space technology fans won’t want to miss.

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 15, 2012)
What's it like to explore Mars? Did life ever exist on Earth's red neighbor? To find out, readers need only soar along with this enthralling account of the adventures of two rovers designed to seek evidence on Mars of water that could have once supported life. Expected to last three months, the indefatigable Spirit and Opportunity incredibly carried out their missions for more than six years. In the process, lead scientist Steve Squyres and his team learned more about and probed more terrain on Mars than anyone before. Readers are carried aloft by Rusch's exciting, clear prose and the rovers'exceptionalphotos sent Earthside. Along with the team, young people celebrate everythrilling moment of success--yes, there once was water on Mars!--and accept failures and disappointments. This is edge-of-your-seat reading as the author explains how setbacks were handled. Readers are not only drawn in by the dedication, hard work and emotions of the people involved, but they will also, like the scientists themselves, feel proprietary toward the rovers--and, fortunately, there's an update about them. One quibble: the ample backmatter has little specifically for children. Another stellar outing in the consistently excellent Scientists in the Field series. Howextraordinary to visit Mars in Spirit; readers will be very glad of the Opportunity. (sources, chapter notes, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)
]]> 4.20 2012 The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity (Scientists in the Field)
author: Elizabeth Rusch
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, nonfiction
review:
HMH
June 2012
Ask Ellen

Booklist starred (June 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 19))
Grades 5-8. After briefly discussing the search for life on Mars, Rusch introduces Steven Squyres as a 13-year-old boy watching the Apollo 11 moon landing. Later, while studying geology at Cornell, he came across Viking mission photos that inspired his career as a planetary scientist and astronomy professor. This handsome volume from the Scientists in the Field series spotlights Squyres’ work at NASA as “principal science investigator” for the Mars Exploration Rover Mission. Simultaneously, the text tells the story of landing the rovers Spirit and Opportunity on Mars and using them to gather information and images, some of which suggest the past existence of water on the planet. Wildly successful, the mission has lasted years longer than expected, and one of the rovers is still active. This well-designed volume offers insights into the scientist’s work as well as a very informative account of the mission. Quotes are used very effectively, both in the text and as dramatic headlines superimposed on photos. Sidebars fill in details on topics such as the communication with the rovers and names of physical features on Mars. Well documented and fully illustrated with many colorful photos and digital images, this is a book that space technology fans won’t want to miss.

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 15, 2012)
What's it like to explore Mars? Did life ever exist on Earth's red neighbor? To find out, readers need only soar along with this enthralling account of the adventures of two rovers designed to seek evidence on Mars of water that could have once supported life. Expected to last three months, the indefatigable Spirit and Opportunity incredibly carried out their missions for more than six years. In the process, lead scientist Steve Squyres and his team learned more about and probed more terrain on Mars than anyone before. Readers are carried aloft by Rusch's exciting, clear prose and the rovers'exceptionalphotos sent Earthside. Along with the team, young people celebrate everythrilling moment of success--yes, there once was water on Mars!--and accept failures and disappointments. This is edge-of-your-seat reading as the author explains how setbacks were handled. Readers are not only drawn in by the dedication, hard work and emotions of the people involved, but they will also, like the scientists themselves, feel proprietary toward the rovers--and, fortunately, there's an update about them. One quibble: the ample backmatter has little specifically for children. Another stellar outing in the consistently excellent Scientists in the Field series. Howextraordinary to visit Mars in Spirit; readers will be very glad of the Opportunity. (sources, chapter notes, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

]]> Island of Thieves 13429571 ĚýĚýĚýĚý Tom soon discovers Harvey is going to South AmericaĚýon a treasure hunt and though nephews aren’t invited, he manages to tag along. Before it’s over he’ll drive a car, fire a gun and run for his life. Tom realizes that life may be about following the rules, but survival may be about breaking them.]]> 240 Josh Lacey 0547763271 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read June 2012
Ask Ellen

Booklist starred (May 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 17))
Grades 4-7. In this fast-paced, action-packed adventure novel, Tom travels to Peru in search of lost treasure with his affable but not quite upstanding uncle Harvey. Unfortunately for Tom, Harvey double-crossed a Peruvian crime lord on his last trip to Lima. As soon as they step into the country, thugs kidnap the two, unleashing a series of escapes, car chases, and a search for the lost journal pages of Sir Francis Drake’s voyage around the world. What sets the book far above similar adventure novels is its apparent effortlessness. The snappy comebacks are not overly clever; Tom is an average, likable kid; and the situations—flying bullets, cliff scaling, and searching for treasure on a heavily guarded island—stay just within the bounds of believability. The most unlikely event of the book is the nonchalance with which his parents react to news of his antics. The hidden treasure is based on what could have happened to John Drake, Francis Drake’s young cousin, and an ending historical note briefly relays what is known about John Drake and his journal. A perfect summer read; hand this to fans of the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz.

Kirkus Reviews (April 1, 2012)
What kid doesn't dream of swashbuckling adventures in faraway places, freed from the strictures of parents, school, siblings and caregivers? Tom Trelawney gets to experience a real adventure in this rollicking tale, but it may just be more than he bargained for. It all starts when Tom nearly ruins his parents' vacation by accidentally burning down the shed in his backyard. He didn't mean to cause problems; he was just bored. When no one will take care of him as a result, his father is desperate enough to call on Uncle Harvey to "babysit" for a week. Harvey welcomes Tom into his New York City apartment, but as soon as Tom's parents leave, he starts packing for Peru, intending to leave Tom on his own. When he tells Tom it's because he has an opportunity to hunt for pirate treasure, Tom blackmails his uncle into taking him along as an assistant. He's looking forward to a treasure hunt, but he is totally unprepared when met at the airport by Peru's most dangerous and notorious gangster.Uncle Harvey hasn't been exactly honest with Tom (or, apparently, with anyone else) and now must face the consequences. And this is just the beginning. Tom's voice carries a little bit of his British father's inflection, and it moves the story along capably, taking readers from adventure to adventure with aplomb. An enjoyable escapade, delivered with wit, wisdom and just a bit of history thrown in for good measure.(Adventure. 9-12)]]> 3.48 2011 Island of Thieves
author: Josh Lacey
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
HMH
June 2012
Ask Ellen

Booklist starred (May 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 17))
Grades 4-7. In this fast-paced, action-packed adventure novel, Tom travels to Peru in search of lost treasure with his affable but not quite upstanding uncle Harvey. Unfortunately for Tom, Harvey double-crossed a Peruvian crime lord on his last trip to Lima. As soon as they step into the country, thugs kidnap the two, unleashing a series of escapes, car chases, and a search for the lost journal pages of Sir Francis Drake’s voyage around the world. What sets the book far above similar adventure novels is its apparent effortlessness. The snappy comebacks are not overly clever; Tom is an average, likable kid; and the situations—flying bullets, cliff scaling, and searching for treasure on a heavily guarded island—stay just within the bounds of believability. The most unlikely event of the book is the nonchalance with which his parents react to news of his antics. The hidden treasure is based on what could have happened to John Drake, Francis Drake’s young cousin, and an ending historical note briefly relays what is known about John Drake and his journal. A perfect summer read; hand this to fans of the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz.

Kirkus Reviews (April 1, 2012)
What kid doesn't dream of swashbuckling adventures in faraway places, freed from the strictures of parents, school, siblings and caregivers? Tom Trelawney gets to experience a real adventure in this rollicking tale, but it may just be more than he bargained for. It all starts when Tom nearly ruins his parents' vacation by accidentally burning down the shed in his backyard. He didn't mean to cause problems; he was just bored. When no one will take care of him as a result, his father is desperate enough to call on Uncle Harvey to "babysit" for a week. Harvey welcomes Tom into his New York City apartment, but as soon as Tom's parents leave, he starts packing for Peru, intending to leave Tom on his own. When he tells Tom it's because he has an opportunity to hunt for pirate treasure, Tom blackmails his uncle into taking him along as an assistant. He's looking forward to a treasure hunt, but he is totally unprepared when met at the airport by Peru's most dangerous and notorious gangster.Uncle Harvey hasn't been exactly honest with Tom (or, apparently, with anyone else) and now must face the consequences. And this is just the beginning. Tom's voice carries a little bit of his British father's inflection, and it moves the story along capably, taking readers from adventure to adventure with aplomb. An enjoyable escapade, delivered with wit, wisdom and just a bit of history thrown in for good measure.(Adventure. 9-12)
]]> <![CDATA[The Vengekeep Prophecies (Vengekeep Prophecies, 1)]]> 13623846
But the Grimjinxes may have pulled one con too many in their hometown, Vengekeep. After swapping the prophetic tapestry used to guide Vengekeep’s actions for a fake concocted by Jaxter’s mother, the Grimjinxes are stunned when the false prophecies begin coming true, bringing destruction in their wake.

Suddenly, Vengekeep is besieged by “natural” disasters and rampaging monsters, courtesy of the secretly enchanted counterfeit tapestry. With his family forced to stay and combat the impending doom, Jaxter must leave his hometown in search of a way to keep the increasingly dangerous prophecies from wiping Vengekeep off the map.]]> 397 Brian Farrey 0062049283 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Oct 2012
Ask Jenny]]> 4.01 2012 The Vengekeep Prophecies (Vengekeep Prophecies, 1)
author: Brian Farrey
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Harper
Oct 2012
Ask Jenny
]]> <![CDATA[The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck (Tuckernuck, #1)]]> 13510095 256 Emily Fairlie 0062118900 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
Ask Jenny

Excerpt:

Tips for Solving the Treasure Challenge Created by Your Crazy School Founder over Eighty Years Ago

By Laurie Madison and Bud Wallace, Grade 6:

1. Be suspicious of student journalists. And maybe janitors, too.
2. Make friends with your ancient school librarian. If her blue hair freaks you out, get over it.
3. Be prepared to sing like an angel, or at the very least, like a pirate.
4. Never underestimate the usefulness of furry rodents (especially flesh-eating ones).
5. Avoid the English wing. Seriously. You don't want to go there.

Using a unique blend of notes, lists, and classic prose, The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck tells the story of Bud and Laurie's quest to find the infamous Tutweiler Treasure. They're hot (or at least lukewarm) on the trail of clues, but time is running out-the school board wants to tear down Tuckernuck Hall. Can Bud and Laurie find the treasure before it's lost forever?

Emily Fairlie's memorable caper combines timeless mystery with humor in a treasure trove of wry wit, thrilling adventure, and undeniable heart.
]]> 3.78 2012 The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck (Tuckernuck, #1)
author: Emily Fairlie
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Harper
Sept 2012
Ask Jenny

Excerpt:

Tips for Solving the Treasure Challenge Created by Your Crazy School Founder over Eighty Years Ago

By Laurie Madison and Bud Wallace, Grade 6:

1. Be suspicious of student journalists. And maybe janitors, too.
2. Make friends with your ancient school librarian. If her blue hair freaks you out, get over it.
3. Be prepared to sing like an angel, or at the very least, like a pirate.
4. Never underestimate the usefulness of furry rodents (especially flesh-eating ones).
5. Avoid the English wing. Seriously. You don't want to go there.

Using a unique blend of notes, lists, and classic prose, The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck tells the story of Bud and Laurie's quest to find the infamous Tutweiler Treasure. They're hot (or at least lukewarm) on the trail of clues, but time is running out-the school board wants to tear down Tuckernuck Hall. Can Bud and Laurie find the treasure before it's lost forever?

Emily Fairlie's memorable caper combines timeless mystery with humor in a treasure trove of wry wit, thrilling adventure, and undeniable heart.

]]> The Great Unexpected 13623948 226 Sharon Creech 0061892327 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
Ask Jenny

Booklist (June 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 19))
Grades 4-6. “Did a delicate cobweb link us all, silky lines trailing through the air?” Call it coincidence, fate, or just good old-fashioned magic, but the characters in Creech’s latest novel are all connected to one another. Readers are first introduced to two orphan girls—spirited Naomi and truth-teller Lizzie—who live in the small town of Blackbird Tree. Over the course of the novel, they discover a number of mysterious objects and people, namely “Finn boy,” who falls out of a tree into their lives, and a stranger named the Dingle Dangle Man. Alternating with these events are the cryptic goings-on across the ocean in Ireland’s Rooks Orchard, where a woman named Sybil lives with her companion, Miss Pilpenny, and two foxhounds. Although several connections feel too convenient and may strain credulity with some readers, the way that the two plot threads weave together is ultimately a joyous testament to the surprising nature of life and the smallness of our world. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Creech, who has both a Newbery Medal winner and a Newbery Honor Book under her belt, has numerous, devoted fans waiting to see what she has in store. An author tour should generate even more anticipation.

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 15, 2012)
When Finn falls out of a tree and into the life of Naomi, he brings more than a touch of Ireland's magic. Naomi and her friend, Lizzie Scatterding, are both foster children living in the quiet town of Blackbird Tree. Life takes on a mysterious air when Finn boy and the Dangle Doodle man show up in a town that's already inhabited by such characters as Witch Wiggins and Crazy Cora. Naomi carries the terrible scars, internal and on her arm, of her father's death and a dog's attack. Her guardian parents each share their hearts; Nula remembers privation and her estranged family in Ireland, and Joe teaches Naomi to dream and fly high into the clouds for inner peace. In a parallel story across the sea in Ireland, two women talk of times past, lost families and setting things right. Creech, a Newbery Award--winning author, deftly weaves a multi-layered story in which past and present thread their way around Naomi the romantic and Lizzie the singer. With a Finn boy for each generation, there's joy in the air and in the reading. An enchanting tale to treasure in which ordinary folk find fairies' gold, run across crooked bridges and mend their broken hearts. (Fiction. 8-12)]]> 3.73 2012 The Great Unexpected
author: Sharon Creech
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Harper
Sept 2012
Ask Jenny

Booklist (June 1, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 19))
Grades 4-6. “Did a delicate cobweb link us all, silky lines trailing through the air?” Call it coincidence, fate, or just good old-fashioned magic, but the characters in Creech’s latest novel are all connected to one another. Readers are first introduced to two orphan girls—spirited Naomi and truth-teller Lizzie—who live in the small town of Blackbird Tree. Over the course of the novel, they discover a number of mysterious objects and people, namely “Finn boy,” who falls out of a tree into their lives, and a stranger named the Dingle Dangle Man. Alternating with these events are the cryptic goings-on across the ocean in Ireland’s Rooks Orchard, where a woman named Sybil lives with her companion, Miss Pilpenny, and two foxhounds. Although several connections feel too convenient and may strain credulity with some readers, the way that the two plot threads weave together is ultimately a joyous testament to the surprising nature of life and the smallness of our world. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Creech, who has both a Newbery Medal winner and a Newbery Honor Book under her belt, has numerous, devoted fans waiting to see what she has in store. An author tour should generate even more anticipation.

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 15, 2012)
When Finn falls out of a tree and into the life of Naomi, he brings more than a touch of Ireland's magic. Naomi and her friend, Lizzie Scatterding, are both foster children living in the quiet town of Blackbird Tree. Life takes on a mysterious air when Finn boy and the Dangle Doodle man show up in a town that's already inhabited by such characters as Witch Wiggins and Crazy Cora. Naomi carries the terrible scars, internal and on her arm, of her father's death and a dog's attack. Her guardian parents each share their hearts; Nula remembers privation and her estranged family in Ireland, and Joe teaches Naomi to dream and fly high into the clouds for inner peace. In a parallel story across the sea in Ireland, two women talk of times past, lost families and setting things right. Creech, a Newbery Award--winning author, deftly weaves a multi-layered story in which past and present thread their way around Naomi the romantic and Lizzie the singer. With a Finn boy for each generation, there's joy in the air and in the reading. An enchanting tale to treasure in which ordinary folk find fairies' gold, run across crooked bridges and mend their broken hearts. (Fiction. 8-12)
]]> Unstoppable 13623913 New York Times bestselling author Tim Green has written an unforgettable story—inspired by interviews with real-life cancer survivors and insider sports experience—showingĚýa brave boy who learns what it truly means to be unstoppable.

"Absolutely heroic, and something every guy should read." (National Ambassador for Young People's Literature emeritus Jon Scieszka)

If anyone understands the phrase "tough luck," it's Harrison. As a foster kid in a cruel home, he knows his dream of one day playing in the NFL is a long shot.

Then Harrison is brought into a new home with kind, loving parents—his new dad is even a football coach. Harrison's big build and his incredible determination quickly make him a star running back on the junior high school team.

On the field, he's practically unstoppable. But Harrison's good luck can't last forever. When a routine sports injury leads to a devastating diagnosis, it will take every ounce of Harrison's determination not to give up for good.]]> 352 Tim Green 0062089560 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
Ask Jenny]]> 4.37 2012 Unstoppable
author: Tim Green
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Harper
Sept 2012
Ask Jenny
]]> <![CDATA[The Key (The Magnificent 12, #3)]]> 13623793 Ěý
With 21 phobias, Mack MacAvoy is more of a wimpy kid than a hero, but he is on a quest to defeat the wicked—and crazy, and mean, and dangerous—Pale Queen before her three-thousand-year banishment ends.
Ěý
In The Key , Mack must find more of the Magnificent 12, the twelve twelve-year-olds fated to stop the queen from destroying the world, and assemble a key—a cheat sheet, really—to a magical language. Along the way, he’ll transform the Loch Ness monster into a gigantic duck, and transport the Eiffel Tower across the River Seine.
Ěý
The Key is another fast-paced episode in Michael Grant’s bestselling and hysterical fantasy adventure series.]]> 288 Michael Grant 0061833703 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Aug 2012
Ask Jenny]]> 4.07 2012 The Key (The Magnificent 12, #3)
author: Michael Grant
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Harper
Aug 2012
Ask Jenny
]]> <![CDATA[The Obsidian Blade (The Klaatu Diskos, #1)]]> 12475931
The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished — only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness. But then both of his parents disappear. Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing — one right on top of the roof — hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he’s launched on a time-twisting journeyĚý— from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker’s actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever.]]> 320 Pete Hautman 0763654035 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read April 2012
Ask John

Booklist starred (February 15, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 12))
Grades 8-12. Hautman, one of YA literature’s most versatile authors, opens a new sci-fi trilogy in this story of Tucker Feye, son of a small-town Minnesota preacher. After a quick prologue that explains how a future race of sorta humans constructed a series of “diskos” to travel in time and witness important moments in “an ancient and largely discredited discipline once known as History,” we return to the present day as Tucker Feye begins noticing shimmering diskos hovering in the air. Hoping to find his missing parents, he steps through one and is wormholed through time, skipping around as far back as Jesus’ crucifixion at Golgotha and forward through multiple civilizations and even to the vanishing point of humanity, with serious reverberations felt among all points along the way. Hautman isn’t afraid to tackle massive complexities—how faith in God can be either demolished or cemented by witnessing the death of his “son,” the inherent paradoxes of time travel, the possible ramifications of our digital revolution—in rapid succession and with crystal clarity. And while it would be easy enough to coast on the killer premise, he makes sure to carefully craft his characters and construct a tight-fitting plot for them to shoot around in before toying with readers’ heads. This fast-paced opener to the Klaatu Diskos trilogy will satiate adventure seekers, and the refined brain candy will be delicious to more thoughtful readers. If anything, there simply isn’t enough of everything, but it’s hard to fault a book for being too tantalizing. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Hautman’s written sci-fi before, but the many fans he’s picked up from recent gems like The Big Crunch (2011) and the National Book Award–winning Godless (2004) give this series the potential to be a blockbuster.

Horn Book (May/June, 2012)
Time and space are refracted again and again through mysterious portals in Hautman’s intricately layered universe. Created as an entertainment in a far distant future by a "discorporeal Klaatu artist," diskos are windows to "interesting times" in human history. Because the Klaatu are fascinated by "the horrific, the irreversible," many diskos lead to sites of great destruction -- an erupting volcano, Auschwitz, the Twin Towers. When discovered, either intentionally or accidentally, the diskos also transport physical beings, causing both personal danger to the travelers and potential disturbances in time. In rural Hopewell County, Minnesota, thirteen-year-old Tucker sees his father, Reverend Feye, fall off the roof and disappear mid-air, where a shimmering circle appears. The reverend returns an hour later looking battered and aged, accompanied by a strange, pale girl named Lahlia, and no longer believing in God. Tucker worries as both his parents behave more and more strangely; then one day they disappear. Convinced they went through the circle in the air, Tucker goes through to look for them, thus beginning his dangerous journey through the millennia. The first of a planned trilogy plants Tucker and his family in a religious and ideological battle across time, hinting at intriguing developments to come. Grounded in historical events, Hautman’s novel projects our own "interesting times" into an even more frightening yet fascinating future. lauren adams

Kirkus Reviews starred (February 15, 2012)
Vivid imagination and deft storytelling make for refreshing speculative fiction in this time-travel tale. Tucker Feye is an ordinary teenage boy, leading an ordinary, near-idyllic small-town American life--but that's before he starts seeing the "disks." Once the mysterious shimmering phenomena appear, Tucker's preacher father vanishes, then returns with a strange teenage girl and without his faith; Tucker's mother loses her sanity, and eventually both parents disappear. After moving in with his (previously unknown) Uncle Kosh, the really weird stuff starts happening. However, after a riveting opening scene the narrative seems to slow to a crawl, but the thorough characterization and careful worldbuilding pay off spectacularly once Tucker discovers that the disks are gateways through time and space. Hautman doesn't make things easy for his readers: As Tucker bounces through historical crisis points past and future, short chapters and steadily ratcheting stakes present life-threatening situations and bizarre personages at a dizzying pace (most of them already-familiar characters with new names or under different guises), That this remains intriguing rather than confusing is a credit to the sure-handed plotting and crisp prose, equally adept with flashes of snarky wit and uncomfortable questions of faith, identity, and destiny. Less satisfying are the climactic cliffhangers, which reveal that the entire story is but a set-up for the rest of the series. Part science fiction, part adventure, part mystery, but every bit engrossing; be sure to start the hold list for the sequel. (Science fiction. 12 & up)

Publishers Weekly (February 27, 2012)
In this thrilling first volume of the Klaatu Diskos trilogy, 13-year-old Tucker Feye's ordinary life in smalltown Minnesota changes dramatically when his father, a preacher, disappears through a mysterious disk near the roof of their house. He reappears an hour later, without his religious faith, but with Lahlia, an awkward young woman who he claims is from Bulgaria. When, a year later, Tucker's parents both vanish, he sets out to find them, aided by Lahlia and his biker uncle, Kosh. Tucker discovers that the "diskos," which were created by a noncorporeal artist from the distant future, allow travel between time and place. The result is a whirlwind tour of some unpleasant societies and moments in human history, some of which (such as the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers) are jaw-dropping-this might be Hautman's most daring book yet. Throughout, Hautman (The Big Crunch) raises significant issues concerning family, faith, and destiny. Well-developed and complex characters, a fascinating time travel framework (including dispatches from the far future), and a heart-stopping conclusion will leave readers looking forward to the next book. Ages 12-up. Agent: Jennifer Flannery, Flannery Literary. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal (June 1, 2012)
Gr 8 Up-Tucker Feye has had a pretty normal childhood in his small, sleepy Minnesota town. As the son of the local minister, he has always believed in God and taken the world pretty much as it appears. Then one day he sees his father disappear through a hazy disk floating above their roof. When he returns, he is completely changed. Not only is he accompanied by a mysterious girl wearing blue rubber shoes, but he also has lost his faith in God. As things quickly begin to spiral out of control and his mother begins to lose her mind, Tucker wonders about the disk. When he ventures through one himself, he begins a journey that takes him through the recent past and into the distant future, causing him to question his faith, his family, and even what he knows about the world around him. While the idea of time travel is intriguing, and Tucker's journeys are interesting and startling, this mind-bending novel moves slowly and feels very much like a setup for the rest of the series. Some characters, like Tucker's father, seem sketchy at best, and the author's explanation of the creators of the Diskos is confusing. This is a compelling read that gets muddled in the particulars but might still be of interest to readers who enjoyed Hautman's previous books and those science-fiction fans who like a challenge.-Necia Blundy, Marlborough Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.]]> 3.38 2012 The Obsidian Blade (The Klaatu Diskos, #1)
author: Pete Hautman
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.38
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Candlewick
April 2012
Ask John

Booklist starred (February 15, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 12))
Grades 8-12. Hautman, one of YA literature’s most versatile authors, opens a new sci-fi trilogy in this story of Tucker Feye, son of a small-town Minnesota preacher. After a quick prologue that explains how a future race of sorta humans constructed a series of “diskos” to travel in time and witness important moments in “an ancient and largely discredited discipline once known as History,” we return to the present day as Tucker Feye begins noticing shimmering diskos hovering in the air. Hoping to find his missing parents, he steps through one and is wormholed through time, skipping around as far back as Jesus’ crucifixion at Golgotha and forward through multiple civilizations and even to the vanishing point of humanity, with serious reverberations felt among all points along the way. Hautman isn’t afraid to tackle massive complexities—how faith in God can be either demolished or cemented by witnessing the death of his “son,” the inherent paradoxes of time travel, the possible ramifications of our digital revolution—in rapid succession and with crystal clarity. And while it would be easy enough to coast on the killer premise, he makes sure to carefully craft his characters and construct a tight-fitting plot for them to shoot around in before toying with readers’ heads. This fast-paced opener to the Klaatu Diskos trilogy will satiate adventure seekers, and the refined brain candy will be delicious to more thoughtful readers. If anything, there simply isn’t enough of everything, but it’s hard to fault a book for being too tantalizing. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Hautman’s written sci-fi before, but the many fans he’s picked up from recent gems like The Big Crunch (2011) and the National Book Award–winning Godless (2004) give this series the potential to be a blockbuster.

Horn Book (May/June, 2012)
Time and space are refracted again and again through mysterious portals in Hautman’s intricately layered universe. Created as an entertainment in a far distant future by a "discorporeal Klaatu artist," diskos are windows to "interesting times" in human history. Because the Klaatu are fascinated by "the horrific, the irreversible," many diskos lead to sites of great destruction -- an erupting volcano, Auschwitz, the Twin Towers. When discovered, either intentionally or accidentally, the diskos also transport physical beings, causing both personal danger to the travelers and potential disturbances in time. In rural Hopewell County, Minnesota, thirteen-year-old Tucker sees his father, Reverend Feye, fall off the roof and disappear mid-air, where a shimmering circle appears. The reverend returns an hour later looking battered and aged, accompanied by a strange, pale girl named Lahlia, and no longer believing in God. Tucker worries as both his parents behave more and more strangely; then one day they disappear. Convinced they went through the circle in the air, Tucker goes through to look for them, thus beginning his dangerous journey through the millennia. The first of a planned trilogy plants Tucker and his family in a religious and ideological battle across time, hinting at intriguing developments to come. Grounded in historical events, Hautman’s novel projects our own "interesting times" into an even more frightening yet fascinating future. lauren adams

Kirkus Reviews starred (February 15, 2012)
Vivid imagination and deft storytelling make for refreshing speculative fiction in this time-travel tale. Tucker Feye is an ordinary teenage boy, leading an ordinary, near-idyllic small-town American life--but that's before he starts seeing the "disks." Once the mysterious shimmering phenomena appear, Tucker's preacher father vanishes, then returns with a strange teenage girl and without his faith; Tucker's mother loses her sanity, and eventually both parents disappear. After moving in with his (previously unknown) Uncle Kosh, the really weird stuff starts happening. However, after a riveting opening scene the narrative seems to slow to a crawl, but the thorough characterization and careful worldbuilding pay off spectacularly once Tucker discovers that the disks are gateways through time and space. Hautman doesn't make things easy for his readers: As Tucker bounces through historical crisis points past and future, short chapters and steadily ratcheting stakes present life-threatening situations and bizarre personages at a dizzying pace (most of them already-familiar characters with new names or under different guises), That this remains intriguing rather than confusing is a credit to the sure-handed plotting and crisp prose, equally adept with flashes of snarky wit and uncomfortable questions of faith, identity, and destiny. Less satisfying are the climactic cliffhangers, which reveal that the entire story is but a set-up for the rest of the series. Part science fiction, part adventure, part mystery, but every bit engrossing; be sure to start the hold list for the sequel. (Science fiction. 12 & up)

Publishers Weekly (February 27, 2012)
In this thrilling first volume of the Klaatu Diskos trilogy, 13-year-old Tucker Feye's ordinary life in smalltown Minnesota changes dramatically when his father, a preacher, disappears through a mysterious disk near the roof of their house. He reappears an hour later, without his religious faith, but with Lahlia, an awkward young woman who he claims is from Bulgaria. When, a year later, Tucker's parents both vanish, he sets out to find them, aided by Lahlia and his biker uncle, Kosh. Tucker discovers that the "diskos," which were created by a noncorporeal artist from the distant future, allow travel between time and place. The result is a whirlwind tour of some unpleasant societies and moments in human history, some of which (such as the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers) are jaw-dropping-this might be Hautman's most daring book yet. Throughout, Hautman (The Big Crunch) raises significant issues concerning family, faith, and destiny. Well-developed and complex characters, a fascinating time travel framework (including dispatches from the far future), and a heart-stopping conclusion will leave readers looking forward to the next book. Ages 12-up. Agent: Jennifer Flannery, Flannery Literary. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal (June 1, 2012)
Gr 8 Up-Tucker Feye has had a pretty normal childhood in his small, sleepy Minnesota town. As the son of the local minister, he has always believed in God and taken the world pretty much as it appears. Then one day he sees his father disappear through a hazy disk floating above their roof. When he returns, he is completely changed. Not only is he accompanied by a mysterious girl wearing blue rubber shoes, but he also has lost his faith in God. As things quickly begin to spiral out of control and his mother begins to lose her mind, Tucker wonders about the disk. When he ventures through one himself, he begins a journey that takes him through the recent past and into the distant future, causing him to question his faith, his family, and even what he knows about the world around him. While the idea of time travel is intriguing, and Tucker's journeys are interesting and startling, this mind-bending novel moves slowly and feels very much like a setup for the rest of the series. Some characters, like Tucker's father, seem sketchy at best, and the author's explanation of the creators of the Diskos is confusing. This is a compelling read that gets muddled in the particulars but might still be of interest to readers who enjoyed Hautman's previous books and those science-fiction fans who like a challenge.-Necia Blundy, Marlborough Public Library, MA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
]]> <![CDATA[The Dark Game: True Spy Stories from Invisibile Ink to CIA Moles]]> 13572906 "A wealth of information in an engaging package." —Ěý Kirkus Reviews

Ever since George Washington used them to help topple the British, spies and their networks have helped and hurt America at key moments in history. In this fascinating collection, Paul B. Janeczko probes examples from clothesline codes to surveillance satellites and cyber espionage. Colorful personalities, daring missions, the feats of the loyal, and the damage of traitors are interspersed with a look at the technological advances that continue to change the rules of gathering intelligence.

Back matter includes source notes, a bibliography, and an index.]]> 256 Paul B. Janeczko 0763660663 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Spy/mystery display.]]> 3.89 2010 The Dark Game: True Spy Stories from Invisibile Ink to CIA Moles
author: Paul B. Janeczko
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
We have this in the LMC. Check it out.
Spy/mystery display.
]]> <![CDATA[Quicksand: HIV/AIDS in Our Lives]]> 13533680 What is it like to be affected by HIV/AIDS? A moving first-person account offers insight — and basic facts.

ONE DAY I FOUND OUT THAT SOMEONE I KNOW — MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, JAY — HAD HIV/AIDS. AT THE MOMENT I HEARD HIS DIAGNOSIS, I REALIZED THAT I HAD STEPPED INTO THE QUICKSAND OF A NEW AND TERRIBLE WORLD — AND I WAS SINKING FAST.

Weaving together her own story with straightforward questions and answers, the author explains the real ways that HIV/AIDS can be transmitted and explores the common experiences and emotions that might be encountered by friends and family members of someone who has the virus. She also discusses why HIV/AIDS is often still kept a secret and the importance of treating this condition like any other. With up-to-date medical information that has been thoroughly vetted by experts, this first-person narrative offers an invaluable look at what it is like to watch someone you know battle HIV/AIDS.]]> 112 Anonymous 0763660698 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, nonfiction Nov 2012 paperback, hardcover 2009
Ask John


Library Media Connection (November/December 2009)
The anonymous author of this book has not been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, but that doesn?t mean she hasn?t been deeply affected by the disease. This poignant first-person account gives insight into what it is like when a family member battles HIV/AIDS. The author tells the story of her family?s experience, from her brother-in-law?s diagnosis until his death. Each chapter starts with a personal story and continues with straightforward questions and answers that cover both the clinical and social aspects of the disease. Because his family kept Jay?s condition a secret from outsiders, the author continually stresses the need for compassion, understanding, and acceptance of those with HIV/AIDS, and clears up some common misconceptions about the transmission of the disease. The tone and level of disclosure are age-appropriate and engaging. This book would be a strong addition to junior high and high school collections. It would serve as an excellent supplement for health classes, as textbooks generally cover only the clinical facts. The suggestions for further reading will satisfy those wanting to learn even more. Glossary. Index. Recommended. Michelle Glatt, Librarian, Chiddix Junior High School, Normal, Illinois

School Library Journal (November 1, 2009)
Gr 7 Up-Respecting her family's wishes, the author chooses anonymity to recall the time 10 years earlier when her brother-in-law was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, and she intersperses her account with questions and answers about the disease. For example, the chapter titled "False Fears" deals with her visit with Jay soon after his diagnosis. His mother had replaced the terrycloth towels in the bathroom for paper ones so that he would not have to share with anyone else. The questions that follow this particular memory deal with the many ways the virus is not spread (e.g., one cannot get HIV from saliva, tears, mosquitoes, or swimming pools). Though the book is heavier on information than personal story, the author's aim is continued awareness about the disease so that one day the stigma placed upon it will be gone. She is as adept at defining medical terms and emphasizing the need to support patients as she is at describing the emotional impact of Jay's illness on his whole family.-Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.]]> 3.00 2009 Quicksand: HIV/AIDS in Our Lives
author: Anonymous
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, nonfiction
review:
Candlewick
Nov 2012 paperback, hardcover 2009
Ask John


Library Media Connection (November/December 2009)
The anonymous author of this book has not been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, but that doesn?t mean she hasn?t been deeply affected by the disease. This poignant first-person account gives insight into what it is like when a family member battles HIV/AIDS. The author tells the story of her family?s experience, from her brother-in-law?s diagnosis until his death. Each chapter starts with a personal story and continues with straightforward questions and answers that cover both the clinical and social aspects of the disease. Because his family kept Jay?s condition a secret from outsiders, the author continually stresses the need for compassion, understanding, and acceptance of those with HIV/AIDS, and clears up some common misconceptions about the transmission of the disease. The tone and level of disclosure are age-appropriate and engaging. This book would be a strong addition to junior high and high school collections. It would serve as an excellent supplement for health classes, as textbooks generally cover only the clinical facts. The suggestions for further reading will satisfy those wanting to learn even more. Glossary. Index. Recommended. Michelle Glatt, Librarian, Chiddix Junior High School, Normal, Illinois

School Library Journal (November 1, 2009)
Gr 7 Up-Respecting her family's wishes, the author chooses anonymity to recall the time 10 years earlier when her brother-in-law was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, and she intersperses her account with questions and answers about the disease. For example, the chapter titled "False Fears" deals with her visit with Jay soon after his diagnosis. His mother had replaced the terrycloth towels in the bathroom for paper ones so that he would not have to share with anyone else. The questions that follow this particular memory deal with the many ways the virus is not spread (e.g., one cannot get HIV from saliva, tears, mosquitoes, or swimming pools). Though the book is heavier on information than personal story, the author's aim is continued awareness about the disease so that one day the stigma placed upon it will be gone. She is as adept at defining medical terms and emphasizing the need to support patients as she is at describing the emotional impact of Jay's illness on his whole family.-Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
]]> Flock (Stork #3) 13249141 “The whole trilogy stands out for originality and great entertainment.” — Kirkus Reviews

Katla is psyched to be back for a blissfully uneventful senior year. But her hopes are dashed by the arrival of two Icelandic exchange students: Marik, an oddly alluring merman-in-disguise, and Jinky, a tough gypsy girl. And now Katla’s stork dreams, her guide for matching babies with mothers, have become strange and menacing as well. Hold on for a thrilling finale as the heroine of Stork and Frost taps into ancient Norse secrets to protect those she loves and face a final mythic disaster.]]> 384 Wendy Delsol 0763662135 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
net galley]]> 3.66 2012 Flock (Stork #3)
author: Wendy Delsol
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Candlewick
Sept 2012
net galley
]]> Long Lankin 12908035 In an exquisitely chilling debut novel, four children unravel the mystery of a family curse - and a ghostly creature known in folklore as Long Lankin.

When Cora and her younger sister, Mimi, are sent to stay with their elderly aunt in the isolated village of Byers Guerdon, they receive a less-than-warm welcome. Auntie Ida is eccentric and rigid, and the girls are desperate to go back to London. But what they don't know is that their aunt's life was devastated the last time two young sisters were at Guerdon Hall, and she is determined to protect her nieces from an evil that has lain hidden for years. Along with Roger and Peter, two village boys, Cora must uncover the horrifying truth that has held Bryers Guerdon in its dark grip for centuries - before it's too late for little Mimi. Riveting and intensely atmospheric, this stunning debut will hold readers in its spell long after the last page is turned.]]> 455 Lindsey Barraclough 0763658081 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, creepy-scary July 2012
net galley

Booklist (April 15, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 16))
Grades 8-11. It’s 1958, and sisters Cora and Mimi are unceremoniously dumped by their father into the arms of Aunt Ida, a haunted, solitary woman who lives in the small town of Bryers Guerdon. All is not well in the dank, depressed village—to say the least—and slowly, with the help of two new friends, the girls begin to turn up ancient and ghostly clues about a vicious child-stealing creature named Long Lankin. This is a story to get lost in: the gloomy, rain-soaked atmosphere recalls Wilkie Collins’ The Woman in White, and the endless stories of woe related by various adults become something of a dense forest—there is enough plot here for a trilogy, and it will drag down readers looking for quick thrills. Those who appreciate old-fashioned chillers, though, will be rewarded by incident after unsettling incident: witchcraft, exorcisms, fire, plagues, and a blood-drinking murderer who walks on all fours. It’s a lot to wade through, but you can’t deny the freakish power of the final 50 pages: at long last, hell does break loose.

Kirkus Reviews starred (June 15, 2012)
A thoroughly terrifying, centuries-old monster stalks two children sent from London to stay with their great-aunt in the country. Cora and little sister Mimi's Auntie Ida could hardly be less welcoming when they show up at her door, sent by their father while their Mum, always prone to "funny moods," is away--again. They must keep the windows and doors locked, even though the crumbling old house is steaming in the summer heat. They mustn't explore in the house, or go down to the marshes, or--especially--go down to the old church. Roger and his brother Pete, local boys, are also forbidden to go there, but when the four children fall in together, down to the church they go--and wake up Long Lankin. He likes them young. This atmospheric, pulse-pounding debut makes the most of its rural, post--World War II setting, a time and place where folklore uneasily informs reality. Barraclough controls her narrative with authority, shifting voices and tenses to provide both perspective and the occasional welcome respite from tension. The actual threat remains mostly unknown for almost the first half of the book, evident mostly in the long scratches by the door, the fetid stench of the church, the secretiveness of the villagers and, overwhelmingly, Auntie Ida's frank terror. If some of the historical exposition comes very conveniently, readers won't care--they will be too busy flipping the pages as Long Lankin closes in. A good, old-fashioned literary horror tale for sophisticated readers. (Historical fantasy. 10-14)

Publishers Weekly (June 11, 2012)
Something's wrong with Cora and Mimi's mother, so their father sends them to live with their Aunt Ida, and she is none too happy when they arrive. Guerdon Hall, the sisters' temporary home, is immense, dark, and terrifying, both to them and to Aunt Ida. First published in the U.K., Barraclough's debut, which is based on a centuries-old British ballad, is a ghost story through and through, chock-full of mysterious apparitions, strange voices, cryptic warnings, and townsfolk who chorus beware, all of which frighten Cora and her new friend, a local boy named Roger, and compel them to uncover the mystery hovering over Guerdon Hall. Told in alternating first-person narratives belonging to Cora, Roger, and Aunt Ida, Barraclough's prose is often poetic; while beautiful, it also makes this strange story dense and initially difficult to access. Readers will likely get a sense of where the story is headed early on, but uncovering the complicated, sad history of Ida's life and the ways in which Cora and Mimi have become tangled in its legacy will compel them to its finish. Ages 12-up. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.]]> 3.64 2011 Long Lankin
author: Lindsey Barraclough
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, creepy-scary
review:
Candlewick
July 2012
net galley

Booklist (April 15, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 16))
Grades 8-11. It’s 1958, and sisters Cora and Mimi are unceremoniously dumped by their father into the arms of Aunt Ida, a haunted, solitary woman who lives in the small town of Bryers Guerdon. All is not well in the dank, depressed village—to say the least—and slowly, with the help of two new friends, the girls begin to turn up ancient and ghostly clues about a vicious child-stealing creature named Long Lankin. This is a story to get lost in: the gloomy, rain-soaked atmosphere recalls Wilkie Collins’ The Woman in White, and the endless stories of woe related by various adults become something of a dense forest—there is enough plot here for a trilogy, and it will drag down readers looking for quick thrills. Those who appreciate old-fashioned chillers, though, will be rewarded by incident after unsettling incident: witchcraft, exorcisms, fire, plagues, and a blood-drinking murderer who walks on all fours. It’s a lot to wade through, but you can’t deny the freakish power of the final 50 pages: at long last, hell does break loose.

Kirkus Reviews starred (June 15, 2012)
A thoroughly terrifying, centuries-old monster stalks two children sent from London to stay with their great-aunt in the country. Cora and little sister Mimi's Auntie Ida could hardly be less welcoming when they show up at her door, sent by their father while their Mum, always prone to "funny moods," is away--again. They must keep the windows and doors locked, even though the crumbling old house is steaming in the summer heat. They mustn't explore in the house, or go down to the marshes, or--especially--go down to the old church. Roger and his brother Pete, local boys, are also forbidden to go there, but when the four children fall in together, down to the church they go--and wake up Long Lankin. He likes them young. This atmospheric, pulse-pounding debut makes the most of its rural, post--World War II setting, a time and place where folklore uneasily informs reality. Barraclough controls her narrative with authority, shifting voices and tenses to provide both perspective and the occasional welcome respite from tension. The actual threat remains mostly unknown for almost the first half of the book, evident mostly in the long scratches by the door, the fetid stench of the church, the secretiveness of the villagers and, overwhelmingly, Auntie Ida's frank terror. If some of the historical exposition comes very conveniently, readers won't care--they will be too busy flipping the pages as Long Lankin closes in. A good, old-fashioned literary horror tale for sophisticated readers. (Historical fantasy. 10-14)

Publishers Weekly (June 11, 2012)
Something's wrong with Cora and Mimi's mother, so their father sends them to live with their Aunt Ida, and she is none too happy when they arrive. Guerdon Hall, the sisters' temporary home, is immense, dark, and terrifying, both to them and to Aunt Ida. First published in the U.K., Barraclough's debut, which is based on a centuries-old British ballad, is a ghost story through and through, chock-full of mysterious apparitions, strange voices, cryptic warnings, and townsfolk who chorus beware, all of which frighten Cora and her new friend, a local boy named Roger, and compel them to uncover the mystery hovering over Guerdon Hall. Told in alternating first-person narratives belonging to Cora, Roger, and Aunt Ida, Barraclough's prose is often poetic; while beautiful, it also makes this strange story dense and initially difficult to access. Readers will likely get a sense of where the story is headed early on, but uncovering the complicated, sad history of Ida's life and the ways in which Cora and Mimi have become tangled in its legacy will compel them to its finish. Ages 12-up. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
]]> Frost (Stork, #2) 10722553
After the drama of finding out that she’s a Stork, a member of an ancient and mystical order of women, and that her boyfriend, Jack, is a descendent of the Winter People able to control the weather, Katla Leblanc is delighted when all signs point to a busy and peaceful Christmas. That is, until the snowstorm Jack summons as a gift to Katla turns into the storm of the century, attracting Brigid, a gorgeous scientist who, in turn, attracts Jack. Between the school play, a bedridden, pregnant mother’s to-do lists, and keeping an eye on her aging grandfather, Katla doesn’t have time to question Brigid’s motives or deal with Jack’s increasingly cold behavior. But Katla’s suspicions mount when Jack joins Brigid on a research expedition to Greenland, and when the two of them go missing, it becomes clear that Katla is the only one who can save her beloved Jack from the Snow Queen who holds him prisoner. Adventure, romance, and myth combine in this winter escapade for teens who like a bit of fire with their ice.]]> 384 Wendy Delsol 0763653861 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read 3rd and final coming fall 2012


Library Media Connection (March/April 2012)
Fans of Wendy Delsol's first book, Stork (Candlewick Press, 2010) will want to read this sequel, but they may be disappointed. The writing seems forced and there are multiple plot lines which detract from what captivated readers of Stork: the Nordic mythology and romance between Katla and Jack. Katla is descended from an ancient order of mystical women, and Jack, who controls the weather, endeavors to impress her by gifting her a mammoth snowstorm, which brings environmental researcher Brigid into the story. Meanwhile, Katla is involved in the school play, planning a trip to Iceland, and taking care of her pregnant mother. Middle school librarians who were fans of Stork should read this one to talk about with their students who, love it or not, will want to talk about the characters and the plots. Catherine Trinkle, English Teacher, Avon (Indiana) High School and Advanced Learning Center [Editor's Note: Available in e-book format.] RECOMMENDED

School Library Journal (November 1, 2011)
Gr 7 Up-This modern-day retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "Snow Queen" picks up where it left off in Stork (Candlewick, 2010), with plenty of backstory included. Kat is adjusting to her membership in the ancient Stork society that delivers souls and is still enamored with her boyfriend, Jack, descended from Jack Frost, who can control the weather. Together, their powers often have disastrous results, like an out-of-control snowstorm on Christmas Eve. The storm catches the attention of Brigid, a beautiful foreign researcher, who takes an unusual interest in Jack. Kat is suspicious of his obsession with her but is caught up in her role in the school play, managing her Stork responsibilities, and taking care of her pregnant mom. However, when Brigid takes Jack to Greenland for a field study and they go missing, Kat risks everything to save the boy she loves. The continued growth of bold and determined Kat is endearing as she develops her life-giving Stork abilities while still being a fashion-focused teenager in a small Minnesota town. The underlying themes of culture and heritage affecting the present and the motivating and empowering nature of love, even in impossible situations, complement the quick-moving plot and beautifully drawn settings of Minnesota, Greenland, and Iceland. Frost sustains the momentum of the first book and effectively sets the stage for the final installment in the trilogy.-Elizabeth C. Johnson, Fort Vancouver Regional Library, WA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.]]> 3.64 2011 Frost (Stork, #2)
author: Wendy Delsol
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
sequel to STORK
3rd and final coming fall 2012


Library Media Connection (March/April 2012)
Fans of Wendy Delsol's first book, Stork (Candlewick Press, 2010) will want to read this sequel, but they may be disappointed. The writing seems forced and there are multiple plot lines which detract from what captivated readers of Stork: the Nordic mythology and romance between Katla and Jack. Katla is descended from an ancient order of mystical women, and Jack, who controls the weather, endeavors to impress her by gifting her a mammoth snowstorm, which brings environmental researcher Brigid into the story. Meanwhile, Katla is involved in the school play, planning a trip to Iceland, and taking care of her pregnant mother. Middle school librarians who were fans of Stork should read this one to talk about with their students who, love it or not, will want to talk about the characters and the plots. Catherine Trinkle, English Teacher, Avon (Indiana) High School and Advanced Learning Center [Editor's Note: Available in e-book format.] RECOMMENDED

School Library Journal (November 1, 2011)
Gr 7 Up-This modern-day retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "Snow Queen" picks up where it left off in Stork (Candlewick, 2010), with plenty of backstory included. Kat is adjusting to her membership in the ancient Stork society that delivers souls and is still enamored with her boyfriend, Jack, descended from Jack Frost, who can control the weather. Together, their powers often have disastrous results, like an out-of-control snowstorm on Christmas Eve. The storm catches the attention of Brigid, a beautiful foreign researcher, who takes an unusual interest in Jack. Kat is suspicious of his obsession with her but is caught up in her role in the school play, managing her Stork responsibilities, and taking care of her pregnant mom. However, when Brigid takes Jack to Greenland for a field study and they go missing, Kat risks everything to save the boy she loves. The continued growth of bold and determined Kat is endearing as she develops her life-giving Stork abilities while still being a fashion-focused teenager in a small Minnesota town. The underlying themes of culture and heritage affecting the present and the motivating and empowering nature of love, even in impossible situations, complement the quick-moving plot and beautifully drawn settings of Minnesota, Greenland, and Iceland. Frost sustains the momentum of the first book and effectively sets the stage for the final installment in the trilogy.-Elizabeth C. Johnson, Fort Vancouver Regional Library, WA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
]]> Stork (Stork, #1) 7638313
Sixteen-year-old Katla LeBlanc has just moved from Los Angeles to Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, Katla soon finds out that she’s a Stork, a member of a mysterious order of women tasked with a very unique duty. But Katla’s biggest challenge may be finding her flock at a new school. Between being ignored by Wade, the arrogant jock she stupidly fooled around with, and constantly arguing with gorgeous farm boy and editor-in-chief Jack, Katla is relieved when her assignment as the school paper’s fashion columnist brings with it some much-needed friendship. But as Homecoming approaches, Katla uncovers a shocking secret about her past — a secret that binds her fate to Jack’s in a way neither could have ever anticipated. With a nod to Hans Christian Andersen and inspired by Norse lore, Wendy Delsol’s debut novel introduces a hip and witty heroine who finds herself tail-feathers deep in small-town life.]]> 355 Wendy Delsol 0763648442 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Library Media Connection (November/December 2010)
Kat has recently moved from Los Angeles to small-town Minnesota after her parents' divorce. Although Kat doesn't remember, she has lived here before. When she was eleven she fell through the ice while skating, and went into a coma. A therapist advised her parents to keep the truth from her. A young man, Jack, who seems to turn up often, was the one who saved her from drowning five years ago. In addition, Kat is a "Stork"--a group of women who choose which woman will become pregnant, and life isn't easy for her. Norse mythology is used liberally in the story. The fantasy element is there, but it is "fantasy light." The romance between Kat and Jack is central to the plot and will delight readers. It was surprising how everyone in town kept the truth about Kat a secret for so long. This was a most enjoyable book to read, especially for those who enjoy romance, fantasy, and Norse mythology. Recommended. Ellen Spring, Library Media Specialist, Rockland (Maine) District Middle School

Publishers Weekly (October 4, 2010)
Virulent, communicable cradle cap is an improbable candidate for the next big paranormal trend, but that is the manifestation bestowed upon 16-year-old Kat Leblanc, newly relocated to Minnesota from California and in revolt against everything in her new life. Kat is a fashion diva-arrogant, sharp-tongued, and hurting from her parents' divorce. After an impulsive episode in a backseat with someone else's boyfriend, she's also a social outcast. The only acceptance she finds is among a group of strange old women who acknowledge that she is a "Stork"-one who mystically chooses which women will become pregnant. Kat's outbreaks of cradle cap, "scratching my darn head until blood and pus trickled down," call the group to meet ("Once you start scratching, we will all get the cap"). It's a strange and gross misstep, as the book strains for novelty while Kat works her way through romantic minefields and the blossoming of her powers. First-time author Delsol is more than capable of writing convincing imaginative scenes, but they form more of a bumpy patchwork than a well-paced whole. Ages 12-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal (January 1, 2011)
Gr 7 Up-Katla Leblanc has recently moved from LA to northern Minnesota, the ancestral home of her mother's family. The story immediately takes on a magical twist when she is summoned to the scary basement of a seemingly abandoned fabric shop only to find a chair being held for her among a circle of old women. It's a secret meeting of the Aslendigas Storkur Society-storks who recommend and vote on the placement of new souls in "vessels." Couple that with the new boy who apparently knows her from "before," and you have the making of a breathtaking urban fantasy. Delsol uses colloquialisms and rich language to create vivid characters and detailed settings. The inclusion of Nordic mythology and a sense of fate add to the tenor of mysticism, and the two young men in Katla's life, one of whom might be posing a danger to her, add interest and suspense.-Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.]]> 3.70 2010 Stork (Stork, #1)
author: Wendy Delsol
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
new and final in the trilogy coming fall 2012
Library Media Connection (November/December 2010)
Kat has recently moved from Los Angeles to small-town Minnesota after her parents' divorce. Although Kat doesn't remember, she has lived here before. When she was eleven she fell through the ice while skating, and went into a coma. A therapist advised her parents to keep the truth from her. A young man, Jack, who seems to turn up often, was the one who saved her from drowning five years ago. In addition, Kat is a "Stork"--a group of women who choose which woman will become pregnant, and life isn't easy for her. Norse mythology is used liberally in the story. The fantasy element is there, but it is "fantasy light." The romance between Kat and Jack is central to the plot and will delight readers. It was surprising how everyone in town kept the truth about Kat a secret for so long. This was a most enjoyable book to read, especially for those who enjoy romance, fantasy, and Norse mythology. Recommended. Ellen Spring, Library Media Specialist, Rockland (Maine) District Middle School

Publishers Weekly (October 4, 2010)
Virulent, communicable cradle cap is an improbable candidate for the next big paranormal trend, but that is the manifestation bestowed upon 16-year-old Kat Leblanc, newly relocated to Minnesota from California and in revolt against everything in her new life. Kat is a fashion diva-arrogant, sharp-tongued, and hurting from her parents' divorce. After an impulsive episode in a backseat with someone else's boyfriend, she's also a social outcast. The only acceptance she finds is among a group of strange old women who acknowledge that she is a "Stork"-one who mystically chooses which women will become pregnant. Kat's outbreaks of cradle cap, "scratching my darn head until blood and pus trickled down," call the group to meet ("Once you start scratching, we will all get the cap"). It's a strange and gross misstep, as the book strains for novelty while Kat works her way through romantic minefields and the blossoming of her powers. First-time author Delsol is more than capable of writing convincing imaginative scenes, but they form more of a bumpy patchwork than a well-paced whole. Ages 12-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal (January 1, 2011)
Gr 7 Up-Katla Leblanc has recently moved from LA to northern Minnesota, the ancestral home of her mother's family. The story immediately takes on a magical twist when she is summoned to the scary basement of a seemingly abandoned fabric shop only to find a chair being held for her among a circle of old women. It's a secret meeting of the Aslendigas Storkur Society-storks who recommend and vote on the placement of new souls in "vessels." Couple that with the new boy who apparently knows her from "before," and you have the making of a breathtaking urban fantasy. Delsol uses colloquialisms and rich language to create vivid characters and detailed settings. The inclusion of Nordic mythology and a sense of fate add to the tenor of mysticism, and the two young men in Katla's life, one of whom might be posing a danger to her, add interest and suspense.-Leah Krippner, Harlem High School, Machesney Park, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
]]> Fish in the Sky 13530949
Josh Stephenson’s thirteenth year starts with a baffling sequence of events. His estranged father has just sent him a taxidermied falcon for his birthday. His flirty seventeen-year-old girl cousin has moved into his house, using his bedroom as a passageway and taking bubble baths in the unlockable bathroom. And now he’s gone AWOL from school to escape the locker-room teasing about certain embarrassing anatomical changes. On top of all that, he’s in love, but wondering if dreams of love can ever come true. Hiding out in his secret hollow in a big rock by the sea, Josh tries to figure out once and for is his life being sucked into a black hole, or is this just being thirteen?]]> 288 Fridrik Erlings 076365888X Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
net galley
]]> 3.31 1998 Fish in the Sky
author: Fridrik Erlings
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.31
book published: 1998
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Candlewick
Sept 2012
net galley

]]> Daylight Saving 13414874 Can you save someone from something that’s already happened?

Daniel’s expectations for his forced vacation with his father at the Leisure World Holiday Complex are low. He hates sports, and his father is mostly lost in drink and depression. But then he sees a strange girl swimming in the fake lake, and everything changes. Lexi has a smart mouth and a killer swim stroke, but dark secrets swirl around her. She’s got bruises and cuts that seem to be getting worse instead of better. She’s always alone. And her watch is ticking backwards. When a dark figure begins to stalk Lexi and Daniel, the truth must come out. This gripping ghost story will raise goose bumps and questions: does a traumatic past mean the future is a foregone conclusion?]]> 224 Edward Hogan 0763659134 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
Ask John]]> 3.54 2012 Daylight Saving
author: Edward Hogan
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Candlewick
Sept 2012
Ask John
]]> Child of the Mountains 12250652 It’s about keeping the faith.

Growing up poor in 1953 in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia doesn’t bother Lydia Hawkins. She treasures her tight-knit family. There’s her loving mama, now widowed; her whip-smart younger brother, BJ, who has cystic fibrosis; and wise old Gran. But everything falls apart after Gran and BJ die and mama is jailed unjustly. Suddenly Lydia has lost all those dearest to her.

Moving to a coal camp to live with her uncle William and aunt Ethel Mae only makes Lydia feel more alone. She is ridiculed at her new school for her outgrown homemade clothes and the way she talks, and for what the kids believe her mama did. And to make matters worse, she discovers that her uncle has been keeping a family secret—about her.

If only Lydia, with her resilient spirit and determination, could find a way to clear her mother’s name...]]> 272 Marilyn Sue Shank 0375989692 Ms. Yockey 5 overcoming-obstacles 4.04 2012 Child of the Mountains
author: Marilyn Sue Shank
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: overcoming-obstacles
review:

]]> <![CDATA[On the Day I Died: Stories from the Grave]]> 13152672
The phenomenally versatile, award-winning author Candace Fleming gives teen and older tween readers ten ghost stories sure to send chills up their spines. Set in White Cemetery, an actual graveyard outside Chicago, each story takes place during a different time period from the 1860s to the present, and ends with the narrator's death. Some teens die heroically, others ironically, but all due to supernatural causes. Readers will meet walking corpses and witness demonic posession, all against the backdrop of Chicago's rich history—the Great Depression, the World's Fair, Al Capone and his fellow gangsters.]]> 208 Candace Fleming 0375867813 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read July 2012
Net galley

Booklist (May 15, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 18))
Grades 7-10. Late one dark night, teenage Mike Kowalski drives to a deserted cemetery to return a pair of old-fashioned saddle shoes to a grave (don’t ask). Once there he is horrified to find himself surrounded by the ghosts of the many teenagers buried there, all of them, er, dying to tell him their stories. In one a wise guy uncovers an ancient curse; in another a boy enters a long-abandoned asylum for the insane; in yet another a girl encounters a hoarder’s House of Usher. Set in Chicago, each of these nine eerie ghost stories, Fleming explains, contains a kernel of truth about its setting—a city that, she notes, is “the spookiest place I know.” Thus, in one story Al Capone makes a cameo appearance, and both the cemetery featured in the frame story and the terrifying old insane asylum really do exist. It is the combination of reality and imagination that lends a certain grave-itas (!) to these nine spectral stories. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Fleming’s books for young readers, be they nonfiction, novels, or picture books, are always met with much anticipation.

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 1, 2012)
Nine creepy tales told by dead teens and positively tailor-made for reading--or reading aloud--by flashlight. Fleming uses a version of "The Vanishing Hitchhiker" as a frame story and draws inspiration from several classic horror shorts, monster movies and actual locales and incidents. Within this frame, she sends a teenager into a remote cemetery where ghostly young people regale him with the ghastly circumstances of their demises. These range from being sucked into a magical mirror to being partially eaten by a mutant rubber ducky, from being brained by a falling stone gargoyle at an abandoned asylum to drowning in a car driven by a demonic hood ornament. Tasty elements include a malign monkey's paw purchased at a flea market, a spider crawling out of a corpse's mouth and a crazed florist who collects the heads of famous gangsters. Amid these, the author tucks in period details, offers one story written in the style of Edgar Allan Poe ("As I pondered the wallpaper, its patterns seemed to crawl deep inside me, revealing dark secrets... No!") and caps the collection with perceptive comments on her themes and sources. Light on explicit grue but well endowed with macabre detail and leavening dashes of humor. (Horror/short stories. 10-13)

Publishers Weekly (May 21, 2012)
Dead men may tell no tales, but dead teenagers do. In this clever collection of ghost stories, 16-year-old Mike Kowalski discovers an abandoned cemetery for teenagers where nine 15- to 17-year-old ghosts tell him how they died. The stories span 100-odd years and give a colorful survey of Chicago through the decades and across classes ("Back in those days, Chicago was lousy with funeral homes, what with all them gangsters running around"). Fleming has been rightly praised for her children's nonfiction (Amelia Lost; The Great and Only Barnum), and underneath this group of chill-inducing tales lays a wealth of detail about Chicago's historical immigrant communities, criminal underbelly, the 1893 World's Fair, and more. (Sneaky!) They also span horror subgenres that include campy '50s science fiction, gothic ("Lily," starring a lovelorn high school student in 1999, is a faithful homage to "The Monkey's Paw"), and wry Hitchcockian suspense; Fleming brings plenty of humor, too. The genre-flipping and varied narrative voices prevent any sense of monotony. A welcoming and well-written introduction to many styles of horror. Ages 11-14. Agent: Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
]]> 3.68 2012 On the Day I Died: Stories from the Grave
author: Candace Fleming
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Random House
July 2012
Net galley

Booklist (May 15, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 18))
Grades 7-10. Late one dark night, teenage Mike Kowalski drives to a deserted cemetery to return a pair of old-fashioned saddle shoes to a grave (don’t ask). Once there he is horrified to find himself surrounded by the ghosts of the many teenagers buried there, all of them, er, dying to tell him their stories. In one a wise guy uncovers an ancient curse; in another a boy enters a long-abandoned asylum for the insane; in yet another a girl encounters a hoarder’s House of Usher. Set in Chicago, each of these nine eerie ghost stories, Fleming explains, contains a kernel of truth about its setting—a city that, she notes, is “the spookiest place I know.” Thus, in one story Al Capone makes a cameo appearance, and both the cemetery featured in the frame story and the terrifying old insane asylum really do exist. It is the combination of reality and imagination that lends a certain grave-itas (!) to these nine spectral stories. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Fleming’s books for young readers, be they nonfiction, novels, or picture books, are always met with much anticipation.

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 1, 2012)
Nine creepy tales told by dead teens and positively tailor-made for reading--or reading aloud--by flashlight. Fleming uses a version of "The Vanishing Hitchhiker" as a frame story and draws inspiration from several classic horror shorts, monster movies and actual locales and incidents. Within this frame, she sends a teenager into a remote cemetery where ghostly young people regale him with the ghastly circumstances of their demises. These range from being sucked into a magical mirror to being partially eaten by a mutant rubber ducky, from being brained by a falling stone gargoyle at an abandoned asylum to drowning in a car driven by a demonic hood ornament. Tasty elements include a malign monkey's paw purchased at a flea market, a spider crawling out of a corpse's mouth and a crazed florist who collects the heads of famous gangsters. Amid these, the author tucks in period details, offers one story written in the style of Edgar Allan Poe ("As I pondered the wallpaper, its patterns seemed to crawl deep inside me, revealing dark secrets... No!") and caps the collection with perceptive comments on her themes and sources. Light on explicit grue but well endowed with macabre detail and leavening dashes of humor. (Horror/short stories. 10-13)

Publishers Weekly (May 21, 2012)
Dead men may tell no tales, but dead teenagers do. In this clever collection of ghost stories, 16-year-old Mike Kowalski discovers an abandoned cemetery for teenagers where nine 15- to 17-year-old ghosts tell him how they died. The stories span 100-odd years and give a colorful survey of Chicago through the decades and across classes ("Back in those days, Chicago was lousy with funeral homes, what with all them gangsters running around"). Fleming has been rightly praised for her children's nonfiction (Amelia Lost; The Great and Only Barnum), and underneath this group of chill-inducing tales lays a wealth of detail about Chicago's historical immigrant communities, criminal underbelly, the 1893 World's Fair, and more. (Sneaky!) They also span horror subgenres that include campy '50s science fiction, gothic ("Lily," starring a lovelorn high school student in 1999, is a faithful homage to "The Monkey's Paw"), and wry Hitchcockian suspense; Fleming brings plenty of humor, too. The genre-flipping and varied narrative voices prevent any sense of monotony. A welcoming and well-written introduction to many styles of horror. Ages 11-14. Agent: Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

]]> Summer at Forsaken Lake 12678999
The summer takes a turn toward the mysterious, though, when Nicholas discovers an old movie that his father made as a it tells the story of the local legend, The Seaweed Strangler, but was never finished. Before long Nicholas wants answers both about the legend, and about the movie. Together, he and Charlie work to uncover the truth and discover some long-buried family secrets along the way.

In this lovely middle-grade novel, Michael D. Beil has invoked one of his own favorites, We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea , as well as other great summer books of years-past.]]> 336 Michael D. Beil 0375867422 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, mysteries-2012 June 2012
Ask Tim

Kirkus Reviews (May 1, 2012)
Summer is indeed a time for mystery and adventure. Instead of spending the summer with their divorced father, 12-year-old Nicholas Mettleson and his younger, identical twin sisters leave New York City and head to rural Ohio to live along Forsaken Lake with their great-uncle Nick, an arm amputee who never misses a beat. It's not long before Nicholas teams up with local star baseball player Charlotte "Charlie" Brennan, and the pair discovers numerous mysteries. These involve an unfinished Super 8 film entitled The Seaweed Strangler, a sailboat that eerily appears each morning at 2:53, a boat accident that caused Nicholas' then--14-year-old dad never to return to Forsaken Lake and a letter that hints at a long, unrequited love between Nicholas' dad and Charlie's mom. Reminiscent of Jeanne Birdsall's The Penderwicks (2005), the charming narration has a timeless quality as Nicholas and Charlie involve the small-town community in completing The Seaweed Strangler and investigating the now-infamous boat accident. Also drawing from Arthur Ransome's 1937 children's nautical adventure, We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea, the novel features its own sailing hazards and thrills. Ultimately focusing on what's right rather than the truth, the appealing story leaves one big mystery unsolved, promising a sequel and more summer magic. (Artwork not seen.) (glossary of sailing terms). (Mystery. 9-12)

School Library Journal (June 1, 2012)
Gr 3-6-At first, 12-year-old Nicholas and his twin sisters, Hayley and Hetty, are not happy with being sent to spend the summer with Great-uncle Nick at Forsaken Lake. But when the man promises to teach them to sail, things begin to look up. Add a mysterious homemade film about a monster, an old letter found hidden in the attic, a mystery involving the children's father from the time he spent summers at the lake, and a ghost ship, and the kids have a recipe for adventure. The story has a nostalgic feel: city kids in a country setting where everyone knows everyone else and the town librarian can recommend just the right book to each person who comes through the door. There is enough action and adventure to hold the interest of most readers once they get past the introduction, and the story is good fun.-Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.]]> 3.86 2012 Summer at Forsaken Lake
author: Michael D. Beil
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, mysteries-2012
review:
Random House
June 2012
Ask Tim

Kirkus Reviews (May 1, 2012)
Summer is indeed a time for mystery and adventure. Instead of spending the summer with their divorced father, 12-year-old Nicholas Mettleson and his younger, identical twin sisters leave New York City and head to rural Ohio to live along Forsaken Lake with their great-uncle Nick, an arm amputee who never misses a beat. It's not long before Nicholas teams up with local star baseball player Charlotte "Charlie" Brennan, and the pair discovers numerous mysteries. These involve an unfinished Super 8 film entitled The Seaweed Strangler, a sailboat that eerily appears each morning at 2:53, a boat accident that caused Nicholas' then--14-year-old dad never to return to Forsaken Lake and a letter that hints at a long, unrequited love between Nicholas' dad and Charlie's mom. Reminiscent of Jeanne Birdsall's The Penderwicks (2005), the charming narration has a timeless quality as Nicholas and Charlie involve the small-town community in completing The Seaweed Strangler and investigating the now-infamous boat accident. Also drawing from Arthur Ransome's 1937 children's nautical adventure, We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea, the novel features its own sailing hazards and thrills. Ultimately focusing on what's right rather than the truth, the appealing story leaves one big mystery unsolved, promising a sequel and more summer magic. (Artwork not seen.) (glossary of sailing terms). (Mystery. 9-12)

School Library Journal (June 1, 2012)
Gr 3-6-At first, 12-year-old Nicholas and his twin sisters, Hayley and Hetty, are not happy with being sent to spend the summer with Great-uncle Nick at Forsaken Lake. But when the man promises to teach them to sail, things begin to look up. Add a mysterious homemade film about a monster, an old letter found hidden in the attic, a mystery involving the children's father from the time he spent summers at the lake, and a ghost ship, and the kids have a recipe for adventure. The story has a nostalgic feel: city kids in a country setting where everyone knows everyone else and the town librarian can recommend just the right book to each person who comes through the door. There is enough action and adventure to hold the interest of most readers once they get past the introduction, and the story is good fun.-Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
]]> <![CDATA[The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls]]> 12858678 mother-daughter literary catastrophe. Or open this book and read my essay, which I'll turn in when I go back to school.

]]> 240 Julie Schumacher 0385737734 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read May 2012
Ask Tim

Kirkus Reviews starred (March 1, 2012)
In a novel tailor-made for literature teachers, four unwilling high-school girls and their mothers join a summer book club with both comic and tragic results. In the summer before her junior year, Adrienne, recovering from a knee injury, falls under the influence of beautiful and irresponsible CeeCee, another reluctant member of the book club. Adrienne has always had a good relationship with her mother, but CeeCee flippantly bullies her into late-night excursions that do not end well and pesters Adrienne about her absent father. Reluctant to blame CeeCee for anything, Adrienne instead begins to worry that her single mother sees her as a "mistake." Meanwhile the two other girls, Jill and Wallis have problems of their own. Adrienne constantly re-injures her knee during CeeCee's midnight outings, the mothers begin quarreling with one another and circumstances deteriorate until the girls' final nighttime jaunt ends tragically. Schumacher weaves the narrative around common literary terms, such as setting, mood and conflict, which she illustrates in their respective chapters. Always a bookworm, Adrienne also ties her first-person narration into the five books the club reads, including The Left Hand of Darkness, Frankenstein and The Awakening. The characters, especially the four girls, sparkle, and even amid drama the narration remains lighthearted enough to appeal beyond bookish readers. Smart and insightful. (Realistic fiction. 12 & up)

School Library Journal (June 1, 2012)
Gr 8 Up-Presented as an AP English essay assignment, with each chapter heading containing a definition of a literary term, this novel feels like a take on Ann Brashares's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Delacorte, 2001). Fifteen-year-old Adrienne Haus is laid up with a fractured kneecap and torn ACL for the summer so her mother forces her to join a mother-daughter book club. Wealthy, rebellious CeeCee; Jill, an adopted Asian girl; and mysterious, secretive Wallis are the other unlikely teen members. Adrienne is a moody, self-conscious girl, and the complexity of the relationship with her unflappable mother is a pleasure to read, especially as she falls further and further under CeeCee's bad influence. Exceptionally strong characterization and attention to detail thoroughly place readers in a summer suburb in Delaware. Teens need not have read all the classics discussed throughout the book (e.g., The Yellow Wallpaper, Frankenstein, The Left Hand of Darkness, The House on Mango Street, and The Awakening), although some familiarity with them certainly enriches the story. Adrienne is a thoughtful reader, applying quotes from each of the books to real-life situations. However, like Catherine in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, she lets her imagination run away with her and incorrectly dreams up horrible scenarios that lead to a highly foreshadowed, yet suspenseful, tragic ending.-Madigan McGillicuddy, Gwinnett County Public Library, GA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.]]> 3.19 2012 The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls
author: Julie Schumacher
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.19
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Random House
May 2012
Ask Tim

Kirkus Reviews starred (March 1, 2012)
In a novel tailor-made for literature teachers, four unwilling high-school girls and their mothers join a summer book club with both comic and tragic results. In the summer before her junior year, Adrienne, recovering from a knee injury, falls under the influence of beautiful and irresponsible CeeCee, another reluctant member of the book club. Adrienne has always had a good relationship with her mother, but CeeCee flippantly bullies her into late-night excursions that do not end well and pesters Adrienne about her absent father. Reluctant to blame CeeCee for anything, Adrienne instead begins to worry that her single mother sees her as a "mistake." Meanwhile the two other girls, Jill and Wallis have problems of their own. Adrienne constantly re-injures her knee during CeeCee's midnight outings, the mothers begin quarreling with one another and circumstances deteriorate until the girls' final nighttime jaunt ends tragically. Schumacher weaves the narrative around common literary terms, such as setting, mood and conflict, which she illustrates in their respective chapters. Always a bookworm, Adrienne also ties her first-person narration into the five books the club reads, including The Left Hand of Darkness, Frankenstein and The Awakening. The characters, especially the four girls, sparkle, and even amid drama the narration remains lighthearted enough to appeal beyond bookish readers. Smart and insightful. (Realistic fiction. 12 & up)

School Library Journal (June 1, 2012)
Gr 8 Up-Presented as an AP English essay assignment, with each chapter heading containing a definition of a literary term, this novel feels like a take on Ann Brashares's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Delacorte, 2001). Fifteen-year-old Adrienne Haus is laid up with a fractured kneecap and torn ACL for the summer so her mother forces her to join a mother-daughter book club. Wealthy, rebellious CeeCee; Jill, an adopted Asian girl; and mysterious, secretive Wallis are the other unlikely teen members. Adrienne is a moody, self-conscious girl, and the complexity of the relationship with her unflappable mother is a pleasure to read, especially as she falls further and further under CeeCee's bad influence. Exceptionally strong characterization and attention to detail thoroughly place readers in a summer suburb in Delaware. Teens need not have read all the classics discussed throughout the book (e.g., The Yellow Wallpaper, Frankenstein, The Left Hand of Darkness, The House on Mango Street, and The Awakening), although some familiarity with them certainly enriches the story. Adrienne is a thoughtful reader, applying quotes from each of the books to real-life situations. However, like Catherine in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, she lets her imagination run away with her and incorrectly dreams up horrible scenarios that lead to a highly foreshadowed, yet suspenseful, tragic ending.-Madigan McGillicuddy, Gwinnett County Public Library, GA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
]]> <![CDATA[Sammy Keyes and the Power of Justice Jack (Sammy Keyes, #15)]]> 12940305
The old folks in town think he's wonderful. So wonderful that they've asked him to track down Sammy's neighbor Mrs. Wedgewood, who seems to have disappeared—along with a lot of other people's cash.

Sammy's friends think Justice Jack is funny and cool. Billy Pratt's even auditioning to be his sidekick!

But Sammy thinks he's kind of . . . lame. He's more of a showstopper than a crime stopper. And when a real mystery comes along, Sammy finds herself right in the middle of it. . . .]]> 304 Wendelin Van Draanen 0375870520 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read July 2012
net galley
]]> 4.09 2012 Sammy Keyes and the Power of Justice Jack (Sammy Keyes, #15)
author: Wendelin Van Draanen
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Random House
July 2012
net galley

]]> <![CDATA[Crush: The Theory, Practice and Destructive Properties of Love (Liar, Liar, #3)]]> 12535568 136 Gary Paulsen 0385742304 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read March 2012
Ask Tim]]> 3.83 2012 Crush: The Theory, Practice and Destructive Properties of Love (Liar, Liar, #3)
author: Gary Paulsen
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Random House
March 2012
Ask Tim
]]> Sisters of Glass 12384990
Maria would like nothing more than to allow her beautiful sister, who is far more able and willing to attract a noble husband, to take over this role for her. But they cannot circumvent their father's wishes. And when a new young glassblower arrives to help the family business and Maria finds herself drawn to him, the web of conflicting emotions grows even more tangled.]]> 160 Stephanie Hemphill 0375861092 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read March 2012
Ask Tim]]> 3.30 2012 Sisters of Glass
author: Stephanie Hemphill
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.30
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Random House
March 2012
Ask Tim
]]> Yesterday (Yesterday, #1) 13360458
It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from. Yesterday will appeal to fans of James Dashner's The Maze Runner, Veronica Roth's Divergent , Amy Ryan's Glow, Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone , and Ally Condie's Matched .]]> 368 C.K. Kelly Martin 0375866507 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
Net Galley]]> 3.23 2012 Yesterday (Yesterday, #1)
author: C.K. Kelly Martin
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.23
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Random House
Sept 2012
Net Galley
]]> <![CDATA[Two Crafty Criminals!: and how they were Captured by the Daring Detectives of the New Cut Gang]]> 12595285
When counterfeit coins start showing up in their neighborhood, Thunderbolt fears his own father may be behind the crime. But his friends devise a way to trap the real culprit. Then the gang takes on the case of some stolen silver. They have just two clues—a blob of wax, and an unusually long match. But even this slippery thief is unmasked by the determined kids of the New Cut.

Filled with silly sleuthing, improbable disguises, crazy ruses, and merry mayhem, these stories are action-packed romps from one of the best storytellers ever—Philip Pullman.]]> 288 Philip Pullman 0375870296 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read May 2012
a little young, 3-6]]> 3.42 2011 Two Crafty Criminals!: and how they were Captured by the Daring Detectives of the New Cut Gang
author: Philip Pullman
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.42
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Random House
May 2012
a little young, 3-6
]]> <![CDATA[A Passion for Victory: The Story of the Olympics in Ancient and Early Modern Times]]> 12713443 160 Benson Bobrick 0375868690 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, nonfiction June 2012 3.53 2012 A Passion for Victory: The Story of the Olympics in Ancient and Early Modern Times
author: Benson Bobrick
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, nonfiction
review:
June 2012
]]> <![CDATA[The Paladin Prophecy (The Paladin Prophecy, #1)]]> 13354420
Now Will is being courted by an exclusive prep school . . . and is being followed by men driving black sedans. When Will suddenly loses his parents, he must flee to the school. There he begins to explore all that he's capable of--physical and mental feats that should be impossible--and learns that his abilities are connected to a struggle between titanic forces that has lasted for millennia.

Co-creator of the groundbreaking television series Twin Peaks, Mark Frost brings his unique vision to this sophisticated adventure, which combines mystery, heart-pounding action, and the supernatural.]]> 560 Mark Frost 0375870458 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept. 25 2012
Net Galley]]> 4.01 2012 The Paladin Prophecy (The Paladin Prophecy, #1)
author: Mark Frost
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Random House
Sept. 25 2012
Net Galley
]]> <![CDATA[One Year in Coal Harbor (Coal Harbour #2)]]> 13262753 Everything on a Waffle is facing another adventure-filled year in Coal Harbor.

Even though her parents, once lost at sea, are home, there’s a whole slew of problems and mysteries to keep Primrose—and eager fans—busy. There’s Uncle Jack and Kate Bowzer, who may (or may not) be in love. There’s Ked, a foster child who becomes Primrose’s friend. And there’s the new development on the outskirts of town that threatens the Coal Harbor Primrose knows and treasures.

From National Book Award–winning author Polly Horvath comes a masterful sequel to a beloved novel, sure to please old fans and gain new ones.
Ěý]]> 224 Polly Horvath 0375869700 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read Sept 2012
Net Galley
sequel to Everything on a Waffle]]> 3.78 2012 One Year in Coal Harbor (Coal Harbour #2)
author: Polly Horvath
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Random House
Sept 2012
Net Galley
sequel to Everything on a Waffle
]]> Racing the Moon 13151686
In the spring of 1947, outer space was an unexplored realm. But eleven year-old Alexis (Alex) Heart and her impulsive brother, Chuck, believe that the stars are within reach. In the midst of building their own rocket, Alex befriends Captain Ebbs, and an army scientist who is working to create food for future space travelers, and who is also a descendent of Captain John Smith. Alex soon introduces Chuck to her new friend, and the trio's shared interest in space travel sets off a series of adventures that the three will never forget. From meeting pioneering German rocket scientist Dr. Wenher von Braun, and a thrilling sailing trip down the Potomac to an island on the Chesapeake where a top secret rocket launch is about to take place, Alex and Chuck are about to have their lives forever changed.]]> 224 Alan Armstrong 037585889X Ms. Yockey 0 to-read June 2012
Ask Tim]]> 3.50 2012 Racing the Moon
author: Alan Armstrong
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Random House
June 2012
Ask Tim
]]> <![CDATA[Grimalkin the Witch Assassin (The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles, #9)]]> 11875502 387 Joseph Delaney 0062082078 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read April 2012
Ask Jenny]]> 4.09 2011 Grimalkin the Witch Assassin (The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles, #9)
author: Joseph Delaney
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Harper
April 2012
Ask Jenny
]]> The Princesses of Iowa 12384972
Paige Sheridan has the perfect life. She's pretty, rich, and popular, and her spot on the homecoming court is practically guaranteed. But when a night of partying ends in an it-could-have-been-so-much worse crash, everything changes. Her best friends start ignoring her, her boyfriend grows cold and distant, and her once-adoring younger sister now views her with contempt. The only bright spot is her creative writing class, led by a charismatic new teacher who encourages students to be true to themselves. But who is Paige, if not the homecoming princess everyone expects her to be? In this arresting and witty debut, a girl who was once high-school royalty must face a truth that money and status can't fix, and choose between living the privileged life of a princess, or owning up to her mistakes and giving up everything she once held dear.]]> 464 M. Molly Backes 0763653128 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read May 2012
Ask John]]> 3.68 2012 The Princesses of Iowa
author: M. Molly Backes
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read
review:
Candlewick
May 2012
Ask John
]]> <![CDATA[Come August, Come Freedom: The Bellows, the Gallows, and the Black General Gabriel]]> 13531763
In a time of post-Revolutionary fervor in Richmond, Virginia, an imposing twenty-four-year-old slave named Gabriel, known for his courage and intellect, plotted a rebellion involving thousands of African- American freedom seekers armed with refashioned pitchforks and other implements of Gabriel’s blacksmith trade. The revolt would be thwarted by a confluence of fierce weather and human betrayal, but Gabriel retained his dignity to the end. History knows little of Gabriel’s early life. But here, author Gigi Amateau imagines a childhood shaped by a mother’s devotion, a father’s passion for liberation, and a friendship with a white master’s son who later proved cowardly and cruel. She gives vibrant life to Gabriel’s love for his wife-to-be, Nanny, a slave woman whose freedom he worked tirelessly, and futilely, to buy. Interwoven with original documents, this poignant, illuminating novel gives a personal face to a remarkable moment in history.]]> 240 Gigi Amateau 0763647926 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read, civil-war September 2012
e-galley]]> 3.63 2012 Come August, Come Freedom: The Bellows, the Gallows, and the Black General Gabriel
author: Gigi Amateau
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, civil-war
review:
Candlewick
September 2012
e-galley
]]> A Certain Strain of Peculiar 5986765
This is the last time Mary Harold will have a panic attack at school when kids call her "the grossest girl." If Mom won’t move back to Alabama, her thirteen-year-old daughter will just have to drive herself 691 miles to Grandma Ayma’s farmhouse — and a whole new life. With Ayma’s loving support, Mary Harold is soon strong enough to help Bud, the Cherokee farm manager, wrangle the cows, and confident enough to stand up for his daughter, Dixie, a girl with a strain of peculiar that makes her whinny and stamp like a horse to keep the world at bay. Mary Harold still misses her mom, but has started to have dreams of the Black Warrior Forest that are offering clues. As she listens to their message, and to her own heart, she discovers how powerful and surprising the bonds of family can be.]]> 272 Gigi Amateau 0763630098 Ms. Yockey 0 Candlewick<br />2009 3.57 2009 A Certain Strain of Peculiar
author: Gigi Amateau
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2012/06/28
shelves: to-read, outcast-finding-her-his-place
review:
Candlewick
2009
]]> Drama 13436373
Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school's production of Moon Over Mississippi, she can't really sing. Instead she's the set designer for the drama department stage crew, and this year she's determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn't know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen. And when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier!]]> 238 Raina Telgemeier 0545326990 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read 4.18 2012 Drama
author: Raina Telgemeier
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2012
rating: 0
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date added: 2012/06/28
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]]> The Queen of Water 8621850
Born in an Andean village in Ecuador, Virginia lives with her large family in a small, earthen-walled dwelling. In her village of indĂ­genas, it is not uncommon to work in the fields all day, even as a child, or to be called a longa tonta - stupid Indian - by members of the ruling class of mestizos, or Spanish descendants. When seven-year-old Virginia is taken from her village to be a servant to a mestizo couple, she has no idea what the future holds.

In this poignant novel based on a true story, acclaimed author Laura Resau has collaborated with MarĂ­a Virginia Farinango to recount one girl's unforgettable journey to self-discovery.]]> 368 Laura Resau 0385738978 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read 4.13 2011 The Queen of Water
author: Laura Resau
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2011
rating: 0
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date added: 2012/06/26
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]]> Sold 201114
He introduces her to a glamorous stranger who tells her she will find her a job as a maid working for a wealthy woman in the city. Glad to be able to help, Lakshmi undertakes the long journey to India and arrives at "Happiness House" full of hope. But she soon learns the unthinkable truth: she has been sold into prostitution.

An old woman named Mumtaz rules the brothel with cruelty and cunning. She tells Lakshmi that she is trapped there until she can pay off her family's debt—then cheats Lakshmi of her meager earnings so that she can never leave.

Lakshmi's life becomes a nightmare from which she cannot escape. Still, she lives by her mother's words—"Simply to endure is to triumph"—and gradually, she forms friendships with the other girls that enable her to survive in this terrifying new world. Then the day comes when she must make a decision—will she risk everything for a chance to reclaim her life?

Written in spare and evocative vignettes, this powerful novel renders a world that is as unimaginable as it is real, and a girl who not only survives but triumphs.]]> 268 Patricia McCormick 0786851716 Ms. Yockey 0 to-read 4.23 2006 Sold
author: Patricia McCormick
name: Ms. Yockey
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2006
rating: 0
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date added: 2012/06/26
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