Silverfin: A James Bond Adventure by Charlie Higson

"The man with the pole now poked the body and the buttons on the front of his suit gave way and the clothing opened, releasing a great, tangled mass of gray and black eels. That was what James had seen moving" .. . . the man was not breathing as James had first thought. Silverfin: A James Bond Adventure is the first in a series of books written by Charlie Higson about the young James Bond before he became the famous spy.

We first meet James as he was beginning his studies at a prestigious school in England, where he copes with bullying and cheating during a sports competition. During a school break, James visits his aunt and uncle in Scotland and his natural spy instincts take hold when he gets interested in a missing person case that happens to have connections to the school bully. This is a great read that I found hard to put down. Blood Fever and Double or Die follow Silverfin in the Young Bond Series.

Mary Ann Young, Teen Services Librarian

 

 

 

 

 

The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Celia Galante

Agnes and Honey have been friends since they were babies, but at fourteen they are growing apart.  They live at Mt. Blessing, a religious commune led by a powerful, charismatic figure named Emmanuel.  Everyone, adults and children alike, does exactly as Emmanuel instructs or is severely punished.  There is almost no contact with the outside world.  Honey questions everything and hates their way of life, while Agnes is trying hard to live the life of a saint.

 

During a surprise visit from Agnes' s and her brother Benny's beloved grandmother, Benny is accidentally injured.  Their grandmother takes him to the hospital against Emmanuel's wishes.  Horrified by what she learns about the children's treatment at Mt. Blessing, Nana Pete then escapes with all three children.  This is exactly what Honey has been waiting for, but Agnes' reaction is completely the opposite.

 

This powerful read comes from an author who grew up on a religious commune herself.

 

Recommended for grades 7- 10.

~Maya Spector, School Liaison Librarian

 

 

The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau

Ember fans, you'll definitely want to read this one.  It continues the story of Lina and Doon, now residents of Sparks.  People in the town are suffering from winter's toll - the cold, not enough food and illness. After finding a fragment of an ancient book that seems as though it was meant for the people of Ember, the two kids decide to go back to Ember to see if they can find the mysterious object the book refers to in hopes of helping their community survive.  What they find is a whole lot of trouble. 

 

Have Lina and Doon bitten off more than they can chew this time?  You'll have to read the book to find out!

 

 

Maya Spector, School Liaison Librarian

 

  

The Graveyard Book  by Neil Gaiman

This is a wonderful book!   Those children and teens who relish creepy books will love it.  But it isn't just a horror story - it's charming, clever, and touching at the same time.  It tells the story of Bod (short for Nobody) Owens, a boy who is taken in by the inhabitants of the local cemetery after the murder of his family, The man Jack should have killed him, too, but he managed to toddle away from his bed and up the street to the graveyard.  Raised by ghosts and werewolves and given the Freedom of the Graveyard, Bod learns the ways of his new supernatural family.  They caution him never to leave the safety of his new home.  But Bod must eventually learn the ways of the living and figure out how to face those who still want him dead. 

 

This is Gaiman's second book for younger readers, after Coraline.  He's outdone himself with this one.

 

Gaiman is coming to Palo Alto, brought to you by the Library, Kepler's and PAUSD.  Come see him on Sat. Oct. 4th at 7:30 pm at Spangenberg Theatre at Gunn High School.

 

Maya Spector, School Liaison Librarian

 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The character of Death is supposed to be impassive, but in Zusak's The Book Thief, it is Death who tells this incredibly moving story set during World War II.  It is the story of Liesel, a 12-year-old German girl who is caught up in the horrors of Nazism and the Holocaust.  Liesel is tragically orphaned and comes to live with a foster family outside of Munich.  Her loving foster father teaches Liesel how to read while all around her the Germans are burning books that are deemed unacceptable.  While Leisel, her family and neighbors scrape out a meager existence, Leisel becomes a book thief to feed her soul.  The first book that she steals is "The Gravedigger's Handbook", which fell out of the pocket of a gravedigger while he buried her brother.  This book, and the others that she steals, sustains Leisel and her neighbors along with a Jewish fist-fighter who is hidden in her basement.  Death toils tirelessly and only occasionally whines about being overworked, but even he has a special place in his 'heart' for Leisel and all the remarkable characters that inhabit this small German town.  A gripping piece of historical fiction that you won't soon forget.

Laurie Hastings, Teen Services Librarian

 

 

The Angel of Death by Alane Ferguson

“Beyond the rock, rising like a half-shell, was a body, shadows dappling the surface of what looked to be the remains of a small person. The sickly sweet smell of decay filled her nostrils, but she ignored it as she moved closer, her heart drumming with nervous energy.”  This forensic mystery could stand alone but was written as a sequel to Christopher Killer and prequel to Circle of Blood. So read them all because Ferguson is such a good storyteller, you wouldn’t want to miss out on any of her works! If reading detailed descriptions of dead bodies is your thing, Ferguson will have your heart racing and fingers rapidly turning the pages as you try to solve the mystery.

 

In this series, seventeen-year-old Cameron serves as Assistant Coroner to her father, the County Coroner of Silverton, CO. Adding to the intrigue are subplots involving her long lost mother, romance with an unlikely school mate, and questionable friendships. This book is jam packed with romance, mystery, and suspense. Oh, and a terrifying conclusion!

 

Mary Ann Young, Teen Services Librarian

 

 

 

 

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D.Schmidt

It may have the most boring cover in the world, but this is a great book.  I read it because I knew it had won some prizes, and in the beginning I thought it was okay.  But the more I read, the more I liked it.  A book that can make you laugh out loud AND touch you deeply is a pretty amazing book.

 

The year is 1967 and Holling is in 7th grade.  In those days (at least in Holling's part of the country), the Catholic and Jewish kids were released from school one afternoon a week to go for religious instruction.  Holling, being the only Protestant in his class, is stuck with his English teacher, Mrs. Baker, every Wednesday, and he's sure she hates him.  For one, she decides that they're going to spend their Wednesday afternoons reading Shakespeare.

 

Holling has lots to deal with in his life besides Mrs. Baker - things like bullies, escaped rats, the impact of the Vietnam War, and a father who is a real jerk.  Although lots of teenagers think their parents are awful, many of them eventually get over it.  Holling's father is an honest-to-goodness lout.  Holling, however, is not, and the reader can't help cheering for him through the whole book.

 

Maya Spector, School Liaison

 

Maybe by Brent Runyon

Reading this book is like having a front seat center view of Brian’s brain and getting a glimpse of what he thinks about most of the time. He thinks a lot about girls and all the stuff that goes with it! He’s also coping with a lot of angst around the loss of his brother and keeps us wondering as to what happened. There is humor, sadness, and a realistic view of what it may be like starting a new school and making new friends, while feeling lonely and detached. Action and adventure takes a back seat to drama in this novel. Reflection and coming to terms with how to deal with tremendous sense of loss prevails throughout this story.

 

Mary Ann Young, Teen Services Librarian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cures for Heartbreak by Margo Rabb

Mrs. Pearlman went to the hospital with a stomachache and twelve days later melanoma took her life.  In Cures for Heartbreak, the author gives us a view of her experiences as a teenager who has lost both her mother and father.  Although it doesn't seem very funny,  this wonderful dark comedy keeps you smiling much of the way.  Mia and her older sister banter back and forth through this tragic time with dialogue that seems familiar if you have siblings.  This is a must read for those who like to laugh and cry. 

 

 

Mary Ann Young, Teen Services Librarian

 

 

 

 

  

 

Before I Die by Jenny Downham

 

This is a book for an older teen. It begins by introducing the main characters so you know from the start that sixteen year old Tessa is dying. She has made a list of 10 things that she wants to do before she dies. One of those things is to have sex. The dialogue with her best friend, Zoey is funny and heartbreaking as they explore their life together, however short-lived. Tessa’s relationship with her little brother, Cal, is very sweet, especially at the end. And her boyfriend, Adam, is a rock. Their voices are so authentic as they all struggle with saying goodbye. When Tessa ’s illness progresses and she is resigned to her fate, the reader is catapulted into Tessa’s thoughts and can almost feel what this process might be like. It’s not portrayed as maudlin but as the mystery that death is. Although beautifully written, the story is painful to read and recommended for those able to handle this delicate subject. Warning: contains some explicit language and sexual content. For grades 10 and up.

 

Jill Ehrhorn, Children's Librarian

 

 

 

 

 

Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. Cooney

Caroline Cooney is a terrific suspense and mystery writer, and Diamonds in the Shadow is a gripping read that I could not put down.  The Finch family of Conneticut has agreed to host a family of four refugees from Sierre Leone.  The Amabos will stay with the Finches until they are settled and can locate a place of their own.  But when the Amabos arrive, the Finches come to realize that something is not quite right with their new guests.  Why is Mr. Amabo missing an arm, why does teenage son Mattu carry a cardboard box containing the ashes of his grandparents, and why will teenage daughter Alake not speak?  Why do Mr. and Mrs. Amabo appear to have no interest in their children?  Cooney does a wonderful job of revealing the amazement of life in America through the eyes of the impoverished and traumatized Amabos.  Each chapter creates more tension until the terrifying and heart-pounding climax.  I particularly enjoyed the fact that it was the Finch children (teenage Jared and 6th-grader Mopsy) and not the parents who were most sensitive and aware of the condition and needs of the Amabos .  This is an unflinching depiction of the brutality of life in Africa for those who have been swept up in the madness of 'conflict diamonds'.

 

Laurie Hastings, Teen Services Librarian

 

 

 

 

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

This extraordinary wordless graphic novel shows how strange and difficult an immigrant's experience can be.  A man leaves his sad wife and daughter for a new land.  The author/illustrator captures the foreignness of this new place in a unique way - by creating a language, environment, animals, food and transportation that are unlike any that exist anywhere in real life.  The reader, then, is catapaulted into as bewildering an experience as the main character.  And yet, despite the disorientation, the mood, feelings and actions of the man are perfectly clear.  Despite the difficulties, the man makes his way in this new life; he meets others who are kind to him, he learns new ways, and eventually earns the money to bring his family to join him.

 

These pictures are fascinating and can be explored over and over again.  Amazing!

 

Maya Spector, School Liaison

 

 

  

Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey

I decided to read some of the National Book Award nominees, so I found my way to this one.  Well, this is a book I couldn't put down.  It alternates chapters between Sadima, who leaves home to find the ones who, like her, have the magical abilities that have been outlawed, and Hahp, a boy who lives centuries later when magic has been accepted again, and who has been sent by his abusive father to learn to be a wizard.  Both Sadima and Hahp have had hard lives, and getting more involved inthe world of magic does not make them any easier. 

 

This is the first book of a trilogy - one of those situations where you sit in suspense until the next book comes out.  I recommend it!  I don't envy the Book Award committee - I  loved The Invention of Hugo Cabret, too!

 

Maya Spector, School Liaison

 

 

 

 

Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Lucky, age ten, lives in Hard Pan, CA -- population 43!  She lives with her loving guardian, Brigitte, and her dog, HMS Beagle, in a trailer park in the high dessert.  Lucky's mother was killed a couple of years ago and Brigitte, who is her estranged father's first wife has come all the way from France to take care of Lucky for a while.  Lucky hears about 'higher power' when she eavesdrops on the local meetings of Alcoholics or Smokers Anonymous.  She figures that she is going to have to find some 'higher power' for herself so that she doesn't end up abandoned in an orphanage in Los Angeles.  Although the population of Hard Pan is small, Lucky is surrounded by some loving and quirky characters including her friend Lincoln who is a master at tying knots and Short Sammy who lives in an abondoned water tank.  This Newberry Award winner made me think of 'The Wizard of Oz' when Lucky decides to run away in the middle of a terrible dessert windstorm.  The ending brought tears of sadness and hope.

 

Laurie Hastings, Teen Services Librarian 

 

 

 

        

Blackbringer: The Faeries of Dreamdark by Laini Taylor

 

If you're looking for a fluffy book about fairies, rainbows and unicorns this isn't it!  Magpie Windwitch is a fairy and granddaughter of the West Wind.  She has knowledge, abilities and a purpose that no other fairy has - to defeat the Blackbringer, an ancient force of evil who intends to unmake the world.  A great fantasy read.

                   

 Maya Spector, School Liaison

 

 

 

 

 

        

 Down the Rabbit Hole: An Echo Falls Mystery by Peter Abrahams

The Pull of the Ocean by Jean-Claude Mourlevat

The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman

Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey

Merlin’s prophecy said that the twenty-first queen of Wilde Island would end war.  But when the Princess Rosalind is born, she has a dragon’s talon in the place of one finger.  If the people knew she’d be branded as a witch and killed, so her mother hides the horrible flaw under golden gloves and hopes to find a way to heal her.  No healing works, however, and the princess’ fate seems tied to dragons.  The story is rooted in traditional tales and legends, but it is a completely new and absorbing fantasy.

Great cover, too!

Maya Spector, School Liaison Librarian

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Read this book! Selznick not only tells a great story, but he also breaks new ground in bookmaking design. The visual concept is hard to describe, but it has aspects of both graphic novels and flip books, and is reminiscent of old movies. You just have to see it to really get the picture. The story tells of the life and mission of twelve-year-old Hugo, a boy who lives alone in the hidden recesses of a 1930's Paris train station after the disappearance of his guardian, an uncle who was the station's clock keeper. Hugo's father, a clockmaker, had died in museum fire, leaving Hugo a broken robot/automaton and his notebooks about its mechanisms. Hugo is determined to stay hidden from view and put the complicated automaton in working order. He winds up doing some work for a mysterious toymaker and reluctantly becomes friends with the toymaker's goddaughter. The plot is filled with suspense, secrets, dreams, and the world of early films and inventions.

 Maya Spector, School Liaison Librarian